Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Peak Oil and Energy Security Essay

Energy security means having access to the requisite volumes of energy at affordable prices in association with national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. From the perspective of a government concerned and the management of strategic interests, energy security implies energy policies and standby measures that can be implemented in the event of a supply disruption—and at a cost that its citizens consider reasonable. Such measures include energy supply diversification and a certain volume of energy stock. Definitions of Energy Security: The International Energy Agency (IEA) definitions of energy security have focused on the â€Å"adequate supply of energy at a reasonable cost†, and have referred to energy security to be just â€Å"another way of avoiding market distortions† (IEA, 1995). The underlying belief of these definitions is that â€Å"smoothly functioning international energy markets† will deliver â€Å"a secure – adequate, affordable and reliable – supply of energy† (IEA, 2002). IEA has claimed that energy security always consists of both a physical unavailability component and a price component, although their relative importance depends on the market structure (IEA, 2007). The European Commission’s Green Paper (EC 2000) states that energy security also entails respecting environmental concerns and working towards sustainable development. They clarify that the security of supply does not seek to maximize energy self-sufficiency or to minimize dependence, but aims to reduce the risks linked to such dependence. Energy plays an important role in the national security of any given country as a fuel to power the economic engine. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. The modern world relies on a vast energy supply to fuel everything from transportation to communication, to security and health delivery systems. Some sectors rely on energy more heavily than others; for example, the Department of Defense relies on petroleum for approximately 77% of its energy needs. The growing uncertainties about stability and security that exist in the global energy market have fuelled the need for nations to have a comprehensive energy security strategy. Energy security is also essential for the economic growth and development of  countries as energy in-security can hamper the productive activities in the economy as well as undermine consumer welfare. Rapid urbanization and rising middle-class incomes around the world have led to explosive growth in electricity demand. Thus, to the growing urban communities, energy security simply means keeping the lights on. Chester (2010) lists five fundamental aspects that characterize ‘energy security’. Firstly, energy security is about the management of risk – the risk of uninterrupted, unavailable energy supplies; the risk of insufficient capacity to meet demand; the risk of unaffordable energy prices; the risk of reliance on unsustainable sources of energy. These risks may be caused due to energy market instabilities, technical failures or physical security threats. Secondly, the definition of energy security may be framed to reflect a country’s energy mix, the abundance of local resources and import dependence. Thirdly, the term energy security reflects a concept of strategic intent, implying that energy security is not a policy in itself, but that specific policies have to be adopted by governments to achieve the objectives of energy security. Fourthly, energy security has temporal dimensions – the risks and threats to physical supply differ across short, medium and long-term horizons. Short-term risks include terrorism attacks and technical failures. Long-term risks, on the other hand, concern the adequacy of supply to meet demand and adequacy of infrastructure to deliver supply to markets. Fifthly, the term energy security has to be applied keeping in mind the significant differences between the oil, gas, nuclear and other energy markets and infrastructure. As energy is essential for the economic growth and development of a country, it has come to be recognized as a ‘strategic commodity’. This is because any uncertainty in its supply can threaten the effective functioning of an economy (Sahir and Qureshi, 2007). It therefore becomes an imperative for a country to ensure secure energy supplies at affordable rates. This crudely defines the idea of ‘energy security’. Threats to energy security include 1. The political instability (tensions in Northern Iraq, Southern Sudan, the Niger Delta and the East Mediterranean as examples of how competition for energy resources can cause instability) of several energy producing countries. â€Å"Energy should be a motor for development and cooperation, not a source of conflict,† said Mr. Terje Roed-Larsen. 2. The manipulation of energy supplies, 3. The competition over energy sources, 4. Attacks on supply infrastructure and, 5. Dominant countries reliance to the foreign oil supply. 6. Increased world competition for energy resources due to the increased pace of industrialization. Renewable energy Renewable energy resources and significant opportunities for energy efficiency exist over wide geographical areas, in contrast to other energy sources, which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. Rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency, and technological diversification of energy sources, would result in significant energy security and economic benefits. The deployment of renewable technologies usually increases the diversity of electricity sources and, through local generation, contributes to the flexibility of the system and its resistance to central shocks. For those countries where growing dependence on imported gas is a significant energy security issue, renewable technologies can provide alternative sources of electric power as well as displacing electricity demand through direct heat production. Renewable bio-fuels for transport represent a key source of diversification from petroleum products. Long term measures to increase energy security center on reducing dependence on any one source of imported energy, increasing the number of suppliers, exploiting native fossil fuel or renewable energy resources, and reducing overall demand through energy conservation measures. Facts and Figures: 1. Oil expert Mike Ruppert has claimed that for every calorie of food produced in the industrial world, ten calories of oil and gas energy are invested in the forms of fertilizer, pesticide, packaging, transportation, and running farm equipment. 2. The impact of the 1973 oil crisis and the emergence of the OPEC cartel was a particular milestone that prompted some countries to increase their energy security. 3. Japan, almost totally dependent on imported oil, steadily introduced the use of natural gas, nuclear power, high-speed mass transit systems, and implemented energy  conservation measures. It has become one of the world leaders in the use of renewable energy. 4. India is carrying out a major hunt for domestic oil to decrease its dependency on OPEC, while Iceland is well advanced in its plans to become energy-independent by 2050 through deploying 100% renewable energy. 5. Amount of sun that hits the world in an hour is enough to power the world for one year. With the addition o f solar panels all around the world a little less pressure is taken off the need to produce more oil. 6. Geothermal can potentially lead to other sources of fuel, if heat would be taken from the inner core of the earth to heat up water sources, we could essentially use the steam creating from the heated water to power machines, this option is one of the cleanest and efficient options. 7. Hydro-electric which has been incorporated into many of the dams around the world produces a lot of energy, as the dams control the water that is allowed through seams which power turbines located inside of the dam. 8. Bio-fuels have been researched using many different sources including ethanol and algae, these options are substantially cleaner than the consumption of petroleum. â€Å"Most LCA results for perennial and ligno-cellulosic crops conclude that bio-fuels can supplement anthropogenic energy demands and mitigate Green House Gas emissions to the atmosphere. 9. Juliet Alohan writes on the crucial need for its prioritization in Nigeria. It is estimated that by the year 2022, about two million unemployed Nigerians would be gainfully employed if renewable energy is introduced to complement regular electricity supply. 10. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE special envoy for energy and climate change, and CEO of Masdar, said: â€Å"With energy demand predicted to grow nearly 50% over the next 20 years, competition for resources will increase. Energy is therefore becoming a key piece of the global security puzzle. Any significant move to solve the energy crisis is also a step toward creating peace and stability among the nations of the world.† 11. The Renewable Energy Global Status report showed that by the end of 2011, total renewable power capacity worldwide exceeded 1,360 Giga Watt (GW), up to 8 per cent over what it was in 2010. The report added that renewable energy supply constituted more than 25 per cent of total global power-generating capacity, which is estimated at 5,360GW in 2011. Case Study: Energy Security Context in India Sudarshan and Noronha (2009) lay out five important factors that have contributed to increasing energy demand in India. First, the real income of India has grown at a rate of 6-7% per annum over the past two decades, and the Planning Commission of India has a future targeted growth rate of 8-10% per annum for the next decade. TERI (2006) estimates that India will require 2023 MTOE (Million Tonnes of Oil Equivalent) of energy by the year 2031 to feed such economic growth rates. Second, a structural shift has been taking place in India, which has accelerated since the 1991 economic reforms. This shift is from agriculture towards the services sector, which is relatively energy intensive. Next, an annual population increase of about 1.9% p.a. has been observed over the past two decades. Importantly, the urban population in India was 25.5% in 1990 and is expected to rise to 40% by 2030. Given per capita energy demand in rural areas is low, this will further feed into India’s gross energy demand. Fourth, there is a growing transport sector. Fifth, an energy transformation is taking place, with a shift from biomass to electricity in rural India. Further, as of 2005, only 55% of rural Indian households had electricity access. Electricity demand is expected to rise, even as the government has significant plans to meet the demand (Planning Commission, 2008). Increasing import dependence of India on fossil fuel-rich countries has hence forced the government to rethink the way India engages with these countries. Given the factors influencing the demand and consumption of energy in India, the Planning Commission of India defined energy security by modifying the definition of energy security given by The World Energy Assessment (UNDP 1999) to suit the Indian context better. This definition is accepted by the Indian government, and it is as follows: â€Å"We are energy secure when we can supply lifeline energy to all our citizens irrespective of their ability to pay for it as well as meet their effective demand for safe and convenient energy to satisfy their various needs at competitive prices at all times and with a prescribed confidence level considering shocks and disruptions that can be reasonably expectedà ¢â‚¬  (Planning Commission, 2006) This definition includes the key aspects of energy security, including those related to poverty and economic growth. The idea that the provision of energy ought to be â€Å"irrespective of their ability to pay† is a slight departure from the definitions of energy security  accepted by several nations, which tend to be market oriented. By factoring in poverty and the inability of India’s citizens to pay for energy, it only stops short of according energy the status of a ‘right’. The income distribution angle is hence incorporated in the definition. Additionally, this definition accounts for India’s import dependency of energy and the possibility of disruptions in the supply. There is also a veiled reference to what would be considered an appropriate level of risk, although this has not been quantified due to the uncertainties involved. In the context of India’s energy security needs, Verma (2007) lays out a two principles to maintain energy security. He states that firstly, India must diversify the supply of energy, both by location and source. Secondly, he states that the resilience of energy systems must be maintained, which is a reference to â€Å"security margins† that act as buffers against shocks and provide facilities for recovery after disruptions. Resilience can come through spare capacity, strategic reserves, backup supplies of equipment, adequate storage capacity along supply change and the stocking of critical components of electricity generation. Any policy measures taken by the government need to thus needs to incorporate these conceptual frameworks. Understanding these concepts is necessary in order to pursue rational policy making in the energy domain. Of course, policy implementation would ultimately revolve around day-to-day governance issues, and fiscal, administrative and political bottlenecks.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Lord of the Flies Coursework Essay

