IEEE 802.11 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IEEE 802.11 - Research Paper Example Wireless uses radio waves in the transmission. Wireless LAN deals with two lower layers of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) which are the physical and data-link layers. I will briefly discuss three physical specifications of the physical layer: 802.11b: 802.11b was released in 1999 and uses DSSS that provide higher bit rate. The transmission of the data can reach 11 Mbps. It operates in 2.4 GHz range. 802.11a: 802.11a was released in 2001 and uses OFDM. The transmission of the data can reach 54 Mbps. It operates in 5 GHz range 802.11g: 802.11g uses OFDM. The transmission of the data can reach 22 Mbps. It operates in 2.4 GHz range. (21) IEEE 802.11 Security: 7 Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP): IEEE released Wired Equivalent Privacy protocol what is known as WEP for the security 802.11 standard in 1990 (15) .WEP was designed to make the communication through wireless safe and secured as much as it is in the wired local area network. WEP provides authentication and confidentiality to the security of the wireless network (21). WEP was developed on the base of RC4 stream cipher. In the encryption and decryption the same secret key must be used (1). The wireless device and the access point must have the same secret key (4). ... The process of WEP authentication is as shown in the figure: Retrieved from VoCAL (2012). The figure is taken from this website: http://www.vocal.com/secure-communication/wired-equivalent-privacy-wep/ 1. The authentication is sent from the wireless station to the access point. 2. The access point responds with challenge text sent to the wireless station. 3. The wireless station encrypts the challenge text and then sends it to the access point. 4. Finally, â€Å"If the access point can decrypt the authentication request and retrieve the original challenge text, then it responds with an authentication response that grants the client access† so the secret key in both sides should match each other. (11) The encryption of the data that are transferred between the wireless station and the access point in the WEP uses RC4 stream cipher. The process of WEP encryption is as shown in the figure: WEP uses CRC for the data integrity. WEP performs CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) checksum ope ration on the plaintext and generates CRC value. This CRC value is concatenated to the plaintext. The secret key is concatenated to the Initialization Vector (IV) and fed into the RC4. Based on the secret key and IV, RC4 generates key stream. The key stream and plain text + CRC message is XOR'ed together. The result is the cipher text. The same Initialization Vector that was used before is pre pended in clear text to the resultant cipher text. The IV + Cipher text along with the frame headers are then transmitted over the air. (13). The shared key in WEP never changes again, and it is used for authentication and encryption which is the problem (13). WEP problems: The major problem in WEP in terms of security is that the wireless

Causes and effect of opiate drug use among teenagers between the age Research Paper

Causes and effect of opiate drug use among teenagers between the age of thirteen and seventeen in our communities - Research Paper Example hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and levorphanol. Artificial or synthetic opioids are also available and include fentanyl, meperidine, methadone, propoxyphene, and tramadol. While the former have chemical structures similar to natural opiates that of synthetic opiates is distinct. Irrespective of nature of origin, opiates have acute as well as chronic psychological effects and are known to be addictive (Kim-Katz & Anderson, 2011). Drug abuse is one of the major issues dealt by governments worldwide with approximately 185 million people being directly involved during the period spanning 1998-2002 according to UNODC estimates. Of this 0.4% of the population in the diverse age group of 15 to 64 years was found to be addicted to opioids with half using illicit opioids such as heroin and the remaining addicted to prescription opiates. In U.S., specific patterns are observed in nature of drug use. While illicit drug use is more prevalent among the black adolescents; prescription drug is used more frequently by whites (Schroeder & Ford, 2012). Global burden of illicit opioid use is indicated by the fact that it was reported to be responsible for 0.7% of global disability adjusted life years (DALYs) in the year 2000 (Hall et al., 2006). Teenagers in the age group of 13 to 17 years form a highly vulnerable set of population with respect to drug abuse. National Drug Intelligence Center data indicates that in the year 2 003 alone approximately 7.5 million individuals of this age group had fallen prey to illicit drug use at least once, of these 3.3% were reported to have used heroin (NDIC, 2004). A comparison of the data for the years 2008 and 2009 indicates a statistically significant rise in illicit drug use incidences in this age group (SAMHSA, 2009). Evidence based researches investigating the etiologic factors of opioid use are few. Personal factors that have been reported to be responsible for opiate use among teenagers can be listed in to three

