Friday, December 27, 2019

How to Identify a Pseudoscience

A pseudoscience is a fake science that makes claims based on faulty or nonexistent scientific evidence. In most cases, these pseudosciences present claims in a way that makes them seem possible, but with little or no empirical support for these claims. Graphology, numerology, and astrology, are all examples of pseudosciences. In many cases, these pseudosciences rely on anecdotes and testimonials to back up their often outlandish claims. How to Identify Science vs. Pseudoscience If you are trying to determine if something is a pseudoscience, there are a few key things you can look for: Consider the purpose. Science is focused on helping people develop a deeper, richer and fuller understanding of the world. Pseudoscience often focuses on furthering some type of ideological agenda.Consider how challenges are dealt with. Science welcomes challenges and attempts to disprove or refute different ideas. Pseudoscience, on the other hand, tends to greet any challenges to its dogma with hostility.Look at the research. Science is supported by a deep and ever-growing body of knowledge and research. Ideas around the topic may have changed over time as new things are discovered and new research is performed. Pseudoscience tends to be fairly static. Little may have changed since the idea was first introduced and new research might not exist.Can it be proven false? Falsifiability is a key hallmark of science. This means that if something is false, researchers could prove that it was false. Many pseudoscientific claims are simply untestable, so there is no way for researchers to pr ove these claims false. Example Phrenology is a good example of how a pseudoscience can capture the public attention and become popular. According to the ideas behind phrenology, bumps on the head were thought to reveal aspects of an individuals personality and character. Physician Franz Gall first introduced the idea during the late 1700s and suggested that the bumps on a persons head corresponded to the physical features of the brains cortex. Gall studied the skulls of individuals in hospitals, prisons, and asylums and developed a system of diagnosing different characteristics based upon the bumps of a persons skull. His system included 27 faculties that he believed directly corresponded to certain parts of the head. Like other pseudosciences, Galls research methods lacked scientific rigor. Not only that, any contradictions to his claims were simply ignored. Galls ideas outlived him and grew wildly popular during the 1800s and 1900s, often as a form of popular entertainment. There were even phrenology machines that would be placed over a persons head. Spring-loaded probes would then provide a measurement of different parts of the skull and calculate the individuals characteristics. While phrenology was eventually dismissed as a pseudoscience, it did have an important influence on the development of modern neurology. Gall’s idea that certain capabilities were linked to certain parts of the brain led to a growing interest in the idea brain localization, or the notion that certain functions were linked to specific areas of the brain. Further research and observations helped researchers gain a greater understanding of how the brain is organized and the functions of different areas of the brain. Sources: Hothersall, D. (1995). History of Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Megendie, F. (1855). An elementary treatise on human physiology. Harper and Brothers. Sabbatini, R.M.E. (2002). Phrenology: The History of Brain Localization. Wixted, J. (2002). Methodology in experimental psychology. Capstone.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Essay on The Presidency of James Knox Polks - 2023 Words

He was the 11th president of the United States and was known as â€Å"young hickory†, and the first â€Å"dark horse†. James Knox Polk accomplished many things in his life. He served in the House of Representative, became governor of Tennessee, and became president of the United States. His achievements impacted the U.S and made it what it is today. For example he annexed Texas, lowered tariffs, established an independent Federal Treasury, went to war with Mexico, and added three states to the union. If James Polk did not become president, then there is a possibility that California, New Mexico and Oregon would not be a part of the United States. James Knox Polk was born November 2, 1795 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. James was the son of†¦show more content†¦With Sarah by his side he had many campaign victories. Being a supporter of Andrew Jackson’s democratic policies at age twenty-nine he was elected to the U.S. Congress. From 1825-39 James was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and was serving as its speaker (Evisum Inc). After serving as speaker he became Governor of Tennessee in 1839-1841. In 1844 Democrats were having a difficult time getting 2/3 of the vote to nominate a presidential candidate, Polk who was running for the position of vice president, became nominated for the presidential candidate (Kelly). The focus on the campaign was to annex Texas which Polk was for the idea versus Clay who opposed the idea. Clay opposing the idea led Polk to victory. Many problems had