Poverty: A Form of Slavery Essay -- poverty essay

Today they say that we are free, Only to be chained in poverty -- Bob Marley This paper will discuss poverty, the different types of poverty and their definitions and who is affected by each type of poverty. It will look at the some of the major reasons why poverty exists and what causes poverty, like such things as inequality, stratification and international debt. Some of the impacts of poverty will also be analyzed from a national and global perspective; things like education, literacy rate, and crime. This paper will demonstrate that poverty affects almost everyone in some form or another and exists because those with power and wealth want and need poverty to exist to force a dependence on the wealthy. A few of the main approaches that this is achieved is through economic systems, influencing government policies, and global stratification. Defining poverty is not a simple task and this is what this paper will tackle first. WHAT IS POVERTY Poverty is difficult to define exactly, as it has different meanings to different people depending on what country they live in, what culture they belong to, and how much income they earn. All these factors and more will change the way poverty is defined by an individual or organization (Seabrook, 2007, p.35). Adam Smith the classical economist had this view of poverty â€Å"poverty is a lack of those necessities that the custom of the country renders it indecent for creditable people, even of the lowest order, to be without† (Richmond and Saloojee, 2005, p.33). Another popular view of poverty is that of Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen who said the poor â€Å"cannot participate adequately in communal activities, or be free of public shame from failure to satisfy conventions† (Richmond and ... ... of slavery. Works Cited Deveaux, B. (Director). (2010). Poor no more [Motion Picture]. Ferrante, J. (2006). Global inequality and the challenges of reducing extreme poverty. (Cover story). Sociological Viewpoints, 225-19. McNally, D. (2006). Another world is possible: globalization and anti-capitalism. Winnipeg, Canada: Arbeiter Ring Publishing Murray, J. L., Linden, R., & Kendall, D. (2011). Sociology in our times. Toronto: Nelson Education. Raphael, D. (2007). Poverty and policy in Canada: implications for health and quality of life. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press Richmond, T., & Saloojee, A. (2005). Social inclusion. Black Point: Fernwood Publishing. Seabrook, J. (2007). The no-nonsense guide to world poverty. Toronto: New Internationalist Publications Sidel, R. (1998). Keeping women and children last. New York: Penguin Books

The Russian Mob Essay -- Essays Papers

The Russian Mob: Organized Crime in a Fledgling Democracy Since the late 1980’s the Russian people have experienced one of the most drastic transitions seen in the world to date, a transition from an attempt at communism to a workable capitalist system. As one would expect, this transition has not been painless and has been the impetus of many distressing problems for the Russian people. One such problem is organized crime. This paper will explore how organized crime during Soviet rule and the Russian Federation has created obstacles in this transition to a functioning market economy. It will illustrate how organized crime has done this by analyzing its transition from the USSR to the Russian Federation, the reasons behind its existence today, and how its operation impairs Russia’s attempts at a market economy. It will also provide some possible solutions for the crises organized crime has created, which currently plague the Russian people. Organized crime has worked its way through openings provided by the transition ec onomy to become a setback to the Russian society and economy. Its existence disables successful economic reform by influencing important issues such as competition, entrepreneurship, capital flight, the shadow economy, and violence. Basis in Soviet Union In order to understand organized crime in Russia today and its affect on the Russian economy, one must examine its roots in the Soviet Union. Although many acknowledge the existence of crime syndicates in the USSR, few are aware of their extent during the 70’s, 80’s, and early 90’s. As early as the 1970’s, the Russian mafia had advanced to the status of primary protectors and beneficiaries in the robust Soviet shadow economy (Anderson, 1995, 341... ...8. Shelley, Louise I. â€Å"Post-Soviet Organized Crime: A New Form of Authoritarianism.† Russian Organized Crime: The New Threat?. Ed. Phil Williams. London: Frank Class, 1997. 123-138. Shelley, Louise I. â€Å"The Challenge of Crime and Corruption.† Russia’s Policy Challenges. Ed. Stephen Wegren. New York: M. E. Sharpe, 2003. 103-122. Sterling, Claire. Thieves World: The Threat of the New Global Network of Organized Crime. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994. Volkov, Vadim. Violent Entrepreneurs. New York: Cornell University Press, 2002. Webster, William H., ed. Russian Organized Crime and Corruption: Putin’s Challenge. Washington: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2000. Williams, Phil. â€Å"How Serious a Threat is Russian Organized Crime?.† Introduction. Russian Organized Crime: The New Threat?. Ed. Phil Williams. London: Frank Class, 1997. 1-28. The Russian Mob Essay -- Essays Papers The Russian Mob: Organized Crime in a Fledgling Democracy Since the late 1980’s the Russian people have experienced one of the most drastic transitions seen in the world to date, a transition from an attempt at communism to a workable capitalist system. As one would expect, this transition has not been painless and has been the impetus of many distressing problems for the Russian people. One such problem is organized crime. This paper will explore how organized crime during Soviet rule and the Russian Federation has created obstacles in this transition to a functioning market economy. It will illustrate how organized crime has done this by analyzing its transition from the USSR to the Russian Federation, the reasons behind its existence today, and how its operation impairs Russia’s attempts at a market economy. It will also provide some possible solutions for the crises organized crime has created, which currently plague the Russian people. Organized crime has worked its way through openings provided by the transition ec onomy to become a setback to the Russian society and economy. Its existence disables successful economic reform by influencing important issues such as competition, entrepreneurship, capital flight, the shadow economy, and violence. Basis in Soviet Union In order to understand organized crime in Russia today and its affect on the Russian economy, one must examine its roots in the Soviet Union. Although many acknowledge the existence of crime syndicates in the USSR, few are aware of their extent during the 70’s, 80’s, and early 90’s. As early as the 1970’s, the Russian mafia had advanced to the status of primary protectors and beneficiaries in the robust Soviet shadow economy (Anderson, 1995, 341... ...8. Shelley, Louise I. â€Å"Post-Soviet Organized Crime: A New Form of Authoritarianism.† Russian Organized Crime: The New Threat?. Ed. Phil Williams. London: Frank Class, 1997. 123-138. Shelley, Louise I. â€Å"The Challenge of Crime and Corruption.† Russia’s Policy Challenges. Ed. Stephen Wegren. New York: M. E. Sharpe, 2003. 103-122. Sterling, Claire. Thieves World: The Threat of the New Global Network of Organized Crime. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994. Volkov, Vadim. Violent Entrepreneurs. New York: Cornell University Press, 2002. Webster, William H., ed. Russian Organized Crime and Corruption: Putin’s Challenge. Washington: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2000. Williams, Phil. â€Å"How Serious a Threat is Russian Organized Crime?.† Introduction. Russian Organized Crime: The New Threat?. Ed. Phil Williams. London: Frank Class, 1997. 1-28.