â€Å"Show how Golding creates a world of increasing violence in the novel Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel, written shortly after the Second World War. It tells a story of school boys deserted on a island , and their struggle to manage, by an omniscient narrator who comments on setting and movement. This is similar to the story of Coral Island, however Golding is challenging the ideas in this, instead of the boys resorting to team work and success like expected, they resort to activism and create a environment of â€Å"increasing violence†. By purposely setting the novel on a isolated island Golding can show his impression of the true nature of humans, and that he believes they would act sadistically and slowly become more and more distant from any means of civilisation. Golding manages to create a small world and community filled with violence by the end of the novel through a number of aspects; the settings, the characters and their behaviour, events, and general themes that run through the novel. Golding purposely sets his novel Lord of the flies on an isolated island so the boy’s natural behaviour can emerge when taken away from rules or boundaries. This setting creates a small community, and the island is like a microcosm of the world. The first setting we are introduced to when reading Lord of the Flies is the lagoon along with when we meet Piggy and Ralph. This setting is peaceful, â€Å"Dazzling beach† this is an idealistic setting which is parallel to the boy’s behaviour at this point. The first aspect of any violence in the novel is when Ralph pretended to be a fighter plane and â€Å"machine gunned Piggy† this in contrast to the behaviour in the final chapters emphasizes Golding’s point and shows the huge difference in the boy’s actions and the amount of violence. The protagonist Ralph is not a violent character, his main aspect whilst on the island is being rescued. Whilst being the leader in the beginning of the novel he tries to maintain civilisation and a sense of democracy however Jessica Johnson 10h violence, activism and sadism takes over any sense of development. An example of this is when a group of boys including Jack where told to keep the fire alight; instead of keeping it alight so they could be rescued the boys decide to hunt, they use violence instead. This is where it first becomes clear the boys are starting to lose interest in being rescued and are more engrossed by the power from using violence and hurting other living beings. Ralph doesn’t represent savagery or violence he represents democracy, courage and is associated with the conch, he â€Å"clutches† it. The conch is also a symbol of civilisation. Furthermore the conch in Greek mythology was used by Triton the sea god, to raise or calm the oceans; this is exactly what it does in Lord of the Flies with the boys during the meetings. The boys increasingly lose their moral values and innocence in the novel, this is shadowed by the way the conch loses it’s colour. The antagonist Jack could be seen as Golding’s main tool that increases the boy’s use of violence in the microcosm setting. Jack is first described as wearing black and having â€Å"red† hair, these colours could be symbolic of the devil and relevant to Golding’s themes of evil. He becomes the chief after Ralph and leads the boys to act savage like and use violence towards each other, and to hunt. Jack is shown to have a lust for hunting as it gives him a sense of power, and pleasure, it becomes clear through his character the evil that can be latent within man kinds character. Because of the literal period that Lord of the Flies was written in, Jack could be seen as a representative of Hitler as he constantly uses violence and increases the use of it in others; this makes him essential to Golding’s increasing of violence in the novel for example his first prime instinct in the novel was to hunt. The use of hunting, violence and unkindness the boys use continues to grow through out the novel, by chapter nine all the boys are involved in a ritual dance which results in the â€Å"accidental† killing of Simon. This death is foreshadowed by Golding’s use of pathetic fallacy, â€Å"storm clouds built up over the island† , â€Å"thunder roars† and Piggy- the wise, intelligent character also predicts trouble. After Simon’s meeting with the â€Å"beast† he returns to talk to the boys however they are involved in the ritual dance and they mistake him for the beast, chanting and shrieking they beat him to death. Here is a obvious turning point in the novel, as the first â€Å"murder† is committed, and that is notified by Piggy, the boys are losing innocence and use of violence is clearly increasing. Jessica Johnson 10h In Chapter eleven the violence has increased so much it becomes out of hand, and whilst Ralph and Piggy try to negotiate with Jack’s tribe Roger kills Piggy and breaks the conch. In the beginning of the novel Roger through rocks, however â€Å"he aimed to miss† because he still considered rules, morals and society. Now the violence has clearly increased in the world the boys are living in as Roger is now enabled by the current environment to push a balder onto Piggy’s head and kill him. It has also become clear here that Roger has become mindlessly atavistic. Piggy’s death is not as personal as Simon’s is described. When Piggy is killed he lands â€Å"on his back across that red square, red rock in the sea† this positioning and description is highly symbolic along with the colour imagery Golding uses, of possibly a sacrifice on a primitive altar. After his death nature’s indifference is described similar to after Simon’s death, â€Å"the sea breathed again†, this may change a reader’s response to Piggy’s death perhaps adding more sympathy as it makes it seem like it is insignificant. This scene and the final Chapter where Ralph is betrayed and is being viciously hunted by all the boys are obvious increasing of the boy’s use of violence. In the final chapter the boys are finally rescued, ironically it isn’t by the signal fire as the aspect of that was taken over by savagery and violence. However it is a fire that is symbolic of violence as the use of it was meant to help kill Ralph. However it summons a ship, when the boys are met once again with a well groomed civilised human, they are described by the omniscient narrator as little boys and their use of violence disappears. Heightened by the character Percival who at the beginning of the novel could say his name and address, however by the end has completely forgotten his true identity. â€Å"Ralph wept for the end of innocence† the tears that Ralph weeps could be symbolic of his realisation of failure to fight the evil within man kind. Ralph can no longer see the world as a secure safe place where violence won’t be used against him, as he has seen it increase and the pleasure from it overtake people. When looking at the full grown groomed adult compared to the dirty â€Å"little boys† in front of him, it is ironic that the little boys now have more knowledge about the innate desire within all man kind.

