Category: Sciences 2502

In the article Are Neanderthals Human written on September 20, 2012, Carl Zimmer suggests that there were numerous various species of human in the past, including Neanderthals, which helps modern scientists determine the nature of other species.

The author reveals the story of anthropologic discoveries and describes the ideas of various scientists related to Neanderthals to help readers know where they come from and how they are related to modern people.

The author touches on this topic in order to make people understand more about ancestors, show the variety of living creatures of the past, and describe their behavior and relations.

The author uses a neutral and professional tone to reach the audience: these are educated people who are interested in knowing more about history, evolution, biology, and other exciting areas of science.

Work Cited

Zimmer, Carl. Are Neanderthals Human? PBS. 2012. Web.

Summary

Hypothesis testing a conceptual introduction is chapter 9 of the book called Statistics for Criminology and Criminal Justice written by Jacinta Gau. It examines the foundation and purpose of hypothesis testing, provides steps, which should be followed to conduct statistical research. Moreover, this chapter describes expected and observed outcomes, differences between them, Type I and Type II errors, and provides an understanding of the substance of inferential statistics.

Arguments

To begin with, Chapter 9 provides solid insight into the differences between expected and observed outcomes. The distinct features outlined are sampling error, produced with inequity between measurements, and a genuine discrepancy between a samples statistic and the population parameter. The use of the mentioned tool is explained by an example of officers mean ratio measuring through the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey. Further, chapter 9 considers null (H0) and alternative (H1) hypotheses, providing the instance of their implementation of the mentioned abstract situation basis. Then, the explanations of Type I and Type II errors and a trade-off between them are provided. The chapter outlines 4 hypothesis testing procedures and explains the nuances of their implementation. Finally, the logic of hypothesis testing in 5 consistent steps is provided, with a description of its usefulness.

Critics

It is possible to state that information provided in Chapter 9 Hypothesis testing a conceptual introduction, is well-structured and supported with instances related to the specialized area. It is possible to obtain an understanding of the complete hypothesis testing process and insight into inferential statistics. On the other hand, the chapter lacks a comprehensive example of hypothesis testing, as only the sequences of steps to follow with a brief explanation of them is provided. It leaves the uncompleted and unsure understanding of the topic, despite the solid theoretical material explained.

Reference

Gau, J. M. (2019). Statistics for Criminology and Criminal Justice (3^rd ed.). Sage Publications.

American internal and external strategies allowed it to gain political power worldwide. The violent competition for establishing the new world order was particularly evident during the Cold War era. However, the lack of competitive forces in the 1990 and the 2000s resulted in creating an idea about taking responsibility for worldwide liberalization (Wright 1). The spread of this idea among U.S. citizens became possible due to televisions power that used advertisements intensely to influence viewers choices and perceptions (Hirshon 14). A part of the series America becomes a world power discusses how the United States transformed from a nation fighting against imperialism to becoming an imperial power (America in the 20th Century America Becomes a World Power 29:09-29:25). This video describes American external policy as diplomatic at the beginning of the U.S. independence. It also raises the issue of the U.S. becoming aggressive later in the course of its development. This issue of the U.S. wanting to maintain supremacy in the world remains valid today. Successful internal ideologic programs and aggressive external approaches, supported by many European and South-East Asian countries, allowed America to become a world power.

A vigilant approach of the U.S. government allowed to place the idea of external threats and the need to share liberal views with other countries into American citizens minds, providing support to people. The spread of these ideas was possible due to television and other media. Although the 30th U.S. President Calvin Coolidge suggested not to overuse advertisement, it has been heavily utilized for making customers buy unnecessary products and consume dangerous ideas (Hirshon 1). According to Hirshon, advertising had managed to seep into the American consciousness, indicating the commencement of mind manipulation with visual imagery (8). The idea of world liberalization became almost a necessity for the nation because if the United States could not avoid the world by isolating itself, it would have to transform it (Wright 154). Although it is not a negative idea, the aggressive methods such as military intervention used by the American government led to thousands of civilians and soldiers lives lost in the armed conflicts. Advertisement of the idea of global power helped the U.S. achieve geopolitical dominance with the general populations support, and the cost was innocent peoples lives.

