Creating the Myth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Creating the Myth - Essay Example Creating the Myth â€Å"Myths are common stories at the root of our universal existence.†(Seger 356-364) Meaning that these stories have been told since mankind first began to tell stories. As different as they may be in appearance, we all have a familiarity that could be called comforting. They speak to a part of us. It is something that can connect each and every one of us regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, or geographic location, because it is in some way a part of all people all over the world. It is called â€Å"The Hero’s Journey† It is present in our stories, fairytales, ritual, but it is part of our general psychological development as individuals, as well.(Vogel) â€Å"The Hero’s Journey† follows the central figure of the story. The hero is an archetype that stands as a representation, in most cases, of what is good. (â€Å"Oracle ThinkQuest†) We will then follow the hero through his adventures, quests, trials and tribulations, through love and loss; all in hopes of seeing the hero succeed in the end. Star Wars, in particular, is a perfect example of â€Å"The Hero’s Journey† and the central character of Luke Skywalker is the perfect example of the hero archetype. He is normal. His life is simple. He dreams of more. In meeting his mentor in the desert he finds his guide in starting his quest. His whole world changes, literally in his case as he does, in fact, leave his home planet behind. He meets amazing characters and gains greater power. We see ourselves in the hero. We all want to be that person of average, humble beginnings intended for greater things. All the disappointments and pitfalls of our lives are just road blocks on the way to our destiny. Someday we will all get to blow up the Death Star. The hero archetype can present itself in many ways. Not every hero is automatically an easy hero as Luke Skywalker. â€Å"The Thematic Paradigm† shows that the hero in a story, are people that possess completely opposite traits.(Ray 342-351) Meaning that the character may be a mobster who tenderly sings to his houseplants. Two sides in the same person, light and dark, and little good and a little bad all at once. This makes their behavior not as easy to predict. Ray, also, explains that there is more than one kind of hero. The â€Å"bad, bad, boy† template, which can be seen in the ShowTime series Dexter, follows the story of a main character who happens to be a serial killer. Now Luke Skywalker is an example of the traditional â€Å"good, good boy† representation. (3) Meaning simply, that he is the white knight, just and moral. But, the character of Han Solo, who is essentially a gambling mercenary, is considered the reluctant hero.(3) He is capable of being heroic, but it will take some pushing in the right direction in order for him to overcome his more selfish nature. â€Å"Myths are marketable†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Seger 356-364) This is clearly true. The majority of, what would be called blockbusters are movies that have made their way into modern culture and have always followed â€Å"The Hero’s Journey†

Neighbourhoods and Community Comparative Studies Essay

Neighbourhoods and Community Comparative Studies - Essay Example This article authored by DeFillipis and his colleagues handles a critical aspect of reconsidering the significance of the community in the contemporary setting. Evidently, this article serves to place emphasis on the attention the community has received from different scholars. This article undertakes an in-depth analysis of the relevance of the community in the contemporary setting where many nations in the globe have adopted the neoliberalism ideology. Neoliberalism has contributed immensely new roles of the state, and altered the hierarchy of public service provision (DeFillipis, Fischer, and Schrage 2006, p. 686). This has served to introduce a critical significance of the concerted efforts of communities and collaborations with the private sector. Evidently, the globe is moving towards a restructured market and economic policies as the authors explain, factors that have altered the functions of community efforts. The authors place focus on the romanticized view of communitariani sm, as well as two types of sceptical and critical views highlighted by different theorists and scholars. After such analysis of the views exhibited by different scholars, the article reveals certain progressive promoters. This article authored by DeFillipis and his colleagues handles a critical aspect of reconsidering the significance of the community in the contemporary setting. Evidently, this article serves to place emphasis on the attention the community has received from different scholars. This article undertakes an in-depth analysis of the relevance of the community in the contemporary setting where many nations in the globe have adopted the neoliberalism ideology. Neoliberalism has contributed immensely new roles of the state, and altered the hierarchy of public service provision. This has served to introduce a critical significance of the concerted efforts of communities

Stand paper on the Priority Development Assistance fund Essay Example for Free

Stand paper on the Priority Development Assistance fund Essay The Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF also known as â€Å"Pork barrel† is a discretionary fund allocated for the purpose of providing projects which will promote the development of the different districts of the country. It is released through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of the congress which will serve as the National Budget of the Government. The amount allocated for PDAF in the fiscal year 2013 totaled for 24.7 billion pesos with each member of the House of Representatives receiving 70 million pesos and members of the Senate with 200 million each. This fund traces its roots from the Countrywide Development Fund of the Administration of Pres. Corazon Aquino. During the Ramos Administration, it is said that the funds were used by the President to sustain his control in the congress. The result of this was the growing criticisms against the release of such funds. When President Joseph Estrada stepped-up as the president, he promised the abolishment of this funds. To show their sincerity, the congress abolished the CDF but was virtually revived with the name of Priority Development Assistance Fund.1 This year, the public was outraged by the discovery of the 10 Billion Pork Barrel scam which was allegedly done through the initiative of Mrs. Janet Lim-Napoles. This crime exposed by Benhur Luy was described by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago as the â€Å"Crime of the Millennium†. B. Stand: As an advocate of progress, I am not in favor for the abolition of PDAF or Pork barrel. Considering its legality, the existence of this fund is undisputable because the Supreme Court, the highest court of the land, already ruled in favor for the existence of this fund. That was held in the Case of LAMP vs. DBM, and following the principle of Stare Decisis, we should follow the decision of the court which already adjudged the matter at hand. Furthermore, many citizens, especially the indigent and the people from poor provinces and municipalities are benefiting from such fund. Moreover, the abolishment of this fund would disintegrate the projects needed by the people. C. Recommendation: In line with the Status Quo and the arguments I stated in my stand, I am recommending for the Non-abolishment of this funds. Furthermore, Guidelines for such funds are already provided in the constitution2 and the Department of Budget and Management3. Moreover, strict implementation of such guidelines is needed to guarantee the safeguard of this fund from corruption.