Monday, July 29, 2019

David Wu, Oregan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

David Wu, Oregan - Research Paper Example He served in the post of a clerk for the federal judge and was a co-founder member of a legal firm called Cohen and Wu which basically served in the high – tech sector in the â€Å"Silicon Forest† of Oregon. Like any other member of the house, Wu is also typical in many aspects. Wu did not belong to a political family like many of them and is himself a first generation politician. Wu also showed his interest in political activities from his early age and for it, much of his professional and personal life was disturbed. Like most of the members of house, Wu is also affluent and socially established. He is well educated and holds a degree in Law and well versed with it as a professional like most of the members. Wu is aged 55 and the average age of the representatives of the American house is 57. Very common to the religious faith prevailing amid the representatives, Wu is a Presbyterian in his religious faith. The atypical feature of Wu is his ethnicity that of being an Asian American. To this regard, his faith and belief is also a bit different and he was the first Taiwanese America to get the membership of Congress. Wu unlike most of the other members is not affluent economically to a considerable extent but is quite reputed socially and holds a good command over the legal matters. Wu received his first seat in the House of Representative in the year of 1998. He became the successor of the Democrat Elizabeth Furse. Wu began his career after starting to serve the country with the 106th Congress in the year of 1999. Wu started gaining popularity with time and was re-elected in the year 2000 by defeating the state senator Charles Star during the elections held in the month of the November that year. Wu received 58% of the vote and Star receiving only rest 39% of it. The political career of Wu gradually got the glorification when he won the election again in the year 2004 defeating the

Sunday, July 28, 2019

How religious conflict lead to the weakness of government in Lebanon Essay

How religious conflict lead to the weakness of government in Lebanon - Essay Example Lebanon Lebanon is an Arab country located in the Middle East and it shares borders with Syria, Israel, and Jordan. Lebanon was known as the Paris of Middle East because it was so multi-cultural. Its population used to be half Muslim and half Christian and they generally lived peacefully with each other for hundreds of years, sharing everything and even marrying between each other. Lebanon was considered as a secular country. When the civil war started in Lebanon in the year 1975, many people believed that the major reason for this ethnic war in Lebanon was the weakness of their regime, since it was set up based on sectarianism and not based on the interest of the state and the people as a whole. This weakness caused a lot of problems in Lebanon, in which the government could not control the religious organizations such as Hezb Allah (Hezbollah), which is the biggest Islamic Shi’a political organization in Lebanon. They took control of everything there, from education, health, economy, etc., because the government was too weak and divided to provide those services for everyone. They also worked hard on changing Shi’a thought about other religious groups in Lebanon with a strong belief that they alone should rule. They started having children more and more just to raise the number of Muslims in Lebanon, to become the majority of the population over the Christians and Sunni minority. In doing this they could argue that they are the majority and it would be unfair for them to have a leader that is Christian or Sunni. On the other hand, they also succeed in some good things such as forcing the Israeli Army to withdraw from southern Lebanon in year 2000, which was considered a HUGE victory for them. They also funded schools and public projects, fed the poor, and many other social services that the government had been unable to provide in order to gain support of the growing Shi’a Muslim population in Lebanon. Lebanese Regime They have a form of parliamentary democracy system that is based on sectarianism, that is to say leadership positions are ditched out according to the percentage of population per group or sect. Their constitution gives them the right to choose their representatives every 4 years through elections, and then the parliament chooses the president. The president has a six-year term. The current religious divisions are as follows; a. A president must be a Maronite (Christian) b. Prime Minister must be a Sunni c. Speaker of Parliament must be Shia d. The confessional composition of parliament is pre-determined These divisions between the parties and groups continually lead to conflicts between them and rivalries for power. Hezbollah continues to battle for power and legitimacy within the state in order to impose its beliefs in Sharia law, while Christians retain more favorable standing with the West that backs them. According to Khashanm, the Hezbollah said that "We are incapable at the present time of insta lling the rule of Islam, but this does not mean postponing our ideology and project† (81-82). Conflicts are long standing and both sides have committed atrocities. Political assassinations by both sides are not uncommon. It seems very unlikely that Lebanon will find a stable peace any time soon that will restore its former reputation as the Paris of the Middle East. WHY it is

