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A New Nation

Understanding International Relations

International relations refers to interactions where the primary subjects are states, and the issues involved directly affect their national interests. Today, other significant social agents, such as multinational companies, also play a crucial role in international relations.

Key Characteristics of International Relations

• Diversification: International relations are implemented across a wide range of fields, promoting the establishment of institutions to address global problems.
• Globalization: This phenomenon impacts a larger number of states and other social agents, requiring them to confront global challenges and coordinate global interests worldwide.
• Institutionalization: International relations possess

The 9/11 Commission: Findings and Impact

In late 2002, congressional legislation, signed into law by President George W. Bush, created the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, more commonly known as the 9/11 Commission. The independent, bipartisan commission was charged with preparing a complete report of the circumstances surrounding the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, including U.S. preparedness and immediate response, and with providing recommendations to guard against future attacks. The 9/11 Commission began its first hearings in New York City in the spring of 2003 and presented its findings in a public report released in July 2004.

Establishment of the 9/11 Commission

On November 27, 2002, U.S. President... Continue reading "The 9/11 Commission: Findings and Impact on US Security" »

Organization of the Council of the European Union

The Presidency

The Council is chaired by a Presidency that is held by each of the member states in turn for a period of six months. Thus, ministers, or the Head of Government or State, chair the Council meetings or summit for this six-month period.

The Troika and the High Representative

The term ‘Troika’ is used in conjunction with the Council to describe the situation in which, to provide continuity in policy, the current President and both the previous and succeeding Presidents act in conjunction, particularly in the pursuit of international relations.

The Lisbon Treaty provides that the Foreign Affairs Council is chaired by the High Representative.

COREPER: Committee of Permanent Representatives

COREPER... Continue reading "EU Council Organization: Presidency, COREPER, and Secretariat Roles" »

What is the Role of the European Council?

The European Council is composed of the Heads of Government of each member state of the European Union, the President of the European Commission, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy.

The European Council is in charge of designating the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

After the European Parliament elections, the European Council proposes a candidate for the post of President of the European Commission. When deciding on their nominee, the European Council considers the outcome of the European Parliament elections.

The choice of the candidate requires a qualified majority.

The European Council can also choose to end the High Representative'... Continue reading "European Council: Role, Organization, and Leadership" »

What is the European Council?

The European Council defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union. It is an institution whose role is to provide political impetus. Consequently, it makes a schedule and sets specific objectives for the Council of the EU, the Commission, and the European Parliament. It represents the highest level of political cooperation between EU countries.

The European Council proposes the candidate for the post of President of the European Commission and chooses the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Evolution of the European Council

The European Council has evolved since its creation to its recognition as an Institution within the European Union.

Creation and

Chapter 1

Three Characteristics of Organizations

• Organizations have distinct purposes (goals).
• Goals can only be achieved through people. An organization’s people make decisions and engage in work activities to make the goals a reality.
• Organizations develop a systematic structure that defines and limits the behavior of its members, e.g., rules and regulations, job descriptions, work teams.

Organizations are collections of people who work together and coordinate their actions to achieve a wide variety of goals and desired future outcomes.

Goal of organizations: Profit, survival, interest. Different interest groups in the organization may have different goals.

Organizations exist because they reduce transaction costs (search costs, negotiation costs,... Continue reading "Organizational Characteristics and Management Essentials" »

Computer Fundamentals and Data

A Computer is a programmable electronic device that can store, retrieve, and process data.

Data and Instructions: Instructions that manipulate data are logically the same as the data itself and can be stored in the same memory location.

Understanding Machine Language

Machine Language is a language made up of binary-coded instructions built directly into the computer's hardware and used by the processor.

Why Machine Language?

It is the fundamental language the hardware understands (no choice).

Characteristics of Machine Language

• Every processor has its own unique set of machine instructions.
• The relationship between the processor and the instructions it can carry out is completely integrated.
• Each machine-language instruction

Decision Trees: Excellent tools for choosing between courses of action. They help form a balanced picture of risks and rewards for each option.

Capital Markets: Markets where governments or companies raise money (capital) to fund operations and long-term investments. Selling bonds and stocks are two ways to generate capital.

Primary vs. Secondary Markets:

In the primary market, securities are first issued to investors through an initial public offering (IPO). Investment banks assist with IPOs by guaranteeing a minimum price before selling to the public.

The secondary market—where people buy and sell previously issued securities—includes stock exchanges, bond markets, and other entities that trade financial instruments. Securities trade based... Continue reading "Financial Markets: Capital, Money, and Investment Banking" »

[Ch-1] Hardware = [Physical](iPhone) - vs - Software -- (iOS) = [Programs with instructions] -- [Layers of a Computing System] - (C.A.O.P.H.I) Communications -> Applications -> Operating Systems -> Programming -> Hardware

Information -- Abstraction - [a mental model that removes complex details] - Applies to (Miller's Law) [the average person can hold in working memory about seven items] Internal View = car engine, while Abstract View = driving -- Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England 3000 BC to 2000 BC -- Abacus - [early device to record numerical values] - Blaise Pascal - [Mechanical device for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division] -- Joseph Jacquard - [Loom, punched card], Charles Babbage - [Analytical engine] -- Ada Lovelace... Continue reading "Understanding Hardware and Software in Computing Systems" »