Sunday, March 15, 2020

Asia Pacific Security Study Essays

Asia Pacific Security Study Essays Asia Pacific Security Study Essay Asia Pacific Security Study Essay ASIA PACIFIC SECURITY STUDY 1. The Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies is a one of two U. S. Department of Defense regional studies centers (The other is the Marshall Center in Europe.). It was established on 4 September 1995 as a direct reporting unit to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command. The center is a multilateral, non-war fighting, academic institution which focuses on security at the national policy level. It explores how the increasingly complex interrelationships of military, economic, political, and diplomatic policies interact to create regional stability or instability. 2. The centers mission is to foster understanding, cooperation, and the study of security-related issues among military and civilian representatives of the U. S. and other Asia-Pacific nations. This mission complements and supports the U. S. Pacific Commands Cooperative Engagement Strategy. The center is also a manifestation of former Defense Secretary Perrys concept of preventive defense. Approach 3. The center takes a two-prong approach to the study of security issues. (a) first through the College of Security Studies which focuses on future leaders. (b) second through a Research and Conference Center which focuses on current leaders. 4. The center provides a focal point where national officials, decision makers, and policy makers can gather to exchange ideas, explore pressing issues, and achieve a greater understanding of the challenges that shape the security environment of the Asia-Pacific region. The Colleges Curriculum 5. Security is the major theme, and the relationship among future military and government civilian leaders from 45 countries in the Asia-Pacific region is the focus. a. The Core Curriculum provides grounding in significant issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region, including diplomatic and military matters, economic issues, and socio-cultural concerns. The emphasis of the core course is on studying ways to create and maintain cooperation in Asia-Pacific relations. b. The Advanced Studies Program (electives) complements the core curriculum. The college offers graduate-level courses designed to provide participants the opportunity to broaden and deepen their studies on selected topics. Each participant takes at least four electives during the 12-week program of study. c. Group Study Projects supplement the classroom components of the curriculum. Participants form small study groups (three to five members each) to examine selected aspects of specific geographic areas or specific regional themes. d. The Field Studies Program expands the centers academic analyses of important regional issues (military, scientific, economic, and political) through site visits that may involve interviews and discussions. Some examples are the underground operations of the Hawaii Civil Defense Center, a visit to all the military commands in Hawaii, and an off-island trip to the Maui High Performance Computing Center and Pacific Disaster Center. e. Skills Courses provide voluntary specific training in areas such as use of computers and various software programs, accessing the Internet and other practical subjects. F. The Professional Enhancement Program provides an opportunity for involvement in personal and professional enhancement sessions with visiting dignitaries and experts in a variety of fields. Some of the topics are: Asian Security Issues; International and Regional Organizations; Nations, States, and Ethnic Identity; Access to and Competition for Resources; Demographics; Ethics, Rights, and Security; The Media and National Security; The Policy Process; Confidence and Transparency; Peacekeeping Operations, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. Participant Nomination and Selection 6. Nominations for foreign representative participation in the 12-week College of Security Studies courses come through the American embassies for final approval at the Asia-Pacific Center. The U. S. nominations come from the various military commands and government organizations through the college registrar. The participants are high-ranking military and government civilians (Lt. Col./Cmdr., Col./Capt., and equivalent civilian rank) who are involved in regional security issues and are identified as the future leaders of their respective militaries or defense institutions. Candidate from Malaysia for year 2010 was attended APCSS course in Hawaii are as follows. a. Kol Mohd Zaki bin Hamzah, Army HQ 29 Apr-6 Jun 10. b. Lt Col Khairi Asri bin Baharin RMAF, Air Forces HQ 8 Jul â€Å" 5 Ogos 10. c. Cept Yeow Ho Siong RMN, Joint Force HQ â€Å" 21 Oct â€Å" 10 Dec 10. Alumni Associations 7. Alumni Relations APCSS has more than 4,500 graduates and more than 40 alumni associations in locations such as: Australia, Afghanistan, American Samoa, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia (informal association), Canada, Chile, Comoros, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Lebanon, Maldives, Madagascar (w/Africa Center), Malaysia (127 Officers From MAF are APCSS Alumni members), Mauritius, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam, and United States (DC Hawaii). 8. APCSS continues to engage more than 4,000 graduates as part of an Alumni Program. Fellows serve as future guest speakers and assist in outreach efforts in their countries. They also have access to the APCSS Alumni Network to share information and research regional and global security issues. Conferences APCSSâ„ ¢ tightly focused conference program attempts to anticipate the most challenging regional and transnational security issues and cooperation tasks ahead. These serve as a forum for key regional interagency, multinational security policy drafters and decision makers to develop cooperative approaches to these problems. 9. The Alumni Program. Povides a forum for former graduates and faculty to maintain contact with the Center and with each other. We maintain a data base of all graduates and former faculty members to help you stay connected with APCSS and each other. Additionally, we provide information on the whereabouts of our alumni to our Center director and deputy director so they may meet with you socially during their travels throughout the Asia-Pacific region. 10. Focused Outreach Events. APCSS staff and faculty routinely travel throughout the Asia-Pacific region to conduct mini-courses, conferences and research that address specific needs identified by host nation and U.S. Embassy officials 11. Research. APCSS faculty members conduct research that strengthens communities of influence via partnered research on future security issues. In addition, APCSS coordinates and reports on a series of annual consultations with counterpart organizations in regional countries. Reports, papers, articles and books, are available on our website at www.apcss.org 12. Visit Program More than 1,000 visitors come to APCSS each year including senior leaders from the U.S. and other countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Visitors participate in roundtable discussions and serve as guest speakers. 