The Vernacular Language

The Vernacular Language Over the course of humanity, there have been many different languages that have come and gone. As this topic is being discussed, we can probably assume that there is another spoken or written language being developed for use in one way or another. Latin is one of the most prominent languages and was one of the longest used amongst those that were educated and within literature. The real questions that beg to be answered are the origins of the language and what were the impacts the spread of vernacular language had on cultures during this period.The Latin language has survived in one form or another for over two thousand years, dating back to around 75 B. C. and still in use today. No matter where we look, we can see the influence of this language. Dating back to the founding of Rome, in 753 B. C. , they have been at war and have been a nation that has conquered many different countries. While the rise of the Roman empire began in 406 B. C. with the attack of V eii, there was not a true injection of country traditions until later in history and ending in the 12th century.This spread of the empire is where the spread of the Latin language took place and the spread of the vernacular language. To start, what is vernacular language? According to the free dictionary (n. d. ), vernacular is defined as the standard native language or a country or locality. The everyday language spoken by a people as distinguished from the literary language or a variety of such everyday language specific to a social group or region. Note that this term originates from Latin vernaculus. Even some of our definitions of words come from Latin.As we progress through this report, we are now starting to see how much of an impact this language had on society. The Roman Empire was vast and their reign over a large portion of the world lasted for many years. As they conquered nations, their traditions slowly became the traditions of that native land. Most of their reign cov ered Europe as we know it today and spanned hundreds of years. With the spread of a nation, comes the spread of their culture as well. Language is the oldest form of expression within a culture and passing this on either through force or assimilation has a lasting impact on those involved.The Latin language has survived in one form or another for over 2,000 years. It is the parent language of many modern day languages such as Italian, French, Romanian, Portuguese, and the Spanish language. As it was already noted earlier in this paper, even words in the English language have roots that can be traced back to the Latin language. One of the main reasons that the Latin language was so prominent is the fact that it is a form of communication. Culture does not spread without communication. Without communication, we cannot pass on knowledge or exchange ideas amongst each other.If we did not have communication, we would not be the culture that we are today. To say that the Roman Empire had an impact on the entire world is making a very moderate statement. The Roman Empire has had influences in all of society and include areas such as poetry, music, the arts, and architecture as well as language. While most people associate the Empire with a lot of the aforementioned, none of it would have been possible without the Latin language. Again, we are pointed back to the ability to communicate with others and to be able to pass on knowledge.It does not matter how advanced a culture is or may appear to be if they have no ability to pass any of this on to another culture. Not only does it allow the passing of knowledge, it also accomplishes one other hurdle in terms of the world and the growth of the world. With different languages and having nobody be able to communicate, we would never be able to come to a form of peace. Having the ability to relate to others in different parts of the world allow us to relay intentions, be it for good or other purposes.Without this communicat ion, most wars may have ended in the complete annihilation of countries instead of peace or some form of agreement between the two nations that were at war. The last section to discuss today is the lasting impact that the vernacular languages had on our society. What are some examples of this? Look around and you can easily see them if you know what you are looking for. Let’s begin with the author of this paper and continue from there. The author has had his name passed on from generation to generation. While the use of his name stopped for a while, it was started again with his great grandfather.Passing this down, the use of Latin numbers, or more commonly known as Roman numerals, is used to dictate which number of that name he is. For the author, he is the fourth consecutively named son and as such, after his last name is IV to represent the fourth. Look at dictionaries when researching words and you will also notice that these words have root definitions to them. An excell ent example of the use of Latin is in scientific studies. Genus, phylum, etc. all come from Latin origins. The last one to mention that still has Latin roots is the naming of the NFL Superbowl games using the Latin numbering system.In closing, the Latin language and the vernacular language has had a lasting impact on society and will continue to have this impact. It is a part of almost every culture today in some form. Without this vernacular language, society would not be where we are today. References Latin Language Blog (2010, March 24). Latin Numbers 1-100 | Latin Language Blog. Transparent. com Blogs. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://blogs. transparent. com/latin/latin-numbers-1-100/ Map of The Roman Empire. (n. d. ). Global Ministries – The United Methodist Church – General Board of Global Ministries.Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://gbgm-umc. org/umw/corinthians/empire. stm Matthews, J. (2007, October). Beginnings of Vernacular. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://ac-support. europe. umuc. edu/~jmatthew/naples/vernacular. htm Pulju, T. (n. d. ). History of Latin. Rice University — Web Services. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www. ruf. rice. edu/~kemmer/Words04/structure/latin. html The History Channel (n. d. ). Timeline – Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire on History. History: Shows, Schedules and Resources. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www. history. o. uk/shows/rome-rise-and-fall-of-an-empire/season-1/timeline. html TheFREEdictionary. com (n. d. ). Vernacular languages – definition of Vernacular languages by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia. In Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus – The Free Dictionary. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www. thefreedictionary. com/Vernacular+languages University of Calgary (1996, August). First Europe Tutorial – Latin and Vernaculars. Home | University of Calgary. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from htt p://www. ucalgary. ca/applied_history/tutor/firsteuro/lang. html

