The Dust Veil Environmental Disaster of AD 536

The Dust Veil Environmental Disaster of AD 536 According to written records and supported by dendrochronology (tree ring) and archaeological evidence, for 12-18 months in AD 536-537, a thick, persistent dust veil or dry fog darkened the skies between Europe and Asia Minor. The climatic interruption brought by the thick, bluish fog extended as far east as China, where summer frosts and snow are mentioned in historical records; tree ring data from Mongolia and Siberia to Argentina and Chile reflect decreased growing records from 536 and the subsequent decade. The climatic effects of the dust veil brought decreased temperatures, drought, and food shortages throughout the affected regions: in Europe, two years later came the Justinian plague. The combination killed perhaps as much as 1/3 of the population of Europe; in China, the famine killed perhaps 80% of people in some regions; and in Scandinavia, the losses may have been as much as 75-90% of the population, as evidenced by the numbers of deserted villages and cemeteries. Historical Documentation The rediscovery of the AD 536 event was made during the 1980s by American geoscientists Stothers and Rampino, who searched classical sources for evidence of volcanic eruptions. Among their other findings, they noted several references to environmental disasters around the world between AD 536-538. Contemporary reports identified by Stothers and Rampino included Michael the Syrian, who wrote: [T]he sun became dark and its darkness lasted for one and a half years [...] Each day it shone for about four hours and still this light was only a feeble shadow [...] the fruits did not ripen and the wine tasted like sour grapes. John of Ephesus related much the same events. Prokopios, who lived in both Africa and Italy at the time, said: For the sun gave forth its light without brightness, like the moon, during this whole year, and it seemed exceedingly like the sun in eclipse, for the beams it shed were not clear nor such as it is accustomed to shed. An anonymous Syrian chronicler wrote: [T]he sun began to be darkened by day and the moon by night, while the ocean was tumultuous with spray, from the 24th of March in this year till the 24th of June in the following year... The following winter in Mesopotamia was so bad that from the large and unwonted quantity of snow the birds perished. A Summer Without Heat Cassiodorus, praetorian prefect of Italy at the time, wrote: so we have had a winter without storms, spring without mildness, summer without heat. John Lydos, in On Portents, writing from Constantinople, said: If the sun becomes dim because the air is dense from rising moisture- as happened in [536/537] for nearly a whole year [...] so that produce was destroyed because of the bad time- it predicts heavy trouble in Europe. In China, reports indicate that the star of Canopus could not be seen in as usual in the spring and fall equinoxes of 536, and the years AD 536-538 were marked by summer snows and frosts, drought and severe famine. In some parts of China, the weather was so severe that 70-80% of the people starved to death. Physical Evidence Tree rings show that 536 and the following ten years was a period of slow growth for Scandinavian pines, European oaks and even several North American species including bristlecone pine and foxtail; similar patterns of ring size decrease are also seen in trees in Mongolia and northern Siberia. But there seems to be something of a regional variation in the worst of the effects. 536 was a bad growing season in many parts of the world, but more generally, it was a part of a decade-long downturn in climate for the northern hemisphere, separate from the worst seasons by 3-7 years. For most reports in Europe and Eurasia, there is a drop in 536, followed by a recovery in 537-539, followed by a more serious plunge lasting perhaps as late as 550. In most cases the worst year for tree ring growth is 540; in Siberia 543, southern Chile 540, Argentina 540-548. AD 536 and the Viking Diaspora Archaeological evidence described by Grslund and Price shows that Scandinavia might have experienced the worst troubles. Almost 75% of villages were abandoned in parts of Sweden, and areas of southern Norway show a decrease in formal burials- indicating that haste was required in interments- up to 90-95%. Scandinavian narratives recount possible events that might be referring to 536. Snorri Sturlusons Edda includes a reference to Fimbulwinter, the great or mighty winter that served as a forewarning of Ragnarà ¶k, the destruction of the world and all of its inhabitants. First of all that a winter will come called Fimbulwinter. Then snow will drift from all directions. There will then be great frosts and keen winds. The sun will do no good. There will be three of these winters together and no summer between. Grslund and Price speculate that the social unrest and sharp agrarian decline and demographic disaster in Scandinavia may have been a primary catalyst for the Viking diaspora- when in the 9th century AD, young men left Scandinavia in droves  and sought to conquer new worlds.   Possible Causes Scholars are divided concerning what caused the dust veil: a violent volcanic eruption- or several (see Churakova et al.), a cometary impact, even a near miss by a large comet could have created a dust cloud made up of dust particles, smoke from fires and (if a volcanic eruption) sulfuric acid droplets such as that described. Such a cloud would reflect and/or absorb light, increasing the earths albedo and measurably decreasing the temperature. Sources Arrhenius B. 2012. Helgà ¶ in the shadow of the dust veil 536-37. Journal of Archaeology and Ancient History 2013(5).Arjava A. 2005. The Mystery Cloud of 536 CE in the Mediterranean Sources. Dumbarton Oaks Papers 59:73-94.Baillie M. 2007. The case for significant numbers of extraterrestrial impacts through the late Holocene. Journal of Quaternary Science 22(2):101-109. doi: 10.1002/jqs.1099Baillie MGL, and McAneney J. 2015. Tree ring. Climate 11(1):105-114. effects and ice core acidities clarify the volcanic record of the first millennium of the PastChurakova OV, Bryukhanova MV, Saurer M, Boettger T, Naurzbaev MM, Myglan VS, Vaganov EA, Hughes MK, and Siegwolf RTW. 2014. A cluster of stratospheric volcanic eruptions in the AD 530s recorded in Siberian tree rings. Global and Planetary Change 122:140-150.Engvild KC. 2003. A review of the risks of sudden global cooling and its effects on agriculture. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 115(3–4):127-137. doi:10.1016/s0168-1923(02 )00253-8Grslund B, and Price N. 2012. Twilight of the gods? The ‘dust veil event’ of AD 536 in critical perspective. Antiquity 332:428-443. Larsen LB, Vinther BM, Briffa KR, Melvin TM, Clausen HB, Jones PD, Siggaard-Andersen M, Hammer CU, Eronen M, and Grudd H. 2008. New ice core evidence for a volcanic cause of the AD 536 dust veil. Geophysical Research Letters 35(4)Rigby E, Symonds M, and Ward-Thompson D. 2004. A comet impact in AD 536? Astronomy Geophysics 45(1):1.23-1.26

