Inclusion Is Examined Through An Article Detailing The...

Running head: SAMPLE PAPER Sample Paper with outline Sample Student Liberty University PSYC 345–D03 Abstract Inclusion is examined through an article detailing the life a young girl name Ro Vargo. Risk and resilience are examined and examples from Ro’s life are discussed. The sociocultural theory is then fully explained followed by a discussion of elements such as developmental pathways and developmental outcomes such as optimal versus adequate adaptation. Examples from Ro’s life illustrate these concepts. Next, five scholarly research studies are examined and the pros and cons of inclusion are discussed based on the findings of these articles. Finally, the biblical view of inclusion is addressed. †¦should be 200-250 words†¦ ** Note an abstract is NOT indented. Introduction Inclusion rejects the use of special schools or classrooms to separate students with disabilities from students without disabilities. A premium is placed upon full participation by students with disabilities and upon respect for their social, civil, and educational rights. In the school setting there are â€Å"special† classrooms for students with disabilities in order to help them learn. When there is inclusion in the classroom there is normally a special education teacher as well as a general education teacher to help the students that have disabilities. This paper discusses research from articles about intergrating inclusion in school and also a biblical perspective . Risk

Database Security A Comprehensive Approach For Data...

Abstract As organizations increase their reliance on, possibly distributed, information systems for daily business, they become more vulnerable to security breaches even as they gain productivity and efficiency advantages. Though a number of techniques, such as encryption and electronic signatures, are currently available to protect data when transmitted across sites, a truly comprehensive approach for data protection must also include mechanisms for enforcing access control policies based on data contents, subject qualifications and characteristics, and other relevant contextual information, such as time. It is well understood today that the semantics of data must be taken into account in order to specify effective access control†¦show more content†¦Security breaches are typically categorized by three main aspects which are Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Confidentiality is protecting the database from unauthorized users. Ensures that users are allowed to do the thing s they are trying to do. Integrity is protecting the database from unauthorized users and ensures that what authorized users are trying to do is correct. Availability authorized users should be able to access data for legal purposes as necessary. A threat can be defined as a hostile agent that causes issues, either casually or by using specialized technique to modify or delete the information managed by a DBMS. These threats can be non-fraudulent threat which are usually caused by natural or accidental disasters or errors or bugs in hardware or software or human errors. Fraudulent threats are caused by authorized users those who abuse their privileges and authority. These improper or hostile users (outsider or insiders) attack the software and/or hardware system, or read or write data in a database. Major Functions as a Database Administrator Keeping up with the vastly growing technologies in the both hardware and software fields while following the current technologies and predicting how those changes will impact the organization and managing the data security and privacy. As a database administrator need to be expert in some of the

2000 Election Essay Research Paper I have free essay sample

2000 Election Essay, Research Paper I have selected to compose about the 2000 election and who the two major campaigners are and what their programs and thoughts are for the presidential place. This subject has interested me since the beginning of the New Year. With two footings stoping for President Bill Clinton, the new election has had a batch at interest. At one terminal of the ring there is Vice President, Democrat, Al Gore in the Hunt for the presidential place. The other terminal is Republican, Governor of Texas, George W. Bush following in his male parent s footfalls. No affair the campaigner s party, each of them has many thoughts and programs if they are elected. Democratic campaigner, Al Gore, is our current frailty president. Gore soon 52 is from Washington, D.C. , and has a great trade of political experience. He has held a place in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977-85, the U. S. Senate from 1985-93, and has been Vice President since 1993. Gore besides has past military experience functioning in the Army from 1969-71. When asked about the of import issues confronting the U.S. today such as ; Education, Foreign Policy, Health Care, Social Security and Taxes this is some of Gore s places on each. For instruction he wants to utilize $ 170 billion of budget excesss for an Education Reform Trust Fund that would finance cosmopolitan preschool, enroll high-quality instructors, addition wages of instructors, cut down category size so that there is one instructor for every 20 or fewer pupils, and construct new schools or overhaul existing 1s. Plus, guarantee that there # 8217 ; s a qualified instructor in every schoolroom. Besides, usage province appraisals and answerability systems to place failing schools and do certain they are improved rapidly and to honor schools that are wining. In Foreign Policies Gore supports a strong military, but favors the decrease of arms of mass devastation. He besides supports free trade, human rights, favours spread outing NATO, and supports comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Gore besides has a passion with the environment. As a senator he became an expert on planetary heating, the depletion of the ozone bed, the devastation of the rain wood, and new Earth friendly engineering. ( www.infoplease.com/spot/algore.html ) He supports strongly environmental protection. As for Health Care Gore thinks there should be coverage for every kid by 2005 by spread outing the Children # 8217 ; s Health Insurance Program ( CHIP ) , which financess province plans with federal money. The program would cover kids in households gaining up to 250 per centum of the poorness degree ( about $ 41,000 for a household of four ) . ( The program presently covers those kids in households that earn up to 200 per centum of the poorness degree. ) Gore # 8217 ; s program would let households that earn more than the 250 per centum to purchase into CHIP or Medicaid. He would besides let uninsured parents buy into CHIP. Besides allow people between the ages of 55-65 to purchase into Medicare. Gore supports Patients # 8217 ; Bill of Rights that would vouch patients critical wellness protections and entree to specializers, give patients the ability to appeal determinations by HMOs, and expand patients # 8217 ; and physicians decision-making functions. Gore s thoughts about Social Security are giving all Social Security Surpluses to Social Security and debt decrease. Opposes raising retirement age. Would widen solvency of Social Security through 2054 by beef uping Social Security by utilizing long-run involvement nest eggs. Dedicate all Social Security money to the trust fund # 8220 ; lock box # 8221 ; that would merely be used to pay benefits to retired persons. His thought s for revenue enhancements are as follows ; pay off national debt by 2012, dedicate the full Social Security excess to cut downing the national debt and beef uping Social Security, would so use the ensuing involvement nest eggs to beef up the Social Security Trust Fund, would increase the Earned Income Credit net incomes threshold, would utilize the $ 2.17 trillion non-Social Sec urity excess for $ 480 billion in targeted revenue enhancement cuts ; $ 360 to beef up the Medicare plan ; $ 870 billion in disbursement on domestic plans ; $ 300 billion would be left as a â€Å"rainy twenty-four hours fund.† Choosing Senator Joseph Lieberman as his running mate, Vice President Al Gore has a all right prevarication to walk on. Gore picked Lieberman for his strong moral compass and uprightness. Lieberman has been to the right of Gore on several issues. He portions the frailty presidents positions on the environment, abortion, gun control and civil rights. He besides favors free trade. Lieberman is besides the first Jew on the ticket of a national party. He is an Orthodox Jew, which prevents him from working or siting in vehicles from sundown on Friday to sundown on Sunday. George W. Bush is the 46th Governor of the State of Texas and the Republican campaigner for President of the United States. Bush, presently 54, has been Governor of Texas since 1995. He was besides a campaigner for U.S. House of Representatives in 1978. His military experience is functioning in the Texas National Guard for 6 old ages. When asked about the of import issues confronting the U.S. today such as ; Education, Foreign Policy, Health Care, Social Security and Taxes this is some of Bush s places on each. For instruction Bush wants to make a $ 500 million inducement fund to honor provinces for bettering pupil accomplishment. Schools that don # 8217 ; t better would hold a part of their federal support diverted to rent schools. He wants to give provinces control over criterions and proving. Besides, he wants to make a Charter School Homestead Fund to supply $ 3 billion in loan warrants to assist construct or better 2,000 charter schools. On the Foreign Policy issue Bush opposes Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, unlike Gore who supports it. He besides supports decrease of arms of mass devastation, like Gore. He favors a missile defence system and supports utilizing force to support U.S. critical involvements in the universe. Health Care Bush supports giving Medicare receivers freedom to take between federal and private prescription drug benefit programs. He would give provinces freedom to spread out Children # 8217 ; s Health Insurance Program to cover as many kids as possible, and would give $ 2,000 health-care recognition to households that don # 8217 ; t measure up for Medicaid and are non covered by private programs. Persons would have $ 1,000 recognition. On Social Security he wants to merely wish Gore, give all Social Security money to the trust fund # 8220 ; lock box # 8221 ; that would merely be used to pay benefits to retired persons. He opposes any revenue enhancement addition for Social Security and opposes authorities investing of Social Security in private stocks or bonds. Supported riddance of Social Security net incomes bound. His thoughts on Taxs are to increase one-year part bound on tax-advantaged Educational Savings Accounts from $ 500 to $ 5,000, and expand their range to beyond college and down to kindergarten. He would wish to extinguish the decease revenue enhancement, and the national debt by 2016. Besides like Gore, Bush would utilize the $ 2.17 trillion non-Social Security excess for a $ 1.3 trillion revenue enhancement cut ; $ 475 billion in disbursement on domestic plans ; and $ 265 billion in a # 8220 ; showery twenty-four hours fund. # 8221 ; George W. Bush selected Richard B. Cheney as his running mate. Three months ago, Bush plucked Cheney from his station as CEO of Halliburton Co. , a Texas building and technology outfit that services oil companies, to head the frailty presidential choice commission. ( www.infoplease.com/spot/cheney1.html ) Cheney s experience and his personal ties with the Bush household made him the favourite. The United States will be voting for president within a few hebdomads, the arguments and pre-polls have varied really much over the last few months. Each campaigner has been in the lead so out of the lead, it will be a close race until the terminal. Bush and Gore have some thoughts that are the same, but most are different.

