Biomes and Organisms that Live Within Them Essay Example

Biomes and Organisms that Live Within Them Essay Example Biomes and Organisms that Live Within Them Paper Biomes and Organisms that Live Within Them Paper Biomes are large part of the earth that supports its existence. It refers to terrestrial habitats that are best differentiated according to their type of weather, fauna and flora (WorldBiomes, 2003). It was also defined by Campbell as the world’s major communities grouped according to its major vegetation and acclimatization of organisms to that specific environment (UCMP, 1996). Biomes were altered due to human activities and conservation of biomes is a major concern nowadays. Â  In many parts of the world, different types of biomes are divided depending on the type of climate it contains. There are many ways of categorizing the types of biomes in our environment. According to WorldBiomes (2003), there are five major biomes that are classified into aquatic, desert, forest, grasslands, and tundra. Forest Biomes characterize the biggest and most ecologically complicated systems since it contains variety of species, trees, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, insects and micro-organisms which has different type of weather and environment. Forest biomes have been a major area of concern in conservation due to massive forest degradation in the past and at present. Specifically boreal and rainforest are being deforested at a distressing rate of disappearing species of plants and Giant horsetails, club mosses, and ferns which grew up to 40 feet tall were the original forest species in the world and ancient plants and arthropods also inhabited the land (UCMP). It continued to exist and changed through time, various types of species evolved in which gymnosperms dominated the forests in the early periods of Paleozoic and Triassic period. As time passed by, the first flowering plants in the Cretaceous period come into sight simultaneously other kind of species emerged like insects, birds, and mammals. Due to some changes in the environment, species and forests were also altered giving way to a new kind of forest to grow in the surrounding. One-third of earth’s land area is occupied by the vastness of forests. Today, it is divided into many kinds of forests but there are only three major types which are grouped according to latitude, it includes tropical forests which is characterized by the presence of evergreen angiosperm trees located in warm and damp conditions, temperate rain forests are typified by evergreen conifers or tree ferns located at mild and wet environment throughout the year, and boreal forests is the largest forest biomes and also called as the taiga biome which can be found in areas with cold climates and long winters. Most boreal forests are inhabited by different organisms, birds and mammals like deer, wolves, rodents, and a small number of reptiles. In the temperate forests, most of the organisms found are the smaller and cold blooded animas like snakes, turtles, amphibians and plant species includes maple, elm, oak, and cedar. While primate species, birds, insects, mammals, invertebrates, termites, vertebrates, orchids and moss are found in tropical rainforests. In the forest, the symbiotic relationship which refers to close ecological relationship between two or more different species or organisms that benefits from each other and may benefit at the expense of the other and in some cases neither organisms can gain an advantage, between birds and mammals and even fish for example likes to eat fruits from trees and when these fruits fell to the ground, the seeds that are taken by the animals are dispersed into different parts of the forest land and eventually the seeds will grow and produce more and more trees. Another example is the relationship between the bee and the flower which also inhabit the forest, bees soar from flower to flower to collect nectar which are the source of food of bees and in turn bees with pollen from their hairy bodies will drop it to the flower making it pollination complete. In this situation, both bees and flowers benefit from the said process. This type of relationship is an example of mutualism in which both species benefit from the activity. On the other hand, parasitic relationship involves only one species benefit from an activity and the other is harmed. Example of this is the relationship between the parasite (tapeworm) and animals like pigs and cows. Tapeworms are fragmented flatworms that live in the stomachs of animals and even humans, they dig up for food through the host’s digested food leaving the host with no nutrients. Parasitic relationship is also evident in plants where aphids usually attack and eat the sap from the plants. Commensalism is another relationship that exists in a forest biome where only one species can take an advantage and the other is unaffected. One of the best examples is the relationship between the grape vine and a tree, the grape vine is strongly attached to the tree and almost climbing to the canopy to support itself. It is true that the tree is not disturb from the vine not either the grape vine affects the trees.

