Saturday, September 7, 2019

Discussing Road Accidents in Malaysia Essay Example for Free

Discussing Road Accidents in Malaysia Essay Road accidents are global tragedies with an ever-raising trend. In Malaysia, it represents a major public problem because of the high number of victims involved and also the seriousness of the consequences for the victim themselves and to their families. Accidents are generally classified as single vehicle accidents in which the vehicle is either colliding with fixed objects or with pedestrians Besides that, the vehicle may fall in a ditch and multiple vehicle accidents in which two or more than two vehicle can either collide head–on. The increase of road accident is closely linked with the rapid growth of population, economic development, industrialization and motorization encountered by the country. It continues to be a growing concern to all those who uses the roads. Every year, road accidents in Malaysia are becoming more and more common in today’s society and it contributes to a significant number of deaths as the result. Although the police have already taken action to prevent the accidents, it is still raising day by day. Based on statistics, road accidents mostly occur during festive days such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali and so on. They are travelling a long distance for purpose to go back their hometown to celebrate with their relatives. There are a few reasons why accidents happen in Malaysia. Firstly, road accidents happen because of speeding. For example, many teenagers in Malaysia like to drive with a sense of speed. They drive recklessly and love to ignore the speed limit. Even though our government has put up signboards on roads and highways, they seem to ignore these signs. These actions not only endanger their lives but it also endangers the lives of other road users. Secondly, accidents happen when the drivers are in a drunken condition. After getting drunk, they do not realize that they are actually driving very fast because they are influenced by alcohol. They lose the ability to focus and drive properly when drunk. So, they would get in trouble and get involved in an accident. It is a very dangerous action and is one of the top causes of accidents in Malaysia. Thirdly, Malaysia has a lot of road users that are not responsible. They do not care about the rules that are provided; they just ignore them for the sake of being comfortable. They are careless and make unnecessary mistakes such as falling asleep at the wheel, unsafe overtaking, not stop at the red traffic light and other common disregards of road rules. Distractions are also linked to driver error because accidents can occur when the driver is distracted, which includes texting while driving. As a conclusion, there are a lot of causes of road accidents but the main cause of road accidents occur because of the driver’s behaviour. As a driver, we need to take responsibility for what we have done. Refrain from doing actions that might cause accidents to occur or injure other person; on phone while driving, drunk driving and so on. These actions are really dangerous if we do it when driving because we cannot control the car well. Remember that our family members are always worried about us and care about us. There are no people who are wishing to get involved in a road accident. It is really a tragedy; it makes a lot of people lose their family members. Besides that, all Malaysians should be cooperating to reduce the number of road accidents. Whenever you think that this isn’t achievable, remember our slogan â€Å"Malaysia Boleh†.

Friday, September 6, 2019

History of education Essay Example for Free

History of education Essay Muthukumaran Committee Report Tamil Nadu is regarded to be one of India’s star performers in the sector of elementary education. The results of the 2001 Census show that Tamil Nadu has attained third position behind Kerala and Maharashtra both in terms of overall and female literacy. It recorded close to 100 per cent gross enrolment ratio (GER) at primary and upper primary levels based on 2007 estimates. A major legislative effort for the universalisation of education in line with the constitutional mandate has been the introduction of the Tamil Nadu Compulsory Education Act, 1994. Under this Act it is the duty of the government to provide the necessary infrastructure (schools and teachers) for ensuring universalisation of elementary education. Parents are also liable to be fined if they do not send their wards to school, though this rule is not very strictly enforced as most of the children not going to school come from poor backgrounds. Tamil Nadu’s high enrolment statistics are also the result of the number of welfare schemes that the State government has introduced in the elementary education sector. The large number of missionary and private schools are also playing a role in the spread of education. The government provides textbooks, uniforms and noon meals to the pupils making it a State where the per child spending is much higher than in educationally backward States such as Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and others and is higher than the all-India average. The State is making an endeavor to provide primary schools within a one km radius of human habitations with a population of 300 and above to increase their accessibility. It is also a State that has actually spent most