Boas - Boidae - Constricting Snakes

Boas - Boidae - Constricting Snakes Boas (Boidae) are a group of nonvenomous snakes that include about 36 species. Boas are found in North America, South America, Africa, Madagascar, Europe and many Pacific Islands. Boas include the largest of all living snakes, the green anaconda. Other Snakes Called Boas The name boa is also used for two groups of snakes that do not belong to the Boidae family, the split-jawed boas (Bolyeriidae) and the dwarf boas (Tropidophiidae). The split-jawed boas and the dwarf boas are not closely related to members of the family Boidae. Anatomy of Boas Boas are considered to be somewhat primitive snakes. They have a rigid lower jaw and vestigial pelvic bones, with small remnant hind limbs that form a pair of spurs on either side of the body. Although boas share many characteristics with their relatives the pythons, they differ in that they lack postfrontal bones and premaxillary teeth and they give birth to live young. Some but not all species of boas have labial pits, sensory organs that enable the snakes to sense infrared thermal radiation, an ability which is  useful in the location and capture of prey but which also provides functionality in thermoregulation and detection of predators. Boa Diet and Habitat Boas are predominantly terrestrial snakes that forage in low lying bushes and trees and feed on small vertebrates. Some boas are tree-dwelling species that stalk their prey by hanging their head down from their perch amongst the branches. Boas capture their prey by first grasping it and then coiling their body quickly around it. Prey is then killed when the boa constricts its body tightly so that the prey cannot inhale and dies of asphyxiation. The diet of boas varies from species to species but generally includes mammals, birds and other reptiles. The largest of all boas, in fact, the largest of all snakes, is the green anaconda. Green anacondas can grow to lengths of over 22 feet. Green anacondas are also the heaviest known species of snake and may also be the heaviest squamate species as well. Boas inhabit North America, South America, Africa, Madagascar, Europe and many Pacific Islands. Boas are often regarded solely as tropical rainforest species, but although many species are found in rainforests this is not true for all boas. Some species live in arid regions such as the deserts of Australia. The vast majority of boas are terrestrial or arboreal but one species, the green anaconda is an aquatic snake. Green anacondas are native to the slow-moving streams, swamps, and marshes on the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains. They also occur on the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean. Green anacondas feed on larger prey than most other boas. Their diet includes wild pigs, deer, birds, turtles, capybara, caimans, and even jaguars. Boa Reproduction Boas undergo sexual reproduction and with the exception of two species in the genus Xenophidion, all bear live young. Females that bear live young do so by retaining their eggs within their body give birth to multiple young at once. Classification of Boas The Taxonomic Classification of boas is as follows: Animals Chordates Reptiles Squamates Snakes Boas Boas are divided into two subgroups which include the true boas (Boinae) and the tree boas (Corallus). True boas include the largest species of boas such as the common boa and the anaconda. Tree boas are tree-dwelling snakes with slender bodies and long prehensile tails. Their bodies are somewhat flat in shape, a structure that gives them support and enables them to stretch from one branch to another. Tree boas often rest coiled up in the branches of trees. When they hunt, tree boas hang their head down from the branches and coil their neck in an S-shape to give themselves a good angle from which to strike their prey below.

Discharged for Off-Duty Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discharged for Off-Duty Behavior - Essay Example resources department has the responsibility to evoke such employees of the existence of such rules and make them available once needed by the employees. This paper discusses an example of an off-duty behavior of an employee of AEM company called John. Given the facts of this case, John did not receive a fair treatment. The HR manager was able to mention the existing code of conduct that stated that employee’s off-duty behavior should not affect the company, its employees, or sales of its educational materials. Existence of this code of conduct does not explicitly indicate that John knew about it. The code is quite extensive and has not narrowed in to what behaviors that would amount to breaching off-duty performance by an employee. According to Bohlander and Snell (2009), rules should be widely disseminated, widely known by all employees, reviewed periodically, and reasons for the rules explained. John is right that what he did in his personal life was â€Å"no obligation of the company† if the rules were not stipulated properly and explicitly explained to him not to handle pornographic materials. Besides, he explains the reason for the purchase of materials. It was not at will. Discharging an employee as a disciplinary measure is usually the last resort. From this case, John has no indiscipline records in his personal record for the last twelve years. We do not hear of any warnings prior to this scenario. According to Bohlander and Snell, the employee must know the rule, be notified of his breach of the rules, and be given reasonable warning before dismissal (Bohlander & Snell, 2009). Sales representatives of AEM can be held to a higher level of personal conduct than sales representatives of other companies. Despite the global employment laws that regulate businesses, organizations reviews their codes and guidelines yearly to suite their demands. This happens mostly in private companies where rules of conduct are given and explained to the sales

