Turing Test from Computer Science

The importance of the Turing Test First of all, there is a need to point out that the Turing Test was created to determine artificial intelligence of the machine. In other words, the original aim of test creation was to understand whether the machine can think or no. Oppy Graham and Dowe David (2011) are of the opinion that, â€Å"The phrase The Turing Test is sometimes used more generally to refer to some kinds of behavioural tests for the presence of mind, or thought, or intelligence in putatively minded entities† (para. 2).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Turing Test from Computer Science specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While investigating artificial intelligence, one is to determine the basic aims of the test. So, the primary goals are to understand the nature of the process of thinking, and the ways intelligent entities are built. While analyzing human intelligence in relation to the Turing Test, one is to determine the functions, the degree they are fulfilled, and the ways these functions are carried out. Machine learning, automated reasoning, knowledge representation, and natural language processing are the required capabilities to succeed in passing the test. Objective idea of intelligence is considered to be the most important advantage of the test. Tyler Cowen and Michelle Dawson (2009) state that, â€Å"To pass the test, the machine has to be intelligent but it also should be responsive in a manner which cannot be distinguished from a human being† (p. 1). While speaking about thinking humanly, one is to keep in mind the so-called cognitive science approach. In other words, this approach should reflect the way the human mind works and the process computer systems should reflect such work. So, computer is to mimic human intellect. Thinking rationally is another approach, which is to be discussed. This includes logic and main obstacles. The last category mean s â€Å"informal knowledge translating into logical notation† (â€Å"Artificial Intelligence†, n.d., p. 20). Stuart M. Shieber (2006) is of the opinion that, â€Å"the Turing Test is founded on the idea that ability to produce sensible verbal behavior is an indication of intelligence† (p. 1). The ways to improve the test While speaking about the ways the Turing Test can be improved, one is to remember that logic programming, machine learning, and cognitive compatibility are the basic positions the Turing Test is based on. In my opinion, the most important improvement, which can be made, is to adapt the artificial intellect to human beings’ process of thinking. So, in other words, the machine is to contact with the persons and to mimic their behavior. Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari (2000) are sure that, â€Å"With current advances in computer graphics, virtual reality, biomechanics and many other fields, it is possible to create an Enhanced or Virtual Turing test† (para 6.1).Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Generally, I suppose that the improvements depend upon the development of new technologies. Unfortunately, â€Å"knowledge-based systems, though they have achieved marketable engineering successes, still have many limitations in the quality and generality of their reasoning† (â€Å"Al: Early History and Applications†, n.d., para. 80). The tasks the Turing Test consists of can be also improved. For instance, taking into account Mundane tasks (perception, natural language, common sense reasoning, and robot control); one can state that there are the constituents of the tasks, which could be improved. Thus, natural language is based on understanding, generation, and translation; so, these constituents may include some new improved features, in order artificial intelligence could be developed in a proper way. Formal tasks (games, mathematics) and expert tasks (engineering, scientific analysis, medical diagnosis, and financial analysis) must be also improved. However, it is necessary to remember that all the improvements depend upon new technologies development. References Al: Early History and Applications. The Turing Test. Web. Artificial Intelligence. CS 4633/6633 Artificial Intelligence. Web. Cowen, T. Dawson, M. (2009). What Does the Turing Test Really Mean? And How  Many Human Beings (Including Turing) Could Pass? Web. Deleuze, G. Guattari, F. (2000). Everything is a Machine. Web.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Turing Test from Computer Science specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Oppy, G. Dowe, D. (2011). The Turing Test. Web. Shieber, S. (2009). Does the Turing Test Demonstrate Intelligence or Not? Web. This research paper on Turing Test from Computer Science was written and submitted by user Maximilian P. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Aporia Definition and Examples

