Identifying Potential Malicious Attacks Essay

We have been tasked by the CIO to draft a report identifying potentially malicious attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities specific to our organization. Further, the CIO would like us to briefly explain each item and potential impact it could have on the organization. Malicious Network Attacks â€Å"Network attack is usually defined as an intrusion on your network infrastructure that will first analyze your environment and collect information in order to exploit the existing open ports or vulnerabilities – this may include as well unauthorized access to your resources† (Symantec, 2013). We will first have to analyze the potential attacks we need to protect against, and the potential impact those attacks could have on the network. The majority of threats we will encounter are classified as viruses, hacks, and blended attacks. 1. Viruses. â€Å"A Virus is a program that is activated by attaching copies of itself to executable objects. Viruses can reach your computer from other infected computers, via data medium (CD, DVD, etc.) or through a network (local or Internet).† (Symantec, 2013). Due to the shear frequency of virus attacks, we shall list them number one. According to a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) survey, 72% of all companies received i nfected e-mails or files last year and for larger companies this rose to 83% (Vernon, 2004). The potential impact of the network becoming infected with a virus could be devastating. File destruction, file corruption, disabling user programs, loss of critical data and overloading the network are just a few of the potential impacts of a virus. Viruses can be introduced in to the network in many ways. Employees downloading /using unauthorized programs, opening and executing infected email attachments, bringing infected files from home on a thumb drive or CD, accessing the network with their smart phone, etc. According to a survey of IT mangers conducted by SupportSoft, 75% said their companies â€Å"are not  adequately protected from, or able to prevent, computer virus attacks†, and 74% said their companies are hit monthly with one or more computer viruses. (SupportSoft, 2005) 2. Hacking. Despite the continuing problem of Denial of Service (DOS), and Dedicated Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, the latest threat is SQL injection attacks. This type of attack takes advantage of improper coding of web applications that allow outside users (hackers) to inject SQL commands that allow access to the company’s database. This results in secure information being confused with non secured information. In other words, passwords, classified or proprietary information is confused with public information such as product details or contacts by the database, allowing hackers to access the secure information. A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington estimated that it cost the global economy $300 billion a year and cyber insurance is the fastest-growing specialty insurance ever – worth around $1.3b billion a year in the US. (Lawson, 2014). It is not only the cost of information that should be considered, but also the cost of lost employee productivity, network downtime, and increased IT personnel cost. 3. Blended Attack. A blended threat is a â€Å"multi-pronged attack against networked computers. Symantec describes a blended threat as an attack that combines viruses, worms, Trojan Horses, and malicious code with server and Internet vulnerabilities to initiate, transmit, and spread an attack. Blended threats are designed to propagate quickly, like worms, but instead of relying on a single-attack vector (such as email), blended threats are designed to use whatever propagation path exists.† (Piscitello, n.d.). A blended threat usually takes over the administrative privileges on the computer and is thus able in theory to â€Å"perform any operation available, thus enabling keystroke logging; file copying, removal or modification; communications monitoring and modification; and unauthorized service operation† (Piscitello, n.d.). The use of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy by many companies, has led to the escalation of blended attacks due to the often lackadaisical approach that most users take concerning mobile phone security. With a lack of anti-virus and anti-malware software installed, these devices post a real security risk when connected to the company network. With most employees using their mobile device for both work and private use, stored business contacts and texts could be compromised. Security Controls (Personnel) All three of the network risks identified above pose not only the threat of malicious attacks, but also the threat of data theft and loss. We must mitigate the risk to our network and the intellectual property and highly sensitive data contained within that network. The first step would be to conduct a review or audit of our user and network security policies. An annual user training session should be instituted containing the following basic policies: – No installation of unauthorized software on company machines. – Never provide someone else your user name or password. – Log off of the computer when not in use – Never provide intellectual or sensitive information to unknown users, especially through email. – Never open email attachments, especially executable files, from unknown sources. – Implement a strong password policy with mandatory changing of passwords within certain timeframes. These company policies can help mitigate internal threats that can occur by accident or intentionally. Users should also be trained in the identification of malware and the proper reporting procedures after it has been identified. All IT personnel should have knowledge of the latest threats and responses to those threats. If it is identified that IT personnel require additional training/certification, this should be provided if financially feasible. Security Controls (Hardware/Software) The first step would be to conduct a thorough audit of network security hardware and software. A reconnaissance and probing test could be performed with Zenmap GUI (Nmap) to identify security deficiencies such as open ports. The best defense against malicious attacks is a multi-layered approach. A Host Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) to complement the Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) should be installed. An additional NIDS should be installed inside the firewall which would detect any attacks that may get by the firewall. Host computers connected to the internet should be isolated from the rest of the network. We should also harden our software/hardware, which is a configuration where unnecessary services are turned off and protected ones are left running. A review of the anti-virus and anti-malware  software should be done. All software should be up to date with the latest virus/malware definitions and updates. Perform virus and malware scans on all network devices and computers on a consistent basis. Wireless Access Points (WAP) should have the latest encryption installed to ensure only authorized users have access. A BOYD security policy should be implemented, whereas all mobile devices under the BOYD program are susceptible to the same security policies as company assets. A policy much like Cisco has implemented should be considered. Their policy requires all users to have at least a four-digit PIN, and the device to have an auto-lock setting that triggers in 10 minutes or less. Cisco also reserves the right to wipe any device remotely if it’s lost or stolen. The company controls corporate data on its network, using a combination of security access PINs, encryption tools and read-only features that prevent highly confidential data from being copied, downloaded or emailed. It also uses monitoring tools to scan all Web requests for malicious content if a device starts behaving strangely, the IT team can quarantine it or kick it off the network. (Gale, 2013). Conclusion With an ever evolving, infinite amount of threats to a network, there are many available solutions to attempt to mitigate that risk. Training personnel on best security practices, creating a secure network with firewalls including intrusion detection and anti-virus/malware software, to performing security audits will help ensure the best possible defense against a malicious attack against the network. Works Cited Gale, S. F. (2013, April 2). BYOD Brings Security Risks for Companies. Retrieved July 14, 2014, from workforce: http://www.workforce.com/articles/byod-brings-security-risks-for-companies Lawson, A. (2014, May 23). Businesses need to wake up and smell the hackers. Retrieved July 23, 2014, from The Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/businesses-need-to-wake-up-and-smell-the-hackers-9422300.html Piscitello, D. (n.d.). What is a blended threat? Retrieved July 23, 2014, from The Security Skeptic: http://securityskeptic.typepad.com/the-security-skeptic/what-is-a-blended-thr

