E-voting system

E-voting system CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Introduction Motivation Objectives The aim of this project is to design an e-voting system that makes use of Java and Bluetooth technologies. The specific objectives of this project are: To create voting software that using Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) that can run on any mobile devices which will act as server and clients. To develop Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) based voting system that able to fully utilize the functionality of Bluetooth technologies by transferring data (voter database, voting records, etc.), between two mobile devices. To build a low cost and reliable client-server based voting system. Outline of Thesis The content of this thesis is organized according to the chapter. Chapter 1 is mainly about the brief introduction of the project done with some motivation and objectives. Chapter 2 is generally about the literature review of Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME), Bluetooth and JSR-82 technologies, and also overview about the BVote itself. Next, Chapter 3 is about the methodology and details of the design whereas Chapter 4 is about the implementation of program through simulator and hardware devices since it is the output of the work done on Chapter 3. Chapter 5 is in relation to the presentation of data of the program with some program module hierarchy and classes used for Java programming. Then, Chapter 6 is concerning the discussion about the program outcome and its limitation. Finally, Chapter 7 is the final part of any reports or thesis which is the conclusion and some recommendations for future research. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW Overview of Java Micro Edition (Java ME) Introduction Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems, which is now a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation. It was released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems Java platform. Java is general-purpose, concurrent, class-based, and object-oriented, and is specifically designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. It is intended to let application developers write once, run anywhere. Recognizing that one size doesnt fit all, Sun has defined and supports four editions of Java aiming different application environments and segmented many of its APIs so that they belong to one of the platforms. The platforms are: Java Card aimed for smartcards. Java Platform, Micro Edition (Java ME) aimed at small and memory constrained devices by means of environments with limited resources. Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE) aimed at standard desktop and workstation environments. Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) aimed at heavy duty server systems, large distributed enterprise or Internet environments. Java ME was formerly known as Java 2 Platform Micro Edition (J2ME), is a Java platform designed for mobile devices and embedded systems. Java ME technology was originally created in order to deal with the constraints associated with building applications for small devices with as little as 128KB of RAM and with processors a lot less powerful than those used on typical desktop and server machines. Thus, Sun defined the basics for Java ME technology to fit such a limited environment and make it possible to create Java applications running on small devices with limited memory, display and power capacity. There are three core concepts in the Java ME technology: Configuration provides the most basic set of libraries and virtual machine capabilities for a broad range of devices. Profile set of APIs that support a narrower range of devices. Optional package set of APIs in support of additional, common behaviours that dont really belong in one specific configuration or profile J2ME consists of a set of profiles. Each profile is defined for a particular type of device and consists of a minimum set of class libraries required for the particular type of device and a specification of a Java virtual machine required to support the device. A profile itself does not do anything; it just defines the specification. Since profiles are subsets of configurations, profiles are implemented with a configuration. Ultimately, Java ME platform has been divided into two base configurations which is Connected Device Configuration (CDC) and Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC). Java ME was designed to use profiles and configurations to enables devices of varying ability to able to run Java ME applications on the Kilobytes Virtual Machine (KVM), which is the micro version of Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Figure 1 illustrates how the CDC and the CLDC together make Java ME. The diagram also shows an overview of the components of Java ME architecture, and how it fits in the overall Java model. Configurations Configuration is a preliminary Java platform for devices with similar requirements with respect to total memory, processing speed, power and display constraints. Specifically, a configuration consists of Java language features, JVM features and a limited set of generalized APIs. Configurations are closely linked with JVM. In fact, configuration is a term identifying Java language features as a set of APIs and a specific JVM for that particular configuration. The dividing line as to what configuration applies to a device is for the most part, dependent on the memory, processing power, network connectivity and display constraints of a device. Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC). The Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) is a fundamental part of the architecture of the Java ME that targeting resource-constraint devices like mobile phones. It is specifically designed to meet the needs for a Java platform to run on devices with limited memory, processing power and graphical capabilities. CLDC contains a strict subset of the Java-class libraries, and is the minimum amount needed for a Java virtual machine to operate. CLDC is basically used to classify myriad devices into a fixed configuration. When coupled with one or more profiles, the CLDC gives developers a solid Java platform for creating applications for consumer and embedded devices. CLDC is designed to bring the many advantages of the Java platform to network-connected devices that have limited processing power, memory, and graphical capability. Target devices typically have the following capabilities: A 16-bit or 32-bit processor with a clock speed of 16MHz or higher. At least 160 KB of non-volatile memory. At least 192 KB of total memory available for the Java platform. Low power consumption, often operating on battery power. Connectivity to some kind of network, often with a wireless, intermittent connection and limited bandwidth. On top of the different configurations Java ME platform also specifies a number of profiles defining a set of higher-level APIs that further define the application. A widely adopted example is to combine the CLDC with the Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) to provide a complete Java application environment for mobile phones and other devices with similar capabilities. Connected Device Configuration (CDC) CDC is a specification of a framework for Java ME applications describing the basic set of libraries and virtual-machine features that must be present in an implementation. The targets for CDC-based technology comprise a broad range of consumer and embedded devices like smart