Contrasting Roles: The Good and the Bad

Contrasting Roles: The Good and the Bad In Fydor Dostoyesky’s, Notes from the Underground, the relationship between an underground man and a young prostitute, Liza, depicts admirable and harsh qualities. Truly, Liza illustrates a kind-hearted human being while the Underground Man exemplifies a harsh and isolated person. Liza’s function in this novel is to show the contrast between the two completing roles that characterize a classic literary illustration of what is good and bad. The altercations that Liza and the Underground Man have significantly portray positive and unsuitable qualities.Upon meeting Liza, the Underground Man harshly ridicules Liza and her lifestyle. He says that she is â€Å"a slave from the start. Yes, a slave! You give up everything, your whole freedom. If you want to break your chains afterwards, you will not be able to† (Dostoyevsky p. 64). This quote undoubtedly exposes Underground Man’s awful perspective on Liza. He believes that L iza is property, rather than a human being. Also, the quote shows that he is stripping Liza of any hope for the future. He does so by telling Liza that if she ever wanted to stop prostituting, she would not be able to.Despite all of the awful accusations that he makes, Liza patiently listens although it is hurting her tremendously. Furthermore, this emphasizes the contrast in characters. It evident that Liza is truly good and that the Underground Man is relentless. However, this not the only altercation that sheds light on this notion. Moreover, there is also another conflicts that give a defined distinction between what is good and bad. The underground Man goes on to further insult Liza without a will to stop.He states, â€Å"I know that I have only to whistle and you have to come with me whether you like it or not. I don’t consult your wishes, but you mine† (p. 69). The underground Man is dehumanizing Liza by comparing her to a dog. He claims that Liza will come to h im just as a dog follows a master’s command without question. As if that insult were not enough, he proceeds to tell Liza that she must grant his every desire but he does not care for her wishes. Undoubtedly, the quality of being able to hurt Liza in such a manner is horrible.Liza’s pain is illustrated when the novel states that â€Å"She bit the pillow, bit her hand till it bled (I saw that afterwards), or, thrusting her fingers into her disheveled hair, seemed rigid with the effort of restraint, holding her breath and clenching her teeth† (p. 72). This quote actively portrays how the Underground Man’s negative qualities truly affect her. It not only pained her emotionally to hear these things, but also physically. Despite her emotions, Liza put her feelings behind her and forgives him.After he apologizes, he states, â€Å"she squeezed my hand in her fingers so tightly that I felt I was saying the wrong thing and stopped†(p. 73). This excerpt trul y shows Liza’s nobility. Although Liza is so hurt, she makes him feel like he should not have to apologize. She does this by squeezing his hand. However, this is not the only time where Liza puts the Underground Man before herself. Liza’s responses in situations with the Under Ground man portray her comforting qualities and expose his poor qualities. Previously, the audience noted that while Liza cries, the Underground Man did not comfort her.However, in later text, the tables turn. When the Under Ground Man began to cry, she did not waste time in asking what was wrong by asking, â€Å"What is the matter? What is wrong? † she cried, fussing about me† (p. 83). This quote depicts that Liza is a compassionate person. It also shows the difference between the Underground Man and her. It was her natural instinct to help him yet he did not help Liza in her time of need. This again shows that Liza is naturally good while the underground man is uncompassionate.The last encounter that the Underground Man has with Liza truly shows her positive characteristics. After some time, Liza believes that he no longer sees her as a prostitute, but as a companion. However, after having relations with the Underground Man, he wants her to leave and gives her money for the relations that they previously had. Although this hurts her beyond belief, she leaves the money. The underground man states â€Å"I saw a crumpled blue five- rouble note, the one I had thrust into her hand a minute before† (p. 89). This shows that Liza is admirable in dignity.Although she had been hurt, she still had her dignity and that was important for the Underground Man to see. Liza is placed in the novel to show that despite negative situations, a person can still posses an admirable personality. Truly, Liza continuously finds herself to be in horrible situations but she never fails in acting graciously. In a sense, Liza is an inspiration to all. She shows the audience that he r profession pains her and that she regrets it. Not only can the audience learn from her mistakes, but also from her gracious personality as well.

