The Untold History of American Indian Slavery

Long before the transatlantic African slave trade was established in North America a transatlantic slave trade in Indians had been occurring since the very earliest European arrivals. It was used as a weapon of war among the European colonists and as a tactic for survival among Indians who participated in the slave trade as slavers. It contributed to the fierce decline in Indian populations after the coming of the Europeans along with devastating disease epidemics and lasted well into the eighteenth century when it was replaced by African slavery. It has left a legacy still felt among Native populations in the east, and it is also one of the most hidden narratives in American historical literature. Documentation The historical record of the Indian slave trade is based on many disparate and scattered sources including legislative notes, trade transactions, journals of slavers, government correspondence and especially church records, making it difficult to account for the entire history. It is well known by historians that the slave trade began with the Spanish incursions into the Caribbean and Christopher Columbus’s taking of slaves, as documented in his own journals. Every European nation that colonized North America utilized Indian slaves for construction, plantations, and mining on the North American continent but more frequently in their outposts in the Caribbean and in the metropoles of Europe. As the pieces of the puzzle come together in the scholarship, historians note that nowhere is there more documentation than in South Carolina, what was the original English colony of Carolina, established in 1670. It is estimated that between 1650 and 1730 at least 50,000 Indians (and likely more due to transactions hidden to avoid paying government tariffs and taxes) were exported by the English alone to their Caribbean outposts. Between 1670 and 1717 far more Indians were exported than Africans were imported. In southern coastal regions, entire tribes were exterminated through slavery compared to disease or war. In a law passed in 1704, Indian slaves were conscripted to fight in wars for the colony long before the American Revolution. Indian Complicity and Complex Relationships Indians found themselves caught in between colonial strategies for power and economic control. The fur trade in the Northeast, the English plantation system in the south and the Spanish mission system in Florida collided with major disruptions to Indian communities. Indians displaced from the fur trade in the north migrated south where plantation owners armed them to hunt for slaves living in the Spanish mission communities. The French, the English, and Spanish often capitalized on the slave trade in other ways; for example, they garnered diplomatic favor when they negotiated the freedom of slaves in exchange for peace, friendship and military alliance. In another instance of Indian and colonial complicity in the slave trade, the British had established ties with the Chickasaw who were surrounded by enemies on all sides in Georgia. They conducted extensive slave raids in the lower Mississippi Valley where the French had a foothold, which they sold to the English as a way to reduce In dian populations and keep the French from arming them first. Ironically, the English also saw it as a more effective way to civilize them compared to the efforts of the French missionaries. Extent of the Trade The Indian slave trade covered an area from as far west and south as New Mexico (then Spanish territory) northward to the Great Lakes. Historians believe that all tribes in this vast swath of land were caught up in the slave trade in one way or another, either as captives or as traders. Slavery was part of the larger strategy to depopulate the land to make way for European settlers. As early as 1636 after the Pequot war in which 300 Pequots were massacred, those who remained were sold into slavery and sent to Bermuda. Major slaving ports included Boston, Salem, Mobile and New Orleans. From those ports Indians were shipped to Barbados by the English, Martinique and Guadalupe by the French and the Antilles by the Dutch. Indian slaves were also sent to the Bahamas as the breaking grounds where they mightve been transported back to New York or Antigua. The historical record indicates a perception that Indians did not make good slaves. When they werent shipped far from their home territories they too easily escaped and were given refuge by other Indians if not in their own communities. They died in high numbers on the transatlantic journeys and succumbed easily to European diseases. By 1676 Barbados had banned Indian slavery citing too bloody and dangerous an inclination to remain here. Slavery’s Legacy of Obscured Identities As the Indian slave trade gave way to the African slave trade by the late 1700’s (by then over 300 years old) Native American women began to intermarry with imported Africans, producing mixed-race offspring whose native identities became obscured through time. In the colonial project to eliminate the landscape of Indians, these mixed-race people simply became known as colored people through bureaucratic erasure in public records. In some cases such as in Virginia, even when people were designated as Indians on birth or death certificates or other public records, their records were changed to reflect â€Å"colored.† Census takers, determining a person’s race by their looks, often recorded mixed-race people as simply black, not Indian. The result is that today there is a population of people of Native American heritage and identity (particularly in the Northeast) who are not recognized by society at large, sharing similar circumstances with the Freedmen of the Cher okee and other Five Civilized Tribes.

