Chemicals That Could Make You Fail a TSA Swab Test

If youre flying, you may get pulled aside by a TSA agent for a swab test. Also, your baggage may get swabbed. The purpose of the test is to check for chemicals that might be used as explosives. The test cant check for all the chemicals that might be used by terrorists, so it looks for two sets of compounds that can be used to make many types of bombs: nitrates and glycerin. The good news is the test is highly sensitive. The bad news is nitrates and glycerin are found in some harmless everyday products, so you could test positive.   Getting swabbed doesnt seem to be particularly random. For example, some people get swabbed nearly every time they fly. This may be because theyve tested positive before (possibly related to a penchant for making smoke bombs and other small pyrotechnics) or because they meet some other criteria. Just expect to be swabbed and be prepared. Heres a list of common chemicals that may cause you to test positive. Avoid them or else be ready to explain the test result, because it can take a while for TSA to complete its evaluation of your belongings, which can translate into a missed flight. Common Products That Test Positive Hand soaps that contain glycerin (Rinse very thoroughly after washing your hands.)Lotions that contain glycerinCosmetics or hair products, which may contain glycerinBaby wipes, which may contain glycerinCertain medications (such as nitroglycerin and other nitrates)Lawn fertilizers (Nitrates: Wash your hands and especially your shoes.)MunitionsAccelerantsFireworks and other pyrotechnics What to Do If Youre Flagged Avoid becoming hostile and aggressive. It wont speed the process. Youre likely going to get patted down by an agent of the same gender who will also empty your bag for additional testing. Theres a chance your luggage may get pulled, although this rarely happens; its also unlikely that you will miss a flight because of the test. Be aware of chemicals in your environment and able to trace your steps to help TSA identify the source of the triggering compound. Sometimes you wont have any idea why you flagged the test. But, careful attention to hygiene may help you avoid the situation. The best advice is to arrive early enough before your flight to get through security. Try to avoid the problem, plan for it, and dont overreact if it happens to you.

The Reconstruction A Documentary History of the South...

Shenton, James P. The Reconstruction: A Documentary History of the South after the War: 1865 1877. New York: Capricorn, 1963. Print. Book Review I read the book The Reconstruction: A Documentary History of the South after the War: 1865-1877 by James P. Shenton. James P. Shenton arrived at the University of Columbia at the age of 21 as a college freshman on the G.I. Bill. He finished his B.A. in three years and continued to finish his M.A. in 1950. In 1954 he finished his Ph. D all his accomplishments are in the subject of history. Professor Shenton arrived at Columbia University and never transferred anywhere else and eventually became a Professor on their campus. The context of this book is the years 1865 through 1877 which are the years†¦show more content†¦The U.S. government tried to reconstruct the South by punishing those who ran plantations using slaves, emancipating former slaves as well as other ways. The U.S. government made sure to give land to former slaves and white citizens who were not well-off, the land had been seized from plantation leaders. The United States government also focused on i mproving education and sanitation resources for those who did not have any. Last but not least the U.S. government focused greatly to made sure to ensure the rights of former slaves. To make sure that the newly freed slaves would be protected, many new amendments and laws were passed to protect their rights by both constitutional and federal laws. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments were added to the constitution in order to help protect the African American citizens from discrimination and racism. The Thirteenth amendment got rid of slavery, the Fourteenth gave African Americans legal citizenship and the Fifteenth granted African American men the privilege to vote. The author’s thesis in this book is that the North devoted a great amount of effort to reestablish the South and improve what it used to be. I agree that the North was determined to better the South and help the slaves which had been taken advantage of and been mistreated for many years. Professor Shenton provided a great amount of evidence and

Domestic Issues And The World Late free essay sample

Despite that fact, there are relations that exist between the current American domestic policies, socioeconomic conditions, and culture with the early 20th Century American involvement overseas. The essay will take a look at the correlations between American domestic policies, socioeconomic conditions, and culture and early 20th Century American involvement overseas. The domestic policies in late 1 9th Century and early 20th Century focused mainly on criminal activities, drugs, alcohol, and legalization of certain activities (Wood, 142).The policy focus in the late 19th Century and 20th Century are positively correlated with the current American domestic policies. Currently the domestic policies are centered towards solving almost similar problems. Therefore, the correlation exists between the two different times (Our documents, 81 In the late 19th Century and early 20th Century America began active involvement overseas. Its domestic policies in early 20th century and the current domestic policies were aimed to have an impact to the outside world. Still at the current times America is still actively involved in the overseas operations. Socio-economic conditions in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century are directly correlated with the current American socioeconomic conditions Truman Doctrine, 9). The socioeconomic conditions basically involve the issue of health and lifestyle. In early 20th Century people were battling the issue of health and lifestyle (Marshal Plan, 27). The issues of health and lifestyle changes are still problems at current times.Thus correlation exists in those two current times. Culture is one of the diverse and quick changing phenomena. The American culture has been changing with time. However, despite the change and evolution Of the culture, the rich elements Of the culture have been passed through the generations (Colby, 597). In late 19th Century and early 20th Century the American culture was more concrete and focused on ethnicity background. The whites, the blacks, the natives, and the Latino all brought their culture in their lives.The American people then tried to incorporate these cultures which by mid 20th century became synonymous with the American people. The blend of these cultures became rich and inspiring. During the time, the American became so much involved in overseas activities. In that way the American culture began to spread (power of persuasion, 7). Looking back at the time and the current times, the culture can be stated as relatively correlated. America is currently involved actively in overseas activities. The American culture is still blended just like the culture of the late 9th Century and early 20th Century.American culture still influences other cultures in the world because America has a strong involvement in overseas activities. Conclusion Domestic policies, socioeconomics conditions, and culture at the present times are correlated with the same aspect as the late 1 9th Century and early 20th Century. The only changes that have occurred ebb. When the times are the general economic situation and the culture influence from other people from there parts of the world. Examples of such people are Chinese, Arabs and many other African and Asian cultures.

Issues Regarding the Public School System in the U..S free essay sample

This paper examines the problems with the public school system and possible solutions. Examines the history and aims of the public school system and its declining quality and proposed solutions. The school vouchers and charter schools solutions are reviewed and alternative systems are looked at. The author concludes that the public school system itself needs changes rather than changing the entire system. The Public School System in the United States was one of the primary and prevailing forms of education in the country at present. The public school system was established as early as 1837 in Massachusetts, wherein Horace Mann, a Bostonian reformist, became the first secretary of the Massachusetts board for the coordination of the public school system. In 1839, the first public school was established, and in 1852, the first compulsory school-attendance law was passed in the Massachusetts legislature. By the year 1918, every state in the US was already under this school-attendance law. We will write a custom essay sample on Issues Regarding the Public School System in the U..S or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Public schooling flourished when the Land-Grant Act (or the Morill Act) was approved in 1862, which provided federal land to the states for use in establishing public schools.

I The Hat

I The Hat Logo the Hat Have you ever had a friend that you really liked to be around all the time? I had one of these friends. I am a hat, my name is Logo, and now I will tell you all about how my life all began. His name was Jon and on his eleventh birthday I was the gift from his brother. He and his brother did not get along very well so when he received this hat from his brother on his birthday he was very happy that his brother had actually gotten him something, so that gift was very close to his heart. I the only hat he wore for about two years. It was not that I was the only hat he owned it was just that he loved me. Partly because he thought I was special because it was from his brother and partly because he thought I was a very cool hat.Happy Birthday!

Assignments for Sale

Assignments for Sale Assignments for Sale Assignments for Sale: Interesting Research If different college and university assignments are those to poison your happy life, stop suffering from this very poison, appeal to assignment writing company and make us of assignments for sale they offer to their customers. You see if using different assignment writing companies as a way of completing your own assignments you can order these assignments online and do not spoil your happy life ever again: Assignments For Sale Save Your Time Sociologists have made a very interesting research in which they aimed to count how many hours a day a student devote to his or her study. They invited common students to take part in this very research who are not honours students but just common students who try to study and to be awarded with the diplomas on their own. After having investigation in the duration of month, these sociologists have counted that students spend at least four or five hours a day for making different home assignments, if not taken into account that time they spend in the college while making these very assignments as well. If to compare this figure with the figure, which determines some other students activities they devote their time to, you shall see the following picture: one or two hours for going out, one or two hours for spending with family, five or seven hours for sleeping. Can you imagine that the majority of your time while being young, you devote to completing your college or university assignments instead of enjoying yourself? It sounds rather sad and hopeless. Order Assignment Help At Our Website! That is why if you want to stop wasting your life on completing assignments you are welcome to our assignment writing site to use our assignments for sale in order you have something pleasant to remember while being adult about your studying life except of assignments completing. It is very simple to make use of our assignments for sale, you just visit our site speak with one of our representatives and order your assignments online. After that, you are free to go and to do whatever you want. Friends, parties, romantic dinners are waiting for you. While you are resting and enjoying your life, your assignments are being written. It sounds too great, does not it? Contact our assignment writing company, make use of our assignments for sale, and as they say, smell the flowers. Assignments for sale are your chance to have a life free of academic projects! Read more: Political Science Thesis Parts of a Thesis Master Thesis How to Make a Thesis Dissertation Topics

