Friday, December 27, 2019

Investigating Politicians Outside Of Office - 1412 Words

Examining Politicians Outside of Office Over the course of American history, there have been many instances of respected politicians tainting their reputations because of scandals in their personal lives. With 24 hour news as a normal part of society, the press is always looking for a story to keep its viewers watching. Since these journalists are always searching for stories about big figureheads, politicians are one of their prime targets. Although some people would argue that a politician’s personal life should be none of the American public’s business, knowing about a candidate’s personal life is important because he or she should be held to a higher standard as a representative of America, and because his or her behavior in personal†¦show more content†¦Communication is a big part of leadership, because leaders have to tell people what to do, and if the people don’t like the way they’re being treated, they will be less motivated to carry out their duty effectively. In additi on, leaders have to surround themselves with intelligent people to get advice from them, but if the advisers feel intimidated or disrespected they will be less inclined to speak up. If it weren’t for journalists prying into Hillary’s life, the public would not know how she behaves when she is out of the public eye. It is important for citizens to hear from insiders that â€Å"being on Hillary Clinton’s detail is the worst duty assignment in the Secret Service† because the president should be the epitome of a model citizen, in both public and private. We do not want someone governing our country who cannot be looked up to as a good role model. Donald Trump is one example of a candidate who has been criticized for being a bad role model because of how he uses social media, particularly Twitter. In another article posted on The Huffington Post in December, Trump was criticized as being a â€Å"cyberbully† regarding his multiple demeaning tweets about other people. For example, â€Å"@katyperry Katy, what the hell were you thinking when you married loser Russell Brand. There is a guy who has got nothing going, a waste!† This tweet was published in 2012, before he was

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Movie Analysis Gary Hart - 2100 Words

In 1987, Democratic heartthrob Gary Hart was well on his way to the party nomination and likely the presidency. â€Å"Dashing, handsome, young, and charismatic,† Hart promised a swift departure from Reaganomics and proved popular among women. The election looked promising; Gary Hart swept the primaries and was projected to beat Republican candidate George Bush. However, when Miami Herald reporter Tom Fiedler received a late-night tip from an anonymous source, the course of election ‘88 shifted entirely. â€Å"I have something you need to know,† confessed the voice at the end of the line. â€Å"Gary Hart is having an affair with one of my best friends.† Alongside a team of Herald reporters, Fiedler traveled to Washington and staked out what was rumored to be Hart’s townhouse. After spotting Donna Rice on the Senator’s arm, Fiedler was faced with a new question: was it ethical to tap into this new sphere of â€Å"below the belt† journalis m (Adler)? This craze in character-based coverage, in addition to a concern for objective journalism, has taken a significant toll on the media industry. The press is often regarded as a â€Å"fourth estate,† intertwining with the three legislative branches to serve as a â€Å"watchdog† of political actions; former CBS anchor Dan Rather even deemed the press â€Å"the red, beating heart of democracy and freedom† (Kiener 413). Despite the no-doubt fundamental role the media play in the American political machine, they pose a growing threat to the democratic system due to anShow MoreRelatedProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 Pagessituations, but keep in mind that the larger case studies, such as Convin Corporation and The Blue Spider Project, could have been listed under several topics. Several of the cases and situations have seed questions provided to assist the reader in the analysis of the case. An instructor s manual is available from John Wiley Sons, Inc., to faculty members who adopt the book for classroom use. Almost all of the case studies are factual. In most circumstances, the cases and situations have been taken fromRead MoreEssay about Recognizing and Shaping Opportunities19389 Words   |  78 Pages12-year-old daughter summed up the family’s sentiments: â€Å"Are you kidding? You could make money and save so many children’s lives if this succeeded. You should absolutely do it.†9 With the support of her family and her mentor, Chase expanded her market analysis; talked with potential customers at bus stops, in subway stations, and on college campuses in order to understand their needs; selected the company name; and developed a business plan that she began pitching to investors. 8056 | Core Reading: RECOGNIZINGRead MoreMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 Pagesmixer of ingredients. The ingredients in Borden s marketing mix included product planning, pricing, branding, distribution channels, personal selling, advertising, promotions, packaging, display, servicing, physical handling, and fact finding and analysis. E. Jerome McCarthy later grouped these ingredients into the four categories that today are known as the 4 P s of marketing, depicted below: Marketing decisions generally fall into the following four controllable categories: †¢ Product †¢ †¢ †¢ Read MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesCommunity College David Albritton, Northern Arizona University Bradley Alge, Purdue University Lois Antonen, CSUS Lucy Arendt, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay Anke Arnaud, University of Central Florida Mihran Aroian, University of Texas, Austin Gary Ballinger, Purdue University Deborah Balser, University of Missouri at St. Louis Christopher Barlow, DePaul University Joy Benson, University of Wisconsin at Green Bay Lehman Benson III, University of Arizona Jacqui Bergman, Appalachian State University

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Project Management for Collection of Sources-myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theProject Management for Collection of Sources. Answer: Prioritization Process The project prioritization process helps in the formation of the structure for the carrying out of the activities in an organized fashion. The priority is set at first and then the process is carried out so that the outcome for the project can be achieved successfully (Shollo, Constantiou Kreiner, 2015). The use of the project prioritization process also helps in the ranking system of the various processes (Zahedi-Seresht et al., 2014). The order of execution of the various processes of the project is decided by the use of the method of project prioritization process. Rational Criteria The six criteria of project prioritization are as follows (Kerzner Kerzner, 2017)- Understanding the project: The proper understanding of what is required of the project is necessary for the achieving of the outcome of the task. Planning of project: The proper planning of the project is necessary for the carrying out of the task Collection of sources: The next criteria for the prioritization process involve the collection of the data and the collection of the important information in order to carry out the task. Ranking of processes: Based on the importance of the processes, these processes are ranked and the work flow of the project is carried out in accordance with the processes Execution of processes: After all the processes are carried out then the execution of the task is to be made Verification: The verification part involves the checking of the task. The whole task is checked and reviewed and in case of any failure or any problem the error is corrected and then the correct solution is provided. The Project and the solution The project is based on providing shelter to the homeless people coming from different background in Australia. For this two different solutions are proposed (Shadiev, Hwang Huang, 2015). Proper understanding and evaluation of both the solution is necessary in order to propose a particular solution (Ueda Maehira, 2015). The Priority list of both the project The list of priorities associated with project A are as follows- Construction of the 2000 housing units in state of Queensland Construction of Physical amenities Construction of roads, public school, hospital A solution to the homelessness in Australia The list of priorities associated with project B is as follows- Checking the issues such as depression, infectious diseases and so on associated with the homeless people. Eradication of problem of homelessness by pondering over the cures such as building of low budget homes. Creation of awareness among the individual for the serious topic of homelessness, drug addiction and so on Cultivation, farming and other labour skills to be taught to homeless people After evaluation of the prioritization list, it can be concluded that that project B is a feasible and more practical solution to the problem. Associated weightings Criteria Project A Weighing (On scale of 5) Construction of the 2000 housing units in state of Queensland 4.2 Construction of Physical amenities 3.8 Construction of roads, public school, hospital 3.5 Criteria Project b Weighing (On scale of 5) Checking the issues such as depression, infectious diseases and so on associated with the homeless people. 4.2 Eradication of problem of homelessness by pondering over the cures such as building of low budget homes. 4.3 Creation of awareness among the individual for the serious topic of homelessness, drug addiction and so on 4 Cultivation, farming and other labour skills to be taught to homeless people 4.5 Therefore, it is seen that it is more feasible to implement project B Process to Address Failure It is critical to address the project failure as the project is based on providing shelter to the homeless people. Two approaches or solution to the project is present, one of which is construction of 2000 housing units in the state of Queensland. The housing units will be specifically designed to cater for the social and cultural needs of indigenous Australians. The other solution is to use the farming land available in Australia which is not used till date for the use of the homeless people. Therefore it is a very critical decision that is to be made and process of addressing the failure can be implementation of the project after performing proper feasibility and risk analysis. The Project B is chosen and project A is eliminated from the consideration as project A tends to provide houses to the homeless people while project B will address the causes of homelessness and unemployment. Prioritization Matrix: Criteria of chosen solution Weight Score in project A (building of houses) Score of Project B (Using the cultivation lands) 1 Easy Resource availability 5 3 4 2 Provides solution to the identified problem 5 5 5 3 Associated risk 5 4 3 4 Cost of implementation 5 3 4 5 Time for execution 5 3 4 6 Complexity 5 4 5 7 Budget 5 3 4 8 Relocation Cost 5 4 4 9 Site availability 5 3 4 Total Score 32 37 The project B is chosen as it is more feasible to implement as the budget for project B is $33 million dollars while the cost of implementation of project A is nearly $8 billion. Prioritization Outcome The understanding of the project is the most important part of the project. This shows that the understanding of the project is the most important part for carrying out a task. If the requirement of the task is not properly understood then the problem may arise and the outcome of the project is not achieved. The ranking process has been stated as important next to the understanding of the task (Shadiev, Hwang Huang, 2015). The ranking of the task is important as the processes, which are important has to be decided. The work flow is decided on the basis of this parameter. If all the small processes are satisfied only then the task can be completed in a proper manner. The parameter of verification and planning of a project has been ranked third and fourth respectively as these parameters are next important (Reich, 2016).. The proper checking of the task is important after its completion and the planning is to be made before proceeding with the project as the proper planning needs to b e made to avoid any errors. From the above matrix, it can be concluded that it will be more feasible to implement the project B. The project criteria identified are based on the scope of the project and the associated weighing is given on basis of the identified criteria (Kerzner, 2017). The scoring of each criterion is based on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 represents higher complexity and 5 represents lower complexity. For example, in criteria number 4 that is based on cost of implementation, a score of 3 for project A and a score of 4 for project B indicates it will require more resource and money in implementing project A in comparison to the implementation of project B. Furthermore, it addresses the different causes of homelessness. Therefore it is concluded that out of the two proposed solutions, use of the cultivable land is more appropriate in providing shelter to the homeless people of Australia. References: Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Execution.Project Management Case Studies, 211-308. Kerzner, H., Kerzner, H. R. (2017).Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley Sons. Reich, T. (2016). A Crossroads for Collection Development and Assessment, Its Fallout, and Unknowns: Where Do We Go From Here?. Shadiev, R., Hwang, W. Y., Huang, Y. M. (2015). A pilot study: Facilitating cross-cultural understanding with project-based collaborative learning in an online environment.Australasian Journal of Educational Technology,31(2). Shollo, A., Constantiou, I., Kreiner, K. (2015). The interplay between evidence and judgment in the IT project prioritization process.The Journal of Strategic Information Systems,24(3), 171-188. Ueda, Y., Maehira, S. (2015). Verification test results of the wide-area control and operation system for distributed generation of renewable energy. InTelecommunications Energy Conference (INTELEC), 2015 IEEE International(pp. 1-5). IEEE. Zahedi-Seresht, M., Akbarijokar, M., Khosravi, S., Afshari, H. (2014). Construction project success ranking through the data envelopment analysis.Journal of Data Envelopment Analysis and Decision Science,2014, 1-13.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The turning point of war; Stalingrad battle

