Abu Dhabi Airport Information Technology

This paper aims at describing how Information Technology is helping or can help improve processes in Abu Dhabi Airport. This paper will begin by identifying key functional departments at the airport. After that, it will discuss the information technology employed in each department, and what needs to be done to enhance the current information communication technologies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Abu Dhabi Airport Information Technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Abu Dhabi is an international airport located in the heart of Abu Dhabi city, and it is amongst the fastest growing airports in the world. (Qatar News, 2011). Statistics have indicated that Abu Dhabi International Airport has a growing passenger turnout, and new airline operators (Abu Dhabi News, 2012). In addition, the airport has realized a tremendous development in its infrastructure, and at the moment, the airport has embarked on an expans ion program that will cost close to $6.8 billion (AIC, 2011). This growth is attributed to the organization’s well structured functional departments. The Airport has a well established supportive services department. This department controls all the supportive services at the airport. Such supportive services include business services, where by passengers are given the opportunity to access internet services, fax and copying machines, and computers. Thus, business travelers can communicate with their business associates while at the airport. Other support services provided include banking, taxi services, medical services, baggage wrapping, catering, parking, and meet and assist services (Abu Dhabi News, 2012). This department relies heavily on the information and communication technologies present at the airport. The airport provides affordable phone services so that passengers can get in touch with members of the supportive team. Abu Dhabi airport also has Air Navigation ser vices department. This is another core department. It is involved in the provision of all the services offered while passengers are aboard (Abu Dhabi News, 2012). Thus, pilots, cabin crew, and the technical team are the key members of this department.Advertising Looking for essay on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pilots take charge of the aircraft while cabin crew members take care of the needs of passengers on board. The technical team provides technical support to the pilots, and they form a link between the pilots, cabin crew and the security department at the airport. Pilots have air traffic control communication gadgets through which they communicate with the technical team within the airplane, and other departments at the airport. The passengers’ seats are fitted with call buttons, which are used by passengers to communicate with the cabin crew. Another department present at the airport is the Strategic and I nternational Affairs department. This department is responsible for the internationalization of the airport’s services (Abu Dhabi News, 2012). As such, the department is responsible for the negotiation of business deals with other airports across the globe. This department ensures that the airport can liaise with other international departments. The department’s personnel often visit selected airports in order to negotiate business deals. The department can enhance its services by embracing internet use. The internet can boost the department’s interaction with the rest of the world. On the other hand, the Safety Affairs department is charged with the responsibility of ensuring general safety at the airport. It is charged with the responsibility of preventing accidents at the airport (Abu Dhabi News, 2012). As a result, the department liaises with all departments at the airport. The department relies heavily on computer information technology. Thus, it is able to monitor all operations at the airport. This includes among others the use of CCTV cameras and sniffer dogs. Another key department at the airport is the Air Accident Investigation department. This department is charged with the responsibility of investigating air craft accidents linked to Abu Dhabi international airport. The airport has not realized any major accidents in the past ten years. Moreover, the airport has Security Affairs department. This department has a very crucial role. It is involved in the maintenance of the safety of passengers and the airport’s personnel (Abu Dhabi News, 2012). This department also manages the delicate role of immigration.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Abu Dhabi Airport Information Technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, this department plays a significant role in the clearance of all passengers who pass through the airport. In addition, the department is involved with the inspection of all passengers to prevent the transportation of illegal materials. This department has state of the art technology used in the verification of travelers’ passports. The department’s personnel are well trained to detect illegal materials. However, the department should enhance the technology used to monitor the entry or exit of explosives and illegal drugs. Furthermore, the airport has a well established Procurement Department. This department is involved with the management of procurement goods, works and services (Procurement Department, 2012). Tender processes at the airport begin with expression of interest by potential contractors. This is then followed by request for proposals. According to the information on the airport’s website, information regarding expression of interest is usually posted on the airport’s official website, and in the major dailies in the United Arab Emirates. The current information and communicat ion technology used by the Procurement Department can be improved in a number of ways. First, the department should embrace sound online marketing technologies so as to tap international clients. Secondly, the department should provide detailed information on its website with regard to its services. This can be achieved by providing state of the web tools that can be used by potential clients to post their tender requests. Such web tools should enhance the processing of tender requests. Lastly, the airport has established a Planning and Development Department. The department’s core functions include planning the airport’s activities and development programs (Abu Dhabi News, 2012). The department relies heavily on computer technology in the generation of intended airport’s development programs. All stakeholders are involved in decision making before a new program is introduced. The current communication system requires all stake holders to be present before a dec ision is reached.Advertising Looking for essay on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This sometimes leads to delays especially when some stakeholders fail to attend the scheduled meetings. Therefore, the department should embrace the use of internet based services such as Skype to organize stake holders meetings. References Abu Dhabi News (2012). Flying from the Best Airport in the Middle East. Web. Airports Council International (ACI). (2011). Abu Dhabi International Airport. Web. Procurement Department. (2012). Procurement and Tenders. Web. Qatar News. (2011). Etihad Airways to Ho Chi Minh City. Web. This essay on Abu Dhabi Airport Information Technology was written and submitted by user Derr1ck to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

