The K/T Dinosaur Extinction Event

About 65 and a half million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous period, dinosaurs, the largest, most fearsome creatures ever to rule the planet, died off in vast quantities, along with their cousins, the pterosaurs, and marine reptiles. Although this mass extinction didnt happen literally overnight, in evolutionary terms, it may as well have — within a few thousand years of whatever catastrophe caused their demise, the dinosaurs had been wiped off the face of the Earth. The Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction Event — or K/T Extinction Event, as its known in scientific shorthand — has spawned a variety of less-than-convincing theories. Up until a few decades ago, paleontologists, climatologists, and assorted cranks blamed everything from epidemic disease to lemming-like suicides to intervention by aliens. That all changed, though, when the Cuban-born physicist Luis Alvarez had an inspired hunch. Did a Meteor Impact Cause the Extinction of the Dinosaurs? In 1980, Alvarez — along with his physicist son, Walter—put forth a startling hypothesis about the K/T Extinction Event. Along with other researchers, the Alvarezes had been investigating sediments laid down all over the world around the time of the K/T boundary 65 million years ago (its generally a straightforward matter to match geologic strata — layers of sediment in rock formations, river beds, etc. — with specific epochs in geologic history, especially in areas of the world where these sediments accumulate in roughly linear fashion). These scientists discovered that the sediments laid down at the K/T boundary were unusually rich in the element iridium. In normal conditions, iridium is extremely rare, leading the Alvarezes to conclude that the Earth was struck 65 million years ago by an iridium-rich meteorite or comet. The iridium residue from the impact object, along with millions of tons of debris from the impact crater, would have quickly spread all over the globe; the massive amounts of dust blotted out the sun, and thus killed the vegetation eaten by herbivorous dinosaurs, the disappearance of which caused the starvation of carnivorous dinosaurs. (Presumably, a similar chain of events led to the extinction of ocean-dwelling mosasaurs and giant pterosaurs like Quetzalcoatlus.) Where Is the K/T Impact Crater? Its one thing to propose a massive meteor impact as the cause of the K/T Extinction, but its quite another to adduce the necessary proof for such a bold hypothesis. The next challenge the Alvarezes faced was to identify the responsible astronomical object, as well as its signature impact crater — not as easy a matter as you might think  since the Earths surface is geologically active and tends to erase evidence of even large meteorite impacts over the course of millions of years. Amazingly, a few years after the Alvarezes published their theory, investigators found the buried remains of a huge crater in the region of Chicxulub, on Mexicos Mayan peninsula. Analysis of its sediments demonstrated that this gigantic (over 100 miles in diameter) crater had been created 65 million years ago — and was clearly caused by an astronomical object, either a comet or a meteor, sufficiently large (anywhere from six to nine miles wide) to occasion the extinction of the dinosaurs. In fact, the size of the crater closely matched the rough estimate proposed by the Alvarezes in their original paper! Was the K/T Impact the Only Factor in Dinosaur Extinction? Today, most paleontologists agree that the K/T meteorite (or comet) was the prime cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs — and in 2010, an international panel of experts endorsed this conclusion after re-examining massive amounts of evidence. However, this doesnt mean there couldnt have been aggravating circumstances: for instance, its possible that the impact was roughly concurrent with an extended period of volcanic activity on the Indian subcontinent, which would have further polluted the atmosphere, or that dinosaurs were dwindling in diversity and ripe for extinction (by the end of the Cretaceous period, there was less variety among dinosaurs than at earlier times in the Mesozoic Era). Its also important to remember that the K/T Extinction Event wasnt the only such catastrophe in the history of life on Earth — or even the worst, statistically speaking. For example, the end of the Permian period, 250 million years ago, witnessed the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event, a still-mysterious global catastrophe in which over 70 percent of land-dwelling animals and a whopping 95 percent of marine animals went kaput. Ironically, it was this extinction that cleared the field for the rise of the dinosaurs toward the end of the Triassic period — after which they managed to hold the world stage for a whopping 150 million years, until that unfortunate visit from the Chicxulub comet.

