Looking Into Cycling For School - 1066 Words

Growing up in Mississauga, Ontario, I rarely saw people cycling, especially not on main roads. In 2015, however, I moved to Hamilton, Ontario, and started school at McMaster University where I saw that cycling was the preferred method of transportation by many. Throughout my first year at McMaster, I lived in an on-campus dorm, and everything that I needed was within walking distance. This year, however, I am residing in an off-campus student house located a 20-minute walk from campus, leading me to search for faster ways to get to school. I realized that the two options I had were either to take public transit or to cycle. Since I don’t like waiting for buses and dealing with their unreliable schedules, I decided that looking into cycling to school would be an appropriate solution for me, which is where my interest in bicycles and cycling began. I spent several weeks thinking about what activity I could partake in as part of my experiential learning assignment. I considered doing typical things related to sustainability such as picking up litter or taking a walk through a nearby trail, but neither of those things interested me much. I began to worry about what I could do my assignment on as I was running out of time to pick an activity. Conveniently, around this time, a TA for the course posted on Avenue about an opportunity to take part in a tour of MACycle, McMaster’s on Campus bicycle repair shop. Due to my new-found interest in bicycles and cycling, I thought thisShow MoreRelatedMinisterial Recommendation Essay1252 Words   |  6 PagesMinisterial Recommendation In regards to Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities’ pledge of $7.5 million to assist with cycling improvements across Windsor, it is recommended that the federal government follows through with this promise. This funding would be reallocated from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program. 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The Crystal Shard 25. Errtu Free Essays

string(30) " from and surprise the demon\." Drizzt crawled out of his hidden chamber as the last lights of the setting sun began fading away. He scanned the southern horizon and was again dismayed. He had needed to rest, but he couldn’t help feeling pangs of guilt when he saw the city of Targos burning, as though he had neglected his duty to bear witness to the suffering of Kessell’s helpless victims. We will write a custom essay sample on The Crystal Shard 25. Errtu or any similar topic only for you Order Now Yet the drow had not been idle even during the hours of the meditative trance the elves called sleep. He had journeyed back into the underworld of his distant memories in search of a particular sensation, the aura of a powerful presence he had once known. Though he had not gotten close enough for a good look at the demon he had followed the previous night, something about the creature had struck a familiar chord in his oldest recollections. A pervading, unnatural emanation surrounded creatures from the lower planes when they walked on the material world, an aura that the dark elves, moreso than any other race, had come to understand and recognize. Not only this type of demon, but this particular creature itself, was known to Drizzt. It had served his people in Menzoberranzan for many years. â€Å"Errtu,† he whispered as he sorted through his dreams. Drizzt knew the demon’s true name. It would come to his call. * * * The search to find an appropriate spot from which he could call the demon took Drizzt over an hour, and he spent several more preparing the area. His goal was to take away as many of Errtu’s advantages – size and flight in particular – as he could, though he sincerely hoped that their meeting would not involve combat. People who knew the drow considered him daring, sometimes even reckless, but that was against mortal enemies who would recoil from the stinging pain of his whirring blades. Demons, especially one of Errtu’s size and strength, were a different story altogether. Many times during his youth Drizzt had witnessed the wrath of such a monster. He had seen buildings thrown down, solid stone torn by the great clawed hands. He had seen mighty human warriors strike the monster with blows that would fell an ogre, only to find, in their dying horror, that their weapons were useless against such a powerful being from the lower planes. His own people usually fared better against demons, actually receiving a measure of respect from them. Demons often allied with drow on even terms, or even served the dark elves outright, for they were wary of the powerful weapons and magic the drow possessed. But that was back in the underworld, where the strange emanations from the unique stone formations blessed the metals used by the drow craftsmen with mysterious and magical properties. Drizzt had none of the weapons from his homeland, for their strange magic could not withstand the light of day, though he had been careful to keep them protected from the sun, they became useless shortly after he moved to the surface. He doubted that the weapons he now carried would be able to harm Errtu at all. And even if they did, demons of Errtu’s stature could not be truly destroyed away from their native planes. If it came to blows, the most that Drizzt could hope to do was banish the creature from the Material Plane for one hundred years. He had no intentions of fighting. Yet he had to try something against the wizard who threatened the towns. His goal now was to gain some knowledge that might reveal a weakness in the wizard, and his method was deception and disguise, hoping that Errtu remembered enough about the dark elves to make his story credible, yet not too much to strip away the flimsy lies that would hold it together. The place he had chosen for the meeting was a sheltered dell a few yards from the mountain’s cliff face. A pinnacled roof formed by converging walls covered half of the area, the other half was open to the sky, but the entire place was set back into the mountainside behind high walls, safely out of view of Cryshal-Tirith. Now Drizzt worked with a dagger, scraping runes of warding on the walls and floor in front of where he would sit. His mental image of these magical symbols had fuzzied over the many years, and he knew that their design was far from perfect. Yet he realized that he would need any possible protection that they might