Surveillance Society

Surveillance Society:

I read an article in the prestigious North American magazine "Technology Review" titled Big Brother Logs On of Ivan Amato (September of 2001). The article does an interesting swing of the recent developments in the modern digital technologies of vigilance. While cameras invade our streets, and programs record our expressions facial while we buy, our privacy is inevitably lost?! Most of the systems developed involve diverse forms of identification and verification through the biometric.

Biometrics is the science and technology of measuring and analyzing biological data. In information technology, biometrics refers to technologies that measure and analyze human body characteristics, such as fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns and hand measurements, for authentication purposes.

Authentication by biometric verification is becoming increasingly common in corporate and public security systems, consumer electronics and point of sale (POS) applications. In addition to security, the driving force behind biometric verification has been convenience.

Biometric devices, such as fingerscanners, consist of:
A reader or scanning device Software that converts the scanned information into digital form and compares match points A database that stores the biometric data for comparison
To prevent identity theft, biometric data is usually encrypted when it's gathered.

Here's how biometric verification works on the back end: To convert the biometric input, a software application is used to identify specific points of data as match points.

The match points in the database are processed using an algorithm that translates that information into a numeric value. The database value is compared with the biometric input the end user has entered into the scanner and authentication is either approved or denied.

Also, I found this usefull link:

- The Biometric Consortium is a U.S. Government-sponsored focal point for information about biometrics, particularly for security uses.

http://www.biometrics.org/?mboxSession=1227885642322-68818

Seminar Reflection

Seminar Reflection

How good was I?
2 – Good. I made a preparation before the media seminar but I should revising my grammar.

Had I done enough research and preparation?
2 – I did a research about the topic, I used the university library, and also I mentioned three references of my research.

Did I speak enough during the seminar?
2- I was a good speaker and also I coordinated the group each topic before talking.

Was I a good listener?
2- Yes. Active listening! I made notes, when people talking.

Did I argue my opinion clearly?
2- Although, I should used more academic words.

Did I give reason, examples and evidence to support my opinions?
2 – I gave some examples that of my research.

Did I ask relevant questions?
2 - I have asked individual and general questions in my group.

Was the language I used accurate?
2 – I used the media vocabulary

Had I prepared the language I need before the seminar?
2- I practiced the vocabulary that was given by the teachers.

Did I direct the discussion or help keep discussion moving in the right direction?
2

Could other people clearly understand what I was saying?
1- I have spoken clearly and comments with keywords about media.

Did I work well with the other people in my group?
1- Yes, I worked pretty good!

Brazilian Media

Brazilian Media

Brazil is South America's most influential country, an economic giant and one of the world's biggest democracies.

South America's biggest media market is home to thousands of radio stations and hundreds of TV channels.

Media ownership is highly concentrated. Home-grown conglomerates such as Globo, Brazil's most-successful broadcaster, dominate the market and run TV and radio networks, newspapers and pay-TV operations.

Brazilian-made dramas and soaps are aired around the world.
Game shows and reality TV attract huge audiences.
The constitution guarantees a free press; vigorous media debate about controversial political and social matters is commonplace.

Brazil is rolling out digital TV services; it aims to switch off analogue TV transmissions from 2016.

The press
O Dia - Rio de Janeiro daily
O Correio Brazilense - influential daily
O Globo - Globo-owned Rio de Janeiro daily
Jornal do Brasil - Rio de Janeiro daily
Folha de Sao Paulo - daily
O Estado de Sao Paulo - daily Television
TV Band - commercial network operated by Grupo Bandeirantes
Rede Globo - major commercial network operated by Globo
Sistema Brasileiro de Televisao (SBT) - major commercial network
TV Record - major commercial network
NBR - operated by state-run Radiobras
Rede TV - commercial network
TV Cultura - public, educational and cultural programmes Radio
Radio Nacional - FM and mediumwave (AM) network operated by state-run Radiobras
Globo Radio - commercial networks operated by Globo
Radio Eldorado - affiliated to O Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper, operates mediumwave (AM)news station and FM music station
Radio Bandeirantes - network operated by Grupo Bandeirantes
Radio Cultura - public, cultural programmes News agencies
Agencia Brasil - state-owned
Agencia Estado - private, Sao Paulo-based
Agencia Globo - private

Overview
A drive to move settlers to the Amazon region during military rule in the 1970s caused considerable damage to vast areas of rainforest.

