New Student Photo Series #7 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

New Student Photo Series #7 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog Were only a few days from Orientation.   Students are stopping by the office to introduce themselves.   And even though this new class is just starting, we feel like theyve been around for a while.   Weve gotten to know them during the admissions process so its very exciting to finally see all of them in person. As we count down to Orientation, well post the rest of the photo contributions from our new students so you may share their adventures before arriving at SIPA. Our next submission comes from Bartosz Garbaczewski who will be pursuing his Master of International Affairs, concentrating in Energy and Environment and specializing in Advanced Economic and Policy Analysis. *** This coming September I will officially join the family of  Columbia University | SIPA a family of incredibly diverse backgrounds and experiences! I look forward to meeting you all, and sharing personal interests and passions, as well as  professional experiences in and beyond classrooms.   As we all arrive in NYC and arrange for housing for the upcoming academic year, here are some facts about myself, which I would like to share.   I am originally from Poland where I spent the first twenty years of my life. Since the last nine years I studied, worked and lived in six countries around the globe including Germany, England, China, Canada, the Netherlands, and Qatar. My professional experience is in the energy industry, where I have spent four years working across downstream and upstream businesses in one of the worlds largest oil majors.   As a keen traveler, I am sharing three photographs, which I took in Qatar, Thailand and most recently in Sri Lanka. Cheers,   Bartosz Qatar : Stopping for a picture with camels in Al-Shahaniya in Qatar in March a place where every visitor should stop to catch a camel race during the season Sri Lanka : Stilt fishermen fishing from their poles in Unawatuna in Sri Lanka presented a view worth capturing with my camera this July Thailand : While visiting Thailand in May I visited Damnoen Floating Market one of the most famous Thailands floating markets.

Artistically Hanging a Man - 1183 Words

A man, who wanted to join the Confederate army but wasn’t able to, set fire to Owl Creek Bridge which was a bridge the Union army was building. The punishment for this is to be hanged. This is a story of a man’s last thoughts while being hanged for committing a crime. This is the analysis of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. The author who wrote An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is named Ambrose Bierce. Bierce lived from 1842 to about 1914 (ABAS: The Death of Bierce). Bierce disappeared somewhere in Mexico, so 1914 is only an estimate of when he died; his daughter, Helen, alarmed by his disappearance got the United States Government involved. (ABAS: The Death of Bierce) Some things in his life that seems to have influenced his story is the fact that he was in the Union Army, his two sons died, and a divorce from his wife (Bierce 551). This story states how the protagonist set fire to the Union Army’s bridge, which is why the fact that Bierce was in the Union Arm y influenced that aspect of the story. The main character’s thoughts during the story venture to his family which shows that Bierce’s family and regrets that he lost his family also influenced the story. Another thing that influenced this story is a place called Swan Creek Trestle in Northern Alabama, which looks just like the one described in the story. (Owens) The protagonist is a man named Payton Farquhar. Readers are told that Farquhar is a southern successful planter who wants to support the southern cause orShow MoreRelatedFreedom? Explores And Examines The African American Struggle1398 Words   |  6 Pagespainting hanging on the wall. There is no official title on record, but the painting shows a slave with her baby in three different settings. The painting begins with her in Africa, her baby on her back, bent down picking flowers, unaware of the hunters lurking in the bushes behind her. The painting is filled with bright colors, yellow, blue, and green, th e sun is shining and a small snippet of her home peeks out of the side of painting. Malone shows this woman in her element, artistically displayingRead MoreRoger Fenton ( 1819-1869 )1665 Words   |  7 PagesRoger Fenton (1819-1869) was a man born into a family of bankers and cotton merchants. Before starting his career in photography in 1853, Fenton studied at University College in London, but then left to study under Charles Lucy for a year after discovering a passion for painting (Elizabeth). In 1851 Fenton was married, a father of two beautiful young girls, and had been