The Utilization of Organic Waste Materials for Biofuel Production

The Utilization of Organic Waste Materials for Biofuel Production A Research Paper Presented to Professor Janet Clemente Mapua Institute of Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements in English for Academic Purposes 2 (ENG11) by Hazel Joy H. Arellano Al Joseph R. Jimeno February 2012 Abstract The increasing criticism of the first-generation biofuel has raised the potential of the so-called second-generation biofuel. These include any organic industrial, commercial, domestic and agricultural wastes. These residues and by-products is a potential feedstock in the production of this biofuel.This paper will attempt to determine the different potential impacts of the second generation biofuel on the society compare to the first generation biofuel and what would be the possible outcome if this was continuously used. An interview was conducted at the Department of Biomass, DOE, on the director of the said department, Andresito Ulgado. It contributed a lot on the progress of this r esearch. As we go through this research, biofuel from organic waste materials has potential on economic, environment and social impact.This really provides benefits on the economy of a country and reduces dependency of foreign fuels. In terms of the environmental impact, these biofuels doesn’t hundred percent lessen the environmental problems but rather it could develop new environmental problems. The quality of the soil may be greatly affected and may lead to soil erosion and a lot of water can be wasted because crops plantation demands a lot of water. But this biofuel can lessen greenhouse gases and CO2. On social impact, these biofuel could provide and opened new jobs like biomass transportation, biomass collection and a lot, but jobs are limited.In other words, these biofuel has positive impact on the economy of a country and socially but not contribute hundred percent on the environment. To the future researchers, these topic is a great thing to research on, maybe they c ould research on how extensive these biofuels from organic waste materials is used in a specific country or in the world. † †¦ we generate a lot of waste and this is a potential feedstock for biofuel production†¦ But, I believe this is a potential one. † – A. Ulgado The production of biofuels has been rapidly increasing over the last decades but these biofuels has raised some important concerns.In particular, first generation biofuels from staple foods has been very controversial regarding its negative impact in the society, blamed to cause deforestation, displacement of food crops and increases the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. For biofuels to be truly sustainable they need to be produce without affecting the food production. So, scientists are developing fuel out of anything, from organic waste and rotting garbage. These organic wastes are potential feedstock for second generation biofuels. Sustainable biofuel from organic waste materials will pr ovide benefits compared to first-generation biofuels.These are expected to provide advantages and implications in the economy, environment and social life. The researchers came with this stand because of the continuous unprecedented high price of fossil fuels and the controversies that first-generation biofuels faced, which has a negative effect on the society. As Andresito Ulgado, director of the Department of Biomass, stated, we generate a lot of waste and from this, we can produce biofuels. But since these second-generation biofuels are not yet commercialized, there are possibilities that these are less effective compared to fossil fuels and have limited applications.These biofuels are seen as a commercial risk because these will require complex logistics system and good infrastructure. Financing these projects would be very costly for it will require ten times as much capital as a first generation plant of the same capacity. This research paper will focus on the benefits of biof uel from organic waste materials on economy, environment and social life. The researchers will find out why these biofuels are expected to resolve all the problems that the first generation biofuel have. The biofuel gives us sustainable alternatives and is renewable.In the next twenty-five years, it is believe that the world market, which is our primary source of imported fuel like fossil fuel will run out soon. That is why biofuels in the form of liquid fuels derive from plant materials are entering the market driven by factors such as oil price hikes and the need for increased energy security. However, many of this biofuel that are currently supplied has been criticized for the adverse impacts on the natural environment, food security, and land use-these are the first generation biofuels or the biofuel from staple foods.Most of our neighboring countries use biofuel from staple foods like corns and rice. But in the Philippines, the Biofuel Act of 2006, specifically says that corn, rice, and other staple foods cannot be used for biofuel production instead sugarcane and coconut oil is used because of the surplus production of oil and sugar here in the Philippines. Due to the increasing criticism of the sustainability of many first generation biofuel, scientists are trying to make better use of crop residues and by-products by converting into the next generation biofuel.These includes any solid, liquid, and gaseous fuel produced either directly from plants or indirectly from organic, industrial, commercial, domestic, or agricultural waste- or the so-called Second Generation Biofuel. The challenge is to support the biofuel development including the development of new cellulose technologies with the responsible policies and economic instruments to help ensure that biofuel commercialization is sustainable. These biofuels will not only help the earth reduce greenhouse gases, toxics, and pollution but it will also help our economic status.Utilizing the second generat ion biofuel will resolve the issue regarding on food production, provides energy security, reduce dependence on foreign source of oil and other fuels, and economic boost for agriculture and industry. Over the last decade, the production of the first generation biofuel has been questioned about its negative impact on food production because it consumes almost three-fourths of the agriculture sector, which is tending to use for food plantation. Due to the demand of land, food production has greatly affected resulting to food shortage and price hikes.But not as like as the first generation biofuel, the second generation has nothing to do with the deflation on food production because all it need is the residues from the crops harvested, basically the crops will be still useful especially on foods. When agriculture land is only tend for food production therefore there would be a large-scale production of crops and the more crops that is being produced, the more residues can be get from i t in order to produce a large-scale production of biofuels, too. A large-scale production of a country will ensure and provide energy security within its territory which lessens worriness.Replacing petroleum because of its prices on the rise, with a renewable energy source will reduce from importing these oil products. Biofuel were seen as substitutes for gasoline and petroleum-based diesel, the idea that these can reduce dependency on fossil fuels has led the government to promote it. In the Philippines, two percent of biodiesel were added to diesel and ten percent of bioethanol in gasoline which only proves that the utilization of biofuel reduces the dependency of the country on fossil fuel.As Andresito Ulgado, director of the Department of Biomass, DOE mentioned that the government has been looking at increasing the blend of biodiesel to three to five percent and twenty percent of bioethanol. He emphasized that there are considerations need to be considered especially to those wh o use vehicles twenty years older. There are cases in which these vehicles cannot use high blend of biofuel. However, the government is looking forward at maximizing biofuels so that the country can minimize its dependency on imported fuels.And importing fuel on other countries has fluctuated dramatically in most emerging and developing countries over the past several years. Thus, if use in the domestic markets the second generation could contribute to reduced expenditures for imports. In this case we can save a lot of our foreign currency savings and if we exported some of our biofuel products to other countries especially for those countries which really uses biofuels, these could really boost our economy, which figuratively means that there are more jobs to be offered, from the farming industry to the transportation production.Biofuels before had faced controversies regarding its negative impact on the environment. A new study by economists at Oregon State University questions th e cost-effectiveness of biofuels. Bill Jaeger, the lead author of the study, points out that the biofuels increase the greenhouse gas emissions. Biofuels were initially seen as a solution to energy and environmental problems because the carbon dioxide that's emitted when they're burned is equivalent to what they had absorbed from the atmosphere when the crops were growing.Therefore, biofuels were assumed to add little or no carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. But the bigger picture is more complex in part because biofuels are produced and transported using fossil fuels. Depending on the feedstock choice and the cultivation techniques, second-generation biofuels production utilizes wastes and residues. These include organic waste materials which are generated from agricultural facilities, forestry mills and in urban areas. In urban areas, organic wastes include portions of municipal solid waste, grass clippings and land clearing activities.Second-generation biofuels provide environment al impact depending on different aspects: land, water, climate change and biodiversity. Lands before were used for production of crops intended for biofuels causing negative impacts like affecting food production and rising food prices. Unlike first-generation biofuels, utilizing organic wastes and residues has a minimal direct impact on food production for it will no longer require lands. Furthermore, it will help lessens the problems of disposing.These will also reduce the problems in clearing fields. Clearing of fields, which requires burning will not be a problem anymore because the waste will become feedstock for the production of fuel. Therefore, these will cause significant reductions in air pollution. In some soil, removal of waste and residue can be sustainable and beneficial for some crops as it may help control pests and diseases, increase soil temperature in spring facilitating spring germination (Andrews, 2008).However, removing residues on soil could reduce the soil qu ality, promote erosion and lead to a loss of carbon, which, in turn, low production of crops. Future production of second-generation biofuels will also have an impact on water. The increasing demands for biofuel produced from organic waste will increase the pressure on clean water resources. Since there is a demand for biofuel, then there is also a demand for organic waste materials and most of the wastes are produced from crops. These will require large quantities of water to grow certain feedstock.The use of residues may have negative or positive impacts on biodiversity. As compared to the first-generation biofuels, the use of agricultural and forestry wastes are expected to have a lower impact on biodiversity. However, these will reduce the amount of decaying wood and could thus cause reductions in habitats and disturbance of wildlife due to increased forest access. There is also a possibility that native forests will be turned into plantation to increase the supply, which in tur n, reduces plant biodiversity.In terms of reducing lifecycle carbon emissions, second-generation biofuels appear to have higher greenhouse gas mitigation compared to first-generation. These second-generation biofuels could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% relative to fossil fuels. However, these results have been calculated for theoretical biofuel production concepts that are only just at the pilot /demonstration stage and not yet operating on a commercial stage (OECD, 2008). Another impact of these second generation biofuels to the society is its potential to provide livelihood to mankind.Most commentators believe that the development of bioenergy industry in a region will provide jobs, and that bioenergy and biofuels enterprises can become important opportunities for improving rural economies in both developed and developing countries. Job creation and regional growth are considered as two of the main social driven for the implementation of biofuel project. For second genera tion biofuel, there are new job opportunities along the entire pathway from biomass production or collection, to biomass transport, biomass handling, conversion and finally product distribution.In Europe, predictions estimate that the increase in energy provided from biofuel production could result in the creation of over 515,000 new jobs by 2020 taking into account the direct, and indirect subsidy effects of employment, and the jobs displaced in conventional energy technologies. Selling forestry by-products or residues would be beneficial for the 12 million people that live in or near to the forests of Mexico. The added value to forestry products could also reduce the high deforestation rate in Mexico, since deforestation often results from the absence of economic alternatives. IEA, 2010) Though there are a lot of new jobs opened, some of these are limited. Like for example, the collection of agricultural and forestry residue could also be done by the same workers involved in the m ain agricultural and forestry products. Downstream processes like biomass transport and conversion may offer more jobs considering the increasing demand of biomass for biofuel production but these will require more qualified workers given the complexity of second-generation biofuel technology.Skilled engineers to manage plant operations and oversee complex production processes are relatively difficult to find since unskilled and cheap labour force is abundant in developing countries. Just like what Andresito Ulgado said, if we will be reviving our rural economy, there will be an effect not only to those who are working in the biofuel production facility but same as through to the people around us because there will be a triggering effect. An example is if there is a plant in a certain area then there would be also a demand for that certain product in that particular production facility.If there would be a biofuel plantation in a certain area then there is a demand for fuel in which more job opportunities can be offered. Biofuels have been receiving greater attention in the recent years from researchers, industrialists, environmentalists, and national governments across the world. But over the past decades linkages between biofuels from staple foods and agriculture market, same as through to the environment has been analysed. Therefore scientists are trying to produce the next generation biofuel out of organic waste to meet the high demand of the fuel consumers.This will be a great help since the world market, where we are import our fuel, will be run out soon. These biofuels from organic waste is not just an alternative source of energy but can also contribute to our economic status, environment and even provide livelihood for the people. Economic impacts include reducing dependency on fossil fuels, provide energy security, generate foreign savings, economic boost and resolve issues regarding the food production. They appear to have higher greenhouse gas mitig ation compared to first-generation biofuels.Thus, these fuels can reduce the lifecycle carbon emission. However, in some aspects of the environment, these have negative impacts in which utilizing organic waste lessens the fertility of soil, consumes a large quantity of water and affects the biodiversity. For second generation biofuel, there are new jobs along the entire pathway from biomass production or collection, to biomass transport, biomass handling, conversion and finally product distribution. More jobs can be offered since there is a demand in the supply of residues and wastes.But there are some cases in which more skilled and qualified workers are needed to manage the biofuel plantation given the complexity of second-generation biofuel technologies. We generate a lot of organic waste and residues and these are available as feedstock for biofuel production. There are possibilities that these will enter the domestic market on the next twenty years. The reason why it was not ye t commercialized is because of the expensive technology that will be used in converting these wastes into a more useful one.Another factor that are seen into this biofuel is it helps on our economic status especially on food production and in saving up more foreign currency because we will no longer importing fossil fuels from other countries and can boost our agriculture and industry. On environment that can reduce CO2 and can provide new livelihood to other people. In other words, these biofuel will result into a more progress, more eco-friendly and more stable world.Utilizing these will reduce issues on food production and greenhouse gases, providing benefits in the society. Therefore, sustainable biofuel from organic waste will provide and probably will provide the source of energy in the future. REFERENCES Biofuel for transport: global potential and implication for sustainable and agriculture London; Sterling VA: Earthscan, c2007 Biofuel John Tabak PH. d 2009 Biofuel Economics in a Setting of Multiple Objectives and Unintended Consequences William K.Jaeger and Thorsten M. Egelkraut Oregon State University (2011) Sustainable Production of Second-Generation Biofuels Anselm Eisentraut 2010 February Second-Generation Biofuels Miguel A. Carriquiry, Xiaodong Du, GovindaTimilsina The World Bank Development Research Group Environment and Energy Team August 2019 From 1st to 2nd-Generation Biofuel Technologies Ralph Sims, Michael Taylor Jack Saddler, WarenMabee c OECD/IEA, November 2008 Second Generation Biofuels – Greenergy Perspectives March 2011 http://www. iea. rg/papers/2010/second_generation_biofuels. pdf http://www. thebrokeronline. eu/Articles/Driving-on-organic-waste Biofuel in Perspective W. Soetaert and Erick J. Vandame 2008 Sustainable Production of Cellulosic Feedstock for biofuels in the USA Matthew T. Carr Jane R. Tettubars 2008 Biomass Digestive to methane in Agriculture: A Sucessful Pathway for the Production and Waste Treatment Worldwide P. Weiland W. Verstraete A. Van Haardel 2008 Biofuels Act Review Urged (journal) www. iea. org/papers/2010/second gen. biofuel. pdf

