Week 1 H Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Week 1 H - Essay Example Time stamps are vital in supporting multiple authentications that lack multiple requests in an authentication server (Coulouris, Dollimore & Kindberg 2006, p.550). In Kerberos protocol, timestamps are useful as nonce’s preventing dependence of synchronized clocks. The use of timestamps with Kerberos demonstrates a protocol that utilizes four messages to perform identification. Utilization of time stamps ensures removal of messages in the process of decreasing the message number in the requirement for authentication (Coulouris, Dollimore & Kindberg 2006, p.551). Use of timestamps may support single way identification especially, when a communication server operating in a single direction is evident (Anderson, 2008). The design of Kerberos serves as a reducer of state at the final server; the use of the time stamps ensures avoidance of per-connection (Anderson, 2008). Time stamps are sufficient in the case of protocols that do not compose of states. Timestamps provides a basis for proper server operation because it is not mandatory for the server to remain in an active state while in wait for message reception (Coulouris, Dollimore & Kindberg, 2006). Making the window narrow is vital in ensuring reduction of impending states. A timestamp can be in use as a nonce where client generation is a need. Timestamps is fundamental in Kerberos protocol because they enhance fresh conveyance of messages from the client to the final server. Utilizing timestamps as nonce is fundamental because it maintains security of the recognition protocol (Anderson, 2008). The use of Kerberos with the timestamps ensures regulation of access time to prevent eavesdropping. Eavesdropping allows unknown individuals to gain access to systems by acquiring vital information such consisting passwords. Kerberos ensures secure network where pretense becomes difficult (Anderson, 2008). A secure protocol will

A Brief History of the Hybrid Vehicle Essay Example for Free

A Brief History of the Hybrid Vehicle Essay First built in the early 1900s by inventors tinkering with combinations of the electric motor and the gasoline engine, hybrid vehicles were dropped when gasoline-fueled vehicles became more reliable and easier to start, and gasoline fuel more readily available. Research and development of hybrid vehicles was revived by concern about oil dependency in the1970s and about air pollution in the late 1980s. A number of hybrid vehicles have been built and tested since 1980. Some of these vehicles have impressed analysts with their performance and low levels of exhaust and petroleum consumption. Interest in hybrid vehicles jumped in late 1993 with the announcement of funding for two major collaborations. The US Department of Energy signed a five-year, $138 million development agreement with General Motors and a $122 million agreement with Ford to design and build preproduction hybrid prototypes that could be marketed in less than 10 years. [1] All these were done because hybrid electric vehicles are expected to be the future of vehicles worldwide. Definition One considers a vehicle to be a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. For example, a mo-ped (a motorized pedal bike) is a hybrid because it combines the power of a gasoline engine with the pedal power of its rider. Similarly, the gasoline-electric hybrid car is a combination of both an electric car and a gasoline-powered one. That is, it makes use of both electricity and gasoline to provide the energy to turn the wheels of the car. Figure 1 shows a gas-powered car. [2] Components Of A Gasoline Powered Car The 4-cylinder engine converts gasoline into motion so that the car can move. The easiest way it does this is to burn the gasoline inside the engine. Therefore is acts as an internal combustion engine i. e. combustion takes place internally. Gasoline powered car engines typically have over 100 horsepower and operate at speeds up to 8000 RPM. The fuel tank stores and supplies gasoline to the engine. It can typically store enough fuel to provide the engine with energy capable of moving the car through a distance of 300 miles or more. Figure 2 below shows an electric car, which has a set of batteries that provides electricity to an electric motor. The motor turns a transmission, and the transmission turns the wheels. [3] Components Of An Electric Car The batteries store and provide energy to the electric motor in an electric car just as the fuel tank does for the engine in a gasoline powered car. It usually gives the car a range of 50 100 miles which is much less than that typically provided by a fuel tank (300 miles). The electric motor is the device that provides motion in an electric car. It converts the energy it receives from the batteries into motion which is used to turn a transmission which then in turn rotates the wheels. It is able to spin up to 15000 RPM and has up to 100 kW of power. Since this motion is connected to the transmission, the transmission also spins the wheel up to this rate. Thus, electric cars would tend to move faster than gasoline powered cars. Components Common To Both The Electric Car And The Gasoline Powered Car The transmission is the device that does the actual turning of the wheel in both cars. There are several ways of combining the two sources of power found in a hybrid car. The Parallel Hybrid Car: This has a fuel tank which supplies gasoline to the engine. In addition, it has a set of batteries that supplies power to an electric motor. Both the engine and the engine motor can turn the transmission at the same time and the transmission then turns the wheels. Figure 3 shows a typical parallel hybrid. The fuel tank and gas engine connect to the transmission. The batteries and electric motor also connect to the transmission independently. As a result, in a parallel hybrid, both the electric motor and the gas engine can provide propulsion power. The Series Hybrid Car: The gasoline engine in this car turns a generator and the generator can either charge the batteries or power an electric motor that drives the transmission. Thus the gasoline engine never directly powers the vehicle. All of the components form a line that eventually connects with the transmission. [4] Hybrid Components Gasoline engine The hybrid car has a gasoline engine much like the one you will find on most cars. However, the engine on a hybrid is smaller and uses advanced technologies to reduce emissions and increase efficiency. The engine turns the generator. It is not able to power the car directly. Fuel tank The fuel tank in a hybrid is the energy storage device for the gasoline engine. Gasoline has a much higher energy density than batteries do. For example, it takes about 1,000 pounds of batteries to store as much energy as 1 gallon (7 pounds) of gasoline. Electric motor The electric motor on a hybrid car is very sophisticated. Advanced electronics allow it to act as a motor as well as a generator. For example, when it needs to, it can draw energy from the batteries to accelerate the car. But acting as a generator, it can slow the car down and return energy to the batteries. Generator The generator is similar to an electric motor, but it acts only to produce electrical power. It is used mostly on series hybrids. It is where the gas engines power gets converted to electrical power to drive the motor or charge the batteries. Batteries The batteries in a hybrid car are the energy storage device for the electric motor. Unlike the gasoline in the fuel tank, which can only power the gasoline engine, the electric motor on a hybrid car can put energy into the batteries as well as draw energy from them. They can store energy recovered from braking or generated by the motor. Transmission The transmission on a hybrid car performs the same basic function as the transmission on a conventional car i.e. turns the wheels. The motor can spin fast enough so that the transmission needs only one gear. Some hybrids, like the Honda Insight, have conventional transmissions. Others, like the Toyota Prius, have radically different ones like the CVT. CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission. It is used to vary the transmission ratio in vehicles continuously. The way CVT works depends on the type: Friction CVTs vary the radius of the contact point between two rotating objects, thus the tangential velocity; Hydrostatic CVTs vary the fluid flow with variable displacement pumps into hydrostatic motors; Ratcheting CVTs vary the stroke of a reciprocating motion, which is connected to a free-wheel, resulting unidirectional rotation. Image courtesy DaimlerChrysler The Mercedes-Benz M-Class HYPER a hybrid concept vehicle[5] Reasons For The Introduction Of Hybrid Electric Vehicles To reduce tailpipe emissions: Gasoline cars are a major source of these emissions. Many attempts are being made by several organizations to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from cars through the development of hybrid electric vehicles. For example, Nutley, NJ-based Hoffman-La Roche, Inc. (Roche), the U. S. prescription drug unit of the Roche Group, recently announced plans to integrate Toyota Prius and Ford Escape hybrid electric vehicles into its pharmaceutical sales fleet in an effort to help achieve the companys goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent over the next five years. [6] To improve mileage: Automakers in the US need to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards as required by law. At present, all new cars sold should be 27. 5mpg (8. 55 liters per 100km). [7] To overcome the shortcomings of an electric car: Electric cars have a short charge. They lacked the range (energy density of electric-vehicle batteries hovered around 70 to 100 watt-hours per kilogram, which automotive engineers called unacceptable) and the quick recharge time the auto industry said it needed. An example is seen in the case where GM introduced the EV1 in 1996. It had a top speed of 183 MPH, faster than any other production car out. It had a limiter that would not let it get above 85 MPH, because to drive the car at 183 MPH would deplete the batteries of their charge within 10 minutes. [8] Energy Consumption: Hybrid Electric Vehicles consume less energy than Internal-Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles. [9] Why Are Hybrid Electric Vehicles A Better Choice? An important aspect of hybrid electric vehicles is that they make use of smaller engines. There are many advantages to this: Big engines are heavier than smaller ones so the car uses more energy anytime it accelerates or drives up a hill. The displacement of the cylinders is larger so each cylinder requires a greater volume of fuel. Bigger engines usually have more cylinders, and each cylinder uses fuel every time the engine fires, even if the car isnt moving. These are the reasons there is a difference in the mileage of two cars of the same model with different engines. If both cars are driving along the freeway at the same speed, the one with the smaller engine uses less energy. Both engines have to output the same amount of power to drive the car, but the small engine uses less power to drive itself. In a hybrid car, the gasoline engine can be much smaller than the one in a conventional car and thus can be more efficient. The engine in the hybrid car is powerful enough to move the car along on the freeway, but when it needs to get the car moving in a hurry, or go up a steep hill, it needs help. That help comes from the electric motor and battery this system steps in to provide the necessary extra power. The gas engine on a conventional car is sized for the peak power requirement (those few times when you floor the accelerator pedal). In fact, most drivers use the peak power of their engines less than one percent of the time. The hybrid car uses a much smaller engine, one that is sized closer to the average power requirement than to the peak power. Ways Hybrid Electric Vehicles Reduce Energy Consumption Besides a smaller, more efficient engine, todays hybrids use many other tricks to increase fuel efficiency. Some of those tricks will help any type of car get better mileage, and some only apply to a hybrid. To squeeze every last mile out of a gallon of gasoline, a hybrid car can: Recover energy and store it in the battery Whenever you step on the brake pedal in your car, you are removing energy from the car. The faster a car is going, the more kinetic energy it has. The brakes of a car remove this energy and dissipate it in the form of heat. A hybrid car can capture some of this energy and store it in the battery to use later. It does this by using regenerative braking. That is, instead of just using the brakes to stop the car, the electric motor that drives the hybrid can also slow the car. In this mode, the electric motor acts as a generator and charges the batteries while the car is slowing down. Sometimes shut off the engine A hybrid car does not need to rely on the gasoline engine all of the time because it has an alternate power source the electric motor and batteries. So the hybrid car can sometimes turn off the gasoline engine, for example when the vehicle is stopped at a red light. Figure 5. The frontal area profile of a small and large car Use advanced aerodynamics to reduce drag When you are driving on the freeway, most of the work your engine does goes into pushing the car through the air. This force is known as aerodynamic drag. This drag force can be reduced in a variety of ways. One sure way is to reduce the frontal area of the car (Figure 5). Think of how a big SUV has to push a much greater area through the air than a tiny sports car. Reducing disturbances around objects that stick out from the car or eliminating them altogether can also help to improve the aerodynamics. For example, covers over the wheel housings smooth the airflow and reduce drag. And sometimes, mirrors are replaced with small cameras. Use low-rolling resistance tires The tires on most cars are optimized to give a smooth ride, minimize noise, and provide good traction in a variety of weather conditions. But they are rarely optimized for efficiency. In fact, the tires cause a surprising amount of drag while you are driving. Hybrid cars use special tires that are both stiffer and inflated to a higher pressure than conventional tires. The result is that they cause about half the drag of regular tires. Use lightweight materials Reducing the overall weight of a car is one easy way to increase the mileage. A lighter vehicle uses less energy each time you accelerate or drive up a hill. Composite materials like carbon fiber or lightweight metals like aluminum and magnesium can be used to reduce weight. [10] Despite the advantages of hybrid vehicles, they are a middling choice whose future is far from assured. They are likely to be a victim of regulatory circumstance in the near term, pushed aside by improvements in gasoline emissions and by the Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) mandate which states that a specified percentage of manufacturers sales consist of ZEVs. [11] In the longer term, they will be squeezed between improving batteries and emerging fuel cells. If only fuel cells and advanced batteries falter, hybrid vehicles would have considerable promise and could play a central role in creating a more sustainable transportation system. Nissan Motor Company CEO Carlos Ghosn announced that he is unsure whether hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) will remain competitive in the compact car market if the price of gasoline drops in the future. Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo, Ghosn acknowledged that Nissan will unveil a new HEV in 2006 as planned, but only to meet tightening emission regulations in California. Ghosn expressed doubt that U. S. benchmark crude prices would remain at current levels of $50 per barrel, which is fueling strong demand for HEVs. Reuters said Nissan instead plans to market its new fuel-efficient, gasoline-powered Tiida compact car to environmentally conscious drivers. [12] Disadvantages Of Hybrid Electric Vehicles By combining two propulsion systems and their associated energy storage units, they are inherently more complex than both pure battery-powered electric and pure internal-combustion vehicles. Comments [1] Daniel Sperling; Future Drive: Electric Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation, pg 101 [2] http://auto. howstuffworks. com/hybrid-car1. htm [3] http://auto. howstuffworks. com/hybrid-car1. htm [4] http://auto. howstuffworks. com/hybrid-car2. htm [5] http://auto. howstuffworks. com/hybrid-car3. htm [6]http://web1. infotrac. galegroup. com/itw/infomark/155/298/52759225w1/purl=rc1_ITOF_0_A122672547dyn=5! xrn_15_0_A122672547?sw_aep=swar94187, Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Today, Sept 30, 2004 p0 , Article A122672547 [7]. http://auto. howstuffworks. com/hybrid-car4. htm [8] http://www. morphizm. com/observations/borah/borah_corner1. html [9] Daniel Sperling; Future Drive: Electric Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation, pg 100 [10] http://auto. howstuffworks. com/hybrid-car8. htm [11] Daniel Sperling; Future Drive: Electric Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation, pg 2 [12] Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Today, Oct. 7, 2004, p0; Article A122947647.