Explain Microeconomics and its Demand

Questions: 1.Explain, with the use of demand and supply diagram(s), the difference between a change in quantity demanded of hats and a change in demand for hats. 2.Explain, with the use of demand and supply diagrams, the effect of the following events on the market for solar panels: (a) The price of solar panels has fallen to below the market equilibrium price.(b) The price of electricity for an average household has increased by 50 percent.(c) New technology has increased the productivity of solar panel producers.3. Assume new medical research has proven that consuming oranges will prevent heart attacks, whilst at the same time, a typhoon destroys 60 percent of the orange crop. Explain, using demand and supply diagram(s), the impact on the equilibrium price and quantity in the market for oranges? 4. If the price of a good increases from $6 to $9, leading to a fall in quantity demanded from 55 to 35 units, what is the price elasticity of demand for the good at this price range? Interpret the calculated elasticity value and explain the impact of the price rise on total revenue. 5. Higher education benefits society as a whole. Discuss two (2) measures a government can implement to increase the demand for higher education. Explain, with the use of demand and supply diagram(s), the impact of the suggested government measures on the equilibrium price and quantity of higher education. 6. Assume the government has removed all entry restrictions in an industry where the existing firms are making an economic profit. Explain, with the use of demand and supply diagram(s), the impact of the government measures on the profit of firms in the industry. 7. Critically examine, using the game theory matrix diagram and relevant assumptions, why there is a lack of price competition between the main banks in Australia. In your answer, evaluate both the collusive and non collusive scenario. What are the alternatives available to banks to maintain or increase their market share? Answers: 1. There are two graph represents change in quantity demanded shown in figure 1 and the change in demand in figure 2 respectively. These two particular terms have different types of meaning in economics. As shown in figure 1, it can be made out that the change in quantity demand of a product can lead to change of the price of the product (Mankiw, 2007). For example, the quantity demand of hats increases if the price decreases as shown in figure 1. On the other hand, the change in demand can affect the change in quantity demanded. For example, the change of demand of the consumer can change the demand graph. This happens because the change in price causes the change in the products demand. 2. Figure 3 a) Market equilibrium price is a certain price of a particular product when the price does not tend to change on a frequent basis. Now, if the price of solar panels has fallen to below the market equilibrium, price, from figure 3 it can be said that the demand quantity of the solar panels are greater than quantity supplied (Perloff, 2004). It also signifies that there will be possibilities of price hike of the solar panels in the market of solar panels as shown in figure 3. b) If the price of electricity for an average household has increased by 50 percent then in the market of solar panels the can increase. The quantity demand for solar panels will also see a jump from the past. If the supply remains good the price will not change radically but if the supply demand ration is not met properly that can cause change in the prices of the solar panels in the market. In figure 3 it can be understood properly. c) Now if new technology has increased the productivity of solar panel producers that suggests there will be ample supply of the product and no shortage of it can be found. In that case the prices will drop significantly in the demand remains the same. However, if the demand picks up the prices of the product might not face a drastic slip down. In figure 3, one can see that if there is surplus of a product then the prices will see a down fall. 3. Figure 4 Now, one has to discuss this question by looking at two things simultaneously. Providing the fact that medical research has shown that orange consumption will prevent heart attacks then there will be certain jump in the demand of oranges can be observed (Pindyck and Rubinfeld, 2005). On the other hand at the same time as typhoon destroys 60 percent of the production of oranges, there will be a supply issue in the market. As shown in figure 3 and 4, there is a relation between supply demand if the supply decreases and demand increases at the same time there will be price hike of oranges. That suggests the market equilibrium price will go down. But as the prices will go up therefore the quantity in the market of the oranges will decrease. 4. Past Present % change Price 6 9 50 Quantity demanded 55 35 36.36364 Price elasticity = percentage change in quantity demanded/ Percentage change in price = 36.36/50= 0.7272 As the quantity demanded decreases at high rate with the rise in the price of the product, the revenue earned from the product decreases. If the price elasticity is high, the revenue earned from the product seems to decrease. Therefore the total revenue earned from the product decreases (Sloman and Sutcliffe, 2003). 5. To increase the demand for higher education in the society the government can take several measures. First of all government can come out with a modal that can suitable for the students to compete the students of the outer world. Secondly, the cost of the higher education should be taken under consideration to attract more and more students (Krugman and Wells, 2006). Besides, the structure of the course should be job oriented so the students can find it easy in work places. As shown in figure 3, if government comes out with prolific measures to promote higher studies the growth of the market will certainly extend to some extent (Krugman and Wells, 2005). Therefore, as we can see the growth brings demand and demand brings sales. Therefore, the market will be more beneficiary. As the sale is improved the profitability will certainly improve. As government measures will certainly bring down the education cost of the students therefore the market equilibrium price will go upwards and thus the quantity of higher education will be increased significantly. 6. Figure 5 Now as it is said in this question, if the government has removed all entry restrictions in an industry where the existing firms are making an economic profit significantly then there will be a certain impact on the profit firms in that particular industry. As shown in the above figure 5, due to the government measures more companies will able to take part in the particular market and therefore there will be a huge supply of products. But as the consumers are not increases significantly therefore the demand does not grow compare to the supply. That is why the price of the product will be going down to a certain extent. As a result the profit of the firms will decrease due to surplus of product. 7. It has been found that the banks performing in the Australian market performs in a highly competitive market that forces the Banks from not increasing or changing the price. If any of the Bank changes the price, it will face a high change in the quantity demanded of the services provided by them. This can effect adversely for the Banks (Abel and Bernanke, 2001). Therefore the bank lacks a price competition in the Australian market. Banks can use alternative methods for attracting customers by providing them with better services and attractive offers. This would help the banks to gain a good market share in the highly competitive market of Australia. Hence, it is recommended for the Banks to choose alternative methods to increase the market share. References Abel, A. and Bernanke, B. (2001).Macroeconomics. Boston: Addison-Wesley. Krugman, P. and Wells, R. (2005).Microeconomics. New York: Worth. Krugman, P. and Wells, R. (2006).Economics. New York: Worth Publishers. Mankiw, N. (2007).Macroeconomics. New York: Worth Publishers. Perloff, J. (2004).Microeconomics. Boston: Pearson Addison Wesley. Pindyck, R. and Rubinfeld, D. (2005).Microeconomics. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M. (2003).Economics. Harlow, England: Prentice Hall/Financial Times.

Utopia By More Essays - Utopian Novels, Utopia, Utopian Fiction

Utopia By More Focus Question: How does More comment on his times through Utopia? Syllabus outcome: Describe the interrelationship between the religious environment and the social and cultural context on which the literature draws. Introduction: When I chose to review Utopia, I can honestly say that I had no idea of what I was letting myself in for. The book is so complex and there are so many conflicting ideas and interpretations that for a time I considered changing to an easier topic. However, Utopia is a fascinating book and gives an insight in European society just prior to the Reformation - obviously a time of major upheaval. My initial focus question was : How does Thomas More demonstrate in his book "Utopia" the hypocrisy of Christianity throughout the middle ages and how does he comment on possible solutions. However this question was much too broad and I felt that I was missing the whole point of the text and the insight it gives. So I modified the question to "How does Thomas More comment on his times through Utopia." Commentaries on Utopia were fairly hard to come by as shown in my diary, though I did find some useful texts. The movie "a man for all seasons" also gave an interesting insight into the life of Thomas More. It must also be said that interviews with experts were practically impossible as literary critics are few and far between and Utopia is no longer a source of inspiration to many people. Overall Utopia was a fascinating topic for research and I enjoyed learning more about it. All writers are influenced by the times in which they live and Thomas More was no exception. He wrote Utopia during a time of great upheaval and expectation throughout Europe. Furthermore, The Christian church was experiencing a period of great uncertainty and hypocrisy. Utopia was published in 1516; one year before Luther posted his 95 theses at Witenberg and the reformation officially began. Therefore, More wrote at a time when there was great poverty amongst the oppressed serfs. The Church was becoming increasingly corrupt, greedy rulers were waging wars throughout Europe to fulfill their own petty ambitions and the renaissance was causing a cultural uprising. Resultantly Utopia was a product of religious, social and cultural upheaval. As Erasmus once claimed in The Praise of Folly (1511), "contemporary pontiffs instead of being the vicars of Christ, had become the deadliest enemies of the Church, striving ceaselessly after wealth, honours, and countless pleasures, even stooping to fight with fire and sword to preserve their privileges. " When this work is juxtaposed with Luther's 95 theses and especially More's Utopia it becomes apparent that these key intellectuals were deeply dissatisfied with the church. Central to their ideas was the concept that faith alone, grace alone and Scripture alone justified a place in heaven without the purchasing of indulgences. The selling of indulgences was a practice whereby money was paid to guarantee salvation. In this way the Church amassed great wealth at the expense of the peasantry. Thus religious greed compounded social difficulties and made poverty and crime an acute problem which is considered by More in Utopia. In book 1, he considers what is wrong with civilisation. Especially with regard to the severity of the penal code and the unequal distribution of wealth. More, through his imaginary character Hythloday claims that the death penalty for stealing is too harsh and that he would much prefer to seek remedies that would eliminate the causes of stealing. He further describes how, that in the social context of 16th Century Europe men were forced to steal out of desperation and starvation. He argues that "the system was fundamentally faulty...in which non-productive noblemen maintained non-productive flunkeys while forcing the common labourers to drudge in abject poverty. " Furthermore, More makes a comment on the legal system of the times through discussing the Utopian legal system in which the laws are such that the simplest meaning is always correct, such that there are no need for lawyers and there are no loop holes in the law. Hence people can defend themselves regardless of their intellectual capactity. More then comments on the legal system of the time through the imaginary character Hythloday. He claims " in fact, when I consider any social system that prevails in the modern world, I can't, so help me God, see it as anything but a conspiracy of the rich to advance their own interests under the pretext of organising society. " More also makes mention of that "blessed

