Charles’ Law and Absolute Zero

Date of experiment: November 4, 2010 Date submitted: November 11, 2010 Introduction: As per Charles’ Law, there is a linear relationship between the temperature and volume of a gas. Charles discovered that -273Â °C is the point at which a gas has no volume. Since that's as cold as he thought things could ever get, that originated the idea of absolute zero. In this experiment, Charles’ Law was applied and made into data to determine an experimental value for Absolute Zero. To do so, a fixed amount of gas was confined in a small, uniform sample tube.The temperature of the gas was changed, by being placed in water. The expected result is that as the temperature of the gas gets cooler (decreases), the volume of gas will decrease. Procedure: A 400mL beaker was filled with tap water and place on a hot plate until the thermometer read 55Â °C. Then a sample tube filled with two mercury plugs was obtained from the instructor. With a ruler, the distance between the two mercury plugs was recorded. Using small rubber bands, the sample tube was strapped to the ruler, which was then attached to the bottom of thermometer.A cork was attached onto the top of the thermometer, and then clamped in the beaker of pre-heated water. The initial temperature and distance between each plug in the pre-heated water were then recorded. Ice was added and stirred every so often to cool the temperature of the water. When the beaker was going to overflow, small amounts of the water were removed by a pipet. The temperature and distance between each plug were then recorded every two minutes. Eight sets of temperatures were recorded when the goal temperature of 0. Â °C was achieved. Data: 1) Temperature and Distance Between Mercury Plugs Every 2mins Time (minutes)| Temperature of water (Â °C)| Distance between plugs (mm)| 0 (Plugs out of water)| 49. 8| 60. 2 (in room temp)| 2 (Plugs in water)| 46. 3| 63. 8| 4| 42. 2| 63. 3| 6| 39. 3| 62. 2| 8| 24. 9| 60. 0| 10| 19. 1| 58. 6| 12| 7. 8| 56. 6| 14| 1. 9| 55. 1| 16| 0. 1| 54. 4| 18| 0. 1| 54. 4| Calculations: 1) Line of best fit: y=0. 1981x+54. 752 Slope (m): 0. 198 mm/C Y-Intercept (b): 54. 8 mm 2) Absolute zero (V=0): -276. 8Â °C 3) % Error:Excepted value: -273Â °C Discussion: My results show that as the temperature of the water decreased, the distance between the two mercury plugs decreased. This supports Charles’ Law which states . When creating my graph, I did not include the first initial temperature and length recordings. The plot was not anywhere near the others, and would have thrown off the slope. My value for absolute zero was fairly close to the excepted -273Â °C. There was a small difference of 3. 8Â °C between the two values, with a percent error or 1. 4%.My results were expected because I was obviously not going to get the perfect -273Â °C absolute zero value, due to experimental error. Sources of experimental error that could occur are if the initial temperature of the water was over 55Â °C and if the mercury plugs were not fully submerged in the water. If the water was over 55Â °C, then the ruler would have deformed from melting. This would make the ruler’s readings unreliable. If the mercury plugs were not fully submerged in the water then they would not get the full effect of temperature change.

Multivitamin Review

It has always been a practice by children or adults to take in multivitamins daily. â€Å"Prevention is better than cure† as what most adults usually say. Multivitamins are essential to your body since it provides the necessary vitamins and minerals to support you metabolic processes and helps in preventing chronic diseases. Vitamins are organic compounds needed in the diet in small amounts to promote and regulate the chemical reactions and processes needed for growth, reproduction, and the maintenance of health (_______ p.236). While minerals are elements needed by the body in small amounts for structure and to regulate chemical reactions and other body processes (______ p.280). Daily intake of multivitamins gives short-term benefits like boosting your energy and helps you combat physical stress to maintain an active lifestyle. It also provides better vision and better memory. While some of the long-term benefits include reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis. Using tables 8.2 and 8.3 in Ch. 8 (pp.239-240, 262), and Tables 9.1 and 9.6 in Ch.9 (pp.288, 301-08), over-the-counter multivitamins could only meet the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for Adults if these are taken in combination to a healthy and well-balanced diet as suggested by the Food Pyramid Guide. The amount of a vitamin in a food depends on the amount naturally found in that food as well as how the food is cooked, stored, and processed. The vitamins naturally found in foods can be washed away during preparation, destroyed by cooking, or damaged by exposure to light or oxygen (____ p.237). This is why it is recommended and is important to take in multivitamins everyday to maintain good health. It compensates for the lost nutrients in many of the foods we eat. Does taking a multivitamin everyday raise your intake of a particular vitamin or mineral to near-toxic levels? Vitamins are divided into two types: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Most vitamins purchased over the counters are water-soluble. Anything taken in excess of the RDI is excreted off in the urine. Also, vitamin and mineral contents in 1 dosage of a multivitamin contains less than 100% of the RDI and the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL). So generally, it is safe to take multivitamins everyday. However, since multivitamins make good nutritional sense, it should not be abused. Some people who experience mild illnesses attempt to cure themselves by taking in more than the recommended dosage of their multivitamins thinking that it will speed up their recovery. This should not be the case since some health conditions require special medical attention. Too much vitamins and minerals in your body can be toxic. Some of the consequences of toxicity are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, hair changes, kidney damage, bone abnormalities, high/low blood pressure, anemia, brain damage, rashes, tingling extremities, sweating, etc. As always, too much of anything is bad. References Karani, R. (2006, March). The truth about multivitamins: can taking a multivitamin every day really help you stay healthy? Focus on Healthy Aging. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ZRQ/is_3_9/ai_n17213371 *Note: There are blank spaces after the quotations. I don’t know the title and the author of the reading sources that you gave me. Kindly just fill it out and include it in the references. Also this response is more than the required number of words but it’s hard to answer all the questions, do citations and make a point with just a limited 300-word response. Sorry I know this is very late already. But I tried.   

