Possible causes of destruction from space ( solar storms and possible Essay

Possible causes of destruction from space ( solar storms and possible impact from an asteroid or comet) that could lead to an apocalypse - Essay Example In that context, the longevity of earth is to a great extent a matter of coincidence and the spatial phenomenon like solar storms, and collision with asteroids or comets do have the potential to give way to an apocalypse. Before delving on the possible apocalyptic consequences of solar storms, one needs to delve into the scientific basis of these solar phenomenons. Simply speaking, a solar storm may refer to solar flare, Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) or a geomagnetic storm. The solar flares mostly get noticed as an abrupt brightening on the surface of the sun (Shipman, 1987, p. 266). This brightening of the solar surface is often interpreted as a massive release of energy of gargantuan proportions (Shipman, 1987, p. 266). The solar flares result into large scale ejections of atoms, ions and electrons from the sun’s corona into the space (Shipman, 1987, p. 266). These ejections of atomic and subatomic particles resulting from a solar flare do manage to reach the earth’s atmosphere. It is a possibility that the solar flares accompanied by a large scale energy release do have the potential to disrupt and even destroy the life on earth. It is a known fact that the sun’s energy does influence electromagnetic fields and the weather on earth. An unprecedented solar activity could someday drastically impact the human survival. They have the potential to drastically jeopardize the modern life by causing natural disasters, earthquakes, Tsuna mis, disrupting communication technologies, giving way to genetic mutations, jamming radio and satellite signals, and a plethora of other scientifically valid possibilities. It is a possibility that the very life nurturing potential of the sun could someday lead to an apocalypse. Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), simply put is a large scale burst of magnetic fields, solar wind and plasma from the sun’s corona into space (Ridpath, 1997, p.

Deontology, Utilitarianism, and Virtue Ethics Essay

Deontology, Utilitarianism, and Virtue Ethics - Essay Example Decisions and actions should be geared towards fulfilling obligations and existing laws. Consequently, acts that meet the expectations are considered ethical and those that do not meet the expectations are considered unethical. The theory therefore offers no regards to people’s immediate welfare, may subject actors to conflict of interest, and it is not based on rationale. Utilitarianism, however, focuses on consequences of an action or decision, instead of existing rules and obligation that a person has to others. According to utilitarian theory, negative and positive effects of a decision or actions are considered and net effects used to determine morality. Those acts and decisions that yield net benefits are considered ethical, unlike those that offer net harm. This establishes the basis of determining morality as a difference between deontology and utilitarianism as deontology relies on rules and obligations while utilitarianism relies on effects of an act or a decision. U tilitarianism also remedies deontology’s weakness of lack of rationale and this identifies a difference. Focusing on consequences also establishes consistency and therefore minimizes conflicts. However, the two theories aims at determining morality in actions and decisions (Manias, E., Manias, N., & Monroe, 2013). Analysis of virtue ethics, with the other two theories, also identifies both similarities and differences. The theory distinguishes rights and wrongs, just as deontology and utilitarianism.

Performance evaluation and measurment in Abu Dhabi police department Essay

Performance evaluation and measurment in Abu Dhabi police department - Essay Example This paper analyzes the suitability of different performance evaluation metrics based on chosen criteria for evaluation and recommends the implementation of ‘Balanced Scorecard’ approach to performance measurement in Abu Dhabi Police Department and illustrates the application of this performance measurement tool as part of a strategic planning initiative. Keeping the maintenance of security and stability as the main goal the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters has framed its strategic initiatives for excelling in its performance. The strategic priorities include (i) effective controlling of the crime, (ii) increasing the confidence of the community in police and public safety services, (iii) maintaining security and safety in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, (iv) making commuting through the roads safer, (v) improving the performance of the staff of the department by implementing the best international practices and (vi) providing all policing operations with functional support (Abu Dhabi Police Strategic Plan, 2008). The responsibility for improving meeting these strategic priorities and improving the performance has been entrusted with the Strategic Management and Performance Improvement Department reporting directly to the Commander General of Abu Dhabi Police. Unlike many of the other police forces in the world, the aim of Abu Dhabi Police does not stop with achieving peace by reducing crime. The Department embarks upon much deeper and concept of performance which is more visionary in nature. Therefore the objective of Strategic Management and Performance Improvement Department is to transform the Abu Dhabi Policemen from the conventional symbol of watcher and guardian to the a non-traditional image of the comprehensive employee. This calls for a complete relook into the performance appraisal system and suggest suitable alternatives so that the Department can contribute more the maintenance of peace, tradition and justice

