What to See in Texas for Architecture Enthusiast

Denison, Texas, on the border with Oklahoma, would have remained a sleepy little railroad town if it hadnt been for Dwight David Eisenhower being born there. The Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site is just one of the many out-of-the-way places to visit in Texas.The home state of former Presidents Bush and Bush (father and son) has a lot more than oil and cattle fields. For travelers who are architecture enthusiasts, heres a selection of historic buildings and innovative new construction in Texas. Visiting Houston The Transco Tower, the 1983 landmark skyscraper designed by Philip Johnson, is now known as the Williams Tower, the tallest skyscraper in town. Another skyscraper designed by Johnson and his partner  John Burgee is the building now known as the Bank of America Center, a 1984 example of playful postmodernism. Houston has historic skyscrapers from the 1920s and a Hilton designed by Pritzker Laureate I.M. Pei. NRG (Reliant) Park, including the Houston Astrodome and Reliant Stadium, is the place to see the worlds first domed sports stadium. Rice University Stadium on the campus of Rice University remains one of the best examples of a modern, open-air football arena. Visiting Dallas – Fort Worth Big D architecture is historic, cultural, and truly an American melting pot experience. The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge over the Trinity River was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas helped designed a fully adaptable, modern theatre space called the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre. In 2009 the British architect Sir Norman Foster created a high-tech, traditional venue for the Arts District when he designed the Winspear Opera House. Chinese-American I.M. Pei designed Dallas City Hall. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science was designed by another Pritzker-winner, American architect Thom Mayne.   The George W. Bush Presidential Library was designed by postmodernist architect Robert A.M. Stern. Frank Lloyd Wrights last home constructed before his death was the John A. Gillin House, but that is not Wrights only mark on Dallas — the Kalita Humphreys Theater, also known as the Dallas Theater Center, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, who reportedly said, This building will one day mark the spot where Dallas once stood. History swirls near Dealey Plaza as the place in Dallas where President John Kennedy was assassinated; Philip Johnson designed the JFK Memorial. Outside activities in Dallas can revolve around the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas — or any number of activities in the historic art deco buildings at Fair Park. Multi-cultural artist Volf Roitman brought a new style of art to Dallas, an international movement known as MADI (Movement Abstraction Dimension  Invention). Its bold geometric forms are on display at the Museum of Geometric and MADI Art.   The MADI is the only museum dedicated to MADI art and the primary point of focus for the MADI movement in the United  States. Pronounced mah-DEE, MADI is a modern art movement known for bright colors and bold geometric forms. In architecture, sculpture, and painting, MADI art uses abundant circles, waves, spheres, arches, spirals, and stripes. MADI ideas are also expressed in poetry, music, and dance. Playful and exuberant, MADI art focuses on objects rather than what they mean. The whimsical combinations of shapes and colors are abstract and free of symbolic meanings. Bill and Dorothy Masterson, lifelong supporters of the arts, were fascinated when artist Volf Roitman introduced them to the colorful and exuberant MADI movement. The Mastersons became avid collectors of MADI art works and spent time with the movements founder, Carmelo Arden Quin. When Mr. Mastersons law firm moved to a 1970s storefront building, the Mastersons decided to convert the first floor into an art museum and gallery devoted to MADI art. The building faà §ade, designed by Volf Roitman, became a celebration of MADI with geometric forms laser-cut out of galvanized, cold-rolled steel and powder coated in bright colors. The colorful panels are permanently bolted to the existing building. Roitmans convex-concave shapes and playful designs created a luscious, almost baroque skin for the once plain, two-story building. The landscape, furnishings, and lighting also reflect Roitmans MADI-ist ideas. Visiting San Antonio The Alamo. Youve heard the phrase, Remember the Alamo. Now visit the building where the infamous battle took place. The Spanish Mission also helped to give rise to the Mission Style of home design. La Villita Historical District is an original Spanish settlement, bustling with shops and artisan studios. San Antonio Missions. Missions San Jose, San Juan, Espada, and Concepcion were built over the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Spanish Governors Palace. Constructed in 1749, the building was the Governors Place when San Antonio was the capital of Texas. Visiting College Station George Bush Library, Presidential Library of the forty-first President of the United StatesCollege of Architecture, Texas A M UniversityThe Texas AM Bonfire Memorial: A memorial stands where once twelve students lost their lives and many more were injured as they built a Bonfire before a football game. Learn about a tradition gone wrong. Also in Texas You cannot go inside these privately owned homes, but Texas is filled with interesting residences worthy of drive-by photography: Amarillo: Sterling Kinney House by Frank Lloyd WrightBunker Hill: William L. Thaxton Jr. House by Frank Lloyd Wright Plan Your Texas Itinerary For tours of historic Texas architecture, visit the National Register of Historic Places. Youll find maps, photographs, historical information, and travel recommendations. Source Photo of the MADI Museum and Gallery Building at Dusk  © Volf Roitman

Gaming Communities And The Gaming Community - 2403 Words

Title: Gaming communities Name: Subject Name: Instructor’s Name: Date: Gaming community is a type of community whose members have a common interest. Gaming community is contrary to social communities where members may exhibit different interests. Over time, computer games have grown contributing greatly to the growth of online gaming communities. In this regard, these gaming communities may be divided into two; game specific community and general gaming community (Ahmed, 2010). Game-specific communities mainly focus on a particular single game. Everything in this community is specific to that particular single game. Therefore, discussions in these forums tend to be more specific and related to a particular game. On the other hand, general gaming community encompasses various games in one forum. This type of the gaming community tends to attract many members who can then engage on a general discussion on various games. In this kind of communities, it is also common to find demo games presented before the real game is played. With time passing on, the num ber of gaming community members is increasing throughout the world (Herald, 2014). According to Victorian Casino and Gaming Authority (1997), this gaming community operates on a number of ways. In every gaming community, there are three basic features of a gaming community within which it derives its method of operation. They include chats, forums and profiles. Just like any other software product. Before individualsShow MoreRelatedGaming as a Community978 Words   |  4 PagesGaming as a Community Now that technological companies all over the world have set most of the seven billion individuals in the world with a computer, smartphone or tablet, it is time for better software to use with them. This is where games come in. Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello stated in a recent interview that PC gaming is the ‘fastest growing platform’. 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Is it just a group of people meeting andRead MoreCrown, Australia s Largest Entertainment And Resorts Group1417 Words   |  6 Pagesservice, quality dining and shopping experiences, and world-class gaming and entertainment facilities. CSR Policies and Strategies And discuss to whom the organization have responsibilities to? And list the successful aspects Crown Resorts established a dedicated CSR Board Committee lead by Helen Coonan. The board supports and promotes the continuous growth and improvement in Crowns CSR strategies. Crown has a commitment to the communities they serve. 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The proportion of household disposable income directed towards gambling has escalated, as has the amount of taxation revenue provided to governments from gambling. A number of parallels haveRead MoreMedia Review Of Online Games789 Words   |  4 PagesThe gaming community leans towards the Internet as their primary source of information. Most of the community-based sources are found online through websites and social media; these resources consist of current news relating to the industry, opinions, gameplay strategies, and background stories on games. Aside from media sites and blogging, gamers use YouTube, Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook for information and entertainment purposes. Through thes e sites, gamers post videos, interact with players,Read MoreGender Roles : Women And Society897 Words   |  4 Pagesalways wonder how our society would be impacted if women have become gamers. In our society today, men are not the only gamers anymore. 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Is Google Making Us Stupid Free Essays