of the funds allocated to it by the Centre under the SSA scheme, in contrast to States like UP, Bihar and Assam that have huge unspent amounts. Tamil Nadu students stood first in the country in mathematics, language and reading comprehension skills according to the national mid-term achievement survey of Class III children commissioned by the NCERT in collaboration with the MHRD and the SCERT and SSA wings of the States recently. But it has come to light that local bodies like corporations and municipalities are not fully utilizing money collected as education tax as a percentage of property tax under the Tamil Nadu Elementary Education Act and this is affecting the quality and quantity of formal education provision at the grassroots level. While the general literacy rate in Tamil Nadu as per 2001 data is 73. 5%, wide disparities exist across districts, gender, and area of residence as well as social grouping. The literacy rate of the SC and ST populations are consistently lower in all the districts. The retention rate within and after the primary school level is also not very impressive and there is a high percentage of repeaters. This is particularly so in the case of the STs and SCs. It is to overcome this discrepancy between education offered in different kinds of schools, between rural and urban schools and to overcome other numerous ills that have crept into the education system—such as arbitrary collection of fees, induction of daily waged, inadequately qualified para teachers, rote learning, examination stress, problems related to the medium of instruction and so on—that the State government constituted the Muthukumaran Committee, which submitted its report in 2007. This committee had the mandate to work out a framework of a uniform pattern of education in Tamil Nadu and to make recommendations for improving its quality. The report of the Committee recommends only one autonomous board, The Tamil Nadu State Secondary School Education Board, instead of the existing four State level boards—Matriculation, Anglo-Indian, Oriental and State Board. Schools coming under this integrated Board would follow a common syllabus ensuring an equitable school education in the State not conferring any undue advantages with regard to admission into higher educational institutions for students completing their school education from one particular Board. Equitable standard education is to be provided by a Common School or Neighbourhood School system, which with uniform syllabi would help to ‘decommercialise’ educational institutions and put an end to many a private management that does not feel sufficiently accountable to society in this crucial sector. The spiraling cost of education starting at the nursery level is cementing caste-class and rural-urban divisions. A common school system using the mother tongue as a medium of instruction would make equal education accessible to all without discrimination. A common school system also means a common examination pattern. The report of the Committee advocates a reasonable teacher-student ratio of not more than 1:30 and doing away with faulty textbooks and a system of rote learning. It emphasizes the promotion of analytical and rational skills that would equip the students to learn by themselves; a testing and evaluation pattern that involves the application of concepts learnt rather than mere reproduction of facts. The school syllabus should not overload students with information but instead kindle their interest in the subject and teach them how to search for more information and conceptualize it. Traditional knowledge should be incorporated and made part of school education. Evaluation should be comprehensive and not just of academic achievements, and that too only marks based. Evaluation should include an assessment of student abilities and performance in academics, the arts, sports and games, values, reading habits, character, conduct and other extra-curricular activities. Schools should not only lay emphasis on academic subjects but also on moral education. Here the Committee suggests that it may be better to have a progress book with entries made from time to time and also periodically sent to the parents so that they may be made aware of their child’s progress. Regular consultation with parents about their wards’ progress and achievements and educational goals is a must. A sheet of paper containing marks obtained in public exams is not enough to understand a student’s development and potential. If the marks obtained in only one exam are going to decide the person’s admission into an institute of higher learning then all stress is on preparing for this exam neglecting other exams and activities. The chance or temptation to indulge in malpractices is also high. Marks obtained in a one-time exam also are no accurate reflection of the student’s actual knowledge and achievement level and potential. Treating exams and marks as more important than life itself has meant the death of many a student. Finally, children belonging to linguistic minorities should be allowed to gain instruction in their respective mother tongue, while all students in standards 5 or 8 ought to have a specific level of knowledge in Tamil and English so that these languages can be used for communication. No student should be dropped and he/she should be allowed to grow in the chosen field of interest and in accordance with their individual capability. A