Saturday, November 30, 2019

My Childhood free essay sample

I was only child so I spent a lot of time with my parents. Of all the memories there are unforgettable events that took place in my childhood. All of these events brought me joy and happiness and†¦sadness. Some of the great memories in my childhood were sculpted during my time at pre-school. I think the childhood memories in the kindergarten was the most impression memory in my mind. I have never forgotten the first day when I went to the school. I was three years old, my father took me to there. Everything was very strange to me. I didn’t know everybody. Then I saw many children cried. They didn’t want to leave their parents. When my Dad left I didn’t cry, I just stood in a corner and thought about my Mom, I missed her very much. I didn’t want to leave her, but I needed to go to school. We will write a custom essay sample on My Childhood or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page During these years I learned about relationships, began my formal education and developed my moral sense of right and wrong. I learned how to respond to others based the treatment I am given. If I am loved, then I know how to love others. When I was about five years old, my Dad gave me a present : a bicycle. I still remember how excited I was. Riding a bike makes exercise fun. It encourages outdoor play that I like much I think that a person’s childhood years are the most important. These years determine what kind of a person the child will become. No one knows me as well as my parents, especially my Dad. No one wants the best for me like my parents. My Dad would invite children over to play with me. Over the years, I have become very close to these children. They like my family. We celebrate holidays and birthdays together. My father usually told me the stories : Lion’s King, the Fox and the Stork, the Shepherd boy, ect†¦ before I go to bed. Those are the lessons about family, friendship, right and wrong,†¦ He taught me learning Enghlish, swimming, and climbing trees to pluck fruits on summer vacations. On Tet’s days, I have given red envelopes filled with lucky money, called â€Å"li xi†. This greeting ritual and â€Å"li xi† is also known as â€Å"Mung tuoi†. I was born and have grown up in the education of my father and in the tender loving care of my mother. I have spent my hold childhood in the love and affection of my dear ones with so many sweet memories. And then†¦. life is not a pink picture ! When I was a child of about six years old, an incident so impress me that it leaves an indelible mark on me One of my most terrible time was a Saturday afternoon. I remember it like yesterday. My Mom and I were all waiting patiently for my Dad to come home from his office. He had promised me that he would take me walking with the bubbles. The minutes felt like hours. It was the longest hour of my life. Mom and I ran to the front door anxiously waiting for the news†¦ I didn’t know what happens ? I was scared to think because I was so   worried of the slow coming of my Dad. Do you ever think back on those people whom you’ve loved and cared about but who are no longer in your life ? The afternoon sunlight has gone†¦and my father has been lost forever! I didn’t believe that was the truth. Everybody was mercy and crying†¦ My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good – bye my Dad. Do you ever think back on those people whom you’ve loved and cared about but they are no longer in your life ? I cried and shouted â€Å" Mom, where is my Dad †¦? Please find him and bring him here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and I did not stop waiting patiently for my Dad to come back home. And then†¦. eople said   â€Å"It is a funeral† This was the first time in my life that I faced fear and desperation. The night has fallen, I missed my Dad terribly, missed him heartbreakingly! How could I tell you about all of these longings I had. My heart ached for him. I felt extremely helpless! When situation gets me down, I re member that there is someone in Heaven who loves me so much and watches over me. That is my Father! I understand that the precious things, we can never keep. Anything, let it be! Buddha taught that â€Å" All life is full of suffering because we try to hold on to things which must pass away† That’s right! I think so. THE CHILDHOOD AND THE FAMILY As you remember the good times, the fun, the understanding and love felt and shared – as a feelings stir to life all over again and then the childhood memories with family are special for everyone I was born and brought up in a small family which included my father, my mother and I. We lived very happily and harmoniously. My father was a government servant and my mother was a well-known teacher. They were very well connected and they had many friends . We have been living in the center of Ho Chi Minh city . I was only child so I spent a lot of time with my parents. Of all the memories there are unforgettable events that took place in my childhood. All of these events brought me joy and happiness and†¦sadness. Some of the great memories in my childhood were sculpted during my time at pre-school. I think the childhood memories in the kindergarten was the most impression memory in my mind. I have never forgotten the first day when I went to the school. I was three years old, my father took me to there. Everything was very strange to me. I didn’t know everybody. Then I saw many children cried. They didn’t want to leave their parents. When my Dad left I didn’t cry, I just stood in a corner and thought about my Mom, I missed her very much. I didn’t want to leave her, but I needed to go to school. During these years I learned about relationships, began my formal education and developed my moral sense of right and wrong. I learned how to respond to others based the treatment I am given. If I am loved, then I know how to love others. When I was about five years old, my Dad gave me a present : a bicycle. I still remember how excited I was. Riding a bike makes exercise fun. It encourages outdoor play that I like much I think that a person’s childhood years are the most important. These years determine what kind of a person the child will become. No one knows me as well as my parents, especially my Dad. No one wants the best for me like my parents. My Dad would invite children over to play with me. Over the years, I have become very close to these children. They like my family. We celebrate holidays and birthdays together. My father usually told me the stories : Lion’s King, the Fox and the Stork, the Shepherd boy, ect†¦ before I go to bed. Those are the lessons about family, friendship, right and wrong,†¦ He taught me learning Enghlish, swimming, and climbing trees to pluck fruits on summer vacations. On Tet’s days, I have given red envelopes filled with lucky money, called â€Å"li xi†. This greeting ritual and â€Å"li xi† is also known as â€Å"Mung tuoi†. I was born and have grown up in the education of my father and in the tender loving care of my mother. I have spent my hold childhood in the love and affection of my dear ones with so many sweet memories. And then†¦. life is not a pink picture ! When I was a child of about six years old, an incident so impress me that it leaves an indelible mark on me One of my most terrible time was a Saturday afternoon. I remember it like yesterday. My Mom and I were all waiting patiently for my Dad to come home from his office. He had promised me that he would take me walking with the bubbles. The minutes felt like hours. It was the longest hour of my life. Mom and I ran to the front door anxiously waiting for the news†¦ I didn’t know what happens ? I was scared to think because I was so   worried of the slow coming of my Dad. Do you ever think back on those people whom you’ve loved and cared about but who are no longer in your life ? The afternoon sunlight has gone†¦and my father has been lost forever! I didn’t believe that was the truth. Everybody was mercy and crying†¦ My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good – bye my Dad. Do you ever think back on those people whom you’ve loved and cared about but they are no longer in your life ? I cried and shouted â€Å" Mom, where is my Dad †¦? Please find him and bring him here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and I did not stop waiting patiently for my Dad to come back home. And then†¦. people said   â€Å"It is a funeral† This was the first time in my life that I faced fear and desperation. The night has fallen, I missed my Dad terribly, missed him heartbreakingly! How could I tell you about all of these longings I had. My heart ached for him. I felt extremely helpless! When situation gets me down, I remember that there is someone in Heaven who loves me so much and watches over me. That is my Father! I understand that the precious things, we can never keep. Anything, let it be! Buddha taught that â€Å" All life is full of suffering because we try to hold on to things which must pass away† That’s right! I think so.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Honor Among Thieves and The Hacker Ethic †Information Technology Essay

