18 Steps That Will Help You Quit a Job That You Hate

18 Steps That Will Help You Quit a Job That You Hate Is your job awful? Or just profoundly unfulfilling, and not challenging or helping you to grow in the most important ways for your career? If you know you’re not really where you need to be but you’re plagued by the what ifs, consider taking these 18 steps to see whether it might be scarier to stay at your job than working up the courage to quit and moving on to another opportunity. 1.  Think long and hard about your life and your choices.Are you living the life you want, or used to dream of? Or are you letting your shots be called by what is expected of you, or what you perceive you should be doing? Take a step back and see where you stand. Are you working towards great things? Or are you mired in mediocrity? If you’re not living the life you desire, and you find yourself being passive in your choices, start taking active steps to change that. Live by design, not by default.2. Fear the â€Å"if only† more than the â€Å"what if.†As scary as it is to start over (at any point in your career), isn’t it scarier to think of yourself regretting having stayed put several years down the line? Regret rarely shows up until it’s too late. Try to fear failure less than dissatisfaction when your chances at another chance dry up.3. Think, What’s the worst that can happen?†Imagine the absolute worst case scenario. All your gravest what-ifs. What does that look like? Clearly define what your biggest fears coming true might look like. Then ask yourself, â€Å"So what?† Is it livable? Workable? Even, perhaps, preferable to your current situation?4. Trust your gut.If there’s a nagging little voice in you telling you to quit and go after something better? Chances are you’re right. Listen to yourself and act deliberately to affect the change you crave. Think of it as your inner GPS.5. Trust what you love.Have the confidence to know that you’ll be better off- and much happier- if you’ re doing what you love. Even if you’re doing something you just like more. If you can’t get to your dream job in one leap from your current one, try a stepping stone. Anything is better than stagnation, particularly when you aren’t happy where you are. Think of all the time and energy you’re putting into what you don’t love. Imagine how much better you could be and feel!6. Make decisions based on happiness.Studies actually suggest that happiness fuels success and good performance- rather than the other way around. Build a life and career around what makes you happy and the rest should follow, crazy as it sounds.7. Set a  good example for others.Visualize your little sister or your best friend’s kid in your shoes. Now imagine them copying your choices and your solutions. Does this make you cringe? Inspire future mentees by pursuing what you really want and need most out of life.8. Live in the current moment.It’s important to keep an eye on the future. But it’s just as important to stay grounded in reality. Be realistic about what you can and can’t accomplish from where you are right now. What can you actually do now? Start there.9. Don’t despair.You are not alone. What you feel is totally normal and human and a lot of people out there are going through the same exact thing. Take comfort in that fact.10. Get clear on your purpose.You want a change, but why? Get clear on why you are unhappy, why you are leaving, why you’re taking the risk. As long as you stay on message, you’ll stay focused and can trust that you’re moving in the right direction.11. Get to know your own gifts.We all have our own unique talents and strengths. Let your passions lead you to understand yours and then lead with that. Trust yourself and show the world what you have to offer.12. Build a web of support.Find people who support, inspire, and motivate you. Who think like you do and are open to the s ort of life you want to lead. Build a network of these people, both business and personal, in person and online.13. Realize you might have to take a risk to make a gain.A small risk now, or a small sacrifice even, can pay large dividends down the road. Bet on yourself and figure out how to be a winner when the chips are down.14. Aim to please†¦ yourself.Imagine yourself on your deathbed. Are you proud of current you? Try living in such a way that would put a smile on the face of your past selves. Make sure you end up fulfilled and content with what you’ve chosen.15. Remember timing can be everything.But that doesn’t mean you have to wait for the perfect conditions for a change or a leap of faith. Perfect conditions will never appear. You’ll never be 100% prepared to make a major switch. Align as many stars as you can, but remember that sometimes you have to accept that things may never be perfect. Neither can you. Do what you can in the moment that presents itself.16. Trust the path.You may not be able to see where all this leads, but if you’re following your gut and staying true to your purpose (and reality), you can trust that it will take you where you need to go. Focus only on the next step.17. Get comfy with uncomfortable.Change is scary and uncomfortable. New is hard and daunting. Make being uncomfortable your new comfortable. Make this part of your journey.18. Have faith, not fear.Both faith and fear are kinds of uncertainty. Focus on what you do want, rather than what you don’t. And take active steps to make that happen. Don’t just sit back and worry that it won’t be possible.You never have any guarantees of how anything will turn out. But if you listen to yourself and make mindful choices in your life, you won’t go too far wrong.

