Saturday, August 31, 2019

Culinary Arts: Garde Manger Essay

One of the major problems with cross-language translations involving those that are rarely used together (i. e. Finish Lithuanian) is that there are no dictionaries available or it is extremely difficult to find one. The main problem is that there are not enough people to create a market and no one would invest in creation of such kind of dictionaries. English-based dictionaries, however, is of abundance. This project tackled the above cited problem in Cross Language Translation using English as its base dictionary. Artificial intelligence through Neural Networks was used as it appeared well-suited to problems of this nature. For this reason, artificial intelligence through neural networks was investigated as a potential tool to improve translation accuracy but future implementation was left as a possibility. WordNet ® was also investigated as source of defining English words and possible tool to achieve greater accuracy in cross-language translations. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed in any way, shape or form to the completion of this project report, those at Zodynai. org and the Anglia Ruskin University for their advice and support. Thanks to my friends and family who (once again) tolerated my lack of time and sometimes grumpy demeanour. More thanks to friends at Anglia Ruskin University for their ideas and criticism. Your support (directly and indirectly) is greatly appreciated. T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S ABSTRACT Acknowledgements TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVES METHODOLOGIES DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS AND DISCUSSION CONCLUSION AND EVALUATION BIBILIOGRAPHY APPENDICES A Project Specification B User/Software Installation Guide A C Software Installation Guide B D Poster and Visual Presentations E Source Code F Abbreviations and Acronyms INTRODUCTION The multilingual world and the barriers it entails. A large number of people across the world converse in English thus it serves as the primary lingua franca for developments in the research world. Most publications and journals are published in such language. This leaves publications in other languages inaccessible and apparently, information in English is withheld from those millions who do not speak English (Diekema 2003) Recent trends promote the construction of a far-reaching complex infrastructure for transporting information across boundaries. Apparently, language shares a vital portion in the hindrances presented by National borders. Whilst the fact is inevitable that English remains the most spoken language in the whole world and though, it is true that the spread of ‘World English’ can promote cooperation and equity, longstanding linguistic competition threatens to be even more divisive in a globalizing world. (Maurais et al n. d. ) A lot is currently going on to overcome these linguistic barriers. The most efficient approach to overcoming such is with cross-language translation and in this literature it will well be mostly in the web-based-online-dictionary aspect of such approach. English has always been the main focus of information retrieval, well, that is by tradition. Many of them retrieval algorithms and heuristics stem from English speaking countries and thus are based on the said language. Over the years, these retrieval methods have been adopted by other language communities, creating a wide selection of language-specific monolingual retrieval systems. However, to ensure complete information exchange, information retrieval systems need to be multilingual or cross-lingual. (Diekema 2003) There are a lot of ways to pin down the hindrance of being in this multi-lingual world, the barrier of being in a world divided by being in English- or Non-English-speaking territories. And, as presented, the most researched approach is through Cross-Language translation. OBJECTIVES Main problem that we are facing when translating with English based dictionary is connecting various language data bases. One of solutions for this program is to create a base dictionary (as seen in Figure 1). Figure 1 Other major problem is that performing translation a lot of noise is created. As seen in Figure 2. Figure 2 We can examine this in greater detail in Figure 3. Word Autobusas is translated from Lithuanian language to Russian based on English language. Two different possible translations occur (bus, omnibus) when translating Lithuanian -> English. First word â€Å"bus† translated from English to Russian has three meanings â€Å"Ð °Ã ²Ã'‚Ð ¾Ã ±Ã'Æ'Ã' Ã¢â‚¬  †Ã ¾Ã ¼Ã ½Ã ¸Ã ±Ã'Æ'Ã' Ã¢â‚¬  †Ã'ˆÐ ¸Ã ½Ã °Ã¢â‚¬  word translated. As first few are synonyms third one has totally different value and meant â€Å"Topology bus†. As you can see on reverse translations †Ã'ˆÐ ¸Ã ½Ã °Ã¢â‚¬  will going to give you four different meanings translated in Lithuanian language. Figure 3 We are going to investigate WordNet and Neural networks approach for possible solution of this problem. METHODOLOGIES Cross-Language Information Retrieval, its promise. Information retrieval entails an individual querying about something of interest to him. Inevitably, since we are life forms known to be ever inquisitive, we do Information Retrieval in every aspect of our living. This event so commonly happens in a lot of situation and may be best displayed in a Library when a student picks his book of choice. Formally, let us define Information Retrieval (IR) as the process in which users with information need query a collection of documents to find those documents that satisfy his need. (Diekema 2003) In the electronic realm, the user queries by typing in related words, the system then processes these keywords to create a representation understandable by the system. In the course of the procedure, the system usually strips off non-bearing fragments of the query keywords such as articles like determiners, prepositions, and pronouns. The document collection undergoes the same process resulting to a list of document representations or a catalogue. To find documents that are similar to the query, the ‘stripped off’ query representation is then matched against the catalogue. When a certain degree of similarity between the catalogue and the ‘stripped off’ query has been established, the documents with the uppermost similarity scores (depending on the settings, say top 10) are shown to the user as results. This occurs typically during browsing through the internet and Google. comTM best displays this example. A development of IR is CLIR – the Cross-Language Information Retrieval, which, as the name implies, is information retrieval in a multi-linguistic environment. Consequently, CLIR techniques simplify searching by multilingual users and allow monolingual searchers to judge relevance based on machine translated results and/or to allocate expensive translation resources to the most promising foreign language documents. (Diekema 2003) Simple IR systems only consist of a Query, an Input Cleanser, a Matcher, the Document database and the Output, in logical order. The addition of Language Translators would make this system a Cross-Language Information Retrieval system. Of course the Document database would now contain multi-lingual entries as well and the output is to be presented in the way the query has been placed in the input. Figure 4 would show the Cross-Language Information Retrieval system in schematics. The method Cross-language Retrieval Systems promises users to state their queries in their native language and retrieve documents in all the languages supported by the system. (Diekema 2003) Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Artificial intelligence (AI) results to simulation of intellectual practice such as comprehension, rationalization and learning symbolic information in context. In AI, the automation or programming of all aspects of human cognition is considered from its foundations in cognitive science through approaches to symbolic and sub-symbolic AI, natural language processing, computer vision, and evolutionary or adaptive systems. (Neumann n. d. ) AI considered being an extremely intricate domain of problems which during preliminary stages in the problem-solving phase of this nature, the problem itself may be viewed poorly. A precise picture of the problem can only be seen upon interactive and incremental refinement of course, after you have taken the initial attempt to solve the mystery. AI always comes hand in hand with machine logistics. How else could mind act appropriately but with the body. In this case, a machine takes the part of the body. In a bit, this literature will be tackling about AI implemented through Neural Network. The author deems it necessary though to tackle Machine learning and thus the succeeding paragraphs. Machine Learning is primarily concerned with designing and developing algorithms and procedures that allow machines to â€Å"learn† – either inductive or deductive, which, in general, is its two types. At this point, we will be referring to machines as computers since in the world nowadays, the latter are the most widely used for control. Hence, we now hone our definition of Machine Learning as the study of methods for programming computers to learn. Computers are applied to a wide range of tasks, and for most of these it is relatively easy for programmers to design and implement the necessary software. (Dietterich n. d. ) Machine learning techniques are grouped into different categories basing on the expected outcome. Common types include Supervised, Unsupervised, Semi-supervised or Reinforcement learning. There is also the Transduction method and the ‘Learning to learn’ scheme. A section of theoretical computer science, Computational Learning Theory is the investigation on the computation of algorithms of Machine Learning including its efficiency. Researches on Machine Learning focuses mainly on the automatic extraction of information data, through computational and statistical methods. It is very much correlated not only to theoretical computer science as well as data mining and statistics. Supervised learning is the simplest learning task. It is an algorithm to which it is ruled by a function that automatically plots inputs to expected outputs. The task of supervised learning is to construct a classifier given a set of classified training examples (Dietterich n. d. ). The main challenge for supervised learning is that of generalization that a machine is expected in approximating the conduct that a function will exhibit which maps out a connection towards a number of classes through comparison of IO samples of the said function. When many plot-vector pairs are interrelated, a decision tree is derived which aids into viewing how the machine behaves with the function it currently holds. One advantage of decision trees is that, if they are not too large, they can be interpreted by humans. This can be useful both for gaining insight into the data and also for validating the reasonableness of the learned tree (Dietterich n. d. ). In unsupervised learning, manual matching of inputs is not utilized. Though, it is most often distinguished as supervised learning and it is one with an unknown output. This makes it very hard to decide what counts as success and suggests that the central problem is to find a suitable objective function that can replace the goal of agreeing with the teacher (Hinton & Sejnowski 1999). Simple classic examples of unsupervised learning include clustering and dimensionality reduction. (Ghahramani 2004) Semi-supervised learning entails learning situations where is an ample number of labelled data as compared to the unlabelled data. These are very natural situations, especially in domains where collecting data can be cheap (i. e. the internet) but labelling can be very expensive/time consuming. Many of the approaches to this problem attempt to infer a manifold, graph structure, or tree-structure from the unlabelled data and use spread in this structure to determine how labels will generalize to new unlabelled points. (Ghahramani 2004) Transduction is comparable to supervised learning in predicting new results with training inputs and outputs, as well as, test inputs – accessible during teaching, as basis, instead of behaving in accordance to some function. All these various types of Machine-Learning techniques can be used to fully implement Artificial Intelligence for a robust Cross-Language translation. One thing though, this literature is yet to discuss the planned process of machine learning this research shall employ, and that is by Neural Networks. There is yet to be a precise definition as to what Artificial Neural Network is, though many researchers would agree that it concerns a network of austere processing elements – otherwise known as the neurons, which presents complex behaviour established by the relationship amongst processing and parametrical elements. The main inspiration that lead to the development of this technique was from the investigation of, no lesser than, our Central Nervous System and the neurons (including their axons, dendrites and synapses) which make up its most important information processing elements. A neural network model would show us that simple nodes are connected forming a network of nodes — thus, its coining as â€Å"neural network. † A Neural Network functions in 2 different manners – learning and testing. The former would literally mean, the system learns the ways it is supposed to behave while the latter is when rigorous repetition of training would eventually result to a stable system, defined by its giving of constant satisfactory outputs. Most â€Å"abstract reasoning† of an Artificial Neural Networks are being implemented through three learning types – supervised, unsupervised and the reinforced learning, as has been introduced in the preceding paragraphs. Supervised learning entails a functional relationship between the input and the output. The system has to learn every possible IO pair that can be thought of. In case, there is a miss, all that has to be done is to input the said pair into the memory of the system hence when it resurfaces, the system knows how the handle it. Hence, basically, the goal is to ‘teach’ the network to identify the given input with the desired output. (Sordo 2002) This is usually best achieved when function f has already been derived to represent the behaviour of the Neural Network system. For unsupervised learning, we feed an input and a function to the system and record what behaviour the system outputs with such input and function. To begin with the learning process, there are no IO-pairs as opposed to supervised learning. Ultimately, the main goal of achieving the stable state will be attained through rigorous repetition of test with different sets of inputs. This type of systems – imploring unsupervised learning as its method of learning, are best displayed in statistical modelling, and the likes. Reinforcement learning stems its roots from the related psychological theory that has been conceived even before AI has been. Dynamically, in this type of learning, the machine interacts with its environment by producing actions a1, a2, †¦ These actions affect the state of the environment, which in turn results in the machine receiving some scalar rewards (or punishments) r1, r2, †¦ The goal of the machine is to learn to act in a way that maximizes the future rewards it receives (or minimises the punishments) over its lifetime. Reinforcement learning is closely related to the fields of decision theory (in statistics and management science), and control theory (in engineering). The fundamental problems studied in these fields are often formally equivalent, and the solutions are the same, although different aspects of problem and solution are usually emphasised. (Ghahramani 2004) Advantages of investing a system through Neural Networks. Neural networks with always have the outstanding characteristic of deriving intelligence from the usually complicated and, oftentimes, fuzzy data stored in the neurons. These systems, oftentimes, offer to be easy utilities to deduce patterns and perceive trends that are difficult to be noticed by either human observation or by our current computer intelligence. A trained neural network is regarded as an â€Å"expert† in the category of information it has been given to analyze. This expert can then be used to provide projections given new situations of interest and answer â€Å"what if† questions. (Chung et al 2007) It is used for adaptive learning on how to handle tasks based on the input provided for training or preliminary experience. It is a self-organizational tool that hones its own picture of the data it receives in as early as learning time. Neural networks another feature is that it is a real-time operation system where all calculation may be performed in parallel. Fault Tolerance via Redundant Information Coding is another aspect of the neural system where partial destruction of a network leads to the corresponding degradation of performance. However, some network capabilities may be retained even with major network damage. The platform to a successful implementation. Several environments can be used in totally implementing a Cross-Language Translator through with the various and fast developments in computer technology since its introduction. In the succeeding paragraphs we will be tackling some of those that has come the author’s A-list. Microsoft . NET Framework. This framework form part of Microsoft Windows operating systems, containing a vast number of pre-coded resolutions to general program requirements, and governing the performance of programs written particularly for the framework. This framework is a vital Microsoft contribution and is projected on being utilized by most applications created and to be created for Windows platform. Pre-coded solutions outlining the framework’s Base Class Library (third layer from Operating System in the . NET Framework) encompass a wide range of software requirements in areas including: cross language translation, user interface, database connectivity, cryptography, data access, web application growth, network communications, and numeric algorithms. This layer contains classes, value types, and interfaces that you will use often in your development process. Most notably within the . NET Framework Base Classes is ADO. NET, which provides access to and management of data. Supervising the software’s runtime requirements, this software is written for the . NET Framework implemented in an environment. This runtime environment, which is also a part of the . NET Framework, is known as the Common Language Runtime (CLR). The CLR provides the appearance of an application virtual machine, so that programmers need not consider the capabilities of the particular CPU that will implement the program. The CLR also provides other significant services such as security mechanisms, memory management, and exception handling. The class library and the CLR together compose the . NET Framework. The . NET Framework is included with Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista, and can be installed on some older versions of Windows. .NET Framework 1. 1 This is the first major . NET Framework upgrade that is accessible on its own as a redistributable package or in a software development kit since its publishing on April 3, 2003. It forms part of the second release of Microsoft Visual Studio . NET – the Visual Studio . NET 2003, and is the first version of the . NET Framework to be included as part of the Windows operating system, shipping with Windows Server 2003. 7 .NET Framework 3. 5 This version was authoritatively released to manufacturing (RTM) on November 19, 2007. As with . NET Framework 3. 0, this version applies the CLR of version 2. 0. It also installs . NET Framework 2. 0 SP1 adding some methods and properties to the BCL classes in version 2. 0 which are vital for version 3. 5 features such as Language Integrated Query (LINQ). These changes, however, do not involve applications written for version 2. 0 and a separately, new . NET Compact Framework 3. 5 was released in hand-in-hand with this revision to give support for additional features on Windows Mobile and Windows Embedded CE devices. The source code of the Base Class Library in this version has been partially released under Microsoft Reference License. 7 .NET Framework 3. 5 builds incrementally on the new features added in . NET Framework 3. 0 – for example, feature sets in Windows Workflow Foundation (WWF), Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Windows CardSpace. This version also consists of a number of new features in several technology areas which have been added as new assemblies to avoid breaking changes. They are: (a) deep integration of Language Integrated Query (LINQ) and data awareness which will let to write code written in LINQ-enabled languages to filter, enumerate, and produce projections of several types of SQL data, collections, XML, and datasets by means of the same syntax; (b) ASP. NET AJAX 3. 5 lets you craft more resourceful, more interactive and highly-personalized Web experiences that work transversely with almost all the most popular browsers; (c) The New Web protocol sustain for building WCF services adding AJAX, JSON, REST, POX, RSS, ATOM, and several new WS-* standards; (d) Full tooling support in Visual Studio 2008 for WF, WCF, and WPF, including the new workflow-enabled services technology; and, (e) New classes in . NET Framework 3. 5 base class library (BCL) that address many common customer requests. Visual Studio 2008 and the . NET Framework 3. 5. The Microsoft Visual Studio development system is an appropriate development instrument devised to aid developers to tackle complex problems, thus create inventive resolutions. This system’s role is to improve the development process; hence, achieving breakthroughs would be easier and more satisfying. Using the Microsoft Visual Studio Development system will be very productive for this project since it would continually deliver better ways for cross language translations with less energy and with ease from other software. It has efficient form of code editors, IntelliSense, Wizards, and multiple coding languages in one integrated development environment (IDE) to high-tech applications in life- cycle management. New versions of Visual Studio keep bringing innovative tools to help developers focus on solving problems without wasting time. With this development system, software developers gain from an integrated product experience that spans tools, servers, and services. Visual Studio products work well together with other Microsoft software, such as Microsoft server products and the Microsoft Office system. Visual Studio offers a comprehensive choice of tools for all phases of software development, testing, deployment, integration, and management. Every kind of software developer, from novice to skilled professional, can use the Visual Studio because it is engineered to support the development across all types of devices such as PCs, servers, the Web, and mobile devices. Visual Studio is the most reliable tool that is engineered and tested to be always dependable, secure, interoperable, and compatible. Visual Studio offers an unparalleled combination of security features, scalability, and interoperability. Although Visual Studio always incorporates forward- thinking features, it is designed to ensure backward-compatibility everywhere possible. Being a set of technology capabilities, core products, and best practice guidance, the Microsoft Application Platform (MAP) focuses on aiding IT and development business partners to maximize opportunity. As one of its core products, Visual Studio has always and continues to help spearhead for the right customer links, business efficiencies, and value-added services through provision of a fully integrated and single development environment for all types of advances, including Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, Web, and mobile applications.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Case Study: Anxiety