Honor Among Thieves and The Hacker Ethic – Information Technology Essay Free Online Research Papers Honor Among Thieves and The Hacker Ethic Information Technology Essay The rights of a person have been well defined by law and sanctions such as the United Nations, however how are they able to protect the rights of these people when they are on a un moderated medium such as the internet? A question like this brings up many grey areas of the law that have allowed the proliferation of what seems to be the most feared type of person on the internet – often referred to as Hackers. To be hacked into means that your security measures have been compromised and that they have access to your information system. With the increasing dependence of computers to store sensitive data ranging from credit cards to correspondence, the need to protect the users of these computer sytems rises also. In order to work on society to becoming better managed in protecting their interests, work needs to be done on not so much the hardware involved, but the peoples attitudes towards them. Even if a Computer was in the ideal world properly protected, a slip of the passwords or allowed physical access can bring the whole security subsystem down. All of the worked up controversy has to be put away that they (hackers) are the most powerful computer users that exist as well. If there was an Information system developed involving a large network of computer systems, who would be the most potentially dangerous person? The hacker infiltrating the system sequentially, or the System Administrator that oversees the entire maintenance of the systems with a completeness of this view much like the Popular series â€Å"Big Brother†. In this tv show, a group of people are put into a house that is a spiers bug dream – with about 120 Cameras and other nifty inventions, the every move of the person is tracked. You would think that such would be an outrage, yet this is not the case. Being the highest rating show by far on that network, The show can pull millions of dollars each time it is shown to the millions of viewers tuning in. The reason this has been mentioned is because a virus or a large â€Å"break in† by a hacker receives similar attention. The â€Å"Mellisa/I love you† virus has been the most recent and had the largest effect of any other virus before it. Reported on the news, and reaching practically everyone, this virus spread itself by embedding itself on the infected machine, and sends out emails to everyone on the persons address book on the computer. With an exponential type of effect such as this, the virus could spread to millions of people in days (and it did).If this virus had other intentions though, like data collection on the computer and sending it back to a central source, the level of profitable information received back would rival any other source of voluntary collected information in the world. When a virus is found one way or another on a common users system though, the first reaction is almost knee jerk like, being on how to remove the present virus. If there was potential to receive a virus in the first place, I feel that how it had became an problem in the first place needs to be addressed just as importantly.If a company were to do this, that is obviously unethical as their means are for profit. It is a different kettle of fish when a hacker presents a similar situation. The aurora of a hacker is a mystical one that has eluded many of their victims. To say that they are rude and arrogant would be far from the truth. A well-known hacker by the name of Kevin Mitnick bared these ethics out to the court in what appears to be a quite truthful testimony. He aired his previous hacking experience was mostly of social engineering (using pretences of other people to intimidate low level employee’s to do what they will) and that security systems were much easier to bypass by using this method. All of the time he had spent hacking also, he said in his testimony as not to make a single dime at all1 This is far in contrast to something such as a bank robbery where the intent is to do whatever is possible to take possession of something that is not theirs, even if a human life is at stake. A hacker seemingly has knowledge of many things beyond the realm of computers and is aware of the risks and consequences of the actions they take. Some of these hackers have a lot more power than is known, and yet they do not use this power because they realise that its effects are damaging to more than themselves. Please note that this essay is concentrating on real hackers. There is a disturbing growth in what the hacking scene refers to as â€Å"Script kiddies†, People who use hackers code to break into systems in order to get the information they want without much regard for how they do it. To quote from one of the reference’s I have found, which encounters the same point. These kids dont really have any skills, says Deth Veggie of cDc, one of the oldest hacker crews around. Since they didnt learn it for themselves they dont respect the system theyre infiltrating. And so they steal things and download files, which a real hacker would never do. 2 Although the account is from the perspective from a hacker, it shows that there is a certain degree of division of the term hacker, as well. Taking the example of Rapheal Gray one may feel this veil of mystery is very much present in his interview3 where he refers