The Debate Over Reparations for Slavery

The Debate Over Reparations for Slavery The effects of both the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism continue to reverberate today, leading activists, human rights groups and the descendants of victims to demand reparations. The debate over reparations for slavery in the United States dates back  generations, in fact, all the way to the Civil War. Then, Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman recommended that all freedmen should receive 40 acres and a mule. The idea came after talks with African American themselves. However, President Andrew Johnson and the U.S. Congress did not approve of the plan. In the 21st century, not much has changed. The U.S. government and other nations where slavery thrived have yet to compensate the descendants of people in bondage. Still, the call for governments to take action has recently grown louder. In September 2016, a United Nations panel wrote a report that concluded African Americans deserve reparations for enduring centuries of â€Å"racial terrorism.† Made up of human rights lawyers and other experts, the U.N.’s Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent shared its findings with the U.N. Human Rights Council. â€Å"In particular, the legacy of colonial history, enslavement, racial subordination and segregation, racial terrorism and racial inequality in the United States remains a serious challenge, as there has been no real commitment to reparations and to truth and reconciliation for people of African descent,† the report determined. â€Å"Contemporary police killings and the trauma that they create are reminiscent of the past racial terror of lynching.† The panel does not have authority to legislate its findings, but its conclusions certainly give weight to the reparations movement. With this review, get a better idea of what reparations are, why supporters believe they’re needed  and why opponents object to them. Learn how private institutions, such as colleges and corporations, are owning up to their role in slavery, even as the federal government remains silent on the issue. What Are Reparations? When some people hear the term â€Å"reparations,† they think it means that descendants of slaves will receive a large cash payout. While reparations can be distributed in the form of cash, that’s hardly the only form in which they come. The U.N. panel said that reparations can amount to â€Å"a formal apology, health initiatives, educational opportunities ... psychological rehabilitation, technology transfer and financial support, and debt cancellation.† The human rights organization Redress defines reparations as a centuries-long principle of international law â€Å"referring to the obligation of a wrongdoing party to redress the damage caused to the injured party.† In other words, the guilty party must work to eradicate the effects of the wrongdoing as much as possible. In doing so, the party aims to restore a situation to how it likely would have played out had no wrongdoing occurred. Germany has provided restitution to Holocaust victims, but there’s simply no way to compensate for the lives of the six million Jews slaughtering during the genocide. Redress points out that in 2005, the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. These principles serve as a guideline for how reparations can be distributed.  One can also look to history for  examples. Although the descendants of enslaved African Americans have not received reparations, Japanese Americans forced into internment camps by the federal government during World War II have. The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 allowed the U.S. government to pay former internees $20,000. More than 82,000 survivors received restitution. President Ronald Reagan formally apologized to the internees as well. People who oppose reparations for slave descendants argue that African Americans and Japanese American internees differ. While actual survivors of internment were still alive to receive restitution, enslaved blacks are not.    Proponents and Opponents of Reparations The African American community includes both opponents and proponents of reparations. Ta-Nehisi Coates, a journalist for The Atlantic, has surfaced as one of the leading advocates for redress for African Americans. In 2014, he wrote a compelling argument in favor of reparations that catapulted him to international stardom. Walter Williams, an economic professor at George Mason University, is one of the leading foes of reparations. Both men are black. Williams argues that reparations are unnecessary because he contends that African Americans actually benefitted from slavery. Almost every black American’s income is higher as a result of being born in the United States than any country in Africa, Williams told ABC News. Most black Americans are middle-class. But this statement overlooks the fact that African Americans have higher poverty, unemployment and health disparities than other groups. It also overlooks that blacks have far less wealth on average than whites, a disparity that has continued over generations. Moreover, Williams ignores the psychological scars left by slavery and racism, which researchers have linked to higher rates of hypertension and infant mortality for blacks than whites. Reparations advocates argue that redress goes beyond a check. The government can compensate African Americans by investing in their schooling, training and economic empowerment. But Williams asserts that the federal government has already invested trillions to fight poverty. â€Å"We’ve had all kinds of programs trying to address the problems of discrimination,† he said. â€Å"America has gone a long way.† Coates, in contrast, argues that reparations are needed because after the Civil War, African Americans endured a second slavery due to debt peonage, predatory housing practices, Jim Crow and state-sanctioned violence. He also cited an Associated Press investigation about how racism resulted in blacks systematically losing their land since the antebellum period. â€Å"The series documented some 406 victims and 24,000 acres of land valued at tens of millions of dollars,† Coates explained of the investigation. â€Å"The land was taken through means ranging from legal chicanery to terrorism. ‘Some of the land taken from black families has become a country club in Virginia,’ the AP reported, as well as ‘oil fields in Mississippi’ and ‘a baseball spring training facility in Florida.’† Coates also pointed out how those who owned the land black tenant farmers worked often proved unscrupulous and refused to give sharecroppers the money owed to them. To boot, the federal government deprived African Americans of a chance to build up wealth by homeownership due to racist practices.    â€Å"Redlining went beyond FHA-backed loans and spread to the entire mortgage industry, which was already rife with racism, excluding black people from most legitimate means of obtaining a mortgage,† Coates wrote. Most compellingly, Coates notes how enslaved blacks and slavers themselves thought reparations necessary. He describes how in 1783, freedwoman Belinda Royall successfully petitioned the commonwealth of Massachusetts for reparations. In addition, Quakers demanded new converts to make reparations to slaves, and Thomas Jefferson protà ©gà © Edward Coles granted his slaves a plot of land after inheriting them. Similarly, Jefferson’s cousin John Randolph wrote in his will that his older slaves be freed and given 10 acres of land. The reparations blacks received then paled in comparison to how much the South, and by extension  the United States, profited from human trafficking. According to Coates, a third of all white income in the seven cotton states stemmed from slavery. Cotton became one of the country’s top exports, and by 1860, more millionaires per capita called the Mississippi Valley home than any other region in the nation. While Coates is the American most associated with the reparations movement today, he certainly did not start it. In the 20th century, a hodgepodge of Americans backed reparations. They include veteran Walter R. Vaughan, black-nationalist Audley Moore, civil rights activist James Forman and black activist Callie House. In 1987, the group National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America formed. And since 1989, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) has repeatedly introduced a bill, HR 40, known as the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. But the bill has never cleared the House, just as Harvard Law School Professor Charles J. Ogletree Jr. has not won any of the reparations claims he’s pursued in court. Aetna, Lehman Brothers, J.P. Morgan Chase, FleetBoston Financial and Brown Williamson Tobacco are among the companies that have been sued for their ties to slavery. But Walter Williams said that corporations aren’t culpable. â€Å"Do corporations have social responsibility?† Williams asked in an opinion column. â€Å"Yes. Nobel laureate professor Milton Friedman put it best in 1970 when he said that in a free society ‘there is one and only one social responsibility of business- to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.’† Some corporations have a different take. How Institutions Have Addressed Slavery Ties Companies such as Aetna have acknowledged profiting from slavery. In 2000, the company apologized for reimbursing slaveholders for the financial losses incurred when their chattel, enslaved men and women, died. Aetna has long acknowledged that for several years shortly after its founding in 1853 that the company may have insured the lives of slaves, the company said in a statement. We express our deep regret over any participation at all in this deplorable practice. Aetna admitted to writing up to a dozen policies insuring the lives of the enslaved. But it said it would not offer reparations. The insurance industry and slavery were extensively entangled. After Aetna apologized for its role in the institution, the California State Legislature required all insurance companies doing business there to search their archives for policies that reimbursed slaveholders. Not long afterward, eight companies provided such records, with three submitting records of having insured slave ships. In 1781, slavers on the ship Zong  threw more than  130 sick slaves overboard to collect insurance money. But Tom Baker, then director of the Insurance Law Center at the University of Connecticut School of Law, told the New York Times in 2002 that he disagreed that insurance companies should be sued for their slavery ties. â€Å"I just have a sense that it’s unfair that a few companies have been singled out when the slave economy was something that the whole society bears some responsibility for,† he said. â€Å"My concern is more that to the extent that there is some moral responsibility, it should not be targeted to just a few people.† Some institutions with ties to the slave trade have tried to make amends for their past. A number of the nation’s oldest universities, among them Princeton, Brown, Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Dartmouth, the University of Pennsylvania and the College of William and Mary, had ties to slavery. Brown University’s Committee on Slavery and Justice found that the school’s founders, the Brown family, owned slaves and participated in the slave trade. Additionally, 30 members of Brown’s governing board owned slaves or helmed slave ships. In response to this finding, Brown said it would expand its Africana studies program, continue to provide technical assistance to historically black colleges and universities, support local public schools and more. Georgetown University is also taking action. The university owned slaves and announced plans to offer reparations. In 1838, the university sold 272 enslaved blacks to eliminate its debt. As a result, it is offering admissions preference to the descendants of those it sold. â€Å"Having this opportunity would be amazing but I also feel as if it’s owed to me and to my family and to others that want that opportunity,† Elizabeth Thomas, a slave descendant, told NPR in 2017. Her mother, Sandra Thomas, said she didn’t think Georgetown’s reparations plan goes far enough, as not every descendant is in a position to attend university. â€Å"What about me?† she asked. â€Å"I dont want to go to school. Im an old lady. What if you don’t have the capacity? You have one student lucky enough to have decent family support system, got the foundation. He can go to Georgetown and he can thrive. He has that ambition. You’ve got this kid over here. He’ll never go to Georgetown or any other school on this planet beyond a certain level. Now, what you going to do for him? Did his ancestors suffer any less? No.† Thomas raises a point on which  both supporters and foes of reparations can agree. No amount of restitution can make up for the injustices suffered.

