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Sunday, November 24, 2019

U.S. Southwests Colorado River (Geography and More)

U.S. Southwest's Colorado River (Geography and More) The Colorado River (map) is a very large river located in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The states it runs through include Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, Baja California and Sonora. It is approximately 1,450 miles (2,334 km) in length and it drains an area of about 246,000 square miles (637,000 sq km). The Colorado River is important historically and it is also a major source of water and electrical power for millions of people in the areas in which it drains. Source: La Poudre Pass Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, ColoradoSource Elevation: 10,175 feet (3,101 m)Mouth: Gulf of California, MexicoLength: 1,450 miles (2,334 km)River Basin Area: 246,000 square miles (637,000 sq km) Course of the Colorado River The headwaters of the Colorado River begin at La Poudre Pass Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. The elevation of this lake is approximately 9,000 feet (2,750 m). This is a significant point in the geography of the United States because it is where the Continental Divide meets the Colorado River drainage basin. As the Colorado River begins to descend in elevation and flow to the west, it flows into Grand Lake in Colorado. After descending further, the river then enters several reservoirs and finally flows out to where it parallels U.S. Highway 40, joins several of its tributaries and then parallels U.S. Interstate 70 for a short time. Once the Colorado River meets the U.S. southwest, it begins to meet several more dams and reservoirs- the first of which is the Glen Canyon Dam which forms Lake Powell in Arizona. From there, the Colorado River begins to flow through massive canyons which it helped carve millions of years ago. Among these is the 217 mile (349 km) long Grand Canyon. After flowing through the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River meets the Virgin River (one of its tributaries) in Nevada and flows into Lake Mead after being blocked by the Hoover Dam at the Nevada/Arizona border. After flowing through the Hoover Dam, the Colorado River continues its course toward the Pacific through several more dams, including the Davis, Parker and Palo Verde Dams. It then flows into the Coachella and Imperial Valleys in California and finally into its delta in Mexico. It should be noted, however, that the Colorado River delta, while once rich marshland, is today mainly dry aside from exceptionally wet years due to the removal of water upstream for irrigation and city uses. Human History of the Colorado River Humans have inhabited the Colorado River basin for thousands of years. Early nomadic hunters and Native Americans have left artifacts throughout the area. For example, the Anasazi began living in Chaco Canyon at around 200 B.C.E. Native American civilizations grew to their peak from 600 to 900 C.E. but they began to decline after that, likely due to drought. The Colorado River was first noted in historic documents in 1539 when Francisco de Ulloa sailed upstream from the Gulf of California. Shortly thereafter, several attempts were made by various explorers to sail farther upstream. Throughout the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a variety of maps showing the river were drawn but they all had different names and courses for it. The first map using the name Colorado appeared in 1743. Throughout the late 1800s and into the 1900s, several expeditions to explore and accurately map the Colorado River took place. In addition from 1836 to 1921, the Colorado River was called the Grand River from its source in Rocky Mountain National Park to its confluence with the Green River in Utah. In 1859 a U.S. Army topographic expedition led by John Macomb occurred, during which he precisely located the confluence of the Green and Grand Rivers and declared it the source of the Colorado River. In 1921, the Grand River was renamed the Colorado River and since then the river has included all of its present-day area. Dams of the Colorado River The modern history of the Colorado River consists mainly of managing its water for municipal uses and to prevent flooding. This came as a result of a flood in 1904. In that year, the rivers water broke through a diversion canal near Yuma, Arizona. This created the New and Alamo Rivers and eventually flooded the Salton Sink, forming the Coachella Valleys Salton Sea. In 1907 however, a dam was built to return the river to its natural course. Since 1907, several more dams have been constructed along the Colorado River and it has grown into a major source of water for irrigation and municipal uses. In 1922, the states in the Colorado River basin signed the Colorado River Compact which governed each states rights to the rivers water and set specific annual allotments of what could be taken. Shortly after the signing of the Colorado River Compact, the Hoover Dam was constructed to provide water for irrigation, manage flooding and generate electricity. Other large dams along the Colorado River include the Glen Canyon Dam as well as the Parker, Davis, Palo Verde and Imperial Dams. In addition to these large dams, some cities have aqueducts running to the Colorado River to further aid in maintaining their water supplies. These cities include Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego California. To learn more about the Colorado River, visit DesertUSA.com and the Lower Colorado River Authority.​

