Babylonian Mathematics and the Base 60 System

Babylonian Mathematics and the Base 60 System Babylonian mathematics used a sexagesimal (base 60) system that was so functional it remains in effect, albeit with some tweaks, in the 21st century. Whenever people tell time or make reference to the degrees of a circle, they rely on the base 60 system. Base 10 or Base 60 The system surfaced circa 3100 BCE, according to The New York Times. â€Å"The number of seconds in a minute - and minutes in an hour - comes from the base-60 numeral system of ancient Mesopotamia,† the paper noted. Although the system has stood the test of time, it is not the dominant numeral system used today. Instead, most of the world relies on the base 10 system of Hindu-Arabic origin. The number of factors distinguishes the base 60 system from its base 10 counterpart, which likely developed from people counting on both hands. The former system uses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, and 60 for base 60, while the latter uses 1, 2, 5, and 10 for base 10. The Babylonian mathematics system may not be as popular as it once was, but it has advantages over the base 10 system because the number 60 â€Å"has more divisors than any smaller positive integer,† the Times pointed out. Instead of using times tables, the Babylonians multiplied using a formula that depended on knowing just the squares. With only their table of squares (albeit going up to a monstrous 59 squared), they could compute the product of two integers, a and b, using a formula similar to: ab [(a b)2 - (a - b)2]/4. The Babylonians even knew the formula that’s today known as the Pythagorean theorem. History Babylonian math has roots in the numeric system started by the Sumerians, a culture that began about 4000 BCE in Mesopotamia, or southern Iraq, according to ​USA Today. â€Å"The most commonly accepted theory holds that two earlier peoples merged and formed the Sumerians,† USA Today reported. â€Å"Supposedly, one group based their number system on 5 and the other on 12. When the two groups traded together, they evolved a system based on 60 so both could understand it.† That’s because five multiplied by 12 equals 60. The base 5 system likely originated from ancient peoples using the digits on one hand to count. The base 12 system likely originated from other groups using their thumb as a pointer and counting by using the three parts on four fingers, as three multiplied by four equals 12. The main fault of the Babylonian system was the absence of a zero. But the ancient Maya’s vigesimal (base 20) system had a zero, drawn as a shell. Other numerals were lines and dots, similar to what is used today to tally. Measuring Time Because of their mathematics, the Babylonians and Maya had elaborate and fairly accurate measurements of time and the calendar. Today, with the most advanced technology ever, societies still must make temporal adjustments - almost 25 times per century to the calendar and a few seconds every few years to the atomic clock. There’s nothing inferior about modern math, but Babylonian mathematics may make a useful alternative to children who experience difficulty learning their times tables.

Technical Writing for Engineers [The Ultimate Guide Course]