Advanced Corporate Reporting

A reporting entity is required to prepare its financial report based on IASB framework and it is so useful for different types of users to evaluate the financial performance of the reporting entity and make suitable decisions. In this essay, the usefulness of conceptual framework in preparing of financial report will be discussed. And also, 2011 annual report of CLP Holdings Limited will be reviewed to further discuss how its qualitative characteristics of the information are useful for shareholders.Finally, one of its qualitative characteristics will be selected to be the most important and a conclusion will be made at the end of this essay. Usefulness of conceptual framework The IASB Framework sets out the definitions and recognition criteria for the elements of financial statements. Before the framework was set, companies might use different definitions and recognition criteria to recognize their transactions, even it is the same nature of transactions. For example, non-current as sets can be recognized in cost model or revaluation model.If there was no framework, a company might use cost model to recognize its machinery while revaluation model was used to recognize property. However, the entity is required to be consistent to adopt cost model or revaluation model for a long period under the framework. As a result, the framework is useful for consistent accounting treatments. Because of the consistency, it is easier to compare the entities’ performance over time, even performance between different entities in the same industry.Also, it is easier for the reporting entity to prepare financial statements, especially in preparing consolidated financial statements for multinational entities. Most countries adopt IFRS nowadays. This is an international framework and they can use the same definition and recognition criteria when considering how to treat different transactions such as sales, purchases and valuation of stock. It will reduce the time for arguing the accounting treatment of different transactions. Qualitative characteristics of financial reportAs a shareholder, the financial statement should have four major qualitative characteristics and these characteristics will be discussed as follow: 1. Relevance A relevant financial statement should be predictable and have confirmatory value. It should be able to predict the future of the enterprise and shareholders can make a suitable decision based on the statement. In 2011 annual report of CLP Holdings Limited (CLP), there is a risk management report which is relevant to shareholders. All entities will probably have different types of risk.Nevertheless, CLP set a risk management framework which consists of risk governance structure and risk management process. The risk governance structure states that who will be responsible for dealing with risks and the risk management process diagram shows how to manage its risks. Additionally, CLP assessed its top tier risks and future challeng es so that shareholders can predict how risky if they invest in this company. Another example of relevance is the trend of earnings and dividends per share in the past ten years. The trend can help existing and potential shareholders predict the future performance of CLP.Since 2002, Earnings and dividends per share are increasing except 2009; shareholders then may predict they can still get an increasing earnings and dividends per share in the coming years and they may be willing to invest more in the enterprise. Last but not least, financial statement of CLP has confirmatory value because of its 5-year summary statement. The figures of the past five years has already confirmed in the past annual reports. For example, total revenue sharply increased in 2011 and the main reason is the rising revenue from energy business in Australia.Shareholders may predict that CLP is expanding its business to Australia and the revenue from this segment will continuously rise in the coming few years . Besides the increasing revenue, dividends declared of CLP are very steady and shareholders do not worry if they cannot receive the dividend. Hence, shareholders will evaluate that CLP is worth to invest. 2. Faithful representation A reliable financial statement should be prepared in a true and fair view. That means it should be neutral, free from material errors, complete and prudence.From the point of auditors’ view, the financial statement of CLP is prepared in a true and fair view and it complies with Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standards (HKFRS) and Hong Kong Companies Ordinance. As the auditors’ report is clean, it reflects that the financial statement is free from material errors and the major transactions are completely recorded during 2011. On the other hand, CLP has an audit committee which comprises with five members; all of them are Independent Non-executive Directors (INED) while three of them are members of Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accou ntants (HKICPA).INED do not participate in any operation and decision making of the company and do not have any relationship to the shareholders, so they are not influenced by shareholders and can be no bias in selection of information putting in the financial report. In addition, the financial report is audited by the third party and the opinion can be formed neutrally. Furthermore, the financial report should be prepared in a prudent manner which means assets or revenue cannot be overstated whilst liabilities and expenses cannot be underestimated.For CLP, its inventory is stated at a lower cost or net realizable value. Prudence concept is applied when the company prepare its financial statement. 3. Comparability A qualitative financial statement should be comparable, no matter internal or external. Shareholders must be able to compare the financial performance between different years of the reporting entity and at the same time, they also are able to compare the financial performa nce between different companies in the same industry. The financial statement of CLP can fulfil this qualitative characteristic.Besides its statement shows the figures of two years (2010 and 2011), it shows the increasing or decreasing percentage of its revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities in 5-min annual report and economic value section. It gives a clear picture to shareholders to compare between two years. Moreover, the financial report is prepared based on HKFRS, the accounting policy is consistent and because of this, it is easier for shareholders to compare the financial performance between different years.Financial statement of CLP can also be compared with Power Assets Holdings Limited (HKEL), which is the major competitor of CLP. In 2011, revenue of CLP is about nine times of HKEL and the operating profit is a double of HKEL. However, profit before taxation of CLP is only $1,000 million more than that of HKEL. Shareholders may query why there is only a small difference between profit of both companies and what is happening on the operation of CLP. Therefore, they can make a correct decision through the comparison. 4. UnderstandabilityBesides the above three qualitative characteristics, understandability is important for shareholders too. There are many explanations at the bottom of the financial statement such as a quick guide of its classification of different entities and explanation of indefinite useful life. These further explanations can also help shareholders understand the financial performance of CLP more. As not all shareholders have enough accounting knowledge, some of them may not know how to evaluate the performance through income statement and financial position.Thus, statement of cash flow can help them understand the performance easier because this statement is prepared in cash basis; it clearly reflects the net cash inflows and outflows from different activities. The liquidity and the going concern of CLP can be understood even if shareholders are lack of accounting knowledge. The items of an understandable financial statement should also be aggregated and classified. Revenue in Consolidated Income Statement is aggregated at a lump-sum figure and the analysis of the revenue only revealed in the Notes to the Financial Statements.Another example is bank loans and other borrowings. An analysis of this item is also revealed in the notes. Bank loans and other borrowings is not only aggregated at a lump-sum figure, but also is classified as a current liabilities with other short-term liability. In my opinion, faithful representation is the most important qualitative characteristic. Users of financial report are not only shareholders, but also lenders, government, suppliers, employees, customers and the public.A financial report is prepared on the basis of true and fair which means that financial report is reliable and can be used under different circumstances. For instance, the entity wants to borrow loan from ban k, the bank can rely on the financial report and estimate the risk of this loan according to accounting ratios and cash flow. For suppliers, when they consider giving credit terms to the company, they can rely on the statement of cash flow and some short-term items like current assets and current liabilities.Furthermore, the financial report must be audited. If the report is not prepared in true and fair view, the annual report will be qualified. As a result, this qualitative characteristic is the most important. Conclusion To sum up, the financial report must be prepared on the basis of the conceptual framework because the framework provides general theories and recognition criteria in preparing financial report. Additionally, a qualitative report should be relevant, reliable, comparable and understandable.Shareholders can predict the future financial performance based on the past events and the forecast of the company. Also, the report can be compared internally and externally and be understood so that shareholders can decide how to invest their money. On the other hand, the most important characteristic is faithful representation. Financial report must be prepared in a true and fair view so that the report can be unqualified and be used appropriately by the community. (Word: 1598) Reference 1. o CLP HOLDINGS LIMITED, (2012). ‘CLP Group 2011 Annual Report’.Available from: https://www. clpgroup. com/ourcompany/aboutus/resourcecorner/publications/Pages/publication. aspx [Accessed 28. 10. 2012] 2. ELLIOTT, Barry & ELLIOTT, Jamie, (2007). Financial Accounting and Reporting. England: Pearson Education Limited, pp. 161 – 181 3. HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS (HKICPA), (2010). ‘Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting 2010’. Available from: http://app1. hkicpa. org. hk/ebook/index. php [Accessed 28. 10. 2012] 4. POWER ASSETS HOLDINGS LTD, (2012). ‘Annual Report 2011’.Available from: http://www. powerassets. com/pahWeb/IR/FinancialReports/AnnualReports/AnnualReport2011_en. htm [Accessed 12. 11. 2012] 5. PUTHRAN, Santosh, (2009). ‘IASB Framework – Financial Statements’. Available from: http://www. managementaccountant. in/2009/07/iasb-framework-financial-statements. html [Accessed 10. 11. 2012] 6. VICTORIA UNIVERSITY, MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA, (n. d. ). ‘Conceptual framework’. Available from: http://www. staff. vu. edu. au/faux/Topic%203%20Conceptual%20Framework%201%202002. ppt [Accessed 28. 10. 2012] Advanced Corporate Reporting A reporting entity is required to prepare its financial report based on IASB framework and it is so useful for different types of users to evaluate the financial performance of the reporting entity and make suitable decisions. In this essay, the usefulness of conceptual framework in preparing of financial report will be discussed. And also, 2011 annual report of CLP Holdings Limited will be reviewed to further discuss how its qualitative characteristics of the information are useful for shareholders.Finally, one of its qualitative characteristics will be selected to be the most important and a conclusion will be made at the end of this essay. Usefulness of conceptual framework The IASB Framework sets out the definitions and recognition criteria for the elements of financial statements. Before the framework was set, companies might use different definitions and recognition criteria to recognize their transactions, even it is the same nature of transactions. For example, non-current as sets can be recognized in cost model or revaluation model.If there was no framework, a company might use cost model to recognize its machinery while revaluation model was used to recognize property. However, the entity is required to be consistent to adopt cost model or revaluation model for a long period under the framework. As a result, the framework is useful for consistent accounting treatments. Because of the consistency, it is easier to compare the entities’ performance over time, even performance between different entities in the same industry.Also, it is easier for the reporting entity to prepare financial statements, especially in preparing consolidated financial statements for multinational entities. Most countries adopt IFRS nowadays. This is an international framework and they can use the same definition and recognition criteria when considering how to treat different transactions such as sales, purchases and valuation of stock. It will reduce the time for arguing the accounting treatment of different transactions. Qualitative characteristics of financial reportAs a shareholder, the financial statement should have four major qualitative characteristics and these characteristics will be discussed as follow: 1. Relevance A relevant financial statement should be predictable and have confirmatory value. It should be able to predict the future of the enterprise and shareholders can make a suitable decision based on the statement. In 2011 annual report of CLP Holdings Limited (CLP), there is a risk management report which is relevant to shareholders. All entities will probably have different types of risk.Nevertheless, CLP set a risk management framework which consists of risk governance structure and risk management process. The risk governance structure states that who will be responsible for dealing with risks and the risk management process diagram shows how to manage its risks. Additionally, CLP assessed its top tier risks and future challeng es so that shareholders can predict how risky if they invest in this company. Another example of relevance is the trend of earnings and dividends per share in the past ten years. The trend can help existing and potential shareholders predict the future performance of CLP.Since 2002, Earnings and dividends per share are increasing except 2009; shareholders then may predict they can still get an increasing earnings and dividends per share in the coming years and they may be willing to invest more in the enterprise. Last but not least, financial statement of CLP has confirmatory value because of its 5-year summary statement. The figures of the past five years has already confirmed in the past annual reports. For example, total revenue sharply increased in 2011 and the main reason is the rising revenue from energy business in Australia.Shareholders may predict that CLP is expanding its business to Australia and the revenue from this segment will continuously rise in the coming few years . Besides the increasing revenue, dividends declared of CLP are very steady and shareholders do not worry if they cannot receive the dividend. Hence, shareholders will evaluate that CLP is worth to invest. 2. Faithful representation A reliable financial statement should be prepared in a true and fair view. That means it should be neutral, free from material errors, complete and prudence.From the point of auditors’ view, the financial statement of CLP is prepared in a true and fair view and it complies with Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standards (HKFRS) and Hong Kong Companies Ordinance. As the auditors’ report is clean, it reflects that the financial statement is free from material errors and the major transactions are completely recorded during 2011. On the other hand, CLP has an audit committee which comprises with five members; all of them are Independent Non-executive Directors (INED) while three of them are members of Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accou ntants (HKICPA).INED do not participate in any operation and decision making of the company and do not have any relationship to the shareholders, so they are not influenced by shareholders and can be no bias in selection of information putting in the financial report. In addition, the financial report is audited by the third party and the opinion can be formed neutrally. Furthermore, the financial report should be prepared in a prudent manner which means assets or revenue cannot be overstated whilst liabilities and expenses cannot be underestimated.For CLP, its inventory is stated at a lower cost or net realizable value. Prudence concept is applied when the company prepare its financial statement. 3. Comparability A qualitative financial statement should be comparable, no matter internal or external. Shareholders must be able to compare the financial performance between different years of the reporting entity and at the same time, they also are able to compare the financial performa nce between different companies in the same industry. The financial statement of CLP can fulfil this qualitative characteristic.Besides its statement shows the figures of two years (2010 and 2011), it shows the increasing or decreasing percentage of its revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities in 5-min annual report and economic value section. It gives a clear picture to shareholders to compare between two years. Moreover, the financial report is prepared based on HKFRS, the accounting policy is consistent and because of this, it is easier for shareholders to compare the financial performance between different years.Financial statement of CLP can also be compared with Power Assets Holdings Limited (HKEL), which is the major competitor of CLP. In 2011, revenue of CLP is about nine times of HKEL and the operating profit is a double of HKEL. However, profit before taxation of CLP is only $1,000 million more than that of HKEL. Shareholders may query why there is only a small difference between profit of both companies and what is happening on the operation of CLP. Therefore, they can make a correct decision through the comparison. 4. UnderstandabilityBesides the above three qualitative characteristics, understandability is important for shareholders too. There are many explanations at the bottom of the financial statement such as a quick guide of its classification of different entities and explanation of indefinite useful life. These further explanations can also help shareholders understand the financial performance of CLP more. As not all shareholders have enough accounting knowledge, some of them may not know how to evaluate the performance through income statement and financial position.Thus, statement of cash flow can help them understand the performance easier because this statement is prepared in cash basis; it clearly reflects the net cash inflows and outflows from different activities. The liquidity and the going concern of CLP can be understood even if shareholders are lack of accounting knowledge. The items of an understandable financial statement should also be aggregated and classified. Revenue in Consolidated Income Statement is aggregated at a lump-sum figure and the analysis of the revenue only revealed in the Notes to the Financial Statements.Another example is bank loans and other borrowings. An analysis of this item is also revealed in the notes. Bank loans and other borrowings is not only aggregated at a lump-sum figure, but also is classified as a current liabilities with other short-term liability. In my opinion, faithful representation is the most important qualitative characteristic. Users of financial report are not only shareholders, but also lenders, government, suppliers, employees, customers and the public.A financial report is prepared on the basis of true and fair which means that financial report is reliable and can be used under different circumstances. For instance, the entity wants to borrow loan from ban k, the bank can rely on the financial report and estimate the risk of this loan according to accounting ratios and cash flow. For suppliers, when they consider giving credit terms to the company, they can rely on the statement of cash flow and some short-term items like current assets and current liabilities.Furthermore, the financial report must be audited. If the report is not prepared in true and fair view, the annual report will be qualified. As a result, this qualitative characteristic is the most important. Conclusion To sum up, the financial report must be prepared on the basis of the conceptual framework because the framework provides general theories and recognition criteria in preparing financial report. Additionally, a qualitative report should be relevant, reliable, comparable and understandable.Shareholders can predict the future financial performance based on the past events and the forecast of the company. Also, the report can be compared internally and externally and be understood so that shareholders can decide how to invest their money. On the other hand, the most important characteristic is faithful representation. Financial report must be prepared in a true and fair view so that the report can be unqualified and be used appropriately by the community. (Word: 1598) Reference 1. o CLP HOLDINGS LIMITED, (2012). ‘CLP Group 2011 Annual Report’.Available from: https://www. clpgroup. com/ourcompany/aboutus/resourcecorner/publications/Pages/publication. aspx [Accessed 28. 10. 2012] 2. ELLIOTT, Barry & ELLIOTT, Jamie, (2007). Financial Accounting and Reporting. England: Pearson Education Limited, pp. 161 – 181 3. HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS (HKICPA), (2010). ‘Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting 2010’. Available from: http://app1. hkicpa. org. hk/ebook/index. php [Accessed 28. 10. 2012] 4. POWER ASSETS HOLDINGS LTD, (2012). ‘Annual Report 2011’.Available from: http://www. powerassets. com/pahWeb/IR/FinancialReports/AnnualReports/AnnualReport2011_en. htm [Accessed 12. 11. 2012] 5. PUTHRAN, Santosh, (2009). ‘IASB Framework – Financial Statements’. Available from: http://www. managementaccountant. in/2009/07/iasb-framework-financial-statements. html [Accessed 10. 11. 2012] 6. VICTORIA UNIVERSITY, MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA, (n. d. ). ‘Conceptual framework’. Available from: http://www. staff. vu. edu. au/faux/Topic%203%20Conceptual%20Framework%201%202002. ppt [Accessed 28. 10. 2012]

