Sunday, March 8, 2020

All 19 KFC Menu Items, Reviewed

All 19 KFC Menu Items, Reviewed SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips KFC, formerly Kentucky Fried Chicken, is the world's second largest restaurant chain by sales behind only McDonald's. It's become synonymous with fast-food fried chicken, but it offers additional options for the fast-food consumer. In this article, I'll go through every item on KFC's menu. I'll provide all the relevant information and guidance to help you decide what to eat at KFC. As a fast-food connoisseur, I've sacrificed my arteries and blood pressure to help you enjoy some finger lickin' good treats. KFC Menu Items I'll take you through the entire KFC menu and educate you about all of KFC's offerings. For each item I’ll provide the following information: Cost Rating (0-5 drumsticks) Description Review Nutritional Content Keep in mind that prices and menu items can vary based on location. Based on your priorities, use the information I've given to guide your KFC order. Furthermore, I’ve separated the menu items into different categories: Chicken Sandwiches Specialty Items Sides Desserts Sauces KFC Chicken Items Here are all the different types of chicken you can consume compliments of the Colonel. The smaller portions of chicken (2 pieces) are served as combo meals (with sides and a medium drink). You can look below for the details about the various combo meals. Original Recipe Description: The fried chicken that put KFC on the map. As its name indicates, this is the original fried chicken. It’s made with a â€Å"secret blend of herbs and spices. Cost: 8 pieces: $14.99, 12 pieces: $20,49, 16 pieces: $24.99 Rating: 3 drumsticks Review: KFC’s Original Recipe fried chicken is tasty, but it’s not amazing, especially when compared to really good fried chicken. Because it’s rather greasy, the breading is on the soggy side and lacks crunch. However, the flavors are good, thanks to that secret blend of herbs and spices. Nutritional Content: Based on one drumstick Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 120 3 g 7 g 380 mg Extra Crispy Description: It’s the same as the Original Recipe, but it’s double breaded for extra crunch. Cost: 8 pieces: $14.99, 12 pieces: $20.49, 16 pieces $24.99 Rating: 4 drumsticks Review: My favorite part of fried chicken is the fried part, so I enjoy the double breading in the Extra Crispy chicken. Furthermore, the Extra Crispy addresses my main issue with the Original Recipe, which is that the grease makes the breading soggy. The additional breading withstands the grease better, so you can still get some crunch. Great addition to the KFC menu. Nutritional Content: Based on one drumstick Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 160 5 g 10 g 390 mg Grilled Chicken Description: The healthier alternative to the fried chicken. The grilled chicken is marinated, seasoned, and then grilled. Cost: 8 pieces: $14.99, 12 pieces: $20.49, 16 pieces: $24.99 Rating: 2.5 Drumsticks Review: In my world, grilled chicken will never taste better than fried chicken. And the quality of chicken you’re getting from KFC is much more palatable in fried form. However, if you’re looking for a healthy option on KFC's menu, the grilled chicken isn’t all bad. It has some flavor and it’s not as rubbery as I expected. Basically, the grilled chicken can satisfy you, but it won’t make you happy. Nutritional Content: Based on one drumstick Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 90 0 g 4 g 290 mg Popcorn Nuggets Description: The KFC version of chicken nuggets Cost: Popcorn Nuggets Large: $3.99 Rating: 5 Drumsticks Review: If you like chicken nuggets, you’ll undoubtedly be pleased with the popcorn nuggets. Dare I say that KFC offers the best fast-food nugget. The Popcorn Nuggets offer the requisite crunch, the chicken is moist, and the breading to chicken ratio is on point. One of the best on the KFC menu. Nutritional Content: Based on a large serving Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 570 37 g 33 g 1890 mg Extra Crispy Tenders Description: Double breaded strips of chicken breast meat Cost: 3 Pc. $3.99, 6 Pc. $6.99, 12 Pc. $12.99 Rating: 4 Drumsticks Review: If you want your Extra Crispy chicken without having to deal with bones, then this is the option for you. KFC tenders have good crunch, but the chicken with the bone is more moist. However, the delicious breading and the convenience of eating the chicken in boneless form make the Extra Crispy Tenders one of the best items on the KFC menu. Nutritional Content: Based on one tender Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 130 6 7 310 KFC Sandwiches Getting your chicken in sandwich form makes it easier to eat in the car and adds more complex flavors in a single bite. And bread is good. These are the sandwiches on the KFC menu. Doublicious Description: A boneless breast of Original Recipe chicken with bacon, Monterey Jack, and Colonel’s sauce on a sweet Hawaiian bun Cost: Doublicious Sandwich Combo (with side and a medium drink): $5.99 Rating: 3 Drumsticks Review: While this sandwich isn’t bad, it’s somewhat unremarkable. It’s like your standard fast-food chicken sandwich. None of the individual ingredients is great, but the sandwich tastes pretty good. The chicken and bacon could use more crisp. The cheese is bland, and the sweet Hawaiian bun isn’t that sweet. The Colonel’s sauce is like a ranch with a bit of a kick. You’ll get more flavor and better chicken from the tenders, popcorn chicken, or Extra Crispy. Nutritional Content: Based on one sandwich Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 580 47 g 29 g 1390 mg Chicken Littles Description: Chicken tenders, pickles, and mayo on a sweet bun Cost: 2 Chicken Littles Combo (with a side and medium drink): $5.19 Rating: 4 Drumsticks Review: The Chicken Littles are pretty simple and pretty spectacular. The chicken in the sandwich is the Extra Crispy Tenders, and the chicken and the pickles provide some nice crunch. The mayo adds some additional flavor. Even though the bread isn’t as sweet as you would expect from a â€Å"sweet bun,† bread is always good. My main complaint with the Chicken Littles are that they’re too small. Nutritional Content: Based on one sandwich Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 