Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Nabopolassar Babylonian King

Nabopolassar Babylonian King Definition: Nabopolassar was the first king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling from November 626 - August 605 B.C. He had been general in a revolt against Assyria after the Assyrian king Assurbanipal died in 631. Nabopolassar was made king on November 23, 626*. In 614, the Medes, led by Cyaxares ([Uvakhshatra] king of the Umman Manda), conquered Assur, and the Babylonians under Nabopolassar joined forces with them. In 612, in the Battle of Ninevah, Nabopolassar of Babylonia, with the assistance of the Medes, destroyed Assyria. The new Babylonian empire incorporated Babylonians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans, and was an ally of the Medes. Nabopolasars empire extended from the Persian Gulf to Egypt. Nabopolassar restored the temple of the sun god Shamash st Sippar, according to Civilizations of Ancient Iraq. Nabopolassar was the father of Nebuchadnezzar. For information on the Babylonian Chronicles which has source material on the Babylonian king, see Livius: Mesopotamian Chronicles. * The Babylonian Chronicle, by David Noel Freedman The Biblical Archaeologist  © 1956 The American Schools of Oriental Research Also,  see  A.T. Olmsteads History of the Persian Empire. Examples: The Nabopolassar Chronicle, which was published by C. J. Gadd in 1923, covers the events around the time of the fall of Ninevah. It is based on a cuneiform text in the British Museum (B.M. 21901) that is known as the Babylonian Chronicle.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Stewart’s Calculus 8th Edition, Section 1.1, Question 3

Stewart’s Calculus 8th Edition, Section 1.1, Question 3 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips This posts contains aTeaching Explanation. You can buyCalculus by Stewarthere. Why You Should Trust Me:I’m Dr. Fred Zhang, and I have a bachelor’s degree in math from Harvard. I’ve racked up hundreds and hundreds of hours of experienceworking withstudents from 5thgradethroughgraduate school, and I’m passionate about teaching. I’ve read the whole chapter of the text beforehand and spent a good amount of time thinking about what the best explanation is and what sort of solutions I would have wanted to see in the problem sets I assigned myself when I taught. Question:The graph of a function f is given.Page in 8th Edition: 19 Short Answers: f(1) = 3 f(-1) ~ -.3 f(x)=1 for x = 0 or 3 f(x)=0 for approximately x=-0.6 The domain of x are real numbers between -2 and 4 (or [-2,4], and the range are real numbers between -1 and 3, or [-1,3]. f is increasing on the interval [-2,1) Homework Answer:Same as Short Answers. Motivated Answers: The question is giving you the graph of the function f. This means that to figure out what f(x) is, we need to look at the y-value of the graph at x. To figure out f(1), we can take put a ruler vertically (up down) on the graph when x=1 and see how high the graph is, which is the same thing as the y-value of the graph. We can count boxes on the graph paper to see the y-value is 3. Just like a), we put a ruler vertically at x=-1, and the graph seems to show a y-value of about -.3 (it could be -0.2 or -0.5, but that’s our best guess by eyeballing it). This means f(-1)~-0.3 The question wants us to find all values of x where f(x)=1. Since 1 is the output of f, and the output means to y-values, we can take a ruler, put it horizontally at 1, and look at where the ruler hits the graph. We see the rule hits the graph two times, once when x is 0, and another time when x = 3. We do the same thing as c), but put the ruler horizontally at 0, which happens to be the x-axis. The graph hits the ruler at x=-.6 approximately. You have to find the domain and range of f. The domain of any function is all valid inputs, or stated the same way, all valid x-values. We can see from the graph that the graph spans the x-range of -2 though 4 (we can count boxes). To write this in interval notation, we write the range is [-2,4]. We use solid brackets here because the graph seems to include the endpoints.The range of f is all valid outputs of f. Stated the same way, these are all valid y-values of the graph. We can see the graph spans the y-range of -1 through 3, or [-1,3]. If you look at the graph you can see that f seems to be increasing throughout the first part of it, from x-values of -2 to 1. Writing this in interval notation, we get [-2,1). We use a parenthesis ) instead of bracket ] because at the point 1, the function is no longer increasing. Video Solution: Get full textbook solutions for just $5/month. PrepScholar Solutions has step-by-step solutions that teach you critical concepts and help you ace your tests. With 1000+ top texts for math, science, physics, engineering, economics, and more, we cover all popular courses in the country, including Stewart's Calculus. Try a 7-day free trial to check it out.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Marketing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6

Marketing Management - Essay Example Exchange relationships are commonly utilised as marketing strategies with the aim of ensuring that a business establishes viable links and contacts with customers, rather than focusing on making on-the-spot sale. The use of this form of relations in marketing commonly results in relationship marketing as a business strategy, whose success is based on the fulfilment of the promises made to customers. A business must maintain commitment to the promises made to customers as a way of satisfying their needs, while still keeping their promises. The role of customer service representatives in this marketing strategy is critical to its successful application. A business must maintain a continuous relationship with the client as a way of retaining the customers by gaining their trust. Organisations commonly focus on delivering value to customers as a way of nurturing the existing relationship between them and the business. This approach of marketing is basically focused on attracting retaining and extending good and services to the desired customers. Marketing metrics refer to elements that can be used to measure the effectiveness of the marketing strategies employed by an organization in achieving desired marketing objectives. A sales manager might consider reporting the following two metrics to ABC Services; This can be defined as the cost incurred in convincing a customer to purchase services and products from a company. The costs considered include the product costs and the various costs involved in research and marketing before reaching the customer. This metric could be relevant to the company as it can be able to determine the markets in which to venture. While the market analysis might be critical, other factors like the value of customers to the company can also be established. This is essential in determining the amount of resources that a business can use to gain customers. This is a metric