Costing Concerns in Society

In today's competitive economy, the cost structure is much more complex than that of the past, and there is a lot less room for error than that allowed in the more laid back economy of the past. Today's costing concerns arise from the growing disparity between direct and indirect product costs. American manufacturers have been pursuing a steady stream of manufacturing methods and technologies. The goal was simple and uniform: to reduce or eliminate direct costs. But as manufacturing has evolved, so has the structure of a product's cost. Direct costs, such as labor, are no longer the dominant cost of a product. The cost of indirect activities such as automation, marketing, sales, engineering, and order processing have dramatically increased. Overhead has grown to become the most expensive element of product cost structure. This might not be so bad if conventional product costing systems could handle the shift in cost structure. Unfortunately, they don†t. Most conventional systems allocate overhead based on some burdened rate (direct labor hours is a good example). This was acceptable when overhead was small and direct costs were high. But in today†s automated factory, this can lead to disaster. Conventional systems report inaccurate product costs–often grossly inaccurate. Management, in turn, makes strategic decisions based on these inaccurate product costs. Traditional cost systems assume all overhead activities are consumed equally by all products relative to volume produced. Further, all costs are allocated to products because the system assumes that current output drives current overhead costs. Overhead costs are allocated to products on the basis of the product's demand for some volume variable direct cost, usually labor hours, machine hours, or materials cost. But none of these bases individually represents the actual overhead incurred to make the product. Conventional thinking holds that the inaccuracy is not relevant because in total all costs are accounted for, and on average the relative distortion in margin reporting can not be significant. Activity based costing, by contrast, identifies what activities are performed by the overhead organization and calculates the cost incurred to perform each activity. Costs are traced to products on the basis of the individual product's demand for these activities throughout the process of converting raw materials, energy and human enterprise into the finished article. The allocation bases used in ABC, then, are the quantifications of activities performed. These might include hours of labor or number of times handled. As already mentioned, conventional costing often leads to gross inaccuracies. This is because direct costs–especially direct labor–have been minimized by automation. At the same time, indirect costs have increased dramatically. And it†s the indirect costs that get averaged across product lines by conventional methods. To see how bad the errors can be, look at the following chart. Conventional costing says that product B has a much lower overhead cost per unit ($4.80 vs. $7.20 for Product A). But this can†t be so. Product B consumes five times as much engineering change activity as Product A. Product B should cost more to produce. What has happened here is that the conventional system has averaged overhead costs across both products. The total cost of engineering changes is divided by the total direct labor hours. The result, $2.40 per direct labor hour, is then applied to each product. This overhead averaging causes Product A to carry an unfair–and inaccurate–portion of the overhead costs. Now guess what happens when these cost figures are used in pricing. Product A will probably be overpriced for the market, and Product B will be sold for less than its true production cost. Conventional costing says that product B has a much lower overhead cost per unit ($4.80 vs. $7.20 for Product A). But this can†t be so. Product B consumes five times as much engineering change activity as Product A. Product B should cost more to produce. What has happened here is that the conventional system has averaged overhead costs across both products. The total cost of engineering changes is divided by the total direct labor hours. The result, $2.40 per direct labor hour, is then applied to each product. This overhead averaging causes Product A to carry an unfair–and inaccurate–portion of the overhead costs. Now, using the ABC concept, the costs are apportioned according to a driver, the number of engineering change orders. (ECO's) The next graph shows the reallocation of overhead costs by the ABC method. Product B is now carrying its fair share of ECO processing costs. As would be expected, Product B actually costs five times more than Product A in terms of indirect activity consumption. As you have seen, activity based costing can offer much clearer insight into the operations of a business than the conventional method .of the past. When ABC is used as a management system, it is a powerful tool for rethinking and improving products, services, processes and a company's market strategies.

Why some countries have developed and are not and have not Essay

Why some countries have developed and are not and have not - Essay Example In practice, economic development focuses on starting of economic operation in a region, expansion as well as retention and starting of new business within a region. Countries across the world can be divided into two groups developed and developing countries. United Nations does not give any definition for developed or developing country. But there are some parameters which are used to divide the countries into two different groups. The topic ‘why some countries are developed and why some are not’ is a widely discussed topic among the economists around the world. Scholars have expressed divergent views about the reasons for development and underdevelopment. We should not forget the fact that there is no single factor for development or underdevelopment but it is interplay of various factors. There is a huge disparity in the living standards in the developed and developing countries. It is estimated that around one billion people i.e. one fifth of the world population earns less than $1.00 a day. UN World Development Report 1998 says the aggregate Gross Domestic Products of the worlds 48 poorest countries is less than combined assets of world’s three richest people. According to Forbes Magazines, combined net worth of 358 billionaires is equal to the aggregate income of the bottom 45% of the world’s population. It is also estimated that due to starvation or preventable infections disease around 35,000 children under the age of five die every day. The problems of poverty, growing inequality and hunger are becoming worse despite huge global economic growth over the past 50 years. So it is very important to analyze reasons for development and underdevelopment. Research is a human activity based on intellectual investigation and aimed at discovering, interpreting, as well as predicting the different aspects of study. To analyze the causes for development and under development is slightly difficult as the scholars have given different reasons for it.

Managing Earth's Natural Resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Earth's Natural Resources - Essay Example Being a farmer, and hardworking one at that, I strongly oppose any arrangements that would subject Callicoon to hydraulic fracturing. Jack, I know that leasing land over to extraction companies seems logical. The money is satisfactory, and one gets to retain ownership of the land. Lots of promises got made by these companies concerning how they intend to harness this resource that is the natural gas. However, the very process of fracking in itself is harmful to the natural ecosystem regardless of whatever means gets used in harvesting (Zelman 2012). Hydraulic fracturing refers to a process that creates fractures in the rocks due to the action of pressurized fluid. The process of fracking gets done after a well gets drilled and fitted with steel pipes targeting the areas that hold gas or oil. When the fracturing fluid gets injected in the well, it flows along the perforations into the target zones. The pressure created through injection of the liquid fractures the formation. Upon frac turing, fluid injection stops and the fracturing fluid flow back to the surface. Materials like ceramic beads and sand which got injected together with the fracture fluid mixture remains in the fracture space to keep the fracture open (Zelman 2012). Hydraulic fracturing uses enormous volumes of water. ... The harvesting of large volumes of water for hydraulic fracturing has negative ecological impacts in the water ecosystem. Fracking in Marcellus Shale used up 650 million gallons each year. Apart from drying up of water aquifers, water harvesting affects aquatic flora and fauna and leads to loss of biodiversity. The transportation of this water gets done by trucks that cause localized air quality and destroys the roads (Zelman 2012). A wide array of chemicals gets used together with water in hydraulic fracturing. The amount of chemicals used when millions of gallons of water gets used is enormous. In other words, the amount of chemicals per hydraulic fracturing is substantial. For instance, fracking that uses up four million gallons requires up to 330 tons of chemicals. The department of Environmental Conservation put up a list of additives and chemicals used for fracturing in Marcellus Shale. These chemicals are toxic to both wildlife and people, some of which cause cancer. These sub stances include petroleum distillates such as toluene, naphthalene and ethylbenzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, ethylene glycol, sodium hydroxide, formaldehyde, glycol ether and hydrochloric acid. The Environmental Working Group has stated that petroleum distillates like kerosene contain benzene, a well known carcinogen which gets toxic in water in quantities that exceed five parts per billion. Volatile organic compounds such as 1, 2- Dichloroethane that are found in fracturing fluid flow back exceed drinking water standards. Flow back samples obtained from Pennsylvania had 10 times the maximum amount of 1, 2- Dichloroethane that should be in drinking water (Zelman 2012). Jack, leasing land to these exploration companies will lead to the reduction of water and air quality.

The Impact of the Euro Since its Launch Dissertation

The Impact of the Euro Since its Launch - Dissertation Example The currency had also to revive itself from the initial downturn it suffered and later to sustain the growth achieved by it as an international currency. This paper presents the major advantages and disadvantages of the currency as a single currency and the impact it created on the various economic fronts since its inception. The major purpose of introduction of Euro was to take on the challenges of competition posed by the growing attitude of globalization. The other object envisaged by the European Union through the introduction of Euro was to overcome the barriers imposed by the diversities posed by the different economies. These diversities are caused by the conflicting monetary and fiscal policies of the various governments and the multifarious tariffs and restrictions placed on trade and investment. Before the introduction of Euro the euro-zone currencies were greatly influenced by the rise or fall in the rate of US dollar. The introduction and existence of euro has led to the positive impact of alleviating the financial crisis faced by the euro-zone countries since 1998. Further positive effects of the common European currency in the form of price stability, cheaper and better banking facilities, increase in the competitiveness of the industrial enterprises and welfare of the consumers in general have resulted during the last 8 years of the existence. Most generally the vastness of the European internal market with a single currency made Europe a potential competitor to the market of the US.