Introduction The following essay will show how the Stalingrad battle, ordered by Hitler, was just but the turning point of war in World War II. This is because it was the end of a perception the world had, that Germany was the most powerful nation and could win every war. This will be into comparison with other instances when Hitler had attacked other parts of the world.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The turning point of war; Stalingrad battle specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Stalingrad Battle By mid 1942, Germany had cost Russians tremendous losses in terms of resources and work force given that the former had managed to kill over three million Russian soldiers and putting almost a similar number in captivity. Were it not for winter that pushed them back a bit, Germans had captured around ninety percent of Russian land and resources. By the beginning of summer, Hitler was again ready to attack Russia taking advantage of their weak status due to the tremendous losses he had cost them earlier on. The Stalingrad battle began in September 1942 during the winter, led by the â€Å"German commander of the sixth army, General Paulus and assisted by Fourth Panzer Army†; indeed, General Paulus was ordered by Hitler to take Stalingrad whose initial target was to capture the oil fields at Caucasus and their final target was Baku[1], which supplied seventy-one percent of all the oil the Soviets used during Word war II. Hitler’s other reason for capturing Stalingrad was due to its association with Russia as well as its connection to the south waterway. Thus by seizing Stalingrad, he would have paralyzed Russia by a great deal. All his interest on Stalingrad was accelerated by the fact that he was interested in damaging the name of his enemy Stalin who was the Soviet dictator and the city was named after his name. For a long time, the world was convinced that Germany had the best and strongest army, meaning they could win any war. The contrast of this began during Red Verdun war in 1918, two years before World War I ended[2]. In 1916, the cream of Germany army engaged French in a battle that failed terribly and since then, problems began since most its followers withdrew, divisions in the army began which finally collapsed, thus it had no future. Their enemies â€Å"Anglo-American-French bloc,† did not realize that they were approaching victory and they â€Å"continued believing that the German army was still the most powerful†[3]. The Stalingrad battle is different in nature from Red Verdun battle since it was the Germans last expression of a desperate struggle. The Soviet army won this battle and it was not only the turning point in the World War II but in the history of humankind.Advertising Looking for term paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sixty five percent of all c asualties in the war were Russian. It was Russia blood, machinery, resources and will which brought Hitler down. This is evident from the fact that, when Stalin appointed the two best military commanders, they vowed to either liberate Stalingrad or die with so much determination. Millions of people in the world followed the proceedings of Stalingrad carefully and every step the Soviet army made brought to them anxiety and stirred elation throughout the world[4]. After this defeat, the German army was in full retreat because it had lost a lot thus it was so weak such that it would take a long time to recover of which Russia was still advancing.. During his battles, before e.g. in Poland, Norway, Holland, Belgium, and France, where he definitely won, Hitler never dared to divide his attention but always directed all his concentration to one major objective. Contrary, during the Stalingrad battle, Hitler had divided attention because by the time he ordered attack of the city, some grou ps of his army were still on their way to Caucasus and he was still preparing others for a succeeding attack of Siberia. It was therefore unwise to advance having left a major city unconquered[5]. Were Hitler not divided; his sixth army would not have been intertwined at Stalingrad. The city of Stalingrad was named after the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin who was a great enemy to Hitler. Germany almost overthrew Russia but they failed to exercise their authority. Hitler had dismissed his commander in chief and had taken the role himself without any consultation thus this confusion made it hard for the army to defeat Soviet, which was very organized and determined. Both armies were well equipped with soldiers, artillery guns, tanks, and planes thus, though Germany was thought to be stronger, they would capture areas during the day, but Russia would recapture them at night. Russian commander at the time was Marshal Zhukov. For them to be defeated, Germans were trapped in Stalingrad cit y by a bulk of Zhukov army who had surrounded the city. Paulus could have been able to get out of the trap in the fist stages of Russians preparation but Hitler ordered them to fight up to the last bullet. When the momentum of the battle was fully with the Soviets, Hitler refused to let Paulus retreat since he never wanted to bear the blame.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The turning point of war; Stalingrad battle specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Their capture was accelerated by the fact that when they were surrounded in the city, it was hard for them to be supplied with food, ammunition, and heat since the winter temperatures were reading negative. Left with no choice, they surrendered to the Soviet army and were taken as prisoners. Germany began to retreat since their defeat in Stalingrad. This is because they lost labor when 91 000 Germans were taken prisoners and they lost their army and equipment mea ning they could not be able to fight the Soviet Union any more. This was the downfall of the world’s most powerful army, which had purposed to conquer the whole world thus their downfall was a complete liberation to the human race and a turning point in the World-war II. The battle of Stalingrad was the bloodiest battle in history and a sudden and widespread disaster of Germany. It was one of the most inhuman and cruel during the World War 2 since people fought literally from street to street and house to house[6]. It was a titanic battle where Stalin’s very name was a target, whereby, every street, house, and floor had to be painstakingly taken. It was the end of the last major gain of territory by the Axis on either front, from then on forward all the major attacks and offensives were a combined effort. Germany was a super power before 1914 but by 1945, it was a second world nation. This is because the invasion of the Soviet Union drained most of their resources. The Germans were completely unprepared for war and if it were not for the long distances and terrible winters, the Soviet Union would have probably lost. The diaphanous numbers of work force and increasing production finally turned the tide. After Germany’s failure to take Stalingrad, their Eastern front army was practically destroyed and they were forced to flee the Soviet Union[7]. This turned the War in putting the Russians on the offensive, which directly aided in the destruction and conquering of Germany by the Allied Forces throughout 1944 and 1945. Germany was, essentially, surrounded with the Americans and British in the West, and the Russians in the East. Before Stalingrad Hitler was still on course to win the war in the European theatre but afterwards, he was on the back foot considering the number of troops that were engaged and that died[8].Advertising Looking for term paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Clearly, the battle was a major strategic mistake by Hitler since it wasted vital German resources. Hitler should have concentrated all forces in Southern Russia and used them to capture the vital oil fields of the Caucasus’s since oil was the lifeblood of all the mechanized tanks, planes, and trucks that the Soviet union used during World war II. In Stalingrad, the Germans were bogged down and lost all their previous advantages such as mobility, firepower and aircraft cover. Despite taking 90% of the city, the Russians held on, and since they well conversant with the winter season, they were able to encircle the city, rendering Germans helpless. Thousands of men had been trapped and surrounded and the first German field marshal had been taken prisoner in history – a major propaganda coup for Stalin and a slap in the face for Hitler. Had Soviets lost Stalingrad, they would have lost the war, and the raw material they needed would have fallen into the hands of Germans. This is because their target, Stalingrad and Baku were the major suppliers of oil and other necessities Soviet were using during the World War II. The Downfall of Hitler The downfall of Germany came from poor leadership. This is because when the Germans were attacking Russia for the second time, Hitler decided to taken up the role of his Generals and he consulted them no more. Earlier on, the German military had purposed to continue evading the already weak Russian army and to crush the remaining ones as well as capturing the Russia capital city. Furthermore, they were to capture the rich oil fields Caucasus as well as Stalingrad, the main industrial and transportation centre that was the main waterway of inner Russia. Their aim was not to occupy Stalingrad but to put it under heavy surveillance to ensure that no businesses were operating. The biggest mistake that Hitler did was his decision to remain in Stalingrad after being deceived by the fact that they had achieved their first objective as per their plans, thus he thought the Russians would not counter attack. His decision lead to heavy losses since he lost the southern campaign and his army was destroyed. All this was because of taking power to himself since he never listened to them and he insisted that they were to fight until the last bullet[9]. The other reason that leads to the downfall of Hitler and his army was divided interest. He was over confident due to his previous success in the western front and thus he decided to conquer the outstretched Soviet Union in three months. This made him disperse his army through the large socialist nation since he wanted to achieve his objectives very fast and still conquer Moscow to the north and Persian Gulf to the south. At the same time, he had dismissed his commander-in-chief and he was still directing a Japanese fascist that was preparing to attack Siberia after the fall of Stalingrad. All these tasks divided his attention making it hard for him to perfect the matter at hand. At the end of that summer, Hitler had not achieved any of his objectives since he was too ambitious. He was not able to penetrate the oil fields nor did he capture Stalingrad, thus his army was left unable to advance or to retreat causing immense losses[10]. When Russians realized that it was so evident from the look of things that they would loose their city to Germans, Stalin came up with a