As previously mentioned, the United States gained power in the global political arena due to aggressive military intervention in some countries, enabling access to these countries resources. However, it will be unfair to state that the U.S. used exclusively military force because the liberal international order included two other components. These components were an open economy and international collaboration to receive support from other countries (Wright 155). Cooperation with the developed European and South-East Asian countries became an asset for the U.S. in establishing its dominance. For example, American intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq was supported by the European Union (E.U.). In contrast, the Russian governments equivalent military intervention in Ukraine was criticized in media and literature (Hunt 74). For instance, some scholars present a relatively subjective representation of the Russian governments actions in Ukraine as a danger to the integrity of the E.U. (Sawa 34). However, the Russian economy is not large enough to compete for hegemony in Europe and need not pose a security threat to the United States (Wertheim). Therefore, the race for global dominance appears to be an erroneous perspective.

The costs of the global political dominance of the United States are high. Wars started by the Pentagon in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, the emergence of an anti-American disposition, economic crisis, and climate change (Wertheim). I agree with Stephen Wertheims article claiming that the U.S. hegemony was unnecessary and far from liberal as planned at the beginning. Instead of solving global environmental, economic, and scientific problems, financial resources are wasted on maintaining political primacy in the world (Wertheim). Moreover, I agree with the video America Becomes a World Power which gives an unbiased perspective on the U.S. aggressive policy to become an imperial power in the 20th century. However, the limitation of this video is that it does not provide information about the American populations opinion about the governments decision to become a world power. Undoubtedly, one countrys global power provides enormous benefits in shaping strategies and directions worldwide (Wright 187). However, dominating the world without resolving domestic issues seems irresponsible and against national interests. Therefore, the need for global domination should be replaced with healthy collaboration between countries to solve the worlds pressing issues.

Although the U.S. government achieved global power status, it failed to sustain the liberal nature of its actions worldwide. I think that the issue raised in the film about the growing global power of the United States in the 20th century is still valid in the present day. The American international policy became a demonstration of its military force, resulting in innocent lives lost in armed conflicts. Although the U.S.s open economic policy and international collaboration ensured support from the E.U. and South-East Asian countries in military intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq, the final result harmed innocent civilians. Gaining world power in the world arena created more problems for the United States than it solved. Therefore, political dominance should be replaced with healthy competition and collaboration between the worlds largest economies to solve global issues of climate change and economic crisis.

Works Cited

America in the 20th Century America Becomes a World Power. YouTube, uploaded by Mr. Antonucci, 2020, Web.

Hirshon, Nicholas. A Great Power Defended and Denounced: An Examination of Twentieth-Century Advertising and Advertising Criticism in the United States. Journalism History, vol. 46 no. 3, 2020, pp. 265-283.

Hunt, Edward. The WikiLeaks Cables: How the United States Exploits the World, in Detail, from an Internal Perspective, 20012010. Diplomacy & Statecraft, vol. 30 no. 1, 2019, pp. 70-98.

Sawa, Dawid. The Influence and Role of the United States of America in Ensuring the Military Security of Central and Eastern Europe. Revista de tiine Politice, no. 65, 2020, pp. 33-41.

Wertheim, Stephen. The Price of Primacy: Why American Shouldnt Dominate the World. Foreign Affairs. 2020. Web.

Wright, Thomas. All Measures Short of War: The Contest for the Twenty-First Century and the Future of American Power. Yale University Press, 2017.

Introduction

The fundamental differences between the British common law system and Quebecs civil law system are associated with the national, historical, political, psychological, and other characteristics of countries and peoples. Due to its natural and other features, each of these legal systems develops on its own. This development, along with significant special features, allows each of them to acquire its individuality. This not only does not exclude but, on the contrary, strongly suggests that each of these legal systems can adopt norms, institutions, and other traditional features peculiar to another legal system. However, this does not change either the original nature of the basic parameters and fundamental elements of each of the legal systems that remain what they have always been. Quebecs civil law system most closely, in comparison with other systems, correlates with the common law system of Great Britain in several parameters. It is several significant distinctive features that allow drawing a dividing line between these two legal systems.

