The Conclusion Of The First World War History Essay

The Conclusion Of The First World War History Essay At the conclusion of the First World War, Italy was riddled with chaos. This disorder was caused primarily by the belief that Italy was not adequately paid for aiding the Allies at the conclusion of the war. Italy expected to be rewarded with large expanses of territory from the defeated nations for its services. But it did not. In fact, under the charter of the League of Nations and the various peace treaties, Italy only gained territory from turkey when other nations whom they saw as inferior gained more land and more resources. Mussolini and his rapidly growing supporters capitalised on this and it was during this time Mussolinis fascist views spread throughout the country. Due to his military service during the war, Mussolini already had a large amount of support from military veterans and the lower classes in Italian society. He also had support of the business class for fear of a communist style regime that would see their profits lost. This capitalisation was the first of many political successes that would befall Mussolini and his soon to be fascist government. The next political success that occurred was Mussolinis solidification as Italys leader. This occurred in the late 1920s when Gabriele DAnnunzio and his supporters were forced out from Fiume. DAnnunzio was labeled as the John the Baptist of Italian Fascism  [1]  and Mussolinis style of leadership was rather like that of DAnnunzio during his occupation of Fiume and his leadership of the Italian Regency of Carnaro  [2]  . Aspects of this style were seen throughout Mussolinis time in power and frequently à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦included the balcony address, the Roman salute, the cries of Eia, eia, eia! Alala!, the dramatic and rhetorical dialogue with the crowd, the use of religious symbols in new secular settings  [3]  . Once Mussolini succeeded in driving DAnnunzio out of Fiume, many Italian separatists also embraced Mussolini as their leader as he promoted a strong foreign policy and the annexation of Fiume and Dalmatia. With his position as leader solidified, Mussolini rapidly ga ined power gained power and progressively converted the government into a one-party fascist dictatorship under his leadership. From that time until his death, Mussolinis only interest was in holding on to power. Perhaps, the biggest success for Mussolini and the government were the two organisations they created to control Italy. The first of these organisations was known as the Blackshirts. The Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale or National Security Volunteer Militia was formed in 1923 and was responsible for security of the regime and reported directly to Mussolini. This allowed for complete control over Italy and its subjects  [4]  . The second of these organisations was a secret police force created in 1927, called the Organizzazione di Vigilanza Repressione dellAntifascismo, (Organization for Vigilance and Repression of Anti-Fascism) or OVRA. It was led by Arturo Bocchini with the sole purpose of cracking down on all opponents of the the government and Mussolini as there had been several assassination attempts on his life since his rise to power  [5]  . The OVRA itself was an effective force, but caused fewer deaths of political opponents compared to that of the Schut zstaffel of Nazi Germany and the NKVD of the Soviet Union, the OVRA. This being said, the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦fascists methods of repression were cruel which included physically forcing opponents of Fascism to swallow castor oil which would cause severe diarrhoea and dehydration, leaving the victim in a painful and physically debilitated state which would sometimes result in death  [6]  . This created a state of constant fear of the OVRA and the Blackshirts, both of whom used this method of torture. In 1925, organised crime was rapidly rising in the Sicily and southern Italy. To combat this, the government gave special powers to the prefect of Palermo, Cesare Mori. These powers gave him the ability to prosecute the Mafia, forcing many Mafiosi to flee abroad (many to the United States) or risk being jailed  [7]  . Mori was fired however, when he began to investigate Mafia links within the Fascist regime. He was removed from his position in 1929, and the Fascist regime declared tha t the threat of the Mafia had been eliminated. Moris actions weakened the Mafia, but did not destroy them. Between 1929 and 1943, the Italian government completely abandoned its aggressive measures against the Mafia, and left them relatively undisturbed. The Fascist government had a major success when it came to education, endorsing many new and stringent education policies in Italy throughout the period aimed at lowering illiteracy which was a growing problem in Italy at the time  [8]  . To reduce the number of drop-outs, the government raised the minimum age of leaving school from 12 to 14 years of age and due to the fascist nature of the government, they were able to strictly enforce attendance at school. This was just the first step in their education plan and in 1922, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the governments first minister of education, Giovanni Gentile announced his recommendation that all education policy from this point forward should focus on indoctrination of students into fascism, and to educate youth to respect and be obedient to authority  [9]  . Before this could be realised, the government invoked a concurrent plan to increase and recognise intellectual talent throughout Italy when the government established the Royal Ac ademy of Italy in 1926 to reward, promote and coordinate Italys intellectual success  [10]  . It wasnt until 1929 that education policy took a major step toward that agenda of indoctrination. In that year, the government took control of the authorisation of all textbooks, all school teachers were required to take oaths of loyalty to fascism and children began to be instructed that they owed the same loyalty to fascism as they did to God  [11]  . It then increased in the control set by the government with all university teachers were required to be members of the National Fascist Party in 1933  [12]  , and in the 1930s and 1940s Italys education system was refocused onto the history of Italy displaying Italy as a force of civilization during the Roman era, displaying the rebirth of Italian nationalism and the struggle for Italian independence  [13]  . Also in the late 1930s, the fascist government copied Nazi Germanys education system regarding the physical fitness st udents, and begun demanding that Italians become physically healthy  [14]  . The major success in social policy for the government was the establishment of the Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro (OND) or National After-work Program in 1925 and soon became the states largest recreational organisation for adults. The Dopolavoro as it was known, had no trouble attracting members  [15]  , à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but according to historian Tobias Asbe, while the activities sponsored by the OND were popular with the working class, these activities did not turn workers into ideologically convinced supporters of the Fascist regime was so popular that, by the 1930s, all towns in Italy had a Dopolavoro clubhouse and the Dopolavoro was responsible for establishing and maintaining 11,000 sports grounds, over 6,400 libraries, 800 movie houses, 1,200 theatres, and over 2,000 orchestras  [16]  . When Achille Starace took over as director of the OND in the early 1930s, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ t became primarily recreational; concentrating on sports and other outings and by 1936 the OND had a pproximately 80% of salaried workers as members  [17]  . The OND had the largest membership of any of the mass Fascist organizations in Italy and due to its huge success in Italy, it was the key factor in Nazi Germany creating its own version, the Kraft durch Freude (KdF) or Strength through Joy program, which was even more successful than the Dopolavoro  [18]  . Once in power, Mussolini attempted to alter the countrys economy to work within his fascist ideology. This was his major failure. He immediately began investing in and taking over industrial interests from within the leaders of Italian capitalism. There are two views amongst both historians and economist