Thanksgiving COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

Thanksgiving COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog This Thursday and Friday, November 27th and 28th, the Admissions Office will be closed in recognition of the American holiday, Thanksgiving. Please be aware that we will not respond to phone calls or emails until Monday, December 1st when we reopen after the holidays. We encourage you to learn more about our programs and application here. Long holiday weekends are excellent opportunities to get started on the application! As a reminder, our upcoming deadlines for fall 2015 entry are January 5th, 2015 (for fellowship consideration) and February 5th, 2015 (the final application deadline). Have a wonderful holiday! Photo courtesy of Inga Sarda-Sorensen

Is There Any Evidence for Cannibalism in Dinosaurs

A few years ago, a paper published in the distinguished scientific journal Nature bore an arresting title: Cannibalism in the Madagascan Dinosaur Majungatholus atopus. In it, researchers described their discovery of various Majungatholus bones bearing Majungatholus-sized bite marks, the only logical explanation being that this 20-foot-long, one-ton theropod preyed on other members of the same species, either for fun or because it was especially hungry. (Since then, Majungatholus has had its name changed to the slightly less impressive Majungasaurus, but it was still the apex predator of late Cretaceous Madagascar.) As you might have expected, the media went wild. Its hard to resist a press release with the words dinosaur and cannibal in the title, and Majungasaurus was soon vilified worldwide as a heartless, amoral predator of friends, family,  children, and random strangers. It was only a matter of time before The History Channel featured a pair of Majungasaurus in an episode of its long-extinct series Jurassic Fight Club, where the ominous music and portentous narration made the offending dinosaur seem like the Mesozoic equivalent of Hannibal Lecter (I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti!) Notably, Majungasaurus, aka Majungatholus, is one of the few dinosaurs  for which we have indisputable evidence of cannibalism. The only other genus that even comes close is Coelophysis, an early theropod that congregated by the thousands in the southwestern U.S.  It was once believed that some adult Coelophysis fossils contained the partially digested remains of juveniles, but it now appears that these were actually small, prehistoric, yet uncannily dinosaur-like crocodiles like Hesperosuchus. So Coelophysis (for now) has been cleared of all charges, while Majungasaurus has been pronounced guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But why should we even care? Most  Creatures Will Be Cannibals Given the Right Circumstances The question that should have been asked upon the publication of that Nature paper wasnt Why on earth would a dinosaur be a cannibal?, but rather, Why should dinosaurs be different from any other animal? The fact is that thousands of modern species, ranging from fish to insects to primates, engage in cannibalism, not as a flawed moral choice but as a hardwired response to stressful environmental conditions. For example: Even before theyre born, sand tiger sharks will cannibalize each other in the mothers womb, the biggest baby shark (with the biggest teeth) devouring its unfortunate siblings.Male lions  and other predators will  kill and eat the cubs of their rivals, in order to establish dominance in the pack and ensure the survival of their own bloodline.No less an authority than Jane Goodall noted that chimps in the wild will occasionally kill and eat their own young, or the young of other adults in the community. This limited definition of cannibalism applies only to animals that deliberately slaughter, and then eat, other members of their own species. But we can vastly expand the definition by including predators that opportunistically consume their packmates carcasses--you can bet that an Africa hyena wouldnt turn up its nose at the body of a two-days-dead comrade, and the same rule doubtless applied to your average Tyrannosaurus Rex or Velociraptor. Of course, the reason cannibalism evokes such strong feelings in the first place is that even supposedly civilized human beings have been known to engage in this activity. But again, we have to draw a crucial distinction: its one thing for Hannibal Lecter to premeditate the murder and consumption of his  victims, but quite another for, say, members of the Donner Party to cook and eat already-dead travelers to ensure their own survival. This (some would say dubious) moral distinction doesnt apply to animals--and if you cant hold a chimpanzee to account for its actions, you certainly cant blame a much more dim-witted creature like Majungasaurus. Why Isnt There More Evidence of Dinosaur Cannibalism? At this point you may be asking: if dinosaurs were like modern animals, killing and eating their own young and the young of their rivals and gobbling down already-dead members of their own species, why havent we discovered more fossil evidence? Well, consider this: trillions of meat-eating dinosaurs hunted and killed trillions of plant-eating dinosaurs during the course of the Mesozoic Era, and weve only unearthed a handful of fossils that memorialize the act of predation (say, a Triceratops femur bearing a T. Rex bite mark). Since cannibalism was presumably less common than the active hunting of other species, its no surprise that the evidence thus far is limited to Majungasaurus--but dont be surprised if additional cannibal dinosaurs are discovered soon.