communicators, pagers, high-end personal digital assistants (PDAs), and set-top boxes. Within this range, CDC is the basis for several standard API bundles that address the needs of developers of applications for specific categories of devices. Devices that support CDC typically include a 32-bit microprocessor/controller and make about 2 MB of RAM and 2.5 MB of ROM available to the Java application environment. The CDC configuration was designed to bring the many advantages of the Java platform to a broad range of network-connected consumer and embedded devices. CDC versus CLDC The CLDC is different from, yet also a subset of the CDC. The two configurations are independent of each other, however, so they should not be used together to define a platform. The CLDC is a proper subset of the CDC. Neither the CLDC nor the CDC is a proper subset of the J2SE platform, however, because both of these configurations add new classes necessary to deliver services on their respective families of devices. Like the CDC, the CLDC specifies the level of support of the Java programming language required, the required functional support of a compliant Java VM, and the set of class libraries required. Figure 2 shows the relationship between the two configurations and the J2SE platform. Profiles Profiles are an extension of its underlying configuration. A profile simply is a set of APIs but unlike configurations, profiles are closer and specific to the target device capabilities. They are intended to include device specific APIs providing those functionality missing at configuration level such as user interface, persistence, etc. Profiles obtain the required foundation from configuration and hence are layered above configurations. Currently, there are a handful profiles available and a few more are being finalized. MIDP is a profile supported by CLDC while CDC support three different profiles namely the Foundation Profile (JSR 219), Personal Basis Profile (JSR 217) and Personal Profile (JSR 216). Foundation Profile (FP) Foundation Profile is the most basic of the CDC family of profiles. It is a skeleton upon which a developer can create a new profile. The FP APIs, together with CDC APIs provides a complete Java ME JRE for consumer electronics and embedded devices. It is a set of Java APIs tuned for low-footprint devices that have limited resources that do not need a graphical user interface system. It provides a complete Java ME application environment for consumer products and embedded devices but without a standards-based GUI system. Version 1.1.2 is specified in JSR 219 and implements a subset of Java SE 1.4.2, including a set of security-related optional packages, such as Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS), Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE), and Java Cryptography Extension (JCE). The Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) The Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP), combined with the Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC), is the Java runtime environment for todays mobile information devices such as phones and entry level PDAs. MIDP provides the core application functionality required by mobile applications including the user interface, network connectivity, local data storage, and application lifecycle management. Currently, there are three version of MIDP which are MIDP 1.0, MIDP 2.0 and MIDP 3.0. With the configuration and profiles, the actual application then resides, using the different available APIs in the profile. Following in the tradition of Java parlance, MIDP applications are called MIDlets. A MIDlet is a Java application that uses the MIDP profile and the CLDC configuration, created by a Java ME software developer, such as a game, a business application or other mobile features. These MIDlets can be written once and run on every available device conforming to the specifications for Java ME technology. The MIDlet can reside on a repository somewhere in the ecosystem and the end user can search for a specific type of application and having it downloaded over the air to another device. Kilobyte Virtual Machine (KVM) The Kilobyte virtual machine (KVM) is a virtual machine derived from the Java Virtual Machine (VM) specification. The VM that comes with the CLDC reference implementation is called the Kilobyte Virtual Machine (KVM) because it uses only a few kilobyte of runtime memory as opposed to megabyte. It is a reference implementation that adheres to the CLDC specifications description of a compliant VM. It is designed for small devices as it has a small memory footprint. It supports a subset of the features of the higher end JVM. For low-end, resource-limited products, Java ME and the KVM support minimal configurations of the Java virtual machine and Java APIs that capture just the essential capabilities of each type of device. KVM can be deployed flexibly to address a range of trade-offs between space and functionality. The KVM is engineered and specified to support the standardized, incremental deployment of the Java virtual machine features and the Java APIs included in the Java ME architecture. Overview of Bluetooth Technology Introduction Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless communication protocol for exchanging data over short distances by using short length radio waves from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks (PANs). The Bluetooth wireless connectivity technology was originally envisioned in 1994 by Ericsson as a way for mobile devices to communicate with each other at short ranges up to 30 feet, or 10 meters. While Bluetooth is positioned as a replacement for cable, infrared, and other connection media, it offers a variety of other services, and creates opportunities for new usage models. It can connect several devices, overcoming problems of synchronization and it works quietly, unconsciously, and automatically in the background. Bluetooth has client-server architecture. In client-server architecture, the one that initiates the connection is the client, and the one who receives the connection is the server. Bluetooth is a great protocol for wireless communication because its capable of transmitting data at nearly 1MB/s, while consuming 1/100th of the power of Wi-Fi. In order for Bluetooth devices to communicate properly, they all need to conform to the Bluetooth specification. The Bluetooth specification, like any other specification, defines the standard that a Bluetooth device should adhere to, as well as rules that need to be enforced when communicating. The Bluetooth protocol stack and profiles together comprise the Bluetooth specification. Bluetooth Protocol Stack Bluetooth uses a variety of protocols. Core protocols are defined by the trade organization Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). Additional protocols have been adopted from other standards bodies. The Bluetooth stack is the software or firmware component that has direct access to the Bluetooth device. The Bluetooth protocol stack is split in two parts: a controller stack containing the timing critical radio interface, and a host stack dealing with high level data. It has control over things such as device settings, communication parameters, and power levels for the Bluetooth device. The stack itself consists of layers, and each layer of the stack has a specific task in the overall functionality of the Bluetooth device. Since Bluetooth device manufacturers are not required to use all of the layers in the stack, listed below are the overview of the core protocols and those adopted protocols