Saladin, Hero of Islam Profile

Saladin, Hero of Islam Profile Saladin, the sultan of Egypt and Syria, watched as his men finally breached the walls of Jerusalem and poured into the city full of European Crusaders and their followers. Eighty-eight years earlier, when the Christians had taken the city, they massacred the Muslim and Jewish inhabitants. Raymond of Aguilers boasted, In the Temple and the porch of Solomon, men rode in blood up to their knees and bridle reins. Saladin, however, was both more merciful and more chivalrous that Europes knights; when he recaptured the city, he ordered his men to spare the Christian non-combatants of Jerusalem. At a time when the nobility of Europe believed that they held a monopoly on chivalry, and on Gods favor, the great Muslim ruler Saladin proved himself more compassionate and courtly than his Christian opponents. More than 800 years later, he is remembered with respect in the west, and revered in the Islamic world. Early Life: In 1138, a baby boy named Yusuf was born to a Kurdish family of Armenian descent living in Tikrit, Iraq. The babys father, Najm ad-Din Ayyub, served as the castellan of Tikrit under the Seljuk administrator Bihruz; there is no record of the boys mothers name or identity. The boy who would become Saladin seemed to have been born under a bad star. At the time of his birth, his hot-blooded uncle Shirkuh killed the commander of the castle guard over a woman, and Bihruz banished the entire family from the city in disgrace. The babys name comes from the Prophet Joseph, an unlucky figure, whose half-brothers sold him into slavery. After their expulsion from Tikrit, the family moved to the Silk Road trading city of Mosul. There, Najm ad-Din Ayyub and Shirkuh served Imad ad-Din Zengi, the famous anti-Crusader ruler and founder of the Zengid Dynasty. Later, Saladin would spend his adolescence in Damascus, Syria, one of the great cities of the Islamic world. The boy reportedly was physically slight, studious and quiet. Saladin Goes to War After attending a military training academy, the 26-year-old Saladin accompanied his uncle Shirkuh on an expedition to restore Fatimid power in Egypt in 1163. Shirkuh successfully reinstalled the Fatimid vizier, Shawar, who then demanded that Shirkuhs troops withdraw. Shirkuh refused; in the ensuing fight, Shawar allied himself with European Crusaders, but Shirkuh, ably assisted by Saladin, managed to defeat the Egyptian and European armies at Bilbays. Shirkuh then withdrew the main body of his army from Egypt, in accordance with a peace treaty. (Amalric and the Crusaders also withdrew, since the ruler of Syria had attacked the Crusader States in Palestine during their absence.) In 1167, Shirkuh and Saladin once again invaded, intent on deposing Shawar. Once again, Shawar called on Amalric for assistance. Shirkuh withdrew from his base in Alexander, leaving Saladin and a small force to defend the city. Besieged, Saladin managed to protect the city and provide for its citizens despite his uncles refusal to attack the surrounding Crusader/Egyptian army from behind. After paying restitution, Saladin left the city to the Crusaders. The following year, Amalric betrayed Shawar and attacked Egypt in his own name, slaughtering the people of Bilbays. He then marched on Cairo. Shirkuh jumped into the fray once again, recruiting the reluctant Saladin to come with him. The 1168 campaign proved decisive; Amalric withdrew from Egypt when he heard that Shirkuh was approaching, but Shirkuh entered Cairo and took control of the city early in 1169. Saladin arrested the vizier Shawar, and Shirkuh had him executed. Taking Egypt Nur al-Din appointed Shirkuh as the new vizier of Egypt. A short time later, however, Shirkuh died after a feast, and Saladin succeeded his uncle as vizier on March 26, 1169. Nur al-Din hoped that together, they could crush the Crusader States that lay between Egypt and Syria. Saladin spent the first two years of his rule consolidating control over Egypt. After uncovering an assassination plot against him among the black Fatimid troops, he disbanded the African units (50,000 troops) and relied instead upon Syrian soldiers. Saladin also brought members of his family into his government, including his father. Although Nur al-Din knew and trusted Saladins father, he viewed this ambitious young vizier with increasing distrust. Meanwhile, Saladin attacked the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, crushed the city of Gaza, and captured the Crusader castle at Eilat as well as the key town of Ayla in 1170. In 1171, he began to march on the famous castle-city of Karak, where he was supposed to join Nur al-Din in attacking the strategic Crusader fortress, but withdrew when his father passed away back in Cairo. Nur al-Din was furious, rightly suspecting that Saladins loyalty to him was in question. Saladin abolished the Fatimid caliphate, taking power over Egypt in his own name as the founder of the Ayubbid Dynasty in 1171, and reimposing Sunni religious worship instead of Fatimid-style Shiism. Capture of Syria In 1173-4, Saladin pushed his borders west into what is now Libya, and southeast as far as Yemen. He also cut back payments to Nur al-Din, his nominal ruler. Frustrated, Nur al-Din decided to invade Egypt and install a more loyal underling as vizier, but he suddenly died early in 1174. Saladin immediately capitalized on Nur al-Dins death by marching to Damascus and taking control of Syria. The Arab and Kurdish citizens of Syria reportedly welcomed him joyfully into their cities. However, the ruler of Aleppo held out and refused to acknowledge Saladin as his sultan. Instead, he appealed to Rashid ad-Din, head of the Assassins, to kill Saladin. Thirteen Assassins stole into Saladins camp, but they were detected and killed. Aleppo refused to accept Ayubbid rule until 1183, nonetheless. Fighting the Assassins In 1175, Saladin declared himself king (malik), and the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad confirmed him as sultan of Egypt and Syria. Saladin thwarted another Assassin attack, waking and catching the knife-mans hand as he stabbed down towards the half-asleep sultan. After this second, and much closer, threat to his life, Saladin became so wary of assassination that he had chalk powder spread around his tent during military campaigns so that any stray footprints would be visible. In August of 1176, Saladin decided to lay siege to the Assassins mountain strongholds. One night during this campaign, he awoke to find a poisoned dagger beside his bed. Stuck to the dagger was a note promising that he would be killed if he did not withdraw. