Peyotism Essays - Native American Church, Native American Religion

Peyotism ?The white man's reality are his streets with their banks, shops, neon lights and traffic, streets full of policemen, whores, and sad-faced people in a hurry to punch a time clock. But this is unreal. The real reality is underneath all this. Grandfather Peyote helps you find it.? - Crow Dog Peyote, a hallucinogenic plant that is commonly used as a recreational drug, has a much greater meaning for members of the peyote religion. By examining the effects of peyote along with its role in the rituals and beliefs of the Native American Church it becomes apparent why it is such an integral part of the religion. The trade and knowledge of this sacred plant was already well defined in regions of Mexico well before European conquest and its ceremonial use was already underway in the tribes of the area in which it grew. This religious use eventually spread through North American regions. Along with its migration, the basic rituals and ceremonies changed along the way. The organization of religion involving peyote and the principle rituals had become commonly practiced among the Comanche and Kiowa tribes by the mid-eighteen hundreds. The Native American Church formed in 1921, beginning in Oklahoma. Soon after this initial formation, state and local incorporation followed in many places and continue to do so to this day. (Aberle, 19) Now, some form of peyote religion is common to most tribes of the North American continent. Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) is a very small, low growing, fuzzy type of cactus. Most of the cactus is actually underground in a long root. Both the flesh and roots can be eaten. When dried the flesh resembles brown overcoat buttons, which is where the term peyote ?buttons? came from. Peyote isn't found just anywhere. It grows in the wild over only a small portion of the Southwestern United States known as the Peyote Garden. Precisely, Corpus Christi, Texas, Deming, New Mexico, Durango, Mexico and Puebla , Mexico bind the area in which this plant can be found and harvested. (Aberle, 5) Containing eight different alkaloids, the most important being mescaline, peyote causes a number of effects. The experience begins with an euphoric quality. It heightens the sensations to sound, color, form and texture. Further into the experience, ?visions? begin to occur. These visions can include detailed, realistic pictures and sounds. The interpretation of these visions rather than the visions themselves are what peyotists consider most important. The peyote experience is characterized by a strong feeling of personal significance of the internal and external stimuli encountered during the experience. Many find themselves asking, ?What does this mean to me The Native American Church came to the Indians during their darkest hour. It was around the time when the last of the buffalo had disappeared from the plains. They were left starving, helpless and with little of their old lives remaining to cling to. In the words of a member of the NAC, Mary Crow Dog, ?The Native American Church became the religion of the poorest of the poor, the conquered, the despoiled. Peyote made them understand what was happening and made them endure. It was the only thing that gave them strength in those, our darkest days.? It was obvious that a militant religion could not have survived under white dominance. The formation of this religion was a response to the degraded status on Native Americans. It's goal- internal peace and harmony rather than competition. This idea was highly relevant to the socio-economic situation that these indigenous people were being faced with. For many, this was exactly what they needed to continue on. Since the beginning, there has been strong opposition to the Native American Church by several groups. The traditionalist Indians opposed it believing that it was a threat to traditional tribal culture. Modernist Indians as well as whites opposed the religion also saying that it was heathenistic and backward. In the early stages, peyote meetings were illegal not for the use of peyote, but because Native American rituals in general were outlawed. But, in 1934, under John Collier, the Bureau of Indian Affairs enacted a policy of non-interference with peyotism. There have been state laws prohibiting the ?sale, use or possession of peyote?, but all such laws have

Combination of Noir Style and Existentialist Motif The Matrix essays

Combination of Noir Style and Existentialist Motif The Matrix essays The Matrix (1999) is an extension of the existentialist motifs of the mid 20th Century set in the 23rd, for its obvious influences from the American Noir Style. This is apparent when looking at the five points of this existentialism. First, Thomas A. Anderson (Keanu Reeves), a.k.a. Neo, is portrayed from the beginning of the film as a normal Joe who holds the potential of a world savior, yet without the narcissism. He does not have X-ray vision or the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but rather, he is a lowly computer programmer for a respectable computer company. He does not appear important to anyone else in the film at first, and it is because of his lifestyle. Mister Anderson is immersed in the world of computers. As a result, he is lonely and alienated from the world or reality. This feeling is also reflected in the high, swooping camera angle found in the film, which is characteristically Noir. But what is reality? The truth? Neo makes the conscious choice to see how deep the rabbit hole goes. One finds out later in the film that at the point of making such a choice, he was nothing... or nothing more than an oversized Energizer; but upon choosing the truth he is also trying to free his mind from the prison he cannot taste or touch or see. Neo is doomed to fail, as no one has come before him to succeed in the freeing of his own mind. As a result, he is under a sentence of death; the system is set up against him; the Matrix has him... he struggles with the choice between life and death, as he must let his instructor, Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne), die or sacrifice himself to save him. There is only one element holding his life in tact: Fate... At first, Mister Anderson does not like the idea of fate, as he cannot stand the idea of not being able to control his own destiny. Throughout the entire film, as Mister Anderson...

