Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Secrets About Definitional Essay Topics Exposed

Secrets About Definitional Essay Topics Exposed But What About Definitional Essay Topics? Sexism is a wide term, and has been defined dependent on several disciplines. Avoiding plagiarism is extremely critical and a matter of concern in regards to essay writing. An argumentative essay presents either side of a problem. It is a type of essay that presents arguments about both sides of an issue. What Needs to be Done About Definitional Essay Topics In the debut, that is the very first paragraph of the essay, Myrtle will want to spell out the problem and state her position. Artificial intelligence Definition essays are a frequent type of assignment for a great many college students. New Questions About Definitional Essay Topics Don't forget that a definition paper is rather different from several other essays and you have to balance objective strategy, professional terms and a personalized approach to demonstrate that you're not simply able to collect information but can al so ensure it is interesting for the audience. You should know as much as possible so that the full content of your essay ought to be the origin and the use of the object or the words. Books, needless to say, are the very best source of helpful information. Unlike other sorts of essays, definition papers can fluctuate in their volume. Whenever your students write lengthened definition essays, they might have to think carefully about the structure and mechanics of their writing in addition to the intent of providing such an in depth definition. An essay has become the most common kind of academic paper assigned at the school and college level on any sort of topic, with the major wish to cover a specific parcel of information in the most in-depth way. In such a circumstance, your essay will seem like a manual or instruction. An argumentative essay is a writing piece intended to persuade a person to believe the way that you do. The Key to Successful Definitional Essay Topics Whenever you need to compose a definition essay, you need to decide on a topic for your discussion. You will describe the method by which the topic that you select is structured. You should make certain that whichever one which you choose, you will work to spell out the topic to your reader so they really understand it. When selecting a definition essay topic, you should understand the topic before you pen the essay for other people to read. As you probably already know, simply because you've got a definition essay topic and a couple examples doesn't signify you've got an essay. Once you will feel your essay is completely complete and you don't have any doubts about its clarity, submit it to your tutor. You've approached the last portion of your essay. To start with, if you're writing definition essay you want to pick a topic which will be interesting. The Tried and True Method for Definitional Essay Topics in Step by Step Detail Sometimes people just can't begin writing t heir essay without looking at an entire instance of somebody else, seeing the structure and the way it's written. When you have quickly looked via the assignment, there's a chance that you've missed some essential points or misunderstood something. Don't attempt at any certain case to borrow ideas from someone because maybe you're nervous about how you're likely to perform on that special subject or maybe the assignment is too hot to deal with, the consequences of plagiarism are extremely serious in comparison to the effects that may accompany you as soon as you turn in a paper late. To begin with, your key to winning essay is a very clear comprehension of what it is you're likely to take care of. The Definitional Essay Topics Pitfall Attempt to pick out a definition, which isn't widely used or which has various interpretations. Should you do, paraphrase the offered definition to prevent issues with plagiarism. There are 3 different varieties of definition essays you may writ e. You will learn the way to compose a definition essay, how to decide on the topic you love the most, how to deal with defining the elaborate conditions. Typically, a definition essay isn't complicated to write. It is a type of essay where you are required to define a particular term in order to explain it to your audience. Also it can be called an elongated definition essay. A protracted definition essay has a quite intriguing structure. The Number One Question You Must Ask for Definitional Essay Topics Select a word which you're acquainted with in deciding on the subject, you ought to go for a word which you're well conversant with so you can easily explain it and give examples that match. Don't use the exact words if you don't need to seem repetitive. The word appears interesting enough so as a prudent student you opt to look this up in the dictionary. Since you may see, there isn't anything complicated about explaining the meanings of distinct words. The Basics of Definitional Essay Topics All essays should have a thesis statement. A definition essay may be one of the simplest kinds of academic paper to comprehend. A p rotracted definition essay can readily be penned with an outline for a guide. To generate the topics you merely must choose definition essay in the sort of essay and set some keywords when you have any on your mind. Also, if you're having someone make a protracted definition essay for you then you need to be certain that they'll be the proper person for the job. The thought of feminism is to earn women and men equal, there are not any exclusions on who can provide help. Naturally, you can begin with a broader concept, and bring the audience to your primary statement. If your teacher doesn't give certain words or terms to define, start looking for the excellent tips on your own.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Myth Of Australia As A Classless Society - 1074 Words

There are many reasons for the circulation of the myth of Australia being a classless society and this essay only examines some reasons. By contrasting Karl Marx and Max Weber’s theory sociologists are able to explore the myth of class within Australia. Within this essay analysis it will explore exploitation, symbolic capital, social stratification and power. Weber and Marx are both sociologists that attempted to illustrate the rise of capitalism. Marx’s views were seen by Weber as too narrow. Sleepbus is an organisation that provides safe overnight accommodation to those sleeping rough in Australia. Sleepbus attempts to address exploitation, capitalism, social stratification and power issues among Australians experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Exploitation is one of the many reasons that the myth of Australia being a classless society continues to spread. Exploitation is a social partnership that coincides the interests of one class against another, it combines various classes in continuous interactions and confers the minority group a form of power, which challenges the exploiters interests. The main difference between Marxist and Weberian class analysis traditions is the difference between a class concept based on the problem of life chances in Weber and a concept in the problem of exploitation in Marx. The concept of exploitation is viewed by Marx as the source of profits in capitalism and exploitation as integral to explaining the particular character ofShow MoreRelatedDiscuss How Race and Ethnicity Perpetuate Inequality in Australia1192 Words   |  5 Pagesor are perceived by others, to be racially distinct from the rest of a population, the question that arises is whether members of these groups are treated equally . Politicians have long spoken of being a multicultural society, promoting tolerance and integration. Proud of a society where one can reap in financial or social status rewards through sheer hard work Ââ€" where the nature of ones race or ethnicity is not a factor. Bessant (2002) said racist attitudes are alive and well today. The conceptsRead MoreA Fair Go, By Henry Lawson, And The Dispossessed1428 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish speech Australia. A country associated with the ideals of mateship, integrity and equality; a nation renowned for its people and characterised by the strong belief in ‘a fair go’. Australia’s history is one of a constant belief in the value of egalitarianism, amid changing levels of inequality. Many have said that this ideology is culturally ingrained in the Australian identity; however, the notion of Australia as a classless nation is a persistent myth of egalitarianism that must now beRead MoreEssay Education and Social Inequality2683 Words   |  11 Pagesunderstanding this area or domain. Traditionally Australians have believed in and conveyed the myth of Australia as a fair , egalitarian society without excess wealth or poverty, however we are definitely not a classless society. Australias education system has been and remains one of the most unequally distributed social resources and could possibly be regarded as the main source of inequality in our society (Encel 1970; Anderson Vervoorn 1983; as cited in Jamrozik, 2009). Now more than ever, AustraliasRead MoreEducation response Essay example43180 Words   |  173 Pagestime. In mid-20th-century Britain social mobility was in full swing. By 1958, when I was born, the prospect of a more classless society seemed within reach. Half a century later such optimism looks hopelessly misplaced. Intractable levels of social inequality and a flatlining in social mobility have thwarted repeated attempts to realise the post-war vision of a fair society. Every cloud, however, has a silver lining. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis a new public – maybe evenRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesLandscape Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past Sharon Hartman Strom, Political Woman: Florence Luscomb and the Legacy of Radical Reform Michael Adas, ed., Agricultural and Pastoral Societies in Ancient and Classical History Jack Metzgar, Striking Steel: Solidarity Remembered Janis Appier, Policing Women: The Sexual Politics of Law Enforcement and the LAPD Allen Hunter, ed., Rethinking the Cold War Eric Foner, ed., The New AmericanRead MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 Pagescolleges and universities and has lectured in most European and Pacific Rim countries. He has taught international management as a visiting faculty member at the universities of Bangkok, Hawaii, Henley in England, Norwegian Management School, Monash in Australia, Macau, Chemnitz in the former East Germany, and Tirana in Albania. A past president of the Academy of Management, in 1997 he received the Academy’s Distinguished Educator Award. In 2000 he became an inaugural member of the Academy’s Hall of FameRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pagesstated that: ing every 50 years. The GNP is doubling every 20 years, and so are the number of major scientific discoveries. The whole scientific and engineering establishment, including, for example, the numbers of graduates, membership of learned societies, and scientific publications, is doubling every 15 years. The money spent on applied research is doubling every 7 years, and so also is the demand for electronics and aviation. If all these processes were to continue unchecked . . . within about

Monday, December 9, 2019

Civic Engagement Voting, TV, and Efficacy Essay Example For Students

Civic Engagement: Voting, TV, and Efficacy Essay Civic Engagement: Voting, TV, and Efficacy Abstract Well known is the fact that active participation in America has gone down. Voting, especially, has been affected. Literature and statistics on voting behavior have demonstrated these shocking results. But lack of voting is simply the beginning, several factors affect civic engagement among those are the negative perceptions of politics received through televised media. This study found that several factors of significance with respect to efficacy, amount of TV watching, politician trust, and differences in gender factors. Though Robert Putnam’s suggestion of too much television does hold true, other factors can be predictors as well. Introduction America was founded on the idea of democracy. As Piven and Cloward put it, â€Å"Americans generally take for granted that ours is the very model of democracy† (2000). There seems to be an evident breakdown in American politics, the electorate is voting less than they did in previous generations (Putnam 2000). I question whether this is the beginning of a massive breakdown in American politics or simply a flux in the activity of the people. In sorting through much of the research on political opinions and voting very little is clear. Theorist and researchers differ on what is the major factor in the decline of voting in America. An influential idea provided by Robert Putnam was the increase in television watching and its effect on the American people. Others suggest that the growing economic inequality in American lives. But we are working with people who can be very surprising and strange as maybe the outcomes. I try to look at many factors that may indicate some reasons to what a portion of the population . . the American Electorate Eighth Ed. Washington D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press. Piven, Frances Fox and Richard A. Cloward. (2000). Why Americans Still Don’t Vote: And Why Politicians Want It that Way. Boston: Beacon Press, 229-237. Putnam, Robert D. (2000). Bowling Alone. New York: Touchstone, 252-253. Rust, Roland, Mukesh Bajaj, and George Haley. (1984). Efficient and Inefficient Media for Political Campaign Advertising. Journal of Advertising,13, 3, 45-49. Sifry, Micah L. Finding the Lost Voters. The American Prospect, 11, 6, 23-27. Stanley, Harold W. and Richard G Niemi. (2000). Vital Statistics on American Politics 1999-2000. Washington D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press. Uslaner, Eric. (1998). Social Capital, Television, and the ‘Mean World’: Trust, Optimism, and Civic Participation. Political Psychology, 19, 3, 441-467.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