Estimation of Northern Bobwhite Densities in South Texas

Estimation of Northern Bobwhite Densities in South Texas Principal Investigators Bart M. Ballard, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas AM University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas 78363. Fidel Hernà ¡ndez, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas AM University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas 78363 Leonard A. Brennan, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas AM University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas 78363 PROJECT JUSTIFICATION Northern Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) are a wide-ranging species and are commonly hunted throughout Texas. Their population has been declining since about 1880 and are decreasing in abundance in over 75% of their range in the United States (Leopold 1931, Errington and Hammerstrom 1936, Lehmann 1937, Guthery 2002). Texas has been seen as one of the remaining strong holds in North America (Rollins 2002) but recent evidence shows that populations are also declining within Texas (DeMaso et al. 2002). These declines have spurred an increase in research and management of the species and an improved understanding of the species (Guthery 2002). Declining numbers however can be difficult to understand because of their natural boom-bust population cycles and influence of weather on the population (Lehmann 1953, Keil 1976, Guthery et al. 1988, Bridges et al. 2001, Lusk et al. 2002). In order to properly manage quail within south Texas where there is large annual variation in precipitation an d temperatures local population trends are needed. Current hunting regulations are set at the state level where a liberal hunting framework (15 birds/day over 120 season; Brennan 2014) is assumed to have is little to no impact on the population (Guthery et al. 2004b). However, these state-wide regulations are not appropriate when managing at the fine scale where such a liberal harvest quota could negatively affect local populations (Roseberry and Klimstra 1984, Peterson 1999, Brennan et al. 2014). Bobwhites variable population cycles make it necessary for local land managers to set harvest limits based on local population trends (Brennan 2014). By setting sustainable harvest limits based on local population densities the likelihood of population crashes goes down and there is quicker recovery following drought conditions and natural population declines (Brennan 2014). Recent recommendations for harvest values were made by Brennan in 2014 for south Texas where there is extreme variability in precipitation and temperatures compared to other regions of their range. These recommendations are based on the assumption of good environmental conditions, a 20% harvest rate, and are density depended. It is also recommended to conduct fall surveys in late November-mid December when detection is highest and basing the harvest on pre-hunt population numbers to minimize the probability of local extinction (Guthery et al. 2000, Sands 2010). Estimating yearly and seasonal population densities can be difficult for many reasons including observer variability, local habitat variability and change between years, environmental factors such as weather, and species characteristics (Rusk et al 2007). Common methods include estimating abundance using indices or using distance sampling (Rusk et al. 2007). However, the accuracy of indices is sensitive to changes in detection (Anderson 2001, 2003, Rosenstock et al. 2002; Thompson 2002). During bobwhite population lows it becomes even more difficult to estimate population density due extremely low encounter rates (1 covey/7km; Kuvlesky et al. 1989). Distance sampling allows for varying detection probabilities while estimating densities and is a popular method that has been used successfully for bobwhites in many studies in south Texas (Brennan and Block 1986, Shupe et al 1987, Guthery 1988, Guthery and Shupe 1989, DeMaso et. al. 1992, Rusk et al 2007). Unlike census techniques that are based on the assumption that all individuals within the survey area are counted, distance sampling works under the assumption that more animals are missed the farther you get from a transect (Brennan and Block 1986). To calculate density within a survey area, the perpendicular distance from a transect to an animal is recorded and then used to calculate a probability density function (Burnham et al. 1980, Buckland 2004) from which the density throughout the study area can be estimated using Program Distance (Thomas et al. 2010). Assumptions of distance sampling which must be met include: 1) all animals on the transect are detected, 2) animals are detected at their original locations prior to any movement in response to the observer, and 3) distances are measured accurately (Buckland 1992). These assumptions can be difficult to meet in field condition but most issues with these assumptions can be addressed using proper survey design, post processing of the data, and statistical analysis. Assumption one can be relaxed if needed by incorporating a double observer design in which two counts are occurring simultaneously (Laake and Borchers 2004) or by applying an adjustment term. Assumption two can be violated if animals have the chance to respond to the surveyors by running, coming closer, or learning to hide (Buckland et al. 2001). Careful analysis of data can help determine if and how this assumption is violated and certain techniques can be implemented to account for animal responses such as truncation of data close to the line in cases were animals run (Fewster et al. 2008). Assumption three can be violated by untrained observers, lack of proper technology, or inaccurate