To what extend can it be argued that blogs encourage active citizens Essay

To what extend can it be argued that blogs encourage active citizens - Essay Example ontain reflections about daily life and produced by individuals with the primary audience being other bloggers that the individual links with on a regular basis. However, the blogs do not have any restriction on access and can therefore available to anyone. Even as a majority of blogs contain personal reflections, blogs that have had profound influence on society due to their wide readership are those that focus on matters of public interest. This essay focuses on the role played by blogs targeting public interests in order to assess the role such platforms play in encouraging active citizens (Herring, Scheidt, Wright and Bonus, 2005). The ability of blogs to attract public interest and therefore influence the way people interact and can be seen from the popularity gained by Instapundit.com written by Glenn Reynolds. The blogger a law lecturer at the University of Tennessee, had by March 2005 reached the hundred-millionth page hit plus a further 200,000 more hits on a daily basis. Given that Reynolds’ blog is dedicated to the commentary of current public affairs, it indicates the attraction of citizens to such blogs as a platform for them to contribute in what is going on around them. This further indicates the ability of blogs to generate popularity by attracting readership in most cases through their sharp, partisan commentary on current public affairs (Griffiths 2004). Further, a single blog has the ability to introduce readers into new debates and topic discussions through hyperlinks that lead readers to other topics that they might find interesting. Although there are those with the view that specific blogs attract people with similar views to engage in discussion and that those with opposing sentiments are silenced (Cohen 2006), the hyperlink to others provides a means through which diverse views on matters of current affairs can be debated. Bloggers in most cases comment on what others are saying by linking their views with those who hold different

Archimedes Essay Example for Free

Archimedes Essay Archimedes was one of the most known and respected mathematicians of ancient Greece. He was born between the years of 290 and 280 BCE in Syracuse, Sicily which is currently known as Italy. His death took place in Syracuse, Sicily between the years of 212 and 211 BCE. In autumn of 212 or the spring of 211 Syracuse was taken over by Roman General Marcus Claudius Marcellus (Encyclopedia Britannica, n. d). It was during the cities take over that Archimedes was killed. There is rumors about what lead up to a Roman solider killing him. Some historians believe his death was due to Archimedes not willing to give up his mathematical diagrams of mirrors that would burn the Roman ships. The exact years of his birth and death are uncertain, but Greek historian John Tzetes believes he lived to be 75 years old (â€Å"Archimedes†, n. d). Archimedes father was named Phidias who was an astronomer. His mother’s name is unknown, but there is belief that Archimedes is related to the Ruler of Syracuse King Hiero II. There are currently not many documents of Archimedes upbringing. In fact there is only one record of his life that was written by his friend Heracleides. Unfortunately this biography was lost. Education Archimedes was not only a mathematician but also a physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer (â€Å"Archimedes†, n. d). Archimedes thought of himself as first a mathematician and secondly an inventor, his other qualities where simply additional characteristics. He received his knowledge by spending most of his life studying in Syracuse but did spend some time in Alexandria and Egypt possibly with another ancient mathematician known as Euclid. Besides Euclid, Archimedes partnered with other mathematicians of his time. These mathematicians are Conon of Samos and Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Along with studying with these individuals, Archimedes published some of his works in correspondence with them. These published essays include The method of Mechanical Theorems and the Cattle Problem (â€Å"Archimedes†, n. d. ). Greatest Accomplishments Archimedes is famous for several great accomplishments by many during his time period and individuals within this present time period. He is known to have written several books and other types of work. One book which is actually divided into two books is called On the Sphere and Cylinder. On the Sphere and Cylinder describes characteristics of spheres and cylinders as identified by Archimedes. He goes into detail the surface area of any sphere has a radius that is four times that of its greatest circle and the volume of a sphere is two-thirds that of the cylinder in which it is inscribed (Encyclopedia Britannica, n. d. ). Archimedes was so proud of his discovery that he had his tomb marked with a sphere inscribed within a cylinder. The tomb was found in 106-43 BCE by Marcus Tullius Cicero (Encyclopedia Britannica, n. d. ). Another one of his greatest accomplishments would include his determining of the exact measurement of pi. He was one of the first mathematicians to begin studying PI. He began his