Contribution of agriculture in the economy of Bangladesh Essay

The economy of Bangladesh is primarily dependent on agriculture. About 84 percent of the total population live in rural areas and are directly or indirectly engaged in a wide range of agricultural activities. The agriculture sector plays a very important role in the economy of the country accounting for 31. 6 percent of total GDP in 1997-98 at constant (1984-85) prices. The agriculture sector comprises crops, forests, fisheries and livestock. Of the agricultural GDP, the crop sub-sector contributes 71 per cent, forest 10 per cent, fisheries 10 percent and livestock 9 per cent. The sector generates 63. 2% percent of total national employment, of which crop sectors share is nearly 55 %. Agricultural exports of primary products constituted 10. 4% of total exports of the country in 1997-98. In the past decade, the agriculture sector contributed about three percent per annum to the annual economic growth rate. The agriculture sector is the single largest contributor to income and employment generation and a vital element in the country’s challenge to achieve self-sufficiency in food production reduce rural poverty and foster sustainable economic development. The Government has therefore accorded highest priority to this sector to enable the country to meet these challenges and to make this sector commercially profitable. Agriculture has been playing a vital role in socio-economic progress and sustainable development through upliftment of rural economy, ensuring food security by attaining autarky in food gains production, alleviation of poverty and so on. In FY-2004-05, the combined contribution of all sub-sectors of agriculture (crop, livestock, forestry and fisheries) to GDP is 21. 91 percent (table 7. 2). The crop sub-sector alone is projected to contribute 12. 10 percent to GDP and fisheries sub-sector accounts for 5. 03 percent. Of the total labor force in Bangladesh, 5. 17 percent are engaged in agriculture (BBS labor force survey, 2002-2003). The contribution of agriculture products (including raw jute, jute goods and tea) to the total export of the country is 5. 79 percent (FY2004-2005). In terms of value addition, the contribution of agriculture to the national economy is immense. Contribution of agriculture in GDP. Declining trend of contribution of agriculture sector to the Gross Development Products (GDP) continued in the present outgoing fiscal year. The growth of agriculture sector in the GDP has also gone down drastically in the last three years. National Economic Survey 2004 showed despite rise in crop production by six lakh metric ton and Taka 300 crore allocation for agricultural subsidy in the fiscal year for 2003-04, the contribution of agriculture sector in GDP has declined by 0. 54 percent from the last year. (2002-2003). After the fiscal year 2000-01, crop production did not witness any significant growth in the last three years like the growth during 1996-97 – 2000-01. Due to high volume of crop production, total food production rose to 267. 57 lakh metric tons in the FY 2001-01 from 203. 37 lakh metric tons. Even in the year of severe flood in 1998, food production increased by 12 lakh metric tons. Financial Year Contribution of Agriculture 1991-92 28. 70 1992-93 28. 21 1993-94 27. 30 1994-95 26. 02 1995-96 25. 68 1996-97 25. 87 1997-98 25. 34 1998-99 25. 28 1999-00 25. 58 2000-01 25. 02. 2001-02 23. 98 2002-03 23. 47 2003-04 23. 08 2004-05* 21. 91 Fig 1: Contribution of Agriculture in GDP In the last two fiscal years, the food production has gone down from the level in the Fiscal Year 2000-01 (FY ’01). Though the growth was slightly over one percent this year compared to last year, experts think that the growth was not sufficient in the last three years. Food production rose to 273 lakh metric tons in the current fiscal year (2003-2004). Growth rate in agriculture sector has gone down to 2. 41 percent in the FY 2003-04 from 5. 5 percent in the FY 2000-01. Agriculture growth had witnessed a negative growth of about 0. 6 percent in the following fiscal year 2001-2002. Fig: Growth of Agriculture. In the last five years, the highest growth of 6. 9 percent in agriculture sector was achieved during 1999 – 2000 when the growth in crop production was 8. 1 percent. During the year of negative growth, individual growth in crop production was also negative – 2. 4 percent. Comparatively, when the growth in agriculture sector was the highest during 1999-2000, crop production was also the highest in the last 10 years. In that year, crop production had yielded 8. 1 percent growth. Growth in crop production was much higher during FY ’00 and FY ’01 in the last 10 years. During the FY ’01, the growth in crop production was 6. 2 percent. Even in the year of severe flood, growth in crop production was 3. 1 percent. During FY ’94, FY ’95 and FY ’96, the growth in agriculture sector was -0. 7 percent, -1. 9 percent and 2 percent. In FY ’97, production started to rise and achieved 5. 6 percent in that year with 6. 4 percent growth in crop production. The trend of food production in the last ten years as charted in the Bangladesh Economic Survey 2004 has projected that food production was stagnating around 190 lakh metric tons from FY ’94 – FY ’96. But from FY ’97 to FY ’01, food production had increased from 203 lakh metric tons to 267 lakh metric tons. Contribution of Agriculture sub sector on GDP of Bangladesh Total agriculture sector is explained under four sub-sectors. They are- Growth rate in Agricultural Sector (In percentage) Budget Year Agriculture &Forestry Average Fishery Average 1991-92 1. 39 0. 44 8. 24 7. 76 1993-94 -0. 65 0. 44 7. 91 7. 76 1994-95 -1. 93 0. 44 6. 79 7. 76 1995-96 2. 03 0. 44 7. 39 7. 76 1996-97 5. 57 4. 58 7. 67 6. 18 1997-98 1. 63 4. 58 8. 98 6. 18 1998-99 3. 24 4. 58 9. 96 6. 18 1999-00 6. 92 4. 58 8. 87 6. 18 2000-01 5. 53 4. 58 -4. 53 6. 18 2001-02 -0. 62 1. 67 2. 22 2. 92 2002-03 3. 29 1. 67 2. 33 2. 92 2003-04 4. 38 1. 67 3. 09 2. 92 2004-05 -0. 37 1. 67 4. 02 2. 92 Contribution of each sub-sector in the economy of Bangladesh is discussed below.