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Structural Concept Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Structural Concept - Essay Example The piles will be generated using continuous beams originating from standard non-stop beam components linked to the node of elements through flows also called non-linear springs. This type of technology mixes in-situ soils together with cementitious materials in the process of forming a vertical stiff inclusion in the soil structure. The process entails rotating the mixing tool downwards to the designed depth. On reaching the appropriate depth, the construction engineer reverses the rotation of the mixing tool and starts withdrawing it at a standardized rate (Nelson 2005). The engineer forces into the ground agents that include slaked lime, quicklime, fly ash, and cement during advancement and withdrawal of the mixing tool. Other agents commonly referred to as binders introduced in the entire process in form of either wet slurry or dry powder. This technology shares familiar elements with the deep mixing technology with differences appearing in very high-pressure fluids that are applicable in the jet grouting technology in the process of eroding subsurface soil particles and used in mixing them with cement. This technology applies hydraulic energy to erode the soil as well as mix or replace the eroded soil with an engineered grout of water and cement in the process of forming a solidified in-situ component. Various subsurface geometries apply in the process of installing Jet Group elements. The tools for performing jet grouting remains special but many contractors are available and can help in continuing with technology. Engineers erect gadgets as close as possible to existing structures of embankment such as railways to strengthen resistance of the embankment and prevent failures from stability. They are made of few compacted meters of material with a height of one to two meters (Nelson 2005). They are also cost effective compared to other structures. However, its ability to reduce vibration and settlements is very low. In

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Philosophy And Modernity Essay Example for Free

Philosophy And Modernity Essay The conflict between Philosophy and Modernity is a never ending topic. Each of the terms is individually supported by the corresponding generations. But those who support modernity, at least at some point of life will surely support philosophy. That is the power of philosophy. Let us take a mishap as example that shows us how these two issues conflict with each other. The terrorist attacks of September 11 still haunt the minds of Americans unnerved by the enormity of the crime. We need to know what could have inspired someone to do such a thing. It is bad enough to experience such a monstrous event; to feel it is inexplicable, an act with no conceivable motive, only adds to the sense of unreality. What is the source of this hostility? What ideas, values, and attitudes give rise to it? Lewiss observation contains the seeds of the two leading schools of thought about the answer to this question. Both schools place Islamist hatred of the USA in a larger cultural and historical context. Both are plausible, and in many respects they are compatible. But they differ in what they see as the essential terms of the ongoing conflict, and in their implications for the future. One school holds that the war on terror reflects an underlying conflict between Islam and the West as civilisations. Each is united, as a civilisation, by the loyalty of its people to a narrative of their past, a common religion, and shared ideas, values, and ways of life. The current tensions between Islam and the West are only the latest of the conflicts that have occurred over the centuries. The USA is a particular object of hostility now because it is the most powerful Western country. Those who reject modernity are to be found in every nation and civilization. The second school holds that terrorists hostility is directed at the principles and values of the West. On this view, what they hate is not the West as a society or a civilisation per se, but rather the culture of modernity. Modernity was born in the West, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but it is not inherently tied to the history or customs of any one society. It is a constellation of universal values the secular culture of reason, science, individualism, progress, democracy, and capitalism that have spread worldwide in different forms and to varying degrees. By the same token, those who reject modernity, who fear and wish to destroy it, are to be found in every nation and civilisation. And invariably they hate the USA as the fullest, most persuasive, and thus most dangerous embodiment of that culture. There are as many battles within civilisations as between them. Muslims saw military success as a mark of Allahs favour. As Seyyed Hossein Nasr, a prominent Iranian philosopher and historian, observes, During the first twelve centuries of its historic existence, Islam lived with the full awareness of the truth and realisation of Gods promise to Muslims that they would be victorious if they followed His religion. Such verses as There is no victor but God, which adorns the walls of the Alhambra, also adorned the soul and mind of Muslims. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, however, the tide turned. The scientific and industrial revolutions vastly increased the wealth and the military power of the West. After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, the Middle East was taken over by European nations and broken up into colonies and protectorates. Today, despite decolonisation, the countries of this region remain poor and backward by comparison not only with the West but also with the booming economies of East Asia. Oil revenue has showered wealth on the region, but economic growth has been held back by layers of regulations, wasteful government enterprises and investments, not to mention corruption. Because of their strategic location, Middle Eastern countries were pawns of the Cold War but were rarely true partners or friends of either power. Now, Muslims feel they are at the mercy of a global economy driven by Western capitalism. They feel invaded by Western popular culture, which they regard as morally decadent. Israel is the salt in all these wounds a nation of people who came from the West, tore a patch of land from Islam, turned it into a vibrant, wealthy economy, and acquired the military prowess to defeat its Arab neighbours. The result of all this, is a feeling of humiliation a growing awareness, among the heirs of an old, proud, and long-dominant civilisation, of having been overtaken, overborne, and overwhelmed by those whom they regarded as their inferiors. Having tried to take on Western ways, with dismal results, they are increasingly drawn to the idea that the solution is a return to the pure Islamic faith that reigned in the days of their former greatness. The clash-of-civilisations school doubtless represents part of the truth of the matter. But it is not the whole truth, and not the fundamental truth. Its chief shortcoming is that it exaggerates the extent of agreement in outlook, values, ideas, and loyalties among people who share the common history and culture that define a civilisation. In fact, there are as many battles over these issues within civilisations as between them especially in the West. The hijackers target was a temple of modernity. At the level of fundamental philosophical principles, however, the Enlightenment period was much more important as a turning point in the West, and in a way created a new civilisation. Anti-modernism Modernity was born in the West in a radical transformation of its past. The world of the Middle Ages, built around the world-view of Christian Scholasticism, was a society of religious philosophy, feudal law, and an agricultural economy. Out of this soil, the Renaissance and Enlightenment produced a substantially new society of science, individualism, and industrial capitalism. When we examine the wider context of Islamic terrorism, it is clear that a hatred of modernity is its driving force. The cultural foundation of this new society, if we state it as a set of explicit theses, was the view that reason, not revelation, is the instrument of knowledge and arbiter of truth; that science, not religion, gives us the truth about nature; that the pursuit of happiness in this life, not suffering in preparation for the next, is the cardinal value; that reason can and should be used to increase human wellbeing through economic and technological progress; that the individual person is an end in himself with the capacity to direct his own life, not a slave or a child to be ruled by others; that individuals have equal rights to freedom of thought, speech, and action; that religious belief should be a private affair, tolerance a social virtue, and church and state kept separate; and that we should replace command economies with markets, warfare with trade, and rule by king or commissar with democracy. It is therefore misleading to call our civilisation Christian, even though that remains the largest religion in terms of adherents. The West may still be a culture of Christians, by and large, but it is not a Christian culture anymore. It is a secular culture. And that is what the Islamists hate most about us. The al-Qaeda hijackers did not target the Vatican, the capital of Western Christianity whose leaders launched the Crusades. They did not attack the British Foreign Office, which directed colonial policy in the Middle East after World War I. They attacked the World Trade Centre, the proud symbol of engineering audacity and global commerce, where businesses from scores of countries (including many Muslim countries) worked in freedom and peace, creating wealth and investing in material progress. Their target, in short, was a temple of modernity. The culture of modernity is not a Western good but a human good Modernity meant people changing their relationship with both the world and themselves. For the first time, through science, they realised that many things, such as certain weather patterns or illnesses, were not a matter of fate. The social order no longer seemed impossible to change either. Revolutions could sweep away despots and people could improve their living standards. The threat posed by the Islamist terrorists derives not from their Islamic background but from the ideas, values, and motivations they share with anti-modernists everywhere-including in the West. In that regard, they have not merely assaulted our civilisation. They have attacked civilisation as such. Civilisation is the condition a society attains when it emerges from prehistoric barbarism and begins to apply intelligence systematically to the problems of human life, by creating technologies of production like farming, technologies of cognition like writing, and technologies of social order like cities and law. The culture of modernity is one of these permanent contributions the most important. Though Western in origin, it is not a Western good but a human good. It has vastly expanded our knowledge of the world; brought a vast increase in wealth, comfort, safety, and health; and created social institutions in which humans can flourish. Anti-modernism is not simply loyalty to pre-modern stages of civilisation on the part of people who have not yet discovered reason and individualism. It is a postmodern reaction by people who have seen modernity and turned against it, who hate and wish to destroy it. This is a profoundly anti-human outlook, and there can be no compromise with it. As we take aim at the terrorists who have attacked us, we must also take intellectual aim at the ideas that inspire them.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Code of Chivalry in The Once and Future King Essay -- Once and Fut

