Oil Drilling Free Essays

Have you ever seen an animal covered in sludge, helpless and weak? Offshore oil drilling is one of our world’s biggest concerns. Offshore oil drilling is the discovery of finding oil or gasoline resources underwater. Usually the oil is found off the coasts of each continent and can also be found in lakes and small seas. We will write a custom essay sample on Oil Drilling or any similar topic only for you Order Now Drilling for oil provides the energy to make fuels for cars and other machinery. Many different platforms can be used for offshore oil drilling such as drill ships, jack up barges, steel jackets, and semi-submersibles for deeper water areas. The issue at hand is that oil drilling can lead to oil spills into oceans, seas, and lakes and can harm the environment. Barge collisions, explosions, leaks, spills, and pipeline corrosion are all key factors in the harmful effects of oil drilling. Drilling leads to pollution in the environment and kills many organisms and aquatic animals. Animals play a key role in society, especially the marine animals. Long term effects create damage to the food chain, fisheries, health, the ecosystem balance, and enjoyment of nature. Oil spills harm the lives of marine life and the federal government allows them to be killed during gas and oil drilling. When explosives are used to remove the oil rigs, pipelines can be demolished the oil will spill everywhere. Aquatic life is endangered around these oil rigs and causes many hatchlings not to be brought into the world. Sea turtles are attracted to bright lights and if the oil rig has created an explosion, they will head toward that direction, endangering their own lives for vicious predators along the way. Not only is marine life affected, but birds. Many types of birds are endangered as well like ducks, seagulls, and pelicans. If the ocean is polluted with toxic oil and they decide to swim in it, all the oil will get stuck on their feathers not allowing them to fly. Oil drilling is dangerous and can lead to the extinction of many animals. The United States needs oil, but offshore drilling is not the way to get it. There are plenty of other alternatives we can use to create gasoline such an ethanol. Ethanol uses agricultural products to make an alternative gas product and it has proven to proven to be cost effective. The U. S. should also use hybrid cars and electric vehicles instead of relying on oil. Forms of transportation should also be aware of the oil efficiency and should begin using smart growth to make less pollution and reduce gridlock. Air pollution will be cut and the amount of oil used will be reduced for a better environment. Offshore oil drilling does provide large amounts of oil, but there should be a limit on how much should be consumed at one given time. Another key factor of oil drilling is the cost. President Barack Obama has come up with energy proposals to help the environment and cut the costs our nation has put on oil. â€Å"In order to save energy and taxpayer dollars, my administration is doubling the number of hybrid vehicles in the federal fleet, even as we seek to reduce the number of cars and trucks used by our government overall,† Obama said. His plans are too drill along the Southern Atlantic coastlines and move away from Alaska, for it is too dangerous and risky for the environment. Expanding drilling is definitely not the solution our country needs and therefore; something needs to be done. Since the land that is going to be drilled cannot provide a base for offshore drilling as it does for onshore drilling, an artificial platform must be created. This artificial platform can take many forms, depending on the characteristics of the well to be drilled, including how far underwater the drilling target is. One of the most important pieces of equipment for offshore drilling is the subsea drilling template. Essentially, this piece of equipment connects the underwater well site to the drilling platform on the surface of the water. This device, resembling a cookie cutter, consists of an open steel box with multiple holes in it, dependent on the number of wells to be drilled. This drilling template is placed over the well site, and usually lowered into the exact position required using satellite and GPS technology. A relatively shallow hole is then dug, in which the drilling template is cemented into place. The drilling template, secured to the sea floor and attached to the drilling platform above with cables, allows for accurate drilling to take place, but allows for the movement of the platform, which will inevitably be affected by shifting wind and water currents. There are two basic types of offshore drilling rigs: those that can be moved from place to place, allowing for drilling in multiple locations, and those rigs that are permanently placed. Moveable rigs are often used for exploratory purposes because they are much cheaper to use than permanent platforms. Once large deposits of hydrocarbons have been found, a permanent platform is built to allow their extraction. The sections below describe a number of different types of moveable offshore platforms. Drilling