Are You An Informed Citizen? Essay

Let’s just start out by me explaining my political views and how well I am informed. I have to be truthful and say that I am not a very political nor am I an â€Å"Informed† citizen. I know this is crazy but after researching and doing a lot of reading, I have been enlightened and what I have read has been very interesting. â€Å"An informed citizenry will benefit from applying both creative thinking and critical thinking in solving the challenges of our society†, at first I was like what the heck does this even mean? Well, I have informed myself and I must say I feel I will be able to vote Tuesday feeling more informed about the issues that concern this country. In a democracy, public misperceptions carry an enormous cost and I would hate to be one that contributed to this. The main goal of citizenship education is to produce citizens who can make informed decisions on matters pertaining to the operation of government. Do you know that a very high percentage of citizens make their decisions based on appearance on television? I don’t fall into that category although I may fall into the category above that. Because in the past I have based my decision on commercials. I never educated myself to learn the facts from the opinions or lies one might say. A lot of powerful groups and interests in the country try to manipulate public opinion and they are very good at it. An essential element of critical thinking is learning how to ask questions that will uncover the information needed to make an informed decision. Many decisions that citizens make have direct impact on their day to day lives. People who possess higher level of critical thinking skills are able to face society’s moral dilemas with the confidence that they will be able to find answers that will solve the problem. Let’s go back to how people decide who to vote for. Several recent studies indicate that candidates who simply look more capable or attractive are more likely to win elections. It also states that people who watch a lot of television will base their decision on the candidates appearance and are likely not educated on either candidates. Also naive students based their decision on just a black and white photo. I feel like it would be a great idea to have a political course taken in high school. That way students know the importance of having knowledge and being â€Å"informed†. Teaching them the importance of having sufficient and sufficiently reliable information or knowledge to be able to understand a  subject or situation and make appropriate judgments or decisions regarding it. Teaching them how to search for information, digest it, and actively participate in society putting their knowledge to a good collective use. It’s very important that we do not allow others to think for us. That we should be able to think and make decisions for ourselves based on the information that we know and have researched. We have so many underlying issues that have to be dealt with in the country. For us to not be educated on each issue and just base our decision on someone looking the part, well we might as well just do a coin toss. Seems more interesting and â€Å"creative† to me. We have job issues, environment, education, healthcare, budget for the country, same sex marriage, economic, taxes, abortion, gun control, immigration, social security, welfare/ poverty, the war, and the list goes on and on. It is embarrassing for me to admit that I was the percentage that made my decision on the media when the only thing they are thinking of is entertaining and making money. If we want this country to be built back up and to be strong like it once was we have to become educated and educate the young, because they will be running this country one day. I would like to go through some of the things I mentioned above and let you know what I have learned just by having to write this paper. Because I believe I have become more educated just from this one assignment and to think how much more I would know if I had started researching years ago. First would be Same sex Marriage/ Adoption that is interesting. I have always believed in every human lives their life the way they want as long as they are not harming themselves or any one else. Who cares what someone else does in their life. If they are happy and a good person, let them be. A gay couple should be able to adopt. A baby that is with a loving gay couple will benefit more than staying with someone who will not give it as much love. Gay couples are just as deserving. Romney believes in marriage only between man and woman. Who is he to judge? One that I am un- decisive on is taxes. I honestly can see both sides. Why is it fair for one who goes out and works hard to make a great living have to pay so much more in taxes to give to some that just live off the government? But the I can see where jobs are hard to get and some people of disabled and they would love to be out there working and making money. That is just one that I will have to do more reading on to be able to see what my beliefs are there. I feel everyone  should have healthcare and no one should be turned away for pre-existing medical issues conditions and insurance companies should not be allowed to drop you if a patient has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. There are so many issues and debates that its overwhelming and stressful, this is one reason I have never been a very political person. I see now why it is important to be an informed citizen and to know the facts. No matter how good our leadership, if we don’t have discriminating citizens, this nation will not work very well.

Palliative Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Palliative Care - Essay Example Legal consideration According to the South Australia advance care-directives act 2013, impaired decision-making capability is one of the major legal considerations during the care of a patient with a life-limiting illness. According to the impaired decision-making capacity act (section 7), a person is taken to be impaired in decision making if either the person is not capable of understanding any information that may be relevant to decision or is incapable of retaining an information made (South Australia. 2013, pp. 10-34). In relation to the case, Mr. Martin Cavanagh was considered having a normal decision-making capacity despite presenting with a terminal illness. This is because the patient was well oriented to time, space and person and could make viable decisions. In relation to the patent refusal of service operation guideline, (SAAS, 2013, p.1), an adult aged 16 years and above has the right to refuse treatment if he/she feels the treatment is either not beneficial or leads to harm. According to this concept, Mr. Martin Cavanagh had a right to refuse treatment. The patient in this instance has a right to choose a place for care provision like in his/her home or at a hospice. Refusal of health care services is a provision of the advanced care directive. Ethical considerations Autonomy is a crucial ethical consideration in the management of a patient with a life-limiting condition. At all instances, when the patient is capable of making his/her decisions, the right to autonomy must always be observed.

How effective is the USA coast guard diving team (USA-CG) Essay

How effective is the USA coast guard diving team (USA-CG) - Essay Example action since 4 August 1790 and has marked its existence as a military and maritime multi-mission department having its own a maritime law enforcement mission with jurisdiction in both domestic and international seas and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its mission set. It was founded by Alexander Hamilton. Another privilege, as Benson .M (2004) puts it, which the coast guard team enjoys in the USA is its functional powers to conduct military operations under defence department. In this connection, coast guard team has performed operations noteworthy in War of 1812, Mexican war, Civil war, World war-1 and World war-2, Korean War, Vietnam war and most importantly the on going war on terrorism etc. According to Deniss .L (2004), enduring roles of the Coast Guard are Maritime Safety, Maritime Security, and Maritime Stewardship. Eleven statutory missions have been established to carry out these roles so that there remains no lapse for any negligence that might occur due to non-attainment of the roles. The claim that the United States coast guard team is the oldest seagoing service can not be denied because it had its origins in the birth of the United States of America. Coast guard team works on the motto of being always ready; in Latin it is known as Semper Peratus. This signifies that coastal guards or coast guard team is always ready for the action if situation calls for the necessity or whenever it is deemed as necessary the coast guard remains ready to take any action. It was calculated in the August 2009 and Benson .M (2004) also says the same, that the Coast Guard had approximately 42,000 men and women working actively while 7,500 working as reserve guards. It also had an estimated 29,000 helping guards; further engagement of 7,700 full-time civilians for operational works when occasion arises, offers a unique and multi-dimensional spectrum to the Coast Guard department. Though USA-CG has multi-dimensional operations to meet with the various

