Psychology Admission Statement Essay

As one of the aspiring psychologists, it has come to my understanding that such endeavour is never an easy task but is rather a long road of travel and a stage filled with challenges. In this regard, I truthfully believe that receiving formal studies in psychology course would render me to be more prepared in becoming an outstanding psychologist in the near future. Certainly, my interest in psychology has started and is already evident during my younger years wherein I have found my passion in analyzing human behaviour and the human mind. There are different interesting fields that provide me with much motivation to immerse myself in this field. This is the passion which still pushes me to remain in this field and become an expert in such. In light of my personal qualities and characteristics, I would say that a career in such industry is the best place for me as I am the type of person that is not easily disturbed by the actions of other people and is adequately patient in attending the needs of the people. Nonetheless, as an aspirant in this line of work, I am focused with my professional and personal mission, which is to attend and uplift the life of the people through the direct and indirect contributions that I make.

First Poem for You Essay

The Shakespearean sonnet â€Å"First Poem for You† has an iambic pentameter and consistent rhyme scheme. Every other line represents a true rhyme – the final accented vowels and all succeeding consonants or syllables are identical. For example the words â€Å"complete† and â€Å"neat† (Addonizio 1, 3). Every line of the poem has a basic stressed and unstressed syllable format, except the last line. The extension of the last line â€Å"but touch them, trying† implements a longer stress (14). I believe this has definite meaning to the structure of the poem. In addition, the final verse of the poem is the longest line. In relation to the word â€Å"trying†, I believe that the longer stress and length in the final line of the poem emphasizes the woman continuing to mend the relationship with her boyfriend. The theme of the poem is about love and desire, a woman who cares for her boyfriend seeks to mend the brokenness in their relationship. The title of the poem, â€Å"First Poem for You†, is simplistic and straightforward. Nevertheless, it has direct meaning and relation to the poem. There is a woman writing to her boyfriend about her feelings towards him. She likes to touch his tattoos, have sexual intercourse, yet she recognizes the pain between them and states that â€Å"such permanence is terrifying† (13). These split feelings cause a tone of ambivalence – conflicting feelings toward a person. She is touching the tattoos in complete darkness, which can help the reader understand her desire for her boyfriend yet the shame or timidity that is shared as well. Most shameful acts are done in the dark. Culture and society distinguish the pros of light vs. darkness. This poem does not directly reflect light vs. darkness (good vs. vil), but I believe the negative connotation the word darkness holds, transcends into this poem. If she was touching her boyfriend in the light the poem may have a more optimistic mood. However, darkness is usually related to death, therefore having a pessimistic mood. Furthermore, the connotation of death demonstrates a more in depth meaning of verse 11, â€Å"you’re seared to ashes†. This is a representation of the boyfriend’s death. Perhaps, he is burned alive, but I believe it refers more to him being cremated. Either meaning the reader interprets, the writer wants the reader to understand that the tattoos will remain until death. This is important because I believe the lasting of the tattoos reflect the â€Å"until death do apart† affections the woman has. This brings us back to the last phrase of the poem, â€Å"but touch them, trying†. Despite the confusing feelings, the woman wants to work through the relationship till the death of one of them. Just as the tattoos will remain till death, so will her pursuit towards her boyfriend. The tattoos have many symbolic representations that help the reader understand the feelings the woman has for her boyfriend. Water and lightening are two words that have a symbolic meaning for the poem. â€Å"Lines of lightening pulsing just above your nipple, can find, as if by instinct, the blue swirls of water on your shoulder where a serpent twists, facing a dragon† (4-7). Though symbols can have multiple meanings, the tone and theme of the poem helps to point out the specific meaning behind the relationship. The girlfriend, of the guy with the tattoos, enjoys touching the tattoos when she is unable to see the guy. She knows by heart just where the lightening is pulsing. In this case, the lightening symbolizes power of love that has a pulse, just like a person’s heartbeat; a beat that can go faster or slower depending on the situation. It is instinctive for the woman to know where every tattoo on the guy, just like in a relationship, a person may know every mark or scar on the other’s body. The woman knows that just above his shoulder are the blue swirls of water, where the water is symbolizing that the boyfriend may be pure at heart. The serpent facing the dragon symbolizes the warrior in him, and it also shows he has no fear against his enemies. When I pull you to me, until we’re spent and quiet on the sheets, I love to kiss the pictures in your skin† (Kennedy, 601), means that she pulls him closer to her while they’re laying down and falling asleep, she expresses her love and care for him until there’s no more time left in the night, until it’s all spent. To kiss the pictures in his skin simply means kissing his tattoos. â€Å"They’ll last until you’re seared to ashes; whatever persists or turns to pain between us, they will still be there† (Kennedy, 601), whatever persists†¦

Maneging coral reefs

Coral reefs are unique ecosystems of plants, animals, and their associated geological framework. The ocean equivalent of rainforests, they are home to 25% of all marine species, yet it is estimated that many of the world's reefs will be destroyed or significantly damaged in the next 20 years because of the human and the physical damage put on to them. They grow in tropical seas in the photic zone, where there is mild wave action, not so strong to tear the reef apart yet strong enough to stir the water and deliver sufficient food and oxygen. Coral reefs also need nutrient-poor, clear, warm, shallow water to grow. Human Threats to the Coral reefs Tourist There are a number of different human threats applied to the coral reefs, most of it which is caused by tourists. These activities are; * Snorkelling- Inexperienced snorkellers can trample corals with their flippers. The can also damage the corals by getting to close and resting on the reefs. * Boat trips- Cruses taking visitors out to the reefs are often careless when the drop their anchor. The anchor will crush the delicate corals with their weight. The water movements made by the boats travelling too fast will damage the corals the force applied to the corals underwater. When the boats get to close to the reefs, the hull tends to scrape past the corals, damaging them. * Boat hire- Tourist don't tend to know the local water, so when they hire a boat, they usually run it aground on a reef. * Souvenirs- When tourists go snorkelling or scuba diving by the corals, they tend to pick corals for them to take home. Fishing It's NOT always tourist how cause all the damage, but it's also the fishermen. Their ways of catching fish is always a harm to corals. Their ways of fishing are; * Dynamite fishing- Some fishers in poor countries, who fish by the coral reefs, often drop dynamites or other explosive into the reefs. When it explodes, it drives the fishes out of the corals and stuns or kills them. This makes it easier to collect the fishes. The explosion can blow corals apart and can send shock waves to the coral which are further away. This is a danger to the fishes and corals. Small organisms, especially coral polyps, are killed by the cyanide in this process. It also provides a new set of dangers to the fishermen. * Metal Nets- When fishers use large mesh net to fish the corals reefs with, the corals get usually get stuck, and then get ripped off, when the boats drag the net behind them. Physical threats to the coral reefs There are also a number of physical threats applied top the coral reefs. They are; * Sea level- Global warming causes the temperature to rise by 1 or2 centigrade per century. It may not seem much, but it affects the sea because the sea level rises by 15-95 cm. A rise in temperature causes the icebergs to melt. The melted sea water is added to the sea, and makes the sea level rise. The means that the sea becomes deeper. If the sea becomes deeper, the corals will start to lack in sunlight. Corals need warm and shallow water. * Soil Erosion- When soil erodes, the soil usually ends up in a river, and then gets carried down to the sea. The soil can then be deposited on the corals. If this happens, the corals would be covered in sand, and they won't be able to intake any sunlight. It is usually caused by poor use of land. * Climate change- Changes to the weather patterns can cause problems for the coral reefs. Hurricanes are now striking more and more frequently, and the have becomes stronger. This is all to blame on the global warming. Hurricanes can have a devastating impact on the coral reefs because of its increased wave energy. Sediments generated during storms can bury the coral communities. Ways to prevent human damages to coral reefs Tourist There might be a lot of human threats to the coral reefs which can damage them, but there are also a number of ways to prevent the damages which are caused to them. These ways are; * Snorkelling- Inexperienced snorkellers should need to take an experienced snorkeller with them. Like they do driving licences, they should do snorkelling licences. * Boat trips- When cruses take people to see the reefs, they can drop the anchors somewhere by the reefs, where there are no fishes or corals. The movements made by fast boats can be prevented by putting a speed limit by the coral reefs. * Boat hire- When tourists hire a boat, the hiring agency should give them a driver who knows the local water, to steer the boat around the coral reefs. * Souvenirs- Instead of tourist picking corals from the reefs, the government should pick dead corals, and sell the in gift shops. Fishing There are also ways to prevent damage cause by fishing, if we prevent fishing by the corals, the fishmongers will become bankrupt, and there would be much more poverty. But if we don't prevent fishing by the reefs, in the years to come, the rare types of fishes will be extinct. The ways fishing can be prevented are; * Dynamite fishing- Dynamite fishing can be prevented is banned. If people still continue, there should be a watchman for the each reef, patrolling the reefs for any dynamite fishers. * Metal Nets- Instead of using large mesh nets, the fishers should use nets made out of roots and vines because corals won't break and if the nets get stuck, the fishes can always eat them. Ways to prevent physical damage to the coral reefs The physical threats applied to the coral reefs are mostly caused by global warming. Most of it can be prevented if less CO2 is used, but there are many other ways to prevent these. They are; * Sea level- It is hard to prevent the sea level from rising, is still possible. This can be done if the amount of carbon dioxide produce is less than before. We can shorten the amount by using less energy, stop the usage of non-renewable fuels and use our cars less and less. * Soil erosion- Soil erosion can be prevented by planting more trees on the land. This will keep the soil together and prevent the soil from washing away when it rains heavily. * Climate change- Hurricanes and other powerful storm are nearly impossible to prevent. It wouldn't be normal if they don't strike, but reducing the amount of CO2 would help to reduce the speed of the storms. If the damage continues at the same rate as it is now, in the next few centuries to come, the coral reefs and their inhabitants would be extinct. In my opinion, the tourist industry is causing most of the damage. The coral reefs should be all made into a nature park, where tourist would have a guide to take them around the corals and tell them about the dangers of them being extinct. Fishing by the coral reefs should be banned by the government. If all these improvements are made, the fragile ecosystem would be around for the next generation of people to see them.

