Preparing For General Knowledge Test Essay Topics

Preparing For General Knowledge Test Essay TopicsThe General Knowledge Test (or GMAT) is probably the hardest subject for students to master. Many schools will require at least one essay in your background on this subject, and many students tend to write poorly because they just don't know much about it.You can take the test and get a score in minutes, but you're probably not familiar with a whole world of information. They also use SAT and ACT as their measuring stick, but they are comparing this test to these tests. In fact, there are more specific features in the General Knowledge Test (with the exception of Quantitative Reasoning) than the SAT and ACT.But before you begin your preparations, be sure that you know the material for this exam, even if you have studied and memorized it already. That way, you can see how they will assess the things you've already learned.To prepare for this exam, you can prepare in more than one way. For instance, you can take practice tests with inter esting topics, or test yourself. There are lots of online sites where you can take online tests, or books you can buy to test yourself. These are all good ways to test yourself, but they don't provide you with enough information to be prepared for the exam.In fact, there are some other things you should do before taking the test, but many people never think of it. One of the things you should do is take a lot of practice tests, so that you will know exactly what questions are on it. This will make you focus on the test and make you ready for all the sections that you can't prepare for.By doing this, you will learn how they solve the main problems and how to approach them. This is what makes this exam harder, since there are many parts to the exam. That's why taking lots of practice tests is so important.Before you take the test, you should read as much as you can about the topic. Read as much as you can from all the websites that explain how it works. Read as much as you can from th e booklets, and practice your answers. Don't forget that you'll need to write an essay.Finally, when you take the test, make sure that you write something worthy, or write something that will be useful to the school. They will be using this information, so they want to see something from you that isn't just right, but actually useful.

Whats Eating Gilbert Grape Essays - English-language Films, Films

Whats Eating Gilbert Grape What's Eating Gilbert Grape portrays a family that is dealing with the trials, tribulations, and also great times of having a member with a disability. The Grape family consists of Gilbert, Ellen, Amy, Mama, and of course, Arnie. The Grape family lives in an isolated town of Endora in a house that seems to be in shambles since their father died. In the beginning, Gilbert's voiceover states that ?living in Endora is like dancing to no music,? which one can definitely relate to after viewing this touching film. Gilbert Grape is a young man that has been impeded by more burdens than any man ought to have in an entire lifetime. He stocks shelves and delivers groceries for a local store, Lamson's Grocery, whose business has been deserted by the new supermarket in town. The movie begins with the ?yearly ritual? of Gilbert and Arnie watching the caravans that pass along the road. Gilbert's adversity seems to have started when his father hung himself seventeen years ago in their basement, which in turn drove his mother to obesity and a life confined to only their home. His mother has become a ?burden? on him and he feels ashamed and humiliated by her. Gilbert even regards to his mother as ?a beached whale,? and at one point lifts a young boy to the window to experience the sight of her. Gilbert's mother is not his only complication; he is having an aimless affair with a frustrated housewife, Betty Carver, whose rash sexual demands have placed much apprehension on him. Gilbert's brother Arnie, who is mentally challenged, needs constant supervision, which places many ongoing responsibilities on Gilbert, as well. His oldest sister, Amy, is a very caring woman that tries to take on many responsibilities herself and the youngest sister Ellen, who is only fifteen, has many issues with her family that she is trying to overcome, as well. Becky, a young girl that traveled into town with her grandmother and their caravan found romance with Gilbert and a certain connection with Arnie accordingly. Arnie is not your average boy; he is mentally challenged and was not expected to live to see his tenth birthday, let alone, his eighteenth, which he surpasses in the movie. Arnie is associated with many heights in the movie as he is regularly seen dangling from the roof, climbing trees, and of course, his ritual of scaling the water tower. Although Arnie loves the heights, he can not seem to conquer the depths as he will not venture to the basement of the house. ?I don't want to go down there, Gilbert; Dad's down there,? thus voicing the repressed fear that no one in the family will, or can put into words. Arnie's water tower escapades are a source of great aggravation to the police, yet are greeted by the locals with an understanding of occasion and courteous applause when his feet are firmly planted back on the ground. Arnie obtains a fear of water when Gilbert abandons him in the bathtub for the night, and does not over come his apprehension until he flees to Becky after a fight he had with Gilbert. Bibliography: none

How to Add WordPress Push Notifications to Your Site (3 Easy Steps)