How to Prevent a Shark Attack

How to Prevent a Shark Attack Even though youre more likely to die from a lightning strike, alligator attack or on a bicycle than from a shark attack, sharks do sometimes bite humans. In this article, you can learn about the actual risk of a shark attack, and how to avoid one.​ The International Shark Attack File The International Shark Attack  File  was developed in the late 1950s to compile information on shark attacks. Sharks attacks may be provoked or unprovoked. According to the International Shark Attack File, provoked attacks are those that happen when a person initiates contact with a shark (e.g., bites occurring to a fisherman removing a shark from a hook, a bite to a diver that has touched a shark). Unprovoked attacks are those that occur in the sharks natural habitat when a human has not initiated contact. Some of these may be if the shark mistakes a human for prey. Over the years, records of unprovoked attacks have increased - in 2015, there were 98 unprovoked shark attacks (6 fatal), which is the highest on record. This doesnt mean sharks are attacking more often. It  is more a function of increased human population and activity in the water (visiting the beach, increase in participation in scuba, paddle boarding, surfing activities, etc.), and the ease of reporting shark bites. Given the large increase in human population and ocean use over the years, the rate of shark attacks is decreasing. The top 3 attacking shark species were the white, tiger and bull sharks. Where Do Shark Attacks Occur? Just because youre swimming in the ocean doesnt mean you may be attacked by a shark. In many areas, large sharks dont come close to shore. The regions with the highest percentage of shark attacks were Florida, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Hawaii, and California. These are also regions where lots of people visit the beaches and participate in water activities. According to  The Shark Handbook, most shark bites occur to swimmers, followed by surfers and divers, but the majority of these bites are minor flesh wounds or abrasions. Ways to Prevent Shark Attacks There are many ways (most of them common-sense) that you can avoid a shark attack. Below is a list of what not to do if youll be swimming in waters where sharks might be present, and techniques for getting away alive if a shark attack really does happen. How to Avoid a Shark Attack: Dont swim alone.Dont swim during dark or twilight hours.Dont swim with shiny jewelry.Dont swim if you have an open wound.Dont swim too far offshore.Ladies: dont swim if youre menstruating.Dont splash excessively or make erratic movements.Keep pets out of the water.Dont swim in areas where there are sewage (for other obvious reasons!) or pinnipeds that are hauled-out. Both areas can attract sharks.Dont swim in areas being used by fishermen, as their bait could attract sharks.Dont push your luck - never harass a shark. Get out of the water if one is spotted and never attempt to grab or touch it. What to Do If Youre Attacked: Lets hope youve followed safety advice and successfully avoided an attack. But what do you do if you suspect a sharks in the area or you are being attacked? If you feel something brush against you, get out of the water. According to an article from National Geographic, many shark bite victims dont feel any pain. And sharks may strike more than once.If you are attacked, the number one rule  is do whatever it takes to get away. Possibilities include yelling underwater, blowing bubbles, and punching the sharks nose, eye or gills and then leaving the area before the shark strikes again. Protecting Sharks Although shark attacks are a horrific topic, in reality, many more sharks are killed by humans each year. Healthy shark populations are crucial to maintaining balance in the ocean, and sharks need our protection. References and Additional Information: Burgess, George H. 2011. ISAF Statistics on Attacking Species of Shark. (Online). FL Museum of Natural History. Accessed January 30, 2012.Burgess, George H. 2009. ISAF 2008 Worldwide Shark Attack Summary (Online). FL Museum of Natural History. Accessed February 5, 2010.Burgess, George H. 1998. Just for Kids: How to Avoid a Shark Attack Reprinted with permission from The Kids How to Do (Almost) Everything Guide, Monday Morning Books, Palo Alto, California. Accessed February 5, 2010.ISAF. 2009. International Shark Attack File. (Online). FL Museum of Natural History. Accessed February 5, 2010.Skomal, G. 2008. The Shark Handbook. Cider Mill Press Book Publishers: Kennebunkport, ME. 278pp.