13. College of Security Studies. Fellows in the College come from throughout the region and consist of senior military and government civilian equivalents in security-related positions. The course under college of Security Studies are as follows: a. Senior Executive Course:?   Transnational Security Cooperation (SEC).Description. An intensive program for current leaders on the upward track for positions of significant national (and possibly international) responsibility. Designed for senior security practitioners from the Asia-Pacific region now serving in positions that require experience and rank at the one- to four-star military and civilian-equivalent level (intent is to replicate a forum consisting of practitioners who influence security cooperation). Curriculum emphasizes the impact of change in the region, as well as capacities leader and institutional to manage change. The course integrates a challenging program of guest speakers, along with interactive seminar workshop dialogues and action-planning Course attendees join an expanded network of contacts among regional security practitioners that include their fellow classmates and APCSS faculty, as well as a regional community of expertise via a dedicated web portal used by APCSS alumni and others. b. Advanced Security Cooperation?   (ASC). The Advanced Security Cooperation (ASC) course is designed to advance knowledge, skills and networks related to multilateral security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region among mid-career security practitioners representing national government agencies and other influential regional and national entities. The course intends to stimulate strategic analysis and understanding of major security trends and challenges in the region, available and desirable tools and processes of their mitigation as well requirements for developing adequate national security sector capabilities to support regional effort of confidence-building, preventive diplomacy, conflict resolution and crisis management. Additionally, the course seeks to enhance individual leader skills in critical thinking, communication, collaboration and decision-making in complex multinational and culturally diverse environments. c. Comprehensive Security Responses to Terrorism Course.This course provides CbT security practitioners in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as other designated countries around the world, the operational and strategic-level skills necessary to enhance their ability to understand and combat terrorism and transnational threats.?   Through faculty lectures, guest speaker presentations, real-world case studies, seminar discussions and tailored ?  exercise scenarios, CSRT Fellows explore the nature of todayâ„ ¢s terrorist threats, better appreciate the challenges associated with countering ideological support for terrorism and violent extremism, achieve a more common understanding of global and regional terrorism challenges, analyze tools and capabilities for combating terrorism and transnational threats in order to promote appropriate strategies.?   The CSRT course is designed to build relationships between and among the United States and current and future CbT practitioners of participating countries in order to develop trust, confidence and specific methods necessary for increased information sharing, reduction of obstacles to cooperation in the international collaborative effort against those who use terror to achieve goals.?   The curriculum focuses on the non-warfighting aspects of security and is divided as follows:?   ?  Understanding; Framing and Assessing the Challenge; Formulating Responses to the Challenge; and Strategy Application.?   After leaving the Center, CSRT graduates are able to continue their collaborative efforts through IT/ET enabled portal connectivity. d. Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCM). Description: The Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCM) Course is a 4-week course that focuses on developing leader skills in five core areas: Comprehensive understanding of the complexity of crisis situations, strategic assessment, cooperation and collaboration, communication and use of appropriate technology. Offered once a year, the course is ideal for practitioners whose current or future responsibilities lie in the field of crisis management and recovery. Mid-career to senior practitioners including 0-4 (Major) to 0-6 (Colonel)- level military personnel, and civilian equivalents from diverse backgrounds such as law enforcement, government ministries and disaster management authorities are welcome to attend. Participants are also encouraged from NGOs, regional and international agencies and organizations, and academia. Participants come from all over the Asia-Pacific region, and in any one course may be drawn from as many as 45 nations and entities. Crises are dramatic disruptions in the political, economic and social life of a nation. Their causes are diverse and range from conflicts to natural disasters, but they can seriously disrupt a populations capacity to survive and the ability of national authorities to respond. Reflecting their complexity and scale, crises require a response that is well-coordinated and multi-sectoral in nature. Very often, the assistance of international actors may also be needed. Therefore, the course will emphasize broad, strategic-level themes and considerations rather than tactical prescriptions. e. Asia-Pacific Orientation Course (APOC). Course Description.?  The course provides an introduction to Asia-Pacific culture, politics, protocols and challenges, while addressing U.S. interests in the region. The curriculum is focused by day and examines: Day One) Regional Perspectives, Day Two) Treaty Alliance Partners Security Challenges, Day Three) Key Regional Players Security Challenges, Day Four) Regional Issues, and Day Five) Transnational Challenges. Attention is given to both historical and emerging issues. The course includes a rigorous program of lectures and interactive sessions, and three break-out seminar sessions. f. Senior Executive Asia-Pacific Orientation Course (SEAPOC). The course provides an introduction to Asia-Pacific culture, politics, protocols and challenges, while addressing U.S. interests in the region.?   The curriculum is focused by day and examines: Day One) Regional Perspectives, Day Two) Regional Issues, and Day Three) Transnational Challenges.?   Attention is given to both historical and emerging issues.?   The course includes a rigorous program of lectures and interactive sessions, and three senior-leader seminar sessions.?   