Defining Pholosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Defining Pholosophy - Essay Example Bertrand Russell, a philosopher, states that philosophy â€Å"is something intermediate between theology and science. Like theology, it consists of speculations on matters as to which definite knowledge has, so far, been unascertainable; but like science, it appeals to human reason..." (What is philosophy?, n.d.) The four main branches of philosophy are logic, epistemology, metaphysics and ethics. These branches of philosophy are divided as to the nature of the questions asked in each area; however, these divisions cannot be rigidly separated. Logic pertains to the attempt to codify the rules of rational thought. This is one of the primary tools used by philosophers in their inquiries. Logicians explore the structure of arguments that preserve truth or allow the optimal extraction of knowledge from evidence. The second branch of philosophy is epistemology which is the study of knowledge itself. It deals with the nature, scope, and limits of human knowledge. Epistemologists ask quest ions such as what are the limits to our knowledge, does science give us knowledge at all or can our powers of reasoning give us knowledge. The third branch of philosophy is metaphysics which is the study of the nature of things. Metaphysicians ask what kinds of things exist, and what they are like. This is the area of philosophy which deals with the ultimate nature of reality. Metaphysicians reason about whether or not people have free will, in what sense abstract objects can be said to exist, and how it is that brains are able to generate minds. Examples of questions asked by metaphysicians are: Given that something exists, why that and not something else? Why that and not nothing? Why is there change? How can there also be permanence through change? Ethics is the fourth branch of philosophy which deals with the study of the rightness and wrongness of actions, the kinds of things which are good or desirable, and the blameworthy and praiseworthy actions. This area deals with how we conduct ourselves within the world. Moral philosophers may investigate questions such as, is it right for rape victims to abort their babies or is euthanasia the solution to a comatose patient? Philosophical questions are conceptual not factual. Generally speaking, philosophical questions are often a series of "why-questions." These are questions which cannot be fully answered with a simple â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no†. These questions come about when people reflect on their lives and their world. They are often questions about our concepts and the relation between our concepts and the world they represent. Russell states that philosophical questions â€Å"appeal to human reason† (What is philosophy?, n.d.). Some philosophical questions are practical while others are theoretical. Example of a practical question is, "Is divorce justifiable?" A theoretical question on the other hand, often arise through thinking about practical issues such as â€Å"What is the meaning and purpose of our existence?† According to Stroll and Popkin, philosophical questions have seven characteristics (1972). First, it is a reflection about and the things nothing in it. Example is if one has a pen in his hand and took it off, there is nothing in his hand. So, does that mean that everything exists in nothing? The second characteristic of a philosophical question is it is a conceptual rather than a practical activity. The third characteristic is the use of reason and argumentation to establish a point. Fourth, a philosophical question asks for an explanation of the puzzling features of things such as the mirror, whether it reverses up or down or left or right. A philosophical question also digs beyond the obvious like what is a fact? Is a computer a fact? Another characteristic of

