Merits and Demerits of the Internet Essay

The internet is a socially disruptive technology. It has changed the way we do business, communicate with each other, and even how we view the world in the short amount of time that the public has used it. From its beginning as a project of the Department of Defense to connect its computers together, the Internet is now a resource that most people in the developed world cannot live without. I myself have been affected by the internet. I am one of the 1,114,274,426 people who use the internet in its various forms. Whether by emailing my friends, or ordering a book on Amazon.com, I am a part of the â€Å"internet generation†, the generation of people who grew up with the benefits of the Internet. This paper tries to explore how the Internet has touched my life. I will try to look at both the benefits of the Internet and its drawbacks. Looking at my internet use, I see that there are primarily three ways that I use the internet; for convenience, for information and lastly for the cyber community. Convenience This has got to be the reason most everyday people use the internet, it simply makes things easier. From email to word processing, with the internet, previous tasks that are cumbersome and time-consuming are now performed effortlessly at the click of a mouse. You no longer have to write a letter by hand, affix a stamp, and then mail it afterwards waiting for not minutes but entire days just to send a letter to a friend or colleague. In the amount of time that it takes to read this sentence, I could have forwarded a chain letter to dozens if not hundreds of people in my email address book. Communication through the internet has radically changed the way we live. By the sheer simplicity and ease of sending a letter through email, we probably communicate with each other more and with greater intimacy. It has helped me keep in touch with my family members and friends at home. Even simple messages like trivial requests or a short â€Å"how are you? † reach their destination even half a world a way nearly instantaneously when I press the â€Å"send† button on my email program of choice. Aside from communication, another way that the internet has made lives easier is through electronic commerce or simply e-commerce. From this very chair I am sitting on, I buy my bus tickets, send and receive money through e-banking and even watch movies. I don’t have to move myself out of the house (or even out of this chair) to take care of my basic necessities, leaving me with more time to finish more pressing tasks. Truly, this is a way that the Internet has made my life much easier. On the other hand the internet has not only made my life easier, it has also made the lives of shady characters easier too. It has helped spread junk emails, â€Å"spyware† programs, and even computer viruses through its communication lines. My worst experience with this was a virus I got from a spam email. The virus completely ruined my laptop and made me reinstall the operating system. Even as I did this, the virus had already spread to other email addresses stored in my email address book. Another thing I noticed is that the convenience of the Internet has made me more impatient. For someone who got accustomed to email and e-commerce, I find that waiting even for very short amount of times has already become a difficult exercise for me. Being â€Å"spoiled† by the internet, I now want and expect all things to be done at cyber-speed. A much more serious effect of the Internet’s ease of communication is the creation of a new arena of crime – internet crime. I myself have had no experience with Internet crimes but that is something I don’t want to change in the near future. The convenience of the internet has equally empowered me to do my email and shopping and empowered crooks to perform felonies from credit card fraud to piracy and even identity theft. Information The internet has changed both the way we get access to information and the amount of information we can have access to. Enormous amounts of web pages are born everyday, with equally impressive search engines to quickly comb through these web pages to get the information you want. Personally, I use internet portals such as Yahoo! and Naver as they have almost everything I need, news, entertainment, weather information, dictionaries, study materials etc. Another thing about information on the internet is that unlike traditional media outlets such as newspapers, radio and TV, the internet is a duplex communication channel. The flow of information from traditional outlets only goes one-way, the TV reports on it and I view it. The internet on the other hand empowers me to voice out my opinions and get feedback on these opinions right away. However, not all information on the internet is reliable. The ease of creating a website has made information coming from â€Å"average Joes† look indistinguishable from those of learned academics and authorities. Ease of finding information on the internet has made people unwilling to do research the old way, by going to libraries and referencing known authors and peer-reviewed journals or articles. Now, they are just more likely to take as true the first results that Google or Wikipedia gives out. Also, the internet has given seedy people and organizations a free outlet to promote disreputable activities and information. Hate groups, suicidal organizations, and child pornographers have used the internet to further their agenda and reach more potential victims. I found myself in an embarrassing situation once when I accessed pornography on the internet by accident. The thing with the internet’s ease of providing information is that it makes people think less. It makes us dependent on websites and search engines instead of enforcing our research and information validation skills. It lessens creativity and makes us unable to discern which information is true or false, which fact is correct or incorrect, and what is morally good or bad. The Cyber Community The internet has truly made the world a smaller place as it enabled people to meet more individuals from different backgrounds and different parts of the world. It has created a worldwide meeting place where people could seek out people who share their interests and values. I myself am a member of this community by my blog. My blog allows me to connect to other people just as reading other peoples’ blogs give me a connection and insight into their lives. My blog also satisfies my need desire for recognition by giving me my own personal space to decorate and post my own thoughts to be seen by the world at large. Another nice thing about the cyber community is that unlike the real community, the internet gives its users a blanket of anonymity. This anonymity gives its users the freedom to express their own opinions without fear that it will reflect on them badly. Also, it allows users the freedom to talk things and or problems which could be considered socially embarrassing or taboo. On the other hand, anonymity also empowers people by protecting them from responsibility from wrongdoing. Anyone can read my blog and leave scathing and psychologically damaging comments without revealing who they really are. Also, it makes one think less of others as people are reduced to a few lines of text on a webpage or chat room. Unlike the real community, the cyber community is impersonal and has no intimacy. Another side effect of being part of the cyber community is addiction. I may be guilty of this to some degree. I tend to overuse the internet and in the continual habit of opening internet web pages. You could say that like an addict, I cannot live without the internet. Just like substance abuse, I have grown a dependence on the internet and the cyber community it brings. Conclusion In retrospect, the Internet has really changed the way I lived my life. I am exposed to plenty of empowering technologies that generations of people before me could only dream about. The world is smaller because of it and for the most part better because of it. And it is getting better all the time, newer applications that make life better through the internet are still being made at a rapid pace. On the other hand, the internet is a tool which could also be used for foul deeds. Internet users with shady interests have used the internet to cause harm and promote their foul agenda. As members of the cyber community, one needs to be wary of these things as it may leave one vulnerable to anything from damage to your computer to damaging scrutiny or even more serious crimes like identity theft. In retrospect, is the internet worth it? For me, even with its downsides, the internet is still a blessing to be treasured. It really does make my life easier and allows me to do more things that were unthinkable of even just 50 years ago. One just has to be conscious about how he or she uses the internet. As always, even on the internet, common sense should prevail and one should not forsake traditionally held values such as extending courtesy, doing proper research and others even is one is shielded by anonymity in the cyber community of the internet. References Irvine, Marthat. (2004, December 5). Youth Adopt, Drive Technological Advances. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31A. Staples, Brent. (2004, May 29). What Adolescents Miss When We Let Them Grow Up In Cyberspace. New York Times, , A24. Leiner, Barry M. , et. al.. (n. d. ). A Brief History of the Internet. In Internet Society. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://www. isoc. org/internet/history/brief. shtml. InternetWorldStats. com. (March 19, 2007). Internet Usage Statistics – The Big Picture. In Internet World Stats. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://www. internetworldstats. com/stats. htm. Levine, John R. , Baroudi, Carol. , & Young, Margaret Levine. (2000). The Internet for Dummies 7th edition. Foster City CA: IDG Books.