10 Painful Signs Your Boss is Disrespecting You

10 Painful Signs Your Boss is Disrespecting You There are horrible bosses, cruel bosses, bosses who hate you and are truly out to get you. And great bosses. There are also a million kinds of bosses in between. Some are perfectly decent. Some just plain do not respect you. How can you tell if your boss doesn’t respect you? Rather than relying on your own imperfect intuition, try checking this list of signs that you are being disrespected.1.  Flip FloppingYour boss changes his  mind every day about what you’re meant to be working on. Your top priorities shift constantly. You can’t keep up. He calls you in panic about something that needs to be done ASAP- only to go silent without providing any further instructions- or giving you contradictory instructions later.2. Not Valuing Your TimeYou get asked to do something vague at the beginning of the day, but you can’t seem to get any more clarifying information until- whammo- at the end of the day, a project is dropped into your lap†¦ and needs to be d one an hour ago.3. Ignoring Your NeedsA good boss will check in a couple of times a year to see how you are doing, whether or not you need anything in the way of guidance or feedback, or whether you’re missing any crucial equipment or software to help you get your job done well. This isn’t any fault of yours- it’s just poor management.4. No ExplanationsWhen things change or you’re asked to do things you don’t quite grasp, you ask a question and are met with stiff resistance- the workplace equivalent of â€Å"mind your own beeswax† or â€Å"that’s for me to know and you to find out.† If your boss doesn’t think you need to know things, especially things that might be necessary to you completing your work, that could be a sign that you’re being frozen out. Your concerns and questions should not be uniformly dismissed.5. You Only Get Grunt WorkYou’re constantly getting assigned the mindless tasks that no one el se wants to do- even if you’re just as qualified or more qualified than your coworkers. Or worse, you’re asked to do tedious work that is actually unnecessary for your company or your team.6. MicromanagingEvery piece of work you submit gets over-examined  over by your boss- even if you’ve never made any mistakes and your work is exemplary. This is particularly worrisome if you’re the only one getting micromanaged or over-supervised. Remember, a good boss trusts you to do the job for which you were hired.7. You Feel ReplaceableEven if you have a ton of specialized experience, you’re not consulted. Maybe you know a lot more than your boss does. But you’re never asked. More than that, your boss seems to think that anyone could do your job- despite hiring you and your unique qualifications for that job.8. Bad FeelingsYour boss ignores you, avoids you, laughs at your expense, criticizes you disproportionately or publicly for the slightest mista ke. Her body language suggests she just can’t stand you. She doesn’t make eye contact. She  seems like a totally different and warmer person with everybody else- and a total stern grouchypants with you. A combination of any of these can give you the gut feeling that you’re just not being respected. And you’d probably be right.9. Lack of Face TimeYour boss is always texting or emailing- never inviting you into his office, never stopping by yours. Not even calling. Technology is great, but you can’t forge a real relationship with your boss if you never have any real human interaction.10. Lack of AcknowledgmentDid you just come up with a great idea but your boss can’t seem to admit it was yours? Or worse: did she steal it? Did you make a big contribution, but it’s going utterly unnoticed and unremarked?These are all signs that you’re definitely not being valued. And quite probably being outwardly disrespected. It might be time t o talk to HR or to start looking for another gig.

