References Essays - Australia Day, Indigenous Australians

References Essays - Australia Day, Indigenous Australians References Amnesty International. (2017, January 24). 'WHY I DIDN'T CELEBRATE AUSTRALIA DAY': 9 INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS DISCUSS WHY THE DATE SHOULD CHANGE . Retrieved from Amnesty International: https://www.amnesty.org.au/australia-day-change-the-date-2017/ Australia Today. (2017). INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS . Retrieved from Australia Today: https://www.australiaday.com.au/about/indigenous-australians/ IndegenousX. (2017). Why we need to change the date of Australia Day . Retrieved from IndegenousX: http://indigenousx.com.au/why-we-need-to-change-the-date-of-australia-day/#.WOoMHkV95dh Lui, N. (2014, January 25). Australia Day is a time for mourning, not celebration . Retrieved from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/26/australia-day-is-a-time-for-mourning-not-celebration The Conversation. (2015, January 25). The day I don't feel Australian? That would be Australia Day . Retrieved from The Conversation: http://theconversation.com/the-day-i-dont-feel-australian-that-would-be-australia-day-36352 The Conversation. (2017, January 25). Changing Australia Day is pointless - and there is much to celebrate . Retrieved from The Conversation: http://theconversation.com/changing-australia-day-is-pointless-and-there-is-much-to-celebrate-71010 Waxman, O. B. (2017, January 25). What to Know About the History Behind Australia Day . Retrieved from Time: http://time.com/4644497/australia-day-2017-history-origins/

The Guide of Successful Essay Leadership Writing Great Writing Inspires

The Guide of Successful Essay Leadership Writing Great Writing Inspires The Guide of Successful Essay Leadership Writing: Great Writing Inspires Recently, leadership has sparked off numerous debates among researchers. As such, it is the subject of most extensive researches and literature reviews. For example, in Harvard Business Review the study by David Rooke and William R. Torbert concludes that there are seven leadership transformations due to   a number of personal changes and external interventions. It is very common for students to be asked to write leadership essays even if they are not pursuing a course in leadership. The subject of leadership cuts across different scholarly disciplines, either Psychology, Management or Sociology. The following guide will help you write a compelling essay on leadership. 1.   Identify Your Area of Focus In most cases, an essay on leadership may require your personal reflection on what leadership is. In some instances, you may be asked to demonstrate how you exhibit leadership traits. In other cases, you may be given a scenario and asked to be in shoes of a leader and demonstrate leadership styles needed for that situation. Once you have instructions, you need to identify your area of focus. This will ensure that you remain within the scope of a write-up. 2.   Have a Strong Introduction The introduction gives you an opportunity to wow your readers. This part is aimed at grabbing their attention. However, it can also be the point where you lose them because they lose interest in reading the rest of a leadership essay. A strong introduction acts as a steering point. If you are doing a review, you can choose a memorable quote and incorporate it in the introduction section. 3.   Have a Concise Thesis Statement A thesis statement needs to be brief and clear. Try to confine your ideas to not more than two sentences. The statement is what sums up the argument you should make in the essay. The thesis statement should also have a punch. In most cases, tutors will look at the thesis statement when deciding how to grade your paper. 4.   Provide Rich Content in the Body The body of the content should be rich and comprehensive. Students make the mistake of giving shallow statements without supporting their information. Inasmuch as you are supposed to give your views, ensure that you have research to back it up. Read the article by David G. Jensenon at Science on different leadership styles to cement your views. You can also cite contrary views to your argument. The reader should follow your line of thoughts and see how you reasonably come to a conclusion. The body should have several paragraphs of a content. These paragraphs must have a clear flow of thoughts connected with suitable transition words like ‘Firstly’, ‘Secondly’, ‘Thirdly’. It is important to have a rough draft before you begin to write the final leadership essay. 5.   Follow Essay Writing Instructions and Guidelines Tutors award high marks for following all instructions and working within the guidelines provided. Many students rush to finish an essay or research paper forgetting to carefully look through its instructions. Once your paper is complete, double-check the instructions given by your tutor. Look out for which referencing style is required, either APA, MLA or Chicago. It is also important to ensure that your paper is free of grammatical, spelling and punctuation mistakes. The guideline above serves as a blueprint to help you write an essay on leadership that is supposed to lead you to success. Do so in such a way as to inspire the other people by your writing. If you are at a loss what to do in a particular essay, feel free to address our custom essay writing service with academic professionals. Just rely on their quick help in writing, proofreading and editing.