study of PI between the years of 287 and 212 BCE. His studies determined PI equals 223/71 PI 22/7. His results are related upon approximating the area of a circle based on the area of a regular polygon inscribed with the circle and the area of a regular polygon within which the circle is inscribed (â€Å"PI†, n. d). According to his work he started with studying a hexagon and worked his way up to the polygon with 96 sides (â€Å"PI†, n. d). This was deemed very impressive back in his day and in the current modern day. Archimedes created a great invention that is still used in some parts of the world today it is called the Archimedes Screw. Historians believe the Archimedes Screw was invented when King Hieron II approached Archimedes with the request of building a large luxury ship. Thanks to Archimedes’ excellent knowledge of buoyancy, he constructed the ship with little hesitation. Unfortunately, he found that the ship constantly leaked. The ship’s leakage is what brought on the invention of the Archimedes Screw. Archimedes constructed a device that could be operated by one person. The device was simple in design and efficient at moving both liquid and solid particles. This invention that was intended to originally pump water out of the bulge of a luxury ship led to an agricultural device used to pump irrigation water up a gradient and still used by modern day farmers. Around 211 BCE Archimedes formulated the â€Å"hydrostatic principle† also known as the Archimedes principle. The Archimedes principle demonstrates how an object’s density when immersed in a specific volume of fluid will sink or float. The formula is described as W=pVg (â€Å"Archimede’s Principle† n. d). The formula demonstrates that if the density of the object is greater that the fluid the object is placed in, the object will sink. If the object has the same density off the volume of fluid it is placed in it will neither sink nor float. It is when the object is placed in a mass of fluid that is greater than the density of the object that causes it to float. This principle is still practiced today by modern day mathematicians. Archimedes principle has an interesting story associated with its origin. Rumor has it that Archimedes was approached by King Hiero II after he ordered a gold crown. The King was concerned the crown was not pure gold as he had requested. He was convinced it was mixed with silver. So, the King approached Archimedes with his concern. Archimedes decided to take a bath. This bath is what leads to one of the greatest discoveries of all times-the Archimedes Principle. While in the bath he discovered that the exact amount of water equivalent to his submerged body mass overflowed the edges of the tub. After realization of his discovery he was so excited he jumped out of the tub and ran out of his home into the streets of Syracuse screaming â€Å"Eureka, Eureka†. The term eureka stands for â€Å"I have found it†. Besides the invention of the Archimedes Principle, the commonly used term of Eureka can be credited to Archimedes himself. Before his death between the years of 212 and 211 BCE, Archimedes played an important role in the defense of Syracuse against the Roman navy. He invented what was known as â€Å"war machines†. He constructed these machines so effectively they delayed the initial capture of the city of Syracuse. Archimedes created these machines by applying his knowledge of mathematics and science he used devices known as pulleys, and levers. These war machines consisted of several aspects of his inventions. Some of these aspects include stone throwers, and large crossbows. Other characteristics of his war machines included the use of the Archimedes claw. The Archimedes claw uses a crane and grappling hook to reach down and grab the Roman galleys. This action ultimately leads to capsizing them (â€Å"war machines† n. d). Besides these great inventions that deterred the Roman navy for quite some time, Archimedes included the use of mirrors or polished stones to focus direct sunlight into a point and would cause the wooden ships owned by the Romans to become engulfed in flames. This concept of using mirrors to catch fire to the Roman ships is known as the â€Å"Archimedes Death Ray† (â€Å"war machines† n. d). This one invention is thought to have been the ticket to his death. According to history the Romans wanted the designs so significantly that if Archimedes did not render them over he would be killed. Archimedes can be thought of as a hero that fights for what he believes in, he refused to hand over his invention and death was his only option. Conclusion Archimedes can be credited with the title of one of the world’s most knowledgeable mathematicians and inventors. He was highly thought of during his time period and his wisdom still lives on in modern day society. Archimedes has created several inventions and contributed several mathematical concepts. To sum up some of his most known and most important inventions they are determining the measurement of PI, the Archimedes Screw, the Archimedes Principle, and his creation of war machines. Even after his death in Syracuse around 212 or 211 BCE, his mathematical concepts did not die with him. His inventions and knowledge will continue to be acknowledged, studied, and taught well into the future.