Strategic Supply Chain Managemnt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Strategic Supply Chain Managemnt - Essay Example Any product or service which reaches to its ultimate consumer has to go through a supply chain which involves the suppliers, manufacturer, distributor, retailer, and the final consumer. The recycling of end products and services are also a part of the supply chain. The supply chains often involve a series of companies and business organizations involved in carrying out a product or service to the market place (Wisner et al. p7, 2008). The supply chain of an organization requires a proper management to allow its effect over the performance of the organization. Supply Chain Management is the term which refers to the set of tasks which are performed in order to optimize all of the tasks and activities which are involved to provide the final product or service to the customers and meet their demands. The concept of supply chain management involves the idea to provide the products and services which are of right quantity, high quality, available at the right time at a reasonable price to the customers. The supply chain management involves a set of activities which helps in planning and scheduling of the production and distribution and improve the delivery time. The different activities under the method of supply chain management can be classified into categories such as Demand Planning, Planning and Scheduling of Manufacturing processes, Supply Planning, and Transportation Planning. Providing organizations with a forecast of demand and market condition is an important benefit of supply chain management. The planning of demand is used for the same purpose of forecasting the demand in near future which assists organization in the production planning. The forecasting of customer demand helps organizations to improve their customer service and also supports them in reducing their add itional cost which is incurred from the uncertainty of the continuously changing market environment. The production planning supports organization to

Do you agree that Realism has got the big things right' Essay

Do you agree that Realism has got the big things right' - Essay Example This essay argues that realism has helped in setting the big things right within the international arena. Realism is a school of thought that derives the concept of things as they are, regardless on the way people may want them to be, with a tendency to be practical and more pragmatic. This idea juxtaposes with the idea of idealism which refers to the conception of things as they should be and the way people would want them to be. In the international relations theory, there has evolved a big controversy on which concept best describes how nations relate and how conflict among international states can be resolved. The concept of classical political realism evolved in the early 431 BC during war between Sparta and Athens (Monten, 2006). When Thucydides witnessed this war, he made a historical analysis of the war defying the popular belief of Gods during this period. He argued that war can be analysed by considering the facts of the war, hence defying the idealistic approach that the people used at this time. In this period, people had an idealistic mentality and they believed in gods and that everything happened as it should be. Thucydides pointed out that history should be analysed from an objective perspective bearing in mind that nations are monarchs that are always seeking for economic and political power. He stated that it was only practical that the strong nations should always rule the weaker nations. Political realism has three important tenets that apply within the international relations theory. First, realism describes the concept of ‘statism’ and describes states as the major role players in international politics. Unlike the liberalism theories that consider the role of non-states sectors within the international politics, realism theory is state-centric. Another important concept of realism is that international politics is a tag of war as anarchic states

Physical Fitness and Nutrition Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Physical Fitness and Nutrition Worksheet Essay In order to obtain optimal health, it is critical to be physically fit and eat a healthy and balanced diet. Becoming knowledgeable about what it means to be physically fit and learning how to evaluate the nutritional value of what you eat may greatly increase your ability to improve your health and wellness. In this three-part worksheet, you identify the five components of health related fitness, critique a recipe for nutritional value, and respond to two short answer questions about nutrition. Completing this assignment is a step towards gaining the knowledge needed to better manage your physical fitness and nutrition. Part 1: Five Components of Health Related Fitness Table Complete the table below. The first row has been filled in for you as an example. Components of Physical FitnessDescriptionHow to Incorporate in Your LifeBenefit(s) Cardiorespiratory FitnessBeing able to exercise at a moderate to high intensity for a long period of timeWalk 2 miles at a brisk pace every day.Reduced the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Muscular StrengthMaximum force able to be exerted by single contraction of a muscle or muscle groupStart out with crunches, lunges and squats.The ability to carry out tasks easier that like yard work. Muscular EnduranceAbility to perform high-intensity muscle contractions repeatedly without fatiguing Do push-ups to build up muscular endurance.Increased metabolism, Reduced fatigue, fewer injuries, and fewer back problems. Flexibility Ability to move joints freely through their full range of motion Start with stretching or yoga to help with flexibility. Being able to keep joints flexible and ability to reach or move. Body CompositionThe amount and relative proportions and distribution of fat mass and fat-free mass in the body By exercising, eating right and managing my time. Living longer and feeling good about one’s self. Part 2: Critique a Meal For this part of the assignment, you critique the nutritional value of a meal. You will select this meal from the USDA website. Follow the instructions below: †¢Access the USDA Recipe Finder search tool at http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/ o(either click on or paste the above link in your internet’s address bar) †¢Search for a recipe using one of the available criteria: oType in ingredients; oType in a recipe name, or; oChoose options from the available categories †¢Select a recipe to critique from the generated results. Review the nutritional information provided for the recipe you selected or added and answer the questions below. Each response should be 75 to 125 words. 1.What is the name of the recipe you are evaluating? The name of the recipe that I am evaluating is Baked Chicken with Vegetables. 2.Which essential nutrients—carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals—are included in the recipe? The essential nutrients that are included in this recipe are saturated fats, carbohydrates, Fiber and protein. Also included are Vitamin A that adds carotene and helps with the eyes; Vitamin C which is important for growth and development; Calcium needed for muscle, bones and nerves. Iron helps with distributing oxygen to the body. Vitamin E helps body tissue from damage. Vitamin K makes proteins for bones and tissue also helps with clotting to not bleed too much. 3.Which ingredients are providing each nutrient? Potatoes have vitamin C, potassium, and carbohydrates. Carrots have vitamin A, E, and K. Onions have potassium, Vitamin C and sodium. Chicken there is vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and iron. If the body is missing any vitamins the body will start to deteriorate. 4.Does this recipe include a good balance of essential nutrients? Explain your answer. I believe it does have a good balance but not to the full extent that it could be. Anything could be added to have the extra missing vitamins and minerals that a lot of people do not get on a regular basis. 5.How could the recipe be altered to include more essential nutrients? The recipe could be altered to include more essential nutrients by adding mushrooms, cheese, nuts or eggs. These items would add vitamin D and E. Vitamin D helps with the absorption of calcium and magnesium. Vitamin E is similar to vitamin C in helping protect the body from damage and helps with red blood cells. So adding the items in one way or another would add to the nutrients that one’s body. 6.Do you consider this a healthy meal? If not, what is a healthy alternative? Yes I do consider this a healthy meal in the fact that it does have quit a few vitamins and minerals that our bodies need on a regular  basis. It is low in fat and calories and will still fill someone up in one meal. With the chicken, carrots, onions, and potatoes there is not too much more that would be needed to supplement the body.

Womens Place in India Essay -- Indian Females Rights Equality Essays

Women's Place in India Break Silence They want to break our success Time demands that we break this silence If we are raising our voice Why should They get angry? We are fighting so that we have equality We are fighting so that we have dignity We are fighting so that we have happiness We are fighting so that we have peace We are fighting so that we have justice We are fighting for Women's liberation Break Silence. . . . . . . . . . . They are scared of our strength They are scared of our struggles They are scared of our unity They are scared of our organisation They are scared of our emancipation Hence, they are trying to break us by creating barriers of religion, caste, ethnicity, and tradition. Break Silence. (Women's Rights song, Desai & Patel pg 86) Women have long been fighting for equal rights in every sphere of society. Those in the Western world have been luckier, they can go to school, vote, and work, whereas there are still Women in developing countries which cannot. The Song above is an example of Women in a developing country, fighting for their own rights. It's origin is from India. Indian Women have had an extremely difficult time developing under the oppression of a male-dominated society, class and caste systems, and religion. Women's place in society has been extremely fixed in nature, and has kept Women at a low rung on the ‘status-ladder'. Traditional beliefs on whether women should be educated or whether they should work outside the home have also aided in their suppression. Still, although the Indian Women's workforce is still relatively new, it has had some real successes (as well as failures) along the way, and some of the organizations involve are beginning to make a true difference in Women's li festyles. Women's place in India "It is not the characteristic of the true Hindu or Mohammedan Woman to desire to be independent of a Man" (Billington pg 22). Women's status in India has generally been poor since colonial times. Prithvi Nath Tikoo identifies that, "the treatment of Woman in ancient Indian culture was, however, different. Here the concept of male chauvinism did not start as early as it did in other countries. This sort of mentality took roots in this country (India) years after the Aryans came and settled here" (Tikoo, pg 5). Here it is identified that the maltreatment of... ...ity. If the general population of India agreed that it is alright for Women to work, their conditions would improve a thousand-fold. Kaur found that it is the younger generations which believe that Women should be allowed to work outside the home, so perhaps in the future we will see a great change in Indian Women's lives. Perhaps they will one day have the tools to head towards independence. Bibliography: Tikoo, Prithvi Nath. Indian Women: a Brief Socio-Cultural Survey. BR Publishing Corperation, Delhi: 1985 Desai, Neera & Vibhuti Patel. Indian Women. Sangam Books, London: 1985 Kaur, Inderjeet. Status of Hindu Women in India. Chugh Publications, Allahabad (India): 1983 Billington, M.F. Woman in India. Amarko Book Agency, New Delhi: 1973 Forbes, Geraldine. The New Cambridge History of India: Woman in Modern India. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 1996 Yasas, F.M. & Vera Mehta. Exploring Feminist Visions. Good Impressions, Bombay: 1990 Desai, Neera. Woman in Modern India. Vora & Co. Publishers, Bombay:1977 Leslie, I.J. The Perfect Wife. Oxford University Press, Delhi: 1989 The Working Women's Forum www.workingwomensforum.org