Instructions: Read the following case study about a woman, Allison, who is suffering from anxiety. After you have read the case study, diagnose Allison and present some methods of treatment by answering the questions. Presenting Complaint Allison, a 33-year-old white woman, knew that it was finally time for her to seek psychological services. She had always been an anxious person and, for years, had managed to keep it under control. But, this time she felt as though she was fighting a losing battle and worried that it was going to result in her being fired from her job. Allison worked as a flight attendant for a major airline and loved interacting with the passengers. She was particularly proud of her extensive knowledge of aircraft safety regulations and had confidence in her ability to properly manage a crisis situation should it arise. However, over the past year she had missed a significant amount of work because of her extreme anxiety about flying and staying in hotels in different cities. She had wanted to believe that her worry about her career was justified, but she knew deep down that she worried about everything, not just work. She worried about other things that most people would see as trivial: whether she would be caught in the rain without an umbrella, if she was going to remember to pay her bills on time, or if the bus she was riding would break down and leave her stranded. Allison recalled that she noticed a change in her thinking after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. She repeatedly thought, â€Å"That could have been me in that plane. What would I have done? This is just one more sign that the world has become a very dangerous place. Allison finds that she can’t relax on her days off because she spends the entire time worrying about taking her next flight. â€Å"I worry all the time—about everything. She worries that she will miss the bus to the airport and be late for work. She worried that she will have a panic attack on the airplane and the pilots will have to make an emergency landing. She also worries about the hotel that she is scheduled to stay in and whether or no t they will still have her reservation when she arrives. Furthermore, Allison worries about the danger of being out at night in a strange town. She explains, â€Å"It’s just not safe for a single woman to be out at night. Some cities have a high rate of crime and are extremely dangerous. † Allison finds that she worries about all of these things simultaneously, which leaves her exhausted and overwhelmed. However, when she tries to sleep, she cannot shut her mind off. She lays awake for hours thinking about all of the things that could happen. Therefore, Allison is often sleep deprived which leaves her stressed, tense, and irritable. Allison has experienced a few panic attacks in her life, but has not had a panic attack in more than two years. But she still carries Xanax with her everywhere she goes, just in case she needs it. Ever since she was 7 years old, she has worried about random issues. Allison remembers walking through her house at 7 years old, checking on all of the appliances to make sure that they were all unplugged before everyone fell asleep in fear that a fire would break out and burn the house down. Allison was also worried as a 3rd grader about her mother dying any day from cancer, since her mother was a smoker. When Allison was 16, she had great difficulty with learning how to drive in fear that she would be involved in a car accident. Indeed, Allison was involved in 2 car accidents, none of which were her fault. Regardless, Allison quit driving and has taken public transportation ever since. Allison has had difficulty with seeking treatment because she is afraid to give up her worrying. She believes that some of her anxiety has been helpful because it has kept her safe. And by worrying, Allison believes that is able to help prevent the negative event from occurring. For example, because of Allison’s worrying, her mother quit smoking and is cancer-free today. In fact, Allison is considering removing herself from treatment because she is afraid that the psychologist will tell her that she has a serious problem that is beyond help. If she cannot get help, then what will she do? Social and Family History Allison is the youngest of 6 children, 4 of which are boys. She was raised by both parents and considers herself the â€Å"black sheep† of the family. Allison felt very different from her brothers because of gender and the way that they treated her with a paternalistic manner. Allison felt inadequate around her sister, who seemed to be successful in everything she did. Allison feels like her sister looks down on Allison because of the anxiety. Allison’s father never understood her, either. He was very distant and did not seem to want much to do with the children. He worked long hours and spent much time taking Allison’s mother on long errands since Allison’s mother was afraid to go out alone. Allison tried really hard to do well in school to get her father’s attention, but it never seemed to be quite enough. Allison often had to rely on her older siblings to take care of her since their mother was always â€Å"sick†. Her mother rarely left the house and would spend hours locked in her room. Allison thought that her mother suffered from agoraphobia and remembers conversations with her mother about how dangerous the world is. Because of her mother’s beliefs about the dangerousness of the world, Allison was not allowed to play outside with friends unless a parent was supervising at all times. Therefore, Allison did not make many friends. Instead, she played in the neighbor’s garden since her mother could see Allison from the window. One day, Allison’s neighbor, Jack, was helping Allison in the garden and offered her some cookies and milk. Allison had to go inside with Jack to get the cookies and milk, but she thought that it would not be a problem since mom was right next door. Once inside Jack’s home, he sexually abused Allison. She never told anyone since she believed it was her fault for going inside and not staying in her mother’s line of sight. Allison has been unable to stay in a long-term relationship. Just after Allison moved away from her home town for the first time in her life, her boyfriend broke up with her. He was supposed to move in with Allison, but a week after Allison bought a home and moved her belongings in, he ended the relationship. That was the last time Allison had a severe panic attack. She was hospitalized and has been terrified of living alone ever since. Diagnosis Refer to the DSM-IV-TR checklist for generalized anxiety disorder. Which of Allison’s symptoms meet the diagnostic criteria? Be sure to match specific symptoms with specific criteria. * Based on your review of Allison’s symptoms and the diagnostic criteria, could Allison be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder or would she be better diagnosed with a phobia or obsessive –compulsive disorder*? Does Allison appear to have a comorbid* panic disorder? Refer to the diagnostic criteria for panic disorder with agoraphobia and determine if she warrants this diagnosis, too. *How would the sociocultural* perspective explain Allison’s generalized anxiety disorder? How would the current** psychodynamic perspective explain Allison’s generalized anxiety disorder? How would the cognitive perspective explain Allisonâ€⠄¢s generalized anxiety disorder? What are the second-generation cognitive explanations for generalized anxiety disorder and how do the activities associated with each theory serve to maintain the worry? Describe a biological explanation for why Allison developed generalized anxiety disorder. Treatment Which theoretical perspectives offer treatments for generalized anxiety disorder that have been more than modestly **supported by the research literature? Discuss the cognitive therapy technique of focusing on worry**. What are some of the nondrug biological treatments used to treat generalized anxiety disorder ?