EMR Implementation in Small Independent Practices Essay

Achievements in public health and technology have created growth in the health care industry. Significant advances in prevention as well as declines in death rates have created a need for a more sophisticated system of record keeping. While monitoring the health of the nation, planning and developing better health services, and delivering effective and efficient care is now more important than ever. The need to manage patient data has increased as well. Moving from a world where paper records are kept in file cabinets, to implementing a system where documents are stored and maintained on computers and accessed through EMR systems is a complicated procedure for a large system, let alone the smaller independent practices that still†¦show more content†¦EMRs will contain the same, but with an easily searchable index for faster and more efficient administration of care that can be cross-referenced for evidence-based care (Hillestad, et al, 2014). One of the greatest benefit s is that of interoperability (Ouellette, 2012). Not only will entire systems be able to access patient records, but eventually with a national database, a patient can be anywhere in the country and their entire history can be pulled to provide care (Ouellette, 2012). This will ensure that that quality care is given quickly with fewer errors. There are concerns about the implementation and maintenance costs of EMRS. With the increase of costs for implementing EMR’s most facilities will eventually have to make up the cost somewhere, and that usually is in the form of higher costs to the consumer (Freudenheim, 2012). However, there are government programs and low interest loans to offset the costs for those facilities that are strictly non-profit, as well donors might help offset the costs (Callahan,2014). Other concerns include security and privacy of health data, access control andShow MoreRelatedBenefits And Benefits Of The Emr Implementation1224 Words   |  5 PagesWi th the costs there also came benefits that included averted costs and increased revenues and then divided up into payer independent benefits, benefits under capitated reimbursement, and benefits under fee-for-service reimbursement (Wang et al., 2003). These were assumed that they would be accrued at the end of the year. In large practices, chart pulling was a time consuming task that was done and cost an approximately $5 to obtain and retrieve this data. After switching to electronic, the transcriptionRead MoreElectronic Medical Records ( Emr )1322 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology Technology plays a vital role on the overall productivity of a medical practice. Electronic medical records (EMR) are commonly used by both large and small practices. They offer practices an efficient mean of storing patient data; furthermore, the government offer incentives for meaningful use of electronic medical records. Generally when it comes to implementing an EMR, it is necessary to choose the right vendor. EMRs usually fall into three vendor systems: single-vendor, best-of-breed, and best-of-suiteRead MoreThe Implementation Of A Departmental System1386 Words   |  6 Pageschampion or physician champion in the implementation process are: (a) advocate of the system; (b) a leader in gaining buy-in from other health care professionals and user groups and ensure that they have adequate input into the decision-making process (wager, Lee, Glaser, 2013, p. 244). The project leaders are responsible for managing the implementation of a departmental system, deployment of infrastruc ture in a new medical office building, or determination of the need for a new system (WagerRead MoreElectronic Health Records ( Ehrs ) Systems1995 Words   |  8 Pagesstatistics and IT management center was selected to be accountable for designing and implementing EHRs (Ayatollahi,2014 ). Introduction To accomplish any goals with EHRs, the amount of private IT companies were asked to get involved in the process of implementation and describing system specifications. The governing body promotes the advancement of EHRs by delivering rules in the areas of healthcare, national information security and discretion, and medical malpractice (Ayatollahi, 2014). However, the HealthRead MoreThe Next Steps for Accountable Care Organizations, Bundled Payments, and Health Reform4617 Words   |  19 PagesThe ACO is a health care organization which provides accountability for quality, cost, and care for medical beneficiaries with single entity providers that are responsible for delivering care. The ACO-model builds on the Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration and the Medicare Health Care Quality Demonstration, established by the Medicare Prescription Drugs Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. Under the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) re leasedRead MoreElectronic Health Records ( Ehrs ) Systems1992 Words   |  8 Pagesstatistics and IT management center was selected to be accountable for designing and implementing EHRs (Ayatollahi). Introduction To accomplish any goals with EHRs, the amount of private IT companies were asked to get involved in the process of implementation and describing system specifications. The governing body promotes the advancement of EHRs by delivering rules in the areas of healthcare, national information security and discretion, and medical malpractice (Ayatollahi). However, the Health InsuranceRead MorePublic