310 23 g 18 g 590 mg KFC Specialty Items KFC offers a couple of unique entrees. If you're craving something a little different from just chicken or a chicken sandwich, then here are a couple of options for you. KFC Famous Bowl Description: Mashed potatoes, corn, and chunks of fried chicken layered together and drizzled with gravy. Topped with three types of shredded cheese. Cost: (with chocolate chip cookie and medium drink) $5.00 Rating: 1.5 Drumsticks Review: Call me a traditionalist, but I don’t think all these foods belong in the same bowl. Individually, none of these ingredients is exceptional and I don’t think they all work together. If you want small pieces of fried chicken, you’re better off going with the Popcorn Nuggets and a side dish. On the bright side, having only one bowl with all these items cuts down on waste. So the KFC Famous Bowl may be environmentally friendly even if it’s not taste bud friendly. One of the worst items on the KFC menu. Nutritional Content: Based on an individual serving Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 710 82 g 31 g 2450 mg Pot Pie Description: Chicken, diced potatoes, peas, and carrots covered in a savory sauce and baked in a golden crust Cost: (with chocolate chip cookie and medium drink) $5.00 Rating: 3 Drumsticks Review: The KFC Pot Pie is a small step up from your traditional microwaveable chicken pot pie. The flavors are solid, and you get a well-balanced bite with the flaky crust, rich sauce, chicken, and vegetables. However, I always think you should stick to the staples at any fast-food establishment. If you’re going to indulge in an unhealthy meal at KFC, you’re better off with the fried chicken. Nutritional Content: Based on an individual serving Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 790 66 g 45 g 1970 mg KFC Sides The KFC menu includes more sides than that of your average fast-food restaurant, but only a couple of them are worth ordering. Biscuits Description: Just plain ol’ biscuits Cost: $1.49 Rating: 4.5 Drumsticks Review: If you grew up on homemade biscuits, maybe you won’t love the KFC version, but these are some extremely satisfying fast-food biscuits. They’re flaky, rich, and soft. To me, the KFC biscuits are a perfect complement to the crispy chicken. Nutritional Content: Based on a side order (2 biscuits) Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 180 23 g 8 g 530 mg Seasoned Potato Wedges Description: Thick, fried wedges of potatoes with herbs and spices Cost: Individual: $1.99, Large: 3.79 Rating: 4 Drumsticks Review: The seasoned potato wedges are a nice twist on the typical fast food french fry. The wedges have a nice crunch, and the seasoning gives them some extra flavor. However, they’re a tad on the salty side, so beware if you have a sensitive palate - you might get a lighter option from the KFC sides. Nutritional Content: Based on a side order Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 290 35 g 15 g 810 mg Mac and Cheese Description: Elbow macaroni covered in a cheddar cheese sauce Cost: Individual $1.99, Large $3.79 Rating: 3.5 Drumsticks Review: It’s not the best mac and cheese, but even a bad mac and cheese tastes pretty good. The cheddar sauce could be a little more creamy, but it has a quality cheddar flavor. The macaroni is a good size and texture for mac and cheese. Nutritional Content: Based on an individual side order Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 170 22 g 6 g 830 mg Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Description: Mashed potatoes covered with gravy Cost: Individual $1.99, Large $3.79 Rating: 3 Drumsticks Review: Personally, I like my mashed potatoes more velvety, and the gravy lacks flavor. However, the KFC mashed potatoes and gravy don’t taste bad. You’ll still get some carbs and taste, but your family would probably be upset with you if you brought a KFC side for Thanksgiving dinner. Nutritional Content: Based on an individual side order Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 120 19 g 4 g 530 mg Whole Kernel Corn Description: Sweet yellow corn off the cob and in a bowl Cost: Individual $1.99, Large $3.79 Rating: 2.5 Drumsticks Review: The KFC corn is a much healthier side option, but it doesn’t have much taste or flavor. If you’re just looking for some extra nutrients, then the corn isn’t bad, but it’s not your best option if you want to satisfy your taste buds. Nutritional Content: Based on an individual serving Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 100 21 g 0.5 g 0 mg Coleslaw Description: Coleslaw made with cabbage, carrots, onions, and KFC signature dressing Cost: Individual $1.79, Large $3.79 Rating: 3 Drumsticks Review: The coleslaw is a bit bland, but it offers some nice texture and some vegetables. However, even though you get your fill of vegetables with the cole slaw, the dressing makes it not nearly as healthy as many would assume. In fact, it has more fat than the biscuits or the mac and cheese. Nutritional Content: Based on an individual side Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 170 19 g 10 g 170 mg Green Beans Description: Warm, unseasoned green beans Cost: Individual $1.99, Large $3.79 Rating: 1.5 Drumsticks Review: Like the KFC corn, the green beans give you a healthy option, but they’re lacking in flavor. I can’t imagine a single soul preferring the taste of the green beans to that of the biscuits. But, the texture is fine and the green beans don’t have an unpleasant taste. Just minimal taste. Nutritional Content: Based on an individual side Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 25 4 0 260 mg KFC Desserts KFC only has two dessert options. They’re simple, but KFC has wisely stuck to chocolate desserts that are very hard to mess up. Occasionally, KFC will offer different flavors of cake like lemon and pumpkin, but the chocolate chip cake is the only permanent cake option on all KFC menus. Chocolate-Chip Cookies Description: Chocolate chip cookies baked at KFC Cost: 3 for $1.29, 12 for $4.49 Rating: 4 Drumsticks Review: The KFC cookies are a pleasant surprise. Because they’re baked at the restaurants, you get a warm center that oozes chocolate. They’re relatively light and moist. If you’re looking to truly treat