Personal Statement for Graduate School Admission Essay

Personal Statement for Graduate School Admission - Essay Example My prime responsibilities include taking care of the patients having multiple organ diseases and I take care of vascular pre/post-op patients, and pre/post-op kidney and pancreas transplant patients. Being the charge nurse i.e. team leader of my shift at the hospital, I also have to take care of some management tasks especially related with the team management. Being an active member of the Society of Vascular Nurses, American Nurses Association, and Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority. I also actively participate into the academic events in order to get myself acquainted with the recent developments in the field. Nursing, as a profession, need to have a balanced view where the new entrants into the profession must also know about the academic knowledge of their profession however, they must possess the knowledge of the practical realities of the profession also. However, this can only be done if people who train them should have practical as well as academic knowledge. It is because of this reason that I have set my long term career goal of becoming a Nurse educator where I believe I will be able to impart and share my practical experience and knowledge of the profession to prepare the new generation of Nurses who can practice the profession with new zeal and vigor with all available tools and knowledge to perform their duties whereas in short term I wish to accomplish a dual master’s degree in Nursing and Business Administration in order to advance my career as a registered Nurse and improve my chances of growth in my current career. I believe that with my experience and a dual degre e at my back I can be more effective not only at my primary work as a registered nurse but also emerge as a good manager who will not have the requisite technical knowledge of the profession but also the managerial know how of how to manage people and resources of the organization. With this

Commercial Law I (Scottish Law)- Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Commercial Law I (Scottish Law)- - Assignment Example The principal can expressly or implicitly permits the agent to perform certain tasks on his behalf which will lead to a binding contractual accord between the principal and the third party but the contract is signed by the agent. In this case, the principal will be legally bound by the actions the agency relationship which exists between agents-principals, agents-third and Principals-third parties and all the parties in the cycle are bound to the agreement, the agency cycle comprises of: Agent: this is the person who enters and performs duties and activities on behalf of the other person (the principal) with the third party and has authority to create a binding relationship or agreement between the principal and the third party. The agent negotiates, performs and enters into binding engagements on behalf of another person with the third party. Principal: This is the person who hires an agent to act on his/her capacity with the third party and is bound by the actions of the said agent in engagements with the third party. ... An agent must therefore operate within the instructions and capacity given by the principal and this will bind the principal in the contractual agreements he or she creates with the third parties which means that the law of agency is based on both implied and express terms. An agent has several duties he/she owes to the principal and must not act outside the scope or mandate provided by the principal. These duties can be summarized as below; The agent must ensure that he/she operates within the specified terms of agency agreement. If the agent ignores the directives of the principal in entering into an agreement with the third party then he/she will be held liable. The agent must therefore follow instructions given by the principal. The agent must carry out his/her duties with due diligence, skill and high level of professionalism to protect both parties from unnecessary breach of contract and subsequent compensation for the same, and this must be followed whether the agency agreemen t is written or oral. The agent must not act out of his own benefit at the expense of the principal and all dealings must protect the interest of the principal. The agency relationships to occur, all the parties must understand the terms of engagement and the roles each of the is required to play within the framework of the agreement and the agent must have intension to work for the principal, though no consideration is necessary, there must be an agreement between the principal and the agent, oral or written. This relationship can be described as below: Therefore, before the contract of agency is constituted, several essentials are mandatory: The agency agreement must be based