Thomas Jeffersons two terms in office Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thomas Jeffersons two terms in office - Essay Example Thomas Jefferson’s two terms in office Washington had constraint the operations of the judiciary to deliver justice to all Americans by allowing it to be overly influenced by federalists. Jefferson succeeded in eliminating federal influences in the judiciary by making the Supreme Court independence. The independence of the judiciary was a critical aspect in America’s rise to a justly state. His intention to repeal the 1801 Judiciary Act, remove judges untrustworthy judges from office, and eliminate district courts from the judicial structure were motivated by his intention to see an efficient and effective judicial system that functions within the budgeted expenditures (Bailey, 2001). He also ensured that the executives operate within the constitutional frameworks and are non-partisan in their actions as this was critical to America’s growth. Additionally, Jefferson was committed to strengthening the nation’s economy through elimination of debt and superfluous taxes that were deemed offensive and unreasonably burdened struggling Americans. He saw a ballooning national debt as a cesspool of bigoted patronage (Denson, 2001). Unlike Washington, Jefferson believed that the nation could build foreign credit without carrying a huge national debt. However, I believe that his misdoing came in during the Louisiana Purchase when he candidly violated his powers and borrowed gold from England only to reimburse with treasury bonds which particularly increased the state’s external debt as it is equaled to debt.

Wound care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wound care - Essay Example It is the hope of this author that such a unit of analysis will be beneficial in not only providing the reader with a more informed understanding of how this process normally takes place within the medical sphere; but also with regard to furthering best practices within the medical community and spreading awareness of common techniques and practices. One of the most overlooked aspects of wound care is with respect to the fact that many medical professionals focus too much attention on identifying the type of wound and follow a rather limited procedure in terms of how the wound should be addressed. For instance, a wound sustained as the result of a fall could easily have foreign objects embedded beneath the skin or other tissues of the body. Similarly, a persistent bedsore is not likely to have embedded material that could potentially cause issues with respect to treating in healing the wound at a later date. Yet, as a function of simplicity, many medical professionals are oftentimes tempted to treat all wounds in the same manner. This is not only a shortsighted approach, it does not benefit the ultimate health and Outlook of the individual patient in question. This necessarily brings the analysis to the first and most salient point that should be discussed. Essentially, the role of identifying the wound, asking salient questions , and gathering relevant information is the first and most important process that any medical professional should engage in prior to attempting to dress the wound (Chen et al., 2013). As illustrated previously, a fall or similar wound that could have introduced foreign particles beneath the skin or tissue requires an alternative approach as compared to a wound that was sustained without direct trauma being applied to the individual. Likewise, with a wound sustained as a result of a fall or

Corporate Governance & Social Responsibility Essay - 1

Corporate Governance & Social Responsibility - Essay Example For any company wishing to be listed on a stock exchange, it is important that it define its corporate governance policy. Corporate governance is described as a system where companies are managed and directed. Clark (2004) asserts that, corporate governance influences how particular company objectives are achieved and set, how risk is assessed and monitored as well as how performance is optimized. It is quite observable that good structures of corporate governance encourages employees and general companies to create value , control system in relation to risks involved and provide accountability. There is need for this International Extractive Company to adapt specific corporate governance principles in dealing with actability, disclosure to shareholders, fiduciary duty, and mechanism of control and auditing (Clark 2004). It is very important for this International Extractive Company to understand the right of shareholders and key ownership functions. It is essential for international extractive Company to adapt corporate governance that protect and facilitate shareholders rights. OECD (2004) asserts that, shareholders rights need to include; safe and secure methods of ownership registration, transfer or conveying of shares, timely receive relevant information about the company, allowed to participate in voting during shareholder meeting and finally, be free to either elect or remove member of the board. By so doing, it is evident that shareholders will be able to follow company’s performance in an efficient and transparent manner. The other principle that needs to be adapted is building on corporate governance which recognizes the rights of the stakeholders which should be established through mutual agreements and law as well as encouraging active co-operation between stakeholders and the corporation in creation of jobs, wealth and sustainability of the company financially stable enterprises(OECD 2004). By so doing, it is quite evident that stakeholder’s interest is protected. Further, adaptation of this principle ensures that performance-enhancing mechanisms are adopted through the creation of a proper and efficient employee engagement. If these two principles namely; role of shareholders in corporate governance and rights of shareholders and key ownership function are adopted by this company, the company will be able to perform well within the stock exchange and it will enhance efficiency in its corporate governance(Clark 2004). Question 2: Recommended Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives that the Board the Board Should Adopt In addition to adapting the above mentioned corporate governance principles, it is important for International Extractive Industry to engage in various corporate social responsibility initiatives. According to Lee (2008), corporate social responsibility is a type of corporate self-regulation normally integrated into a business model. Engaging in corporate social responsibilities will enable this company to have a commitment towards the contribution of sustainable development through working with employees, their families and the general community (Strike et al 2006). It is important for the company to accept various duties presented to it such as sponsoring national and international sporting team. Here, social responsibility will widely be manifested in its legal, corporate, and economic systematic action in recognition on a particular communal responsibility and its attempt to meet the designed social need. There are various key drivers for CSR namely; social investment, transparency and trust, enlighten self-interest and increased public expectations. Enlighten self-interests is important in creating a synergy of ethics which ensures that a cohesive society