What do we understand by the idea of a politica Essays - Politics

What do we understand by the idea of a political system'? How are different political systems connected to the traditions of social scientific thought? To begin with, a political system is a scheme that makes up how the country is run mainly between the government, the people and the economy. There are different political systems that governments around the world have adopted like Liberalism, which is the current political system the USA uses and Communism, which China uses. Although, there are other traditions of social scientific thought like Conservatism, Anarchism, and Fascism that other parts of the world use. The United States of America is one of the most powerful countries of in the world since world war two. They follow a liberal political system. T here are two types of liberalism. One being Classical Liberalism and the other being Modern Liberalism. There are significant differences between the two although they branch out from the same sort of thought that an individual "should enjoy maximum possible freedom consistent with a like freedom for all" but also that "they should be rewarded in line with their talents and their willingness to work" CITATION And07 \p 23 \l 1033 (Heywood, 2007, p. 23) . The USA has inh erited modern liberalism where personal development is promoted with a qualified endorsement for so cial and economic intervention and is characterized by self-determination, openness, deb ate and powerful moral thrust CITATION And07 \l 1033 (Heywood, 2007) They have a distinct set of values and beliefs most importantly in the individual, justice, tolerance, reason, and freedom . When liberals speak about the individualism in liberalism, it is basically meant that the people are not characterized by their social groups, but are characterized by their individual self and inner-qualities and self-sufficiency. Liberalism in essence supports individual freedom. There is a desire for a society where everyone is capable of matching to their own potential goals in their own way as long as it doesn't interfere with the liberty of others CITATION And07 \l 1033 (Heywood, 2007) CITATION Jim05 \l 1033 (Peron, 2005) . This freedom however, is limited to the self. Liberals do not believe that these rights or any sort of privilege should be restricted based on factors like a particula r class, race, gender, religion, color, or social background. Their justice is based on most kinds of equality including the distribution of material r ewards and benefits in society CITATION And07 \l 1033 (Heywood, 2007) . One of the other forms of equality is toleration, or willing to accept something even though you disagree with it, and this is a crucial trait to have in a society where freedom is everybody's right. As all people were not born the same, it is not uncommon that they will have different views and ideas from each other. Therefore, as French writer Voltaire said, "I detest what you say but will defend to the death your right to say it" CITATION And07 \p 35 \l 1033 (Heywood, 2007, p. 35) it establishes the rules on how people in society should act with each other which is necessary to ensure the health of the society as a while CITATION And07 \l 1033 (Heywood, 2007) . Anarchism, in which they don't believe there is a need for any law or government, is one political ideology that shows how liberalism is better for the people. John Locke, English philosopher and politician who was seen as a key thinker of early liberalism, once said "where there is no law, there is no freedom". This is linked to the fact that free individuals may want to exploit others and essentially do whatever they please if they wish to. As there is no one to govern them, the people are in constant threat because this freedom' basically gives them a "license to abuse another" . Restraint for people to not endanger the liberty of another i s needed. That is why traditionally, liberals believe that freedom can only exist under the law because this kind of protection can only be provided by a sovereign state CITATION And07 \l 1033 (Heywood, 2007) . However, even with the thought that society needs a government, liberals are

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Transgender issues in The Crying Game and M. Butterfly

Transgender issues in The Crying Game and M. Butterfly Historically, community has difficulties with accepting not only peculiarities of the others but even their own nature. The acceptance of the phenomenon of transgender status in contrast to widely spread stereotypes on it is one of the central themes and moral messages of the 1992 movie The Crying Game and the 1993 movie M. Butetrfly.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Transgender issues in â€Å"The Crying Game† and â€Å"M. Butterfly† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The filmmakers’ decision to hide the transgender status of their characters can be explained with not only their intention to complicate the plot lines and intensify the viewers’ impression from the clarification of the situation at the climax moments of the films, but also conveying certain moral messages. This technique allows the authors to demonstrate the impact of knowledge on the individual’s transsexual status upon the overall perception of a person. Thus, after one of the central scenes in the films in which Dil’s and Pei-Pu’s true gender is revealed, the attitude of the audience to these characters changes. However, the fact that the main male characters of the movies remain with their beloved disregarding their status is intended to affect the viewers’ opinion of this phenomenon in general. Raising the problem of the perception of the person’s transgender status by the community and the corresponding psychological distress in people who feel uncomfortable about their biological gender, the filmmakers enhance the viewers’ empathy. Showing the suffering of the characters with transgender status, the filmmakers make the audience understand their feelings and sympathize with them. It is significant that from the very beginning neither the audience nor most characters are aware of Dil’s and Pei-Pu’s gender status. Then, at the moment when the status is revealed, the spectators and the main male characters experience equal shock and reconsider their perception of the individuals with transgender status in general. The filmmakers’ decision to conceal the gender status of some of their characters had impact upon the spectatos’ perception of this information as associated with a concrete person.Advertising Looking for critical writing on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Analyzing the changes in the attitude towards Dil and Pei-Pu after their gender status is revealed, it can be stated that knowledge on gender status plays an important role in acceptance of the others and acceptance of own nature. The importance of sincerity and personal acceptance are the main messages of the films under consideration. For example, in The Crying Game, Dil is comfortable with her transgender status and accepts it as it is, while Fergus has certain difficulties in accepting his feelings to Dil after he gets to know about her biological gender. The inner struggle in the main male character reveals his problem with understanding who he is and what he needs from this life. The meaning of the tale about a frog and a scorpion which is told twice in the film is much broader in the context of the film plot. Thus, when at the end of the film Fergus recollects this tale and says that he has saved Dil from prison because it is in his nature, he means much more than readiness to sacrifice his interests. This phrase means that Fergus at last understands who he is, realizes what Dil means to him and accepts it as a part of his nature. The relationships of the main male characters with Dil and Pei-Pu which continued even after their transgender status was revealed show that gender is a significant but not the only parameter according to which an individual can be judged. The gender status can be related to the national status regar ding the community prejudices affecting the public perception of persons belonging to certain gender or ethnic groups. The plots of the films under consideration are intended to show the inappropriateness of the existing stereotypes. As opposed to the widely spread misconceptions, Dil and Pei-Pu look ad behave as ordinary girls, and their appearance is so deceptive that the male characters do not have any doubts as to their gender status. The filmmakers have shown to the audience that perception of gender status cannot be limited to physiological sex. Acknowledging the phenomenon of transgender status in some members of the community and the difficulties hey experience with accepting their nature and being accepted by the community, the movies provide insights into the inner world of the characters.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Transgender issues in â€Å"The Crying Game† and â€Å"M. Butterfly† specifically for you for only $1 6.05 $11/page Learn More Making the audience sympathize with these characters, the filmmakers motivate the audience to change their attitude to the social phenomenon in general. The knowledge on Dil’s and Pei-Pu’s transgender status at first shocked their beloved who have previously been blind to it. Still, after getting rid of their stereotypes and reconsidering their values, the main male characters accept their feelings to individuals of their own sex. The choice of the filmmaking techniques, plot lines and structure of the movies was effective for shedding light upon the psychological and sociological aspects of transgender status. The filmmaking techniques and peculiarities of the plot in the movies The Crying Game and M. Butetrfly affect the spectators’ perception of the individuals with transgender status by initiating the audience into their feelings and making them sympathize with individuals who are uncomfortable with their biological g ender.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

