Thursday, October 24, 2019

Con law essay

Introduction The Lincoln High School seal designed by the School Seal Committee does not violate the Establishment Clause nor does it violate Leslie Fosters or anyone else's right to Freedom of Religion granted by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The First Amendment contains the Establishment Clause which states that the government shall make no law â€Å"Respecting an establishment of religion†. In other words the government shall not endorse religion and it shall not give preference to one religion over another but it does not prohibit the government's entry into religious domain to make accommodations.In this case the way to determine if the governments actions have endorsed religion it is required to apply the Lemon Test, created by the United States and obtained from Lemon v. Kurtzman. The Lemon Test is used to determine whether or not a display violates the First Amendment by endorsing religion. The first prong of the Lemon Test articulates that the government's actions must have a secular purpose. The second prong affirms that the government's action must not have the primary effect of either advancing or inhibiting religion.Last but not least, the third prong expresses that the governments action must not esult in an â€Å"excessive entanglement† alongside religion. To determine if the Lincoln High School seal is constitutional it must pass all three parts of the Lemon Test Theretore, since the Lincoln High Seal does pass all three parts ot the Lemon Test it is proven that the seal does not violate the establishment clause nor does it violate Leslie Fosters right to Freedom of Religion. Secular Purpose A.Stated Purpose The Lincoln High School seal passed the first prong of the Lemon Test because it has a secular purpose. Although the seal contains religious symbols they are considered secular because the urpose of them being there is to express the diversity among the students that attend Lincoln High to overall repre sent the school itself. For example, according to Lynch v. Donnelly the inclusion of a nativity scene in a city display did not infringe the Establishment Clause because the stated purpose was sincere and it was not a sham.The nativity scene was placed there to show the citys historical background. In Lincoln High School at the beginning of designing the seal the members of the school seal committee were instructed to design and create a seal that represented Lincoln High and its students. The students had many arguments and disputes on how to represent the students because each one of them had different ideas. They did discuss other ways to represent the students but they all agreed that the best way to display the diversity of the students was by the inclusion of the religious symbols.Since the Lincoln High Muslim Societys office had been vandalized by Christian and Jewish students they suggested to add religious symbols hoping to demonstrate the tolerance and respect they felt to ward the views of all the members of the Lincoln High community. The purpose, like in Lynch, was sincere and it was not a sham because they were actually aiming to represent the three most common religions in the school with the purpose to represent the students diversity not the religions the way that the government in Lynch was trying to represent the citys historical background through the nativity scene.Also, In Books v. Elkhart a monument inscribed with the Ten Commandments stood in front of the city of Elkhart's Municipal Building. Forty years after the monuments erection residents of Elkhart County, filed suit against the city alleging that he monument's presence violated the Establishment Clause. The court ruled the monument inscribed with the Ten Commandments to be secular because of its location, outside the Municipal Building, which houses the local courts and local prosecutor's office. This location emphasizes the foundational role of the Ten Commandments in secular, leg al matters.The court stated that a carving of Moses holding the Ten Commandments, surrounded by representations of other historical legal figures, signals respect not for great proselytizers but for great lawgivers. The court found the monument to be ecular because it was surrounded by other legal givers which minimized the religious purpose the monument of the Ten Commandments displayed to the community According to Books the court should look at the totality location of the circumstances to determine the actual purpose of the display.Like in Books, you can determine the actual purpose of the Lincoln High seal by looking at the totality of the circumstances. The religious symbols in the seal portray the role religions have amongst the students in the school in a secular way. Since the religious symbols in the seal are surrounded by other ecular symbols you can infer that the over all purpose is to represent the school not the religious symbols themselves. You can also determine tha t its meant to represent the school and its students because of its surroundings similar to how the Ten Commandments in Books represents a figure of a historical law giver not a proselytizer.The religious aspect in both cases have been proven to have a secular purpose because of their historical backgrounds and the circumstances in which they are present. B. Written Purpose It can also be determined that the Lincoln High School seal is secular by onsidering the leaflet that accompanied the seal. In the leaflet the members of the school committee wrote that the Lincoln High School seal is intended to represent the school, its population, Lincoln Center City and the state of Fordham.They wrote this to explain to the community that would see the seal during its inauguration what the symbols represented. In Adland v. Russ a monument inscribed with the Ten Commandments located on capitol grounds near Kentuckys floral clock lacked any secular purpose because it was unaccompanied by any ot her document. Therefore because of the Ten ommandments distinctly religious nature the pre- eminent purpose for the posting of the Ten Commandments is plainly religious. According to Adland v.Russ, an effective disclaimer can further strengthen the secular purpose of a public display. Unlike Adland the Lincoln High School Seal was accompanied with a leaflet that specifically stated the purpose of the symbols that were included in the seal which overall served to support the claim that the seal had a secular purpose. Effect 1 . Religious symbols The primary effect of the Lincoln high seal did not promote any religion over another because they used the three eligions that were abundant amongst the students.The members of the seal committee did acknowledge the fact that their were other religions practiced by the students who attended the schools and that their were other ways to represent diversity but they chose religion and specifically these three because their was a lot of tension going on between them. They contacted one of the members in the committee's father to ask about the religious symbols that corresponded witn the religions. The members dad happened to be a pastor which benefited them to achieve the information they needed to represent the diversity among he students, not necessarily the religion.The students hoped that by representing all the students as a whole through these religious symbols and the secular symbols the tension would diminish and the vandalizing of the Lincoln High Muslims Societys office would be behind them. The religious symbols that were included in the seal are that Latin Cross, Star of David, and a crescent moon and star. There are religious symbols in the seal but they only take up one