able to provide well for his family, but Fenton still wanted more out of life; and that is when he discovered photography. FentonRead MoreAnalysis of Robert Frosts An Old Mans Winter Night1442 Words   |  6 Pagesperhaps his most well conceived work and published it in the book Mountain Interval, released in 1920 as a fine peak to his career. The poem tells the story of the last night before an old mans death . This man is portrayed as being lonely, and without meaning to anyone except for himself. The old man seems to realize this in a certain point in the poem, and decides that he no longer wants to live. He then goes to sleep, however soon after he is disturbed by the shifting of a log. He then shifts, as theRead MoreResponse to Tracy Chapman, Cold Feet2316 Words   |  10 Pageswants and needs can drive us to not only success but also to our graves. The song which was released in 1995 describes the story of how one man had everything he could have dreamt for in life, love, a roof over his head and a loving wife. 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This leads to memories that Sethe has long suppressed about her experiences on the plantation to come toRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter : A Rebellion Against Puritanism2104 Words   |  9 Pagesprison she hand made letter A and sewn upon her bosom, for when she walked out all the woman was upset with how good the letter was done On the front of her dress, in fine red cloth embellished with gold thread, was the letter A. The piece was so artistically done that it seemed like the perfect final touch for her outfit an outfit that was as rich as the tastes of the age but far fancier than anything permitted by the (Hawthorne 6). She takes pride in her baby even though she should not because sheRead MoreEssay about Picassos Guernica2608 Words   |  11 Pagesis formulated upon the banal symbols of each figure. In comparing Picasso to predecessors of political propaganda it is clearly defined that â€Å"in these paintings the artists were not concerned to show the beauties of nature or the nobility of man, but on the contrary the evil of the world and the brutality of human beings. They therefore felt at liberty to underline the ugliness of the created universe, to distort the human figure, and to invent monsters to convey their meaning. But PicassoRead MoreNotes on Art History2917 Words   |  12 Pagesfor their beautiful jewellery production. Note: This female Minoan figure is dressed in traditional Minoan clothing. The Minoans were known to have a more advance and complexed culture, which is shown in the artistically designed and skilfully made clothing they wore. The figure of the Minoan woman, with large breasts and hips and a tiny waist, as very similar to that of the late 1800 woman, who wore tight corsets to make their waist small and hoops under theirRead MoreAppropriation Of Art : Art2941 Words   |  12 PagesOther works by Koons include the Michael Jackson and Bubbles the chimp Statue (Banality series), also his collaboration with Lady Gaga. Here we find a very good example of Koon s style, the gaudy colours and the provocative pose of the singer. The Hanging Heart (in the Celebration series which in 2007 became the most expensive piece by a living artist ever auctioned.) and right up to the present with his series of antiquity paintings (2009-13). Here all his canvases feature a famous ancient or classicalRea d MoreJack Londons Naturalism5435 Words   |  22 Pagesawoke, one day, to find myself bundled neck and crop into the camp of the nature-faker.3Throughout the essay, London relies on his rather thorough knowledge of Darwinian thought to defend his assertions. If London were not drawing inferences about man in his â€Å"dog-heroes,† his entire literary career, particularly in relationship to the naturalistic movement, is called into question. For to leave the implications of his struggle-for-survival thesis in the realm of â€Å"lower† animals is to relegate the

Essay on Hamlet Act 3 Scene 1 To Be or Not To Be - 588 Words

Hamlet Act 3 Scene 1: Hamlet’s â€Å"To Be Or Not To Be† Soliloquy Hamlet’s â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy is conceivably the most prominent soliloquy in the archive of the theatre. Even now, more than 400 years after it was originally written there is still an air of familiarity that reaches others even if they do not know the play itself in detail. In act 3, scene 1, Hamlet’s â€Å"To be or not to be† Soliloquy is critical in developing the plot because this is when Hamlet discusses his most suicidal thoughts. The way that Shakespeare portrayed Hamlet’s soliloquy touches on a global issue of suicide. While Hamlet considers his suicidal thoughts it reveals inklings about his character. Hamlet’s soliloquy advances the tone of the play because of†¦show more content†¦95-98). In this scene Hamlet denies ever giving her gifts when he says â€Å"No, not I. I never gave you aught† (act 3.1. 