Deforestation by loggers and cattle ranchers remains controversial, but government-sponsored migration programmes have been halted.

In 2005 the government reported that one fifth of the Amazon forests had been cleared by deforestation.

Since then, it has made efforts to control illegal logging and introduce better certification of land ownership, but environmental reports suggest the reforms have made little difference.

Brazil's natural resources, particularly iron ore, are highly prized by major manufacturing nations, including China. Thanks to the development of offshore fields, the nation has become self-sufficient in oil, ending decades of dependence on foreign producers.

Brazil has had to be bailed out in times of economic crisis, but reforms in the 1990s, including privatisations, brought some financial stability.

There is a wide gap between rich and poor.

Much of the arable land is controlled by a handful of wealthy families, a situation which the Movement of Landless Rural Workers (MST) seeks to redress by demanding land redistribution. It uses direct protest action and land occupation in its quest.

Social conditions can be harsh in the big cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, where a third of the population lives in favelas, or slums.

Brazil's Aids programme has become a model for other developing countries. It has stabilised the rate of HIV infection and the number of Aids-related deaths has fallen. Brazil has bypassed the major drugs firms to produce cheaper, generic Aids medicines.

Brazil is revered for its football prowess. Its cultural contributions include the music of classical composer Heitor Villa-Lobos and Bossa Nova icon Antonio Carlos Jobim.

I found those usefull links on my research:

Brazilian Media A collection of the leading Brazilian daily newspapers and weekly magazines http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?topic_id=1419&fuseaction=topics.links&group_id=230008

Those geographic characteristics were very important in the establishment of Brazil as a country and in the development of the Brazilian media system. http://www.pressreference.com/Be-Co/Brazil.html

Media vocabulary

Hello everyone,
I made a list with usefull advertising vocabulary.. I found at the website:
http://esl.about.com/library/lexical/bllexlist_advertising1.htm
These core vocabulary reference sheets provide between 150 and 240 key words and phrases for each industry. In taking this lexical approach to attaining key vocabulary, students should be encouraged to translate the specific words and phrases into their native tongues as each phrase has a very specific translation in each language.

advertisement - ad
advertiser
mass advertising
advertising - publicity
advertising agent
advertising campaign
advertising dealer
advertising effectiveness
media strategy
advertising expenses
merchandising
misprint
advertising media
news agency
newsletter
advertising poster (GB) – advertising board (US)
advertising rate
opinion leaders
advertising support
opinion maker
opinion poll
announcement - press release
audience
peak time
average audience
periodic
average circulation
popularity rating - audience
broadcasting

Core Reading List: Food Safety _ A Practical Guide and Case Study Approach

Hello,
This month, I have prepared a summary of one book of my master core reading list.
*Food Safety: A Practical and Case Study Approach, Richard J. Marshall

The practical implementation of hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) and in particular the definition of the critical control points (CCPs) in the food industry is usually a complex structured task. This is particularly the case of small medium enterprise (SMEs), where quality/safety manager ability, knowledge of the production processes and “sensitiveness” is usually the discriminate for the proper identification and prioritisation of risks.

The same applies for the definition of causes, which may lead to food safety hazards.

This paper addresses the issues of how quality/safety managers can objectively and automatically implement the first and second principles of hazard analysis in the application of HACCP, which is the identification of risk priorities and of the related CCPs, by means of a structured, quantitative and qualitative methodology. The proposed methodology combines fault tree analysis (FTA) approach, for the analytical decomposition of the relevant steps in the manufacturing process of a food product, and fuzzy logic, for quantitative measures of occurrence likelihood.

The practical implications of the methodology are finally tested through a real case application.

Keywords: Hazard analysis; Critical control point; HACCP; Food safety

Food Storage at home

I’m writing you today to keep that post about Food Storage Tips..
As winter is coming and our fresh vegetable options are starting to dwindle, it’s time to think about ways to preserve whatever we can. Here in London, I don’t know many people who have extra space of anything, but across the country have found a way to hide food for the winter in various places. This NYTimes article “Food Storage as Grandma Knew It,” talks to people around the country who are starting to store up for the coming cold months.