Catching the interest of your visitors is a tough endeavor, but nowhere near as difficult as keeping them on board for the long term. One of the newer ways to succeed in doing so  is to figure out the best ways to reach users  outside your website  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ hence the need to consider adding WordPress push notifications.WordPress push notifications enable you to set up a direct line of communication with  your audience. Theyre far more straightforward than emails and are more engaging than regular campaigns. If you learn  how to deploy them, they can become a huge boon to your site.In this article, well explain why WordPress push notifications are so useful. Then, well guide you through the process of setting them up on your site using the free OneSignal plugin. Lets get cracking!What push notifications are (and why you should use them)WordPress push notifications are simple to understand and put in place. If youve used either  Android or iOS, youre familiar with apps send ing you notifications even when theyre closed – those are push notifications. Websites can do the same thing even if youre not browsing them at the moment, as long as youve got your browser running. Heres what a desktop notification looks like  on Mac OS X:Push notifications can come in handy in several situations, like:Notifying users about new posts on your website.Letting subscribers know when you add  a new product to  your eCommerce site.Making significant announcements – concerning events and such – to your user base.Aside from these types of practical reasons, its worth noting that push notifications are a great tool to increase user engagement [*]. The key is to update them only concerning important stuff, so they wont start ignoring your notifications. Dont think about push notifications as a replacement for email lists or social media channels. Theyre simply another means of direct contact, with the added benefit of being able to provide real-tim e updates to your visitors.How to set up WordPress push notifications (in 4 steps)Before we jump into the technical stuff, its important that you back up your WordPress site. You should always do this before adding (or removing) any major features from your website, in case something goes wrong. In fact, you should be doing it regularly, even if you dont implement any significant changes. Check out our  guide on how to back up WordPress  with several options.For the purposes of this tutorial, well use  the OneSignal plugin to set up WordPress push notifications. Its not the only option out there, but its one of our favorites. If youd prefer to check out an alternative, take a look at the  Push Notifications for WordPress  plugin.Step #1: Set up the OneSignal plugin OneSignal Web Push Notifications Author(s): OneSignalCurrent Version: 1.17.9Last Updated: October 1, 2019onesignal-free-web-push-notifications.1.17.9.zip 82%Ratings 1,537,858Downloads WP 3.8+Requires On eSignal is a one-stop solution for WordPress push notifications. It supports both desktop clients (Chrome, Safari, and Firefox) and Android systems (theres no iOS support yet). Once enabled, your visitors can opt-in to receive notifications each time you publish a new post (or custom post types) through the WordPress editor or a third-party platform.The first thing we need to do is install and activate the plugin as per usual:When thats done, a  OneSignal Push tab will appear in your WordPress dashboard. Click on it, and youll be redirected to a setup tab to finish configuring the plugin. Read through the  Overview and then head to the  Chrome Firefox Push tab:The plugin includes step by step instructions (with screenshots) for adding both services, so it would be redundant to repeat them here. Follow the procedures for Chrome and Firefox, and then head to the  Safari Push tab if you want to add those notifications as well. Safari notifications only work on the macOS versio n, though, so keep that in mind.With that out of the way, lets go about adding WordPress push notifications to our website.Step #2: Configure automatic notificationsAs I mentioned earlier, OneSignal WordPress push notifications only appear when you publish new content to your site. That includes both regular posts and custom post types. The plugin enables you to set up notifications manually by ticking a box next to the WordPress editor on your posts:If youd rather automate this process, go to OneSignal Push Configuration in your WordPress dashboard. Now scroll down and locate the  Automatic Notification Settings section.Turn on the first option, as seen above,  et  voilà  . Your subscribers will automatically receive notifications each time you publish a new post. You can also replace the default OneSignal logo on the notifications with your posts featured images, by heading up to the  Sent Notification Settings section:Enable the corresponding option, and youre all set!N ow its time to configure an  opt-in for our notifications.Step #3: Add a notification opt-inOur WordPress push notifications are ready to go, but weve still got one step to complete. Before users start receiving notifications, they need to agree or  opt into the program (hence the term opt-in). Here what a OneSignal opt-in looks like on Safari:To do this, lets return to OneSignal Push Configuration. Inside, locate the  Prompt Settings Notify Button section:The setting we need to turn on is first on the list:  Automatically prompt new site visitors to subscribe to push notifications. Do so and then feel free to play around with the rest of the settings next to it. The Notify button option, for example, enables a small notification button in the bottom right corner of your site, which enables users to check recent notifications.ConclusionWordPress push notifications are an effective tool that can increase your sites engagement with little effort. As long as you keep producin g quality content, it stands to reason that users will be interested in checking it out – all youre doing is providing them with the occasional reminder to do so.If that sounds like a winning formula to you, here are the steps you need to know to add WordPress push notifications to your site:Install the OneSignal plugin.Configure automatic notifications using the plugin.Set up a notification opt-in for your visitors.What do you think about WordPress push notifications – are they a gimmick or a useful tool? Share your opinions with us in the comments section below!