DNA Profiling Techniques in Forensic Science Essay

Abstract Since 1985, DNA profiling in forensic science has become very important in this virtual era of technology and in the world of science that solves both major and minor crimes. Small traces of DNA are considered in all circumstances from how the DNA was collected to fully obtaining the profile in its significant form. Traces of sweat, blood and semen are the most common type’s evidence found at crime scenes. There are several different methods for creating a DNA profile such as STR (Short Tandem Repeat), PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), Y chromosome analysis, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and Mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA) analysis. All these types of methods are able to extract DNA from a chosen sample taken from a crime scene. DNA profiling is the information of how a sample is processed and analysed and a DNA profile must be created by collecting and analysing VNTR’s (Variable Number Tandem Repeats), these are unique sequences on the loci which is an area on chromosomes. Most DNA sequences in different people look too similar to tell apart whereas VNTR result in bands that are unique enough for identification of individuals. Introduction DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material in almost all living organisms. In 1953 researchers J. Watson and F. Crick saw the structure of DNA. DNA consists of two long strands that are built up chain like, each consisting four nucleotide subunits, attached to a sugar phosphate backbone. Adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and thymine (T) are bases that are arranged pairwise in the middle of the DNA stand. The nucleotides are covalently linked together, from which the bases A and T, G and C bind by a hydrogen bond (Bray et al 2010: 173). Figure 1 shows the order of the bases, which determine the biological information available for building, and maintaining an organism, the sugar phosphate group molecules form the vertical side piece and the base pairs form a ring shape to create a spiral called a double helix. The two backbone chains run in opposite directions, this is specific for base to base bonding which allows this genetic information contained in DNA to be copied accurately from one generation of cells to the next. Figure 1 – DNA By Jaspreet (Bray et al 2012) There are 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans inherited from our parents, with each parent contributing one half of each pair. Chromosomes are made up of DNA, 22 pairs are autosomes and the last pair is a sex chromosome fig 2 shows this. Autosomes are chromosomes that are not sex chromosomes; they are individual which means that each person has a DNA profile as unique as a fingerprint. No two DNA profiles or fingerprints can be the same due to the combination of marker sizes found in each person makes up his/her unique genetic profile. When determining the relationship between two individuals, their genetic profiles are compared to see if they share the same inheritance patterns at a conclusive rate. Chromosomes are located in the nucleus of each cell and consist of long DNA strands where they are tightly packed and coiled around specific proteins called histones, which are looped and fixed to specific regions of the chromosome. There are 5 different kinds of histones (H1, H2A H2B, H3 and H4); they all bind to DNA to form chromatin in the nucleus during cell division where the chromatin condenses into visible structures that are the chromosomes itself. The DNA wrapped around each histone core is 200bp (base pair) long. Histones can be purified from DNA as H2A and H2B stick together as do H3 and H4 therefore making 8 proteins in each histone core with DNA wrapped is called a nucleosome which is 10nm (nano meter) fibre thickness, H1 is not part of the histone core as it binds to the nucleosome to give an even more structure to the chromatin and waits for the next interaction to take place. Fig 2 – 23 pairs of Chromosomes DNA is specific to its kind where identical twins are formed when a fertilised egg splits into two and develop into a full embryo. Identical twins will have the same genes making them alike in everything controlled by the genes itself. Although they have different phenotypes the DNA itself is expressed in different ways too. If identical twins are raised in different environments and stimuli they can develop some changes such as a genotype for a particular weight and height but this can only happen if they have enough food or a genotype for a potential IQ but again this will rely on the education and the right kind of stimulus received for that individual. Variation within humans result in the genes inherited from your parents and the environment you live in. (David Wright, 2000: 162) Main Body The techniques for identification of DNA profiling only need just a small amount of DNA but in some methods a larger amount is needed. DNA profiling is carried out when human biological fluid or human tissue is found at crime scenes and is used for evidence to link or exclude a possible suspect from the scene. DNA profiling can only be used if there is enough DNA within the sample taken and is only useful for comparing the samples. Samples taken can be compared to a national database of DNA profiling where there are over 700,000 samples in the UK national database alone. When there is a match, the two samples may have originated from the same person but before DNA can be profiled, it must be extracted from the sample in any of the following analysis depending on what the sample is and how much of it you have. One of the first techniques that were adapted for forensic DNA profiling was Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) where this kind of analysis determines variation in the length of a single DNA fragment. If two samples originate from different sources, RFLP can differentiate them using fewer loci than other systems. RFLP can determine whether a single sample contains DNA from more than one person but this can only happen if there is a large amount of greater quality DNA, this technique is stated to be ‘laborious and difficult to automate’ (Rudin and Inman. 