Relationship Between Knowledge and Belief. What Role Does Experience Essay

Relationship Between Knowledge and Belief. What Role Does Experience and Reason Play in Ensuring our Beliefs Are True - Essay Example What is important to note here is the underlying significance on the shaping up of beliefs. If these beliefs are not given the room to expand within their entireties, there is little one can do in essence. Similarly, experience and reason have got a due role within the relevant scheme of knowledge and beliefs. Experience comes with an understanding that things can be learned with the passage of time. As far as knowledge is concerned, teacher can teach knowledge but he cannot force his own self to change beliefs and opinions which take a long time to change essentially. Knowledge leads to experience after a particular task is worked upon. If the knowledge is not employed in a due capacity, experience will not be deemed as fruitful. Therefore, one must understand the dictum of positive change that shall dawn upon the entirety of an individual who wants to attain knowledge. If the knowledge is acquired, then only experience is derived from the same settings. The role of the teacher is t herefore an important one but it is the guidance that shall lead a student towards deducing what is deemed as a better alternative for him, and what shall not reap any rich dividends for his personality in the coming times. In order to make sure that our beliefs turn out to be true, the role of knowledge and experience working hand in hand with one another is a significant one. This is because both these elements work alongside one another to form up our beliefs which remain quintessential for us no matter how tough the circumstances and situations turn out to be at the end. The gravity of our beliefs is directly related with how our knowledge and experience shape up. This is because the beliefs are affected by the knowledge and experience regimes which are in place and which shall be the basis of comprehension within the related realms (Bratman, Fischer & Perry, 2009). The theory of knowledge is such that it would lead to immense understanding as it paves the way for alternatives a nd options. It gives the people a sense of belongingness and understanding – a fact that has been discussed, analyzed and relearned altogether with the advent of time. The beliefs need to be covered up with experience and knowledge which remain important for an individual until the time he is alive and bringing in value for his own entirety. The manner in which inductive influence comes about is an important one. This is because there is a sense of leading into things when inductive influence comes into the relevant equations. The inductive influence within the dynamics of beliefs comes in from research which is knowledge and the practical demonstration of work that leads up to experience. The mix of the two is indeed the belief that a person acquires and would long to have within his folds. What is significant here is an understanding that things shall be done properly if there is a certain belief behind the very same dictum. This will mean long term success for all and sund ry, an aspect which has been given much emphasis in the recent times by the people who study personalities and their direct and indirect effects and consequences. Therefore philosophy asks of the individuals to manifest their truest selves through understanding, research and practical experience. All of these tenets are given a decent cover under