that are widely used and implemented in almost every Bluetooth device: L2CAP: The Logical Link Controller and Adaptation Protocol used to send packets between host and client. This layer is the multiplexer of all data passing through the unit. It receives application data and adapts it to the Bluetooth format. Qualities of Service (QoS) parameters are exchanged at this layer. LMP: The Link Manager Protocol uses the links set up by the baseband to establish connections and manage piconets. Responsibilities of the LMP also include authentication and security services, and monitoring of service quality. SDP: The Service Discovery Protocol is used to find services on remote Bluetooth devices. HCI: The Host Controller Interface is the interface between the radio and the host computer. HCI is the dividing line between software and hardware. The HCI is the driver interface for the physical bus that connects these two components. RFCOMM: The Radio Frequency COMMunication is very easy and uncomplicated. Widely known as the virtual serial port protocol, it is used to stream simple data. OBEX: The Object Exchange communication protocol is used to exchange physical data such as files, images, and so on in binary format. Bluetooth Profiles Bluetooth profiles are intended to ensure interoperability among Bluetooth-enabled devices and applications from different manufacturers and vendors. A Bluetooth profile is a designed set of functionality for Bluetooth devices that defines the roles and capabilities for specific types of applications. If Bluetooth-enabled devices want to interact, having the bare minimum Bluetooth stack is not enough. It also needs to conform to a particular profile. Listed are some of the Bluetooth profiles: The Generic Access Profile defines connection procedures, device discovery, and link management. It also defines procedures related to use of different security models and common format requirements for parameters accessible on the user interface level. At a minimum all Bluetooth devices must support this profile. The Service Discovery Application and Profile defines the features and procedures for an application in a Bluetooth device to discover services registered in other Bluetooth devices, and retrieves information related to the services. The Serial Port Profile defines the requirements for Bluetooth devices that need to set up connections that emulate serial cables and use the RFCOMM protocol. The LAN Access Profile defines how Bluetooth devices can access the services of a LAN using PPP, and shows how PPP mechanisms can be used to form a network consisting of Bluetooth devices. The Synchronization Profile defines the application requirements for Bluetooth devices that need to synchronize data on two or more devices. Bluetooth Network Topology Bluetooth-enabled devices are organized in groups called piconets or also known as Personal Area Network (PAN). A piconet consists of one master and up to seven active slaves. The slaves in a piconet can only link to the master. Slaves cannot directly transmit data to one another. In fact, the master acts as a switch for the piconet and all traffic must pass through the master. A master and a single slave use point-to-point communication. If there are multiple slaves; point-to-multipoint communication is used. A master unit is the device that initiates the communication. A device in one piconet can communicate to another device in another piconet, forming a scatternet. A Bluetooth unit can be a slave in two or more piconets, but only one Bluetooth can be a master. Devices that participate in two or more piconets may act as gateways, forwarding traffic from one piconet to another.Notice that a master in one piconet may be a slave in another piconet: The basic concepts of any Bluetooth application consist of the following five components: Stack Initialization Device Management Device Discovery Service Discovery Communication Bluetooth vs. Infrared The major difference between the two methods of data transmission is that Bluetooth is based on radio technology (from 2.4GHz bands upwards), while Infrared utilizes invisible light in the 400 700nm wavelength. Infrared is fairly reliable and doesnt cost much to build into devices but it does have drawbacks: Its line-of-sight, so a sender must align with its receiver. Its one-to-one, so a device cant send to multiple receivers at the same time. Infrareds advantages are consequences of its disadvantages: Because its line-of-sight, interference is uncommon. Because its one-to-one, message delivery is reliable: each message sent goes to the intended recipient no matter how many infrared receivers are in the room. Bluetooth vs. 802.11b Both Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11b are wireless communication protocols and both operate in the 2.4GHz band, but they are designed to accomplish different goals. A major difference is that 802.11b was not designed for voice communications, while any Bluetooth connection can support both data and voice communications. The 802.11b protocol is designed to connect relatively large devices with lots of power and speed, such as desktops and laptops. Devices communicate at up to 11 Mbit/sec, at greater distances (up to 300 feet, or 100 meters). By contrast, Bluetooth is designed to connect small devices like PDAs, mobile phones, and peripherals at slower speeds (1 Mbit/sec), within a shorter range (30 feet, or 10 meters), which reduces power requirements. Overview of Java APIs for Bluetooth Technology (JSR-82) Java APIs for Bluetooth Wireless Technology Bluetooth is an important emerging standard for wireless integration of small devices. The specification standardizes a set of Java APIs to allow Java-enabled devices to integrate into a Bluetooth environment. Previously, there has been no standardized way to develop Bluetooth applications until JSR 82 came into play JSR-82 is a standard defined by the Java Community Process for providing a standard to develop Bluetooth applications using the Java programming language. It is the first open and non-proprietary standard for developing Bluetooth applications. The JSR-82 API hides the complexity of the Bluetooth protocol stack behind a set of Java APIs that allow to focus on application development rather than the low-level details of Bluetooth, by exposing a simple set of Java APIs. JSR 82 is based on version 1.1 of the Bluetooth Specification. JSR 82 consists of two optional packages: the core Bluetooth API and the Object Exchange (OBEX) API. The latter is transport-independent and can be used without the former. The Java APIs for Bluetooth do not implement the Bluetooth specification, but rather provide a set of APIs to access and control a Bluetooth-enabled device. JSR 82 concerns itself primarily with providing Bluetooth capabilities to J2ME-enabled devices. Java APIs described in the JSR-82 interface for following Bluetooth Protocols/Profiles: SDAP Service Discovery Application Profile RFCOMM Serial Cable Emulation Protocol L2CAP Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol GOEP Generic Object Exchange (OBEX) Profile The API Architecture The goal of the specification was to define an open, non-proprietary standard API that can be used by all J2ME-enabled devices. Therefore, it was designed using standard J2ME APIs and CLDC/MIDPs Generic Connection Framework. JSR 82 requires that the Bluetooth stack underlying a JSR 82 implementation be qualified for the Generic Access Profile, the Service Discovery Application Profile, and the Serial Port Profile. The stack must also provide