5 Simple Questions To Stay Focused On What Matters

5 Simple Questions To Stay Focused On What Matters If you asked me what the most important core principal at was, I would probably tell you that its our ability to stay focused. This means staying 100% focused on what matters most to our company, customers, and product- no matter what. Of course, this is a learned skill and definitely, easier said than done. When you work in a company with a lot of creative people, there are always a ton of ideas popping up. There is also the temptation to continually chase down those new ideas and make them a reality. After all, were a startup, right? But, chasing down our whims would take us out of focus, and that would be a bad thing for everyone. 5 Simple Questions That Will Help You #StayFocused On What MattersHow We Stay Focused At †¦ Around our office, you’ll hear the phrase â€Å"that’s a thing we could do† at least several times per day. It indicates when we’ve come across an idea that we could work on, but instinctively know we shouldn’t  because it would be out of focus. As a company, we have a roadmap for our product and distinct metrics that were working to improve. If we chased down every idea, theres a chance we could lose our focus and miss our clearly outlined goals. If we chased down every idea, wed risk losing our focus and missing our goals. But, this isn’t the only thing we do to stay focused. As a leader, I have worked to instill our team with the necessary tools for battling â€Å"scope creep† and staying focused. Author John Maxwell says that good leaders ask great questions, and that advice has become very powerful for me. I’ve come to adopt a few key questions that cut through the crud and help our team stay focused like a laser beam. Good leaders ask great questions. -John MaxwellHere are my top five questions for keeping our team (and myself) focused 100% of the time: Question #1: Whats In It For Them? This is the essential question that frames everything we do at . With every blog post, new feature, or web page, we continually ask ourselves what’s in it for the reader, visitor, or customer. Whats in it for your readers? Customers?We’re kind of obsessed with it. The beauty of this simple question is that it constantly drives us toward focusing on providing more value. It’s simple- the more value you provide your readers or customers with, the more likely they will be to reward you with their attention and business. I would say that its the single most important question for our modern economy. If you aren’t focused on providing value, you aren’t focused on anything at all. If you arent focused on providing value, you arent focused on anything at all. Learn to ask this question at the beginning of any new project to keep your work focused and on point. You might be surprised at how much clarity it brings. Question #2:  Does This Meet Our Standard Of Performance? Does everything you ship meet your teams one true standard of performance?  This question allows your team to constantly review their own work and evaluate how it compares to the quality level your entire team has committed to. Even as a tiny startup, our goal has been to provide a best-in-class experience for everyone that comes in contact with our team. We expect ourselves to  perform as well, or better, than the top five companies in our class. No matter how limited our resources are. For our content marketing team, this means that they literally focus on writing the absolute best blog post on a given topic every time. This doesn’t mean the best blog post they are capable of; it means the best blog post on the entire internet. It means that they have to push themselves further every time. Create the best work anyone has ever seen in your niche.They do a ton of research, they read â€Å"competing† posts, and then assemble a post that goes at least one step further than others on the web. They even go back and rework posts that are later determined to have fallen short. This is, of course, only possible because the team has clearly defined their standard of performance. To use this question effectively, this is also something that you will need to do. Keep things simple, and ask the question often and you should be fine. As a team, you should define a clear â€Å"standard of performance† and constantly ask yourself if youre meeting it. Recommended Reading: The Horrifying Truth About Multitasking And Productivity Question #3:  What Can You Ship Right Now? While it may feel a bit contradictory to my recent statements about quality, we also frequently ask ourselves how we can get things out the door faster and sooner. This question is related to the concept of the minimum viable product made popular in the book Lean Startup by Eric Ries. Many people associate this concept with sloppy or unfinished work, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Rather, our team uses it as a way of splitting large projects into smaller and more manageable chunks. It’s all about shaping a project to ensure that we approach it  with clear goals in mind. Focus on something that you can ship in a week.An example of this comes in a recent redesign we started for this very blog. Rather than building it all at once, we opted to make some of the backend and functional changes first using our current design. That gave us an opportunity to test them out and work through the kinks before the big launch. This prevented us from taking on more than we could handle  and allowed us to focus on creating something that we could ship in a week- thus taking advantage of some of those changes right away, rather than waiting until we completed an entire redesign. Oftentimes, this question is also phrased in terms of â€Å"what can we ship this week,† meaning what small part of the project can be accomplished without waiting on everything else to be done?  This attitude allows us to continually focus on moving things forward, rather than getting ourselves bogged down in ultra-huge projects. The idea here is focusing on small frequent wins, rather than the  more traditional pattern of infrequent but huge wins. Large projects frequently bog us down, and usually lead to low satisfaction among team members. Always focus on moving forward.  What can you ship right now? #Startups #StayFocusedBy asking yourself What can I ship right now? you will keep yourself laser-focused on continuous improvements that constantly add up over time. This means that everything you do is constantly improving, and that is a very good thing. Question #4:  Are You Building A  Monopoly? Some of my favorite startup advice comes from PayPal co-founder and venture capitalist Peter Thiel. He simplifies it all by instructing startups to always seek to build a monopoly. In a monopoly, the business owns its market. It can set its own prices, avoid the struggle of competition, and maximize its place in the industry. What Peter is talking about here is building something that is unique enough to avoid competition, or has grown so aggressively that it simply leapfrogs the competition entirely. One way that we apply this idea at is to constantly evaluate the impact of the projects we take on. We look at it as 10% versus 10x improvement. The idea is simple:  There are always things that can improve what you do by 10%, but why bother with them if there is something else that could actually improve what you do by 10 times? It’s a lot like asking if the things youre doing right now will actually pay off enough to make them worth it. If you consider every hour of your day an opportunity, what is the opportunity cost of working on the 10% when you could be doing the 10x instead? It’s a really great question for staying focused. Rather than focusing on small goals and ideas at , we constantly shuffle our priority list by its potential impact on our company, and our ability to ultimately create a monopoly in our market. You can’t build a monopoly by grinding out 10% improvements all day. You need to stay focused on the 10x growth opportunities, and constantly ask yourself if what youre doing right now has the potential to result in 10x growth. If it doesn’t, it’s time to find something else to work on. You cant build a monopoly by grinding out 10 percent improvements all day.Question #5:  Do You Have Everything You Need To Be Successful? As a leader, its my job to make sure that everyone who works at has everything they need to be successful. This may sound simplistic, but its actually very powerful. One of the things that drive  me crazy is to see team members who have not been empowered to do their job. This is not their fault; it’s mine! It may be due to a lack of time or clarity but can often arise from a lack of permission to act as well. Either way, it’s  an inefficiency that needs to be dealt with. The problem with someone not having what they need  is that they can never achieve clear focus without it. If there are too many things on their plate, how will they ever do anything well? If there is too much on their plate, how will they ever do anything well? #team #teamworkIf they don’t have the knowledge required to complete a task, how will it ever get done? Sometimes, this can also be about â€Å"permission.† If someone doesn’t have the freedom or permission to do what they need to do, how will they ever be able to focus on it correctly? My job as a leader is to eliminate roadblocks, and this question helps me find out if there are any. It also helps my team reflect on their own needs and expectations. Recommended Reading: This Is What Happens When You Ask 12 Blog Editors About Increasing Productivity Another way we do this is to simply ask three distinct questions: Whats going well? Whats not going well? What is required for a happy future? If you want to stay focused, constantly ask yourself these questions to re-evaluate your own needs or the needs of those around you. If you know where you stand, you will always be focused. What Questions Are You Asking? These are the five questions I ask our team the most often, but it is far from a complete list. Questions are powerful tools for self-reflection and leadership What questions are you asking of your team to bring laser beam-like focus? Share them in the comments or via social media. We’d love to hear! P.S. This post is part of a new series about ’s workplace, culture, and productivity. Join our official email list and never miss a post!