Elections Are A Major Institutional Pillar Politics Essay

Elections Are A Major Institutional Pillar Politics Essay Elections are a major institutional pillar of liberal democracy. They are the dominant element of political process as they provide the platform for exercising the basic rights of the people associated with democracy freedom of speech, association, choice and movement and the like. They also form the individuals rights of participation in the political process. For the masses they are the opportunity to make the political leaders accountable for their stewardship during the time they were in power, as well as subject to their power as the final sovereign of the country. An election is a competition for office based on a formal expression of preferences by a designated body of people at the ballot box.  [1]  As Yogesh Atal had observed, elections computes public opinion.  [2]  Therefore, elections signify the power of the people and provide legitimacy to the authority of the government. On the importance of elections, Norman D. Palmer, has observed: Elections are particularly conspicuous and revealing aspect of most contemporary political systems. They highlight and dramatize a Political System, bringing its nature into sharp relief, and providing insights into other aspects of the system as a wholeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [3]   Popular elections are at the heart of representative democracy. And, that holding periodic election is the hallmark of representative democracy based on the active interest of the people. The functioning of democracy demands maximum involvement and participation of the masses in democratic process of the country.  [4]  These are the central democratic procedure for selecting and controlling leaders.  [5]  Elections are episodes of political action during which the preferences of citizens and the conduct of politicians, based on their past agency record and their prospective promises, intersects and interact.  [6]  In the opinion of Robert A. Dhal, the election is the central technique for ensuring that government leaders will be relatively responsible to non-leaders.  [7]  The political class sees elections as an opportunity for renewing their mandate to exercise legitimate power. In this sense, elections constitute a vital bridge linking the masses to the political c lass.  [8]  In addition, growing commitment to democratic elections is also an affirmation of a growing popular commitment to the rule of law.  [9]  Democracy, particularly, its liberal version, may be defined as a system of governance in which rulers are held accountable for their actions in the public realms of citizens, acting indirectly through competition and cooperation of their elected representatives.  [10]   In fact, elections in a democratic system of governance provide the voter with a meaningful choice of candidates, and are distinguished by several characteristics, including a universal franchise, a secret ballot, the involvement of political parties, contests in every, or almost every, constituency and campaigns regulated by strict and fair rules.  [11]  This implies extensive competition for power; highly inclusive citizenship and extensive civil and political liberties. Also, in-between elections, citizens must be able to influence public policy through various non-electoral means like interest group associations and social movements, which invariably involve cooperation and competition among citizens.  [12]   The use of elections in the modern era dates to the emergence of representative government in Europe and North America since the 17th century.  [13]  Modern democracies are typically based on representative models in which citizens elect their representatives to govern and frame policies on their behalf. Full democracies are those systems in which there are universal suffrage, regular elections, an independent judiciary, relatively equal access to power for all groups, and extensive civil liberties that are combined with protection for minorities and disadvantaged groups.  [14]   The developments and want for electoral democracy across societies are quite fascinating. Indeed, some twenty-five years ago there were only about thirty-five democracies across the world, most of them being wealthy and industrialized nations, particularly in the West. Today, the number has grown to about 120. Huntington (1999) argues that at least thirty countries turned democracies between 1974 and 1990;  [15]  while Diamond (1997) takes Freedom House data to show that that the number of democracies increased from 39 in 1974 to 118 in 1996.  [16]  Consequently, and more precisely, democratic government out-numbered all other governments. Jaggers and Gurr (1995) claim that the proportions of the democracies rose from 27 percent in 1975 to 50 percent in 1994.  [17]   It is assumed by critics that many of the new democracies are being hollowed out.  [18]  The effect is the spread of electoral democracy where political parties battle for control of government through comparatively free and fair election;  [19]  but not liberal democracy with an effective rule of law behind individual and minority freedoms and protections.  [20]  A claim to liberal democracy may serve to legitimize state authority nearly everywhere, but the reality falls far short of the global triumph of liberal democratic government. The remarkable consensus concerning the legitimacy of liberal democracy served as the premise of Fukuyamas thesis on the end of history.  [21]  Doubts about the quality of new democracies imply that the new democracies may enshrine democratic principles that fail to operate in practice, and that the populations do not therefore enjoy liberal democratic freedoms. Defining electoral politics Though psephologist and scholars often make use of the term electoral politics, the phrase is, very rarely defined accurately. Still, as term in common political discourse goes, this is, in particular, not vague or elastic. The definition that follows is partly descriptive; that is to say, it is designed to reflect what most people seem to mean when they use the term and to suggest what the term ought to. The word election is of Latin origin and is derived from the root eligere. Election literary connotes, the public choice of person for office. It may be regarded as a form of procedure recognized by the rules of an organization, whereby all or some of the members of the organization choose a smaller number of persons or one person to hold office of authority in the organization.  [22]  According to Websters dictionary, election means the act or process of choosing a person for an office, position or membership by voting. An election, as William B. Munro (1926) writes long ago, consists of a regular series of events.  [23]  These events differ from political system to another as provided by the respective legal provisions of that particular system, but always include voter registration, nominations of candidates, seeking access to the electorate, voters preferences and the like. It is a formal act of collective decision that occurs in a stream of connected antecedent and subsequent behaviour.  [24]  Elections are the principal mechanism by which the citizens hold government accountable, both retrospectively for their policies and more generally for the manner in which they govern.  [25]  Hence, it can be said that electoral politics is the study of the political process, involved in the electoral process, ranging from the nomination of candidates to the final outcome of an election and can be conceptualized as a set of activities, in strategic cooperation between numerous participants in t he electoral process. This naturally involves the study of campaign strategies (the electoral behaviour), and the mobilisation of resources by political parties and the candidates; the role of youth power, organised groups and influentials. In simple terms, electoral politics is s an index of popular consciousness, articulation and participation of the electorate in the decision  [26]  of the society. Electoral politics seeks to analyze the major features in the conduct of elections, democratic or otherwise, and the process involved therein to ascertain electorate opinion of a given geographical area. It is through election that political preferences of the electors are expressed and ordered. The process of electoral politics presents the electors with a decision task that requires a particular choice between the contending candidates. Thus it may be said that electoral politics, is a means of translating the popular will into an elected assembly.  [27]  But at the same time it must be conceded that elections are clumsy instruments of choice.  [28]  In such circumstances, the study of election and electoral system has been a continuing source of interdisciplinary conflict, largely between political scientist s and sociologists.  [29]   The Review of Literature: There is considerable body of theoretical and empirical literature on elections and its allied discipline, in both the developed and developing democracies, that identifies several functions performed by elections in liberal democracies. A brief history of the literature available so far is examined in the pages that follow: Scholarly studies of electoral politics have a long and vibrant history. Most works on electoral politics primarily focus on voting behavior. The 1940s saw the birth of scientific use of survey research to examine academic voting research in the study of electoral politics. Under the direction of Paul Lazarsfeld, the Bureau of Applied Social Research at Columbia University interviewed a probability sample of Erie County, Ohio, during the Roosevelt-Wilkie presidential race.  [30]  The findings of the study were published in the book titled The People Choice.  [31]  The authors determine why people vote as they do focusing mainly on social groupings, religion, and residence. They argue that people tend to vote with their groups, and to that extent people take longer time to arrive at voting choice. Later, a second panel study conducted by the Columbian School in 1948 provided a more influential book, Voting.  [32]  It examines the factors that make people vote the way they do based on the famous Elmira Study, carried out by a team of skilled social scientists during the 1948 presidential campaign. It shows how voting is affected by social class, religious background, family loyalties, local pressure groups, mass communication media, and other factors. The work of Lazarsfeld and his Columbia colleagues demonstrated the rich potential of election surveys as data for understanding campaigns and elections. The next, and even more important, advance in election studies emerged in the following decade at the University of Michigan.  [33]  It created the most significant milestone in the whole tenet of electoral research, The American Voter.  [34]  It explored the so-called psychological model, in its study explaining peoples political choices; and found out how people voted were mainly their party identification. The work established a baseline for most of the scholarly debate that has followed in the decades since.  [35]  However, political scientist like V.O. Key  [36]  attacked this work, in which he famously asserted, voters are not fools. Key argues against the implications of Campbell et al.s book, and Converses later addition,  [37]  about the ignorance and unreliability of American voters. He analyzed public opinion data and electoral returns to show what he believed to be the rationality of voters choices as political decisions rather than responses to psychological stimuli.  [38]   In the years that followed, Nie, Verba, Petrocik  [39]  presents one of the best treatments on the subject in the form of The Changing American Voter. It analyzes and evaluates the changes which have taken place since the publication of The American Voter. The resultant is that electorate has both responded and contributed to the major political shifts of the 60s and 70s; it depicts how and why by citing substantial statistics and figures. However, this argument finds many critics. Among them, Smith  [40]  posits a more bleak political landscape in which the typical voter knows little about politics is not interested in the political arena and consequently does not participate in it. To support this view, Smith demonstrates how the indices used by Nie, Verba, and Petrocik during the 1960s were methodologically flawed and how a closer examination of supposed changes reveals only superficial and unimportant shifts in the ways voters have approached the ballot box since the 195 0s. Miller and Shanks  [41]  in their study, presents a comprehensive analysis of American voting patterns from 1952 through the early 1990s, with special emphasis on the 1992 election, based on data collected by the National Election Studies. It also presents a unique social and economic picture of partisanship and participation in the American electoral process. Michael S. Lewis-Beck  [42]  re-creates the outstanding 1960 classic, The American Voter, by following the same format, theory, and mode of analysis as the original in the form of The American Voter Revisited. It discovers that voting behaviour has been remarkably consistent over the last half century and quite surprisingly, the contemporary American voter is found to behave politically much like voters of the 1950s. Across the Atlantic, the study of electoral behaviour was no less momentous. A number of scholars and researcher, alike took up the topic in academic research till date. Butler and Stokes  [43]  offer an explaination of British voting behaviour since 1945 with greater emphasis on sociological and historical factors and on changes at the macro and elite level. Harrison  [44]  provide a detailed explanation of how the British political system came to acquire the form it has today by analysing topics such as civil liberties, pressure groups, parliament, elections and the parties, central and local government, cabinet, and monarchy. Birch  [45]  provides a comprehensive account of British political institutions, of the way in which they operate, and of the society in which they developed. Pugh  [46]  present an insightful survey of changes in British politics since the election of 1945 and examines Labour Partys evolution into a national rather than sectional party. David Powell  [47]  examine British politics on the eve of war, the author assesses the impact of war on the parties and the political system and the process of realignment that followed in the interwar period. Hough and Jeffery  [48]  present a comparative perspective on the new dynamics of electoral competition following devolution to Scotland and Wales. It brings together leading experts on elections, political parties and regional politics from Britain, Europe and North America to explore the dynamics and interactions of national and regional arenas of electoral competition. Johnston and Pattie  [49]  analyses the dynamics of electoral behaviour into its geographical context. They show how voters and parties are affected by, and in turn influence, both national and local forces. Kavanagh  [50]  analyse the methods of political choice and decision-making in electoral democratic institutions. The focus throughout is on key topics of voting behavior, election rules, the media, election pacts, and the consequences of elections. Wolfinger and Rosenstone  [51]  present an assessment of the sociological, motivational, and political factors that account for variation in electoral participation. Lupia and. Harrop and Miller  [52]  examine competitive electoral systems as well as non-competitive ones. McCubbins  [53]  present an impressive treatment of one of the most important issues in democratic theory: the individuals inability to make fully informed decisions. It redefines the research agenda in democratic theory and information and also intends to lay foundations of a new theoretical approach to institutional design Bendor, Diermeier, Siegel and Ting  [54]  provides a behavioral theory of elections based on the notion that all actors, that is, both politicians as well as voters are only bounded rationally. The theory constructs formal models of party competition, turnout, and voters choices of candidates and the like. These models predict substantial turnout levels, voters sorting into parties, and winning parties adopting centrist platforms. Bogdanor Butler  [55]  analyses the main electoral systems of modern democracies, and places them in their institutional and historical context. Diamond and Plattner  [56]  addresses electoral systems and democracy comparing the experiences of diverse countries, from Latin America to southern Africa, from Uruguay, Japan, and Taiwan to Israel, Afghanistan, and Iraq. As the number of democracies has increased around the world, a heated debate has emerged among experts about which system best promotes the consolidation of democracy. Diamond  [57]  sets forth a distinctive theoretical perspective on democratic evolution and consolidation in the late twentieth century. These include strong political institutions, appropriate institutional designs, decentralization of power, a vibrant civil society, and improved economic and political performance. Courtney  [58]  argues that elections are governed by accepted rules and procedures of the political system and it is important for citizens to understand their own electoral system. Sawer  [59]  presents an edited volume on Australian electoral history providing a broad commentary on continuing democratic challenges. Roberts  [60]  provides explanations and analysis of the German federal electoral system; discusses the role of electoral politics in relation to political parties and to the public. Lindberg  [61]  studies elections as a core institution of liberal democracy in the context of newly democratizing countries. He gathers data from every nationally contested election in Africa from 1989 to 2003, covering 232 elections in 44 countries, argues that democratizing nations learn to become democratic through repeated democratic behavior, even if their elections are often flawed. Cowen Laakso  [62]  presents electoral studies of multi-party politics in 14 African countries during the 1990s. Hesseling  [63]  offers theoretical and historical assessments of election observation and evaluates policies and their implementation in specific case studies. Diamond and Plattner  [64]  examines the state of progress of democracy in Africa at the end of the 1990s. The past decades third wave of democratization, the contributors argue, has been characterized by retreats as well as advances. Piombo and Nijzik  [65]  in their edited work give an account of democratic elections in South Africa since April 1994 after her liberation. Norris  [66]  analyses whether there are legitimate grounds for concern about public support for democracy world-wide; or are there political, economic, and cultural factors driving the dynamics of support for democratic government. It shows how citizens in contemporary democracies relate to their governments. Later on, Norris  [67]  focuses on democratic deficits, reflecting how far the perceived democratic performance of any state diverges from public expectations Popkin  [68]  concludes that voters make informed logical choices by analyzing three primary campaigns Carter in 1976; Bush and Reagan in 1980; and Hart, Mondale, and Jackson in 1984 to arrive at a new model of the way voters sort through commercials and sound bites to choose a candidate. Powell  [69]  argues that elections are instrumental in linking the preferences of citizens to the behaviour of policymakers His empirical findings prove that if this is taken as the main function of democratic elections the proportional vision and its designs enjoyed a clear advantage over their majoritarian counterparts in using elections as instruments of democracy.  [70]  Brennan and Lomasky  [71]  offer a compelling challenge to the central premises of the prevailing theories of voting behavior. Niemi and Weiberg  [72]  present collection of essays that explore some of the controversies in the study and understanding of voting behavior. Caplan  [73]  takes a persistent look at how people who vote under the influence of false beliefs ultimately end up with government that delivers miserable results. LeDuc, Niemi and Norris  [74]  in their edited volume provide a broad theoretical and comparative understanding of all the key topics associated with the elections including electoral and party systems, voter choice and turnout, campaign communications, and the new politics of direct democracy. Zuckerman  [75]  in his edited volume uses classic theories to explain individuals political decisions by a range of political scientists; advances theory and method in the study of political behavior and returns the social logic of politics to the heart of political science. Cox  [76]  employs a unified game-theoretic model to study strategic coordination worldwide that relies primarily on constituency-level rather than national aggregate data in testing theoretical propositions about the effects of electoral laws. Norris  [77]  gives a masterpiece of synthesis, original theorizing, and empirical analysis of an impressively large number and variety of cases. This book looks at public opinion data linking attitudes, party choices, and electoral systems in ways that the game theory literature usually fails to come to grips with. Norris combines institutional and survey data from 32 widely different countries to assess the possibilities and limitations of implanting democracy through institutional engineering. Franklin  [78]  demonstrate how voter turnout can serve as an indicator of the health of a democracy, and concludes that declining turnout does not necessarily reflect reductions in civic virtue or increases in alienation. Dalton  [79]  introduces the reader to the knowledge we have of comparative political behavior, and the implications of these findings. The analyses focus on the United States, Great Britain, Germany, and France in a broad cross-national context. Dalton offers the theory that the quality of citizen politics is alive and well whereas the institutions of democracy are in disarray. Further, Dalton  [80]  documents the erosion of political support in virtually all advanced industrial democracies. It traces the current challenges to democracy owing to changing citizen values and rising expectations. The author finds that these expectations are making governing more difficult, but also fueling demands for political reform. Prysby and Books  [81]  examines how and why individual political behavior can be influenced by various contextual characteristics of the locality in which the individual resides, an