to things as often to a higher authority, which he has control of. In one of the questions asked about what he would be doing in ten years. Quite the opposite of the Stereotypical Dictator, he replied that he would be making things such as artificial intelligences and other items that could help the disabled. To counteract this train of thought though is the interview with Chris Davis, The person responsible for tracking down. To him, he started beginning tracking down Rapheal because (and I quote): â€Å"Hackers have a sort of honor among thieves. Theres this hacker ethic, and this guy just didnt seem to have that. So, I think thats kind of what drove me to go after him a bit† 4 From this it is noticeable that the perceived opinion of what the persons abilities really were influenced how much he had wanted to track him down. Inside of the interview Chris went on to imply many things like that he is not worried about the hackers with ethics, but more of people who brag like Rapheal that have no respect of the ethics that people place concern on when thinking about their security. With reference to the Cyber squatting article (in regard to owning website names and selling them off to the apparent rightful company) this argument that the perceived bad guys are not that wrong at all. Ignoring Mr Culicans (the positive side) poorly presented argument, the negative side was well presented and can be discussed on. To change the current way of first come, first served would put many workings of the internet out of order, so to speak. I would bet that when the creators of the Internet would have never foreseen such major debates over companies owning their own acre of cyberspace to add to their corporate image. The Internet was and still is primarily a convenience tool in the eyes of the average consumer, and the Internet’s structure has been designed to be fast and efficient. People go on the Internet and almost expect to be able to go on any Internet service without having to remember any password they have. In the new Windows XP, a service that is activated by default is called â€Å"Auto complete†. Its purpose is to remember all of the computer users passwords to automatically log them into any services that the password will allow. This has been a largely used feature of the operating system due to the time saved by many for typing in passwords. If you were to imagine a security world hypothesis, in the above example the users would need a biometric verification along with their password just to get in, and then while on the information system no one else must be present so that the content viewed by the person is assured to have been seen by them only. Before they leave the computer, the person must delete all files created since the last time they logged in. I feel that it does not sound very practical or helpful for the user if they want to find any meaningful information. People work in social situations much more often now in the macro age of cooperative teamwork and computers, this means that perfect security is never assured unless not only the computer system they are working on is secured, but the work group is as well. Having a spy from another company keeping a tap on your workflow is just as unproductive as sending an email to your competitors saying â€Å"here is our trade secrets, please use them against us† In conclusion I write that the current perspective of the view of the importance of computers needs to be taken far more seriously, and that respect in the activities they do should reflect how they would be conducting themselves in real life. The consumers of technology are just as much to blame for the lack of security as the products that they use. By controlling their usage of the Internet much more consciously (such as not giving out credit card information except when it is relevant and necessary) they can avoid the grey areas of the Internet much more effectively. Remember that in cyber space, every one can hear you scream. Bibliography (Grouped by site) pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/ Frontline’s TV Documentary on the hackers prevalence in society pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/whoare/testimony.html 1 Testimony by Kevin Mitnick (hacker) pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/interviews/curador.html 3 Rapheal Grey AKA Curador explains about his nature of hacking pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/blame/how.html Are software companies responsible for buggy products? pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/interviews/davis.html 4 Interview with the person responsible for tracking down Curador attrition.org/~modify/texts/ethics//computer.hackers.and.ethics.html Hackers ethics, with a focus on the moral direction. Comparisons to crime. attrition.org/~modify/texts/ethics//vv-ethics.html 2 Cracking the Code of Ethics accad.ohio-state.edu/Astrolabe/noframes/topics/hacker/hacker.html A quite accurate account/list of what hackers ethics really are Research Papers on Honor Among Thieves and The Hacker Ethic - Information Technology EssayIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanGenetic EngineeringOpen Architechture a white paperBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Project Managment Office SystemDefinition of Export QuotasPETSTEL analysis of IndiaCapital PunishmentAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into Asia

