Virtual Controversies Essays - Computing, Content-control Software

Virtual Controversies It was once forcasted that computers in the future would weigh no more than 1.5 tons. Of course, in today's technologically savvy times, it's a common occurrence to see people holding their computers in their lap, or even in their hand. There's no doubt about it: the computer already plays an important role in our lives and that role is likely to expand as more advancements are made. However, new innovations mean new controversies. The Internet, for example, has transformed the way people communicate, conduct business, learn, and entertain themselves. With a simple click of the mouse key, one can do things that were thought science fiction just a few decades ago. For all the benefits associated with the Internet, the presence of pornography, hate groups, and other distasteful topics has lead to a nationwide debate on first amendment rights and censorship. The goal for the Internet should not be total freedom for unsavory groups to deliver their message to whomever they can, but a balance between the freedom of those who want this material and the freedom of those who do not. When President Clinton signed the Communication Decency Act into law on February 8, 1996, he effectively approved the largest alteration of national communication laws in 62 years. In order to elicit a response from web creators who published ?indecent? sites, the bill instituted criminal penalties. However, the emphasis in the bill was on ?decency? and not ?obscenity?- which had long been established as the method to determine what was supported by the first amendment and what was not. The CDA was eventually overthrown in Reno vs. ACLU because of the unconstitutionality vague wording and the noted importance in keeping the Internet a hospital arena for free expression and speech. In 1998, another piece of legislation was approved called the Child Online Protection Act, or COPA, that is considered less stringent than the Communication Decency Act, but is currently undergoing the same analysis of its adherence to the Constitution by the ACLU. Even if the Child Online Protection Act managed to pass the court's high standards, there exists no way for a national piece of legislation to control an international network. The Internet is massive and chaotic in nature since it is technologically infesible for any one group to own or organize it. According to latest estimates, more than 40 percent of US households own a computer and 90 million adults use the Internet regularly (?Cyber Eyes?). Users can access the are many wonders of the online world like email, gopher sites, IRC (Internet Relay Chat) channels, newsgroups, and web pages. The idea that censorship could restrict this freedom, a trademark characteristic of the Internet, would altogether defeat the purpose of it. Once a person places information on a Web page or bulletin board, there is little control over, or knowledge of, who gains access to it. The government has no right infringing on the rights and freedoms of adult individuals in order to make the Internet ?safe? for children. The hallmark of a democratic society is allowing a variety of ideas and information to be accessible to its citizens. If that means allowing hate groups to post a site on the Internet, then so be it. Journalist Howard Rheingold predicts that Heavy-handed attempts to impose restrictions on the unruly but incredibly creative anarchy of the Net could kill the spirit of cooperative knowledge-sharing that makes the Net valuable to millions (Rheingold n.p.). Perhaps the reason why government censorship is so attractive is because some people are not willing to learn about the Internet and take the initiative to seek alternatives that better suit their needs. Blatant laziness should not excuse the right of government to interfere in people's lives and repress certain individual liberties that are sacred. Internet users treasure their Constitutional rights and the idea that the Internet is another instrument by which to express their freedom of speech. And, while it is true that the Internet poses some very real dangers to children, those dangers must be addressed in a meaningful manner; blind censorship will simply not do the job. The presence of pornography and other distasteful sites are relative to the overall size and uses of the Internet. Some argue that there is no amount of censorship or filtering available that will altogether restrict access to questionable material. Children are bound to learn about the less positive aspects of the world one way or the another, either through friends, the media, or