Graduation Speech: What Lies Ahead :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

I cried on my 18th Birthday. I cried because to me it signified that my childhood was over -- That I would never be able to relive some of the greatest moments of my life. I remember that day after school I was talking to one of my good friends, Betty Lou, and I mentioned to her how sad it was that we would all soon be leaving County HIgh. Betty smiled and looked at me and said, "But there is so much more in store for us ahead." Last October I was sitting in Mr. Fooler's British Literature class and he had us read this poem by Louis MacNiece: Birds flitting in and out of the barn Bring back an Anglo-Saxon story: The great wooden hall with the long fires down the center, Their feet in the rushes their hands tearing the meat. Suddenly high above them they notice a swallow enter from the black storm and zigzag over their heads Then out once more into the unknown night; And that, someone remarks is the life of man. As that poem had compared life to that of the flight of a swallow that enters a room, stays shortly and leaves, our teacher wanted each of us students to come up with their own analogy "What Life Is Like!" Life is Like a flower, which sprouts, and blooms, and finally withers with age. Life is Like a candle, which sparks, flickers briefly, then fades. Life is like a box of chocolates! you never know what you're going to get. Life is like a poker game, each person is dealt different circumstances and we have to make the most of what we have. Life is like the sun, which rises, keeps moving constantly and finally sets on each new life. And as I tried to draw an analogy to lives that all of us have led and the paths we are about to embark on, I could not find a metaphor that accurately depicts all that has happened to us and all that will. There is no way to lump together the feelings of the first time you rode your bicycle without your father holding onto the handle bars, with the time you brought home an "A" on the essay you spent many sleepless nights perfecting. The embarrassment you felt when you fell down at recess in a mud puddle and your mom had to bring you clean clothes to change into and the lesson you learned when you set your binder on the top of your car, forgot about it, and drove off only to see your papers flying all over the road in the rear view mirror.

Oil Company Must Decide Whether or Not to Drill

An oil company must decide whether or not to drill an oil well in a particular area that they already own. The decision maker (DM) believes that the area could be dry , reasonably good or a bonanza. See data in the table which shows the gross revenues for the oil well that is found. Decision Dry (D) ReasonablyBonanza(B) good(G) Drill $0 $85 $200 m Abandon $0 $0 $0 Probability 0. 3 0. 3 0. 4 Drilling costs 40M. The company can take a series of seismic soundings ( at a cost of 12M) to determine the underlying geological structure.The results will be either â€Å"no structure†, â€Å"open structure or â€Å"closed structure†. The reliability of the testing company is as follows that is, this reflects their historical performance. Note that if the test result is â€Å"no structure† the company can sell the land to a developer for 50 m, otherwise (for the other results) it can abandon the drilling idea at no benefit to itself. . Conditional Probability for a given st ate of nature Seismic Results Dry(d) Reasonably good(g) Bonanza(b)No structure(N) 0. 7 0. 3 0. 1 Open(O) 0. 2 0. 3 0. 4 Closed (C ) 0. 10. 4 0. 5 That is P (N/D) =0. 7; P (O/G) =0. 3, P(C/B) =0. 5 After you have computed the revised probabilities round to two decimal places a) Construct the appropriate decision tree to help the oil company make the appropriate decisions. This tree must be constructed in logical order with labels and net payoffs. It also includes the revised probabilities ) Fold back the decision tree) to determine the best strategy for the company; you must state this strategy . What is the final expected profit? c) What is the expected value of sample information(EVSI)- the most that should be paid to seismic testing firm for the test? d) Calculate the expected value of perfect information (EVPI)- the most that should be paid to an expert for perfect prediction of the uncertain outcomes e) What is the efficiency of sample information

Lecture Notes on Modernism and other ‘isms’