yourself at KFC, get yourself some cookies. Nutritional content: Based on one cookie Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 170 22 g 8 g 90 mg Chocolate Chip Cake Description: A chocolate ring cake with chocolate chips baked inside and drizzled with white confectioner’s frosting Cost: $3.99 Rating: 4.5 Drumsticks Review: The cake is extremely moist. The chocolate chips add richness and the frosting provides some sweetness. I’d prefer the cake with some more chocolate chips, but this cake will satisfy chocolate lovers and those that have a sweet tooth. For me, this is the winner KFC dessert. Nutritional Content: Based on one slice Calories Carbs Fat Sodium 300 39 g 15 g 260 mg KFC Sauces KFC has a variety of sauces you can use to enhance the flavor of your chicken. These are the available sauces at KFC: Finger Lickin’ Good Sauce- A mayonnaise-like sauce that has a little sweet and spice. Summertime BBQ- A bold barbecue sauce with big tomato flavor. Honey Mustard- A sweeter honey mustard sauce. It goes well with the Tenders. Creamy Buffalo- A mix of hot wing sauce and creamy Ranch. I recommend them with the Popcorn Nuggets. Sweet ‘N Tangy- The KFC version of sweet and sour. Buttermilk Ranch- It tastes like a classic Ranch to me. Beverages These are the KFC beverage options and prices. Drink Price Soft Drink: Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper, Pepsi MAX Medium $1.69 Soft Drink Large $1.99 Aquafina Water Bottle $1.69 Iced Tea: Sweetened or Unsweetened  ½ Gallon $2.49 Lemonade Medium $1.99 Lemonade  ½ Gallon $3.49 Strawberry Lemonade Medium $2.29 Strawberry Lemonade  ½ Gallon $3.99 KFC Combo Meals One thing that separates KFC from other fast food restaurants is the quantity of combination meals. Not only can you buy individual meals, but you can buy family meals if you want to feed multiple people or you’d like leftovers. Most meals come with at least one side and a medium drink. Here are the various individual combo meal options on the KFC menu. Combo Includes Price Popcorn Nuggets Combo Wedges and Medium Drink $5.49 2 Pc. Combo 1 Breast, 1 Wing, Individual Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Biscuit, Medium Drink $5.99 2 Chicken Littles Combo Wedges and Medium Drink $5.29 3 Tenders Combo Wedges, Biscuit, and Medium Drink $5.99 Doublicious Combo Wedges and Medium Drink $5.99 Big Box Meals Big Box Meals include individual mashed potatoes with gravy, coleslaw, biscuit, and medium drink. As the name indicates, these are larger meals. Meal Price 3 Pc. Chicken Box $7.99 2. Pc. Chicken and Small Popcorn Nuggets Box $7.99 3 Tenders and Popcorn Nuggets Box $7.99 Bucket Meals These are your family style meals that serve multiple people. You can feed the fam, frat house, or buy yourself dinner for the week. Meal Price 8 Pc. Chicken, 2 Large Sides, 4 Biscuits (Feeds 4+) $21.99 12 Pc. Chicken, 3 Large Sides, 6 Biscuits (Feeds 6+) $29.99 16 Pc. Chicken, 4 Large Sides, 8 Biscuits (Feeds 8+) $36.99 Tenders Meal: 12 Tenders, 2 Large Sides, 4 Biscuits, 6 Sauces (Feeds 4+) $19.99 Tenders and Wedges for 2: 6 Tenders, Large Wedges, 2 Sauces (Feeds 2+) $9.99 $5 Fill Ups KFC also offers some smaller combo meals, all for five dollars. Meal Price 3 Extra Crispy Tenders, Larger Mashed Potatoes, Biscuit, Cookie, Medium Drink, Dipping Sauce $5.00 Famous Bowl, Cookie, Medium Drink $5.00 Chicken Breast, Larger Mashed Potatoes, Biscuit, Cookie, Medium Drink $5.00 Pot Pie, Cookie, Medium Drink $5.00 Kids’ Meals KFC doesn’t neglect the children, but you won’t get a toy with your kid’s meal. Entree Includes Price 1 Drumstick, 1 Chicken Little, 1 Tender, or Popcorn Nuggets An Individual Side and Applesauce $3.99 What Should You Order Off the KFC Menu? When deciding what to order at KFC, there are a number of factors to consider to maximize your KFC experience. Here are the questions you need to answer to decide the best KFC food for you: How do you like your chicken? For entrees, KFC just offers different forms of chicken. Do you like your chicken with or without bones? Do you prefer your chicken in tender or nugget form? Do you like your chicken extra crispy or is that too much breading for you? Do you want chicken by itself or do you prefer a chicken sandwich? Answering these questions will lead you to your ideal KFC order. For example, if you want a crispy chicken sandwich, then the Chicken Little would be a good option for you. How hungry are you? At KFC, this is an important question to ask because portion sizes vary tremendously. Consider the size of your appetite when placing your order. Personally, I think a Big Box Meal should do the trick when you’re really hungry. For a normal size meal, any of the combos should satisfy you. If you only want a snack, I’d go with a Chicken Little, Tenders, or Popcorn Nuggets. Are you trying to be healthy? The healthy options aren’t great at KFC, but they exist. For the health-conscious folks, you’re going to want to stick to grilled chicken, green beans, and corn. If you’re with somebody else who’s eating the unhealthy options, you’ll probably be jealous. Are you trying to be economical? If you’re trying to save money, first consider how many people you’re feeding. If you’re feeding a family, you’ll probably save some money by getting a bucket of chicken or a bucket meal as opposed to ordering individual meals for each person. If you’re just getting food for yourself, the $5 Fill Ups offer the best value. Are you eating in the car? If you’re eating while driving, it’s a bit challenging to eat bone-in chicken. You’ll probably have the easiest time with Popcorn Nuggets, Tenders, or a chicken sandwich. In terms of sides, go for ones that don’t require a fork like the Wedges and biscuits. One word of caution: If you’re eating in the car, be careful with the sauces. You don’t want your seats to end up smelling like Ranch.

Friday, February 21, 2020

WHAT I LEARNED IN THE CLASS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

