Same Sex Parents essays

Same Sex Parents essays Whatever the final equation of factors influencing sexual orientation and identity, there's an immediate implication for the increasing number of gays and lesbians forming families. Today, many gays and lesbians are out of the closet and they are not afraid of facing society with what many people consider abnormal sexual orientations. We must now ask ourselves the question: is homosexuality really an abnormal lifestyle? Is it still against the norm? Homosexuals are just like everyone else in every way aside from their sexual preferences. Why should adoption be an area where gays and lesbians are discriminated against? Without the constraints and pressures of demographic norms, the idea and practice of homosexual adoption has no known harmful implications upon the children involved. Therefore, I find it unnecessary to restrict their rights and desires to adopt and raise children in families just as you or I would. An adoption agency looks for good qualities in a foster home. Qualities such as financial security, emotional stability, and proper role models. Judge Judith S. Kaye wrote that ...adoption is a means of securing the best possible home for a child. Some might argue that the child would be lacking the father in a lesbian couple and a mother in a gay couple. Sure, little Joey might not have a male role model around the house, but all the kids raised by single mothers seem to be okay. Children who lose a parent and are raised in single parent households are not harmed. Or are they? If they are, they are affected in just the same way as children raised by gay and lesbian couples -that is, couples that are lacking a male or female role model. Children raised with parents of the same sex develop positive tolerances. They tend to have more positive outlooks, and have a degree of passiveness that makes them to better adapt to today's changing society. A child raised by gay paren...

DOWN SYNDROME Essays - Chromosomal Abnormalities, Cytogenetics

DOWN SYNDROME Essays - Chromosomal Abnormalities, Cytogenetics DOWN SYNDROME By; Theodore Kirk INTRODUCTION In every cell in the human body there is a nucleus, where genetic material is stored in genes. Genes carry the codes responsible for all our inherited traits and are grouped along rod-like structures called chromosomes. Typically, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, half of which are inherited from each parent. Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. The cause of the extra full or partial chromosome is still unknown. Maternal age is the only factor that has been linked to an increased chance of having a baby with Down syndrome resulting from nondisjunction or mosaicism. However, due to higher birth rates in younger, 80% of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age. In my research paper I will be taking a closer look at the genetic disorders cause and effect. What is Down syndrome? Overview Down syndrome is a chromosomal condition that is associated with intellectual disability, a characteristic facial appearance, and weak muscle tone in infancy. All affected individuals experience cognitive delays, but the intellectual disability is usually mild to moderate. Case in point: I had a set of fraternal twins (boy/girl), and my son was Down syndrome and so this is why this subject is of great importance to me. Babies that are born with this genetic disorder may have a variety of birth defects. About half of all affected children are born with heart defect. Such as the case with my son, he was born with two holds in his heart and also suffered with digest abnormalities. Children with Down syndrome have increased risk of developing several medical conditions. These include gastro esophageal reflux, which is a backflow of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus, and celiac disease, which is an intolerance of a wheat protein called gluten. About 15% of children with Down syndrome have an underactive thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ in the lower neck that produces hormones. Individuals with Down syndrome also have an increased risk of hearing and vision problems. Additionally, a small percentage of children with Down syndrome develop cancer of blood-forming cells (leukemia). Delayed development and behavioral problems are often reported in children with Down syndrome. Affected individuals speech and language develop later and more slowly than in children without Down syndrome, and affected individual speech may be more difficult to understand. Behavioral issues can include attention problems, obsessive/compulsive behavior, and stubbornness or tantrums. A small percentage of people with Down syndrome are also diagnosed with developmental conditions called autism spectrum disorders, which affect communication and social interaction. People with Down syndrome often experience a gradual decline in thinking ability (cognition) as they age, usually starting around age 50. Down syndrome is also associated with an increase risk of developing Alzheimer disease, a brain disorder that result in a gradual loss of memory, judgment, and ability to function. Cause for Down syndrome In 1959, the French physician Jerome Jejune identified Down syndrome as a chromosomal condition. Instead of the usual 46 chromosomes present in each cell, Lejeune observed 47 in the cells of individuals with Down syndrome. It was later determined that an extra partial or whole copy of chromosome 21 resulted in the characteristics associated with Down syndrome. In the year 2000, an international team of scientists successfully identified and catalogued each of the approximately 329 genes on chromosome 21. This accomplishment opened the door to great advances in Down syndrome research. There are three types of Down syndrome: trisomy 21 (nondisjunction), translocation and mosaicism. My research focus will be on trisomy 21, because this one was my sons condition and it accounts for 95% of cases. TRISOMY 21 (NONDISJUNCTION) Down syndrome is usually caused by an error in cell division called nondisjunction. Nondisjunction results in early embryo with three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two. Prior to or at conception, a pair of 21st chromosomes in either the sperm or egg fails to separate. As the embryo develops, the extra chromosome is replicated in every cell of the body. DOWN SYNDROME DIAGNOSED There are two categories of tests for Down syndrome that can be performed before a baby is born: screening tests and diagnostic tests.