estimates of cluster sizes if animals are clustered (Buckland et al 2001). Another assumption which can be violated includes independence between animal observations which can be an issue if surveys are done on roads or too close together (Thomas et al 2009). Careful survey design is crucial to accurately estimating population densities and local knowledge of habitat, densities, and environmental gradients help when designing surveys. Once densities are estimated for a region careful consideration and local knowledge is needed to make the proper recommendations for hunting regulations and habitat management. Given accurate densities, harvest can be optimized at the ranch or pasture levels while also decreasing the likelihood of local population extinction. OBJECTIVES The purpose of our study is to design a repeatable helicopter line transect survey for the King ranch study location which will be implemented over a three-year period from Sept 2018-December 2021. From this data fall bobwhite quail densities will be estimated using Program Distance from which management recommendations can be made. Specifically, our goals are; Develop a repeatable helicopter line-transect survey protocol for bobwhite quail Implement survey over three fall survey seasons Use Distance software to develop detection probability functions and estimate fall densities which can be used to aid in management and conservation decisions. METHODS Study Area The study area includes a 25,000 acre section of the King Ranch (King Ranch, Kingsville TX) located south west of Kingsville (Figure1). The study area is located in the South Texas Plains ecoregion and may include parts of the Gulf Prairie and Marshes ecoregion (Gould 1975) Within this region there is high variability in rainfall (Correl and Johnsonston 1979; Omernik 1987) causing local populations to exhibit strong boom-bust population cycles. Major plant communities present on the King Ranch include blue stem prairie (Schizachyrium scoparium), mesquite-granjeno thornbrush (Prosopis glandulosa- Celtis pallida), mesquite-bluestem savannah, oak-bluestem (Quercus virginiana, Quercus stellata) (McLendon 1991, Fulbright and Bryant 2002). Major land uses on the King Ranch include commercial hunting and cattle production (Schnupp et al 2013). Annual rainfall is on average 65.4 cm with monthly values ranging from 1.4-13cm (Williamson 1983). Figure 1. Divisions of the King Ranch (green), located in south Texas. Habitat includes but are not limited to shrub land, grasslands, mesquite-woodlands, oaklands, freshwater wetlands, and saltmarsh. Habitat is managed for cattle, white tail deer, and quail. Experimental Approach:       Transect design To estimate fall densities within the survey area we will first develop a three-year helicopter based, line-transect count survey. We will develop the transects in such a way that if desired, the surveys can continue past three years. Spatial layers will be made for the study area boundary and line transects in ArcGIS 10.3 (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, CA). Sample transects were placed parallel to each other leading north to south (Figure 2) and further stratification will be done using post processing techniques if desired. Transects were places at a distance of 400 meters from each other with a random starting location and giving a survey coverage of 50 percent. Given this design we have 30 transects of 8 km in length and a total survey length of 240 km (Figure 2). Figure 2. Sample study area with transects (n=30) with survey zones of 100m to each side of the transect. Landcover includes woodland/shrublands (dark green), grasslands (light green), agriculture (light brown), wetlands (blue) and urban (red). Given previous encounter rates of 1 covey/0.95km observed during a comparable study on another section of the King Ranch (Rusk et al. 2007), this design would yield an estimated 250 observations. However, encounter rates have been reported to be much lower during population lows; Rusk 2007 documented as low as 1 covey/7.38 km while walking transects in a low year verses 1 covey/ 1.96 km in an abundant year. Given flying transects gives roughly twice the number of detections per km, we will assume a helicopter flight on a low population year would give an encounter rate of  ¼ km and 60 observations. To make sure that this transect design will provide a 25% or less Coefficient of Variation for population density estimates we can plug use the equation (Buckland 1993): L= Where L= total line length needed, = the coefficient of variation for population density estimate, and L0/n0 = encounter rate, or the number of quail detected per km of transect. The value b is typically between 1.5-3 (Burnham 1980) and it is most frequently assumed that b=3 (Buckland 1993). Given this equation, under an assumed encounter rate of 1 covey/.95 km and a 25% CV the minimum total transect length is: L= However, when the encounter rate is dropped to 1 covey/4 km during a population low, the needed length becomes: L= By conducting more surveys than is needed to achieve a 25% CV there is less of a chance that during a dry year we will not be able to estimate density because of lack of encounters. After year one we will re-evaluate transect design by incorporating the first years encounter rate to help determine transect lengths for years two and three (Buckland 1993). Field Surveys Surveys will take place in the first week of October to give enough time to provide updated recommendation for harvest quotas before the onset of quail regular season on October 29th (TPWD, Outdoor Annual). October 1st of each year a mock survey will be done in which tools are calibrated and extra surveyor training done if need following