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Chinese economic systems before and after 20th century Essay

Chinese economic systems before and after 20th century - Essay Example They exported tea and porcelain products to various countries but after the 16th century, they lost their position on account of the closed door economic policies of their governments. By the 1950’s, China was producing only 10% of the world’s GDP. However, with the formation of the People’s Republic of China, there was a concentration on export oriented growth and China opened doors to the world. Early Chinese was an agriculture based economy. The economy was mostly centralized and was dominated by the bureaucratic class. The bureaucracy and gentry of imperial China were quintessential rent seekers (Maddison 2007). The bureaucracy was totally controlled by the various rulers but the bureaucrats had full freedom to run the show in the provinces they were in charge of. Thus, there was complete dominance of the urban life by this class. The lucrative business activities were impeded by the red tape. Hence, most of the big businesses were owned only by the government enterprises. There was to protection for investment by the private individuals. China’s merchants, bankers and traders did not have city charters or legal protection and international trade and intellectual contacts with the western world was completely restricted (Maddison 2007). From the beginning of 18th century till the mid 19th century, the country was plagued with many internal disorders. These rebellio ns and wars devastated the economy. Some of them were – The Taiping rebellion, the Muslim rebellions in Shensi, Kansu and Sinkiang, wars with France, UK, Japan and Russia (Maddison 2007). The financial sector of the country before 1978 was not developed much. There was only one bank, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), which was completely controlled by the government (Brandt, Rawski and Lin 2005). This bank received budget from the government and was the sole supplier of money to all government agencies. All government units, military units and cooperatives

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Global Warning is a Myth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global Warning is a Myth - Essay Example The researcher states that global warming is a myth that people have been made to believe. Although global warming enjoys scientific support, there is no sufficient evidence to support its implications and projections. In 2007, global temperature increased by 0.6 degrees Celsius that was followed by a decrease of 0.63 degrees Celsius. This observation contradicts the implication of global warming and expected increase in global temperature. Carbon dioxide emitted by human activities has been accused as the main cause of global warming. The amount of carbon dioxide produced by human activity is insignificant compared to the amount produced by nature. Although global warming has been associated with negativity, an increase in global temperature can have some benefits to the planet. The projected increase in global temperature is not compatible with real measurements of global temperatures and rate of change. Global warming is therefore a scientific scandal and a political agenda. The a uthor begins the article by giving a historic trend on increase and decrease in global temperature. Although this trend has no sufficient scientific support, the figures are relatively accurate considering the duration of time. From the argument, the author is able to prove that an increase in global temperature is a natural phenomenon that is beyond human control. With this argument, the author proves that global warming is independent of human activities. This introductory argument also creates uncertainty on the current allegations of global warming. This part of the argument implies that due to the length of the period between the extremes of global temperature it is difficult for the scientists to tell whether the earth is heading towards high or low temperatures. With this argument, the author introduces the reader to the need to consider the reality of implications of global warming. Carbon dioxide has been accused as the main cause of the expected increase in global temperat ure. Using data on manmade carbon dioxide and natural carbon dioxide in relation to the atmospheric percentage of the gas, the author successfully raises an argument in defense of carbon dioxide. The author achieves a fully supported argument using statistical evidence. Emission of atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased steadily from 1940 however; global warming was taking place before this increase (Contoski Web). This argument fully supports the author’s idea that carbon dioxide emitted by human activities is not responsible for global warming. The author also relates the atmospheric percentage of carbon dioxide with other greenhouse gas such as water vapor. In this relation, the author is able to prove successfully that atmospheric carbon dioxide is insignificant and hence insufficient to cause a major change in global temperature. Suppose global warming was real, then people should focus more on the benefits that can be realized from the phenomenon instead of concentrat ing on its negativity. The author relates warm temperature and biodiversity to prove that global warming might have some benefits (Contoski Web). According to the author, a warmer earth is more beneficial to humankind than a cold earth. The author supports this argument by comparing the biodiversity of the tropics with that of the poles. Politicians play an