The hybrid cars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The hybrid cars - Essay Example The automobile emissions are one primary source of green house gases. The crux of all these facts consolidates around the words ‘cars’ and ‘pollution’. Just changing the type of cars we drive can make a significant contribution towards assuring a greener and healthier environment (Anderson & Anderson 14). The future is hybrid! Hybrid cars are the vehicles that rely on two or more disparate sources of energy to run (Mitchell, Borroni-Bird & Burns 22). Mostly the term hybrid cars are also considered synonymous with the Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs). A Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) contains both an internal combustion engine that is run by gasoline as well as an alternate source of energy that is an electric battery. As per one’s requirements and traffic conditions, the driver can chose as to run a hybrid car on gasoline or on electricity. In addition, the dual mode cars that run on a mixture of fuels like gasoline and ethanol are also considered hybri d. Hybrid cars bring in an element of choice into the overall driving experience. They allow a driver to opt for cleaner and greener modes of driving. Low fuel consumption and reduced emissions are the factors that set hybrid cars apart from other vehicles (Westbrook 17).

Refutation for the DREAM Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Refutation for the DREAM Act - Essay Example It is an American legislation drafted by both the Democrats and the Republicans that would give students who were raised and studied in the US a chance to contribute to the country’s growth by serving the military or pursuing higher education. Some of the benefits that the government reaps from the act include; making the US more competitive in the global market, improving the national economy, contributing to the military’s recruitment efforts and readiness and allowing the immigrants and border security experts to focus on those who pose a serious threat to the national security. Opponents are however against the DREAM Act and they provide various reasons to prove their argument. They claim that the DREAM Act would encourage more students to immigrate illegally into the US and applicants would use it to petition for relatives. They also add that the DREAM Act would result in taxpayers having to subsidize student loans for those students who are registered through the DREAM Act. (The White House FactSheet). The DREAM Act is purely beneficial to the American people and I will illustrate the reasoning of the critics and provide the factual information that is contained in the Act. Most critics think that the DREAM Act, when passed will imply that the government would be awarding privileges and rights to individuals who have broken the law by violating the immigration laws and to those who have not worked for them and therefore they do not deserve those privileges. Critics argue that the DREAM Act is amnesty since the immigrants are being pardoned after breaking the immigration laws. (Lamar) The above argument is fallacious since the DREAM Act requires responsibility and accountability of young people who will apply in order to adjust their status under the requirements of the DREAM Act, which is a lengthy and rigorous process. Young people applying for citizenship under the