simple pass or fail should certainly not be a deciding factor in a person’s life. While the government has accepted the notion of one board for school education other major recommendations of the Muthukumaran Committee on education reforms are being sidelined by the State government. In fact, some government run schools are changing the medium of instruction to English and not all schools teach Tamil, though this is compulsory as per current State education law. Moreover, schools with an eye on the results in board exams and aiming at future lucrative career possibilities for their students are introducing modern European languages like French (German is waiting to be introduced on a larger scale on the school level) that are supposedly high scoring subjects in comparison to Tamil, which is seen to be difficult even by those whose mother tongue it is. There is almost everywhere an exodus from government run schools to aided or private schools because of the perceived better quality and the lure of an English medium education, which is regarded by parents to be necessary in today’s world. It is to remain viable and not lose out in this competition for students that government run schools are increasingly offering English medium instruction also, although the English medium sections are permitted only on a self-financing basis. The non-acceptance of important recommendations by the Muthukumaran committee is thus in line with the general pro-globalisation trend in the Tamil Nadu economy as a whole. Current education system Why is India still a developing country and what is stopping it from being a developed country? India’s education system as a stumbling block towards its objectives of achieving inclusive growth. India is going to experience a paradox of nearly 90 million people joining the workforce but most of them will lack requiste skills and the mindset for productiveemployment according to a report in DNA. India has about 550 million people under the age of 25 years out of which only 11% are enrolled in tertiary institutions compared to the world average of 23%. . I will be focussing on how the education system’s failure is leading to another social issue of income inequality and hence, suggest certain policies to improve India’s education system and reduce inequality. Problems and drawbacks The really critical aspect of Indian public education system is its low quality. The actual quantity of schooling that children experience and the quality of teaching they receive are extremely insufficient ingovernment schools. A common feature in all government schools is the poor quality of education, with weak infrastructure and inadequate pedagogic attention. What the government is not realising right now is that education which is a source of human capital can create wide income inequalities. It will be surprising to see how income inequalities are created within the same group of educated peopleSo if the government does not improve education system particularly in rural areas the rich will become richer and the poor will get poorer. Hence, it is imperative for the government to correct the blemishes in India’s education system which will also be a step towards reducing income inequality. Another reason for poor quality of education is the poor quality of teachers in government schools . Government schools are unable to attract good quality teachers due to inadequate teaching facilities and low salaries. The government currently spends only 3% of its GDP on education which is inadequate and insufficient. To improve the quality of education , the government needs to spend more money from its coffers on education. Most economists feel that the only panacea to the ills of the public schooling system is the voucher scheme. Under the voucher system, parents are allowed to choose a school for their children and they get full or partial reimbursement for the expenses from the government. But however, the voucher system will further aggravate the problem of poor quality of education in government schools. Such a system will shift resources from government schools to private schools. This will worsen the situation of government schools which are already under-funded. Moreover, if the same amount given as vouchers can be used to build infrastructure in schools then the government can realize economies of scale. For example- The centre for civil society is providing vouchers worth Rs 4000 per annum to 308 girls. This means that the total amount of money given as vouchers is Rs 1232000. If the same amount can be used to construct a school and employ high quality teachers who are paid well then a larger section of the society will enjoy the benefit of education. A school can definitely accommodate a minimum of 1000 students. I hope government takes certain appropriate policy measures to improve the education system otherwise inequalities are going to be widespread and India’s basic capabilities will remain stunted. Let us strengthen the case for a stronger education system. Conclusion Certain policy measures need to be taken by the government. The basic thrust of government education spending today must surely be to ensure that all children have access to government schools and to raise the quality of education in those schools. One of the ways in which the problem of poor quality of education can be tackled is through common schooling. This essentially means sharing of resources between private and public schools. Shift system is one of the ways through which common schooling can be achieved. The private school can use the resources during the first half of the day and the government school can use it during the second half. It is important to remember that the quality of education is directly linked to the resources available and it is important for the government to improve resource allocation to bring about qualitative changes in the field of education. Common schooling is one of the ways in which government can use limited resources in an efficient way and thus improve resource allocation.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Structure of DNA: An Overview