To Study of the Law of the Constitution The WritePass Journal

To Study of the Law of the Constitution Introduction To Study of the Law of the Constitution IntroductionConclusionRelated Introduction A V Dicey described the rule of law as â€Å"one of two pillars upon which our constitution rests, the other being the sovereignty of parliament.† [1] This immediately brings emphasis to the view that ourUK constitution values the rule of law as well as considering parliamentary sovereignty as a supreme component of our Country’s constitution. The question however, lies in whether parliament has the absolute power to ‘legally legislate on any topic whatever which, in the judgment of parliament, is a fit subject for legislation,’ or conversely, a contradictory argument is much more valid. First of all, I will take Her Majesty’s words of enactment into account, which conferred that,   our present assembly of Parliament, has the authority to create legislation with the consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal. This implies Parliament has the power to â€Å"make or unmake law whatever, and no body or person is recognised by the Law of England as having a right to override or set aside the legislation of parliament,†[2] as Dicey well defined in his rule of law theory. Evidently, this supports the basis of my argument that Parliament has the sovereignty of power to create or dismiss law and no Political MP or common man, has the capacity to do so. Furthermore, there is much to support the view that the doctrine of supremacy lies in the hands of Parliament. The courts ascribe Acts of Parliament to have legal force which â€Å"other instruments for one reason or another fall short of being an Act of Parliament.† This superlatively supports Dicey’s statement above â€Å"no power which, under the English constitution, can come into rivalry with the legislative sovereignty of parliament.’ However, in terms of rivalry the courts referred to treaties entered under prerogative powers, by-laws created by a local authority, order in council, the Scottish parliament or the Northern Ireland Assembly. Yet, it is justifiable to a very large extent, Parliament has unlimited power in the constitutional affairs of the United Kingdom. The Septennial Act (1715) which Parliament passed to â€Å"extend the life of parliament from three to seven years.† [3] Furthermore, the amendments which Parliament made through the Parliament Acts (1911) and (1949) to hold â€Å"a general election at least every five years.†[4] As well as, amending its own composition and bills as set out in the 1911 Act. These were the initial legal changes which gave rise to Parliament’s supremacy to legislate on any matter which is ‘a fit subject for legislation.’ Additionally, through the Act of Settlement (1701) and the Abdication Act (1936), Parliament made a remarkable change through the succession of the throne. The courts who have a role to interpret and apply Acts of Parliament affirmed that only Acts have legal force. Dicey’s first principle on the rule of law can be supported from above. In addition, Parliament being able to legislate retrospectively strengthens the view that ‘parliament can make or unmake any law it chooses.’ In the case Burmah Oil co v Lord Advocate (1965)[5] Parliament exercised its power to introduce another Act, the War Damages Act (1965) as the decision to overturn the House of Lords decision became crucial to prevent theUK suffering a huge financial drain, at the time of the World Wars.   This exemplifies Parliament being able to legislate with no legal limits as such. Thereby, supporting Dicey’s statement above. Now I will bear relevance to Dicey’s second principle which states â€Å"Courts are constitutionally subordinate to parliament.†Ã‚   The rationale for courts to be constitutionally lower than parliament is that Bills do not have legal force, it is Acts that do. Therefore, the stages that a bill must pass to become an Act clearly imply Parliament has greater supremacy, on the grounds, the courts cannot make law. However, they do have the authority to enforce law which has already been an Act. Moreover, the Enrolled Act rule legally permits the courts to amend legislation which parliament cannot change. The case Edinburgh and Dalkeith co V Wauchope (1842) [6]gave rise to this rule, as Wauchope set out to challenge Parliament as a result of the Private Act affecting Wauchope’s rights against the railway company. Challenge was rejected, as Parliament refused the introduction of the bill into parliament through standing orders of the House of Commons. The legislative authority of Parliament was evident in this case. On the other hand, Lord Reid in the case Madizimbamuto v Lardner Burke [1969] â€Å"it would be unconstitutional for the United Kingdom parliament to do certain things.†[7] The implication of this was clear, it would be unconstitutional for Parliament to legislate for other governments likeRhodesia. However, Parliament may do such things if it wishes to do so, as it is much evident the supreme power remains with parliament. This strongly supports Dicey’s rule of principle. On the contrary, Sir Glanville Williams (1947) argued that, â€Å"no statute can confer this power upon Parliament, for this would be to assume and Act on the very power that is to be conferred.† [8] This implicates statute cannot form sovereignty, opposing the the sovereignty parliament being able to legislate, both ‘prospectively and retrospectively, to be noted from above.’[9] Conversely, the dismissal which took place in the case Cheney V Conn (1968) due to illegal taxes, allowed Ungoed –Thomas J to proclaim â€Å"it is the law which prevails over every other form of law†[10] subsequently, ‘what the statute enacts cannot be unlawful because the statute is the law.’[11] In opposition of Dicey’s statement above, Dicey’s third rule of principle highlights certain limitations on the legislative power of Parliament. In the view that, ‘Parliament cannot bind its successors or be bound by its predecessors.’ Primarily because Parliamentary sovereignty is protected by two doctrines, express repeal and implied repeal.   Implied repeal in context for instance, states that if there were to be a conflict between two Acts, one previous and one repealed, then the rule applies that the last of two Acts passed at separate times, it is the most recent Act which must be obeyed. Therefore, Parliament must cohere to this rule. However, the key limitations which have been argued to challenge the sovereignty of parliament are the Human Rights Act [1998], Devolution ofScotlandandWales, the Treaty of Union (1707) and the European Communities Act (1972). The Human Rights Act [1998] seeks to protect human rights against legislation by later Parliaments. So it could be justified as a limitation for Parliament to pronounce a lawful decision such as ‘all blue eyed babies should be killed.’ Also, since the devolution of the UK Parliament[12], devolving powers toScotland as ruled in the Scotland Act (1998), Northern Ireland Act (1998) and Government of Wales Act (1998), this may contradict Dicey’s statement above. AsWales,Scotland andNorthern Ireland have the power to legislate on certain matters such as Education-student tuition fees; this possibly means ‘Parliament cannot legislate on any topic whatever’ unless, the powers were to be taken away, which could in theory happen. Seeing as,Westminster still holds the supreme power. Yet, the process is likely to be time consuming. Additionally, it could be reasoned that Parliament’s powers have been limited since the Treat of Union (1707) came into existence. On the basis that, the treaty of union was introduced to unite the two kingdomsEnglandandScotland, with the belief that, there was a union of equals.   Implying thatScotlandis somewhat equal toEngland. They could argue, the Treaty of Union is a higher form of law and may prevail over inconsistent Acts of Parliament. In historical context, the sovereignty of Parliament was seen in a different light as it is today. Coke CJ in the case of Bonham (1610) 8 co Rep [13] asserted that, Common Law was a higher form of law than an Act of Parliament. However, this judgment was formed when the monarch had greater legislative and judicial power than Acts of Parliament. Since 1714, there has been a reversal of constitutional affairs; consequently this justifies the power of parliament to ‘legally legislate on any topic whatever, which is a fit subject for legislation.’ Conclusion In conclusion, after evaluating all the limitations above, it would be rightly justified to say that a majority would agree that they were political rather than legal limits imposed on parliament’s sovereignty of power. Thereby, with the supported arguments above, it seems right to agree on A V Dicey’s statement above as there was greater validity.

Morality of Active Euthinasia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Morality of Active Euthinasia - Essay Example Active euthanasia is sometimes called mercy killing whereas the physicians end the patients’ life directly, such as by giving lethal injection. The passive one is delivered by ending any life sustaining treatment. The result of both cases is the same, the death of the patients. However, some can argue that the former is caused by the physician while the latter by the disease. The conventional doctrine is that there is such an important moral difference between the two that, although the latter is sometimes permissible, the former is always forbidden. (Rachels 78) In my opinion, the morality of active euthanasia actually depends on the situation. In some rare cases whereas the patient suffers extreme pain and has absolutely no hope of surviving, active euthanasia, although it is illegal, can be seen as an act of kindness. This mercy killing is, in some sense, even more compassionate than passive euthanasia, whereas the physicians forgo the life sustaining treatment and let the patient suffer to death. However, in most cases, active euthanasia is absolutely immoral. When there is a chance for the patients to recover, no matter how tiny the chance is, mercy killing is obviously not the act of compassion. Even if the patient voluntarily ask for it, as long as the chance to recover is there, active euthanasia is still morally wrong. The morality of active euthanasia in individual cases can depend on the situation. The morality in the policy level, however, cannot depend on the situation. The question whether it should be legalized or not should only be answered after considering carefully the potential consequences. If active euthanasia is legalized, it will definitely generate good and bad consequences. Whether the good ones outweigh the bad ones or the opposite should be the main concern to answer the question of legalization. Let’s deal with the good outcomes first. According to Dan W. Brock, if active euthanasia is legalized, it means

War on Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

War on Terrorism - Essay Example President Bush’s war on terrorism is counterproductive because it seems that the cost of freedom from terror is the freedom of privacy, It is questionable as to what the war on terrorism actually is. The Encyclopedia Britannica (n.d.) defined war as, â€Å"A conflict among political groups involving hostilities of considerable duration and magnitude† (War). Bush stated that war was declared on terrorism, but no specific countries or political groups were actually named in the declaration. The fact there were no specific guidelines set at the declaration of war has lead many to wonder if Bush’s war on terror is even legal. Now, in 2006, Bush’s continuing campaign leads many to wonder is this war on terrorism is to be a repeat of the Vietnam War. U.S. President Bush has utilized a series of legal loopholes and political strategies to keep a legally questionable war and freedom infringing policies going for almost 5 years. Lovinger and Scott (n.d.) stated that Bush’s war is illegal because: If so many aspects of Bush’s war on terrorism are illegal, how does he get away with it? Even though the Bush administration refers to its acts as part of the War on Terrorism, the campaign is not technically a war, but rather a Use of Force Resolution. The key difference in these two terms is the president’s ability to extend military force. In an article from Slate, Lithwick (2001) described the difference as, â€Å"While the wide-open wording of the joint resolution appears to give congressional approval to any act of war undertaken by President Bush, it contains several important checks on his powers† (What Sort of War, n. pag.). These checks were put in place to prevent a repeat of the Vietnam War by requiring the U.S. President to confer with Congress when implementing any new military actions. Before going into the details describing any negative impacts of the War on Terror, it is important to note that if there were no positive aspects, the U.S. would

