Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Peking man Essay Example for Free

Peking man Essay The theory of evolution is backed up by fossils of the ‘Peking man’ found in China during the early twentieth century. The current human species is believed to be the descendant of the Homo erectus, our predecessor species with a smaller brain and upright stature; the Peking man is a subspecies of this group and the corresponding fossil remains were estimated to be nearly 550,000 years old. However, recent Chinese fossil findings conducted by Nanjing Normal University in 2008 suggest the age of a Peking man skull to be at least 750,000 years old. The Homo erectus species is believed to have migrated from Africa approximately 2 Million years ago to Asia. The new estimated age of the Peking man fossils puts forward the possibility of two different subspecies having settled in different parts of Asia during the same timeline. The Homo erectus species had inhabited China and other parts of Southeast Asia for over half a million years. According to University of Iowa’s Russell Ciochon, the Peking man is likely to have coexisted with other Homo erectus subspecies; while one group of Homo erectus is assumed to have settled down in subtropical areas of Zhoukoudian in China, the unfamiliar weather could have driven the other group Southeast which could have evolved into what we today refer to as Peking man (Handwerk 2009). Ciochon uses the phrase â€Å"fork in the road† as an analogy to explain this situation (Handwerk 2009). This subspecies is assumed to have possessed the ability to make tools out of stone and walk upright. Also, its brain size being almost 75% the size of a Homo erectus makes it’s the closest descendant to human beings. The other group of Homo erectus settled in Zhoukoudian is believed to have enjoyed a good supply of food and familiar environment, giving rise to the subspecies Homo erectus pekinensis. The earlier timeline would also mean that this subspecies lived in a more pleasant climate in the grasslands. Moreover, fossil evidence of animal bones indicates that this group of Homo erectus settled in China consumed meat. This inviting proposition of food and pleasant weather could have given raise to the early Homo sapiens to migrate from Africa to Asia. Homo sapiens are quite different from Homo erectus since they are marked by a more â€Å"rounded skull, divided brow ridge, and chin† (Platt 2008). One school of thought spearheaded by Hou Ya-mei of Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology points out the possibility of modern Homo sapiens coexisting, interbreeding or even fighting with Homo erectus, thereby observing the theory of ‘survival of the fittest’ in action (Platt 2008). The present human race is believed to have originated out of Africa 60,000 years ago. The differences in Homo erectus fossil patterns in Asia and other parts of the world had given rise to discrepancy, which can be explained by a â€Å"secondary migration from Africa† (University Of Cambridge). Even though this theory makes sense to an extent, Susan Anton of New York University is pessimistic about the supporting data given to back up claims of two separate settlements of Homo erectus. She simply mentions the possibility of any number of migrations can be claimed, but those claims will continue to be void without strong supporting evidence. She furthers states that evidence such as the routes taken by the Homo erectus groups or a central cohesive point of origin in Africa would be needed to connect the â€Å"Out of Africa† theory and these claimed migrations. However, Anton concludes by admitting that this theory and the change in the timeline would help explain why the Homo erectus had persisted longer in continental Asia. Reference Handwerk, B. (2009, Mar 12). Peking Man Lived 200,000 Years Earlier Than Thought. National Geographic News. Retrieved 24 March, 2009, http://news. nationalgeographic. co. in/news/2009/03/090312-peking-man. html Platt, K. H. (2008, Feb 20). Ancestral Human Skull Found in China. National Geographic News. Retrieved 24 March, 2009, http://news. nationalgeographic. com/news/2008/02/080220-china-fossil. html University Of Cambridge (2007, May 10). New Research Confirms Out Of Africa Theory of Human Evolution. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 24, 2009, from http://www. sciencedaily. com ­ /releases/2007/05/070509161829. htm