WHAT I LEARNED IN THE CLASS - Essay Example As the word TEAM stands for Together Everyone Achieves More, a team leader needs to be proactive for efficient management of the relationship among the teammates and with the external members. I learned that to achieve organizational goals, the leader or manager needs to carefully define the duties and responsibilities for each employee and also standardize method of executing the tasks. Duties and responsibilities are defined by training, teaching and developing each worker to do the right job. The environment is constantly changing, and businesses have no control over the external environment. Businesses can only influence the internal environment and they require a framework of legal, social, political, economic and cultural factors. The internal factors include policies and plans, workers, business objectives and other factors with the business or organization. For the businesses to remain competitive, the managers need actively plan, organize, provide directions and coordinate the activities to adapt to the changing environment. For businesses to thrive, managers must achieve performance targets set by the business. The managers achieve these goals by focusing on their jobs and by motivating their subordinates. Working together as a team is important for the quality of output, retention and morale. It increases the productivity, improves quality, reduces costs and enhances speed. According to Frederick Brook in his book, The Mythical Man-Month, the time an individual takes to accomplish a task can be reduced by hiring more workers to assist in the completion of the job. An effective team has continual feedback on its performance, focuses on performance and has skilled members. Sometimes the team may fail due to lack of effective communication, proper chattering and goal setting, clear roles and trust. In a team environment, managers and

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

American Foreign Policy since 1877 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Foreign Policy since 1877 - Assignment Example In its formative years, American foreign policy dealt with issues like challenging the Great Britain, maintaining their trade in the overseas, etc. In spite of these early hindrances, the country has managed itself by emerging into a key international power or even a sole superpower by the end of the twentieth century. During the Gilded Age, instead of having robust foreign policy, America turned its focus on internal growth paving the way for political, military and economic stability of the country. â€Å"In the years that followed, the United States lapsed into diplomatic inactivity, not out of weakness but for lack of any clear national purpose in world affairs. The business of building the nation’s industrial economy absorbed Americans and turned their attention inward.†1 In the early 1920s, the country followed the path of isolationism in their foreign policy by avoiding key role in the League of Nations and seeking to have a free operating authority. However, as time went, the country’s foreign policy turned from cautious into aggressive dealing due to the confident intervening strategies. In the period of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, he confidently intervened in the world affairs through various strategies of presidential diplomacy. As his term coincided with the Second World War, his key role in ending the War and also his successful handling of the colonial conflicts between the nations strengthened American’s position in major areas of the world. In addition, along with United Nations, America invested heavily for strengthening the war-devastated European democracies through the Marshall Plan. This expansion of its foreign policy strategies into Europe also led to the establishment of trade relations with those countries, thereby giving it strong influence in those countries. Thus, its victory in the Second World War and its key role in the post-war phase elevated United States as the most powerful nation in the world leading to dramatic changes in its foreign policies from the political perspective. â€Å"By the end of the war, the United States stood alone, easily the most powerful nation in the world, its power greatly increased by its mobilization and war effort, its rivals defeated, and its allies exhausted†.2 In the days of Woodrow Wilson, the economy of the country expanded into overseas markets as well, and that provided the platform for America to exercise its dominance over Third World Countries, thereby orienting its foreign policy further. That is, the prodigious development of American economy in late 19th century and early 20th century demanded the Americans to look abroad for further economic growth and expansion. â€Å"Through the 19th century, America concentrated on creating a nation that spanned the continent, and it avoided foreign entanglements. Once industrialized and more prosperous, it began looking for foreign markets and colonies.†3 America’s gross d omestic product quadrupled towards the end of the 19th century, which in turn led to the export of surplus products. â€Å"Roughly one-fifth of the nation’s agricultural output was exported, and as industry expanded, so did export of manufactured goods. Between 1880 and 1900, the Industrial share of exports jumped from 15 percent to over 30 percent.†4 These heightened exports and foreign trade relations paved the way for industrial expansion of the country into European as well as

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Human Impacts on Deciduous Forest

Human Impacts on Deciduous Forest Autumn Blaze Maple Tree The autumn blaze maple tree is a unique combination of good traits from the red maple and silver maple. The qualities mixed by the autumn blaze maple tree are brilliant orange-red color in the fall, dense and healthy branching, and enhanced growth that protects from insects and disease. They are known for their unexcelled speed of growth. The autumn blaze maple tree can also live in a variety of climates, ranging from the frigid cold of zone three, to the humid south of zone eight. The autumn blaze maple tree will grow to fifty or sixty feet tall and have a mature spread of thirty to forty feet. They are not a susceptible to storm damage as the silver maple, as they received stronger wood from their red maple parent. The autumn blaze maple tree also has the ability to grow in most soil conditions. The leaves of the autumn blaze maple tree resemble the leaves of a silver maple tree, being