Biography of Antonio Maceo, Hero of Cuban Independence

Biography of Antonio Maceo, Hero of Cuban Independence Antonio Maceo (June 14, 1845-December 7, 1896) was a Cuban general considered to be one of the greatest heroes of the nations 30-year struggle for independence from Spain. He was given the nickname The Bronze Titan in reference to his skin color and heroics on the battlefield. Fast Facts: Antonio Maceo Full Name: Josà © Antonio de la Caridad Maceo GrajalesKnown For: Cuban independence heroAlso Known As: The Bronze Titan (nickname given by Cubans), The Greater Lion (nickname given by Spanish forces)Born: June 14, 1845 in Majaguabo, Cuba Died: December 7, 1896 in Punta Brava, CubaParents: Marcos Maceo and Mariana Grajales y Cuello  Spouse: Marà ­a Magdalena Cabrales y FernndezChildren: Marà ­a de la Caridad MaceoKey Accomplishments:  Led Cuban independence fighters in their 30-year struggle against Spain.Famous Quote: No whites nor blacks, but only Cubans. Early life Of Afro-Cuban ancestry, Maceo was the first of nine children of Venezuelan-born Marcos Maceo and Cuban-born Mariana Grajales. Marcos Maceo owned several farms in the rural town of Majaguabo, in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba. Maceo became interested in politics early in life, joining a Masonic Lodge in the city of Santiago in 1864, which was a hotbed of insurrectionist sentiment against Spain. At the time, Cuba was one of the few colonies Spain still controlled, as most of Latin America had gained its independence in the 1820s under the leadership of liberators like Simà ³n Bolà ­var. Antonio Maceo Grajales portrait from Cuban money.   johan10 / Getty Images The Ten Years War (1868-1878) Cubas first attempt to gain independence was the Ten Years War, which was kicked off by the Grito de Yara (Cry of Yara, or call for insurrection) issued by eastern Cuban plantation owner Carlos Manuel de Cà ©spedes, who freed his slaves and incorporated them into his rebellion. Maceo, his father Marcos, and several of his brothers quickly joined the mambises (as the rebel army was called) with the full support of mother Mariana, known as the mother of the nation because of her unwavering dedication to Cuban independence. Marcos was killed in battle in 1869, and Maceo was wounded. However, he had already risen quickly in the ranks because of his skill and leadership on the battlefield. The rebels were ill-equipped to take on the Spanish army, so they avoided large battles and focused on guerilla tactics and sabotage, such as cutting telegraph lines, destroying sugar mills, and attempting to hinder commercial activity on the island. Maceo proved himself to be a brilliant guerilla tactician. According to historian Philip Foner, he depended upon surprise, swiftness, and the confusion and terror that his troops aroused as they fell suddenly on their enemy: their gleaming machete blades brandished on high and fierce war whoops piercing the air. Maceos battalions always freed the slaves when they captured sugar mills, encouraging them to join the rebel army by emphasizing that abolition was a major goal of the independence struggle. However, Cà ©spedes believed in gradual emancipation, contingent on the success of the insurgence against Spain. He wanted to appease slaveholders and bring them over to the rebels side without forcing them to choose between slavery and independence. Although he eventually came to believe that slave abolition was crucial for independence, conservative forces (particularly landowners) within the insurgency disagreed and this came to be a particularly divisive issue among rebels. Dominican-born Mximo Gà ³mez, who had become the leader of the rebel army in 1870, realized in late 1871 that in order to win the war, the rebels would have to invade western Cuba, the richest part of the island, where the largest sugar mills and majority of slaves were concentrated. Just as Abraham Lincoln eventually understood that freeing U.S. slaves via the Emancipation Proclamation was the only way to disrupt the Confederacys economy by depriving it of its labor force, Gà ³mez recognized the need to induce slaves to join the rebels struggle. It took three more years for Gà ³mez to convince Cà ©spedes and the rebel government to take the war to western Cuba with Maceo as a key leader. However, conservative elements spread slander about Maceo, stating that his tactic of freeing slaves would result in another Haitian Revolution, where black people would take over the island and kill white landowners. Thus, when Gà ³mez and Maceo arrived in the central province of Las Villas, the soldiers there refused to accept Maceos orders and he was called back to eastern