Compensation And Employment Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Compensation And Employment Ethics - Essay Example You don't necessarily know the inherent assumptions which went into the design of the software, nor do you know with certainty what its limitations are. These computer programs and the computers themselves are wonderful tools but don’t use them blindly. The E&C contractor lost the job, one that was worth over $500 million. I don't know but I would not be surprised if some engineers also lost their jobs – they should have. In this case, blind faith in a piece of software cost the firm a lot of money. In another set of circumstances, this type of error could have cost lives. Protection of the public, the basis for requiring the engineering â€Å"seal† in the first place, is only afforded when an engineer qualified in the relevant discipline is responsible for all aspects of planning, design, and field supervision of the project. Engineering is an exciting field, and one of the best things about it is the wide range of career opportunities it affords. However, as professionals, engineers must remain vigilant so that they do not overestimate their abilities in fields outside their chosen discipline. The American Society of Civil Engineers serves my field of study. In order to be a member of the society, one must be certified as a land surveyor or engineer intern and licensed in the US as an L.S or P.E. additionally, one must have a bachelor’s and master’s degree from an ABET/EAC accredited civil engineering school. the society requires engineers to comply with the ASCE code of ethics It was ethical for Most to decline the job since someone cannot be forced to undertake a job he feels uncomfortable with. Also, Ball acted ethically by highlighting that Most had the required qualifications. This is because lying to the administrative board would have been unethical.

Influence of Drilling Fluid on oil Recovery in Homogenous Reservoirs Essay

Influence of Drilling Fluid on oil Recovery in Homogenous Reservoirs - Essay Example Needless to say, as significant as 70 percent produce of mines in the world, produce water contaminated by metals, which come from acid mines drainage and process streams (Srivastava & Majunder, 2008). The waste water, such as that containing metal and sulphate contaminates, are accompanied by far reaching environmental consequences. Moreover, the costs associated with managing these consequences are significant. This paper gives an overview of water contamination in the mining industries, followed by an exploration of the common methods under development and operation. Considering that current water treatment techniques have varied limitations, this paper proposes a way forward for mining industries to avoid water contamination. There are various elements within the earth crust, which include hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, sodium, magnesium, phosphorous, sulphur, chlorine, potassium and calcium. These constitute 99 percent of the earth living matter. On the other hand, there are fourteen essential elements. These include boron, fluorine, silicon, manganese, iron, cobalt, and copper, among others. Metals such as Mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, copper manganese and zinc are not essential, and their interaction with the aquatic environment is hazardous. On the other hand, heavy metals are a class of metallic elements that contain relatively high densities whose low concentrations are highly toxic. The atomic metals have atomic weight that range from 63.5 to 2006. Heavy metals can are additionally classified as toxic metals, precious metals and radio-nuclide. Radionuclides include uranium and thorium. Precious metals include silver and gold, among others (Srivastava & Majunder, 2008). Acid solutions resu lt from the interaction of the ground or of surface water with the acidic materials, such as pyrites that are found in rocks at the mines, piles of earthen refuse and auger holes. The iron sulphide mineral pyrites are usually found near subsurface coal seams, together with compounds containing aluminium and manganese, among other metals. In the presence of oxygen, rainwater or ground waters contact sulphur to form sulphuric acid. Acid concentration in the acid mine drainage can reach as significant levels such as ten thousand times the neutral water. Evidently, this presents a powerful leaching agent with the potential of dissolving significant amounts of metal substances, as well as additional leaching substances that are common at most mine sites. Rock layers and earth above the coalmines contain traces of metals such as iron, aluminium and manganese, but can also contain other heavy metals such as lead and cadmium (Han & Chan, 2006). These metals dissolve in the acid mine drainag e and are washed into water sources through run off. Eventually, such metal concentrations harm aquatic organisms such as fish. For instance, dissolved iron precipitates can kill aquatic organisms that serve as food for fishes. Iron precipitate can result in fish gill clogging. Additionally, iron precipitation in the drainage channels alter aquatic food chains; thereby adversely affecting fish populations. Treatment of waste water The concern for environmental scientists has been to establish possible ways of regulating hazardous metal concentrations and mitigate associated environmental concerns. Methods in the treatment of the acid mine drainage can be broadly categorized into two; active treatment and passive treatment methods. Active techniques entail mechanical addition of the alkaline solutions with the aim of raising PH concentrations besides precipitating metals. Passive treatment