2002: 41) (2). Fig 3 shows the RFLP process. Fig 3 – RFLP by Jaspreet (Botstein 2012) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a process where a specific region of DNA is replicated over and over again to make copies of a particular sequence. Fig 4 shows the process which involves the heating and cooling of samples in a thermal cycle pattern of three steps denaturation, annealing and elongation. The strands get separated and bind to primers (fig 5), which are pieces of DNA so that they attach to the DNA at each end of the region for it to be copied. PCR is very sensitive and effective in many ways in the use of forensic science. PCR only needs a small amount of blood compared to RFLP needs about a quarter. Fig 4 – PCR by Jaspreet (Prof Santiago 2012) The primers used in PCR define the region of the genome that will be analysed. Primers are short pieces of DNA that anneal to the template molecule at either end of the specific region Fig 5 illustrates this. For a forensic PCR analysis the primers must bind to the regions of the DNA sequence to effectively amplify the human DNA while at the same time taking precautions not binding DNA to any other species. (Goodwin et al, 2007) Fig 5 – Primers binding to the DNA strand which is known as the annealing stage. By Jaspreet (Davidson 2012) Short Tandem Repeat (STR) technology is a forensic analysis that evaluates specific regions, loci that are found on a DNA strand. STR is when the repeat units are shorter and each loci can be used simultaneously of two to six bases long. STR regions are analysed for forensic testing between one DNA profiles to another. The purpose of having a core set of STR loci (13 set loci) is to ensure that all forensic laboratories can get the DNA from databases and share valuable forensic information. STR’s does have some limitations on sensitivity where it will work on degraded DNA samples such as damaged body tissue or bone destroyed by fire but sometimes there just isn’t enough sample to be tested giving no results at all for example aged bone. To test even smaller sample of DNA currently mtDNA is the choice of technique. (Gill et al, 2001) Mitochondria produce 90% of a cell’s energy, and contain their own genomes in the form of a double-stranded circular molecule known as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). MtDNA is important for finding missing person’s investigations, mass disasters, and other forensic investigations. MtDNA is valuable for determining DNA recovered from damaged, degraded, or very small biological samples that techniques such as STR cannot extract with small amounts of DNA. MtDNA is a small circular genome located in the mitochondria, which are located outside of a cell’s nucleus. Fig 6 illustrates this. There are two properties of mtDNA: high copy number and maternal inheritance. Samples such as hair, bone and teeth can be used to examine common ancestry between individuals. Maternal inheritance such as grandmother, mother and daughter all have statistically the same mtDNA sequence within them as they have been passed on from generation to generation. This can help to find unidentified remains for analysis and comparison of the mtDNA profile to any maternal relative. High copy number is valuable for when the amount of material within the cell is very small for analysis. (Goodwin et al, 2007) Fig 6 – MtDNA by Jaspreet (Ferullo 2012) Y-chromosome analysis targets only the male population of biological samples as they are passed down from father to son unchanged, except when mutations occur. They can also be used to trace family members amongst males only. A reference Y-chromosome profile has to be compared with an unknown sample match for significance, to confirm that the match actually exists. The Y chromosome DNA testing is important in situations where a small amount of male DNA may be recovered in the presence of excess female DNA, such as in sexual assault evidence. Y chromosome analysis can also benefit missing person’s investigations as it extends the range of potential reference samples. Since fathers pass their Y chromosome onto their sons unchanged all males in a paternal lineage will possess a common Y chromosome haplotype. Conclusion DNA profiling technology is constantly evolving where techniques such as PCR, STR and mtDNA and new loci are being discovered and are being used widely around the world to solve crimes globally. From research and experience we know that the technique RFLP requires too much DNA for the process to take place, it also takes longer too this is the reason why forensic scientist do not use this anymore. However, PCR can be used to amplify very small amounts of DNA, usually in 2-3 hours, to the levels required for RFLP analysis. Therefore, more samples can be analyzed in a shorter time. The ability to analyse such small amounts of samples of evidence taken from crime scenes increases the automation and promises faster and more effective results for forensic evidence in court. DNA degradation can be easily identified on an electropherogram where the process can reduce the height of some alleles, making them too low to be recognised from the data. When there are too many samples of DNA degraded it is classed as no results being obtained and can complicate the interpretation of the samples if two or more are similar to each other. Degradation is more likely to occur during the technique of STR as the amplification of specific regions on the DNA strand will not be successful. References Books 1. John M. Butler, 2005, Forensic DNA Typing – Biology, Technology and Genetics of STR Marker. Elsevier Academic Press (USA). 2nd Edition, page 42 and 63. 2. Norah Rudin and Keith Inman, An introduction to Forensic Analysis, 2nd Edition, CRC Press LLC 2002, page 41, 58 3. Alberts Bray et al, 2010, Essential Cell Biology. Garland Science, Taylor & Francis Group LLC. 3rd Edition, page 173 4. William Goodwin et al, 2007. An Introduction to Forensic Genetics. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Page 41, 71, 127-132 5. David Wright, 2000. Human Physiology and Health. Heinemann Educational Publishers. Page 22, 162. Websites 6. http://www.nij.gov/topics/forensics/evidence/dna/basics/analyzing.htm#mitochondrial – accessed 21st November 2012 at 11.30am 7. http://www.iitk.ac.in/infocell/Archive/dirnov3/science.html – accessed November 20th, 2012 8. Ferullo, Daniel. 7.342 Powerhouse Rules: The Role of Mitochondria in Human Diseases,Spring 2011. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare), http://ocw.mit.edu (Accessed 29 Nov, 2012). License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA Journals 9. Gill, P., Sparkes, R. and Tully, G. (2001). DNA Profiling in Forensic Science. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. (1), 1-6. (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/npg.els.0001001/pdf) – accessed 19th November 2012 10. Renata Jacewicz, Krzysztof Lewandowski, Joanna Rupa-Matysek, Maciej Jedrzejczyk, Mieczysław Komarnicki and Jarosław Berent. 2012. Genetic investigation of biological materials from patients after stem cell transplantation based on autosomal as well as Y-chromosomal markers. Int J Legel Med. (1), 1-4. 11. Andreas Meyerhans, Jean-Pierre Vartanian and Simon Wain-Hobson. (1991). Strand Specific PCR amplification of Low Copy Number DNA. Nucleic Acids Research. 20 (3), 521-523.