opposite, simple, and five-lobed with toothy margins. The deep red veins of the leaves are derived from the red maple. The summer color of the autumn blaze maple tree is a rich medium green, which turns into orange and crimson in the fall. The leaves of the autumn blaze maple tree will last longer on the branch than those of other maple trees. The Birch Birch species are generally small to medium-sized trees or shrubs, mostly of temperate climates. The simple leaves are alternate, singly or doubly serrate, feather-veined, petiolate and stipulate. They often appear in pairs, but these pairs are really borne on spur-like, two-leaved, lateral branchlets. The fruit is a small samara, although the wings may be obscure in some species. They differ from the alders (Alnus, other genus in the family) in that the female catkins are not woody and disintegrate at maturity, falling apart to release the seeds, unlike the woody, cone-like female alder catkins. The bark of all birches is characteristically marked with long, horizontal lenticels, and often separates into thin, papery plates, especially upon the paper birch. It is resistant to decay, due to the resinous oil it contains. Its decided color gives the common names gray, white, black, silver and yellow birch to different species. European larch Larix decidua, common name European larch, is a species of larch native to the mountains of central Europe, in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains, with also low populations in southern Poland and southern Lithuania. Larix decidua is a medium-size to large deciduous coniferous tree reaching 25-45 m tall, with a trunk up to 1 m diameter (exceptionally, to 55 m tall and 2 m diameter). The crown is conic when young, becoming broad with age; the main branches are level to upswept, with the side branches often pendulous. The shoots are dimorphic, with growth divided into long shoots (typically 10-50 cm long) and bearing several buds, and short shoots only 1-2 mm long with only a single bud. The leaves are needle-like, light green, 2-4 cm long which turn bright yellow before they fall in the autumn, leaving the pale yellow-buff shoots bare until the next spring. The cones are erect, ovoid-conic, 2-6 cm long, with 30-70 erect or slightly incurved (not reflexed) seed scales; they are green variably flushed red when immature, turning brown and opening to release the seeds when mature, 4-6 months after pollination. The old cones commonly remain on the tree for many years, turning dull grey-black.It is very cold tolerant, able to survive winter temperatures down to at least -50 °C, and is among the tree line trees in the Alps, reaching 2400 m altitude, though most abundant from 1000-2000 m. It only grows on well-drained soils, avoiding waterlogged ground. Deciduous forest animals A wide variety of mammals, birds, insects, and reptiles can be found in a deciduous forest biome. Mammals that are commonly found in a deciduous forest include bears, raccoons, squirrels, skunks, wood mice, and in the U.S., deer can be found in these forests. While bobcats, mountain lions, timber wolves, and coyotes are natural residents of these forests, they have nearly been eliminated by humans because of their threat to human life. Other animals that were native to this biome, such as elk and bison, have been hunted to near extinction. Migration and hibernation are two adaptations used by the animals in this biome. While a wide variety of birds migrate, many of the mammals hibernate during the cold winter months when food is in short supply. Another behavioral adaptation some animals have adopted is food storage. The nuts and seeds that are plentiful during the summer are gathered by squirrels, chipmunks, and some jays, and are stored in the hollows of trees for use during the winter months. Cold temperatures help prevent the decomposition of the nuts and seeds. Deciduous forest plants A deciduous forest typically has three to four, and sometimes five, layers of plant growth. Tall deciduous trees make up the top layer of plant growth, and they create a moderately dense forest canopy. Although the canopy is moderately dense, it does allow sunlight to reach the forest floor. This sunlight allows plants in the other layers to grow. The second layer of plant growth includes saplings and species of trees that are naturally shorter in stature. A third layer (or understory) would include shrubs. Forest herbs, such as wildflowers and berries, make up a fourth layer. During the spring, before the deciduous trees leaf out, these herbs bloom and grow quickly in order to take advantage of the sunlight. A fifth layer would include mosses and lichens that grow on tree trunks. Plant adaptations In the spring, deciduous trees begin producing thin, broad, light-weight leaves. This type of leaf structure easily captures the sunlight needed for food production (photosynthesis). The broad leaves are great when temperatures are warm and there is plenty of sunlight. However, when temperatures are cold, the broad leaves expose too much surface area to water loss and tissue damage. To help prevent this damage from occurring, deciduous trees make internal and physical adaptations that are triggered by changes in the climate. Image of deciduous forest trees with leaves of red and orange. Cooler temperatures and limited sunlight are two climatic conditions that tell the tree to begin adapting. In the Fall, when these conditions occur, the tree cuts off the supply of water to the leaves and seals off the area between the leaf stem and the tree trunk. With limited sunlight and water, the leaf is unable to continue producing chlorophyll, the green stuff in the leaves, and as the chlorophyll decreases the leaves change color. The beautiful display of brilliant red, yellow, and gold leaves, associated with deciduous forests in the fall, is a result of this process. Most deciduous trees shed their leaves, once the leaves are brown and dry. Humans in the ecosystem The original broad lived deciduous forest that covered most of the lowlands of temperate Europe have almost disappeared to give way to an intensively farmed landscape. (Peterken, G. F., 1996). European natural nemoral woodland is considered to be among the most degraded ecosystems in the world (JÄâ„ ¢drzejewska et al., 1994). Although there is the perception that the greatest concern should be held for tropical rain forests, temperate deciduous forests have a smaller fraction of original vegetation remaining than boreal or tropical forests, and also have been more severely impacted by land use change and air pollution. Remaining deciduous forests in the Fennoscandian boreal landscape have high ecological value, and are considered as key components of the forest landscape. In Europe and North America, less than 1% of all temperate deciduous forests remain inundisturbed state, free of logging, grazing, and deforestation or other intensive use. In  south  and  central  Sweden,  during  the  20th  century much  of  the  deciduous  forests  were  transferred  to  coniferous  forest  plantations, while  the  remaining  deciduous  forests  are  to  a  large  extent  also  characterized by  commercial  forestry.  