offer if Errtu turned on him. When he was finished, he sat crosslegged under the roofed section, behind the protected area, and tossed out the small statuette that he carried in his pack. Guenhwyvar would be a good test for his warding inscriptions. The great cat answered the summons. It appeared in the other side of the cubby, its keen eyes scanning the area for any potential danger that threatened its master. Then, sensing nothing, it turned a curious glance on Drizzt. â€Å"Come to me,† Drizzt called, beckoning with his hand. The cat strode toward him, then stopped abruptly, as though it had walked into a wall. Drizzt sighed in relief when he saw that his runes held some measure of strength. His confidence was bolstered considerably, though he realized that Errtu would push the power of the runes to their absolute limits – and probably beyond. Guenhwyvar lolled its huge head in an effort to understand what had deterred it. The resistance hadn’t really been very strong, but the mixed signals from its master, calling for it yet warding it away, had confused the cat. It considered gathering its strength and walking right through the feeble barrier, but its master seemed pleased that it had stopped. So the cat sat where it was and waited. Drizzt was busy studying the area, searching out the optimum place for Guenhwyvar to spring from and surprise the demon. You read "The Crystal Shard 25. Errtu" in category "Essay examples" A deep ledge on one of the high walls just beyond the portion that converged into a roof seemed to offer the best concealment. He motioned the cat into position and instructed it not to attack until his signal. Then he sat back and tried to relax, intent on his final mental preparations before he called the demon. * * * Across the valley in the magical tower, Errtu crouched in a shadowy corner of Kessell’s harem room keeping its ever-vigilant guard over the evil wizard at play with his mindless girls. A seething fire of hatred burned in Errtu’s eyes as it looked upon the foolish Kessell. The wizard had nearly ruined everything with his show of power that afternoon and his refusal to tear down the vacated towers behind him, further draining Crenshinibon’s strength. Errtu had been grimly satisfied when Kessell had come back into the Cryshal-Tirith and confirmed, through the use of scrying mirrors, that the other two towers had fallen to pieces. Errtu had warned Kessell against raising a third tower, but the wizard, frail of ego, had grown more stubborn with each passing day of the campaign, envisioning the demon’s, or even Crenshinibon’s, advice as a ploy to undermine his absolute control. And so Errtu was quite receptive, even relieved, when it heard Drizzt’s call floating down the valley. At first it denied the possibility of such a summons, but the inflections of its true name being spoken aloud sent involuntary shudders running along the demon’s spine. More intrigued than angered at the impertinence of some mortal daring to utter its name, Errtu slipped away from the distracted wizard and moved outside Cryshal-Tirith. Then the call came again, cutting through the harmony of the wind’s endless song like a whitecapped wave on a still pond. Errtu spread its great wings and soared northward over the plain, speeding toward the summoner. Terrified goblins fled from the darkness of the demon’s passing shadow, for even in the faint glimmer of a thin moon, the creature of the Abyss left a wake of blackness that made the night seem bright in comparison. Drizzt sucked in a tense breath. He sensed the unerring approach of the demon as it veered away from Bremen’s Run and swept upward over the lower slopes of Kelvin’s Cairn. Guenhwyvar lifted its head off of its paws and growled, also sensing the approach of the evil monster. The cat ducked to the very back of the deep ledge and lay flat and still, awaiting its master’s command, confident that its heightened abilities of stealth could protect it even against the high sensitivities of a demon. Errtu’s leathery wings folded up tight as it alighted on the ledge. It immediately pinpointed the exact location of the summoner and, though it had to tuck its broad shoulders to pass through the narrow entrance to the dell, it charged straight in, intent on appeasing its curiosity and then killing the blasphemous fool that dared utter its name aloud. Drizzt fought to hold his edge of control when the huge demon pushed in, its bulk filling the small area beyond his tiny sanctuary, blocking out the starlight before him. There could be no turning back from his dangerous course. He had no place to run. The demon stopped suddenly in amazement. It had been centuries since Errtu had looked upon a drow, and it certainly never expected to find one on the surface, in the frozen wastelands of the farthest north. Somehow Drizzt found his voice. â€Å"Greetings, master of chaos,† he said calmly, bowing low. â€Å"I am Drizzt Do’Urden, of the house of Daermon N’a’shezbaernon, ninth family to the throne of Menzoberranzan. Welcome to my humble camp.† â€Å"You are a long way from home, drow,† the demon said with obvious suspicion. â€Å"As are thee, great demon of the Abyss,† Drizzt replied coolly. â€Å"And lured to this high corner of the world for similar reasons, unless I miss my guess.† â€Å"I know why I am here,† answered Errtu. â€Å"The business of the drow has ever been outside my understanding – or caring!† Drizzt stroked his slender chin and chuckled in feigned confidence. His stomach was tied in knots, and he felt the beginnings of a cold sweat coming on. He chuckled again and fought against the fear. If the demon sensed his unease, his credibility would be greatly diminished. â€Å"Ah, but this time, for the first time in many years, it seems that the roads of our business have crossed, mighty purveyor of destruction. My people have a curiosity, perhaps even a vested interest in the wizard that you apparently serve.† Errtu squared its shoulders, the first flickers of a dangerous flame evident in its red eyes. â€Å"Serve?† it echoed incredulously, the even tone of its voice quivering, as though it bordered on the edge of an uncontrollable rage. Drizzt was quick to qualify his observation. â€Å"By all appearances, guardian of chaotic intentions, the wizard holds some power over you. Surely you work alongside Akar Kessell.† â€Å"I serve no human!