Refugees, Children in detention and rights

Refugees, Children in detention and rights Refugees, Children in detention Backdrop Half of the worlds refugees are children but their voices are amongst the least heard. Amidst the debate and conflict around refugees and border protection, the rights of refugee children have been neglected. The vulnerable condition of refugee children is evident from the statement of Ibrahim Ishreti, a refugee child living on bridging visa, he says: before coming to Australia we heard that everyones human rights and freedoms are respected here but nobody would believe what is happening to us†¦ We dont have any human rights and are treating like animals. Like other human beings our lives are not normal and our feelings and thinking are dead. We are depressed and can not smile[1]. Australia is signatory of significant number of human rights treaties including the1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol and own affluent custom of providing shelter to refugees, however the current policy of mandatory detention for on-shore arrival including children (whether accompanied or unaccompanied) has acutely damaged its international reputation. The mandatory detention might be justifiable policy concerns but it advanced wide community pro and contra debate and discussion in the country. The writer is a Pakistani origin immigrant in Australia. Pakistan considers a poorest country of the world host over a million Afghan refugees enjoying ample freedoms, however in Australia where the number of unauthorized arrivals has never been much more than 4000 in any one year are placed indefinitely in detention camps with limited access to services, hence the motive for selecting this topic. Key Aspects of the Policy The inherent intentions for implementing the mandatory detention policy are to have an â€Å"ordered† approach to immigration and to make certain that the countrys boundaries are secure. But little or no consideration has been given to the impact of these polices on the children who are caught up in them. That policy ââ€"  Denies internationally recognised fundamental human rights to all children of particular social group; ââ€"  Children without committing any crime are put behind razor wire and are locks up. ââ€"  And fails to recognises the vulnerability and special needs of these children. United Nations being representative body of the international community has undertaken the responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights of all human beings including children. Therefore the UN has adopted separate legislation i.e. â€Å"UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)† in 1989 for the protection of child rights to which Australia became party in 1990. The UNCRC is an exhaustive code of guidance and management for policy development and practices relating to children. This specific child rights legislation emphasizes that a child seeking refugee status is entitle for appropriate protection and humanitarian assistance. The various human rights treaties grant universal rights to refugee children like all other people and additional rights as children and particular rights as refugee. Therefore refugee children are entitled for special treatment and care and not to be treated discriminately. Nevertheless many Australian might support or oppose the governments policy of dealing asylum seekers but the indisputable reality is that subjecting children to any form of detention is a breach of their guaranteed rights. Imprisoning these children in the context of UNCRC is either â€Å"cruel and inhuman treatment† or in soft words is â€Å"harsh treatment†, which are undesirable under the convention. The concerns due to which these children fled from their countries, detention adds in their sorrows and concerns. Therefore if we cant recompense their grievances and concerns then we dont have the right to add into it. The UNCRC articulates[2] that â€Å"holding children in detention shall be used as a measure of last resort and only for the shortest possible time†. But the Australian practice seems to be the denial of this vested right since here refugee children are detained at the outset of their unauthorized arrival. Without going into the facts finding of their flight for a known country putting these children in detention is like closing eyes from their dilapidated conditions they suffered from in their home countries. Being national of this country our happiest lives can never comprehend the worse situations they passed from and pushing into confinement compel them to spend formative years of their lives in detention, which will obviously damage their future personality traits[3]. Keeping children in mandatory detention is denial of their internationally recognised basic human rights. Oftenly it has been experienced that during relief activities the children needs are not properly taking care of which are of vital importance for their normal development and growth. Every child has certain age-specific requirements that must be satisfied, for instance basic health care, nutrition and education are necessary for physical and mental development. Healthy psychosocial development depends in large measure on the nurturing and stimulation that children receive as they grow, and on the opportunities that they have to learn and master new skills. The healthy psychosocial development in refugee children should involve counseling and skills for coping effectively the multiple trauma of loss, uprooting and often more damaging experiences. Hence where the childrens developmental needs are not sufficiently met it results in long-term tragic consequences. Challenges and/or Controversies The Australia international obligations relating to refugees and children are not adequately publicised amongst public at large therefore everyone has their own perception about refugees. Majority believe that refugees are lairs, criminals, ‘forum shoppers, welfare cheats and queue jumpers[4]. It is interesting to note neither international law recognizes the terminology of ‘queue jumper nor other civilized nations use this terminology. The obvious reason for using this terminology could be that Australia is not willing to grant refugee status every individual opted for such status instead it has the intention to allow a carefully selected populace of pre-chosen countries to live as refugees in the country. A significant number of Australians also consider refugees a threat to economy and social services sector of the country. The arrival of children seeking refuge in Australia is comparatively less than the other developed countries, however still children remain a significant percentage of the total number of arrivals. Sometimes children flee alongwith their parents and/or guardians and sometimes alone (usually known as unaccompanied minors). The flight from homeland to the country of refuge subjects all including children to the notions of a new authority though a child neither has any motive nor has any voice in the decision of flight. Article 3 of the UNCRC gives overriding effect to the principle of ‘Best Interests of the child in these wording; â€Å"In all actions concerning children, weather undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interest of the child shall be a primary consideration†. The principle of ‘Best Interests of the child has been enunciated in different Australian laws however the law relating to onshore management of asylum seekers does not contain this principle. The Migration Amendment Act of 1992 identifies asylum seekers as designated persons.[5] Section 189 states that â€Å"a designated person must be detained during the processing of their refugee status†. Section 192 goes further giving two options for release obtaining a Temporary Protection Visa or being deported.[6] This section spells for mandatory detention of everyone including children till the decision of his/her status.[7] Here at this junction the lacking of distinction between immigration status of adults and children confuse the internationally accepted principle of ‘Best Interests of the child and same standard treatment is in contravention of the UNCRC. The policy of mandatory detention can not be justified on the plea that since childrens needs cannot be met in isolation, therefore they are kept with their caregiver in detention. As it is believed that children needs are normally meet most effectively within the context of family and community. It is therefore, necessary to strengthen the capacities of refugee families to meet their own needs and improve the participation and situation of adult refugees particularly women, in their child related activities and in this way they will contribute significantly to the welfare of their children. Selection of one challenge and its reflection on policy based solution Best Interest In relation to the refugee children whether accompanied or unaccompanied the primary goals of any action or program must be: To ensure the protection and healthy development of these children To achieve durable solutions appropriate to the immediate and long term developmental needs of these children. In absence of any uniform definition of ‘best interests for every child, a good indicator to judge whether a child best interests are being achieved, would be a childs aptitude that how much s/he enjoys his or her rights in a available environment.[8] Since the UNCRC also doesnt clearly define childs ‘best interest therefore in all actions and decisions affecting a child; â€Å"it is the best interests of that individual child which must be taken into account rather than children generally. The childs best interests†¦..must be the subject of active consideration†[9]. It necessitates to be established that childrens interests are of primary concerns and have adequately been conferred. The principle of ‘best interests reiterated in article 9(1) of the UNCRC states that children should never be separated from their parents against their will except when ‘necessary for the best interests of the child. The interaction between the ‘best interests principle, family unity and immigration can be enlightened by referring preamble of the UNCRC providing a reference point by recognizing that: â€Å"[T]he child, for the full and harmonious development of his of her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding†. In order to support the best interests of the refugee children many of the obligations under the UNCRC are relevant for instance, protection from violence, the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health, special care for children with disabilities, education, keeping confidentiality of their personal information, non-discrimination, recreation and the right to full cultural life (including language) are all factors that create a nurturing environment. Incorporating Children voices into policy debate UNCRC believes ‘voiced code for childrens participation in the programs affecting them. This legal instrument marks a change by respecting them as human being capable of full understandings and has power to decision and disregarded that they are being objects of adult intervention. The childrens right to participate in fellow societies has been accepted in articles 12-15 of the UNCRC. This convention has offered in addition to civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights, the right to freedom of opinion expression, information, religion and conscience; and the right to form associations[10]. Refugees children being most vulnerable members of Australian society, they should have the right to have their fundamental needs for shelter, food, physical and emotional care and education have been met, and to live freely and securely within our society. Our society should value and protect them. We are equally responsible alongwith the government to ensure these needs are met if a childs family/caregiver cannot or will not protect their rights. But due to their protracted legal status refugee children have concerns. They are not part of policy decision impacting their lives, hence condemned unheard and ignored. Purportedly three agencies the federal government, the private reformative firms and the state government are in charge of the management of detention centres. There is strong likelihood that these agencies would not consider childrens interests before their own. When the managers of such agencies are in chase of jurisdictional and policy issues where would children placed?[11] This management attitude proves the genuine worries, distress and concern of refugee children regarding their unresolved legal situation and their inability to move towards integration into the Australian community. Many children describe themselves as happy, good, but detailed their depression and distress that accompanied being in a limbo situation. The non-resolution of their migration or refugee situation is their paramount concern. The current manifestations of distress, while particularly concerning are equalled by the knowledge of the long term impact of ‘not belonging; to a community; to a state and to a nation. If a child cannot access normal citizenship, then their ability to grow emotionally and integrate themselves into their new country is diminished. These children have the possibility of becoming adults with a sense of frustration and anger that will impact on their lives and will impact on our lives in the Australian community in the forthcoming years. [NOTE: the writer considers the points of this paragraph as specifics impacting her local area of residence surrounded by refugee children] Conclusion If we step into the shoes of refugees and realize their sorrows and grieves then we will never deny the rights of refugee children to live with their families and reunite them when separated, having access to all basic necessities of life. If everyone of us recognize and struggle to make available all such rights to our children then why deny it for Iraqi, Afghan and Iranian children? We should provide them such harmonize environment where they can play, grow and learn. â€Å"We should keep ready ourselves to answer our children when they will look back on this time and ask what we did for refugee kids, at least we can say we gave them their childhood†[12].