Technical Writing for Engineers [The Ultimate Guide Course] Engineers often believe technical writing to be highly-detailed documentation for fellow engineers. In fact, technical writing is a style that takes complex information and clearly explains it to a specific audience. Engineers are a great wealth of technical knowledge, however, they can struggle with how to prepare technical documents. Yet, by mastering this form of communication, engineers can enjoy important benefits. This article will outline how the challenges can become benefits and identify strategies for engineers to achieve great technical writing. We also offer a course that teaches technical writing to engineers. You can learn more about this course by clicking the button below. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(41482, '83300502-8324-43ca-96f7-5319276ffbe7', {}); Challenges versus Benefits An engineer is a writer. Or at least, they should be a writer. Communicating technical information can be just as important as developing it. Adding technical writing to your toolkit will add a surprising amount of value to your career. Writing is an important part of the engineering process. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your writing, this guide takes you through engineers’ common writing challenges, the benefits to overcoming them and tangible solutions to help you do just that. Challenge #1: Communicating Technical Knowledge If you’ve ever wondered why your boss or technician hasn’t understood the importance of a particular concept, the problem is likely communication. When too many technical details are presented in a report or other document, the crucial ones can get buried. Engineers often write technical documents as if their audience were fellow engineers. However, the audience is always changing. The reader of one document may be an expert while the reader of your next document may be a business-minded executive or a consumer. Writing for a non-engineering audience is a significant, important challenge. Benefit #1: Increased clarity and communication Good writing by an engineer will increase communication effectiveness. Directing your writing to the intended audience will allow the reader to understand the content on the first read, rather than needing to ask for additional details or explanation. By understanding the audience’s goal in reading the document, you as the writer can highlight the important data. Only the most crucial supplementary or background information should be included. The information that is needed for a decision, instruction or education must take center stage. Good technical writing will save time, avoid misunderstanding and increase workplace efficiency by promoting good communication between engineers and other staff. Solution: Use Technical Writing Style There is a major misconception that a complex and scholarly text is good technical writing. However, the opposite is true. Elaborate text often confuses the reader and conceals the purpose. Keeping the information accessible is most important. Technical writing uses the simplest and most direct language to convey the information. The tone is neutral and professional. To achieve this tone, use the active voice in your writing. Choose your words carefully so you use the fewest words possible while being precise. Avoid jargon and use clearly-explained terms instead. These strategies will create a text that effectively communicates technical details. Solution: Enhance with Graphics Good graphics support good writing. Include diagrams or schematics where they add value and increase reader comprehension. They should be directly referenced within the text and clearly explained in a caption. Challenge #2: â€Å"But no one ever reads it...† Some engineers get frustrated by the fact that their reports gather dust. Documenting can seem like a customary process with no real value. Why write a text that will never be read? The problem is not with the reader, but with the text itself. Technical documents that bury crucial information or are difficult to understand can delay reading, decision-making or worse, be altogether overlooked. A good technical document is written for a specific purpose and defined audience. Therefore, it is written to be read. Benefit #2: Valuable Career Skill Imagine how many crucial details get buried in elaborate yet inaccessible engineering reports. These reports make the reader hunt for the information they need. Engineers who can convey that essential information improve communication inside companies. Better communication ultimately increases efficiency and productivity. For this reason, employers view engineers with good communication and technical writing skills as highly valuable. Technical prowess is not enough. Technical writing can differentiate your skillset, leading to better employment prospects and higher job security. Solution: Know Your Audience Ignoring the audience is one of the biggest writing mistakes for engineers. The reader will be different for each document. To write well, you must know their knowledge of the field, relationship to the department or company, and purpose for reading. In the planning process, ask yourself, ‘Who is my reader?’. Then, write out this information so that you are aware of it and have a constant visual reminder. Keeping the audience top of mind will change the way you write your document. While you’re writing, ask yourself ‘Would my reader understand this text?’. If the answer is no, re-write it. If the answer is yes, you are producing good technical writing. Solution: Plan Effectively A technical document without a plan is like a ship without a captain. It is difficult to navigate and takes, long a long time to reach its goal (if ever!). As an engineer, you will have a deep understanding of the topic. For most reports, the reader needs to know only a fraction of your expertise. The planning process is crucial for separating the information that needs to be included from the rest. Be wary of details. The reader generally needs to know the implication of high-level specifications, not the specifications themselves. Once you’ve highlighted the necessary information, it can be organized into a coherent overview. Planning can take many forms. We recommend using a mind-map to capture and visualize the document. Other writers may prefer a pen-and-paper sketch or a spreadsheet outline. The format does not matter so long as it allows an effective and efficient plan for your document. Challenge #3: Making Time for Writing Writing often takes a back-seat to ‘real’ work. Sometimes, there can be not enough hours in the day to complete technical work, let alone to write it down. Documenting can feel secondary, and therefore gets little time allocated to it. It can be helpful to set aside time for writing where there are no distractions. Don’t wait until the end of the day to write your documents. Additionally having a quiet space can ensure you are focused without distractions. Benefit #3: Records and Completes Work Great work does not share itself. The most innovative concepts can be lost if they exist only in the laboratory. Technical writing records engineering work and allows it to reach beyond the engineering department. In addition, documentation provides a mark of completion. Some projects have a clear end point, while others can be vague. Documenting, including outstanding work for future, finalizes a project. Solution: Prioritize Writing Writing should not be an afterthought. For each major activity, documentation should be integrated into project management and time planning. By considering writing as part of the engineering process, creating the text will feel less onerous and more natural. Do not leave the writing to the last minute, as rushed writing is generally bad writing. Carve out time to plan, write and review the document. Solution: Engage in the Review Cycle As you get ready to review, take advantage of the available software tools. Check your text through both Microsoft Word’s Spelling and Grammar check with its Readability tool and the online Grammarly tool. Then, review the document again with the audience in mind. The most effective trick is to read the text aloud. Reading will highlight awkward phrases, unnecessary words, and repetition. The review process takes many forms. Most engineering companies have an internal review process using some variation of first draft-revised draft-final version. The revisions are completed by colleagues, supervisors or fellow experts. Understand the company’s review process and integrate into your writing timeline. The review provides a fresh perspective. Feedback and edits improve the document and offer valuable lessons for future writing. Take advantage of this learning opportunity. The review process can also be informal. If the executive you’re preparing the document for and your best friend have a similar level of knowledge of the topic, ask your friend to review your text. Friends and family can be a great resource to review your text for non-expert readability and accessibility. You can also ask your colleagues to do an initial review before sending it to the formal review. Additionally many engineering firms offer technical writing courses for their employees. These courses often come with document feedback and review. This allows you to receive objective feedback on the structure, style, and tone of your writing. Conclusion and Further Reading Good technical writing shines a light on important engineering work. Improving technical writing is not an overnight process, but one that provides big value to your work, your company and your career. To learn more, check out the following links: IEEE Professional Communication Society - Communication Resources for Engineers Engineer’s Guide to Technical Writing by K. Budinski'