The Emergence of a Superpower Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Emergence of a Superpower - Essay Example He ended U.S isolationism policy by acting aggressively in foreign matters without even the consent or support of the congress (Oakes 89). Roosevelt also developed a powerful and large navy that was significant to the U.S defense since it served as strong restraint to American foes. Woodrow Wilson as the president of the U.S abandoned the imperialist policy implemented by Theodore Roosevelt and came up with a new means of America dealing with other nations. Despite the fact that he believed that it was the duty of America to change the world, he believed that everybody in the globe had the right to self determination in that they were to decide on the type of government they wanted (Oakes 148). In order to increase U.S influence abroad, Wilson aimed to protect democracy. For instance, Wilson was forced to invade Nicaragua in order to assist the rebels who had ousted a totalitarian regime. Franklin Roosevelt’s foreign policy was overshadowing domestic or local policy because he was more concerned about what was happening in Europe. After refusing to support stabilization of global currency in 1933, he stabilized the dollar in 1934 and started to assist Great Britain and France to stabilize their currencies and keep them from totalitarian nations (Oakes 96). Just like Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt believed that U.S had to develop strong army in order to quarantine aggressive nations such as Germany and Japan. In order, he developed the good neighbor policy, which was a re-examination of the U.S policy in Latin America. During Franklin Roosevelt’s term as president, Latin America was the U.S area of interest, thus, it was significant to make American presence felt in the area (Oakes