Cuba. The rebel government ended up going back on the agreement to invade the west. By 1875, the rebel army controlled the eastern half of the island, but dissension within the rebel government continued, as did racist rumors about Maceo favoring black soldiers over white ones and wanting to form a black republic. In 1876 he wrote a letter rebutting these rumors: Neither now nor at any time am I to be regarded as an advocate of a Negro Republic or anything of that sort...I do not recognize any hierarchy. In 1877 a new Spanish commander entered the war. He went on the offensive against the rebel army, sowing dissension in the ranks and reinforcing racist lies about Maceo. In addition, Maceo was seriously wounded. In 1878, the president of the rebel republic, Toms Palma Estrada, was captured by Spanish troops. Finally, on February 11, 1878, the Treaty of Zanjà ³n was signed between the rebel government and the Spanish. Slaves who were freed during the war were allowed to maintain their freedom, but slavery was not abolished and Cuba continued to be under Spanish rule. The Baragu Protest and Guerra Chiquita (1878-1880) In March 1878, Maceo and a group of rebel leaders officially protested the treaty in Baragu and refused to sign it, even though he had been offered a large sum of money to accept it. He then left Cuba for Jamaica and eventually New York. General Calixto Garcà ­a, meanwhile, continued to encourage Cubans to take up arms against the Spanish. Maceo and Garcà ­a met in Kingston, Jamaica, in August 1879 to plan the next uprising, La Guerra Chiquita (The Little War). Maceo was in exile and did not participate in La Guerra Chiquita, which was led by Garcà ­a, Maceos brother Josà ©, and Guillermà ³n Moncada. Maceo survived various assassination attempts by the Spanish while in exile. The rebel army was ill-prepared for another war and Garcà ­a was captured in August 1880 and sent to prison in Spain. The Interwar Years Maceo resided in Honduras between 1881 and 1883, during which time he began to correspond with Josà © Martà ­, who had been in exile since 1871. Maceo moved to the U.S. in 1884 to join the new independence movement and, along with Gà ³mez, secure financial support for a new uprising. Gà ³mez and Maceo wanted to attempt a new invasion of Cuba right away, while Martà ­ argued that they needed more preparation. Maceo returned to Cuba for much of 1890, but was forced to go into exile again. In 1892 he returned to New York and learned of Martà ­s new Cuban Revolutionary Party. Martà ­ viewed Maceo as indispensable for the next revolutionary expedition to Cuba. The War of Independence (1895-1898) and Maceos death The War of Independence, the final struggle for Cuban independence, began on February 24, 1895 in eastern Cuba. Maceo and his brother Josà © returned to the island on March 30, with Martà ­ and Gà ³mez following a few weeks later. Martà ­ was killed in his first battle on May 19. Understanding that a failure to invade western Cuba was the cause of defeat in the Ten Years War, Gà ³mez and Maceo made this a priority, and began the campaign in October. As he moved westward, Maceo gained the respect and admiration of both black and white rebels. Although western Cuba had supported Spain during the Ten Years’ War, the rebels were finally successful in invading Havana and the westernmost province of Pinar del Rà ­o in January 1896. Spain sent General Valeriano Weyler (nicknamed the Butcher) to take over the Spanish forces, and his primary goal was to destroy Maceo. Although Maceo won several victories over the course of the year, he was killed in battle on December 6, 1896 in Punta Brava, near Havana. Legacy Gà ³mez and Calixto Garcà ­a continued fighting successfully, largely due to Gà ³mezs strategy of torching sugar mills and disrupting the colonial economy. Although it was ultimately the sinking of the USS Maine in February 1898 and the consequent intervention of the U.S. and Spanish-American War that led to Spains defeat, Cubans had all but achieved independence by then, largely because of the skill, leadership, and courage of Antonio Maceo. No independence leader was more committed to the abolition of slavery than Maceo, nor was any other leader as reviled by Spanish forces and targeted by their racist propaganda. Maceo understood that Cuban independence would mean nothing if his Afro-Cuban compatriots remained enslaved. Sources Foner, Philip. Antonio Maceo: The â€Å"Bronze Titan† of Cuba’s Struggle for Independence. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1977.Helg, Aline. Our Rightful Share: The Afro-Cuban Struggle for Equality, 1886–1912. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1995.