barges are used mostly for inland, shallow water drilling. This typically takes place in lakes, swamps, rivers, and canals. Drilling barges are large, floating platforms, which must be towed by tugboat from location to location. Suitable for still, shallow waters, drilling barges are not able to withstand the water movement experienced in large open water situations. Semisubmersible rigs are the most common type of offshore drilling rigs, combining the advantages of submersible rigs with the ability to drill in deep water. A semisubmersible rig works on the same principle as a submersible rig: through the ‘inflating’ and ‘deflating’ of its lower hull. The main difference with a semisubmersible rig, however, is that when the air is let out of the lower hull, the rig does not submerge to the sea floor. Instead, the rig is partially submerged, but still floats above the drill site. When drilling, the lower hull, filled with water, provides stability to the rig. Semisubmersible rigs are held in place by huge anchors, each weighing upwards of 10 tons. These anchors, combined with the submerged portion of the rig, ensure that the platform is stable and safe enough to be used in turbulent offshore waters. Semisubmersible rigs can be used to drill in much deeper water than the rigs mentioned above. Drillships are exactly as they sound: ships designed to carry out drilling operations. These boats are specially designed to carry drilling platforms out to deep-sea locations. A typical drillship will have, in addition to all of the equipment normally found on a large ocean ship, a drilling platform and derrick located on the middle of its deck. In addition, drillships contain a hole (or ‘moonpool’), extending right through the ship down through the hull, which allows for the drill string to extend through the boat down into the water. Drillships are often used to drill in very deep water, which can often be turbulent. Drillships use what is known as ‘dynamic positioning’ systems. Drillships are equipped with electric motors on the underside of the ship’s hull, capable of propelling the ship in any direction. These motors are integrated into the ship’s computer system, which uses satellite positioning technology, in conjunction with sensors located on the drilling template, to ensure that the ship is directly above the drill site at all times. Offshore oil drilling creates disasters not only in the ocean or seas, but generates explosions of the oil rig itself. Bits and pieces of the rig can rust at the bottom of the ocean and endanger precious reefs and homes of animals. I believe offshore oil drilling is a mistake and should be limited around the world. There are plenty of renewable energy sources to survive off of. Fuels can be costly but the environment would be a safer place to live in. Having a limited supply of oil can save millions of aquatic lives and provide worries from environmentalists will be satisfied. Drilling should be banned all together to save human lives as well. Many have been lost because of accidental explosives. Hopefully oil drilling will end soon and promote the general welfare of living in a clean, oil-free environment. Works Cited http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2525743/posts http://english.aljazeera.net/business/2010/03/201033118235692566.html How to cite Oil Drilling, Essay examples

Gay And Lesbian Adoption Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Gay And Lesbian Adoption Essay, Research Paper Introduction In society today there is a given norm of what a household should and shouldn T be. By the really word household I am refer to a relationship that contains kids. The socially recognized version of the household is that there is a Dendranthema grandifloruom and a pa and kids, non two pas or two female parents. There is a turning figure of the latter type of households and society is really split on whether these households are right and fit for raising kids. There are several issues that relate to the elevation of kids in a homosexual relationship, these are the affect on the kid, should homophiles be able to raise kids, the agencies that they become parents. Consequence on the kids The chief concern of society International Relations and Security Network T that gays, as worlds are raising kids but the affect that being homosexual is traveling to hold on the kids and are they traveling to turn out normal. An American survey found that kids of homosexual parents have similar IQs, develop typical friendly relationships, have a normal metal wellness and are no more likely to be confused about their gender ( Shapiro 1996 ) . This is non to state that the kids are distributed in the same ratio in sexual penchant Actually homosexual parents have a higher per centum of homosexual offspring. This is improbable to make with the rearing manner of the homosexual parents, sing that the latest research shows that homosexualism is mostly familial ( Shapiro 1996 ) . It may intend that there is an earlier realisation of the kid s sexual penchant. This is necessarily traveling to intend that there are traveling to less matrimonial interruption ups, because of