The First Europeans To Visit Mexico

The First Europeans To Visit Mexico Free Online Research Papers The first Europeans to visit Mexico were Francisco Fernandez de Cordoba in 1517 and Juan de Greijly in 1518. Hernan Cortes, started the conquest from Cuba in 1519 along with lieutenants such as Pedro de Alvarado managed to conquer the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan; to capture the Aztec ruler, Montezuma, and to bring down the his empire; and to ward off Spanish rivals. In1528 the first royal court was set up under Nuno de Guzman. After Mexico finally established independence, it went through many different constitutions until 1917. The current Mexican Constitution is commonly referred to as the 1917 Constitution. It is the source and origin for all Mexican law. The hierarchy of sources of law in the civil law Tradition to which Mexico’s legal system belongs are, â€Å"constitution, legislation, regulation, and Custom.† The constitution will override all legislation, legislation will override all regulation, and regulation will override all custom. Spanish legislation continued to be used in many key areas, including civil law. During Mexico’s early beginnings, the constant political upheavals and the ruined economy left by the war of independence demanded along and challenging process of consolidation for the law of the new country to finally emerge, be formulated and systematized, and then to gradually acquire its distinct legal contours. In the late 1820’s isolated efforts at the state level had resulted in the formulation of a couple of civil codes. It was until the 1870’s when the codification process gained recognition and stature at the state level. President Benito Juarez was very much in favor of codifying a civil and penal code. As a result, Justo Sierra O’Reilly-Juarez Minister of Education-formulated one of the most advanced and significant civil works in 1861. The French intervention (1862-1867) interrupted these codification attempts. The defeat of the French army, soon followed by the execution of Maximillian of Hapsburg and his generals in 1867. President Juarez then returned to Mexico and started to restore the republican and federal form of government. President Juarez resumed his codification efforts. Finally on December 8, 1870, the Civil Code for the Federal District and the Territory of Baja California. The U.S. did not use codification until much later than Mexico. Mexico is a so called â€Å"law† country. Mexico’s civil law system derived primarily from Roman law as set forth in the compilation of codes and statutes of the Emperor Justinian, called Corpus Civilis. The system is also influenced by the Spanish and â€Å"Indian† law of Spain’s Colonization of areas that became Mexico. The U.S. is a so called â€Å"common law† country. The U.S. common law system is based on the case law and statutory law of England and the American colonies before the American Revolution. The traditional colonial law system Emphasizes case law, customs and usage rather than legislative enactments. The judicial branch of the Mexican government is divided into federal and state systems. Mexico’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Justice, it consists of twenty-one magistrates and five auxiliary judges all appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. This court decides the most important cases in the country. Next in the line of authority and significance are the Circuit Courts who take cases on appeal and amparo cases. The District Courts have jurisdiction over amparo cases in the first instance, and functions as courts of ordinary jurisdiction on matters of federal law, such as commercial law cases. The Supreme Court of Justice is divided into four chambers, each with five justices. These are the Penal Affairs Chambers, Civil Affairs Chamber, Administrative Affairs Chamber and the Labor Affairs Chamber. The Auxiliary Chamber, the fifth chamber, is responsible for the overload of the four regular chambers. Court rulings of both the whole, or plenary, court and the separate chambers are decided on the basis of majority rules. Rulings by the separate chambers may be overturned by the full court. Under the Supreme Court of Justice there are three levels of federal courts: twelve Collegiate Circuit Courts, each with three magistrates; nine Unitary Circuit Courts, each with six magistrates; and sixty-eight District Courts, each with one judge. Federal judges for the lower courts are appointed by the Supreme Court of Justice. The Collegiate Circuit Courts can be compared to the United State’s Courts of Appeals, and this court deals with the protection of individual rights, usually hearing cases where an individual files a writ of amparo, a type of legal protection that can be compared to a form of habeus corpus that protects individual civil liberties and property rights. The Unitary Circuit Courts handles appeal cases also. Spanish civil law is based on strict adherence to legal codes and minimal jurisprudence. The writ of amparo is the most powerful judicial instrument which can be used against acts by any government official, including the president. The Supreme Court of Justice is prohibited by the constitution from applying their rulings beyond any individual case. The Supreme Court of Justice usually shows greater independence in relation to the president than does the legislature often deciding against the executive in amparo cases. But, the Judiciary does not often try to change the will of the president on major issues. The diversification of administrative regulations in the different legal areas is difficult to control due to the quick growth of Administrative law in Mexico. The administrative courts are classified either federal or state. The federal courts include; the Federal Boards of Conciliation and Arbitration which hear labor cases and are of the utmost importance because