Muhammad Bio Essay examples -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Muhammad is by far one of the most influential men in the history of the religious world. Even today his teachings are still worldly known and his views on dying for a place in heaven result in our terrorist bombings, suicide, and even the world trade center disaster. To understand the fundamentals and the reasons why Islam is a violent religion you have to divert back to the teachings of Muhammad and his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Muhammad was born around 572 B.C to his father Abdallah and his mother Amina. Both of Muhammad’s parents died when he was quite young, but he stayed with his grandfather for two years. Soon after he stayed in the care of his uncle Abu Talib and was soon put to work in the caravans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While working in these caravans he met the owner Kadijiah. He married her when he was 25 and she was 15 years older than him at 40. They later had seven children but that did not settle him down for he married several other women to gain political power or compassion from the widows he married. It was also a rumor that he arranged the deaths of the women he married.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was ...

Kerala from Sangam to Dutch Period

Introduction. ?Kerala has a unique Geographical position. ?Kerala has a rich culture and is the meeting point of many types of ideologies, Ideas and religious views. ?Travelers, merchants and rulers visited kerala and influenced its History. ?Story Behind the birth Of Kerala. ?Parasurama the 6th Incarnation of Lord Vishnuthrew an axe far into the sea and commanded the sea to retreat. ?The land that emerged from the waters became Kerala. ?From where does the term kerala come from ? ?Sanskrit scholars derive the name from â€Å"Kera or coconut†,which is a staple product of kerala. Others say it is derived from the Tamil word â€Å"Charal† meaning Mountain slope. ?Arab and Persian writers and early Malayalam and medieval Tamil Literature say that the word kerala means the land of hills and mountains. Traditional sources. ?Early history of kerala is based on traditions. The two major sources are : ? Archaeological Sources. ?Archaeological survey and excavations were started in Kerala by Ward and Conor in 1819. ? there are 3 relics of the Historical period found in the various parts of Kerala. They are : 1. monuments 2. coins 3. inscription. ?Monuments. 1.Stone images of Buddha, reflect the culture of kerala during the Buddhist era. 2. Religious monuments : Temples , Churches, Mosques and Synagogues. 3. Palaces – famous Padmanabhapuram palace in Kanyakumari district and Dutch palace in Fort Cochin. 4. Forts and historical sites. ?Coins. ? Many foreign and indigenous coins have been found in kerala. †¢ Rast is the oldest of them. †¢Roman coins are the oldest Foreign coins. †¢Rulers of Travancore and Cochin Had their own independent coinage. †¢Dutch copper coins and British Indian Coins give valuable information to historians. ?Inscriptions . Throw light on the political,Cultural, and social life of the People of Kerala. 2. Give insight into working conditions of local assemblies, how temples were managed, Relationship between the landlord and tenant and functioning Of educational institutions. 3. Some inscriptions testify the liberal policy of religious tolerationfollowed by the ancient rulers of Kerala. ?Sangam Age(1-500 A. D. ) ? Sangam Literature was composed, In which the Works of poets and writers threw light upon cultural, economic, political, Social and other aspects of the kingdoms of the South. Through these works we get to know what happened during the first 500 years of Christian Era : I. there was monarchy and patrilineal system of succession, II. Women were well educated and had a good position in society, III. Monogamy was the norm, widow remarriage was permitted, Child marriage was not there. ?No division of society into high and low castes,there was no untouchability, ? Rice was the staple food, people had no restrictions regarding beef eating and other non-veg items. Rice-wine was a popular drink. ?It was rare to find Brahmins though some were there as Aryan Brahmins in the royal court. Agriculture was a major occupation and due to trade with countries like Rome, they flourished as a prosperous set of people. Post Sangam Period (500-800 A. D. ) ?Main rulers of this period were Cheraman Perumal and Kulasekara Alwar. ?The former became a Vaishnavite Poet and the latter accepted Islam and went to Mecca. ?Adi Shankara (788-820 A. D. ) lived and propogated the Advaida philosophy during this period. ?After the creation of Kerala it was believed that Parasurama planted sixty-four joint Brahmin Families and gave them rules which would govern them. The Brahmins invited rulers called â€Å"Perumals â€Å" to rule them and each ruler was appointed for a period of 12 years to rule over them. The Kollam Epoch (800-1200A. D) ?Politically Kerala was under the Cholas and Pandyas. †¢A temple was constructed at almost every town and village in Kerala †¢ the Quilon calendar was introduced during this time in 25 July 825 A. D. ? Festivals like onam and vishu came to be cel ebrated. ? The 9th century A. D. saw Malayalam growing as a distinct language. ? Educational institutions like â€Å"Salai† came into existance. ? This period also saw the grow of trade and commerce. There was trade between China and Kerala. ?Tenant system was prevalent whereby the feudal lords enjoyed life at the cost of the poor tenants. ?Sales and tax on vehicles fetched a revenue for the state. ?Ravi Varma Epoch (1200-1500 A. D) ? During this period the land relations showed certain important features : ? Increase of intermediaries as temporary holders of land. ?Increased measures to expand cultivable land and enhance income from land. ?The emergence of cash money in obtaining land rights. ?Traditional landowners held the right of ownership of land. ?Pledging of land of debt on interest. Agriculture was the main occupation. ?There were other occupations like ritual-cum-medicine men, astrologers, washer men and so on. ?There was growth of trade and trading centres; ?Trade was at 3 levels : ?Transport system was essential for trade and in this context there were many boats, ships; even bridges over waterways was essential. ?Portugese Rule In Kerala. ?Political authority was fragmented by the time the Portuguese came to kerala. ?In 1498, Vasco-do-Gamma reached Kappad near Kozhikode. ?Portugese, was the first to achieve a stronghold in Kerala ?A number of battles were fought between the provincial rulers and the Portugese. In 1524 Gamma was appointed the Portugese viceroy of Kerala. ?Apart from commerce, they were also interested in imparting their faith to the people. ?Many people were forced to convert. ?In 1550’s , St. Francis Xavier converted many fisher folk and other socially backward sections along the coastal regions of southern Kerala. ?The chiefs in the state (except the Muslims to whom the Portuguese were hostile) did not resist the conversion as long as they had freedom to do trade and commercial activities and the economic fabric of society was not disturbed. The Portuguese used their own tactics of divide and rule policy for fulfilling their commercial interests in the state. ?New towns had risen and old towns decayed. eg. Calicut, Cochin, Chaliyam gained importance while Quilon and Cranganore languished. ?Crops like cashewnuts, tobacco, custard apple, guava, pineapple and papaya were introduced. ?Gunpowder increased the importance of artillery. This brought unemployment among the Nairs who were well trained in swords and shields. †¢They established seminaries and colleges in Cochin, Angamali and Cranganore. For gtting Christian priests. †¢St.Francis Xavier translated Catechism into Malayalam. †¢Fearing ?The Dutch in Kerala. ?Dutch East India Company was established in the year 1592. ?In 1604 they came to the Malabar coast. ?There was rivalry btw Cochin and Kozhikode during that time and they took advantage of this situation. ?However like the Portuguese their involvement in the local politics w as minimal. ?However they had conflicts btw Marthanda Varma of Thiruvithankur and Samuthiri of Kozhikode. ?The Dutch had the main power over the Trade activities. ?Pepper and spices were exported by merchants only after the consent of the Dutch people. They constructed forts and factories here like the Portuguese. ?They sold Indonesian spices and sugar to those ships which were going to Cochin. It turned out to be a success. ?But this didn’t last for long as it declined from 1783 and was completely stopped by 1793 due to poor demand. ?Conclusion ?The History of kerala is very essential part of the heritage of the state and country as well. ?If we study History well then we would know about the real background in which our state developed through the years. ?We can also see the contrasting practices that were in vogue during the ancient and medieval and the present kerala society.