Analysing Biopower And Agency Linked To Euthanasia Philosophy Essay

Analysing Biopower And Agency Linked To Euthanasia Philosophy Essay Human life can be perceived as a way of being that ensures autonomy upon the physical body. However, state authority, surveillance and law are moderating this individual freedom and moral decision-making. Nowadays, euthanasia remains a highly controversial and sensitive medical and ethical issue. My research and final thesis for the master will focus on the narratives of people, residing in houses for the elderly in Antwerp, Belgium. Emphasis is placed on whether upcoming media interest in euthanasia influences elderly thoughts and decision making regarding assisted suicide. Wishes about end-of-life decisions, opinions of relatives and law interpretations of medical practitioners are being investigated in this study. And finally the way governments authority influences peoples agency in end-of-life decision making. With this paper, I intend to widen my knowledge of two main anthropological topics linked to the subject of euthanasia, namely biopower and agency. Biopolitics concern the political implications of social and biological facts and phenomena, with political choice and action directly afflicting all aspects of human life. Agency, on the other hand, can be seen as an alternative attempt to maintain autonomy in ones own life and death, under the influence of the states disciplining interference. Both forms of power are studied in this paper, and their interrelationship is critically viewed. Keywords: Biopolitics, Agency, Power, Health, Ethics 2. The history of biopower In Foucaults The Birth of Biopolitics (Lectures at the College de France, 1978-1979), an analysis of liberalism and neoliberalism as forms of biopolitics is presented. According to Foucault, biopower can be perceived as a technology of power, intending to manage individuals as a group. This political technology differentiates because of its ability to control populations as a whole, and is thus essential to the development of modern capitalism (Foucault, 2008). This shift from the managing and micro-controlling of individuals to disciplining a population emerged in the eighteenth-century. Even though this seems as an opportunity to gain more natural rights and liberty for individuals, this liberal government no longer limits state power because of the incompatible tension between freedom and security (Foucault, 2008, McSweeney, 2010). As Foucault argued, liberalism concerns the biopolitical. For liberalism promotes an imagined self-governing of life through a certain capture and disc iplining of natural forces of aggression and desire within the framework of a cultural game, governed by civil conventions and instituted laws (Foucault, 2004). In this conception, life is as much of a cultural construct as is law, although the naturalness of life, thought of as innately self-regulating, is always insinuated. Both in economics and in politics, liberalism rejoice in an order that is supposed to emerge naturally from the clash of passions themselves (Milbank, 2008: 2). Rabinow and Rose seek to enlighten the developments in Foucaults concept of biopower, which serves to bring into view a field comprised of more or less rationalized attempts to intervene upon the vital characteristics of human existence (Rabinow, 2006: 196-197). Foucault distinguishes two poles of biopower: the first one focuses on an anatomo-politics of the human body, seeking to maximize its forces and integrate it into efficient systems. The second pole entails biopolitics of the population, focusing on the species body, the body imbued with the mechanisms of life: birth, morbidity, mortality and longevity (Rose, 2007: 53). Thus, according to Rabinow and Rose, we can use the term biopolitics to embrace all the specific strategies and contestations over problematizations of collective human vitality, morbidity and mortality; over the forms of knowledge, regimes of authority and practices of intervention that are desirable, legitimate and efficacious (Rabinow, 2006: 197). In order to clarify the concept of biopower, three elements must be included. The first one comprises one or more truth discourses about the vital character of living human beings, and an array of authorities considered competent to speak that truth. Secondly, the strategies for intervention upon collective existence in the name of life and health, and lastly, modes of subjectification, through which individuals are brought to work on themselves, under certain forms of authority. Biopolitical analyses also explore how poverty, body commodification, and notions of risk and control are lived and shaped by the intersections of state imperatives, local traditions, and the global reach of medicine (Kaufman, 2005: 320). It is been inextricably bound up with the rise of the life sciences, the human sciences and clinical medicine. It has given birth to techniques, technologies, experts, and apparatuses for the care and administration of the life of each and of all, from town planning to heal th services (Rose, 2007: 54). Nevertheless, we need to be untrammeled by obligations to authoritative states and international bureaucracies, as most crimes against humanity are committed by powerful states (Farmer, 2004: 242). 2.1 Criticism Rabinow and Rose are critical of Agamben (1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2005) and Negri (2000), who suggest that contemporary biopower takes the form of a politics that is fundamentally dependent on the domination, exploitation, expropriation and, in some cases, elimination of the vital existence of some or all subjects over whom it is exercised (Rabinow, 2006: 198). The following fallacies in Agamben and Negris work are mentioned. Firstly, their use of biopower as a totalizing term in which biopower serves to secure the dominion of a global form of domination that they term Empire (ibid.: 198). Rabinow and Rose agree that it is necessary to extend the scope of traditional analyses of economic exploitation and geopolitics in order to grasp the way in which the living character of human being is being harnessed by biocapital. However, this expanded concept of biopower leaves little room for analytical work. Therefore, Rabinow and Rose agree that this version of the concept of biopower is an tithetical to that proposed by Foucault because it can describe everything but analyse nothing. Secondly, Agambens view of the Holocaust as the ultimate exemplar of biopower and use of the obscure metaphor of homo sacer. According to Rabinow and Rose: the power to command under threat of death is exercised by States and their surrogates in multiple instances, in micro forms and in geopolitical relations. But this does not demonstrate that this form of power commands backed up by the ultimate threat of death is the guarantee or underpinning principle of all forms of biopower in contemporary liberal societies. Nor is it useful to use this single diagram to analyse every contemporary instance of thanatopolitics (ibid.: 201). And lastly, Agambens interpretation of contemporary biopolitics as the politics of a State modelled on the figure of the Sovereign, and of all forms of biopolitical authority as agents of that Sovereign. Rabinow and Rose believe that this interpretation fails to notice the dependence of sovereign rule on a fine web of customary conventions, reciprocal obligations and the like in a word, a moral economy [] sovereign power is at one and the same time an element in this moral economy and an attempt to master it (ibid.: 200). States can only rule because of the ways in which they manage to connect themselves to the ever-growing apparatuses of knowledge collection and problematization that formed alongside the state apparatus since the 19th century. Furthermore, in the analysis of biopower, Rabinow and Rose focus on three topics that they believe condense some of the biopolitical lines of force active today. The first one embraces race. At one point, the link between biological understandings of distinctions among population groups and their socio-political implications seemed broken and race was crucial as a socio-economic category, a mark of discrimination and a mode of identification that remained extremely salient socially and politically, from the allocation of federal funds to the manifestations of identity politics. However, at the turn of the new century, race is once again re-entering the domain of biological truth, viewed now through a molecular gaze (ibid.: 206). A new molecular deployment of race has emerged seemingly almost inevitably out of genomic thinking. Funding for research in DNA sequence variations has been justified precisely in biopolitical terms, as leading towards and ensuring the equal health of the pop ulation in all or some of its diversity (ibid.: 207). Rabinow and Rose believe that new challenges for critical thinking are raised by the contemporary interplay between political and genomic classifications of race, identity politics, racism, health inequities, and their potential entry into biomedical truth, commercial logics and the routine practices of health care (ibid.: 207). The second topic entails reproduction. Since the 1970s, sexuality and reproduction have become disentangled, and the question of reproduction gets problematized, both nationally and supra-nationally, because of its economic, ecological and political consequences. Reproduction has been made into a biopolitical space in which an array of connections appear between the individual and the collective, the technological and the political, the legal and the ethical (ibid.: 208). According to Rabinow and Rose the economy of contemporary biopolitics operates according to logics of vitality, not mortality: while it has its circuits of exclusion, letting die is not making die (ibid.: 211). They argue that changes are about capitalism and liberalism and not eugenics. And lastly; genomic medicine. Rabinow and Rose narrate how the first biopolitical strategies concerned the management of illness and health and how these provided a model for many other problematizations operating in terms of the division of the normal and the pathological. This model was popular in liberal societies because they establish links between the molecular and the molar, linking the aspiration of the individual to be cured to the management of the health status of the population as a whole (ibid.: 212). Whether or not genomic medicine will lead to the creation of a new regime of biopower depends on both the uncertain outcome of genomic research itself, and on contingencies external to genomics and biomedicine. If the new model of genomic medicine were to succeed, and to be deployed widely, not only in the developed but also in the less developed world, the logics of medicine, and the shape of the biopolitical field, would be altered. New contestations would emerge over acc ess to such technologies and the resources necessary to follow through their implications. Additionally, as the forms of knowledge generated here are those of probability, new ways of calculating risk, understanding the self and organizing health care would undoubtedly emerge (Rabinow, 2006: 214). It is important to see that in this, the political and social implications are shaped more by the political side of biopolitics than the medical side, which is also mentioned by Vaughn (2010). Milbank (2008) is discussing this topic from an alternative point of view. Laws typically proceed from sovereign power granted legitimacy through a general popular consent as mediated by representation. In so far as such a procedure is taken to be normative, it can be seen as embodying a natural law for the origin of legitimate power from the conflicts in human life (Milbank, 2008: 5). To conclude; within the field of biopower, the term biopolitics is used to embrace all the specific strategies and contestations over problematizations of collective human vitality, morbidity and mortality, and can therefore be linked to the implementation of the euthanasia law. It includes a form of power expressed as a control that extends throughout the depths of the consciousnesses and bodies of the population (Rose, 2007: 54). At the end of life, ethnographers have focused their attention in the distinction between the social and biological death of the person and the practical and ethical quandaries created by the late modern ability and desire to authorize and design ones own death, and the ways in which death is spoken, silenced, embraced, staved off, and otherwise patterned (Kaufman, 2005: 319). The policy of euthanasia can thereby be seen as an array of authorities considered competent to judge a humans quality of life. In one sense, to say that the sovereign has a right of life and death means that he can, basically, either have people put to death of let them live, of in any case that life and death are not natural or immediate phenomena which are primal or radical, and which fall outside the field of power. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] In any case, the lives and death of subjects become rights only as a result of the will of the sovereign (Foucault, 1997: 24). 3. Agency In the previous chapter it has become clear that biopolitics can be perceived as an empowered discipline which reduces humans to mere life and biological statistics and processes. But has a human being no other destiny then to be at the mercy of the puppet master called the state? According to Mahmood (2005), it is quite clear that the idea of freedom and liberty as the political ideal is relatively new in modern history. Nor, for that matter, does the narrative of individual and collective liberty exhaust the desires with which people live in liberal societies? How do we then analyze operations of power that construct different kinds of bodies, knowledges, and subjectivities whose trajectories do not follow the entelechy of libratory politics? It encourages us to conceptualize agency not simple as a synonym for resistance to relations of domination, but as a capacity for action that specific relations of subordination create and enable (Mahmood, 2005, 22). Ortner believes agency and social power are very closely linked. In her article Power and Projects: Reflections on Agency (2006), she agrees with Ahearn that oppositional agency is only one of many forms of agency and that domination and resistance are not irrelevant, but that human emotions, and hence questions of agency, within relations of power and inequality are always complex and contradictory (Ortner, 2006: 137). She also mentions Giddens viewpoint that the concept of action is logically tied to that of power because of its transformative capacity, but that the transformative capacity of agents is only one dimension of how power operates in social systems. Ortner sees agency as part of her theory on serious games. The concept of serious games is grounded in practice theory, because as in practice theory social life in a serious games perspective is seen as something that is actively played, oriented toward culturally constituted goals and projects, and involving both routine practices and intentionalized action (129). However, it moves beyond this in looking at more complex relations, namely power, and more complex dimensions of subjectivity, those involving intentionality and agency. Although agency is considered universal, the agency exercised by different persons is far from uniform and differs enormously in both kind and extent. At the ethnographic level, however, what is at stake is a contrast between the workings of agency within massive power relations. In the most common usage agency can be virtually synonymous with the forms of power people have at their disposal, thereby implying that people in positions of power have a lot of agency. On the other hand, Ortner notes that the dominated too also have certain capacities, and sometimes very significant capacities, to exercise some sort of influence over the ways in which events unfold. Resistance is then also a form of power-agency (ibid.: 144). Thus, Ortner believes that the less powerful seek to nourish and protect by creating or protecting sites on the margins of power. These cultural projects can be simple goals for individuals, related to intention and desire, but many projects are full-blown serious games, involving the intense play of multiply positioned subjects pursuing cultural goals within a matrix of local inequalities and power differentials (ibid.: 144). Agency becomes the pursuit of (cultural) projects, but it is also ordinary life socially organized in terms of culturally constituted projects that infuse life with meaning and purpose. Hence, the agency of projects is not necessarily about domination and resistance; it is more about people having desires that grow out of their own structures of life. Ortner views this as people playing their own serious games in the face of more powerful parties seeking to destruct these. So this is not free agency, as the cultural desires or intentions [] emerge from structur ally defined differences of social categories and differentials of power (ibid.: 145). To Ortner, the point of making the distinction between agency-in-the-sense-of-power and an agency-in-the-sense-of-(the pursuit of) projects is that the first is organized around the axis of domination and resistance, and thus defined to a great extent by the terms of the dominant party, while the second is defined by local logics of the good and the desirable and how to pursue them (ibid.: 145). She considers that the agency which is involved in significant cultural end, is inevitably involving internal power-relations. Consequently, the agency of project intrinsically hinges on the agency of power. 3.1 The free individual? The ultimate purpose of the serious games theory is always to understand the larger forces, formations, and transformations of social life. The way Ortner sees social agents is that they are always involved in, and can never act outside of, the multiplicity of social relations in which they are enmeshed (ibid.: 130). Thus while all social actors have agency, because of their engagement with others in the play of serious games they can never be free agents. This social embeddedness of agents takes two forms; the first one being relations of solidarity among friends and family. The second form involves relations of power, inequality and competition. Ortner emphasizes that agency is never a thing in itself but is always a part of a process of what Giddens calls structuration, the making and remaking of larger social and cultural formations (ibid.: 134). Ortner admits the dangers of overemphasizing agency as this gives precedence to individuals over context and that too much focus on the agency of individuals and/or groups results in a gross oversimplification of the processes involved in history, thereby ignoring both the needs and desires of human beings and the pulse of collective forces and losing sight of the complex, and highly unpredictable, relationship between intentions and outcomes. However, Ortner believes the solution is the framework of practice theory within which neither individuals nor social forces have precedence, but in which nonetheless there is a dynamic, powerful, and sometimes transformative relationship between the practices of real people and the structures of society, culture, and history (ibid.:133). Furthermore, Ortner believes that agency can be said to have two fields of meaning, one being about intentionality and the pursuit of (culturally defined) projects), the other about power, about acting within relations of social inequality, asymmetry, and force (ibid.: 139). However, agency is never merely one or the other. Intentionality refers to a wide range of states, both cognitive and emotional, and at various levels of consciousness, that are directed forward toward some end (ibid.: 134). There exists a continuum between both soft and hard definitions of agency. In soft definitions, intentionality is not taken into account or not seen as being consciously held in the mind. However, what is then the distinction between agency and routine practices? On the other end of the spectrum, and Ortner shares this viewpoint, are those definitions of agency that emphasize the strong role of active intentionality in agency that differentiates agency from routine practices. Pre-modern thought did not conceive of agency solely in terms of individual freedom or else in terms of explicit representative sovereign action leaving a consequent problem of the apparent spontaneous patterning of the unplanned. This was because it did not think of an act as primarily an expression of freedom or as something owned by the individual or the sovereigns will or motivation. Instead, it paid more attention to the fact that every act is always pre-positioned within a relational public realm and in turn cannot avoid in some way modifying that realm, beyond anything that could in principle be consented to by the other, since the full content of any act is unpredictable (Milbank, 2008: 23). In conclusion, Ortner advocates that a distinction should be made between agency as a form of power (agency of power) and agency as a form of intention and desire, as the pursuit of goals and the enactment of projects (agency of projects). While they form two distinct fields of meaning, they are also interrelated as both domination and resistance are always in the service of projects. Thus, agency is a complex term whose senses emerge within semantic and institutional networks that define and make possible particular ways of relation to people, things, and oneself. Yet, intention , which is variously glossed as plan, awareness, willfulness, directedness, or desire is often made to be central to the attribution of agency. Although the various usages of agency have very different implications that do not all hang together, cultural theory tends to reduce them to the metaphysical idea of a conscious agent-subject having both the capacity and the desire to move in a singular historical d irection: that of increasing self-empowerment and decreasing pain (Asad, 2003: 78-79). 4. Conclusion After thoroughly having examined both the subjects of biopower and agency, and following the course Theory and Practice, awareness has grown once again in realizing how much ones been lived. Disciplining of the state interferes in such a wide array of human life; consisting of for example the school system, employment, medicines and ultimately death. It becomes clear that agency, performed in ways we have discussed in class, simply does not exist, because of the dominant and prevailing power of the state. It is not owned by social actors, but interactively negotiated and best seen as a disposition toward the enactment of projects. Despite of this negotiating, individuals never become free agents. This and other research shows that the law and the policy of euthanasia influencing peoples right to determine their own life. Today, most requests for euthanasia to end a life with dignity are denied, because people do not fit into the criteria and the so-called carefully requirements the l aw states. But to what extend do such institutions of power have the moral right to determine and monitor personal decisions of individuals? As Foucault (2003) states: the very essence of the right of life and death is actually the right to kill: it is at the moment when the sovereign can kill that he exercises his right over life. In my opinion people should maintain autonomy over their own life and death, and that the government should not intervene from above into such personal, subjective and fundamental choice. However, apart from the awareness of the fundamental mediation of the state, we remain political animals. In the end, everyone wants to pursuit personal goals in life, and in order to accomplish those, we cannot do much more than just put up with the fate of being obliged well-behaved citizen.