Essay on Sociology 1001

Essay on Sociology 1001 Essay on Sociology 1001 SOC 1001: Introduction to Sociology What is sociology? Systematic study of human social life How people act in groups & because of groups How individuals affect society and how society affects individuals Ways our thoughts and actions are partly due to our culture& socialization NOT inner workings of the mind isolation Why do sociology? agency = the ability of people to act in the social world. How does one do sociology? 1. Develop your â€Å"sociological imagination† 2. Build on useful ideas & prior research 3. Use appropriate methods 1. Sociological Imagination (C. Wright Mills) â€Å"A quality of mind† that does three things: 1. Helps us see relationship between man/ biography/ self & society/ history/ world 2. Distinguishes between personal troubles & public issues Troubles: caused by individual flaws or bad luck  · From the perspective of an individual. e.g., â€Å"Sarah doesn’t have any comfortable shoes.† Issues: caused by broader cultural factors  · When there is a pattern to the personal troubles then it’s a public issue, especially if the pattern follows socially important boundaries, like gender  · e.g., â€Å"Women’s fashionable shoes are rarely comfortable.† 3. Gives us awareness of the social structures (constraints) that affect our lives Society = Any relatively self-contained and self sufficient group of human beings who are united by social relationships. There are distinct boundaries Social structure = The organized patterns in social relationships and in social institutions that together constitute society. 2. Build on prior work to answer Big Questions What is the relationship between social structure and human agency? How is society held together? How is order maintained? What causes social change? Influential Theorists: Emile Durkheim Key Theories: Functionalism society is an integrated whole , each part contributes to its proper functioning each piece depends on others â€Å"social facts† = things that exist outside of us and constrain us Each social institution has functions (religions, families, education systems†¦) They function together as a system in balance If you disturb one institution, then other institutions have to change to restore balance (Society’s system is still adjusting to past changes) Influential Theorists: Karl Marx Key Theories: Conflict theory Saw tension and conflict as inherent aspects of capitalist society People in power created the current system. Current system serves the powerful Conflict about change is inevitable (defend/change) Influential Theorists: Max Weber (VEH-burr) concept of verstehen, seeing things from others point of view. Argued: we can’t separate ourselves from what we study Influential Theorists: W.E.B. DuBois Double Consciousness – viewing yourself through the eyes of others Focused on the role of history and experience in how you interpret the world Key Theories: Symbolic Interaction (founders incl Weber & DuBois) symbols (words, body language, what we wear, †¦) communicate meaning When we interact, we exchange & interpret symbols micro-level interactions (and, importantly, our interpretations of them) are fundamental building blocks of society and also reveal societal constraints & meanings social change comes through change in symbols and their meanings 3. How can we test the theories? This is a social science, but there’s debate about how well this can work a) Social facts are facts vs. b) We interpret what we see through our personal filters Ways of gathering sociological data Quantitative: count things & look for patterns (e.g., surveys, controlled experiments, content analysis of interviews or interactions) Qualitative: put yourself in their shoes

Discuss the ways in which individuals and communities demonstrate Essay

Discuss the ways in which individuals and communities demonstrate agency in their lives - Essay Example Agency facilitates the way the individual’s negotiates their lifestyle particularly through interpersonal dialogues. Some may however not use interpersonal dialogues but settle on constructing their lives â€Å"spaces† individually, and avoiding linguistic interactions and interpersonal dialogues entirely. Nevertheless, it is vital to note that individual’s demonstration of agency later on forms the building blocks of a community. This is because individuals are community agents since they express their thoughts on cultural matters to other people. Through agency, people are able to carry out face-to-face conversations with people from other communities. This has an impact on either side of the communities since culture is a negotiated meaning (Gutman 5). Being a negotiated meaning, a cultural forum in which the culture is negotiated and re-negotiated is what makes and remakes the culture and the community. This therefore supports the earlier argument that throug h agency, individuals are not passive recipients of community outcomes. Through agency, individuals are able to engage in cultural construction (Gutman 6). Another demonstration of agency is seen in babies. ... This could also mean that the adults from the children could also be the same. Children therefore exploit the meaning they derive from the pre- existing culture to build their own understanding of the world that later on helps them or destroys them as adults. Based on this argument, it is evident that agency plays a vital role in shaping up the future of individuals. For instance, if an individual is given to express his/her opinion of an event, the person will be treated by the other based on the opinion. There is also a probability that the individual may influence others in the process. The opinion may have been constructed from the way the individual views the society from his/her own small world. Agency also influences personal behavior among individuals. The various changes in personal behavior evolve with time and it determines the way people respond to different circumstances. The changes in individual behavior lead to changes in the culture of a society. Some individuals vie w them as suggestions meaning they can be ignored, circumvented or disregarded (Gutman, 6). Through agency, cultural influences have no power over individuals unless they allow them to have power over them. Gutman (7) concluded that the depiction he had of Mexican men was wrong. This is because what he saw was different from what he had the society expected of Mexican men i.e. the men were hard drinkers and philandering macho men. This therefore shows that the men had evolved and developed their own views and goals different from the overall depiction of community as seen by outsiders. The limiting factor in the argument above is the lack of empirical data to measure the extent of ignoring or circumventing the cultural influences in the above case. Furthermore, the

Climate Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Climate Change - Essay Example Earlier it has been pointed that ecological destruction is one of the many leading causes that contributed to climatic changes. Jha and Whalley (1999) pointed that in developing countries, these environmental destruction is caused by massive soil erosion, open and illegal logging, dumping of solid and chemical wastes to the seas and ocean floors, incessant and unregulated pollution’s emission from companies, households, vehicles and industries. This is exacerbated by untreated human and nonhuman waste and other non-compliance of environmental control and laws in resource extraction, land use, and maximization of chemical-based fertilizers (Jha et al., 1999). The heterogeneity of environmental issues is also affected by the lack, if not absence, of enabling policies that can regulate and address ecological problems around the globe. As advanced nations engaged in an extractive industries in open states or countries, project developments in sites where there are mineral production sharing agreement proved destructive to mountains due to open pit nature of operations with consequential negative impact to rivers, water basins, siltation in the shorelines, displacement of native people, polarization of community (e.g. pro-mining and against), militarization of mine sites, and aggravation of community-based human rights violations (World Bank, 2004). The human beings, an integrated part of ecosystem, are also alienated by these developments as original residents in mine sites are removed from their natural livelihood (World Bank, 2004).... The influence and confluence of sun’s phenomenal flares that emit heat waves, atmospheric natural relations within earth’s axis and the environmental destruction made by human beings, intentional and non-intentional, have contributed or caused climatic changes (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2008). Figure 1. A comprehensive graphics of climate change effects to the world. (OpenGreenSpace, 2012). Causes of environmental problems Earlier it has been pointed that ecological destruction is one of the many leading causes that contributed to climatic changes. Jha and Whalley (1999) pointed that in developing countries, these environmental destruction is caused by massive soil erosion, open and illegal logging, dumping of solid and chemical wastes to the seas and ocean floors, incessant and unregulated pollution’s emission from companies, households, vehicles and industries. This is exacerbated by untreated human and nonhuman waste and other non-compliance o f environmental control and laws in resource extraction, land use, and maximization of chemical-based fertilizers (Jha et al., 1999). The heterogeneity of environmental issues is also affected by the lack, if not absence, of enabling policies that can regulate and address ecological problems around the globe. As advanced nations engaged in an extractive industries in open states or countries, project developments in sites where there are mineral production sharing agreement proved destructive to mountains due to open pit nature of operations with consequential negative impact to rivers, water basins, siltation in the shorelines, displacement of native people, polarization of community (e.g. pro-mining and against), militarization of mine sites, and

Review of evidence assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Review of evidence assignment - Essay Example A thorough literature review provides a foundation on which to base new knowledge. For a clinical problem, such as OA, it would likely also be necessary to learn as much as possible about the â€Å"status quo† of current procedures relating to the topic, and to review existing practice guidelines or protocols. Normally, researchers have their research critiqued by peers, consultants, or other reviewers to obtain substantive, clinical, or methodological feedback before implementing the plan (Cormack, 2000, 82-85). Moreover, an integrated and critical review of existing research and theory relevant to the topic should provide a solid rationale and evidence in favour of or against contemporary concepts, practice, or guidelines. The ultimate objective of any research is to undertake a systemic search and collection of data and to analyse and interpret them in order to verify or testify existing knowledge (Clarke, 2004, 100-102). Broadly these data can be classified into two variet ies, numerical and descriptive. Depending on the intended type of data, usually a research is designed into different types, and varieties of information may be revealed. However, irrespective of the type of methodology, critical and systemic review of research can serve two purposes. In that sense, critical reviews are both scientific research and the application of common sense. They serve to identify studies relevant to a particular question, to appraise and assess the eligibility of these studies, and to summarise them, using statistical techniques to combine their results, if feasible and appropriate (Chinnock, Siegfried & Clarke, 2005, 367-369). Research methods are techniques used by researchers to structure a study through which information is gathered and analysed to answer the research question. The two alternative paradigms have strong implications for the research