Friday, November 22, 2019

An Unlikely Source of Gratitude †and How it Changes Lives

An Unlikely Source of Gratitude – and How it Changes Lives I don’t pay much attention to my Facebook news feed, but this morning I woke up to something that caught my attention. My friend Jacob in Minneapolis had posted a message of gratitude. Gratitude that he was alive, and that he has such a supportive community of friends and family. This sort of message might not be an attention grabber if it weren’t for its context: Jacob, an avid cyclist, had been hit by a minivan on his way to work the day before his message. The story was newsworthy: the driver of the minivan had just tried to hang a toddler in her home and had hit and dragged another pedestrian for blocks as well. Jacob chose to focus on gratitude. Thankfully, Jacob escaped with his life and two breaks in his leg that required surgery. For someone whose life is focused around cycling, dancing, and skiing, an injury like this could be devastating. But, despite the fact that my friend’s bike was crushed, his spirits most definitely were not. Last year, another friend who makes his living through physical performance had a major injury that sidelined him for months. He expressed similar gratitude and has made a full, bright recovery. And there’s always the remarkable James Hinchcliffe, the only person ever to survive the type of severe internal injuries he incurred in a 2015 race car driving accident. After a remarkable recovery, he is one of the favorites on the current season of Dancing with the Stars and reports about the crash, Every day I wake up with an attitude and an outlook on life that I wouldnt have had without it. So Im reminded every day of all the good that came out of it. A famous 1978 study of recent paraplegics found that they are equally as happy if not happier than recent lottery winners – largely because they are able to gain pleasure from everyday activities that might not give pleasure to someone who has just acquired an outside item. The pleasure of a win can fade, but the pleasure of appreciating life does not. Jacob’s story, and other stories of survivors, are great examples of how gratitude can make a difference and inspire others. Perhaps because of his spirit, a GoFundMe campaign easily surpassed its $5,000 goal in just one day, climbing quickly (through almost 200 donations of $100 or less) toward the $7,000 mark. People like gratitude. Gratitude inspires gratitude! Yesterday a friend said to me, â€Å"Life it great! It is different every day!† I agree, and this week especially I am remembering to appreciate all the gifts it offers – especially those that might not look like gifts on the surface. I wish the same for you as you head into Thanksgiving week. Can you find gratitude for something you might not have felt grateful for? That’s a practice that will lead to a joyous life. Save Save Save