Transport Layer Network Layer Protocols Attack

Transport Layer Network Layer Protocols Attack Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1: Background Data Communication technologies and the underlying protocols in the twenty-first century is one of the critical elements that acts as the backbone for electronic commerce and use of the world-wide-web (Todd and Johnson, 2001[1]). The increase in the growth of electronic commerce as well as other forms of internet-based secure communication have increased not only the risks associated with networking related attacks that involve in the loss of personal information and possible financial loss to the victims. One of the major components in the Internet communication is the underlying protocol that governs the compilation and communication of the information from the source computer to the target and back (Nash et al, 2001[2]). The role of the protocols in the networking also has a key influence on its ability to securely deliver the information as part of the overall communication architecture. This makes it clear that the robustness of the protocol and the extent to which a given proto col architecture can resist intruder attacks through encryption efficiency etc dictates the security associated with the information transfer as argued by Todd and Johnson, (2001). In this report a critical overview on the transport layer and the network layer protocols of the TCP/IP protocol architecture is presented to the reader. The research aims to throw light on the possible security attacks on these protocols and the possible countermeasures in order to prevent such attacks. The attacks in these cases mainly concern with the infringement of the information through unauthorised access bypassing the security or breaking the encryption surrounding the information being transported. 1.2: Aim and Objectives The aim of this research is to investigate the possible attacks on the Transport layer Network layer protocols and present possible countermeasures on overcoming the threat of these attacks on the day-to-day Internet-based data communication. The above aim of the research is accomplished through embracing the research on the following objectives To conduct a literature review on the Transport and Network layers of the TCP/IP protocol architecture. To conduct a critical overview on the possible types of attacks on the Transport Layer and Network Layer protocols. To present a critical analysis on the possible countermeasures to prevent the attacks on the Transport layer protocols. 1.3: Research Methodology A qualitative approach is used to conduct the research. Since there are five layers to the TCP/IP model of which the research aims to investigate the protocols associated with the Transport and Network layer, a qualitative approach is deemed effective as the infrastructure required to simulate tests for conducting a quantitative research is limited for conducting the research. As it is also apparent that the analysis on the five layers of the TCP/IP model is beyond the scope of the research conducted in this report, the research conducted mainly focuses on the key threats and possible types of attacks on the protocols of the TCP/IP layers discussed. 1.4: Chapter Overview Chapter 1: Introduction This is the current chapter that presents the aim, objectives and brief overview on the research conducted to the reader. Chapter 2: Literature Review This chapter presents an overview on the layers of the TCP/IP model followed by a detailed overview on the key Transport layer and Network layer protocols. The chapter also presents a brief overview on the network attacks and the possible threats associated with the Internet data transfer. Chapter 3: Protocol Attacks This chapter presents a critical overview on the types of attacks on the Transport Layer and Network Layer protocols. The chapter presents a critical analysis on the methods used and the potential losses that may result due to the attacks. Chapter 4: Countermeasures This chapter presents a critical overview on the possible countermeasures that are implemented in order to prevent the attacks discussed in chapter 3. A comparative study on the countermeasures discussed is also presented in this chapter. Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1: Internet Security in the twenty-first century The increase in the need for internet security from unauthorised access and malicious attacks is not only due to the need protecting personal/sensitive information of the users but also the service providers (Ganesh and Thorsteinson, 2003[3]). This is naturally because of the fact that the service providers can perform effectively only when the requests sent to the server are valid thus making justifiable use of the resources (Rayns et al, 2003[4]). The use of the resources in terms of the number of connections and the allocation of memory to cater for each connection established with the web server of the service provider is deemed to attribute to the extent to which a given website establishment performs effectively. This makes it clear that the need for internet security is not only a matter of protecting personal information but also effective utilisation of the computer resources dedicated for the purpose as argued by Rayns et al (2003). Walden (2007)[5] further argues that the security over the internet is mainly accomplished through implementing security measures on the connection-oriented and connection-less protocol used for transferring information from one end to another. It is interesting to note that the above focuses especially on the resource utilisation and protection of computer from malicious attacks through ensuring that the communication to and from the computer are not only secure but also valid. It is necessary to ensure both the validity and security of a given connection over the internet because of the former corresponds to the availability of the service whilst the later attribute to the reliability of the available service (Walden, 2007). It is also interesting to note that the prevention of unauthorised access to information systems connected to the Internet is deemed effective as opposed to implementing access control on each individual system as argued by Todd and Johnson (2001). This makes i t clear that the implementation of the security over the Internet is mainly through implementing the preventive measures against malicious attacks through strengthening the protocols used in the various layers of the TCP/IP model. As the TCP/IP model forms the basis for communication over the internet, it is apparent that the robustness of the protocols implemented in each layer of the TCP/IP stack dictates the effectiveness of the Internet security implemented (Walden, 2007). In the next section a critical overview of the TCP/IP model is presented to the reader. 2.2: TCP/IP Model ‘TCP/ IP is a set of rules that defines how two computers address each other and send data to each other’ as argued by Blank (2004) (p1)[6]. Naturally the above makes it clear that TCP/IP is merely a framework that governs the methods to be deployed in order to enable communication over the internet between two computing devices. As TCP/IP is platform independent in nature, it provides a communication framework that can be deployed across any given operating system on a computing device connected to the Internet or even a dedicated network as opposed to the World Wide Web. This further opens room for development of new protocols and communication standards/rules that can be implemented using the TCP/IP model on any one of its five layers as argued by Rayns et al (2003). Hence securing the information being transferred from one end to another over a given network or the Internet can be accomplished through implementing a combination of protocols to operate within the laye rs of the TCP/IP framework. The five layers of the TCP/IP model are Application Layer Transport Layer Network Layer Data Link Layer and Physical Layer. From the above it is evident that TCP/IP can be implemented in a given network using any number of protocols in each layer of the TCP/IP model depending upon the level of security required and the speed in data transfer. This is because of the fact that the increase in the number of protocols naturally increases the size of the data packet being transferred as part of the communication thus having a direct impact on the speed of communication as argued by Rayns et al (2003). It must also be noted that the protocols presented in each layer of the TCP/IP model shown in Fig 1 is merely a selection and not the exhaustive list of the protocol suite. From the model represented in Fig 1 one should also appreciate that the layers of the TCP/IP model are arranged in a logical fashion so that the protocols closer to the top at the layer 1 associate themselves with the computing applications that handle data encryption and security. The protocols to the bottom of the TCP/IP stack on layer 5 on the other hand associate themselves with the actual data transfer from one end to another through establishing connection and enabling communication between sender and receiver as argued by Blank (2004). As the research presented in this report focuses on the Transport and Network layers of the TCP/IP model a detailed overview on the five layers is beyond the scope of this report. A brief overview on each TCP/IP layer is presented below. Application Layer – This layer of the TCP/IP model comprises of the protocols that associate with the handling of data and the encryption of the information order to effectively transfer the information from one end to another. The application layer is also deemed as the layer of the TCP/IP model that communicates with the actual application that is handling the information prior to its transfer over the Internet. The protocols of the application layer enable the interaction between the computer and the actual web application that performs the business logic associated with the application prior to preparing the information for transfer over the Internet. This makes it clear that the application layer encryption is mainly associated with the segmentation of the data into packets and allocates the associated headers in order to enable their transfer over the Internet. This also makes it clear that the security associated with the information transfer is not implemented at the A pplication Layer of the TCP/IP model. This makes it clear that the application layer protocols are extensively used in case of client server applications where the data transfer between the client and the server is in the full-duplex mode (Feit, 1998[7]). Transport Layer – This is the actual layer that manages the connection between the two computers and the success or failure of the information being transferred as argued by Blank (2004). The purpose of the Transport layer protocol as the name suggests is to ensure the secure and successful transfer of information over the Internet between the communicating parties as argued by Ganesh and Thorsteinson (2003). The process of enabling end-to-end communication for successful data transfer is the major task that is accomplished using the Transport layer of the TCP/IP model. It is also interesting to not that the transport layer of the TCP/IP model provides the error tracking, flow control and data fragmentation capabilities independent of the underlying network as argued by Feit (1998). The transport layer of the TCP/IP model also performs the task of assigning the header to the data fragment off the overall information being transferred from one end to another. The transport layer of the TCP/IP model implements two forms of communication strategies. These are connection-oriented and connectionless implementation as discussed below. Connection-Oriented Implementation – The TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) protocol of the transport layer accomplishes the connection-oriented strategy of data communication. The connection-oriented approach o data communication corresponds to the process where a connection must be available between the communicating parties in conformance with the authentication and association rules prior to actually performing data transfer. This makes it clear that the data transfer in case of a connection-oriented approach depends on the extent to which the connection being established is live between the communicating computers. This makes it clear that the data transfer in a connection-oriented implementation can be accomplished only with the ability to maintain the connection between the computers thus making the data transfer reliable as argued by Feit (1998). This is naturally because of the fact that termination of the connection of loss of connection established during the cours e of the communication/data transfer would trigger a request to resend the information thus providing room for transferring all the information from one end to another. The session based communication strategies in terms of enabling the communication security is one of the key features of the connection-oriented implementation as prolonged inactivity or termination of the session will naturally terminate the connection established thus protecting the information transferred over the internet. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) which will be discussed in the next section depends on the establishment of a connection-oriented communication strategy in order to ensure that the communication between the two computers using the connection oriented approach will help protect the information being transferred by the transport layer protocol. As discussed earlier, the transfer of information from one end to another in a communication channel is accomplished through segmenting the information in to equal sized segments of data called packets that are assigned a header containing the details of the packet as well as its sequence in the information being transfer. The connection-oriented implementation of the transport layer has following key features Sequential data transfer – This is method which follows the First-in First-out (FIFO) strategy. Thus the sequence in which the data packets are received is the same in which it is being sent from the source computer. This approach is deemed secure to ensure that the information being transferred is not tampered with and loss of one of the packets will enable the sender to resend the entire information again. However, the major disadvantage is that the increase in the size of the information will result in poor performance in terms of speed of data transfer. Higher level of error control –As the connection oriented approach ensures that the connection established is live between the sender and the receiver throughout the entire communication process, it is clear that the error control is accomplished successfully through enabling the sender to resend the packets that were not received in the initial transfer. The control in the loss of packets using the above resend strategy naturally minimizes the error associated with the data transfer. Duplication Control – The connection-oriented strategy also has the inherent ability to eliminate duplicate data packets transferred thus allowing the connection-oriented architecture to ensure consistency in the information being transferred. Congestion Control – The TCP protocol monitors the network traffic as part of the transport layer activities. This ensures that that the session established between the sender and the receiver can transfer the required information successfully prior to reaching the session time-out situation as argued by Feit (1998). The client-server communication over the internet is a classical example for the implementation of a connection oriented strategy in the Transport layer of the TCP/IP model. The use of the PKI in the communication is one of the key aspects of the connection-oriented implementation that makes the TCP protocol a key element in the secure data transfer strategies of the day. Connectionless Implementation – As the name suggests the connectionless implementation is the case where a dedicated connection is not required to complete the data transfer between the communicating computer as argued by Blank (2004). The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is used in the case of connectionless implementation where the transfer of the data packets merely comprises the packet order and the source/target details alone. This makes it clear that the transfer of data can be achieved at a higher rate as the authentication and validation of the data transferred is not restricted to a time frame or the session that controls the communication. However, the major issue associated is the lack of security and inaccuracy of the data transferred. Alongside, the key issue with the UDP protocol and the connectionless implementation is the lack of traceability of the information thus resulting in a non-reliable communication channel as argued by Blank (2004). The UDP is thus deemed to be an insecure mode of communication over the internet due to the lack of security measures apart from authentication and identification of the communicative parties. It is further important to appreciate that implementing PKI using the connectionless approach would result the exposure of the information and the lack of effective acknowledgement of the authentication between the communicating computers thus affecting the information security providing room for network attacks that can directly affect the information being transferred through the connection. Network Layer – Blank (2004) argues that the network layer of the TCP/IP model performs the task of delivery of the data within the network one the data packet has reached the appropriate network subnet. This makes it clear that the network layer of the TCP/IP model plays a critical role in identifying the correct network target/destination in order to enable effective communication between the communicating parties as argued by Feit (1998). In case of the World Wide Web, the Network Layer plays the vital role of identifying the destination network and enabling the routing of the packets through the network in order to effectively reach the destination without the data being tampered by unauthorised users. The protocols that are widely used in the Network layer include the Internet Protocol (IP) and the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). The Routing Information Protocol (RIP) of the information TCP/IP model which is predominantly used in the Application layer plays a vi tal role in the network layer for enabling routing of the information across the networks in order to effectively reach the target computer in the communication channel established over the Internet. It is further critical to appreciate the fact that the routing of the packets alone is not the task of the network layer protocols but also to enable the transport layer protocol to effectively enable the communication and data transfer between the communicating computers. This makes it clear that network attacks over the internet by hackers to affect the performance of the communicating computers in order to gain unauthorised access is accomplished through manipulating the communication strategies implemented by the protocols in the Transport and Network Layers of the TCP/IP model. The access to information and the actual infringement of the information which is deemed as the consequence of the hacking or network attack is related to the infringement of the information at the applicati on layer protocols that hold the actual information being transferred (Blank, 2004). However, the attacks themselves that facilitate the aforementioned are accomplished through manipulating the procedures associated with the Transport Layer and Network Layer protocols. The attacks typically include spoofing, overloading, flooding etc., which are discussed in detail at chapter 3 of this report. The Data Link Layer and the Physical Layer of the TCP/IP model involve the actual hardware based communication strategies that are beyond the scope of this research. Hence these two layers of the TCP/IP model are not discussed any further. It is important to appreciate the fact that the top three layers of the TCP/IP stack interact frequently in order to enable the secure communication and allocation of computing resources on the computing devices involved in the communication (Blank, 2004). 2.3: Public Key Infrastructure – an overview PKI implements a form of cryptography known as the asymmetric cryptography in order to enable secure communication between two computers over the Internet as argued by Todd and Johnson (2001). This process mainly involves the use of a public key and private key that are used for encrypting and decrypting the information at the client and server ends respectively (Blank, 2004). The process of encryption is beyond the scope of this research although its role in the secure communication and the extent to which a hacker can manipulate the authentication strategies for launching an attack is relevant to the research. Hence the discussion in this section mainly concerns with the handshake and the communication strategies deployed along with an overview of the players in the PKI. This will help in identifying the various attacks plausible and the level manipulation that can be implemented by the hacker over the protocols used in order to infringe the communication between the client and ser ver computers. It is deemed that the PKI is a reliable communication strategy to implement secure communication through the use of Trusted Third Party (TTP) authentication and approval of the overall communication process between the server and the client computers. The key components of the PKI infrastructure that enable successful and reliable communication over the internet are discussed below Certificate Authority (CA) – The CA is the issuer and control of the public key and the digital certificate associated with the authentication and transfer of secure information over the connection established using the TCP protocol. The primary role of the CA is to generate the public and the private keys simultaneously for a given server computer or service provider (Blank, 2004). The public key as the name suggests is made available over the public domain for encryption/decryption of the information at the client-end of the connection. The private key is not shared and stored at the server which is used for encryption/decryption of the information as applicable at the server end of the connection established for communication. From the above description it is evident that the role of the CA in the PKI is pivotal for the effective implementation of the PKI for secure communication free of network attacks. This is because, if the server hosting the CA application is attacked either using cross site scripting or flood attacks, the public keys stored as well as the associated certificates for verification are compromised thus resulting in the hacker gaining control over the communication channel without the knowledge of the server or the client as argued by Blank (2004). This makes it clear that the security at the CA computer is critical to establish a reliable TTP computer for implementing connection-oriented communication using TCP protocol of the TCP/IP model. Registering Authority (RA) – The RA as the name implies is the verifier of the digital certificate before it is issued to a requestor as argued by Todd and Johnson (2001). The role of the RA computer in the PKI implementation is to enable an independent authorisation of the digital certificates issued thus providing a secondary verification of the information prior to communicating to the server. This presence of an independent verifying program or computer as part of the communication makes the PKI a reliable communication strategy to implemented connection-oriented communication over the internet in a secure fashion. It is also deemed to the key weakness of the PKI strategy owing to the fact that the reliability of the RA as a TTP in the communication process dictates the effectiveness of the communication and the protection of the server from intruder attacks as argued by Todd and Johnson (2001). However, the reliability of the CA or RA is not the issue of debate in this re search but the potential attacks that threaten the stability of the computers hosting the CA and RA programs in order to enable secure connection oriented implementation across the Internet. The key area where the attacks can be accomplished by hackers to disable the RA or the CA computer eventually compromising the information held within is the use process of handshake where the RA or the CA computer is expected to receive an acknowledgement (ACK) from the requesting computer for each message successfully communicated. It is through manipulating these handshake communications a CA or RA can be compromised as the communication channel is expected to open for a specific time period to receive the ACK as well as allocate sufficient resources to complete the data transfer. Abuse of this feature is one of the major areas where the connection-oriented communication faces threat of attacks. These are discussed in chapter 3 elaborately. Directories – The directories are the locations on the public domain that host the public keys for enabling the encryption of the information. The keys are normally held in more than one location in order to enable easy/quick access to the information as well as a verification strategy to ensure that the key retrieved is indeed the valid one for data transfer between the client a given server computer. Certificate Management System (CMS) – This is the application that controls or monitors the certificates issued and facilitates the verification process. The CMS forms the core of the PKI infrastructure as the CA and RA computers in the given PKI implementation are expected to host a validated CMS program to enable the connection-oriented communication between the client and the server. The key issue associated with the case described above is the fact that the CMS program itself is an independent application and hence its reliability/robustness to prevent malicious attacks alone dictates the extent to which a given CA or RA is reliable over the Internet. The key security strategy in case of the PKI implementation is the sharing of the public key whilst retaining the private key at the server computer as argued by Burnett and Paine (2001) [8]. This strategy allows the server computer to effectively encrypt or decrypt the information without depending upon the public key and hence leading a two pronged attack as the information encrypted using private key can be deciphered using the public key and vice versa. Although the use of the two independent keys helps overcome the security threats to the information being transferred, the transfer process itself is not governed by the PKI. This is the major weakness of the PKI infrastructure that allows room for malicious attacks that can hamper the performance by the CA, Ra or the host server computers as argued by Burnett and Paine (2001). From the above discussion it is evident that the security established using the PKI is mainly dependant on the following key elements of the PKI infrastructure CA and RA – The validity and reliability of these computers play a vital role in the effective implementation of the PKI. Apart from the fact that the client computer sending the information depends upon these computers security of the information in its entirety, it is also clear that the availability of these computers and their responses in terms of session time control and preventing session time-out cases are critical to enable successful communication in a connection-oriented implementation using the TCP protocol. An attack on the hosting server for the CA or the RA mainly in terms of flooding or denial of Service will result in the failure of the PKI infrastructure in terms of lack of availability. This situation is one of the major elements that must be addressed as part of the security strategies to be implemented on the transport layer protocols. Encryption Algorithm – The encryption algorithm used for issuing the public and private keys is another element that influences the security and reliability of the PKI as argued by Burnett and Paine (2001). The effectiveness of the hashing algorithm used for the purpose is not only essential for ensuring the security of the information through encryption but also dictates the size of the information for transmission after encryption as well as the speed associated with the data transfer for a given encryption strategy. As the complexity of the encryption algorithm naturally increases the size of the data being transferred thus affecting the speed associated with the communication, it is critical to establish a balance between security and speed in order to enable effective communication over an established connection. It is also important to note that the use of encryption algorithm dictates the extent to which a hacker can hack into the information that is being transfer whil st launching a transport/network layer attack as argued by Burnett and Paine (2001). It is deemed that the hackers through launching malicious attacks at the transport layer or the network layer tend to utilise the time gap to decipher the information being transferred in order to use the data for personal benefits. This makes it clear that the code hacking at the protocol level mainly attribute to the speed with which a given payload data transferred over a connection can be decrypted prior to termination of the connection itself as argued by Burnett and Paine (2001). From the above arguments we can deduce that the encryption poses the threat of single point of failure to the PKI in terms either being weak to prevent infringement or highly strong affecting the communication speed as argued by Nash et al (2001). Advantages or benefits of PKI The major benefits of the PKI include the following The TTP presence enables higher level of security through verification by independent entities in the communication process. The CA and RA in the PKI play a vital role in achieving the aforementioned. The dedication of resources for developing stronger algorithms to generate reliable public and private keys is yet another advantage associated with the PKI implementation. This makes it clear that the transport layer protocol (TCP) of the network layer protocol (IP, ICMP) weaknesses in terms of the request for resend and other key elements of connection verification can be overcome through robust algorithms. The growth f the electronic commerce at an exponential rate is one of the key factors that attribute to the availability of resources dedicated to the development of the PKI security strategies (Nash et al, 2001). The security infrastructure behind the storage and retrieval of the public keys is yet another area where the reliability and effectiveness of the PKI is evident. The fact that in case of reliable CA and RA, the security is indeed robust and the information being transferred is secure as well as the communication process as argued by Nash et al (2001). Constraints, Weaknesses and threats TTP reliability and costs – As discussed before the major issue is the TTP reliability. The involvement of the TTP not only questions the