The Old Man And The Sea :: essays research papers

This book takes place in the past and is about an old man that loves fishing in the Gulf Stream. The old man was a thin with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck and had scars on his hands from handling the fishing rope. He taught this young boy how to fish and the boy loved him. He even brought him fishing many times. But the past 84 days the old man had not caught one fish. After 40 days of not catching anything the boy left and fished on another boat. The boy still loved him and brought him food and fresh bait to fish. The old man and the boy always talked about baseball because they both enjoyed it. One day, the old man was out on the water fishing. The weather was beautiful, the currents were perfect, and he saw all birds flying over the water. He knew he had to catch a nice fish today. He saw one of his poles have a jerk so he pulled it in and it was a bonita fish, which he was goin to use for a nice piece of bait later in the day. The day progressed and he saw a real big jerk on the pole. He jumped up and held it, but the fish was not hooked yet. A couple more jerks he felt, but the fish was not taking it. Finally the fish did and he could feel that it had to be a fish of enormous size. He could not pull it up because it was so strong. He had to hold onto it until the fish was tired and decided to come up. Then when it would come up, he would take his harpoon and stab it in the heart so it would die. This fish was taking all the strength out of him and it was pulling his skiff farther and farther out. Now he wished that the boy was here with him to help him pull it up. It was 3 days later until he finally got the fish to jump out of the water. When it did he saw that it was the biggest marlin he ever saw. To regain strength and pull the fish in, he had to eat the bonita that he caught. He ate all of it and it helped his hand that was cut from the