Internet as a Learning Tool

International Journal of Computing and Business Research ISSN (Online) : 2229-6166 Volume 2 Issue 2 May 2011 INTERNET AS LEARNING TOOL: INDIAN ENGINEERING STUDENT’S PERCEPTION Vandana Sharma [1], Rishu Chhabra[2] 1 2 Education & Research, Infosys Technologies Limited, Mysore, Karnataka, India Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Chitkara University, Punjab, India, ABSTRACT Our global economy now relies on brainpower and innovation rather than manual labor and raw material as a generator of wealth and good education has become the key part in shaping the success of the countries.Over the last decade, t h e I T revolution has brought in advancement that shows increasingly visible effects on the education with the birth of online education. First student community realized the effect of the internet on their education. Invention of internet has removed all the barriers to learning. The scope of this paper is to analyze the north Indian engineering student’s percep tion about internet as learning tool effects of internet on them in perspective of their relations, education, entertainment and and socialization.Technology can have both positive and negative consequences on people in different walks of life at different times. Now necessity is to understand the true impact of it so that everybody gathers benefits that yield a healthy mind. In this paper, with the help of an empirical study it was inspected that whether the contacts via e- mail, online chatting and availability of information through Internet would lead our students in a better learned and connected individual. Study also examines the kind of learning mode students prefer.These issues are discovered in detail and suitable solutions are proposed to counter the negative effects of internet on students. Keyword: Internet, education, learning tool INTRODUCTION Internet is a tool for the improvement of learning. A textbook which was a traditional learning tool are now out of date as in ternet moves quickly and provides updated information and includes a wide variety of International Journal of Computing and Business Research ISSN (Online) : 2229-6166 Volume 2 Issue 2 May 2011 international sources. Now learning has a greater reliance on information acquired from the internet rather than from textbooks.Dependence on this tool has increased exponentially and unbelievably. Social, geographical, economical barriers are disappearing as students interact worldwide. The technological revolution has a faster and deeper impact on more and more lives. This has further increased with the improvement of technology. Venkatesh [1] surveyed in his paper that all technologies create an impact of s o m e k i n d . For example, the television technology has had an influence on the media habits of the public, their attitudes and behavior towards entertainment and the interaction between family members.Cole [2] assessed the requisite of Internet as a mainstream medium t h a t m a y s o o n b e a s prevalent a s television although pace of its diffusion seems much faster. Kraut e t al [3] conducted a longitudinal study on the effects of Internet on social involvement and psychological well-being. Their findings show that the greater use of the Internet was significantly related with decreased community within the family, a decrease in local social network and loneliness and depression. In a report of SIQSS, [4] N.Nie has also continued with the negative consequences of the Internet that are similar with the outcomes of the Kraut group. Katz and Aspden [5] made a survey using 2500 respondents, 8 percent of them were Internet users. Comparing users with non-users, they establish no evidence t h a t t h e u s e o f i nternet reduces people’s membership in social and religious organizations. Among users, more use of the Internet was related with additional contact with family members and an increased involvement in online communities. This survey contradicts the discoveries presented in [4] and [5].Wellman [6] made a survey on â€Å"the National Geographic Society website† and came out wi t h t h e s u g g es t i o ns t hat t h e I n t er n e t can be used for increasing interpersonal connectivity and organizational involvement. Not only can expose people to more inf ormation and more contacts, it can reduce commitment to community. However, this increased connectivity and involvement. In 2009 there were nearly 81,000,000 users of internet in India. There are many studies available at global level about the impact of internet on students but studies about Indian engineering students are not available.INTERNET IN EDUCATION There are number of main advantages of using internet for education [7] A . Flexibility and Variety The flexibility of the internet is possibly the greatest advantage for online education. Websites, interactive activities, lecture notes, videoconferencing, webinars, chartrooms, and blogs, online education studen ts and their educators can interact in ways that are already known to them. Internet provides user friendly interface International Journal of Computing and Business Research ISSN (Online) : 2229-6166 Volume 2 Issue 2 May 2011 to user and new users also feel more comfortable with time B.Ease and Low Cost of Access Internet has defeated the distance barrier for learning. Students need not to move to gain knowledge. It has become easy and affordable for everyone from a rural area student to a working professional. For the purpose of interactive courses and videoconferencing rural students are facing problem and this still requires attention C. Ease and Low Cost of Setting Information Online Email, chat and interactive online meeting has become new way of learning. Information regarding a course is all available online. This is not only accessible but is affordable for institutes also.Records are available for 24X7 for any time use. D. Ease of Updating Information Online Information up dation is easier than revising a textbook. Results can be displayed just after an exam. A new course is easy to add. New research or finding can become part of syllabus instantly. In [8] Aytekin ISMAN, Fahme DABAJ studied students-teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards internet based on various parameters. It was concluded that at education cycle of students concentrate more to learn internet alternatives and functions for getting great positive benefit their future life by adapting contemporary trends.In [9] Hong etal studied . Students' attitudes toward the use of the Internet for it is important that students should b e exposed learning at a university in Malaysia and showed that to this web based learning so that they could get benefit from Web-based courses and Web-assisted conducted in their field of specialization by the various departments. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this research was to collect information about the impact of internet on learning of eng ineering students. This study is directed to answer following questions: †¢ †¢ †¢ What is the attitude of students towards using internet for their course contents?Do the students prefer using internet over books? Does internet builds confidence in students by helping them in presentations etc.? METHODOLOGY The research instrument in this study was a questionnaire. There were total of 20 questions in this questionnaire each with five selections of response from â€Å"Strongly Agree† to Strongly Disagree†. Questions were divided into four categories. In first category questions were framed to measure student’s attitude toward International Journal of Computing and Business Research ISSN (Online) : 2229-6166 Volume 2 Issue 2 May 2011 he use of internet for their course purpose. Sample question for this category is â€Å"With the help of internet I am able to collect more study material â€Å". Second category asks students about their preference of internet over books. Sample question for this statement is â€Å"For study purpose I prefer spending time on internet surfing rather sitting in a library â€Å". Third category measures the student’s attitude for internet as a tool of confidence builder. Sample question is â€Å"Internet has boosted my confidence as I am able to present my reports, seminars etc. n better wayâ€Å". In the last category miscellaneous questions were asked to get student opinion about group learning through internet using blogs and discussion forums, their time spent on internet etc. As all students were engineering students, questions were not asked to measure their basic knowledge and skills of the internet. Population under investigation included 100 students of Computer Science & Engineering of a Wifi enabled engineering institute campus. All students use Laptop and Internet on daily basis. RESULT AND DISCUSSION A.Student’s attitude towards using internet for their syllabi There were four questions under this category. For each statement responses were coded 2 for â€Å"Strongly disagree â€Å"to 5 for â€Å"Strongly agree† and 1 for â€Å"No opinion†. Thus the scores for each student on the statement ranges from 8 to 20. Scores from 8-10, 12-16 and 17-20 were classified as having â€Å"negative† ,†neutral† and â€Å"Positive† attitude towards the use of internet for learning. Table 1 shows the result. Table1. Student’s attitude towards using internet for learning. Scores 8-10 12-16 17-20 Attitude Negative Neutral Positive Frequency 2 58 40B. Student’s preference of internet for study material over the books For each statement responses were coded for 2 â€Å"Strongly disagree â€Å"to 5 for â€Å"Strongly agree† and 1 for â€Å"No opinion†. Thus the scores for each student on the statement range from 10 to 21. Scores from 10-14, 1517 and 18-21 were classified as â€Å"do not prefer us ing internet â€Å",†no preference† and â€Å"prefer use of internet† over books. Table 2 shows the result of student’s preference of internet over books International Journal of Computing and Business Research ISSN (Online) : 2229-6166 Volume 2 Issue 2 May 2011Table2. Student’s preference of internet over books Scores 10-14 15-17 18-21 Preference Frequency Do not 15 Prefer No 48 preference 37 Prefer C. Student’s attitude towards internet as a confidence builder For each statement responses were coded 2 for â€Å"Strongly disagree â€Å"to 5 for â€Å"Strongly agree† and 1 for â€Å"no opinion†. Thus the scores for each student on the statement range from 2 to 10. Scores from 2-4, 5-7 and 810 were classified as having â€Å"Negative â€Å",†Neutral† and â€Å"Positive† attitudes towards the use of internet for learning.Table 3 shows the attitude of students toward internet as confidence builder. Table3. St udent’s attitude towards internet as a confidence builder. Scores 2-4 5-7 8-10 Attitude Negative Neutral Positive Frequency 11 31 58 Despite of the fact that the students in this survey were from computer science & engineering stream half of the students find it difficult to understand all the terms on WebPages. 90% students spend 1-5 hours on internet. 66% students use blogs and discussion forum for the solution to their technical problems.Only 8% students disagree that internet can be helpful in group learning. 79% students consider that mixture of online course and classroom course will be better for learning process. 84% students feel that internet helpful to prepare them for examination. 71% students do not find internet adding to laziness. 51 % students believe that the use of internet has decreased the verbal communications among themselves. Internet has positive impact on learning domain but has negative impact on social aspects of a student’s personality.Thoug h students realize this they should indulge more in social interactions and activities. Institutes should hold seminars time to time to make students aware about the importance of internet as learning tool. Institutes should encourage group learning through internet and should promote the use of blogs for learning purpose. Courses should be designed in blended format of classroom and online teaching. As result of this survey showed that more Indian students are opting online books as compare to paper book so use of online bookInternational Journal of Computing and Business Research ISSN (Online) : 2229-6166 Volume 2 Issue 2 May 2011 reading devices should be promoted. The use of such devices is user friendly. CONCLUSION In this paper result of the survey of use of internet as learning tool by engineering student has been presented. Engineering students are using computer and internet on daily basis. Maximum students find internet a very useful tool for their studies. Students prefer online books and study material. They find internet helpful to boost their confidence for presentations and reports.Engineering institutes should promote the use of internet as a learning tool and should provide infrastructure to facilitate the students. Students also feel that excess use of internet may cause some socialization problems. REFERENCES [1] A. Venkatesh, A c onceptualization of Household/Technology Interactions, Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 12, 189-194, 1985. [2] J. I. Cole, The Impact of the Internet on Our Social,Political and Economic Life, The UCCLA Center for communication Policy, 2000. [3] R. Kraut, M. Patterosn, V. undmark, S. Keisler, T.Mukophadhyay and W. Scherlis, Internet Paradox: being? , a Social Technology that Reduces Social Involvement and PsychologicalWell53(9),1998a. American Psychologist, [4] N. Nie, Study of social Consequences of the Internet, Stanford Institute of the Quantitative Study of Society (SIQSS), 2000. [5] J. Katz, and P. Aspden, Motivations for and Barriers to Internet Usage: Results of a national publicopinion survey,Internet Research-Electronic 170, 1997. [6] B. Wellman, A. Q. Haase, J. Witte, K. Hampton, Does the Internet Increase, Decrease, or Supplement Social Capital?Social Networks,Participation, and Community Commitment, The Internet in Everyday Life, American Behavioral Scientist, 45(3), 437-456, 2001. [7]http://www. college-university- directory. com/internet_1. html [8] Aytekin ISMAN, Fahme DABAJ, Attitudes of Students Towards Internet,Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE October 2004 ISSN 1302-6488 ,5 (4) [9] Kian-Sam Hong, Abang Ahmad Ridzuan , Ming-Koon Kuek , Students' attitudes toward the use of the Internet for learning: A study at a university in Malaysia. networking Applications and Policy, Vol. 7(3),

