Dark Matter: a Basic Understanding

Dark Matter: A Basic Understanding Introduction Many people, from the inquisitive, to those involved in the astronomical sciences have questioned the existence of Dark Matter. While it is called many things today, I will continue to refer to this unseen substance by its original name, Dark Matter. As it is still a theory being researched today to validate its existence and make-up, the discovery of dark matter was first presented to the world some time ago by two very intelligent astronomers. In coming to understand this matter, some of the most common questions we find ourselves asking are: What is it?And, How was it discovered? The most difficult question we all seem to face is â€Å"Does it really exist? † While quite tricky, this question is one that each of us have to conclude an answer to on our own. Therefore to start, I will address the more common questions first, and then I will provide my own answer to the question of its existence. Dark Matter: What is it? When fir st being introduced to Dark Matter, the first question we find ourselves asking is what is it? In and out of the scientific community dark matter is commonly referred to as â€Å"the source of extra gravity,† or the â€Å"mysterious form of matter that is unseen. A more refined scientific definition for dark matter is â€Å"a nonluminous, undetectable, invisible material in the universe that makes up about 70%-80% of its mass. † In short, dark matter is an unseen form of material that contains its own gravity which affects its surrounding materials; i. e. gases, stellar, and celestial bodies. With truly dedicated astronomers and cosmologists focused on the structure and composition of the cosmos, this brings me to explaining how this invisible matter called â€Å"dark matter† was discovered. Dark Matter: How Was It Discovered?In 1932 and 1933, astronomers Jan Hendrick Oort and Fritz Zwicky were the first to postulate the idea of the existence of dark matter. In studying the stellar motions of stars within the galactic plane of the Milky Way galaxy, Astronomer Jan Oort observed that the rotational velocity of stars on this outermost part of the galaxy (galactic plane) was actually increasing versus decreasing. This in itself presented a reason to question this stellar movement further since, based on Newton’s law of gravity, the rotational velocity of stars should steadily decrease the further they are from the galactic center.Oort continued his observations on stellar motions, while astronomer Fritz Zwicky carried out his studies and observations on galactic clusters and how they remained gravitationally bound. During Zwicky’s observations, here is where dark matter was discovered on a much more massive scale. Through Zwicky’s research, he found that there needed to be 10 times as much mass as observed in the form of visible light in order to keep galaxies clustered together. This observation was clear to Zwicky, as i t had been to Oort, that there was a large sum of mass existing within the cosmos that was simply â€Å"non-visible. At this point, astronomers simply referred to this material as â€Å"missing mass. † Being that the peculiar stellar movement counters Newton’s law of gravity, and occurs in the outermost part of the galaxy known as â€Å"galaxy halo’s,† both Oort and Zwicky hypothesized that this â€Å"dark matter† must exist in a spherical form that enshrouds the outermost part of galaxies, thus keeping them from flying apart. In understanding how this matter was discovered, this brings me to the final and most important question, and that is determining if it really exists.Dark Matter: Does It Really Exist? The evidence supporting the existence of dark matter today is very convincing, yet in the scientific community, it is still a theory. Giving a definite answer as to whether it exists is solely up to the individual. Despite this, astronomers ar e continuing to find more convincing information that supports the dark matter theory. For instance, an August 2012 article published in â€Å"Science News Today,† discussed evidence of dark matter filaments (fibers or threads of dark matter) discovered by astronomer Jorg Dietrich and his colleagues.Dietrich and his colleague’s x-ray observations of a pair galaxy clusters called Abell 222/223, revealed a ribbon of hot gas between the clusters. This, along with the galaxies distorted shapes and how light was bent was the first hint of the presence of dark matter. Continued observation of the galaxy clusters revealed a thick cord of invisible matter with a mass comparable to that of a small galaxy cluster. Dietrich states that gas can account for only about 9 percent of that mass, dark matter appears to make up the rest. Conclusion:In understanding that dark matter is an unseen material which contains its own gravity, the theory alone provides a unique way of understandi ng the structure of our universe. Most importantly, the work of astronomer’s Jan Oort and Fran Zwicky set the stage for astronomers to seek out and understand possible unseen forces at work within our cosmos. This is exactly what astronomer J. Deitrich and his colleague’s did. While there is a host of significant evidence supporting the theory of dark matter, Deitrich and his colleague’s evidence was eye-opening.In concluding if it actually exists, in my opinion its presence is already confirmed. Works Cited Jones, Andrew, and Daniel Robbins. â€Å"The Universe’s Dark Matter and Dark Energy, String theory for dummies. † Dummies. com. Dummies. biz. 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. NASA. What is Dark Matter? Washington: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, 23 Feb. 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. Powell, Devin. â€Å"Dark Matter Filament Illuminated. † Science News Magazine 11 Aug. 2012: 9+. Print. White, Mark. â€Å"Rotation Curves. † Berkel ey Astronomy Department. University of California at Berkeley. 2011. Web. 15 Nov. 2012.

Criteria for Joining the Military

Outline for the Persuasive Speech Name Joseph Fink Topic _____Why you should join the military_____________________________ I. Introduction A. Attention Getter: Would you fight for your freedom? B. Introduction of Topic / Establishment of Credibility: My topic is reasons for why joining the military can be a great career for anyone. My family has a history of serving in the Navy, Army, Airforce, Marines and the National Guard. I have heard first hand of how you can use the military as a stepping stone for a career you desire. It also can be a life long commitment.C. Thesis / Claim (What attitude/behavior do you want to change? ) Some people think badly about the military. They don’t think they get paid enough. They think that you are brain washed into thinking a certain way. Those people also usually look down on all government organizations and need to learn that not everything is perfect but would you rather live in a communist country with little or no freedom. There are th ings you can do to make changes in the way an organization is ran. But bashing it and putting it down will not get you anywhere. D.Preview of Main Points (Why should the audience’s attitude/behavior change? ) a. Not everyone is cut out to be in the military but you should respect those of us who are willing to put our lives on the line to fight for your freedom. b. Education can be an expensive path. The military helps with some of the burden. c. Just because the pay may not be what they deserve you have to look at the other benefits involved. Travel, medical, a place to live, security, a sense of belonging, a pride that you find in yourself that you did not even know existed. II. Body (List your three main points here with transitions.Each point should contain at least one instance documentation of your research—or this is plagiarism!!! ) A. Not everyone is cut out to be in the military but you should respect those of us who are willing to put our lives on the line to fight for your freedom. They may think that someone who joins the military is all brawn and not brain. A military mind set does not have to be a negative or robotic way of thinking. Everyone is an individual with different morals, ethics, faith and beliefs. In the military you use these strengths to come together with others that have the same goal as you.Whether you are in the military or not if you are an American you want your freedom, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Instead of looking down on those who are in the military you need to realize they have committed their mind, heart and soul to protecting your rights. They do not make the laws, bills, war or constitutional amendments. They fight for them. Those that do not feel they can make such a commitment need to realize that being in the military is an honor and the people who are willing to commit should be treated with respect and honor.Documentation: www. military. com B. Education can be an expensive path. The military h elps with some of the burden. While you are in the military you are allowed to take college classes. These classes are free, yes you heard me FREE. You can earn a degree while fighting for your country and also getting a paycheck. Not only are you able to get an education while you are in the military but you are given a GI bill when you get out. The GI bill can be used for any school you want to attend or classes you want to take. How does it relate to point A? ) Some people think that someone who joins the military is not smart enough to get into college so they go into the military because they have no other option. That is not the case. Planning a successful future for yourself is the main goal for someone who joins the military. They know it will put them on the right path to being a better person. Documentation: http://www. marinecorpstimes. com C. Just because the pay may not be what they deserve you have to look at the other benefits involved.Travel, medical, a place to live , security, a sense of belonging, a pride that you find in yourself that you did not even know existed. Join the Army, see the world! Some people think this is just a trick to get people to join the service. It may be a way to tempt people into joining but it is not false advertisement. You do get to see the world. And it is not always during a war. Most people tend to focus on negative things. There are many, many stories that you can hear from existing and prior military members that can tell you the wonders they have been able to see by traveling with the military.You do not have to worry if you get sick, you are 100% covered. Try getting that medical insurance out of the military. If anything happens to you while you are in the military you get disability pay. Most of these injuries are not from things that happen to you in a war but in everyday life. It is equalviant to workmen’s comp in the civilian world. Being the in military also helps you stay away from crime, drugs , any illegal activities. It becomes your mother and father watching out for you to make sure you stay on the right path.You always have a roof over your head and food in your stomach. You also get a VA loan which you can use to buy a house or even start your own business. (How does it relate to point B? ) Getting an education is also a major benefit you receive from the military. Documentation: http://www. militarybenefits. com/ III. Conclusion (Be creative!!! This is the final chance to change your audience’s attitude! ) A. Restate thesis statement. Some people think badly about the military. They don’t think they get paid enough. They think that you are brain washed into thinking a certain way.Those people also usually look down on all government organizations and need to learn that not everything is perfect but would you rather live in a communist country with little or no freedom. There are things you can do to make changes in the way an organization is ran. But b ashing it and putting it down will not get you anywhere. B. Summarize main ideas without explicitly stating them. a. Not everyone is cut out to be in the military but you should respect those of us who are willing to put our lives on the line to fight for your freedom. . Education can be an expensive path. The military helps with some of the burden. c. Just because the pay may not be what they deserve you have to look at the other benefits involved. Travel, medical, a place to live, security, a sense of belonging, a pride that you find in yourself that you did not even know existed. C. Leave the audience with something to think about. If everyone thought badly of the military where would we be now? Would there still be an America, what future would our children have?

