Lab 6 Essay Example

Lab 6 Paper ? Question 1 10 out of 10 points | | | Name the five types of ecosystems used in this laboratory, [1], [2], [3], [4], and [5]. | | | | | Specified Answer for: 1| Â  tundra| Specified Answer for: 2| Â  taiga| Specified Answer for: 3| Â  desert| Specified Answer for: 4| Â  freshwater lake| Specified Answer for: 5| Â  tropical rain forest| | | | | ? Question 2 3. 7 out of 3. 7 points | | | Fungi are examples of Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Â  E. decomposers| | | | | ? Question 3 3. 7 out of 3. 7 points | | The efficiency of energy transfer from a lower trophic level to the next highest level is roughly:Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Â  D. 10%| | | | | ? Question 4 10 out of 10 points | | | For the ecosystem organism or type match the organisms with their type or type with type. Answer | | | | | Question| Selected Match| Caribou| Â  B. First Order Heterotroph| Arctic Fox| Â  C. Second Order Heterotroph| Autotroph| Â  A. Producer| Herbivore| Â  B. First Order Heterotr oph| Coyote| Â  C. Second Order Heterotroph| | | | | | ? Question 5 3. 7 out of 3. 7 points | | You find yourself in an area where there are snakes, hawks and coyotes. Based upon these animal populations, you are most likely in a [__________] ecosystem. Answer | | | | | Selected Answer: | Â   desert| | | | | ? Question 6 3. 7 out of 3. 7 points | | | In aquatic ecosystems, biomass is least at which trophic level? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Â  A. Autotrophs| | | | | ? Question 7 3. 7 out of 3. 7 points | | | Organisms that directly use energy from the sun to make their food are called:Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Â  B. Autotrophs| | | | | ? Question 8 3. 7 out of 3. 7 points | | | Which of the following illustrates the correct ordering of trophic levels? Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Â  B. Autotrophs>herbivores>carnivores>decomposers| | | | | ? Question 9 40 out of 40 points | | | Match the organisms present in the various ecosystems with their type. Answer | | | | | Question| Selected Match| Whirligig Beetle| Â  D. First Order Heterotroph| African Elephant| Â  D. First Order Heterotroph| Leopard| Â  B. Third Order Heterotroph| Chimpanzee| Â  C. Second Order Heterotroph| Dragonfly| Â  D. First Order Heterotroph| Mute Swan| Â  D. First Order Heterotroph| Large Mouth Bass| Â  C. Second Order Heterotroph| Bell Frog| Â  C. Second Order Heterotroph| Saguaro Cactus| Â  A. Producer| Velvet Ant| Â  D. First Order Heterotroph| Rattlesnake| Â  C. Second Order Heterotroph| Cactus Wren| Â  C. Second Order Heterotroph| Coyote| Â  C. Second Order Heterotroph| Douglas Fir| Â  A. Producer| Whitetail Deer| Â  D. First Order Heterotroph| Snowshoe Rabbit| Â  D. First Order Heterotroph| Eagle| Â  B. Third Order Heterotroph| Human| Â  B. We will write a custom essay sample on Lab 6 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lab 6 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lab 6 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Third Order Heterotroph| Snowy Owl| Â  D. First Order Heterotroph| Arctic Wolf| Â  B. Third Order Heterotroph| | | | | | ? Question 10 3. 7 out of 3. 7 points | | | You are in an area where there are snowy owl, wolves and caribou. You are most likely in a [___________] ecosystem. Answer | | | | | Selected Answer: | Â   tundra| | | | | ? Question 11 3. 7 out of 3. 7 points | | | This zone has the greatest concentration of plankton in a freshwater lake ecosystem:Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Â  A. Limnetic| | | | | ? Question 12 3. 7 out of 3. points | | | Within an ecosystem:Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Â  C. Energy flows in one direction only and nutrients are recycled. | | | | | ? Question 13 0 out of 3. 7 points | | | You are in an area where the ground is littered with what appears to be dry, dead leaves. You are most likely in a [x] ecosystem. Answer | | | | | Selected Answer: | Â   coniferous forest| | | | | ? Question 14 3. 7 out of 3. 7 points | | | The ultima te source of energy for most ecosystems is:Answer | | | | | Selected Answer:| Â  B. Sunlight| | | | |

Introduction to Ancient Stone Debitage

Introduction to Ancient Stone Debitage Debitage,  pronounced in English roughly DEB-ih-tahzhs, is an artifact type, the collective term used by archaeologists to refer to the sharp-edged waste material left over when a flintknapper creates a stone tool (that is, knaps flint). The process of making a stone tool is rather like sculpture, in that it involves whittling down a block of stone by removing unwanted pieces until the sculptor/flint knapper achieves the final product. Debitage refers to those unneeded stone fragments. Debitage is the French term for this material, but it is commonly used in the scholarly literature in most other languages, including English. Other terms in English include waste flakes, stone chips, and chipping debris; all of these refer to the stone fragments left