Monday, January 20, 2020

The Impact of Pirates and of Piracy on the Spanish Empire Essay

The Impact of Pirates and of Piracy on the Spanish Empire When the word pirate is mentioned, many people think of ship carrying men across the seas as they pillage other ships. While this is true to some extent there was much more to the lives of the men that were known as pirates. Pirates were mostly men from French, English or Dutch heritage, and were privateers or merchants. Many of these men were sanctioned by their government. By the Spanish they were call piratas or unsanctioned sea-raiders, and would have a heavy influence of trade in the Caribbean and on the Spanish Empire. The first pirates were known as corsairs and appeared at the end of the 15th and into the beginning of the 16th century. It was at this time between 1530-60 when Spain began to transport the newly discovered riches in the New World. Large amounts of gold, sugar, tabacco and pearls were being sent back to Spain. In 1523 a French Corsair by the name of Jean Florin over took several weakly protected Spanish ships and captured a cargo that held 62,000 ducats in gold, 600 marks of pearls and several tons of sugar. This brought pirates into the Caribbean (Lane 16). Spain was forced to protect the cargo ships that transported the riches that they were obtaining in the New World and the cost was very great. Trade ships were required to travel in convoys and be armed. Also a Spanish fleet was formed that traveled the seas twice a year, patrolling the trade routes for pirates. There was great hesitation to form a navy that would patrol the Caribbean seas because of costs, but much would be lost because of this hesitation. Not only were merchant ships being pick off and there cargo taken, unprotected Caribbean towns were being raided and the colonists gains... ...story were used mainly for the raiding and capturing of Spanish colonies. These events would take place until the early 1670’s when governments attempted to phase out pirates. Laws were made in an attempt to make pirates give up the profession voluntarily (Lane 126). For the most part this worked, but there are many cases of raids and such after. The effect that piracy held on trade and the Spanish Empire was over after the sufficient damage that it caused. Damage that was highly influential in shaping the Caribbean and the Empires of Europe into what they are. Works Cited Kelsey, Harry. Sir Francis Drake The Queen’s Pirate. Yale University Press: New Haven. 1998. Lane, Kris E. Pillaging the Empire Piracy in the Americas. M.E. Sharpe: New York. 1998. Williams, Neville. The Sea Dogs Privateers, Plunders and Piracy in the Elizabethan Age. Macmillian: New York. 1975.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Advantages and disadvantages of using internet anonymously Essay

Internet freedom is a controversial issue nowadays, and there are some findings discovered that using internet without registered their real name will cause some critical problems as cyber bullying, stealing or intimidating since users do not need to have any responsibility about what they said. However, using internet anonymously are also some advantages which gives an essential protection to internet users. In this article, the advantages and disadvantages will be discussed. Using internet anonymously gives some advantages to some internet users. First, it can protect users’ privacy in an effective way. In this era of technology advancement, social network platform like facebook or twitter, it required users to upload their personal information and keep an eternal record. It is a dark side of the use of social network platform that those records may be used in a commercial way without users’ authorization. This action is stealing our information and invading our priva cy in a grey zone. Using internet anonymously can help protecting user’s information. According to Andrea (2013, P.32) , privacy is similar to human right, which need to be protected preferentially. Therefore, anonymously using internet is a way to protect users’ information not to be leaked. Also avoid that users’ information will not be used in a profitable way or an illegal way. Secondly, anonymously giving a comment to some