Commonalities and Divergences Essay

The dichotomy of Eastern and Western in terms of global geography is something that has been examined on many levels, as the culture of the two hemispheres contrast in a very blatant manner. Ideology about social interactions to the value of education, food, music, art, religion, etc. all play a key role in what makes each civilization so unique and gives the people of each area a strong sense of a global, national, and, on a micro level, personal identity. The ethos of Japan, in particular Heian period Japan (which lasted from 794 to 1185), is perceptibly different from modern era Western civilization not only because of location but due to a huge lapse in time. This is not to say, however, that these cultures are so isolated from one another that there is no common ground or intersection between the mentalities. In spite of such glaring dissimilarities, it is possible to find parallels in the attitude between the characters in Murasaki Shikibu’s 11th century novel, The Tale of Genji, and people today. First and foremost, there needs to be a direct definition and establishment of what comprises an aesthetic. Aesthetics, as defined by the American Heritage dictionary, is â€Å"the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature and expression of beauty, primarily [but not solely] within the arts† (14). It is important to clarify that while a painting could be said to have â€Å"an aesthetic appeal† or a song is â€Å"aesthetically pleasing to the ears†, the concept of aesthetics is not exclusive to the art realm. In this context, it is also a core value that an entire society upholds as sensible and proper, which can range from the general to the minutely specific. More often than not, it is a concept that is ingrained into a culture from birth and propagated with each generation; when asked to describe why these rules of society are in place, the most common answer would probably be, â€Å"that is just the way it is†, with little to no further discussion. If one were to go against these aesthetics, he/she would be in jeopardy of becoming a social pariah, depending on the rigidity to which a culture sustains its view. With the definition of what an aesthetic is in mind, there should be a clear distinction between Heian-era Japanese and modern Western aesthetics. One of two Western aesthetics that are germane to this discussion is a heightened level of openness and candor in all forms of media and discourse. A strong personal voice is encouraged, especially in America, which is based on democracy. The claim to fame for Western musicians, filmmakers, and authors lies in their lack of censorship and ability to connect with people’s emotions on a very primal level. Nothing is held back, no matter how psychologically taxing the material may be; the aim of their art is catharsis. Another main component of Western aestheticism is a general embrace of human sexuality and its various forms of expression. The most noticeable difference in how the West handles sexuality can be seen in today’s â€Å"hook-up† culture, where onetime sexual encounters with several partners over a span of time is commonplace. Going against the tradition of abstinence until marriage (which is an equally common phenomenon), the modern approach to sexuality actively shifts the focus from the emotional to the physical, forgoing personal, monogamous relationships for instant gratification. The media is a very large promoter of this movement, in addition to introducing sex to younger and younger generations. The approach of promoting younger girls to get in touch with their sexuality too early tied with the age-old practice of female objectification has partially contributed to the cultural deterioration of the West. A thousand years earlier and on the other side of the world, however, the Japanese embraced four major aesthetic elements, two of which are mono no aware and miyabi. The first of the two, mono no aware, is a â€Å"cultivated sensibility to the transient nature of the world† (Ikegami, Class notes). Mono no aware can be found primarily in the early Heian poetry, which was compiled in the Man’yoshu and Kokinshu, two well-known collections. Cherry blossoms are often associated with the sentiment of mono no aware, as exemplified in this excerpt from the Kokinshu: For cherry blossoms To be descending like snow is sorrow enough How do the blowing breezes Propose that they should scatter? (110) The sadness at the scattering of the cherry blossoms and the ultimate recognition that it is all part of nature’s design is a key component in mono no aware; the cherry blossoms, like most flowers, do not stay in bloom permanently and die in accordance with the seasons. This aesthetic is, in essence, the ability to appreciate the artistic merit in this death and see that it is, in itself, beautiful. It is very unlike Western culture as mono no aware requires a keen understanding for subtlety and an appreciation for seemingly inconsequential matters, like blossoms blowing in the breeze. Miyabi, the second relevant Japanese aesthetic, roughly translates to â€Å"courtly elegance, which entails personal refinement, restraint, and indirectness† (Ikegami, Class notes). Contrary to the Western aesthetic of frankness, the Japanese actively follow the method of bottling up their emotions and metaphorically wearing a mask around the public that might not reflect how they actually feel inside. On some levels, one could equate miyabi with E. B. Du Bois’ theory of the â€Å"double consciousness†, which was developed in the late early 20th century to describe the inner struggle of African- Americans during the period of inequality and segregation; just as the blacks had to present themselves differently around whites in order to survive, the Japanese sacrifice dealing with interpersonal conflict in order to maintain a surface level of peace and harmony within the community (McWhorter). Through the lens of these four aesthetics, one can notice some overlap within the opening five chapters of Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji. In the second chapter, â€Å"The Broom Tree†, Genji and several friends are shut-in during a bout of bad weather and the conversation eventually turns to the subject of women. The men begin listing off their likes and dislikes, not straying far from the superficial. At one point, the 11th century courtiers make a statement that mirrors a Western ideal about women that, while now antiquated and offensive, is still propagated. In gross objectification, Genji and his men proclaim that, â€Å"a wife’s main duty is to look after her husband†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tyler 25). The men further objectify women, talking about them like they’re moldable clay on a pottery wheel that they can knead to their liking; a woman, for example, must be â€Å"seen, not heard† but not too passive as to never stick up for herself. A woman must be dutiful in the house but not work too hard as to let her looks go. She can’t be too intelligent. She has to always smell nice. The list goes on; just like modern man, Genji and his friends describe women that could not possibly exist.

How to Control Your Bad Temper Before You Explode at Work

How to Control Your Bad Temper Before You Explode at Work It’s easy to get angered- even at work. Anger can be a normal and productive human emotion, but it can also take a toll on your relationships- professional and personal- and it’s not always best aired in the office. Here are a few tips for keeping your cool in stressful or unfair situations. So next time you find your blood boiling over that inappropriate email, try moderating your response to save your sanity and your professional reputation.1. Take a moment.Take a step back. Take a deep breath. Try to view the situation as you would if you were an indifferent third party. Try to avoid having a purely emotional reaction and analyze the situation. Will you still be angry about this in a year? If not, move on. Think before you speak or react because your reaction could always make the situation even worse.2. Be the reasonable one.In situations with high emotions or raised voices, be the sea of calm- the person who, in a low and rational tone of voice, diffuses the situat ion. This will help show that you are not the aggressor, which might help the actual aggressor to see the contrast and adjust accordingly.3. Don’t take things personally.Some things are personal. But in the business world, they’re usually not- especially if you’re an entrepreneur and your business just is personal to you, try to remember that it isn’t for your clients. Put yourself in others’ shoes and try to practice patience.4. Walk away.If you feel like you’re going to explode, try to remove yourself from the touchy situation  before that happens. You’ll save yourself and everyone else involved the embarrassment, plus give yourself some time to rethink, regroup, and restrategize.5. Speak from a place of calm.If you’ve got a legitimate grievance, you should air it. Just make sure you’re doing so via appropriate channels and you’re doing so when you’re calm enough to state your concerns without being hur tful or vengeful to others, and without relying on intensified emotion to make your case.6. Take a time out.Take some you time. Go for a walk. Take a few deep breaths. Hit the gym- the oxygen or the endorphins will help to physically calm you. You never know how much less angry you will feel once you’ve calmed down a bit. Nothing is ever as fraught as it feels in the heat of the moment. Relaxation skills are your friend.7. Come up with solutions.Are there constructive ways you could fix the situation or improve the outcome? A way to schedule a meeting to discuss disconnects or disgruntlements? A better way forward? Come up with a way to avoid these situations in the first place and you’ll be everybody’s hero.8. Say â€Å"I.†Sticking with I statements is a great way to try and find a resolution to a situation without angering anyone else or increase tension. Talk about why you are upset, not what others have done to make you so. And don’t hold grudg es. Allow yourself to forgive, forget, and move on from tense situations rather than stewing in the bitterness and injustice of it all or harboring ill feelings about your colleagues or boss.9. Crack a joke.Nothing diffuses a situation quiet like humor. Don’t make any jokes at anyone else’s expense, but see if you can’t find a lighthearted or funny comment that would put everyone- including yourself- at greater ease.10. Get help if you need it.If you still have a really hard time controlling your anger, then it might be a good idea for you to get some help. Especially if you feel your anger is easily out of control. Getting a handle on this will save you a lot of hurt and regret over the course of your life and career.

In our existing age, when technological advancement and uncontrolled curiosity

In our existing age, when technological advancement and uncontrolled curiosity In our existing age, when technological advancement and uncontrolled curiosity have made the world even smaller, it is apparent that research and science should be encouraged. Treasure hunters should be permitted to perform underwater searches for sunken vessels, not only because it would put a restrain on their business goals or funds, but also because it would hinder scientific and historical discovery.An individual in search of the gold and treasure can be called a Treasure hunter, or salvor, but they are educated of the historical value of the shipwrecks they explore. In recent times, respect for the historical integrity of a wreck has grown significantly. According to Steven Morgan, a well-known salvor that's been in the business for over thirty years, states that in the past "you'd take what's good, and everything else was dumped overboard," but modern projects are projective of the sites. Today a salvor is an archaeologist."English: Thracian grave, excavated by treasure hun...