French Direct Objects and Direct Object Pronouns

French Direct Objects and Direct Object Pronouns Direct objects are the people or things in a sentence that receive the action of the verb. To find the direct object in a sentence, ask the question Who? or What?: Je vois Pierre. – I see Pierre. (Who do I see? – Pierre)Je mange le pain. – Im eating the bread. (What am I eating? – bread) Direct object pronouns are the words that replace the direct object to avoid repetition. If it werent for direct object pronouns, we would be saying things like Marie was at the bank today. When I saw Marie, I smiled. Instead, we usually say Marie was at the bank today. When I saw her, I smiled. The use of direct object pronouns makes sentences sound more natural. The Direct Object Pronouns The French direct object pronouns are: Me / m  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  meTe / t  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ youLe / l   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ him, itLa / l  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  her, itNous  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  usVous  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  youLes  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ them Me and te change to m and t, respectively, in front of a vowel or mute H. Le and la both change to l. Like indirect object pronouns, French direct object pronouns are placed in front of the verb. Je le mange. – Im eating it.Il la voit. – He sees her.  Je taime. – I love you.Tu maimes. – You love me. General Rules Four main constructions use the French neuter object pronoun. 1. To Replace or Refer to an Idea Contained in an Adjective, Noun, or Clause This is the case in the following examples: Si tu es  satisfait, je  le  suis aussi. – If youre  satisified, I am too.Êtes-vous  amà ©ricain?  Oui, je  le  suis. – Are you  American? Yes, I am.Il est  espion!  Non, il ne  lest pas. –  Hes a  spy!  No, hes not.Il taime. Jespà ¨re que tu  le  comprends. – He loves you. I hope you understand  that.  Ã‚  Je vais me venger. Je  le  jure! – ​I will get revenge. I swear  it! 2. In the Second Clause of a Comparison This is the case after  the words aussi,  autre,  autrement,  comme,  plus,  moins,  mieux. Note that the  ne  which shows up in the second clause of many of these examples is also optional. Il est plus  grand  que je ne  le  croyais. – Hes  taller  than I thought.Cela  vaut  moins que tu ne  le  penses. – Thats  worth  less than you think.Elle est  autre  quil ne  lespà ©rait. – Shes  different  than he hoped.Il nest pas aussi  stupide  quon  le  croit. – Hes not  as stupid  as people think.Ce nest pas gentil de  parler des autres  comme tu  le  fais. – Its not nice to  talk about others  like you do. 3. With Negative Expressions of Opinion and Desire: Ne Pas Penser, Ne Pas Vouloir, Ne Pas Croire Va-t-il  venir?  Je ne  le  pense pas. – Is he going to come?  I dont think so.Allez,  viens  avec nous!  Je ne  le  veux pas. – Come on, come with us! I dont want to. 4. With the Verbs Croire, Devoir, Dire, Falloir, Oser, Penser,  Pouvoir,  Savoir,  Vouloir Comme vous  le  dites,  ce  nest pas juste. – As you say,  its not fair.Viens  quand tu  le  pourras. – Come  when you can.Il pourrait  aider  sil  le  voulait. –  He could  help  if he wanted to. Tips and Notes When a direct object precedes a verb conjugated into a compound tense such as the passà © composà ©, the past participle has to agree with the direct object.   If youre having trouble deciding between direct and indirect objects, the general rule is that if the person or thing is preceded by a preposition, that person is an indirect object. If its not preceded by a preposition, it is a direct object.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Tesla Motors (TSLA) case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tesla Motors (TSLA) - Case Study Example However, it had an upper hand over the other machines owing to the fact that the car did not emit gaseous waste products to the atmosphere, as it relied solely on electricity for power up and performance (Gregersen, 2014). One major reason for the invention of the electric cars is that oil is a commodity, whose availability may be limited by the year 2020. Oil is slowly but drastically becoming a depleting source of renewable energy (El Deeb et al, 2014). As at today, Tesla Motors has grown to produce two models of these electric vehicles namely, The Tesla Roadster and Models S. There are plans however, that are underway to produce a third model, Model X by around 2015 (Ggrabianowski). In addition to these electric cars, Tesla has gone an extra mile of creating charging points at strategic locations especially in North America, Europe and Asia. In those areas, owners of such vehicles could charge these Tesla vehicles for free. Despite the fact that the company enjoys a great name for their innovations, economic analysts have on the contrary predicted that the company will contradictorily witness a decrease by 297.06% in total earnings this year. â€Å"Tesla motors design and sells high- performance; highly efficient electric sports cars which do not compromise the customers in any way. Tesla motor cars combine style, acceleration and handling with advanced technologies, which make them among the quickest and the most energy- efficient cars on the road† (El Deeb et al, 2014, pg 3). The management has close to twenty senior employees that run the whole company with Elon Musk as the CEO. He is an experienced CEO with strong managerial background, and he is believed to be recruiting only the best employees around into the firm. The sports cars manufacture takes place in California, where less than  ¼ of the company factory is used to produce just but a single model. Hence, the managing team boasts of enough space to allow for newer models of Tesla motors.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Discussion GMOs in Producing Food, Bioaccumulation, Green Revolution Assignment

Discussion GMOs in Producing Food, Bioaccumulation, Green Revolution and Slow Food Movement - Assignment Example The role of genetically engineered foods in alleviating the world’s food insecurity is, without a doubt, extremely controversial. Indeed, while the potential benefits of the new biological techniques in food production may be exciting in the short term, the truth of the matter is that the long term effects on biodiversity, people’s health and the wider ecosystem are rather obscure. More fundamentally, questions linger on who in particular stands to benefit from this technology; is it the wealthy in search of more wealth or the people in need? Advocates have pointed to the potential benefits that include the elimination of pesticides in crop production, the development of disease/cold/drought resistant crops, elimination of malnutrition due to over-reliance on certain crops [rice], as well as a cost-effective way of vaccines produced in grown crops (Whitman par 5-10). Nonetheless, non-conclusive reports suggest that GM crops may actually transfer the modified genes to no n-target species [weeds], and thus reduce the foregoing effectiveness. There are also mounting fears of unexpected allergic reactions by consumers in addition to unknown health consequences (Whitman par 16-18). Though highly debatable currently, a research conducted on the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton, grown by small-scale farmers in Asia and other developing nations, indicates that the plant has extensive environmental has rm than the original pest control intention (Losey, Rayor and Carter 214). This debate is just but a sideshow away from the real looming crisis-global warming and impending dire consequences. The benefits notwithstanding, the money-profit perspective may the real driver into the GM foods and not food security. Part B 3. What does the acronym HIPPO describe? What does each letter stand for?  

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The most persuasive of three models of attorney-client relationship Essay Example for Free

The most persuasive of three models of attorney-client relationship Essay While in the attorney-client relationship, lawyers face three obligations in performance.   First, they must assume the duty of fully investigating a client’s case.   Lawyers should seek out all relevant acts.   This information is necessary to provide the client with an effective counsel.   The second duty is zealous client advocacy. These duties are sometimes at odds with the third duty which is the obligation of lawyers to the court.   All active lawyers are officers of the court and therefore, hold certain responsibilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It has been argued that only two of the above three obligations can be met at any given time.  Ã‚   Dean Freeman is quoted as saying, â€Å"To convert the defendant’s only champion into yet another member of the state’s legions seems an unnecessary and offensive step.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first and second obligations are in place to insure zealous advocacy; and the third is essential for lawyers to participate in the judicial system as it is designed. (Retrieved on 11/17/06 from source: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3975/is_200207/ai_n9119407)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ABA has promulgated three model codes of lawyers since 1908.   The Canons of Ethics in 1908 was first.   This established many rules and codes that are still in effect today.   One thing the Canons did was to ban lawyers from advertising, except in the case of handing out business cards.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Canons were the ABA’s direct response to President Roosevelt’s 1905 criticism of lawyers as â€Å"hired Cunning†, or, those who, for lucrative fees, undermined the public interest by their representation of corporation and wealthy individuals.   These Cannons were adopted and were the legal profession’s authoritative statement of how a lawyer should act. (Retrieved on 11/17/06 from source: www.bryancave.com)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The 1908 Canons included the duty of an attorney to keep a client’s secrets. This element of confidentiality is the duty I hold most important.   The Canons of 1908 set the premise of trust in the minds of the general, lawyer seeking public.   Attorneys can be more persuasive to their clients in regards to gaining their trust, if the client knows their secrets will be kept and confidentiality is firmly in place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The American Bar Association Model Code of Professional Responsibility was created in 1969.   This was a set of professional standards intended to guarantee the minimum legal ethics and responsibility of lawyers in the U.S.   It was ultimately replaced with the Model Rules of Professional Conduct after the Watergate scandal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While I do feel all three model codes are important, the Canons are most persuasive in my book as they lay a firm base for what is expected from today’s lawyers:   Confidentiality, competence, honesty, loyalty and client’s access to progress through exchange of information. (Retrieved on 11/17/06 from source: www.dcbar.org)

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Formal Recommendation To Purchase A New ATV Essay -- essays research p

Summary This report shows how the maintenance department can increase work efficiency. The improvements will result from purchasing a new ATV.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This report focuses on the aspects of purchasing a new ATV to reach the maintenance department’s goal. The evaluating criteria include: rack capacity, towing capacity, ground clearance, fuel capacity, and cost. To improve the work efficiency of the maintenance department, the 2000 Yamaha Grizzly should be purchased. INTRODUCTION This report recommends the purchase of a new four wheel drive ATV. Using the internet for resources, the choice has been narrowed to two: 2000 Yamaha Grizzly and 2000 Honda Foreman ES.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each ATV has been evaluated using the following criteria, in descending order of importance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ■  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rack Capacity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ■  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Towing Capacity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ■  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ground Clearance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ■  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fuel Capacity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ■  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cost The current 1987 model ATV does not meet the new required standards for the maintenance department. The 1987 model ATV does not have a front cargo rack and the rear cargo rack has a maximum capacity of only 75 lbs. The towing capacity for the 1987 model ATV cannot exceed 500 lbs. Ground clearance for the current ATV is a mere 5 in. The fuel capacity for the current ATV is just 1.9 gal. Table 1 (shown below) shows the standard for each criteria. __________________________________________________________________________ Table 1. New Standard Criteria vs. Current ATV __________________________________________________________________________ Criteria Standard Current ATV Rack Capacity  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   75 lbs/150 lbs 0 lbs/75 lbs (front/rear) Towing Capacity 800 lbs 500 lbs Ground Clearance 7.5 in 6.5 in Fuel Capacity Largest 1.9 gal Cost Cheapest N/A __________________________________________________________________________ DISCUSSION In each of the following criteria sections the desired standard for the two ATV’s being compared will be stated. The information p... ...nbsp;  Ã‚  30 March 2000. â€Å"Grizzly Information.† Yamaha. 2 pages. Online. Dogpile. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.yamaha-motor.com/atv/grizzly/info.html. 30 March 2000 â€Å"Honda Fourtrax Foreman ES-Honda ATVs for 2000!† off-road. 4 pages. Online. Dogpile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Available: http://www.off-road.com/atv/honda2000/TRX450ES.html. 30 March 2000. â€Å"Honda Motorcycles Models.† ATVS. 1 page. Online. Dogpile. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.atvs.com/models/print.html?category=atv&model_name=FourTrax_Foreman_ES.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  30 March 2000 â€Å"Honda Motorcycles: 300EX Engineering.† HondaMotorcycle. 1 page. Online. Dogpile. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.hondamotorcycle.com/models/atv/foreman_es/eng2.html. 30 March 2000 â€Å"2000 Grizzly Specifications.† Yamaha-motor. 2 pages. Online. Dogpile. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.yamaha-motor.com/atv/grizzly/specs.html. 30 March 2000