Aporia Definition and Examples Aporia is a  figure of speech in which the speaker expresses real or simulated doubt or perplexity. The adjective is  aporetic. In classical rhetoric, aporia means placing a claim in doubt by developing arguments on both sides of an issue. In the terminology of deconstruction, aporia is a final impasse or paradoxthe site at which the text most obviously undermines its own rhetorical structure, dismantles, or deconstructs itself. Etymology: From the Greek, without passagePronunciation: eh-POR-ee-eh Examples and Observations David MikicsScholars have described as aporetic early Socratic dialogues like the Protagoras (ca. 380 BCE), which end in puzzlement rather than resolution, and which fail to supply convincing definitions of sought-after concepts like truth and virtue. At the end of the Protagoras, wrote the philosopher Sà ¸ren Kierkegaard, Socrates and Protagoras resemble two bald men searching for a comb.Peter FalkI dont think its proving anything, Doc. As a matter of fact, I dont even know what it means. Its just one of those things that gets in my head and keeps rolling around in there like a marble.William WordsworthIf living sympathy be theirsAnd leaves and airs,The piping breeze and dancing treeAre all alive and glad as we:Whether this be truth or noI cannot tell, I do not know;Naywhether now I reason well,I do not know, I cannot tell.Ford Maddox FordAm I no better than a eunuch or is the proper manthe man with the right to existencea raging stallion forever neighing after his neighbor’ s womankind? Or are we meant to act on impulse alone? It is all a darkness. Julian WolfreysA particularly striking example of the experience of the aporetic appears in Karl Marxs consideration of the commodity fetish, where he finds it logically impossible to explain, within the limits of his discourse, what transforms material into its mystified form as desired commodity, and what invests the commodity object with its commodified mystique.David LodgeRobin wrote the word with a coloured felt-tip marker on the whiteboard screwed to the wall of her office. Aporia. In classical rhetoric it means real or pretended uncertainty about the subject under discussion. Deconstructionists today use it to refer to more radical kinds of contradiction or subversion of logic or defeat of the readers expectation in a text. You could say that its deconstructions favourite trope. Hillis Miller compares it to following a mountain path and then finding that it gives out, leaving you stranded on a ledge, unable to go back or forwards. It actually derives from a Greek word meaning a pathless path.

Profile of Stanley Woodard, NASA Aerospace Engineer

Profile of Stanley Woodard, NASA Aerospace Engineer Dr. Stanley E Woodard, is an aerospace engineer at NASA Langley Research Center. Stanley Woodard received his doctorate in mechanical engineering from Duke University in 1995. Woodard also has bachelors and masters degrees in engineering from Purdue and Howard University, respectively. Since coming to work at NASA Langley in 1987, Stanley Woodard has earned many NASA awards, including three Outstanding Performance Awards and a Patent Award. In 1996, Stanley Woodard won the Black Engineer of the Year Award for Outstanding Technical Contributions. In 2006, he was one of four researchers at NASA Langley recognized by the 44th Annual RD 100 Awards in the electronic equipment category. He was a 2008 NASA Honor Award Winner for exceptional service in the research and development of advanced dynamics technologies for NASA missions. Magnetic Field Response Measurement Acquisition System Imagine a wireless system thats truly wireless. It doesnt need a battery or a receiver, unlike most wireless sensors that must be electrically connected to a power source, so it can safely be put almost anywhere. The cool thing about this system is that we can make sensors that dont need any connections to anything, said Dr. Stanley E. Woodard, senior scientist at NASA Langley. And we can completely encapsulate them in any electrically nonconductive material, so they can be put in lots of different locations and protected from the environment around them. Plus we can measure different properties using the same sensor. NASA Langley scientists initially came up with the idea of the measurement acquisition system to improve aviation safety. They say airplanes could use this technology in a number of locations. One would be fuel tanks where a wireless sensor would virtually eliminate the possibility of fires and explosions from faulty wires arcing or sparking. Another would be landing gear. That was where the system was tested in partnership with landing gear manufacturer, Messier-Dowty, Ontario, Canada. A prototype was installed in a landing gear shock strut to measure hydraulic fluid levels. The technology allowed the company to easily measure levels while the gear was moving for the first time ever and cut the time to check the fluid level from five hours to one second. Traditional sensors use electrical signals to measure characteristics, such as weight, temperature, and others. NASAs new technology is a small hand-held unit that uses magnetic fields to power sensors and gather measurements from them. That eliminates wires and the need for direct contact between the sensor and the data acquisition system. Measurements that were difficult to do before because of implementation logistics and environment are now easy with our technology, said Woodard. He is one of four researchers at NASA Langley recognized by the 44th Annual RD 100 Awards in the electronic equipment category for this invention. List of Issued Patents #7255004, August 14, 2007, Wireless fluid level measuring systemA level-sensing probe positioned in a tank is divided into sections with each section including (i) a fluid-level capacitive sensor disposed along the length thereof, (ii) an inductor electrically coupled to the capacitive sensor, (iii) a sensor antenna positioned for inductive coupl7231832, June 19, 2007, System and method for detecting cracks and their location.A system and method are provided for detecting cracks and their location in a structure. A circuit coupled to a structure has capacitive strain sensors coupled sequentially and in parallel to one another. When excited by a variable magnetic field, the circuit has a resonant frequency tha#7159774, January 9, 2007, Magnetic field response measurement acquisition systemMagnetic field response sensors designed as passive inductor-capacitor circuits produce magnetic field responses whose harmonic frequencies correspond to states of physical properties for which the s ensors measure. Power to the sensing element is acquired using Faraday induction. #7086593, August 8, 2006, Magnetic field response measurement acquisition systemMagnetic field response sensors designed as passive inductor-capacitor circuits produce magnetic field responses whose harmonic frequencies correspond to states of physical properties for which the sensors measure. Power to the sensing element is acquired using Faraday induction.#7075295, July 11, 2006, Magnetic field response sensor for conductive mediaA magnetic field response sensor comprises an inductor placed at a fixed separation distance from a conductive surface to address the low RF transmissivity of conductive surfaces. The minimum distance for separation is determined by the sensor response. The inductor should be separat#7047807, May 23, 2006, Flexible framework for capacitive sensingA flexible framework supports electrically-conductive elements in a capacitive sensing arrangement. Identical frames are arranged end-to-end with adjacent frames being capable of rotational movement therebetween. Each frame has first and second passages extending therethrough and par #7019621, March 28, 2006, Methods and apparatus to increase sound quality of piezoelectric devicesA piezoelectric transducer comprises a piezoelectric component, an acoustic member attached to one of the surfaces of the piezoelectric component and a dampening material of low elastic modulus attached to one or both surfaces of the piezoelectric transducer.#6879893, April 12, 2005, Tributary analysis monitoring systemA monitoring system for a fleet of vehicles includes at least one data acquisition and analysis module (DAAM) mounted on each vehicle in the fleet, a control module on each vehicle in communication with each DAAM, and terminal module located remotely with respect to the vehicles in the#6259188, July 10, 2001, Piezoelectric vibrational and acoustic alert for a personal communication deviceAn alert apparatus for a personal communication device includes a mechanically prestressed piezoelectric wafer positioned within the personal communication device and an alternating voltag e input line coupled at two points of the wafer where polarity is recognized.

