Negative Effects Of Technology - 1503 Words

Usage of technology varies amongst different age groups, often used for productive means, but there is also a negative side of technology usage. With the advancement of technology, technology is considered to be survival tools for humans, such as to make life easier and to be extra productive. Moreover, Adults harness the power of technology to solve complex problems, usually this can only be done with the aid of a computer. Another arena of technology use is for school, both, parents and teachers believe technology helps enhance learning. Although, technology is meant to be useful in different scenarios, it does not always mean it is healthy. For example, as suggested in a study – â€Å"Students who use less technology, score higher on reading†¦show more content†¦Most importantly, it has helped change people s lives, especially those with disabilities (â€Å"How Does Technology,† n.d.). There are text-to-speech apps to hear those who are deaf, voice command technology for those who can t type, GPS enabled devices for those who are visually-impaired and advance technology in wheelchairs such as wheelchairs that go up against the stairs. (â€Å"How Does Technology,† n.d.). Although, technology is supposed to benefit the younger generations more, they are overusing them for the wrong reasons. Socializing through social media on their electronic devices is one of the most significant problems of today. Common Sense Media reported teens spending about nine hours daily using social media for entertainments (Wallace, 2015). Apparently, they don t sleep very long then. Children from the age of eight to twelve spend about six hours on average (Wallace, 2015). James Steyer (2015), chief executive officer and founder of Common Sense Media stated, It just shows you that these kids live in this massive 24/7 digital media technology world, and it s shaping every aspect of their life. They spend far more time with media technology than any other thing in their life. This is the dominant intermediary in their life. Teens and kids are arguing saying there is no difference with putting the TV on verses on social media while doing homework. Steyer stated according to aShow MoreRelatedThe Negative Effects Of Technology1541 Words   |  7 PagesJust a few decades ago, the technology we have today were merely ideas in science fiction novels or gadgets seen in a futuristic movie. There is no doubt that technology use has increased dramatically within this decade and these numbers may continue to rise as technology becomes more available to the public. Technology is slowly taking over our life and so many people have grown up surrounded by technology t hat a life without it is pretty much unimaginable. As technology becomes a bigger part of ourRead MoreNegative Effects Of Technology841 Words   |  4 PagesTechnology is everywhere. Technology makes learning in classrooms easier and more interactive, it also helps kids find creativity in making and designing things online. It helps enhance a students thinking too. Yet, several scientist have shown that technology is just as addictive as drugs and harming to your health, and not just your health, it breaks away relationships you have made with others. Technology tears apart peoples relationships leaving them addicted and alone. If someone whoRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Technology1296 Words   |  6 Pages Technology is a key factor in how the economy flows, and is a very important part of a typical person’s daily life. The use of technology over the years has increased by a very large amount. Technology is a part of everyone’s daily life. It is used in the classrooms, offices, automobiles, and just about anywhere that comes to mind. There are many positive effects of technology, but there are also many negative effects. The use of such technology makes everything more simple. Factories, for exampleRead MoreNegative Effects Of Technology1022 Words   |  5 PagesTechnology affects every aspect of our lives. We as humans use it every day with little to no thought. Humans are becoming more reliant on the internet and other forms of technology to receive their information and communicate. However, the increase in the use of technology has had a negative effect on humans’ health and development and communication. Technology changes the way we live our daily lives, the way we develop, and the way we communicate. Technology is a double edged sword. The internetRead MoreNegative Effects Of Technology1127 Words   |  5 Pagesform of technology. Only â€Å" 13% of U.S. adults do not use the internet,† according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of survey data (Anderson Perrin, 2016). With so many people using this is not surprising that technology is beginning to affect different age groups. Technology overuse causes developmental setbacks in children, self image issues in teens, and health concerns within adults. Things now days are a lot different then they were a number of years ago. Without having technology to fallRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Technology854 Words   |  4 Pagesand access to Google. We, as a modern tech savvy society, must be aware and wise when using technology