The case therefore presents a challenge for students of Multi National Essay

The case therefore presents a challenge for students of Multi National Strategy - Essay Example This way a substantial amount of time taken in the drug development process can be saved. (Gonzalez-Benito, 30) The issue that occurs here is that testing drugs in poor countries gives rise to ethical concerns. Then dealing with the pharmaceutical critics becomes both a managerial concern and issue. These critics come up with claims that companies have failed to develop cures and only test drugs in the developing world intended for wealthy nations. (Lou Ann Di Nallo, 2008) In recent years the rising affluence in developing nations has created new incentives for drug makers to produce treatments over here. Also the huge population in developing countries makes a large market for the drug makers. However, according to advocates of social responsibility, the main responsibility for drug makers in the developing countries is to provide to their citizens an access to health care at affordable prices and to fight the neglected diseases prevalent over there. Which means these large companie s need to come up with programs that would at any time put the need for meeting public health care ahead of their profits. These kinds of programs will then eventually lead to improved relations with the host countries and will also promote the growth of market there. Therefore, addressing to the needs of developing counties has become an important part of pharmaceutical companies’ agenda. (Nott, 1996) In developing countries, the issue of getting intellectual property rights for the development of new drugs by pharmaceutical companies becomes an issue. This is because property rights or patents can be a disadvantage for developing countries in two ways. Firstly, these will increase the knowledge gap and secondly the producers of knowledge will have more bargaining power as a result. And most of these producers of knowledge themselves live in developed countries. Giving out patents will put the developing nations in a weak bargaining position when negotiating prices from the monopoly suppliers of drugs. Also, is believed that by awarding such rights to multinational companies, the introduction of new products by the local industries will be delayed and new medicines will become more expensive for a common man in these poor countries to afford. The resulting impression will be that of denying the people an access to the new drugs. (Charles Y.J. Cheah, 2004) Therefore the defense of the intellectual property rights is one of the major managerial issues of pharmaceuticals in developing countries just like the case of Novartis in India These companies argue that these rights would promote innovation and technological development which will eventually lead to social welfare and economic growth in developing countries. Patents provide an incentive to producers for investing in research and development, hence innovation. (Shah, 2010) Therefore, choosing a strategy that gives the company a reputation of being responsible while at the same time lowers the innova tion cost needs to be established. Companies expect reasonable rate of return for their investments on new drugs developed which would at times also mean charging a price that is much higher than what the market can afford to or is willing to pay. This lack of opportunity to make profits can be demotivating and lead to some

Housing and the Inclusive Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Housing and the Inclusive Society - Essay Example According to the EU, as per the Charter of its Fundamental Rights, and as quoted by the Joint Report by the Commission and the Council on Social Inclusion, adopted by the council (EPSCO) on 4th March 2004, the definition of Social Inclusion stands as â€Å"Social Inclusion is a process which ensures that those at risk of poverty and social exclusions gain the opportunities and resources necessary to participate fully in economic, social and cultural life and to enjoy a standard of living and well being that is considered normal in the society in which they live. It ensures that they have greater participation in decision making which affects their lives and access to their fundamental rights.† Poverty and other factors: Poverty is a factor that divides people into the haves and have not’s. However, when one looks at social inclusion, it is an aspect that can do away with poverty and in fact, unite people. Inclusion is a factor that stresses upon people that they should live together, and work towards a single purpose. Social exclusion takes place when certain people living in a society are pushed right to the edge because they do not have as many resources or means to live as others might. They do not possess the basic amenities and that is why, they are left out or face discrimination by other people. They do not have the ability to take control over their lives because they do not have any property to their name so they end up feeling so helpless and powerless. However, social exclusion is not always about only poverty; the term coined ‘les exclus’ referred to those whose income bracket did not meet sufficient standards. People can also face exclusion or be excluded from housing because they are disabled, or might have a different sexual orientation. When a person is excluded from society, this means that he has been stripped of all his participation powers and does not get a say in how things should work. That is why, much is being done to make sure that no citizen feels this way, and that everyone gets equal participation in the framework of tasks carried out within a society. (Atkinson, 1998) The private rented sector contributes to social inclusion and exclusion in the following ways: The housing systems in different economies are one of the main reasons why exclusion might take place. This includes that there might be many who are not able to afford