† Errtu roared, shaking the cave’s very foundation with an emphatic stamp of its foot. Drizzt wondered if the fight that he could not hope to win was about to begin. He considered calling out Guenhwyvar so that they could at least land the first blows. But the demon suddenly calmed again. Convinced that it had half-guessed the reason for the unexpected presence of the drow, Errtu turned a scrutinizing eye on Drizzt. â€Å"Serve the wizard?† it laughed. â€Å"Akar Kessell is puny even by the low standards of humans! But you know this, drow, and do not dare to deny it. You are here, as I am here, for Crenshinibon, and Kessell be damned!† The confused look on Drizzt’s face was genuine enough to throw Errtu off balance. The demon still believed that it had guessed correctly, but it couldn’t understand why the drow didn’t comprehend the name. â€Å"Crenshinibon,† it explained, sweeping its clawed hand to the south. â€Å"An ancient bastion of unspeakable power.† â€Å"The tower?† Drizzt asked. Errtu’s uncertainty bubbled up in the form of explosive fury. â€Å"Play no games of ignorance with me!† the demon bellowed. â€Å"The drow lords know well the power of Akar Kessell’s artifact, or else they would not have come to the surface to seek it out!† â€Å"Very well, you’ve guessed at the truth,† Drizzt conceded. â€Å"Yet I had to be certain that the tower on the plain was indeed the ancient artifact that I seek. My masters show little mercy to careless spies.† Errtu smiled wickedly as it remembered the unholy torture chambers of Menzoberranzan. Those years it had spent among the dark elves had been enjoyable indeed! Drizzt quickly pressed the conversation in a direction that might reveal some weaknesses of Kessell or his tower: â€Å"One thing has kept me puzzled, awesome spector of unbridled evil,† he began, careful to continue his string of unduplicated compliments. â€Å"By what right does this wizard possess Crenshinibon?† â€Å"None at all,† Errtu said. â€Å"Wizard, bah! Measured against your own people, he is barely an apprentice. His tongue twitches uneasily when he utters even the simplest of spells. But fate often plays such games. And more to the enjoyment, I say! Let Akar Kessell have his brief moment of triumph. Humans do not live a very long time!† Drizzt knew that he was pursuing a dangerous line of questions, but he accepted the risk. Even with a major demon standing barely ten feet away, Drizzt figured that his chances for survival at this moment were better than those of his friends in Bryn Shander. â€Å"Still my masters are concerned that the tower may be harmed in the coming battle with the humans,† he bluffed. Errtu took another moment to consider Drizzt. The appearance of the dark elves complicated the demon’s simple plan to inherit Crenshinibon from Kessell. If the mighty drow lords of the huge city of Menzoberranzan truly had designs upon the relic, the demon knew that they would get it. Certainly Kessell, even with the power of the shard behind him, could not withstand them. The mere presence of this drow changed the demon’s perceptions of its relationship with Crenshinibon. How Errtu wished that it could simply devour Kessell and flee with the relic before the dark elves were too involved! Yet Errtu had never considered the drow as enemies, and the demon had come to despise the bumbling wizard. Perhaps an alliance with the dark elves could prove beneficial to both sides. â€Å"Tell me, unequaled champion of darkness,† Drizzt pressed, â€Å"is Crenshinibon in peril?† â€Å"Bah!† snorted Errtu. â€Å"Even the tower that is merely a reflection of Crenshinibon is impervious. It absorbs all attacks directed against its mirrored walls and reflects them back on their source! Only the pulsating crystal of strength, the very heart of Cryshal-Tirith, is vulnerable, and that is safely hidden away.† â€Å"Inside?† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"But if someone were to get into the tower,† Drizzt reasoned, â€Å"how well protected would he then find the heart?† â€Å"An impossible task!† the demon replied. â€Å"Unless the simple fishermen of Ten-Towns have some spirit at their service. Or perhaps a high priest, or an arch-mage to weave spells of unveiling. Surely your masters know that Cryshal-Tirith’s door is invisible and undetectable to any beings inherent to the present plane the tower rests upon. No creature of this material world, your race included, could find its way in!† â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Drizzt pressed anxiously. Errtu cut him short. â€Å"Even if someone stumbled into the structure,† he growled, impatient with the relentless stream of impossible suppositions, â€Å"he would have to pass by me. And the limit of Kessell’s power within the tower is considerable indeed, for the wizard has become an extension of Crenshinibon itself, a living outlet for the crystal shard’s unfathomable strength! The heart lies beyond the very focal point of Kessell’s interaction with the tower, and up to the very tip†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The demon stopped, suddenly suspicious of Drizzt’s line of questioning. If the lore-wise drow lords were truly intent upon Crenshinibon, why weren’t they more aware of its strengths and weaknesses? Errtu understood its mistake then. It examined Drizzt once again, but with a different focus. When it had first encountered the drow, stunned by the mere presence of a dark elf in this region, it had searched for deception in the physical attributes of Drizzt, himself, to determine if his drow features were an illusion, a clever yet simple shapealteration trick within the power of even a minor mage. When Errtu was convinced that a true drow and no illusion stood before it, it had accepted the credibility of Drizzt’s story as consistent with the characteristics of the dark elves’ style. Now, though, the demon scoured the peripheral clues beyond Drizzt’s black skin, noting the items he carried and the area he had staked out for their meeting. Nothing that Drizzt had upon his person, not even the weapons sheathed on his hips, emanated the distinct magical properties of the underworld. Perhaps the drow masters had outfitted their spies more appropriately for the surface world, Errtu reasoned. From what it had learned of the dark elves during its many years of service in Menzoberranzan, this drow’s presence was certainly not outrageous. But creatures of chaos survived by trusting no one. Errtu continued his scan for a clue of Drizzt’s authenticity. The only item the demon had spotted that reflected on Drizzt’s heritage was a thin silver chain strung around his slender neck, a piece of jewelry common among the dark elves for holding a small pouch of wealth. Concentrating upon this, Errtu discovered a second chain, finer than the first, weaving in and out of the other. The demon followed the almost imperceptible crease in Drizzt’s jerkin created by the long chain. Unusual, it noted, and possibly revealing. Errtu pointed at the chain, spoke a command word, and raised its outstretched finger into the air. Drizzt tensed when he felt the emblem slipping up from under his leather jerkin. It passed up over the neckline of the garment and dropped to the extent of the chain, hanging openly upon his chest. Errtu’s evil grin widened along with its squinting eyes. â€Å"Unusual choice for a drow,† it hissed sarcastically. â€Å"I would have expected the symbol of Llolth, demon queen of your people. She would not be pleased!