99). This quote from Hamlet’s soliloquy shows that his suicidal thought process affects his interaction with others. The fact that he claims that he never gave Ophelia any gifts and then insults him when she attempts to give him an explanation shows that Hamlet was not in the right frame of mind due to the fact that he is extremely suicidal and he just discovered that his father may have been murdered by his uncle. The rhetorical devices used in Hamlet’s soliloquy help advance the plot are repetition and direction.These devices impact the overall effect by adding a contemplative tone. An example of repetition in this speech would be when Hamlet repeats the line â€Å"to die, to sleep† (act 3.1. 61,65). another example of a rhetorical device would be when Hamlet says â€Å"no traveler returns puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to those that we know not of?† (act 3.1. 81-83). That is an example of direction in the play. These rhetorical devices help Hamlet develop the plot because they accentuate his point about whether he commit suicide or not. In Conclusion, In act 3 scene 1, Hamlet’s â€Å"To be or not to be† Soliloquy was critical in developing the plot because this was when Hamlet was at his most suicidal standpoint in the play.Show MoreRelatedAct 3 Scene 1 Of Hamlet1279 Words   |  6 PagesIn Act 3 scene 1 of Hamlet we are faced with the soliloquy that contains one of the most famous lines from English literature: â€Å"To be, or not to be – that is the question† (III.i.57). This passage tends to show a large amount of evidence of the theme â€Å"Action vs. Contemplation†. Through poetic devices, tone, and sensory imagery we are able to analyze the theme and Hamlet’s tragic flaw: indecisiveness/inability to act. Poetic devices are a great way to develop a point efficiently. Within Hamlets soliloquyRead MoreWhat Is The Adaptation Of Hamlet Act 3 Scene 11257 Words   |  6 PagesAct 3 scene 1 of Hamlet as told by William Shakespeare shows Hamlets digression into depression. Within the words of the play, hides why Hamlet is moving into a depression. This is because of the death of his father. At a young age he lost his father, but not like any other person has. Hamlet Sr. was murdered by his own brother and then comes to his son to ask for him to avenge his death, by killing his uncle. Shakespeare’s adaptation shows a very narrow version of why Hamlet is internally strugglingRead MoreAct 3 Scene 1 Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet Essay947 Words   |  4 PagesIn act 3 scene 1 of William Shakespeare â€Å"Hamlet† the main protagonist, Hamlet, recites a soliloquy â€Å"To be, or not to be.† Throughout his lines Hamlet explains the concept of suicide and why people choose to live long lives instead of ending their suffering. The main point he speaks on is the mystery of one’s afterlife, they never know for sure what happens when they die. For this reason, his speech does a good job highlighting the plays underlying themes of pervasiveness of death, and tragic dilemmaRead MoreHamlets Relationships1690 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeares Hamlet, the character of Hamlet has many relationships with all characters. The theme human relationships is very strong in this play. A human relationship is a logical or natural association between two or more people. Hamlet has many of these associations with King Hamlets Ghost, Gertrude, Claudius, Ophelia, Polonius, Horatio, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Many of his relationships are just and unjust according to the characters flaws and feelings. The ghost of King Hamlet playedRead MoreAudience to This Act in David Tennant ´s Hamlet1244 Words   |  5 Pagesof Hamlet: Hamlet’s father is killed, Hamlet’s mother marries the evil Uncle, everyone thinks Hamlet has gone mad, and almost everyone dies at the end. In David Tennant’s version of Hamlet, the use of the characters’ physical antics, interactions with each other, the stark similarities between the characters, and the way they dress, changes how the audience interprets each character’s actions and contribution to the play as a whole, which then determines how successful this version of Hamlet is.Read MoreEssay on The Destruction of Love Between Hamlet and Ophelia1643 Words   |  7 Pagesof Love Between Hamlet and Ophelia      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ophelia describes Hamlet as the courtiers soldier, scholars eye, tongue and sword, Thexpectancy and rose of fair state, the glass of fashion and the mould of form, Thobserved of all observers (Act 3 Scene 1) He is the ideal man. But, after his madness and the death of her father she sees him as a noble mind oer thrown! (Act 3 Scene 1). Ophelia