Is a shorthand for the seemingly complex array of ideas and theories that surround art and design as a socially and culturally located practice. With many of these ideas it is difficult to find a starting point, and a lot of these terms have superseded one another or are in conflict in some way. There is no real chronology of these ideas, In fact, a linear approach to these Ideas Is probably misleading. 2. These different ways of formatting knowledge are prevalent in visual culture and art and sign.They are what followers of the French philosopher Gilles Delude might describe as ‘reading machines' or a tool kit for examining the world of Ideas, concepts that shape our lives. 3. They are ways of modeling the world as well as being lenses through which we view our surroundings, the ideas, habits, concepts and histories that make up a culture or society. Ways of thinking Like this provide critical positions from which we organism these seemingly chaotic or impractically complex su rroundings. 4.The following list is by no means exhaustive but I hope that in some says what will become apparent are the different ways that people try to make sense of their subject (Graphic design or illustration), their discipline (art, art and design, applied art, visual communication, visual culture) and the wider world (society, political systems, culture, difference, power etc). 5. These Ideas can often provide insight, comfort and / or revelation to the adherents, but they can also impose dogma, inflexibility and / or a predictable response.Think of the different approaches almost as a set of tools that can be used to strip down the engine of history. 6. My respective on this, and one I think I share with everyone here, is the perspective of the practitioner. 7. Whether the concepts here are familiar or entirely new, what I ask all of you to do Is re-talk these Ideas Interns of how they might relate to each another and to your practice, your practical research and your writ ten work for this module. 8. We will begin to consider race, gender, class, sexuality, in themselves, and as ways of as ways of reading or seeing cultural material. . As we go through the material that you are presented with, you should also try to think of an original idea o research for the essay that you will be writing for the end of the semester. These Ideas may also respond to some more fundamental questions that you may already have about things in general. 10. Modernism. Historical, grand narrative, about progress and humanism. We know modern art, but the first use of the word modern was used In the time of the Emperor Charlemagne In about DADA. 11.The enlightenment in the ICC is the beginning of what we would call ‘modern' with science, the beginnings of industry, rationalism and a belief in progress taking over from a superstition and subsistence. Western values, from the equals-holocaust trope of the 300 (battle of Thermopile) seen as defense of West against East. 1 2. Michael Gave represents English kings model of linear history, Paolo Ferrier educational theorist against this banking model of education. 13. Narrative of the thread of history often still dominant in public discourse. 4. Challenge the idea that to know anything you need to know its entire history. Be wary of this, as it takes up a lot of issues, practices etc. Than to attempt a rambling second hand history that is largely in the public domain anyway, linear history, progress. 15. The ideas and principles of modernism are fundamental to the development of capitalism and the free market. 16. Modernist literature, high modernism, Joyce, Becket, Ezra Pound, Sentiment, De Still, Bauhaus, modern art. 17. Intellectuality – texts' refer to one another.Some would argue that this period of modernism was the high water mark of Western culture, and that we are already going down hill fast. 18. Cultural reproduction. Social and cultural basis for all of the definitions of what we con sider to be of value or what can be classified as art. What we do here at college is a form of cultural reproduction, mom things are taught, some aren't. Some things you learn (by choice) some you don't. We all do this to some extent. 19. It is important to understand these habits and to challenge or break them.Habits in making, thinking and acting can be unnecessarily restrictive 20. Orientation – a kind of patronizing beatifications of the East, or the non – West by the West. Edward Said, post – colonialism. Slavery and Liverpool. The image of slavery, architecture, visual evidence in buildings, street names etc. Liverpool wealth comes in a large part from the slave trade. Liverpool and Bristol. Can this still be seen? 1 . The West genuinely feels that it is the most advanced, civilized, free and valid form of social organization, Like the Romans, Mayans, Egypt, Mesopotamia etc.All civilizations collapse for similar reasons (see Collapse of Complex Civilizatio ns, Law of Entropy) 22. Colonialism, Socialism and Fascism all products of modernism, as is radical Salamis Noon Gray, Straw Dogs, Heresies) in spite of the tendency to compare non-western ideologies to the past, medieval attitudes towards crime and punishment in Saudi Arabia for example, tribal conflicts in Africa or peasant communities of China. 3. Representation of Africa as behind Western Europe in terms of development (Edward Said). 24.Socialism – Meta-narrative of class [power. A socialist view on art and design might be that it supports the power elite (the owners of the ‘means of production', the already wealthy), the forces that subjugate the working classes, by presenting them (the wealthy) in the best possible light. (think about this next time you visit a major art gallery). 25. The means of production, publishing and media companies, art institutions etc. Are all owned or were established by the wealthy, and it is their interests that these institutions ser ve (see Media Lens). 26.Consumerism is one of the mechanisms that dazzle the ordinary folk into coexisting with the mechanism of their oppression (read Ragged Trousers Philanthropists by Robert Treeless, Germinal by Andre Guide, any George Orwell). 27. Capitalism – Corporate ownership of media and publishing. 28. Normative. Progress, idea of the self-made man, level playing field, Work hard and you will be successful'. National lottery or ‘idiot tax' is something that cashes in on the success of this image. 29. Racism – examples in earning, canons in education, National Galleries. Anglo-centric curriculum acts as propaganda for status quo. 0. Children's books golliwogs and teddy bears. Also animal characters and difference, what do they represent? Are there any patterns there? 31 . Anthropomorphism – Children's books, animal characters. Assumption of gender in animal characters. (Anomalousness) Animal Farm (Orwell). Function and reality, the farm, Sue CEO, the bastion. Fur trade and fashion, image and advertising (Theodore Adorn, Peter Singer) 33. Anarchism – Media Lens, Chomsky and propaganda model (Manufacturing consent, E. Herman and N. Chomsky) outlines how western mass media works as propaganda.John Pilfer – obvious propaganda of totalitarianism (USSR, N. Korea) compare to softer more inclusive (more deceptive? ) propaganda of corporate media. 34. Feminism Images of gender, (Butler, Original, Drink), Magazines. Lads mass, women's magazines. Andrea Drink, ironically vilified for her appearance but wrote extensively on the image of sexuality and patriarchal power and the relationship between Sexuality, queer theory and hetero normative. I challenge you all to get your head round these ideas and to seriously hint about visual culture and its affects in this arena. 35.Feminism is an inspiring way of looking at images, artifacts and design. These critical positions are critical of what they describe as the heterosexuali ty that dominates popular media and political discourse. Egg. Top Gear, football, marketing (big pen for her http:// www. Amazon. Co. UK/Bloc-For-Her-Medium-Ballpoint/EDP/BUFFETING). 36. The differentiation of gender roles in print media being an obvious example, but there are examples abundant in the visual language of science, heritage, leisure, commerce, and everything really. 37. Politics – Overtly political – Kendal, Chitchats, Kale Lass, Sue CEO, Joe Image.Covertly political – Marketing, publishing, advertising, product design, packaging (tacit support of Western consumerism, status quo) Apple, Span, suicides. 38. The discreet politics of art and design, consumerism, globalization and the visual cultural economy. Art turning left (Tate). 39. Semiotics – A theory of reading, not sure whether it is a theory of making. Look at Visible signs by David crow, Reading images, for examples. 40. The visual turn – the move to visuals from text based com munication (or the triumph of reading? . If images are seen as texts then ‘reading' still dominant. 1 . Multiplicity (objects can be encountered in a number of ways at the same time). 42. Intellectuality (texts refer to other texts, images exist within a world of images, styles of representation, critical interpretive communities (that maker can also be a member of etc) ever more so in digital communication. As a kind of coda to this presentation I would like to also talk about the upcoming talk on What's New? And briefly mention a couple of things. Structuralism / post structuralism and Post-Modernism – context – We will look at territoriality.Alto-modernism, after the structures and narratives of modernism. Hybrid, cultural, social and material mixing and matching. Common points of reference. Hipster cool, political disenfranchisement or disengagement with class ridden power structures or class identity. Postposition, DC culture, tropes and mimes. Franà §ois L aurelled – Non philosophy – Idea of looking critically or creatively at a discipline from the outside. Non – anything, (this references well known critique of Faculty by Deride, where D argues that Ifs history of Madness is always going to be room the point of view of the not mad.Really, what F was doing was imaging madness from an oblique and UN referenced perspective). Could this inform our practice? What would non-design, non-illustration look like. Illustration that doesn't illustrate? Design that hasn't been designed? What would it be to make work that doesn't do what it is told. Or that doesn't do what it is supposed to? This speculative thinking will be picked up in lecture 4. I have tried to talk you through some of these different that can be asked within these frameworks.The aim, though you are of course alcove to pick up on any of the questions that arise from this talk, is for you to be able to think differently about both your practical work, and yo ur wider cultural landscape. The main thing to remember here is that these are ideas that should inspire you to develop your work along a path that you were previously unaware of, to go off in a new direction or trajectory, one that isn't for everyone but is Just for you. At the moment, your work might not fit in with your ideas on society, politics, culture or whatever. But we are all products of this cultural m ©Lange and so is everything you sake.At the moment, it may be the best idea to strike out in a different critical direction (for the essay) and think about practical research on a module by module basis, keeping some of these ideas in the back of your mind, allowing the cross fertilization of thinking when appropriate. It is not necessary to rush headlong (in terror) into post-modernism. Next week we will be looking at the work of the photographers Adam Broodmare and Oliver Chain. I will send you a link to one of their books and an accompanying text. Your homework is to s tudy this material.

Top Ten Confused Words [T]

Top Ten Confused Words [T] Top Ten Confused Words [T] Top Ten Confused Words [T] By Maeve Maddox My cumulative list of â€Å"words commonly confused† continues with ten that begin with the letter T. The confusion relates to spelling or meaning. 1. taught / taut The word taught is the past tense of the verb to teach. It is also used as an adjective to mean instructed: â€Å"Howard Phillips Lovecraft, weird fiction writer and primogenitor of modern horror fiction, was a self-taught writer.† The adjective taut means â€Å"pulled tight.† A common error is to spell taut as taught, as in this fishing advice in a magazine called Backpacker: INCORRECT: Use more weight to keep the line taught. CORRECT: Use more weight to keep the line taut. 2. titivate / titillate The verb titivate means â€Å"to spruce up, to make more attractive.† Ex. We decided to titivate the kitchen with new cabinets and countertops. The verb titillate means â€Å"to excite the senses or imagination in an agreeable way.† Ex. Camilla Ochlan has crafted a supernatural mystery-thriller that  will titillate  the palate of even the most discriminating  Sci-Fi Fantasy  reader. The error is to mix them up, as in this example from a restaurant site: INCORRECT: We are sure to have something to titivate your tastebuds. CORRECT: We are sure to have something to titillate your taste buds. 3. tortuous / torturous The adjective tortuous means â€Å"full of twists; complex.† The  tortuous road  we had to climb had one steep and narrow curve after another all the way to the  top. The adjective torturous means â€Å"full of pain or suffering. Ex. More significantly, the book prominently features a scene in which the heroes resort to torturous means in order to extract vital, life-or-death information. The error is to mix them up, although some might argue that a thing can be full of twists and pain at the same time. 4. tenant / tenet A tenant is someone who rents property. Ex. The tenant always paid her rent on time. A tenet is a principle or belief. Ex. The tenet to love one’s neighbor is stated in Leviticus 19:18. The error with these words goes both ways: INCORRECT: This course is designed to give the students an overview of the basic  tenants  of Christian Doctrine. CORRECT : This course is designed to give the students an overview of the basic  tenets  of Christian Doctrine. INCORRECT: Most importantly, stay informed about your rights as a  tenet. CORRECT: Most importantly, stay informed about your rights as a  tenant. 5. than / then The word than is a conjunction used after a comparative adjective or adverb to introduce the second member of the comparison. Ex. She thinks her border collie is smarter than my boxer. The word then is an adverb that refers to a specified time, past or future, as opposed to the present. Ex. We didn’t have enough money for luxuries like books then. 6. through / threw Through is a preposition used to convey the idea of entering the inside of something and coming out the other side: They always go through the churchyard on their way home. Threw is the past tense of the verb to throw: He threw the ball over the fence. The usual error is to spell through as threw, as in this example from a geocaching site: INCORRECT: You will need to go  threw the tunnel  to access this cache. CORRECT: You will need to go  through the tunnel  to access this cache. 7. throws / throes Throws is the third person present singular of the verb to throw: He throws with his left arm. Throws can also be the plural of the noun throw that refers to a light blanket: She keeps throws on all the couches and chairs. Throes is a noun that means â€Å"severe pains.† Figuratively, it can mean â€Å"difficult times.† Ex. The pirate lay in the last throes of death. The Smiths are in the throes of divorce. 8. track / tract As a noun, track is a mark or series of marks left by the passage of something. The Mountie caught the fugitive by following the track left in the snow. One meaning of the noun tract is â€Å"a book or written work treating of some particular topic.† Ex. The evangelists passed out tracts on the subject of salvation. 9. till / ’til Till has different functions, one of which is that of conjunction with the same meaning as until: ‘to the time that; up to the point when†: I will sit here till he agrees to speak to me. The form ’til is an unnecessary shortening of until. The error is in thinking that till is a shortening of until. 10. torpid / turgid The adjective torpid means benumbed or â€Å"devoid of the power or motion of feeling.† Ex.  Even when he was awake he was completely  torpid. The adjective turgid means swollen, distended, puffed out. The word is applied figuratively to language with the meanings inflated, pompous, bombastic. Examples of literal and figurative use: My arm was turgid where the snake had bitten it. Eventually, the movie surrenders to the most turgid Hollywood speechifying and sentimentality, far more so than the original permitted itself to do. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Types of Narrative Conflict15 Great Word GamesHonorary vs. Honourary