of Mexico’s Federal Labor Law which controls each employer employee relationship, the Court of Agrarian Justice; the Court of Military Justice; the Court of Jurisdiction over the Electoral Process; and other special courts. State administrative courts include the Administrative Court of Contentions; Justice of the Peace Courts and other courts of little importance. In Mexico there is not as much civil litigation as in the U.S. Mainly, the reason for this is that litigation in Mexico is expensive, there are no awards for punitive damages, all parties must pay their own attorney fees and costs, and the entire process of litigation can be lengthy. If litigation is unavoidable although, there are no punitive damage awards in Mexico, there are awards for â€Å"normal damages† under certain conditions set forth in the Civil Code. The awards here never amount to some of the high figures seen in U.S. rulings. Another characteristic of litigation in Mexico is that there are no jury trials as is the right in most U.S. cases, formal, written declarations are used more often than the oral hearings used in U.S. courts; negotiation and mediation are encouraged. The â€Å"discovery process† is monumentally significant in U.S. litigation, controlled by attorneys this is where much of the time and expense is associated with Mexican litigation. But, in Mexico the judge controls his process. Mexican attorneys have a much more active role in developing a case than do the judges. They assist in the gathering of evidence and selection of witness. If the accused wants the lawyer to be more in control of the case, this could be to his disadvantage. Not including administrative proceedings, most litigation is settled for the above reasons and because in Mexico, judgment is difficult to enforce against a solvent defendant, judgments can be contested in a separate amparo proceeding which can run for several years. In Mexico, one is judged guilty until proven innocent. The death penalty does exist in Mexico, a feature shared with other Latin American countries for historic reasons. In most cases, arrests can only be made on authority of a judicial warrant, unless the suspect is caught in the act of committing a crime. Oftentimes suspects are arrested without a warrant and judges tend to overlook the irregularity. Those arrested are required to be brought before an officer of the court who takes their statements and within 48 hours then informs them of he charges against them. Within seventy hours of the arraignment, the judge must remand the arrested person to prison or release that person. Criminal trials in most cases are tried by a judge without a jury. The judge acting alone basis his/her verdict on any evidence, although at times oral testimony is presented. Defendants have the right to counsel, if they can’t afford it they are appointed a public defender. This quality of counsel is usually poor. Usually the accused and the lawyer may not appear the important stage of sentencing. The defendants right to a public trials is guaranteed, as is the right to confront one’s accusers and to be provided a translator if the defendant is not Spanish. Under their Constitution the court must hand down sentencing within four months of arrest for crimes carrying the maximum sentence of two years or less, and within a year if the crime carries a longer sentence. The Mexican Penal code stipulates a range of sentences for each offense. Sentences tend to be short, usually not longer than seven years. The actual time of incarceration is usually three fifths of a sentence if, good behavior. These sentenced for less than five years may avoid further jail time by passing a bond. The entire process of trial, sentencing and appeals often takes a year or more. A key element in Mexico’s legal system is their Lawyers. Many of them are highly educated and many speak English. These students enter law school after eleven years of formal education. Law school is five years and is broader and more formal and theoretical than law schools in the U.S. After graduation the person will usually clerk for a firm or government Official until an oral exam is presented to become licensed. Mexican lawyers are licensed to practice throughout Mexico, not in individual states as in the U.S. A â€Å"notary public† in Mexico is different in what is referred to as a notary public in the U.S.A Mexican notary public is a lawyer who is also a public official appointed by the by the Mexican state, or by selection after a rigid application process and examination. This type of appointment is considered a delegation of government authority for the certification or official recognition of certain acts and documents. Mexican notaries are allowed to practice law in some states. This position of notary public in Mexico is coveted, and one acquires this position after years of apprenticeship under the guidance of another public. There are many similarities between Mexico and the U.S. contract law. As in other legal systems, the general principle is freedom of contract between individuals and entities is the backbone of contract law in both countries. The common fundamental principles of contract law Include the initial offer and negotiation of the terms, acceptance; formalization of the contract including the establishment of liquidated damages or other provisions and conditions of default; and termination of the contractual obligations. The major differences between U.S. and Mexican law surround the fundamental U.S. concept of consideration for a valid contract requires that one party receive something of value or that the other party suffer a lost, take on a responsibility or give up an opportunity. If such consideration is absent, the contract is invalid, although the U.S. is evolving away from this requirement. In Mexico, the validity of and compliance within a contract depend only on the existence of the agreement