Chernobyl Informative Speech

Attention Getter: There are currently 442 active nuclear power reactors worldwide according to the Nuclear Energy Institute. Of all of the reactors worldwide, 14 have been classified as accidents where the public has been exposed to radiation. The most devastating of these incidents was the core meltdown of reactor 4 at Chernobyl, better known as the Chernobyl disaster. Introduction: Today I am going to tell you 3 things about Chernobyl.First, I am going to tell you what Chernobyl was.Second, I will tell you Why it happened and Finally, I will tell you what the effects were and why it’s relevant today.Body 1 â€Å"What was Chernobyl†? :April 26, 1986 in the early morning hours, an explosion rocked a thriving city near the heart of Ukraine.Within days 150 nearby towns had been evacuated.This explosion would become the beginning to the worst nuclear disaster in history.Chernobyl’s power reactors were graphic reactors, not commonly used anywhere outside of the Sovie t Union.In certain circumstances, the graphite reactors could speed up the nuclear reaction. This was a flawed Russian Design that ultimately led to the disaster.Chernobyl was classified as a category 7 nuclear event, the most severe classification according to the Nuclear Event Scale.Comparatively Three Mile Island was only classified as a category 5.Body 2 â€Å"Why did it happen? †:Next I am going to tell you why it happened.The disaster occurred due to an experiment which was being run by the reactor engineers.The purpose of the experiment was to determine whether electricity could be drawn from a turbine and redirected to the water pumps. High electrical demand during the day time meant they could not run the experiment until 11pm.The engineers grew impatient, reducing the rate of nuclear reaction too rapidly.Reducing the rate this quickly caused a rapid buildup of radiation poisons.To counteract this build up, the control rods were withdrawn. This meant they were no lon ger able to control the rate of reaction.These 2 critical errors (withdrawing the rods and slowing the reaction too rapidly) made the engineers incapable of increasing the power within the reactor. This was a safety precaution that the engineers overrode.Normally, in a situation where the reactor becomes unstable two fail safe measures were in place.   First, the power of the reactor could be increased to re-stabilize the nuclear reaction And Second, the engineers could wait 24 hours to allow the reaction chemicals to dissipateThe Engineers however, had already disabled the first failsafe be removing the control rods.The engineers also continued to turn off addition safety precautions including the emergency reactor cooling system. This system was designed to help stop the reaction if too much heat was generated.The emergency energy supply was also shut down, meaning there was no additional energy to run the plant.The experiment continued and the turbine generators were also shutdown.The electrical supply to the reactors water pumps was reduced as a result of the experiment, reducing the amount of cooling water passing through the reactor.Because of this, water within the reactor core began to boil.This was troublesome, since the cool water was used to reduce the heat of the reaction. As the rate of nuclear reaction continued to ac celerate, addition graphite tipped control rods were released by the engineers.Under normal circumstances, the control rods were designed to slow the rate of reaction.However, with the reaction already accelerating out of control, the insertion of the graphite rods further increased the reaction.After disabling or exhausting all potential failsafe methods, the engineers had run out of possibilities and had lost complete control of the nuclear reactor.Enough pressure had built up within the reactor to cause an explosion, leading to the collapse of reactor 4. Following the explosion, the engineers and reactor workers attempted to hide the incident from authorities.This meant that evacuation effort could not fully begin for 36 hours after the explosion.Because the incident was not immediately reported and the public was never made fully aware, farm produce, dairy and the air was contaminated with extremely high levels of radiation and extremely high levels of radiation and subsequently consumed by the residents in regions surrounding Chernobyl.Within hours of the explosion, residents of the nearby city of Prypiat began to fall ill.Body 3: How is it relevant to us? Finally, I’m going to tell you what the effects were and why Chernobyl is still relevant today.Hundreds of thousands of people were affected by the accident150 villages and towns were abandoned displacing thousands of people from their homes.As a result of the widespread release of radiation scientists estimate t hats 100,000 miles square miles surrounding Chernobyl had been significantly contaminated.Significant levels of radiation from Chernobyl were recorded at the Forsmark Nuclear power plant about 600 miles away from Chernobyl.Over 600,000 workers were involved in the cleanup of Chernobyl. Many of these workers received significant levels of radiation.The international atomic energy agency noted more than 1800 documented cases of thyroid cancer in children 14 and under immediately following the disaster, much higher than normal.Most of these were identified early and successfully treated.The disaster brought to light the severe effects of radiation poisoning on the body according to the international Nuclear safety group: â€Å"Krypton 85 affects the entire body and can increase the likelihood of developing cancer such as leukemia within two years of exposure. Cesium 137 can attack the entire body, centering on the liver, spleen and the muscles. Barium 140, gathers in the bones and can cause tumors as late as thirty years after exposure. Iodine 131 gathers in the thyroid. It can trigger cancer in the thyroid decades following exposure†.The event brought awareness to the dangers of radiation not only from nuclear reactors but also from everyday occurrences such as getting an X-Ray at the hospital.Conclusion:Nuclear reactors are used more today than ever. The nearest one is in Chicago, IL. The disaster of Chernobyl made people more aware of the dangers.More safety measures were put into place because of Chernobyl. These safety measures meant that containment and disaster relief was much faster and more effective during the 2010 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. In conclusion I have told you what Chernobyl is, why it happened, what the effects and why it is still relevant to us today.ReferencesChernobyl | Nuclear Reaction | FRONTLINE | PBS. (n. d. ). PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved  October  23, 2012, from http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reaction/readings/chernobyl. tmlChernobyl: Cause and Effect. (n. d. ). RichEast. Retrieved  October  23, 2012, from http://www. richeast. org/htwm/chernobyl/chernobyl. html International Nuclear Events Scale (INES). (2012, September 25).Nuclear Safety and Security. Retrieved  October  22, 2012, from http://www-ns. iaea. org/tech-areas/emergency/ines. asp Nuclear Energy Institute – U. S. Nuclear Power Plants. (n. d. ).Nuclear Energy Institute – Clean-Air Energy. Retrieved  October  23, 2012, from http://www. nei. org/resourcesandstats/nuclear_statistics/usnuclearpowerplants/

Report Writing Essay

Eve-teasing is a widespread and most disturbing reality for the girls in Bangladesh. We hardly find reports of eve-teasing in the media until it ends up causing some serious damage to somebody. But we do come across, at times, news and reports telling us how terrifying the consequences of eve-teasing can be. And such news does not usually attract public attention until it grows into a national issue. According to figures released by the Ain-O-Shalish Kendra (ASK) human rights organization, 14 girls and women have taken their own lives over the past four months across the country as a direct result of the insults. It is also a great problem in Sylhet. Young girls, especially school and college girls and female workers top the list as victims of eve-teasing. Given the strict patriarchal social system, it is almost daring for a woman to protest against teasing in public places. In our society, it is usually the girl who is finally held responsible for such incidents. No matter how weak those laws are, most people are unaware of their existence as they are hardly aware of any implementation of those. Considering all these, we can say that laws alone are not enough. What we need most is to change the overall social outlook toward women. We need to raise collective voice and take action against eve-teasing, as we also need to increase the gender-sensitivity of the police force. X,08 Aug 2010: The problems of load-shedding is acute in Sylhet. Bangladesh faces one of the worst power crises of the world. Due to lack of planned investment in the power sector, load shedding has become the flagship phenomenon of the country’s electricity system. Some parts of the city of Sylhet may face black outs for more than 8 hours a day during the very hot summer. The power shortage eventually leads to the failure of water supply. Most citizens have to face a miserable life with little water and no electricity under the scorching tropical heat. There are no significant power station projects in the pipeline and the situation is going to get worse in the coming years. All on a sudden street are covered with darkness with a few lights of cars and buses flashing here and there. Thieves and pick-pockets freely prowl on the street. The suffering of the students due  to load-shedding is beggar’s description. The curse of load-shedding does not spare even the hospital. In fact, words are inadequate to give proper vent to the discomfort and harm caused in our life by this unscrupulous practice of load-shedding. All concerned must join their hands to liberate the people from the curse of load-shedding at a very early date.