medical education in China and India has a long history that has been both intensely2400 Words   |  10 Pagesmultimedia format are called virtual patient. It includes a video clip showing a particular symptom in image and sound, a flash simulation validating a cellular process, or an x-rady with comments on the findings. It can be used in tutorial sessions with small groups of students working on the case [10]. We believe that medical schools are going to have to confront the issue of distance learning in the near yet to come. While it may not be imaginable to demonstrate entire courses through distance learningRead MoreSecurity Issues of Paper and Electronic Health Record Systems and the Issues to Be Considered When Converting to an Ehr System2742 Words   |  11 Pageslong-term storage of electronic health records are complicated by the possibility that the records might one day be used longitudinally and integrated across sites of care. Records have the potential to be created, used, edited, and viewed by multiple independent entities. These entities include, but are not limited to, primary care physicians, hospitals, insurance companies, and patients. The required length of storage of an individual electronic health record will depend on national and state regulationsRead MoreDatabase Vs. Database Technology6492 Words   |  26 Pagesrelational databases and multidimensional data ware houses concerns the way in which the data are arranged to facilitate easy and efficient data retrieval by a range of end users. Other basic differences, in terms of purpose, design, development and implementation, are also visible between the two types of databases (Stolba, 2007). Healthcare data are inherently complex and sensitive and they reside in various formats (Yang et al., 2015). Therefore, to maintain the efficiency and security of data storageRead MoreHospital Management Information Management System13053 Words   |  53 Pagesare divided into two broad categories- one is indoor patients and the other is outdoor patients. Indoor patients are admitted into the hospital and out door patients come only for check up. There are also emergency cases. But their number is very small and they are often considered as in-patients. The above two types of patients can be subdivided again into two categories. One is new patient and the other is old patient. An out door patient can be new or old. Similarly an indoor patient can be

Medical Billing and Coding Free Essays

Medical Billing and Coding Medical billing and coding is one of today’s high paying careers. The definition for Medical – code is descriptions that physicians and the heath care providers, and facilities use to describe healthcare procedures and diagnosis into numeric or alphanumeric designations. Coding is the descriptions of diseases, injuries and procedures into numeric or alphanumeric codes, there are three basic steps in locating codes. We will write a custom essay sample on Medical Billing and Coding or any similar topic only for you Order Now First we locate the term in the Alphabetic Index, then verify the code number in the Tabular list, finally assign the code when it has been verified by the physician and the coder. We must locate the term in the Alphabetic Index. In coding the correct codes and to be paid by the insurance company the coder must code accurately and precisely so the first step in coding it to locate the main tern in the Alphabetic Index of the coding book. If a main term cannot be located, then try searching for sub terms, notes, or cross- reference. A coder can refer to any notes in the Alphabetic Index. When the code is located it must be verify in the Tabular list coder then will review the title of the chapter, section, and category to make sure that the correct code has been identified. The coder will read and follow instructional notes and refer to any other codes as instructed if the coder is unsure it is then discuss with the physician. Once the main term is verified the coder then will assign the code to be used for several different reasons: reporting medical necessity for services performed, identifying conditions to alert the healthcare provider, and to supply date for clinical care, research and education purposes. â€Å"The importance of consistent, complete documentation in the medical record cannot be overemphasized. Without documentation accurate coding cannot be achieved. † How to cite Medical Billing and Coding, Papers

Applied Portfolio Management

Question: Discuss about theApplied Portfolio Management. Answer: Introduction Literature Review The report is an assignment on the report methodology at Hyundai. The assignment identifies the automobile company, Hyundai which is one of the leaders in automobile manufacturers. The report then takes into account the report making process of the staff at Hyundai. The reporting requirements are one that caters directly to the needs of the projects that are being created. The project development is one factor that is of utmost importance in Hyundai and as such, monitoring their development is one of the prime factors. The development of the projects is monitored via various reporting techniques that move up a hierarchical ladder where the executive decisions are made. The executive decisions are what drive the company and as such, it is necessary that the report reaches them. The assignment also identifies the method of data collection in software applications for the company and the need for software applications. The