Buliding a UbAMS Model from the Literary Review Dissertation

Buliding a UbAMS Model from the Literary Review - Dissertation Example Each one of these aspects has a different degree of security related to it. UbAMS will follow a security scheme of Low-Medium-High; referring to low security for ownership-based factors, medium security for knowledge-based factors while high security for inherence-based factors. 2.2.1 Ownership-based factors The ownership-based factors of security are the details that are possessed by the owner himself. It is considered to be something that is physically given by the concerned authorities that will facilitate the access to the desired system. However, the level of security for ownership-based factors is considered to be ‘low’ since the physical token can be stolen or misplaced. It includes physical objects that can be used by intruders to gain unauthorized access. A better approach is to use these factors as a part of the authentication process that authorizes the person for example the physical token might have to be used with the combination of a knowledge based factor . These are usually referred to as tokens. Three types of tokens have been explained be: 2.2.1.1 Mobile device The mobile device is also referred to as the USB token device. This device is very small as it is almost the size of a key. The size makes it accessible and reduces the need to remember any credentials. This aspect can save a company significant amount of expense that would otherwise be spent in buying required software or hardware for the employees [5]. The USB device is recognized by the system and the second part of the authentication process commences i.e. the entry of the password. These devices are very hard to duplicate and serve as secure mediums to store sensitive information like private keys, security certificates etc [3]. The following figure shows the image of a USB token device: Figure 1: USB token device [4] Ease of Use It has to be inserted in any USB port of the system; this aspect increases its usability since no special software or hardware is required to avail this technology. Effectiveness This technique proves to be effective if it is accompanied with a knowledge-based factor. 2.2.1.2 Smart Card Smart card resembles a credit card and has a microprocessor embedded in it that stores and processes data [6]. The presence of the microprocessor makes the device intelligent enough to be handle complex authentication mechanisms. It is recognized by the system through a card reader. Upon the verification of the device by the card reader, the user is asked to enter the required password to gain access to the required system. These devices are also hard to duplicate and prove to be good sources for storing information and sensitive data. Tamper resistance techniques are used to protect the smart cards from any malicious usage [8]. Ease of Use A reliable card reader is necessary to be connected with the user’s system; this might prove to be an overhead for the company in terms of finances. Effectiveness As stated earlier, ownership ba sed factors need to have a combination with knowledge based factor since its separate use provides low security for the access management system. 2.2.1.3 Security Token Security token is also referred to as a password generating token. It generates a unique pass-code; it is a password that is used by the user one time as it is

Stakeholder in the Information System Assignment - 31

Stakeholder in the Information System - Assignment Example Consulting stakeholders, when it comes to redesigning a new system, is extremely essential in a business (Lejk and Deeks 16). Stakeholders, in system analysis, are the individuals who determine the main requirements, which should be met by the whole system so as to meet the wants of the sponsors, customers, as well as the users. Also, the aim of redesigning a new system is to do away with the inappropriate technologies, which limit the productivity of the current system. Stakeholders, in system analysis, know the best technology, which will work appropriately with the new system (Lejk and Deeks 16). They can help design the proper system, which will assist them in their dealings. (iii) Consider the college-wide IT infrastructure. If you were a systems analyst in the college investigating wireless access, list a non-technical and technical user who you would consult as part of your investigation. For each user, outline three (3) issues you might want to discuss with them in an interview. Some of the issues that I could discuss with the non-technician user are how to interact with customers, who to interact with designers, as well as assisting programmers to during the design of the system. A non-technician user, to information systems, mainly deals with the nontechnical part of the system and who I could be maintained (Lejk and Deeks 27). Therefore, a nontechnical user will assist me in learning how to relate to clients and how to document their requirements, which are mainly used to create business requirements and dealings. Also, a nontechnical user will assist me in interacting with designers in order to understand the limitations of using system analysis (Lejk and Deeks 27). A technical user, in system analysis, on the other hand, would help me understand the technical part of system analysis (Lejk and Deeks 28). Some of the main issues, which I could ask the technical user, are how to plan a system flow from the beginning, how to perform a system testing and how to deploy the completed system.  Ã‚  

Planning and monitoring work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Planning and monitoring work - Assignment Example This research will begin with the statement that different policies of the organization have a strong effect on planning and allocation different resources. Organization develops different strategic planning process in its policies. It develops policies according to its goals and objectives. The company makes plans according to those policies. These strategic plans help the company to guide and implement its policies successfully for meeting its mission and vision. Based on the strategies organization develop different plans for its betterment and employee growth. Organizational policies contribute a lot in forming various plans for improving management strategies. These plans help to implement trainings and programs within the company. The plan also influences the work process of the organization. Allocation of work depends a lot on company’s policies. According to the policies the company allocates resources to its different group of employees. It helps to make different spe cific teams within the company to maintain smooth work process. The HR policies of the company help to identify the appropriate employees which are required for doing different types of work. The organizational policies help to make different financial plans for implementing its various policies. The example of an objective that a team is working on to achieve is to increase the productivity of that particular team. For increasing the productivity the team will undergo specific trainings which will improve the strengths of its different team members.

Eng lit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Eng lit - Essay Example The attempt to "absorb America" that Deveare speaks of is perhaps impossible because of the sheer range of peoples, experiences and ideas that exist within it. But perhaps that very impossibility is an example of the success of the project. Thus is a person thinks that they have encapsulated the American experience and can hold it all within their viewpoint, they are bound to be excluding some groups and ideas that are not easy to absorb. A true absorbing of what it means to "be" American will involve a dizzying mixture of experiences which will overwhelm any one individual. The through-line which holds these selections together is the fact, paradoxically, that they are so different from one another. They hold a commonality of difference. But that difference is perhaps the best descriptor of the genuine American experience. "I sit down to write something of the life and character of Joaquin Murieta, a man as remarkable in the annals of crime as any of the renowned robbers of the Old or New World, who have preceded him." (p.1) The idea that a Mexican could be as "renowned" in anything as a white man, even in the dubious distinction of being an outlaw, was novel at the time this account was written. In many ways Ridge's account of the actions of Murieta contributed to the outlaw bandit image of the border states more than anything else. There is something Romantic to this hero, something which has remained to the present day. "I do this not for the purpose of contributing to any depraved taste for the dark and horrible in human action, but rather to contribute my mite to those materials out of which the early history of California shall one day be composed." Of course this appeal to "depraved tasted" is precisely what Ridge is doing. This quotation is useful because the legend and myths of such outlaws are as much a part of early American history as any of the lives of politicians. The mythology of the west is as important as the reality, indeed, it becomes part of the reality whether it is true or not. Harte, The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Writings "There was commotion in Roaring Camp. It could not have been a fight, for in 1850 that was not novel enough to have called together the entire settlement. The ditches and claims were not only deserted, but "Tuttle's grocery" had contributed its gamblers, who, it will be remembered, calmly continued their game the day that French Pete and Kanaka Joe shot each other to death over the bar in the front room." (p.1) The myth of the violence of the American West, like many national myths, is based at least partly upon reality. This memorable opening shows the innate humor that could be gained from a community that is so violent that it barely notices two men shooting each other to death in a bar. In one sense, this quotation supports the great Hollywood Western myth that the whole of the West was made up of lawless towns in which coffins for the day's shooting deaths were lined up every day. "The assemblage numbered about a hundred men. One or two of these were actual fugitives from justice, some were criminal, and all were reckless. Physically they exhibited no indication of their past lives and character. The greatest scamp had a Raphael face, with a profusion of blonde

Overpopulation on Earth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Overpopulation on Earth - Essay Example He leaves a conclusion using this argument: "a planet with relatively few people, each of whom can live with dignity and a high quality of life, is far superior to a world where too many people, awash in pollution, stretch resources to the breaking point, and where billions struggle to survive at mere subsistence levels". Benjamin Zuckerman creates a topic that is really interesting and timely. His purpose of delivering his theme and thesis make the readers understand very well the situation as well as the main idea of the essay. But unfortunately, Benjamin Zuckerman fails to write his essay in a rhetorical manner. Although he uses some of the metaphorical questions and symbolism as he mentioned angels and pin which represent people and the Earth, still, the theme will be loved only by the topic-lover audience, it will not pass to the standard of good writers and keen readers. The style of the essay reflects the writer being a proletarian even though his viewpoint has a great sense. The topic is effective but he placed it inappropriately.

English as Second Language Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

English as Second Language - Research Proposal Example Ghaith). However, having said this, it is also essential to weigh the cons so that necessary steps are taken to plug the loopholes. Every system has some weakness. It is for the faculty to take note of these weaknesses and take adequate measures to effectively implement the CL concept in the institution. The participants are 200 male students of the English department in the age group 18-22 years and faculty of the Riyadh Teachers' College. The students as well as the teachers will be asked to fill out a questionnaire. Additionally, teachers will have to undergo an interview to investigate how they perceive CL. Let us first consider the advantages of the CL concept. It frees the teacher from the traditional method of addressing the whole classroom alone. The traditional system becomes more difficult to implement when the classroom is huge and there are students in such large numbers that it becomes almost impossible to evaluate if all the students have adequately understood the lessons being taught. In such situations, the CL concept not only frees the teacher from the shackles of many students not having their problems addressed but also provides them with time and capabilities to understand students' problems and find solutions. It is not usual these days to find classrooms with large number of students. The teacher might not feel it possible to adequately address all the students in the given time slot. She might resign to the possibility of the brighter students getting the best of her pedagogue while allowing the none-too-interested students to struggle away at the rear. The CL concept frees the teacher from solely addressing the students. However, it does not guarantee an easy strategy. The teacher has to prepare well in advance for what is about to happen. She must thoroughly visualize the scenario of the CL groups interacting and getting back to her with their queries (Adam Waxler). The CL concept helps the teacher better address the responsibility of attending the ESL needs of a large number of students with relative ease. The concept is a silent but effective tool to enable students gain confidence and learn ESL with peer interactions. The students may not be able to understand the teacher in the traditional method of pedagogue or if they have queries, they may not be in position to get them clarified on an immediate basis. However, in the CL setup they are able to do both (Implementing Cooperative Learning English Teaching Forum October). Methods of Data Analysis There are many methods of data analysis. A method is chosen when it is found convenient and fitting for the purpose. Equations for the probability functions are given for the standard form of the distribution. Formulas exist for defining the functions with location and scale parameters in terms of the standard form of the distribution (Gallery of Distributions). There are also the measures of variability wherein data is analyzed according to the spread of the frequency. In the case of ESL students, the groups could be analyzed

Arming Pilots Essay Example for Free

Arming Pilots Essay After the September 11th attacks on America’s homeland, citizens became aware that action must be taken to protect passengers and pilots from terrorists. Although strict security measures have been put in place at all American airports, the only way to be certain that another terrorist attack does not occur using commercial aircraft lies in arming pilots with handguns. Not only will arming pilots help act as a preventative measure, it will ensure safer air travel and restore faith in America’s main form of long distance travel. Even though the number of hijackings is minuscule compared to the number of flights, arming pilots would be a first line of deterrence and a last line of defense. Some people may argue that other means should be used to stop hijackers, but as is the case with any illegal activity, if a person wants to commit a crime they will find the means. Therefore, the only way to prevent aircraft hijackings is with the use of guns. One alternative way that has been suggested is arming pilots with tasers, electric shock probes. These are considered problematic by many experts and do not guarantee bringing down a hijacker. As Criminal Justice expert Michael Swedemen said, â€Å"Had the pilots on the ill-fated planes on September 11th had stun guns, they might have dropped one of the hijackers, but the remaining three or four still would have overpowered the plane† (Dougherty, 2002, January 22). Arming pilots would also aid airlines in recovering from the economic downfall that has plagued the industry since the attacks. With armed pilots, passengers would know they are safe from any possibility of a hijacking and the only thing that might cause catastrophic damage would be an unforeseen mechanical problem. Should hijackers be among the passengers they could easily be brought down with guns similar to that of a defiant criminal. Opponents have argued that a stray bullet might penetrate the fuselage or inadvertently hit an innocent passenger. The Air Line Pilot’s Association has called for arming pilots using special ammunition that can kill an attacker but not pierce the fuselage (Dougherty, 2002, January 22). Hitting an innocent passenger is a risk that must be taken. One innocent life lost is far better than the possible countless losses on the hijacked aircraft and immanent destruction resulting on the ground. If passengers know that hijackers cannot take control of the plane, millions of Americans would once again begin flying which would improve economic conditions in a hurting industry. Other questions lie in the ability and mental state of a pilot to carry weapons. Senator Bob Smith (R-N. H. said, â€Å"Commercial pilots are trusted with the lives of thousands of Americans every day, and with proper training they could †¦ protect our skies from future acts of terrorism† (Dougherty, 2002, March 19). Pilots are some of the most mentally, physically, and psychologically tested people with hand/eye coordination that is among the best in any profession. Issuing firearms to pilots would, in effect, be like issuing a gun to a police officer. A pilot should be able to defend his aircraft instead of being left defenseless. The second amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms. As this is true for a homeowner to protect his family and himself, this should be true for pilots and their aircraft should they come under attack. Although the idea of using air marshals still exists, they are seen as being less effective. Along with ineffectiveness, the cost of placing an air marshal on every flight is unrealistic. A pilot who has undergone the proper training can perform the same task while being paid by the airlines, rather than spending taxpayer’s dollars (Shaw, 2001, September 19). As support for handguns in the cockpit grows, we must ask ourselves if four guns had been in the cockpit on September 11th would 3,000 people be dead, two 110 story buildings have been brought down, the Pentagon attacked, and a nation left in shock? Americans must realize that committed terrorists will be able to get past security, leaving pilots as the last line of defense. Along with pilots, many Americans feel these measures have to be taken in order to make the friendly skies, friendly again.