Not Revolutionary Enough Essay -- American History, The American Revol

For years, tensions between the colonies and England had been escalating. New taxes, unkept promises, and a more prominent presence of British soldiers set tempers rising within the colonies. Rebel groups such as the Sons of Liberty began appearing throughout the troubled colonies. While looking back at this time, historians can predict the Revolution several decades before it happened. When it was all said and done, a new country was born with a brand new institution of government. However, this so-called revolutionary war as more of a social uprising than an actual revolution. A revolution is a social construct that not only creates something brand new, but also eradicates the old system. A revolution must take the old society’s rules throw them out a window and start from scratch with ideas no one has ever thought of before. Moreover, revolutions do not tend to be organized, and even the better-organized ones fail because of corrupt leadership or just the inefficiency of the system. One aspect in society being changed is not a revolution. In addition, these changes cannot be toddler-sized steps; they have to be over the edge steps. For decades before the America’s have been slowly evolving. The idea of actual representation as opposed to virtual representation was beginning to take hold, and after the Revolution, the newly founded country turned to this new idea of actual representation (Van Lanen, 9/26). Therefore, the new form of government the United Stated founded was actually an improvement on their colonial governments. Radical change did not happen in American, however a progressive change that took time to take hold happened which is well outside the ideas of a revolution. An example of a real revolution would be ... ...volution that did not extend the hand of liberty to all inhabitants living within their borders. The American Revolution did create a new system of government that the world had never seen before. The ideas of unalienable rights, and property requirements for voting were groundbreaking for the era. However, almost every ideal the Americans introduced were modified versions of another system. Notions, such as actual representation, democracy, and compassionate marriages, all stemmed from another source. The Enlightened thinkers influenced the writers of the Constitution and Declaration, thus their ideals are found within the documents. Indeed, the Revolution changed the societal and political lives of its citizens, but the change was not enough. Other examples from history show much more radical revolutions, in which the American Revolution just does not compare.

