From the Paper "Since the end of the Middle Ages, there is no place on the world map for Hell anymore. That is an error of the modern mind, for, to the poor of India, Hell exists: it is called Calcutta. One would like to begin a geographic discussion of squatter settlements in Calcutta from something of an objective point of view, but that is impossible. Every record of the situation, every photograph, journalistic report, anecdote and discussion of the "experience" leads to the same dead end. To be poor in Calcutta, to be a Dalit - "Untouchable" - in that city, is to be consigned to an existence of wretched being. It is such a place that Mother Teresa won her Nobel Peace in 1979 for organizing the simple, terrifying act of gathering the near-dead from the streets and giving them a place to die in their last hours of life - 54,000 in the single decade of the 1980s (Desmond 11)."
From the Paper "The major goals of Mark Monmonier, in his book Mapping It Out: Expository Cartography for the Humanities and Social Sciences, are stated clearly and straightforwardly:
The goal of this book is to encourage scholars to use maps where maps are needed. . . . Encouragement thus takes the form of demystifying map making by showing how straightforward graphic logic can help the scholar-author compose visually effective maps to improve the clarity and impact of a book or article (ix).
The question this study will answer, then, is whether the author successfully achieves these clear goals. The answer of the study will be in the affirmative---the author does indeed effectively bring the realm of "mapping it out" down to earth in theory and application. At the same time, it must be remembered ..."
Abstract This paper examines how satellite technology is used worldwide to provide important services in the fields of research, communications and more and how one of the most popular applications of satellite technology is the development of the Global Positional System (GPS). It provides an overview of satellites and GPS, including a brief description of the principles behind satellite technology and deployment and specifically of GPS. It also covers the origins and development of GPS as well as a synopsis of its current military and civilian uses. Finally, this paper also aims to address the future of GPS technology in the private sector.
From the Paper "By 1972, the best characteristics of these satellite systems and the investigation of the steering group came together to result in the development of today's system that would be known as the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System. The program was officially approved in 1973 and by February 1978, the first experimental GPS satellites (called Block I) were being launched into space. From the beginning, GPS had to meet the radio navigation requirements of all military services as well as those of civilian users and by February 1989, the second block of GPS satellites (Block II) was launched into space. Today's GPS is now made up of twenty-four Block II and IIA satellites and one experimental satellite from Block I. (Commission 145-146)"
Abstract This paper investigates the environmental cause of melanoma in Australia and the disease itself. It describes the skin cancer moles, the progression of the disease and its effects on the human body. The paper examines the reasons for the high rate of melanoma in Australia, such as the depletion of the ozone layer, global warming, and the fair skinned people of Australia.
From the Paper "The "land down under" is under siege. The enemy ravishing Australia's inhabitants is not an invader from a foreign country, but rather it is a voracious skin disease called Melanoma. In fact, the highest instances of Melanoma in the world can be found in Australia. The factors leading up to this outbreak can easily be attributed to geography, the environment, and genetics but perhaps the most distressing dynamic can be assigned to the sun worshipping victims themselves."
Abstract This paper examines the history and demographics of the town of Spencer, Massachusetts. The paper provides an overview of the community resources and economic institutions in the town. A visual description is presented, illustrating the natural historic beauty of the town. The writer explains the reasons why he would consider living in the town of Spencer, Massachusetts.
From the Paper "The town of Spencer, Massachusetts is an ideal place to live in since the town is largely residential in nature, offering all the benefits of small town living, the charm of country life and easy access to the advantages and comforts of working in larger industries and towns. In addition, Spencer has adequate community resources and strengths as well as a sense of history and therefore the comfort of continuity of a way of life."
Abstract This paper describes Lithops, a well known and admired succulent plant family called living stones or stone plants, that originated in South Africa and also is grown in the U.S.A., Europe and Japan. The author says that these plants are relatively to grow but great care needs to be taken with soil, temperature, time and amount of watering. The paper describes the wide variety of Cactus. The author states that, as unique as the cactus appears, its growth and flowering is similar to any other plants. he paper also describes the function of bark and the beauty of exfoliating bark trees in landscaping.