Communication Through Graphic Design Essay Example for Free

Communication Through Graphic Design Essay I’m going to college to earn a degree in Graphic Design. Graphic Design is the art or skill of combining text and pictures in advertisements, magazines, or books. My dream has always been to work for a large successful major business or company. I would love to live in the city and be able to drive down the high way or pick up a magazine and see my design in it for everyone to see. One of the biggest meanings of the word â€Å"design† is planning. To design is to come up with a plan for all elements of a project. I’ve always been really big on making plans. Like when I go to the mall I don’t like to just walk around aimlessly. I like to have a planned route of certain stores I’m going to go to, and in what order I’m going to go to them. I’ve never actually thought about the communication process when it comes to a career in Graphic Design. I always figured it was a career with little communication considering it’s all mostly done on the computer and independently. Depending on the job task, company, or person your doing a certain job for there has to be plenty on communication in order to get the project and design done. Which is a sender receiver type of communication. When going to create a design you must pay close attention to the person telling you what to design. So good communication skills are relevant to get a good job done and reach your bosses standards. Graphic Design is all about communicating images, ideas, and information visually. There are many different types of communication, Graphic Design is visual and non-verbal communication. For example, a billboard on the side of the road is still a form of communication even though there isn’t technically any talking going on. People drive by and still get the point and the message without any verbal communication. Some interesting history I never realized or thought about is that technically graphic design started back in the prehistoric period. With cavemen doing cave paintings and markings on boulders to relay a message to others. It’s interesting to think that people have been creating forms of non verbal communication through somewhat Graphic Design for quite some time now. Graphic Designs involves intrapersonal and interpersonal communication. This is because with this type of job comes lots of thinking, analyzing, listening, observing, questioning, and evaluating. Also I learned that there’s nonverbal physical means in Graphic Design such as; sign language, touch, eye contact, and body language by using design. It’s through communication that understanding, cooperation, and collaboration occur. Communication skills is way more important in Graphic Design than most would assume.

Totalitarianism In Orwells 1984 Politics Essay

Totalitarianism In Orwells 1984 Politics Essay George Orwells 1984 is about a man Winston Smith in a country called Oceania with a government called IngSoc. Winston lives in constant fear as he is arrested and tortured by members of the Party, people participating in IngSoc. Orwell shows how IngSoc is a controlling government. Also, he discusses the dangers of a government like IngSoc. IngSoc is a totalitarian government. Orwell denounces totalitarianism by creating a dystopia that has a totalitarian government. Totalitarianism is the form of government that theoretically permits no individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of the individuals life to the authority of the government. When Orwell published 1984, totalitarianism denoted a society in which political power was in the hands of a dictator or leader and a nontraditional ruling elite; the mass of the population was not only politically powerless but deprived of all intellectual and cultural resources (Gleason, 148). Totalitarianism is a tempting option for countries whose citizens are suffering. The totalitarian states of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler (1933-45) and the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin (1924-53) were the first examples of decentralized or popular totalitarianism, in which the state achieved overwhelming popular support for its leadership (totalitarianism n.p.). In Nazi Germany, the citizens were overcoming a huge depression resulting from the loss in World War I. In the Soviet Union, the people ov erthrew an unproductive, uncaring Tsarist government. George Orwell had many bad experiences with totalitarianism, and recounts these events in 1984. He experienced firsthand the effects of a fascist government in World War II. In 1948, when Orwells 1984 was first published, World War II had just ended. During World War II, mass murders were ordered by totalitarian leaders like Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin. Adolf Hitler, in Germany, had slaughtered his enemiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ killing six million Jews plus nine million Slavs, gypsies, political dissidents, homosexuals, and mentally challenged people (1984 242). Orwell, influenced by genocide caused by a single powerful man, prompted him to reflect upon the cause of so many deaths. He powerfully expresses his worries about the dangers of a totalitarian government by creating his own dystopia in 1984. A totalitarian government works to control the mind of the people. One way to induce subservience is to control pleasure. The Party controls people by limiting and suppressing pleasure. To remove the pleasure from society diminishes the morale of the people, allowing the government to enforce its will. Sex is a social activity looked down upon by the Party through organizations like the Junior Anti-Sex League. Laurence Lerner suggests, [Orwell] considers [sex] extremely important because of its concentration on pure pleasure and IngSoc is a society dedicated to the abolition of pleasure (Bloom 73). Julia uses sex as a medium to rebel against the Party. Seeing Julias rebellious act, Winston joins her and expresses his desire for rebellion as well. Scores of time she had done ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Anything that hinted at corruption always filled him with a wild hope (Orwell 125). Winstons hope is exactly what a totalitarian government desires to destroy. Also, when OBrien tortures Winston in Room 101, he reveals the motives of the Party: The sex instinct will be eradicated. Procreation will be an annual formality like the renewal of a ration card. We shall abolish orgasm (Orwell, 267). By removing the pleasures of sex and all pleasures of society, the Inner Party is free to exert its will upon the citizens of Oceania. Under totalitarian rule, traditional social institutions and organizations are discouraged and suppressed (totalitarianism n.p.). Totalitarianism takes away freedom by installing surveillance and limiting activity. The Party uses the Thought Police, Spies, and telescreens to monitor the citizens of Oceania at all times. Winston buys a blank diary and writes in it while he is in his flat. However, Winston fears the Thought Police will catch him for Thoughtcrime. Winston had committedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the essential crime that contained others in itself. Thoughtcrime they called it (Orwell 19). The Party can accuse anyone of committing Thoughtcrime, even without any evidence. Parsons was taken away by his own children for committing Thoughtcrime. Thoughtcrime also has the ultimate penalty: Thoughtcrime does not entail death: Thoughtcrime IS death (Orwell 28). When free thought is a crime, the government can destroy any mode of thinking which is not its own. When Winston first sees Julia, he is worried that she is a spy. Whether she was really an agent of the Thought Police, or simply an amateur spy actuated by officiousness, hardly mattered (Orwell 101). Winston lives in constant fear of being caught and tortured by the Party. The Spies are a group of children who are taught how to catch adults of committing Thoughtcrime. Parsons children, members of the Spies, turn in their own father to the Party through dedication to the Party. Julia and Winston are in what they think is the last safe place, a room without a telescreen. However, the room hides a telescreens behind a picture, allowing the Party to spy on them while engaged in private activity. A government that can fully monitor its citizens instills fear and maintains full control. The Party uses the media to confuse its citizens. On the telescreens pictures of the enemy, Emanuel Goldstein, appear with other subliminal messages. A depiction of Goldstein shows a lean Jewish face, with a great fuzzy aureole of white hair and a small goatee beard- a clever face, and yet somehow inherently despicable (Orwell 12). His despicable face incites anger in the population, even if directed at an imaginary figure. The anger is then redirected toward the true enemy, as the telescreens then show pictures of Eurasian soldiers, the country Oceania is at war against. Manipulating the media manipulates the attitudes citizens have. The Party uses Newspeak and doublethink to confuse the citizens of Oceania. NEWSPEAK is calculated to get rid of individuality by limiting the range of though through cutting the choice of words to a minimum (1984, 249). The Party restricts the words used to be only positive, preventing any negative comments towards the government. The purpose of Newspe ak was not only to provide a medium of expression for the world-vie and mental habits proper to the devotees of IngSoc, but to make all other modes of thought impossible (Orwell, 299). To eliminate other modes of thought is to eliminate the inherent freedom of thought. Totalitarianism leaders sole concern is gaining power. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or a long life or happiness; only power, pure power (Orwell, 263). Orwell intends to manifest the intentions of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, but to a more extreme level. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it (Orwell, 263). Orwell parallels the motives of the Party with the motives of the Nazis and Communists to a greater extent. The Nazis and Communists had original intentions of freedom and prosperity for their people, but were deluded by a thirst for power. In Oceania, the g overnment has willingly accepted full power and a truly totalitarian government where Big Brother does indeed control all. In Nazi Germany and Stalins Soviet Union, whole classes of people, such as the Jews and the kulaks (wealthy peasant farmers) respectively, were singled out for persecution and extinction. (totalitarianism, n.p.). Totalitarianism blinds the citizens of Oceania. The proles, carrying a different view than the Party members, are branded as evil. The Party taught that the proles were natural inferiors who must be kept in subjection, like animals, by the application of a few simple rules (Orwell, 71). The inferiority of the proles is compared to animals, which lack intelligence to humans. Although the proles have the power to rebel, the Party forces them to believe they are inferior to humans, causing them to live separate from the population. Totalitarianism is a tempting option for countries overcome with poverty. Orwell advises to the citizens of those countries to not select that path. Countries like Germany, Italy, and Russia have instilled totalitarian government into their countries, causing many deaths, and many to lose freedoms. Totalitarian leaders are only concerned with genuine power no matter how many people are harmed.

piracy :: essays research papers

What is Piracy The term "software piracy" covers different activities: illegal copying of programs, counterfeiting and distributing software - even sharing a program with a friend. It's important to understand the different software piracy channels, not just to comply with the law but also to protect against bigger economic problems like lost revenue...and lost jobs. OEMs and Resellers Just because the disk says Microsoft or the software came preloaded on your PC, doesn't guarantee it's legal. Learn how pirated software is distributed. Copying and Counterfeiting It starts with one legitimate, licensed copy of the software, then escalates from there. Internet Piracy The sale of software over Web sites and Auction sites is common and easy, making the Internet the perfect vehicle for counterfeiters. Learn how to protect yourself now. How Piracy Impacts You Pirated software hurts everyone—from the software developers, retail storeowners, and ultimately all software users. Consumers are at Risk Pirated software directly impacts consumers because: Â · It often lacks key elements and documentation, and it always carries no warranty protection or upgrade options. Â · These untested, counterfeit discs may be infected with viruses that will damage your hard drive and may cripple your entire network. Â · If they copy software at work, users put themselves and their company at risk by pirating a product protected by copyright laws. Economic Losses When you purchase counterfeit software, you're supporting disreputable companies, not tax-paying, legitimate businesses that provide jobs and salaries to good citizens. The profits from these sales of counterfeit software don't help expand the economy by providing jobs, taxes, and wages, and there is a good chance the profits are funding additional illegitimate businesses. Legitimate companies never receive any funds from the sale of counterfeit software, and frequently this loss of revenue leads to layoffs for workers in all related industries, from manufacturers to resellers. So, as you can see, purchasing counterfeit software doesn't only impact software manufacturers, it impacts everyone. Innovation is Slowed Intellectual property is the ownership of ideas as well as the control over the tangible or virtual representation of those ideas. Software is intellectual property, as are books, movies, and music.Like music performers and authors, software developers use copyright laws to protect their work and their investment in the field. The theft of intellectual property thus eliminates the resources used to develop newer and better products. Taking Action In an effort to level the playing field for honest resellers, Microsoft is taking legal actions against repeat offenders.