and the internet since nowadays dangers are everywhere. As a result, society has become overly dependent with using technology within their daily lives, so much that it affects children, can lead to online dangers, and creates unnecessary obsession among users. First of all, excessive exposure to technology can be detrimental to children. Some people may say that children play and watch educationalRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Technology1465 Words   |  6 Pagesrarity to own a smartphone. Technology has advanced immensely over the years and completely changed the way we live today. Most people would argue that technology is beneficial and it helps make their lives much easier. Although these statements may be true, I could easily argue the contrary. Sometimes I think life would be simpler without it. Almost everything comes with its pros and cons, but this paper will soon persuade you that one outweighs the other. Technologies of all sorts have started toRead MoreNegative Effects Of Technology846 Words   |  4 PagesTechnology is something that has been evolving for thousands of years, and even more years to follow. In 1441, a German inventor named Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, making printing 500 times faster and new ideas to be passed around. In 1608, Galileo Galilei, an Italian Astronomer, built the first telescope, enabling new scientific discoveries to be found. These technologies allowed advancements to the human society, but not all new technologies are used for the better good. TechnologyRead MoreNegative Effects Of Technology1001 Words   |  5 PagesTechnology has greatly impacted today’s society. Through technology, we can have the entire world at our finger tips; but is this new and evolving way of life negatively impacting society? Traditional family foundations are rotting away due to modern use of technology. Children, instead of playing outside, riding bikes, or using their imagination, are increasingly depending on technology; and in the future, technology will have damaging effects. In an interview with Steve Jobs, Nick Bilton, aRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Technology1457 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology users vary from ages as little like a baby to an elderly, and everyone has different purposes of usage. They are survival tools that help human make life easier and faster (Member, 2013). Adults get the technology to help advance in solving problems. Parents and teachers believe technology help enhance learning. Although technology is meant to be excellent in different scenarios, it does not always mean it is healthy. An example would be students who use less technology, score higher on

Rhetorical Analysis †Other Voices, Other Rooms - 1060 Words

In this essay, â€Å"Other Voices, Other Rooms†, Professor Gerald Graff offers that education at a university could be exciting and rewarding for students. However, it applies to those who have developed the skills at summarizing, weighing arguments and synthesizing conflicting points. Unfortunately, not all students possess these skills and as they start getting confused they will care more about appeasing the professor in order to obtain good grades. In return, they will give their professors whatever they want even though it seems contradictory to their beliefs (339). Graff believes that not all college students possess the skills necessary to be successful and that professors are only making the issue worse by teaching in a vacuum.†¦show more content†¦Graff says that contrast is fundamental to learning and in order to fully grasp the concept, and the subject needs to be understood in relation to other ideas. In his second example, in attempting to strengthen his argument, Graff uses an academic reference, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn. Kuhn says, â€Å"Both the literati and the scientist have remained largely walled up within their clashing assumptions about objectivity, the smugness of which might have been punctured had these parties been forced to argue with each other in their teaching† (341). Even though Graff and Kuhn share the same thoughts, Kuhn’s reference does not provide any evidence to support his claims. He then introduces Gregory Colomb, which his reference again doesn’t add credibility; it detracts from the essay because readers have to read the text several times just to get through this part of the writing. Graff says, â€Å"Imagine trying to write and academic paper when you send that almost anything you say can be used against you and that the intellectual moves that got you an A in existentialist philosophy may get you a C minus and a dirty look in Skinnerian behaviorism (342)†. He goes on to say, â€Å"When students fail to identify a cultural literacy item on a test, the prob lemShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis : Malala Yousafzai1211 Words   |  5 PagesAdewunmi Adebanjo ENGL 1213 Professor Carney 10 February, 2014. Rhetorical analysis of Malala Yousafzai speech â€Å"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter† Twain Mark. Malala Yousafzai, a teenager and the youngest Nobel Prize winner is a testimony to what Mark Twain (the author of several American