with regard to Mussolinis economic management, David Baker who discusses this in The New Political Economy There is a messy tangle between economic theory and economic practice which leads to two opposing views either Mussolini had an economic plan, or that he did not, but instead reacted to changes without forward planning  [19]  . Mussolinis first failure was though he did have an economic agenda which was both short and long term in nature, he attempted to completely change the economy in one phase. The government had two major tasks, one, to modernise the economy, and two, to improve the countrys dire lack of resources. To attempt these tasks, the government stimulated devel opment through creating a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦modern capitalistic sector in the service of the state, intervening directly as needed to create collaboration between the industrialists, the workers, and the state  [20]  . This was achieved by removing class and implementing corporations and in the short-term the government worked to reform the widely-abused tax system, dispose of inefficient state-owned industry, cut government costs, and introduce tariffs to protect the new industries  [21]  . The governments second failure was that it started to sell off legislative monopolies. The first of these was the 19 April 1923 law which transferred life insurance policy from a state run company to private enterprise. This effectively cancelled à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the 1912 law which had created a State Institute for insurances and which had envisioned to give a state monopoly ten years later  [22]  . By doing this the government lost one sector of income it rely on and with a rapidly growing inflation Up until 1925 the country enjoyed modest growth but structural weaknesses increasing rate of inflation the value of currency slowly dropped. Then in 1925 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the Italian state abandoned its monopoly on telephones infrastructure, while the state production of matches was handed over to a private consortium of matches producers  [23]  . This led to increase in speculation against the strength of the lira. This then caused the government to intervene and De Stefani, the fin ance minister à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦was sacked, his program side-tracked, and the Fascist government became more involved in the economy in step with the increased security of their power  [24]  . The great depression of the early 1930s was the third major economic failure to beset the Italian government. As companies came close to failure, the policy of the government was for banks to buy out the companies. This was largely an illusionary bail-out as the funds used to pay for the purchases were largely worthless and this led a financial crisis which peaked in 1932 and led to the need for major government intervention  [25]  . After the bankruptcy of the Austrian Kredit Anstalt in May 1931, Italian banks followed, with the bankruptcy of the Banco di Milano, the Credito Italiano and the Banca Commerciale  [26]  . In response to this, the state created three financial management institutions funded by the Italian treasury which were designed to buy back all the debt made by the failed banks. This aid was in the form of $5.5 billion and was to be paid back within ten years. Throughout the period of 1923 and 1939, there were a number of decisions that Benito Mussolini and his fascist government of Italy made that led to both successful and unsuccessful ventures. They were successful with implementing a number of new political policies through taking advantage of the circumstances and solidifying Mussolinis position in as leader and creating new powerful policing agencies that answered directly to them and through exerting fear into the populous. Once their position was solidifies they then commencing working on the education standards of Italy and through the fascist influence increased the literacy rate of the country and also the support of their movement by the students and teachers of the school. The government also built support up through their introduction of the OND, a social organisation that grew to include over 80% of salary workers. Though this being said, their major failure was their inability to manage funds appropriately. The economy of t he country wasnt great when they came to power, and they then attempted to achieve too much too quickly and send the economy into a downward spiral once they sold off their monopolies and then failed to act appropriately when the great depression hit the country. All in all, there were a number of both successes and failures that the Italian fascist government had during the inter war years of 1923 to 1939.

Transgenic Rice Plants Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For centuries, rice has been one of the most important staple crops for the world and it now currently feeds more than two billion people, mostly living in developing countries. Rice is the major food source of Japan and China and it enjoys a long history of use in both cultures. In 1994, worldwide rice production peaked at 530 million metric tons. Yet, more than 200 million tons of rice are lost each year to biotic stresses such as disease and insect infestation. This extreme loss of crop is estimated to cost at least several billion dollars per year and heavy losses often leave third world countries desperate for their staple food. Therefore, measures must be taken to decrease the amount of crop loss and increase yields that could be used to feed the populations of the world. One method to increase rice crop yields is the institution of transgenic rice plants that express insect resistance genes. The two major ways to accomplish insect resistance in rice are the introduction of the potato proteinas e inhibitor II gene or the introduction of the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin gene into the plant's genome. Other experimental methods of instituting insect resistance include the use of the arcelin gene, the snowdrop lectin/GNA (galanthus nivallis agglutinin) protein, and phloem specific promoters and finally the SBTI gene.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The introduction of the potato proteinase inhibitor II gene, or PINII, marks the first time that useful genes were successfully transferred from a dicotyledonus plant to a monocotyledonous plant. Whenever the plant is wounded by insects, the PINII gene produces a protein that interferes with the insect's digestive processes. These protein inhibitors can be detrimental to the growth and development of a wide range of insects that attack rice plants and result in insects eating less of the plant material. Proteinase inhibitors are of particular interest because they are part of the rice plant's natural defense system against insects. They are also beneficial because they are inactivated by cooking and therefore pose no environmental or health hazards to the human consumption of PINII treated rice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to produce fertile transgenic rice plants, plasmid pTW was used, coupled with the pin 2 promoter and the inserted rice actin intron, act 1. The combi... ... SBTI gene is being cloned into vectors and is being used to transform other types of embryos using the particle gun technique.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, through the use of new technologies such as the introduction of potato proteinase inhibitor II gene, the establishment of the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin gene and the experimental methods of using the arcelin gene, the snowdrop lectin/GNA (galanthus nivallis agglutinin) protein, and phloem specific promoters and finally the SBTI gene, rice plants have become almost completely resistant to insects that used to destroy much of the crop. This has been an important step in biotechnology because the improvement of rice plants is a major concern that could potentially effect almost all of the populations of the world. Biotechnology has become an increasingly accepted method of solving some of the major problems in agriculture, medicine, and industry. Potentially, with the advancements of many techniques, almost whenever people eat, drink, take medicine, or go to work, they will be touched in some way by the many complicated processes of biotechnology, that are striving to make our world a better place to exist in.