Deception Point Page 88

Tolland considered it. The Mariana Trench was seven miles down, one of the last truly unexplored regions on the planet. Only a handful of robotic probes had ever ventured that deep, and most had collapsed well before they reached the bottom. The water pressure in the trench was enormous-an astounding eighteen thousand pounds per square inch, as opposed to a mere twenty-four pounds on the ocean's surface. Oceanographers still had very little understanding of the geologic forces at the deepest ocean floor. â€Å"So, this guy Pollock thinks the Mariana Trench can make rocks with chondrulelike features?† â€Å"It's an extremely obscure theory,† Xavia said. â€Å"In fact, it's never even been formally published. I only happened to stumble across Pollock's personal notes on the Web by chance last month when I was doing research on fluid-rock interactions for our upcoming megaplume show. Otherwise, I never would have heard of it.† â€Å"The theory has never been published,† Corky said, â€Å"because it's ridiculous. You need heat to form chondrules. There's no way water pressure could rearrange the crystalline structure of a rock.† â€Å"Pressure,† Xavia fired back, â€Å"happens to be the single biggest contributor to geologic change on our planet. A little something called a metamorphic rock? Geology 101?† Corky scowled. Tolland realized Xavia had a point. Although heat did play a role in some of earth's metamorphic geology, most metamorphic rocks were formed by extreme pressure. Incredibly, rocks deep in the earth's crust were under so much pressure that they acted more like thick molasses than solid rock, becoming elastic and undergoing chemical changes as they did. Nonetheless, Dr. Pollock's theory still seemed like a stretch. â€Å"Xavia,† Tolland said. â€Å"I've never heard of water pressure alone chemically altering a rock. You're the geologist, what's your take?† â€Å"Well,† she said, flipping through her notes, â€Å"it sounds like water pressure isn't the only factor.† Xavia found a passage and read Pollock's notes verbatim. â€Å"‘Oceanic crust in the Mariana Trench, already under enormous hydrostatic pressurization, can find itself further compressed by tectonic forces from the region's subduction zones.'† Of course, Tolland thought. The Mariana Trench, in addition to being crushed under seven miles of water, was a subduction zone-the compression line where the Pacific and Indian plates moved toward one another and collided. Combined pressures in the trench could be enormous, and because the area was so remote and dangerous to study, if there were chondrules down there, chances of anyone knowing about it were very slim. Xavia kept reading. â€Å"‘Combined hydrostatic and tectonic pressures could potentially force crust into an elastic or semiliquid state, allowing lighter elements to fuse into chondrulelike structures thought to occur only in space.'† Corky rolled his eyes. â€Å"Impossible.† Tolland glanced at Corky. â€Å"Is there any alternative explanation for the chondrules in the rock Dr. Pollock found?† â€Å"Easy,† Corky said. â€Å"Pollock found an actual meteorite. Meteorites fall into the ocean all the time. Pollock would not have suspected it was a meteorite because the fusion crust would have eroded away from years under the water, making it look like a normal rock.† Corky turned to Xavia. â€Å"I don't suppose Pollock had the brains to measure the nickel content, did he?† â€Å"Actually, yes,† Xavia fired back, flipping through the notes again. â€Å"Pollock writes: ‘I was surprised to find the nickel content of the specimen falling within a midrange value not usually associated with terrestrial rocks.'† Tolland and Rachel exchanged startled looks. Xavia continued reading. â€Å"‘Although the quantity of nickel does not fall within the normally acceptable midrange window for meteoritic origin, it is surprisingly close.'† Rachel looked troubled. â€Å"How close? Is there any way this ocean rock could be mistaken for a meteorite?† Xavia shook her head. â€Å"I'm not a chemical petrologist, but as I understand it, there are numerous chemical differences between the rock Pollock found and actual meteorites.† â€Å"What are those differences?† Tolland pressed. Xavia turned her attention to a graph in her notes. â€Å"According to this, one difference is in the chemical structure of the chondrules themselves. It looks like the titanium/zirconium ratios differ. The titanium/ zirconium ratio in the chondrules of the ocean sample showed ultradepleted zirconium.† She looked up. â€Å"Only two parts per million.† â€Å"Two ppm?† Corky blurted. â€Å"Meteorites have thousands of times that!† â€Å"Exactly,† Xavia replied. â€Å"Which is why Pollock thinks his sample's chondrules are not from space.† Tolland leaned over and whispered to Corky, â€Å"Did NASA happen to measure the titanium/zirconium ratio in the Milne rock?† â€Å"Of course not,† Corky sputtered. â€Å"Nobody would ever measure that. It's like looking at a car and measuring the tires' rubber content to confirm you're looking at a car!† Tolland heaved a sigh and looked back at Xavia. â€Å"If we give you a rock sample with chondrules in it, can you run a test to determine whether these inclusions are meteoric chondrules or†¦ one of Pollock's deep ocean compression things?† Xavia shrugged. â€Å"I suppose. The electron microprobe's accuracy should be close enough. What's this all about, anyway?† Tolland turned to Corky. â€Å"Give it to her.† Corky reluctantly pulled the meteorite sample from his pocket and held it out for Xavia. Xavia's brow furrowed as she took the stone disk. She eyed the fusion crust and then the fossil embedded in the rock. â€Å"My God!† she said, her head rocketing upward. â€Å"This isn't part of†¦?† â€Å"Yeah,† Tolland said. â€Å"Unfortunately it is.† 106 Alone in her office, Gabrielle Ashe stood at the window, wondering what to do next. Less than an hour ago, she had left NASA feeling full of excitement to share Chris Harper's PODS fraud with the senator. Now, she wasn't so sure. According to Yolanda, two independent ABC reporters suspected Sexton of taking SFF bribes. Furthermore, Gabrielle had just learned that Sexton actually knew she had snuck into his apartment during the SFF meeting, and yet he had said nothing to her about it? Gabrielle sighed. Her taxi had long since departed, and although she would call another in a few minutes, she knew there was something she had to do first. Am I really going to try this? Gabrielle frowned, knowing she didn't have a choice. She no longer knew whom to trust. Stepping out of her office, she made her way back into the secretarial lobby and into a wide hallway on the opposite side. At the far end she could see the massive oak doors of Sexton's office flanked by two flags-Old Glory on the right and the Delaware flag on the left. His doors, like those of most senate offices in the building, were steel reinforced and secured by conventional keys, an electronic key pad entry, and an alarm system. She knew if she could get inside, even if for only a few minutes, all the answers would be revealed. Moving now toward the heavily secured doors, Gabrielle had no illusions of getting through them. She had other plans. Ten feet from Sexton's office, Gabrielle turned sharply to the right and entered the ladies' room. The fluorescents came on automatically, reflecting harshly off the white tile. As her eyes adjusted, Gabrielle paused, seeing herself in the mirror. As usual, her features looked softer than she'd hoped. Delicate almost. She always felt stronger than she looked. Are you sure you are ready to do this?