Pornography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pornography - Essay Example However, when an individual’s action causes or is believed to cause harm unto others, then his absolute freedom ends. His right to total independence ends where the right of others to the same kind of liberty begins. The very moment an individual crosses the line that separates him from others, he loses his absolute liberty and must now comply with the rules and regulations imposed by society so that that all persons with liberty and freedom of thought and action may co-exist peacefully. These rules that prohibit certain actions or compel an individual to conduct himself within the prescribed manner are created not to interfere and diminish his liberties but to ensure that an individual, in the exercise of his liberties, does not cause harm unto others. Aptly, the principle of self-protection shall only be applicable to matters which involve the society and the individual. Society may only forbid or coerce an individual if the reason is to prevent him from harming others and n othing else. II. Mill cites other reasons to remonstrate, or reason, with someone that do not justify com ­pelling him. What are these? Under the principle of self-protection, the one and only reason to compel and control an individual against his will is to prevent him from causing harm unto others. ... These rules, according to John Stuart Mill are reasons to remonstrate an individual but do not justify compulsion. At most, other may only argue, persuade or plead with him to heed their advice but in no way shall he be compelled and coerced to obey. By the same breath, compelling a person to give up his absolute liberty over his own self on the argument that it is the right thing for him to do is also unjustified and does not merit obedience. Neither does an individual’s own happiness nor his own well-being serve as valid grounds that justify compulsion. Society may not impose its opinion on very subjective matters such as happiness and comfort upon an individual and in the process infringe upon his right to absolute liberty insofar as his own life is concerned. The key phrase here, therefore, is harm to others. For as long as a person does not and is not going to harm others, then the most that others can do is remonstrate with him but can never justifiably compel him. III. Are there any positive actions that benefit others that Mill thinks the state can at least sometimes compel us to do? The general rule is that a person may only be restrained or compelled for the sole purpose of preventing him from committing harm unto others. However, this rule is not absolute. John Stuart Mill recognizes some exception to the principle of self-protection. These exceptions exist on the basis that a person’s failure or refusal to act when it is his duty to do so may also be the cause of harm unto others. Actually, we can also take it as just a restatement of the general rule. To prevent harm and to benefit others in society, a person may be compelled to do certain acts even if it is against his will.

American Globalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Globalism - Essay Example He hoped to rescue the world by ending First World War. Although he failed, the peace he brokered lasted for a significant two decades. However, today American politicians rationalize military intervention using the very arguments Wilson used to convince America and the rest of the world about the need for peace, economic stability and development. This marked the end of America’s isolation. Through his well-calculated political moves, he transformed America and made it the center of Europe’s politics. Afterwards, the continent of Europe largely depended more or less on American policy. For his efforts to foster world peace, Wilson was awarded Nobel Peace Prize. At the time, Europe was the epicenter of the world (The Peacemakers 0:42). In its wake, World War 1 claimed millions of lives and saw the devastation of the world economy. The warring parties ceded no ground for dialog. It took the relentless efforts of Wilson to bring the stalemate to an end. Thus, America intervened to ending World War One. He was able to convince the US Senate, arguing that it was the duty of America to aid structure for lasting peace. He asserted that the goal of the war was to establish a community power as opposed to a power balance. Achieving an organized common peace as opposed to organized rivalry was paramount in a new world order. This argument was critical in ending the war in Europe. Thus, the America foreign policy was changed. In the movie, The Great War "Collapse, they maintained that America’s involvement in the war would help in the establishing world peace and stabilize the social and economy social relations (The Great War "Collapse 0:39-42). Conversely, the realists believed that America’s significant task was to balance the welfare of various countries to achieve a stable equilibrium. The idealists believed in the dreams of

Great Train Robbery Essay Example for Free

Great Train Robbery Essay Henry Hill, the character of Martin Scorsese’s film Goodfellas (1990), used to say: â€Å"As far back as I can remember, Ive always wanted to be a gangster† . The reason of the crime films and gagnster icons being of success with a public partly lies in this sublimated desire of an ordinary man to be as powerful, energetic, and famous as the criminals commemorated in mass-media. Rafter (2000, p. 3) explained the popularity of the genre by its fictional possibilities: [†¦] crime films offer us contradictory sorts of satisfaction: the reality of what we fear to be true and the fantasy of overcoming that reality; the pleasure of entering the realm of the forbidden and illicit and the security of rejecting or escaping that realm in the end. The crime film is traditionally associated with the American tradition of the early twentieth century, when romantic tales about heroes conquering promising spaces of the New World prairies were superseded by the not a less romantic sagas about daring individuals conquering updated urban localities. Shadoian (2003, p. 3) referred to the crime film as a prominent context for â€Å"both forming and reflecting the American imagination†. Audience has been enjoying crime movies since 1903, when Edwin S. Porter shot his Great Train Robbery. More than a hundred years of our experience with the crime film taught the public, critics, directors and producers many lessons. Shadoian (2003, p. 3) identified three reasons for the genre’s longevity: (1) â€Å"the issues it addresses have always been central to the American experience†; (2) â€Å"its formal properties have given them a clarity of outline and lucidity of exposition†; and (3) â€Å"it has been infinitely flexible in adapting itself to shifting social and cultural conditions†. But hardly is it absolutely right to emphasise the importance of the crime film for the American culture exclusively. The present dissertation analyses thirteen films made within the ‘crime movie’ context. Only six of them were produced by the USA-born directors: (1) William A. Wellman (1896 [Brookline, Massachusetts, USA] – 1975 [Los Angeles, California, USA]) – The Public Enemy (1931); (2) Raoul Walsh (1887 [New York, New York, USA] – 1980 [Simi Valley, California, USA]) – The Roaring Twenties (1939); White Heat (1949); (3) Martin Scorsese (b. 1942 [Queens, New York, USA]) – Goodfellas (1990); Gangs of New York (2002); (4) Quentin Tarantino (b. 1963 [Knoxville, Tennessee, USA]) – Pulp Fiction (1994). Though the film Brother (2000) is partially made in the United States settings, its creator is a famous Japanese director Takeshi Kitano (b. 1947 [Tokyo, Japan]). He is also responsible for another example of the crime movie, Hana-bi (aka Fireworks 1997). The other five films under analysis belong to the British directors: (1) John Boulting (1913 [Bray, Berkshire, England, UK] – 1985 [Sunningdale, Berkshire, England, UK]) – Brighton Rock (1947); (2) Mike Hodges (b. 1932 [Bristol, England, UK]) – Get Carter (1971); (3) John Mackenzie (b. 1932 [UK]) – The Long Good Friday (1980); (4) Jonathan Glazer (b. 1965 [London, England, UK]) – Sexy Beast (2000); (5) Paul McGuigan (b. 1963 [Bellshill, Scotland, UK]) – Gangster No. 1 (2000). It would be more correct to identify the reasons for the crime film being a success outside the boundaries of national mentalities. Leitch (2002) based his definition of the crime film within the conceptual context of culture rather than the national background. He (Leitch 2002, p. 14) argued that, [†¦] a crime culture [ ] depends on normalizing the unspeakable, a place where crime is both shockingly disruptive and completely normal. Crime may have different metaphorical valences in different criminal subgenres – it can demonstrate the fragility of the social contract in thrillers about innocent men on the run, attack the economic principles of the establishment in gangster films, express philosophical despair in films noirs, test masculine professionalism in private-eye films – but it is always metaphorical. Every crime in every crime film represents a larger critique of the social or institutional order – either the films critique or some characters. Finally, crime films dramatize not only the distinctive roles of criminal, victim, and avenger but also their interdependence and their interpenetration. Evidently, critics and spectators are lured to the genre by its flexibility and visualization of the concepts otherwise unseen or too repulsive to deal with in ordinary life. It is hypothesised that national mentalities affect the themes of crime movies but generic methods of the crime film depend rather on directors’ individual backgraounds rather than on their nationality.