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, Saladin not only lifted his siege, but also offered an alliance to the Assassins (in part, to prevent the Crusaders from making their own alliance with them). Attacking Palestine In 1177, the Crusaders broke their truce with Saladin, raiding toward Damascus. Saladin, who was in Cairo at the time, marched with an army of 26,000 into Palestine, taking the city of Ascalon and getting as far as the gates of Jerusalem in November. On November 25, the Crusaders under King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (son of Amalric) surprised Saladin and some of his officers while the vast bulk of their troops were out raiding, however. The European force of just 375 was able to route Saladins men; the sultan narrowly escaped, riding a camel all the way back to Egypt. Undaunted by his embarrassing retreat, Saladin attacked the Crusader city of Homs in the spring of 1178. His army also captured the city of Hama; a frustrated Saladin ordered the beheading of the European knights captured there. The following spring King Baldwin launched what he thought was a surprise retaliatory attack on Syria. Saladin knew he was coming, though, and the Crusaders were soundly thrashed by Ayubbid forces in April of 1179. A few months later, Saladin took the Knights Templar fortress of Chastellet, capturing many famous knights. By the spring of 1180, he was in position to launch a serious attack on the Kingdom of Jerusalem, so King Baldwin sued for peace. Conquest of Iraq In May of 1182, Saladin took half of the Egyptian army and left that part of his kingdom for the last time. His truce with the Zengid dynasty that ruled Mesopotamia expired in September, and Saladin resolved to seize that region. The emir of the Jazira region in northern Mesopotamia invited Saladin to take suzerainty over that area, making his task easier. One by one, other major cities fell: Edessa, Saruj, ar-Raqqah, Karkesiya, and Nusaybin. Saladin repealed taxes in the newly-conquered areas, making him very popular with the local residents. He then moved toward his former hometown of Mosul. However, Saladin was distracted by a chance to finally capture Aleppo, the key to northern Syria. He made a deal with the emir, allowing him to take everything he could carry as he left the city, and paying the emir for what was left behind. With Aleppo finally in his pocket, Saladin once more turned to Mosul. He laid siege to it on November 10, 1182, but was unable to capture the city. Finally, in March of 1186, he made peace with the citys defense forces. March toward Jerusalem Saladin decided that the time was ripe to take on the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In September of 1182, he marched into Christian-held lands across the River Jordan, picking off small numbers of knights along the Nablus road. The Crusaders mustered their largest army ever, but it was still smaller than Saladins, so they merely harassed the Muslim army as it moved toward Ayn Jalut. Finally, Raynald of Chatillon sparked open fighting when he threatened to attack the holy cities of Medina and Mecca. Saladin responded by besieging Raynalds castle, Karak, in 1183 and 1184. Raynald retaliated by attacking pilgrims making the hajj, murdering them and stealing their goods in 1185. Saladin countered by building a navy that attacked Beirut. Despite all of these distractions, Saladin was making gains on his ultimate goal, which was the capture of Jerusalem. By July of 1187, most of the territory was under his control. The Crusader kings decided to mount a last, desperate attack to try and drive Saladin from the kingdom. Battle of Hattin On July 4, 1187, the army of Saladin clashed with the combined army of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, under Guy of Lusignan, and the Kingdom of Tripoli, under King Raymond III. It was a smashing victory for Saladin and the Ayubbid army, which nearly wiped out the European knights and captured Raynald of Chatillon and Guy of Lusignan. Saladin personally beheaded Raynald, who had tortured and murdered Muslim pilgrims, and also had cursed the Prophet Muhammad. Guy of Lusignan believed that he would be killed next, but Saladin reassured him by saying, It is not the wont of kings to kill kings, but that man transgressed all bounds, and therefore did I treat his thus. Saladins merciful treatment of the King Consort of Jerusalem helped cement his reputation in the west as a chivalrous warrior. On October 2, 1187, the city of Jerusalem surrendered to Saladins army after a siege. As noted above, Saladin protected the Christian civilians of the city. Although he demanded a low ransom for each Christian, those who could not afford to pay were also allowed to leave the city rather than being enslaved. Low-ranking Christian knights and foot-soldiers were sold into slavery, however. Saladin invited Jewish people to return to Jerusalem once more. They had been murdered or driven out by the Christians eighty years before, but the people of Ashkelon responded, sending a contingent to resettle in the holy city. The Third Crusade Christian Europe was horrified by the news that Jerusalem had fallen back under Muslim control. Europe soon launched the Third Crusade, led by Richard I of England (better known as Richard the Lionheart). In 1189, Richards forces attacked Acre, in what is now northern Israel, and massacred 3,000 Muslim men, women, and children who had been taken prisoner. In retaliation, Saladin executed every Christian soldier his troops encountered for the next two weeks. Richards army defeated Saladins at Arsuf on September 7, 1191. Richard then moved toward Ascalon, but Saladin ordered the city emptied and destroyed. As the dismayed Richard directed his army to march away, Saladins force fell upon them, killing or capturing most of them. Richard would continue to try to retake Jerusalem, but he had only 50 knights and 2,000 foot-soldiers remaining, so he would never succeed. Saladin and Richard the Lionheart grew to respect one another as worthy adversaries. Famously, when Richards horse was killed at Arsuf, Saladin sent him a replacement mount. In 1192, the two agreed to the Treaty of Ramla, which provided that the Muslims would retain control of Jerusalem, but Christian pilgrims would have access to the city. The Crusader Kingdoms were also reduced to a thin sliver of land along the Mediterranean coast. Saladin had prevailed over the Third Crusade. Death of Saladin Richard the Lionheart left the Holy Land early in 1193. A short time later, on March 4, 1193, Saladin died of an unknown fever in his capital at Damascus. Knowing that his time was short, Saladin had donated all of his wealth to the poor  and had no money left even for a funeral. He was buried in a simple mausoleum outside of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. Sources Lyons, Malcolm Cameron and D.E.P. Jackson. Saladin: The Politics of the Holy War, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984.Nicolle, David and Peter Dennis. Saladin: The Background, Strategies, Tactics and Battlefield Experiences of the Greatest Commanders of History, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2011.Reston, James Jr. Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade, New York: Random House, 2002.