â€Å"The Internet, an immeasurably powerful computing system, is subsuming most of our other intellectual technologies. It’s becoming our map and our clock, our printing press and our typewriter, our calculator and our telephone, and our radio and TV,† Writes Nicholas Carr in his article, Is Google Making Us Stupid? In Carr’s article, he examines the controversial issue of whether the intensive use of the Internet affects the human mind. Today, the Internet has become apart of and has affected a myriad amount of homes all around the world. We will write a custom essay sample on ï » ¿Is Google Making Us Stupid? or any similar topic only for you Order Now From social networking, research, and even online shopping, the Internet is the main used device everywhere. When it comes to the Internet, the one thing that immediately comes to mind is the most common search engine, Google. Google is the most common multilingual and used search engine in the worldwide web, handling more than three billion searches each day. Many people think of Google as a gateway to the entire Internet. Google helps people to get answers to questions without intellectually challenging themselves. This search engine has helped, and still does, many people around the world to research articles, tools for business; to contact one another, and many other life-applied sources in less than 1 second. Having Google grant us an effortless method in researching essentially anything helps us become unintelligent or in other words, stupid. The Internet is filled with all sorts of different distractions, and we all have a harder time with distractions. The information that we â€Å"learn† through the Internet helps us forget as we get older, and the Internet will only make it worse. These days it is indeed much easier to find information by searching online to get the answer or solution. Before Google was created, it was more challenging to research information by reading through encyclopedias or dictionary’s. In my opinion, researching by this method would help us gain more knowledge towards our lives. The effort given into researching through textbooks about the topic vs. using Google does help us gain more knowledge by helping memorize and understand the topic more efficiently and clearly. As in school for researching to prove a specific topic, teachers occasionally have a preference of not using a search engine since we never know what is true and to avoid plagiarism. Google on the other hand, would give us the answer even in detail, but we do not know if it is the right answer. Everything on the Internet is not always true. Google can, as well, make us intelligent. To become universally familiar with technology and how it is improving everyday can help us all with our lives in the future. For simple questions in areas like cooking, or safety, Google being available at the tip of our fingers is much more convenient to find and look for answers online than going to the library and use their dictionary’s every time. Having Google be there for us tends to lead us all in situations of procrastination, too. In Carr’s article, he writes about Google, †The Company has declared that its mission is â€Å"to organize the worlds information and make it universally accessible and useful. † It seeks to develop â€Å"the perfect search engine,† which it defines as something that â€Å"understands exactly what you mean and gives you back exactly what you want. † Having Google advancing more and more each day, adding more information, answering numerous amounts of questions, Google can also help us become more intelligent. In conclusion, the Internet is the most popular device, which is, used daily by millions and millions of people around the world. Google is the most used search engine over the world. This search engine helps us all become both unintelligent and intelligent. Google does help us become unintelligent by being filled with all sorts of distractions like social medias. But, Google does also help others to be intelligent by convenience and learning about the advancing technology. How to cite ï » ¿Is Google Making Us Stupid?, Papers ï » ¿Is Google Making Us Stupid Free Essays â€Å"The Internet, an immeasurably powerful computing system, is subsuming most of our other intellectual technologies. It’s becoming our map and our clock, our printing press and our typewriter, our calculator and our telephone, and our radio and TV,† Writes Nicholas Carr in his article, Is Google Making Us Stupid? In Carr’s article, he examines the controversial issue of whether the intensive use of the Internet affects the human mind. Today, the Internet has become apart of and has affected a myriad amount of homes all around the world. We will write a custom essay sample on ï » ¿Is Google Making Us Stupid? or any similar topic only for you Order Now From social networking, research, and even online shopping, the Internet is the main used device everywhere. When it comes to the Internet, the one thing that immediately comes to mind is the most common search engine, Google. Google is the most common multilingual and used search engine in the worldwide web, handling more than three billion searches each day. Many people think of Google as a gateway to the entire Internet. Google helps people to get answers to questions without intellectually challenging themselves. This search engine has helped, and still does, many people around the world to research articles, tools for business; to contact one another, and many other life-applied sources in less than 1 second. Having Google grant us an effortless method in researching essentially anything helps us become unintelligent or in other words, stupid. The Internet is filled with all sorts of different distractions, and we all have a harder time with distractions. The information that we â€Å"learn† through the Internet helps us forget as we get older, and the Internet will only make it worse. These days it is indeed much easier to find information by searching online to get the answer or solution. Before Google was created, it was more challenging to research information by reading through encyclopedias or dictionary’s. In my opinion, researching by this method would help us gain more knowledge towards our lives. The effort given into researching through textbooks about the topic vs. using Google does help us gain more knowledge by helping memorize and understand the topic more efficiently and clearly. As in school for researching to prove a specific topic, teachers occasionally have a preference of not using a search engine since we never know what is true and to avoid plagiarism. Google on the other hand, would give us the answer even in detail, but we do not know if it is the right answer. Everything on the Internet is not always true. Google can, as well, make us intelligent. To become universally familiar with technology and how it is improving everyday can help us all with our lives in the future. For simple questions in areas like cooking, or safety, Google being available at the tip of our fingers is much more convenient to find and look for answers online than going to the library and use their dictionary’s every time. Having Google be there for us tends to lead us all in situations of procrastination, too. In Carr’s article, he writes about Google, †The Company has declared that its mission is â€Å"to organize the worlds information and make it universally accessible and useful. † It seeks to develop â€Å"the perfect search engine,† which it defines as something that â€Å"understands exactly what you mean and gives you back exactly what you want. † Having Google advancing more and more each day, adding more information, answering numerous amounts of questions, Google can also help us become more intelligent. In conclusion, the Internet is the most popular device, which is, used daily by millions and millions of people around the world. Google is the most used search engine over the world. This search engine helps us all become both unintelligent and intelligent. Google does help us become unintelligent by being filled with all sorts of distractions like social medias. But, Google does also help others to be intelligent by convenience and learning about the advancing technology. How to cite ï » ¿Is Google Making Us Stupid?, Papers