the rent or pay their landlords the amount asked for, and thus are not able to get a house for themselves. People who have low or marginal incomes are not able to afford the rent and so are excluded from housing societies. The amenities provided inside, like the heating or the fuel systems and such other resources might not be affordable by the tenants waiting to take the house on rent. Apart from this, many disabled people just might not be able to live in homes that are not designed for their needs, for example, they might not have stairs for wheelchairs, an d thus these people cannot live in such accommodations. Many landlords still practice discrimination today, and everything cannot be checked by the governments at all times. Many potential tenants do not even have the information about housing locations and this leaves them out of the private rented sector, and otherwise, they are located in specific areas, thus leading to exclusion of people who do not belong to those areas. In order to fix these problems, much could be

Revivalism Essay Example for Free

Revivalism Essay â€Å"Revivalism is an authentic Afro-Christian religious folk form that evolved during the eighteenth to nineteenth century. Initially, it was the native Baptist Christians who joined forces with the Moravians, and other non-conformist churches to become the forerunners of the movement. However, Jamaica was said to have experienced a religious movement called the Great Revival in 1861, which saw the incorporation of much more African retention in the movement. Pocomania is more African in form while Zion is more Christian oriented. † [1] Upon preparing to embark this journey, I was a bit disgruntled that I had to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to go this â€Å"Watt Town† excursion, but I still approached with a open mind, though I had an idea of what to expect, seeing that I was already acquainted with quite a few Revivalists. Honestly I expected it to be a waste of time, but upon seeing the fellowship of my friends, while waiting on the buses which were scheduled to take us on our journey it got easier and easier, we engaged in jokes and hymns we swore were Revivalist hymns but Mr. Grey quickly busted our bubble and told us that those hymns were Pentecostal. We were greeted by a semi-pleasant but slow bus driver, but the vibe in our bus quickly took our minds off the length of the journey. I view Revivalists as highly religious people who are in tune with spirits with from various realms, known as Heaven, Earth and Ground spirit realms, I met with a lot of different Revivalists, but what I found rather interesting was the fact that the core of what they were saying were similar but they were also many subtle differences, For example I met with a man, whose name is Joseph Whitter, of the Olivette Seventh day church. nd he seemed to be quite respected in the church community, he blatantly stated at the beginning of the conversation that, â€Å"Revivalism is the only way to be saved†, we had a long drawn out discussion on what are my personal views on religion and the opening statement he made, where I told him that I strongly disagree with that statement and I believe that there is only one God and peace and love is the ultimate goa l, which everyone should try to achieve, no matter what religion one identifies with. I then met with Miss. Barbara Harper of the same church, Olivette Seventh day church, and she stated that people should go to any church they want to go to and do anything that is truly pleasing to God, when I mentioned what her church brother thought about the same thing, she said that there is no one way to get to heaven and that people spend more of their time in competition with other denominations and religions rather than giving praises to the most high. I laughed a bit and I was in total agreement with her statement. We then started to talk about her life, and how she was before she identified that Revivalism was for her, I could see that the movement actually helped her and improved her life, before moving on I thanked her for being so honest and reasoning with me, telling her that I would listen to her talk any day for she had a liberal and open mind and I absolutely hated radical minded people, who try to force their doctrines and beliefs down peoples throats. When we finally arrived at Watt Town, after our extra long journey I had no idea of what I was about to witness, the site was like nothing I had seen before, I was greeted by what had seemed to be hundreds of people, I discovered that Watt Town was having what had seemed like an inter -church convention. I saw children from various schools and young adults like our selves there to see this feat. One of the first things I noticed about the Revivalists was they were wearing different uniforms in different styles and colours, I wondered and asked why were they dressed like this and a kind lady told me that each church was represented by different uniforms. The seal is the focal point of the church; this is where the angels are believed to manifest themselves. This is the most sacred area of the ground and is a welcoming tool. The seal is a dominant feature in all revivalist churches because the seal encourages spirits which come and possess the members, enabling them to carry out their works of healing and worship. It is advised that one should walk around the seal three times to pay respect to the Tribune God. Some seals can be seen with silver coins in them, this is payment to the spirits for their help. The flags and banners we saw at the front play a very important role in the revivalism. A tall pole usually marks a revival ground. The flags on the pole are used to attack passing spirits, the attraction of spirits is very important to revivalism because they believe in many spirits and that they can be appeased or summoned to assist in their day-to-day lives. Each banner has its own purpose. Green means anything of nature, Blue