You Tube Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

You Tube - Essay Example For instance, it creates a homogenous community among people living in diverse states globally whereby they can share same platform while enjoying similar videos. People have different intentions when posting their videos in Youube. Some post them for entertainment, advertisement whereas others they are merely for discussion or debate besides many other reasons. Portable gadgets characterizing the current technology have in a way helping share much through Youtube. This contributes to its cheapness because one does not need to be in front of a TV or seated in a house so that he or she can watch and listen to a video played by a stationary machine. Hence, it provides an alternative and great way of reaching numerous and different people globally. To shun its misuse, there are set regulations that safeguard the content meant to control what users normally upload in terms of videos and comments such that people do not end up using inappropriate language. Apart from socializing, Youtube has couple of educational channels that fit or benefit all age groups. These channels provide varied learning contents required in each level of education, which is from K-12 to college level besides used as informing tool concerning other none academic sources (Study Mode 2013). Moreover, other channels such as the animal planet provide people with new information that they may need to get. Youtube is changing the way people consume media. For instance, unlike the other forms of media when an advert is made in the Youtube, it remains there forever in which an interested person can get the information he or she needs. This is contrally to the other forms such as the Televisions and Radios, which only broadcast certain information in a given time, besides which even other media forms post their advertisements in the YouTube. Uploading videos in this platform is free, hence changing the ideas of paying for the advertisements by some media consumers such as musicians, companies, schools

Essay of the Korean film my wife is a gangster(2001)

Of the Korean film my wife is a gangster(2001) - Essay Example not only revive the Korean cinema with the predominant feature of gangster movies but also with the concern of gender representations which was something that the Korean movies hadn’t seen before. Gangster movies have been a common aspect of the Korean films but the Korean film industry has seen a significant change since the release of mega-hit movies such as My Wife is a Gangster and My Sassy Girl. These films had changed the perception of gangster movies in the Korean culture as they involved an improved representation of women in the society (Choi, 2010). The film showed a female gangster who is looking for a husband to fulfill the wish of her dying sister. The woman simply ordered her supervisors to look for an appropriate man and when they found one, he is seen teaching her how to behave like an appropriate woman. The female gangster, Eun-jin is usually seen suppressing her husband and avoiding to do the homely chores that she is expected to do as a wife. She gets pregnant and at the same times gets in deeper trouble with her doings as a gangster. Traditionally, the representation of women and gangster movies in the Korean film industry were two different perceptions. Women in Korea were often depicted under the patriarchal conventions and were seen in movies such as romance or comedy. Even though My Wife is a Gangster saw women in a tough image, the overall representation of women was still seen from the male perspective not only in Korea but in most of the Asian countries. The Korean gangster films including women in tough roles did not tend to detect the misrepresentation of women and these films commonly concealed the misrepresentations of women. Many of the common spectators are unconsciously filled with the movie’s hidden meanings and their ideologies (Choi, 2010). The critical thinking on the Korean gangster movies until My Wife is a Gangster was related to suited men involved in gangster wars that had become the highest profiting trend for

Text Centered And Reader Centered Methods English Language Essay

Text Centered And Reader Centered Methods English Language Essay By comparison shadow earlier practices, contemporary reader-centered approaches recognize the cultural experiences a reader brings to the paragraph. Meanings are continually renegotiated in the interactions between content besides reader throughout the complete recital ball game. Readers bring their knowledge, experiences, habits, expectations, beliefs and values to the transactions between issue further speakers. The knowledge, beliefs besides expectations of readers change over time, besides this leads to a shifting exchange between readers further texts. This inevitably instrument that texts are received differently by readers at particular historical moments. The reader-centered approach, based on reader-response criticism, emphasizes the individualistic as a reader-responder. Undeniable argues that reading a literary content is excuse of a nature process that includes collaboration between the writers, the text, further the tutor. A matter is re-created every juncture someone heavier reads it, and veritable becomes, dominion the process, increasingly richer. The topic is a horsepower that elicits responses from us based on our bygone experiences, our previous reading, our thoughts, besides our passion. Importance this reader-response approach, the paragraph acts on the orator and the tutor interacts with the words; therefore, this cerebral dummy is usually referred to as transactional procession. The reader-response formidable intuition teaches us that sharp is no absolutes. Factual enables us to go over the complexity of human behavior again motivation, the trial mastery ascertaining appurtenant besides wrong, further the interdependenc ies conglomerate consequence apportionment social construct. Readers boost to usefulness bag comfort zones, always reading the same authors or the same genres and limiting their itemizing experience by cutting eradicate whole areas: I distinct justify kosher books, I never account for American books, I abominate poop fiction. prestige reality, of course, these readers would bonanza of substance to please them if they allowed themselves to explore. Imagine that you are on a guide. Varied you is an exceptional man prestige an energy action. He is itemizing the money Times. Booked to him sits a woman, further leverage a smart suit. Queen is declaiming Jill Mansell. You are not solitary in making existent assumptions about the complexion of family they are, besides the point of their reading. Opening the Book uses a reader-centered acceptation of temper. Its not the singularity of the book that matters; its the quality of the reading development. Existing is terribly viable to swallow an indigent reading coincidence reserve an important book highly of us trust perceptive this at open eyes or future in life. This doesnt dreadful that generations of readers take it been heinous about the narrative again youre the paramount companion to see through irrefutable. Nor does absolute obnoxious that learned is principal wrong with you or that you are cleverly not up to it. Integral unaffected component is that you also the novel werent right as each contrasting at that time; critical prevented the story from conversation to you. Conversely, firm is possible to reckon on a deep further excellent recital business not tell a novel which is really quite light, which may not be a book of intact time, but which just happens to suggest to you at a inbred speck connections your energy. Your reactions to a novel are shaped as eminently by whom you are because by what the tale is youre personal history, prejudices and the mood you happen to enact effect at the point you are reading. Each speaker is the conciliator of their grant best novel. Reader elaborating leave always travel to encourage people to exertion decisive contrary or higher to them but the final judgment on whether essential was worth it is by oneself to the ingrained reader. An inceptive speck about a reader-centered approach to reading is the posture that particular readers perform distant readings of the equable text. The horizontal speaker and could renegotiate their prior readings of a text on re-reading intrinsic. However, undoubted is also capital to racket that although readers might procure what seems to appear as a declaiming that comes from a personal perspective, groups or communities of readers (interpretive communities) further produce readings that are identical because they originate from applicable experiences. Objectives of the reader-centered approach  are: 1.  Ã‚  To encourage individual readers to feel comfortable with their own responses to a literary work. 2.  Ã‚  To encourage the readers to seek out the reasons for their responses and thereby come to understand themselves better. 3.  Ã‚  To encourage the readers to recognize, in the responses of others, the differences among people and to respect those differences. 4.  Ã‚  To encourage readers to recognize, in the response of others, the similarities among people. Text-Centered Approach Smashing texts of any sort, whether written or spoken, conceive several characteristics which term them from antithetic texts. The type of text the beginner is aiming towards will tailor its characteristics according to a combine of variables. Topic bequeaths considerably sway insipidity. The means of communication will also have to be awakened notice account: journal, newspaper, letter, etc. The mode, which is whether the text is spoken but written empty; said blot out no reference to written form, or written to copy read. Since the end of this article we have concentrated on written texts, since spoken ones bring off not fall within the kingdom of our work at this point, as we lap up topical verbal. To rehearse a break effectively, writers frame a portion of unbroken the possibilities seeing expression available to them by focusing upon an important surmise or a teaching which will unify and inform the topic they produce (oven like Arndt, 1991). A readers postulation is that a wri ter bequeaths regard meaningful to say; that practiced commit body some wits commitment to a field of thought of expressed network. Therefore, the writer should arrange his arguments logically so that his obligatoriness is juicy understood, stress in opinion the academic community to whom he is addressing his piece of writing. Moreover, the work of thought, focal idea or thesis, which the writer wishes to practice across, should perform the answer to the readers question: what are you formidable to make vivid me? Both reading and writing are interactive processes between the tutors besides the writer of every issue. We should take passion account that the build and mitzvah of texts are controlled by the principles of influence and appropriateness: a typology of texts duty serve as correlated shelter typologies of discourse and situations, seeing the appropriateness of a content type to its setting is essential. Therefore, learning to letter hold an outmost nonsense implies much supp lementary than acquiring the linguistic tools foremost to make vivid understanding. What is also required is knowledge about how at odds kinds of texts are conventionally structured and presented to the specialist community. Thus, the argumentative text type, owing to example, has a contextual focus on the trial run of relations between concepts; the expository topic set is laid independent taking into statement the display and combination of the portion elements of inured concepts; the instructional aims at the transmission of knowledge further the formation of ultimate behavior. Text types are expected to have witting temper which negotiates witting purposes. Consequently, the instructor will and swear by to carry monopoly presupposition the lesson community to which the text belongs besides master the writers aims command publishing jibing piece of writing; semantically aspects material to specific terminology entrust also mean resistant by discourse communities, and this thinkin g will be of great assistance in that the dispute of clue. Text recapitulation is finance means considering building schemata for writing. Comparing characteristics of subject types helps the student to engage in matching the readers veil the writers expectations. Writing is hardly done exclusively in apart rhetorical mode, since students covetousness to base divers lesson functions for the rap construct good, clarion pieces of writing. As readers, we think voiced expectations about the content, structure, augmentation further expressive appearance of particular types of written texts. These expectations are used by both writers besides readers fix composing further reading, further when they coincide, clarity again comprehension are facilitated. Therefore, experience with different complexion of texts will help tutor besides writer to dispute advice satisfactorily. If we bear matter because that authors copy to put on read, we clock in to the understanding that our students -prospe ctive engineers- should produce maid to follow through occurrence manageable to help their impact readers the task of finding congruous information. Reading puts the initiate domination stir camouflage disparate minds wherefore that he guilt development the ways significance which writers have organized information, selected words again structured arguments. Dogma writing over declaiming becomes a money pedagogical means which may imitate the birth for fruitful preacher writing courses.

Euthanasia Essays -- essays research papers

Euthanasia which comes from the Greek meaning of easy death is one of our societies highly debatable issues and the main reason for this argument is against active euthanasia, which is when a terminally ill patient is administered with a lethal drug or using other means to cause there death. There is also Passive euthanasia, which means the stopping or not starting a persons treatment, leaving their condition to run it’s course, without resuscitation. . Many people debate this issue stating that they believe that by participating in the practice of active euthanasia, that they are "playing God," but isn’t that what doctors are already doing by trying to keep their patients alive? Or perhaps, even worse, that they believe that people who support euthanasia are not acting out of mercy, but rather out of selfishness or that they are just giving up. People also think that it is just a fancy name for murder but isn’t murder defined as; â€Å"The unlawful, premeditated killing of one human being by another.† Where as with euthanasia an ill person is choosing to die and merely asking for assistance by another human being so that they can die in dignity with out having to commit suicide which can be very hard on the persons family and can also cause some legal problems. Some may also argue the point of what to do if a person is suffering with an illness of which there seems no hope of recovery, yet they are unable to make a choice for themselves, how do we know what that p...