Underlying Cause Liquidation Can Attributed-Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Underlying Cause Liquidation Can Attributed? Answer: Introduction With the due passage of time there has been major liquidation of companies in Australia. The major among them are HIH Insurance, OneTel and ABC learning. The notable differences among all the three have been the liquidity crunch owing to a huge burden of debt and a complete disturbance in the ethics. The liquidity crunch together with the improper governance played a leading role in the liquidation. In short, it can be said that liabilities was the major factor that led to the downfall of all the companies. It needs to be noted that when the debt of the company stretches over a particular limit then the business faces immense problem. Moreover, if the business does not have proper liquidity to meet the obligations then liquidation is bound to happen. In the report below, the major highlight of study will be on liabilities that led to the liquidation of the companies. Analysis OneTel is one of the largest telecommunication companies based in Australia that encountered liquidation owing to improper measures and ineffective developments throughout its operations. Furthermore, the company also failed to implement effective corporate governance strategies into its affairs that enhanced more of its complications. For instance, internal control mechanisms, inefficient audit processes, etc are some of the inefficacies that prevailed within the companys operations that resulted in its downfall. HIH Insurance Ltd encountered the same situation in the year 2001 even though it was considered as one of the biggest companies that had a massive base of assets. In the year 2001, owing to maximized liabilities and debts, the company failed to repay its obligations with its base of assets, as it was immensely burdened by such obligations. Besides, it was also observed that because of inadequate knowledge and interpretation in association with business risks, the company fa iled to sustain in the market. Other issues like improper managerial practices, fraud, etc also played a role in degrading the companys position (Heeler, 2009). Thus, both these companies encountered liability issues that were the major reason behind their downfall. With the help of this report, the exact complexities have been discussed for a better understanding of this context. Issues in corporate financial reporting Financial reporting must be done in a way that it presents a true and fair view of the companys performance. However, in relation to OneTel, such reporting requirements were not properly complied as many financial reports like the debtors reports and trial balance were verified unprofessionally (Sawyer, 2003). Besides, the finance director of the company was proved incapable of assessing such reports for the benefit of the company as a whole. This proves that the management was hardly concerned about the companys reputation and hence, these resulted in the appearance of significant risks within the companys affairs (Heeler, 2009). This also highlights the inappropriate strategies within the companys affairs that resulted in its disintegration. On a whole, the major reason behind the low-income level of OneTel can be attributed to its adoption of accrual system of accounting in a traditional sense. In simple words, since the strategy was outdated, it failed to generate an influence up on the company. Major cause behind liquidation Increment in liabilities Since HIH Insurance was one of the biggest companies, its main objective was to diversify its business across the entire world so that it can fetch enhanced revenues to the company. However, the company in order to fulfill its vision enhanced its liabilities more than its assets that created major complications for it. The company thought that the ratio of its takeover to its liabilities was of no importance but this was not the actual scenario. As a matter of fact, the strategy of takeover only played a key role in disintegrating the company (Westfield, 2011). Besides, the company initiated no attempts to change the additional provisions based on market fluctuations. Moreover, it had the opportunity to control the same and yet it failed to do so. This sheds light upon the ineffective management standards within the company that failed to rectify its inaccuracies. In short, the management and the ethics situation was weak thereby leading to major concern in the system. Future claims This reason also resulted in the downfall of HIH Insurance because proper tuning for future claims is vital for the survival of a company and yet, HIH failed to do so. As a result, the company witnessed a negative trend of 1.7% that played a key role in disintegrating it. Moreover, the major reason behind such weak strategy can be attributed to the ineffective management measures for changing strategies based on market fluctuations. This resulted in an increment of liabilities and since no verification measures were implemented by the management, the situation became worse. Further, it is well known that based on market fluctuations, insurance companies may get affected and adoption of adequate safety measures can assist in safeguarding such situations but the management of HIH failed to adopt such strategy. On a whole, the dominance of HIH in the insurance market and its major takeover attempt resulted in the generation of major risks that caused its downfall. Secretive plans The plan of cost cutting came out to be an excellent opportunity for HIH but it also resulted in the increment of liabilities. Besides, such an opportunity could have assisted it in making up its losses for the future. However, the management did not adopt such measure and instead decided to portray fraudulent statements so that it could grant additional power to the company. The major reason behind the portrayal of fraudulent statements was to conceal financial secrets from the common public and the management thought that the takeover attempt could also be concealed from such a strategy, but this backfired the management and enhanced its complications more. Moreover, the statutory bodies had no idea about such a situation and it was implied that the company would adopt immoral activities especially when it had resulted in a situation of its disintegration. Inadequate planning process Since the process of the takeover was going to be a big one, accurate safety measures had to be adopted but HIH failed to do so. Besides, it was also compulsory to have effective strategies to overcome the issues of liabilities with the companys dominance but it was observed that the company entered the market with no prior research and professionalism. Furthermore, the company failed to adopt measures to restrict itself within a scope so that adequate provisions can be framed based on market fluctuations. This sheds light upon the inappropriate management practices within the company and the situation worsened when false statements were released for concealing facts. OneTels disintegration From the case of OneTel, it can be stated that handling of financial statements was not done properly and the management did not maintain significant reports like debtors aging report, trial balance, etc. Furthermore, since these financial statements were not given due priority by the management, it created major complications for the company. The most crucial factor that resulted in the low revenue figures for OneTel was the adoption of a conservative approach in its affairs. Besides, it implemented two basis alterations in its base policies. The first alteration was that no accounts were decided to be put up in contrast to the companys intangibles and secondly the deferred expenditure policy of the company was altered in the subsequent year. Owing to non-conservative policies of accounting, and decisions to write-off few subscriber acquisition expenses played a key role in the companys loss (Gilbert et. al, 2005). Besides, the auditors also issued a fraudulent report despite the fa ct that the management adopted unethical strategies. The means and mechanism of running the company was not ethical thereby was a big cause of worry. Such immoral activities on the part of auditors are very inappropriate and hence punishable by law. On a whole, all these scenarios played a pivotal role in hampering the companys operations, thereby resulting in its liquidation as a whole. This clearly emphasized that the company was running on poor ethics and that the very situation indicates that the governance was altogether disturbed hence; the management was doing the irrelevant activities (Manoharan, 2011). ABC Learnings disintegration The previously mentioned scenarios form the foundation for ABC Learning that has assisted it to develop in the market. However, ABC also pursued a weak management team that resulted in its downfall within a short span of time. The concept of weak management emphasize that the company had poor ethics and governance was faulty leading to major issues. Even though the company attained massive enhancement in the segment of growth and development, yet it failed to stabilize its affairs for a better future (CPA, 2012). Besides, the previously mentioned causes also assist in highlighting the disadvantages of a company that was once a massive company of Australia. A pioneer in the field yet ABC lacked the ethics and the management thereby leading to a big fall of the company (Kruger, 2009). In the year 2007, ABC Learning became insolvent and hence, it encountered massive losses in the subsequent year. Based on the financial statements of the year 2008, it can be observed that the auditor of the company incorporated impairment expenses amounting to $1.168 billion and a loss of $364 million on the majority disposal of the stake (Kruger, 2009). However, such losses enhanced more than what was expected, thereby resulting in the increment of liabilities. Such losses and debts played a key role in generating a liquidity scarcity that decreased the net assets of the company from $2.22 billion to $284.5 million (CPA, 2012). Besides, the complication enhanced when the administrators and creditors witnessed that the company possessed 30c and 40c each for the current assets for every dollar of its current liabilities. These issues clearly shed light why ABC Learning had to witness a downfall. Furthermore, such issues represent a current ratio of 0.3 and 0.4 and it is well known th at when the current ratio of a company is lesser than one, it signifies major liquidity problems encountered by the company. Besides, this also means that the company cannot repay its debt obligations in the future (Teen, 2012). The current ratio, as well as quick ratio of the company stood too low meaning that the company has liquidity woes (Gilbert et. al, 2005). Such a situation clearly indicates that liabilities were the major concern and ABC failed to address owing to a lack of liquidity. Conclusion It can be observed from the previously mentioned analysis that ABC Learning, OneTel, and HIH Insurance encountered disintegration even though they were highly developed companies in their respective segments. The major reason behind their downfall can be attributed to their ineffective corporate governance strategies and inadequate risk management approaches that resulted in their liquidation as a whole. In addition, the inadequacies on the managements part can also be highlighted with the help of this study. Even though the situation started to worsen, yet the management adopted secretive attempts to conceal relevant data instead of initiating safeguarding measures. The downfall of these companies started because of liquidation and the management failed to address the situation in an efficient manner. On a whole, effective corporate governance measures and other strong may have assisted in this scenario to address the situation. Hence, ethics and governance is the need of the hour a nd is highly needed in the light of the prevailing situation so that any adverse situation can be negated. References Cook, T 2001, Collapse of Australia's fourth largest telco adds to growing list of corporate failures, viewed 10 September 2017, https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2001/06/onte-j08.html CPA 2012, ABC learning collapse case study, viewed 10 September 2017 https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/professional-resources/education/abc-learning-collapse-case-study Gilbert, W. Joseph J Terry J. E., 2005, The Use of Control Self-Assessment by Independent Auditors, The CPA Journal, vol. 3, pp. 66-92 Heeler, D 2009, Audit Principles, Risk Assessment Effective Reporting, Pearson Press Kruger, C 2009, Lessons to be learnt from ABC collapse, viewed 12 September 2016, https://www.smh.com.au/business/lessons-to-be-learnt-from-abc-learnings-collapse-20090101-78f8.html Kruger, C 2009, Numbers finally start to add up as operators go back to basics, viewed 12 September 2016, https://www.smh.com.au/business/numbers-finally-start-to-add-up-as-operators-go-back-to-basics-20110121-19zy6.html Manoharan, T.N., 2011, Financial Statement Fraud and Corporate Governance, The George Washington University. Sawyer, L 2003, Sawyer's Internal Auditing, Institute of Internal Auditors. Teen, M.Y 2012, The ABC of a corporate collapse, viewed 12 September 2016, https://governanceforstakeholders.com/2012/12/28/the-abc-of-a-corporate-collapse/. Westfield, M 2003, HIH : The Inside Story Of Australia's Biggest Corporate Collapse, viewed 12 September 2016, https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/14/1047583693489.html