Boeing Porter's Five Forces Industry analysis Assignment

Boeing Porter's Five Forces Industry analysis - Assignment Example This is mainly because they are highly entrenched in their airport hubs, making it difficult for new companies to find space in these air ports (Clougherty and Zhang, 2008). Furthermore, smaller airports do not have enough passing traffic that can make these new airlines companies to post some profits. High fuel prices are one of the most dominant barriers for new airline companies (Mouawad, 4). This is because it accounts for approximately 50% of the costs that these airline companies are able to incur (Peoples, 2012). The high number of mergers is also another reason that prevents new companies from entering the market. These companies manage to control a large segment of the market, making it hard for new entities to penetrate. Companies such as Hawaiian airlines, Allegiant Air, and Spirit Airlines managed to survive this competition by creating their own niche market, hence avoiding direct competition with these major airlines (Fojt, 2006). There is also a high level of research and development budget that is required for new entrants into this market. It is virtually impossible to compete in this industry, when the new company does not have information about its competitors, target market, etc (Williams, 2002). Acquiring this type of information requires a great deal of research, which is very expensive. Furthermore, the airline industry has loyal customers, who will only take the national carrier. Based on these facts, threats of new entrants to Boeing are low. The intensity of competition facing Boeing is very high. This is because the industry comprises of large airline companies offering the same services. The airline industry does not have any market leader, and their strategies are not different (Fojt, 2006). This is the reason why most airline companies are forming mergers for purposes of competing efficiently with their competitors (Grundy, 2012).