Market & social research - research proposal Essay

Market & social research - research proposal - Essay Example The financial crisis impacted negatively on the savings of the British public as most banks lost the savings entrusted to them by depositors. According to Buckley, one of the major contributors to the global financial crisis was the untenable rise in subprime mortgage lending (2011). Part of the reason for the rise in subprime mortgage lending is attributable to the government’s own efforts to win votes and popularity by making it easy for the public to buy homes. Also, the banks rode on this high risk debt products due to their potential to generate immense profits. The banks leveraged the mortgage loans with credit default swaps and the mass failure of borrowers to pay back led to added levels of debt on the banks’ books of account. Ultimately, the culmination of mass defaults led to the financial crisis. Due to globalization, the financial crisis had a negative impact on many countries since the world economies are interconnected. The credit crunch had cross cutting effects that affected virtually all sectors of the economy. This led to social economic changes that had direct impact on the British public (Akinbami 2011). This paper will evaluate the British public attitudes towards the banking sector after the financial crisis. ... The onus is upon the financial regulatory agencies to establish the public attitudes and implement strategies to ensure that the financial sector is positively perceived by the public (Hodson & Deborah 2009). The needs of bank customers are evolving rapidly and it is therefore necessary for banks to put in place futuristic plans that can effectively cater for the evolving needs of their customers. Objectives 1. To investigate the public’s attitude towards the banking sector after the financial crisis. 2. To establish the public perceptions on who is to blame for the financial crisis 3. To identify the information that the public receives in regards to the banking industry in the United Kingdom and how this information affects their attitudes towards the banks 4. To establish the consumer trends in the banking sector and the evolving needs of the bank customers 5. To identify the banking products that the customers will need in twenty years time. Limitations The domain of the s tudy comprises of all the public and it is difficult to access all the domains of the public. Suffice to say, the research will be restricted to a sample of the public selected through convenience sampling. It is also notable that numerous changes have occurred in the banking sector after the financial crisis and new factors may contribute to the public attitudes towards the banking sector. Research Design It is important that the opinion and attitudes of the members of the public should be correctly observed and recorded. This research will adopt a pragmatic philosophy in order to effectively collect information about the perceptions and attitudes of the public. It is important to that the nature of the research problem demands for multiple views to appropriately answer

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Discuss the changes to the American presidency during the terms of Essay

Discuss the changes to the American presidency during the terms of Theodore Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson - Essay Example The question is that since the Civil War through the very start of the twentieth century, the US Congress was the ultimate bearer of the seat of power (Miller Center 1). Thus, his expansion of the power was a focal point of his presidency. It was an enormous change in the democratic practice of the United States making the President the main figure fulfilled with the governmental power. Roosevelt is also well-known for his progressivism in dealing with the business and political structures throughout the country. His zeal toward reformation of the US performance in the world arena made him an outspoken peacemaker, as he negotiated on the Russo-Japanese end of war and was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize respectively (Benson 7). However, another great contribution of Roosevelt is his devotion to the nature. In this respect he was driven by the need to conserve the natural resources as the most precious thing of the human-centered environment admitting the following statement:  "As I have said elsewhere, conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve this problem it will avail little to solve all others† (Cited in Benson 7). ... Being a follower of Roosevelt’s course of reforms, he took the lesson of peaceful manifestation on the part of the US government toward the nation and to the world on the whole. By the way, he initiated the adoption of the Civil-Service Reform which will â€Å"secure a larger wisdom in the adoption of policies† (Taft 131). It was really crucial for giving the nation a â€Å"refreshed† breath of air. Along with the strengthening of the Interstate Commerce Commission, he established Postal Savings Bank System (Taft 131). Thus, he paid more attention to the financial and consumer-related issues throughout the country. Moreover, due to his efforts to somehow relieve the taxation policies in the country, he could improve on the creation of the Sixteenth Amendment which â€Å"authorized the collection of federal income taxes, which could be collected largely from the wealthy† (Armstrong 187). It was a trust-busting progressive hit against the former tariff-cente red income taxes policy. Thus, in his progressive looks at the national economy, Taft was a peculiar follower of Roosevelt regarding the political line of the Republican Party and the improvement of the presidential seat as the most powerful executive body in the country. To say more, in the foreign policy, Taft provided the policy of â€Å"Dollar Diplomacy† increasing the development of underdeveloped countries in Latin America and Asia by favoring â€Å"increased American investment in the world as the major method for increasing American influence and stability abroad† (Armstrong 379). Hence, it made Taft a progressive initiator of the American dominance in the world. Woodrow Wilson Woodrow

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The Imaginative Insights of Pablo Picasso Research Paper

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War on Terror Essay Example for Free

