How Businesses Do Lobby for Political Influence

How Businesses Do Lobby for Political Influence Sleazy closed door deals and slipped brown paper envelopes â€" that’s the image people have when they hear the word ‘lobbying”. In today’s political climate, lobbying and business influence on political discourse have become especially heated topics. So, what is lobbying all about? How can a business do lobby for political influence or is it all just a bunch of fanciful thinking and scaremongering?WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOBBY?Your ideas about lobbying might be based on TV shows and hearsay stories of “Do you know who paid this to that”. What does ‘lobbying’ actually mean?To get to the bottom of how a business can utilize lobbying, you first have to know the definition and the different types of lobbying â€" not to mention that lobbying isn’t actually the same everywhere in the world. Source: Oxfamblogs.comThe definition of lobbyingIf you look up the definition of a lobby in the Business Dictionary, you find the following statement. Aside from being a main entrance hall to various buildings, a lobby is“a group that attempts to influence a legislation or government spending plans to achieve an outcome more favourable to its agenda or objectives”.Interestingly, the word lobby actually derives from the outside area of the legislative chamber, which was the place where people tried to influence how the legislators voted.The word is also a verb, to lobby. According to the dictionary, lobbying is“the act of attempting to influence business and government leaders to create legislation or conduct an activity that will help a particular organization.”To break this down to core elements, you could say that lobbying requires:An organization that is in charge of specific things, such as laws or regulations.An individual or a group, which is influenced by the things th e organization controls.Therefore, lobbying has someone or something in control of an element that influences the actions or behaviors of someone or something else. An example would be the government, which decides how much tax a business pays. Therefore, the government’s action of deciding tax rates influences the way a business can operate.Furthermore, lobbying requires that:The individual or the group to hold a specific desire and/or aim, which the organization in charge can influence.If you take the example of the government controlling the tax rates, in terms of lobbying, the business would need to hold a specific aim or desire towards the tax. This could be the aim to lower the rates and therefore, the business would embark upon ensuring the government changes its position.In essence, lobbying is about convincing someone to change its current position to a position you want. If you were not happy with the government’s tax rates, you would try to argue and convince them tha t your desired rate is much better.The different types of lobbyingLet’s say you wanted to get your spouse to take you on a date to the newest restaurant in town. What would you do? In general, you have two options. You can either say “I want you to take me to Place Y”, or you can be subtle and casually mention how there’s a new restaurant in town while eating breakfast. Lobbying or persuading someone on your side can take these two routes:Direct action, orIndirect action.Direct form is the classic example. In terms of lobbying, it means dealing directly with the people in charge of the decision and, generally speaking, also being open about the objectives you want to achieve. In the example of the tax rates, direct lobbying would be the business contacting the government and outlining what kind of tax rates they want to see imposed and why.Direct lobbying can occur in different settings. Business representatives can be part of the legislative process, in terms of attending h earings or committee meetings. For instance, a new government might set upon changing or examining its tax policies and therefore invite businesses to propose their ideas on the topic.But direct lobbying can also take place in a non-formal setting. Government officials might be in touch with businesses on the halls of the legislative place, such as congress, or these direct discussions can happen during dinner parties or other public events.As the name suggests, indirect lobbying is about trying to influence the decision-making without being directly involved or open about the aims. A business might try to change the public opinion instead of talking directly to the government about its hopes.The public opinion can then start influencing the decision-making, as the government notices the consensus wants lower taxes. Just like the date example showed, you are essentially dropping gentle hints about a position you want the government or organization to take without stating your aims a loud.In most cases, lobbying is about using both indirect and direct techniques. Businesses don’t just outline their hopes, but they also try to convince the general public. A good example could be an animal rights group that doesn’t just discuss the required changes with the legislature, but also wants to ensure the voters pressure the government to focus on these topics.Lobbying around the worldHow lobbying takes place differs slightly on where you are in the world. Although the purpose and the aim are the same â€" influencing an organization in charge â€" different cultures approach the task differently.Furthermore, you even have different approaches to what type of lobbying is allowed in terms of politics. Businesses don’t have the same access to lobby for political influence everywhere. So, if you’re looking to engage in some lobbying activities, you need to check what the country you’re operating in permits and what the practices tend to be.To give you an idea of the differences, below are three country examples of lobbying: the US, France and Australia.The USFranceAustraliaLobbying in the US is a multibillion-dollar industry, which is professionally organized. A lot of special interest groups hire