Net Zero Buildings Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Net Zero Buildings - Research Paper Example These type of designs or buildings are referred to as net zero energy buildings. Typically, these buildings produce energy which is equal to the amount of energy used for every year. Although this technology is new, it is gaining popularity as people realize the need to shift from energy reliance to green economy. Net zero energy buildings are efficient in that they are not only energy efficient, but also cost effective in the long run. Net zero energy is a new term that lacks a definite definition. However, the basic concept is that all definitions imply that this technology is energy efficient. It is very important to understand some of the basic definitions of zero net energy building to comprehend how they operate in terms of energy use. Typically, net zero energy can be described in many ways. Net energy is the energy consumed or generated at a certain site irrespective of the origins of the energy. In a net zero site building, the energy consumed in one year is equal to the ene rgy produced in a given year. On the other hand, source energy is the energy required to extract and deliver energy to the source, which must be accounted for when calculating the zero energy net buildings (Architecture & Sustainable Development, 44). Net zero energy costs refers to the amount paid by the utility which is equal to the amount of money that the owner pays for the energy services as well as energy used throughout the year. The other important concept that is paramount in defining zero energy buildings is the net zero energy emissions. Here, the buildings produce free renewable energy emissions that is equal to emissions produced in energy sources. Successful zero energy ensures that all technologies that ensure energy efficiency are installed. The building is made in such a way that energy requirements decrease space for heating and cooling of water. Likewise, the design increases the efficiency of the furnace and air conditioner such that they use less energy. In addi tion, a solar system for hot water, which acts as a backup for water heater, is ensured in such buildings. Efficient lighting fixtures and energy conserving efficiencies like photovoltaic are also used to enhance the efficiency further (Papadopoulou, 87). Anything that makes use of less energy consumption while making use of the renewable sources at the same time is useful for this design. A thorough research on the design of the building is done by experts to ensure that all materials used up for the building consume less energy at all costs. Typically, implementation of the design requires specialized skills and expertise to ensure that all possibilities of saving on nonrenewable energy are minimized as much as possible while sources of renewable sources are maximized. All the discussed design is very efficient in terms of energy consumption in the future. It is worth noting that zero energy buildings have improved comfort through temperature regulation processes. This is achieved by the process of infiltration and insulation through a variety of processes. Insulation encloses buildings and improves the resistance to heat in and out of the building. This allows the building to remain cool in summer seasons and warn during the winter season. The R value measures in buildings signify a better insulation system. Likewise, these buildings are reliable because

Understanding food principle and preparation- study guide questions Essay

Understanding food principle and preparation- study guide questions - Essay Example Gelatinization denotes the process of breaking intermolecular bonds in a molecule to allow its hydrogen binding sites to form more hydrogen bonds with water molecules. The main factors that influence gelatinization are the amount of water used, the temperature of the water and the amount of the gelatin. When hot water is added directly to starch, their intermolecular hydrogen bonds are broken. As a result, new hydrogen bonds are formed between the individual molecules and water molecules thereby resulting into lumping. The fresh egg is spheroid with one of the edges slightly larger than the other. It has a cylindrical symmetry along the horizontal axis. The shell is thin and hard. When the egg deteriorates, the shell becomes thinner and slightly less firm. The formation of the gray-green discoloration in a cooked egg is due to the formation of ferrous sulfide at the point where the yolk and the egg white meet. It can be avoided by keeping the eggs in a single layer in the frying

Drama essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Drama - Essay Example Many women were still constrained in their activities by the wishes of their male relatives, whether the dominant voice belonged to the father, the oldest brother or other guardian figure or the husband. These are the issues explored in Henrik Ibsen’s play â€Å"A Doll’s House† through the character of Nora and in Susan Glaspell’s short story â€Å"Trifles.† Comparing these two characters provides insight into the various constraints women had to deal with in their physical setting, their relationships and in their position in society. In both stories, the primary action takes place within the homes of the two female characters involved and each has much to say about the women who are trapped there. Nora’s house is presented in direct reflection of the play’s title. It is a doll’s house, perfectly decorated and arranged for the display of a happy family atmosphere without going to extremes of expense. This can be discerned from Nora’s careful selection of gifts for the upcoming holiday. She tells Torvold, â€Å"they [the gifts] are very plain, but anyway she [Emmy, their little girl] will soon break them in pieces† (Act 1). Gifts for the rest of the household include a new suit for Ivar and dress lengths for the maids, all highly practical and economical. Minnie’s house, in contrast, is introduced as two women and three men, none of them residents, enter into a gloomy farm kitchen. The house is set away from the road and far from the closest neighbor. This does not necessa rily mean the house was a trap for the woman who lived in it, but Mrs. Hale tells Mrs. Peters that she stayed away because the house was gloomy and lonesome. As she mentions this, she reflects that it must have been that much harder for the woman who had to live there. This is made clear in the half-cleaned table, the bread sitting next to rather than inside

Conventional and Evolutionary Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Conventional and Evolutionary Education - Essay Example Friere suggests that the current method of teaching is one where a teacher poses the authority and "narrates" the learning material to the children, who are passive, and whose only necessary function is to memorize the material they're being taught. There's no involvement of any critical thinking on their part, they don't truly understand what they are learning or comprehend its meaning. The "Banking" concept of education, as he dubs is, represents the idea that the students are being "filled" with knowledge, they are like a vessel or container that gain in substance. Teachers are, in a way," depositing" information to the account, and the students receive this deposit. However, this fails to achieve the goal, as without any thinking about the material and its implications and meanings, what occurs isn't really teaching and certainly not imparting wisdom, insights or critical methods of thinking- it is simply memorizing data, reaching a certain quota of material, nothing more. Friere says that this misses the point entirely, because there isn't really any learning when students are being taught like that. ... The teacher is to be perceived as the one who can give all the answers, the one that knows everything, and does not need to (nor will he ever) learn from his students. This hierarchy and relationship between teachers and students are highly detrimental to students, as they lack motivation, interest or a coherent sense of self as able to learn on their own and being autonomous and competent, not necessarily needing the assistance of the teacher. Contrary to this approach, there is another one called "Problem-posing" education or method. It comprises first of all of being aware or conscious to the consciousness of things, and specifically in the field of education- how education occurs, by what means, in which system and how the information is taught. It proposes a different way which involves more communication, the breaking down of the hierarchy between teachers and students, bringing them closer together. This way also allows teachers to learn from the dialog with their students, ra ther than it being only the students who learn from the teachers. Through this dialog, the teacher evokes students' imagination, reflection and critical thinking, making them very active partners in their learning. Both the teacher and his students are investigating together the material being discussed (learned). The educator along with the students creates conditions that allow the knowledge to be passed on in the highest form and in the best way possible, considering what they students think and then re-considering what he had previously thought. Problem-posing education entails the development of the ability to perceive how we exist in the world in which and with which we live. It regards the world as a reality that is always changing and transforming, rather

Synthesis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Synthesis Paper - Essay Example The advancement in telecommunication technologies presents greater opportunities for the growth and expansion of the education system in countries among other major sectors of the economy. Online platforms have undoubtedly contributed to improved student lives (Josh "Studies Explore Whether the Internet Makes Students Better Writers"). While most of the influences of the advancing technologies remain positive, the society continues to experience negative effects of the advancing technologies as the discussion below portrays. Culture is a social feature that influences the behavior of the people and the nature of their interactions in a society. Culture influences essential features of the society including attire, dietary and religions among many other equally important features of life. the four articles admits that the advancing telecommunication technologies continue to influence changes in different cultures thus succeeding in the development of such contemporary social features as popular culture. The dynamic nature of culture implies that culture changes. Whenever two or more groups of people interact, they are likely to borrow specific cultural features they consider better while abandoning their cultural features they consider retrogressive. The developments of new telecommunication technologies enhance interaction among people a feature that thus creates an effective platform for the sharing of cultural features. The invention of the internet was among the most iconic inventions globally. The internet provides effective and equally efficient platforms for communication enabling people to exchange ideas and information in real time. The development and subsequent use of smart phones thus increased traffic on the internet as more people currently access different sites on the internet through their smart phones. Stanford is an example of a university which has

Stem Cell Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Stem Cell - Research Paper Example The paper tells that cells with the ability to divide constantly as well as distinguish and extend into numerous cells and tissues of various kinds are known as stem cells. They are ‘blank’ cells as they do not display any precise physiological predisposition. With the onset of appropriate conditions, in vitro or in vivo, stem cells develop into focused tissues and organs as they are self-sufficient and replicate by the process of cell division, indicating that stem cells are biological entities prevalent in multicellular organisms. As stem cells possess distinctive eminence and research embraces an immense assurance for the management and cure of critical and unbearable ailments like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer, diabetes and neurological as well as metabolic disorders, diseases related to hear, stroke, bone condition, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, as well as conditions like multiple sclerosis. Stem cells could also be grown to become new tis sue for use in transplant medicine. Research is being carried out across the world to decipher the underlying genetic and biochemical facts triggering stem cell delineation to new cells capable of repairing distorted tissues and organs. Stem cells pave the way towards understanding of various diseases and syndromes. Stem cells are promising resources to test the drugs and agents. Stem cells are pluripotent, i.e. capable of replicating into similar kind of cells or they are capable of specializing into any other specific tissue. There are various categories of stem cells: Embryonic stem cells- They are procured from the interior cells of the blastocyst. Fetal stem cells- They are procured from the germ line tissues of aborted fetus. Umbilical cord stem cells- Blood of the umbilical cord encompasses stem cells similar to the cells present in the bone marrow. Placenta derivative stem cells- Source of enormous stem cells. Adult stem cells- Numerous adult tissues also possess stem cells. These stem cells are harvested to rectify ailments or cloning tissues, organs, animals or humans or they may be harvested for gene-line engineering. The gene-line engineering aims to function towards disease resistance and functional improvement. Induced pluripotent cells- Through nuclear programming scientists have transformed adult cells into stem cells. Nuclear programming alters the genes to behave like embryonic stem cells and thereby avert immune rejection, although adverse effects could not be documented so far. Amniotic fluid stem cells- Researchers have documented the presence of stem cells in amniotic fluid (Where do stem cells come from?; Stem cells: What they are and what they do?). Scientists are using stem cell lines derived from the single stem cell. They are devoid of genetic defects and could be stored as well as used for various research purposes to get regenerative medicines for damaged or degenerated tissues through gene manipulation technique which aids in gene rating