Investigatory

Crazy Crystal Creations: How to Grow the Best and the Largest Crystals Materials and Equipment * Lab notebook * Large bowl * Ice, enough to fill large bowl at least three times * Water * Thermometer * String * Scissors * Pencils (3) * Identical jars or large drinking glasses (3) * Pot with a lid * Borax (also called 20-Mule Team household cleaner); * Tablespoon * Plastic wrap, wax paper, or aluminum foil * Gloves, latex or similar style exam glove (optional). Can be used if there is concern over handling borax Experimental Procedure 1.In this science fair project, you'll be recrystallizing borax under three different temperature conditions: in a refrigerator, at room temperature, and in an ice bath. Before you begin, make a hypothesis, based on your background reading, about how the crystals grown under each of these conditions will look. Write your hypothesis in your lab notebook. 2. Prepare an ice bath by filling the large bowl half full of ice and then adding water until the bowl is three-quarters full. a. Place the ice bath on a counter top or on a table, where it can be left undisturbed for at least 5 hours while the crystals grow. . As soon as the ice bath is prepared, use the thermometer to take the temperature of the ice bath, of the refrigerator, and of the room (do this by putting the thermometer on the countertop or table), and record the temperatures in your lab notebook. 4. Cut three pieces of string and tie one around each pencil. The string pieces should be of equal length and should be long enough that when the pencil is laid across the top of the jar, the end of the string hangs down to just above the bottom of the jar. 5.Bring enough water to fill each jar three-fourths full to a boil in a pot, with adult supervision. 6. Add 1 tablespoon (Tbsp. ) of borax to the water, and stir until it dissolves. Repeat, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until no more borax will dissolve. This is your saturated solution. 7. With an adult's help, pour equal amounts of the sa turated solution into the three jars. The jars should be about three-fourths full. 8. Lay a pencil across the top of each jar so the strings hang down into the saturated solution. 9. Cover the jars with plastic wrap, wax paper, or aluminum foil. 10.Place one jar in the refrigerator, leave one undisturbed on a countertop or table at room temperature, and put one in the ice bath you prepared. 11. Leave the jars alone for a minimum of 5 hours, or until crystals form (whichever is longer), and be sure not to disturb them. Check the ice bath regularly to make sure that the ice has not melted. Add ice, as necessary. b. If crystals form under one condition before they do in the others, note that in your lab notebook and let all three conditions continue for another hour to see if any crystals form in the other conditions. . Record in your lab notebook the total amount of time (from step 9 to step 11) that you let the crystals form. 12. Carefully remove the pencils, one at a time, and note the size, shape, and number of crystals obtained from each solution. Are there any differences? Why do you think this is so? Record your observations in a data table, like the one below. Cooling Condition| Trial 1| | Temperature| Time of Crystal Formation (in hours)| Number| Size| Other Observations| Ice bath| Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  |Refrigerator| Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Room temperature| Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | 13. If you are presenting your project in a science fair, save the strings and display them at the fair. Be sure to keep track of which string belongs with which solution. 14. Repeat steps 1–13 at least two more times to make sure that your results are accurate and repeatable. How do your results compare to your hypothesis? What Makes Ice Melt Fastest? Materials and Equipment To do this experiment you will need the following materials and equipment: Ice cubes * Identical plates or saucers * Timer * Electronic kitchen balance (accurate to 0. 1 g) * Mea suring cup * Suggested materials to test for ice-melting ability * Table salt * Sugar * Sand * Pepper Experimental Procedure 1. Do your background research so that you are knowledgeable about the terms, concepts, and questions, above. 2. You'll need a clean plate and several ice cubes for each of the substances to be tested. 3. Use the balance to measure the initial mass of the ice cube.Note the starting time, then carefully sprinkle one teaspoon of the substance to be tested over the ice cube. 4. After a fixed amount of time (say, 10 minutes), pour off the melted water into a measuring cup, and use the balance to measure the mass. Subtract the mass of the empty cup, and you'll have the mass of the melted water. Wait the same amount of time for each test. 5. Measure the remaining mass of the ice cube. 6. Repeat three times for each substance to be tested. 7. Use the same procedure to measure the melting rate for ice cubes with nothing added. 8.For each test, calculate the percentage of the ice cube that melted: [mass of melt water]/[initial mass of ice cube] ? 100 9. For each test, calculate the percentage of the ice cube remaining: [remaining mass of ice cube]/[initial mass of ice cube] ? 100 10. For each substance you tested, calculate the average amount of melted water produced (as a percentage of initial mass), and the average remaining ice cube mass (as a percentage of initial mass). 11. Did any substances speed up melting of the ice (compared to melting rate of plain ice cubes with nothing added)?

Child and Elder Abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Child and Elder Abuse - Essay Example The elders and children comprise the largest percentage of such. In relation to the aforementioned situation, this paper will study some case of elder and child abuse and the effects of which on the victims. Doris Racher entrusted her mother, Eryetha Mayberry, a 96-year old dementia patient; in a nursing home in Oklahoma City. The daughter noticed that some items she bought for her mother were missing. Consequently, she placed a motion activated camera that looked like an alarm clock inside the room of the elderly woman. Nevertheless, instead of capturing the thief, the camera caught the grievous acts of Mrs. Mayberry’s caregivers. One stuffed latex gloves in the mouth of the patient while another scorned and tapped her on the head. Then, lifting the old woman from her wheelchair, they threw her to her bed and eventually, one gave her a number of heavy-handed chest compressions. The patient died soon after (Hoffman, 2013). It has to be noted that the woman was suffering from dementia so that it could perhaps be safely concluded that the abuse may have started early on. However, the woman did not report any of the events because of her mental condition. In addition, with her age, she might not just have been mentally but also physically incapable of reporting her abusers. From the said report, one can easily see that the immediate result of the physical abuse on the elderly is death. Since elders are physically weak, they can easily suffer from any physical abuse inflicted on them. For instance, the heavy-handed chest compressions may have broken some of the old woman’s brittle bones which might have resulted to her death. It might be true that she is already old and her death is just waiting to happen but the fact that she was physical abused is a contributing factor to her death. Other results of elder abuse could be wounds, physical

With reference to your own research, do you think that the ability of Essay - 2

With reference to your own research, do you think that the ability of a business to act successfully in a socially responsible manner is mainly determined by the products it produces - Essay Example e the growing significance of Corporate Social Responsibility and issues of sustainability for consumers, a study by Reputation Institute (2014) indicated that about 60% of consumer perceptions othe companys reputationon determine the consumers’ willingness to work for, invest, or recommend a company while 40% is due to the consumers’ perception of the product or services sold by that company. For this study, the major considerations are the main benefits of CSR in relation to costs for the business; the significance of CSR in relation to other objectives; the major determinants of responsibilities that are accepted by a business and those that are not; the factors that determine the extent to which business is socially responsible, and the extent of government influence on CSR,. At Microsoft, there is a continuing commitment to work to fulfil public responsibilities and to serve the needs of people in communities worldwide. However, for Microsoft, the fundamental obligation is the role Microsoft serves as an accountable universal corporate citizen (Smith, 2012). In addition, Microsoft earned the best CSR reputation through initiatives such as Citizenship Leads throughout the world working every day in collaboration to with a huge stakeholder’s base and with regards to numerous issues crucial to local communities. Microsoft Green is also another CSR initiative aimed at emphasizing Microsoft’s Environmental Sustainability Team. In order to implement its CSR initiatives, Microsoft works with investors, non-profits, governments, and other organizations, including the Boston College Center, CSR Europe, Net Impact, World Economic Forum, and Clinton Global Initiative. For more than 51% of Google consumers across the 15 universal markets, working at Google is great (Smith, 2013). With such perceptions, Google has managed to successfully establish a caring perception around the world to ensure that they are a company that not only treats people well, but one that

Critically examine the arguments in favour of devising development Essay

Critically examine the arguments in favour of devising development policies which promote pro-poor economic growth - Essay Example Policies that have been used to tackle poverty since 1970s aim at reducing economic poverty by initiating pro-poor growth. Pro-poor growth is as the term suggests is growth on the part of the poor by raising their I ncomes (Ravallion 2003). Pro-poor growth policies are appropriately set to ensure that sustainable growth is achieved. Pro-poor growth policies should be able to cause rapid and sustainable poverty reduction. This can be ensured through allowing the poor people to participate, contribute and benefit. The argument behind such policies is that the involvement of the poor as both facilitators and beneficiaries is crucial because it ensures long-term growth and sustainable poverty reduction. For the policies to be effective, however, they should deal with all dimensions of poverty including environment and gender. Achievements in any of the dimensions are influenced by achievements in the others. This means that tackling one dimension of poverty cannot reduce poverty as others will curtail progress (Hausmann, Dani & Andres 2006). The policies should also empower the poor so as to ensure that they will not slip back to poverty in the future. If the policies fail in this respect, then the poor will remain poor ev en with considerable growth in the overall economy. All the processes involved in pro-poor growth should be transparent and accountable to be able to serve the interests of the poor successfully. Sustainable pro-poor growth will help the over three billion people who hardly get their basic need. Pro-poor policies are believed to be effective in that they tend to target the root causes of poverty (gender inequality, limited asset base, and lack of education among others). Initiating pro-poor growth is not possible without identifying and analyzing the major causes of poverty. All stakeholders in government agencies and private sectors have been in the front line to ensure that problems causing poverty are