† From nowhere, it seemed, a many-thonged whip appeared in one of the demon’s hands and a jagged, cruelly notched blade in the other. At first, Drizzt’s mind whirled down a hundred avenues, exploring the most feasible lies he could spin to get him out of this fix. But then he shook his head resolutely and pushed the lies away. He would not dishonor his deity. At the end of the silver chain hung a gift from Regis, a carving the halfling had done from the bone of one of the few knuckleheads he had ever hooked. Drizzt had been deeply touched when Regis presented it to him, and he considered it the halfling’s finest work. It twirled around on the long chain, its gentle grades and shading giving it the depth of a true work of art. It was a white unicorn head, the symbol of the goddess Mielikki. â€Å"Who are you, drow?† Errtu demanded. The demon had already decided that it would have to kill Drizzt, but it was intigued by such an unusual meeting. A dark elf that followed the Lady of the Forest? And a surface dweller as well! Errtu had known many drow over the centuries, but had never even heard of one that had abandoned the drows wicked ways. Cold-hearted killers, one and all, that had taught even the great demon of chaos a trick or two concerning the methods of excruciating torture. â€Å"I am Drizzt Do’Urden, that much is true,† Drizzt replied evenly. â€Å"He who forsook the House of Daermon N’a’shezbaernon.† All fear had flown from Drizzt when he accepted beyond any hope that he would have to battle the demon. Now he assumed the calm readiness of a seasoned fighter, prepared to seize any advantage that might fall his way. â€Å"A ranger humbly serving Gwaeron Windstrom, hero of the goddess Mielikki.† He bowed low in accordance with a proper introduction. As he straightened, he drew his scimitars. â€Å"I must defeat you, scar of vileness,† he declared, â€Å"and send you back to the swirling clouds of the bottomless Abyss. There is no place in the sunlit world for one of your kind.† â€Å"You are confused, elf,† the demon said. â€Å"You have lost the way of your heritage, and now you dare to presume that you might defeat me!† Flames sprang to life from the stone all around Errtu. â€Å"I would have killed you mercifully, with one clean stroke, out of respect for your kin. But your pride distresses me; I shall teach you to desire death! Come, feel the sting of my fire!† Drizzt was already nearly overwhelmed by the heat of Errtu’s demon fire, and the brightness of the flames stung his sensitive eyes so that the bulk of the demon seemed only the dulled blur of a shadow. He saw the darkness extend to the demon’s right and knew that Errtu had raised its terrible sword. He moved to defend, but suddenly the demon lurched to the side and roared in surprise and outrage. Guenhwyvar had latched firmly onto its upraised arm. The huge demon held the panther at arm’s length, trying to pin the cat between its forearm and the rock wall to keep the tearing claws and teeth away from a vital area. Guenhwyvar gnawed and raked the massive arm, tearing demon-flesh and muscle. Errtu winced away the vicious attack and determined to deal with the cat later. The demon’s main concern remained the drow, for it respected the potential power of any of the dark elves. Errtu had seen too many foes fall beneath one of the dark elves’ countless tricks. The many-thonged whip lashed out at Drizzt’s legs, too quickly for the drow, still reeling from the sudden burst of brightness of the flames, to deflect the blow or dodge aside. Errtu jerked the handle as the thongs tangled about the slender legs and ankles, the demon’s great strength easily dropping Drizzt to his back. Drizzt felt the stinging pain all through his legs, and he heard the rush of air pressed out of his lungs when he landed on the hard stone. He knew that he must react without delay, but the glare of the fire and Errtu’s sudden strike had left him disoriented. He felt himself being dragged along the stone, felt the intensity of the heat increasing. He managed to lift his head just in time to view his tangled feet entering the demon fire. â€Å"And so I die,† he stated flatly. But his legs did not burn. Drooling to hear the agonized screams of its helpless victim, Errtu gave a stronger tug on the whip and pulled Drizzt completely into the flames. Though he was totally immolated, the drow barely felt warmed by the fire. And then, with a final hiss of protest, the hot flames suddenly died away. Neither of the opponents understood what had happened, both assuming that the other had been responsible. Errtu struck quickly again. Bringing a heavy foot down upon Drizzt’s chest, it began grinding him into the stone. The drow flailed out in desperation with one weapon, but it had no effect on the otherworldly monster. Then Drizzt swung his other scimitar, the blade he had taken from the dragon’s hoard. Hissing like water on fire, it entered Errtu’s knee joint. The hilt of the weapon heated up when the blade tore into the demon’s flesh, nearly burning Drizzt’s hand. Then it grew icy cold, as though dousing Errtu’s hot life force with a cold strength of its own. Drizzt understood then what had extinguished the fires. The demon gaped in blank horror, then screamed in agony. Never had it felt such a sting! It leaped back and tossed about wildly, trying to escape the weapon’s terrible bite, dragging Drizzt, who could not let go of the hilt. Guenhwyvar was thrown in the violence of the demon’s rage, flying from the monster’s arm to crash heavily into a