Stock Market Prices - Web Based App Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Stock Market Prices - Web Based App - Coursework Example There are many advances in stock technologies, although the real time stock out has gotten the most press coverage recently. There are diverse technologies with various capabilities, price points, and footprints. After some time, this evolving change in the stock exchange will spread to other sectors as well. Anything of material significance will be stream –tagged to report its state in real time...... Sophisticated financial operations and keen investors require state of the art trading systems with potential of handling operations in terms of complexity and volume. Challenge the market The challenges faced by markets place are the ability to handle increased volume of trading and latest financial instrument. This calls for the implementation of new rules and regulations that demand for setting up latest cutting edge systems or modifying or even upgrading the existing systems without interfering the on-going operations Challenges 1. Quick and quality execution 2. High Performance 3. Scalability to handle high volumes without degrading in performance 4. Platform neutral 5. Security Overview The documentation is to be developed to cater to the operational needs of the investors all over the world. Therefore, the architecture covers all aspects of Real time market information. Real Time and Delayed Stock Quotes The stock quotes are available on real time basis for which the bourse ch arges a monthly fee while the delayed mode which occurs on the basis of 15-20 minutes delay or lag and available for free. Relevant parameters from the stock market 1. Spot price is acquired from stock exchange’s current basic stock trade price. 2. Exercise price, Time to Maturity are acquired from option exchange quotes. 3. Risk free rate depends on different economies, for example, the US market and the US Treasury 4. Suggested bill rate is 5. Volatility is acquired from user entries; the goal is to give an individual user freedom to decide on their own volatility method. It helps in carrying a test for volatility’s accuracy against the basic market price. Finance data service provider The data is obtained

AIS-MACA- Z: MACA based Clonal Classifier for Splicing Site

AIS-MACA- Z: MACA based Clonal Classifier for Splicing Site AIS-MACA- Z: MACA based Clonal Classifier for Splicing Site, Protein Coding and Promoter Region Identification in Eukaryotes Pokkuluri Kiran Sree, Inampudi Ramesh Babu, SSSN Usha Devi N   Abstract Bioinformatics incorporates information regarding biological data storage, accessing mechanisms and presentation of characteristics within this data. Most of the problems in bioinformatics and be addressed efficiently by computer techniques. This paper aims at building a classifier based on Multiple Attractor Cellular Automata (MACA) which uses fuzzy logic with version Z to predict splicing site, protein coding and promoter region identification in eukaryotes. It is strengthened with an artificial immune system technique (AIS), Clonal algorithm for choosing rules of best fitness. The proposed classifier can handle DNA sequences of lengths 54,108,162,252,354. This classifier gives the exact boundaries of both protein and promoter regions with an average accuracy of 90.6%. This classifier can predict the splicing site with 97% accuracy. This classifier was tested with 1, 97,000 data components which were taken from Fickett Toung, EPDnew, and other sequences from a renowned medical uni versity. Key Words: MACA(Multiple Attractor Cellular Automata) , CA(Cellular Automata) ,AIS( Artificial Immune System) ,Clonal Algorithm, AIS-MACA-Z(Artificial Immune System- Multiple Attractor Cellular Automata-Version Z). Introduction In recent years, study of Cellular Automata (CA) as a potential modeling tool has gained importance. Some researchers and scientists have used CA in image processing, data compression, pattern recognition, encryption, VLSI design and language recognition. Cellular Automata (CA) is a computing model which provides a good platform for performing complex computations with the available local information. CA is portrayed by local interconnectivity of cells in the network/grid. The interactions/communications between the cells are pulley local. Each cell is permitted to interact with its neighboring cells only. Further, the interconnection links typically convey just a little measure of data. No cell in the entire network will have the global view. These characteristics of CA attracted us to propose a classifier which can be very much useful for solving many problems in bioinformatics with the existing frame work. Artificial Immune System is a novel computational intelligence technique with features like distributed computing, fault /error tolerance, dynamic learning, adaption to the frame work, self monitoring, non uniformity and several features of natural immune systems. AIS take its motivation from the standard immune system of the body to propose novel computing tools for addressing many problems in wide domain areas. These features of AIS are used in the thesis to strengthen the proposed CA classifier Literature Survey Vitoantonio Bevilacqu[1] at el. tried to provide theoretical foundations for solving some