third of the seal and they don't advance the religion they exhibit the diversity of the students through religion.The secular symbols integrated in the eal is the school name, school mascot, and a picture of the school. The outline of Fordham and the state flower and bird have been included to represent Lincoln Center City. The description of these symbols is also included in the leaflet accompanying the seal. Two- thirds of the seal is made up of secular symbols while only one third of the seal is made up of religious symbols. The inclusion of these secular symbols minimize the effect that the religious symbols have on the seal simply because their are more secular symbols than religious symbols.In Allegheny v. Aclu a cr ©che donated to the ity by a Roman Catholic group was placed on the staircase of the County Courthouse, the countys seat of government. With a banner it that said † Glory to in the highes t†. The Court reasoned cr ©che stood alone and contained an unmistakable religious message. Unlike Allegheny the religious symbols in the Lincoln High seal do not stand alone, they are surrounded by other secular symbols which gives off a secular message instead of a religious one.The secular symbols d elude the significance of the religious symbols because it shows that not only the religious symbols represent the school and its students. Therefore, all the symbols are of equal importance. Also in Allegheny another display outside another government building included a menorah and Christmas tree. On the other hand that court held that the menorah and Christmas tree had a secular purpose therefore they did not violate the Establishment Clause.The court noted that the display was not constitutional simply because it included two religions. Rather, it was constitutional because it celebrated the two holidays using what the Court viewed as secular symbols. This made the display, in the Court's view a recognition of the wo holidays, rather than an endorsement of them. Like in the Lincoln high seal the religious symbols are not secular simply because it includes the three religious symbols, but because it represented the schools students and their diversity like it was stated in the le aflet.The religious symbols in The Lincoln High seal, like in Allegheny are viewed as a recognition of the religions in the school rather than an endorsement ot them. According to Allgneny , cou rts nave never required that displays with religious symbols contain a symbol of every religion to be constitutional. In other words a display that contains a religious symbol doesn't not need to have a symbol on every religion in order to be constitutional and not violate the Establishment Clause. The Lincoln High School seal does not need to have a symbol of every religion in order to be consititutional.It is obvious that their are more religions practiced in the school other than the ones provided in the school but it also needs to be recognized that those three religions are the ones that are mostly practiced among the students. The religious symbols don't make the secular symbols religious but the secular ymbols do make the religious symbols secular because it emphasizes what the religi ous symbols are actually representing which is the students and their diversity in the school. In Friedman v.Bernalillo, The case challenges a county government's use of a seal bearing, among other things, a Latin cross and the Spanish motto, â€Å"CON ESTA VENCEMOS,†. While the cross is the primary symbol of Christianity, the Establishment Clause does not prohibit all references to objects of some religious significance. The district court found that a secular legislative urpose is served by the county seal because it is used to promote the appreciation of the heritage, history and cultural pride of Bernalillo County.In the Lincoln High School seal the religious symbols in are used to promote the diversity among the students and represent the school. All in all botn cases the displays nave been rul ed to nave a secular effect even though they contained distinctively religious symbols because like in Lincoln High the seals distinctive religious symbols don't endorse religion because of their purpose. 2. Secular Symbols The secular symbols in the Lincoln High School seal diminish the ffect that the religious symbols portray. In Kuhn v.City of Rolling Meadow she seal contained a church, which was considered a religious symbols. It surrounding secular symbols was a house, a family and trees. It also had city of Rolling Meadows and State of Illinois around the seal. The seal was considered constitutional because of the overall effect was not to endorse religion. The church was more than Just a religious symbol it was a historical symbol as well because of its historical background. Also the secular symbols surrounding it made it obvious so distinguish the fact that the hurch was included to emphasize the citys heritage and culture.The religious symbols in the seal weren't anymore prominent than the secular symbols which reveal that they are all of equal importance. Like in The Lincoln High School seal the three religious symbols also don't endorse religion because its surrounding symbols are secular which reduce the religious meaning that the religious symbols have and make all the seals of equal importance. Like in Kuhn the religious symbols in the Lincoln High seal are not more prominent than the secular symbols in the seal and they don't ave anything special to them that distinguish their importance from the other seal.With the inclusion of the secular symbols the religious symbols in the Lincoln High seal do not have an overall effect of endorsing religion. Rather, its overall effect is to represent the diversity in the school. In FFRF v. City of Wyoming the seal contains a house a golf course, a house, a building and a chapel. In this case it was also determined that the seal is constitutional because of its secular symbols. The golf course, building, and house all represent the City of Wyoming, Michigan.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Week 3 Acct2522

ACCT2522 Management Accounting 1 Session 1, 2013 Tutorial Week 3 – Cost basics Overall Theme We will explore fundamental assumptions of cost functions and discuss the relationships between cost behaviour, cost estimation and cost prediction. The concept of cost driver analysis and its application to cost estimation and cost management will also be discussed. We will also describe how to estimate cost behaviour using managerial judgment, engineering methods and other quantitative techniques. Desired Learning Outcomes and Essential Reading Langfield-Smith, K. , H. Thorne, and R. W. Hilton (2012).Management Accounting 6e: Information for Managing and Creating Value, 6th ed, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd. (Hereafter referred to as LS) †¢ Chapter 2 †¢ Chapter 3 (include Appendix 3 portion on â€Å"Evaluating the regression equation† p. 108109) TOPIC 3 COST BASICS After completing this topic, you should be able to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Why are costs important? Wh at does ‘different costs for different purposes’ mean? Understand and apply various classifications of costs. Understand cost drivers and the role of cost driver analysis. Describe and apply the activity hierarchy of costs and cost drivers.Explain the relationships between cost estimation, cost behaviour and cost prediction. Understand and apply various methods for cost estimation. Understand some practical issues faced in estimating cost functions. 1 Tutorial Questions (must be prepared prior to the tutorial) Question 1: Langfield-Smith, Chapter 3, Case 3. 