Catholic Identity Response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Catholic Identity Response - Assignment Example For example, the school’s mission is a reflection of the Catholic identity acting as a key reminder of the school’s Catholic identity to everyone interacting with it. Additionally, St. Joachim’s curriculum has is within the confines of ‘Blest Are We Series that corresponds to teachings of Catholic faith’. As such, Catholic resources such as teacher magazines and websites promoting Catholic faith such as Holy Heroes are allowed in the school. This is further facilitated by the annual assessments on religion in grades five and eight, enabling general sampling of the school’s levels of faith ranking it above national norms over the years. The annual assessments also act as resources to identify areas that need to be improved on by gauging performance of different areas. Moreover, religion projects and activities such as visiting places of worship and earning a minimum of sixty hours of community service as a graduation requirement advanced by the school has heavily promoted development of religion. To shape religious life outside the school, parents and guardians are invited to prayer gatherings and weekly masses. Additionally, the Catholic environment is improved by the sacramental displays such as the mosaic of Mary throughout the institution. Furthermore, the faculty annually participates in catechetical formation where teachers attend Diocesan congress and retreats thereby improving their spirituality. These entire efforts merge together to create, develop, ad maintain a Catholic identity and the general spirituality of St. Joachim

Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Management - Essay Example In order to cope up with this era of efficient and advanced technology NYSE has an advanced computerized system and more than 50% of its trading takes place electronically. (Stock Market Investing Guide) National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) dates back its origin to 1790. It became a public company in 1987. It is the first company that sold and offered its own technology to empower other exchanges of the world. NASDAQ is also the first exchange to offer double listing and it has also consolidated the Global Market to great extents. NASDAQ has improved its technology, trade and business magnificently since last few years. Innovation lies in the roots of the company. They work to collaborate the dreamers with the doers. After a consistent and efficient growth rate since last 10 years NASDAQ now operates in 26 different locations with in 17 countries. To control the functions of such an immense organization scientific technology is a necessity therefor e NASDAQ has a completely computerized system where all the trading takes place electronically. (NASDAQ OMX) Whenever there is a discussion about stock market the two names that strike one’s mind urgently are NASDAQ and NYSE. The two of the biggest plat forms where trading of stocks takes place. Both of these organizations have a major share in worldwide or Global Market. The major similarity between both these organizations is that they deal with the trading that is buying and selling of stocks. These are the platforms where buyers and sellers meet each other and have transactions settled between them. Another common factor between NASDAQ and NYSE is that both of them are public entities where different companies can get enlisted. (The NYSE And Nasdaq: How They Work). Apart from these factors there is a large difference between the working mechanism and operating system of both the organizations. The basic difference between NASDAQ and NYSE is their â€Å"location†. L ocation here does not refers to an address but instead it’s the place or floor where trading takes place. In NYSE trading takes place on physical floors that is the traders (buyers and sellers) gather on New York trading place and buy or sell the stocks physically by themselves. Where as in NASDAQ trading of stocks takes place through an electronic medium (telecommunication). People here do not meet each other at some place to make arrangements and decisions about the value and price of their stock but instead investors and buyers or sellers have direct transactions among them through telecommunication. Another difference is that NASDAQ is a dealers market where buyers and sellers do not transact with each other directly but instead there is a dealer who facilitates trade among them. On the other hand NYSE is an auction market where individuals (buyers and sellers) physically indulge in trading and an auction takes place in which the maximum offered price is matched with the minimum demanded price. In NASDAQ the dealer who is also known as the market maker deals with the problems, flaws and errors that might hinder company’s growth and progress. Whereas, in NYSE there is a person, known as a specialist, who is responsible for taking care of such issues. There is also a difference between the companies which are listed in both the markets. In NASDAQ there is a higher ratio of technology oriented companies that deal in electronics. However, most of the