and white means peace, pink love and red stands for the blood of Jesus. Upon venturing to the top of the structure, some pebbles started to rain from a roof top, some hitting my head, not understanding anything about what was going on yet, I didn’t take kindly to this, that confused me a bit more than I already was. When a group of us finally got to the top we noticed the different worship circles/prayer group, and I was pleased by some as I saw some circles which were mixed with members of different churches, this showed me that pride was not an issue and did not hinder worship, and the main goal, magnifying the most high, I stood in amazement right next to two worship circles and I heard various choruses, some I had heard before, some I had not, I was familiar with songs such as â€Å"Madda de great stone got to move† and â€Å"Rock oh! Rock holy, rock oh! Rock holy†. Being a musician I enjoyed this aspect of the excursion, identifying the keys and the chord progressions that would go with their simple but effective melodies. I noticed that even though their uniforms were different, they had many things in common, I noticed that many of them had head wraps with various pieces of stationery in the wraps, I laughed at this sight because I thought they were taking notes or something, but as I went on and I learned more I discovered that the pencils, rulers and scissors that I saw resting in their head wraps had special significance. The pencils and rulers signifies healing among the followers, the scissors were carried around by a specific set of people, known as the healers, who use the scissors to literally cut evil from around the persons being healed, as demonstrated to us by a young man named Otis. A few of the Revivalists were also seen carrying around a meter ruler, this was given to people who had been living a righteous life and who were slated to be married. We saw some people washing their face with sugar water, this was said to bring clearance and purity, the prayer shawl was said to represent the Tribe of Judah, as we learned that, like the Rastafarians there was a lot of African roots in Revivalism also, and they used red green and gold to identify with Ethiopia and Ghana. When I inquired about a lamp I saw an elderly woman carrying around, she said that the lamp also represents healing and spiritual light because revivalists don’t walk in the darkness. These healing symbols were brought from Africa with the slaves and became an integral part of the revivalist healing services. As a result the present day revivalist has maintained the practice. I asked some Revivalists of their actual occupations and from the replies I found out that they were either day workers, higglers or fishermen, (more than likely belonging to the lower class) I saw that this must have contributed to the scornful treatment by mainstream and middle/upper class Christians, They consider them to be highly superstitious, pagan, primitive and comical in ritual behaviors especially when they suspect them of practicing obeah. The disdain heaped on the lower class involved in revivalism can be traced to colonialism. Stratification was practiced on the plantation not only from the perspective of whites to none whites or but also among the blacks. The free slave felt himself above the house slave who felt they were superior to the field slaves and there was further stratification in that group depending on the gang to which they belong. Seaga, in his writings in the 1980’s explained that Revivalism also has different levels within its structure. There is the Leader who is the central figure of importance; below the leader are the armour bearer, shepherd boy and mother. The leader is never usually questioned on the reason for ritual observances. The ritualistic forms of Revivalism takes three major forms such as prayer meeting, street meeting and rituals for specific purposes for example tables, altars and baths. The meetings are usually opened to the public. Revivalism is divided into two groups, Zion and Pocomania, Pocomania is more African in form while Zion is more Christian oriented. they are referred to as 2 different spiritual groups the 60 and 61, the 60 spirit (Zion) are persons who believe in only one God, the Heavenly spirits, archangels, saints and angels. ho are viewed as firmly rooted and committed Christian. The 61 (Pocomania) spirit comprises of individuals who take commands from earth-bound spirits are the â€Å"Fallen Angels† (satanic powers), from God and from The Ground spirits are those of the human dead that are not biblically mentioned. I noticed that the people of the 60 spirit, look down the 61 in a way which gave me a feeling of segregation between both of the groups. I noticed that like other Christians, Revivalists also go on fasting sessions but they can’t just get up and fast they have to be ordered by the holy spirit. Also apart a Revivalists culture includes heavy usage of flowers they believe that when you place the flowers in water and go to sleep you dream see your future, whether it brings destruction or fortune. Some of my views on Revivalists were different after the trip, previously I thought that, Revivalists only went to church like other Christians and the worship was similar but I was mistaken, I also thought that they used instruments but I discovered that their bodies were their instruments, stomping and grunting to help them keep time and to provide percussive sounds. In my opinion the greatest gift Revivalists can give to the Jamaican culture, is their sense of unity, having being bashed for many many years, I saw that these people remained strong and stood firm for what they believe. That is what many religions and people of Jamaica need to survive through good times and bad, this was what I took away from the journey, and if I didn’t take anything else, I was glad I took this quality from the Revivalists, unity is strength and they will forever be a constant reminder of that value.