Athanasia Human Impermanence and the Journey for Eternal...

Athanasia: Human Impermanence and the Journey for Eternal Life in the Epic of Gilgamesh â€Å"Will you too die as Enkidu did? Will grief become your food? Will we both fear the lonely hills, so vacant? I now race from place to place, dissatisfied with whereever I am and turn my step toward Utnapishtim, godchild of Ubaratutu† (Jackson â€Å"Gilgamesh Tablet IX† 4-9) Gilgamesh so much feared death that he threw away his honor as a warrior in order to obtain immortality. For centuries there have existed individuals who yearn for everlasting life. A journey that so many have traversed, but have failed in the attempt. The ideology surrounding immortality transcends time and a plethora of cultures. The theme, immortality appears in stories from the†¦show more content†¦The life that he once lived is shattered into pieces and he finds it difficult to return to his former glorious self; this is the first time in Gilgamesh’s life that he has ever felt the emotions of fear. Gilgamesh is afraid to die. The inevitable fate that has plagued humanity for ages, death, has now become the greatest barrier that he must overcome. The immense scope that separates death from eternal life is breached, this crossover leads to a paramount connection between the supernatural and mortal universe. Gilgamesh, two thirds god, and one third human is left at the intermediary. His metamorphosis will establish a sense of restitution in his life. Along these lines, even though Gilgamesh existed â€Å"thousands of years ago, he remains immortal in a sense that we still refer to him and his story† (Sadigh 85). Enkidu is a primary character in the epic, his death dramatically changes the personality of Gilgamesh. His metamorphosis and death makes evident the innate rhythm of life, which represents the link that he has with nature. With love, and self-realization, Enkidu eventually becomes a friend to Gilgamesh. Readers are able to see the merging of Gilgamesh’s divine stature with Enkidu’s wild nature, which in turn changes Enkidu from a simple beast to a figure that is larger than life (Harris 122). He essentially becomes an equal to Gilgamesh. Enkidu undergoes the following transformation: From the barbarian man that he once was,