Micro Economics Fiori Pasta

1. Meet the Fiori family and its Fiori Pasta Company. Papa Don is the president, son Tony is vice-president of sales, and daughter Gina is vice-president of production. Fiori Pasta produces high-quality pasta products. It has estimated its demand curve for its pasta to be P=39. 898-0. 03757Q, This demand function has been given in terms of price. So to find the Total Revenue (TR) you need to multiply the above equation into Q (which is your quantity). TR=39. 898Q-0. 03757Q2 MR=39. 898-0. 0751Q where Q represents thousands of cartons (each containing five dozen packets of pasta) demanded per year by its wholesale customers.Its cost of producing this spaghetti has been estimated to be: TC = 2,500 + 12Q + 0. 01538Q2, where TC is measured in thousands of dollars. Fiori is having a management meeting to reconsider its pricing strategy. Its current price for the spaghetti is $27. 50 per carton. Since the current price is given we can estimate the current quantity to be 330 ,000 units. Don wants to maximize sales volume subject to earning a target profit of $500,000 per year. Tony wants to maximize sales revenue since his bonus payment varies directly with sales revenues.Gina wants to maximize profits so that the company can afford to install the latest high-tech manufacturing equipment. You have been hired to give an impartial analysis of pricing strategy for Fiori Pasta under the assumption that you will pursue a single price policy. a) As the consultant for Fiori Pasta, what price policy would maximize profits? b) What price policy will be chosen Tony Fiori? c) What price policy will Don Fiori choose? (Hint: plot the TR, TC, and Profit Function). Prepare your report for presentation at the Fiori management meeting and make your case for one particular price policy. For Revenue Maximization- Toni’s IdeaMR=0 MR=39. 898-0. 0751Q=0 When you solve for this you get the revenue sales maximizing quantity as Q=531,000 at a price of $19. 9 (this can be achieved by sub stituting the quantity of 531 into the demand equation given) Though in this method we are actually making losses as the price is low and the quantity isn’t enough to make up for the lost margin. Profit Maximization: Gina’s preference MR=MC MC= 12+0. 0308Q MR= Given above When you equate them to eachother you get the following profit maximizing quantity of 263,437 cartons at these are to be sold at a rice of $30 (you get this price by substituting the profit maximizing quantity into the emand equation given at the beginning) Quantity maximizing to achieve a profit 500,000 – Don’s preference Profit= Total Revenue- Total cost =39. 898Q-0. 03757Q2-2500-12Q-0. 01538 =52. 95Q2+27889Q-300,000 On solving this quadratic equation (which is basically a function on excel, she doesn’t expect anyone to actually solve it, though there is an equation ) You get two quantities= 376 and 151 So for the quantity of 376 we have a price of $25. 75 and $34. 24. I will ex plain this better later today. Hope it helps.

Importance Of Oil And How It Has Changed World Politics Essay

In the modern civilization, oil has great significance.   However, many people do not consider oil to be of great significance because they only associate it with the diesel or the petrol that they use for transport purposes. According to Yergin (Yergin, p 17), the world is addicted to oil. Due to the oil’s important role in all countries all over the world especially in the industrialized nations, there is need for countries to give attention to the international oil industry. The Middle East plays a major role in world politics in relation to oil. Majority of the world oil reserves are found in the Middle East and according to the British Petroleum company data, the Gulf oil reserves in 2005 accounted for 62 per cent .Of the world total oil reserves of 1,200bn barrels, Gulf reserves accounted for 743bn barrels. In this paper, the importance of oil will be discussed and an evaluation on how oil has changed the world politics will be given. Discussion Importance of oil One of the most important roles of oil is its contribution to the global economic development.   One of the ways through which oil leads to economic development is its use in providing energy for various forms of transport such as planes, vehicles and trains. The modern civilization is built on oil.   In almost all countries all over the world, the transport system accounts for more than 50 per cent of oil consumption. The transport sector due to its high dependence on oil is estimated to contribute to the world’s 90 per cent increase in carbon emissions in EU by 2010. Development and technological advancement increases the demand for oil in the transport sector.   According to Chomat (Chomat, p 10) depends heavily in oil. Engdahl (Engdahl, p 23) asserts that in Europe and the United States, oil and oil-derived products in the transport industry account for about one third of the total amount of energy consumed in the world.   In India, China, and other developing nations in Asia, the economic prosperity and technological advancement has led to an increase in demand for oil in the transport sector as more trains, vehicles, and planes are being produced.   In America, the enormous fleet of vehicles, trains, and planes depend on oil for 97 per cent for fuel.   For countries that have oil reserves, oil that is used in the transport industry is much cheaper. Research conducted on the members of the organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) indicated that the transport sector accounts for an increase in demand for oil.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Due to the high demand for oil, world oil prices keep on increasing, making bio-fuel, solar energy and nuclear energy to become   alternative sources of energy. Apart from being used as fuel in the transport sector, oil provides energy in the operation of machines in the industries, factories, and production plants. Kenneth (Kenneth, p 36) asserts that in the industrial and domestic buildings, oil is used for heating hence making oil one of the most commonly used products at home and in industries. In the industrial sector, natural gas produced from oil has become a primary energy source.   This sector has maintained the lead in the consumption of natural gas and it is estimated that by 2030, the industrial sector will account for 43 per cent of the projected use of natural gas. The gas has become an attractive choice for the power generating plants due to its low carbon dioxide intensity as well as its relative fuel efficiency.   It is projected that by 2030, 35 per cent of world’s consumption of natural gas will be accounted for by the electricity generation plants. The developing countries consume half of the world’s production of kerosene which is used for lighting and for cooking. In the developed nations such as the United States and the European nations, kerosene is used as jet fuel. Industries and factories that produce plastics and paints use oil as a raw material.   Industries in the modern economies rely heavily on oil to produce commodities and natural gas which is produced from oil fields is a major raw material in fertilizer production.   