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Child of the Dark The diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus Essay

Child of the Dark The diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus - Essay Example Another deterrent of having faith in democracy is the lying that politicians do. Carolina wrote a poem, "Politicians on their platform, Promise they will give you raises, And the people find out soon enough, That its their suffering that was raised" (Maria, 123). Through Carolinas views, one can see that support of democracy weakens with the distrust of politicians. The problems within Brazil also deter Carolina from having sympathy to democracy. She says, "The cost of living makes the worker lose his sympathy for democracy" (Maria, 103). She also makes the promise that, "If the cost of living keeps on rising until 1960, were going to have a revolution" (Maria, 119). The key word, revolution, supports the claim that democracy and poverty cannot coexist, at least not for long. If the cost of living does not change, the democratic state will be challenged. Another challenge of democracy is corruption. Carolina talks of how the collector for electricity money is allowed to charge those living in the favelados whatever he wants (Maria, 147). When the poor realize that they are being stolen from, they are not willing to accept a flawed form of government. On the other hand, Carolina also negates the argument that democracy cannot coexist with poverty. She does this through her political actions. On July 7th, 1958 Carolina went to register to vote. She said, "When I got to Semanario Street, I needed a photo for registration papers. I had a picture taken in Foto Lara. It cost me 60 cruzeiros" (Maria, 76) This may not jump out as an action to support democracy, but when one takes into account how much 60 cruzeiros is worth to her, one can see how much she sacrificed to register to vote. 60 cruzeiros was the equivalent to about 1 kilo of beans in Brazil in the 50s. She could have fed her family for days, but yet she still made it a priority to take part in the political process. Another example of her participation occurs while addressing

How are things different today for working class people and unions Essay

How are things different today for working class people and unions than in the days of Working Class New York - Essay Example In the United States, for instance, the working class people are mainly employed in jobs that do not require a lot of skills like clerks, retailers, and blue collar or manual jobs. Some white collar jobs like secretaries and call center employees also fall under the category of working class jobs (Shipler, p.36) For many years, New York City has been a working class city. During the period of the working class in New York, most people were employed in the manufacturing sector since there were many industries then. However, this is not the case today. Today there are fewer workers working in the manufacturing sectors in New York than during the period of working class in New York. Most people are employed in the service sector (Freeman, p.30) During the working class era in New York, workers were assured of the job security. They were not subjected to being laid off as a result of hard economic times. However, today’s working class face the challenge of ‘irregular employment’ since they are fired every now and then and hired again due to economic changes. It mainly affects workers in weak labor markets and those employed on a part-time basis. The economy of many nations all over the globe has continued to face stagnant growth unlike the period of the working class in New York. This has in turn slowed down creation of job opportunities and retrenching of many people who are in the working class category. Therefore, unlike in the past, many people in the United States and other parts of the world are unemployed. The unemployment rate in the United States in 2003 was at around 7%. Real wages for all workers have continued to decline due to inflation and other economic factors. Today, even when workers ar e employed they still continue to get by as compared to the period of Working Class Period in New York. During the period of working class New York, workers’ rights were protected by strong trade unions. In the United States, trade unions experienced many

Friday, July 26, 2019

117 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

117 - Research Paper Example In fact, most research findings prove that Apple’s competitive advantage is in its ecosystem and not just the hardware and software prowess. Apple use Exclusivity Technique which works by making the selected customer subset feel like kings due to the premium offers it gives. Through this strategy, Apple has been in a position to create and sustain a unique customer relationship while reducing marketing costs at the same time. To make it effective, Apple deliberately restricted the flow of most of its products more so iPhone and tablets to a number of mobile phone providers and customers. While most firms use the marketing mix concept on the seller perspective, Apple applies it from the buyer’s perspective. This means that the company aims at delivery quality to ensure customer satisfaction, offer long-term solutions to customers, create what customers imagine and ensure convenience. Apple’s marketing mix is incorporated in the five Ps: Price, Place, Product, Promotion, and People. An integrated marketing communication approach is relied upon by the company to help it in achieving objectives linked to the marketing campaign by using a variety of promotional methods (Wernick p.34). The main components of IMC strategy are advertising, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotion Apple Inc. puts a lot of emphasis on Research and Development (R&D) and marketing communication strategies. It does all these to make sure there is brand loyalty among customers who derive satisfaction from the Apple Inc. products. In a unique way, though one of the largest companies in the world, it has managed to run as a small company, which is the best strategy in surviving through difficult times. To make sure this is effective, the company relies on small but capable firms and shifts Brand Focus Apple where it capitalizes on the Minimalist approach to its

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Cyber Crime as opposed to Cyber warfare Research Paper