protocols similar to Schnupp et al. (2013). This test flight will occur along a 3 km transect with 16 targets (Otto and Pollock 1990, Shnupp et al. 2013). Each side of the transect will have 8 targets (dove decoys suspended at 1.2m) distributed randomly between 10-70m at 10m intervals from the line and spaced 300m apart along the transect (Schnupp et al.). This will help reduce potential errors counts due to equipment malfunction and surveyor error. The full survey will begin the day after the mock survey and all transects will be surveyed once per year. If detections for an entire survey are below 80 then a second survey will be done. Surveys will take place in the first 3 and last three hours of day light when possible and the start location will vary each survey. From the start location, every other transect will be sampled to reduce the probability of over counting and then returning to skipped transmitters as soon as possible. We will use a four person helicopter such as the Robinson R-44 (Robinson Helicopter Company, Torrance, California) or similar models equipped with a parallel swathing lightbar for navigation (2005; Raven RGL 600, Raven Industries, Sioux Falls, South Dakota). Surveys will be conducted at approximately 48 km/hour and at a height of 18 m (Shupe et al. 1987, Rusk 2007) One observer will be facing forward counting coveys directly on the line and two rear-facing observers counting quail which flush on the s ides or behind the helicopter. When a covey is spotted, the helicopter will hover briefly to allow observer to use the range finder and count the number of quail in the covey. The forward facing technician in addition to counting coveys will help navigate to the transects, and will start and stop the survey recordings (Schnupp 2013). The two rear observers will collect data as well as enter data for all surveyors. Covey counts and covey size will be recorded for 100 meters to each side of the helicopter using laser electronic range finders, differential global positioning systems, personal tablet computers, and keypads (Schnupp et al. 2013). Tablets will be installed with ArcPad (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, CA), and connected to the laser range finders with sub meter accuracy. The differential global positioning system will collect 5 points/second to track the flight path. Electronic range finders will be synced to tablets using blue tooth and will measure distance to covey, compass bearing, angle of inclination and horizontal offset of covey from the helicopter for each covey. Key pads were also used to record sizes of coveys. Raw survey information is then imported into ArcMap 10.3 for data processing and then imported to Program Distance. Distance Analysis Using distance survey data collected over three years we will calculate densities and variance estimates in Program Distance 7.0 similar to Rusk et al 2007. Program Distance calculates estimated densities and variances as s) Where is density, n is the number of coveys detected, is the effective half-band width, cv is the coefficient of variation, L is the length of transects, and E(s) is average covey size. Effective half widths with be calculated in distance by fitting detection functions to histograms of distances and covey counts. To improve model fit, 5% of the right hand data will be truncated (Buckland et al. 2001; Shnupp 2013) and data will be evaluated visually for any signs of violation of the basic assumptions. We will consider a variety of detection functions (uniform, half-normal, and hazard-rate with several series adjustments) and choose the best fitting model using Akaikes Information Criterion values (AICc) and chi-square analysis (Buckland 2001; Shnupp 2013). We will then develop a global detection function for each year to estimate fall densities and use confidence intervals and coefficient of variation reported from distance. If stratification by pasture is desired and there are enough observations to do so, then detection functions will be built at the pasture level otherwise a global detection function will be applied to each pasture. A coefficient of variation of less than 20% is recommended for bobwhite density estimates (Guthery 1988) but we will consider a coefficient of variation of 25% acceptable. EXPECTED RESULTS AND BENEFITS From these three fall bobwhite quail surveys, we will be able to report yearly bobwhite density estimates and begin to understand local population trends. Once funding is approved, exact methods will be refined using actual ranch and pasture boundaries and habitat gradients. Survey design will be reviewed by quail researchers at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute to ensure proper design. Yearly encounter rates, detection functions, estimated population density, and recommendations for harvest rates will be provided in annual reports. A final report will be submitted in the form of a dissertation chapter within one year after the completion of the last fall survey. This chapter will summarize yearly results as well as trends observed throughout the study region and will include recommendations for sustainable harvest limits. Research results may be presented at professional meetings and will include one or more King ranch employees as authors and King Ranch will be acknowledged as the primary funding contributor. Project deliverables include: P.h.D dissertation chapter and corresponding scientific publication Scientific presentations Spreadsheets of density estimates and recommended harvest rates ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSIDERATIONS Not applicable to the proposed project. ETHICAL USE OF ANIMALS Animal and Care Use form is not required PERSONNEL This study will