Race and Ethnicity Essay Example for Free

Race and Ethnicity Essay Crash is highly ambiguous in the depiction of multiculturalism in American society. Almost all the ethnicities depicted in Crash question the perception others have their particular group, but at the same time affirm the different stereotypes surrounding their ethnic group. For example, one of the black characters (‘Anthony’) remarks that they should be afraid in a white neighborhood, due to their group’s association with crime. Following this intelligent observation, he and his friend (‘Peter’) proceed to steal a car from a white couple (Rick and Jean Cabot), affirming the stereotype whites have of them. Another example would be the Persian-American father, who is accused by a gun-store owner to be a danger to society, The father denies this fact, but ends up shooting a child. This ambiguous portrayal shows us one of the dilemmas of Multiculturalism in American society. While it strives to acknowledge diversity, it also promotes color consciousness by rejecting color-blind solutions. To quote Gordon and Newfield â€Å"Multiculturalism in the 1980’s sponsored renewed protests against white racism and yet it appeared to replace the emphasis on race and racism with an emphasis on cultural diversity. Multiculturalism rejected racial subordination but seemed sometimes to support itâ€Å". While Gordon and Newfield also attest that â€Å"multiculturalism often avoided race. It designated cultures†, but multiculturalism in Crash inexorably comes down to race and ethnicity. The characters in Crash think in terms of race or ethnicity, not culture. Despite the fact that every major character is culturally ‘American’, race is the definitive factor in determining identity. The upper-class African-American Cameron is accused of not being ‘black’ enough. The Persian-American father is angered that he is mistaken for being an Arab (traditionally considered to be part of the Hamitic race), while both ethnicities can be considered part of Islamic culture. The Asian-American characters and the Cambodian immigrants are first and foremost ‘Asian’ and no attempt is made to distinguish them culturally. This can clearly be seen at the end of the movie; Anthony drops the Cambodians off in Chinatown, an ‘Asian’ neighborhood, inhabited by Chinese-Americans whose culture and language is completely foreign to the Cambodians. Furthermore everyone from South-American is labeled as Latino or Hispanic, despite the fact that Brazilians are culturally and linguistically Portuguese and that Argentina is more ‘white’ than the United States. Detective Ria is called Mexican (the most common Hispanic group in Los Angeles) multiple times in the movie, despite having a shared Puerto Rican and El-Salvadorian background. One must understand that there is a racial divide or a perceived racial divide in American society, not just between the white American majority and minority groups but between different minority groups as well. This is best seen during Crash’s opening scene, where a ‘native’ Asian-American woman (Kim Lee) accuses the ‘native’ Hispanic Ria of being an illegal immigrant in broken English. Another example would be the privileged African-American Cameron. After an attempted carjacking, he is mistaken for one of the carjackers, due to his belligerent attitude and encounters a racial divide that completely nullifies his privileged position. In other words, his upper-class job gave him a degree of ‘whiteness’, which dissipates when he is mistaken for a ‘black’ thug. The racial divide is best described by Ronald Takaki, a Japanese-American and a professor on multicultural American during an encounter with a taxi driver. The taxi driver asked how long he had been in the US; Takaki interpreted his question in terms of race: â€Å"Somehow I did not look ‘American’ to him; my eyes and complexion looked foreign. Suddenly we both became aware of a racial divide between us†. For the taxi driver, an Asian man speaking good English was somehow remarkable and likely made his comment without any racist connotations. For the Japanese-American Takaki, it was a reminder that the notion of ‘Americaness’ was still closely related to race. Another Academic, Schlesinger notes that â€Å"The bonds of cohesion in our society are sufficiently fragile, or so it seems to me, that it makes no sense to strain them by encouraging and exalting cultural and linguistic apartheid. The American identity will never be fixed and final; it will always be in the making†. Despite being an assimilationist, Schlesinger has a valid argument, at least with this quote. ‘American’ is not a fixed identity; it means different things to different minority groups. For the Asian-American woman, speaking broken English raised no questions regarding her Asian-American identity, while the Hispanic Ria was dumbfounded by the fact that the women accused her of being an illegal in broken English. Schlesinger correctly notes how fragile the bonds between the different ethnic groups are. This returns in Crash, where almost every ‘multicultural’ interaction is the result of a crash or conflict. As Gordon and Newfield point out in their essay, multiculturalism might have placed the emphasis on cultural diversity, rather than race or racism, but it has done little to deal with the underlying racial divide that exists in American society. Bibliography â€Å"Argentina Demographics Profile 2010†, Index Mundi, accessed 10-3-2010, http://www. indexmundi. com/argentina/demographics_profile. html Avery Gordon and Christopher Newfield, Mapping Multiculturalism (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1996), 3-4 Schlesinger, Arthur M. , The Disuniting of America: Reflections on a Multicultural Society (New York: Norton, 1992) 137-138 Takaki, Ronald, A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America (New York: Back Bay Books, 1993) 1-2.