Things Fall Apart Women Essay - 1558 Words

vvIn the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe presents a true reflection the conventional view of women and their roles in the many societies in Africa and across the world. Achebe uses a combination of various writing techniques and literary devices to effectively bring out the theme of the role of women in the novel. The author goes a mile ahead to highlight contextual issues surrounding the usual discussion of the role of women in the society. Inasmuch as most scholars focus on the presentation of women as being weak and subjugated group, the story contains bits of their contrasting depiction as being important, influential and more powerful than even men. Even so, the general perception about the overall position and role of women in†¦show more content†¦The priestess screams at Okonkwo spontaneously shouting that she wants to see her daughter (Achebe 101). Ironically, Okonkwo subdues to her threats and for the first and only time in the novel he pleads with anyone. Th e author reveals that he pleaded with Agbala to return the next morning since Ezinma was asleep at the time (Achebe 101). Pleading, especially to a woman, is not a natural response Okonkwo is expected to take based on his beliefs, character and behaviors. The fact that Achebe allows only a woman to subdue Okonkwo in his novel reveals his perception of the position of women in the society. Women are revered by the society as they are viewed as special beings and constantly being associated with the deity and trusted to perform vital rituals that affect the future of the people and the nature. Ani is believed to be a representation of goddess on earth. She is believed to be able to communicate with the ancestors (Achebe 36). The community performs a ritual before every yam harvest to please goddess Ani, so that their crops can grow (Achebe 30). Without the blessing of the goddess, the society risks their crops not growing. It is apparent that the whole society has placed a great deal of confidence and trust in a woman to elevate their status and give them vital rolesShow MoreRelatedEssay on Role of Women in Things Fall Apart947 Words   |  4 PagesRole of Women in Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart gives us a vivid description of the Igbo culture through the stories of Okonkwo and his village, Umuofia. In regards to Igbo culture, contributions of women cannot be ignored. Although their position and status seems to be underestimated by the people in the novel, women do play an important role in the Igbo culture in four aspects: women take care of the children, do all the housework, serve as priestesses, and build relationshipsRead MoreThe Portrayal of Women in Things Fall Apart Essay1070 Words   |  5 PagesAn image that comes of African women is usually a faceless and a voiceless being. There is always a tendency to look at them more or less than a slave. Chinua Achebe’s post-colonial novel, Things Fall Apart, do at some points of the novel support the case of the subjugated African women in the course of Okonkwo’s life through the practice of polygamy, paying bride price, and the atypical case of Okonkwo beating his wives at sl ight frustration. In Okonkwo’s eyes, women are mere property and the onesRead More The Role of Women in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay3614 Words   |  15 Pagesrevolution is the classic, Things Fall Apart.   The focus of this essay includes: 1) Achebes portraiture of women in his fictional universe, the existing sociocultural situation of the period he is depicting, and the factors in it that condition male attitudes towards women; 2) the consequences of the absence of a moderating female principle in his fictions; 3) Achebes progressively changing attitude towards women s roles; and 4) feminist prospects for African women. In the context of this studyRead More The Women of Umuofia in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay1999 Words   |  8 PagesThe Women of Umuofia in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart    The only women respected in Umuofia are those like Chielo, the priestess of the Oracle of the Hills and Caves, who is removed from the pale of normalcy. Clothed in the mystic mantle of the divinity she serves, Chielo transforms from the ordinary; she can reprimand Okonkwo and even scream curses at him: Beware of exchanging words with Agbala [the name of the Oracle of the Hills and Caves]. Does a man speak when a God speaks? BewareRead MoreThings Fall Apart, An Examination of the Treatment of Women Essay888 Words   |  4 PagesAt first glance the treatment of women in an Igbo marriage is appalling, the woman may be beat if she is out of line, she raises the children, does the housework and even some farm work without hesitation. For the Igbo clan, a marriage is the union between a man and as many women as he desires and can afford to buy. A marriage is done for the purpose of having numerous children and love between man and wife is not even a requirement. The wife is given the opti on to leave if she is unhappy and despiteRead More Power of Women in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart Essay994 Words   |  4 Pagesof Women in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart       The novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a commanding account about the rise and fall of an African tribe. The powerful narrative depicts the life and customs of the people and how they change through the years. Theere are many different ideas and characters that are preseneted throughout the novel. The depiction of women is one aspect that is of extreme relevance. It can be shown through several passages in the novel that the women areRead More Essay on the Role of Women in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1827 Words   |  8 PagesThe Role of Women in Things Fall Apart      Ã‚  Ã‚   Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart explores the struggle between old traditions within the Igbo community as well as Christianity and the second coming it brings forth. While on the surface, it appears the novel narrows its focus to a single character, Okonkno and his inner battles, one can read deeper into the text and find an array of assorted conflicts in the realm on human vs. human, human vs. nature, human vs. society, and society vs. societyRead MoreEssay about Role of Women in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe1453 Words   |  6 Pages The role of women in society has grown and changed tremendously with the development of the world. Within the American culture, women’s rights have expanded to the extent of being able to vote for who runs our country or even possibly being the person that does run our country. Although the American culture has somewhat promoted the growth of a woman’s role in society, does not mean women receive the same respect in other cultures around world. For example, in Africa women are viewed lower onRead MoreThe Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe1451 Words   |  6 PagesAchebe’s Things Fall Apart focuses on protagonist Okonkwo and his desire to live his life as a strong, masculine figure with a title worth showing off. This Nigerian novel provides an inside view of the oppression women faced in nineteenth century Igbo culture and the lengths to which men were willing to go to avoid appearing feminine. Criticizing Achebe’s novel through a feminist lens makes abundantly clear the unbalanced relationship between the sexes in the western African nation. Things Fall ApartRead MoreChinua Achebe : The Invention And Mastery Of Modern African Literature1695 Words   |  7 Pages In her essay Chinua Achebe: The Invention and Mastery of Modern African Literature Emeka Aniagolu labels Chinua Achebe as â€Å"the single most important literary figure in modern African literature† (1). Ania golu goes on to praise Achebe as â€Å"perhaps the most well-known, most widely read, most translated, and most widely respected modern African writer, novelist and polemical essayist†, especially considering he as been crowned as the inventor of modern African literature (1). The praise he has received

Johnson Wax Free Essays

Case: Johnson Wax: Enhanced Case analysis: Define the problem John Sherman, the product development manager of Johnson Company, had to take a decision about the future of Enhanced, a new instant hair conditioner. The issues faced by Johnson Wax are whether to launch ‘Enhance’ right now, launch it after some modifications or abandon the product. They wanted a new product with the same success that Agree, the company first care product but they also wanted to reduce the costs of the product development process. We will write a custom essay sample on Johnson Wax or any similar topic only for you Order Now Formulate the alternatives 1. Launch Enhance as it is right now 2. Make some modifications to the product or its positioning . Abandon the product Analyze the alternatives Current situation Johnson Wax is successful in a specific segment of the hair conditioning market with his product Agree. So they decided to offer another personal-care product line being Enhanced. This is an instant hair conditioner targeted toward woman 25-45 years old with dry hair and was formulated to appeal to that audience. Market potential The market of the conditioner in which Johnson Wax want to introduce Enhance counts 6 important companies in 1978: Johnson’s Agree (15,2%), Wella Balsam (4,7%), Clairol Condition (9,95), Flex (13,4 %), Tame (5,4%), and Sasson. The firm has previously done Blind-Use test, which actually showed that the consumers don’t distinguish great differences between different brands of conditioner. Tests have shown that one of the most important dimensions for the customers is the conditioning factor. But during the phase of callback the respondents mentioned most frequently manageability and conditioning came third. This means that the company should reposition itself. The market is open for new products that focus on manageability. An incentive to launch the product is that Agree would lose less than half a share point to Enhance. Product design Enhance was available in two sizes for both regular and extra conditioning formulations. It had one facing for each size and formulation. Enhance was offered in 8 and 16 ounce sizes in either clear or opaque plastic bottles with nozzle tops. Research have shown that sampling is not successful and a waste of resources. Another way must be used to promote the product. One way is advertising on TV or in magazines with the use of a celebrity. The downside of this is, that it could be quiet expensive. Distribution channels The distribution channels that Johnson might and should use are wholesalers and retailers through a system of manufacturers’ representatives and factory salesmen. Johnson has created a well established network throughout the years and if they use it to distribute the Enhance product it will reduce transportation cost due to economies of scale. Another benefits will be the reduction of costs through the already established knowledge of the manufacturers’ representatives and factory alesmen. Pricing As suggested in the ‘Trail Estimation’, Enhance was offered in 8 and 16 ounces sizes at $1,31 and $1,94 respectively. With these figures the trial rate of Enhance was estimated at 23%. If we look at the comparison to all ASSESSOR-tested health and beauty aids products, we can see that Enhance can be placed in the group between 20-30 %, which indicates a group percentage of 27,1%. Afte rwards the repeat rate was estimated through telephone call back interviews and they came to the conclusion that the repeat rate among buyers in the laboratory was 60%. If we compare that to the all ASSESSOR-tested health and beauty aids products, we can conclude that Enhance has a high repeat purchase rate. The overall conclusion is that we can set the prices at the level suggested in the ‘Trial Estimation’ because survey have shown that those prices will be accepted by the customers. The steps to the optimal solution 1) Recommend a solution -Abandoning the product is not an option because of the investment already made,e. g. product development and Assesor-test. If we would abandon the product, these costs will be sunk costs. Launching the product as it is now is also not a good option. The MDS, as a result of the ASSESSOR test, was not encouraging about Enhances’ prospects. It is clear that some modifications has to be made. -The optimal solution is to launch Enhance, given the prospective that they will modify the product and subsequently reposition it. Surveys have shown that sampling is not successful so another way of prom otion must be proposed. 