very brilliant strategy that drew Hitler towards destruction[11]. He realized that the only thing that would save Russia was a good leadership. He therefore chose two superb commanders with highest military skills and strong will i.e. General Zhukov at national level and Vasily Chuikov at local level. They vowed to either defend the city or die. Since Germany, leadership was weak and Hitler had already dismissed his commander in chief, this counter attack swept them off the ground and the result was that hundreds of thousands of their military men were killed though the dam ages and killings were both way traffic. Conclusion The Soviet Union victory against Germany was the beginning of liberation of humankind from the hands of a dictator Hitler. The Germans were thought to be the most powerful nation in the world and even at the verge of their defeat; they still under estimated the Russian resources. The Russians did their preparation for the counter attack very carefully, putting every detail of their internal organization in perspective, as they knew that a slight mistake would bestow victory upon their rivals. On the other hand, by the time, Germans realized the ability in Russia, there was little left to do apart from surrendering. Furthermore, the nature of dictatorship in Hitler cost Germany a great deal since he dismissed the opinions of professionals making it hard for them to operate. Actually, after they were defeated, Hitler announced a mourning day to accomplish his blame game over his army commander Paulus. Apart from its losses, German ar my lost its formidable image of being unbeatable. Out of the hundreds of thousands of Germans militia who went for war, only five thousand went home safe. Indeed, around three hundred thousand soldiers from Germany died in Stalingrad thus indicating how terribly the Germans had lost the battle to the Russians. The Soviet victory boosted their morale a great deal and fought with vigor until the end of World War II, which lasted almost three years since the defeat of Germany. Bibliography Anon. The Battle of Stalingrad, N.d. Web. Duiker, William and Spielvogel, Jackson. World History. NY: Cengage Learning, 2008. Web. Hansen, Valerie and Curtis, Kenneth. Voyages in the World History. NY: Cengage Learning, 2008. Web. Trueman, Chris. The Battle of Stalingrad, N.d. Web. Tse-tung, Mao. The Turning Point in World War II, 2004 Web. Footnotes Anon. The Battle of Stalingrad. N.d. Mao Tse-tung, The Turning Point in World War II. 2004. William, Duiker and Jackson J. Spielvogel. World History. M ao Tse-tung, 2004. Mao Tse-tung, 2004. Valerie Hansen, and Kenneth, Curtis. Voyages in the World History. William, Duiker and Jackson J. Spielvogel, 2010. Valerie Hansen, and Kenneth, Curtis, 2010. Anon, N.d. Mao Tse-tung, 2004. Chris Trueman. The Battle of Stalingrad. N.d. This term paper on The turning point of war; Stalingrad battle was written and submitted by user Cruz Caldwell to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Free Essays on Ireland

Ireland, island, of the British Isles, the westernmost and second-largest of the group, in the North Atlantic Ocean, and separated from Great Britain by St George's Channel on the south-east, the Irish Sea on the east, and the North Channel on the north-east. Politically, the island is divided into Northern Ireland, a constituent part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland. The island is divided into four historical provinces- Connaught (Connacht), Leinster, Munster, and Ulster- and administrative units called counties. The Republic of Ireland consists of Connaught, Leinster, and Munster provinces, totalling 23 counties and, in the north, 3 counties of Ulster Province. Northern Ireland consists of 6 counties divided into 26 districts, the remainder of Ulster Province. The area of the island is 82,378 sq km (32,342 sq mi) of which the Republic of Ireland is 68,895 sq km (27,136 sq mi) in extent, and Northern Ireland 13,483 sq km (5,206 sq mi). The population of the is! land (1991) is 5,103,555, of which that of the Republic of Ireland is 3,525,719, and that of Northern Ireland is 1,577,836. North to south, the maximum length of Ireland is 486 km (302 mi); its extreme width is 280 km (174 mi). Malin Head, at latitude 55Â °27' north, and Mizen Head, at latitude 51Â °27' north, are, respectively, the northernmost and southernmost points on the island; easternmost and westernmost points are demarcated by longitude 5Â °25' west and longitude 10Â °30' west. he history of Ireland after the union was principally concerned with the struggle for Irish civic and religious freedom and for separation from Great Britain. Hardly had the union been established when dissatisfaction in Ireland gave rise to the armed outbreak of July 23, 1803, under the Irish patriot Robert Emmet. The uprising was easily suppressed, and for some time no further armed revolts occurred. In 1823 the Catholic Association was founded, which demanded, and finally o... Free Essays on Ireland Free Essays on Ireland Ireland, island, of the British Isles, the westernmost and second-largest of the group, in the North Atlantic Ocean, and separated from Great Britain by St George's Channel on the south-east, the Irish Sea on the east, and the North Channel on the north-east. Politically, the island is divided into Northern Ireland, a constituent part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland. The island is divided into four historical provinces- Connaught (Connacht), Leinster, Munster, and Ulster- and administrative units called counties. The Republic of Ireland consists of Connaught, Leinster, and Munster provinces, totalling 23 counties and, in the north, 3 counties of Ulster Province. Northern Ireland consists of 6 counties divided into 26 districts, the remainder of Ulster Province. The area of the island is 82,378 sq km (32,342 sq mi) of which the Republic of Ireland is 68,895 sq km (27,136 sq mi) in extent, and Northern Ireland 13,483 sq km (5,206 sq mi). The population of the is! land (1991) is 5,103,555, of which that of the Republic of Ireland is 3,525,719, and that of Northern Ireland is 1,577,836. North to south, the maximum length of Ireland is 486 km (302 mi); its extreme width is 280 km (174 mi). Malin Head, at latitude 55Â °27' north, and Mizen Head, at latitude 51Â °27' north, are, respectively, the northernmost and southernmost points on the island; easternmost and westernmost points are demarcated by longitude 5Â °25' west and longitude 10Â °30' west. he history of Ireland after the union was principally concerned with the struggle for Irish civic and religious freedom and for separation from Great Britain. Hardly had the union been established when dissatisfaction in Ireland gave rise to the armed outbreak of July 23, 1803, under the Irish patriot Robert Emmet. The uprising was easily suppressed, and for some time no further armed revolts occurred. In 1823 the Catholic Association was founded, which demanded, and finally o...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Operation management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 5

Operation management - Essay Example The operations of an organization should be well structured as it would benefit both the organization as well as the customers. It is an important area in management that is related to the designing and controlling of the production system. The major responsibility of operations management is to ensure that the efficiency level of the business operations is high in terms of optimum utilization of resources and meeting the needs of the customers. It involves the management of the entire process of supply chain from procurement of raw materials to the delivery of the finished products. It is related to the conversion of inputs that are raw materials, energy and labor into outputs in the form of products or services. The success of incorporation of operations management in the system requires certain aspects for its success such as creativity, technical knowledge, people skills, and rational analysis. The operations strategy involves plans regarding the use of resources of the firm in a n efficient manner so as to obtain competitive advantage for long run. The concept of operations management is effective handling of the metrics which comprise of quality, stock availability, quality, flexibility and time. The main aim of the teams of operations management is to strike balance between cost and revenue so as to achieve higher net profit margins. Nando’s originating from Portuguese community is a South African restaurant for casual dining. The theme of the restaurant is more of a Portuguese or Mozambique style. The restaurant was founded in the year 1987 and has now expanded its business to twenty four countries and operating through 1000 outlets. The restaurant chain’s total revenue in the past year was about $650 million. The specialty of Nando’s fast food outlets is in chicken dishes either herb and lemon, lime or mango, different levels of spicy meals of Peri-Peri marinades. In some other countries according

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Analysis of the case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of the case - Essay Example It needs to involve younger generations in its activities so as to widen its customer base and introduce new activities that would attract children and young adults. The new entrants in the field and alternative modes of entertainment have emerged as important threats but the Trust enjoys committed members and huge array of assets and activities which are difficult to imitate. Most importantly, in the contemporary environment of technology driven activities, Trust’s use of social media offers cost effective opportunities for advertising its products and places which serve as key strength that could improve and improvise its operational efficiency and revenues. Social media could also be used to promote nature love amongst the children and teenagers. It would be an important breakthrough that would generate greater awareness amongst the youth and also attract them for jobs in the organization. National Trust promotes its activities through myriad ways. As an above the line promotion, it uses radio and places advertisements in the magazines and papers for segmented targeting so as to get maximum leverage. In recent times, it has started exploiting technology by using ‘augmented reality’ to showcase its activities and attract children and youth. Augmented reality encourages the use of smartphones to seek hidden characters which are highly attractive to the young generation who are increasingly using technology in their daily life. It is also using social media to create awareness regarding its activities and job profiles. The sharing of platform with the young generation helps to disseminate important information and generate new ideas which could be used to meet the demands of the young people. The promotional strategies of the Trust have proved highly successful as could be seen by the huge response from the creation of Wallace and Gromit character in the film, A Jubilee Bunt--thon that was made to

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Madrigal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Madrigal - Essay Example It was a through-composed setting of a short poem. It also recalls a strophic song with a ritornello (refrain)- the trecento madrigal. Madrigals of the early 16th-century had no refrains or any other features of the old formes fixes, having sequential repetitions of musical and textual phrases. The original music is suited to the rhythm and sense of the words accompanied each line of poetry. Four-voice settings of the madrigals were a trend approximately during 1520 to 1550 but eventually a five-vocal sets became a rule after the middle of the century and settings for six or more parts were not unusual. The word "voices" is to be taken literally: the madrigal was a piece of vocal chamber music intended performance with one singer to a part. As a style of the 16th century, however, instruments often took their part or simply doubled the voices. In the early madrigal period the major, Italian composers who were active in Florence were the Franco-Fleming Philippe Verdelot and the Italians Bernardo Pisano and Francesco de Layolle and Verdelot, Pisano and Constanzo Festa, active in Rome. Adrian Willaert and Jacquez Arcadelt also became popular in Venice which is another early center. Frottola-like textures of the earliest madrigals were embodied in the works of Pisano and Festa and the four-voice pieces by Verdelot.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Labelling Theory And Criminal Behavior In Society Criminology Essay