Computer and Network Hardware Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer and Network Hardware - Assignment Example We have also considered the other factors that include total number of employees, departments, current state and nature of the services provided by your organization. We have explained the characteristics of network servers, routers, hubs, network model and topology in the following sections. In order to develop a Computing Facility capable of providing 24 X 7 operations, it is necessary to identify and define the services to be provided by the Computer Server Room. We have identified following services: Operating Systems for servers and laptops are mentioned in the above table, the other software we proposed for clients and servers include Microsoft Office and anti-virus. On both servers, we would install OS Windows Server 2008 along with Active Directory Services, DNS and DHCP on first server, whereas on the second server we would install FTP, ERP Application along with its database and backup/Network Access Storage. We would use server virtualization to fully utilize the high end servers by executing multiple applications on single machine/server. The following diagram shows the network model in which router/firewall (according to need of the organization) would be connected to internet and the switch/hub which further connected to servers and WAPs to establish a LAN. As the organization is growing, therefore, we have used star topology which provides better performance, centralized management with easy monitoring, and above all we can enhance the LAN in future (if required). Microsoft Corporation. (2012). How do hubs, switches, routers, and access points differ?. Retrieved from:

Media Violence and Children Essay Example for Free

Media Violence and Children Essay Your children are surrounded by violence. From video games and television to the news itself, bloodshed is everywhere. Many parents and educators fear that violence seen on the media will at the very least desensitize children, and that it may even make children more likely to commit atrocities themselves. Other people claim the violence seen on the media is not real, and that children understand this. So whos right? In order to better understand this crucial issue, we need to examine the history of violence in entertainment as well as revelations made possible by modern science. Violence in entertainment is not new. Even in ancient Rome, people gathered to watch gladiators. In gladiator combats, two trained men (usually criminals or slaves) would fight each other in front of a cheering crowd. Sometimes, men would also be forced to fight wild animals. These shows were incredibly popular; in order to accommodate the huge masses of people eager to watch the combat, Roman officials built the Colosseum, which could seat 50,000 spectators, in 80 CE. The opening of the Colosseum was celebrated with 100 days of games, during which thousands of men and animals were seriously injured or killed. Long before children watched violent cartoons, they listened to violent stories. Even our most cherished fairy tales often contain bloodshed. In fact, modern versions of fairy tales tend to be a lot less violent than the originals. For example, in Hans Christen Andersons The Little Mermaid, the little mermaid has her tongue cut out, almost stabs her prince, and dies; Disneys famous version of this classic tale is significantly happier and less violent. But why is violence such a popular form of entertainment? There are several possible answers, and they are probably all true to some extent. People like watching violence because it is, at least to some degree, forbidden; all functioning societies need to have laws against murder. Seeing other peoples pain also makes your own problems seem insignificant. Finally, some violence in the media was meant to teach a practical lesson. Many gladiators were condemned criminals, so their violent and entertaining death served as a warning against would-be criminals. Public executions have served the same purpose throughout history. Fairy tales also warned children against the dangers of misbehaving. For example, the little mermaid disobeyed the rules of her father and her people, and she suffered as a result. Modern violence in the media is not that different from what occurred in the past. People enjoy watching violence because it is forbidden, distracting, and it can teach lessons about reality. At the same time, violence is becoming more and more prevalent. Additionally, much of the violence shown in video games, movies, and television is completely unrealistic; real consequences are very rarely shown, especially in cartoons. As a result, the violence may be too glamorized to teach real life lessons. Even if violence does teach a morality lesson, children may still be negatively affected. Vincent P. Mathews, a professor of radiology at Indiana University School of Medicine, discovered that watching violence on the media might actually alter brain function. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) showed that watching violent images decreased frontal lobe brain activity in children whether or not they had previous problems of aggression. Decreased frontal lobe activity is associated with attention and self control problems. Also using fMRI, Klaus Mathiak at the University of Aachen in Germany discovered that playing violent video games and thinking about actually participating in real violent activities stimulate the same part of the brain. In other words, an individuals brain cannot distinguish between violent actions that are committed by the individual and violent activities that are purely make believe. Additionally, violent video games may be training the brain for real life violent behavior. So what does all of this mean for parents? Children, like adults, are naturally drawn to violent images, and it is possible for children to learn valuable lessons from violent stories. However, exposure to too much violence, especially glamorized violence, probably does have a negative impact of children. Although more scientific research needs to be conducted before conclusive answers can be given, children may have a hard time distinguishing between real violence and fake violence, and simply watching violence may lead to increased behavioral problems. If you are worried that your children are watching too much violence, you should monitor exactly what they are watching. Movies and video games both have rating systems, and all televisions 13 inches or larger that were manufactured in the United States since January 2000 contain V chips. V chips allow parents to control what programs are watched, even when the children are unsupervised. You could also limit the amount of time that your children are allowed to spend watching television or playing video games, regardless of whether or not the programs or games contain violent content. Finally, you can discuss the reality of violence with you children to make sure that they can differentiate between make believe and reality.