Pressure Groups And Stability Of Regime In Pakistan

Pressure Groups And Stability Of Regime In Pakistan The literature review will focus on the issues and the reasons that affect the stability of regime in Pakistan, mainly focusing on the different forms of pressure groups, the role they have played, whether positive or negative in the past and what is the future of Pakistan if these pressure groups continue to be dominating and influential. Also some of the important eras will be highlighted like Zias regime or Musharrafs regime. Most of the articles are basically theory based with no such statistical model applied and basically focus on the prevailing instability in Pakistan and issues related to it. According to the writer the reason behind the instability is basically the lack of a proper political system in Pakistan. No government has survived for long and successfully. The national assembly has been dissolved 10 times and 3 times the reason was military interference. No political parties have worked together in peace. There has been always a conflict of interest or power. At the same time religious parties have created their own brand of Islam and are exploiting the situation. Lack of fair elections and corruption has led to extreme cases like political victimization and political polarisation. Even though democratic political institutions exist they are weak and fragile. Another factor is of the existence of feudal lords, which has caused a structural imbalance between the middle class, and the upper class, which comprises of mostly landlords and industrialists. Majority of the power lies in the hands of the upper class. Another issue that has been highlighted in the article is the ethnic conflict that has been in debate for years. Other issues that are discussed in the article are the role of army, rising power of the religious parties and lack of proper rule of law. To conclude the article discusses that future of Pakistan lies in a more democratic environment where there is less corruption and the role of judiciary would be stronger in maintaining a balance between the arbitrary power and the party in power. Today the masses are more informed about the political system in Pakistan and one way it has contributed to the development of the country as a whole however there are other major factors like increase in the level of suicide attacks, food shortage, water and power shortage which has adversely affected the country. What was a basic ideology for the existence of the country is now more of a pressure group that seeks to gain power by exploiting the constant military intervention and forcing out the secular political parties. The creation of political polarisation amongst civilian and military, among different ethnic groups and provincial groups and among Islamists and secularist has disrupted the regime stability. Also now religious pressure groups have become more powerful, well armed and well financed and influence different branches of government. People have lost trust in the secular parties like Muslim League (Nawaz) and PPP and at the same time most of the military rulers have used Islamist for their own political purpose, be it Zia or be it Musharraf. According to the author the best way to control the growing power of Islamists is through democracy and strengthening the civil society. Also he suggests that U.S intervention in such matter should be taken especially after September 11 attac ks. The biggest limitation of this article is that it focused more on the role of Islamist in the past than their existing role. Also the conclusion is very uncertain and vague as to how should this pressure group be controlled. The condition of Pakistan is deteriorating and if we look at the current scenario the one of the biggest problem the religious groups that has created disruption and fear among the lives of the people. The writer focuses more on the past the past then the future. From 1947-1958 the two most economically powerful pressure groups in West Pakistan were the landlords and the business groups. In East Pakistan the power lied in the hands of the middle class income groups, after the land acquisition act in 1951. Whereas in West Pakistan feudalism was on it peak whereby one-fifth of the cultivable land was owned by one-half of one percent of the owners. Not only were these landowners active in politics by capturing the majority seats in the assembly. In provincial elections in 1951 in the former Punjab about 80 percent of the members elected were landlords. Out of 40 members in the constituent assembly 28 members were landlord groups. The landlords groups have been long engaged in rivalries. As rival groups were more or less in agreement in retaining their landed interests, politics in Pakistan has become a cynical pursuit of sheer power. The domination of feudal lords and family rivalries affected the politics of Pakistan. The influence of business groups was small since at that time there were few industries. It was indirect, whereby they were formally organized and they put effective pressure on the decision-making authorities from outside the governmental institution. The labor class is very weak, but slowly the trade unions are growing strong and influential when it comes to labor issues. Feudal system is still prevalent in the rural areas whereby the decision of the big landlord is considered to be the final verdict. Also the major leaders of political parties have the landowning background be it Asif Ali zardari, Sharif brothers or Altaf hussain. These landowners due to their rivalries have affected the stability in a bad way. Even though this article is very old but is of extreme relevance as discuses the root cause that lead to the emergence of Pressure groups in Pakistan and is can be of importance when comparing the regimes over-time and how the roles have changed. The later impact of this was that when Zias regime ended the position and the jobs that were promised to the religious Ulemas who had no formal education but merely an informal education in the madrasas were rejected. This frustrated the religious militancy, which resulted in an extreme behavior and disruption. Furthermore religious groups can be categorized as the role of Taliban in destruction of Pakistan. The impact of the training of Talibans during the Afghanistan war and providing them with arms and funding them has now become problematic for Pakistan with a huge number of suicide attacks happening and terrorizing the whole country. Zia-ul-haq immense support for the Islamic activists has resulted in the religious polarisation that exists in todays Pakistan. The statistics say that by 1996 there were around 2463 madrasas only in Punjab and 1700 were supported from outside sources that included the Persian Gulf and Middle East. These Islamic teaching centers are more now a centr al place for the political activities. Thus, it can be concluded from this article that the rise of Islamists and constant battle between Sunni and Shia has resulted in instability in Pakistan over the years. However Pakistan which is presided by Musharraf and is in the shackles of economic recession and anarchy needs heavy financing for not only sustaining the Musharrafs regime but also its economic well being. Despite strong U.S alliance it doesnt do a sufficient to save Pakistan from drenching. Religious extremism diverts a lot of attention of the government of Pakistan as the attacks and events leading to deaths and bloodshed have recently increased in the country. People feel insecure and threatened by their own fellows. In the name of religion wrong doers are exploiting the weaker ones. Military has taken over the country, sometimes directly by enforcing Marshal law and sometimes indirectly by influencing the government when making the decisions. Also the prevailing condition as the country is on the verge of Civil war military is more active within the country than on the outskirts to protect it from its neighbors. The four categories of elites are economic, political social and religious. Each of these exerts different levels of influence over the government. According to the author Political elites include, officers, and members of large landowning families. Economic elites include the industrialist class, which can be considered as newly wealthy and newly influential. The conflict between the two elite classes is one of the major reasons for instability. As 4th president has been dismissed since 1988, the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif won the majority of seats however Benazir Bhutto claimed that the elections were unfair and there has been extensive fraud. Although PPP became popular because of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for giving an ordinary man a political voice but Benazir ruled the party in a completely opposite opinion of her father by supporting privatization over nationalization and viewing US as a major ally rather than a potential threat. From a position of weakness in martial law period the judiciary has began to re-assert its independence. However, the role of judges is still controversial. The emergence of free press was a positive sign but at the same time, Pakistans mismanagement of economies reflects the weakness of the political structure. The political game has taken over a priority in the long-term policy making. Problems such as fiscal deficiency, debt and long-term business interest erosion have always drifted the economi c cursor. The increase in ethnic fragmentation, religious extremism and centralization if political power has created political crisis which needs to be solved as soon as possible otherwise it will result in civil war amongst the ethnic groups, domestic and international terrorism and implementation of marshal law. Not only the government of Pakistan should work on this but also should form allies with the external players like US, Japan and European Union (EU). Furthermore in this article the author talked about the regime of Nawaz Sharif as this article is written during that period of time. Here the writer highlights some of policies adopted by Nawaz Sharif, in which he aims at centralizing the power to the central and creating anarchy. Furthermore the conflicts between the ethnic groups have increased widely whereby Punjab is considered to be the most popular, developed and largely focused on in terms of allocating resources, improving education system. This has resulted in other 3 provinc es becoming more backward and less developed and sense of deprivation. The writer also discusses on how the civil institution have weakened during Nawaz Sharifs era as he is trying to gain popular support of the military. Other problems that were identified in the article were drug trafficking and settling of refugees. In conclusion the writer has basically focused on support from the international players. first is democratization and civil-military relations; and second islamization and Islamisms relation to the state. Both of issues are separate yet interdependent on each other and needs to be analyzed and focused on as the future of the country is at stake. The writer also highlighted Musharrafs era and despite that he was more liberal than Zia but he used the brand of Islam and is exploiting the public.