Examples of nations that produce fertilizers from natural gas are Saudi Arabia which is currently one of the world’s largest oil producers. Yergin (Yergin, p 12) asserts that oil is very important in the production of food all over the world because it supports agricultural production activities. Oil that is derived from petroleum is used for heating, powering the combustion engines, and lighting.   When it comes to heating purposes, the high boiling point of the oil is good for cooling systems and the non-polarity quality of oil makes it very significant for lubrication for various engineering purposes. This is one reason why oil is very important in industries where machines are used for production.   The high demand for paints has been increasing over the years as modernization result to construction of buildings in urban and rural areas.   Since the 15th century, oil has been used in paint production because color pigments in paints can be suspended in oil.     Ã‚  As industries grow while others are newly established, demand for oil will continue to increase. How oil has changed world politics The use of oil in all aspects of life in the modern civilization demands that countries have easy access to the resource.   In addition, accessing oil at a cheaper price has become a critical factor for countries.   The desire by nations to attain economic prosperity and financial independence influences the diplomatic and economic relations between nations. A good example of how oil has shaped the world politics is the relationship between the West and Middle East.   Currently, Middle East region accounts for the largest world oil production. Saudi Arabia which exports oil has established diplomatic ties with the US and European nations. This influences the political relations between the nations.   Before oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia, Britain had political influence in the region.   When the kingdom of Saudi Arabia was established, King Abdul Aziz efforts to give concession to either a Britain or American companies to drill oil has changed the political relations between the West and Middle East. The American Standard Oil of California which won the concession made America have control over rich oil fields in the Kingdom at the disadvantage of the British who were competing with America for concession. Aaron (Aaron, p 21) states that since then, the political relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia have been good. The great economic benefits that oil brought to Saudi Arabia led to good diplomatic relations between the kingdom and the United States.   Although the US had earlier shown little interest in Middle East political matters due to its isolationist policies, its relations with Saudi Arabia has made the US to be greatly involved in political matters in the region. Saudi Arabia has become an ally of the United States as it pursues its political interest in Middle East. For example, due to the diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States since the 1930s, Saudi Arabia supported the Allies during the World War I.   King Abdulaziz who is the founder of the Kingdom during the war allowed the United States aircraft to fly over the Kingdom’s territory.  Ã‚  Ã‚   This was vital for the US and allied nations. In addition, the good relations between America and Saudi Arabia assisted the US to deploy its troops during the cold war.   The US through its troops in Saudi Arabia helped it to contain the Soviet Union and eventually, the United States managed to gain political influence in the Gulf region at the expense of Britain.   The Saudi oil reserves have for a long time given America security in relation to oil. This has enabled the US maintain its political influence as a superpower. Through the diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and the United States, America has managed to influence the political agenda of nations such as Russia.   Just like the United States, Saudi Arabia does not support communism that is promoted by the Soviet Union. For nations to achieve economic prosperity, oil is a very critical commodity. Matthew (Matthew, p 52) states that competition for economic and political power between nations has resulted to competition for oil.   For the nations, the security of oil supplies has become an issue of concern which has in turn made the major oil producing countries which are members to the OPEC play a critical role in the security of oil supplies. It is estimated that 40 percent of oil demand in the world is met by oil supplies from OPEC countries because the countries account for 75 percent of world oil reserves.   This has compelled oil exporting nations to develop good relations with the oil producing countries.   The need to ensure that in future a country will have security of oil supplies has made countries to compete for the available oil resources. This has led to political conflicts as nations compete for the oil reserves. Furthermore, the oil trade has become an important issue in world politics.   The efforts to take control of the oil trade have influenced the development of policies which have had influence on the political issues. As nations quest for oil, the political interests of the countries which export oil aim at obtaining adequate and cheap oil. The World War II had a great impact on political relations between nations that belonged to the Allies and the Axis alliances. The war encouraged diplomatic relations between nations while it increased hostility between others. According to Miller (Miller, p, 13), the Allied forces during the war recognized the importance of oil in the war hence it tried to drain the Axis oil reserves. The Oil Campaign of World War II had Allied forces bomb the oil facilities that supplied the Nazi Germany with oil. The Allies and the Axis got involved into a military conflict due to differences in political ideology and need to have power. One of the factors that currently guarantee a nation’s of its power over other nations is oil security. To maintain power and oil security, the Allied nations formed the United Nations which up to date allows the nations to promote the achievement of their political agenda. The relations between United States, Europe and Central Asian nations which have oil reserves have influenced politics in these nations. For instance, one of the Central Asian nations that have oil reserves that the US is interested is Kazakhastan.The oil politics in Central Asia (Oil Politics in Central Asia, 2009) indicate that for the US to access Kazakhstan’s oil through pipeline, the pipeline would need to go through Afghanistan. This is considered to be the reason why the US is determined to end the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The US â€Å"War on Terror† promotes the US war in Afghanistan which has triggered political debates and shaped political relations all over world .Another issue that Wright (Wright, p 18) points out about the US political interest in Middle East is that the US invasion in Iraq was influenced by America’s quest for oil. Various national oil companies compete for the strategic oil resources.   