novels) said in his quote. Yousafzai started the fight for her right to education and fundamental rights after her school was attacked in 2008. The Pakistani educationRead MoreRhetorical Modes Matrix883 Words   |  4 PagesMaterial Appendix C Rhetorical Modes Matrix Rhetorical modes are methods for effectively communicating through language and writing. Complete the following chart to identify the purpose and structure of the various rhetorical modes used in academic writing. Provide at least 2 tips for writing each type of rhetorical device. Rhetorical Mode Purpose Explain when or why each rhetorical mode is used. Structure Explain what organizational method works best with each rhetorical mode. Provide 2 tipsRead MoreHow College Composition Has Helped Me Grow Tremendously As A Writer1456 Words   |  6 Pagespaper. Now I understand why some papers can go through 7 or 8 drafts before being complete. There is so much more time and research that goes into writing a paper that I had never thought about before this class. Learning how to analyze the works of others and form my own opinions in order to write my own paper was a great learning experience of how to include myself in the conversation of a topic. Something that I still struggle with is incorporating the right questions in my paper as well as portrayingRead MoreRhetorical Analysis : The Classroom879 Words   |  4 Pagesand archaic format that left little room for the writer’s true voice to shine through. That being said, that freedom to take my papers anywhere I wanted it to go is what I liked the most about this experience. I did not have to make perfect arguments or make perfect analyses, but I was given th e chance to try in my own way although we were guided as a class. Overall, I believe that I acquired a conceptual and practical knowledge of argumentation. The rhetorical situation worksheets that we were givenRead MoreAnalysis of Transcript - Young Ones Essay1054 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of Transcript - Young Ones Introduction: I have chosen to analyse the beginning of the first episode in the first series of the 80’s TV comedy ‘The Young Ones’. This particular text appeals to me because it is important in how it introduces the characters, as this is the first time the audience ever meet them. Relative Status: Rick and Neil are both students living in the same house; therefore their status should be equal though both are striving forRead MoreWhen an author writes a piece of work, they go through several drafts before they feel that their1300 Words   |  6 Pagesmy critique essay. I wrote, â€Å"She partook in an experimental problem that only made her condition worse, her mental status was declining, which was the final straw in her book.† The first comma in that sentence should have been included. My rhetorical analysis essay seemed to have the most comma splices. â€Å"Nothing stands out when you look at this website, that makes it difficult for readers to focus on the material,† I wrote this, and the comma Deskin 1 is unnecessary. I’m noticing that I likeRead MoreThe Vermont Tech Jam Is A Huge Annual Career And Tech Expo Hosted At The Champlain Valley Exposition Building1187 Words   |  5 Pageswell. I volunteered to go to the Tech Jam to see all the booths and events going on, and to support Champlain’s LCDI, where I currently intern. The Vermont Tech Jam had a strong rhetorical effect due to the event’s purpose to express new technologies in a fun a nd creative manner. The Vermont Tech Jam hit all 3 rhetorical appeals; ethos, logos, and pathos. The Tech Jam was very credible because all the companies there were all quite well known, also because they brought with them their own projectsRead MoreFerguson Don t Shoot By David Fitzsimmons906 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Ferguson Don’t Shoot†: A Rhetorical Analysis For decade’s race relations has been a controversial topic in America. Black Americans have been fighting for equal treatment for over fifty years. David Fitzsimmons’ compelling cartoon, â€Å"Ferguson, Don’t Shoot,† published August 2014 in the Arizona Daily Star, used a variety of persuasive techniques to voice his opinion on race relations and equal treatment of African-Americans in America today following recent criticism of President Obama and the non-violentRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 976 Words   |  4 PagesA common tactic used by many anti-slavery writers in the Romantic Era is â€Å"in speaking for and/or giving voice to an estranged or silenced other†, by giving the victim of the power struggle the rhetorical devices needed to gain power (Kitson, 519). Shelley gives the creature not just a voice, but an entire Volume of the book. However, she does this in an effort to reinforce the â€Å"moral superior ity [which] means that [Frankenstein] will rarely question the validity of his own society’s formation andRead MoreMy Growth As A Writer868 Words   |  4 Pagesthroughout my time in EH 101-13. It will also highlight my current strengths and weaknesses in my own personal writing style. My Development Rhetorical Analysis: This being the first paper I wrote for you, it turned out to be utter garbage. This was my worst essay because I was overconfident in my own writing ability and didn’t think I had much room to improve on. At the time I felt like it was a top notch essay, but I have recently gone back and reread it only to notice it as choppy and stale