wall. Drizzt eyed the wound incredulously as the demon backed away. Steam poured from the hole in Errtu’s knee, and the edges of the cut were iced over! But Drizzt, too, had been weakened by the strike. In its struggle with the mighty demon, the scimitar had drawn upon its wielder’s life force, pulling Drizzt into the battle with the fiery monster. Now the drow felt as though he hadn’t even the strength left to stand. But he found himself lunging forward, blade fully extended before him, as if pulled by the scimitar’s hunger. The cubby entrance was too narrow. Errtu could neither dodge nor spring away. The scimitar found the demon’s belly. The explosive surge as the blade touched the core of Errtu’s life force drained away Drizzt’s strength, tossing him backward. He cracked against the stone wall and crumpled, but managed to keep himself alert enough to witness the titanic struggle still raging. Errtu got out onto the ledge. The demon was staggering now, trying to spread its wings. But they drooped weakly. The scimitar glowed white with power as it continued its assault. The demon could not bear to grasp it and tear it free, though the embedded blade, its magic quelching the fires it had been wrought to destroy, was surely winning the conflict. Errtu knew that it had been careless, overconfident in its ability to destroy any mortal in single combat. The demon hadn’t considered the possibility of such a wicked blade; it had never even heard of a weapon with such a sting! Steam poured from Errtu’s exposed entrails and enveloped the combatants. â€Å"And so you have banished me, treacherous drow!† it spat. Dazed, Drizzt watched in amazement as the white glow intensified and the black shadow diminished. â€Å"A hundred years, drow!† Errtu howled. â€Å"Not such a long time for the likes of you or me!† The vapor thickened as the shadow seemed to melt away. â€Å"A century, Drizzt Do’Urden!† came Errtu’s fading cry from somewhere far away. â€Å"Look over your shoulder then! Errtu shall not be far behind!† The vapor wafted up into the air and was gone. The last sound Drizzt heard was the clang of the metal scimitar falling to the stone ledge. How to cite The Crystal Shard 25. Errtu, Essay examples

Use Of Big Data Analytics In The Retail Sector †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Use Of Big Data Analytics In The Retail Sector. Answer: Background of the study At present days, data analytics has found its numerous applications in retail industry. It is extensively utilized for making strategic, operational as well as tactical procedures of decision-making. Gandomi and Haider (2015) stated that in the modern days, technology is driven across the world and customers in retail scenario are not accustomed to have digital comfort. However, they are savvy in using the process. Big data analytics can evaluate large amount of data in order to uncover the hidden patterns , correlations as well as other insights. Big data acts an important role in the process. Thus, it is required to understand what can make consumers tick and policies of the retail organizations. Being professional in software industry, the big data analytics is important that has a great impact on retail sector (Hu et al. 2014). The analytics can assist the organizations to identify the items that customers would likely to purchase together and what offers as well as promotions wo uld work best for the products as well as personalized offers. Thus, it is important to analyze the role that has a great impact on retail sector. Research questions What are the factors for establishment of retail sector at present days? What is the role of big data analytics in retail sector? What are the challenges might be faced by big data analytics in retail sector? What are the recommendations for minimizing the solution? Search terms Big data analytics: It is the procedure of examining large as well as varied data sets. Present trend of retail sector: The keyword helps to understand the present trends and factors responsible for the growth of retail sector References Gandomi, A., Haider, M. (2015). Beyond the hype: Big data concepts, methods, and analytics.International Journal of Information Management,35(2), 137-144 Accessed from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268401214001066 Hu, H., Wen, Y., Chua, T. S., Li, X. (2014). Toward scalable systems for big data analytics: A technology tutorial.IEEE access,2, 652-687. Accessed from: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6842585/ Ghazal, A., Rabl, T., Hu, M., Raab, F., Poess, M., Crolotte, A., Jacobsen, H. A. (2013, June). BigBench: towards an industry standard benchmark for big data analytics. InProceedings of the 2013 ACM SIGMOD international conference on Management of data(pp. 1197-1208). ACM. Accessed from: https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2463712 Kitchin, R. (2014). Big Data, new epistemologies and paradigm shifts.Big Data Society,1(1), 2053951714528481. Accessed from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2053951714528481 Fan, J., Han, F., Liu, H. (2014). Challenges of big data analysis.National science review,1(2), 293-314. Accessed from: https://academic.oup.com/nsr/article-abstract/1/2/293/1397586 Groves, P., Kayyali, B., Knott, D., Kuiken, S. V. (2016). The'big data'revolution in healthcare: Accelerating value and innovation. Accessed from: https://repositorio.colciencias.gov.co:8081/jspui/handle/11146/465

Racial Profiling

Introduction Ever since the early civilization man has always discriminated fellow men on the basis of their color, age, gender among other many factors. In the United States of America, discrimination is more spread across the different race origins that the citizens bear.