Pepsi and Coke Financials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pepsi and Coke Financials - Essay Example In both ratios, Pepsi emerged to be superior noting that even without its inventories; its current assets can more than pay-off all its short-term liabilities. In terms of moving its inventories to the market, Coca-Cola shows advantage because of its lower inventory ratio. Pepsi and Coca-Cola display always the same capital structure with creditors and investors having 50-50 contribution in its assets. It should be noted that both companies have 0.50 debt to equity ratios indicating that there is an equal share between creditors and equity holders. Profitability ratios including net profit margin, return on assets, and return on equity shows that Pepsi is performing better. Even though Coca-Cola has a higher net profit margin and a stronger cost management techniques, this is offset by Pepsi's higher return on assets and return on equity. It should be noted that the net income of Pepsi generated more value to the company's resource and investors. The higher return on equity has become the primary basis of this recommendation. Realizing that the goal of a business organization is to maximize shareholder wealth, it is important that it shows a high return on equity.

LAND LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

LAND LAW - Essay Example The Law Commission in its Report No. 271 which gave way to the 2002 Act stated that the aim of the 2002 Act was to create a conveyancing climate in which: â€Å"...the register should be a complete and accurate reflection of the state of the title of the land at any given time, so that it is possible to investigate title to land on-line, with the absolute minimum of additional enquiries and inspections.†3 Section 70(1) of the Land Registration Act 1925 contained what can be described as a comprehensive list of property rights that could possible bind a bona fide purchaser. The greatest difficulty for a potential purchaser under the Land Registration Act 1925 was that although an overriding interest was not registered, it could bind the purchaser if the interest could be discovered by a reasonable investigation of title and inspection of the property. The list of these overriding interests under the Land Registration Act 1925 can be summarised as follows: 3- The rights of persons in actual occupation of the land in question or the rights of persons entitled to the receipt of profits and/or rents in respect of the land except where reasonable inquiries are made and the right of these persons are not discovered. 4- ‘Leases granted for a term not exceeding 21 years.’4 The Land Registration Act 2002 narrowed the list of these overriding interest as contained under Section 70(1)(g) of the Land Registration Act 1924 and goes on to function in such a way as to encourage the voluntary registration of these rights.. The revised list of overriding interests under the Land Registration Act contains a proviso that the rights are overriding upon first registration and by doing so expanded the list of those interest that are capable of registration. The new list of overriding interest include leases that terminate at the expiration of a seven