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

A Rebuttal to Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution Essay

If there’s one thing that would make the highly religious person infuriated, that one thing would probably be the Theory of Evolution by Charles Darwin. Quite a rugged assumption but a little true nonetheless.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Religion, as a social institution, derives much of its foundations on several bearings; the most important being the Theory of Creationism. Under this theory (or belief?), humanity, the universe and life in general were all created in their original form by an Almighty Being or by an Inevitable Force. Usually, this refers to the deity or deities of a certain commune’s religious beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Theory of Evolution, on the other hand, portends that humanity, or life itself, emerged through a series of trial and errors wherein the fittest species among all others emerged victorious over nature’s anarchic character. The idea of a certain animal â€Å"branching off† from its original species to produce a different kind of breed is what the Theory of Evolution calls Natural Selection. By Natural Selection, the theory explains that certain unique features and/or characteristics possessed by a select few would inevitably allow them/it to have a higher chance of survival against those who do possess none of the same features and/or characteristics. For instance, assume that a species of birds uncannily produce a hatchling that possess a rather larger and longer beak than its original counterparts. By having this feature, the bird is now able to catch and eat more food as compared to the other birds of the same species that possess shorter and smaller (otherwise, â€Å"normal†) beaks. The theory claims that once this unique bird reproduces its own hatchlings, the unique features and characteristics it possessed would most likely be passed on; thus, eventually perpetuating the idea of the introduction of a different kind of species of birds that possess longer and larger beaks. And since having longer and larger beaks enables these birds (those which possess it) to catch, gather and eat more food, the natural balance of the food chain is automatically shifted unequally. Being that the birds with the shorter and smaller beaks will always be outcompeted by the new species with longer and larger beaks, the original species (otherwise, â€Å"old†) will probably end up being extinct. This idea is further supported by the theory’s most famous notion, â€Å"The Survival of the Fittest†. In the simplest sense, the theory states that those who are genetically â€Å"strong† as compared to the others will be the ones who will survive. As applied in the case of the birds, it was the newly developed species which seemed to be the â€Å"fittest† against their original counterparts. As such, their survival was ensured; branching off into a higher level of species and eliminating the rather â€Å"weak† species.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Understanding the Theory of Evolution in its general sense is not an easy task. For one thing, the theory itself is now including several different kinds of supposed facts to support Charles Darwin’s original theory (now referred to as Neo-Darwinism). Furthermore, its underlying principles and hypotheses do not lie alone on biology but also on genetics and others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As if understanding the theory is hard enough, debunking the theory is an even harder task. Supporters of the Creationist Theory will always be under attack by the supporters of the Evolutionist Theory. This unbelievable dedication of faith and belief towards the Theory of Evolution is considered an awesome phenomenon similar to that of Catholicism’s rise as a predominant religion in the late Middle Ages. In other words, the Theory itself, ironically, is now becoming a religion in many ways. Henceforth, as hard as it is to debunk the Creationist Theory, the same will now be likewise to the Evolutionist Theory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Going back to the theory’s initial stages, however, it would seem rather easy to refute Charles Darwin’s findings. Compared to the status of the Theory of Evolution at present, the status of Darwin’s theory in the past (as he presented it) remained attractive to questions of veracity and factuality. For many, though it seemed credible, it was also contestable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First of all, Darwin’s Theory does not explain fully the derivation and/or origins of humankind as deduced from that of primates. Sure, there are many similarities existing between humans and Apes. But the Theory never really explained why or how humankind technically â€Å"branched off† from the original species of primates. Even if we use the notion of â€Å"Survival of the Fittest†, none of the pieces still seem to fit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For instance, let us assume that a group of Chimpanzees produce an offspring that is clearly â€Å"smarter† than the rest of the clan. Now, that offspring immediately becomes the â€Å"fittest† among them. Still, it would be somehow impossible to deduce that this special primate would reproduce a couple more uniquely smart primates that would eventually start an hereditary cycle; causing the almost â€Å"accidental† creation of a new species. Even if that somehow became possible over a course of billions of years, it would still not explain how humankind developed a sense of wearing clothes, cook their food and establish a unique language that is clearly different to that of their original counterparts. Furthermore, some possible explanations regarding the loss of bodily hair, the shortening of the mandibles and other such anatomic inquiries remain in question for the theory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second, the development of a certain organ was never fully explained by the great man himself. Take a look at birds, for instance. The development of birds, from land creatures to fowls of the air, is clearly unsupported by the theory. As the theory explains, evolution occurs overtime through a course of millions of years. If so, how did the development of wings benefit the earliest species of birds? Imagine an ancient â€Å"bird† that started growing small â€Å"wings†. Of course, since these are small, it cannot benefit the animal in any way other than be a burden. As such, the status of â€Å"fittest† is automatically removed. Ultimately, the species – who were just starting to develop their own wings – would’ve become extinct and lost to the supposed â€Å"survival†. On the other hand, looking at the picture the other way around, it seems almost impossible that a group of land creatures would suddenly hatch (or give birth) to an hatchling that naturally or immediately possess wings – it would just not make sense. For the Theory of Evolution – and the notion of â€Å"Survival of the Fittest† – to work, organs and other characteristics must be present at once and not in a continual process that would take billions of years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finally, the Theory of Evolution never really explained how the complex development of the human mind occurred. Just how exactly did human beings develop a sense of rationalization? How did they come to have a sense of beauty? How about a sense of free will? If humans with mental disabilities continue to breed for thousands of years, would the existence of a unique race of mentally disabled men and women become a possibility? How did evolution come to develop a mind that is so complex and comprehensive as compared to other creatures? These are just some of the questions that truly pose a great threat to the Theory of Evolution (during Darwin’s time at least).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Charles Darwin presented his Theory to the Academic Community, the Theory of Evolution was not as strong as it was today. By all means, it was easily contestable. After a couple of decades, however, the Theory gained so many supporters that even the Scientific Community now almost completely adheres to its principles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Until the adherents of the Theory of Evolution do not find concrete answers to some of the questions posed above, the theory will forever only remain as such – a theory. Similarly, the Creationist Theory also possesses the same dilemma. Clearly, that is one reason why both theories – despite after several decades – still continue to battle each other out for supremacy (which is ironically a pun of the notion â€Å"Survival of the Fittest† itself). Cited Sources: Campbell, J. A. and Meyer, S. C. (2005) Evolution: Debate it. USA Today December 5, 2007 from Dean, C. (2005) Opting Out in the Debate on Evolution. The New York Times December 5, 2007 from Futuyma, D. J. (2005). Evolution. Sunderland, Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates, Inc. Scott, E. C. and Branch, G. (2005) Evolution: Just Teach it. USA Today December 5, 2007 from Smith, J. M. (1993) The Theory of Evolution. Cambridge University Press Weiss, R. and Brown, D. (2005) New Analyses Bolster Central Tenets of Evolution Theory Washington Post December 5, 2007 from   

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Multigrade Teaching Strategies Essay

Every student has their own aspirations on life and that is the reason why some students are working by virtue of aiming their own aspirations. Students of SSCT also have their own aspirations. Some of them are lucky that they belong to the economic-stable families where their family can support them in all aspects that they need compare to the students who work while studying. Academic performance of the students depends on the factors that affect it. These include various aspects that they need to adjust in order to attain their goals in life. Full time students have their advantages when it comes to their performance in school because they only focus on their own works especially in school activities. They are most capable in joining some activities pertaining to improve their various skills that lead them to excel their performance academically. Full time students do not worry on the things that they do and they will do because their time are not divided when it comes to household chores and school activities. They are lucky not because they are not working to sustain their school needs but because they are used to only focus on their aims that they set in life and how to attain it. They are also free on the things they want to. They can easily cope with school problems that need a lot of efforts to adjust on the situation. When it comes to financial aspects they easily pay for it without any doubt to tell to their parents and ask for it. Full time students are really blessed as they only focus on the right track that leads them to the road of success. On the other hand, working while studying is a burden among working students. They have to give up and set aside their social needs. Working students give their time in working and studying their lessons in school. Most of them have lack of sleep but still need to work and go to school. Due to school works, working students do not have time for themselves even on their personal needs. Most of them do not care on how they look as long as they enter school and listen to the discussion of the teacher. Because of their eagerness to finish their studies, they forget to care about their health. They almost forgot to spend their social life with friends, to live life, to experience their youth and do things that a normal person does. With their eagerness to succeed in life, they let the years go by without even thinking the present. Thus, full time and working students are both have the eagerness to a success but differ into various aspects on traveling the road of success for they have their own advantages and disadvantages to carry on to their road of success. Review of Literature Today, students can put dope in their veins or hope in their brains. If they can conceive it and believe it, they can achieve it. They must know it is not their aptitude but their attitude that will determine their altitude (Jackson, 2006). Socio-Economic Factor Education provides individual children with the knowledge and skills necessary to advance themselves and their nation economically. Socioeconomic factors, such as family income level, parents’ level of education, race and gender, all influence the quality and availability of education as well as the ability of education to improve life circumstances (Jennifer, 2007). Danesy (2006), complimenting environmental and socio-economic factors to produce high academic achievements and performance include good teaching, counseling, good administration, good seating arrangement and good building. High level of illiteracy, poverty and low socio-economic status coupled with high rate of paternal and maternal deprivation of student academic needs, which was necessitated by poor socio-economic situation of the country has thrown many farmers and old rural dwellers into untold financial problems such as poverty, lack of money to purchase necessary textbooks and working materials for their kids. Also many rural and suburban dwellers can no longer pay the school fees of their wards. These ugly situations have promoted young school students to drop out of school to engage in subsistence farming and become housemaids or engage in other menial jobs to support their academic pursuit. Hence, many students have since taken schooling as a secondary assignment and school attendance on rotational basis. Socio-economic factors like attendance in the class, family income, and mother’s and father’s education, teacher-student ratio, presence of trained teacher in school, sex of student and distance of school are also affected the performance of the students (Raychauduri, 2010). Physical Factor Regardless of the reason for working, trying to meet the multiple and sometimes conflicting simultaneous demands of the roles of student, employee, parent, and so on often creates high levels of stress and anxiety, making it less likely that students will complete their degrees (Kasworm 2010). There is a possibility a working student will have trouble finding time to study. If you have a job, you automatically have less time to do everything you want to (Corbett 2009). Mental Ability A typical response from faculty members and administrators who are asked how much undergraduate students should work at paying jobs while attending college. Available research supports this recommendation. Quantitative studies consistently show that retention rates are higher for students who work a modest number of hours per week (ten to fifteen) than they are for students who do not work at all or those who work more than fifteen hours per week. Research also shows increased academic success for students working on rather than off campus. Umbach (2005), associate professor of higher education at North Carolina State University, and his co-authors demonstrate the educational benefits to working students when their instructors encourage cooperative learning, set high expectations for student achievement, and create assignments that require students to demonstrate deep learning. A campus teaching center may also support faculty efforts to help working students. Family Factor Guidance is of the factor through which a student can improve his study attitudes and study habits and is directly proportional to academic achievement. The students who are properly guided by their parents have performed well in the exams. The guidance from the teacher also affects the student performance. The guidance from the parents and the teachers indirectly affect the performance of the students (Hussain, 2006). Students academic accomplishments and activities, perceptions of their coping strategies and positive attributions, and background characteristics (i. . , family income, parents level of education, guidance from parents and number of negative situations in the home) were indirectly related to their composite scores, through academic achievement (Noble 2008). Environmental Factor There are so many factors that can contribute to your academic performance. Noise, distractions, etc. can affect you in studying. Light, review materials, and others should be conducive to lear ning. However, there are some cases that students choose to have a bit of distractions. For instance, a student might want to listen to music while studying. Others might want to watch TV while doing this. It’s actually a case-to-case basis (Debate Society, biology professor, etc. 2008). The academic environment is the effective variable for students and has positive relationship with fathers education and grade level (Kirmani & Siddiquah, 2008). The student has to have an advantageous atmosphere to learn, not one which is disadvantageous to learning. If the student feels the need to participate, rather than being forced to and possibly be humiliated as a result, the student is apt to learn that much more (Bea 2009). How do you expect a student to perform great if they are sitting in a dimly lit room where they can’t hardly see what the professor is writing on the whiteboard, in room located next to an extremely busy train station or to have only a chair (to sit on) making it difficult to take notes or even open a book (Linda, 2010). Young, 2010), held the view that student performances are linked with use of library and level of their parental education. The use of the library positively affected the student performance. The students who are actively engage in the learning process are observed to have a positive correlation with the CGP. A Study effort from student and the proper use of the facilities provided by the institution to the student, a good match between learning style of the students and are positively affect t he performance of the students (Ali, 2009). Karemera, 2005) found that performance of the students is significantly correlated with satisfaction with academic environment and the facilities of library, computer lab and etc. in the institution. With regard to background variables, he found a positive effect of high school performance and school achievement he found no statistical evidence of significant association between family income level and academic performance of the student. Synthesis.  The above mentioned reviews are related to the present study in the same that it accounts for the similarities of findings specifically on the factors affecting the academic performance of the 2nd year and 3rd year BEED students in SSCT. Conceptual Framework The factors that affect to the academic performance of the 2nd year and 3rd year BEED students are complex and numerous. Hence, the researchers only need those that are commonly encountered by the students. This study is anchored in some related concepts for its framework. It includes the respondent’s profile in terms of age, sex, student status, religious affiliation and occupation of parents and the factors affecting the academic performance of the 2nd year and 3rd year BEED students that will be basic to come up with a quality research output. Each individual has its potential and capability to conduct a certain research study. However, these are some factors or aspects that would affect in doing this kind of work. It must be considered by the researchers in order to have a better result.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Friedrich St.Florian, About the WWII Memorial Designer