Employment interviews as a selction tool Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Employment interviews as a selction tool - Essay Example There are various types of interviews. Some interviews are conducted face to face between the employer and candidate while others may be conducted electronically or on phone. In terms of forms, interviews can be classified into three types, namely structured interviews, semi-structured interviews and unstructured interviews. In the structured interviews, interviewer analyzes the skills of interview through a preformed set of questions. In the semi-structured interview, the interviewer may make the conversation apart from the questions as well. In fact, some questions are developed on the spot from the discussion. In unstructured interviews, there are no preformed questions. Quite often, very simple questions are used to assess the interest and enthusiasm of a candidate for work. For example, one of the interview questions an Assistant Engineer was asked for his assessment by Chunghwa Telecom was, â€Å"Why do you want to join our company?† (â€Å"Engineering Interview Questions†). Interview is one of the best selection tools because it promotes public relations in addition to regular assessment of

Hollywood Melodrama Textual Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hollywood Melodrama Textual Analysis - Essay Example Brick’s character is enigmatic and every movement, gesture or line that comes from him may give a clue as to what is making him â€Å"passive-aggressive†. He holds the audience desperate to understand him. Brick is a former athlete who tried to relive his glory days one time, when at three o’ clock in the morning, he tried to jump hurdles imagining a wild crowd cheering him on. Being drunk, he lost his balance and injured his ankle rendering him disabled. â€Å"The image of masculinity is a dominant one in sports, and it is one that privileges men who do not show feelings of vulnerability and where the only emotion valued is one of toughness and competitiveness† (Trujillo, 1991). Stereotypically, from his â€Å"masculine† athletic background, this injury is assumed to affect Brick’s masculinity. Going against stereotype, quadriplegic men in wheelchairs participate in a sport called â€Å"Quad Rugby† or â€Å"Murderball†, borrowing rules from able-bodied rugby, basketball and hockey. Its players also proudly display their masculinity as well, claiming that they play rough and tumble, and ready to take a spill for a loose ball (Buchanan, 2002; Gitonio, 2002).  That is a far cry from the attitude presented by Brick. Brick’s injury, â€Å"a wound in his otherwise intact masculinity, is also a figure for his castration, the unmanning implied in homosexual desire.† (http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/cat) The term ‘impaired masculinity’ describes Brick at the outset with his good ol’ reliable crutch by his side. The crutch, it itself represents disability. It limits Brick’s movements and capacity to do the things he used to before his accident. Being cold and indifferent to the advances of his wife is a defence mechanism that covers up his utter shame of his physical limits. That includes his physical marital obligations. The audience is led to think that turning away from his wife at her

Personal Narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal Narrative - Essay Example It was first weekend after I had come of age when I could right ask my father to give me driving lesson. My parents were really enjoying my impatience and quite shamelessly made me do all the things like washing dishes and cleaning the car. But nothing could faze me and woke up early to take my first driving lesson! When I sat on the driving seat, there was no holding back my happiness and I was grinning widely. My father indicated all the controls and cautioned me especially regarding the accelerator and break. It was trusted old Beetle that I had got accustomed to watching my parents drive so various controls were easy to understand. I turned the key and started the motor. Wow! The thrill of holding the steering wheel and letting go the break was just divine. It was on first gear and though slow, I was independently handling the car. My father took me on a long drive which had lots of curves and by-lanes. I was not allowed to change gears till after I had become accustomed to the b reak and accelerator which father had made me use frequently on the track that was still isolated. Putting the car on second gear had given me huge confidence because I could speed up the car a little more. After about an hour of practice lesson, we headed back. The first driving lesson was memorable because my father was proud of the way, I had managed my driving.

Marketing Research Gilligans Backpacker Hotel Paper

Marketing Gilligans Backpacker Hotel - Research Paper Example Marketing refers to any process aimed at developing and implementing plans to anticipate, identify and satisfy the customer demands with the chief aim maximizing profit margins of an organization or business. Marketing research forms the arsenal of market analysis. This entails identifying the customer’s requirements, planning an appropriate marketing mix culminating into a good entry into the market. Gilligan’s Backpacker Hotel is located in Australia. The hotel that operates the entertainment industry provides attraction to visitors from all over the world (global and local). Its strategic location makes it accessible by the visitors. This hotel is the leading youth hotel resort in Australia. There are not many aged individuals above the age of 55 years that frequent the place as there are the youths. The services are amazing including accommodation, fully conditioned hotel rooms with ensuite, and the traditional backpacker, from where it draws its name. Additional se rvices include free Wi-Fi, stunning Lagoon swimming pools, free transport from the airport, and free line provision among others (Ooi & Laing 2010). Entertainment facilities in the place include open deck bars, supporting events, plasma television, and outdoor pub screens (Crea, 2013). With all this in place the hotel is frequented by youths and adults aged below 55 years.As previously stated in the introduction, the gap that exists in Gilligan’s Backpacker Hotel is that of the customers or rather visitors who visit the premises