Database Management: Law, Ethics and Security

Database Management: Law, Ethics and Security Law, Ethics, and Security Standards: Relevant legal and ethical standards need to be considered in the solution design and in future implementation. (SNHU.) A combination of issues have introduced strong ethical concerns in database design: increase in size of data, increased sophistication in mechanisms and convenience of access systems, increased invisibility (through absorption into the application and/or the user interface), increase in circulation and excessive, globalized sharing of information, increased interaction with other databases and applications, increased amounts of personal information, increased merchandising of information and poor or lacking security for database owners. (Goguen.) Additionally, the risks have been augmented by new technologies: open source database management systems; cloud computing and social software applications. With the combined three, the only defense against the unethical use of information is the ethical standards of the stakeholders themselves. (DeMers.) Ethics is a set of principles of right conduct or a theory or a system of moral values. In a civilized society, morality and ethics guide and precede the law. There are no legal laws to govern how individuals morally behave. Nevertheless, legal and ethical guides/rules must be applied to protect the information collected in databases. Limit access of data or prevent inappropriate access to all or part of a data set. Maximize the skills required in learning/using the existing system data. Implement total data transparency, i.e., include features that convey to the end user the feeling like he/she is the databases only user, or hide all the added complexities of distribution, making users assume that they are working with a single centralized system. Include the concept of voluntary informed consent. Address data protection issues and security concerns. Ensure that copyrights are protected. Observe copyright laws (avoid any usage of materials/information without prior and proper consent). When expanding globally, learn and observe applicable regional and/or international laws. Protect IP (Intellectual Property) and IPR (Intellectual Property Rights). Do not infringe upon the intellectual property or patents of others. Keep detailed records of everything (research materials, database rules, etc.) not only for future references but to protect against possible accusations/allegations of impropriety or misconduct). Legal Compliance: The best practices in design, data use, and storage to ensure legal compliance must be implemented. (SNHU.) Certain principles or practices address the increasing complexity of data usage, processing and storage at all levels and stages of a business as well as the associated consequences and effects. By adopting these principles, companies can help ensure that privacy and information security become an essential component of its technologies and business practices from the outset. Understand the business model and rules, specifically, how the enterprise will interact with its customers at every step of the way. Implement appropriate information security policies or build technical reinforcements as to how client information is maintained, stored, collected, used and shared. This will help identify and avert potential privacy issue concerns and risks. Protect cardholder data (including bank and credit card accounts, social security, etc.). Encrypt transmission of cardholder data (to safeguard the data in the event it falls into the wrong hands). Protect stakeholder information (including email addresses, telephone numbers to protect them against spamming, phishing and/or unwanted robocalling). Keep abreast of legal developments and regulations concerning privacy and information security. Seek legal advice as required. Keep data completely anonymous (within and outside the organization). Acquire the users consent before obtaining any personal and sensitive information. Ethical Practices: The best practices in design, data use, and storage can be implemented to ensure the ethical operation of the company. (SNHU.) Following and applying ethical and moral obligations will ensure the trust and confidence of users and customers. The protection of these stakeholders should be the primary concern of any business enterprise. Respect the privacy of users. Never share or pass on a customers personal information to any other person or party without first informing the customer and obtaining his/her consent. Reduce the efforts of repeated and unnecessary collection of data on the user. Be willing to provide customers access to any stored information that the system has on them. Allow users the right to have this information modified or deleted if inaccurate or illegally collected. Be prepared to inform customers the reasons that the enterprise is collecting, storing and using personal information. Ensure safe/secure storage and disposal of customer information. Be prepared to provide a customer with any request for the return, transfer, or destruction of the data. (Yeung.) Choose the appropriate and suitable database model for the company. Use the data appropriately (i.e., do not misuse or sell it for profit or otherwise). Immediately disclose security breaches to stakeholders, the local State Attorney General, Data Protection Supervisory Authority, and any other government agencies. Ensure stakeholders continued access to their information. Ensure data integrity to discourage against data tampering. Hire trustworthy, reliable and experienced staff. Perform background checks if necessary. Security Needs of Solution: In consideration of the type of organization selected, the data used, and consideration of legal and ethical standards, the security needs of your DBMS solution are required. (SNHU.) The group/department for which the enterprise data model was constructed relates to customer sales. Like most enterprises, the success of Vinces Vinyl relies upon customer satisfaction. Therefore, customer data must be protected and kept secure at all cost. Maintain, guard and protect the privacy of customers/users. Monitor and keep user data current (e.g., ensure that the credit cards on file have not expired). Keep data secure and confidential. Document data (explain how it was created or digitized, what it contains, including its structure and any data manipulations). This will ensure data preservation and continuation. Ensure adequate information security (e.g., personal data, financial data, customer purchases, transactions and references). Devote time and attention to security matters. Be aware of obvious vulnerabilities to the database management system. Fortify perimeter security and defenses such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems/intrusion prevention systems (IDS/IPS). Think primarily of security in every step of the way.ÂÂ   Perform regular and deep database vulnerability scans and assessments. Apply restrictions when granting users access to the database and review the access privileges periodically. Encrypt sensitive data. Be sure to manage the encryption/decryption keys, and change them regularly. Periodically monitor and audit user authentication. (AscentTech.com.) Database Security Plan: A comprehensive but high-level security management plan for the design that will align to organizational needs should be implemented. (SNHU.) In addition to the security required to safeguard the customers, Vinces Vinyl should establish certain security practices. This will not only guard against infringement of privacy issues but also against malicious attacks and security breaches such as identity theft. Such data must be protected from unauthorized access and malicious attacks (e.g., Trojan, virus, worms, malware, adware, spyware, DDoS). Of special concern is SQL injection, which does not infect the end users directly. Instead it infects a website, allowing the attacker to gain unauthorized access to the database and the ability to retrieve all the valuable information stored in the database. Only allow and accept the creation of strong usernames and passwords. When systems/applications come with built-in default usernames and passwords (which have been created for easy set up), the log-on information should be erased and replaced as soon as possible. Periodically review the database configuration and delete any unnecessary or unused components since certain database vulnerabilities exploit add-ons and extensions. Avoid creating complex systems. Simplify or only install components that are necessary. Keep the OS, browser(s), software, and hardware current. Apply the necessary updates and security patches. Apply secure coding practices. Frequently monitor and audit the database to determine vulnerabilities, monitor, and audit again. Use available, inexpensive tools to deploy monitoring and auditing automatically. Some tools include prevention capabilities. Protect not only the data but the servers on which they reside. Keep computers and devices physically inaccessible to unauthorized users. Apply strong passwords and usernames. Maintain strict business procedures, e.g., assign individuals specific roles that they should be accountable for (e.g., backing up data, generating reports, verifying data integrity). Implement proper authorization to allow individuals the ability to see only the data that they are authorized to access. Maintain a secure storage of sensitive data (e.g., use strong passwords, install firewalls, intrusion prevention and intrusion detection systems). Properly authenticate users (i.e., make sure that a person is who he/she claims to be and is not an impostor). Apply granular access control and determine how much data an authorized user should be allowed to see. Isolate portions of the database to prevent unlimited access. For example, while a user might be allowed access to his/her personal data, he/she must not be allowed to view/access other users data. Maintain regular backups or data movement onto disk, tape, or stored at third-party sites which are also secured and tracked. Encrypt backups to prevent unauthorized viewing or access. Keep the backups current to enable recovery should the need arise. Implement a documented disaster recovery plan to minimize time loss which could impact the business. Apply integrity constraints by maintaining valid and current information. Enforce encryption to incoming and outgoing data. Record and verify database log reports, histories, changes, etc. Keep everything well documented. Train the personnel and make sure that everyone understands and has a grasp of both desktop and cloud database security. Implement strict safety procedures for everyone to follow on a regular basis. References 28 Types of Computer Security Threats and Risks. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 16, 2017 from http://www.itscolumn.com/2012/03/28-types-of-computer-security-threats-and-risks/ Business Rules: Informal Predicates. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 3, 2017 from http://www.databasedesign-resource.com/business-rules.html Conger, S. (2014). Hands-On Database, 2nd Edition. [MBS Direct]. Retrieved from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780133927078/ Compliance by Design. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 16, 2017 from https://www.itlawgroup.com/resources/articles/76-compliance-by-design Database Study Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 16, 2017 from https://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/privacy/database/study.php Data Security Challenges. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 16, 2017 from https://docs.oracle.com/cd/B10501_01/network.920/a96582/overview.htm De Mers, B.A. (November 20, 2014). On Ethical Issues Surrounding the Planning and Designing of Databases. Retrieved on March 16, 2017 from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141120200923-338627392-on-ethical-issues-surrounding-the-planning-and-designing-of-databases Enterprise Data Model. (October 28, 2009). Retrieved on March 3, 2017 from http://www.learn.geekinterview.com/it/data-modeling/enterprise-data-model.html Enterprise Data Model. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 3, 2017 from https://www.techopedia.com/definition/30596/enterprise-data-model Goguen, J.A. (December 6, 1999). The Ethics of Databases. Retrieved on March 16, 2017 from https://cseweb.ucsd.edu/~goguen/papers/4s/4s.html#B-S98 Hernandez, M. J. (2013). Database Design for Mere Mortals: A Hands-On Guide to Relational Database Design, 3rd Edition. [MBS Direct]. Retrieved from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780133122275/SNHU (2016). Modeling Business Rules. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 3, 2017 from http://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/10/domain_based_models/modeling_business_rules.html IT 650 Milestone Four Rubric.ÂÂ   (n.d.). Retrieved on January 20, 2017 from https://bb.snhu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-14554096-dt-content-rid-41947794_1/courses/IT-650-17TW3-MASTER/IT-650%20Student%20Documents/IT%20650%20Milestone%20Four%20Rubric.pdf Kandle, N. (July 1, 2005). The Enterprise Data Model. Retrieved on March 3, 2017 from http://tdan.com/the-enterprise-data-model/5205 Regulatory Compliance and Database Management. (March 2006). Retrieved on March 16, 2017 from http://www.sandhillconsultants.com/whitepapers/regulatory_compliance_and_database_management_whitepaper.pdf What Are Business Rules? (n.d.). Retrieved on March 3, 2017 from http://etutorials.org/SQL/Database+design+for+mere+mortals/Part+II+The+Design+Process/Chapter+11.+Business+Rules/What+Are+Business+Rules/ Yeung, C. (September 5, 2012). What privacy issues are involved in building a marketing database? Retrieved on March 16, 2017 from http://www.startupsmart.com.au/mentor/what-privacy-issues-are-involved-in-building-a-marketing-database/