Unemployment in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Unemployment in the United States - Essay Example Since then, the American has tried all means to revive the economy and decrease the unemployment rates in the country. Consequently, there has been an impressive progress in the rates of unemployment marked by a trend of decline. Currently, the rate of unemployment is at 5.5%, a figure similar to the rate reported in February. Despite this lowest rate in over 7 years, unemployment is still a massive issue that affects a significant number of Americans. A number of factors contribute to this unending state of employment in America, namely, global factors, economic conditions, minimum wage, part-time jobs, and the dynamics of the oil industry. As the world opens up to trade and business opportunities, a number of issues arise the affect countries either negatively or positively. For instance, offshoring is one of the issues that have arisen due to globalization. Multinational companies among other businesses prefer to outsource services in low-cost labor nations in order to cut on costs. Companies are engaging in offshoring practices both for service jobs and for manufacturing jobs. The driving force behind this conduct is to operate in countries where they can save on labor costs, avoid regulatory laws, and productivity. Thus, offshoring has greatly affected job creation and availability of jobs in the United States leading to unemployment. According to a report by Forrester Research released in 2004, by 2015, 3.4 million service jobs will be moved abroad during 1.2 million jobs were expected to be offshored between 2003 and 2008 (Levine, 2011). Additionally, according to Bureau of Labor of Statistics estimates one-fifth of workers in the United States were working in industries subject to offshoring. An example of multinational company that has actively engaged in offshoring practice is Apple. As of 2012, Apple had 20,000 workers based in other countries and 43,000 workers in America. Additionally, the 700,000 engineer who develop Apple’s products by

Work Experiences in School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Work Experiences in School - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that working while still in school is beneficial because it gives us a good â€Å"feel† to know and realize what kind of careers we really like. In my case, I love media and film and this linking to media and film is an informed decision because I already have several work experiences as a model, promoter of boutiques and staff crew of many comedy shows. These experiences made me realized what I really wanted to pursue in the future and helped me shape as a would-be professional. These experiences helped shape my values and expectations because it made me take my studies seriously especially those that I know will be needed in the real world setting. Doing this kind of preparation during my formative years is already shaping my values.  In general, my work experiences were pleasant but of course, I also had a share of not so good work experiences like having a stubborn boss. But these experiences, both the good and the bad, made me a better person and student. My work experiences did not only give me a realistic perspective about work and career but it also helped me shape as a person. I can only wish that every student will have the same work experiences that I have so that they will have the right perspective about work while still in school.  I have benefited so much from it and I believe that the biggest benefit I gained from working was the realization of what kind of career that I really wanted to pursue - a career that I would be like doing not just merely having a job but doing what makes me happy. I am fortunate because I have this realization while still in school where I can still shape my future to become a better professional in the future and a happier individual doing a career that I love best.

How much Gas is Preduced Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How much Gas is Preduced - Essay Example The reaction proceeds as follows: In this experiment one can see that two moles of HCl react with one mole of magnesium to produce one mole of each MgCl2 and H2. Since the product H2 is gaseous in nature, one can safely assume that if the reaction proceeds at standard temperature and pressure (273K, 1 atm) the volume of one mole of H2 produced will be 22.4 litres. Also, one mole of Magnesium will have the mass in grams equal to its molecular weight i.e. 24. Therefore, the mass of magnesium used in the reaction can be converted into the number of moles of magnesium used in the reaction, for e.g.  The Pressure sensor was used in the experiment to calculate the pressure at which the volume of gas was to be computed. Other equipments used in the experiment were weighing balance, tongs, measuring cylinder, flask, test tubes, stop-cock, glass-tube etc. The materials used in conducting the experiment were moderately diluted HCL and powdered Magnesium. The diagram of the apparatus is given as follows: The mass of Magnesium used in the reaction is measured by the weighing scale and the volume of HCL is measured by the measuring cylinder keeping in mind that the pressure required is 0.5 atm. The acid is sufficiently diluted so as to have a smooth reaction as the reaction between Hydrochloric Acid and Magnesium is exothermic i.e. a lot of heat is evolved. Also the gas produced Hydrogen creates a lot of fizz in the flask. When combining the reagents into the flask, care must be taken that none of the gas being produced escapes when adding the reagents together, before sealing the container. Therefore, we add hydrochloric acid in the flask first followed by Magnesium and instant sealing of the flask so as to prevent the escape of any hydrogen gas. The gas is attached to a pressure sensor by a glass tube which records the pressure

Car Safety Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Car Safety - Term Paper Example This paper will discuss a number of aspects of engineering and construction related to car safety such as car design, assembly, and equipment that eradicate or diminish car accidents. The History of Car Safety Car safety might have become a concern almost from the start of mechanized road vehicle expansion. The second artillery tractor that was powered by steam was produced by a Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot in the year 1771 and is described by some individuals to have crashed into a barricade through its demonstration run. On the other hand, Georges Ageon claims that the earliest declaration of this incident dates from the year1801, and it cannot be traced in any present-day accounts. The utilization of seat belts and cushion dashboards was advocated for in the year 1934, which led to the formation of the Automobile Safety League of America. The same year, GM undertook the initial barrier crash experiment. A number of experiments and addition of a number of items in the car through the year 1940 to date has developed the car design, assembly, and equipment for the eradication or reduction of car accidents (Hamer 156). Safety did not develop into a promotion point for novel cars until the late years of the 1980s, but it is without doubt now. There has been augmented public understanding of the relative efficiency of safety features within diverse models, which has been elevated by the prologue of self-sufficient crash tests, principally the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which is a global crash test establishment in which the NRMA, as well as other groupings are members. While noteworthy legislation, for example, the blood alcohol restrictions practice for driving has taken part in playing a key role in dropping road crash injury as well as deaths. However, to date, the seat belt is the development which has saved many human beings than any other (Jain 187). Active and Passive Car Safety Active safety refers to technology that supports in the avoidance of a crash w hile passive safety is a technology that supports in the avoidance of a crash to mechanisms of the vehicle such as airbags, seatbelts, as well as the physical construction of the car, which can aid in the protection of occupants when a crash occurs (Crandall, Bhalla & Madeley 234). Crash Evasion Systems Crash evasion systems and pieces of equipment assist the driver as well as the car itself to evade a crash. Cars are outfitted with a selection of lights as well as reflectors to mark their existence, position, distance across, length, and bearing of travel to put across the driver's intention and measures to other drivers. Crash evasion systems include the car's headlamp, which some have headlights that rotate with the obverse wheels of a car, revealing the pathway around a curve. Other evasion systems include front and back position lamps, turn warning signs, brake or stop lamps, repealing lamps, side marker lights, suspension systems, cars’ mirror, as well as reflectors. Dr iver Assistance Systems A division of crash evasion is driver support systems, which aid the driver to become aware of obstacles that are concealed and to manage the car. Driver support systems consist of mechanical braking systems that put a stop to or lessen the rigorousness of a crash. They utilize long and short array radar, to function efficiently at whichever

Assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Assignment 1 - Essay Example The passages 34-38 (Quinones 460) prove the fact that Jeremy had no intention to make himself a hero, he was truly worried about the kids and did his best to save them. The same intentions I noticed in the interview with that fireman I read years ago and this was really surprising for me, because usually when people do something good they want others to see their good actions and evaluate the person who does something moral as a virtuous kind of personality. However, the fireman from that article was extremely unpretentious telling the stories about all those people he had saved like it was his routine working responsibilities. Thus he claimed that it was just his job, like if it was something equal in its value to what people do in offices or something like that. The fireman wasn’t thinking of being a hero, he was just doing his job, as well as Jeremy was doing what he knew he had to do, so he wasn’t even considering any other options except helping those kids. Iâ€⠄¢m pretty sure that in that moment he wasn’t even thinking â€Å"I have to save the kids†, he was just doing it without thinking, as his actions were absolutely automatic. Hence, it is possible to say that the actions of both the fireman and John were truly heroic, as there wasn’t the intention to become a hero in none of them, because real heroism is essentially simply kind and thoughtful. The Michaej’s Weiskopf story about him losing his hand and saving the three other people in fact reveals an interesting definition of heroism as a â€Å"quick response to a changing environment† (Weiskopf, 467). Probably, the story indeed proves the thesis, however, the story of another journalist, Robert Cox, demonstrates the kind of journalistic heroism that is not engaged with self-preservation instinct but the one based on sacrifice of one’s own life for the sake of justice and truth. Robert Cox was

Law of Increasing Cost Essay Example for Free

Law of Increasing Cost Essay The three types of unemployment are Structural, Frictional and Cyclical Unemployment. Structural unemployment occurs due to the disparity between the skills of a person whose looking for a job and the skills needed for the jobs available thus, the job seeker’s profession or skills is not likely related to that line of work. Frictional Unemployment is another type of unemployment which is strongly related to structural unemployment as the two both depends on the dynamics changes in the economy. Thus, the people who do not even have work may not accept the first job offered to them because of the skills needed for the job and the salary. On the other hand, Cyclical Unemployment is due to lack of demand for work and is attributed to economic contraction. Cyclical Unemployment- the Government should implement and fund a program where in poorer and jobless people with capability can be able to have their own job and receive necessary payment. In doing such thing they can be able to increase productivity and economic efficiency as well as the workers welfare. Answer to question no. The Law of Increasing Cost states that as the Marginal Cost, say X, increases the Cost of the Product, say Y, decreases and vice versa. Thus, the cost of product is dependent and inversely proportional on the marginal cost of that product. Cost of Product (Y) Marginal Cost (X) Answer to question no. 5 A progressive tax is the rate of the taxes that increases as the tax payers’ income increases. The system defends on the percentage of income of an individual. Those high-income people should pay higher percentage of tax than those low-income people. An example of progressive tax is a Graduated Tax. The general sales is said to be regressive because everyone including the rich and the poor utilize it and therefore has to buy goods in order to survive for example clothes, the poor pay more of the percentage of the sales (clothes) tax compare to the rich people, that is why it is regressive. Answer to question no. 6 Inflation hurt the rich and much more the poor people. In order for the rich to uphold their ways of living they are tend to pay much greater price for the goods and services. In a worse case, the poor may not be able to afford those goods and services, thus it posses a threat to their family and to the economy in general. On the other, economist may benefit from inflation since they can somehow predict inflation rate and thus, make appropriate preparations. Answer to question no. 8 Public Good are goods and services that are available for everyone to consume. Also, consumption of these goods does not decrease the availability of the supply. Such good includes information goods and human rights. On the other hand, a private market offers goods that are the exact different of public goods, goods that are good for only one consumption and is for everyone to consume. Thus, the main reason why the public market cannot offer public goods is because public goods are free and the private market, more or less, does not offer free items. Answer to question no. 9 Full employment is define as the state and condition of the national economy, where all of the job seekers are willingly accept the job offers to them regardless of the amount of wages they are about to earn as well as the working conditions. It clearly indicates 0% of people who do not have job or unemployed. Answer to question no. 10 No. It is the objective of the public market to increase revenue and thus, it important to give greater attention to the benefits that the firm will have rather than that of the society. Because positive externalities mean that the society will gain greater benefit than that of the firm, it is likely that the public market will not be able to produce the socially optimal amount of good that is characterize by positive externalities.

