Business Model Canvas Critical Reflection

Critical Reflection Paper â€Å"Business Model Canvas† Ing. Maria Paula Helo Intercultural Management and International Negotiation Professor: Ricardo Altimira Madrid, Spain September 20th 2012 â€Å"A business model (BM) describes the rationale of how an organization creates, delivers and captures value†. Considering a BM is part of an organization’s strategy, the previous statement invites to the importance of having a model that is accurate and precise, yet easy to follow and develop.In other words, a model that uses a common language that works for every type of company regardless of its sector, antiquity or nature (public or private). This is precisely the objective of the Business Model Canvas (BMC). Using the main pillars upon which a company is based, this tool helps to organize and follow your individual/group thoughts as entrepreneurs, giving room for feedback and improvement in order to guarantee a success/innovation.Using principles of the BMC, this r eflection will relate its application to my career/professional goals, and also for the ETP’s. As an engineer, I’ve worked in consulting for medium size and large companies; nonetheless, my goal is to start a consulting company in Colombia. What better way to ideate it, than with a model that has proved to be successful for companies like Ericsson, Deloitte, McKinsey, etc.?. It is important to gather a group of partners with diverse perspectives to brainstorm using the canvas, and develop business model prototypes.This DT exercise along with a model that clearly defines the building blocks that the company should conceive, will allow me to set a solid foundation for my project. This is important, for there are multiple engineering-consulting firms, making the innovation process mandatory to add value to the company and be successful. I believe ETP’s should be conceived as companies that need to apply a BM in general; particularly, the BMC is a straightforward wa y for it. It has been successful for public entities and projects like the Public Works and Government Services of Canada.Tom Graves proposes to modify the labels that the model defines, not only directing it to a monetary success but adding different value, depending on the purpose of the ETP to reach its goals, attract stakeholders and generate sustainable projects and sectors. To conclude, I believe the BMC clearly condenses the principles of BM’s and strategy. By adapting it to an appropriate environment depending on the type of organization, it’s possible to apply it to entrepreneur projects like a consulting company or a technology platform for an entire country. ——————————————- [ 1 ]. OSTERWALDER. Alexander, PIGNEUR. Yves. Business model generation. 2009. [ 2 ]. OSTERWALDER, Alexander. Business Model Innovation Matters. Extracted from: http://www. slideshare. net/Al ex. Osterwalder/business-model-innovation-matter. Consulted: 20/09/2012 [ 3 ]. DT: Design Thinking [ 4 ]. Graves, Tom. Using Business Model Canvas for non profits. Tetradian (Blog). 2011. Extracted from: http://weblog. tetradian. com/2011/07/16/bmcanvas-for-nonprofits/. Consulted: 20/09/2012.

Climate Change and Food Security

Changing Agricultural Practices: Shift of Agricultural Crops Subject to Market or Climate Change- A Study of Meghnath Gorahanna and Aurahi VDC in Mahottari District Climate Change and Food Security Introduction Nepal is an agro-dominated of course rich state. From physiographic facet, Nepal is divided into three distinguishable ecological zones- the Mountain, Hills and Tarai. Each part has its ain biophysical, socioeconomic and cultural differences. Agribusiness is the common business of bulk of population in the state. Almost to a big bulk of 65 per centum of Nepali population are dependent on agribusiness for their supports ( GoN, 2012 ) . The lowland Tarai, is the nutrient basket of Nepal. It is the exclusive part in agricultural excess, providing nutrient grains to the less productive hill and mountain countries. More than 70 per centum of families in Nepal have less than 1 hectare of land and many depend on agricultural lands that are excessively little to run into their subsistence demands ( GoN, 2011 ) . Although agricultural retentions per family are the smallest in the state, this sector dominates the economic system supplying about 35 per centum of the GDP ( CIA, 2011 ) . At present, Climate Change is a large challenge to the planetary environment and the economic system. Nepal has besides identified clime alteration as a cut acrossing issue by virtuousness of its nature and impacts. Despite nominal nursery gas emanation of about 0.025 per centum ( GoN, 2010 ) , Nepal is listed as a state at utmost hazard to the impacts of clime alteration ( CCVI, 2014 ) .According to the regional appraisal of International Panel of Climate Change the most profound impacts of clime alteration in Nepal will be in the sectors of agribusiness / nutrient security, H2O resources and biodiversity. The heavy trust on rain Federal agriculture, limited irrigation installations, and deficiency of H2O preservation and harvest home patterns makes Nepali agribusiness vulnerable to the impacts of clime alteration. The high dependance of husbandmans on monsoon have increased their exposure to rainfall fluctuation. Furthermore, the variableness in temperature have besides challenged the agriculture patterns. At many topographic points the fickle rainfall has resulted into diminution in harvest production. The state of affairs of deficient rain and increasing temperature have accounted for drouth, whereas the happening of intense rain in short period have reduced the land H2O recharge by speed uping overflow and triping inundations. These fortunes have induced negative effects in the agribusiness impacting harvest production and endangering nutrient security. Market whether physical or practical is a topographic point where the dealing of goods and services is carried out. Market is governed by demand and supply state of affairs and determines monetary value of goods and services. In instance of unfastened market topographic point, market is a large initiation factor for merchandises, it determines the monetary value and creates the win-win state of affairs of the purchaser and marketer. Tarai is the part of Nepal with the unfastened boundary lines with India and it implies that the market for the merchandises get wide-opened if proved competitory. Evidence from other parts of Africa shows that procedures of agricultural intensification and productiveness growing are frequently driven by hard currency harvests having the development of interlocked recognition, input, and end product markets ( von Braun and Kennedy 1994 ; Dorward, Kydd, and Poulton 1998 ; Shepard 1999 ) . Owing to the higher return from hard currency harvests husbandmans t hese yearss are more inclined towards hard currency harvest agriculture. At many instances, the local strains of harvest have been replaced by the improved or intercrossed 1s. These intercrossed harvests have higher outputs but at the same clip, they incur immense cost on environment and human wellness. Hybrid harvests fuel the usage of fertilisers and pesticides which causes dirt debasement and increases agricultural disbursals every bit good. Using analytical penetrations from the New Institutional Economics literature, Dorward, Kydd, and Poulton ( 1998 ) have shown that export-oriented hard currency harvests may function to excite smallholder harvest productiveness and income growing, provided that omnipresent recognition market failures can be overcome through institutional inventions in farmer/marketing agent relationships. The intent of this research is to place the factor which is responsible for the alteration in agricultural patterns in the tarai part. This survey aims to analyze the instance of cultivation displacement from staple harvest to hard currency harvest is whether due to climate alteration or market forces. Rationale of the Study Nepal is home to preponderantly rural population. Agribusiness is the pillar of Nepalese economic system which non merely employs two-third of the country’s labour force but besides contributes over tierce in the national GDP. The alteration in agricultural pattern can be due impacts of either clime alteration or market forces. Associating with climate alteration issues, the addition in temperature is likely to do more harm on agricultural sectors in Tarai part compared to the hills and mountains. Tarai part lying at low countries are susceptible to downpours. Monsoon rains, snow thaw, and glacial thaw run downstream from upland parts doing the Tarai the most ataˆ?risk country for deluging. Besides this, the happening of brassy inundations in the fields have besides caused siltation of farm lands and decreased its birthrate. The heavy H2O tabular array and the depletion of groundwater is the another critical job witnessed in Tarai these yearss. This state of affairs has af fected the twelvemonth unit of ammunition irrigation. Owing to fickle monsoon and deficiency of irrigation, rice organ transplant is delayed and therefore the production has decreased. There are besides groundss of switching agricultural form. Thus the impact of clime alteration in tarai can endanger the nutrient security of the full state. There is a famine of literature on the factor- based harvest displacements in assorted parts of the universe. In instance of Nepal excessively this sector of research has been out of involvement. Therefore, to carry through the spread that has of course been built between the topographical disparities based on the harvest displacement will be what the range and principle of this research will warrant. Study Area The survey country will be chiefly based in the Mahottari territory of Nepal which is one of the premier territories among the six territories of Janakpur zone. Though the territory is a premier manufacturer for harvests, it suffers from drouth and it is besides shattered by the inundation during showery seasons. This territory covers 0.68 % of the entire country of Nepal and the population in the territory is about 2.39 % of the entire population of the state ( Mahottari District Profile, CBS 2065 B.S. ) . Though the territory has chances like fertile cultivable land, entree to electricity, forest, rivers and unfastened boundary line to India, the territory has non been able to come on which besides supports the â€Å"Resource Curse Hypothesis† . As sample for the survey, two VDCs of the territory viz. Meghnath Gorahanna and Aurahi will be purposively selected. The VDC Meghnath Gorahanna is located on the cardinal Tarai part of Nepal whereas Aurahi VDC is really nigh to the main road traveling south from the territory. The entire population of the Meghnath Gorahanna VDC is 6077 in 1048 families, with 3135 female and 2942 as male population. And, the entire population of the Aurahi VDC is 8575 in 1638 families, with 4225 male and 4350 as female population. In footings of exposure ranking of the National Adaptation Plan of Action ( NAPA ) of Nepal, Mahottari falls in high vulnerable territory in the exposure index to climate alteration. The intent for choosing these two wards is that in both of these wards husbandmans have shifted the cultivation from cereal harvests to hard currency harvests. Aims of the Research: The overall aim of the survey is to place whether the cultivation displacement from staple harvests to hard currency harvests is climate induced or market driven. To accomplish the above mentioned general aim, the following specific aims will be fulfilled.To place the challenges in the agriculture patterns originating out of clime alteration induced environmental debasement in Meghnath Gorahanna and Aurahi VDCs of Mahottari territory.To transport out cost-benefit analysis of the basic harvests versus hard currency harvests in Meghnath Gorahanna and Aurahi VDCs.To measure the production form of the harvests in the several wards and its impact on the nutrient security position of the part.To warrant the above aims, the undermentioned hypotheses will be used:The cultivation displacement from staple harvest to hard currency harvest is climate induced.The cultivation displacement from staple harvest to hard currency harvest is market driven.Research QuestionsWhat is people’s apprehension of environmental debasement due to climate alteration?What are the challenges in the agriculture patterns originating from clime alteration in the VDCs?What is the production form of the harvests and the value generated by them in the several wards?What is the province of the cost-benefit analysis of the basic and hard currency harvests produced in the several wards?What is the position of nutrient handiness, nutrient use, nutrient handiness and nutrient stableness in the survey country?Methodology The Research Design As clime alteration impacts have multiple dimensions, research on understanding these dimensions requires a methodological analysis uniting the macro and micro range of question, primary and secondary informations, qualitative and quantitative methods and a cross-disciplinary attack. To acquire the holistic image and in-depth apprehension of the research issues and concerns, assorted method attack will be applied for research survey, where triangulation of quantitative and qualitative informations will besides be used for this survey. Primary Data Collection: The primary nature of the research design of the proposed survey is explorative and descriptive. Quantitative and qualitative primary informations from multi-stakeholders in two different VDCs will be collected utilizing study, in-depth interviews, focused group treatment and PRA techniques such as societal function and transect walk ( for physical confirmation ) . To forestall any biasness in the research, approximately 10 % of the entire population, 100 people will be considered as the sample including both VDCs. Besides that, to keep the quality of research, after the questionnaire studies, Key Informants’ Interview will be carried out with School schoolmasters and Agriculture Officer of the part. If necessary, Water tabular array analysis utilizing GIS tools and techniques will besides be carried in order to find the depletion of land H2O. Secondary Data Collection: Temperature and Precipitation informations of Mahottari territory obtained from Department of Hydrology and Meteorology ( DHM ) will be used to find the tendency analysis. District and small town profiles will be referred from Central Bureau of Statistics as per the demand. Datas Analysis: Both qualitative and quantitative analysis tools and techniques will be used for the information analysis. The cryptography and decryption of informations will be done as per the demand. MS- Word. MS- Excel will be used for the written and graphical presentation of the information. Statistical Package for Social Scientists ( SPSS 20.0 ) will be used for the correlativity analysis, arrested development analysis and histogram analysis as per the research demand. RestrictionsLack of temperature and precipitation informations of the specific wards.This research will be carried out in specific wards of Meghnath Gorahanna VDC and Aurahi VDC of Mahottari territory, therefore the research end products can non be generalized.This research will be a sample based research within a limited timeframe, so the research end product might hold diverting consequences for a portion of population.Expected end productsThe research will lend to the concluding study to be developed by Women in Environment ( WE ) on the undertaking Populating with Climate Change: Function Experiences and Adaptation Strategies in the Global South and North ( LCC )This research study will be the foundation papers for the policy preparation sing the factor based cultivation displacement in the tarai part of Nepal.Mentions Climate Change Vulnerability Index ( CCVI ) , ( 2014 ) , Maple croft’s Climate Change and Environmental Risk Atlas, Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //maplecroft.com/themes/cc/ ( accessed 04/04/2014 ) . CIA ( Central Intelligence Agency ) . 2011. The World Fact book. Dorward. A ; J. Kydd and C. Poulton.eds, ( 1998 ) , â€Å"Smallholder Cash Crop Production Under Market Liberalization.† Oxon ; New York, NY: CAB International c1998. Government of Nepal ( GoN ) , ( 2010 ) , â€Å"National Adaptation Programme of Action ( NAPA ) to Climate Change, Ministry of Environment, Kathmandu. Government of Nepal ( GoN ) , ( 2012 ) , â€Å"Economic Survey 2011/12† , Ministry of Finance, Kathmandu. Government of Nepal ( GoN ) , ( 2011 ) , â€Å"Nepal Living Standard Survey ( NLSS ) 2011† , Central Bureau of Statistics, Kathmandu. Hem R. Regmi. â€Å"Effect of Unusual Weather on Cereal Crop Production and Household Food Security† ,The Journal of Agriculture and Environment. ( 2007 ) : 24. Von Braun and E. Kennedy ( explosive detection systems ) , ( 1994 ) ,Agricultural Commercialization, Economic Development, and Nutrition, The Johns Hopkins Press Ltd. Maryland, 1994.