The prince of Verona Essay Example for Free

The prince of Verona Essay In this essay, I will be comparing the way the 400 years old William Shakespeares film Romeo and Juliet was transformed by Baz luharmann for the understanding of the modern audience. Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare 400 years ago. In the past plays were acted in the theatre. The plays were totally different from the way they are now. The theatre had a stage where the play was to be acted; this had an entrance and an exit. There was no lighting and no scenery; there was also a balcony on the first floor where some scenes were acted. Below the stage was where the audience stood to watch the play. There were also two galleries. At the top of the building there was a flag to show there was a play in progress. This is a sign for the illiterate population, who couldnt read notices. A Prologue is a piece of useful information before a play or story is acted. It tells us what we are supposed to expect. In Shakespeares time the narrator would have come out before the play started to deliver the prologue to the audience. This is very important as there is no form of scenery or lighting to describe the location or what is happening. Hence, the audience have to be attentive and listen to everything that is said in the play. This can be illustrated in this quotation In fair Verona, where we lay our scene. This is a typical statement a narrator will say when delivering the Prologue to inform the audience where the play is taking place. Baz Luhrmanns film has a totally different way of presenting the prologue. In this present day we have newscasters who give us information about what is happening internally and externally. This is the device Baz Luhrmanns uses. The film starts with a television set and a newscaster reading the news. This is the way the prologue is first presented. She talks about the setting in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, she talks about the main story and characters in this quotation two households both alike in dignity and she also says short statements which are a brief summary of the play. At the top right corner of the screen there is a picture of a broken ring and below it are these words; star crossed lovers. This illustrates that there is love and a broken relationship between two lovers in the film. Also the broken ring suggests that the lovers relationship will be but a short one as it is destined to end in tragedy. Also there is dramatic operatic music at the background; it suggests the film will most likely be a tragedy as is often seen in grand operas. The Prologue is delivered again. This is very different from the first time; it contains flashes of scenes in the film/ informative clips. This prologue has a voiceover of Friar. He is the perfect person for this job because he knows the story from the start to the end. The clips are very informative. The two towers with the names MONTAGUE AND CAPULET suggest wealth and probably business rivalry, which a modern audience would understand. It also shows they are both well-to-do families. We can also say they are of the same status: It also has shots of the statues of Jesus and Mary this shows a church is involved and it reflects the Catholic religion practised in Verona. There are also flashes of murder, city in flames, police aircraft. People in these flashes have worried and troubled looks on their faces. There is also this newspaper article with a caption ANCIENT GRUDGE. This explains that the two families have had this grudge for years and generations. This is because a modern audience is literate; the film director can use text on the screen, whereas Shakespeares original audience could not read. The line civil blood makes civil hands unclean is illustrated using the flashes of fire in the streets, bloodshed, and violence. Another major difference between the films is the names and appearance. In Shakespeares original play the heads of the families were just called Lady and Lord Capulet or Montague and to differentiate the families they would have probably used red clothes for a family and blue for another family. This is totally different in Baz Luhrmanns film. He gives the characters names. The Capulets are Fulgencio and Gloria. This suggests they originated from Italy. Caroline and Ted Montague are of north European origin. The audience are now aware that the families are both business rivals and from different communities. Their appearances also differ: the Montagues are blond and blue eyed and the Capulets have a Mediterranean appearance. Act 1 Scene 1 then begins and the music changes. The music that follows the film is a classic and tragic kind of music. It is giving the audience clues about immerse drama and tragedy of what they are to witness. It is a hi-life, hip-pop music followed by the arrival of the Montague boys. They arrive in a yellow car with the music turned on loudly. They wear bright-coloured beach shirts. Their car plate number even has Mi n, their family name on it. This entry is very common to the modern audience. It is the usual show-off of young boys from a rich background, who like to party and are carefree. The scene is well lit and shows a cool happy atmosphere. The music changes at the arrival of the Capulets. It is now a menacing kind of music. It sends a dangerous, serious, down-to-earth kind of music. The Capulets arrive in a stylish fashion with cowboy boots that have steel plates on them; they come in black official suits with bullet belts. They have a purposeful serious look. They portray the real bad-boys attitude, ready to fight. All this takes place in a gas station the equivalent of the public haunt of men. The Montague boys sight their enemy. They both start taunting each other. Abra Capulet starts it; it all seems like a comic. Then Tybalt who is Juliets cousin comes out, and takes a step further. The Montagues despite all their loud behaviour seen reluctant to fight, but Tybalt, who is a trouble- maker, brings out his gun and starts shooting. The Montagues start defending themselves, leading it to a real fight. It gets to a climax when Tybalt drops his cigar and the place goes up in flames drawing the attention of the police. The mayhem which follows is very familiar to the audience who see action movies. The Prince of Verona is updated to be the chief of police. He is the peace maker and makes a stand. He calls both head of the families and tells them if any fight reoccurs disturbing the peace of the streets they will pay for it with their lives. In conclusion, I think Baz Lurhmann has done a very good job. The music interprets and indicates the stage of the scenes. Instead of swords, they use guns which are a normal sight to a modern audience as they are used to watching action films. The dressing also speaks a lot of the characters, so does the body language, especially that of Tybalt: his looks, his pose and the way he carries himself suggest trouble. The violent scene shows irresponsibility and senselessness of the feud. It is this pointless violence that destroys the lives of the innocent lovers ROMEO AND JULIET whom the play is named after and whom we meet later in the play. Finally, I think the opening is very effective as everyone can understand through the clips and well delivered Prologue. The costume and setting of the scene are also important as it speaks to the Audience even if they do not understand the Shakespearean language.