Psychological disorders Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Psychological disorders - Movie Review Example He is amoral and has no problem being rude and condescending to his friends. After he tires of Tom Ripley’s company, he decides to tell him to leave by telling him he is boring with little regard for his feelings. He calls him a leach who is taking over his possessions and his life although he is the one who had invited him to stay with him. Additionally, he continuously has other sexual relations behind his girlfriends back and shows no remorse for it. He is so charming that he has no problem talking himself out of any problem. Discrepancies and any shortcomings he may have are hidden under a faà §ade of unrestrained adventurism and nonchalance. Although he has an endless supply of his father’s money, he selfishly refuses to lend any money to his lover who urgently needs it to have an abortion. He additionally cannot accept responsibility for her death when she commits suicide after the fact. Individuals suffering from narcissistic personality disorder can be effectively treated through individual cognitive behavioral therapy over a long period of time. The goal or outcome of the treatment is usually to modify distorted thoughts while creating a realistic self image. It is worth noting that successful treatment is usually hindered by the individual’s unwillingness to admit that they suffer from the disorder (APA). Psychopaths intellectualize and rationalize their behavior in a manner that shows dysfunction of conscience. They show no remorse for defrauding and hurting others. They are unable to adapt to societal norms and are usually unable to truly find their true identity. They tend to take up the identities of those that they admire or of people they would want to be. Tom Ripley is the perfect example of a psychopath whose main desire is to belong to a higher social class. He passes himself off as a Princeton graduate by wearing a blazer with the Princeton crest on the pocket. He fools Mr. Greenleaf into

Customer Relationship Management in Bahrain Investment Banking Arena Essay Example for Free

Customer Relationship Management in Bahrain Investment Banking Arena Essay The banking industry has undergone widespread changes within the operating environment and this involves globalization of markets and technological improvements. These two factors have influenced and encouraged innovative practices within the banking industry that has served to enhance its operational efficiency. The introduction of ATMs and e-banking facilities are some of the major milestones in the banking industry that have revolutionized business operations. The global markets have intensified the competitive environment of the banking industry that has created the need for increased efficiency in operations and increasing customer satisfaction. Customers are the lifeblood of any organization and the banking business too depends on the acquisition and retention of consumers for its profitability. Customer relationship management forms a vital aspect of business strategy driving the company’s market shares and market leadership position. Customer relationship management (CRM) has been defined as a business strategy that â€Å"is a fusion of a series of functions, skills, processes, and technologies which together allow companies to more profitably manage (acquire and retain) customers as tangible assets† (Shanmugasundaram, 2008:98). It is viewed as an interactive process that creates a balance between corporate objectives and customer satisfaction to increase the profitability of the business. Acquisition and retention of customers is one of the vital requirements of business and the effectiveness of strategies driven towards this goal determines the success of business enterprises. The past few years have witnessed growing application of CRM in retail banking and investment banking sectors. The key objective behind such initiatives is to ensure the delivery of superior customer service and to fulfil the needs of consumers. Such practices are effective in enabling organizations to meet the needs of the consumers and provide improved services in comparison to other players in the industry. Competitive advantage and business gains are driven by a proactive approach that focuses on consumer needs and expectations, provision of consistently high quality service, looking into consumer convenience and an effective follow up service to ensure consumer loyalty. A vital aspect of investment banking and any other financial services is the changing consumer mindsets. Owing to the abundance of information easily accessible over the Internet the consumers today are more knowledgeable of the wide range of choices and alternatives available to them. The consumers are equipped with more knowledge related to the banking options available and hence their banking decisions are guided by their well-researched study. This fact holds true for all economic sectors and business operations but forms a critical aspect of banking industries since it caters to a diverse segment of consumers. In nearly all business to business markets in which clients are as large as, or as in this case, often much larger than their suppliers, the latter must respond quickly to pressures from their clients to improve client management processes and systems† (Foss Stone, 2002: 211). CRM in Investment banking sector The short term objective of the marketing department is to acquire customers while the long term objective translates to retaining the old customers through effective customer relationship management (CRM) strategies. Reaching and acquiring a new customer is one thing, keeping the relationship healthy and strong over a long period of time is the mark of the true marketing professional concerned with long term health of the organization† (Dolak, 2009). The increasing competitive market makes it difficult to retain customers over a longer period of time owing to the constant influx of new and substitute alternatives invading the shelf spaces at the local retail shop. This makes the task of CRM increasingly challenging and organizations adopt various strategies to attract old customers back. Retention strategies often employ measures such as consumer behaviour research and product surveys that enable the organizations to assess the needs and expectations of the consumer and enable them to serve better. Customers always appreciate the personal touch that results in building strong relationships. The net today provides numerous effective communication channels that are being used to keep the customer happy. Web based customer relationship management has effectively integrated all modes of communication – web, email, chat, video, voice to serve and support the customers to enhance the total customer experience. Investment banking differs from other forms of banking in the role a few major clients play on the bank’s performance and productivity (Foss Stone, 2002). This form of banking targets a fixed client segment that drives the sales of investment products and services. The efficiency of the banking sector is determined by the types of products and services sold to customers in response to their investment needs and expectations. Customization of products and services are the key to deriving client satisfaction. Identification of the client segment is a vital factor in targeting and reaching out to the desired client population and this process is driven by market research. The changing demographics and intense competitive pressures from global industry players have however made a significant impact on the business strategies of investment banks worldwide. The challenges faced by investment bankers lie in reaching out to target consumers and providing them with increased ease of banking services that serve to retain clients over a longer period of time. Moreover, the increasing demands of consumers and growing expectations have driven the banking sector to adopt technology based innovative applications for meeting consumer needs and expectations. Online banking services and mobile banking applications are some of the innovative means that are being used by investment bankers to reach out to their target consumers. Such applications have served to improve banking services and efficiencies in resolving customer queries and needs promptly through the click of the mouse button. The anytime and anywhere access to banking services have defined new trends in serving consumers. â€Å"Online customization is one useful customer relationship management strategy adopted by e-business to add value and improve sales of their products and services using the Internet† (Khosla et al. , 2003). Investment banking in Bahrain The banking sector in Bahrain is one of the key sectors influencing economic growth and development in the region. The contribution of the financial services and banking sector is second only to the oil and natural gas industry in the country. The country has experienced an economic boom and an upward trend in economic growth and development over the past few decades on account of globalisation influences and opening of trade channels. The banking sector has also opened to multinational corporations establishing their operations in the country to tap the growing number of high net worth individuals in the country. Despite the globalisation of banking operations and increased de-regulation of the financial services sector in the area the country continues to have a significant control and supervision over the regulatory environment. The Central Bank of Bahrain continues to be monitor and control the banking environment in the country. The modernisation of banking services and strategic approaches made by investment bankers in other parts of the globe have not produced much impact in this region owing to the constraints applied by the existing cultural influence. The retail banking scenario in Bahrain is to a considerable extent driven by the culture of the country. The cultural impacts are realised in the conservative approach of consumers towards banking and investment. Various research studies have concluded that while the region is an emerging market for technology applications and innovative practices, user attitudes have limited the scope of technology based business models in the banking sector. The conservative market environment and user attitudes towards the CRM strategies adopted by investment bankers in Bahrain forms the focal point of the research study. The research study will analyse the various perspectives involved in CRM approach by investment bankers through the study of Unicorn Investment Bank in Bahrain. The bank was founded in the year 2004 and has its headquarters in Bahrain. It is an Islamic financial services group that has an international presence in various locations such as Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and United States. The bank currently has six distinctive business service categories that include asset management and real estate, capital markets, corporate finance, private equity, strategic mergers and acquisitions and treasury. Among the various services offered by the bank the key approach is to deliver the customers with a comprehensive range of investment solutions that are customised to meet client needs and expectations. Unicorn’s integrated product offering and financial engineering skills are closely intertwined with a strong capacity to distribute the Bank’s products and services to a broad client base across the GCC region, the wider Middle East region, Southeast Asia, the USA and the Europe† (Unicorn, 2010). The target customers of the bank include high net worth individuals, business enterprises, financial institutions, corporations, and government agencies and departments. The products offered by the bank are Shari’ah compliant and conforms to the international financial practices (Unicorn, 2010). Issues and challenges â€Å"All major banks have invested heavily in technology and infrastructure over the last 5 and 10 years in this area, but hardly any of them have been successful in actually getting it effective† (Infosys, 2009). The failure of CRM initiatives within the investment banking sector have provided a new ground for research into increasing the effectiveness of CRM applications. There are many strategic implications related to the application of CRM within investment banking sector. This involves the adaptation of normal banking processes and systems to integrate with innovative use of technology based applications and automated query processing systems that require efficient management and handling of issues. Such issues pertain to the efficient use of CRM systems to meet operational goals and integrating the different banking functions to provide a structured application that can be used easily by consumers. Ease of use and convenience are some of the key parameters involved in the development of CRM based banking system. A key challenge facing these areas involves the security and privacy issues that form a major source of concern for consumers using the technology based applications. Technology based business models and CRM strategies enable investment bankers to provide the customers with efficiency in delivery of services, access to relevant information, product details and ease of transactions. Mobile banking and e-banking facilitates the customers of investment banking to a host of facilities that range from product enquiry; access updated rates of interest and market values of the investment products chosen and conducts investment transactions online. Investment portfolios can also be accessed and manipulated according to user convenience from the comforts of their home or office. However, widespread usage of such systems has been restricted on account of user reservations related to security issues and privacy of vital user data and information. Mobile banking and online transactions raise security and privacy concerns among most of the consumers (Barati Mohammadi, 2009). The transfer of sensitive financial and personal information across mobile networks is found to be the prime reason behind the psychological barriers created among potential mobile banking customers (Laukkanen, 2007).