professional lobbyists to argue for their causes. The system to keep an eye out for the lobbyists is extensively monitored and has complex rules to ensure the system is transparent. Nonetheless, it is often surrounded with controversy.France does not have lobbying practice as part of its political process. So, while lobbying naturally occurs in France, organized lobbying hasn’t so far occurred in a significant manner. Since the system is not regulated, the country’s lobbying is often criticized for lacking in transparency.Lobbying in Australia is another multibillion-dollar industry and it takes place in local, state and federal level. In order to influence the federal government, lobbyists need to obtain a pass to gain access to the parliament b uilding. The pass is valid for two years and it is administered by the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS).Lobbying takes place in local, state and federal level.Nonetheless, recent years have seen an increased attempt by businesses to organize and grassroots groups are growing in number. In addition, French lobbyist can register with the European Union public lobby register.The pass is not required for successful lobbying, as indirect lobbying also takes place. But if you want to meet with lawmakers directly at the heart of the decision-making process, you need to sign a register. Indeed, there is a public record of lobbyists, which can be accessed online through the government website.THE DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOBBY FOR POLITICAL INFLUENCEYou’ve hopefully gotten a good indication of how lobbying works in general. The actual ways businesses use these direct and indirect forms of lobbying can differ depending on the things they are looking to change, as well as the kind of busi ness they are.Resources, i.e. the amount of money a business can sink into lobbying, can make a difference, with large companies often using a number of ways, while small ones might try to put more effort in gaining political influence through a single channel.There are essentially three different ways or routes to lobby for political influence: controlling the public discourse, spending money on the message, and using organizations for political gains.Controlling the public discourseOne of the methods of gaining political influence is through control of the public discourse. If a business can get the public to back its claims and aims, the politicians are sure to follow. After all, the public helps to elect these people and if you have the public on your side, you can have more leverage.If your business deals with organic goods, then you want to convince the public to push for organic goods first and therefore, force the government to reduce red tape and drive down prices, for inst ance.On the other hand, if your business is a sugary drink producer and the public discourse is focused on healthier options for kids, the government might be more inclined to push for regulation that isn’t good for your business.Control of the public discourse can happen in three different ways â€" all of which are regularly used by modern businesses. First, you have to direct the conversation into areas the business wants to talk about. If the public is talking about a topic, the politicians are likely going to have to talk about it too.This then brings attention to the topic and can result in changes to the law or the regulations. Let’s say you are looking to ease the regulations around setting up a gym easier. You might start a discourse in the public (by talking to the media, raising awareness and running campaigns) about the obesity epidemic.If people start talking about the issues surrounding health and keeping fit, such as the cost of joining a gym or the lack of gyms, t he government might want to start looking into measures that help keep people active and healthy.You can also control the discourse by spinning the media. This is all about ensuring the discussion is positive for your cause. In term, you would ensure to media focuses on the positive benefits of what you are trying to achieve â€" especially if there are also negatives that people might point out.So, if the reduction of corporate tax causes people to argue it will lead to loss of public revenue and therefore worsens things like public healthcare, your focus would be on ensuring the media also talks about the positives. For instance, you could focus on noting how lower taxes would lead to more business activity, which in turn would lead to more jobs being available in the area.(If you want to learn the tricks of the media spin, check out the video below!) Finally, you can create a following to push for the cause. As I’ve mentioned, you can start generating a movement through the poli tical discourse.If the public starts focusing on the benefits you are driving for, they will essentially begin lobbying for the business. They will organize and pressure the politicians on the need to reduce red tape for new businesses or to help stores have better access to healthy foods.By ensuring people understand the benefits of the message your business tries to achieve, you create a powerful lobby â€" not of paid professionals convincing the politicians, but of the voting public.Spending money on the messageBusinesses can, of course, spend money on the act of lobbying. Money is often the cause of controversy in terms of lobby for political influence. It’s also the area of lobbying that can seem the most negative or at least have a grey area where you aren’t quite sure if the intentions and outcomes are as good as they could be.How does money influence lobbying? First off, businesses could spend money on supporting organizations and lobby groups that work for a specific ca use.For example, if you are a solar energy business, you might help a professional green energy group to ensure the government makes policies that support alternative energy companies. It’s not necessarily that the lobby group pushes for a specific policy change you want, but rather it drives forward your interests as a business in terms of