between parties. The parties do not need to present â€Å"legal consideration† to bind themselves, their intent to agree is sufficient Mexico, as in the U.S., freedom of contract depends on the legality of the subject of the contract, and accordingly, contracts involving illegal activities are void. Another important difference between U.S. and Mexican contract law is the degree of formality required of contracts. Mexican contractual law imposes many formalities that are not required in the U.S. One example of these formalities is the requirement to appear before a Mexican notary public to center the legality of certain types of contracts, such as contracts to buy or sell real property this certification process is much more formal than the U.S. requirement that a Notary Public acknowledge signatures on a deed. Finally, the difference between the strength of U.S. guarantee agreements and Mexican guaranty agreements in Mexico, such contracts are â€Å"secondary contracts† because they require the prior existence of a principal contract, a special characteristic of Mexican law. An example of this is the mortgage contract which cannot be guaranteed without a prior contract that gives rise to the obligation to be guaranteed or secured by the mortgage. In the United States, guaranteed agreements are more flexible and independent, and can exist without prior principle contract, as in the case of a standard security agreement. Who’s to say what changes can be made to improve the Mexican legal system, seeing as how the U.S. legal system could also use some improvement. The rule of law is not simply the consequences of what is written down in the constitution and the various laws, but rather a behavioral equilibrium that emerges from the interaction of legal institutions and the strategic choices of political and social actors who attempt to bypass the constraints imposed by those institutions. Research Papers on The First Europeans To Visit MexicoThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationQuebec and CanadaPETSTEL analysis of India19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeCapital PunishmentInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Bringing Democracy to Africa

Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell Funny

Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell Funny When you eat asparagus, your urine will smell funny. However, not everyones noses can detect the odor of asparagus pee. The chemical that produces the effect is called asparagusic acid. Asparagusic acid is not volatile, so if you sniff a spear of aparagus, you wont smell anything noteworthy. However, when your body digests asparagus, aspargusic acid is broken down into simpler compounds, which are volatile, so they transfer from urine into the air, where they make their way to your nose so  you can smell them. These compounds  include dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl sulfone, and  dimethyl sulfoxide. The sulfurous compounds or mercaptans are related to the chemicals that make  skunk spray and rotten eggs  so odious. Asparagus Doesnt Make Everyones Pee Stink While it is believed everyone excretes these compounds in their urine after eating asparagus, somewhere between 22% and 50% of the population lack  the chemoreceptors to detect the funky smell. Also, some people may metabolize asparagusic acid in a way that produces lower quantities of the distinctive-smelling molecules. Whether or not you can smell the distinctive funky odor of asparagus pee depends on your genetics. Inability to smell the chemical results from a single base pair genetic mutation, which is passed on in families.  While you might not consider yourself fortunate if you can smell it, the upside is youre more likely able to smell other sulfurous molecules, which might protect you from toxic chemicals. Learn More What Is the Worst Smelling Chemical?How To Color UrineChemical Composition of Urine

Retinopathy of Prematurity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Retinopathy of Prematurity - Research Paper Example The aftermath is a scarring of the surface of the eye which exerts pressure on the retina forcing it to be more taut and detached from the wall of the eye. This can easily lead to loss of vision in the affected infants. Due to the lack of symptoms that can help in detection and early diagnosis of the condition in infants, the services of an ophthalmologist are required to carry out a specialized and intense eye examination. In many case, the problem does not escalate to an acute level, the condition clears up without the need for any treatment. The eyes however require to be continuously examined to ensure that the blood vessels do mature. Additionally, if the severity of the disorder in an infant exceeds what can naturally be outgrown, they can be administered with laser treatment to avert the loss of vision in infants. Keywords: Retinopathy of Prematurity, Infant, Retina, Eyes, Vision Introduction Wormald, Smeeth and Henshaw define Retinopathy of Prematurity as a â€Å"vasoprolife rative disease of premature, low birth weight (LBW) babies, which occurs as a result of aberrant vascularization of the immature retina† (2004, p. 57). ... Retinopathy of Prematurity occurs in five stages. A number of treatments have been tried and tested for the treatment of the condition. However, to date, the treatments that have been regarded as exuding the most efficacy in dealing with the condition are Laser Therapy or Cryotherapy (National Eye Institute, 2009). Risk Factors The greatest risk factor contributing towards the development of Retinopathy of Prematurity is premature birth (Hartnett, 2005). According to Kids Health, commencing from 16 weeks into the development of a baby in the uterus of their mother, the blood vessels begin to grow within a baby’s eyes; originating from the center of the eye (2013). By the eight