Jadelink Market Essay Example for Free

Jadelink Market Essay Comentario en Internet de Harvard Business Review : â€Å"The experienced entrepreneurial chief executive officer (CEO) of Jadelink International Limited strives to create a modern jewelry brand representing a new perception in jade. The CEO has achieved early success of growing sales rapidly and bringing Jadelink products to Shanghai, the trendiest city in China. But the company wants to expand business to the Asian and international luxury goods markets. This requires intensive capital to continue to build up the company scale. This case examines the consideration of venturing a new business in the China market, managing business growth and acquiring venture capital. It also allows discussion of factors leading to a successful entrepreneurship and dealing with business highly associated with industry tradition, people connection and product design and innovation†. Q1: How would you characterize Chung as an entrepreneur? What lessons did he learn in the past few years as an entrepreneur? See the comments on above Kent Chung us the CEO and founder of Jadelink International Limited, company based in HK. He is an accountant that worked for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT) and then he started his own accounting Firm. He likes business and he likes to be an entrepreneur, he: * Sold cosmetics in HK. He learned that he invested a lot in expensive furniture there. * Sold Silk stocks (medias de seda) in Lo Wu * Published Puntonghua (mandarin) Books. * Opened a Cigar shop that currently still operates in a four stars hotel (with profits). * He lost HK $12 millions in an investment of an online education project. In this case, he learned that people want pleasure and looking good, not inspiration or education. The key point is to know the desires and trends of consumers. He summarized the lessons as follows: * Business startup: Team spirit, company infrastructure, work coordination, trust. * Entrepreneur: Hard work, multitasking, flexibility, pressure-resistance, independence * Drivers of a company: Clear business direction and product familiarization. Mastering financial foundation is important. Luxury Market Tea. First Chung bought a tea garden in 2004. Rich Chinese started to buy expensive/premium tea. Problems faced: Farmers knew what leaves are better and they keep them for themselves. Picking tea in an intensive labor, the farmer did well but the motivation dropped quickly once they make enough money to live leisurely. Manage farmers was hard. Jade Business Jade was more suited for Mr. Chang. His wife studied gemology and his younger brother’s father in law (el suegro de su hermano menor) was a veteran of the industry that known everything of sourcing and stones cutting. Jewerly market in China was booming. He founded the company Jadelink International Limited in 2005, with the investment of a Silent Investor, and his wife. Q2: What was the value proposition of Jadelink? Jadelink controlled all the operation flow Material Purchasing and processing. * Product design, manufacturing and retailing took place in different subsidiaries. * Team in HK: Design * Plant in Foshan (Guandong province): Cutting, slicing and polishing. * Several Contractors and Artisans in HK were outsourced (for final phases of the process) in order to avoid dependence of one of them. a) Jadelink conducted market research, ask for customers’ feedback, and design according customers taste. In addition, they have an exclusive technique in stone-cutting enabled Jadelink to use almost 2/3 of a jadeite rough to make the maximum number of jewelry items. b) Chung use to ask to candidates to probe their abilities spontaneously (designers mainly). Chung selected excellent professionals to build up the company. How did Chung succeed in starting up Jadelink? Once the company â€Å"Jadelink† was founded, Chung only took 25 months to set up: * A heading office and retail store in HK * A manufacturing plant in Foshan * 8 retail shops at vantage points in Shanghai * A company website and e-business in Japan * In 2008 there are more than 80 employees. Asi o mas exitoso 3. What did Chung do to establish the company? He has a very clear idea: Jade is precious for Chinese, but if one wants to buy jade jewelry, would the person think of any particular company The initial investment was approximately HK $ 30 million. * Chung $ HK 10million (cash) * Silent Investor $HK10 (cash) * Wong (wife) invested her stock of jade merchandise 4. Outline the current problems facing Jadelink. How did these problems arise? In 2006, Jadelink had sales of a couple of million HK dollars, which increased several times in 2007. In the first two months of 2008, when the sales volume was three times the sales for the same period in 2007, the business broke even. Chung was confident that no potential competitors could emerge fast enough to threaten Jadelinks business in a few years. Therefore, he wished not only to open 30 to 50 shops in all major cities of China but also to promote the brand internationally, expanding to Taiwan, Singapore and Japan, making Jadelink a leading player in the industry. Chung believed that Jadelink was good enough to survive well in the market with this existing scale. However, if he wanted to push the growth of Jadelink forward, he would have to expand the company within five years, which would require an estimated RMB100 million (about 16 million dollars) investment. As Jade industry is capital-intensive, there is too much capital being backlogged in the raw jadeite. The production period usually lasts long, which puts a lot of pressure on capital turnover. Besides, the payback period for a Jadelink shop is two years and it requires about six months for a counter in a department store. As a result, though the company has started to make profit, the existing amount of cash flow is not satisfying enough. More stores and years are required to obtain enough funding to implement Chung’s plan for expansion. If Chung chose to develop at a conservative pace, using the company’s retained earnings, he might miss the opportunity to grow with the expanding China market. Also, potential competitors could also emerge. Therefore, Chung decided to obtain external funding from venture capitalists and other forms of private equity. Internal management problems as the management system was not clear enough. Practices were not recorded, and there is a lack of clear guidelines and training manuals. Q5: What were the issues that caused Chung to obtain external funding? In the eyes of venture capitalists, his company was small and few investors understood the jade industry or recognized the market potential. Chung was concerned they were treaty Jadelink as on their pretty production divisions and simply put it under the existing structure without recognizing his vision and Jadelink’s strengths. Q2: Give recommendations for promoting the expansion of Jadelink. 1. Optimize the internal management system. Jadelink should record practices and set up clear guidelines and training manuals. As Jadelink expands, the company will come across more problems in daily activities. Some of the problems may be similar so there is no need to discuss how to handle it every time. With clear guidelines and training manuals, employees will know how to deal with the affairs under certain circumstances. 2. Attract professional staff. Since the policies〠customers’ preference〠culture and resources are different in varies countries, Jadelink should hire experts who have a good knowledge of each country in order to adjust to and broaden the market. Designers are supposed to know one country’s custom and culture well so that they can manufacture products which cater for the need of customers in different countries. 3. When searching for external funding, Chung had better choose the investors who would respect his effort and vision in addition to focusing on the monetary value of Jadelink. Thus the investors would feel an attachment to the company and be able to relate to their own affections for the company, and they will have the same target as Chung, which is to transform Jadelink into a world-famous brand. Otherwise investors may hold different opinions against the CEO, which would make the operation and management difficult.

Powerful Symbols and Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie :: Glass Menagerie essays

Powerful Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie      Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie is a classic among classics for a number of reasons. The narrator, Tom Wingfield, gives the reader an inside look into the lives of a common family living in the pre-war depression era. The members of this family experience a great deal, and their lives are made much more vivid and meaningful through Williams' use of symbolism. Three well-crafted symbols are the fire escape, which provides hope and an escape to the outside world and from it; the glass menagerie, which is a metaphor for Laura's fragility and uniqueness; and rainbows, which symbolize unrealized hopes and aspirations. Through the use of these symbols, the reader is presented with the universal theme that unfulfilled hopes and desires are an unwanted, albeit important aspect of the human experience. This theme is revealed in a stylized, artistic manner, which is one of the reasons why The Glass Menagerie is a meaningful classic.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Symbols are a major part of this play that Tom, who is a poet, admits he has a weakness for. One of the first to be presented in the story is the fire escape that serves as the passageway to the apartment. The escape has a different meaning and function for each character and is also said to have an "accidental poetic truth" (21). For Tom, it is a means of escape from fire, "the slow and implacable fires of human desperation"(21). This is especially true of Tom's apartment, which is "both literally and metaphorically a trap which Tom and his mother, at least, wish to escape" (Bigsby 34). His mother, Amanda, is devastated after her daughter Laura's failure to cope in business college. This is a let down of Amanda's hopes of escaping because she has "invested what little she had to free both herself and Laura" (Bigsby 34). Amanda then becomes obsessed with finding Laura a gentleman caller so that she can marry and be supported as another means of escape, at least f or Laura. When this caller finally comes, and it seems like it was meant to be, as they dance and kiss, he announces he is engaged, and dashes their hopes. The ever-fragile Laura, temporarily drawn out of her dream-world shell of her glass collection and the victrola, draws further back into herself. Now a terrible desperation fills the apartment, and Tom decides he must escape the suffocating environment to follow his own calling.