Monday, November 18, 2019

Argumentation-Persusasion ( Legalize Marijuana) Essay

Argumentation-Persusasion ( Legalize Marijuana) - Essay Example Moreover, the other two most popular drugs in US, tobacco and alcohol, are legal and they protest that marijuana should also be made legal (Morgan 2011). The arguments on the legalization of marijuana are quite vast and diverse and cover various aspects encompassing medical, economic, legal and social aspects. In 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act was first signed by President Roosevelt as a federal law and became effective in October. According to the federal state laws, any person in possession of marijuana for the first time has to pay a fine of amount $1,000 along with imprisonment of one year. Possession for another time can cost the offender being sent to prison for up to three years. The cultivation or business in marijuana sale can lead to severe punishments which include life-time imprisonment and a very huge amount of fine (Morgan 2011). The supporters of marijuana legalization put forward the US budget crisis to support their arguments. Marijuana legislation will save 41.3 billion dollars spent on arrests and jail imprisonment every year. This economic aspect is significant as estimates of 750,000 people are arrested each year because of possession or sale of marijuana. Other savings will include the payments to judges, court trials, juries and other legal formalities. With the curren t debt of thirteen trillion dollars, US can benefit from the legalization of Marijuana (Turnlund 2011). Another point highlighted is, the tax on the sale of marijuana sale, which can produce billions of money in the yearly revenue. With this money, the government can spend this amount on improving other more significant areas (Morgan 2011). The opponents of marijuana resist the legalization of marijuana by claiming that if marijuana is legalized, it would lead to emergence of new users who had up till now resisted the temptation because of the law enforcements. Another issue is that marijuana

Friday, November 15, 2019

Moral and Ethical Values in Engineering Industry

Moral and Ethical Values in Engineering Industry MORAL ETHICAL VALUES IN AN INDUSTRY AS AN ENGINEER There are three main Moral Ethical values in an industry, which an engineer is always obliged to obey, these values not only helps the industry but also benefits equally an Engineers personal gain. These three main points are: Professional Duties Ethical Values Human Values An Engineers good conduct (as captured in professional codes of conduct) toward other engineers, toward employers, toward clients, and toward the public is an essential part of the life of a professional engineer while remaining in the industry. As professionals, engineers need to internalize their codes and to realize that they have a personal stake in the application of codes as well as the process of developing the codes As professionals, engineers should try their best to solve every problem. i.e. If a problem situation is related to other engineer field, an engineer should know at least the know-how to solve that problem. Engineers should always respect their field rules as per their fields literature. In industry, an Engineer is responsible to think about the interaction of technology and society, because engineers are the ones who create all of technology. In industry, the central focus of an engineers profession must be on the application of scientific knowledge and creative thinking to meet societal needs. Engineers must bring both the industry name and his profession to the equal level so that there will not be any defaming situation created in any of both cases. In an industry, the purpose of the scientist is to know things, while that of the engineer is to perform on things and invent. The scientist enhances to the stock of confirmed, organized information of the corporal realm while an engineer fetches this information to stand on real-world problems. In an industry, an engineer is not allowed to choose the problem that comforts him; he must resolve problems as they arise. A solution to the given problem by an engineer in an industry must be reliable, cheap and most importantly safe. An engineer should keep paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public. An engineer should always avoid any type deceiving acts. An engineer should do amenities only in the zones of their capability. Engineers should shoulder projects lonely when qualified by schooling or knowledge in the precise technical fields involved. As a professional engineer, he must turn for each employer or customer as faithful agents or representatives. Engineers must conduct themselves morally, dutifully, morally, and legally so as to improve the integrity, standing, and practicality of the occupation. Engineers should support only those engineering forms that are in conformism with appropriate standards. Engineers may show openly practical thoughts that are established upon facts and competency in the topic matter. Engineers should not assist or support the illegal exercise of engineering by an individual or firm. Time is money-that well-known proverb must be every engineers priority working in an industry. An engineer should have human moral awareness (skills in knowing moral glitches in engineering) Forceful moral perceptive (understanding, measuring dissimilar views) An engineer should always keep in the view about the effects on the human health caused due to the industries. An engineer should pay his complete attention to his work especially when working on forums related to human moral values. An engineer must use moral message, to show and upkeep ones technical opinions to others. Moral sensibleness i.e., eager and talented to be ethically technically responsible for human lives. An engineer must respect for people, which shows apprehension for the well-being of humankind. While proposing an idea to an industry, an engineer must keep in mind that his/her project is eco-friendly, that in turn is ultimately beneficial for the mankind. An engineer must keep moral confidence i.e., trust in using lucid discussion for undertaking ethical engagements. Honesty, which incomes moral truthfulness, and assimilating ones proficient life and individual beliefs.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Can At-Risk Children be Helped? Essay -- Crime, Juvenile