Deception Point Page 66

The old man turned off the television. â€Å"NASA claimed Dr. Harper was not feeling well that night.† He paused. â€Å"I happen to think Harper was lying.† Lying? Sexton stared, his fuzzy thoughts unable to piece together any logical rationale for why Harper would have lied about the software. Still, Sexton had told enough lies in his life to recognize a poor liar when he saw one. He had to admit, Dr. Harper sure looked suspicious. â€Å"Perhaps you don't realize?† the old man said. â€Å"This little announcement you just heard Chris Harper give is the single most important press conference in NASA history.† He paused. â€Å"That convenient software fix he just described is what allowed PODS to find the meteorite.† Sexton puzzled. And you think he was lying about it? â€Å"But, if Harper was lying, and the PODS software isn't really working, then how the hell did NASA find the meteorite?† The old man smiled. â€Å"Exactly.† 77 The U.S. military's fleet of â€Å"repo† aircraft repossessed during drug-trade arrests consisted of over a dozen private jets, including three reconditioned G4s used for transporting military VIPs. A half hour ago, one of those G4s had lifted off the Thule runway, fought its way above the storm, and was now pounding southward into the Canadian night en route to Washington. Onboard, Rachel Sexton, Michael Tolland, and Corky Marlinson had the eight-seat cabin to themselves, looking like some kind of disheveled sports team in their matching blue U.S.S. Charlotte jumpsuits and caps. Despite the roar of the Grumman engines, Corky Marlinson was asleep in the rear. Tolland sat near the front, looking exhausted as he gazed out the window at the sea. Rachel was beside him, knowing she could not sleep even if she'd been sedated. Her mind churned through the mystery of the meteorite, and, most recently, the dead room conversation with Pickering. Before signing off, Pickering had given Rachel two additional pieces of disturbing information. First, Marjorie Tench claimed to possess a video recording of Rachel's private deposition to the White House staff. Tench was now threatening to use the video as evidence if Rachel tried to go back on her confirmation of the meteorite data. The news was particularly unsettling because Rachel had specifically told Zach Herney that her remarks to the staff were for in-house use only. Apparently Zach Herney had ignored that request. The second bit of troubling news dealt with a CNN debate her father had attended earlier in the afternoon. Apparently, Marjorie Tench had made a rare appearance and deftly baited Rachel's father into crystallizing his position against NASA. More specifically, Tench had cajoled him into crudely proclaiming his skepticism that extraterrestrial life would ever be found. Eat his hat? That's what Pickering said her father had offered to do if NASA ever found extraterrestrial life. Rachel wondered how Tench had managed to coax out that propitious little sound bite. Clearly, the White House had been setting the stage carefully-ruthlessly lining up all the dominoes, preparing for the big Sexton collapse. The President and Marjorie Tench, like some sort of political tag team wrestling duo, had maneuvered for the kill. While the President remained dignified outside the ring, Tench had moved in, circling, cunningly lining up the senator for the presidential body slam. The President had told Rachel he'd asked NASA to delay announcing the discovery in order to provide time to confirm the accuracy of the data. Rachel now realized there were other advantages to waiting. The extra time had given the White House time to dole out the rope with which the senator would hang himself. Rachel felt no sympathy for her father, and yet she now realized that beneath the warm and fuzzy exterior of President Zach Herney, a shrewd shark lurked. You did not become the most powerful man in the world without a killer instinct. The question now was whether this shark was an innocent bystander-or a player. Rachel stood, stretching her legs. As she paced the aisle of the plane, she felt frustrated that the pieces to this puzzle seemed so contradictory. Pickering, with his trademark chaste logic, had concluded the meteorite must be fake. Corky and Tolland, with scientific assurance, insisted the meteorite was authentic. Rachel only knew what she had seen-a charred, fossilized rock being pulled from the ice. Now, as she passed beside Corky, she gazed down at the astrophysicist, battered from his ordeal on the ice. The swelling on his cheek was going down now, and the stitches looked good. He was asleep, snoring, his pudgy hands clutching the disk-shaped meteorite sample like some kind of security blanket. Rachel reached down and gently slipped the meteorite sample away from him. She held it up, studying the fossils again. Remove all assumptions, she told herself, forcing herself to reorganize her thoughts. Reestablish the chain of substantiation. It was an old NRO trick. Rebuilding a proof from scratch was a process known as a â€Å"null start†-something all data analysts practiced when the pieces didn't quite fit. Reassemble the proof. She began pacing again. Does this stone represent proof of extraterrestrial life? Proof, she knew, was a conclusion built on a pyramid of facts, a broad base of accepted information on which more specific assertions were made. Remove all the base assumptions. Start again. What do we have? A rock. She pondered that for a moment. A rock. A rock with fossilized creatures. Walking back toward the front of the plane, she took her seat beside Michael Tolland. â€Å"Mike, let's play a game.† Tolland turned from the window, looking distant, apparently deep in his own thoughts. â€Å"A game?† She handed him the meteorite sample. â€Å"Let's pretend you're seeing this fossilized rock for the first time. I've told you nothing about where it came from or how it was found. What would you tell me it is?† Tolland heaved a disconsolate sigh. â€Å"Funny you should ask. I just had the strangest thought†¦ â€Å" Hundreds of miles behind Rachel and Tolland, a strange-looking aircraft stayed low as it tore south above a deserted ocean. Onboard, the Delta Force was silent. They had been pulled out of locations in a hurry, but never like this. Their controller was furious. Earlier, Delta-One had informed the controller that unexpected events on the ice shelf had left his team with no option but to exercise force-force that had included killing four civilians, including Rachel Sexton and Michael Tolland. The controller reacted with shock. Killing, although an authorized last resort, obviously never had been part of the controller's plan. Later, the controller's displeasure over the killings turned to outright rage when he learned the assassinations had not gone as planned. â€Å"Your team failed!† the controller seethed, the androgynous tone hardly masking the person's rage. â€Å"Three of your four targets are still alive!† Impossible! Delta-One had thought. â€Å"But we witnessed-â€Å" â€Å"They made contact with a submarine and are now en route to Washington.† â€Å"What!† The controller's tone turned lethal. â€Å"Listen carefully. I am about to give you new orders. And this time you will not fail.† 78 Senator Sexton was actually feeling a flicker of hope as he walked his unexpected visitor back out to the elevator. The head of the SFF, as it turned out, had not come to chastise Sexton, but rather to give him a pep talk and tell him the battle was not yet over. A possible chink in NASA's armor. The videotape of the bizarre NASA press conference had convinced Sexton that the old man was right-PODS mission director Chris Harper was lying. But why? And if NASA never fixed the PODS software, how did NASA find the meteorite?

Describe a Few of the Interesting Characters in Your Class Essay

My class is full of wonderful characters that make all of us cheerful to study. There are twenty-two students in my class and only seven of them are boys. Our form teacher is Encik Azmi bin Nusi. We have a wonderful monitor who does every job given to her responsibly. She is Uma Devi a/p Nagiah and she never complains about doing jobs without an assistant. Most of the students are Malays. There are only four Indian girls and four Chinese students. Our class is one of the noisiest class because of the interesting characters we have. Uma Devi is chosen to be our monitor mainly because of her gutsiness to confront some of the rebellious students who are usually Azizi and Amin in our class. Were the students agreed? They definitely were. Hardly any objection was voiced to choose Uma as the monitor. With 170 centimetres tall and a loud voice that can crack any dreams, she is the perfect choice. Although this Indian girl is very strict, she also has a good sense of humour. That is why many of us cannot despise her for a long time. Moreover, she is very pretty with two long braided black hair and a smile, which is not very often she does. She seldom smile but when she does, it is just like a sun shining after down pouring rain. We will always feel very glad and relieved to see her smile. Her seriousness in doing her job is commendable and she is helpful too, to get a new dateline for our homeworks from the teacher. Due to that, we always admire and respect her. Describing the interesting characters in my class, I find it difficult to leave Rosmaliza behind. She is a very peculiar and interesting girl in our class. She is only 155 centimetres tall but she was slim with beautiful features. The sleepyhead in our class? She definitely is the one and only. We could not stop laughing when thinking about her embarrassing situations in our class. There was a time when Mr. Ling, our Additional Mathematics teacher was teaching in our class and dear Rosmaliza was sleeping. Mr. Ling noticed she was asleep and called out her name to wake her up and she did wake up. Waking up and mumbling incoherently, she suddenly stood up and towards the blackboard, thinking that Mr. Ling wanted her to complete some questions on the board. After some awkward silence, she returned to her seat looking red all over. All the classmates burst out laughing at her act. But she remained impassive, although her red face revealed what she felt. Another thing that we find funny is the way she laughed. It was loud and sounded like a cackle. That is so unforgettable and can be said as her ‘trademark’. The other character in my class that I found interesting is Fozie. He is quite a humorist with the loyal companion, Ja’far. Fozie is very funny and he could cause a hullaballoo with his spontaneous jokes. He is 162 centimetres tall and has a cute, mischievous face. However, he does not get into a lot of trouble with his mischief. He is quite adorable because of his helpfulness and politeness. He is surely the best guy in our class. Another thing that we found amazing about him is the way he mesmerized school’s juniors. Many students, especially girls from lower form adore and admire him. The reason? Maybe it simply because of his friendliness and some cute bangs over his forehead. However, he is a reliable guy that we could depend on to please some teachers whenever some of them are angry. All that I can conclude from these interesting characters is that they are wonderful to be with. Although some of them are weird, but the difference can only add up the speciality. Plus, they definitely bring colours of joy and mischief in our world as a student. Life in school would simply be so boring without them.

Army Essays

Army Essays Army Essay Army Essay Why Accountability is such an important aspect in the U. S. Army. As a child growing up on a small island in a community that does not exceed 600 population, It was very easy for our parents to keep track of us and know where we were pretty much at all times. When I decided to to join the Army and leave my small island community it was a major life change. I went from knowing everyone to knowing virtually no one. Being in the Army has broadened my views on so many things that I would never have thought of before.Such has how important it is to be someplace at a curtain time. Accountability and responsibility are pretty much one in the same to me. As a Private First Class I am slowly learning that the Army is a much bigger animal then I anticipated. When I took the oath of enlistment I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be in Korea or finding my future husband 6000 miles from home. For God’s sake I had never been outside the state of Virgini a in all my life until now.I look back at friends and family who are still on Tangier Island and think if they had just a little more responsibility and where held accountable for their actions the Island could be a much better place. Even though there are good people and things in Tangier, there are good people and things in the Army. The Army is not a joke or a place to party. The responsibility that the common soldier takes on is greater then any responsibility a civilian will encounter their entire life.At points we hold life in death in our hands the decision to take or save lives follows us everyday no matter what environment we are in Garrison or down range. It all comes down to the decisions we make. Do I leave the house a little earlier, do I prepare my uniforms and gear the day before instead of the morning of. People depend on people being where they are supposed to be to keep the good order and discipline of the Army. In civilian life if your co-worker isn’t there nobody really cares, maybe they got sick, maybe they are running late.In our profession and line of work a person gone, without knowing where that person is , could mean a mission doesn’t get completed, a crucial task takes double the time to complete, or in a worst case scenario a person has lost there life do to someone not doing or being where their supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there. As a Soldier I am learning that as I progress through the ranks I become more accountable and responsible for not only myself but others.