Retail Strategic Planning Essay Example for Free

Retail Strategic Planning Essay Organized retailing in home and building sector was expected to face stiff challenge from the existing small, independent, and powerful local retailers. Many international retailers like Home Depot, IKEA and Lowe were also eyeing the Indian market which was untapped by organized retailers. They provided all the product categories and services that were required to build a new home or for home improvement or renovation under one roof. Muebles belonging to Casa Moblaje group was a pioneer in this segment. Homepro was the first building mall, which offered a wide range of building materials, home improvements products, and furnishings. They provided information about land availability and selection, and housed offices of architects, designers and financiers. The Home Store and Zeba were in home furnishing segment; Gautier dealt in furniture; and Johnson Tiles was in the sanitary ware sector. Identify Strategic Alternatives Ansoff’s Matrix Muebles had captured a large market of the home building and construction business in Ahmedabad as well as the home improvement business of the surrounding cities and towns. The ideal strategy for Muebles would be to develop the market. The areas surrounding Ahmedabad like Baroda, Surat etc is highly industrialized and lot of construction takes place in these areas. Muebles can target these cities and can increase the size of the market to get larger sales. Retail Mix Variables Product The store stocked products under five major categories Kitchen accessories: Appliances, Crockery, Glassware, Ovens etc Furniture and furnishing: Sofa set, bed, linen etc Bathroom: Tiles, Sanitary ware, Fittings, Taps, and accessories Hardware visible: Door, Window, Safety equipment, Gardening Tools, Washing Machines Electrical equipments: Lights, Luminaries, Chandeliers, Switches, Fans, Generators etc They mainly stored branded products. The store policy was to use the number one brand or the aggressive second. If this was not possible the company entered in to contracts to with smaller players who provided with in store brands. The store stocked approximately 12000 SKUs and had 120 suppliers. As the store move upward in the retail wheel, it took the invisible and les involved products out of the shelf. The visible and high involvement products replaced the invisible. They also increased the share of storing impulse goods in the relevant home decoration and furnishing category. Price The pricing policy of the store varied across the product categories. Pricing was competitive and benchmarked against the traditional hardware and home building material stores in product categories which were usually available in traditional hardware stores . In the destination product categories, the store charged premium price. Store Layout The store was laid out in a grid format. It was functional in nature and was based on a do-it-yourself model. Thirty percent of the shop space was given to 12 partners (vendors) who complete freedom of operation. The store atmosphere was attractive. The format of the store aided the customer to find the right the product. Some products like kitchen fittings were merchandised in simulated conditions to give the customer a feel of the complete range of the store’s offering. Promotion In order to increase the levels of awareness, they were communicating by using a mix of me. dia for brand and tactical advertising. They used the Gujarati and English media to reach out to their target segments. They developed two communication packages, one for the lay consumers with low comprehension of Muebles’s value proposition, and another for the professionals (home builders) who had a relatively higher awareness of the concept. In order to increase the sales of the invisible products, Muebles decided to educate the home builder. The home builder package consisted of developing a critical mass of professionals by rewarding their purchase and then working towards giving them accreditation through a professional course so that they would buy all the materials from Muebles. The apartment package consisted of using direct mails and tie-ups with companies like Electrolux, Pergo, and ICI to give special deals to five different apartment owners. Muebles targeted the HR departments in various companies and offered special deals. The problem in this deal was the acquisition of database of apartment owners. Customer Service Muebles policy was to satisfy the customer. Managers were supposed to visit the shop floor 3 hours a day to understand shopper’s behavior and needs better. Each category had 4 personnel. The total floor level employees were around 20. The floor employees tracked the customer right from the entry to the store and observed them carefully from a distance. The motive was to help the customer in the selection without interfering. The staff was instructed to respect the privacy of the customers. Muebles provided a unique shopping experience to the customer. Consumers were provided a wide range and assured quality, competitive prices, and world class service. They provided value added services to the consumers like * Comprehensive design assistance by a panel of professionals and design consultants * Apartment Packages * Installation service and support * Info mediation through website * Home loan consultancy and loans * Certification programmes for electricians, masons, plumbers and carpenters * Educational programme on do-it-yourself techniques and procedures * Customer loyalty programmes