occurred with the state of Texas. Texans thought it would be best to interest security and economic stability to petition to the United States for annexation. In 1837 at the time President Martin Van Buren was against the idea of having Texas annexed because of concerns that it would become another slave state in the United States. Another reason why he did not want to annex Texas was because he did not want to start any problems wi th Mexico. Things changed in 1843 when President James Tyler examined the annexation issue again. A treaty was sent to Senate but because of anti-expansionist the treaty was denied. When Polk became president he too was in favor of having Texas annexedShow MoreRelatedJames Polk s A Wicked War959 Words   |  4 Pagestheir supply of land and profits. To fulfil the demands of the American expansionists, James Knox Polk was voted into presidency in 1845. Amy S. Greenberg’s book, A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico highlights the era of war and expansion during Polk’s years in office; and through a critical lens, holds him accountable for his injustices in the Mexican American war. While James Polk is considered to be a controversial figure in American history, the true question liesRead MorePresidential Leadership Rating The Best And The Worst In The White House Summary856 Words   |  4 Pagesspeak on presidents that I generally had little knowledge of. At first I was skeptical of the book, questioning how a book that was less than 300 pages could successfully describe each presidency. This book does exactly that, in keeping things brief it goes into detail in describing each president for their presidency, or lack of in some cases. The book has much to be taken away from it. I was impressed by the amount of short facts that were placed in this text, as well as by the amount of informationRead MoreJohn K Polk And Western Expansion2495 Words   |  10 PagesJohn K Polk and Western Expansion Under James Knox Polk, the United States grew by more than a million square miles, adding territory that now composes the states of Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, much of New Mexico, and portions of Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado. Much of the United States is owed to the expansion planned by Former President John K Polk. His actions would lead to the annexation of Texas and purchase of California and New Mexico from Mexico. In theRead MoreEarly Life Zachary Taylor was born on November 24, 1784 near Gordonsville, Virginia. His parents,900 Words   |  4 Pagesdescendant of the colonist leader of the Plymouth Colony, William Brewster. Taylor’s second cousin is believed to be the fourth president, James Madison (Britannica 2013). As a child, Taylor received very little education as a child. There were no formal schools available in Kentucky. Taylor was homeschooled for only a couple of months (Britannica 2013). Pre-Presidency Taylor had a rich experience in the military before he became president. He enlisted in the army in 1806 and was commissioned firstRead MoreMexico s Independence From Spain Becoming A Young Independent Country Essay1707 Words   |  7 Pagestaxes grow so fast that when the Mexican government try to obtain control over it was too late. According to Acuna, â€Å"By 1844 war with Mexico over Texas and the Southwest was only a matter of time. James K. Polk, who strongly advocated the annexation of Texas and expansionism in general, won the presidency by only a small margin, but his election was interpreted as a mandate for national expansion† Europeans are guilty of imperialism because in the 1830s and 1840s they took advantage of the youngRead MoreThe Jefferson Davis Historic Site And Monument1351 Words   |  6 Pagestreason, but was later released without a trial. In the 1880’s, he actually began encouraging southerners to merge with the north again. Before he was a politician, Davis was in the army. He fell in love with his commanding general’s daughter, Sarah Knox Taylor, and sought her father’s permission to marry her. He turned him down on the basis that he didn’t want her to have to suffer through the life of a military wife. After consulting with his brother and considering the situation, Davis resignedRead MoreMoving West : The Western Frontier Essay2220 Words   |  9 PagesUnited States 1837 Vermont protested against admission of a state who had slavery Jackson didn t acknowledge the republic of Texas officially until the last day of his presidency Whigs and Democrats William Henry Harrison He was the oldest man, at age 68, and the first whig to win office Served shortest term of any presidency The Whigs Came about to oppose andrew jackson They wanted a strong gov’t They supported industrial development and economic growth High tariffs Federal funding for bridgesRead MoreHow Did Manifest Destiny Manifest Itself?1876 Words   |  8 Pagesthe perfect excuse for politicians like Polk, to push forward their plans of expansion in the West. James Polk was the 11th President of the United States and was in charge during both of the annexation of Texas and the Mexican War. He is one of the only presidents that competed his agenda while he was in his office. He was the last president before the outbreak of the Civil War. He is mostly remembered for his foreign policy success. The only reason Polk was not criticized a lot about the warRead MoreThe Colonization Of The West1800 Words   |  8 Pagessell of Louisiana for a total amount of 80,000,000 Fr or 15,000,000$ (4 cents an acre). Here, James Monroe and Robert Livingston, the two official negotiators, recognize a historic opportunity and seized it with no hesitation. The Louisiana Purchase allowed the United States to go to the West in order to discover this part of the country. This is what Lewis and Clark decided to do under Jefferson presidency. Their expedition was supposed to bring the country knowledge about its own territory. IndeedRead MoreGood Leadership Characteristics Of Good Presidents2415 Words   |  10 Pagesâ€Å"You have nominated and able and honest man.