Microsoft Xbox :: essays research papers

In the console-gaming world people know Sony and Nintendo. Microsoft may be the largest and richest software company in the world, but it’s unknown when it comes to console gaming. Microsoft is counting on the Xbox to change that perception. Gamers may not be willing to take a chance with the Microsoft Xbox, even if it is far superior to any console ever made. Nintendo Gamecube is nothing if charismatic. Nintendo’s new machine is half the size of any other console and looks like a toy with its brightly colored plastic shell and handle. It’s destined to be home of such popular games as Mario, Donkey Kong, Pikachu, and Kirby. Nintendo Gamecube seems mismatched as it goes up against the Microsoft Xbox and the Sony Playstation 2 (a multimedia mayhem that Sony says it’s supposed to be â€Å"The Future Of Entertainment†). All this makes you think; what makes Nintendo believe it can possibly go up against the ultra-sophisticated Xbox. The Microsoft Xbox has powerful components within that overpower any other console, including its CPU or it’s Central Processing Unit. The Xbox runs an Intel Pentium III 733-megahertz (MHz) processor. This is a lot more powerful than Nintendo Gamecube’s IBM Power PC 485-megahertz Gekko chip processor and even lower the Sony Playstation 2’s 128 bit â€Å"Emotion Engine† which is clocked around 294-megahertz. A few more components that make this console far superior to any other is its graphics processor, or GPU, which stands for Graphic Processing Unit. Microsoft had teamed up with Nvidia to create a chip that was made especially for the Xbox. The computer-based company ‘s 250-megahertz chip gives the console an amazing resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and 125 Million Polygons per Second. Sixty four- (64) megabytes (Mb) of DDRam back all this up, for great non-glitch games and smooth running. Nintendo also has a computer-based company teaming up with th em to create the 162-megahertz ATI Flipper GPU Chip. This chip can only handle around 6-12 Million polygons a second and is only backed up by 43-megabytes of DDRam. Another feature that is a first in the console industry is Xbox’s internal 8-Gigabyte (Gb) Hard-Drive or Hard Disk Drive (Hdd). This contributes too much of Xbox’s weight, but gives many features. With this you don’t have a need for a memory card to save your game files, you save them right to the hard-drive. This is a very nice feature on the Xbox, because it saves you money.

Music LessonBrandenburg

Write a brief definition of: Tonality Modulation Harmony Chord Root First Inversion Seventh Chord Oh no it's a Theory Byte Technical Name for the notes of the scale. As LIMIT ACID Key Relationships Key Signatures F C G DAD B Order of sharps C] Semitone above = name of key. BEAD G CB order of flats Name of PENULTIMATE flat = key signature All major keys have related minor – same key signature. Minor 3rd below key note e. G. G major relative minor is E Minor. Circle of Fifths Tonality and Harmony Class work – Discuss: 0 TonalPlan and Key Relationships CLC Modulations L] Analysis of Chords and Cadences C] Circle of Fifths. Private Study Tasks Continue working on your composition using the feedback/targets we discussed. Don't forget Deadline One is 1 9th October. Make sure that your Brandenburg score notes are fully complete as we will be working on questions next week in preparation for an assessment in the final week. Listen to the piece a number of times – use you r annotated score to follow the music.Create a glossary of the key musical terms which link to the Brandenburg Concerto. Add musical examples where appropriate. (Retooling, Basso Continuo, Figured Bass, Flute a beck, Natural Trumpet, Arpeggio, Sequence (rising, falling), Ripen, Concertina, Counterpoint, Tutu, Unison, Trill, Dominant Seventh, Dominant Pedal, Syncopation, Homophobic, Diminished Seventh Chord, Circle of Fifths) Extra help Extra support with composition -? please book a slot of time with me. Period 5 on Friday. Theory Support. Mr. Reed is available on Friday periods 3 and 4.