Unsung Hero free essay sample

In this world of athletes and actors who are revered as heroes, there stands apart one unsung hero who, with her quiet strength, wisdom, and courage, has done more to shape my life than any other. She has encouraged every endeavor I have attempted, from comic strip art to journalism to performance music (where I have found my home), all while standing behind me and applauding my efforts. Her support has meant the world to me because so many have encouraged me to turn toward sensible careers, not toward the stirrings of my heart. Her love of music inspired me at an early age, and it was not unusual to wake to the sounds of an aria or Broadway tune. She was very much her own person as a young woman, marching to no drummer but her own. Her sense of style, morality, and herself were unique then, as they are now. We will write a custom essay sample on Unsung Hero or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Her beauty lies in her heart, a heart so big, a heart so full of love that she would be planning a baby shower for an unwed mother at the same time as putting stamps on donations to an Native American reservation. Her heart never was so full as not to allow for one more. Her parents were stage performers, so her heart was stirred by the same things as me: the beautiful words of a poet, the strains of a violin crying, a woman pouring out her soul in song. I hope that I have inherited her spirit and her inner beauty and will pass these things on to my own children. Her influence has spread far and wide, and the legacy she will leave is proof of the many lives she has touched. Her bravery and courage come from a hard life where nothing was easily attained, or underestimated. I think her strength is derived from this, and it has indelibly shaped her. From a poem written by my mother to her: She is as soft as a summer breeze and gentle as a babys caress, yet also as fragile as glass God gave her ears that listen, eyes that see through deceit and cruelty, and hands that comfort you and soothe your fears. My grandmother, as you see, shaped my mothers life as well as mine. I believe I have inherited from her a certain softness and awareness of the human condition. I, too, have those ears that listen and hands that comfort, and I hope her influence lives on in me and inspires others to live their dream as well. The true saint lives in the midst of other people. He rises in the morning; he eats and sleeps when needed. He buys and sells in the marketplace just like everyone else. He marries, has children, and meets with his friends. Yet never for an instant does he forget God. Evidently Abu Said met my grandmother.