† It shows you even the greatest of people accepted Lincoln as an honest man. John F. Kennedy- Determined: The 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, had a few notable events during his presidency including the Space Race and The Cuban Missile Crisis. JFK said that he will get a man on the moon by the of the 1960’s. The United States did and before Russia too. He was determined to get man to the moon. The Cuban Missile was a result of the

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Practical Formula To Australian Taxation Law -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Practical Formula To Australian Taxation Law? Answer: Introducation Coleman and Sadiq (2013) has defined a fringe benefit as a additional benefit which is supplementary to the salary or money wage of the employee such as private health care or a car provided by the company. A fringe benefit tax as defined by the Australian Taxation office is a tax which is imposed on the employers when they provide certain benefits to their employer which also includes their associates and family members. The benefit may be a part or additional to the wages and salary package of the employee. The Fringe benefit tax is calculated separately from income tax on the taxable value of the fringe benefits which have been provided from 1st April to 31st March (Pope 2016). The Fringe benefits Tax assessment Act 1986 sets out provisions towards the assessment of tax in relation to fringe benefits in Australia. In the case of John Holland Group Pty Ltd Anor v. Commissioner of Taxation [2015] FCAFC 82 it had been stated by the court that a fringe benefit only exists where there is a employment relationship between the parties (Pyrmont 2014). According to the provisions of sub section 7(1) of the FBTAA a car fringe benefits exists where at any time in relation to the employees employment a car is held by the employee in person and is applied towards private use by the employee or their associate or is taken for the purpose of being eligible for private use of the employee or their associates. In addition the car has been provided by the employer of his associate as per subsection 7(2) (Feld 2016). Section 8 of the FBTAA provides for a few exceptions in relation to the assessment of fringe benefit taxes. However they are not applicable in the situation. Section 9 of the FBTAA provides the process known as statutory formula method which is used to calculate the taxable value of fringe benefit of the car. The cost of the car is considered in relation to computation under this method. In addition the method does not consider the time for which the car is used for public and private use Bloom and Joyce 2014). Section 10 A and 10B of the FBTAA is provides provisions in relation to calculating the taxable value of fringe benefits by considering the operating cost method. This method is also known as the operating cost method and here the separation of public and private use is considered with computing the tax. The base value of the car is multiplied by a legal rate of 20% which is provided subsequent to the 2016 budget. After the computation of FBT the method which provides a lower value is considered towards the assessment. Sub-Section 11(1) of the FBTAA deals with the provisions in relation to the calculation of depreciation towards the taxable value of car fringe benefits. A legal rate of 25% is applied to calculate the deemed depreciation. Sub-Section 11(2) of the FBTAA deals with the provisions in relation to the calculation of interest towards the taxable value of car fringe benefits. A legal rate of 5.65% is applied to calculate the deemed interest(Murphy and Higgins 2014). Application Here according to the provisions of Section 7 of the FBTAA the car which has been provided by Shiny Homes Pty Ltd to Charlie is evidently assessable for fringe Benefit tax as it has been provided for personal use. Both the methods provided in section 7 and 10A, 10B have to be applied in order to compute the table value if fringe benefits of the car. Statutory method In the given situation a lower amount of fringe benefit tax is derived by the application of the method under section 9 of the ITAA. The employer would also be liable to pay tax on the honeymoon accommodation provided by the employee. However car parking fringe benefits would not have to be applied in the situation in relation to section 39A of the FBTA as the parking has been done on the cost of the employee and not in the place owned as the employer. Income tax is different from capital