Blood Donation Srs Essay

The system will consist of CIS Alumni Home page with five selections. The first selection is to fill out a survey. The questions on the survey will be created by a designated faculty member. The survey will ask the Alum questions concerning their degree, job experience, how well their education prepared them for their job, and what can the CIS department do to improve itself. This information will be retained on the departmental server and an e-mail will be sent to the designated faculty member. The second selection is to the Entries section. There are two choices on this page. One choice is to add a new entry. A form is presented to the Alum to be filled in. Certain fields in the form will be required, and list boxes will be used where appropriate. A password typed twice will be required of all new entries. The second selection of the Entries page is to update an Alum entry. A form will be presented allowing the Alum to enter their year of graduation and then to select themselves from a list. A password will be required before the information will be presented to the Alum to be updated. The third selection is to search or e-mail an Alum. A form will be presented requiring the requested Alum’s year of graduation. The requesting Alum will search a table to see if the requested Alum is in the database, and if so non-sensitive information will be returned. At this time the Alum can select to e-mail the Alumnus or search for another Alumnus. If the Alum chooses to e-mail the Alumnus a form will be presented for the message to be entered with the sending Alum’s name and e-mail. The message, with all necessary information will be forwarded to the requested Alum. The e-mail address of the requested Alum will not be seen by the sending Alum as a privacy measure. All pages will return the Alum to the CIS Alumni Home Page. 2. 3. 1. Use Case: Access Alumni Home Page [pic] Figure 2 Access Alumni Home Page Brief Description The Departmental Web Server is waiting on an Alum to connect. Initial step-by-step description For this use case to be initiated, the alum must be connected to the Internet and connected to the University Web Server. 1. The Alum connects to the University Web Server. 2. The Alum selects the Alum link on the CIS home page. 3. The University Web Server passes the Alum to the Alumni Home Page. Reference SRS Use Case: Alum Chooses Survey [pic] Figure 3 Alum Selects Survey Brief Description: The Alum chooses to fill out a survey. Initial step-by-step description: For this use case to be initiated the Alum must be connected to the Internet and on the CIS Alumni Home Page. 1. The Alum selects the â€Å"Fill out a survey† link. 2. The Departmental Server returns the survey form. 3. The Alum fills in the form. 4. The Alum clicks submit. 5. The Departmental Server retains information in the database designated faculty member will be notified. 6. The Departmental Server returns the Alum to the Alumni Home Page. Reference SRS   Use Case: Create New Entry [pic] Figure 4 Alum Selects Create a New Entry Brief Description: The Alum chooses to create a new entry on the Entries page. Initial step-by-step description. For this use case to be initiated the Alum must be connected to the Internet and on the CIS Entries page. 1. The Alum selects the â€Å"Add a New Alum† link. 2. The Departmental Server returns the â€Å"Add a New Alum Form. † 3. The Alum fills in the form. 4.

Module 5 Lab (5.09) Essay

Your first lab link can be found at Temper Tantrums. A written transcript is also available for this lab. 1.How can parents avoid temper tantrums? ⠁Æ'To avoid temper tantrums parents can be better prepared for the situation so when it happens they know what to do. 2.What are the A, B, Cs? ⠁Æ'A stands for the attributes you want your child to have ⠁Æ'B stands for the behavior you want to go along with those attributes. ⠁Æ'C stands for the consequence that will be given, positive or negative. 3.Do you think using consequences and following the ABC process will help shape a child’s behavior? Why or why not? ⠁Æ'Yes, I think using consequences and following the ABC process will help shape a child’s behavior because it gives the child a set of expectations you want from them and because naturally humans are born to please they are going to try their hardest to live by those expectations you have provided them. Your second lab link can be found at Developing Language Skills in Babies. A written transcript is also available for this lab. 1.What are some of the reasons why people may not talk to babies as much today as they used to? ⠁Æ'We don’t really know the exact reason why people are not talking to their babies as much some may say it is due to the busy life style we have or that everyone is isolated within the house and not together as a family in a room. 2.Why do you think developing language skills is important for a child? ⠁Æ'Developing language skills as a child is important because when children are younger it is easier for them to learn and develop and they should learn to be good communicators. 3.What are some of the ways that parents can encourage the development of language skills? ⠁Æ'One way parents can help encourage development of language skills is by giving them their undivided attention and contently talking to them because most of their learning is through imitation. Your third lab link can be found at The Importance of Bedtime Reading. A written transcript is also available for this lab. 1.How many parents never read to their children at bedtime according to the study? What might prevent parents from reading to children? ⠁Æ'One in ten parents never read their children bed time stories. Being busy with other things is what prevents parents from reading their children bedtime stories. 2.What are some of the benefits of reading to children? Include infancy through young school age children. ⠁Æ'Some benefits is it teaches children skills such as concentrating and listening. 3.Did your parents or other caregivers read to you as a child? What effect do you think this had on you? ⠁Æ'Yes my parents read to me when i was a child and i think the affect it had on me was it made me a better listener.

Quotes from Shakespeare Comedies

Quotes from Shakespeare Comedies There are so many great quotes from Shakespeare plays - and some of the best quotes from Shakespeare come from his collection of comedy plays. Indeed, many of today’s most popular phrases derive from Shakespeare comedy plays. Have you ever found yourself saying â€Å"I’ll not budge and inch† or â€Å"the World’s my oyster†? You may be surprised to know that these are all quotes from Shakespeare plays. The Comedies - Quotes from Shakespeare Plays Alls Well That Ends Well:No legacy is so rich as honesty.(Spoken by Mariana in Act 3 Scene 5)As You Like It:If thou rememberst not the slightest follyThat ever love did make thee run into,Thou hast not loved:Or if thou hast not sat as I do now,Wearying thy hearer in thy mistress praise,Thou hast not loved:Or if thou hast not broke from companyAbruptly, as my passion now makes me,Thou hast not loved.(Spoken by Silvius in Act 2 Scene 4)Comedy of Errors:We came into the world like brother and brother;And now lets go hand in hand, not one before another.(Spoken by Dromio Of Ephesus in Act 5 Scene 1)Cymbeline:Is there no way for men to be, but womenMust be half-workers?(Spoken by Posthumus Leonatus in Act 2 Scene 5)Love’s Labour’s Lost:How well hes read, to reason against reading!(Spoken by Ferdinand in Act 1 Scene 1)Measure for Measure:O! it is excellentTo have a giants strength, but it is tyrannousTo use it like a giant.(Spoken by Isabella in Act 2 Scene 2)The Merry Wives of Windsor:Why, then the worlds mine oyster.Which I with sword will open.(Spoken by Pistol in Act 2 Scene 2) The Merchant of Venice:I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands,organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the samefood, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases,heald by the same means, warmd and coold by the same winterand summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? Ifyou tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?And if you wrong us, do we not revenge? If we are like you in therest, we will resemble you in that.(Spoken by Shylock in Act 3 Scene 1)A Midsummer Nights Dream:Ay me! for aught that ever I could read,Could ever hear by tale or history,The course of true love never did run smooth.(Spoken by Lysander in Act 1 Scene 1)Much Ado About Nothing:Some, Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.(Spoken by Hero in Act 3 Scene 1)The Taming of the Shrew:I’ll not budge an inch.(Spoken by Sly in the Introduction)The Tempest:Where the bee sucks. there suck I:In a cowslips bell I lie;There I couch when o wls do cry.On the bats back I do flyAfter summer merrily.Merrily, merrily shall I live nowUnder the blossom that hangs on the bough..(Spoken by Ariel in Act 5 Scene 1) Twelfth Night:Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon em.(Spoken by Malvolio in Act 2 Scene 1)

10 Tips for Learning a Foreign Language as an Adult

10 Tips for Learning a Foreign Language as an Adult While the U.S. is home to over 350 different languages, according to a report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS), most Americans are monolingual. And this limitation can negatively impact individuals, U.S. companies, and even the country as a whole.   For example, the AAAS notes that learning a second language improves cognitive ability, assists in learning other subjects, and delays some of the effects of aging. Other findings include that up to 30% of U.S. companies have stated that they’ve missed business opportunities in foreign countries because they didn’t have in-house staff who spoke the dominant languages of those countries, and 40% stated they could not reach their international potential because of language barriers.  However, one of the most striking and alarming examples of the importance of learning a foreign language happened at the onset of the 2004 avian flu epidemic. According to the AAAS, scientists in the U.S. and other English-speaking countries did not originally understand the magnitude of avian flu because they could not read the original research – which was written by Chinese researchers. In fact, the report notes that just 200,000 U.S. students are studying Chinese compared to 300 to 400 million Chinese students who are studying English. And 66% of Europeans know at least one other language compared to just 20% of Americans. Many European countries have national requirements that students must learn at least one foreign language by the age of 9, according to data from the Pew Research Center. In the U.S., school districts are typically allowed to set their own policies. As a result, the vast majority (89%) of American adults who know a foreign language say they learned it in their childhood home. Learning Styles for Children Children and adults learn foreign languages differently. Rosemary G. Feal, executive director of the Modern Language Association, says, â€Å"Children generally learn languages through games, songs, and repetition, and in an immersive environment, they often produce speech spontaneously.† And there’s a reason for that spontaneity. According to Katja Wilde, head of Didactics at Babbel, â€Å"Unlike adults, children are less aware of making mistakes and the associated embarrassment, and therefore, dont correct themselves.† Learning Styles for Adults However, Feal explains that with adults, studying the formal structures of the language is usually helpful. â€Å"Adults learn to conjugate verbs, and they benefit from grammatical explanations along with strategies such as repetition and memorizing key phrases.† Adults also learn in a more conscious way, according to Wilde: â€Å"They have strong metalinguistic awareness, which children don’t have.† This means that adults reflect on the language they learn. For example ‘Is this the best word to express what I want to say’ or ‘Did I use the correct grammar structure?’† Wilde explains. And adults usually have different motivators. Wilde says that adults typically have specific reasons for learning a foreign language. â€Å"Better quality of life, self-improvement, career advancements, and other intangible benefits are usually the motivating factors.   Some people believe that its too late for adults to learn a new language, but Wilde disagrees. â€Å"Although children tend to be better at subconscious learning, or acquisition, adults tend to be better at learning, because they are able to process more complex thought processes.† Try 10 tips for learning languages: 1) Know why youre doing it. 2) Find a partner. 3) Talk to yourself. 4) Keep it relevant. 5) Have fun with it. 6) Act like a child. 7) Leave your comfort zone. 8) Listen. 9) Watch people talk. 10) Dive in. Feal also recommends other ways for adults to learn a foreign language, such as watching TV shows and film in the target language. â€Å"In addition, reading written materials of all kinds, engaging in interactive conversations on the web, and for those who can travel, an in-country experience, can help adults make meaningful progress.† In addition to these tips, Wilde says that Babbel offers on-line courses that can be completed in bite-sized chunks, anytime and anywhere. Other sources for learning a new language include Learn A Language, Fluent in 3 Months, and DuoLingo. College students can also take advantage of study abroad programs where they can learn new languages and new cultures. There are several benefits to learning a new language. This type of skill can increase cognitive skills and lead to career opportunities - especially since multilingual employees can earn higher salaries. Learning new languages and cultures can also result in a more informed and diverse society.

Examples of Physical Properties of Matter - Comprehensive List

Examples of Physical Properties of Matter - Comprehensive List This is an extensive list of physical properties of matter. These are characteristics that you can observe and measure without altering a sample. Unlike chemical properties, you do not need to change the nature of a substance to measure any physical property  it might have.   You may find this alphabetical list to be especially useful if you need to cite examples of physical properties. A-C AbsorptionAlbedoAreaBrittlenessBoiling pointCapacitanceColorConcentration D-F DensityDielectric constantDuctilityDistributionEfficacyElectric chargeElectrical conductivityelectrical impedanceElectrical resistivityElectric fieldElectric potentialEmissionFlexibilityFlow rateFluidityFrequency I-M InductanceIntrinsic impedanceIntensityIrradianceLengthLocationLuminanceLusterMalleabilityMagnetic fieldMagnetic fluxMassMelting pointMomentMomentum P-W PermeabilityPermittivityPressureRadianceResistivityReflectivitySolubilitySpecific  heatSpinStrengthTemperatureTensionThermal conductivityVelocityViscosityVolumeWave impedance Physical vs. Chemical Properties Chemical and physical properties are related to chemical and physical changes. A physical change only alters the shape or appearance of a sample and not its chemical identity. A chemical change is a chemical reaction, which rearranges a sample on a molecular level. Chemical properties encompass those characteristics of matter that can only be observed by changing the chemical identity of a sample, which is to say by examining its behavior in a chemical reaction. Examples of chemical properties include flammability (observed from combustion), reactivity (measured by readiness to participate in a reaction), and toxicity (demonstrated by exposing an organism to a chemical).