month of the pregnancy, the blood vessels gradually branch out to the sides of the retina. For babies born prematurely, the normal process of the growth of retinal blood vessels may be upset. This may result in abnormal development of vessels, or the growth of abnormal vessels. As a result, the vessels t hat are abnormal may leak or bleed into the eye. The vessels that may have grown randomly in the eye may result in scarring, whereby the scars on the retina may shrink and tag on the retina. The effect of this tension on the retina may trigger the detachment of the retina from the back of the eye. This may result in the baby becoming blind due to the essential role that is played by the retina in the facilitation of the ability to see (Kids Health, 2013). Another risk factor that is suggested as being a cause of the condition is light, due to the fact that it â€Å" leads to a release of free radicals that can cause oxidative damage, death of endothelial cells and release of angiogenic compounds† (Hartnett, 2005, p. 399). Researchers however pose differing

Reflective Personal Leadership Development Plan Assignment

Reflective Personal Leadership Development Plan - Assignment Example From the report it is clear that transformational leaders are exceptional in the fact that they possess a positive and optimistic general outlook and still understand about others’ needs. Such leaders have open communication that lays a platform for his followers to be aware of situations as well as understand the company happenings. More so, transformational leaders are capable of managing conflict and promoting team cohesion, which in turn improve team performance through teamwork. As the study declares the qualities the author posses as a leader are not enough to bring the needed impact and the author needs to capitalize my strength in order to fit the top range. In order to achieve this, the author will need to add up more in social sensitivity and charisma because the author believes that these two missing aspects are magical and the driving force behiand effective leadership. Social sensitivity encompasses vision, and when the author combines vision with charisma; the author will be in a position to transform the organization. More so, charisma will help me manage my high temper because in the first place, it will grant me a great emotional appeal and I will be in a position to connect with the feelings and the values of my followers. More so charisma will offer me a chance to understand the social environment hence cultivating for my vision. The gap between what the author is and what he would like to be is nothing but improvement on my weakest points. ... Prior to being angry, I am an exceptional kind of person because I possess numerous leadership strengths that include patience, understanding, and competence and above all, I am visionary and focused (Gallos, 2008). What I will do to capitalize on your strengths and modify your weaknesses In growing modern organizations, the qualities I posses as a leader are not enough to bring the needed impact and I need to capitalize my strength in order to fit the top range. In order to achieve this, I will need to add up more in social sensitivity and charisma because I believe that these two missing aspects are magical and the driving force behind effective leadership. Social sensitivity encompasses vision, and when I combine vision with charisma; I will be in a position to transform the organization. More so, charisma will help me manage my high temper because in the first place, it will grant me a great emotional appeal and I will be in a position to connect with the feelings and the values of my followers (Avolio & Yammarino, 2002). More so charisma will offer me a chance to understand the social environment hence cultivating for my vision. Gaps between the leader I am now and the leader I would like to become The gap between what I am and what I would like to be is nothing but improvement on my weakest points. Currently, I have succeeded in inspiring my followers and motivating them into being a better work force. I have also laid out plans to empower them more despite that the plans have not yet undergone implementation. Though I have interacted well with my followers, and laid plans to motivate them better, the relationship between us is a weak one (Avolio & Yammarino, 2002). My followers are unable

Gaussian Mixture Model

Gaussian Mixture Model Many computer related vision technology, it is critical to identify moving objects from a sequence of videos frames. In order to achieve this, background subtraction is applied which mainly identifies moving objects from each portion of video frames. Background subtraction or segmentation is a widely used technique in video surveillance, target recognitions and banks. By using the Gaussian Mixture Model background model, frame pixels are deleted from the required video to achieve the desired results. The application of background subtraction involves various factors which involve developing an algorithm which is able to detect the required object robustly, it should also be able to react to various changes like illumination, starting and stopping of moving objects. Surveillance is the monitoring of the behaviour, activities or other changing information usually of people and often ina surreptitiousmanner. Video surveillance is commonly used for event detection and human identification. But it is not easy as think to detect the event or tracking the object. There are many techniques and papers introduced by many scientists for the backend process in the video surveillance. Different automated softwares are used for the analysis of the video footage. It tracks large body movements and objects. In this report we discuss the application of mixture of Gaussian (M.O.G) which is used as a background subtraction model in order to achieve object/target recognition; this method involves calculation the mean and standard deviation of each pixel frame which will be discussed more in detailed as the report progresses. 