over as a waste product created when a worker produces a stone tool. Those terms also refer to chipping debris leftover when a stone tool is repaired or refined. Why is Debitage Interesting? Scholars are interested in the stone flakes left behind by flintknappers for a number of reasons. The pile of debris is the location where stone tool production took place, even if the tool itself was taken away: that alone tells archaeologists about where people lived and worked in the past. The flakes also hold information about the type of stone used to make a stone tool, as well as the technology, the steps taken in the manufacturing process. Some of the waste flakes may be used as tools themselves, to scrape plants or cut meat for example, but by and large, the word debitage refers to those pieces which have not been reused. Whether the flakes were used as a tool or not, debitage accounts for the oldest evidence discovered for human-like behaviors: we know ancient people were making stone tools because we have found purposeful flaking debris even if we dont know what was being made. And as such, they have been recognized as an artifact type since the first decades of the 20th century. Analyzing Debitage Debitage analysis is the systematic study of those chipped stone flakes. The most common study of debitage involves simple (or complex) cataloging of the flakes characteristics, such as source material, length, width, weight, thickness, flaking scars, and the evidence of heat-treatment among many others. Given that there can be thousands or tens of thousands of pieces of debitage from a site, data from all of those flakes definitely qualifies as big data. In addition, analytical studies have attempted to classify the flakes by step in the tool-making process. In general, a stone tool is made by removing the largest pieces first, then the pieces get smaller and smaller as the tool gets refined and shaped. A popular tool-based debitage typology in the late 20th century consisted of categorizing flakes into three stages: primary, secondary, and tertiary flakes. These rough categories were thought to reflect a very specific set of flake removal processes: primary flakes were removed from a block of stone first, then secondary, and finally tertiary flakes. Defining those three categories was based on size and the percentage of the cortex (unmodified stone) left on the waste flake. Refitting, putting the stone pieces back together whether simply one flake to another or reconstructing an entire stone tool, was originally quite pain-staking and labor-intensive. More recent tool-based imaging processes have refined and built on this technique considerably. Other Analytical Types One of the problems with debitage analysis is there is just so much debitage. The construction of one tool from a block of stone can produce hundreds if not thousands of waste flakes of all shapes and sizes. As a result, studies of debitage as part of the study of all stone artifacts at a given site are frequently completed using mass analysis techniques. Size grading by using a set of graduated screens to sort debitage is often used. Researchers also sort the flakes into categories on a variety of attributes and then count and weigh the total in each category to estimate types of flaking activities. Piece-plotting of the distribution of debitage has been used, when it can be determined that the scatter of flakes has laid relatively undisturbed since its deposition. That study informs the researcher about the mechanics of flint-working activities. As a parallel study, an experimental reproduction of flint knapping has been used to build a suitable comparison of debitage scatters and production techniques. Microwear analysis is the study of the edge damage and pitting of debitage using a low- or high-power microscope, and it is generally reserved for debitage that has likely been used as a tool. Sources and Recent Studies A great source for information about all types of Lithic Analysis is Roger Graces Stone Age Reference Collection. The late Tony Bakers excellent lithics site  while now outdated still contains buckets of useful information based on his understanding of the mechanical processes he learned in his own flintknapping experiments. Ahler, Stanley A. Mass Analysis of Flaking Debris: Studying the Forest Instead of the Tree. In Alternative Approaches to Lithic Analysis. The Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association. Eds. Henry, D. O., and George H. Odell. Vol. 1 (1989): 85-118. Print. Andrefsky Jr., William. The Analysis of Stone Tool Procurement, Production, and Maintenance. Journal of Archaeological Research 17.1 (2009): 65-103. Print. - . The Application and Misapplication of Mass Analysis in Lithic Debitage Studies. Journal of Archaeological Science 34.3 (2007): 392-402. Print. Bradbury, Andrew P., and Philip J. Carr. Non-Metric Continuum-Based Flake Analysis. Lithic Technology 39.1 (2014): 20-38. Print. Chazan, Michael. Technological Perspectives on the Upper Paleolithic. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews 19.2 (2010): 57-65. Print. Eerkens, Jelmer W., et al. Reduction Strategies and Geochemical Characterization of Lithic Assemblages: A Comparison of Three Case Studies from Western North America. American Antiquity 72.3 (2007): 585-97. Print. Eren, Metin I., and Stephen J. Lycett. Why Levallois? A Morphometric Comparison of Experimental ‘Preferential’ Levallois Flakes Versus Debitage Flakes. PLoS ONE 7.1 (2012): e29273. Print. Frahm, Ellery, et al. Sourcing Geochemically Identical Obsidian: Multiscalar Magnetic Variations in the Gutansar Volcanic Complex and Implications for Palaeolithic Research in Armenia. Journal of Archaeological Science 47.0 (2014): 164-78. Print. Hayden, Brian, Edward Bakewell, and Rob Gargett. The Worlds Longest-Lived Corporate Group: Lithic Analysis Reveals Prehistoric Social Organization near Lillooet, British Columbia. American Antiquity 61.2 (1996): 341-56. Print. Hiscock, Peter. Quantifying the Size of Artefact Assemblages. Journal of Archaeological Science 29.3 (2002): 251-58. Print. Pirie, Anne. Constructing Prehistory: Lithic Analysis in the Levantine Epipaleolithic. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 10.3 (2004): 675-703. Print. Shea, John J. The Middle Stone Age Archaeology of the Lower Omo Valley Kibish Formation: Excavations, Lithic Assemblages, and Inferred Patterns of Early Homo Sapiens Behavior. Journal of Human Evolution 55.3 (2008): 448-85. Print. Shott, Michael J. The Quantification Problem in Stone Tool Assemblages. American Antiquity 65.4 (2000): 725-38. Print. Sullivan, Alan P. III, and Kenneth C. Rozen. Debitage Analysis and Archaeological Interpretation. American Antiquity 50.4 (1985): 755-79. Print. Wallace, Ian J., and John J. Shea. Mobility Patterns and Core Technologies in the Middle Paleolithic of the Levant. Journal of Archaeological Science 33 (2006): 1293-309. Print. Williams, Justin P., and William Andrefsky Jr. Debitage Variability among Multiple Flint Knappers. Journal of Archaeological Science 38.4 (2011): 865-72. Print.

Definitions and Types of Sentences in French

Definitions and Types of Sentences in French A sentence (une phrase) is a group of words including, at a minimum, a subject and a verb, plus any or all of the  French parts of speech. There are four basic types of sentence, each with its own punctuation, outlined below with examples. Normally, each sentence expresses a complete thought. One way to better understand French sentences is to read French newspapers (like Le Monde or Le Figaro) to analyze their syntax and construction. Parts of a French Sentence Sentences can be separated into a subject (un sujet), which may be stated or implied, and a predicate (un prà ©dicat). The subject is the person(s) or thing(s) performing the action. The predicate is the action of the sentence, which usually begins with the verb. Each sentence has an end punctuation mark- such as a period, question mark, or exclamation point- depending on the type of sentence, as well as possible intermediary punctuation such as commas. For example: Je suis professeur. I am a teacher.Subject: Je (I)Predicate: suis professeur (am a teacher) Paul et moi aimons la France. Paul and I love France.Subject: Paul et moi (Paul and I)Predicate: aimons la France (love France) La petite fille est mignonne. The little girl is cute.Subject: La petite fille (The little girl)Predicate: est mignonne (is cute) 4 Types of French Sentences There are four types of sentences: statements, questions, exclamations, and commands. Below are explanations and examples of each type. Statement  (Phrase Assertive or Phrase Dà ©clarative) Statements, the most common type of sentence, state or declare something. There are affirmative statements,  les phrases (dà ©claratives) affirmatives,  and negative statements,  les phrases (dà ©claratives) nà ©gatives. Statements end in periods. Check out some examples: Les phrases (dà ©claratives) affirmatives (Affirmative statements) Je vais la banque. (Im going to the bank.)Je suis fatiguà ©. (I am tired.)Je vous aiderai. (Ill help you.)Jespà ¨re que tu seras l. (I hope youll be there.)Je taime. (I love you.) Les phrases (dà ©claratives) nà ©gatives (Negative statements) Je ny vais pas. (Im not going.)Je ne suis pas fatiguà ©. (Im not tired.)Je ne veux pas vous aider. (I dont want to help you.)Il ne sera pas l. (He wont be there.)Ça  ne me  regarde  pas. (Its none of my business.) Question  (Phrase Interrogative) Interrogatives,  aka  questions, ask  about  or for something. Note that these sentences end in a question mark, and there is a space in every case between the final word and the question mark.  