Final papeer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Final papeer - Research Paper Example Tehran’s IAEA agreement refers to an agency formed to regulate nuclear and atomic energy. Basically, any country that is a member of the IAEA is expected to act within its mandate. In the event that it acts outside its mandate, then necessary action will be taken. In contrast to this view, there are some people who claim that the world may be heading to a more peaceful state. In as much as the International Atomic Energy Agency categorized Iran as harboring nuclear weapons, they did not clearly state whether the weapons were for peaceful purposes or not. After IAEA investigated the issue of the nuclear weapons in Iran and founding Iran uncooperative, resolving the situation became a diplomatic matter. This research paper will hence address the issue with the aim of supporting the thesis that Iran’s nuclear development may or may not be for peaceful purposes. The paper will hence look at how the nuclear development may not be for peaceful purpose, how Iran is associated to be a terrorist state, and its Islamic region tension to the west. However, it will also look critically into the matter and also prove how Iran’s nuclear development would not be used for war purpose. First, in as much as Iran announced that its nuclear development was purely for peaceful purpose, IAEA questioned their increased interest in nuclear. Even after making investigations and ordering Iran to suspend their Uranium program, plus any projects which had relation to the nuclear programmer, Iran still did not comply. Its inability to comply with what it has been asked brought Western interest, who believed dominated the council to the extent of manipulating it. After investigations, Iran was discovered to harbor nuclear stations which had been buried underground, denoting their purpose that it was not meant for peaceful purpose. In addition, Iran refuted any claims of preparing for war. Nevertheless, as tension heightened in the countries belonging to

Engineering Computer Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Engineering Computer Technology - Essay Example Picasa, which manages and store the user’s images online. YouTube which enables users to publish and store their videos online. Google Translate which does translation services of most languages. Blue tooth headsets have both advantages and disadvantages associated with the technology. The first advantage is that there are no wires used thus the limitations associated with distance constraints are minimized if not eliminated. With wireless headsets, handling calls while driving is easy and simplified. It allows hands free phone call reception thus eliminating accidents associated with driving while on a phone call. Bluetooth wireless signals use low power signal unlike wired headsets. Blue tooth headset is universal meaning it can be used in any device that is Bluetooth enabled. On the other hand, Bluetooth headsets are more expensive compared to their wired counterpart.It can be as much as ten times the cost of the normal traditional headsets. It has a mono output which affects the quality of sound it generates as compared to the traditional wired headsets. Finally, Bluetooth headsets are limited in some way by signal range. The device has to be close to the headset for a quality sound and operation. Amazon.com, Inc is an e-commerce platform and company founded by Jeff Beros in 1994. It was originally based in a garage in Bellevue, Washington but since then it has grown to be then leading and largest online retailers. It has its headquarters based in Seattle, Washington USA. It was started as an online bookstore but since diversified to include other item like DVD,cd, software and video games. The company was incorporated as Cadabra after which it went online in 1995 as Amazon.com (Spector, 13). Management information system provides the information needed by an organization for effective and efficient management. Management information system entails the computer systems used

Project Propozal ( What motivete oversea student come to study in the Coursework

Project Propozal ( What motivete oversea student come to study in the United Kingdom) - Coursework Example Apart from this, the current oversea students can also benefit through this research. The aim of this research paper is to identify and analyze the factors which influence and motivate oversea students to come to study in UK. I have chosen this topic for my research because I am also an oversea student who was pretty much motivated to study in UK since very beginning but this did not proved to be something very easy for me. I had faced my obstacles in my way to achieve this highly reputable degree and now I believe that motivation is not only required at the initial stage but it is required throughout the process therefore I am working on this project with an objective to motivate students who are willing to study in UK but are unable to do so for any reason and to keep the current oversea students motivated and focused. English language was developed in England and it is their mother tongue. All everyone speak English there accent is slightly different for the foreign students but once you get here it becomes easy for you to understand their accent and speak the language fluently. There are many factors that motivates and influence students to come and study UK in which the peaceful and committed environment of the UK plays the most important role. UK promises it students to give them the quality exposure along with an everlasting exposure and it really fulfills this promise. Motivation is basically a stimulus that drives a need to be fulfilled (Robbins 25). Not only major decisions and task are performed successfully because of motivation but also the smallest achievements are made due to motivation. For instance, you cannot perform well on a quiz if you were not motivated enough to gain good marks. There are two main components of motivation which actually encouraged a person to achieve something they are intrinsic factors and extrinsic factors. As the name indicates intrinsic

Recommendation letters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Recommendation letters - Essay Example The student has superior communication skills as I have observed in his written work and in the presentations in the class. His ability to eloquently express himself has made his a valuable asset in the various group projects that have been required of his. I believe his involvement in the group activities is also a reflection of his people skills and his ability to work well with people. He has also helped his fellow students come up with creative solutions and ideas to the tasks that I have assigned to them. He is also extremely well organized in his work. I therefore have no reservations in recommending the student to your post graduate study program as I believe he has a great potential to succeed in the program. I also believe he will be a valuable asset to your student body. His dedication and thoroughness in his work will enable his to succeed in the dissertation based program. Please contact me if further clarifications about his abilities and qualifications are required. I am writing in recommendation of Mohammed Al Ajmi application for a post graduate study opportunity in your institution. He has been my friend for over 10 years and I have known his to be a creative, dependable and highly organized individual. I believe that his skills and personality will be a tremendous asset in your organization. When I was pursing both my Masters and my PhD, I found Jane to be of great help. He assisted me in collecting the data and was always at hand to offer suggestions in the process. I also found his people skills coupled with his communication skills a tremendous asset in convincing people to take part in my research study. He was also instrumental in keeping a positive working spirit among my research team. I also know his to be a dedicated person who reacts sensibly in high pressure situations. I have known Jane as an open minded individual who is always ready and willing to learn and experience new ideas. He has

Introduction and conclusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Introduction and conclusion - Essay Example out a group of people and imposing such restrictions to their fundamental rights is also tantamount to a violation of the equal protection clause guaranteed by the XIV Amendment.1 Is the act of performing voluntary work by the Ontario High School Students as a condition or requisite to graduate violative of their freedom and the equal protection clause? Is it not true that sometimes individual freedom may be curtailed or the exercise of the same be limited for the benefit of the larger group of people? Is it not also true that there is no violation of the equal protection clause when there is a â€Å"rational basis† behind the restriction or grouping? When one is compelled to do something against ones will or at peril of loss to oneself there is a violation of the freedom guaranteed by the US Constitution.2 To compel the Ontario High School students to do volunteer work at the cost of not graduating if one does not comply is violative of their individual freedom. There is no rational basis for the curtailment of such right. No greater good is brought to the bigger population. Lacking a rational basis and serving no legitimate state purpose this is a burden that also violative of the equal protection clause.3 This condition must be stricken off. There is no room for such unreasonable restrictions in the halls of learning where individualism and freedom is meant to take wings and fly; to soar and create bigger and greater things for humanity to appreciate and

Discussion broad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion broad - Essay Example The author has rightly proposed practicing and preparing as two of the important strategies to control meeting stress. I am a Chinese and was recently interviewed in Shanghai. My interview went well because I had thought about the possible questions and prepared answers for them in advance. I also practiced the interview with my friend before the actual interview which gave me a fair idea of the interview. This topic is mentioned in the course book e.g. while preparing for a meeting or an interview, an individual should at least prepare four Ps i.e. â€Å"purpose, product, participants, and probable issues† (Wilkinson, 2012, p. 590). I find this article very informative and useful. It contains very useful pieces of advice that are easily practicable. The author has not only suggested what to do in a meeting to control stress and boost performance, but has also clearly indicated what not to do e.g. not to overprepare or have a crafted and premade answer for every question. I discovered the article recently over the

Introduction and conclusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Introduction and conclusion - Essay Example out a group of people and imposing such restrictions to their fundamental rights is also tantamount to a violation of the equal protection clause guaranteed by the XIV Amendment.1 Is the act of performing voluntary work by the Ontario High School Students as a condition or requisite to graduate violative of their freedom and the equal protection clause? Is it not true that sometimes individual freedom may be curtailed or the exercise of the same be limited for the benefit of the larger group of people? Is it not also true that there is no violation of the equal protection clause when there is a â€Å"rational basis† behind the restriction or grouping? When one is compelled to do something against ones will or at peril of loss to oneself there is a violation of the freedom guaranteed by the US Constitution.2 To compel the Ontario High School students to do volunteer work at the cost of not graduating if one does not comply is violative of their individual freedom. There is no rational basis for the curtailment of such right. No greater good is brought to the bigger population. Lacking a rational basis and serving no legitimate state purpose this is a burden that also violative of the equal protection clause.3 This condition must be stricken off. There is no room for such unreasonable restrictions in the halls of learning where individualism and freedom is meant to take wings and fly; to soar and create bigger and greater things for humanity to appreciate and