Water Clock essays

Water Clock essays Little did Ctesibius know, but he was perfecting a water system that would eventually be used many years later. Although not the exact version, but the overall concept derived from Ctesibius perfections of the Egyptian idea. His one project that we recognize today is the clock. However it was not the typical clock that we think of, but a water clock, clepsydra. This water clock was made of stone vessels with sloping sides that allowed water to drip at a nearly constant rate from a small hole near the bottom. Hours were marked on the sides of either the bowl that received the water or the container from which it flowed. Other water clocks were bowl-shaped containers that slowly filled with water at a constant rate. These were measured in hours according to the level of a float on the water. Another type, a forerunner of the modern clock, contained a wheel connected to a float. As the level of the float changed, the wheel turned to indicate the hour on a dial. The device was u sed in ancient Athens to regulate the length of orations as well as speeches made in court. Further advancements/changes that derived from the water clock began with the mechanical clocks of the Middle Ages, these were run by falling weights. Although these clocks were more convenient than the water clock, the accuracy did not change. The accuracy of Ctesibius's water clock was eventually surpassed in 1657 by the pendulum clock of Dutch astronomer, mathematician, and physicist Christiaan Huygens, but the spirit of Ctesibius's clock still survives in the cuckoo clock. It would be difficult to say how we could change or improve the clock since many people have already done so. All the time companies come out with new gadgets to clocks, such as many have cd players on them these days. Without Ctesibius continuing what the Egyptians had started, the clock would not be what we know it today. Who would have guessed that it could be plugged into electricit ...

Operational Management Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Operational Management Discussion - Assignment Example Scheduling has also been enhanced through the functions of various programmable information systems. What is more, there has been the creation of the new concept of user-based scheduling whereby it is possible to make scheduling arrangements that fits the needs of different customers. Before, it was common that service users would be piled up in waiting for their turns to receive service. This has however become a thing of the past. With the current healthcare dynamic, there has also been an all-new and important concept about location, commonly referred to as virtual location. Virtual location refers to a situation whereby service users are able to receive services and care without the service provider being there in person. This has been done on the wings of the technology of multimedia communication such as video calling. Without an iota of doubt, the current healthcare dynamic has been a positive development that has helped service providers within the various stakeholder bases t o be more effective and efficient. However, such effectiveness and efficiency will not happen to anybody but only to those who put their houses in place to embrace the changes (Meredith and Shafer,

Markets Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Markets - Coursework Example The latter performs the process of lending after purchasing securities from the market instead of directly giving out loans. These include insurance companies, investment trusts, pension funds, mutual funds and so on. The major outcome of financial intermediaries is to ensure that at all times there is a steady flow of funds, including cash, which moves smoothly from the surplus units to the deficit units. This in turn will result in regular investments to boast the economy and help support the growth of activities in the market in general. By doing so the ideal funds will be utilized in the best way, which otherwise would have generated only a marginal interest. Financial intermediaries who match the lender with the borrower help both by reducing their transaction costs. They also provide in-depth information to their clients to provide them with the best available source of investing their money. Information costs are substantially costs are reduced for both parties, namely the len der and the borrower, since they don’t have to spend resources from their own end to dig out extensive information. Hence, it is not surprising to know that in United States alone roughly 24.4% of firm investment was financed through bank loans that were taken from 1970 – 1985. (Gorton & Winton, 2002) This proves that bank loans (financial intermediaries) are the primary source of external financing globally no matter whether it is a developing or a developed country. Therefore, one can state that ‘financial intermediation is the root institution in the savings-investment process’. (Gorton & Winton, 2002) An outcome of this is that a large number of individuals and firms come together to make this happen, so that in case if one party fails to give a loan, another is available to support that. The huge pool ensures a constant availability of both capital and expertise which is available for all. The whole process can be summed up as ‘a value-creating economic process.’ (Scholtens & Wensveen, 2003) It can be concluded that financial intermediaries are not only providing a place for investors to borrow from, rather their role is more diverse and comprehensive. They are constantly and actively working to offer products that an individual investor can barely provide to a saver. This is the advantage of ‘cover for risk’, the basic reason behind why every saver will trust in a financial intermediary. Question 2 Stock markets all around the globe are the ideal modes of generating funds for businesses or companies that want to fulfill their capital requirements. It provides a very comprehensive way for investors to choose from a variety of stocks that best suit their needs (mainly risk and return). Any investor can select his own set of stocks of as many companies as he like and create a portfolio to reduce his risk in the market. One of the major roles of stock markets in the financial system is to provide the featu re of liquidity. This means that an investor can at any given time trade his security for cash when the market is operating. (Rohit, 2008) The incentive offered by this feature makes it a very promising driver of growth in an economy. The amount of trade or activity going on