The Code of Chivalry in The Once and Future King      Ã‚  Ã‚   T.H. White's novel The Once and Future King presents a code of chivalry that outlines the expected knightly behavior of the time. This particular code stresses loyalty to one's liege, love and respect toward women, and absolute devotion to justice. At the height of Arthur's kingdom, this code was widely accepted by all. However, as Arthur's kingdom begins to decline, the code of chivalry begins to hold less importance among the people. The fall of Arthur's kingdom is directly related to the absence of the code of chivalry in the behavior of the Knights of the Round Table. Sir Lancelot betrays Arthur when he has an adulteress affair with Guenever. Sir Lancelot also disrespects women when he leaves Elaine to be with Guenever in Camelot. King Arthur himself is disloyal to justice when he allows Guenever to be rescued by Lancelot.    The love triangle of Arthur, Lancelot, and Guenever is a constant theme throughout every account of the Arthurian legend. Geoffrey Ashe's The Arthurian Handbook states that "We may say that these knights are expected to serve their King..."(81). The revelation of the affair finally comes when Sir Agravaine shouts, "'Traitor Knight! Sir Lancelot, now art thou taken'"(White 569). Lancelot was summoned to Queen Guenever's bedroom, and Sir Agravaine is finally exposing the affair and gaining revenge on Lancelot for unhorsing him many times in the past. The two people that Arthur trusts most are Guenever and Lancelot. Arthur is well aware of the affair between the two, but chooses to pretend that nothing is going on. Due to this naivety, Arthur earns the disrespect (and even hatred) of Agravaine and Mordred, who eventual... ...misuse of justice make way for Mordred and his ideas to take root in Camelot. All of these actions eventually lead to Arthur chasing Lancelot and waging war upon him, while Mordred takes over in Camelot. This symbolizes that there is no middle ground between good (Arthur) and evil (Mordred). As good dissipates, evil always grows stronger. However, the same goes for evil dissipating and good rising to power. Given the time period in which T.H. White wrote (post World War II), White is speaking of the downfall of Hitler and the rise of a new order in Europe.    Works Cited Ashe, Geoffrey. The Arthurian Handbook. New York, USA: Garland Publishing, 1988 Morris, Rosemary. The Character of King Arthur in Medieval Literature. Cambridge: Brewer Publishing Co., 1982 White, T.H.. The Once and Future King. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1987   