Deaf President Now

Richard Evans 12 October 2012 Deaf Community Midterm: DPN Who Will Be President It all started in 1987 at the first deaf school in the United States, Gallaudet University. Former President Dr. Jerry C. Lee resigned at the end of 1987 and the school needed to find another president to take place. So in February of 1988 the committee announced the finalists for the running for a new president. A majority of the candidates were of hearing and just a couple were of deaf nature. Let us start by discussing, who were the candidates, what initially started the troubles in 1988, and how it was finally resolved.In 1988 when Gallaudet University needed to find a new president to take over for the open position at stake they had many people send in their resumes to the committee who takes care of that kind of stuff. They later announced the finalists and some were hearing and some were deaf and considering this is a deaf school, wouldn’t one think that a deaf president would fit a lot bet ter than a hearing person? Well the finalists that were announced were the following: Dr. Harvey Corson, who is deaf, Dr. I.King Jordan, who was also deaf, and Dr. Elisabeth Zinser, who is hearing. The congregation of Gallaudet wanted the presidency to be filled by one of the two deaf candidates and they started writing and sending letters to the board to let them know how they would like to see the direction of the school. Then the school announced who was going to take over the open position and when they said it was the hearing candidate the school was in shock, and that’s when history was forever changed at that school.March 1, 1988 was the day when the board finally announced their decision and when the University had announced that Zinser had become the new president of the university the students, angered and with feelings of betrayal, marched to the board meeting and they demanded to be told why that was the decision that had been made. The following day is when they finally got to hear why they made the decision and the students of Gallaudet were appalled. Meetings upon meetings took place between the student congregation debating what next step was needed to be taken.They decided to barricade the way onto the campus the next morning and they rallied and gave speeches to all the students and the protest leaders came to a conclusion on what they wanted. They gave the board 4 ultimatums that must be met or else and they were: 1. Zinser Must resign and a deaf president be selected; 2. Spilman must step down off of the board; 3. The percentage of deaf persons on the board must be a majority; and 4. There must be no reprisals against any of the protesters. And the board said no to all of their demands and the protesters then turned to marching to the Capitol Building in D. C.The following day the university wasn’t barricaded any longer and the university’s classes took place but the protesters boycotted the classes and went to speeches and rallies instead. The rallies had then gotten so large that it was being covered by national television, programs, and newspapers. Zinser then thought to herself that she needed to begin her presidency early and she started appearing on campus to show that she cares. But she was turned down quickly and then the following day she resigned and the students took march to the capital to get the other 3 demands to be taken and make sure they are done.The next day was a day break for everyone to relax so that Sunday they would then start up again. Then all 4 demands were met and Dr. I. King Jordan was the first deaf president at Gallaudet University. In 8 days and tons of emotional stress and action packed days the rallies and everything came to an end and everyone was happy. To review all of what had happened just shows with a lot of heart and effort one can succeed in anything and the congregation at Gallaudet had shown the world that the deaf community can stick up and join togethe r and not budge.This revolution at Gallaudet will always be remembered and marks a big spot in history for the deaf community. Works Cited â€Å"Deaf President Now Protest – Gallaudet University. † Deaf President Now Protest – Gallaudet University. N. p. , n. d. Web. 03 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"DeafWeb Washington: CSCDHH GA Newsletter – March 1998. † DeafWeb Washington: CSCDHH GA Newsletter – March 1998. N. p. , n. d. Web. 03 Oct. 2012. . Lane, Harlan L. , Robert Hoffmeister, and Benjamin J. Bahan. A Journey into

The Role of Information Technology in Education Essay

The Role of Information Technology in Education explores the potential for technology to redefine the terms of teaching and learning. Can the tools of technology break through the barriers to educational progress? What inhibits the effective use of technology? What are the perceived and the real limits of these tools? Thirteen grantees are helping to answer these questions. In 1998, we noticed that computers in classrooms, frequently donated by well-intentioned companies, too often sat idle, or if used, amounted to little more than enhanced typewriters. Making computers available in schools was not sufficient to realizing technology’s potential. The Role of Information Technology in Education initiative explores factors necessary to help technology reach its potential for learning. From the public school to the university setting, from local communities to nonprofit organizations, these grantees each offer a unique perspective on the role of technology in education. To learn h ow technology is one of the many tools that can educate and train employees, visit: Pioneer Employers. Early Assumptions The Hitachi Foundation issued the Tech Ed Letter based on these ideas: 1. A vast majority of schools have the equipment. Schools, districts, and states seem to have found money for hardware, but have invested only meagerly, if at all, in training teachers to use the technology. 2. The education sector has no systemic approach to upgrading the skills of its professionals in both pre-collegiate and higher education. If done at all, in-service technology training for teachers has been limited in number served and scope, traditional in its delivery (typically one-time sessions), or left primarily to individual teacher initiative. Training typically has not helped teachers understand how to integrate technology into the curriculum. 3. There are pockets of innovation. Individual teachers, students, and communities are delivering specific advances at every educational level. Advances can be grouped into 5 categories: pedagogy: enhanced capacity for tailoring instruction for individual students and monitoring student performance to assess instruction efficacy. constructing local content: through collaboration made possible by technology, students or professors in  several locations, drawing on local content can transform classroom practices. professional development: information technology makes possible high-quality professional development at times convenient for the teacher. Technology can overcome school scheduling problems by delivering training during off-hours or as the teacher works with students and colleagues in the classroom. collaboration: teachers and students can collaborate outside the classroom in synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (delayed response) fora, which brings far more resources, perspectives, and analysis to classroom assignments. economic efficiency: schools and universities are finding ways to use technology creatively to save money or expand productivity. 4. Technology is a tool — a means rather than an end. 5. Using technology effectively in the classroom means transforming the classroom, teaching, and learning. Productive use of technology does not mean using it solely to help slow students catch up, to occupy quick achievers, to reward good behavior, or to baby-sit. Where technology is yielding results, the classrooms are student-centered, with teachers as coaches and guides. Outside resources come to class and students go outside the classroom. Technology allows engagement, review, and especially assessment in broader, deeper ways. Portfolio Goals In addition to each project’s individual goals, we had these broad goals for the portfolio: Illustrate how technology is being used to make possible new methods, outcomes, and advancements in teaching and learning. Illustrate specifically how information technologies can improve or advance teaching or learning, and for whom. Identify unused or unexplored opportunities to strengthen teaching and learning through the use of information technology. Advance the practice of collaboration. Document and disseminate program models. Grantees California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA This project is creating interactive Web Site teaching applications for K-12 teachers in the Banning/Carson Cluster (Los Angeles Unified School District). Teachers will be able to tailor self-paced and class-wide  instruction, develop and revise the applications, monitor and evaluate their approaches and student performance on specific subjects and problems, provide students with individual problem sets, and collaborate with other teachers. Catholic University of America, Washington, DC International Virtual Department for Historical Studies of Mathematics The Catholic University of America, in partnership with the Mathematical Association of America and numerous scholars at universities worldwide (including Oxford, Russian Academy of Sciences, Princeton, and Kyoto), is implementing, evaluating, and disseminating an International Virtual Department for Historical Studies of Mathematics. The Children’s Museum, Boston, MA – Teacher-to-Teacher On-Line @ The Children’s Museum The Children’s Museum’s Teacher Center is creating Teacher-to-Teacher On-Line @ The Children’s Museum, a training and discussion forum for elementary teachers to exchange activities, ideas, and curriculum as the state institutes new curriculum frameworks. Delaware Education Research and Development Center, University of Delaware, Newark, DE First-State Instructional Resource System for Teachers (FIRST) This project is establishing, testing, and refining the First-State Instructional Resource System for Teachers. FIRST is an Internet-based professional development system linked to Delaware’s state education reform movement. The site will include professional development units that illustrate effective teaching of curriculum concepts, curriculum units linked to state standards, teacher discussion and collaboration forums, teacher comments on curriculum units, related commercial curriculum resources, and assessment techniques. Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School, Los Angeles, CA The Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School started The Talons 2000 Academy – a four-year, college preparatory program with a focus on business and technology. The Academy, within the walls of ERJ/SHS, is developing a student-led business to build, refurbish, and support computers throughout ERJ/SHS, the LA Unified School District, and the community. Information and Referral/Volunteer Connection, Coeur d’Alene, ID Community Science Online uses information technology to teach science by integrating scientific content with local and regional history and discussions of contemporary events in an interactive Multi-Object-Oriented environment. Leadership,  Education, and Athletics in Partnership, New Haven, CT – LEAP Computer Learning Centers Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership, in conjunction with the Hartford and New Haven Housing Authorities, Yale University, and Connecticut College is creating parent and student outreach programs in LEAP Computer Lea rning Centers in three CT cities. LEAP is evaluating the impact of the centers’ programs on child development and technology skill building and increasing the breadth of technology training for LEAP parents and schools. New York Institute of Technology, Central Islip, NY – Educational Enterprise Zone The New York Institute of Technology, in partnership with the Nassau and Dutchess County Board of Cooperative Educational Services and seven museums is creating an Educational Enterprise Zone. Linked by low bandwidth videoconferencing and a host of other technological tools, museums, libraries, teacher centers, and others will beam their knowledge into schools. Northwest Arctic Borough School District, Kotzebue, AK – The Virtual Village Northwest Arctic Borough is creating The Virtual Village project to train student technology leaders to be mentors to teachers, students, and staff in order to help teachers incorporate modern technology so students can preserve and spread traditional cultural knowledge. The project addresses challenges and opportunities that include a transient teaching pool, isolated villages accessible only by air, and curriculum material that is not linked to village re alities or traditional knowledge and ways. Scott Lane Elementary School, Santa Clara, CA – 1000 Days to Success in Reading Scott Lane Elementary School is adding technology as it starts the second year of its 1000 Days to Success in Reading project – a warranty program that guarantees all children who entered kindergarten in September 1997 will be reading at or above grade level by the end of second grade. The project is training teachers to use technology and integrate it into the curriculum, establish a cyber-space library, allow broader interactions among teachers to expand their resources and support services, and engage parents, community volunteers, and the larger school population in the educational process. Tucson Unified School District, Tucson, AZ – Community Learning Project The Tucson Unified School District, in collaboration with The University of Arizona, is implementing the Community Learning Project at two elementary schools. The project will coordinate three existing pilot programs to  provide a comprehensive, experiential, interdisciplinary education experience for children and their university mentors. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA – Facilitating the Community as a Learning Community The Facilitating the Community as a Learning Community project expands and improves the Blacksburg Electronic Village community netw ork and its links to K-12 education and community interaction with a new Web-based multi-user domain. The project will develop, implement, and investigate educational activities that involve real-time collaboration with community members and activities that engage citizens on matters of community interest. World Game Institute, Philadelphia, PA – NetWorld Game Learning Project The World Game Institute (WGI) and four collaborating museums are supporting the NetWorld Game Learning Project -a comprehensive Internet-based education program for high school teachers and students. The NetWorld Game Learning Project creates an Internet-based simulation of real world situations that complements high school curricula in four U.S. cities. University of Oklahoma Colleges of Engineering and Education, in partnership with the State Department of Education, Norman, OK The Colleges of Engineering and Education, in partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education, is creating an Internet-based training program to instruct teachers how to incorporate electronic media into their classrooms. Teachers learn how to develop and use graphics, animation, simulation, distance learning, network-based collaboration, online courseware, and streaming video to both amplify their teaching style and immerse students into the constantly changing world of technology.