2. Background Subtraction (Literature Review) Figure 1 Background subtraction Flow Diagram [1] According to [1], the above figure shows the basic flow diagram on how background subtraction algorithm is based. The four important steps described by [1] and which play an important role in background subtraction are described below and include: 2.1 Preprocessing Temporal or spatial smoothing is used in the early pre processing stage to eliminate device noise which can be a factor under different light intensity. Smoothing technique also includes removing various other elements like environment such as rain and snow.   In real-time systems, frame size and frame rate are commonly adopted to reduce the data processing rate. Another key factor in preprocessing technique is the data format used by the background subtraction model. Most algorithms can handle luminance intensity which is one scalar value per each pixel.   As shown in the examples below [2]: Figure 2 Image on the left shows snowing and image on the right is a resultant of smoothing effect In the figure 2, shown are two images which shows snow on the left and whereas with the application of spatial and temporal smoothing on right image results in the elimination of snow producing an more clear and effective image for background subtraction. 2.2 Background Modeling This step uses the new video frame in order to calculate and update the background model. The main aim of developing a background model is that it should be robust against environmental changes in the background, but sensitive enough to identify all moving objects of interest. 2.3 Foreground Detection In this step, it identifies the pixels in the frame. Foreground detection compares the video frame with the background model, and identify candidate foreground pixels from the frame. Commonly- used approach for foreground detection is to check whether the pixel is significantly different from the corresponding background estimate as show below: A different foreground detection scheme is normalised threshold based statistics as shown below: Where,  µd and are the mean and standard deviation of the for all spatial locations (x,y). 2.4 Data Validation Finally, this step eliminated any pixels which are not connected to the image. It involves the process of improving the foreground mask based on the information obtained from the outside background model. Most background models lack three main points: 1. Ignoring any correlation between neighbouring pixels 2. The rate of adaption may not match the moving speed of the foreground object. 3. Non-stationary pixels, from moving leavers or shadow cast by moving objects are at times mistaken for true foreground objects. 3. Background Reading There are different types of background modelling which are as follows: 3.1 Simple Frame Difference Frame difference is considered the simplest form of background subtraction. The method involves the subtraction of previous pixel frame with current pixel frame and if the value obtained from this greater than a set threshold then it is considered as the foreground. Advantages: Less complex The method can easily and quickly adapt to changes Able to distinguish the background from foreground much affectively. Disadvantages: Not Robust, object has to continuously move. Only applicable when with fixed camera. Fails to handle illumination changes. 3.2 Moving Average Filtering Referring from [3], Moving Average filtering is a method in which an estimate value of a particular background pixel value is weighted as average of the previous values. Pixels in the far part are weighted at Zero and the weights increase smoothly.  Ã‚   3.3 Online Gaussian Model In this method, we assume the background as a Gaussian distribution rather than a single value. To calculate Gaussian for 1-D is as follows[4]: Where, x is the current pixel value,  µ is the mean of each pixel and sigma is the standard deviation of the pixel. Finally, the following equations are used in online updated of Gaussian mean and variance: In the above equations[4]:  µ(t) is the mean for each pixel where ÃŽÂ ± is the learning rate, t is the time of the previous pixel and x is the current pixel value. à Ã†â€™2(t) is the standard deviation of the each pixels. The foreground decision rule applied here is when the distance between each pixel value and Gaussian model is larger than a certain threshold, it is considered as the Foreground. 3.3 GMM Gaussian Mixture Model In order to use GMM the following equations are considered: In the above equations [4]:  µ(t) is the mean for each pixel where ÃŽÂ ± is the learning rate, t is the time of the previous pixel and x is the current pixel value. à Ã†â€™2(t) is the standard deviation of the each pixels. The description and implementation of GMM model will be discussed more in detail in the later part of the report 3.4 Codebook based Technique It is a method where a quantized and clustering technique is motivated by Kohonen to construct the background model from long observation sequences, without making any parameter assumptions. For each pixels, a codebook contains one or more codewords and mixed backgrounds can be modelled by using multiple codewords. Samples at each pixel are clustered into the set of codewords based on a color distortion metric together with a brightness ratio. [4] 4.0 Gaussian Mixture Model In this report we implement the Gaussian Mixture Model for background subtraction. This background subtraction model is more robust than other models discussed in previous section. Most importantly it can handle multi-modal situations e.g. trees and sky which is more effectively filtered by the GMM model. Each pixel value is modelled by a mixture of Gaussian rather than a particular type of