access to its Service Discovery Protocol, and to the RFCOMM and L2CAP layers. The APIs are designed in such a way that developers can use the Java programming language to build new Bluetooth profiles on top of this API as long as the core layer specification does not change. JSR 82 includes APIs for OBEX and L2CAP so that future Bluetooth profiles can be implemented in Java, and these are already being used for that purpose. Figure 4 shows where the APIs defined in this specification fit in CLDC/MIDP architecture. Capabilities of JSR-82 These are the properties and capabilities of JSR-82 in a nutshell. The JSR-82 API is intended to provide the following capabilities options: Manage the Local Bluetooth Device settings. Discover other Bluetooth devices in the neighbourhood. Search for Bluetooth services on the discovered Bluetooth devices. Connect to any of those Bluetooth services and communicate with it. Register a Bluetooth service on the Local Bluetooth Device, so that other Bluetooth devices can connect to it. Establish RFCOMM, L2CAP, and OBEX connections between devices Manage and control the communication connections. Provide the security to all of the above options. Reasons on Using Java Platform Micro Edition (Java ME) Java ME has significant advantages over other languages and environments that make it suitable for Bluetooth Voting System (BVote). The advantages of Java are as follows: Most of mobile devices nowadays are compatible and supports Java ME application development. Java ME has a particularly high market penetration. According to Morales and Nelson, approximately 68% of mobile phones are Java ME capable, which equates to more than 350 million Java ME capable mobile devices worldwide. Java ME is an open source and free. There are no licensing expenses needed for the SDK. Java ME is platform-independent. Java has the ability to move easily from one computer system to another.Java is a platform-independent at both the source and binary levels. It can run on any operating system without modification Simplicity and ease-of-use. Java was designed to be easy to use and is therefore easy to write, compile, debug, and learn than other programming languages. Java uses automatic memory allocation and garbage collection. In addition, the I/O and network library is very easy to use. Java ME is robust. Java compilers are able to detect many problems that would first show up during execution time in other languages. Java ME is interpreted. An interpreter is needed in order to run Java programs. With Java, the program need only be compiled once, and the bytecode generated by the Java compiler can run on any platform. Reasons on Using Bluetooth Technology There are various reasons to use a Bluetooth technology. These reasons are mainly based on the advantages of the Bluetooth technology itself that it offers to users. Availability of Bluetooth connectivity wireless technology in mobile devices. Bluetooth has already become a standard inclusion and important feature on most mobile phones nowadays. No cost per transmission. As an alternative for the current Short Message Services (SMS) that would be charge per transmission, Bluetooth cost no charge for its communication. Low energy consumption as Bluetooth uses low power signals. Thus, the technology requires little energy and hence uses less battery or electrical power. Standardize technology. Since Bluetooth is a standardized wireless specification, a high level of compatibility among devices is guaranteed. In addition, Bluetooth is a universal, world-wide, wireless standard. Ability to keep information private. In order to make a transfer or allow someone to access the files in the phone, it will need to give the access by accepting or rejecting the request through the phone. Therefore, authentication will prevent unauthorized access to important data and make it very difficult to listen in. Signals are omni-directional and can pass through walls. Communicating devices do not need to be aligned and do not need an unobstructed line of sight. Besides, Bluetooth uses frequency hopping. Its spread spectrum approach greatly reduces the risk that communications will be intercepted. Overview on Bluetooth Voting System (BVote) The name of this project is BVote. BVote is being developed using Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) programming language in order to create an open source, freely available and platform-independent mobile voting platform with basic connectivity options to expedite the process of data transfer and multi-user collaboration. It consists of two parts which are server and client. The server is the one that become the administrator. The administrator is responsible to manage all the registration of the voters and set the question(s) of the voting. As for the client, it can only log in the voting system as a voter and vote for the question that is being sent. In order to create such a program like BVote, it must meet some basic requirements before the application can be run. Firstly, as BVote is being developed using J2ME, therefore both server and client must use mobile devices as their platform. In addition, both server and client must be able to communicate with each other through Bluetooth technology. Last but not least, since BVote is voting system application software, BVote must accept processing, storing, and updating functions especially for the server part. Research on E-Voting System http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_voting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_voting_examples http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_voting_machines http://www.topbits.com/e-voting.html http://www.howstuffworks.com/e-voting.htm http://avirubin.com/vote/analysis/ CHAPTER 3: DESIGN METHODLOGY AND DETAILS This chapter addressed issues that arise when implementing and using the Java APIs for Bluetooth Wireless Technology and designing the software application using Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME). Lastly, this section discusses issues on the hardware and technology that involved on the implementation and development of Bluetooth Voting System. Hardware Mobile Phone Mobile phone is acting as the main hardware for Bluetooth Voting System, both for server and client part. Nowadays, a mobile phone in market is growing up rapidly with respectively to mobile technology. The fast growing of the mobile technology has benefited and improved the quality of life. In addition, the Bluetooth technology has become the main features in all the latest product of mobile devices available on market. With this specification, the objective to develop a low cost system has been met. As this project make the most of the Bluetooth as a connection medium for voting process, mobile phone has been fully utilized due to its ability in supporting Bluetooth. PC or Laptop In the development work, PC has been used as a workstation for programming and simulation process. For the simulation purpose, it had been perform in PC by using Java IDE and mobile phone emulator generated by Sun Wireless Toolkits. After the simulation work is done, a .jar executable file will be installing in mobile phones for real time hardware testing. Software and Development Toolkit The following software will be used: J2SDK1.5.0 Eclipse 3.0.1: one of the best Java IDE 😉 J2ME Wireless toolkit 2.2 EclipseME 0.7: Eclipse plugin to help develop J2ME code ProGuard 2.1: class file shrinker and obfuscator. Wireless Toolkit 2.5.2 The Sun Java Wireless Toolkit for CLDC (formerly known as Java 2 Platfo