Chapter 17 Cat, Rat, and Dog

Harry's mind had gone blank with shock. The three of them stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling. â€Å"Hagrid,† Harry muttered. Without thinking about what he was doing, he made to turn back, but both Ron and Hermione seized his arms. â€Å"We can't,† said Ron, who was paper-white. â€Å"He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him†¦.† Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven. â€Å"How — could — they?† she choked. â€Å"How could they?† â€Å"Come on,† said Ron, whose teeth seemed to be chattering. They set off back toward the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the cloak. The light was fading fast now. By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them. â€Å"Scabbers, keep still,† Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. â€Å"What's the matter with you, You stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!† â€Å"Ron, be quiet!† Hermione whispered urgently. â€Å"Fudge'll be out here in a minute –â€Å" â€Å"He won't — stay — put –â€Å" Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip. â€Å"What's the matter with him?† But Harry had just seen — stinking toward them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness — Crookshanks. Whether he could see them or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, Harry couldn't tell. â€Å"Crookshanks!† Hermione moaned. â€Å"No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!† But the cat was getting nearer — â€Å"Scabbers — NO!† Too late — the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before Harry or Hermione could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness. â€Å"Ron!† Hermione moaned. She and Harry looked at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the cloak; they pulled it off and it streamed behind them like a banner as they hurtled after Ron; they could hear his feet thundering along ahead and his shouts at Crookshanks. â€Å"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here –â€Å" There was a loud thud. â€Å"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat –â€Å" Harry and Hermione almost fell over Ron; they skidded to a stop right in front of him. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump. â€Å"Ron — come on back under the cloak –† Hermione panted. â€Å"Dumbledore — the Minister — they'll be coming back out in a minute –â€Å" But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws†¦. Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow — an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog. Harry reached for his wand, but too late — the dog had made an enormous leap and the front paws hit him on the chest; he keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth – But the force of its leap had carried it too far; it rolled off him. Dazed, feeling as though his ribs were broken, Harry tried to stand up; he could hear it growling as it skidded around for a new attack. Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Harry aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunged forward, he seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll — Then, out of nowhere, something hit Harry so hard across the face he was knocked off his feet again. He heard Hermione shriek with pain and fall too. Harry groped for his wand, blinking blood out of his eyes â€Å"Lumos!† he whispered. The wandlight showed him the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop them going nearer. And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backward into a large gap in the roots — Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight — â€Å"Ron!† Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and he was forced backward again. All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground — but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken, and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight. â€Å"Harry — we've got to go for help –† Hermione gasped; she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder. â€Å"No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time –â€Å" â€Å"Harry — we're never going to get through without help –â€Å" Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles. â€Å"If that dog can get in, we can,† Harry panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but he couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows. â€Å"Oh, help, help,† Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, â€Å"Please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk. Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook. â€Å"Crookshanks!† Hermione whispered uncertainly. She now grasped Harry's arm painfully hard. â€Å"How did he know –?† â€Å"He's friends with that dog,† said Harry grimly. â€Å"I've seen them together. Come on — and keep your wand out –â€Å" They covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, but before they had reached the gap in the roots, Crookshanks had slid into it with a flick of his bottlebrush tail. Harry went next; he crawled forward, headfirst, and slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel. Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's wand. Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside him. â€Å"Where's Ron?† she whispered in a terrified voice. â€Å"This way,† said Harry, setting off, bent-backed, after Crookshanks. â€Å"Where does this tunnel come out?† Hermione asked breathlessly from behind him. â€Å"I don't know†¦It's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it†¦It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They moved as fast as they could, bent almost double; ahead of them, Crookshanks's tail bobbed in and out of view. On and on went the passage; it felt at least as long as the one to Honeydukes†¦ All Harry could think of was Ron and what the enormous dog might be doing to him†¦He was drawing breath in sharp, painful gasps, running at a crouch†¦. And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Ahead Harry could see a patch of dim light through a small opening. He and Hermione paused, gasping for breath, edging forward. Both raised their wands to see what lay beyond. It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up. Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded. Harry pulled himself out of the hole, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's arm again. Her wide eyes were traveling around the boarded windows. â€Å"Harry,† she whispered, â€Å"I think we're in the Shrieking Shack.† Harry looked around. His eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely. â€Å"Ghosts didn't do that,† he said slowly. At that moment, there was a creak overhead. Something had moved upstairs. Both of them looked up at the ceiling. Hermione's grip on Harry's arm was so tight he was losing feeling in his fingers. He raised his eyebrows at her; she nodded again and let go. Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs. They reached the dark landing. â€Å"Nox,† they whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out. Only one door was open. As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring. They exchanged a last look, a last nod. Wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open. On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Ron. Harry and Hermione dashed across to him. â€Å"Ron — are you okay?† â€Å"Where's the dog?† â€Å"Not a dog,† Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. â€Å"Harry, it's a trap –â€Å" â€Å"What –â€Å" â€Å"He's the dog†¦he's an Animagus.† Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder. Harry wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them. A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black. â€Å"Expelliarmus!† he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them. Harry's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry. â€Å"I thought you'd come and help your friend,† he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. â€Å"Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful†¦it will make everything much easier†¦.† The taunt about his father rang in Harry's ears as though Black had bellowed it. A boiling hate erupted in Harry's chest, leaving no place for fear. For the first time in his life, he wanted his wand back in his hand, not to defend himself, but to attack†¦to kill. Without knowing what he was doing, he started forward, but there was a sudden movement on either side of him and two pairs of hands grabbed him and held him back†¦ â€Å"No, Harry!† Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper; Ron, however, spoke to Black. â€Å"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!† he said fiercely, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke. Something flickered in Black's shadowed eyes. â€Å"Lie down,† he said quietly to Ron. â€Å"You will damage that leg even more.† â€Å"Did you hear me?† Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. â€Å"You'll have to kill all three of us!† â€Å"There'll be only one murder here tonight,† said Black, and his grin widened. â€Å"Why's that?† Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron, and Hermione. â€Å"Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew†¦What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?† â€Å"Harry!† Hermione whimpered. â€Å"Be quiet!† â€Å"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!† Harry roared, and with a huge effort he broke free of Hermione's and Ron's restraint and lunged forward — He had forgotten about magic — he had forgotten that he was short and skinny and thirteen, whereas Black was a tall, full-grown man — all Harry knew was that he wanted to hurt Black as badly as he could and that he didn't care how much he got hurt in return — Perhaps it was the shock of Harry doing something so stupid, but Black didn't raise the wands in time — one of Harry's hands fastened over his wasted wrist, forcing the wand tips away; the knuckles of Harry's other hand collided with the side of Black's head and they fell, backward, into the wall — Hermione was screaming; Ron was yelling; there was a blinding flash as the wands in Black's hand sent a jet of sparks into the air that missed Harry's face by inches; Harry felt the shrunken arm under his fingers twisting madly, but he clung on, his other hand punching every part of Black it could find. But Black's free hand had found Harry's throat â€Å"No,† he hissed, â€Å"I've waited too long –â€Å" The fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew. Then he saw Hermione's foot swing out of nowhere. Black let go of Harry with a grunt of pain; Ron had thrown himself on Black's wand hand and Harry heard a faint clatter — He fought free of the tangle of bodies and saw his own wand rolling across the floor; he threw himself toward it but â€Å"Argh!† Crookshanks had joined the fray; both sets of front claws had sunk themselves deep into Harry's arm; Harry threw him off, but Crookshanks now darted toward Harry's wand — â€Å"NO YOU DON'T!† roared Harry, and he aimed a kick at Crookshanks that made the cat leap aside, spitting; Harry snatched up his wand and turned — â€Å"Get out of the way!† he shouted at Ron and Hermione. They didn't need telling twice. Hermione, gasping for breath, her lip bleeding, scrambled aside, snatching up her and Ron's wands. Ron crawled to the four-poster and collapsed onto it, panting, his white face now tinged with green, both hands clutching his broken leg. Black was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rose and fell rapidly as he watched Harry walking slowly nearer, his wand pointing straight at Black's heart. â€Å"Going to kill me, Harry?† he whispered. Harry stopped right above him, his wand still pointing at Black's chest, looking down at him. A livid bruise was rising around Black's left eye and his nose was bleeding. â€Å"You killed my parents,† said Harry, his voice shaking slightly, but his wand hand quite steady. Black stared up at him out of those sunken eyes. â€Å"I don't deny it,† he said very quietly. â€Å"But if you knew the whole story.† â€Å"The whole story?† Harry repeated, a furious pounding in his ears. â€Å"You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know.† â€Å"You've got to listen to me,† Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. â€Å"You'll regret it if you don't†¦You don't understand†¦.† â€Å"I understand a lot better than you think,† said Harry, and his voice shook more than ever. â€Å"You never heard her, did you? My mum†¦trying to stop Voldemort killing me†¦and you did that†¦you did it†¦.† Before either of them could say another word, something ginger streaked past Harry; Crookshanks leapt onto Black's chest and settled himself there, right over Black's heart. Black blinked and looked down at the cat. â€Å"Get off,† he murmured, trying to push Crookshanks off him. But Crookshanks sank his claws into Black's robes and wouldn't shift. He turned his ugly, squashed face to Harry and looked up at him with those great yellow eyes. To his right, Hermione gave a dry sob. Harry stared down at Black and Crookshanks, his grip tightening on the wand. So what if he had to kill the cat too? It was in league with Black†¦If it was prepared to die, trying to protect Black, that wasn't Harry's business†¦ If Black wanted to save it, that only proved he cared more for Crookshanks than for Harry's parents†¦. Harry raised the wand. Now was the moment to do it. Now was the moment to avenge his mother and father. He was going to kill Black. He had to kill Black. This was his chance†¦. The seconds lengthened. And still Harry stood frozen there, wand poised, Black staring up at him, Crookshanks on his chest. Ron's ragged breathing came from near the bed; Hermione was quite silent. And then came a new sound — Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor — someone was moving downstairs. â€Å"WE'RE UP HERE!† Hermione screamed suddenly. â€Å"WE'RE UP HERE — SIRIUS BLACK — QUICK!† Black made a startled movement that almost dislodged Crookshanks; Harry gripped his wand convulsively — Do it now! said a voice in his head — but the footsteps were thundering up the stairs and Harry still hadn't done it. The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Harry, standing there with his wand covering Black, and then to Black himself, crumpled and bleeding at Harry's feet. â€Å"Expelliarmus!† Lupin shouted. Harry's wand flew once more out of his hand; so did the two Hermione was holding. Lupin caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black, who still had Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest. Harry stood there, feeling suddenly empty. He hadn't done it. His nerve had failed him. Black was going to be handed back to the Dementors. Then Lupin spoke, in a very tense voice. â€Å"Where is he, Sirius?† Harry looked quickly at Lupin. He didn't understand what Lupin meant. Who was Lupin talking about? He turned to look at Black again. Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered. â€Å"But then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, â€Å"†¦why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless† — Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, â€Å"– unless he was the one†¦unless you switched†¦ without telling me?† Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face, Black nodded. â€Å"Professor,† Harry interrupted loudly, â€Å"what's going on –?† But he never finished the question, because what he saw made his voice die in his throat. Lupin was lowering his wand, gazing fixed at Black. The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother. Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. â€Å"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!† Hermione screamed. Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. â€Å"You — you –â€Å" â€Å"Hermione –â€Å" â€Å"?C you and him!† â€Å"Hermione, calm down –â€Å" â€Å"I didn't tell anyone!† Hermione shrieked. â€Å"I've been covering up for you –â€Å" â€Å"Hermione, listen to me, please† Lupin shouted. â€Å"I can explain –â€Å" Harry could feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury. â€Å"I trusted you,† he shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering, out of control, â€Å"and all the time you've been his friend!† â€Å"You're wrong,† said Lupin. â€Å"I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now — Let me explain†¦.† â€Å"NO!† Hermione screamed. â€Å"Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too — he's a werewolf!† There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale. â€Å"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione,† he said. â€Å"Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead. An odd shiver passed over his face. â€Å"But I won't deny that I am a werewolf.† Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made toward him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped, â€Å"Get away from me, werewolf!† Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, â€Å"How long have you known?† â€Å"Ages,† Hermione whispered. â€Å"Since I did Professor Snape's essay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He'll be delighted,† said Lupin coolly. â€Å"He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant†¦ Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the Boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?† â€Å"Both,† Hermione said quietly. Lupin forced a laugh. â€Å"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione.† â€Å"I'm not,† Hermione whispered. â€Å"If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!† â€Å"But they already know,† said Lupin. â€Å"At least, the staff do.† â€Å"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf,† Ron gasped. â€Å"Is he mad?† â€Å"Some of the staff thought so,† said Lupin. â€Å"He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy –â€Å" â€Å"AND HE WAS WRONG!† Harry yelled. â€Å"YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!† He was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg. â€Å"I have not been helping Sirius,† said Lupin. â€Å"If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look –â€Å" He separated Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; Harry caught his, stunned. â€Å"There,† said Lupin, sticking his own wand back into his belt â€Å"You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?