distribution. Based on the variance of each of the Gaussian of the mixture, we determine which Gaussians may correspond to background colors. Pixel values that do not fix the background distributions are considered foreground until there is a Gaussian that includes them with sufficient consistent evidence supporting it [5]. This method is very adaptable with lighting changes, repetitive motions and slow moving objects. This method contains 2 main significant parameters -Alpha, the learning constant and T, the proportion of the data that should be accounted for by the background The Gaussian mixture components for a pixel have normalized weights calculated from the past observations. The likelihood that a pixel has a value of Xt is assumed to be:    [5] The parameters of the mixture components are updates with the new frames. A retrieved pixel value is compared with all the components of the mixture assigned to that pixel to find out if there is a match. A match is said to happen when the retrieved pixel value is within 2.5 times standard deviation of a mixture component. The update procedure is different for the matching component and other components. The mean values and the covariance matrices are updated for only the matching component. The value formulas for the matching components are: And the weights are updated with given formula    [6] In case there is not a match between the current pixel value and the mixture components related to that pixel .the component having the smallest likelihood with respect to the current pixel value is discarded. A new Gaussian component is created in place of the discarded one, having a mean value equal to the current pixel value, and a variance equal to a predetermined constant. To retrieve the foreground the following equation is used. Where, T is the threshold value for the sum of the weights.[6] 5.0 Algorithm In order to give a better understanding of the algorithm used for background subtraction the following steps were adopted to achieve the desired results: Firstly, we compare each input pixels to the mean mu of the associated components. If the value of a pixel is close enough to a chosen components mean, then that component is considered as the matched component. In order to be a matched component, the difference between the pixel and mean must be less than compared to the components standard deviation scaled by factor D in the algorithm. Secondly, update the Gaussian weight, mean and standard deviation (variance) to reflect the new obtained pixel value. In relation to non-matched components the weights w decreases whereas the mean and standard deviation stay the same. It is dependent upon the learning component p in relation to how fast they change. Thirdly, here we identify which components are parts of the background model. To do this a threshold value is applied to the component weights w. Fourthly, in the final step we determine the foreground pixels. Here the pixels that are identified as foreground dont match with any components determined to be the background. 6.0 Experimental Results For better results, median filter was used where the main purpose was to filter out unconnected pixels from the large connected pixels (e.g. people, vehicles) so that it was easy to distinguish between the background and foreground. With median filter the value of the output pixel is determined by the median of the neighboring pixels instead of the mean. Median has a much smaller insensitivity compared with mean to extreme values. The function used was medfilt2(A,[m n]). Figure 3 GMM Background Subtraction with high light intensity In the above image, the picture on the right shows the output of background subtraction using the GMM model. There is still false negative foreground detection which produces the disturbances in the image. Although it still shows the objects moving hence, making it suitable for object tracking. The reason for these disturbances can be narrowed down to illumination changes. Figure 4 GMM Background Subtraction with Low light intensity For the above, a short 30 second video was recorded where light intensity was moderate and the camera was still. It can be observed that the hand is visible and false negative detection is low which suggests that the model works robustly in low light intensities. From the above results, we can say that there are still improvements to be made in the algorithm mostly to work with illumination which increases the false negative background subtraction. 7.0 Further Improvements The GMM model used in this paper could be further tweaked to provide better results in terms of zero disturbances/noises. The use of morphological filters could be implemented into the algorithm to reduce these unconnected pixels which were seen in the figures above and make it more robust in object tracking. The algorithm has the capabilities of further improvements to run large size videos and importantly the ability to process more frames per seconds using larger number of Gaussians in the mixture model. Apart from the above improvements, we further plan to research the model using PTZ (Pan Tilt Zoom) technique to study the processing rate of frame/second and observe the robustness of the algorithm in terms of disturbances/noise. There are possibilities of false positive results where background could be recognised as foreground. 