the industry and the market.Furthermore, you might also fund a think-tank supporting your arguments. This might be a specific health organization that researches the benefits of fats and by supporting them, your olive oil business gets validation that its products are good. It could also be an economic organization studying the benefits of lower corporate tax and therefore, their findings could help the government to reconsider its tax policies.A business can also directly fund a party or individual politician in the hope they help push forward policies that also benefit the business. There are generally a lot of rules and regulations influenci ng the ability to donate to political parties and in most countries, directly paying for a specific regulation is strictly forbidden. This isn’t to say lobbying of the kind doesn’t exist.Using organizationsFinally, a business can skip the craft of lobbying and opt for using professional lobby groups and individuals. This was already touched on a bit above â€" it’s about getting professional lobbying groups further causes that you believe in. For larger organizations, it might also mean hiring professional lobbyist to push through your business’ specific causes.While these organizations can use any of the above tactics, it can also mean further involvement with the political process. As I mentioned in the examples of different countries, there can be specific lobbying groups that push forward the interests of businesses and other organizations right in the halls of the legislature.Professional lobby groups often sit on special committees, attend organized meetings with the po liticians and other decision-makers, and they directly outline the special objectives of their representative groups. Using organizations provides businesses a direct access to the decision-making process â€" an ability to influence the processes head on and be part of the decision-making.But as mentioned above, the impact of this can depend on the country in which the business operates. In certain countries, like the US, these organizations can be widespread and highly sophisticated, while in others less organized and lack in actual ability to drive change.BUSINESS LOBBYING IN ACTIONYou might still be wondering what lobbying for political influence looks like in reality. Do businesses actually influence decision-making or are they just chasing shadows in the corridors of power? If you look at the numbers, the story of lobbying and its power becomes rather convincing.According to a 2015 Washington Post article, different interest groups in the US claim over $3 billion a year in lobb ying expenditures, with a lot of spending staying off the record books. In addition, most organizations can have up to 100 lobbyists in different levels of local, state, and federal government to represent them. Furthermore, while corporations aren’t the only ones seeking political influence, they are certainly often outspending other interest groups. The Atlantic reported in 2015, how for every dollar spent by labor unions and other public-interest groups put together, larger corporations will spend $34. Around 95% of the organizations that spend the most on lobbying are also businesses or representatives of business interests.It’s also easy to understand some of the problems surrounding lobbying when you consider the above figures are troublesome in two ways. First, it doesn’t necessarily reveal the full spending and discussions that happen behind closed doors. Indeed, the lack of transparency also manifests itself in many countries. In the UK, organizations don’t have to inform the public or their shareholders about their lobbying efforts. Therefore, you don’t quite know what is happening and where.This isn’t to say there aren’t examples of successful lobbying for influence. You could take the example of a successful media spin in the UK by a business group that wanted a new High Speed 2 (HS2) rail line built. A lobbyist called James Bethell, representing Westbourne Communications, helped change the media discussion around this failing project away from the lack of benefits for the local people to economic growth and new jobs. The discussion moved away from the project just being about posh people wanting a better train service, to providing real jobs for the poorer northern areas of the country.Examples of successful lobbying by businesses can also be found in the country that could be dubbed the ‘King of lobbying’, the US. The Atlantic noted in its article on lobbying how CEOs started taking a more active role in politics in the 1970s. I t’s when a community of leading CEOs called the Business Roundtable was born.As lobbying activities intensified, businesses were able to influence labor law reforms, regulations, and even tax legislation, according to the article. So, if you’re wondering whether lobbying can actually influence politics, the honest answer is ‘yes’. But as the Washington Post noted it isn’t always about the money â€" lobbying often results in “a bias in the pressure system”.THE BOTTOM LINEPolitical influence is essentially about, well, influencing. It’s about persuading the lawmakers to your cause â€" lobbying for your specific interests. Businesses, just as individuals, want to persuade the decision-makers that their ideas, needs and desires deserve a fair hearing.Lobbying, the art of persuading, can happen indirectly or directly in a variety of ways. You can simply use information and public pressure to ensure politicians listen to your side of the argument or focus on issues your bu siness cares about.You can also provide funding to organizations that help in this or directly support the political parties or politicians that fight in your corner. And all of this happens around the world to a variety of degrees and within a different kind of framework, depending on the law of the land.So, if you want your business to have political influence, you had better engage in some of the activities listed above â€" and if you’re a politician, the above can help you identify when you’re being lobbied for.