Fiscal Policy In The US Essay -- essays papers

Fiscal Policy In The US â€Å"Real plans for real people.† This was the coined theme for the Bush campaign back in September. As far as I can see with his tax cut plan in doesn’t involve â€Å"real people†. It may just depend on your definition of the term, but the â€Å"real people† of America are the middle class, hard working families. Bush’s tax plan is now said to be $1.6 trillion over a ten year period of time. Most of this money will go to the upper brackets, the â€Å"better off†. Granted they do pay the most money, but then when you think about it, why do they need the cut? Can they not afford to pay their taxes? In this economic time of a feared recession our government should be doing everything in their power to avoid this situation. Having a prolonged tax cut does nothing to help the economy now. By the time the money is given back we and more than likely to have already succeeded this economic down low. The economist will tell you the in order to dodge this the money must be given back now. If the money is given back earlier there is a better chance of people spending it and stimulating economic activity. When looked at by this point of view I most definitely agree with Laura D’Andrea Tyson when she said, â€Å"Bush wants a large tax cut for political reasons, not economic ones.† When Robert J. Barro discuses how he thinks the tax cut will stimulate investment and growth, increase incentives to work and save, and lower the amount of money Congress can spend, I find myself d... Fiscal Policy In The US Essay -- essays papers Fiscal Policy In The US â€Å"Real plans for real people.† This was the coined theme for the Bush campaign back in September. As far as I can see with his tax cut plan in doesn’t involve â€Å"real people†. It may just depend on your definition of the term, but the â€Å"real people† of America are the middle class, hard working families. Bush’s tax plan is now said to be $1.6 trillion over a ten year period of time. Most of this money will go to the upper brackets, the â€Å"better off†. Granted they do pay the most money, but then when you think about it, why do they need the cut? Can they not afford to pay their taxes? In this economic time of a feared recession our government should be doing everything in their power to avoid this situation. Having a prolonged tax cut does nothing to help the economy now. By the time the money is given back we and more than likely to have already succeeded this economic down low. The economist will tell you the in order to dodge this the money must be given back now. If the money is given back earlier there is a better chance of people spending it and stimulating economic activity. When looked at by this point of view I most definitely agree with Laura D’Andrea Tyson when she said, â€Å"Bush wants a large tax cut for political reasons, not economic ones.† When Robert J. Barro discuses how he thinks the tax cut will stimulate investment and growth, increase incentives to work and save, and lower the amount of money Congress can spend, I find myself d...

Malampaya Project

THE MALAMPAYA PROJECT The Malampaya project is a one of its kind project that the Philippines have developed. It is a big opportunity for the Philippines in gas development. The project aims to harvest Gas deep underwater and to use it as a source of power. It provides at least 40-45% of Luzon’s electricity since 2002. It is currently being conducted by Shell Philippines Exploration together with the joint partners Chevron Texaco Malampaya and PNOCEC. The gas was buried approximately 800 meters underwater deep in Northwest Palawan.According to Department of Energy Philippines (2002) that Malaya Gas field is to produce 146 billion cubic feet (BCF) a year. It was proven that they have at least 80 million barrels of condensate and 20-40 million barrels of oil reserves which totals 2. 5 to 3. 5 trillion cubic feet of Gas (TCF). Last December 2012 there has been a plan to expand the Malampaya Gas plant. The Keppel Subic Shipyard started â€Å"striking steel† or steel cutting as a signal for their $1 billion fabrication of an offshore rig in expansion of the Malampaya project.Keppel Subic will be a great help in developing the Malampaya project by building and installing substructure and topside modules in platforms to sustain its 2,700 megawatts production output and for the completion of the Malampaya 3. Also, it will generate at least 1,200 jobs according to Shell Philippines. It has been planned that in 2014, they will build additional two wells and in 2015, installing of new platform for additional equipment and facilities.According to the consortium, the Malampaya 3 aims to keep a steady supply to maintain their commitments in ensuring the power supply for Luzon. It has been proven that they have 3. 2 trillion cubic feet reserves and 1 trillion of it has already been consumed. Sources: http://malampaya. com/? page_id=2 http://www. doe. gov. ph/DNG/malampaya_history. pdf http://www. gmanetwork. com/news/story/284493/economy/companies/keppel-subic-t o-build-fabrication-yard-for-malampaya-deep-well-platform http://manilastandardtoday. com/2012/12/08/work-starts-on-expansionary-malampaya-rig/

Greatest Speeches of All Time †Franklin Roosevelt’s Speech Essay

In his first paragraph, Roosevelt states that he is certain that his fellow Americans expect he will address them with honesty and a decision which the people will push forward. He also states that this is the distinguished time to speak the truth. That Americans should not shrink from honestly facing conditions in their country today. America will endure as it has endured and will revive and flourish. So first of all, he will support his firm belief that the only thing they have to fear is fear itself- unjustified terror which stops needed efforts to transform retreat into advance. He makes a point about how values have shrunken dramatically as taxes have risen, ability to pay has fallen, the government is faced by diminishment of income, exchange means are frozen in trade, the industrial enterprise is falling (â€Å"withered leaves†), farmers cannot sell produce, savings of families are gone and there are going to be more unemployed citizens. He speaks about how America doesn’t have the problems they once had with loss of produce and how â€Å"our forefathers conquered† and that American’s should appreciate it. He says that the country has many resources and shouldn’t waste them, like leaders have wasted resources before, whether it was because they stubborn or just plain dumb, they have passed on these habits to their future rulers. He acknowledges that they have tried, but their efforts were in vain. They have only ever proposed the lending of money. People before him have not had the choice to lure people to follow him by using money promises; they resorted to persuading the people through â€Å"pleading tearfully for restored confidence. These people had no vision and only knew the rules of a generation of self-seekers, and with this vision people perish. He acknowledges that social values are more important than money values and that is where the restoration should begin. He also acknowledges that money doesn’t bring you happiness but the joy of achievement does. He also acknowledges that the joy and moral side of work no longer need to be forgotten in the chase of diminishing profits. He also states that recognition of material wealth being the standard of success being a false idea going hand in hand with the â€Å"abandonment of the false belief that public office and political position are to be valued only by the standards of pride of place and personal profit†, also that there must be an end to the wrong doing to the citizens who trust in banking and in business. If the nation is to be restored both ethics must be changed and action must be taken. He recognises action needs to be taken so that more people are in the workforce and are able to get into the workforce. He states that we must recognise that most of the population lives in the city and that the land should be put to better use. This can be achieved by raising the value of agricultural products and with this power to purchase the output of cities. It can be helped by preventing the tragedy of the growing loss of small homes and farms. It also helped by insistence that the federal, state and local governments act on demand to have their costs reduced. If national planning for supervision of all forms of transportation and communication were in place it would also help. He states that it cannot merely be helped by talking about it and actions must be put in place quickly. He states that to return to the safeguard of work there must be strict supervision of all banking and credits and investment, there must be end to speculation with other people’s money and there must be provision for an adequate but sound currency. He goes on to explain how he will fill his duties in a fulfilling way. The event the speech addresses: The event the speech addresses was Inauguration Day, 1933. This marked the commencement of a four year term. On this day there was a swearing in ceremony which consisted of Roosevelt taking an oath of office and delivering a speech. This speech outlined that Roosevelt understood that the American Constitution had proved itself as an enduring modern political mechanism and how Roosevelt planned to ease the effects of the Great Depression. Profile of Franklin Roosevelt: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born in 1882 at Hyde Park, New York. Hyde Park (New York) is most famous for being the hometown of Roosevelt and his grandfathers’ home is located near the Riverview Circle of the Hudson River. He was born as the only child of James Roosevelt and Sara Ann Delano Roosevelt. He was born into a family of riches and the sense of self importance. He was educated by tutors and governesses and his upbringing was far different from the common people. In 1896 he attended Groton school for boys where he found it hard to fit in as most of the boys excelled at athletics while he did not. After graduating in 1900, Roosevelt attended Harvard University and Columbia Law School but in 1907 he passed the bar exam yet didn’t receive a degree. In 1905, on St. Patrick’s Day he married Eleanor Roosevelt, his fifth cousin, niece of Theodore Roosevelt, also his fifth cousin. Theodore Roosevelt was Franklin Roosevelt’s idol and Roosevelt aimed to follow in his footsteps. Theodore Roosevelt became commander-in-chief in 1901 after William McKinley was assassinated and president in 1904 after winning second term. Roosevelt won a seat in the New York senate in 1901. He was stricken with Polio in 1921, but not many people knew exactly how paralysed he was as he was never seen in a wheelchair. He fought to regain the use of his legs though hydrotherapy. Franklin Roosevelt was the only president to be elected four times. Roosevelt had become the 32nd President of the United States in 1933. In 1935 many members of the public were against Roosevelt’s New Deal program even though the Nation had received some measure of recovery as national product went up and unemployment went down. The New Deal program was a series of domestic programs enacted in the United States between 1933 and 1936. Roosevelt was re-elected in 1936 by a huge margin. Roosevelt had pledged the United States to the â€Å"good neighbour† policy, when France fell and England came under siege in 1940, he began to send Great Britain all possible aid short of actual military involvement. Hopes of keeping America out of the war ended on December 7, 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbour. Roosevelt helped in the area of advising military personnel and did this successfully in 1942 in an invasion on South Africa, in 1943 in both Italy and Sicily and followed by the D-Day invasion in Europe in 1944. During this time Roosevelt also promoted the formation of the United Nations (UN). Also in 1944 Roosevelt had been tested and diagnosed with many problems but despite this he ran for president with his running mate Harry S. Truman who he nominated as his senator and won 36 of 48 states, yet again becoming president. In February, 1945, Roosevelt attended the Yalta Conference which was held to discuss after-war reorganisation with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet General Secretary Joseph Stalin. Roosevelt died on the afternoon of April 12th in 1945, as the World War II came to a close from a cerebral haemorrhage. His passing shocked America even though people knew he looked exhausted in photographs and news reels, no one was prepared for his passing. Historical Analysis: Roosevelt’s presidency had forever changed the United States and the way it was run. He led a country through the Great Depression, as well as the greatest war in human history, and his social programs during the Great Depression have redefined the role of government in Americans’ lives. He established the United States leadership on the world stage through his role in World War II. The 12 years he spent in the White House had redefined liberalism and set a precedent for the expansion of presidential power for future generations.