8.0 Conclusions In this project we implemented a very strong and widely used background subtraction method according to the paper Adaptive background mixture models for real-time tracking. This method is very adaptable for lighting changes and shadow removals. Also it finds the repetitive actions as well with the use of mixture of Gaussians. Alpha and T are the key parameters in this paper. The values of these parameters changes with the different cameras and different environment. So it is very important to get the best values for them to work with for different videos. Also we tried to improve the output quality by using some filtration methods like median filter. The guassain model is not perfect with the result since there are some disturbances after the modelling also. But there are many good post processing techniques are introduced and we referenced two of them. A new region Gaussian background model for video surveillance by Xun Cai and Long Jiang, and Improved Post-Processing for GMM based Adaptive Background Modeling by Deniz Turdu,Hakan Erdogan. But the 1st paper doesnt give any clear information about the techniques failed to explain the equations as well. Second paper introduces a very good technique and we couldnt able to get the result properly. But this assignment was very challenging for us and helped us to get a very good knowledge about different background subtraction methods used in Video surveillance. 9.0 References [1] Robust techniques for background subtraction in urban traffic video Sen-Ching S. Cheung and Chandrika Kamath, 2006/07 [2] Background Subtractions of Moving Objects https://computation.llnl.gov/casc/sapphire/background/background.html [3] Page444, Computer vision A modern approach, David A. Forsyth [4] Dr J. Zhang, CSC7006 Lecture 2 Slides, Queens University Belfast. [5] Adaptive background mixture models for real-time tracking, Chris Stafer, W.E.L Grimson [6] Improved Post processing for GMM based adaptive background modelling by Deniz Turdu, Hakan Erdogan

Prosecuting Cyber Bullying

Technology is frequently being used to display personal Information on social networking sites for everyone In the world to see. With this Instantaneous technology, the school bully has access to an easier, more harmful, and anonymous way to intimidate their victim. Cyber bullying has become a form of harassment that is creating a myriad of problems for teenagers and, therefore, needs to be dealt with properly.The sense of anonymity and the ability to disguise ones identity online increases Weber bullying activity by â€Å"making fun of, telling lies, spreading rumors, threats and sharing private Information or pictures [online]† (Lulls lines 31-32). In spite of the recent technological advancements, problems with bullying has existed for generations. At the click of a button, the threatening information that can be posted online can be seen throughout the world for anyone to see.Because more people have access to someone's private or embarrassing information, â€Å"an increa sed audience can often lead to more harmful bullying Incidents† (Macaque 27). Cyber lulling can be committed any where and at any time, therefore â€Å"the cyber bullies may not fully understand the Impact of their behavior on their victims† (Lulls line 9). Cyber bullying can negatively affect an individual and even lead to depression and thoughts of suicide. There are many well known stories of teenagers compelled to desperate, even suicidal acts after having been exposed to recurrent harassment by others online.For Instance, the devastating and well-known case off 13-year-old girl named Megan Meier, committed seclude allegedly due to cyber bullying (Macaque 141 After coming friends with a boy she met online, Megan, who had a lifelong struggle with weight and self-esteem, finally met a boy she thought she could trust. After weeks of friendly conversations online Megan was eager to strengthen their relationship by finally meeting each other in person. Flirtatious messag es from her online boyfriend â€Å"Josh† suddenly turned into disturbing and confusing remarks such as â€Å"the world would be a better place without you† (Macaque 16). Josh† even began to post spiteful comments on his site about Megan. Megan committed seclude to escape the main and humiliation she was put through (â€Å"Social Networking Web Sites† 3). Investigators soon discovered that the profile of â€Å"Josh Evans† was created by a 48- year-old woman named Lori Drew. Loris's intentions were to tease and embarrass Megan, her next door neighbor and a former friend of Loris's 13-year-old daughter (Macaque 28). This case brought national attention to the dire consequences of cyber bullying. The community was outraged and demanded charges to be brought against this mother.Lori went to court but was never convicted because there was no law against cyber bullying. Another instance of the horrific effects of cyber bullying is portrayed in the tragic s tory of 18-year-old Tyler Clementine. Tyler started his freshman year with a big future ahead of him and a great outlook on life. Invading Teller's privacy, his college roommate streamed private footage online from a WebMD that he held In their dorm (â€Å"Key Events in the History of Prosecuting Cybernetics† 8). Comments about his sexuality flooded through his inbox that night.Days after the video went viral, Tyler could not handle the embarrassment and committed suicide by â€Å"Jumping off of the George Washington Bridge† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 1). These are two highly publicized and tragic cases resulting from abuse online. There are thousands of other people that are being threatened and bullied through technology every day and no one knows about it. There is nothing positive that results from bullying, but some people still believe that cyber bullies should not be prosecuted because it is not a crime.Critics say that cyber bullying is not an issue that should have legal attention, â€Å"but a dilemma best solved by schools and parents† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 2). Many school districts throughout the country are attempting to educate their students about online safety and protection. In order to solve the problem of cyber bullying, the critics believe that schools should concentrate on â€Å"spreading messages of tolerance and civility to all young people† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 2). Another point