Discharge for Whistleblower Activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discharge for Whistleblower Activity - Essay Example However, Broom and Miller chose not to follow standard procedure and instead of going to the accused employee’s immediate supervisor, they went the medication consultant at the facility. Their reasoning was based on the fact that the accused employee had a close personal friendship with her immediate supervisor, Sarah Dutton. The act that Broom and Miller carried out went against protocol. Because these two employees did not follow the proper chain of command and protocol in choosing to file their complaint, this only gave their employer’s legal position more support.   2. Because Broom and Miller were subject to the employment-at-will doctrine, even if they had been members of a bargaining unit that was connected with union representation, it still would not have provided any advantage to their case.  The reality is that these employees could not be protected under a collective bargaining agreement because Oklahoma common law  gives the right to employees to discharge an at-will employee at any time of their choosing. Broom and Miller attempted to argue their case by citing the three statutory laws that they thought supported their actions. These three laws were the Nursing Home Care Act, the Residential Care Act, and the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act. This first statutory law governed safeguards and procedures for the storage, safekeeping, monitoring, dispensing, and destruction of patient prescription drugs. The employer argued that this only covered nursing homes within the state and that the employer’s company is legall y a residential care facility and cannot be included in the law. The second statutory law does apply to the employer’s facility because the employer admitted so. However, the employer argued that the language in this law were general and did not cover the Oklahoma employment-at-will doctrine. Finally, the third law makes it a criminal offense to steal controlled and dangerous substances, but Broom and Miller did not make a specific argument to justify their claims. Reaffirming what was said in the previous question, Broom and Miller failed to follow the proper procedures when filing their complaint.