Gang Mentality in America †A Breif Overview

Gang Mentality in America – A Breif Overview Free Online Research Papers The Criminal Mind, I feel my final paper should reflect the subject of gangs, and gang violence in American society, as well as the irrefutable damage this problem causes for everyone. Because it is an important aspect to the concept of this course, I will cover the reality of gangs as I see it in relation to criminal thinking. Although the subject of gang violence is globally apparent, and is seen in many variations regarding custom and culture and because it goes beyond the scope of this essay to cover every aspect of the gang mentality, its background, and its future, I shall narrow my focus on the American example of street gangs, specifically, its relevance to the many mannerisms and identifying factors of the criminal mind. The subject of gangs and the gang mentality has been an unfortunate reality in the United States since its initial beginning in the mid 1500s. From the â€Å"Allegiance,† a rural criminal gang during Revolutionary era New England, who raided cabins and villages, thieving, raping and murdering its victims, to the organized gang enforcer and professional luters known as the â€Å"Bummers† during the American Civil War era, the gang presence has been with us from the start, and has most likely coexisted within the human condition all along. This reality, although harsh, has proven to remain relativily the same regardless of technology and educational advances of modern day. To this end, the exemplification of these modern gangs and organized criminal societies will be shown in both the researched aspects, consisting of up-to-date law enforcement statistics and visual representations, such as the identifying factors of modern U.S. gangs, like tattoos, grafetti and insignias. And, because this subject is so vast, only the most relative and active gangs will be used for exemplification for this paper. Gangs in America: A Brief Review. The problem of gangs is prevalent in todays society. There are many reasons why so many youths join gangs. Gangs are more available to young people today than ever before. When students lack academic achievement, they often also lack social success and involvement in school activity. Less than desirable home and family circumstances compound the youths problems. They become more vulnerable to the fascination of gangs. Law enforcement agencies have to deal with the problems of gangs, and they must act to curtail that problem. According to Loundsbury (1996), there are six reasons why youths join gangs: (1) Young people need an identity, (2) Young people need to bond, (3) youths join gangs is to be perceived as competent in some area, or any area, (4) Youths feel safe and secure in gangs, (5) Young people join gangs to become members of something new, exciting and different, and (6) Young people join gangs for acceptance. (p. 211) In other words, young people join gangs due to anomie, they have a lack of purpose; a lack of identity. With todays society being what it is there is a sense of rootlessness in young people. This anomie causes them to turn to gangs for needs that are not being met in familial and pedagogical environments. They lack ethical values due to societys broken home status, and many parents are not able to parent their children because of second jobs, or simply not having parenting skills. There are many theories associated with the gang activity and deviance in general, such as the strain theory, differential association, and social control†¦The number of gangs in America is astounding. According to Danitz (1998) there are 75 documented gangs that are operating in Washington, DC alone. Lt. Lawrence W. Thomas, who is the commander of the department that monitors gang activity in Washington, feels that this is not bad when compared to other major cities. In a 1996 report it was found that there are an estimated 250 crews, mobs, and posses active at 10 different high schools, eight junior-high schools, two middle schools and two adult education centers. This in is complete contradiction with the argument that there is no gang problem. Denial does not make the problem dissipate. When cities deny that there is a gang problem they deny themselves of federal financial assistance in the fighting or prevention of gang related problems. (p.14). Police departments and others are fighting to teach children to reject the call of the streets, and to be a part of other, more positive day programs in their communities. In one area a program called GREAT was formed. This is an acronym for Gang Resistance Education and Training program, which teaches children the things they need to know about how to survive on the street. Drug information is covered, and so is the effects of alcohol use. The children learn lessons on how to treat people. Police administer the GREAT program. It is a government nonprofit program whose purpose is to prevent the ruination of childrens lives form gang involvement, crime and violence. According to Brogan (1995), George Akerlof and Janet L. Yellon posit that community values can be an asset in the control of gang activity. Community cooperation with the police is dependent upon the neighborhoods prevalent value choices. (p. 24) The best solution to the problem of gangs is to stop them from forming. This can be done in several ways. One organization alone can not end the problem of gangs. However, when society works together as a whole, the efforts of law enforcement to curtail the problem of gangs can be maximized to their fullest potential. Lounsbury (1996) believes that a students lack of academic achievement is often accompanied by a lack of social success and involvement in school activities. Further, when home and family circumstances are less than desirable, some students problems are compounded, and they become vulnerable to the lure of gangs. (p. 211) Law Enforcement efforts to curtail the problem of gangs should include community policing programs. When a police officer is seen regularly in the community, he/she becomes a role model instead of a bad guy. When the community and the police work together in cooperative programs each benefits from those programs. If a child sees that police are their friends and that someone really does care about them, they are less inclined to join gangs. If a child is prevented form joining a gang, the problem is on its way to being solved. Law Enforcement agencies first need to admit that there is a gang problem. Many refuse to do so. Once they admit that there is a problem, they are well on their way to fixing the problem. Many law enforcement agencies deny the existence of gangs. In that way they do not have to legitimize gangs. Law enforcement agencies, communities and schools must work together in order to stop the problem of gangs. No one person or agency is able to do this alone. They must all work together for the common goal of fighting gangs. In this way, the problem can and will be solved. One manner in which the problem of gangs was solved is the GREAT program. It works with kids in the fifth, sixth and seventh grades, where officers go into the classrooms for one class period per week and talk to the children about what happens to kids in gangs, how to set goals and resist peer pressure, as well as how to resolve conflicts and problems without resorting to violence. The students really enjoy the program because of the perks, which include day trips and summer camp, all paid for by the police department. Danitz (1998) posits that the law enforcement community alone can not solve the problem of gangs. Further assistance is necessary for this problem to be solved. Children need role models. The police can not be everywhere at all times. The schools, communities and families must also play a viable part in the solution to the problem of gangs. (p. 246) Children need an alternative to gangs. If something else meets the social needs of the child he/she will not resort to gangs. In the theory of differential association, young people that are involved in gangs are likely to antagonize their peers into becoming a member of a gang. Agnew Brezina (1997), feel that the measures of social control, as well as differential association are important gauges into delinquent behavior. Because of this, it is possible for a person with a low level of social control to adopt deviant behavior, such as gang activity. Moreover, these authors seem to posit that social control may be reduced by peer association and deviant beliefs, or in other words, strain measures have a reciprocal relation to both social control and differential association. Although both authors suggest that if a child can be drawn away from gangs, then half the battle is won, with the prevalence of gangs, however, it is nonetheless, difficult to keep a child from being confronted by the gang mentality, when that is all he or she sees, and that sight looks so much better than what he or she has or has not. Because of this, society has a difficult task of keeping the gang away from the child and the child away from the gang, but it can be done. In some contexts, consideration of gangs has moved from a curious cultural phenomenon to a pernicious economic force embedded in the economic and political systems of the society, sometimes competing for authority with school and church†¦Gangs are geographically and culturally diverse, and almost uniformly they are connected with delinquency, yet some argue that delinquency is a correlate of the term, gang, and not a defining characteristic. Furthermore, gang members have been involved in a sufficient number of delinquent incidents to call forth a consistent negative response from neighborhood residents and/or law enforcement agencies. With the increased prevalence and sophistication of the arming of youth, public perceptions of threat from gangs seem to be at an all time high. A recent Gallup Poll (Associated Press, 1994) showed that adults viewed fighting, violence, and gangs as the biggest problem confronting public schools. Young people live in two social worlds. One is in the cultural surrounding of peers in school and at leisure. The other is the familial world of the family and home. When with their peers, young people are in a domain with its own rules of dress, behavior, music, and speech. There is an emphasis on popularity and physical attractiveness, and for some, athletic success. The family environment has been known to clash with the peer culture, and school. The transition between the two cultures is frequent since it occurs at least twice per day in normal situations. According to Warr (1993), Criminologists have long recognized the importance of family and peers in the etiology of delinquency, but these two influences are commonly analyzed in isolation. However, if peers are treated as potential instigators of delinquency (following differential association theory) and parents as potential barriers to delinquency (following control theory), a crucial question emerges: Is parental influence capable of counteracting the influence of delinquent peers? Analysis of data from the National Youth Survey reveals that the amount of time spent with family is indeed capable of reducing and even eliminating peer influence. By contrast, attachment to parents (the