Free Essays on The Collapse Of Communism

as `Communism' or `cl! ass struggle'. And Mikhail Gorbachev, who proclaimed the primacy of `values common to all mankind' over the `class struggle', was merely following in the footsteps of his predecessors, who had gradually rid themselves of the revolutionary features of C... Free Essays on The Collapse Of Communism Free Essays on The Collapse Of Communism The Collapse of Communism and The End of Cold War I’ll be discussing the issue of collapse of communism along the end of cold war with the view of economic factor. Nevertheless, the detected ideology of communism is explained as the main factor that led the Eastern Europe and Soviet Union to the collapse. Russian Historian, Vladimir Batyuk, describes how the Gorbachev reforms, and the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and Soviet Union, changed Moscow's view of the world. The Communist ideology, as publicly expressed by Soviet leaders, no longer used terms like 'class struggle" by the 1970s. Mikhail Gorbachev's openness to the West, and his internal reforms - perestroika - led to the collapse of the Cold War. Ideologically the Cold War began as early as 1917. After 1945, with the Soviet Union ascending to the status of superpower, the Cold War was transferred also to the sphere of geopolitics. At the end of the 1980s, however, it became obvious that the Communist experiment had failed miserably. The Soviet way of life, characterized by such ugly features as economic hardships, technological standstill and moral degradation, lost its appeal even for the Soviet people themselves. In the 1920s and 1930s, the West had been scared by Soviet Communist propaganda. In the 1980s, on the other hand, the Soviet authorities had to jam Western broadcasts in order to maintain control over its population. The Communist ideology, which had stimulated the Cold War on the Soviet side, deteriorated gradually. By the 1940s the slogan of `World Proletarian Revolution' had already disappeared from Soviet propaganda. After 1970, the Soviet leaders preferred not to mention such words as `Communism' or `cl! ass struggle'. And Mikhail Gorbachev, who proclaimed the primacy of `values common to all mankind' over the `class struggle', was merely following in the footsteps of his predecessors, who had gradually rid themselves of the revolutionary features of C...

Case Study Analysis

Case Study Analysis Case Study Analysis Case Study Analysis One of the frequently assigned college assignments is writing case study. Read the following casestudy analysis tipsand learn how to write a case study analysis. Usually, case study analysis is based on specific situation. You are required to analyze the given situation, to solve the presented problems, and offer a recommendation. Sometimes, you are required to consult textbook and relevant articles to support your personal opinion. The purpose of case study writing assignment is to check your theoretical knowledge and an ability to apply gained knowledge to real-life situations. Secondary sources can be from historical documents, photographs, tape recordings and even statistical information. Many students do not understand that literary, historical, scientific or sociological sources are difference in essence and should be used with careful referencing. Case study analysis writing is easy with our help: Critical Essay Writing While citing secondary sources, you have to include in-text citation and bibliography entry. Endnotes are the most desirable referencing technique for case study analysis writing. Endnotes do not distort the flow of your ideas and make a reference to the source. Your tutor will definitely appreciate if you approach him for clarification. Placing an order at .com, you receive custom written case study analysis which meets all of the requirements set by the tutor. Critical essay writing requires deep understanding of the problem and an ability to analyze the situation, to apply critical thinking skills, and draw logical conclusion. Not all students are able to cope with critical essay writing assignment and seek professional assistance. We offer custom paper writing help to those students who struggle with their academic assignments. Writing Critical Essay What is the first step of case study analysis? The first step of critical case study analysis is reading of the case itself. You should be ready to read it more than twice. The first reading is done for acquaintance only. The second reading is done to identify the key players (people), to underline the problems, to make some notes and comments, and to get a detailed perception of the situation. Case study analysis writing is a challenge because you cannot simply express your opinion, you have to support it with examples from recent publications. Every idea you include should be supported with reliable evidence. Custom writing help is a solution for busy students. Do not hesitate to place an order and you will be very surprised with the high quality. Read more: Draft Essay Rough Pay For Essay Need a Professional Essay Essay Editing Editorial Essay Topics