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Racial Profiling specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The American population is made of people from different origins, for example, we have; the African American, Caucasians, Red Indians among others. Some races feeling superior to others have promoted discrimination for a very long period. One way through which this has been done is racial profiling (MacDonald 4). When the color of your skin or the origin of your race is used by the law enforcing officers as a basis of suspicion of having committed particular crimes in general non suspect investigations then that can be described as racial profiling (Glas er 4). This discrimination which most of the times has been based on religion, race, ethnicity or any other special character that one may be identified with undermines the human rights and freedom of every American citizen. It is a fact that law enforcement officers at all levels target people of certain races or ethnic groups most of the time as seen during traffic stops and inspection. For many years, Americans of African and Hispanic origins have complained of being victims of race profiling due to allegations of their likelihood of committing crimes compared to Americans of other races. For example, allegations of racial profiling have been on the policemen who suspect African American shoppers of being petty thieves. Individuals have been subjected to racial profiling when walking or shopping, for instance, blacks are often stopped and questioned by cops if seen walking in an area assumed to be a white dominated region (Muffler 2). This has become a major issue in the United S tates of America some debating on its essence and why it should continue or it should stop and thus the need to look into the matter. Current System or the Way Things Are Currently Done In Regards to Racial Profiling In the recent years it has become a major concern to everybody on racial profiling. Laws seeking to ban racial profiling have been introduced in the congress for example Both S. 16(Daschle) and H.R 2364(Engel), (Laney 2), contains provisions relating to racial profiling. S.16 is an â€Å"omnibus civil rights bill, which includes provisions that would express a sense of the Senate that Congress enact legislation banning racial profiling and requiring law enforcement at the federal state and local levels to prevent the practice (Muffler 3).Advertising Looking for research paper on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The HR.2364 (Engel) aims to amend immigration and nationality act by establishing a Visa Fairness Commission to collect data on the ongoing racial profiling in the American Embassies and with the US border inspectors. The law enforcement departments have been accused of practicing racial profiling in their aim of controlling two vices: preventing the illicit drugs activities and containing terrorism threats. Many Americans disapprove traffic stops but when terrorism investigations are the claims of making the stops, then the Americans have no problem in allowing the vice to continue. The fact that the bombings of September 2001 were carried by attackers of Arab origin, other Arab citizens living in the country whether innocent or guilty have been faced with adverse cases of racial profiling; â€Å"50% Americans responding to a poll supported the laws requiring Arabs including those who are U.S. citizens to carry a special ID† (Muffler 6). Another study carried in the country by the Opinion Dynamics showed that â€Å"54% of American citizens approved the use of racial profiling to screen Arab-male airline passengers. While in another carried by Cornell University â€Å"68% responded to racial profiling as a tool of fighting terrorism† (Muffler 6). Thus, race profiling is within many American citizens and any bid to eliminate the vice is expected to face all sorts of challenges. While all the claims about Muslims and their relation to terrorism might be true, it is worthy noting that terrorists of Middle East (as they are usually faced with higher risks of racial profiling) background could have migrated to Germany, England or any other country and thus racial profiling by use of the geographical factors is also not bound to work. The extent of racial profiling has been studied in some states, for example, in the Arizona Sentinel Investigation of all the vehicles which were stopped in the interstate highway in Florida, â€Å"While nearly 705 of the vehicles stopped belonged to the blacks and Hispanic, only a small 5% of the drivers were from the minor communities† (Muffler 7). Racial profiling violates the individual constitutional rights as stated in the supreme constitution of the United States of America. The fourth amendment of the United States of America protects every American citizen against any unreasonable searches and seizures (Kops 72) while the Fifth Amendment protects against discrimination based on ethnicity, race or nation of origin as experienced in racial profiling cases (Rezmovic Ekstrands 3).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Racial Profiling specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The fourteenth amendment of the constitution goes further and protects all American citizens by ensuring that they are provided with equal security and protection by the country laws thus those practicing racial profiling should be made aware that the constitution bars them from doing so. Why do you think racial profiling is unjust? Wh o suffers? Who benefits? Why is that unfair? Racial profiling is in no doubt unjust as it favors one group of people over the other. It is both wrong and ineffective on those who uses and for those who are subjected to. That is why racial profiling should be banned whether in fighting drugs or terrorism. It is important to note that it is not a race or ethnicity which commits a crime rather it is an individual people who commits the crimes and thus judge the people individually and not linking a whole group to the acts. Blacks have often been suspected of committing crimes more than other races thus faces more cases of racial profiling but the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) argues against racial profiling by stating that while blacks may be responsible for a higher percentage of crimes committed within an area it does not mean that majority of blacks population should be held responsible for the crimes. Another case which makes racial profiling unj ust is that certain communities are overly policed, unjustly scrutinized, and disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system while individually they might not have committed any crime. These victims of racial profiling have their liberty interests taken from them. They are stopped, searched, arrested, subjected to unwarranted force, detained in custody and in the most extreme cases, shot, tortured or killed as a result of being ill-perceived as a serious threat† (Sandborn, Bahdi, Parsons 2). Racial profiling also promotes cynicism about law enforcement and the judicial system amongst members of communities who are subjected to racial profiling