gain tax and therefore the change of tree wanted by them and for which they have sold their house in Melbourne and purchased a property is central Victoria would not be subjected to the provisions of Income Tax under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1977 (Cth). Section 6.5 of the ITAA sets out provisions in relation to income according to the ordinary concept and under the provisions of this section the income which is gained by Allan as a locum doctor and Betty who is a part time accountant would be assessable for income tax computation. Allan because of his popularity within his profession receives various gifts from his clients. These gifts are in from of Food, cakes and wine. The food and cake received by hi would not be considered wile assessing his income as they do not exceed the commercial value required to be considered. However the wine which is worth $360 would be considered for assessment of tax as its commercial value is above the maximum exempted value under the ITAA provisions (Kenny 2013) This part provided rules which are used to differentiate between a business and a hobby. It had been ruled in the case of Cooper Books Pty Ltd vs. Commissioner of Taxation of Commonwealth of Australia that when a person makes profit through the virtue of a hobby activity such profit is liable to be assessed for income tax (Woellneret al. 2014). Further Taxation Ruling TR 97/11, provides guidelines to differentiate between a hobby and a business. According to the ruling when the intention of a person while conducting an activity is of a commercial nature it is a business and when the nature is non-commercial it is a hobby. The person indulging in an activity to make profit makes such activity a business and was the person does not have the want of making profit the activity is a hobby. The existence of an employment relationship in an activity prima faice makes it a business. A person usually does not invest much in a hobby but invest to a high extent In the case of Martin v. FC of T (1953) it had been ruled by the court that lone activities cannot be considered for the purpose of making tax assessment (Willbanks 2015). It has been provided that the hobby of making marmalade has been turned into a business as it has become famous with the neighbors. A stall had been opened by her which constitutes recurring business. Thus the profit which is earned by them in relation to the sales would be eligible for being considered towards the assessment of their income under the provisions of ITAA. A barter transaction with respect to the provisions of section 25(1) of the ITAA is to be considered the same as any cash or credit transaction which assessing it under income tax implications as well as for GST purpose. The case of .C. of T. v. Cooke Sherden 1980 also provides the same rule which has been stated by the above discussed section (Oestreich and Keane 2016). Thus the activity which has been indulged into by Allan and Betty in from of a Barter system would be subjected to the same tax consequences under the provisions of GSTR 1999 and the ITAA. Reference List: Bloom, I.M. and Joyce, K.F., 2014.Federal Taxation of Estates, Trusts, and Gifts. LexisNexis. Brownlee, W.E., 2016.Federal Taxation in Australia. Cambridge University Press. Coleman, C. and Sadiq, K. (n.d.).2013Principles of taxation law 2013. Feld, A., 2016. Federal Taxation of State Tax Credits. Finkelstein, M., 2014. Cases on Federal Taxation (Book Review). Kenny, P. 2013.Australian tax 2013. Chatswood, N.S.W.: LexisNexis Butterworths. Morgan, A., Mortimer, C. and Pinto, D. 2013.A practical introduction to Australian taxation law. North Ryde [N.S.W.]: CCH Australia. Murphy, K.E. and Higgins, M., 2014.Concepts in Federal Taxation 2015. Cengage Learning. Nossaman, W.L. and Wyatt Jr, J.L., 2016. Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates.TRUST ADMINISTRATION AND TAXATION,2. Oestreich, N. and Keane, M., 2016. ACCTG 503 Federal Taxation of Individuals. Pope, T.R., 2016.Pearson's Federal Taxation: 2017 Comprehensive. Prentice Hall. Pyrmont,2014 NSW Australian Taxation Law Cases. Thomson Reuters. Schenk, D.H., 2016.Federal Taxation of S Corporations. Law Journal Press. Willbanks, S.J., 2015.Federal taxation of wealth transfers: cases and problems. Wolters Kluwer Law Business. Woellner, R. 2013.Australian taxation law 2012. North Ryde [N.S.W.]: CCH Australia. Woellner, R., Barkoczy, S., Murphy, S., Evans, C. and Pinto, D. 2014 (n.d.).Australian taxation law.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Qs on Forests free essay sample