Computer Motherboard (Descriptive) Essay Example for Free

Computer Motherboard (Descriptive) Essay Motherboard Motherboard acts like the arteries of a human taking the blood all over allowing the blood to travel. It has many line-like structures that are like the veins and the arteries. These lines are the wires mounted on the motherboard that keep thousandths or even millions of connection. Motherboard is a small yet powerful device inside the computer system. The motherboard has three cards on it. First, the graphics card, it is like the eyes of the computer, it acts like the eye that saw and reflects images to the screen. Second, the sound card it is the mouth of the computer, it sends sound to the speaker, it shouts what the computer says. And the third, the modem, the nose of the computer. It sniffs messages from the wires coming from the telephone lines. If there’s a blood, there’s also the heart. The processor of the computer acts as the heart of the computer. It has a square-shaped chip that has many pins. It sits on the motherboard controlling all the cards including the motherboard. It controls, allows, and restricts information that is being disseminated into the system like the heart. It also has a heat sink and a fan keeping the processor cool. To be able to complete the system, it also has the brain. Hard disk serves as the brain of the computer. It is rectangular in shape. Inside it, there’s a mirror-like disk where all the information are stored. The disk spin at greater speed, depending on the information /data is being written into the disk. Motherboard is also consists of chips, transistors, and capacitors. It is the other component of the motherboard that acts like the organs of the system. These chips may be small as a grain of rice and bigger as a coin. Transistor is a small, black in color and rectangular in shape. It is sometimes recognizable because of its three metal legs attached on it. Transistors is consists of thousand or even million of IC (Integrated Circuit) packed in one part. And the capacitors are like tanks attached in the motherboard. It varies in size; it may be small, medium or large depending on the voltage and its capacitance. Motherboard is consists of millions of chips, transistors and IC’s. It acts like the body of the computer. Without it, the computer will not work. It is like the trunk of a tree. It is an amazing thing that has millions of wires attached in a small board. It is powerful and fundamental part that the computer will not work without it. Reference: * Motherboard. Retrieved from http://www. en. wikipedia. org/wiki/motherboard