Impact Of Legislation On Early Years Practice Education Essay

Impact Of Legislation On Early Years Practice Education Essay The purpose of this paper is to discuss current relevant legislation and how the legislation impacts on an Early Years practice. The experiences and outcomes that children receive in their earliest years can lay the foundations for their journey into adult life and beyond. Legislation has been put in place to ensure that children are given the best possible start in life and that they are given the opportunities for them to reach their full potential. Regardless of their individual needs and backgrounds of race, disability or social status, legislation ensures that they all have the same opportunities in order for them to have a good quality of life in early childhood. In addition, children have a right to be part of their community setting and develop their own individual identity. A childs social class is a major factor in the life chances and the outcomes they are likely to receive in later life. The Equality Act 2010 aims to narrow the gap between social classes, tackles barriers that are holding children back and gives everyone the opportunity to achieve their full potential and contribute in their own way to society. Children from poorer backgrounds are more likely to suffer behaviour and language problems than those from more affluent areas. Furthermore, children from affluent areas are more academically ready to start early education by the age of three years old than those from poorer areas. (Source: Elizabeth Washbrook, Bristol University based on the Millennium Cohort Study) Millennium Cohort Study, Exploration of Some Distinctive Results for Scotland These statistics show the need for early years settings to provide efficient and adequate provision for all children. Child centred settings must ensure that they are fully aware of the content of relevant legislation regarding equality and inclusion that enables children to get the best possible start and get efficient learning that meets their needs in order for them to flourish. A nursery Admission policy ensures that the allocation of nursery places is fair and equal and that there is no discrimination in relation to a childs socio-economic background with regards of where they live or parents occupational backgrounds, stops discrimination against non-admittance of a child with any disabilities or additional needs and shows no favouritism towards admissions of children with high academic level and educational attainment. This policy ensures equality for all and that places are free to all children. http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/equality-act-guidance-for-education-providers-schools/admissions/ Settings that promote equality and inclusion are stating that they recognise and uphold childrens rights and will actively contribute to the childrens quality of life. Equal opportunities ensure all children are treated according to their individual needs. We want an education system in Scotland that is inclusive of all pupils, encouraging young people to develop, no matter what additional needs they may have. Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/04/26163423 The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 2009 provides the framework of guidance for the support that all children should receive in order for them to make full use of their abilities within their education. Practitioners must ensure arrangements are in place to identify any additional needs and the learning required, and this can be done by getting to know the child and their background and put the child at the centre. Building good relationships with children and their families will encourage the child to feel safe and develop a sense of belonging. By getting to know as much as possible about the child, practitioners can plan experiences that suit the childs knowledge, experience, age and stage of development and build on these to extend the childs knowledge and learning. North Lanarkshire Councils Inclusive Policy suggests that Personal Learning Plans, Individual Education Programmes and Records of Needs are important for a childs effective learning and through assessment and planning, will provide the foundation to ensuring the individual needs of the child are recognised and met. However, when a support plan is considered necessary, settings must take account of views from other people like parents/carers and additional adults within the setting who assist with supporting inclusion and diversity. Some of these include head teachers, Speech and Language and behaviour therapists and Additional Support Needs Assistants. This partnership will ensure close links are maintained between multi-agencies, support services and the childs family and will help to provide opportunities to share information and make decisions about the best way to meet a childs individual needs. Good inclusive settings can ensure that a child is looked after, despite their individual needs and backgrounds, and enable them to get the best out of their education. http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5642 In addition, practitioners and educators should effectively practice equality for all and be aware of their own attitudes of stereotyping and discriminating against issues of race, disability, sex, social status, age and religion and be positive role models in their responsibilities to promoting equality and inclusion in their setting. http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/equality-act-guidance-for-education-providers-schools/admissions/ http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5640 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/04/26163423 Every Child Matters Framework for Inclusion Gender equality a toolkit for education staff Malik, H. (2003) A Practical Guide to Equal Opportunities, Nelson Thorner Chapter 2 Millennium Cohort Study, Exploration of Some Distinctive Results for Scotland The Child at the Centre The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 2009

Constant Pressure Calorimeter for Heat Capacity

Constant Pressure Calorimeter for Heat Capacity Kanwarpal Brar Purpose: To calibrate a constant pressure calorimeter and use it to determine the heats of the reaction and dissolution of different reactants and to use these heats of the reactions to find the enthalpy of a reaction by hess’s law. Analysis/ calculations: Determine the heat capacity of the coffee cup, Ccal in j*degC for all three trials and calculate the average value. Provide all these values in your report: provide full calculations only for trial . From table 1 Mass of 1.0 M NaOH solution used = 51.67g Mass of 1.0 M HCl solution used = 50.85g Total mass of final solution = 102.52g Initial temperature of reagents = 21.3 deg C Final temperature after neutralization = 27.8 deg C Heat absorbed by calorimeter q1 = C (heat capacity)*deltaT Heat abrorbed by soluction Q2 = heat capacity (C) *mass of the solution (m)*deltaT Heat released by neutralization reaction, Q3 = heat of reaction (delta H)*moles(n)/1mole In this reaction, Delta T=T2-T1 =27.8degC-21.3degC =6.5degC heat capacity of the solution, C=4.02J/g degC (given) mass of the solution, m = 102.52g heat of the reaction, ΔH = -57.3 KJ (given) = -57300 J HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) > H2O(l) + NaCl(aq) Because HCl and NaCl react 1:1, any one can be used as limiting reagent Molarity of HCl = 1.0 M Volume of HCl = 50.0 ml = 0.0500 L Therefore moles of HCl, n = molarity * volume = 1.0 mol/L * 0.0500 L = 0.0500 mol It is assumed that not heat is lost to surrounding ΔE system = 0 J ΔE system = q1 + q2 + q3 = 0J Q1 = -q2 – q3 C1 * ΔT = -(4.02 J/g degC * 102.52g * 6.5 deg C) – (-57300 J * 0.0500 mol/1 mol) C1 * ΔT = -2678.85 J + 2865 J C1 = 186.15 J/ ΔT C1 = 186.15 J/ 6.5 deg C C1 = 28.64 J/ deg C Trial 1 = 28.64 J/ deg C Trial 2 = 31.09 J/deg C Trial 3 = 29.48 J/deg C Average = 29.73 J/deg C Determine the overall heat of reaction per mole od calcium meatl for the addition of calcium metal. to 1.0 M HCl folloed by the addition of water and b) to water folloed by addition of 1.0 M HCl. In each case, treat the overall reaction as a single process, i.e. instead of determining a delta H value for each step, determine . mass of ca = 0.404 g molar mass of ca = 40.08 g/mol moles of ca, n = mass/molar mass = 0.404 g/ 40.08 g/mol = 0.0100 mol Mass of water used, m = 50.0 g (1ml = 1g) ΔT = Tfinal – Tinitial ΔT = 30.5 – 21.4 deg C = 9.1 deg C ( table 2) Heat of the reaction per mole = -(q of reaction – (Ccal * ΔT))/moles of meatal -(Cwater*m*water*detaT(0*ΔT) /n = -(4.184 J/ degC * 50 * 9.1 degC) /0.0100 mol = -1903.72 J/ 0.0100 mol = -190372 J/mole = -190.372 KJ/mole ΔH = -190.372 KJ/mole b) mass of ca = 0.403g molar mass of ca = 40.08 g/mole moles of ca = mass/ molar mass = 0.400 g/ 40.08 g/mole = 0.00998 mol Mass of water used = 50 g (1ml = 1 g) Temperature difference ΔT = Tfinal – Tinitial ΔT = 30.5 – 20.3 degC = 10.2 degC (table3) Heat of reaction per mole = -q of reaction – (Ccal*ΔT)/mole of metal = -(Cwater*mwater*ΔT-(0*ΔT)/n = -(4.184 J/g degC*50g*10.2 deg)/ 0.00998mole = -2133.84 J/ 0.00998mole = -213811.62 J/mole = -213.81 KJ/mole ΔH = -213.81 KJ/mole Determine deltaEdissolution in J (g salt) for the unknown salt for all three trials and calculate the average value. Provide all of these values in your report, provide full calculation only for trial 1. Unknown salt = C Mass of salt = 4.013g Mass of water = 100g Mass of solution after reaction = 100g + 4.013g = 104.013g ΔT = Tfinal – Tinitial = 27-19.9 degC = 7.1 degC ΔEdissolution = -q of reation = -m*C*ΔT = -4.184 J/g degC*104.013g*7.1 = -3089.85 J ΔEdissolution/g salt = -3089.85 J/4.013g = -769.96 J/g salt Trial 1 = -769.96 J/g salt Trial 2 = -769.87 J/g salt Trial 3 = -754.18 J/g salt Average = -764.67 J/g salt Determine deltaEdissolution in J (g salt) for six salts in table 1. Provide all of these values in your report, provide full calculation only for LiCl. ΔEdissolution = ΔElattice + ΔEcation hydration + ΔEanion hydration ΔEdissolution = 846 KJ/mol + (-506 KJ/mol) + (-377 KJ/mol) from table ΔEdissolution = -37 KJ/mol ΔEdissolution = -37000 J/mol Molar mass of LiCl = 42.39 J/mol ΔEdissolution/ g of salt = ΔEdissolution/ molar mass = -37000 J/mol/ 42.39 g/mol = -873 J/g salt ΔEdissolution for LiCl = -873 J/g salt ΔEdissolution of LiBr = -472 J/g salt ΔEdissolution of NaCl = 51.3 J/g salt ΔEdissolution of NaBr = 0 J/g salt ΔEdissolution of KCl = 228 J/g salt Discussion : In the experiment, a simple constant-pressure, coffee cup calorimeter was calibrated using an acid-base neutralization reaction. the calculated specific heat of calorimeter was then used to determine the heats of reactions and dissolutions of other chemical compounds. A simple constant pressure calorimeter was produced out of two styroform cups. The cups were covered with a plastic lid with a hole in centre. While erformiing the acid-base neutralization reaction, the temperature of both acid and base were measure using PH metre temperature probe. The temperature were about each other. When HCl was added to NaOH no visible change was observed while adding the acid. But the temperature of the soluction was rise after the acid was added. This showed that the reaction between HCl and NaOH was exothermic reaction. after that mass of the final solution was measured. The second objective was to find the heat of the reaction per mole of calcium metal, while following the hess’s law provided in the lab manual. This was done in two different trials. First the calcium metal was added to 50.0 ml of 1.0M HCl and then 50ml of water. When calcium was added to HCl it reacted vigorously creating bubbles. The highest temperature recorded was almost double the initial temperature. When water was added to this solution, no visible change was observed, but temperature was dropped by 10 degC. The overall process was still an exothermic reaction the heat of the reaction was calculated to be -190.372 KJ/mole In the second trial, the calcium was first added to water. This reaction was similar to the first one. Calcium reacted with the water vigorously. The temperature of the solution was increased showing that is was exothermic reaction. when HCl was added to this solution the temperature was dropped by 3.6 degC. Which was less than the first case. The heat of the raction waw calculated to be -213.81 KJ/mole. The closeness o fthe both results can be explained by the fact that heat of the reaction is a state function, and does not depend on the path of the reaction. this also increases the confidence in the result. The final objective of the reaction was to determine the heat of dissociation of the unknown salt, and thus find the unknown salt by comparing the heat of dissotiation to the heat dissolution of possible salts. This unknown salt code C was white powder form. When unknown salt was added to water, temperature raise by 7.1 degC. This reaction showed that this was a exothermic reaction. the average enthalpy of dissolution of the unknown salt C was calculated to be -764.67 J/g. This value of enthalpy of dissolution corresponded to the calculated value of Lithium chloride, LiCl. A number of experiment errors could have affected the data collected, which includes the accuracy and precission of the instruments used environment conditions. The graduated cylinder was used to measure liquids was accurate to only one decimal place, or could only round the value to .0 or to .5. the measuring balance used to weigh had had high accuracy up to three decimal place, dispite that there was difference in the total weigh of the soluction in all three trials. This shows that may be weighing machine was not accurate. it is also possible that when solution was shaked to mix the reactant some of the solution lost or may be was left over on the cover lid. Or into the walls of cups and glass container. While doing the experiment some liquid was spilled that could be that reason for the difference in the weight. The volume of the solution could be measured by burettes or pipetts for higher accuracy. Overall the results of the experiment calculations were really promising and confident based on the fact that they folled the theory of the experiment. Conclusion: A calorimeter was prepared. The heat capacity of calorimeter was calculated to be 29.73 J/deg C. The heat reaction calcium was found to be -190.372 KJ/mole and -213.81 KJ/mole, in the two trials. the unknown salt had -764.67 J/g salt. The unknown salt C was found to be Lithium chloride. Results of this experiment is promissign and confident. References: Olmsted, john 3; Williams, greg; burk Robert c. Chemistry, 1st Canadian ed; john Wiley and sons ltd: Mississauga, Canada, 2012, pp 511-550