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Challenges That May Arise When Writing a Persuasive Essay

Three challenges that might arise when writing a persuasive essay are making a plan, writing a draft, and revising your draft. While making a draft you should always consider how you can organize your ideas effectively for the readers. You can arrange your ideas and make an outline to organize your ideas effectively (Chapter 7). Doing so will allow the readers to be able to understand what point you are trying to get across without any doubt or confusion. Writing a draft can help show the readers what you mean. In your draft it should include an introduction that is catchy and that will interest your readers, have a strong and solid conclusion, and it should also have a strong solid title (Chapter 8). During the revising process of your draft you should think of ways to make your draft clearer or more convincing to the readers. This could be done by looking for ideas that don’t fit, looking for ideas that could use more detailed support, and connecting ideas with transitional words and sentences (Chapter 9). One more challenge that might arise when writing a persuasive essay is editing. Editing a paper will allow me to ask myself what errors could confuse my readers and weaken my point. This process can also help me find and correct errors in grammar (Chapters 22–33), look for errors in word use (Chapters 34–35), spelling (Chapter 36), and punctuation and capitalization (Chapters 37–41). READING: Read Chapter 3 in Real essays with readings: Writing projects for college, work, and everyday life – Writing Basics. The strategies I will use to overcome making a draft is use my time wisely. By doing this I will be able to have a set block of time to work on this and will not be able to wait until the last minute. I will also write down any ideas that pop up in my head. So I will not forget what it was and is because it could be a useful and helpful idea to use in my paper while writing it. Another strategy I could use is to make a web of ideas while planning out my paper. To overcome the challenges of writing a draft I will need to try show what I mean to the readers, come up with a strong title, come up with a strong conclusion, and come up with a catchy way to start my introduction paragraph. While I am revising my essay I will look for ideas that do not fit and find ideas that could use more detailed support if it does not have enough detailed support already. Finally I will I will look for errors that might confuse my readers and weaken my point more closely. I could also try reading it backwards to see if it will help me find errors such as grammar, errors in word use, punctuation, and if any capitalization errors.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Discussion Board Questions 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion Board Questions 3 - Essay Example mbine cognitive ability test with other methods such as biodata instruments as a way of ensuring that adverse effects of ethnic and racial differences are addressed. During the internal selections decisions, most organisations adopt assessment methods such as integrity tests and personality tests. On the other hand, majority of companies adopts simpler recruitment process such as interviews during the external selection. One of the major aspects that create this difference is the corporate culture. For example, during the internal selection, managers must notify the candidate about the evaluation process to avoid him or her becoming demotivated an aspect that can result to high rate of turnover. Internal and external selection decisions should be different to ensure that existing employees remain interested in their tasks. This should be attained by not emulating the rule of winner takes it all. Even though this rule is appropriate during external selection it can negatively affect existing employees since they may feel that their organisation is not giving them an opportunity to develop their career. One of the positive consequences associated with a high predictor cut off score is that it creates standards during the selection of the employees. By emulating a selection measure, organisations are in a position to select skilled manpower thus enhancing the productivity of a company. High predictor cut off score improves the image of an organisation in the sense that it makes it competitive thus attracting experienced and highly trained employees from other companies. In this way, strong team of human resource is achieved. One of the major advantages of sales approach in the presentation of a job offer is that it creates a good impression of the job and an organisation. This is attained by ensuring that recruiters and human resources managers behave like sales executives. In this way, the potential employees feel supported and respected an aspect that motivates

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Financial management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial management - Assignment Example Present value of the expected cash flows is computed by discounting them at the required rate of return (also called minimum rate of return); a zero NPV means the project repays original investment plus the required rate of return. A positive NPV means a better return, and a negative NPV means a worse return, than the return from zero NPV. It is one of the two discounted cash flow (DCF) techniques (the other is internal rate of return) used in comparative appraisal of investment proposals where the flow of income varies over time†. ... The incremental costs remain the same throughout the five years. Depreciation is added back because it is a non-cash item; it is only deducted earlier to calculate the tax. It is assumed that tax is paid in the year in which it is accrued. Workings Direct Costs Yr 1 – $950,000(Sales in Year 1) * 55% = $522,500 Yr 2 onwards – $1,500,000 (Sales in Year 2 and onwards) * 55% = $825,000 Depreciation Depreciation for the five years on straight line basis = $1,000,000 ? 5 = $200,000 Conclusion Based on the fact that the project generates a positive Net Present Value of $397500, the project would have beneficial prospects for the company. Hence, the project should be undertaken. References Top of Form Bpp Learning Media. (2009).  Acca - F9 Financial Management: I-learn. Gardners Books. BusinessDictionary.com, Net Present value, Definition. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/net-present-value-NPV.html Bottom of