The Tempest Essay -- Shakespeare

Everyone has lost something. One of my earliest memories is a car ride through the desert of Arizona. We had just stopped at a gas station, and after we had gotten back on the road I realized that I had left behind a small toy I had gotten at McDonald's earlier that day. Even at seven years old I knew that I would forget about the toy in a day or two, but for some reason I could not help but ardently entreat my parents to return for it. It was only after I had lost the toy that I realized how much I wanted it. Shakespeare’s characters have lost something as well: their freedom. The idea of a â€Å"puppet master† is not an uncommon one in classic literature. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth we sense the subtle manipulations of the three witches in their treatment of Macbeth, and in â€Å"The Final Problem† by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle we see Sherlock Holmes struggle to free himself from the the works of criminal mastermind James Moriarty. We even see it in childrenâ €™s literature through â€Å"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz† by L. Frank Baum. Yet The Tempest is unique as the mastermind has lost his own freedom as well. It is like seeing the puppets dance, looking behind the curtain, and seeing only more strings. Through reading The Tempest you come to understand that almost every character, even if that character is seemingly in control of their own destiny, is trapped by something or someone, and it is only as they struggle to regain their freedom that each individual realizes how much it was taken for granted. The most obvious loss of freedom is felt by the ruling party consisting of Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, and Gonzalo. Their first goal is to return to Naples, but that voyage is halted by Prospero's storm and their subsequent wreck on the island (1.2.205... ...e to regain control of both Milan and Naples. But in the end The ruling party is spared, Antonio regains his son while Prospero regains his kingdom, Ariel is freed, and even Caliban takes some small ownership in his actions, â€Å"Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter / And seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass / Was I, to take this drunkard for a god / And worship this dull fool!† (5.1.332-335) It is that sense of rediscovery that Shakespeare leaves us with, the sense that the characters have struggled against fate without even knowing it and are just now realizing what they have gained as a result. The future is uncertain and relationships are still being recreated, but every character leaves the island with a deeper appreciation of the importance of freedom. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. Paperback. New York: Modern Library, 2008. Print.