suffers from Hamlets disillusionment; his attitude to her in Act 3 Scene 1 is hard to explainRead MoreEssay about Hamlet - He Loves Her? He Loves Her Not?934 Words   |  4 PagesThe Elizabethan play Hamlet by William Shakespeare is without a doubt one of Shakespeare’s most puzzling plays. Although the play has a concise story, it is filled with many questions pertaining to different topics behind the story line. One question in particular is did Hamlet really love Ophelia? This argument can be supported in both directions, however I feel that Hamlet did love Ophelia. Support for this decision comes from Hamletâ €™s treatment towards Ophelia in Act 3, Scene 2, and at Ophelia’sRead MoreDoes Hamlet Truly Love Ophelia957 Words   |  4 PagesDoes Hamlet Truly love Ophelia? In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, many arguments have been argued as to whether or not Hamlet is really in love with Ophelia. I believe that there is a lot of evidence arguing that Hamlet never loved Ophelia and that he was just using her. By the way he acts around Ophelia when he is alone with her, he shows that his feelings for her are true. Hamlet shows throughout the play that he is really in love with Ophelia. One piece of evidence showing that Hamlet reallyRead MoreAudience to This Act: Hamlet1169 Words   |  5 PagesThe story of Hamlet is very well known: Hamlet’s father is killed, Hamlet’s mother marries the evil Uncle, everyone thinks Hamlet has gone mad, and almost everyone dies at the end of the play. The play also includes the classic ill -fated love story, which in this case involves Hamlet and Ophelia. In David Tennant’s version of Hamlet, Hamlet and Ophelia have many similar character flaws. These character flaws manifest themselves in several different ways, which ultimately leads to the downfall ofRead MoreHamlet : A Flawed Anti-Tragic Hero1715 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle’s poetics have long been considered the go-to guide for determining well written â€Å"poetry†, most notably in comedies and tragedies. Hamlet, like many of Shakespeare’s plays, is considered to be a tragedy although there is room to debate whether or not its pro tagonist is the quintessential tragic hero or a deeply flawed anti-tragic hero. Evaluating Hamlet using Aristotle’s theories, especially considering the criticism Shakespeare received for seemingly defying these ideals, may be the most

Competitor Analysis Free Essays

We denote 793 stores in Canada as of December 2009 and 40. 6% of those stores are located in Ontario. Rivalry is moderate amongst different competitor in the market , as most of them are big and diversified companies who do not rely on the luggage market, Just like Canada Goose. We will write a custom essay sample on Competitor Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now The market is highly fragmented with a large array of competitors , varying from big retail department stores to highly niched retailers. Less diverse retailers face greater competition to obtain and retain buyers compared to larger companies. The competition is eased by the fact that the market is growing , so that a company can grow its sales and revenues without affecting the overall market share proportions. All this makes the degree of rivalry moderate in this market. Direct competitors (Manufacturers their brands) (Specific market shares of direct competitors) Samsonite , Mulholland , Hartmann Brothers and Tumi , Louis Vuitton. Indirect Competitors The first major indirect competitor is the Japanese multinational AEON Co ltd. Aeon* is a retailing group of 169 companies operating lifestyle-enhancing retail and a variety of other services, from general merchandise stores and supermarkets, to fashion-conscious specialty stores, ? nancial services and amusement facilities. Their luggage brands are . The second major competitor is the Hudson bay company. The Hudson’s Bay Company is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. Their luggage brands include Stuff by Hillary Duff , Sportek and Fields. Finally we have Aldo Group , a company created . Its main luggage brands are Aldo accessories and Spring. Appendix 1: Statistics Canada, Canadian Business Patterns Database, December 2009. How to cite Competitor Analysis, Essay examples

Wix vs WordPress Which Is Better for You (Everything You Need to Know)