grownups recognizing that they are cheery. The affect on kids is a heatedly debated issue ; the general societal thought is that, both a ma and a pa are indispensable for a balanced upbringing. If we take the illustration of a male child, he needs both a ma and a pa for the assorted parts of his metal and physically development so he can turn out to be a normal adult male. The really fact that normal is dictated by society is the biggest down autumn in this statement. If being homosexual were full acknowledged by society and seen as portion of being normal so there would be no job with a normal homosexual individual raising kids. If homosexualism is familial so being gay is portion of being normal. This means that it would do sense if cheery parents raised cheery kids for the really ground that the parents would be more unfastened and less bias about being homosexual. Another advantage of homosexual parents raising kids is that they are raised in a universe that they can see both sides to gender and they can do a more informe d pick and follow their inner gender. The research that has been done with kids raised in homosexual households is really limited and there have been no documented instance surveies. This is because the issue has merely truly come to a caput in the last 20 old ages. This means that the long-run effects, if any, on the kid s mental wellness have non had a opportunity to be recognized. The research that has been has been done has non uncovered any inauspicious effects. Should homosexual twosomes raise kids Apart from the quandary to make with the fact if they are right or incorrect in their gender, the elevation of kids by homophiles is a really controversial subject for the fact that they can non hold kids with their spouses. This job has two sides to the statement one: they, as a group of people, have chosen non to hold kids by being homosexual, the other is that homophiles are still worlds and they still have the same human fostering features that straight persons do. The really statement that homophiles do non hold the right to raise kids because they are cheery is a uncorroborated. It is connoting that they are non human. It is non All right for homosexuals to raise kids but if a slaying wants to raise a kid it is All right, on the evidences that he is heterosexual. The chief issue is the household environment that the kid is being raised in. If a kid is raised in a loving and stable place, they are by and large classed as normal kids, and they normally grow up to fall in the majority of society. So the inquiry is whether a loving and stable homosexuals household is different from a loving and stable heterosexual household. There are a batch of good facets of kids being raised in cheery households. The kids have a greater openness toward minority groups and other groups that are capable to societal bias. Prejudice is the highest signifier of ignorance and since the kid has grown up in an environment that is really unfastened and they have experienced favoritism at a high degree, they will necessarily be more excepting. Results of another American research undertaking ( Crawford 1999 ) shows that kids that are raised in homosexual places are non as affected by twits when they are turning up as similar kids raised in heterosexual places. This mean s that these kids are much better equipped to get by with schoolyard intimidation. Wouldn t it be a good thing that kids do non worry about these state of affairss as much? As a consequence of the kids understanding that major twits are more of import than schoolyard minor job they would non serve out abuses ; Possibly all kids should be raised by homosexual twosomes. There is merely one more issue that is of major concern to the general population and that is the 1 of paedophilia. This is a major concern because: Even though homophiles represent less than three per centum of the US population, at least on-third of all child molestations involve homosexual activity. Therefore, the leaning for paedophilia is far higher among homophiles. Dudley 1992 Traveling on these factors it is a really large hazard to allow homophiles raise kids. These consequences are non of homosexual parents but are of homosexual activity, therefore non all performed by homophiles and there is a really slender opportunity that the figures would include cheery parents. If one thinks about the possibility of minute lesting a kid and even their ain progeny it is utterly revolting. There is unluckily a little per centum of the population that feel that this is normal or experience the demand to move in this manner. Although the bulk is homosexual in nature the really act that these people perform is perverted non rearing. The homosexual parents would non execute these Acts of the Apostless. There are a infinitesimal per centum of all parents that molest their kids but the ratio of heterosexual to homosexual would be the same and may even be less. It is truly difficult for homosexual twosomes or even cheery singles to even believe about the chance of holding kids, this it means that there needs to be steadfast ideals and by and large a strong base to construct a household