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Menu project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Menu project - Assignment Example chopped fresh seeded red chili 1 bunch of fresh basil with its leaves picked and stalks chopped 2 cloves 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper ? cup red wine vinegar ? cup of soft brown sugar Sea salt Directions Place the vegetables, ginger, chili, basil stalks, olive oil, coriander seeds, cloves and garlic in a saucepan. Stir the mixture often while cooking in moderate heat for 10 to 15 minutes until it softens, seasoning these mixtures with a pinch of salt and the pepper. Add the tomatoes and 1? cups of cold water and bring this to boil, gently simmering it until it reduces almost half fold. Add basil leaves and using a hand blender, whiz the mixture before pushing twice through a sieve. Put this sauce in a pan and add the vinegar and sugar. Heat the pan allowing the mixture to simmer until it thickens. The seasoning can then be corrected to taste. The now ready ketchup (see Appendix I) will then be introduced to jars and allowed to cool before t ightening the lid. Store the ketchup refrigerated for up to six months. Ingredients Comparison This homemade ketchup contains no artificial ingredients or preservatives. All the ingredients are natural. Even Heinz tomato ketchup is made of natural ingredients but uses them in their processed form (Heinz, 2013). Additionally, in both tomato ketchups, vinegar has been used as the tenderizer. Even so, it would be important to note that its tomatoes come as concentrate and not in the natural form as harvested from the farms. The production of tomato concentrate involves artificial processes and preservation that could therefore nullify the claim against incorporation of artificial ingredients. Most of the other ingredients including onion powder and garlic powder would also have undergone processing hence affirming the reservation on naturalness of Heinz tomato ketchup ingredients. The homemade tomato ketchup largely depends on the tomato for flavoring though pepper and coriander also p lay an important role in flavoring. On the other hand, Heinz tomato ketchup includes various undisclosed natural flavorings in addition to the undisclosed spices. Comparison of Eating Quality Both the homemade and Heinz tomato ketchups have almost the same viscosity. Even so, the homemade ketchup has a rougher texture and tastes salty due to the salt used as preservative (Williams, 2011) than the Heinz ketchup whose smoothness is even and tastes more artificial. The Heinz variant appears deep red more than the homemade tomato ketchup which tends to appear more of orange (see Appendix I and Appendix II respectively). This appearance could vary greatly depending on the kind of tomatoes used, with very ripe tomatoes giving deeper color than the slightly ripe ones. Whereas the color of Heinz tomato ketchup remains stable over its shelf life, the homemade tomato ketchup seems to fade in color over time. The shelf life of homemade tomato ketchup kept in normal clean containers would be 3 months and 6 months if kept in sterilized containers, both refrigerated (Hornby, 2009). The Heinz tomato ketchup on the other hand has a shelf life of up to 15 months. Conclusion Homemade tomato ketchup gives the assurance of the naturalness of the ingredients noted to have medicinal value such as celery noted to be an

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Critical Literature Review on Gender In Leadership Essay

Critical Literature Review on Gender In Leadership - Essay Example Broadly speaking, when a leader motivates his subordinates, it means that one structures the work environment in such a way that their drives and needs are brought into play, instead of being neglected. This environment should be conducive to the satisfaction of those drives and needs so that workers may act in desired ways. However, leadership theories and concepts evaluate the effect of gender in leadership in terms of according the same prerogatives and benefits on equal terms. In this regard, the objective of the essay is to proffer a critical literature review on the topic of gender in leadership. Relevant research studies on the subject would be cited and significant points would hereby be highlighted, analyzed and evaluated in terms of presenting supporting or opposing viewpoints on gender in leadership. A study conducted by Christine R. Gedney, Major, USAF, entitled Leadership Effectiveness and Gender aimed to determine a correlationship between leadership effectiveness and gender through secondary sources of authoritative materials while seeking some explanation to her inquiry on identifying â€Å"why there is still a considerable absence in top military leadership by female officers† (Gedney, 1999, v). Initially, she provided essential qualities of effective leaders with the objective of indicating that â€Å"leadership effectiveness is not gender-specific, but there seem to be many attributes that are found in both males and females that lend themselves to becoming an effective leader† (Gedney, 1999, 2). Through her discussion of gender in leadership, the revealed that traditional views content a biased view of leaders to predominantly favor men over women. The author cited Kolb as indicating that â€Å"when we reviewed this literature we were struck by the prejudice against women. Research has demonstrated that there are

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Automobile Pollution Essay Example for Free

Automobile Pollution Essay Exponential growth in petrol and diesel fueled vehicles are responsible for deterioration of air quality in cities. Because of the increase in urbanization, industrialization and commercial activities in the urban areas, the demand for transport has also been increased. In addition to it the use of personal vehicles has also increase steadily. The various principle pollutants emit from vehicles are as follows- Carbon monoxide (CO) Suspended particulate matter (SPM) Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) Hydrocarbons (HC) Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). 2005 Air Toxic Emissions from On-road Mobile Sources (Tox-weighted) Affects of Automobile Pollution 1. In India about 15-20 million people are asthmatic because of emission of automobile pollution. 2. N02 is a highly toxic gas and attacks the lungs causing lung cancer and emphysema. 3. Automobile pollutants interferes the development and functioning of the nervous system. 4. Some diseases such as bronchitis, plurosis occur by long-term exposure to the particulate matter. 5. N02 reacts with hydrocarbons and creates photochemical smog. Reasons for Automobile Pollution The petrol driven vehicles emit invisible gases such as CO and Benzene while diesel driven vehicles emit mainly black smog containing minute carbon particles and S02. The main reasons for vehicular pollution problems are as follows- 1. Poor quality of fuel 2. Outdated vehicles 3. Congestion and mixed traffic of different types 4. Lack of proper traffic management Important Pre-requisites for Controlling Vehicular Pollution 1. Phasing out of grossly polluted vehicles 2. Enforcement of emission norms for new and in-use vehicles. 3. Improvement in automobile technology 4. Reduction of lead content in motor fuel 5. Stream lining traffic management 6. Improvement in public transport system 7. Fuel quality improvement and switch over to cleaner fuel 8. Restriction on indiscriminate growth of urban centers, industrial and commercial activities Alternative Fuels Hydrogen Gas: It can be used in modified combustion engines and is eco-friendly as it emits water vapours only. Electric Vehicles: They are advantageous over conventional fueled vehicles as far as environment is concerned. Ethanol: It can be used in regular automobiles after blending with petrol. It is rather clean fuel with low nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons emission and no net C02 emission. Methanol: It is a liquid fuel and is produce from coal, natural gas and biomass. ft emits very little NOx and HC. Natural gas: It exists in the gaseous state at normal temperature and pressure and is found in the form of CNG and LPG. It causes substantially lower pollution without affecting the performance of the vehicles.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