assignment then finds out the process through which the report i s made and finally, identifies the escalation decisions of the executives which work for the development of the project. Description of the Organization Hyundai is a South Korean automobile manufacturer and one of the world leaders in the field of automobile manufacturers. The headquarters of the company is located in Seoul, South Korea from where it controls its operations in 193 countries. The company was founded in 1967. In 2012, it became the worlds fifth largest automobile maker. The sales of Hyundai motors in 2012 were 7.12 million in 2012 making it one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world. The company has more than 75,000 employees worldwide (Antonius, 2003). Hyundai has more than 5000 dealerships and showrooms worldwide. In such a case, Hyundai has the place in the market share that is worth noticing. Maintaining such a huge network worldwide means that the company needs to have an integrated system that analyzes the functioning of all of its units in a wide number of companies. However, the working of the units needs to be assessed by a measure. This is where the idea of managing the data comes in (Berk, 2005 ). The company must have in its framework a data management system that classifies and makes use of its data. The data management system in such a case must be one which has a transparency among all its employees and managers. The system at Hyundai is a hierarchical one where the various employees work according to their positions in order to maintain a balance in the companys functioning. The balance in the data management department is maintained by the employees dedicated to the collection of data doing their bit and reporting it to the higher level managers (Bonham, 2005). The managers at the various levels then take into account the data and work accordingly in a manner that would be in the best interest of the company. The Reporting Requirements for Projects Before any project is begun, there must be an assessment of how well the project will benefit the company. In the case of a company like Hyundai, the assessment of the project is extremely important as it is an industry that is directly related to the market trends and the customer preferences. These factors can be measured via different means but in order to identify the level of success that any project would taste, it is necessary to have a system of data manipulation. The data can then be reported to the managers and the managers can then work in order to utilize that data for the benefit of the company (Brentani, 2004). Now whenever a project begins, there is a project reporting system. The project reporting system is one that is meant for the managers. The process is done by the team dedicated to collecting the data on the project and then they perform the duty of conveying it to the manager who oversees the entire project. The project report usually includes an introduction to the project information and then moves on to describe what the project is intended to achieve and what it has achieved (Bryman and Burgess, 1994). The requirements for the reports at such an executive level is one that takes into account a lot of things and a lot of benchmarks. The achievements of the project are included in the project milestone status and the project summary status. The reporting of the status of the project is done as a roll-up process. The team members dedicated to the data collection are required to create an informal report status that is reported to the team leads (Byrne, 2002). The team leads are then required to make a well-defined graphical data structure of the report and report them to the project manager. The data for the executive level is aggregated via various methods. First and foremost, the report aims at identifying the customer mix and then proceeds to locate the maturity of the project which includes the various benchmarks for the measurement o f the progress. Finally, there is an identification of how well the projects have been received by the target customer base. The Best Option for Reporting Methods and Software Applications The software application in the development of the report of a company is especially important in a company like Hyundai. While handling such a huge amount of data, it is the software that comes to the rescue. The software, however, needs a line of operations. The inclusion of software may mean that the company has a mode to control its operation but that mode also needs a line of operation (Cramer, 2003). In such a case, there are a few methods that are best suited for the reporting methods. Also, the best methods can be identified to create a method that is the best suited for the industry as well as the individual organization. In a software application method, the first and foremost idea to be taken into account is the communication planning. The communication planning is the one factor that needs to be taken into account in order to facilitate the smooth running of the process (Flick et al., 2007). The project must decide on the manner in which the various communications are sup posed to take place which would ensure the proper exchange of the data and other things related to the reports. The second step is to identify the information that is needed in each report of each aspect and then the process should identify the format in which the data is supposed to be gathered. Since software runs on a particular format, it is