41 Parts Q3-8 only Please note that all numbers in the cost functions should be rounded off to 2 dec places. Excel regression outputs are as follows: Part 1: If only patient load is considered as a determinant of administration costs, a simple regression can be used, utilising Excel.The output is reproduced below. Regression Statistics Multiple R 0. 927088078 R Square 0. 859492304 Adjusted R Square 0. 824365379 Stand ard Error 401. 9749382 Observations 6 ANOVA df Regression Residual Total 1 4 5 Coefficients Intercept Patients 6 181. 36646 3. 838509317 SS 3 953 664. 596 646 335. 4037 4 600 000 Standard error 730. 0175478 0. 775999898 MS 395 3665 161583. 9 F 24. 468191 Significance F 0. 00778042 t Stat 8. 467422 4. 946533 P-value 0. 0010661 0. 0077804 Lower 95% 4 154. 51281 1. 6839882 Upper 95% 8 208. 220107 5. 993030436Part 2: When both patient load and the number of emergency procedures are considered as determinants of administrative cost, a multiple regression must be used. Utilising Excel, the regression statistics are reproduced below. Regression Statistics Multiple R 0. 92919029 R Square 0. 86339459 Adjusted R Square 0. 77232432 Standard Error 457. 669779 Observations 6 ANOVA Regression Residual Total df 2 3 5 SS 3 971 615. 12 628 384. 8797 4 600 000 MS 1 985 808 209 461. 6 F 9. 480532 Significance F 0. 05048959 Standard Lower Coefficients Error t Stat P-value 95% Intercept 5943. 98625 1161 . 190869 5. 18871 0. 01443 2 248. 558665 Emergency 24. 9140893 85. 10570782 0. 292743 0. 788799 -245. 930256 Patients 3. 80756014 0. 889819838 4. 279024 0. 023443 0. 975756281 Upper Lower Upper 95% 95. 0% 95. 0% 9 639. 414 2 248. 5599 639. 414 295. 7584 -245. 932 95. 7584 6. 639364 0. 975756 6. 639364 2 Question 2: Refer to Beth and Jessie’s ice cream factory from the tutorial last week. Please assume that in addition to chocolate chip ice-cream, Beth and Jessie have expanded their operations to produce Extra Chewy Cookie Dough ice-cream and Super Creamy Strawberry Cheesecake ice-cream. They hired semi-retired chef on a project-by-project basis to help develop these two flavours; and he is currently experimenting with another new flavour – Very Juicy Mango Delight. We further assume that the processes are exactly the same to manufacture all three types of ice-creams, except that different flavours and different â€Å"extra ingredients† are added. A. Please give examples of the following: Cost object = A box of ice-cream. 1. A unit level cost 2. A batch level cost 3. A product level cost 4. A facility level cost B. For each of the your examples, 1. Suggest a potential cost driver 2.Classify the cost as manufacturing or non-manufacturing 3 Self Study Questions and Solutions (complete in your own time) 1. 2. 3. 4. LS, Chapter 2, Self-Study problem 1. LS, Chapter 2, Review Question 2. 7 LS, Chapter 3, Question 3. 34. Mowen, Chapter 3, Question 3. 10. (Note: You are not required to run a regression, the output table is provided below. 4 Self Study Questions and Solutions (complete in your own time) 1. LS, Chapter 2, Self-Study problem 1. Solution is on p. 61-62 with the following amendments: 4) Answer should a, and h. (Sales and marketing are often used interchangeably. 7) Answer should be a, and NOT b. (The word-processing equipment is used for administration purposes and should not be inventorised. ) 9) Answer should be a, and either g or h. (If the new product packaging is designed to attract customers’ attention and increase sales, the cost of material can also be considered a marketing cost. ) 2. LS, Chapter 2, Review Question 2. 7 When analysing cost behaviour the ‘level of activity’ refers to the level of work performed in the organisation. The activity generally causes the cost and, for this reason, the level of activity is often referred to as the level of cost driver.Activity can be expressed in many different ways, including units produced, number of machine hours, number of direct labour hours, number of transactions, kilometres driven, kilowatts used, pages printed, number of set-ups, number of engineering hours and so on. 3. LS, Chapter 3, Question 3. 34. Answers to this question will vary. Rather than looking for a right answer, students should seek an understanding of the concepts. 1. Given that a full-time technician is hired, this component of the cost is a fixed cost.The additional c ost of repairs by the local dealer may be related to the number of instruments used in the school, or number of hours of instruction. A semi-variable cost. 2. The number of audit hours is a cost driver, which, in turn may be related to the number of students (influencing the number of transactions. ) A variable cost. 3. No cost driver – a fixed cost; step-fixed cost if the number of students grew beyond the ability of existing admin staff to cope and another new staff has to be hired. 4. Number of students enrolled, or number of hours of instruction. Variable cost. . No cost driver i. e. a fixed cost (if annual fixed salary paid) or, (if paid on an hourly basis) the number of hours employed or the number of hours of instruction (i. e. , a variable cost). 6. Number of students enrolled. A variable cost. 7. A fixed cost; no driver. (However, in the long term, the cost of new instruments purchased will drive the depreciation charge. ) 8. Probably fixed; no cost driver. 9. Number of hours the school is open. A semi-variable cost. 5 4. Mowen, Chapter 3, Question 3. 10 Note: You may have a slightly different figure due to rounding (e. g. ,  ±1). 6

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Everything You Need to Know to Visit the Temples of Bagan

Everything You Need to Know to Visit the Temples of Bagan SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips For grandeur, size, and the feeling that you’re Indiana Jones, it’s hard to compete with the temples of Bagan in central Myanmar. This massive expanse of thousands of temples (estimates range from 2,000 to over 4,000) dot the landscape in various stages of dilapidation and restoration. Built by a series of kings between 1057 and 1287, Bagan is one of an increasingly rare breed: a world-class attraction that hasn’t yet been discovered by the masses. Bagan’s popularity is increasing, but much of the information about it has not kept pace, and that can make it difficult for travelers trying to plan a trip to this site. Bagan offers a range of unique experiences. While here you can: Watch the sunrise from the top of Shwesandaw Pagoda Cool off with a glass of fresh tamarind juice in a cafe overlooking the Irrawaddy River Discover gold-plated Buddha statues hidden in temple niches Survey the ruins of past kingdoms during a hot air balloon ride over the plains Follow winding dirt roads around bushes and through groves of palm trees to discover tiny temples that only get a few visitors a year This guide will walk you through each step you need to take to plan and carry out a trip to Bagan, from when to visit and how to get there to which temples to visit and what form of transportation to use. 5 Things to Figure Out Before You Leave The logistics of visiting Bagan can be somewhat challenging, so it's important to make sure you thoroughly understand what to expect before heading out. When to Visit One of the first things to decide on when planning your trip to Bagan is figuring out when you’d like to visit. The most popular time to visit Bagan is in the winter, from November through February, when it is both cooler and dry. The average temperature during this period is around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius). This is when temperatures are coolest and there is little rain, but this is also when Bagan is most crowded. If you’d like to avoid the crowds or can’t make it to Bagan in the winter, it’s