Essay about Jane Austens Emma - Rebel or Conformist

Emma - Rebel or Conformist? Near the town of Highbury, a village located in the eighteenth century English countryside, sits the estate of Hartfield where Emma Woodhouse resides with her health conscious father who finds fault with all of lifes necessities. When Emmas governess and close comrade, Miss Taylor, marries Mr. Weston, an affluent neighbor, and moves to his nearby estate, sociable Emma is forced to find herself a new companion. Harriet Smith, a naive teen who lives at Mrs. Goddards boarding school, though of a lower class due to her illegitimacy, seems desperately in need of Emmas management and counsel. Sure that she was the cause of the perfect match between Miss Taylor and Mr. Weston, Emma is determined to find†¦show more content†¦Elton , who professes his love for Emma. Much taken aback by this confession, she rebukes him for not caring about Harriet and denies his feelings. They continue the ride in silence and soon after, Mr. Elton leaves for a stay in Bath and Emma is forced to tell H arriet the heart breaking news. Jane Fairfax, a girl of Emmas age, comes to stay with Mrs. and Miss Bates and brings along the news that Mr. Elton has hastily engaged himself to a women he met while traveling. Another guest, Frank Churchill, Mr. Westons son by a first marriage, comes to Highbury, bringing with him mystery as well as assumed love for Emma. Mr. Churchill, to the dismay of Mr. Knightely, who finds great fault with the young man, pays close attention and flirts extensively with Emma, while at the same time indulging her story about Jane and a secret love affair. Frank is called away to tend a sick aunt, and Emma realizes she does not really love him. Her confusion about her feelings quickly subsides, though, when Mr. Elton and his new, snobbish wife arrive and Emma finds herself comforting Harriet. By the time Frank Churchill comes back to finish his stay with the Westons, Emma determines she has no feelings for him and a friendship is cultivated. Frank rescues Harriet from a band of gypsies and Emma begins to think that Harriets new secret crush is Mr. Churchill. Emma is eager to help this new affair along and redeem herself for HarrietsShow MoreRelatedFeminism, By Jane Austen1314 Words   |  6 Pagesnovel, Emma, Austen presents a view of feminism that, at this point in time is quite outstanding for her to do. Men were the dominant gender and in England women remained submissive to the men at all times. Women had specific roles in the household and in society. When the girls are young, they are expected to obey their fathers until they are grown and passed off to a husband so they are financially supported at all times during their life. Emma is a story about the everyday life of Emma WoodhouseRead MoreJane Austen’s Novels and the Contemporary Social and Literary Co nventions.12979 Words   |  52 Pages2.3 The Gothic Romance. 13 3. Jane Austen and Her Novels in relation to the Contemporary Literature. 15 3.1. Austen’s Criticism about the Contemporary Fiction. 15 3.2. Jane Austen as a Conservative Writer and as a Social Critic. 16 3.3. Austen’s writing in her own perception. 17 4. Pride and Prejudice. 20 4.1. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy – the Reversed Ideals. 20 22 5. Emma 23 5.1. Emma the heroine. 23 5.2. Men of sense and silly wives 26 5.3. Emma as the unusual learning. 28 Conclusions

Liberalization And The Economic Growth - 2232 Words

Liberalization or the 1991 economic reforms marks 25 years this year. Debates continues on whether growth precede or followed liberalization. India has experienced unprecedented growth over the past three decades. However this growth has co-existed with increase in inequality, unemployment across the country as certain regions, sectors and social groups have disproportionately benefitted from the growth. At least 38 percent in India continue to live below the national poverty lines (Ruparelia et al 2010). It has not been able to generate employment growth, which is one of the most important cornerstones to translating economic growth into poverty reduction and promoting social equality. ‘India is and for some time will remain one of the†¦show more content†¦Section 3, will discuss the factors that decreased the demand for labour. Section 4, will discuss several factors, which decrease the effective supply of labor. Section 5, will be used for conclusions. 1.Jobless growth: The Paradox. The liberalization theory suggests in order to generate employment and achieve greater social equity in countries like India where labor is abundant and relatively cheap, significant openness to the global market is essential. The 1991 economic reforms marked ‘a clear break from the country’s socialist strategy of state-directed, heavy-industry based, and import substitution industrialization’ (Chamarbagwala 2006:1997). India implemented a range of economic policy since the mid 1980s. Reforms brought changes in the economic growth rates. Though a section of economists reject the role of liberalization in injecting growth. Neo-liberals like Panagariya claims that the most surprising myth, current among a few economists, is that growth was not a result of the post-1991 reforms and that it could be traced back instead to the 1980s(Panagariya 2012). Whereas the economic historian Delong (2003) argue that the post-1991 reforms followed, rather than preceded, the growth acceleration. Nonetheless, the Indian economy has been enjoying a relatively positive growth rate since the 1980s.The annual growth rate in the pre-reform period