Organizational Structure Essay Example for Free

Organizational Structure Essay This research focuses on the job satisfaction level of employees at Emirates Technical Thermal Systems (ETTS), a construction company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The data collected was examined in relation to the existing organizational structure within the business, which is primarily a hierarchal one. The study includes information collected from three employee levels at ETTS, which include management, employees, and laborers. The relationship between position in the work organization and job satisfaction for every level of the hierarchal distribution has been studied carefully; both primary and secondary research has been conducted in order to best indicate where the problems lie, and the best ways of improving the current situations. The outcome and findings from this research have indicated a clear imbalance across the current structure of the company. Job satisfaction is high amongst management, and consistently decreases at the lower levels of the employee ladder. Job satisfaction plays an important role in the overall productivity of any given industry. Given the growing concern within ETTS regarding the aspect of performance, quality of work, and workforce issues, little attention has been paid to workers at the lower levels of the organization hierarchy. Introduction: There are many aspects of an organization and job role which come into play when analyzing the contributing factors to job satisfaction. In this research paper, a focus was placed on company structure, and the contribution of hierarchal distribution in an organization to job satisfaction. Research Aims and Objectives: The aim of the research was measuring job satisfaction, in all its aspects, across the various segments within the organizational structure, in order to gain better understanding of where the gaps lie, the factors contributing to dissatisfaction, and the best ways of reconciling the issues. The reason why ETTS was selected is due to perceived issues in the organization in regards to communication and harmony across the various levels within its hierarchy, and perceived job dissatisfaction in lower levels. In conducting the research, job satisfaction at ETTS was examined, and primary research was segmented to include sample groups from every level of the organizational structures hierarchy. Key Variables The research paper will analyze the issue by discussing the dependent variable (Job Satisfaction) in relation to the contributing independent variable (Organizational Structure). Job satisfaction will be measured by discussing contributory aspects, including employee engagement, job involvement, organizational commitment and perceived organizational support. The levels which were examined in relation to the organizational structure are: management, employees and laborers. Company Background: ETTS is a company specialized in electro-mechanical contracting. The company offers a full range of services related to all types of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, electrical and plumbing systems. The company was established in 1995, and has a definitive hierarchal structure. As detailed in the company’s profile and stated hereunder: Management: The board of directors of the company, general manager, operations manager and managers of all departments, branches and projects form the core management group. Employees: Personnel who conduct various tasks in different disciplines and report to the above-mentioned managers. Labor force: Consists of the manpower that carries out physically demanding work at construction sites. Hence, a definitive hierarchal structure is in place. At the top of the pyramid are those holding management positions, followed by employees, and finally laborers. Report Structure This report will primarily delve into the literature review, which will detail the findings from secondary research on the topic of structure in relation to job satisfaction. A thorough description of the primary research findings will follow, in order to give an insight on issues that exist at ETTS, and a comparison of these, and previous findings from secondary sources, on the issue will be made. Next, a detailed conclusion based on the findings of the research will be discussed. Recommendations will be given in order to map the best ways of dealing with the existing issues within the organization. Methodology: The research methodology required gathering relevant data from both primary and secondary sources in order to analyze the material and arrive at a more complete understanding of the effect of organizational hierarchy at ETTS on overall employee job satisfaction as illustrated below. Secondary Data The bulk of the secondary data used to conduct this research was collected from the UOW online database. A Total of nine scholarly research articles were derived from the university library database, adding to three which were obtained from the internet. One example of the articles used was published in the African Journal of Business Management in 2009 and is titled â€Å"Job satisfaction: Does rank make a difference?† by S. Z. Eyupoglu and T. Saner. This study was used to relate job satisfaction to employee ranking. Another example is research which was published in the Career development international journal in 2010 titled â€Å"Impact of career plateau and supervisory support on career satisfaction† by V. Wickramasinghe and M. Jayaweera. This research was examined to reflect the effect of supervisory support on the overall job satisfaction. Besides the scholarly research articles listed in the reference section, the textbook â€Å"Organizational Behavior† 15 th edition by S. Robbins and T. Judge was utilized as a general guide.