Lynching: Southern United States and Male Roles Essay

Lynching in the South was a violent intimidation tactic used towards African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement. Lynching played a huge part during the Civil Rights Movement. Lynching had a negative effect on both blacks and whites; the justice system didn’t take lynching serious; Many African Americans were exploited for everyone to witness. Lynching in the South had a negative effect on both African Americans and whites during the Civil Rights Movement. A lot of black men became jobless, convicted, or killed which led to many black women playing the male roles to keep their families stable. The Ku Klux Klan and mobs plans were to prevent African Americans from getting an education, job, voting, and owning their own property, so as a result they terrorized them every day. Thousands of African Americans were lynched by white mobs. Some middle class whites sought out to put an end to lynching because it had gone too far. African Americans were psychologically scarred from witnessing other African Americans being lynched. The justice system abandoned their oversight of constitutional protections toward African Americans. Lynching could exist because the law enforcement would not prevent it. The government allowed lynching to carryon for years. Federal legislators tried to get bills passed to make lynching a federal crime but it failed. The government played a little role in protecting the safety of individuals. As a result The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People made anti-lynching campaigns; even after all the failed attempts the NAACP still was active to put an end to lynching.

Current Ethical issue essays

Current Ethical issue essays The newspaper article read, Iraq prisoner abuse detailed. At least one Iraqi prisoner died after interrogation, some were threatened with attack dogs and others were kept naked in tiny cells without running water or ventilation, according to an account written by military police sergeant who supervised a group o U.S. soldiers charged in a growing scandal over prisoner abuse in Iraq. The account of Staff Sgt. Ivan Chip Frederick portrayed a prison that spun out of control last fall as thousands of captured Iraqis poured into razor-wire confines (Honolulu Advertiser, Sunday May 2, 2004). The Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of war, 75 U.N.T.S. 135, entered into force October 21, 1950. Article 13 states, Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated. Any unlawful act or omission by the Detaining Power causing death or seriously endangering the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is prohibited, and will be regarded as a serious breach of the present Convention. In particular, no prisoner of war may be subjected to physical mutilation or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind, which are not justified by the medical, dental, or hospital treatment of the prisoner concerned and carried out in his interest. Likewise, prisoners of war must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation, and against insults and public curiosity. Measures of reprisal against prisoners of war are prohibited (University of Minnesota Human Rights Library, May 4, 2004). What would cause a military police sergeant in the United States Armed Forces to make such an obvious breach of the Geneva Convention? I think many Americans are quick to judge, without taking all the facts into account, or for that matter ever being in a wartime situation, such as Ivan Frederick. The article in the Honolulu Advertiser stated, In some cases, as few as a dozen U.S. ...