How Did Life Change for the Blacks After the Civil War? Essay

Life for Southern blacks did improve somewhat as a result of the Civil War and Reconstruction, but it was not perfect. There were still many inequalities between the two races, white and black. This essay will discuss life of blacks prior to the Civil War (1861-1865), how the blacks were involved in the war and Reconstruction (1865-1877), and how the war and Reconstruction changed the blacks’ way of life. Before the Civil War, most slaves lived on small cotton plantations. Here, the owner worked alongside them. The bigger the plantation, the more the slaves, and thus the weaker human relationship would be between master and slaves. They received, in general, harsh treatment because they were considered property. There were many social inequalities. Black Codes were passed to limit blacks’ freedom even more than it was already. They were not allowed to marry legally or learn to be literate. Slaves could be â€Å"sold down the river†, and had no privacy from their masters. They were not allowed to go outdoors after dark, get together in groups of three or more, exit their owner’s property without a written pass, or own weapons. This changed somewhat after the Civil War. The blacks played a major role in the victory of the North in the Civil War. There were many black soldiers in the war who worked behind the scenes for armies of the North. During Reconstruction, blacks exercised political power for the first time in the South. They were included as authors of new state constitutions, along with military governments, scalawags, and carpetbaggers. On January 1st 1863, the Emancipation came into effect. It was a proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln that declared freedom for all slaves in states still in rebellion against the federal government. This meant that more slaves could live a free life again, but only until the Black Codes were passed. Without the blacks’ contributions to the Civil War and Reconstruction, things could have turned out a lot different. As for life after the Civil War and Reconstruction, there were many social changes. These were mostly in support of the blacks, until the start of the 20th century. Thanks to the protection of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments to the Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1866, blacks relished a period of time during which they could vote, have a say in politics, acquire land, find a job, and make use of public accommodations. They were able to legally marry, worship how they wanted, and could form private clubs, along with other rights. This was until the 1890s, which is when the southern states began coming up with ways to exclude blacks once again. In response to this, many blacks moved into the Northern states, and some even went back to Africa. One of the parts of their lives that didn’t change much was that the majority of southern blacks remained in poverty because sharecropping didn’t earn them enough money to improve their conditions. Despite this progress socially, there were many more rights the blacks didn’t have, but the whites did. These hard times for African Americans continued into the 20th century, which is when the Civil Rights Movement and other efforts came into play in an attempt to equalize rights between races. As I said before, life for blacks after the Civil War and Reconstruction was somewhat better than life before. Their life still wasn’t impeccable, and it was a long road to equality.

Environmental Engineering Essay

It involves  waste water management  and  air pollution  control, recycling,  waste disposal, radiation protection, industrial hygiene, environmental sustainability, and  public health  issues as well as a knowledge of  environmental engineering law. It is a related study of environmental science. Main task of environmental engineers is to protect public health by protecting (from further degradation), preserving (the present condition of), and enhancing the environment. Some work of Environmental engineers: Conducts hazardous-waste management  studies to evaluate the significance of such hazards, advise on treatment and containment, and develop regulations to prevent mishaps. Design municipal water supply and  industrial wastewater treatment  systems. Address environmental issues such as the effects of  acid rain,  global warming,  ozone depletion, water pollution and air pollution from  automobile exhausts  and  industrial sources. Environmental science  is an interdisciplinary  academic field  that integrates physical and biological sciences, (including but not limited to  Ecology,  Physics,  Chemistry,  Biology,  Soil Science,  Geology,  Atmospheric Science  and  Geography) to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems. Environmental science provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary  approach to the study of environmental systems. Environmental science came alive as a substantive, active field of scientific investigation in the 1960s and 1970s driven by the ff. ssues: (a)  Ã‚   the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to analyze complex environmental problems. (b)  Ã‚   the arrival of substantive environmental laws requiring specific environmental protocols of investigation. (c)  Ã‚   the growing public awareness of a need for action in addressing environmental problems. Related areas of study: environmental studies   – incorporates more of the social sciences for understanding human relationships, perceptions and policies towards the environment. 2. environmental engineering focuses on design and technology for improving environmental quality. Components of Environmental Science: Ecology  is the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment. Ecologists might investigate the relationship between a population of organisms and some physical characteristic of their environment, such as concentration of a chemical; or they might investigate the interaction between a two populations of different organisms through some symbiotic or competitive relationship. For example, an interdisciplinary analysis of an ecological system which is being impacted by one or more stressors might include several related environmental science fields. In an estuarine setting where a proposed industrial development could impact certain species by  water  and  air pollution,  biologists  would describe the flora and fauna,  chemists  would analyze the transport of water pollutants to the marsh,  physicists  would calculate  air pollution  emissions and  geologists  would assist in understanding the marsh soils and bay muds. . Atmospheric sciences  focuses on the Earth’s atmosphere, with an emphasis upon its interrelation to other systems. Atmospheric sciences can include studies of  meteorology,greenhouse gas  phenomena,  atmospheric dispersion modeling  of airborne contaminants,[3][4]  sound propagation phenomena related to  noise pollution, and even  light pollution. Taking the example of the  global warming  phenomena, physicists create  computer models  of atmospheric circulation and infra-red radiation transmission, chemists examine the inventory of atmospheric chemicals and their reactions, biologists analyze the plant and animal contributions to  carbon dioxide  fluxes, and specialists such as  meteorologists  and  oceanographers add additional breadth in understanding the atmospheric dynamics. 3. Environmental chemistry  is the study of chemical alterations in the environment. Principal areas of study include  soil contamination  and  water pollution. The topics of analysis include chemical degradation in the environment, multi-phase transport of chemicals (for example, evaporation of a  solvent  containing lake to yield solvent as an air pollutant), and chemical effects upon biota. As an example study, consider the case of a leaking  solvent  tank which has entered the habitat soil of an  endangered species  of amphibian. As a method to resolve or understand the extent of  soil contamination  and subsurface transport of solvent, a computer model would be implemented. Chemists would then characterize the molecular bonding of the solvent to the specific soil type, and biologists would study the impacts upon soil  arthropods, plants, and ultimately pond-dwelling organisms that are the food of the endangered amphibian. 4. Geosciences  include  environmental geology,  environmental soil science, volcanic phenomena and evolution of the Earth’s crust. In some classification systems this can also includehydrology, including  oceanography. As an example study of soils  erosion, calculations would be made of  surface runoff  by soil scientists. Fluvial geomorphologists would assist in examining  sediment transport  in overland flow. Physicists would contribute by assessing the changes in light transmission in the receiving waters. Biologists would analyze subsequent impacts to aquatic flora and fauna from increases in water turbidity. Ecology study of the interactions between organisms and their environment. – starts as early as 300 BC with the Greek named Theophastus, his interest with the interrelationship between organism and the living environment, become his as the Father of Botany. Environment refers to the sum of all the external forces and conditions acting on an organism or community of organism. – oekologie was coined by the german zoologist, Ernst Haeckel, comes from the greek word oikos, meaning home or a place to live in. defines as the relationship of animals both to the organic as well as the inorganic environment,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   – in the mid-1900’s two group of botanist, one from the Europe and America, become interested in the study of plants communities, the Europeans concentrated on the composition, structure and distribution of plant communities, on the other hand the Americans concentrate to the development of plant, eventually they become interested at the animals as well, and gave a greater emphasis on inter-relationship of animals and plants. This become the birth of ecology as the formal field of study. – British economist, Thomas Malthus, gave special attention to population in the early 19th century, his the first one o recognized the conflict between expanding population and earths capability to supply it. – scope of ecology, organism (eg. Proto-plasma, cell, tissue, organ, organ system), population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere. Organism: Levels of organization of life (inside the organism): Protoplasma – it makes up the living substance of the cell. Cell – basic unit of life Tissue-group of cell performing specific functions Organ- group of tissue carrying a particular functions Organ system – group of organ doing s specific function. Levels of organization of life (inside the organism): Population – group of organism of the same kind or species occupying a particular place at a particular time. Community – a group of populations occupying a given area. Ecosystem –   basic unit of ecology, refers to the interaction between the organism and environment. It includes population, communities, habitat (the place where the organism lives) and the environment. eg. forest, grassland, river, etc. ) Biosphere – world of life. It is the portion of the earth where in life on its any form existed. Components of ecosystem: Biotic – they are the living components of ecosystem consisting of plants, animals and bacteria. Abiotic – they are the non living component that consist of substrat um, light, rainfall, nutrients, soil, temperature, etc. Biotic Components: Green plants   Ã‚  Ã‚     known as the producers. They capture the energy coming from the sun and together with the CO2 in the air and H2O converts this into food energy. They are called autotrophs (self nourishing), they manufacture their own food through the process of photosynthesis. There are also microscopic green plant called phytoplanktons, they give the green color to the bodies of water such as lake and rivers    Animals Known as the consumers. Obtain other food sources to other plants and animals they are called heterotrophs. Three types of consumers: Herbivores – that eat plants only Carnivores – animals that eat other animals. Omnivores- eat both plants and animals. Bacteria and Fungi They are called decomposers. They eat the dead bodies of plants and animals, where they get their energy and convert it to other nutrients back into the environment. They are popular called the janitor of the nature. Abiotic Components: Soil   the upper layer of the earth’s crust affected by plants and animals serves as the habitat and pool of nutrients for many organism. Humus dark decaying organic substance found in the soil. Physical characteristic of soil: Color The color of the soils is influence by the element present in the soil. Soil color and element presesent: Grey (lacks of iron) Brown & red (rich in iron) Texture   the texture of the soil affects the amount of water and nutrients the soil can hold. Texture of the soil: Sandy (composed of coarse particles) Clay (consist of fine particles) Silt (composed of medium size particles. ) Loamy (mixture of clay, sand and silt) Moisture Water content of the soil. It is influence by factors such as: Texture Amount of rainfall Slope of the land Underlying rock type. pH The concentration of hydrogen ions on the soil. The soil which contain a large amount of lime is alkaline and with large amount of granite id acidic. pH value raging from 1-6 is acidic and 8-14 are basic while those with 7 reading is neutral type of soil. Structure Refers to the arrangement of it’s particle which build up larger amount of soil structure is called peds. The peds damage will result to the poor drainage of water to the soil. 2. Water Importance of water in ecosystem: It comprise of a large percentage of the tissues of all living organism. Required by plants to support their non woody tissues. Used by the plants as a vessel of nutrients from the soil. It is absorbed by the plant and release in the environment which produces the cooling effect. Plant adaptation to water: (Based on the tolerance of plant to water. ):   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   *   Hydropytes (Plants that grow in water and waterlogged soils)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   *   Halophytes (Plants that grow in saline environment. )   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   *   Xerophytes (Plants that grow in dry or arid condition. 3. Temperature Affects the plant and cooled blooded animals by controlling their metabolism. Affect the water loss of the organism. Most organism function at temperature between 0 degree to 50 degree centigrade.. 4. Wind An agent of pollination and seed dispersal. It also affects transpiration in the plants by causing faster evaporation with in their surroundings. Pathways of energy: Energy It is needed by the organism for growth, maintenance and repair and for life. Organism obtain their energy by two ways: Autotrophy (producing their own food) Heterotrophy (eating other organism) Food Chain Consist of the sequence of organism that eat other organism through which energy is transferred. Every food chain starts a producer and end with decomposers. Trophic levels of food chain: First trophic ( producers) Second trophic (herbivores called primary consumers) Third trophic (carnivore that eat hervobores) 4th trophic (carnivores that eat carnivores) In food chain the energy transferred from one trophic level to another is decreasing. Food web Consist of several interlocking food chain. It is a transfer of energy involving several pathways. Nutrients cycle: Classification of Nutrients: Macronutrients – those that are required by organism by large quantities. Ex. Oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen Micronutrient – are needed by the organism by smaller amounts. Ex. Sulfur, potassium, iron, and phosphorus. Water Cycles: Evaporation (from bodies of water) Respiration ( from animals) Transpiration (from the trees) Condensation   (accumulation of all the vapors, transpiration and respiration) Precipitation (for rain) Runoff (water run from the higher grounds) Carbon and Oxygen cycle: Carbon is mostly present in the environment by cabon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is present at: It could be found at dead organism. Volcano eruption. Respiration of animals. Oxygen is abundant in plants transpiration, it is release in the air as a waste product and absorbed by animals. Nitrogen Cycles: Nitrogen constitutes 78% of air in the atmosphere. Plants used it as a nitrates, and nitrogen converted it by two process: The action of lightning. Process of action by specialized organism such as legumes. Communities Community Group of different kinds of organism or species living together in a particular place. Worlds Major communities: 1. Dessert Biome Bushes and shrubs for vegetation Sandy, dry and loose type of soil. Less than 10 cm of rain fall in a year. Lizards, snakes, eagles, owls, toads, insects and small