Essay --

Stephanie LaGrua Professor Nichols Art and Human Needs Final Exam 13 December 2013 Part One: Shelter The Villa Rotonda is a house built by Andrea Palladio from 1566 to 1571. The Villa Rotonda is located on top of a low hill in Vincenza, Italy. Built during the Renaissance era, this 16th Century Italian house has showed influence to many other architects throughout the world. The Villa Rotonda is the most urbanized structure Andrea Palladio has constructed. The floor plan was a square floor plan roofed by a dome. The structure has four entrances with each having steps leading up to a columned portico, porch like area. It has been said that the columned porticos give the building a Roman Temple look. The Villa Rotonda only has livable rooms on the first floor while the second floor is strictly state rooms. Andrea Palladio designed the Villa Rotonda with mathematical precision and symmetrical proportions. Fertility/Sexuality The Venus of Willendorf, or also called, The Woman of Willendorf, is a statue of a female that is 10.8 cm high. Johann Veran had found the statue is 1908 in a village called Willendorf in lower Austria close to the city of Krems. Which is how it has gotten its name. The statue is now held in the Naturhistorishes Museum located in Vienna, Austria. The figurine was carved between 28,000 BCE and 25,000 BCE. This time period was the Paleolithic Period, also more commonly known as the â€Å"Old Stone Age.† The statue is made of a type of limestone that is not known to be produced in the surrounding area it was found in, along with a reddish tint of red ochre. The figurine does not have a way to stand on its own due to the fact it does not have feet. The statue also does not have a face but does have what it seems to b... ...ch her face. She looks off into the distance not knowing what is going to happen and despair in her eyes. The wrinkles and creases on her face show worry and sadness. There are two children almost hiding behind her as she slouches forward cradling a baby that seems sound asleep. Her shirt is unbuttoned, her clothes along with the children’s clothes are dirty and worn out. The Migrant Mother communicates emotions of fear, uncertainty, pain and depression that many American families felt during this period. The photograph portrays what life was like for America’s families suffering during this depression. The fact that this in an actual photograph and not a painting makes it more compelling and relatable because it is a realistic view of a human being in pain. A painting would just be a replica therefore the affect it would have on people would not be as significant.

Business Writing: Memoranda Essay

Currently, our policy provides for three kinds of leaves – Vacation Leave, Sick Leave and Bereavement Leave. There is no provision for Emergency Leaves and are deducted on a â€Å"no work, no pay† basis. For those who do not want outright deduction, consideration is given such that, upon request, these are deducted later and applied under our Sick Leave policy rule. In consideration of a request formalized through our Suggestion Box regarding absences which have to be taken due to an emergency, we are pleased to advise you that the following adjustment in the Personnel Policies of Smith, Smith and Smith regarding Vacation Leaves will be made effective from 01 October 2006: ARTICLE 7 VACATION LEAVE The Company shall grant an Annual Vacation Leave with pay of 30 days per calendar year for all regular employees who have rendered one (1) full year of continuous service. A maximum of five (5) days out of these 30 days can be applied as Emergency Leave. An Emergency Leave is defined as leave taken due to unforeseen circumstances such as sickness in the family limited to spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings or parents-in-law and events due to force majeure. However, if the said employee entitled thereto fails to use the same vacation leave within a year, she/he shall forfeit the same Vacation Leave. Moreover, any leaves taken beyond what is provided shall be on a no work, no pay basis. If the employee is prevented by the company from taking leave, this rule shall not be applicable. Furthermore, management reserves the right to put any employee on forced vacation leave to give effect thereto. We trust that the above addresses one of our common concerns. Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Quantitative and Qualitative Research Questions and Hypothesis Essay

