UAE Oil and Gas Industry: Reserves, Exploration, and Production
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has the seventh-largest proven oil reserves in the world at 97.8 billion barrels, according to the Oil and Gas Journal in January 2009.
- The UAE also has the sixth-largest proven natural gas reserves in the world at 214 trillion cubic feet. It is an important oil and natural gas producer and is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
- The UAE is a federation of 7 emirates with the second-largest economy in the Arab Middle East after Saudi
Academic Streaming vs. Library Technology Debates
Student Streaming: Benefits vs. Mixed Ability Classes
Some people contend that mixed-ability classes are more beneficial for children’s development than streaming them based on judgments about their academic abilities. However, from my perspective, I disagree with this contention.
Arguments for Mixed Ability Classes
Admittedly, mixed-ability classes provide a better environment for children’s all-around development. In such classes, children with different abilities study together, and in turn,
Read MoreTransnational Crime: Human, Drug, and Arms Trafficking
Transnational Criminal Organizations
Transnational criminal organizations: size of the problem, rise of, reach, international response.
- Most operate in the shadows
- Linked to:
- States: weak, failed, or corrupt
- Non-state actors: terrorist or rebel movements
- Linked to:
- Increase in power
- Control territory, extract rents, provide public services, wage war
- Penetrate all areas of life
- Target society and economy
- Wealthy
- Drugs and arms most lucrative
- Human trafficking also very lucrative
Trafficking: Human, Drugs, Arms
Illegal trade
Read MoreReverse Osmosis, Desalination, and Water Treatment Explained
Reverse Osmosis Membranes
A reverse osmosis membrane is a semi-permeable membrane that allows the passage of water molecules but not the majority of dissolved salts, organics, bacteria, and pyrogens. However, you need to ‘push’ the water through the reverse osmosis membrane by applying pressure that is greater than the naturally occurring osmotic pressure in order to desalinate (demineralize or deionize) water in the process, allowing pure water through while holding back a majority of contaminants.
Read MoreSorting Algorithms: Bubble, Selection, Insertion, Merge, Quick
Understanding Sorting Algorithms
Algo Props: Well-defined inputs, clear & unambiguous, must be effective, must terminate.
Big O: Worst case (asymptotic tight upper). Big Omega: Best case (lower). Big Theta: Average.
N^2 Sorting Algorithms
n^2 Sorting: Bubble, Selection, Insertion (iterative)
Bubble Sort
Start with an unsorted array.
Loop through the array from the first element to the second-to-last element.
Compare each pair of adjacent elements.
If the current element is greater than the next element:
Read MoreUAE History: From Ancient Settlements to Modern Nation
Early Human Habitation in the UAE
- The earliest known human habitation in the UAE dates from 5500 BCE.
- Trade in copper from the Hajar Mountains started around 3000 BCE.
- By the 1st century AD, overland caravan traffic between Syria and cities in southern Iraq began.
- There was seaborne travel to the important port of Omana (present-day Umm al-Qaiwain) and then to India. These routes were an alternative to the Red Sea route used by the Romans.
- Pearls had been exploited in the area for millennia, but at this