Journalism Essahe

Critically evaluate the extent to which the key economic/technological challenges facing political journalism in the UK democracy are undermining the ability of the quality news media to play the role demanded of them within competitive and participatory democracies (as defined by Stromback). The quality of the Uk’s new’s media is often scrutinised and mocked for their unashamed bias political opinions, going back to the fundamentals of journalism and the diversion of right and left wing politics, it was inevitable that quality news would disintegrate into a playing field for them to dig the opposition.However, the cause of this could be down to economical and technological challenges facing the news media today, along with the decrease in political interest came the rise in commercialisation. Competitive and participatory democracies include a range of requirements from journalists to act a certain role in society.As described in The Future of Journalism in Advanced De mocracies â€Å"a competitive democracy requires of journalism the following: it should act as a watchdog or burglar alarm† giving the public the honest and truths within politics for them then to make and adequate decision based on sufficient information. A participatory democracy â€Å"requires that journalism should mobilise the citizen’s interest and participation in public life† it also states that journalism should â€Å"focus on the solving of problems and not just the problems themselves. (Anderson & Ward, 2006: 47) There are a range of economical factors, which have affected the quality of news and the role in which they are depicted to play in competitive and participatory democracies, as defined by Stromback, therefore, these have effected the roles in which journalists play in society. Increased Leisure has become a challenging factor in competing with other entertainment provisions; the various opportunities such as Sunday shopping have proven a ne gative impact on Sunday newspapers.Sunday has always been a day of rest, therefore before technology had evolved people would spend this time reading newspapers and conforming an opinion based on the quality news provided, â€Å"if we are to understand what media communications people are actually exposed to and what message content they actually receive, it makes sense to ask how people come to pay attention to a particular medium; in short, why are people moved to watch, listen to, or read a particular program or story? † (Alger, 1995: 33) ince this as drastically changed it has resulted in the commodification of news media and undermining the quality of news by selecting stories and information which attract the public’s interest and not necessarily stories of important and prominence. â€Å"Journalism has always entertained and as well as informed. Had it not done so, it would not have reached a mass audience. But today, say journalism’s critics, the instin ct amuse is driving out the will, and depleting the resource, to report and analyse in depth. (Hagreaves, 2003: 104) In addition to this, social fragmentation has multiplied and caused a decline in cohesion; at one time it was clear that there was only a limited number of views, which brought together a large number of people who had the same ideologies and preference. Now, due the increased number of major media corporation and accessibility to over-seas news there has been a massive break down in social groups.This gives the market only to options, to either supply to a niche market, targeting a particular social clad which would cause a massive loss in profit and interest for the media corporation or, to continue to target the mass market and conform to commercialization and sensationalism to attract the reader. Large corporations need the funds to run the ‘business’ and without this would simply mean a decline and eventually a complete collapse and therefore they ha ve to rely on either readers or sponsor each wanting a certain type on context.Further economical challenges facing journalism today include that increased wealth has led to the ‘culture of contentment’ theory written by Galbraith. This has resulted in the lower-class, those with fewer beneficiaries has caused a lack of interest in news media, this is due to the under class choosing to almost ignore the current political situation as it does not affect them for any good reason. â€Å"Many of the national papers are overtly and emphatically partisan.The ownership and editorial orientation are overwhelmingly toward the Conservative party and ideology, and the trend toward ownership concentration over the past couple of decades has intensified the press skew towards the Conservative party. † (Alger, 1995: 408) This shows that the upper classes fail to think about the future consequences of political decisions, as all of the UK’s news corporation are privately owned it means that the ball is in their court, however, due to the decisions being made and the lack of public interest displayed in the news media today it has unintentionally ‘shot itself in the foot. This has then led to a reduction in political interest, due to the â€Å"compression of the gap between right-wind and left-wing politics† (Anderson & Ward, 2007: 27) this occurred as a result of commercialization, as news media started to concentrate on market values rather than the role they where traditional made for it became apparent that editors where increasing the number of stories which aligned with their political stance and more so, they would glamourize this by omission of important information.It system became blurred and peoples views on politics had changed, the traditional bonds and conformations had broken down. The under class would consider the future benefits of their decisions, they would condone things which in the long run would serve them greatl y however the upper class ignored the future consequences of their decisions and this led to a collapse in political conforms. Today is the perfect visual representation of the extent to which this has occurred; the current coalition government is a product of the news media and the lack of adequate and sufficient information.Other change that evolve and continually challenge political journalism are technological and at the fast pace it is moving news media is finding it difficult to conform to traditional news values and keep the quality of news among the most popular. The development in multi-channel television has created fragmented viewing habits for the audience; this has led to a decline in some of the highest forms of quality news such as, The 10 O’clock News.This has led to conglomeration and concentration of ownership, which creates a dominated market of privately owned corporations. Although this plays an essential part in reducing costs and pressures of news media it often conforms to market driven attitudes that are in complete opposition to the roles depicted by competitive and participatory democracies. â€Å"Murdoch’s orientation towards his newspaper â€Å"properties† is a centerpiece of the current trend. As he has said: â€Å"All newspapers run to make profits†¦.I don’t run anything for respectability†. Therefore, today’s quality newspapers â€Å"have descended to the slimy and sensational- a process that might better be called Murdochization. † (Alger, 1995: 408) This also led to the declining diversity in news provisions, as competition increased it was soon wiped-out by the conformation of large corporate companies which where then driven away from their traditional role to act as a watchdog and instead, more often than not, conform around commodification such as Murdoch’s. The most nfluential and fast-paced form of technology affecting the quality of news media has to be, the birth of the Internet; this offers unlimited access to news providers all over the world and outside of the journalism profession. â€Å" ‘What the hell were we all smoking that weekend? Is the question now asked at Time Warner, according to Rupert Murdoch, reflecting upon the decision by Time Warner to sell itself into a merger with American Online at the very peak of dotcom valuations, with the result that it inflicted huge, medium term misery on it’s own shareholders. (Hargreaves, 2003: 237) The Internet was curated by news media and only to be the destroyer, since the birth of the Internet the quality of news in traditional newspapers and television has plummeted only to become the start of another line of challenges facing journalist’s everyday. The internet expanded the news media market excessively creating a mass amount of jobs, â€Å"there were so many jobs, it became difficult to recruit people into journalism training courses† (Hargreaves, 2003 : 236) Newspapers where now battling not only with their paper based competition, but a whole new level of news media.As the online market grew at a phenomenal rate its affects on newspapers included trivialisation and commercialisation, as they had to compete for the readers. Newspapers where in decline â€Å"fewer people are reading these newspapers and circulations continue their steady decline from the peak year of 1989 reflecting, at least in part, the expansion of local radio, the spiraling costs of newsprint and growing access to the internet. (Allan, 2005: 140) Journalists ethics where thrown out the window and instead superiority was given to market values, again this moves away from the traditions of the news role in UK democracies. However, without the internet, news media would have never reached the mass audience it has. It became possible to communicate all over the world which led to word news, â€Å"the global nature of the new communications network means that ind ividuals can consume journalism all over the world. This allows journalists to, in one sense increase their skills to act as the watchdog role over society, â€Å"journalism today is a two-way street or rather a multidirectional process of boundaryless space† which gives them the ability to give us information which has prominence to us. Although this has created massive opportunities in some respect, it will always revolve around profit hungry organisations, one would not exist without the other. With the increase in technology an increase in a journalist skill also applies, the newsroom requires a multi-skilled journalist to be able to source and construct relevant stories.However, due to the decreasing news media market journalism has been led to ‘downsizing’ therefore, journalists are now required to do more, with this comes a failure in the idea of democratic media, omission being one of the key factors undermining todays news media quality. As journalists b ecome pressured it is apparent that a lack of important information can be an accidental mistake, â€Å"Evidently more journalists than ever are feeling alarmed about their professions credibility problems with the public, due in part to their perception that standards of accuracy are in decline. (Allan, 2005: 6) With an endless amount of content, this is inevitably going to apply to news media if they continue to make cuts; this in itself proves the undermining role of quality news in todays democracies, they are willing to sacrifice the important information and acting as a watchdog role, over making cuts to increase on profits. As the internet continues to build a news media empire, newspapers are inclined to follow suit and this is where the lack of journalist ethics appears. Editors, pressured by intense competition for readers, demand that staff cut ethical corners; and competition among staff encourages some to respond† (Hargreaves, 2003: 221) with the pressures to dow nsize journalists are forced to reconcile their role in society and conform to the multi-news corporations and their needs for increased profits.This has also resulted in a decline in independent journalist sources, newspaper are now relying on PR material to build a sustainable story, however, this causes the quality of news to disappear completely, they are building a headline to attract the viewer and then using bogus, second-hand information and sources to build the context. â€Å"The majority believes that the news media pay too little attention to complex stories. † (Allan, 2005: 7) This is a result off multi-corporate news organisations who often ignore the role in which journalism should play in the UK’s democracies defined by Stromback. Journalists in a commercial setting are primarily working for their shareholders’ profits† (Hargreaves, 2003: 178) as a result the quality of news has decreased and it merely concentrates on entertainment news. To conclude, quality news has decreased as a result of technological and economical challenges. The extent to this bares down to the journalist and their ethics, most of which have conformed to different ideologies by large news corporations.The role in which Stromback demands of the UK’s political journalism is highly unachieved in today’s society; this is due to the increased pressures from large competition in the global news media market today. â€Å"Underlying this global expansion are specific economic factors, First, media products have relatively low reproduction costs. Second, they can be resold without requiring any additional outlay by producers, and hence once production costs are covered, they generate pure profits for their owners. (Curran & Gurevitch, 2005: 94) It has become an unavoidable need to concentrate on the market values due to the high number of privately owned news corporations, as a result of this journalist ethics and intentions within a democ racy, outlined by Stromback are completely ignored. The news media is now in a situation where it coexists with market values, it is unavoidable and an inevitable fact that this has resulted in the commercialisation and sensationalism of quality news. British local press is characterized by a sustained decline in the number of published titles, publisher’s readers and circulations although, paradoxically, this decline coexists with robust and expansive advertising revenues and profits. † (Allan, 2005: 141) it is now unavoidable and can not be undone, without multi-channel television or the birth of the internet would not have come this global force which allows the public to explore willingly, the news media, whether it is written professionally or not. 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An Analysis and Evaluation of Rep.Tammy Baldwin's Respect for Marriage Research Paper