Smog as Air Pollution Free Essays

utNowadays pollution is becoming more and more serious problem, particularly air pollution. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the chemical elements of the atmosphere have changed. Along with the development of industrialization, air pollution has spread and now it is a global issue. We will write a custom essay sample on Smog as Air Pollution or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are many kinds of air pollution, one of them is smog. Smog can come from many areas, particularly factories and transportation systems, but there are some differences between developed and developing countries. In developed countries, highly developed industry is the main reason that smog is serious, they mostly use fossil fuels. However, developing countries started to industrialize, so increasing number of factories is the most important cause of smog and they always use the coal or wood burning. More and more people using cars and motorcycles also is a reason about that. Those of us who live in large cities are familiar with smog air pollution; the familiar brown haze resting over the city on a still day. We need to know what smog contains and where it comes from, as well as the health and environmental impacts of this hallmark of industrialization. There are two categories of smog to be covered: classic smog and the more recently described photochemical smog. Classic Smog In its most primitive and basic form, smog air pollution is the result of the burning of fossil fuels. It has several major components: 1) Smoke, which is tiny particles of ash, is released from the smokestacks of coal fired power stations. Coal power plants are now on the whole designed to trap this ash, called fly ash, which can be used to great effect in the concrete industry. These tiny particles contain not only carbon residue, but also silicon dioxide, calcium oxide and traces of heavy metals. If inhaled these can pose significant health risks. The silicon dioxide in the fly ash alone can cause lesions, scarring and inflammation of the lungs. 2) Sulfur Dioxide. Sulfur is present in all  fossil fuels  and is released as Sulfur Dioxide when the fuels are burned. Sulfur Dioxide reacts with oxygen gas to give Sulfur Trioxide. This then can react with water to give Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4). Another possibility is that the Sulfur Dioxide reacts immediately with water to give Sulfurous Acid (H2SO3). Either way, the acid produced is highly reactive and capable of causing significant damage to crops, soil, buildings and more. Several industrialized nations now employ technology that captures approximately a third of Sulfur Dioxide from the emission gases of power stations, greatly reducing the problems of acid rain. Photochemical Smog This is a far more noxious mixture of chemicals than classic smog air pollution. Significant inroads have been made to reduce the main contributors to classic smog. Such efforts in relation to photochemical smog are still in their early stages. Photochemical smog air pollution is a mixture of various chemicals that react with sunlight to produce new chemicals. This is where the name comes from;  photo  means  light  and  chemical  means chemical, or product of a chemical reaction. The chemical reactions involved are complex and while they are important, we need to know the  source  of these pollutants and their effects. The chemicals involved need to be addressed separately. The three main ingredients are Nitrous Oxides, volatile organic compounds and Ozone. Carbon Monoxide is a toxic byproduct of fossil fuel combustion but is considered separate to photochemical smog. London smog disaster One of the famous smog with all bad effects is London Smog which was caused by heavy coal combustion during the winter of 1952, The weather in Greater London had been unusually cold for several weeks leading up to the event because of the cold weather, households were burning more coal than usual to keep warm. The smoke from approximately one million coal-fired stoves, in addition to the emissions from local industry, was released into the atmosphere. Increases in smoke and sulfur emissions from the combustion of coal had been occurring since the Industrial Revolution and the British were familiar with these types of smog events. At times, the smoke and emissions were so heavy that residents referred to the events as ‘pea soupers’ because the fog was as dense as pea soup. However, while the area had experienced heavy smog in the past, no event had caused such problems as the weather event in December, 1952. Thousands of tons of black soot, tar particles, and sulfur dioxide had accumulated in the air from the heavy coal combustion. Estimates of PM10 concentrations during December, 1952, range between 3,000 and 14,000? g/m? with the high range being approximately 50 times higher than normal levels at the time. PM10 is particulate matter less than 10 micrometers in diameter. Conditions for Londoners today are much better with PM 10 concentrations around 30? g/m?. Estimates also suggest that sulfur dioxide levels during December of 1952 were 7 times greater than normal at 700 parts per billion (ppb). The weather preceding and during the smog meant that Londoners were burning more coal than usual to keep warm. Post-war domestic coal tended to be of a relatively low-grade, sulphurous variety (economic necessity meant that better-quality â€Å"hard† coals tended to be exported), which increased the amount of sulphur dioxide in the smoke. There were also numerous coal-fired power stations in the Greater London area, including Battersea, Bankside, and Kingston upon Thames, all of which added to the pollution. Research suggests that additional pollution prevention systems fitted at Battersea may have actually worsened the air quality, reducing the output of soot at the cost of increased sulphur dioxide, though this is not certain. Additionally, there were pollution and smoke from vehicle exhaust—particularly from diesel-fuelled buses which had replaced the recently abandoned electric tram system—and from other industrial and commercial sources. Prevailing winds had also blown heavily polluted air across the English Channel from industrial areas of Continental Europe. There was no panic, as London was renowned for its fog. In the weeks that ensued, however, statistics compiled by medical services found that the fog had killed 4,000 people. Most of the victims were very young, elderly, or had pre-existing respiratory problems. In February 1953, Lieutenant-Colonel Lipton suggested in the House of Commons that the fog had caused 6,000 deaths and that 25,000 more people had claimed sickness benefits in London during that period. Most of the deaths were caused by respiratory tract infections from hypoxia and as a result of mechanical obstruction of the air passages by pus arising from lung infections caused by the smog. The lung infections were mainly bronchopneumonia or acute purulent bronchitis superimposed upon chronic bronchitis. More recent research suggests that the number of fatalities was considerably greater, at about 12,000. The death toll formed an important impetus to modern environmentalism, and it caused a rethinking of air pollution, as the smog had demonstrated its lethal potential. New regulations were implemented, restricting the use of dirty fuels in industry and banning black smoke. Environmental legislation since 1952, such as the City of London (Various Powers) Act 1954 and the Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968, has led to a reduction in air pollution. How to cite Smog as Air Pollution, Essay examples