English Essay †US Summer Camps Free Essays

They work with the children; they teach them sports, play with them ND educate them. The Europeans, whom experience to work at a summer camp, will not only benefit from an extraordinary experience and growth as people. They will also learn a very useful lesson in the English language. We will write a custom essay sample on English Essay – US Summer Camps or any similar topic only for you Order Now More than a thousand Europeans come to the US, to work at summer camps every summer. The Europeans work with the children as instructors, careers or maintenance workers at the camps. The Europeans get a chance to work with kids and youngster, and obtain skills in leadership. They will meet a whole new culture, when they arrive at the camp. Some will get surprised, because hey might have prejudged the Americans, and their expectations to a summer camp. The young European will also grow as a person. Any shyness or fears will be vanished, because of the interaction with the children. Their confidence level will also rise, and become more independent. It can be kind of a culture shock, for some of the Europeans. The biggest culture difference is the food, and when you are at summer camp there is no fast food, so the new food might be weird at first. The Religion is also different. The Europeans meet many different religions, and it can be hard to Geiger out what is inappropriate to say to some religions, and what is not. Some Europeans might have trouble with the language. When you are working at a camp and your job is to play and educate the children, it might seem frustrating at the beginning. But when the only language the children know is English, you are being forced to try and talk to the kids, and the only language you hear around you is English, it will improve. Their vocabulary will also improve, and expressing themselves in English will be easier. The job as an instructors, careers or maintenance workers, will benefit the nouns Europeans in the future. As a maintenance worker you will learn to think practically, learn to solve problems on your own. As an instructor, you will learn leadership, which can be useful for the rest of their lives. As a care you will learn to take care of children, and it will be a good thing to have on your C.V., if you want to work with children in the future. If was to work at a summer camp during summer, I think I would very much enjoy it, due to the reasons mentioned before. I think all people will benefit from working at a summer camp. They will all get an extraordinary experience, and others will benefit from their stay in an educational aspect. Personally think I can learn a lot from working at a camp, not only as a person, but also my English will improve. Overall I think summer camp is a great way to spend summer, not only for the children, but also for the workers. The young Europeans, whom go to America to work with the children, will grow as people. They will obtain new skills, become more self-aware, and learn about new cultures. Some Of the Europeans might be a little shocked about the new cultures, the foods and elisions are very different from what they are used to. How to cite English Essay – US Summer Camps, Essays

Strategic Management General Motors, Apple Sony Essay Example

Strategic Management: General Motors, Apple Sony Paper Management General Motors woes according to the author Julian Birkinshaw in the article Reinventing Management, states that the 2007-2008 was because of the inadequacies of management. Majority of entities such as General Motors and others such as Lehman Brothers had inadequate risk management approaches to avoid risky organizational practices. It is evident that business executives within managerial positions in organizations lack ethics and the ability to adhere to provided standards of practice. This results to financial crises. The author provides that organizations such as General Motors, which have evolved for more than 100 years, assumed dominant positions within the business world resulting in dominant management styles, as well. Hence, from such a perspective it is possible to understand authoritarian conduct by management within large organizations such as General Motors and others as well in the United States (Birkinshaw 7). We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management: General Motors, Apple Sony specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management: General Motors, Apple Sony specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Management: General Motors, Apple Sony specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Apple Inc. according to the article Apple Inc.’s Ethical Success and Challenges, had a share value of just over US $3.30 in the year 1997; however, by the end of the year 2011, the share price of the entity had risen to an overwhelming US $339.87 (Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative 11). Such impressive financial performance resulted in the declaration of Apple Inc. as one of the most successful entities in the modern business world. This is primarily attributed to the shift from computer to consumer electronics entity that was unprecedented by the company. The corporate culture at Apple Inc has also been marked by challenges towards adequate ethical practice. Apple has a corporate belief that its employees engage in conduct that is ethical given that the entity is driven by the need for â€Å"creating innovative, high-quality products and services and on demonstrating integrity in every business interaction† (Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative 12). It is evident that, after the production of one of its anticipated products, the iPhone 4, consumers had complaints about issues with reception. Other issues included the protection of the privacy of consumers using the range of mobile phones developed by the entity. Invasion of privacy was resultant after some features on the range of mobile phones provided for location of a consumer without his consent. Ensuring ethical conduct of business is paramount for an entity such as Apple; this is because of the resulting negative effects on the reputation of the entity due to unethical practice s. Sony Corporation has also been experiencing problems within management of its strategic approaches towards ensuring a high shareholder value. The loss in shareholder value of the entity, according to a recent study by the Griffin Consultancy Group, states that Sony Corporation had conservative management approach despite the presence of volatility and high competition in its market of operation. This has resulted in weak financials recorded year after year by the entity. Additionally, it has resulted in a lack of focus by the entity. A lack of focus is attributable to the â€Å"empire building strategy† that has resulted in a slowdown in terms of innovation, in the variety of production fields or lines of the organization (Tang, Misra and Ellie 13). This is also based on a notion that the entity has achieved maximum growth and a monopolistic status. However, such a notion and perspective is inadequate and inappropriate for an entity operating in the 21st century. This is the primary reason that the entity is slowly losing out to new entities seeking a share of the various entertainment fields that Sony Corporation operates (Tang, Misra and Ellie 16). Conclusively, it is evident that the three entities, Sony, Apple, and General Motors are affected primarily by their respective corporate and organizational cultures. Furthermore, the management strategies assumed by the organizations identified are also due to the organizational culture founded on the firm belief that such approaches are relevant for the organizations and enhance the competitiveness, efficacy and effectiveness of an organization in its respective field of operations. Work Cited Birkinshaw, Julian. â€Å"Reinventing Management: shifting the trajectory of civilization† Oxford Leadership Journal. Volume 1, Issue 3 (June 2010):1-10. Print. Tang, Hao, Misra, Rahul and Ellie Shanholt. â€Å"Sony Corporation† Grififn Consulting Group. April 2012. Web. February 22, 2013. Accessed from http://economics-files.pomona.edu/jlikens/SeniorSeminars/Likens2012/reports/Sony.pdf Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative. â€Å"Apple Inc.’s Ethical Success and Challenges† University of New Mexico. March 2012. Web. February 23 2013. Accessed from http://danielsethics.mgt.unm.edu/pdf/Apple%20Case.pdf

Sea Turtle Facts

Sea Turtle Facts Sea turtles are water-inhabiting reptiles, six species of which belong to the Cheloniidae  family and one to the Dermochelyidae  family. These glorious seaborne relatives of land turtles glide through the coastal and deepwater regions of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Long-lived creatures, it can take 30 years for a sea turtle to mature sexually. Fast Facts: Sea Turtles Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea, Chelonia mydas, Caretta caretta, Eretmochelys imbricate, Lepidochelys kempii, Lepidochelys olivacea, and Natator depressusCommon Names: Leatherback, green, loggerhead, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, olive ridley, flatbackBasic Animal Group: ReptileSize: 2–6 feet long  Weight: 100–2,000 poundsLifespan: 70–80 yearsDiet:  Carnivore, Herbivore, OmnivoreHabitat: Temperate, tropical, subtropical waters of the worlds