Issues in corporate finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Issues in corporate finance - Assignment Example Most important, companies have to understand the value of trading-off aspects of capital because such practise results to better performance. The trade-off theory of capital structure maintains the positive relationship between earnings and leverage. Empirical evidences, however, argue that such observation is fallible (Sarkar and Zapatero, 2003). Despite the contradicting outcomes, trade-off has considered as valuable mechanism in gauging corporate revenues. In most instances, the trade-off theory has consistently predicted information related to debt structure. The theory suggests that weak firms are more inclined to finance exclusively with bank debts. Apparently, weak firms tend to ignore other debt sources in particular public debts. Another important idea posited by the theory is that the optimal debt structure seen among strong firms pertains to combinations of bank and market debt. Basically, strong firms have become adept in successfully managing both bank and market debts. It has to be noted that the nature of both debts are differently perceived. Strong firms have the capacity to acquire different forms of debt instruments because of their financial scope. In uncertain markets, the strategy of using varied debt mechanisms allow strong firms to be more flexible in handling risks. According to Brealey and Meyers (2000), the trade-off theory pu... Furthermore, critics claim that the theory is ill-equipped to justify relevant practises. The concept developed by Modigliani and Miller (1958) revolves on the market imperfections that eventually affect capital structures. Indeed, market imperfections occur in several forms. The most prominent observed among firms include taxes, market distresses, and agency costs. For most firms, the challenge is to create an optimal capital structure when these market imperfections emerge. The theory assumes that after a certain firm establishes the optimal combination of financial resources all succeeding financing is raised in the same proportion of debt and equity financing. This, however, is expected to vary in the method of reporting and practising. Among publicly trading companies, Houston and James (1996) observed that there is an insignificant use of market debt. The percentage of non-market debt among listed companies is greater in value as evident in the majority of firms preferring non-market debt. In addition, the listed firms that use market debts show that non-market debts still occupy the most shares on the overall debt. Johnson (1997) pointed out that the long-term debt structure suggests better use of market debts. Among the users of market debt, more than half of the total long-term debt is considered as market issued. Trade-off has usually been used to determine financing decisions. Traditionally, firms either maintain a target capital structure or follow the hierarchy of financing. Pinegar and Wilbritch (1989) conducted a survey on firms belonging to the Fortune 500 on their financing preference. Based on the results, majority of the firms listed in Fortune 500 have been using target capital structure to

Intermediate Accounting Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Intermediate Accounting Project - Essay Example aturity by enterprises reported at amortized cost, trading securities which are debt and equity securities reported at fair value with earnings including the unrealized gains and losses and bought and held primarily for selling, and available-for-sale securities which are debt and equity securities reported at fair value with unrealized gains an losses excluded from earnings serving as a separate component in shareholder’s equity and which are neither classified as held-to-maturity securities or trading securities. The statement was mainly in response to the concerns expressed by the regulators and other financial market players related to the recognition and measurement of investment in debt securities, most specifically the ones held by financial institutions. Despite providing the various standardized procedures related to debt and equity, there were certain issues that came to surface with FAS 115. The fair value measurements application in the financial reporting by all the statements of Financial Accounting Standards differed among the various dozens of pronouncements that necessitated a fair value measurement. As the time passed by, these different financial statements referring to different accounting concepts created various inconsistencies in applying the fair value measurements, thus meaning no standardization provided to the financial market. These inconsistencies and worries of the preparers of the financial statements regarding calculating the fair values in absence of the quoted market prices brought in the Accounting Standards Codification 820 (ASC 820). This coding is an umbrella under which all the various standards are pooled up, thus leading to easy referencing and maintaining of the most up to date records. This coding according to FASB would bring in increased consistency, reliability and comparability to the financial reporting. This coding was required because it simplifies access, improves accuracy of the research, alleviates risk of

Hacking the Accounting Information System Research Paper

Hacking the Accounting Information System - Research Paper Example One of the companies which got hacked in recent times is Microsoft .inc. According to ( Smith,2012)â€Å"In simple terms computer hacking and cracking reflects, the intentional, unauthorized access to an organization’s computer system†. So the companies need to be alert and take considerable responsibility to secure its Accounting Information System (Thesis).Accounting Information System is a process which needs high security as many crucial and essential data are handled in it. Any business concern needs to take the responsibility to secure the confidential data so as to protect the company from hackers and unidentified encroachment. The business organisations have the responsibility to invent and install upgraded security system to ensure confidentiality and risk free environment for the company and its customers. Microsoft being the most prominent company in the world had been hacked few times .Thus the accounting information system along with the management has undergone many challenges and losses. The company was hacked in 2012 by a group of Chinese hackers and in 2013 a java script was injected in the business system of the company. The Microsoft security response centre states the Microsoft Active Protection was a program that provide security for program that gives anti –hacking tool facility. However, the Microsoft did deny that hacking was not done by Chinese group but it was a â€Å"rookie mistake†. They said it was due to dodgy email attachment. So here we can see that hacking can be done even if the e- mails which are socially engineered to disrupt the business system. As per (Peter,2013 ) â€Å"As reported by Face book and Apple, Microsoft can confirm that we also recently experienced a similar security intrusion," wrote Matt Thomlinson, General Manager of Microsofts Trustworthy Computing Security. Unlike the New York Times and the Wall

Insightful, intelligible, personable reply Assignment

Insightful, intelligible, personable reply - Assignment Example nding, seeks to include all subjects who are eligible to be part of the sample, which makes the most representative sampling method (Sharp et al., 2012). On the other hand, purposive sampling, as you also state, involves selection of participants with a specific reason in mind. It is not entirely clear from the study whether the researchers purposefully use both sampling methods, since there only seems to be one round of sampling. I have to say that your observation that this could be a mixed method sample is amazing because the sampling method used could be any of the two, particularly as the researchers do not specify their sampling plan. Maybe I would add that purposive sampling, in which all the subjects are selected, reduces potential harm to patients because it allowed the researchers to leave out patients who may have been too ill (Sharp et al., 2012). In addition, because the selection criteria you note from the study is well considered and based on a clear criteria, the purposive sampling strategy is able to avoid the researcher bias that comes with non-probability forms of sampling. Indeed, this form of sampling could have been responsible for Yang et al. (2012) reporting that the two groups compared had similar baseline characteristics because they were all selected from the same population using the researchers’ judgment. Sharp, J. L., Mobley, C., Hammond, C., Withington, C., Drew, S., Stringfield, S., & Stipanovic, N. (2012). A mixed methods sampling methodology for a multisite case study. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 6(1), 34-54 Yang, H., Lee, H., Chu, T., Su, Y., Ho, L., & Fan, J. (2012). The Comparison of Two Recovery Room Warming Methods for Hypothermia Patients Who Had Undergone Spinal Surgery. Journal Of Nursing Scholarship, 44(1), 2-10.