Overview Of Wilmar International Limited Company Marketing Essay

Overview Of Wilmar International Limited Company Marketing Essay Wilmar International Type Public (SGX: F34, ASX:à ¿SGT) Industry Agribusiness Headquarters Singapore Key people Kuok Khoon Hong, Chairman Products Palm Oil Revenue $23.89 billion USD (March 2010) Operating income $1.88 billion USD (March 2010) Total assets 23.36 USD (March 2010) Total equity 30.31 USD (March 2010) Employees >80,000 Website Wilmar International Homepage Wilmar International Limited[1] founded in 1991, is today Asias leading agribusiness group. It ranks amongst the largest listed companies by market capitalisation on the Singapore Exchange (second largest as of Sep 2010)[2]. It is a Singapore-based investment holding company that provides management services to its 400+ subsidiary companies[3]. Wilmar International business activities include oil palm cultivation, edible oils refining, oilseeds crushing, consumer pack edible oils processing and merchandising, specialty fats, oleochemicals and biodiesel manufacturing, and grains processing and merchandising. Wilmars merchandising and processing segment encompass (1) merchandising of palm oil and laurics-related products; (2) operations of palm oil processing and refinery plants; (3) crushing, further processing and refining of a range of edible oils, oilseeds, grains and soyabean. Its consumer products segment has oil bottling business in Peoples Republic of China, Vietnam and Indonesia. Its plantation and palm oil mills segment engages in oil palm cultivation and milling. Other segment includes manufacturing and distribution of fertiliser and ship-chartering services. Another success of the company are become a largest global processor and merchandiser of palm and lauric oils; it has a largest plantation companies in Malaysia and Indonesia; one of the largest palm biodiesel manufacturer in the world; a leading consumer pack edible oils producer, oilseeds crusher, edible oils refiner, specialty fats and oleochemicals manufacturer in China, in India, one of the leading importers of edible oils into East Africa. These are news about its successes: Primarily in the core agricultural business, Wilmar has chalked up US$21.3 billion in revenue following increased sales volume in oilseeds and grains and consumer products as well as higher selling price of agricultural commodities. Under the deal, Wilmar is buying Malaysia-listed PPB OIl Palms Bhd, Kuok Oils Grains Pte Ltd and PGEO Group Sdn Bhd for 4.1 bln sgd in an all-share deal. Wilmar will issue to the Kuok Group 2.4 bln new shares at 1.71 sgd each as payment for the acquisitions, giving the Kuok Group a 31 pct stake in the merged entity. The stake of Wilmar Holdings Pte Ltd in Wilmar International will be diluted to 48.5 pct from 81.90 pct after the merger is completed. Separately, Wilmar International said it is buying the edible oil and grains businesses of Wilmar Holdings , including the interest of Archer Daniels Midland Asia Pacific in the said businesses, for 2.5 bln sgd. (http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2006/12/14/afx3254056.html 12.14.06, 5:28 AM ET) 2. CSR : Corporate Social Responsibilitties of the Company Like all the big and famous companies, they always focus on the responsibilities to the increasing demands of society for greater Corporate Responsibility, They are interesting in protect the environment, they participated into the Sustainable sourcing activities, and Community and Social Benefit, News from Businessweek.com/news / 2010, Wilmar International bought a CSR Ltd sugar unit: By Wendy Pugh and Luzi Ann Javier July 5 (Bloomberg) Wilmar International Ltd., the worlds largest palm oil trader, agreed to buy CSR Ltd.s sugar unit for A$1.75 billion ($1.5 billion), beating Chinas Bright Food Group Co.s bid for Australias biggest refiner. The offer includes A$1.35 billion in cash and A$403 million in assumed net debt, Singapore-based Wilmar said today in a statement. Sydney-based CSR is the worlds second-largest exporter of raw sugar and Australias No.1 producer of sugar- based ethanol and renewable energy generator from biomass. (http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-05/wilmar-to-pay-a-1-75-billion-for-csr-s-sugar-business.html ) In official website of the company, they wrote these as undertaking to the society : Our business activities have a direct impact on livelihoods and quality of living, both on our employees and our neighbouring communities. The nature of our business means that we sometimes operate in the most remote parts of developing countries. We have benefited much from these countries and we wish to do our bit for these countries too. We recognise our ability, and our responsibility to better the quality of living