that critics stress is that prosecuting cyber bullies violates â€Å"the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech† (Hayward 21).Opponents to the prosecution of cyber bullies need to take into account the innocent people that are being terrorized online ND their rights to protect themselves. Supporters of the prosecution of these online abusers agree that cyber bullying leads to many emotional problems for the victims. Cyber bullies purposely â€Å"target their vict ims, revealing personal information on the Internet or harassing them through frequent or threatening messages† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 16). More often than not, school administrators and parents fail to identify and stop cyber bullying before it is too late.Prosecutors need to take action in order to protect students online. Students are apprehensive to tell an adult about abuse online because they fear the bullying will only get worse. Victims feel that they are on their own in the endless abuse and â€Å"allegedly saw no choice for escape except to kill themselves† (Lulls 22). Historically, a person repeatedly bullied is not only a danger to themselves, but may even have the urge to harm others. For example, in the article â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics†, research has determined that â€Å"perpetrators of school violence?such as the two students who went on a shooting rampage at ColumbineHigh School in Colorado in 1999?often have a history of both bullying and being bullied themselves† (par. 31). Even though the cyber bully is not physically shoving the victim around, they are still able to instill a sense of fear and hopelessness in their victims. In order to punish cyber bullies for their conduct, new, up-to-date laws need to be passed for the protection of the innocent victim. With technology being the most popular form of communication, it is important to establish a law to â€Å"deter future bullying with a legal means to punish those who cause harm†.

The Research Paper Writing Help Diaries

The Research Paper Writing Help Diaries What You Should Do to Find Out About Research Paper Writing Help Before You're Left Behind If you are searching for the greatest professional writers for your Thesis then we are here in order to provide it for you. Thesis is actually a paper compiled by students that are pretty close from getting an instructional level. A dissertation also referred to as a thesis, is a scientific work that's presented, or defended by means of an applicant for an academic level. Thesis help demands detailed information regarding the topics you're discussing in your dissertation paper. Though there are lots of thesis help solutions, the students mostly try to find the most authentic thesis help businesses, which provide their services at quite a reasonable speed. Students may feel from the usage of giving up stories in a lot of ways. Since you are able to see, students are certain to face many challenges should they need to turn into a member of the buy essay club. Some students think that they don't require assistance and support to compose a convincing research paper. Writing help is offered by qualified and responsible writers who don't miss deadlines and are responsive to your wants and concerns. Students find the job of selecting thesis topics most difficult and they start looking for appropriate guidance. They can take help from professional thesis writing services as in the past few years the field of assignment assistance has become more productive and updated. Take a look at our price calculator to discover what your perfect price for the paper is! The review is going to teach you whatever you will need to understand and then you're able to place your purchase confidently. Your own personal information will stay completely confidential and won't be disclosed to any third party. Even then you're not able to discover the informative and accurate details. Writing is a present that comes naturally. You may visit our main Dissertation Help page for a more sophisticated description of how we can help with your work. Writing a CV may be stressful endeavor, particularly if you're starting from scratch And though there's no one-size-fits-all solution for the ideal CV, it should. Writing and updating a CV is a practical technique during job search as it enables you to keep an eye on your abilities and experience in 1 document. Research Paper Writing Help: No Longer a Mystery A Your religion research paper is going to have good effect on your general performance. Shedding the a celebrity in the beginning of a paper usually will secure the reader's interest. If you're thinking that you will need a person to compose my essay at the moment, you can merely rely on our honest reviews. Before you start to compose your essay, you should research and read widely on your topic to aid you to have a well-reasoned stance. Therefore, if you're struggling with assignment writing, then we've got a choice for you. Our qualified professionals can help you write your assignment in a really professional way. It's important to get a thorough understanding about the specification and plan of conducting a specific research even before the onset of that very research work. Your help is just a click of a button away provided that you own a computer with an online connection. Without regard to the character of your research, if you're writing a paper an outline can help you to not just organize your thoughts, it will also function as the template. Thesis help is a good solution for scholars, who value their time and nerves, and wish to be certain that they'll receive an essential score. The principal part The most important region of the thesis usually is composed of a couple of chapters. Therefore, if you discover thesis writing to be an intimidating task which requires double efforts from your endjust take it simple.