Estimates  by  SEPA  indicates  that  less  than  2%  of  the original  distribution  of  deciduous  forests  are  still  intact,  in  terms  of  natural forest  dynamics. In Norway more than 20% of the broad-leaved forests are logged and replaced with non-native tree species. The forest sector continues this destructive management, manipulating living forests into boring monoculture of non-native species. This is the biggest threat to this unique and biodiversity rich forest ecosystem, for which Norway has an international responsabiliity. The history of deciduous forest in Scandinavia: The example of picea albes Although climate changes are considered as the driving force of forest modification, (Webb 1987), the actual vegetation landscape of Europe is the result of thousands years of interferences between human activity and forests. (Behre, 1988; Huntley Webb, 1989). This can be illustrated by the immigration of Picea abies into Fennoscandia. Both human disturbance and climatic change are responsible factors (Tallantire, 1977; Nunez Vuorela, 1979; Huntley, 1988; Dahl, 1990). To retrace forest landscape history we can use pollen analysis (Bradshaw, 1988; Bradshaw Zackrisson, 1990). The major deciduous tree species in the Fennoscandian boreal forest, Betula pendula, B. pubescens and Populus tremula, all depend on disturbance for their perpetuation (Zackrisson, 1985; Nikolov Helmisaari, 1992) Pollen records and charcoal remains provide evidence of intense deforestation for agricultural uses 4000 years ago in Southern Scandinavia. This clearing facilitated a dramatic change in the forest composition, although at the beginning in southern Sweden forest where dominated by deciduous trees and Spruce were found only in the northern and central part of Sweden,(Bjorse Bradshaw 1998, Lindbladh Bradshaw, 1998) During the following two millennia, the spruce spread southwards rapidly and is now the dominant forest species in most of southern Sweden. This process has been explained as being based on a combination of climatic changes and of anthropogenic influences such as grazing by domestic animals, selective cuttings, pollarding, and burning, which has been unfavorable for deciduous tree species (Nilsson, 1997a, Lindbladh et al., 2000). Since the mid-19th century the Swedish boreal land- scape has been transformed by forestry operations, which have produced intensively managed forests, mainly even-aged conifer monocultures, in which production of tim- ber and pulpwood are the main goals (Ostlund et al. 1997; Linder Ostlund, 1998; Axelsson Ostlund, 2001) The landscape perspective has come to play an important role in efforts to achieve sustainable forestry, especially regarding the protection of biodiversity However, many temperate zone economies have shifted from rural, agricultural to urban manufacturing and technologically driven economies. This has led to large-scale agricultural abandonment and the reversion of agricultural lands back to forests. Recent studies indicate an increase in forest area and volumes in both North America and Europe (Kauppi et al., 1992; Houghton, 1995). Restoration and management of deciduous forests Temperate deciduous forests are important to regional economies as a source of wood, they provide many ecological services, and they play a major role in the global carbon cycle The need to repair habitat and restore forest structure and function is recognized throughout the boreal and temperate zone as a component of sustainable forest management. Forest restoration is a complex task, complicated by diverse ecological and social conditions, that challenges our understanding of forest ecosystems. Forest are human dominated ecosystems. Reconstructing forests where they are now absent, as well as altering existing forests to more natural conditions, are important aspects of sustainable forest management. Rare herbaceous species, lichens, mosses, insects and birds that are dependent on old, dying and dead deciduous trees occur in these forests (Sturesson, 1983; Lundqvist, 1986; Wikars As, 1991) In Sà ¶derà ¥sen National Park Sweden CONCLUSION: WHAT FUTURE FOR  TEMPERATE FORESTS? Long, long ago forests of oak, elm, beech, chestnut, maple, ash, poplar, linden, birch, and many other species blanketedmost of the lowlands of Europe. Similar forests covered much of the northeastern United States. Many of those forests have gone, cleared by long-dead settlers to make way for farms. Farms were needed, of course. People must be fed-and so must the draft animals that helped the farmers till the land. But forests have always been needed. Most furniture, house frames, floors, and everyday tools are made wholly or partly from wood. This book is made from paper manufactured from what were once trees growing in a forest. Wood was once the only fuel that heated every home, from the kings palace and the barons castle to the villagers cottage. It cooked everyones meals, and the only way to obtain hotwater for washing was to place a cauldron over a wood fire. Many people burn wood to keep warm even today. We mayboast of living in the Information Age, but the truth is that we live in the Wooden Age, and we always have. Nowadays a new use has been found for our forests, basedon a deeper understanding and appreciation of the way they function. Forests are seen not simply as sources