Background

The inclusion of the colony of New France, which is the province of Quebec now, into the possessions of the British Crown put official London in a dilemma. It was possible to extend the already established and tested model of the legal system in the so-called royal colonies to Quebec. Its prototype was the constitutional structure of England itself during the first Stuarts. This option assumed the replacement of the French-born law system of the settlement with the English one. This is what the colonists of New England wanted, and the French-speaking inhabitants of the newly annexed colony feared. However, at that moment, there was an aggravation of the conflict between the metropolis and the territories of New England. Consequently, this option was quite reasonably perceived by official London as potentially dangerous from a political perspective.

An alternative to it could only be the preservation of the territorial law that had developed at the time of the conquest of Quebec. This was justified by the peculiarity of the colony and the desire to preserve the loyalty of the new French-speaking subjects of the English Crown. Then their complex relations with the colonists of New England would have been taken into account. As a result of this historical process, the sources of British common law were fully restored in Upper Canada, which now is the province of Ontario. In the other, Lower part of Canada, which is now the province of Quebec, the later codification of civil law was carried based on the legislation of Napoleon. Both colonies held elections to legislative assemblies, the acts of which became an essential link in the system of sources of territorial law. Thus, Quebec remained the only of the British possessions in North America that maintained its dualistic system of sources of law. In addition, it is the only one of the provinces of modern Canada where such a system has developed.

The Difference Between Quebecs Civil Law System and British Common Law System

Legal Thinking

The elementary particle of the legal system in both the British common law and Quebecs civil law system is a legal norm. However, understanding the rule of law as a legal structure and its structural design is different in these law systems. Modern researchers associate the logical operations prevailing in the thinking of lawyers of the British common law and Quebecs civil law systems with the main types of sources of law. There is a qualitative difference in the general logical operations of thinking of lawyers on Quebec civil and British common law. This fact has been repeatedly pointed out in the legal literature devoted to legal review in various legal systems. The main conclusion that most scientists come to is the idea that the thinking of Quebec lawyers is characterized by deduction. The deduction is the movement of thought from the general provisions of the law to the solution of private cases.

For lawyers of the British common law respectively, induction is more widespread. It leads from casual precedents and customs to a legal norm of a more or less general nature. At the same time, deduction and induction are types of conclusions that reflect the direction of thought from the general to the particular or vice versa. Deduction implies the culmination of a specific judgment from a general one, and induction suggests the conclusion of a public decision from particular ones. It should also be noted that the inductive thinking of British common law lawyers is connected with the idea that verbal formulations of norms are open to reinterpretation. Deductive thinking in the system of Quebec civil law is associated with the idea of an unambiguous meaning of laws revealed through interpretation. The thinking of lawyers of the British common law system is initially more unrestricted and more creative. This offers lawyers more freedom to maneuver and imposes a greater degree of responsibility on them.

The Source of Law

In British common law, there are two types of subordination in the system of sources. Firstly, it is subordination, based on the possibility of canceling one act by acts of other bodies. Secondly, it is compliance, based on the origin of the source and on the authority of the body that issued the act. This is the basis for the division of sources into main and derived ones. Since the precedent and the law are independent in their validity from each other or other sources, they can be called the primary sources. However, the precedent is subordinate to the law because the law can cancel the precedent. The close interweaving of law and precedent is the reason that British lawyers prefer to leave the question of the supremacy of a particular source open. The system has a delegated legislation since it depends on the law by origin, and it is a subordinate source. Thus, the formal source of law in the British common law system is both statutory law and case law.

The method of establishing legal norms in Quebecs civil law system is only based on statutory law. The sources of civil law in Quebec are exclusively generally recognized principles and standards of law and contracts that are an integral part of the legal system. The primary source of civil law in Quebec is the law only. Among the civil legal acts, the main codified act is the Civil Code. The main task of a lawyer of Quebecs civil law system is to bring a specific case under the action of a particular rule of positive law. Individual laws are created and applied as subordinate to the code. In contrast to the British common law system, the precedent as a source of law in Quebecs system plays a minor role.