Essay --

Looking back at America’s past wars I wonder what would have happened if we lost any of them? What would’ve happened if we lost in the war against Great Britain? What would have happened if we lost in any other war from our pass? There is a strong possibility that this country would have been governed by a form dictatorship, not a state of democracy. War to many is seen as destruction and death to millions of innocent and guilty individuals. But war is much more than just destruction and death; it’s about defending one’s country honor and improving individual’s way of life. Having a strong and powerful military is great for a nation for reason, it can defend, and it can boost the nations economy. Structurally, when different societies and cultural groups look at the military, they should ask this question, â€Å"What makes the military so intimidating to the point we despise it?† In my opinion, the military probably seems intimidating because of their nonstop technological advancements and using anthropologist to help better them understanding a different culture from their own and also go to war with an enemy without harming innocent civilians. Yes, it can be said as well as seen, that the American military spends billions of dollars each year creating and advancing their technology to â€Å"outgun† their enemy during times of war (Lutz). The billions of dollars that the American government uses towards military not alone creates weapons of war, it also provides jobs and keeps a steadiness in the business cycle (Lutz). Even though the government spends a very large amount of money on the military cultural groups tend to overlook the cultural intelligence that also being used to overcome and overpower the enemy. The Human Terrain System (HT... ... as peacemakers in a warzone, they are often looked upon as individuals who are promoting war. The HTS program was designed to mix troop education, ethnography and save lives in communities and territories. Death is evitable it can never be prevented. Death can happen at anytime, anywhere under any circumstances. Like the soldiers who enlisted in the military, the anthropologist knew there was a slight possibility that they would be killed in a foreign country. I feel as though both the anthropologist and soldiers are putting their lives on the line so the world can be a safer place for future generations. When I look at both the military and the brave anthropologist who are apart the HTS program I look at two completely different occupations with one common goal, trying to find a safer way for different cultures and society to cohabit the world with being enemies.