Behavior Problems in Schools Due to Lack of Discipline Essay -- Educat

Parents and students seldom dispute the disciplinary actions of school authorities up until the late 1960s. Schools are a place considered to provide instruction, instill good value, and inspire the morals of our nation (Arum 60). The courts decided that it was important to give teachers and school administrators’ authority over student behavior. The authority initiated from the English common law concept of in loco parentis which means in place of the parent. This law allowed parents to give school personnel a given amount of control over their children when they place their children in school (Yell 8). This gave administrators and teachers the ability to guide, correct, and discipline in an orderly and effective learning environment while maintaining practical control of students as they do their job teaching. Loco parentis implies that teachers and administrators have a responsibility to see that school order is maintained by requiring students to obey reasonable rules and commands, ensure others rights are respected, and conduct themselves in a safe and orderly manner while at school (Yell 8). Students are supposed to know what behaviors are acceptable or forbidden. They need to be accountable if they refuse to comply with reasonable school rules by behaving in prohibited ways. Holding the students accountable, means the violators will be subject to disciplinary measures or consequences. As students civil rights revolution evolved, and the increase of these rights emerged, parents and students, began to question, undermine, and challenge school disciplinary practices in court with the help of lawyers in the public’s interest. The timeframe for drastic school discipline changes began around 1969. The Supreme Court ruled how... ..., Barry A. "School Discipline: â€Å"Is There a Crisis in Our Schools?" Australian Journal of Social Issues 35.1 (2000): 73-86. EBSCO MegaFILE. EBSCO. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. Jackson, Toby. "Getting Serious About School Discipline." Public Interest 133 (1998): 68+. Expanded Academic ASAP. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. Jost, Kenneth. "Student Rights." CQ Researcher 19.21 (2009): 501-524. CQ Researcher. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. Wintour, Patrick, and Nicholas Watt. "Gove promises to end 'no touch' rules for teachers: Government's 'new deal' in the classroom on eve of Tory conference.† The Guardian. 2 Oct. 2010. ProQuest Newsstand, ProQuest. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. Yell, Mitchell L., and Michael E. Rozalski. "The Impact of Legislation and Litigation on Discipline and Student Behavior in the Classroom." Preventing School Failure 52.3 (2008): 7-16. EBSCO MegaFILE. EBSCO. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.