problems in bioinformatics using artificial immune system like multiple sequence alignment problem and protein structure prediction. Hybrid immune algorithm was proposed for addressing multiple sequence alignment problems. Some open problems in bioinformatics are discussed and authors tried to create insight for applying AIS in bioinformatics. Shane Dixon at al has proposed Bioinformatics data mining was proposed with AIS and Neural Network. Variations in the real valued negative selection algorithm and multi layer feed forward neural network model are discussed in detail. Niloy Ganguly[2] at al has made a survey on cellular automata which say CA uses the local information and performs complex computations. Authors gave a brief discussion on the types of Cellular Automata. Niloy Ganguly at al has also proposed theoretical concept of proposing CA for pattern classification which can be applied for low cost VLSI implementation. This classifier is capable of accommodating noise based on distance metric also. Palsh Sarkar [3]also have given a brief history of cellular automata regarding the way for creating CA games like game of life and firing squad problem and creating local CA rules for specific problems. Pradipta Maji[4] at al has proposed the error correcting capability of cellular automata based on associative memory. The desired CA is evolved with formulation of simulated annealing program. X.Xiao[6] at al has used CA to generate image representation for biological sequencs. The research is amide to improve the quality of predicting protein attribut es such as structural class and sub cellular location. Adriana Popovici at al has successful applied CA in image processing. Parallelism in CA is used to remove the noise and detection of boarders in digital images. Jesus P. Mena-Chalco[5] at al has used Modified Gabor-Wavelet Transform for addressing this issue. In this connection, numerous coding DNA model-free systems dependent upon the event of particular examples of nucleotides at coding areas have been proposed. Regardless, these techniques have not been totally suitable because of their reliance on an observationally predefined window length needed for a nearby dissection of a DNA locale. Authors present a strategy dependent upon a changed Gabor-wavelet transform for the ID of protein coding areas. This novel convert is tuned to examine intermittent sign parts and presents the focal point of being free of the window length. We contrasted the execution of the MGWT and different strategies by utilizing eukaryote information sets. The effects indicate that MGWT beats all evaluated model-autonomous strategies regarding ID exactness. These effects demonstrate that the wellspring of in any event some piece of the ID lapses handled by the past s ystems is the altered working scale. The new system stays away from this wellspring of blunders as well as makes an instrument accessible for point by point investigation of the nucleotide event Changchuan Yin[6] at el has proposed a strategy to foresee protein coding areas is produced which is dependent upon the way that the vast majority of exon arrangements have a 3-base periodicity, while intron groupings dont have this interesting characteristic. The technique registers the 3-base periodicity and the foundation clamor of the stepwise DNA sections of the target DNA groupings utilizing nucleotide circulations as a part of the three codon positions of the DNA successions. Exon and intron successions might be recognized from patterns of the degree of the 3-base periodicity to the foundation commotion in the DNA groupings. Design of AIS-MACA-Z The general design of AIS-MACA-Z is indicated in the figure 1. Input to AIS-MACA-Z algorithm and its variations will be DNA sequence and Amino Acid sequences. Input processing unit will process sequences three at a time as three neighborhood cellular automata is considered for processing DNA sequences. The rule generator will transform the complemented and non complemented rules in the form of matrix, so that we can apply the rules to the corresponding sequence positions very easily. AIS-MACA-Z basins are calculated as per the instructions of proposed algorithm and an inverter tree named as AIS multiple attractor cellular automata is formed which can predict the class of the input after all iterations. Figure1: General Architecture of AIS-MACA- Z For a sample DNA sequence and fuzzy real values, the data structures AIS-MACA-Z [7,8] is shown in the figure 2. The decimal equivalent of the next state function, as defined as the rule number of the CA cell. In a 2-state 3-neighborhood CA, there are 256 distinct next state functions, among 256 rules, rule 51is represented in the following equation 1. Rule 51 : qi(t + 1) = qi(t) Equation (1) Figure2: AIS-MACA- Z data structure Experimental Results Experiments were conducted by using Fickett and Toung data [9] for predicting the protein coding regions and splicing cites. All the 21 measures reported in [9] were considered for developing the classifier. For promoter region identification human promoters from EPDnew[10]. Table 1 represents the splicing cite output. Figure 3,4,5,6 shows the prediction of promoter and protein coding regions. Table 1: Splicing Cite Output Figure3: AIS-MACA- Z Interface Identifying Protein Coding Regions Figure 4: Exons Boundary Reporting Figure 5: Coding Sequence Reporting Figure 6: Coding Sequence Probability Levels 5. Conclusion We have developed a logical classifier designed with MACA and strengthened with AIS technique that uses a fuzzy logic for predicting the slicing sites, protein and promoter regions. The accuracy of the AIS-MACA-Z classifier is considerably more when compared with the existing algorithm which is 90.6% in average. The proposed classifier can handle large data sets and sequences of various lengths. This classifier certainly provides intuition towards application of MACA to several problems in bioinformatics. 