conditions of our neighbours, especially for the rural poor. Our approach is to ensure we bring meaningful and lasting benefits to the communities in areas where we operate, while we maintain the continual viability of our business. We reckon one of the best means to achieving this is to build open, honest and mutually beneficial relationships that promote harmony with them. To this end, we are committed to progressive socio-economic policies and programmes in the local communities and economies we operate in In a nutshell, we firmly believe that environmental conservation and economic prosperity through sustainable agriculture can work in practice. (http://www.wilmar-international.com/sustainability/community.htm on March 04, 2011) And how do they face to Climate changes? They said : Human pressure on the global climatic system is largely the result of economic and industrial activities that have increased the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases, associated with the greenhouse effect and subsequent global warming, are caused by the accumulation of mostly carbon dioxide and other gases such as methane and nitrogen oxide in the atmosphere. We monitor our GHG emissions and are constantly looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint in our plantation and industrial operations.à ¿ For example, our mills make use of biomass to generate electricity, including agricultural wastes such as empty fruit bunches, tree fronds from the plantations, by-products from mills like shells and mill fibre. à ¿This helps to cut down our consumption of fossil fuels, by reducing our dependence on electricity from the national and local grids, as well as diesel-fired plant generators. These biomass energy plants generate carbon-neutral electricity, and some are registered as Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects. Under the Kyoto Protocol, aà ¿protocolà ¿to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), industrialised countries (countries listed in Annex B) can fulfil their commitments to GHG reduction, by participating in project activities in developing countries, which are certified to reduce GHG emissions. (http://www.wilmar-international.com/sustainability/stewardship_climate.htm on March 6, 2011) The concept of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF) is defined by the Forest Stewardship Council as having outstanding and critical importance due to its high environmental, socio-economic, biodiversity, or landscape values. For example, the forested areas may contain rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems, or the areas may provide basic services of nature in critical situations such as erosion control. The concept is conceived as a way of reconciling socio-economic progress with environmental protection. (http://www.wilmar-international.com/sustainability/stewardship_land.htm on March 6, 2011) Subtainability But while fulfilling these obligations, businesses are often caught in a trade-off between the desire for economic growth and the imperative to protect the natural environment and safeguard the interests of the population; from climate change and environmental degradation, to the imbalance between rising population and depleting resources, as well as the widening rich-poor divide. In our endeavour towards achieving business excellence, we have learned from others as well as from our own experience that sustainable development is the way forward. With this appreciation, striving for the right balance between growth and sustainability becomes our principal goal. Amidst the impoverished regions of the developing economies in which we operate, our presence has brought relief and stability to many who live on the poverty line. In our farming practices, we have also adopted a responsible plantation management approach that enables us to enhance natures biodiversity without compromising yields or plantation profitability. In a nutshell, we firmly believe that environmental conservation and economic prosperity through sustainable agriculture can work in practice. At the same time, we also recognise we can do much more to benefit the world with help and support from other stakeholders. This refers to engaging stakeholders through listening and addressing their concerns into our business decisions and actions, as well as forming strategic collaborations with them, where relevant. Indeed, palm oil production can enjoy longevity if operators subscribe to the same set of principles and adopt the same set of responsible best practices They take care the Employee Welfare also as : Training and development have always been an integral aspect of continual investment in our human capital, to enhance individual and organisation effectiveness. We work to ensure that every