Up in Arms: Nuclear Weapons and North Korea

Nuclear weapons are not merely explosive devices that release an enormous amount of energy through the fusion or fission of atomic nuclei, but the issue of producing and researching it involves a more complex threat. Originally developed for use in World War II (1939-45), these nuclear weapons are among modern warfare's most lethal and destructive weapons. These could decimate cities in seconds and the destruction would advance throughout many years as people affected by it will suffer various diseases. Thus, the issue of nuclear weapons indeed encompass strategic, political and cultural dimensions as these are instruments that pose a global threat. Around the world, there exists a growing clamor that it is not enough merely to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world. People call for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Members of the peace movement have long opposed nuclear weapons on the moral grounds that they have the potential to destroy mankind. For that obvious reason, nuclear arms should not be manufactured, tested or used, and those remaining should be destroyed. Surprisingly, calls for the complete abolition of nuclear arms have come from different quarters, even from a group of former high-ranking military officers. Just recently, North Korea had been embroiled in this controversy when it insisted that they would never dismantle its nuclear program, while the United States maintained a â€Å"hostile† policy toward the country this year. If we look into its history, nuclear weapons and Korea have been entwined for more than 50 years. During the Korean War (1950-1953), the United States threatened several times to use nuclear weapons. This is the reason why the U.S. military forces remained in South Korea (the Republic of Korea). The United States began deploying several types of nuclear weapons to the South in January 1958, a time of extensive worldwide U.S. nuclear deployments. Initially, four different kinds of nuclear weapons were introduced with U.S. Army forces in South Korea: the Honest John surface-to-surface missile, the massive 280-millimeter gun, the 8-inch artillery shell, and atomic demolition munitions (ADMs) (Mack, 1994). However, North Korea is widely believed to have produced and separated enough plutonium for a small number of nuclear warheads. Most or all of the plutonium came from the 5-MWe reactor at Yongbyon, which went critical on August 14, 1985, and became operational the following January. The U.S. intelligence community believes that during a 70-day shutdown in 1989, North Korea secretly removed fuel from the reactor and separated the plutonium. Estimates vary as to how much plutonium was obtained. The State Department believes about 6-8 kilograms; the CIA and Defense Intelligence Agency say 8-9 kilograms, an estimate consistent with the careful analysis of the Institute for Science and International Security. South Korean, Japanese, and Russian analysts have made much higher estimates, ranging up to 24 kilograms (Albright and Higgins, 2002). What is incredible with this issue is that North Korea never admitted it possessed nuclear weapons, but it appears likely that it does. NBC Nightly News reported in 1993 that reprocessed plutonium had already been converted from a liquid form to metal, and several U.S. officials concluded that Pyongyang had made it into a bomb. In November 2002, the CIA went further than its previous estimates, stating, â€Å"The United States has been concerned about North Korea's desire for nuclear weapons and has assessed since the early 1990s that the North has one or possibly two weapons using plutonium it produced prior to 1992† (Norris, Kristensen and Handler, March/April 2003). By August 2005, the issue of nuclear proliferation on the Korean peninsula continued to dominate the political landscape. Talks between North Korea and the United States had met with little success, with no narrowing of the gap between those two countries on North Korea’s peaceful use of nuclear energy. The United States continued to insist that all of North Korea’s nuclear facilities had to be dismantled while North Koreans insisted that they had the right to conduct peaceful nuclear activities.   Indeed, North Korean chief delegate Kim Kye-gwan rhetorically asked, â€Å"We are not a defeated nation in war, and we have committed no crime, so why should we not be able to conduct peaceful nuclear activities?† (BBC News, 5 August 2006). With this, several countries warned North Korea that launching a missile would yield undesirable results.   Notably, Japanese Prime Minister  Junichiro Koizumi advised North Korea against test-firing the missile saying, â€Å"Japan has been urging North Korea to stop the attempt to launch a missile. We are making efforts to urge North Korea to act rationally and with self-restraint†.   He went on to warn, â€Å"If it does not listen to us and fires a missile, we have to consult with the United States and take stern measures â€Å". Moreover, the United States Department of State reacted to the launch of the North Korea’s missile Taepodon-2 as a â€Å"provocative† and attention-seeking act.   White House press secretary, Tony Snow, said that President George W. Bush was consulting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on the matter.   Secretary Rice called on North Korea to return to the multilateral discussion table (Associated Press, 19 June 2006). For its part, North Korea confirmed that it had test-fired a series of missiles and that further missile tests would be launched.   North Korean officials also warned that they would react strongly to punitive pressures from the international community. Furthermore, North Korea defiantly defended its right to launch the missiles, saying that it was a matter of national sovereignty.   That said, geopolitical analysts observed that North Korea’s latest moves may have been made for strategic reasons rather than simply as an act of national sovereignty. With the seemingly stubborn stance of North Korea, the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved Resolution 1718 on October 14, 2006. The resolution called for the inspections on cargo going to and from North Korea to search for weapons, a ban on the sale or transfer of materials related to North Korea’s unconventional weapons program, and a freeze on the transfer of funds connected with North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs (The Economist 21 October 2006).   Absent from Resolution 1718 was the Chapter Seven [of the United Nations charter] provision, which would enforce the sanctions via military force . Even though the resolution was approved by the United Nations Security Council and welcomed by the international community, total agreement on the matter of North Korea remained distant (Arms Control Today Magazine, November 2006). With these turn of events, we could clearly point out how nuclear weapons became a strategic instrument of North Korea to defy the will of the international community. North Korea is flexing its military capabilities by showing off its nuclear weapons. This underscored the need for the nations to begin disarming as soon as possible. North Korea may have felt an ominous threat that they decided they must acquire nuclear weapons in order to â€Å"catch up† to and achieve equal status with a military giant like the United States. However, their intentions were not well-received by their neighbours because North Korea became a â€Å"threat† itself when it decided to push with their nuclear missile tests. Moreover, the international community is frowning upon the real intentions of these â€Å"tests†, whether North Korea is just out to protect itself or is it a tactical plan to scare off their neighbours by virtually stating â€Å"Don’t mess up with us, or else†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thus, these strategic moves by North Korea effectively served to further isolate the country and confirm its pariah status within the international community. As we all know, the effect of nuclear weapons is not limited to political and social relations. According to Frey (2003), it is undeniable that nuclear weapons cause destruction in a number of different ways. They create temperatures upon explosion that are, at least initially, millions of degrees hot. Some of their first effects are heat effects, and materials are often incinerated on contact. The heat from the blast also causes rapid expansion of air, resulting in very high winds that can blow over buildings and other structures. A weapon blast also releases high levels of radiation, such as neutrons, x-rays, and gamma rays. Humans and other animals close to the centre of the blast suffer illness and death from radiation exposure. The set of symptoms associated with such exposure is known as radiation sickness. Many individuals who survive radiation sickness eventually develop cancer and their offspring frequently suffer genetic damage. Finally, a weapon’s blast releases huge amounts of radioactive materials. Some of these materials settle out of the atmosphere almost immediately, creating widespread contamination. Others remain in the atmosphere for weeks or months, resulting in long-term radioactive fallout. In the final analysis, the impending danger of the nuclear testing that North Korea is undertaking could be an ominous phenomenon for all of us. As the scenarios above have explained, nuclear weapons encompass strategic, political and cultural dimensions of whether these harmful military arsenals need to be maintained. Experts have already cited that the continued production of nuclear weapons must be halted soon or civilization itself will be imperilled. On the contrary, some military experts disagree, arguing that the existence of sophisticated nuclear weapons is a deterrent to nuclear war, even urging that nations should be ready to use nuclear weapons first, if necessary. In studying the complex issue of nuclear weapons, people should take a closer look at the extent of the nuclear danger facing the world today and debate the best methods for enhancing nuclear security. A â€Å"win-win† solution should be drafted so that the greater good of humanity comes in first, before any strategic or political agenda of any organization or nation. Works Cited Albright, David and Higgins, Holly. North Korea: It’s Taking Too Long: Inspections in North Korea Are Tied to the Reactor Deal, Which Is Far Behind Schedule, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January/February 2002. Arms Control Today Magazine. US Security Council resolution 1718 on North Korea.36.9  (Nov 2006):  30(2) Associated Press. North Korea Warned of Possible Retaliation, June 19, 2006. Accessed online 14 December 2006 at http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2006-06/19/content_620814.htm BBC News. North Korea Talks ‘Near to Deadlock', August 5, 2006 . Accessed online 14 December 2006 at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4748671.stm Frey, R. J. Nuclear Weapons. M. In Bortman, P. Brimblecombe and MA. Cunningham (eds.), Environmental Encyclopedia, 3rd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Kura, Alexandra. Rogue Countries: Background and Current Issues. Huntington, NY: Nova Science, 2001. Mack, Andrew. Nuclear Endgame on the Korean Peninsula. Canberra, Australia: Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, 1994. Norris, Robert S., Kristensen, Hans M.   and Handler, Joshua. North Korea's nuclear program, 2003. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 59.2 (March/April 2003): 74-77. Accessed online 14 December 2006 at http://www.thebulletin.org/article_nn.php?art_ofn=ma03norris The Economist. Going Critical, Defying the World; Nuclear-Weapons Proliferation. 381.8500: (Oct 21, 2006): 79.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Summary