National curriculum;with a focus on Primary literacy the theme i will Literature review

National curriculum;with a focus on Primary literacy the theme i will be writing on is Phonics - Literature review Example 2006). These aspects are believed to have led to the formation of different theories related to learning and education. The main aim of this academic presentation is to be able to study and discuss two main theories related to learning and education – social constructivist theory of learning and the social cognitive theory. The analysis and evaluation of the same are believed to lead to the establishment of different important outcomes that can serve as a key reflection in the planning and development of learning and education structures. This makes it necessary to throw light on the same. The Social Cognitive theory of learning had been suggested by Bandura (1986). It is based on the principle and ideology that a particular learning system is considered to be effective and efficient when the same encourages the learners or individuals who are part of the learning system to be abreast of the action of others. The theory in itself suggests that the behaviour of human beings is largely influenced by the behaviour of others. The most significant observation in this case of learning is the development of a kind of imitation of the actions and behaviour of role models in the learning system (Rafferty, 2009). Vygotsky (1962) stated that human beings are highly socially dependent individuals and the experiences and learning which forms an integral part of the human existence in the world. These are best derived when the same are achieved through various exercises and endeavours that require the effective teamwork and involvement of human beings in groups (Cobb, 2006). The same is believed to increase the participative learning of the individuals. As they are not only able to contribute effectively to the entire learning process by presentation and application of their inherent knowledge and experiences, but are also able to enhance the same aspect among others (McInerney and

The effects of the 2008 financial crisis on the investment in the Gulf Research Paper

The effects of the 2008 financial crisis on the investment in the Gulf area specially on Qatar - Research Paper Example In this case, the decline in oil prices severely affected the foreign exchange earnings and led to low foreign investment capital inflows in Qatar economy. Qatar and other countries in the gulf area had accumulated vast cash reserves after the oil prices recorded a high of USD 148 per barrel in July 2008 due to a weak US dollars and geopolitical tensions that led to oil speculations (Casa, 2009). However, the last five months of 2008 saw decline in equity market activity and oil demand thus leading to 75 percent loss on the OPEC Reference Basket from USD 148 per barrel to USD 37.72 per barrel before the end of the year (Distr, 2009). Thesis statement: the 2008 financial crisis negatively affected investments in Qatar through tightening of credit, decline in global oil demand and subsequent slowdown of the real estate and stock markets in the economy. Credit crunch Despite the high liquidity level of the main financial institutions in Qatar and decline in interest rates before the ons et of the 2008 financial crisis, the availability of credit for investment purposes declined during the financial crisis due to high-risk aversion by the banks (Casa, 2009). ... The financial crisis triggered steep fall in asset prices and widened the credit default swap (CDS) spreads on sovereign debt. In this case, the Qatar government debt remained elevated thus reflecting the high-leveraged government entities. Fall in stock market prices According to Monetary Fund (AMF), of 2008 financial crisis led to a drastic fall in stock investments by half in the first year and further by additional 25% in the subsequent quarter. The loss in Arab stock market translated to significant decline in the level of investor confidence and decline in the overall investment activities in the economy (Distr, 2009). The Doha Securities market experienced a decline in the level of trading activities and the market’s main index declined by 28 percent to 6886 points. The gulf region countries recorded significant escalation in construction properties before the crisis, but the crisis led to slowdown of construction boom due to tight credit conditions in the countries. Th e high house rents before the crisis made Qatar citizens to increase their economic contributions towards excessive crediting allocation on such departments. After the decline in oil prices, the construction boom slowed down and housing prices deflated thus leading to significant losses in the real estate sector (Distr, 2009). Decline in tourism financial returns The 2008 financial crisis also led to considerable decline in tourism returns in Qatar. This is evidenced by significant reduction in business tourism arrivals and investors from European countries and North America (Casa, 2009). Qatar immigrants in western countries reduced or completely stopped the foreign remittances to their home country. Furthermore, the crisis also

The Rental Apartment Agency Industry Research Proposal

The Rental Apartment Agency Industry - Research Proposal Example In addition to apartment rentals, we will be providing additional services, which will not be considered our main services, such as car or limo rentals, student admission, translations, and immigration attorneys. We will be targeting people who are coming from the Middle East to start with, then we might expand the business to target a larger segment in the future. You can find more information about targeting and segmentation in the Segmentation section. According to the reports for the Texas medical centers, â€Å"The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science. The Texas Medical Center receives 160,000 daily visitors and over six million annual patient visits, including over 18,000 international patients.† These visitors would definitely need to find the right one or two-bedroom apartments to stay in. We conducted a site survey. Our sample was not too big, 50 Middle Eastern patients and 10 students, and we found the following results: The demand for this service is increasing every year. More patients and students from the Middle East are coming to Houston as mentioned previously because it has some of the best hospitals and schools in the world. The following figures show statistics about the number of patients’ families who come to Houston from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the Emirate and Kuwait who we managed to get from the consulates and the medical attaches offices. On the other hand, the supply is not great. There are very few new firms that enter this industry. Those who already exist are not providing good quality service or customer service, and they are met with too many complaints to be successful. Also, there is no single firm who can provide all of the many services that we are providing. (More information about competitors can be found in the Competitors section.)