Perception and Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Perception and Conflict - Essay Example that sets the different vectors of power in a modulated manner that they are primarily applied to support the differences of each individual living within the human communities around the world. Making use of conflict as an agent of equalizing the differences, business organizations are sure to gain strength from the said idealism. As mentioned earlier, competition among organizational members is one particular form of conflict. However, instead of seeing it as a major source of conflict of differences in the organization, it could be used as the key matter that could motivate people in achieving higher than what the others is able to achieve. In this track, the conflict of competition is already viewed as something that is healthy for the organizations’ sake. However on the part of Reno and Frank, the conflict growing between them involves more than just competition. It involves the wrong perception towards the need to communicate to each other and the difference of their belief towards the need to work with the problem that they are facing. Yes, in this regard, dealing with the situation usually involves more than just making amends between the two different ongoing opinions between two different individuals or groups at that, who are thriving within a certain single organization. The conflicts between people and how each undeniable misunderstanding occurs are based in a process of conversing, interpreting and wrong response. To understand further, here are some of the communication problems that occur which usually turns into different levels of relationship conflicts: This is the way by which a person intends to manipulate the thinking of the other person through questioning the attitudes of the other. Not only that, the situation usually aggravates the questioning of the attitude of the other towards the other person. Robert Bolton comments on the matter saying: â€Å"Many of us feel we need to be critical, or other people will never improve we make a

The new idea business restaurant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The new idea business restaurant - Essay Example I found an appropriate site last month and lease negotiations are set to be complete before this month ends. I chose Crockett Street because there is a large population of the target market. After signing the lease, I will raise the start up funds required for construction. Apparently, the construction period will take approximately two months. After completion of this phase, Vegas restaurant will open and start serving consumers with nutritious food. However, if the restaurant meets its projections within nine months of operation, we will scout for another location and establish plans for setting up another restaurant. Apparently, our four-year goal is having three restaurants within Texas with a joint yearly profit of between $ 600,000 and $1,000,000. Market Analysis According to Ariss (2010), the restaurant industry faces increased competition but lifestyle alterations resulting from contemporary living continue to propel growth in the industry. Baruch (2004) affirms that that sev eral people have minimal time and resources to prepare a meal on their own. Vegas restaurant will perform better because it is likely to offer healthier foods at affordable prices. The industry happens is the third leading industry in America. Additionally, it accounts for approximately $ 250 billion yearly in sales. However, individual restaurants contribute to fifteen percent of this total. Bevitt (2008) affirms that an average American uses fifteen percent of income on meals away from their residence. Moreover, this number is increasing over the last 7, and four years. This industry has outperformed the GNP by approximately forty percent. Over six hundred restaurants open monthly and over three hundred required in offsetting the increasing demand for fast foods. A report released by ‘National Restaurant Association’ revealed that as contemporary lifestyle creates demand, it would force individuals to consume more meals away from their residence (Halverson & Tirmizi, 2008). Consequently, Vegas restaurant focuses on attracting several consumers leading to higher profits. Products Vegas restaurant will offer food and beverages with a unique image. It will incorporate two ways of purchasing products namely; table service and take away. The Vegas menu offers a variety of ethnic foods that are nutritious. As earlier stated, the prime goal is to develop an image of light, satisfying and healthy foods. This is attributable to increased awareness on consuming healthy and nutritious foods. Food production will occur at the restaurant’s kitchen using fresh vegetables and dairy products. However, the chef will conduct strict sanitation standards, quality production, and packaging. As they purchase food, customers may sit on one of the sixty seats at the dining room that will allow waiters to attend to them. A separate counter will service clients, who opt to consume food away from the restaurant. Competition An average of twenty restaurants within C rockett Street sells food at equivalent prices. Although this situation creates a clear challenge regarding market share, it also indicate the existence of a strong potential to obtain customers. The new competitors have made a successful entry into this restaurant industry based on novelty. However, this should not restrict Vegas Restaurant from venturing into the industry because it will present an inventive product using an equivalent style at a

Industrial Espionage at XYZ Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Industrial Espionage at XYZ - Assignment Example That in itself is a felony under this state’s laws and could also fall under embezzlement laws. The administrator discreetly monitored Mr. Roberts’ activities for quite some time before Human Resources decided it was time to make a move. Using Remote Access Software, namely Manage Engine’s OPS manager the administrator was able to ascertain that Mr. Roberts had inserted a USB thumb drive, which was in direct contravention of company policy. With this information, the administrator asked Mr. Roberts to meet with him in his own cubicle. Becoming worried, Roberts then proceeded to delete the information from the USB and denied that there was ever anything on the thumb drive. It was then confiscated and Mr. Roberts was suspended. Following procedures, and thinking that Mr. Roberts did not have the technical knowledge to permanently wipe the drive, the administrator made an image copy of the drive which he named Disk G. He and I have spent several days attempting to r ecreate any data that is contained on the original USB drive, which is still secured in the Company’s vault. ... of them falling into other hands is dangerous, especially since the FBI considers industrial espionage as an act of Cold War, particularly when a foreign country such as China is involved in the act (2012). According to the referenced website, China is one of the biggest culprits in industrial espionage and only seldom recognized copyrights and patents outside their country. With what was found I recommended to the HR and administrator press charges against Mr. Roberts on behalf of their company. The district attorney concurs and assures me the case will be prosecutable, provided the administrator is able to discreetly explain what was on the disc. CASE 2 This case involves a group of students at the university who have been committing terroristic acts upon fellow students at the school. Acting on a tip that the group, considered a cult by campus security, was planning a series of coordinated attacks, security agents consisting of campus police, local police and Federal agents, raide d the hideout of the group, located in a house at a remote off campus location. Along with some papers, which include basic generic information about the students’ courses and do not contain any useful information, there was a floppy disk seized during the raid. The confidential informant assures the investigators that the disk is pay dirt and it contains very useful data on what, when and where the attacks are. Not only that, it is purported to include the names of group members. With that in mind I took the disk, labeled Case 2FDD Image, back to my computer lab to decipher its contents. The first step I undertook, before examining the contents, was to make an image of the disk, which was successful. This is to ensure the integrity of the disk is not compromised so that the subsequent

World Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

World Religion - Essay Example Even the smallest of objects and ideas in a practice holds some sort of symbol for that practice. Colors, scents, figures, even deities, have a significance to the need of that individual during that time. Religions were defined as being "a system of symbols [...] (Geertz)." To make the practices more realistic - and in some New Age paths, more efficient and beneficial - symbolism is used. Paganism is a New Age belief system that has a rather huge emphasis on the use of magic in their practices. Their very act of communing with Nature and divinity is considered magic; unfortunately, it is their type of magic that has given them a bad name within organized religions. The magic of pagans involves making use of symbols, chanting, reciting, or singing their aspirations, and building up energy to release into the universe in hopes of achieving what they hope to. In a religion such as Catholicism, the magic can be seen in their prayers and their taking of communion. In a sense, in regards to a Catholic praying, it is the same as a pagan performing a ritual - specific words and symbols are used to achieve one thing, and all of that is released to the divine to allow it to manifest and become something. When taking communion, the practitioner is drawing themselves closer to the divine, as the wine and wafers of the communion symbolize the divine itself. That is the similarity between the two religions - turning thoughts and hopes into something, regardless of what it is called, magic or prayer. Symbolism is an important part of both of them, as it helps to focus the intentions of the individual. No matter what each religion decides to call it, many of the acts can be seen as magic, as they are playing with a force that is outside their full understanding, hoping to get close to the divine and change their lives

Business Management and Information System Essay

Business Management and Information System - Essay Example The article specifically outlines ten events and forces that have led to this. Out of these ten events and forces, all bar one – fall of the Berlin Wall – have been enhanced by ICTs. This paper uses the principles of business process reengineering (BPR), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and knowledge management to critique the ideas Friedman’s raised in this article. Business process engineering The world is increasingly being driven by customers, competition and change. These three challenges have necessitated companies to be constantly on the lookout for new solutions to their business problems, hence the emergence of business process reengineering (BPR). In his book, â€Å"Business @ the Speed of Thought†, Bill Gates states that the 1980s was about quality, the 1990s about reengineering and the 2000s about speed. It is this speed of innovation independent of location that Friedman speaks of with regards to the emerging economic powers of China, India , and Russia that America must be wary of. BPR is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance such as cost, quality, service and speed (Muthu et al., 1999). The purpose of which is to redesign the strategic and value added processes that transcend organizational boundaries. IT is a key enabler of BPR, an attribute that is manifest in the roles that it plays: before the process is designed, while the process design is underway, and after the design is complete (Attaran, 2004). Friedman points out that misnomer that many Americans have been led to or lead themselves to believe that China, India, et al are racing them to the bottom whereas in actual sense they are racing the US to the top. These emerging economic powers have rich educational heritages an ambitious youth and access to work experience from leading corporations that have outsourced, offshored to their countries and access to a wide range of information over the Internet. According to Friedman (2005) American multinationals previously outsourced and offshored to minimize cost but now it is because they are unable to find the talent they need locally so they source it abroad. The seven principles of BPR according to Hammer 1990 are: outcome orientation, integration, local responsibility, pooling or resources, fasten processes, empowering and control, and reducing data duplication. Outcome orientation implies that the organisation needs to organize around outcomes and not tasks. The goal is not just to focus on a few things at a time, but to focus on the right things, to target those activities that will make the biggest impact in terms of customer perceived value. Outsourcing – one of the forces that has led to flattening of the world – is focused on moving those activities that are not core to the company to be done by companies that can perform them better and cheaper. Out sourcing improves efficiency and reduces cost. Another ICT-driven force that Friedman cites as a world flattener is offshoring. Offshoring is the migration of jobs, but not the people who perform them, from rich countries to poor ones. It is also referred to as offshore outsourcing and works much in the same way as outsourcing. It is almost obvious that organizations that hope to