2) Plan of action 1. Keep the price at the trial estimations rates, those were very similar to those of the competition( $ 1. 31 and $ 1. 94 for the 8 and 16 ounce sizes. . Sell the product through the existing distribution channels of the Agree line( distributed nationally and overseas to wholesalers and retailers through a system of manufactures’ representatives and factory salesmen. 3. An important step to ensure success of the product is that we make some modifications to the product. The ASSESSOR results in the product acceptance indicates that those who made a repeat purchase will most likely mention manageability as the thing they liked most about Enhance. The company does not really focus on manageability as much as they do on conditioning and cleaning. The relative importance of ‘manageability’ is merely 23% in comparison to 33% for ‘conditioning’. Given the results of the likes and the dislikes of the customer, we can conclude that the company needs to focus more on the ‘manageability’ of Enhance. Manageability needs to be the primary characteristic, followed by conditioning. 4. Given the switch of primary characteristic, the advertising need to be adjusted and thus mainly focussing on the manageability of the product. Advertising needs to focus on the fact that Enhance leaves hair shiny, lustrous, soft and silky, body and fullness. In a nutshell, it makes hair more manageable. This can be realized through advertising in magazines and TV. 3) Contingency plan The prediction trial/repeat model estimated the base shore at 3,9% while the preference model estimates the base share at 3,8%. The Johnson Wax management had set a target market share of 10%. This is about three times as high as the estimations. If we modify the Enhance product we can assume that the market share will increase in the test, hence the adaptations in favor of the likes of the consumer. We will set a base share of 7,5%, which need to be pursuit within two years. If we do not accomplish this objective, we need to abandon the product. How to cite Johnson Wax, Papers

Health of the Sex Workers-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Question: Discuss about the Sex Work and Public Opinion. Answer: Introduction The purpose of the essay is to shed light on the question of whether sex work can be seen as just any other work, which also forms the thesis statement of this essay. Sex work, despite being one of the oldest profession of the world, is still now seen in a very derogatory light and this is the reason for its not being considered as a profession on par with the other reputed professions of the world. This essay makes use of two arguments to show that sex work is a work not like any other work. The essay also employs some counterarguments to this view and at the end of the essay, there is also a refutation of these counterarguments. Finally, in the conclusion the overall arguments as well as counterarguments discussed in the essay, are restated to make the thesis statement more prominent. Discussion A sex worker, can be defined as a person who by the choice of his or her profession indulges in sexual intercourse kind of work. However, it is not often that, it is treated by people as a job on par with other professionals like doctors, engineers and other. Society, stills views prostitution or sex work as a kind of derogatory profession, even though it is the second oldest profession of the world. The health problems related to the work as the social stigma that the workers face are immense and therefore it becomes more important that the sex workers are seen on a par with the other respectable professional of the world. The root cause of this can be ascertained to the fact that sex is seen as a form of taboo since the ancient ages and therefore anything related to sex is generally ostracized from the purview of the society. The main point that this essay tries to address is that sex work is not a common job like any other and thus it cannot be judged through the normal profession al parameters of society. This argument can be supported by the fact that there are various negative impacts of the job on the health of the sex worker as the as the social stigma that the sex workers face. However, there many sex workers who actually enjoy their job. This view, can be refuted by the fact that there are many workers who are forced to do it because of violence and poverty and they do not enjoy it. The first argument commonly given is that women who work in the sex service become vulnerable to a host of different health related problems. The chief health related problem that a sex worker has greater probability of getting is sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well as HIV. According to a report sex workers are 10% times more at the risk of getting infected by HIV than the common population ("Protecting the rights of sex workers", 2017)The second health problem faced by the female sex workers is the problem of pregnancy It is not always the circumstances under which they have to work is safe and effective and