thus decreasing the probability of citizen co-operation with law enforcers for legitimate investigations. The only claimed benefit to racial profiling is that the authorities are able to narrow their investigations down to certain characteristics within a certain race of a given suspect incase they have a reliable informa tion connecting to a certain crime which was committed somewhere rather than stopping and questioning every individual who passes through a police check (Korobkin 24).Advertising Looking for research paper on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A Legal Approach Would Entail On Making Policing a More Informative and Responsive Process Would Be My Approach towards Solving Racial Profiling Increasing the available information to the police can be a solution towards eliminating or reducing cases of racial profiling in the United States of America. With adequate information the police can be able to monitor and pin point the hot spots where much police presence and patrols are needed. Laws and legislations passed against racial profiling has been a major incentive to the adoption of technology by most law enforcers in order to change their approaches towards traffic stops. Once information is collected by the police for example about a crime committed somewhere and the details made public this creates a warning system to the people and incase the police may stop you according to the details already given in the public domain then no one will complain of discrimination or racial profiling. However, this data should always be aut henticated by the authorities to prevent chances of circulating the wrong information to the public thus making wrong traffic stops leading to increased racial profiling within the country. By the police making the information public, this would allow them to announce what their plans are and it can help in building trust between the public and the police. To end racial profiling, the police departments should be made to release all the relevant information that can be meaningful to communities and target groups. This information should be aggregated according to the interest groups addressing the systemic problems while much information should be released according to the individual characteristics. Engaging with the public is also another strategy through which the police can gather information from the public and this can help them in understanding how the community feels and what needs to be done to ensure cases of racial profiling are reduced. The rigid supervisory techniques u sed by the police should be dropped and a more respectful and participatory approach adopted by the police as they seek for information during traffic stops. How Would You Combat Those Arguments Supporting Racial Profiling? For those who supports racial profiling the following are the simple facts that they should note about racial profiling. Racial profiling can be used as a tool to distract law enforcers from gaining access information through better approaches, for example, the law enforcers should focus on the suspicious behaviors which should lead to arrests rather than basing their focus on race. Racial profiling also prevents the cops from serving the entire community due to the fact that it sends a message that a certain race can be trusted more than the other and other races are viewed more as criminals than normal citizens. This can lead to the less scrutinized race taking advantage of the situation and committing crime. Another weak factor about racial profiling is that i t leads to communities and law enforcers not cooperating in containing crime in an area since the communities are already aware that the police are biased against them (Hunter 16). More than often racial profiling is likely to lead to riots as reports of discrimination and torture of suspects goes round in the society the community is likely to riot against the practice. Finally, not only is racial profiling morally wrong but it is also against the supreme constitution of the United States of America, which under the 14th amendment states that people within the jurisdiction of the country should not be denied equal protection of the laws. Works Cited Glaser, Jack. â€Å"The Efficacy and Effect of Racial Profiling: A Mathematical Modeling Approach.† Goldman School of Public Policy University of California, Berkeley, 2003. Web. Hunter, David Jr. An Analysis of Racial Profiling and the Consequences of Profiling Based Upon Race. Michigan: University of Michigan-Flint Department o f Public Safety. 2003. Kops, Deborah. Racial Profiling, 21st Edition. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2006. Korobkin, Daniel. â€Å"Racial Profiling: A New Challenge in Public Policy.† Public Policy Concentration Thesis, 2002. Web. Laney, Garrine. â€Å"Racial Profiling: Issues and Federal Legislative Proposals and Options.† CRS Report for Congress, 2004. Web. MacDonald, Heather. â€Å"The Myth of Racial Profiling.† The Manhattan Institute, 2001. Web. Muffler, Stephen. Racial Profiling: Issues, Data and Analyses. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. 2006. Rezmovic L Evi Ekstrand E. Laurie. Racial Profiling: Limited Data On Available On Motorists Stop. New York: Diane Publishing, 2000. Sandborn, Tom; Parsons Olanyi; Bahdi Reem. â€Å"Racial Profiling Position Paper.† Civil Liberties Association, 2009. Web. This research paper on Racial Profiling was written and submitted by user Kenley Acevedo to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Learn About German Plural Nouns With -n and -en Endings