Eruptive history of Mt. Etna Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Eruptive history of Mt. Etna - Research Paper Example the 59th tallest world mountain (this height varies with frequent summit eruptions), Mount Etna lies above the convergent plate margin between the African plate and the Eurasian plate. It is associated with the subduction of the African plate under the Eurasian plate. It is thus the tallest active volcano in Europe and the tallest in Italy south of the Alps with an area of 1,190 kilometers squared (459 square miles) and a basal circumference of 140 square kilometers (comfortably making it the largest of all the 3 active volcanoes in Italy – almost two and a half times larger than the next largest, Mount Vesuvius. In the whole of the European-North African region, only Mount Teide in Tenerife is larger) (Coltelli, Marsella, Proietti & Scifoni, 2012). Eruptions of Mount Etna follow a variety of patterns with most occurring at the summit where there are currently five distinct craters (Northeast crater, the voragine, the Boca Nuova and the south east crater complex (2). The summit eruptions can be very dramatic and explosive but rarely threaten the inhabited areas around the volcano. Summit eruptions occurred in 2006, 2007-2008, January-April 2012 and July-October of the same year. Other eruptions take place at the flanks that have more than 300 vents which vary in size (from small holes in the ground to large craters hundreds of meters across). It is these flank eruptions that often encroach inhabited areas. Many villages and small towns lie around or on cones of past flank eruptions. Etna has had four flank eruptions since 200. These were in 2001, 2002-2003, 2004-2005 and 2008-2009. The lava type on Mount Etna is called pyroclastic flow which comprises broken fragments of rock, pumice, rocks and other materials (Coltelli, Marsel la, Proietti & Scifoni, 2012). Etna’s eruptions have been documented since 1500 BC when praetor-magmatic eruptions drove away residents of the eastern part of the island into the western end. Known eruptions on Mount Etna date far back

Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus Essay Example for Free

Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus Essay Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror have all played a role throughout history. Throughout history, the motivation of man’s self interest has concluded in the domination of those with little or no power in the absence of the rule of law. The war on terror presents an unpredictable challenge for the United States since terrorists are apprehended and deprived of due process. Habeas corpus is considered to be one of the most fundamental guarantees of personal liberty that we cherished as a country since the inception of our Constitution. However, debates have arisen regarding the proper use of habeas corpus making the focus be brought back in the past decade. Since September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States, many people have been detained by the U. S. government as part of its war on terror. Many of these detainees face indefinite detention and have not yet been charged with a crime. The right of Habeas corpus overrules man’s interpretation and allows those accused federal and state court representation before a judge, or jury. The accusers deemed innocent until proven guilty, they have the right to representation, and appear in person for the charges brought forth. The purpose of this paper is to show how Habeas corpus came about, and its suspension by the United States. Also, the war on terror will be addressed along with the Supreme Court’s interpretation. Learning the history of Habeas corpus and how it works, allows us to see just how these laws are supposed to be carried out from our Constitution and not to be reconciled with. Habeas corpus is a judicially enforceable order issued by a court of law to the prison official ordering that a prisoner be brought to court so it can be determined whether or not has been lawfully imprisoned or should be released from custody. The right of Habeas corpus is the constitutionally bestowed right of a person to present evidence before a court of law, showing that he/she has been wrongly imprisoned. Habeas corpus is granted in Article l of the Constitution which states, â€Å"The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the Public Safety may require it. (Farrell, Iowa College) Habeas Corpus Petition is a petition filed with a court when someone objects to his own or another’s imprisonment. The petition mush show that the court ordering the imprisonment made a legal or factual error. The laws are put forth for a fair trial and freedom from laws passed after the fact. Ultimately, they protect us from the whim of those powers, and distinguish a government of laws from government of men. The historical evolution of Habeas corpus born from the Magna Carta, known as the English Bill of Rights, began in England in the early 1200s. King John of England initiated long drawn out wars against people. Growing tired of King John’s lack of leadership, concerned for the citizens they decided to come up with the Magna Carta which would limit the amount of power his Monarchy had. By means of fear and violence the Baron’s forced the King to accept and acknowledge the agreement that would honor the constitutional rights, privilege, and the greater protection of the people. Upon signing it meant that it would be null and void forever. (Harringer, K.  J, 2011) The Magna Carta states, â€Å"no free man shall be taken or imprisoned or diseased or exiled or in any other way destroyed except by the lawful judgment of their peers or by the law of the land†. (Obban, 2011) Habeas corpus was unknown to many civil law systems in Europe. European civil law systems generally favored authority from the top down whereas Angelo-Saxon common law tends to favor the individual. The Angelo-Saxon common law comes from England, after the English Civil War and the beheading of King Charles l in 1649; it led to establishing a clear position between King and citizen. Therefore, all the confrontation of top to bottom civil law principles continuously kept yielding with the ancient but law of the land. As a feature of common law, the right of Habeas corpus reflects the age old contest between individual and the state. Habeas corpus empowers the individual in holding accountable the exercise of the states power to influence liberty. Our founding fathers were well aware of the Magna Carta, and its astonishing abilities to be something great especially James Madison who was the primary architect of the American Bill of Rights. Greatly influenced by the potential of the agreement, James Madison began his own interpretation. James Madison borrowed heavily from Article 39 of the Magna Carta which limited the legislative power. Madison was a key player in growing that particular article into the Bill of Rights. It was through Magna Carta and our founding fathers interpretation of that article that the American courts used and still use today when interpreting the rights of enemy combatants. (Halliday, 2011) September 24th 1862 Lincoln issued a proclamation suspending the writs of Habeas corpus nationwide and specified whose rights would be suspended. All traitors and rebel militias against the U. S. shall be subject to martial law and liable to trial and punishment. (Longley, 2012) In 1866 after the American Civil War had ended the Supreme Court officially and fully restored Habeas corpus throughout the entire nation. That would not be the first time a president would suspend the writ of Habeas corpus. On October 17, 2006 President George Bush suspended the right of Habeas corpus by determining that certain persons were in fact â€Å"enemy combatant† during the Global War on Terror. It came about from before the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks, hundreds of people have been detained by the United States government as part of its war on terror at locations such as the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba and Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. Most of these detainees have faced indefinite detention and have neither been charged with a crime nor afforded prisoner of war Status. Many of these prisoners have sought out to use Habeas corpus proceedings to challenge the legality of their detention. However, the government decided that their status as â€Å"enemy combatants† outside of the sovereign territory of the United States. In 2004, the United States Supreme Court determined that non-citizen detainees at Guantanamo Bay were entitled to file habeas corpus petitions in federal courts. Congress subsequently made a political determination as to the appropriate scope of habeas corpus and passed legislation that stripped federal courts of jurisdiction to hear Habeas corpus petitions brought by enemy combatants. However, the ruling was shortly overturned which led to President George Bush signing the law of suspending the right of habeas corpus. President Bush’s action drew severe criticism, mainly for the law’s failure to specifically designate who in the United States will determine who is and who is not an â€Å"enemy combatant†. Both presidents received sharp criticism for carrying out what many believed to be an attack on the Constitution. President Bush suspended writs of Habeas corpus through his support and signing into law of the Military Commissions Act of 2006. The bill grants the President of the United States almost unlimited authority in establishing and conducting military commissions to try persons held by the U. S. on the Global War of Terrorism. In addition, the Act suspends the right of â€Å"unlawful enemy combatants† to present, or to have presented in their behalf. On June 12, 2008, the Supreme Court ruled in Boumediene v. Bush, 5 to 4 that Guantanamo captives were entitled to access the U. S. justice system. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion: The laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times. The Court also ruled that the Combatant Status Review Tribunals were â€Å"inadequate†. Chief Justice John Stevens joined Kennedy in the majority. Chief Justice John Roberts, in the minority opinion, called the CSR Tribunals the most generous set of procedural protections ever afforded aliens detained by this country as â€Å"enemy combatants†. The Supreme Court ruling responded by Vincent Warren (executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights) actions. The Supreme Court has finally given the men held at Guantanamo the justice that always deserved. By granting the right of Habeas corpus, the Supreme Court recognizes a rule of law that was established hundreds of years ago. This 6 year long crisis is a lesson on how fragile our constitutional protections truly are in the hands of very persistent executives. The role of presidents is a very hot topic throughout history on how they will act when the occasion arises with war on terror. I believe that many presidents have abused their power in the past against the Constitution and have taken measures into their own hands. The role of the president is one of the hardest occupations out there since they decide on our fates of the future and our lives. Habeas corpus and the president’s role as commander-in-chief has to be terrifying when faced with the decision on what to do on situations of dealing with â€Å"enemy combatants†. Therefore, every president wants to carry out the Constitution, but when faced with protecting our Nation it would seem unbearable. I agree that Congress should be able to deny or overturn the president when it comes to Habeas corpus so that not just one person is deciding the fate of others. Also, the Supreme Court should be the decision in the middle for a tie breaker so everyone gets the hearing that is deserved as fair and not unconstitutional. I do have concerns when it comes to our country war on terror because this is my nation and I want to protect it also. However, everyone has the right to a fair trial and is innocent until proven guilty; we also need to stick to the laws that our founding fathers intended for us so that the government cannot bend the rules on situations. The evolution of Habeas corpus has brought out many key factors that our government needs follow. There have been many heated debates over the years on how we must not bend the laws that is why we have the Supreme Court and Congress stepping in over the commander-in-chief. Nevertheless, these laws are in place to protect everyone, moreover to avoid unlawful apprehension, and ensure that Habeas corpus works are intended by the Constitution.