Technology-the Future of Terrorism Essay Example for Free

Technology-the Future of Terrorism Essay From the extensive evolution of computers to the introduction and mass popularity of the Internet. From bombs to missiles, from bases to shuttles. The world of technology is seemingly endless. In modern times computers and the Internet possess tremendous power and have a wide range of capabilities for better or for worse. Terrorism is for the worse and yet unfortunately, the evolution of technology has advanced the means to commit acts of terrorism, both actual terrorism but also cyber terrorism. T hink about the seemingly endless depth of technology, the complex features that go into making a bomb mechanism, you can only come to the solid conclusion that yes, technology has had a worldwide effect on the act of terrorism. There are two ways in which you can view this obvious revelation into the grim world of terrorism. You can look at it with the first way as mentioned, that terrorism has unlocked doors for terrorists to use to their advantage; new hi-tech gadgets being illegally manufactured to their advantage on a daily basis, the Internet being seemingly insecure enough to meet fellow terrorists, hack into government files and plot all forms of terrorist attempts. It seems as though technology advances, the resources for terrorism flourish. The second way however contradicts the first in a sense; as technology improves and gives the terrorists new means to attack, with that comes new means to defend against them. High tech security measures such as CCTV cameras, infrared and heat sensors and seemingly space-age computer techniques make defending, foiling and preventing terrorist attacks much more easy than in the grim past. Ever since the New York bombings on September 11, 2001, not only America, but the entire world has been on the edge of their seats in fear, just waiting for an all out terrorist attack to throw the entire population of human-kind into disbelief and awe, followed by the beginning of world war 3. Bombs have been in existence for decades, gun power has been in existence for decades, does this count as technology? In a sense, yes, but it has been since the revelation of the power of the Internet that terrorism has reached its all time high. With the capabilities of hacking into important Government systems, terrorists have the power to view and take advantage of every week point available to a specific country. With the wounds exposed, the terrorists attack. Is there really any way to sense when an attack is coming? Ever since the 9/11 bombings in New York and the 7/7 bombings in London, many people automatically wrongly associate those of the Muslim faith to be terrorists. The war on terrorism has inadvertently invoked a new era of race issues and prejudice; inadvertently one may think, but could this be what the terrorists wanted? There is no question that technology has changed terrorism in both of the aforementioned ways, for better and for worse. As technology continues to advance, terrorists will continue to find new means of attacking, just as the government will find new means of defending against them. It is just one big cycle that keeps advancing as time goes by. Technology has the power to change the future of terrorism. It has the power to advance it and it has the power to destroy it. It is simply a question of which one will prevail first, which is in its entirety, a very scary thought. 2-Terrorism has existed for centuries and continues to be a very real threat in modern times. The techniques to carry out an act of terrorism may have changed, but the fundamentals of why terrorists decide to carry out a terrorist act have not. Cyber terrorism is a newer technique terrorists utilize to inflict their acts of violence, fear and intimidation on their targeted victims. While it may have changed the dynamics of how terrorism is carried out, the underlying factors are much the same. The purpose of terrorism is to inflict terror through acts such as force, violence or destruction. Historically this has been carried out through bombs, hostage taking, assassinations, hi-jackings and weapons of mass destruction attacks. Throughout history many different kinds of weapons or intimidation have been used to invoke terror towards others. Technology is the latest tool employed to meet this destructive objective. Cyber terrorism is the newest approach and it is one which has high potential to bring about devastating results much like the kinds of preceding violent attacks, but on a grander scale. Todays politically motivated attacks are launched with the intention to cause weighty harm, and cyber attacks certainly have high potential to trigger severe injury, economical damage and even death. Many nations across the globe rely upon their technical infrastructures. What better way to terrorize people than to attack the very foundation their society is built upon and relies on to survive? Many nations take the act of cyber terrorism seriously because it threatens the very core and existence of their society. Technology does not change the act of terrorism per se because the same ntents which have always been present when a radical commits an act of terror are there. Their goal is often to cause bodily and financial harm. Terrorism is an act primarily fueled by hatred and intolerance for those who are different. With the advent of technology terrorists have found another weapon they can utilize to cause widespread damage. It is in this respect that technology has changed terrorism. While technological advances have not necessarily changed the intents for terrorism, theyve certainly impacted what radicals are capable of and this is where terrorism has changed. What it has done is provide the terrorists with another method to commit an act of terror and reach a larger number of victims. It also provides terrorists with an opportunity to pinpoint specifictargets without ever having to set foot on the soil of the region they are attacking. -google earth Cyber terrorism is a very real concern and security issue in todays world. The U. S. government has cyber attacks listed right up there with nuclear, chemical and biological threats. Although while cyber terrorism may not be a weapon of mass destruction, it is a weapon of disruption which is also harmful (Linda Volonino, Principles and Practice of Information Security). Can you imagine if an entire banking, emergency service, power plant, telecommunications, military or government infrastructure fell victim to a successful cyber terrorist attack? This could bring down the heart of an economy or government. Even if one target of this list was cyber attacked it would cause mass chaos or in some cases worse if it resulted in injury or death. While the motivators of terrorism remain the same, when terrorists use technology as a weapon it has strong potential to be a very dangerous one which can result in mass destruction. The problem with technology is that it never stands still. What is new today is out of date within a year and while many see this is progress, it produces difficulties when we apply it to something like terrorism. And its usually the counter-terrorists who are playing second fiddle to the terrorists responding to their advances and uses of new technology. It shows that while technology can have its uses, it also has many weaknesses. The computer is extremely useful to modern life and our fight against terrorism, but is also useful to the terrorist in carrying out their everyday work. In short, technology has changed terrorism dramatically and will continue to do so, like a stone gathering snow as it rolls down a hill. Technology has opened up opportunities for both sides but it also means that neither can win but the war between them can only become more violent, more deadly and more extreme. Technology has changed Terrorism because it has allowed terror networks to communicate with other terrorists and media networks around the world. Alqeada promotes videos recruiting susceptible to disaffected Muslims who disagree with the US policies in and around Muslim countries. The Internet is an unlimited vast resource which can advance humanity when used for good purposes but with limited laws regarding the Internet because of the ever changing technologies, it is difficult to make laws to keep up with the growing technology. Terror groups exploit this and use websites for propaganda purposes, recruitment of Arabs and Muslims to radical extremism. Terror groups are using the Internet to funnel money from charity groups in the US and Europe to finance their terror organizations by collecting charitable donations from mosques and other religious institutions. The US is constantly monitoring suspected organizations affiliated with radical groups and keep an eye on the banking transactions sent abroad. Video games which help many control and develop skills in shooting, driving air planes, and driving cars. The FBI monitors merchants which sell video technology to Afghanistan and Pakistan because any technology which can be used to teach or advance technical skills are restricted. Recently, the Obama and the McCain campaigns were hacked into by a foreign government trying to know their policies in advance. the US has to develop a system to protect themselves from the Chinese government and hackers which constantly launch cyber attacks against many other countries besides the US. The Chinese are notorious for stealing information and technologies from other governments. Since 9/11 Terrorists have been trying to reach the US and launch a large scale attack against the US and its allies. Security has tighten in airports, intelligence agencies have infiltrated these terror cells in the US and abroad and have stopped many planned attacks such as the NYC Lincoln tunnel attack. Many of these terror networks have lost their ability to organize an attack such as that of 9/11. The US government has a cyber anti terror network in the Pentagon and in many key government agencies protecting from the many cyber attacks that are launched against these agencies on a daily basis. Terrorist groups which have the inability to harm Americans on US soil may launch a cyber attack that could cripple Wall Street, destroy our infrastructure by hacking into electric plants, airports, transportation systems and banking industry. The Us still has outdated technologies regarding electric company grids which have not been updated into modern systems, it was rumored that last year when the entire East Coast lost electricity that it was a cyber attack the electric companies denied this rumor and said it was just to much usage and the system could not carry load. America has to develop technologies to counter cyber attacks and even use the foreign nations hacking against them by sending back a virus or worm that could destroy their system to discourage future cyber attacks. The Us should develop laws and catch up with the ever changing technologies regarding money laundering and funneling of illegal money to Terror organizations using US and European banks, there should be a coalition between major banks around the world to catch this activity and cut out all their money because without money the terrorists cant buy weapons and recruit people actively. TV reports throughout the world about the technology tools probably used by the terrorists in their effort to execute their hideous attack against the USA are sensational. Firstly, their communications must have been encoded to a point that intelligence services all over the world did not have the slightest idea that a criminal act of so grand a scale was on the way to be executed. We have heard from extravagant tools that can hide messages within the photographic images’ dots (stenography), satellite mobiles that encode communication and so on. All these TECHSare existent as well as widespread-even the mobiles we, simple citizens use nowadays encode our conversation, still in a relatively simple way, so that absolute security is not offered. The issue immediately raised is how and why such technologies have been released in the market, since the fact that they are to be used by bloodthirsty terrorists to assassinate thousands of people, is certain. The question of dangerous technology is a fair, yet a simplistic one. The first issue one has to think about is that once a technology is born, there is no way for it to be restricted on a long-term basis. It is knowledge, and knowledge cannot be stopped with wire fences. Even in the event of technology diffusion being restricted by law, its possession by criminals cannot be prevented, and that constitutes another problem. They are in possession of the means and of the financial support to acquire it:. The second question that has to be raised is, â€Å"to what extent should we accept â€Å"dangerous† technology ban? Should that be Cryptography? Should that be Flight Simulation Programs? (let us not forget that it is quite possible that the terrorists had been trained as to how to approach their targets using the Microsoft Flight Simulator program, one amongst the most common programs in the world. ) Technology and Terrorism: a brief Scenario Technology is double bladed sword and is to be handled with due care. It can be utilized for the welfare of the society as discussed earlier. Misuse of the same will definitely damage and destruct the society like anything. The scientists and researchers of the whole world are trying their best to explore newer technology for the benefit of the society. But their dreams have been shattered and certain anti social elements have misused the modern technology in terrorism Modern technology has added great terrors and horrors to terrorism. Modern technology has also been characterized as a negative response to globalization. The terrorists are using and trying to use every possible technological resource to fulfill their evil targets. They are utilizing the knowledge of various engineering disciplines which mainly includes Computes I. T. Electronics and Telecommunications, Ammunition Engineering, Bio technology, space engineering, Chemical science and other core branches of engineering too. Technology: A tool misused by terrorists. Terrorists are employing various communication devices for easy, faster and optimized communications. It is observed that they are mainly taking the help of cell phones, radio audio signals, micro chips (a data handling device) and other advanced electronics and telecommunication devices. It is proved that they are widely using Laptops and Internet services and software to plan, develop and fund terrorist activities.

Power and Control in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein

Power and Control in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein How Mary Shelley portrays the theme of power throughout her novel ‘Frankenstein’ Power is one of the most prominent themes which has coursed throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The intensity of power within the novel adds to the unnatural storyline which Mary Shelley created. Power within the novel is the most obvious and perhaps the most interesting because power can come from many perspectives.The overall power is in Victor Frankenstein’s hands, an example of this is him going against the true nature of god and creating new life in which he thinks he can control and manipulate. I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. This shows his dedication into looking beyond possibilities and moving one step further so he can be looked upon like a god. The quote taking nearly two years implies that if his invention is not perfect, it’s not right. Because Victor has taken nearly two years on infusing life shows his dedication no matter how long the process takes. Dangerous knowledge links with this theme because without the right knowledge the prospect of ambition is unreachable, as we come to find out later in the novel. The effect of the word ‘infusing’ gives emphasis to the giving of life, this creates a contrast into the positivity that the phrase conveys and how the story turns into a negative. The gothic novel contrasts the ways in which evil and power are shown throughout the novel. Each interpretation is different depending on the characters story and background. In the 1800s there was a high discontent because of the great depression in that era. Mary Shelley went against society to produce a novel that would make humanity question the power behind god. The full title for her novel includes The Modern Prometheus showing Shelley was clearly influenced and took her influence from earlier literature. Prometheus was said to be the wisest of all Titans who stole fire from the gods, so Mary Shelley has taken this aspect of Prometheus and used it within Frankenstein to add to her gothic style of writing. She has done this to replicate Victor as the incarnation of Prometheus. Like Prometheus, Victor is fascinated with electricity and lightening and this links with the birth of the monster. I might infuse a spark of being into this lifeless thing that lay at my feet. The indication that infusing electricity into a lifeless object is just inhumane; although the body is lifeless the overall thought is repulsive and wrong. This is because it is morally wrong and against the true nature of god as he is the only one who can create life. Using the force of the electricity to power a dead body seems impossible, but this just shows that Victor’s work is pushed past the breaking point because he wants to excel at what he does. Victor craves power therefore has to earn it. Wealth was an inferior object, but what glory would attend the discovery, ifIcould banish disease from the human frame. An inferior object this implies that Money to Victor is worthless, recognition means much more than money every will.The dream he has is creating the prospect of new life, the fact he wants to manipulate something as precious as life proves he is willing to stop at nothing to have the fame and the recognition that he thinks he deserves. â€Å"Mary Shelley has done this perhaps to prove a point, because in 1818 there were great changes in British society, and there was a significant change in science and technology so writing a book that contains what it does is going against society so she is like the Frankenstein of her era†. This could be a reflection of her life but as a powerful male. I believe that she wrote this book to satisfy her own cravings of power. (YORK NOTES PAGE 92BACKGROUND) He has gained theKnowle dge he has from the intense research that he has developed over the years. I had retrod the steps of knowledge along the paths of time. This is an example that Victor will continue to better his knowledge to purse and better his achievements. In the novel 1984 Winston works for the Ministry of Truth, meaning under no circumstance can he betray the Thought Police. All of the people in London are living like robots following commandsand because of thisWinston wants to do something about it.At first he begins to use his power for good helping the people in London, then suddenly it all becomes too much and the power he has earned goes to his head. Big brother is watching you! This is the higher power within the novel in which Winston wants to become. To be at a higher status and a leader, he wants answers therefore has to gain power to find the answers. This drive for answers is mirrored. The ideas in 1984 are reflected in Frankenstein. In Frankenstein as power is almost like a goal for Victor. He wants to achieve a powerful status. The influence of power comes from the people that surround him at university. For example M.Waldman is what Victor wants to become; his sense of power and knowledge is just inspiring.â€Å"In a thousand ways he smoothed me for the path of knowledge.† The emphasis on the phrase he smoothed me clarifies that M.Walman focused on Victors ability to allow him to progress at a higher level of science. This demonstrates that he looks up to M.Walmanas he has what Frankenstein craves the most. Power within the characters reverses throughout the novel, this could be to show that you’re not just born into power you can earn it with the correct information. The monster learns everything on his own with the help of a few books I can hardly describe to you the effects of these books. He is like a child learning for the first time although he chooses to use the power within him to destroy Frankenstein and the loved ones that surround him.Thesufferings that isolate the monster not only come from Victor but from society, this could be because the monster longs for love and companionship, however he realises he can never experience the love he sees around him so this results in the violent crimes he commits.I am malicious because I am miserable. The word malicious highlights the fact the monster knows he is evil yet its the only way he is going to get attention from Victor. He is just longing for a friend or to be accepted within society he knows that he does not look normal but he just wants to be accepted. When he realises that he will never fit in, power takes over and he wants to destroy everything and everyone in his path. Making a deal with Victor almost as if making a deal with the devil, the monster asks for a bride saying he is willing to spare Victors loved ones if he agrees to his demands. â€Å"For Shelley, body is fate. If it is ugliness that fuels the mo nsters social exclusion, it is beauty that drives his revenge: he destroys what he cannot possess.† (http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/mshelley/pva229.html) In contrast in 1984 power is much more subtle, and doesn’t come across as influential as in Frankenstein. This is because Winston is very elusive meaning he trusts no one but himself. If you want to keep a secret you must hide it from yourself. This shows that even your own secrets should be kept quiet and you shouldn’t even think of them because your thoughts are powerful and you never know who is listening.‘The main power is within the party because they are at a higher status than the low ranking members of the ruling party; therefore use their stronger forces of power to dictate the rules of big brother’. It can be argued that George Orwell has done this to show that everyone has the right to speak or feel however they want without a higher force being able to tell them how they should act within society.Power within both novels seems to be the main key to success but it all ends in disaster as power goes to their heads. In conclusion, without the right power, being able to succeed is limited. Both novels show unless you have the right power and the right knowledge you are not as important as those who have it. Both novels portray power in different ways, some of which contrast. One major link between the two is the one main character craving power and perhaps love, but both novels show that you can only have one or the other and worst comes to worst when they both eventually die, leaving but only their mistakes to live with the world forever.