also possible to visit during other times of the year. The end of the dry season, from March to May, is when temperatures are hottest in Bagan. The average temperature during these months is about 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 Celsius), although the temperature can often get over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) in the middle of the day. Rainy season begins at the end of May and lasts through October. Temperatures are cooler during this period (about 78 degrees Fahrenheit/ 26 Celsius), but it will rain nearly every day. Take your personal preferences into account when choosing when to visit. Winter has the most enjoyable weather, but you’ll also have to deal with more crowds (although nothing close to those you’ll find at similar locations like Angkor Wat). If you think you can handle the high temperatures, the end of the dry season can be an ideal time to visit Bagan as you'll have many of the smaller temples to yourself. The short period between seasons can also get you the best of both worlds. I visited Bagan at the end of May, right at the beginning of the rainy season, and I was lucky to have no rain, cloudy skies which kept the temperature lower, and few other visitors at the temples, although this won’t always be the case. Whatever month you choose to visit Bagan, know that any time in the near future is a great time to go. Bagan’s popularity has been steadily increasing in the past few years, and, while it’s still a somewhat undiscovered place, that won’t last forever. So visit Bagan now before the rest of the world catches on. How Long to Stay The temples cover a huge area and take a while to get to, therefore I’d recommend spending at least two days, ideally three, in Bagan. Your first day can be spent visiting the major temples (described below), preferably with a guide, on your second day you can explore some of the smaller and more distant temples on your own, and your third day can be spent further exploring the area or returning to some of your favorite temples. Staying longer is always possible, and you could easily spend your entire trip exploring Bagan and still only see a fraction of what it has to offer. However, there isn't much else in the area besides temples, so if you get easily "templed-out", take that into account when planning your itinerary. How to Get to Myanmar Most foreign visitors to Myanmar will require a visa to enter the country. If you’re a citizen of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand (only if you’re entering via an international airport), or Vietnam, you don’t need a visa if your visit is less than 14 days. Most people who need a visa are eligible to apply for an eVisa (check the website to see if your country is one of those eligible for the eVisa). To apply for the eVisa, you’ll need your passport information, a recent color photo you can upload, and credit card details to pay the $50 fee. After your eVisa is approved, you’ll receive an eVisa approval letter which is valid for 90 days and which you must have with you when you arrive in Myanmar. If your approval letter is expired, you won’t be allowed to enter the country. Your eVisa allows you a single visit of up to 28 days in Myanmar, and eVisas can only be used by people entering via an international airport. Most people enter Myanmar at the country’s largest city, Yangon, but there are also two additional international airports in Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw. The eVisa is by far the most popular way to get the visa needed to enter Myanmar, but there is also a paper visa and a visa on arrival. For people in the United States, information on the paper visa, as well as the form you need to fill out and submit, can be found on the Myanmar Embassy’s website. The paper visa will also grant you a single visit of up to 28 days, and you’ll need to attach proof of your plane tickets, hotel reservations, or confirmation from your tour leader. Visas on arrival are rare to get, and they also require additional documents, such as proof of your itinerary. More information about them can be found on the government of Myanmar’s website. Money Matters The kyat is the currency used in Myanmar, and one USD is worth approximately 75 kyats. You can get kyats at an ATM or by exchanging money at a bank or exchange center. If you are exchanging US dollars, make sure the bills are in as pristine condition as possible, as many places won't take them if they have any wrinkles or tears. It's best to get kyats before you arrive in Bagan, as ATMs and official exchange centers are rare outside of the main cities. Some places will accept US dollars in place of kyats, and many of the larger hotels accept major credit cards. How to Get to Bagan After you arrive in Myanmar, there are several ways to get to Bagan. If you’re traveling with a tour, these details will already be worked out for you, but if you’re traveling independently, you’ll have to figure out how to get to Bagan on your own. Flying The fastest way to get to Bagan is to fly. The Bagan airport is called Nyaung U, and there are flights from both Yangon (80 minutes) and Mandalay (30 minutes). (Nyuang U is only a domestic airport, so there are no international flights there.) Flying domestically in Myanmar used to be difficult because there was no way to purchase tickets online. Recently, however, most airlines have adopted e-ticketing. Flights are still limited, so tickets should be purchased at least several weeks, and ideally a few months, in advance. The airlines offering flights to Bagan are Asian Wings Airways, Golden Myanmar Airlines, Mann Yadanarpon Airlines, and Myanmar National Airlines. Roundtrip flights from Yangon start at about $215, and from Mandalay at about $150. Bus The cheapest way to get to Bagan is traveling by bus. Overnight buses from Yangon leave around 6pm-8pm and arrive very early in the morning, usually around 3am. (Hotels are well accustomed to this, and many will let you check in when you arrive, provided your room is vacant.) Bus rides from Mandalay take five to seven hours and travel during the day. There’s variation in the quality of different bus lines, with the higher-end companies, like JJ Express or Bagan Minn Thar Express, offering reclining and quite spacious seats. Most hotels can help you purchase bus tickets, or you can buy them from the ticket office directly. Tickets from Mandalay cost about 10,000 kyats ($9), and tickets from Yangon start at about 15,000 kyats ($13), with higher-end companies costing a bit more. Train Traveling by train is slower than more expensive than going via bus, but if you enjoy train journeys, you may be interested in taking a train to Bagan. From Yangon, trains leave around 4pm and arrive the next morning at about 10am. Trains from Mandalay run during the day and take about 7 hours, although delays of up to several hours are often reported. Trains in Myanmar are often old and have only basic amenities, although most will have a restaurant car available. Train tickets need to be bought at the station. A ticket for a sleeper-car from Yangon will cost about $50, while tickets from Mandalay are about $7-$10. Boat The only way to enter Bagan via boat is if you’re coming from Mandalay. The journey can take between 8 hours and two days, depending on whether you’re on a government-run â€Å"slow boat† or a faster boat that makes fewer stops and doesn’t overnight. Boats stop in either Nyang U or Old Bagan. The ferry service is shut down from April through June due to low water levels. Ticket prices can vary widely depending on which boat you take, but prices are generally between $15 and $40. What to Expect Once You Arrive in Bagan Once you arrive