The Picture Of Dorain Gray Essays - English-language Films

The Picture of Dorain Gray The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is the story of moral corruption by the means of aestheticism. In the novel, the well meaning artist Basil Hallward presets young Dorian Gray with a portrait of himself. After conversing with cynical Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian makes a wish which dreadfully affects his life forever. "If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that" (Wilde 109). As it turns out, the devil that Dorian sells his soul to is Lord Henry Wotton, who exists not only as something external to Dorian, but also as a voice within him (Bloom 107). Dorian continues to lead a life of sensuality which he learns about in a book given to him by Lord Henry. Dorian's unethical devotion to pleasure becomes his way of life. The novel underscores its disapproval of aestheticism which negatively impacts the main characters. Each of th e three primary characters is an aesthete and meets some form of terrible personal doom. Basil Hallward's aestheticism is manifested in his dedication to his artistic creations. He searches in the outside world for the perfect manifestation of his own soul, when he finds this object, he can create masterpieces by painting it (Bloom 109). He refuses to display the portrait of Dorian Gray with the explanation that, "I have put too much of myself into it" (Wilde 106). He further demonstrates the extent to which he holds this philosophy by later stating that, "only the artist is truly reveled" (109). Lord Henry Wotton criticizes Basil Hallward that, "An artist should create beautiful things but should put nothing of his own life into them" (Wilde 25). Ironically, the purpose of Basil Hallward's existence is that he is an aesthete striving to become one with his art (Eriksen 105). It is this very work of art which Basil refuses to display that provides Dorian Gray with the idea that ther e are no consequences to his actions. Dorian has this belief in mind when he murders Basil. Here we see that the artist is killed for his excessive love of physical beauty; the same art that he wished to merge with is the cause of his mortal downfall (Juan 64). Lord Henry Wotton, the most influential man in Dorian's life, is an aesthete of the mind. Basil is an artist who uses a brush while Wotton is an artist who uses words: There is no good, no evil, no morality and immorality;there are modes of being. To live is to experiment aesthetically in living to experiment all sensations, to know all emotions, and to think all thoughts, in order that the self's every capacity may be imaginatively realized (West 5811). Lord Henry believes that, "it is better to be beautiful than to be good" (Wilde 215). Although he attests that aestheticism is a mode of thought, he does not act on his beliefs. Basil Hallward accuses him saying, "You never say a moral thing and you never do a wrong thing" (5 ). However, Lord Henry does take the immoral action of influencing Dorian. Although Lord Henry states that, "all influence is immoral" (Wilde 18), he nonetheless drastically changes Dorian Gray. As Dorian acts on the beliefs of Lord Henry, the portrait's beauty becomes corrupted. "Lord Henry presents Dorian with the tenants of his New Hedonism, whose basis is self-development leading to the perfect realization of one's nature" (Eriksen 97). If Lord Henry's aesthetic ideas have validity ,Dorian Gray's portrait should not become ugly, but rather more beautiful. Since the picture becomes loathsome, it is evident that Lord Henry's beliefs are untrue (West 5811). Dorian becomes so disgusted with the horrible portrait that he slashes the canvas, and the knife pierces his own heart. Because Lord Henry is responsible for influencing Dorian Gray, he is partly the cause of the death of Dorian (5810). While Lord Henry is indirectly the cause of Dorian's death, he too causes his own downfall. L ord Henry changes Dorian with the belief that morals have no

Surgery by text message - Emphasis

Surgery by text message Surgery by text message For once, a positive story about text messaging is doing the rounds. A surgeon has instructed another to perform an amputation through the short message service (SMS texting to you and me). The details have the ingredients of a classic news story. Surprise for one (most stories about texting are negative eg blaming it for killing the English language). Then there is Death and destruction (the BBC reported that the surgeon who carried out the operation did it in war-torn Congo); and Heroism (he was working for Medecins sans Frontieres). And theres the fact that the amputation (Drama) was to remove the arm of a 16-year-old boy (children are also usually very newsworthy). Lets be clear. This was undoubtedly a huge achievement, especially as the teenager recovered from the operation. Its also remarkable that cheap technology can now be used to transmit written instructions into warzones. But was it me, or did James Naughtie of the BBCs flagship Today morning radio programme sound just a little disappointed when vascular surgeon Mr David Nott explained what really happened? Mr Nott had needed to perform a four-quarter amputation on the boy, whod already lost most of his arm. This was major surgery, which involved removing the collarbone and shoulder blade as well as what remained of the arm itself. But the reason for needing the instructions was not that hed never performed an amputation before. Rather, it was that there was only one specialist in the whole of the UK who specialised in four-quarter amputation: Professor Meirion Thomas of Londons Royal Marsden Hospital, a former colleague of Mr Nott. Mr Nott did not perform the operation with a scalpel in one hand and his mobile phone in the other, as you might infer from press reports. Instead, hed calmly emailed Professor Thomas the night before the operation, explaining the situation and checking with his former mentor that the procedure was appropriate. When he got confirmation that it was, a couple more texts followed to check the details. He then slept on the decision and confirmed that he would go ahead when he awoke the next morning. Nor was Professor Thomas on holiday in the Azores, as the BBC and several newspapers said; he was in London. (Naughtie muttered something along the lines of, Oh, well we got that from the papers.) There are two lessons to take from this. First, it will help you get news coverage for your organisation if you make sure your press release contains as many core news values as possible. Second, most news you read or hear reported is far from objective. The BBC was still reporting nine hours later that the boy was from war-torn Congo. This was despite the fact that, according to Mr Nott, his injury had nothing to do with the war: the boys arm was bitten off by a hippo. Emphasis runs courses on writing for publication. Contact us for details. For more on getting press releases noticed, click here.