Drugs Addiction Free Essays

Al Akhawayn University Center for Academic Development Information Literacy Skills 1212 Fall 2010 The causes of drugs addiction Prepared by: ABDELAZIZ Under the supervision of: Dr. AHMED KABEL The causes of drugs addiction: Addiction Nowadays, drugs addiction is considered as one of the most widespread phenomena in our modern societies. Everyone in this modern world has become aware of the dangerous consequences of being drug addicted, yet opium, cocaine, marijuana, cannabis, and many other kinds of drugs have been used for centuries and are still widely used today by a large proportion of people from different age, sex, and economic status. We will write a custom essay sample on Drugs Addiction or any similar topic only for you Order Now But, before looking at the factors that push people to take drugs, let us first define drug addiction. According to Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER), â€Å"Drug addiction is a dependence on a street drug or a medication. When you’re addicted, you may not be able to control your drug use and you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes. Drug addiction can cause an intense craving for the drug. You may want to quit, but most people find they can’t do it on their own. † In fact, people often underestimate the complexity of drugs addiction and the fact that it has become a contemporary illness that is similar to other chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease. Moreover, many people used to think that people addicted to drugs were just morally weak; hence, they believe that drug abusers are able to stop â€Å"this habit† if they are only willing to do so. However, recent scientific advances have allowed us to know much more about how exactly addictive drugs impact and change the brain, and how stopping drug abuse is very complex and not only a matter of willpower. But, the real problem is that many people still do not have a clear idea about the causes behind addiction. For most of them, according to Hamid Ghodse, â€Å"the cause or causes of drug dependence are not known, or more specifically, it is not known why do some people become addicted while others in the same situation do not† (10). The causes of drugs addiction are numerous and very attached with each other, but the most important factors that interact to lead to this phenomenon are: person’s biology, social environment, and age or stage of development. It is, obviously, very important to determine whether genetic factors play a significant role in the process of addiction or not at all. Actually, finding genes which predispose to drugs addiction may undoubtedly be very helpful since it will â€Å"aid in the identification of the biological processes involved in the addiction condition and ultimately allow the development of treatments to counteract the abnormal end-point of the processes† (Paul R. Buckland, 1769). Therefore, countless researches, studies, and genetic approaches have been ongoing for many years in order to find any association or linkage between genetic factors and drugs addiction. As a matter of fact, many of these researches could come up with great results and very useful conclusions. For instance, Hamid Ghodse stated in his book â€Å"Drugs and Addictive Behaviour: A Guide to treatment† that â€Å"the discovery within the body of endogenous receptor systems for a number of psychoactive substances has revived interest in a link between drug dependency and genetic predisposition† (19). In addition, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), â€Å"genes that people are born with, in combination with environmental influences, account for about half of their addiction vulnerability. † In the same context and quoting from experts, Abramovitz, Melissa wrote in her article titled â€Å"Addiction† that â€Å"genetic factors that affect how the brain responds to drugs play a big part in pushing people toward drug addiction, and researches have found several genes linked to nicotine, cocaine, and alcohol addiction. Also, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER) reported that â€Å"once a person has started using a drug, the development into addiction may be influenced by inherited traits. † Therefore, most of researchers confirm the idea that genetic factors play a crucial rule in the process of addiction. However, Paul R. Buckland came up with so many important results, which are in fact a little bit different from the ones stated above, by reviewing and evaluating almost all the studies and evidence that claim the existence of genetic factors in the process of addiction. So, he found that â€Å"the phenotype for addiction to drugs is not well defined, and the heritability of addiction to drugs of abuse is far from clear and may be small compared to that of many other complex disorders† (1773). Moreover, he concluded saying that â€Å"many candidate genes put forward so far as susceptibility genes may be unrelated to the underlying process referred to as addiction but, rather, are related to the