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Essay

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - Essay Example The patient is then asked to identify a desired positive thought, such as "I am a worthwhile person," this positive thought is rated against the negative thought on a scale of 1-7, with 1 being "Completely false" and 7 being "Completely true." This method helps create a goal for treatment. The patient then combines the visual image of the trauma with the negative belief, generally evoking strong feelings, which are then rated on the Subjective Unit of Disturbance (SUD) scale. While focusing on the combination of the traumatic image and negative thought, the patient watches the therapist move his hand in a particular pattern causing the patient's eyes to move involuntarily. Blinking lights are sometimes substituted for hand movements, likewise hand tapping and auditory tones may be used instead of eye movements. After each set of eye movements the patient is asked to clear their mind and relax. This may be repeated several times during a session. Step No. 4: This step of treatment involves desensitization to the negative thoughts and images. The patient is instructed to focus on the visual image of the trauma, the negative belief he/she has of self, and the bodily sensations caused by the anxiety, while at the same time following the therapist's moving finger with their eyes.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Muslms and health Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Muslms and health Care - Essay Example Muslims have clear ideas about their medical care due to religious beliefs. This has to be taken into consideration by non-Muslim doctors. Since there are millions of Muslims in the United States, with a growing population, their needs are significant. Many Muslims have no choice but to be treated by a non-Muslim doctor. If their needs are not met, many Muslims would rather practice their religion than get medical care. This would be a travesty. American citizens would be suffering from third world illnesses just because doctors do not meet their needs. Muslims believe in transplantation and organ donations, HIV/AIDS treatment, non-abortive contraception methods (IMANA Ethics Committee, 2005). However Muslims do not believe in assisted reproductive methods, surrogacy, abortion, morning after pill, cloning, or medicines with alcohol (IMANA Ethics Committee, 2005). Another issue is modesty and opposite gender examination. Hajabs, head coverings, must be worn in public (Abdullah, 2008). Public includes hospitals. Opposite gender examinations can be preformed if a third party witness, the same sex as the patient, is present. These rules are important to a Muslim. If a doctor understands these rules, then they can form a treatment plan the patient is more likely to follow. Muslim doctors and health personnel know what treatment plans that Muslims would be more likely to follow. However not all Muslims are treated by doctors from the Muslim faith. Not all non-Muslim doctors are familiar with Muslim religious needs. Many Americans are informed about Muslims through stereotypes on television. This needs to change. The only way to improve this issue is effective communication with the patient. Effective communication will enhance a doctor’s cultural competence in addressing Muslim needs. There two different ways to have effective communication with a patient. The first is asking a patient that walks in with a Hajab what

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 45

Case study - Essay Example Cost reduction capabilities help the company to minimize operational cost and other overheads. Bella enjoys technological capabilities by producing less sophisticated products that would sell easily for customers’ consumption. The first set back that fails Baton is the sudden departure of a project manager at St Louis. The human resource finds it complicated to recruit new individuals to occupy the vacant positions. Baton faces serious technical problems and sourcing issues such as pairing of Audio-to-Digital Converter (ADC) with a higher performing low noise amplifier. Asia does not manufacture a microcontroller making the company purchase it from America causing much delay and in effect raising the cost of acquisition. Conflict of interest between design and manufacturing sections contributed to Baton failure (Leonard &Young 2012). Bella India should take on project TKO and develop EKG because of the fast growing market despite the competition faced. The low costs of their products attract the customers. Services such as warranty would outdo the competitors. The management team has the knowledge of the market places ensuring penetration and conquering new markets. Organization’s strategies such as designing a simple and affordable portable equipment (2kg) that would connect a larger community gearing its

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Criminology- To what extent are prison suicides in the UK a Essay

Criminology- To what extent are prison suicides in the UK a consequence of prisons being used to accommodate too many people with mental health problems - Essay Example Insufficient mental health treatment is provided by those in charge in the prisons. Extremely harsh, terrifying, and bleak facts are also revealed by a research study lately about the ten most horrific prisons of all times in the world according to which prisoners irrespective of their histories are kept unacceptably jam-packed like animals. The UK prisons are also teeming with psychopath prisoners to some extent who have severe mental health issues like major depression, anxiety, paranoia, and suicide idealization. Overcrowding is blamed for 37% rise in prison suicide among inmates living together in prison systems which have no good management (Woodward 2008). Concerning the alarming situation that as many as 9 out of 10 prisoners in UK are subjected to deal with the rough consequences of depression, paranoia, drug or alcohol abuse, anxiety, and personality disorders, the claim that the rough prison atmosphere in UK might be the reason behind growing number of suicides reported by prison officials starts appearing to be valid and acceptable. â€Å"More than two-thirds of all men, women and children in prison have two or more mental health problems such as depression and anxiety† (PRISON REFORM TRUST 2010). The incidence of mental or personality disorders is really not that common among the normal population and this frequency of ill mental health gives rise to prison suicides which are becoming more frequent in UK now than ever before. There definitely exists a connection between overcrowding in jails and suicide attempts by prisoners. Jails in UK are under pressure from overcrowding and more often than not, they cave in to this pr essure with the result that the statistical data revealed by prison officials identifies that â€Å"the number of prisoners who killed themselves in jail rose significantly in 2007† (BBC

Friday, August 23, 2019

Women and Men Entrepreneurs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Women and Men Entrepreneurs - Essay Example The British Government estimated that by year 2006, there will be 18 to 20 per cent of women-owned business in United Kingdom (SBS, 2005). However, there are always critics about women's performance at micro and small business entrepreneurship. Some commented that women out performance men, while some do not agree. This paper aimed to discuss about the differences between men and women's entrepreneurs from different aspects in term of personal characteristics, motivation, and ethnic and cultural background influence on the performance. Definition for an entrepreneur is someone who pursues a management opportunity regardless of currently available resources (Stevenson, 1989). Entrepreneurs concentrate on maximizing profit, growth and innovative behaviour (Carland et.al, 1984). As in the definition, one who wishes to become entrepreneur would have be courageous, risk-taking, independent and desire for a sense of achievement besides discipline in self. An example of a successful entrepreneur would be Bill Gates that started Microsoft Corporation. With the insight of the future technology development, he braves himself to start-up a business which leads the development of the computer operating system now. Another successful entrepreneur is Winfrey Oprah who started out as a host for a talk-show and finally success as a writer. Bill Gates is a male entity while Winfrey Oprah is a female entity. There is a saying where "men are from mars and women are from venus". This saying provides a lot of space of thought where men and women are so distinctively different. As both names quoted are successful in their own field. The question is - are the differences here contributing to different outcome of their success Is it tougher for a woman to be recognized as success Gender War Though god created Eve from Adam to compliment each other, their relationship turns sour lately. In the past, women have taken a softer role as a homemaker. But, today they can be breadwinner! Women compete with men to get scholarship, education, important roles in business world, earn more money and own more power. The competition created a tense between the relationships of both. Are both cooperating with each other to create more miracles in the society or are they at war Interestingly, this is a very subjective topic! It leads to the critics of role performance of both genders either at work or home. The differences between the personal characteristic, goals, desire and managerial style do provide clues for various behaviours among men and women entrepreneurs. Differences between Men and Women Entrepreneurs Like the saying "men are from Mars and women are from Venus", both genders exhibit different behaviours. Even a man is different from another man, there are a few qualities that makes the entrepreneurs. a. Personality traits Since 1980s, there have been a lot of studies carried out to identify the personal traits of entrepreneurs (Aspray and Cohoon, 2007). They are a group of people who are more than just business man. Focusing on maximizing profit, create innovations and growth, and have a need to achieve, they have certain personality traits which are more than usual white collars. They are risk takers with self-discipline; possess insights and intuition in their own fiel

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Behavior is hereditary Essay Example for Free

Behavior is hereditary Essay The whole issue of nature and nurture is complex with potential debates centered round their influences on human development. Nature refers to the traits inherited from parents while nurture refers to the influence of the environment to an individual’s behavior (Lippa 2005, p. 26). Psychological research shows that both nature and nature have a general influence on the physical and behavioral characteristics of people. This paper seeks to explain the factors which affect nature and nurture. The nature theory holds that human behavior is hereditary. True to the theory, some traits such as blood type and eye color are known to be predominantly genetic. It can therefore be asserted that genetic variation of people affects the development and characteristics of the next generation (Lippa 2005, p. 28). Nurture on the other side holds that the environment in which an individual is brought up in influences his or her behavior. In this context therefore, it can be acknowledged that the ability of an individual to interact and conform to the societal requirements and the environment at large affects the degree to which the environment can influence the individual’s behavior (Lippa 2005, p. 28). Still to be noted here is the effect of age on the influence of nature and nurture. Inherited traits are first noticed when a child is born. As the child grows up to teenage, behavioral characteristics are predominantly influenced by the environment because of the interactive nature of people at this stage of growth as well as the ability to conform to peers and the society at large (Lerner Bearer 2004, p. 86). At adult stages, people tend to become more independent hence less influenced by the environment. At this stage therefore nature prevails but the nurture traits acquired at early stages of growth remains effective. In conclusion therefore, nature and nurture are undoubtedly influential to human development. Nature gives inborn traits while nurture takes these inborn abilities and changes them with age to fit the individual’s environment. ? Bibliography Lippa, R 2005, Gender, nature, and nurture, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Lerner, R, Bearer, E 2004, Nature and Nurture: The Complex Interplay of Genetic and Environment. Routledge: New York.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Socratic Method Essay Example for Free