Calculators on the SAT Tips from Experts

Calculators on the SAT Tips from Experts SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Calculators are allowed on the SAT, and not using them correctly can put you far behind. SAT experts Fred Zhang and Allen Cheng discuss which tips and strategies worked for them in getting perfect scores. Intro to Calculators on the SAT Allen: So just how important are calculators to the SAT? Fred: I would say they're of medium importance on the SATMath section. You absolutely need to have the right calculator strategy. On the one hand, most of the work on the math section (even the calculator section!) is interpreting the problem - a calculator can't do that for you. On the other hand, not using a calculator or using the wrong calculator strategy can really mess you up. Allen: I agree. Calculators can't make your day, but can definitely break your day.You need to avoid mistakes to get a good score on SAT Math, which you need to do if, for example, you are aiming for a top engineering school. Here are our top tips. Tip 1: Bring a Calculator The College Board Official Calculator Policy says that you don't need a calculator for the SAT. They say that because the College Board needs to make the SAT seem accessible to people of all income levels. The reality is that a calculator,and the right calculator at that, is an absolute must. We've taken the ACT, SAT, GRE, MCAT, and a whole slew of standardized tests as well as class tests. Whenever calculators were allowed, 9 out of 10 times they were of substantial help. When you need to multiply 2392 x 323, it's faster and more accurate to do so on a calculator. Bring your calculator! Tip 2: Always Double-Check the Entry Line What's an entry line? It's a lineat the top of the calculator that shows you what you've typed: Many Scientific Calculators, like the Casio fx-300MS (Fred's personal favorite for the SAT), have an entry line, as do the Ti-83, Ti-84 and Ti-89. Fred: Always, always glance at this to double-check before you hit enter. Glancing takes less than a second, and so many times I caught myself typing (425+25) instead of (424+25) or reversing a decimal. A few mistakes like that on the math section can cost you up to 50-100 points! By double-checking, I have managed almost never to make a computation mistake. Allen: Absolutely. My favorite SAT calculator is the Ti-89, and I check the entry line all the time. If you're a high scorer, it is crucial for preventing careless mistakes. If you're not a high scorer, it lets you double check the order of operations, and lets you match the equation on the paper. Fred: Oh, and implicit in all of this is that you should stay away from calculators that don't have an entry line.That 4-function (only does add, subtract, multiply, divide) calculator in the closet? No way. Some scientific calculators don't have an entry line - using one would put you at a big disadvantage. Tip 3: Be Familiar With Your Calculator Allen: What would you say your worst calculator experiences were? Fred: Oh, by far, in school when I had to use one I wasn't used to. I'd be hunting around for the "sine" symbol. I'd find it, but then realize I have to hit another button at the same time to activate it. And to add to that, halfway through the quiz, I realized the calculator angle unit was set in radians instead of degrees, so my answers would be all wrong. As an aside, do you know how to swim or ride a bike? If so, then you know how important being familiar with an activity is. Calculator familiarity is no different. If you’re hoping to get the most out of your calculator, you must, must, must use one that you are used to. One that you've used for 20 hours or more, ideally. You have a vague muscle memory of where the keys are, what settings there are, and so forth. Remember this: the worst calculator is an unfamiliar calculator. A familiar scientific calculator is far better than an unfamiliar Ti-89. How do you gain familiarity with a calculator? Pick one you like, and then use it for tests, homework, and anything else. To the extent possible, when doing classwork, don't borrow other people's, don't use the class calculator. Gain familiarity with one calculator model. Tip 4: Know When to Put the Calculator Down Allen: Is there such thing as believing in the calculator too much? Putting too much faith in it? Fred: Oh, absolutely. Throughout my career, I've seen so many students who think that the right calculator will magically solve all their math problems.These students go through the trouble of firing up their Ti-84, navigating a slew of menus to find a high-powered cubic equation solver, slowly enter in the equation carefully, hit enter, and get a rounded answer like .588 that they have to convert back to 10/17. Allen: I've seen those in my day, and the kicker is that the math problem would take 2 minutes to do on the calculator, while if you just thought creatively about the problem, you'd get it in 15 seconds. Fred: For sure, calculator over-users suffer from typos on the calculator, and the conversion of rounded numbers to fractions. Beware of Using a Calculator When: You feel like you have to use a super-complicated program to solve it. You know the answer is a fraction like 5/13, but the calculator only outputs decimal equivalents. When you have to use a large number of key-presses or menu navigations to get to your answer. More key presses means more chances for mistakes. Our golden rule: If what