† Harry didn't know what to think. Was it a trick? â€Å"If you haven't been helping him,† he said, with a furious glance at Black, â€Å"how did you know he was here?† â€Å"The map,† said Lupin. â€Å"The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it –â€Å" â€Å"You know how to work it?† Harry said suspiciously. â€Å"Of course I know how to work it,† said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. â€Å"I helped write it. I'm Moony — that was my friends' nickname for me at school.† â€Å"You wrote –?† â€Å"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?† He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet. â€Å"You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry–â€Å" â€Å"How d'you know about the cloak?† â€Å"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Lupin, waving an impatient hand again. â€Å"The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else.† â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"No, we weren't!† I couldn't believe my eyes,' said Lupin, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption. â€Å"I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?† â€Å"No one was with us!† said Harry. â€Å"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black†¦I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow –â€Å" â€Å"One of us!† Ron said angrily. â€Å"No, Ron,† said Lupin. â€Å"Two of you.† He had stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron. â€Å"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?† he said evenly. â€Å"What?† said Ron. â€Å"What's Scabbers got to do with it?† â€Å"Everything,† said Lupin. â€Å"Could I see him, please?† Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up on Black's leg and made a soft hissing noise. Lupin moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers. â€Å"What?† Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. â€Å"What's my rat got to do with anything?† â€Å"That's not a rat,† croaked Sirius Black suddenly. â€Å"What d'you mean — of course he's a rat –â€Å" â€Å"No, he's not,† said Lupin quietly. â€Å"He's a wizard.† â€Å"An Animagus,† said Black, â€Å"by the name of Peter Pettigrew.†

Quality Web Design

Quality Web Design (QWD) Security Weaknesses Steve Gelin Submitted to: Jack Sibrizzi SE571: Principles of Information Security and Privacy Keller Graduate School of Management Submitted: 8/25/2012 Table of Contents Executive Summary3 Company Overview3 Security Vulnerabilities3 Software Vulnerabilities4 Hardware Vulnerabilities4 Recommended Solutions5 A Hardware Example Solution5 A Software Example Solution5Impact on Business Processes5 Summary5 References6 Executive Summary My paper focuses on a security assessment of Quality Web Design (QWD), which is a very successful company that is well-known for its magnificent and appealing websites; they work on trying to get your company or business in the top 10 search engine results so that searchers find you on the first page of the search results.They have a competitive pricing scheme going on, they offer many different options for their website construction, and they start by offering the customer a selection of pre-designed websites tha t they themselves can customize with their individual logos, text, images, themes or just a whole different template and any other information that would be helpful in catching the eye of potential customers. Company OverviewQuality Web Design (QWD) is a business that specifies and focuses on Web site, Web development, content design, programming, graphic design, photo editing and logo design for all types of businesses. QWD is a web graphic design and development company based out of Orlando, Fl. QWD cater to a huge and diverse clientele that spans across USA, UK and Canada. Security Vulnerabilities: Software Vulnerabilities Listed further down are two security vulnerabilities: software and hardware.These security vulnerabilities were identified through the initial verification of the QWD software usage for their web design company. A majority of QWD personnel require out of office access when working on projects for the company, so the use of Virtual Private Networks called (VPNâ €™s), Outlook Web email, Microsoft SQL 2008 Server and Microsoft Exchange 2007 email servers which utilize the corporate intranet resources.Remotely utilizing these programs or software out of the company will cause QWD to be exposed to attacks from the internet. But not only that, employees put the utilization of corporate equipment such as desktops, laptops & mobile devices (iPhones and Windows Mobile 6) in very harmful situations that the company will pay for dearly later as time progress. Having these equipment listed it is possible to incur outside attacks from the internet while utilizing the company intranet resource on a remote computer that is not protected.As I’ve read the different equipment listed within the QWD company it seems that there employee laptops, & mobile devices are being used unprotected over the internet which could lead to situations such as Trojan horses and email worms. For example Microsoft Exchange 2007 email servers has a well-known vulnera bility that could allow remote code execution, this vulnerability can allow an attacker to take control of your affected system with Exchange Server service account privileges or the attacker could just disable your services within Microsoft Exchange completely.Hardware Vulnerabilities The same can be said for the companies hardware systems listed such as their iPhones and Windows Mobile 6, these hardware devices that employees of QWD are devices that can easily be hacked by an outside user for example the iPhone 4 has a vulnerability that allows an intruder to be able to act silently and retrieve e-mail messages, SMS messages, calendar appointments, contact information, photos, music files, videos, along with any other data recorded by iPhone apps.The same can be said for their Windows Mobile 6 devices, there’s a well know issue with the Bluetooth function in all Windows Mobile 6 devices. This issue allows an individual to read or write any file that’s on your mobile device, even the Internet Explorer on Windows Mobile 6 and Windows Mobile 2003 for Smartphones allows attackers to cause a denial of service; which the attacker then uses to infiltrate your device to retrieve e-mail messages, SMS messages, and calendar appointments, contact information etc.From my research the only workaround provided for this vulnerability is not to accept pairing nor connection requests from unknown sources. So it would be better if the individuals who are using devices with Windows Mobile 6 as their operating system should be very mindful and careful of the things that they allow their devices to connect to. Recommended Solutions:For QWD the installation of anti-malware to protect against malicious applications, spyware, infected SD cards and malware-based attacks against their mobile or hardware devices such as iPhones, laptops etc. Strongly enforce security policies, such as mandating the use of strong PINs/Passcodes, use SSL VPN clients to effortlessly protect data in transit and ensure appropriate network authentication and access rights finally centralize locate and remote lock, wipe, backup and restore facilities for lost and stolen devices.As for software vulnerabilities the use of firewalls, on both laptops and desktops, anti-malware and spyware programs that will protect against malicious activities, updated software patches with the latest updates to security threats, the use of strong passwords and pass keys, when sending information over the internet whether classified or unclassified he use of an encryption tool to keep that information from being intercepted. Impact on Business Processes:As we all know as IT professional, there can be a lot of different impacts that can affect work progress within a company such as password update reminders, the cost that will be needed to implement these new changes, what would be the privacy, rules and regulations for these devices. Not only will these new changes cause confusion for the fir st few months of the change up, they may also cause employee’s to feel paranoid of the thought that their system could be compromised and that there being asked to constantly update things within their system.Summary: In summary this paper focuses on the vulnerabilities of QWD as a Web Design and development company, the software and hardware vulnerabilities of their system and the needed recommended solutions for all devices such as their iPhones and Windows Mobile 6 usable devices. These devices left unchecked can cause major issues to the company if such items were attacked and used to an attackers benefit. QWD as an organization must assess the situation with their software and hardware vulnerabilities and commence the proper and needed steps to counter these problems within QWD.References: Degerstrom, J. (2011). Browser Security and Quality Web Design. Retrieved from http://www. jimdegerstrom. com/blog/2011/05/browser-security-and-quality-web-design. html Lowe, S. (2009) . Patch these critical vulnerabilities in Exchange Server. Retrieved from http://www. techrepublic. om/blog/datacenter/patch-these-critical-vulnerabilities-in-exchange-server/611 Hamell, D. (2010). Malicious Mobile Threats Report. Retrieved from http://juniper. mwnewsroom. com/manual-releases/2011/At-Risk–Global-Mobile-Threat-Study-Finds-Security Norman, G. (2009). Windows Mobile 6. 0 Users Beware of Bluetooth Vulnerability. Retrieved from http://www. findmysoft. com/news/Windows-Mobile-6-0-and-6-1-Users-Beware-of-Bluetooth-Vulnerability/ Greenberg, A. (2011). iPhone Security Bug. Retrieved from