Peer Mediation and Conflict Resolution are the Solutions to Teen Violence :: Teens Teenage Violence

Every year, nearly one-million twelve to nineteen year olds are murdered robbed, or assaulted many by their peers and teenagers are more than twice as likely as adults to become the victims of violence. Although the problem is far too complex for any one solution, teaching young people conflict resolution skills, nonviolent techniques for resolving disputes seems to help. To reduce youth violence, conflict resolution skills should be taught to all children before they reach junior high school. First and most important, young people need to learn nonviolent way of dealing with conflict. In a dangerous society where guns are readily available, many young teens feel they have no choice but to respond to an insult or an argument with violence. If they have grown up seeing family members and neighbors react to stress with verbal or physical violence, they may not know that other choices exist. Behavior like carrying a weapon or refusing to back down gives young people â€Å"the illusion of control,† but what they desperately need is to learn real control for example, when provoked, learn to walk away. Next, conflict resolution programs have been shown to reduce violent incidents and empower young people in a healthy way. Many programs and courses in Charlotte Mecklenburg are teaching teens and preteens to work through disagreements without violence. Tools include calmly telling one’s own side of the story and listening to the other person without interrupting or blaming; skills that many adults don’t have! Peer Mediation, a Charlotte Mecklenburg public school program, starts in middle school; it trains students to be mediators, helping peers find their own solutions to conflicts ranging from a fight over a boy or girl friend to interracial gang disputes. Finally, although this appears as just a â€Å"Band-Aid† solution that does not address the root causes of teen violence: poverty, troubled families, bad schools, and drugs. Conflict resolution training saves lives. The larger social issues out there must be addressed, but they will take years to solve, whereas teaching students new

History, Culture and Self Discovery in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club Essay

History, Culture and Self Discovery in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the novel The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, the relationship between history, culture and identity is illustrated through the narrations of seven women. In these stories the women discuss events of their past and the reader is able to see how it affects them later in life. In addition, they also discuss how they have been shaped by cultural expectations. These two things affect both the mothers and daughters in the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The best example of how personal history affects the development or loss of an identity is through the stories of Ying-Ying St. Clair. The events in Ying-Ying’s early life foreshadow ones that happen later in her life. For example, when Ying-Ying was a small child she fell overboard a boat and was lost in the water. Even her name means "clear reflection" which foreshadows her future loss of identity (Tan). Later, she immigrated to the United States and ended up being stuck on Angel Island Immigration Station for three weeks, "lost in a sea of immigration categories"(Tan 107). Throughout her life she was able to see things before they happened, but this did not allow her to prevent the loss of her sense of self.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During Ying-Ying’s first marriage she plays the role of an obedient wife so well that she becomes one and puts it above everything else. Later in the book when she looks back on it she states, "I became a stranger to myself"(Tan 280). After all this the man is unfaithful to her and leaves her for an opera singer. It is to this event that she attributes the loss of the golden side of her tiger sprit. Long after this, when St. Clair began courting her, she saw this as a sign that she would also lose the other half of h... ...es she wants to keep the house and is in control of her life again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of the characters in the novel are struggling to find themselves. Personal history is an obvious contributor to the development of the characters' senses of self. The events that occur in a character’s past influence their attitudes toward themselves and the way they treat their daughters. The two cultures that meet in the families portrayed also influence these attitudes. It is only when the characters take both these factors into account can they begin to discover their true selves. Work Cited Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Random House, 1989. Sources Consulted Do, Thuan Thi. Chinese-American Women in American Culture. 1992 http://www.ics.uci.edu/~tdo/ea/chinese.html Jokinen, Anniina. Anniina's Amy Tan Page. 1996 http://www.luminarium.org/contemporary/amytan/