important to locate the exact format that needs to be followed. The next step in this method would be to locate the sources from which the information and data are to be gathered (Gibson and Brown, 2009). The identification of the information would require the information itself which comes from a source. In such a case, the source of the information needs to be located in order to facilitate the functioning of the process. In the next steps, there should be an identification of who is to be trusted with the responsibility. The software needs a person who is conversant with the running and as such, needs to be handled in a manner which would provide the best data processing. The process can thus be set up where the company is able to process the data in a manner where the things fall into place and help the companies identify its priorities. Quantitative and Qualitative Data that is Required at Executive Level Quantitative and qualitative methods are two of the most well-recognized methods of data collection and processing. The quantitative and qualitative data are what are mostly used by industries to pinpoint the exact strategies that they need to follow. In Hyundai, the quantitative data is used at an executive level to measure the companys productivity. The data can then be used to find out how much the company has been successful in attaining its goals. The company uses the quantitative data to measure the efficiencies of its units in various locations as well as the efficiency of the workforce (Heaton, 2004). The quantitative data uses a fixed idea of what is considered to be desirable in the companys operations. The companys operations are decided to a great extent by the quantitative data that it accumulates. The main feature of this kind of data is that it uses a well-defined scale to track all the procedures. Hyundai, for example, measures the output provided by an individual wor ker against the average output and in such a case, creates an assessment of the worker depending on the overall functioning (Jarrow, 2010). The company then makes changes in the workers function as per his performance. The company also measures the productivities of the individual units in order to measure the level of efficiency of the unit and then proceeds accordingly. The quantitative data required in Hyundai at the executive level is thus the various outputs of the employees and the outputs of the units that are operating for the company (Mulvey, 2004). The qualitative data, on the other hand, is the kind of data that follows an informal structure. Professionals at Hyundai who work for this department observe the human behavior and other factors affecting productivity (Project Portfolio Management, 2011). The main requirements at the executive level for this type of data collection is the data of employee productivity, the conditions of work and other problems faced by the work ers. The quantitative data has the presence of the human element in it which makes it easier to formulate a method that would help in the elimination of the problems and boost the performance of the employees on an individual level. The Reporting Processes The reporting at Hyundai is done by professionals who are trained for the job. The company hires people who have an understanding of the various processes of reporting and also the process of reporting followed by Hyundai. The reporting processes are also carried out by the other employees in the various duties (The standard for portfolio management, 2013). The employees are given the task of reporting to their senior officials until the data reaches to the project managers who work for the development of the project on the basis of the data they receive. The reporting is done by Hyundai every time a new project is planned to be launched. Also, after the project has been completed and the product is on the market, Hyundai goes on to assess the success of the project in the market. The success is again assessed via the reporting process (Richards, 2005). The reporting process includes a number of factors that are monitored in order to monitor the performance in each of the department. Hyundai monitors the customer mix and the internal as well as the external stakeholder percentage. They also monitor the project management maturity. The next step involves calculating the value of the projects. The calculation of the value of the projects is done by the comparison of the various project values against the average value of a project. The company then proceeds to find out the output of each employee in the organization. The reporting process is thus one where the various operational fields of the company are taken into account. The monitoring of each of the individual departments are the factors that are taken into account while creating a report. Escalation Decisions By the Executive The escalation decisions by the executive include taking the matters to a higher authority. Although Hyundai has a well-defined process for the reporting and function of all the aspects of the projects that are undertaken, there is the existence of the escalation decisions by the executive. The reports provide an idea of what to do but sometimes, the matters are out of hand for the immediate officials. In such a case, the matters need to be taken to the higher officials. A team faces many problems and as such, in an organization like Hyundai, there is a need for external intervention from time to time (Smithson, 2003). The projects in the