Table of Contents
Lithops
Growing Lithops Optica
Native Range
Cacti
Sample Growth Forms
Plant Care
Spines
Flowers
Root System
Metabolism
Growth
Exfoliating Bark
Trees
From the Paper "All modern cacti do have stem stomata, so one of the initial steps in the evolution of cacti must have been mutations that permit the expression of "leaf genes" in an unusual site, the stem epidermis. Producing stomata is a complex process involving the establishment of cell patterns, density of stomata and differentiation of guard cells. The similarity of the patterns in stems of modern cacti with the patterns in leaves of Pereskia may indicate that almost all the leaf epidermis development program is now being used to control morphogenesis of stem epidermis."
Abstract This paper gives an overview of Moscow, the capital of Russia. It discusses various issues including the city's population make-up and demographics, an historical overview, urban elements and cultural and social features. The paper also looks at Moscow's educational facilities.
From the Paper "During the Soviet era, streets of the central zone were broadened. The major part of the ancient inner city was brought down and substituted by government ministries, large workplace and residential buildings, command centers of national and international establishments, hotels and superior stores, developed marketplaces and key cultural centers (RACC. 2001). Consequently, one can only get the hint of Moscow's heritage through small cultural areas still preserved. Among the famous architectural structures are Moscow Kremlin, The Red Square, Boulevard Ring, Garden Ring, Moscow Little Ring Railway, Moscow Ring Road, Arbat Street and the Kutuzov Avenue (RACC. 2001)."
Tags: Soviet, Union, Muscovites, christianity, ethnicity, Ring, Road, State, University
Abstract This paper examines how the world has changed from an agricultural hub to a massive technological center and how liitle attention has been paid to the long-term costs of this transformation. In particular it looks at San Francisco, which has grown rapidly in merely 150 years and turned from almost a non-extent entity into a major city of the United States. It analyzes how the process of its growth has literally killed its neighboring areas by re-directing water supply and extracting minerals and other resources to feed the businesses of city financiers, corporate heads and other major wealthy elite and how its constant hunger for more development and growth has completely ruined its own landscape and stripped its surrounding areas of their natural wealth. It examines how the core of San Francisco's rising costs of maintenance reside diminishing corporate ethics and rapidly increasing lobbies serving the interests of large multinationals.
From the Paper "Brechin reminds us that at the core of San Francisco's rising costs of maintenance reside diminishing corporate ethics and rapidly increasing lobbies serving the interests of large multinationals. Western Urban Water Coalition for example is a conglomeration of 21 water supply agencies that snatch water away from farmers to meet the growing demand of 35 million city dwellers in California. Apart from more water, this increasing population needs numerous other things including public funded education and other essential amenities."
Abstract Compared to the ancient landmass, humans are a recent arrival to what is considered the state of Virginia. This essay documents the extent to which human land use has impacted the Virginian landscape.
Table of Contents:
Ancient Virginia
Arrival of Humans
Archaic ? Woodland Period
Europeans
Conclusion
From the Paper "Undoubtedly, Virginia is old with complex geology, to the west lies the ancient Appalachian and Blue Ridge province, formed on the margin of Laurentia during the Proterozoic over 1,100 million years ago. The largest physiographic province in Virginia is the Piedmont (appendix 1) comprised of weathered bedrock, overlain with saprolite, eroded in stream valleys. The Coastal plain is a terraced landscape, the bedrock consists of igneous and metamorphic rock, with various layers above comprised of sediment deposited in warm shallow seas, and eroded clay, sand, and gravel stripped from the Appalachians (Roberts and Bailey 2001). Remaining temperate forests seen below, possibly began forming about 10,000 years ago, when the Virginian shoreline extended some 30 miles further east onto the continental shelf, and glaciers withdrew as the climate warmed, though temperatures were still much colder than today (Riparian Forest Buffers 1996). The piedmont to the west, and coastal plain to the east is a dynamic environment, continually undergoing change through natural processes."