Socratic Method Essay Since the formulation of the Socratic Method, it has been made reasonably clear that the quest for knowledge is based on firstly knowing that one does not know everything and secondly that the only way to know more about anything is to ask more questions. This does not imply of course that one simply propound any knowledgeable person with a barrage of question. This simply suggests that perhaps not accepting everything at face value without any verification as to its truth or validity is simply not the way to learn. From the earliest years, the questions, what, who, how, when, where and the all time favorite, why, have been uttered at least a dozen times by any single person. While these are not the keys to critical thinking, they do form an important foundation of critical thinking and that is that it challenges the current knowledge and pushes people to find out more about things and not simple be content with what is present. Herein lays the first benefit of critical thinking. It challenges the mind to ask more questions and remains at the very center of the quest for knowledge. Without critical thinking, everything in itself would become the rule and nothing would ever be the exception. A falling apple would be a different rule in itself and not connected to a flying bird when in it is in fact clear that through the exercise of critical thinking gravity and all the other forces are at work on these two objects. Secondly, critical thinking pushes at boundaries. To simply say that a truth is truth in itself is naive. Critical thinking plays an important role in all of this because it does not alter the truth but simply brings more of it into light. It reveals and enlightens and only constricts those who are too bound and caught up in the piece of truth that they have come to know. Critical thinking provides other clear benefits but none as important as its role in uncovering the complete truth and driving the quest for knowledge for the benefit of all mankind. After all, critical thinking in itself would never even be the subject of this discussion if it never existed.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Human Rights In Saudi Arabia

Human Rights In Saudi Arabia Human rights refer to the legal, social or ethical principles of entitlement or liberties to which all humans are entitled (James, 2009). Proponents of this concept assert that each person is endowed with certain entitlements by reason of being human. These entitlements can be justified as moral norms, natural rights or even as legal rights, either at a national level or within international law. However, this concept has been the subject of intense debate and criticism as there is no consensus as to what should or should not be regarded as a human right. The modern conception of human rights, universalism, developed in the aftermath of World War II and its globalization was awakened by the crimes committed by Hitlers government (the Holocaust), which increased pressure on the need for a global system of accountability and stability. This resulted in the adoption of this concept by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a declaration adopted on 10 December 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly. This forum aimed at paving the way for universalism by resolving the cultural differences between member nations, an approach which some argue, has led to the needs of certain cultures being compromised. The concept of universalism was further boosted by the adoption of the International Criminal Court in June 1998, with its core aim being the enforcement and promotion of the values agreed upon by the member states of the United Nations. Over the course of the 20th century, many movements and groups have achieved intense social changes in the name of human rights. In North America and Western Europe, labor unions brought about laws which granted workers to strike and established minimum work conditions. The womens rights movement succeeded in gaining voting rights for women while the National liberation movements succeeded in driving out colonial powers in many countries. The United Nations, together with its member states, have developed much of the discussion and bodies of law that currently make up international human rights law and international humanitarian law. In reality, the concept of Universalism is basically based on Western philosophies and the values they place on the individual. This approach can be seen as a product of Christianity as well as the Greek philosophy and contends that one can use reason or nature to identify basic rights inherent to every human. This concept was challenged by a delegation led by China, Iran and Syria at the 1993 United Nations Conference on Human Rights which was held in Vienna. They argued that the current definition of human rights was not universal, but was based on Western morality and should therefore not be imposed as norms in non-western societies. They further argued that this concept disregarded the non-western societies historical and economic development and their cultural perceptions of what is wrong and right. Cultural relativism, by contrast, is based on the thought that there are no objective standards by which others can be judged. It was introduced by the sophist Protagoras, among others who empirically established that there exist many different cultures in the world and each are equally worthy. For example, female genital mutilation is not mandated by any religion, but has become a tradition in many different cultures in Africa, South America and Asia. On the other hand, it is considered by the international community as a violation of girls and womens rights, which has resulted in the outlaw of the culture in some countries. However, International Law has only recently begun to tackle the issue of cultural relativism by paying more attention to certain themes (Bozeman, 1971). In Saudi Arabia, human rights are intended to be based on Sharia, a set of Islamic religious laws under the rule of the House of Saud, the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (US Department of State, 2004). The government of Saudi Arabia has often been criticized for its treatment of political and religious minorities, homosexuality and women. The Human rights of this country are specified in article 26 of the Basic System of Governance of Saudi Arabia, a constitution- like charter which is in accordance with Sharia. The National Society for Human Rights was the first independent human rights organization in Saudi Arabia, and was established in 2004. In 2008, the Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia, also known as the Shura Council, ratified the Arab Charter on Human Rights, a charter which affirms the principles contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Charter and the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam. It provides for a number of traditional h uman rights, such as the right to liberty, protection of persons from torture, freedom to practice religious observance, among others. Saudi Arabia is one of the few countries in the world with judicial corporal punishment, the formal application of caning, whipping, birching and strapping as an official sentence by order of a court. In Saudi Arabia, judicial corporate punishment is carried out under Sharia, and includes whipping for lesser crimes such as drunkenness and sexual deviance and the amputations of hands and feet for more serious crimes such as robbery. This country also engages in capital punishment, which includes public executions by beheading. This is in accordance to strict interpretation of Islamic law as a punishment for rapists, murderers, and armed robbers. There were 191 executions in 2005, 38 in 2006, while in 2007; there were 153 executions (International, 2009). The government of Saudi Arabia has been criticized for lack of protection and violation of several human rights such as the freedom of religion. In this country, the practice of non-Muslim religions is aggressively prohibited. With the government declaration of the Holy Quran and the Sunna (tradition) of the Prophet Muhammad as the countrys constitution, Saudi Arabian law does not recognize religious freedom. Saudi Arabia, being an Islamic State, offers preferential treatment for Muslims and prohibits the burial of Non-Muslims on Saudi soil. During Ramadan, the month of fasting, eating, drinking or smoking during daylight hours in public is not allowed, even for Non-Muslims (Abdul, 2008). Foreign schools operating in Saudi Arabia are required to teach a yearly introductory segment on Islam and missionary work by any religions other than Salafi/Wahabi Islam is forbidden. Anti-Semitism, prejudice towards Jews as a result of hatred of their culture, religion and/or ethnic background, is very widespread in Saudi Arabia. In 2007, it was reported that a state website prohibited Jewish people and Israeli passport holders from entering the kingdom. The Saudi administration removed the offensive language, claiming that it was a mistake (CNN, 2004). A study of Saudi Arabias revised schoolbook curriculum in May 2006 discovered that the eighth grade book included text that discriminated against Christian infidels of the communion of Jesus. In Saudi Arabia, LGBT rights, initials referring to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, are not recognized. In accordance with Islamic morality, cross-dressing and homosexuality are seen as decadent acts and are treated as solemn crimes. These acts, as well as the involvement with any activity that hints at the existence of an organized gay community, are punishable by imprisonment, lashing, deportation for foreigners and sometimes execution. According to the law, all Saudi citizens infected with HIV or AIDS are entitled to protection of their privacy, free medical care and equal employment and educational opportunities. However, most Saudi hospitals will not treat infected patients and many hospitals and educational institutions are reluctant to share out government information about the disease. This is because of the stigma and strong taboos associated with how the virus can be spread (Yamani, 2005). However, the situation has started to change, with the government recognizing World AIDS Day, and permitting information about the disease to be published in local newspapers and journals. Any foreigner found to be HIV positive (or with any other serious medical condition), is deported back to their country. Political freedoms in Saudi Arabia are also curtailed, with the Saudi government restricting the freedom of speech and the press to forbid criticism of the government. Political organizations and trade unions are banned, public demonstrations are outlawed and Internet reception within Saudi Arabias borders is actively censored by the government. The arrest of Fouad al-Farhan, a prominent Saudi blogger and reformist in December 2007, was seen as a crackdown by the Saudi government on online dissent. He was jailed in solitary confinement, without charges, after criticizing several prominent Saudi business, media and religious figures (Murphy, 2008). Fouad was released on 26 April, 2008. In Saudi society, gender roles come from Sharia, Islamic law, as well as the tribal culture. All women, regardless of social status or age, are required to have a male guardian. Saudi women do not have voting rights, and cannot be elected to high political positions (Sasson, 2001). However, there is substantial evidence that Saudi women do not want radical change. Advocates of reform in this country reject the Western critics of Saudi Arabia for failing to understand the Islamic uniqueness of the Saudi society (Zoeph, 2010). Advocates argue that Saudi women do have rights, though these rights are dependent on their obligations in life. Majority of the Saudis do not view Islam as the main obstruction to womens rights and dismiss perceptions of Islam as being patriarchal as a Western typecast. To prove that Islam allows strong women, Saudis often invoke the life of Prophet Muhammad. Khadijah, the Prophets first wife, was a powerful businesswoman who employed him and is the one who initiated the marriage proposal. Aisha, another one of his wives, commanded an entire army at the Battle of Camel, a battle that took place in Iraq, at Basra in 656, and for this, she is the source of many hadiths (Betsy, 2010). Saudi women face discrimination in many aspects of their lives, such as the civil, common and religious systems. Despite the fact that they make up over 70% of those enrolled in public universities, due to social reasons, Saudi women only make up 5% of the national workforce. The efforts by the government to support expanded employment opportunities for women in this country met fierce resistance from the religious police, the labor ministry as well as the male citizenry (Canlas, 2006). In most parts of this country, it is believed that the role of the woman is to care for her husband and family. There is widespread segregation in Saudi homes, with some rooms having separate entrances for the men and women. Driving had been banned for women, until 1990, when it was introduced as official legislation after 47 women drove cars through Riyadh, the Saudi capital. Though illegal, women in areas outside the cities and in the rural areas of Saudi Arabia do drive cars (Y, 2009). Saudi women are permitted to fly aircraft, though they are required to be chauffeured to the airport (Bascio, 2007). Many Saudis believe that allowing Saudi women the right to drive could lead to an erosion of traditional values and Western-style openness. Before a Royal Decree in 2008, women were not permitted to enter furnished apartments or hotels without a mahram or chaperon. With the decree, the only requirements they needed were their national ID cards, and the hotel must inform the nearest police station of their length of stay as well as the room reservation (Canlas J. , 2008). The current government, under King Abdullah, is considered reformist. This government has appointed the first female cabinet member, opened the nations first co-educational university and is also credited for passing legislations against domestic violence. However, critics say that the reform is very slow and is more symbolic than substantive. Conservatives see the Saudi society as the center of Islam and hence the deed for unique conservative values. They seek to preserve the cultures traditional gender roles, while on the other hand; radical activists compare the condition of the Saudi Arabian Women to slavery (S, 2010). A government poll conducted in 2006 found out that over 80% of Saudi Arabian women do not think that women should work or drive with men. A subsequent poll found that most Saudi women are not of the opinion that women should be allowed to hold political office. Saudi women are in high support of their traditional gender roles and are of the opinion that reforms wou ld be opposed to Islamic values. They argue that they already have a high level of independence and that reforms would bring about unwanted Western cultural influences (Saleh Ambah, 2010). In Saudi Arabia, all women are required to have a male guardian, who can be a father or husband. This guardian has rights and duties to his woman in various aspects of civic life. Saudi women must first seek their guardians permission for various matters such as marriage and divorce, education, travel (if below 45 years), employment as well as opening a bank account. Guardians requirements are not written law, but are applied according to the societys customs, as well as the understanding of particular institutions such as hospitals and banks. Official transactions initiated by women are often abandoned and officers often demand the presence of a guardian in order to prove authorization. In a recent interview, Saudi women defended male guardians as providing love and protection (Zoeph, 2010). In 2008, some Saudi women launched a petition defending guardians, which gathered over 500 signatures. The petition also requested the punishment for those activists equality and mingling between Saudi men and women. Liberal activists on the other hand reject guardianship and see it as demeaning to women. They object to the treatment of women as subordinates or children (Wagner, 2010). They cite cases of women whose careers were ended by their guardians, or who lost custody rights over their children. In a case in 2009, a father prohibited several of his daughters attempts to marry outside their clan, and sent her to a mental institution as a form of punishment (Jahwar, 2009). Activists agree that most Saudi men are caring, but see this kindness as a result of pity, from lack of respect for their women, and they compare male guardianship to slavery, with ownership of a woman being passed on from one man to another. The ludicrousness of the guardianship system is shown by what would happen to a woman if she tried to remarry: she would have to seek the permission of her son (Betsy, 2010). The Saudi government has defended itself by saying that there is no law of male guardianship and maintains that agreements are applied in the courts and other legal channels. The male guardianship system is very closely related to sharaf, a system which involves the protection of females in the family by a male individual. The male provides for them, and in sequence, the womens honor is reflected on him. Since the honor of the male guardian is affected by that of the women in his family, he is expected to control their behavior. If a man loses his honor because of a woman under his care, he is permitted to cleanse his honor by punishing her, which can be death in extreme cases. In 2007, a young Saudi lady was killed by her father for chatting with a man on Facebook. Conservatives called for the government ban on Facebook, because it causes social causes social strife by encouraging inter-gender mingling and inciting lust (Frthjof, 2007). In many Islamic states, women are required cover parts of that are arwah i.e. not meant to be exposed, which is mainly the face. However, in Saudi Arabia, the whole of the womans body is considered arwah, with exception of the hands and eyes. Women are therefore required to wear the niqab, or veil, a hijab; whish is s head covering, as well as an abaya, which is a full black cloak. In this country, womens clothing must not reveal anything about her body and is therefore required to be loose, thick and opaque. It is generally required to be unadorned and of a dull color and should not raise interest to the male (Saleh, 2009). Saudi women are however not bothered by the dress code and place it low on the list of priorities for reform. Majority of the women wear the veil with pride, and say it reduces destructions from their male counterparts. Sex aggregation is anticipated in public, especially between non-mahram women and men. Most official and educational institutions have separate entrances and exits for both men and women. According to law, there should be clear visual and physical separate sections for both sexes at all meetings and gatherings, including weddings and funerals. Public places such as amusement parks and beaches are also segregated, sometimes by time, so that men and women visit at different hours. Many Saudi homes have different entrances for men and women, with private space being associated with women and public space such as living rooms being reserved for men. Since eating requires the removal of the veil for women, most Saudi restaurants are segregated to different sections and they also bar entrance to women who come without their mahrams or husbands (Murphy, Saudi Arabia: Dining by Gender, 2010). Even Western companies for instance Starbucks and McDonalds enforce Saudi religious regulations and maintain sex-segregated zones in their restaurants. This has often led to these companies being criticized by Western activists as the facilities in the womens zones are usually lower in quality. The segregation rules sometimes apply to banks and even hospitals. However, the number of mixed-gender workplaces has been on the rise since the crowning of King Abdullah, though they are still strange. Some clerics issued fatwa, a religious opinion issued by an Islamic scholar concerning an Islamic law, which encouraged women to provide breast milk to any man with whom she comes into frequent contact with. The milk should not come directly from the womans breast, and reduces the difficulties of strict sex segregation by allowing him to become a relative of the family. In Islam, this breast milk kinship is considered to be as good as blood relationship and therefore allow the males to come onto contact with the without having to break Islams rules about mixing. Another scholar disagreed, saying that the milk should come straight from the wombs breast, an issue which was ridiculed by reformists who argue that this could end up being more erotic, and definitely not maternal. Womens economic rights in Saudi Arabia are also severely infringed. In order for a woman to buy or sell a piece of property, she is obligated to bring two men as witnesses to identify her identity. In addition, she is required to bring four other male witnesses to testify that the first two are valid witnesses and that they actually know her. This makes it hard for women to attain their legal rights, and therefore, they often end up finding other solutions such as paying bribes. Since childhood, Saudi girls are taught that their key role is to take good care of the household and raise the children, though Sharia allows women to work, as long as she does not neglect her essential homemaking duties. Government offices strictly advocate for the minimization of interaction between women and non-mahram men. They are allowed too work as long as their male guardians or husbands approve. A womans work must be deemed suitable for her physique and mentality and for this reason, they cannot be appointed as judges or to positions of high public office. The Saudi labor ministry has been inconsistent in its support for reforms promoting womens right to work. In 2006, the then minister of labor, Dr.Ghazi Al-Qusaibi was quoted as saying that the labor Ministry was not acting to promote womens employment because the best place for a woman to serve is in her own home (Al-Awsat, 2006). In recent years, mixed gender workplaces have become more common, especially in industries that must serve women such as medicine and banking. In this country, 71% to 78% of females are literate, compared with males who have 85% literacy rates. The number of women who receive secondary and tertiary education is higher than that of men with over 50% of working women having a college education (Forum, 2009). The freedom of movement for Saudi women is strongly limited as they are not supposed to leave their houses or neighborhoods without the consent of their male guardian or in the company of a mahram. Women are not allowed to drive and are forbidden from using public transport. When allowed, they are required to use a separate entrance and sit in sections reserved for women. However, the bus companies with the widest coverage of Saudis capital, Riyadh, do not allow women at all. In Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to run for public offices, but they are permitted to hold positions on boards of chambers of trade. There is one woman in a cabinet position, as assistant minister for womens education. In court cases, the testimony of one man is considered to be equivalent to that of two women. In April 2010, women were issued with new ID cards with fingerprints and GPS tracking features. Women are registered in their father or husbands identification card and conservatives argue that cards which show the unveiled face of a woman violate Saudis customs. Though the government banned the practice of forced marriages, females are not allowed to make their own decisions on this issue. Just like in any other domain, states should not be pushed into creating local or universal structures that bypass their levels of control. As in the case of Saudi Arabia, most of the groups in society whose rights are violated do not have equal access to the law. This demonstrates how both theories create a double standard, with men readily accepting western norms and women bearing the brunt of cultural authenticity. However, with realistic strategies, cultural sensitivities in countries like Saudi Arabia can be reconciled with universal goals.