6. References Bevilacqua, Vitoantonio, Maurizio Triggiani, Vito Gallo, Isabella Cafagna, Piero Mastrorilli, and Giuseppe Ferrara. An expert system for an innovative discrimination tool of commercial table grapes. In Intelligent Computing Theories and Applications, pp. 95-102. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2012. Ganguly, Niloy, Biplab K. Sikdar, Andreas Deutsch, Geoffrey Canright, and P. Pal Chaudhuri. A survey on cellular automata. (2003). Sarkar, Palash, and Subhamoy Maitra. Nonlinearity bounds and constructions of resilient Boolean functions. In Advances in Cryptology—CRYPTO 2000, pp. 515-532. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2000. Maji, Pradipta, Chandrama Shaw, Niloy Ganguly, Biplab K. Sikdar, and P. Pal Chaudhuri. Theory and application of cellular automata for pattern classification. Fundamenta Informaticae 58, no. 3 (2003): 321-354. Mena-Chalco, Jesà ºs P., Helaine Carrer, Yossi Zana, and Roberto M. Cesar. Identification of protein coding regions using the modified Gabor-wavelet transform. Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, IEEE/ACM Transactions on 5, no. 2 (2008): 198-207. Yin, Changchuan, and Stephen S-T. Yau. Prediction of protein coding regions by the 3-base periodicity analysis of a DNA sequence. Journal of theoretical biology 247, no. 4 (2007): 687-694. Sree, Pokkuluri Kiran. AIS-INMACA: A Novel Integrated MACA Based Clonal Classifier for Protein Coding and Promoter Region Prediction. J Bioinfo Comp Genom 1 (2014): 1-7. Nedunuri, SSSN Usha Devi, Inampudi Ramesh Babu, and Pokkuluri Kiran Sree. An Extensive Repot on Cellular Automata Based Artificial Immune System for Strengthening Automated Protein Prediction. Advances in Biomedical Engineering Research 1, no. 3 (2013). Fickett, James W., and Chang-Shung Tung. Assessment of protein coding measures. Nucleic acids research 20, no. 24 (1992): 6441-6450. Dreos, Renà ©, Giovanna Ambrosini, Rouayda Cavin Pà ©rier, and Philipp Bucher. EPD and EPDnew, high-quality promoter resources in the next-generation sequencing era. Nucleic acids research 41, no. D1 (2013): D157-D164.

White collar crime :: essays research papers

Welcome to the age of white collar crime. A time when the words thieves and businessmen go hand in hand. White collar criminals don’t get their hands dirty in their work. They use their heads to get what they want instead of using a little muscle. These criminals are just as dangerous as the rapists and murderers. In these times, even the most seemingly respectable people are suspected of white collar crimes. President Clinton and the first lady Hillary Clinton have been tangled up in the Whitewater and Travelgate business ventures. Although the two have not been formally charged with any wrongdoing, there is a committee currently investigating their dealings and charges are not out of the question for either of them. In Michael Isikoff’s and Mark Hosenball’s Newsweek article â€Å"Cracks in the Wall,† they describe the Clintons’ dealings with Whitewater and the possible consequences of them: â€Å"The Senate Whitewater committee is considering asking for perjury charges against Susan Thomas and Maggie Williams, Mrs. Clintons’ chief of staff, in connection with her testimony about the removal of documents from Vince Foster’s office† (Isikoff 29). This case goes to show that there presently a growing problem with our country, and it is called white collar crime. White collar crimes are very numerous in kind. New ones are always being invented by someone with a good scam. Embezzlement, tax evasion, and fraud are some of the more popular kinds. A person who has the power of controlling money in a business is most likely commit embezzlement. A shortened definition of embezzlement is â€Å"to steal money that is entrusted to Phillips 2 one.† This is one of the fastest rising crimes in the nation. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, embezzlement rose thirty eight percent from 1984 to 1993 (U.S. Dept. of Justice 239). Forgery is another growing form of white collar crime. This is defined as the act of imitating or counterfeiting documents or signatures for the purpose of deceiving someone. Forgery also shows the same growth trends as embezzlement. From 1984 to 1993 forgery and counterfeiting increased twenty-one percent (U.S. Dept. of Justice 240). Bogus ads, job scams, and telephone scams are all examples of fraud. Basically these scams ask you to send money for something that is non-existent. An example of a telephone scam would be if someone called to ask for donations for a phony organization or charity. White collar crime :: essays research papers Welcome to the age of white collar crime. A time