A Separate Peace - Symbolism Essays -- essays research papers fc

In John Knowle’s A Separate Peace, symbols are used to develop and advance the themes of the novel. One theme is the lack of an awareness of the real world among the students who attend the Devon Academy. The war is a symbol of the "real world", from which the boys exclude themselves. It is as if the boys are in their own little world or bubble secluded from the outside world and everyone else. Along with their friends, Gene and Finny play games and joke about the war instead of taking it seriously and preparing for it. Finny organizes the Winter Carnival, invents the game of Blitz Ball, and encourages his friends to have a snowball fight. When Gene looks back on that day of the Winter Carnival, he says, "---it was this liberation we had torn from the gray encroachments of 1943, the escape we had concocted, this afternoon of momentary, illusory, special and separate peace" (Knowles, 832). As he watches the snowball fight, Gene thinks to himself, "There they all were now, the cream of the school, the lights and leaders of the senior class, with their high IQs and expensive shoes, as Brinker had said, pasting each other with snowballs"(843). Another of the principal themes in this novel is the theme of maturity. The two rivers that are part of the Devon School property symbolize how Gene and Finny grow up through the course of the novel. The Devon River is preferred by the students because it is above the dam and contains clean water. It is a symbol of childhood and innocence because it is safe and simple. It is preferred which shows how the boys choose to hold onto their youth instead of growing up. The Naguamsett is the disgustingly dirty river which symbolizes adulthood because of its complexity. The two rivers intermingle showing the boys’ changes from immature individuals to slightly older and wiser men. Sooner or later, Gene and Phineas, who at the beginning of the novel are extremely immature, have to face reality. Signs of their maturity appear when the boys have a serious conversation about Finny’s accident. Finny realizes that Gene did shake the tree limb purposely so that he would fall. However, he knows that this action was spontaneous, and that Gene never meant to cause him life-long grief. Finny sympathetically says to his best friend, "Something just seized you. It wasn’t anything you really felt against ... ...iendship between Gene and Phineas is amidst themes such as lack of reality, low maturity levels, and false appearances. Their relationship deteriorates and leads to death because they fail to learn these valuable life lessons. The purpose of Knowles’ novel is to exaggerate the life of two young boys to the extreme in order to reveal the unfortunate things that can occur in a relationship when these themes are not taken seriously. As stated in Magill’s Survey of American Literature, "It (A Separate Peace) can be viewed, for example, as a tale of Original Sin, with the Devon School as an Eden enclosing the great Tree of Knowledge through which humankind falls far from innocence but is redeemed by the suffering of a totally innocent one. It may also be approached as a reworking of the classic tale of the need to accept the potential evil within everyone and thus make peace with one’s self." BIBLIOGRAPHY "A Separate Peace." Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Vol. 3. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corp., 1993. Beacham’s Guide to Literature for Young Adults, Vol. 3, pages 1186- 1192. Knowles, John. A Separate Peace. Prentice-Hall Literature, Platinum, 1996 ed.

Junking the Junk Food Essay

In this article the author is trying to show us how our country has become very unhealthy nation. Warner believes that to end the obesity in the country the government needs to be involved. They should make healthy food more appealing while making the junk food less appealing. There are a lot of people whom are worrying and trying to change the way majority of American people eat. Because almost 40% of American people are fat, and that because the way they eat. Lot of politicians are trying to send their message to the public and trying to make them realize that fast food is bad for them and eating healthy is good. Personally I don’t think that government can force somebody to change the way they eat. The only way or the only solution is changing our culture, because most of the people think eating burgers and fries everyday is normal, that’s their culture. But the day that we change that thinking and the day that we start thinking that eating healthy (fruits, vegetable s) everyday is a normal, than we are going to have a different culture, and totally different America. 400 – Warner identifies how politician Sarah Palin recently made an appearance in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with cookies to pass out to the kids of the local schools and how unnecessary the act was. Criticizing Palin’s actions, Warner continues on her point of how children are not deprived of these â€Å"treats† that some believe to be needed and how these foods and lack of nutrition need to be changed not encouraged. 401- Warner also mentions here how Glenn Beck mocked the governmentand led to government health inspectors shutting down a7-year olds lemonade stand. Government can’t regulate what the American people eatand don’t eat. Because there are lot of educated people and know the consequences of eating too much fatty foods. She also refers to Michelle Obama’s campaign to fight childhood obesity. She wants to change our culture educating peoples to eat fruits and vegetables instead of french fries and burgers. 402- Warner explains how government is trying to regulate the amount of junk food that we eat. She is trying to compare current events and historical events to explain how the eating habits in our country have changed over the years. An example is â€Å"the food rationing programs of World War 2† She also offers some solutions to the problem of obesity in the country. One of these solutions is that we should make fatting foods look bad, like we made cigarettes look bad. People will have a hard time changing their eating habits when junk food is portrayed as delicious and they don’t directly receive negative side effects 403- The only way or the only solution is changing our culture, because most of the people think eating burgers and fries everyday is normal, that’s their culture. But the day that we change that thinking and the day that we start thinking that eating healthy (fruits, vegetables) everyday is a normal, than we are going to have a different culture, and totally different America. 404- She also mention if we stop putting the cigarette like a s exy and cool product instead of putting something really bad that can damage our lungs and cause a horrible disease like a lung cancer can stop people smoking.

The Best Dinosaur Movies Taglines

The Best Dinosaur Movies Taglines Not all dinosaur movies are equal, as anyone whos seen both Jurassic Park and Tammy and the T. Rex can tell you. However, thats not to say that even a truly bad movie about dinosaurs or prehistoric animals (not to mention a pretty good one) cant have a truly memorable tag line that packs people into theaters or Netflix queues. Here (with thanks to the indispensable book The Dinosaur Filmography, by Mark F. Berry) are the most rousing dinosaur movie slogans in genre history. (See also The Five Best and Five Worst Dinosaur Movies and the 10 Most Famous Fictional Dinosaurs.) The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)They couldnt believe their eyes! They couldnt escape the terror! And neither will you! The Beast of Hollow Mountain (1956)One day after a million years it came out of hiding to kill! Kill!! KILL!!! Carnosaur (1993)Driven to extinction! Back for revenge! Carnosaur II (1994)Back for another bite! Carnosaur III (1996)Terror will never be extinct! Caveman (1981)Back when you had to beat it before you could eat it... The Crater Lake Nightmare (1977)A beast more frightening than your most terrifying nightmare! Dinosaurus! (1960)Alive! After 70 million years! Roaring! Walking! Destroying! The Giant Behemoth (1959)Invulnerable...untouchable...the biggest thing since creation! Gorgo (1961)Towering over the cities of the world, as millions flee in awesome terror! Journey to the Center of Time (1967)Run from the valley of monsters in the year one million B.C.! Jurassic Park (1993)An adventure 65 million years in the making! King Dinosaur (1955)Youll be SHOCKED! Youll be STUNNED! Youll be THRILLED! (Also: Terrifying! Fantastic! Startling!) Lost Continent (1951)Thrills of the atomic-powered future! Adventures of the prehistoric past! The Lost World (1960)Your mind wont believe what your eyes tell you! The Lost World (1992)On movie posters: They were looking for something fantastic...what they found was unbelievable! On video boxes: They were searching for the unknown...what they found was fantastic! The Mighty Gorga (1969)The greatest horror monster alive! A Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell (1990)The prehistoric and the prepubescent, together at last! One Million B.C. (1940)So amazing you wont believe your eyes! One Million Years B.C. (1966)A time when there was no law, and man, woman and beast roamed the earthuntamed! Planet of Dinosaurs (1978)Trapped in a nightmare world of prehistoric monsters! Prehysteria (1993)Theyre the worlds oldest party animals! Reptilicus (1962)Invincible! Indestructible! What was the beast born 50 million years out of time? Tammy and the T. Rex (1994)Hes the coolest pet in town! Teenage Caveman (1958)Prehistoric rebels against prehistoric monsters! Theodore Rex (1995)Hes a real blast from the pastand dont even think of calling him Barney! Trog (1970)From a million years back...horror explodes into today! Unknown Island (1948)See prehistoric denizens that defy the imagination! See mans puny attempt to defeat monstrous beasts! The Valley of Gwangi (1969)Cowboys battle monsters in the strangest roundup of all! When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1971)Enter an age of unknown terrors, pagan worship and virgin sacrifice!

Free Essays on Bless The Beast And The Children

Book Report summary of, â€Å"Bless the Beast and Children† By: I enjoyed reading Bless the Beast and Children by Glendon Swarthout. The story takes place in Presscot, Arizona, where six boys were sent to a camp to make them into men. The six main characters are Goodenow, Teft, shecker, the two Lally brothers, and Cotton. The story had many twist and turns. During the boys time at camp, they were assigned the nickname, â€Å"The bed wetters†, because of their poor hletic abilities. The boys devised a plan to escape from camp, steel one of the camp’s vehicles and drive it to a special ranch and free tons of buffalo from their deaths. After finally stealing a vehicle and arriving at this ranch the boys devised a plan to free the buffalo. After the plan failed the six boys devised yet another plan to free the buffalo and succeeded, but not without a loss. When trying to free the buffalo by driving their vehicle through the fence, cotton crashed and was killed. I especially liked this book because it shows courage and pride in the boys. But I disliked the length of the book.... Free Essays on Bless The Beast And The Children Free Essays on Bless The Beast And The Children Book Report summary of, â€Å"Bless the Beast and Children† By: I enjoyed reading Bless the Beast and Children by Glendon Swarthout. The story takes place in Presscot, Arizona, where six boys were sent to a camp to make them into men. The six main characters are Goodenow, Teft, shecker, the two Lally brothers, and Cotton. The story had many twist and turns. During the boys time at camp, they were assigned the nickname, â€Å"The bed wetters†, because of their poor hletic abilities. The boys devised a plan to escape from camp, steel one of the camp’s vehicles and drive it to a special ranch and free tons of buffalo from their deaths. After finally stealing a vehicle and arriving at this ranch the boys devised a plan to free the buffalo. After the plan failed the six boys devised yet another plan to free the buffalo and succeeded, but not without a loss. When trying to free the buffalo by driving their vehicle through the fence, cotton crashed and was killed. I especially liked this book because it shows courage and pride in the boys. But I disliked the length of the book....