Canada Culture Essay

1.0 Introduction Society is a shared context in a way that every individual’s activity relates and connects to it, including business. Culture is the comprised of values, beliefs, behaviors, customs, and attitudes that differentiate each society. A society’s culture determines the systems that manage how organizations function in the society (Griffin and Pustay, 2010). Because of individuals possess their own activity and habits, they do things differently in a group. There are some characteristics of culture are essential for their significance to international business. First of all, culture reflects learned behavior that is conveyed from one member of a society to another. Certain elements of culture are conveyed intergenerationally, for instance a family, when parents educate their children table etiquette. Some elements are transmitted intragenerationally, like when seniors teach incoming freshmen about a school’s customs (Griffin and Pustay, 2010; Phatak et al., 2009). Next, the elements of culture are interrelated. For example, in Canada, different subcultures (different cultural group) include Anglophones and francophones (English-speaking and French-speaking people) (Deresky, 2011). Due to culture is learned behavior, the culture changes in response to external forces affect the society, in other words, it is adaptive. An example is after World War II, Germany was divided into free-market-oriented West Germany and communist guarded East Germany. Although they are having a common inheritance developed over centuries, this division created large cultural differences between Ossis (East Germans) and Wessis (West Germans). The differences resulted from adaptations of the East German culture to the principles of communist ideology concerning attitudes toward work, risk taking, and integrity of remuneration systems (Griffin and Pustay, 2010). Finally, culture is shared by associates of the society and in fact shapes the membership of the society. Persons who share a culture are members of a society, while those who do not are outside the confines of the society (Griffin and Pustay, 2010). Culture is inside everybody without their realization. We are different because of it. 2.0 Brief Introduction of Canada Location The country to be discussed in this assignment is Canada. Canada is located on the northern section of the North American continent which is the north of the United States mainland. Waters bordering the country consist of the North Atlantic Ocean to the east, the North Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Arctic Ocean to the north. Canada’s size is as great as that of the continent of Europe (Encyclopedia of the Nations, 2011). With a total area of approximately 9,984,670 square kilometers according to CIA (2011), it is the largest country in the Western Hemisphere and the second-largest in the world, after Russia (Encyclopedia of the Nations, 2011). In addition, Canada is divided into ten provinces and three territories. The three territories are Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut Territory (CIA, 2011; Encyclopedia of the Nations, 2011). These lands are all located in the northwestern, tundra regions of Canada, and each of them has a rather small population in comparison to the other provinces. Also, the territories are primarily settled by native tribes. These natives have obtained a certain level of self-government for each particular territory (Encyclopedia of the Nations, 2011). Culture According to CIA, Canada has two official languages, namely English (58.8%) and French (21.6%). Thanks to the diversity of all origins Canadians which stand from British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, and mixed background 26%, Canada is a highly diverse culture. Besides, the major religions are Roman Catholic and Protestant (CIA, 2011). Due to its short history, Canadian culture is above all modern. This is particularly apparent in its authors, almost all of whom are still alive: Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, Yann Martel (three recent Booker Prize winners), Marie-Claire Blais and Antonine Maillet are already popular in the US (Embassy of Canada in Washington, 2011). In recent decades, Canada has gained international recognition in the visual arts thanks to progressive artists. Jeff Wall, Rodney Graham, Edward Burtynsky, Ken Lum, Ian Wallace and Genevià ¨ve Cadieux introduced new uses for photography techniques, Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller used new technologies in artistic formation (Embassy of Canada in Washington, 2011). Population The population of Canada in July 2011 was 34,030,589 as estimated by the CIA (2011), which made its population as number 37 among the 237 countries of the world. It was about 15.9% of the population was over 65 years of age, with 15.7% of the population under 15 years of age in 2011 and there were 98 males for every 100 females in the country in 2011 (CIA, 2011). According to CIA, the annual population growth rate for 2011 is 0.794%. It was estimated by CIA (2011) that 81% of the population lived in urban areas in 2009. Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, had a population of 1,170,000 in that year. The Toronto metropolitan area had an estimated population of 5,377,000; Montrà ©al, 3,750,000; Vancouver, 2,197,000; and Calgary, 1,160,000 (CIA, 2011). According to the Government of Yukon (2011), Yukon Territory has an expanding population over years of 34,667 as of 2010. It was originally occupied by the Athapaskan tribe, which still has six distinct groups of peoples residing in the territory (Encyclopedia of the Nations, 2011). In April 2011, the Northwest Territories had a population of 43,505 (NWT Bureau of Statistics). There is about 28 percent of the population is descended from the Dene tribe, while other indigenous groups are the Inuvialuit and the Mà ©tis (Encyclopedia of the Nations, 2011). Nunavut Bureau of Statistics (2011) shows that the Nunavut Territory had a population of 33,413 as of April 2011. It was separated from the Northwest Territories in 1999 and is now the largest political subdivision in the country, covering 18 percent of the total land area. Moreover, it is also the largest native land-claim settlement in the history of the country. About 84 percent of the residents claim ancestry from native tribes, and the largest of these Nunavut tribes is the Inuit of 83 percent, formerly known as the Eskimos which is a derogatory term meaning â€Å"eaters of raw meat†. Conversely, the remainder of the native population in Nunavut Territory is descended from the Dene and Mà ©tis tribes (Encyclopedia of the Nations, 2011). Nationality According to CIA, the people of Canada is known as Canadian in singular form, and Canadians in the plural form, whereas the adjective of Canada is called Canadian. There are four steps to becoming a Canadian citizen. Firstly, determine if a person is eligible to become a citizen. Secondly, apply for citizenship. Next, take the citizenship test, if the person is between the ages of 18 and 54. Finally, attend a citizenship ceremony, if the person is 14 or older (CIC, 2011). Economy As Canada Site (2011) says, Canada is one of the world’s wealthiest nations, has the tenth largest economy in the world, and has one of the highest levels of economic freedom in the world. Besides that, Canada is also a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Group of Eight (G8). OECD is a platform in which governments work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems (OECD, 2011), while G8 is the group of eight highly industrialized nations including Canada, which hold a yearly meeting, the G8 Summit to foster consensus on global issues like economic growth and crisis management, global security, energy, and terrorism (Council on Foreign Relations, 2011). Since World War II, the remarkable growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed Canada from a largely rural economy into one primarily urban industrial. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the United States of America (US), Canada’s principal trading partner. Canada benefits a substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs about three-fourths of Canadian exports each year. Furthermore, Canada is the US’s largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. With great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada’s economies enjoyed solid growth over years (CIA, 2011). The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country of purchasing power parity in 2010 was $1.33 trillion, which shows an increase after the economic recession from 2008 to 2009, with GDP of official exchange rate $1.574 trillion in 2010 (CIA, 2011). Together with the Real Gross Domestic Product (RGDP) for the year 2010 of $39,400, there was a surge since 2009. The services sector was the major part of composition of GDP which was 78% in 2010, with 20 % in industry, and 2% in agriculture. Canada also had an unemployment rate of 8% in 2010 which has a drop of 0.3% compared to 2009. However, the inflation rate also had a surge of 1.3% to 1.6% in 2010 (CIA, 2011). The agricultural products of Canada include wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits and more, whereas the industries products are stand from transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum and natural gas. The exports commodities are motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment, chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, and aluminum with $406.8 billion in 2010. Imported goods are machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods with $406.4 billion in 2010 (CIA, 2011). On 8 July 2011, the rate of 1.00 US dollar is 0.96 Canadian Dollar, which is the currency of Canada, at an exchange rate of 0.9627 using nominal rate (Bank of Canada, 2011). Politics Canada achieved independence on the first of July 1867 and recognized by UK per Statute of Westminster on 11 December 1931. The government of Canada stands of a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a constitutional monarchy (CIA, 2011). Every territory has only one senator and one representative in the national parliament, fewer legislators than those representing the other provinces (Encyclopedia of the Nations, 2011). Besides, the political leaders are consist of the Bloc Quebecois, Gilles Duceppe; Conservative Party of Canada, Stephen Harper; Green Party, Elizabeth May; Liberal Party, Robert Rae(interim); and New Democratic Party, Jack Layton. These political pressure groups are from the agricultural sector, automobile industry, business groups, chemical industry, commercial banks, communications sector, energy industry, environmentalists, public administration groups, steel industry, and trade unions (CIA, 2011). 3.0 Analysis of Geert Hofstede’s Dimensions Brief Nature of the Business The industry for this assignment is in the retailing sector. It is placed in Charlottetown, which is located in the province of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Its primary industry is in the fish and seafood markets, together with its alternate industry of dealing with wholesalers and distributors, and a full-service restaurant. It serves as a seafood market to sell live and cooked lobster; live mussels, clams, oysters, and quahaugs; shucked scallops, frozen snow crab sections, haddock, salmon and halibut fillets, lobster meat, and much more. Besides, the organization also dispatches lobster, mussels and oysters across Canada. Having the company set off with wonderful views of the heritage Hillsborough River and Charlottetown waterfront, it is a spot for people heading to the waterfront for a delicious seafood meal, or purchasing lobster, mussels, clams, oysters, crab or fresh fillets from the seafood marke t in the town. Introduction of Geert Hofstede’s Dimensions Culture is defined into several ways. They include Geert Hofstede’s Five Dimensions which would be discussed as the following. Social Orientation Social orientation or individualism versus collectivism dimension looked at the relationship between the person and his or her fellows. In societies where individualism was emphasized, the ties between individuals were loose and individual achievement and freedom were highly treasured. In collectivistic societies, the bonds between individuals were tight. Therefore, people born in collective societies, for example extended families, and everyone was supposed to take care of the interest of his or her group (Hill, 2007). Power Orientation One of the dimensions from Hofstede is the power orientation (Giffin and Pustay, 2010), or the power distance as Hill (2007) says. It is mainly dealt with the way a society treats the fact of unequal physical and intellectual capabilities in humans. High power orientation cultures were found in countries that permit inequalities grow eventually into inequalities of power and wealth, says Hofstede (Hill, 2007). According to Griffin and Pustay (2010), high power orientation denotes a power respect culture, where people in a culture tend to accept the power and authority of their superiors merely on the basis of the superiors’ positions in the hierarchy. These same people also are inclined to respect the superiors’ right to that power orientation. People at all levels in a firm accept the decisions and mandates of those above them because of the implied belief that higher-level positions carry the right to make decisions and issue commands (Giffin and Pus tay, 2010). On the contrary, low power distance cultures would try to minimize such inequalities they could (Hill, 2007). As Griffin and Pustay (2010) say, low power orientation suggests that a culture is in power tolerance. It has much less significance to an individual’s position in the hierarchy. They are more willing to question a decision or mandate from those higher levels or even reject it. They are willing to follow a leader when that leader is perceived to be correct or when it seems to be in their own self-interest to do so but not because of the leader’s intangible right to issue mandates. Uncertainty Orientation Another dimension is uncertainty orientation (Griffin and Pustay, 2010) or uncertainty avoidance according to Hill (2007). It assessed the degree of various cultures socialize their members into acknowledging indefinite situations and tolerating ambiguity. Correlates of low uncertainty orientation, or uncertainty avoidance according to Griffin and Pustay (2010) a culture set high priority on job security, career patterns, retirement benefits, and the like. They also took seriously for rules and regulations; the manager was expected to deliver clear instructions, and subordinates’ initiatives were closely controlled (Hill, 2007). Furthermore, Griffin and Pustay (2010) define low power orientation as ambiguity and change are seen as undesirable, and society will prevent it whenever possible. These people prefer a structured, routine, and even bureaucratic, way of performing tasks. On the other hand, high uncertainty orientation, or uncertainty acceptance according to Griffin and Pustay (2010) cultures were regarded as a greater readiness to take risks and less emotional resistance to change (Hill, 2007). According to Griffin and Pustay (2010), people in uncertainty acceptance are stimulated by change and thrive on new opportunities. Ambiguity is considered as a context within which an individual can grow, develop, and engrave out new opportunities. A sense of monotony, routineness, and overbearing structure are the certainty carried in this culture. Goal Orientation Goal orientation or masculinity versus feminity according to Hill (2007) is the approach in which people are motivated to work toward different types of goals. One extreme on the goal orientation range is aggressive goal behavior. People who display aggressive goal behavior or masculine cultures according to Hill (2007) tend to place a high premium on material possessions, money, and assertiveness. At the other extreme, passive goal behavior or feminine cultures according to Hill (2007) are people that place a higher value on social relationships, quality of life, and welfare for others. Moreover, cultures that value aggressive goal behavior also tend to define gender-based roles rather rigidly, whereas cultures that stress passive goal behavior do not. In cultures regarded as extremely aggressive goal behavior, men are expected to work and to focus their careers in conventionally male occupations; women are usually expected not to work outside the home and to focus on their families. If they do work outside the home, they are usually expected to be engaged in areas of traditionally work dominated by women (Griffin and Pustay, 2010). Time Orientation Hofstede’s fifth dimension, time orientation, is the extent to which members of a culture adopt a long-term against a short-term outlook on work, life, and other aspects of society. Some cultures, such as those of Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, have a longterm, future orientation that cherish dedication, hard work, perseverance, and moderation. Other cultures, including those of Pakistan and West Africa, have a tendency to focus on the past and present, stressing respect for traditions and fulfillment of social obligations (Griffin and Pustay, 2010). Assessment of Canada’s Culture Using Hofstede’s Dimensions In this part of the assignment, Canada’s culture is studied along Hofstede’s Dimensions. The ranking of Five Dimensions for Canada adapted from Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions (2009) is shown in Figure 1 below.