affective relation between parents and offspring) apparently has no such effect†¦Instead,it appears to affect delinquency indirectly by inhibiting the initial formation of delinquent friendships. (p. 247) Joining a gang is considered to be a delinquent behavior, therefore, this is applicable to the problem of gangs. Young people join gangs because of differential association. Other gang members make gangs activity seem cool. Since the child is influenced by the cultures both inside and outside of the home, it would be in society’s best interest to purport the familial unit to the child. This assists the law enforcement agencies in curtailing the problem of gangs. If a child gets what he needs from home and school he or she will not need the gang relationship. Parents are not playing the positive role models that they should. Without positive role models the child is going to formulate delinquent peers through differential association, even though parents do not activity condone gang activity. Even those that have been involved in criminal activity know the seriousness of becoming a gang member. It is not something the parent wants for his or her child, but by not being there when a child needs him or her, the parent is giving the child over to gang membership and the many problems associated with gang activity. Where is the parent when the gang offers the child an identity? The child needs an identity. They want to be recognized and regarded as part of something unique. Gangs give them an identity that will distinguish them. Gang members have their own colors. They oftentimes have tattoos. They have their own turf. Where is the parent when the child needs to bond? Young people need to bond. They join gangs to become included in something they perceive as meaningful, something that gives them a sense of family where they oftentimes had none, or they were estranged from them. Many gang members only have their gangs. They do not have families. The gang is their family. They need to bond with other human beings since they are not able to bond with their families. Where is the parent when the child needs to be perceived as competent at something? Young people join gangs is to be perceived as competent. This is true even though they are successful in an area that is not valued by society. Just being in a gang gives them an aura of success. This perception is skewed. To them being a gang member is being somebody. They are no longer just a nobody. They are members of a gang. Where is the parent when a young person needs to feel safe? Young people feel safe and secure in gangs. They have a familial unit in gangs. They know that the other gang members will protect them. They swear an oath to their gang to never leave. Only death takes a person out of a gang. They become one with the gang, instead of with the family unit. Identification: A Terminology Manual and Pictorial Guide. Under each gang heading, detailed information can be found describing graphic renditions and explanatory information regarding the gang. The designs might be rendered in the form of graffiti, tattoos or other symbols. Street gangs are not a new phenomenon they have existed in every country in one form or another throughout recorded history. There is a long history of street gangs in most metropolitan areas of the US, the first of which can be traced back as far as the 1920’s. In the initial stages, family members and close friends bonded together for self defense, then groups provided protection from rival gangs, and eventually, gangs came to rely on criminal activities as a source of income Today, street gangs can be a major challenge to criminal justice official, as in recent years, their activities have grown to include drug traffic, extortion, drive-by shootings and numerous acts of random violence. Gang members generally are young and impulsive, striking out at different elements of society in wanton fashion. They often lack the group discipline necessary to prevent members from acting individually or in Ga smaller groups. They intimidate neighborhoods, making citizens extremely reluctant to assist law enforcement officials pursuing criminal investigation. As members of street gangs are confined in prison, they carry their affiliations with them and pose significant control problems. As the number of these individuals in prison grows, they potentially pose a far greater problem to correctional staff than many existing prison gangs. Street gang members share a general outlook on life which includes loyalty to other members and portraying a callous and ruthless image one that can be enhanced by drive-by shooting, robberies or other crimes. The more violent and dangerous a particular gang member is perceived to be, the more respect he is accorded by both fellow and rival gang members. Some members develop a sociopathic mentality that differs radically from other types of juvenile offenders. Most criminally active youth are between the ages of 14 and 25, and most gang members are usually between the age of 9 and 25. However, some members may be in their 30’s or older. There is no traditional chain of command for many of these groups, although older members generally have the most influence. If a chronological approach based on age is used, the usual structural breakdown of street gangs is as follows: Original Gangsters: Other wise known as â€Å"OG’s†, these members are in the upper echelon of gang command. They tend to remain apart from the day-to-day gang activities, with many actually running legitimate businesses as fronts for their gang involvement. Gangsters: The gangster or â€Å"G’s† are the backbone of the street gang. They are usually younger than the original gangster’s, (14-17 years old,) and generally represent rank and file street gang membership. Pee Wees: Also called â€Å"Baby Gangsters†, they are usually (9-13 years old,) and are used by senior gang members for menial task like serving as runners, sentries or writing graffiti. Tiny Gangster: also called â€Å"TG’s† are the youngest member of gangs, usually between the age of six and nine. They primarily carryout very menial tasks for older gang members. Gang Communications: US street gangs place a major emphasis on communications. Many have developed intricate communications methods apparel worn in a specific manner, individual nicknames, selected and easily discernible â€Å"colors†, graphic symbols, and graffiti which have little or no special meaning to the untrained individual who is not a gang member. Gang members often communicate with each other by means of â€Å"placas† a form of nonverbal communication. Hand signs (flashing) and graffiti show gang affiliation, but also communicate ideas, e.g., an impending shooting. Gangs have several different ways of displaying their colors. They wear clothing that is the primary or secondary color of their gang and also may carry colored handkerchiefs to signify gang affiliation. The handkerchief may be carried inside the waist band as a flag. Street gangs are territorial and identify their territory by spray painting graffiti on walls, usually in the predominant color of the gang. The symbols portrayed in the graffiti not only signify turf, but chronicle the current state of gang affairs, rivalries, drug supplies, and other significant information. In essence, gangs believe it is extremely important to protect their symbols from insults by rivals; degradation of a gang symbol is an extreme insult. A gang emblem upside down has been degraded, and numerous gang wars and gang related murders have started with an insult of that type. As street gangs become better financed and more numerous, battles for territorial control become more violent. A potentially deadly tactic for attacking rival gang members is the drive-by shooting gang members using pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, or fully automatic weapons fire on targets from moving vehicles. Of the many homicides resulting from drive-by shootings, many have involved innocent bystanders. Gang Organization: Typically, street gangs lack the sophisticated organizational structure, discipline, and lack the sophisticated organizational structure, discipline, and narrowly-focused mission of established adult gangs, such as the Aryan Brotherhood, Texas Syndicate, and others, or of other major disruptive groups such as La Cosa Nostra and South American drug cartels. However, gangs in a few cities are quite sophisticated, and have aligned themselves under umbrella structures called â€Å"Nations† or â€Å"Sets†. How gang activity affects the community: 1. Increases in crime. 2. Increases in cost for police services. 3. Increases in cost for security services for businesses, and schools. 4. Increases burden on social services for businesses and schools. 5. Increased burden on social service systems and emergency and hospital systems. 6. Influences business recruitment, and overall city economic development impacts overall image of city, causes trauma, grief, confusion and depression over the injury and death of a loved one because of gang violence. 7. Increases the likelihood of you becoming a victim of crime, damages personal property through acts of vandalism. 8. Increases fear for your personal safety or the safety of your neighborhood. 9. May cause you to become a victim of harassment and intimidation or other more violent acts of crime such as a drive by shooting. 10. DEATH. Who will gang activity affect: 1. Schools. 2. Movie theatres and arcades. 3. Parks and recreation centers. 4. Sporting events. 5. Shopping centers. 6. Apartments and multiple dwelling complexes. 7. Grocery and convenience stores. 8. Public transportation. 9. Hospital emergency departments. Types of criminal gang activities: 1. Intimidation, harassment, vandalism and criminal trespassing. 2. Shoplifting, burglaries, auto thefts and thefts. 3. Arson, sexual assaults/batteries and firearms/ weapons violations. 4. Robberies, kidnapping, murder, murder for hire, violence against law enforcement and drugs, both sale and possession. Gang Identifiers: The following list represents common identifiers that will help identifying street gang members. Please remember that because you find one of these identifiers on an individual. It does not mean the person is a gang member. To be sure, check further for other common characteristics. As you will see below, Folk Nation members dress to the right, while People Nation dresses to the left. 1. Pant Legs: A. Rolled up on the right side†¦Folk Nation. B. Rolled up on the left side†¦People Nation. 2. Fingernails: A. Gang members sometimes color, nails with their colors. B. The fingernails hat are painted are on the hand their gang represents. 3. Beads: A. A fad taken over by gangs. The beads are worn as part of their clothing, hair dresses, necklaces, or on their Shoes. 4. Hats: A. Tilted to the right†¦Folk Nation. B. Tilted to the left†¦People Nation. 