An Analysis and Evaluation of Rep.Tammy Baldwin's Respect for Marriage Act - Research Paper Example If arguing from a utilitarian standpoint, I will be able to prove that the Baldwin’s decision to push for the Respect for Marriage Act is in fact a morally good decision. I will be able to do this despite rebuttals from the critics of utilitarianism and the proponents of Kantian ethics. The issue of same-sex marriage has always been a moral issue in the United States, as well as in the rest of the world. In the United States, despite the American Psychiatric Association declaring in 1973 that homosexuality is not a disease (â€Å"Facts about Homosexuality,† UCDavis), religious and conservative groups in the country have maintained their stance on homosexuality despite the fact that European countries like the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as neighboring Canada, have instituted same-sex marriages (Robinson). Despite the fact that the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia have already begun issuing m arriage licenses to same-sex couples, 37 states are still under the Defense of Marriage Act (â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage,† NCSL). This means that the majority of the states, as well as the federal government, still do not recognize the sanctity and legality of same-sex marriages even in those states that allow such kind of marital union. This is where Wisconsin Representative Tammy Baldwin comes in and her Respect for Marriage Act. This bill, which is sponsored by 108 members of the Congress (â€Å"Openly-Gay,† NPR.org), is, according to Baldwin, the answer to the â€Å"unconstitutional† and â€Å"un-American† Defense of Marriage Act (â€Å"Openly-Gay,† NPR.org). The Respect for Marriage Act, if enacted, will repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and will restore the rights of same-sex marriage couples to receive the benefits of marriage as prescribed by federal law. Another purpose of the bill is for same-sex marriages in the states that institute them t o be recognized by the federal government as well as the other states that do not institute such a type of marriage (â€Å"Respect for Marriage Act,† HRC.org; â€Å"Political Positions†). In fact, the bill was re-introduced in Congress on March 16, 2011 (â€Å"Respect for Marriage Act,† HRC.org). Representative Baldwin, who is one of the staunch defenders of the bill and one of the six representatives who reintroduced it in Congress (â€Å"Respect for Marriage Act,† Okeq.org), pushes for the approval of the bill with determination and conviction perhaps due to the fact that she herself is openly gay (â€Å"Openly-Gay,† NPR.org). The fact that Baldwin is homosexual herself may somehow account for her purely altruistic motives in pushing for the bill, whereas the heterosexual congressmen who cosponsor the bill may somehow do it only for hidden political agendas. Baldwin, however, may actually be motivated to do it purely for the sake of all her gay f ellows. With around 9 million gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, adults in the United States who are ready to benefit from the institution of the act (â€Å"New Research,† The Williams Institute), the question now is whether this decision of Representative Baldwin is morally good or not. Based, however, on a recent Pew poll survey, 45% support same-sex marriage and 46% oppose it (â€Å"Respecting,† LA Times). This data is hopefully representative of the currently 310.5 million Americans (Schlesinger, USNews).

Is Advertising for Fools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Is Advertising for Fools - Essay Example This "Is Advertising for Fools?" essay describes the different techniques that ad uses to attract customers and how it impact on our preferences and consumers' behavior. Communication What is communication? Understanding consumer behaviour and the buying decision-making process is easy if the process of communication is mastered. Communication is the process of sending a message passing through a channel or medium to a receiver from whom a response is elicited. This definition can be summarized in a diagram as in Figure 2 (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2004). Communication has five components: The first is the sender, who formulates or begins the message, identifies the receiver and specifies the reaction that is expected, and then specifies the channel that will be used. Using a boy who wants to attract a girl’s attention as an example, his simple message (the second component of the communication process) can be: â€Å"Are you free for lunch?† The message is intended for the girl. The expected reaction, which is the fifth component, we can assume, would be â€Å"Yes!† It can also be assumed that the boy is willing to spend for the girl’s lunch. Later, once he becomes better at marketing, he can get the girl to pay for the lunch. Going back to the example, the boy can then choose any of several channels, the third component of the process: a mobile phone call, text messaging, an e-mail, a live channel (a friend who knows the girl), or an old-fashioned communication channel: a folded, scented, coloured sheet of paper with the message written on it.

HRM2013 Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

HRM2013 Human Resource Management - Essay Example The team was very positive with everyone’s suggestions and it further developed a great bond between all the participants. Everyone in the team was involved and there was a great understanding of each person’s strength and weakness. (Definition of team building, n.d) We had adopted Bruce Tuckman’s Team theory where the team’s development was split into 4 phases. Creating a structure for the group where each team member would fit in by carefully assessing each person’s ability. The team members attempt to have a leader within the group who would direct the team members. The team begins to establish rules, goals, objectives and work as a team together The last phase is the performance of the task by the team members. It is at this phase that the team starts growing together. (Teamwork Theories, n.d) There are different ways in which the team can be more successful. The employee’s attitude towards work can affect the outcome and negatively impac t the end customers. The team leader needs to ensure that the employees are co-cooperative which will increase teamwork. Respect is a very important aspect in work environment. As a team manager, one needs to understand and respect employee’s feelings, frustrations and respond appropriately than reacting to an employee’s non-productivity. The second most important way for the team to be successful is listen to the employee’s problems and not criticize or discount the issue. Acknowledging and communication helps the employees feel valued. The third most important factor that makes the team very successful is to engage the employees to do their work. If the company trusts the employees and if the employees are comfortable with the workplace, then the next level is to make the employees actively participate in decision making, publicly acknowledge the employees ideas and feedback. (Marlene, 2011) JOB ANALYSIS The primary role of a class representative to the board of studies is to be the point of contact between the academic leaders, students and parents. This role is voluntary and this nomination would be for an academic year. An effective class representative would provide valuable suggestions and contribution to the school community. This also includes several personal benefits which include many people, exposure and experience. This also provides a good platform to exercise leadership and initiate change. It also provides an opportunity to voice out opinions, concerns, feedback regarding the school. A certificate of recognition for the contributions and leadership skills would also be provided by the school thus helping them in their future jobs. (Class Representative- Job Description, n.d) Class representatives play a very important role in the school community. They are very instrumental in keeping the class in contact with the parents association and the school management. The main requirements or the prerequisites of being a school re presentative is to Be enthusiastic Hold good relations with the management and the class members Have good leadership skills Represent the class members views and feedback The role of a school representative involves a great amount of responsibility and leadership. The class representative needs to bring forward any opinions, improvement, suggestions and feedback from the class and take it to the management. The other aspect is to get feedback from the class representative regarding the policies, fees structure, and academic environment, based on the feedback from the school

Law - Roe vs. Wade Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Law - Roe vs. Wade - Term Paper Example Background Roe v. Wade arose because women were being deprived the right to choose what they wish to do with their bodies1. This is because abortion was illegal in all the states in the United States. There were strict laws, which forced many women into bad situations in any case they carry out an abortion illegally. In some instances, a number of women died as a result of unsafe abortion. Some women even tried to terminate their pregnancies themselves. Some other women chose to relocate to other countries to have safe, legal abortion. However, in the United States it was noted that a large number of women could not afford to move to other countries where abortion is legal to have their pregnancies terminated. A group of women in Texas was not happy with the situation. They argued that every woman should be allowed to choose what happened to her body. They therefore started advocating for change of law so that they could be given the right2. In 1970, the women hired two lawyers to re present them in their quest to have abortion legalized. The two lawyers presented a suit in Texas court challenging the abortion law. In the process, they found a young woman who intended to terminate her pregnancy and were willing to represent all the other expectant women in Texas who also wanted to have abortion. In order to protect her identity she was nicknamed Jane Roe3. The case was given a node and proceeded all through to the Supreme Court. Attorneys for the state of Texas however were conservative and wanted the law to remain as it was. They bear the opinion that a pregnant mother should give up her rights since the fetus rights are more important4. To counter this, the Jane Roe’s lawyer argued that women had a right to privacy, which included choosing to terminate pregnancy. The case has proved to be among the most controversial in the United States history, and many people still debates it to date. Many years after Roe, Americans still remain divided over the abor tion rights. Data on opinion polls show majority Americans in support if some aspects of abortion rights with regard while others are still of the view that the decision should be overruled and abortion remain illegal5. Subject Proponents ABC News-Washington post poll conducted thirteen years after the case of Roe v. Wade indicates that 57 percent of respondents polled stated the that abortion should remain legal. A Gallup opinion poll of 2011 showed that 49 % of those polled identified themselves with Roe6. Some proponents of Roe case especially led by women feminist argue that a woman’s right to choose abortion is a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution7. Therefore, it is the prerogative of a woman to choose what to do with her body. As a result, the constitution has a right to protect the fundamental rights to privacy of women. The feminist movement and other proponents of Roe argue that fetus is not a human being. As such, abortion is a matter of terminating pre gnancy and not killing a baby. They say that there is no biological proof to show that personhood starts at conception. To them a personhood starts when a person is born8. The proponents also say that fetus is not capable of feeling pain when terminating pregnancy. They cite a research carried out by Stuart Derbyshire, PhD, Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham who found out that a fetus is not capa

Bio-remediation of Oil Spills using Microbes Essay

Bio-remediation of Oil Spills using Microbes - Essay Example Apart from the above, people illegally may dump the pollutants such as the crude oil into the sea. Moreover, terrorists may also cause the oil spills just to destroy the country’s resources. The major victims of the oil spills occurring in the sea would be the aquatic animals and other marine living organisms which include plants under the sea. Thus, cleaning up and recovering from the oil spill are a major tasks and it is mainly based on the factors such as the nature of the oil that is being spilled, the quantity or the amount and the nature of the area being affected. There are different methods for cleaning up the oil spills which ensemble chemical treatment and Bioremediation. Bioremediation is the process of using the microorganisms to break down and remove the pollutants. â€Å"Bioremediation usually involves the use of biological agents to detoxify a contaminated environment† (Thangarajan et al., 2011). Thus, the noxious wastes of the oil spill can be effectivel y treated using microorganisms isolated and selected from the oil-contaminated environments to biodegrade the hydrocarbons in oil spill are a very promising technique for treatment of oil spills. This paper will feature the function of certain species of bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis and their role in Bio-remediation. Biodegradation by natural population of microorganisms can be considered as one of the primary mechanism by which the oil spills which are rich in petroleum hydrocarbons can be eradicated from the environment. The major success of the oil spills bioremediation mainly depends on the nature of the hydrocarbons and one’s ability to maintain and establish the conditions that favors the growth of the microorganisms in the particular contaminated environment. Therefore, the physical and the chemical characteristic of the oil and the oil spill area are the vital determinants in the bioremediation process. Thus, bioremediation encompasses the accelerated biodegradation in a natural way. Bioremediation techniques can be carried out in two different ways namely the in-situ or ex-situ methods. â€Å"In in-situ processes, the biological remediation is conducted at the contaminated site, whereas in ex-situ processes, the contaminated medium is extracted and processed off-site purification facilities.† (Rezende et al, n.d). Thus, bioremediation involves the processes of biostimulation and bioaugmentation. The Phenomenon of biostimulation comprises of addition of nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous and thereby enhancing the growth of the microorganisms through adjusting the environmental conditions such as the temperature, moisture and aeration etc. Thus, most of the bacterial species such as Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Cornybacterium are able to degrade the contaminants effectively under favorable environmental conditions and enriched nutrient supply. (Salami & Elum, 2008). On the other hand, the ot her phenomenon known as the bioaugmentaion where the microorganisms are able to degrade the specific oil spill contaminants namely the hydrocarbons are also being implemented. Therefore, bioremediation can be clearly understood as the phenomenon that exploits the microbial diversity and their metabolic versatility to convert noxious chemical oil spill contami