Unit 2 DB Introduction to American Court System Essay

Unit 2 DB Introduction to American Court System - Essay Example In other words, the Rules are purposeful in eliminating evidences that may lead to unfair prejudice against a party. One case that illustrates inadmissibility of character evidence in a criminal proceeding is the Greenberg v. Aetna Ins. Co., 427 Pa. 494, 235 A.2d 582 (1967) in which it was established that the plaintiff was erroneously permitted to testify that he had a a heroic record having served in the U.S. army during WWII (Pacode, N.d.). The admissibility of character evidence in respect of a rape victim as presented by a defendant is limited if the court case is for assault, intent to commit rape or rape. If the defendant seeks to use opinion or reputation evidence to show the sexual conduct of the rape victim, the character evidence remains inadmissible (Scott, 2000) as it may be inflammatory. The defendant, however, may only enjoy admissibility of character evidence if they intend to show specific instances of behaviour by a sex victim in proof of the claim that a party different from the defendant was the source of injury, semen or other physical evidence. Alternatively, the defendant may enjoy admissibility of character evidence to show that their sexual behaviour with the victim was consented to by both parties. In the two cases, the evidence is used solely to prove the defendant’s

European Continent in the Industrial Revolution Essay Example for Free

European Continent in the Industrial Revolution Essay Historians are divided into various schools of thoughts on the issue of causes of imperialism. There are many opinions favouring all possible options. The biggest reason cited has been the economic dominance. The rapid industrialization of the European Continent in the Industrial Revolution created an unprecedented economic advantage between Europe the areas which later on became their colonies. This economic differential can be argued to be the lead cause of the European quest for colonization. However Industrialization related economic advantage was not the only single reason why some countries choose to become Colonial masters. This process was greatly facilitated by the highly developed bureaucratic system of administration in Europe vis-a-vis the Africa and some what Asian colonies. If economic advantage was the fuel which caused the Imperialism and Colonialism to grow, bureaucracy was its engine and the driver was the third generally cited reason i. e. racial supremacy theories of the times. Europeans believed themselves to be a superior race having a superior religion destined to rule the world forever. Probably it was the degree of all the three factors combined that decided which states pursuer the colonization aims more vigorously than other. If only one element was missing or a shade lower than its counterpart, its success ratio in colonizing maximum area was also lower. Therefore it was the combination of these three factors which decided the ratio of successful Imperialism in Europe. Reference List Empire and Imperialism-Europe retrieved from Internet on 05/09/07 from http://science.jrank.org/pages/7654/Empire-Imperialism-Europe.html

The Quiet American Essay -- essays research papers

Fowler constructs Pyle as a naà ¯ve young man who is an innocent victim of dogmatic and simplistic ideologies. Fowler sees American culture and Democracy as a corrupting influence on an innocent Pyle. This is exhibited th relational processes, where Pyle, as the carrier, is given attributes such as â€Å"innocent†, â€Å"young and ignorant and silly†. This innocence is highlight by contrasting it with the attribute of â€Å"the whole pack of them†, Fowlers serotypes of Americans. Pyle’s corruption is seen in the single instance of his operating as a goal, where â€Å"they† are processed as having â€Å"killed† him. This construction of Pyle as corrupted by his environment is further solidified in Pyle’s role in material processes. The conceptual goal, which Pyle is acting upon â€Å"the east†, is processed in service o...