Examples include: As-tu mon livre  ? (Do you have my book?)Sont-ils prà ªts  ? (Are they ready?)Oà ¹ est-il  ? (Where is he?)Peux-tu nous aider  ? (Can you help us?) Exclamation (Phrase Exclamative) Exclamatives express a strong reaction such as surprise or indignation. They look just like statements except for the exclamation point  at the end; for this reason, theyre sometimes considered a subcategory of statements rather than a separate type of sentence. Note that there is a space between the final word and the exclamation point. For example: Je veux y aller  ! (I want to go!)Jespà ¨re que oui  ! (I hope so!)Il est trà ¨s beau  ! (Hes very handsome!)Cest une bonne idà ©e  ! (Thats a great idea!) Command (Phrase Impà ©rative) Commands are the only kind of sentence without an explicit subject. Instead, the subject is implied by the conjugation of the verb, which is in the imperative. The implied subject will always be  either the singular or plural you form:  tu  for singular and informal;  vous  for plural and formal. Commands can end in either a period or an exclamation point, depending on the speakers desired intensity. For instance: Va ten  ! (Go away!)Sois sage. (Be good.)Faites la vaisselle. (Do the dishes.)Aidez-nous le trouver ! (Help us find it!)(Note that the   and le  here are not contracted to au  because le is an object, not an article.)

An Issue Facing Human Resource Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

An Issue Facing Human Resource - Research Paper Example Rays of light slip through the recently washed window, as the sun begins its journey through the sky. A copy machine sounds in the background as well as the quiet hum of hundreds of people beginning their day in their cubical. This is the typical office scene that has defined work culture for the past several decades. There is a change on the horizon, however, that has begun to alter this scene and could prove to permanently change what the ‘typical’ office is defined as. This change, brought on by advance technology and rising cost for both employers and employees is, telecommuting. Telecommuting, or an employee working from home, is quickly becoming the norm for many employees today. It comes with both benefits and challenges, and as with most changes to the workplace, the responsibility for ironing out this transition has been placed on human resource shoulders. However, by taking an in-depth look into the specific challenges this change brings, such as: calculating w ork hours, maintaining office culture and community, and keeping lines of communication open. One can successfully apply good human resource strategies to them, and affectively integrate this new technological practice into the company for all to benefit. The first challenge brought by telecommuting is how to calculate hours worked. When an employee is working from home it is hard for a company to affectively manage whether or not time is spent working or doing other things. One successful approach to this issue is implementing performance management skills for all departments company wide. Performance management bases rewards, and job recognition on the outcome produced, as well as the process one takes in achieving to said outcome. This proves most beneficial when trying to manage the success of an employees work hours when they are away from the office. The company can then set up a schedule for how many hours it should take to complete a task and pay the employee accordingly. Th is type of performance management is not only beneficial for employees that are telecommuting, however, it also benefits for all employees and managers. The American Society for Public Administration, upon switching to a performance management style, stated that, â€Å"Requirements for outcomes-based performance management are increasing performance-evaluation activities at all government levels† (Heinrich 712). This increase in performance evaluation activities comes as a direct result of the fact that performance management focuses on the steps needed to complete the task, it allows room for the employee to feel comfortable asking for help when needed, and not just when a major problem arises, and it gives direct feedback and praise for a job well done. This management style also requires continual communication between employee and management, which helps the telecommuter stay, focused and connected with their company. Another challenge telecommuting brings, that relies he avily on the human resource department to remedy, is maintaining office culture and community when employees are not working in the office. A study done by the Journal of Applied Psychology found that telecommuting less than two days a week had little to no affect on the workplace relationships, however, they stated, â€Å" high-intensity telecommuting (more than 2.5 days a week) accentuated telecommuting's beneficial effects on work-family conflict but harmed