employee has an equal opportunity at career development. We also encourage our employees to take up overseas assignments or postings to further their learning. Health and safety are Wilmars top considerations concerning the employees. Wilmar pays careful consideration to the safety of our employees at the workplace, for our plantation operations all over the world. We conduct regular trainings and implement programmes to foster awareness of occupational health and safety risks. Additionally, we inculcate stringent health and safety policies, as well as practices amongst our staff in all our operations. With a significant portion of our employees based in the plantations, we take an extra interest in their welfare. This is reflected in a series of undertakings to support their work and livelihoods. We provide rice at subsidised rates for our employees. In areas where oil palm cultivation is not suitable, we have converted the flood-prone lands to paddy fields for rice cultivation. The produce is then sold to employees at subsidised rates ( http://www.wilmar-international.com/sustainability/community_welfare.htm on March 6, 2011) Just look at the company website, we might have not a overall view of all, from another source we find out more about this : SYDNEY/SINGAPORE (Reuters) Singapores Wilmar International Ltd (WLIL.SI) on Monday struck a surprise deal to buy Australian conglomerate CSR Ltds sugar business for A$1.75 billion ($1.47 billion), trumping Chinas Bright Food Group. By Michael Smith and Charmian Kokin SYDNEY/SINGAPORE | Mon Jul 5, 2010 3:17am BST (http://uk.reuters.com/article/2010/07/05/us-csr-idUKTRE66328B20100705) While other companies either struggled or sank during the economic downturn last year, Singapore-headquartered agribusiness group Wilmar International had a busy 2009, continuing its growth strategy of previous years and making two large oleochemical investments. (http://www.icis.com/Articles/2010/09/30/9397836/wilmar-boosts-growth-in-oleochemicals.html on 30 September 2010 18:49) Will Wilmar Hit The Property Jackpot? Despite this, a challenging operating environment, lower margins and a hike in various expenses have brought about a 30% fall in Wilmars bottomline. Nevertheless, Wilmar generated 4.9 times increase in cash flow from operating activities. Notably, Wilmar was able to maintain its proforma net gearing at a healthy level of 0.7 times as at 30 September 2010, despite a 46.7% jump in net loans and borrowings. These speak volumes about the strong financial position Wilmar is in. (http://www.sharesinv.com/articles/2011/01/17/will-wilmar-hit-the-property-jackpot/ 17 January 2011) Why could they face with the world crisis? They were undertaking to protect environment, protect human work right, they had good policies to expand to another countries like China, and India which is along with the globalization large champagne, so the company could be faced to world crisis in recent years. Another way, in the company website, they said : Our business strategy involves building an integrated business model which captures the entire value chain of the agricultural commodity processing business, from origination, processing and transportation to the branding, merchandising and distribution of a wide range of agricultural products. Our business model enjoys lower cost due to economies of scale, integration, logistical and distribution advantages, and superior market intelligence. (http://www.wilmar-international.com/business_index.htm on March 7,2011) I think this is the main key of the company which it makes them overcome the crisis, while the world is faced the big inflation. Due to lower cost, supply for big customers with large volume of quality goods, they keep on the success way to maintain the reputation and revenue of the company. This is its strategy over past few years, Significance: Wilmars latest investment is in line with its long-term processing strategy and may see the company reap benefits in the future from rising commodity prices as palm oil is one of Indonesias main export commodities. (Singapore Daily Bulletin 08/02/11) The Markets it has focused are China, India Market to exploit the potential factors of these land while these countries are on the way to develop: that is the large market, great number of labours, and good source of materials etc for its improvement. The Globalization Strategy of the company is that process. And they have success on this strategy rather quickly, from 2006 until now. 5. Vision, Mission, goals: As the above evidence, we found out that the vision of Wilmar OUR VISION To become the best, reliable, honorable oil palm plantation and put on the international level. OUR MISSION To manage healthy and innovative oil palm plantation and processing industry and to put