Economics 319-1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economics 319-1 - Essay Example The financial crisis put to waste years of growth and resulted to unfathomable harm the fundamental productivity of the economy. One of a direct result of financial crisis is the loss of paper wealth (that can be measured monetarily). Loss of paper wealth has an indirect effect on the real economy in that it effects are felt incase depression or recession follows. The 2007-2009 financial crisis originated from within the United State market. it coincided with what many saw as a shift from the geopolitical dominance of the United States to a multi-polar international framework. It was not accident but rather a mistake driven by deregulatory mentality that took half a decade of post-New Deal financial stability for granted. The crisis was a failure of free market capitalism and over regulation which helped sow the seed of the crisis. The world experienced the most severe financial crisis in most recent times since Second World War. It was precipitated by sub-prime mortgages crisis which became apparent to the wider public in the year 2007. In 2008, it became a global financial crisis, and consequently into a global economic down turn that forced many countries to into recession. Stock market fell, large financial institutions collapsed and government had to come up with rescue packages to bail out the financial systems (Manuel, 2009). For a clear understanding of the crisis there is need to look at the economic happenings of Post -world war II. This period shows a significant decline in the rate of profit in the economy of the United States. From 1950 to mid 1970s, profit rates declined almost by 50%. As in past depression times, this decline triggered reduction in business investment, and consequently slower growth and higher unemployment rate. As a result many governments adopted expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. However the policies resulted to higher inflation rates

Reflection and Evaluation of three Technologies Essay

Reflection and Evaluation of three Technologies - Essay Example Additionally, retrieval of content from the internet relies on flash player programs such as adobe. The technology was initially applicable through Smart sketch application because the designers focused on addressing the needs of varied platforms. The flash content files were stored in shock wave format. This allowed the programmers to use Action script language in encoding the graphics in different formats. Additionally, the programmers use flash editor to enrich web content when designing the application. The content can be encoded using java script format, and the extension .swf is used in storage format. Short wave extension makes images appear smaller in the flash player. The format increases flash images capacity to store huge volumes of data (Enticknap, 2005, p.1). The storage codes allow flash images to support different applications making it the preferred technology when disseminating and storing website contents. Evaluation The use of flash technology has led to advances i n computer graphics. It has enabled website developers to design interactive websites that stream data at faster speed. The component manipulates graphics and presents them in different version. The use of XML file is dominant in image edition. According to Enticknap (2005, p.34), the template stores the contents of the website before the transformation of the image. The technology manipulates the contents when designing images that are user friendly to the audience. Flash is a suitable technology that can access images online. Software developers use the technology when designing slideshows that enhance interactions with clients online. Computer programmers use flash image technology to encode information in auto script version. This saves storage capacity and time taken to retrieve flash images. Additionally, the technology uses small bandwidth when streaming information. This makes it compatible with various technological components such as Macromedia Flash MX that carries this a pplication. The compatibility of flash image technology allows web views to obtain information from different places. However, it is necessary to obtain a plug in feature when planning to view the web contents. Flash images application demand less from the users in terms of operational skills. Moreover, the applications are affordable and exude high performances. This has lead to the preference of technology in computer applications. Flash images are instrumental when enriching internet application. The technology enhances interactivity by combining graphics technology when coming up with interactive computer programs. Lastly, the feature supports multidirectional display of website content. HTML5 Technology Overview HTML5 is an assortment of web-based applications that are still evolving. The concept of HTML5 began after developers noticed various deficiencies in HTML4 and associated XHTML. These deficiencies ranged from minor syntactic incoherence to insufficient support of media presentations (Meyer, 2010, p.83). Consequently, recent developments within the HTML5 technology have targeted such defects to develop quickest advances that would improve the performance of internet technology. Developers are standardizing the HTML5 technology into simpler and less controversial pieces. The HTML5 is a technology that organizes and presents information of the World Wide Web.

PRESENTATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

PRESENTATION - Essay Example entation; (2) delegate tasks; (3) integrate group effects in the unified presentation; (4) review and amend, as needed; and (5) present the information to an audience in the most comprehensive and informed manner. When a team member needs more information to clarify concepts or issues to be tackled, those members who are most qualified and competent in terms of knowledge, abilities and skills should share understanding of the concepts as simple, clear and concise as possible. The instructional approaches that could be used could also be in a form of an illustrative visual presentation, using diagrams or charts, or detailing in an outline form. The applicability and importance of presentations are seen in terms of their significant uses in current and future endeavors. Whatever profession one pursues, knowledge in making presentations would be seen as beneficial in assisting understanding of various concepts through a variety of

Research Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Methods - Assignment Example Theory building is relatively more complex that theory testing. In theory testing, a researcher primarily tests whether a certain theory explains a phenomenon that he or she is investigating (Christensen, Johnson & Turner, 2011). For instance, a researcher studying the cause of global warming may consider testing the Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) theory. The rationale behind testing such a theory is to uncover whether the AGW theory best explains global warming. Therefore, the researcher may test the theory by looking at the humidity levels resulting from the emission of carbon dioxide. Theory testing aims at collecting evidence to either confirm or contest a theory. In theory building, the researcher synthesis literature content related to his or her interested topic of study in an attempt to explain a given phenomenon. For instance, a researcher studying the concept of global warming may consider the analysis of all theories related to global warming including the AGW theory ( Polkinghorne, 2005). The usage of data in testing already constructed hypotheses and theories is advantageous since the analysis that shall be done is meant to confirm or dispute the given theories and hypotheses. On the downside, this statistical method is prone to the aligning of new information to old findings and may thus eliminate other findings not taken care of by the theory or hypothesis in question (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010). On the other hand, the usage of data in generating hypotheses and building theories has its advantages among them the completeness and depth of analysis and drawing of conclusions (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004). This is due to the fact that there are no biases the researcher is exposed to (Polkinghorne, 2005). The disadvantage is that the conclusions are exposed to many untested results. The first rationale for employing the

Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot Essay

Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot - Essay Example Nevertheless, these perfect couple tips and stories spread stereotypes in the society regarding men and women. In Robert Olen Butler’s story, Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot, he tells a story about a relationship that doesn’t fit the typical stereotypes. Based on the typical relationship portrayed in the media, men typically have the power in a relationship when it comes to sexual freedom and emotional control, but in this story that isn’t the case because the stereotypical gender roles are switched. In order to critically assess the context of relationship and gender stereotypes, Soraya Chemaly’s reading Five Ways Sexual Assault is really about Entitlement will be parallel in discussion. It is quiet an evident fact that by pressurizing individuals to keep themselves within the boundaries with little education about the issues that may affect them is a resultant of rebellious behavior. It is the stereotypes within the society that had made critic al for relationships to grow mature. As per the article entitled Five Ways Sexual Assault is really about Entitlement, it becomes easier to understand that people follow practiced stereotypes that would end up in issues like assault with increasing rates. In most of the societies in the world, it is believed that men have the ability to have entitlement for every action that they do. In the historical periods of time, it had been noticed that gender discrimination was higher to an extent where females were not even allowed to express their perspectives. The author Robert Olen Butler has shown a very different image of women to the readers showing that if by chance women would switch their roles then it will be complicated for men to adjust to the issues of ego (Chemaly). If compared with the article written by Soraya, it rather comes to understanding that people who believe that by telling the victim to beware of actions that would have them involved in any assault have to think of better solutions. The increasing percentage of sexual assaults carried in college includes women to a higher percentage rather than men. It is rather due to the fact that it is an accepted behavior that women are supposedly a possession that allows men superiority. In other words, it is the element of respect that is clearly absent in the society. As suggested by Soraya, men need to be treated in such a way that they will respect women in return. The solution is to allow education to males who have been trained to act for entitlement (Chemaly). Women on their own part also have to play a very important role. The story of Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot gives out a lesson to men and women that consideration given to a third party is not always for the sake of sexual desire. There are other relationships such as friendship that tends to bring two people in a formal way. As a matter of fact, the jealous husband (narrator in the story) thinks that his wife should only be entit led to him. Any discussion about other men should be ignored. By doing so, a man merely ends up running his own good time with his woman. The key is to get away with the feelings of entitlement. If one will be suspicious and not able to trust on his woman then it is more likely to experience that women will cheat on them (Butler). This clarifies the issues in hand that there is an avid need of understanding within relationships. The articles sending out