Labelling Theory And Criminal Behavior In Society Criminology Essay Labelling theory is very useful in explaining criminal behaviour. Labelling theory is one of the theories which explain the causes of deviant and criminal behaviour in society. It gives an insight on what could make an individual be attracted to criminal behavior as opposed to morally desirable behavior. This is very important for criminologists, law enforcement bodies and health care professionals who try to rehabilitate criminals. This paper will discuss the labeling theory with respect to crime. Various theorists who discuss this theory will be studied in order to better understand criminal behaviour. A summary of issues discussed will also be given at the end. This theory was advanced by Becker and it explains the causes of criminal and deviant behaviour in society.  [1]  This theory emphasizes that criminal behaviour occurs as a result of the dominant social group labelling minority groups who are viewed to be committing acts which are against social norms. The theory discusses how the behaviour and self identity of an individual can be influenced or determined by different terms which the dominant population uses to classify or describe them. According to this theory, when the society gives negative connotations to an individual, this influences the individual to adopt the labels which are attached to them. When the society labels a person as deviant, such people internalise the negative label and after time, they adopt the nature of a deviant person so as to conform to societys expectations. Every person knows how other people judge them through previous interactions with other members of society. The self can be said to be moulded according to this perception by society. When the society changes the perception which it has on an individual and sees them to be deviant, an individual may re-evaluate their self depending on the authority of other peoples judgement. The society or dominant group has the power to decide what constitutes deviance. This group defines deviance and explains the levels which can be tolerated by society.  [2]  When this group labels someone as deviant, they may change their treatment of the individual. This change usually depends on the extent of deviance exhibited by the individual. The change in treatment of the individual affects their self image. The higher the change, the higher their image is affected. In some cases, especially when the self image is greatly affected, the individual changes their nature to conform to the labels which are given to them. Becker identifies two groups in society; rule makers and rule breakers. Rule makers and breakers are seen to be two different groups which are in state of contrast. The rule breakers perceive themselves to be in contrast with rule makers as far as moral values are concerned. Rule breakers therefore detach themselves from society and become outsiders. However, there is a bond which exists within rule breakers, and they may perceive themselves to be the mainstream society and the rest of society to be outsiders. It is important to note that Becker did not support any deviance theories which were advanced as explanations for causes of crime. Various theories such as differential association, strain theory, control theory and others attempt to explain the causes of crime. However, Becker was opposed to these theories since he was of the opinion that deviance does not exist. The dominant social group was seen by Becker as imposing their view of deviance, and accepting deviance would be accepting the views shared by this majority. Primary and secondary deviance Becker explains that there are two levels of deviance; primary and secondary deviance. Primary deviance is the initial level of deviance which is committed by a person. This deviance may either be unintentional or intentional.  [3]  Many people fantasize or think of committing deviant actions and this may trigger the commission of deviance. Secondary deviance is the deviance which is committed after the labelling by society. The labels which societies give to a person trigger secondary deviance. There are various steps in which secondary deviance is achieved. The first step is being seen committing a deviance act and being labelled a deviant by society. Accepting the deviant label is the second step towards achieving secondary deviance. Some people may accept the deviant label and begin committing deviant acts as opposed to their normal way of life. The third stage is commission of acts which are consistent with those of a deviant. This occurs after a rule breaker has accepted th e deviant tag and they begin practicing a culture which is consistent with that of deviants. Beckers case study Becker carried out a case study in which he attempted to find out how marijuana came to be associated with deviants in the United States. During the late 1930s, the Bureau of Narcotics began campaigns against marijuana use in the US. Since the bureau was new, it began these campaigns as a way of justifying its existence. The ethnic Protestants were the prevailing religion during this time and they despised actions taken purely for achieving ecstasy. The Protestant group can be said to be the dominant group as discussed earlier. This group preached of the need to free people from the bondage of drugs. The bureau then began explaining the adverse effects of drugs, including showing the public evidence from Mexico, which had one of the highest rates of drug abuse in the world. As a result, legislation was passed to discourage the vice. However, in spite of the legislation, the abuse of marijuana has continued. This can be explained by the labelling theory. The dominant group, the Protes tant, branded people who use marijuana deviants. Many of them accepted the tag and continued abusing the drug since this was perceived to be the expectation of the society which branded them a deviant. Another case, which was observed by Thomas Scheff relates to people with mental illnesses. Most people who the society brands as mentally unstable usually begin acting according to how the media portrays the mentally ill.  [4]  Once they do so, they have access to professionals in mental illnesses. Most people act like the mentally unstable to at a point in life. However, not all are branded mentally unstable and only those who society perceives as weak are. This is consistent with the labelling theory in which the dominant group labels the minority group. Erving Goffman and labelling Goffman explains the concept of labelling through the use of social stigma. Stigma is behaviour, reputation or attribute which discredits a person or group. Goffman describes it as the difference between actual and virtual social identity.  [5]  Goffman explains that people often make certain assumptions based on interaction with other people. These assumptions often translate to expectations and people are expected to behave in certain ways based on these assumptions. These expectations gradually become demands and everyone demands that certain people act in a certain way based on the initial assumptions. When we begin analysing whether out expectations will be met we realise that all along we had been making assumptions. There are six levels of stigma which were associated with Goffman. The first is concealment and this is the ability of one to hide stigma.  [6]  The second is disruptiveness and this is the ability of stigma to affect social relations. Aesthetics is the reaction by other people to stigma. Origin relates to the beginning of stigma and can either be deliberate, accidental or by birth. Course is the fifth aspect and it relates to the progression of stigma over time. The sixth aspect is peril and this is the ability of stigma to pose as a danger to other people. Goffmans contributions to the theory of labelling are important. They explain what may make the dominant social group label the minority group. This also explains why the minority group may be under pressure to change their normal way of life and adapt to the labels which have been given to them. In order to reverse the adverse effects of labelling, stigma should be eliminated through avoiding assumptions about people. People should judge others through long term interaction rather than short term or casual interaction. Importance of labelling theory in understanding crime Labelling theory has been seen to alter the normal actions performed by actors who the society has branded or labelled. The labelling makes them alter their actions and adopt those which are consistent with the labels which are attached to them. This is important in understanding crime since criminal behavior can be explained by this theory. When a person commits a criminal act, this is primary deviance and it may be unintentional or intentional. However, when the society brands that person a criminal, this may alter his or her self and they may start committing criminal activities. This is secondary deviance since it is influenced by the label which the society has given the person. Gradually, such people form groups in which they seek identity. They perceive the law abiding citizens to be a threat to their existence and they target them in their criminal activities. In order to reverse the criminal behavior and reduce crime, the society should avoid giving negative connotations to people, and see criminal behaviour as a mistake which can be rectified through rehabilitation. The society should understand the adverse effects of giving labels to people, since instead of being a deterrent to crime, it becomes a catalyst to crime. Labelling theory, amongst other theories serves to inform the public, law makers, law enforcers and health practitioners of the ineffectiveness of labelling minority groups. Criticism of labelling theory One of the criticisms of the theory is that it is impractical. Empirical tests have not been tested on the population and it therefore cannot be taken to be accurate. It is difficult to test and many sociologists do not perceive it to be a true theory. Another weakness of this theory is that it does not explain primary deviance.  [7]  This theory only explains secondary deviance but does not explain what motivates one to commit primary deviance. It is therefore perceived to be inconclusive. Further research should be done on the labelling theory in order to determine whether it is accurate and applicable to the society today. Summary and conclusion Different aspects of the labelling theory have been discussed. Labelling has been seen to facilitate crime and deviant behaviour through encouraging people to act according to labels which are attached to them. Initially criminal activities may be unintentional or intentional depending on the actor, and this is the primary stage of deviance. However, subsequent crimes may be committed as a result of labelling and this is the secondary stage of deviance. In order to reduce crime we should reduce the negative connotations which are given to people, especially criminals. The society should take crime as a mistake committed by a person, which should be reversed through rehabilitation, rather than admitting that crime is the nature of the person. Goffman has also been seen to discuss stigma, and this is important in explaining the labelling theory. Due to the assumptions discussed by Goffman, criminals are stigmatised and this encourages them to commit criminal acts according to labels designated to them. However, the research done on labelling theory is inconclusive due to the weaknesses which have been discussed. The absence of practical tests and inability to explain primary deviance shows that more research is needed on the topic. This will prove whether labelling theory is applicable to the modern society. This paper is useful to sociology students, law makers, health care practitioners, law enforcers and the general public since it enables all these groups understand the nature of crime.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Politics and Other Social Sciences Essay