Social Phenomena Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Social Phenomena - Essay Example Each of these views relies upon more or less legitimate arguments and evidence, but neither of them is flawless. Functionalist perspective still remains arguably the most influential tool for understanding the phenomenon of deviant behavior. Since the term 'deviant behavior' is rather broad, only two types of social deviance will be closely analyzed within this project: crime and suicide. Functionalist explanation of the causes and social outcomes of these types can lead us to understanding of functionalist perspective on deviant behavior in general. Emile Durkheim, the famous French sociologist of the 19th - 20th century, was probably the first scholar to adopt the logic of the functional approach studying the phenomenon of deviant behavior. Thus, Durkheim claimed, "When . . . the explanation of a social phenomenon is undertaken, we must seek separately the efficient cause which produces it and the function it fulfills. We must determine whether there is a correspondence between the fact under consideration and the general needs of the social organism, and in what this correspondence consists" (Durkheim, 1930 in Coser, 1977: 143). Ut Utilizing these principles Durkheim focused on the way a society stimulates individuals demonstrate deviant behavior than on individual characteristics of those whom demonstrate such behavior, though majority of sociologists of those days viewed crime, suicide, and other forms of social deviance as an outcome of inborn psychological characteristics of the individual. Durkheim considered such approach flawed. Instead, the scholar argued that deviance in general and crime in particular was by no means abnormal or dangerous for the society: "Crime is normal, an inevitable and necessary part of every society [although] it may take abnormal forms, such as when the crime rate is unusually high (Durkheim, 1961: 872). Durkheim's views on another form of deviance - suicide - were absolutely the same. "La Suicide" was the third major work of Emile Durkheim. This book was the first sociological research that established the traceable empiric connection between the phenomenon of individual suicide and social environment, and defined certain social functions of suicide. In the end of the 19th century suicide or self-destruction was considered a form of deviant behaviour that occurred in insane individuals. Durkheim challenged this traditional standpoint that suicide was an unpreventable pathology. Instead, he provided " a sociological explanation for a phenomenon traditionally regarded as exclusively psychological and individualistic" (Thompson, 1982: 109). In fact, Durkheim formulated the founding principles of functionalist perspective on deviance precisely in his study of suicide. Even today, despite abundance of recent studies, Durkheim's work remains the most significant sociological analysis of s uicide in modern societies. Suicide is a complex phenomenon that can be caused by numerous factors. Many reasons both individual and social have been demonstrated to have certain correlation with self-destructive

Film review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Film review - Essay Example Mean Streets illustrates the hierarchies in the criminal underworld and the disparities and want that afflict crime agents at the lower cadre of the shadowy organizations. The film follows through the lives and fate of two main characters, Charlie and Johny boy who endure the torments and challenges of the criminal world in their respective ways. One of the characters, Charlie aspires to re-establish connections with his moral and spiritual self while the other appears destined for self-destruction as a matter of individual weaknesses. The choice and performance of characters in this film add to the quality and authenticity of the film as each one of them portrays the natural qualities that are expected of criminal actors. In sum, the actions and attitudes of the characters are nearly in perfect consistency with their assigned roles. Most precisely, the characters of Johny boy and Charlie are brought out in perfect harmony with the reality of criminal agents. The two characters fit well into their roles without the mismatch of maintaining the balance of action and character. The disintegration and dehumanization of Johny boy is captured in grim details that illustrate the affliction and erosion of personality as the individual gets sucked deeper in the vaults of criminality. On the other hand, the character of Charlie is used as a foil to reflect on the evident descent of Johny boy into an ignoble human that is incapable of sustaining any meaningful engagement even with his most trusted ally, Charlie (Scorsese). Charlie’s situation is used to direct the viewer to the often-ignored facts of the criminal world. From his character, we learn that not all players in the criminal world are unrepentant and rigid. Criminality is brought out as any other social condition that could suck any person within the society through temptation or peer pressure. For instance,

Team Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Team Project - Essay Example Popular culture comes into being as a result of the interplay of a variety of factors and sources. The primary source of birth and spread of popular culture is mass media in general and popular music, television shows, movies, video games, books, and radio in particular. Nothing has been as big a contributor toward the spread of popular culture as the Internet. Cell phones, online chatting, videoconferencing, and video calling using Skype and such other software have helped the popular culture spread with the word of mouth. Popular culture has influenced arts in a number of ways. Ever since the 20th century, artists started to use and integrate the elements of pop culture, its items and images in their art. The word used to refer to this practice is appropriation which is defined as â€Å"the process of taking symbols or systems out of their original context and putting them in new ones† (Contemporary Art Start, n.d.). The influence of popular culture on arts reached its peak as the pop art movement during the 1960s and a number of postmodern artists have continued to have this influence to date. Pop artists have challenged the separation traditionally placed between popular and high culture, suggesting that images from comic books, billboards, and grocery store shelves are capable of providing wonderful subjects for sculpture and painting. Pop artists increasingly replaced traditional raw materials used in art including stone, paint, and clay with mass-produced objects. The influence of arts on the popular culture is overarching. Popular culture has fundamentally come into being as a result of the artistic inspirations and desires of people. Performing arts’ impact on the popular culture is just as evident, if not more, as the traditional arts’ impact on it. For example, programs like the Last Comic Standing and American Idol broadcast over a majority of channels encourage the audience to participate in the shows and leave