Toxic Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Toxic Culture - Essay Example izational Culture, I will agree with Guthries position basing on the fact that it’s the leaders responsibility to create and shape the organizations culture (Guthrie, 2014). A study by Lin and McDonough (2011) clearly identifies that leadership has a direct influence on organization culture. The study shows that leaders cannot directly influence an organizations productivity; however, they can directly influence the organizations culture, which has a direct influence on the organizations productivity. Although in the beginning the leader is solely responsible for creating an organization culture, the culture starts to evolve with time and partly influences the organizations leadership. However, a leader who clearly understand the basic ideas of leadership and strives to help the organization achieve its goals should never claim ignorance of what is happening under their nose. They should understand that they are in control; therefore, their task is to constantly monitor the change in their organizations culture. That is to say if ‘the organizations culture turns toxic’ they should be responsible for condoning it since that is their responsibility. Guthrie, D. (2014, January 16). Whos to Blame for Creating a Toxic Organizational Culture? Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/dougguthrie/2014/01/16/whos-to-blame-for-creating-a-toxic-organizational-culture/ Lin, H. E., & McDonough, E. F. (2011). Investigating the role of leadership and organizational culture in fostering innovation ambidexterity. Engineering Management, IEEE Transactions on, 58, (3): 497-509. Malby, B. (2007). How does leadership make difference to organizational culture and effectiveness? Retrieved from Nothern Leadership Academy:

International business in the globalization process Essay

International business in the globalization process - Essay Example This means that these global giants are ready to look after the societal aspects since they have understood how things work within their own respective areas. An example of such a global giant is Shell which has earmarked corporate social responsibility campaigns within the fields of education and empowerment to the small business owners all over the world (Daniels, Radebaugh, Sullivan, 2011). The less than responsible businesses could be given food for thought since these global giants are playing big within the corporate social responsibility realms and ask for encouragement within their own ranks. They could find new ways and means to go out there and bring about a significant difference within the lives of the people, just like the global giants that have invested heavily within the corporate social responsibility undertakings. In essence, the role played by the major businesses in this day and age is of tremendous influence and should be treated as such because this embodies the basis of a significant change in the times to follow. References Daniels, Radebaugh, Sullivan., 2011. International Business Environments and Operations, Prentice Hall.

Film Les Miserables and Masculinity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Film Les Miserables and Masculinity - Essay Example Therefore, this paper is not a film review, but a technical research paper. It is however, not a full thesis or complete research study, but general thoughts on masculinity with a general aim of understanding it better. The paper uses scholarly ideas or theories and relates these to the selected movie in order to draw new insights on masculinity. The chosen theme or recurring working idea for this paper is the understanding and appreciation of masculinity. This effort to understand is made through an analysis of previous ideas on masculinity drawn from papers or researches of scholars on the issue of gender and masculinity. Meanwhile, appreciation is derived through a chosen visual presentation or a film from which a more graphic representation of ideas on masculinity can be derived. The film chosen for this paper, the movie Les Miserables is a Golden Globe Award winner for Best Picture in Hollywood this December 2012. The significance of this paper can easily be seen from the important social developments starting the late twentieth century, more particularly the 1960s and 1970s. During these years, feminism and the gay movements started to change the outlook of societies towards gender and sexuality (Peoples 9). Since then, traditional beliefs and biases on masculinity and femininity started to erode. This very well shows that gender is not a static, but rather a dynamic reality. This dynamism behind gender has been especially portrayed, if not exploited by the powerful media of communications today. In turn, mass media have served to hasten the dynamism of change in human sexuality and gender. Thus during our own times, dramatic social and cultural changes have introduced the rather unexpected recognition of gay rights in the U.S. military, legalization of gay marriages in some countries, surgical male-to-female sex changes in modern medicine, and other social and cultural alterations or reform s. The need to understand issues on masculinity is therefore important, as the dynamism of gender and manhood continues to escalate until our day. And as shall be shown later, the issues relating to masculinity may have created a global impact in which even the security and sustainability of democratic states and the world may be at stake. This shall be discussed later, but for more clarity, the following questions are proposed as the main problems in this paper: 1. What is the appropriate understanding of masculinity? 2. What are the major concepts of masculinity that relate to its dynamic nature? 3. How does the movie Les Miserables portray the major concepts of masculinity? 4. What lessons can be drawn from the above conceptual and visual analysis of masculinity? Studies on gender and manhood To understand masculinity, there is a need to analyze ideas or theories introduced by scholars or researchers on this issue. This is an appropriate approach since our modern societies are to day knowledge-based societies. Scientific studies have become the lever to awaken awareness, impart understanding, and formulate theories on social issues. This paper has therefore sought concepts expounded by scientific theorists on gender and manhood. From these theories, an appropriate understanding of masculinity can be derived. In this regard, the study made by Christopher T. Kilmartin deserves consideration. In his book The Masculine Self, Kilmartin clarifies the concept of masculinity by differentiating between sex and gender (14). For him, sex is a biological frame of reference to the male or female as this relates to genes, hormones, genetalia, and other physical aspects of the human body. On the other hand, gender is a broader frame of reference

Case Studies Homework Essay Example for Free

Case Studies Homework Essay Sally is suffering from a debilitating illness which will eventually rob of her speech and mobility. She has requested that the hospital staff do not resuscitate her if she has a heart attack. This is a limitation on use of restrictions on rights because Sally does not want the right to life anymore if it means that she cannot speak and move without help. A pregnant single woman wants to abort her baby. However, the natural father wants her to keep the child. This freedom of expression as the woman has the rights to her own body and she can say what she wants and decide what she wants to happen to the baby as it is her body. An atheist teacher at a Roman Catholic school feels he has been prevented from gaining promotion due to his religious beliefs. This is a prohibition of discrimination because he should be treat professionally and not any different because of his religious beliefs. An asylum seeker is being threatened with expulsion from the United Kingdom. He is frightened to return to his home country because of threats of detainment or even death. He expressed political views against the government; he knows he won’t get a fair trial. This is against the right to life as his life could be taken away by others. It is also against the prohibition of torture because he could be tortured by others in his home country. Also, it is against the right to a fair trial and no punishment without law because he would not be given a fair trial in his country and be punished without breaking the law.

Holiday On Mackinaw Island :: essays research papers

Audience: Vacation Takers, Recommended for Over 20 Years OldAlthough Mackinaw Island is very small, it is very beautiful and has lots of exciting activities, such as bicycling, horseback riding, buggy riding, and fudge shopping. Mackinaw Island is located in the upper part of Michigan between Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. It makes a perfect place for a quick getaway. The tourist season runs from mid-May to mid-October. The Island, being only 8.2 miles around, looks like a small old-fashioned town. Mackinaw Island is usually packed with people making the main road look narrow. Often fifty bicycles or more are parked on both sides of the road every 300 feet. People are walking in every direction. Horses walk on the right side of the street and horse buggies wait to pick up passengers. The place looks very congested and it doesn't look like an enjoyable vacation spot but a little farther away from the downtown area peace and beauty exists.Mackinaw Island has beautiful scenery. One unique place, the Arch Rock, looks very neat. It towers above the tourists. The rock has a huge round hole carved in it making it resemble like a donut hole. It is about fifteen to twenty feet in diameter. Through the hole, tourists can only see the bicycle path and Lake View. The lake has clear blue water. One of the other attractive places it has is the butterfly house. Hundreds of butterflies fly around the house. When they get tired, they sit on one of the wire fences. They are in every size and color. Some of them look like ladybugs and others look like zebras with black and white stripes.Mackinaw Island has lots of activities to do from riding bicycles to horse carriage tours. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the Island. One of the exciting activities the Island has is the bicycle riding, which is different from other bicycle rides because it is around the shoreline. The bicycle path is seven miles around the shoreline road. The path is very peaceful, unlike the Island's downtown area. Signs on brown boards on the left side of the road describe the next upcoming scenery. Wherever there is scenery to view there is a special parking place for the bicycles. When tourists get tired while riding bicycles they can just pull over on the side and sit along the lake and enjoy the sun and the Lake View.