Ultrasonic Metal Testing Essay Example for Free

Ultrasonic Metal Testing Essay Ultrasonic testing refers to the use of sound energy of high frequency â€Å"to conduct examinations and make measurements (â€Å"Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing†). † This form of inspection may be applied in the detection and evaluation of metal flaws; measurement of dimensions; and classification of materials among other things (â€Å"Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing†). It was in the year 1928 that a famous Soviet scientist by the name of Sergei Y. Sokolov proposed and demonstrated at the V. I. Ulvanov Electrotechnical Institute a â€Å"through-transmission technique† for detecting flaws in metals (Early History of Metal Flaw Detectors). Although necessary technology was nonexistent at the time, Sokolov proposed that this technique could be applied in the detection of irregularities in solids. In Germany during the early 1930s, Sokolov’s proposal was taken seriously enough to begin extensive experimentation on the detection of flaws in metals. O Muhlhauser, in the year 1933, patented a method for the transmission of ultrasonic energy into the solid or metal being tested. This system allowed ultrasonic energy to examine the solid or metal using two transducers (Early History of Metal Flaw Detectors). Ultrasonic metal testing has been useful in industrial applications since the 1940s. Based on the laws of physics governing the spread of sound waves of high frequencies through solids, ultrasonic metal testing helps in the detection of cracks that may be hidden, in addition to porosity, voids and other kinds of â€Å"internal discontinuities† in metals (â€Å"General Introduction to Ultrasonic Testing†). Ceramics, plastics, and composites may be similarly tested using ultrasonic systems. Ultrasonic testing also allows easy measurement of thickness as well analysis of material properties.Most importantly, ultrasonic metal testing is entirely safe and nondestructive (â€Å"General Introduction to Ultrasonic Testing†). References Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing. NDT Resource Center. Retrieved Dec 14, 2007, from http://www. ndt-ed. org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/Ultrasonics/Introduction/description. htm. Early History of Metal Flaw Detectors. Retrieved Dec 14, 2007, from http://www. ob- ultrasound. net/ndt. html. General Introduction to Ultrasonic Testing. Olympus. Retrieved Dec 14, 2007, from http://www. olympusndt. com/en/ndt-tutorials/intro/ut/.