What Problems Face Historians History Essay

What Problems Face Historians History Essay History may be the past but the reflections on that past and the different mediums that inform and shape us about the past must be examined for their veracity and usefulness. These documents and sources present the historian with many problems as they are often used as a cumulative examination of a period under study. Yet what are the difficulties that are inherent in these sources and testimonies. Both primary and secondary sources contain pitfalls that can trap and blind the historian in his pursuit of historical accuracy. The veracity of the particular source, the motives behind the source and the origins of the evidence are all concerns for the historian. In conjunction with these problems can be the temptation to subsume personal and contemporary reports and evidence for the purposes of a grander and more wide-ranging historical narrative. Hew Strachan believes that hindsight can disfigure and reduce the essence of history. Hindsight refers to the ability to understand an event or situation only after it has happened  [i]  1and Strachan believes that this can imbue the historian with an arrogant view of those who did not see the bigger picture or understand the deeper motives behind historical events. Does this have some truth and if so can it distort history to such a degree that it almost erases the individual struggle or achievement? Or does this problem exist merely within a wider spectrum of historical concerns? History must be about balance so is a merging of both the personal and the panoramic possible? Strachan writes that hindsight distorts history through fostering arrogance. In his book The First World War he talks of the fact that just because other ideas and ideologies seem foreign to us, this does not deny their charge for those who went to war in 1914  [ii]  so therefore this muting of the past does not push us to understand it merely obfuscates the truth. Yet what is history, but an attempt to see the grander picture and how ideas fit into individual histories and testimonies. The primary sources that are around for historical examination bring with them not just their face value but an attempt to recreate the conceits and facets behind them. In 1946 Ellen Hammer wrote in an article on Americas relations with the Vichy government that throughout the war information filtered into neutral capitals but only on the spot sources could report with any authority  [iii]  , but just how problematic are these on the spot accounts? It is certainly true that primary sources retain an immediacy and relevance that is difficult to ignore. It is through letters, diaries and newspapers that we have built up much of our knowledge of the First World War. Without these sources we would be dependent on fractious second-hand testimony or oral traditions resplendent with hyperbole. For the historian it is necessary to look at the facts behind the facts. The researcher must certainly avail himself of hindsight and retrospection but must not allow themselves to become victims of them. Isaac Deutscher wrote that the historian deals with fixed and irreversible patterns of events; all weapons have already been fired  [iv]  and as the historical inquiry gathers pace the historian is aware that he is surveying a spent battlefield but how accurate are the bullets he has examined? There is perhaps nothing more alive in the consciousness of Europe than the concerted attempt to exterminate European Jewry by the Nazis during the Second World War. According to Gilbert in his study of the subject merely to give witness by ones own testimony was, in the end, to contribute to a moral victory. Simply to survive was a victory  [v]  and it is a testament to the human condition that so many survived. These terrible events have continued to be explored in witness accounts and literature and another event that has been extensively written about has been the Great or First World War. The last remaining survivor of that conflagration recently passed away so now that the survivors have died out and can no longer contribute to their own victories, will future generations have their knowledge shaped by hindsight and retrospection when it comes to those times? It is important to note that both hindsight and retrospection can give us many valuable lessons on historical experience. Dr Johnson wrote that when a design has ended in marriage or success, when every eye and every ear is witness to general discontent or general satisfaction, it is then a proper time to disentangle confusion and illustrate obscurity  [vi]  2and it is within this statement that a major part of the rationale behind history can be identified. Although the canvas of history is vast, the minutiae helps build up the overall picture and hence hindsight aids that process as well as retrospection. There are certain elements in any event that are not known and cannot possibly be known at the time of the event. At the end of the Great War who could have known that the aftermath would provide the bedrock for the Soviet Union and force a reluctant United States onto the world stage  [vii]  but these were the consequences of that conflict, although not recognized in thei r scope at the time. The problem that the historian faces is that this knowledge can give special onus to events that had none and rob other events of their posterity. However, how can we disentangle and illustrate without letting individual values and beliefs, perhaps vastly removed from those we are studying, intrude on the historians research? This is what Strachan talks of when he mentions the disadvantages of hindsight. Kenneth Baker writes that memory plays tricks with the past, events are sometimes remembered only in part  [viii]  3and in todays contemporary media saturated society, it may seem strange to consider just how diverse and varied accounts of the past were. Yet this removal from the events that unfolded can give us, real and imagined distance, between the understanding and interpretation. The two biggest conflagrations of the twentieth century, both World Wars, are probably two of the most written about subjects in history. Their respective arcs spanned the globe and brought devastation and change to many aspects of peoples lives. However, their documenting and recording throw up countless testimonies and accounts of those times which are not always possible to examine with straight forward simplicity. One of the first problems that the historian is presented with is the sheer dearth of material that is available. Fest writes that once in a while it is necessary for the chronicler to put aside his magnifying glass. For the way things fit together has a significance of its own and can give us information that no mere examination of details can  [ix]  but this chronicle involves thousands upon thousands of minute details that are its integral parts. The motivations and recollections of those at the time as well as their possessions and other sources can easily be brushed aside as hindsight condemns them to the undergrowth of history. After Austria-Hungarys declaration of war on Serbia, accounts have been written of the jubilation that greeted the announcement. The joy and euphoria may have been real but despite the later disillusionment with the war, this does not mean we can learn nothing from that day. These testimonies are still valid and tell us more about attitudes to war th an about the war itself. The temptation for the historian is to conclude that the destruction of WW1 shows how the enthusiasm evaporated but up until the very end, there were those who embraced the war. Adolf Hitler, then an obscure corporal speaks of the war years as the greatest and most unforgettable time of my earthly existence  [x]  but despite what we know about Hitlers later life and his absent moral compass, this testimony is still relevant because of its immediacy. The combination of personal and professional in the recollections and remembrances of participants can add interesting texture and nuance to historical investigation. Strachan writes in his book on the Great War about Conrad Von Hotzendorff, the Austrian Chief of the General Staff and of how Hotzendorff was in love with a married woman. Hotzendorff saw a triumphant return from the battlefield as an integral part of gaining acceptability for this relationship and Strachan writes that Conrads response to Franz Ferdinands assassination was more visceral than rational  [xi]  . This highlights an important problem when dealing with sources. The actions and motivations of participants can seem indicative of one course of action but this motivation can contain a number of individual facets and aims. As well as the difficulty of gleaning motive, testimonies and documents of the period can fall victim to retrospective thinking. The particular feelings and emotions of a person can undergo transformation as time flows and if that particular person is not around at that moment, then the historians interpretation could be colored by emotions that only resurfaced at a present time. The human condition is so multi-faceted that it constantly fluctuates and seeks to change into a particular set of perceptions that are prevalent at the time. The actions and thoughts of individuals also present problems when constructing historical timelines as they are often belied by diplomatic effort and political reflection. Strachan again writes of the events leading up to the Great War that the experience of earlier crises had conditioned statesman to put events in the broader context of European international relations  [xii]  and this goes in tandem with subjective testimonies related by individuals or groups. Richard J Evans argues that the historians questions should be formulated not by some present theory but from the historical sources themselves  [xiii]  which leads to the observation that whose history is being recorded? The emphasis on high politics and political history has a tendency to negate the other factors that can determine events. In the case of primary sources, the testimonies of survivors can be brushed off as subjective ruminations that incorporate too much personal experience. It is the major players in the games of politics and power, the elite, which therefore can and must be relied on because they are the ones who were in the driving seat. This rationale takes on the very characteristics of the people it reveres as it reduces history to an elite club of statesmen and hierarchies whose actions were the engine in world history. Yet a solitary emphasis on the actions of the people or social history can be just as exclusivist. Much of the writing on the First World War concerns the massive loss of life during the military campaigns of The Somme and Ypres and in this sense it can give a picture of an event being merely the sum of its battles and military maneuvers. Yet Strachan writes of the Home Front that at the end of 1917, the British people were desperately tired  [xiv]  and Gilbert observes all over Europe, and in every country that had sent men to fight in Europe, the memorials to those who had been killed were being designed and put in place  [xv]  so any reliance on one type of source of history can in Johnsons words obfuscate and hide the greater picture. The reason for statements and articulations also have to be taken into account when considering historical evidence and never more so than when considered in a war situation. The Great War threw up some such examples of this practice. It is natural in wartime to seek to demonstrate how much of a threat the enemy is. Strachan uses this example in his book citing the Governor of Bosnia in 1914 as saying of the Serbs that towards such a population all humanity and all kindness are out of place  [xvi]  and this can be contrasted with Hitlers utterances to his Generals during the Second World War regarding the Russians and Jews. Propaganda and the uses that particular pieces of testimony were created for can create an obstacle in tackling historical sources. Stanley Weintraub writes in his book Silent Night, which deals with the Christmas truce of 1914 that for rival governments, for which war was politics conducted by persuasive force, it was imperative to make even temporary peace unappealing and workable  [xvii]  which for todays Western governments seems even more callous than war itself. Politicians of all persuasions unite to cite how this episode was a call to arms for us all and how in the madness of war, sanity was temporarily regained. This is in itself an example of both hindsight and retrospection. The ideals that were being fought for during that war were those of liberalism against force, freedom versus tyranny and since those ideas have been won for a majority of the world, it is seen as an episode of hope amidst war. This may be true but it was these exact governments that frowned upon this truce at the time and now in retrospect see its benefits. Thus, in some measure history can be distorted. Weintraub goes on to write that this impromptu truce seemed dangerously akin to the populist politics of the streets, the spontaneous movements that topple tyrants and autocrats  [xviii]  and one does not need to go far to see just how Strachan might be right in writing of hindsight as arrogance. The not too distant past saw a sitting government ignore the protests and cries of its people during the recent Iraq debacle. Once again it seems that the lessons of history are that those in power know best. It is important to remember that much of the sources that we have from the end of World War One were from captured documents but most importantly from the views of the Allies themselves, the victors. In such an environment it is possible for particular viewpoints to emerge that reinforce such origins. Wohlsetter writes that after the crisis, memories fade and recriminations take their place  [xix]  and this underscores much of what we know of our own history. The aftermath of both wars saw the division of Europe into different spheres of interest and thus once again the victors to an extent dictated the course of history. This use of sources could take place within the sphere of Eurocentrism. Nordenbo describes this as an historical point of view which perceives modernity, first and foremost as a unique modern European invention  [xx]  , a construct which sees the West as the leader in civilization and invention and the rest of the world as a kind of other. This Europe appears to non-Europeans as a land of milk and honey, a promised land and certainly contains the seeds of a European hegemonic system. Edward Said writes in his thesis Orientalism about the construction of this other. It is contained in Marxs maxim that they cannot represent themselves, so they must be represented and Said argues that to the West, the Orient is an other-worldly realm peopled by exotic, hedonistic infidels  [xxi]  and though dealing with the Orient this can be transposed to the examination of sources. It is possible because of the difficulty of obtaining documents in many places to merely stereotype and generalize using Western maxims and rationales. The problems of translation from other languages can also impede investigation and again ties in with this idea of Eurocentrism, that English lexicons and idioms are the natural record of history. To maintain this thought system is to deliver an irrevocable blow to the historical mindset. Hindsight also relies on the process of causation. This links a series of causes and sketches a rough timeline between events. This can blur the line between reality and impression. It is sometimes asserted that the Treaty of Versailles and its perceived harshness was instrumental in causing the Second World War. This was not the only factor and its overall impact can be negated. Several other factors must be considered, such as Hitlers own personal bent and drive, the expansionist drive of the German military and political elite and the notion of a Messianic savior, a Strong Man, destined to lead Germany to greatness. It is possible to agree with Strachan that hindsight does breed arrogance. The ideas and realities of contemporary life are quite removed from the realities of yesteryear. It is the job of the historian to make sense of these past times and draw conclusions and lessons from them. This can be problematic as the sources are as rich and varied as the events that shaped them. There is arrogance in history, people find it hard to laud and identify people who gave themselves for ideals and causes, and hence label them with contemporary judgments However just as hindsight does not give us the complete picture, so not all historical investigation is tainted by this thinking. The problems and difficulties of looking at sources are myriad and sometimes frustrating but only through careful sifting and collaboration of method can we attain that knowledge of the past that so informs the historians rumination on the present.