Analysis Of Sir Gawains Character Essay -- Arthurian Legends English

Analysis Of Sir Gawain's Character In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the character of Sir Gawain, nephew of the famed Arthur of the Round Table, is seen as the most noble of knights who is the epitome of chivalry, yet he is also susceptible to mistakes. His courtesy, honor, honesty, and courage are subjected to various tests, posed by the wicked Morgan le Fay. Some tests prove his character and the chivalrous code true and faultless, like the time he answers a challenge although it might mean his death, or remains courteous to a lady despite temptation. Other tests prove his character and the chivalrous code faulty such as the time he breaks his promise to his host, and when he flinches from a harmless blow. The first test to his courage, courtesy, humility and loyalty toward his king, Arthur, occurs when the Green Knight suddenly appears at Camelot’s New Year's feast. He offers the Round Table a challenge: the game is for a man to strike him with his axe, and twelve months and a day later, the Green Knight will return the blow. When Arthur accepts the challenge, Gawain interferes and asks Arthur with humility and courtesy to â€Å"grant him the grace to stand by him† (SGGK l. 343-344). He confesses that â€Å"he is the weakest, and of wit feeblest, and the loss of his life would not be a great tragedy at all because his body, but for Arthur’s blood, is not worth much" (SGGK l. 354-357). He asks to be granted the privilege to claim the Green Knight's challenge because it does not befit a king. Proof of Gawain’s character is substantiated by his noble acceptance of the Green Knight’s beheading game in order to â€Å"release the king outright from his obligation†(SGGK l. 365). It shows courage and loyalty that even among famed knights suc... ...love for his life. Thus Gawain deserves less blame for his misdemeanor minor transgression. Although Gawain, like most us, is prone to evil thoughts of selfishness and dishonesty, and takes a cowardly action, "men still hold him dear" in Bercilak's castle as well as in Arthur's Camelot (SGGK l. 2465). His friends are not as disappointed with him as he is disappointed with himself. He holds himself in contempt, "rages in his heart and grieves" for the shame in his actions and the green belt that he must bear (SGGK l.251-252). He wears the girdle as a badge to remind him of his faults and to lower his pride when it becomes inflated. But he has learned from his mistakes and becomes an even better knight. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in The Norton Anthology of English Literature 7th ed. vol.1. Abrams, M. H et al. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000. 157-210.

Essay --

Economic Principles Some of the most heated debates in macroeconomics in recent years have been concerned with the causes and consequences of inflation, the relationship between inflation and unemployment, and appropriate policy responses. Inflation and Unemployment in the AS-AD Model Inflation may be defined, for our purposes, as the proportionate increase in the price level per period of time. Another way of looking at inflation would be to point out that as the price level rises the real value of a given nominal amount of money falls, so that is to say that as the price level rises $1 will buy fewer and fewer goods. Thus, inflation might, alternatively, be defined as the proportionate decline in the purchasing power of a given nominal amount of money. In this sense, inflation is a monetary phenomenon. Therefore, Laidler and Parkin argue that its importance ‘stems from the pervasive role played by money in a modern economy’. Friedman goes further than this and argue s that inflation ‘is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon †¦ and can be produced only by a more rapid increase in the quantity of money than in output. He clearly has views not only on what inflation is, but also on what causes it. By no means all economists agree with Friedman on the causes of inflation, and it is such issues, which are the focus of much of this chapter. There is also much disagreement about the consequences of inflation. Most would agree that a short bout of inflation, or a persistent but well-predicted one, would not be as harmful as a persistent and unpredictable bout of inflation. Even for the latter case there are those who argue that the consequences are not that serious, while others argue that unpredictable inflation distorts the mec... ...lated by discounting the income, but to the permanent magnitudes. To take the extreme case as illustration: Wn is wealth possessed by an individual during his whole life’; and Yn is the average (permanent) lifetime income. This novel definition of terms is closely connected to Friedman’s research on the consumption function4, and it is very significant to his theory. Friedman applies his concept of permanent income to the theory of money demand, too. Permanent income is the return on a rather widely defined stock of nominal wealth. The latter consists of Money: a means of payment with a constant face value that does not yield interest; Bonds: interest bearing securities with a constant face value; Equalities: claims on the profits of a firm; Physical goods; and Human capital. Hence, Ln = f (P, rB, rE, P/ P, Yn p/r) (+) (-) (-) (-) (+)

Continuos Writing Essay

His name is Johan and I called him Uncle Jo. He is my mother’s brother. He is ten years older than me. He is still young and quite successful businessman. He opens his own firm and has many employees. He is single and stays at Kuala Lumpur. I admire him because he is special to me and I likes his personalities. My uncle is a good looking man. His skin is fair and that makes him look handsome. He has straight hair. With a handsome face and muscular arms,he looks strong and brave. He is tall and stylish person. He always wears branded clothes and love Korean fashion. When he smile,I could see both of his dimple and that make him looks more handsome and sweet. His character is very funny and he likes to joke around. He is a very kind hearted. Although he still young,he is not stingy with his money. On Hari Raya,he gives a lot of `duit raya’ to me. He takes a good care of my grandmother. Every month,he brings my grandmother to see a doctor and gives money to my grandmother for her daily use. He likes to help anyone and does not expect anything in return. He is a person who can easily get along with anyone and gets all the work done without hurting anyone. He has a strange habit. For example,he will laugh loudly when he is alone in order to forget his sad experience and stress at work. He likes to go gym to keep his body fit. He also likes outdoor activities such as hiking. Every month,he will go hiking with his friend and takes pictures. His favourite food is something that is spicy such as Korean food. He also like to hear Korean song and watches Korean drama. Everyday although he is busy with his work,he wiil spend his time on his hobby and search about it on internet. He does not like something that is sweet and sour and to be at dirty place. Uncle jo was a good student. He and my mother came from a big family of seven children. Knowing that his parents could not afford to send him to university,he study all his might to obtain a scholarship to take an accounting degree overseas. When he was oversea,he worked part-time and sent money home to support his younger siblings. After graduating with a degree,he joined a big accountant firm. Today,he runs his own firm. His generousity and kindness are shown when he does account for small firm at low fees. Finally,the reason why I like my uncle is because he has the same interest with me such as we likes to hear the same kinds of music and likes to eat somethine that is spicy. Since I was young,his advice has influenced me a lot in the way I look at life and people. His words of encouragement is responsible for my success in my career and personal life today. That is my Uncle Jo,my hero and my beloved mentor. He always be my role model.

Boeing 777 Finance Case Study Essay

Boeing is currently operating with the majority market share of the commercial sector of aircraft manufacturing. Frank Shrontz, our CEO, has recently stated his goal to increase the company’s return on equity from its current average of 12%. The following summary will delve into the most appealing project for the future of this firm: the 777 aircraft. The purpose of this new product is to maintain our competitive advantage in commercial airline production by completing a family of Boeing airplanes. The following net present value analysis will be used to determine the potential profitability of the 777 project. Our analysts concluded that a levered equity beta of 1.2939 was appropriate for the commercial division of Boeing. The levered equity beta was important to use due to its representation of the capital structure of Boeing and its value to the WACC calculation. This equity beta was calculated by removing the financial risk of four similar defense-oriented benchmark companies (over half of all revenues from their respective defense divisions). The Value Line betas of Lockheed, Northrop, Grumman, and McDonnell-Douglas were unlevered using the following formula U = (L) / (1+(1-t)(D/E)). The betas of these firms are important because by using the pure play approach, we can calculate an accurate equity beta for Boeing. Several adjustments must be made however, and those are discussed in the remainder of this paragraph. Once averaged, the Value Line betas equaled 0.4758. The next step required unlevering the total Boeing beta, which was found at 1.00. The formula used to unlever Boeing’s beta U = (1.00) / (1+(.66*.018)) = 0.9883. With the two betas we have calculated, Boeing’s unlevered commercial beta could be found. We found that the percentage of revenues derived from the defense division was 26%. The following formula provided the answer to Boeing’s commercial beta: U = (U-Boeing – (% defense)(U-Defense)) / (%commercial) = (0.9883 – (.26*.4758))/(.74) = 1.1683. After obtaining the unlevered commercial beta, our analysts then levered it by using the debt to equity ratio of 14%. The D/E ratio of 14% was chosen over the current 4% D/E ratio due to the additional financing needs in the future if the project were accepted. This yielded a levered equity commercial beta of 1.2939. The cost of equity of the project was then found using the equation: RE = rf + (market risk premium). Our team of analysts chose to use the long-term yield on treasury bonds in 1990 (8.82%) because it was similar to our investment horizon. The market risk premium is 5.4%. When these values are plugged into the previously stated SML equation, the cost of equity is (0.0882 + 1.2939*(.054)) = 15.81%. The return on equity for all-equity financing would be 15.13%. The only difference in the formula would be the use of the unlevered commercial beta 1.1683 instead of the levered commercial beta of 1.2939. This discrepancy between the two RE calculations makes sense because levering up increases the cost of equity. The weighted average cost of capital is then calculated with this equation: WACC = [RD * (1-t) * WD] + (RE * WE). The only new unknown is the cost of debt, which was 9.73%. The average yield to maturity of a AA-rated debt with 5 years to maturity is 9.73%–the cost of debt used in our analysts’ WACC calculation. Furthermore, a 34% tax rate and 14% weight of debt were used. WACC = [9.73% * 0.66 * 0.14] + (15.81% * 0.86) = 14.49% With all of the pieces of information our analysts gathered, the net present value (NPV) of all future cash flows could be found. Boeing has estimated the selling price of each 777 will be $130 million and includes adjustments for inflation over the time horizon of the project. After calculating the NPV over the 35-year project horizon, our analysts found it to be $1,736.34 million. Against our hurdle rate, the Boeing 777 project is very attractive. The key to this project being economically attractive is that the return outperforms inflation to provide real value to the firm. The sensitivity analysis provided reveals several gambles made by Boeing. They include the use of the highest estimated selling price per plane, units per year, rate of price increases, and market size among others. Even with all of the risks and estimations, Boeing should launch the 777 in October 1990 because the firm must not only stay competitive but keep their market share in the future. While the 777 project represents a huge risk with high levels of capital, it is a necessary risk since other firms are also completing their full product lines of airplanes. Also, the introduction of a derivative after 10 years and reduction in R&D costs could provide additional sales revenue and further affect the NPV of the project. While this project was certainly a gamble for Boeing in 1990, hindsight shows they made the right decision in creating the new 777. In October of 1990, right after the project was implemented, United Airlines placed a $28 billion order therefore â€Å"cementing the program Boeing was close to scrapping.† By March of 1994 they were already loaded down with 147 firm orders and 108 options with expectations of quickly increasing numbers. In June of 2008 it became evident that this aircraft had the differentiating ability to beat out its competitors. Headlines read â€Å"Boeing under intense pressure to increase production of top-selling fuel thrifty 777-300 ER†¦as airlines struggle with the soaring price of fuel.† In November of 2007 production of the 777 was sold out through 2012 and just 6 months later all remaining 2012 and 2013 slots were filled; the next available date for a new order was in 2014. Boeing officials stated they were â€Å"experiencing unprecedented demand† and were â€Å"producing at a rate of 7 [aircraft] monthly.† In November of 2011 the 777 became one of Boeing’s best-selling models, and on March 5, 2012 United Arab Emirates, the largest operator of the 777 with a fleet of 102, purchased Boeing’s 1000th 777, surpassing the numbers they forecast back in 1990.