you're trying to do with your graphing calculator is NOT doable on a scientific calculator, you are likely overusing your calculator. In fact, I would go so far as to say that you should really only be using the calculator to do combinations of the four basic functions,like (425+25)/3 - (42*4)/3. You Should Use Calculators: To improve the accuracy of 4-function calculations (but be careful what you type!). To speed up complex 4-function calculations (typing 3823 * 84 is much faster than doing it by hand). For minimal other uses. Bonus QA: What's Your Favorite Calculator for the SAT and Why? Fred: For sure, the Casio fx-300MS. I have so many reasons for loving this calculator (and they're not paying me to say this): It has an entry line, and we talked about how important this is. It's a relatively simple calculator, meaning all teachers will let you use it for exams that allow calculators, so you can get a lot of practice using this calculator. Since it's a simple calculator, you'll also never be tempted to boot up the cubic equation solver, which we discussed before is often less than optimal. The only drawback is that, if you find that there is some graphing calculator function you must use, and you've found it to be helpful, it won't be on this one. But I've personally never found such a "mandatory" graphing calculator function, at least not for the SAT. Allen: I like the Ti-89 the most. It's one of the most powerful calculators acceptable on the SAT. Why do I love it? It has much more functionality that most other calculators (and is more expensive as well). It gives you answers back in fraction and "rationalized" format: so if the answer is 10/17, it will give you that, instead of a decimal jumble like0.5882352 (which leaves you to match it up). I find the equation solver to be pretty helpful. Solving 3x+4y=6, 9x+2y=-10 is kind of a pain manually, and you can just type this in on the Ti-89. But typing it in correctly takes not much less effort that solving on paper, so I can go either way on this. It's definitely not a "mandatory feature." Key CalculatorActionables The most important lesson for calculator use, again, is to have a calculator at all. Secondly, it's key double-check all entries. Thirdly, you have to develop familiarity with the calculator. And finally, use it mainly for four functions, plus just a bit more. What does this mean you should do? Master one calculator. Bring a backup to the test, or at least backup batteries. What do we not recommend? Spending hours loading complicated programs into that Ti-84. Relying on using the advanced functions of each calculator. Obsessing over the calculator as the golden ticket to your 800. Now that you know these tips, go out and conquer the SAT Math section! What's Next? Not sure what score to aim for on the SAT? Read our guide to learnhow to figure out your target SAT score! Need more helpprepping for the SAT Math section?We're here to help! Check out our ultimate SAT Math guide for everything you need to know to ace this section of the SAT. Hoping for a top SAT Math score? Read our guide, written by a perfect scorer, on how to get an 800 on SAT Math. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Essay Sample on Terrorism Threats to Security

Essay Sample on Terrorism Threats to Security Example essay on Terrorism: The interrelated law and order issues of Organised Transnational Crime (OTC), the illicit drug trade and terrorism, are those which are most threatening to international security today. Law and order issues have also been called, low-intensity conflict, problems of global governability and grey area phenomenon and can be seen as threats to security arising from non-state actors and non-governmental processes. Increasingly since the end of the cold war, threats to national security are coming from these grey area phenomena and due to the process of globalisation, threats to national security can threaten international security. This essay will examine how OTC, terrorism and international drug trafficking are affecting all aspects of human security and it will be seen that it is increasingly difficult to clearly distinguish the difference between these issues. It will be shown that these particular GAP are the most threatening due to; the range of aspects of security they threaten, the convergence of and partnership between OTC and terrorism, the growing lethality of terrorism and the disparity of capabilities and effectiveness between these groups and the law enforcement and security bodies attempting to combat them. The new global economy has presented new opportunities for criminal organisations. These organisations have: increasingly engaged in cross-border activity, both in response to market activities and as a means of decreasing their vulnerability to law enforcement efforts. As a result, organisations and networks have increased in size and power and many have developed interests beyond their country of origin. Criminal organisations have developed to resemble transnational corporations which treat national borders as nothing more than minor inconveniences to their criminal enterprises. (McFarlane 1996, p.456) The most threatening of activities undertaken by OTC and increasingly by terrorists is the trafficking of illegal narcotics. The drug trade has the ability to penetrate all aspects of society and can threaten the social, political and economic security of nations, regions and the global community. Through