3 More Types of Not Only . . . but Also Errors

3 More Types of Not Only . . . but Also Errors 3 More Types of Not Only . . . but Also Errors 3 More Types of Not Only . . . but Also Errors By Mark Nichol Errors of faulty parallelism in sentences in which â€Å"not only† and â€Å"but also† help delineate complementary phrases come in three general categories, as shown, explained, and corrected below. 1. This problem not only relates to accessibility but also to completeness, accuracy, and validity of the data. In a simple sentence employing â€Å"not only† and â€Å"but also,† a verb that applies to both phrases must precede â€Å"not only†: â€Å"This problem relates not only to accessibility but also to completeness, accuracy, and validity of the data.† (Otherwise, the assumption is that a verb distinct from the one following â€Å"not only† will appear after â€Å"not also† in parallel to the first one, as in â€Å"This problem not only relates to accessibility but also applies to completeness, accuracy, and validity of the data.†) 2. This step presents not only a technical change, but introduces risks associated with migrating to the cloud. In this example, parallel verbs should follow the respective setup phrases â€Å"not only† and â€Å"but also†: â€Å"This step not only presents a technical change but also introduces risks associated with migrating to the cloud.† (Note, too, the deletion of the comma and the introduction of also.) 3. In this way, the courts have been central, not only to the preservation of American freedom, but also to its expansion. In â€Å"not only . . . but also† constructions, a comma is often inserted before â€Å"but also† (or before but alone when also is not included, as in the example above), but the punctuation mark is unnecessary because what follows it is not an independent clause or a parenthetical phrase. Here, the first comma is correct, the second one (assuming the third is omitted) is defensible for emphasis but is extraneous, and the third is a mistake, as explained in the first sentence in this discussion: â€Å"In this way, the courts have been central not only to the preservation of American freedom but also to its expansion.† Furthermore, the appearance of the second and third commas together is a double error; the inclusion of this pair of punctuation marks erroneously implies that what is contained within is parenthetical. (To test for the validity of the punctuation, view the sentence without the intervening phrase: â€Å"In this way, the courts have been central but also to its expansion† is ungrammatical, so the commas are incorrect.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†A While vs AwhilePreposition Mistakes #1: Accused and Excited

The Definition of a Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV)

The Definition of a Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) ULEV is an acronym for Ultra Low Emission Vehicle. ULEVs release emissions that are 50 percent cleaner than the current average years models. ULEVs take the LEV, Low Emission Vehicle, standard a step further but dont yet qualify for Super-Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV)  status. Although already a concept in car manufacturers wheelhouse, the rise in popularity of ULEV vehicles came after a ruling by the California courts in 2004 that all new cars sold in the state must have at least a LEV rating. Similar measures passed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on vehicle emissions regulations have also given rise to the popularity of eco-friendly vehicles.   Origins of Low Emissions As a result of the EPAs 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act of 1970, light-duty vehicle manufacturing began to undergo a phased implementation of cleaner emissions standards. Typically restricting the output of too much carbon monoxide, non-methane organic gasses, oxides of nitrogen, formaldehyde, and particulate matter, these regulations sought to downsize the carbon footprint of the automobile industry in the United States. The phases of this plan rolled out Tier 1 classifications from 1994 through 1999 with Tier 2 implemented from 2004 to 2009.   As part of Californias 2004 low-emissions vehicle initiative, which provided much stricter regulations for qualifying as a low-emission vehicle, the tiers were further broken down into six sub-classifications: Transitional Low-Emissions Vehicles (TLEV), LEV, ULEV, SULEV, Partial-Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) and Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV). In 2009, President Barack Obama announced a new initiative to further decrease emissions outputs for American auto consumers. This included expanding the classifications definitions as well as standardizing Californias 2004 bill as a federally mandated program, requiring manufacturers to produce a net emissions output of their vehicles (meaning the combined average of each vehicles emissions rating) that equaled  more than 35.5 miles per gallon. Common Examples The number of ULEVs on the road has exponentially increased annually since 1994, though it wasnt until the 2010s that the market for LEVs really took off. Still, decades of experience have taught car manufacturers one thing: eco sells. More and more, companies are rushing to meet requirements for their vehicles to qualify as LEVs.   Examples of these Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicles have begun cropping up more and more frequently starting with 2007s Honda Odyssey minivan, the 2007  Chevrolet  Malibu Maxx and the 2007  Hyundai Accent. Prices are typically midrange for these mid-range low-emissions autos, encouraging more consumers to be eco-conscious with their driving habits.   Fortunately, the advent of such fuel economy measuring tools as the instant fuel economy display  also helps further combat fuel waste by alerting drivers to the real-time miles per gallon fuel consumption their car requires to operate given the drivers handling of the vehicle. Most cars produced in the United States now qualify at the very least as LEVs, with emissions across the board now down to less than one percent of emissions allowed in the U.S. in the 1960s.   Soon, hopefully, we will move further away from gasoline-reliant vehicles and instead switch to electric or hydro-powered engines.

Textual Analysis of Los Vendidos Research Paper

Textual Analysis of Los Vendidos - Research Paper Example The drama revolves around stereotype and prejudice towards the Mexicans in America. The writer of the play, Valdez has used humor and entertainment most probably to shun affronting any race. Racism is a big issue and no one would like to be stigmatized or treated differently because of their race, color, religion or gender (Vogelmann 1-4). This play has served the purpose of making light with intention of making people understand racism and prejudice without intending to hurt anyone at the end (Mc Parland's 3). This is helped by the fact that it is a comedy play. There are several themes evident in this play and they are prejudice, racism, social injustice, social identity, Marxism and Hispanophobia. The Mexicans-Americans in this play faced challenges as they were discriminated against. The play humbled the audience instead of inciting confidence in those that were not victims in the play. As a representation of the American society at the time, theatre as a weapon is a term that co mes in several parts of the play. This play has been used to enlighten people on the various issues that encompass prejudice towards the Latin Americans. And it was and is not a small issue because it has been recognized over the years as a vice against the Mexican Americans that had taken toll over the years (Carl et al 13-16). Even the Mexican government mentioned it at one time and said that, â€Å" the government of Mexico, opposes any form of discrimination institutionalization or otherwise, as well as the new forms of discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance that emerged in several parts of the world , particularly in the developed countries†. The fact the play has one of the major themes as racism among the ethnic groups of American society is a clear indication that it is a vice that existed for a long time basing on the fact that it was written a very long time ago. The characters in the play have brought out this main theme. At the end of the play t he revolucionario states that robot Sancho â€Å"is the best model we got†. This indicates that the Mexicans are fed up of being discriminated and stereotyped against. The secretary in her description wants an American who is black and fits in all her other descriptions of being ‘hardworking’, ‘debonair’, ‘sophisticated’ and ‘American-made’. After just a short while of sampling the models she disregards them at says they do not meet her requirements. She refuses each of the models presented to her by finding flaws in each one of them. This points out how people are always so quick to judge and have objections so easily when they are prejudiced against someone. It is a common thing for people to form some sort of attitude when they hear an accent or see a skin color that is different from theirs giving them an impression that they do not belong., Most of the Mexicans who live in America are discriminated and become treated as second class citizens. An example in the play is by the farm worker who comes to America once a year. He is a migrant worker. â€Å"One plate of beans and tortillas will keep him going all day†. Pachuco is a Mexican gangster who is feared a great deal by the Americans. It is normal for any human to fear a harmful person but in Pachuco’s case this fear has been heightened because of his being a Mexican. Revoluncionario is the typical man in western movies that women want to be with, he is always drinking, rides over the plains