Food-Specific Storage Tips

Fruits

• Store apples either in the fridge or in a dry storage area slightly below room temperature.
• Bananas, pears, pineapples, melons and avocados ripen quickly at room temperature. Once the fruit is ripened to your preference, store them in the fridge to maintain ripeness level.
• Berries spoil quickly, so it is best to use them soon after purchasing. Store in the refrigerator spread into an even layer on a tray or in a shallow container and uncovered. Remember not to rinse or wash until just before use.
• Grapes keep best in a perforated plastic bag, which is how most grocery stores sell them. Simply refrigerate grapes in the original packaging to maintain freshness.

Vegetables

• Eggplants keep best at room temperature in dark places, such as a pantry or cupboard. One sliced, rub the exposed flesh of the eggplant with lemon, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
• To extend the life of lettuce and other leafy veggies, wash and dry them, tear the leaves from the stems and place in a sealed plastic bag with paper towels to absorb extra moisture and keep them from wilting.
• Store broccoli like flowers by trimming the stems and placing them in a vase of cool water in the refrigerator. Be sure the stems are mostly submerged and the broccoli should last up to two weeks in the fridge.
• Keep potatoes and onions in a dark, dry and cool storage area.
• Artichokes, asparagus, beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and summer squash should be kept refrigerated in a sealed plastic bag.
• Cut the tops off of beets, turnips and carrots before refrigerating in a sealed plastic bag or container.
• Store fresh corn in the fridge, unhusked.
• Refrigerate mushrooms on a tray or in a shallow container spread into an even, single layer covered with damp paper towels.
• Tomatoes are similar to fruit when it comes to storage. Keep unripe tomatoes at room temperature. Place in the fridge to slow the ripening process when desired and after slicing.

Other Fresh Items

• Keep bread stored in a drawer or cupboard. If you do not intend to use the bread for more than five days after purchase, store it a sealed plastic bag in the freezer, not the fridge.
• Keep milk and eggs on the shelves in the fridge, not in the side-door storage surfaces, where it tends to be warmer.
• Store tofu submerged in water in a plastic container. The tofu will keep for 3-4 days if the water is changed daily.

Final Project

Finances of Overseas Students at London Metropolitan University

J. Maddalena, London Metropolitan University

Abstract

The number of international students in stressful financial situations has been increasing and many found it difficult to support week-to-week at London Metropolitan University. However, very little empirical research has been carried out to investigate the financial situation of overseas students undertaking undergraduate, post-graduate, and master courses at London Metropolitan University. The specific aims of the study were to collect data on sources of income and support during the university experience and on relevant expenditure items, and determine the extent to which there was a variation between different categories of students and to inform the London Metropolitan University sector’s regarding assistance to financially disadvantaged students. The group of students based on a sample of 12 students to a survey by questionnaire with 20 questions conducted in 29th of October 2008. The present report provides a detailed analysis of the findings and contains the data from the questionnaire. Results of the assessment showed significant differences between overseas students. This report reveals the difficult financial circumstances of many international university students and the significant impact of financial pressures on students’ capacity to study effectively.

Learning English - why these words have been so popular..?

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"-- Lao Tzu

Utterances become quotations because they mean something to people. They come to 'own' them when they find something in their personal lives to which the quotation relates. It's perhaps not surprising, then, to see Lao Tzu's remark emerging as a winner, for there can be few quotations which match it for its universal applicability.

Type the quotation into a large search engine and you will find thousands of contexts of use which range from scientific research to commercial advertising, from national politics to personal therapy. Its appealing content is reinforced in English by its linguistic structure: the quotation falls naturally into two rhythm-units, each with three strong stresses. It's easy to remember, therefore.
"A journey of a thousand miles / begins with a single step"

And there is a lovely contrast between the leisurely pace of the first half of the quotation - the disyllabic 'journey' and 'thousand' and the long vowels or diphthongs in each main word - and the punchy character of the second half, with its striking 's' alliteration, and each main word either monosyllabic or with a short vowel. Note how different the quotation would feel if we were to replace 'step' by, say, 'stride' or 'pace'. The impact of this quotation very much depends on its strong phonetic conclusion.
It's a worthy winner.