oceansConservation Status: Critically Endangered (hawksbill, Kemps ridley); Endangered (green); Vulnerable (loggerhead, olive ridley, and leatherback); Data Deficient (flatback) Description Sea turtles are animals in the Class Reptilia, meaning they are reptiles. Reptiles are ectothermic (commonly referred to as cold-blooded), lay eggs, have scales (or did have them, at some point in their evolutionary history), breathe through lungs, and have a three or four-chambered heart. Sea turtles have a carapace  or upper shell that is streamlined to help in swimming and a lower shell, called a plastron. In all but one species, the carapace is covered in hard scutes. Unlike land turtles, sea turtles cannot retreat into their shell. They also have paddle-like flippers. While their flippers are great for propelling them through the water, they are poorly-suited for walking on land. They also breathe air, so a sea turtle must come to the water surface when it needs to do so, which can leave them vulnerable to boats.   Westend61 - Gerald Nowak/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images Species There are seven species of sea turtles. Six of them (the hawksbill, green, flatback, loggerhead, Kemps ridley, and olive ridley turtles) have shells made up of hard scutes, while the aptly-named leatherback turtle is in the Family Dermochelyidae and has a leathery carapace made up of connective tissue. Sea turtles range in size from about two to six feet long, depending on the species, and weigh between 100 and 2,000 pounds. The Kemps ridley turtle is the smallest, and the leatherback is the largest. The green and olive ridley sea turtles reside in tropical and subtropical waters around the globe. Leatherbacks nest on tropical beaches but migrate northward to Canada; loggerhead and hawksbill turtles live in temperate and tropical waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Kemps ridley turtles hang out along the coasts of the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, and flatbacks are found only near the Australian coast. Diet Most of the turtles are carnivorous, but each has adapted to specific prey. Loggerheads prefer fish, jellyfish, and hard-shelled lobsters and crustaceans. Leatherbacks feed on jellyfish, salps, crustaceans, squid, and urchins; hawksbills use their bird-like beak to feed on soft corals, anemones and sea sponges. Flatbacks dine on squid, sea cucumbers, soft corals, and mollusks. Green turtles are carnivorous when young but are herbivores as adults, eating seaweeds and seagrass. Kemps ridley turtles prefer crabs, and olive ridleys are omnivorous, preferring a diet of jellyfish, snails, crabs, and shrimp but also snacking on algae and seaweed. Behavior Sea turtles may migrate long distances between feeding and nesting grounds and also stay in warmer waters when the seasons change. One leatherback turtle was tracked for over 12,000 miles as it traveled from Indonesia to Oregon, and loggerheads may migrate between Japan and Baja, California. Young turtles may also spend considerable amounts of time traveling between the time they are hatched and the time they return to their nesting/mating grounds, according to ​long-term research. It takes most sea turtle species a long time to mature and consequently, these animals live a long time. Estimates for the lifespan of sea turtles is 70–80 years. Reproduction and Offspring All sea turtles (and all turtles) lay eggs, so they are oviparous. Sea turtles hatch from eggs on shore​ and then spend several years out at sea. It may take 5 to 35 years for them to become sexually mature, depending on the species. At this point, males and females migrate to breeding grounds, which are often near nesting areas. Males and females mate offshore, and females travel to nesting areas to lay their eggs. Amazingly, females return to the same beach where they were born to lay their eggs, even though it may be 30 years later and the appearance of the beach may have greatly changed. The female crawls up on the beach, digs a pit for her body with her flippers (which can be more than a foot deep for some species), and then digs a nest for the eggs with her hind flippers. She then lays her eggs, covers her nest with the hind flippers and packs the sand down, then heads for the ocean. A turtle may lay several clutches of eggs during the nesting season. Sea turtle eggs need to incubate for 45 to 70 days before they hatch. The length of incubation time is affected by the temperature of the sand in which the eggs are laid. Eggs hatch more quickly if the temperature of the nest is warm. So if eggs are laid in a sunny spot and there is limited rain, they may hatch in 45 days, while eggs laid in a shady spot or in cooler weather will take longer to hatch. Temperature also determines the gender of the hatchling. Cooler temperatures favor the development of more males, and warmer temperatures favor the development of more females (think of the potential implications of global warming!). Interestingly, even