Financial Manager Career Data Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

As the economy expands and employment opportunities increase, the need for workers with financial expertise will go up. I will enter the workforce at an excellent time to pursue a career as a financial manager. The information I have acquired concerning this field including opportunities, salary, and working conditions will justify my decision to obtain a position as a financial manager for a major corporation. The opportunities available to someone with a degree in finance are limited to only a few facets of the business world, but according to Job Outlook 2004, a finance degree is one of the top ten degrees in highest demand. Employers are starting to seek graduates with a master’s degree as well as a bachelor’s degree, which makes competition tough among applicants. Technology plays a major role in the financial world and applicants that possess strong computer skills will have a better chance of being hired in their desired field. In the Occupational Outlook Handbook, it says that financial managers must possess critical thinking skills and work well in a team environment. We are part of a global economy, which means that it is essential for applicants to have knowledge of international finance, and be willing to travel to other business markets around the world. In addition to business travel, financial managers are expected to work between 50-60 hours a week as an entry-level associate, and are required to attend office meetings. Up to date information is critical, th...

Professional Leadership Journal – Narcissism and Machiavellianism Assessments

According to Nahavandi (2012), personalities with an elevated score on the scale are relaxed using several resources to accomplish their individual aims. The Machiavellian (Mach) scale measures an individual’s willingness to put self-interests and his or her preferences above the interests of the group and a person’s ability to influence and manipulate others for personal gain (Nahavandi, 2012).An individual with a high Mach score might have an absence of morality and truthfulness and both of these are necessities of operative management. As I completed the two different assessments, I was astonished by my results. I completed the Machiavellianism Assessment first, I scored a 23 and according to the text an average score is 24. My score shows that I score within the average range and that I am willing to put my self-interests aside and work as a group to reach a goal.I then completed the Narcissism assessments and scored a 118, which completely shook me, I’ve nev er considered myself a narcissistic person, but according to this data I am in fact that way. Narcissistic people love the idea of having power over people, but I am the total opposite, I would rather be a team player than a leader. But I do have some of the traits that constitute me as a narcissist. As a future public health leader, my Machiavellianism Assessment should be high and my Narcissism assessment should be low.In any public health situation being able to put your self-interests to the side helps to alleviate unwanted stress and it also helps to analyze the situation carefully. Nahavandi (2012) states that positive narcissistic leaders may have an exaggerated sense of self and entitlement, but they use their self-confidence, power, and influence to achieve goals, much the same way a moderate Machiavellian would. This seems more like what I strive to do in my life and in my work life.

Corporate Responsibility and Society Essay

While commuting home from work, you take a detour through a residential area to avoid a congested main artery. Because only a few drivers take the detour, it removes several minutes from your commuting time due to the light traffic. Is your action generalizable? I do believe that my actions would be generalizable; therefore it would not pass the generalization test. According to Hooker, the meaning of generalization test is that the reason for your action should be consistent with the assumption that if everyone who has the same reason as you would act in the same manner (Business Ethics, 2011). The detour is not an area that is not allowed to be taken; it is there for anyone to take despite of the reason for taking it. Anyone that wanted to cut down their commute time in order to pick up a child from daycare, to get to school on time, to prepare dinner, or just because they no longer wanted to sit in traffic is irrelevant to the fact that they are able to take this route. In order to further put this generalization to the test we should see if it meets and passes all four Corollaries’. Corollary one states that an action is unethical if its general adoption would undermine a practice it presupposes. So everyone is free to take this detour through a residential neighborhood. Suppose everyone decided to take this detour, it would congest this neighborhood, children that normally ride their bikes on the side of the rode or play outdoors are more apt to being either hit by a car or injured by a vehicle in some way. This may pass the corollary test but it fails the generalization test. Corollary two states one shouldn’t be a free rider on the efforts of others. This corollary really doesn’t affect this example because every driver is free to make up his or her mind whether or not to take the detour. So this would pass corollary two. Corollary three states an action is unethical if generalizing the action is inconsistent with achieving its purpose. This actions is telling me that I take the detour when is best suites me, i.e. traffic is at its heaviest and I can achieve a shorter time commute by taking the detour. This action is then generalized when everyone who takes the regular congested route takes the detour when it best suites them. Thus my action of taking the detour is generalized, it would be impossible for those who take the detour when it best suites them to achieve the purpose of the action because the new detour would become congested and we are back to where we started. This action fails corollary three and the generalization test. Last but not least Corollary four states that an action is unethical if generalizing the action is inconsistent with the possibility that everyone who performs the action achieves its purpose. If this action is true then me taking the detour is ungeneralizable because it is impossible for everyone to enjoy the same avoidance of traffic congestion by taking the same detour. After completing all four Corollary test I have come to the conclusion that my action to avoid traffic by detouring through a residential area is ungeneralizable. Although my action may have passed a corollary test or two my action ultimately did not justify the action.