Structure of DNA: An Overview The structure of DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA is generally found in all organisms as well as humans. DNA is an inherited material that every person has, and is set up in both the cell nucleus and the mitochondria. A higher percentage of human DNA comprise of nuclear DNA because it is found in the nucleus. (Berger, 1998). DNA comprises of numerous properties, the most significant being; that it can copy itself. In the occurrence of this process, the twofold helix strands of DNA are employed as a model for replicating the base sequences. (Watson, 2011). This is an important process in the event of cell division due to the vital requirement for each new cell to carry an accurate DNA copy found in the mature cell. Adenine (A), guanine (G), thymine (T), cytosine (C) and uracil (U) are major five chemical bases that accumulate DNA’s coded information (Watson Crick, 2003). There are over three billion of such chemicals. More than 99% of these bases have been proved to be reliable in all humans (Buch ini Leumann, 2003). As a result of the complexity and association of the entire DNA structure, an in-depth look of each part; DNA is the genetic information of nearly all living organisms. It can be copied over age brackets of cells; it can be converted into proteins; and can be mended when required. DNA is a polymer, composed of nucleotides (Watson Crick, 2003) Hydrogen bonds: bases pairing The (hydrophobic) bases are piled on the in the interior, their level surface are vertical to the axis of the double helix (Berger, 1998). The exterior (phosphate and sugar) is hydrophilic. Hydrogen limits between the bases of one strand and that of the other strand grip the two strands together (dashed lines in the drawing). A purine on one strand links to a pyrimidine on the other strand. Consequently, the number of purines deposits matches the number of pyrimidine deposits (Watson, 2011). A binds T (with 2 hydrogen bounds), while G binds C (with 3 hydrogen bounds: more stable link: 5.5 kcal vs 3.5 kcal) (Rà ¤dler Safinya, 1997). Thus, the substance in A in the DNA is equal to the one in T, and the substance in G equals the one in C. The complement of the 2 strands is as a result of this (AT and GC) correspondence. One serves as a template of the other, and vice versa. This feature allows exact replication (â€Å"semi-conservative replication: one strand -the template- is conserved, another is newly synthesized, same with the second strand, conserved, allowing another one to be newly synthesized†) (Buchini Leumann, 2003). The model of Watson and Crick above described sometimes differs from the Hydrogen bounds in base pairing from using the N7 atom of the purine instead of the N1 (Hoogsteen model). Figure 1 Major groove and minor groove The double helix is a rather inflexible and thick molecule of a huge extent and a small diameter. It presents both major groove and a minor groove (Patil, Rhodes Burgess, 2004). The major groove is profound and broad; the minor groove is thin and shallow. DNA-protein connections are essential procedures in the life of the cell life. Proteins connect at the ground of the DNA grooves, using a precise binding: hydrogen bounds, and distracted binding: van der Waals exchanges. Proteins recognize H-bond donors, H-bond acceptors, methyl groups (hydrophobic), which are later in the major groove (Rà ¤dler Safinya, 1997). The major groove involves 4 likely patterns of recognition, and 2 with the minor groove. A few proteins bind DNA in its major groove, some other in the minor groove, and some need to bind to both. The minor groove of double helical B-DNA is a sector of great attention for rising new drugs because of its non-covalence high succession specific connections for a huge number of tiny molecules (Berger, 1998). Minor groove binding lies among the broadly studied class of agents exemplified by, an advanced succession specificity and possessing diverse biological actions. A number of them display antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal properties. However, others have shown antitumor activity. Figure 2 H-DNA or triplex DNA Inverted repeats (palindromes) of polypurine/polypyrimidine DNA stretches can structure triplex structures (triple helix) (Watson Crick, 2003). A triple-stranded together with a single stranded DNA are formed. H-DNA may have a function in practical regulation of gene appearance as well as on RNAs (e.g. repression of transcription). Figure 3 Triplex Forming Nucleotides Triplex forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) have attained significant focus as a possible therapeutic agent to aim gene expression (Patil, Rhodes Burgess, 2004). They are