ACTIVITIES 14. FY 2011 College Calendar. |Course |Course # |Start |End | |Comprehensive Security Responses to | | | | |Terrorism (CSRT) Course |11-01 |24-Feb-11 |25-Mar-11 | |Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCM) | | | | |Course | | | | | | | | | | |11-01 |07-Jul-11 |05-Aug-11 | |Advanced Security Cooperation (ASC) Course | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |11-01 |28-Apr-11 |15-Jun-11 | |Transnational Security Cooperation (TSC) | | | | |Course | | | | | | | | | | |11-01 |07-Feb-11 |11-Feb-11 | | |11-02 |11-Apr-11 |15-Apr-11 | | |11-03 |19-Sep-11 |23-Sep-11 | |Asia-Pacific Orientation Course (APOC) | | | | | | | | | | |11-01a* |05-Oct-10 |09-Oct-10 | | |11-01b |24-Jan-11 |28-Jan-11 | | |11-02 |11-Jul-11 |15-Jul-11 | | |11-03 |26-Sep-11 |30-Sep-11 | |Senior Executive Asia-Pacific Orientation | | | | |Course (SEAPOC) | | | | 15. Summaries Of Past APCSS Activities has been Involved by Malaysian Armed Forces. The detail activities are as follows: a. Workshop: Southeast Asia Regional Multi Sectoral Pandamic Perparedness and Response Table Top Exercise: b. Date : 16-20 Aug 2010. c. Functional Theme: Cooperative Effort in Support to US Pacific Command. d. Geographic Focus : Southeast Asia/ASEAN Nation. e. Objective are as follows: (1) Gain common understanding by all participants of existing regional preparedness and response plans and mechanisms; (2) Confirm essential services sectors and identifying planning and response elements and issues that influences the preparedness and continuity of operations by government and civil society and the national and regional level, including sectoral interdependencies that may result in additional effects; (3) Determine when an initial health crisis response changes to a multi-sectoral crisis severely impacting the functioning of society and interaction among countries within a region; identify key trigger points for actions by ASEAN (as an organization), ASEAN Member States and other regional and international organizations and assisting states; (4) Identifying the gaps in how ASEAN (as an organization) and ASEAN Member State coordinate and cooperate amongst themselves, and with UN and other key international agencies including donors, develop strategic option for regional cooperation when the response requires broader efforts; (5) Examine the regional communications strategy, protocols and plans for possible improvements; and (6) Identify recommendation strategy, protocols and plans for possible improvements to existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and plans for interagency and cross-border cooperation. g. Location: Phnom Penh Cambodia h. Participant. Participant from Malaysian Armed Forces and National Security Council (NSC) as follows: a. Col Mohd Halim bin Khalid (3002599) Director of Defence Operations Training Division. b. Col Dr A. Halim bin Hj Basari (3005657) Director of Pharmacy Health Services Division. c. Lt Col Mohd Sakri bin Hj Hussin (NSC)

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Mathematics for Early Childhood Education Coursework

Mathematics for Early Childhood Education - Coursework Example Consequently, it is the responsibility of the teachers and the parents to encourage and build the enthusiasm of children with regard to learning mathematics (California Department of Education, â€Å"Preschool Curriculum Framework†). The study intends to provide a guideline for parents, which will assist them to maximize the development of the children related to mathematics. Furthermore, the study will also explain the application of mathematical foundations and frameworks for its development. It will further provide an insight to teachers regarding the principles on partnering with the parents for mathematical development of a child. Correspondingly, this study will provide a reflective understanding of my learning along with findings with regard to mathematical development and its application. Young children naturally possess an inborn sense related to informal mathematics. In recent years, with the increasing evidences related to the mathematics capabilities of the children, it can be ascertained that they tend to absorb mathematical concepts from the surroundings at a very small age. This segment will provide a vivid description of the guidelines that are mentioned and framed for the parents. In this regard, it can be said that these guidelines will assist the parents to maximize the development of their children’s knowledge related to mathematics. In terms of mathematical development of children, there lie certain imperative guiding principles for the parents to follow. These guiding principles have been explained in the subsequent discussion (California Department of Education, â€Å"Preschool Curriculum Framework†). In recent surveys, it has been observed that young children are naturally competent, enthused and are interested in mathematics. They find it amusing to explore the mathematical concepts along with creative ideas. In this context, the parents must take initiatives to recognize the children’s

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Coursework Example Water has been obtained as the primary constituent of all living organisms. Be it plants or animals, the water has its role in the process of metabolism. It is required in the process of photosynthesis where light energy is utilized splitting the water molecule such that the hydrogen gets separated and the oxygen is released in the air. Many substances in the body are hydrolyzed by water as well. For example, it is capable of breaking amino acids bonds in proteins and peptide linkages of monosaccharide in polysaccharides. Diffusion of several materials is also obtained through the component of water (Saint, 2004). Water helps in the transport of different substances within the body since it easily dissolves other materials and thus acts as a good solvent. This function of the water also enables the removal of waste products like ammonia and urea from the body. Water being capable of diluting such waste products enables their recycling process in the Nitrogen cycle. Since water is vis cous in nature it also acts a good lubricant and form different lubricating fluids in the body that include mucus, synovial fluid, pleural fluid and pericardial fluid having different functions in the body. Apart from all these functions, water also acts as a supporting medium for several organisms since it is not easily condensed. Overall in the biological systems, water has miscellaneous functions that include maintaining body temperature, as well as dispersal in the process of reproduction (Saint, 2004). 