5. Eyebrows, earrings, bandanas: A. Eyebrow hair will have 3 or more cuts in it on the side their gang represents. B. Earrings are worn on the side their gang represents. C. Bandanas are generally worn in the colors of their gang and on the side of the body that represents their gang these bandanas can be tied on the leg, wrist, or hung from the back pockets. Colors and Representations: The following is a brief representation of names and colors of the major gangs throughout the United States. Although there are minor differentials from State-to-State, these colors and symbols are commonplace and identifiable nationwide. Each gang can belong to another gang entity without losing faith for its original gang foundation, and although rare, such mixtures can be seen. 1. Folk Nation. Color: Blue G.S. / Gangster Disciples I.G. / Imperial Gangster Disciples (Miami Clik) I.G.D. / Insane Gangster Disciples B.G.D./Black Gangster Disciples M.G.D. / Maniac Gangster Disciples I.N.P. International posse (Miami clik) Y.L.O. / Young Latin Organization (Miami clik) 2. Crips (Crips and Folks together) Color: Blue Eight -Tray Gangster Rollin 60s Crazy Cs C-II Thug life Cs 3. Bloods. Color: Red L.K / Latin Kings V.L. / Vatos Locos A.M.L.K.Q.D.N. / Almighty Latin Kings and Queen Disciple Nation. 4. Bloods and Kings together. Color: Red U.B. / United Bloods S.B. / Southern Bloods B.B / Bishop Bloods C.B / Chapter 2 Bloods (Branch of the kings set) Piru / Crips who became Bloods (Piru is crip spelled backwards, with the c turned sideways). 5. OTHER CLIKS NOT INVOLVED WITH CRIPS OR BLOODS FROM MIAMI: L.B.B. / Latin Bad Boys Color: (Varies). L.B.H. / Little Havana Boys B.T.B. / Back To Back South Beach Posse D.O.M. Dominators Of Miami Y.L.O. / Young Latin Organization M.M.W. / Miamis Most Wanted P.I.C. / Partners In Crime 27ave Boys O.T.G / Over Town Gangsters H.C. / Hialeah Chicos I.G. / Imperial Gangsters C.H.S. / Chico Hit Squad King park Boys Merrick Park Posse Gland Park Boys Although this constitutes a relatively brief example of the gang structure in America, it should point out the detail of the gang mentality and its resourcefulness towards identification and sense of â€Å"family,† otherwise unknown to the gang member. Folk Symbols: Figure Series A. The following are symbols, and their meaning, used by the FOLKS street gangs, and affiliates to identify themselves. A. Six pointed star 6 principles of King David. B. Pitchfork the Nations power in the struggle to overcome oppression. C. Sword life and death within the nation and the struggle to survive at all costs. D. Devils Horns the nation’s determination to overcome all obstacles. E. Devils Tail the oppression that all non- white people suffer. F. Heart the love of a nation. G. Numbers 7 and 8 the year of the founding of the sons and daughters. Figure Series A. People Symbols: Figure Series B. The following are symbols, and their meanings, used by the PEOPLES street gangs and affiliates to identify themselves. A. Circle 360 degrees of the knowledge that black people once ruled the world and will again. B. Fire represents the Black Nations true knowledge of being suppressed, and their inability to reach knowledge because of the heat created by the fire. C. Darkness or the color black- represents the Black majority, not minority, of the world. D. Cresant Moons represents the splitting of the Black Nations into two parts, one of the West and one of the East. E. Star represents the eye of Allah, watching over his people. F. Pyramid- represents the mystery of the construction of the pyramid, which was constructed by Black people. The three corners of the triangle represent physical, mental, and spiritual knowledge. G. Sun represents the rising of truth in the Black Nation. Used only by Vice Lords. H. Hat- represents shelter. I. Cane- represents the staff of strength. J. Gloves represents purity. K. Latin Kings tattoos/ symbols. L. Five Pointed Crown is a symbol of the Latin Kings. Note the upside down pitchforks, which is a sign of disrespect to the folk nation. Figure Series B. MEXIKANEMI (Texas Mexican Mafia) Not to be confused with the Mexican Mafia (EME) Figure Series C. The Mexikanemi is the largest prison gang found in the Texas DOC. Mexikanemi translated means, Free Mexicans, are a relatively new organization, having formed in 1984. Better known as the Texas Mexican Mafia, it originally started out as a group of Texas DOC inmates trying to become more aware of their cultural heritage. As it grew, it rapidly changed from just being aware to becoming involved in extortion, narcotics trafficking and murder, both inside and outside the prison walls. Figure Series C. LA NUESTRA FAMILIA (NF) Figure Series D. The name translates to Our Family, originally formed in Soledad Prison, California in 1965, the membership is mostly rural, Northern California Hispanics. This very formal organizational structure is governed by a Board of Directors-type group, with a Kill on sight relationship with the Mexican Mafia (EME). This gang is heavily aligned with its Northern counterpart; the Nortenos gang, and is rapidly recruiting and growing in California, New Mexico and Arizona. The Mexican Mafia (EME), not to be confused with Mexikanemi (Texas Mexican Mafia) is a far larger, more influential and feared prison gang and membership is evident within both federal and state prison systems. Organized in the1950s in the California DOC at the Deuel Vocational Center, it’s made up mostly of urban Hispanic inmates from Southern California. This loosely structured military-like chain of command organization, is generally considered a â€Å"blood in-blood-out gang† and is usually at war with the Mexikanemi and the Luestra Familia, AKA: Nortenos or Northern structure. Allied with the Aryan Brotherhood for drug introduction purposes, exchange of hit contracts and financial matters. To this end, the film American Me, reported to be fairly factual, is about the founding of this prison gang. Figure Series D. SKIN HEAD GANGS: Figure Series E. Skinhead groups have been formed, with varying levels of organizational cohesion, in every religion of the country. (See the map on the next page showing where skinheads have been operating). Skinheads in different parts of the country are slowly forming a loose national network, owing their geographical mobility and efforts of more established leaders (particularly Tom Metzger) to publicize their activities. Skinhead leaders from Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit and Dallas have helped facilitate the organizing of groups in other cities, such as Milwaukee, Memphis, Springfield, Missouri and Toronto. At the same time, skinhead groups in some locations like Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have dropped from view in less than a year. In the case of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, the arrest of Reich Skin Leader Michael Martin and his subsequent conviction helped result in the dissolution of the group. It appears that effective responses by law enforcement authorities to skinhead violence helps reduce their profile and level of authority, and activity. Figure Series E. CONCLUSION Young people also join gangs to become members of something new, exciting and different. They perceive this change as good. They are willing to go along with whatever the gang does because they want new, exciting experiences. They experience guns and gang wars. They enjoy the thrill of the gang culture. There is no thrill in school or at home. Where is the parent when the young person needs to feel acceptance? Young people join gangs for acceptance. They desire to become a part of something accepting, which offers them a reason for being. Gangs accept anyone who is willing to swear to the oath of the gang. They try to seduce new members with their strength as a family. The child will forsake his/her real family for the gang. Gang membership is simply a way for some young people to meet the human needs for connection and self-esteem. They are not getting their needs met at home or school; so they turn to gangs to get those needs met. Schools do not provide experiences in which students can achieve success on their own. They do not meet the young persons need for self-esteem. Parents are too busy working or they are too tired to meet the needs of their offspring, or in many cases, there are no parents. Schools departmentalize students. They do not actively involve students in the teaching-learning process. Young people today are very diverse. They need their needs met. Gangs meet their needs. Young people today are faced with more situations today, now than ever before. They have to make split second decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. They chose gangs, because gangs are a comfort zone for them. They get caught up in the dynamics of gang existence. Those that have families forsake them for gangs, because gangs offer them something that the family does not. For law enforcement to curtail the problem of gangs, they must first get at the problem of families. Various outreach programs can do this. A childs life is at risk in this situation. Law enforcement agencies can not work alone, however. Without the assistance of the community, they have a difficult time of making a dent in the problem of gangs. Not all of a childs needs will ever be completely met by home and school, but those needs are an important consideration. A child is the future generation. If he/she is allowed to succumb to the gang life, he/she will not live to become one of tomorrows leaders. Law enforcement agencies should form task forces to curtail gang development. If children do not see gangs in a positive light they will be more inclined to say no to gang membership. It is of vital importance that programs such as GREAT be initiated in schools. Gangs need to be de-glamorized by the law enforcement agencies. They should have former gang members speak to young people about the serious consequences of gang involvement. They should use whatever scare tactics necessary to dissuade gang membership. They should show the results of gang membership, which is often death due to the violent nature of gang membership, and death is not a pretty picture. Children need a nurturing environment, but they also need an understanding of what gang membership means. Gangs are not a way out of a bad situation; they are, however, a way into an even worse situation. The police can not stop this phenomenon by themselves but they can be leaders in promoting the curtailing of the problem of gangs. References Agnew, Robert; Brezina, Timothy (1997, September), Relational problems with peers, gender, and delinquency, Youth Society, v29 n1 pp. 84(28). Brogan, Thomas C. (1995, June 1), Book reviews, Perspectives on Political Science, Vol. 24, pp. 186. Danitz, Tiffany (1998, July 6), Keeping kids out of gangs, (Nation: Fighting Crime), Insight on the News, v14 n25 pp. 14(2). Dukes, Richard L.; Valentine, Jennifer (1998, July), Gang membership and bias against young people who break the law, The Social Science Journal, v35 n3 pp. 347(14). Lounsbury, John H. (1996, March 13), Please, not another program. (special education programs for problem youth), (Special Section: Young Adolescents At Risk)., The Clearing House, Vol. 69, pp. 211(3). Warr, Mark (1993, September), Parents, peers, and delinquency, Social Forces, v72 n1 pp. 247(18). Research Papers on Gang Mentality in America - A Breif OverviewThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is ArtWhere Wild and West MeetEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenCapital PunishmentRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraPETSTEL analysis of IndiaBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm X