Don’t Blame the Eater Essay

In his article â€Å"don’t blame the eater† Zinczenko blames the food industry for the obesity epidemic. Zinczenko opens his articles with a personal story about growing up eating fast food because his parents split up, his mom had to work and he had no other options. He goes on to give statistics on childhood diabetes due to obesity. Zinczenko then insists that â€Å"complicating the lack of alternatives is the lack of information about what exactly we’re consuming. over all Zinczenko is advocating changes in the fast food industry because he believes there is a direct link between obesity, monies spent on fast food advertising and the costs of health care. I agree with Zinczenko that the fast food industry needs to change by as Zinczenko put it â€Å"providing the nutrition information people need to make informed choices about their products†. However I question his claim of not blaming the eater & that the food industry is to blame for today’s rate of childhood obesity. After all I do believe as Zinczenko states â€Å"shouldn’t we know better than to eat two meals a day in fast food restaurants? † Growing up my parents divorced and, like Zinczenko, I was a latch key kid. Everyday my parents made sure my brother and I had lunch for school and dinner that night. As a parent today I understand the pressure of taking care of things, kids, school, work, extracurricular activities, laundry, making dinner and then trying to squeeze in quality time with the family and possibly a social life. With all that going on we always have a choice. I make my family and what they eat a priority, so I make it a point to buy health easy snacks like fruit, yogurt, cheese sticks, and granola bars. Don’t get me wrong we buy and eat cookies, and on a Friday night dinner is takeout. But the rest of the week I make it a priority to cook and eat at home. This means planning ahead, it may mean I cook in advance during a really busy week, we will have leftovers once a week and the crockpot at times is my best friend. I do it because the health of my family is important to me and I choose not to feed them fast foods. Over all I believe it is the responsibility of the individual and the parents of children to make the right choices and to educate themselves and their children about making the right choices and typo educate themselves and their children about healthy eating habits. Hopefully with education and the help of government regulations we can help guide people into making better choices and help fight disease due to obesity, after all as Zinczenko said â€Å"the problem isn’t just there’s – it’s all of ours. â€Å"

The Major Causes of Students Dropping Out

Major Causes of Students Dropping Out There are four major causes of students dropping out of school: a. The child him/herself b. The family situation c. The community they live in d. The school environment In order to prevent students from dropping out of school, we must attack the causes listed above. Some of them are out of our control. For example, we cannot address the community they live in or in most cases, their family situation. But we can address the choices they make and the school environment. One of the ways of doing so is for educators to ask a serious of tough questions. More) How inviting a classroom environment is there for the student? Are the walls painted in â€Å"happy colors†? or are they drab institutional gray or green? Are your bulletin boards filled with student work, left blank or with commercial advertisements? Are all students encouraged to learn? Has the school created different classes for students – those designed to pass and those design ed to fail? Those who will go on to college and those who will drop out. What role can you, as a classroom instructor, play in overcoming this paradigm? How many students start in your school or system, graduate?Does the school track their progress through the system? Are â€Å"safety nets†? built in for those who are identified as at-risk? What â€Å"pillars†? support these safety nets? Are you one of these safety nets? Do you know how to get additional assistance in helping students graduate? (Is there additional counseling, mentoring, after school learning activities, service-learning projects designed to connect school to the world of work? As you track, is the largest reason for kids leaving school, â€Å"miscellaneous† How many students who dropouts are actually pushed out? (Students who are told, by word or action, â€Å"I do not want you in my class†? r â€Å"I don’t need you in my school. †? ) How close to graduation are students wh o dropout? Do they need one credit or ten? What has the school done to help them make up the credit? What role can you, as a classroom instructor, play in overcoming this paradigm? What is done to support the â€Å"psychological†? dropout – the child who is physically in the school but mentally is miles away. What role can you, as a classroom instructor, play in overcoming this paradigm? †¢ . Because classes were not interesting For many students, the material in the classes they're taking seem so far removed from daily life that it's hard to see the point.Many say this is one primary reason they decide to leave school before graduation. †¢ 2. Not motivated Beyond not connecting with the material, many students aren't given the encouragement and support they need to feel motivated to study and learn. Without motivation — and with plenty of other pressures pushing in — they lose the focus school requires. †¢ 3. Got a job The need to work whi le attending school is an unavoidable reality for many students, and once the job's requirement for hours starts making attendance at school difficult, the job often wins. †¢ 4.Became a parent Being a parent is a job in itself — and for many students in high school with children, it's impossible to reconcile having kids with getting a degree. †¢ 5. To care for a family member Like raising a child, taking care of a sick or aging relative is a big job, and one that sadly can make life difficult for even the most dedicated potential graduates. Dropping Out: Cause and Effect Dropping out of high school is an issue faced by many teens today. It results from a few main common causes, one is often a lack of involvement in extra-curricular activities.Another revolves around the parents not being forceful in demanding that their children commit to staying in school. A third cause is the absence of effort exerted by students to be successful in their studies. Why do teenagers lose their interest in school? When students are not successful with their studies it often starts a negative downward spiral in their commitment to school. When they feel less positive about school they generally are less interested in extra-curricular activities – sports, music, and clubs. For many students, it is their success in extra-curricular activities that fuels their desire to remain in school.If students have no success in either academic or extra-curricular activities they have no incentives to go to school. Consequently, they have no attachment to their school. Too many parentsare not firm enough with their children and their education. Parents fail to impress upon their children the importance of remaining in school and that dropping out is detrimental to their future. Sometimes teens drop out because of a lack of fear instilled into them by their parents; many teens have little or no parental supervision. Coupled with a lack of communication skills between par ents and teens, the result can be a lack of involvement with school.There is an absence of effort put forth by many of today's students. They seem quite lackadaisical and have no discipline when it comes to their studies. Continual failure is often a prescription for tremendous overload and stress. It tends to amount to the self-fulfilling prophecy of dropping out; which may feel like their only escape. It can be prevented however. Selling teens on the benefits of staying in school requires continual effort and a great expenditure of time. Parents have to be more in tune with their children's†¦

Cause And Effect Essay On Smoking Example For Students

Cause And Effect Essay On Smoking Microsoft Windows 98 README for Online Services and Internet Service ProvidersApril 1998 (c) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 1998HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENTTo view the document on-screen in Notepad, maximize the Notepad window. To print Services.txt, open it in Notepad, and then on the File menu, click Print. CONTENTSOVERVIEWPRODUCT SUPPORT AND PAYMENTSTO SET UP A NEW ACCOUNTTO SET UP YOUR COMPUTER TO USE AN EXISTING ACCOUNTOVERVIEW========The online services and Internet service providers (ISPs) listed in this folder are made available for your convenience. You can select any of the available online services or Internet service providers you like. PRODUCT SUPPORT AND PAYMENTS============================By selecting an online service or Internet service provider (ISP) listed in this folder, you are establishing an account with that company directly, not with Microsoft Corporation. The service you select can provide you with specific payment instructions. Microsoft does not provide technical support for the services that your online service or ISP renders. If you have any questions concerning a particular online services or Internet service providers policies or content, contact them directly. Technical Support contact information for the online services/ISPs in this folder are listed below. America Online (in the U.S.)-Telephone:Technical Support: 1 (800) 827-3338Sales and Billing: 1 (800) 827-6364America Online (in the U.K.)-Telephone: Technical Support Customer Service Centre: 0800 279-7444General Inquiries: 0800 376-5432Online:Further information about terms and conditions are available online. AOL Canada (in Canada)-Telephone:Technical Support: 1 888 265-4357General Inquiries: 1 888 265-4357Online:Further information about terms and conditions are available online. ATT WorldNet Service Telephone (U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands):Technical Support: 1 800 400-1447General Inquiries: 1 800 967-5363Online:Members should get support at http://www.worldnet.att.net/careGeneral information for non-members is available at http://www.att.netCompuServe (in the U.S. and Canada)Telephone:Customer Service: 1 (800) 848-8990Signup Support: 1 (800) 336-6823Online:To access online assistance, type GO MEMBER. CompuServe (in the U.K.)Telephone:Customer Service:0990 000-400Signup Support:0990 134-819Technical Support:0990 000-100Online:To access online assistance, type GO MEMBER. For real-time technical support, type GO UKHF to access the UK Help Forum. The Microsoft Network (MSN)Telephone:Dial 888-MSN-TIPS (888-676-8477) for FastTips on MSN issues. Customer Service:Australia 02 9934 9000Canada (English) 800-386-5550Canada (French) 800-952-1110Canada TDD (English) 800-840-9890United Kingdom 0345 000 111United States 800-386-5550United States TDD 800-840-9890If you are calling from a country not listed above, dial 44 181 607 0012 for English-language Customer assistance. Technical Support:Australia 02 9934 9000Canada (English) 425-635-7019Canada (French) 425-635-7020Canada TDD (English) 425-635-4948United Kingdom 0345 000 111United States 425-635-7019United States TDD 425-635-4948If you are calling from a country not listed above, dial 44 181 607 0012 for English-language Technical assistance. Online:Click MSN Member Support E-mail to send in your question. Prodigy Internet-Telephone (U.S. and Canada only):Customer Service: 1 (800) 213-0992Signup Support: 1 (800) 213-0992Online:To access online assistance, go to HELP. TO SET UP A NEW ACCOUNT=======================If you decide to select one of the online services or Internet service providers listed in this document, click the icon for that particular online service or Internet service provider in the Online Services folder on the desktop. This begins the installation process for setting up access to that service on your computer. TO SET UP YOUR COMPUTER TO USE AN EXISTING ACCOUNT==================================================If you already have an account established with one of the online services or Internet service providers listed in this document, click the icon for that particular service in the Online Services folder on the desktop to begin the installation process for use with your existing account. Each online service/ISP is responsible for the way this process is handled.

The Emerging Forms of Media vs. Traditional Forms Research Paper

The Emerging Forms of Media vs. Traditional Forms - Research Paper Example The primary role of media is to deliver accurate news to the public. This research paper analyzes the ways media is using nowadays to present the news to the people and suggests that it must not be influenced by any person, group, organization or institution. It also discusses the critical role of the modern media because it has a social responsibility to society. Based on guidelines that were discussed in the essay, it is researcher’s belief that the lead story should be the closure of the city parks for three days in a week. It is of utmost importance because it has an actual impact on the lives of the people. The information must be disseminated to the other members of the community who may not be aware of it. Modern media should also project an admirable image for the television network, that it is not so much concerned with the ratings but rather it is more concerned with issues that are relevant to the welfare of the people and society. Media delivery has evolved in vari ous forms. It is no longer confined to newspapers, magazines, television or radio. The continuous development in information technology paved the way to other forms of media delivery like the internet, electronic computer games, etc. The researcher also analyzes impacts and effects of computer games not only on children, their lifestyle and their health, but also discusses some studies that revealed that violent video games promote aggressive behavior, vengeance and decreases social interaction as well.