Concept of Time Portrayed in Art

Concept of Time Portrayed in Art Time is a determinant concept in forms of art where motion is a key factor in order for a narrative to be explored as it occurs, such as in video art, performance, and theatre. The concept of time is also an important parameter for a two-dimensional artwork, which can comprise time through movement or as a snapshot. On the basis of the above syllogism, this essay will determine the nature of time, through the moment, as a still/snapshot in a static artwork and as a sequence in forms of art such as performance. The concept of capturing time in art comprised subjects for contemporary artists such as demonstrated by Christiane Baumgartner and Marina Abramovic, whose works will be explored through this essay: how do two antithetical mediums, namely; printmaking and performance, deal with this same theme and what are the results of the two visual languages that arise in depicting the sense of time? The antithesis of time itself is not only a parameter which is reflected in the mediums themseleves, but also in the content. In other words, the antithesis is also portrayed on a theoretical level. While Christiane Baumgartner uses the illusion of the motion continuity and thus the illusion of time by freezing it, Marina Abramovic deals with the actual and real aspect of time by extending the duration of an occurrence. Hence, there is a differentiated perspective in depicting and presenting the real time and the illusion of it, with time consisting of a weaving of reality and deception. Introduction The issue of time comprises a parameter which, beside the natural sciences was also the object of research by predominately philosophy and anthropology and thereby the extension the art itself, as art was considered to be an essential cultural characteristic. In this essay, the concept of time will be presented via the perspective of perceiving time through the antitheses outlined above. Initially, time should be divided into two categories; such as in the philosophical and sociological frameworks; namely in its real form and in its non-real form that is not quite so obvious. For instance, acquirable time the procedure of measuring time periods, is completely different from the procedure of perceiving time as a representative of or bearer of consciousness. The existence and at the same time the non-existence (lack of obviousness) of time is an object of research for the artists so as to define the sense of time passing via numerous optical dimensions. The model of perceiving time is formed every time by the aesthetic view of the artist. Philosophy and sociology in many cases are related to the artists point of view and thus an interactive relationship in shaping or reconstructing thoughts, which include the phenomenon of time is developed. The contrariety in the approach on the other hand does not create gaps between the aspects of time but they assist in developing depth and assiduous assortment in determining time. However, the contrariety approach comprises a method of analysis; thus, within such a framework regarding contrariety in the perspective of the concept of time, art presents a visual codex and visual symbols and hence the antithesis in approaching and perceiving time can be comprehended. One very good example is the concept of the time sense as it is understood by most people, specifically time or, the symbol that represents time; the clock is an invention that accommodates humans to divide or to plan their everyday lives. On the other hand, there is an application of the above syllogism which is not an invention of the human civilisation but underlies biological or natural laws which is the concept of human age that accompanies human beings during their entire lives. These two antithetical examples could be characterized as external and internal time. The first one is determined by the sound that is produced by the second-hand and the other by the heartbeat. The parameter of their antithesis, however, does not preclude their interaction, but rather it is a matter of visual perspective of their characteristics (Rudolf Arnheim, Art and visual perception: a psychology of the creative eye, University of California Press, 2004). Time has had a significant influence in the world of visual arts. Artists have depicted various symbols for time in order to express its impact as a philosophical question that is reflected in the human existence, or important events in history in order to represent the passing of time. The antithesis will be the main subject of interest in this research and stillness-movement, internal-external time, and fluidity-futility will be some of the main points for analysis. The expressions of time concepts differ from artist to artist due to the different perspective each of them uses. Salvador Dali (1904-1989), the Spanish surrealist painter of the 20th century, created in 1931 the work The persistence of memory. Time is the theme here, from the melting watches to the decay implied by the swarming ants. The title of the painting suggests memorys ability to remain intact as time decays around it. Dali painted this work with the most imperialist fury of precision and the only nod to the real are the distant landscape golden cliffs in Catalonia, where he lived. (Alkis Xaralampidis, Art in 20th century, volume II, 1993). Furthermore, Fransis Alys (born 1959), a Belgian artist who lives and works in Mexico City, in his documented video performance Paradox of praxis I (Sometimes doing something leads to nothing) deals with the concept of time in a different way from surrealism. Alys in this work expresses the futility of time and effort. The artist pushes a large block of ice through the streets of Mexico City for six or seven hours until it melts. It is a film about transformation, but it is also about the futility of human endeavor. It is an epic kind of uselessness that turns his apparently meaningless effort into an almost heroic event; nothing to something. The subtitle of the work is ultimately an idea which speaks to the frustrated efforts of everyday Mexico City residents to improve their living conditions. (Mark Godfrey and Klaus Biensenbach, Fransis Alys: A story of deception, 2010). Performance too, which is very much related to the concept of time because of its nature, has presented a number of works which deal with the sense of time. As a time-based art primarily and by extension a media-based one owns its nature The work of Christiane Baumgartner Christiane Baumgartner was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1967. Her work deals mainly with specific aspects of time concepts; speed and standstill. The images are taken from her own video stills and the chosen format is that of monumental woodcut, mainly black and white. Her aim is to combine in a way two mediums; a traditional, printmaking, with a contemporary one, video art. As the artists herself states: Its about bringing together the different mediums of the video still and the woodcut, about combining the first and the latest reproduction techniques to produce an image (Catalogue Alan Cristea gallery, London 2011). What her subjects often deal with is the movement between figuration and abstraction and the space between with speed and the passage of time recurring themes throughout her work. What she is mostly interested in is the shifting within the woodcut and the way it changes the image and becomes a blurred, non-figurative image (Catalogue Alan Cristea gallery, London 2011). For instance, in 1 Sekunde (fig. 3) the image disappears at points and becomes blurred through the representation of speed. Other digital images are taken at a very low resolution, 3 dpi, and as a result the printmaking effect creates an abstract image, as occurs in Deutscher Wald (fig. 4). Speed, both in terms of subject matter and technique is something she has always been interested in. Many of her works are images taken from highways or tunnels because their inherent movement has been something that attracts her. Through this rationale are made works such as Lisbon II (fig. 5) or Solaris I (fig. 6). Technically, the final work is the result of a procedure that takes significant time. The first step is to film the subject in which she is interested in and afterwards, she selects an image from the film which she thinks is the appropriate for cutting. The main point is to figure out which image I will end up bringing into the world. I will devote so much time to making it and give it so much significance in terms of scale, that I have to choose it very carefully. The fact that I am using a technique in which it will be reproduced more than once further influence my decision. (Catalogue Alan Cristea gallery, London 2011) Her main subject of interest is urban development and how life is affected by the environment. This material world was produced for humans, but at the same time has made life become an aspect in which a main point is speed. Cars, computers, busy highways, and people running, are the common images that exist in big cities. That is why in her work bridges, tunnels, and roads appear so frequently. In a world which is governed by speed, Baumgartner tries to slow down the way information is processed, to better reflect the way people live nowadays. There is so much movement in our physical lives than 20 years ago. But also the time of information and communication has speed up in an extreme way. Because we are expecting such quick responses to our communications we miss the time for the thinking process and also to really prioritize. (philagrafika, blog, http://philagrafika.blogspot.com/2009/05/interview-christiane-baumgartner.html) By choosing woodcut as a medium of expression, she asserts that is it her way of representing the contemporary situation. Her prints, which take a long time to make, effectively slow down time by extending the moment of the constitution of the image from a brief second, which in this case is the video still, to entire months, until the final work is ready. Baumgartner has created a visual language which needs to be viewed from a certain distance from the work so the image can be revealed. This language is consisted of horizontal lines which cut the subject in pieces so as to produce the illusion of movement and speed. When the viewer stands close to the work what he or she observes is actually thick and thin linear forms that reflect the virtuosity of the printmaker at a technical level. However, when the viewer keeps a distance from the artwork, then the entire theme is revealed. Specifically, the motifs assist the observer to comprehend the utility of the medium in relation to the forms in presenting the illusion of movement and thus, time itself. The visual language that is used makes the work of Christiane Baumgartner representative of the contemporary point of view in depicting motion and time. This is a very common perspective not only in fine art but also in contemporary media and video art. The work of the artist is the result of the contemporary perspective in depicting issues and concepts of time, through a more simplified aesthetic. The simplicity in using the medium and by extension, the thematic development in a composition also reflects the will of the artist to establish a relationship between the steady artwork and the viewer. In other words, she is trying to make the visual ability of the viewer actively participate mentally in the world she reconstructs. Hence, the concept of time is a parameter that connects the artist and artwork with the visual and mental ability of the observer. This is a conceptual tool in order for the artwork to communicate the illusion of motion portrayed to real time. This kind of reality is a vital factor for human beings because it produces subconscious images and memories. Due to the fact that Christiane Baumgartners works deal with the conceptual aspect of time in unreal time, she contributes to perceiving this issue from a point of view that functions as an antithesis. In a two-dimensional space she creates the illusion of a three-dimensional theme and in the end she also adds a fourth dimension (time), so as to reveal both the theoretical background of the concept and the sociological extension of it as it is formed in the contemporary life. The social character of Christiane Baumgartners artwork reflects in a way the contemporary model of life. Although the real time remains the same, the contemporary life in the modern societies goes faster. The human itself has created the speed in order to compress life inside the urban environment. Time compresses a contemporary citizen like motion in art is displayed through compression of lines. If a viewer observes the rush hour in a city then he or she will realise how in a mental form, motion is similar or equal to time. Namely, a passing person is a parabolic symbol of passing time. This is why the immediacy of the medium is related to the complexity passing time. The steadiness or the immobility that the medium itself includes is altered by the motion that is depicted. In the same logic, the steadiness or the immobility of environment is altered by human motion itself. All these examples reflect the antithetical nature in perceiving time. In one print of Christiane Baumgartne r a close observation will be a starting point to perceive moving time in a still depiction while she underlines the fact that she uses a slow medium like woodcut to express a fast idea. The work of Marina Abramovic Performance art contrasts to the above perspective regarding time via a static or still medium. Performance is a branch of artistic expression whose basic elements that create its nature are time and space, the presence of which along with the active involvement of the artist and essentially, the audiences presence or interaction is vital. Performance as a visual art incorporates the characteristic of time as a dynamic aspect of its nature. Thus, the medium itself includes the reality of the duration of time as an important parameter which is used extensively by the performance artists. It is like a tool for the performer in depicting the issue or the concept of his interest by using his or her presence. Marina Abramovic, born in 1946 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, has been a representative artist since the 1970s, the starting point for her career in performing arts. Her work of this type of expression indicates her perspectives of many aspects of her personal experiences but mainly her intellectual enquiries. In many of her performances there are references to the concept of time regardless of the fact that time itself is included in the medium. For instance, in the Relation in movement (1977) Abramovic and Ulay moved in a circle direction repeatedly by driving around a square in Paris for hours. They kept driving until it got dark. The only existing lights were those of the car. There was continuity and duration to this action until the next morning. The couple had different tasks to accomplish; Ulay followed the back wheel and Abramovic loudly stated the number of the accomplished rounds. Additionally, the next morning revealed the black marks that the wheels had created in the ground a nd they tried to follow those marks. Another significant point which is not a usual one was the lack of audience. Only passers-by witnessed the event. The main idea of the performance was to present the repeated movement in physical and mental level. Namely, they presented in a symbolic way the minds circles around an idea or thought. The concept of time enters this performance as an idea that is divided into two subcategories: the obvious time that comprises the duration of the night that the performance took place, and the time which was emphasised every time Abramovic shouted the number of laps completed. In the first case, the artists dealt with time as a frame to present their performance which was main aspect of the length of the performance. In the second case, time took the form of the space and the movement together. In other words the artists defined on the basis of both space and movement the nature of time. Each lap comprised the value of time according to their perspective. The symbolism is still the same, but the gravity of the importance in perceiving time is not solid and this was determined by the artists. Marina A bramovic and Ulay on the basis of relation in movement developed another performance of relevance to the present research, entitled Relation in Time (1977). In Relation in time a static situation is described. The couple Abramovic and Ulay are sitting facing back to each other with their hair tied together as a symbol of their connection. The duration of their performance lasted 16 hours in a gallery without any audience and only during the 17th and hour were the audience allowed to watch the performance. The couple was still sitting motionless for this final hour. During all this time there were only few changes in their presence. According to Lilian Haberer their shared plait, their external connection, their umbilical cord, works loose as the hours pass. She continues in the same sense to explain that there is a contrast to the outward connectedness in their inward separateness, their different feelings (Lilian Haberer, Collection: Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany). Abramovic and Ulays approach is revealing because of the fact that time takes the form of destruction, ruination, spoilage and damage. As an example of this destructive operation of time, the couple presents the human relationship which is the main subject of their performance. The direct reference to the ugly face of time in the human life represents the inner fear of all human beings. This type of continuity causes the objects and the living creatures to age and become old. The relationships and the parameters that enrich them are also under the fear of spoilage. The old man as a symbol of the age of time has now given its place to the more conceptual ones. Like Abramovic and Ulay present, time is not an annoying feeling. The impact of time in living creatures as a natural procedure leads them to fall despite its ugliness. It is as natural as death itself in a symbolic or literal way. In the case of Abramovic, time no longer leads down a threatening path of aging, death and ending: it is reproducible (Klaus Biesenbach, Marina Abramovic: The artist is present) This approach concerning time also involves sociological and philosophical understandings. If we consider the philosophical nature of time as a route to death or a procedure that leads human beings to physical and mental decay, then it is a rational conclusion that it also affects human social unity. With sociological determination, this model of understanding time has a significant behavioral impact. This syllogism transforms the concept of time from an ordinary system of measuring into a system of interpreting life. The performance reveals these parameters and gives multiple dimensions in interpreting the inner intellectual process of social life as a diachronic phenomenon. The perspective that is created makes the viewer redefine his or her position in the society. Admittedly, this rationale is a main idea in many performances produced by Abramovic and the personal experiences make the philosophical inquires more obvious via art. In her latest performance at MoMA The artist is Present Abramovic performed the longest work in her performing career. She sat motionless for more than 700 hours in total, seven hours every day the museum was open, for more than 3 months. In this performance she was sitting silent and motionless at a table in the museums atrium inviting visitors to sit silently across from her for how long they chose to, making the performance interactive and becoming in this way participants in the artwork. She will not talk or respond to any of the participants, but their involvement in the process is essential and fundamental element for the work to be completed. The artist is present is one of her most representative time based works as it deals with the long duration and the passing time remaining motionless and speechless. Most of her works contain a kind of mystic energy from which she derives great power in order to concentrate and remain motionless. In Nightsea Crossing she describes staring into Ulays eyes and from a certain moment on seeing only a blue, blind, empty screen in front of her, like the length of her arm, to achieve an empty timeless stare. (Klaus Biesenbach, Marina Abramovic: The artist is present) The artist is present features, according to Biesenbach, as many of her works do, in the endless act of sitting, which is a central aspect to her art. Biesenbach continues: in contemporary times sitting has taken the form of political protest (Klaus Biesenbach, Marina Abramovic: The artist is present). Durational sitting is the principal of The artist is Present which finds Abramovic sitting at a table and waiting for the visitors to get involved in the occurrence. The table here has a symbolic and a parabolic meaning. It functions as a stage and at the same time refers to another motif in her work, which considers images from the ritual daily familial gathering during mealtimes and the routine of a motionless life as time passes and its marks become obvious. The main idea in this last performance is the impact of time in the contemporary life. How much time one disposes in order to participate in the artwork is a personal decision and it depends on the way people nowadays divide time. In a world that is governed by speed, every moment is important. Hence, how willing is each of us to let time pass by is a matter that Abramovics performance deals with. Abramovic says you have to give me your time in order to see the workà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Klaus Biesenbach, Marina Abramovic: The artist is present) and this is true in any aspect of contemporary life; we have to give time in order to do anything. Biesenbach underlines that while there is no empirical duration established for MoMAs visitors, the moment one sits in the chair, he or she participates in an unspoken agreement with the artist to enter into another perspective (Klaus Biesenbach, Marina Abramovic: The artist is present)