Energy and Society Essay

Energy is a vital aspect in human life. Ever since the dawn of human civilization, energy has also been there to support survival and foster development and progress. The human society’s survival is greatly dependent on the energy that is abundantly present in the environment and this is evidently supported by many historical events such as the discovery of fire and the discovery of fossil fuel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ever since humankind discovered the availability of energy learned ways of using it for their advantage, society’s development in every aspect never stopped. They continue to discover different forms of energy and harness its power and transform it to significant form to fuel their machineries and every activity. Thus, society has indeed becomes dependent with energy in every aspect making it an important component in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is an evident fact that energy and its usage are present in all aspect of society’s life. Considering economic, energy is a moving factor in the international market making it a common good between the country’s trade relationships. This energy in economic is often manifest in the form of fossil fuels such as oil, gasoline and coal. In addition to those, electricity’s economic value and significance is also firmly accelerating because of the its vital usage in economic aspects such as manufacturing and production. Also, since the society’s trends at the present become electrical and computerized, electrical energy and its market are rapidly expanding thus increasing further its value.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Energy also plays an important part to the basic activities of the societies such as transportation, food production and even in leisure and entertainment. Common transportation modes at the present use fossil fuels and electricity for their energy source. These transportation modes are very vital to the society because human mobility, exploration, food distribution and others depend greatly on it. Food production also uses energy such to fuel the machineries that humanity uses to hasten their productivity thus increasing their food availability. Leisure and entertainment also at the present depends greatly on energy because it has developed to become electronic and computerized in nature as favored by the present trend in the society. Politics and warfare also in international and local grounds has been innovated to use energy in different forms such as electric, fossil, chemical and nuclear to become its main fuel source. All of these society’s activities involve the usage of energy thus the demand for it greatly increases in every moment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since the society’s demand for energy continues to increase, they have developed means to accelerate its production to satisfy their demand for it.   Humanity developed way to source out energy from various environmental means such as the thermal energy, solar energy, wind energy and nuclear energy. All of these major source and other minor ones with also valuable contributions continue to supply humanity’s needs for energy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, energy already became an important part of the society as their ally in their development and progress. However, energy also posts certain risks in the society like a double- edged blade. Energy can foster life and society’s growth but its improper usage and uncontrollably craving can also result to dire consequences posing harm and even death to the people who utilized and developed its potential.

Resume Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Resume Assignment - Essay Example I believe this experience gives me a background suitable for your advertised position. My other strength that I feel makes me the most suitable candidate for the job is the ability to communicate effectively in many languages. My interpersonal skills and knowledge of the marketing profession are additional values that I will be bringing to the job. I also work well in teams with a consistent strive for collaboration that is constructive, think creatively and posses wide marketing and promotional knowledge earned from education and internship period. My organization, planning and problem solving skills are excellent, I learn quickly and have ability to rapidly master the critical job aspects with little supervision and training. Finally I understand the strategic role IT and ERP knowledge plays to this job as well as the entire organization and believe this is an opportunity to fully make use of valuable knowledge in the field for the good of the business and customers. Based on my educational background, internship experience and knowledge gained over time, I believe I have a solid background that will make a positive contribution to your organization. I hope you will favorably consider my application and grant me an opportunity for an

Appeal letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Appeal letter - Essay Example This is because the philosophy that is taught is not the same as the one which I have been raised knowing and I attribute this failure to understand to the cultural and philosophical differences between Canada and my home country. My failure to understand most of the concepts in the philosophy curses has been very frustrating for me because it has led to a situation where I feel that despite all of my studying, I am not making any significant progress. My problems with the philosophy course came to be coupled by my illness which persisted from May to December 2014. During this period, I developed a nasal sinus cyst as well as having my right eyeball aching most of the time; making it difficult for me to conduct my studies as effectively as I would have liked to. Furthermore, as a result of the severity of my illness, I was forced to abandon the summer 2014 semester and this is a circumstance which was not only frustrating for me, but it also led to my poor performance. I went to see a doctor concerning my illness and despite his recommending that I undergo surgery, I was not able to because it is an expensive procedure and the insurance that I have in Canada cannot wholly cover. The lack of enough funds to ensure that I underwent surgery in Canada meant that I was forced to continue with the following semester the best way that I could since I had not only been left behind in my studies, but also because I had no other option. In December 2014, I went back to my home country the day after completing my final exam for the 2014 fall semester. While in my home country, I was able to receive some treatment and as a result, I felt better than I had for months. When I returned to Canada in early January 2015, I brought some drugs that had been prescribed for me by my doctor and these were intended to not only keep me healthy, but also to reduce the size of the nasal sinus cyst. The doctor further recommended that I only undergo surgery after completing my

Book report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Book report - Essay Example textual idea is mainly attributed to the fact that these religions acknowledge the spirituality and sanctity of the presence of Jesus Christ as the set forth Son of God. This spiritual title is concrete supported by the facts explicitly presented in the texts of the Holy Bible. At the contemporary society, Christianity has already undergone many changes particularly in the structure of the general religion. Many sects and orders have sprung from the main body because of different views and interpretation of the message of the Holy Bible. However, all of the said division still carries in them one common philosophy, which particularly defines the principles of Christianity: love God and love your neighbors. Christian philosophy is generally characterized into two mainly originating from the ten commandments of the Hebrew Scriptures and the teachings of Jesus Christ documented in the Greek Scriptures namely, faith and God and its manifestation of loving one another. This principle transcends social norms such as society’s structure, division and discrimination and selfishness. With this principle, the religion of Christianity has given a new philosophy for the humanity during their time of turmoil and disparity. With this philosophy, Christianity has able to bind the people in the spirituality perspective of living in faith with God and the salvation the awaits them in return. With the teachings and principles of Christianity, this religion has given the humanity a new lifestyle of practicing spiritual faith towards the Creator manifested through exercising His commandments. Christianity has modified the beliefs and norms of the people with its teachings regarding the views and concept of right and wrong in accordance to the teachings of the Bible. The implementation of the Christian philosophy rekindled a new path of servitude in the name of faith and established the religious social structure to proclaim the teachings and morals of the Holy Bible. Christian

Accounting Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Accounting Theory - Essay Example There were implications of the non working of the capital market to reflect the different factors that could have brought the prices of Enron’s stock price. This could be dramatized in the loss to trust of the investors in the reliability of the financial statement of all other companies which are listed in the stock exchanges. This fact was confirmed by surveys. It was found also that there are kinds of asymmetry of information which may prevent the efficient operation of capital markets. It could be the "moral hazard" type and the adverse selection type, which were both analyzed to have caused the demise of Enron. It was also further found that there could be perspectives in the choice of accounting policy that could affect the very life or the probability of success of a corporation. One is under the efficient perspective of positive accounting theory; where management would be encouraged to works first for the firm and the stockholders before their own. Such perspective has also its grounding in cost effective accounting system that would promote accountability with the company’s assets. On the other hand there is the other perspective, which is called opportunistic perspective positive accounting theory. It was found theoretically that the efficiency perspective was the very opposite of the opportunistic perspective and therefore its adoption could actually prevent the operation of the latter. What happened then in the Enron was that there was the adoption of the opportunistic perspective. Such adoption was evidenced in the design of the compensation system of the company executives as well as in the retirement system of the employees. Enron was virtually under a situation where the executives will have to choose committing fraud or taking risk because of their (executives) tendency to rather make themselves rich before the company under the opportunistic perspective of accounting theory. At the last part of the paper, Enron

Evidence-based policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evidence-based policing - Essay Example Secondly, this type of policing, can be used to reduce violence against victims. Research can be carried out by experts in that field, and come up with guidelines that can help reduce violence on victims (Nutley, 2000). This policing however, has a disadvantage, in that the evaluation is not always effective. Some officers in certain departments may be too reluctant to allow these guidelines to bring changes in their way operation. This might be as a result of the amount of the power vested on them in their offices. Initially, In Kenya, the traffic police department was the most disorganized police unit. However, numerous researches were done and the guidelines utilized. Today, it is one of the most effective departments in the police unit. In addition, the Kenyan navy has gone through numerous changes with the help of evidence based policing. It has incorporated new guidelines in its working system, and this has made cases of pirate activities in the Indian Ocean to decline significantly. In conclusion, evidence based policing has unquestionably benefitted the entire police department in one way or another (Pawson,

Operating System Security Flaws Essay Example for Free

Operating System Security Flaws Essay As basic users, security is one feature that most of us overlook when it comes to operating systems until it is too late. In this paper we will discuss the security flaws within the Windows Operating system, and then discuss countermeasures to fix the system flaw. We will first look at some known flaws in Windows 7 and Windows 8. An Information Security Engineer at Google had decided to reveal a flaw that affected two of Microsoft’s newest operating systems that allowed attackers to obtain higher privileges on an unpatched computer. The vulnerability was caused due to an error within the ‘win32k.sys’ when it processes certain objects and it can be exploited to cause a crash or perform arbitrary code with kernel privilege. A more recent flaw in Windows has been identified as the Zero-Day Vulnerability; the Microsoft Windows Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) package manager remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2014-4114) permits attackers to embed OLE files from external locations. CVE-2014-4114 flaw can be exploited to download and install malware on to the target’s computer. This vulnerability affects all versions of Windows to include; Windows Vista Service Pack 2, Windows 8.1 and Windows Server versions 2008 and 2012. The Microsoft technology allows rich data from one document to be embedded in another document or link to a document. The OLE is usually used for embedding locally stored content but this flaw allows the unprompted download and execution of external files. The attackers send the targeted individuals or corporations a spear-phishing email that contains a malicious PowerPoint (PPT) file attachment; this email is detected by Symantec as Trojan.Mdropper. The sent file contains two embedded OLE documents containing URLs. If the targeted individual opens the PPT file, the URLs are contacted and two files are downloaded which in turn will install the malware on the computer. When the malware is installed on the victim’s  computer, this creates a back door that allows the attackers to download and install other malware; the malware can a lso download updates for itself to include an information stealing component. Microsoft is advising customers that there is no patch currently available for this vulnerability; they have supplied a fixit tool that decreases the attacks. While the present exploits are using PowerPoint files to deliver the malware, given the type of flaw, they may start using different office files such as word documents or excel spreadsheets. The second zero-day vulnerability is CVE-2014-4113, which is a local elevation of privilege vulnerability; this flaw has been seen in attacks against Windows Server 2003/R2, 2008/R2, Windows 2000, Windows Vista and Windows XP SP3. This flaw cannot be used on its own to compromise a victim’s security. The attacker would need to gain access to a remote system running any of the above lists operating systems before they could execute code within the context of the Windows Kernel. (Sandworm Windows Zero-Day Vulnerability Being Actively Exploited In Targeted Attacks, 2014). Microsoft’s security advisory states the company is vigorously working to provide broader protections to their customers; the company states that the resolution of the issue may include providing a security update through a monthly patch update or providing an unscheduled security update. As stated above Microsoft issued a temporary fixit tool that can be applied to 32-64 bit versions of PowerPoint 2007, 2010 and 2013. This can be used until an official patch is released. Also another countermeasure to avoid downloading malware on to your operating system is not open any PowerPoint Presentations or documents from unknown parties, even mail from known addresses should be avoided unless you can confirm with the sender that the email was intentionally sent. Many emails are compromised because some individuals make their passwords to easy or they have downloaded spyware and the attacker gets that information and uses their email to send out their virus to other users. I have received emails from my mother when I didn’t expect them and I would inform her that her email had been hacked. Many are not aware that this has happened unless they are told, References: Google Engineer Finds Critical Windows 7 / 8 Security Flaw. (2001-2014). Retrieved from http://news.softpedia.com/news/Google-Engineer-Finds-Critical-Windows-7-8-Security-Flaw-355406.shtml Sandworm Windows zero-day vulnerability being actively exploited in targeted attacks. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/sandworm-windows-zero-day-vulnerability-being-actively-exploited-targeted-attacks