Reasons Animals Become Endangered

Reasons Animals Become Endangered When an animal species is considered endangered, it means that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has evaluated it as nearly extinct, which means that a significant portion of its range has already died off and the rate of birth is lower than the species death rate. Today, more and more animal and plant species are on the verge of extinction because of a variety of major factors that cause a species to become endangered, and as you might expect, humans play a role in quite a few of them. In fact, the biggest threat to endangered animals is human encroachment on their habitats. Fortunately, conservation efforts around the world are bent on helping these endangered animals revitalize their dwindling populations through a variety of humanitarian efforts, including curtailing illegal poaching, halting pollution, and habitat destruction, and curtailing the introduction of exotic species into new habitats. Habitat Destruction and Pollution Every living organism needs a place to live, but a habitat is not just a residence, it is also where an animal finds food, raises its young and allows the next generation to take over. Unfortunately, humans destroy animal habitats in a number of different ways: building houses, clearing forests to get lumber and plant crops, draining rivers to bring water to those crops, and paving over meadows to make streets and parking lots. In addition to physical encroachment, human development of animals habitats pollutes the natural landscape with petroleum products, pesticides, and other chemicals, which destroys food sources and viable shelters for the creatures and plants of that area. As a result, some species die outright while others are pushed into areas where they cant find food and shelter. Worse yet, when one animal population suffers it affects many other species in its food web so more than one species population is likely to decline. Habitat destruction is the number one reason for animal endangerment, which is why conservation groups work diligently to reverse the effects of human  developments. Many non-profit groups like the Nature Conservancy  clean up coastlines and establish nature preserves to prevent further harm to native environments and species around the world. Introduction of Exotic Species Destroys Delicate Food Systems An exotic species is an animal, plant, or insect that is introduced into a place where it did not evolve naturally.  Exotic species often have a predatory or competitive advantage over native species, which have been a part of a particular biological environment for centuries, because even though native species are well adapted to their surroundings, they may not be able to deal with species that closely compete with them for food. Basically, native species havent developed natural defenses for an exotic species and vice versa. One example of endangerment due to both competition and predation is the Galapagos tortoise. Non-native goats were introduced to the Galapagos Islands during the 20th century. These goats fed on the tortoises food supply, causing the number of tortoises to decline rapidly. Because the tortoises could not defend themselves or stop the overpopulation of goats on the island, they were forced to abandon their native feeding grounds. Many countries have passed laws banning specific exotic species known to endanger native habitats from entering the country. Exotic species are sometimes referred to as invasive species, especially in cases of banning them. For instance, the United Kingdom has placed raccoons, mongooses, and cabbages on their invasive species list, all of which are barred from entering the country. Illegal Hunting Can Endanger Species When hunters ignore rules that regulate the number of animals that should be hunted (a practice known as poaching), they can reduce populations to the point that species become endangered. Unfortunately, poachers are often hard to catch because they are deliberately trying to evade authorities, and they operate in areas where enforcement is weak. Furthermore, poachers have developed sophisticated techniques for smuggling animals. Baby bears, leopards, and monkeys have been sedated and stuffed into suitcases for transport. Live animals have been sold to people who want exotic pets or medical research subjects. And, animal pelts and other body parts are also secretly smuggled across borders and sold through black market networks of buyers who pay high prices for illegal animal products. Even legal hunting, fishing, and gathering of wild species can lead to population reductions that cause species to become endangered. A lack of restriction on the whaling industry in the 20th century is one example. It wasnt until several whale species were nearing  extinction  that countries agreed to abide by an international moratorium. Some whale species have rebounded thanks to this moratorium but others remain at risk.   International laws forbid these practices, and there are a number of government and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) whose sole purpose is to stop illegal poaching, especially of animals like elephants and rhinoceroses. Thanks to the efforts of groups like the International Anti-Poaching Foundation  and local conservation groups like the PAMS Foundation in Tanzania, these endangered species have human advocates fighting to protect them from outright extinction. How Are Animals Endangered? Of course, species endangerment and extinction can happen without human interference. Extinction is a natural part of evolution. Fossil records show that long before people came along, factors such as overpopulation, competition, sudden climatic change, and catastrophic events like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes drove the decline of numerous species. There are a few warning signs that a species could become extinct. If a species has some economic importance, such as the Atlantic salmon, it may be at risk. Surprisingly, large predators, who we might expect to have an advantage over other species, are often at risk as well. This list includes grizzly bears, bald eagles, and gray wolves. A species whose gestational period is lengthy, or who have small numbers of offspring at each birth has the potential to become endangered more readily. The mountain gorilla and California condor are two examples.  And species with weak genetic makeup, like manatees or giant pandas, have more risk of extinction with each generation.