Strategic Planning for International Tourism Essay

Strategic Planning for International Tourism - Essay Example The current branding strategies will be looked into and other than the analysis, we will look into possible ways or practices that could improve the exposure of tourism in New Zealand and result in an even more successful approach. Currently, New Zealand is one of the top contenders among modern tourist attractions. With its beautiful landscapes, tourist attractions, rich cultures, numerous opportunities for adventures and of course, the Lord of The Rings films sites; New Zealand makes an ideal holiday getaway. (Tourism Information and Accommodation, 2008) With all this and more, anyone's time and money spent in New Zealand will definitely be worthwhile. New Zealand Tourism Online (NZTO) has taken a very user friendly and fun-filled approach towards promoting tourism in New Zealand. They offer a wide range of choices to any tourist depending on their interests, tastes, budget and objective. New Zealand is a place where anyone can have the time of their life, if you're a young kid or a retired corporate executive or a young couple deciding to lay back for a while, New Zealand has something for everyone. Lord of the Rings is a fantasy story written by the author J. R. R. Tolkien. Its movie adaptations have swept the international box office with multiple Academy Awards for the three films made so far; The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. It would be nothing new to the fans around the world that New Zealand is home to Lord of The Rings! The three films were shot at different locations in New Zealand. This makes New Zealand one of the hottest modern day tourist attractions, not only for the LOTR fans, but everyone can enjoy the story behind the locations and experience a piece of the amazing saga. 1.1.1 Middle Earth is New Zealand As mentioned earlier, New Zealand was home to the Lord of The Rings movie franchise. The set of Middle Earth was chosen to be the scenic landscapes of New Zealand. The person who chose to shoot the movie here, Peter Jackson, is also a native. The location for Hobbiton was chosen as the hilly area of Matamata, The famous Mt. Doom was actually the Mt Ruapehu. Other than that Queenstown was the used sets for locations such as the Pillars of Argonath and the Eregion Hills. (Lord of the Rings - New Zealand, 2007) New Zealand Tourism Online has made great use of this fame New Zealand has been accredited to. They offer a complete list and description for all the movie sites and ways to experience these locations to the fullest. Also they provide in depth description of the movie itself with images and graphics on the website along with further details. Branding for the Key Destinations' Products The tourism industry of New Zealand has been performing a good job with branding the top attractions and products New Zealand has to offer. The NZTO website features a 'Highlights' section in which they very main key attractions that New Zealand has to offer to tourists are described in detail. The features and attractions listed include: Skiing and snowboarding, New Zealand is one of the top ski holiday destinations in the world. The country offers a variety of locations and terrains for all kinds of snow sporting experiences, from snow boarding to skiing. Apart from that, New Zealand offers extensive training in