Man is a social animal. His social life has many dimensions – political, economic, sociological, psychological, historical etc. Social sciences deal with this multi-dimensional man, his collective life, social behaviour, organisations and activities. All of these dimensions of man are inter-connected leading to interrelationship among various social sciences. Political science, being one of the social sciences dealing with the political aspect of social man, has close connections with other social sciences. The modem approach in the study of social sciences is primarily interdisciplinary. It means that scholars of one specialized social science should work in coordination with scholars of other disciplines. This has resulted in a great deal of overlapping of disciplines. Interdisciplinary study has resulted in a rapid development of theoretical and applied aspects of politics and the sharpening of tools of research and analysis in the present century. Political Science and History Political Science and History are very closely connected. Jellinek remarked: It is almost a common-place today to affirm the necessity of historical study as a basis for a proper understanding of institutions, whether they be political, legal, or social.1 E.H. Carr holds that â€Å"the dual function of history (is) to enable man to understand the society of the past and to increase his mastery over the society of the present†} The cause and effect relationship of social phenomena can be understood by scientific understanding of history. History furnishes the political scientist the raw materials for comparison and induction. The relation of political science and history is well brought out in words of Seeley: â€Å"History without Political Science has no fruit. Political Science without history has no root†. In the words of Freeman, â€Å"history is past politics and politics is present history†. While political science is dependent on history for its material, it must be made clear that history supplies only part of its material. Again, all facts of history are not useful to political science. Garner rightly points out that not all of history is â€Å"past politics†. Much of it – like the history of art, of science, of inventions, discoveries, military campaigns, language, customs, dress, industries, religious controversies – has little, if any, relation to politics and affords no material for political investigation. Political Science selects relevant facts out of history. All political institutions are products of history. Without historical foundations, political science becomes merely speculative and abstract. History is a vast storehouse of facts and information from which political science draw its relevant materials for generalizations. Lipson writes: â€Å"with its chronological treatment, history offers to the student of politics a sense of growth and development and thus affords insight into the process of social change†. Political science has influence on history. Political ideas of thought leaders have contributed in shaping human history. Political revolutions and political concepts like democracy, liberty, equality and political ideologies like liberalism, nationalism and socialism have substantially influenced the history of societies. Garner aptly observes: â€Å"to interpret history in its true significance we must study that politically. Behaviouralism with its stress on empirical method has undermined the importance of historical method in recent political studies. Traditional method relied more on history as it believed that history can assist in understanding the present and act as a guide for the future. Political Science and Economics Political Science and economics are very closely related and cover a common ground to a large extent. Early writers on economics considered their subject as a branch of political science and termed it ‘political economy’. Politics influences substantially the economic system. The state formulates the economic policies and regulates the economy. Production and distribution of wealth, price control, trade, taxation, government ownership of public utilities, banking, export-import and such other economic activities are regulated by political decision-making. The solution of many economic problems must come through political channels. Indeed many of the complex problems of the modern state are essentially economic in character: the reduction of economic disparity, removal of poverty and unemployment, the adjustment of the claims of capital and labour, nationalization and the achievement of a welfare state. The modern state, Galbraith writes, is an â€Å"Industrial State†. On the other hand, political and social life is profoundly influenced by economic conditions. Karl Marx regarded politics as a part of political economy and maintained that the economic basis of society influences politics which belongs to the superstructure. Political movements and revolutions are profoundly influenced by economic causes. All political ideologies like liberalism, socialism, imperialism, fascism have an economic basis. The political behaviour of man and various organized groups is influenced by economic factors. The main functions of modern welfare state are basically economic. There are economic motives behind many political policies. Political norms like liberty, equality, rights, justice are very often evaluated on an economic basis. Thus there is close relationship between political and economic life. The interaction of the two disciplines has resulted in the increasing importance given to political economy in recent years. Political Science and Sociology No two social sciences are as closely related as political science and sociology. Sociology is the fundamental social science. It is the root of all the social sciences. It is the most comprehensive social science which studies all aspects of the life of man in society. In the words of Small, it is the â€Å"science of men in their associated processes†. Sociology has a much wider scope than political science. It is a study of society in all its manifestations, while political science is primarily a study of the state and government. In other words, sociology deals with man in all his social relations, while political science deals with the man in his political relations. Sociology deals with both organized and unorganised communities and groups, while political science is concerned with organised political communities. The subject of sociology is social man and that of political science is political man. The relation between the two sciences is well brought out by Garner. He writes: â€Å"Sociology derives from political science knowledge of the facts regarding the organization and activities of the state, while political science derives in large measure from sociology its knowledge of the origin of political authority and the laws of social control†. State and politics cannot be studied objectively without an understanding of the general laws of social development. Political institutions and processes are influenced by social forces and factors. Not only does sociology influence political science, but politics also influences the social system. The political system controls and regulates social forces and customs. Politics engineers the process of peaceful social change and is engaged in maintaining social stability and cooperation. Political control is the most important and the most effective among all forms of social control. Contemporary political studies have borrowed concepts, methods and techniques of research from sociology. The current sociological impact on the study of politics can be traced back to the influence of Max Weber. Interdisciplinary study of political science and sociology got tremendous fillip with the emergence of political behaviouralism. A new branch of study named political sociology has emerged as a result of the interaction between political science and sociology. G. Sartori has observed that politics has got socialised and society has got politicised in the present times to such an extent that politics cannot be studied in isolation from sociology. Political Science and Psychology Psychology is the science of mental attitudes and human behaviour. It studies human instincts, attitudes, sentiments and emotions. It has been emphasized that scientific study of social phenomena must have a psychological basis. Psychological factors have become increasingly important for understanding what people believe about politics and how they act in political situations. Study of political behaviour has assumed great significance under the impact of behaviouralism in political studies. The psychological approach in political science goes back to 1908 when A. F. Bentley’s â€Å"The Process of Government† and Graham Wallas’s â€Å"Human Nature in Politics† were published. The psychological approach received further impetus from Chicago School political scientists such as C. E Merrium, Stuart Rice, George Catlin and Harold Lasswell. Modern writers like Tarde, Le Bon, McDougall, Graham Wallas, Baldwin and Ellwood have attempted to explain and interpret political and social phenomena through the laws of psychology. Governments to be stable and popular must reflect the mental ideas and moral sentiments of the people who are subject to its control. Modern governments have devised subtle methods of the psychological manipulation of the masses. Public opinion is being moulded by ingenious propaganda as in politics the art of controlling the mass mind is increasingly becoming the key to political power and stability. Political Science and Ethics Political science has close historical links with philosophy and ethics. Initially, the study of state in Greece was a part of ethics. Ethics as a branch of study investigates the laws of morality and formulates rules of conduct. Ethics is the science of the moral order while political science is the science of the political order. Both have to deal with questions of right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust. Plato conceived the notion of an ideal state in his ‘Republic’ and believed that the state should train men in a life of virtue. The end of the state, according to Aristotle, is good life for the citizens. Modern idealists like Rousseau, Kant, Hegel and Green have accepted the state as an ethical institution which creates conditions for the fullest development of human personality. Lord Acton goes so far as to say: â€Å"The great question is to discover, not what governments prescribe, but what they ought to prescribe†. Fox held that what is morally wrong can never be politically right. Gandhi’s lasting contribution to politics is his insistence upon the spiritualization of politics i.e., application of truth, non-violence, love, self-suffering to man’s social and political life. The end of the state has been formulated by the greatest political thinkers in terms of moral values. The state exists to promote social and moral good on the largest possible scale. A good citizen is possible in a good state and perfect state cannot be conceived where wrong ethical principles prevail. Laws are obeyed with greater readiness if they are based on the moral ideas of the community. Politics also influences ethics. Politics safeguards the ethical norms of a society. The state acts as the guardian of social morality. The attempts of some contemporary political scientists to create a value-free political science have not been successful. David Easton aptly observes: â€Å"The goal of value-free research is a myth†¦ The utility of political research stems from the fact that it helps men to decide upon the kind of political system they would prefer and to understand how to go about changing social policy to obtain it. The inspiration behind political science is clearly ethical.† Political Science and Jurisprudence The state is a social phenomenon as well as a legal institution. From the legal point of view, the state is a person with rights and duties. It is a juristic personality subject to the process of law. The state operates through law and hence jurisprudence, as the science of law, is closely related to politics. Strictly jurisprudence is a subdivision of political science but on account of its vast scope and technical nature it is studied as a separate branch of study. Jurisprudence has several branches, namely, civil law, criminal law, constitutional law, international law etc. Constitutional law defines the organs of the state, their relations to one another, and the rights and duties of individuals. International law regulates the relations of states and various international organizations: If law influences politics, politics also influences law. Different political systems have different legal systems; Laws tend to be a reflex of a particular social pattern and are influenced by the nature of the political system. Political Science and Anthropology Anthropology deals with man as a social being. It deals with the origin, classification and relations of races, languages and cultures found in different localities. Politics uses the vast material gathered by anthropology. Physical anthropology dealing with the conditions of primitive men and their environment facilitates the study of the origin and evolution of various political institutions. Similarly social or cultural anthropology dealing with the growth and interpretation of customs, traditions, habits and religious beliefs etc., explains the forces and factors operating in political institutions. Anthropological data have assumed great importance in the study of the formation of national character. Political Science and Geography Many writers have emphasized the influence of geographical conditions and physical environment upon national character. Even national policies have been shown to be determined by such conditions. The influence of climate, topography, character of the soil, insularity, the presence