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Emerging Technology Essay

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the advantages of computers/software and the use of computer technology in investigations. Summarize the disadvantages to law enforcement with respect to the advancements of computers. Real cases will be researched in order to understand how computers can be utilized in criminal activities, as well as a case that the use of a computer was beneficial to the prosecution in a criminal case. A final conclusion paragraph will address my personal subjective opinion as to whether these technologies, in an overall sense are a benefit or hindrance to law enforcement efforts. Introduction Since computers have become such a big part of our lives it is no surprise that even criminals now know how to hack into large computer networks. Obtaining electronic evidence may be one of the most difficult types of evidence to recover. Another issue is authenticating this evidence; however with the help of legal standards this evidence is admissible in court today. Even though computers are the most dominant form of technology that is used in a variety of situations, there are set backs to everything and computers are no exceptions as this paper will explain (Forensic Science, n.d.). The Advantages of Computers and the Use of Computer Technology in Investigations In order to paint an accurate picture of the advantages of computers and technology relating to investigation we must start as close to the beginning as possible. This would be when President Johnson in his State of the union Address to Congress in 1968. This is where the President made the announcement â€Å"to bring the most advanced technology to the war on crime in every city and country in America† (Northrop, 1993). It was less than ten months when the congress along with the President, put into law the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. This law created the Law Enforcement Assistance Association (LEAA), to handle and deliver on the promise of the President of technological assistance. During the next ten years the LEAA contributed meanly $50 million to state and local government criminal justice and law enforcement agencies for crime fighting. Otherfederal agencies like the FBI matched the funding as well as local and state governments themselves (Northrop, 1993). To demonstrate the usefulness of computers by police in the fight against crime, this pare to the paper will refer to results from a comprehensive repeated-measures field study that looked specifically at how useful computers are to police in the fight against crime. The study focused on a particular class of computer use, which was the searches for vital information because this is the bulk of computer activity for officers and are valued by the police in their fight against crime. Between 1976 and 1988 the data did â€Å"show a clear improvement in both the use of and benefits from such systems† (Northrop, 1993). The only drawback is that â€Å"the investment in search systems and the promise they hold for improving police effectiveness is badly constrained by inadequate training of patrol officers and detectives† (Northrop, 1993). However, there is a very simple solution to this small glitch and that is to create an adequate training system and put all officers through that training program (Northrop, 1993). The most notable problem facing officers was the chronic lack of information. This spans the range from the police chiefs shortage of information on how to use the departments limited resources to the patrol officers uncertainty over whom to stop and question regarding suspicious behavior. In the 1970’s and early 1980’s, this problem was addressed using a multi-facade management approach and there were big payoffs. The problem of improving how information was provided to police officers in the street or to the detective working a case was harder to fix. They soon realized the only way to specific individuals or cases was the existing records. However, the only means of utilizing those records was to look them up (Northrop, 1993). From utilizing computers in cars so officers could run a license plate and social security number to see if there are any warrants out for the person they stopped, to more advances such as carrying cell phones, GPS tracking systems in cars, crime mapping tools, information sharing between state and local law enforcement, to even sharing information across countries. Technology has come a long way in helping officers and other agents within the criminal justice system do their job. Just a bit more about the advantages of the things mentioned above and time to move on. The most interesting thing is Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which has become a most important tool for law enforcement agencies. GIS, othermapping software and desktop computers now are capable of mapping and data analysis that is way above and beyond what used to be possible with backroom mainframe computers (Rubley, 2011). Another great advancement is the widespread use of everyone using mobile devices. Many officers now use two to three cell phones. The invention of apps has made it easy for everyone to tap a button and instantly retrieve valuable information. Information that used to take several steps to obtain using a browser is now at the officer’s fingertips. Mobile technology is evolving all the time and it is evolving fast, even in the past few years the government has been able to identify a suspect through a facial recognition app on the iPhone, look up a potential jurors social media profile during voir dire, and now they even have real time data streaming to mobile devices which can provide information on a fugitive or get instant news feeds. There is no doubt that computers and technology have taken law enforcement to a whole new level (Rubley, 2011). What Disadvantages Face Law Enforcement with Respect to the Advancements of Computers? One big disadvantage is that there is such a high volume of information being exchanged daily on the internet and while this is a convenient thing for most of us, there are also criminals taking advantage of the opportunity. There is corporate fraud, theft, intellectual property disputes, and even breach of contract and asset recovery issues. These are some of the situations that use computers to commit the crime and use computer forensics to solve the crime (n.a., 2009). An additional disadvantage is making sure that the digital evidence is going to be admissible in court. Since data can be modified very easy, the analyst must be able to comply with the standards of evidence required by law. The analyst must make sure their investigation is fully documented and accounted for. Another real disadvantage is the cost of retrieving the data. Computer forensic experts are hired by the hour and the process of analyzing and reporting the data can take up to 15 hours depending on the nature of the case (n.a., 2009). Other disadvantages are really the same ones facing all users of technology. If the system is down there is no information that can be retrieved. If the user is not trained in using the technological equipment at his/her disposal then this will be a waste of time. If the input of information is incorrect which sometimes occurs because of human error, then that will cause a problem for officers in the long run. The Case Chosen to be researched where the Computer was used to Aid in the Commission of a Crime. 