Case study for bronchial asthma

To rule out other possible conditions — such as a respiratory infection or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — your doctor will do a physical exam and ask you questions about your signs and symptoms and about any other health problems. Tests to measure lung function You may also be given lung (pulmonary) function tests to determine how much air moves in and out as you breathe. These tests may include: Spirometry. This test estimates the narrowing of your bronchial tubes by checking how much air you can exhale after a deep breath and how fast you can breathe out. Peak flow. A peak flow meter is a simple device that measures how hard you can breathe out. Lower than usual peak flow readings are a sign your lungs may not be working as well and that your asthma may be getting worse. Your doctor will give you instructions on how to track and deal with low peak flow readings. Lung function tests often are done before and after taking a bronchodilator (brong-koh-DIE-lay-tur), such as albuterol, to open your airways. If your lung function improves with use of a bronchodilator, its likely you have asthma. Tests and diagnosis By Mayo Clinic staff Physical exam To rule out other possible conditions — such as a respiratory infection or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — your doctor will do a physical exam and ask you questions about your signs and symptoms and about any other health problems. Tests to measure lung function You may also be given lung (pulmonary) function tests to determine how much air moves in and out as you breathe. These tests may include: Spirometry. This test estimates the narrowing of your bronchial tubes by checking how much air you can exhale after a deep breath and how fast you can breathe out. Peak flow. A peak flow meter is a simple device that measures how hard you can breathe out. Lower than usual peak flow readings are a sign your lungs may not be working as well and that your asthma may be getting worse. Your doctor will give you instructions on how to track and deal with low peak flow readings. Lung function tests often are done before and after taking a bronchodilator (brong-koh-DIE-lay-tur), such as albuterol, to open your airways. If your lung function improves with use of a bronchodilator, its likely you have asthma.

Different Aspects of Reflective Learning and How it Relates with Hinna Essay

Different Aspects of Reflective Learning and How it Relates with Hinna Azeem Jewelry - Essay Example This report also reflects how our group worked both individually and collectively in order to complete the task. Reflective learning helps us improve our future by learning from the past. A good entrepreneur is one who not only posseses reflection skills but also enhances theses skills as time goes on. Hinna Azeem has proven herself as a entrepreneur who possesses good reflection skills. She has proved this phenomenon with the actions during the course of business. Introduction Hina Azeem, a jewelry brand named under the name of its very designer has become one famous brand. The brand started its life cycle in 2000. Like every business H Azeem grew slowly but steadily and within two years of the business achieved a stable growth. Hinna Azeem, the designer, was in the view of introducing jewelry at afforable price to the community. She not only wanted the jewlery to be affordable but also wanted it to be luxurious and stylish too. She believed that wearing nice and stylish jewelry gav e a lot of psychological advantages to woman in which confidence was one major aspect. After introducing luxurious and stylish watches and jewelry for woman Hina Azeem has now planned to introduced products for men is well. She has planned to start off with gemstone cufflinks and custom made cufflinks and also offers after service products which no competitor offers at the moment. This shall give her an added advantage in the market. Her idea of pricing jewelry at affordable rates has ensured a large turnover which has led to profit making. Her business strategies and skills are impressive. She has outsourced her manufacturing to turkey, china and far off to ensure cheap labour. This tactics in return has ensured her to provide cheap and affordable prices. Instead of choosing a business strategy like that of APPLE and pricing her products highly and make it a fashion symbol, she has prefered to go about it in her own way. Even though now that has business has flourished and her bran d named developed she has shown commitment to her initial strategy and has kept her price low. She has shown her sharpness when it comes to business at many occasions. Entering the men jewelry segment which is hardly saturated and offering extra value added services has kept her spot her. She has also started sales online, which shows her sharpness with regard to use of technology. Her skills and actions make her stand out to the rest of her competitors. She has been mentioned in many journal, which is a great achievement. She is a young but at the same time a prolific entrepreneur. REPORT Below is the report sections which reflect how each of us went about in fulfilling this task. What kinds of problems we went through and how each and every one of us played our part in completing the requirements of this module. The report has been laid down in such format so each individuals work and achievement can be analysed and understood. The conclusion is right at the end, and has been achi eved not individually but as a team. Individual 1 Every entrepreneur has its own way and strategies to success. Some use their own beliefs while others may go from learning from experience of others. Some may go making new opportunities out of threats; some may simply wait and capitalize on them. We may even come across people who believe that entrepreneur are born rather than made. I personally think that people have their own view and we are to respect that fact. No one is an entrepreneur until and unless he actually enters the field of business. On his ladder to success he shall face many