The Classification of Laws

Significant differences between British common law and Quebecs civil law system are expressed in the classification of laws. In British common law, there is no division into public and private law. There is also no division into civil, commercial, administrative, or social security law, as in Quebecs civil law. First of all, there is a division into common law and the law of justice in the British law system. Common law is a set of judicial precedents developed during the consideration of various cases by the courts of England since the formation of the general courts. These precedents are based on the central part of the decisions made by the courts of England and are mandatory for application in consideration of similar cases. The law of justice is a set of rules created by the Court of the Lord Chancellor to supplement the sometimes-revised system of common law.

On the contrary, there are many separate branches of law in Quebec, for example, civil, civil procedure, and commercial law. The legislation of Quebec considers the content of the law and the range of public relations regulated by it, and the method of influencing them. In this regard, a typology of laws for the main spheres of state and public life is proposed. It is based according to the nature of the most typical and stable relationships regulated by law. Based on a meaningful assessment, the laws in Quebecs civil law system are grouped in terms of the uniformity of the subject of their impact, thereby ensuring their purposefulness and complexity. In this way, branches of legislation are formed, for example, on labor.

Litigation Procedures

The judicial process in the British common law system is adversarial, based on the parties procedural equality and the division of functions between the accused, the defense, and the court. In such a process, the prosecutor proves the accuseds guilt, and the court acts as an arbitrator in the process. The adversarial process is characterized by the consideration of cases by a jury. The evidence is evaluated according to the internal conviction of the judges. The judicial process in Quebecs civil law system has unique content in terms of origin and legal content. It is a particular system of law, which consists of several relatively separate parts and resembles the procedure of church law.

The peculiarity of the judicial system of civil law in Quebec is the predominance of the principle of investigation concerning the regulation of competition in the field of criminal procedure law. This process resembles the inquisition in church law and has several peculiar features. It is distinguished by the presence of a liberal rule regarding the admissibility of evidence in the case. In addition, a subjective standard of proof is established for this principle, according to which the defendants guilt must be proved even before the judges internal conviction. The state prosecutor is granted the right to appeal the acquittal decision of the court of the first instance in the case. The actual consideration of the case takes place in the Court of Appeal. A civil claim is acceptable by the same court that considered a related criminal case related to the same factor or circumstance.

Codification

Belonging to the Romano-Germanic legal family is expressed in Quebecs law system primarily by the presence of several codifications. There are Civil, Criminal, and Procedural Codes of Quebec; the Province of Quebec currently has a French-style Civil Code. In other words, the legal structure of legislative acts is expressed quite clearly. At the top is the Charter of Rights and Freedoms of Citizens of Quebec, followed by an array of codifications, and then there are laws and by-laws. In the province, the systematization of legislation is carried out, and codes are in force. The forms of state legal acts are decrees, regulations, administrative circulars, and others. The structure of British common law is determined by its history; it was formed within the framework of judicial procedure. Codification of legal norms in the common law system is not given the same importance as in Quebec: there are no codes in the British legislative acts structure. Despite the increase in the number of laws since the Tudor dynasty, a new stage of large-scale legislative activity, within which their systematization would have been carried out, has not come.

In Quebecs civil law system, there are codes or laws where the rules of law governing a particular branch of law can be found. The British common law system also has laws and regulations, but, as a rule, these laws do not relate to civil or commercial law. No code in Britain regulates how a contract is formed, what are the sanctions for violations of the agreement, or what requirements are put forward to the contract. The lack of codification in Britain is made up for by a system of precedents, which are decisions of the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

Court Systems

The peculiarity of the structure of the highest level of the judiciary is another feature of Quebecs civil law system. In Quebec, there is a central system of courts, which is of increasing importance. Municipal courts are authorized to consider and decide cases containing crimes specified in Part 28 of the Criminal Code of Canada. These offenses are criminally punishable according to the totality of the crimes specified in the sentence. The next most important instance is the Quebec Court, which is divided into three panels. The first is the Board of Civil Cases which includes the Department of Minor Claims, then follows the Board of Criminal Cases and the Board of Youth Affairs, or Juvenile Justice Board. Decisions of Quebecs courts or state bodies, except for the Court of Appeal, with some exceptions, may be reviewed by the Supreme Court of Quebec.