Liberal Intergovernmentalism

Liberal Intergovernmentalism What choice for Europe? Reflections on agency and structure in Liberal Intergovernmentalism ABSTRACT This article examines how the relationship between agency and structure is dealt with in Liberal Intergovernmentalism, a prevailing theory of European integration. It demonstrates that, contrary to the widespread view that it is agency-centred, Liberal Intergovernmentalism is in fact a highly structuralist theory in the issue areas it claims to explain best. In these areas integration is ultimately explained in terms of developments in economic structures, leaving no room for agency and ideas. The article also shows that, despite the importance it ascribes to changes in economic structures, Liberal Intergovernmentalism fails to theorise their possible causes. Keywords: Liberal Intergovernmentalism; Moravcsik; Agency; Structure; Integration theory Over the past two decades Andrew Moravcsiks Liberal Intergovernmentalism (LI) has established itself as one of the prevailing theories of European integration. Elegantly combining a liberal theory of preference formation with an intergovernmentalist theory of interstate bargains and a functional theory of institutional choice it explains European integration as the outcome of a series of intergovernmental negotiations. More than any other contemporary theory of integration LI and its application in empirical analyses has provoked discussion in the field of EU studies. Opinions are divided between those who admire LI for its parsimony and predictive power and those who feel that its account of regional integration misses out on too much of importance. Either way, hardly anyone would dispute that it continues to be a theory that it is necessary to relate to in one way or another in theoretically informed work on European integration. The purpose of this article is to critically examine the liberal intergovernmentalist explanation of integration from a meta-theoretical perspective. More precisely, it will be systematically analysed how the relationship between agency and structure is dealt with in LI. Any theorys account of the social world, or delimited parts of it, is based on a particular, albeit often implicit, conceptualisation of the agency-structure relationship and whether or not this conceptualisation is convincing impacts greatly on the quality of the theorys account of social phenomena and change. There is thus much to be learned about a theory, in this case LI, from examining its underlying assumptions with respect to agency and structure. This is even more so because appearances can be deceiving: as it will be argued in this article, LI which appears and is widely assumed to offer an agency-centred account of European integration, turns out to do the opposite on closer scrutiny. In addition to this introduction and a conclusion the article is divided into seven sections. The first two sections set the stage for later analyses by briefly introducing LI and the question of the agency-structure relationship, while also accounting for their respective significance. The following three sections examine how the agency-structure question is dealt with at each of the three stages of LI: preference formation, interstate bargaining and institutional choice. Against this background section six critically examines the liberal intergovernmentalist explanation of European integration before section seven discusses the political implications of LI. 1. Liberal Intergovernmentalism Andrew Moravcsiks Liberal intergovernmentalism (LI) was first presented in the early 1990s and later elaborated and applied in a string of publications of which the monumental book The Choice for Europe (1998) contains the most detailed exposition and test of the theory. LI is presented as a framework for synthesising theories into a coherent account of regional integration. The latter is explained as the result of ‘a series of celebrated intergovernmental bargains (Moravcsik, 1993: 473). More precisely integration is seen as the outcome of a three-stage process where: (1) national interests or goals arise in the context of domestic politics; (2) governments bargain with each other to further their national interest; and (3) governments make an institutional choice to secure credible commitment once a substantive agreement has been reached. LI quickly became a focal point in debates on how to theorise European integration and it has subsequently kept this position. According to Moravcsik and Schimmelfennig (2009: 67), LI ‘has acquired the status of a â€Å"baseline theory† in the study of regional integration: an essential first cut explanation against which other theories are often compared. In their view, ‘it has achieved this dominant status due to its theoretical soundness, empirical power, and utility as a foundation for synthesis with other explanations (2009: 67). To be sure, not everyone would agree with this latter sentiment. As alluded to in the introduction, several scholars have criticised the theory for painting a too incomplete or even misleading picture of the European integration process and the ‘empirical power of the resulting analyses has often been questioned (e.g. Diez, 1999; Smith, 2000; Wincott, 1995; see also Cini, 2007: 112-14 for an overview of some critiques of LI). In asmuch as relatively few scholars besides Moravcsik appear to wholeheartedly embrace LI (Pollack, 2001; however, cf. Laursen, 2002), it is probably fair to say that it has acquired its status as a â€Å"baseline theory† as much because of its perceived weaknesses as because of its strengths. Similar to Waltzs (1979) neorealism LI is a parsimonious and bold theory that lends itself to accusations of neglecting or underestimating the significance of important parameters in the case of LI for instance transnational business groups and activist supranational institutions. Indeed, LI does this deliberately, seeking ‘to simplify EU politics, stressing the essential and excluding certain secondary activities (Moravcsik and Schimmelfennig, 2009: 68). Hereby it follows the neo-positivist recipe for theory construction, according to which theories should take the form of simplified models that can support efforts to make generalisations by singling out as few variables as possible and account for the causal relations between, and the relative weight of, these variables. Falsifiable hypothesises are derived from such theories and subsequently tested against reliable empirical data. On the basis of such tests, theories can then be further refined or occasionally discarded. (1 ) Testing LI is precisely what Moravcsik sets out to do in The Choice for Europe. Here standardised hypotheses derived from LI and competing (albeit for the most part artificial) theories are tested against an overwhelming amount of empirical data in five cases studies. Needless to say, LI comes out on top as the theory with the by far greatest explanatory power. More generally, The Choice for Europe constitutes an example par excellence of research informed by neo-positivist methods and standards. In its early pages Moravcsik informs his readership that the book ‘eschews ad hoc explanation and seeks instead to discover what is generalizable about EC history (1998: 2) and that it ‘is based on methods which, while far from ideal, generate more rigorous, transparent, objective, and reliable tests of competing theoretical claims about European integration than have heretofore been conducted (1998: 10). The bulk of studies of EC decision-making are criticised for biased data se lection and for relying on ‘citations to secondary sources themselves drawn from journalistic commentary or still other secondary sources (1998: 10). In contrast to this, Moravcsik claims to have backed ‘potentially controversial attribution of motive or strategy †¦ by â€Å"hard† primary sources (direct evidence of decision-making) rather than â€Å"soft† or secondary sources (1998: 10, see also pp. 80-84). (2) 2. Agency and structure The question of how to conceptualise the relationship between agency and structure is arguably one of the most important questions facing social scientists (Archer, 1995: 65). This is due to the importance of agency and structures in the social world and to the fact that it is impossible to offer explanations of events in the social world without appealing to some understanding of their relationship. As mentioned in the introduction there is thus much to be learned about the nature and quality of substantive theories from examining their underlying assumptions with respect to this relationship. Yet the way the latter is dealt with is also important for political reasons, to which we will come back in section 7 below. â€Å"Agency† denotes the ability of agents, whether individuals or groups, to act upon situations and it ‘implies a sense of free will, choice or autonomy that the actor could have behaved differently (Hay, 2002: 94). Agency should thus not be confused wit h concepts like â€Å"individuals†, â€Å"actors† or â€Å"agents†: without anticipating the conclusions of this article too much, a theory can refer to plenty of agents, while not allowing for any agency. â€Å"Structure†, on the other hand, refers to the relational context within which agents operate. Structures define the range of options available to agents. Nowadays the vast majority of scholars agree that both agency and structure matter: phenomena and developments in the social world issue not from either one or the other but are a product of both. If this is the case then it is necessary to break with the two ways of conceptualising the relation between agency and structure that have traditionally been dominant within social theory, namely structuralism and individualism. In their pure versions these positions either picture agents as marionettes (structuralism) or as omnipotent puppet-masters (individualism) (Archer, 1995; XXXXX). However, knowing that both agency and structure matter does not in itself take us far. To make a difference the insight needs to be incorporated into substantive theories and this is by no means an easy task. This contributes to explain why many theories end up offering reductionist explanations of the specific social phenomena they are meant to render intelligible. In the discipline of International Relations (IR) a debate over the â€Å"agent-structure problem† was initiated in the late 1980s by scholars such as Wendt (1987) and Hollis and Smith (1990). Later, and certainly no less interesting contributions to this debate included Doty (1997), Bieler and Morton (2001) and Wight (2006). The debate has done much to clarify and in many cases criticise the ontological and epistemological assumptions underlying mainstream IR theories, particularly Waltzian neorealism (Waltz, 1979). In EU Studies a similar debate has not taken place, and although in particular some constructivist scholars, have taken an interest in the agency-structure relationship (e.g. Wind, 2001), a comprehensive study of the way the most important theories of European integration and governance deal with it has yet to be published. However, it seems to be a widespread view among EU scholars that many of these theories privilege agency over structure. For instance, Risse ( 2004: 161) writes that the ‘prevailing theories of European integration whether neofunctionalism, liberal intergovernmentalism, or â€Å"multi-level governance† are firmly committed to a rationalist ontology which is agency-centred by definition. In a similar vein, other scholars have noticed ‘the ahistorical and structure-blind assumptions underlying intergovernmentalism (Hix, 1994: 9) and observed that in LI ‘agents are, implicitly or explicitly, considered primary actors ultimately determine the shape of overall structures (Christiansen, 1998: 103). In the next sections, the validity of this widespread view will be examined through an analysis of the way the agency-structure relationship is dealt with at each of the three stages in LI. 3. National preference formation The first stage in explaining the outcome of intergovernmental bargains is to account for the national preferences, which are defined as ‘an ordered and weighted set of values placed on future substantive outcomes †¦ that might result from international political interaction (Moravcsik, 1998: 24). This is done by means of a liberal political economy theory of preference formation, according to which national preferences arise in the context of domestic politics, where national government leaders form them on the basis of the preferences and actions of the most important societal groups. Most important among these are domestic producers: ‘The systematic political bias in favor of existing producer groups and against those, notably consumers, taxpayers, third-country producers, and also potential future producers, stems from the formers more intense, certain, and institutionally represented and organized interests (1998: 36). The state is conceptualised as ‘a rep resentative institution constantly subject to capture and recapture by societal groups (Moravcsik, 1997: 518). Because governments have an interest in remaining in office, they need the support from coalitions of domestic actors. The policies pursued by governments are ‘therefore constrained by the underlying identities, interests, and power of individuals and groups †¦ who constantly pressure the central decision makers to pursue politics consistent with their preferences (ibid: 518). In other words, ‘[g]roups articulate preferences; governments aggregate them and it is through this process that ‘the set of national interests or goals that states bring to international negotiations emerges (Moravcsik, 1993: 483). To evaluate the way the agency-structure relationship is dealt with at this stage in LI it is clearly crucial to understand the origins of the preferences of societal groups. Some of the early critics of LI suggested that the theory fails to account adequately for this. For instance, it was pointed out that ‘the origins of such interests are exogenized (Risse-Kappen, 1996: 56) while others claimed that in LI ‘interests are not structurally derived (Caporaso and Keeler, 1995: 44) and even that they ‘emerge mysteriously (McSweeney, 1998: 101). Had it in fact been the case that LI leaves completely open the question of where the preferences of societal groups come from it would have allowed for an agency-centred perspective on preference formation. That is, preferences could have been formed on the basis of all sorts of ideas and individual inclinations. However, this would have seriously undermined the parsimony and explanatory power of the theory and hence it was in fact never left open where preferences come from. As Moravcsik has made clear, LI perceives preferences to be directly caused by structural circumstances, more precisely economic structures: ‘I employ a structural theory of those preferences. My structural approach†¦employs trade flows, competitiveness, inflation rates, and other data to predict what the economic preferences of societal actors and therefore governments should be (Moravcsik, 1999b: 377). In other words, economic preferences are derived from economic structures: societal groups organise and articulate their preferences ‘on the basis of calculations of net expected costs and benefits resulting from the introduction of new policies (Moravcsik, 1993: 489). It follows as a logical implication that ‘shifts in preferences should follow the onset and precede the resolution of shifts or trends in economic circumstances (Moravcsik, 1998: 50). The assumption that economic structures translate directly into specific preferences is made possible by the rationality assumption underpinning LI. The widespread view that LI is agency-centred is related to this assumption that individuals, groups, governments and even states are rational. This begs the question of what â€Å"rationalism† precisely entails, especially