when the words thieves and businessmen go hand in hand. White collar criminals don’t get their hands dirty in their work. They use their heads to get what they want instead of using a little muscle. These criminals are just as dangerous as the rapists and murderers. In these times, even the most seemingly respectable people are suspected of white collar crimes. President Clinton and the first lady Hillary Clinton have been tangled up in the Whitewater and Travelgate business ventures. Although the two have not been formally charged with any wrongdoing, there is a committee currently investigating their dealings and charges are not out of the question for either of them. In Michael Isikoff’s and Mark Hosenball’s Newsweek article â€Å"Cracks in the Wall,† they describe the Clintons’ dealings with Whitewater and the possible consequences of them: â€Å"The Senate Whitewater committee is considering asking for perjury charges against Susan Thomas and Maggie Williams, Mrs. Clintons’ chief of staff, in connection with her testimony about the removal of documents from Vince Foster’s office† (Isikoff 29). This case goes to show that there presently a growing problem with our country, and it is called white collar crime. White collar crimes are very numerous in kind. New ones are always being invented by someone with a good scam. Embezzlement, tax evasion, and fraud are some of the more popular kinds. A person who has the power of controlling money in a business is most likely commit embezzlement. A shortened definition of embezzlement is â€Å"to steal money that is entrusted to Phillips 2 one.† This is one of the fastest rising crimes in the nation. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, embezzlement rose thirty eight percent from 1984 to 1993 (U.S. Dept. of Justice 239). Forgery is another growing form of white collar crime. This is defined as the act of imitating or counterfeiting documents or signatures for the purpose of deceiving someone. Forgery also shows the same growth trends as embezzlement. From 1984 to 1993 forgery and counterfeiting increased twenty-one percent (U.S. Dept. of Justice 240). Bogus ads, job scams, and telephone scams are all examples of fraud. Basically these scams ask you to send money for something that is non-existent. An example of a telephone scam would be if someone called to ask for donations for a phony organization or charity.

Basic Marketing

There are at least three reasons why some customers are not satisfied with the products of certain firms and why micromarketing on the part of a production-oriented company that is inefficient can cost too much. One is that a firm focusing on micromarketing faces the challenge of producing a wide variety of goods or services to a large number of specific and small markets. If such company is inefficient and focuses mostly on production, it will be unable to produce quality goods and services.As a result, its ability to meet the expectations of its specific clients will be direly affected, thereby decreasing the satisfaction of the customers in the long run. Another reason is that a firm that faces the challenge of producing more goods than what it initially believes it can produce requires more of the raw materials it needs in order to meet that higher target. If the company is inefficient in producing such quantity and quality of goods, it is highly likely that the goods produced wi ll lack the basic quality standards.In order to compensate for the inefficiency in the production of such goods, the firm will be most likely forced to reproduce or repair some of its finished products, increasing expenses in the end. Lastly, customers are not satisfied with certain firms that are inefficient in the micromarketing field because such firms lack the ability to focus on the various goods and services that they offer due to multiple markets. 2.Technology impacts marketing environment including the opportunities, challenges and ethical issues that technology possesses. Technology greatly enhances the opportunities for firms because modern tools enable these companies to produce more and target a wider range of clients across geographical boundaries. The use of computers and efficient machines can also increase the efficiency of companies in the production of quality goods in larger quantities. The internet can also be a stronghold of these firms in advertising their prod ucts.Technology also creates certain challenges for these companies, challenges such as harnessing the technology and using it to its fullest potential. Other challenges include competing with other companies using the same technological strategies in the same market and keeping updated with the recent marketing technologies. Lastly, technology also raises certain ethical issues such as the issue of whether it is morally sound for certain firms to replace human labor with machineries.Another ethical issue is whether it is morally sound for companies to use technological tools in â€Å"spying† on the internal performance of their competitors in order to gain certain advantages. Moreover, technology also raises the ethical issue of whether it is morally fitting for firms to produce goods out of the technology available that can potentially bring harm to the buying public and to its competitors just to gain large profits.

