Maintaining Marine Reef Aquarium Essay -- essays papers

Maintaining Marine Reef Aquarium Important Aspects in Maintaining a Marine Reef Aquarium There is something fascinating and relaxing in having an aquarium in a home. Like a fireplace’s warm glow and bright colors, the colors that are emitted from an aquarium can be just as warm and even more colorful. From the slow and graceful movement of the fish to the frantic feeding frenzy, an aquarium is different each time it is viewed. Although a freshwater tank can be full or color, it does not come close to the fiery colors that are present in a marine aquarium. Unfortunately, all the color and life that a marine aquarium holds is much more fragile and not as easy to keep as a freshwater tank. Therefore, the marine aquarium requires a plethora of devices working together and at optimum levels to maintain a successful tank. Items like protein skimmers, ultraviolet filters, sump filters, reverse osmosis units, and even wave-makers are just a few of the devices that are required to properly maintain a marine aquarium. With the exception to a properly constructed tank, nothing is as important to the marine aquarium as the water within the tank and the lighting given its inhabitants. Since water is the medium that the aquarium inhabitants must live in, it is the most vital component in any tank. The quality of the water used will directly effect how successful the aquarium is. The chemical balance of the water must be watched closely. If the salt content varies too much, or harmful chemicals build up, the water will kill the inhabitants of the tank. Since fresh pure sea water is not readily accessible, the easiest water source for the majority of hobbyists is the faucet. However, the tap water that comes from the local water treatment plants may be safe for human consumption but is most likely toxic to marine life. Water treatment plants remove most of the harmful chemicals, but the water delivered is anything but pure. Often this tap water contains high levels of phosphates and nitrates that can be harmful to aquarium inhabitants. Also, copper may leach from pipes, and it is deadly to marine invertebrates (Goldstein 8). This leaves very few options for water to the hobbyist. One of the last, and probably the best option for obtaining a pure water source is by using reverse osmosis water. Reverse osmosis is a process of filtering ... ...k monitoring water conditions and lighting quickly becomes only a minor chore as the aquarium begins to regulate itself. Considering the amount of work and money a fireplace requires, the aquarium is a much easier and cheaper centerpiece that can be added to any room. It becomes a landscaping of art that even the best painters have difficulty capturing, and can be enjoyed by everyone. Works Cited Dakin, Nick, The Marine Aquarium Problem Solver. Blaksburg, VA: Tetra Press, 1998. Friese, U. Erich. Keeping a Reef Aquarium. Neptune, NJ:YearBOOKS Inc, 1996. Gamble, Sam. Light Energy 5 October 1999. Goldstein, Robert J. Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook. New York: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc, 1997. Larson, Scott. Personal Interview. 10 September 1999. Madison, Pieter. â€Å"You Can Succeed with Marines.† Tropical Fish Hobbyist. August 1999: 38-46. Paletta, Mike. â€Å"Water Changes.† SeaScope, Fall 1997, 3. Reefkeeper’s FAQ. 18 September 1999. Shimek, Ronald L. â€Å"So, You Want to Join the Marines.† Aquarium USA, 1999: 61-75. Tullock, John H. Natural Reef Aquariums. Shelborne, VT: Microcosm Ltd, 1997. Walker, Matt. Personal Interview. 20 October 1999

Important of English Language Essay

Language plays an important role in human life. One tries to acquire, learn and use language as a means of communication, and simultaneously as social symbol of humanity. By using language someone could make statements, convey facts and knowledge, explain or report something, and keep social relations among the language users. These indicate that by means of language, people can express their ideas, feeling, information etc through communication. , As one of language in the world, English is considered and applied as international language. Since then, it is very popular and have been spoken and learnt by almost people in the world. There are some reasons why English is important and many people attempt to learn it. Some of them are: for finding job, traveling, interacting one each other, doing business, taking examination, doing research, writing in the foreign language, etc. In such developing country like Indonesia, English has a vital role in all aspects of life, particularly in science and technology. Furthermore, it can be used for developing relationships in the international forum, for reading English book (especially for students from primary school up to colleges/university), to tighten the relationship among nations in the world, etc. As students, we learn English are intended to obtain various knowledge, to comprehend and understand the textbooks learned in English, to gain knowledge and skills, and to be ready enter to the university, as one of the test requirements for students of senior High School (SMA), etc This expression reminds us how importance of English for human life is. As global or universal language, English is not only enables us to communicate and interact with every people throughout the world, but also it could alter our life to be better. Furthermore, we also must be aware that the western countries play extra ordinary role in developing and keeping science and technology. Thus, if we want to be a skilful scientists, linguists, and be able to compete with the other countries in the world, we must understand, master and learn the language they use, namely English. Before ending this speech, let me conclude the essential points of my speech: 1. English is highly necessary to be learned and mastered by everyone, in order to be able to compete in the globalization era; 2. English is a key to open and master science and technology, because most of scientists write their experts and inventions in English. 3. As students of high school (SMA), we have to prepare ourselves by learning hard, particularly English as well as the other subjects at school; 4. By mastering English enables us to become survive and go anywhere throughout the world;