critical issues or controversial topics can also protect users not to be traceable. Andrea (2013) noted that for some people who do not want to use their real name for giving some donation, not using their real identification is their privilege to do so. Some of the users tend to comment on some issues in a critical way and aggressive way, if using internet needs them to register their real name, thus, users who gave tough comments may be investigated their responsibility, and users then may not willing to tell the truth so as to protect themselves, and they may left their comments in a pretended way. This situation is related to the social justice. A finding in 2013 (Fu, Chan, & Chau, 2013) launched a real-name registration system to microbloggers in China which required them to give comments with their nick name or real name, and this poli cy cause a chilling effect on commenting on microblog, especially on political criticism and sensitive topics. Therefore using internet anonymously is an effective way  to encourage citizens to criticize on controversial topic and contribute to the society. Read more:  Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet on Students Alternatively, using internet without their real identity also has some disadvantages. Lack of responsibility is a main problem which caused by anonymity. Clapperton (2013) noted that using user’s real name to comment mean that before they write, a clear thinking is needed, and when user is going to write some contentious then he should find some supports for it. It implied that the majority of anonymous internet user might not have responsibility to bear with what they have commented, and they can issue some misleading expression without any consequence. Through the media on internet, those expression can be easily send to the others, thus the credibility will keep increasing that citizens may mistakenly believe in it. Therefore an atmosphere with lies and rumors is built in our society, which may disrupt public order. The final and the most important point is that anonymity will cause some illegal activity. Cyber bullying is one of the essential problems among teenagers in t his generation. Based on the view of lacking responsibility, Clapperton (2013) discovered that some internet users tend to use some offensive comment to criticize the others. Some of the comment recipients are being intimidating which damaged their self-esteem, and it may drive them to self-harm and suicide after being attacked in order to escape from the blame. This view shows that those users may not know what consequence and impact they made to the comment receiver, also the pressure they built on the comment receiver. In the research (Claudia, 2012), some anonymous message were posted in AgriBioTech Inc. company’s forum in 1999, which claim that the company was bankruptcy, it caused that the company’s shares plummeted, and have a severe loss. It demonstrated that the power of rumors, and this illegal action can caused a company to be beset with a crisis. Those problems are vital and should be improved in the future. In concluding this brief article, there are both advantages and disadvantages on using internet anonymously. In fact, using internet anonymously can help preventing privacy leakage and protecting users’ freedom of speech, which can maintain our social discipline. However, using internet anonymously can also weaken internet users’ responsibility, and give some offensive comments. It may possible to evolve the situation to cyber bullying, which gives the receiver a huge mentally impact. Reference list: Claudia, R. (2003). Evolving attitudes towards anonymous posting on the internet. Journal of Internet Law, 7 (1), 3. Fu, K. W., Chan, C. H. & Chau, M. (2013). Assessing censorship on microblogs in China: Discriminatory keyword analysis and the Real-Name Registration Policy.. IEEE Internet Computing., 17 (3), 42-50. Andrea, K. (2013). Web users should have the right to remain anonymous in cyberspace.. Engineering & Technology (17509637), 8 (9), 32. Clapperton, G. (2013). Web users shouldn’t have the right to remain anonymous in cyberspace.. Engineering & Technology (17509637), 8 (9), 33.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