How Can You Build the Most Versatile College Application

How Can You Build the Most Versatile College Application SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking at college admissions websites and requirements can be overwhelming. Many colleges have slightly different standardized test and letter of recommendation requirements. Furthermore, some colleges require just one personal statement, while others require multiple essays and short answer responses. It can be a lot to keep track of! So how do you go about preparing your college applications, when colleges seem like they all want slightly different application materials? And how do you make sure you are competitive everywhere you apply? We will explain how to make the most versatile college application. By versatile we mean an application that will allow you to apply competitively to the broadest range of colleges. This guide is suitable for students aiming for the most competitive colleges, but you can also tailor it to your needs if you're applying to local state schools. Maximize Your ACT/SAT Score, But Just Focus on One Test The most efficient way, hour-for-hour, to improve your college admissions chances is to study for the ACT or SAT and get the highest score you can. Your SAT/ACT score is a very important factor in admissions. Having a score above a school's average range greatly improves your odds of admission, but if you are below their admitted student range, your odds go down. So it's important to get the highest possible SAT/ACT score for you, as it will give you flexibility in terms of where you can apply. As an example, here are the middle 50% SAT and ACT ranges for four popular colleges in the Boston area. Middle 50% means these are the ranges of scores in the middle of their accepted applicant pool. This means a score above the middle 50% range puts you in line with the top 25% of their applicants, and a score below it puts you in the bottom 25% and makes you a less likely admit. Harvard SAT Math 740-800 SAT Evidence-Based Reading Writing 720-780 ACT Composite 33-35 ACT English 34-36 ACT Math 31-35 Via Harvard's 2018-2019 Common Data Set Harvard is one of the most competitive colleges in the country. As such, their SAT and ACT ranges can be intimidating. Notice that their middle 50% ranges for the SAT end at 780 or 800, meaning that the top 25% of admits have perfect scores on those sections. To be competitive at Harvard, you need SAT section scores at least in the 700s, but the closer to 800 you are, the better chances you have. Boston College SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 650-720 SAT Math 670-770 ACT Composite 31-34 Via Boston College Factbook, 2018-19. Boston College is also a competitive college in the Boston area. While BC isn't quite as competitive as Harvard, you need SAT section scores in the low to mid 700s to be a competitive applicant, while any scores 650 or lower would make your admission less likely. Boston University SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 640-720 SAT Math 660-760 ACT Composite 29-32 ACT English 28-34 ACT Math 27-32 Via Boston University's Common Data Set, 2018-2019. Boston University is a large, top-50 university. Like with BC, SAT section scores in the 600s would put you in line with their middle 50% of admits, while anything lower than 600 would make you less competitive, and anything higher than 760 would make you quite competitive. The main difference in the score profiles between BU and BC is that BU's ACT score range is a bit lower. University of Massachusetts Boston SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 500-610 SAT Math 520-610 ACT Composite 21-27 ACT English 20-30 ACT Math 20-26 Via University of Massachusetts Boston's Common Data Set, 2018-2019. The University of Massachusetts Boston is a public research university. Section scores in the 600s or higher would make you quite competitive, while anything lower than a 500 would put you towards the bottom half of their admitted students. As you can see, the higher your SAT or ACT score is, the more colleges you can apply to competitively. For example, if you had a 1400 on the current SAT, with 700 on each section, Harvard would be a reach, but you would be in line with the admitted students at Boston College and Boston University and competitive at U Mass Boston. But if you had a 1000/1600, with about 500 on each section, you would be in line with admits at U Mass Boston, but the other schools would all be reaches. In short, it's smart to maximize your ACT or SAT score to give yourself the most options when applying to college. But just focus on studying for one test! The vast majority of colleges accept both tests equally, and they don't favor students who have taken both. In fact, if you do worse on one test, that could hurt your chances. Just pick one! It's also much more efficient to focus your time on studying for one test. If you split your time between the two, you'll likely end up doing worse on both than you could have if you had just focused on one. (Wondering which one you should take? Read a detailed comparison of the ACT and SAT, and figure out which test you will do the best on.) As a final note, make sure to take the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT with Essay if you want the most versatile application. Not all colleges require the writing sections of the ACT and SAT, but if you want to have the most versatile college application, having the writing version under your belt is important, since some colleges only accept the SAT or the ACT with the optional writing section. Take Two SAT Subject Tests In addition to taking either the SAT or ACT, you can help put together a flexible college application by taking two SAT subject tests. Why? Some colleges (especially selective ones) require or recommend SAT Subject Tests as part of applications. For example, Princeton recommends two SAT Subject Tests. Harvard does not require them, but highly recommends them unless you have extenuating circumstances: "While we recommend that you submit two SAT Subject Tests, you may apply without them if the cost of the tests represents a financial hardship or if you prefer to have your application considered without them." Some colleges don't require SAT Subject Tests, but say they will still consider them as part of applications, like the University of Michigan. And even colleges that don't use SAT Subject Tests for admissions often use SAT Subject scores to place students in first-year classes, especially in language, math, and science. In short, taking two SAT Subject Tests will allow you to apply to schools that require them, but also give you an additional credential anywhere you apply. It will give you more flexibility and the chance to start in more advanced classes your freshman year. Also, make sure you take the two SAT Subject Tests in different subjects. For example, don't take Math I and Math II. If you're interested in engineering programs, try to take one Subject Test in math and one in science. For any other programs, take the two you can do best on. For more on SAT subject tests and which ones to take, read this guide. Extracurricular Activities There is no magic set of extracurricular activities or sports that will make your college application the most impressive. But keep the following rule in mind as you pursue extracurricular activities and put together your college applications: depth over breadth. It's more impressive to be deeply involved with two activities and have leadership roles in both than to be in eight clubs or sports but just participate without getting too involved. You should add to the trophy case, not just the club roster. So if you're reading this as a junior or younger, try to get involved in a few clubs, sports, and