Conservation Of Forest Resources In North India Environmental Sciences Essay

Conservation Of Forest Resources In North India Environmental Sciences Essay Forests are natural umbrellas for ground surface because they protect the ground surface from erosion by falling raindrops and control radiation balance of the earth and the atmosphere by consuming increased amount of carbon dioxide released from ever increasing human volcanoes (chimneys of the factories) and thus prevent the earth from becoming too hot. Removal of forest cover exposes the ground surface to the atmospheric processes. Forest is a living resource. A large number of people of the hills and plains depend on forest resources especially in the North-Eastern Region of India. It is a renewable resource if properly managed. Deforestation can take place in no time but generation of forest takes a long time to develop into a self contained viable ecosystem.Today, there is a great awareness of the problems of forests in our country as well as in North East India. During the last one decade the forest cover of the region got depleted at an alarming rate, hence, preservation of forest is a heavy task for the region. Comprising of eight states, viz. ArunachalPradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura; Northeast India is a mega-biodiversity centre and a hotspot. The region contains more than one third of the countrys total bio-diversity and is one of the 18 recognised bio-diversity hotspots of the world. It occupies 7.7% of Indias total geographical area supporting50% of the flora of which 31.58% is endemic. It is a transitional zone between the Indian, Indo-Barman-Malaysian and Indo-Chinese regions. The region supports a rich biodiversity spanning from tropical rainforests to alpine scrubs. This rich biodiversity has a significant role in the maintenance of the ecosystem. The region is rich in orchids, ferns, oaks bamboos, rhododendrons; magnolias etc.With the shrinkage of green cover everywhere, the region is also experiencing an impact on its ecological system. The major threats to the rich biodiversity of the region are expansion of agricultural activities, over-exploitation of forests for firewood, shifting cultivation, extensive timbering, grazing, urbanization, man-made forest fires, introduction of exoticplants, ill-managed road construction, mining, etc. which lead to habitat loss and habitat fragmentation that ultimately results in biodiversity loss. Natural calamities such as landslides, floods and forest fires also result in biodiversity loss to some extent. The region is known for its age old institutional mechanisms on cultural and social values for biodiversity conservation, namely sacred groves or forests in Meghalaya, Manipur and Nagaland; sacred landscapes in Sikkim and sacred hilltops in Arunachal Pradesh.Conserved as the abode of lo cal dieties, these ecosystems represent remnants of ancient forests, but these practices are rapidly vanishing due to modern education and conversion of religion, which have led to the giving up of traditional and ethnic beliefs. India has strengthened its hold on biodiversity conservation by implementing the Indian Forest Act, 1927; the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; the Forest (Conservation)Act, 1980; the Environment(Protection) Act, 1986; the Biodiversity Act, 2002; the Biodiversity Rule, 2004,etc. The northeastern part of India, known for its diverse and most extensive lush forest cover, is sadly one of the major regions facing severe deforestation. Forests of this region are unique structurally and species composition. It is a meeting region of temperate east Himalayan flora, palaeo-arctic flora of Tibetan highland and wet evergreen flora of south-east Asia and Yunnan forming bowl of biodiversity. One of the states of this region viz., Arunachal Pradesh occupies a significant place as a crucible for the evolution of flora in north-east India and for speciation. The Brahmaputra valley sandwiched between Eastern Himalaya in the north, Garo/Khasi/Jaintia and Mikir/Cachar/Barail hills ranges in the south; is a meeting ground of the temperate east Himalayan flora and the wet evergreen and wet deciduous floristic elements. The Khasi-Jaintia hills function as a corridor of the south-east Asia floristic elements into the Indian subcontinent through the Arakan arc. The altitudinal var iation and rainfall patterns of southwest and northeast monsoon play a significant role in the development of ecological niches in this region of India.   The forest cover of north-east India has been assessed by the government at 1, 64,043 sq. km of the total geographical area of 2,55,083 sq.km. In the states of north-east India the heaviest demand on forest is for fuel wood and agricultural lands. The precise of deforestation cannot be accurately assessed due to the remoteness of many areas from which forest is removed and the lack of written records for deforestation. The forest area of the states like Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram has been reducing at an alarming rate. It is to be noted that the forest areas of the plains of the north-east India are considerably below national norm. In fact during the last few decades, there has become a rapid degeneration of forest resources in the region which threatened the economy and ecology of north-east India requiring the intervention of the supreme court of India. According to an official estimate based on satellite images (survey report of FSI), northeastern region has 1, 63,799 sq.km of forest, which is about 25% of the total forest cover in the country (Anon., 2000) The management of the forest has suffered in the recent past due to pressure on land, decreasing cycle of shifting cultivation, exploitation of forest for timber and lack of scientific management strategy. The age-old practice of shifting cultivation has been a single factor responsible for the forest and land degradation, thereby changing the landscape extensively. About 0.45 million families in northeastern region annually cultivate 10,000 sq.km forests whereas total area affected by jhumming is believed to be 44,000 sq.km (Singh, 1990). Degraded secondary forests, bamboo thickets and weeds or simply barren land dominate todays jhumscapes (Toky and Ramakrishnan, 1981; Roy and Joshi, 2002) Further, the problem has been getting worse through the indiscriminate felling of trees to satisfy the ever-growing hunger of industries surviving on forest products such as paper and pulp, plywood, match stick, etc. There is an urgent need of policy measures to undo the massive losses to the green cover of this region. Unlike other regions of the country administrative control regimes of forest cover in Northeast is different. A large part of the forests in this area fall under the category of open forests with a crown density of 10-40% and only few areas qualify as dense forests i.e. of crown density of 40% or higher. According to 1995 estimates, these states including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim accounted for a loss of 791 sq. km forest area in two years viz. from 1993 to 1995 (FSI, 1996). Administrative classification of the forest cover in Northeast India State Total Reserved Protected Unclassified Total Shifting Cultivation (1987-97) Tripura 0.63 0.36 0.05 0.22 0.63 0.06 Sikkim 0.26 0.22 0.03 0.01 0.26 * Nagaland 0.86 0.01 0.05 0.80 0.86 0.39 Mizoram 1.59 0.71 0.36 0.52 1.59 0.38 Meghalaya 0.95 0.10 0.01 0.85 0.96 0.18 Manipur 1.50 0.14 0.40 0.96 1.50 0.36 Assam 3.07 1.81 0.40 0.86 3.07 0.13 Arunachal Pradesh 5.15 1.53 3.61 0.01 5.15 0.23 Total 14.01 4.88 4.91 4.23 14.02 1.73 Land Use/Land Cover in Northeast India. (Source: Anon., 2002a) Land cover (Vegetation Type) States Area (km2) Area (%) Tropical Evergreen Forest Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, Tripura 5246.202 2.001 Hollong Forest (Dipterocarpus) Arunachal Pradesh, Assam 980.87 0.374 Tropical Semi-Evergreen Forest Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram 15363.42 5.86 Moist Deciduous Forest Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura 19727.24 7.524 Riverain Arunachal Pradesh 209.36 0.08 Hollock (Terminalia sp.) Arunachal Pradesh 108.87 0.042 Sal (Shorea robusta) forest Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura 526.61 0.201 Teak (Tectona grandis) Plantation Assam 15.71 0.006 Dry Deciduous Forest Manipur 79.00 0.03 Subtropical Evergreen I Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya 20866.83 7.959 Subtropical Evergreen II Arunachal Pradesh 3559.08 1.358 Sub-Tropical Broad leaved Forest Mizoram 509.95 0.195 Broad-leaved Hill Forest Sikkim 1876.18 0.716 Mixed Pine Meghalaya 1020.07 0.389 Pine Forest Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya 1647.27 0.628 Temperate Broadleaved Arunachal Pradesh 20785.02 7.928 Mixed Temperate Forest Nagaland 509.95 0.195 Wet Temperate Forest Mizoram 448.16 0.171 Temperate Coniferous Forest Arunachal Pradesh 3190.60 1.217 Fir Forest Arunachal Pradesh 159.11 0.061 Sub-alpine and Rhododendron Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, 276.35 0.105 Total 97104.60 37.04 Land Cover States Area % Associated vegetation type Abandoned Jhum Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura. 20065.36 7.653 Open Bamboo Brakes Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura 9501.57 3.624 Degraded Forest Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura 15189.12 5.793 Subalpine and alpine Scrub Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim 2654.88 1.013 Alpine Pastures Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim 4697.66 1.792 Other Grasslands Assam, Meghalya 1971.18 0.752 Shrub/Scrub Assam 581.14 0.222 Total 151765.51 57.89 Orchards (including tea gardens) Arunachal Pradesh and Assam 6896.67 2.631 Non-forest/Current shifting cultivation/Fallow/Barren/ Alpine Barren/Agriculture/ Settlement/Others Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, Tripura,Nagaland, Sikkim, Manipur, MeghalyaArunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur 83032.75 31.67 Cloud/Snow/Shadow 16164.00 6.165 Water Body Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram,Tripura,Nagaland, Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalya 4320.07 1.648 Total 262179.00 100 Statewise area under forest(sq. km.) in 2001:, Sl no State Geographical area Total forest Dense forest Open forest Percentage of forest area to geographical area 1 Arunachal Pradesh 83,743 68,045 53,932 14,113 81.25 2 Assam 78,438 27,714 15,830 11,884 35.33 3 Manipur 22,327 16,926 5,710 11,216 75.81 4 Meghalaya 22,429 15,584 5,681 9,903 69.48 5 Mizoram 21,081 17,494 8,936 8,558 82.98 6 Nagaland 16,579 13,345 5,393 7,952 80.49 7 Tripura 10,486 7,065 3,463 