Innocent Man by John Grisham Essays -- essays research papers

The innocent man is the story of Ron Williamson who was unjustly convicted of murder and spent twelve years on death row before being exonerated by DNA evidence. Ron Williamson was born in Ada, a small town in Oklahoma. His future looked bright when he was young and he was an exceptional athlete who was drafted by the Oakland Athletics. After an unsuccessful career in the minors Ron Williamson became a drug addict and an alcoholic whose life steadily got worse. He could not keep any job and he began spending most of his time in bars, and living with various friends. He soon accumulated a criminal record that included DUI?s, check fraud, and two rape charges that did not result in conviction. He became a heavy user of prescription drugs on top of his alcohol abuse, and after his baseball career ended he developed several mental llnesses and began to spend brief spans of time in mental hospitals. When a waitress who worked at a bar he often frequented was raped and murdered he became a suspect. Eventually he was convicted of the crime which he did not commit and was sentenced to death. A friend of his, Dennis Fritz was also wrongfully convicted as an accomplice and sentenced to life in prison. It was a terrible ordeal that Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz suffered being wrongly convicted of a murder. They both spent 11 years in prison, fritz serving a life sentence and Williamson on death row, locked up with heartless killers and treated like an animal. The book also has a subplot revolving around the abduction of another girl in Ada who to this day has never been found. Two men, Tommy Ward and Kurt Fontenot were convicted of a rape and murder and are currently serving life sentences. Although no concret... ...tem. It is unbelievable how lax, inadequate, and unjust the justice department can actually be in our country that we thought was civilized. It is ludicrous that many of the same people who convicted two innocent men of crimes and nearly got one killed are still working in the same offices even after they were proven unethical, and disrespectful to their duty. This book was not written help Ron Williamson or Dennis Fritz, they have already been exonerated and have received compensation. It was probably not written for money, John Grisham stated in a speech that he feared a lawsuit. (law.virginia.edu) This book was written to make a political point. Even though this book is somewhat biased against the death penalty it still should enrage an American citizen who believes that a person is ?innocent until proven guilty,? and ?has a right to remain silent.?