on. If the homosexual person/s didn T have these thoughts so they would non see going parents, whichever manner they decide to hold kids. Meanss of going parents There is a immense job that society has with homophiles holding and raising kids ; this job is sprung from the thought that homosexualism is non natural. This thought so leads to the statement that since homosexualism is non natural, Is it natural for them to raise or hold kids? Lashkar-e-taibas say that it is normal for there to be homophiles so the statement is that God has prevented them from holding kids and they are non meant to raise kids. If one takes this statement so you have to take into consideration that by this definition society is condeming heterosexual twosomes that can for some ground non hold kids, is this what society wants? There are three ways that gay or sapphic twosomes are able to derive a kid: 1. By winning detention of a kid that was portion of a old heterosexual relationship, by acceptance or by alternate agencies of construct. Most kids that are contained in a homosexual relationship are from old heterosexual relationships, although the per centums are traveling toward the other two signifiers and the per centums are get downing to even out. 2. The gaining of detention of a kid or kids from a old heterosexual relationship is the most common signifier of kids being placed in a homosexual household state of affairs. This signifier of puting a kid in a homosexual household is the least controversial because there is one parent from the kid s original parents. This peculiar signifier is the most socially accepted because the kid has normally experienced the relationship that their heterosexual parents had. This would intend that the kid would hold a more diverse and better position of his/her picks to make with gender, in so holding a better position than that of a kid from a heterosexual relationship. 3. Adopting is the following manner for homosexuals to derive kids. There a few issues associating to this, if one takes the statement that homophiles were non made to hold kids, so you have to hold that heterosexual twosomes that are non able to hold kids, should non be able to follow. The fact of the affair is that we as worlds have a common impulse or desire to raise kids irrespective of our sexual inclinations and there should non be any favoritism because of societal biass. The most controversial manner that homosexuals are deriving and holding kids is that of utilizing donor sperm or IVF for the tribades. Lesbians are unnaturally inseminated by deriving entree to sperm and infusing themselves. There are two ways this is gained one and normally gained from a cheery male and the kid is traveling to be given to the homosexual male parent or kept by the female parent, the other is that the sperm is gained from a sperm bank. This is the major issue because of the really fact that homosexuals can non hold kids with their spouses, this job is merely at that place, one time once more, because of the societal bias. It is socially acceptable or heterosexual twosomes or females to gestate by non-natural methods, but when a sapphic wants to hold a kid and follow her natural inclinations there is uproar. Decision The chief jobs that society has with homosexuals raising kids are: 1. The affect on the children- it has been proven that being raised by homosexual parents is the same if non better for the kids, than if they were raised by heterosexual parents. 2. Should homophiles be able to raise children- there are no logical grounds for them non to be able to raise kids usually. 3. The agencies that they become parents- the lone ground that gay become parents is so they can carry through there human desires to parent. I think that society in general has to take a expression at them egos and get down to work out their ain biass toward homophiles. The fact that person is homosexual is non sufficient plenty ground for him or her non to be able to hold, addition and raise kids in the mode they feel fit. Society will hold to acquire used to the fact that homophiles are worlds excessively. Bibliography J, M, Crawford. ( May/June 1999 ) Co-Parent acceptance by same-sex twosomes: From cringle hole to Law Families in society ( pp 271-278 ) New York: Family Service America. J. P. Shapiro. ( September 16, 1996 ) Childs with cheery parents: as jurisprudence shapers conflict homosexual marrigaes, a expression at how the kids menu ( pp 75-79 ) U.S: U.S. News A ; World Report Inc. Editor Dudley, W. ( 1993 ) Homosexuality- opposing positions. ( pp 184-197 ) United states: Greenhaven Press, Inc. Editor K. Healey ( 1995 ) Issues for the 1890ss. ( pp 10-12 ) . Vol 39 Australia: The Spinney Press. Editor K. Healey ( 1995 ) Issues for the 1890ss. ( pp 36-37 ) . Vol 41 Australia: The Spinney Press. Editor C. J. Patterson. , A. R. D Augelli ( 1995 ) Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identities Over the Lifespan ( pp 262-285 ) New York: Oxford University Press A. Jowitt ( 1997 ) The Legal Recognition of Relationships between Couples ( pp 31-48 ) of the same sex: Australian Gay and Lesbian Law Journal Australia: The Federation Press.