The Life of Sgt. Dillon Black Foxx

Sgt. Dillon B. Foxx Born Dec. 2nd, 1987 in Traverse City, MI Died Feb. 5th, 2010 in Badghis Province, Afghanistan serving during Operation Enduring Freedom Sgt. Dillon Black Foxx of Traverse City, Michigan spent his early years living in Tennessee. When he was 17 he moved to Michigan where he graduated from Traverse City West Senior High School in 2006. Sgt. Foxx changed his name and used to go by Robert Dillon Lentz. He enlisted in the Army in May 2006 at the age of 18. When he did, his friends thought he was crazy. They reminded him the country was at war. Nope, he said, he wasn’t crazy; he was doing exactly what he needed to do. An awesome soldier with a free spirit, he maintained the same personality he carried his whole life into the military: a self-starter and someone others could count on. Dillon had attended One Station Unit Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Basic School at Fort Benning Georgia. When he finished his training, Dillon reported to Fort Bragg, where he was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. In January 2007, he deployed with the unit to Afghanistan for 15 months. He returned in April 2008. He was promoted to sergeant in January 2009 and went to Afghanistan in August for his second deployment, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, his duty as a forward observer. He died February 5th in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Dillon received numerous awards including an Army Commendation with Valor Device, the Army Commendation with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Basic Parachutist Badge and the Purple Heart posthumously. Dillon will be remembered by those who had the opportunity to meet him, serve with him or love him. Dillon is survived by his mother, Trina Pfau of Manton; father, Robert Lentz of Tennessee; his seven-month-old son, Kaiden Levi Foxx; Kaiden's mother, Jessica Cross; two brothers, Chad (Andrienne) Stewart and their son Blake, currently stationed with the United States Marine Corp in California, Dale Blakeslee of Manton; two sisters, Savannah Lentz and Lenzy Blakeslee, both of Manton; grandparents, Linda Stewart, Linda Gale and Walter Lentz; great-grandmother, Fern (Ben) Chupp; his uncle, Chuck (Bonnie) Stewart; an aunt, Alisha (Les) Wormell; and many other loving family members, friends and comrades of the service. The Governor ordered flags down to half staff across the state to honor the northern Michigan soldier. Memorial services with Military Honors took place at 11 a. m. on Friday, February 19, 2010 at the NMC Hagerty Center, with visitation one hour prior to the service. The Rev. Justin Grimm did Officiate. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Sgt. Dillon Foxx Memorial Fund, c/o Traverse City State Bank, PO Box 192, Traverse City, MI 49685. Please share thoughts with the family at Dillon's online guestbook at www. reynolds-jonkhoff. com. The family is being served by the REYNOLDS-JONKHOFF FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICES, (231) 947-6347. The more than hour long service began with a reading of a poem written by Sergeant Foxx. The first line read, â€Å"If I ever go to war Mom, please don't be afraid. There are some things I must do, To keep the promise that I made. † Every stanza there after reminded family and friends never to worry while their loved one was off at war. It was a tearful service, but it showcased the absolute best of Sgt. Foxx through anecdotes and memories. During the memorial service, Army personal presented Sergeant Foxx's family with military honors including a purple heart and a flag presentation. 9&10 News talked to the family after the service at a luncheon at the VFW Hall in Traverse City. They said they were overwhelmed with the support from the community. â€Å"We would like to express our thanks for the outpouring generosity that has been tremendous and overwhelming,† says Stewart. â€Å"Friends and strangers alike have just been so supportive. † His family described him as a â€Å"quick learner† who picked up new tasks easily and worked hard to get the job done, whatever the job was. The family wanted to thank everyone for their support, including family and friends in Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Fort Bragg, the local V. F. W. and the military I send my sincere condolences to the family and friends of SGT Dillon B. Foxx. May the Lord comfort you in the difficult days ahead. Godspeed Dillon†¦.. Godspeed†¦.. Those we love remain with us For love itself lives on†¦ Cherished memories never fade Because one loved is gone. Those we love can never be More than a thought apart†¦ For as long as there is memory, They live on in our hearts. Traverse City Soldiers post Posted by Lisa McQueen, Harbor Springs – Sunday, February 07, 2010 at 8:15 p. m. Our military family shares in your pain, this community supports you in grief and this country is grateful for your sacrifice. We are humbled by the service of your son. Thoughts and prayers to you during this most difficult time. Posted by J Meadows, TX – Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 10:56 a. m. RIP Airborne! St. Michael, Guide this Paratrooper to a waiting formation of the Jump Master in the Sky! From: Diablo A staff sergeant and captain who worked with Foxx describe him as a self-starter and someone they could always count on. Foxx’s brother made a statement when asked about his brother â€Å"He did what he did,† says Chad Stewart, Foxx's brother. â€Å"It's just like anyone else that deploys†¦ unfortunately it was him, but he did what he wanted to do. † TRAVERSE CITY — Flags lined the walkway of Traverse City's Hagerty Center early Friday morning. A somber mood, yet a patriotic spirit as people