The judicial system of Britain consists of the highest and lowest level of judicial bodies, without having intermediate judicial structures, as in Quebecs civil law system. The following courts belong to the category of the highest level of judicial bodies. The Lord Chancellor heads the Supreme Court of England and Wales. It includes three independent judicial institutions: the Court of Appeal, the High Court, and the Crown Court. The lower level of the judicial bodies of England includes county courts and magistrates courts.

Legal Concepts

Significant differences between the British system of common and civil Quebecs law can also be found in the field of legal concepts. Thus, in Britain, where the law was created by practicing judges, the role of legal doctrine has traditionally been underestimated. English common law has no doctrinal character, and it received significantly less attention than in Quebec. The source of British common law is works that have won respect among lawyers and have become generally accepted among the judicial class only. In the British system, the law was created by practicing judges, and the role of legal doctrine has traditionally been underestimated.

At the same time, in Quebecs law system, there has always been the influence of legal doctrine expressed in various forms. This tendency was observed both at the early stages of the development of common law and at the present stage. Legal doctrine as a source of law has a significant impact on developing modern Quebecs legal system. In addition, in the general system of law, the majority are adherents of the historical school of law.

The naturalness, or evolutionism, of the development of law is rightly emphasized since the legislator cannot create the norms of law at his discretion. The importance of legal customs as time-tested and stable rules of behavior is also noted. At the same time, Quebecs civil law system is mainly based on the normative theory. Within its framework, such a defining property of law as normativity is emphasized. The attention is drawn to the need for a hierarchy of legal norms according to the degree of their legal force. Normativity in this approach is organically connected with the legal certainty of law, which significantly facilitates the ability to be guided by legal requirements due to more systematic criteria. The broad possibilities of the state to influence social development are recognized because it is the state that establishes and ensures the basic norm.

Legal Application Techniques

The distinctive features of the British common law system and Quebecs civil one are also the application of legislation. Common law can be considered as judicial law by its nature and content. This means that the common law was initially based on the decisions of the royal Westminster courts in England and remains there. Judicial decisions on a variety of issues form the basis of common law. In Quebecs civil law system, the leading role in law formation is assigned to the legislator, who creates general legal rules of conduct. The law enforcement officer (for example, a judge or administrative body) is only called upon to implement these prevailing norms in specific law enforcement acts accurately. At the same time, in British common law, the leading role in lawmaking is assigned to the court. It occupies a unique position in the system of state bodies.

Summary

Thus, the difference in the very nature of the law in British common and Quebecs civil law systems is evident. The British common law system has a judicial character of the legal system, and Quebecs civil one has a statutory character; the following differences stand out from this. In the system of sources of common law, the leading role is assigned to the precedent, and in the civil system, it is assigned to the law. The law structure also differs, particularly in the more precise division of Quebecs civil law compared to the British common law system, which is divided only into public and private law. In addition, civil law has a more significant and stricter codification compared to the common British one. Such differences are determined by various factors, including historical origin, the prevailing legal doctrine, the uniqueness of legal institutions, and the leading sources of law and methods of their interpretation.

Structure

Fibrinogens are molecules that are usually found in the blood plasma. It is a 340-kDa glycoprotein composed of two sets of disulfide-bridged Alpha-, Beta-, and gamma-chains (Weisel & Litvinov, 2017). Fibrinogen is formed after FGA, FGB, and FGG links. These genes are clustered around the human chromosome 4, which consequently translates to polypeptides of the pre-pro-A± chain (644 amino acid residues), pre-pro-B² chain (491 residues), and pre-pro-³ chain (437 residues) (Weisel & Litvinov, 2017). Before being released into the blood, the polypeptides chains are assembled. This allows them to perform their primary function of stopping bleeding.