Lead by Example free essay sample

Lead By Example SSG Alfred J. Stringer NCOA Abstract This paper makes the argument that the examples set by leaders will directly affect the actions and overall effectiveness of their organizations. Morality and upholding the Army Values and the basic principles of the United States of America are paramount principles of character that leaders should possess. Subordinates will many times copy and mirror their leaders so it is critically important for superiors to set good examples. Soldiers who observe leaders not living up to the Army standards lose faith with the organization and suffer morally from the bad example. The conclusion states that personal as well as professionally moral leader will improve the community and country. Keywords: morality, credibility, example It is a proven fact the character and example of leaders directly affects their subordinates, and their actions. â€Å"Leaders set an example whether they know it or not. † (FM 6-22) This statement has proven true through all human history. We will write a custom essay sample on Lead by Example or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Modern problems and increasing national insecurity demand strong moral leadership. The character and examples set by upcoming leaders will shape future generations and lead us into the unknown future. The question is, are the examples being set by our local, state, national and professional leaders, good or bad, moral or immoral, responsible or not, and how is it affecting society and our respective organizations? Leaders are constantly evaluated and critiqued by his subordinates. Even the most accepting and supportive soldier will make mental notes on the faults of their superiors. Those soldiers, when receiving orders from a bad example leader, may follow orders and do so without question, but as the soldier observes the discrepancies in their leader’s character, the respect for the leader and overall moral of the soldier will eventually decrease. Subordinates want and expect competency, integrity and loyalty from their leaders. They want to believe that the leader not only has actually experienced what they are going through, but also is willing to walk in their boots. I submit it is impossible for the hypocrite to effectively lead soldiers. The NCO creed states â€Å"I will always place their needs above my own. The leader who lives by a strong moral code, one who follows and hold true to the seven core Army values will be respected and loved by his troops. Unfortunately there are countless examples of leaders who place personal gain, petty rivalries and short term satisfaction over their integrity and responsibility to their subordinates and the ove rall mission or organization. The current situation in Washington is a very good example of this. It seems daily there is another story of ethics violations, sexual misconduct or out in out illegal activities from the United States senators, representatives and high level employees. These kinds of leaders, who set a bad example, open the door for their subordinates to follow in their footsteps and replicate the deviant behavior. The Army Sergeant First Class, who openly disrespects his senior leaders, will open the door for subordinates to follow his example. When he openly lies, is caught drinking and driving or makes excuses for his actions, he has in effect, destroyed his credibility with his troops. Even worse, his younger counterparts observe and make assumptions and assume this is how things are run in the organization. When his actions are brought to light and the First Sergeant and Commander do not hold the SFC accountable, it shows younger soldiers that Army values really do not mean anything, and inevitably produces more ethics violations. It only takes one unchecked bad example to poison an entire organization. An effective military leader is willing to put themselves into harm’s way for their troops. The Platoon Sergeant who protects his subordinates, is willing to share their burdens, who lives a moral life, and who keeps and upholds the standards, will undoubtedly earn the respect and admiration of his soldiers. Napoleon was a good example of this. As a young general he would often perform tasks during a battle that were the responsibilities of the officers below him. When his troops would face direct fire, he would be in the thick of it. Some accounts placed him loading cannons which were a corporal’s job. He went wherever he was needed. When the battles were over and Napoleon would many times rise up sweaty, dirty and covered in gun powder. There are accounts of Napoleon taking money out of his own pocket to take care of his troops and their families. This won the respect of the men around him. . He became a legendary figure for his troops and set a great example for his men both enlisted and officer alike. (Jean-Paul) A superior’s personal life can be just as important to his subordinates as his professional one. The leader, who upholds his marriage vows and family responsibilities, will show his subordinates he is not only an effective military leader, but also a successful husband and father. Everyone knows that person who is an exemplary soldier but who is severely lacking in his personal moral standards. This is the soldier who at work is the epitome of military discipline, but in his personal conduct, whether it is adultery, alcohol abuse, or other actions does not uphold the values he swore to uphold. Subordinates will look at his example, whether it is good or bad, and first justify their own actions and then, even attempt to replicate it. Placing soldiers who are tactically, technically and morally proficient, will improve the organization, teach by example and uphold the standards the Army and the United States of America claims to uphold. A team of influential leaders, by their good example will encourage their subordinates to be a better balanced, effective and moral person. This will produce a more responsible citizen, create happier and more secure families, and in turn strengthen the community and country as a whole. References FM-6-22 Army Leadership, October 2006 Jean-Paul, Ralph: Napoleon Bonapartes Guide to Leadership, www. potential 2success. com, http://potential2success. com/Napoleonbonaparteleadership. html