Creating a website has never been a task for the faint of heart. Even the simplest site will require time, money, and know-how to steer it in the right direction. Thats where Wix vs WordPress come into play.Or at least, that used to be the case, until website  builders and Content Management Systems (CMS) took the web by storm, including the two titular platforms. Wix and WordPress two very different tools which share one common goal: enabling users to create stunning and usable websites in a simple manner.In the spirit of healthy competition, well be pitting Wix vs WordPress to measure how they perform against each other in four different categories. In the end only one will remain, so lets get the fight started!Wix vs WordPress1. Ease of useGetting started on Wix is a simple process. Once youve signed up, it will ask you what kind of website you want to create, and then it will send you right over to its collection of templates for your chosen  category.After making your choic e you can begin tinkering with it using Wixs colorful drag-and-drop editor. You can create new pages using a drop-down menu without leaving the editor, and switch between them in a matter of seconds.Moving onto WordPress, taking your first steps with the CMS can be a little intimidating, since it doesnt hold your hand too much. While there are thousands of articles and tutorials covering every simple step of the process – from creating new pages to choosing the right theme – getting to know WordPress ins and outs can take a while.WordPress 0 : Wix 1 The first round of the Wix vs WordPress fight goes to Wix, which has you up and running in no time at all.2. Depth of CustomizationFor this round, well take into consideration two aspects: design customization, and the ability to implement advanced features.Wix offers its users hundreds of website templates – all of which are fully responsive – and enables them to tinker with the editor to add their personal t ouches, so thats a good start.When it comes to the implementation of advanced features, Wix boasts a catalog of eighty apps  that can be added to your site in a matter of seconds. They range from form builders, to reservation systems, and even pricing tables.WordPress, on the other hand, only offers 15 official themes on its site. Thats pretty disheartening until you realize that there are thousands of third-party themes available on sites like ThemeForest, Elegant Themes, and  our very own ThemeIsle.Moving on, when it comes to plugins, WordPress is second to none. There are over 46,000 plugins available on WordPress.org, and the community shows no signs of slowing down. If you can imagine something, theres almost certainly  a plugin for it.WordPress 1 : Wix 1 Round two of Wix vs WordPress goes to WordPress – the undisputed king when it comes to customization options.3. SecurityWix and WordPress feature two entirely separate approaches when it comes to security. The fir st takes it entirely out of your hands – aside from the basics such as choosing a good password and using two-factor authentication – and handles the security aspect of things on their own. You sign up, you pay, and as long as the checks keep clearing, there will be people whose job it is to keep your site safe.WordPress, however, places the brunt of securing your website on your shoulders. You need to stay on top of core updates, check for various errors, choose the right host, and handle pretty much everything else yourself.To some people, this may sound like a lot of responsibility, but its mostly common sense. A WordPress website is as secure as its owner makes it.Furthermore, there are plenty of plugins dedicated solely to keeping your WordPress sites safe, such as WordFence. Wordfence Security Firewall Malware Scan Author(s): WordfenceCurrent Version: 7.4.0Last Updated: August 22, 2019wordfence.7.4.0.zip 96%Ratings 135,846,747Downloads WP 3.9+Requires W ordPress 2 : Wix 1 WordPress takes the crown again this round. Securing your WordPress site is not that challenging, and you should face no security problems as long as you stay on top of the factors we mentioned. Furthermore, you have the option to make your site as secure as  you want it to be.4. SupportWix offers both a robust knowledge base as well as telephone (you can request a callback) and support. The downside of Wix’s support is that they use templated messages quite a lot. So you may have to write them a few times to get your issue resolved if it’s a bit more complex. Response times are usually less than 24 hours, which is acceptable.On the other side of the coin, WordPress doesnt offer any specialized support aside from its knowledge base. However, entire libraries could be filled with the many articles that have been written on how to perform any imaginable action using the CMS.Whats more, most plugins and themes receive support from their developers, wh ich is kind of like always having a  chef available to answer your questions whenever youre  making a recipe.WordPress 3 : Wix 2 This round of Wix vs WordPress is a tie. Finding help for your particular issues may require a bit of googling with WordPress, but youll be sure to find an answer to just about any  inquiry if you look hard enough.5. SEOWix hasn’t really got the best reputation for SEO. But rest assured, this comes mainly from Wix’s past when