in Bagan you've made it through the hard part, but there are still some decisions to be made. Arriving in Bagan Both the Nyuang U Airport and the train station are located 2-4 miles southeast of town, depending on which part you’re going to. The jetty is about half a mile from Nyuang U market (the boat may also stop in Old Bagan), and buses will drop you off along Nyuang U’s main road, a few miles from town. No matter how or when you arrive, there will be transportation options to get you to your accommodation. However, if you arrive very early on an overnight bus, your options may be limited to tuk-tuks as opposed to taxis. When you arrive in Bagan, you’ll have to pay the Bagan Archaeological Zone fee (25,000 kyats or $20). If you arrive via boat or plane, you’ll pay this fee at the port or airport. If you arrive by bus or train, there are checkpoints where your driver will stop and you’ll pay the fee (these checkpoints are manned around the clock, so even if you arrive at 3am, you’ll still have to pay). After you pay the fee, you’ll be issued a small card you may be asked to show your hotel when you check in. The card is valid for one week, but people working at the temples rarely ask for it, so you likely won’t have to buy another card if you stay longer than a week. Where to Stay While not very populous, Bagan covers a significant area (the Bagan Archaeological Zone on its own is 26 square miles), and there are several different towns you can stay in. Be aware that hotel prices drop significantly during the off-season if you look for deals online. Nyuang U Most people stay in Nyuang U because it is the largest town in the area and offers the most amenities. Nyuang U is also where most of the transportation links are, and, even if you don’t stay here, you’ll likely pass through on your way in or out of Bagan. If you’re traveling on a budget, Nyuang U has the widest selection of hostels and budget hotels in the area, with some rooms as cheap as $20 a night. It also has the greatest selection of restaurants. Nyuang U has a few minor temples within its boundaries, but it's two miles away from the edge of the main temple area. Old Bagan Old Bagan is located next to the Irrawaddy River, just a short walk to the main temple zone (however, a bike or other form of transportation is recommended to reach more distant temples). Because this is the closest you can stay to the temples, accommodation is most expensive here. There are some high-end hotels that cost several hundred dollars a night, but it is possible to find a room for under $100 or even less if you visit in the off-season. There are restaurants here but, in general, Old Bagan is the quietest area to stay in. New Bagan New Bagan strikes a good balance between the other two areas. It’s between Old Bagan and Nyuang U in terms of both price and distance to the temples, so if you’re trying to balance your budget and travel time to the temples, New Bagan might be a good option for you. Which Temples to Visit One of the most unique and memorable aspects of Bagan is wandering through a maze of hundreds of small and forgotten temples with no one else in sight. At least part of your trip should involve just heading out and seeing what you find, but there are also certain temples everyone who visits Bagan should see, and I’ve described each of them below. These temples are generally the biggest, most beautiful, and most religiously significant in all of Bagan. Ananda Temple One of the most important of several thousand temples of Bagan, the Ananda Temple is definitely a must-see. It was built over 900 years ago by King Kyanzittha and today is an important Buddhist pilgrimage spot. Ananda is also one of the best-preserved temples in Bagan, and beyond the entrance are numerous Buddha statues and a courtyard with traditional glazed tiles. This is one of the most popular temples to visit, so there will often be crowds and vendors selling goods during peak times. Dhammayangyi Temple Dhammayangyi draws visitors because it’s the largest temple in Bagan and is visible across most of the temple zone. It’s imposing exterior matches a grim history. Dhammayangyi is said to have been built in the 12th century as an attempt at atonement by King Narathu, who was known for murdering multiple members of his family. It doesn’t seem to have changed his personality much though, for the king also allegedly chopped off an arm of any worker who didn’t meet his strict construction standards for Dhammayangyi. Gory history aside, this is one of the best-preserved temples in Bagan and has many original paintings and mortar decorations. Gawdawpalin Temple Also known as the â€Å"temple of forgiveness†, Gawdawpalin was built in the 12th century by King Narapatisithu. Legend has it that the king committed a terrible crime that caused him to go blind. After completing the temple and praying for forgiveness, his sight was miraculously restored. This isn’t the most unique or interesting temple to see, but it’s an excellent example of how temples were built in the late Bagan period. Shwesandaw Pagoda This white-washed colored pagoda isn’t the most stunning building in the area, but it’s one of the most popular places to watch sunrise and sunset. Climbing to the highest level gives sweeping views of the plains dotted with temples. At dawn and dusk Shwesandaw can be extremely crowded, but it’s quite empty during other times, and the views are still some of the best you’ll get anywhere in Bagan. Shwezigon Pagoda Located in Nyuang U, glittery, golden Shwezigon makes a nice contrast to all of the brick you’ve likely been seeing in Old Bagan. The temple includes four shrines, each housing a bronze Buddha, as well as 37 nat, or pre-Buddhist religious figurines. Thatbyinnyu Pagoda The tallest temple in Bagan, Thatbyinnyu is located near the Ananda Temple. The temple is primarily white, with its spires tipped with gold. Unfortunately, past earthquakes have made the upper stories of the building unstable, so visitors are not allowed to climb it. Touring Bagan With a Guide It’s possible to either wander Bagan on your own or hire a guide for a day or half-day tour. There are several types of guided tours. Horse-Cart A guided horse cart tour is the most traditional and cheapest way to tour Bagan. Your guide will be a local, and you’ll sit in the back of a cart with a cover on top so you’re protected from sun and rain. Your driver will know where all of the main temples are as well as places to stop for snacks and drinks, but their job is mostly transporting you from one place to another as opposed to explaining the sites. Once you hop out of the cart to explore the temples you’ll be on your own. Prices can vary widely depending on the season and competition, but expect to pay around 25,000 kyats ($21) for a full-day tour and slightly less for a half-day tour. There are also sometimes rickshaws available for tours, but they're much less common. Taxi You can also tour Bagan in a taxi. This will be similar to the horse cart tour, but with increased comfort and cost, and you’ll likely get to see more of Bagan because you can travel faster. Most hotels will be able to hire taxis for you, and you can also enquire at Nyaung U airport. Taxi tour prices can vary widely (always confirm the price with the driver before you start), but expect to pay about twice as much as a horse cart tour. Balloon Rides For those looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience (besides just visiting Bagan itself), it’s possible to take a hot air balloon over the temples. You’ll take off early in the morning so you can see sunrise from the air, then circle around the main temples of Bagan. Balloon tours are only available from October