Media Convergence in Contemporary Society Essay

Media Convergence in Contemporary Society - Essay Example Jenkins centers much of his argument upon the idea that freedom of the press has led to the establishment of the new media. Freedom is a large part of the way in which the convergence culture has been created, consumers now free to participate in the creation of communication. However, this culture is coming at a price. The technologies are improving and growing at fast rates that are difficult to continue to upgrade. The disposable culture has slipped to higher priced electronic items, making the use of the true world now a matter of socioeconomic status. As well, in having a culture that is so interlaced that a high school student has access to affecting world politics, credibility is suffering. In creating a convergence culture, freedoms have emerged that have broadened the interconnectivity of the world, but the price of these freedoms effect economic and journalistic credibility, thus causing a high cost to the consumer. In introducing his article about Henry Jenkins’ boo k about convergence media, Horowitz relates the story with which Jenkins begins his discussion about convergence culture. He tells the story of an American high school student who put together images with Bert, a character from Sesame Street, through Photoshop. The theme of the series of pictures done by this young man was ‘evil Bert’ with pictures of Bert with Adolf Hitler, Pamela Anderson, and Osama Bin Laden. Someone from a Bangladesh publisher was looking for images on the web of Osama Bin Laden for anti-American posters. The picture of Bert and Bin Laden ended up on posters throughout the Middle East, which eventually landed the image on CNN (Jenkins 1: Horowitz). This story contains the essence of convergence culture, where a high school aged boy can create a cut and paste image that ends up on anti-American posters on the other side of the world, which in turn show up on an American news service. Convergence means that multiple disciplines are impacted by the way in which consumers and media communicators interact, the consumer of information reacting and acting against the inflow of information from those who put that information out into the world. In a convergence culture, the consumer and the media communicators become interchangeable the consumer often taking on the role of the communicator putting his own ideas out into the media. Jenkins states that convergence culture is the â€Å"place where old media and new media collide, where grassroots and corporate media intersect, where the power of the media producer and the power of the media consumer interact in unpredictable ways† (Horowitz). The new forms of media have allowed consumers to have a much larger freedom in determining how they spend their time. Which media outlet gains attention has become a matter of large numbers of options, the consumer able to now choose which news, entertainment, or activity to participate with during their idle time. No longer is the consumer l ocked to the 5 o’clock news or the morning or evening paper, but can choose which outlet to interact with at what time is convenient. Even television is no longer precisely defined by time slots because most television programs can be seen through at the internet at the viewer’s convenience. Freedom of the press has allowed for new media forms to emerge, communication transforming into a free flowing network of information, consumer driven, but founded upon the concept that ideas have a need to be shared (Convergence,

European Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

European Law - Assignment Example The paper tells that the directives are outcome based, which means that the member states may implement the directive in the manner in which they choose, but they must implement regulations and laws which achieve the objectives of the directive. Directives are principle based because every nation has sovereignty, therefore they need to be free to implement their own laws, yet there must also be harmony in the international system. Therefore, by issuing principles to the member states in the EU, not rules to implement, directives accomplish the needed goal of harmonizing Union law while acknowledging the freedom that member states enjoy in implementing their own laws. In this case, there is a conflict between the directive set forth and the municipal law that the UK adopted to implement the directive. Specifically, the UK law is more draconian than the directive. A case which would helpful to Blokkia in this regard is that of Luciano Arcaro Case C-168/95. In this case, Luciano Arcaro was accused of discharging dangerous chemicals into water. In this case, the municipal law stated that there was a distinction between new plants and existing plants, and when the plant was existing, there was not a requirement for authorization for the discharges. The directive upon which this law was based did not make such a distinction. Therefore, if the directive is the law which governed this particular case, Arcaro, who was operating an existing plant, would be liable, as he did not get authorization to discharge these harmful chemicals. On the other hand, if the municipal law is the one which governed this case, Arcaro would not be liable and could not be prosecuted, as he was within the purview of the municipal law. The court in this case found that the municipal law would be the one which controlled. Their reasoning was that the directive imposed an obligation which hadn't been incorporated into existing municipal law, and it had the effect of aggravating the liability in criminal law for persons who act in contravention of this law. In this case, Blokkia might argue that the inverse of Arcaro would be true. This is that there is a contradiction between the directive and the municipal law. Specifically, the municipal law imposes criminal penalties for situations which the directive does not address. The directive does not state that mobile phones may not be sold to children under the age of 10, and that doing so would constitute a criminal offence. It does state that there must be warnings on these products and details about the risks printed on these packages. As in Arcaro, the directive and the municipal law are inconsistent, and the municipal law has the effect of aggravating the directive law. Blokkia is within the purview of the directive law, assuming that they did label the product and included the information that the directive requires, so it may state that, since the municipal law aggravates the directive, that the directive is the law whic h should govern, by using the logic of the Arcaro court. In the case of Federal Republic of Germany v. European Parliament and Council of the European Union Cas C-380/03, there is further instruction upon which Blokkia might rely. Specifically, this case concerned a directive which prohibited the advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products by the printed media and radio broadcasts. This case stated that there were disparities which existed between the individual Member States' national laws, and that these disparities were such that the free movement of goods and the freedom to provide services were implicated. This court notes that if there are disparities between the member states in implementing this directive's principles, such that it has a direct effect on the