Kill the Media

The formation of personal identity in present-day society can be seen as awkward and challenging. Many teenagers gravitate towards the media for direction on how to stay up-to-date and fresh on trends while going through a tumultuous puberty stage. The dominant influence of accepted media affects every individual’s sense of self. Lauren Moak, author of â€Å"Is This What You Really Want? † attempts to explain the effect media portrayal has on a younger audience’s stance on beauty and self-esteem. She states, â€Å"The media sends the same message on every commercial, billboard, and television show out there. If you do not have the perfect shape, clear complexion†¦well, you’re not â€Å"beautiful†. † (Moak). Moak verifies that the mainstream media crafts images that youthful individuals struggle to become. Every day many girls strive to fit the mold the media has created. Girls fixate over thin frames, tan skin, and unattainable facial features. What many fail to realize is that most, if not all, images are airbrushed or photo-shopped to transform the average face of a model to an unrealistic being. Moak further elucidates her point by saying, â€Å"The media says that if we all fail at achieving this â€Å"ideal† body image, we must try harder no matter what the costs. †(Moak). Attempting to assemble an identity in a media-saturated world is nearly impossible. Everything one does is inspiration from the media and what society deems as â€Å"right†. Self-individuality cannot coexist with popular media. Personal identity, as well as gender identity suffers from the media. Many images from popular media exhibit cliched, constricting, and naive perceptions on various issues, most commonly being gender. David Sedaris, author of â€Å"I Like Guys†, explains his self-awareness of his own sexuality and the portrayal of homosexuals by the media and close people around him. Early into his essay, he describes, â€Å"It was my hope to win a contest, cash in the prizes, and use the money to visit a psychiatrist who might cure me of having homosexual thoughts. † (Sedaris). By Sedaris wanting to instantly be cured from homosexual thoughts, it shows that homosexuality is not acceptable in his society. He also explains viewing homosexual men on television and looking down upon them. This is parallel to the gender identity issues in present-day society because the media is yet again forcing their viewpoints onto others and limiting individual’s perception of people. This, in turn, leads to new stereotypes and discrimination against sexes. One should not feel ashamed, but instead entitled to one’s own views and standpoints on issues. Sedaris expresses the immediate shame he felt after an encounter with another boy. He states, â€Å"My jealousy stemmed from the belief that he had been cured. One fistful of my flesh and he had lost all symptoms of the disease†¦why couldn’t I do the same? † (Sedaris). The media’s continuous backlash to painful topics causes gender identity issues to prevail. Judith Ortiz Cofer, author of â€Å"The Myth Of The Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria† attempts to explain the effect media portrayal has on a younger audience’s stance on beauty and self-esteem. She states, â€Å"The media sends the same message on every commercial, billboard, and television show out there. If you do not have the perfect shape, clear complexion†¦well, you’re not â€Å"beautiful†. (Cofer). Moak verifies that the mainstream media crafts images that youthful individuals struggle to become. Every day many girls strive to fit the mold the media has created. Girls fixate over thin frames, tan skin, and unattainable facial features. What many fail to realize is that most, if not all, images are airbrushed or photo- shopped to transform the average face of a model to an unrealistic being. Moak further elucidates her point by saying, â€Å"The media says that if we all fail at achieving this â€Å"ideal† body image, we must try harder no matter what the costs. (Cofer). Attempting to assemble an identity in a media-saturated world is nearly impossible. Everything one does is inspiration from the media and what society deems as â€Å"right†. Self-individuality cannot coexist with popular media. The formation of personal identity in present-day society can be seen as awkward and challenging. Many teenagers gravitate towards the media for direction on how to stay up-to-date and fresh on trends while going through a tumultuous puberty stage. The dominant influence of accepted media affects every individual’s sense of self.