Friedrich St.Florian, About the WWII Memorial Designer Friedrich St.Florian (born December 21, 1932 in Graz, Austria) is widely known for only one work, the National World War II Memorial. His influence on American architecture is mainly from his teaching, first at Columbia University in 1963, and then a lifetime career at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, Rhode Island. St.Florians long teaching career places him at the head of the class for mentoring student architects. He is often called a Rhode Island architect, although this is an over-simplification of his world vision.  Settling in the United States in 1967 and a naturalized citizen since 1973, St.Florian has been called a visionary and theoretical architect for his futuristic drawings. St. Florians approach to design melds the theoretical (philosophical) with the practical (pragmatic). He believes that one must explore the philosophical background, define the problem, and then resolve the problem with a timeless design. His design philosophy includes this statement: We approach architectural design as a process that begins with exploration of philosophical underpinnings leading to concept ideas that will be subjected to vigorous testing. To us, how a problem is defined is critical to its resolution. Architectural design is the process of distillation that purifies the confluence of circumstances and ideals. We deal with pragmatic as well as fundamental concerns. In the end, the proposed design solutions are expected to reach beyond utilitarian considerations and stand as an artistic statement of timeless value. St.Florian (who leaves no space within his last name) earned a Masters Degree in Architecture (1958) at Technische Universadad in Graz, Austria, before receiving a Fullbright to study in the U.S. In 1962 he earned a Master of Science Degree in Architecture from Columbia University in New York City, and then headed to New England. While at RISD, he received a Fellowship to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1970 until 1976, becoming a licensed architect in 1974. St.Florian established Friedrich St.Florian Architects in Providence, Rhode Island in 1978. Principal Works St.Florians projects, like most architects, fall into at least two categories - works that got built and those that didnt. In Washington, D.C., the 2004 World War II Memorial (1997-2004) stands center stage on the National Mall, in site of the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Closer to his own hometown, one finds many projects in and around Providence, Rhode Island, including the Sky Bridge (2000), the Pratt Hill Town Houses (2005), the House on College Hill (2009), and his own home, the St.Florian Residence, completed in 1989. Many, many architects (most architects) have design plans that are never built. Sometimes they are competition entries that dont win, and sometimes they are theoretical buildings or architecture of the mind - sketches of what if? Some of St.Florians unbuilt designs include the 1972 Georges Pompidour Centre for the Visual Arts, Paris, France (Second Prize with Raimund Abraham); the 1990 Matthson Public Library, Chicago, Illinois (Honorable Mention with Peter Twombly); the 2000 Monument to the Third Millennium; the 2001 National Opera House, Oslo, Norway (compare with the completed Oslo Opera House by the Norwegian architecture firm Snà ¸hetta); the 2008 Vertical Mechanical Parking; and the 2008 House of Arts and Culture (HAC), Beirut, Lebanon. About Theoretical Architecture All design is theoretical until actually built. Every invention was previously just a theory of a working thing, including flying machines, super tall buildings, and homes that use no energy. Many if not all theoretical architects believe that their projects are viable solutions to problems and can (and should) be built. Theoretical architecture is design and building of the mind - on paper, a verbalization, a rendering, a sketch. Some of St.Florians early theoretical works are part of the Museum of Modern Arts (MoMAs) permanent Exhibitions Collections in New York City: 1966, Vertical City: a 300-story cylindrical city designed to take advantage of sunlight above the clouds - The regions beyond the clouds were designated for those most in need of light- hospitals, schools, and the elderly - which could be continually provided by solar technology. 1968, New York Birdcage-Imaginary Architecture: spaces that become real and active only when in use; As in solid, earthbound architecture, each room is a dimensional space, with a floor, a ceiling, and walls, but it has no physical structure; existing only when drawn by the moving airplane, it depends entirely upon the airplanes presence and on the pilots and air-traffic controllers consciousness of designated coordinates. 1974, Himmelbelt: a four-poster bed (a Himmelbelt), set upon a polished stone foundation and beneath a heavenly projection; described as the juxtaposition between real physical space and the imaginary realm of dreams Fast Facts About the WWII Memorial Friedrich St.Florians winning design balances classical and modernist styles of architecture... states the National Park Service website, and celebrates the victory of the greatest generation. Dedicated: May 29, 2004Location: Washington, D.C. Constitution Gardens area of the National Mall, in the vicinity of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Veterans MemorialConstruction Materials:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Granite - approximately 17,000 individual stones from South Carolina, Georgia, Brazil, North Carolina, and California  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bronze sculpting  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stainless steel starsSymbolism of Stars: 4,048 gold stars, each symbolize 100 American military dead and missing, representing more than 400,000 of the 16 million who servedSymbolism of Granite Columns: 56 individual pillars, each represent a state or territory of the U.S. during World War II; each pillar has two wreaths, a wheat wreath representing agriculture and an oak wreath symbolizing industry Sources Elements of the Vertical City by Bevin Cline and Tina di Carlo from The Changing of the Avant-Garde: Visionary Architectural Drawings from the Howard Gilman Collection, Terence Riley, ed., New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2002, p. 68 (online accessed November 26, 2012).Birdcage by Bevin Cline from Envisioning Architecture: Drawings from The Museum of Modern Art, Matilda McQuaid, ed., New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2002, p. 154 (online accessed November 26, 2012).Himmelbelt by Bevin Cline and Tina di Carlo from The Changing of the Avant-Garde: Visionary Architectural Drawings from the Howard Gilman Collection, Terence Riley, ed., New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2002, p. 127 (online accessed November 26, 2012).Frequently Asked Questions, History Culture, National Park Service Website. NPS website accessed November 18, 2012Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Faculty Profile and Curriculum Vitae (PDF), accessed November 18, 2012; Design philosophy from www.fstflorian.com/ph ilosophy.html, accessed November 26, 2012. Getty Images from Mark Wilson and Chip Somodevilla; Library of Congress aerial image by Carol M. Highsmith

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How Quantum Levitation Works