to April and cost about $350-$400 per person. The price typically includes pickup and drop-off, breakfast, and a champagne toast. There are several companies that offer these tours including Balloons Over Bagan, Bagan Balloon, Oriental Ballooning, and Golden Eagle Ballooning. Book your tickets before you arrive as the trips can sell out in advance. Getting Around on Your Own It’s also possible to explore Bagan individually. Walking is, of course, possible, and can be useful for nearby temples, but Bagan’s size and regular high temperatures mean you’ll probably want to have some form of transportation to more comfortably reach distant sites. Almost every hotel rents bikes for as little as $2 a day. Bikes are a cheap and easy way to get around, but if it’s very hot you may wear yourself out pedaling all day. Also, the ground can get very loose and sandy around the smaller temples, which can be difficult to pedal through. When renting a bike, always try it out first before paying for it. Bike quality can vary widely, and you don’t want to get stuck with a wobbly frame or a flat tire. Another option is getting around on an electronic bike or e-bike, which is a bike that runs on electric power or can be pedaled. These are more expensive, but you travel faster and don’t have to pedal very much. If your own hotel isn’t renting e-bikes, they’ll be able to direct you to a place that does. Again, test the e-bike out before you pay for it, and make sure it’s fully charged. Should You Get a Guide? There are several options for guided tours in Bagan, but do you even need one? As I mentioned above, most tours, excluding some higher-end ones, won’t give you much information about the Bagan temples themselves; instead, they’re primarily a way to get around. This may make you think that a tour isn’t very useful. However, Bagan is a huge site with just a few signs pointing the way to the most important temples. Many temples are found on winding, unmarked dirt roads making it almost impossible to easily find all the temples you want to see on your own, even if you have a map. While in Bagan, I met multiple tourists who had decided not to hire a guide to keep costs down, but many left Bagan disappointed because they were unable to find some of the most important and popular temples on their own. I’d highly recommend hiring a guide for your first day in Bagan and asking them to take you to each of the main temples. This way you’ll ensure that you see each of Bagan’s main sights. You can spend the following day/days exploring the other temples on your own and perhaps return to some of your favorites. Tips for Visiting Bagan Finally, there are a few tips you should keep in mind in order to keep your trip to Bagan as smooth and enjoyable as possible. Tip 1: Make Use of the Early Morning Bagan is hot all year round, so take advantage of the morning hours right after dawn when Bagan is cooler and less crowded. During sunrise, there will generally be crowds around popular spots like Shwesandaw Pagoda, but at least one morning you should get off the beaten trail and visit some of the lesser-known temples. You’ll likely have them all to yourself. Tip 2: Dress Appropriately Most of Myanmar is devoutly Buddhist, and the temples of Bagan are some of their most important religious sites. As such, visitors are expected to be respectful and dress appropriately. Everyone, especially women, should make sure their pants/skirt/dress reaches past their knees, and covering your shoulders is a good idea too. Those who don’t meet the dress code will be denied entry into the larger temples (most smaller temples have no one to check what you’re wearing). You must be barefoot when entering the temples, so wear flip-flops or sandals so you're not spending a lot of time messing with socks and shoelaces. Walking barefoot on hot tiles can get uncomfortable in the middle of the day, which is another reason to get up early. Tip 3: Be Respectful Again, the Bagan temples are culturally and religiously significant to the people of Myanmar, so don’t treat them like they’re just an Instagram background. In February 2016, the Myanmar government banned the climbing of all but five of the Bagan temples. The five temples exempt from the ban are Shwesandaw (discussed above), Pyathard Gyi, North Gunni, South Gunni and Thitsaw Wati. This ban was instituted because of â€Å"inappropriate activity† by tourists, including sleeping in the temples, entering restricted areas, dancing in the temples, and causing damage to the stonework. You don’t need to be frozen and silent when you’re in the temples, but don’t be rowdy either and don’t try to access restricted areas (many of these are unstable due to age and earthquake damage, and building collapses are not uncommon). Tip 4: Do Some Exploring My last and most important piece of advice is to do some old-school exploring of Bagan. Bagan is one of the only archaeological wonders of the world where you’re pretty much given free reign around the site. There are literally thousands of temples to explore, but most tour groups will only visit a handful of the biggest and most famous ones. Grab a bike and just pedal in the direction of anything that looks interesting. I spent several days getting lost in mazes of hundreds of smaller temples, and, in addition to the temples, I came across local goat herders and their flocks, Burmese children walking home from school, and a tiny cemetery a villager brought me to. If you’re worried about not knowing how to find your way back to civilization, bring a map with you. You’ll regularly come across Burmese people, and even if they don’t speak English, if you point to town on your map, they’ll be able to send you in the right direction. Recently, I’ve seen more and more people complaining about crowds in Bagan, but on my recent trip I found it easy to escape the masses by stepping onto any of the smaller dirt roads and seeing where it took me.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Society and Teen Drug Use †Health Essay

Society and Teen Drug Use – Health Essay Free Online Research Papers Society and Teen Drug Use Health Essay People rarely escape the topic of drugs because they are everywhere in society; from television to magazines, from movies to radio and from social issues to public concerns. Teens are the ones most bombarded by drugs and drug paraphernalia because they are the ones targeted by dealers and traffickers. The dealers and traffickers get the leader of a group of teenagers hooked on drugs and use him/her to steer other teens towards drugs. The leader embraces anyone who does drugs and shuns anyone who does not, which forces teens to think that they need drugs to be popular. The dealers and traffickers also seek out unpopular teenagers and convince them that drugs are a quick answer to their social problems. To add to the pressure, many admired musicians place drugs into their songs, and several well-liked actors and actresses have roles in movies that contain drug usage. In fact, some of the musicians and actors are addicts themselves, which just furthermore impairs teens about making the right choices in relation to drugs and persuades them to do drugs to be â€Å"cool† like the actors. We as a society must put and end to drug use and abuse. It ruins the user’s life by forcing the user to spend all their money on their horrible addiction. Once the user is out of money, they resort to stealing which boosts up the crime rates and makes our society an unsafe place to live and work. Drugs that are injected into the user’s body via a needle help the spread of sicknesses such as the AIDS virus and Hepatitis B. To put an end to the flow of drugs, the government should raise the