or absence of mountains, rivers and outlets to the sea has been emphasized by various political thinkers from Aristotle to the present. Notable among them are Bodin, Rousseau, Montesquieu and Buckle. The emphasis upon geographical factors as determinants of state policy and governmental functioning has resulted in the development of a new science known as ‘Geopolitics’. Since territory is an important element of the state, geographical factors naturally influence political activities. These factors have assumed great significance especially in the field of defence strategy. Political Science and Statistics Statistics is concerned with systematic collection, analysis and presentation of numerical data. Von Mohl described statistics as a means through which a picture of existing political and social conditions could be obtained. Social phenomena and the results of governmental action are quantitatively measured by it. Statistical findings â€Å"serve as a guide for administrative action, as a basis for legislation, and as a means for testing the expediency or effectiveness of political policies†. Therefore, all governments collect statistical information concerning finance, trade, military and economic resources, social conditions of the people etc. Behavioural approach to the study of political science has put excessive stress on statistical methods (quantification, techniques), thereby contributing a lot to the scientific character of political science. The foregoing discussion clearly shows the intimate relation of political science to other social sciences. A proper understanding of political institutions, processes and phenomena calls for reliance upon a number of sister disciplines. Specialization of social sciences should not lead to narrow compartmentalization. Interdisciplinary approach to the study of social sciences has resulted in the blurring of rigid boundaries of various disciplines and highlighting the need for mutual exchange and interaction among social scientists.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Hudson River: a Detailed and Comprehensive Geological History

Contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 Hudson River Formation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Hudson Canyon†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 Glacial History†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 14 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦17 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦18 Maps & Diagrams†¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 19 Hudson Canyon†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 19 Geological Processes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 1|Page Introduction In 1872, a naturalist and surveyor by the name of Verplanck Colvin found the source of the Hudson River. It is a small pond on the south western slope of Mt. Marcy, the highest peak in the Adirondacks, called Lake Tear of the Clouds. So little is Lake Tear of the Clouds that if no water was to feed it for seven days it would be reduced to just an empty basin. Nevertheless, the Hudson starts right in its waters. One could say the Hudson River is divided into two distinct sections differentiated by geology and appearance.The first section winds its way through the Adirondack Mountains spanning 166 miles from Lake Tear of the Clouds to the Federal Dam in Troy. This section is un-navigable by boat and in some places somewhat rapid. The second section, which is quite different from the first, starts at the Federal Dam and runs for 149 miles through the â€Å"rolling hills† all the way to the Narrows between Brooklyn and Staten Island. Back up north at Lak e Tear of the Clouds is fed by natural springs and runoff from the sheer steepness of Mt. Marcy and other streams winding down from the high peaks of the Adirondacks.Throughout the whole Adirondack mountain range, the watershed drains and dumps runoff from 3,400 foot peaks into the lowlands less than 410 feet above sea level. From Lake Tear of the Clouds [in the space of a mile] the river drops 1,000 feet down a deep trench to join the Opalescent River1. A bit more southward, the Mohawk River drains much of the runoff from central New York into the Hudson. In fact, over half of the Hudson Rivers water volume comes from the Mohawk, and without it, the Hudson would be practically non-existent.Further south of Albany tributaries flow westward to the Hudson from the Taconic Mountains and eastward from the Catskills. Still further south the tributaries for the Hudson begin to appear rectangular, almost following the trend of the faults and 1 The Opalescent River is not a separate river f rom the Hudson but merely a section named by old Native American tribes. 2|Page ridges that run northeast to southwest of the river while other tributaries join at right angles to the faults along the joint planes.At this point in its path, the river begins to occupy its original bedrock gorge formed millions of years ago, flowing over rock ledge rapids and the coarse cobble point bars2 that are very common from Mt. Marcy to Glens Falls, until it is partially blocked by mountains. It is here that the river makes a sharp turn to the east and flows through the Luzerne Mountain gorge in western New York and then emerges quickly onto glacial lake sediments deposited in the Pliocene Glaciation and forms a very broad, almost meandering path on the lowlands (supported by shale) for the nearly 130 miles to Newburgh.South of Newburgh the river cuts laterally through the hard crystalline rocks of the Hudson Highlands, shifting back and forth in its valley (almost like a cradle) until it emerg es from the highlands and starts to exhibit fjord like characteristics within the towering rock walls around it. The river’s course then slightly curves in front of the Palisades escarpment3, which towers more than 328 feet above the water’s surface. At the Narrows the Hudson breaches its final barrier, the terminal moraine4 of the last glaciation (more on this in the Glacial History section) before it reaches the Atlantic Ocean.At the Atlantic (although tidal) the Hudson behaves as any other river would and deposits its bed load (sediments carried by the river) and some of the fine-grained suspended load (basically fine grained sand and dirt floating in the water) into the form of sandbars. Over millions of years, these have contributed to building up many islands including Staten Island, Hoffman Island, Swinburne Island and many others. The very low slope of the Hudson plays a great role in the amount of discharge and island buildup, too, as it only rises about 0. 4 inches per mile for the last 150 miles of the rivers path. To give some perspective, the Mississippi river rises approximately 6 inches per mile during its course, and discharges about 700 million tons of sediment per year into the Gulf of Mexico 2 Coarse cobble point bars are essentially pointed cobble that has been piled into bar like formations. These formations are generally formed when sediments carrying cobble leave it behind. 3 Ground formed into a steep slope as part of fortification. â€Å"Moraine† is a word used to describe the earth, stones and debris a glacier deposits. â€Å"Terminal† describes that these items were deposited where the glaciers maximum extent was, in this case Long Island. 3|Page and its mouth is approximately a ? -mile wide. The Hudson River discharges about 175 million tons of sediment per year and its mouth is about the same width at a ? mile. With a 2 inch increase in slope geologists predict the discharge rate of the Hudson would spik e up to about 450 million tons per year and the mouth of it would close up to about 250’ wide.This would place Manhattan underwater and greatly limit boat traffic as well as make Long Island more of a true island separated from land by at least 3 miles or so of water5. And so, the geography of the Hudson River today ends here in Manhattan, but the geology of what lies underneath is much more important. Continue reading if you must, and dwell into a mystery of time and a lot of pushing and pulling. 5 Do not worry about this happening now though because the rivers overall slope has not changed more than a centimeter in the last couple thousand years and shows no signs of speeding up. 4|Page Hudson River FormationThe Geology of the Hudson River is complex. Billions of years of folding, pushing, pulling, separating, and moving have formed, deformed and reformed the Hudson River valley into what it is today, a â€Å"giant palimpsest6, a great parchment on which the hand of nature has written and rewritten her bold signature for more than a billion years†7. In the next section, I am going to attempt to condense over a billion years worth of Geologic History into less than ten pages. Despite complex knowledge and strange words it is a simple story of time and rocks, moving and changing: the formation of the Hudson River and its valley.The Hudson’s geological â€Å"personality† very much reflects its structure and the changes made on it, underneath it and all around it from the Pleistocene glaciations8 . The bedrock foundation of the Hudson was established in the space of three oregany’s (mountain building periods) beginning over a billion years ago. These mountain-building episodes re-triggered long intervals of underground erosion and periodic submersion by the epicontinental seas (or oceans) to help start forming the Hudson River Valley. At a point much later in this story, glacial erosion reshaped the landscape of the HRV into wh at it appears as today.The first major mountain building episode, the Grenville Orogeny began about 1. 2 billion years ago. It was one of the biggest Oregany’s and affected a broad region along the coast of what was Ancient North America, from the northeast waters of Canada to northwestern Mexico. The mountains created by the Grenville Orogeny were most likely as tall as or taller than the Himalayas and were driven to these heights by a collision of Laurentia (Ancient N. America) and Gondwana (Africa) in which Gondwana overrode Laurentia. The deep burial of Laurentia resulted in the first 7 Written upon, or engraved on more than once. The Hudson: A History, Chapter 1: The River and the Land, pg. 10 8 A period of ice buildup to form glaciers, or the act of glaciation. 5|Page metamorphism, partial melting of rock and the separation of the light and dark minerals found in the Adirondack gneisses9. Many hundred thousand of years later in the Proterozoic period as the continents p eriodically moved, basaltic volcanic rocks merged into the mountains cutting the anorthosites10 and gneisses laterally across.These gneisses are around one billion years old, while the Highland gneisses may be a bit older. The Fordham gneisses are the youngest and can be dated to just under a billion years old. Over the millions of years, long episodes of erosion on the Grenville Mountains and constant lifting of the crust have brought it to the surface. Later in the Proterozoic period, erosion of this crust formed and provided a thick source of sedimentary deposits that partially submerged the upland area of coastal Laurentia (presently this is the area south of and parallel to the Appalachian Mountains).These deposits are now found mostly in the Appalachians, with almost all of them have been removed from the Hudson valley, leaving hard rock and clay for the Hudson River to rest on. In the early Paleozoic, the sand and gravel that was eroded from the mountains during the Proterozo ic period became basal sandstone and conglomerate11, which is more commonly known as the Potsdam Sandstone in northern NY and the Lower Quartzite that is prized throughout the Hudson Highlands.As the Epicontinental sea inundated this (once) mountainous region the sandstone and Lower Quartzite were buried under a thick cover of marine limestone and shale, which was laid down in an elongated trough that formed on the continental shelf where mountains had once been. The limestone was mostly deposited on the shallow edges of the trough while the shale solidified from the mud carried into the deeper seaward part of the trough. The solidified shale then created the bedrock between Glens Falls and the Highlands. 9Coarse, grained metamorphic rock composed of quartz, feldspar and mica. An igneous rock made up largely of soda-lime feldspar. 11 Rock composed of rounded fragments of various rocks cemented together in a mass of hardened clay and sand, like a composite. 