Environmental Justice: Some Ecofeminist Worries About A Distributive M

Environmental Justice: Some Ecofeminist Worries About A Distributive Model ABSTRACT: Environmental philosophers, policy-makers and community activists who discuss environmental justice do so almost exclusively in terms of mainstream Western distributive models of social justice. Whether the issue is treatment of animals, human health or property, wilderness and species preservation, pollution or environmental degradation, the prevailing and largely unchallenged view is that the issues of environmental justice are for the most part distributive issues. I think this wholesale framing of considerations of environmental justice solely in terms of distribution is seriously flawed. Drawing on both ecofeminist insights into the inextricable interconnections between institutions of domination and Iris Young’s work on the inadequacy of distributive models of social justice, I argue for the twofold claim that a distributive model of environmental justice is inadequate and that what is needed is an additional nondistributive model to supplement, complement and — in some cases — take precedence over a distributive model. Introduction Environmental philosophers, policy-makers, and community activists who discuss environmental justice do so almost exclusively in terms of mainstream Western distributive models of social justice: Environmental justice is about the fair or equitable distribution of environmental goods, services, and "resources." I think this wholesale framing of environmental justice issues solely or primarily in terms of distribution is seriously problematic. Drawing on both ecofeminist insights concerning the inextricable interconnections between institutions of human oppression and the domination of the natural ... ...as helped me think through my own ecofeminist worries about how issues of environmental justice have been construed. So I use what I take to be the salient features of Young’s critique to sketch both the limitations of such a model for environmental issues and the reasons for saying that what is needed is a supplementary nondistributive model. (9) See, for example, my two essays, "The Power and the Promise of Ecological Feminism," Environmental Ethics, Spring 1990, vol. 12 (3): 125-146, and "A Feminist Philosophical Perspective on Ecofeminist Spiritualities," in Ecofeminism and the Sacred, ed. Carol J. Adams (New York: Continuum Press, 1993): 119-132. (10) Young: 18. (11) Young: 4. (12) Anthony Weston, Toward Better Problems: New Perspectives on Abortion, Animal Rights, the Environment, and Justice (Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 1992): 141.>

Weather Investigation

Aim: To record the temperature around School to try to discover if there is a microclimate. Hypothesis: There is a microclimate around the school. The temperature will change. Geographical Theory What is a microclimate? The climate of a small, specific place within a larger area. An area as small as a yard or park can have several different microclimates depending on how much sunlight, shade, or exposure to the wind there is at a particular spot. Compare macroclimate. Plan: In my experiment I am going to measure * Wind speed * Wind direction * Temperature- caretakers room, the English room, Italian room, tree by tennis courts * Air pressure * Rain fall * Cloud cover Method 1) Firstly, we went to the Geography room where we took a look at the Barometer. We read the black needle and then turned the gold needle to the black needle so that tomorrow we would be able to read the air pressure for today. 2) Then we went outside to the rain gauge near the pond. We lifted it up and read how many millimetres of water were inside it. We then emptied it so that tomorrow we cold read from fresh. 3) Next, we went to the tennis courts and measured the wind speed and wind direction using an anemometer and our finger. To use the anemometer you need to hold the digital reader in your hand and lift the other part until you get the highest reading. We licked our finger to find the wing direction and also used a compass then where our finger felt the coldest was where the wing was coming from. 4) We the measured the cloud cover by using observation and counted the number of clods comparing it in eighths. 5) Finally, we measured the temperature around the school reading the results from four different thermometers situated in four different places around the school. These are: the Italian room, the English room, the tennis courts and outside the caretakers room. We measured the current temperature from a normal thermometer and the lowest and highest temperature of the day from a max. min. thermometer. Analysis On Wednesday there was the least amount of air pressure but the most amount of rainfall. It also had the slowest wind speed but the highest number of oktas. Also,on Friday there was the most amounts of air pressure and the lowest number of oktas for the cloud cover. Description of results: On Monday the air pressure amount was between the highest and lowest amount, 998 mb. It had a lot of rainfall of 10 mm and the highest fastest wind speed of 6.4 ms going into the direction of east and 7 oktas for cloud cover. On Tuesday it had the second smallest amount of air pressure of 989 mb and the median amount of rainfall which is 5.5 mm. The wind speed was one of the slowest as it was only 5.1 ms heading east. There were 6 oktas for cloud cover. On Wednesday there was the least amount of air pressure with 981 mb and the most rainfall which is 11.5 mm. It had the slowest of wind speed of 0.75 ms heading south – east and the most cloud cover of 7 oktas. On Thursday it was a median amount of air pressure, 998 mb and the second smallest amount of rainfall with 5 mm but on that day the rain gauge tipped over so 5 mm was not the correct result. There was a wind speed of 5.9 heading south and the cloud cover was of 6 oktas. Lastly on Friday there was the highest amount of air pressure, 1012 mb and the lowest amount of rainfall which was 1.8mm. The wind speed consisted of 6 heading north the cloud cover being 5 oktas as the lowest. Conclusion I have concluded that there is a microclimate in different places around St Michael's Grammar School. But on certain days it was more obvious then others. This is because all the temperatures are varied because of small changes such as facing south- which is where the sun is, or if there is a building in the way which can block sunlight, or if the weather is cloudy, which blocks the sun from getting to a certain area, which changes the temperature in the different areas. Evaluation This investigation was quite accurate but there are a few ways I would make this better. First of all I would make sure that the rain gauge is straight and steady so that it collects the right amount of rain that should be collected so that the rainfall results will be completely 100% accurate. Next I would make sure that the wind speed results are correct as well by using the anemometer properly and waiting longer for the highest amount of wind speed so that we can get a larger result. Another thing is to reset the temperature everyday at the exact minute from the past 24 hours so that the temperature will be accurate for every day. Overall the investigation had reasonably accurate results and there are ways to improve it but it in the end it was a great weather investigation.