The American Dream Analysis - 1366 Words

The American Dream was developed by James Truslow Adams in 1931, and he stated, â€Å"the American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability and achievement.† This concept is flawed in today’s standards as Adam’s â€Å"better and richer and fuller† life, is more focused on being successful and accepted, rather than being happy. Therefore, Adam’s â€Å"American Dream† needs to be revised to imply that success doesn’t equal happiness, that you don’t need all wealth, and the American Dream is one’s own dream of happiness. Set in Vietnam, during the war, by the village of Tra Bong, a military base is the setting for the transformation of a stereotypical†¦show more content†¦Another encounter of this topic, was Fossie assumes she was having sex with other men, when she was on an ambush. It is this feeling of acceptance that drives people to accept these actions, and not enjoy their own actions they want. Previously stated, Mary Anne was a symbol of the American Dream, however, as she progresses past a woman’s boundaries, she breaks this symbol to evolve into developing her individuality. She first can experience the Vietnamese culture, passed her own American culture, this allows her to be educated to experience different mindsets. Her freedom also allows her to do the soldiers work as well, with operating on the injured as she is picking up these skills quickly. Not only is it not a custom, but it also defies the expectations of women’s as Rat described her, â€Å"she seemed co mfortable and entirely at home; the hostile atmosphere did not seem to register.† Rat also says that, â€Å"she wasn’t dumb†¦. a girl, that’s the only difference, and I’ll tell you something; it didn’t amount to jack.† She embodies individuality and equality as she proves that she can handle it with the men on the base, and sometimes do it better. This is supporting evidence on how her independence from her culturalShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The American Dream1063 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is the American Dream? Is it home ownership, gaining fame or wealth, having a great family or is it gaining a peace of mind? Many people have different versions of what the American Dream is, some people believe the dream is lost, and some people are right in the middle and still believe the American Dream is still alive. â€Å"The American Dream† by Brandon King debates about what the true state is left in the American Dream now. Throughout the essay, King asks if the American Dream is dead, aliveRead MoreThe American Dream Analysis827 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream is another controversial element of American life whose validity was well-debated by writers of the era. This was an ideal that many immigrants from the Old World strived to achieve, hoping that their penniless fortunes would quickly change for the better. One author, William Bryant Cullen, emphasized how America is a refuge for â€Å"Earth’s trodden down and opprest† peoples, including the â€Å"hunted head† and the â€Å"starved laborer.† This phrase from the patriotic poem indicates that theRead MoreAmerican Dream Analysis995 Words   |  4 Pagesrealize that each character has their own dreams and aspirations for life. These dreams are used to resemble Steinbecks opinions about the American dream. Therefore, Steinbeck proves that the American dream is unrealistic and unable to be achieved; this is proved through th e dreams of Lennie, George, and Crooks. Steinbeck believes that the American dream is unrealistic and unable to be achieved. Lennie dreams of tending rabbits on a farm with George. Lennie’s dream is never achieved due to his tragicRead MoreThe American Dream Analysis1162 Words   |  5 Pagesblack women in his writing? Why? What is The American Dream? What is the Dream Coates talks about? What is the difference? This should be three paragraphs long. (He goes further into it on page 146) * The American Dream is the ideal that anyone can be successful if they work hard enough. This insinuates that America is the land of equal opportunity where any individual can pursue happiness and prosperity through hard work and dedication. This â€Å"Dream† is found in the Declaration of IndependenceRead MoreThe American Dream Case Analysis1355 Words   |  6 Pages American Dream Case Analysis At 1981, The George A. Hormel Meatpacking Company cut wages from $10.69 to $8.25 to claim the need to remain competitive. Companies threat workers that they either close one plant and then open it at lower wage places or exit the business directly. Local unions like P-9 firstly request that all the workers should stick to $10.69 an hour in ten or fifteen years that we could call its target point. The company didn’t agree, they asserted new member workers the companyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The American Dream 1071 Words   |  5 PagesThe American dream to me is a secure way of life for the future. Having a steady job, no struggles and financial securities. Living life to the absolute fullest while being successful by doing what you love. So my idea is supported by connecting to Sam Walton and Jay –Z profiles/interviews. The interview says no matter how hard you had it growing up, you can still conquer anything if you work hard enough and put your mind to it. T his is the same as the visual image of the homeless person in theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The American Dream 754 Words   |  4 Pages Nyreel Powell Ms. Jones American Literature 1 June 2015 The American dream in A Raisin in the Sun Have you ever had a dream and it didn’t come how you wanted it to be? Have you ever had accomplishments that you wanted to achieve but people were getting in the way of them? The four main characters in this book all have good dreams but there are people in the way of getting to those dreams or their dream is too high to accomplish. A Raisin in the Sun a play written by Lorraine Hansberry, andRead MoreAnalysis Of Urban And The American Dream Essay1295 Words   |  6 Pagesemerged in the mid-twentieth century. There are many influential films that have emerged from this genre such as City of God (2002) and Straight Outta Compton (2015). Urban/hood films generally surround young men, that are typically Black/African-American (but other racial groups can be present as well) who live in the impoverished areas of cities. The characters of these movies are often trying to find a way to better the standards of their lives (and may compromise their moral beliefs to accomplishRead MoreLevitt American Dream Analysis726 Words   |  3 Pages The Levitts have a simple version of the American Dream during the 1950s. Each son had a specific American Dream they were trying to achieve. For Alfred, the American Dream was to be married and to make other people happy. He does this by making the communities have a perfect design with green grass. William Levitts viewpoint on the American Dream is different from Alfred. William wanted to make money and live a life of which he is â€Å"on top of the world.† A quote which shows this states â€Å"In hisRead MoreMarxist Analysis of the American Dream990 Words   |  4 Pagesare relishing in The American Dream While capitalism promotes the belief that this dream is achievable, it is more often than not, a literal dream, and leaves its pursuers poor, and weak. This keeps the working class powerless, and pacified to propagate capitalistic values. Clean cut examples of this are cases in such societies where people do not have the chance to advance but have the chance to succeed. A strange position that seems to contradict a culture thats Dream is to be powerful and