Explanatory Synthesis on Gunsmoke :: American Culture Essays

Explanatory Synthesis on "Gunsmoke" Gunsmoke the radio program, which aired on the CBS Radio Network, was first broadcast on April 26, 1952 and the final broadcast aired on June 18, 1961. During its nine year radio run, Gunsmoke would air 413 radio stories and six of the seasons would coincide with Gunsmoke the television series. Many of the original cast members of the radio show would go on to have memorable television careers: William Conrad, who played Matt Dillon, went on to play in "Cannon", "Nero Wolfe" and the "Fat Man", from "Jake and the Fat Man". Parley Baer, who played Chester, would go on to play Darby in the television show "Ozzie and Harriet", and Howard McNear, who played the doctor, would go on to play Floyd the Barber in the old "Andy Griffith Show" (http://comp.uark.edu/~tsnyder/Gunsmoke/gun-radio.html). Gunsmoke sought to capture the essence of the west and those individuals who would tame it. Matt Dillon was a hard-bitten, independent, self-reliant and just law man. His character summed up all of t he stereo-typical ideas of the old west hero. As with many men on the move west, Matt Dillon is driven by a need for independence and self-reliance. As a law man Matt was dedicated to making sure that justice was served in the ruff and tumble town of Dodge City. The episodes; "Cyclone", "Pussy Cats" and "Jay Hawkers" all give examples of those characteristics. To not be beholdin' to any person, to feel the sun on his back and the wind in his nostrils, that was freedom. In "Cyclone" Matt is thinking through a problem regarding the sale of a ranch and the subsequent disappearance of the owners. He doesn't want help from anyone in trying to solve the mystery. In "Pussy Cats", Chester offers to stay behind with Matt when a sticky situation develops with two strangers in town. Matt tells Chester to leave because he would be okay without him. In "Jay Hawkers" Matt is summoned to join a Texas cattle herd that is being harassed by Jay Hawkers. In the narration he describes the wide open space of the prairie and the smells of the green g rass. There is a hint of nostalgia in his voice about missing the freedom of the open prairie. Self-reliance is another characteristic of the men of the old west; In "Cyclone" Matt and Chester head off into the night to reconnoiter the Cyclone Ranch for signs of mischief.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Death Penalty :: essays research papers