Samuel Johnsons Essay on the Decay of Friendship

Samuel Johnsons Essay on the Decay of Friendship For more than three years British author, poet, and lexicographer Samuel Johnson almost single-handedly wrote and edited a biweekly journal, The Rambler. After completing his master work, A Dictionary of the English Language, in 1755, he returned to journalism by contributing essays and reviews to the Literary Magazine and The Idler, where the following essay first appeared. Of the innumerable causes of decayed or destroyed friendships, Johnson examines five in particular. The Decay of Friendship from The Idler, Number 23, September 23, 1758 by Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) Life has no pleasure higher or nobler than that of friendship. It is painful to consider that this sublime enjoyment may be impaired or destroyed by innumerable causes, and that there is no human possession of which the duration is less certain. Many have talked in very exalted language, of the perpetuity of friendship, of invincible constancy, and unalienable kindness; and some examples have been seen of men who have continued faithful to their earliest choice, and whose affection has predominated over changes of fortune, and contrariety of opinion. But these instances are memorable, because they are rare. The friendship which is to be practiced or expected by common mortals, must take its rise from mutual pleasure, and must end when the power ceases of delighting each other. Many accidents therefore may happen by which the ardor of kindness will be abated, without criminal baseness or contemptible inconstancy on either part. To give pleasure is not always in our power; and little does he know himself who believes that he can be always able to receive it. Those who would gladly pass their days together may be separated by the different course of their affairs; and friendship, like love, is destroyed by long absence, though it may be increased by short intermissions. What we have missed long enough to want it, we value more when it is regained; but that which has been lost till it is forgotten, will be found at last with little gladness, and with still less if a substitute has supplied the place. A man deprived of the companion to whom he used to open his bosom, and with whom he shared the hours of leisure and merriment, feels the day at first hanging heavy on him; his difficulties oppress, and his doubts distract him; he sees time come and go without his wonted gratification, and all is sadness within, and solitude about him. But this uneasiness never lasts long; necessity produces expedients, new amusements are discovered, and new conversation is admitted. No expectation is more frequently disappointed, than that which naturally arises in the mind from the prospect of meeting an old friend after long separation. We expect the attraction to be revived, and the coalition to be renewed; no man considers how much alteration time has made in himself, and very few inquire what effect it has had upon others. The first hour convinces them that the pleasure which they have formerly enjoyed, is forever at an end; different scenes have made different impressions; the opinions of both are changed; and that similitude of manners and sentiment is lost which confirmed them both in the approbation of themselves. Friendship is often destroyed by opposition of interest, not only by the ponderous and visible interest which the desire of wealth and greatness forms and maintains, but by a thousand secret and slight competitions, scarcely known to the mind upon which they operate. There is scarcely any man without some favorite trifle which he values above greater attainments, some desire of petty praise which he cannot patiently suffer to be frustrated. This minute ambition is sometimes crossed before it is known, and sometimes defeated by wanton petulance; but such attacks are seldom made without the loss of friendship; for whoever has once found the vulnerable part will always be feared, and the resentment will burn on in secret, of which shame hinders the discovery. This, however, is a slow malignity, which a wise man will obviate as inconsistent with quiet, and a good man will repress as contrary to virtue; but human happiness is sometimes violated by some more sudden strokes. A dispute begun in jest upon a subject which a moment before was on both parts regarded with careless indifference, is continued by the desire of conquest, till vanity kindles into rage, and opposition rankles into enmity. Against this hasty mischief, I know not what security can be obtained; men will be sometimes surprised into quarrels; and though they might both haste into reconciliation, as soon as their tumult had subsided, yet two minds will seldom be found together, which can at once subdue their discontent, or immediately enjoy the sweets of peace without remembering the wounds of the conflict. Friendship has other enemies. Suspicion is always hardening the cautious, and disgust repelling the delicate. Very slender differences will sometimes part those whom long reciprocation of civility or beneficence has united. Lonelove and Ranger retired into the country to enjoy the company of each other, and returned in six weeks, cold and petulant; Rangers pleasure was to walk in the fields, and Loneloves to sit in a bower; each had complied with the other in his turn, and each was angry that compliance had been exacted. The most fatal disease of friendship is gradual decay, or dislike hourly increased by causes too slender for complaint, and too numerous for removal. Those who are angry may be reconciled; those who have been injured may receive a recompense: but when the desire of pleasing and willingness to be pleased is silently diminished, the renovation of friendship is hopeless; as, when the vital powers sink into languor, there is no longer any use of the physician. Other Essays by Samuel Johnson: On the Style of Jonathan SwiftConversationThe Bugbear StyleAn Encomium on Sleep The Decay of Friendship, by Samuel Johnson, was first published in The Idler, September 23, 1758.