How Aztec Culture Survived Essay

Aztec refers to Nahuatl speaking people from the central region of Mexico. There are other groups who are related to this community; they include the Acolhua and the Tepanic. This essay analyses the history of the Aztec people, their culture and how they survived the Spaniard conquest. The Aztecs were located in the south central region of Mexico. They lived in Mesoamerica highlands in the area of basins which are separated by dissected mountain ranges and eroded volcanic peaks. The Aztecs originated from the remote north at around the early 13th century. They were moving around the valley of Mexico in their struggle of survival. Their experiences went to the extent of Aztecs being enslaved by another tribe. They stopped their migratory pattern in 1325 when they settled on the south west of Lake Texaco. This was after they saw an eagle sitting on a pricking pear stem. To the community, this was an omen which announced the location where they should settle and make their city (Msdu. du, 2010, Par 1-4). In part of their culture, the Aztecs maintained their activities of fishing, hunting, garden techniques, and gathering. The rivers in the valley were rich in fish, shrimp, insects, tadpoles, and pasta. There were those who settled near the ocean and they ate crabs, fish, turtles, and fish. This means that water was the main source of their livelihoods. They hunted animals such a rabbits, armadillos, snakes, pumas, coyotes, and deer. In addition, they hunted the wild turkey. The community gathered crops such as cocoa, bananas, pumpkins, squash, beans, tobacco, chili, onions, green tomatoes, red tomatoes, sweet potatoes, maize, and vanilla. Later, they began warring with other tribes and they conquered them. The Aztecs allowed the tribes that they conquered to maintain their government and religion but the tribes were supposed to provide the Aztecs with textiles, food, pottery, and other items that they required (Native Web, 1995, Par 2-4). The Aztec people spoke Nahauatl Language but did not have a written language. They however had no written records. Instead, they used varieties of hieroglyphic paintings and the methods of direct representation as ways of keeping their records. The first contact of the Aztec empire with the Spanish conquest was during the reign of Ahuitzotl from 1486 to1502. The Spaniards and their allies became very dangerous to the people of Aztec. Hostilities developed, leading to the massacre of the Aztec main temple and the death of their leader, Montezuma II. On July 1, the Spaniards fled the town, leading to an episode which they referred to as The Sad Night. The Aztec society was helped by the native allies to fight the Spaniards and in August 13, the battle ended. They conquered but due to the poor leadership that prevailed, the falling of the empire was witnessed. Despite the empire’s declination, their culture still remained intact. This led to positive development of the Aztec culture because the Spaniard presence did not affect their way of life. Today, many traditional groups of Mexican Americans can trace their origin from the time of Aztec tradition. They are well known today for human sacrifices. During the special events, a slave was sacrificed to honor the gods and to regulate the human existence (Anguilar-Moreno 131). In conclusion, I found out that Nahuatl language which is the traditional language for the Aztec is being spoken by 1. 5 million people. In Mexico City, most of the buildings and streets have Nahuatl names. This means that the Aztec old days are still respected up to now.

Thesis- The ego can be damaged at a young age from exsseive bullying Essay

Thesis- The ego can be damaged at a young age from exsseive bullying - Essay Example Teasing, when repeated with the intention of hurting another child, becomes serious and then it is termed as bullying. Bullying is inclusive of threatening, addressing by weird names and subjecting to isolation, to cite a few. As a matter of fact, sometimes, bullying also encompasses acts of physical aggression such as manhandling, forcibly grabbing the belongings and pushing, amongst others. (1) Bullying is a phenomenon that is spread across the globe, encompassing diverse cultures and races. Researches carried out in this realm pointed out that, almost thirty percent of young children are associated with instances of bullying, either as victims or perpetrators. Children who become victims of these acts (of bullying) are generally physical weak, as well as having low levels of self-confidence. Owing to that, these children easily fall prey to bullying. (1) Adverse Impact of Bullying on Ego It is now a proven fact that, when a child is a victim of bullying, the same exercises a highl y adverse impact on their ego- the impact lasting even when the child grows up into an adult. In this context it also has to be noted that, when an individual had been subjected to excessive bullying in their younger years, it increases their risk of developing psychological disorders related to anxiety. In some extreme cases, such individuals also tend to have suicidal tendencies. (2) There is one real instance, which goes on to substantiate the points focused upon, in the immediately preceding paragraph. A seventeen year old adolescent reports that he was a victim of severe bullying, during their elementary school. The reason for that was attributable to the fact that, he was slightly obese. The bullying to which he was subjected to included addressing him by highly degrading names. As a result of those unpleasant things, he ended up becoming a teenager, who considered himself to be of no worth. (2) Latest research states that young girls who have been victimized by bullies underg o intense trauma. To compensate for the severe mental disturbance caused by bullying, young girls are at a high risk of getting addicted to alcohol and drugs. As a matter of fact, as a result of being at the receiving end of bullying acts, the girls are bogged down by severe depression. This invariably leads to low self-esteem where the ego is badly bruised, and they (girls) try to find comfort in the above-mentioned substances (alcohol and drugs). (3) It has been seen that, when children becomes victims of bullying, along with all the aforesaid psychological disorders, they also develop a severe sense of insecurity. They start viewing the world as a very insecure place, and there is a strong possibility of developing many phobias. Apart from that, children become vengeful towards those who bullied them, but are afraid to express their anger. This wrath, which is suppressed inside, is directed towards the child’s family members. Also, these children start to avoid socializing and go into a shell of their own. (3) Young bullies Till now, this paper spoke about the adverse psychological impact of bullying, on the victims. Now, the fact that needs to be emphasized upon is that, even the acts of bullies result from lack of self-esteem. They (bullies) consider themselves to be extremely vulnerable in the ambience of school, and they hence try to make up for that by displaying aggression towards timid children. (4) At this juncture, it has to be stated that