sheeps :: essays research papers

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- An American citizen was kidnapped along with the three Romanian journalists abducted Monday in Iraq, the U.S. State Department said Wednesday. Citing privacy laws, a State Department spokeswoman in Washington said she could not release more information, but called for the "immediate and safe recovery of all hostages in Iraq." The Romanians and an unidentified man appeared in a video that aired on the Arabic-language network Al-Jazeera Wednesday. It has not been confirmed whether the unidentified man is the American hostage. The four were shown sitting on a floor as two men -- their faces covered by traditional headscarves -- stood to the side, pointing guns at them. The three Romanians -- Marie Jeanne Ion, Sorin Dumitru Miscoci, and Eduard Ovidiu Ohanesian -- work for Prima TV. They were abducted Monday night. (Full story) Prima TV confirmed the three were in the hostage video. It did not know who the fourth individual was. The hostages appeared calm in the video. At one point, Ion looked into the camera and said in English, "We have been kidnapped." She then said there had been reports their hostage-takers "asked for something in exchange for our freedom. This is not true." In Romania, the Foreign Ministry and the main intelligence service have set up a team to investigate the abduction, and President Traian Basescu has expressed concern. Ion's sister pleaded for her safe return. "I implore you to do everything you can to bring my sister back home," Ana Maria Ion said in an interview on Romanian television. "She has no guilt. Our family is waiting for Marie Jeanne to be here, also all the others." The three were last heard from by the station around 7:45 p.m. Monday during a telephone conversation that was broadcast while they were apparently being abducted, an executive said. A cell phone text message also was sent that said: "Please call the embassy urgently," a reference to Romania's Baghdad embassy. The Romanian ambassador to Iraq has collected the personal effects of the team, which had been in Iraq for three days and had been planning to stay for only five days, a Western source said. Seven civilians die in attacks Insurgents targeting U.S. forces killed seven civilians Wednesday, police said, during attacks in the northern city of Mosul and the Iraqi capital. A woman and child were among six killed in Mosul when insurgents fired on a U.S. military patrol in the northeastern part of the city, police said.