Jung (2007) found that general education teacher’s attitudes toward the integration of students with disabilities reflect a lack of confidence both in their own instructional skills and in the quality of support personnel currently provides. General and special education teachers are placed in inclusive classroom settings for the betterment of the student; however, planning is not as effective when general education teachers are not properly trained on or comfortable with the technology. Thousand and Villa (2000) in McLaren, Bausch, & Ault (2007), found that providing training for all teachers will result in improved academic and social outcomes for students with disabilities, plus their teachers will become empowered . The problem is the need for more collaborative training for inclusion teachers in an effort to effectively plan curriculum and increase their levels of confidence with the use of AT devices. The specific problem is the need to develop a program to train inclusion teachers on the use of AT devices needed to effectively plan for students with disabilities. This study will use a quantitative method and a Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology. The PAR will be conducted by dividing the study into two sequence phases. The first phase will include developing the training program, introducing basic AT devices that can be used for all students, and reflection of the first training. Phase two will include training for advanced AT devices that are developed for specific student needs, developing a lesson with the use of one general and one advanced AT device, and the opportunity to teach the lesson. The results should interest school districts that service students with disabilities in an effort to improve effective collaboration for inclusion teachers, thus promoting a sense of teamwork to improve student achievement through the use of technology. Revised Purpose Statement- Quantitative Study The purpose of this quantitative research study is to develop a training program for special and general education inclusion teachers that will focus on strategies for educational development, effective academic structuring, and increased teacher support systems with the use of Assistive Technology. The data collection design will include surveys before, during, and after  each phase, trainings to implement the program, and field opportunities to identify the areas of improvement and to test the validity of the program. The population will be composed of elementary school teachers who are placed in inclusion settings without prior training. The sample and sample set will include three novice and three veteran elementary inclusion teachers selected from grades 3-5 based on survey results. The geographical area will include three local elementary feeder schools that house special education programs in the South Fulton County area of Georgia. Quantitative Research Questions and Hypoth esis RQ: To what degree, if at all, will training in Assistive Technology promote effective academic structuring and teacher collaboration in inclusive classroom settings?  HO: The degree of training in Assistive Technology will not promote effective academic structuring and teacher collaboration in inclusive classroom settings.  HA: The degree of training in Assistive Technology will positively promote effective academic structuring and teacher collaboration in inclusive classroom settings. Revised Problem Statement – Qualitative Study Al-Shammari and Yawkey (2008) believe that special education students require the involvement of parents to be successful for overall development and in their education programs. Parents are encouraged to participate by offering physical and psychological assistance to the special education teachers in an effort to monitor and manage student progress. However, the lack of support, knowledge, time, and resources result in the unwillingness to participate. Bird (2006) found that increasing parental involvement through technology may have a positive effect on the development of special education students and parents. The problem is the need for technological resources that promote parental involvement for improving the educational development of special education students. The specific problem is identifying the technology that most effectively increases parental involvement in special education. This study will use a qualitative method and case study similar to Hartas’ (2008) st udy of the effects of parental  involvement on students with Autism. Parents will participate in semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and classroom observations to determine what motivates them to be involved. The results should interest special education teachers who require assistance from parents in order for students to attend school daily, participate in instruction, and continue to exhibit progression in all areas of development. Revised Purpose Statement- Qualitative Study The purpose of this qualitative case study is to identify the technological resources that are most effective in encouraging parents of special education students to be involved in the student’s education. The data collection design will include questionnaires, observations, schedule restructuring, community involvement, and semi-structured interviews to identify the areas of improvement. The population will be composed of parents who have elementary-aged special needs children. The sample and sample set will include ten parents; five from two-parent working class homes and five from single-parent working class homes. The geographical area will include two (of the three) selected elementary feeder schools, based on survey results, that service special education students in the South Fulton County area of Georgia who are most in need of an intervention. Qualitative Research Question What are the most effective technological resources that assist in encouraging parents of students with special needs to be involved in their child’s education? References Al-Shammari, Z., & Yawkey, T. (2008). Extent of parental involvement in improving the students’ levels in special education programs in Kuwait. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 35(2), 140-150. Bird, K. (2006). How do you spell parental involvement? S-I-S. The Journal, 33(7), 38. Hartas, D. (2008). Practices of parental participation: A case study. Educational Psychology in Practice, 24(2), 139-153. Jung, W. (2007). Preservice teacher training for successful inclusion. Education, 128(1), 106-113. McLaren, E. M., Bausch, M. E., & Ault, M. (2007). Collaboration strategies reported  by teachers providing assistive technology services. Journal of Special Education Technology, 22(4), 16-29. Week 5 Review Components2 points| Expected elements are included.| Articulation5 points | As noted, there are shortcomings regarding population and sample. * 1 point| Presentation2 points | Writing and formatting are well done.| Total9 points| A good start toward purpose statements aligned with problem.|