be a cooperative project between the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI) and the King Ranch. Drs. Bart M. Ballard, Fidel Hernandez, and Leonard A. Brennan will be primary investigators. This project will include one P.h.D. student who will act as project coordinator and field supervisor. The graduate student hired will also be responsible for hiring part-time student technicians to aid in surveys. The student hired will conduct fall densities surveys on the King Ranch as a partial fulfillment of P.h.D contract and will also be conducting other quail research in assistance of other projects. SCHEDULE 2018-2019 Activity Jan-April: Await funding April-May: Search for P.h.D candidate June-Sept:Hire student, coordinate field surveys and hire part-time surveyors for Survey week October: Fly surveys and estimate fall densities November: Further data analysis and reporting 2019-2020 Activity Aug-Sept: Refine transects/protocol if needed, hire technicians for Survey week October:Fly surveys and estimate fall densities November: Further data analysis and reporting 2020-2021 Activity Aug-Nov:Same schedule as above December: Provide final analysis and Report BUDGET Equipment Estimates: 2 Electronic distance estimators ($18,000 each) =36,000 2 Tablets w/accessories: = $1,600 2 Keypads: $100 1Raven Cruiser: $2,000 Rounded Estimate: $40,000 Annual Expenses: -P.h.D student stipend: $1500 with fringe benefits at .7% of salary and medical (up to 250$/month) = $22,260/year -2 Short term technicians: 100$/day during fall surveys. Total=2 technicians*$100*7 days a year= 1400/year -Helicopter time: 500$/hr *estimated 10 hrs per year= $5,000/year -Driving costs: $0.50/mi+ gas. Exact distance to site in unknown, preliminary estimate= $10,000/year Summary of Annual Cost: 2018-2019: $78,660 2019-2020: $38,660 2020-2021: $38,660 LITERATURE CITED Anderson, D. R. 2001. The need to get the basics right in wildlife à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ eld studies. Wildlife Society Bulletin 29:1294-1297. Anderson, D. R. 2003. Response to Engeman: index values rarely constitute reliable information. Wildlife Society Bulletin 31:288-291. Brennan, L. A., and W. M. Block. 1986. Line transect estimates of mountain quail density. Journal of Wildlife Management 50:373 Brennan, L.A., F. Hernandez, E.D. Grahmann, F. C. Bryant, M.J. Schnupp, D.S. Delaney, and R. Howard. 2014. Quail Harvest Guidelines for South Texas: Concepts, Philosophy, and Applications; Wildife Technical Publication No. 3 of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute Texas AM University-Kingsville. Bridges, A. S., M. J. Peterson, N. J. Silvy, F. E. Smeins, and X. B. Wu. 2001. Differential influence of weather on regional quail abundance in Texas. Journal of Wildlife Management 65:10-18. Buckland, S. T. 1992. Fitting density functions using polynomials. Applied Statistics. 41:63. Buckland, S. T., D. R. Anderson, K. P. Burnham, J. L. Laake, D. L. Borchers, and L. Thomas. 2001. Introduction to distance sampling estimating abundance of biological populations. Oxford University Press, New York, USA. Buckland, S. T., D. R. Anderson, K. P. Burnham, J. L. Laake, D. L. Borchers, and L. Thomas. 2004. Advanced distance sampling: estimating abundance of biological populations. Oxford University Press, New York, New York, USA. Burnham, K. P., D. R. Anderson, and J. L. Laake. 1980. Estimation of density from line transect sampling of biological populations. Wildlife Monographs 72. Correll, D. S., and M. C. Johnston. 1979. Manual of vascular plants of Texas. The University of Texas Printing Division, Austin, Texas, USA. DeMaso, S. J., F. S. Guthery, G. S. Spears, and S. M. Rice. 1992. Morning covey calls as an index of northern bobwhite density. Wildlife Society Bulletin 20:94-101. DeMaso, S. J., M. J. Peterson, J. R. Purvis, N. J. Silvy, and J. L. Cooke. 2002. A comparison of two quail abundance indices and their relationship to quail harvest in Texas. Proceedings of the National Quail Symposium 5:206-212. Errington, P. L., and F. N. Hammerstrom, Jr. 1936. The northern bob-whites winter territory. Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts Research Bulletin 201:305-443. Fewster, R.M., Southwell, C., Borchers, D.L., Buckland, S.T. Pople, A.R. 2008. The influence of animal mobility on the assumption of uniform distance in aerial line transect surveys. Wildlife Research 35:275-288. Fulbright, T. E., and F. C. Bryant. 2002. The last great habitat. Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Special Publication No. 1, Kingsville, Texas, USA Guthery, F. S. 1988. Line transect sampling of bobwhite density of rangeland: evaluation and recommendations. Wildlife Society Bulletin 16:193-203. Guthery, F. S., N. E. Koerth, and D. S. Smith. 1988. Reproduction of northern bobwhites in semiarid environments. Journal of Wildlife Management 52:144-149. Guthery, F. S., and T. E. Shupe. 1989. Line transect vs. capture-removal estimates of bobwhite density. Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Guthery, F. S., M. J. Peterson, and R. R. George. 2000. Viability of northern bobwhite populations. Journal of Wildlife Management 64:646à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢662. Sands 2010 Guthery, F. S. 2002. The technology of bobwhite management: the theory behind the practice. Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa, USA Guthery, F. S. 2002. The technology of bobwhite management: the theory behind the practice. Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa, USA. Guthery et al. 2004b Guthery, F. S., M. J. Peterson, J. J. Lusk, M. J. Rabe, S. J. DeMaso, M. Sams, R. D. Applegate, and T. V. Dailey. 