propensity to take drugs in the first place† (1769, 1770). But, that does not mean that there is no association between genetic factors and addiction process. In fact, Paul R. Buckland himself has confirmed that there are some genetic studies that have reported a great number of success and could ultimately find some linkage between genes and addiction, but he ended highlighting â€Å"the need for even larger samples and new statistical methods or new experimental approaches to identify fully the genes involved in the disease process† (1771, 1772). Of course, genetic factors are not the only cause behind drug addiction; no one can become addicted to drugs if s/he has never started using drugs. Accordingly, there may be other factors that affect the predisposition to drugs abuse. Actually, a person’s environment includes many different influences that seem to play a significant role in initial drug use. At the first glance, it may spring to many people’s minds that local social problems such as poverty, ignorance, unemployment, break-up of local communities, drug pushers are the main causes of drugs addiction, but according to Hamid Ghodse â€Å"these often-repeated phrases may well be contributory factors,†¦but they are not the causes of drug dependence† (11). On the other hand, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER) both consider environmental factors, including one’s family’s beliefs and attitudes, exposure to a peer group that encourages drug use, the socioeconomic status and quality of life in general, as the most important influencers that shape addictive behaviour. In fact, Hamid Ghodse, also, illustrates these factors clearly by showing us how â€Å"peer networks can provide opportunities for drug use and support this behaviour† (16) and how â€Å"the importance of peer networks reflect the support or lack of support that the child is receiving at home and the importance of the parent-child relationship as a protective factor against the use of drugs† (16). Therefore, he gives us some situations in which family may play a significant role in the initiation of drug abuse: Factors such as family disruption, criminality and drug abuse of parents and siblings have all been identified as important predisposing factors for drug abuse later on, as have inadequate or ineffective parental supervision and enforcement of rules†¦while satisfactory family relationships and climate, and emotional support to adolescents are influences that appear to delay or diminish initiation into drug use, they can only be developed over a long period of time and attempts to make up for their absence by measures such as a sharp increase in parental control of the adolescent’s behaviour may lead to increased rather than diminished drug abuse (16). In addition to genetic and environmental factors, the age or the stage at which a person starts consuming drugs may have a considerable impact on the process of becoming drugs addicted. According to the Nationa l Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), â€Å"Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it is to progress to more serious abuse. For instance, one study concerning alcohol addiction which is almost the same as the case of drug addiction showed that â€Å"teens who begin drinking alcohol with their friends before age 15 are four times likelier to become alcoholic than are people who wait until age 21 to drink† (National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), quoted in Abramovitz, Melissa). In the same context, Hamid Ghodse said that â€Å"adolescent drug abuse is of particular importance not only because of the potential for drug-induced harm in a young person but also because taking drugs in childhood and adolescence is a strong predictor for drug abuse in adulthood† (17). Moreover, observations as such, he said, â€Å"have led to theories that suggest that using one drug leads on the consumption of more dangerous dr ugs with a higher dependence liability† (17). Besides, one other reason that we may discover when seeking causes that are related to the stage of initiating using drugs is prescriptions. According to Hamid Ghodse, most of drug-dependent individuals have personality disorders such as low self-esteem and confidence, high anxiety, low assertiveness, and tendency towards hypochondria, so they begin to take some sedatives and tranquillizers or even drugs as self-medication or as treatment prescribed by a doctor to overcome these problems (15, 17). The problem is that many people become addicted to these treatments by continuing using them as Jeffrey Kluger shows in his article The New Drug Crisis: Addiction by Prescription. According to Kluger many people become addicted to some prescriptions such as Opioid, Oxycontin, Vicodin, and Hydrocodone while trying to find a treatment to some diseases like cancer pain. In conclusion, it is true that taking drugs for the first time may be a voluntary decision, but factors such us person’s biology, social environment, and age or stage of development undoubtedly play a considerable role in the process of addiction. Genetic factors that affect how the brain responds to drugs and environmental factors, including family’s beliefs and attitudes, peers’ ethics and