of raw materials and fuel, but as living communities of plants, animals, fungi, and organisms so small they can be seen only with the aid of a microscope. The forest reveals itself as a wonderland of diversity, a community of living organisms so vast and complex as to be barely comprehensible. Most North Americans and Europeans now live in cities. The countryside and its forests are remote from the sidewalks, subways, city blocks, and suburban sprawl, and city parks are pale imitations of genuine countryside. This makes the forests still more special-and valuable. The forest is a place to visit. It is where families can walk, children can play, and naturalists can observe what is around them. It is where scientists can study the planet we all share, and where students can learn. Throughout much of the Tropics, forests are being cleared, although strenuous efforts are being made to halt the clearances. In temperate regions, on the other hand, the forests are expanding. Forests that have stood for centuries, known as old-growth forests in most of the world and as ancient woodland in Britain, are protected. The protection is not always effective and valued forests are sometimes lost, often through illegal logging, but conservation bodies are increasingly vigilant and the chainsaws can no longer enter the forest unchallenged. It seems certain, therefore, that the temperate forests will survive long into the future. Changes in the climate may alter their composition, but forests are not static; their composition is changing all the time. Trees come and go, but the forest will remain. Of that we may be certain.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Theories of Social Ecology Essays -- Social Ecology

All three theories by Heidegger, Bookchin, and Naess are based on the normative assumption: humans perceived themselves as being distinct from a world that unites both humans and non-humans. To better understand the distinguishments that each author makes in his theory, I will reconstruct each of their assumption. After that, we will explore the rational fashioning of integrative ways and the problems that it raises. In conclusion, there may be a reiteration of the assumption in our effort to act ethically according to the ecosystem. Heidegger’s theory orbits around the idea that humans are mortal stewards of things on the earth. He believes that humans should consider and respect non-human life forms as part of this comprehensive world in all dimensions of earth, sky, divinities, and their roles in their relative locations. In the same manner, non-humans share an undiscriminating relationship closely knit together in a network by their functions and bestowals. Because of this proximity, human’s stewardship should not promote egocentricity or superiority over non-human items. This responsibility does not seek selfish coercion, but deferential regards to such items in order to bring forth diversity and life. His assumption here implies that humans are like tenants responsible to take care of the rest of the earth as a shared home for all living things. Along with this heuristic, Heidegger supports the saving, preserving, dwelling, building, and integrating of our daily lives with respect to the whole earth. Similarly, Bookchin believes in a respectful co-evolving community of life on earth. His theory of social ecology characterized humans as citizens of a community. Although he does not press on equality like Naess does in... ... life for all or do we seek to use our power and values to dominate? If our treatment of our own kind is considered unjust, consider how our treatment of non-human life forms must be. As I have mentioned earlier, the consequences of our actions and values may be backfired at us and passed to future generations. Perhaps we are ignorant towards the outcome of the transformation we impose on non-human life or perhaps we are, unfortunately, ignorant towards the destruction of our own flourishing of life. Work Cited Sessions, George. â€Å"Arne Naess: The Deep Ecological Movement.† Deep Ecology for the 21st Century. Ed. George Sessions. Boston: Shambhala Publication, Inc., 1995. 64-84. Print. Sessions, George. â€Å"Arne Naess: The Eight Points Revisited.† Deep Ecology for the 21st Century. Ed. George Sessions. Boston: Shambhala Publication, Inc., 1995. 213-221. Print.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Employment and Family Essay

This paper is about Family Related Issued: Family and Medical Act, in studying the case where it matters that a parent literally had nothing to do with a biological child in order for the child to take advantage of the Family and Medical Act (FMLA) to care for that parent. The motive in this paper is to determine the size of the business can have any effect on whether Toney is eligible for family leave under the FMLA. I will discuss whether Herman can or cannot imply that if Tony takes a leave of absence under the FMLA, he may not have a job when he comes back. In this paper I will give describe who is covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993? In this case I will explain the extent to which an employer can make his or her own determination as to the eligibility of an employer under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Explain if it matters that a parent literally had nothing to do with a biological child in order for the child to take advantage of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to care for that parent. The Family and Medical Act is a law endorsed by the United States that needs big companies top management team to offer its employees, the coverage to (FMLA) for their job compensations due to a short term or long term serious health illness that effect the employee to be off from work because they need to assist a family member, spouse pregnancy, or care of children. In the case it did not matter if Tony was his biological son or not. In the Family and Medical Leave Act there is a limit on the amount of sick and vacation time that can be used and it is apparently stated in this law. Also, if there is enough time they are allowed to by law. With a lot of companies they now used PTO days that include vacation and medical days at work that employees can use after six months