Functions Of Management Essay -- Business Management

There may be many ways for an organization to become successful but the key to success is not the system of the firm but the character and skills of the individual manager (Maister, 2002). Maister further stated that the character and skill of individual managers who "practice what they preach" and recognize the manager's role in training employees are what's really significant. Management is necessary for a business to function, yet when exploring the role of the manager, it becomes rather complex. Managers must be resourceful; they are individuals who wear many hats. The job of every manager involves what is known as the functions of management. Richard Daft definition of management is "the attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through the employment of the four management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling organizational resources" (2005). Daft adds that these functions are goal-directed, interrelated and interdependent. The first of these functions, planning, involves creating a systematic process for achieving the goals of the firm. It prepares the organization for the future. Planning can take many forms and a variety of methods may be employed. Creativity and communication becomes very important in the function of planning. For example, during my employment with a tax service, in planning a marketing campaign several people had to be contacted. Communication was initiated in different forms such as e-mail, telephone, written memorandums and creative jingles. Today managers make use of planning through software and technological items such as blackberries in order to be well prepared during the planning process. Planning can also be seen as a way of control. ... ... needed (2005). Managers also play an important role is advancing these goals. Rather than just manipulating things and people to achieve goals, managers must advance overall organizational goals through the use of information systems. Technology is one element that is helping managers take control. The use of the internet and other technology has enabled them to keep tabs on performance without maintaining daily authoritarian control over employees (Daft, 2005). In Maister's book, "Practice What You Preach", he list nine statements as the most important truths for employees and profitability. The performance from company to company, despite the country, the size of the practice and the line of business, the four functions of management I found to be equally significant in his nine truths. Works Cited Maister, D.H. (2001), "Practice What You Preach"

Sir Frederick Grant Banting :: Biographies

Sir Frederick Grant Banting (1891-1941) Life Description Sir Frederick Grant Banting was a Canadian physician, physiologist, and Nobel winner in 1923 for the discovery of the hormone insulin, used in treating diabetes. Early Life Banting was born November 14, 1891, on a farm near Alliston, Ontario. The death of his friend made him having the desire to be a doctor. However, his father was a devoutly religious man, and hoped that Frederick would become minister. After he graduated from high school, the conflicts with his parents begun. His parents finally persuaded him to enrol in the liberal art course at Victoria College, Ontario. In 1910, he and his cousin Fred Hipwell began their studies at Victoria College. However, Banting's mind was still on medicine. After several arguments with his parents, he entered the University of Toronto Medical School in the fall of 1912. His cousin quoted, "He was a steady, industrious student. He had no top marks or even honor standing, but there never was any doubt that he would pass." World War I While he was still in school, World War I started. In the spring of 1915, his name was enlisted in the Canadian Army. However, his commanding officer, arranged him for his education. Hours after the successful completion of his final exams in December 1916, he was back in uniform. Within a few months, he was serving in the Canadian Army Hospital at Ramsgate, England. He then voluntarily transferred to the front line near Cambrai, France because he felt he was not doing enough. He used his intelligence to capture three fully armed Germans without any use of weapons! This earned a rank of the Captain. He kept working at the frontline. On the morning of September 28, 1918, a shell burst close by and a piece of shrapnel buried itself in Banting's right arm. It was so bad that a doctor informed him that they had to amputate his arm. However, he refused, He did an operation to himself. Even though it was a long, slow process, his arm finally did heal. After World War I By the time he was recovered, he went back to Toronto. He opened an office as a surgeon. However, after 4 months, he only earned 14 dollars! Therefore, he transferred to University of Western Ontario as a teacher. Winning the Nobel Prize

Primordial Sound Meditation Essay

Donna Miesbach opens the lecture asking if anyone participates in meditation. Her knowledge begins for her at the age of 17. The passion she emits when teaching primordial sound meditation is evident with the discussion she leads. Informative about Dr. Deepka Chopa making the Vedic tradition of India available and able to read to many people. Bringing meditation back into society. Meditation can be described as entering a state of complete awareness. Meditation is about oneself; you with your mind. A place you can fulfill your purpose, get in tune with your soul, no stress, anxiety or fear. Meditation relieves stress and helps to remember self wholeness. It rejuvenates the cells to wake up, relaxes the physical, mental and energy body, introduces serenity, bliss and clarity all while bringing balance to every area of life. Meditation is stated as a three step process. The basis starts with our state of mind.; many thoughts stimulate and stress our emotional, mental, energy and physical bodies. The â€Å"meditation station† describes the normal state of mind of not being normal but abnormal with effects of receiving sensory stimuli that react in uncontrolled ways. Also that our thoughts can be opposing of each other, thoughts that bring warm, cuddly, relaxed emotions can also initiate fear, anxiety and paranoia. A tool used to transition thru meditation is Mantra, defined as â€Å"man=mind† and â€Å"tra=instrument† so as a whole † Instrument of the mind† The first step of meditation is gaining control over our mind, to concentrate. All effects are directly or indirectly in all areas of the body and mind. Concentration derived from the Latin words â€Å"To† † Center or fixed center point† offers mental influence and mental imaging, looking at the word as a whole can be further defined as † bring to a common point.† and the â€Å"act or state of bringing to a fixed point or focus†. With concentration you are bringing the highest forms of energy, power and forces to a focus point , keeping it from dissolving over multiple areas. Focused concentration can be difficult to achieve with current lifestyle, duties of family, work, school, schedules, appointments all correlate to keep the mind restless. With the obstacles of swirling thoughts, applying the control of voluntary attention and exercising self will are key to facilitate ones control of attention and will . Practicing paying attention to concentration, you gain the experience to exercise your will to just be witness to any distracting thoughts that populate; instead of using imagination or daydreams in lieu of concentrating on the object of your meditation. So primarily the goal in the first area of meditation is to concentrate, provide un forced attention and focus on one object whether it’s a personalized mantra, a saying, chant or actual object. The next step instructed is mind and body connection and silencing of the mind best known as Meditation. In meditation the attention is unbroken, effortless, a steady flow of concentration. The focused attention is also applied to the object of meditation and the state of meditation that initiates deeper and deeper concentration which then proclaims true knowledge, universal awareness and can begin to restore balance. You become connected to feelings, sensations and everything connected to that object. Best quoted is Albert Einstein † Everything in the universe is relative to everything else† This deep concentration and connection ultimately brings your meditation to connect you to everything; uniting your object and your mind. The final step of meditation occurs in the state of contemplation and ultimate consciousness. The experience of not being conscious of just our body and thoughts but being part of the universe and cosmos. Some imply it is a birthright and destiny to attune to this state of realization, truth, consciousness and bliss. You become connected to the universe as it is connected to you in a simple, spontaneous action. Nothing is forced, what happens is what is supposed to happen. Meditation takes practice. Overall patience and understanding to accomplish the deepest form of meditation requires you to have the abilities of focusing on an object, reject unwanted/unwarranted thoughts not related to the object, promoting the power to controlled thoughts, the capacity to stop them, comprehension to separate ones self from thoughts, and all is done to master and achieve a silent mind. This deep state of meditation refers to the silent mind as a powerful experience. A silent mind is related to being alert and sensitive to surroundings, compassionate towards others, removing harmful notions from the mind, judgments, rejection, hatred, anger, jealousy and any thought process that is implying one of being wrapped in ones own confusions. Primordial sound mediation is best explained as a healing practice. Experience inner peace and it reminds oneself of our essence, improves inspiration, compassion, love, health, enthusiasm and creativity in daily living and relations. Primordial sounds consist of basic, essential sounds and vibrations from nature. Mantras are primordial sounds that are depicted from the Vedic mathematics, which determine the exact sound or vibrations developed using the date, time and location of a persons birth. If used correctly to influence the quieting of the mind, you can fall into meditation easier and faster. The mantra guides you from levels of clustered thought activities, to complete silence. You are no longer affected by internal commotion and are able to in-tune to true, and peaceful awareness of the universe. This allows the mind, physical body and energy network that supports and sustains the physical body ability to function at maximum effectiveness. Mantra deepens meditation, it blesses our lives with the universe ,provides true knowledgeable wealth of the soul, gives a roadmap to heightened awareness and clears, relaxes, and rejuvenates the body.. There are many types, forms and ways of meditation. All meditation types possess the ability to restore physical, mental and emotional self well being. The fact that we use roughly 5% of our minds substantiates the importance of relaxing beyond the busyness and ciaos. Other meditation can include walking, simple, mindfulness, journey, vibrational and central channel meditation, all techniques allow anyone to incorporate and fit into their lifestyle. The tasks of the present day insist that people are more human doings with the constant feeling of needing to be doing something or going somewhere, always doing. We need to be referring to ourselves as â€Å"human beings† so it incorporates the importance of attention, concentration, self peace and we are just beings; here to be!