behaviour, and socioeconomic status, in addition to the culture and the age or the stage at which a person starts using drugs all contribute in shaping addictive behaviour. The problem with drugs is that once a person starts consuming them, s/he may not be able to give up abusing them; hence, we should all be aware that drugs addiction is not just a normal habit that we can stop whenever we want, but rather a complex illness and a serious disease that makes the consumer lose self-control and ability to make right decisions. In fact, drugs addiction is a contemporary chronic disease that can cause harmful long-term consequences not only on the user but also on those around him, but as a matter of fact we can prevent ourselves from all these troubles by just avoiding initiating its causes. Works Cited Abramovitz, Melissa. â€Å"Addiction. † Current Health 2; Sep 1999: 26. Print. Buckland, Paul R. â€Å"Will We Ever Find the Genes for Addiction? Addiction, volume 103 number 11, November 2008, pp 1768-1776. Jeffrey, Kluger. â€Å"The New Drug Crisis: Addiction by Prescription†. Time September 13, 2010: p46-49. Print. Ghodse, Hamid. â€Å"Dru gs and Addictive Behaviour: A Guide to Treatment. † London: University of Cambridge Press. 2002. Print. Mayo Clinic staff. Drug Addiction, MayoClinic. com, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2009, web. November 2010. (http://www. mayoclinic. com/ health/ drug-addiction/DS00183). National Institute on Drug Abuse, Drug Abuse and Addiction, MedicineNet. com, MedicineNet. Inc, 2010, Web. 21 November 2010. (http://www. medicinenet. com/ drug_abuse/article. htm). How to cite Drugs Addiction, Essay examples

Parents Vs Teacher free essay sample

Teachers spend time preparing children to learn academic skills by creating lesson plans, classwork and homework assignments. Parents try to make sure their children complete homework assignments, turn them in on time and sometimes provide academic enrichment through after-school tutoring and learning games. Teachers and parents, however, can have a different understanding of who is responsible for ensuring that a child excels at school. According to ECAP Collaborative, the responsibility of a childs education can vary according to a parent or teachers point-of-view. Parents who feel that its solely their responsibility to educate a child have a parent-focused outlook, whereas in the school-focused paradigm, the teacher or school feels this is their primary responsibility. Discipline Discipline is a touchy subject for parents and teachers. Part of the responsibility of any teacher is to maintain class decorum by making sure students respect the rules so learning can flourish. Parents take on the responsibility of teaching children morals and values such as respect for others and self, and appropriate social skills. We will write a custom essay sample on Parents Vs Teacher or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Conflict arises when a teacher lacks classroom management skills or has to take over the dual roles as parent and instructor because a parent has a permissive style of discipline. In some cases, a parent may be hypersensitive to a teacher frequently â€Å"correcting† her child because she may feel this goes beyond the teachers role. A happy medium occurs when both teacher and parent work together to ensure the child respects rules inside and outside the classroom. Maintaining Contact Teacher conferences, notes sent home, open houses and phone calls are all traditional ways teachers use to connect with parents. In the parent-focused paradigm, parents take an active role by attending school meetings and making sure they are up-to-date with their childs progress. A parent may have work responsibilities and errands, however, which prevent her from staying in touch with her childs teacher. This lack of engagement can often frustrate a teacher who tries to keep the lines of communication open with a parent, thereby causing conflict in the teacher-parent relationship. Additionally, parental involvement in a lower societal-economic communities may be sporadic due to the stress of providing for the family and language barriers. Parental involvement can increase a childs success at school and more parents are taking an active role in their childrens education. In fact, according to an article on Child Trends Databank. com, parental engagement at schools rose significantly between 1997 and 2007. Other Considerations When a child has developmental and mental health issues, teachers and parents take on special responsibilities. If a teacher suspects that a child has a condition which affects her ability to function in the classroom, such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or depression, she will work with the parent to have the child tested. If an issue is identified, a teacher will provide additional supports through an instructional education program offered at school. Parents with special needs children often provide the child with counseling and adaptive technology to reinforce learning and social skills. The responsibilities of teachers and parents can overlap, but according to an article on PBS online, the key to any childs success in school is a positive parent-teacher relationship.