He suggestedthat a proper system should be introducedto protect the forest. He helped in formulating the Indian Forest Act of 1865. (Q. )Who was Dietrich Brandis? (1 Mark) (Ans) Brandis was a German who gave advice to the British regarding thereckless cutting of trees by the local people and the traders. He feared that it would destroythe forest. Brandis was also madethe first Inspector General of Forests in  India. (Q. ) What was the idea of plantation in colonial period? (1 Mark) (Ans) The Colonial Government took over the forests and gave away those to European planters at cheap rates. They had cut down the forest for land to start the plantation. This was another way for deforestation. Large areas of forests were cleared to make way for the plantation of tea, coffee and rubber to meet the growing demands of these commodities in European countries (Q. )Can you relate the progress of railways with the idea of deforestation in colonial period? Explain. We will write a custom essay sample on Qs on Forests or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page (1 Mark) (Ans) 1) Railways were essential forcolonial trade and for the movement of imperial troops. As the railway tracks expanded, a larger number of trees were felled to meet up the growing demand of timber and fuel wood. ) The government gave out contracts to individuals to supply the required quantity of timber. These contractors started random cutting of trees and this led to immediate disappearance of forests around the railway tracks. (Q. )What is meant by the term deforestation? (1 Mark) (Ans) Cutting down of trees in huge numberof forest area to fulfill the demand of developing civilizations is known as deforestation. In other words, cutting and destroying of forest resourcesis deforestation. During the period of colonialism,deforestation took a systematic approachfor the purpose ofindustrial development. Q. )  Mention the changes seen in the features of forest resources during  industrialisation. (1 Mark) (Ans) The period of industrialisation, i. e. , the years from 1 700 to 1995, witnessed a drastic reduction in the earlier huge diversity of forest resources all over the world. Around 13. 9 sq. km of forest lands, i. e. 9. 3% of the world’s forest area, was cleared  for the needs of industrialisation, cultivation, pastures and fuelwoods. (Q. )How did the Forest Act affect the lives of the common Indians? (1 Mark) (Ans) The Forest Act brought severe hardships for villagers across the country. After the Act, their everyday practices – cutting wood, grazing of cattle, collection of fruits and roots, hunting and fishing were treated as illegal activities. People were forced to steal wood from the forests and when caught, were at the mercy of the forest guards. (Q. ) What are the recent developments in forestry? (3 Marks) (Ans) 1) The concept of forest  management has changed since 1980. It was observed by the government that implementation of strict forest laws was leading to stealing of timbers and illegal hunting. ) Forest dwellers were kept away from the implementation procedure of these laws andtherefore, it generated conflict between the two parties – the government and the villagers. 3) Indian adivasis preserve the forest land and resources and therefore, the government is involving local people in the matters like safetyand security of forest land, forest products and wild animals. (Q. ) Elaborate  some of the activities of the people of Bastar. (3 M arks) (Ans) 1) The people of Bastar believe deeply in the village and its offerings. Since the village peopleknow the boundaries of the village, they look after the natural resources. ) If people from a village want to take some wood from the forests of another village, they pay a small fee called  devsari,  dand  or  man  in exchange. Some villages also protect their forests by engaging watchmen and each household contributes some grain to pay them. 3) Every year, there is one big hunt where the headmen of villages in a  pargana  (cluster of villages) meet and discuss issues of concern, including forests. (Q. ) Who was Samin? What was his challenge to the Dutch? (3 Marks) (Ans) Surontiko Samin was a resident of Randublatung  village  of  Java. 1) In 1890, he  began questioning the state ownership of forest. He argued that the forest and its resources were the gifts of nature. Thus, the state could not have any right over it. 2) A widespread movement developed and by 1907, 3,000 families were following his ideas. They challenged the Dutch authority byrefusing to pay taxes and by lying down on their forest lands when the Dutch came to survey it. Others refused to pat taxes or fines or perform labour. (Q. ) What are the similarities between colonial management of forests in Bastar and in Java? (3 Marks) (Ans) 1) In both Bastar (India) andJava (Indonesia), the colonial management of forests led to rebellions. ) In Bastar, the forest management was in the hands of the British and in Java, it wasunder the Dutches. 3) Both the governments wanted timber for their needs and worked for their own monopoly. When the forest communities in both the regions had to leave their land, rebellions occurred, which were subsequentlycrushed. Q. ) How did the forest  rules affect cultivation? (3 Marks) (Ans) 1) European foresters regarded the practice of shifting cultivationharmful for the forests. They felt that theland which was used for cultivation every few years could not grow trees for railway timber. When a forest was burnt, there was the added danger offlames spreading and burning valuable timber. 2) Shifting cultivation also made it harder for the government to calculate taxes. Therefore, the government decided to ban shifting cultivation. 3) Many communities were forcibly displaced from their homes in the forests. Some had to change occupations, while some resisted through large and small rebellions. Q. )How can you say that the spread of railways brought deforestation during the Colonial Period? (3 Marks) (Ans) 1) In 1850s, the spread of railways created a new demand.