Significant Security Event Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Significant Security Event - Research Paper Example Riot control police is not a special form of police force. Riot control police includes members of the police department of a region who have been trained with the knowledge, skills and abilities to deal with riots. This paper will examine why the need for riot control arises along with the tactics used by to counter rioting people with different examples of how riot police have tackled riots. The main purpose of riot control and riot control police is to take measures in order to control, disband as well as arrest individuals who are involved in protests and riots. In case of riots several measures are implemented to end the riot such as negotiations. But in certain scenarios negations tend to fail. Especially when there is a deadlock between the rioting individuals and those who are held responsible for the riot to occur, severe measures need to be taken to control riots. Riots are quite a unique problem as in case of riots police cannot use lethal force to stop the rioting public from protesting or being violent (ANON, 2014). This is because those who are rioting may be rioting for the just cause and may be rioting against those who have been elected by the rioting people into the government. Stopping a riot or a protest is not defined as a daily duty of the police force. Riot police is mostly called upon by the government when they fail to end the riot in a peaceful m anner or when the protestors become violent and agitated. The purpose of the riot police is to end the riot through forceful measures while ensuring that those who are protesting are not deadly damaged through the techniques used. Most of the riots start at the level of a crowd which includes a group of people who gather in a certain area due to a mutually shared interest (ANON, 2014). For example: in the case of Ferguson riots of 2014, the riots started after a 18 year old Black

Depression in the Elderly in a Giatric Hospital Research Paper

Depression in the Elderly in a Giatric Hospital - Research Paper Example A condition for inclusion in the sample was that the patient must have stayed in the hospital for a period of not less 3 months. This was informed by the reason that anxiety/depression is directly proportional to amount of time one spends away from their accustomed residence. Other criteria for inclusion included no psychological diseases, Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) score of 18, and participants’ informed consent of the study. The choice of sample from four different health facilities is laudable as it improves the randomness of the data used and thus limits un-representativeness of the findings. Administration of questionnaires formed the primary method of data collection. All participants were required to fill in their questionnaires with the best possible answers. Those who had difficulties providing responses were assisted by research assistants, who read out the questions to the patients and basing on the responses, filled in the questionnaires. All but 5 of the 200 administered questions were returned with completed responses. While questionnaires are effective tools for data collection, they may not be as effective among the elderly as compared to the other age groups. This is because a significant number of the elderly in these facilities suffer from abnormal conditions such as dementia which may compromise their responses. As such, the researcher should have focussed on either interview or observation. The research used descriptive research design. Such a design is the best technique for gathering information that would show relationships and define why the world exists as it is. In this research, Jee and Lee were certainly concerned with the cases of depression among the elderly. The choice to send the elderly people in rehabilitation facilities is often dreaded by many people who are aging. The fact on the ground is that such a shift in

Epigenetics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Epigenetics - Research Paper Example Arthur L. Beaudet earned his bachelor’s degree at the College of the Holy Cross. He studied medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine and is currently the professor and chairman of the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at the Baylor College of Medicine (Arthur L. Beaudet, 2012). This paper aims to provide a summary of the article, along with statements of opinion in regard to some of the aspects tackled in the research. It also seeks to discuss the impact of the article to the study of epigenetics. Finally, it seeks to provide suggestions on how additional research in the subject matter can help in understanding the role of epigenetics on human health. According to Jiang, Bressler, and Beaudet epigenetics is the â€Å"study of stable and heritable (or potentially heritable) changes in gene expression,† which do not result to â€Å"a change in DNA sequence† (2004, p. 479). The two components of gene expression are labile regulation and epigenetic regulation. Jiang, Bressler, and Beaudet (2004) provided historical perspectives about epigenetics. They have further discussed the role of epigenetics to studying the development of human disease. Jiang, Bressler, and Beaudet (2004) have inferred that epigenetics is crucial to the study of human disease which is manifested in genes that is susceptible to genomic imprinting. In genomic imprinting, gene activities are reversibly altered based on the gender of the parent who is transferring the genes which cause â€Å"unequal expression of paternal and maternal alleles for a diploid locus† (Jiang, Bressler, & Beaudet, p. 480). Genetic and epigenetic phenotypes (e.g. uniparental disomy, as well as imprinting defects, appear as epigenetic disease phenotypes) are produced in the event of mutations and epimutations in human imprinted genes. In addition, chromatin structure and remodeling are also influenced by genetic disorders. Genetic

Future Municipal Financial Viability in Canada Essay

Future Municipal Financial Viability in Canada - Essay Example Definitely, I feel that municipal financial viability is an issue since improper tabling of policies may result to a negative business effect. For instance, the direct impact on Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises by municipality policies on property valuation, user charge collection, and collection of levies makes businesses end up bearing not only the intended costs, which in this case are actual payment of services to a municipality, but also the unintended costs, which include effort and time required for tax administration. To add on policies pertaining to revenue, expenditure-related policies may also affect finances generated by businesses in a municipality. This, as a result, may lead to a positive or negative impact on SMMEs through regulation of supply chain management, and preferred procurement as well as credit control. Additionally, there are other challenges facing developing countries in the commonwealth in local government revenue terms. These include weak revenue ba se for local government leading to weak central government revenue base and lack of a municipal’s own revenue sources, which brings up inappropriate composition of revenues, especially balancing between grants and own revenue resources. Further, the way they interact and autonomous revenues where strong central control is posed on local government revenues is a challenge as well. Municipalities have several responsibilities. First, they have the function to ensure urban and town planning, and regulate use of land and building construction. Moreover, they must ensure economic and social development planning, fire services, ensuring supply of water for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes. A municipality relies heavily on revenues generated through taxation and user charges/fees. It too heavily depends on transfers from central government and/or contribution from donors. These factors will significantly determine the future municipal financial viability in Canada (Sanct on and Young, 2009). Some of the strategies, which should be employed to ensure proper municipal financial viability, are as follows. First, the intergovernmental fiscal transfers’ reform program should be implemented. These reforms focus on simplifying and rationalizing transfers to municipalities and introducing a period of allocation of these transfers to stabilize municipal budgeting processes by improving predictability. Second is transparency, which opens access to information about how municipal finances are managed will give a clear outlook to every citizen allowing no room for misuse. Third, the program of budget reform which greatly focuses on improving allocation of resource planning and management. Further, having accountable decision-makers who can accept responsibility for their own actions and using contestability as a competition tool to achieve money value. It is essential to come up with a municipal support program to provide technical assistance to municipa lities in financial management areas. Bringing up new, legislated and refined national policies aimed at improving the flexibility of the legal framework within a municipality resulting to improved leadership, management and accountability in municipal governments could play a key role. Still revenue enhancement program nationally coordinated and aiming at assist municipalities with revenue

The reality of arms trade compared to its depiction in popular Essay

The reality of arms trade compared to its depiction in popular Hollywood Movie - Essay Example Arms Trade has impeded the prosperity of this world and its negative effects are just increasing as it has become a nuisance for the well-being of the people.The global arms industry comprises of various governments and individual commercial companies who manufacture and sell weapons and other advanced form of military technology and equipment. This industry has grown in both volume and its reach. Now more and more developing countries are being served by these arms producing entities. A huge sum of cash is being spent on research, development, manufacture and supply of military equipment to the developing world. These defense contractors produce guns, ammunition, military aircraft, missile and other defense related equipment. Experts estimate that nearly 1.5 trillion dollars are wasted on the various military expenditures worldwide. Although the percentage has come down from 4% in 1990 to 2.7% at present, the volume has increased significantly and the sale has been focused more towa rds the economically deprived countries. (Shah, World Military Spending) These countries lack enough funds to provide for the well-being of its people but somehow they manage to spend a substantial amount of their GDP on defense budgets. The movie Lord of War does portray a true picture of the global arms industry existing in the world. Nevertheless, it can be argued that the degree of its reality is different since these things are hidden from the general public. The incidents depicted in this movie clearly highlight how in real life certain factors push one to pursue the worst of jobs. The life story of Yuri portrays him as a person caught up in a situation where he has to deal in arms trade in order to give others a chance to protect themselves. His initial intention is to provide the people with a necessity of life, but later on he turns into an arms dealer who builds contacts and uses his networks to sell arms and ammunition without caring for the lives of others. The way the t rade has been shown, where force and power has been used to get hold of weapons, is a true picture of reality. Arms trade is one of the deadliest causes of chaos in the world. It not only allows military dictators to rule ruthlessly over the population but also gives them the power to continue their suppression and oppression over the suffering population. The deal that is struck between the arms lord and the dealer is usually of millions of dollars and both parties are completely unresponsive to the effects such transactions would have over the future of their nations. The use of such arms is highly questionable; on one end these deals are struck to protect the people from the ruthless rule of their dictators, and on the other it is seen as a source of strengthening the grip of evil doers over the sufferers. For instance, the movie story shows that it was apparent that the deal between the African military ruler and the arms dealer would bring about a massacre of nearby villages an d loss of thousands of lives, but still the deal was carried out. It is likely that the dealer is rarely concerned about the interests of the people who will suffer as a result of these weapon deals. It has been debated also depicted in the movie that after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, thousands of AK-47 and other Russian weaponry flowed into the hands of arms dealers. Since it was lying idle in warehouses and military depots, Russian military generals illegally sold them to arms dealers around the globe in order to make their personal gains. This surely resulted in the availability of one of the best assault rifles of all times and was soon seen in the hands of mobsters and warlords on all continents. It is astonishing to know that around 76% of world’s total expenditure is accounted on defense budgets. This amounts to a humungous $1.22 trillion, out of which 42.8% comes from the United States. (Sipri, Recent trends in military expenditure) This reveals that no matter what

Kevin Carter's 1993 Pulitzer Prize Winning Photograph Essay

Kevin Carter's 1993 Pulitzer Prize Winning Photograph - Essay Example The 2nd Sudanese Civil War commenced in the 1980's. This was a time of extreme turmoil and poverty in Sudan which was a former British colony. The war which is often believed to have been based on racial and religious conflicts between the warring tribes caused thousands of deaths and the destruction of the agricultural sector of the nation. Poverty was a way of life and famine was the main cause of death for these people. Just like in any war, it is the children that suffer the most from the seemingly never ending strife and turmoil within the country. It was this struggle and suffering that South African photojournalist Kevin Carter managed to capture with his camera lens back in 1993. Those familiar with the goings on of the war in Sudan know that by the time the photograph was taken, 1.3 million people in the Sudan had already died of hunger, disease or violence. Senseless deaths that were caused by the civil war between the Arab and Muslim dominated government in the north of the country and the mostly Christian animist, black rebel in the south. (Taylor, J, 1998) There were quite a number of photojournalists who were on the beat during this war. Most of them took decent and memorable photographs of the war torn country. However, none of them were able to come to par when it came to the lucky shot that Kevin Carter was lucky enough to have witnessed and captured on film the day that he came to visit Sudan in 1993. The story behind this Pulitzer winning photograph is one which shall emotionally tug on the heartstrings of any man. Carter had flown in to Sudan as part of a UN Food Distribution group. He was on the ground for 30 minutes taking various photographs of everything that was going on around him. This photograph of a vulture hovering over an emaciated and almost dead child was a one in a million shot that he managed to capture on film. (Taylor, J, 1998) The New York Times bought the photograph from Carter and published it for the world to see. It struck a cord amongst the people of the world. Most people asking why he had not stopped to help the child. Although the picture was met with mixed reactions, the reality of the photograph is what won it the Pulitzer Prize in Photography for that year. This picture was the embodiment of the struggle that the Sudanese people faced on a daily basis. The child with barely any life in her clawing and crawling her way to the food center at the United Nations camp a mere kilometer away. The child was so near to salvation and yet so far and possible, too late to be helped because vultures are known to only circle around almost dead bodies, waiting for their prey to die so they can rip away the flesh for their own food. The vulture and the child. Both represent the two sectors of starving populations in the country, the people, and the animals struggle for suvival in what literally become a dog eat dog world for them. Both were starving and in need of food. But only one was sure to gain the sustenance it required sooner rather than later. If I didn’t have any background information about this picture, I could never imagine that the vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can eat it. It was a scary and real thought for those who saw what was going on but the child, weakened by life struggles and barely alive, had no idea as to the fate that was awaiting her if she did not make it to the food camp in time. To this very day nobody knows if the child made it to the camp or if she became a casuality of the war time food chain. Though Carter had won the highest possible accolades for his excellent composition piece, the criticism and controversy that the picture created resulted in his becoming one of the most hated men in the world because he chose to take a picture of a tragedy rather than coming to the aid of the child in the hopes of preventing an even larger tragedy from occuring. Little did everyone know that this particular picture and all of the events that he had covered in South Africa