2004. Multi-state analysis of fixed, liberal regulations in quail harvest management. Journal of Wildlife Management 68:1104-1113 Hernà ¡ndez, F., F. S. Guthery, and W. P. Kuvlesky. 2002a. The legacy of bobwhite research in south Texas. Journal of Wildlife Management 66:1-18. Kiel, W. H. 1976. Bobwhite quail population characteristics and management implications in south Texas. Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference 41:407-20. Kuvlesky, W.P., B.H. Koerth,andN.J.Silvy.1989.Problemsofestimating northern bobwhite populations at low density. Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeast Association of FishandWildlifeAgencies43:260-267. Laake, J.L. and Borchers, D.L. 2004. Methods for incomplete detection at distance zero. Advanced Distance Sampling (eds S.T. Buckland, D.R. Anderson, K.P. Burnham, J.L. Laake, D.L. Borchers and L.Thomas). pp. 108-189. Oxford University Press Oxford. Lehmann, V. W. 1937. Increase quail by improving their habitat. Texas Game, Fish, and Oyster Commission, Austin, Texas, USA. Lehmann, V. W. 1953. Bobwhite population fluctuations with vitamin a. Transactions of the North American Wildlife Conference. 18:199-246 Leopold, A. 1931. Report on a game survey of the north central states. Democrat Printing Company, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Lusk, J. J., F. S. Guthery, R. R. George, M. J. Peterson, and S. J. DeMaso. 2002. Relative abundance of bobwhites in relation to weather and landuse. Journal of Wildlife Management 66:1040-1051. McLendon, T. 1991. Preliminary description of the vegetation of south Texas exclusive of coastal saline zones. Texas Journal of Science 43: 13-32. Otto, M. C., and K. H. Pollock. 1990. Size bias in line transect sampling: a à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ eld test. Biometrics 46:239-245. Peterson, M. J. 1999. Quail harvest management in Texas: a rational approach. Pages 124-133 in K. A. Cearly, editor. Preserving Texas Quail Hunting Heritage into the 21st Century. Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas AM University, College Station, USA. Rollins, D. 2002. Sustaining the quail wave in the southern great plains. Proceedings of the National Quail Symposium 5:48-56. Roseberry, J. L., and W. D. Klimstra. 1984. Population Ecology of the Bobwhite. Southern Illinois University Press. Rosenstock, S. S., D. R. Anderson, K. M. Giesen, T. Leukering, and M. F. Carter. 2002. Landbird counting techniques: current practices and an alternative. Auk 119:46-53. Rusk, J.P., F. Hernandez, J.A. Arredondo, F. Hernandez, F.C. Bryant, D.G.Hewitt, E.J. Redeker, L.A Brennan, R.L. Bingham. 2007. The Journal of Wildlife Management 71:4(1336-1343). Shupe, T. E., F. S. Guthery, and S. L. Beasom. 1987. Use of helicopters to survey northern bobwhite populations on rangeland. Wildlife Society Bulletin 15:458-462. Thomas, L., S. T. Buckland, E. A. Rexstad, J. L. Laake, S. Strindberg, S. L. Hedley, J. R. B. Bishop, T. A. Marques, and K. P. Burnham. 2010. Distance software: design and analysis of distance sampling surveys for estimating population size. Journal of Applied Ecology 47:5-14. Thompson, W. L. 2002. Towards reliable bird surveys: accounting for individuals present but not detected. The Auk 119:18-25. Williamson, D. L. 1983. Soil survey of Brooks County, Texas. United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, Washington, D.C., USA.   Ã‚  

Colors :: Creative Writing Essays

Colors Emulsions are thin, gelatinous, light-sensitive coatings on film that react chemically to capture the color and shadings of a scene. Color film requires three layers of emulsions, typically cyan (a greenish blue), yellow, and magenta (a purplish red). As light passes through the layers, each emulsion records areas where its particular color appears in the scene. When developed, the emulsion releases dye that is the complementary color of the light recorded: blue light activates yellow dye, green light is magenta, and red light is cyan.(1) golden beer lemon (sickly) Sunflower caution banana (mourning) school-bus Yellow. In sixteenth century England yellow was a sign of mourning. Sunflowers are yellow- and there must have been lilies in the arrangement too, because I remember the smell of the hot-yellow pollen. Sunflowers are yellow, but I didn't know it then. In that lemon-meringue hospital room; sunflowers, for sunny, for sun. He was called Sonny (for son for Sunny: he who is built around an engine), and for a long time I thought it was spelled Sunny, and into the blue my sun fell one day and proved me right. I belong to this Sunny, whose light was so strong people flocked to him - he saw through them to them, I belong to this Sonny who had enough heart (engine red and strong,) to keep up old arguments while his eyes yellowed and that paper thin hospital gown became thinner, the thin oxygen tubes terribly distracting from his face (though he wasn't thin - he had been gorging himself to save us from watching him fade.) He had put me in charge of taking care of the (sun)flower arrangement and my hear t broke (like rays of sun, fragmented) as I poured the golden water down the drain and threw the dying flowers out. (We still have the vase at home. It was useless and too necessary.) Over and over, in my mind, I trot up the aging stairs in our house. I hear a voice chanting, "I'mgonedieI'mgonedieI'mgonedie" and I see him lying splayed out on the cyan bedspread in that egg-shell room and I want to scream, "Heywhat'suphowwasyourday?" The baseball game (thick with silence) is playing on the walls and ceiling at sickly angles and I want to whisper, "Sowho' swinning?" I want to disappear. I go into my room and I close my head and I search for a cardboard box (ripping through piles of paper inside myself), something to put him in before.