Angel/Satan Relationship in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein :: Frankenstein Essays

In modern times we are brought face-to-face with the tangible issue of engineered-creation and the hopes and fears it inspires. It is a common hope that science should be able to mimic the abilities and power of the God that created us. However, with respect to Mary Shelley's famous novel, "Frankenstein," one will find that the desire to play god is met with dire consequences. The theme of creation in "Frankenstein" touches on the notion of how modern science plays God. This is illustrated through the attempt of replicating a human by means of science, using the main character Victor as the god-figure. Unfortunately, Victor Frankenstein did not consider the effect his creation would have on the outside world and, more importantly, his internal self and his creation. From a Christian perspective there is only one creator that can successfully conceive life, and this is God. Obviously if God is not present in this creating process, and science has instigated the responsibility, the failure of the creation is inevitable. Science cannot create balanced emotions, socially imposed morals, or a soul. Thusly, such a creation would have no moral compass from which to gage the appropriateness of its reactions or behaviors. The person responsible for attempting a god-like role in the name of science should bear the responsibility of whatever may result from such a creation. In the book, the Monster is searching for a way to fit in and find acceptance, so, the Monster turns to reading the bible. It gives the Monster a small sense of solace and he interprets many of the passages to help him define who he is what his role in this world might be. The Monster of "Frankenstein" finally admits that he is but a creature of Victor and says, "I ought to be thy Adam but I am rather the fallen angel" (Shelley, 2000). There is a dual allusion present in this quotation. One is referring to in John Milton's classic Paradise Lost, a tale which is often mentioned in Shelley's "Frankenstein." The other is undoubtedly the Creation of Adam and Eve in the Bible itself, not just the allusion given in Paradise Lost. The aforementioned quotation illustrates the very idea that creation through science is a hollow, damning pursuit as the Monster seems himself for what he is perceived to be.