Genetically Modified Food and Crops Essay Example for Free

Genetically Modified Food and Crops Essay Abstract Since the 1980s scientists have been altering crops, including some of the food we eat (Fairly Gaskins, 2000). Genetically modified food has always been a concern for many people. I find the concerns to be unwarranted because there has never been a negative health report due to the fact of consuming GM foods. Biotechnology gives us the best means for solving the worlds food shortage now and in the future. Genetically modified crop plants are now grown on nearly 150 million acres in the United States alone, helping farmers to increase yields, reduce pesticide spraying, and save topsoil (Conko Miller, 2011). What are we actually eating? Looking at ingredients on the back of a product was almost considered out of the ordinary ten to fifteen years ago. But now it is one of the most important factors in the decision on whether or not a consumer will buy the product. In all the research I conducted there was never a proven harmful effect from genetic engineering. However, the benefits are scientifically proven which gives genetically modified crops the advantage over traditional farming. The proposed ideas and research by scientist show that a lot more can be done with GM food other than eating it. Globalization of GM crops is becoming apparent as well as GM crop commercialization. _Keywords: GM Food, GM Crops, Genetically engineered crops, Biotechnology, GM organisms. _ Genetically modified organisms can be defined as organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally. The technology is often called biotechnology and it allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another (World Health Organization, 2002). For more than twenty years of scientific, humanitarian, and financial success genetic engineering has been applied to agriculture. This has been accomplished without injury to a single person or damage to the ecosystem. However, activists are still fighting the use of genetically modified crops (Conko Miller 2011). Millions of people around the world suffer from malnutrition and with the steep projected increase of our worlds population in the next fifty years a change needs to be made. Genetically modified crops increase yield, nutrition and uses fewer pesticides all without proven negative effects. GM crops and all its benefits make it the gateway for the worlds agriculture success. Genetically modified crops are becoming the building blocks for agriculture advancements. Scientists are continually working to create more benefits for consumers as well as farmers. The main concern of GM foods is negative health risks however, they are actually more beneficial. GM foods have longer shelf life, contain higher nutritional value and are safer to eat. For example, GM corn has lower fungal toxin content then non-GM corn, and farmers typically produce GM crops using fewer pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers (Tyson, 2001). By drastically reducing the use of chemicals on the plants it provides a major improvement for the consumers safety and nourishment. Because scientists slightly tweak the DNA of the plants with other genes it is possible that food allergens may end up in GM products. Steve Taylor, a scientists at the University of Nebraska states that, the food-allergy threat is small because food engineers now avoid using genes from nuts and other common food allergens. The benefits of genetic engineering justify the risk (Fairley Gaskins 2000). Products from biotechnology are no less safe than traditionally bred crops. According to Dr. Prakash, genetically improved products are subjected to intensive testing, while conventional varieties have never been subjected to any such regulation for food safety or environmental impact (Prakash, 2000). Every GM food that is currently available on the international market has already passed risk assessments and is not likely to pose a risk for the consumers. No effects have been shown and GM foods will continue to be regulated in more and more countries (World Health Organization, 2002). GM crops are never expected to present a health risk and therefore should reassure government officials worldwide in the use of this technology. Another concern of GM technology is the effect it has on the environment. The environmental risks of biotechnology are also unidentified just like the health trepidations. No scientific evidence proves that GM crops are harmful to the environment. U. S. officials pointed out that scientists in Europe had been unable to find any evidence of added risk to human health or the environment from any GM crop variety developed to date. In fact, none of the studies by Europe found any scientific evidence of added harm to humans or the environment (Paarlberg, 2003). GM engineering will actually help the environment rather than harm it. In the U. S. alone farmers annually administer more than nine hundred seventy million tons of insect and plant killers. Now GM crops have the ability of containing their own insect and plant killing gene which means the farmers can use fewer chemicals (Tyson, 2001). To ensure that the environment is remaining safe, risk assessments are conducted for the GM product as well as the area in which the crop will grow (World Health Organization, 2002). Furthermore, the United Nations Environment Program has used funding for developing countries to implement biosafety regulations for GM crops. The UNEP wants these regulations implemented before any crop is planted no matter the cost or delay (Paarlberg, 2003). Since 2011, The U. S. Department of Agriculture has approved seventy four different GM crops. In each case the crops data was reviewed for several years and each concluded that they will have no significant environmental impact (Conko Miller 2011). These precautionary measures toward genetically modified crops allow the government to regulate farming actions and safeguard the environment. The initial reason GM organisms were created was to improve crop production. The GM crops currently on the market are mainly aimed at an increased level of crop protection through the introduction of resistance against plant diseases caused by insects or viruses or through increased tolerance towards herbicides (Tyson, 2001). Producers are getting a lot more for a lot less which translates to products with lower prices. The improved production of crops and technology accounts for the lowered costs and have forced tremendous competition in the herbicide and insecticide markets (Prakash, 2000). This also helps traditional farmers because it now allows them to buy these products at a cheaper cost. In fifty years the world population could exceed eleven billion people unfortunately, the current food supply is not expanding at the same rate. Because of this, GM crops need to expand and gain popularity over traditional farming. Global GM crop farming in 1999 covered about one hundred million acres (Tyson, 2001). Now, genetically modified crop plants are grown on nearly one hundred fifty million acres in the United States alone (Conko Miller 2011). These statistics show that GM crop farming is rapidly expanding and the benefits are obvious. Biotechnology and its productivity give us the best chance to safely solve the food needs of today and the future. Poor farmers in tropical countries face problems such as crop pests, drought and low soil fertility (Paarlberg, 2003). These are the people who annually struggle to produce enough food for their families. Bugs, drought and disease destroy many acres of farmland every year. Fortunately scientists are creating GM crops with built in resistance to insects and diseases. GM Crops are also being developed that can grow in deserts or near salt water which allows more area for farming (Fairley Gaskins, 2011). Because GM crops are now being built in with these resistances farmers wont experience huge financial setbacks caused by pests killing their plants. Since the majority of malnutrition people in the world live in developing countries this opens up the opportunity for them to increase crop yield and provide enough food for everyone. Also, in developing countries people often have to survive off a single staple that own its own doesnt supply sufficient amounts of nutrients. Food scientist hope to solve this problem by creating crops equipped with vitamins and minerals. According to Tyson, one of the most promising is golden rice, which can stimulate our bodies to generate vitamin A. In the developing world, vitamin-A deficiency kills two million children each year (Tyson, 2001). A development through GM foods may be able to save two million people which would be a life changing breakthrough. Scientists are also trying to perfect eatable vaccines. They are genetically adding vaccines to tomatoes and bananas, since traditional vaccines are expensive to manufacture and require specialized storage. Eatable vaccines, will be easier to transport, store, and administer in third world countries (Tyson, 2001). Biotechnology holds unlimited potential for areas of the world where poverty and poor agricultural conditions make farming challenging. The U. S. needs to ensure the people of these countries that GM food is safe and will be nothing but beneficial to their people. Genetic engineering is a crucial factor in agricultural productivity and if it continues to safely expand it could help meet the problematic food challenges that have already started. Genetic engineering holds great possibilities that could change the world. Simply peeling back a banana infused with antibiotics could be the next breakthrough science has to offer. Biotechnology continues to show safety is not an issue. GM farmers are now administering fewer chemicals on their crops. This reduces the amount of air pollution and water contamination in the environment. Genetic modifications were being made since farming started. Farmers always crossed bred the most successful plants year to year and without any concerns from the public. Today, scientist have a better understanding of how genetic modifications work making it safer for the consumers. However, government regulations are still implemented just for precautionary purposes. The United States is fortunate enough to grow numerous varieties of crops and also have the ability to choose the method of how they are grown. Unfortunately, not every country has these advantages. Genetically modified products allow these developing nations to grow crops at a more productive rate. Commercialization of genetically modified agriculture needs to be strictly monitored to make sure regulations are followed. Over industrialization of farming today is negatively viewed therefore making it essential that a golden mean is set for genetically modified products. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Fairley, P. , Gaskins, P. (2000). Food Fight!. _Scholastic Choices_, _15_(8), 16. CONKO, G. , MILLER, H. I. (2011). The Rush to Condemn Genetically Modified Crops. _Policy Review_, (165), 69-82. World Health Orginization.(2002). Retrieved from website: http://www. who. int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/index. html Tyson, P. T. (2001, April 12). _Harvest of fear_. Retrieved from http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/harvest/exist/ Prakash, C. (2000). Genetically engineered crops can feed the world!. Retrieved from http://www. 21stcenturysciencetech. com/articles/biotech. html Paarlberg, R. L. (2003). Reinvigorating genetically modified crops. _Issues in Science and Technology, 19_(3), 86-92. Retrieved from http://ezproxy. sju. edu/login? url=http://search. proquest. com/docview/195920735? accountid=14071.