they were still a Flash-based website builder. In 2012 however, they switched to a completely new platform based on HTML5, adding all modern SEO options like customizable URLs as well as page titles and descriptions. They even added 301 redirects and the possibility to add canonical URLs to your pages. You can check this table for a full SEO feature list.An area they still need to work on is their loading speed. Despite having improved quite a bit already by adding advanced features such as page caching and better image compression, you are still limited to what the Wix editor allows you to do. Wordpress, on the other hand, let’s you do whatever you want. Not right out of the gate but if you install the right plugin(s) your SEO options will be limitless. Yoast is a great one but there are also very decent alternatives available.You also have much better options to crank up your loading speed by choosing your own host and adding plugins to cache and minify your pages.WordPress 4 : Wix 2 The final round goes to WordPress again. Even though Wix’s SEO options are probably more sufficient for beginners, if you are in a very competitive niche, it’s better to have to full arsenal of tools available.Wix vs WordPress: Which one should you use?Ultimately, we have to rule in favor on WordPress when it comes to the Wix vs WordPress debate. Heres why:It enables its users to customize every single aspect of their website.Despite forcing users to take security into their hands, it provi des them with all of the tools to do so.There are hundreds if not thousands of articles, tutorials, and videos available for tackling any issues you might encounter.Despite ruling for WordPress, we have to say that were mightily impressed by how easy it is to use Wix and the many options it provides. If youre just looking to get an attractive website up and running quickly, then it might just be the right pick for you.Choosing which platform youll use to develop your website  is a tough choice to make. Whichever decision you take will come with its own set of pros and cons – but once youve taken that first step, the rest of your website designing career can begin at last!Ultimately, we decided to go with WordPress, but that is not to say that Wix isnt a viable option – in fact, its a great tool for getting simple websites up and running fast, and it offers a lot of plans for different types of users.Which side are you on when it comes to the Wix vs WordPress debate? Share your reasons with us in the comments section below!Free guide5 Essential Tips to Speed Up Your WordPress SiteReduce your loading time by even 50-80% just by following simple tips. * This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and then purchase the product, well receive a small fee. No worries though, youll still pay the standard amount so theres no cost on your part.

Rumsfeld Differences essays

Powell/Rumsfeld Differences essays The rift in ideology and policy ideals between Secretary of State Colon Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had been catching the medias attention lately. In this paper, we will look at what these differenced are, what may be the cause of them, and with whom the President is siding with to formulate policy. It seems as of now, that the policy ideals of Secretary Rumsfeld are winning out over those of Secretary Powell partly because of the rekindled hard-line attitude of the American public following the events of September 11th. First, a brief background of the events on which this division of policy is based will be given in this paper, followed by Secretary Rumsfelds ideals and arguments, then those of Secretary Powell. We will then look at the policy decisions President Bush has made on this topic, and how the international community could perceive said policy. Let us look at the situation in Cuba and the decisions facing President Bush. Right now there are approximately three hundred detainees being held by United States forces at Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba. Now, one might ask why these prisoners are being classified as detainees and not as prisoners of war. The United States is engaged in a self-proclaimed War on Terrorism, now being fought in Afghanistan. The foes being fought there are the forces of the Taliban regime and the Al Qaida terror network. Are these persons not combatants, are they not prisoners of a war? According to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his camp; no, they are not. Yet according to Secretary of State Colon Powell; yes, they are. The camp referred to as Donald Rumsfelds includes Vice President Dick Cheney and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. They share the common view that the prisoners detained in Cuba, and in Afghanistan, are not Prisoners of War. According to the Geneva Convention, a pri...