3 NJ Students Charged in School Computer Hacking On April 14, 2010, in Haddonfield N.J. three students hacked into one of the top preforming High Schools. They are now facing charges for attempting to change their grades once they were into the system. The three students are boys, ages 14, 15, and 16 but because they are minors their names have not been released. The Boys were found out when a staff member found one of the boys using keystroke capture software on one of the computers at the school in an attempt to steal a teacher’s password. That student then implicated the others in this crime. The boys were charged with illegally obtaining information and were released to their parents (Associated Press, 2010). This is a wonderful example of how people, who might never have committed a crime in their lives, get ideas about computers as if this is not a crime. They get on the internet, explore places and things that are illegal and never think twice about it because they are either in their own home and feel protected, or they feel that it is easier to get away with computer related crimes and take their chances. There is too much technology and it is dangerous in the wrong hands. People need to realize that especially crime on the internet will always be solved sooner or later because what you do on a computer leaves a print forever that can never be erased. Research Case Where a Computer was Beneficial to the Prosecution in a Criminal Case In this case a woman age 45, named Sonia Martin, from Nigeria and Chicago, Illinois was â€Å"manager of a Chicago cell in one of the most sophisticated and organized computer hacking and ATM cash out schemes ever perpetrated† (U.S. Attorney’s Office, 2012). On August 12, 2012 she was sentenced to serve two years and six months in a federal prison on charges of conspiracy to commit wore fraud. She will also serve five years of supervised release and $89,120.25 in restitution fees (U.S. Attorney’s Office, 2012). According the United States attorney Yates, in November of 2008 a group of hackers obtained unauthorized access into the comp uter system of a company called WorldPay US, Inc., then known as RBS WorldPay, which is a payment processor in Atlanta. The hackers were very sophisticated and used some daring techniques to compromise the data encryption that WorldPay used to protect the customers data on payroll debit cards. These are used by more and more companies to pay their employees. This is convenient for employees as they can use the debit card right away or use it to withdraw their salaries right from an ATM (U.S. Attorney’s Office, 2012). Once they were in, hackers raised the balances and ATM withdraw limits on the compromised accounts. â€Å"They then provided a network of lead â€Å"cashers† with 44 debit card account numbers and their PIN numbers, which they used to withdraw more than $9 million from over 2,100 ATM;s in at least 280 cities worldwide, including cities in the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Italy, Hong Kong, Japan, and Canada† (U.S. Attorney’s Office, 2012). The whole thing, $9 million dollars, took less than 12 hours to pull off on November 8, 2008 (U.S. Attorney’s Office, 2012). Throughout the cash out the hackers monitored these fraudulent ATM withdraws in real-time from inside the computer systems of WorldPay. Once the transactions were complete the hackers sought to destroy data stored on the card processing network so they could cover up this illegal activity. WorldPay discovered the unauthorized activity and reported the breach (U.S. Attorney’s Office, 2012). Sonia Martin was working with one of the lead cashers and supervised a cashing crew in Chicago. Martin was given PIN codes, and payroll cards, and then manufactured counterfeit debit cards based on that information. So she handed out cards to her underlings that she recruited and supervised. Together they all withdrew approximately $80,000 from various ATM’s around Chicago, during the early morning hours of November 8, 2008. Martin’s primary addres s is Nigeria (U.S. Attorney’s Office, 2012). This case was investigated by special agents of the federal bureau of investigations. Other who helped provide assistance included; numerous domestic and international law enforcement partners and WorldPay immediately reported the crime and substantially assisted in the investigation (U.S. Attorney’s Office, 2012). Conclusion My belief is that the new technology and computers have really given law enforcement some spectacular tools to do their job. I feel that technology has aided in the increase of incarcerations. Anytime criminals can be taken off the streets or even out of the darkness of their homes where they are committing crimes, this is a good thing. Yes there are some disadvantages that can also be dealt with. The problems of officers being unaware of how to use some of this modern technology can be cured by sending them to some training programs. All officers need to be aware of what evidence to collect when it is possibly on a computer and the chain of custody that this type of technology requires. As technology advances, unfortunately so will the crime that is being committed with that technology. Officers everywhere must be able to respond to these crimes effectively. This is why it is so important for every department to keep up with the fast paced computer technology, cell phone technology and any other technology that will aid in catching the bad guy. References Associated Press. (2010). 3 NJ students charged in school computer hacking. Retrieved June 6, 2013, from abclocal.go.com: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/technology&id=7386890 n.a. (2009). Advantages and Disadvantages of Computer Forensics . Retrieved June 9, 2013, from anushreepatil.ewebsite.com: http://www.anushreepatil.ewebsite.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-computer-forensics.html Northrop, A. (1993). Police of Computers. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from Center for Research on Information: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/71x0h7hb#page-2 Rubley, S. (2011). How Has Mobile Evolved to Help the Investigative Community . Retrieved June 9, 2013, from Blog.Thomson Ruters.com: http://blog.thomsonreuters.com/index.php/how-has-mobile-evolved-to-help-the-investigative-community/ U.S. Attorney’s Office. (2012, August 12). Sentencing in Major International Cyber Crime Prosecution . Retrieved June 9, 2013, from FBI.gov: http://www.fbi.gov/atlanta/press-releases/2012/sentencing-in-major-international-cyber-crime-prosecution