On Education and Human Nature Essay

This paper is a brief discussion of the relationship between education and human nature as seen in two varying viewpoints – that of Callicles (in Plato’s Gorgias) and Protagoras. The author is of the belief that education, albeit necessary in the survival of man in the long run, is a construct that contradicts the nature of man insofar as it restricts certain aspects of an individual. Such an assertion is partly leaning towards Callicles’ view of man as a creature whose appetites, so to speak, have to be met by virtue of a natural law. This position, along with Protagoras’ view of the nature of education – that it is essential in the cultivation of civic virtue – is key to the author’s argument that education is restricting. Callicles and Protagoras are similar in the sense that both are Sophists, with the slight distinction that the former is a student of Gorgias. Protagoras (outside of Plato’s dialogs) is known for his assertion that man is the measure of all things, and with that in mind it can be said that Callicles likewise adheres to that position, but with reservations – i. e. , the â€Å"better† man (discussions on definition aside) seems to be the measure of all things, not all men as they are. Aside from that, however, there is nothing more that links the two characters in Plato’s dialogs together. In fact, the views of the two thinkers with regard to the issue central to the discussion in this paper differ greatly. To begin, Callicles admonishes Socrates in their dialog for remaining to be a â€Å"student† of philosophy even as an adult. For Callicles, philosophy is not meant to be studied extensively nor lengthily; it is supposed to be indulged in by the youth, and only in moderation. He maintains that studying philosophy insofar as it is required by one’s education is acceptable; however, to still be engaged in philosophizing when one is already past the age of schooling is short of appalling since it causes one to deviate from leading a practical life. But what is this practical life that Callicles is in favor of? The answer to this question is implicit in the discourse that followed his expression of dislike towards Socrates’ way of life. Callicles purports that there is a natural justice in existence in the world that is being resisted, or even disregarded, by conventional justice. His notion of what is â€Å"just by nature† revolves around the idea that the â€Å"superior† amongst men is supposed to be a kind of usurper of property (if seen in a negative way) who – by virtue of his superiority – has the right to rule over the inferior of his kinsmen, and is entitled to a greater share in everything compared to lesser men. Such a concept, as seen in his exchange with Socrates, is completely in opposition to what is being forwarded in their society at the time – the idea that all men are essentially equal, and that what is just is for everyone to receive an equal share. This is the conventional justice Callicles is referring to. Socrates, in turn, and with his method of â€Å"acquiring knowledge† (Socratic method), manages to use his opponent’s argument against him. He began his argument with questions that asked for a clarification of definition – what is superior? Better? – and ended with the statement that with Callicles’ own words he managed to show that since many is superior to one, then rules of the many are superior; hence, these rules are rules of the better; hence, the rules of these â€Å"better† people are admirable by nature since they are superior; thus, natural justice is not at all in contradiction with conventional justice. As mentioned earlier, within the aforementioned exchange regarding natural and conventional justice lies Callicles’ perception of the practical life, or the kind of life an individual ought to lead. As with countless other thinkers, his argument is deeply rooted with the idea of happiness as the end to which man should direct his actions. What distinguishes him from Protagoras, though, is his assertion that happiness – and his concept of natural justice – can be attained only by the man who will succumb to his appetites, or in his own words: â€Å"the man who’ll live correctly ought to allow his own appetites to get as large as possible and not restrain them†. As for what he termed as â€Å"contracts of men† – which are to be assumed as the laws that maintain order in the society – Callicles is of the opinion that since these go against the grain with which man is made, they are to be considered â€Å"worthless nonsense†. For his part, Socrates of course attempted to dissuade Callicles by means of his conventional method of discourse and by introducing the analogy of the two men with jars, to no avail. Protagoras’ main point in the discourse relevant to this paper is that virtue is teachable. In support of his assertion, he recalled the account of the creation of man in Greek mythology to Socrates. He recounted that all creatures of the earth are made by the gods out of fire and earth, and that prior to giving them life Epimetheus and Prometheus were tasked to facilitate the distribution of abilities to them. Epimetheus volunteered to do it himself, with Prometheus inspecting the result. Epimetheus balanced the distribution with regard to â€Å"nonreasoning animals†. As for the human race, they were left bare, in the broadest definition of the word. Prometheus saw the problem and solved it by stealing from Hephaestus and Athena wisdom in the practical arts and fire and gave them to man, which proved fatal for him in the end. It is important to note that wisdom in the practical arts is wisdom intended for survival. It did not include political wisdom – needed to be able to establish and maintain the order of a city – as this is kept by Zeus. The result was catastrophic, as evidenced by the fact that later on Zeus sent Hermes to distribute justice and shame to all men for fear that the human race will be wiped out because of man’s inability to coexist in cities they founded to protect themselves from wild beasts that placed them in danger of annihilation. Political or civic virtue then – products of justice and temperance – became a divine law of which every man is knowledgeable, unlike other virtues that stem from other arts (such as architectural excellence). This myth was used by Protagoras to show that inherent in all men are the seeds of civic virtue that only need to be coaxed out with the aid of education and constant admonition from one’s elders (particularly parents). And since this is the case, all men are capable to be taught virtue, because all men are in possession of it. Protagoras made a second, this time stronger point to support his statement that virtue is teachable. He began his argument by saying that the difference between evils caused by natural processes and those resulting from the lack or absence of civic virtue is that the former elicits pity for the person in possession of such an evil. Contrary to that, when society is confronted with a person exhibiting the opposite of virtue – injustice, impiety, etc. – it is not pity that’s felt but anger. Protagoras maintains that this reaction is due to the fact that civic virtue is regarded as something that can be acquired through training, practice, and teaching. He pushes his position further by saying that reasonable punishment – administered to a person who has committed an act that goes against civic virtue – is undertaken as a deterrence, the implication of which is that virtue is and can be learned. To further support his claim, Protagoras went into a brief discussion of how virtue is taught to all men all their lives. As little children, he said, men are taught not only by their parents about civic virtue but also through the education they receive. From the literature they study to the songs they play, teachers are keen on inserting messages meant to teach them what is good and just. For Protagoras, it seems, education is not merely comprised of letters and literature. Music is likewise necessary, as well as sports. Music, as he said, makes people â€Å"gentler† – they become more â€Å"rhythmical and harmonious† with regard to their actions. And this is important because for him, â€Å"all of human life requires a high degree of rhythm and harmony†. As for sports, Protagoras mentions that parents â€Å"send their children to an athletic trainer so that they may have sound bodies in the service of their now fit minds†. Even after one’s formal schooling is over, education on the virtues does not stop. As Protagoras said: â€Å"When [the students] quit school, the city in turn compels them to learn the laws and to model their lives on them. They are not to act as they please. † He ended his side of the discussion with a rhetorical question of how anyone can wonder about virtue being teachable when it is given so much care and attention in man’s public and private life. It is crucial to analyze the discourse both thinkers had with Socrates, albeit briefly, to be able to shed light on the position of this paper that education is necessary but constricting. With regard to the nature of man, it is clear that there is a clear dividing line between the idea of Callicles and that of Protagoras. For the latter, what is good for man is that which is good for the society. In other words, there is no contradiction between natural and conventional justice relative to the nature of man and how he ought to live. For the former, man is essentially a being meant to be governed by his appetites, or desires. The conflict lies in the fact that conventional justice dictates that there be a certain level of order maintained in a society, order which will only come about through the citizens’ willingness to subject themselves to laws that promote equality and peaceful co-existence. For Callicles, such laws are human constructs, designed to restrain his idea of a superior man, and as such should not be observed. The author will go one step further and say that although there is no direct discussion on education in Callicles’ discourse with Socrates, it is clear that since education is a human construct, he sees it as but another shackle his superior man has to bear. Despite the fact that Protagoras is amenable to education – as it teaches civic virtue – there is a single line in the discourse that implies a completely different attitude. Protagoras told Socrates that when a man’s formal education is over, he is still forced to learn the laws and live by them, and that he is not to act as he pleases. This goes to show that despite the eagerness of his version of man to live a life of civic virtue, part of him still needs to be shackled by laws. It is these deductions – from both thinkers – that led the author to believe that inherent in every person is a part that yearns for unbridled freedom and power. Education is an institution that strives to inculcate in man the characteristics needed for him to be able to lead a peaceful life in a society – characteristics that lean towards suppressing one’s desires and call for a sort of balance between fulfilling one’s wants and respecting those of others. Despite the restrictive nature of education, the author believes that it is still a necessary burden people have to bear. Gone are the days when man kept to himself, when he foraged for food and did not maintain a life of permanence in any one place. With the evolution of man came the need for permanence, and with that co-existence with other men. It may be true that at the core of every man is a selfish desire for power – to have everything and more. But if all men were to be allowed to act according to their whims, the stories of old – where Zeus feared that the human race might be annihilated because of man’s inability to restrain his need for power – may come true after all. Survival today does not only entail meeting one’s basic needs. It is also about respecting other men, if one were to be anthropocentric about it. And this – along with other things that will aid the human race to persist for the next millennia – can only be reinforced by education.