paid their respects to 22-year old Sergeant Dillon Foxx. A fallen soldier is being remembered as a local hero. â€Å"I just think it really brings it home that it's somebody in your own backyard that was in Afghanistan and has passed away,† says Dan Brady of Traverse City. This young man lost his life. He gave the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our country. My heart goes out to his family,† says Traverse City resident, Marianne Abramson. â€Å"My son also serves in the 82nd Airborne. This is his second tour in Iraq and he is 22 years old and it just really hits close to home. I feel for this child's family. I do. I can't imagine my son not coming home,† says Elk Rapids resident, Mary Gallagher. â€Å"He laid down his life for us and I know the family but it's my way of showing support. I believe in what their son did. Being a veteran of the Gulf War myself is something I feel compelled to do,† says Midland resident, Jim Johnston. It's personal stories like this that brought out people from around the state, even complete strangers simply to say, â€Å"thank you. † â€Å"It's just a reminder that our freedom is really not free. There's soldiers dying every day for our freedom,† Soldiers who are thousands of miles away just like Sergeant Foxx putting our country before themselves. Now, a community is stepping up to show its support for his sacrifice. *Tribute to Sgt. Dillon Foxx* SGT Foxx was one of the best kind of people to know. Smart, funny, brave, compassionate, and extremely outgoing. For us paratroopers lucky enough to work with him on a daily bases, this loss shook us to the core. The loss of a true friend, mentor and brother will never be forgotten. I love you man past, present, and future. From: Jarmacus Smith. While I didn't know Sgt Foxx personally, my husband is currently serving in Iraq on his 2nd tour, my best friend of 18 years was killed in action in Iraq, 3 years ago this may 23rd, and I have several friends and family in the military. I thank Sgt. Foxx from the bottom of my heart for his selfless service to this country. And to his family, I will always have you in my thoughts and prayers. May you find peace in knowing that he will NEVER be forgotten. From: Rebekah Marie Lane. God bless the family and thank you Sgt. for keeping my family safe. Your selflessness is what separates you from the average civilian. Thank you. From: Dave Wylie. Here is a poem I found that I think the family would like to read in regards to their loss and their feelings at this time â€Å"Life Is A Fragile Thing†: â€Å"Life is a fragile thing And it can change within an instant Nothing is safe from the effects of change No person or possession we're given The only things we can hold forever Are the memories in our hearts The loves we share upon this earth Before it comes our time to part So choose a pathway that brings you joy Take time for quiet moments each day Appreciate the challenges that strengthen your soul And the blessings God sends your way Don't let your heart be ruled by anger It's just not worth the stress For the tumult will only expand in your heart And crowd out happiness Live each day with wonder and gratitude For the beauty that surrounds you And share your abundance generously It'll ensure future blessings will surround you Meekly accept that life's journey will include Unexpected, soul-wrenching heartaches That will bruise your soul and alter the course You always imagined your life would take And when that happens you'll have the choice To embrace hope or hopelessness You can't avoid grief, but you can refuse to accept A lonely future of bitterness So choose to be grateful for each moment With the loved ones you've been given†¦ † I also found some pictures of Sgt. Dillon Foxx that will put a face to the story. ? Sgt. Dillon Foxx Military Picture ? Dillon Foxx & His Son ? Sgt. Dillon Foxx on duty. ? Sgt. Dillon Foxx is being carried to his funeral in his casket. I found this poem which I feel explains Sgt Dillon Foxx and his selflessness he showed with the way he lived his life and giving of himself to the military. â€Å"This fundamental truth of the self can be realized only if the individual is willing and courageous enough to follow to some natural conclusion this moment of experience, this facing the unknown and participating with the total commitment of the self. Such expression, such passion for life may emerge in written, spoken, graphic or aesthetic forms in relation or in isolation; in I-Thou encounters; and in silent, inner experience. A compassionate willingness is required – as is the courage to live before the fact, before the understanding, before any rational support or certainty, to live the moment to its natural peak and conclusion, and to accept with dignity whatever joy, grief, misfortune, or unexpectedness occurs. I think that I found a quote that explains how Sgt Dillon Foxx felt since he stated it to his family and friends that he was doing what he wanted to do. â€Å"I have lived on a razors edge. So what if you fall off, I'd rather be doing something I really wanted to do. I'd walk it again. † I would like to say to Sgt Dillon Foxx’s family and anyone else that has lost a love one, Do not cry over your loss but celebrate the life they once lived. Remember them for all the good times you shared, rather then dwell on what will never be. When you keep them in good memories and thoughts it makes it easier day by day to get through. God is always willing and ready to help you through your hurt and pain all you have to do is call upon him and ask for his help. For those of us who do not have family or friends in the military or that take everyday for granted, please remember it is people like Sgt. Dillon Foxx that scarify their lives everyday to help us live free.