corruption of state employees, transnational crime syndicates have the ability to undermine legitimate political processes. Dupont (1999, p.436) suggests that the growth in the coercive power of organised crime, if unchecked, has international security implications because large-scale criminal enterprise can subvert the norms and institutions that underpin the global order and the society of states. He offers Burma as the prime example of a threat to sovereignty from the anti-state imperatives of criminals trafficking in heroin and [synthetic drugs]. (p.454) Chalk (2001, p.188) offers an example closer to home however. He cites the findings of the 1996-97 Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service. The findings of the report suggest their has been a close relationship between police officers and drug traffickers for some time and Chalk goes on to explain that such corruption not only undermines the integrity and credibility of Australian social and political institutions, it also exposes the country to international influences over which it has little, if any, control. Thus OTC can be seen to pose a direct threat to sovereignty. In the post Cold War era, concerns have increasingly focused on security aspects other than the traditional concerns of political, military and sovereign integrity. The economic and social security of nations and its populations is becoming more important to security analysts and policy makers. The social impact of the drug trade may not necessarily be the most threatening to security but is probably the impact most felt by the majority of citizens within a society. These threats and impacts include; problems with addiction and the related problem of the spread of infectious diseases particularly HIV/AIDS and an increase in crime associated to the drug trade brought about by addicts trying to finance their habit and by traffickers trying to obtain larger shares of a market. McFarlane (1996, p.459) points to another interesting threat which may emerge from an increase in crime: Furthermore, with increasing crime a free press and civil rights tend to be ignored both by the criminals and by the hard-pressed law enforcement agencies. The potential for the drug trade to affect economic security is also large and is more and more becoming the focus of anti-crime initiatives. The importance of programmes and clinics to help those with an addiction problem or associated health or medical problem diverts funds from other areas of the economy. Finance of resources to combat OTC and the drug trade also diverts money from other sectors of the economy. Destabilisation of a financial system can also occur through the process of money laundering (Chalk: 2001 p181). The threat of terrorism also looms large on the international stage, especially since the events of Sept 11 2001 in New York and in Bali on Oct 12 2002. Due to these events, Militant Islamic terrorism is the focus of much of the international effort against terrorism and is seen as an immediate threat to international security. The difference between terrorists and OTC syndicates is largely determined by their motives and objectives. While OTC will usually focus on the acquisition of profits and power, militant Islamic terrors purpose is commonly identified as the eradication of infidel. In this, they are becoming much more proficient. One of the reasons for this proficiency is the availability and affordability of weapons and supporting technology left over from old Cold War conflicts (Chalk 1999, p.161; Marenko n.d). Campbell (1997, p. 28, cited in Chalk 1999, p.163) suggests that terrorism Ð ¡has demonstrated an increasing trend towards growing lethality and extreme violence sugg esting a potential escalation spiral that could culminate in the indiscriminate use of weapons of mass destruction. As separate law and order issues, Organised Transnational Crime and non-profit motivated terrorism constitute immediate threats to international security. There is however, an escalating trend towards cooperation and indeed a convergence between these two groups, so much so that is becoming more difficult to distinguish between them. Since the end of the Cold War, state sponsored and subsidised terrorism has declined and terrorist organisations have turned to criminal like activities to fund operations (Jamieson 2001, p.379). The most common and threatening of these activities is drug trafficking which offers dividends that can often lead revolutionary groups to neglect their ideals. Hezbollah operates a narcotics export operation out of the Bekaa Valley in the Middle East, has ties with the insurgent Kurdistan Workers Party and with Russian organised crime and is a good example of a group turning to crime to fund their terror operations. Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines and the Revolut ionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) are better examples of ideologically driven groups that that have transformed into criminal enterprises (Cillufo 2000). On the other hand, organised crime groups are increasing their use of terror tactics. In 1993 for example, the Sicilian Mafia carried out a series of car bomb attacks near historic sites on the Italian mainland with the aim of intimidating public opinion and Parliament into abrogating recently passed anti-mafia legislation (Jamieson 2001, p.379). The cooperation between and convergence of OTC and terrorism naturally poses a larger threat to international security than if they operated alone. It is implied by the Report on the 11th Meeting of the CSCSP Working Group on Transnational Crime (2002) that John McFarlane suggests that the attacks on Sept 11 2001 in New York could not have been perpetrated without criminal means and connections being used to acquire funds and identity papers. The direct threats of OTC, the Drug trade and terrorism have been recognised but a related threat must also be addressed. This threat comes from a disparity between the capabilities of OTC and terrorist groups and the ability of governments to stop their activities. This is exacerbated by the effects of globalisation. Naim (2003) best describes this situation Never fettered by the niceties of sovereignty, they [OTCs and terrorists] are now increasingly free of geographic constraints. Moreover, globalisation has not only expanded illegal markets and boosted the size and the resources of criminal networks, it has also imposed more burdens on governments: Tighter public budgets, decentralisation, privatisation, deregulation and a more open environment for national trade and investment all make the task of fighting global criminal more difficult. Governments are made up of cumbersome bureaucracies that generally cooperate with difficulty, but drug traffickers, arms dealers, alien smugglers, counterfeiters and money launderers have refined networking to a high science, entering into complex and improbable strategic alliances that span cultures and continents. It is clear from this that governments need to redefine notions of sovereignty in order to foster more international cooperation within the framework of strengthened international institutions. Organised Transnational Crime activities, particularly narcotics trafficking, are a serious threat to international security. They can destabilise a nation socially, politically and economically, which in turn can lead to destabilisation in the international community. The increasing occurrence and lethality of militant Islamic terrorism also creates concern for international stability. The most significant threat however, comes from a convergence of OTC and terrorism and the international communitys inability to react effectively to this increasing phenomena. The new global economy has presented new opportunities for criminal organisations. These organisations have: increasingly engaged in cross-border activity, both in response to market activities and as a means of decreasing their vulnerability to law enforcement efforts. As a result, organisations and networks have increased in size and power and many have developed interests beyond their country of origin. Criminal organisations have developed to resemble transnational corporations which treat national borders as nothing more than minor inconveniences to their criminal enterprises. (McFarlane 1996, p.456) The most threatening of activities undertaken by OTC and increasingly by terrorists is the trafficking of illegal narcotics. The drug trade has the ability to penetrate all aspects of society and can threaten the social, political and economic security of nations, regions and the global community. Through corruption of state employees, transnational crime syndicates have the ability to undermine legitimate political processes. Dupont (1999, p.436) suggests that the growth in the coercive power of organised crime, if unchecked, has international security implications because large-scale criminal enterprise can subvert the norms and institutions that underpin the global order and the society of states. He offers Burma as the prime example of a threat to sovereignty from the anti-state imperatives of criminals trafficking in heroin and [synthetic drugs]. (p.454) Chalk (2001, p.188) offers an example closer to home however. He cites the findings of the 1996-97 Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service. The findings of the report suggest their has been a close relationship between police officers and drug traffickers for some time and Chalk goes on to explain that such corruption not only undermines the integrity and credibility of Australian social and political institutions, it also exposes the country to international influences over which it has little, if any, control. Thus OTC can be seen to pose a direct threat to sovereignty. In the post Cold War era, concerns have increasingly focused on security aspects other than the traditional concerns of political, military and sovereign integrity. The economic and social security of nations and its populations is becoming more important to security analysts and policy makers. The social impact of the drug trade may not necessarily be the most threatening to security but is probably the impact most felt by the majority of citizens within a society. These threats and impacts include; problems with addiction and the related problem of the spread of infectious diseases particularly HIV/AIDS and an increase in crime associated to the drug trade brought about by addicts trying to finance their habit and by traffickers trying to obtain larger shares of a market. McFarlane (1996, p.459) points to another interesting threat which may emerge from an increase in crime: Furthermore, with increasing crime a free press and civil rights tend to be ignored both by the criminals and by the hard-pressed law enforcement agencies. The potential for the drug trade to affect economic security is also large and is more