the position of the egg in the nest could affect the gender of the hatchling. The center of the nest is warmer, therefore eggs in the center are more likely to hatch females, while eggs on the outside are more likely to hatch males. Carmen M/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0 Evolutionary History Sea turtles have been around for a long time in evolutionary history. The first turtle-like animals are thought to have lived about 260 million years ago, and odontocetes, the first marine turtle, is thought to have lived about 220 million years ago. Unlike modern turtles, odontocetes had teeth. Sea turtles are related to land turtles (such as snapping turtles, pond turtles, and even tortoises). Both land and marine turtles are classified in the Order Testudines. All animals in the Order Testudines have a shell that is basically a modification of the ribs and vertebra, and also incorporates the girdles of the front and back limbs. Turtles and tortoises do not have teeth, but they have a horny covering on their jaws.​ Conservation Status and Threats Of the seven sea turtle species, six (all but the flatback) exist in the United States, and all are endangered. Threats to sea turtles include coastal development (which leads to loss of nesting habitat or making previous nesting areas unsuitable), harvesting turtles for eggs or meat, bycatch in fishing gear, entanglement in or ingestion of marine debris, boat traffic, and climate change. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), out of the seven species of sea turtles, two are classed as Critically Endangered (hawksbill, Kemps ridley); one as Endangered (green); three are vulnerable (loggerhead, olive ridley, and leatherback), and one  is Data Deficient, meaning they need additional study to determine the current status (flatback). You can help by: Supporting sea turtle research and conservation organizations and projects through volunteering or donating fundsSupporting measures to protect nesting habitatsChoosing seafood that is caught without impacting turtles (e.g., in areas where turtle excluder devices are used, or where bycatch is minimal)Not purchasing sea turtle products, including meat, eggs, oil, or tortoiseshellWatching out for sea turtles if you are out on a boat in sea turtle habitatReducing marine debris. This includes always disposing of your trash properly, using fewer disposable items and plastics, buying locally and purchasing items with less packagingReducing your carbon footprint by using less energy Placebo365/Getty Images   Sources Abreu-Grobois, A and P. Plotkin (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group). Lepidochelys olivacea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T11534A3292503, 2008.  Casale, P. and A.D. Tucker. Caretta caretta (amended version of 2015 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T3897A119333622, 2017.Marine Turtle Specialist Group. Lepidochelys kempii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T11533A3292342, 1996.  Mortimer, J.A and M. Donnelly (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group). Eretmochelys imbricata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T8005A12881238, 2008.  Olive Ridley Project: Fighting Ghost Nets and Saving Turtles.  Sea Turtle ConservancySpotila, James R. 2004. Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation. The Johns Hopkins University Press.Unlocking the Secrets of Sea Turtle Migration. Science Daily, February 29, 2012.

How to Say and Write I in Chinese

How to Say and Write I in Chinese The Chinese symbol for I or me is 我 (wÇ’). Easily remember how to write 我 by understanding the Chinese characters radicals and interesting etymology. Me Versus I While the English language has separate terms that differentiate between me and I, Chinese is simpler. One character, 我, represents both me and I in the Chinese language.   For example,  Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã© ¥ ¿Ã¤ ºâ€  (wÇ’ à ¨ le) means I am hungry. On the other hand,  Ã§ »â„¢Ã¦Ë†â€˜ (gÄ›i wÇ’) translates to give me. Radical The Chinese character  Ã¦Ë†â€˜ (wÇ’) is composed of 手 (shÇ’u), which means hand, and 戈 (gÄ“), which is a dagger-like tool.  In this case, 手 is used here in the form of æ‰Å', the hand radical.  Thus,  Ã¦Ë†â€˜ appears as a hand holding a little spear.   Pronunciation 我 (wÇ’) is pronounced using the third tone. This tone has a falling-rising quality. Character Evolution An early form of 我 showed two spears crossing. This symbol evolved into its present form over time. Depicting a hand holding a spear, the Chinese character for I is a  symbol of ego assertion and therefore an appropriate representation of â€Å"I or me.† Mandarin Vocabulary With WÇ’ Here are five examples of common Chinese phrases that incorporate the character,  Ã¦Ë†â€˜: 我們 traditional / 我ä » ¬ simplified (wÇ’ men) - We; us; ourselves 我è‡ ªÃ¥ · ± (wÇ’ zà ¬ jÇ ) - Myself 我的 (wÇ’ de) - Mine 我明ç™ ½ ( wÇ’ mà ­ngbi) - I understand 我ä ¹Å¸Ã¦Ëœ ¯ (wÇ’ yÄ›shà ¬) - Me too