Identifying Potential Malicious Attacks Essay

We have been tasked by the CIO to draft a report identifying potentially malicious attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities specific to our organization. Further, the CIO would like us to briefly explain each item and potential impact it could have on the organization. Malicious Network Attacks â€Å"Network attack is usually defined as an intrusion on your network infrastructure that will first analyze your environment and collect information in order to exploit the existing open ports or vulnerabilities – this may include as well unauthorized access to your resources† (Symantec, 2013). We will first have to analyze the potential attacks we need to protect against, and the potential impact those attacks could have on the network. The majority of threats we will encounter are classified as viruses, hacks, and blended attacks. 1. Viruses. â€Å"A Virus is a program that is activated by attaching copies of itself to executable objects. Viruses can reach your computer from other infected computers, via data medium (CD, DVD, etc.) or through a network (local or Internet).† (Symantec, 2013). Due to the shear frequency of virus attacks, we shall list them number one. According to a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) survey, 72% of all companies received i nfected e-mails or files last year and for larger companies this rose to 83% (Vernon, 2004). The potential impact of the network becoming infected with a virus could be devastating. File destruction, file corruption, disabling user programs, loss of critical data and overloading the network are just a few of the potential impacts of a virus. Viruses can be introduced in to the network in many ways. Employees downloading /using unauthorized programs, opening and executing infected email attachments, bringing infected files from home on a thumb drive or CD, accessing the network with their smart phone, etc. According to a survey of IT mangers conducted by SupportSoft, 75% said their companies â€Å"are not  adequately protected from, or able to prevent, computer virus attacks†, and 74% said their companies are hit monthly with one or more computer viruses. (SupportSoft, 2005) 2. Hacking. Despite the continuing problem of Denial of Service (DOS), and Dedicated Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, the latest threat is SQL injection attacks. This type of attack takes advantage of improper coding of web applications that allow outside users (hackers) to inject SQL commands that allow access to the company’s database. This results in secure information being confused with non secured information. In other words, passwords, classified or proprietary information is confused with public information such as product details or contacts by the database, allowing hackers to access the secure information. A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington estimated that it cost the global economy $300 billion a year and cyber insurance is the fastest-growing specialty insurance ever – worth around $1.3b billion a year in the US. (Lawson, 2014). It is not only the cost of information that should be considered, but also the cost of lost employee productivity, network downtime, and increased IT personnel cost. 3. Blended Attack. A blended threat is a â€Å"multi-pronged attack against networked computers. Symantec describes a blended threat as an attack that combines viruses, worms, Trojan Horses, and malicious code with server and Internet vulnerabilities to initiate, transmit, and spread an attack. Blended threats are designed to propagate quickly, like worms, but instead of relying on a single-attack vector (such as email), blended threats are designed to use whatever propagation path exists.† (Piscitello, n.d.). A blended threat usually takes over the administrative privileges on the computer and is thus able in theory to â€Å"perform any operation available, thus enabling keystroke logging; file copying, removal or modification; communications monitoring and modification; and unauthorized service operation† (Piscitello, n.d.). The use of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy by many companies, has led to the escalation of blended attacks due to the often lackadaisical approach that most users take concerning mobile phone security. With a lack of anti-virus and anti-malware software installed, these devices post a real security risk when connected to the company network. With most employees using their mobile device for both work and private use, stored business contacts and texts could be compromised. Security Controls (Personnel) All three of the network risks identified above pose not only the threat of malicious attacks, but also the threat of data theft and loss. We must mitigate the risk to our network and the intellectual property and highly sensitive data contained within that network. The first step would be to conduct a review or audit of our user and network security policies. An annual user training session should be instituted containing the following basic policies: – No installation of unauthorized software on company machines. – Never provide someone else your user name or password. – Log off of the computer when not in use – Never provide intellectual or sensitive information to unknown users, especially through email. – Never open email attachments, especially executable files, from unknown sources. – Implement a strong password policy with mandatory changing of passwords within certain timeframes. These company policies can help mitigate internal threats that can occur by accident or intentionally. Users should also be trained in the identification of malware and the proper reporting procedures after it has been identified. All IT personnel should have knowledge of the latest threats and responses to those threats. If it is identified that IT personnel require additional training/certification, this should be provided if financially feasible. Security Controls (Hardware/Software) The first step would be to conduct a thorough audit of network security hardware and software. A reconnaissance and probing test could be performed with Zenmap GUI (Nmap) to identify security deficiencies such as open ports. The best defense against malicious attacks is a multi-layered approach. A Host Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) to complement the Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) should be installed. An additional NIDS should be installed inside the firewall which would detect any attacks that may get by the firewall. Host computers connected to the internet should be isolated from the rest of the network. We should also harden our software/hardware, which is a configuration where unnecessary services are turned off and protected ones are left running. A review of the anti-virus and anti-malware  software should be done. All software should be up to date with the latest virus/malware definitions and updates. Perform virus and malware scans on all network devices and computers on a consistent basis. Wireless Access Points (WAP) should have the latest encryption installed to ensure only authorized users have access. A BOYD security policy should be implemented, whereas all mobile devices under the BOYD program are susceptible to the same security policies as company assets. A policy much like Cisco has implemented should be considered. Their policy requires all users to have at least a four-digit PIN, and the device to have an auto-lock setting that triggers in 10 minutes or less. Cisco also reserves the right to wipe any device remotely if it’s lost or stolen. The company controls corporate data on its network, using a combination of security access PINs, encryption tools and read-only features that prevent highly confidential data from being copied, downloaded or emailed. It also uses monitoring tools to scan all Web requests for malicious content if a device starts behaving strangely, the IT team can quarantine it or kick it off the network. (Gale, 2013). Conclusion With an ever evolving, infinite amount of threats to a network, there are many available solutions to attempt to mitigate that risk. Training personnel on best security practices, creating a secure network with firewalls including intrusion detection and anti-virus/malware software, to performing security audits will help ensure the best possible defense against a malicious attack against the network. Works Cited Gale, S. F. (2013, April 2). BYOD Brings Security Risks for Companies. Retrieved July 14, 2014, from workforce: http://www.workforce.com/articles/byod-brings-security-risks-for-companies Lawson, A. (2014, May 23). Businesses need to wake up and smell the hackers. Retrieved July 23, 2014, from The Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/businesses-need-to-wake-up-and-smell-the-hackers-9422300.html Piscitello, D. (n.d.). What is a blended threat? Retrieved July 23, 2014, from The Security Skeptic: http://securityskeptic.typepad.com/the-security-skeptic/what-is-a-blended-thr

Minority: United States and Minorities Essay

What do members of minority groups gain and lose as they undergo a process of assimilation the process by which minorities gradually adopt patterns of the dominant culture. As a minority you gain and lose it can be positive or negative. Every culture is different as we all know as a minority you have to adapt to the norms. As a minority you gain certain things such as learning a new language although it might be very difficult, given the right for a better education, being independence the right to do what you please. You might lose traditional food traditional behaviors, leaving family behind. However its normal. I experience most of these situation when I came here in a America as minority is was very difficult and a big change because as I aged I noticed and felt unwanted by majority of people living here you can tell by the negative stereotypes and discrimination But these situation happened around the world. When I came here I gained a self of independence going to school, working buying and things I desire to have, and going anywhere I felt like going. In contrast. iving in my country as woman I didn’t really have much independence although I was young I understand, but most woman went to school but usually they stay home they don’t work the man pays the bills buys everything needed for the house. I left my family behind but I also have family here and were all doing things to better our self in the future by going to school and become whoever we want to be that’s the beauty of America. According to Macionis â€Å" Minorities have two important characteristics. First, society imposes on them a distinctive identity, which may be based on physical or cultural traits. Second, minorities experience subordination. As this chapter shows, U. S. minorities typically have lower income, lower occupational prestige, and limited schooling. Class, race and ethnicity, as well as gender, are overlapping and reinforcing dimensions of social stratification. The Thinking About Diversity box on page 278 describes the struggles of recent Latin American immigrants to the Unites States. † (Macionis 277) As Macionis mentioned this is very true that minorities have lower income in my opinion it has a lot to do with racism which makes it hard to find a job and be able to sustain yourself and your family. As a minority in my nine family household most of us work but we still struggle to make ends meet. Also I thing as a minority in any country it’s very hard it takes years to adjust to the new culture and people. I think that some ways we can improve the contemporary American relation on a family level is to reach out to neighbors and community not being judgmental, get to know people as individuals not as a stereotype. At the community level/ school: join clubs or activities that are inclusive of all minorities. Town /cities policies: enforcing equal opportunity laws housing, availability for schools, support services. U.  S. government: funding to help minorities be successful here, visas to immigrate here All of these will help build relationship with minorities and see then as individual not a stereotype. In conclusion we do gain and lose certain things we admire by moving to a different country or region but having the advantage to experience different part of the world is exciting you learn new things each day. And no part of the world is perfect your always going to finds things you like or dislike about a place but as long as take advantage of knowing who you are and be yourself and learn to adopt to new things that’s all that matters.