Case Studies Essay

Case Study Number One: The Case of Confusion 1. The subfield of psychology that will be of greatest relevance is the behavioral perspective. This perspective has made contributions in diverse areas such as: treating mental disorders, curbing aggression, resolving sexual problems, and ending drug addiction. 2. The cognitive perspective would be most helpful. The focus of this perspective is how people think, understand, and know about the world. 3. Personally, I think Alexis surfing the web and looking at self-help books is a bad idea, she could be looking into all the wrong things and make herself believe she’s worse than she really is, she could end up self-diagnosing. The dangers of this approach are making herself believe she’s worse than she really is. 4. The advice I’d give to Alexis is that she needs to see a therapist and talking things out so she doesn’t get angry anymore. If she saw a therapist, she could be put on medicine and it would control he r moods. Case Study Number Two: The Case of the Cautious Pilot 1. Captain Mueller and his co-pilot sat in the dark cockpit to get their eyes adjusted to the night time before they took off for flight to Dallas from Boston. Case Study Number Three: The Case of the Manager Who Doubled Productivity 1. He gave them positive reinforcements when they met their goals at the end of the week, and when he saw them being busy he gave them extra break time. 2. When you punish undesirable behavior, that’s all you’ll get because negative reinforcement ruins a person’s moral and will ruin their confidence to do something good. If you use punishment and positive reinforcements will effectively control behavior. 3. He complimented them frequently whenever he saw that they did a good job, Friday afternoons, if they met their daily and weekly goals he bought them lunch. If he found them hard at work they got extra break time. He set daily and weekly production goals and over the next three months his staffs’ production nearly doubled. 4. He could use a lot of positive reinforcement and encouragement to get them to learn the new complex task. 5. Cliff could focus on the internal thoughts and ex pectations of his staff, that would help improve the productivity. Case Study Number Four: The Case of Rob Steere, the Man Who Knew Too Much 1. Yes, because it’s a newer computer based system and it’s eliminated the need to sort things topically. 2. The earlier filing system and the location of various archived records are organized in his memory because of his declarative memory which stores factual information like names, faces and dates. 3. Yes, because they are used to bottom-up processing which consists of the progression of recognizing and processing information from individual parts of a stimulus. The new computer system would require them to think using top-down processing. 4. He’s having so much difficulty finding those records because he’s used to filing them topically and not having a computer to do it for him. He developed this problem because he’s used to using his memory to place every file. 5. The advice I would give Rob for making the adjustment would be to go slow and understand the way the filing system worked, it might take a while but it would pay off in the end, unless he found a new job somewhere else. Case Study Number Five: The Case of Mike and Marty Scanlon, the Unlikely Twins 1. A rational personality bases actions on logic and experience. Not on sentiments or things not amenable to reason. Rational personalities are largely dependent on evidence and proof. 2. Mike is very open to experiences, but he’s very unfriendly and boisterous and unruly. While on the other hand, Marty is very quiet, organized and would rather keep to himself. 3. The differences in their personalities are very noticeable, Marty is quiet and well-behaved when Mike is unruly, and indifferent to authority. Temperament is defiantly a key in these brothers different behaviors, Mike didn’t get the basic, innate disposition that comes about in early life, while Marty did. 4. Marty is the brother achieving self-actualization, because he’s reaching his own highest potential by having a great job and having two children. 5. They do have different levels of intelligence, Marty finished high scho ol and went to college to get where he is today. While Mike dropped out of high school to become an oil-change technician.