Functions

Fibrinogen is essential for blood clot formation, which helps to stop bleeding. It works by forming an insoluble clot when converted to fibrin through the serine protease thrombin activated through an enzymatic reaction triggered by an injury (Weisel & Litvinov, 2017). To achieve proper functioning, the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin during clotting and the clot dissolution should be balanced. In case of imbalance, for example, if the clotting is prevalent, a blood clot that could block blood flow could occur, and it can lead to thrombosis. At the same time, less fibrinogen could lead to excessive bleeding. The fibrinogen protein, therefore, helps prevent hypercoagulability and dissolve clots.

Importance in Blood Circulation

As mentioned, fibrinogen is essential in blood circulation because, when properly balanced, it can prevent the formation of clots that could prevent the movement of blood through the blood vessels. Furthermore, fibrinogen provides support to homeostasis, which is the state at which bleeding is controlled naturally. A defect in a hemostatic protein like fibrinogen can lead to pathological hemorrhage. Therefore, the fibrinogen plasma levels must be on a level that can support hemostasis.

References

Weisel, J. W., & Litvinov, R. I. (2017). Fibrin formation, structure, and properties. Fibrous proteins: structures and mechanisms, 405-456.

The article explains the nature of faulting aspects. The author states that any feature may be transformed into a mountain or a ridge. During the transformation process, the horizontal shear changes into an expanding tensional motion across the ridge or rift with a change in seismicity at the point of transformation (Tuzo, 48). The junction where the changes occur is known as the transform. Most types of half shears involve mountain ridges since the mountains are asymmetrical, and the ridges have bilateral symmetry. Mountains and mountain systems include island arc that may be convex or concave depending on the first face reached when proceeding to the direction of the relative motion (Lillie 46).

The article explains that a transform fault exists where the displacement suddenly halts or changes form and direction and is not a true transcurrent fault. A horizontal shear fault terminates abruptly at both ends. However, it indicates significant displacements considered being a pair of half shear joined end to end. The term transform fault is proposed because the members are described according to the features they connect, such as the dextral transform and the ridge-convex arc type. The distinction is that ridges expand to produce new crust that leaves residual inactive traces in the topography of their original positions. The oceanic crust moves down under island arcs to absorb old crusts to avoid any traces of past positions causing the convex sides to advance. This explains the difference that exists between the two types of faults. For instance, transform faults exist when there is a crustal displacement to provide a powerful argument in favor of continental drift and to guide the nature of displacement involved.

In the Equatorial Atlantic fracture zones, article explains that the faults or lines of weakness split into two parts and a tension structure may trail and which may be affected by the existing faults. The explanation suggests that the middle Atlantic ridge may be an example of this kind. Hence, the apparent offsets on the fault ridges may be inherited from the shape of the break that initially formed the African and American coats. Fracture zones traced across the Atlantic belongs to the postulated type and the intersection pint refers to the conjugate point that may be in existence before rifting, such as, old faults in Pennsylvania and the offset of the Atlantic coast.

Another class of fault in the Indian Ocean provides a possible explanation of the termination of the Carlsberg ridge. It states that if the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf opened during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic period by the northward motion of India, this might have led t the generation of a new ocean floor by spreading of the Carlsberg ridge. This ends in a transcurrent fault off the East African coast. In addition, the many offsets in the Gulf of Eden are an example of transform fault adjusting a rift to the shape of the adjacent costs.

Finally, the article describes possible relationships between active faults of the west coast of North America. The tendency of mid-ocean ridges to be offset parallel to adjacent costs is evident in the termination of the East Pacific ridge. The fracture zones that cross the East Pacific ridge are similar because their seismicity are confined to the offset parts between ridges. Thus, the article provides an understanding of faulting aspects known to be anomalous according to traditional concepts of transcurrent faults that could be explained through the definition of a new class of transform faults of which there are many varieties (Lillie 56).

Works Cited

Lillie, J., Robert. Whole Earth Geophysics: An Introductory Textbook for Geologists and Geophysicists. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 1999.

Tuzo, J., Wilson. A New Class of Faults and their Bearing on Continental Drift. Nature: McMillan Journals Ltd. 207. (1965): 343-347. Print.