Learn About German Plural Nouns With -n and -en Endings Making a noun plural in English is pretty easy. You usually just pop an -s or -es at the end. The German language is still straightforward, but it does have some more rules to consider, due to the fact that German nouns have genders. This is a look at plural nouns that end with -n or -en.   The nouns in this group start out as mostly feminine and add either –n or –en at the end to form the plural. There are no neuter nouns in this group and neither are there any umlaut changes when forming the plural. For example: Die Frau (the woman, singular) becomes  die Frauen (plural). Die Frau geht spazieren. (The woman is taking a walk.) Die Frauen gehen spazieren. (The women are taking a walk.)Nouns in this group add -en when the noun in singular ends in a consonant. For example, der Schmerz (the pain) becomes  die Schmerzen (the pains). Exceptions to this rule are when the word ends in the consonants l or r. Then the noun will only add -n.For example:die Kartoffel (the potato): die Kartoffeln  (the potatoes) der Vetter (the cousin): die Vettern  (the cousins)  When nouns in this group end in a vowel, -n will be added. Exceptions to this rule are when the vowels are the diphthongs au or   ei.For example:die Pfau (the peacock):  die Pfauen die Bckerei (the bakery):   die BckereienAlso, nouns that end with in add -nen in the plural. Die Musikantin (the female musician) becomes  die Musikantinnen. See the chart below for more examples of this plural noun group. Nom. stands for nominative. Acc. stands for accusative. Dat. stands for dative. Gen. stands for genitive. Plural nouns with –n/en endings Case Singular Plural nom.acc.dat.gen. die Schwester (the sister)die Schwesterder Schwesterder Schwester die Schwesterndie Schwesternden Schwesternder Schwestern nom.acc.dat.gen. der Mensch (the human)den Menschendem Menschendes Menschen die Menschendie Menschenden Menschender Menschen

Global Warming Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global Warming - Speech or Presentation Example Our Earth is a finely balanced miracle of nature. Changes in one area create a ripple effect which touches each of us. Glacier thaws increase sea levels. Warming directly impacts weather patterns which affects every facet of nature: plant growth, species survival, and water resources to name a few. I would rather say there are many here who would still think global warming will not affect them much. Take a moment and consider what it would be like to walk outside and not hear a songbird singing or on a larger scale think about turning on your tap to get a drink of water and there is none or going to the grocery store only to find shortages of staples because of drought. Today I want to speak with you about Global Warming by first explaining briefly what it is, how it is measured and what affect it has upon our world. We'll briefly discuss how the earth's temperature and other weather conditions have been negatively impacted by the effects of global warming. And at last, I will explain simple steps we can all take to reduce the effects of Global Warming. In order to understand the magnitude of the problems associated with Global Warming, we first need to understand exactly what it is. According to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Global Warming is "an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth's surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to changes in global climate patterns" (EPA, 2007, 1). Warming of the earth occurs naturally through reflection back to earth from the sun's rays by natural greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Without these gases the surface of the earth would not be able to sustain life as we know it now. The most recognizable greenhouse gas is Carbon Dioxide (CO2) which often is associated merely with car emissions. This however is not entirely true. CO2 is a naturally occurring greenhouse gas. The problem lies when we introduce manmade greenhouse gases into the atmosphere disrupting the natural balance and quantity of these gases. I don't want this to become a science lecture so we will not go into further detail about the types of gases. Rather, we need to examine the causes and quantities of these increased levels and the impact they have on our planet. During the 20th century we have made remarkable technological advances which have improved our way of living. However, these advances have not come without a price. Since 1900 the surface temperature of Earth has risen by approximately 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, since we have been recording weather data it has been documented that the warmest global temperature averages are increasing. The hottest averages have occurred within the last 15 years. The highest temperatures averages recorded occurred in 1998 and 2005, respectively. Further, the United States while only accounting for five percent of the world population is responsible for production of 25% of the manmade greenhouse gas emissions (EPA, 2007, 1). The impact of global warming is already being felt worldwide. Glaciers melt, reduction of the permafrost in the artic and Antarctica regions have already been documented. This melt has resulted in rising sea levels. Additionally, because of these climatic changes brought on by global warming we are experiencing a redistribution of wildlife including plants and animals. As we all have noted there has been a

All Museums Should Be Free of Charge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

All Museums Should Be Free of Charge - Essay Example Free access to the museum is essential to provide us with the opportunity to learn about our heritage more closely. Museums have an important role in preserving and bringing a country’s historical inheritance to the view of the new generations. Museums are repositories of knowledge and through them; we discover and find out important aspects of our civilization. Free access to museums would help a greater number of people to learn and discover additional things about their country and the world as a whole. The history of the country helps to increase their knowledge about their country and a sense of pride among them. At the same time, it helps in promoting greater comprehension and acceptance of foreign cultures. Museums are like libraries and schools, which offer knowledge. Knowledge should be available to all irrespective of the economic conditions. Therefore, following the trend of education for all museums should be made free to the public. Many people do not have access to the museums because of the high charges. People should have free access to the knowledge of art and history. The Indianapolis Museum of Art has made its admission free of charge. The Museum boasts of a huge collection of art and making the entry free has attracted a large number of visitors to it. (The Indianapolis Museum of Art). Therefore, free access to the museum is essential to provide us with the opportunity to learn about our heritage more closely. Most of the museums use the city and the county tax collections for its maintenance. Therefore, making the entry fee nil will not be detrimental to their income. A number of museums in the United States have made an entry for the public free of charge.