Cheating on the SAT Spreads to the United States

Cheating on the SAT Spreads to the United States SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Not again! Allegations of cheating swirl around the latest administration of the SAT on May 2. While recent scandalshave sprung fromAsian countries like China and South Korea, this one is centered on the U.S.-based test, which hundreds of thousands of students took at the beginning of May. It seems that communication technology and time zone differences around the world have punchedholes in the SAT's security. Let's take a look at what's unfolded in this investigation so far. Allegations Around the May 2 SAT Lots of students take the SAT in the spring, many of whom are juniors hoping to hit their target scores in time for college deadlines senior year. This most recent administration on May 2 has allegations of a major security breach. Educational Testing Service (ETS)officials suspectthat students may have had access to the test, or at least to some "live" questions, before test day. This was first reported publicly by a Washington Post writer who received a copy of the May 2 test a day before the official test. The reporter did not report the source, but this release was clearly not approved by the College Board. Thus, an unknown number of students around the country could have had access to this test ahead of time. She was not the only one to report this leak. The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, or FairTest, is committed to ensuring that standardized tests are fair and open. According to its public education director Bob Schaeffer, FairTest was emailed a version of the SAT before it was actually administered to students. Since no one is supposed to see the test before students take it, he and others gathered that this was a major security breach, likely on a global scale. It would be very easy to score a 2300+ score on the SAT with prior access to the test, which would disrupt the rest of the grading scale. SAT test scores are designed to be resistant to fluctuations in tester quality from test to test, but if a single test has an abundance of undetected cheaters, this would disrupt the normal statistics in the exam. Any students whose scores will be withheld should have been notified by this point, but ETS has not yet released any further information about the findings of its investigation. College Board takes security around the SAT very seriously. SAT tests and questions are saved on computers that aren't connected to the internet. They are highly classified and accessible only toETSofficials with clearance for direct access. Test proctors are required to report any suspicious behavior on test day. So given the high security around the SAT, how could live questions have been leaked before test day? The findings aren't known yet. It's possible that a leak happened in the process of shipping tests to test centers, or that an internal staff member at College Board released the test. But there have been clear methods of systematic cheating in the past, primarily in Asia. Global Connections Among Cheating Rings This recent investigation in the U.S. is just one piece of the larger global puzzle. Students scores were actually withheld in Asian countries in October, November, December, and January. In January of this year, all scores were withheld for Chinese students who tested both in China and outside of their country. Because of recent regulations about whichschools can administer the SAT, most Chinese nationals have to travel outside of mainland China, like to Hong Kong or Macao, to take the test. Along similar lines, all scores were canceled in 2013 in South Korea. All of the tutoring centers in Seoul were investigated, and educators were even barred from leaving the country. In 2010, a school in Seoul emailed live SAT questions to two Korean students who lived in Connecticut. When their scores jumped hundreds of points, ETS audited their results and discovered the cheating on the SAT. So what do these cases of cheating in China, South Korea, and other countries have to do with this most recent one in the U.S.? Apparently ETS recycles tests that have already been administered in the U.S. to use internationally, like in China, South Korea, and Australia. Because the U.S. and these other countries are in different time zones, this policy creates a vulnerability that many companies have taken advantage of togain access to live tests and then shareor sellthem to students. According to Valerie Strauss of the Washington Post's "Answer Sheet," this access tothe SAT may be gainedthrough a 5step process. It's a small world after all. The 5 Step "Time Zone" Cheating Process The securityof the SAT has been compromised for a number of reasons, the most important of which aregeographic dispersion, time zone differences of 12 or more hours, recycling of already used tests,and technology that allows people to instantly transmit questions and answers. The following steps illustrate one way thattesting companies seem to be illegally obtaining and selling live questions and answers. People in the U.S. gain access to previously administered SAT tests and share or sell them to overseas "tutoring" and educational companies. These overseas companies keep extensive databases of any and all SAT questions and answers. Because ETS reuses tests in Asia and other countries, manyof these questions are "live" and will show up on future tests. These companies enlist "hired guns" to sit for the SAT. They advertise this on online message boards like QQ, WeChat, and Taobao. When these employees sit for the SAT, often in a time zone hours ahead of China, they share the questions and answers. People have been found with earpieces or taking pictures of their cell phones and sharing the information during breaks between sections. After receiving the questions and answers, the company immediately searches through its database to locate the questions and answers that will be given to students in their time zone soon thereafter. Finally, theyadvertise this information and contact their clients. These companies transmit the information to paying clients, who might put the answers in their cell phones or program them into their calculators. This allseems like an elaborate plan just to get access to the SAT, but the high level of competition and pressure creates a substantial market for this kind of easy information. While in the past most cheating allegations had to do with impersonation, or with one student sitting in for another, now they zero in onmore advanced operations that take advantage of time zone differences and instant communication through online chats and cell phones. Given these breaches that seem to be happening more and more in the past few years, what security measures does ETS have in place to protect the confidentiality of the SATbefore testing day? Security Measures Tightened As mentioned above, the major vulnerability around the SAT used to be one of identity impersonation. On Long Island, New York in 20, for example, high schoolstudents were found guilty of paying college students to sit in for them and take the test in their stead. Since then, ETS has required students to upload photographs along with their IDs. Besides this, ETS has its testing materials on serious lockdown before the test is administered and is very strict about testing guidelines for students and proctors. However, the time zone changesamong countries and policy of recycling already used tests opens up a window for companies and students to get earlyexposure to the questions. So is ETS going to find a way to close this window? When recycling is not the best policy... Will ETS Stop Recycling Old Tests? FairTest's Bob Schaeffer is adamant that ETS should stop reusing tests given in the U.S. in Asia. According to Schaeffer, it's impossible to keep these tests confidential today given our global connectedness and technology. Perhaps because these types of cheating on the SAT scandals are a relatively recent phenomenon, or because the cost of creating brand new tests is high, ETS has not changed this policy yet. Another small step they might take is to train test proctors to be even stricter about confiscating cell phones and any other devices, as well as having students clear the memory on their programmable calculators. It has yet to be seen what new guidelines and rules will be put in place, but the huge scale of score cancellations and allegations of cheating month after month seem to demand some change be put in place. Without addressing these issues, ETS will surely continue to have controversy around how the SAT can beused as a fair evaluation of students' readiness forcollege around the world. As I talked about above, ETS and FairTest have not shared that they know how many students actually had access to the leaked SAT information. As this and other investigations continue, what does it mean for students who have taken or plan to take the SAT in the future? What Do These Security Breaches Mean for Students? Whileallegations of cheatingon the SAT are relatively rare for the majority of students, they do affect a few thousand each year. ETS has about 2,500 tests flagged each year for suspicious scores, and of these, it might withhold about 1,000 of them. Rather than a highlysynced system of espionage with earpieces and massive databases, these cases are usually much more low-key. ETS does an audit if they see a huge score increase, like a 350+ increase in reading and math combined or a 250+ increase overall. If something about your scores from one test to the next seem unbelievable, ETS could delay your scores. In some cases, they might release them later, or they might require you to send letters on your behalf testifying to your preparation between the two tests. This can be a huge holdup and especially stressful if your college deadlines are approaching, and you don't have much time to retake the test. To make sure this doesn't happen to you, I would recommend taking every SAT you take seriously. You can definitely start early and take the SAT several times to raise your scores, but I wouldn't recommend sitting for the SAT without having done at least 10 hours of prep first, at least to get yourself familiar with the format, instructions, and timing of the test. This is especially important for students who speak a language other than English at home. I worked with an English Language Learner student whose scores were canceled after the proctor saw her flipping through her test booklet. The proctor suspected she was returning to sections after time had been called. It turned out she hadn't fully understood the instructions and didn't know this wasn't allowed. Luckily, she had time to take the SAT again, but only after calling all her colleges and asking them to extend deadlines for her SAT score reports! The moral of the story is thatyou always want to do at least some test prep before sitting for the real test, even if just to ensure that you understand the specific instructions for each section. So what does ETS tell your colleges if it cancels your scores? In most cases, ETS does not specify a reason for cancelled scores, but admissions officers can fill in the blanks. You don't want anything to raise a red flag in your application, least of all an investigated and invalidatedSAT score. Unfortunately, that might just be what's going to happen for students who took the SAT on May 2, as it did for students in China and South Korea in recent years. Time will tell about the results of this investigation. In the meantime, remember that prepping, not cheating, is always the best policy when it comes to the SAT - and leave yourself plenty of extra opportunities to retake the test in case you're unlucky enough to find yourself in the midstof a national cheating scandal! What's Next? Are you planning to take the SAT once? Twice? As many times as College Board will allow? Read about how many times you can (and should) plan on taking the SAT to achieve your target scores. Does the thought of sitting down for the SAT make your stomach turn? This article discusses how mindfulness and simple relaxation techniques can help you calm your nerves and focus on the task at hand. You know that preparing is important for the SAT, but exactly how many hours should you study? Read about a solid test prep schedule for the SAT here. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Essay Sample on the History of Indian Trade Diverse Sources