SMALL-SCALE RESEARCH PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SMALL-SCALE RESEARCH PROJECT - Essay Example In the recent years, various scholars and researcher have discussed and written about the relationship between learning and teaching in education (college and university). Marsh and Roche (1993) analysed the opinions of the students regarding the effectiveness of teaching for enhancing the teaching levels in colleges or universities. Even Ryan and Harrison (1995) examined the weight that student put forth for different components in teaching for ascertaining the effectiveness. A study was conducted by Ralph (2003) on teaching effectiveness; in which he assessed the effectiveness by examining how rapidly students can learn from the teachings. So the above discussion signifies teaching effectively is one of the major factors that would assist the undergraduate students to learn efficiently (Fridah, 2004; Kothari, 2008). 1.2 Rationale of the Study As discussed above, teaching effectively is definitely one of the major factors to assist students in UEL to learn efficiently for their cour se, but the entire research cannot revolve around teaching because the ways of learning in the present times have changed. Nowadays teaching can definitely be one of the features of helping students, but not the only way. The rationale of this study is based on the objective of identifying the contemporary factors play significant role in recent times in learning process. Those factors are the ones which would assist the undergraduates of UEL to learn effectively. In this area also teaching plays a major role, which signifies teaching is obviously not a substitute, but a necessity. However, the definition of teaching has changed. Various modes of teaching has come up which has re-defined the ways teachers interacted with students. These aspects would be discussed in this study and researched through collection of evidences that would confirm the validity of the findings. 1.3 Overview: University of East London (UEL) The issues of research and discussion is relevant to every student irrespective of any country, but research on such large scale is difficult to conduct, so in this research study the researcher would be specifically focusing on the factors that will assist the undergraduate students of UEL to learn effectively for their lessons. However, in order to move on the research, it is significant to have a concise idea regarding the university, courses it offers and its environment. UEL in London Borough of Newha is a public university, which functions through its three campuses in Docklands, Stratford and another called University of Square Stratford that opened in 2013. UEL got the status of a university in the year 1992, but its operations can be traced back to 1892 (University of East London, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c, 2013d). There are around 28000 students in the university and among them 19520 are the undergraduates, while the rest are postgraduates. Due to the augmenting reputation of UEL, statistics revealed that 13 percent more applications were submi tted in 2011 compared to the previous years, which is indeed an indication that in terms of

World Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

World Religion - Essay Example Even the smallest of objects and ideas in a practice holds some sort of symbol for that practice. Colors, scents, figures, even deities, have a significance to the need of that individual during that time. Religions were defined as being "a system of symbols [...] (Geertz)." To make the practices more realistic - and in some New Age paths, more efficient and beneficial - symbolism is used. Paganism is a New Age belief system that has a rather huge emphasis on the use of magic in their practices. Their very act of communing with Nature and divinity is considered magic; unfortunately, it is their type of magic that has given them a bad name within organized religions. The magic of pagans involves making use of symbols, chanting, reciting, or singing their aspirations, and building up energy to release into the universe in hopes of achieving what they hope to. In a religion such as Catholicism, the magic can be seen in their prayers and their taking of communion. In a sense, in regards to a Catholic praying, it is the same as a pagan performing a ritual - specific words and symbols are used to achieve one thing, and all of that is released to the divine to allow it to manifest and become something. When taking communion, the practitioner is drawing themselves closer to the divine, as the wine and wafers of the communion symbolize the divine itself. That is the similarity between the two religions - turning thoughts and hopes into something, regardless of what it is called, magic or prayer. Symbolism is an important part of both of them, as it helps to focus the intentions of the individual. No matter what each religion decides to call it, many of the acts can be seen as magic, as they are playing with a force that is outside their full understanding, hoping to get close to the divine and change their lives

SMALL-SCALE RESEARCH PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SMALL-SCALE RESEARCH PROJECT - Essay Example In the recent years, various scholars and researcher have discussed and written about the relationship between learning and teaching in education (college and university). Marsh and Roche (1993) analysed the opinions of the students regarding the effectiveness of teaching for enhancing the teaching levels in colleges or universities. Even Ryan and Harrison (1995) examined the weight that student put forth for different components in teaching for ascertaining the effectiveness. A study was conducted by Ralph (2003) on teaching effectiveness; in which he assessed the effectiveness by examining how rapidly students can learn from the teachings. So the above discussion signifies teaching effectively is one of the major factors that would assist the undergraduate students to learn efficiently (Fridah, 2004; Kothari, 2008). 1.2 Rationale of the Study As discussed above, teaching effectively is definitely one of the major factors to assist students in UEL to learn efficiently for their cour se, but the entire research cannot revolve around teaching because the ways of learning in the present times have changed. Nowadays teaching can definitely be one of the features of helping students, but not the only way. The rationale of this study is based on the objective of identifying the contemporary factors play significant role in recent times in learning process. Those factors are the ones which would assist the undergraduates of UEL to learn effectively. In this area also teaching plays a major role, which signifies teaching is obviously not a substitute, but a necessity. However, the definition of teaching has changed. Various modes of teaching has come up which has re-defined the ways teachers interacted with students. These aspects would be discussed in this study and researched through collection of evidences that would confirm the validity of the findings. 1.3 Overview: University of East London (UEL) The issues of research and discussion is relevant to every student irrespective of any country, but research on such large scale is difficult to conduct, so in this research study the researcher would be specifically focusing on the factors that will assist the undergraduate students of UEL to learn effectively for their lessons. However, in order to move on the research, it is significant to have a concise idea regarding the university, courses it offers and its environment. UEL in London Borough of Newha is a public university, which functions through its three campuses in Docklands, Stratford and another called University of Square Stratford that opened in 2013. UEL got the status of a university in the year 1992, but its operations can be traced back to 1892 (University of East London, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c, 2013d). There are around 28000 students in the university and among them 19520 are the undergraduates, while the rest are postgraduates. Due to the augmenting reputation of UEL, statistics revealed that 13 percent more applications were submi tted in 2011 compared to the previous years, which is indeed an indication that in terms of

Alfred Hitchcock Essay Example for Free

Alfred Hitchcock Essay For every Hitchcock’s story come suspense, drama, terror and exhilarating scope of life’s spectacular event. Alfred Hitchcock who was an English made the word â€Å"mystery and suspense† attached to every story he has to tell. He has been a productive writer, director and an ever mysterious of a man himself ever since he was young man in the 1930’s. His passion for storytelling and direction always catch the ever hungry public for horror, suspense and drama. AH revolutionizes filmmaking with deep mystery and a shady touch. He started writing and filming since the movies was in black and white. Here are some of those who made it to the editors and reviewer’s desk along with the reference. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). An adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and starred by Harrison Ford. Spielberg admits that one of the most significant director that inspired in doing this suspense and adventure film was Alfred Hitchcock. He always quoted Hitchcock in making this movie and telling the media that Hitchcock influenced really inspire him in coming up an adventure film full of action and suspense.   The story goes Archeology Professor Indiana Jones escapes death from poison dart, lots of falling and breaking of bones. A large boulder even nearly pinned him to a pulp. This is just to get an old Indian idol for his collection. He ended up being beaten by Belloq for the prize. Belloq, his old arch enemy is always on his tail and as he is, always determined to fight to the last to any precious thing they can catch. Confronted with many enemies and obstacles he failed to have the idol but instead getting back alive. Back to the university he was told that an old archeological society established by the Nazi was in Cairo for a mission to lay hands on the Ark of the Covenant which Indy assumed is the real resting place of the lost Ark.   The Ark is where the 10 commandments are kept. Indy as an archeologist discovered that the Ark is keeping a powerful energy which if fall in the wrong hands could cause disaster with the world. Being in love with adventures he went away straight to Cairo picking up his girlfriend and friend on his way. Danger is everywhere from Nazi thugs in their every way to poisonous snakes on the Ark’s hiding place. Belloq being bold and daring as Indy was hired by the Nazis to lay their hands on the Ark. Being able to get the Ark, the Nazis hired Belloq to steal the Ark from him. Belloq succeeded again in having the Ark. Together with his friends Indy who is determined with his every action launches another neck-breaking move to get the Ark back and finding himself fighting for his life again especially when he dealt with a giant German thug. The Nazis having the Ark have to drive again to Cairo to make the ritual in opening up the Ark. With the path full booby traps and enemies the Nazis are determined to stop Indy from his track doing all their things to kill him. He however survived and be able to stop the Nazis with their black intention. This movie was now a classic but the director behind it has made history up to our modern world of cinema. Spielberg was hailed as one of the most productive and genius director of all time. And he owes it partly from the influence of Hitchcock and his style (Pallison). In the Mood for Love (2000). The story is based in Hong Kong and the year is 1962. It is a story of love, infidelity and integrity which catapult into betrayal and immorality. Two people met at the wrong place and at the wrong time which made the film more intriguing to watch. Two married couples met and live in a neighborhood and the beginning was a friendship. Having spouses who are always on the run for business have inadvertently discovered that their spouses have a clandestine affair. Ironically the two cheated souls met and work for the same project. Knowing they both have been deceived with their spouses, the two main characters have their very own chance of vengeance. But the vows which they promised were holding them back. In effect the drama of keeping the love back and fighting for their rights of being cheated added to the emotion in this movie. Infidelity is the name of the game and the characters Chow Mo-Wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) were very much convincing and make this drama more heartfelt. Directed by Wong Kar-Wai, who was considered Hong Kong’s cult director is one of the famous directors in Asia and now making a name in the world of directorship.   He admits his literary influences and cinematic skills from the likes of Martin Scorsese to Alfred Hitchcock.   Doing this movie, Director Kar-Wai thought that this is just an easy film thinking that there are only two main characters in the whole film. But realizing that the story relies not only on the main characters but with the details of describing the whole sentiments of the film it was developed into a subtle and one of the most romantic film ever made by an Asian director (Teo). Raising Cain (1992). A psychological thriller that tells the story of a father who seems to be psychologically insane even to the point of torturing his own son for the sake of his own mad experimentation. It is a disturbing film not be recommended to be watched by the innocent mind. Playing as the killer in this movie is John Lithgow who is very effective in this movie brutally torturing and murdering children for the sake of his experiments. Director De Palma has indeed put the proper angle for every scene to put the movie in its incredibly moving and thrilling effect. Although the movie has been rated R by many critics and disturbingly enough for the common people. This movie depicts some of the grossly-event that from time to time happening in our world today. Children are the victims in this movie and that really happens. In reality women are also the main victims because of their vulnerability. Brian de Palma is now on his fifth decade as a director. He is the most visible American director working to such ardent, usually violent and passionate movies. He is critically acclaimed to be one of the most suspenseful and exciting director of all time because of his dedication to art in producing films that are always exciting, intriguing and mockingly curious. He is explicit with every angle in his camera, fluent in the description of movements, and stylish with his combination of elegance and violence. Admittedly getting influenced by Hitchcock, he deliberately put the audience holding their breath and letting a shriek of terror whenever a piece was delivered (Barry). Twilight (19989). Starring Paul Newman who was once a former drunk, a private investigator and a cop who is about to retire. He now lives in with a couple who had a runaway daughter. Harry Ross (Newman) helped in finding and bringing her back but almost died when she accidentally shoot him instead. Bringing her back alive and him wounded, the couple managed to keep him as a bodyguard, a house help, and even a member of the family. Being alone and retired his bonding with the family has grown. Unknowingly, Jack (Gene Hackman) who owns the house has secretive scenarios unknown to the family. When Jack discovered that he is dying of cancer, he asked Harry to deliver a package to a certain woman named Gloria Lamar. Being confident with his friend’s request to simply deliver a package made his world turned upside down. Unfortunately the package was discovered and contained elements that lead to blackmail and murder which involved Jack. The sudden twist of this movie has a gripping and suspenseful events which on first viewing was such so simple and melancholic. In the later part of the movie and understanding all of the twist, the climax of the movie has been revealed. Directed by Robert Benton. Benton was considered one of the most popular and productive film makers of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. His ever changing style in making his film has made him great and it is clearly shown in his films. Together with Newman in making this film they tried to make this movie more like a Hitchcock thriller with the style of other great directors. This film has made it and considered one of the top-earner films of the modern era. Benton has always tried to copy Hitchcock style of suspense and thrilling cinematography and it does not fail in every film he made (Williams). From the best classics that Hitchcock written or directed to the last movies in the last decade of his career Hitchcock has always been firm with his films to produce those hair-raising, thrill getting and full suspense films. He has already made a historical and symbolical symbol to filmmaking which our present film makers are now making his movies and style their reference and guidelines. From the budding director to a movie great filmmaker, Hitchcock would always come up as the â€Å"one† who made filmmaking an entertainment industry. He started his own style in black and white cinematography and silent movie and yet he was able to bring his audience with surprise and terror. Until today there are critics who are hoping to see a trace of Hitchcock’s suspenseful part for every movie they evaluate. In the kingdom of movie industry, people knew him to be a prolific and mysterious writer without the love for popularity and lights on him. For a movie fan who loves his movies he will always be the silent, mysterious man behind those cameras ready to frighten you out of your wits, hold on to your seats and gasp at the sudden flash of a surprise before your eyes. Before you knew it, your eyes are widened with shock and exhilaration envelops you. You are watching a Hitchcock movie and be prepared.. Work Cited Barry. A Fine Suspense Thriller.   (2001). Pallison, Arnauld. Hitchcocks Influences on Spielberg: Raiders of the Lost Ark as Example. 2006. Teo, Stephen, ed. Wong Kar-Wai, Auteur of Time 2005. Williams, Kent. Film Review Twilight. 1998.

Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft Corporation Microsoft Corporation is a United States-based multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices. Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA, its most profitable products are the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software. Business organisation and environment Internal environment Objective * Our mission is to enable people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential. Finacial resources (March 31, 2009, In millions) * Asset $ 68853 * Liabilities $ 23823 * Stockholders ¡Ã‚ ¯ equity $ 36943 * We generate revenue by developing, manufacturing, licensing, and supporting a wide range of software products and services for many different types of computing devices. Skills and capabilities * As of June 30, 2008, we employed approximately 91,000 people on a full-time basis, 55,000 in the United States and 36,000 internationally. Of the total, 35,000 were in product research and development, 26,000 in sales and marketing, 17,000 in product support and consulting services, 4,000 in manufacturing and distribution, and 9,000 in general and administration. External environment Market environment * Our customers include individual consumers, small and medium-sized organizations, enterprises, governmental institutions, educational institutions, Internet service providers, application developers, and OEMs. Competitor * We have five operating segments: Client, Server and Tools, Online Services Business, Microsoft Business Division, and Entertainment and Devices Division. * Client: Competing commercial software products, including variants of Unix, are supplied by competitors such as Apple, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Sun Microsystems. * Server and Tools: Our server operating system products face intense competition from a wide variety of server operating systems and server applications, offered by companies with a variety of market approaches. * Online Services Business: OSB competes with AOL, Google, Yahoo!, and a wide array of Web sites and portals that provide content and online offerings of all types to end users. * Microsoft Business Division: Competitors to the Microsoft Office system include many software application vendors such as Apple, Corel, Google, IBM, Novell, Oracle, Red Hat, Sun Microsystems, and local application developers in Europe and Asia. IBM (Smartsuite) and Corel (WordPerfect Suite) have measurable installed bases with their office productivity products. * Entertainment and Devices Division: Our Xbox hardware business competes with console platforms from Nintendo and Sony, both of which have a large, established base of customers. Intermediaries * We distribute our products primarily through the following channels: OEM; distributors and resellers; and online. * OEM: Our operating systems are licensed primarily to OEMs(original equipment manufacturers) under agreements that grant OEMs the right to build computing devices based on our operating systems, principally PCs. Under similar arrangements, we also market and license certain server operating systems, desktop applications, hardware devices, and consumer software products to OEMs. We have OEM agreements covering one or more of our products with virtually all of the major PC OEMs, including Acer, Dell, Fujitsu, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, NEC, Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba. * Distributors and resellers: We license software to organizations under arrangements that allow the end-user customer to acquire multiple licenses of products. * Online: We distribute online content and services through Live Search, Windows Live, Office Live, our MSN portals and channels, the Microssoft Online Services platform, which includes offerings for business, and other online channels. * Consumers and small- and medium-sized organizations obtain our products primarily through resellers and OEMs. Political implication 1. Collaborating with Industry and Law Enforcement Microsoft Corporation actively pursues cybercriminals through vigorous civil enforcement in the United States and it works in partnership with law enforcement agencies worldwide to deter cybercrime and bring criminals to justice. Since 2003, Microsoft has supported more than 550 enforcement actions worldwide against spammers, phishers, and distributors of spyware and other malicious code. Microsoft has also engaged with the Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general in California, Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, and Washington State, to investigate and pursue cybercriminals. Microsoft works to ensure that governments and law enforcement agencies receive the appropriate tools, necessary training, and extensive technical and investigative support to assist in their efforts to combat global cybercrime and work to make the Internet a safer place for everyone. Training. Microsoft is deeply committed to assisting law enforcement with the identification, location, and prosecution of online fraudsters. * Microsoft has worked with the attorneys general in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Utah State to provide comprehensive training about Internet investigations to law enforcement officials. * Microsoft hosted LE Tech 2006 (October 2006 in Redmond, Washington), a conference to introduce law enforcement officials to new Microsoft software and services that will affect cybercrime investigations over the next few years. Tools and technical support for investigations. Microsoft supports law enforcement agencies around the world with advanced investigative technology to address cyber threats. * In France, Microsoft participates in Signal Spam a platform (created with public and private sector entities) through which Internet users can report suspected spam. Data that is collected through Signal Spam is shared with Internet service providers (ISPs) and French law enforcement authorities to assist in antispam investigations and prosecutions. In the first ten days after the programs launch, users reported nearly 300,000 instances of spam. * In August 2006, Microsoft launched the Law Enforcement Portal, a secure, centralized resource that provides law enforcement with access to Internet crime-related information as well as tools, training, and technical support to assist in investigations. Anti-phishing efforts. Microsoft is dedicated to stopping phishers and works in alliance with groups to implement anti-phishing measures worldwide. * Microsoft is the founding member of Digital PhishNet (DPN), which fosters cooperation among industry and law enforcement agencies to share information, provide training, and educate consumers about phishing sites. Microsoft encourages worldwide participation in DPN by Internet service providers, online auctions, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies. * Microsoft acts with the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) and the Authentication and Online Trust Alliance (AOTA) to promote good public anti-phishing policies and best practices for enforcement of those policies. * In March 2006, Microsoft launched the Global Phishing Enforcement Initiative (GPEI), a worldwide consumer protection campaign in which industry and law enforcement joined forces to combat phishers. The GPEI works to protect the public from fraudulent sites and provides worldwide investigative support to help prosecute phishers. Antispam efforts. Microsoft supports law enforcement with cutting-edge technical and investigative techniques developed specifically to address cyberthreats. To that end, the company has provided technical support to governments around the globe, including in the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America. * Microsoft has been a leader in promoting SpotSpam, a project co-funded by the European Commission, which aims to limit the spread of spam. The project seeks to establish antispam hotlines in France, Germany, and Poland. * Microsoft also participates in Signal Spam. Created with public and private sector entities, Signal Spam provides a platform through which Internet users can report suspected spam. 2. Promoting a Safer Internet Experience for Children Child Exploitation Tracking System. Microsoft worked closely with Canadian police and international law enforcement agencies to develop Child Exploitation Tracking System (CETS), a unique software tool that enables investigators to store, search, share, and analyze large volumes of evidence and to share that evidence with other police agencies. Following its development in Canada, CETS has been implemented in Brazil, Chile, Indonesia, Italy, and the United Kingdom; Colombia and Spain have announced their intent to adopt it. Microsoft continues to promote CETS to governments and law enforcement agencies throughout the world. Global Campaign Against Child Pornography. Microsoft joined with Interpol and the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) in 2004 to initiate this campaign. Since then, Microsoft has worked with ICMEC and Interpol to help provide training for law enforcement personnel about computer-facilitated crimes against children. As of October 2007, more than 2,400 law enforcement officers from 106 countries have received training to help them identify suspects, investigate offenses, and deal with victims of online child abuse. 3. Supporting Important Legislation Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. Microsoft has joined industry partners to encourage countries to adopt and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. This global legal tool requires signatory countries to adopt and update laws and procedures to address online crime. Microsoft also provides technical assistance and consultation to help countries comply with their obligations under the convention. Model legislation. In April 2006, Microsoft joined ICMEC in announcing its model legislation, which seeks to modernize child pornography laws for the 184 member countries of Interpol. Microsoft has pledged to support worldwide efforts to develop and enforce these laws. 4. Successes in the Fight Against Cybercrime Operation Bot Roast. Microsoft provided technical information and analytical support to aid the FBI in Operation Bot Roast. Announced in June 2007, Operation Bot Roast is an ongoing investigation and operation that aims to disrupt and dismantle botnets. Lawsuit against Bizads UK. In December 2006, the English High Court ruled in favor of Microsoft in a lawsuit against Bizads UK, which had fraudulently sold lists of up to 10,000 e-mail addresses at a time to spammers. The court restricted Bizads UK from further spam-related activities and awarded damages to be assessed later. 