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Minocycline and Public Misinformation

The potential role of minocycline in limiting neurological stroke damage is a widely studied arena, as evident by the numerous studies conducted on the topic and the implications of these findings are widely circulated in the scientific and public community using the print and broadcast media. But, it is highly unlikely that the common media would religiously reflect the findings based on the scientific research as potentiated by the ‘knowledge gap’ that exists between them. In the light of this statement, there is a general aim to investigate the â€Å"knowledge gaps† that may have been loss from information transfer of the technical work to that of the more popular broad print media. The Recent Study Conducted on Minocycline Minocycline, a tetracycline derivative is more popular for its an anti-inflammatory activity rather than its antibiotic effect. Minocycline alleviates the blood brain barrier disruption by decreasing the activity of microglia and metalloproteinase, reduction of edema and hemorrhage and reduce ischemia. The specificity of mitocycline as inhibitor of microglial activity by limiting p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase makes it a potential drug for neurological disorders. Lampl et al. (2007) conducted an open label, evaluator blinded study on the monocycline treatment in acute stroke. This scientific approach diverted from the normal â€Å"animal models† and the â€Å"in vivo and the in vitro approach† classic method of studying drug medication effect by using actual human models. One hundred fifty two stroke patients were used for the study; 74 received minocycline treatment [(200 mg/day/5 days; start: 6-24 hr after stroke onset)] and 77 received placebo. The NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Barthel index were assessed for day 7, 30 and 90 (7 and 90 for NIHSS). Data analysis (covariance and two tailed   t-test) were carried out using SPSS statistical analysis software. Results indicate that there was significant reduction NIHSS score at day 90 for monocycline patients compared that of the placebo patients. The reduction was apparent from baseline up to last day of treatment. Barthel index was significantly reduced at day 7 till the end of the treatment and mRS difference started at day 2 onwards. Covariance (co-variance: age, presence of peptic ulcer, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) , sulfonylurea(SU) were performed again for NHSS test and results show significant difference between the groups with mean difference increase for covariates. The study indicates that the administration of minocycline at acute stage of stroke using five day treatment therapeutic onset window of 24 hr is effective in alleviating stroke damages. The â€Å"24 hr therapeutic onset† is based on results of previous studies stating that edema peaks at 24 to 48 hr following ischemia and inhibition at this timescale of apoptopic pathway is most effective. The limitations of the study are the six hr post-stroke administration, the oral medication, and small sampling units. Confirmation is still needed for this study. The Public Mis-Conveyance of the Minocycline Efficacy Last October 27, 2007, Thomas H. Maugh II of Los Angeles Times wrote â€Å"[Minocycline] taken within 24 hours, the drug is found to help reduce disabling effects in a patient’s body and brain.† Thomas H. Maugh based his article on the aforementioned study above. However there are discrepancies that can be found between the article and the actual study which he allegedly used as the fountain of information on minocycline efficiency. First, he intimated that the drug should be administered within the first three hours. He also forgot to mention that the dosage administered was 200 mg.There was nothing in the journal that said that the drug must be administered at within 3 hr. In fact, the therapeutic window indicated in the scientific journal was â€Å"within 24 hr† and the experimental method involved â€Å"six hr post stroke†. Second, he elicited the â€Å"secondary† opinion from the scientific community specifically Dr. Steven Pacia of Lenox Hospital, Dr. John Marler of National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Dr. Raymond Swanson of University of California. There is nothing wrong with eliciting opinions from known field experts on neurology. But the fact is that he should have elicited ‘primary’ source of information from the Israeli scientists and not from those who are not really involved the conducted study. Maugh also wrote that subjects for the study excluded â€Å"those who had already shown signs of recovery.† There was no line on the methodology of the paper mentioning this. He also failed to indicated chronic renal failure as a category in the exclusion of study. (This is very important since there is strong association of inefficacy of oral administration in chronic renal patients). He also wrote that Lampl said that the improvement was apparent within a week. It is a misnomer of information; there was ‘significant’ improvement from Day 90 and not Day 7. He also wrote that the minocycline receivers did ‘4x’ times better. He forgot to mention if at what scale this 4x is. Is it from the baseline or is it a comparison to the placebo group? Lampl’s group cited that the study must be performed on a larger scale to attest its efficacy. Maugh’s misnomers and some information deletions may have mislead the reader into believing that the minocycline is proven and tested as effective. Health information to the public should be delivered as precise as possible. Journalist should be more careful about what they write because they are open to misinterpretation by the public. What would happen if a desperate stroke patient took this information seriously and drank more than 200 mg per day? Results are inconclusive on this. However, it should be deeply noted that, in the end, the public is the one who suffers from this misinformation. Works Cited Lampl, Y., Boaz, M. Gilad, R., M. Loberboym, Dabby, R., Rapoport, A., Anca-hershowitz, M., and M. Sadeh. â€Å"Minocycline Treatment in Acute Stroke.† Neurology.   1609 (2007): 1404-1410. Maugh, H. Thomas. â€Å"Antibiotic Limits Stroke Damage, Study Finds.† Los Angeles Times. 2 October 2007.      