consequences on trafficking, possession and dealing drugs. To stop the increase of drug addicts the government should thoroughly educate teens on drug use and abuse, what drugs can to do a user’s body and how drugs consume a user’s life. Therefore peer pressure should be stopped because it can manipulate teenagers into drugs which will ruin their lives. Introduction Teens all over the world face hardships and obstacles that they must overcome in order to succeed in life. These obstacles can come in any form, but for teens in Canada, it comes as peer pressure. Peer pressure is the problem of many teenaged Canadians for it can control the actions of unwilling teenagers and force them to make bad decisions that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. To let teens succeed in life peer pressure must be stopped. Conclusion Peer pressure must be stopped because it causes the problems of numerous teenagers all over Canada, everywhere in North America and around the world. If peer pressuring someone into a bad lifestyle could be put to an end, then the world would be a better place because there would be a lot less negative influence on developing minds. Peer pressure turns perfectly good, intelligent people into drug addicts, criminals, bullies and gang members. How would you feel if peer pressure turned your child into a drug addict? Research Papers on Society and Teen Drug Use - Health EssayThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andQuebec and CanadaHip-Hop is ArtEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraCapital PunishmentMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

Sunday, October 20, 2019

How Many Questions Can You Skip for a Good SAT Score

How Many Questions Can You Skip for a Good SAT Score SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Every year students fight to get the SAT score they want. For manystudents, completing all the questions before running out of time is a serious challenge. If you're one of those who struggles to finish the test in time, skipping can be a real asset. But how many questions can you skip for a good score on the SAT? In this article, I’ll let you know how many questions you can skip or get wrong for 1280 out of 1600. I qualify 1280 as a good score since it is approximately between the 81st and 85th percentile for all test-takers. However, exactly what a good score is for you depends on what college you hope to attend. For guidance on how to determine what SAT score you should shoot for, check out our guide to calculating your target score. Even if your goal isn't exactly 1280, this guide can help you understand how many questions you can afford to skip to achieve the score you want. How Is the SAT Scored? To calculate how many questions you can skip for 1280, you need to know how the SAT is scored.Below, I’ll provide a short explanation, but if you’re interested in reading a more in-depth explanation, check out our guide tohow to calculate SAT score. NOTE: The essay is not factored into your composite SAT score (400-1600 scale), so I will not discuss it further in this article. However, for more information on the new SAT essay, read our other guide. On the new SAT, there is no penalty for incorrect answers (no minus points), so skipping or answering a question incorrectly results in the same score. You get one point for every right answer since there is no wrong answer penalty, soyou should bubble something in for every question. When Idiscussskipping in this article, I really mean guessing randomly because you should not leave any bubble blank. For the Math section, you simply get a raw score, which is just the number of questions answered correctly (if you answered 40 correctly, your raw score is 40). For the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section, you get two raw scores: one for the Reading portion and one for the Writing and Language portion. Again, your raw scores are just the number of questions answered correctly. Each raw score is then converted into a scaled score- the exact conversion varies by test date. However, the College Board provides this example chart from their SAT practice test as an estimate: Once you convert your Math raw score to scaled score using the conversion chart, you have your final section score. For example, if you got a raw score of 53 in Math, your final section score would be 740. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing is slightly more complicated. You first need to convert your two raw scores into scaled scores using the chart. For example, if you had a raw score of 44 in Reading and 41 in Writing, your scaled scores would be 35 and 37, respectively. You then take these scaled scores add them together and multiply by tento get your section score: (35 + 37) x 10 = 72 x 10 = 720 Now that we have covered the basic scoring, let’s return to the original question. Bonus: Want to get a perfect SAT score? Read our famous guide on how to score a perfect 1600 on the SAT. You'll learn top strategies from the country's leading expert on the SAT, Allen Cheng, a Harvard grad and perfect scorer. No matter your level, you'll find useful advice here - this strategy guide has been read by over 500,000 people. Read the 1600 SAT guide today and start improving your score. How Many Questions Could You Skip/Get Wrong and Still Get 1280 if You Got All of the Others Right? NOTE: As I mentioned earlier, since there is no penalty for wrong answers, skipping or answering a question incorrectly results in the same score. Therefore, you can skip or answer incorrectly the same number of questions to receive 1280. Also, as I said before, each test date has a unique conversion scale from raw to scaled score, meaning each test date has a different answer, so the answer to this question is not exact. To find the typical number of questions you can skip for 1280, I analyzed eight real SAT practice tests and found the number of questions you could skip to get 640 in each section. I put my findings in this table: Section Math Reading Writing Total Test 1 15 13-14 9-10 37-39 Test 2 18 12-13 9 39-40 Test 3 19 13-14 43-44 Test 4 21 -12 10- 42-44 Test 5 16 10- 10- 36-38 Test 6 16 10 37 Test 7 14 -12 9-10 34-36 Test 8 18 9-10 9 36-37 From the above table, the average number of questions you can skip/get wrong to get 1280 is 38. However, it is important to note that the number of questions you can skip/get wrong to get 1280 depends on the section in which you are skipping the questions. For Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, you can skip/answer incorrectly on average 9 questions on the writing portion and 12 questions on the reading portion. For Math, you can skip/answer incorrectly on average 17 questions between the calculator and no-calculator sections. REMEMBER, this is if you got every single other question correct, which is very difficult. I don’t recommend you skip this many questions, as you can’t guarantee you get every other question correctly. I’ll explain more about this strategy below. What Does This Indicate About Skipping/Answering Questions Incorrectly? If you’re not seeing improvements in your SAT prep and are barely finishing the sections in time, just bubbling in random answers for certain questions may be a better strategy for you. You also can create an exact plan of attack according to your strengths and weaknesses. For your unique plan, consider what section you are struggling the most in whether it is Math, Reading, or Writing. Try to skip the maximum number allowed in that section. Make sure you always bubble in a random guess for those questions (you’re not penalized for guessing, and if you randomly guess right, you get free points!). Make sure you plan to