Children should be required to help with household tasks Essay

?It is ture that only good students gain a higher education has its merits. They have the strong abilitiy to study new things and they have more passtive to explore something unsure. It is not only conductive to themselves, but also contributing a lot to society. However, no matter how outstanding they are, every citizens should be treated equally. Moreover, commonplace people also use their talent to make it better. Therefore, as far as I am concerned, a college or university education should be available to all students. For one thing, all people have their own right to deside whether attend to a college or university and all people also should be treat equally whatever they are good or common. That is a basic rules that everyone should respect for others. If a college or university only choose the people who are amazing, that will hurt others who also desire to attend this school. It will lead to a adverse impact on them, even they are never stimulated by studying due to their odinary gift. In addtion, it is not a truth that good people are always good. Some students might be not aware of their talent and they even do not know what field they want to engage or study before they go to a college or university. Once they attend there, they would find their own route, which fit them and they want to pursue. In this process, a host of people will gain their real dream, and in order to fulfill it, they will become diligent and ambitious. That is why many famous people have not high IQ or special capacity but still seccessful in the future. I think that they could be enlightened by higher education. Some people believe that a college or university education should be available to all students. Others think that higher education should be available only to good students. Maybe both parties have their weights, however, I agree that all students should have the opportunity to receive higher education. To begin with, everyone has the right to receive a better education. It is very important for all the students get higher education. College education improves the quality of people and is a necessary preparation for the later social life. People learn not only knowledge and skills but also interpersonal methods and experience. An higher education experience is of great help in finding a good job and living a good life. Moreover, it is not certain that good students in high school will be still â€Å"good† in further education. Many people claim that it is most effective to give Good students higher education. Nonetheless, there is not promise that every good student going to a college will graduate successfully. Jack, one of my university classmates is a good example. He rolled in the university with a very high score. However, he often was absent in class and indulged himself in drinking. Subsequently, failing to pass many exams, he had to drop out. In this case, a university education is not benefit to Jack. However, many students who were not that good in high school can do well in their college. Many of them have the ability and potentiality to study well, but they did not realize the importance of education when they were in high school. After entering a college, they learn by heart, and become good college students. If they are derived the right to higher education, it will be a big loss to them and the society. To conclude, higher education plays an important role in one’s life. All students have the right to study in a college or university, that is, higher education should be available to all the students, including both good students and bad students. People learn through their entire lives. They constantly improve their knowledge and gain new experience. I think that a college or university education should be available to all students because every person has the right to choose the way to self-perfection. Below I will give some reasons to support my position. First of all, every person should have the chance to get a higher degree, gain new knowledge and experience. However, some people believe that higher education should be available only to good students. I think it is silly. It is like to make unavailable travelling for one who does not have IQ high enough. Secondly, some young people do not do well at school but they have great personality and ability to learn. They are self-confident, persistent and patient. With these qualities they can get higher grades than their classmates who are talented but lazy. Imagine for example situation when a teenager gets high grades because his or her parents constantly make him or her study and help to do most of the homework. In this case a child is good at school but I think a college can show the opposite results. Finally, it is a discrimination against students to make available higher education only for good ones. So, if a student does poor and gets low grades he or she should be sent down. But if a person has never been given a chance to try himself or herself at college what one can do in this case? To sum up, I think that all young people should have the chance to get a higher education. To take or not this chance must be up to them.