Define The Word Digital Forgery

Define The Word Digital Forgery According to Merriam-Webster, forgery is defined as the crime of falsely and fraudulently making or altering a document (Forgery, Merriam-Webster). So therefore, digital forgery involves falsely altering digital contents such as pictures and documents. Digital forgery has occurred for many years and still remains a relevant topic today. We see it every day in newspapers, magazines, the television, and even the internet. Whether altering the way someone looks, using digital photography in a courtroom, or even bringing a celebrity back from the dead, digital photography and digital television stimulate countless questions and queries about the ethics and morals of digital forgery, with respect to todays technology, and the involvement of digital forgery in our daily lives. The questions that arise because of digital forgery can be addressed and evaluated successfully only through consideration of the history, usage, and ethics of digital forgery in order to determine how and in what wa ys restriction or limitation of digital forgery should occur. Figure Understanding the history of photography and digital forgery helps one realize exactly how digital forgery became a commonly utilized method. Photography dates back to as far as 1826 when a French inventor, Joseph Nicephore Niepce, produced the first everlasting photograph (Photograph, Wikipedia). As time went on, photography got more advanced and more complicated. Soon enough, color photographs were being produced. The first color photograph was produced by a Scottish physicist named James Clerk Maxwell (Photograph, Wikipedia). After the production of color photograph came the invention of film, which led to instant cameras, automatic cameras, and finally digital cameras. Digital photography started first in 1951 with a video tape recorder that produced live images from television cameras by altering the information into electrical impulses and then saving the data onto a magnetic tape (Inventors). Several years later, in the 1960s, NASA used similar technology when they stop ped using analog and began to utilize digital signal with their space probes to map the surface of the moon. This led to the government usage of digital technology with spy satellites and then finally led to digital photography. The first filmless camera was created by Texas Instruments in 1972 followed by the release of the first commercial electronic still camera, the Sony Mavica, in August 1981 (Inventors). The ability to create digital photographs opened up the doors for producing counterfeit images and made it easier for this to be done. However, it wasnt the first time weve seen manipulation in pictures. As a matter of fact, photo manipulation dates back to the 1860s when a picture of John C. Calhoun was edited to have his body with the head of Abraham Lincoln (Photo Manipulation, Wikipedia). Digital forgery escalated in severity during World War II when Joseph Stalin altered photographs for propaganda purposes. For instance, there was a picture taken of Joseph Stalin and NKVD leader Nikolai Yezhov. After Yezhov was executed, the picture was rereleased with Yezhov missing. The photo was manipulated using censors. Figure 1 depicts the before and after pictures regarding this instance. In another case, John Heartfield, who utilized a photo altering technique called photomontage, mocked Adolf Hilter and the Nazis in order to demoralize their misinformed purpose (Photo Manipulation, Wikipedia). The use of digital photography has made it a lot easier for one to manipulate photos today. A program that is exceptionally recognizable is Adobe Photoshop. This is the software used by Adnan Hajj, who manipulated pictures and published them during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict (2006 Lebanon War Photographs Controversies, Wikipedia). Some of the pictures depicted an emphasis of the aftermath of an IDF attack on Beriut. Another one resembled a photograph of an IAF F-16 flying over Southern Lebanon deploying multiple missiles, when it really only deployed one missile (Adnan Hajj Photographs Controversy, Wikipedia). These pictures were removed and Hajj admitted to editing the pictures. After understanding the history and numerous uses of digital forgery, one can begin to assess the ethics involved with digital forgery.http://www.youropinionsarewrong.com/images/random/stalin-airbrush.jpg Based on the previous history and utilization of digital forgery, several relevant questions arise: What ethics are associated with digital forgery? Is digital forgery generally right or wrong? Who or what should take the blame for misleading digital forgery? Should we ever fully believe anything we see anymore in pictures? What can be done about digital forgery? Unfortunately, none of these questions have definite, factual answers. Rather, opinions permeate the essence of the responses to these questions. The significance and validity of each question and response can only be determined by the reader. With the current availability in photo-editing technology, one can alter almost anything in a picture. Often, despite the obvious ethical dilemmas that arise from digital forgery, the individual himself or herself is solely responsible for how cases of digital forgery are evaluated. However, even opinionated evaluation of digital forgery can lead to judgments, laws, rules, limitations, and restrictions on the future of digital forgery, making the ethics involved in digital forgery a necessary topic to consider. In general, is the idea of digital forgery ethically acceptable? To determine whether altering an image is right or wrong, we must establish the reason for which the image is being used. Adjusting a photo for the news, whether digitally or otherwise is most likely not ethical, even though there are understandable exceptions for alteration, such as editing a picture to brighten the details, reduce the blur of a street sign in the distance, or other similar examples. In contrast to the previous application of digital forgery, an image that serves the purpose of providing evidence regarding a crime scene or creature would preferably be void of digital forgery except to bring out inherent detail already contained in the photo. In general though, the majority of digital forgery occurs because digitally altered pictures often appeal to the viewers eyes. As long as these images are not used to mislead, then I believe that digitally altered images are ethically permissible as long as they la ck malicious intent or potential. Another fact to consider regarding this question involves the broad utilization of digital forgery in current times. Picture-editing software often comes readily installed with most current computers, meaning that most people with current computers or lap tops have access to technology for digital editing. Social networking websites, such as facebook.com and myspace.com, give users the ability to post up almost any type of picture or photo, regardless of whether the picture has undergone some type of alteration. Though often misleading, especially in the cases of digital forgery with pictures of the actual user, the question of whether the altering of the picture itself is right or wrong depends on the users viewing the image and their opinions. Depending on the intent of those who partake in digital forgery, the misleading appearances of digital forgery could potentially be detrimental to the other people. Hypothetically, a user of a social network ing website might try to establish a relationship with another user based on the viewing of digitally altered pictures or photographs of that user. What is conveyed on a computer screen with a digitally forged picture may differ greatly from the actual appearance of a user, and this will likely cause a variety of problems for users who try and establish a relationship that is even partially based on the appearance of the other user. However, the user with the altered picture benefits in the sense that he or she increases the likelihood of establishing a relationship with another person based on the digitally altered picture and not the truthful portrayal of that person in reality. Whether the previous situation is overall benevolent or detrimental for both users can only be determined by those users, and whether this application of digital forgery is generally right or wrong can only be determined by an unbiased opinion of another person. Since no test or definite way to prove wheth er an application of digital forgery is generally right or wrong, the decision regarding the ethics of such situations ultimately falls on the individual. Yet, if a ubiquitous verdict is reached conveying that some usage of digital forgery is unethical, who or what should take the blame? Almost indubitably, no individual desires taking blame for any type of situation, regardless of who was responsible for any discommodity associated with the situation. So in reference to the detrimental effects of digital forgery, who or what should be at fault? To understand even the possibilities of who or what should be at fault for negative effects of digital forgery, one must consider the wide array of factors influencing that usage of digital forgery. Technology plays a pivotal role in digital forgery. Because of technology, digital forgery often lacks credibility and believability. Advancements in technology allow people today to alter almost any picture to their preferred specifications, often still believable, but untrue and therefore misleading. Technology, in many ways, provides the means by which digital forgers are capable of producing altered pictures or photographs. However, another point to consider involves the fact that human beings are responsible for these advance ments in technology that allow digital forgery to be accomplished with ease. Though maybe not directly responsible, the people who provide the software or technology for common people to digitally forge do, in a way, provide access to digital forging opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to them. Another influencing factor to consider is societys usage of digital forgery. Magazines, newspapers, websites, and a plethora of other media portray digitally forged pictures, photographs, and images. Countless recalls and cases have formed around excessively exaggerated pictures in magazines and newspapers. Though often not intentionally detrimental, society does place pressure on individuals actions. For example, magazines influence other magazines to use digitally altered pictures. As yet another example, people often succumb to the pressures of being slim and obtaining the socially desired model bodies that society conventionally expects and conveys through magazines and othe r such media. This may cause individuals to take action by harming themselves through unhealthy weight loss practices or even partaking in digital forgery themselves. But since it is ultimately one individual or a group of individuals that are directly responsible for the digital forgery of a specific image, one must consider whether the fault of digital forgery should lie within the individual or group of individuals that directly altered the image itself. Obviously, blaming the misleading or detrimental digitally forged image itself can provide no compensation for those effected in a destructive manner, so only by placing blame on an individual, a group of individuals, technology, society, or other possible culprits can victims of the detrimental effects of digital forgery hope to acquire some type of compensation. Legal action can be taken regarding digital forgery, but the decision of the courtroom or judge can not universally determine who or what should bear the full or partia l burden of blame regarding digital forgery. Unfortunately, once again, who or what is at fault for malevolent results of digital forgery can only be determined by the individual. But disregarding who or what is to blame for digitally forged images, if so many images are truly so misleading, to what extent should people believe what they see in digital images? The existence of some guidelines for what people should believe and not believe when viewing digital images would seem beneficial. Any digital image, or even non-digital images in some cases, present details to a viewer that are not necessarily readily distinguishable from reality. Basically, an individual often finds it difficult to determine whether an image has been digitally altered or not. Very few ways exist of distinguishing a picture that has been altered from a picture that has undergone no such alteration. Because of this fact, viewers of images are often rightfully suspicious of the details conveyed by images. By being too suspicious however, one might neglect to realize the beauty or significance of an image that contains no digital alteration, and this beauty or significance might have been comprehended if one simply was not so suspicious of image details. So, once again, there exists no such guidelines in regards to the extent one should give credibility to an image oth er than the opinions and personal beliefs of the individual. I, being an individual myself, possess personal beliefs on the ethics, credibility, and accountability of digital forgery. My personal beliefs regarding digital forgery possess heavy influence from my past experiences. While pursuing my degree in computer engineering and simply experiencing the world in general, I have come to several personal conclusions about digital forgery. Regarding the ethics of digital forgery, I believe that digitally altered images that are intended to please the viewers aesthetic preferences and are generally benevolent should be ethically permissible. Images that do otherwise or basically digitally forged images that are intentionally malicious or mislead the viewer into believing a false aspect should be subject to some form of compensatory action and are unethical. With reference to who or what is to blame for the detrimental consequences of digital forgery, I feel that the person who digitally altered the image should be held accountable for his or her pessimistic intentions if it truly did result in someone being harmed through viewing that image. And considering how suspi cious or to what extent people should assign reliability to images in current times, I feel that most images should simply be appreciated and not analyzed with scrutiny. The images I feel that people should be suspicious of include those conveying evidence in a crime scene, details supporting assumptions about some phenomenon, or details that persuade an individual to believe an aspect not previously assumed or proved by other corroborations or support. Of course, as in almost all cases, there remain exceptions to my beliefs depending on the details of the situation itself just as there exist exceptions to almost every rule, law, or belief of mankind. My ethical standards concerning digital forgery basically revolves more around the situation in which digital forgery was used and less on the actual digitally forged image itself. Therefore, my ethical views remain dependent on the situation itself in which digital forgery was used before I can make a finalized ethical decision, and I feel that people should adopt a similar system of perception and inspection so all that cases of digital forgery are evaluated successfully. After understanding the history, ethics, and forming well-informed opinions concerning digital forgery, the question one would likely ponder now is: What can be done to stop the unnecessary use of digital forgery? Several steps have already been taken to stop distasteful digital forgery. Webster University Journal came up with a policy for the ethical use of photographs. They published that the manipulation of photographs is commonly allowed when adjusting the brightness and contrast of the photo, burning and dodging to control the tonal range, correcting the color, cropping a frame to fit a certain layout, and retouching either dust or scratches from the photo. The policy further explains that there are certain manipulation techniques that should never be allowed. These include adding, moving, or removing objects within the frame, changing the color other than to restore what the picture originally looked like, cropping a frame in order to alter its meaning, flopping an image either left or right reversal, and finally painting a photograph in other than its true orientation (Webster). These policies are very ethical in the sense that one can still alter images as an artistic sense, but when it comes to proof, evidence, or publishing, the policies are very accurate and maintain credibility. When using a photograph in a published document, images that are manipulated are often used but should be labeled a certain way. The editor simple cannot include an altered picture and hope the readers assume the picture is edited. Altered pictures should be labeled as a photo illustration and shall never be represented as news photographs. Also, there are cameras out now with special technology to avoid digital forgery. Examples of this include cameras that digitally print a custom signature at the bottom of every picture that is taken and processed. This goal of these specially designed cameras is to stop people from not only stealing what could be copyrighted and publishe d material but also to prevent it from being manipulated and used in media and the courtroom. In fact, many courtrooms prefer evidence and take photographic evidence only with the special signature. Another example is an image authentication system the uses fingerprint technology. The creator of many imaging products today, Epson, previously created new image authentication software that was installed in many of their digital cameras. These cameras function by automatically imprinting a photo with an invisible digital fingerprint immediately after the photo is taken. Since the fingerprint is implanted in the image file, the image can then be verified as unedited and all natural by a computer with the software installed (Digital Cameras). This leads to another way to stop malicious digital forgery, with certain software. The most popular known software that lets users edit digital images is Adobe Photoshop. This software had previously been frequently brought up in scandals of images being altered as forgery. Recently, Adobe created a way for users to still use their product for artistic and personal use, but also for publishing use. They created a suite of photo-authentication tools that released in 2008. Basically, it is a plug-in that users install onto their Photoshop software that adds two photo authentication tools to the program (Wired.com). The first one is the Clone Tool Detector and it determines whether a section in a picture is too similar to another part of a picture. The other tool is the Truth Dots tool, which determines whether there are any missing pixels in a digital image. Determining if the pixels are missing results in a sign that the picture has been cropped, which cannot be noticed by that human eye (MandarinMusing.com). Of course, all these things can help in stopping digital image forgery, but pictures that have been taken without the special authentication signatures or fingerprints, or images edited without Photoshops plug-ins still l ack a system to prevent digital forgery. This can be solved with other special software that can detect digital image forgeries. Today, there are many companies who have produced software that have the ability to detect traces of digital image manipulation without relying on the signatures and watermarks. As a computer science doctoral thesis proposal, Micha Kimo Johnson, of Dartmouth College, created three digital image analysis tools to detect digital image forgery. These consist of illuminant direction, specularity, and chromatic aberration (Network World). The illuminant direction tools focus on the light sources of the image. It looks for consistency through the entire picture and different shadows. The light source is not limited to only sun light but also light from electricity. If the sources of light in the image were not in the same direction, the tool would detect the inconsistencies. The other tool is the specularity tool, which basically analyzes the reflective highligh ts in a picture. For example, if a picture of a group of people were taken and someone was digitally added to the image, the tool would detect the reflection in the eyes of all people in the picture and identify that someone was added. The last tool is the chromatic aberration tool, which scans images based on the camera lens used. When a digital picture is taken, natural distortion occurs and is presented on the image. The tool will identify if any of the distortions do not match the surrounding and categorize the image as a forged copy (Network World). Collectively, there exist numerous ways of detecting digital forgery through the use of specialized software, which helps to inhibit the malicious use of digital forgery. Conclusively, the issue of digital forgery has caused controversy for many years, yet recent advances in technology have helped to detect and discourage unethical uses of digital forgery. Since the creation of photography, photographic manipulation started and led into the forgery of images. Digital forgery has been apparent from the time when Soviet officials would disappear from authorized photographs in World War II to current times as we commonly view countless altered pictures in magazines, depicting celebrities with flawless skin and enhanced physiques. There exist ways to prevent digital forgery, such as special cameras that add signatures and invisible fingerprints when they are digitally processed, special programs plug-ins that prevent the altering of images, and even special software that can detect whether a picture is forged or not. While complete termination of digital forgery is nearly impossible, prevention of digital forgery and its reckless usage is quite possible. However, the altering of digital images is now not only used to deceive, but it has been incorporated into an artistic movement in which people manipulate images to represent different aspects of life for non-harmful purposes. Though it might technically be classified as digital forgery, it only becomes an problem when these forged images are used for the media or as evidence in courtroom. The history, evidence, discussion of ethics, and preventative methods for digital forgery helps inspire this encompassing idea: the manipulation of digital images is not necessarily unethical because of the abundance of benevolent or neutral alteration of photos, yet digital forgery with a criminal or malicious motive can most definitely be classified as unethical, for which identification systems exist to discourage and prevent detrimental digital forgery.