British contemporary art Essay Example for Free

British contemporary art Essay British contemporary art is the art that developed in the late 20th century and early 21st century in Britain. It was this time when there came a kind of rejection for ‘modern art’ and the force and dynamism of ‘abstract expressionism’ reduced. At the end of 1950s loose movements of early contemporary art developed ‘Pop art’ that emerged formerly in England and started with the exhibition of ‘This Is Tomorrow’. The sixties art scene saw David Hockney, Peter Blake and Richard Hamilton during this time. Pop art’ can be characterized by descriptions of common places that were placed in new artistic ontexts, optical flickering of the international pop art movement were seen in the paintings of some artists and various other varieties in the work of numerous artists were appreciated. The styles that were diminished were put under the umbrella term of ‘postmodernism’. The development of new historicism, ironic and detached, which generated a number of artistic â€Å"neonism†, marked the commencement of a new era in art. The Young British Artists movement in 1990s with the version of conceptual art that featured installations often achieved international recognition. Many new artists simultaneously tirred up and challenged history of art and gave a new definition to art that it is any work of art is an entity, which in itself is self-sufficient. The new art seemed to be sometimes detached with social consciousness and concentrated on issue driven themes and minorities like gay, feminism etc. Another trend that is being seen in numerous works of art is the concept driven by the use of photography and language as the substance. Further contemporary art movement includes digital art, which was initiated in 1970s but became prevalent with the beginning of 21st century. The digital artists make use of software and sophisticated computers along with video equipments and create an extremely different work of art. Damien Hirst, internationally renowned and leader of â€Å"Young British Artists† dominated the art world in Britain especially during 1990s. The central theme of Hirst’s work is ‘death’ and his famous work was a series of dead animals preserved in formaldehyde. â€Å"The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living† is a tiger shark dipped in formaldehyde in a vitrine and is of 14-feet, the sale of which made him world’s second highest expensive living artist. He is well known for his ‘spin paintings’ and ‘spot paintings’. When considering international presentation his first major one was â€Å"Mother and Child Divided† in which a cow and a calf is cut into pieces and displayed in a series of split vitrines. Damien Hirst is considered as the second most famous living British artist after David Hockney. He was born in 1965 in Bristol and was brought up by his mother and stepfather. Before going to college he did a basic course in Leeds School of Art and then moved to London in 1986 and graduated in 1989 at Goldsmith College in BA Fine Art course. During his student life he held an exhibition â€Å"Freeze† in Docklands warehouse for which he himself conceived the idea, organized it as well as promoted it too. This exhibition commenced his career along with many other young British artists. In this Mishra 3 show several of Damien’s art pieces were exhibited along with the works of his 16 fellow students of Goldsmith College. It can be said that this self-promoting exhibition gave way to starting â€Å"Young British Artists† movement. Ex-Thatcher ad-man, Charles Saatchi got impressed by his works and displayed some of his works in the first â€Å"Charles Saatchi’s Young British Artists† show. Saatchi even bought â€Å"A Thousand Years†, a piece of Damien in 1990 and since then he has created a lot of pieces and has been admired by collectors as well as curators and his works are considered extraordinarily provocative. In 1991, he filled an art gallery with live tropical butterflies and presented an installation named â€Å"In and Out of Love†. â€Å"The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Minds of Someone Living†, a piece that made him the second highest expensive living artist, was commissioned for about US$32,000 in 1992. This made Damien a media icon and since then media and public both started to mitate, praise and also criticize him. The Young British Artists of Damien’s generation is completely different from their preceding generation and are well known for their entrepreneurial spirit, independence and media savvy. Most of them are self-promoters and get sponsored privately. They did not depend on government agencies to discover their talent and then present them as was done earlier but instead they displayed their talent with the help of private sponsors who readily organized exhibitions for them. Hirst tried to develop exploration of mortality as the central theme of his artworks and extended it with humor, ynamism, novelty and enthusiasm. His â€Å"The Natural History† series, which is quite well known among his admirers, included dead animals presented, as momento mori as an irony on natural history. This series disclose the contemplation of his approach and the work of art has a visual power which is not possible to be described in words. Without having the experience of the series one cannot imagine or envisage it. If Hirst’s productions were to be categorized, it would be done in three types and they are paintings, the glass tank pieces and cabinet sculptures. Considering his paintings hat are divided into spot paintings and spin paintings. Spot paintings can be described as those paintings that are randomly organized and the canvases are color-spotted and their titles refer to pharmaceutical chemicals. Spin paintings are individually created with the help of centrifugal force and is literary done on a spinning table. His glass tank sculptures include dead animals or animals cut into pieces like cows, shark or sheep that are kept in formaldehyde perched in death. Hirst’s cabinet sculptures include collection of bottles of pills or surgical tools that are on highly arranged shelves. Damien Hirst was very quick in sharing his ideas and interest areas and very easily conveyed his message. His pieces of art were most simple but at the same time had complex ideas knitted along. Along with his paintings he expanded ‘hobby’-art technique that tried to attract audience towards the beauty and extreme energy of haphazard paintings. Hirst’s piece of art in which a single fish is suspended in formaldehyde was admired as a symbol of advanced art and people came to know that how ordinary things placed in an artistic manner could attract and look beautiful. Some of Hirst’s pieces of art ike â€Å"Alone Yet Together† which included a cabinet that held 100 small fishes in small tanks of formaldehyde and â€Å"Loss of Memory is Worse than Death† which included a steel cage that contained several vitrines with surgical mask, syringe and gloves were auctioned but failed to sell. Damien puts the blame on media that it makes the public believe the flawed explanations from art critics and public get misguided and believe in them without even actually viewing the artwork. Damien is of the opinion that people understand as well as appreciate artwork even if they don’t possess an art degree because nyone has the basic knowledge of visual background, which makes them understand complex advertisements too. It is only because people are not exposed to artworks frequently they are unable to express or appreciate it. Damien now insists that his spin paintings should be provided with spinning equipment on the wall so that there is no confusion about the upper side of the painting. As far his spot paintings are concerned they have become an icon of Hirst’s artwork. Usually it is seen that Damien’s work have recurring themes in a different way and one of is themes is â€Å" cigarettes† and the best example is his piece of work, â€Å"Party Time†. Damien considers smoking as a â€Å"theoretical suicide† and he stated, â€Å"The concept of a slow suicide through smoking is a really great idea, a powerful thing to do†. One more theme that is seen quite common in Hirst’s art is medical equipment and he had been infatuated and he wants people to believe in art just as they believe in medicine. The flood of ideas and images that Damien’s artwork creates leaves admirers of art amazed, fascinated and also threatened. One of the themes in Damien’s paintings is ‘emptiness’ like in ‘He Tried to Internalize Everything’ and ‘The Acquired Inability to Escape’ he displays a small cage like structure in which objects like desk, chair and other things usually needed for human interaction are seen covered with glass but there is human presence lacking. The feeling or intension of the artists behind these works can only be experienced and there is no question of solving any problem in this piece of art. Since the things are inside a glass cage the feeling seems to be suffocating and frustrating. Damien has fascination for glass because even though it is solid and dangerous it is transparent. It allows anyone to see everything but you cannot touch anything kept inside it. Damien’s lots of tank pieces are with animals in formaldehyde where they cannot go through any natural process and he finds it quite difficult to preserve them completely. He believes that the idea behind any creation is more important than the actual piece that has been used for the purpose. He wants his creative pieces to last till his lifetime and he is not much bothered about them after it. These animals are most famous among his works and at the same time they have been quite controversial too. He was awarded the Turner Prize for ‘Mother and Child, Divided’ and Damien says, â€Å"I want people feel like burgers. I chose a cow because it was banal. It’s just nothing. It doesn’t mean anything. What is the difference between a cow and a burger? Not a lot†¦ I want people to look at cows and feel ‘Oh My God’, so then in turn, it makes them feel like burgers†. Damien wants to make people look at ordinary things in a different way and he believes that they are frightening. He wants people to question because one thing that is useful in one way can be just opposite the other and this change of function is what makes things frightening. He says that the same is with art. He has received many letters in which people have protested, threatened or laid moral objections to the use of animals in Damien’s artwork. But Damien himself is very sympathetic about animals and most of his animals are bought from slaughterhouses or have died their natural death. Damien had quite a lot of problem convincing concerned authority his pieces of art were to be considered art and not food, as he was not allowed to take his artwork for an exhibition in United States. Again in August 1995 Damien was banned to exhibit his artwork â€Å"Two Fucking, Two Watching† which included dead cows fucking without formaldehyde. The objection was that the methane gas would explode the glass and would probably prompt vomiting among the visitors. Damien’s art installation that got changed into restaurant, which was followed to sale very shortly, is just an example that Damien is simply interested in art rather than conventional media. He is a versatile artist and his art include paintings, video, sculptures and every other media in between them. He has also designed cover art for albums, directed a music video and even was part of an art and film exhibition in 1996 at the  Hayward Gallery with his short film â€Å"Hanging Around†. He included many of his pop star friends from London to provide music for this film. In 1998 he became a part of a pop group and recorded two singles. Damien has also worked on quite a few side projects. Damien’s work has been admired and exhibited in Britain, the USA, Korea, Australia and many other countries in Europe. His works are included in public museums and galleries as well as in lots of private collections too. He lives with his sons Connor and Cassius and his girlfriend Maia Norman in Devon and works at his home.