The eNotes Blog Hey Genius, MacArthurs Calling

Hey Genius, MacArthurs Calling One call, out of the blue, $500,000, and no strings attached. Wouldnt that be nice? Unfortunately, this only happens to geniuses Im talking about the MacArthur Foundations genius grant, which yesterday was awarded to 23 recipients. Among them were authors Junot Diaz, writer of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and the more recent This is How You Lose Her, and Ethiopian born Dinaw Mengetsu, whose two published novels are The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears and How to Read the Air. Dinaw Mengetsu Both authors have had the chance to share their jubilation upon receiving the news, and what it means to them. Mengetsu was as far afield as Nairobi when he received his call: It was obviously amazingly overwhelming and at the same time felt remarkably appropriate to be there and to be in a community that I felt I was desperately trying to reach out to Part of what the MacArthur fellowship does is remind me that the work Ive done is relevant – not necessarily what I write about, but the people who populate my work. That those people have a significance and meaning that sometimes might be overshadowed or lost in the larger narrative of the world, and its important to keep writing out of those experiences. Interestingly, both writers are immigrants to the US, Mengetsu as a toddler and Diaz as a teen. That seems to have influenced their writing and style, and in turn caught the Foundations eye, which said of Diaz that he creates nuanced and engaging characters struggling to succeed and often invisible in plain sight to the American mainstream. Diaz reflected on the honor of the award in an interview with AP: It left me thinking about my childhood †¦ It would never have dawned on me to think such a thing was possible for me †¦ struggling with poverty, struggling with English. †¦ I came from a community that was about as hard-working as you can get and yet no one saw or recognized in any way our contributions or our genius. †¦ I have to wonder, but for circumstances, how many other kids that I came up with are more worthy of this fellowship than me? Junot Diaz The Columbian author also said the grant would be  transformational for him and his work. It allows you to focus on your art with very little other concerns. Its kind of like a big blast of privilege. For those whove never heard of the grant or its criteria, the Foundations website offers some information for aspiring geniuses: The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world [It]  awards five-year, unrestricted fellowships to individuals across all ages and fields who show exceptional merit and promise of continued creative work. A full list of the recipients and their bios can be found at the MacArthur Foundations page for the fellows of 2012. Among them is the creator of The Wire, two filmmakers, a pediatric neurosurgeon at Boston Childrens Hospital, and   a certain mandolin player who incredibly thought this life-changing call was a robocall. You can read more on that, here. Study Guides for Junot Diaz: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Drown Fiesta, 1980 The Sun, The Moon, The Stars