Bromus tectorum ( cheatgrass or downy brome)

Researching on Bromus tectorum lead me to a vast collection of literature about the plant species. An almost complete reference on it is provided by the Nature Conservancy, Wildland Weed Program. For my essay/report, I used its â€Å"Element Stewardship Abstract for Bromus tectorum† written by Allan Carpenter and Thomas Murray as my main reference. The plant species Bromus tectorum is an alien grass or an invader that usually takes over â€Å"disturbed ground in shrub-steppe ecosystems of the Western United States and Canada† (Link et al. ). The scientific name is of Greek and Latin origins.According to the work of Upadhyaya et al. , the genus name Bromus is said to have originated from the archaic Greek word bromos, which refers to a particular kind of oat. The ancient Greek word broma, in addition, means food. The specific epithet, on the other hand, was believed to have been derived from the Latin words tector and tectum, which mean ‘one who overlays’ an d roof, respectiviely. Bromus tectorum is more commonly known as cheatgrass to local inhabitants. Other parts of North America call it downy brome because of its noticeably hairy leaves. There are many other names associated to this species.The documented ones include drooping brome, downy cheat, cheat grass brome, slender chess, Mormon oats, and broncograss (Upadhyaya et al. ). Cheatgrass is erect and can rise up to 24 inches high. Its leaves and stems shape into tufts or clumps as seen in Figure 1. The grass has tiny, pappy hair like structures that cover its leaves. Bromus tectorum is an annual grass and is usually dense during winter or spring. This annual plant germinates in fall or spring. However, it has been observed that vast numbers of â€Å"cheatgrass seedlings usually germinate after the first fall rain in infested areas† (West).Cheatgrass only replicates through seeds. However, it is exceptionally efficient; that is, an individual cheatgrass may reproduce hundred s to thousands of seeds (Mosely et al. 1987 cited in Pyron). Its root system then proceeds to develop for the entire duration of the winter season. By spring, the grass has an already wide-ranging root system, enabling the plant to draw out higher levels of moisture and soil nutrients. Cheatgrass has a compact phenology and usually desiccates and spreads its seeds by mid-June (West 1983). Naturally, it undergoes senescence in summer.Once dried, these plants can catalyze wildfires in its regions. The frequent occurrence of fires in an area displaces perennials and even other annuals that initially dominate a particular community (West 1983). Cheatgrass has a Eurasian native range (Novak, Mack, and Soltis). However, it is now found in diverse forms of habitats all over the United States; but, it is most distinguished on the â€Å"Columbia-Snake River Plateau, Wyoming Basin, and the northern portion of the Great Basin in disturbed sagebrush steppe communities† (Rice and Mack ; W est).In the mid 1800s, it was accidentally brought into the United States of America. The invasion of North America by B. tectorum occurred through multiple introductions (Bartlett et al. ). In regions where the soil has especially high levels of potassium in it, cheatgrass is found to grow and proliferate well in the area (Belnap pers. comm. cited in Carpenter et al. ). Research has shown that the measured potassium levels in communities can be used to determine and probabilistically predict how susceptible and vulnerable the area may be to cheatgrass takeover.The amount of potassium in the soil may also be altered to alter the abundance of cheatgrass. By lowering the levels of potassium in the soil, the density of cheatgrass may also be lowered. (Belnap pers. comm. cited in Carpenter et al. ). The control of growth and proliferation of cheatgrass in a particular area has shown great significance. Since cheatgrass exhibits both advantage and disadvantages, it is important to be abl e to moderate its invasion. Cheatgrass has a twofold role; one, as an annoying and pestering weed, and two, a significant â€Å"early season forage for cattle and sheep† (Emmerich et al.; Upadhyaya et al. ). Bromus tectorum takes over â€Å"rangelands, pastures, prairies, and other open areas,† as seen in Figure 2 (www. invasive. org). Consequently, it has the capacity to thoroughly modify the ecosystems it invades. It poses many ecological and environmental problems because of its propensity to completely wipe out all native foliage and vegetation in a particular area and even modify certain fire patterns. The alterations caused by cheatgrass in the frequency of fire cycles is said to be â€Å"the species’ greatest competitive advantage.