Zimbabwe Country Debt and Economic Performance

Zimbabwe Country Debt and Economic Performance Overview The debate on the effect and direction of causality regarding debt on economic growth has attracted significant academic interest since the last quarter of the 20th century. This question has become more relevant in the context of the so-called Least Developed Countries (LDCs) whose economies typically contain oversized debt, exhibit stunted growth and have often defaulted on outstanding debt. This research sought to build on the existing body of literature and conditions in Zimbabwe over the past 20 years, with special reference on the period 1995 to 2008, and draw inferences on the role that debt played in Zimbabwes economic performance over the same period. This chapter sets the stage for the study through reviewing the background to the research study, outlining the problem statement, discussing research objectives and methods among other things. The framework introduced and described herein shall be expanded on application in the later stages of the research project and any necessary adjustments will be incorporated. The chapter, by outlining in advance the research expectations, forms the basis upon which the outcome and conclusions of the research shall be assessed. Background of Zimbabwes Debt Zimbabwe just like any other Less Developed Economies (LIC) has relied on both external and domestic finance to fund its developmental projects. External debt comprise foreign currency denominated liabilities owed to non-resident entities, in the form of both medium to long-term loans and short-term trade facilities, while domestic debt is debt owed to residents and is contracted mainly through issuing treasury bills and bonds as well as utilization of the overdraft window at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ). The country has not been able to pay its external and domestic obligations for sometime against the background of progressive decline in export performance and the depletion of the foreign currency reserves. The meagre foreign currency resources available have been allocated towards critical social needs such as education and health delivery systems. Consequently, the countrys ability to settle obligations has been severely undermined culminating in accumulation of external payment arrears to US$4 487 million as at 31 December 2009. This represents a more than 60% increase over the 2000 figure of $2.75 billion. This coincides with a period when the economy had entered into a sustained phase of economic decline and hyperinflation. It is argued that debt overhang has been a stumbling block towards economic recovery initiatives of the country and has impacted negatively on the countrys international credit rating, a development which has been a major deterrent to potential foreign investment and credit inflows. The total debt has been growing from 1990 as shown in the graph hereunder: Fig. 1 Debt and GDP Trend for Zimbabwe Source: Data complied from Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and The Ministry of Finance in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe has not been able to pay its debt obligations for nearly a decade from 1999 against the background of progressive decline in export performance and depletion of foreign currency reserves, due to restrictive measures imposed on the country. The total debt increased from $2.9 billion in 1990 to $6.9 billion in 2010 and the debt burden is a stumbling block towards economic recovery of the country and has impacted negatively on the countrys international credit rating, a development which has been a major deterrent to potential foreign investment and credit inflows. Against this backdrop, it is imperative that the country develop sustainable strategies to deal with the debt overhang problem. As at October 2010, the external debt stock was 118.4% of GDP, which is above international debt sustainability benchmark of 60%. Zimbabwe is in the process of drafting a cocktail of measures to expunge the debt obligations. A number of options which can be implemented to deal with the debt burden are, (a) Equity Anchored Debt Resolution which involves external new borrowing by the country to retire the totality or part of external debt, using identified public assets as collateral, (b) Brady plan where Zimbabwe can engage other nations who can guarantee its securitized debt, (c) Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Backed Debt Clearance Strategy which is a strategy designed to clear Zimbabwes debt and debt arrears without direct and immediate payment by Government of Zimbabwe, (d) Debt re-scheduling, and (e) Heavily Indebted Poor country (HIPC) Initiative which is a debt reduction strategy for heavily indebted poor countries pursuing IMF, and World Bank supported adjustment and reform programs. The debate on the debt resolution issues in Zimbabwe has been taking place in the absence of a proper analytical background or framework that captures the real dynamics behind the debt issue. This research contributes to this critical discourse in Zimbabwe through providing that analytical and objective framework. Problem Statement Growing public debt is a worldwide phenomenon and it has become a common feature of the fiscal sectors of most of economies. Poor debt management and a permanent growth of the debt to Gross Domestic Product ratio may result in negative macroeconomic performance, like crowding out of investment, financial system instability, inflationary pressures, exchange rate fluctuations and more importantly adverse effects on economic growth. In fact the theoretical literature has summarized the following channels through which external and domestic debts affects growth negatively namely; debt overhang, liquidity constraint, fiscal effect, productivity suppression and reduction in human capital accumulation. There are also certain social and political implications of unsustainable debt burden. Persistent and high public debt calls for a large piece of budgetary resources for debt servicing. Consequently, the government is forced to cut allocations for other public services and it faces serious di fficulties in executing its electoral manifesto, if it has. While the negative effects of public debt are well documented, there is no consensus on the optimum impact and the direction of causality. Countries with better economic performance may also better deal with the public debt phenomenon. In fact higher economic growth in turn increases a countrys creditworthiness and this may attract more capital inflows. If the capital inflow is long term or Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and the debt is applied towards enhancing the countrys productive capacity and capital accumulation, the impact of debt on economic growth will be positive. There have been several attempts to empirically assess the public debt-economic growth link, in the context of other antecedent variables mainly by using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS). Most of the earlier empirical studies include a fairly standard set of domestic debt, policy and other exogenous explanatory variables and the majority found one or more debt variables to be significantly and negatively correlated with investment or growth (Krugman, 1988; Borensztein, 1990; Greene and Villanueva, 1991; Deshpande, 1997 and more recently Pattillo, Poisson, and Ricci, 2004). Among developing countries evidences supporting the debt overhang hypothesis features research from Iyoha (1996), Fosu (1999), Mbanga and Sikod (2001), Maureen (2001) and Clements, Bhattacharya, and Nguyen (2003). The rationale of this study was driven by the scant amount of research in developing nations investigating the link between public debt and growth taking into account the causality and endogeneity issues. Although there is a substantial literature on the impact of public debt on growth, relatively few studies have been conducted on a sample of developing economies exclusively and particularly for Africa, but the latter has remained one of the continents with the highest and worrying growing level of public debt. This research aims to analyze the impact of public debt on the economic growth of Zimbabwe over the period 1990-2000. This study is based on the small developing state, Zimbabwe, and it provide a good case study because as most low income countries, it