Friday, November 8, 2019

Pelican Facts

Pelican Facts There are eight living species of pelicans (Pelecanus species) on our planet, all of which are water birds and water carnivores that feed on live fish in coastal regions and/or interior lakes and rivers. The most common in the United States are the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) and the Great White (P. anocratalus). Pelicans are members of Pelecaniformes, a group of birds that also includes the blue-footed booby, tropicbirds, cormorants, gannets, and the great frigate bird. Pelicans and their relatives have webbed feet and are well adapted to catching fish, their primary food source. Many species dive or swim underwater to capture their prey. Fast Facts: Pelicans Scientific Name: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, P. occidentalis, P. thagus, P. onocrotalu, P. conspicullatus, P. rufescens, P. crispus, and P.philippensisCommon Names: American white pelican, brown pelican, Peruvian pelican, great white pelican, Australian pelican, pink-backed pelican, Dalmatian pelican and spot-billed pelicanBasic Animal Group: BirdSize: Length: 4.3–6.2 feet; wingspan: 6.6-11.2 feetWeight: 8–26 poundsLifespan: 15–25 years in the wildDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Found on all continents except Antarctica, near coastlines or large inland waterwaysPopulation: Estimates only available for two near-threatened species: Spot-billed, (8700–12,000) and Dalmation (11,400–13,400)Conservation Status: Dalmatian, spot-billed, and Peruvian pelicans are classed as Near-Threatened; all other species are Least Concern Description All pelicans have two webbed feet with four toes, all of which are connected by the web (known as the totipalmate foot). All of them have large bills with an obvious gular pouch (throat pouch) which they use for catching fish and draining water. Gular sacs are also used for mating displays and regulating body temperature. Pelicans have large wingspans- some over 11 feet- and are masters in the air and on the water.   A great white pelican uses its gular pouch to capture a fish. Michael Allen Siebold / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution   Pelicans are found on all of the continents of the world except Antarctica. DNA studies have shown that pelicans can be grouped into three branches: Old World (spot-billed, pink-backed, and Australian pelicans), New World (brown, American White, and Peruvian); and the Great White. The American white is restricted to interior parts of Canada; the brown pelican is found along the western coast and Florida coasts of the United States and northern South America. The Peruvian pelican clings to the Pacific coastlines of Peru and Chile. They are fish eaters that thrive near rivers, lakes, deltas, and estuaries; some are confined to coastal regions while others range near large interior lakes.   Diet and Behavior   All pelicans eat fish, and they hunt for them singly or in groups. They scoop up fish in their beaks and then drain the water from their pouches before swallowing their prey- which is when gulls and terns attempt to steal the fish from their beaks. They can also dive into the water at great speed to capture their prey. Some of the pelicans migrate large distances, others are mostly sedentary.   Pelicans are social creatures who nest in colonies, sometimes as many as thousands of pairs. The largest of the species- the largest ones, Great White, American White, Australian, and Dalmation- build nests on the ground while the smaller ones nest in trees or shrubs or on cliff ledges. The nests vary in size and complexity.   Pelicans Diving for fish. Jean-Yves Bruel / Getty Images Reproduction and Offspring   Pelican breeding schedules vary with the species. Breeding may occur annually or every two years; some occur in specific seasons or occur year round. The eggs vary in coloration by species from chalky white to reddish to pale green or blue. Mother pelicans lay eggs in clutches that vary with the species, from one to six at once; and the eggs incubate for a period between 24 and 57 days.   Both parents take a role in feeding and tending the chicks, feeding them regurgitated fish. Many of the species have post-fledgling care that can last as long as 18 months. Pelicans take between three and five years to reach sexual maturity.   Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) can be found in Okavango Delta, Botswana. Dave Hamman / Getty Images Conservation Status   The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considers most pelican species of least concern. Population estimates are available for two near-threatened species: In 2018, the spot-billed pelican was estimated by the IUCN as between 8700 and 12,000 individuals), and the Dalmatian pelican at between 11,400 and13,400. Currently, the American white and Peruvian are known to be increasing in population while the spot-billed and Dalmatian are decreasing, and the Australian and pink-backed are stable. The Great White Pelican has not been counted recently. Although brown pelicans were listed as endangered during the 1970s and 1980s because of pesticides that had entered their food chains, the populations have recovered and they are no longer considered endangered. Evolutionary History The eight living pelicans belong to the order Pelecaniformes. Members of the Order Pelecaniformes include pelicans, tropicbirds, boobies, darters, gannets, cormorants, and frigate birds. There are six families and about 65 species in the Order Pelecaniformes. Early Pelecaniformes appeared during the end of the Cretaceous period. There is some controversy whether or not Pelecaniformes all share common descent. Recent studies suggest that some shared characteristics among the various pelecaniform subgroups are the result of convergent evolution. Sources Brown pelican. National Wildlife Federation, Wildlife Guide, Birds.Pelicans. IUCN Red List.  Kennedy, Martyn, Hamish G. Spencer, and Russell D. Gray. Hop, Step and Gape: Do the Social Displays of the Pelecaniformes Reflect Phylogeny? Animal Behaviour 51.2 (1996): 273-91. Print.Kennedy, Martyn, et al. The Phylogenetic Relationships of the Extant Pelicans Inferred from DNA Sequence Data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66.1 (2013): 215-22. Print.Patterson, S.A., J.A. Morris-Pocock, and V. L. Friesen. A Multilocus Phylogeny of the Sulidae (Aves: Pelecaniformes). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 58.2 (2011): 181-91. Print.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Perfect Custom Essays