150 Million Years of Snake Evolution

150 Million Years of Snake Evolution Considering how diverse they are todaynearly 500 genera comprising almost 3,000 named specieswe still know surprisingly little about the ultimate origin of snakes. Clearly, these cold-blooded, slithering, legless creatures evolved from four-legged reptilian ancestors, either small, burrowing, landbound lizards (the prevailing theory) or, just possibly, the family of  marine reptiles called mosasaurs that appeared in the earths seas around 100 million years ago. Piecing Together the Evolution of Snakes Why is snake evolution such an enduring mystery? A big part of the problem is that the vast majority of snakes are small, relatively fragile creatures, and their even smaller, even more fragile ancestors are represented in the fossil record by incomplete remains, mostly consisting of scattered vertebrae. Paleontologists have discovered putative snake fossils dating as far back as 150 million years, to the late Jurassic period, but the traces are so evanescent as to be practically useless. (Further complicating matters, snake-like amphibians called aistopods appear in the fossil record over 300 million years ago, the most notable genus being Ophiderpeton; these were completely unrelated to modern snakes.) Recently, though, solid fossil evidence has emerged for Eophis, a 10-inch-long middle Jurassic snake native to England. The Early Snakes of the Cretaceous Period Needless to say, the key event in snake evolution was the gradual withering away of these reptiles front and hind limbs. Creationists like to claim that there are no such transitional forms in the fossil record, but in the case of prehistoric snakes theyre dead wrong: paleontologists have identified no less than four separate genera, dating back to the Cretaceous period, that was equipped with stubby, vestigial hind legs. Oddly enough, three of these snakesEupodophis, Haasiophis, and Pachyrhachiswere discovered in the Middle East, not otherwise a hotbed of fossil activity, while a fourth, Najash, lived on the other side of the world, in South America. What do these two-legged ancestors reveal about snake evolution? Well, that answer is complicated by the fact that the Middle Eastern genera were discovered firstand, since they were found in geologic strata that were submerged in water a hundred million years ago, paleontologists took that as evidence  that snakes as a whole evolved from water-dwelling reptiles, most likely the sleek, fierce mosasaurs of the late Cretaceous period. Unfortunately, the South American Najash throws a monkey wrench into that theory: this two-legged snake was clearly terrestrial, and appears in the fossil record at roughly the same time as its Middle Eastern cousins. Today, the prevailing view is that snakes evolved from an as-yet-unidentified land-dwelling (and probably burrowing) lizard of the early Cretaceous period, most likely a type of lizard known as a varanid. Today, varanids are represented by monitor lizards (genus Varanus), the largest living lizards on earth. Oddly enough, then, prehistoric snakes may have been kissing cousins of the giant prehistoric monitor lizard Megalania, which measured about 25 feet from head to tail and weighed over two tons! The Giant Prehistoric Snakes of the Cenozoic Era Speaking of giant monitor lizards, some prehistoric snakes also attained gigantic sizes, though once again the fossil evidence can be frustratingly inconclusive. Until recently, the biggest prehistoric snake in the fossil record was the appropriately named Gigantophis, a late Eocene monster that measured about 33 feet from head to tail and weighed as much as half a ton. Technically, Gigantophis is classified as a madtsoiid snake, meaning it was closely related to the widespread genus Madtsoia. Unfortunately for Gigantophis fans, this prehistoric snake has been eclipsed in the record books by an even bigger genus with an even cooler name: the South American Titanoboa, which measured over 50 feet long and conceivably weighed as much as a ton. Oddly enough, Titanoboa dates from the middle Paleocene epoch, about five million years after the dinosaurs went extinct but millions of years before mammals evolved into giant sizes. The only logical conclusion is that this prehistoric snake preyed on equally huge prehistoric crocodiles, a scenario you can expect to see computer-simulated in some future TV special; it may also have occasionally crossed paths with the equally giant prehistoric turtle Carbonemys.