How Quantum Levitation Works Some videos on the internet show something called quantum levitation. What is this? How does it work? Will we be able to have flying cars? Quantum levitation as it is called is a process where scientists use the properties of quantum physics to levitate an object (specifically, a superconductor) over a magnetic source (specifically a quantum levitation track designed for this purpose). The Science of Quantum Levitation The reason this works is something called the Meissner effect and magnetic flux pinning. The Meissner effect dictates that a superconductor in a magnetic field will always expel the magnetic field inside of it, and thus bend the magnetic field around it. The problem is a matter of equilibrium. If you just placed a superconductor on top of a magnet, then the superconductor would just float off the magnet, sort of like trying to balance two south magnetic poles of bar magnets against each other. The quantum levitation process becomes far more intriguing through the process of flux pinning, or quantum locking, as described by Tel Aviv University superconductor group in this way: Superconductivity and magnetic field [sic] do not like each other. When possible, the superconductor will expel all the magnetic field from inside. This is the Meissner effect. In our case, since the superconductor is extremely thin, the magnetic field DOES penetrates. However, it does that in discrete quantities (this is quantum physics after all! ) called flux tubes.Inside each magnetic flux tube superconductivity is locally destroyed. The superconductor will try to keep the magnetic tubes pinned in weak areas (e.g. grain boundaries). Any spatial movement of the superconductor will cause the flux tubes to move. In order to prevent that the superconductor remains trapped in midair.The terms quantum levitation and quantum locking were coined for this process by Tel Aviv University physicist Guy Deutscher, one of the lead researchers in this field. The Meissner Effect Lets think about what a superconductor really is: its a material in which electrons are able to flow very easily. Electrons flow through superconductors with no resistance, so that when magnetic fields get close to a superconducting material, the superconductor forms small currents on its surface, canceling out the incoming magnetic field. The result is that the magnetic field intensity inside  of the surface of the superconductor is precisely zero. If you mapped the net magnetic field lines it would show that theyre bending around the object. But how does this make it levitate? When a superconductor is placed on a magnetic track, the effect is that the superconductor remains above the track, essentially being pushed away by the strong magnetic field right at the tracks surface. There is a limit to how far above the track it can be pushed, of course, since the power of the magnetic repulsion has to counteract the force of gravity. A disk of a type-I superconductor will demonstrate the Meissner effect in its most extreme version, which is called perfect diamagnetism, and will not contain any magnetic fields inside the material. Itll levitate, as it tries to avoid any contact with the magnetic field. The problem with this is that the levitation isnt stable. The levitating object wont normally stay in place. (This same process has been able to levitate superconductors within a concave, bowl-shaped lead magnet, in which the magnetism is pushing equally on all sides.) In order to be useful, the levitation needs to be a bit more stable. Thats where quantum locking comes into play. Flux Tubes One of the key elements of the quantum locking process is the existence of these flux tubes, called a vortex. If a superconductor is very thin, or if the superconductor is a type-II superconductor, it costs the superconductor less energy to allow some of the magnetic field to penetrate the superconductor. Thats why the flux vortices form, in regions where the magnetic field is able to, in effect, slip through the superconductor. In the case described by the Tel Aviv team above, they were able to grow a special thin ceramic film over the surface of a wafer. When cooled, this ceramic material is a type-II superconductor. Because its so thin, the diamagnetism exhibited isnt perfect ... allowing for the creation of these flux vortices passing through the material. Flux vortices can also form in type-II superconductors, even if the superconductor material isnt quite so thin. The type-II superconductor can be designed to enhance this effect, called enhanced flux pinning. Quantum Locking When the field penetrates into the superconductor in the form of a flux tube, it essentially turns off the superconductor in that narrow region. Picture each tube as a tiny non-superconductor region within the middle of the superconductor. If the superconductor moves, the flux vortices will move. Remember two things, though: the flux vortices are magnetic fieldsthe superconductor will create currents to counter magnetic fields (i.e. the Meissner effect) The very superconductor material itself will create a force to inhibit any sort of motion in relation to the magnetic field. If you tilt the superconductor, for example, you will lock or trap it into that position. Itll go around a whole track with the same tilt angle. This process of locking the superconductor in place by height and orientation reduces any undesirable wobble (and is also visually impressive, as shown by Tel Aviv University.) Youre able to re-orient the superconductor within the magnetic field  because your hand can apply far more force and energy than what the field is exerting. Other Types of Quantum Levitation The process of quantum levitation described above is based on magnetic repulsion, but there are other methods of quantum levitation that have been proposed, including some based on the Casimir effect. Again, this involves some curious manipulation of the electromagnetic properties of the material, so it remains to be seen how practical it is. The Future of Quantum Levitation Unfortunately, the current intensity of this effect is such that we wont have flying cars for quite some time. Also, it only works over a strong magnetic field, meaning that wed need to build new magnetic track roads. However, there are already magnetic levitation trains in Asia which use this process, in addition to the more traditional electromagnetic levitation (maglev) trains. Another useful application is the creation of truly frictionless bearings. The bearing would be able to rotate, but it would be suspended without direct physical contact with the surrounding housing so that there wouldnt be any friction. There will certainly be some industrial applications for this, and well keep our eyes open for when they hit the news. Quantum Levitation in Popular Culture While the initial YouTube video got a lot of play on television, one of the earliest popular culture appearances of real quantum levitation was on the November 9 episode of Stephen Colberts The Colbert Report, a Comedy Central satirical political pundit show. Colbert brought scientist Dr. Matthew C. Sullivan from the Ithaca College physics department. Colbert explained to his audience the science behind quantum levitation in this way: As Im sure you know, quantum levitation refers to the phenomenon whereby the magnetic flux lines flowing through a type-II superconductor are pinned in place despite the electromagnetic forces acting upon them. I learned that from the inside of a Snapple cap.He then proceeded to levitate a mini cup of his Stephen Colberts Americone Dream ice cream flavor. He was able to do this  because they had placed a superconductor disk within the bottom of the ice cream cup. (Sorry to give up the ghost, Colbert. Thanks to Dr. Sullivan for speaking with us about the science behind this article!)

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Ethical issues in the treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea with EXercise Research Paper

Ethical issues in the treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea with EXercise independently - Research Paper Example The increasing in OSA prevalence had motivated researchers to create over 400 studies regarding this disorder in a time frame of five or more years (Vanhecke, 2008). There are various surgical and/or non-surgical interventions which the disorder of OSA can be treated (Kline et al., 2011; Lam et al., 2007). CPAP is the most common non-surgical effective used to treat OSA (Kline et al., 2011). CPAP is considered quite inexpensive in comparison to surgical intervention. However, the problem with CPAP is a poor compliance with CPAP (Kline et al., 2011). Therefore, considering another line for treating OSA may be benefit. Exercise revealed a significant reduction in OSA severity when used as an adjuvant therapy (Netzer et al., 1997; Norman et al., 2000; Giebelhaus et al., 2000; Ackel-D’ Elia et al., 2011). In contrary, exercise alone reported to be less effective in treating OSA comparing with oral appliance as well as one day without use of CPAP and oral compliance reported in wor sening the OSA severity (Ferguson et al., 2006; Caples et al., 2010; Kribbs et al., 1993). Despite these evidences recently, few researchers utilized exercise independently to treat OSA in a randomize control trial (Kline et al., 2012; Kline et al., 2011; Sengul el at., 2011). ... Furthermore, the most important considerations in looking at the ethics of a research study are the magnitude of the potential harm, the significance of the knowledge to be learned, the likelihood that the research will produce such knowledge, and the methods chosen to minimize the potential harm to the subjects. This paper critically discusses and analyzes the ethical considerations for subject’s involvement in research that utilized exercise independently in treating OSA, focusing on autonomy, justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence. Cure of OSA: The effects of ‘Obstructive Sleep Apnea have been evaluated to be harmful today more than ever before†. Patient realizes in severe cases that their controls over his/her sleep or rest condition is growing enfeebled with time. For psychologists it is a major cause of contorted dream pattern and has adverse effects on patient’s personality. Many people are not aware of this disease unless mention and repeated comp laint with the partner is made. In severe cases the patient himself feels too much perturbed with the disturbance that cause choking of the breathing. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is akin to the hamsters where calm conditions for rest are not achieved. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is often caused due to the relaxation of the throat’s soft tissue to such a level that it collapses causing airway blockage. The slack which in this type of unconscious can be harmful has been observed with a varying degree of treatments (MacDonald). Accentuating Exercise for the Treatment of OSA: Interestingly, Obstructive Sleep Apnea is linked with snoring because of having same causes as far as physiological construct and disposition is concerned. Many studies have been conducted with proven results. In order to cure Obstructive Sleep

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Business Plan For A Company In The Food Industry. Ricer Essay

Business Plan For A Company In The Food Industry. Ricer - Essay Example The services will be based cash on delivery and cash with order. Ricer’s services will be commonly known as Ricer Vending Units. The original trial was conducted in October 25th, 2012 which was highly applauded by most residents within the city and projected to be a success once it will be launched. The business intends to expand gradually through franchises to other cities and states in the next ten years. Market Analysis The business is projected to be worth  £ 250,000 which will serve the local markets that are vast and well segmented. The population consists of 50.6% of female and 49.4% of men while the median age is around 34.8 years and the entire working population is 311,300 and the residential population goes at 506,800 according to statistics done in mid 2009. The City has a higher young age profile which will form an essential market for the Ricer’s products. This profile of the population reveals that the target consumers will most likely be the young and vibrant students and the working group. Thus the products will be distributed near colleges and University campuses, weekend markets and other convenient places such as leisure parks (Daniels, 2002, p. 53). Strategy and Implementation Ricer aims to create a brand recognition using its Ricer vending Units through positioning strategically in the entire business district within the city. Upon achieving the brand recognition, the services will be provided and eventually they will be available in major superstores and supermarkets (Stokes and Wilson, 2010, p. 3). Moreover, Ricer will then provide franchises to foster further expansion. 1.5 Management The Ricer will be owned by two ladies with massive experience in the business management, product promotion and hospitality industry. The pioneers are based from two different diversities which include; Chinese culture and the English culture. They were previous staff of a renowned restaurant in the world having worked for about ten years. They intend to employ other staff to help them in the preparation and distribution of food to the target market in the streets. 1.6 Financial Plan Ricer is projected to have a formidable starting financial base even though it will need extra funding to accomplish its goals and objectives. According to the analysis of the forecasts the revenue from the business is expected to grow to ? 7.5 million by year 5 and subsequently to ? 15.75 million by year 10 with an EBITDA amounting to ? 5 million by year 5. An initial survey from the streets it was determined that the firm would need to sell 75 meals to breakeven. The profound financial strategy ascertains that the firm will be more favorable as an acquirement for exit (Bhide?, 2000, p. 5). 1.7 Start-up funds and expenses This business plan will attract the following start up funds and start-up expenses. Start-up Expenses Legal ? 250 Marketing consultants ? 750 Design costs ? 2,500 Payroll expenses ? 12,000 Fuel costs ? 2,500 Business and Liability cover policy ? 5000 Total Expenses ? 23000 Start-up Assets Cash needs ? 250,000 Start-up Inventory ? 50,000 Other Short term assets ? 25,000 Total Short Term Assets ? 25,000 Non-current Assets ? 50,000 Total Assets ? 400,000 Start-up Funding for the fast food firm Investment for the business Rickrosly ? 150,000