War on Terror Essay If I was the president of the United States in the present times I would use a very different approach in addressing the issue on war and terror. The phrase â€Å"war on terror† is not often used since America cannot win terrorism by the use of military means alone as terrorism is not against an organized enemy who has set out clear identities and has a set of objectives that are coherent. I will cautiously handle the issue with one thing in mind that the war on terror will not be resolved with an overwhelming single blow but this war will demand international cooperation and extreme patience. It would be my duty as the president of the United States of America to ensure that war on terror is not misguided and I would take the holistic approach in addressing the issue on war on terror as the emphasis today seems to be directed on the shutting down of the Al Qaeda cells in existence. I have a very strong believe that terrorist threats must be taken seriously and as a country we would not have any choice but to increase our investments in countering terrorism. As the president I would also make an effective responsive in relation to the modern day terrorism and not just concentrate on enhancing our capabilities on counter terrorism but also I would ensure that that as a country we are prepared to face up to the mistakes we have made in the past. I would use the holistic approach in approaching the issue on war on terrorism. My approach to war on terror In the holistic approach to war on terror I would mainly focus on the 3Dapproach which entails diplomacy, defence and development in pursuit of security objectives of America as a country. This approach will be designed as a strategy which will build its victory’s on the long term, medium term and even short term. I would initially fully embark on diplomacy and encourage peaceful negotiations with the relevant parties through an open discussion or dialogue. If this fails I will the further employ the defensive measures that will ensure the security and also the safety of my country’s citizens. I will take all the necessary measures and prepare my country such that incase of any form of attack my country will be ready to counter the same attack accordingly. I will then employ all the security measures as I ensure that the country’s security is not threatened at any given point. Personally as the president of the American people I would also make efforts in ensuring that there are very effective defenses against any international terrorism especially if it is targeting my country. After which I will focus on those particular countries that which harbors and host individuals and even groups that advocate, finance or even arm these groups thus supporting terrorism instead of stopping it. Also as the American president I would fully pursue the whole-of-system approach in handling the issue on terror which promotes democracy, the human rights and the rule of law and also good governance. To begin with I would establish democratic practices and institutions civil liberties and also political freedom to all the American citizens. I would also unsure that I rule with justice and exercise my power as the president with a lot of democracy. Similarly I would ensure that my government is not authoritarian since authoritative governments provoke a lot of grievances which buds regimes that are safety valves for all the collective anger. After the September 11th attack in America I would have declared the war on terrorism and the battle fields of this war would extend to wherever the terrorists run hide or even plan. Fighting terrorism in a fully democratic country like America has been and will always be a challenge since the actions taken by the American government on countering terrorism may be perceived differently by the public in general who would view it as an infringement on their human rights. I would also tighten the country’s security at the border points, the air ports, the ports and any entry points to the American land. I would be very strategic in presenting my plan to the congress so that I would get support from the majority of members of the house. Conclusion I will prepare a proposal plan which will effectively and strategically address the threatening issue. First of all, I will make it clear that as a nation whether we get involved in solving longstanding conflicts or we don’t involve ourselves at all we will still attract anger other nations who are not our allies. I will present a proposal that will encompass the diplomatic actions that we as a country should take in dealing with war on terror. Similarly the proposal will also outline the ways in which as a country we will defend ourselves in case of any form of attack from the terrorists and also how we will handle any terrorist threats. (Chasdi, 2002) In my proposal I will greatly emphasize on dialogue among civilizations which will further help in promoting the intercultural harmony and further diffuse the terrorism based on hate. I would also put across the fact that as a super power America needs both the military and police actions in combating the threat of terrorism internationally. The key points in my proposal would be the strengthening of the defensive shields that are territorial by the establishment of the multi yard system. I will also emphasize on the fact that the country’s improvement on its intelligence capabilities which is a major force multiplier. Reference Chasdi, R. (2002): Tapestry of Terror; A Portrait of Middle East Terrorism, 1994-1999. Lanham, Md, Lexington Books.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Essay Example for Free