Introduction

The analysis of documentary stories about individual geographic regions is often built on standard research patterns when milestones in history and key achievements are mentioned. The video Africas Great Civilizations: Cities directed by Mark Bates and presented by Henry Louis Gates Jr. cannot be included in the list of such documentary stories for several reasons. The episode has a vivid picture in which a rich landscape and versatile shooting methods reveal the uniqueness of ancient African cities. The video contains accurate information about years and other numeric data, which increases the credibility of the work done.

The references to important historical events that influenced the history of African cities are also valuable components of the episode. Finally, the intersection of cultural and political aspects complements the overall narrative and gives viewers a break from dates and facts by immersing them in authentic medieval African culture. The purpose is to critically assess Africas Great Civilizations: Cities based on its content and the quality of the directors work, and one can note the value of the episode from practical and cultural perspectives.

Visual Presentation

Visual presentation is one of the greatest strengths of Africas Great Civilizations: Cities. While describing historical events, the narrator mentions the geographical features of the continent, which are complemented by birds-eye views. According to Bates, Africa, during Europes Middle Ages, was dotted with powerful cities built on the trade of the riches of the continents natural resources, and these include forests and water areas of Africa (00:00:51-00:01:00).

The camera work is professional and allows conveying to the viewer all the beauty and grandeur of the places in question. This, in turn, makes the perception comfortable and contributes to satisfying the aesthetic needs of the public. The brightness of the color range reveals the rich nature of the continent, which is important for obtaining an objective picture. As a result, the video is comparable to a well-edited fiction film in terms of shooting quality, despite the documentary nature of the episode.

Accurate Information

The credibility of the documentary is largely achieved due to the mention of accurate information about the years and other numeric data concerning the history of ancient African cities. In some parts of the narrative, the values are presented with precision to indicate to the public the scale of the architects work of that era. For instance, when considering a particular building, the narrator notes that the massive outer wall is over 800 feet long, which is an achievement for that era and reflects the skill and work of medieval builders (Bates 00:20:34-00:20:39). While analyzing the surviving buildings, Henry Louis Gates Jr. notes that some of them were built within ten years, which was also an achievement for that time (Bates). Thus, the accuracy of delivering information is the practical value of this episode and increases its practical reliability.

References to Important Historical Events

The narrative would be incomplete without useful references to important historical events that influenced the history of ancient African cities. This aspect is valuable for understanding the general discourse of development and explains the corresponding changes that occurred in the territories under consideration. For instance, the statement that in 1505, a fleet of 11 heavily armed Portuguese ships carrying 500 men dot the kill one highlights the significance of some nations influencing the history of African cities (Bates 00:36:32-00:36:41).

In addition to increasing credibility, this approach allows the viewer to compare historical milestones and assess how strong the influence of other states might have been. As a result, by following the style of documentary narration, the episode uses relevant techniques to convey the credibility of the events in question, particularly external influences on the development of African cities.

Cultural Aspects

While mentioning the factor of exact data, one should pay attention to the cultural sub-theme that Africas Great Civilizations: Cities contains. Foreign policy feuds and the struggle for commercial dominance are complemented by the assessment of aesthetic values that are important to African and world heritage. For instance, by describing one of the largest cities of that era, Henry Louis Gates Jr. notes that Gondar became a flourishing center for the arts, which confirms the emphasis on cultural life (Bates 00:49:25-00:49:29). For ordinary viewers who watch this episode, such mentions do not distract from the main topic but, conversely, complement it, making the story less boring and more interesting. Therefore, the cultural aspects touched upon in the video broaden the understanding of ancient African cities and allow for a deeper analysis.

Conclusion

The topics discussed in Africas Great Civilizations: Cities are not only about political and geographical aspects but also about cultural phenomena, which makes the narrative more varied and less boring. Visual presentation is one of the strengths of the episode due to professional camera work. The accuracy of the data presented and numerous references to important historical events increase the credibility of the described facts and allow ordinary viewers to get comprehensive information on the analyzed topic.

Work Cited

Bates, Mark, director. Africas Great Civilizations: Cities. Public Broadcasting Service, 2017.