Person-Centred Approaches in Health and Social Care Coursework

Person-Centred Approaches in Health and Social Care - Coursework Example I was careful not to force the patient into taking my decisions rather allowed him to make his own decisions on whether he wanted the treatment or not. I also used equitable allocation of personal resources towards my patient. I had to highlight to him the risk associated with his ailment, and of the different choices he would select for or against the treatment process. I had to identify the key priorities for the patient so as not to deliver person-centered care due to lack of time. I had to compromise with the patients on the different ideas he had about his ailment assuring him that he still had the chance of making amends in his life and returning to his normal life. It was difficult for me, but I was forced to hide my emotions to the patient making the process to consume emotionally. I also applied interproffesional working with the patient as i was forced to consult, network, consult and debate as I wanted to solve some of the problems which I felt that the patient could not s olve when left to make decide.Question 2It is really important to find out an individual’s history, preferences, wishes and needs as some patients consider such things like religion; therefore, they would want to pray at particular times or place. Different patients have different religious objects and when presented with objects which do not relate to his, the feeling of being uncomfortable is developed. Others may want the care process to be handled by individuals related to the sexuality as they may feel shy. during the care process. Language is also an issue that is taken into consideration as a patient under care unit might want to communicate to the person attending to him or her. Question 3 It is important to review care or support plans with the patient and to monitor their needs and preferences because it improves on the self esteem of the patient since they have welcomed the program involved. New or improved source of communication is also achieved in involving patients in the support plan (Rantz & Flesner, 2003). The hospital also creates a good image for it as patients openly exudes confidence in the care plan being administered to them. Question 4 Useful care or support plans are beneficial in supporting person centered values in practice since they give guidelines on how the patient wants the care process to be implemented. They also involve the patient in the care process by covering the full range of needs and preferences by providing documented evidence of the process. In addition, they provide an opportunity to monitor and review the ever changing needs of the patient. Lastly, they describe, predict and explain the control phenomenon used for the care process (Rantz & Flesner, 2003). Question 5 Case Study One I will advice the colleague that the different factors that might hinder a patient from expressing his views are mental impairment, physical illness or language barriers

Personal Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Story - Essay Example In this paper, I would like to draw on my personal experiences from my life in the same house with my stepmother making it clear that such relationship can negatively affect children’s life in every aspect. Typically, stepmothers have never represented anything good for children as they have least interest in what children are doing or what issues they confront as they grow up. Children are helpless when a stranger comes in their home in the form of one of their parents. This was my case, when I was a kid and my stepmother married my father. In the beginning, I used to like her, but I never knew that she acted nicely only to impress my father, but with time I started hating her for the things she did. Our relationship became very bad and we both never liked each other thereafter. Such sensitive relationship is certainly difficult to maintain. If any element is found missing then this relationship can become worst. To me it felt like that I was forced to enter into the relation ship without knowing where I was heading. I was just an ordinary child when my stepmother came into my dad’s life and our house. I was very excited as I had a new companion to spend my time with. Initially, she used to talk a lot and treated me like her own child. She helped me with my homework; she used to take me on swimming and dancing classes. She used to play and go shopping with me. Gradually, with time things started changing in a negative manner when her first son was born. In Chinese families, boys are always favored and they receive more attention than daughters. Every person in my family, especially my grandparents, was excited about the boy’s birth. I clearly observed that my stepmother’s affection and love shifted towards her own son. She was spending more time looking after him and I could feel that her interest in me was just a matter of making my dad happy, and she became least bothered about my needs. No matter how I wanted to be closer to her a nd tried to get attention from her, I felt inconspicuous. I could feel harshness in her tone and she started to scold me for smaller reasons. She was passing comments that clearly implied that she wanted me to stay away from her son, and also on numerous occasions she wished that my father could simply send me away to my grand parents house. My dad used to be out the whole day for business. Even when he used to come home he was too tired and never took any interest in what I said or complained about. The frequency of my stepmother manhandling me increased and I could feel that she hated my presence in the house. She was punishing me harshly by keeping me in the storeroom for hours. As I grew older, I accepted the fact that it had to go this way as I was helpless and there was nothing I could do. I started spending most of my time with friends outside my home. My stepmother continued to play her negative role by arguing with me and telling me that I could not do anything good in my l ife. She affected my ability to concentrate on studies and extracurricular activities. I had problems in communication and making friends. The agony at home continued till I decided to move out and make my way back into life on my own. I have no contact left with my stepmother and I occasionally speak to my father who acts to be unaware of the reasons for me leaving home. Over the years, this painful experience at home has affected me very badly as I am now presently scared of being alone in the room and

PHILOSOPHY - What is skepticism Describe Descartes' attempt to build a Essay

PHILOSOPHY - What is skepticism Describe Descartes' attempt to build a secure foundation for knowledge using his method of d - Essay Example Through this, Descartes hopes to find his foundational belief from which a reliable, clear and distinct philosophy can be deduced. But how will Descartes arrive at such a foundational principle? Descartes will doubt all his beliefs in order to arrive at the one thing which cannot be doubted further; this is Descartes attempt to build a secure foundation for knowledge. However, â€Å"is there anything at all that he can know to be true, that can survive the process of doubt?† (Williams 2005, 57) Descartes’ skepticism is termed methodological skepticism; this is defined as â€Å"the use of doubt methodically in order to arrive at true knowledge† (Lavine 1984, 95). In doing so, he first doubts his beliefs on sense perception, which he claims are by nature deceptive. Second, he doubts his beliefs on material objects and the physical world, which are based on sense perception. Third, he doubts his beliefs on natural sciences, which uses objects that are based on sense perception. Fourth, he doubts mathematics. In doing so, he invents an evil demon or genius that conditions his mind and deceives him to fall into error (Greetham 2006, 86). However, Descartes realizes that in order to be deceived, he must exist; in order to doubt, there must be someone doing the doubting. Thus, Descartes arrives at his self-evident principle, which can be stated in Latin as â€Å"Cogito, ergo sum† or â€Å"I think therefore I am† (Copleston 1958, 91). â€Å"This proposition: I am, I exist, is necessarily true each time that I pronounce it, or that I mentally conceive it† (Descartes 2007, 430). So Descartes is now certain of one thing, that is, his existence as a conscious subject; that whenever he is thinking, he is assured of his own existence – but what about the external world? Descartes feared that he may fall into solipsism, the view that â€Å"my mind with its thoughts is the only thing that exists, the only reality: and that othe r persons and the physical world are only ideas within my mind† (Lavine 1984, 100). So in order for Descartes to escape the solitude of solipsism, he has to be able to prove the existence of something other than his own mind. At this point, he sought to prove the existence of God, and bases his proof on his theory of ideas and causes. An idea, for Descartes, is the effect of causes. Herein, he formulates three basic propositions. As Lavine (1984) explains: â€Å"there must be as much reality in the cause as in its effect, something cannot proceed from nothing, and what is more perfect cannot proceed from the less perfect† (104). Given this aforementioned background, Descartes (1993) begins with the claim that he has a â€Å"clear and distinct idea of God† as a perfect being (177). Since ideas are effects of causes, then something must have caused his having such an idea. And since its cause must have the same magnitude to its effect, and that something perfect ca nnot come from something less perfect, then God exists as the only possible cause for his idea of a perfect being, for something cannot come from nothing. Therefore, God exits. Given that God exists, how can this prove that the external world exists? Descartes reaches all â€Å"these conclusions by the application of a method of systematic doubt† (Kenny 2008, 36). Having established his own existence, as well as the existence of God, Descartes now replaces doubt with certainty. Herein, he comes to know that he gains knowledge of material objects

How do people with schizophrenia develop professionally and socially Research Paper

How do people with schizophrenia develop professionally and socially - Research Paper Example hat numerous patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders endure problems in coping with everyday and unpredicted stress (Lysaker, Tsai, & Hammoud, 2009). They may have difficulties in identifying objects/people, verbal fluency (Landrà ¸ & Ueland, 2008), and in planning and initiating activities, which altogether affect basic social skills and behaviors at the workplace (Liddle, 2000, p.12). Because of these cognitive and social deficits, schizophrenics tend to disregard stressors through repression (Scholes & Martin, 2010), or no longer try alternative and productive measures of handing their problems (Lee & Schepp, 2011). This paper examines the effects of schizophrenia on the identities of people with this disorder. Several sources showed that though people with schizophrenia struggle with their mental condition during their lifetime, with proper treatment and support, they can live productive and independent lives (Liberman, & Silbert, 2005; Lysaker, Tsai, & Hammoud, 2009). Social impairments are considered as major parts of schizophrenia and poor social functioning is one of the symptoms needed to diagnose this mental illness (Birchwood, Birchwood, & Jackson, 2001, p.108). People with schizophrenia often suffer from semantic memory problems, which can affect their understanding of reality, as well as their social interactions and relationships (Doughty & Done, 2009). Doughty and Done (2009) conducted systematic review and meta-analyses to understand if people with schizophrenia generally suffer from problems with semantic memory, to determine the distinctive profile of the impairment across the variety of different tests of semantic memory, and to know how the semantic memory impairment interacts with other symptoms, especially the Formal Thought Disorder. They identified 91 relevant papers and findings showed that participants had impaired abilities in naming, word- picture matching, verbal fluency, associations, priming, and categorization; semantic