2. Structure of Carbohydrates: Monosaccharide, Disaccharide, and Polysaccharide: Carbohydrates are formed as a result of the combinations of carbon and water molecules. In general the carbohydrates may be represented through the formula (CH2O)n. Here C represents the carbon molecules and H2O represents the water molecules, n being the number of atoms of this combination of molecules. However, in some cases carbohydrates might also contain greater numbers of sulphur or nitrogen mo lecules. If the molecular structure of the carbohydrates is studied, carbons are found to form chains or rings with hydroxyl groups two or more in number along with an aldehyde or a ketone group. There is a carbonyl group at the terminal end of an aldehyde that gets bonded to hydrogen molecule or carbon. A ketone is different from an aldehyde and represents a carbonyl group bonded in between two carbon molecules (Talaro & Park, 2007, p.42). Different configurations are obtained of the carbohydrates. Monosaccharide refers to one of the forms of carbohydrates that represent a simple polyhydroxy aldehyde or molecule of ketone that contain 3 to 7 molecules of carbon. The structure of a disaccharide varies from a monosaccharide in that a disaccharide is formed from two monosaccharides in combination. When five or more monosaccharides combine to form a carbohydrate, then that structure represents a polysaccharide. The monosaccharides and disaccharides are represented by prefix- ose at the end of the name. The name however depends on the number of carbons in the structure. For example, pentose has 5 carbons in it, hexose is composed of 6 carbons, and so on (Talaro &

Friday, January 31, 2020

Sherlock Holmes Essay Example for Free

Sherlock Holmes Essay Sherlock Holmes emerged in 1893 as a fictional amateur detective. He had solved many cases and was able to find the villain using scientific evidence. When Sherlock Holmes came out into the open, Britain was a corrupt place as the police force was useless and people used to kill and steal just for the sake of it. Jack the Ripper is the best known pseudonym to date from that period. He used to kill women prostitutes from the slums and cut out their throats. He then sent body parts of his victims to the police showing his superiority. People thought of Sherlock Holmes as a hero because they thought he could protect them from paedophiles and murderers even though he was a fictional character. The mastermind to Sherlock Holmes was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He based the super sleuth character on his fellow doctor, Dr Joseph Bell. He, like Holmes, was able to use the power of deduction to find out his patients occupation. Conan Doyle created this transcendent character because he was frustrated with other detective stories. Therefore he created a super human like detective who used scientific evidence to solve his cases unlike coincidence like the other detective stories. This made Sherlock Holmes a huge success story and when Doyle killed off the character, there was a public up roar and death threats were sent to his house. Because of this, Doyle brought back the character and his side kick Watson back from the shadows. Doyle managed to keep his audiences interested in Sherlock Holmes by cleverly making a flawless idea. This was to release different stories every month instead of keeping one story and carrying it one month after month. This was a clever and successful philosophy because Conan Doyle knew that if he stuck to one story then people would lose interest because people who missed an issue wouldnt buy the next one whereas if he made a new story every month then people would still buy the issue every month as they didnt miss anything. This is why it became known as Sherlock Holmes adventures. Sherlock Holmes adventures have a very unique structure. This is because it creates a story with in the story. It starts with the victim coming to Holmes about their problem(s). They then explain to him their problem(s). This is where Doyle creates a story within the story. Next, Holmes investigates and then sets out a plan. He eventually catches the villain. Parts of the structure can often vary. This is shown clearly in the story The man with the twisted lip. Instead of the victim coming to Holmes, they come to Dr Watson; Holmes right hand man. This shows us that Doyle is trying to vary his structure. Another thing is that the victims mostly always seem to be of high class. This is not present in the Red Headed League as Jabez Wilson (The victim) is of lower class. Although he is of lower class and his case is a bit dubious (this is because he suddenly stopped getting à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4 weekly from his secondary job as it just suddenly disappeared) Holmes was still determined to solve his case. This shows us that Holmes will take on any case no matter who his client is or how silly the problem was. A good quotation to support the matter is the strangest and the most unique things are very often connected not with the smaller crimes. The characters that the stories revolve around vary from story to story. There are only two characters that are present in all the 3 stories that I have read (The Speckled Band, The Red Headed League and The man with the twisted lip). These two characters are the sleuthhound Sherlock Holmes and the wannabe detective Dr Watson. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle uses characters as a good device by showing the reader and audience that he has used the six rules of a good detective story. * The crime must be significant * The detective must be memorable * The criminal must be a worthy opponent * The clues must be available to the audience * The suspect must appear early in the story * The solution must be reasonable and possible Because of these rules, Holmes appears to be supernatural to the naked eye but if looked at closer you would find that this mind-blowing character has an idiosyncrasy. This is because he smokes on a regular basis and takes drugs etc. The fact that he smokes is shown clearly in the quotation from the Red Headed League Watson, I beg of you leave me for 1 hour. I believe this is a 3 pipe problem This emphasises the amount that he smokes. 3 pipe problem means he will have to smoke three pipes before he will get the answer which implies that it is a very difficult issue. This is because a determined and intellectual person like him doesnt struggle with much. The quotation in the paragraph above also shows us the way Holmes treats Watson. Holmes treats him like a child who doesnt know much. Another quote to back up the matter is My dear doctor, this is a time for observation, not for talk. We are spies in an enemys country. This is when Holmes replies to Watsons question with an unclear answer. It shows us how disrespectful Holmes can be and that Holmes feels that Watson has a lot to learn. Watson plays the role of the narrator and hooks the reader. Another role of his is the foil. He makes Sherlock Holmes look better. You reason it out beautifully. I exclaimed in unfeigned admiration. It is so long a chain, and yet every link rings true. This extract quoted from Watson, admires Holmes professionalism. It also highlights his deductive skills and scientific methods. Another thing Watson does is draw the mission to