Human Resource Management and behaviour theories Essay

Human Resource Management and behaviour theories - Essay Example According to the study conducted it can be noted that the HRM landscape is changing due to various internal as well as external pressures. This can be illustrated by aspects related to HRM performance, HRM best practice as well as strategic human resources management. On the other hand, it can also be said that the changing HRM landscape is closely tied to the aspect of organisation or employee behaviour hence the HR manager has a significant role in deciding the intervention mechanisms that may be considered in using key performance management tools to drive organisational performance. Thus, the manager has a role to identify the needs of the employees and try to fulfill them in a bid to enhance their performance and the organisation as a whole. Strategic human resource management theorists confirm that human resources practices transform into high-performance work practices if HRM and organisation behaviour frameworks have been propagated. It is also believed that there is a correl ation between HRM practices such as recruitment and selection, employee training and development and employee/organisational behaviour tools such as motivation, employee engagement, empowerment and commitment. According to Combs et al, the Human resources are considered to be effectual and liable for company’s growth and progression, lead to increase in productivity and will surely control the costs as well. As such, this essay seeks to critically evaluate the influence of HRM practices and organisational behaviour on organisational performance.... According to Combs et al (2006), the Human resources are considered to be effectual and liable for company’s growth and progression, lead to increase in productivity and will surely control the costs as well. As such, this essay seeks to critically evaluate the influence of HRM practices and organisational behaviour on organisational performance. The changing HRM landscape organisational behaviour rhetoric The changing landscapes of HRM and organization behavior rhetoric have evolved over time and have had a significant impact on the performance of the employees as well as the organisation as a whole. Earlier, personnel management was primarily concerned with influencing the efforts of the employees towards the attainment of the company’s goals of realizing its profits and the needs of the employees as well as aspects related to their behavior were not given significant priority. During the current period, it can be noted that HRM turns out to be a supporting pillar for the employees and look towards their betterment. Changing HRM landscape leads to tremendous change in the way organisations operate and the managers have a duty to look for these changes. Thus, Michael & Susan (2008) suggest that HR professionals are constantly challenged to meet three competing aims: Striving to be cost effective by reducing the cost of operating services to meet the increasing demands of line managers and employees address the strategic objective of organization Apart from these various influences such as, adoption of technology in HR practices, outsourcing, transactional or routine activities, allocating more responsibilities to line managers are some of the factors characterizing the changing landscape of

How the Emancipation Proclamation, the Thirteenth Amendment, and Other Essay

How the Emancipation Proclamation, the Thirteenth Amendment, and Other Federal Civil Rights Legislation Altered the Lives of African Americans - Essay Example The Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment altered the lives of African Americans by setting them free from slavery and also keeping the slaves from having complete freedom. The new changes of the legislation were temporary because throughout the period of 1863 and 1877 the gang-labor system and other federal civil right complications rose, resulting in a new Amendment that consecrated black civil rights. After the defeat of the South, the slaves that weren’t controlled by the Union were freed. Lincoln did not free the slaves in the states that were loyal to the Union, simply because he did not want to upset them. The slaves that were freed weren’t completely free because the wages and the rules that plantation owners set up was similar to slavery. The gang-labor system Even though the Emancipation Proclamation claimed to end the slavery and relieve the blacks its impact was limited or restricted. It only was limited to the states that had seceded from the Union. So the slavery from the Border States was relatively unaffected. The freedom, therefore, was dependent on the Union Military victory. â€Å"Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, it captured the hearts and imagination of millions of Americans and fundamentally transformed the character of the war. After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops expanded the domain of freedom. Moreover, the Proclamation announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, enabling the liberated to become liberators. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom.† (Archives Government)

Personal values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal values - Essay Example This is of specific reference for me as I believe that the advantages of a diversified workforce can provide various benefits to an organization as a whole. This is due to the fact that each culture has its own positive input into the business mix, if managed correctly. This appears to be the case, as the performance appraisals reveal that a more nurturing and encouraging environment is evident from the analyses of these appraisals. The entire customer service ethos within Kudler is remarkable, as this is revealed in the mission statement of the company. Issues such as professional courtesy are of specific relevance, in terms of their customer care. In my appreciation of these factors, I am in total agreement of the customer service aspect as the correct treatment of the customer can, and normally does contribute to the business’ success and overall profit. Incorporated in the consumer care, Kudler continues to strive for additional choices of products for the customer, and although at times this may prove to be expensive in terms of the cost of holding the inventory, it will rather encourage the repeat customer as well as the addition of new customer seeking such a large variety in terms of their shopping requirements. The fact that the Kudler organization is a small business and is poised for growth, contributes to my personal value of growth. This represents an opportunity for growth and advancement within the business, as it expands and opens more stores across California and further when they decide to expand beyond the Californian borders. This in turn will offer the opportunity of progressing from a junor management role into a more senior management position as the company expands. This ties in with my personal value of personal growth, which can be applied as the organization grows into a larger and more expansive retail operation, as it grows towards the planned San Francisco store and expansion. Additionally

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

History - Essay Example 1). The term 'Black Death' can refer to either the pneumonic plague or the bubonic plague. â€Å"The pneumonic plague is the deadlier of the two diseases killing its victims is two to three days† (Spielvogel, 2003, p. 275). It was strongest in the larger cities because of the dense populations that lived there and the less sanitary conditions that could be maintained in these urban areas. â€Å"The plague would visit an area, last for about a year, kill about one-third of the population, and move on. †¦ Most historians believe that between 1347 and 1351, at least one-third of Europe’s total human population (20 to 30 million people) died† (Piccolo, 2004). Deaths alone were not the only by-product of the Plague, though. The way the church handled the crisis and the large number of deaths that took place affected the economic, social and political landscape of this large region of the world. The first outbreak of the plague was strongest in the poorer sections of the city because these people were more likely to live in unsanitary conditions and had limited means by which to protect their health. Modern science is able to confirm the Plague was spread by the rat flea who took the disease from the rat and spread it to the human population, so areas that were infested with rats were among the first to show symptoms (Gottfried, 1983). ... Frightened churchmen shut up their churches and fled to the country as did many people in the secular world (Luftus et al, 1999). Because of their ineffectiveness in the crisis, the church lost a great deal of its authority and leadership and the people began to question whether it should ever have held that position. Many people assumed God was angry with them and much more penitent and harsh religious practices were developed to appease God’s wrath through sacrifice. Economic conditions changed dramatically as competitors from other countries entered the market through the development of the guilds. The guilds changed economic conditions for individual citizens and introduced another means by which cities and towns might be run. â€Å"The effects of regression on rural economy were far-reaching. Labour was scarce and wages rose rapidly. In England and in Castile and elsewhere legislation was attempted to fix wages, but without success† (Nohl, 1926, p. 20). Workers, es pecially peasants who were finally making a decent wage, rebelled violently to suggested pay reductions and though the intent was sound, its affects were disastrous. At the same time that the Plague was decimating the population, the faith in the One Religion and changing the economic base of entire nations, the Catholic Church was engaged in an all-out war on itself. Pope Clement V declined to move to Rome when he was appointed in 1305 and moved the papacy to Avignon supposedly because of civil unrest in Rome, but more likely so he would be closer to the French monarchy he served (Menache, 2002). By 1378, this had become a problem. After struggling against a highly suspicious and

The cause of stress to college students Essay Example for Free

The cause of stress to college students Essay Many people experience stress as they combine busy lives and the demands of study and or work while trying to also save time for friends and family.. For some people,, stress becomes almost a way of life.. We all experience episodic stress – getting ready for a major exam,, completing an important paper,, perhaps getting ready for an important interview.. However,, a continuous â€Å"â€Å"state†Ã¢â‚¬  of stress should not become a way of life.. We know that stress – over a prolonged period of time – can have increase certain health risks,, to say nothing of the wear and tear that happens to relationships and general wellbeing. This simple guide uses materials adapted from several college campuses with active stress reduction programs.. It explores the origins of stress and provides some basic ways to assess the level of stress you may be feeling and then suggests some easytoincorporate ways to decrease the level of stress.. WHAT IS STRESS? Stress is simply the bodys non-specific response to any demand made on it. Stress is not by definition synonymous with nervous tension or anxiety. Stress provides the means to express talents and energies and pursue happiness; it can also cause exhaustion and illness, either physical or psychological; heart attacks and accidents. The important Recognizing Stress The following are indicators that you may be experiencing stress. ^ General irritability ^ Elevated heart rate ^ Increased blood pressure ^ Increased accident proneness ^ Floating anxiety-anxious feeling for no specific reason ^ Trembling ^ Insomnia ^ Headaches ^ Indigestion ^ Pain in neck and/or lower back ^ Changes in appetite or sleep pattern Thing to remember about stress is that certain forms are normal and essential. As the body responds to various forms of physical or psychological stress, certain predictable changes occur. These include increased heart rate, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), and secretions of stimulatory hormones. These responses to stress will occur whether the stress is positive or negative in nature. In lay terms, it is known as the fight or flight mechanism. Continual exposure lowers the bodys ability to cope with additional forms of psychological or physiological stress. The results of continuing stress may cause disruption in one or more of the following areas of health: physical, emotional, spiritual and/or social. Stress is a process that builds. It is more effective to intervene early in the process rather than later. Try to become aware of the signs that suggest the process has begun. COMMON STRESSORS IN COLLEGE LIFE INCLUDE: ? Greater academic demands ? Being on one’s own in a new environment – with new responsibilities ? Changes in family relations and one’s social life ? Financial responsibilities ? Exposure to new people, ideas, and temptations ? Being away from home, often for the first time ? Making decisions, on a higher level than one is used to ? Substance abuse ? Awareness of one’s sexual identity and orientation ? Preparing for life after graduation ? Psychological make-up can also play a role in vulnerability to depression. People who have low self-esteem, who consistently view themselves and the world with pessimism, or are readily overwhelmed by stress may be especially prone to depression. TAKING STRESS SERIOUSLY For many young adults, college is the best time of life. These critical years of adjustment can also be undermined by depression, anxiety, substance abuse and eating disorders. Researchers are finding that many mental illnesses are traced to trauma, whose damage surfaces in times of stress and change, such as the college years. The statistics listed below are evidence that stress in ourselves or in someone about whom we care – should be taken and treated seriously. College students are feeling more overwhelmed and stressed than fifteen years ago, according to a recent UCLA survey of college freshman. More than 30% of all college freshman report feeling overwhelmed a great deal of the time. Thirty-eight percent of college women report feeling frequently overwhelmed. Depression affects over 19 million adults in the US annually. At colleges nationwide, large percentages of college students are feeling overwhelmed, sad, hopeless and so depressed that they are unable to function. In a recent national college health survey, 10% of college students had been diagnosed with depression. Women, who tend to be more forthcoming (or are less stigmatized) in seeking treatment for depression, recorded a rate of 13%. Anxiety disorders affect millions of adults every year, and anxiety levels among college students have been rising since the 1950s. In 2000, 7% of college students reported experiencing anxiety disorders within the previous year. Women are five times as likely to have anxiety disorders. Eating disorders affect 5-10 million women and 1 million men, with the highest rates occurring in college-aged women. Advantaged, white women are at the highest risk. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death among the US population, the third leading cause of death for all those aged 15-24, and the second leading cause of death in college populations. Individuals who are stressed are more likely to have accidents – including those involving motor vehicles, and, to be more careless with seatbelt use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 7. 8% of men and 12. 3% of women ages 18-24 report frequent mental distress – a key indicator for depression and other mental disorders. Some additional suggestions for reducing stress levels and enhancing your college experience: ? Keep your space and consequently your mind organized. ? Go to class. ? Keep up with course work (the rule of thumb is two hours of study per one hour in class). ? Get involved with campus activities. ? Maintain communication with your family. ? Take advantage of campus resources and choose a career path. ? Form healthy relationships. ? Talk to someone about your problems (family member, friend, college counselor). ? Get to know your professors.