a group of DNA oligonucleotides which are capable of fusing with other main groove of the duplex DNA creating triple helix (Buchini Leumann, 2003). The creation of a triplex beside the main groove leads to competition with the fusing of transcription factors and the proteins essential for transcription. TFOs provide specificity sequence and hence can be used to aim and inhibit appearance of specific genes which are associated with a particular disease state. In addition TFOs can also be used as diagnostic agents for identification of a foreign DNA (viral or bacterial) or any diseases associated to mutations. Binding of Triplex Forming Oligonucleotides TFOs, in the span of approximately 20 bases, can bind in the major groove via Hoogsteen hydrogen bonds to the purine (A and G) bases on the double stranded DNA, already in the structure of the Watson-Crick helix. The binding can take place at the extent of pyrimidines of one DNA strand and the opposite purines on the other. TFOs bind to the strand with purines. Respective of their base composure, TFOs can bind to the double helix in either parallel or antiparallel direction to the purine-bearing strand (Buchini Leumann, 2003). TFOs made of pyrimidines (C and T) bind to the purine-rich strand of the objective double helix via Hoogsteen hydrogen bonds in a parallel manner. TFOs comprised of purines (A and G), or mixed purine and pyrimidine (G and T) bind to the same purine-rich strand through reverse Hoogsteen bonds in an anti-parallel style (Rà ¤dler Safinya, 1997). Oligonucleotides with modified structural features Oligonucleotides hauling other compound moieties besides the normal bases are called â€Å"modified oligonucleotides†. The modifications can be situated at the 3’- or 5’-end of the oligonucleotide, or within the sugar-phosphate stamina or at the nucleobases. Mainly all PCR applications are still potential if the modification is close to the 5’- end of the oligonucleotide. Contrary, modifications at the 3’- end typically wedge this end for extra enzymatic response. In order to achieve an absolute blocking, an inverted end or C3-Spacer modification is recommended (Patil, Rhodes Burgess, 2004). Chemically synthesized oligonucleotides bear free hydroxy (OH) collection at their relevant 3’- and 5’- ends (Berger, 1998). Besides, some biological tests need the presence of the natural structure of an oligonucleotide. This modification requires being ordered explicitly (Rà ¤dler Safinya, 1997). Structure and Limitations DNA triple helices figure in a sequence-specific way on polypurine:polypyrimidine tracts (1–3), which are extensive in mammalian genomes (4–6). The third thread recline in the major groove of an integral duplex and is calmed by two Hoogsteen hydrogen bonds between third strand bases and the purines in the duplex (3, 7) (Buchini Leumann, 2003). The third strand may comprise of pyrimidines, or purines, respective of the character of the target succession. In the pyrimidine (or Y.R:Y) motif, a homopyrimidine oligonucleotide binds in a trend parallel to the purine strand in the duplex, with canonical base triplets of T.A:T and C.G:C. In the alternate purine motif (R.R:Y), a homopurine strand binds antiparallel to the purine strand, with base triplets of A.A:T and G.G:C (8, 9) (Buchini Leumann, 2003). The development of TFOs could involve sequence-specific gene targeting reagents in live cells (12–17) (Berger, 1998). Despite this, several obstacles still need to be overcome. Triplex chemistry and biochemistry inflict essential limitations to TFO action in the nuclear setting, and target choices are inadequate to polypurine:polypyrimidine sequences (Watson, 2011). Additionally, it is evident that nucleosomes can inhibit triplex formation (18–20). As a result, ease of access to genomic targets is an important issue. Potential applications of TFOs-gene targeting Potential applications of TFOs embrace gene targeting treatment particularly for cancer and the study of gene expressions. TFOs can hush a gene record by aiming the dictation initiation sites, (i.e., the promoter region), or by targeting recording of elongation by striking at the triplex binding sites. Specifity of sequence is the answer to efficient genetic targeting. With the use of specificity, genes that are targeted can be changed in many ways. Gene therapy agents change into loose cannons inside the cells without it. Triplex forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) fuse into main groove of the duplex DNA with high affinity and specificity (Watson, 2011). Due to these properties, TFOs have been thought as host devices for the genetic manipulation. Recent researches have shown that TFOs have the ability to mediate targeted gene success in mice, establishing the basis for the possible application of those molecules in a human being’s gene therapy. Molecules that fuse with the DNA double helix might interfere with gene appearance and, to add to the potential therapeutic applications, it can be useful for the research of DNA processing, package of chromatin, or related biological processes. The Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) fuse with specific sequences in DNA double helix through hydrogen bonding interactions. The TFOs have been revealed to down-regulate the expression of the gene, to induce aimed genomic DNA modifications, so as to fasten DNA combination, and also to regulate chromatin organization. In addition to this, they can be used as transporting agents to place DNA-modifying agents into selected sequences (Patil, Rhodes Burgess, 2004). Something important regarding TFO technologies are the creation of fresh oligonucleotide analogues which have improved fusing affinity, sufficient stability and better target selectivity, in intracellular environment. References Watson, J. D, Crick, F. H, 2003, The structure of DNA. In Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology, Vol. 18, pp. 123-131, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Berger, J. M. (1998). Structure of DNA topoisomerases. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta  (BBA)-Gene Structure and Expression, 1400(1), 3-18. Rà ¤dler, J. Safinya, C. R., 1997, Structure of DNA-cationic liposome complexes: DNA  Intercalation in Multilamellar Membranes in Distinct Interhelical Packing Regimes, Science, 275(5301), 810-814. Watson, J. D, 2011, The double helix: A personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA, Simon and Schuster. Buchini, S., Leumann, C. J, 2003, Recent improvements in antigene technology, Current opinion in chemical biology, 7(6), 717-726. Patil, S. D., Rhodes, D. G., Burgess, D. J, 2004, Anionic liposomal delivery system for DNA transfection, The AAPS journal, 6(4), 13-22.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Harold Brighouses Hobsons Choice Essay -- Brighouse Hobsons Choic

Harold Brighouse's "Hobson's Choice" In Act two, Alice tells Maggie â€Å"I don’t know what you’re aiming at.† She replies, â€Å"The difference between us is I do, I always did.† Explain the differences between Maggie and her sisters. ‘Hobson’s Choice’ is set in Salford in 1880, at a time when women tended to occupy largely domestic roles. However, the leading character, Maggie Hobson, is a woman way ahead of her time. Unlike her sisters, she is a demanding and domineering character. She knows what she wants in life and is not afraid to strive for it. Alice and Vicky stand up to Hobson, their father, about small and trivial matters. After Hobson has complained about the bustles the girls wear, Alice says to her father: â€Å"We shall continue to dress fashionably, Father.† However, Alice and Vicky are very intimidated by Hobson and so when it comes to bigger and more important matters the talking is left to Maggie. Jim Heeler calls on Hobson to take him to the ‘Moonrakers’. This is a bar where he spends most of his time drinking a lot of alcohol. Whilst Jim is around, Hobson seeks some advice from him. He requires advice on how to manage the girls. In the end he decides to get Alice and Vicky ‘wed’. After Hobson has told Alice and Vicky that he will be choosing husbands for them, the girls are extremely unhappy. They wish to choose their own partners: â€Å"Can we not choose husbands for ourselves?† But are told: â€Å"I’ve been telling you for the last five minutes, you’re not even fit to pick dresses for yourselves† Because this is an important matter Maggie takes centre stage: â€Å"If you’re dealing husbands around, don’t I get one?† To which he replies: â€Å"Well that’s a good one, (laugh) you, with a husband† Wi... ...w â€Å"brother in law†. The girls were not happy but still they were overruled by Maggie’s domineering character. To conclude, Maggie is different to her sisters in the way that she knows how to achieve the good things in life, she tries to bring out the good in every person. She makes her future good and she does it on her own. She stands up for what is right and for what she believes in. Maggie is not influenced at all by men and their opinions, she gains things by her own determination and will power. She is a person who values the fact that starting off small can lead to great success. Her sisters keep themselves to themselves and are too cowardly to stand up for themselves, therefore due to remaining passive characters, their future will be what the future makes it, not what they make for themselves as they do not intervene in order to make it better.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Starving Society :: essays research papers

Starving Society   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It has been said that hunger is sharper than the sword. This saying becomes much clearer after reading the book The Siege, by Helen Dunmore. The book paints an overpowering picture of the suffering that accompanies starvation. I know I was much more thankful for the food I have after reading the book. The story takes place in 1941 in Leningrad. It is a time when the people of Leningrad are overwhelmed by the fear of Stalin’s secret police and also the rumors that the Germans are coming to take over the city. Eventually, the Germans surround the city cutting off the food supply and escape routes. Over six thousand people were killed in Leningrad that winter, mainly from starvation. The book depicts the day to day hardships that one family endures dealing with hunger and the harsh winter. The book explores how the war and lack of food affect both the human body as well as the effect on society as a whole. John of Salisbury’s â€Å"The Body Social† uses the body to explain different parts of society and how they need to all work harmoniously to be healthy. John of Salisbury’s â€Å"The Body Social† can be used a guide to illustrate the wasting away of the people of Leningrad and their society as a whole.