Criminal Data and Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Criminal Data and Statistics - Essay Example Hence, it is a credible gadget to have a firm grip on accountability and keep a track of the different important players that are concerned with the justice system concerning the criminals of our society. The sector of criminal data and statistics should only be utilized for the sake of the safety of the society also provides the security practitioners to develop their agenda, implement it and quantify the initiatives taken by the social crime deterrence activities. The data of these criminal related activities need to be precise and very accurate as it helps the lawmakers, stakeholders, crime prevention authorities, defence-related forces etc. to function on the basis of their records. If these records have the minutest flaw it will eventually damage the productivity and can cause an inappropriate action towards the crime issues. Furthermore, in the year 2006, the British Home Office scrutinized the United Kingdoms crime records for the following reason: it was observed that the people had lost faith in the British Home office for its inefficiency and for not being able to produce qualitative results. Their productivity has backfired drastically so as that it is no more possible to h ave an argument on the other criminal justice related laws. The trend in crime has changed and variations need to be made. The home secretary condemns this and therefore wants the policies to be made in such a manner that the level of productivity increases and hence the trust of the people is redeemed. (Crime Hub) Thus without having precise criminal records, data and statistics the result of the policies that govern this system is pretty useless. One should not completely rely on this criminal records as alone they cant give the answers but eventually they do help and look after them within the city and outside the city crime activities and give initiatives to develop prevention to such crimes. The crime data obtained is used for various things and serves a lot of purposes. The major work of the acquired criminal data is used by law enforcing agencies I order to form budgets, plan, allot various resources, and scrutinizing various police operational activities.  

LRNA - Company Profile :: essays research papers

1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industry History & Current Overview Since the invention of the Ford’s Model T, the modern automobile industry has been manufacturing affordable automobiles for everyone in the U.S. The age of design of cars boomed as people started to demand more customization of their cars (Model T only came black). This began the shift from manufacturing-driven automobile to a more design-driven automobile. The Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) emerged in the 1990s based on the negative image of the minivan, which was developed throughout the 1980s on a bland and purely functional platform. In 1996, the Ford Motor Company began building the Expedition, its new, full-sized SUV in Michigan. The Expedition was essentially the F-150 pickup truck (the best selling pick-up truck) with an extra set of doors and two more rows of seats. Ford marketed the SUV at a ticket price of thirty-six thousand dollars. The average cost to build these trucks was no more than twenty-four thousand dollar, and in the automobile industry, this is a high-profit margin. By the late 1990s, the SUV market has become the most profitable in the automobile industry. The move toward a more aggressively styled and higher riding vehicles have caused unintended consequences and risks. The risks include decreased â€Å"drivability†, obstruction of vision, and concerns surrounding safety. Current trends in vehicle design focus on addressing these problems to achieve appealing designs with the best qualities of both cars and trucks, as seen in all the new designs from the Land Rover. 2004 will be remembered as a pivotal year in the automobile industry. It was a year in which high gasoline prices started a sea change among U.S. consumers that will finally create significant demand for fuel-efficient vehicles. Gasoline prices of $2.00+ per gallon started taking a huge bite out of family budgets, and many middle-class consumers who own fuel guzzling SUVs and pickup trucks began to wish they had vehicles that were much less expensive to operate. Demand for hybrid cars (ie. Toyota Prius) was so high that many customers had to wait six months or longer to get there car. Other carmakers, including Ford and GM, saw the opportunity and introduced their own brand of hybrid vehicles to market. Ford launched its first hybrid: a small SUV. Other fuel-efficient vehicles, such as BMW’s MINI Cooper, also enjoyed soaring demand. Meanwhile, sales of heavy SUVs lagged miserably, and automakers such as Chevy, Hummer and Cadillac offered unprecedented dealer incentives and rebates in an effort to move these vehicles, Land Rover Range Rover has increased due to efficient newly designed models as shown from the stats below.