Rate of Isomerism of [Co(en)2Cl2] Essay

In the course of this experiment the rate of isomerism for the coordination complex cis[Co(en)2Cl2]Cl was determined using UV/Vis spectrometry. Using a range of wavelengths the optimum spectrometer setting for analysis was identified. The corresponding maximum and minimum absorbance of the cis and trans isomers respectively at 540 nm meant that it was selected as the wavelength to determine the rate of conversion between the isomers. The first order rate constant was calculated to be 0.0092 m-1 which is somewhat similar to the literature value of 0.00845 m-1 (Brasted and Hiriyama 1958). The half-life (t 1/2) was found to be 75.34 minutes. Introduction: The compound [Co(en)2Cl2]+ is known as a coordination complex, that is, it consists of a Cobalt atom surrounded by an array of molecules to which it is bound, called ligands (Brown 2010). In this case the ligands are Ethylenediamine which are ‘bidentate’, meaning bound in two locations. These ligands are bonded between the two Nitrogen atoms as seen in figure 1 below. This complex occurs in two geometric isomers, cis-[Co(en)2Cl2] + and trans-[Co(en)2Cl2] +. In this experiment the Chloride salt form of the complexes were used i.e. cis-[Co(en)2Cl2]Cl. Figure 1: The Trans and Cis isomers of [Co(en)2Cl2]+ Source: Shapter ,J. 2014 Experiment 1: Rate of Isomerism cis[Co(en)2Cl2]Cl, Flinders University, Australia The Cis- isomer form of the complex which is purple in solution reacts to form the Trans- isomer which is green in solution. This experiment uses spectroscopy to quantify the conversion of the Cis into the Trans isomer due to the fact that the concentration of the Cis isomer is proportional to the difference in absorbance of the two complexes in solution. This isomerism of the Cis-form is a first order reaction and its rate is expressed in equation 1 below. Equation 1: By measuring the optical densities at time 0, t and infinity the rate constant k can be determined with equation 2, a rearranged and substituted form of the formula used above. Equation 2: a) Which rearranges to give: b) Experimental: Solutions of 2 Ãâ€" 10-3 M Cis- and Trans-[Co(en)2Cl2]Cl were prepared and placed in volumetric flasks of 100 ml and 10ml volumes respectively. Samples of these solutions were placed in cuvettes and measured in a spectrometer over the range of wavelengths between 350 and 700 nm. The Varian Car 50 UV-Vis spectrometer recorded the absorbance of the two isomers and produced a print out which was used to identify the correct wavelength for further spectroscopy (see Appendix 1). Using the SP – 880 Metertech spectrometer, the absorbance was measured and recorded as seen in Table 1. Next the Cis isomer solution was warmed in a water bath at 40 degrees Celsius and a sample was taken and cooled in an ice bath. The absorbance of the sample was then measured using the wavelength previously selected. This was repeated at ten minute intervals for an hour. Finally a last sample of the cis[Co(en)2Cl2]Cl was analysed with the spectrometer 24 hours after to determine the value. Results: Table 1: Absorption of the Two Isomers at Various Wavelengths Wavelength (nm) Cis Trans 350 0.468 0.144 360 0.289 0.090 370 0.207 0.087 380 0.180 0.091 390 0.170 0.091 400 0.466 0.397 410 0.123 0.070 420 0.092 0.057 430 0.066 0.049 440 0.049 0.047 450 0.041 0.048 460 0.043 0.048 470 0.049 0.045 480 0.061 0.039 490 0.076 0.031 Wavelength (nm) Cis Trans 500 0.093 0.025 510 0.110 0.020 520 0.124 0.017 530 0.134 0.017 540 0.137 0.020 550 0.134 0.025 560 0.129 0.034 570 0.122 0.044 580 0.116 0.055 590 0.065 0.109 600 0.102 0.071 610 0.095 0.075 620 0.085 0.074 630 0.073 0.067 640 0.060 0.055 650 0.049 0.049 660 0.035 0.038 670 0.026 0.028 680 0.018 0.020 690 0.013 0.013 700 0.009 0.008 Figure 1: Absorbance against Wavelength of Cis and Trans Isomers Table 2: Absorbance of Cis Isomer at 540 nm Time (min) Cis Abs ln[Dt-D∞] y = -0.01104 X – 2.40936 10 0.117 -2.51331 -2.519758607 20 0.108 -2.63109 -2.630158414 30 0.100 -2.74887 -2.74055822 40 0.093 -2.8647 -2.850958026 50 0.089 -2.93746 -2.961357833 60 0.082 -3.07911 -3.071757639 t ∞ 0.036 Figure 2: Natural Logarithm of the Cis Isomer Absorbance against Time Table 3: Slope, Y intercept and Regression Error Generated by Linest Function -0.01104 -2.40936 0.00036364 0.014162 0.995679 0.015212 921.711268 4 0.21329205 0.000926 Calculations: Mass of Cis Isomer Required to Make 2 x 10-3 M 100ml M = Mass/(Volume Ãâ€" Molar Mass) Mass req. = 2 Ãâ€" 10-3 Ãâ€" ((100/1000) Ãâ€" 285) = 57mg Mass of Trans Isomer Required to Make 2 x 10-3 M 10ml M = Mass/(Volume Ãâ€" Molar Mass) Mass req. = 2 Ãâ€" 10-3 Ãâ€" ((10/1000) Ãâ€" 285) = 5.7mg k k = (ln[D0-D∞] -ln[Dt-D∞]) / t k = 0.0092 m-1 ln[Dt-D∞] ln[D0-D∞] -3.0718 -2.5198 Half life t 1/2 = ln[2/k] = 75.3422 min Error Propagation: Measured weight of isomers Cis 56.7mg Trans 5.7mg Resolution of Scales ‘Satorius Extend’: 0.1mg Volumetric glassware 100ml  ± 0.1 ml ‘A’ Class 10ml  ± 0.025 ml ‘A’ Class Discussion: Methanol was used as a solvent in this experiment to avoid the chemical interactions that may have occurred had water been used in its place (Mahaffy 2011). In the initial solution of the Cis isomer accuracy wasn’t as important as it was being measured to find the optimal wavelength for analysis as seen in Figure 1 and Appendix 1. Preparation of the Cis Isomer solution measured to produce Figure 2 required a mass of the compound as close as possible to the calculated amounts (See Results – Calculations) in order to produce results that allowed for the accurate determination of the rate constant (k) and half-life (t1/2). The relationship between k and t1/2 is that k is a factor in the formula of t1/2 (See Results – Calculations) and determines what unit of time that the half-life is expressed in (in this case minutes-1). Figure 1 plots the absorbance of the two isomers against the various wavelengths from 350nm 700nm. From this graph the wavelength of 540nm was id entified as the ideal to be used to determine the reaction rate of the isomers. This was due to the local maxima of the Cis isomer at this  point which coincides with the local minima of the Trans isomer. This data is confirmed by the printout of the Varian Car 50 UV-Vis spectrometer which also marked the 540nm point on its plot (see Appendix 1). This clear difference in absorption of the two isomers at this wavelength meant that the rate of inter-conversion could be determined. The graph of the natural logarithm of the absorbance of the Cis isomer against time can be seen in figure 2. By observing the points on the plot a straight line of decay confirms that this reaction is first order, a logarithm of the measured absorbance values (Christian 2010). Calculations were carried out on the data in table 2 to determine the k and t1/2 (see Results – Calculations). The k value calculated of 0.0092 m-1 roughly matches the figure generated by the linest function 0.01104m-1 (see Table 3, top left) and is also similar to the literature value of 0.00845m-1. With the calculated k value of 0.0092 the t1/2 was determined to be 75.3422 minutes. Slight variations between the k value calculated from the points in figure 2 and that generated by the linest function can be accounted for by the fact that the linest function is a calculate d line of best fit and so does not fit the data points collected exactly but is an approximation. The slight difference between the literature value of k 0.00845m-1 and the calculated k of 0.0092m-1 can be accounted for by human error in time, volume and mass measurement. The range of error in this measurement is  ±0.00075 which is the difference between the calculated and literature values. Conclusion: In this experiment the rate constant (k) was determined to be 0.0092m-1  ±0.00075 and the t1/2 was calculated to be 75.3422 minutes. References: Brasted, R. Hirayama C. 1958 The cis-trans Isomeration of Dichlorbis-(ethylenediamine)-cobalt(III) Chloride and Dichlorbis-(propylenediamine)-cobalt(III) Chloride in Alcohols, Journal of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota. Vol. 80 pp 788 – 794. Brown, T. LeMay H. Bursten, B. Murphy, C. Langford, S. & Sagatys D. 2010. Chemistry: The Central Science, Pearson, Australia. pp 1196 – 1197. Christian, G. 2010. Analytical Chemistry 6th Ed., John Wiley & Sons, USA. pp 159, 270 – 271. Mahaffy, P. Bucat, B . Tasker, R. Kotz, J. Treichel, P. Weaver, G. & McMurry, J. 2011. Chemistry: Human Activity, Chemical Reactivity, Nelson Education, Canada. pp 99, 115 – 116. Appendices: Appendix 1: Figure 3: Absorbance of Cis and Trans Isomers at Various Wavelengths (Varian Car 50 UV-Vis spectrometer)