The New Face of Black Feminine Beauty Essay -- Hairstyles Beauty Adver

The New Face of Black Feminine Beauty Since the early 1900s, Black women have had a fascination with their hair. More explicitly, they have had a fascination with straightening their hair. The need to be accepted by the majority class has caused them to do so. Though the image of straight hair as being better than coarse hair still hasn’t left the Black community, there has been a surge of non straight hairstyles since the nineteen sixties. Wearing more natural hairstyles, which ironically enough include ‘weaves’ and ‘hair extensions’ has been considered to be more empowered and more enlightened. However, this image comes with a price, and though it appears the ‘natural’ hairstyle movement has advanced Black women, it has actually set them back. The color of the ad is done in browns, earth tones. The signifier in this ad is the colorless sketch drawing of a woman that takes up one page of the two-page ad. She is a symbolic, versus an iconic sign, because the images that lead people to assume the picture is of a Black woman are learned, symbols such as ‘thick lips’ and the way her hair looks, not straight lines, but dotted. The signified is a Black woman, with ‘natural hair’, presumably pretty. The next part of the ad, and as equally important as the first, is on the second page. Large, in bold, is the word ‘naturally’. Beneath it are the words â€Å"If citrus sheen fell on shimmering braids and soothing mist caressed short twists. How lovely would that be?† It has the feel of a poem, and the different shades of brown add to the artistic feel of the page. The artistic feel is important, because it adds the idea of a woman with natural hair as being both bohemian and sophisticated. Beneath the ‘poem’ is an introduction to the product. It emphasizes the product’s natural ingredients, things that seem as though they would be better in a salad dressing than on one’s hair. However, these ingredients are important. First, the emphasis the ‘naturalness’ of the product in turn emphasizes the natural state of the projected audience’s hair. Secondly, its use of Americanized products instead of typical African products (olive oil versus jojoba oil) separate this ad from the typical ‘natural hair care product’ ads. This ad is geared towards a new type of Black woman, one who is more interested in a connection to spirituality and art than to Africa. The actual... ...ce political and socially, the harsher the beauty myth is used against them. In this case, the punishment for rebelling against the majority culture by adapting a ‘subversive’ hairstyle, the thinner you have to be in order to still be considered beautiful. Furthermore, thinness in the Black community is difficult to achieve. Typically, Black body structure, food and eating culture doesn’t easily result in thinness. This is the price Black women pay for this new expression of self. The new face of Black feminine beauty comes with a price. It alienates nearly half of those in the culture that don’t fit the standard. While the hairstyle challenges the majority culture, the newfound search for thinness that comes with the hairstyles returns Black women to the confines of White beauty standards. The ideology that natural hairstyles bring enlightenment came from the Rastafarian tradition. However, what new ads and cultural myth discount is the religious dimension that the Rastafarians placed on their hair. Natural hair doesn’t mean immediate spiritual or intellectual wisdom. What at first seems to be the advancement of Black women, shows the backwards regression of Black beauty.

My Business

My Fitness Academy will be set up at Copiague, in New York 11726 Great Neck Road in the polish center. It will be called Martas Academy aiming at making people fit by integrating dance and exercises The business is based on two simple facts: Healthy people are more productive than those that are chronically ill. It costs less to prevent injuries or illnesses than to treat them after they occur. At this Fitness Academy, we believe that traditional approaches to the current health care crisis are misdirected. These traditional efforts are what we call reactive, that is, they wait until after a person has been stricken with illness or injury, and then pay for the necessary treatments. Our approach, will emphasize on prevention and good health promotion, is much more proactive. 2.0 The Academy Fitness management is based on the belief that healthy people are more productive and efficient. For this reason, it will provide wellness strategies/programs to club members. This will combine dance and exercise-related activities designed to facilitate positive lifestyle changes in members. 2.1 Academy Ownership and Start up Capital The Academy will be a privately held business with one founder and owner. Start-up capital will require approximately $60,000 which will all be provided by the founder. Approximately $30,000 will be allocated to leasehold improvements and $15,000 to equipment. 3.0 Services In my business, classes will be offered in both English and Polish languages. This will mean that those who do not understand English can attend the lessons offered in Polish. I also intend to offer superior customer services in a clean and enjoyable environment. I will also make the lessons affordable to people by charging a membership fee of $50 since my target group will have a house income of $50,000-$60,000 per year. So a membership of $50 will be quite reasonable and affordable. The level of education will not matter as long as one understands either English or polish. The Academy will offer a number of lessons. They include yoga lessons, Pilates, choreographed dances for children between ages 3- 6 and other kind of dances. For instance, I will be having school children interested in the choreographed dance, couples who want to learn how to dance and keep fit as well and yoga will be ideal for a number of people and especially pregnant women. The lessons will also be spread throughout the day in order to have a good timetable for everyone. This will ensure that the lessons are easily accessible and that no one is left out because of time. The Academy will have a flexible timetable whereby one can have a variety of lessons to choose from in terms of time. One can either attend morning, noon, and evening or late night classes. 4.0 Promotion Strategy Initial promotional activity will be through advertisements. This will be in form of printed posters placed at strategic positions like at the neighboring businesses where many people/ customers visit. I will also place advertisements on the church and school bulletins. Promotional activity will also be utilized through other media outlets like the news papers and Radio, but minimally. Word-of-mouth will also attract potential clients. 5.0 Management Summary The Academy will be a small business headed by one individual. He will be aided by a number of experienced trainers but as the business grows, more staff will be employed to cater for the business’s growing needs. References Rhonda, Abrams. (2003). The Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies. London: The planning Shop