† (Whisenant) In sagebrush grassland ecosystem, fire is a natural occurrence (see Figure 3). Those fires usually happened at intervals within the range of 60-100 years. However, in areas where the presence of cheatgrass d ominates, areas burn at a much greater and increased frequency, every 3-5 years (Whisenant). With this frequency range, native plants, shrubs, and other perennial grasses cannot keep up and fail to recover. This results to the development of cheatgrass monoculture; other species tend to be completely wiped-out.The vegetation of a pristine (undisturbed) shrub-steppe ecosystem is populated by â€Å"perennial bunchgrasses and widely spaced shrubs† (Whisenant). According to the work of Whisenant, the species that are commonly replaced by cheatgrass include the following: â€Å"big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, crested wheatgrass western wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, needle-and-thread grass, and Thurber’s needlegrass. † Sagebrush steppe cannot simply persist with this shortened fire interval.As how Devine put it, â€Å"fire begets cheatgrass and cheatgrass begets fire† (Devine). What are the advantages of Bromus tectorum or cheatgras s? For ranchers, it is especially useful since it provides a large volume of early spring forage for different types of livestock and animals on grazing lands especially in the Intermountain and Pacific Northwest regions (Upadhyaya et al. ). In terms of its density and the quality of herbage grown including the wideness of the area covered by cheatgrass, it is â€Å"undoubtedly the most important spring forage in the region† (Upadhyaya et al.; Emmerich et al. ). On the other hand, while ranchers in the Intermountain and Pacific Northwest regions take advantage of cheatgrass, the United States and Canada winter wheat growers consider it as pest—their worst problem (Upadhyaya et al. 1986). According to literature, cheatgrass is a problematic weed in winter wheat. Cheatgrass has many ecological and competitive advantages in contrast with other perennial and annual plants. It has the ability to adapt well and evolve to its native environment and to other environments it in vades.Although this has shown to have certain advantages especially to ranchers for foraging, this characteristic of cheatgrass has posed many problems in the ecology and can be very damaging. In my opinion, it is only proper that human intervention be exercised to control its dominance and invasions. Cheatgrass is a sinister. As discussed, it raises both agricultural and environmental problems. The references that I have read reveal that regulation of cheatgrass invasion will demand â€Å"a combination of chemical control, physical control, vegetative suppression, and proper livestock management where land is grazed† (Carpenter and Murray).It is obvious that the problem is quite a complex one as it involves many other variables. Moreover, human intervention could possibly worsen the ecological balance. Thus, the U. S. government and other ecological and environmental agencies should seriously and carefully address the problems and implement effective management programs to m inimize its infestations yet still making sure that ecological equilibrium is still achieved. Main Reference Carpenter, Allan and Thomas Murray. 1998. â€Å"Element Stewardship Abstract for Bromus tectorum.† The Nature Conservancy, Wildland Weed Program. Downloaded from: http://tncweeds. ucdavis. edu Works Cited Bartlett Elizabeth, Stephen Novak, and Richard Mack. â€Å"Genetic Variation in Bromus Tectorum (Poaceae): differentiation in the eastern United States,† American Journal of Botany, 89. 4 (2002): 602-612. Belnap, Jayne. Personal communication with Jayne Belnap. Ecologist, National Biological Service. Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah (10/19/98). Devine, Robert. â€Å"That cheatin’ heartland. † 51-71. In: Alien invasion: America’s battle with non-native animals and plants.National Geographic Society. Washington D. C. 1998. Emmerich, Fay, Frosty Tipton, and James Young. â€Å"Cheatgrass: Changing perspectives and management strategies. à ¢â‚¬  Rangelands 15 (1993): 37-39. Link, Steven. , Harvey Bolton, Jr. , Michael Thiede, and William Rickard. â€Å"Responses of downy brome to nitrogen and water. † Journal of Range Management 48 (1995): 290-297. Novak, Stephen, Richard Mack, and Pamela Soltis. â€Å"Genetic variation in Bromus tectorum (Poaceae): introduction dynamics in North America. † Canadian Journal of Botany 71 (1993): 1441–1448.Mosely, Jeffrey, Stephen Bunting and Mark Manoukian. â€Å"Cheatgrass. † 175-188. In: Sheley, Roger L. ; Petroff, Janet K. , eds. Biology and management of noxious rangeland weeds. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University Press. 1999. Pyron, Jayson. â€Å"Cheatgrass (Bromus Tectorum). † Rice, Kevin, and Richard Mack. â€Å"Ecological genetics of Bromus tectorum: intraspecific variation in phenotypic plasticity. † Oecologia 88 (1991): 84-90.Upadhyaya, Mahesh, Roy Turkington and Douglas McIlvride. â€Å"The biology of Canadian weeds. 75. Bromus tectorum L. † Canadian Journal of Plant Science 66 (1986): 689-709. West, Niel. Western intermountain sagebrush steppe: Temperate Deserts and Semi-Deserts. 351-373. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1993. Whisenant, Steven â€Å"Changing fire frequencies on Idaho’s Snake River Plains: Ecological and management implications. † Proceedings-Symposium on Cheatgrass Invasion, Shrub Die-off, and Other Aspects of Shrub Biology and Management, 1990.