The Xia Dynasty of Ancient China

The Xia Dynasty of Ancient China The Xia Dynasty is said to have been the first true Chinese dynasty, described in the ancient Bamboo Annals called the Ji Tomb Annals, dated to the late third century BCE; and in the Records of the Historian Sima Qian (called the Shi Ji and written about 145 BCE). There is a long-standing debate as to whether the Xia Dynasty was myth or reality; until the mid-20th century, no direct evidence was available to support stories of this long-vanished era. Some scholars still believe that it was invented in order to validate the leadership of the Shang Dynasty, for which there is abundant archaeological and written evidence. The Shang Dynasty was founded in about 1760 BCE, and many of the attributes ascribed to the Xia are different from those ascribed to the Xia. Legends of the Xia Dynasty According to the historical records, the Xia dynasty is thought to have lasted between about 2070–1600 BCE, and it was said to have been founded by a man known as Yu the Grea a descendant of the Yellow Emperor, and born about 2069. His capital was at Yang City. Yu is a semi-mythical figure who spent 13 years stopping a great flood and bringing irrigation to the Yellow River Valley. Yu was the ideal hero and ruler, said to have been assisted in his work by a yellow dragon and a black turtle. Many of the tales about him are cast in mythology, which doesnt necessarily rule out the possible reality of a sophisticated society predating the Shang. The Xia dynasty is said to be the first to irrigate, produce cast bronze, and build a strong army. It used oracle bones and had a calendar. Xi Zhong is credited in legend with inventing a wheeled vehicle. He used a compass, square, and rule. King Yu was the first king to be succeeded by his son instead of a man chosen for his virtue. This made the Xia the first Chinese dynasty. The Xia under King Yu probably had about 13.5 million people. According to the Records of the Grand Historian (the Shi Ji, started around the second century BCE (over a millennium after the end of the Xia Dynasty), there were 17 Xia Dynasty Kings. They included: Yu the Great: 2205–2197 BCEEmperor Qi: 2146–2117 BCETai Kang: 2117–2088 BCEZhong Kang: 2088–2075 BCEXiang: 2075–2008 BCEShao Kang: 2007–1985 BCEZhu: 1985–1968 BCEHuai: 1968–1924 BCEMang: 1924–1906 BCEXie: 1906–1890 BCEBu Jiang: 1890–1831 BCEJiong: 1831–1810 BCEJin: 1810–1789 BCEKong Jia: 1789–1758 BCEGao: 1758–1747 BCEFa: 1747–1728 BCEJie: 1728–1675 BCE The fall of the Xia is blamed on its last king, Jie, who is said to have fallen in love with an evil, beautiful woman and become a tyrant. The people rose up in rebellion under the leadership of Zi Là ¼, the Tang Emperor and founder of the Shang Dynasty. Possible Xia Dynasty Sites While there is still debate over how much the texts can be relied on, there is recent evidence has increased the likelihood that there really was dynasty predating the Shang. Late Neolithic sites which hold some elements suggesting Xia dynasty remains include Taosi, Erlitou, Wangchenggang, and Xinzhai in central Henan province. Not all researchers in China agree to the connection of archaeological sites with prehistoric semi-mythical polities, although scholars have noted that Erlitou in particular had a high degree of cultural-political sophistication at an early period. Erlitou  in Henan Province is a massive site, covering at least 745 acres, and occupations between 3500–1250 BCE; at its heyday about 1800, it was the primary center in the region, with eight palaces and a large cemetery precinct.  Ã‚  Taosi, in southern Shanxi, (2600–2000 BCE) was a regional center, and had an urban center surrounded by large rammed-earth walls, a craft production center for pottery and other artifacts, and a semicircular rammed-earth structure which has been identified as an astronomical observatory.  Wangchenggang in Dengfeng province (2200–1835 BCE) was a settlement center for at least 22 other sites in the upper Ying River valley. It had two connected small rammed-earth enclosures built about 2200 BCE, a craftproduction center, and many ash pits some containing human burials.  Xinzhai, in Henan Province (2200–1900 BCE) is an urban center with at least fifteen associated sites surrounding it, with a large semi-subterranean stru cture interpreted as a ritual structure.   In 2016, an international group of archaeologists reported evidence of a great flood in the Yellow River at a site called Lajia, dated about 1920 BCE, which they claimed provided support to the great flood in the Xia Dynasty legends. The Laija townsite in particular was found with several residences with skeletons buried within the deposits. Wu Qinglong and colleagues admitted that the date was several centuries later than the historical records state. The article appeared in Science magazine in August of 2016, and three comments were quickly received disagreeing with the dating and interpretation of the geological and archaeological data, so the site remains an open question like the others. Sources Dai, L. L., et al. An Isotopic Perspective on Animal Husbandry at the Xinzhai Site During the Initial Stage of the Legendary Xia Dynasty (2070–1600 BC). International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 26.5 (2016): 885–96. Print.Han, Jian-Chiu. Comment on Outburst Flood at 1920 BCE Supports Historicity of China’s Great Flood and the Xia Dynasty. Science 355.6332 (2017): 1382–82. Print.Huang, Chun Chang, et al. Comment on Outburst Flood at 1920 BCE Supports Historicity of China’s Great Flood and the Xia Dynasty. Science 355.6332 (2017): 1382–82. Print.Liu, Li. State Emergence in Early China. Annual Review of Anthropology 38 (2009): 217–32. Print.Wu, Qinglong, et al. Outburst Flood at 1920 Bce Supports Historicity of China’s Great Flood and the Xia Dynasty. Science 353.6299 (2016): 579–382. Print.Wu, Qinglong, et al. Response to Comments on Outburst Flood at 1920 BCE Supports Historicity of China’s Great Flood and the Xia D ynasty. Science 355.6332 (2017): 1382–82. Print.Wu, Wenxiang, et al. Comment on â€Å"Outburst Flood at 1920 Bce Supports Historicity of China’s Great Flood and the Xia Dynasty†. Science 355.6332 (2017): 1382-82. Print.