A Website Review on the American Cultural History 1960-1969 Webpage Essay Example for Free

A Website Review on the American Cultural History 1960-1969 Webpage Essay Kingwood College Librarys American Cultural History 1960-1969 webpage (http://kclibrary. nhmccd. edu/decade60. html) is a webpage dedicated to the dessemination of information regarding the 1960s. It dubs itself a web and library guide, and is hosted and managed by the Kingwood College Library, an educational organization in Kingwood, Texas. Its stated purpose is to â€Å"help the user gain a broad understanding and appreciation for the culture and history of the 1960s† (Goodwin, para. 2). The site itself is authored by Susan Goodwin. Unfortunately, no information in the site listed Ms. Goodwins credentials, and checking the Kingwood College Library for any information regarding the author proved futile as well. The webpage is primarily aimed for the general public, with information that is collected and compiled from different sources which are mostly official or scholarly in nature (some information, however, are linked from Wikipedia, a source generally not accepted by the academia). As such, the information can be considered valid and true, and is presented clearly and matter-of-factly, without any embellishments or personal views and opinions, and without any technical jargon that may confuse the lay reader. At the start of the page, the reader is immediately treated to a fact sheet of the decade, with hard facts about the population, the national debt, and the average salary, among others. Information is also placed in major categories, providing a coherent and easy to follow structure to the whole article. Since content is generally collected from the various sites off the internet and books, information and content ranges from the common to the not-so-common, but all are generally interesting and well-presented. Most of the major points are presented as links which redirect to another website discussing that particular subject matter. This is where most of the webpages problems lie, as a significant number of links (25, to be exact) are either broken or non-existing, redirecting the reader to the main site instead. One of the links even redirects to the wrong article. For an information-driven webpage run by an educational organization, such mistakes reflect poorly on the structure and management of the webpage itself. Another thing some people (especially researchers wanting complete information) might have an issue with is how the webpage cites its sources. After every category, the author lists the books which have more information on the subjects presented in that category. However, the author did not list the specifics of the book, ie. , date of publication, author, actual page information, etc. For a researcher who needs these information, this is a great omission on a website that considers itself a bibliographic essay. Also, the website design can be improved; as it is, it is presented in a simple and drab manner. Inspite of the faults stated above, the webpage gives enough historical information and data for any general aspect of popular culture in the stated era. And with how it is presented, via links and redirects, the reader can just connect on other links on the given website for more information about that particular subject matter. The webpages goal is to give out as much information as it can, in a concise and direct manner. In this regard, it has succeeded rather well. References Goodwin, S. (2006). American Cultural History 1960-1969. Retrieved December 20, 2007, from http://kclibrary. nhmccd. edu/decade60. html