Cyber Crime as opposed to Cyber warfare - Research Paper Example For instance, the main aim is to access implicit information and to destroy existing data warehouses and governmental networks to bring economic, technical and social losses to rival nations. Problem Statement Although systems and software developing IT organisations (such as Microsoft, Apple, IBM) have been striving to deal with the rising menace of cyber crime, there is dire need to develop strong anti-virus software's to ensure information security. Nevertheless, cyber crimes (specifically viruses) do not only threaten security of software components, but also they may sabotage hardware resources, especially computer hard disks. In addition, the cyber warfare may disrupt a nation’s strategic functioning as it could damage mainframe and super computer systems used for keeping military and government records. Significance of the Problem The issue of cyber crimes is not concerted to boundaries rather it could affect any end-user residing in any geographical region. The hackers do not target users in any specific area (or from any ethnicity, religion, cast, colour or language) but they may batter (virtually) any person for unidentified reasons. Still, the world has been seeking appropriate solutions that could help improve their security in cyberspace. The researcher would like to argue that the probability that many nations worldwide may have Cyber Wars in future will increase, as more countries will enter cyberspace and send satellites in the orbit. Aims and Objectives The major aim of this research paper is to analyse the growing menace of cyber crimes from cyber terrorists and identify the weaknesses that should be overcome to avert cyber crimes. The objectives are as under: 1) To... Although systems and software developing IT organizations have been striving to deal with the rising menace of cyber crime, there is dire need to develop strong anti-virus software's to ensure information security. Nevertheless, cyber crimes (specifical viruses) do not only threaten the security of software components but also they may sabotage hardware resources, especially computer hard disks. In addition, the cyber warfare may disrupt a nation’s strategic functioning as it could damage mainframe and super computer systems used for keeping military and government records.The issue of cyber crimes is not converted to boundaries rather it could affect any end-user residing in any geographical region. The hackers do not target users in any specific area (or from any ethnicity, religion, caste, color or language ) but they may batter (virtually) any person for unidentified reasons. Still, the world has been seeking appropriate solutions that could help improve their security in cyberspace. The researcher would like to argue that the probability that many nations worldwide may have Cyber Wars in future will increase, as more countries will enter cyberspace and send satellites into the orbit. The major aim of this research paper is to analyze the growing menace of cyber crimes from cyber terrorists and identify the weaknesses that should be overcome to avert cyber crimes. Cyber warfare may sabotage diplomatic relationships between or among nations as well as has potential to indulge nations in physical war (end result) in near future.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Cave Allegory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cave Allegory - Essay Example From the time I was a child, down to this very day, there has been one constant in my life that has given me direction. That constant is work. I can never remember a time when I have not been working to accomplish some sort of self-imposed goal. Some of my earliest memories are of shining my grandfather’s boots for a quarter. I had carried groceries, fed dogs, trimmed lawns, weeded gardens and delivered newspapers all before the age of eight. As I matured, the work in which I engaged became more complex, physical and financially rewarding. My memories of working are probably so vivid because coupled with this desire to work has been the desire for stuff. I have been blessed and cursed with an inordinate streak of materialism. Like a raven, I am constantly attracted to shiny baubles and glittering gizmos. For the first two decades of my life, this focus on material possessions and the accumulation of artifacts was the drive behind my work efforts. Coming from a thoroughly worki ng class background, money was not something my parents had to give to me. I’m not sure how, but I always instinctively knew this from the earliest age. My mother has told me that I have never asked for a toy while in a shop; not even so much as a piece of candy. Somehow I always realized that the answer would be a resounding no. So I did what I observed the adults in my community doing. I worked for what I wanted. The praise for my work ethic came early and often. â€Å"Such as good helper† and â€Å"What a hard worker† was like the refrain of a sweet song I loved to hear. Work and save was the order of the day. Buy the gadget and then another. Impress your friends with your stuff. Looking back, I can see that what I thought was the due reward to a job well done was actually a sort of blindness that kept me from seeing and experiencing so much of life that is beautiful and sustaining. My materialism was not a reward. It was a shroud that blocked out the light o f a greater way. Everything in my life was jolted by the death of a cousin and dear friend during a summer holiday. In the morning we were on the beach, having a wonderful time. By the time for our evening meal, she was dead in the hospital. No one understood what had happened, but later the entire family would get and education we neither wanted nor asked for in the biology of the brain and the dangers of aneurisms. My first experience with the death of a loved one was like a light being shone into a cave for the first time. I suddenly saw that despite all of my possessions and my admirable willingness to work for them, they were in fact of little worth. Amid the brooding and mourning in the weeks following the death of my cousin, I realized for the first time in my life that everything I had worked so hard to accomplish was truly transitory. I would die, just like my cousin. No amount of MP3 players or fine clothes would change this fact. I became depressed. The center of my world , my stuff, now held no joy for me. My depression was, thankfully, of the 24-hour variety. I found that my new perspective on life and death was somehow liberating. For the first time in memory, I spent an entire day not thinking about what I was going to buy next or how I was going to earn my next bit of money. I spread a blanket in a nearby park and watched squirrels for four hours. I took a nap. I read a book (not a sales catalog) for the first time in months. I meditated. I asked myself a question. What good is work if all it gets me is stuff? I am not a

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Protein Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Protein Research - Essay Example they protect the body against bacteria and viruses by immobilizing antibodies that are immediately destroyed by the white blood cells(Whitford, 2005). Contractile proteins such as actin and myosin are responsible for the movement of the body cells through muscle contraction and movement. Enzymes are another category of proteins, and they are responsible for the facilitation of biochemical reactions whereby they speed up the reactions. Proteins of this kind are mainly involved in the digestive system, e.g., the lactase for sugar breakdown and the pepsin for protein breakdown. Another category of proteins is the hormonal proteins which are messenger proteins that help in the coordination of bodily activities(Creighton, 2010). The most common hormonal protein is insulin that controls the blood sugar levels in the body(Creighton, 2010). Other hormonal proteins are oxytocin and somatotropin which stimulate childbirth and protein production in muscle cells respectively. Structural proteins are fibrous and stingy in nature, and they play the role of provision of support to the body cells. An example of structural proteins is the keratins that give strength to protective covering such as hair. Proteins involved in the storage of amino acids such as ovalbumin and casein are categorized as storage proteins(Whitford, 2005). Some proteins such as the hemoglobin and the cytochromes are involved in transportation of molecules around the body, and they fall in the category of transport protein. Proteins are formed by combination of organic compounds called amino acids and they are the building blocks of life. Whereas proteins are digested, amino acids left and the body utilizes them to break down food, grow, produce energy and repair body tissues. Amino acids are classified into three groups namely the essential amino acids, non-essential amino acids and conditional amino acids(Creighton, 2010). The body contains nine essential amino acids, and they are unique since the body