Monday, November 11, 2019

B&B Hotel Life Cycle Essay

Bed and Breakfasts Hotels were established in Europe many years back. The majority of travelers that frequented B&B’s in the 1800’s were pioneers, miners, 49’ers seeking gold or professionals traveling from one area to another. Most B&B’s offered an accommodation for the night along with a breakfast in the morning which many hungry travelers took advantage of before setting off on the next leg of their journey. As more inns, lodges and hotels were built in the 1900’s, B&B’s were seen as an affordable accommodation for people traveling through small towns or in areas that weren’t heavily developed. In the later half of the 20th century, B&B’s enjoyed a renaissance in popularity, as many college students and young adults spent time visiting Europe. Most of these travelers spent time in small B&B type of pensions or private residences and came back to the states to either open their own B&B’s or sought them out as affordable accommodation options. They introduced in the U. S. in the mid to late 1960s. It is estimated that there are in excess 30,000 B&Bs at this time — that represents a jump from only 2,000 in the late 1970s. The concept is now very mature — average number of rooms per property has increase dramatically, occupancy rates are up, and national, state, and regional associations are setting standards. There are even a myriad of newsletters, travel publications and guide books available. Today, B&B’s offer a warm and cozy alternative to the corporate hotel or motel. Most B&B’s pride themselves on being privately owned and operated, as well as offering accommodations in quaint and cozy homes in locations that offer historical, leisure or small town attractions. Current stage The Bed & Breakfast and Hostel Accommodations industry is in the mature phase of its life cycle The industry, however, is relatively new, having grown significantly since the early- to mid-1980s. Overall, the industry is still evolving and matching the varying (and growing) needs of various segments of the domestic and international tourism market. The industry has developed its own niche in the accommodations industry based on specific market needs and demand. Over the 10 years to 2017, industry value added, which measures an industry’s contribution to GDP, will grow at an annual rate of 1. % per year, compared to GDP growth over the same period of 1. 9%. The industry is still in a long-term mature phase, despite recent slow growth or contraction due to increased geopolitical tension from terrorist attacks and the declines in travel demand in response to the Great Recession. Over the ten years to 2017, industry value added (IVA), which measures an industry’s contribution to GDP, is expected to grow 1. 4% per year, while GDP is expected to grow 1. 8% per year. The Bed and Breakfast and Hostel Accommodations industry has fought declining demand over the past few years. With the onset of the recession, all forms of travel accommodation experienced revenue drops as consumers became more concerned about finances and made cutbacks on luxuries, including travel. From 2007 to 2017, domestic trips will increase 1. 1% to 758. 4 million. However, over the same period, international visitor arrivals will rise from 56. 0 million to 86. 2 million, or 4. 4% per year, after a slump from late 2007 to 2009. Overall, however, each of the major industry components displayed an upward trend over this period that was roughly in line with GDP growth. Future industry growth will increasingly correspond with rising global income, particularly in countries in East Asia and South America and an increasing propensity to travel internationally. Increasing incomes and the aging of the population are also expected to lead to significant growth in the domestic market. On the other hand, within the key industry segments, the Tourism industry will continue to display slow growth due to strong competition from internet-based, direct booking products. Lead time require for products The bed and breakfast (B&B) segment covers a variety of types of establishments and makes 69. % of industry revenue. Homestay, farm stay or host homes, where guests share rooms and facilities with owners, are included within this segment. There are also home B&Bs, which provide a secondary source of revenue to the owner’s primary income and can be homes with four of five rooms converted to provide B&B services to guests. B&B inns or hotels are usually established as businesses to provide primary financial support for owner/operators. Breakfast is the only meal served to guests and the establishment can provide accommodations for between four and 0 guests. Quite often these are used for small weddings or business meetings. On the other hand, country inns are established as businesses with owners actively involved in its daily operations, and have between six and 30 rooms. They operate as a lodging place and have a restaurant with a liquor license. The accommodations may include lodging, dinner and breakfast included in the room rate. However, compare to other regular hotel, B&B hotel need les s activities. It is need a short time to prepare new product, it’s easier for owners to improve it.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Battle of the Bulge essays

Battle of the Bulge essays In September of 1944 all signs pointed to a resounding Allied victory and the end of WWII. Everyone believed this was the case except for one man, Adolph Hitler. Refusing to resign Germany to defeat, he began planning a massive counterattack as early as August of 1944. The stalemate along the western front combined with the Allied logistical problems provided him with the preparation time and the precise location to execute this attack, the Ardennes. Hitler had earlier ordered the formation of a new reserve to be used in a November offensive and once the location for the attack was decided a massive buildup of German troops began. Hitler believed the dense forests and bad winter weather, which grounded the Allied air forces, could conceal this buildup. Hitlers master plan was code-named Wacht Am Rhein or Watch on the Rhine and would be useless without the personnel and equipment to execute it. In the fall of 1944 the German army was stretched all over Europe and was showing the strain of 5 years of war. On the western front the Germans were outnumbered 2-1 in troops, 15-1 in aircraft, and 20-1 in tanks causing Hitler to adapt some drastic measures to overcome these odds (Dworschak 3). Some examples of these measures were although the Germans lost almost 27,000 machine guns in September, only 1,500 replacements were sent to the front while 24,000 were set aside for Wacht am Rhein (Dworschak 3). 1,900 mortars were assigned to newly organized units rather than to the front and not one new Tiger or Panther tank went to Russia (Dworschak 5). More than 70 percent of all newly produced tanks and assault guns were sent to the west. Lowering the draft age to 16 and raising it to 60-increased troop size (Dworschak 5). The German rail system used over 2,000 trains, traveling under the cover of darkness, to move 145,000 tons of supplies, 4.6 million gallons of fuel, and 66 divisions to the Ardennes pri...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

An Analysis of the Different Economic Bodies and Their Impact in Different Countries in the Book, Why Nations Fail, Written By Doran Acemoglu and James Robinson