Evergreen Investment Essay Example for Free

Evergreen Investment Essay Case Summary This case talks about an American mutual fund company that was facing problems  ·with its CRM system. Sales agents felt that they derived little value from it and also it was time consuming. The company is investigating if it could solve this problem by introducing mobile CRM to be accessed wirelessly on blackberry devices. But what are the key factors that have contributed to the success of mobile CRM initiative at Evergreen? Evergreen investments’ background Evergreen investments are the America’s 25th largest asset management company and 32nd largest investment management in the world. It is headquartered in Boston and Charlotte. The company entrusted with $250 billion in assets, over 350 investment professionals and over 3 million investors. CRM in the past In the past, the company use company-supplied laptops to gain access to CRM system, send Emails to customs and expend reporting and commission tracking. At the same time, the company use mobile phones to give their customs a voice call. Scheduling client calls is another way to build a link with customs. It include informal face-to-face meet. And also, client calls can make company knows the actual sales pitch, discuss market topics with customs, meet new faces and call back-up for data. At last, company update any information in CRM, and participate in evergreen conference call at fixed period. Issues in the past Although the company uses CRM to gain some success, their issues still exist. On the one hand, this method required too much time. The company needs to dial up the Internet, using multiple passwords and entering lengthy data, all of which are time consuming. On the other hand, some information is unavailable when they needed. More specifically, when the company meets the customer, laptops were unavailable. Moreover, the company required the use of internal sales consultant to help them handle the business with customers. At last, entry CRM is not easy, the company usually required 1 day per week and sometimes data is unreliable. Mobile CRM In order to improve the CRM system, the company introduces mobile CRM to be accessed wirelessly on blackberry devices. Blackberry main menu allows for easy access to CRM. Its clicking track wheel allows drill down into any sales number. Initial screens display YTD, MTD, previous day’s sales, or large orders. It enables more detailed data, reports, customer information, and other tasks. Detailed customer screens show single customer information including contact details and sales summary. On the basis of this mobile CRM, the Evergreen Investments’ design greatly improved and the productivity increased as well. The key factors to success The success of the company using mobile CRM due to three factors, easy to use, reliability and updated. More specifically, using the simple method can build an easy way to contact between customers and company. It also makes the company more effective in terms of CRM. In addition, the CRM system should be reliability for both customers and company, which resulting a trusted relationship between customers and company. At last, the company should update their data about their customers. The updated progress should be easy and fast. Potential threats Even if the company uses mobile CRM with an exact way, they may face some potential threats as well. People do not need to come to office, they just need a mobile phone and work wherever they want, which could lead to the low efficiency. They need to handle the relation between family and work. And also this kind of work pattern is not easy for managers to manage their company.

Genetic Variation of Taste Receptors

Genetic Variation of Taste Receptors Abstract: The people have different behaviour to choose the food, and there are many factors that affect the food choices. The best significant factor to choose the food is taste. Differences in taste perception of several taste modalities are associated to difference in the taste receptors. Polymorphisms of the genes that encoding these taste receptors may clarify these unpredictability in taste perception. Individual changes in the capability to identify bitter tasting compounds, such as phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) was a well-known example of this variability. This difference divided the people in two groups: tasters and non-tasters, and is because of in part to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of a bitter taste receptor gene, taste receptor, type 2 (TAS2R) 38. The experiment was designed to determine the PTC phenotype and genotype, the SNP at position 785 is of particular importance in genotyping. DNA was extracted from check cell by using Chelex technique and genotyped by using polymera se chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction fragments length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). A 2% of Agarose gel electrophoresed and stained with Ethidium Bromide to imagine the genotype pattern. The class was tasted PTC test paper to compare phenotype and genotype. The total was 108 students the genotype showed 21 taster (+/+), 51 was mild taster (+/-) and 36 was nontaster (-/-). The allele frequency was not statistically significantly differ from European population. Therefore, TAS2R38 genotype is a truer estimation of the extent of the influence of this single gene on taste perception of PTC in a genetically diverse population. Introduction: Taste perception is the most sensitive predictor of how much a food is pleasant and unpleasant. The people are different in the taste perception of sweet, bitter, sour, or salty tastes which could influence the dietary behaviour (2, 3, 4). The variations in the taste perception between the individuals may relate to a variation in the gene taste receptors (2). The gene family of the taste receptors are encoding from TAS1R and TAS2R. The bitter taste receptors are include the TAS2R38 and TAS2R550. While the umami and sweet taste receptors is the TAS1R. The sour taste receptors are the PKDIL3 and PKD2L1. The genetic variation in these receptors may causes to deferential favourites for some types of food. Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) compounds is the example was more studied in the variation of the sensitivity of taste as the bitterness (2, 5). The TAS2R38 gene is one of the most studied from over twenty-five in bitter taste receptor gene (4).The TAS2R38 gene is responsible for the taste perception of PTC as more bitter and the other related compounds like 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) which both contain a group of thiourea (7.8). The variation in the gene TAS2R38 divided the individuals in two groups of thiourea tasters: tasters and non-tasters (4, 5). Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) The variation in the taste perception of PTC rely on the genetic studies. In 1930s, difference in the ability to taste PTC was first finding by Arthur L. Fox in a laboratory accidental (6). When he was working in the laboratory and transferring PTC powder into a bottle. Some particles of PTC powder flew into the air and his colleague close to him C. R. Noller tasted the particles as bitter but Fox tasted nothing. Fox was make experiment to test a large number of individuals and he found the difference in their ability to taste PTC and he divided the people in two main groups’ tasters and non-tasters (1). Worldwide about 25% of population classified as ‘non-tasters’ and the remaining 75% as ‘tasters’ (1). In addition, Bartoshuk et al, in 1992, discovered that the ‘tasters’ varied in the perception of PTC/PROP in a bi-modal fashion, and they separated them into medium tasters and supertasters. The supertasters were very sensitive to PTC, pe rceiving them as more bitter, while the medium tasters may taste PTC and found it mild bitter. Besides, the spread of super, medium and non-tasters in the general population is roughly 25%, 50% and 25%, respectively (1). The PTC sensitivity believed to be inherited as a simple Mendelian trait with two alleles a dominant trait (T) for taster and recessive trait (t) for non-taster (9). Figure 1: shows the inheritance of PTC trait. PTC genotype TAS2R38 or PTC gene is located on chromosome 7q and consists of a single coding exon 1002 bp long, encoding 333 amino acids, 7-transmembrane domain G-protein-coupled receptor (2, 6). A number of SNPs have been identified within this gene, the three most common SNPs (>1% of the population has variants at a specific DNA sequence, considered an SNP and (4).Also, the PAV/PAV homozygotes are sensitive to PTC more than PAV/AVI heterozygotes while AVI/AVI homozygotes are fewer sensitive (4). The AVI haplotypes in the non-tester differ at 3 SNPs from the PAV haplotypes of the tasters (9). The aim of this practical: To focus on the TAS2R38 genotype and its link with the ability to taste PTC test paper. The SNP at position 785 is of specific concern in genotyping. Comparing the allele frequency detected in the class with those observed in European population subject in group 226 and Sub-Saharan African subject in group 224. Material and Methods: To determine the TAS2R38 (A262V) genotype by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction endonuclease digestion, Fnu4H1 enzyme. The procedure that has been done was as the following: Protocol of DNA Extraction from Cheek Cell (scrape or wash): First week take a 10 ml of water pour into mouth and swirl to release buccal cells and spit back contents into tube. Centrifuge the tube at 3000rpm for 3 minutes, carefully pour off supernatant and retain cell pellet. Added 350Â µl of 5% Chelex mix and then transfer the pelleted buccal cells to new (1.5ml) Eppendorf tube. The 5% Chelex to protects DNA breakdown under a high temperature. Added 4Â µl of proteinase K to the Eppendorf tube that contains buccal cells and 5% Chelex. Incubated the tube containing chelex/cells at 56Â °C for 30 minutes in the heating block, then briefly vortex the tube for 10 seconds after that centrifuge the tube at 3000rpm for 20 seconds. Incubated the tube ( chelex/cells) again in heating block at 98Â °C for 15 minutes, then vortex the tube for 10 seconds, after that centrifuge for 3minutes.Transferred the supernatant that above the chelex containing the buccal cell (DNA template) into the sterile 1.5ml Eppendorf tube and measured the DNA concentration by take 1Â µl of DNA into machine called nanodrop nucleic acid then kept at -20Â °C to preserve the DNA. Protocol of Phenyl Thiocarbanate(PTC) using PCR Reaction: Second week take a 43.5Â µl of master mix was already prepared in the PCR tube and transferred 6.5Â µl of DNA extraction. (Buccal cell DNA).Vortex and spin the tube to make the liquid contents to bottom of the tube. The total PCR tube reaction volume contain 50Â µl of mixtures were placed in the PCR machine and the thermal cycler conditions were: cycle of 94Â °C for 4 minutes. The 40 cycles of 55Â °C for 40 seconds, 72Â °C for 40 seconds and 94Â °C for 40 seconds .Then 1 cycle of 55Â °C for 5 minutes and at 72Â °C for 5 minutes. The sequence of Forward primer was 5’ AACTGGCAGAATAAAGATCTCAATTTAT3’ The sequence of the Reverse primer was 5’ AACACAAACCATCACCCCTATTTT 3’. Restriction Digestion (Fnu4HI): Last week transferred a 20 ÃŽ ¼l of the component mixture (PCR product) to a tube containing 10ÃŽ ¼l of the restriction endonuclease master. The tube was placed in into a 37Â °C heating block for two hours. Electrophoresis of PCR Products: A 30ml of 2% Agarose gel with 0.5Â µl/ml of ethidium bromide was loaded into the gel tank with adjusting the comb, the gel was kept 15 minutes to get stuck. After that the TBE buffer was loaded, covering the surface of the gel and the comb was removed. Take 12Â µl of PCR product undigested and digested into two different tubes added 3Â µl of DNA loading buffer mix and spin. Then, 10ÃŽ ¼l of PCR product/loading buffer was loaded into the well of 2% Agarose gel and 10ÃŽ ¼l of the ladder (100bp) was added in the last well. The gel electrophoresed at 90 volt for 45minutes, negatively charged (-ve) DNA moved toward the anode side (red). Last take gel photograph under UV trans-illumination. Taste tests: The PTC taste test paper was used to observe the capability to identify the bitterness of PTC and its relative with the TAS2R38 genotype. Statistical analysis: The data of the allele frequency for C785 and T785 observed in the class was compared to the allele frequency of European population subjects in group 226 and Sub-Saharan African subject in group 224 by using the Chi square test. The Chi square test was also used to investigate the association between the TAS2R38 genotype and phenotype. All statistical analyses were performed with Minitab data analysis software. References Feeney E. The impact of bitter perception and genotypic variation of TAS2R38 on food choice. Nutrition Bulletin. 2011; 36(1):20-33. Wooding S, Kim U, Bamshad M, Larsen J, Jorde L, Drayna D. Natural Selection and Molecular Evolution in PTC, a Bitter-Taste Receptor Gene. The American Journal of Human Genetics. 2004; 74(4):637-646. Chaudhari N, Roper S. The cell biology of taste. The Journal of Cell Biology. 2010; 191(2):429-429. Feeney E, OBrien S, Scannell A, Markey A, Gibney E. Genetic variation in taste perception: does it have a role in healthy eating? Proc Nutr Soc. 2010; 70(01):135-143. Lalueza-Fox C, Gigli E, de la Rasilla M, Fortea J, Rosas A. Bitter taste perception in Neanderthals through the analysis of the TAS2R38 gene. Biology Letters. 2009; 5(6):809-811. Kim U, Drayna D. Genetics of individual differences in bitter taste perception: lessons from the PTC gene. Clinical Genetics. 2004; 67(4):275-280. Dotson C, Shaw H, Mitchell B, Munger S, Steinle N. Variation in the gene TAS2R38 is associated with the eating behavior disinhibition in Old Order Amish women. Appetite. 2010; 54(1):93-99. Duffy V, Davidson A, Kidd J, Kidd K, Speed W, Pakstis A et al. Bitter Receptor Gene (TAS2R38), 6-n-Propylthiouracil (PROP) Bitterness and Alcohol Intake. Alcoholism: Clinical Experimental Research. 2004; 28(11):1629-1637. Merritt R, Bierwert L, Slatko B, Weiner M, Ingram J, Sciarra K et al. Tasting Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC): A New Integrative Genetics Lab with an Old Flavor. The American Biology Teacher. 2008; 70(5):e23-e28. Appendix