Ground Sloths - A Survivor of the Megafaunal Extinction

Ground Sloths - A Survivor of the Megafaunal Extinction Giant ground sloth (Megatheriinae) is the common name for several species of large bodied mammals (megafauna) who evolved and lived exclusively on the American continents. The superorder Xenarthranswhich includes anteaters and armadillosemerged in Patagonia during the Oligocene (34-23 million years ago), then diversified and dispersed throughout South America. The first giant ground sloths appeared in South America at least as long ago as the late Miocene (Friasian, 23-5 mya), and by the Late Pliocene (Blancan, ca. 5.3-2.6 mya) arrived in North America. Most of the large forms died out during the late Pleistocene, although there is recently discovered evidence of ground sloth survival in central America as recently as 5,000 years ago. There are nine species (and up to 19 genera) of giant sloths known from four families: Megatheriidae (Megatheriinae); Mylodontidae (Mylodontinae and Scelidotheriinae), Nothrotheriidae, and Megalonychidae. Pre-Pleistocene remains are very sparse (except for Eremotheriaum eomigrans), but there are lots of fossils from the Pleistocene, especially Megatherium americanum in South America, and E. laurillardi in both South and North America. E. laurillardi was a large, intertropical species known as the Panamanian giant ground sloth, who may well have survived into the late Pleistocene. Life as a Ground Sloth Ground sloths were mostly herbivores. A study on over 500 preserved feces (coprolites) of the Shasta ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastense) from Rampart Cave, Arizona (Hansen) indicate that they mainly dined on desert globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) Nevada mormontea (Ephedra nevadensis) and saltbushes (Atriplex spp). A 2000 study (Hofreiter and colleagues) found that the diet of sloths living in and around Gypsum Cave in Nevada changed over time, from pine and mulberries around 28,000 cal BP, to capers and mustards at 20,000 years bp; and to saltbushes and other desert plants at 11,000 years bp, an indication of changing climate in the region. Ground sloths lived in a variety of ecosystem types, from treeless scrublands in Patagonia to wooded valleys in North Dakota, and it seems that they were fairly adaptive in their diets. Despite their adaptability, they almost certainly were killed off, as with other megafaunal extinctions, with the assistance of the first set of human colonists into the Americas. Ranking by Size Giant ground sloths are loosely categorized by size: small, medium and large. In some studies, the size of the various species seems to be continuous and overlapping, although some juvenile remains are definitely larger than the adult and subadult remains of the small group. Cartell and De Iuliis argue that the difference is size is evidence that some of the species were sexually dimorphic. Megatherium altiplanicum (small, femur length about 387.5 mm or 15 inches), and about 200 kilograms or 440 pounds per adult individuals) Megatherium sundti (medium, femur length about 530 mm, 20 in) Megatherium americanum (large, femur length between 570-780 mm, 22-31 in; and up to 3000 kg, 6600 lb per individual) All of the extinct continental genera were ground rather than arboreal, that is to say, lived outside of trees, although the only survivors are their small (4-8 kg, 8-16 lb) tree-dwelling descendants. Recent Survivals Most of the megafauna (mammals with bodies greater than 45 kg, or 100 lbs) in the Americas died out at the end of the Pleistocene after the retreat of the glaciers and about the time of the first human colonization of the Americas. However, evidence for ground sloth survival into the late Pleistocene has been found in a handful of archaeological sites, where research indicates that humans were preying on ground sloths. One of the very old sites thought by some scholars to be evidence of humans is the Chazumba II site in Oaxaca state, Mexico, dated between 23,000-27,000 calendar years BP [cal BP] (Vià ±as-Vallverdà º and colleagues). That site includes a possible cutmarkbutchery markon a giant sloth bone, as well as a few lithics such as