Symbolic Characters in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Symbolic Characters in The Scarlet Letter Symbolic characters are very important in most powerful novels. One classic that uses characters as symbols is The Scarlet Letter. This novel is about a woman in Puritan society, Hester, who commits adultery with her minister, Arthur Dimmesdale. She has a daughter, Pearl, and is forced to wear a scarlet letter the rest of her life. Arthur hides his sin and becomes extremely troubled. Hester's husband, Roger, takes it upon himself to judge and punish Arthur for his sin and becomes like the devil. Three characters in the novel are symbolic; Roger Chillingworth, the young woman, and Pearl. One character in the story that is symbolic is Roger, Hester's husband. He is the symbol of a life consumed with revenge. When the reader first meets Roger, he is a mostly normal man. He was small in stature, with a furrowed visage, which, as yet, could hardly be termed aged. There was a remarkable intelligence in his features... (p. 56) The only unusual trait of his is a slight deformity of the shoulder. He is an intelligent man who spends most of his time reading. When Roger finds out that Hester has been unfaithful to him, he vows to take revenge on the man who sinned with her. Later he finds out that the man is Minister Arthur Dimmesdale and meticulously plots revenge. His life becomes consumed with the carrying out of his revenge. He himself sins as he tries to destroy Arthur's soul. Roger soon comes to resemble the devil. He even notices this similarity in himself. He says, "I have already told thee what I am! A fiend!" (p. 158) Hester also says that she pities him, "...for the hatred that has transformed a wise and just man to a fiend." (p. 159) Each of them recognize that Roger's life centered around hatred and revenge have made him like the devil. The symbol working in Roger, living to destroy, shows that tearing down another person causes as much damage to one's own life. Roger is the symbol of a life consu med by desire for revenge. Another symbolic character is the kind young woman. She is symbolic of hope in the story. Surrounded by people criticizing and being self-righteous the young woman alone has kind words to say to and about Hester Prynne.

Micro-Environment Essay

1.0Background Information With the advent of gene technology, it is important to understand not only the phenotype of the organism but also the genotype. Previously, you should have learnt the analysis of genetic traits and the various ways where they can be transmitted from parents to children (by phenotype analysis). Each chromosome is divided into different sections called genes. Genes are the basis of inheritance where traits like hair colour and blood type are controlled by the production of proteins by these genes. Genes contain coded instructions that the body uses to assemble hundreds of different types of proteins that make an individual unique! These amazing trait controllers (genes) are made up of molecules called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA is a double-helical polymer bound together by hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairing nucleotides (A to T, G to C). A particular gene is a set of coded instructions made up of a particular order of nucleotides. The variation of which allows the myriad of codes to exist in an organism for it to be unique. This is what controls the genotype of an organism and henceforth, the extraction and isolation of an organisms DNA is imperative, in order to allow further insight into the organism using different molecular-based methods. In this experiment, you will be taking a closer look at this DNA molecule. You will be extracting your own DNA using buccal/cheek cells as the starting material. 2.1Materials Saline 15 ml centrifuge tube Paper cup Drinking water Vortex Centrifuge 10% SDS Bromelain protease (50mg/mL) Ice cold isopropanol Graduated pipettes 2.2Methods IMPORTANT NOTE: Ensure that you have not eaten in the past 1 hour before conducting this experiment (if you are the DNA donor). Ensure that gloves are worn at all times in the experiment. 1. Swish you mouth with about 100 mL drinking water, for about 20 seconds, to remove any food particles. Discard this wash into the sink. 2. Using a permanent marker pen, label your group name onto the paper cup and 15 mL centrifuge tube containing 10mL saline. 3. Pour all the 10mL saline solution into your mouth and vigorously swish for 60s. Do not discard the centrifuge tube. 4. Expel the saline mouthwash into the labelled paper cup. 5. Carefully, pour the saline mouthwash from the paper cup, back into the 15 mL centrifuge tube from step 2. Tightly cap the tube. 6. Pass the capped tubes to the laboratory technician in order to be centrifuged (4500 rpm, 5 min). 7. Upon centrifuging, you should be able to see your buccal cell pellet (the whitish lower solid layer at the bottom of the tube). Gently, pour away the supernatant (the liquid upper layer). 8. Place the tube on ice. 9. Add 2 mL saline into the tube and vortex for 5-10 seconds. 10. Add 1 mL 10% (w/v) sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) solution (active component in detergents). 11. Gently tap the tubes several times (~8 times) to gently mix the contents. You may invert the tube twice if needed. 12. On ice, add 2 – 3 drops of the lab supplied bromelain protease enzyme into the tube. 13. Gently tap the tubes several times (~8 times) to gently mix the contents. You may invert the tube twice if needed. 14. Cap the tube and place it is a 50oC for 10 minutes. 15. With a clean pipette, gently pipette in 10 mL ice cold isopropanol (95% v/v) slowly into the tube. Tip: Place the filled pipette with its tip against the inside wall of the test tube. Slowly allow the isopropanol to dribble down the inside of the tube. 16. Cap and place the tube in a test tube rack at room temperature for 10 minutes. DO NOT mix, shake, or bump the test tube during this period. 17. The isopropanol is lighter than the contents of the tube. When added according to the directions, the isopropanol will form a clear layer ABOVE the suspension. 18. Observe the test tube for 5 minutes. The DNA will gradually separate from the suspension and rise into the isopropanol layer. Describe the appearance of the DNA. 19. Take a photo as proof of your observation. 20. To remove the accumulated DNA from the tube, follow the directions for DNA spooling as below:- a. Gently insert the glass rod through the isopropanol layer into the clumped/accumulated DNA. b. Carefully, twirl the rod between your fingers, winding the DNA strands onto the rod. c. Slowly remove the rod. Describe the appearance of the spooled DNA. d. Take a photo as proof of your observation. 0. Questions 1. Which one of the following do you think will contain DNA? Explain your reasoning. Bananas; concrete; fossils; meat; metal; spinach; strawberries. 2. What effect would the SDS have on the cell membranes and cold ethanol on DNA? 3. What type of enzyme would be needed to separate the DNA into smaller pieces? 4. Is the DNA extracted pure enough for further applications (i.e. PCR)? 5. If you were to repeat the experiment with an equal number of red blood cells, the amount of DNA collected would either: increase / decrease / stay the same (choose one). Explain your answer. Adapted from:- Bres, M., Weisshaar, A., 2008. Thinking about Biology: An Introductory Laboratory Manual. 3rd Ed. Pearson Prentice Hall: New Jersey, USA. Pg. 333 – 338. Teaching AS Biology Practical Skills. University of Cambridge: International Examination. Pg. 74 – 78. 43 Practical 10 Digestion of Lambda (ÃŽ ») DNA with a Restriction Enzyme (EcoR I endonuclease) 1.0Background Information Restriction enzymes (nucleases) are enzymes that cleave the phosphodiester bonds on the sides of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). These nucleases recognize specific DNA sequences in the double-stranded DNA, which is usually a four to six base pair sequence of nucleotides, and digests the DNA at these sites, resulting in the DNA becoming fragmented into various lengths. Some restriction enzymes cut cleanly through the DNA double helix while some produce uneven or sticky ends. By using the same restriction enzyme to cut DNA from different organisms, the sticky ends produced will be complementary and the DNA from the two different sources can be recombined. In humans, no two individuals have the exact same restriction enzyme pattern in the DNA except for identical twins. Restriction enzymes are named based on a system of nomenclature where the first letters represents the genus name of the organism whereas the next two letters come from the species name. If there is a fourth letter, it stands for the strain of the organism. Finally, if there are Roman numerals, it represents whether that particular enzyme was the first or second etc. isolated in that category. FIGURE 10.1 Cartoon of how EcoR I recognises the restriction site and cleaves the DNA. The second technique used in this practical is the separation and analysis of DNA fragments. Agarose gels are commonly used for this where the  gels that have been prepared with a suitable nucleic acid stain in it, have wells for the samples of DNA to go into. The agarose gel is covered in a suitable buffer so that the DNA is in a neutral pH solution. That way, the DNA moves one direction because of its charge. Since the phosphate groups on the skeleton of DNA are negatively charged, the whole molecule takes on the negative charge. Hence, when the DNA is placed inside the gel and the electricity is turned on, the poles are drawing the DNA toward the positive side, where it will then move through the gel and separate according to the size of the fragments. This technique is called electrophoresis. Results are obtained with the help of UV light that is refracted by the nucleic acid stain that sticks onto the DNA fragments. In this experiment, you will be using the EcoR I restriction endonuclease to digest a known DNA called phage lambda (ÃŽ ») and analysing your sample using agarose gel electrophoresis. 2.1Materials Pre-laboratory work Computer/laptop LambdaDNA.docx (Word document file) Laboratory work Micropipette Sterile pipette tips Microcentrifuge tube (1.5 mL capacity) EcoR I (20 U/ µL) and buffer Distilled deionised sterilised water Agarose gel (prestained with EtBr) 1x TAE buffer Agarose gel electrophoresis set UV Transilluminator