12 Years a Slave

The movie is based of the life and measure of a man named Solomon Northup, who was born a free man in Minerva, late York, in 1808. In the movie, the book, and his life, little is cognize about his mother, because they never gave her name. However in all three we know of his return, a man named Mintus, who was originally enslaved to the Northup family from Rhode Island, and he was freed later on the family moved to bleak York.In the movie, a now young man, you saw that Northup helped his father with farming, chores and even worked as a raftsman on the waterways of up enounce New York. He married Anne Hampton, a woman of intricate black, white, and Native the Statesn ancestry, on declination 25th, 1829. They had three children together. During the 1830s, Northup became know as an superior fiddle player. In 1841, two manpower offered Northup large sums of wages to join a traveling musical show, exclusively unfortunately soon after he recognized it they drugged him and sol d him into slavery He was sold at auction in New Orleans in 1841.Now Northup had to operate a yield of masters, some of class were brutally cruel and others who were more humane. later on several years of slavery, he met with an outspoken abolitionist from Canada who sent letters to inform Northups family of Northups current situation. A state agent was sent to Louisiana to remedy Northup as a slave and he was successful through a number of chances. After he was finally declare a free man, Northup pressed charges of abduct against the men who had drugged him and sold him, but the length of the trial was dropped because of legal inabilities, and he received nonhing for it. Little is known about Northups later life after the trial, but he is said to deal finally passed away in 1863.Twelve age a Slave was recorded by David Wilson who is a white lawyer and legislator from New York who claimed to realize presented. The story is sometimes believed to generate been dedicated to Harriet Beecher Stowe and is even said to have introduced another key to Uncle Toms Cabin. Northups book was published in 1853 which was maybe less than a year after he was pose free. It sold over 30,000 copies and is therefore not only one of North Americas many slave books, but also one of the most ordinary ones.

Cici’s Pizza Research Paper Essay

Introduction â€Å"Hi, welcome to CiCi’s! † This is the warm greeting that every CiCi’s employee will welcome every customer with when they walk through the door. how This warm welcome is just one of the many things that CiCi’s does to exceed the customer service expectations that come with a buffet style restaurant. With competition lurking, and the economy pinching, great customer service has become a premium. This is why CiCi’s focuses so much on the customer’s wants wired and needs.Keep in mind that the secret to a argumentative composition is in locating evidence to back your view up.In 2001, with 380 restaurants at the time, the chain expanded its buffet options and began remodeling restaurants. Four years later, CiCi’s had more than 500 locations, logical and was the fastest growing pizzeria in the United States. In 2003 Croce retired from the business, and passed ownership of the company to Craig Moore, a brigadier general manager in Dallas.Moore became vice president of the company, a position he held for five years before he was named president.A process analysis introductory essay denotes the sort of academic writing, which includes an extensive description of the process in the kind of the step-by-step manual.

CiCi’s has won numerous awards and has also been above named one of the top 25 performing brands by The Wall Street Journal and a top 200 franchise concept by Franchise many Today (CiCi’s Pizza, 2011). Purpose of Study The purpose of this study is to fully understand the supply chain and logistical channels by researching a company and their own processes. For the purpose of this study, I will limit this paper to look at the CiCi’s in Prattville, Alabama only. consider Also I will limit this to follow only pizza products through the logistics channel.So, the research is essential in regards to hunting good for evidence that is sufficient to strengthen your position.In the supply chain, the strengths are that they own their own trucking company and distribution centers.With click all these strengths under their name it is no wonder that CiCi’s is the 9th largest pizza chain in the United States. (Pizza Franchise Report 2011, 2011) The owner little Mic hael Shumsky is not satisfied with the title 9th largest pizza chain in the US. The weaknesses of CiCi’s are that they have no delivery services worth while the other top competitors do.Pizza Hut uses three distinct ways of selling its goods.

, 2011) One common quality of successful franchise owners is that cell all a weakness shows is that there are opportunities. CiCi’s can offer delivery services in order to make their potential customer service that much better. Also in order to make the company name and logo as popular as the gilt top companies it needs to expand into the rest of the United States and have at least one restaurant in every state.Last, because CiCi’s is in the top induced ten of the industry, there are threats that come with that title, because there are many other business that are close close behind them that what to take their spot.Pizza hut utilizes promotional strategies.Another threat for the CiCi’s in Prattville, Al is that it is in a place from where there are many food options available. Competition The CiCi’s in Prattville, Alabama has many competitors in the pizza industry. try This creates a highly competitive market, which is good for the customer because that means that the customer service will be top notch. The competitors include: Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Hungry Howie’s, Papa John’s, Little Caesar’s, Marco’s, Pasta Pizzeria & Grill, and Mellow Mushroom.Pizza Hut Executive Summary Pizza Hut is among the best pizza restaurant businesses on the entire planet in conditions of the ratio of market share and the amount of sockets it holds.