Free Essays on Pagan Traditions

Pagan Traditions Centuries before the birth of Christ, earth-based pagan religions claimed the loyalties of the known world. These pagan religions, worshipping many gods and goddesses, had their own myths and legends to explain the turning of the seasons. The Christian Church has, since its arrival in pagan England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, campaigned against the popularity of magic and magicians. The clergy forbade soothsaying, charming, love philters, as well as worshipping wells and trees. Attempts to heal the sick, foretell the future by purely natural means, and the use of medicine were not objected to, however. Any claims to have achieved some effect greater than that which could be shown to have come from natural phenomena was immediately suspecting (Thomas 253). Saint Patrick engrafted Christianity onto the pagan religion with such skill that he won many of the people over to the Christian religion before they understood the exact differences between the two systems of beliefs (Spence 67 ). In fact, Christian leaders were notoriously ready to assimilate elements of paganism into their own religious practices. This was to avoid posing to direct a conflict of loyalties in the minds of new converts (Thomas 47). The ancient worship of wells, trees, and stones was not abolished, but rather modified to associate the sacred sites with a saint instead of a heathen divinity. The hundreds of magical springs became â€Å"holy wells,† associated with a saint, but still employed for healing and for divining the future. Their water was even used in baptisms (Thomas 48). Pagan festivals were similarly incorporated into the church year (Thomas 47). Like all cultures, the pagans had myths and legends to explain the whys of the world. Their faith explained the changing of the seasons, and also gave them reasons to celebrate those changes. These celebrations are divided into Greater and Lesser Sabbats. As the Goddess is honored with the phas... Free Essays on Pagan Traditions Free Essays on Pagan Traditions Pagan Traditions Centuries before the birth of Christ, earth-based pagan religions claimed the loyalties of the known world. These pagan religions, worshipping many gods and goddesses, had their own myths and legends to explain the turning of the seasons. The Christian Church has, since its arrival in pagan England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, campaigned against the popularity of magic and magicians. The clergy forbade soothsaying, charming, love philters, as well as worshipping wells and trees. Attempts to heal the sick, foretell the future by purely natural means, and the use of medicine were not objected to, however. Any claims to have achieved some effect greater than that which could be shown to have come from natural phenomena was immediately suspecting (Thomas 253). Saint Patrick engrafted Christianity onto the pagan religion with such skill that he won many of the people over to the Christian religion before they understood the exact differences between the two systems of beliefs (Spence 67 ). In fact, Christian leaders were notoriously ready to assimilate elements of paganism into their own religious practices. This was to avoid posing to direct a conflict of loyalties in the minds of new converts (Thomas 47). The ancient worship of wells, trees, and stones was not abolished, but rather modified to associate the sacred sites with a saint instead of a heathen divinity. The hundreds of magical springs became â€Å"holy wells,† associated with a saint, but still employed for healing and for divining the future. Their water was even used in baptisms (Thomas 48). Pagan festivals were similarly incorporated into the church year (Thomas 47). Like all cultures, the pagans had myths and legends to explain the whys of the world. Their faith explained the changing of the seasons, and also gave them reasons to celebrate those changes. These celebrations are divided into Greater and Lesser Sabbats. As the Goddess is honored with the phas...

A Beginners Guide to Economic Indicators

A Beginners Guide to Economic Indicators An economic indicator is simply any economic statistic, such as the unemployment rate, GDP, or the inflation rate, which indicate how well the economy is doing and how well the economy is going to do in the future. As shown in the article How Markets Use Information To Set Prices investors use all the information at their disposal to make decisions. If a set of economic indicators suggest that the economy is going to do better or worse in the future than they had previously expected, they may decide to change their investing strategy. To understand economic indicators, we must understand the ways in which economic indicators differ. There are three major attributes each economic indicator has: Three Attributes of Economic Indicators Relation to the Business Cycle / EconomyEconomic Indicators can have one of three different relationships to the economy:Procyclic: A procyclic (or procyclical) economic indicator is one that moves in the same direction as the economy. So if the economy is doing well, this number is usually increasing, whereas if were in a recession this indicator is decreasing. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is an example of a procyclic economic indicator.Countercyclic: A countercyclic (or countercyclical) economic indicator is one that moves in the opposite direction as the economy. The unemployment rate gets larger as the economy gets worse so it is a countercyclic economic indicator.Acyclic: An acyclic economic indicator is one that has no relation to the health of the economy and is generally of little use. The number of home runs the Montreal Expos hit in a year generally has no relationship to the health of the economy, so we could say it is an acyclic economic indicator.Frequency of the Dat aIn most countries, GDP figures are released quarterly (every three months) while the unemployment rate is released monthly. Some economic indicators, such as the Dow Jones Index, are available immediately and change every minute. TimingEconomic Indicators can be leading, lagging, or coincident which indicates the timing of their changes relative to how the economy as a whole changes.Three Timing Types of Economic IndicatorsLeading: Leading economic indicators are indicators which change before the economy changes. Stock market returns are a leading indicator, as the stock market usually begins to decline before the economy declines and they improve before the economy begins to pull out of a recession. Leading economic indicators are the most important type for investors as they help predict what the economy will be like in the future.Lagged: A lagged economic indicator is one that does not change direction until a few quarters after the economy does. The unemployment rate is a lagged economic indicator as unemployment tends to increase for 2 or 3 quarters after the economy starts to improve.Coincident: A coincident economic indicator is one that simply moves at the same time the economy does. The Gross Domest ic Product is a coincident indicator. Â   Many different groups collect and publish economic indicators, but the most important American collection of economic indicators is published by the United States Congress. Their Economic Indicators are published monthly and are available for download in PDF and TEXT formats. The indicators fall into seven broad categories: Total Output, Income, and SpendingEmployment, Unemployment, and WagesProduction and Business ActivityPricesMoney, Credit, and Security MarketsFederal FinanceInternational Statistics Each of the statistics in these categories helps create a picture of the performance of the economy and how the economy is likely to do in the future. Total Output, Income, and Spending These tend to be the broadest measures of economic performance and include such statistics as: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) [quarterly]Real GDP [quarterly]Implicit Price Deflator for GDP [quarterly]Business Output [quarterly]National Income [quarterly]Consumption Expenditure [quarterly]Corporate Profits[quarterly]Real Gross Private Domestic Investment[quarterly] The Gross Domestic Product is used to measure economic activity and thus is both procyclical and a coincident economic indicator. The Implicit Price Deflator is a measure of inflation. Inflation is procyclical as it tends to rise during booms and falls during periods of economic weakness. Measures of inflation are also coincident indicators. Consumption and consumer spending are also procyclical and coincident. Employment, Unemployment, and Wages These statistics cover how strong the labor market is and they include the following: The Unemployment Rate [monthly]Level of Civilian Employment[monthly]Average Weekly Hours, Hourly Earnings, and Weekly Earnings[monthly]Labor Productivity [quarterly] The unemployment rate is a lagged, countercyclical statistic. The level of civilian employment measures how many people are working so it is procyclic. Unlike the unemployment rate, it is a coincident economic indicator. Production and Business Activity These statistics cover how much businesses are producing and the level of new construction in the economy: Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization [monthly]New Construction [monthly]New Private Housing and Vacancy Rates [monthly]Business Sales and Inventories [monthly]Manufacturers Shipments, Inventories, and Orders [monthly] Changes in business inventories is an important leading economic indicator as they indicate changes in consumer demand. New construction including new home construction is another procyclical leading indicator which is watched closely by investors. A slowdown in the housing market during a boom often indicates that a recession is coming, whereas a rise in the new housing market during a recession usually means that there are better times ahead. Prices This category includes both the prices consumers pay as well as the prices businesses pay for raw materials and include: Producer Prices [monthly]Consumer Prices [monthly]Prices Received And Paid By Farmers [monthly] These measures are all measures of changes in the price level and thus measure inflation. Inflation is procyclical and a coincident economic indicator. Money, Credit, and Security Markets These statistics measure the amount of money in the economy as well as interest rates and include: Money Stock (M1, M2, and M3) [monthly]Bank Credit at All Commercial Banks [monthly]Consumer Credit [monthly]Interest Rates and Bond Yields [weekly and monthly]Stock Prices and Yields [weekly and monthly] Nominal interest rates are influenced by inflation, so like inflation, they tend to be procyclical and a coincident economic indicator. Stock market returns are also procyclical but they are a leading indicator of economic performance. Federal Finance These are measures of government spending and government deficits and debts: Federal Receipts (Revenue)[yearly]Federal Outlays (Expenses) [yearly]Federal Debt [yearly] Governments generally try to stimulate the economy during recessions and to do so they increase spending without raising taxes. This causes both government spending and government debt to rise during a recession, so they are countercyclical economic indicators. They tend to be coincident to the business cycle. International Trade These are a measure of how much the country is exporting and how much they are importing: Industrial Production and Consumer Prices of Major Industrial CountriesU.S. International Trade In Goods and ServicesU.S. International Transactions When times are good people tend to spend more money on both domestic and imported goods. The level of exports tends not to change much during the business cycle. So the balance of trade (or net exports) is countercyclical as imports outweigh exports during boom periods. Measures of international trade tend to be coincident economic indicators. While we cannot predict the future perfectly, economic indicators help us understand where we are and where we are going.