Aspects of Autism :: disability disorder autistic

Aspects of Autism In general, autism is the developmental disability that prevents individuals from properly understanding what they see, hear, or otherwise sense. Approximately 3 to 5 out of every 10,000 school aged children have some for of autism, and males with the disorder outnumber females with it by nearly 5 to 1. It is estimated that 1 in every 500 display some autistic characteristics (Williams, xiv). Autism is called a spectrum disorder because there is no one characteristic and it is different in every person. Parents may hear labels such as: autistic-like, learning disabled with autistic tendencies, high or low functioning autism. These labels don’t describe differences in the child as much as the differences in the professional’s training, vocabulary, and exposure to autism (autism zone, review). Autism and related disorders are grouped under the broad heading of â€Å"Pervasive Development Disorder† or PDD. Autism, PDD-NOS (pervasive development disorder, not otherwise specified), Asperger’s syndrome and Rett’s syndrome are the four diagnoses used to describe individuals who manifest some, but not all characteristics of autism (Dalldorf, 1). There is no definite test for autism. Autism is usually first diagnosed in children when they are about 2 years old. A child may display normal or above normal development until this age and suddenly change. It is unknown exactly what causes autism, but it is a biological problem and a child’s environment has nothing to do with the disorder (Martin, 2-4). Also there is no one treatment to help autistic people. There are dozens of ways that seem to help and for every person it is different. First there are the characteristics that are most common in autistic people to varying degrees. Delays in the development of language or no development at all. If it does develop then there is often use of words without attachment of normal meaning, use of unusual metaphors or speak in the formal, and talk in a monotone voice (Martin). They usually avoid eye contact and appear to tune out the world around them. They can appear to be deaf one minute and overly sensitive the next and similar reactions with all their senses. Some autistic people may excel in one area or another such as music, math, drawing, or memorizing facts whether important or not. That was the characteristic displayed in the movie â€Å"Rainman†. However, only about 20% of autistic people have average or above average intelligence (autism zone, review).

Charles Dickens Reflection on Society in Hard Times, Oliver Twist, Nic

Charles Dickens' Reflection on Society in Hard Times, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, and David Copperfield In this essay I will be examining how and why Dickens chose to comment on the society in which he lived through his novels. I will be examining ‘Hard Times’, ‘Oliver Twist’, ‘Nicholas Nickelby’ and ‘David Copperfield‘. Charles Dickens was considered to be one of the greatest English novelists during the Victorian period, and during this period, novelists had a tradition of commenting on issues affecting society through their work. They chose to express their views like this so people would realise exactly what is taking place in the town or village they are living in. Charles Dickens had a very disturbing childhood, members of his family were sent to prison and he was sent to work at the age of twelve in a Blacking Factory; he became miserable. He escaped from this by writing fictional texts in school; he then developed his existing skills and made rapid progress. From the entire trauma he went through, he decided to express his pain through his words. The education system was extremely poor. Only children with working parents would be educated, whereas poorer children would have to work. In the novel ‘Hard Times’, the education system was firm, harsh and stern; ‘Quadruped. Graminivorous†¦Age known by marks in mouth.’ This straight-to-the-point definition of a horse suggests that the teacher spoon-feeds the young, tender, innocent children with useless facts. The word ‘Graminivorous’ highlights that these children are being turned into adults mentally because he ‘fed‘ the innocent children with facts that adults will normally know. Everything is so simplified for him, the teacher does... ... was irony that Dickens used here: the word ‘parlour’ suggests that it is a pleasant home but what’s going on inside is totally the opposite. In conclusion, Dickens has used his works successfully to comment on society because all of the issues that were affecting all classes of people, he included them so we could really understand what went on during the Victorian times. I have learnt a lot from this, about how people lived and how they were treated. I have learnt that these two periods of time were totally different to each other. The novel that had the most impact on me was Nicholas Nickelby; this is because Dickens made us feel sympathetic for the characters, he made me feel as if I was there as one of the characters because this novel was so convincing. I really felt a lot of sympathy for the children who had to suffer from this inhumane cruelty.

Ben & Jerrys Homemade Ice Cream - Marketing Stratgies :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework Essays

Ben & Jerrys was experiencing a steady growth within their sales figures from 1990 to 1993. However, In March 1994, Cost of Sales increased approximately $9.6 million or 9.5% over the same period in 1993, and the overall gross profit as a percentage of net sales decreased from 28.6% in 1993 to 26.2% in 1994. This loss might have been a result of several reasons, such as high administration and selling costs, a negative impact of inventory management, and start up costs associated with certain flavours of the new Smooth, No Chunks ice cream line. Ben & Jerrys selling, general and administrative expenses increased approximately 28% to $36.3 million in 1994 from $28.3 million in 1993 and increased as a percentage of net sales to 24.4% in 1994 from 20.2% in 1993. This increase might reflect the increase in marketing and selling expenses and the increase in the companys administrative infrastructure. Ben & Jerrys loss was not solely due to their employee orientated approach, but they appeared to have taken out a vast amount of capital lease in their aim to automate their production to keep up with the intense competition. As reflected in the balance sheet, Ben & Jerrys had reinvested huge amounts of property and equipment in 1994 increasing their long-term debts by almost 45% in 1993. Alternatives available to the consumer now, and in the foreseeable future Haagen Dazs is currently the main competitor in the concentrated market place for super premium ice cream. Substitutes are however available. There are other ice creams not in the super premium category. To an extent, these are real competitors. However for the market B&J caters for {the up market 25-40s with a high disposable income} their strategies should not have a great impact on B&J. The frozen yogurt lines which B&J now provides, has a number of direct competitors to deal with. Dealing with other substitutes is not that simple. Expensive (or not) chocolate, cakes, croissants and other post meal consumables are realistic options for the consumer. Ferrara Rocha will assure you that their product is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. B&J need to be wary of this. How he/she makes the choice for ice cream (as opposed to chocolate etc.) and then super premium (as opposed to premium or ordinary) and then B&J (as opposed to Haagen Dazs etc.) is essential. [See section 3.21 Research] The possibility of a rival ceasing B&Js place as no.