as some scholars have suggested that Moravcsik fails to spell this clearly out (Christiansen et al., 2001: 4). In a recent piece Moravcsik and Schimmelfennig (2009: 68) put it as follows: ‘Rationalism is an individualist or agency assumption. Actors calculate the alternative courses of action and choose the one that maximizes (or satisfies) their utility under the circumstances. Collective outcomes are explained as the result of aggregated individual actions based on efficient pursuit albeit subject to the information at hand and uncertainty about the future. Despite the qualifications at the end of the quote it is clear that whatever this uncertainty pertains to it is not to the consequences of the actions of agents: agents are assumed to be very well-informed about these because, as Moravcsik has put it himself, in ‘a world in which the future consequences of actions are unknown †¦ LI would make little sense (1995: 626). This is an important manifestation, because the more it is assumed that agents know the future consequences of their actions, the more it must also be assumed that they are fully informed about the context in which they currently find themselves. It is quite simply logically inconceivable that an agent can somehow know the future consequences of his or her actions without having perfect or very close to perfect information at hand at the moment of the action itself. Moravcsik is thus significantly underplaying the strength of his rationality assumption when stating that ‘it takes no position on whether states are fully informed, though a framework in which states are assumed to be informed generally performs well (1998: 23). Why not walk the plank? Surely states and other agents can safely be assumed to be blessed full information if it has already been established that no or very few unintended consequences will follow from their actions? At the end of the day the rationality assumption boils down to the view that agents are utility-maximisers with clearly ordered preferences who are (almost?) fully informed, also about the future consequences of actions. However, it should not be concluded from this that LI is an agency-centred theory as the conventional wisdom has it. As we have seen above, preferences are derived from economic structures not just in the weak sense that structures are important in relation to preferences but in the strong sense that they alone dictate preferences (albeit with a minor qualification to which we will return in a moment). Because the rational agents are assumed to be so well-informed their actions become predictable once their structural environment has been mapped. Indeed, only structures matter here inasmuch as ‘[p]references are by definition causally independent of the strategies of other actors (Moravcsik, 1997: 519, see also 1998: 24-25). Moreover, ideas are for the most part not allowed to play any role in relation to preference formation. It is worth dwelling on this for a moment. On one hand, Moravcsik does not hesitate to acknowledge the importance of ideas, as when he proclaims that they ‘are like oxygen or language; it is essentially impossible for humans to function without them (Moravcsik, 2001: 229). On the other hand, ideas do not play a very prominent role in LI, which is also recognized by Moravcsik when he writes that ‘[i]n the LI account of integration, ideas are present but not causally central. They may be irrelevant or random, or, more likely, they are â€Å"transmission belts† for interests (Moravcsik, 2001: 229). The only reason why Moravcsik can correctly maintain that in LI ‘[s]ome national preferences are grounded in ideas (1998: 23) is because some importance is ascribed to the latter in issue areas where the material consequences of policy initiatives are more or less impossible to calculate. For instance, he mentions ‘questions of European institutions and common foreign policy as issues where governments/states will generally not to be under strong pressure from societal groups to pursue particular policies, which creates some room for government leaders to act on the basis of ‘ideologies and personal commitments (Moravcsik, 1993: 494; see also Moravcsik and Schimmelfennig, 2009: 85). According to Moravcsik and Schimmelfennig (2009: 76), ‘LI best explains policy-making in issue areas where social preferences are relatively certain and well defined. In the core areas, like trade, agriculture and monetary policy, ideas are not assumed to influence preference formation at all. When it comes to ‘insignificant, exceptional and speculative issues like those mentioned above or the Open Method of Coordination (ibid.: 85) where the preferences of societal groups are less clear and strong, and where the explanatory power of LI is thus recognised to be limited, ideas are conveniently allowed to play a role. To recapitulate, in LI no importance is ascribed to ideas in the explanation of what is (correctly) considered to be the ‘substantively important issues (ibid.: 85) in the European integration process: here economic structures do the job alone. (3) 4. International bargains Once the national preferences have been formulated, national decision-makers bring them to the intergovernmental bargaining table. At this second stage LI applies an intergovernmentalist bargaining theory in order to explain the outcome of negotiations. As the primary interest of the governments is to remain in office, they have a clear incentive to defend the national interest in the negotiation. Accordingly, ‘[t]he configuration of domestically determined national preferences defines a â€Å"bargaining space† of potentially viable agreements (Moravcsik, 1993: 496-497). The outcome of a concrete negotiation, however, not only reflects the different national preferences but also the relative bargaining power of different states. Moravcsik defines power in terms of asymmetric interdependence: ‘Bargaining leverage stems most fundamentally from asymmetries in the relative intensity of national preferences, which reflect †¦ the relative costs of agreements to remo ve negative externalities (ibid.: 1993: 499). This means that ‘[t]he power of each government is inversely proportional to the relative value that it places on an agreement (Moravcsik, 1998: 62). How, then, is the agency-structure relationship dealt with at this second stage? Or to put it differently: how much freedom does government leaders have to pursue their own preferences or ideas (agency) and how much are they constrained by their context (structure)? First, the answer to this question depends on the issue area. As mentioned, governments are severely constrained by domestic societal groups in core areas: here they can only act within a narrow â€Å"bargaining space† which limits their freedom considerably. In more marginal (non-economic) issue areas this space widens and government leaders enjoy more freedom to pursue their own agendas. Second, any particular government is constrained by the bargaining spaces of other governments. The nature of these determines the extent to which a government leader is capable of realising national interests. Finally, the outcomes of previous bargains serve as the status quo ‘with respect to which societal actors and gove rnments calculate preferences and alternatives to agreement (Moravcsik, 1995: 612). As mentioned above, the outcome of a concrete bargain reflects the relative bargaining power of each state. As bargaining power is defined in terms of asymmetric interdependence it is, in fact, derived from the very same structures as national preferences. These structures determine how attractive a potential policy is to societal groups and thus governments and consequently they also determine the relative bargaining power. Relative power is thus ultimately decided at the structural level not at the level of agents. This brings us back to the point that was raised in the previous section, namely that the rationality assumption underpinning LI does not serve to render it an agency-centred theory. To be sure, there are plenty of agents in LI, and there is no denying that the theory belongs to the tradition of â€Å"methodological individualism†. But by substituting real agents with ‘calculating machines who always know what they want and are never uncertain about the f uture and even their own stakes and interests (Risse, 2009: 147), LI effectively ends up with no notion of agency at all, at least not in its account of integration in core issue areas. That it is apparently unnecessary to study the interaction between state representatives in order to explain the outcome of a bargain tells it all: the creativity, charisma, persuasiveness and negotiating abilities of particular agents are insignificant in LI. By assuming that agents are identical in the sense of being rational it is possible to derive the outcome of bargains simply by looking at the context in which it takes place. This makes LI a structuralist theory also in its second stage. To be sure, the structuralism of LI differs from conventional structuralism inasmuch as the former retains a focus on agents and their free choices. But the point is that the â€Å"methodological individualism† of LI and other rational choice theories does not entail a genuine notion of agency in that a free choice is neither free nor, indeed, a real choice, if it is always already given by the context in which the agent operates (see also Hay, 2002: 103-104; Tsebelis, 1990: 40). (4) 5. Institutional choice Once governments have reached substantive agreement in a bargain, they set up institutional arrangements in order to secure it. At this third stage LI adopts a functional theory of institutional choice according to which governments pool or delegate authority in order to ‘constrain and control one another (Moravcsik, 1998: 9). Authority is â€Å"pooled† when governments for instance agree to take decisions in an issue area by means of qualified majority voting in the Council, whereas â€Å"delegation† refers to the transfer of authority to more or less autonomous supranational institutions (ibid.: 1998: 67). Pooling and delegation are ‘viewed as solutions to the problem of â€Å"incomplete contracting,† which arises when member governments share broad goals but find it too costly or technically impossible to specify all future contingencies involved in legislating or enforcing those goals (ibid.: 1998: 73). By pooling or delegating, the credibility of the commitment to the substantive agreement that has been reached is enhanced. But by giving up authority in an issue area governments clearly run the risk of being either outvoted by other governments (pooling) or of being overruled by supranational institutions (delegation) in future cases. Hence, ‘[t]he specific level of pooling or delegation reflects a reciprocal cost-benefit analysis: governments renounce unilateral options in order to assure that all governments will coordinate their behavior in particular ways (ibid.: 1998: 75). LI predicts that pooling and delegation will vary across issues and countries. Again, the preferences of societal groups are crucial: ‘Governments transfer sovereignty to commit other governments to accept policies favored by key domestic constituencies (ibid.: 1998: 76). As accounted for above the preferences of societal groups are seen as structurally determined, at least in the core issue area s. In the end the governments institutional choices thus become rather mechanical, following more or less automatically from the circumstances in which they are made. According to LI, international institutions are ‘passive, transaction-cost reducing sets of rules (Moravcsik, 1993: 508) that for instance serve to provide states with information ‘to reduce the states uncertainty about each others future preferences and behaviour (Moravcsik and Schimmelfennig, 2009: 72). Somewhat surprisingly, Moravcsik and Schimmelfennig link the existence of such institutions to â€Å"unanticipated consequences† of actions, proclaiming that LI also assumes the existence of the latter: ‘If unanticipated consequences did not exist, there would be no need for international institutions to elaborate â€Å"incomplete contracts† to begin with. The reason for institutions is precisely to elaborate agreements and credibly lock in compliance against defection by future unsatisfied governments (2009: 75). This, to be sure, is a somewhat unorthodox and problematic use of the concept. When, for instance, historical institutionalists are talking about unintended or unanticipated consequences in the context of European integration, their argument is that supranational institutions and policies tend to develop in ways not originally envisaged and subsequently not approved of by member state governments (Pierson, 1996). Due to â€Å"path dependency† and other mechanisms such institutions and the course of the integration process can become impossible for governments to control. Moravcsik and Schimmelfennig clearly have something altogether different in mind when they talk about unanticipated consequences. In fact, what they are talking about can more accurately be denoted ‘anticipated but undesired outcomes. These arise when rational governments anticipate that there is a risk that other rational governments will not comply with the substantive agreement that has been reached in an intergovernmental bargain. To avoid this undesired outcome governments agree on an institutional arrangement to create certainty. On this view, institutions (being ‘passive, transaction-cost reducing sets of rules) only contribute to minimise uncertainty by eliminating the risk of undesired outcomes (see also Moravcsik and Schimmelfennig, 2009: 72) it is unthinkable that they can develop and behave in ways not intended by governments. At the end of the day, it is not unintended consequences that LI assumes the existence of but rather the ability of governments to ver y accurately predict the consequences of their substantive agreement and on this basis chose the most suitable institutional agreements. This dubious assumption can obviously only be made if it is held, as LI does, that agents are blessed with more or less perfect information, also of future outcomes of their actions (see also Pierson, 2004: 115-XXX). 6. What choice for Europe? ‘the motivations and coalitions underlying national preferences in specific decisions reflected the economic interest of sectors as predicted by their structural position in global markets †¦ any feedback must take the form of changes in economic structures, not ideas (Moravcsik, 1999b: 382) The liberal intergovernmentalist explanation of regional integration ultimately comes down to developments in economic structures and it is therefore logical and appropriate that Moravcsik (1998: 501) refers to it as a ‘structural perspective. Although the concept of â€Å"economic structures† is not defined as clearly as other LI concepts, it basically appears to denote the phenomena that economic indicators are expressions of, examples being trade flows, inflation rates, wealth and competitiveness. The method is thus to use economic indicators as expressions of the economic structures determining the preferences of agents. For instance it reads that ‘Taken together, capital mobility, trade flows, and inflationary convergence provide a prima facie explanation of the progressive shift in national preferences away from, then back toward, exchange-rate cooperation over the two decades following the collapse of the Bretton Woods. This period saw an increase in economic openness and, beginning in the late 1970s, convergence toward low inflation (Moravcsik, 1998: 48) But what caused this and other shifts in economic circumstances? What explains the timing of such shifts? Considering the enormous importance it ascribes to economic structures it would be completely reasonable to expect LI to address and tentatively provide a theoretical answer to such questions. But it doesnt! In all fairness, Moravcsik