Some advantages and disadvantages of internet Essay Example for Free

Some advantages and disadvantages of internet Essay The internet which was once just a little puddle, now, have become an ocean; an ocean of knowledge. It is like a magical crystal ball which has an answer for every question of yours and the best thing about it is; it is completely free. I know how much I have learnt from the internet. How internet is better than books when it comes to knowledge? The answer to this would be the infinity of the internet. Plus, apart from this, learning from internet is much more fun. You have all kinds of videos about basically every topic that you can imagine of. Disadvantages If availability of knowledge helps people to do good things, it is also, a help for evil. There are thousands of websites which tells you ways to make a bomb or how to commit suicide. People even learn how to hack websites from the internet. Communication Advantages Another amazing thing about the internet is the communication that it makes possible. Most of the business firms communicate with each other with the help of e-mails. It is not only a faster way but also the safer way too. With internet you can video chat with a person who might be in some other continent as of yours. Disadvantages We are getting so use to of virtual communication that we are lacking a physical contact with our acquaintances. It is separating us from the real world around us, which I think smothers the development of personality of an individual. Smaller World Advantage Due to internet our world is becoming smaller and smaller. Computers which are connected to internet are connected to each other. This facilitates the transfer of a file or even a folder from one computer to another. Disadvantage Due to this connection your personal data can be stolen from your computer. Various kinds of virus, malware, and spyware enter your computer via internet. Convenience Advantages With the help of the internet we can do almost everything at home. We can do everything from paying bills to buying airline tickets, from finding jobs to ordering stuff. It sure saves us lots of time in this busy and competitive world. Apart from this, it also saves us energy so that you can put that energy to more productive things. Disadvantages Like every technology, internet too reduces your effort but in return it takes a toll on your health. As you can get practically everything sitting at your home you don’t go around physically. So, your physical activity goes to nil. I believe any type of transaction that you do on internet is unsafe. Hackers can suck all of your life’s savings if you use internet banking services. Virtual Information Advantage With more people relying on internet for getting information the usage of books will also reduce. This will decrease deforestation and will prove eco-friendly. Disadvantage If people will choose internet over books this will increase the energy consumption. Jobs Business Advantage Thousands of people are using internet to get their bread and butter. There are all types of jobs available on the internet from data entering to translation. Websites and blogs are solely internet based businesses and from what I know people are earning quite a healthy amount of money from it. You just need an idea and great determination to pull it off. Disadvantage To tell you the truth I don’t think there is a valid disadvantage to this but if I be a little strict a low wage might be one. I some cases, it depends upon the country in which you reside American and Europeans are paid highest. Entertainment Advantage I think more than anything mentioned above entertainment is the thing for which the internet is used. You can find almost every song made anywhere in the world on the internet and same is for movies. All sorts of multiplayer games can be played with an opponent who might be on the other side of the world; thanks to internet. Disadvantage Internet has encouraged the concept of piracy. Due to this, the individual or the production house or the music label that produces a particular piece of music/movie/video game ends up with a hole in their profits. Asking a question Advantage If there is a question in your mind of which no answer can be found neither in the books nor on the internet itself then, there are lots of sites available in which you can put a question and there will be millions of people answering it. As you don’t need to reveal any identity to do so; you can ask the most embarrassing questions. Disadvantage Most of the people answering these questions are not qualified professionals. This leads to lot of myths spreading around. Data Storage Advantage There are lots of sites on which you can store your vital data by paying a small rent of the hard disk that it takes. For very important things like wedding video or pictures which you don’t want to lose can be stored there because crashing of the hard drive is not a very rare sight now a days. Disadvantage We have seen endless number of times in history that these kinds of sites have been compromised by hackers. This creates a fear in the mind of users about the secrecy of their content. Social networking sites Advantages Social networks have changed our lives. It is like a virtual world. I personally think if you have an account in a social networking website then you are never alone. There is always something happening. I think the best part of social networking websites is, they can sometimes work like a support group because I feel someone can tell what they feel and people listen to it. It is like an outlet for your emotions, which, if kept inside screws an individual mind.