The Piano :: essays research papers fc

A Mail Order Bride â€Å"The strange thing is I don’t think myself silent, that is, because of my piano† (Campion 9). This beloved instrument is central to the plot and plays a major role in the movie The Piano. It is a symbolic instrument that Campion uses to tell a complex tale.. The film is a story of shyness, repression, and loneliness, of a woman who will not speak and a man who cannot listen, and of a willful little girl who causes mischief. Ada’s verbal silence is a complicated issue in the film and contributes to the overall confusion surrounding her gender identity. Since the age of six, Ada voluntarily chose to be mute and expresses herself through her play of her piano. Her piano symbolized not only her body but also more importantly her soul. In the mid-1800’s, Ada arrives on the stormy shores of New Zealand to meet her prearranged husband, Stewart. Ada was referred to as the mail-order bride on the summation of the Blockbuster videocassette. In addition to her luggage filled with dishes and clothes, she brings her eight-year old daughter, and her piano. Despite Ada’s wordless pleadings, Stewart refuses to bring her piano home and it is left on the beach. As Ada, Stewart, and the rest of the crew leave the beach, Ada contemplates the piano sitting on the sand near the water. This scene shows the underlying feelings of Ada; she is unhappy that her prize possession is being left behind. Stewart believes in his ownership of Ada and he demonstrates this by negating her own claim to property. Baines, a local man with Maori ways, makes a deal with Stewart in which he will trade land for music lessons from Ada. Baines offers Ada a deal to get the instrument back, and she is unprepared for the price she must ultimately pay. He recognizes the value that the piano has with Ada, which Stewart fails to do. The first act of compassion from Baines towards Ada is when he has the piano tuned. This event symbolizes that he truly cares what Ada feels and respects her as a women and person. Stewart does not comprehend that affection must be earned through trust, respect, and love. Baines realizes this and he gives the piano back to her saying, â€Å"I want you to care for me† (The Piano). One can feel the sense of frustration with Baines during the play scene.

Copper Mining :: Natural Resources Minerals Miners Essays

Copper Mining Copper mining has become a very important industry in today’s society. It is also one of man’s oldest commercial activities. There are many steps from finding a mine site to producing a product made of copper or a copper alloy. The mining industry has also had many important developments from the time the first mine was formed in Rio Tinto in 3000 B.C. The earliest copper sources were globules and chunks of native copper found on the Earth’s surface. After we quickly exhausted the limited amount of native copper, we were forced to look underground for more sources. It started out as a simple and tiring process. In early civilizations slaves would break up rock layers to find copper, and other minerals. It would then be removed from tunnels and small pits where it was found by hand. The first significant breakthrough in the mining process came when smelting was discovered. We have come a long way from those days. Today mining is a very high tech industry containing many expensive steps. The first step is exploration, or finding a good source of copper. This can take any where from 3 to 4 years and cost up to $7,000,000. Next is mine development. This stage also takes 3 to 4 years but costs much more, up to $75,000,000. The third stage is producing the mine. This costs almost $30,000,000 a year, and takes 9 to 21 years before it is completed. The final stage is called final reclamation, lasting around 3 years and costing $27,000,000. These 4 stages apply to both of the 2 most basic forms of copper ores found in nature; sulfide ores and oxide ores. It is a complicated process removing the copper from these two ores since it makes up only 1% of the rock material. Mining copper sulfide ores requires a grinding process to separate the copper from the rest of the rock. The first step is to blast the mine and then haul the material to a copper ore mill.

A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction

How far can humor go? This question is often asked regarding ribald, lewd, or obscene humor. In these cases, critics often ask whether humor has gone far enough.Critics and questioners ask whether what the comedian presents as humor has crossed the line into the offensive and revolting. How far has a particular bit humor gone to the bottom of the barrel and how do we know if it has reached the bottom.How far can humor go? That same question may be asked for Jon Stewart’s 2004 humor book America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction. However, instead of asking how the degenerate the humor is, after reading Stewart’s book, we are forced to ask how enlightening humor can be?Can humor be a tool to scrutinize? To question? To criticize? The likelihood of these possibilities are astonishing, especially when you consider that Stewart’s book is about America and its government and political system.Jon Stewart is the host of the popular comedy program The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The Daily Show is a satire news program, complete with the familiar news program introduction, faux field reporters and even interviews with current newsmakers. Instead of glorifying news programs, The Daily Show takes pride in crucifying it and the political culture it inculcates.The late-night show is notorious for its no holds barred treatment of politicians and pundits from all sides of the political spectrum. The show prides itself as an equal opportunity offender as it makes fun of all political entities from all sides. This has resulted in great popularity for the show as well as for its host, even generating a spin off show from one of its faux pundits.That said, there are many parallels to be drawn between the Daily Show and America (The Book). While The Daily Show pretends to be a nightly news program, America (The Book) pretends to be a high school social studies textbook. In this regard, America (The Book) is successful as it really does look and feel like a social studies textbook. Its content and outline matches that of common high school textbooks.Its layout is also befitting that of a high school textbook, complete with margin notes, sidebars, interviews with â€Å"noted† individuals and numerous illustrations and figures. It is even complete with end of chapter questions and classroom activities.

Study Guide for Final Exam – Criminal Law

Concepts of Criminal Law AJ-320 Study Guide – Final Exam Understand rules relating to self defense, when can force be used, how much? Understand a perfect or imperfect defense. Understand affirmative defenses and burden of proof. Understand imminent danger. Understand the Castle doctrine. Understand defense of the cartilage. Understand the Choice of Evils (general principle of necessity) defense and when it can be used. Understand the consent defense. Understand the irresistible impulse rule. Understand the diminished capacity defense. Understand the juvenile court waiver. Understand the entrapment defense. Understand the concept of complicity. Understand the elements of being an accomplice. Understand the differences between the common law and modern approaches. Understand the concept of accessory-after-the-fact. Understand what vicarious liability is based on. Understand what a strict liability crime involves. Understand what traditional parental responsibility is based on. What are inchoate crimes? How was common law attempt recognized? What are the elements of the Model Penal Code approach to an attempt? Understand the difference between legal and factual impossibility. What is the unilateral approach to modern conspiracy statutes? How does a party abandon an attempt? Understand the difference between a wheel and chain conspiracy. Which was the first state (1794) to split murder into two degrees? Which early common law, which felons were subjected to the death penalty? What is bifurcation as it relates to capital homicide cases? What is the objective reasonable person test in voluntary manslaughter? Understand the differences between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. What are the elements of a criminal homicide? What is the most famous case relating to Corporate Homicide? Know the following cases: State v. Harold Fish (2009), People v. John Gray et al. (1991], People v. Goetz (1986), State v. Thomas (1997) Read the glossaries for Chapters Five through Nine.