priorities on quality and environmental sustainability through the implementation of Good Corporate Principles in ensuring the goals of all companies stakeholders. (http://recruitment-wip.com/ on March 7, 2011) And what are goals: that is bring the value things to life for stakeholders, customers, environment, society and so on. REFERENCE: WILMAR INTERNATIONAL LIMITED (Company Registration Number: 199904785Z) (Incorporated in the Republic of Singapore) Page 1 of 3 NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 704(11) OF SGX-ST LISTING MANUAL List of persons, occupying managerial positions in the Issuer or any of its principal subsidiaries, who are related to a Director, CEO or Substantial Shareholder of the Issuer.

A Comparison of Barna di Siena’s Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine and

A Comparison of Barna di Siena’s Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine and Rogier van der Weyden’s Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child Development in art often follows two tracks: development over a period of time and also differences in regional development. Both changes are seen in the comparison of Barna di Siena’s Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine and Rogier van der Weyden’s Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child. Originating in Italy, the Renaissance began in the mid to late 13th century. Barna da Siena was one of the early Renaissance artists influenced by Duccio di Buoninsegna and Simone Martini. Barna di Siena’s painting is dated around 1340 and Rogier van der Weyden’s painting was painted nearly a century later around 1435. Rogier van der Weyden had the advantage of development in perspective and modeling that developed over time, but was also from the Flemish school of art, a style totally different from that of the early Italian Renaissance artists. What lends these paintings so readily to comparison is the fact that the general symmetrical composition of two main figures and the sizes of the two are approximately the same. However, it is clear that a century and a different region has created stylized differences that are very clear. Barna di Siena’s Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine exhibits a highly dramatic style that was not seen in his mentor nor in his fellow student Lippo Memmi’s work. The symmetric composition consists of two main figures, Saint Catherine and the adult Jesus. In the painting, Jesus is seen placing a ring on Saint Catherine’s finger and taking her as his spiritual bride. Both figures appear to be very light and frail and the draperies they wear do not show the human f... ...rlapping figures, relative positioning from the ground line and also the illusion of making parallel lines join somewhere far away in the distance. These two paintings represent typical examples from 14th century Italian artist, Barna da Siena, and 15th century Flemish artist, Rogier van der Weyden. Both images depict two main characters in a rather symmetrical composition and are of large size. However, it is clear that over a century and different region the stylized differences are very clear. Realism, the style of Flemish artists at the time, with all of its detail, is quite different from the large, flat shapes of color in Barna da Siena’s painting. Just by looking at the two, it is evident that the second painting is more advanced and developed. Art continues developing along different tracks today and who knows what art will develop into in the future.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: A Reflection

Abraham Maslow, a popular psychologist during 1950's to 1970's has developed a model on how people could test their personality, based on their needs as an individual. This is called ‘Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs'. The model is illustrated as a triangle. The base of the triangle, which is the biggest, is the Psychological Need. Since this is the base of the triangle and the biggest, Maslow interpreted this as the individual’s basic needs. Most of the things that Maslow included in this area are the health and medical needs of an individual. These things are some of the things the individual cannot live without, examples are: oxygen, sleep, physical activities, water and rest. Following the psychological need is the Safety and Security Need, which takes up the second level of the triangle. As the individual fulfills his psychological need, he will seek for order and security. Perhaps, he will seek for a secured job so that he could continually fulfill his psychological needs, or look for a shelter or community where he could find safety and serenity. These are some examples of Safety and Security needs. The third level of the triangle is the Love and Belongingness