Pachycephalosaurs - The Bone-Headed Dinosaurs

Pachycephalosaurs - The Bone-Headed Dinosaurs Pachycephalosaurs (Greek for thick-headed lizards) were an unusually small family of dinosaurs with an unusually high entertainment value. As you can guess from their name, these two-legged herbivores were distinguished by their skulls, which ranged from the mildly thick (in early genera like Wannanosaurus) to the truly dense (in later genera like Stegoceras). Some later pachycephalosaurs sported almost a foot of solid, albeit slightly porous, bone on top of their heads! (See a gallery of bone-headed dinosaur pictures and profiles.) However, its important to understand that big heads, in this case, didnt translate into equally big brains. Pachycephalosaurs were about as bright as the other plant-eating dinosaurs of the late Cretaceous period (which is a polite way of saying not very); their closest relatives, the ceratopsians, or horned, frilled dinosaurs, werent exactly natures A students, either. So of all the possible reasons pachycephalosaurs evolved such thick skulls, protecting their extra-big brains certainly wasnt one of them. Pachycephalosaur Evolution Based on the available fossil evidence, paleontologists believe that the very first pachycephalosaurssuch as Wannanosaurus and Goyocephalearose in Asia about 85 million years ago, only 20 million years before the dinosaurs went extinct. As is the case with most progenitor species, these early bone-headed dinosaurs were fairly small, with only slightly thickened skulls, and they may have roamed in herds as protection against hungry raptors and tyrannosaurs. Pachycephalosaur evolution really seems to have taken off when these early genera crossed the land bridge that (back during the late Cretaceous period) connected Eurasia and North America. The largest boneheads with the thickest skullsStegoceras, Stygimoloch and Sphaerotholusall roamed the woodlands of western North America, as did Dracorex hogwartsia, the only dinosaur ever to be named after the Harry Potter books. By the way, its especially difficult for experts to untangle the details of pachycephalosaur evolution, for the simple reason that so few complete fossil specimens have ever been discovered. As you might expect, these thick-skulled dinosaurs tend to be represented in the geological record mainly by their heads, their less-robust vertebrae, femurs and other bones having long since been scattered to the winds. Pachycephalosaur Behavior and Lifestyles Now we get to the million-dollar question: why did pachycephalosaurs have such thick skulls? Most paleontologists believe male boneheads head-butted each other for dominance in the herd and the right to mate with females, a behavior that can be seen in (for example) modern-day bighorn sheep. Some enterprising researchers have even conducted computer simulations, showing that two moderately sized pachycephalosaurs could ram each others noggins at high speed and live to tell the tale. Not everyone is convinced, though. Some people insist that high-speed head-butting would have produced too many casualties, and speculate that pachycephalosaurs instead used their heads to butt the flanks of competitors within the herd (or even smaller predators). However, it does seem odd that nature would evolve extra-thick skulls for this purpose, since non-pachycephalosaur dinosaurs could easily (and safely) butt each others flanks with their normal, non-thickened skulls. (The recent discovery of Texacephale, a small North American pachycephalosaur with shock-absorbing grooves on either side of its skull, lends some support to the head-butting-for-dominance theory.) By the way, the evolutionary relationships among different genera of pachycephalosaurs are still being sorted out, as are the growth stages of these strange dinosaurs. According to new research, its likely that two supposedly separate pachycephalosaur generaStygimoloch and Dracorexin fact represent earlier growth stages of the much bigger Pachycephalosaurus. If the skulls of these dinosaurs changed shape as they aged, that may mean that additional genera have been classified improperly, and were in fact species (or individuals) of existing dinosaurs.

General Rules About Abbreviations

General Rules About Abbreviations General Rules About Abbreviations General Rules About Abbreviations By Mark Nichol This post outlines basic rules about abbreviations. There is a bewildering variety of standards, which will be explained in more detail in subsequent posts about specific categories of abbreviation, but the following guidelines cover an array of general types. Use of abbreviation varies widely depending on the formality of writing employed for a given publication or a piece of content. Generally, the more formal the content, the less likely it is that abbreviation will be used, except in multiple references to terms commonly abbreviated or in tabular matter and other graphic elements. In formal writing, journalistic contexts, and some informal content as well, terms are spelled out on first reference, followed by abbreviation in parentheses, as in â€Å"The Global Positioning System (GPS) uses satellite signals to fix the location of a radio receiver on or above the earth’s surface.† Thereafter, the abbreviation is used exclusively. However, this tradition applies to single pieces of content, so that- unless, for example, an entire publication is devoted to articles about GPS technology- two articles in a publication that mention it will independently introduce the full spelled-out version of an abbreviation on first reference. Note, too, that specialized publications will likely abbreviate all references to widely used terms in that specialty. Abbreviations consisting entirely of uppercase letters (including NY, US, FBI, and NASA) or that end with an uppercase letter (as in PhD) are not followed by a period; some publications retain periods in these types of abbreviations (at least two-letter ones), but that style is in decline. Abbreviations that end with a lowercase letter (a.m., Dr., i.e., etc.) are generally followed by a period. Acronyms (abbreviations of phrases using initial letters of each word to form new word, such as AIDS) are almost invariably styled in all capital letters, though some, such as laser and scuba, have lost their uppercase form, and Nasdaq is treated as a proper noun. Initialisms (abbreviations of phrases using initial letters of each word, each of which is pronounced, such as FBI) are also generally capitalized. When using an article before an abbreviation, choose a or an depending on the first sound, not the first letter, of the abbreviation: â€Å"an NBA [en-bee-ay] team† but â€Å"a NASA [nasa] program.† Avoid ampersands except in proper names (â€Å"Johnson Johnson†) and in widely known abbreviations (â€Å"RD,† for â€Å"research and development†). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Passed vs Past40 Synonyms for â€Å"Lie†50 Tips on How to Write Good