This paper suggests that further exploitation and increased specific data bring to light new patterns in the biogeographic model for the arid region of Australia.
Abstract Arrival of the original Australians has long been a topic of debate amongst anthropologists and archaeologists. The questions of why, how and when Greater Australia was colonized are often asked. The biogeographic colonization model proposed by Peter Veth has galvanized archaeologists into pursuing specific questions at regional levels. This paper looks at that model using the following format.
Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
Arid Region
Paleoenvironment
Islands in the Interior
Central Refuge
Corridors
Barriers
Dissecting the Islands
Biogeographic Regions
Technology
Social Transformation
Summary
Future Research
Conclusion
References
From the Paper "Paleoenvironment information is derived from 'geomorphological and paleoecological research in Australia and New Guinea? (Mulvaney and Kamminga 1999). Sites at Lake Fromme, Lake Eyre and Willandra indicate higher precipitation rates from 40,000 to 25,000 BP, followed by a colder drier climate c. 21,000 ? 15,000 BP, known as the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). During the LGM sea levels were 130 metres below present shorelines increasing Australia's overall land area, connecting New Guinea in the North and Tasmania to the South. Mulvaney (1999:116) suggests a reduction in warm surrounding ocean and increased landmass was responsible for creating intense inland aridity. Paradoxically, the intense aridity associated with the LGM palaeoenvironment coincides with human occupation dates for the arid region. Although, Ross et al., (Lourandos 1992) maintains ?The arid interior has always been dry, in geomorphic terms.? During this period, inland lake levels fluctuated until c. 14,000 BP when most inland lakes became dry, possibly extending the arid area into present day semi?arid boundaries (Fig. 1) until "a general climatic amelioration [began] towards the start of the Holocene" (Lourandos 1997)."
Abstract Savannah, Georgia is a city rich in tradition, Southern charm, and old-fashioned hospitality. Since British General James Oglethorpe landed on the historic bluff in 1733 to establish America's 13th colony, Savannah has established itself as one of the nation's most distinctive cities. This paper outlines the history of Savannah, including the city's unique design and its ornate historic district. The historic district has established the identity of Savannah as a town of grace and allure. This paper analyzes the role of the historic district in creating the economy of Savannah, as well as delves into tourism's effects on the economy of present day Savannah.
From the Paper "The colony would see a generation of peace where Savannah flourished on the world scene as a cosmopolitan city. Soon, farmers discovered that Savannah's soil was rich, and the climate was favorable for the cultivation of cotton and rice. Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin in 1793, made cotton a profitable and affordable crop. Plantations and slavery became highly profitable systems for whites in the neighboring Low country of South Carolina; therefore, Georgia, the last free colony, legalized slavery. The trans-Atlantic slave trade would bring millions of Africans to the America's with many passing through the port of Savannah forming the Gullah culture of the Atlantic coastal communities in Georgia and South Carolina."
Abstract This paper examines how the states of New England dominate the northeastern region of the United states and show certain general trends as well as individual differences based on economic considerations, population trends and geography.
Outline
The Region
New England Culture
The Economy
Political Power
Further Individual Differences
From the Paper "New England's racial and ethnic profile is changing rapidly. African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans represented more than 14 percent of the region's 18- to-24-year-olds in 1990, which is up from eight percent a decade earlier. In 1996, more than 915,000 immigrants were admitted to the United States, and about 40,000 said they intended to settle in New England. New England has experienced an economic boom because of a high-tech economy fueled by foreign-born scientific talent, much as earlier waves of foreign immigrants powered the region's industrial growth and enriched its political life. Indeed, foreign-born workers accounted for 86 percent of then New England labor force growth from 1986 to 1996, compared with 35 percent nationally ("The state of New England: A fact sheet," 1999). "
Abstract Miami has long been held out as an ideal city and as a microcosm of cultural diversity. The growing problems in the real Miami are considered by many to be a harbinger of things to come in American cities across the country. The paper examines the problems which Miami faces today, including poverty, crime, corruption, racism and drugs. It looks at the racial element in Miami's poverty problem and the tension between the African-Americans and the Latinos. The paper also discusses the solutions offered to the city of Miami by the State of Florida.