How to be a global citizen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How to be a global citizen - Essay Example As a UCSB student and as a community member of Santa Barbara, I learn about social, economic and cultural differences between my high school and community and appreciate and respect each community’s strengths and limitations; I determine student behaviors and attitudes that enhance safety; and I realize what it means to be a global citizen by feeling that I socially belong to the university and the Santa Barbara community and by participating in their activities, not as an outsider, but as a meaningful member of society. Social, economic and cultural differences affect differences in my high school and UCSB and community experiences. Social differences are mostly in social practices. In UCSB, parties are commonly done outdoors at Isla Vista and other popular social hangouts. In high school, we do not normally go out because we do not have regular school outdoor parties. When there are parties, they are generally done indoors and under the strict supervision of high school teac hers and parents. Furthermore, UCSB and community parties are loud and extend to the wee hours of the morning, but not in my local community. Nelson and Campion (2014) described a typical Isla Vista party: â€Å"There were the token couples along the side of the street making out on cars†¦ the house music was loud as ever and Isla Vista seemed to be in its natural state.† In high school, such noisy activities and sexual practices are considered socially unacceptable and illegal.

Cultural Geography of the Navajo Tribe Essay Example for Free

Cultural Geography of the Navajo Tribe Essay The Navajo Community represents some of the native Indian tribes in the United States of America. This group just like other Apachean tribes residing in the Southwest is part of the Athabaskan speakers. Originally, they migrated from Western Canada to occupy the largest reservation in the United States. The Navajo tribe practiced nomadic gathering and hunting living a sedentary life in the rugged expansive terrain in the Southwest. Their residences were small and scattered over the land. The date of settlement of the Navajo community in the Four Corners Area is not known with certainty but archaeological findings and researches projects settlement around 13th century.             Surprisingly, a majority of Native American tribes diminished in population with modernization, civilization and assimilation. However, the Navajo tribe has witnessed ballooning population going well over 300,000 people. A duo of Geographers from the Los Angeles’ University of California postulates the growing Navajo population to over 300,000 members to date is as a result of culture and geography. This paper sets out to delineate the cultural geography of the Navajo tribe and what significance this has had on the community.          In Human Geography, cultural geography concentrates on the interactions and patterns of material and non material human culture with the natural environment as well as the human-structured space (Cosgrove, 1994). There are three branches of cultural geography, namely: traditional, new and the more than representational cultural geographies (Lorimer, 2012). In American studies, traditional cultural geography is studied and links to the works of Berkeley University Geographer, Professor Carl Sauer. According to him, the interaction between communities and â€Å"natural† landscape nurtures â€Å"cultural geography†. Researchers following this convention concentrate on the various arrays of human interventions in changing the â€Å"natural† landscape. Therefore, they were mainly interested in validating material culture such as architectures/buildings, industries and agricultural technologies.         Indeed, cultural geography has greatly influenced the increased population of the Navajo community. This is particularly so because the geographical location of the Navajo is isolated. Besides, the prevalence of cultural flexibility in which the Navajos regard themselves as the Dine, blended well with their expansion long after 1492 (Cosgrove, Daniels, 1994). It was around this time that the Europeans started to trickle into North America. Besides, the Navajos cultural flexibility has enabled the tribe to resist assimilation into the larger white United States Culture, four centuries down the lane. Incidentally, most Native American tribes and communities became decimated in population, lost their language, homeland and cultural identity or even disappeared. However, the Navajos are strikingly exceptional. They have retained their homeland, culture, identity and the population continues to thrive.             The exceptionality of the Navajo Community is benignantly evident in their population. The community is arguably representative of the largest Indian tribe in the United States of America. Certainly, the Cherokee Nation, which is an entirely different membership demanding diverse requirements, may contest this acclamation. Nonetheless, the burgeoning Navajo reserve has grown from 3.3 million acres in 1868 to over 17 million acres covering the three states of New Mexico, Utah and Arizona (Goode, 2002).            So what has precipitated this meteoric success?             