Into the Wild/as You Like It

Texts may show us that a sense of belonging can emerge from connections made with people, places and the larger world. To what extent do the texts you have studied support this idea? ‘Happiness is only real if shared’. This insightful quote from Sean Penn’s 2007 film Into the Wild shows that any sense of belonging must arise through connection we make with others and the wider world. Shakespeare’s play As You Like It also demonstrates this, and shows that belonging is a natural instinct and one fundamental to a meaningful life. The setting of As You Like It plays a crucial role in shaping the idea of belonging in the play. Like the typical pastoral, the beginning of the play is set in court, a place established as a hub of corruption and political tension. Orlando’s house is described as a ‘butchery’ as his brother plots to kill him, ‘[Rosalind] is banish’d’, and Duke Senior calls courtly life ‘painted pomp’. The combination of images suggests estrangement and not belonging. By contrast, Arden is a free, untainted setting where characters are able to develop relationships without conforming to rigid social constraints. Also, the transition from the high density of formal verse in the opening scenes to the more frequent use of prose, signifying acceptance and familiarity, towards the end reinforces this transition from tension and not belonging to unity. This harmonious ending is epitomized in the final scene in which ‘these eight†¦take hands’. That the characters do form relationships there in which they belong is a clear indication that belonging is an innate part of the human condition. In essence, through the natural setting of the play, Shakespeare emphasises that belonging is a natural state of humanity. Similarly, Into the Wild contains pastoral elements that contribute to belonging in the film. Like the ‘painted pomp’ of the court in As You Like It, Penn portrays society as ‘oppressive’, employing dark metaphors of warfare to reinforce this; fence-posts are ‘black sword-tips’ and red tiles ‘hardened blood’. The dinner scene is muted, with the use of shaky hand-held camera emphasizing the tension and estrangement. By contrast, the wilderness acts as a catalyst for belonging in which he realizes the significance of onnections with people to happiness. All scenes of him in the wild are shot in rich natural light, as opposed to the exaggerated florescent lighting used in the civilized scenes. This contrast in lighting suggests that both Arden and the wild are places of healing where characters learn about the nature of belonging and the importance of connections. As You Like It shows that belonging can arise through connections with o thers. There are many ways to be accepted and Shakespeare reflects this in his use of diverse characters. Rosalind takes a more sensible, realistic approach than Orlando, stating that ‘men have died from time to time†¦but not for love’. Orlando is much more the petrachan lover, vowing to ‘live and die’ her slave. Celia and Oliver’s relationship is a more spontaneous connection, ‘whoever loved that loved not at first sight? ’ whereas Touchstone and Audrey simply see marriage as a natural part of life ‘as the ox has his bow, so wedlock does come nibbling’. The contrast between these couples combined with the comedic ending shows that belonging can arise through variety of relationships and connections. The Rainbow Fish similarly demonstrates that belonging can arise from a variety of relationships. The fish depicted in the book are of different shapes and sizes, and are even joined intermittently by other creatures; a starfish, an octopus, a shark, suggesting implying a diversity of connections that can lead to belonging. Also, the Rainbow fish’s scales are a combination of all the colours of the other monochromatic fish. Through this Pfiser is implying that we have something in common with everyone, and so connections with others are not limited to a certain type. The correlation between connections with people and belonging is perhaps seen most clearly in As You like It through the contrast between Rosalind and Jacques, the brooding melancholic. Shakespeare juxtaposes the two characters to make the point that belonging arises primarily from connections. Where Rosalind has many friends such as her ‘dear coz’ Celia, Orlando and Touchstone, Jacques is alone and friendless, reveling in his melancholy which he ‘loves better than laughing’. He chooses not to belong, symbolized in his refusal to partake in the final dance, despite being beseeched by the Duke to ‘stay, Jacques, stay! ’ Where Jacques rejects connections in favor of ‘matter to be heard and learned’, Rosalind embraces them, and as a result is the happier, more fulfilled character. Shakespeare’s use of contrast clearly shows that belonging, and hence happiness, is an intrapersonal phenomenon. In many ways, Chris of Into The Wild mirrors Jacques. He refuses to belong, striving after Platonic ideals similarly to how Jacques seeks learning. He explicitly says that ‘rather than love†¦give me truth’, paralleling Jacques preference for knowledge over belonging. Unlike Jacques however, he regrets his decisions towards the end, seen through the director’s use of the diary to convey his thoughts. In an extreme close up, he writes ‘lonely’ slowly and deliberately, and underlines it to highlight the intensity of his feeling of isolation. The music is sad and haunting, emphasizing his regret over his alienation. Further to this, the final scene consists of a series of rapid flashbacks depicting characters with which he formed relationships. The voiceover is in second person ‘what if I were smiling and running you’re your arms? ’, with the use of the conditional tense highlighting his regret at his rejection of connections. This use of voice over combined with positive cumulative images ending in a still shot of Chris, suggests that our sense of belonging is important to both happiness and a sense of self. Like Chris, the Rainbow Fish ultimately realizes the value of belonging. Initially he was a character like Jacques; when offered by the others to ‘come join in’ he would glide past, ‘proud and silent’. However, in the end he chooses to share his ‘shimmering scales’, a recurring motif symbolizing love and friendship. This transition from isolation to belonging is further emphasised by the positioning of the fish in the book. On the first page, he is depicted alone in the centre, with his back to the other fish. As he learns to belong, he begins to turn towards others, eventually ending face to face as he gives away the first scale. His change of attitude is also reflected in the shift in colour scheme, from cooler hues of blue to warmer purples. This suggests happiness and love, again implying that a sense of belonging is vital to happiness. Both As You Like It and Into the Wild show that belonging may, and does, arise out of the connections we make with other people. These connections are a natural part of the human condition and can take many shapes and forms, but they are essential to happiness as it is a shared phenomenon.