Close reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Close reading - Essay Example One really comes across dramatic monologue in passionate love songs as the poem appears to be at the start. By using this dramatic monologue the protagonist seems to be trying to strike a rapport with the listeners. The other thing is that this usage of the dramatic monologue in the poem allows the poet to draw the psychologically complex characters of Prufrock. At the beginning of the poem is placed an epigraph taken from Dante’s Inferno. The poet uses this epigraph to bring in a deeper understanding of the poem through the usage of context and meaning. Dante here represents the converse of what Prufrock has come to be. Unlike Dante, Prufrock repeatedly fails to be a person who has a genuine passion and emotions. In contrast the emotional and mental state of Prufrock is very much like Guido de Montefetltro on his way to the flames. Hence, very much like Guido, Prufrock here comes out as being a very isolated and wasted individual. In the poem TS Eliot has resorted to a rhyme scheme that is irregular, without being utterly random. Though in parts the poem appears to be in free verse, actually speaking the poem happens to be a combination of many types of poetic forms. Besides, in this poem Eliot has also resorted to the use of refrains like,†In the room the women come and go/Talking of Michelangelo (13-14).† This refrain is also accompanied by repeated questions asked and doubts conveyed by Prufrock. Eliot uses this poetic style in the poem to convey the disturbed mental state of a neurotic character who is Prufrock. This fragmented and discontinued poetic style allows the poet to reveal the fact that although Prufrock presents oneself as being aesthetic, actually speaking he is totally non-romantic. The state of Prufrock represents the state of emotional bonds in the modern times. Time and again in the poem Prufrock conveys his dissatisfaction with the environment amidst which he is moving. These

Texting while driving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Texting while driving - Essay Example These efforts that include commercial like the AT& T have in the past failed and still show no sign of succeeding in future due to the following: first, the ever growing culture which sees vehicles as haven, roving office and friendly place where people do whatever they like. The second reason is the culture of connection that has left most people afraid with the issue of being left out. Lastly, the technological culture that leaves many trapped in a bias where they are tempted to permit the act first and only ask question later. Some supporters of the idea of texting while driving argue that it only becomes bad when the act takes place while the driver is on a high speed. It is on this ground that some people recommend that wireless mobile service providers ban texting incase the phone is detected to be moving faster than 20miles per hour. It has been suggested that phone makers configure the mobile devices to automatically advice persons communicating from the other side the driver is on the wheels. But is driving and texting really sinful? Does it go against God’s standards of what is right? It is not debatable that drinking and driving is unethical. The same applies to similar acts such as drugs and driving, speedy driving in a school zone or construction area where men are at work. Again it may be important to take a break and ask why these acts are considered unethical driving. The answer will obviously be based on the idea that it endangers other people’s lives (Rachels, and Stuart). Now coming back to the current scenario, it is argued that texting does not tamper with people’s intellect like drugs and alcohol. However, it is important to note that texting and driving greatly affect the sense of sight, a key element while driving. It is on this ground that everything about it becomes wrong. Taking the ideas carried in the consequentialism theory of morality and

Salem witch trials Essay Example for Free

Salem witch trials Essay In the commentary, â€Å"Do Video Games Kill†, Karen Sternheimer brings to light an interesting and incredibly controversial subject; are video games to blame for youth gun violence? She maintains that due to many biased opinions; political, religious and advocacy groups, the media have failed to provide ample information to the public resulting in the inability to form an educated opinion, in turn causing a mass hysteria resulting in tougher security guidelines in schools, stricter juvenile laws and far less personal and parental responsibility. An incredibly popular first person shooter video game, Doom, is ripe with gratuitous violence. So much so that it has been blamed for several mass shootings, perpetrated by middle-class, white, young-adult males. The media, politicians, advocacy groups as well as the FBI are steadfast in claiming that the only rational explanation is that of the individuals falling prey to the aggression inciting video game. In short, the violent video game made them do it. One might be reminded of the Salem Witch Trials, where no educated explanation can be derived, those which cannot defend themselves, no matter how far-fetched the reasoning, is the obvious answer. Religious and political dogma has run rampant. The media have created unnecessary fear and moral panic to legitimize their personal agendas under the guise of â€Å"protecting children†. More often than not, alternate explanations are not even taken into consideration. Depression, poverty, ignorance, self deprecation, bullying, violent home life are seldom cited and when cited are not explored in depth. The justice system in nearly every state has revised its juvenile justice laws to increase their penalties in many ways; however, the Supreme Court deemed juvenile executions unconstitutional, which in turn created even more fodder for the paranoid masses.

Water Scarcity Could Result in War Essay Example for Free

Water Scarcity Could Result in War Essay Water is a very important resource since no one can live without water. In many countries especially those enclosed by borders, water remains to be a scarce resource. Because of many factors such as pollution and climate change, water has become a greater issue and has been identified as a possible cause for war. It is of greater importance in comparison to oil since people can live without oil but not without water. Even as much of the earth is composed of water, only 2. 5 percent is not saline and two thirds of this 2. 5 percent is frozen in ice caps and glaciers. At least 20 percent of what remains are situated in areas away from civilization. Consequently, humans have access to only 0. 08 percent of the planet’s water not to mention a portion of this that is not potable because of pollutants. With a limited supply of potable water and a demand that is expected to increase by 40 percent in the next two decades, the world is facing a water crisis (Kirby). India is one country that is experiencing a water crisis and it is not expected that the level of precipitation in India would increase to make up for a relatively high rate of population increase. Another factor that affects the water supply in India is that much of its rivers are polluted. This urged the local government to act and clean all major rivers. Professor Klaus Topfer explains that the world population is increasing but the amount of drinking water available does not increase which results in conflict over the resource (Joshi). The water crisis in India could even spark war with China as the latter diverted the flow of the Brahmaputra River, coming from Tibet flowing into the mainland and into India, in order to bring water to water-scarce areas in the country. This has spawned tension between the already not-so-good relations between the two countries. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh talked to Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao about the issue when he visited Beijing but Jiabao argued that the move is critical to the country’s survival (Ramachandran). Numerous other countries have had conflicts regarding water supply. Turkey planned to build a dam on the Euphrates River. Syria accused Turkey of meddling with their water supply which almost triggered war between the two nations. Tension also existed between Botswana, Namibia and Angola because of the Okavango basin. Additionally, conflict has existed between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia because of water from the Nile River. Water scarcity was also a crucial factor in the Arab-Israeli war in 1967. Israel mainly controls the Jordan River which causes Jordan and Palestine to suffer from a limited water supply (Reid). Even states within the United States have engaged in conflict with each other because of the scarcity of drinking water. In October 2007, Alabama filed a complaint against the Engineer Corp for reducing the water released from Lake Allatoona which will have serious implications on the state’s water supply as well as the navigability of the Alabama River. Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue wanted to cut the release of water from Lake Lanier into Chattahoochee River which means taking water from Alabama as Georgia is suffering from a severe drought (Dille). According to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, â€Å"water scarcity threatens economic and social gains and is a potent fuel for wars and conflict. † Several environment experts in Great Britain also pointed in the same direction. They have identified 46 countries that are vulnerable to a water crisis arising from climate change and other crises that could result in violent conflict. These 46 countries are home to more than 2. 7 billion people (Trumpet). Various studies and models suggest that climate change will have a significant impact on the availability of freshwater resources, on water quality, and on the demand for water. Climate and regional hydrologic models suggest changes in the variability of storms, in the frequency, intensity, and area of tropical disturbances, and in the frequency of droughts and flooding in particular areas. (van der Molen Hildering 136) However, climate change may not be the real reason behind the water crisis, also considering that climate change whether it is true or not is still unproven. Even if the world’s water supply was not affected by climate change, the supply would still not be able to meet the demand. There needs to be 20 percent more potable water in order to satisfy the demand once world population reaches 8 billion in 2005 (Trumpet). In 2001, United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan said that war, instead of being triggered by the battle for oil, would be triggered by the scarcity of water resources. Probable sites of conflict are bodies of water such as rivers that are shared by a number of countries (AAP). It may be noted that conflict had always been caused by the battle for resources even as people are not aware of it. This is the natural law for survival (Mason). Water is a very important resource since it is critical for the survival of humans aside from its other uses. Many countries have already engaged in conflict with other countries because of water. Even US states have had quarrels with each other because of the scarcity of the resource. In the future, war would be fought for water instead of oil and this is hardly an exaggeration. The world is a game of survival and people need water to survive. If there is not enough of the resource, it can be expected that people would fight over it. Works Cited AAP. 2006. â€Å"Lack of water, energy could cause war. † Energy Refuge. December 18, 2008 http://www. energyrefuge. com/archives/energy_and_war. htm Dille, Shannon. 31 October 2007. â€Å"Drought Causes Water War Among Southern States. † Samford Crimson. December 18, 2008 http://media. www. samfordcrimson. com/media/storage/paper1166/news/2007/10/31/News/Drought. Causes. Water. War. Among. Southern. States-3068251. shtml Joshi, Yateendra. 26 February 2003. â€Å"Water: cause for war in the future. † Mumbai Central. December 18, 2008 http://www. mumbai-central. com/nukkad/feb2003/msg00891. html Kirby, Alex. 2 June 2000. â€Å"Dawn of a thirsty century. † British Broadcasting Corporation. December 18, 2008 http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/science/nature/755497. stm Mason, Betsy. 21 November 2008. â€Å"The Science of the Future of War. † Wired. December 18, 2008 http://blog. wired. com/wiredscience/2008/11/sex-and-war-exc. html Ramachandran, Sudha. 12 August 2008. â€Å"India quakes over China’s water plan. † War In Iraq. December 18, 2008 http://iraqwar. mirror-world. ru/article/183411 Reid, John. 28 February 2006. â€Å"Water Wars: Climate change may spark conflict. † Independent. December 18, 2008 http://www. independent. co. uk/environment/water-wars-climate-change-may-spark-conflict-467957. html â€Å"Water Scarcity: A Cause for War. † 6 December 2007. Trumpet. December 18, 2008 http://www. thetrumpet. com/index. php? q=4532. 2790. 0. 0 Van der Molen, Irna Hildering, Antoinette. â€Å"Water: cause for conflict or co-operation? † Journal on Science and World Affairs 1. 2005:136.