The first established death penalty laws date as far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for twenty-five different crimes. The death penalty was also part of the Fourteenth Century B.C.’s Hittite Code; in the Seventh Century B.C.’s Draconian Code of Athens, which made death the only punishment for all crimes; and in the Fifth Century B.C.’s Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets. Death sentences were carried out by such means as crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Tenth Century A.D., hanging became the usual method of execution in Britain. In the following century, William the Conqueror would not allow persons to be hanged or otherwise executed for any crime, except in times of war. This trend would not last, for in the Sixteenth Century, under the reign of Henry VIII, as many as 72,000 people are estimated to have been executed. Some common methods of execution at that time were boiling, burning at the stake, hanging, beheading, and drawing and quartering. Executions were carried out for such capital offenses as marrying a Jew, not confessing to a crime, and treason (Bedau 3).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The number of capital crimes in Britain continued to rise throughout the next two centuries. By the 1700s, 222 crimes were punishable by death in Britain, including stealing, cutting down a tree, and robbing a rabbit warren. Because of the severity of the death penalty, many juries would not convict defendants if the offense were not serious. This lead to reforms of Britain’s death penalty. From 1823 to 1837, the death penalty was eliminated for over 100 of the 222 crimes punishable by death (Bender and Leone 16).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Britain influenced America’s use of the death penalty more than any other country. When European settlers came to the new world, they brought the practice of capital punishment. The first recorded execution in the new colonies was that of Captain George Kendall in the Jamestown colony of Virginia in 1608. Kendall was executed for being a spy for Spain. In 1612, Virginia Governor, Sir Thomas Dale, enacted the Divine, Moral and Martial Laws, which provided the death penalty for even minor offenses such as stealing grapes, killing chickens, and trading with Indians.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laws regarding the death penalty varied from colony to colony. The Massachusetts Bay Colony held its first execution in 1630, even though the Capital Laws of New England did not go into effect until years later.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Ralph Waldo :: essays research papers fc

Introduction Ralph Waldo Emerson "†¦was truly one of our great geniuses" even though he may have a short biography (Hodgins 212). But as Emerson once said himself, "Great geniuses have the shortest biographies." Emerson was also a major leader of "the philosophical movement of Transcendentalism". (Encarta 1) Transcendentalism was belief in a higher reality than that found everyday life that a human can achieve. Biographical Information Emerson was born on May 25, 1803 in Boston, Massachusetts. His father died when he was young and his mother was left with him and his four other siblings. At the age of 18 he graduated from Harvard University and was a teacher for three years in Boston. Then in 1825 he entered Harvard Divinity School and preached for three years. At the age of 29 he resigned for ministry, partly because of the death of his wife after only 17 months of marriage. In 1835 he married Lydia Jackson and started to lecture. Then in 1836, he helped to start the Transcendental Club. The Transcendental Club was formed for authors that were part of this historical movement. Emerson was a big part of this and practically initiated the entire club. As we know he was already a major part of the movement and know got himself involved more. Many people and ways of life throughout his career including Neoplatonism, the Hindu religion, Plato and even his wife influenced Emerson. He also inspired many Transcendentalists like Thoreau. Emerson didn’t win any major awards, but he did win the love and appreciation of his readers. Literary Information Emerson wrote many genres of writing including poetry and sermons, but his best writing is found in his essays. Even though he is noted for his essays, he was also a strong force in poetry. Emerson was known for presenting ideas in an expressive style. He wrote about numerous issues including nature, society, conspiracy and freedom. After returning to America after a visit to Engla nd, he wrote for the abolitionist cause, which was eliminating slavery. Emerson used these ideas in his 1837 lecture "The American Scholar," which he presented before the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Harvard. In it he talked about Americans becoming more intelligently independent. In a second address, commonly referred to as the "Address at Divinity College," given in 1838 to the graduating class of Cambridge Divinity College, brought about a problem because it attacked religion and pushed independence.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Airbus Company Essay

1. Why is Airbus interested in building the A3XX? What are its objectives? Airbus predicts that there would be demand for more than 1500 super jumbos over the next 20 years that would generate sales in excess of $350 billion. And they could sell as many as 750 over jumbos over the next 20 years with a break even on undiscounted cash flow basis with the sales of only 250 planes. There is a huge profit in this business if Airbus succeeds in the industrial launch of A3XX jumbo jets. In addition, Airbus has received over half of the total large aircraft orders for the first time in 1999 thanks to the â€Å"cross crew qualification† feature. Capturing more than half of the very large aircraft (VLA) market with the A3XX would constitute an enormous financial success and would position Airbus as the commercial aviation industry leader. Despite the gains in the market share, Airbus still did not have a product to compete with Boeing’s 747 in the VLA market. Airbus wants to brea k the monopoly of the 747. The A3XX would have more space, be safer, and offer a higher operational margin for the Airlines. And it is especially attractive on longer routes. Once introduced, A3XX would have higher sales than 747. Moreover, Airbus believed it had solved all of the problems due to the large size of the plane and had begun the necessary procedures for regulatory approvals in the United States and elsewhere. Based on its Airbus’s Global Market Forecast (GMF), the company believes Airline would attempt to increase aircraft size when it was no longer feasible to increase flight frequencies. Hence, there is an increasing demand for super jumbos. Airbus predicts the growing economy in Asia like China will contribute greatly to the demand for VLAs in the future. Airbus felt confident in its analysis that capacity increases would eventually prevail. Airbus wants to embrace the same success in the A3XX as 747 had before. 4) The growth in the perpetuity comes from rising prices. Hence, the growth rate equals to the inflation rate. Airbus needs to sell 39 aircrafts annually in order to break even on the investment.The total demand for very large aircraft is 1,235 over the next 20 years (GMF 2000). The annual demand from 2009 to 2019 would be 62. So the breakeven point is much less than the total demands. 3. As Boeing, how would you respond to this situation? How does your answer depend on what you think Airbus is likely to do? Please provide some calculations to support your answers.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Classic Knitwear Case Study Essay

The product is being launched under the brand name of Guardian apparel and it has decided not to include the name Classic Knitwear. Classic knitwear label should be mentioned along with Guardian label in the product. As the all the cost of advertising/marketing is being borne by Classic Knitwear, it should probably create a line extension to avoid confusion with its other  non-fashion knitwear segment offerings. The number of SKUs include 4 designs in 4 different colours. The number of SKUs can be reduced by using only the 3 most popular colours in 2 most popular styles. This way the SKUs can be reduced to 6 units and this will ensure that the company can concentrate on the colours and styles most in demand rather than spread its resources thin by launching many SKUs. The market research is not extensive, only 1000 respondents were sent requests. This should not be relied upon entirely for making such important decisions. More respondents should be interviewed before coming to a conclusion. Initial distribution is planned through major sporting goods and apparel chains which would support the establishment of the brand in the introductory phase. However, the sale at discount stores and sports & retail outlets simultaneously is inappropriate- the prices must not differ extensively across all outlets. This agreement forced Classic to meet series of steadily rising annual net sales targets for the first four years and target for 4th year must be met in each subsequent year. If it failed to meet the requirements then the license would be cancelled and void. Only the Guardian logo is being used on the product. It may be a headache for Classic if there is any conflict between companies over their agreement in the future. With this agreement a short term benefit can be realised as the determined marketing investment has been reduced to $3 million from initial expectation of $8-10 million. As the brand value of Guardian will increase by its promotion they should also bear some part of marketing expense. Moreover, the clause about termination of agreement should be removed/relaxed as it may lead to an investment loss on part of Classic. Conclusion: The Company is able to cater to the demand of insect repellent clothes which is much higher than the break even sales required for company. So, the company can earn profit margins which are much higher than the current levels. Also, company can break into the Niche and the Retail market through this project. Financial Viability and the other recommendations mentioned  above, make it attractive for the company to go ahead with Guardian Project.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Relationship Between Critical Thinking and Ethics Essay

Critical thinking and ethics tend to go hand in hand and are both used on a daily basis in our decision-making process. Our personal ethics will play a part in our critical thinking and its steps. Part of the critical thinking process is to evaluate all of the information we have gleaned. Ethics will automatically insert themselves into that process. As we evaluate the information, our ethics will determine which information is accurate and which information best fits our Ethical Lens Inventory. This relationship will lead to a creation that is within the scope of our ethics. Understanding the Relationship To fully understand the relationship between critical thinking and ethics we must understand critical thinking and its steps, our Ethical Lens Inventory, how ethics influences our decisions and how ethics applies to our professional and societal responsibilities. Critical Thinking Critical thinking is taking in all of the facts available to you and evaluating those facts to reach a concise decision. There are six steps in the critical thinking process. The first step is remembering. Remembering is the base for the follow on five steps. Remembering is the ability to recall key details and facts on the information you have reviewed. The second step is understanding. Understanding is the ability for you to take what you remembered and put it in your words. The third step is applying. Applying is the ability take the information and create a product or result. The fourth step is analyzing. Analyzing is the ability to break down your idea into parts. The fifth step is evaluating. Evaluating is taking the information you have and rating its truthfulness and usefulness. The sixth step is creating. Creating is the culmination of all the previous steps to produce a  result. Ethical Lens Inventory My Ethical Lens Inventory is Rights and Responsibility. I use my reasoning skill to determine my duties as well as the universal rules that each person should follow. My blind spot is the belief that motives justify methods. In this way, I tend not to use emotion but rather stay emotionally detached when applying ethics. People around me tend to think of me as callous and emotionless when making an ethical decision. Sometimes this can frighten or upset them, even though this is not my intention. Once people around me begin to understand my ethical lens inventory, they tend to respect me more and stop being frightened or upset. How My Personal Ethics Influence My Decision Making My personal ethics influences every decision I make. My personal ethics were acquired throughout my life and have become a part of who I am. They were instilled upon me through mentors, friends, loved ones and life experiences. None were forced upon me, and I made the conscious decision through these actions to choose what best suited me. Because of this, more often than not when making a decision my personal ethics are automatically inserted just as if I had taken a breath. My personal ethics helps me when making a decision by providing a guideline to the outcome of the decision, however this is not always the case. There are certain times and situations where I will consciously â€Å"bend† my personal ethics. However I bend them they remain within reason. How Ethics Apply to Professional and Societal Responsibilities Ethics means a great deal when we apply them to our professional and personal life. When people see the decisions we make and how we conduct ourselves they form opinions about us. This opinion can lead them to believe we are a good co-worker, boss, friend or lover. With poor ethics this can have an opposite effect. There are people who do not have good ethics, or choose to ignore them, who may try to influence our ethics. Being true to your ethics will only strengthen your resolve. Applying ethics in your professional life can lead you to be successful. The same can be true when applying ethics to your societal life. Consistency plays a significant role in this. You must remain consistent when applying your ethics. Failure to do so will lead some to think you do not have a good  ethical standard.