Criminal Law Midterm

Midterm Criminal Law State v. Doug Homicide: The unlawful taking of the life of one human being by another. Actual Causation : The defendant’s act must have been the â€Å"cause in fact† of the victim’s death. Without the defendant’s actions, the victim would not have died. â€Å"But for† Doug shooting and killing Tom, he would not have died. Proximate Causation: A defendant’s actions are the proximate cause of the victim’s death if the result occurs as a consequence of the defendant’s act. There is no other casually connected act. The defendant’s conduct is the direct cause of the harm. Doug was the sole causal agent, and he brought about Tom’s death by shooting and killing him. Therefore, Doug was the proximate cause of Tom’s death. Murder: Murder is the unlawful killing of another human being with malice aforethought. Malice aforethought is the intention to cause the death of, or grievous bodily harm to, a human being. Because Doug shot and killed Tom he will be charged with murder. Because Doug went to a nearby drawer to grab a gun, and then shot Dan, there was malice aforethought. First Degree Murder: First degree murder is murder where there was premeditation, deliberation, and then willful killing. Doug was â€Å"fearing for his life† and did not have premeditation or deliberation. Doug will not be convicted of first degree murder. Second Degree Murder: Second degree murder is murder where there is malice aforethought but it was not premeditated. Because Doug did commit murder but did not premeditate, his charge will be second degree murder. Voluntary Manslaughter: Voluntary manslaughter is a killing done â€Å"on a sudden†, in the â€Å"heat of passion†, after â€Å"adequate provocation†. The Model Penal Code declares that a killing â€Å"which otherwise would be murder† is manslaughter under certain conditions. Because Tom threatened to â€Å"beat Doug badly†, and Doug then feared for his life, there was legally adequate provocation. Doug will argue that the killing was done in the â€Å"heat of passion†. Under the Model Penal Code, the killing would be considered committed under extreme emotional or mental disturbance . Because there was no â€Å"cooling off† period brought on by the sudden provocation, at a time when reason was disturbed, so there was no mens rea. Doug will be eligible for reduction to voluntary manslaughter. Self Defense: Self defense is a general right to defend oneself against the use of unlawful force. One may defend oneself with deadly force only if the attacker threatens him with serious bodily harm. Doug will contend that Tom threatened to â€Å"beat him badly†, and he was defending himself from serious bodily harm. Doug believed that he was in imminent danger, had no way to retreat, and that the use of deadly force was necessary to protect himself. The Jury will have to decide if Doug’s deadly force was excessive. Tom’s words carry a threat of serious bodily harm, but there was no unlawful force taken. Also, the jury will have to decide if Doug was the initial aggressor. Defense of Property: Use of force to defend one’s property or one’s self from harm is justified. A homeowner generally cannot use deadly force to defend his property. This is based on the judgment that human life is more valuable than property. Doug will argue that he was defending himself and his property and was acting in self defense. Doug should be able to mitigate a charge of murder to voluntary manslaughter. Because there was no unlawful force against Doug, self defense will most likely not be attainable.

Human Essay

I find it is amazing how human is the only being ( by means of being able to be observed by common senses ) as the only independent object by which is not subjected , or bounded to , any limiting factors (except by the factor of capability of human itself ). If we are to study , why human are able to think independently , we go to the brain. Now, when you study the brain and view it from a philosophy spectrum, you will see that the brain is simply a bunch of chemicals ( in fact, everything is chemicals ) that collaborates together and form a very sophisticated and complicated active mechanism of maneuvering and solving variables of countless many ( think of it like this , you mix in a mixture of chemicals ( such as H(2)O,CO(2) and all kinds of other chemical component of the brain) , and find that the mixed chemicals are capable of thinking! ). As quoted from Oliver Sachs from the TED Talk ( forgive me if I’m mistaken),†Information in the form of energy , streams in simultaneously through all of our sensory systems , and then it explodes into this collaborative collage ( the collage here are used to signified the greatness of our brain , being each of the brain cell ability to think )†. Now , our brain has two very opposing parts , the passive and the active group. This two groups are very different in a manner such that it can even contradicts itself , although it being in a single organ in our body which is weird. That is the power of decision. We make decision in our daily life and in fact , every things make decision , even in the atomic level ( the attracting and discharge of electron itself by atoms is decision). But what makes us different from other things are that we are able to make decision even beyond the passive limitation ). For example , when you are running you will eventually gets tired. When you are tired , your passive group of brain make decisions to increase heartbeat and increase breathing process rate , and provide your active group of brain a decision to stop running (since running is an active process). You have now 2 options, firstly you agreed with the passive brain to stop running and get a rest. Secondly , you could countinue running and eventually dies. Now here’s the thing , the main objective of living thing is to , survive and dying is not a very good choice if you want to survive , but you , as a living thing , an independant living things has actually broke the very purpose of being a living thing (the fact that very aim of living things is to survive also intrigues me , how can a bunch of collaborative chemicals wants to live , to survive ). Unlike plants for example , they are subjected to boundaries or laws. For example , when they require sunlight and water , it will grow shoot and root respectively. They are unable to overcome this limitation of â€Å"thinking† because they are not independant , unlike we human. More amazingly, with this power of decision we are able to compute a very complicated mathemical problems , mechanical problems , and overcome flaws. Although that was a very bad example of decision but the point here is that we have the power to actually do something beyond the horizon and boundaries of passiveness. We human has this miracelous gift of being able to think actively. With this capability , we can do something good, or something bad. And it is for us to decide. Is it with this capability , that divide humans into levels of intelectuality and quality, it is this capability that can shape a single human capable of transforming and nourishing the whole entity of universe and when ignored , the most simpleton of blockhead, bonehead, dumbass, dunce, dunderhead, hammerhead, knucklehead, loggerhead, lunkhead, muttonhead, numskull kind of human.