Need. The famous quote ‘no one is an island', best describes this need. Next level in Maslow's model is the need for self-esteem. This need could come from the people surrounding the individual or from himself alone. The last level of the triangle is the Self-Actualization. The last level of the model according to Maslow is a little bit different among the four needs mentioned earlier. Self-actualization happens when the individual finally fulfilled the four needs. In layman's term, self-actualization could also mean ‘contentment or fulfillment'. However, though many psychologists and many practitioners are using Maslow's model, there are some questionable issues as he explained his model. First issue is that, not all individual needs to fulfill the four needs before he can have self-actualization. For example, some individuals are already successful in their respective fields by living alone. Some of these people do not need love and belongingness; in fact, they see love and belongingness as hindrance to whatever they want to achieve in life. Some people are achievers without partners in life or without even a family. Second issue is that, psychological needs encompass almost all of the needs mentioned in his model. In fact, it would be proper for Maslow to name the first level of his model as ‘Basic Needs' instead of psychological needs.

Difference Between Por Qué and Para Qué in Spanish

Difference Between 'Por Quà ©' and 'Para Quà ©' in Spanish Although both para quà © and por quà © used in questions in Spanish are usually translated as why, there is a subtle difference in meaning between them. Simply, the question  ¿Por que? might be thought of as Why? the question  ¿Para quà ©? might be thought of as What for? Por quà © addresses the cause of something and looks back to the reason or motivation for the action. Para quà © looks forward to the purpose, goal, objective or intention of something. Note that there are four different ways to write  por  quà ©, such as one word, two words, with and without an accent over the e, and there are differences in meaning. Ways to Use Para Quà © and Por  Quà © It is often possible to substitute  por  quà ©Ã‚  for  para quà ©, but not always the other way around. In situations where  por  quà ©Ã‚  is substituted for  para quà ©, the point of emphasis in the sentence changes. Spanish Sentence English Translation Para qu vas al dentista? Why are you going to the dentist? [For what reason?] Para qu quiere pagar ms? Why does he want to pay more? [For what purpose?] Para qu estudias espaol? Para viajar? Why to do study Spanish? For travel? [For what reason?] Por qu muri el soldado? What caused the soldier to die? Para qu muri el soldado? For what purpose did the soldier die? Por qu gan la eleccin? What caused her to win the election? Para qu gan la eleccin? For what purpose did she win the election? Por qu es eso? Why is that? Para qu es eso? Whats that for? Por qu nieva mucho ms en Nueva York que en Madrid? Why does it snow much more in New York than in Madrid? Por qu hay pocos trompetistas en comparacin con otros instrumentistas? Why are there few trumpeters in comparison with other instrumentalists? Por qu brilla el sol? Why does the sun shine? The Difference Between Por Quà ©, Porque, Por Que,  El Porquà © Para quà ©Ã‚  and  por  quà ©Ã‚  are somewhat easier to differentiate, but what happens when there are four words spelled almost exactly the same way and each with slightly different meanings:  por quà ©, porque, por que and porquà ©? Something as simple as an accent mark can make all the difference in a sentence. Por quà ©Ã‚  is, together with  porque, one of the most often used of the four  porques. It means  Ã¢â‚¬Å"why,† very much the same way as it is used in English.  When you ask a question using  Ã¢â‚¬Å"why,† and you get an answer beginning with, â€Å"because, thats a good way to remember what  porque, as one word, with no accent, means. Spanish Sentence English Translation Por qu has venido? Porque tengo tiempo libre. Why have you come? Because I have some free time. Por qu no comes pizza? Porque no tengo hambre. Why have you come? Because I have some free time. Por qu te vas? Porque ya es muy tarde. Why are you leaving? Because it is too late already. El  porquà ©Ã‚  is a Spanish noun meaning the reason. It is written  with an accent mark over the  e and requires the definitive article el, meaning the. For example,  No entiendo  el porquà ©Ã‚  de tu decisià ³n, which means, I do not understand the reason behind your decision. Por  que,  two words without an accent mark, is the least commonly used.  It can be translated as â€Å"for which.† It is used as a prepositional phrase. For example,  Este es el motivo por que no llamà ©, translating to, This is the reason for which I didnt call.