Leadership Interview Essay

Could you speak a bit about your background and the role you have today? I first started school for engineering, and then after two years I found my passion was in nursing. So I started over at school, taking different types of classes as I pursued nursing, and three years later graduated with a nursing degree. Several different paths where traveled in nursing for me, meaning I tried many different departments and assignments. Then by accident I ended up as an RN case manager for mentally ill clients. Psych was never my intended path, but I loved it from the first day. I am now a Manager of a group of outpatient clinics for mentally ill clients and love it. I cannot see myself doing anything else now. How would you describe a leader? A good leader is only as good as the group you are leading is what I was always told. That does help, but there is a lot more that goes into it. I believe a quality leader should also be a good teacher. A leader needs to have the knowledge to pass on to those they lead. A good leader has to be able to listen as well. While those under me may look to me for answers, I have to realize that I may not always have that answer. I may have to take input from my staff, my superiors, and even clients in making proper decisions. Another attribute that is important is a critical thinker. A leader has to think on the go, and know that the answers are not always text book answers. Thinking outside the box sometimes is needed. I also need to earn trust and respect from my staff and those I oversee to be effective. What are important qualities or characteristics of leaders? It is important to have an open door policy, and listen to each staff member’s concerns. You need to be open to changes and be empathic for those who do not deal well with change. A leader needs to be forceful and fair to everybody. Confidence and inner strength will show through, making the staff or those you oversee more confident in your abilities. A diploma on the wall may get you a position in the leadership. But only demonstrating advanced social and professional skills will allow your team to trust you, which in turn, will make for a more productive team. What is your personal philosophy? Personally, my philosophy revolves around the construction of clear and workable vision of what needs to be accomplished. I try to envision the future, and make goals that will benefit the clients, as well as the facility and staff. Building a quality team is not as easy as hiring qualified individuals. Leading means are getting individuals to work as one coherent team. To do this, I need to be able to discipline, listen, and even moderate discussion. My personal ego cannot be larger than any staff member, or the team as a whole. I need to take criticism, and be able to see others’ points of views. I want my entire team to feel as if they are important cogs in the machine. I believe a leader accepts responsibility, and in doing so never places themselves above the team. What learning experiences have had the most influence on your own personal development as a leader? Experiences that shaped my growth began in childhood with the support of my family. I was always told I could do or be anything if I worked hard enough. I took that to heart, and excelled in school and sports. When I started college I had no real answer for what I wanted to be, but the drive that was inside me drove me down this path. Professionally, I once had a manager that loved her job and showed it with every meeting. Her passion reminded me of my parents and what they had taught me. She was a true role model in my professional life. I was also blessed to have quality teachers throughout my years of schooling. Coaches played a key role in my development as a leader too. Unfortunately, I also dealt with my fair share of poor supervisors too. Seeing the impact poor leadership can have in a work environment can be just as enlightening for someone looking to move into a leadership pos ition. Luckily, I do not use them as role models. At least I tried not to. How do you see leadership evolving in nursing today? Leadership in nursing is headed into many different fields today. Nursing roles are evolving with new technologies, new specialties, and higher levels of nursing. Because of the need for healthcare increasing, nurses are being tasked with more responsibility too. Nurses are now asked to step up and become leaders on the floor, in schools, in management, and many other aspects of healthcare. Nurses are becoming leaders in the development of strategies in developing and delivering the product to the consumer. Nurses were viewed as employees who followed doctors’ orders in the past. Today nurses have the ability to grow beyond that, and in doing so, nurses can take the lead in providing care. Leader can positively impact the health care system within which they operate. Nurses will be leading more clinics and other facilities in an effort to care for the increase in those seeking healthcare. Healthcare is a business, and nurses are trained in that business. So it is only common sense that these highly trained people should play a leading role in the changes we will see. What are the most challenging issues in your current position? The biggest challenge is trying to get more funding for the mentally ill. It can be hard to deal with all the meetings that we have to get money for medication, treatment, food and housing and to stay upbeat as a leader. But I love this job, and my clients, so that makes it worth dong. It is also very difficult to find enough staffing for mental health. It can be a very taxing job, and it takes a special person to be able to handle the position in mental health, especially in the long term. Finding professionals with the patience needed in dealing with our clients is always a huge challenge. As a leader (or manager) in your career have you had a mentor? If so, how did this influence your leadership style? I had a supervisor that taught me to leave the business at the door and never bring it home. Working in m ental health can be emotionally draining, so this tiny bit of advice is important for me to keep in my mind. If I took my work home, I would need help soon. What advice would you give someone who is aspiring to a leadership position? My advice would be to learn as much as you can for the position. Use the knowledge you have gained through seeing others in leadership positions to your advantage too. Remember the qualities of leaders who brought out the best in you, and try to bring those qualities to the position. Also, be  humble. Becoming a leader will not end your education. It is just the next step in your evolution. In conclusion, a leader is somebody who accepts responsibility. A leader is a person who can see the big picture. A person, who is adaptable and able to bring out the best in others, is a leader. A person who cares enough to make the team stronger for the benefit of all involved is a leader. A leader is a person who can moderate, discipline, coordinate, listen and teach in a way that demands respect and confidence from those they lead. References Sullivan, E., & Decker, P. (2009). Effective Leadership and Management in Nursing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. References Sullivan, E., & Decker, P. (2009). Effective Leadership and Management in Nursing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Diversity in the Workplace Essay