September 11 Bombing

September 11 Bombing September 11 Bombing The September 11th booming was an attack set by a terror group named as the Al-Qaida against the United States of America. The Al-Qaida group is believed to have used nineteen men of the same associate who also accepted to sacrifice their lives just to see that their aim had come to success. This essay discuses the September 11 attack on the American twin towers of New York City. It will focus on the casualties, damages, and the aftermath. We will also talk about the attackers and their intension. There were very many casualties reported allover the Twin Tower. Some had broken hands, legs, and many injuries in different parts of the body. This included many damages for instance, Twins Towers were destroyed, Marriott world trade center. This also caused the closure of the world financial center. The police helped in getting bodies from the rubbles. Over 2700 people lost lives (Wanttoknow.info, (n.d)). Those who lost there relatives went through deep sorrow and pain. Aftermath This left a great impact in the world. Nations began enforcement against anti-terror groups. The incidence left at least three thousand children without or with only one parent. The situation also brought unity to many nations against al-Qaida (Kimball, 2005). People made promises that such things will not happen again. It also led to scientific methods of investigations like closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, among other modern technology and new modes of training of security personnel. There is no clear evidence of who was behind the attacks, but it is believed that it was the al-Qaida group. They did this because they wanted Americans to leave there territory of holy worship in Saudi Arabia. Nineteen people organized it Mohamed Atta from Egypt led it. The group began when the Soviet Union fought against Afghanistan. Osama-Bin-Laden is said to have chaired and was the head of the whole terror group. He has been rear since 1998 and it is not clear if he is dead or still living. It was full of havoc. No one should allow such acts to happen again. Wherever we are as human beings, we should be sensitive against terror activities. We should all condemn it. Encourage donors to help orphans and widows. Let us promote peace and unity, despite who our neighbors are.

Battle of Copenhagen in the Napoleonic Wars

Battle of Copenhagen in the Napoleonic Wars Battle of Copenhagen - Conflict Date: The Battle of Copenhagen was fought on April 2, 1801, and was part of the War of the Second Coalition (1799-1802). Fleets Commanders: British Admiral Sir Hyde ParkerVice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson20 ships of the line (12 w/ Nelson, 8 in reserve) Denmark-Norway Vice Admiral Olfert Fischer7 ships of the line Battle of Copenhagen - Background: In late 1800 and early 1801, diplomatic negotiations produced the League of Armed Neutrality. Led by Russia, the League also included Denmark, Sweden, and Prussia all of which called for the ability to trade freely with France. Wishing to maintain their blockade of the French coast and concerned about losing access to Scandinavian timber and naval stores, Britain immediately began preparing to take action. In the spring of 1801, a fleet was formed at Great Yarmouth under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker with the purpose of breaking up the alliance before the Baltic Sea thawed and released the Russian fleet. Included in Parkers fleet as second-in-command was Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, then out of favor due to his activities with Emma Hamilton. Recently married to a young wife, the 64-year old Parker dithered in port and was only coaxed to sea by a personal note from First Lord of the Admiralty Lord St. Vincent. Departing port on March 12, 1801, the fleet reached the Skaw a week later. Met there by diplomat Nicholas Vansittart, Parker and Nelson learned that the Danes had refused a British ultimatum demanding they leave the League. Battle of Copenhagen - Nelson Seeks Action: Unwilling to take decisive action, Parker proposed blockading the entrance to the Baltic despite the fact he would be outnumbered once the Russians could put to sea. Believing that Russia posed the greatest threat, Nelson fervently lobbied Parker to bypass the Danes to attack the Tsars forces. On March 23, after a council of war, Nelson was able to secure permission to attack the Danish fleet which had concentrated at Copenhagen. Entering the Baltic, the British fleet hugged the Swedish coast to avoid fire from the Danish batteries on the opposite shore. Battle of Copenhagen - Danish Preparations: At Copenhagen, Vice Admiral Olfert Fischer prepared the Danish fleet for battle. Unready to put to sea, he anchored his ships along with several hulks in the Kings Channel, near Copenhagen, to form a line of floating batteries. The ships were supported by additional batteries on land as well as the Tre Kroner fortress at the northern end of the line, near the entrance to Copenhagen harbor. Fischers line was also protected by the Middle Ground Shoal which separated the Kings Channel from the Outer Channel. To hinder navigation in these shallow waters, all navigation aids were removed. Battle of Copenhagen - Nelsons Plan: To assault Fischers position, Parker gave Nelson the twelve ships of the line with the shallowest drafts, as well as all of the fleets smaller vessels. Nelsons plan called for his ships to turn into the Kings Channel from the south and have each ship attack a predetermined Danish vessel. As the heavy ships engaged their targets, the frigate HMS Desiree and several brigs would rake the southern end of the Danish line. To the north, Captain Edward Riou of HMS Amazon was to lead several frigates against the Tre Kroner and land troops once it had been subdued. While his ships were fighting, Nelson planned for his small flotilla of bomb vessels to approach and fire over his line to strike the Danes. Lacking charts, Captain Thomas Hardy spent the night of March 31 covertly taking soundings near the Danish fleet. The next morning, Nelson, flying his flag from HMS Elephant (74), ordered the attack to begin. Approaching the Kings Channel, HMS Agamemnon (74) ran around on the Middle Ground Shoal. While the bulk of Nelsons ships successfully entered the channel, HMS Bellona (74) and HMS Russell (74) also ran aground. Battle of Copenhagen - Nelson Turns a Blind Eye: Adjusting his line to account for the grounded ships, Nelson engaged the Danes in a bitter three-hour battle that raged from around 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM. Though the Danes offered heavy resistance and were able to shuttle reinforcements from the shore, superior British gunnery slowly began to turn the tide. Standing offshore with the deeper draft ships, Parker was unable to accurately see the fighting. Around 1:30, thinking that Nelson had been fought to a standstill but was unable to retreat without orders, Parker ordered the signal for break off action hoisted. Believing that Nelson would ignore it if the situation warranted, Parker thought he was giving his subordinate an honorable reprieve. Aboard Elephant, Nelson was stunned to see the signal and ordered it acknowledged, but not repeated. Turning to his flag captain Thomas Foley, Nelson famously exclaimed, You know, Foley, I only have one eye - I have the right to be blind sometimes. Then holding his telescope to his blind eye, he continued, I really do not see the signal! Of Nelsons captains, only Riou, who could not see Elephant, obeyed the order. In attempting to break off fighting near the Tre Kroner, Riou was killed. Shortly thereafter, the guns towards the southern end of the Danish lines began falling silent as the British ships triumphed. By 2:00 Danish resistance had effectively ended and Nelsons bomb vessels moved into position to attack. Seeking to end the fighting, Nelson dispatched Captain Sir Frederick Thesiger ashore with a note for Crown Prince Frederik calling for a cessation of hostilities. By 4:00 PM, after further negotiations, a 24-hour ceasefire was agreed upon. Battle of Copenhagen - Aftermath: One of Nelsons great triumphs, the Battle of Copenhagen cost the British 264 dead and 689 wounded, as well as varying degrees of damage to their ships. For the Danes, casualties were estimated at 1,600-1,800 killed and the loss nineteen ships. In the days after the battle, Nelson was able negotiate a fourteen-week armistice during which the League would be suspended and the British given free access to Copenhagen. Coupled with the assassination of Tsar Paul, the Battle of Copenhagen effectively ended the League of Armed Neutrality. Selected Sources British Battles: Battle of CopenhagenHistory of War: Battle of CopenhagenAdmiral Nelson.org: Battle of Copenhagen