Biography of Marco Polo, Famous Explorer

Biography of Marco Polo, Famous Explorer Marco Polo was an inmate in the Genoese prison at the Palazzo di San Giorgio from 1296 to 1299, arrested for commanding a Venetian galley in a war against Genoa. While there, he told tales of his travels through Asia to his fellow prisoners and the guards alike, and his cellmate Rustichello da Pisa wrote them down. Once the two were released from prison, copies of the manuscript, titled The Travels of Marco Polo, captivated Europe. Polo told tales of fabulous Asian courts, black stones that would catch on fire (coal), and Chinese money made out of paper. Ever since people have debated the question: Did Marco Polo really go to China, and see all of the things he claims to have seen? Early Life Marco Polo was probably born in Venice, although there is no proof of his place of birth, around 1254 CE. His father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo were Venetian merchants who traded on the Silk Road; little Marcos father left for Asia before the child was born, and would return when the boy was a teenager. He may not have even realized that his wife was pregnant when he left. Thanks to enterprising merchants such as the Polo brothers, Venice flourished at this time as the major trading hub for imports from the fabulous oasis cities of Central Asia, India, and far-off, wondrous Cathay (China). With the exception of India, the whole expanse of Silk Road Asia was under the control of the Mongol Empire at this time. Genghis Khan had died, but his grandson Kublai Khan was Great Khan of the Mongols as well as the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China. Pope Alexander IV announced to Christian Europe in a 1260 papal bull that they faced wars of universal destruction wherewith the scourge of Heavens wrath in the hands of the inhuman Tartars [Europes name for the Mongols], erupting as it were from the secret confines of Hell, oppresses and crushes the earth. For men such as the Polos, however, the now stable and peaceful Mongol Empire was a source of wealth, rather than of hell-fire. Young Marco Goes to Asia When the elder Polos returned to Venice in 1269, they found that Niccolos wife had died and left behind a 15-year-old son named Marco. The boy must have been surprised to learn that he was not an orphan, as well. Two years later, the teenager, his father, and his uncle would embark eastward on another great journey. The Polos made their way to Acre, now in Israel, and then rode camels north to Hormuz, Persia. On their first visit to Kublai Khans court, the Khan had asked the Polo brothers to bring him oil from the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, which Armenian Orthodox priests sold in that city, so the Polos went to the Holy City to buy the consecrated oil. Marcos travel account mentions various other interesting peoples along the way, including Kurds and Marsh Arabs in Iraq. Young Marco was put off by the Armenians, considering their Orthodox Christianity a heresy, puzzled by Nestorian Christianity, and even more alarmed by the Muslim Turks (or Saracens). He admired the beautiful Turkish carpets with the instincts of a merchant, however. The naive young traveler would have to learn to be open-minded about new peoples and their beliefs. On to China The Polos crossed into Persia, through Savah and the carpet-weaving center of Kerman. They had planned to sail to China via India but found that the ships available in Persia were too rickety to be trusted. Instead, they would join a trade caravan of two-humped Bactrian camels. Before they departed from Persia, however, the Polos passed by the Eagles Nest, scene of Hulagu Khans 1256 siege against the Assassins or Hashshashin. Marco Polos account, taken from local tales, may have vastly exaggerated the fanaticism of the Assassins. Nevertheless, he was very happy to descend the mountains and take the road toward Balkh, in northern Afghanistan, famed as the ancient home of Zoroaster or Zarathustra. One of the oldest cities on earth, Balkh did not live up to Marcos expectations, primarily because Genghis Khans army had done its best to erase the intransigent city from the face of the Earth. Nonetheless, Marco Polo came to admire Mongol culture, and to develop his own obsession with Central Asian horses (all of them descended from Alexander the Greats mount Bucephalus, as Marco tells it) and with falconry - two mainstays of Mongol life. He also began to pick up the Mongol language, which his father and uncle already could speak well. In order to get to the Mongolian heartlands and Kublai Khans court, however, the Polos had to cross the high Pamir Mountains. Marco encountered Buddhist monks with their saffron robes and shaved heads, which he found fascinating. Next, the Venetians traveled toward the great Silk Road oases of Kashgar and Khotan, entering the fearsome Taklamakan Desert of western China. For forty days, the Polos trudged across the burning landscape whose very name means you go in, but you dont come out. Finally, after three and a half years of hard travel and adventure, the Polos made it to the Mongol court in China. In Kublai Khans Court When he met Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, Marco Polo was just 20 years old. By this time he had become an enthusiastic admirer of the Mongol people, quite at odds with the opinion in most of the 13th century Europe. His Travels notes that They are those people who most in the world bear work and great hardship and are content with little food, and who are for this reason suited best to conquer cities, lands, and kingdoms. The Polos arrived in Kublai Khans summer capital, called Shangdu or Xanadu. Marco was overcome by the beauty of the place: The halls and rooms... are all gilded and wonderfully painted within with pictures and images of beasts and birds and trees and flowers... It is fortified like a castle in which are fountains and rivers of running water and very beautiful lawns and groves. All three of the Polo men went to Kublai Khans court and performed a kowtow, after which the Khan welcomed his old Venetian acquaintances. Niccolo Polo presented the Khan with the oil from Jerusalem. He also offered his son Marco to the Mongol lord as a servant. In the Khans Service Little did the Polos know that they would be forced to remain in Yuan China for seventeen years. They could not leave without Kublai Khans permission, and he enjoyed conversing with his pet Venetians. Marco, in particular, became a favorite of the Khans  and incurred a lot of jealousy from the Mongol courtiers. Kublai Khan was extremely curious about Catholicism, and the Polos believed at times that he might convert. The Khans mother had been a Nestorian Christian, so it was not so great a leap as it might have appeared. However, conversion to a western faith might have alienated many of the emperors subjects, so he toyed with the idea but never committed to it. Marco Polos descriptions of the wealth and splendor of the Yuan court, and of the size and organization of Chinese cities, struck his European audience as impossible to believe. For example, he loved the southern Chinese city of Hangzhou, which at that time had a population of about 1.5 million people. That is about 15 times the contemporary population of Venice, then one of Europes largest cities and European readers simply refused to give credence to this fact. Return by Sea By the time Kublai Khan reached the age of 75 in 1291, the Polos probably had just about given up hope that he would ever allow them to return home to Europe. He also seemed determined to live forever. Marco, his father, and his uncle finally got permission to leave the Great Khans court that year, so that they could serve as escorts of a 17-year-old Mongol princess who was being sent to Persia as a bride. The Polos took the sea route back, first boarding a ship to Sumatra, now in Indonesia, where they were marooned by changing monsoons for 5 months. Once the winds shifted, they went on to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and then to India, where Marco was fascinated by Hindu cow-worship and mystical yogis, along with Jainism and its prohibition on harming even a single insect. From there, they voyaged on to the Arabian Peninsula, arriving back at Hormuz, where they delivered the princess to her waiting bridegroom. It took two years for them to make the trip from China back to Venice; thus, Marco Polo likely was just about to turn 40 when he returned to his home city. Life in Italy As imperial emissaries and savvy traders, the Polos returned to Venice in 1295 laden with exquisite goods. However, Venice was embroiled in a feud with Genoa over control of the very trade routes that had enriched the Polos. Thus it was that Marco found himself in command of a Venetian war galley, and then a prisoner of the Genoese. After his release from prison in 1299, Marco Polo returned to Venice and continued his work as a merchant. He never went traveling again, however, hiring others to make expeditions instead of taking on that task himself. Marco Polo also married the daughter of another successful trading family and had three daughters. In January of 1324, Marco Polo died at the age of about 69. In his will, he freed a Tartar slave who had served him since his return from China. Although the man had died, his story lived on, inspiring the imaginations and adventures of other Europeans. Christopher Columbus, for example, had a copy of Marco Polos Travels, which he notated heavily in the margins. Whether or not they believed his stories, the people of Europe certainly loved to hear about the fabulous Kublai Khan and his wondrous courts at Xanadu and Dadu (Beijing). Sources Bergreen, Laurence. Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu, New York: Random House Digital, 2007. â€Å"Marco Polo.† Biography.com, AE Networks Television, 15 Jan. 2019, www.biography.com/people/marco-polo-9443861. Polo, Marco. The Travels of Marco Polo, trans. William Marsden, Charleston, SC: Forgotten Books, 2010. Wood, Frances. Did Marco Polo Go to China?, Boulder, CO: Westview Books, 1998.