Faulkner, Absalom Absalom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Faulkner, Absalom Absalom - Essay Example Though this method allows the reader to see differing points of view, as well as examine the contribution of memory to the myth-making process as the story is told and retold, it raises the issue about how personal experience has a bending effect on memory and narrative. Speculation, guesswork, and alleged fact all play roles in the narrative process – with the accompanying contradictions in logic – leading us to wonder about a larger question – what is the actual truth, and whether truth can only be relative and selective, and never absolute. It also emphasizes how narrative is understood – often not by what is literally said, but by what is hinted at or implied, and often left unsaid. Faulkner does highlight the racial issues that plagued the South before and after the Civil War in this novel, and indeed race is a central theme in most of his work. However, it is disappointing to note that none of his works present an opportunity for black characters to speak in their own voices. The story is wholly from the white point of view, which is a one-sided approach to say the least. The downfall of the novel’s protagonist, Thomas Sutpen, can be traced back to his obsession with the founding of a dynasty. The single-minded pursuit of this goal precludes Sutpen from engaging emotionally with the people around him, be the family or townspeople, and this is the cause of his descent into alcoholism, ruin, and ultimately his murder by Wash Jones, a squatter on the Sutpen plantation. While Faulkner does not try to base his novel on research and factual data, such as dates and historical incidents, it is obvious his aim is to present an equally powerful history, â€Å"a few old mouth-to-mouth tales†, based on sentiment. (Faulkner 100). Thus what we see is an emotional history of the Civil War period contrasted with the factual history of the era. Faulkner’s epic novel mirrors the unsure feelings of love and hate, most Southerners, including

The study of the hip-hop culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The study of the hip-hop culture - Essay Example The study of the hip-hop culture Some of the professional fields concerned with the study of the hip-hop culture include musicology, literature, African-American studies, linguistics, and so forth (Leach, 9; Alridge and Stewart, 190). In academic and professional conferences, hip-hop culture topics are receiving a wider attention as people strive to understand this culture. Equally, hip-hop materials are currently being sought after by research institutions (including Harvard and Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture) to provide researchers with adequate materials in the analysis of the hip-hop culture (Leach, 9). This essay compares Eminem’s video for â€Å"The Real Slim Shady† with N.W.A.’s video for â€Å"Straight Outta Compton†. In the analysis of these different rap videos, the essay constructs an argument about how hip-hop has changed since its formation in the 1970s. Defining and Understanding Hip-hop and Rap Numerous people (including knowledgeable hip-hop writers and lis teners) do not understand the meanings of rap and hip-hop; particularly, many of these individuals think that the two are interchangeable. Nonetheless, hip-hop is a cultural movement originating from South Bronx, New York. It has four main/primary elements that include rap, graffiti, DJing (also known as turntablism), and break dancing. Other elements that are also part of the hip-hop culture include language, beat boxing, and fashion. Among these elements, rap is the most popular and the most celebrated element of the hip-hop culture. ... Rapping is also known as emceeing. In this hip-hop element, the rapper or the performer speaks rhythmically to a musical beat; his/her words rhyme from one sentence to the other. In the modern hip-hop perspective, an MC is different from a rapper. An MC is an individual with superior lyrical ability; on the other hand, a rapper focuses less on lyrical prowess. Particularly, this characteristic is evident in many of the mainstream rappers today (Aces and Eighths). Although it originated in New York, hip-hop has its roots in African-American and West African music. Griots are a group of West African singers and poets whose musical style is similar to that of the hip-hop culture. They have an oral tradition similar to the one in rap music; however, theirs dates back to hundreds of years. In the City of New York, griot-like musical performances from artists such as Mansur Nuriddin and The Last Poets influenced the post-civil rights era culture in the 1960s. In the 1970s, block parties be came common creating the humble beginnings of the hip-hop culture (Aces and Eighths). â€Å"The Real Slim Shady† by Eminem â€Å"The Real Slim Shady† is a hip-hop song done by Marshall Bruce Mathers III who is popular by the name Eminem. In the process of writing this song, Eminem sought assistance from Andre Romelle Young (popular by the name Dr. Dre) and Thomas Joseph Coster Junior (popular by the name Tommy Coster Jr). Eminem was writing this song for his third studio album â€Å"The Marshall Mathers LP† released on 23 May 2000. This song was the lead single in this album. The song was highly successful as it reached number one in UK (United Kingdom) and number four on the â€Å"Billboard Hot