Unhappy Ending I think that the outcome of Ambrose Bierce’s story, â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,† was credible because Bierce hints that Peyton Farquhar, the main character, is dead throughout his journey. If the reader pays close attention to the story, it becomes obvious that the escape is imagined and he is actually going to be hanged. The first piece of evidence that Farquhar is hallucinating is how unaware he is of his own struggle to free himself underwater.Farquhar states that â€Å"he was not conscious of an effort, but a sharp pain in his wrist [told] him that he was trying to free his hands† suggesting that he isn’t actually aware of his own attempts at escape (Bierce 493). Some may argue that Farquhar wasn’t aware of his effort because he had an adrenaline rush, but the injuries are too close to the injuries of a hanging to be ignored. The second piece of evidence that Farquhar didn’t escape is the pain in his neck and h ead.As he is fighting to get free, Farquhar describes how â€Å"his neck ached horribly; [and] his brain was on fire† (Bierce 494). A person struggling at the end of a hanging rope would experience the same pain. He simply imagines breaking free as he dies, but in reality, the intense pain is caused from the noose tightening and eventually choking Farquhar. His freedom swim is clearly a dying dream. The third piece of evidence that proves that Farquhar imagined his freedom is the unbelievable detailed description of nature.There is no sort of adrenaline rush that could show the â€Å"prismatic colors in all the dewdrops upon a million blades of grass† just for Farquhar (Bierce 494). It is more probable that Farquhar imagined his escape right as he strangled to death. In conclusion, the ending of â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge† was credible and powerful because it hints to the reader that Farquhar doesn’t survive and merely dreams of the beautiful escape from his horrible fate.

Nastiness On The Net Essays - Pornography, Sexuality, Israeli Law

Nastiness On The Net Essays - Pornography, Sexuality, Israeli Law Nastiness on the Net Pornography is a serious problem that faces America?s people today. A problem that jeopardizes our nation?s moral and ethical values and is easily accessible for children and adults alike. Often times the young people accessing such websites in cyberspace aren?t even old enough to understand the complete meaning of human sexuality. More often, the adults accessing these websites, who do have a common understanding of sexuality, begin to obtain distorted views of normal sexual behavior. In order to save our children?s innocence and America?s moral values, pornography should be strictly regulated on the internet. Pornography is the erotic writing or art intended for sexual excitement. For frequent viewers pornography provides imagery, which they can frequently call to mind and elaborate on their fantasies. "Porn Producers" use pornography to appeal to viewers as a new exciting experience often luring viewers into a trap of sexual addiction. Once viewers become involved in pornographic materials, they get hooked and continue coming back for their "sexual turn-ons." Once a person becomes a sex addict, therapy is often required to overcome their urges to sneak-a-peek again. Any kind of pornography influences immoral acts with multiple persons or a person of the same sex, consequently devaluing the importance of monogamy. Studies show that less than 5% of all pornography depicts normal heterosexual relations between on man and one woman, and in some unfortunate cases, it leads to the spreading of diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Aside from influencing the spread of diseases, pornography influences rape and child molestation. Hardcore pornography habituates both males and females to the idea or rape, and increases the acceptance of sexual deviance as "normal behavior." In 57% of rape cases rapists have admitted to imitating pornography scenes their commission of sex crimes. Most importantly, pornography degrades women and their role in today?s society. Almost all pornographic material depicts images of women being beaten, tortured, raped, forced to perform acts of beastiality, and sexual slavery. The misunderstanding of "When a woman says no she really means yes," is communicated through pornography also. There are endless reasons that the government should regulate pornography on the internet, far too many to elaborate on. Our children and adults must be protected from addiction, homosexuality, non-monogamy, rape, child molestation, and degradation of women. America?s moral and ethical beliefs must be saved from the filth that pornography puts forth.