and more becoming the focus of anti-crime initiatives. The importance of programmes and clinics to help those with an addiction problem or associated health or medical problem diverts funds from other areas of the economy. Finance of resources to combat OTC and the drug trade also diverts money from other sectors of the economy. Destabilisation of a financial system can also occur through the process of money laundering (Chalk: 2001 p181). The threat of terrorism also looms large on the international stage, especially since the events of Sept 11 2001 in New York and in Bali on Oct 12 2002. Due to these events, Militant Islamic terrorism is the focus of much of the international effort against terrorism and is seen as an immediate threat to international security. The difference between terrorists and OTC syndicates is largely determined by their motives and objectives. While OTC will usually focus on the acquisition of profits and power, militant Islamic terrors purpose is commonly identified as the eradication of infidel. In this, they are becoming much more proficient. One of the reasons for this proficiency is the availability and affordability of weapons and supporting technology left over from old Cold War conflicts (Chalk 1999, p.161; Marenko n.d). Campbell (1997, p. 28, cited in Chalk 1999, p.163) suggests that terrorism Ð ¡has demonstrated an increasing trend towards growing lethality and extreme violenceЕ .suggesting a potential escalation spiral that could culminate in the indiscriminate use of weapons of mass destructionÐ ¢ As separate law and order issues, Organised Transnational Crime and non-profit motivated terrorism constitute immediate threats to international security. There is however, an escalating trend towards cooperation and indeed a convergence between these two groups, so much so that is becoming more difficult to distinguish between them. Since the end of the Cold War, state sponsored and subsidised terrorism has declined and terrorist organisations have turned to criminal like activities to fund operations (Jamieson 2001, p.379). The most common and threatening of these activities is drug trafficking which offers dividends that can often lead revolutionary groups to neglect their ideals. Hezbollah operates a narcotics export operation out of the Bekaa Valley in the Middle East, has ties with the insurgent Kurdistan Workers Party and with Russian organised crime and is a good example of a group turning to crime to fund their terror operations. Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines and the Revolut ionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) are better examples of ideologically driven groups that that have transformed into criminal enterprises (Cillufo 2000). On the other hand, organised crime groups are increasing their use of terror tactics. In 1993 for example, the Sicilian Mafia carried out a series of car bomb attacks near historic sites on the Italian mainland with the aim of intimidating public opinion and Parliament into abrogating recently passed anti-mafia legislation (Jamieson 2001, p.379). The cooperation between and convergence of OTC and terrorism naturally poses a larger threat to international security than if they operated alone. It is implied by the Report on the 11th Meeting of the CSCSP Working Group on Transnational Crime (2002) that John McFarlane suggests that the attacks on Sept 11 2001 in New York could not have been perpetrated without criminal means and connections being used to acquire funds and identity papers. The direct threats of OTC, the Drug trade and terrorism have been recognised but a related threat must also be addressed. This threat comes from a disparity between the capabilities of OTC and terrorist groups and the ability of governments to stop their activities. This is exacerbated by the effects of globalisation. Naim (2003) best describes this situation Never fettered by the niceties of sovereignty, they [OTCs and terrorists] are now increasingly free of geographic constraints. Moreover, globalisation has not only expanded illegal markets and boosted the size and the resources of criminal networks, it has also imposed more burdens on governments: Tighter public budgets, decentralisation, privatisation, deregulation and a more open environment for national trade and investment all make the task of fighting global criminal more difficult. Governments are made up of cumbersome bureaucracies that generally cooperate with difficulty, but drug traffickers, arms dealers, alien smugglers, counterfeiters and money launderers have refined networking to a high science, entering into complex and improbable strategic alliances that span cultures and continents. It is clear from this that governments need to redefine notions of sovereignty in order to foster more international cooperation within the framework of strengthened international institutions. Organised Transnational Crime activities, particularly narcotics trafficking, are a serious threat to international security. They can destabilise a nation socially, politically and economically, which in turn can lead to destabilisation in the international community. The increasing occurrence and lethality of militant Islamic terrorism also creates concern for international stability. The most significant threat however, comes from a convergence of OTC and terrorism and the international communityÐ ¢s inability to react effectively to this increasing phenomena.