a satisfactory conclusion. This is also shown in the quote above. Watson always goes with Holmes on day and night trips to offer protection since he has a revolver. This shows his bravery as he offers his life and limbs to protect Holmes and himself. He often goes voluntarily even after Holmes has told him his life may be at risk. This reinforces his indomitability. Villains in Sherlock Holmes stories are always cunning and a good match for Sherlock Holmes. This makes the story more exciting and intoxicating as we dont know if the villain will get away with his crime. The villains are always of high class which makes them harder to track down or suspect as most people wouldnt question them. The villains in Holmes stories vary from classic villains or victims who are the villains. One classic villain is Dr Roylott. He is of high class and and has one of the oldest families in Britain. Another thing is that he is a doctor who has gone sour. This is reflected in the clothes he wears. As he goes to confront Holmes, he wears a black top-hat, a long frock-coat, a pair of high gaiters with a hunting crop swinging in his hands. This shows us that for a high class man, he has no self-esteem and has probably lost his dignity in the process. This definitely makes him a classic villain as he has no alternative but to become a villain to keep what he has left. All of this has an impact on the reader. It makes the reader second look Dr Roylott as they dont think he is a criminal at first but then it makes them look back at that decision and reassess the matter before making a conclusion that Dr Roylott is the villain. After this hectic period, the reader is left on the edge of their seats to find out if he gets away or if Sherlock Holmes and his accomplice catch him in the act. It builds so much tension as they are an even match. It makes the reader want to keep reading to find out what happens. Tension starts to build as soon as Dr Royllott walks in through the door. It has an impact on the reader as they want to know who the strange man is and why he came. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle manages to paint a picture perfect image of the characters into our heads. Doyle does this by using short but powerful adjectives to describe every unique and common feature of their body. He gives the detail over 1 or 2 lines to make it short and snappy. Even though he does this, he is able to paint the picture in our heads to the very last detail. A very stout florid-face elderly gentleman with fiery red hair This quote backs up the fact that the writer uses 1 or 2 lines of detail and is still able to make you imagine what the character looks like. He uses words like fiery which are short and snappy yet effective. It is ideal to describe Mr Wilsons hair colour. Florid is a good word as it lets the sentence flow and is still capable of using it to maximum effectiveness by describing Jabez Wilsons face. Holmes determination is probably the most important part of all Sherlock Holmes adventures. It is shown in all the stories I have read and has helped solve all 3 of the cases. This is because he always perseveres through the tough and easy times. The most iconic out of the 3 stories I read was probably The man with the twisted lip This is because it took him so long to figure out who the criminal was. Instead of turning his back on the case, he persevered and solved the case. He did this with sheer determination. In the end, the criminal was the victim (Neville St Clair). Overall, Sherlock Holmes is a magnificent character. This is because many people thought he was a real person. This shows how good Doyles writing was. Holmes also gave Victorian people hope as many murders and paedophiles lurked the streets. He even was a role model for the police force as trainee police officers were told to read them to show them how to catch criminals. Sherlock Holmes will be remembered for many centuries to come and his scientific way of thinking has been adopted by police forces. He will always be renowned as the greatest fictional and non-fictional detective the world has ever known. Baker Street also has a house where people post messages to Sherlock Holmes as that is where he is believed to have lived.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Information Technology :: essays research papers

OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE IMPACTS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY â€Å"THE COMING OF THE NEW ORGANIZATION† Reading the article â€Å"The Coming of the New Organization† by Peter F. Drucker mentioned several major points of how Information Technology has impacted management and re-structured the corporation process on a whole. Information-based organizations have sufficient computing power to control the labor force without certain levels of management. Information Technology has reduced a variety of positions in the work place today. Positions ranging from cashiers, security personnel, typists and teachers to analysts, supervisors and managers and even higher levels of management have been eliminated. As new technology emerge, corporations will constantly review their business practices and processes to enhance their operations as well as cut costs. I agree with Mr. Drucker that positions most affected are, and will be, several layers of management and clerical positions. The function of a Supervisor, Assistant Manager and Manager is to merely coordinate, review and oversee an area or department of employees. Most levels of management do not have the knowledge of completing day to day operations and tasks, but more of an ideal of the process. In my eleven years of employment with Fortis Health, formerly John Alden Life Insurance Company, several positions were eliminated, replaced by some form of Information Technology. Managers and supervisors that produced a variety of productivity reports using an Excel spread sheet (a form of technology), are replaced by a programmer implementing a software and coding a program to automatically read other input/output systems and calculate and measure productivity. Clerical positions such as typing, filing, and phone operators were eliminated, replaced by voice automated software and imaging software. Information Technology is defined as any system for the acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information, via computer system, software and computer equipment. Working in this field requires a variety of knowledge with specific and detailed knowledge. Employees with this knowledge (specialists) are more likely to survive a corporation’s re-structure due to an implementation of new technology. The most powerful positions within a company are Information Technology positions. These positions create, monitor, enhance and control the day to day operations of a business. A year ago I was recently transitioned from an Accounts Payable Supervisor to a Project Analyst in an Information Technology department. In my year of being employed in this department, I’ve been exposed to a vast amount of Information Technology knowledge.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Addicted to Smartphones Essay