Monday, July 22, 2019

The madding crowd Essay Example for Free

The madding crowd Essay What can I say about this book? For 474 pages worth, this was disappointing. Thomas Hardy must have known something I didnt, because this book didnt do anything for me. And I dont think it can do anything for you. Dont get me wrong, the plot is an original one- a woman being harassed and ogled at by her workers, and her associates. But it quite frankly bores me. Focusing the book on two main characters: Theres solemn Gabriel, the honest bachelor who seemed to do nothing but envy Troy for marrying his seemingly forbidden love, and the powerful temptress known as Bathsheba. Whats the point? They got together in the end. Focusing the story on the friendship between the two- from Gabriels ignorant proposal to the eventual marriage of the two. Hardy couldve saved us 474 pages, and said they were married. Because in the end, thats what it comes down to. All the side distractions like Boldwood, and Troy, were for nothing. The rustic characters disappeared halfway through the book, their full potential never reached. In fact, Ive just told you what happens, so why bother going to read it? And its a shame. Because in these sort of depressant books, you need humour to drag it from the darkest bowels of the reject bin. The only thing funny about this book was the poor attempts at a love story. Hardy was criticised by the public for his other work, and I think this is another of those poor books. Wheres the entertainment? The only interesting part was when Boldwood shot Troy. This is just a book of annoyance. The only thing I can congratulate Hardy on is his sexism. The portrayal of Bathsheba as some form of super-woman made me wonder if reading the book was actually the bright thing to do. After all, what proud man wants to read about some woman running a farm? Bossing everyone about, its inaccurate! Its just stupid! Sanity is restored (Sort of) when Troy marries Bathsheba, but even that is scarred by the womanisers hastiness in marrying the jezebel. All romances end at marriage quotes the Sergeant. Romance? There never was any romance! Lust is the key here. In my opinion, Troy just used Bathsheba to exploit her position. Marry her for her money. Get a nice discharge from the army, a farm, what could be better? Oh, more money. And the brilliance is, he has to take some money to help his ex-fianci! Who dies in the next chapter! With his child! Not the most tear-jerking moment in the book, though. That award goes to the last page, which makes you cry with delight that youve finally seen the end of this travesty. The lady of the house isnt too pleased at this, and their unhappy marriage comes to an abrupt halt when William Boldwood shoots Troy. And so Frank Troy ends. Shame really. He was the life and soul of the book. The last few chapters are indeed entertaining. Theres the suspense of wondering if Boldwoods going to be executed or not. Then, to the disappointment of the bloodthirsty readers in the world, he gets off lightly. Thats what the book is full of: letdowns. Hardys architectural knowledge allows some beautifully described chapters to salvage the novel in parts, but writers require the ability to keep that level of consistency in their writing to write a brilliant novel. And that is what the novel lacks. At certain times, dialogue isnt always at its best. The mental imagery of the scenes are breathtaking- thats what Hardys descriptions do for you. The dialogue, however, destroys that. Too vague. Too boring. Repartees, puns, wittiness is whats needed, especially in the case of the rustics, and these three examples are missing throughout the majority of the book. In novels, I hate repetition. Seeing the word said after every spoken word becomes tedious. Missing are the stated and voiced. Interesting ways to say said benefit books more than you would think. And thats what niggles away at the book. Said is like saying nice to describe things. Its simple, and very dull. It may be petty, but these petty things can improve the novel, and stop this review being so negative. Far From the Madding Crowd is anything but that. It belongs with the mad crowd. Sane people wouldnt pick it up. I wouldnt advise you to buy, or even contemplate reading this book. For the romanticists among us, its great. For the non-romantic types, steer clear of this novel. Youll just be saddened that you paid good money for the book. Why pay good money when you can read this review? Ive told you what happens. Learn by my mistakes. The enjoyment factor is crucial for this books survival, and, sadly, the factor is reading 0.

The Religious Roots of the Festival of Halloween Essay Example for Free

The Religious Roots of the Festival of Halloween Essay Halloween is an extremely enjoyable festival that occurs every year on October 31st. It is mostly celebrated in the United States and Britain and my talk today is associated with the British version of this holiday. Today many people see Halloween as a pleasurable holiday, for both adults and children. The celebrations of the ancient Celts are still evident in modern festivities as you can see from the old traditions still practiced today. October 31st today is a time for dressing up, eating sweets, scaring both ourselves and each other and holding parties. Many people consider it to be their favourite holiday of the year. Modern Halloween is all about dressing children in their favourite costumes, walking from house to house, collecting sweets and treats. Many families also decorate their homes and gardens with cobwebs, skeletons and jack-o-lanterns. However, the true origins of Halloween have become almost unrecognisable in todays celebrations, although they do include many traditions that I will outline.  ·Costuming The Celts wore these to ward of evil entities that were believed to be roaming the earth on that night. They could also be worn in some ceremonies as a symbol of becoming closer to their Gods. Later, when the festival turned to the Christian All Hallows Eve, people were still extremely superstitious and continued to disguise themselves by dressing in costume to confuse the spirits. Today, costumes of modern themes are worn on Halloween by children going trick or treating and by adults seeking fun and amusement. Many parties that are held in honor of this festival are themed and ask for the guests to dress in costume.  ·Trick Or Treating Our modern custom of trick or treating may have originated from several similar old customs. I will just concentrate on one of these, a ninth-century European custom called souling. Children would walk from village to village begging for soul cakes, made out of square pieces of bread with currants. For every cake that a child collected, he or she would have to say a prayer for the dead relatives of the person who gave the cake. At the time, it was believed that the dead remained in limbo for some time and that a prayer, even said by a stranger, could send the soul to  heaven. Today, children walk from house to house asking for sweets, but not in exchange for prayers.  ·Bobbing For Apples In Celtic tradition, apples were associated with female deities who controlled the ways of love and fertility. This may have had something to do with the pentagram (a star with five points) shape that you see when you slice an apple in half. The pentagram was an important shape for the Celts and it was largely recognised as a Goddess symbol. The pentagram today is still used in fortune telling and spell casting. The apples were used by the Celts in fortune telling in two main ways. The first is where we got the modern tradition of apple bobbing from. It was for young unmarried people, who would try to bite into an apple floating in water. The first person to bite into the apple would be the next one to marry. Peeling an apple was also a way to predict your life expectancy. If you cut off one long peel, you would live to an old age. If you only cut off a small peel, you would die young. Apples are still a big part of Halloween celebrations. In addition to apple bobbing, people also drink apple cider, make candy apples and hand out apples to trick or treaters.  ·Pumpkin Carving or Jack-O-Lanterns Although the Celts would bring home and ember from the communal bonfire in a hollowed out turnip, the direct tradition of jack-o-lanterns dates from 18th century Ireland. As told in a very popular Irish folk tale, the originator of the modern Jack-O-Lantern was a character named Stingy Jack. The story goes that that he convinced Satan to climb up a tree for some apples, and then cut crosses all around the trunk so that the devil couldnt climb down. The devil promised to leave Stingy Jack alone forever, if he would let him down out of the tree. When Jack eventually died, he was turned away from heaven, due to his trickery and life of sin. But, in keeping with their agreement, the devil wouldnt take Jack either. He was cursed to travel forever as a spirit in limbo. As Jack left the gates of hell, the devil threw him a hot ember to light the way in the dark. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed-out turnip, and wandered off into the world. Folk Tradition held that they would ward off Stingy Jack and Other Spirits on Halloween, and they also served as representations of the souls of the dead. Later, when Halloween festivals  were brought to America by the Irish, turnips were replaced with pumpkins which where much more plentiful and easier to carve. People began to cut frightening faces and other designs into their Jack-O-Lanterns, as they still do today. The festivities of modern Halloween are thought to be a combining of two separate celebrations. The first is a pre-Christian Celtic feast associated with the Celtic New Year. The second is the Christian celebration of All Saints Day (November 1st). The Celtic Feast of the New Year was celebrated on what would be November 1st on our calendar. This festival was known as All Hallowtide and was held to celebrate the New Year and would also signalize the close of the Harvest and the initiation of winter. But this Celtic festival was also a celebration to commemorate Samhain, the Feast Of The Dead. It was known as the Feast of The Dead because the Celts believed that on the last day of the year, (October 31st) the souls of the dead could return to their familys homes. It was believed that evil spirits, demons, ghosts and witches were also free to roam around on this night and could be mollified with a feast. These frightening creatures would also leave you alone if you dressed like them and thus appeared to be one of them. The Christian Feast of All Saints transpired as a result of the many martyrs who died for their faith in Jesus Christ due to the persecutions of the Roman State against the Church. The most renowned of these were honored locally by the preservation of their relics and by the celebration of the anniversary of their death, as a feast in honor of their birth into eternal life. At the end of the third century the martyrs became so many that in some places it was impossible to commemorate even the most significant of them. The need for a common feast of all martyrs was becoming evident. Beginning with Gregory III the celebration of a feast of All Saints was commemorated at St. Peters on November 1st. Halloween today is widely regarded as one of the most enjoyable ( if not frightening) festivals of the year.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