Do you think corporations and government agencies should offer diversity training? If so, how can we develop diversity training that fosters mutual respect? Can you suggest practical ways to develop workplaces undivided by gender and race-ethnicity? Yes, I believe that government agencies as well as corporations should offer some type of diversity training. Through diversity training you can ensure a health and warm and inviting workplace. Since the workplace is already filled with stereotypes on the keys to success diversity training will help with the competitiveness that always thrives inside the work place. It will help teach the employees how to get along, work cooperate, get along, and work in sync with different age groups, the opposite sex, and ethnicities. â€Å"Diversity training has the potential to build bridges (Henslin, 2013). † The function behind offering diversity training is to help foster community. A healthy well managed work environment that will foster and increase the work output. It’s to help educate the employees on how to develop connections to people of various ages and backgrounds. Another key function is how to draw upon your co-workers aspect and work ethics to smooth out business production through shared unity. Though even with good intentions conflicts can exists. Some manager whose been told he has to take a course of diversity training may feel as though it’s a punishment. They may feel like in their job they have wronged someone and they are being reprimanded; thus they have to take diversity training. What you need to be aware of in diversity training is not to encourage or develop stereo types. The intention of diversity training is to encourage and develop understanding and unity in the work place. Role reversal and having participant make derogatory comments to the other my inflict scars and demote rather than promote understanding. So stay clear of antagonistic role play (Smart, 1997). Instead of role play do course match up. Match up employees from various levels in their career, age, sex, and ethnicity into groups. These groups should be assigned a unified task to complete during the diversity training. Have them get to know one another likes and dislikes and so forth. Assign them common tasks to complete jointly that exist within the corporation (Skills, 1968). Let them assign key task amongst each other that play upon each person strengths. Have them present their project at the end of the training session before the rest of the groups (Skills, 1968). Judge them by their ability to play upon the other’s strengths and the completeness of their projects. At the end of the diversity training session have them do peer assessment’s on one another. The symbolic aspect of this is they have meet new people they normally do not work with in their department. They work with new people from various skill levels. It fosters development in understanding of various backgrounds and ethnicity. It encourages unity and mutual respect for peers. Everything that you are trying to aide and foster through the diversity training can be reached by group project assignments. ? Bibliography Henslin, J. M. (2013). Essencial to Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach tenth edition. Pearson. Skills. (1968). International Encyclopedia of Social Sciences. Volume 6, pp. 296-302. Smart, W. (1997, September 1). Businessmanagementdaily. com. Retrieved August 11, 2013, from Business Management Daily: www. businessmanagementdaily. com

Asexual vs. Sexual Reproduction in Evolution

Asexual vs. Sexual Reproduction in Evolution The mechanism for evolution is natural selection. Natural selection is the process that decides which adaptations for a given environment are favorable and which are not as desirable. If a trait is the favored adaptation, then individuals that have the genes that code for that characteristic will live long enough to reproduce and pass down those genes to the next generation. In order for natural selection to work on a population, there must be diversity. To get diversity in the individuals, genetics need to be different and different phenotypes must be expressed. This is all dependent upon the type of reproduction the species undergoes. Asexual Reproduction Asexual reproduction is the creation of offspring from one parent. There is no mating or mixing of genetics in asexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction results in a clone of the parent, meaning the offspring have identical DNA as the parent. There is usually no variation from generation to generation in a species population that relies on asexual reproduction. One way for an asexually reproducing species to get some diversity is through mutations at the DNA level. If there is a mistake in mitosis or the copying of the DNA, then that mistake will be passed down to the offspring, thereby possibly changing its traits. Some mutations do not change the phenotype, however, so not all mutations in asexual reproduction result in variations in the offspring.​ Sexual Reproduction Sexual reproduction happens when a female gamete (or sex cell) unites with a male gamete. The offspring is a genetic combination of the mother and the father. Half of the offsprings chromosomes come from its mother and the other half come from its father. This ensures the offspring are genetically different from their parents and even their siblings. Mutations can also happen in sexually reproducing species to further add to the diversity of the offspring. The process of meiosis, which creates the gametes used for sexual reproduction, has built-in ways to increase diversity as well. This includes crossing over, which ensures the resulting gametes are all different genetically. Independent assortment of the chromosomes during meiosis and random fertilization also add to the mixing up of genetics and possibility of more adaptations in offspring. Reproduction and Evolution Generally, it is believed that sexual reproduction is more conducive to driving evolution than asexual reproduction. With much more genetic diversity available for natural selection to work on, evolution can happen over time. When evolution does occur in asexually reproducing populations, it typically happens very quickly after a sudden mutation. There usually is not a long time of accumulating adaptations like there is in sexually reproducing populations. An example of this relatively quick evolution can be seen in drug resistance in bacteria.