extracurricular activities you're passionate about, and go for leadership positions. Also aim to get recognition or awards at the highest level you can- whether that's regional, state, or national. Don't join anything and everything just to be able to say you were in 10 clubs. Focus on a few activities you are passionate about and can make a difference doing. If you're a senior putting together your college applications, list everything you've been involved in, starting with the most important and working your way down. Make sure to highlight any leadership positions, awards, or other accomplishments. And again, emphasize depth over breadth. Don't feel pressured to fill out every available "activities" space. Again, depth matters more than breadth. Make sure for every activity you add, you have something valuable to say about it- an award you won, a leadership position you held, or the effect it had on your academic or personal development. Letters of Recommendation Some colleges don't have very specific guidelines for letters of recommendation (sometimes called teacher evaluations), and some don't require them at all. As an example, the University of Washington really doesn't want any letters. However, it's pretty typical for colleges to require two letters of recommendation. This is especially true at selective colleges. For example, Stanford requires two teacher evaluations. Some colleges have stricter guidelines, and say they want the letters to come from teachers who teach different subjects. MIT says the letters have to come from one math/science teacher and one humanities teacher. So to maximize your application reach, get two letters from teachers in different subjects- a math teacher and an English teacher, for example. Obviously don't send the letters to colleges that don't want them, but if you have those letters ready to go, it will allow you to apply to nearly any college. Also, to make your application most competitive, remember to follow basic letter of recommendation guidelines: choose teachers who taught you recently, ideally junior year, and can speak specifically to your academic strengths. Don't choose a teacher who won't have specific, positive things to say about you. "Halle was a good student and always did her homework" won't cut it. Find a teacher who can say something closer to "Halle's essays were consistently insightful. Her work was of a higher quality than not just this year's students, but of many students I have taught over my career." Should You Get A Third Letter? It's rare for a college to require more than two teacher recommendations. However, some allow for a third letter, which can come from a person who knows you well, like a coach, boss, youth group leader, or instructor from a summer course. For example, the University of Chicago and Brown both accept additional letters if they add extra detail to your application. Don't add a letter just to stuff your admissions file. If you have someone like this in your life who you know will have very good things to say to you and will provide information that your teachers cannot, ask them to write you a third letter. For example, if you took a summer college course and the professor can speak to how well you handled the material, they could write a great recommendation. Or if you have a boss who can talk about your busy schedule and work ethic the way a teacher can't, that provides important extra information to your application. Don't get an extra letter just to have one. Make sure the extra letter is adding additional material to your application. For colleges that allow a third letter of recommendation, getting one can help your chances by giving colleges another chance to get to know you. Don't Blow Off Senior Year A common theme on college admissions websites is that colleges want students who have challenged themselves in high school with rigorous schedules. This is especially true if you are going for top-tier schools. And senior year is no exception! For example, Yale says "senior year is not the time to take a light course load." By the time you reach senior year, you can't go back in time and change your first three years of high school. However, you can make sure your senior year schedule is challenging. Colleges will be looking at your senior year schedule, and it won't look good if you're slacking off. For example, if you take a full schedule with three AP classes junior year, and then have a senior schedule with free periods and no AP classes, that might raise questions, especially at selective colleges you might be applying to. Of course, don't do the opposite and overload yourself- especially since you need time senior year for college apps!- but make sure your senior year schedule doesn't raise any red flags. And if you're reading this as a younger high school student, make sure to take the most challenging schedule available to you at your high school. Challenge yourself with AP or IB classes if they are available. (Read more here about choosing between AP and IB and how many AP classes you should take.) Choose Your Essay Topic Carefully One thing you'll notice as you begin looking at different colleges' applications is that many have extra questions or Common Application supplements that give you the chance to share lots of info about yourself- what you want to study, why you want to go to that particular college, or even things like your favorite movies and books. For example, the University of Chicago is famous for having unique, quirky additional essay questions, like "What's so odd about odd numbers?" or "Were pH an expression of personality, what would your pH be and why?" Columbia University asks you to share your favorite required reading and books you read for pleasure in the past year, as well as publications you read and entertainment (like movies, concerts, exhibits) that you enjoyed the most in the past year. To read any college's supplement, you can search for "[Name of College/University] Supplement" or "[Name of College/University] Essay Questions." If you're using the Common Application or Universal College Application, you can look up colleges you're interested in to see their supplements. However, sometimes colleges don't have a supplement or additional questions, meaning the one part of your application you can let them get to know you is with your personal statement. In other words, your main essay is very important, since in some cases it will be your only chance to show your personality. If there is something you want every college to know about- from an important personal experience to an intellectual passion of yours- that experience should be in your main essay. Even if your main topic perfectly fits a prompt for one college's supplement, you should use it for your main essay instead. This way, even if a college doesn't have a supplement, you will get to present the information most important to you. If colleges do have supplemental questions, you can use them to dive deeper into your essay topic or, even better, share other experiences or passions. What's a Good Essay Topic? There are as many potential personal essay topics as there are students applying. Every student has different experiences and passions that could make a great essay. The key is to write about something that is meaningful and specific to you. Remember that a complete stranger will be reading your application. You want them to come away from your essay feeling like they know you, and what you can bring to their college. For example, if you went through an incredibly challenging personal experience- a family member's illness, an instance of discrimination, an unexpected setback- that could be great material for you essay, especially if it has affected your future goals and interests. Or if you are passionate about