Disparity and Discrimination Essay

Statistics continue to reflect issues of disparity and discrimination within the American criminal justice system. The issues that affect the enforcement of laws and government policy can result in justice for the safety of society and/or justice that will single out members of society. With the diverse population living in the United States, stereotypical judgments and attitudes can influence and possibly overwhelm the direction of the criminal justice system. The American system of criminal justice is thought to include equal rights, due process of law; in addition to fair and equitable treatment for all people – these ideas do not correlate to the information provided by law enforcement, court procedures and correctional facilities. Disparity is defined as, â€Å"The condition or fact of being unequal, as in age, rank, or degree† (American Heritage Dictionary, 2005). This idea whether on an individual level or communal, is something heavily affected by the difficulti es of crime. The conflict issues within members of society and the existing disparities are becoming ever more complicated by the growing immigrant and minority populations in the United States. From these disparities, the seeds of discrimination are sown. Discrimination is the act of singling out a certain individual/group for unfair treatment and has been defined as, â€Å"Treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than individual merit† (American Heritage Dictionary, 2005). Discrimination should not and cannot be tolerated in a just society, especially in its criminal justice system. There are varied causes of disparity including law enforcement emphasis on certain communities, criminal activity, policies by legislature and by criminal  justice professionals during decision making processes using broad discretion. Racial disparity in criminal justice is when â€Å"the proportion of a racial/ ethnic group within the control of the system is greater than the proportion of such groups in the general population†¦Illegitimate or unwarranted racial disparity results from the dissimilar treatment by the criminal justice system of similarly situated people based on race. In some instances this may involve ov ert racial bias, while in others it may reflect the influence of factors that are only indirectly associated with race† (The Sentencing Project, 2000, p. 1-2). The impact of racial disparity is evidenced in all levels of the criminal justice system. â€Å"Statistics show that more than one-fourth of all black males and 16 percent of Latinos can expect to spend time in prison during their lifetime, while only 4 percent of white males ever go to prison. African-Americans make up 12 percent of the U.S. population, but they compose about half of all prison inmates and 40 percent of those sentenced to death. Even more startling, a third of all African-American males aged 20-29 are right now either locked up, on probation, or on parole† (Brown, 2006). Interpretations of the crime data can vary based on its source and these variations call into question whether the disparities come from racism within the criminal justice system or other factors. There are those that believe racial disparity results directly from discrimination and is a violation of equal justice. It is often that disparities have a collective effect; for example, biased inf luences at one stage could contribute to an increase of disparities in the following stages. One illustration given by The Sentencing Project stated that if bail practices resulted in minorities with similar situations being detained before trial in greater occurrences that whites, these minorities will also be disadvantaged during trial and sentencing due to less access to defense counsel, community resources and treatment options (The Sentencing Project, 2000. p3). Another alarming trend is the use of capitol punishment practiced in cases of black offenders v. white victims. Disparities are a simple fact of our ever shrinking world as we continue to come into contact with multiple peoples from all over, especially in the United States. While these disparities can often lead to discrimination; the reverse can also be true. Society must realize that both of these issues affect decisions resulting from conflicted notions from its members.  Within the criminal justice system discretion should be used cautiously and provide justification for such use. In many stages of the correctional process there are possibilities of discrimination due to disparities. If this situation occurs, the action would be considered biased and inconsistent with the idea of justice as it should be upheld in criminal justice proceedings. It is unfortunate that disparity is often intertwined with discrimination directed at minority groups. Additional factors that can contribute to discrimination from disparity are income level, learned skills, education and connection to society. Crime and its conviction should be based on the knowledge of what is right and wrong; not the basis that one particular group is more likely to commit that particular crime. Differences or disparities should not have to result in discrimination; however, the key lies within the education of society as a whole. References The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright  © 2005, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated 2005. Brown v. Board of Education. (2006). Retrieved on May 17, 2009 from the Landmark Cases website: http://www.landmarkcases.org/brown/home.html The Sentencing Project. (October, 2000). Reducing Racial Disparity in the Criminal Justice System, A Manual for Practitioners and Policymakers. Retrieved on May 17, 2009 from The Sentencing Project website: http://www.sentencingproject.org/Admin/Documents/publications/rd_reducingrdmanual.pdf