My Life Has a Purpose

(a short story) My Life has a Purpose One windy afternoon, swaying trees , leaves falling scattered on the road, two newly friends agreed to take a walk to relax. On their way they saw a grocery store and dropped by to buy some snacks. They have reached the park and found a comfortable place under a tree. â€Å"What a tiring day! † said Cecile , the older one as she lean on the tree. She is chubby with a long curly hair and has the asset of beautiful eyes. â€Å"You’re right. Thank God we almost done half of the requirements. † answered Baby . â€Å"It’s relaxing here. She continued as she look around. â€Å" A nice place to charge not just our tired bodies but also stressed minds. † added Cecile as she starts to open a snack. Together they laugh. Baby heard her cellphone beep, someone send her a message. She check her bag looking for the cellphone, she saw her wallet, open it and saw the picture of her mother, brother, and father. While staring at the picture, she didn’t notice tears are falling from her eyes. When Cecile glance at her, she was worried. â€Å"Baby why are you crying? What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well? Tell me. Asked Cecile in a worried voice. â€Å"Don’t worry I’m okay. † Replied Baby while wiping her tears. â€Å" Cecile took her wallet and saw the reason why she cried,- their family picture. Cecile knew that Baby’s parents and only brother already passed away, but don’t have any idea what caused their death. â€Å"Baby if you don’t mind, i want to know how did your parents died, as well as your brother. † Cecile requested, as she look at her waiting for a positive response. Baby glance at her. â€Å" Okay I’ll tell you, but bear with me, I’m emotional. † She replied with a smiling teary eyes.Though 14 years had passed, everything is still fresh in her mind. â€Å" The weather was bad, heavy rains and strong wind, I was alone in the room in the school dormitory around seven o’clock in the evening I heard a strange sound that caught my attention. Suddenly the window opened because of the strong wind. When I was about to close the window, I saw a figure of a woman wearing a white dress seated on one branch of the star apple tree. I didn’t mind it, I closed the window and went back to bed as I waited for my room mate. † She started. Cecile was just quiet listening. That was the night before the real thing happen. † Baby paused for a while. â€Å" what real thing? † Cecile curiously asked. Baby continued as sadness reflected in her eyes. â€Å" The next day, a news came that a child and mother were both drowned in the river. I was shocked when I learned that it was my mother and brother they were talking about. It seems that time, my world collapse. I cried and cried. Together with my classmates and teachers, we go through the bad weather and walked three kilometer s to go home. When I got home, I saw my dad crying with wounded knees. â€Å"Why, what happened to your dad?. Cecile interrupted. â€Å"The three of them were together in that scene,my mother was the first one to fell in the river, my brother saw it then called the attention of our father. My dad upon seeing my mother was drowning, he jumped to save her. The water current was so strong, they couldn’t resist. When my brother saw our parents in that situation he eventually jump to save them but unfortunately, his head bumped on the rock that led to lost of consciousness. His body was carried by the strong current of the river.On the other hand, my father failed to save my mom, he lost sight of her. It was a miracle that my father survived because the river is too wide and the current was too strong with the heavy rains, he bumped a stable big rock where he hung on so that he won’t be carried by the river flow, where he got the wounds on his knees. † With a soft v oice as she continue to relay what had happened that led to the death of both her mother and brother. â€Å"oh! I’m sorry my friend, that was so difficult for you. † Cecile holds her hand to show her sympathy. â€Å"how about their bodies? a question pumped out from her mind as she recall that her father lost sight of her mother when he rescued her, and the part that her brother’s body went with the river flow. â€Å"My brother’s corpse was found on the same day, and it took three weeks for the rescuers , with my dad and relatives, to find my mother’s corpse. † She answered. Cecile became more curious. Many questions lingering in her mind. Baby tried to answer in detailed to satisfy her curiosity. Time was so fast, the sun already sets, the two friends pack up their things, pick up their trashes and place in the garbage can. It’s time to start a walk home.They both lived in the same apartment. The breeze is getting colder. â€Å"So the figure of a woman wearing a white dress you’ve seen the night before they were drowned, could that be a sign that something bad happened to your mom? † asked Cecile while walking. â€Å"hmmm. I don’t think so. I haven’t felt strange that time. † She replied. When they got home Baby put her things in her room and went to the kitchen to make coffee for the both of them. On the other hand, Cecile entered her room to get a sweater After a few minutes, Baby returned to the living room holding two cups of hot coffee to warm themselves.While sipping, Cecile remember to asked about her father. â€Å"Baby how about your father? † Cecile asked. â€Å" He passed away just last year due to complication. † She answered. Since the death of her brother and mother, her father kept on drinking liquor, though she tried to stopped him. His father had a prostate cancer, liver problem, a heart problem that led to his death. At the age of 17, she lost h er mother and brother. There was a point in her life that she asked God why them, there are lot of bad people who deserve to die to stop them from their wickedness.After 14 years, his father followed. â€Å" My friend you are a strong woman, you’ve overcome that challenge in your life. I salute you. † Cecile uttered in serious voice. â€Å"It was not that easy, but with the help of God I did it. Life must go on. Everything happens for a reason. I know God has a great plan for my life, and the things I’ve been through is just a part of the preparation of molding me to be worthy of the plan He has for me. â€Å" Baby replied. Cecile nodded as she agreed to what she said. They went to the kitchen to have their dinner, and there they continued their conversation. A year from now you’ll be graduating as a teacher and I know you’ll be an inspiration to your future students as you have inspired me now. † Cecile’s words of encouragement. â⠂¬Å"To God be the glory. Thank you my friend. Actually I don’t really expect that I could go back to school to pursue my studies. Aside from that, i didn’t dream of becoming a teacher. But here I am because of the goodness of the Lord , He will use me in this field. You too, you’ll be a successful businesswoman someday. † She responded. â€Å"God’s will. Said Cecile as she refill her plate with rice. â€Å" Should I call you ma’am Baby Girl or ma’am Ritchie? Ha ha. † â€Å" Of course I preferred the latter one, I’m already a big girl! † Their laughters echoed in every corner of the room. Her real name is Ritchie Biasura, calling her baby girl started when she got a copy of her birth certificate from the NSO, where Baby Girl Biasura was the written name. Her updated records was not yet forwarded from the local civil registrar to the NSO main office. She was advised to check her records and fix whatever problems bef ore graduation.

A Spiritual Journey

Ashwin Sathyanarayanan English 10 Professor Stanley Personal Essay That Once in a Lifetime Chance It is a great feeling going to a place where it’s a huge matter in one’s life. â€Å"Revisiting Sacred Ground† N. Scott Momaday had made a pilgrimage which his Kiowa ancestors. Momaday has said,† There are certain villages, and towns mountains and plains that, having seen them, walked in them, lived in them, even for a day, we keep forever in the mind’s eye. † Just like how Momaday relived his ancestor’s trails, I had a chance as well. I was lucky enough to be able to go on such a sacred journey that people would pay in thousands of dollars.The pilgrimage I would like to talk about is the one I took to a sacred city in India called Badrinath. I follow Hinduism, and in Hinduism there is a saying/belief that if we go on this enriching, and spiritual journey, we will go to heaven after we pass. I have a guru, like a living god, who I listen to and look up to. He took me on this spiritual journey. This spiritual journey had started for me 7 years ago in 2005, around June I had left San Francisco International Airport, and left to my motherland India. I landed in New Delhi, India to be exact. From there we drove to a city called Kasi.The city of Kasi is known for its sacred river. My guru had told me that in Hindu mythology if you bathe in the holy river of Ganges it will get rid of all your sins. We stayed the night there and we went to the sacred river and bathed early in the morning around 5. Then we went to the temple and did some prayer rituals that are performed after the bathing in the river. Later that day we took a bus from Kasi and drove into a city called Haridwar, one of the beautiful cities in the foothills of the Himalayas. When we reached the city of Haridwar, my guru told us a little about the place before we got out of the bus.That is where I learned the myth being told that Haridwar is one of the four citi es where amrit (the elixir of immortality) spilled from a pitcher which was being carried by a bird named Garuda. I was amazed by the fact, and my guru said, â€Å"this is nothing wait and you’ll see more amazing things. † He left me questionable that there were more amazing things than this. We got an auto (taxi) and went to the river because we heard that they do an extraordinary festive every night. This festive is known as Ganga aarti, and it happens at the river banks of the ganges (Har ki Pauri).At Har ki Pauri every night at both banks of the river, people are flooded, with an aarti in their hand. An aarti is a lamp lit by fire. After the priests finishing chanting the mantras and show the aarti to the gods, everyone lets the aarti down into the river and they pray what they want, and let the aarti go down stream. I was lucky enough to do that myself. We then went back to the hotel that we had checked into and left the next day back on our tour. We then travelle d to our next stop Rishikesh, which is another city in the foothills of the Himalayas.We were in Rishikesh for no longer than 4 hours because we had to get to our sleep stop. During the four hours that we were there we went to a lot of ashrams (meditation center) and saw many Saints. After the four hours had ended, we went back to our bus and left to our night stop, which was called Nanda Prayag. Since it was night time and we were all tired from the really long day, we went to bed, but I kept hearing the noise of the river really loud, and it sounded like it was just too close. Next morning the noise of the river and the animals woke me up and the noise was just so close that I had to go look how far it was.With all my curiosity when I went out to the balcony and I saw the most spectacular view. I saw two of the most holy rivers combine together, the combinations of the two rivers was just so distinct, the Alaknanda River and the Mandakini River confluence. At this place there was a temple ashore of the river. After I went and bathed in the river I had gone to the temple and I had learned the history of this place, it was fascinating. Then we all left the temple to the bus and we left and arrived at our longest stay in our tour, Badrinath. Badrinath was literally the whole reason we went on this trip.It was known as one of the most holiest, and sacred places to be at. We arrived there later in the Afternoon. After we checked into our hotel, we went and explored the city. And while exploring the city we saw many beautiful temples, and all these lead us to the main temple, the Badrinath Temple. We had to cross over a small walking bridge which went over the Alaknandha River, It went with such force, and if you sit in that water nonstop for more than ten – fifteen minutes, you will surely have a heart failure, because the water is that cold, and we are at an extreme altitude.And the most Ironic thing about this cold river is after we crossed it we have to bathe before we enter the temple, even if we had bathed in the morning. When we went to the place we were supposed to bathe, we came to find out that it was a hot spring and this hot spring was ten feet away from the extremely cold Alaknanda waters, ironic enough, I thought so. After we finished bathing there was a ritual which we had to perform. We had to get into brand new clothes and we had to give the clothes were wearing to the more unfortunate people.So after we did that, we went into the main temple, it was enriched with beautiful colors and sculptures all made since the time the temple was created. We had gone in and while we were coming outside, we had ran into a very famous priest, and we all greeted him, and he invited us to come to his ashram, so we all went. There he told us about the main reason of this temple. This temple is only open during Spring, Summer and Fall. They closes the temple, right before we end fall and enter Winter. The closing and opening of the temp le is a huge ceremony.This is the most important ceremony to come to if you have major problems which need to be resolved. He told us that during the ceremony they do many poojas (rituals and prayers) and they have an extremely huge lamp and they fill it to the rim with oil and they light the lamp, and during the lighting of the lamp we all must pray for what we all want most. After they light it they close and seal the temple for six months through the harsh winters. The most amazing part is that even though it snows and rains, and harsh winds blow, the lamp never goes out. I was dumb founded by this statement.It is said that it doesn’t go out because of the bonds of all the prayers and wishes the people had made, it is so strong, that nothing can affect it. He continued by saying that after the six months pass, for the wish you made to come true you, must come back for the opening ceremony of the temple. If indeed you do, you will see that the lamp that was lit is still lit and the glory of the light is just so divine. Since he had an urgent issue to deal with he left us in awe. My guru then told me,† I told you I would show you something which is even more fascinating. † I was speechless, and we left back to our hotel and slept.The next day my guru took us to the last village in India, Mana. My guru told me that this is the main source of the river Saraswathi, (the goddess of education) and he had told me that this river is so tricky and mischievous. My guru said that this river after 3 miles this river disappears, it is said that it runs underground and comes back up in a city more down south. After we saw where the main source had come from we saw this passage on the left and my guru had told me out of my whole family to go up because it was a very dangerous path/cave and he said I am the only one in the family that is very capable of going through it.As I went through this path I experienced the biggest fear of my life, snakes. They we re literally everywhere. I had gone through this extreme passage and I got out of this tight hole and I could not believe my own eyes, there it was, The Great Wall of China. I had come back down the passage I went up but this time the snakes were all gone, there was none there anymore, which shocked me even more. I had come down and my guru said do not tell us what you saw.I was bursting in excitement and he made me hold it in. It was the hardest thing in life for me to hold in. After we left the village and started going back down on the bus, my guru called me and I went and sat next to him on the bus and he told me,† now I want you to tell us all what happened. † I had then told them that I went up this cave of snakes and saw the great wall, and on my way back not even one snake was there, everyone was in shock. That was the biggest mystery in my life till now.After we came back down we had left back to our beginning destination New Delhi, India. On our way back though we went back in a helicopter, I asked my guru why we didn’t use the helicopter on the way up, and he said,† you wouldn’t have experienced all that you did now if you came on a helicopter. † This was the sacred pilgrimage that all Indians must take at least once in your lifetime, according to Hindu mythology. I now have a dream to go back once again and revisit the same places and relive what did in 2005.