Amalgamation in The Local Government in Canada Essay

Amalgamation in The Local Government in Canada - Essay Example Studies were carried out that proved that Toronto would provide better services to its citizens while saving tax payers’ money. There were initially six municipalities, each with a single fire chief, but after the amalgamation, the result was one fire chief instead. The merger observed in Toronto had been proposed as a cost-saving measure. By the year 2000, the goal was attained when it was observed that the city had saved 136.2 million dollars per year resulting from the amalgamation. Several other municipalities were amalgamated, though with opposition from some critics. The opposition was, however, widely experienced in Toronto. Data carried out within the city showed that the majority of the citizens were against amalgamation. However, three years later, data from an interview carried out within the residents showed that majority of the citizens were satisfied with the newly amalgamated government (Emmanuel and Martin, 2010). Some of the benefits accrued to amalgamation at the municipal level for the citizens of Canada include reducing the number of officials elected and reduce duplication. Reducing the number of elected officials implies that tax payers’ money shall be put into a better use. This resulted to the government offering better services to its citizens. Cost was significantly reduced with amalgamation. At the same time, efficiency was streamlined and improved significantly. This was an advantage to the citizens since they experienced efficient services and transparent expenditure of the public money. Accountability was also improved. This is because it was evident to the citizens in what manner their money was spent. This resulted... Amalgamation in The Local Government in Canada The biggest issue of controversy among politicians and municipal administrators is whether or not municipals should be amalgamated into larger ones or should be left on their own devices. Municipal government refers to a local government that is created to provide services that are handled under a local control. The link between administration and policy making is supplied in municipal governments by a committee or a council. The number of committees that the municipal government creates depends on local priorities and circumstances. Canada has a federal system of governance, where responsibilities are divided between national or federal government and territorial and provincial governments. The division of powers evident in the Canada Government was set out in 1867 by the British North America Act (BNA Act). â€Å"One idea that all politicians of different stripes agree upon is that a bigger municipal government is better than a smaller one.† Though to the common citizens amalgamation has positive impacts, to the administrators and politicians who are directly affected, the effect may be negative. This is because as a result of reducing the size of a municipal, several politician and administrators lose their jobs. In conclusion, it is possible for one to predict the future of Canada. As far as the municipal government reorganization in Canada is concerned, it is debatable that the citizens shall continue enjoying good services form the government. The entire economy of Canada is expected to improve immensely.

The Impact of Technologies Innovation on Airlines Travel and Thesis Proposal

The Impact of Technologies Innovation on Airlines Travel and Transportation Business - Thesis Proposal Example s travel and transportation business has become a necessity as these organizations concentrate on getting and retaining the competitive advantage in the market. In the traditional business systems the procurement processes and the collaboration and coordination among business partners are not very strong but with the integration of innovative technologies like IT the better ways and collaboration can be obtained. And for this problem â€Å"the extranets were being gradually used for communicating with partners and to support business-to-business (B2B) relationships† (Dimitrios Buhalis, 2003). The issues of traditional procurement process, inventory management, finance (Dimitrios Buhalis, 2003) forced the organizations to adopt IT with the existing business system. In traditional approaches a very long time period is required to streamline the procurement processes but in case of electronic procurement this problem can be solved within limited time. The benefits of IT and innovative technologies are associated with procurement, product purchase, services and product delivery. Benefits associated with the information systems and ecomme rce are distributed roughly and are more favorable for network leaders (Riggins and Mukhopadhyay 1994). All the industries are trying to reduce the overall expenditure of procurement processes without the awareness of innovative technologies. So there is the need to introduce the benefits of innovative technologies and its integration with the existing systems. Innovative technologies also play a vital role in reduction of costs (Alexander & Young, 1996, Domberger, 1998, Hallikainen, 2003). IT can better help in the maturity of procurement processes in a very less time. IT has deeper impact upon economy (e.g. see Choudhury et al., 1998; Crowston, 1997; Ein-Dor et al., 1997; Pereira and Tavares, 1998; Wang et al., 1996) or cost component and generating revenues for the industry. The ultimate strategic goal behind the implementation of

Financial Intermediaries and The Euro Markets Essay

Financial Intermediaries and The Euro Markets - Essay Example According to the research findings the financial environment therefore directly or indirectly influence the financial system of any country. Thus the need for financial intermediaries to act as the middlemen in this transactions is important. Therefore for investors to get profit and the lenders to be able to give away money to borrowers the need for financial markets are vital. Financial intermediaries can be defined as an institution that acts as the middlemen between the investors and the firms. These financial institutions include chartered banks, insurance companies, investment dealers, mutual funds, and pension funds. Liquidity has been the basis of these kind of transactions between the parties either the borrowers or the investors. It can be defined as the ease with which a given asset can be changed into cash or by getting access to credit. Thus the main concept of liquidity is to obtain cash. Liquidity is often determined by two factors that measure how easy it is to change it into cash or make it possible for borrowers to obtain the cash. The policy interest rates and the structure of the interest rates paid by the borrowers are often the indicators of liquidity. These rates often influence one either to be motivated to borrow or leave the money with the banks. Most of the world banks are involved in market liquidity which is the rate at which a borrower is able to quickly buy or sell the financial assets at a given time without changing the market price. (Francis 2008). In the new world there are financial institutions that stand in between parties in any kind of transaction that involve cash. Thus Financial Intermediaries are firms that buy or borrow from consumers or savers and later lend these services or would be cash to other companies or persons that might need resources for investment. Therefore there are different kinds of investments. The insurance policies, buying of stocks, bonds, government treasuries, and mutual funds. All these investm ents either involve the public investor or the government and the company. Investments that involve a company or the government selling to the public are easily convertible to cash since the purpose of the public is to get cash for their daily living. Moreover, the investments by the government are more liquid than those in the company (Levine 1993). Mutual funds can easily be changed to cash than all the others while the others. Insurance policies since they are the contract or an agreement between the insurer and the insured are difficult to change into cash since one can only pay the amount after a certain incident happens that is often unkown when it will occur. The the government treasuries and mutual funds are just agreements that do not involve cash and thus take time to be converted to cash and the remaining are easily converted in this order: Stocks, and bonds. Therefore in the order of their liquidity they would be: mutual funds as the most liquid asset, then the governmen t treasuries, bonds, stock, and then the insurance pilies as the least liquid asset. Conclusion Financial intermediaries therefore play a vital role in the national economy of any country. In most economies people with more money save them in banks that makes it possible for those with little money to borrow so that they would be able to use them either to run a business or other functions depending on their need. Thus a financial institution such as banks facilitate the flow of funds from savers to borrowers. The financial institutions profit from the spread between the amount they pay for funds and the

Organisational transformation in practice Essay

Organisational transformation in practice - Essay Example The behavior of organisational leadership identifies how successful leaders will be at attaining the values, objectives and goals of the organisation (Tsai, 2011). It is worth mentioning that in order to remain competitive it is quite significant for an organisation to continuously assess its values and practices to ensure that they are aligned with the developed corporate strategies. With this concern, a culture audit permits an organisation to map and to assess its organisational values and current practices. It can also be utilised to evaluate the gap existing between the benchmark and the organisation’s actual behaviour in relation to its desired values emphasising on the fact that whether executives and employees practice the way they state (Cha & Edmondson, n.d.). According to Kets de Vries (2011), most of the organisational changes arise as a result of a stream of interaction between the numerous stakeholders in the systems, each of which is considered to be complex in its own way. In the contemporary times, one of the significant challenges that the leaders might face can be identified as related with managing their organisational culture in order to impede mounting happenings of corporate wrong doings. In this regards, they are supposed to assemble the market needs by making sure that internal environment of the organisation is aligned with the external forces (De Vries, 2011). In my organisation, cultural change took place because of the change in the organisational structure. I have experienced such changes numerous times in my recent past performances. However, most of the colleagues were not ready for such change in the organisational culture. With my personal experience upon change, I was aware of the fact that change in the workplace is inevitable. Such changes will have an influence upon all parties who tend to be involved with the organisational process. Yet, if the change in not managed properly, it might lead to several difficulties fo r the organisation. From my past experiences, it came to my understanding that when change takes place in an organisation, the most significant way of coping up with such changes is the ability of leadership to lead the organisation properly. In other words, it can be stated that during the time of change taking place in the organisation, leaders have a significant role to play (Bell, 2006). When the employees have complete faith on the capabilities of the formal leaders, they tend to expect high from the leaders for numerous aspects. For instance, when drastic changes take place, employees will expect that the leaders are going to demonstrate effective and sensible planning, proper decision making and complete communication in a timely way. I also noted the fact that when change takes place, employees will perceive leadership as sympathetic, concerned and devoted towards their welfare. It can be stated that playing the role of a leader is not at all easy. The leaders not only have the responsibility to lead; rather, as an employee themselves, they are supposed to deal with their own reactions to change and their role in the process (Ledez, 2008). From my past experiences, I further understood that communication also has a significant role to play in resolving most of the issues at the organisation. It is highly crucial for the leaders of the organisation to communicate regarding the mission, vision, goals and objectives of

Utopian Societies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Utopian Societies - Research Paper Example It is a fact that many people from all over the world were staying in America without facing much discrimination before the 9/11 incident. But after 9/11, some people are facing stiff challenges in America, especially the Muslim population. In other words, circumstances preventing the formation of an ideal society everywhere. The concept of Utopian society has come from Plato’s republic. It is a conceptual society which is free from aggression, war, hate, and crime and work for the establishing peace, law and order in every aspect of social life. The major objective of Utopian society is to work for the human betterment. Moreover utopian society ensures equality and stress free life of all human beings in every aspect of human life. The major drawback of utopian society was their handling of outsiders. While they were keeping all the ethical standards within the society, they were not so in treating the outsiders. This paper briefly analyses the major concepts of utopian society in order to find an answer to the question whether this concept is good or evil in the contemporary world. Serra (2010) has mentioned that the Utopian society would be free of ignorant bully types, perverts, dishonest slugs who have no conscience, those with greed, hostilities, and the list goes on. No one sees color or nationality. No bad racial feelings, just good people enjoying each other’s company (Serra). In a utopian society, people enjoys freedom, liberty and equality in all the respects. In other words, the equality in all sense, prevent the chances of any problems in a utopian society. Laws and governments have no role at all in a utopian society. People live at their will in such a society. Utopian society helps a person to lead a free life in its all sense. The words, Crime and punishments are not in the dictionary of a utopian society. In a utopian society, the government holds only the secondary position. Society has the upper hand compared