What Limits Vo2 Max?

What Limits Vo2 Max? Vo2 max is the maximum capacity of an individuals body to use and transport oxygen during exercise. Vo2 stands for the maximum volume consumption of oxygen. To measure an individuals vo2 max accurately the subject will undertake an athletic test usually on a treadmill or cycle ergometer, as the intensity of the workout increases the intake of oxygen and the concentration of carbon dioxide exhaled is monitored. The workload it gradually increased until there is a steady reading of both of these factors. This then shows the participants vo2 max level. However, an individuals Vo2 max can be limited due to a mixture of different restrictions and developments within the individual. These limitations can also have independent and dependant variables, such as, age, race or fitness. When researching into the limiting factors of the vo2 results two theories have been presented as the main limitations, the utilization theory and the presentation theory. The utilisation theory states that a lack of sufficient oxidative enzymes within the cell structure will limit how much oxygen is diffused and in turn affect the vo2 max scores. Oxidative enzymes are the enzymes which are the catalyst for the oxidisation reaction. Regular training can improve oxidative of the enzymes, which means an improved oxygen utilisation. This would create a better vo2 score as there is more oxygen being created. The presentation theory does not support the idea of the utilisation theory limiting the vo2 max results but suggests that it is more to do with how effectively the oxygen is delivered around the body. As the persons heart rate rises and the volume of blood being circulated increases the demand for oxygenised blood also increases. These two theories can be seen as supply and demand. A review of these two theories by Saltin and Rowell (1980) states that the utilisation (supply) theory is the more significant limiting factor. Studies show a relationship between an increase in oxidative enzymes and an increase in vo2 max results. One study by Costill DL, Thomas R, Robergs RA, Pascoe D, Lambert C, Barr S, Fink WJ (1991) measured the effects of a swim program on aerobic function. While oxidative enzymes were increased throughout the program, vo2 max increased until the last six weeks of the program The state of health of cardiovascular, pulmonary and respiratory systems would be a major if not one of the main limitations of a vo2 max. The cardiovascular is compiled of the heart, blood and blood vessels it also includes the pulmonary circulation which is the movement of blood from the heart, to the lungs, and back to the heart again. The respiratory system includes the airways and lungs where a gas exchange happens due to the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The health of all of these systems will influence the results of a vo2 max test. A typically bad cardiovascular system will worsen the scores of a vo2 max test, during exercise the heart rate responds by increasing, as does the demand in delivery of oxygen around the body, therefore, an unhealthy heart would be less able to transport as much oxygen into the body in comparison to a less healthy one. In addition to this if the connection between the lungs and heart is weak, the pulmonary circuit, it is likely to have th e same response and trend in terms of the results of the vo2 max (Miller, Levine 2004). However it may not be the cardiovascular system with the problem, it could all come down to ones respiratory system, for example if an athlete has a small lung capacity they will not have the advantages of an athlete with a bigger lung capacity. Although it is all dependant on the lungs ability to diffuse the oxygen into the blood stream, as even though someone can have a smaller lung capacity if they diffuse ninety six per cent of the oxygen and the athlete with the greater lung capacity only diffuses fourth five per cent, the smaller lung capacity has actually overall got a higher vo2 max. This means it all comes down to the bodys ability to diffuse and transport oxygen around the body, the more it can transport the higher an athletes vo2 max is. Another limitation could be the gender of the athlete. It is speculated that males will typically have higher maximum oxygen consumption in comparison to females. Research by Heywood, V (1998) shows that the average vo2 max for a typical untrained healthy male is approximately 35-40 ml/kg/min which mean millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of bodyweight per minute. However, a typical healthy female will only reach an approximate score of 27-31 ml/kg/min. these scores are of course only averages and the outcomes can differ due to variables in the group of participants. This could be something such as the age of the males or females used, as the scores will generally deteriorate at a certain age. Also, the general fitness of the group could also be a variable as a more athletic person would average better than a non-athlete. Therefore an elite performer would have excessively higher oxygen consumption then an untrained participant, Tim Noakes (2001) studied sports where endurance is an i mportant component in an athletes performance, such as rowing, swimming and running. Noakes found that elite male runners can generate up to 85 ml/kg/min, and female elite runners can generate about 77ml/kg/min. A persons age would also play a part in influencing a vo2 test result. It can be said that the vo2 max decreases with age after a certain point of maturity. A large cross section study by Jackson , Beard , Wier, Ross , Stuteville and Blair (1995,1996) shows that the average decline of vo2 max is accepted as around one per cent each year or is better said as ten per cent each decade after the age of twenty five, this is when it said that most bodies start to deteriorate. The study shows that mens vo2 max generally decreases at a slower rate than womens with a 0.46 ml/kg/min (1.2%) for males and a decrease of 0.54 ml/kg/min (1.7%) for females. This would happen due to the aging process which causes many health problems. In accordance to vo2 max scores this would more likely respiratory and heart conditions which affect the vo2 max results. The decrease in vo2 max levels, however, does not always come directly from the aging process but more the increases in body weight which in some cases happens as people get older. The vo2 max is also a reflection on the body mass of a person, so in effect as the body weight of a person increases the vo2 max generally worsens and deteriorates. Training is an important part of an athletes life, Pollock (1973) found that aerobic training can on average increase vo2 max by fifteen to twenty per cent; this is if the athlete does a thirty minute aerobic training session at seventy five per cent of their aerobic ability three times a week for six months. However the result he got is only an average meaning that some people will respond better or worse it is all on the athletes ability on how high their vo2 max can go. Resistance training and intense anaerobic training have little or no effect on vo2 max readings, however improvements that did occur were only in participants that already had a low level of fitness (Kraemer, Deschenes , Fleck 1988). Resistance training alone does not improve vo2 max (Dudley, Fleck 1987). A considerable amount of training needs to be performed before an athlete can reach their maximum potential vo2 max, however when it is reached they do not have to train at the same intensity to maintain their opt imum level (Hickson, Foster, Pollock, Galassi, Rich 1985). Wilmore JH and Costill DL. (2005) states that altitude can also be a factor which can affect a persons vo2 max scores. Test performed by this source shows that a persons vo2 max results decreases as altitude increases above one thousand six hundred meters. For every one thousand meters that the person climbs above that, the athletes maximum oxygen intake decreases by a further approximate 8 to 11 per cent. The decrease is due to a reduction in the volume of blood plasma, which in turn decreases the heart rate and stroke volume. This is due to a decrease in the maximum cardiac output and therefore lowering the vo2 scores. As proven vo2 max has a lot of limitations, firstly the utilisation and presentation theories are the two which are considered to be main limitations. It has been shown that there are many other factors that can influence the results of a vo2 max test such as age, gender, health and training. However, the research used in this paper is outdated and therefore cannot be considered to be one hundred per cent reliable to date.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply :: Economics