General Information

One of the most amazing transitional forms between reptiles, birds, and mammals is the platypus, a modern mammal. The platypus was first discovered in 1797 on the shores of Australia, and it took many years for researchers to figure out what the chimera was. Today platypus is fully aquatic mammals, as indicated by their elongated bodies, rubbery limbs, and huge tails, which act partly as back fins. It is noteworthy that platypuses are rare representatives of poisonous mammals since, by puberty, males develop hooks on their hind limbs impregnated with the poisonous secretion of their femoral glands.

The range of todays platypus is represented mainly by coastal areas of freshwater reservoirs, and the animal leads a secretive lifestyle. The platypus dives excellent to hunt for food, which includes algae, crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish. However, these mammals live above water, where they build small burrows of twigs, earth, and water-floating plants. Interestingly, the platypus is an egg-laying animal, so in order to reproduce, the mammal must build nests and incubate its eggs.

Skull structure

The platypus skull has a distinctive feature: the bones of its various zones are so fused that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the natural boundaries between them. In addition, the animal has a beak, which is formed from the outgrowth of two nasal and jawbones. Until it reaches the age of a mature animal, the platypuss jaw contains loose teeth, but they wear off as they are used. New teeth do not grow, and instead, platypuses use keratinous outgrowths of epithelial tissue to chew food. The nasal passages of the skull are long, and the cheekbones are thicker and more powerful. When submerged, the skull inlets are naturally covered and compressed, preventing fluids from entering. The recesses under the eyeballs are deep and positioned so that the animal can see objects in front of it. However, the eyes are useless for diving underwater because the mammal covers them in a turbid environment.

Structure of the postcranial skeleton

The platypus torso is no longer than 45 or 50 centimeters long but can be up to 70 cm long with the tail, weighing up to 2 kilograms. At the back of the skull, there is a connection to the spine, which has a curved appearance. A large part of the spinal column is occupied by the thoracic region, in which the ribs are attached to the vertebrae on both sides. On the ventral side of the body, the ribs flatten into a rigid sternum that protects internal organs from excessive pressure underwater. Duckbills have two pairs of limbs, each ending in four developed fingers and one underdeveloped one pointing sideways.

Each of the limbs consists of two sections: the anterior ones are represented by the humerus and forearm bones, while the posterior ones consist of the femur and shinbones. It is on the hind limbs that males retain the venomous outgrowth. Interestingly, all the limbs of platypuses are short, so the animal cannot move straight on land, but instead, it sort of rolls over from one side to the other. The body naturally ends with a long bony tail, in which fat is stored during life.

Nevada is a flourishing state with a tumultuous history. However, for a bright future with improvements on different levels, certain aspects need to be discussed. One of the critical topics that will assure a certain brighter future is addressing environmental issues. Water is precisely the problem that needs consideration when planning for future reforms that would benefit the state. Historically, Nevada has not had many supply sources for water because of its location and dry climate. It is an ongoing problem that authorities were trying to combat for decades.

Colorado River is the primary source of water in the state. However, the reservoirs content varies depending on the time of the year and precipitations. This means that it would be beneficial to have specific guidelines and policies regarding water usage while moving into the future. According to Futrell, inadequate water management has led to a decrease in quality since 1960. History suggests the importance of certain environmental guidelines that can benefit the future of the area. Moreover, environmental scientists have noticed changes in hydrological processes (Polasky 5233). This also indicates water conservation is a significant aspect of positive environmental changes.

For Nevada to move forward, paying more attention to environmental issues is vital. This will ensure clean air, fewer health issues related to pollution for the population, and more opportunities for future generations, businesses, and organizations to create a prosperous system in the near future. Conserving water by using efficient irrigation systems, recycling it by using specific car washes, and repairing leaking problems will have a positive effect on the issue, which will subsequently benefit Nevada in the future.

Works Cited

Futrell, Robert. Environment and the Quality of Life in Nevada. The Social Health of Nevada Report. 2004.

Polasky, Stephen, et al. Role of economics in analyzing the environment and sustainable development. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 116, no. 12, 2019, pp. 5233-5238. Web.