10 6|Page In the Late Camb rian period,12 Laurentia once again collided, but this time with the ancestral core of Europe, Baltica and a large fragment of what is thought to be the continental crust known as Avalonia. This started the mountain building period known as the Taconic Orogeny, which lasted throughout the Ordovician Period.The Taconic Orogeny also resulted in the new supercontinent Laurasia. While much of the activity involving this collision took place well to the east it also affected the HRV. Island arc volcanic structures such as the Cortlandt Complex have been found in the Hudson Highlands. To the North and West in the mid-Hudson Valley, the sedimentary rocks that were deposited in the early Paleozoic Period were folded (with the trend of the folds and faults already in place) parallel to the southwest to northeast facing the Appalachians.These folds and faults eventually became some of the paths of the HRV tributaries. Closer to the coast than these faults, thin sheets of rock were pushed seve ral dozen miles west. This event is known as the Taconic Thrust and took place in the area where today exists the Taconic parkway. Because of this event, the fine-grained shale that was there was crumpled (as if we crumple paper) and pushed into the narrow channel of water west of the mountains near present day Croton. Over many years thereafter blocks of limestone into the channel and were merged into a jumble of shale clumps.Today millions of years later the river flows past the western edge of the channel and then cuts into the disorganized deposits of shale as it continues south. As we travel through time, sandstone, limestone, shale and Proterozoic bedrock from the Hudson Highlands became buried as Laurentia’s coastal margin was subducted13 close to where it and Europe’s plates met. The rocks that met each other from each plate partially melted and transformed into more gneiss, marble and schist14, which was then folded and moved once more to be in alignment 12 00 million years ago Subduction can be described as the action or process in plate tectonics of the edge of one crustal plate descending below the edge of another, almost like a controlled earthquake. 14 Schist is a metamorphic crystalline rock that has a closely foliated structure and can be split along approximately parallel planes. 13 7|Page with the Appalachians. This set the stage for the modern day continental shelf to form, although it would take millions of more years for it to happen. After the two plates of Europe and Laurentia collided, there was a sort of lull in activity around this area.This allowed streams in the lowlands to follow the valleys formed along the fault lines, or on the softer marble layers around Manhattan. The oceanic crust borders and the rocks around NYC and to the east more or less contained the streams around Manhattan, while the streams in the lowlands and around our area were free to roam and spread out. After the Taconic Orogeny ended, a long inter val of erosion began stripping away the excess crust as the â€Å"new† continent (modern North America, or Laurasia) was very slowly lifted by the compression of the plates.As the upland area was eroded away the epicontinental sea gradually filled the Hudson Valley region from the low lying land of the coastal margin all the way west nearly three-quarters of the way to Pittsburgh. Later during the Silurian and into the early Devonian period shallow seas covered the area and left behind calcium carbonate sediments making the soil very rich. At around the same time rivers formed and flowed from the uplands carrying major amounts of sediment west to the sea to form marine sandstone.While the marine sandstone was being formed, at the shoreline a large delta15 formed over the junk that the marine sandstone left behind. By the midDevonian period, an alluvial plain16 had reached across much the western Catskill region and the shoreline had shifted slightly west about 15 miles or so. At this time, thousands and thousands of feet of sediment from mid-Paleozoic times were piled up over the Hudson Valley and continental red sandstone (one reason why there is so much sandstone around here) from farther east inland were incorporated with the gray marine sandstone from the west closer to the coast.The force of all this happening at once overturned the folds that were in place to the northwest (near present day Schunemunk Mountain along the NYS thruway near Highland Mills) exposing the limestone that 15 A Delta is a triangular alluvial plain, usually where a rivers mouth is. A level or gently sloping flat or a slightly undulating land surface resulting from extensive deposition of alluvial materials by running water 16 8|Page was buried slightly underneath the sediment that had accumulated over the years. This marked the end of the Devonian Period, and the start of the Acadian Orogeny.The Acadian Orogeny began as the North American plates started to compress again and lift up the eastern mountain ranges around New England and western Pennsylvania. This Orogeny was also partially caused and linked to the collision that happened between Laurentia and Gondwana that created Laurasia, and most likely, if this Orogeny had not happened the Hudson River would be a completely different river, and possibly would be connected to the Mississippi River. As the plates began to compress each other again they created volcanic arcs and granite intrusions somewhat east of the Hudson Valley near the coast.Around this time in our little history story the seas started to retreat from the east to west and started to expose the incredibly thick layer of sediment and rocks from the Acadian Mountains all the way to the Catskills. The final compressions dating back to the Paleozoic era continents and the Alleghenian Orogeny now ended and the earth came together to form Pangaea. Because of all this land being pushed up, the Epicontinental Sea retreated from the Catskills to the Poconos in Pennsylvania leaving much of New York and New England dry once again.Now above sea level the strata from the Devonian period became subject to erosion for 250 million years. At some point during this time, the drainage patterns shifted and aligned the ancient Hudson River along a NorthSouth line much like it is today. This was the biggest directional change the Hudson ever underwent. As the strata and sediment were worn away from this new path of drainage, it revealed the granite, marble and schist underneath which became the building materials for our modern world.With the Taconic Mountains now more to the east and the Catskill Mountains to the west the Hudson worked its way down deep into the sediment it was on top of leaving behind a hard bedrock base nearly 5,000 feet deep in places17. This created a solid foundation and left the Hudson with a relatively stable path 17 Over the last several million years, and an Ice age this has all been filled in and now the H udson has an average depth of 32’. 9|Page that has not changed tremendously since. The breakup of Pangaea followed soon thereafter and the coastline of North America began to resemble what it is now.At the same time, the Hudson was filling its banks; basaltic magmas were merged along the fault lines and into the bedrock forming the Palisades Sill18. After that, compression and buildup of sediment and rock slowly built the Palisades up. Today the part of the Palisades that stands is almost like a canyon above the Newark Basin. The â€Å"tabular†19 Palisades still slope to the west, and the eastern edge forms the escarpment, or â€Å"palisade†20 21 of rock joined vertically that we recognize today from miles around New York and from the air as we fly to new places and heights.But to learn how, we must travel to another time in this story, the Mesozoic Period. Some time in the late Mesozoic period, igneous rock deposits were moved yet again and placed along a line going Northwest to southwest from Canada to New England lifting the mountains in its path by several hundred feet and in some cases over 1,000 feet. Because, as you might infer, rock takes up space, and as it lifted up the mountains and separated them, it started to separate North America’s continental plate away from the mid-ocean ridge22 and over a very hot area above the earth’s layer of magma near where the present day Appalachians exist.This caused what geologists think was a shot of magma that melted through that particular part of the plate (which was quite thinner than today) and uplifted the Northern part of the Appalachians. This, in turn reactivated erosion and brought the domed like anorthosites to the surface which is most likely the reason that the Appalachian Mountains are not scraggly and sharp like the Alps, but more rolling with large boulders and open expanses of rock. The Catskills and Adirondacks also experienced lifting, but in a much smaller amou nt. Almost at the same time as all this uplifting was happening, a 18 19Think of this as the palisades foundation. L. Sirkin & H. Bokuniewics – The Hudson River Valley: Geological History, Landforms, and Resources pg. 17. 20 L. Sirkin & H. Bokuniewics – The Hudson River Valley: Geological History, Landforms, and Resources page 17 21 Palisade literally means â€Å"a fence of stakes for defense† The Palisades are called the Palisades by Native American Tribes because they helped as defense for them from other tribes. 22 The mid-ocean ridge is a undersea mountain ridge that is where the North American and European plate meet. While this ridge has hardly ever changed, the plates do move.In this case it is the biggest moves it has ever made. 10 | P a g e hole began to form from sinkholes on the western slope of Mt. Marcy and soon filled with water. This was Lake Tear of the Clouds. After Lake Tear of the Clouds formed and filled with water, the Newark basin reached i ts fullest capacity of water and the Hudson began to â€Å"drive† into its flood plain and carve out its gorge in the gneisses of the Highlands of southern New York. This area is now mostly between West Point and Hastings on Hudson, but it continues as a much smaller â€Å"weaker† gorge almost down to Fort Lee.The Hudson was now a true river, but would still undergo massive changes over the next several million years. At this time in the Hudson River’s history, Long Island did not exist as what it does today. It was a tiny, almost alcove piece of land that was in no way an island. In addition to that, there was no opening to the Atlantic for the Hudson. At the place where the Hudson empties into the Atlantic at the Narrows was a big solid mass of land. The Hudson by definition was a lake. So, as the Hudson filled up and he water put immense pressure on the piece of landmass blocking it from the Atlantic it began to carve out and widen an outlet. It took only a f ew hundred years23 for the Hudson to make it to the Atlantic, bringing with it thousands upon thousands of tons of sediment that had piled up in the Newark Basin. This created the new continental shelf to form the coastal â€Å"plain† we see today that stretches for about a hundred miles out to sea from New York, only in that time and age it stretched for nearly 425 miles, nearly halfway to Bermuda.The Hudson now had an outlet, and the waters started moving south digging, and bringing sediment to the mouth building up Long Island a little bit24, as well as separating it from the mainland with what is now the East River. The sea levels around North America also dropped a few centimeters as the waters made their way up the Hudson forming the Hudson River estuary. This raised the Hudson’s waters by a few centimeters and created its almost permanent banks that have 23This is an extremely short time in geologic history and greatly shows how much the pressure was on the land mass blocking the Hudson from the Atlantic. 24 Although Long Island did get built up at this time, the majority of it was built up during the last ice age nearly 20,000 years ago. 11 | P a g e not changed very much since. Because the sea levels were much lower in that time period the Hudson also began its excavation of the Hudson Canyon with the help of the naturally occurring currents (more on this in the Hudson Canyon section) and more than doubled its length to nearly 895 miles (about 1,440km) long.After nearly 500 million years the Hudson rivers formation had ended and all that was left to change it was its own water wearing away at its bottom and a glaciation that would come in a few million years. Hudson Canyon The Hudson Canyon is possibly the biggest mystery of the Hudson River. How did it form? When exactly did it form? Why did it form? These are all questions geologists and hydrologists ask when looking at it. Most people in fact have never heard of it. To them the Hudson is a river that starts in the Adirondacks and ends at the narrows.To the few that know of the Hudson Canyon, the Hudson River starts in the Adirondacks and ends nearly 925 miles south halfway to Bermuda right after falling over a half mile down a [now] underwater canyon and then fanning out and spreading to the Atlantic Ocean. There, even though underwater it still carries small amounts of the Hudson’s freshwater (out to sea), and most geologists still consider it a part of the Hudson. This makes the true length of the river from Lake Tear of the Clouds to the end of the Hudson Canyon 922 miles, more than double of what we consider the â€Å"Hudson†.As explained in the last section (Hudson River Formation) in the late Mesozoic Period the Hudson River broke the land barrier that held it from emptying into the Atlantic. When it broke the barrier it began to carve a new path out to sea towards Bermuda. At some point, it reached the Continental Shelf and dug into it creati ng a canyon that eventually connected the shelf to the ocean basin, which is about 1. 