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The common person and average worker of a society are important to the survival of the society because they are the farmers and factory workers that are responsible for producing all of the goods and services that are needed. John of Salisbury refers to these people as the feet of the body because they are the base that holds the society up. In The Siege most of the main characters are these common people. Characters like Anna who is a nursery assistant that is responsible for taking care of her family. Also Andrei, a doctor in training, who helps take care of the sick. They are the people who keep day to day life going. Once the Germans surrounded Leningrad they cut off the food supply and electricity. The Germans bombed warehouses full of food and â€Å"Thousands of tons of sugar, flour, fats and meat vanish overnight† (132). The food rations given to these people were as little as a couple of pieces of bread a day (191). The common people of Leningrad be gan to starve and freeze and most were no longer able to do their jobs.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Artificial Intelligence and its Uses Essay -- Essays Papers

Artificial Intelligence and its Uses Artificial intelligence is defined as the ability of a machine to think for itself. Scientists and theorists continue to debate if computers will actually be able to think for themselves at one point. The generally accepted theory is that computers do and will think more in the future. AI has grown rapidly in the last ten years because of the advances in computer architecture. As AI advances, human beings are using it to help with some problems that use AI. AI is achieved using a number of different methods. The more popular methods are neural networks, fuzzy logic, and expert systems. There are very few applications that are pre-written using AI. Each company has to write its own software for the solution to the problem. An easier way around this problem is to make an add-on. The company FuziWare makes several programs that help out larger applications. FuziCalc, FuziQuote, FuziCell, FuziChoice, and FuziCost are all products that are used as management decision support systems for other off-the-shelf applications. A neural network is a type of information processing system that is similar to the makings of biological neural systems. The neural network tries to act like the way a brain and nervous system work by checking sensory inputs and making an output. Neural networks are used mainly for internal corporate applications in different types of problems. For example, Troy Nolen was hired by a major defense contractor to design programs for guiding flight and battle patterns of the YF-22 fighter. His software runs on five on-board computers and makes split-second decisions based on data from ground stations, radar, and other sources. It also predicts what... ...ng students specialized tasks. There are many ways that AI can be used to solve a problem. In the future, more problems will be solved with AI. With the advancement of AI and technology, AI will continue to get better and help out humans with more problems using AI. References Bailey, James. (1996). â€Å"The Computer Within Living Memory.† After thought: The Computer Challenge to Human Intelligence, (6), New York, N.Y., 60-68. Dean, Thomas., Doyle, Jon. (1996). â€Å"Strategic Direction in Artificial Intelligence.† ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), 28(4), 653-670. Klassner, Frank. (1996). â€Å"Artificial Intelligence: Introduction.† Crossroads, 3(1), 2. Pearn, James. (2001). â€Å"ArtificialBrains.com.† http://www.glendhu.com/ai/. Pereira, Fernando. (1996). â€Å"Language, Computation, and Artificial Intelligence.† ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), 28(4), 9.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Value and Integrity

The OEIG is responsible for ensuring and maintaining integrity in state government, please explain what integrity means to you and how your skills and/or experiences will help this office achieve its mission. Please attach the statement to your application.Merriam-Webster dictionary defines integrity as, firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: incorruptibility; the quality or state of being complete or undivided. Although this is correct this isn’t exactly the complete meaning of this word. For every situation, every job, and every position this word â€Å"integrity† is defined differently. The position at which I am applying for is an Administrative Assistant, with this comes great responsibility, handling and having access to sensitive information any candidate must possess some level of morals and values.In my previous positions as a bank teller I’ve come in contact with highly valuable information from social security numbers to endle ss financial details not to mention large amounts of money. And I can attest to the fact that none of that irreplaceable information was ever mishandled or compromised, not just because it was my job or duty but out of respect not only for myself but for those that would be affected. If there isn’t one thing I’ve learned so far in life, I’ve learned that every decision made has a monopoly affect whether the outcome is good or bad. Integrity is having the ability to be selfless, being confident in yourself that you can make decisions that will not only affect you but staff, the company brand and customers.