has limited access to international capital markets and thus the impact of external debt and domestic debt on these economies can be different as compared to emerging market countries. Moreover external debt may have indirect effects through private and public investment through the debt overhang and crowding out effects. Further, one should also not ignore the indirect effects of debt accumulation and service through private investment (debt overhang) and public spending (crowding out). Thus given the possibility of endogeneity and important feedback effects, the research uses the dynamic time series analysis, namely a Vector Autoregressive framework. The motivation to use this framework is that it allows important insights on the role of public debt on, not only economic growth but ultimately on private and public investment as well. Statement of the Research Objectives To develop a pragmatic model to understand the relationship between national debt and economic performance To ascertain the relevance of debt in determining economic policy To establish critical benchmarks that developing countries can use to enhance bond markets. Key Research Questions What are the drivers for the level of debt in developing countries? What are the determinants of economic performance? What role do stocks, bonds and alternative asset classes play in resolving country debt? Are prescriptive models and or solutions on debt from developed economies workable for developing nations such as Zimbabwe? Hypothesis In undertaking this research, emphasis is to test the following hypothesis upon which the results of this study are based: Public debt has a negative influence on the economic performance of a country. Zimbabwes economic decline is attributed to heavy debt overhang. The alternative hypothesis of this study is as follows: Public debt does not have any influence in the economic performance of a country. Zimbabwes economic decline has no relationship with public debt. Definition of Terms Definitions form an integral part in the compilation of the research. The definition of terms given below, where used consistently in the entire research report. Public Debt this is defined as the total debt owed by the Central Government which include both domestic and external debt, Bloomsburg (2007). External Debt It refers to the part of a countrys debt that is owed to creditors who are not residents of the country, Bloomsburg (2007). In other words it refers to the obligations that are owed by residents to non-residents. Debt Service refers to the future debt repayments of both the principal and interest amount. Economic Performance refers to those issues dealing with the amount and value of money, wealth, debt, and investment, SDI (1996). It is the general outlook of the economy as measured by relevant economic indicators such as GDP/GDP per capita. Country Debt refers to total obligations owned by the country to non-residents. Debt Sustainability The OECD Economic Surveys (2002) define debt sustainability as the ability of government to service its borrowings, both internal and external without resorting to rescheduling or accumulation of arrears. Thus, debt is sustainable when it can be serviced without resorting to exceptional financing or a major correction in the future balance of income and expenditure. Debt sustainability relates to the assessment of the level of debt that can be serviced without resorting to exceptional financing or a major correction in the future balance of income and expenditure. Research Design The type of research design adopted is both experimental and correlational in nature. The study will triangulate correlation and qualitative aspect to increase the degree of control over factors reviewed. The specific focus on Zimbabwe draws understanding of the study as a case study. Robson (2002:178) defines a case study as, a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between variables, in this instance, developing country debt and economic performance. The degree of control on factor variables in this research will clearly be moderate as the role of environmental influence and human perception will relatively be inconsistent. Secondary Research (Correlational Research). To assess the empirical relationship between the major variables, that is debt and economic growth, the research makes extensive use of econometric modeling. The modeling stage incorporates other variables, which although not underlying the core objective of the relationship being analysed, are considered relevant explanatory variables to the dependent variable. The causal effect among the variables is often indirect, has significant components of the feedback effect and exhibits elements of endogeneity. To account for this, the research uses dynamic time series analysis, namely a Vector Autoregressive framework. The motivation to use this framework is that it allows important insights on the role of public debt on, not only economic growth, but ultimately on private and public investment as well. Advance filtration of the modeling variables to enhance model purity and relevance is achieved through various forms of pre-modeling tests. The univariate properties of all data series are investigated to determine the degree to which they are integrated, provide valid statistical inference and avoid problems of spurious relationships. Both the augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Phillips-Perron (PP) unit-roots tests will be employed for that purpose to show whether the variable are integrated of order 1 (I(1)) and thus stationary in difference. The time series characteristics of the data will be analysed by utilizing the statistical tools such as the R-squared, unit roots, the t-statistic, the probability value (p-value) and the Dubin Watson Statistic (DW statistic). Justification of the Vector Autoregressive Framework Public debt does not only affect growth a priori (that is in the expected negative effect on economic growth), but countries with better economic performance may also better deal with the external debt phenomenon. In fact higher economic growth in turn increases a countrys creditworthiness and this may attract more capital inflows. If the capital inflow is long term or Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the need to borrow may decrease. Moreover external debt may have indirect effects through private and public investment through the debt overhang and crowding out effects. In addition, one should also not ignore the indirect effects of debt accumulation and service through private investment (debt overhang) and public spending (crowding out). Thus given the possibility of endogeneity and important feedback effects, we use dynamic time series analysis, namely a Vector Autoregressive Framework, to analyse the hypothesized link. Such a framework will allow important insights on the role of public debt not only on economic growth but ultimately on private and public investment as well. Significance of the Study. The envisaged modelling framework will provide debt managers in Zimbabwe and the region with an objective and efficient tool to analyse and cope with vulnerabilities in their public debt portfolio. This awareness shall be enhanced by the post-modeling user test and analysis performed as part of this research. The research focuses on country specific factors and seeks to contribute to the development of econometric modelling in Zimbabwe and comparable countries in the region. The precision of policy making and public finance management in Zimbabwe is severely weakened by lack of quantitative insights into the workings of the economy. Over the years, little or no attempt has been made to scientifically assess the impact of the countrys runaway debt on such variables as economic growth, provision of social services and Foreign Direct Investment flows. This research represents an important step towards addressing this dearth of analytical insight. Chapter Conclusion The above chapter highlighted the core research problem, research objectives, research questions and the research hypothesis adopted to develop econometric model output for this paper. In the following chapters the researcher shall review as follows: Chapter 2: The literature review Chapter 3: The methodology Chapter 4: Findings and detailed analysis of the Zimbabwean market Chapter 5: Conclusions Chapter 6: Recommendations