Have you ever experienced a sudden burst of laughter from someone beside you, and when you turn your head, that person is just watching his or her cell phone without realizing that he or she is in public and disturbs others? Have you ever paid attention to what people around you are doing when waiting for a bus, sitting in the subway, or even before a meal comes to the table? How many of them are holding a smartphone with eyes focused on the screen and fingertips busy dancing back and forth on the touch panel, and never get bored? With the development of 3G and wireless technology, cell phones are no longer restricted to simple communications such as calling or texting. After the appearance of smartphones, things like surfing the Internet, socializing, taking photos or even FaceTime can be done instantly in your hand. See more: My Writing Process Essay Smartphones are becoming parts of many people’s lives. These days, a new phenomenon named â€Å"smartphone addiction† has emerged. In fact, recently in China, the spread of smartphones has attracted more and more young people into the world of virtual Internet at the expense of their interaction with real world relationships; it has also aroused heated discussions on whether or not we should take some actions on limiting this tendency. As a matter of fact, even though smartphones have created a more convenient life and have also changed our way of communication in a digital era, the improper use of smartphones is problematic in our daily lives, and the public should be aware of this. It is necessary for the Chinese to pay serious attention to the excessive dependence on smartphones, and try to lessen the negative influence of smartphones in our daily interpersonal relationships. Before talking about the impacts, we have to take a look at the smartphone market in China. According to the new figures from International Data Corporation, IDC’s worldwide quarterly mobile phone tracker, China’s share of the global smartphone market will rise to 20.7%, up from 18.2% in 2011 (Moscaritolo). Wong Teck Zhung, the senior market analyst with IDC’s Asia/ Pacific client devices team, stated that â€Å"[Chinese] smartphone shipments [were] expected to take a slim lead over the U.S. in 2012[, and there would] be no turning back this leadership changeover† (qtd. in Moscaritolo). This change in leadership means that China will become the leading country-level market for smartphones. Moreover, China even â€Å"overtook the UK and became the second largest country in application downloads. A quarter of ‘Angry Birds’ global downloads lies in China. In 2011, 613,445 applications were available in China, 74% of which were free versus 25% globally† (â€Å"China at your fingertips†). By the end of the second quarter of 2012, smartphone users in China have hit 290 million, while among them, 59% lies in the age group 18-34 (â€Å"Q2 2012†), as indicated from the report released by Iimedia which is the largest telecom and wireless consulting institution in China. Therefore, young people have become major smartphone customers. In terms of the way people communicating, the smartphone revolution constitutes a second major milestone after the Internet. The report from Iimedia shows that by the end of this June, the amount of China mobile Internet users has topped 388 million (â€Å"Q2 2012†). For the first time in Chinese history, mobile Internet users have gone beyond PC netizens, and turn into the biggest Internet terminal. Since China has become the world’s largest country of smartphone consumption, Chinese are engaging more than ever with electronic media which is represented by smartphones. It is worth taking a closer look to see how dependent Chinese people are upon their smartphones through some data from a film clip done by GroupM Interaction which is the global leading media investment management group: More than 500 Chinese magazines have more digital downloads than traditional circulation. Single-day mobile transactions on Taobao during its â€Å"12.12† promotion topped RMB 200 million, while 1 in 5 Taobao users accesses the site via mobile. 2011 mobile e-commerce in China reached RMB 11.5 billion. Westerners pray before eating, while 67% of Chinese take photos and post them on-line. Smartphone users check their mobile phones every 6 minutes. 38% of smartphone users spend more than 5 hours a day on their phone. Mobile is the new cigarette. 92% of youth use their mobile phones on the toilet. Each day over 1,000 people start a new romantic relationship via their mobile phones. (â€Å"China at your fingertips†) Based on the information above, it is not difficult to see that many people have become too engaged with smartphones. As a result, this heavy engagement has led to the unique dependence on smartphones and, consequently, causes Chinese people’s addiction to them. A new study from the University of Maryland asked 200 students to undertake a 24-hour media-free assignment including their smartphones, and the conclusion found â€Å"that most college students [were] not just unwilling, but functionally unable to be without their media links to the world† (â€Å"Students Addicted to Social Media†). Here is what the project director Susan D. Moeller, a journalism professor at the University of Maryland and the director of the International Center for Media and the Public Agenda which conducted the study, notes: We were surprised by how many students admitted that they were â€Å"incredibly addicted† to media†¦ The students did complain about how boring it was [to] go anywhere and do anything without being plugged into music on their MP3 players, [b]ut what they spoke about in the strongest terms was how their lack of access to text messaging, phone calling, instant messaging, email and Facebook, meant that they couldn’t connect with friends who lived close by, much less those far away (qtd. In â€Å"Students Addicted to Social Media†). After 24 hours abstinence, the students’ responses show â€Å"that students’ lives are wired together in such ways that opting out of that communication pattern would be tantamount to renouncing a social life† (â€Å"Students Addicted to Social Media†). Many students did not even realize how much their cell phones had meant to them. In a British study, 36% of the students claimed that they cannot be separated from their cell phones (Ji). Medical authorities are even considering â€Å"whether to designate Internet addiction as a disease in the upcoming fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders† (Shelton). In fact, not just the U.S, China is under the same situation of this marvelous smartphone addiction. A research done by a multinational market research company, Synovateon, observed 8, ;[lm000 people from all over 11 countries, and found out that