In their article on the November 18 issue of the Science Journal, geographers Arthur and Diamond postulate that the mere isolation and remoteness of the Navajo Reservation in the southwestern United States played a major role. The extreme outlier of this zone cushioned the community against aggressors such as the Mexicans, the U.S armies and the Spanish. However, it can be remembered that the United States armies rounded up a majority of the Navajo Indians in 1864 and detained them in New Mexico State at Fort Sumner for four years. Still, the extreme outlier and isolation of the Navajo reservation filtered association and interdependence between the Navajo tribe and American and Spanish settlers.          Notwithstanding, the Navajo reservation, featured a rugged, dry and dusty terrain which inhibited white settlement. It was too dry and undesirable for farmland and agriculture making white settlers seek and establish settlements elsewhere. Moreover, the absence of essential mineral resources such as oil and coal at the time of European invasion and settlement of the U.S made the region undesirable much until the 20th century when the minerals were discovered.             Moreover, the Navajo tribe precipitated cultural geographical factors and adopted flexibly while still retaining their cultural identity, thereby circumnavigating the pitfalls of other native tribes (Jackson, 1982). The Navajo tribe changed into new practices in their expansion and occupation of the Navajo reservation. Besides, their inclusive, incorporative attitude of clans, individuals and spouses afforded them cultural identity amidst assimilation threats. For instance, they interrelated cordially with neighbors such as the Apache and the Pueblos, thereby eliminating friction and derailing wars.            There are other historical perspectives in cultural and geographical coverage of the Navajo tribe that has led to their population increase, as well as the acreage of the Navajo Reservation. The tradition of the Navajo tribe is told as a tragic story of victimization as evidently presented in most publications on the American Indian history (Parry, 2011). Peter Iverson, a history professor at the Arizona State University posits the insufficient detail with which the Navajo are regarded. He counters that much more scholastic research must be carried out to reveal the imminent cause of their prolonged stay in power in spite of the massive cultural threats.            Peter Iverson postulates that the federal government’s initiative to rupture the Indians land to derail communal land ownership for individual ownership marked the onset of disappearance of native tribes (Parry, 2011). The Navajo tribe reacted by successfully resisting the government’s capitalism agenda to split their land. This unified the community and ensured that it retained its cultural and geographical identity. Besides, the tribe set on acquiring additional land to expand their reservation resulting to a dramatic expansion of their dynasty. Peter Iverson emphatically chirps in that with the onset of the 19th century the tribe realized that their stay in the reservation was a long run.             The Navajo’s cultural and social adaptations with regard to their topography were flexible. Initially, they resisted the American government’s sponsored education. This is because the education was varied on the extreme and went against the beliefs of the Navajo tribe (Jett, 1992). For instance, the boarding schools were savagely hostile to the Navajo schooling kids. Indeed, this was ingeniously tailored to help rehabilitate the Navajo young scholars into the white American culture (Parry, 2011). However, various cultural, social and geographical developments in the region led to the tribe to flexibly accommodate and adopt new practices. For instance, the 1930 federal program decimated the pastoralist, nomadic and sedentary life in which the Navajo led by taking away their livestock. In countenance, the Navajo adopted the new engagements but yet retained their cultural identity.             Another cultural geographic factor that has led to the meteoric growth and expansion of the Navajo tribe over the years, in spite of cultural assimilation threats is their rich cultural vitality. According to the dual, over a half of the population in the Navajo tribe speaks perfect native language (Jones, 2012). The large population of Navajo members speaking their native language has enormously contributed towards cultural vitality. Nevertheless, the culture is more fragile at present that it has been projected. This is because; with the government sponsored schooling the younger Navajo members cannot speak their language fluently.            Besides, the Navajo tribe is more probable to external influences at present than before. This is because the Navajo reservation has witnessed the construction of railroad and modernized roads skirting through their lands. Consequently, the region is opening up and awakening from isolation well after 1920 (Parry, 2011). Moreover, in spite of the Navajo confrontations with the government in the 1880s, the present influence of Christian Missionaries has actively influenced their culture.            