What Is a GPA Scale The 4.0 Scale

What Is a GPA Scale The 4.0 Scale SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips GPA is a measurement of your academic success in high school that colleges will consider very strongly in the admissions process. But what is a GPA scale? Different high schools may use different GPA scales, and it’s important to know how these scales work so that you get a better idea of where you stand. In this article, I’ll tell you what a GPA scale is and the types of scales you might see used at your high school. // What’s a High School GPA Scale? GPA (Grade Point Average) is a way of measuring academic achievement in high school. It’s a numeric value that correlates with a student’s grades. Each letter grade that a student earns is worth a certain number of grade points depending on how high it is and, in some cases, the level of the class where it was earned. // The average of the grade points from all of a student’s converted letter grades in high school makes up his or her final GPA. Typically, one of two GPA scales will be used to measure the grades of students throughout their time in high school. The unweighted GPA scale goes up to a 4.0 and doesn’t take class difficulty into account.A weighted GPA scale typically goes up to a 5.0 and does consider the difficulty of a student’s classes.I’ll go over the basics of these two scales in the next couple of sections to give you a sense of how they work. // Unweighted 4.0 GPA Scale The unweighted GPA scale is the most commonly used GPA scale. It’s found in high schools and colleges alike and is very straightforward. // Essentially, the highest GPA you can earn is a 4.0, which indicates an A average in all of your classes. A 3.0 would indicate a B average, a 2.0 a C average, a 1.0 a D, and a 0.0 an F.This scale does not take the levels of your courses into account. For example, if you’re in all honors classes and earn a B average, you’ll have the same GPA as someone in all low-level classes who has earned a B average. // Here’s a table that shows how this scale corresponds to each letter grade: Letter Grade GPA A+ 4.0 A 4.0 A- 3.7 B+ 3.3 B 3.0 B- 2.7 C+ 2.3 C 2.0 C- 1.7 D+ 1.3 D 1.0 F 0.0 // Some high schools make more specific distinctions in GPA based on class averages out of 100 (i.e. a 90 average would mean a lower GPA than a 92 average even though they’re both technically A-s).Look at this GPA scale for more specific numbers. Want to build the best possible college application? 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. // Weighted 5.0 GPA Scale Instead of using the basic unweighted scale, many high schools will use a weighted GPA scale. On a weighted scale, which typically goes up to a 5.0 instead of the standard 4.0, a student who earns an A in a high level class will have a higher GPA than a student who earns an A in a low-level class. While this scale is used frequently in high schools, you’re unlikely to encounter it in college since it takes course difficulty into account. // For the highest-level classes like honors and AP, students get an extra 1.0 added to the unweighted GPA value of their grades due to the difficulty of the class. A B in an honors class would be equivalent to a 4.0 on a weighted GPA scale, and an A would be equivalent to a 5.0. Some schools also offer mid-level classes between honors and low-level. For these courses, 0.5 points are usually added to the unweighted GPA, meaning an A would be equivalent to a 4.5. Grades in low-level classes are measured using the unweighted scale, so an A in those classes would be equivalent to a 4.0. Weighted GPA scales give colleges a better initial sense of the academic potential of students based on the rigor of their coursework. They also lead to greater accuracy in class rankings. Students who take lower level classes won’t surpass high-level students in the rankings as frequently because GPAs are adjusted for class difficulty. This can help incentivize students to take more difficult classes and challenge themselves since it won’t harm their GPAs unless they end up earning signficantly poorer grades. Figure skaters are judged partially on the difficulty of their routines, so a skater who executes an easy routine flawlessly won't prevail over another skater who executes a difficult routine with a couple of mistakes. It's the same with weighted GPA. How far away are you from a 4.0? Use our easy GPA tool to pinpoint how well you have to do in future classes to get your GPA up to that magical number. Why Do GPA Scales Matter to You? It’s important to be aware of the GPA scale used by your high school so that you can make responsible choices in the college application process. If you’re aiming for selective colleges, you need to understand that your chances might be different depending on whether your GPA is weighted or unweighted. A student with a 3.8 unweighted GPA who is in all Honors classes will have better chances of admission at a selective college than a student with a 4.0 weighted GPA who is in all low-level classes. Much of the advice you’ll see about GPA is based on an unweighted scale because the unweighted scale is a more universally understood metric. This means that if your school uses