people from China and Singapore had the most obvious smartphone-obsessed symptoms (Ji). Due to the fact that almost everyone around is suffering the same condition more or less, many people in China do not consider this addiction as a severe problem. However, smartphone addiction does become influential in our daily life and affect people’s interpersonal relationship subconsciously. These days, plenty of people interrupt social conversations to check messages on their mobile devices. More and more Chinese like to take out their cell phones while gathering with friends. Looking at cell phones from time to time has become a major habit for many people in China. Barry S. Fagin, a professor of computer science, once declared that â€Å"the Internet has a strong potential to adversely affect social relationships† (Fagin). With today’s rapid growth of smartphones and wireless technology, Barry’s opinion cannot be more proper. Recently, Mr. Zhang, a citizen from Tsingtao, together with his brother went to visit their grandfather. While the old man tried to talk many times at the table, the children in front were all concentrating on their smartphones until he broke a plate with a long face, and asked them to go eat with their cell phones (Ji). More unfortunately, this case is not singular. People have entertaining conversations with strangers online via smartphones, whereas being mean to daily face-to-face talks. Chinese people are easily giving up their real life affection because of a little smartphone. I have heard my friend saying that let Siri be your friend, but then, what about your real friends? Even so, some may still argue that just like the Internet, smartphones have brought the whole world even closer and have made it possible for instant communication. With nowadays boom in technology, with smartphones and our access to the Internet being so easy, the possibility of information access from anywhere at any time means that distance might not be so important and obvious like it was. As an international student studying abroad, FaceTime does allow me to contact my family and friends over the Pacific wherever I want as long as we are both awake and have an iPhone in hand. The appearance of smartphones might seem to have reduced the distance between people. Nevertheless, it is not totally true. Studies have shown that â€Å"most people still keep in touch with their personal group of friends and social network in the real life via the Internet and phones† (Ji). A man in the U.S. will not be attracted by any Chinese home pages on Facebook, while a Chinese, in most cases, is not interested in reading in English as well. There is not too much for smartphones to contribute in bringing the world closer for many people. Instead, they make the distance even further, not physically, but mentally. Just like an online rearrangement of a proverb goes, â€Å"the furthest distance in the world is not between life and death, but when I stand in front of you, yet you are playing with your cell phone† (qtd. in Ji). In the research conducted by the University of Maryland, a student wrote: â€Å"Texting and IM-ing my friends gives me a constant feeling of comfort. When I did not have those two luxuries, I felt quite alone and secluded from my life. Although I go to school with thousands of students, the fact that I was not able to communicate with anyone via technology was almost unbearable†(â€Å"Students Addicted to Social Media†). This information is dangerous. Getting used to smartphones makes people even more lonely and isolated from the real world. People, especially the young generation tends to focus too much on their smartphones, which is partly a result of their fear of self-loneliness and the lack of the ability of being alone. If things continue in this way, people are losing the ability of daily interpersonal communicating. A study done by Stanford University shown that â€Å"every other hour people spend in front of their computers, they would cut at least 30 minutes’ face-to-face communications† (Ji), and the same happens to smartphones. This fact has made researchers worried about â€Å"the neural circuit which controls people’s ability of face-to-face communication will degenerate, thus decreasing the neurotransmitters in the brain and even losing the whole function of this part† (Ji). With time goes on, human will lose the ability of identifying the hidden meaning behind a certain expression or language from others, which we achieved from a long time evolution. If this worry ever came true, it would be the biggest tragedy in the digital era. So, after talking all above, what can be done to eliminate this addiction and help the Chinese to find better ways for using their smartphones? Experts suggested that people should take some mandatory measures (â€Å"Experts†). A game played by my friends might be able to provide some good advice. Every time hanging out for meals, we will put all of our phones in the center of the table, and whoever is the first one to reach his or her cell phone during the meal is going to pay for everyone. Besides, sports and outdoor exercises will also help. People, especially in China where they normally stay indoors with nice air-conditioning and comfortable equipment, should open themselves to more outdoor activities. When doing something outdoor, being enveloped under the bright sunshine, sweating a little bit, and completely enjoying yourself, you will find no reason to keep addicted to your smartphones. Compared to the beauty of nature, nothing really matters. There is nothing wrong with falling in love with your smartphones. However, the Chinese have to realize the effect this love may bring on to them. The improper use of smartphones not only has negative influence on themselves in real life relationships, but it is also not respectful to others. In the modern world, of course we cannot live without smartphones, but we can do something more fun. Find what you like instead of smartphones, go for it, and enjoy yourself. Smartphones are just tools, not our complete life. Do not let them take over all our joy of life. Works Cited China at your fingertips. Dir. Tony Chen. Prod. Bessie Lee. GroupM Interaction, 2012. Film Clip. â€Å"Experts teach you how to get rid of your cell phone addiction†. Medpharm & Health 9 (2012): 5-5. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. Fagin, Barry S. â€Å"The Internet Makes Distance Matter Less for Good and Ill†. The Internet. Ed. Gary Wiener. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. 22-28. Print. Ji, Guoliang. â€Å"The Furthest Distance in the World†. City National Newspaper 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 13. Nov. 2012. Moscaritolo, Angela. â€Å"China to Overtake U.S. as Top Smartphone Market in 2012†. PC Magazine Mar 2012: 1-1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. â€Å"Q2 2012 Chinese Smartphone Market Monitoring Report†. Iimedia (2012): n.pag. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. Shelton, Jim. â€Å"Hi, I’m (insert name here), and I’m a Facebook addict†. New Haven Register 10 Mar. 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. â€Å"Students Addicted to Social Media- New UM Study†. University of Maryland Newsdesk 21 Apr. 2010. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Science Terms and Definitions You Should Know