Internet Gambling Essay

The technoculture related topic that I am going to explore is the phenomenon of Internet gambling. With the emergence and explosion of gambling on television such as the World Series of Poker of ESPN or The World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel, online gaming has quickly become a major player in the technoculture of contemporary society. I feel it is important to explore this issue because of American society’s fascination and obsession with gambling. Gambling can and has become a very serious and damaging activity to many people in this country. According to CNN. com, studies have shown that people who gamble on the Internet tend to have more serious addictions than people who wager through more traditional venues. Through my research, I hope to further explore why Internet gambling has the potential to be more dangerous than traditional casinos and how younger generations of Americans and the government are responding to this ever-growing phenomenon. Literature Review The research I discovered on Internet gambling is fairly recent and comprehensive. Since online gaming is a reasonably new trend, the material written on the matter was rather current. Furthermore, there was a substantial amount of information within these three sources. It was evident that the three authors conducted high-quality research, and it showed with the use of graphs, charts, and case studies. Also, the three sources had a very similar outlook on the present and future situation of online gaming. With that being said, given that online gaming is at the peak of its existence, it is imperative that further exploration and examination within the subject be carried out. Because of the instant access one has to a gambling venue and the privacy factor of the Internet, online gaming has become a risky undertaking for many. According to David Schwartz (2003), â€Å"Internet gambling presents new problems for individuals and society† (p. 214). Instead of driving to an actual physical casino, problem gamblers can enjoy betting in the comforts of their own home. At home, they are not monitored by other gamblers and/or casino personnel which results in the ability to set their own limit. The Internet also allows the gambler to maintain a level of privacy not found in real casinos. If there are no friends or family around to supervise, then the gambler can engage in irresponsible betting without any time constraints. Finally, unlike real casinos, Internet casinos are readily available at the click of a button. If an online gaming organization will not accept one’s money, one can bet that there are thousands of others that will be happy to take one’s funds. The demographics of gambling are interesting to investigate within the subject. According to Rachel Volberg (2001), â€Å"adults ages 18 to 29 are substantially more likely than older adults to have gambled privately† (p. 34). Young adults are also more likely to gamble for excitement compared to older adults (Volberg, 2001). This is not a difficult concept to grasp. Normally, young adults have a less appreciative concept of money because they do not have as great of a responsibility as older people in regards to providing for family, paying bills, and spending money on expenses that are traditionally not familiar to a younger person. Furthermore, young people are usually unsupervised, especially in the collegiate demographic. Without the approval from mommy and daddy, young adults all across America are enjoying the financial freedom to do whatever they want with the money they have. In addition, according to Thomas Barker and Marjie Britz (2000), â€Å"many college students have deep pockets ? Mom and Dad’s† (p. 139). With this new found autonomy and fiscal assistance from parents, college kids are engaging in online gaming for fun and excitement. However, if left untreated and unsupervised, the fun and excitement can soon turn into a dangerous addiction with serious consequences and ramifications. With the possibility of Internet gambling becoming a serious problem, the government has been asked to step in and legislate the situation. According to Volberg (2001), â€Å"The fact that Internet gambling is conducted in a networked, data-intensive environment offers opportunities for regulation and oversight in several critical areas, including licensure, testing for game integrity and site security, auditing and oversight, taxation, and consumer protection† (p 97). Basically, Volberg is supporting a regulatory system that will be able to monitor the activities not only of the individual gambler, but of the gambling website as well. If the government actually does get involved, certain problems can be remedied. For example, every transaction made by a player can be closely followed and tracked. If a player indicates behaviors that suggest irresponsible decision-making, the player can be flagged and possibly suspended from a gambling website. However, all in all, Internet gambling will most likely always have its problems. Just like alcohols are with minors, people will get their hands on something they probably should not be touching. Internet gambling is an intensifying activity in American culture. With all the limitless possibility and endless potential of the Internet, online gaming will continue to be a major player in the world of technoculture and the information society. Nevertheless, what is important within this public sphere is to be able to responsibly deal with the world of Internet casinos. We need to come to a positive middle ground between the two sides of the spectrum; the fun and excitement of gambling and the spiraling addiction. Current Trends Like anything in life, when you create stimulus you are going to yield a response. In regards to online gaming, the stimulus that was created was the buzz generated by the constant bombardment of gambling programs on television. ESPN annually televises The World Series of Poker during the summer in which thousands of people descend upon Las Vegas to gamble in all types of events including poker, blackjack, craps, etc†¦ Many times they tell the story of some â€Å"average Joe† who enters a tournament and eventually ends up winning thousands of dollars. This false sense of hope has grabbed millions of Americans into thinking that they too, have the ability to win a substantial amount of money. The response to this stimulus has been the emergence of online casinos. However, instead of people winning money, crime has actually been the fallout of this risky behavior. According to ABCnews. com (2006), a Lehigh University student by the name of Greg Hogan Jr. attempted to rob a local bank in order to pay off his gambling debts. He was eventually caught and pleaded guilty to the offense and now faces up to three years in jail. During his interview with Good Morning America, Mr. Hogan blamed his addiction to online gambling websites for his setback, and cautioned the American public to the dangerous power of Internet gaming. In addition to his story, according to ABCnews. com (2006), â€Å"2. 9 million Americans between the ages of fourteen and twenty-two gamble with cards online at least once a week, and fifty percent of male college students and twenty-six percent of female college students gamble on cards at least once a month. † To combat this growing epidemic, the House of Representatives took a proactive stance on the matter by passing legislation that would make it illegal to use credit cards on gambling websites and make it significantly more difficult to access these sites. Whether it gets passed by the Senate and the Executive Branch is another matter, however, at least the government is recognizing the problem sooner rather than later. In conjunction with this theory of crime, many Internet scammers have found opportunity within this growing trend. An article on ABCnews. com (2006) describes an elaborate scheme where bookies took sports bets through an Internet gambling site. The insecurity of the website allowed these thieves to launder millions of dollars and corrupt the free enterprise system of the Internet gaming business. Fortunately, these criminals were caught. Nevertheless, it makes you wonder how frequent this sort of thing exists in the online world. Some have argued, nonetheless, that Internet gambling has its benefits. According to Tom W. Bell (1998), the inclusion of the Internet has fostered competition to a business that has long enjoyed the sanctuary of restraining licensing practices. Rather than having to fly out to isolated casinos in Vegas or Atlantic City, you can enjoy the experience of gambling in the comforts of your own home. Bell (1998) also supports the belief that gambling in your home allows an individual to escape the traps found in real, physical casinos. A person does not have to be surrounded in a windowless structure while being harassed by cocktail waitresses carrying a tray of free booze. Because of online gaming, the business world has more free enterprise and has given the individual a sense of security not found in traditional locales. In terms of my own personal experience, I actually signed up to one of these gambling websites to investigate how they attract and seize the public. The website was www. gambling. com and in order to register, all I had to give them was a current e-mail address. I found it sort of comforting to know that they pledged that they would not pass any of my information on to any other company and/or website because I did not want my stagweb to become flooded with junkmail from these websites. Immediately after becoming a member, I was granted 400 Ludos. I had no clue as to what Ludos were, but after some probing, I discovered that they were basically a form of Internet currency. For every twenty five Ludos, I received a dollar. That equals sixteen dollars. But, here’s the catch. For me to actually receive the Ludos and use them to gamble, I would have to give them my credit card information and pay a montly fee which was actually just about as expensive as the Ludos themselves. Brilliant. Moreover, the website contained links in which I could learn how to play games by reading tutorials, and then, actually play those games. I conducted a little experiment of my own to see how many times I won during one of the games. Out of twenty-five spins on one of the slot machines, I ended up winning sixteen times. That is a sixty-four percent average of winning. Now, anyone who understands anything about gambling knows that the absolute best percentage of winning is fifty percent. However, most of the games are not even close to that percentage. My suspicion leads me to believe that these websites give a false sense of hope to their members. If they succeed in tempting people to try these games, and these games yield a winning percentage better than fifty percent, more often than not, someone is going to believe that they actually have a great chance of making money. It actually is a genius scheme to lure in the public. Make them believe. Once they have accomplished that, these websites have them right where they want them. Conclusions The effects of online gaming are now becoming more clear and transparent to technoculture and the information society. It is apparent that online gaming has become a microcosm of the digital divide that exists within society. According to one of our readings during the semester written by Oscar H. Gandy, Jr. (2002), the differences that make up the digital divide are more than just social constructions. The actual construction is molded due to the new systems of communication that have surfaced within the last twenty years. In relation to online gaming, Internet gaming websites are now competing to display the flashiest, most hypertextual sites in order to attract customers. Due to this competition, better bandwidth and enhanced software will result, thus highlighting the digital divide. Data mining and this notion of surveillance has also entered the conversation regarding online gaming. Because an individual has to present private information about one’s self on a website to facilitate gambling, the possibility of gambling website selling personal information in return for financial gain is a distinct possibility. As aforementioned, the site I visited before pledged that they did not engage in data mining. Yet, this seems to suggest that other sites do exercise this right which effectively gives companies useful information about yourself. Moreover, whenever someone uses the Internet, especially in a situation where one willingly submits personal information such as credit card and phone numbers, the possibility of third party surveillance is always present. It really conveys the authentic risks one undertakes when participating in the latest innovation. Another theory that online gaming illustrates is the constant tension between structure and agency. The government represents structure. As a stable entity, it looks to control the path of Internet gambling by establishing rules and regulations in hopes of creating some order. Internet gambling, on the other hand, is the perfect example of agency. Gambling, in and of itself, is the exact definition of what agency represents: the ability of uncertainty and chaos to influence the parameters through which we live. However, as much as these two concepts seem unrelated, there is an interdependence that spurs the creation of new technologies, not only in the world of online gaming, but throughout the technological landscape. Annotated List of Relevant URLS 1. http://www. playwinningpoker. com/resources/sites2. html : This website is a resource for gamblers.It allows the user to learn new games, find new games, and contact certain people involved with gambling. 2. http://www. gambling. com/best/online-gambling-sites. htm : This website directs users to the best gambling websites on the Internet. It has a list on the left hand side with about sixty different links to other gambling sites. 3. http://www. out-law. com/page-6655 : This website is about illegal activities on the Internet. It contains a few articles on illegal mishaps that have occurred through Internet gambling websites. 4. http://www. becker-posner-blog.com/archives/2006/08/on_internet_gam. html : Blog that contains articles about Internet gambling. Website constructed by Gary Becker and Richard Posner. 5. http://www. cardplayer. com/blog/entry/179 : Blog that is pro-Internet gambling. Players write their feelings on why they think Internet casinos are fun and exciting. 6. http://www. istoppedgambling. com/ : Website founded to help people with gambling problems. Includes personal stories, how-to instructions, and negative articles about gambling. 7. http://www. nomoregambling. com/ : Website founded to help people with Internet gambling problems. Has a hotline and other medias to help combat irresponsible Internet betting. Works Cited Barker, Thomas & Britz, Marjie (2000). Jokers Wild: Legalized Gambling in the Twenty-first Century. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Schwartz G. , David (2003). Suburban Xanadu: The Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip and Beyond. New York, NY: Taylor and Francis Books, Inc. Volberg A. , Rachel (2001). When the Chips Are Down: Problem Gambling in America. New York, NY: The Century Foundation, Inc. http://www. cato. org/testimony/ct-tb052198. html.