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Discussion Essay Qustion Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion Qustion - Essay Example These winds are also known to change their directions every now and then, especially during the night. Sea and land winds are the ones we encounter on a daily basis. These winds are not much strong when compared with Santa Ana winds (Kissell, 2011). Santa Ana winds on the other hand flows at a distance relatively high from the surface of the earth. These winds are dry and extremely strong. Santa Ana winds are known to originate from the inland. Noticeable effects of these winds have been seen in the coastal regions of Southern California. Geologists have further provided that Santa Ana winds do not take any specific direction (Kissell, 2011). When a wind firm wants to put a new turbine, for electricity generation, they must put into consideration the direction of the wind. For the case of land and mountain winds, the turbine should be set in a manner that allows flexibility based on the direction of the wind at that specific moment. A fixed turbine may be put in place when considering Santa Ana winds as they do not have a specific direction. Situating turbines on mountainous locations may pose the problem of power evacuation and maintenance. Sea and land winds are believed to be important since they are available on flat ground/terrains (Chiras Sagrillo & Woofenden, 2010). They are thereby used in generation of electrical energy. Implementation of the local grid is also easier on flat

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Analysis of Weinbergers Concepts of Cyberwarfare

Analysis of Weinbergers Concepts of Cyberwarfare In June 2010, analysts from the antivirus software company VirusBlokAda examined a computer in Iran due to suspicion of malware activity. Lurking inside the machine was a computer worm known as Stuxnet. Stuxnet possessed an array of abilities, among them was the ability to target the software that controls pumps, valves, generators and other industrial machines (Weinberger, 2011). Unlike other viruses that use forged security clearances to gain access into systems, Stuxnet took advantage of two digital certificates of authenticity stolen from respected companies (Weinberger, 2011). Furthermore, it exploited four different zero day vulnerabilities' which are security gaps that system creators were unaware of (Weinberger, 2011). According to Liam O Murchu, chief of security response of Symantec, once Stuxnet infected a system, the crucial parts of its executable code would become active only if that machine was also running Siemens Step 7, one of the many supervisory control and data (SCADA) systems used to manage industrial processes (Weinberger, 2011). Symantec also discovered that the majority of infections were in Iran and that the infections seemed to have been appearing there in waves since 2009 (Weinberger, 2011). Further investigation performed by Ralph Langner, a control-system security consultant, resulted in evidence that Stuxnet had been deliberately directed against Iran, the most likely target being Irans Nuclear Enrichment Facility in Natanz. (Weinberger, 2011). According to Langner, Stuxnet was designed to alter the speed of the delicate centrifuges which separated Irans rare but fissionable isotope uranium -235 from the heavier uranium -238 (Weinberger, 2011). Improper alteration of the cent rifuges could result in them spinning out of control and breaking. Although the Iranian Government refuses to admit that Stuxnet was responsible for the destruction of many centrifuges at Natanz, the results from Langner and others is credited by reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency. The IAEA documented a precipitous drop in the number of operating centrifuges in 2009, the year that many observers think Stuxnet infected computers in Iran (Weinberger, 2011). There is no evidence beyond rumor that Israel or the US Government may have been behind the attack. Symantec notes that a name embedded in Stuxnets code, Myrtus, could be a reference to a biblical story about a planned massacre of Jews in Persia (Weinberger, 2011). Moreover, Langner believes that the U.S. Government could have been behind the attack considering they possess both the required expertise in cyber warfare and a long-standing goal of thwarting Irans nuclear ambitions (Weinberger, 2011). Irrespective of Stuxnets creator, the main growing fear is who will redesign it. Stuxnet was the first weapon created entirely out of code and proved that groups or nations could launch a cyber-attack against a societys vital infrastructures (Weinberger, 2011). Many of the investigators that studied Stuxnet concluded that it essentially laid out a blueprint for future attackers to learn from and perhaps improve (Weinberger, 2011). Stuxnet opened a new era of warfare and with its code available online for anyone to study and improve, it has computer scientists like Yuval Elovici concerned that the next wave of cyber-attacks would be much stronger than the impact of setting several atomic bombs on major cities (Weinberger, 2011). In IS THIS THE START OF CYBERWARFARE? Sharon Weinberger questions whether or not Stuxnet started a new era of warfare. One might find that Weinbergers use of supporting evidence from many credible sources imposes a compelling answer to an interesting topic of study. Weinberger emphasizes the inferred answer is indeed yes, Stuxnet introduced a new era of warfare. Statements such as Stuxnet is the harbinger of a new generation of cyber threats and that it provided chilling proof that groups or nations could launch a cyber-attack against a societys vital infrastructures are well validated by the many investigators that studied it (Weinberger, 2011). Overall, one would appreciate Weinbergers supportive writing style and the information she presented in this article. Weinberger was heavily resourceful and made certain that every point she made was reinforced by credible supporting evidence. Furthermore, one would relish how she tailored her article to a broader audience. Easy and straightforward for a non tech-savvy individual to understand, and yet interesting to captivate the minds of those that are tech-savvy, she capitalized on the statements made from some of the most respected cyber security experts in the world. As a student who often finds himself being the rescue to many of his friends or familys infected PCs, choosing Stuxnet as my topic of study seemed like the obvious choice. I have always been very interested in computer malware since the day my laptop first got infected. I was bombarded with annoying ads telling me that I had a virus on board and that I needed to type in my credit card number to purchase antivirus protection. Although very annoying, it had me asking myself many questions like how did this happen, isnt Windows secure and best of all how do I delete my browsing history. Since then, I have always had a keen interest in malware and have developed a hobby of testing the capabilities of different antivirus programs in VMware Player. I find many things interesting about Stuxnet but the thing I find most interesting is how it spread. Although Stuxnet possessed the ability to spread through networks, it couldnt infect industrial control systems via the internet since a majority of them lack internet connectivity to protect them from malware and hostile takeover. (Weinberger, 2011). To get past this obstacle, Stuxnet had the ability to covertly install itself on a USB drive (Weinberger, 2011). Like a biological virus, Stuxnet used humans (plant operators specifically) as its host of transmission. If one careless plant operator were to plug in an infected USB flash drive into a control-system computer, Stuxnet would begin its destruction.   Weinberger, S. (2011, June 9). IS THIS THE START OF CYBERWARFARE? Nature, 142-145. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/872363390?accountid=14694 Last years Stuxnet virus attack represented a new kind of threat to critical infrastructure. Just over a year ago, a computer in Iran started repeatedly rebooting itself, seemingly without reason. Suspecting some kind of malicious software (malware), analysts at VirusBlokAda, an antivirus-software company in Minsk, examined the misbehaving machine over the Internet, and soon found that they were right. Disturbingly so: the code they extracted from the Iranian machine proved to be a previously unknown computer virus of unprecedented size and complexity. On 17 June 2010, VirusBlokAda issued a worldwide alert that set off an international race to track down what came to be known as Stuxnet: the most sophisticated computer malware yet found and the harbinger of a new generation of cyberthreats. Unlike conventional malware, which does its damage only in the virtual world of computers and networks, Stuxnet would turn out to target the software that controls pumps, valves, generators and other industrial machines. It was the first time wed analysed a threat that could cause real-world damage, that could actually cause some machine to break, that might be able to cause an explosion, says Liam O Murchu, chief of security response for the worlds largest computer-security firm, Symantec in Mountain View, California. Stuxnet provided chilling proof that groups or nations could launch a cyberattack against a societys vital infrastructures for water and energy. We are probably just now entering the era of the cyber arms race, says Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer for F-Secure, an antivirus company based in Helsinki. Worse yet, the Stuxnet episode has highlighted just how inadequate are societys current defences and how glaring is the gap in cybersecurity science. Computer-security firms are competitive in the marketplace, but they generally respond to a threat such as Stuxnet with close collaboration behind the scenes. Soon after Virus- BlokAdas alert, for example, Kaspersky Lab in Moscow was working with Microsoft in Redmond, Washington, to hunt down the vulnerabilities that the virus was exploiting in the Windows operating system. (It was Microsoft that coined the name Stuxnet, after one of the files hidden in its code. Technically, Stuxnet was a worm, a type of malware that can operate on its own without needing another program to infect. But even experts often call it a virus, which has become the generic term for self-replicating malware.) One of the most ambitious and comprehensive responses was led by Symantec, which kept O Murchu and his worldwide team of experts working on Stuxnet around the clock for three months. One major centre of operations was Symantecs malware lab in Culver City, California, which operates like the digital equivalent of a top-level biological containment facility. A sign on the door warns visitors to leave computers, USB flash drives and smart phones outside: any electronic device that passes through that door, even by mistake, will stay there. Inside the lab, the team began by dropping Stuxnet into a simulated networking environment so that they could safely watch what it did. The sheer size of the virus was staggering: some 15,000 lines of code, representing an estimated 10,000 person hours in software development. Compared with any other virus ever seen, says O Murchu, its a huge amount of code. Equally striking was the sophistication of that code. Stuxnet took advantage of two digital certificates of authenticity stolen from respected companies, and exploited four different zero day vulnerabilities previously unidentified security holes in Windows that were wide open for hackers to use. Then there was the viruss behaviour. Very quickly we realized that it was doing something very unusual, recalls O Murchu. Most notably, Stuxnet was trying to talk to the programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that are used to direct industrial machinery. Stuxnet was very selective, however: although the virus could spread to almost any machine running Windows, the crucial parts of its executable code would become active only if that machine was also running Siemens Step7, one of the many supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems used to manage industrial processes. Many industrial control systems are never connected to the Internet, precisely to protect them from malware and hostile takeover. That led to another aspect of Stuxnets sophistication. Like most other malware, it could spread over a network. But it could also covertly install itself on a USB drive. So all it would take was one operator unknowingly plugging an infected memory stick into a control-system computer, and the virus could explode into action. 