Origins Of The Kadazan People

Origins Of The Kadazan People The Kadazans are an ethnic group indigenous to the state of Sabah in Malaysia. They are found mainly at Penampang on the west coast of Sabah the surrounding locales,and various locations in the interior. Due to similarities in culture and language with the Dusun ethnic group, and also because of other political initiatives a new unified term called Kadazan dusun was created. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. While Kadazan was an official designation for this ethnic group it is widely believed that the term itself was a political derivative that came into existence in the late 1950s to early 1960s. No proper historical record exists pertaining to the origins of the term or its originator. However, an article written by Richard Tunggolou on this matter may shed some light. According to Tunggolou, most of the explanations of the meanings and origins of the word Kadazan assumed that the word was of recent origin, specifically in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He says that some people have theorized that the term originates from the word kakadazan (towns) or kedai (shops), and from the claim that Kadazan politicians such as the late Datuk Peter J. Mojuntin coined the term. However, there is evidence that the term has been used long before the 1950s. Owen Rutter, in his book, The Pagans Of North Borneo, published in 1929, wrote: The Dusun usually describes himself generically as a tulun tindal (landsman) or on the West Coast particularly at Papar, as a Kadazan. (page 31). Rutter worked in Sabah for five years as District Officer in all five residencies and left Sabah with the onset of the First World War. This means that he started working in Sabah from 1910 and left Sabah in 1914. We can therefore safely say that the word Kadazan was already in existence before any towns or shops were built in the Penampang district and that Kadazan politicians did not invent the word in the late fifties and early sixties. The Bobolians or the Bobohizans of Borneo was interviewed to seek better picture of the true meaning of the term Kadazan, a Lotud Bobolian was asked what is the meaning of Kadazan or kadayan? Kadazan means the people of the land. The Bobohizan from P enampang was also interviewed seeking the real meaning of Kadazan .The Bobohizan Dousia Moujing confirmed that the Kadazan has always been used to describe the real people of the land Kadazan means the people of the land. That confirmed what Rutter had described about the existence of term Kadazan. Thus the word Kadazan actually not derived from the word kedai (meaning shops in Malay). Over a hundred years, the people of Kadazans were ruled by the Brunei Sultanate; the Kadazan or Kadayan in Lotud, Marangang, Liwan were being addressed by the Sultanate as being the Orang Dusun which means the People of the Orchard Because in Malay, Dusun means Orchard Farm. Thus administratively the Kadazans are called Orang Dusun by the Sultanate (Tax-Collector) but in reality the people that was called Orang Dusun are in fact Kadazan. An account of this fact was written by the first census made by the North Borneo Company in Sabah, 1881. Administratively all Kadazans are called Dusun as their ethni c identity. Only through the establishment of KCA (Kadazan Cultural Association) in 1960, this terminology was corrected and replaced into Kadazan. When Sabah formed Malaysia together with Sarawak, Singapore and the Peninsular Malaysia in 1963, under the newly form nation of Malaysia, administratively all Orang Dusun born after the Malaysia formation is called Kadazan as their ethnic origin. There were no conflict with regards to Kadazan as the identity of the Orang Dusun between 1963 to 1984. But in 1985 through the KDCA (formally called KCA) the Dusun was once again being introduced after much pressures received from the various parties with one reason to divide the Kadazan and the Orang Dusun once again. As the division has been established and successful, the fall of the ruling government (PBS) was accomplished. PBS through the KCA then, finally coined in the new term to represent the Orang Dusun and Kadazan as Kadazandusun. Press released (Sabah Times and Daily Express) by various parties argued that it should not be Kadazandusun but Dusunkadazan! Leaders in Singapore and the Peninsular Malaysia until today acknowledges the people as Kadazan and not Dusun. The ex- Prime Minister of Singapore addressed the ethnic group in Sabah as the Kadazans, and many leaders of Malaysia today. It was said that the Kadazan/Dusun people originated from a place called Nunuk Ragang wh ich is roughly located at Tampias, where three rivers, Liwagu, Takashaw, and Gelibang meet to the east of Ranau and Tambunan. Nunuk is a Dusun word for Bayan Tree, Ragang comes from the word Aragang which means red. Nunuk look like giant that provide good natural shelters. Its tree top was estimated to be able to shelter under seven Kadazan/Dusun huts (a hut measure 12 by 20 feet). C:UsersUserDesktopNunukRagang (1).jpg A replica of Nunuk Ragang in Ranau Culture Characteristic Kadazan culture is heavily influenced by the farming of rice, culminating in various delicacies and alcoholic drinks prepared through differing home-brewed fermentation processes. Toomis and linutau are the main rice wine variants served and consumed in Kadazan populated areas, and are a staple of Kadazan social gatherings and ceremonies. Religion The Kadazandusun were traditionally animists but have been influenced by both Christianity and Islam. Many of those that the government counts as Christians come from a church tradition where any child that is born into a family that calls itself Christian is also considered to be Christian. Those holding to traditional religion today believe in a spirit world that is especially important in the cycle of rice cultivation as well as major events in the cycle of life. Although believing in a supreme being who created everything, they also attribute spirits to many things in nature such as birds, animals, and plants. The rice spirit in particular figures prominently in their beliefs and practices. Some of the Kadazandusun people groups are noted for their use of priestesses (bobohizan) for controlling the spirits. The majority of the Kadazans are Christians, mainly Roman Catholics and some Protestants. Islam is also practiced by a growing minority.The influence of the Spanish missionaries from the Philippines resulted in Christianity in its Roman Catholic form rising to prominence amongst Kadazans. A minority of them are protestants due to later British influence during the 20th century. Before the missionaries came into scene animism was the predominant religion. The Kadazan belief system centers around the spirit or entity called Kinorohingan. It revolved around the belief that spirits ruled over the planting and harvesting of rice a profession that had been practiced for generations. Special rituals would be performed before and after each harvest by a tribal priestess known as a bobohizan. C:UsersUserDesktopbobohizan.jpg Bobohizan Festival The most important festival of the Kadazans is the Kaamatan or harvest festival, where the spirit of the paddy is honoured after a years harvest. The Kaamatan festival is an annual event in the cultural life of the Kadazandusuns of Sabah since time immemorial. In its deepest sense Kaamatan festival is a manifestation of Creator and Creation relationship, as well as Inter-Creations relationship. It embodies the principal acts of invocation of divinities, appeasing purification and restoration re-union of benevolent spirits, and thanksgiving to the Source of All. It is part of a complex wholesome Momolian religious system centered on the paddy rites of passage and the life cycle of Bambarayon the in dwelling spirit of paddy. C:UsersUserDesktoppesta.jpg Harvest festival Appeasing is done in respect of Bambarayon, Deities, Divinities and Spirits, who may have been hurt by human wrongful acts. Purification is performed in respect of human and spiritual needs for forgiveness followed by resolutions to make themselves worthy of the gifts of life from God. Restoration in necessary to ensure the health and well being of SUNIL, mankind and other spiritual beings. Reunion is realised in respect of human needs to be integrated in body mind and spirit within the concept of the seven-in-one divinity in humanity, as well as re-union of Bambarayon with human Sunduan. Finally Thanksgiving is observed as befitting for all creations to express their gratitude and appreciation for the gifts of life (through Huminodun) and all life supportive system on earth that their Creator lovingly and generously gave them. This takes place in May and the two last days of the month are public holidays throughout Sabah. During the celebration the most celebrated event is the crowning of the unduk ngadau or harvest queen, where native Kadazandusuns girls throughout the state compete for the coveted crown. The beauty pageant is held to commemorate the spirit of Huminodon, a mythological character of unparalleled beauty said to have given her life in exchange for a bountiful harvest for her community. In marriages, marriage customs amongst the Kadazans vary a little from one district to another but in general are the same. The most important thing about Kadazan marriage customs is the role of the parents of both sides for it is they who make the choice and all the arrangements for the joining together of their children. Usually the children abide by their parents decision. The business of making the engagement is done when the boy is only twelve years old and the girl eleven The Kadazans call this miatod. The process begins with the boy who is to be engaged paying a formal visit to the girls house accompanied by some relatives and close friends. The visit is made at a time which has been agreed upon beforehand. In the girls house everybody is ready waiting with members of the family and close friends as well. Whilst waiting for the arrival of the boys party, the girl is told to make seven rice-balls as a special dish for her future husband. When she has done this, she is hastily sent to the house of one of her relations, which is never, however far from her own. As soon as the boy arrives he is invited to enter and is seated on a mat specially woven for occasions such as this, and which is called lawangan by the Kadazans. In the meanwhile the question of the size of the dowry is discussed by the elders from both parties. Usually a Kadazan dowry consists of a large gong, a small gong a, (small) cannon, a buffalo, some bronze, land, and so forth. The agreement is made to become effective on the day of the actual wedding. Finally a meal consisting of rice and buffalo meat, pork, chicken and similar dishes, washed down with drinks like ricewine and the juice of the coconut blossom is consumed to the accompaniment of the beat of gongs. This is when the special rice which has been prepared for the boy by his bride-to-be is fed to him by an old lady from the girls side. This is done in front of all present. After this everything is over and the guests depart, except for the bridegroom-to-be and some of his close friends who stay behind in the girls house. Now the girl returns from her relations house in order to meet her future husband and in order to serve him with more food and drink. That night the boy and his friends sleep in a room by themselves in the girls house. They will return home the following morning. Three days later the girl returns the visit. The same procedures are followed as with the boys visit to the girls house except that the boy does not have to move out of his house while his fiancee and her friends are there. The next day the girl is sent back to her own house by her fiancee along with other members of her family. While they are waiting for their coming of age the engaged couple stay with their own parents. However, the boy is obliged to help in his future mother-in-laws house doing such chores as collecting the firewood ploughing the soil and putting up temporary sheds and the like. Similarly the girl must help her future mother-in-law to plant the rice, cook and so on. The boy may visit the girls house whenever he likes on his own. The girl may also do likewise on condition that she is accompanied by her mother, an aunt or an elder sister. If the boy has an elder sister, he may invite his fiancee to stay a night or two in his house. At the same time if either one of them breaks the rules a penalty will be exacted. When the parents think that the time has come for their children to be married usually around sixteen or seventeen years of age the date for the wedding is fixed by mutual agreement. At last the betrothal ceremony can take place. A man who is fairly advanced in years from the bridegrooms side is chosen to carry out the betrothal rites by reading a short couplet set to a Kadazan melody. Then a huge feast is held at which several buffaloes ,pigs and chickens as well as a number of jars of rice-wine and bamboo stems of coconut blossom juice are consumed. Language Of The Kadazan People Rationally Kadazan language has existed since their ancestors, at first use of the native languages à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹is a branch of every human interaction, deliver and receive information. In particular, the spread of such dialects are starting from a small community groups. These groups communicate and develop an understanding of identity through their language. Eventually it will grow through the diffusion and increase the quantity of these groups. Originally the Kadazan community groups are in small amount, over time it evolved into large clusters. Kadazan tribe has its own language. Kadazan tribes and Dusun tribes are actually a different tribe, but were of the same family. Language of both these tribes nearly the same, distinguished only by minor differences in spelling and pronunciation. For example, home as walai in Dusun and hamin in Kadazan. Many other words that differ only in spelling such as two the duo in Dusun and duvo in Kadazan, and nine referred to siam in Dusun, and sizam in Kadazan. However, there is the same word as a the iso in both languages and six is onom. Music and Dance The Kadazans have also developed their own unique dance and music. Sumazau is the name of the dance between a male and female performed by couples as well as groups of couples which is usually accompanied by a symphony of handcrafted bronze gongs that are individually called tagung. Sumazau and Tagung usually played during festive occasions and feasts especially the wedding feast. The Sumazau Dance Tagung team The Kadazan have a musical heritage consisting of various types of tagung ensembles which is composed of large hanging suspended or held bossed or knobbed gongs which act as drone without any accompanying melodic instrument. They also use kulintangan ensembles with an horizontal type melodic instrument. Agungs also play a major role in agung orchestras ensembles composed of large hanging suspended or held knobbed gongs which act as drones without any accompanying melodic instrument like a kulintang. Such orchestras are prevalent among Mindanao Lumad groups (Bagobo, Bilaan, Bukidon, Hanunoo, Magsaka, Manabo, Mangyan, Palawan, Subanun, Tboli, Tagakaolu, Tagbanwa and the Tiruray), regions in Kalimantan and Indonesia (Iban, Modang, Murut) and Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia (Bidayuh, Iban, Kadazan-Dusan, Kajan, Kayan), places where agung orchestras take precedence over kulintang like orchestras. The composition and tuning of these orchestras vary widely from one group to another. For