How significant were the neandertals to the evolution of anatomically Essay

How significant were the neandertals to the evolution of anatomically modern humans - Essay Example Neandertal fossils date back to 130 000- 30 000 BP throughout the region of Eurasia. Their fossils were morphologically different from modern man in that they were ruggedly built with thick chest (Lahr 130). The Neandertals were very strong and muscular; an adaptation that helped them to survive in tough conditions. According to Hublin, the Neandertals spent most of their lives in caves given that their reign was during a period of long glacial maximum. Although referred to as ancient cavemen, recent archaeological studies have pointed out that the Neandertals were intelligent considering the fact they used stone tools and sometimes fire. (Ponced et al,13767). Thus, new evidence suggests that although the Neandertals were slightly physically different from the anatomically modern man, both shared a lot of characteristics. According to Roebroeks, anatomically modern man came into direct contact with the Neandertals about fifty thousand years ago (p. 438). The neandertals and modern ma n were forced to compete for the resources available like food and locations (Mellars 103). However, the highly specialized morphology of the Neandertals began working to their disadvantage due the climatic changes. There is no conclusive evidence to ascertain whether modern man was more evolve than the neandertals at this point in history. However, the discovery of cultural items associated with early modern man suggest that indeed, neandertals were less evolved in comparison (Hardy 35). Since both the neandertals and modern man shared diets, the competition for food grew fierce with time. Eventually, the neandertals were pushed towards harsh and less fertile environment which heralded their demise. It should be noted that modern man and neandertals were very similar. Research by Currat pointed out that modern man and neandertals had similar cultures (p. 15129). For instance, both were cognizant of the significance of death and tools of trade were inherited. Although they both had had significant morphological differences, their genetic distinction could still allow for mating to produce offspring that was viable. The possibility of interbreeding between modern man and neandertals may offer insight into the similar traits between the two (Weaver et al 464) . The gene of microcephalin is archeologically attributed to neandertal man. This trait was absent in modern man genome up to approximately one million years ago. Its presence in anatomically modern man thus points out to interbreeding with the neandertals. The gene that allowed for more brain development and intelligence was critical for the existence and survival of modern man (Ponced 1365). This gene was rapidly propagated through the modern man by positive selection and it is now present in a majority of the world population. Thus, it is evident that neandertals passed on some superior genes of brain development to modern man which contributed significantly to their evolution. The intelligence gene was advantageous to the progress and survival of anatomically modern man in a dynamic world. According to Blow et al, further research into the DNA of Neandertals has indicated compellingly that in deed anatomically modern man and neandertals interbred (1367). This conclusion was reached after the study found out that modern man had a gene that helped to develop resistance to virus that was previously found in

Drafting Introbodyconclusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Drafting Introbodyconclusion - Essay Example They spend a lot of time and money in their quest for the perfect body. They spend time under the surgeon's knife, trying as hard to look the perfect person. Models on the ramp, play host to millions of probing eyes and have been taught to look their pleasing best. Life is never easy on the fast track. Leaving behind their personal feelings, and throwing caution to wind, these tall, slim-legged, hour-glass bodied women live a life of make-believe. Is life on the ramp a bed of roses, as most of us make it to be How true has the proverb, "All that shines is not gold" proved to be. Yes! The ramp is a stage, and the models, its actors. They are there to please the connoisseur and our senses. To follow them would be disastrous and to say the least, painful. Health and beauty industries thrive on women's senses. Not much can be said of men's apparel or health and beauty care. This multi-million dollar industry remains vibrant thanks to media hype and idol-worship. Not much is seen or heard of adversities. MTV shows women clad in minutiae bits and pieces of clothing flashing more of bodies than the cloth they are supposed to represent. This is far from the reality of what fashion should be today. It's true that there remains a few with genuine interest in clothing and its accessories, but for the majority, it's the flesh and blood that appeals most.