To Believe or To Not Believe. Professor Ramos Blog

To Believe or To Not Believe. Growing up my family never took my brother and I to Church. I remember my mom saying she grew up religious, but we never really talked about it. Nor did we ever really talk about religion in our household. I find it strange now looking back at it, but maybe my parents just wanted my brother and I to have a choice on the matter. Either way it’s safe to say my family wasn’t very religious. Sure, I had friends, girlfriends, and relatives that all went to Church on Sunday’s. Hell, even I went a couple times, but I just felt uncomfortable and couldn’t fully grasp the concept that was being preached to me. I would sit there as the pastor would talk about the word of God and the Gospel. The teachings of Jesus and the 10 commandments. I was a lot younger then, so in the Church’s defense I didn’t really pay much attention. It seemed like a wonderful idea though. The thought there is Heaven where all our loved ones gather in this paradise to meet after death. The idea of Hell keeping everyone from committing wrong-doings otherwise you burn for eternity. It was strange to me, so it didn’t take very long till I just stopped thinking about the matter all together and just moved on with my life. It just wasn’t reaching me on a deeper level like it does with most. Once I stopped thinking about it long enough, there came a time where I began to question it all. Is there really a God? Or are we just a spec in this mass universe we call space. Do our choices really matter? Or is it possible that everything is irrelevant. Does good come from the belief and worship of God? Or is it how we are raised and brought up in the world. What is it in our brains that makes us have this belief for something bigger than all of us? It eventually got to the point where I gave up. I chose to believe were all just consciously making choices for ourselves. Whether it be for good or bad, right or wrong. Just collectively learning lessons from the choices we make and analyzing the outcome of those choices to prepare for future decision making. I decided that not everything was happening for a higher purpose. That there wasn’t any type â€Å"God† influencing my life the way so many people believe God does so. I thought that if I’m responsible for my choices and actions than God must not be around. There were no signs for me that pointed to the belief there was something or someone out there looking out for me, let alone every living being. It was only two weeks after my conscious decision to become what most people call â€Å"atheist†, that my uncle Steve passed away. He was battling alcoholism for as long as I could remember. We never did talk much, and I didn’t know much about him. But I could tell he loved all his family members. He would never do anything to purposely hurt or upset them. Maybe he was just raging his own war against God and the only way to escape from his reality was to keep finding the bottom of that bottle. It was in his last few months I could barely recognize him anymore. He developed two forms of cancer and looked like the fight wouldn’t carry on much longer. He was the palest I’ve ever seen a person and there was no energy flowing through his body anymore. He was admitted to the hospital and induced into a coma shortly after the last time I saw him. I don’t even remember the last few words he or I said to each other. Just glimpses of him and I at our Thanksgi ving or Christmas parties. Almost like a photo gallery in my head. My father and my uncle Mike stayed with him every day that he was in the hospital. I probably should have visited and to this day I have no idea why I didn’t. But one of the strangest things that happened to me was the morning my uncle Steve passed away. It was the night before and I had had a dream about him. I found myself in this beautiful bright green forest with the sun rising farther than where the trees ended. I felt peace but was also conscious enough to wonder why I was there. I never had that feeling before, being awake inside a dream. It was only what felt like a minute before my Uncle Steve appeared. He had a bright glow to him, and he was heathier than I had ever seen him in his whole life. My Uncle didn’t say anything, but I felt his embrace, almost as if he was telling me he is okay. It felt like he was at peace with everything in this world and whatever world he was in also brought peace to him. He seemed comfortable, no longer in pain or fatigue. The last thing I remember was his smile before he faded away and I woke up. There was something about his smile I could never really describe. The dream didn’t last very long but the part that is strange to me is I remember waking up around 7:30am to text my Dad about the dream I had had. Only to have already received a text from him saying that my Uncle was pronounced dead at 7:07am on July 17th. My Dad and I both were caught of guard by my dream. But it really seemed to make my Dad feel a lot better about the loss of his brother Steve. As if my dad was thinking the same thing I was. Maybe there is something more after this. Some people believe in coincidences and I guess at the time I did too. This strange phenomenon seemed to put a damper on my theories and beliefs that there was nothing else after this. It just seemed too surreal to me to just be a random dream that a person has. I remember it so vividly like I just watched it on a video. This dream began to alter my state of mind. I started to open myself towards the belief that there can be a God or a spiritual life after this. That everything that has or will happen to us is meant for something bigger than just ourselves. To this day I have still only read about four passages out of the Bible or any other religious text. I’m not saying that I have become a man of God, but I do believe that there is more to life than just living and dying. I felt my Uncle was in a better place and maybe he wanted to show me a glimpse into this peaceful paradise he found himself. I still question as to why he visited me and not my Father or his Brother. All I know is that whether this dream be a coincidence or some sort of spiritual lesson, it taught me that I need to have faith in something more than myself. I’m still on the path of learning to believe in God but if it weren’t for that dream, I’d still be on the search for meaning in this world. I believe this dream has helped me find it.