Desert Precipitation, Plant, and Animal Life

Desert Precipitation, Plant, and Animal Life Deserts, also known as arid lands, are regions that receive less than 10 inches of precipitation a year and have little vegetation. Deserts occupy about one-fifth of the land on Earth and appear on every continent. Little Precipitation The little precipitation and rain that falls in deserts is usually erratic and varies from year to year. While a desert might have an annual average of five inches of precipitation, that precipitation may come in the form of three inches one year, none the next, 15 inches the third, and two inches the fourth. Thus, in arid environments, the annual average tells little about actual rainfall. What does matter is that deserts receive less precipitation than their potential evapotranspiration (evaporation from the soil and plants plus transpiration from plants equals evapotranspiration, abbreviated as ET). This means that deserts do not receive enough precipitation to overcome the amount evaporated, so no pools of water can form. benedek / Getty Images Plant and Animal Life With little rainfall, few plants grow in desert locations. When plants do grow, they are usually spaced far apart and are quite sparse. Without vegetation, deserts are highly prone to erosion since there are no plants to hold down the soil. Despite the lack of water, a number of animals call deserts home. These animals have adapted to not only survive, but to flourish, in harsh desert environments. Lizards, tortoises, rattlesnakes, roadrunners, vultures, and, of course, camels all live in deserts. Flooding in a Desert It doesnt rain often in a desert, but when it does, the rain is often intense. Since the ground is often impermeable (meaning that water isnt absorbed into the ground easily), the water runs quickly right into streams that only exist during rainfalls. The swift water of these ephemeral streams are responsible for most of the erosion that takes place in the desert. Desert rain often never makes it to the ocean, the streams usually end in lakes that dry up or the streams themselves just dry up. For instance, almost all of the rain that falls in Nevada never makes it to a perennial river or to the ocean. Permanent streams in the desert are usually the result of exotic water, meaning that the water in the streams comes from outside of the desert. For example, the Nile River flows through a desert but the rivers source in high in the mountains of Central Africa. Where Is the Worlds Largest Desert? The worlds largest desert is actually the very cold continent of Antarctica. It is the worlds driest place, receiving less than two inches of precipitation annually. Antarctica is 5.5 million square miles (14,245,000 square kilometers) in area. Outside of polar regions, Northern Africas Sahara Desert is the worlds largest desert at more than 3.5 million square miles (nine million square kilometers), which is slightly smaller than the size of the United States, the worlds fourth largest country. The Sahara stretches from Mauritania to Egypt and Sudan. What Is the Worlds Hottest Temperature? The worlds highest temperature was recorded in the Sahara Desert (136 degrees F or 58 degrees C at Azizia, Libya on September 13, 1922). Why Is a Desert so Cold at Night? The very dry air of the desert holds little moisture and thus holds little heat; thus, as soon as the sun sets, the desert cools considerably. Clear, cloudless skies also help to quickly release heat at night. Most deserts have very low temperatures at night. Desertification In the 1970s, the Sahel strip that stretches along the southern fringe of the Sahara Desert in Africa experienced a devastating drought, causing land that was formerly used for grazing to turn to desert in a process known as desertification. Approximately one-quarter of the land on Earth is threatened by desertification. The United Nations held a conference to begin discussing desertification in 1977. These discussions eventually resulted in the establishment of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, an international treaty established in 1996 to combat desertification.