Reasons for Lack of Development in Laos

In South East Asia, in the centre of the Southeast Asian peninsula, lies the land-locked country Laos. The country that is now the Lao People†s Democratic Republic (LPDR, or Laos) has a slightly greater land area than Uganda and is bordered by several countries. On the north lies China, on the north-east Vietnam, on the south it is bordered by Cambodia, on the west by Thailand, and on the north-west by Burma. These neighbours have, to varying degrees, influenced Laotian historical, cultural, and political development. The recorded history of Laos began in the fourteenth century with Fa Ngum (reigned 1353-73), the first king of Lan Xang. Prior to this, Laos was inhabited by Mongols. Under Fa Ngum, the territory of Lan Xang was extended and it remained in these approximate borders for another 300 years. In the 1690†³s conflicts arose with Burma, Siam (Thailand), Vietnam, and the Khmer kingdom, and they continued in the eighteenth century ending in Siamese domination. Early in the nineteenth century, Siam held authority over much of the territory of contemporary Laos, which then consisted of the principalities of Louang Phrabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. Siam at the time sought to extend its influence in Indochina since it faced conflicts with France, which then had established a protectorate over Vietnam. By the end of the nineteenth century, France had replaced Siam as the dominant power on the South East Asian peninsula. In 1890, Laos was integrated into the French colonial empire of Indochina as a group of directly ruled provinces, except for Louang Phrabang, which was ruled as a protectorate. The French ruled indirectly through the king of Louang Phrabang and a hierarchy of royal officials, although the French resident supervisor always had the final word. The French in 1946 signed an agreement with the king of Louang Phrabang that established him as king of a unified Laos within the French Union. The French granted internal rule over a united Laos in 1949 and most of the nationalist leaders, who had fled at the time of the French reoccupation, returned to the country. However, Laos remained part of the French union. In 1954, independence was recognised by the Geneva Conference. In the following years the Pathet Lao, a group of pro-Communist nationalists that was aided by North Vietnam, gained strength as a rival to the Royal Lao Government (RLG). Coalition governments in 1957 and 1962 lasted only a very short time, and fighting intensified between the two sides. Meanwhile Laos became increasingly involved in the conflict between the United States and Communist forces (Vietminh) in Vietnam. In 1964, the United States began bombing Laos with the aim of stopping the flow of troops and supplies along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which ran from North Vietnam through Laos to South Vietnam. The bombing continued for several years and caused immense damage. In 1973 a cease-fire was finally arranged in Laos and the following year a coalition government was formed. In 1975, after the Communist victories in Vietnam and Cambodia, the Pathet Lao took control of government and in December the Lao People†s Democratic Republic was declared. After that the American aid was withdrawn, Laos formed special relationships with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and Vietnam, which stationed many thousands of troops and advisers in the country. But by 1986 the state of the economy was so poor that the government introduced major reforms, including making the majority of public enterprises independent of state control. One of the government†s aims was to decrease dependence on Vietnam, and in more recent years it has also established better relations with neighbouring Thailand, as well as other countries such as the United States, which has agreed to extend development aid in return for a crackdown on the drug trade. Laos is largely mountainous and forested, and only about 4 percent of its total land area is arable. With about 54 per cent covered with forests, the country is made up of a mountainous area extending north and south throughout most of the country and a small area of lowland on the southern and south-western borders. The mountainous area covers about nine-tenths of the country and can be divided into a northern section and a southern section. The northern section has heavily forested mountain ranges and plateaux cut by deep, narrow valleys and gorges, and the south section contains more barren forested limestone terraces. The principal river of Laos, the Mekong, enters in the north-west from Thailand and flows south along the border between Thailand and Laos before entering Cambodia. The offshoots of the Mekong rise in the mountains and flow through deep valleys. The climate of Laos is tropical, but there are wide variations in temperatures within different areas, mainly because of the variations in elevation. However, the principal climatic features are determined by the monsoons. The wet summer season takes place from about May to October, while the cool season lasts from about November to February. The remainder of the year is hot and humid. Laos has extensive forest resources, and although there has been a considerable deforestation in recent years, about half of the country is still covered with forests. There exists a so-called slash-and-burn agriculture which means that forests are burned in order to create fields for growing crops. The consequence if this is that the soil fails to fertilise, the lands are therefore abandoned and even more trees are cut down in another location. Together with poor forest management, the slash-and-burn methods are the main reasons behind the deforestation. Another negative consequence of the reduced forest resources, together with the changes in cultivation, is the deterioration in Laos† abundant water resources. Less than one-third of the rural population has access to safe drinking water. Recently, Laos has also had great environmental difficulties with its wildlife. About 70 percent of the wildlife habitat was lost during the 1980s, and a number of species of mammal, bird, and plant have been threatened with extinction. The population as of 1996 was estimated at approximately 4. 9 million people. The population growth rate is relatively high, it is estimated at about 2. 9 percent per year. However, child and infant mortality rates are also high, and life expectancy averages less than fifty-two years. The population density of Laos is quite low, with more than 85 percent of the population being rural, living in small villages of less than 1,000 people. Rural life is dependant of the changing agricultural seasons, such as conditions of drought or flood. Those staying in urban areas mostly live in the Mekong River valley towns and those of its offshoots. Vientiane, the capital and largest city of Laos, is also the centre of a very limited industrial sector. The effects of recent economic reforms have been rather limited and mainly concentrated to the Vientiane plain. There is a great lack of recent statistics of Laos and many of them are not very reliable. Nonetheless, it is safe to say that Laos is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a gross national product (GNP) estimated to range from US$295 to US$350 per inhabitant and a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$206 per capita. The Laotian economy is heavily influenced by the weather since it is mainly based on agriculture, which employs most of the population. The main crop is rice but corn, vegetables, tobacco, coffee, and other foods are also grown. It has been said that Laos has a largely unskilled work force and that it needs development. Advancements such as these are particularly important for two areas with potentially high foreign exchange earnings; agro-forestry and hydropower. Forestry has been a source of economic benefit despite the lack of a modern transportation network. Laos† other many resources include gypsum, tin, gold, and iron ore, but the potential for the exportation of these resources has not yet been realised. However, the government is attempting to expand industrial activities. By far, imports surpass exports. The country has to import manufactured goods, medicine, and machinery. Laos exports electricity from its hydroelectric power stations, wood products, textiles, coffee, and tin, but these commodities are all very limited. Laos is also a major producer of opium. The economy depends heavily on foreign aid which comes mostly from Western nations. Some of the aid that the government receives is used to stop the drug trade. Today the literacy rate of Laos is approximately 57 percent. The education and social services of the country are primitive, although some improvements have been made lately. The LPDR has made a commitment to five years of universal primary education, but limited financial resources and a lack of trained teachers and teaching materials have restricted educational opportunities. Enrolments have increased, however. Western health care is largely restricted to the more â€Å"urban† areas, due to the difficulties of transportation. Similarly, improvements in health care are constrained by finances and the limited numbers of trained health care workers. About 85 per cent of the Lao are Theravada Buddhist and many Lao, especially the highland mountain peoples, practice animism. Buddhism has long been a strong force in Lao culture and remains a major influence in everyday life, despite a Communist government. Even top officials worship in the Buddhist tradition. Each Lao village has its own temple, called a wat, which is the centre of festivities and rituals. The Laotian culture is closely knitted with its religion. Buddhist temples in every village serve as intellectual centres. The life of the Lao peasant is organised around religion, and most activities are directed by the Buddhist calendar. Louang Phrabang and Vientiane are known as â€Å"Cities of a Thousand Temples† and have many examples of traditional Buddhist art and architecture. There are various reasons for the poor economic state and welfare position of Laos. The main reasons are three: political, economical, and geographical. The location of Laos has often made it a buffer between more powerful neighbouring states, as well as a crossroads for trade and communication. Migration and international conflict have contributed to the present ethnic composition of the country and to the geographic distribution of its ethnic groups. On the other hand, this position has also often meant that the country has been a target for conflicts and considerable pressure. Its neighbours, such as Thailand (Siam) and Vietnam, have tried to influence and exploit Laos† weak position for their own interests, which in turn has been of great detriment for the country. As in most other underdeveloped countries, Laos has not had the capacity to exploit successfully its human and natural resources. The educational level of the population has stayed relatively low, and its rich natural wealth has not been developed in an appropriate manner. The weak political leadership has resulted in a mismanagement of the economy and of the potential possibilities of its population. Laos is the only landlocked country in South East Asia, and this naturally faces the country with great problems. Its natural resources are mostly unexploited or unsurveyed. Because of its mountainous topography, Laos has few reliable transportation routes. This inaccessibility has historically limited the ability of any government to maintain a presence in areas distant from the national or provincial capitals. It has also limited interchange and communication among villages and ethnic groups. The Mekong and Nam Ou rivers are the only natural channels suitable for large-draft boat transportation; furthermore, from December through May low water limits the size of the craft that may be used over many routes. The Khong falls at the southern end of the country also prevent access to the sea. Despite all the negative aspects of the Laotian political and economical environment that has been described above, many experts predict a relatively happy future for the country in the longer perspective. The country is today in peace and harmony, at least in comparison with the conditions ten or twenty years ago. There is no open threat from its neighbours, and no open rebellion from forces within the nation. The expectations from the donors community have grown, and many observers have great hopes that the economic development will go for the better in the coming years, partly as a consequence of the for relaxed conditions in Laos.