instance, the Hanunoo of Mindoro have a small agung ensemble consisting of only two light gongs played by two musicians on the floor in a simple duple rhythm while the Manobo have an ensemble (called an ahong) consisting of 10 small agungs hung vertically on a triangular frame. It includes three musicians: on e standing up, playing the melody, and the rest sitting. The agong is divided by purpose with the higher-pitched gongs (kaantuhan) carrying the melody three to four lower-pitched gongs (gandingan) playing melodic ostinato figures and the lowest pitched gong (bandil) setting the tempo. The Kadazan-Dusun, located on the western coast of Sabah refer to their agung ensemble as a tawag or bandil, which consists of six to seven large gongs in shoreline groups and 7 to 8 large gongs for those in interior valleys. In southwestern Sarawak, Bidayuh agung ensembles consist of nine large gongs divided into four groups (taway, puum, bandil, and sanang), while among the Iban of Sawarak, Brunei, Kalimantan, agung ensembles are smaller in comparison. Such ensembles can either perform alone or with one or two drums played with the hands or wooden sticks, as accompaniment. They play either homophonically or in an interlocking fashion with the gongs. These agung orchestras often perform at many types of social events, including agriculture rituals, weddings, victory celebrations, curing rites rituals for the dead, entertainment for visitors and other community rituals. The Agung. the left gong is the pangandungan, used for basic beats while the right gong is the panentekan, which complements the pangandungan. Kulintang is a modern term for an ancient instrumental form of music composed on a row of small, horizontally laid gongs that function melodically, accompanied by larger, suspended gongs and drums. As part of the larger gong chime culture of Southeast Asia, kulintang music ensembles have been playing for many centuries in regions of the Eastern Malay Archipelago the Southern Philippines, Eastern Indonesia, Eastern Malaysia, Brunei and Timur, although this article has a focus on the Philippine Kulintang traditions of the Maranao and Maguindanao peoples in particular. Kulintang evolved from a simple native signaling tradition and developed into its present form with the incorporation of knobbed gongs from Sunda.Its importance stems from its association with the indigenous cultures that inhabited these islands prior to the influences of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity or the West making Kulintang the most developed tradition of Southeast Asian archaic gong-chime ensembles. Technically, kulintang is the Maguindanao Ternate and Timor term for the idiophone of metal gong kettles which are laid horizontally upon a rack to create an entire kulintang set. It is played by striking the bosses of the gongs with two wooden beaters. Due to its use across a wide variety groups and languages the kulintang is also called kolintang by the Maranao and those in Sulawesi and kulintangan or gulintangan by those in Sabah and the Sulu Archipelago and totobuang by those in central Maluku. By the twentieth century, the term kulintang had also come to denote an entire Maguindanao ensemble of five to six instruments. Traditionally the Maguindanao term for the entire ensemble is basalen or palabunibunyan, the latter term meaning an ensemble of loud instruments or music-making or in this case music-making using a kulintang. Kulintang The instrument called the kulintang (or its other derivative terms) consist of a row/set of 5 to 9 graduated pot gongs, horizontally laid upon a frame arranged in order of pitch with the lowest gong found on the players left. The gongs are laid in the instrument face side up atop two cords/strings running parallel to the entire length of the frame with bamboo/wooden sticks/bars resting perpendicular across the frame creating an entire kulintang set called a pasangan. The gongs could weigh roughly from two pounds to three and 1/8 pounds and have dimensions from 6-10 inches for their diameters and 3-5 inches for their height. Traditionally they are made from bronze but due to the shortage of bronze after World War II and the subsequent use of scrap metal brass gongs with shorter decaying tones have become commonplace. The kulintang frame known as an antangan by the Maguindanao (means to arrange) and langkonga by the Maranao could have designs that could be particularly crude made from only bamboo/wooden poles or highly decorated rich with artistic designs like the traditional okil/okir motifs or arabesque designs. It is considered taboo to step or cross over the antangan while the kulintang gongs are placed on it. The kulintang is played by striking the bosses of the gongs with two wooden beaters. When playing the kulintang, the Maguindanao and Maranao would always sit on chairs while for the Tausug/Suluk and other groups that who play the kulintangan, they would commonly sit on the floor. Modern techniques include twirling the beaters, juggling them in midair, changing the arrangement of the gongs either before or while playing, crossings hands during play or adding very rapid fire strokes all in an effort to show off a players grace and virtuosity. The Kulintang The sompoton is another musical instrument. A ceremonial ring of cloth sash is worn by both male and female. The Sumazau and gong accompaniment is typically performed during joyous ceremonies and occasions, the most common of which being wedding feasts. The sompoton is a mouth organ which is prevalent among the Kadazandusun and Murut community. This fascinating instrument that originates from the district of Tambunan is constructed from a dried gourd and eight bamboo pipes which are arranged in a double-layered raft. A small lamella of polod palm (like a tiny jaw harp) is inserted near the base inside each sounding pipe to create a sweet harmonious sound. The pipes are fitted into a hole on one side of the gourd, sealed with bees wax and bound with thin strands of rattan. To create the perfect melody, musicians will have to manipulate the instrument by covering and uncovering the openings of three of the shortest pipes with the right hand and three small holes near the front and back pipes with the left hand. The sompoton can be played as a solo instrument for personal entertainment or in an ensemble to accompany a group of dancers. The sompoton has a gourd wind chamber from which extend 8 pipes arranged in two rows. There are bamboo reeds in seven of these pipes only, and three of these pipes do not have sound holes and are played by closing and opening the tops of the pipes with fingers of the right hand. The sumpoton can be played with the pipes pointing up, as is done with smaller instruments or with the pipes pointing either sideways or down with larger instruments. The instruments range in size from 6 inches to 3 feet in length, with the average size of just over 1 foot. Music featured in the folk traditions of this very interesting and unique. The tools and traditional sounds are abundant in Kadazandusun and it has the potential to be inherited by the younger generation. Among other musical instruments popular tradition is gong, Sompoton, Kulintangan, togunggu or togunggak, bungkau, pumpuak, sundatang, distilled, turali, tongkungon and others. Birth and Naming Ceremonies When a woman gives birth to a child in a house, a leaf known as wongkong is immediately tied over the door. This serves to give notice that a birth has taken place and that only those who live nearby may call. During her period of pregnancy until several days after delivery, the mother is completely in the hands of the midwife. The midwife is usually an elderly woman who is held in high esteem amongst the villagers. Apart from looking after the delivery of the child, the midwife is also responsible for all the medicines, which consist of the roots of trees, herbs, and so on. The midwife advises the mother on the relevant taboos and massages her both before and after childbirth. The name of the newborn babe is chosen by its grandparents. If the child was born in the house of the mother-in-law, they will have this responsibility; if in the house of the mothers own parents, they will choose what they consider to be an appropriate name. The names chosen are taken from these ancestors and are based on the world around them such as the names of trees, animals, and so on. Kadazan boys take names like Gimbang, Kunul, Kerupang, Galumau,Gantuong, Empurut, Ampingan, Sangan and so forth: typical, girls names are Semitah, Rangkumas, Ansayu, Baimin, Salud, Amin, Nani and Mainah. When the newborn child is about a month old, the shaving ceremony takes place. Goats, pigs and chickens are always slaughtered for this occasion. There are also jars of rice-wine and dozens of bamboo-stems of coconut blossom juice for those with means, and whatever they can afford for the less well-off. Beliefs about Illness According to Kadazan belief, illness is caused by supernatural beings such as ghosts and devils which dwell in the virgin jungle, in fig-trees and in large boulders. Besides this, the Kadazans also believe that some people (called stridden) have the power to cause illness in others whom they do not like. When someone falls ill in the house, his family will call for a medicine-man who in the case of Sabah is not a man at all, but a woman. This woman not only casts spells and explains the necessary taboos to be followed but also provides medicines appropriate to the sickness from which the patient is suffering. These medicines include, inter alia, the tail and skin of a python, the tail and fat of an ant-eater, cockroaches, bees, rats, rattan roots, nibung-palm roots, betelnut roots, langsat (a fruit) skin and wild bananas. The medicine-woman brings a chicken, a pig and some yellow rice to a fig-tree or a large boulder which she believes to be the abode of a resident spirit. All these things are provided by the family of the sick person. At the boulder or beneath the fig-tree the woman softly chants her spells in the language of the spirits. This done, she will put the yellow rice in a bamboo stem, to which is added the chicken and pigs blood which she has just slaughtered, as well as their hearts and lungs. The bamboo stem is then placed on the boulder or below the tree in the ordained manner to the accompaniment of certain words. The medicine-woman then returns home without looking back once. The slaughtered pig and chicken are left where they are for the time being so that the resident spirits can cast their spells over them the spells will be absorbed into the carcasses of the dead animals. After about half an hour the carcasses will be brought back to the sick mans house. The slaughtered chicken is smeared all over the body of the patient, followed by the pig which is held by two men. Then the pig is suspended between two poles outside the house and roasted over a fire of bamboo. (No other wood may be used for this purpose:) Whilst the roasting is going on, no one is allowed to utter coarse speech, for to do so according to the general belief would prevent the sick man from ever recovering because the spells of the spirits would have been rendered inoperative. Should someone reveal an easy heart by laughter in the sick mans house, the person concerned has to pay a customary fine of one chicken. If untoward remarks are made about the fat running off the roasting pig it may not be eaten. The methods described above for the treatment of the sick applies to those who have been crossed by a ghost or a spirit. Funerals When a death occurs in a village everyone is informed. A taboo which must be observed is that no one must do any kind of work on the day of the funeral above all the work of planting rice. It is believed that any work done on such an occasion can only bring misfortune engendered by the fate of the deceased. However, this taboo does not apply should the deceased die far from his own village. First of all the body is washed and then dressed in fine clothes and sprinkled with rose-water. Sometimes, if the deceased was a cigarette or cheroot smoker, a cigarette or cheroot is placed in his mouth. The body is kept in the house from three to seven days before it is buried. While the body is in the house, all the occupants must keep awake. Whoever falls off to sleep will be doused with water and cannot take offence. The purpose of keeping awake is to watch out for the devil or genie which in the guise of a large bird will try to fly away with the body. Should the bird come, the day will become overcast and gloomy and there will be thunder and lightning, which will give the creature its chance to dash into the house and look for the body. This bird is known as the pendaatan bird. In order to avoid the birds onslaught, cloth is hung around the body. The bird is frightened off by the cloth which it mistakes for human beings. There should be an atmosphere of complete calm and silence in the house there should be no idle chatter or angry words. In this quietness solace is sought by the slow beating of gongs or drums, the sound of which the Kadazans refer to as Surabaya. These gongs or drums may only be beaten three times a day that is when the sun sets at midnight and as the sun rises the following morning. The greatest care is taken to prevent a cat from jumping over the outstretched corpse for the Kadazans believe that if this happens the dead man will be transformed into a dangerous and terrifying giant. No coffin or burial jar is used for those with neither rank nor wealth. They are carried to the burial ground wrapped up in cloth and tied to a pole which can be easily lifted. When the body is ready, it is carried in procession to the grave to the accompaniment of gongs and drums, firecrackers and gunfire. On arrival, a spell is cast over the body by an elderly man specially chosen to wait by the open grave. The grave itself is swept with green betelnut leaves so as to prevent the spirits of those who have come along being left behind there. The body is then lowered into the grave while a sprig from a banyan tree is taken and stuck over its navel. After this has been done, the grave is filled in. The purpose of the banyan sprig is to ascertain whether the deceased still thinks of his wife and children. If he does, the sprig will sprout a shoot; if no shoot appears, this means that he has forgotten all about those he has left behind. A small hut with an attap or zinc roof and with beautiful designs carved on its plank walls is erected over the grave. A shirt, a clean metal cigar/cigarette box, and some betelnut quids cigarettes and similar items are placed in the middle of the hut. The family of the deceased will send food to the hut every afternoon for seven days, because it is believed that during this period the soul of the dead man has not yet left the body and so still requires food from its living relatives. No one is allowed to disturb these things. Anyone found doing so will be fined a chicken or five dollars. The bodies of well to do Kadazans are placed in large burial jars which are firmly closed before they are buried with the body inside. Then another very expensive jar is placed above the grave. In some places the burial jar and its contents are not taken straight away to the burial place but are kept in the house itself or in a special hut erected nearby so that the family can mourn there whilst waiting for other relatives who live far off to arrive. Then only is the jar buried. After three days have passed since the burial, a feast is held at night. On this occasion members of the deceaseds family let fall three drops of candle wax through the cracks in the floor of the house onto the ground below.