company are formulated by the upper levels and as such, those managerial positions need to be in touch with the proceedings at the lower levels. The proceedings at the lower levels are thus an important factor in deciding the staffing and other factors that affect the well-being of the project. The escalation decisions at Hyundai are conveyed to the staff via the same team that was responsible for the reporting. The report methodology of the company is one which works in direct interaction with the workforce and as such, it is responsible for conveying the executive decisions that the authorities make in an attempt to guarantee a success of the project. References Antonius, R. (2003).Interpreting quantitative data with SPSS. London: Sage Publications. Berk, J. (2005). Five Myths of Active Portfolio Management.The Journal of Portfolio Management, 31(3), pp.27-31. Bonham, S. (2005).IT project portfolio management. Boston: Artech House. Brentani, C. (2004).Portfolio management in practice. Oxford [England]: Burlington, MA. Bryman, A. and Burgess, R. (1994).Analyzing qualitative data. London: Routledge. Byrne, D. (2002).Interpreting quantitative data. London: SAGE. Cramer, D. (2003).Advanced quantitative data analysis. Maidenhead, Berkshire, England: Open University Press. Flick, U., Kvale, S., Angrosino, M., Barbour, R., Banks, M., Gibbs, G. and Rapley, T. (2007).The Sage qualitative research kit. London: SAGE. Gibson, W. and Brown, A. (2009).Working with qualitative data. London: SAGE. Heaton, J. (2004).Reworking qualitative data. London: SAGE. Jarrow, R. (2010). Active Portfolio Management and Positive Alphas: Fact or Fantasy ?.The Journal of Portfolio Management, 36(4), pp.17-22. Mulvey, J. (2004). Applying Optimization Technology to Portfolio Management.The Journal of Portfolio Management, 30(5), pp.162-168. Project Portfolio Management. (2011). Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. Richards, L. (2005).Handling qualitative data. London: SAGE Publications. Smithson, C. (2003).Credit portfolio management. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley. The standard for portfolio management. (2013). Newtown Square, Pa: Project Management Institute.

Aliasing a Method in Ruby Takes Simple Programming

Aliasing a Method in Ruby Takes Simple Programming To alias a method or variable name in Ruby is to create a second name for the method or variable. Aliasing can be used either to provide more expressive options to the programmer using the class or to help override methods and change the behavior of the class or object. Ruby provides this functionality with the alias and alias_method keywords. Create a Second Name The alias keyword takes two arguments: the old method name and the new method name. The method names should be passed as labels, as opposed to strings. Labels are used to refer to methods and variables without directly referencing them. If youre a new Ruby programmer, the concept of labels may seem odd, but whenever you see a label like :methodname, just read it as the thing called methodname. The following example declares a new class and creates an alias for the on method called start. #!/usr/bin/env rubyclass Microwavedef onputs The microwave is onendalias :start :onendm Microwave.newm.start # same as m.on Change the Behavior of a Class There may be times when you want to change the behavior of a class after its been declared. You can alias and add new methods to an existing class by creating second class declaration that has the same name as the existing class declaration. You can also add aliases and methods to individual objects using a syntax similar to the inherited class syntax. The behavior of any class can be changed by creating an alias for any method and then creating a new method (with the original method name) that calls the method with the alias. In the following example, a microwave class is declared and an instance is created. The second class declaration uses the alias method to change the behavior of the on method in order to add a warning message. The third class declaration is used to change the behavior of the specific microwave instance to add an even more stern warning. When aliasing a method multiple times, be sure to use different method names to store the old method. #!/usr/bin/env rubyclass Microwavedef on  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  puts Microwave is on  Ã‚  end endm Microwave.newm.onclass Microwave  Ã‚  alias :old_on1 :ondef on  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  puts Warning: Do not insert metal objects!  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  old_on1  Ã‚  end endm.on# Message for this specific microwaveclass   Ã‚  def onputs This microwave is weak, add extra timeold_on2endendm.on # Displays extra messagem2 Microwave.newm2.on # Does not display extra message

Free Essays on Endangered Species of South America