The Last Samurai

1) Japan. The end of XIX  century,  Capt. Nathan  Algren(main character), an American  military officer  hired by  the Emperor of Japan  to train  the country's  first army  of the rising sun  to contemporary art  of warfare. The Emperor  is trying to  eradicate the  ancient  Imperial  warrior  class  of samurai, in preparation for  a more  pro-Western  government policies  supporting  foreign trade. Meanwhile,  as a result of  collisions with the  samurai,  Algren  finds himself in the center of  the confrontation  of two worlds and  civilizations,  where  the only way to  survive  is  guided by  its own  concept  of honor. ) Nathan Algren: What do you want? Katsumoto: To know my enemy. Nathan Algren: I've seen what you do to your enemies. Katsumoto: Warriors in your country do not kill? Nathan Algren: They don't cut the heads off defeated, kneeling men. Katsumoto: General Hasegawa asked me to help him e nd his life. A samurai cannot stand the shame of defeat. I was honored to cut off his head. Katsumoto: And who was your general? Nathan Algren: Don't you have a rebellion to lead? Katsumoto: People in your country do not like conversation? Nathan Algren: He was a  lieutenant colonel.His name was  Custer. Katsumoto: I know this name. He killed many warriors. Nathan Algren: Oh, yes. Many warriors. Katsumoto: So he was a good general. Nathan Algren: No. He wasn't a good general. He was arrogant and foolhardy. And he got massacred because he took a single battalion against two thousand angry Indians. Katsumoto: Two thousand Indians? How many men for Custer? Nathan Algren: Two hundred and eleven. Katsumoto: I like this General Custer. Nathan Algren: He was a murderer who fell in love with his own legend. And his troopers died for it.Katsumoto: I think this is a very good death. Nathan Algren: Well, maybe you can have one just like it someday. 3) Differences  between the two culture s  of these countries  are very strong  as we  can see in  the dialogue, Nathan Algren  protagonist  does not understand  what Katsumoto,  the rebel leader  says,  but  only in  the beginning and  at the end of  the film  author  quite  clearly shows  how Englishman understood the ancient culture of  Japan. In this film  the best  scenes  is a  heroic  death,  let's say,  three hundred  Japanese who encountered  by continuous  fire from the  guns and  howitzers.Here  we are talking about  personal  valor and military honor,  above all,  including –  devotion to  their ruler  or  lord. The human  personality, which remains independent and free, even in  the moment of death,  when  made   a conscious choice  between  fame and infamy,  is  the main measure of  value. And this,  director  showed  the viewers by  eyes  of the protagonist,  a foreigner. The fact that he   has mastered the  culture which he didn’t know at all   and  in the end  decided to be  for it. 4) Finally, I want to say that the main principle of survival in the harsh environment of foreign life is adaptation.And I chose this film because there are clearly shown and gradually as the main character throughout the film get used to the Japanese environment. The protagonist, taken prisoner by samurai, gradually turns into a samurai. Contemplation of people indifferent to his own death, talks with rebel leader Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), stating that the person who saw the perfect shape of a flower, has lived a life not in vain, a clear rhythm and strict rest of life around make from American captain a new man.He understands why his former enemies’ absolute hero – not the one who kept the army and strategic positions, but the one who led a detachment of 211 troops against the two thousandth. And he understands why Katsumoto smiles happily when he hear d that all 300 soldiers were killed Spartan  at Thermopylae; he understands why widow of killed by him Samurai nursed him after being wounded – killed for a fair fight can not be an enemy. And, realizing this, Olgren wears the captain samurai armor, stands in order of their recent opponents and comes with a sword against guns and howitzers.Predetermined outcome of the battle, but it absolutely does not matter: death – only worthy end of life as a single ceremony of honor. Therefore, before the final battle, the protagonist offers a simple truth, which requires a long way to me: fate can not be change or submit- the fate amenable to recognition only. University of International Business and Economics The Last Samurai Intercultural communication Student: Farrukh Khamraev ID: IUP2010070 Date: November 29,2011 Beijing, 2011

Grand Theory Written Assignment Essay

Nursing theory gathers specific information regarding aspects of nursing and utilizes these findings to communicate and describe nursing phenomena. Theories provide a framework for nursing practice and processes. Grand nursing theories are broadest in scope and provide generalizations regarding nursing situations. Grand nursing theories consist of four schools of thought. Nursing theorists bring a unique definition, approach, and focus to these specific schools of thought. The first school of thought includes theories that reflect an image of nursing as meeting the needs of patients (Meleis, 2012). When a patient is unable to meet their individual needs it is the responsibility of the nurse to provide what is necessary in assisting the patient towards independence. Virginia Henderson was a needs theorist who categorized human needs into 14 components: breathing normally, eating and drinking adequately, eliminate body wastes, move and maintain desirable postures, sleep and rest, selec t suitable clothes, maintain homeostasis, personal hygiene, protect the integument, avoid environmental dangers and injury to others, communicate with others, worship according to faith, participate in recreation, learn and discover, and work in such a way there is a sense of accomplishment (www.currentnursing.com). Henderson defined nursing as assisting with these activities to help the individual achieve independence. A person’s ability to successfully perform activities of daily living is imperative to healing. Nurses can assist patients achieve this by identifying knowledge deficits and providing the person with knowledge to help restore wholeness. The next school of thought is interaction. These theories were conceived by those who viewed nursing â€Å"†¦as an interaction process with a focus on the development of a relationship between patients and nurses† (Meleis, 2012). Interaction theorists focus on illness as an experience and nurses must implement therapeutic processes to care for the patient. Imogene King was an interaction theorist that defined nursing as â€Å"†¦a process of action, reaction, and interaction whereby nurse and client share information about their perceptions of the nursing situation and agree on goals† (Meleis, 2012). King’s theory stated that the goal of nursing is to help individuals maintain their health and share meaningful interactions to achieve their goals (Meleis, 2012). The interaction school of thought is imperative because it empowers the patient to be an active and equal participant in their own health care. The third school of thought is outcomes. These theorists strived to restore stability and bring balance to the patient and their environment (Meleis, 2012). Myra Levine was an outcomes theorist the believed that nursing is a conservation of integrities and energy (Meleis, 2012). Levine also defined nursing as patient advocacy and individualizing patient needs with compassion and commitment (Meleis, 2012). These theorists believe that effective coping mechanisms can help the patient live harmoniously. The fourth and final school of thought is caring/becoming. These theories evolved from interaction theories but they are more expansive. â€Å"The process of care is defined as a process of becoming for both clients and nurses; however, transformation is only possible if each is open to it† (Meleis, 2012). Jean Watson believed the goal of nursing to be mental and spiritual growth for human beings, (nurses and clients), and finding meaning in experiences (Meleis, 2012). The caring theory focuses more on the nurse/patient relationship compared to the interaction theory. The grand theory school of thought that is most congruent with my nursing practice is the outcomes theory. I believe that every patient responds to health issues differently. I assess what they need, what their deficits are, and how I can enable their coping mechanisms. I work at a busy trauma center and we have emergency surgeries frequently. Many of these are suction dilatation and curettages. Each woman handles this differently. So I sense and assess what they need to have the best outcome possible. Some want to leave right away, some want to stay a while, some want to see their family and some don’t. It might not be the norm to keep one of these patients for three hours, but I will keep them until they are ready to leave. I believe in patient advocacy on an individualized basis. Please refer to Table 1. Grand Theorist Information for theorist comparison.