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Essay A strong, healthy relationship between a father and son allows for a happy family and lifetime. In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini illustrates the fragile relationship between Baba and Amir and how easily a third party could affect the relationship. Amir can now transcend his relationship with his father by confronting his past, locating his courage and portraying his redemption. Amir confronting his past allows him to transcend his relationship with his father. Amir first attempts to confront his past by travelling to Afghanistan. Amir must confront his memories of the horrible things that he created. Amir forced Ali and Hassan out of his house and more importantly, out of his life. This is a desperate attempt to become closer to Baba. To confront his past, Amir must remember Hassan and remember what they used to share. Amir referred to the letter Hassan wrote for him, and remembered â€Å"Hassan had said in his letter that the pomegranate tree hadn’t borne fruit in years. Looking at the wilted, leafless tree, I doubted it ever would again. I stood under it, remembered all the times we’d climbed it, straddled its branches, our legs swinging, doppled sunlight flickering through the leaves and casting on our faces as a mosaic of light and shadow. The tangy taste of pomegranate crept into my mouth.† (Hosseini 276-277). The pomegranate tree represents Hassan and Amir’s friendship. When Hassan and Amir were good, happy and caring friends, the tree produced delicious fruit. Now that Hassan and Amir have not been friends for many years, the tree is wilted and all life from the leaves have disappeared. The tree will no longer produce any fruit and Amir and Hassan will not have anymore chances to become friends again, but Amir can repay Hassan. Another reason that Amir went back to Afghanistan was to rescue Sohrab; Hassan’s son. This was Rahim Khan’s dying wish. Amir is confronting his past by fighting for his friend’s loved one. Amir is confronting the fact that even though he cannot face Hassan, he will face his son. This is the way Amir will be good again. Rahim Khan knows how Amir can fix his problems, Rahim also knows that â€Å"There is a way to be good again† (Hosseini 202). Rahim Khan’s way to be good again for Amir is to rescue Sohrab. Rahim knows this act will be very beneficial for Amir’s future. In Amir’s childhood, he also had to deal with bullies and in that regard, Assef was the major antagonist. Even when Assef is older, he is still a problem in Amir’s life. Assef is part of the Taliban, terrorizing many people. Amir was face to face with his bully and when he discovered that Assef was abusing Sohrab, Amir spoke his mind and confronted Assef on how horrible he has become. Amir was furious, he had to confront Assef and stand up for what he believes is right, because he knows â€Å"’Stoning adulters? [.] Raping children? [.] Flogging women for wearing high heels? [.] Massacring Hazaras? [.]’† (Hosseini 297-298). These things should not be allowed to continue without any punishment to the person causing them, in this case, Assef. Amir has confronted his past and is now able to move onto his other problems, problems he has with his father. Aamir has to locate his courage so he can face all of his other problems with confidence. While Amir was in Afghanistan, trying to find Sohrab, he tried looking in a local orphanage since Sohrab’s parents had been murdered. When Amir arrived at the orphanage, he asks for Sohrab. The man who runs the orphanage (Zaman) claims to not know of Sohrab. Amir pushes and pushes for Zaman to tell him where Sohrab is. Finally, it is revealed that Zaman sells children to the Taliban. Amir had to locate his courage to tell this man what he was doing wrong. Amir sees this act as greed in order to receive money. Zaman told Amir that â€Å"’[t]here is a Talib official,† he muttered. â€Å"He visits once every month or two. He brings cash with him†¦.† â€Å" Usually he’ll take a girl. But not always.† â€Å"And you allow this?’† (Hosseini 268). Amir confronts Zaman because he found the courage to speak what was on his mind and what he belie ves in. Amir has never been in a fight because he always had Hassan to protect him. Now that Amir did not have Hassan anymore, Amir was challenged to fight Assef to save Sohrab. Amir found the courage he needed because he knew he was finally going to get what he deserved. Sohrab was worth fighting for. Assef has a principle he follows, nothing was free, he demonstrates that Amir have Sohrab for free because everything comes with a price. As Amir tries to take Sohrab, Assef challenges ‘â€Å"I didn’t say you could take him for free.’ I turned. ‘What do you want?’ â€Å"You have to earn him.’† (Hosseini 300). Amir fought Assef to prove a point and so he could finally stand up for what he believes in and that took courage. Baba always stands up for what he believes in, Amir admired that. When Amir stands up for what he believes in, he is transcending his relationship with Baba. Amir wants to adopt Sohrab, but when Amir arrives at the American Embassy, he soon finds out that it will be tough to adopt him. Amir finds out he will need a good immigration lawyer to be able to adopt Sohrab. Amir learns of this difficulty that will come with the adoption, but he needs clarification, he asks the worker â€Å"’You mean to pursue this?’ †¦..’Then I advise you to get a good immigration lawyer.’† (Hosseini 348). Amir was given a warning about his challenging future endeavor. He needs to adopt Sohrab. Going through this process to get Sohrab requires courage, Amir is ready to take on these responsibilities. At last, Amir is â€Å"good again.† (Hosseini 202). Amir portrays many emotions, feelings and states of mind when he returns back to America: happiness, cheer, compassion and most importantly, redemption. Without even knowing it, Amir becomes a role model. Amir models how to fix mistakes and also how to treat one another. This is how Amir portrays his redemption. Amir teaches equality, these are his new beliefs. Amir stands up for his beliefs because Amir is a new man. Amir taught this lesson to General Taheri: ‘â€Å"And one more thing, General Sahib,’ I said. ‘You will never again refer to him [Sohrab] as a ‘Hazara boy’ in my presence. He has a name and it’s Sohrab.’† (Hosseini 380). This passage from the novel contributes to Amir’s ability and process of transcending his relationship with Baba. Amir is not himself anymore, he is acting and portraying someone else he knew who has a better relationship with Baba. Amir is portraying Hassan’s way of life: forgiveness, loyalty, affection, empathy, and more. The most dominant expression that Amir is portraying, is redemption. Amir portrays his redemption by being loyal. Loyalty was a principle in Hassan’s life. Amir showed his new found loyalty to Sohrab by stating the same words Hassan spoke to Amir to show his loyalty towards Amir, ‘†For you, a thousand times over’† (Hosseini 391). Amir grew a new, deeper connection than being friends with Hassan; Hassan’s loyalty lives on through Amir. This allows Amir to leave Baba and his relationship because he is now a new man. Amir remembers that he has been redeemed because he has a life changing event, he is thankful for this. Amir now knows what it takes to redeem himself and this way, he is more forgiving of others. Since Baba lied to Amir and hid the truth about Hassan and Amir being half brothers, he could see past that because he has transcended his relationship with Baba. Amir remembers his redemption by remembering the person who allowed him to redeem himself, Hassan. Sohrab would always be told about what his father and Amir had shared, this is how Amir connected to Sohrab. Sohrab was told about Hassan and Amir’s kite fighting experiences; ‘†Watch, Sohrab. I’m going to show you one of your father’s favorite tricks, the old lift-and-dive.’† (Hosseini 389). As this plan helps remind to remind Amir of his journey, it also makes Sohrab feel more comfortable around Amir because Sohrab now knows that his father shared something special with Amir. Amir also helps Sohrab remember his father in this same way. By Amir portraying Hassan, he is portraying his redemption and transcends his relationship with Baba. Throughout The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini demonstrates the fragile relationship between Baba and Amir and how easily a third party could affect the relationship. Amir is now able to transcend his relationship with his father by confronting his past, locating his courage and portraying his redemption. This process of Amir transcending his relationship with Baba allows Amir to withhold a new relationship between an uncle and nephew. Also illustrated in this novel is a strong, growing relationship between an uncle nephew can last a lifetime if happiness, loyalty, affection and compassion are present in the relationship. This theory holds true to life and does not just live in a novel. Works Cited and Works Consulted Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. N.p.: Anchor Canada, 2004. Print.