How Modern And Ancient Military Conflict Differs History Essay

How Modern And Ancient Military Conflict Differs History Essay How does modern military conflict differ from ancient military conflict? What accounts for these differences? Ancient warfare began before history was recorded to the end of the ancient period. Ancient warfare was more centered on organization than technology. During Ancient warfare, mass was the key element for battles. Modern warfare is the methods, concepts, and technology that came out of World War II. As a result total war created the need to develop war policy with changed the awareness of tactical, operational, and strategic information. Ancient and modern warfare are different from the make-up of the armies, the tactics and weapons, and the transition to total warfare. In Ancient Warfare, the beginnings of modern armies began to rise. There were four main ways the armies were in ancient times, infantry, cavalry, chariot and naval. Infantry was the beginning of armies. It allowed for many countries to win by accumulated mass. Then the use of horses allowed for cavalry to be created. Further development created the use of the chariot as a device both of transportation and of battle became the central weapon. The naval power also began during ancient times as the method to control the seas. There are several types of modern warfare. It also includes a similar setup that ancient warfare used. The types of modern warfare are: asymmetrical, biological, chemical, electronic, ground, guerrilla, psychological, naval, and nuclear. Asymmetrical warfare is also known as terrorism. Biological warfare is fought by using germs. Chemical warfare is the use of toxic substances. Electronic warfare is cracking the enemyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s code or jamming their system s. Ground warfare includes the infantry, armor and artillery. Guerrilla warfare if fought with irregular troops. Psychological warfare is used to instill fear and terror to support the achievement of national objectives. Naval warfare is fought on a larger scale in the oceans and nuclear warfare uses nuclear weapons. The development of technologies created what is known as modern warfare today. With these technologies tactics, strategy, and weapons were also developed. During ancient times, the ancient strategy focused broadly on two goals. To convince the enemy that continued war was more costly than submitting, and make the most gain from war as possible. Forcing the enemy to submit generally consisted of defeating their army in the field. Once the enemyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s force was routed, the threat of siege, civilian deaths, and the like often forced the enemy to the bargaining table resulting in gaining simple profit. In modern warfare, the goals are simply to stop one from controlling the entire world. The use of tactics in ancient times depended on the sizes and skill levels of both armies, the unit types of both, terrain and positional advantages of both armies, and the weather. In a modern sense, the battles are always fought no matter what the opposition has, the terrain, nor the weath er. Ancient weapons consisted of the bow and arrow, the sling; pole arms such as the spear and javelin; hand-to-hand weapons such as swords, spears, clubs, maces, axes, and knives. Catapults, siege towers, and battering rams were used during sieges. Modern weapons consist of more missile type weapons such as the gun. There are also grenades, mines, missile launchers, and many other systems. During Ancient times, Greek warfare was a limited and ritualized form of conflict. Armies of hoplites would meet on the battlefield and decide the outcome in a single day. During the Peloponnesian War, however, the fighting lasted for years and consumed the economic resources of the participating city-states. In modern times, the United States underwent total mobilization of all national resources for the Second World War. Previously untouched sections of the nation mobilized for the war effort. Academics became technocrats; home-makers became bomb-makers, massive numbers of women worked in heavy industry during the war; union leaders and businessmen became commanders in the massive armies of production.  The great scientific communities of the United States were mobilized as never before, and mathematicians, doctors, engineers, and chemists turned their minds to the problems ahead of them. There is a big evolution from ancient warfare to modern warfare. Ancient warfare was mostly centered on organization, such as the use of the phalanx, and modern warfare focuses on technology and the use of information. During ancient times, the goals of the civilization were to have personal gain of simple profit and in modern times the goals are to stop one person from controlling the entire globe. Also ancient warfare focused on hand-to-hand combat while modern warfare focuses on the use of missiles and information. There was also the transition from limited warfare to total warfare to develop technologies need for a countries goal. Overall, ancient and modern warfare are different from the make-up of the armies, the tactics and weapons, and the transition to total warfare. OVERALL GRADE: 86.5/100 CONTENT: 40/50 You did an average job explaining some of the differences between ancient warfare and modern warfare. But, you got some of it wrong. Also, you did not adequately tell me WHY these differences occurred. I realize that this paper was written in a 2 hour time period, but I certainly hoped that you would have done a slightly better job at organizing your thoughtsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Remember, this type of writing is relatively simple. Step 1: come up with your thesis (opinion). Step 2: state three facts that support you thesis. Step 3: conclude your paper by telling me your opinion, again, and quickly reviewing your supporting arguments. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc: 46.5/50

Computers and Speech Recognition: Techniques and Applications

Computers and Speech Recognition: Techniques and Applications Abstract Speech is the most natural and common way of communication between people. It would seem only natural that computer development would eventually progress to the point where people would want to extend the human-computer interface to include speech. Once this happened, numerous techniques were explored. The goals of speech recognition became more and more ambitious, and researchers today continue to push the limits of what computers can do with the spoken word. This paper examines the problem of computer speech recognition by looking at the steps involved in getting from a spoken word to the word's recognition by the machine. The difficulties of continuous speech recognition will be enumerated and examined, as will the most popular recognition technique used today. The analysis ends with a brief description of some of the applications of speech recognition. Introduction Simply put, speech recognition is difficult. A computer does not have a useful thing called an ear that enables it to hear sounds, or a brain to process those sounds into recognizable words and phrases. There are three main stages involved in speech recognition: preprocessing, recognition, and communication. Preprocessing involves taking the speech input and converting it into something the computer can use. During the recognition stage, the computer must identify what has been said. Finally, in the communication stage, the computer acts upon the translated input (Markowitz). There are many inherent difficulties involved in speech recognition. For example, human speech can span more than 20,000 frequencies. A computer would quickly become overwhelmed by data if it was supplied with eve... ...e applications where they could be useful. For many people in the past few years, speech recognition has moved from just being a novelty to becoming an important tool used in their everyday lives. References Books 1. Markowitz, Judith A. Using Speech Recognition. Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1996. 2. Keller, Eric. Fundamentals of Speech Synthesis and Speech Recognition. John Wiley & Sons, 1994. 3. Hollingum, Jack and Cassford, Graham. Speech Technology at Work. IFS Publications, Ltd, 1988. WWW Sites 1. http://www.linfield.edu/~dbrewer/speech/spchi.html College student's informative summary paper on speech recognition 2. http://www.speech.usyd.edu.au/comp.speech/FAQ6.html One of many speech recognition questions answered. FOR MORE INFORMATION http://www.speech.usyd.edu.au/comp.speech/SpeechLinks.html A large list of Speech Recognition links on the web.

Civil War Sectionalism :: essays research papers

North and South The United States of America, the great democratic experiment, was just that. Not since the great Greek culture had a government of, for, and by the people existed. The entire world felt, that on a large scale, democracy would inevitably lead to anarchy; our founding fathers were determined to prove them wrong. But as the political stand off with the British became a secession issue, a great issue split the future nation. Slavery, a southern necessity, both social and economic, threatened the unity of our nation. A nation that would one day be the greatest the world had ever known. During the development of the thirteen colonies, diversity set in early. In the south the temperate climate made the growth of tobacco a suitable and very profitable business. Cultivation of this crop required a lot of land, and therefore settlers lived far apart. Northern Colonies, though, were much more dependent on small farms, with closely knit communities. These differences were the se ed of a sectional division that would plague the nation for a century. During the late seventeenth century, this fissure in the ideals of the colonies became apparent. Following the constant political irreverence from Britain, a majority of colonial representatives felt the need for independence. The Declaration of Independence was the document written to do this. It called for an abolition of slavery as well as freedom from British rule. Unfortunately, the South would hear nothing of it. Being strong defenders of states rights, most of the Southern states adhered to their believe in a government less like a supreme authority and more like a dominion of independent states. They would rather stay loyal to their oppressive government than participate in one that shunned their way of life. In order to keep their dreams of independence, they North was forced to make the one cession they did not wish to make. In order to keep a unified nation, the slavery issue was deliberately absent fr om the Declaration. Some of the Northern delegates were outraged, but none more than John Adams. A renowned proponent of equal rights, he was one of few that saw the irony in establishing a free society without freeing those in bondage. John Adams seems now more like Nostrodamus when he voiced his concern about the slavery issue for future generations. He did not know it, but the couldn’t have been more right.