Endangered Species of South America Endangered species are plant and animal species that are in danger of extinction, the dying off of all individuals of a species. Over 19,000 plant species and 5000 animal species around the globe are classified as endangered, and many thousands more become extinct each year before biologists can identify them (Microsoft 1). The primary cause of species extinction or endangerment are habitat destruction, commercial exploitation, damage caused by non-native plants and animals introduced into an area, and pollution (1). Of these causes, direct habitat destruction threatens the most species. A steady rate of extinction is a normal process in the course of evolution, and is called the background rate of extinction (Lampton 14). Species have slowly evolved and disappeared throughout geological time because of climate changes and the inability to adapt to survive competition and predation. Since the 1600's, however, the rate of extinction has accelerated rapidly because of human population growth and resource consumption (17). Today, most of the world's habitats are changing faster than most species can adapt to such changes through evolution, or natural selection. The current global extinction rate is estimated at about 20,000 species per year, exponentially greater than the background extinction rate (17). Many biologists believe that we are in the middle of the greatest mass extinction episode since the disappearance of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago (18). The survival of ecosystems (plant and animal communities and their physical surroundings) such as forests, coral reefs, or wetlands depend on their biodiversity or variety of plants, animals, and habitats, as well as the many interactions among these species. The removal or disappearance of one or several species may irreversibly damage the ecosystems and lead to its decline. For example, the undersea kelp forest ecosystems ... Free Essays on Endangered Species of South America Free Essays on Endangered Species of South America Endangered Species of South America Endangered species are plant and animal species that are in danger of extinction, the dying off of all individuals of a species. Over 19,000 plant species and 5000 animal species around the globe are classified as endangered, and many thousands more become extinct each year before biologists can identify them (Microsoft 1). The primary cause of species extinction or endangerment are habitat destruction, commercial exploitation, damage caused by non-native plants and animals introduced into an area, and pollution (1). Of these causes, direct habitat destruction threatens the most species. A steady rate of extinction is a normal process in the course of evolution, and is called the background rate of extinction (Lampton 14). Species have slowly evolved and disappeared throughout geological time because of climate changes and the inability to adapt to survive competition and predation. Since the 1600's, however, the rate of extinction has accelerated rapidly because of human population growth and resource consumption (17). Today, most of the world's habitats are changing faster than most species can adapt to such changes through evolution, or natural selection. The current global extinction rate is estimated at about 20,000 species per year, exponentially greater than the background extinction rate (17). Many biologists believe that we are in the middle of the greatest mass extinction episode since the disappearance of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago (18). The survival of ecosystems (plant and animal communities and their physical surroundings) such as forests, coral reefs, or wetlands depend on their biodiversity or variety of plants, animals, and habitats, as well as the many interactions among these species. The removal or disappearance of one or several species may irreversibly damage the ecosystems and lead to its decline. For example, the undersea kelp forest ecosystems ...

Chinese Movie review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chinese Movie review - Essay Example , the movie follows the story of a crime lord (Tang) in Shanghai during in the1930s and his singer mistress (Xiao Jingbao) as revealed gradually by their new boy servant (Shuisheng). The boy servant provides the point of view in the movies, often detailing the dynamics off the relationship between the powerful triad boss and his unpredictable mistress. In all aspects, crime is involved in acquiring power and making it in life. Shuiseng uncle (also a city criminal) is the one that links him up with the opportunity to work for the triad boss after getting him from the countryside. In the cause of working for the crime boss, he becomes accustomed to the happenings of the crime world such as seeing executions, hearing disturbing conversations and noticing the struggles of eth boss in making his mistress conform to his will. This gangster movie plotline presents the crime scene in Shanghai during the early years but fails to bring something unique to the audience. The viewers are likely t o see it as pointless and repetitive when they compare the film with other works in the gangster Chinese movies. The movie was made after the Chinese authorities ensured that there was no external funding. Production would only go ahead after falling under the local production category. This means that the movie was funded locally. This was an effort to ensure that the external sources did not influence the plot to paint a bad image of the Chinese authorities in its communist ways. Though there is no heavy use of stereotypes, the film nevertheless alludes to a particular political message that concerns the nature of the pre-revolutionary Shanghai and China in general. It depicts the lawlessness that was in China at the time rendering crime as a way to active power and stakes a claim in the society. Zhang Yimou manages to insert the social effect the criminal underworld and point to the larger problem in the Chinese society. The Forbidden Kingdom is presumably targeted for the U.S