or one year depending on the business. In was not specified in the video how long Tony had been employed with the company, as the request was for three weeks off. Under normal circumstances the business would ask foe a written request for the leave of absence or medial leave on the FMLA form. And the company would also like to have at least a two week notice in most causes so the employee would have time to get a substitute while Tony is out on leave. Explain whether the size of the business can have any effect on whether Tony is eligible for the family leave under the FMLA. Herman thinking and his thoughts was a concerned for the company, but the business size does not matter. Herman is utilizing Tony as a business prerequisite from medically taking care of his father that is in need of his assistance. This companies has more that enough employee that could cover Tony while on leave, though Herman shows concern about the sales of automobiles being sold due Tony absence. Herman main issues of Tony taking time off is because of the affect it will have on their business. Even more this makes Tony eligible for the FMLA during this time. (Halbert, Ingulli 2010) Explain whether Herman can or cannot imply that if Tony takes a leave of absence under the FMLA, he may not have a job when he returns. Herman cannot imply if Tony takes a leave under the FMLA, but he must make Tony aware that there is not guarantee that he will have a job when he is able to come back to work. This kind of action or treatment is not fair at all and the FMLA Act protects the employees if they are eligible to take a leave to assist their family of serious illness, to take care of newborn, or accommodate other family responsibilities. Because Tony is a valuable employee, one of the companies top auto salesman by word of mouth as number one marketing strategy. Herman has a great concerned, that he may not have another strong salesman that could fulfill the service like Tony provided for the company and to the customers (2010). Describe who is covered by the Family and Medical Act (FMLA) of 1993. The Family and Medical Act of 1993 were put into place to promote the stability and economic security of families as well as the nation’s interest in preserving the integrity of families. The Family and Medical Act applies to any employer in the private sector who employers 50 or more employees each working at least 20 calendar seeks in the current or preceding calendar year. This law covers all state, local governments, and local education agencies. Title II of FMLA covers most federal employees, who are subject to regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management. Also, the employer can not use the practice if forcing employees to behave in an involuntary manner such as threats or intimidation of their jobs should they chose to take a leave under the FMLA. (Halbert, Ingulli 2010). Explain the extent to which an employer can make his or her own determination as to the eligibility of an employee under the Family and Medical Leave Act. An employer determines the eligibility of the employees based on the annual worked hours by the employee. Human Resource also request that a written FMLA form is completed with end two weeks of the request leave. Should an employee have not been notified within a 30 day the employer can make a decision of eligibility, causing a deferral of the FMLA? In addition, an employer is providing medical certification which would prove the leave would clarify eligibility for leave. If there is reason to believe by the employee that the employer does not plan to return to work at the end of the leave the employee has the right to terminate the FMLA request. Employer also has the right to terminate the FMLA as well if there falsified information given by the employer. Halbert, Ingulli 2010). The Family and Medical Leave Act is a benefit for companies, employees and families in the place of work to allow ones job functions, and personal responsibilities to be taken into consideration. During the time of leave the employees receive an income and security doing the time off. Other benefits to employees is receiving aide from relatives in the time of need, and the organization have an advantage from yearly d ecrease in staff earnings, which will lower the preparation and employment costs, and improves the performances of the employees. There have been thousands of employees that have used the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and business programs of essential to developing effective impact reporting that is positive or concentrating on improving the performance of their employees, and allowing the employees to know that there are limitation in the law for exclusion of more than thirty percent of employees that do not meet the criteria for the leave, which would prevent the employees who meets the criteria from going on any leave due to there is no extra funding or budget to cover the cost. Halbert, Ingulli 2010). Conclusion In conclusion of the Family and Medical Leave Act the matter that a parent literally had nothing to do with a biological child in order for the child to take advantage of the law was enacted by the United States and requires large business to provide their employees with this coverage to protect the employment for family related issues such as a serious health illness or care of children. Secondly, this law is also effective with companies that employers that have at least 50 or more employees on staff. Thirdly, Herman cannot imply if Tony takes a leave under the FMLA, and in this law he must make Tony aware that there is not guarantee that he will have a job when he is able to come back to work. Fourth, in this case in the year 1993 the FMLA was presented to employers for employees that are eligible for the leave of absence and met the criteria required for the companies. And last we have explain the extent to which an employer can make his or her own determination as to the eligibility of an employee under the Family and Medical Leave Act when the hours worked in a year time, written notice submitted to human resource has been submitted in a timely manner and medical certification has been documented will allow the employee to have the time off on leave.