Racism In The Movies Essay -- essays research papers

Spike Lee’s, Do The Right Thing is a comtemporary look at racism in a ordinary city urban neighborhood. The movie is seen through the eyes of the main character, Mookey, we are shown the multiple relationships and often typical stereotypes of racial groups. This movies is filled with symbolism and imagery that feeds to the story’s plot. Throughout the movie, the scorching heat is always being refereed to. As the movie goes on , the heat rises. I think this is done to represent the increasing racial tension within the neighborhood. The movie uses many situations to paint a picture of the racial tension and inequality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main plot of the movie involves the relationship that a black neighborhood has with an Italian owned pizzeria and a Korean owned convenience store. There is a conflict that occurs when one of young men from the neighborhood enters the pizzeria and demands that the owner, Sal, include on his wall of famous Italians, famous Blacks as well. Sal refuses, telling the man that it is his pizzeria and he can have whomever he wants on the wall. The man leaves feeling even more frustrated than before and decides to organize a boycott. To his dismay, he is only able to recruit a single person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another conflict occurs between Mookey and one of of Sal’s sons. Sal’s son is an outspoken racist, or so it seems. He is always urging Sal to try to sell the business and leave the neighborhood to get away from â€Å"these† ...

Human societ

The human society is a very complicated structure. It consists of a huge quantity of members, each of them with their own thoughts, emotions and experiences. The notion of â€Å"society† unifies all those members and therefore, they must correspond to the standards of that society. They have to elaborate some special mode of living, thinking, behaviour in order to be like other. â€Å"Being like all† – that’s the main motto of human society of all times. Within the complex structure of society one can be happy and rich, other unhappy and poor but everyone tries to be like the rest.But it is well known that each rule can have its exceptions. So, the human society has. There are people who are not able to find their place in the society. Each of them has his own reasons. One just doesn’t want to be like all, the other just can’t behaviour like people around him and so on. In the world literature the notion of the â€Å"outsider† has been rather often discussed. Among these discussions the view of â€Å"outsider† by Thomas Mann and Albert Camus are one of the most interesting. Tonio Kroeger in the novel of the same name by T. Mann is rather a typical outsider. So, what made him to be so?Surely, he is an artist and the real artist is always a little bit different from the crowd. But there are many talented artists which are not outsiders at all in their real life. Tonio is a lonely artist. These two words- â€Å"lonely artist† are able to explain the Kroeger’s problem. The first word is â€Å"lonely† and the second is â€Å"artist†. The â€Å"lonely† is the reason and the â€Å"artist† is the consequence. Kroeger has become an artist because he was lonely and couldn’t find himself in this life. All he can do is creating art describing the reality around him but he is not able to live in this reality.He realizes that his inability and suffers a lot because of tha t. Some of the events of this story must be perceived in symbolic manner because of Kroeger’s difficulties in being like other. His homosexual sympathy to Hans Hansen hasn’t to be understood as just a physical sexual expression. This sympathy symbolizes the Kroeger’s aspiration for prestige bourgeois life as Hans was the bright representative of same. Kroeger couldn’t find himself in this bourgeois life but was eager of living like his â€Å"ordinary† contemporaries. That’s why Hans attracted him. Kroeger lived in constant paradox within him.His heart was the heart of an artist but in his veins the bourgeois blood was flowing. He wanted to be as easygoing and careless as his friends but he couldn’t be so because his mind was depressed all the time by the events of the life around him and he could only describe them in his art. That was the main reason of Kroegen’s being the outsider. The main thing Kroeger had to learn during h is life was that probably his outstanding skills as an artist were conditioned by his withdrawing from the ordinary life. In other words, if he had been an ordinary bourgeois personality he wouldn’t have been a gifted artist.The main reason of his unhappiness was that he didn’t want to understand that simple thing: it is not possible to connect things which can not be connected – the commonplace satisfied life and the delicate, sensitive vision of the artist. Should Kroegen understand that in time, the life would be much easier for him. But he understood that later. Perhaps, that’s the fate of each real talent – to pass through many difficulties in order to find oneself in the art. The ordinary always remains to be ordinary. It is not worth to follow it.We must follow things that we have skills for and there always will be place for the ordinary in our life – it will come into our lives by itself. But if talented person tries to overtake the ordinary or to live between the ordinary and the exalted he or she is doomed to unhappiness and misfortune. Precisely that started to happen with Tonio Kroeger. When he understood that it is not possible to find compromise between â€Å"the Dionysian† (all the passionate and emotional) and â€Å"the Apollonian† (rational and reasonable) he decided to combine them in his art and that was the unique correct decision for him.Albert Camus in his â€Å"Stranger† gives us the other notion of outsider. Meursault – a man of absurd in the world of absurd, – that’s the Camus’ vision of the problem in case. When after the first sentence of the novel -â€Å"Maman died today† follow the indifferent meditations of the protagonist regarding when died his mother – today or yesterday, we understand the Meursault is completely indifferent to the notions of time, place and many other phenomena of our real world. All along the novel new ar guments prove that. Meursault lives being ruled by purely physical instincts.His life consists of a number of patterns (ways of behaviour) which