Organisational transformation in practice Essay

Organisational transformation in practice - Essay Example The behavior of organisational leadership identifies how successful leaders will be at attaining the values, objectives and goals of the organisation (Tsai, 2011). It is worth mentioning that in order to remain competitive it is quite significant for an organisation to continuously assess its values and practices to ensure that they are aligned with the developed corporate strategies. With this concern, a culture audit permits an organisation to map and to assess its organisational values and current practices. It can also be utilised to evaluate the gap existing between the benchmark and the organisation’s actual behaviour in relation to its desired values emphasising on the fact that whether executives and employees practice the way they state (Cha & Edmondson, n.d.). According to Kets de Vries (2011), most of the organisational changes arise as a result of a stream of interaction between the numerous stakeholders in the systems, each of which is considered to be complex in its own way. In the contemporary times, one of the significant challenges that the leaders might face can be identified as related with managing their organisational culture in order to impede mounting happenings of corporate wrong doings. In this regards, they are supposed to assemble the market needs by making sure that internal environment of the organisation is aligned with the external forces (De Vries, 2011). In my organisation, cultural change took place because of the change in the organisational structure. I have experienced such changes numerous times in my recent past performances. However, most of the colleagues were not ready for such change in the organisational culture. With my personal experience upon change, I was aware of the fact that change in the workplace is inevitable. Such changes will have an influence upon all parties who tend to be involved with the organisational process. Yet, if the change in not managed properly, it might lead to several difficulties fo r the organisation. From my past experiences, it came to my understanding that when change takes place in an organisation, the most significant way of coping up with such changes is the ability of leadership to lead the organisation properly. In other words, it can be stated that during the time of change taking place in the organisation, leaders have a significant role to play (Bell, 2006). When the employees have complete faith on the capabilities of the formal leaders, they tend to expect high from the leaders for numerous aspects. For instance, when drastic changes take place, employees will expect that the leaders are going to demonstrate effective and sensible planning, proper decision making and complete communication in a timely way. I also noted the fact that when change takes place, employees will perceive leadership as sympathetic, concerned and devoted towards their welfare. It can be stated that playing the role of a leader is not at all easy. The leaders not only have the responsibility to lead; rather, as an employee themselves, they are supposed to deal with their own reactions to change and their role in the process (Ledez, 2008). From my past experiences, I further understood that communication also has a significant role to play in resolving most of the issues at the organisation. It is highly crucial for the leaders of the organisation to communicate regarding the mission, vision, goals and objectives of

Functional Shortterm Objectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Functional Shortterm Objectives - Essay Example Upon, Amber's arrival to her day care center, she would be not provided with her favourite toy Jack-in-the-boxes. Instead she would be guided to the toys rack to choose and point out the toy she wants to play with. She would later on be shown the way to her play area. She would be instructed by her caregiver to move freely back and forth between her play area and toys rack as to alter her toy if she wants. Brandy's parents should set an example for Brandy to follow while requesting different objects. They should use words of requests in front of her. They should also instruct Brandy to use similar words to request her needs and wants. Brandy should be instructed on the different locations of her clothes inside her closet. She would also be taught the different types of clothes and possible usage for each type. She would be taught of the type of clothing that fits different destinations and activities.

How Tourism Affects The Environment Of Polar Regions Tourism Essay

How Tourism Affects The Environment Of Polar Regions Tourism Essay The Polar Regions are the icy areas around the North and South Poles. The Northern Polar Region is called the Arctic, while the Southern Polar Region is called the Antarctic (http://42explore.com). They are among the worlds coldest places which contain a majority of the worlds ice and snow. During the summer when the temperature increases, the ice melts, an immense population of wildlife arrive and daylight lasts practically all day. In the Arctic, a profusion of plants bloom. These extreme features may not be the worlds most popular tourist attractions, but a growing number of visitors are touring and recreating in the Polar Region environments (Synder, 2007). The Southern Polar Region of Antarctica is the least visited continent in the world. Until about 1820, no human had seen it and it is doubtful as to whether anyone landed on it before 1894 or spent a winter ashore prior to 1899. During the 1990s, the number of voyages increased as tour operators responded to a growing demand for Antarctic tourism  [1]  . These days however, parts of the continent and several of its offshore islands provide the setting for scientific studies and some of the worlds most sought after tourism experiences. From mid-November to early March, during the time when ice conditions are less severe, the region is visited regularly by tourists aboard cruise vessels (Bauer, 2001). Commercial cruise lines currently bring the highest number of tourists to Antarctica, and many have the Antarctic Peninsula area and its islands as their destination (Enzenbacher, 1991). Unlike the Antarctic, the Arctic has been attracting tourists since the 1800s. The earliest Arctic tourists were individual anglers, hunters, mountaineers, and adventurers who were attracted to abundant fisheries, exotic wildlife species, and remote regions. Mass tourism in the Arctic Region has been thriving since the mid 1800s when steamships and railroads aggressively expanded their transportation networks providing access to numerous destinations throughout the Arctic. Tourism entrepreneurs such as Thomas Cook formed partnerships with railroad and steamship companies and thereby pioneered the popular tourism industry. Numerous advances in transport technologies have also contributed to the steady growth of the Arctic Regions tourism. At present, advanced steamship technologies together with improved marine charts and navigational aids have allowed cruise ship travel to increase exponentially. Additionally, diesel locomotives, four wheel drives and tracked vehicles further opened access to vast regions of the Arctic. Most importantly however, air transport in all of its forms, provides speedy travel to the Arctic Region. Collectively, these improved transport technologies not only added numbers of tourists, but also expanded the seasonal and geographical research of Arctic tourism (Snyder, 2007). The growth of tourism in the Polar Regions presents both challenges and opportunities. Although this type of tourism may not be the worlds most popular, it is one of the fastest growing areas of tourism today. This has led to concerns about the possible negative impact on the environment. In the Arctic, tourist numbers have grown from about one million in the early 1990s to more than one and a half million today. In Antarctica, the number of ship-borne tourists increased by an astounding four hundred thirty per cent in the last fourteen years and the number of land-based tourists increased by an amazing seven hundred fifty seven per cent in the last ten years (UNEP, 2007). This level of tourism negatively affects the environment in many ways. Firstly, there is an increase in the level of soil erosion and contamination. For many visitors, a trip to the Polar Region may be a once in a lifetime experience. As such, many visitors would wish to see areas of great beauty or lushness such as bird colonies, marine mammals and caribou aggregations, many sights which would have previously only been seen in some form of visual media. There are rather few places where such sights are both accessible and reliable. Because of this tourist traffic to these areas is often high. Vegetation in the Arctic is typically unable to withstand such a high amount of human traffic, and paths that have been repeatedly trampled are now showing bare ground in some heavily visited areas. Secondly, garbage waste is left behind. With so many visitors to the Polar Regions each year, it is inevitable that there will be large amounts of garbage waste. However, because of climatic conditions, garbage waste decomposition is very slow and if left behind is visible on the bright white permafrost (www.coolantarctica.com). Sewage from cruise ships is also discharged into the sea. This causes harm to local species of fish and other sea creatures. Due to the increase in tourism, some Polar Region species are on the verge of extinction. Some forms of air transportation such as helicopters which are used for recreation purposes are very noisy. They produce noises that are foreign to the Polar Region sea birds which they find distressing and disturbing. This distress and disturbance causes panic flights and can lead to egg loss particularly in birds (Snyder, 2007). With an increase in visitors and the volume of ships comes an increase in the risk of oil spills in the Polar Region. Any oil that is spilled will be extremely difficult (if not impossible) to clean up. It may contaminate the wildlifes habitats and food sources. This will put strain on the wildlife that live there, as they are not accustomed to dealing with man-made interruptions in their daily way of life. The introduction of bird and plant diseases in the Polar Regions is another impact on the environment (Kriwoken Rootes, 2000). Because there are so many visitors coming from different parts of the world, there is a very likely possibility that some kind of plant or animal disease may be brought into the Region  [2]  . For example, a tourist may decide to sneak a plant in on one for their trips on land. Perhaps they would have unknowingly brought an infected plant for the purpose of trying to grow it in extreme cold conditions. If the plant is infected, then there is a possibility that it will infect other flora in the area. Other environmental impacts include air pollution from the various forms of air transportation and the unlawful collection of Region species as souvenirs (Kriwoken Rootes, 2000). Like anything else in life, if negative impacts are not controlled they can have lasting effects. An increase of tourism to the Polar Regions leads to an increase in environmental impacts. Should these impacts go untreated, long term effects could be dire. In the long run, soil erosion and contamination may lead to the complete removal of what little vegetation there is in the Polar Regions. Because of repeated trampling, vegetation will cease to grow. This will affect the natural beauty of the Regions. A constant build-up of garbage waste that is left on land by visitors and ship operators that does not decompose quickly will become unsightly on the bright white permafrost. Garbage waste, even in some of the most remote areas of the Regions, can cause disturbance not only to the beauty of the area but also to the wildlifes natural habitats. The waste may even cause diseases which local species may contract and this may lead to an increase in the death toll. If the Regions local species die at an increased rate (because of diseases caused by garbage waste as well as the introduction of bird and plant diseases), then the chances of a particular species becoming extinct is much greater. Although there has not been any major oil spills in the Arctic or Antarctic Regions as yet, because of the increased amount of travel there by ship, there is an increased possibility that there will be one day. Imagine if for whatever reason oil spills became an almost regular occurrence. Again, an oil spill that is difficult to clean up in an area covered by bright white permafrost will most definitely leave unsightly marks in a place of such natural beauty. Not only that, but it will also contaminate the habitats and food sources of wildlife for years to come, putting the natural food chain in disarray. Without being able to find food in their area, wildlife will be forced to migrate to other parts to find food or eventually die out. For many areas of the Polar Region, tourism is of great economic importance. Arctic economies rely on tourism for sales revenue, jobs, personal income, and public finance revenues. Tourism development is a goal for areas such as Greenland, Nunavut, Manitoba and Native Alaskan economies (Snyder, 2008). However, with increasing visitor numbers and increasing environmental impacts, the overall industry will be affected. Should current environmental impacts continue and worsen, then Polar tourism will cease to exist. Interestingly enough though, it was revealed in a study conducted by Dr. John Snyder, that tourist perceived there to be no terror threat in the Arctic, climate change publicity is free advertising and they want to see the Arctic and its wildlife before it is lost. Thankfully, organisations such as the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) have put in place strict guidelines to its member tour operator s and ships. Such guidelines limit the size of ships that can cruise Antarctic waters and also how many people can be landed at sites around Antarctica. So far the IAATO is perceived as being successful in its aims and its Regulation protection for Antarctic protection (www.coolantarctica.com). The North and South Arctic and Antarctic Polar Regions are some of the coldest places on earth, but also the most pristine. Visitor numbers have been increasing at a fast rate. However, such an increase brings with it increases in environmental impacts. These include soil erosion and contamination, the introduction of bird and plant diseases, an increased risk of oil spills, Polar Region species becoming on the verge of extinction and unsightly garbage waste being left behind by visitors. Long term effects could be dire, and if not properly regulated may see Polar Region tourism ceasing to exist.