a certain topic or subject- from 18th century French history to making your own mobile phone apps- that could also be a great essay topic, as it will show your intellectual depth and give colleges an idea of what you might contribute to them. The key is to write about something that will help tell your story, and help show what you will be pursue in college. Don't choose a topic just because you think it's something colleges will like. For example, if you went on a service trip your junior year but it didn't resonate with you or affect your future goals, don't try and make up a story about how meaningful the trip was to you. It will be more effective to write about something you are actually passionate about. Once you've chosen a topic, ask yourself the following questions to make sure it's a strong choice: Will any other student applying to college this year have an essay like mine? (If you can see several students writing a very similar essay, you should choose a topic more specific to you) If I gave this essay to a complete stranger, would they get a clear sense of my personality just by reading it? Am I writing about something I care about, or did I choose this topic becuase I thought it would look good? If your essay is specific to you, reveals your personality, and allows you to write about something you actually care about, chances are, it's going to be a great essay. Bottom Line: How to Put Together a Winning College App There is a lot that goes into a successful college application, and your chances of admission will vary by the schools you apply to and your set of strengths and weaknesses. But chances of admission aside, these are the steps you can take to put together a college application that will allow you to apply to the broadest range of colleges, from the most selective to your local state schools. #1: Take either the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT, and do as well as you can. #2: Take two SAT Subject Tests. #3: Go for depth over breadth with your extracurriculars. #4: Get two letters of recommendation from teachers in different subjects. Consider getting a third letter if it will add more information to your application. #5: Take a challenging senior year schedule. #6: Choose a personal essay topic that is specific and meaningful to you. What's Next? Speaking of maximizing your ACT and SAT score, get tips from our full-scorer on getting a perfect score on the SAT or on the ACT. Even if you're not aiming for perfect, these principles can help you raise your score to whatever your target is. Also consider our PrepScholar program to get prepared for the SAT or the ACT. Get specific advice on acing the ACT and SAT essays. Learn to raise a low SAT/ACT math score with these tips. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Business Report on Dew-fresh Flower delivery Term Paper

Business Report on Dew-fresh Flower delivery - Term Paper Example Variable Costs -These vary with the daily operations of the business. Ending Cash Balance -This is inclusive of the final sums, the cash balance, less all the costs of the business. A BUSINESS PLAN Introduction Jane and Mike have prepared a business plan which is a statement of their business’s goals, the process they intended to use in order to ensure that the business would be successful. The main concerns surrounding a startup business is the issue of viability and whether the business will be sustainable and profitable over time. Jane and Mike to write up a business plan so as to express themselves better to the bank and also to illustrate and introduce their business to the bank’s Business Loans Management.The following is an illustration of their business plan.In the business planJane and Mike included a mission statement,keys to the business,the market analysis of the target area and a breakeven analysis of the business after it’s launched. Mission Stateme nt Dewfresh Flower Delivery is a startup business which will provide a door to door flower delivery service to the affluent neighborhood of Weybridge and Asher. Keys to Success The key to our business success is determination, preparation, professionalism, confidence and vision. We are determined to do all it takes for the success of our business. Even when things may seem to be a little bit bleak, we will always push ourselves to overcome the situation facing us. We are also fully prepared to undertake our business though we are also balancing preparations and action. We are truly confident about our business, ourselves and the abilities that we possess in order to make it successful. We are fully committed to ensuring that our business is successful and it will become the household name when it comes to service delivery in Esher and Weybridge.For one to have the determination and confidence in a business, you should have a vision for your business. We do have the vision of how our business should be and also where it’s headed. We are also very professional and intend to carry out our business with professionalism, to our customers and also other stakeholders in the business environment. Market Analysis We have done a market analysis and have determined that the business is attractive and viable. We have researched on the existing opportunities within the business environment and also the possible threats to our business. We have researched on the market size, itstrends, and marketgrowths among other factors influencing a business venture in the market. Breakeven Analysis The following is the breakeven analysis table which illustrates the business monthly breakeven units and sales. A break even analysis is important in establishing the sales volume a business needs in order to start getting profits. ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Promotions and advertising In today’s business world, the internet has become an easy and effective way of promoti ng one’s business and reaching a wide range of people. For our business we have already in the process of setting up a website so that people can reach us easily and order online for the package that he or she wants. At the comfort of one’s home or office we will be able to deliver flowers either at home or the customer’

New and Emerging Energy Supply Technologies Essay

New and Emerging Energy Supply Technologies - Essay Example According to Michael Pollan, we have to act now to arrest the present rate of our carbon emission before we face another kind of planet . The documentary of Nick Miller entitled â€Å"An Inconvenient Truth† articulated that global warming precipitated the climate change that have disastrous consequences have been proven to be right with series of climate disturbances that flooded cities and region beyond regions which never happened before . The growing need of energy also compels us to develop new supply energies that would lessen, if not totally depart our dependency towards fossil fuels whose stability of supply and price is subjected to a myriad of factors that ranges from the political factors to deliberate contraction of supply by the OPEC . These factors that caused disturbance in terms of supply and price are often beyond the control of dependent economies to fossil fuels yet they are affected by it due to the heavy dependency of its economy to oil. Exporting countries of oil may have nothing to do with the conflict in the Middle East yet they are still severely affected when the political instability in the region contracts the supply that would precipitate the spike on the price of oil that fuels our energy source. The spike in price of oil in turn reflects in every goods and services that we purchase due to our dependency to energy that make such goods and services to become available. Such, the development and creation of new energy supply source is not just