How to Get a Merit Scholarship 6-Step Guide

How to Get a Merit Scholarship 6-Step Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re looking for a way to fund your college education, you should definitely check out merit scholarships. They’re especially great options for high-achieving students who may not qualify for much need-based financial aid. The best part of getting a merit scholarship is, of course, that you’re essentially getting free money for school.But how to get a merit scholarship can still be confusing and overwhelming. In this post, I’ll explain what defines a merit scholarship before going into both where you can find them and how you can get them. At the end, you’ll find a list of some of the top merit awardsavailable - this way, you can get a head start on getting that cash. What's a Merit Scholarship? Merit scholarships are financial awards that are meant to help students pay for school. They’re one of the best forms of financial aid because they’re free money that you never have to pay back, often with few to no strings attached. Let's answer some of themost common questions that come up aboutthese awards. How Do Scholarship Organizations Define Merit? Many merit scholarships look for students with impressive academic achievements.Others focus on community service, sports prowess, professional/business experience, leadership skills, or artistic talent. The most prestigious scholarships tend to go to students who stand out in several different areas. It's important to note that, although mostmerit scholarships are awarded primarily based on merit, many take financial need into account. Financial need qualifications (if applicable) will vary based on the scholarship. If you don't think you'll qualify for much need-based aid, you'll want to focus your energy on pure merit-based awards. Are Merit Scholarships Hard to Get? This will obviously vary based on the scholarship. In general, the bigger the award, the more serious the competition for the money. Merit-based scholarships are often difficult to get in the sense that they require dedicated, long-term, impressive performance in order to stand out as an applicant. For example, if you want to apply for a scholarship based on GPA, you will have had tomaintain a high GPA since the beginning of high school in order to be a competitive applicant. In another sense, thesescholarships may be less difficult than other awards because you might not have to do anythingâ€Å"extra† in order to qualify (if you're already a meritorious student, that is). How to Find Merit Scholarships There are two major sources of merit scholarships: private organizations and colleges/universities themselves. The way you’d go about finding (and applying) for thesescholarships depends on their source. Step 1 of the scholarship app process: figuring out where all these awards are hiding Merit Scholarships Offered Through Private Organizations Some of the most well-known (and most generous) merit awardsare offered through private and nonprofit organizations. The mission of many of these organizations is to provide financial assistance to high-achieving students who also demonstrate financial need. As such, it may be tough to find pure merit-based awards from these sources. To look for merit-based awards, you might want to start with these guides to the country’s top scholarships. Then, you can move on to looking for less competitive local awards. You can also do your own research by Googling scholarships based on your specific interests, skills, or activities. If you're into debate, for example, you might search for "debate scholarships," "debate merit scholarships," or even "debate scholarship [specific school name]." Merit Scholarships Offered Through Schools It’s often easier to find pure merit-based scholarships through schools than it is to find them through private or nonprofit organizations. Schools sometimes offer merit-based awards in order to attract competitive applicants. In order to get your hands on these merit awards, often all you have to do is apply to the school. You’ll automatically be considered for awards once you submit your college application. Colleges and universities often look at the following criteria when awarding merit scholarships (keep in mind that the specifics of these criteria vary widely by school): High school GPA Standardized test scores (SAT and/or ACT) Class rank SportsScholarships Talented athletes can get a ton of merit scholarship money (regardless of financial need), but the process is usually more complicated than just submitting a college app.If you’re looking for merit awards based on your sports performance, you’ll have to go through the proper channels, i.e. you’ll have to be in touch with coaches and/or be formally recruited. Your award will depend on the school’s merit scholarship policies and how much they want you as an athlete.Learn more about how college recruitment works. A Small Caveat Not all schools offer merit scholarships - many top private schools, for example, only offer need-based financial aid.If you’re looking specifically for schools that offer generous merit awards that aren’t dependent on financial need, you should check out our guide to schools with top scholarship programsor our guide to schools that offer full-ride scholarships- just be mindful when it comes to discriminating between need-based and merit-based aid. Want to build the best possible college application and financial aid package? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. How to Geta Merit Scholarship Ready to get started seeking out your own scholarship money? Here are all thesteps you should take if you want to optimize your chances of winning a merit award. Step 1: Start Early AsI mentioned before, you have to be in it for the long haul if you hope to qualify for some of the more competitive merit awards. Many merit awards will ask for transcripts, records, ordocumentation going back to your freshman year of high school.You don’t have to be perfect - your later high school years will matter more than your freshman or even sophomore year - but you do needto demonstrate a pattern of consistent high-achievement or consistent improvement. This will be important if you hope to come across as a compelling applicant. Step 2: Choose Your Focus Even if you're a young high school student, it's prudent to start thinkingabout what sort of scholarships make the most sense for you.What kindof merit award are you most likely to qualify for? Are you gunning to be a top student, a star athlete, a community service expert, or some combination? Unless you’re a true stand-out performer in another space, I’d encourage you to focus on your academics before expending energy on other pursuits. It's relatively easy to qualify for merit-based awards at many collegesif you have a strong GPA and/or test scores. You can be a great debater or have hundreds of community service hours under your belt, but if your grades are underwhelming, you’ll likely hurt both your college admissions and scholarship chances. Merit awardsare pretty useless if you can’t use them at the schools you want. The more you can narrow in on a type of target scholarship, the more successful you'll be. Step 3: Be Proactive AsI mentioned earlier, it’s important for you to consistently demonstrate that you’re a high-achieving student (or athlete, or volunteer) in order to be competitive for a merit award. This means you’re responsible for tackling any weaknesses in your performance before they become bigger problems. To be proactive, you can: See teachers and coaches for extra help on assignments or problem areas. Meet with your guidance or college counselor regularly (perhaps once a quarter) to check in about college plans, grades, career goals, etc. This may also serve you well if you need letters of rec from your counselors later forscholarship applications. Step 4: Have an ACT/SAT Prep Plan Standardized test grades are often a big part of qualifying for merit scholarships. The earlier you start laying out a plan for preparing and taking either the ACT or the SAT, the better off you’ll be. To start formulating a plan, check out these guides: Should you take the ACT or the SAT? How long should you study for the ACT or theSAT? ACT/SAT test dates and study plans How to get a perfect score on the ACT or the SAT Step 5: Find "Good Fit" Scholarships Not all of the scholarships that you’ll be interested in will necessarily be good fits, even if you technically meet all of the eligibility criteria. Applying to scholarships won’t be the only thing on your mind when you're putting together these apps, so it’s important to use your time efficiently when selecting scholarships. You could technically submit an infinite number of apps, but you’d likely be wasting your time. You don't want to just apply for one or two awards - applying to scholarships is still a numbers game - so aim for 8-10 applications. Think of it like you think of applying to colleges: select a few â€Å"reach,† a few â€Å"safety,† and a few â€Å"target† scholarships.Use your strengths(e.g. academics, sports, community service) to select scholarships for fit (and eliminate scholarships that aren't worth your time). For example, if you’re top of your class but only played JV-level sports, you might not be the best applicant for a scholar-athlete award. If a scholarship isn't a natural fit, you'll likely be wasting your time. Step 6: Submit Polished Applications Just like with your college applications, you only have one chance to make a good impression when you apply for merit scholarships (especially when it comes to themost competitive awards, where scholarship committees have to process thousands of apps). If possible, start putting together a tentative list of scholarships as early as your freshman year. This may seem a little too proactive, but keep in mind that many of the top scholarships are due late junior-early senior year. This early research will also help you stay on track to meet eligibility qualifications. Start seriously thinking about your apps about four months before their due dates. This gives you time to ask forletters of recommendation(if applicable). It also gives you a chance to get feedback on drafts of essays. Finally, have 2-3 trusted people look over your apps before submission to check for clarity, typos, or missing information.Don’t wait until the actual deadline to submit your application - you never know when you might run into technical issues that could prevent submission. It's best to schedule submission 3-5 days before theofficial due date. What Are the Top Merit Scholarships? If you're eager tobegin researchingmerit awards, the following scholarshipsare a good place to start. You’ll find a list of some of the biggest pure merit scholarships, in addition to a list of merit + financial need-based scholarships. For more comprehensive lists of top scholarship programs, check out our guides to the best scholarships available for high school juniors and seniors. Pure Merit Awards National Merit Scholarship Coca-Cola Scholarship Ronald McDonald Scholarships Merit + Financial Need Awards Gates Millennium Horatio Alger Scholarship Program Jackie Robinson’s Foundation Scholarship Program Engebretson Foundation Scholarship Jack Kent Cook Foundation College Scholarship Program Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Competition What's Next? One of the hardest parts of searching for scholarships is that there isn't one centralized, reliable source of information on available awards. To help make the search a bit easier, we've put together several guides on various types of award programs. If you're interested in other merit-based awards, read about guaranteed scholarships based on ACT/SAT scores. Looking for scholarship apps that won't interfere with school or extracurriculars? Check out our guide to the 12 easiest scholarship applications. Finally, if looming college bills are getting to be a bit overwhelming, read more about how to get a full ride scholarship and how to apply for financial aid. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Bioengineering of the Human Race Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bioengineering of the Human Race - Case Study Example There are two viewpoints regarding the subject of bioengineering, one of then is that bioengineering is bad and will have negative consequences, the viewpoint shared by Francis Fukuyama. The second viewpoint is that bioengineering will bring good results to all humans and will have positive consequences, the viewpoint shared by Gregory Stock.  Francis Fukuyama does not support the bioengineering of humans because he thinks that we should respect natural selection. Natural selection is so perfect that have created connections between our genes that we can't even start to realize. This connection reflects also in our functioning within the ecosystems. How can we start bioengineering humans if we still not fully understand the functioning of mother nature?  Though we are cultural individuals, bioengineering would alter one way or another who we are. This would create strong social, and governmental changes. The risks are unpredictable. For Fukuyama bioengineering can even be co-rela ted to the Germans Nazi activity.  For Gregory Stock, bioengineering cant is stopped because people will demand to have the advantages of such technology. For Stocks, it can not be banned because someone somewhere will develop it, so it should be done in the U.S. because it is a country with good ethics.  For Stocks, the development of this technology will reduce the incidence of diseases, retard the aging effect, bring the possibility for the parents to â€Å"design† their child's physical and mental characteristics like the color of the eyes or the degree of intelligence of the child for example. The works of nature by trial and error can be very cruel, so, of course, everyone will see bioengineering of humans as a beneficial technology that everyone will what to have access to.