Gilligan’s Island Essay -- Personal Narrative Vacation Traveling Essay

Gilligan’s Island No inhabitants, a major tourists spot, a clear blue ocean, but no sign of the Professor, the Skipper, or Mary Ann. Can you guess where this is? You got it! Gilligan’s Island located in the beautiful South Atlantic Ocean. During Spring Break of 2003, my best friend, Danielle, and I took a flight to Orlando, Florida, a car to Fort Lauderdale, and a cruise through the Bahamas that had beautiful subtropical weather. For one day out of four during the cruise, we were able to chose what we wanted to do whether it was snorkeling, shopping, or taking an off land excursion to Gilligan’s Island. Of course, Danielle and I chose sun tanning on the beautiful, sandy beaches at Gilligan’s Island. As we boarded the tiny, white, sixty passenger, excursion boat, we headed east from Nassau, Bahamas with a population of about 300,000, to the tiny island called Gilligan’s Island that had no inhabitants. Approaching the island, all we could see was crystal clear breathtaking blue water that looked like a huge sheet of glass. The water was so calm and so clean. As we drew closer to the island, Danielle said, â€Å"Look at all those huge palm trees.† She was right, the island was covered with giant palm trees that must have been there from way back when the Gilligan’s Island TV show was filmed (probably longer). The boat captain announced in a deep Creole accent over constant clicks and flashes of cameras â€Å"Enjoy your day here at Gilligan’s Island, one of the seven hundred islands here in the Bahamas. Remember that food and drinks will be served all day from the Pavilion. Departure time is at 4 p.m.† I was so excited to explore the tiny island, e tch many memories in my mind, but still enjoy my time at the beach. As the excursion... ...e learned a lot about the Bahamian cultural and their way of life. Not one Bahamian does a thing for themselves. Their goal is to feed their family and make sure that their family is taken care of first. They are also very hospitable people to the tourist and they make sure that you enjoy your stay and that you have plenty to eat and drink. As I look back at my trip, I realized that I may not have met Gilligan, the Skipper, the millionaire and his wife, the movie star, the Professor, or Mary Ann, but the Bahamian people were sure welcoming. They were nice to allow us to travel to Gilligan’s Island. After all, how many of you can say that you have traveled to Gilligan’s Island? Works Cited â€Å"Bahamas.† http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia. 13 Aug. 2004. â€Å"The Bahamas.† http://www.bahamas.com. 13 Aug. 2004. â€Å"The Bahamas.† http://www.cia.gov/cia. 13 Aug. 2004.

Christopher Columbus Essay -- Christopher Columbus Essays

The skills and qualities required of Christopher Columbus in order for him to lead a safe and successful voyage to undiscovered and unexplored lands weighed heavily on him, as he was initially placed in a headship position in the course of the planning of the journey because he originated and entertained the idea of finding a passage to China through unmarked waters. With his assiduousness and persistence, his appeal and intelligence, he was able to convince the King and Queen of Spain to fund his trip. These issues, along with the fact that he had never been a captain on a ship, began the fulfillment of a dream built on nothing. These steps taken were the foundation of what would be a great hero and leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One valuable attribute in any man in who is put into a dangerous position of both power and responsibility is the ability to keep a close connection between the leader and the follower, which often determines the success of the leader’s mission. In Columbus’ case, it was the capability to unite a crew, who, through storms, shipwrecks, disease, dissension, and even death, remained united enough to make several voyages to the â€Å"New World.† He, and leaders in general, must give an additional effort to motivate to cohorts in order to initiate and expand this alliance that is crucial to the attainment of goals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another essential quality considered necessary for Columbus to command his expedition was a secure code...

Stress Urinary Incontinence

Stress Urinary Incontinence Jordin Lang West Coast University Urinary Incontinence is defined as leakage of urine that is involuntary. Stress Urinary Incontinence is involuntary urine leakage that is due to weakened pelvic floor muscles. It is most commonly found to be a greater problem in women. Estimates say that upwards of 35% of women 65 and older experience some form of urinary incontinence. Stress incontinence is an involuntary loss of urine that happens because of physical activity, like coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercise. The strength of the pelvic floor muscles is inadequate to support the urinary tract under pressure. The anatomy of the urinary system involved in continence in women includes the bladder, urethra, pelvic floor muscles and sphincter. Urine is stored in the bladder which fills like a balloon to accommodate up to two cups of urine. When a woman urinates the muscles surrounding the bladder contract to squeeze the urine out. Pelvic floor muscles support the uterus, bladder and rectum. There are also many nerves some of which send the signal to the brain that one needs to urinate. What occurs with stress urinary incontinence is that the sphincter and pelvic floor muscles when weakened cannot support the closure of the urethra when increased pressure from the abdomen occurs. Such as coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercising. (â€Å"Medlineplus stress incontinence,† 2011) Many women under the age of 65 develop issues with stress urinary incontinence following pregnancy and childbirth. Vaginal deliveries and episiotomies often result in stress urinary incontinence that is temporary and frequently clears up o its own within six weeks following delivery. In addition to pregnancy and childbirth some women may experience stress urinary incontinence during menopause. Estrogen keeps the lining of the bladder and pelvic floor plump and healthy, when estrogen decreases during menopause, some women may develop mild urinary incontinence a result. Risk factors for developing stress urinary incontinence include, being female, childbirth, increasing age, chronic coughing such as occurs with chronic bronchitis and asthma, multiple childbirths, obesity and smoking. (â€Å"Merkmanual: Polyuria,† 2011) Diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence is made after assessment of symptoms and in some women a pelvic exam will reveal the bladder or urethra bulging into the vaginal space. Tests may possibly include cystoscopy (inspection of the interior of the bladder), a â€Å"pad test†, pelvic or abdominal ultrasound and tests to measure post-void residual (amount of urine left after urination). Urinalysis is usually performed as well in order to conclusively rule out urinary tract infection. Health care providers may also perform a q-tip test to measure the angling of the urinary tract when resting and under pressure. An angle of greater than 30 degrees suggests significant pelvic floor weakening. There are three major modes of treatment for stress urinary incontinence. The first is pelvic floor muscle training and behavioral changes such as smoking cessation, losing weight and abstaining from alcohol and excess caffeine. Medications such as anticholinergic drugs, antimuscarinic drugs that block bladder contractions, alpha adrenergic agonist drugs also have been known to aid in the tautness of the urinary sphincter muscles. Surgery is often only indicated after all other treatments have failed. Anterior vaginal repair and retropubic repair are most common surgeries to treat severe stress urinary incontinence. (â€Å"Medlineplus stress incontinence,† 2011) Stress Urinary incontinence is surely a troublesome and perhaps embarrassing ailment. An ailment that can most definitely can interfere with a patient’s quality of life. With proper medical treatment, prognosis is generally good. References Medlineplus stress incontinence. (2011). Retrieved from http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000891. htm Merkmanual: Polyuria. (2011). Retrieved from