The Business Model

The Business Model * Based on your reading of Chapter 4 from the Hess book, â€Å"An Elevator-Pitch Business Model,† and the â€Å"Why Business Models Matter† article, complete the following: a. Write a concise two-sentence â€Å"elevator pitch† customer value proposition for your real-world business. (You can use the examples in the Hess book as a guide. ) We will offer services to assist customers acquire any type of property to be used in any kind of way that is responsible to the needs of all parties and governments.Delivering exceptional results by constantly improving on service and processes, being accountable for culture, a winner’s intensity, and innovation that endears a strong service ethic. b. Then, incorporating your elevator pitch, expand it to a full but still crisp business model description, or â€Å"story,† as Magretta refers to it. Establishing a business to satisfy the needs of a community or region through the practice of ethica l behavior and providing individuals or business that desire to acquire property locally or globally quality in service and process through the transaction process.We offer services to the acquisition of any type of property to be used in any kind of way that is responsible to the needs of all parties and governments Uncontested Market Space Strategy—First Pass Hamel and Prahalad (2005) write, â€Å"The strategist's goal is not to find a niche within the existing industry space but to create new space that is uniquely suited to the company's own strengths—space that is off the map. † Based on your reading of the articles â€Å"Value Innovation: A Leap into the Blue Ocean† and â€Å"Strategic Intent,† in two paragraphs, apply the thoughts of the authors and describe how your eal-world business attempts (or will attempt) to create new competitive â€Å"uncontested market† spaces, and what the primary challenges to such a strategy are or will b e. Be specific. Strategic intent will be to grow the organization organically to increase profits by 15% per month and maintain and highly ethical work environment and relationship with customers, employees, stakeholders, and allies. We will focus on the needs of the customer with respect to culture of the region, economics, social environment, and community needs.Ethics will be a strong part of the of the implementation of this strategy to find and partner with likeminded individuals with a belief to and commitment to represent themselves in an honest way being accountable for their actions. Form alliances with individuals that don’t lie, cheat, steal, and create value for the customer through providing thorough, high quality service and products, use ethical procedures and processes, and develop long term relationships with the customer base instead of the arm’s length deals that usually transpire.General Force and Customer Analysis With the reading SWOT Analysis I: Looking Outside for Threats and Opportunities in mind, answer the following questions: a. Identify and discuss the three most important general environmental forces or workstyle and lifestyle trends that are shaping the â€Å"big picture† opportunity for your real-world business. Mobility, technology, and ergonomics: Mobility is being able to work from home or office and form alliances to work as a team when necessary.Working in a team with other individuals in different regions could reduce set up cost, the need for office space, and costly travel to other regions. Using technology to reduce the cost associated with travel and establishes a communication base with allies and team members. Working with allies would assist with handling traffic in other regions coordinating transaction activities and maintaining a cultural presence and providing a physical presence in the market place. Ergonomics building green and designed environmentally friendly for employee comfort, safety , and healthy environment.Daily operations would be on an ad hoc fashion constructing the day around the most important functions early on in the day whether it be documenting recent transactions or setting up meeting with prospects. b. Perform a customer analysis, and using the categories and ideas from pages 6-8, describe as carefully as you can who the customers of your business are, what â€Å"problems† they have that your company can solve, and so forth. Limit your analysis to two single-spaced pages. Use of the internet for the purpose of making money will it harm or make your business profitable.The use of the internet will create new customers and new market segments from which a company can grow and be more profitable. In real estate transactions there are numerous negotiations and other communications that are necessary to complete a transaction. In situations where travel and long distance communications can be very expenses the use of the internet to communicate a nd transmit documents for the purpose of setting up transactions. New markets and customers can be accessed via the internet and alliances can also be established to assist in moving into market segments reducing cost and regulation of local government.Opportunities in the form of alliances, diverse market diffusion strategies, create value by providing ergonomic and energy efficient building processes reaching more and varied consumers in varied market segments. Pricing in the housing markets along with scandal in the lending industry has created a big problem with home acquisition for many local residential consumers. Many qualifying criteria for getting home loans have become more restricted as a consequence of the widespread fraud in the lending industry.As a result of this fraud many communities have been flooded by situations where the accumulation of distressed homes is in an overabundance in many communities. With many communities containing distressed properties devaluation of property values resulted in many owners losing money on their investments. Seemingly with lower home values and lower interest rated this would stimulate buying by consumers for home sales. But with the tougher qualifying standards for lending products fewer consumers are able to purchase and trending toward leasing.Building green also has negatively affected the market place locally because of the cost associated with higher material cost to build green. The opportunity that is created by communities containing distressed property sales is it attracts a different type of buyer to market too. The market share for this type of buyer will be fiercely competitive because more often than not this type of investor is cost conscious and highly educated with their investment practice. Customers are the ultimate target to market too for a business to be profitable in real estate.So it is very important to define your customer and market segment. So generally when you think of customers for real estate business you immediately think of businesses or individuals interested in the acquisition of property. You have three levels of customers all related to financial position of household. You have the economy customer that lives from check to check and almost always want more than they can afford and is misguided because they believe they can spend any money without a budget. You have median income household which may be considered middle class most of these customers are budget wise and educated buyers.Lastly you have the custom buyers where they are all six and seven figure incomes. Opportunities for new customers exist when you enter the international market where you have foreign investors interested in properties located locally. You may also have businesses locally wanting to acquire property globally through a local broker with international access. The customer base will need to be redefined by demographics as well the type of buyer or seller you are working wi th. Personally I have had the best success with working customers in a certain age, income, and educational level in the residential market place.

The History of the City of Rome

The History of the City of Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy, the home of the Vatican and the Papacy, and was once the center of a vast, ancient empire. It remains a cultural and historical focus within Europe. The Origins of Rome Legend says Rome was founded by Romulus in 713 B.C.E, but the origins probably predate this, from a time when the settlement was one of many on the Latium Plain. Rome developed where a salt trade route crossed the river Tiber en route to the coast, near the seven hills the city is said to be built on. It’s traditionally believed that the early rulers of Rome were kings, possibly coming from a people known as the Etruscans, who were driven out c. 500 B.C.E. The Roman Republic and Empire The kings were replaced with a republic which lasted for five centuries and saw Roman dominion expand across the surrounding Mediterranean. Rome was the hub of this empire, and its rulers became Emperors after the reign of Augustus, who died in 14 C.E. Expansion continued until Rome ruled much of western and southern Europe, north Africa, and parts of the Middle East. As such, Rome became the focal point of a rich and opulent culture where vast sums were spent on buildings. The city swelled to contain perhaps a million people who were dependent on grain imports and aqueducts for water. This period ensured Rome would feature in the retelling of history for millennia. Emperor Constantine instituted two changes which affected Rome in the fourth century. Firstly, he converted to Christianity and began building works dedicated to his new god, changing the form and function of the city and laying the foundations for a second life once the empire vanished. Secondly, he built a new imperial capital, Constantinople, in the east, from where Roman rulers would increasingly run just the eastern half of the empire. Indeed, after Constantine no emperor made Rome a permanent home, and as the western empire declined in size, so did the city. Yet in 410, when Alaric and the Goths sacked Rome, it still sent shocks across the ancient world. The Fall of Rome and the Rise of the Papacy The final collapse of Rome’s western power- the last western emperor abdicated in 476- occurred shortly after a Bishop of Rome, Leo I, was stressing his role as direct heir to Peter. But for a century Rome declined, passing between warring parties including Lombards and Byzantines (Eastern Romans), the latter trying to reconquer the west and continue the Roman empire: the draw of the homeland was strong, even though the eastern empire had been changing in different ways for so long. The population shrank to perhaps 30,000 and the ​senate, a relic from the republic, vanished in 580. Then arose the medieval papacy and a reshaping of western Christianity around the pope in Rome, initiated by Gregory the Great in the sixth century. As Christian rulers emerged from across Europe, so the power of the pope and the importance of Rome grew, especially for pilgrimages. As the wealth of the popes grew, Rome became center of a grouping of estates, cities, and lands known as the Papal States. Rebuilding was funded by the popes, cardinals and other wealthy church officials. Decline and Renaissance In 1305, the papacy was forced to move to Avignon. This absence, followed by the religious divisions of the Great Schism, meant that papal control of Rome was only regained in 1420. Striven by factions, Rome declined, and the fifteenth-century return of the popes was followed by a consciously grand rebuilding program, during which Rome was at the forefront of the Renaissance. The popes aimed to create a city which reflected their power, as well as deal with pilgrims. The Papacy didn’t always bring glory, and when Pope Clement VII backed the French against Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Rome suffered another great sacking, from which it was again rebuilt again. The Early Modern Era During the late seventeenth century, the excesses of the papal builders began to be curbed, while the cultural focus of Europe moved from Italy to France. Pilgrims to Rome began to be supplemented by people on the ‘Grand Tour,’ more interested in seeing the remains of ancient Rome than piety. In the late eighteenth century, the armies of Napoleon reached Rome and he looted many artworks. The city was formally taken over by him in 1808 and the pope was imprisoned; such arrangements didn’t last long, and the pope was literally welcomed back in 1814. Capital City Revolution overtook Rome in 1848 as the pope resisted approving revolutions elsewhere and was forced to flee from his fractious citizens. A new Roman Republic was declared, but it was crushed by French troops that same year. However, revolution remained in the air and the movement for the reunification of Italy succeeded; a new Kingdom of Italy took control of much of the Papal States and was soon pressurizing the pope for control of Rome. By 1871, after French troops left the city, and Italian forces had taken Rome, it was declared capital of the new Italy. As ever, building followed, designed to turn Rome into a capital; the population rose fast, from roughly 200,000 in 1871 to 660,000 in 1921. Rome became the focus of a new power struggle in 1922, when Benito Mussolini marched his Blackshirts towards the city and took control of the nation. He signed the Lateran Pact in 1929, conferring on the Vatican the status of an independent state within Rome, but his regime collapsed during the Second World War. Rome escaped this great conflict without much damage and led Italy throughout the rest of the twentieth century. In 1993, the city had received its first directly elected mayor.

Alioramus - Facts and Figures

Alioramus - Facts and Figures Name: Alioramus (Greek for different branch); pronounced AH-lee-oh-RAY-muss Habitat: Woodlands of Asia Historical Period: Late Cretaceous (70-65 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 20 feet long and 500-1,000 pounds Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Moderate size; numerous teeth; bony crests on snout About Alioramus An awful lot has been abstracted about Alioramus ever since a single, incomplete skull was discovered in Mongolia in 1976. Paleontologists believe this dinosaur was a medium-sized tyrannosaur closely related to another Asian meat-eater, Tarbosaurus, from which it differed in both its size and in the distinctive crests running along its snout. As with many dinosaurs reconstructed from partial fossil specimens, though, not everyone agrees that Alioramus was all that its cracked up to be. Some paleontologists maintain that the fossil specimen belonged to a juvenile Tarbosaurus, or perhaps was not left by a tyrannosaur at all but by an entirely different kind of meat-eating theropod (hence this dinosaurs name, Greek for different branch). A recent analysis of a second Alioramus specimen, discovered in 2009, indicates that this dinosaur was even more bizarre than previously thought. It turns out that this presumed tyrannosaur sported a row of five crests on the front of its snout, each about five inches long and less than an inch high, the purpose of which is still a mystery (the most likely explanation is that they were a sexually selected characteristicthat is, males with bigger, more prominent crests were more attractive to females during mating seasonsince these growths would have been completely useless as an offensive or defensive weapon). These same bumps are also seen, albeit in muted form, on some specimens of Tarbosaurus, yet more evidence that these may have been one and the same dinosaur.