Broadband market (internet services) in u.k Essay

Broadband market (internet services) in u.k - Essay Example It was in 2000 that significant migration to broadband started to occur; initially domestic internet dialup was commonly used in the UK. Business users at that time relied on expensive high speed internet connections through dedicated leased lines. This was traditionally the domain of the large business which never minded setting aside colossal sums of money on connectivity. Since the late nineties, broadband options were around but only very few cable operators availed the service to customers at cost effective rates. Homes and Small businesses at this time had very limited options with only sporadic availability of high speed connections. Broadband connection was more of a lottery of location. Throughout the United Kingdom, demand for high internet connection continues to increase on yearly basis. This increase in demand also sees the increase in number of broadband service providers. The business is known to be highly lucrative with its demand base continuously and significantly expanding to reach businesses and homes. With the burgeoning of DSL supply the service has become commonplace in the buyers’ market. Further, the code of practice makes it very easy for consumers to migrate from one provider to another if they feel dissatisfied with the service of the existing provider. In effect this makes the broadband market highly competitive as witnessed in continuously dropping prices whose effect is the reduction in providers’ profit margins. Several internet service providers exist in the UK among which includes BT (currently having a leading market share of 35%), NTL, Orange, Virgin, Tiscali, Be Broadband and AOL. Broadband services offered include satellite, cable and ADSL. According to a survey conducted in the first quarter of 2005, BT had a market share of 25%, NTL 20%, AOL 12% and Tiscali 7%. The competition has necessitated the provision of free re-grades to higher speed services and offering of free incentives by providers