129 legal actions against phishers. In November 2006, Microsoft took action against phishers who were targeting users of MSN Hotmail. These legal actions included 97 criminal complaints and three civil settlements in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Anti-spam prosecution in Australia. In October 2006, Clarity1 Pty Ltd. became the first company convicted under Australias tough new anti-spam laws and was fined more than US$4 million for sending hundreds of millions of junk e-mail messages. Microsoft supported this historic prosecution by providing evidence of e-mail messages received by spam-trap accounts to the antispam investigators at the Australian Communications and Media Authority in 2005. Anti-spyware lawsuits. In January 2006, Microsoft and the attorney general of Washington State filed parallel anti-spyware lawsuits. This action was the states first legal action under the Washington Computer Spyware Act, which was enacted in 2005. Microsoft filed its own lawsuit that alleged violation of the same law. Arrests for financial fraud and identity theft. In January 2006, Bulgarian law enforcement officials arrested eight people who were involved in an international criminal network that was responsible for online financial fraud and personal data theft. Microsoft provided Bulgarian officials with information that helped in the investigation and subsequent identification of the alleged perpetrators. Settlement with Spam King. In August 2005, Microsoft reached a US$7 million settlement against self-proclaimed Spam King Scott Richter and his Colorado-based company, OptInRealBig.com LLC. Microsoft began the suit in December 2003, in conjunction with a parallel action by the New York State attorney general. Arrests of Mytob and Zotob worm authors. In August 2005, Microsoft provided United States and worldwide law enforcement agencies with investigative and technical support that led to the arrest of the individuals suspected of authoring and distributing the Mytob and Zotob worms. Turkish and Moroccan law enforcement agencies made the arrests fewer than two weeks after the Mytob and Zotob worms were unleashed. Individual at work Microsoft has an innovative corporate culture and a strong product development focus that is designed to keep us on the leading edge of the industry. We believe that our employees are the companys most important asset. They are the source of our creative ingenuity and success so we empower each staff member to take initiative in solving problems, coming up with new ideas and improving the organisation. Microsoft values diversity and respects each persons individuality When you sell software to 180 million people, in 70 countries, speaking 150 languages, you cant afford to have a singular point of view. Microsoft employs people from many nationalities and backgrounds. * Who we looking for Great people with great values Microsoft concentrates on hiring people we believe fit into the company culture: people who are driven to succeed, enthusiastic about how they can contribute to the organisation and unafraid of suggesting and implementing new ideas. Our recruits are not always IT professionals; many come from backgrounds such as the banking, law or pharmaceutical industries. What they bring to Microsoft is a diversity of knowledge and understanding of the needs of particular industries that helps them relate to, and provide optimum service to, our customers. Microsoft needs people who are creative, energetic and bright, absolutely passionate and committed to our mission of helping others realise their potential. These people share the following values: * Passion for customers, partners and technology; * Integrity and honesty; * Open and respectful with others and dedicated to making them better; * Willingness to take on big challenges and see them through; * Committed to personal excellence and self-improvement; and * Accountable for commitments, results and quality to customers, shareholders, partners and employees. This creates a workforce with a broad range of skills and expertise. We also encourage and nurture lateral thinking. Our workers are given a high level of autonomy to come up with and offer innovative solutions. If this is important to you, it is highly likely you will enjoy the environment Microsoft offers it ¡Ã‚ ¯s employees. A place where you can get things done and have fun at work! * Diversity Microsoft values diversity and respects each persons individuality At Microsoft we have made a corporate commitment to the principle of diversity. We believe that diversity enriches our performance and our products, the communities in which we live and work, and the lives of our employees. As our workforce evolves to reflect the growing diversity of our communities and global marketplace, our efforts to understand, value and incorporate differences become increasingly important. We have established a number of initiatives to promote diversity within our own organisation, including education and training programs that provide employees with the awareness, skills, knowledge and ability to embrace differences. The programs also communicate the importance of a respectful work environment in maximising the performance of every employee. Microsoft employs a diverse workforce representing a broad range of cultural, linguistic, socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds including disabled employees and people from all corners of the globe. We are proudly an equal opportunity employer. * Community Spirit Make a difference from day one At Microsoft, we share a passion for technology and what it can do for people. It doesnt matter who you are or where you live, technology can make a positive difference in your life. It can help you learn faster, achieve more, simplify your life and have more fun. Technology has helped children and adults acquire a passion for learning, given businesses of all sizes the tools they need to compete in an ever-changing marketplace, and provided people with disabilities the access to a new world of job and life opportunities. And we believe the best is yet to come. We help build our communities to unlock their potential Amazing things can happen when the right people, tools and resources come together. At Microsoft, our employees and our technology help unlock this kind of potential every day, through our corporate giving program and through donations of personal time and resources by our employees. Since 1983, Microsoft and our employees around the world have donated more than $100 million in cash, $100 million in software and thousands of volunteer hours in our communities around the world. Across our Asia, each Microsoft subsidiary has its own local initiatives for social giving and community outreach. Our employees are passionately involved in many charitable initiatives across Asia that help people realize their potential. To learn more about Microsoft ¡Ã‚ ¯s giving campaigns you can follow this link: International www.microsoft.com/giving (US link) * Work/Life Balance Make a difference from day one Our employees are our most valued asset, and in recognition of this, Microsoft provides flexible programs, resources and tools to help them create their own kind of balance in life. In this hectic industry, careers are demanding, but if your work is to be fun and rewarding it must take its place and priority alongside your other life interests. At Microsoft, we aim to make the workplace as flexible as possible to enable our employees to have freedom, balance and autonomy. The work/life balance initiatives and programs offered to our staff throughout Asia differ depending upon location, local laws and resource availability. Some of the benefits provided to staff in different locations include: * Onsite and online parenting resources * Variety of sports and health benefits * Broadband connection to your home (enabling staff to work from home when required) * Job-share (where role permits) * Microsoft counselling service for employees and their families * Social club * Career guidance and planning * Mentoring program * Employer-sponsored discount program * Laptop computers and mobile technology * Community support initiatives for various charities The programs cover the individual employee, work, family and community. In addition to the specific work/life balance programs available, Microsoft is firmly committed to the goal of creating a healthy, flexible, and productive work environment that allows employees to engage in a challenging career while balancing their work/life needs. For more information about what programs of this nature are offered in individual countries across Asia, please contact a member of our Recruitment team today. * Women in IT Make a difference from day one Microsoft is proudly an equal opportunity employer of women and proactively seeks to ensure our workforce embraces excellence in gender diversity. Microsoft works closely with local government agencies across Asia and other recognized employers of choice so as to ensure we are constantly contributing to the improved status and treatment of women in the IT industry. This ensures our organisation is compliant with the latest legislative requirements and aware of best practices in the industry for women. Microsoft annually reviews its female diversity practices relating to: * Recruitment and selection * Promotions, transfers and terminations * Training and development * Work organisation * Conditions of service * Dealing with sex-based harassment * Dealing with pregnant and potentially pregnant employees and employees who are breastfeeding At Microsoft male and female employees are paid and rewarded on the same measurements based on the role and the merit of performance. There is no distinction based on gender. Furthermore, there is no distinction based on gender with regards to Microsofts recruitment processes, promotions and transfers, eligibility for benefits, training or conditions of service. Growing the female ranks in the IT industry As a thought-leader in the IT industry Microsoft is committed to the ongoing development of female professionals and encouraging new professionals to the industry. We are actively involved in a number of industry networking groups that focus on Women in the IT industry so we can ensure that our female employees have a voice on important issues and that we continue to develop and attract great female talent to the company. Annually, Microsoft supports and actively participates in the Global Womens Forum and across Asia our subsidiaries have internal networking and support groups for our female employees. Microsoft is also proud to support the development of females in the graduate community by offering Internship placements and various programs to improve the skills of emerging female technologists. Mothers at Microsoft Microsoft welcomes the applications from female candidates who are pregnant, planning pregnancy or returning to the workforce following a maternity leave absence. This is a family friendly environment, so don ¡Ã‚ ¯t be surprised if you visit our offices and meet a few little people! Our employees often bring their children in for a visit to work or to participate in family day events. Harassment Microsoft has a zero-tolerance policy for Sex-Based Harassment and strong policies in place to encourage the equal and appropriate conduct of all employees. * Parents in the Workforce Microsoft enjoys a family friendly environment so it is not uncommon to see spouses and children dropping by for lunch onsite. Microsoft supports parents in the workforce and those returning to the workforce. We do have a Parental Leave policy in place for the primary carer of children and your Recruiter can provide you with further details. If you need time away from work to celebrate the birth of your child and provide care, Microsoft supports you and your right to return to fulltime employment when you are ready. Local Labour Laws apply. Our families are the most important priority in life. Microsoft supports Parents in the Workforce by having flexible and convenient programs in place to ensure you can have balance between your family and your career. Just some of these benefits include: * Parental leave * Parents at Microsoft online resource * Microsoft counselling service for you and your family * Broadband program to enable you to work from home when necessary * Laptops and mobile technology * Discounted software program for private purchase * Flexibility to consider job-share where position enables Conclusion