Role of IT in generating competitive advantage Coursework

Role of IT in generating competitive advantage - Coursework Example They serve as symbol towards achieving excellence and besides the symbol they are practical tool towards the tasks accomplishment. However yielding the best out of I.T setup requires thorough mechanism establishment that ensures maximum profits. This can be done through implementation of management strategies in alignment with information technology. The advantage served by information technology is the fact that activities that were done manually are being carried out with the help of this infrastructure which exists in the name of computer, internet and the field of information technology as a whole. Achieving competitive means surpassing the rivals, living up to the needs of modern day challenges and satisfying the customers’ needs. Companies strive hard for achieving this status and would invest in anything and everything to be competitively stronger than their rivals in the industry. In last two to three decades the use of information systems and relevant technology has b ecome one of the most essential tool towards achieving competitive advantage. ... Similarly people can fly between the continents in no time. The continents, oceans, mountains, and other barriers of past are no more obstacle to communication. This all has been made possible through technology and computer and information technology are the two major gifts of technology in it. with every individual possessing a cell phone or other form of digital device, the operations on non digital mode can hardly be imagined. Keeping up with the challenges and requirements of modern day, embracing the information technology is a must. It serves as that particular pre requisite that must be fulfilled in order to maximize the profits, gains, advantages and minimize the threats and losses(Schlemmer & Webb, 2008). No organization or government can think of living without the use and application of information technology. In fact it has equally penetrated into individual lives, even they cannot imagine life without cell phones, computers, and other digital devices which are part of o ur surroundings and have made our life far more comfortable than it was to the earlier generations. The slow pace of past generations and the modern day fast pace is the salient difference between the two and only one variable stands out in such cases and that is the information technology and computer dominance. Computer has dominated the world’s proceedings in every way. The competitive advantage can be in form of reducing the costs that would be otherwise incurred in the practices and completion of processes, increasing the company rating with reference to market standing, improving the company reputation through the eye of customers, improving the

Cloning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Cloning - Essay Example This is not correct. Scientists do not copy embryos. They just take genetic material from a cell and put it into an empty egg cell. With this type of technology, they can develop nerve tissues, heart muscles as well as brain cells. Scientists believe that by cloning, any damage caused by illnesses can be repaired. Cloning involves high risks. The first drawback with it is that it’s very expensive and also inefficient. There are certain cases that have been unsuccessful. For example, in 2001, scientists reported that they had cloned the first human embryo, however the only embryo that survived divided into only six cells. More than 100 nuclear transfer procedures could be required to produce one viable clone. Research shows that cloned animals have high rates of infection, tumor growth and low immune systems. Cloned mice live in poor health and die early. Clones have been known to die mysterious deaths like the first cloned Australian sheep was fit and healthy when it died and causes of death were not revealed even after autopsy. Cloning is done not only for organs but also for an entire human body. Some people like Hitler and Saddam Hussein wanted human replicas of themselves. That’s creepy. To have someone with the same intellect, intelligence and personality as your own kills your individuality. Also if the actual Hitler died, a clone would still be moving around and that’s a scary thought. It’s also unethical as our bodies are sacred; we have no right to destroy any part of it intentionally. We cannot attempt to take nature into our hands. Lots of religious groups say that the male involvement in the process of reproduction becomes useless if cloning becomes successful, and that is not right. Also if this technology falls into the wrong hands, it can be used to perform criminal acts. Moreover, if done inefficiently, it can cause defects in the clone of a human. Then what would we call that clone? A human? An animal? Babies born with a