Global Warming Introduction Essay Essay

Many researchers, scientists, and environmentalists are expressing concerns about changes in the overall climate of the earth. Some believe that a dramatically dangerous warming is taking place in the overall global climate, a problem that is referred to as â€Å"global warming.† This paper will attempt to explore this very issue. Climate is defined as the analysis of accumulated weather data for long term patterns and trends. The Oxford Reference Dictionary defines change as, â€Å"To make or become different.† Climate change is therefore defined as â€Å"long-term weather patterns and trends becoming different over an extended period of time.† For example, if the average temperature in Kalamazoo, Michigan over the 20th century is significantly higher or lower than the average temperature in Kalamazoo, Michigan over the 19th century, this would be an example of climate change. Changes in climate can result from both natural events and human activities. Examples of natural causes of climate change are volcanic eruptions, variations in the earth’s orbit around the sun, and variations in solar output (Ahrens, 485-491). Examples of human-induced causes of climate change include industrial pollutants and fossil fuels (Rhodes, 116), warming of average annual temperatures due to urbanization (Eichenlaub, 163), and changes in the earth’s albedo due to deforestation of tropical rainforests (Geiger, 320). Climate change in the context of this paper refers to changes that result from human activities, especially as these changes relate to the issue of global warming. Of special importance is the â€Å"greenhouse gas† effect which is defined as, â€Å"The trapping of thermal emissions from the earth’s surface by human-induced greenhouse gases† (He). If global warming is indeed happening, it is the greenhouse gas effect that is believ ed to be the most responsible. There are some scientists who do not believe that there is enough evidence to support the idea of global warming. They assert that concerns about global warming have been blown well out of proportion by the media. At the same time, other scientists assert that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that industrial activities, automobile emissions, and technological pollutants may eventually result in dangerous (and even deadly) trends in the overall global climate. This paper will attempt to address this concern by analyzing some of the scientific studies that have been published in major meteorology journals. Our atmosphere consists of many gases. Some of these gases, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor, naturally absorb long-wave radiation that is emitted from the earth’s surface. Short-wave solar radiation enters the earth’s atmosphere and is absorbed by the earth’s surface. This radiation is then recycled and emitted as long wave terrestrial radiation. Gases such as water vapor and carbon dioxide absorb this radiation, hold it in the atmosphere, and keep the temperature of the earth warmer than it would otherwise be if there wasn’t an atmosphere. This is what meteorologists refer to as the â€Å"natural greenhouse effect† (Mower). Problems could potentially arise, however, when human activities add additional trace gases into the atmosphere that also absorb out-going long-wave radiation. These additional trace gases include methane, chlorofloro carbons, nitrous oxide, aerosols, ozone, and carbon dioxide. The result is an increase in the amount of long-wave radiation that is being trapped by the atmosphere. It is believed that this could eventually increase the average overall global temperature. Carbon dioxide â€Å"†¦is considered the trace gas of greatest importance because of the substantial increase in its atmospheric concentration as well as its probable continued rise due to global consumption of fossil fuels† (Rhodes, 116). It is clear from looking at the evidence that carbon dioxide concentrations are increasing dramatically in the atmosphere. Observations of carbon dioxide concentrations are available for several locations. Over the period of 1973 to 1982, the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide in Barrow, Alaska rose steadily from 332.6 parts per million (ppm) to 342.8 parts per million (Geiger, 110-111). This is not isolated to Barrow, Alaska. Records from other locations, such as Mauna Loa in Hawaii, are confirming that carbon dioxide concentrations are increasing in the atmosphere at a dramatic rate. Continuous instrument records for atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations date back to the 1950’s at the Mauna Loa observatory (Michaels, 1564). In 1958, the average atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide was only 316 parts per million (ppm). Preindustrial carbon dioxide concentrations are believed to be 279 parts per million (Michaels, 1564), and the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration in 1990 was 353 parts per million (Rhodes, 116). However, as one author points out, the fact that we are dealing with significant changes in carbon dioxide does not automatically mean that we are looking at a serious problem (Lindzen, 288). This author points out that carbon dioxide is a † †¦minor atmospheric constituent and as such, its variations might not be notably impo rtant.† He goes on to say that there are a number of things that increasing levels of carbon dioxide could effect and influence, including in ways that are beneficial. For example, † †¦at altitudes of 25 km to 90 km, the atmosphere is cooled primarily by thermal radiation emitted to space by carbon dioxide. Increasing carbon dioxide should cool these regions, and this, in turn, should lead to increasing concentrations of ozone at these levels. Increasing carbon dioxide might also stimulate the growth of vegetation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lindzen, 288-289). While there are indeed some possible benefits to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, â€Å"†¦the main concerns have focused on the possibility that increasing carbon dioxide might significantly warm our climate† (Lindzen, 289). One author wrote that there is â€Å"†¦general agreement that increasing carbon dioxide will produce warming due to its ability to absorb in the infrared radiation† (Lindzen, 289). There are studies that have indicated that no significant change in the overall global climate has yet taken place. For example, a study that was done by P. W. Spencer and J. R. Christy, using temperature records from the period of 1979 through 1990, showed a global trend of only +0.04 degrees Celsius per decade (Michaels, 1566). Other studies showed that the Northern Hemisphere has had no significant warming, while the Southern Hemisphere has had a slight temperature increase in the order of 0.2 degrees Celsius since the 1950’s (Michaels, 1566). Patrick J. Michaels speculates that the reason that we have not seen a significant increase in temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere is because of the balancing effect of anthropogenerated sulfates going into the atmosphere as a result of industrial pollution. Anthropogenerated sulfates have a cooling effect on the atmosphere because of their ability to reflect incoming solar radiation back to space. Michaels explains this in more d etail when he writes, â€Å"Because anthropogenerated sulfates are primarily produced and reside in the Northern Hemisphere, we may therefore be equaling the current enhanced greenhouse forcing †¦ with actual negative forcing in the hemisphere that contains most of the world’s population† (Michaels, 1573). This lead to the obvious question of whether or not the lack of a significant increase in global temperature should be taken as evidence that we should not be concerned about the issue. William W. Kellog of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado has written an article called â€Å"Response to Skeptics of Global Warming† in which he responds to many of the objections that have been raised against global warming. Kellog points out that â€Å"†¦five or so of the most advanced climate models, developed over a period of many years by top notch teams, have all come to essentially the same conclusion: The global average surface temperature would probably rise by about 2 to 5 K if the greenhouse gas concentration were maintained at double the pre-industrial revolution level† (Kellog, 500). Kellog suggests that the reason that we have not seen a change as of yet in the overall warming is because of a temperature lag of several decades â€Å"†¦due in large part to the large heat capacity of the oceans of the world† (Kellog, 500). He asserts that the evidence is still in favor of the fact that, sooner or later, a serious warming of the climate will occur. References Ahrens, C. Donald. Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment, 5th Edition. New York: West Publishing Company, 1995. Eichenlaub, Val L., Jay R. Haman, Fred V. Nurnberger, and Hans J. Stolle. The Climatic Atlas of Michigan. University of Notre Dame Press: Notre Dame, Indiana, 1990. Geiger, Rudolf, Robert H. Aron, Paul Todhunter. The Climate Near the Ground, 5th Edition. Braunschweig, Germany: Friedr, Veiweg & Sohn Verlagsgesellschaft, 1995. He, Chansheng. Classroom notes presented verbally in Natural Resource Management, GEOG 555. Western Michigan University, winter 1999. Kellog, William W. â€Å"Response to Skeptics of Global Warming.† Bulletin American Meteorology Society. Volume 74, Number 4 (April 1991), pp. 499-511. Oxford American Dictionary. Oxford University Press: New York, 1980. Lindzen, Richard S. â€Å"Some Coolness Concerning Global Warming.† Bulletin American Meteorology Society. Volume 71, Number 3 (March 1990), pp. 288-299. Michaels, Patrick J. â€Å"Global Warming: A Reduced Threat?† Bulletin American Meteorology Society. Volume 73, Number 10 (October 1992), pp. 1563-1577. Mower, R. Neil. Classroom notes presented verbally in Physical Meteorology, ESC 530. Central Michigan University, autumn 1996. Rhodes, Steven L. â€Å"Climate and Environmental Degradation of the Great Lakes.† Journal of Environmental Systems. Volume 22, Number 2, pp. 105-122.