thus there is always the risk of getting unwanted pregnant. Workers belonging to the lower economic strata of the society are driven by economic needs to work even after getting which might prove to be harmful both for the unborn baby as well as the mother. Substance abuse is another common problem that the workers face. The stressful conditions under which the sex wo rkers do their job often drives many of them to resort to commonly available drugs like weeds, cracks, crystal meth, cocaine and various other ones. In 2010 the total number of women dependent on the drug amphetamines of which only 0.31% were non sex workers (Alexandra Torrico, 2017). The sex workers are also susceptible to various mental problems which can be the result of the violence inflicted by their various male clients (Oram et al.,2012). The poor mental health and substance abuse are actually interconnected as it is seen many times that poor mental health often leads the workers to resort to substance abuse. The second argument is that the sex workers are seen in a very unequal light in society no matter from what cultural, social or educational background they are. Despite being a part of the second oldest profession of the world they are without any social security. They do not have a steady income source, as a matter of fact it is often seen that they able to earn as long as age, physical appearance and health is on their side. They also do not receive any economic or social benefits from the governments end and also the number of organizations working for their benefit and uplift is very less. The condition or the working environment in which they usually work is also not very congenial to their health. They are often forced to work in places like slums or shanties, where there is no scope of any social security. They are generally deprived of all their human rights and it was not until 2003 that New Zealand became the first country in the world to implement the concept of decriminal ization and placed sex work on par with the other well renowned professions of the world(McHugh, 2013). Then there are those who loose even the basic rights like the right of life as the right of freedom after they are smuggled through illegal means and forced into prostitution. The policy of decriminalization implemented by several countries of the world like New Zealand, Australia, Spain and others brought about a radical change in the way in which the sex workers look upon their own profession. According to the findings of a recent survey many sex workers at the present moment do not actually consider their careers as bad as the society normally views it. They, as a matter of fact, even enjoy their work because of its flexible working hours and the amount of easy money that they can make (Maher, Pickering, Gerard, 2012). The flexible work hours allows them to indulge in recreational activities as well as personality development activities which helped them in their job roles as well as can open new avenues to them in the near future. However, many people refute this argument by saying that most of them are forced to continue in this job because of their poor life or limited economic opportunities. Some of them are acquired by means of illegal trafficking and are thus forced to continue in the profession as long as the pimp or the person who owns them wishes them to work and thus the conclusion that the sex workers do not enjoy the kind of work that they do and possible means should be implemented to stop this profession. According to the findings of a recent report, in the year 2012 alone around 5.5 million people worldwide were victims of the machinery of human trafficking (Lee, 2013). It, thus becomes apparent that a very substantial percentage of the sex workers all over the world are not in the profession of prostitution by choice rather they are in the profession are means of force. Conclusion Therefore ,from the above paragraphs it becomes apparent that sex work though apparently a job like any other job is very unlike the other jobs or professions that are normally followed all over the world. This particular though unique in its own context consists of its own advantages as well as disadvantages .The chief two arguments that support the thesis statement of this essay are the negative impacts that the profession causes to the health of the sex workers and the social stigma that the sex workers are normally made to face. The counterarguments to this view are the fact that there are actually some sex workers, who actually enjoy their work. It can be for various reasons like the flexible working hours or the large amount of easy money that they can make. The primary fact that can be upheld as a refutation to this counterargument is the fact that a large number of the sex workers are forced into work either by means of poor economic conditions, illegal trafficking, lack of j ob opportunities and various other factors. Therefore ,it becomes apparent from the discussion that sex work is a job unlike any other job. References Alexandra, R. M., Torrico, M. G. C. (2017). Sex Work and Social Inequalities in the Health of Foreign Migrant Women in Almeria, Spain.Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala,58, 54. Lee, M. (Ed.). (2013).Human trafficking. Routledge. Maher, J., Pickering, S., Gerard, A. (2012). Privileging work not sex: Flexibility and employment in the sexual services industry.The Sociological Review,60(4), 654-675. McHugh, P. (2013).Prostitution and Victorian social reform. Routledge. Oram, S., Stckl, H., Busza, J., Howard, L. M., Zimmerman, C. (2012). Prevalence and risk of violence and the physical, mental, and sexual health problems associated with human trafficking: systematic review.PLoS medicine,9(5), e1001224. Protecting the rights of sex workers. (2017).Unaids.org. Retrieved 1 December 2017, from https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2017/june/20170602_sexwork