6.1 Murky Motives It still wasnt clear what Stuxnet was supposed to do to the Siemens software. The Symantec team got a clue when it realized that the virus was gathering information about the host computers it had infected, and sending the data back to servers in Malaysia and Denmark presumably to give the unknown perpetrators a way to update the Stuxnet virus covertly. Identifying the command and control servers didnt allow Symantec to identify the perpetrators, but they were able to convince the Internet service providers to cut off the perpetrators access, rerouting the traffic from the infected computers back to Symantec so that they could eavesdrop. By watching where the traffic to the servers was coming from, O Murchu says, we were able to see that the majority of infections were in Iran at least 60% of them. In fact, the infections seemed to have been appearing there in waves since 2009. The obvious inference was that the virus had deliberately been directed against Iran, for reasons as yet unknown. But the Symantec investigators couldnt go much further by themselves. They were extremely knowledgeable about computers and networking, but like most malware-protection teams, they had little or no expertise in PLCs or SCADA systems. At some point in their analysis they just couldnt make any more sense out of what the purpose of this thing was, because they were not able to experiment with the virus in such a lab environment, says Ralph Langner, a control-system security consultant in Hamburg, Germany. Langner independently took it upon himself to fill that gap. Over the summer, he and his team began running Stuxnet in a lab environment equipped with Siemens software and industrial control systems, and watching how the virus interacted with PLCs. We began to see very strange and funny results immediately, and I mean by that within the first day of our lab experiment, he says. Those PLC results allowed Langner to infer that Stuxnet was a directed attack, seeking out specific software and hardware. In mid-September 2010, he announced on his blog that the evidence supported the suspicion that Stuxnet had been deliberately directed against Iran. The most likely target, he then believed, was the Bushehr nuclear power plant. 6.2 Industrial Sabotoge Speculative though Langners statements were, the news media quickly picked up on them and spread the word of a targeted cyberweapon. Over the next few months, however, as Langner and others continued to work with the code, the evidence began to point away from Bushehr and towards a uranium-enrichment facility in Natanz, where thousands of centrifuges were separating the rare but fissionable isotope uranium-235 from the heavier uranium-238. Many Western nations believe that this enrichment effort, which ostensibly provides fuel for nuclear power stations, is actually aimed at producing a nuclear weapon. The malware code, according to Langner and others, was designed to alter the speed of the delicate centrifuges, essentially causing the machines to spin out of control and break. That interpretation is given credence by reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, which document a precipitous drop in the number of operating centrifuges in 2009, the year that many observers think Stuxnet first infected computers in Iran. True, the evidence is circumstantial at best. We dont know what those machines were doing when they werent in operation, cautions Ivanka Barszashka, a Bulgarian physicist who studied Iranian centrifuge performance while she was working with the Federation of American Scientists in Washington DC. We dont know if they were actually broken or if they were just sitting there. Moreover, the Iranian government has officially denied that Stuxnet destroyed large numbers of centrifuges at Natanz, although it does acknowledge that the infection is widespread in the country. And IAEA inspection reports from late 2010 make it clear that any damage was at most a temporary setback: Irans enrichment capacity is higher than ever. However, if Natanz was the target, that does suggest an answer to the mystery of who created Stuxnet, and why. Given the knowledge required including expertise in malware, industrial security and the specific types and configurations of the industrial equipment being targeted most Stuxnet investigators concluded early on that the perpetrators were backed by a government. Governments have tried to sabotage foreign nuclear programmes before, says Olli Heinonen, a senior fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and former deputy director-general of the IAEA. In the 1980s and 1990s, for example, Western governments orchestrated a campaign to inject faulty parts into the network that Pakistan used to supply nuclear technology to countries such as Iran and North Korea. Intelligence agencies, including the US Central Intelligence Agency, have also made other attempts to sell flawed nuclear designs to would-be proliferators. Stuxnet, says Heinonen, is another way to do the same thing. Langner argues that the government behind Stuxnet is that of the United States, which has both the required expertise in cyberwarfare and a long-standing goal of thwarting Irans nuclear ambitions. Throughout the summer of 2010, while Langner, Symantec and all the other investigators were vigorously trading ideas and information about Stuxnet, the US Department of Homeland Security maintained a puzzling silence, even though it operates Computer Emergency Readiness Teams (CERTs) created specifically to address cyberthreats. True, the CERT at the Idaho National Laboratory outside Idaho Falls, which operates one of the worlds most sophisticated testbeds for industrial control systems, did issue a series of alerts. But the first, on 20 July 2010, came more than a month after the initial warning from Belarus and contained nothing new. Later alerts followed the same pattern: too little, too late. A delayed clipping service, said Dale Peterson, founder of Digital Bond, a SCADA security firm in Sunrise, Florida, on his blog. There is no way that they could have missed this problem, or that this is all a misunderstanding. Thats just not possible, says Langner, who believes that the Idaho labs anaemic response was deliberate, intended to cover up the fact that Stuxnet had been created there. But even Langner has to admit that the evidence against the United States is purely circumstantial. (The US government itself will neither confirm nor deny the allegation, as is its practice for any discussion of covert activity.) And the evidence against the other frequently mentioned suspect, Israel, is even more so. Symantec, for example, points out that a name embedded in Stuxnets code, Myrtus, could be a reference to a biblical story about a planned massacre of Jews in Persia. But other investigators say that such claims are beyond tenuous. There are no facts about Israel, declares Jeffrey Carr, founder and chief executive of Taia Global, a cybersecurity consulting company in Tysons Corner, Virginia. 6.3 The Aftermath The who? may never be discovered. Active investigation of Stuxnet effectively came to an end in February 2011, when Symantec posted a final update to its definitive report on the virus, including key details about its execution, lines of attack and spread over time. Microsoft had long since patched the security holes that Stuxnet exploited, and all the antivirus companies had updated their customers digital immune systems with the ability to recognize and shut down Stuxnet on sight. New infections are now rare although they do still occur, and it will take years before all the computers with access to Siemens controllers are patched. If Stuxnet itself has ceased to be a serious threat, however, cybersecurity experts continue to worry about the larger vulnerabilities that it exposed. Stuxnet essentially laid out a blueprint for future attackers to learn from and perhaps improve, say many of the investigators who have studied it. In a way, you did open the Pandoras box by launching this attack, says Langner of his suspicions about the United States. And it might turn back to you guys eventually. Cybersecurity experts are ill-prepared for the threat, in part because they lack ties to the people who understand industrial control systems. Weve got actually two very different worlds that traditionally have not communicated all that much, says Eric Byres, co-founder and chief technology officer of Tofino Industrial Security in Lantzville, Canada. He applauds Symantec, Langner and others for reaching across that divide. But the effort required to make those connections substantially delayed the investigation. The divide extends into university computer-science departments, say Byres, himself an ex-academic. Researchers tend to look at industrial-control security as a technical problem, rather than an issue requiring serious scientific attention, he says. So when graduate students express interest in looking at, say, cryptography and industrial controls, they are told that the subject is not mathematically challenging enough for a dissertation project. Im not aware of any academic researchers who have invested significantly in the study of Stuxnet, agrees Andrew Ginter, director of industrial security for the North American group of Waterfall Security Solutions, based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Almost the only researchers doing that kind of work are in industrial or government settings among them a team at the Idaho National Laboratory working on a next-generation system called Sophia, which tries to protect industrial control systems against Stuxnet-like threats by detecting anomalies in the network. One barrier for academics working on cybersecurity is access to the malware that they must protect against. That was not such a problem for Stuxnet itself, because its code was posted on the web shortly after it was first identified. But in general, the careful safeguards that Symantec and other companies put in place in secure labs to protect the escape of malware may also inadvertently be a barrier for researchers who need to study them. If youre doing research into biological agents, its limited groups that have them and they are largely unwilling to share; the same holds true for malware, says Anup Ghosh, chief scientist at the Center for Secure Information Systems at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. To advance the field, researchers need access to good data sets, says Ghosh, who was once a programme manager at the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and is now working on a malware detector designed to identify viruses on the basis of how they behave, rathe r than on specific patterns in their code, known as signatures. Academic researchers are also inhibited by a certain squeamishness about digital weaponry, according to Herb Lin, chief scientist at the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board of the US National Research Council in Washington DC. He points out that to understand how to guard against cyberattacks, it may help to know how to commit them. Yet teaching graduate students to write malware is very controversial, he says. People say, What do you mean: youre training hackers?' 6.4 Preparing for the Next Attack A study last year by the JASON group, which advises the US government on science and technology matters, including defence, found broad challenges for cybersecurity (JASON Science of Cyber-Security; MITRE Corporation, 2010). Perhaps most important was its conclusion that the field was underdeveloped in reporting experimental results, and consequently in the ability to use them. Roy Maxion, a computer scientist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who briefed JASON, goes further, saying that cybersecurity suffers from a lack of scientific rigour. Medical professionals over the past 200 years transformed themselves from purveyors of leeches to modern scientists with the advent of evidence-based medicine, he notes. In computer science and in computer security in particular, that train is nowhere in sight. Computer science has developed largely as a collection of what Maxion calls clever parlour tricks. For example, at one conference, the leading paper showed how researchers could read computer screens by looking at the reflections off windows and other objects. From a practical point of view, anyone in a classified meeting would go, pooh, he says. In places where they dont want you to know [whats on the computer screen], there are no windows. Yet, that was the buzz that year. Maxion sees an urgent need for computer-science and security curricula to include courses in traditional research methods, such as experimental design and statistics none of which is currently required. Why does it matter? he asks. Because we dont have a scientific basis for investigating phenomena like Stuxnet, or the kind of defences that would be effective against it. Also troubling for many of the Stuxnet investigators was the US governments lacklustre response to the virus (assuming that it was not the perpetrator). Stuxnet represents a new generation of cyberweapon that could be turned against US targets, but there is no evidence that the government is making the obvious preparations for such an attack for example, plans for a coordinated response that pools resources from academia, research institutes and private business. Other countries seem to be taking the threat more seriously. Some of Chinas universities and vocational colleges have reportedly forged strong connections with the military to work on cybersecurity, for example. And Israel also seems to be exploiting its computing expertise for national security. A few months before the discovery of Stuxnet, Yuval Elovici, a computer scientist and director of Deutsche Telekom Laboratories at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheba, Israel, told Nature that he was working closely with the countrys Ministry of Defense on cybersecurity. He presciently warned that the next wave of cyberattacks would be aimed at physical infrastructures. What would happen if there were a code injection into SCADA? What if someone would activate it suddenly? Elovici asked. He and other experts have been warning for several years now that such an attack on SCADA systems controlling the electricity grid could spark nationwide blackouts, or that the safety systems of power plants could be overridden, causing a shutdown or a serious accident. Similar disruptions could hit water and sewage systems, or even food processing plants. Such attacks, Elovici warned, are both realistic and underestimated. Asked how bad one would be, Elovici was unequivocal. I think, he said, it would be much stronger than the impact of setting several atomic bombs on major cities.