The 2010 Census showed that over 74 million children (or one-fourth of the total population) reside in the United States—with almost one-fourth being children under the age of 12 and one-fourth being youth ages 12-17 (Federal Interagency on Child and Family Statistics, 2011). Many of the decisions a young person makes can affect the rest of his or her life—and juvenile crime is just one of the bad decisions a young person can make. This essay covers the issue of juvenile crime, social work’s involvement, and my reflections on this issue. The Issue of Juvenile Crime According to the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, in 2009 youth ages 12-17 committed more than 275,000 serious violent crimes (2011). Many factors are known to contribute to youth crime, including a lack of parental involvement their child’s life; maltreatment; failure to adhere to social norms; and untreated health/mental issues. The old â€Å"Boys will be boys† adage by a parent is not an acceptable excuse for juvenile misbehavior (Segal, Gerdes, and Steiner, 2010). Youth need positive role models in their lives. If a young person’s parents are not positive role models, the child may turn to a life of crime. Sometimes, however, maltreatment by a parent is a contributing factor to juvenile crime. Those suffering from maltreatment tend to internalize their feelings, causing them to exhibit symptoms of â€Å"anxiety, depression, or suicidal behavior† (Maschi, Morgen, Hatcher, Rosata, and Violette, 2009). Internalization of feelings can lead to the externalization of unacceptable behaviors. Maltreated youth can become aggressive and rebellious (Maschi, et al, 2009). Untreated health or mental issues can also contribute to juveniles’ involvement in cri... ...s.gov Gerdes, K.E. & Segal, E. (2011). Importance of empathy for social work practice: integrating new science. Social Work, 56(2), 141-148. Harris, A. (2009). The role of power in shaming interactions: how social control is performed in a juvenile court. Contemporary Justice Review, 12(4), 379-399. Doi: 10.10880/10282580903342854 Maschi, T., Morgen, K., Hatcher, S., Rosato, N., & Violette. (2009) Maltreated children’s thoughts and emotions as behavioral predictors: evidence for social work action. Social Work, 54(2), 135-143. Segal, E., Gerdes, K., & Steiner, S. (2010). An introduction to the profession of social work. Third Edition. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cenage Learning. Schwalbe, C., Hatcher, S., & Maschi, T. (2009). The effects of treatment needs and prior social services on juvenile court decision making. Social Work Research, 33(1), 31-40.