Salem Witch Trials Essay -- Essays Papers

Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch Trials was probably considered the darkest time for the New England Colony. This was a mass murder of women and a few men that were supposed witches. All of this started from two little girls and a bacteria in the bread that affected the brain. This all started on January 20,1692 when nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris and eleven-year-old Abigail Williams started to exhibit strange behavior. Blasphemous screaming, Seizures, Trance-like states and Mysterious spells. After this was noticed other young girls from around Salem began acting the same way. By February No one was able to find any physical causes that could explain why this was happening. So when no physical ailment was determined the physicians they determined that the girls were under the influence of Satan. Reverend Samuel Parris held prayer Services and fasting in hopes of relieving the evil forces that plagued them. In an effort to expose Witches John Indian baked a witch cake made with rye meal and the affected girls’ urine. This was, in theory, to be a counter-magic to reveal the identities of the witches to the affected girls. Under pressure to identify the sources of affliction, the girls’ named three women Tituba, Parris’ Carib Indian slave, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. On the 29 of February arrest warrants went out and the women were arrested. On March 1 magistrates John Hothorne and Jonathan Corwin examined them. Osborne and Good maintained their innocence while Tituba confessed that she saw the devil in the forms of a hog and dog. Yet the thing that started the whole witch-hunt was the comment that she made saying that there was a conspiracy of witches at work in Salem. Over the following months towns folk ca... ...e yet on the 25 of November a Superior Court was founded to finish off the last few witch trails and clear this subject. All those in these trials were proven innocent and released thus ending the Salem Witch Trials. Though the Trials ended in Salem the fire was spreading all over the New England states and thus the trials and deaths went on till those too died down. Yet even after that, the idea of witches never died as they are still with us today and they are most predominate in Salem, where it all began. Works Cited Salem Witch Trials Chronology, Salem Offices of Tourism and Cultural Affairs available at http://www.salemweb.com/memorialAccessed March 1,1999 Salem Witch Trials, Salem Witch Museum, available at http://salemwitchmuseum.com/learn2.html Levack, Brian P. Witchcraft in Colonial America. New York, Garlend Pub., 1992

Islamic Studies †Death and Disease Essay

Death and disease occur all around us; they are universal human experiences. Muslims look upon death as a transitional phase between this life and the next. Since ‘the enjoyment of the present life is but little as compared with the hereafter’ a true Muslim shall not fear death. Death and disease are both necessary methods of biological control, without which problems such as overpopulation would be widespread. They also allow us to appreciate life and good health respectively, without which our society is likely to take a lot more for granted. The classic theistic view of this life being a test by God is one upheld by Muslims. In perspective of this, disease is principally viewed as one of the ways of carrying out this test – the ultimate reward for which being paradise. A practical utopia in which there is no suffering would lead to a world of automata; one in which our freedom would be undermined and thus nullifying the test for which we were placed on earth. Those of us who abuse this freedom and live for this life alone shall be punished by Allah, some remaining in hell for eternity. This can be seen by some to conflict with God’s mercy as it may seem harsh, however Muslims take the view that it is necessary so as to differentiate fully between good and evil, awarding each only what they deserve. Disease can be one of the means of coming to death and is an experience that comes to us all. It can be seen to have several purposes depending on the circumstances. The following verse illustrates Muslim’s views on life being a test: â€Å"He who has created death and life that he might try you-which of you is best in deeds.† In order to be tested we must undergo hardship- disease being one example. Those with patience and who affirm their faith whilst saying as all who are suffering should: â€Å"Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return† are those who will have succeeded in the test. Those who blame Allah and result in blasphemy or kufr are those who will have failed. This test is essential as it allows differentiation between the latter and the former. The word test in Arabic can also mean misfortune, an example of which being disease, which has other purposes besides being a test. Yet only Allah is able to assess these purposes and thus we are only able to make generalised comments. For the believer, disease or more generally misfortune is a bounty from Allah as it can be a means of purification of sins and also enduring disease increases our reward. The prophet was reported to have said: ‘You are not a believer until you see misfortune to be a bounty and good fortune to be undesirable’ This is because many of those who are given the ‘illusory’ pleasures of this life stray from the right path, for as we know ‘power corrupts.’ All misfortune to believers is of benefit. A Muslim scholar was reported to have said. â€Å"God did not cause disease upon a Muslim in this life but that it will be of benefit to him.† Thus it is common that Allah gives Muslims the most misfortune, they are suffering from disease in all parts of the world- yet it shall be of benefit to them. Yet why are those non-believers not usually tested equally? It is because they have already failed in their test- Satan needs not spend time with those who are already corrupt. The Prophet peace be upon him was reported to have said: â€Å"The greater Allah’s love for a person the harder is his test† Thus there is a hierarchy of misfortune, the greatest being upon the greatest of us, notably the prophets. Yet for the disbeliever the hereafter begins to manifest itself in this life. Disease can be seen as a just punishment brought upon by themselves: â€Å"And whatever misfortune befalls you, is due to what your own hands have wrought† A contemporary example of this being the sexually transmitted diseases present in today’s ever-increasing promiscuous society. Surely AIDS and the like of it were brought about by ‘their own hands’? However, the above verse does not apply to true Muslims as the following explains: When Ali, son of Hussein-the grandson of the Prophet, was taken to Yazid to be tortured by him, Yazid said â€Å"And whatever misfortune†¦.hands† Ali replied, â€Å"This verse is not concerning us (me), that which is regarding us is ‘There befalls no misfortune either in the earth or in your own persons, but it is recorded in a Book before We bring it into being’ † Thus Muslims are expected to be patient and to endure disease. Islam has taken various measures to help those with disease. The Quran rightly says, â€Å"There is no inconvenience for the sick.† This is reflected in the fact that those who are ill do not need to fast, those who have a bad leg may sit whilst praying and many other examples. Others with disease should be treated with sympathy, compassion and kindness. Yet the disease of physiological bearing is insignificant when compared with the misfortune that is the spiritual disease. Those who are ‘ill’ from within are thus also suffering from disease, yet their disease is one of choice. The Quran describes those who are spiritually sick in the following way: â€Å"In their hearts was a disease, and Allah has increased their disease.† Death is an experience that all of us will go through, as Allah reiterates in the holy Qur’an on three separate occasions: â€Å"Every soul shall taste of death† Muslims believe that every person on earth is given a specific time in which to live, thus ‘no person can die except by Allah’s leave- a decree with a fixed term.’ With this in mind, Muslims should not fear the future. If a person’s time has come, there is no evading Azrai’l, the angel of death: â€Å"Say, ‘If you had remained in your homes, surely those who on whom death had been enjoined would have gone forth to their deathbeds.† With the belief that our lives are not our own possessions and that only Allah has the right to take life from us, homicide, suicide and euthanasia are forbidden in Islam. Also, excessive mourning and lavish graves are also forbidden. Yet how can Muslims believe in life after death? Is it possible that after decaying in the earth we can be brought back to life? There are many ways in which this belief may be justified. One way takes the form of an experimental argument entirely based on physical research, John Hick suggests that â€Å"even if we discount the entire range of physical phenomena it remains true that the best cases of trance utterance are puzzling, and taken at face value are indicative of survival and communication after death.â €  There are also countless philosophical arguments notably in Plato’s Phaedo or in the works of Socrates that may also account for the practicability of resurrection. Yet the argument presented in the Quran, in my opinion, is the most direct and feasible. The argument put forward in surat Yasin is self-explanatory: â€Å"Does not man see that We have created him from a mere sperm drop? Yet lo! He is an open quarreller†¦. He says ‘Who can resurrect the bones when they are decayed?† Say, ‘He who created them the first time will resurrect them†¦ Verily his command when he intends a thing is only that He says to it, ‘Be’ and it is.† Death signifies the end of our worldly life. It is the parting of the material and non- material forms; the body and the soul. The soul, or al-Nafs, differentiates man from the rest of creation, constituting humans to be the ‘crown’ of Allah’s creation. Muslims believe that Allah only gi ves to us what is just, similarly our dying is a means of justice; for us and others. Death is a necessity and not just a reality, this is highlighted in the following hadith: Prophet Muhammad was reported to have said: â€Å"A tribe once approached the prophet of their time and said, ‘Pray to your Lord that death shall no longer be bestowed upon us. And so the prophet prayed and Allah no longer bestowed upon them death. As the years passed, the population grew until the houses became cramped and the generations many. Men were no longer able to go out and work as they spent their time feeding, washing and cleaning their parent, grand parents, great grand parents†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ And so the tribe went back to their prophet and asked that he pray Allah return death and death was returned† Death can also be understood on different levels. Let us consider the following verse: â€Å"Only those who listen can accept. And as for the dead, Allah will raise them to life, then to Him shall they be brought back† Yet is not resurrection the same as being brought back to life? So why has Allah said that He ‘will raise them to life then to Him shall they be brought back.† The distinction here can be interpreted as meaning those who do not listen (to Allah), but are physically alive, are spiritually dead. Similarly those of whom one may think to be dead may also be alive: â€Å"Think not of those, who have been slain in the cause of Allah as dead. Nay they are living in the presence of their Lord and are granted gifts from him.† For the believer, death can be seen as a purification of his sins, it is the last pain that a pious Muslim shall endure, but for the non-believer it is the first of an eternity of suffering. One Muslim scholar stated that for the true believer, ‘Death is a journey from a prison to a palace’, as â€Å"the life of this world is nothing but an illusory enjoyment† . Yet death can also be seen as a mercy for non-believers: â€Å"Death signifies a rest for he who obeyed his desires in this life, for surely the longer he lived the greater would be his punishment.† From the countenance of the angel of death, Azra’il, one can tell where he shall reside. It is said that upon death we are shown our position in heaven or hell. For the believer the soul will depart easily, however the non-believer says ‘My Lord, send me back that I may do righteous deeds in the life that I have left behind’ and the soul departs in a struggle. Yet death is an irrevocable barrier. It is true that our souls leave our bodies every night when we are asleep, yet ‘He retains those against which he has decreed death, and sends back the others till an appoi nted time.’ And so after our death we are unable to acquire any more reward, except, as the Prophet Muhammad said, â€Å"From three things are we able to obtain reward after our death; A charity, knowledge given to others and noble offspring. At death we are in a transition state between this life and the hereafter, known as al- Barzakh. The Quran describes those in the ‘Barzakh’ as being Sakra or in a state of stupor. There they will be questioned as to what they did in this life. Punishment or reward starts in this state yet in a non-material form until the Day of Judgement where both body and soul will be resurrected. The practical implications of death to a Muslim are that he must realise that life has a purpose; the hereafter. And thus Muslims should use their time on this earth as efficiently as possible, aiming to fulfil this purpose before the toll of death is upon us. This is reiterated by all the pious men of Islam. The fourth caliph, Ali Ibn Abu Talib’s (peace be upon him) words should be adhered to by all: â€Å"Live for this life as if you are to live forever, and live for the hereafter as if you were to die tomorrow.† To make full use of these implications, death should be constantly in our minds. To fully understand why Allah allows his servants to suffer from disease, we may consider other views on this topic. The problem of suffering has lead many to disbelieve In Allah. There are three main classic theistic views on this matter. One approach taken by Christian Science, according to its founder himself is that ‘Sin, disease, whatever seems real to material sense is unreal.’ The argument being that suffering does not really exist. Another approach put forward by Swinburne and Hick focuses on the notion that all evil is punishment which is justly inflicted by god. Another view, according to Alvin Platinga says that all suffering comes from the abuse of free will. With regards to disease he proposes that non-human persons have caused us disease by abusing their freedom. Yet all three views can be seen to be flawed. The first view, probably is the most ridiculous of all, and yet even i f ‘one could rationally defend this odd conclusion†¦even if evil is an illusion, it is a painful one and it is therefore false that evil is nothing but an illusion.’ The second approach being that all disease or suffering is a just punishment from God can also be challenged. D.Z. Phillips asks, â€Å"What then are we to say of the child that is dying from cancer?,† surely this cannot be deserved. The third approach seems much more feasible, and has some grounds in Islam. But is disease caused by angels who come down to earth and wreak havoc due to their abuse of free-will? This view by Platinga is one that has no basis in Islam. Islam has provided us with a synthesis of these views. As stated before, for the non-believer it can be punishment, for the believer it can be a test of faith or a purification of sins. It is also true that a world without suffering would render our purpose of life null. Disease also serves to emphasise, through contrast, good health. Thus it allows us to appreciate our times of good health more. Eternal hell is mentioned several times in the Quran and Muslims thus believe that some people will go to hell for eternity. Yet it is seen that this does not contradict Allah’s mercy for several key reasons. Allah is the most merciful but only to those who actively go about seeking his mercy, for Allah only helps those who help themselves. One who disobeys Allah’s orders cannot be expected to be shown as much mercy as those who are good Muslims. And yet it is not as if Allah has left us without direction and guidance. Every man and woman instinctively knows the difference between right and wrong, there are enough signs leading to Allah for â€Å"those who think and reflect† and Allah has sent down many prophets and scriptures to guide mankind. Any deviation is thus out of man’s own arrogance and thus should be punished deservingly. Hell for the sinners is also justice to those who did good in life, for if those that lived for the pleasures of the worldly life too went to heaven this would be a grave injustice to the pious amongst us. As opposite’s, heaven and hell serve to emphasise each other. Thus the prospect of hell acts as a deterrent preventing many from doing wrong and thus making the world a better place. Socrates goes one step further claiming that heaven comes from hell, â€Å"opposites come from opposites in the case of things which have an opposite.† Although the words of Socrates seem somewhat extreme, taken in a less literal sense, what he says has bearing on all that which we have discussed; Death, disease and hell. We may ask our selves, would there be death without life? Or would there be disease without good health? Or would there be hell without heaven? All of which Allah has bestowed upon us creating a perfect natural balance. Bibliography An introduction to the philosophy of religion by Brian Davies Islam by Rosalyn Kendrick Islamic Teaching Course, volume one by the IPCI Meezan Al-Hikmah volume 1,4 and 5(in Arabic) by Mohammed Shahristany Plato’s Phaedo by Plato Philosophy of Religion by John Hick Summa Theologiae by Aquinas The translation of the Holy Quran by Yusuf Ali Holy Quran, 9;38 Holy Quran, 67;3 Holy Quran, 2;157 Holy Quran, 42;31 Holy Quran, 57;23 Holy Quran, 24;62 Holy Quran, 2;11 Holy Quran, 3;186, 21;36, 29;58 Holy Quran, 3;155 Hick, J., Philosophy of Religion, p128 Holy Quran, 36;78-83 Holy Quran, 6;37 Holy Quran, 3;170 Holy Quran, 3;186 Holy Quran, 23;100 Holy Quran, 39;43 Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, Ia, 13,5. Davies, B., An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, 37 Ibid,37 Gallop (ed.), Plato’s Phaedo, 17ff