Case Study On Oresund Bridge Construction Essay

Case Study On Oresund Bridge Construction Essay Oresund Bridge is constructed across the Oresund strait; it is the longest rail and road bridge in the whole of Europe. [1] It connects two metropolitan areas namely Danish capital Copenhagen and City of Malmo in Sweden. . The international European route E20 runs across the bridge and through the tunnel. This Bridge acts as a link between Main land Europe and the rest of the Scandinavia. The main objective of this paper is to identify the factors which influence estimating, maintenance, safety and construction techniques of the bridge and to recommend improvements that can help in the further growth and popularity of the bridge. Identify factors that negatively affect the Oresund Bridge. Develop a method to help the users who travel through the longest road and rail Bridge with ease and level of comfort. Analyze the results and propose a model solution to improve the performance. The primary factors which affect the construction of the bridge are discussed in detail and some of the recommendations are also included. Developing a safety analysis of the safety performance factors will help to prevent accidents by anticipating and mitigating hazards that occur frequently. The historical factors will be discussed about the past construction by the engineers and architects and some statistics are provided to show the evolution of the Bridge and how it affected the constru ction industry in past, On the economical front the methods which were used to reduce the cost of the project and current market estimation about the construction techniques are also discussed. The organizational factor, which is considered to be more significant discusses about the relationship of bridge and the places which it is connected to and the cityscape. Its behavior and contribution to the people and place, representativeness, terms and policies to use the bridge will be thoroughly analyzed. The procedural factors will be discussed which include provision of safety and equipment, and maintenance of the bridge. The geographical location of Oresund region is very favorable for transporting goods between Scandinavia and Baltic countries, however earlier the main bottle neck in realizing this is the infrastructure. The Oresund Bridge provided a solution for this as the completion of the bridge in 2000 has improved the Infrastructure. In fact the modern infrastructure is one of the main positive aspects of the Oresund Region. The modern motorway and railway around the two cities set a high standard which connects Copenhagen and Malmo. Access to Copenhagen airport and Malmo airport has improved. The merger of Copenhagen port and Malmo has resulted in formation of a company which is the largest importing port of cars in Nordic region [2]. All the four transportation systems have been well planned in the Oresund Region when compared to similar systems in Europe. When the fixed link across Fuhrman belt is completed around 2018 2020, it will connect 10 million people in Southern Scandinavia and Nor thern Germany in that this new traffic lanes will link the Oresund Region with Hamburg. This may create new opportunities in the future for manipulating the synergies that arise from bringing together the two capitals. [2] Considering the strengths of the Oresund Region which are network platforms for marketing and research and production across borders and institutional drawbacks. For six different platforms Oresund region is a parasol organization which reflects the regions strength: Medicon Valley Academy, Oresund IT, Oresund Food Network, Oresund Environment Academy, Oresund Design, and Oresund Logistics. The Oresund University is yet another network in which 12 universities and institutions of higher education in the region work together to strengthen research and education in the Oresund Region. Between Scandinavia and Europe Network platforms. The bridge in a global context measured by scientific output, Copenhagen Malmo Lund ranks 5th in Europe. Measured by overall life quality, the Oresund Region also scores highly 8th after cities in Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Measured by population, the region ranks 23rd.Measured in economic terms, the region ranks 10th alongside cities li ke Milan, Hamburg, Berlin, Madrid, Rome and Stuttgart. [2] Several factors influenced the development of the project which include, environmental, economic and political. For example by the end of the old war, and the start of globalization has forced the two countries to look for ways of improving the economy of the region, also the Swedens approach to be a part of the European Union has been the main driving factors. Railway tracks and motorway from Fosie Lernacken: 10 km of new double tracked railway (Oresundsbanan). The railway runs parallel with the motorway in a 90m wide corridor. The first stop on the route is Malmo Syd or Svagertorp.The motorway runs from Fosieby, where it connects the outer ring road to the toll station at Lernacken. This section includes two major interchanges and several smaller overpasses. At Lernacken the Traffic Centre and the toll station for vehicles and are situated. The Traffic Centre is responsible for operating the toll station, monitoring the motorway traffic and monitoring the technical systems. The toll station has got 11 lanes in each direction with a capacity of 200 vehicles an hour/lane and 10 toll booths in each direction. [5] The Oresund Bridge has a profound effect on the geographical, economic and culture of the people in this Scandinavian region. The completion of the project has enabled the economic development of the region and also paved a path for Sweden to be a part of the European Union. A new avenue for trade has been opened and also enabled the industries in European main land to tap the rich human resources in this region. The project has provided the local population with employment and also helped the local industry such as material providers which include steel, concrete etc.It also improved the tourism of the place which happens to be the main sources of economy. In the course of this paper we discussed the advantages of cable stayed process over suspension type of bridges in shallow type water. We also discussed the effects on the environment and measures taken to preserve it. We also gave details of the cost incurred for the completion of the project and as a personal opinion a better pl anning could have reduced the costs further. This is supported by the data provided where the original estimates differed from actual costs by huge amounts. It is common knowledge that the traffic on the roads and bridges increases with time and seen from the graph there is a 17% increase in the traffic over Oresund Bridge in 1st 6months. This is quite normal, and the rate may not sustain, but even then there can be expected that there will be a considerable increase in the traffic in coming future, if not 17% at least 10%, in such case the Oresund bridge with its two lanes for the in either direction will reach its capacity in a decade time. This demands to look for ways to increase the lanes. The carriageway does not reach to the edge of the truss. It would be possible to cast a wider deck element with the possibility of adding an extra lane in either direction. This would bring the carriageway closer to the edge of the bridge and add a significant amount of dead load to the structure. Another option would be to hang new truss elements off the side of the existing deck. This would seem to be a more complex procedure than the first one suggested, but could add more than one lane in either direction. All of these modifications would have effects on the loading of the bridge and strengthening works could well be required for both the cables and the piers.