Topic 12: Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply ----------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction 2. Three Key Facts about Economic Fluctuations 2.1 Fact 1: Economics Fluctuations are Irregular and Unpredictable 2.2 Fact 2: Most Macroeconomic Quantities Fluctuate Together 2.3 Fact 3: As Output Falls, Unemployment Rises 3. Explaining Short-Run Economic Fluctuations 3.1 How the Short Run Differs from the Long Run 3.2 The Basic Model of Economic Fluctuations 4. The Aggregate Demand Curve 4.1 Why the Aggregate Demand Curve Slopes Downwards 4.2 Why the Aggregate Demand Curve May Shift 5. The Aggregate Supply Curve 5.1 Why the Aggregate Supply Curve is Vertical in the Long Run 5.2 Why the Aggregate Supply Curve May Shift 5.3 A New Way to Depict Long Run Growth and Inflation 5.4 Why the Aggregate Supply Curve Slopes Upward in the Short Run 5.5 Why the Short Run Aggregate Supply Curve May Shift 6. Two Causes of Economic Fluctuations 6.1 The Effects of a Shift in Aggregate Demand 6.2 The Effects of a Shift in Aggregate Supply 7. Summary 2. Three Key Facts about Economic Fluctuations Economic activity fluctuates from year to year. ----------------------------------------------- In most years production of goods and services rises. On average over the past 50 years, production in the U.S. economy has grown by about 3 percent per year. In some years normal growth does not occur, causing a recession. - A recession is a period of declining real GDP, falling incomes, and rising unemployment. - A depression is a severe recession. 2.1 Fact 1: Economic Fluctuations are Irregular and Unpredictable - Economic fluctuations are irregular and unpredictable. - Fluctuations in the economy are often called the business cycle. 2.2 Fact 2: Most macroeconomic variables fluctuate together  · Most macroeconomic variables that measure some type of income or production fluctuate closely together.  · Although many macroeconomic variables fluctuate together, they fluctuate by different amounts. 2.3 Fact 3: As output falls, unemployment rises - Changes in real GDP are inversely related to changes in the unemployment rate. - During times of recession, unemployment rises substantially. 3. Explaining Short Run Economic Fluctuations - Most economists believe that classical theory describes the world in the long run but not in the short run. 3.1 How the Short Run Differs from the Long Run - Changes in the money supply affect nominal variables but not real variables in the long run. - The assumption of monetary neutrality is not appropriate when studying year-to-year changes in the economy. 3.2 The Basic Model of Economic Fluctuations ============================================ Two variables are used to develop a model to analyze the short-run fluctuations: - The economy’s output of goods and services measured by real GDP.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Free Hamlet Essays: Hamlets Inability to Take Action :: The Tragedy of Hamlet Essays

Hamlet's Inability to Take Action "To be, or not to be, that is the question."(Hamlet) This is the question that plagues Hamlet through the entire play. Should I live or should I die, should I take revenge for my father's death? These are all issues that Hamlet battles within himself. Hamlet's indecision is followed by inaction. The reason for this struggle with indecision can be based on many factors or on a combination of a few. As illustrated through his speeches and soliloquies Hamlet has the mind of a true thinker. Reinacting the death of his father in front of Claudius was in itself a wonderful idea. Although he may have conceived shcemes such as this, his mind was holding him back at the same time. His need to analyze and prove everythin certain drew his time of action farther and farther away. Hamlet continuously doubted himself and whether or not the action that he wanted to take was justifiable. The visit that Hamlet recieves from his dead father makes the reader think that it is Hamlet's time to go and seek revenge. This is notthe case. Hamlet does seem eager to try and take the life of Claudius in the name of his father, but before he can do so he has a notion, what if that was not my father, but an evil apparition sending me on the wrong path? This shows that even with substantial evidence of Claudius' deeds, Hamlet's mind is not content. With his thinking mind Hamlet does not become a typical vengeful character. Unlike most erratic behavior of individuals seeking revenge out of rage, Hamlet considers the consequences of his actions. What would the people think of their prince if he were to murder the king? What kind of effect would it have on his beloved mother? Hamlet considers questions of this type which in effect hasten his descision. After all, once his mother is dead and her feelings out of the picture , Hamlet is quick and aggressive in forcing poison into Claudius' mouth. Once Hamlet is certain that Claudius is the killer it is only after he himself is and and his empire falling that he can finally act. On top of Hamlet's over analyzation of the situation an his constant reviewing of all the reasons why he should not act, there is another force which he cannot control.