5-2. 5 miles deep. Technically the canyon begins as a natural channel many miles wide at the mouth of the Hudson in a depression about 12 feet deep in the rivers bed. It 12 | P a g e ontinues then through the Hudson channel and under the Ambrose light25. Soon after the Ambrose light, it reaches the shelf and goes through the real canyon part of it that is called the Hudson Canyon proper. The Hudson Canyon proper is located about 100 miles east of Battery Park City and has walls almost ? mile in height, which can be compared to the Grand Canyon whose cliffs are about 1-1/8 mile deep. The Hudson Canyon is the largest â€Å"submarine† canyon in the United States, partially due to the currents that pass over, and carrying away sediment and rock, thus carving it deeper and deeper.Over the past 30 years since it was discovered, tracking equipment has logged a nearly 12-inch change in its depth and width making the Hudson Canyon also the fastest growing canyon in the Atlantic Ocean. At the same time it is growing wider and deeper, it is also getting closer to the magma underneath and behind the continental shelf. In simple terms, one day in the next couple hundred or thousand years it will break through and magma will come out creating a new island, possibly connecting the East Coast of the United States with a land bridge that extends more than halfway to Bermuda.Many tributaries around the canyon would be raised by the magma, creating a new network of rivers and streams on the land bridge that could host many kinds of wildlife as well as marsh like environments. In addition to this, the Hudson Canyon has large stores of methane hydrates which according to scientists is a very promising clean burning natural energy source, and could help reduce oil consumption. It is a Canyon of great importance to the Hudson River, and also a big clue into the Glacial history surrounding th e HRV. 25The Ambrose light is the site of a Light House that ships going into the New York Harbor and other harbors in the area use for navigation purposes. 13 | P a g e Glacial History The Glacial History of the Hudson River is probably the one of the most important geological event that happened in the Hudson Valley in the last 50,000 years. Evidence points mostly to the Pleistocene Glaciation, which was the last and only Glaciation to reach this far south into the United States for the change that happened on the Hudson River since it was originally formed.The topography of the Hudson Valley enabled the ice from the Pleistocene Glaciation to form a Lobate Ice margin26 about 50 miles north what is now Manhattan long island. Around 22,000 years ago the Ice over the Catskills and Taconic uplands thinned, while it thickened in the Hudson Valley and expanded southward closer to the mouth of the Hudson. Scientists today doing Pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating have found that the c limate back then right before, and as the last Ice age started was much warmer than today. As one can expect, warmer conditions meant more plants, and the sea level was much higher than today27.When the climate cooled and the Glaciers expanded south all these trees, plants and debris were ground down and immense pressure pushed them into the ground, almost dissolving them into dirt. This not 26 Lobate means resembling of a lobe. In this context it is used to describe the shape of the edge of the Glacier, or its maximum extent which was a short of lobe shape. 27 Evidence shows that the waters might have been as far north Albany. 14 | P a g e only made the area much more barren, but also flattened the Adirondacks, and Hudson Highlands down many thousands of feet.The glacier continued to expand 26,000 years ago and merged with smaller glaciers up north to form one big glacier known as the â€Å"Laurentide Glacier†28. This Glacier covered all of Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, M anitoba, Nunavut, and parts of Quebec, as well as the Great lakes down to Chicago where it almost ran parallel to the US/Canada border before dipping slightly down towards present day Manhattan and following the coast of the US up north. At the height of this glaciers advance the ice most likely was more than 1,000 feet thick over the tops of the Appalachians (if you do the math this means that it was over 1. miles deep) meaning immense pressure was being placed on everything flattening the landscape. This also meant that because there was so much pressure, and the water of the Hudson never froze 100%29 the Hudson’s waters literally pushed the earth and carved the floor of the Hudson to a depth similar that of what it was before it broke its barrier at the Narrows. 30 The dirt being compressed turned back into soft metamorphic rock, and created marble where none existed near Warrensburg.A few miles south at Glens Falls the Ice naturally deepened because of the drop in elevati on and gained momentum31 carving out the fjord previously made even bigger, which created Storm King, Beacon and Bear Mountain. All this rock carved out of the Fjord eventually made its way south where it was dumped over Manhattan and Long Island, somewhat accounting for all the Limestone and shale and schist around that area. At this time, the Hudson Canyon was also carved out by the glacial ice melt flowing through it with rocks and debris and became much deeper and wider.When the Laurentide glacier made it to the Narrows its front stopped moving forward, but its back kept on moving forward compressing everything together (Like an accordion) and melting a lot of the ice. Why this happened is not really known by Scientists because glaciers can float. This area became the Glaciers â€Å"dumpster† and the Terminal Moraine was officially formed. Long Island was 28 29 Yes, it was named after Laurentia, ancient North America. Meaning the whole time there was a glacier over this a rea, the Hudson was still flowing but now mostly with ice melt from the glacier itself. 0 Of course this all filled back in as the glacier melted. 31 A glacier is always moving, whether it is 1 foot a year or 1 inch a year. 15 | P a g e built up and out to its current state and the Moraine extended west into New Jersey and Pennsylvania, carrying with it glacial melt creating many of the glacial lakes in that area such as Lake Hackensack, Glacial Lake Hudson and many others. Clay also being carried was dumped all over the region (mostly on the current Rockland County side) and created a nice thick, slippery layer on which the glacier to slide on.This process of dumping and melting continued for many thousand years and started the recession of Laurentide. In a 2,000 year period from 26,000 years ago to 24,000 years ago Laurentide melted and receded so that all of Long Island, Staten Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and pretty much everything south of present day Hartford Connecticut w as ice free. The Ice continued to melt over the next 4,000 years until everything south of Glens Falls was free of ice. The ground, sort of like a sponge when you fill it with water, rose a few meters and went nearly back to its state before the glacier.At Glens falls The glacier stopped for a thousand or so years and slowly melted providing the Hudson valley with a constant stream of fresh glacial water. Around 19,000 years ago the glacier started to recede from Glens Falls and the melt water created Glacial Lake Albany which continued to grow throughout the next several thousand years as Laurentide receded. At 15,500 years the Climate suddenly got cold and the glacier advanced back south to near Poughkeepsie and created the Wallkill, Poughkeepsie, Red hook, Hyde Park ad Pine Plains moraine.As suddenly as the Climate got cold, it got warm again and by 13,000 years the glacier was receded north of present day Quebec City. When the climate got warmer again the sea levels rose, this t ime to near Albany, and caused Glacial Lake Albany to drain. For the next couple thousand years as the climate cooled, the Hudson was tidal up to Poughkeepsie and as the Sea retreated. This brought the tides down with it to near Peekskill where it stayed for many thousands of years until around 6,000 years ago it began to go north to nearly 20 miles past Troy32 by 2,000 years ago the sea was at its present place, and the Hudson was in its present 2 The exception to this is the Troy Dam; if it wasn’t built the Hudson would still be tidal nearly 20 miles north of it. 16 | P a g e state. Long Island was as it is now, and the coast was pretty much the same besides what natural erosion as taken away since then. This was the final Glaciation, and the final change to the Hudson River. After nearly 1. 2 billion years, several different Oregany’s, Hundreds of changes, 4 different climate changes and a whole lot of pushing and pulling and moving the Hudson River was finished bei ng formed and all it needed was for Henry Hudson to come sailing to name it†¦. ConclusionIf you have gotten this far along into this history story then you will know that the Hudson River didn’t just appear, it doesn’t formally end at the Narrows between Brooklyn and Staten island and it isn’t just a river. It is the culmination of 1. 2 billion years (and counting) of the earth doing its shtick33 on the world we live on. It took 7 different continents to pull this off, and it worked out beautifully creating a river of outmost importance to our lives, lives before us, and lives to come. I like most of you out there reading this paper did not know a thing about the Geology of the Hudson River when I started this project.It probably took me a proportionate amount of time to learn this as it did to create the whole Hudson. Now, after early 3 months of reading words I don’t know, looking at diagrams I can’t even understand and writing technical ter ms that I can’t pronounce I have learned what it took, and takes to create the Hudson. Like they say, it takes a village to raise a child; it took a whole world and 1. 2 billion years to create this river, a river of small nature compared to others around us such as the Nile, or Amazon which are nearly 5 times the length of the Hudson and took a very disproportionate amount of time to create. 3 â€Å"Piece†, or â€Å"thing† in Yiddish 17 | P a g e So, as I leave you with this 20 page Essay, think about the next time you go to the Hudson and pick up a handful of sand, and know, just know that that handful of sand has been moved around for 1. 2 billion years to end up at your feet. Bibliography L. Sirkin & H. Bokuniewics (2006) – The Hudson River Valley: Geological History, Landforms and Resources Wikipedia (http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title=Hudson_Canyon&oldid=453958227) – Hudson Canyon Data SIO, NOAA, U. S.Navy NGA, GEBCO (2010)  œ Google Earthâ„ ¢ United States Geological Survey (USGS) (2004) – Sea Floor Topography & Backscatter Intensity of the Hudson Canyon Region Offshore of New York & New Jersey (http://pubs. usgs. gov/of/2004/1441/html/interp. html) Phil Stoffer & Paula Messina (2008) – Introduction to the Geologic History of the New York Bight (http://www. geo. hunter. cuny. edu/bight/Geology. html) Phil Stoffer & Paula Messina (2008) – The Highlands Region (http://www. geo. hunter. cuny. edu/bight/highland. html) R. G.Wilkins Booth (1970) – The Ontario Water resources commission Geology of the upper part of the Severn River basin and the Severn River basin lying within the Hudson River Lowlands. Steven H. Sehimmrich – Geology of the Hudson Highlands Region (www. environmentalconsortium. org) Access Genealogy – Geology of the Hudson (http://www. accessgenealogy. com/newyork/hudson/geology_hudson. html) Charles Merguerian (2010) – Geology 133 Field Tr ip 18 | P a g e Dick Goodman (2013) – Geologist in California, gave much information and advice on this project United States Navy Geological Services (2013) – Maps, Graphs Bradford B.Van Diver (1985) – Roadside Geology of New York John F. Shupe (1996) – National Geographic Atlas of the World Revised sixth edition Kevin Hile (2009) – The Big Book of Answers Tom Lewis (2005) – The Hudson: A History Maps 19 | P a g e The maps presented here on the next couple of pages are all ones used in this essay as reference. They are from many different sources and show many of the things I talked about, visually. Hudson Canyon 20 | P a g e 21 | P a g e 22 | P a g e Geographical Diagrams 23 | P a g e 24 | P a g e 25 | P a g e