Scientific experiments involve variables, controls, hypotheses, and a host of other concepts and terms that might be confusing. Glossary of Science Terms Here is a glossary of important science experiment terms and definitions: Central Limit Theorem: States that with a large enough sample, the sample mean will be normally distributed. A normally distributed sample mean is necessary to apply the t-test, so if you are planning to perform a statistical analysis of experimental data, its important to have a sufficiently large sample.Conclusion: Determination of whether the hypothesis should be accepted or rejected.Control Group: Test subjects randomly assigned to not receive the experimental treatment.Control Variable: Any variable that does not change during an experiment. Also known as a constant variable.Data  (singular: datum): Facts, numbers, or values obtained in an experiment.Dependent Variable: The variable that responds to the independent variable. The dependent variable is the one being measured in the experiment. Also known as the dependent measure or responding variable.Double-Blind: When neither the researcher nor the subject knows whether the subject is receiving the treatment or a placebo. Blin ding helps reduce biased results.Empty Control Group: A type of control group that does not receive any treatment, including a placebo.Experimental Group: Test subjects randomly assigned to receive the experimental treatment.Extraneous Variable: Extra variables (not independent, dependent, or control variables) that might influence an experiment but are not accounted for or measured or are beyond control. Examples might include factors you consider unimportant at the time of  an experiment, such as the manufacturer of the glassware in a reaction or the color of paper used to make a paper airplane.Hypothesis: A prediction of whether the independent variable will have an effect on the dependent variable or a prediction of the nature of the effect.  Independence  or  Independently:  When one factor does not exert influence on another. For example, what one study participant does should not influence what another participant does. They make decisions independently. Independenc e is critical for a meaningful statistical analysis.Independent Random Assignment: Randomly selecting whether a test subject will be in a treatment or control group.Independent Variable: The variable that is manipulated or changed by the researcher.Independent Variable Levels: Changing the independent variable from one value to another (e.g., different drug doses, different amounts of time). The different values are called levels.Inferential Statistics: Statistics (math) applied to infer characteristics of a population-based on a representative sample from the population.Internal Validity: When an experiment can accurately determine whether the independent variable produces an effect.Mean: The average calculated by adding all the scores and then dividing by the number of scores.Null Hypothesis: The no difference or no effect hypothesis, which predicts the treatment will not have an effect on the subject. The null hypothesis is useful because it is easier to assess with a statistical analysis than other forms of a hypothesis.Null Results (Nonsignificant Results): Results that do not disprove the null hypothesis. Null results dont prove the null hypothesis because the results may have resulted from a lack of power. Some null results are type 2 errors.p 0.05: An indication of how often chance alone could account for the effect of the experimental treatment. A value p 0.05 means that five times out of a hundred, you could expect this difference between the two groups purely by chance. Since the possibility of the effect occurring by chance is so small, the researcher may conclude the experimental treatment did indeed have an effect. Other p, or probability, values are possible. The 0.05 or 5% limit simply is a common benchmark of statistical significance.Placebo (Placebo Treatment):  A  fake treatment that should have no effect outside the power of suggestion. Example: In drug trials, test patients may be given a pill containing the drug or a placebo, which resembles the drug (pill, injection, liquid) but doesnt contain the active ingredient.Population: The entire group the researcher is studying. If the researcher cannot gather data from the population, studying large random samples taken from the population can be used to estimate how the population would respond.Power: The ability to observe differences or avoid making Type 2 errors.Random or Randomness: Selected or performed without following any pattern or method. To avoid unintentional bias, researchers often use random number generators or flip coins  to make selections.Results: The explanation or interpretation of experimental data.Simple Experiment: A basic experiment designed to assess whether there is a cause and effect relationship or to test a prediction. A fundamental simple experiment might have only one test subject, compared with a controlled experiment, which has at least two groups.Single-Blind: When either the experimenter or subject is unaware whether the subject is getting the treatment or a placebo. Blinding the researcher helps prevent bias when the results are analyzed. Blinding the subject prevents the participant from having a biased reaction.Statistical Significance: Observation, based on the application of a statistical test, that a relationship probably is not due to pure chance. The probability is stated (e.g., p 0.05) and the results are said to be statistically significant.T-Test: Common statistical data analysis applied to experimental data to test a hypothesis. The t-test computes the ratio between the difference between the group means and the standard error of the difference, a measure of the likelihood the group means could differ purely by chance. A rule of thumb is that the results are statistically significant if you observe a difference between the values that is three times larger than the standard error of the difference, but its best to look up the ratio required for significance on a t-table.Type I Error (Type 1 Er ror): Occurs when you reject the null hypothesis, but it was actually true. If you perform the t-test and set p 0.05, there is less than a 5% chance you could make a Type I error by rejecting the hypothesis based on random fluctuations in the data.Type II Error (Type 2 Error): Occurs when you accept the null hypothesis, but it was actually false. The experimental conditions had an effect, but the researcher failed to find it statistically significant.