Fundamental Factors Affecting Quality Essay

The nine fundamental factors (9 M’s), which are affecting the quality of products and services, are: markets, money, management, men, motivation, materials, machines and mechanization. Modern information methods and mounting product requirements. 1. Market: Because of technology advancement, we could see many new products to satisfy customer wants. At the same time, the customer wants are also changing dynamically. So, it is the role of companies to identify needs and then meet it with existing technologies or by developing new technologies. 2. Money: The increased global competition necessitates huge outlays for new equipments and process. This should be rewarded by improved productivity. This is possible by minimizing quality costs associated with the maintenance and improvements of quality level. 3. Management: Because of the increased complex structure of business organization, the quality related responsibilities lie with persons at different levels in the organization. 4. Men: The rapid growth in technical knowledge leads to development of human resource with different specialization. This necessitates some groups like, system engineering group to integrate the idea of full specialization. 5. Motivation: If we fix the responsibility of achieving quality with each individual in the organization with proper motivation techniques, there will not be any problem in producing the designed quality products. 6. Materials: Selection of proper materials to meet the desired tolerance limit is also an important consideration. Quality attributes like, surface finish, strength, diameter etc., can be obtained by proper selection of material. 7. Machines and mechanization: In order to have quality products which will lead to higher productivity of any organization, we need to use advanced machines and mechanize various operations. 8. Modern information methods: The modern information methods help in storing and retrieving needed data for manufacturing, marketing and servicing. 9. Mounting product requirements: Product diversification to meet customers taste leads to intricacy in design, manufacturing and quality standards. Hence, companies should plan adequate system to tackle all these requirements.

Nature and landscapes are nothing more than sedimented history Essay

Nature and landscapes are nothing more than sedimented history - Essay Example Once it regains, its original shape one may not be able to tell the difference between the original and the restored form (McKibben, 2009). Thus, is easier to say the landscapes and nature are just but a sentiment of history. The views can change but with time, they can regain their original shape and appearance. This fact makes the idea that the landscape and nature to be termed to just but a history. Since history repeats itself the same, the nature can repeat itself once it has been altered. When people settle in a place, they change position in a manner that the area can be habitable. If the same place can be abandoned for a while, it regains its original shape, and the earlier vegetation can cover the ground. Thus, the landscape and nature is just a repetitive occurrence that can repeat itself like the way history does. Taking a case of the white settlers who invaded the Zimbabwean country and settled there. This aspect can be treated as a case of the British where they found the nation being scorched and had no enough water to allow them to practice farming. The British had to change the landscape, and the landscape was changed they brought a new one. The new landscape was full of water from the dams, and they had conserved the soil well and the land was good for arable purposes. Thus, the new appearance of the area was good enough to allow many farming activities. Wildlife could at that time be well supported by the new look of the environment. The British changed the landscape to own it and performed their activities (Hughes, 2010). They used the water that was in the dams that they constructed to irrigate and support the wildlife. Maybe long ago the same place had a lot waters and was supporting wildlife, and it reached a point that the climate changed. It to be so dry that the animal was no mo re supported by the prevailing conditions. When the British came to the place, they changed the nature may be top the look of

Does China Threaten U.S. Global Economic Dominance Research Paper

Does China Threaten U.S. Global Economic Dominance - Research Paper Example In the  recent  global  economic  crisis of 2008-2009, China also managed to recover faster than United States which is still in the process of recovering from high unemployment rate, national debt and widening fiscal deficit. This  disparity  in economic performance led many to  consider  that perhaps the balance of power has already shifted from United States to China. To assess whether China threatens U.S. global economic dominance, it would be necessary to examine the factors that could threaten the US position as a global economic superpower and make a comparison between the two countries. That way, we would know if China is already threat to US’s global economic dominance. Economic dominance is a critical barometer of being a superpower because economics drives everything including a country’s ability to influence the world. Economic power includes  absolute  GDP (Gross Domestic Product) or a country’s total output that will  translate   to resources that can be used for defense purposes, projection of power and ability to influence the world. In totality, what really would matter if a certain country already threatens the economic dominance of United States is if its economy is already near as large as that of the economy of United States. In this regard, US economy is still about eight times bigger than China and has massive industrial and technological complex to support and sustain the growth of its economy.   Its currency is still used as the world's  reserve currency and it is not likely that the US dollar will be replaced by other currency soon or specifically by the Chinese Yuanii.   China's economy in contrast is eight times smaller than United States.   Further,  China is burdened with its huge population of 1.3 billion. Such that when its GDP is divided among its 1.3 billion population, its GDP will translate to a very low per capita income.   In 2007 pre-economic crisis, China’s pe r capita income was only $2,000 compared to US per capita income of $42,000.   China is not yet considered developed because there are still  400 million Chinese who lives in its rural area who survive on less than $2 per day and another 200 million lives on less than a dollar a dayiii.   Ã‚  China’s  weakness  includes its lack of multinational corporations.  China does not  even  have its own industrial complex and its economy is heavily dependent on Western enterprise.   If US pulls out of China, China will be on its knees because it is heavily dependent on US industries and market. United States economic might translates to its overwhelming military superiority over China.   Military superiority is a critical dimension of power because it enables a country to assert itself when it needs to defend its interest in the global arena and that includes economic interest.   The gauge of military superiority is not limited to the number of troops but also in cludes the sophistication of its military hardware.   The huge  size of US economy enables it to allocate a military budget that is not equaled by China.   It only allocates 4% of its total GDP on defense but due to the sheer size of its economy, this translates to a $600 billion military budget.    Compared to US budget of $600 billion for military expenditure, China has only a military budget of   $50 to $70 billion (although Pentagon doubt that such figure is understated) which only comprises one eight

Peer pressure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Peer pressure - Essay Example another individual or group in order to encourage others to change their values, attitudes, or behaviors so that they may be in conformity with the norms and practices of the group. As such, active peer pressure refers to the explicit offer from an external force to join or be part of a group and verbal criticism following in the event of refusal to join the group. Active peer pressure affects employee engagement by forcing these employees to be part of a group, and as such, create an atmosphere that develops social cohesion and appropriate employee engagement. Positive peer pressure encourages active employee engagement whilst negative peer pressure discourages active employee engagement. Passive peer pressure capitalizes on the independent personal desires of an individual or an employee to fit into a given group, or to adopt both the values and practices of other groups or members of the organization. Passive peer pressure may either encourage or discourage employee engagement depending on its nature. For instance, an employee who wants to be part of the executive team may adopt that peer pressure to grow and develop him or herself through active employee engagement in order to get recognition from the management, and as such, create a good name for a promotion to the executive team. Mental strength refers to the collection of attributes within and individual that allows the person to persevere through difficult times or circumstances without losing confidence, such as standing against peer pressure and upholding their own morals and beliefs. This is assistance from a person with a higher authority within the organization, which enables and encourages an individual employee to overcome their problems and fears, as concerning issues related to pressure from peers. Mediating variables help to explain how or why the independent variables affect the dependent variables the way they do. For example, in this case, Performance Appraisal (Mediating variable) can be

The Value of Biodiversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Value of Biodiversity - Essay Example However, this aspect is projected to slow down in future (Primack, 2012). Biodiversity values are generally classified into two different categories thus the direct and the indirect values. The direct values in this case include food resources such as vegetables, grains and fruits that are obtained from plantations (Primack, 2012). It also includes animal resources such as milk and milk products, eggs and fish. The direct values are further divided into the productive and consumptive values. On the other hand, the indirect values are the values, which tend to provide benefits, which are indirect to human beings. In most cases, they support the biological life existence. They include the ethical values, cultural values, environmental service values, aesthetic values and option values (Primack, 2012). As part of the indirect biodiversity values, the existence value entails the benefit, which is often reflected as a well-being sense whereby one simply knows and acknowledges that marine biodiversity exists. Hageman (1985), states that it does not matter if the marine biodiversity that exists is never experienced or utilized, people tend to benefit from its existence in a certain way. In simple terms, existence values are generally unusual and slightly controversial economic value class that reflects on the benefits in which people receive from the knowledge of an environmental resource (Primack, 2012). Some of the common examples of the existence values include Grand Canyon, Antarctica, endangered species and some of marine existence. In biodiversity values, the existence value remains the most prominent example of the non-use value. This is because the value does not need that utility be derived from direct resource use. The existence value is the utility, which comes from simple knowledge about the existence of a certain resource (Primack, 2012). The existence value remains a

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 44

Marketing - Essay Example A retail client of mine wanted to increase the number of shoppers buying the higher value products in their range, and believed a key issue was its packaging. So, the team made several prototype packs and, over course of a couple of days, tried them in a store. They then simply observed how customers interacted with the different versions, and picked a winner that has subsequently driven double-digit sales growth in that category. Different customers have different tastes, thus, a close monitoring of the customers’ buying and/or consumption trends is vital especially where the commodity comes in different versions or tastes so as to determine which version of the commodity is popular among buyers (Business Intelligence, 2005). This helps establish the stature of the product in the market as a result of increased sales once the customer favorite commodity is identified. Even if you are focused on internal clients, direct experience of your offering can bring home to you what its like to be your customer. Only when youve been standing in a retail stores queue with a screaming baby, or perhaps have tried to use your call centre to ask for support, do you get a realistic view of your customers experience. A good business person should some times be able to step into their customer’s shoes as it helps them have a vivid understanding and have value for their customers. In addition, this enables one to help create products and services that are fair to everyone at any given moment so as to keep attracting more customers. Even  Steve Jobs, who eschews most customer research, set up a prototype store when developing  Apples  retail concept. The insights gained from this helped the team develop innovative in-store services such as The Genius Bar. According to Business Intelligence (2005), the current market is growing rapidly which is in line with prototyping; this will help collect sufficient information rapidly about your