Picasso Essay -- essays research papers

Pablo Picasso. Self-Portrait. 1907. Oil on canvas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The formal and visual elements most utilized, recognizable, and original in Pablo Picasso’s Self-Portrait 1907 are line, texture, time, and color. As far as principals of design go, emphasis on proportion and scale of certain features makes them stand out, thus enhancing the expression of his face. I chose this artwork because the simplicity of the painting, especially the bold use of line, is appealing to the eye and looks like something I’d draw.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It appears as though Picasso started the painting with a heavy outline describing and exaggerating the shape of the head and its features, then went on to fill in the body and background. The lines outlining the eyes, cheekbones, and nose are much heavier than the lines making up the mouth. Perhaps this is because he saw himself as more the observer who expresses himself better through his art than through his words. With the eyes and nose overstated, the expression is one of curiosity and constant awareness, as well as optimism and enjoyment. Picasso makes great use of directional lines in this self portrait. His forehead slants at the same angle as his jaw and ear, collar, and lapel. His hair is combed at an angle that matches with the neck, left cheekbone and collar. His right cheekbone is a continuation of the line representing where his shirt buttons up which also matches the line of his left lapel. It looks like he...

The Theory and Implementations of The Balance of Payments (BOP) :: Economics

The Theory and Implementations of The Balance of Payments (BOP) To develop country’s economic strength under the tendency of globalization, governments always seek to achieve two macroeconomic objectives, i.e. stable growth of internal economy and balanced development of external economic activities. The former can be realized by effectively adjusting Economic Growth, Unemployment and Inflation. However, how to realize the latter? An external macroeconomic variable is needed. In practice, the Balance of Payments fulfills this responsibility. (A). Balance of Payments (BOP used in following text), in principle, is a record of the country’s transactions with the rest of the world. It shows the country’s payment s to or deposits in other countries (debits) and its receipts or deposits from other countries (credits)[1]. The BOP account[2] also shows the balance between these debits and credits under various headings, which are categorized into the Current Account, the Capital Account and the Financial Account, which compose the main elements of balance of payments. The Current Account largely measures flow of real resources including exports and imports of goods and services, income receivable and payable abroad, and current transfers from and to abroad. It is normally divided into three subdivisions (Figure 1). Trade in goods account (often as the trade balance) The total value of exports of goods, subtracting the total value of imports of goods. Trade in services account Imports and exports of services, such as banking and insurance, transport services, law, accountancy, management consultancy and tourism. Investment incomes Interest, profit and dividends flowing into and out of the country. Transfers of money Two sectors: government transfers and transfers made by other sectors. Government transfers include contributions to international organisations (e.g. UK to EU budget) and foreign aid. The ‘other sectors’ section many highlights the transfer of assets by individuals to foreign bank accounts. The Capital Account measures external transactions in capital transfers, and in acquisition or disposal of non-produced, non-financial assets, which include land and subsoil assets, patents and copyrights etc. Capital transfers are transfers of ownership of a fixed asset or the forgiveness of a liability. The Financial Account records transactions in financial assets and liabilities between residents and non-residents. It shows how an economy's external transactions are financed. Transactions in the financial account are classified into direct investment, portfolio investment, other investment, and reserve assets[3] (Figure 2). Direct investment Money flows across national boundaries for the purpose of investing and it is thus either a credit or a debit item. Portfolio investment Changes in the holding of paper assets, such as company shares and bonds. Other investment It comprises loans, currency, deposits, and short and long-term trade credits, financial derivatives and other accounts receivable and payable. Reserve assets This refers to the reserves of gold, special drawing rights (SDRs) and