For example, development in Asian nations such as Japan and China has made the competition for the oil between oil companies to be stiff. The companies have been experiencing increased competition for oil in Eurasia and Middle East .In the past, the Chinese Sinopec and ENPC, India’s IOC and Russia’s Lukiol have been competing for oil resources in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.   The oil deals made between the national oil companies and oil producing countries has encouraged good diplomatic relations between nations. Consequently, this makes the nations promote political agenda that does not affect the business deals. The need to benefit from the oil industry has encouraged trade alliances and agreements between nations.   By forming investment alliances, national oil companies from different nations can end political hostility between nations. On the other hand, political hostility between nations can result from the reluctance of nations to get engaged in oil trade deals.   For example, Russian oil companies in the past have been reluctant to establish alliances with Chinese and Western nations’ oil companies. This reluctance has continued play a role in the political relation between Russia and the nations it considers to be a threat.   Roger (Roger, p 52) confirms that when nations establish trade deals that aim at ensuring that a country has access to adequate oil, good relations makes the countries offer each other political support when the need to do so arises.   Due to the benefits the country derive from each other, the countries tend to support similar political interests.   For instance, a nation offers its political support to another country to guard itself from economic loss if the country it depends on for oil has its oil reserves affected. The Organization of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) for example has its member countries protect each others’ political agenda as long as it is for the good interest of the organization.   The mission of this intergovernmental organization is to ensure stability of oil markets, unify the member countries petroleum policies and ensuring regular supply of petroleum in the market. In addition, the organization commitment to ensure that those who invest in the petroleum industry get   financial returns and that oil producers get a steady income has made it necessary for its members to support political agenda that benefits the member states.   The member states which include United Arab Emirates, Ecuador, Algeria, Angola, Libya, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Nigeria and Iran through oil have managed influence global oil prices.   The internal politics of these nations affect the OPEC production quotas which in turn influence political interests of other nations which export oil.

Arming Pilots Essay Example for Free

Arming Pilots Essay After the September 11th attacks on America’s homeland, citizens became aware that action must be taken to protect passengers and pilots from terrorists. Although strict security measures have been put in place at all American airports, the only way to be certain that another terrorist attack does not occur using commercial aircraft lies in arming pilots with handguns. Not only will arming pilots help act as a preventative measure, it will ensure safer air travel and restore faith in America’s main form of long distance travel. Even though the number of hijackings is minuscule compared to the number of flights, arming pilots would be a first line of deterrence and a last line of defense. Some people may argue that other means should be used to stop hijackers, but as is the case with any illegal activity, if a person wants to commit a crime they will find the means. Therefore, the only way to prevent aircraft hijackings is with the use of guns. One alternative way that has been suggested is arming pilots with tasers, electric shock probes. These are considered problematic by many experts and do not guarantee bringing down a hijacker. As Criminal Justice expert Michael Swedemen said, â€Å"Had the pilots on the ill-fated planes on September 11th had stun guns, they might have dropped one of the hijackers, but the remaining three or four still would have overpowered the plane† (Dougherty, 2002, January 22). Arming pilots would also aid airlines in recovering from the economic downfall that has plagued the industry since the attacks. With armed pilots, passengers would know they are safe from any possibility of a hijacking and the only thing that might cause catastrophic damage would be an unforeseen mechanical problem. Should hijackers be among the passengers they could easily be brought down with guns similar to that of a defiant criminal. Opponents have argued that a stray bullet might penetrate the fuselage or inadvertently hit an innocent passenger. The Air Line Pilot’s Association has called for arming pilots using special ammunition that can kill an attacker but not pierce the fuselage (Dougherty, 2002, January 22). Hitting an innocent passenger is a risk that must be taken. One innocent life lost is far better than the possible countless losses on the hijacked aircraft and immanent destruction resulting on the ground. If passengers know that hijackers cannot take control of the plane, millions of Americans would once again begin flying which would improve economic conditions in a hurting industry. Other questions lie in the ability and mental state of a pilot to carry weapons. Senator Bob Smith (R-N. H. said, â€Å"Commercial pilots are trusted with the lives of thousands of Americans every day, and with proper training they could †¦ protect our skies from future acts of terrorism† (Dougherty, 2002, March 19). Pilots are some of the most mentally, physically, and psychologically tested people with hand/eye coordination that is among the best in any profession. Issuing firearms to pilots would, in effect, be like issuing a gun to a police officer. A pilot should be able to defend his aircraft instead of being left defenseless. The second amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms. As this is true for a homeowner to protect his family and himself, this should be true for pilots and their aircraft should they come under attack. Although the idea of using air marshals still exists, they are seen as being less effective. Along with ineffectiveness, the cost of placing an air marshal on every flight is unrealistic. A pilot who has undergone the proper training can perform the same task while being paid by the airlines, rather than spending taxpayer’s dollars (Shaw, 2001, September 19). As support for handguns in the cockpit grows, we must ask ourselves if four guns had been in the cockpit on September 11th would 3,000 people be dead, two 110 story buildings have been brought down, the Pentagon attacked, and a nation left in shock? Americans must realize that committed terrorists will be able to get past security, leaving pilots as the last line of defense. Along with pilots, many Americans feel these measures have to be taken in order to make the friendly skies, friendly again. Arming Pilots. (2016, Sep 18).