a matter of technological musing but an imperative of conserving our already degraded environment and to ensure that there is a stable and sufficient supply of energy that is clean, cheap that could meet our energy demands. There are emerging technologies which are directed at producing energy source that intends to make energy supply cleaner and hopefully, cheaper with the ultimate objective of weaning away from the dependency to carbon based energy sources that cause excessive CO2 emiss ion. These emerging technologies ranges from making the existing energy source more efficient that would significantly reduce its CO2 emission to the point that it is already negligible such as carbon capturing sequestering4 to technologies that virtually emits no CO2 such as hydrogen fuel whose byproduct is only a vapor. The harnessing of nature to produce electricity such as the usage of Dinorwig's reversible pump/turbines also proves to a reliable source of energy5. The obstacles in making these emerging energy technologies viable on a mass scale will also be tackled including the ones that are already in used right now either as a pilot study or in experimental phase. One of the most popular emerging technology in supplying energy is the use of hydrogen fuels because of its clean emission. The technology is made possible by combining hydrogen and oxygen to form water where the chemical reaction during the process creates electrical energy. The technology that controls the combin ation of these two gases to produce the electrical energy are the fuel cells. This is envisioned to be used in fuel cell powered vehicles that will be virtually CO2 emission free because the only byproduct of the technology is water vapor6. While this technology can virtually wean our dependence on oil, the cost of the technology is just too prohibitive (its very expensive) and unreliable to make it available on a mass scale. Storing and transporting hydrogen can also be a challenge because it needs to be compressed to thousands of pounds per square inch (psi). At present, automative producers are using storages in

A Comparison of Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee and The Raven Essay

A Comparison of Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee and The Raven With insistent meter and captivating rhyme schemes, Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"Annabel Lee† and â€Å"The Raven† are both very similar. However, in their views of love, namely the loss and mourning of beautiful women, they differ greatly. Through analysis of the two poems, the reader observes that whom Poe had chosen for a speaker, the tone and the sound effects are all factors in both poems that make two poems with a similar theme contrast. Both poems mean the same thing and follow the same theme or â€Å"melancholy topic† as Poe called it in his essay. They both depict a speaker who is severely depressed over the death of a beautiful woman. Poe gave a sense of madness in their character, though, which made them obsess and think constantly... A Comparison of Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee and The Raven Essay A Comparison of Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee and The Raven With insistent meter and captivating rhyme schemes, Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"Annabel Lee† and â€Å"The Raven† are both very similar. However, in their views of love, namely the loss and mourning of beautiful women, they differ greatly. Through analysis of the two poems, the reader observes that whom Poe had chosen for a speaker, the tone and the sound effects are all factors in both poems that make two poems with a similar theme contrast. Both poems mean the same thing and follow the same theme or â€Å"melancholy topic† as Poe called it in his essay. They both depict a speaker who is severely depressed over the death of a beautiful woman. Poe gave a sense of madness in their character, though, which made them obsess and think constantly...

Crash Human Nature Essay

Human nature is The general psychological characteristics, feelings, and behavioural traits of humankind, regarded as shared by all humans. * Crash directed by Paul Haggis presents to us an intertwining story set within the streets of LA, confirming and challenging racial stereotypes and at the same time reflecting the ever existing good and dark side of human nature. Human nature drives us all to view â€Å"the other† as bad, evil and untrustworthy, it is complex and every man, despite differences holds the underlying values buried deep into our subconsciousness * In the film crash, Haggis has successfully portrayed the truth about human nature through the conventions of dialogue, camera shot and symbolism, confusing us as viewers, but also giving us an intruging insight into the reality of each and every one of us despite differences in race and background. * Haggis has successfully evoked feelings of uneasiness, confusion, anger and empathy at through the making of the film crash Human nature drives us to fear the unknown, the â€Å"other† in our eyes is seen as evil and that we should steer away from any communication. It may be in relation to race, ethnicity, age, gender or beliefs but in reality each one of us does not have the ability to fight this automatic discrimination against those who are different. * Haggis has successfully reflected this dark aspect of human nature through the convention of dialogue. * In one scene a Persian man is attempting to purchase a gun from a white American. The salesman calls the man â€Å"osama† and then continues to talk about 9/11, he then is aggressively told to leave the shop. * The white American man displays his fear of â€Å"the other† by racially discriminating him through his dialogue, he has his own racist, stereotypical image of this man in his mind automatically relating him to 9/11 and due to his human nature sees him as â€Å"the other† and as untrustworthy to be in his shop telling him he â€Å"has no right to buy a gun here† * In another scene a Hispanic locksmith is changing a white American couples locks on their door after their car had been hijacked. The American woman makes assumptions that this locksmith is going to sell their key to his â€Å"homies† purely because of the way he looks and his race and demands to get her locks changed again in the morning. * The American woman views the locksmith as â€Å"the other† and due to her human nature she fears him, and does not trust him to be in her house. Her judgement is not on personality or individual traits it is based upon the automatic assumptions she makes about him due to his tattoos, dress sense and skin colour. Little does she know that the Hispanic locksmith was in many eyes the only character in crash seen as completely innocent, but due to her ignorance she believed the opposite. * Through dialogue Haggis has successfully positioned the viewer to feel anger at both of these scenarios and causes us to question our own human nature and our own classification of â€Å"the other†. We are positioned to feel guilt as we feel partly responsible for these racial stereotypes as we too, through our human nature, instinctively stick to our own. Human nature is complex, values at polar opposites could exsist in the same man, particular beliefs could be compromised and in reality no one can ever truly understand the extent of complexities embedded within each person. * Racsim and nobility can exsist in the same man. Haggis has successfully portrayed this idea of human nature through the narrative conventions of camera shot and dialogue. * In one scene a cop pulls over a black couple, he abuses his power and shows extreme racism seen through the convention of low camera angle while he molests her. In another scene the same cop shows nobility