Achieving Goals Advice from NFL players

Achieving Goals Advice from NFL players NFL players and coaches understand that the best results can only be achieved through restless hard work, focus on strategy, teamwork, perseverance and a strong will-to-win spirit. These men know something about motivation and their wise words and lessons can be applied to anyone who needs an inspiration boost in their everyday lives. Youre not born winners or losers, youre born choosers. Shawn Harper, NFL player for Indianapolis Colts This former NFL player has become a real motivational speaker and now he travels around USA speaking to youth and children on different social events. This message is something that is so important but so lacking in modern community. What does it mean, being a chooser? It means that choosing a right trajectory of your life is as important as choosing a trajectory of your next move on the field. Only if you take a while to think and concentrate, the ball will hit the end zone. Be the type of person that you want somebody to be towards you. Be that towards them. And be kind to yourself. Michael Strahan, a former NFL player for New York Giants Indeed, being a successful person is something more than just working hard and performing well. Real goal achievers are goal achievers in every way. Keep your eyes on your aim, but stay a nice person that people would look up to! Be kind to others and accept yourself. This is the only way not to lose a big picture. Chase your dreams and not walk after them. Don’t hope someone gives you an opportunity, create one for yourself. Shannon Sharpe, a former NFL player for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens Make a plan and work to achieve your goals. It is impossible to get what you want and deserve if you have no idea how you are going to make it. And one more thing - never rely on others when it comes to something really important to you! Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence. Vince Lombardi, a Head Coach of Green Bay Packers (1959-67) Perfection is not attainable because if you keep on moving forward, you cant stop demanding more and more from yourself. And this is the way to catch excellence. You have to believe in your potential and move on to win! Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile. Vince Lombardi Nobody is born with a capacity to be awesome! The greatest NFL coaches in history know that success is the matter of discipline, persistence, great passion, and daring. And luck, of course. Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence. If you are in control, they are in control. Tom Landry, a Head Coach of Dallas Cowboys (1960-88) So inspiration and leadership is something that is worth sharing, because motivated people motivate others. Catch the gleams in the eyes of others and spread the passion yourself. Maybe someone else will also become inspired by just looking into your eyes. A real gleam of passion can destroy your enemies and attract more like-minded people! Believe us, these are super-effective techniques. Just ask the guys above - goals are only achieved with discipline, passion, determination and dedication!

The National Health Service and the Risk Assessment Techniques Research Paper

The National Health Service and the Risk Assessment Techniques - Research Paper Example The incident took place on an eight-bed ward for female admissions in a small National Health Service (NHS) institution. Dorothy Perkins has a history of considerable antisocial conduct. She is a thirty-five-year-old woman who has been nursed within this inpatient facility for almost three years and will be referred to as. Ms Perkins was admitted from Her Majesty’s Prison Service following ruling from the Crown Court that she requires a period of assessment after the attempted murder of her community care worker. Ms Perkins presents as floridly psychotic with underlying persecutory delusions and presents as unstable in her mood. Her view is that other people (staff, visitors, family and the common public) are plotting against her and attempting to murder her. Despite this, she is able to forge a level of therapeutic alliance with some staff members, in particular, male staff members. She is verbally abusive and with her large physical stature is intimidating towards the other service users on the ward and staff members. Her abuse is usually targeted towards female staff members, and she has assaulted another female service user on the ward during this admission. The multi-disciplinary team has ruled that any episodes of inappropriate conduct from Ms Perkins whilst she is around the communal areas of the ward must result in a period of ‘time-out’. In accordance with the Code of Practice to the Mental Health Act 1983 (1999), ‘time out’ is a behaviour modification technique which denies a patient, for a period of no more than 15 minutes.