skip/bubble in the harder questions in that section: If you struggle in Math, you should know on the Math section that the multiple-choice questions are ordered from easy to hard, and the grid-ins restart with easy questions and then move towards harder questions at the end of the section. You should try to spend your time trying to answer the easier questions in Math correctly (the beginning questions of the multiple-choice and grid-ins), and consider just bubbling in a random answer for the harder questions (since you’re not penalized for guessing). Make sure if you use this strategy that you’re answering enough questions to get your score desired score. For example, if you’re aiming for 1280 (640 in Math), I’d recommend answering at least 50 questions and then bubbling in random answers for the other eight questions. This way you give yourself a cushion; you can answer five questions wrong and still get 640. As I said, answer the easier questions, and bubble in the harder questions (end of multiple-choice) and consider skipping the end of the grid-ins (since you won’t be able to guess on those since they’re not multiple choice). On the Reading test, you should spend your time trying to answer easier questions correctly and consider just bubbling in a random answer for the harder questions. Make sure if you use this strategy that you’re answering enough questions to get your score desired score. For example, if you’re aiming for 1280 (640 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing), you can afford to skip five hard questions and just bubble in random answers for the harder questions. If you answered four or five incorrectly, you’d still get a 640. On the Writing test, you should also spend your time on easier questions first and bubble in at least a few of the harder questions randomly, rather than spending the time to think them through. If you use this strategy, you need to double check that you’re answering enough questions to get your score desired score. For example, if you’re aiming for 1280 (640 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing), you can afford to skip four hard questions and just bubble in random answers. Even if you answer three or four other questions incorrectly, you’ll still get a 640. WARNING: You need to incorporate this strategy into your preparation! Do not just plan to skip the day of the exam without practice. In your practice, start by trying to skip/bubbling in randomly the maximum number allowed and see how it affects your score. If the first result is positive, and you see score improvement, simply continue skipping that amount of questions. If at first you get a lower score, try skipping half the number of questions allowed and see how that shifts your score. Keep adjusting until you find the maximum number you can skip to get your desired score. Focus on getting the questions you do answer right! If your section score is under 500, it’s well worth skipping a substantial chunk of questions. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or more? We've put our best advice into a single guide. These are the 5 strategies you MUST be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download this free SAT guide now: What’s Next? Trying to get a perfect score? You should check out our SAT study guide. Taking the test in the next month and need to improve your score in a hurry? Read our cramming guide. Aiming for the Ivy League? Read our guide to getting in! Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Academic presonal statement Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Academic presonal - Personal Statement Example Even the global forces are demanding more from the agriculture industry. The high demand is due to the world’s growing population. The mixture of all the elements makes the subject more interesting, it is not limited and with time the demand and scope of the business also increases. There is much more to do in the field, as the demand for food is increasing over the years. This increase in demand has led to increase in the production of animal along with the production with animals the sources of food also needs to increased. An Animal Scientist takes both the subjects into account. It also focuses on an area where minimum focus is being given, everyone is more occupied with technology and that is why very few people in the world are working for the cause and I want to make a name in an area which could substantially contribute to the survival of the world. I am the right candidate for the study, not only because I have high interest in the field of subject but at the same time I have contributed much of my life in learning about the concepts. I have done my bachelors and masters in Animal Science. During my graduation I learned the concepts about the subject that I would be able to apply later in life if given the opportunity to do practical work. Along with my academic background I have also worked in the field with Alghabal Algharbi, in their head office of Animal production. Along with working at the department for research work I have also worked as a lecturer in the name university. I find it very interesting to work in the field of genetic improvement as using selection to improve animal production. Along with my interest in working in the field of animal science I am very much fond of studying the effect of feed activity on animal reproduction under different circumstances. Another area of my interest is using bio and mental fe ed additives to improve feed efficiency, digestion and metabolism and their

Friday, October 18, 2019

Age-related changes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Age-related changes - Essay Example p53: may induce apoptosis by the induction of oxidative stress caused by an inappropriate up regulation of Mn superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase; may play a role in apoptosis mediated muscle wasting; and, is increased in quail muscles after 7 or 14 days of unloading. p53 has been reported to be unaltered during atrophy induced by nerve injury as an example. Immobilisation at shortened length induces atrophy, while in a lengthened position it produces hypertrophy attributable to addition of sarcomeres in the longitudinal direction. In the shortened position it induces fast isoforms. These differences may be due to the elevated expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor-| (check symbol) | in stretched muscle which are not altered in shortened length. Atrophy and loss of strength are not prevented by regular unloaded contractions due to electrical stimulation but are attenuated or followed by hypertrophy by the application of intermittent weight bearing or strength training in human and animal studies. Neurotrophic factors are important determinants of the skeletal muscle contractile properties. During chronic electrical stimulation via the nerve the effect of the neurotrophic factors cannot be totally excluded. The disuse and denervation may not have the same effect on skeletal muscle. During CORP and C (cutoff in the document), muscle wasting is a serious complication and it contributes to exercise intolerance and reduced survivability in many cases. Atrophy is not always evident. The lower muscles seem to lose more strength than the upper muscles. This may be due to muscle disuse. Inactivity is not necessary the main account for the skeletal muscle alteration during CORP and CHF. It may be due to hypoxaemia. There is a strong predictor that the systematic inflammation is the primary cause of muscle wasting. This may be seen by elevated plasma levels of TNFa. It has been reported TNFa to reduce titanic force in single muscle fibres within an hour