Avoid Beginning a Sentence with With

Avoid Beginning a Sentence with With Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With† Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With† By Mark Nichol Sentences (and clauses) that begin with with are doomed to be weak. The following sentences suffer from this affliction; discussions describe how to improve the sentence, and revisions demonstrate the solutions. 1. With a quarter-billion-dollar industry possible, there is a real possibility of supporting the community with something other than an economy based on a nearby prison. To strengthen this sentence, simply delete with, slightly alter the main clause and present it as a parenthetical phrase, and close the sentence with a verb to transform what was originally a subordinate clause into the main clause: â€Å"A potential quarter-billion-dollar industry, and a real possibility of supporting the community with something other than an economy based on a nearby prison, awaits.† 2. With almost one in three residents below the poverty line, the business of mass incarceration has had mixed effects on the community for twenty-five years. With the promise of good jobs, four prisons opened. With a 10 percent tax on potential cultivation revenue, the company has the chance to make more money in a year than it would off the prison industry in two centuries at the current rate. All three sentences in this paragraph start with with. As in the previous example, convert the introductory subordinate clause in the first sentence into a main clause, and insert a conjunction to change the main clause to a subordinate one: â€Å"Almost one in three residents lives below the poverty line, so the business of mass incarceration has had mixed effects on the community for twenty-five years.† For the second and third sentences, simply substitute a stronger word or phrase for with: â€Å"Based on the promise of good jobs, four prisons opened. Thanks to a 10 percent tax on potential cultivation revenue, the company has the chance to make more money in a year than it would off the prison industry in two centuries at the current rate.† 3. A company can adopt a standardized approach or an internal models approach, with the former generally leading to much higher capital charges and the latter requiring regulatory approval. Here, a subordinate clause headed by with ends rather than begins the sentence. In this case, simply omit the word and alter the form of the verbs that follow, then set the clause- now a main rather than subordinate clause- off with a semicolon or a period (and insert a comma to divide the two independent clauses within it): â€Å"A company can adopt a standardized approach or an internal models approach; the former generally leads to much higher capital charges, and the latter requires regulatory approval.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 145 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned†One "L" or Two?

2015 milan women ready to wear collection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

2015 milan women ready to wear collection - Essay Example Next, let’s move on to London where we chose three stores, namely Selfridge, Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Most brands they stocked are high-end. Now let us talk about some brands that we picked. The first one is Agnona, which belongs to Zegna group. The price ranges between 550 and 6000 euro. You can shop for this brand through department stores such as harrods, neimanmarcus and you also can find the clothes on the Stylight and Yoox website. Second is Andrea incontri, whose price ranges between 300 and1200 euros. This brand is not accessible everywhere, but you can find the clothes through department store and multi brand stores. It is sold in concept stores such as Dover store both in Tokyo, London and yoox and the corner, which are ecommerce. The third brand is Auilanorimondi, which sells for 150-1000 euro. You could find the brand in la rinasente, Harvey Nichols in hk. Famous multi store that has this brand is Biffi, which sells online through yoox and the corner. The last brand we focused on is blumarine, which goes for 500-10000 euro. You can find this elegant brand in high-end store like Harvey Nichols, Neiman and Saks as well as in the ecommerce, the corner and