Professor David Crystal is a prolific writer, editor, lecturer, and broadcaster.
He published the first of his 100 or so books in 1964, and is famous for his research work in English language studies.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation is always a problem with people from foreign countries. Listening to the radio or watching news on TV for practice English pronunciation is one of good solution for improving these skills. I think that comparing between pronunciation in your own language and English is the worst way of learning pronunciation. While most of students non-native speakers of English speak English quite well, there is always room for improvement (of course, the same could be said for every person for any subject, but that is another matter). To that end, I’d like to offer you a poem. Once you’ve learned to correctly pronounce every word in this poem, you will be speaking English better than 90% of the native English speakers in the world.

English is tough stuff
Dearest creature in creation,
Study English pronunciation.
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.
I will keep you, Suzy, busy,
Make your head with heat grow dizzy.
Tear in eye, your dress will tear.
So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.

Just compare heart, beard, and heard,
Dies and diet, lord and word,
Sword and sward, retain and Britain.
(Mind the latter, how it’s written.)
Now I surely will not plague you
With such words as plaque and ague.
But be careful how you speak:
Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.

Hear me say, devoid of trickery,
Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore,
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,
Exiles, similes, and reviles;
Scholar, vicar, and cigar,
Solar, mica, war and far;
One, anemone, Balmoral,
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel;
Gertrude, German, wind and mind,
Scene, Melpomene, mankind.

Billet does not rhyme with ballet,
Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet.
Blood and flood are not like food,
Nor is mould like should and would.
Viscous, viscount, load and broad,
Toward, to forward, to reward.
And your pronunciation’s OK
When you correctly say croquet,
Rounded, wounded, grieve and sieve,
Friend and fiend, alive and live.

Ivy, privy, famous; clamour
And enamour rhyme with hammer.
River, rival, tomb, bomb, comb,
Doll and roll and some and home.
Stranger does not rhyme with anger,
Neither does devour with clangour.
Souls but foul, haunt but aunt,
Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant,
Shoes, goes, does. Now first say finger,
And then singer, ginger, linger,
Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge and gauge,
Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.

Query does not rhyme with very,
Nor does fury sound like bury.
Dost, lost, post and doth, cloth, loth.
Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath.
Though the differences seem little,
We say actual but victual.
Refer does not rhyme with deafer.
Foeffer does, and zephyr, heifer.
Mint, pint, senate and sedate;
Dull, bull, and George ate late.
Scenic, Arabic, Pacific,
Science, conscience, scientific.

Liberty, library, heave and heaven,
Rachel, ache, moustache, eleven.
We say hallowed, but allowed,
People, leopard, towed, but vowed.
Mark the differences, moreover,
Between mover, cover, clover;
Leeches, breeches, wise, precise,
Chalice, but police and lice;
Camel, constable, unstable,
Principle, disciple, label.

Petal, panel, and canal,
Wait, surprise, plait, promise, pal.
Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, chair,
Senator, spectator, mayor.
Tour, but our and succour, four.
Gas, alas, and Arkansas.
Sea, idea, Korea, area,
Psalm, Maria, but malaria.
Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean.
Doctrine, turpentine, marine.

Compare alien with Italian,
Dandelion and battalion.
Sally with ally, yea, ye,
Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, and key.
Say aver, but ever, fever,
Neither, leisure, skein, deceiver.
Heron, granary, canary.
Crevice and device and aerie.

Face, but preface, not efface.
Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass.
Large, but target, gin, give, verging,
Ought, out, joust and scour, scourging.
Ear, but earn and wear and tear
Do not rhyme with here but ere.
Seven is right, but so is even,
Hyphen, roughen, nephew Stephen,
Monkey, donkey, Turk and jerk,
Ask, grasp, wasp, and cork and work.

Pronunciation — think of Psyche!
Is a paling stout and spikey?
Won’t it make you lose your wits,
Writing groats and saying grits?
It’s a dark abyss or tunnel:
Strewn with stones, stowed, solace, gunwale,
Islington and Isle of Wight,
Housewife, verdict and indict.

Finally, which rhymes with enough –
Though, through, plough, or dough, or cough?
Hiccough has the sound of cup.
My advice is to give up!!!

(by Gerard Nolst Trenité.)