What are the main causes of global warming Essay

What are the main causes of global warming - Essay Example The earth’s atmosphere usually traps solar radiation, through gases such as Carbon IV oxide, methane and water vapor; these are called the greenhouse gases, which allow incoming radiation to pass through, but traps and retain the heat radiated back from the earth’s surface (Dahlman & Renwick 96). This phenomenon is called the greenhouse effect. Global warming is simply an enhanced form of the greenhouse effect, caused by a major upsurge in the greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere. The gases trap more and more radiation leading to an overall increase in the earth. For global warming to occur, a lot of factors come into play. However, scientists have concluded that human activity is the leading cause of global warming. This happens in two main ways: burning fossil fuels, which is the main cause and deforestation. When fossil fuels are extracted and burnt, they release CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Increased CO2 in the atmosphere is the biggest concern because it can last in the atmosphere for generations. Deforestation only happens to accelerate the problem further. This is because most of the cleared trees, when burnt, also release CO2. Furthermore, we know that forests require CO2 for photosynthesis. In the process, plants are able to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Clearing trees therefore leads to the build of carbon IV oxide, which in turn raises the earth’s temperatures. Global warming causes climate change (Dahlman & Renwick 96). This is unpredictable and mostly devastating changes in weather such as the Hurricane Sandy and other extreme climatic events such as the melting of the polar ice. These changes therefore call for all the people in the world to join hands to try to reverse and in the end eliminate this process. Among the strategies set forth to combat global warming include afforestation, which is the planting of forests where they were depleted,