5 Step Power Plan on How to Impress in an Interview

5 Step Power Plan on How to Impress in an Interview It’s sometimes easy to get caught up in doing what we think we’re supposed to do and thinking it’s enough to get the job. We go into interviews thinking we just need to answer all of the interviewer’s questions correctly, pleasantly, and that there is nothing else to it. But that isn’t always the case. More and more hiring managers are looking to be wowed, looking for that interviewee who really stands out from the crowd. Here are 5 ways to make sure you get your interviewer’s attention right off the bat- and hold it.1. Kick off the conversation yourself.Instead of meekly following your interviewer into a room, sitting down, and waiting to be asked your first torture question, why not grab the bull by the horns? Come up with a good ice breaker or- better yet- a question relevant to the hiring manager or the job you’re applying for. Start the conversation off yourself. Your interviewer will be surprised and probably delighted. Get off t he tired script before you’re even on it.2. Turn the tables.If you do get on the script and want off again, look out for ways to turn the table. If the interviewer goes with the standard â€Å"Tell us about yourself† question, give her a few bullet points then pivot: â€Å"I hate to rattle on about myself. Can I ask you a question about your role here to make sure I’m focusing on details that are most relevant for you?†Again, you’ll need to have this question already planned out. Next thing you know, you’re interviewer will be talking again. And you’ll be getting valuable insight and scoring listening points. Plus, hopefully you’re figuring out how to come up with a way to offer yourself up as the ideal solution to the company’s problems. All while sitting back and becoming more and more comfortable in the interviewing room.3. Ask about company problem spots.This only works once you get past the by-rote HR interview type s and get to sit down with your potential supervisor. You need to figure out what the company’s biggest problem is- their pain, so to speak. Don’t diagnosis this yourself; that might come off as arrogant or insulting or presumptuous. Ask a number of excellent (and pre-prepared questions) that get your manager talking about challenges they’ve faced (couch these with compliments first, of course).  4. Learn the stakes of the problems.Once you figure out what’s ailing the company, or just your manager and her team, it’s best to figure out what the consequences of this problem are. Start asking questions around the pain points. Don’t be a bully, and don’t be too transparent in picking things apart, but do get your interviewer talking so she herself admits just how much of a problem the problem is. Get nitty gritty with details. This also helps show your interest and expertise in the workings of the job.5.  Show that you’re the one who can solve them.Now you know what your manager’s biggest problem is. And she knows that you know. She’s going to want to ask how you would solve it. Pivot again! The last thing you want to do is rattle off some strategy that they have likely already tried to no avail.Keep your brilliant solutions to yourself for the time being. Say something like, â€Å"I would certainly need to learn more first, from on the ground here.† Then go on to describe another, similar, but hopefully even bigger problem you tackled at a previous job. Set it up dramatically, make sure your interviewer knows the stakes were high, then describe just how you struck the final blow and solved the problem. She’ll be so dazzled, she’ll hardly make eye contact with the next few interviewees as she tries to imagine you slaying all of her dragon’s as well.What’s most important to remember is that you are not a sheep. You do not have to be ordinary or follow any s cripts. In fact, it’s almost always a better idea to stand out from the crowd. Be intelligent, respectful, extremely well prepared, but also your innovative, exciting self.

The Palace of Minos at Knossos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Palace of Minos at Knossos - Essay Example There are indications of proper systems of obtainment of natural light during the day. There are signs of proper systems of drainage and water supply. As far as heat is concerned, the palace gives no signs of proper systems for the control of cool and chilled winds in winter seasons (Benton and DiYanni, 1998). Because of the facilitation of natural light, the constructors of the palace had to provide a lot of openings for the incoming light and these facilitations of light appear to be problematic in winter seasons. In night, there were employment of ceramic lamps and candles with olive oil (Dempsey, 2007). The palace of Minos at Knossos served for many purposes according to the archaeologists. It served as an administrative center for the people of Crete. It also served as a religious center for the people of Crete. It also worked as storage of food so; it also served as a food storage center for the people of Crete (Bourbon, 1998). The palace is not like those palaces that provide residential facilities but as a place that provided working facilities as the archaeologists found no furniture or objects that can be called as beds or other residential features (Dempsey, 2007). The palace of Minos at Knossos is regarded as the major site for the analysis of Bronze Age buildings prevalent till this time. It is archeologically the largest building found related to Bronze Age (Bourbon, 1998). It is located at Crete. It gives a clear overview of Minoan culture and civilization. Tourists from all over the world visit the palace in order to judge the features of Bronze Age still found in the world today. The palace of Minos at Knossos is named after the discoverer, Minos Kalokairinos (Benton and DiYanni, 1998). The discovery can be traced back in 1878. The palace can also be named on the King Minos of Crete for whom; it was constructed according to the mythology. With the discovery of the palace, it

Second rich generation in china Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Second rich generation in china - Essay Example This means that they are mainly reliant on their families, which are filthy rich. Through this character, a serious economic challenge comes up, and the economic future of the country stands to be threatened if these people are consumers and are not working to expand their parents businesses. Although, some people saying â€Å"SRG† are only a very small group of people, they cannot make any huge influence. Considering the behavior they have now and the wealth they will control in the future, I am still thinking they will make a huge negative impact to Chinese society and economy in the near future. The building of an economy required the input of all the citizens in a country. Since 1980s there were a group of hardworking people, they used their intelligence and knowledge to help China finished industrialization. Their hardworking not only made them become the first group of billionaires in China but also helped the country grown to be one of the giant economies in the world. However, most of their children are not diligent as their parents, they have decided to sit back and eat what their parents made. Compare to business, they are seem to be more interested in the sports cars and private jets. This is a very dangerous scenario given that there is no income that is generated from this generation. I interviewed a SRG recently, although he indicated that he wants to have his own career and pay for his own life in the future. He still admitted that it is not easy to do and most of the SRG now are not thinking like him. According to Liu (2012) Songyang Fu’s father was the owner of a still factory near Beijing. A car accident took away his father’s life in 2006 and Fu was only nineteen. Fu inherited his father’s legacy and became the thirtieth richest person in China on the Forbes’s rank. However Fu was not interested in his father’s steel business at all. He decided to use his father’s money to realize his own

Is Multiculturalism good for Britain OR How important is the UK Essay

Is Multiculturalism good for Britain OR How important is the UK economy in shaping British society - Essay Example It has been hugely appreciated and encouraged for long, however, in today’s scenario of terrorism, especially after 2001 riots and 7 July bombings in Britain, multiculturalism is highly questioned for its reliability and its continuity as policy in future. There are many concerns but most important highlight is the segregation rather than integration of cultures due to multiculturalism. This paper studies the different perspectives about multiculturalism and its background briefly in order to determine whether it is good for Britain or not. For understanding multiculturalism in Britain it is crucial to define multiculturalism in its simple and genuine meaning as Sivanandan (2006) stated: ‘Multiculturalism simply means cultural diversity, and that diversity can either be a good thing, leading to integration, or a bad thing, leading to separatism. It is the socio-economic context and the country’s policies that determine the direction in which multiculturalism develops.’ In order to decide whether Multiculturalism is good or bad for Britain, it is crucial to understand the beginning of multicultural Britain. Despite the classic definition of Roy Jenkins’, ‘Integration is not a flattening process of assimilation but equal opportunity accompanied by cultural diversity in an atmosphere of mutual tolerance’(cited in Sivanandan 2006) racial discrimination continued to flourish in employment, social services and other areas and mutual tolerance was destabilized by self-interest of politicians who used anti-immigration agenda for getting votes. Cultural diversity is not any of the government’s decree but an expression of unified struggle and a joint fight of people from different communities, faiths, religions and locals. They were Asian, Afro-Caribbean and Whites who achieved unity in diversity which led to the government’s initiative of anti-discrimination legislation in Race Relation Acts of 65, 68 and 76.This was the t rue

Rapid Change in Sentencing Processes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rapid Change in Sentencing Processes - Essay Example In addition, use of evidence-based research has also enhanced fairness in the sentencing process. In a bid to promote peace and unity in the country through the sentencing and correction process, the state adopted the restorative and community justice (Allen, Latessa and Ponder, 2009). This program provides new ways of viewing and responding to crimes in the country. The fundamental assumption of this program is that crime is destructive and results in poor relationship ties in the community. The sentence decision-making process involves the offender and the victim with the rest of community members free to contribute their views. Though this program is in effect in the country, it is only useful in limited cases. The program is adopted in cases that involve juveniles and minor offenses in the society. In addition, the decision of the Supreme Court to abolish the mandatory use of federal sentencing guidelines also impacted positively on the sentencing process. In the past decades, the government expected judges to follow the federal guidelines strictly to determine cases. These guidelines provided a range of jail terms for different cases committed. Besides the guidelines provided exact fines for various offenses committed. The decision of the Supreme Court gave judges freedom to perform their work efficiently. The decision meant judges were at liberty to make their decisions concerning sentencing and fines for various crimes. Although the decision gave judges freedom, the decisions they make must be rational and wise. The need for fairness and independence of judges and other arbitrators necessitated this decision. Furthermore, it also brought the much-needed fairness in the judicial system for both the judges and the victims. In addition, the judicial system adopted evidence-based corrections (Mackenzie, 2001). Currently, the legal system uses research-based evidence as opposed to the previous verbal based corrections. The sentencing

Travelocity SWOT Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Travelocity SWOT Analysis - Essay Example We market these net rate offerings to travelers at a price that includes service fees that we retain, plus an amount sufficient to pay the travel supplier for its charge for providing the travel accommodations, along with any applicable occupancy and other local taxes on that charge. For this type of business model, we require pre-payment by the traveler at the time of booking. High customer acquisition costs, as the marketing and promotional costs are quite high to deal with and it is challenging to upgrade the features of online portal quite often. A new feature from competitor keep Travelocity on toes as it may deviate Travelocity's customers. Customers may reduce transactions through our distribution channels, which could reduce Travelocity revenues: business segments have objectives that lead to conflicts with customers of other business segments related to parent company "Sabre". For example, Travelocity and Travelocity Business operations compete with travel-agency subscribers of Sabre Travel Network. That competition could cause current or potential travel agency subscribers to elect to use competing GDS providers, websites or other channels of travel distribution, which could reduce our transaction fee revenue and materially adversely affect our business. Opportunities: Sustainable global corporate customers' growth creates an opportunity to provide right customer experience and extend the corporate associations for a long period of time. As travel industry is extremely competitive, companies have to target to retain their most valuable clients. Along with retaining clients it has to look out for new clients & markets for considerable growth opportunity. Opportunities to explore the new markets as the internet penetration in developing countries is on raise and E-Commerce is evolving tool for travel purchase. Countries like India where internet penetration is picking up at rapid pace have to be explored with aggressive marketing and promotional strategies. Opportunities exist for online booking for rail and road travel across the globe as it is the basic mode of the common man's travel. Threats: Economic downturns, rising fuel costs and the financial instability of travel suppliers in recent times have bought the confidence levels of travel markets to an all time low. Political instability, acts of terrorism, hostilities and war have created a negative perception on the travelers mind