Perfect Custom Essays Nowadays, paper writing for college students has proved to be rather a difficult task for most of them. Consequently, this has pushed them to seek essay writing services from various agencies that offer such services. Various factors have contributed to the students turning to custom essay writing companies for help. These factors include lack of adequate material to complete the assignments, others may be non-natives and the English language appears to be difficult to comprehend. Most college students prefer English essay writing from English native speaking individuals. This is because English is their second language, and they would want their work immaculately done. This may seem unethical to some, but it is quite helpful to many as these companies offer templates that assist students in composing their original work. Additionally, these companies offer various services such as thesis writing, research papers, dissertation chapters, course work and reports among others. Proofread ing and editing of previously done work are also services offered by these companies. Subsequently, such services help in avoiding common grammatical errors such as run-on sentences, punctuation mistakes, spelling mistakes, subject verb agreements and other common typos. It also helps in eliminating plagiarism by correct citations where work has been borrowed and paraphrased to represent originality. These companies accomplish all these by employing expert writers who offer excellent and professional English essay writing skills. Some of these professional writers are English language natives while others have English as their second language but still offer excellent services to the clients available.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Mother-Daughter Relationship and Weight Concern Annotated Bibliography

Mother-Daughter Relationship and Weight Concern - Annotated Bibliography Example Ogden, J. and Steward, J. (2000). â€Å"The Role of Mother-Daughter Relationship in Explaining Weight Concern.† International Journal of Eating Disorders, Pages 78 – 83. Presented two distinct roles manifested by mother-daughter relationship in terms of modeling the concerns of the mother and interactive role that could either be facilitative or productive of the weight concern. The authors conducted a study that required the participation of thirty mothers with respective daughters (whose ages ranged from 16 to 19 years old) through administration of the questionnaire method. The questionnaire focused on delving into issues concerning weight, as well as perceptions of participants on their relationship. According to the authors, the present study â€Å"primarily aimed to assess the degree of concordance between mothers’ and daughters’ levels of weight concern†. The results revealed that â€Å"the mother-daughter relationship may be relevant to the study of weight concern, not as a forum for modeling but as an interaction between two individuals, which is itself either facilitative or protective of weight concern in the daughter†. The article is clearly relevant in terms of the information provided from the results of the conducted study. However, the date the article was published was already fairly old, more than 10 years from contemporary time and that the results, if conducted today, could have generated a different outcome. Further, the sample size was only small and validity could have been increased by conducting the research using a larger sample size. Still, the contents could be cited in the current research for relevance of information contained herein. Ogden, J. and Chanana, A. (1998). â€Å"Explaining the effect of ethnic group on weight concern: finding a role for family values.† International Journal of Obesity, Volume 22, Pages 641-647. Explored the effect of ethnic groups, particularly Asians, on weight concern; as well as determining the influence of values exhibited by families as inflicting on the weight issues. The authors conducted the study through the participation of 20 Asians a nd 20 White daughters through a questionnaire that solicited responses on profile characteristics, values, and perception of the female perfect body. Ogden and Chanana aimed to validate previous studies that indicated that there were no differences in views with regard to body dissatisfaction and eating restraints between the Asian and White groups. In terms of the role of the family, particularly all members: mothers and siblings, except the father, the findings revealed that they all placed crucial importance on physical appearance. The authors were found to be highly authoritative on the subject matter, especially Ogden who was reported to be a Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology based in the London University. The article, though, was already outdated being published in 1998 and contemporary factors could have changed perceptions of both study groups, if the study is conducted recently. The information could therefore be cited only on areas where parallelism with current studie s would have been established. Otherwise, due to the outdated information, the results could fairly be used in the current research. Leichty, T; Freeman, P.A. and Zabriskie, R.B. (2006). â€Å"Body Image and Beliefs About Appearance: Constraints on the Leisure of College-Age and Middle-Age Women.† Leisure Sciences, Volume 28, Pages 311 – 330. Examine relevant relationships on three variables: body image, beliefs about appearance, and leisure constraints as solicited from the response of college-aged students and their respective mothers. A fairly large sample size of 116 female students and 76 mothers were used where participation required the use of computers to generate the needed information. Initially,

Friday, November 1, 2019

Democracy promotion Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Democracy promotion - Term Paper Example The spread of liberal democracy and freedom in the world facilitates the betterment of the people that live in the countries that exercise this conception through the promotion of individual liberty. For instance, democracy allows for the development of the freedom of expression, the freedom and right to own properties, and the aspect of conscience. It is inherent for the world superpowers to promote the democracy of the developing and other nations to ensure greater individual liberties to numerous people. Democratized countries provide maximum human rights to their citizenry through their involvement in the decisions that concern their lives. As studies illustrate, even the illiberal and imperfect democracies tend to allow liberty as opposed to the autocracies. Further, the increased levels of individual liberty improve the realization of full potential amongst the humans benefiting the humankind. For example, when a government utilizes autocratic leadership, more lives are in dang er. The situation is so because those who fight for their freedom get killed while the developed nations may withdraw their support to such nations posing more challenges to the citizens (Cho, 2015). If there is a promotion of democracy, there will be a mutual decision-making hence better lives to the people in the country. The United States need to spread the idea of liberal democracy to the nations in the attempt to stop the people from facing violence from their home governments. Most countries that do not implement the ideology of liberal democracy find themselves triggering civil unrest in their regimes causing deaths to their people. For example, apparently, there is civil unrest in Burundi due to the autocratic leadership of the incumbent president. In this case, more lives have been lost due to the forceful nature of the president to vie for a third term. Moreover,