retouched flakes, hammers, and anvils. Shasta ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastense) dung has been found in several caves in the southwestern United States, dated to as late as 11,000-12,100 radiocarbon years before the present RCYBP. There are also similar survivals for other members of the Nothrotheriops species found in caves in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; the youngest of those are 16,000-10,200 RCYBP. Solid Evidence for Human Consumption Evidence for human consumption of ground sloths exists at Campo Laborde, 9700-6750 RCYBP in the Talpaque Creek, Pampean region of Argentina (Messineo and Politis). This site includes an extensive bone bed, with over 100 individuals of M. americanum, and smaller numbers of glyptodons, panamanian hare (Dolichotis patagonum, vizcacha, peccary, fox, armadillo, bird, and camelid. Stone tools are relatively sparse at Campo Laborde, but they include a quartzite side-scraper and a bifacial projectile point, as well as flakes and micro-flakes. Several sloth bones have butchery marks, and the site is interpreted as a single event involving the butchery of a single giant ground sloth. In North Dakota in the central US, evidence shows that Megalonyx jeffersonii, Jeffersons ground sloth (first described by the U.S. President Thomas Jefferson and his physician friend Caspar Wistar in 1799), were still fairly widely distributed across the NA continent, from Old Crow Basin in Alaska to southern Mexico and from coast to coast, about 12,000 years RCYBP and just before most of the sloth extinction (Hoganson and McDonald). The most recent evidence for ground sloth survival is from the West Indian islands of Cuba and Hispaniola (Steadman and colleagues). Cueva Beruvides in Matanzas Province of Cuba held a humerus of the largest West Indies sloth, the Megalocnus rodens, dated between 7270 and 6010 cal BP; and the smaller form Parocnus brownii has been reported from the tar pit Las Breas de San Felipe in Cuba between 4,950-14,450 cal BP. Seven examples of Neocnus comes have been found in Haiti, dated between 5220-11,560 cal BP. Sources and Further Information Cartelle C, and De Iuliis G. 2006. Eremotherium Laurillardi (Lund) (Xenarthra, Megatheriidae), the Panamerican giant ground sloth: Taxonomic aspects of the ontogeny of skull and dentition. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 4(2):199-209.Hansen RM. 1978. Shasta ground sloth food habits, Rampart Cave, Arizona. Paleobiology 4(3):302-319.Hofreiter M, Poinar HN, Spaulding WG, Bauer K, Martin PS, Possnert G, and Pbo S. 2000. A molecular analysis of ground sloth diet through the last glaciation. Molecular Ecology 9(12):1975-1984.Hoganson JW, and McDonald HG. 2007. First Report of Jeffersons Ground Sloth (Megalonyx jeffersonii) in North Dakota: Paleobiogeographical and Paleoecological Significance. Journal of Mammalogy 88(1):73-80.Iuliis GD, Pujos F, and Tito G. 2009. Systematic and Taxonomic Revision of the Pleistocene Ground Sloth Megatherium (Pseudomegatherium) Tarijense (Xenarthra: Megatheriidae). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29(4):1244-1251.Messineo PG, and Politis GG. 2009. New Radiocarbon Dates from the Campo Laborde Site (Pampean Region, Argentina) Support the Holocene Survival of Giant Ground Sloth and Glyptodonts. Current Research in the Pleistocene 26:5-9. Pereira ICdS, Dantas MAT, and Ferreira RL. 2013. Record of the giant sloth Valgipes bucklandi (Lund, 1839) (Tardigrada, Scelidotheriinae) in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, with notes on taphonomy and paleoecology. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 43:42-45.Steadman DW, Martin PS, MacPhee RDE, Jull AJT, McDonald HG, Woods CA, Iturralde-Vinent M, and Hodgins GWL. 2005. Asynchronous extinction of late Quaternary sloths on continents and islands. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102(33):11763-11768.Vià ±as-Vallverdà º R, Arroyo-Cabrales J, Rivera-Gonzlez II, Xosà © Pedro R-, Rubio-Mora A, Eudave-Eusebio IN, Solà ­s-Torres ÓR, and Ardelean CF. 2015. Recent archaeo-palaeontological findings from Barranca del Muerto site, Santiago Chazumba, Oaxaca, Mà ©xico. Quaternary International in press.