The Navajo tribe pride in their flexibility to adopt and incorporate new features into their culture. This characteristic is well illustrated in their architectural designs, weaving, silverwork, craftsmanship and drawings. For example, among the commonly featured designs in the Navajo arts is the squash blossom pattern. It involves a crescent shaped pendant which is native to the Islamic countries. It is believed to have arrived in the Navajo reservation with the Spanish.             Today, the Navajo culture constitutes a blended old tradition with adapted practices and technologies. The adapted practices are traceable to ancient times and reflect in the tribes mythology. Their oral traditions posit a semi nomadic life integrated with hunting and gathering. As a result, the oral traditions foreshadow perpetual travelling by their ancestors before settling in their current Navajo Reservation. The Navajo today practice farming as an adopted practice to ensure their survival. This practice just like so many other cultures was adopted from the Spanish settlers who settled in their reservation (Parry, 2011). They learn to rear animals such as sheep herding and weaving blankets from wool. Their adaptation tactics have seen the Navajo tribe become dexterous and perfect their skills. Most of the intricately weave patterns in blankets across the world traces top the American Indian Navajo tribe.             In the nineteenth century, the Navajo tribe conducted conventional raids in their neighbors for animals, food and captives a trait that earned them the noun ravage (Parry, 2011). This lifestyle was quite common amongst traditional communities implying that the Navajo tribe merely adopted the practice from their neighbors. In spite of the cultural adaptations, the Navajo tribe reclined to maintaining their traditions. According to James F rooks, the Navajo assumed those practices that enhanced their survival and protection.             Increased settlement of white settlers in the Dine coupled with transcontinental railroad developments stirred a hostile, brutal and violent resistance from the Navajo tribe in their reservation. Consequently, the U.S armies were called upon to quell the situation and detain the agitators. This led to the rounding up of Navajos and their eventual incarceration at Fort Summer, New Mexico. The U.S army applied ruthless combat methods such as the scorched earth policy aimed at weakening the Navajo. For instance, they reduced the Navajo livestock which was their main source of income and livelihood. The army barraged the Navajo out of their reservation striking their most hideous cavern, the Canyon de Chelly. Peter Iverson states categorically that the number of Navajo clansmen arrested and incarcerated as at 1864 totaled to about 8,000. These people had surrendered to the American soldiers due to hunger and thirst. In fact, Iverson posits that they endured the  "Long Walk† along the Pecos River to the fort. Nevertheless, a boisterous and poignantly adamant Navajo population totaling to about 5,000 Navajo members sought refuge in the Gray Mountain, Black Messa, Grand Canyon and the Wupatki hideous points (Parry, 2011).             The long annexation of Navajo led to the 1868, peace treaty signed by chief Manuelito and other clansmen with the federal government of the United States. This allowed the release and return home of the arrested and detained Navajo members. In addition, the Navajo acquired an expansive Navajo reservation stretching over 3.5 million acres of land. It straddles the entire New Mexico and Arizona border line through Utah and on to Colorado (Parry, 2011). The annexation and detention of the Navajo did not alter their cultural practices and identity. The continued herding their sheep and their craftsmanship weaving more and more blankets. In addition, they brought with them additional practices such as silversmithing earlier adopted from their neighbors, the Spaniards. The Navajo jewelry is known across the world and over and especially the turquoise and silver jewelry.             The discovery of an underneath mega oil reserve in Navajo Reservation, in the 1920s, did not assail the tribe. The tribe organized the Navajo Tribe Council to provide strategic and organized leasing of contracts. This council operated independently until 1991 when the federal United States government intervened and reorganized the council to accommodate a trilateral government (Parry, 2011). It constituted of an executive, a legislature and a judiciary similar to the federal American government. This depicts another one of Navajo community’s cultural adaptability and flexibility. The council is duly constituted by a delegation of 88 people representative of 110 communities.          