Essay Sample on the History of Indian Trade Diverse Sources India, as a country with immense resources available through it’s length and breadth, has enabled it to gain a foothold in the major and the not so major economies of the world. The objective of this brief paper is to highlight the immense and diverse sources of Indian trade with all the major regions and countries of the globe spanning right from the Americas, the UK and other European Union countries to the Middle Eastern nations to China as well as to the South East Asian tiger economies. During the time India gained Independence from the Britishers in 1947, the economy was entirely geared to only trade and there was hardly any manufacturing facilities at all to provide for the colossal Indian population. Hence, it has now taken all of the 60 years of toil and industry to create manufacturing capacities across the board to manufacture everything from satellites to hairpins. Needless to say, even the infrastructure has had to be created though a lot yet needs to be done in terms of airports, shipping ports, roads, etc.. The government has now rightly been focusing on the same to enable broadbasing the development to move the economy from an underdeveloped status to being a developed nation. India is now already a $1 trillion economy. India has given to the world Darjeeling tea, Indian khadi cotton, Bombay Duck, Kashmiri carpets, Indian spices and dry fruit and the varied cuisines right from the mountains of Kashmir in the north to Gods own country of Kerala in the south of India. London itself has approx. 7000 restaurants serving the various Indian exotic cuisines. Chicken curry is now almost considered a part of British cuisine. Any major financial or tourist destination across the globe has to, perforce, have some Indian cuisine available. Also, as economic levels have improved in the urban and semi-urban areas, there has also been increased penetration of literacy leading to higher consumption patterns for all kinds of goods across all sections of the society. This has led to more awareness of the availability of goods from all parts of the world and this has resulted in more trade with other countries. This has resulted in surpluses being generated in some goods whereas other goods are being imported to satisfy the needs of the population. Overall Indian trade has benefited and so has the world. At the end of the day, it is all about maximizing use of one’s resources. This is a sample Business essay written from scratch by one of our academic writers. If you want to order a custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis/dissertation or other written assignment on any topic contact our company to get professional academic writing help.

Purpose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Purpose - Essay Example Disadvantages, in this case, refer to the problems that may be caused when the goods are consumed. The main purpose of Hazard communication is to ensure that the existing dangers or hazards of all the chemicals produced locally or imported are evaluated properly, and thus any information concerning their dangers are revealed or transmitted to the employees and the employers, as well. The transmittal is always accomplished by means of effective and comprehensive hazard programs. The programs include container labeling, material safety data sheets, as well as, employee training. Problem Definition Safety dangers or hazards related to physical features and characteristics can be easily and objectively defined with the use of testing requirements such as flammability. The definition of health hazards is more subjective and less precise. Health hazards, as understood and explained by health specialists, can result into measurable changes in the human body, for instance, reduced pulmonary function. The changes are indicated by the occurrences and the presences of symptoms and signs among the employees exposed to them. Such symptoms include a non measurable subjective feeling, as well as, shortness of breath. Determination of occupational health hazards always prove a great challenge, complicated by the fact that many of the common effects or signs occur mainly in non-occupationally exposed populations, in such away that the exposure effects are difficult or challenging to separate from the common and recurring illnesses. There are occasional situations whereby a substance may cause an effect hardly seen or visible in the population, at large. An example is angiosarcomas, which results from the exposure to vinyl chloride. This makes it easier for the establishment of the certainties that the occupational was the actual and the primary causative agent. Nevertheless, the effects are common, for instance, lung cancer. Normally, the situation becomes worse and complicated due to the fact that most chemicals have not been well adequately tested in order to determine the potential of their health hazards, and the data does not exist for the substantiation of the effects. Efforts by many scientists have come up with results and basis of categorizing effects, as well as, their definition in many ways. The general or the overall accepted terms â€Å"chronic† and â€Å"acute† used or applied in this area to come to the delineation between the effects on fundamental basis of duration or severity. â€Å"Acute† effects normally happen rapidly due to exposures that are considered short terms, and are always of short duration. â€Å"Chronic† effects occur due to long term exposures of an individual to the hazards. Unlike the Acute ones, they are of long term durations. The acute effects, that are most frequently referred, in this case, are those that defined by the US major body, the American National Standards of Institute (ANSI) s tandard for the Precautionary Labeling of Hazardous Industrial Chemicals (osha.cov). Such hazards include corrosivity, lethal dose and sensitization. Despite these being obvious health effects, they never cover adequately the chronic effect areas, excluding, for instance, the blood dyscrasias such as anemia, liver atrophy and bronchitis. The same is applicable with the term chronic effect, which is often used in the reference to only

Digital Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Digital Journalism - Essay Example The changing face of journalism and mass communication is the rise of web 2.0. This is the rise of a new form of technology that allows people to not only read information online, but they can also contribute to the subject of discussion. The main characteristic is that he pages are not static, such that one reads information and contributes her opinion on the topic of discussion. The user can also store information, and social bookmarking abilities. This is the example of facebook and other social networking sites that allow for users to share information and share ideas (Fuchs 2011). Web 2.0 has an audience. The audience comprises of those who read the information on the sites and contribute. The rise of blogging has given a different dimension to the practice of web 2.0. The sites have their own audience comprising of people who visit the sites and share information. Those who participate in the blogging sites and other commentary sites comprise the audience of the sites. This platform has an impact on mainstream media as bloggers and other users can gather information and share it on these platforms, making the role of main stream media greatly diminished. Additionally, the users of web 2.0 can use the platform to confirm or deny the information carried on mainstream media, making it essential for journalists to always confirm their work before sharing (Dahlberg & Siapera 2007). It thus, increases accountability. The web 2.0 media are also cheaper ways of advertising and can carry more advertising messages as opposed to mainstream media. This means that the business that is the main source of revenue for mainstream media is being diverted. The use of the web 2.0 platform can also allow users to post information that is targeted at a specific audience based on the target audience of the blog. This increases precision of the message and