Abstrsct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Abstrsct - Essay Example The research study aims addressing how EFL teachers can apply videoconferencing as a tool for promoting intercultural competency. Teachers can only be able to make informed decisions if they have adopted a telecollaborative learning approach that enables them to work together in completing common tasks that need both technological and pedagogical knowledge in online platform. A collaborative online learning environment is essential for foreign EFL teachers since it augments their capacity for critical thinking, reduces isolation, and support sharing of opinions, experiences, ideas in the Saudi Arabia intercultural classroom. The study’s methods will entail training of the EFL teachers, especially to acquire skills in the moderation in synchronous platform as well as intercultural competencies. The application of ICT in the training will give the EFL teachers the opportunity to practically apply their experienced in the classrooms thereby enhancing learning. The purpose of the research study is to enable teachers to gain ICT competency, use ICT in developing various educational paradigms, and to use it both as a mind and teaching tool. Teachers will be required to develop the skills and knowledge on e-learning. The study is particularly designed to prove how videoconferencing can replace the conventional teaching method in enhancing the training of Intercultural Communication among in-service English teachers who are not conversant with the Arabic

Why might employees be crucial to competitive success Essay

Why might employees be crucial to competitive success - Essay Example In general, competitive success of an organization has an increasing impact on individuals and the community. The problem under analysis has been widely discussed in the literature. Such gurus of management as M. Porter (1985), Tomer (1987), Storey (1989), Arthur (1994), Huselid (1995), Pfeffer (1996), Huselid and Becker (1996), Pickus and Spratt (1 997), Ichniowski, et al (1997), Patterson et al (1998), Guest (2000) etc. analysed the impact of employees performance on competitive success of a firm and interdependence between HR strategies and successful business performance. They explain why employees are crucial to competitive success and what strategies a company should implement to achieve competitive success. M. Porter, in his book "Competitive Advantage" singles out the main criteria for success. Cost leadership, high quality and innovation are the main elements of competitive success (Porter, 1985). Cost leadership advantage is based on a firm's position as the industry's low-cost producer, in broadly defined markets or across a wide mix of products. For a company managing for high quality means more than just fine-tuning production controls. High quality is used as a weapon and companies are wanting to produce products that meet customers requirement. The idea is to get products to a market with fewer defects. A high degree of rivalry usually compromises the potential profitability of an industry and typically results in innovation which stimulates consumer demand for the products of the industry. Without an adequate supply of staff and employees commitment to work, it will be difficult to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. M. Armstrong agrees with Porter saying that: "unique talents among employees, including superior performance, productivity, flexibility, innovation and the ability to deliver high levels of personal customer service, are ways in which people provide a critical ingredient in developing an organization's competitive position". (Armstrong, 2001, p. 110) Decision about the future strategy of the organization are made by people and strategies are implemented by people. The success or failure of a current strategy will depend not only on decisions made in the past but also on how those decisions are being implemented now by people employed by the organization. It is therefore important to questions about who, how and why people are doing what they are doing and what they should do to achieve competitive success. Employees' skills, knowledge, and abilities are among the most distinctive and renewable resources on which a company can draw, their strategic management is more important than ever. Increasingly, organizations are recognized that their success depends on what people know, that is, their knowledge and skills. According to this Porter's theory (1985) any organization can gain competitive advantage by developing resources, which add unique value, which can't be adopted by another company. Human capital adds value to the company and it cannot be imitated. Employees are crucial for competitive success because human capital becomes" a philosophy that appeals to managements who are striving to increase competitive advantage and appreciate that to do this they must invest in human resources as well