The Greatest Ninja Battle in 1581

The Greatest Ninja Battle in 1581 It was a lawless era in Japan, with petty feudal lords fighting a never-ending series of small wars over land and power. In the chaotic Sengoku period (1467-1598), the peasants often ended up as cannon-fodder or incidental victims of the samurai wars; some commoners, however, organized themselves to defend their own homes, and to take advantage of the constant warfare. We call them the yamabushi or ninja. The key ninja strongholds were the mountainous provinces of Iga and Koga, located in what are now Mie and Shiga Prefectures, respectively, in southern Honshu. Residents of these two provinces gathered information and practiced their own techniques of espionage, medicine, warfare, and assassination. Politically and socially, the ninja provinces were independent, self-governing, and democratic - they were ruled by town council, rather than by a central authority or daimyo. To the autocratic nobles of other regions, this form of government was anathema. Warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534 - 82) remarked, They make no distinction between high and low, rich and poor... Such behavior is a mystery to me, for they go so far as to make light of rank, and have no respect for high ranking officials. He would soon bring these ninja lands to heel. Nobunaga embarked on a campaign to reunify central Japan under his authority. Although he did not live to see it, his efforts began the process that would end the Sengoku, and usher in 250 years of peace under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Nobunaga sent his son, Oda Nobuo, to take over the province of Ise in 1576. The former daimyos family, the Kitabatakes, rose up, but Nobuas army crushed them. The surviving Kitabatake family members sought refuge in Iga with one of the Oda clans major foes, the Mori clan. Oda Nobuo Humiliated Nobuo decided to deal with the Mori/Kitabatake threat by seizing Iga Province. He first took Maruyama Castle early in 1579 and began to fortify it; however, the Iga officials knew exactly what he was doing, because many of their ninja had taken construction jobs at the castle. Armed with this intelligence, the Iga commanders attacked Maruyama one night and burned it to the ground. Humiliated and furious, Oda Nobuo decided to attack Iga immediately in an all-out assault. His ten to twelve thousand warriors launched a three-pronged attack over the major mountain passes in eastern Iga in September 1579. They converged on Iseji village, where the 4,000 to 5,000 Iga warriors lay in wait. As soon as Nobuos forces had entered the valley, Iga fighters attacked from the front, while other forces cut off the passes to block the Oda armys retreat. From the cover, the Iga ninja shot Nobuos warriors with firearms and bows, then closed to finish them off with swords and spears. Fog and rain descended, leaving the Oda samurai bewildered. Nobuos army disintegrated - some killed by friendly fire, some committing seppuku, and thousands falling to the Iga forces. As historian Stephen Turnbull points out, this was one of the most dramatic triumphs of unconventional warfare over traditional samurai tactics in the whole of Japanese history. Oda Nobuo escaped the slaughter but was roundly chastised by his father for the fiasco. Nobunaga noted that his son has failed to hire any ninja of his own to spy out the enemys position and strength. Get shinobi (ninja)... This one action alone will gain you a victory. Revenge of the Oda Clan On October 1, 1581, Oda Nobunaga led about 40,000 warriors in an attack on Iga province, which was defended by approximately 4,000 ninja and other Iga warriors. Nobunagas massive army attacked from the west, east, and north, in five separate columns. In what must have been a bitter pill for Iga to swallow, many of the Koga ninja came into the battle on Nobunagas side. Nobunaga had taken his own advice about recruiting ninja assistance. The Iga ninja army held a hill-top fort, surrounded by earthworks, and they defended it desperately. Faced with overwhelming numbers, however, the ninja surrendered their fort. Nobunagas troops unleashed a massacre on the residents of Iga, although some hundreds escaped. The ninja stronghold of Iga was crushed. Aftermath of the Iga Revolt In the aftermath, the Oda clan and later scholars called this series of encounters the Iga Revolt or the Iga No Run. Although the surviving ninja from Iga scattered across Japan, taking their knowledge and techniques with them, the defeat at Iga signaled the end of ninja independence. A number of the survivors made their way to the domain of Tokugawa Ieyasu, a rival of Nobunagas, who welcomed them. Little did they know that Ieyasu and his descendants would stamp out all opposition, and usher in a centuries-long era of peace that would make ninja skills obsolete. The Koga ninja did play a role in several later battles, including the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, and the Siege of Osaka in 1614. The last known action that employed Koga ninja was the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637-38, in which ninja spies aided the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu in putting down Christian rebels. However, the age of the democratic and independent ninja provinces ended in 1581, when Nobunaga put down the Iga Revolt. Sources Man, John. Ninja: 1,000 Years of the Shadow Warrior, New York: HarperCollins, 2013. Turnbull, Stephen. Ninja, AD 1460-1650, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. Turnbull, Stephen. Warriors of Medieval Japan, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2011.