Gender Discrimination at Walmart Essay -- Walmart Sex Discrimination

Walmart, the world’s largest retailer and private employer, has established a highly profitable business centered on a low-cost strategy that utilizes logistical efficiencies to create a competitive advantage. Yet, to maintain this low-cost strategy, Walmart has engaged in ethically questionable practices, including gender discrimination in promotion and pay. While the Supreme Court recently ruled against class certification of 1.5 million women in the Dukes v. Walmart case due to a lack of proof that Walmart operated under a â€Å"general policy of discrimination†, overwhelming evidence demonstrates that gender discrimination is a persistent problem rooted in the culture of Walmart, despite gender-neutral policies (Biskupic, 2011). During the 1950’s and 60’s in northwest Arkansas, a surplus of unskilled labor existed due to â€Å"increasing mechanization of agricultural work†. Leveraging this pent up demand for employment, Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, provided these agricultural men with prideful responsibilities as managers of his retail stores, while employing their wives and daughters as low wage clerks (Lichenstein, 2011). Forty to fifty years later, in an economy sagged by high unemployment, particularly among an unskilled, low educated workforce, the practice of promoting men to run stores while women are forced to settle for low wage labor remains prevalent at Walmart. In fact, statistical analysis from plaintiffs in the 2001 Dukes v. Walmart lawsuit showed that women comprised nearly 70% of hourly employees, but only 33% of management positions (Hymowitz, 2011). The overwhelming disparities between men and women in management relative to the proportion of those in hourly posi tions further cements the continual existence ... ...three research paradigms. Psychological Bulletin, 137(4), 616-642. doi:10.1037/a0023557 Lichenstein, N. (2011) Wal-Mart’s Authoritarian Culture. New York Times Lichenstein, N. (2007) Why Working at Walmart is Different Connecticut Law Review, Volume 39 Number 4, May 2007 Powell, G., Butterfield, D., and Bartol, K. (2008). Leader evaluations: A new female advantage? Gender in Management: An International Journal, 23, 156-174. Rosette, A., & Tost, L. (2010). Agentic women and communal leadership: How role prescriptions confer advantage to top women leaders. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(2), 221-235. doi:10.1037/a0018204 Wal-Mart Class Website. (2011). â€Å"Declaration Summaries†. Retrieved from 22 Nov 2011 The official site for the women in the class action Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Gender Discrimination at Walmart Essay -- Walmart Sex Discrimination Walmart, the world’s largest retailer and private employer, has established a highly profitable business centered on a low-cost strategy that utilizes logistical efficiencies to create a competitive advantage. Yet, to maintain this low-cost strategy, Walmart has engaged in ethically questionable practices, including gender discrimination in promotion and pay. While the Supreme Court recently ruled against class certification of 1.5 million women in the Dukes v. Walmart case due to a lack of proof that Walmart operated under a â€Å"general policy of discrimination†, overwhelming evidence demonstrates that gender discrimination is a persistent problem rooted in the culture of Walmart, despite gender-neutral policies (Biskupic, 2011). During the 1950’s and 60’s in northwest Arkansas, a surplus of unskilled labor existed due to â€Å"increasing mechanization of agricultural work†. Leveraging this pent up demand for employment, Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, provided these agricultural men with prideful responsibilities as managers of his retail stores, while employing their wives and daughters as low wage clerks (Lichenstein, 2011). Forty to fifty years later, in an economy sagged by high unemployment, particularly among an unskilled, low educated workforce, the practice of promoting men to run stores while women are forced to settle for low wage labor remains prevalent at Walmart. In fact, statistical analysis from plaintiffs in the 2001 Dukes v. Walmart lawsuit showed that women comprised nearly 70% of hourly employees, but only 33% of management positions (Hymowitz, 2011). The overwhelming disparities between men and women in management relative to the proportion of those in hourly posi tions further cements the continual existence ... ...three research paradigms. Psychological Bulletin, 137(4), 616-642. doi:10.1037/a0023557 Lichenstein, N. (2011) Wal-Mart’s Authoritarian Culture. New York Times Lichenstein, N. (2007) Why Working at Walmart is Different Connecticut Law Review, Volume 39 Number 4, May 2007 Powell, G., Butterfield, D., and Bartol, K. (2008). Leader evaluations: A new female advantage? Gender in Management: An International Journal, 23, 156-174. Rosette, A., & Tost, L. (2010). Agentic women and communal leadership: How role prescriptions confer advantage to top women leaders. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(2), 221-235. doi:10.1037/a0018204 Wal-Mart Class Website. (2011). â€Å"Declaration Summaries†. Retrieved from 22 Nov 2011 The official site for the women in the class action Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Football Essay examples -- essays research papers

College Football VS. Pro Football   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With a growing number of people becoming interested in professional football along with college football, I thought I would explain some of the contrasts and comparisons’ between the two divisions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first big contrast is the number of teams and number of games they play in a season. College football has 117 teams in the division 1-A, which is the top division. There are over a thousand teams in the 5 lower divisions. College teams play any where from 11 regular season games to 13. Some conferences have conference championship games which is another game and then the bowl games (Which is the college footballs postseason, which we’ll talk about later) if you make one. So basically college teams can play any where from 11 to 15 total games in a year. All 32 pro football teams play 16 games in a regular season. If you make the playoffs you can play up to 4 more games if you keep winning games in the playoffs. Also pro football teams play a preseason which college doesn’t. The preseason can consist of four to five more games. Pro football teams can play a minimum of 16 games and a maximum of 20 games. The 2 common parts of the season for the pros and college teams is that don’t play everyone in one season and they get a bye week during the year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  College and pro tea...

Stress In The Workplace :: Workplace Health and Safety

Stress by definition is; any circumstance that places special physical and/or psychological demands on a person such that an unusual or out-of-the-ordinary response occurs. No one is immune to job related stress, making its existence a serious problem for employers and employees alike. Stressful jobs span an organization’s ladder from the bottom rung to the very top.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since starting with UPS, I have seen many symptoms of work related stress. The symptoms can range from a silent but all telling â€Å"glazed over† look, to extreme ranting and raving associated with the need to â€Å"just vent†. These symptoms seem to affect employees at all levels of my department, including my immediate peers as well as my superiors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Under the right circumstances, mild, short-term stress can be a good thing. For example, stress can serve as a motivator when a deadline draws near and there is still much to do. But constant stress over the long run can and will lead to getting burned out in ones job. Extended periods of burnout can lead to emotional and physical exhaustion, lack of motivation, decreased productivity and generally just being unhappy and dissatisfied with ones job. When burnout does occurs not only does the employees suffer but so do others around them. Customers receive poor service, relationships with coworkers suffer, and job involvement decreases to the extent that complaints may be made. Acknowledging that job-related stress causes multiple problems for those who directly and indirectly experience the effects of stress, it should be recognized that money and time could be saved if individuals and companies attempted to prevent stress from disabling parts of the work force. As a company, UPS does offer some help in managing and reducing stress.

Human Evolution Essay

Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earl iest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). Th e study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Gen etic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo. Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earl iest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolutio n involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into th e australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the b asic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the ba sic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embry ology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Gen etic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the ba sic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo. Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earl iest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. While it began with the last common ancestor of all life, the topic usually covers only the evolutionary history of primates, in particular the genus Homo, and the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species of hominids (or â€Å"great apes†). The study of human evolution involves many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics, evolutionary psychology, embryology and genetics.[1] Genetic studies show that primates diverged from other mammals about 85 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period, and the earliest fossils appear in the Paleocene, around 55 million years ago.[2] The family Hominidae diverged from the Hylobatidae (Gibbon) family 15-20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae (orangutans), diverged from the Hominidae family.[3] Bipedalism is the basic adaption of the Hominin line, and the earliest bipedal Hominin is considered to be either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin, with Ardipithecus, a full bipedal, coming somewhat later. The gorilla and chimpanzee diverged around the same time, about 4-6 million years ago, and either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin may be our last shared ancestor with them. The early bipedals eventually evolved into the australopithecines and later the genus Homo.