weighted GPAs you’ll have to make judgments about how you might compare to other applicants based on your coursework and not just the numbers. For example, if the average unweighted GPA for admitted students at a college is a 3.5, you can’t always assume that you’ll get in easily with a 4.0 weighted GPA. The two numbers are on completely different scales. You’ll have to take stock of the overall rigor of your coursework and selectivity of the school to see whether you compare favorably to other applicants. It’s smart to be aware of the different GPA scales so that you have a better understanding of how much you might need to raise your GPA in order to get into a school that you really like. // Conclusion High school GPAs are measured on one of two scales: weighted or unweighted. The unweighted scale is most common, and the highest possible GPA on this scale is a 4.0. The unweighted scale doesn’t take the difficulty of your classes into account. Weighted scales are also used at many high schools. Typically, they go up to a 5.0. A weighted scale will factor in the difficulty of your classes, so an A in an honors class translates to a full grade point higher than an A in a low-level class. It’s valuable to have some knowledge of how GPA is measured by your school so that you end up with a more informed perspective going into the college application process. Your GPA will play a significant role in college admissions decisions, so keep working hard to maintain and improve it! What's Next? If you're curious about your GPA, read our article that gives you step by step instructions on how to calculate it based on your grades so far in high school. Is your GPA above average? Below average? Find out more about average high school GPAs here. If you have a low GPA, you might be worried about applying to college. Learn more about how to navigate the college application process with a low GPA. 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Air Pollution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Air Pollution - Research Paper Example The issue of Air Pollution has is not new and was part of the environmental crisis that started with the industrial revolution however the situation today is far more complicated and critical as compared to 50 years back with environmental pollutants causing problems like ozone depletion, global warming and acid rain (Wark, Warner, Davis). Air pollution is almost impossible to contain because of its ability to spread rapidly over a large area. Air pollutants are of various kinds with different physical characteristics and chemical properties and have varying effects on the environment and human health. The various environmental issues are inter-related for example the issue of global warming is aggravated by the increased ozone depletion due to various environmental pollutants. The various environment protection bodies including the United Nations Environmental Program is taking various steps to prevent air pollution and reduce the use of several different chemicals and process which result in air pollution. The UNEP issues regular recommendations to the governments for passing legislation for eradicating the use of harmful chemicals and industrial processes which contribute to environmental pollution. The various other initiatives taken by international environmental protection bodies and agencies include the Kyoto Protocol, the Montreal Protocol and carbon footprint reduction programs but these efforts have not achieved the desired objectives till date. The situation of air pollution is worsening every other day primarily because of the lack of awareness among common people about the adverse effects of various daily life products they use and their activities which pollute the environment. People are concerned about an issue when they have to face the consequences but in case of air pollution, there are cases in which the pollution is caused by the activities of one region while people of other regions have to face the consequences, for instance the Scandinav ian regions are affected when the European countries of the south pollute air, similar is the case with the harmful chemicals issued by the industries in China which pollute the Japanese regions (White, Beal). The sand storms in North Africa are responsible for red rains in Europe across the Mediterranean. So the issue of air pollution is a global issue and must be dealt by all the nations of the world collectively but the overall scenario of the world regarding the environmental protection is not very encouraging because the countries only think about their own interests and do not act to solve the problems globally because most of the countries are not willing to sacrifice their economical benefits for the environmental protection cause. Pollutants in the air a serious environmental issue because the society today is highly industrialized and the various harmful chemicals like radon, lead, asbestos, ozone, carbon monoxide etc. which have been classified as environmental pollutants are issuing from various industries. The various air pollutants are discussed in the following paragraphs. Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas which is fatal for humans if