From the Paper "Some 300 city or Dade County officials have been indicted, and entire city departments have come under scrutiny. The building department has been given particular attention. The Miami-Dade building department has been cited by a grand jury for failing to enforce the building codes, taking kickbacks for permits and ignoring serious flaws in a large construction project. A team from the Miami Herald investigating county road projects found that more than $1 million had been paid for "phantom road work" which was never performed. The team also found "staggering overcharges" for other work, including one six-figure bill that had been paid twice. In addition, Herald reporters found that no inspections had been performed on some work and that some records had been falsified. It should be no surprise that the city has the lowest credit rating in the country after Washington, D.C. In 1996, Standard & Poor's responded to the city's $69 million deficit by giving its debt the equivalent of junk-bond status, and the governor placed Miami's finances under the control of a state oversight board (Sugarman 16)."
This paper is an ethnography of the emirate of Qatar. Discussed are the basic historical, economic, demographic and political background of the country, as well as cultural issues.
Abstract This paper begins by discussing the background of the culture of Qatar. It then examines the country's demographics, religion and language. The economy and governmental systems are also analyzed as well as the defense system. The paper continues with a detailed look at the Qatar's history and its present foreign relations. The paper concludes with an analysis of the cultural makeup of the country.
From the Paper "Qatar is an independent state occupying the Qatar Peninsula, jutting into the Persian Gulf from the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. On its southern side, the country of about 4427 square miles ? about the combined area of Connecticut and Rhode Island ? is bordered by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates but these boundaries are undemarcated, although a movement toward creating a more formal border is underway. (Parker, 1999, p. 7). The land is stony and largely barren and extremely hot, arid climate prevails. Humidity is high during the summer (May to October), but the average annual rainfall is less than 5 inches. The major natural resources are petroleum and natural gas."
Abstract This study explores the presence of psychosocial stress and post-traumatic stress disorder among Salvadoran immigrants and its effects on physical child abuse. Psychosocial stress is measured using the Hispanic Stress Inventory, which is comprised of five subscales: occupational/economic stress, parental stress, marital stress, immigration stress, and family/culture stress. Post-traumatic stress disorder is measured using The Civilian Mississippi Scale of PTSD. The results on Post-traumatic stress disorder and child abuse indicates no significant differences between abusive and non-abusive parents.
Further personal testimonial accounts on the effects of immigration are also explored.
Table of Contents:
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Contributing Factors for Child Abuse
Effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND HYPOTHESES
METHODS
Participants
Instruments
Definition of Variables
Procedure
RESULTS
Demographic Profile
Hispanic Stress Inventory
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Participant Memories
DISCUSSION
Summary
Conclusions
Recommendations
REFERENCES
APPENDIX 1
Demographic Questionnaire (English)
Demographic Questionnaire (Spanish)
APPENDIX 2
The Hispanic Stress Inventory (English)
The Hispanic Stress Inventory (Spanish)
APPENDIX 3
The Civilian Mississippi Scale for PTSD (English)
The Civilian Mississippi Scale for PTSD (Spanish)
APPENDIX 4
Qualitative Interview Protocol (English)
Qualitative Interview Protocol (Spanish)
From the Paper "Recent upheavals in war-torn El Salvador and Guatemala and the depressed economy in Mexico have driven thousands of refugees from their home countries. A vast number of these families have immigrated to the United States, bearing the scars of war and economic hardships. Consequently, many of these present-day immigrants are currently suffering from emotional and psychological problems. Often these problems are the primary root of daily stresses and social problems, which have lead to difficulties in social adjustments."