while is seen rescuing the same black woman he molested, he ironically says things to her such as â€Å"im not going to hurt you† * The camera angle in the first scene is a panning low angle displaying the police officers hand stroking up the womans leg, emphasizing his sickening racist actions. In the second scene the camera angle is a close camera angle focusing on his remorseful worrying facial expression. The shot of the hand in the first scene could represent â€Å"a mans hand† where the shot of his face in the second scene presents him, and therefore suggests that although his racism and dark side of his human nature exsists the good side of his human nature is a representation of his true identity and we begin to question the reasons behind his actions. * These two scenes In the movie crash display to us that humans are extremely complex. A man can live a life full of sin but then commit a noble act just as a man can be a criminal but then save a life. * The concept of human complexities is hard to grasp, an individuals identity can determine why they act a certain way or do certain things. The cop in the film displayed racism due to the fact that a black woman would not help his sick father, but does this excuse particular values and behaviours? * Through the convention of camera angle Haggis has effectively positioned the viewer to feel both disgust and awe at the same man. We begin to question what drives humans to be so complex and we wonder whether it is ever possible for a man to be seen as completely innocent. * Instinctively human natures drives us to protect and stick to our own, just as we repel those who are seen as different. * This universal value embedded inside each and every human is represented by Paul Haggis in the film crash through utlising the narrative convention of symbolism. * Crash follows the story of a Hispanic locksmith and unconditional love of his

ICT and the Law - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1804 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Type Analytical essay Level High school Did you like this example? ICT and the Law 1.Cybercrime in the UK: Cybercrime, is a growing problem for law enforcement agencies worldwide; what actions can be taken against such criminal activity in the UK and are there any implications regarding an individualà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s rights? Cybercrime, or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"computer misuseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, is defined by the Computer Misuse Act 1990 as recently amended by the Police and Justice Act 2006 as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"unauthorised access to computer materialà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. A person is deemed to be guilty of this crime if they have carried out activities to gain access to data without permission and they have done this with full knowledge and intent. Due to recent technological advancements that have enabled the world to become a more efficient and dynamic place, there has simultaneously been a rise in reported cyber crime in the UK and across the globe (Prasad, 2004). In addition, it has been said that there has been a shift from fin ancial hacking to the access of sensitive business and government data with the view to blackmail and extort (BBC News, 2015). This essay is going to discuss what can be done to fight against the growing issue of cyber crime as well as assess the dangers it poses to individuals and their rights. As previously stated, cyber crime is anything that involves a computer and a network. It can range from financial scams, pornography or spreading a virus in a chain of emails (BBC News, 2015). Initially, financial gain appeared to be the motivating factor, however, more and more examples of stalking, extremist sites and politically centered attacks are being detected (Wold and Shrivers, 1990). Once more, in 2010 it was found that cyber crime targeting mobile phone devices had increased by nearly 50% (FT.com, 2011). It would seem that criminals have spotted the growth in mobile gaming, communication and applications in order to integrate and mask their scams and ultimately gain access to i ndividualsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ private information. In 2014, several celebrities had their social media sites such as Instagram and Twitter hacked alongside their iCloud accounts through the form of phishing. These areas held personal information about and images of themselves (BBC, 2014). Many were threatened and blackmailed by the perpetrators to ultimately have the images leaked anyway. This is a prime example of the breach of an individualsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ right to private life as detailed in the European Convention on Human Rights Article 8. Once more, it also demonstrates its ability to cause reputational damage to an individual or an organisation; often a key motivator for these types of attacks (McQuade, Colt and Meyer, 2009). One of the main strategies that can be adopted to avoid the aforementioned scenario is to always check that the email is correctly addressed to the recipient. In addition, checking the senderà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s email address carefully for authentici ty could also reduce the propensity for responding to a falsified message. Finally, Apple, PayPal and many other Internet e-commerce sites will not ask you to verify or change any details regarding your passwords or financial information via email (Norton.com, 2015). If this advice is followed, it could significantly reduce the likelihood of damage and save the government millions in the form of compensation. In 2008 the Police Central E-Crime unit was established in an effort to counteract the rise in cyber crime in the UK. Over  £600 million pounds has been invested in developing systems to prevent and detect cyber crime alongside collaboration with other countries. A very serious culture has been generated; dealing with instances of cybercrime as a tier 1 threat that can be deemed to be terrorism or classified as a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"major incidentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ (BBC, 2010). However, it has been said that many systems in place are no longer advanced enough and are subse quently incapable of being effective. The police and the law often à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"lag behindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ not necessarily being proactive but reactive in nature. It would seem that there is a real need for the arms of state to be strategically thinking of ways to counteract cybercrime. The judiciary, legislature and executive need to more effectively develop the sharing of information so as to reduce the propensity for cybercrime escalating. Another issue that perpetuates cyber crime is the difficulty in identifying where the original crime took place (KPMG International, 2011). This is further aggravated by the shortage of skilled à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"cyber crime fightersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ to detect and catch criminals at work (Parker, 1998). A possible solution to this could be for the government to channel some of their investment into training more individuals in this area (Dot-ie, 2010). However, it has to be said that the issue of cyber crime could arguably be a wider more e conomically driven problem. Due to levels of unemployment rising in many areas of the world, there has been a movement of talented individuals who have turned to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"underground cyber crimeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ where financial information is sold over an untraceable site (Cabinet Office and Detica, 2011). Therefore, it would seem that governments need to address basic economical issues if they are to eradicate cyber crime. Heating up the economy through investment in the public sector as well as in private businesses could arguably result in more jobs and incentives being offered to those à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"talented individualsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ as opposed to them turning to illegal means of making a living. It is the age-old issue due to lack of adequate pay in public sector jobs many feel it is not lucrative enough for them to join the career. If the demand for highly skilled employees is evident this should be reflected in the remuneration. Perhaps this is where the dispar ity is arising. Furthermore, it would seem that more could be done in educating people about the dangers of purchasing inauthentic products off the Internet. Downloading a pirated version as opposed to purchasing the real thing is another way cyber crime is growing. These types of programs do not contain adequate security systems but several viruses embedded within them. This makes individuals vulnerable to hacking as well as viruses damaging their systems. In 2009, the UK government introduced the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Cyber Security Strategyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ in an effort to help fight against the effects of cyber crime and to work in conjunction with other units to prevent the misuse of computers and the Internet. Once more, the Digital Britain Report highlighted the UK governmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s interest in making the Internet a safer place to trade. In 2008,  £48 billion pounds was made through online retail (House of Commons, 2013). Therefore, it is of vital importance t hat the UK government think of effective ways of reducing cyber crime during retail transactions. The issue of identity theft is also prevalent in relation to cyber crime. This is where criminals obtain sensitive information usually to gain access to financial data. As stated by the Home Office within the first à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"6 months of 2009 there was 43% more victims of impersonators; a 74% increaseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ from the year before (Home Office, 2010, pg. 13). This is another example of where individuals and their rights to private life are affected, causing them to be victims of fraud. This in turn lowers consumer confidence in e-commerce; a potentially dangerous and damaging occurrence that could affect the health of the UK economy. Having a strong response to these crimes, collaborating with international partners and working with businesses in terms of making their sites and products more resilient to cyber crime is another strategy that can be adopted by government ( Home Office, 2010). Moreover, the increase in child abuse often in the form of grooming or pornography over the Internet is another issue reported on as well as defamation and racial hatred sites. The Home Office pledge to counteract the upsurge in this type of crime by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"creating a hostile environmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ whereby specialist units and the incorporation of legislation such as the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act (2008), Sexual Offences Act (2003), Terrorism Act (2006), Race Relations Act (2000) and The Protection From Harassment Act (1997) serve as a safeguard and enables a quick response in detecting and destroying situations where these offences can arise. Overall, it is apparent that many things could be done to try and reduce the risk of cyber crime in the UK and internationally. Although technological advancement is pivotal to our progression and survival it would seem it comes at a real cost if it gets into the wrong hands. Ensuring that peo ple are educated and warned against the dangers of responding to emails from unknown senders, more high quality training and incentives are provided to counteract the current uprising wave in cyber crime and finally, legislation is proactive and forward thinking so as to create a blanket of safeguards is vital if the UK are to fight against cyber crime and its devastating effects. In 2015, the government passed the Bill for the Serious Crimes Act 2015 which further amends and strengthens The Computer Misuse Act 1990. It is now an offence to perform unauthorized acts that cause serious damage. Hopefully, the judiciary in conjunction with Parliament and The Cabinet will continue to develop a system that is not just à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"reasonably equippedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Bainbridge (2004, pg. 359) but strongly resilient so as to protect individuals, businesses and the UKà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s safety. References: Academic Books: Bainbridge, D., (2004) An Introduction to Computer Law, 5th edition, London Pearson Education McQuade, S., Colt, J., Meyer, N., (2009) Cyber bullying: protecting kids and adults from online bullies, Conneticut:London, Praeger Parker, D.B (1998) Fighting Computer Crime: A New Framework for protecting information, London, Wiley Prasad, R., (2004) Cyber Crime: Combat Strategies, Hyderabad, ICFAI University Press Wold, G., Shriver, R., (1990) Computer Crime: techniques, prevention and detecting crime in financial institutions, London, McGraw Hill Websites BBC News (2010) UK cyber security plans à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"essentialà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ for strong defence https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-11566145 Accessed March 20th 2015 BBC News (2014) Apple à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Celebrity photos targeted by hackersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29032705 Accessed March 20th 2015 BBC News (2015) The worldwide crime web https://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2001/life_of_crime/cybercr ime.stm Accessed April 22nd 2015 Cabinet Office and Detica (2011) The Cost of Cyber Crime https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/60942/THE-COST-OF-CYBER-CRIME-SUMMARY-FINAL.pdf Accessed March 23rd 2015 Dot-ie (2010) Interpol Boss warns of cybercrime skills shortage https://www.dot-ie.com/tag/attack/ Accessed March 23rd 2015 FT.com (2011) Threat of mobile cyber crime on the increase https://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5a4ed514-32e5-11e0-9a61-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3Z9fHdpDD Accessed April 20th 2015 Home Office (2010) Cyber Crime Strategy https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmhaff/70/7004.htm#n1 Accessed April 10th 2015 House of Commons (2013) https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmhaff/70/7004.htm#n1 Accessed April 2nd 2015 KPMG International (2011) Cybercrime a growing challenge for governments https://www.kpmg.com/Global/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublicat ions/Documents/cyber-crime.pdf Accessed March 20th 2015 Norton.com (2015) 7 tips to protect against phishing https://uk.norton.com/7-tips-to-protect-against-phishing/article Accessed March 20th 2015 Legislation Computer Misuse Act 1990 Protection From Harassment Act 1997 Race Relations Act 2000 Sexual Offences Act 2003 Police and Justice Act 2006 Terrorism Act 2006 Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 The Bill for Serious Crimes Act 2015 Don’t waste time! 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