he uses every day. For example, he becomes sad because Sunday came and broke the customary way of his everyday life. The heat produced by the sun when he goes back from the funeral of his mother worries him more than the very death of his mother. In other words the Meursault activities look completely paradoxical for other people, but not paradoxically for him. Camus presents in his hero his understanding of life in general and of truth in particular. To say more, Meursault believes sincerely in justice and truth.But he has his own notion of that â€Å"truth†. Yes, he doesn’t cry at his mother’s funeral. But on the other hand he never says lies. He doesn’t see any sense in acting like the rest of people. He just shows his own true emotions or indifference in each particular moment of his life. He is independent i n the full meaning of this word. He doesn’t believe in God, he lives by his own motives. Society tries to find some meaning in his behaviour but all in vain. It is not possible to find sense in absurd. Otherwise, it will not be absurd any more. Thus, Meursault embodies the Camus’ notion of so-called â€Å"relative truth†.That is not all society’s truth but the truth of one person. Yes, he guns down the Arab but he believes in justice and doesn’t try to avoid it. Certainly, it sounds terribly but that is Camus’ absurd vision of the truth. On the one hand Meursault’s activities are horrible as that his â€Å"relative truth† makes a lot of harm to other people but on the other hand he is not eager of making harm to anyone, he never lies, he is just living his own life which is right to his opinion. This difference between Meursault’s truth and society’s truth makes Meursault to be the outsider.He can’t underst and the sense of the society’s existence (to say it more exactly – he doesn’t even want to understand it as it is not important for him) and the society, in its turn, can’t find out any meanings in the mode of Meursault’s life. Nevertheless, Meursault has learnt his lesson towards the end of the story. When we see him sentenced to death it is already possible to speak about â€Å"new† Meursault. It doesn’t mean that he has completely changed his moral perception. He still doesn’t believe in God and is sure that after death there is nothing but non-existence.But he started using his memory what he has never done before. He remembers his father and understands all the â€Å"advantages† of human memory. He had never resorted to his memories and lived only following his physical impulses. When being in prison he understood how good it can be – to remember something that has happened once. Meursault starts to distingui sh the past and the future. His imagination and feelings work like they never did before. He realizes that both imagination and feelings (spiritual, not physical feelings) are rather useful in regular life.Only in prison he begins to perceive each new day like a gift (as there were few left before his death penalty) without classifying them in days which are good and in days which break his customary way of life. In other words he began to understand that his life was not as correct as it seemed to him before. But he started to understand that too late when his life was going to be cut by those who haven’t managed to find some meaning in his life. Both Tonio Kroeger and Meursault realized the mistakes of their existence.Kroeger understood that he was unable to learn living like other people because the problem which was, by the way, created by himself was already too significant and complex for him and he had to find some area in which he could get rid of that immense moral t ension. That area became his art for him. Meursault couldn’t change his life because he was already sentenced to death for the actions of his previous egoistic â€Å"self-life†. These two protagonists are similar in this respect as they both realized the necessity to change their lives. Nevertheless, there is a clear difference in â€Å"being outsider† between Kroeger and Meursault.Kroeger was a brightly expressed outsider as he couldn’t find himself in his society and that was hurting him a lot. He really was out of society’s side. He crossed successfully with the society within his professional skills only when he was describing that society in his works. As to the commonplace reality- he was an unhappy man. Meursault, contrary to Kroegen, represents another type of outsider: â€Å"outsider within society†. Meursault was the member of society and that’s why society was astonished by his behaviour. He was a stranger within society an d that made his activities paradoxical.Kroeger experienced pain because he was outsider and the society didn’t care a lot about it. Meursault didn’t suffer a lot because of being outsider – but society suffered because of his activities. Speaking about the outcomes made by each of these two protagonists it is necessary to say that Kroeger’s conclusion was more successful than Meursault’s. Kreoger found the decision of his problem in his art and Meursault had not already time for the correction of his mistakes as he realized them under the threat of guillotine. Being outsider means to not coincide with the public’s opinions and norms of life.T. Mann and Albert Camus showed us that the notion of the outsider is poly-semantic. Tonio Kreoger and the stranger Meursault are both outsiders but each in his proper manner. Kroeger is an â€Å"outer outsider† (he wants to be within the society being like all) and Meursault is an â€Å"inner out sider† (he doesn’t feel himself to be outsider but the society consider him to be so). Regarding Mann’s story it would be helpful to conclude that it is not worth to follow the common opinion and try to be like all. The most important thing is to preserve the skills and the lofty given to you by the nature.As to the Camus’ novel, it is possible to learn from it that being honest only for oneself is not enough, it is also necessary to thing about the society you live in and that one’s notions of truth are not always common for all. The society was created by people precisely in order to find the compromise between different people’s opinions. Both Kroeger and Meursault have become outsiders by themselves. The conclusions they have made from their mistakes are rather consoling. So, hope that Mann and Camus’ novels will serve as good examples for many for not being an outsider in the future.