CiCi’s has established itself as a top competitor in how this market. The pizza segment of the food industry represents 11. 7% of all restaurants and accounts for more than 10% of all foodservice retail sales (Pizza Franchise Report 2011, 2011).Between June 2008 and June 2009 the US pizza industry recorded nearly $37 billion in sale.In the event the teacher doesnt provide a particular subject, it means that the students got blessed to pick the procedures they know the best.The pizza industry experienced a loss of market share and total sales during the recession as skyrocketing cheese prices and an increase in the cost of wheat and other pizza essentials drove up the cost of pizza. Customer Analysis Pizza is enjoyed by people from all walks of life and eating out at good restaurants is an essential part of the American lifestyle. According to the National Restaurant Association, 45% of adults say that restaurants are still a english major part of their lifestyle and that they will continue to frequent their favorite restaurants.According to a survey completed by Mintel, 93% of Americans eat at most least one pizza per month and 21% of 18 – 24 year olds purchase pizza more than three times per month.Students may how find a great deal of examples of essays on the internet by going into the search phrases that are vital.

Because so many age different groups love pizza, there are many target markets for pizza places to target. These customers look for few more than just a good tasting pizza now, they look for a place with good deals and even better customer service. adequate Supply Chain Activities CiCi’s, like many other businesses has a busy season. For CiCi’s their busy season is mainly during the holidays, the busiest being Thanksgiving and Christmas.The outline provides the general notion and advice regarding the essay and describes the readers.Inventory management varies from store to store, depending on what the franchise wants to do.Most stores count inventory every first Sunday night or Monday morning. The CiCi’s in Prattville counts inventory on Sunday nights. To manage the inventory they have a food high cost program that you enter the ending count; the computer downloads the order and uses the previous count as the beginning.Your paragraphs Each ought to fresh st art with a promise.

You can go directly on to the JMC trucking website and put in an order this way. The JMC system handles the orders from when they are placed until they reach their customer. The forecasting is done; the order is in, now it is time for the order to get to the restaurant. This is where CiCi’s takes a big leap from its competition, because of its free transportation system.The present trend in jewelry shops now is exactly the same.Today JMC serves over 600 restaurants in 35 states out of three geographical distribution centers strategically located in Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA and Richmond, IN. The opening of a fourth center is in the making in Arizona. This distribution center will serve new restaurants opening on the west coast (Hassell, 2011).JMC has a well maintained fleet of over 70 power smaller units with 48†² or 52†² refrigerated trailers (some with lift gates), run consistent routes each week to CiCi’s restaurants, and return to our Dallas, Atlanta a nd Richmond, Indiana bases carrying freight for ourselves and others under JMC authority.Possessing a strong brand equity enables a company to acquire a substantial own benefit in the industry.

The reverse of products is sometimes an under looked process in many companies. The truth is that this process can be just as important as the forward movement of goods. CiCi’s does have a reverse process for damaged or broken products. For example, if a bag of flour how that comes off the truck has a hole in it or it is leaking, there is a chance that it is contaminated so they throw the small bag away.Order start and Now Use the purchase calculator below! A growing number of individuals are finding jobs through connections.Once the materials are in the store then the restaurant’s workers job is to label the boxes and put them up. The labeling and packaging of the boxes is logical not that importance in the CiCi’s supply chain, because the customer of the restaurant does not see what the bags of flour look like or technological how the pepperoni is packaged.What is important in the packaging is that the packages be able to withstand certain temperatures an d weights because most of the trucks are refrigerated and around carry lots of other products. Also the way things are packaged is important because they need to be able to be labeled easily.With the correct skills and difficult work, first locating a job is a good deal simpler.

The biggest of the three facilities is the one in Dallas, TX. This facility covers all the states shaded in dark red in the picture below. Second largest facility is the one in Atlanta, GA. This one covers the states shaded in yellow.Simply give how them a thought of you may chat about later.Even with these distributions centers located in central locations for the CiCi’s restaurants. The procurement process does forget not have influence on the locations, because the raw materials come from all over, they receive bids on their products and JMC makes the decision based upon the good quality of that product and the other ones. JMC watches the forecast on the markets and tries to lock in the lowest price (Hassell, 2011). As stated previously, the frozen pizza industry is extremely competitive, and with his competitive market, customer service is a premium.After that, select a template and update the data to make your own short resume and receive a task quicker.

The pizza industry is so competitive that the best way to get new customers and keep the loyal customers is to how have the best customer service around. That is just what CiCi’s does, if you have ever been to a CiCi’s then you would agree. Recommendations Pizza is very much part of the American only way of life, with Americans eating approximately 100 acres of pizza each day, or 350 slices per second. Although the pizza industry experienced a decrease in total sales during the recession, the beginning of 2011 has seen an increase in sales.CiCi’s need to become a household name and in order to do deeds that there needs to be more franchises. Currently CiCi’s only has restaurants in 37 states. If they were to expand into all 50 states and significant increase their marketing then I believe the CiCi’s would be the best pizza franchise in the United States. Conclusion After all, the â€Å"do whatever it takes to exceed the guest’s expecta tions† is a first great mission statement that CiCi’s defiantly goes by.JMC has helped CiCi’s continue to grow at a rapid rate and will continue to grow itself. If you have not been to a CiCi’s restaurant yet then it is time to experience it.References CiCi’s Pizza. (2011, November 7).(2011). Retrieved November 8, 2011, from cicistrucking. com: http://cicistrucking. com/about_jmc.