Science: Tsunami and New York

Dependent Variable: Velocity of wave (wave velocity) Constants: Plastic storage container Piece of wood Height from which the wood is dropped and the way it is held before each time it is dropped Gravel-like substance that creates an uneven bottom—this includes both its physical material and the amount of it that is placed on the bottom of the tank during each treatment Time at which the stopwatch is started after the wooden block is dropped and a wave is created Problem: It is a known fact about tsunamis that if the level of the water is higher, then the velocity of the wave will be greater.How does an uneven bottom affect the velocity of tsunami waves at different water levels? Hypothesis: I believe that an uneven bottom will still result in the velocity of the wave being greater when the water level is higher. 5 MLA References with Annotations: 1. Michelle, Maranowski, PhD. â€Å"The Science Behind Tsunamis: Study the Effect of Water Depth on Wave Velocity. † Science Buddies. Science Buddies, 2005-2012. Web. 13 Sept 2012. http://www. sciencebuddies. org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/OceanSci_p014. html#background †¢This electronic source inspired my project idea, and provided me with the materials and procedure that I would need to execute my project. In addition, it helped me understand exactly what the original project would be testing, and also how I could make it my own. 2. â€Å"What are Tsunamis? † CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio Canada, 29 Sept 2009. Web. 13 Sept 2012. http://www. cbc. ca/news/world/story/2009/09/29/f-tsunami-forces-of-nature. html †¢This electronic source provided me with basic tsunami information.I believe that it is important to have as much information as possible about my topic, so that I am able to get the most out of my project and understand it to the fullest. 3. â€Å"Tsunamis. † National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 1996-2012. Web. 13 Sept 2012. http:/ /environment. nationalgeographic. com/environment/natural-disasters/tsuna mi-profile/ †¢This electronic source was helpful to me by providing me with even more background information on tsunamis and their effects. In addition, a video on National Geographic allowed me to view a real tsunami in action. 4.Luhr, James F. Earth. Smithsonian. Smithsonian Institution. New York, New York: DK Publishing, 2003. Print. (P. 123, 143, 151, 190, 192, 271, 429, 501) †¢This printed source helped me understand the different things that can cause a tsunami. This includes a variety of submarinal conditions, and-although this is rare- those reasons related to meteors. 5. Cramer, Deborah. Ocean. Smithsonian. Smithsonian Institution. New York, New York: Collins Publishing, 2008. Print. (P. 62) †¢This printed source was very helpful, because it showed me a tsunami's effect on the whole ocean.This is an important thing to note, because it helps put into perspective how a tsunami is not only devastating once it hits shore, but also before it hits shore and is still a violent wave uncontrollably speeding across the ocean toward the shore, destroying almost everything in its path. Materials: 1. Plastic storage box (at least 40 cm long x 5 cm deep) 2. Source of water 3. Small gravel or pebbles (to be spread over bottom of storage box as representation of an uneven bottom in the ocean) 4. Piece of wood (2 in thick x 4 in wide x 8 in long) 5. Sharpie permanent marker 6. Metric ruler 7. Digital stopwatch . Bright ceiling light (above location of experiment) 9. Hand towel 10. Volunteer to run stopwatch 11. Lab notebook 12. Graph Paper Procedure: 1. Find a well-lit location at which to execute experiment (favorably indoors and free of commotion) 2. Remove any items away from location that could be damaged by potential splashing water from storage box 3. Place storage box on white sheet and under bright ceiling light with no surrounding lights in order to see waves as clearly a s possible 4. Cover bottom of storage box with layer(s) of gravel/pebbles as needed until bottom of box cannot be seen 5.Fill storage box with a few centimeters (cm) of water 6. Draw small line with sharpie on a shorter end of the box’s exterior, approximately 2. 5 cm below rim of box (this marks the spot from where piece of wood will be dropped) 7. Begin practicing making and tracking waves 8. Line up bottom of wood at marked line and drop, immediately thereafter watching for resulting wave traveling from one end of tank to the other 9. Begin executing real experiment once comfortable creating and tracking waves 10. Empty/fill water tank after practice runs until 1 cm of water is left in tank. Use metric ruler for accuracy.This water depth will be used as the measurement for the first treatment 11. Create appropriate data table in lab notebook 12. Notify volunteer with stopwatch when they should start and stop timing the wave’s path (those times should be as soon as w ooden block is dropped and wave is formed, and as soon as wave returns and hits other end of box) 13. Record the time in data table from lab notebook 14. Repeat step 11 nine more times (nine more tests), always waiting for water to settle before dropping wood again from consistent position each test 15. Fill box with water depth 2 cm (confirm with ruler) 16. Repeat steps 11-13 17.Fill box with water depth of 3 cm (confirm with ruler) 18. Repeat steps 11-13 19. Empty box and repeat steps 9-16 four times so that end result is 5 trials (10 tests per trial) for each of the 3 depths 20. Analyze data for each water depth for each trial across the 10 tests and record data in notebook 21. Average time data across the three trials from the numbers calculated in step 19 22. Measure and record distance between where wave was created (leading edge of mark from where wood was dropped) and other end of box 23. Divide distance by average time it took for wave to move from one end of tank to the ot her for each water depth.The answer recorded in notebook will be wave velocity 24. Plot data (x-axis=water depth, y-axis=wave velocity) 25. Answer the following questions: †¢What is the relationship between the water depth and the wave velocity? †¢Is it a linear relationship? †¢Does the wave velocity increase or decrease with increasing water depth even with an uneven bottom? †¢Does this result make sense to you according to the research that you have done on tsunamis that seems to state that, in general, if the level of the water is higher then the velocity of the wave will be greater? If it does not match, then the conclusion should be that an uneven bottom does affect the velocity of tsunami waves. 26. Equation 1, below, shows the mathematical relationship between the wave velocity in shallow water as a function of water depth. Equation 1 states that velocity is the square root of the product of the acceleration of gravity and the water depth: V = vgd V = Velo city in meters/second (m/s) g = Acceleration of gravity (9. 8 meters/second2) d = Water depth in meters (m) 27. Using equation 1, plot wave velocity as a function of water depth. How does the plot compare to results from the storage box/model-tsunami?