3,602 67.38 Source: state of forest report 2001. Quoted in statistical abstract, India, 2002, Forest cover in northeast India A review of the forest cover statistics of northeast India reveals some unexpected and contradictory trends. Data from the Forest Survey show an increase in forest cover of 3,398 square kilometers, an annual rate of 0.5 percent, for northeast India between 1987 and 1991, and a steady reduction in forest cover of 2,443 square kilometers, an annual rate of 0.15 percent, during the 1991-2001 periods. This increase between 1987 and 1991 seems to contradict the general perception of steady forest loss during the last decades (Barik and others 2005; Roy and Joshi 2002). North East India: Changes in Forest Cover 1987-2001 Annual rate of loss of forest cover due to shifting cultivation in north-east India: State Area affected by shifting cultivation in sq. km per year Population dependent on shifting cultivation(000) Arunachal Pradesh 703 270 Assam 700 403 Manipur 500 300 Meghalaya 760 350 Mizoram 600 260 Nagaland 730 400 Tripura 170 100 Source: report of the forest survey of India,2001 Percentage Annual Change in Forest Cover in North East India 1987-2001 :Ministry of Environment and Forest State-level data provide a clearer indication of the regional trends. The data reveal, for the period 1987-1989, a near 4 percent and over 5 percent increase in forest cover in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim respectively. This seems implausible since natural regeneration processes are typically considerably slower. Equally improbable is the annual growth rate for Tripura, which is recorded at almost 11 percent between 1999 and 2001.The reasons for this sudden expansion in forest cover are unclear, though it is suggested that the data reflect changes in methodology and scale. For instance the 2001 data include all lands with a tree canopy density of more than 10 percent, irrespective of land use. Thus tea plantations, agro- forestry plantations, and fruit orchards are all defined as forests. In addition, a number of districts previously ignored have been included in the assessments, which probably leads to some increases. Hence the Ministry of Environment and Forests cautions against temporal comparisons as technique and scale of interpretation were both different (Ministry of Environment and Forests 2001). Open and Dense Forest Developments in North East India 1997, 1999 and 2001 THE MAJOR CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION: Conversion of forest land in agricultural land: Due to the increasing population and subsequent food pressure over limited agricultural land, forest land is been brought under cultivation so that agricultural production may be substantially increased and food may be provided to hungry human population. Shifting or jhuming cultivation: Shifting cultivation is a major cause of forest lost in north-east India. The loss of forest cover due to shifting cultivation is increasing every year Overgrazing of forest of moderate cover by animals has resulted into large scale degradation of natural vegetation if not the complete destruction of forest. The deforested areas has been worst affected by grazing animals because no fresh regeneration of plant has been allowed by large herds of grazing animals. Forest fires: Forest fire whether natural or man made is effective destroyers of forest covers. Atmospheric lightning is the major source of natural forest fires besides man causes forest fire through his intentional/advertent and unintentional actions. Besides destroying vegetations, forest fires harden the ground surface which decreases the porosity of the soils and consequently there is a little infiltration of rain water. Lumbering: Lumbering for domestic and commercial purposes is the real cause of large scale destruction of forest cover. Ever increasing demand of timber for various purposes due to industrial expansion, urban growth and rapidly increasing human population has done great damage to natural forest covers. Multipurpose river projects: Multipurpose river projects require larger areas to be submerged for the storage of huge volume of water in the reservoirs constructed behind the dams. Thus, submergence of forested riverine areas completely destroys the natural forest. Steps taken by the government: The national forest policy of India, 1998, is now in force. Its formulation has been timely and certainly a marked improvement over the policy of 1952, which emphasized on increasing the area under forest cover to 33% or 1/3rd of the country total geographical area and 60% in the hills of north-east India. Forest development agency (FDA) is a central agency which provides financial help to the state government for the planting of trees and conservation of forest area. The government of Assam has of late formulated a forest policy, developing a common approach to manage both environment and biodiversity. The new policy, 2004, which is first of its kind, seems to be a comprehensive thoughtful one fuel, because the policy has considered almost all the major environment concern like flora and fauna, wildlife, soil fertility etc. the policy provides a comprehensive strategy for environmental conservation and improved support system for livelihood for the people living in the fringe areas of forests and thereby seeks to overcome the two major environmental problems- degradation of biodiversity and forest cover. CONSERVATION STRATEGY of FOREST RESOURCES IN NORTH EAST: Management of Biosphere Reserves, National Parks, Sanctuaries etc. in the region. Regulation of Sacred Groves. Introduction of more programs on Afforestation. Possible Replacement of areas under Shifting Cultivation by alternative economic activities. Ecosystem based forest management has to be adopted to maintain ecological balance. Reforestation in the deforested areas must be regulated to restore the ecological balance. Plantation of trees and vegetation should be made a compulsory feature in educational institutes, Youth clubs and in communities. Areas of water-shed should also be managed through afforestation programs. Alternative Livelihood must be provided for forest dwellers. Over-exploitation, habitat loss and fragmentation are the three major factors that threaten the biodiversity of this region. Forest is the vital components to sustain the life support system on the earth.Forests are playing an important role in the socio-economic development of a country or region. The role of forest in ecological balance, Last but not the least, serious efforts will have to be made to protect and conserve forest both at government as well as public level. Due attention should be given to forest management. Some of the useful steps for the conservation of forest are as follows: A proper ratio between forest cutting and plantation of trees should be maintained. Actual growth of trees is supervised. Strict prohibition of the cutting of trees for fuel is imposed. Protection from forest fire. Development of Natural Park and sanctuaries. Social forestry is developed. Forest survey, be conducted and classification be done accordingly. Plantation of trees according to local ecological condition. Long term master plan for forest conservation and development is prepared. CONCLUSION: Environmental stability, bio-diversity conservation, food security and sustainable development has been widely recognized at many aspects of conservation strategies. The key role of the forest has been recognized in their ecological, cultural, commercial and aesthetic aspects, yet rapid shrinkage of forest cover is threatening to tilt the ecological balance in the North Eastern Region. A sizeable disappearance of forest cover is causing serious damage to forest ecosystem of the region. The fast dwindling of forest cover is attributed to rampant encroachment and unchecked habitat expansion in the forest land. Encroachment is more aggressive in forest areas located along the inter-state boundary with Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya. For the Northeast the CDM funding potential can be maximized if the definition allows for high crown density and height. Appropriate areas can be readily identified through comparative assessments of forest cover changes using the widely av ailable aerial maps of the region. However, in the absence of an agreed definition it is impossible to quantify the financial opportunities that could emerge from the CDM. Further assessments must await government decisions Man has always had an integral association with nature, and thereby with forest. He has gradually changed the aspect of natural ecosystem into man-made ecosystem. Thus it can be said that man has the power too to control the further degradation of our natural environment if he desires to do the needful action and it would be possible only through the participation of man in respect of the preservation and conservation of various natural resources where, forest resource is one of the vital one. Hence it is worth mentioning that conservation of forest resources in North East India is need of the hour.

Pollution and the Environment Essays -- Environmental

Pollution and the Environment Pollution occurs when harmful substances or products are introduced into the environment. It is a major problem in America, as well as the rest of the world. Pollution damages the environment and does harm to humans and other animals. It creates many problems, from lung cancer to the greenhouse effect. Oblivious to the damage they cause, rednecks continue to throw trash out of the window instead of walking two feet to a garbage can. The laziness of these types of people creates problems for the entire planet. People must realize that something needs to change. Why does our world continue to become more polluted year after year?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Obviously, most pollution comes from automobiles. The most famous pollutant from cars is the exhaust. The fumes given off as a byproduct of the engine slowly damage our lungs and the atmosphere. The exhaust is also toxic to human beings. Cars produce a large amount of noise pollution as well as a large amount of heat. Despite all the damage caused by cars, no significant progress has been made to change their destructiveness. People call the car ‘‘progress’’: an improvement on our daily lives. However, making a sport out of destroying the environment as NASCAR does cannot be justified as progress.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another major source of waste is garbage. Americans throw away millions of tons of garbage each year. There are projects underway to clean and reuse this trash, but most of it ends up in huge landfills. ...