Data Mining Techniques in Airline Industry

Data Mining Techniques in Airline Industry Purpose and Scope All around the world, the airline industry could be described in few words, which is intensely competitive and dynamic. The airline industry generates billions of dollars every year but still has a cumulative profit margin of less than 1%1. Many Airlines are trying to recover from deep debt. The reasons for these are multifold- fuel prices, high cyclicality and seasonality, fierce competition, high fixed costs and many other issues related to security and passengers safety. To ensure for the best economic outcome, Airline companies are trying with their most creative asset data. Data used in conjunction with data mining techniques allows comprehensive intelligent management and decision-making system. Achieving these benefits in a timely and intelligent manner may help in resulting lower operating costs, better customer service, market competitiveness, increased profit margin and shareholder value gain. This purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the applications of data mining techniques on multiple aspects of airline business. For example, to predict the number of domestic and international airline passengers from a specific city/airport, to dynamically price the tickets depending on seasonality and demand, to explore the frequent flyer database to prepare for CRM implementation, to makes the operational decisions about catering, personnel, and gate traffic flow, to assist the security agencies for secure and safe flights for the passenger specially after 9/11 incident. Predict the Number of Passenger by applying Data Mining Technique Forecasting is critical to any business for planning and revenue management, especially in the Airline industry, where a lot of planning is required to buy/lease new aircrafts, to hire crew members, to find the new slots in busy airports and to get the approvals from many aviation authorities. In the case of Air travel, lot of seasonality and cyclicality involved. Passengers are more likely to fly to some destinations based on the time of the year. Business travelers are likely to travel weekdays than weekends. Early morning and evening flights are desired by business travelers who want to accomplish a days work at their destination and return the same day. To forecast the number of passenger, artificial neural network (ANN) can be used. The purpose of a neural network is to learn to recognize patterns in a given data. Once the neural network has been trained on samples of the given data, it can make predictions by detecting similar patterns in future data. The growth factors which might influence the air travel demand depend on several things. Mauro Calvano2 in his study of transport Canada aviation forecast 2002-2016 considered 12 major socio-economic factors as follows: GDP Personal Disposable income Adult Populations US economic Outlook Airline Yield Fleet/route structure/Average Aircraft Size Passenger Load factors Labor cost and productivity Fuel cost/Fuel efficiency Airline cost other than Fuel and Labor Passenger Traffic Allocation Assumptions New technology Factors 1 to 5 are related demand side of the forecast Factors 6 to 10 are related to operations and supply side Factors 10 and 11 represent the structural changes This historical data is called the estimation set. A fraction of the overall available data is reserved for validating the accuracy of the developed forecast model. This reserved data set is called the forecasting set because no information contained in it is used in any form during the development of the forecast model. The data in the forecasting set are used for testing the true extrapolative properties of the developed forecast model. The estimation set is further divided into a training set and a testing set. Information in the training set is used directly for the determination of the forecast model, whereas information in the testing set is used indirectly for the same purpose. Figure1: Forecasting Process Model For a given ANN architecture and a training set, the basic mechanism behind most supervised learning rules is the updating of the weights and the bias terms, until the mean squared error (MSE) between the output predicted by the network and the desired output (the target) is less than a pre-specified tolerance. Neural networks are can be represented as layers of functional nodes. The most general form of a neural network model used in forecasting can be written as: Y = F [H1 (x), H2 (x), à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. , Hn (x)]+ u Where, Y is a dependent or output variable, X is a set of input/ influencing variables, F Hs are network functions, and u is a model error. This input layer is connected to a hidden layer. Hs are the hidden layer nodes and represents different nonlinear functions. Each node in a layer receives its input from the preceding layer through link which has weights assigned, which get adjusted using an appropriate learning algorithm and the information contained in the training set. Figure2: ANN Architecture Abdullah Omer BaFail3 did the study to forecast the number of airline passenger in Saudi Arabia. He selected the most influencing factors to forecast the number of domestic passengers in the different cities of Saudi Arabia. For Dhahran he selected factors like: Oil gross domestic product for last 6 years, private non-oil gross domestic product, Import of goods and services for last 10 years, and population size for last 2 years. The domestic and international actual and forecasted number of passengers for the city of Dhahran for the years 1993 through 1998 is shown below. Forecasts underestimated the actual travel. The Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) for domestic travel is about 10%, while for international travel is about 3%. Figure3: Forecasting results from Abdullah Omer BaFail3 The take away from the Abdullah Omer BaFail3 for me is that the efficient forecasting model can be invented using ANN if we using the right influencing indicators. In this study some indicators which influence are oil gross domestic product and per capita income in the domestic and international sectors. In view of the fluctuating nature of the passenger usage of airline services in Saudi Arabia, certain suggestions were made. Most of these recommendations were in order to improve the flexibility of the system to the fluctuations in demand and supply. Hub and spike model was also suggested as solutions in certain sectors to increase the flexibility in adjusting their capacity allocations across markets as new information about demand conditions become available. Application of Data Mining technique to predict the Airline Passengers No-show Rates Airlines overbook the flights based on the expectation that some percentage of booked passengers will not show for each flight. Accurate forecasts of the expected number of no-shows for each flight can increase airline revenue by reducing the number of perishable seats (empty seats that might otherwise have been sold) and the number of involuntary denied boardings at the departure gate. Typically, the simplest way is to go for average no-show rates of historically similar flights, without the use of passenger-specific information. Lawernce, Hong, Cherrier4 in their research paper predicted the no-show rates using specific information on the individual passengers booked on each flight. The Airlines offer multiple fares in different booking class. The number of seats allocated to each booking class is driven by demand for each class, such that revenue is maximized. For example, few seats can be kept on hold for the last-minute travelers with high fares and number of seats sold in lower-fare classes earlier in the booking process. Terms and conditions of cancellation and no-show also vary in each class. The no-shows results in lost revenue if the flight departs with empty seats that might otherwise have been sold. Near accurate forecasts of the expected number of no-shows for each flight are very much desirable because the under-prediction of no-shows leads to loss of potential revenue from empty seats, while over-prediction can produce a significant cost penalty associated with denied boardings at the departure gate and also create customer dissatisfaction. In the simplest model, the overbooking limit is taken as the capacity plus the estimated number of no-shows. Bookings are offered up to this level. No-shows numbers are predicted using time-series methods such as taking the seasonally weighted moving average of no-shows for previous instances of the same flight. Figure4: No-show trend over days to departure Source: Lawernce, Hong, Cherrier4 The simple model does not take account of specific characteristics of the passengers. Lawernce, Hong, Cherrier4 in his study used classification method, similarly Kalka and Weber5 at Lufthansa used induction trees to compute passenger-level no-show probabilities, and compared their accuracy with conventional, historical-based methods. I tried to summarize Lawernce, Hong, Cherrier4 approach and results briefly below. Whenever a ticket is booked the Passenger Name Records (PNRs) is generated and all the passenger information is recorded. The PNR data includes, for each passenger, specifics of all flights in the itinerary, the booking class, and passenger specific information such as frequent-flier membership, ticketing status, and the agent or channel through which the booking originated. Each PNR is also specified whether the passenger was a no-show for the specified flight. In the simplest model the mean no-show rate over a group of similar historical flights is computed. The mean in turn used to predict the number of no-shows over all booking classes. The passenger-level model given by can be implemented using any classification method capable of generating the normalized probabilities. The PNR records are partitioned into segments, and separate predictive models are developed for each segment. In the passenger-level modeling we characterize each using the PNR details. Let Xi; i = 1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..I denote I features associated with each passenger. Combining all features yields the feature vector X = [X1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Xi ] Each passenger, n = 1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.N, booked on flight m is represented by the vector of feature values xmn = [xmn, 1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ xmn, ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. xmn, I ] We know the predicted no-show rate from the historical model; it is assumed the passenger inherits the no-show rate. The passenger level predictive model is then stated as follows: given a set of class labels cmn a set of feature vectors xmn and a cabin level historical prediction  µmhist predict the output class of passenger n on flight m: P(C = cmn |  µmhist , X= xmn ) We are specifically interested in the no-show probability, cmn = NS, and write this probability in the simplified form P(NS |  µmhist , xmn ) The number of no-shows in the cabin is estimated as à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ P(NS |  µmhist , xmn ) The summing of probabilities for each passenger in the cabin, gives no-show rate for the cabin. An analogous approach can also be used to predict no-show rates at the fare-class level. Lawernce, Hong, Cherrier4 compare results computed using the historical, passenger-level, and cabin-level models. The models were built using approximately 880,000 PNRs booked on 10,931 flights, and evaluated against 374,900 PNRs booked on 4088 flights. The figure shows a conventional lift curve computed using the three different implementations of the passenger-level model. Figure 5: Gain Charts Source: Lawernce, Hong, Cherrier4 Each point on the lift curve shows the fraction of actual no-shows observed in a sample of PNRs selected in order of decreasing no-show probability. The diagonal line shows the baseline case in which it is assumed that the probabilities are drawn from a random distribution. The three implementations of the passenger-level model identify approximately 52% of the actual no-shows in the first 10% of the sorted PNRs. This is one of the way the Airlines can incorporate data mining models incorporating specific information on individual passengers can produce more accurate predictions of no-show rates than conventional, historical based, statistical methods. Application of Data Mining technique to Strategies Customer Relationship Management In the current time most of the industries using frequency marketing programs as a strategy for retaining customer loyalty in the form of points, miles, dollars, beans and so on. Airlines are a big fan of this Kingfishers Kingmiles, Jet Airways Jet Privilege, American Airlines AAdvantage, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, KrisFlyer Miles etc. they all seemed to have carved their own identities. Frequent Flyer Program presents an invaluable opportunity to gather customer information. It helps to understand the behavioral patterns, unveil new opportunities, customer acquisition and retention opportunities. This helps Airlines to identify the most valuable and the appropriate strategies to use in developing one-to-one relationships with these customers. The objective of data mining application over the frequent flyer customer data could be many, but ideally it is as follows: Customer segmentation Customer satisfaction analysis Customer activity analysis Customer retention analysis Some of the examples in each category are: Classify the customers into groups based on sectors most frequently flown, class, period of year, time of the day, purpose of the trip. Which types of customers are more valuable? Do most valuable customers receive the value for money? What are the attributes and characteristics of the most valuable customer segments? What type of campaign is appropriate for best use of resources? What are the opportunities to up-selling and cross-selling, for example hotel booking, upgrade to next class, credit card, etc. Design packages or grouping of services Customer acquisition. Yoon6 designed a database knowledge discovery process consisting of five steps: selecting application domain, target data selection, pre-processing data, extracting knowledge, and interpretation and evaluation. This study refers to the Yoon process to deal with three mining phases, including the pre-process, data-mining, and interpretation phases for airlines, as illustrated in figure below. Figure 6: database knowledge discovery process Source: Yoon6 Some straightforward solution can be implemented that can also be scaled-up in future like K-means, Kohonen self-organizing networks and classification trees. In the case of K-means algorithm, it is applied on customer data, assigning each to the closest existing cluster center. The K- means model is run with different cluster number until K-means clusters are well separated. In the case of classification trees (C5.0), we derive a simple rule set to uniquely classify the complete database. Again, we have to generate the attributes, resulting from the sequence of flight segments. The accuracy of the forecast for each segment is provided by balancing the training set according to equally sized clusters. We regulate the number of subsequent rules, while determining a minimal numbers of records given within each subgroup. Maalouf and Mansour7 did the study based on 1,322,409 customer activities transactions and 79,782 passengers for a period of 6 years. They prepared Data based on Z-Score Normalization and ran the multiple queries and transformed the data to create the clustering input records. They used K-means and O-Cluster algorithms. The result generated by clustering provides customer segmentation with respect to important dimensions of customers needs and value. The table below is the result is a summary of the profile produced by k-means clustering that includes: revenue mileage, number of services used, and customer membership period. Figure 7: Clustering result on Airline Customer Data Source: Maalouf and Mansour7 The results generated by k-means clustering are used as a basis for the association rules algorithm. Two different scenarios have been applied. The first scenario is based on Financial, Flight, and Hotel activities with 1,896 records. The second scenario is based on the flight activities especially the sectors, with 1,867 records. Figure 8: Association rules for best customer activities Source: Maalouf and Mansour7 Some of the take way from Meatloaf and Mansour7 study. Clustering using k-means algorithm generated 9 different clusters with specific profile for each one. From the cluster analysis it can be found which are the best customer clusters (higher mileage per passenger) than other clusters. Need a retention strategy for these clusters. Cross Selling strategies can be formulated between the clusters (for example between: 15 and 11; 13 and 17 because they are close in services value. The cluster analysis provides an opportunity for the airline to produce more revenue from a customer. For example, the airline could apply an up-selling strategy by selling a higher fare seat depending on the clusters. From the cluster analysis Airline may adopt an enhanced strategy for customers in clusters in order to increase services usage and revenue mileage per passenger. Plan for marketing campaign or special offers by analysis through association rules, for example, the customers using the Flight and Financial services never use the Hotel Services and the customers using the Flight and Hotel services never use the Financial Services. By analyzing the services used in different clusters, Airline can characterize services integration. It enables the airline to serve a customer the way the customer wants to be served. Application of Data Mining Application technique to understand the Impacts of Severe Weather Severe weather has major impacts on the air traffic and flight delays. Appropriate proactive strategies for different severe-weather days may result in improvement of delays and cancellations. Thus, understanding en-route weather impacts on flight performance is an important step for improving flight performance. Zohreh and Jianping8 in their study proposed a framework for data mining approach to analysis of weather impacts on Airspace system performance. This approach consists of three phases: data preparation, feature extraction, and data mining. The data preparation phase includes the usual process of selection of data sources, data integration, and data formatting. Figure 9: Framework proposed by Zohreh and Jianping8 He used three data sources: Airline Service Quality Performance (ASQP), Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS), and National Convective Weather Forecast (NCWF) supplied by National Center for Atmospheric Research. He used NCWF data from April through September 2000 to represent the severe weather season. These data-sets included the scheduled and actual departure and arrival times of each flight of ten reporting airlines, tail number, wheels off/on times, taxi times, cancellation and diversion information, planned departure and arrival times, actual departure and arrival times, planned flight routes, actual flight routes, and cancellations, flight frequencies between two airports, intended flight routes between two airports, flight delays, flight cancellations, and flight diversions. The image segmentation phase resulted in a set of severe-weather regions. Then for each of these regions, a set of weather features and a set of air traffic features are extracted. A day is described by a set of severe-weather regions, each having a number of weather and traffic features. As a result of this study it was found that there is strong correlation of blocked flights, #of bad weather regions, bad weather airports, blocked distance, bad weather longitude, by pass distance, bad weather latitude, # of bad weather pixels with flight performance. Similarly the clustering algorithms (like K-means) can be applied. The expectation is that the same clusters have similar weather impacts on flight performance. Zohreh and Jianping8 generated clusters for the entire airspace It was found that a cluster with worse weather almost always had bad performance. The clusters with large percentage of blocked flights, bypass distance, and blocked distance had a worse performance. These results were promising and showed that days in a cluster have similar weather impacts on flight performance Other data mining approach which can be applied is Classifications. Application of Classification can help us discover the patterns/rules that have significant impact on the flight performance. Discovered rules may be used to predict if a day is a good or a bad performance day based on its weather. For example Rule for Good: if %BlockedFlights and BypassDistance then Good (n, prob) There can be different ways where we can apply data mining approach to analysis of weather impact on airline performance. It seems to be that results obtained from clustering and classifications were very meaningful for airline and passengers to plan ahead. Application of Data Mining techniques to ensure safety and security of Airlines passenger The reaction of the terrorist attack on 26/9 and 11/9 resultant in increase Security at airports: It ends up allowing only ticketed passengers past the security gates, screen carry-on luggage more carefully for possible weapons. The question is whether these steps could have avoided the attacks, the people involved in the attack had legitimate tickets, and carrying box cutters and razor blades (like in any other normal person would do). The uncommon was the combination of their characteristics, like none were U.S. citizens, all had lived in the U.S. for some period of time, all had connections to a particular foreign country, all had purchased one-way tickets at the gate with cash. With the amount of data available about the passenger during ticketing, the can be reviewed to characterize relevant available passenger information. Given a passengers name, address, and a contact phone number, various data bases (public or private) can identify the social security number (SSN), from which much information will be readily available (credit history, police record, education, employment, age, gender, etc.). Since there is large number of characteristics available on both individual passengers, it will be important to identifying signals within the natural variability or noise. If predicted wrong, this may lead to either falsely detaining an innocent passenger or failing to detain a plane that carries a terrorist. The airlines already collect much data on various flights. When the data come in the form of multiple characteristics on a single item, exploratory tools for multivariate data can be applied, such as classification, regression trees, multivariate adaptive regression splines/trees. The security of the air transportation can be improved substantially through modern, intelligent use of pattern recognition techniques applied to large linked databases. Similarly Data mining techniques can be used for the Safety of the passenger. An air safety office plays a key role in ensuring that an aviation organization operates in a safe manner. Currently, Aviation Safety offices collect and analyze the incident reports by a combination of manual and automated methods.. Data analysis is done by safety officers who are very familiar with the domain. With Data mining one can find interesting and useful information hidden in the data that might not be found by simply tracking and querying the data, or even by using more sophisticated query and reporting tools. In a study done by Zohreh Nazeri, Eric Bloedorn, Paul Ostwald10 it was found that finding associations and distribution patterns in the data, bring important inside. The other finding is Linking the incident reports to other sources of safety related data, such as aircraft maintenance and weather data, could help finding better causal relationships. SumMRry Business Intelligence through efficient and appropriate Data mining application can be very useful in the Airline industry. The Appropriate action plans from the data mining analysis can result in improved customer service, help generating considerable financial lift and set the future strategy.