Development Phase Essay

In our group we started to develop the life of Billy Johnson and his triumph to becoming a war hero. Billy is an over confidante young man whom decides to join the war due to all the advertisement and belief form his father. Billy is convinced by propaganda that war will bring him loads of girls, fame and fortune and is gullible enough to take the risk and put his life on the line for un-thought of consequences. Unfortunately for Billy, little does he know that this decision will lead him to his cowardly death in the depth of the war. In my group we focused on showing how serious war can be and how you can be extremely hyped up and all of a sudden, that hype is shattered at the sounds of bullets blazing overhead. We used many elements of drama to express and enhance our piece. We started off our piece by having the whole family at the dinner table and the father (Umar) hands out the notice to Billy (me). This automatically kick starts Billy’s thoughts of becoming a hero and makes himself believe that he is unstoppable. Billy’s mum (Zeynap) and his younger sister (Marion) are shocked at the thought of Billy going into war especially at a young age of 16. This scene develops many emotions because the family are shocked but also disappointed at the father for filling Billy’s head with false hope. This starts off the reality of war because people don’t think about the casualties war can bring upon us. In Billy’s eyes it is a chance to become a real man and prove his mother and sister wrong that he can succeed and become a war hero. To show the different emotions flowing through each characters mind, we used thought tracking. We used this technique because we felt it is the best way for a character to express their feelings. Each member of the family expressed how they felt about Billy going to war so it was a good idea because the audience could get some information about the current mood of each character. In the second scene Billy went over to his mate James’s (Umar) house to try and convince him to join the army as well. This scene shows how Billy is too over confidante at the thought of war and it makes James see that Billy has his head in the clouds. James tries to remind Billy how dangerous war can be but Billy is too consistent on becoming a war hero. After a matter of convincing, Billy eventually manages to get James to agree a chance to become famous and join Billy’s side on the battlefield. This scene shows how people can be peer-pressured into activities and how your friend’s word isn’t always correct than your gut feeling. In the third scene we have Billy and James signing up for war. This scene was rather interesting because you can clearly see that Billy is really excited but James is rather doubtful at the thought of survival. Billy has to lie about his age to get signed up but it doesn’t really matter to Billy because his cockiness seems to get the better of him as he lies through his teeth. When he sees how nervous James is he decides to wait and encourage James to sign up. Then as Billy urges James forward, James has a monologue, which explains to the audience that James only wants to help people, not kill them. I think that Umar played this part of the scene very well because he reaches out and really touch the audience with his emotions towards war. In the monologue James shows how he is scared and nervous about going to war and is really re-thinking signing up. Unfortunately for him Billy is too focused on getting them both to war so poor James doesn’t really have a chance to tell Billy his feelings. The forth scene was a very intense scene. This scene takes place on the boat, which our brave soldiers are heading off to war. We introduce a new character in this scene. Matthew (Zeynap) is a rather brave and confidante character, mostly a resemblance to Billy. Matthew approaches the free seat next to James but is rudely told to go away by a very frustrated James. Billy lets him sit down and Matthew and Billy begin to talk about how Great War will be. Then suddenly James snaps back to reality and starts to state the obvious about how dangerous war can and will be. Billy tries to calm James down but to no avail. This scene was very affective because the scene was quite to start of with then James starts to shout and it livens up the tempo. As James exits the scene, both Matthew and Billy are left awkwardly deep in their thoughts. In our fifth scene we were situated in a crosscutting dill-lemma. In one scene we had James and Billy back to back in the trenches showing how scared they were and how terrified they both looked. On the other hand we had the mother and little sister back at home thinking about the two boys and how reminding themselves how safe they will be. This scene helped to emprise our true emotions towards war and how war can literally make or break you. The family scene was focused on how positive the war will be and how both family members had full faith In Billy and his courage to succeed. The mother was reassuring the little daughter that Billy will be safe and he will come back a real man. Then we go and look at the two boys in the trenches. You can see that both of them are terrified at the thought of war and will become emotionally depressed. We tried to use the technique of limiting words to try and make the scene more affective because the audience would see my the facial gestures that these two boys are really terrified and may regret the thought of joining the war. Throughout this scene it is clear the audience that everybody is human and even the strongest soldier can even get scared at the sight of men screaming and dieing before their very own eyes. Our sixth scene was the most emotional and exciting scene. In the scene Billy falls to his cowardly death. We tried to make this scene as emotional and touching to the audience because they see the fear in Billy. This scene starts off by Billy asking his fellow soldiers, was it the right decision going to war. James shoots back at him by reminding Billy that this was all his idea and he should face the music. As the cornel (Marion) notifies that it’s time to shape up and head into the battlefield, every soldier holds their breath, and charges for what could be their last few minutes on this Earth. But then all the focus turns to a whining, shameless Billy Johnson. After all his courage able talk, Billy whimpers in the corner of the trench, unwilling to charge. His cornel shouts at Billy and tells him to get up immediately. Billy refuses and back talks. This shocking coward ness form a soldier leads to Billy’s cowardly death. This scene proves to the audience that even the most cockily people can be overpowered by fear. It made me really feel for Billy as I played this scene because his father encouraged him that war will make him a hero. It made me realise that Billy was just a young boy trying to impress his family and make a small difference in this world. As Billy’s life ends, the next scene shows the after shock of this disgusting news. Our final scene shows how the thought of never hearing a family members voice, touching their skin or even smelly their scent can make you wish death upon you. This scene was very emotional because you can see how upset and distraught the family’s reactions were towards Billy’s death. These sorts of moments will always be remembered as emotional crashes in out lives. It makes us realise that you got to hold onto and be grateful for what you have because you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. In this project I have learnt a lot about the affects of war, the ups and downs and most importantly the way the human mind functions. This play made me realise that not everything is as exciting or rewarding as it’s said to be and we should think fully through our decisions before we make them.

Sandstone Reservoirs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sandstone Reservoirs - Research Paper Example Examples of sandstone reservoirs are found in Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, coastal basins of Equatorial Africa, United States’ Gulf Coast, Rocky Mountains and Southern North Sea (Stoneley 39). 2. Carbonate Rock Reservoirs Carbonate reservoirs comprise of geologic formation that are naturally fractured which are characterized by heterogeneous permeability and porosity distributions. These are the predominant types of reservoirs all over the world accounting for about 50% of all reservoirs. The distinctive aspect of carbonate reservoirs is their intrabasinal origin. Their mode of formation was primarily dependent on organic activities. They were formed through biochemical processes in special environments. Organisms involved in their formation also contributed in determination of their qualities. Carbonate reservoirs are highly susceptible to processes of modification as a result of post-depositional mechanisms. The variations observed among various carbonate reservoirs res ult from processes such as lithification and compaction (Ahr 50). A notable feature of these reservoirs is their high sensitivity to environmental changes. Changes in temperatures affect biogenic activities thus affecting sediment production. This aspect is what makes carbonate reservoir development depth dependent. Favorable conditions enhance organic productivity while in unfavorable conditions productivity ceases. Carbonate reservoirs are considered autochthonous since they develop close to their final depositional sites. Water energy and basin configuration influences deposition which leads to formation of carbonate reservoirs. Examples of carbonate reservoirs are found in Big Horn Basin in Wyoming and south Caspian basin which encompasses... They develop better vugs and fractures that are relatively important for flow and storage of fluids. Carbonate reservoirs are also harder and tighter than sandstone reservoirs (Renpu 9). Primary porosity of sandstone reservoirs is exclusively interparticle while that of carbonate reservoirs can either be intraparticle, interparticle, intercrystalline, vuggy, fenestral or cavernous. Porosity-permeability relationships of sandstones are relatively consistent and dependent on particle texture while that of carbonate reservoirs are highly varied and independent of particle size (Ahr 53). Shale reservoirs differ from sandstone reservoirs in that shale reservoirs can contain organic mudstones which are not present in sandstone reservoirs. They can also have open fractures which are not common in sandstone reservoirs. Conglomerate reservoirs differ from sandstone reservoirs in that conglomerate reservoirs exhibit an extra-high heterogeneity as a result of a complex pore structure. They also display rapid changes in permeability and porosity between their layers which is not the case with sandstone reservoirs (Zou 298). Advantages of Sandstone Reservoirs Porosity of sandstone reservoirs is uniform over time since it does not diminish with increasing saturation of the reservoir. Chemical processes do not affect the permeability and porosity of sandstone reservoirs. Effects and of micro and macro organisms do not impede fluid transfer through sandstone reservoirs as can be the case with carbonate reservoirs (Renpu 11).

Anti-terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Anti-terrorism - Essay Example We are here. Speak to us. Listen to us. Tell us what you think and why. The attrition of human rights by the government policy inclined to fight terrorism developed over decades in relation to the conflict in Northern Ireland, and this was given renewed impetus by the UK's actions in response to the attacks in the USA on 11 September 2001.Then came the events of 7 and 21 July 2005 in London and its suburbs, when a series of explosions rocked a business-like morning in London. Ever since the 11 September 2001 catastrophe, the UK authorities have passed a series of new laws, even though the UK already had some of the toughest "anti-terrorism" laws in Europe. These laws contain sweeping provisions that contravene human rights law, and their implementation has led to serious abuses of human rights. The shooting and killing of an innocent man in broad daylight by police officers is a stark reminder of the law and order in the UK today. People suspected of involvement in terrorism who have been detained in the UK under the new laws have found themselves in a Kafkaesque world. They have been held for years in harsh conditions on the basis of secret accusations that they are not allowed to know and therefore cannot refute. After the events of 7 and 21 July 2005 in London, more draconian measures were proposed. These included a new Terrorism Bill currently before Parliament. Some of its most sweeping and vague provisions, if enacted, would undermine the rights to freedom of expression, association, liberty and fair trial (United Kingdom, Human Rights: a broken promise, amnesty.org, referred on 15.04.2006).1 2.0 Anti Terrorism Provisions "In 1974 when the Irish Troubles once more flared up, the UK government responded with a Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The PTA made it an offence for any individual to belong to a banned group and contained special powers of arrest and detention. After 9/11, however, the Terrorism Act (TA) was hastily augmented by Parliament in the form of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act (ATCSA) in 2001. ATCSA made further provision for dealing with terrorism by freezing terrorist owned funds and property, disclosing of information, stop weapons of mass destruction, and enhancing police powers. Parliament introduced a new regime called "Control Orders" under PTA of 2005.Under this legislation the Home Secretary can, subject to judicial oversight, make orders which place a wide range of restrictions on the rights and freedoms of individuals suspected of being involved in terrorist related activities. Any individual within the UK, including

Wave power renewable energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wave power renewable energy - Essay Example In the similar manner, wind energy converts the wind to energy. On the other hand, non renewable energy resources utilize fossil fuel resources like coal, petroleum oil and natural gas to produce energy. Non renewable energy resources produce immense amount of green house emissions. Non renewable energy resources are going to end one day but renewable energy resources are not going t end till the end of the earth. The prices of oil and gas are rising day by day and renewable energy resources are free for all. Wave energy is also a renewable form of energy has several advantages over on renewable energy resources. Wave energy converts the hydrodynamic energy of the waves to a usable energy form (mostly electricity). Waves are formed due to the impact of the high winds on the surface of oceans. When a wave id formed an immense amount of water is forced to displace. The displacement of the water can be changes to energy. Wave energy is a renewable form of energy as it produces no green house gas emission and requires no fuel to generate energy (Henderson, 2006, p.271). Several methods are utilized to convert the wave energy to electricity. One method of the wave energy conversion is to utilize the high surge of air blasting through an enclosed air trapping body. The high surge of air rotates the air turbine with an immense power. The turbine is directly connected to an alternator r generator that converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy (Australian Ethical, 2014). Other methods include the hydraulic pressure generation, hydroelectric turbine generation and linear generator. The power generation method utilizing the hydraulics captures the wave energy by using the submerged wave columns. When a wave comes, water is hydraulically pressured by the water columns to move the turbine blades directly from the high pressurized water or utilized to be filled in a reservoir. The water from