Moreover, the Navajo council and government constitute a Navajo Nation Flag. The colorful emblem depicts the topography of the Navajo reservation represented in copper. In addition, the flag features the native reservation border of 1868 presented in a dark brown color. Still, the flag bears a quad composure of the sacred mountains at their cardinal directions while an enveloping rainbow illustrates the sovereignty of the Navajo nation (Parry, 2011). The solar captured above two animals and cornstalks depict the Navajo indigenous economy. Moreover, an oil derrick featured between a modern house and a Hogan is indicative of another feature of their economy.          In conclusion, cultural geography as a branch of human geography postulates the In Human Geography the interactions and patterns between human culture and the natural environment. This involves the study of the material and non-material associations between the external environment and the people who live in that environment, that is the human-structured space. Culture geography manifests acutely in the Navajo nation. It trails the Navajo tribe explaining their stoic existence, burgeoning and inflationing population amidst occasions that threaten their cultural identity (Parry, 2011). This native community has managed to survive primarily because it practiced flexibility in its culture. The community adopted new elements and practices into its way of life, enriching, safeguarding and advancing its culture and vitality. The Navajo reservation topography has shied potential threats and invasions keeping and retaining the tribe’s identity. References Cosgrove, D. E., Daniels, S. (1994-1988). The Iconography of landscape: essays on the symbolic representation, design, and use of past environments. Cambridge [England: Cambridge University Press. Goode, S. (2002, October 29). Powwow Blends Sacred and Secular: Thousands Attended the First Powwow on the National Mall to Celebrate the National Museum of the American Indian and to Immerse Themselves in Cultural Traditions. (Nation: American Indian Culture). Insight on the News, 8, 13-22. Jackson, J. (1982). Navajo Architecture: Forms, History, Distributions And , (Tucson: University Of Arizona Press, 1981. Pp. Xx+289. $37a50 And $14a95 Softback). Journal of Historical Geography, 8(4), 428-429. Jett, S. C. (1992). An Introduction To Navajo Sacred Places. Journal of Cultural Geography, 13(1), 29-39. Jones, L. (2012). Geography and memory: explorations in identity, place and becoming. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Parry, W. (2011, November 17). Tribal Fates: Why the Navajo Have Succeeded. LiveScience.com. Retrieved November 30, 2013, from http://www.livescience.com/17086-navajo-tribal-fate-jared-diamond.html Source document

Excellence Is Your Best Weapon For Fighting Racism :: essays research papers

Excellence is Your Best Weapon for Fighting Racism The Bible says that "the poor will always be with us." An similar statement is that racism will always be with us. So, the question is, "What should we do about it?" There are many ways to fight racism: you might march, protest, complain, or beg the government for help. Some of these methods have worked well in the past. However, I think the best and most effective weapon today for fighting racism is excellence. Excellence will bring down more racial barriers than all the marching and shouting in the world. To develop the weapon of excellence, we must take advantage of all the educational opportunities that are available to us. Even though the doors of opportunity are not always opened equally to everyone, there are still ways to be what you want to be, go where you want to go, and have what you want to have. And it does not matter where you live, how poor you are. You still have the ability to succeed. As long as you have your health and can think, success is possible. Accepting the fact that the doors of opportunity are not opened equally to everyone, one thing that is equal for everyone is time. There is the same number of hours in the day for all of us. How you use these hours is your choice. You can use them on the playground or you can use them to play the books. Playing on the playground might give you some hours of immediate enjoyment, but playing the books will give you long-term gratification. African Americans and other minorities can no longer use the excuses of being poor or living in a bad neighborhood or small town to keep us from achieving excellence through education. In some cases, the poorer you are the more educational opportunities that are available to you. Poverty should not be an excuse for not working up to your potential. No matter how poor you think you are, there is always someone who is poorer. Please do not be embarrassed by or ashamed of the size your home town. Many individuals from small towns have become very successful and risen to the top of their professions. If President Clinton can change his address from Hope, Arkansas to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C., then you know it is possible to fulfill your aspirations, whatever they might be. President Clinton's rise to the top of his profession suggests to me that whether you are a big time runner from New York City, or a guy who runs around the block in Fall