An Analysis of the Different Economic Bodies and Their Impact in Different Countries in the Book, Why Nations Fail, Written By Doran Acemoglu and James Robinson Why Nations Fail Why some nations fail while others succeed have become a mysterious question to many. However, in their book named Why Nations Fail, authors Acemoglu and Robinson have finally revealed to their readers what truly causes nations to fail, which are extractive economic institutions that certain governments have. This paper will be exploring the current type of economic institutions in three different nations by using knowledge from the book Why Nations Fail, as well as historical facts to support the given statements. The countries’ economic institutions that will be explored are Venezuela, Mexico, and Haiti. These countries will also be put into comparison with the United States, a country that has inclusive economic institutions. Venezuela has been experiencing an economic decline for a long time. According to the article, â€Å"Venezuela is in its third year of recession and according to the International Monetary Fund, its economy is expected to contract 10% this year† (Gillespie, 2016). The main cause of this recession can be tracked down to the leader of the government in Venezuela, Chavez, who focuses government spending excessively on extractive economic institutions. In the book Why Nations Fail by Acemoglu and Robinson, it’s stated that it’s the economic institutions that are the foundation of economic development which is evident through the fact that economic institutions allow people to trade and build their own businesses comfortably. The topic of economic institutions being the heart of economic growth takes us to the topic of trade. Venezuela, as aforementioned, was a thriving country only a decade ago. This was mainly due to Venezuela being an oil-rich country. The point of trade is for the countries to specialize in whatever they’re doing best and export that while importing what they lack in. The problem with Venezuela was although they were successfully specializing in producing oil, they weren’t really producing anything else or importing any goods from other countries. Additionally, Venezuela wasn’t exporting any of the tremendous amount of oil it’s producing. Through the article, one can discover that Venezuela’s main oil company, which is run by the government, is the main reason why any of these exports or imports aren’t taking place. This again is evidence how extractive economic institutions can ruin a nation. Because of the economic recession and the lack of trade in Venezuela, inflation has become a tangible problem. Prices are soaring high, and Venezuela has a staggering increase in inflation in 2016 with a 475% (Gillespie, 2016). Not only are prices high, but producers aren’t able to produce because of the lack of trade. This ultimately results in food shortages and suffering citizens. While the citizens of United States can freely go into any Publix or Winn Dixie and shop at their leisure, the citizens of Venezuela wait in long lines outside of super markets only to find out that the last bottle of milk had already been bought 2 hours ago. The food shortages are causing the mortality rates of Venezuela to go up, with more and more children and elderly being malnourished. Mexico is the second country that is under the exploration of economic institutions. As explained in Why Nations Fail, the reason that Mexico currently has extractive economic institutions is because it’s a country founded up on extractive economic institutions. Historical facts and how a country began its government have a lot to do with its current economic institutions. For example, the reason Mexico is the way it is has to do with how Spanish conquistadors invaded that region and discovered large amounts of gold. Realizing the gold’s worth and seeing how it can be useful to them, they used the region’s natives, forcefully, to mine more gold and silver for them so they can be better off. There an extractive economic institution was created; the Spanish conquistadors were extracting the native’s wealth from them by using the native’ labor to make themselves better off. Even right now Mexico has many extractive institutions. For example, in the 2013 article, Why Nations Fail What Can be Done by David Sasaki, it speaks of how the infamous telecommunications monopolist of Mexico, Carlos Slim, have cost Mexico $129 billion (Sasaki, 2013). Although Mexico has one of the slowest and most costly internet speeds, they â€Å"lose $130 billion and Carlos Slim personally gains $80 billion† (Sasaki, 2013). Carlos Slim’s actions are the epitome of extractive economic institutions, and it because of people like Chavez and Slim and the Spanish conquistadors that are the ones who make sure that extractive economic institutions will continue on. As can be seen, the root of why nations fail lies within their economic institutions. Nations that are successful have mainly inclusive economic institutions. China, a country with extractive economic institutions had a horrible economy only until recently ago. The only reason their economy improved is because they decided to accept technology and trade with foreign countries, instead of pushing them away and secluding themselves. However, China still does have extractive economic institutions, and if other countries don’t wish to trade with them anymore, their economy will return to where it started. As can be seen with Venezuela, Haiti, and Mexico, extractive economic institutions take away from the general public to help the elite. These type of institutions aren’t only bad for the nation, but are immoral and unethical as it leaves people in a chaotic turmoil.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Wall Street Journal #1 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wall Street Journal #1 - Article Example tributed to the lack of a master plan as well as disjointed plans and the different forms of mixed-use developments in Mexico City are new to the area and have brought a lot of demand from the upper-middle class particularly the ones with young families due to their collection of retail, cultural attractions and offices (Whelan). Developers have taken the vacant land in the area and closed industrial sites so that they can be abele to develop sites, and this has increased the population of the city without considering the breadth of the streets to accommodate the increased flow of traffic, the electrical systems as well as the capacity of the water in the area. It is easier to get a permit for development in Mexico City than it is in New York City, and this is the main cause of the exponential growth that has brought problems as far as water and power are concerned. The city has had to put a hold on the permitting process and consequently start an overhaul of the entire process so that it can be able to check and plan for the development that is taking place. This has lead to many developers that had already procured land for the construction having to wait a little longer until the process is reviewed making them delay on huge