the dandelion killer :: essays research papers

The Dandelion Killer This story takes place in the beautiful Frankfort, Kentucky. The setting is real. The Evans shop, Elayna’s house, Jayboy’s house are a few places of where this story is set. In the present time, is when this story is set. There isn’t an exact date of when the story takes place. Jayboy Calvin is an interesting person. He is different from anyone else in the story because he is 55 years old but has the mind of an 8 year old. The darkness is what scares him the most. He thinks it will swallow him up, and he will never be able to see his best friend again. He hates the color black. He won’t let his mom buy anything for him that’s black. When he gets crayons, he’ll break the black one in the store before the darkness can spread. He loves dandelions. His best friend Elayna (or ‘Layna) as he calls her) is the princess of dandelions and he is her trusty knight. Elayna Evans life is full of mysteries. She has lost everyone. Hunt, her husband, disappeared 10 years ago and her daughter Carrie died of meningitis at the age of 4. She has had a lifelong friend, Jayboy. He helps her in many ways through the struggles and she helps him. Shirleene, Elayna’s sister-in-law, was brutally murdered one night in her coffee shop. Someone stole a dandelion pin from her shirt, stepped in her blood and now the police think it was†¦ Jayboy Calvin! Could someone with the mind of an 8 years old possibly kill someone? Everyone is trying to figure out who it is and you can’t trust anyone. The impression left on me was that friendship lasts a life time. I liked how the author hinted to some things but then made them cliff-hangers.

F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby :: Fitzgerald Great Gatsby Essays

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Daisy Miller by Henry James, most of the characters are under illusions during the majority of the plot. The plots are carried out with the characters living under these illusions, which are mainly overcome by the ends of the stories. The disillusionment of most of the characters completely diminishes the foundation in which the plots were built upon, leading to the downfall of some of the main characters and the altering of the other characters. In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby functions under the illusion that Daisy is perfect and is living in such distress because she was forced to marry Tom due to Gatsby being away at war and being poor. This illusion leads Gatsby to spend his entire adult life pining after Daisy and cheating his way up the social and economic ladder in order to win her over. Gatsby believes that Daisy will someday come back to him because she loves him so much and they will live happily ever after together. Daisy is living under the illusion that Gatsby has become rich and successful by working so hard and getting lucky with some investments. I think that when she first met him she probably did love him. He conveyed something to her that was the complete opposite of what she was: a poor soldier that did not have the social class that she possessed. But now her attitudes have changed and she is attracted to him because of his money and his apparent success. Tom functions under the illusion that Daisy not only loves him now, but has always loved him and been completely devoted to him. Daisy does admit that she once loved him, but he was not her first choice; Gatsby was. Tom is also under the illusion that Daisy will never leave him. He has an ongoing, almost public affair with Myrtle but still wants to be devoted to Daisy and demands her devotion to him. Tom feels as if he will never lose anything: his money, Daisy, or his social status. Although their money and social status gives them everything they need and want, they are still restless in life and in marriage. No matter what and who they have, they are never satisfied. Tom had Daisy, but wants Myrtle, too. Daisy has Tom, but wants Gatsby, too.

Christopher Columbus Biography :: Christopher Columbus Essays

Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy on August 25th 1451, and he died in Valladolid Spain on May 20th 1506. His life is filled with mystery and controversy. Even though there has been contevercy about his birth date and this birthplace, the historians have narrowed it down to this date and place. His childhood is another mystery. It is said that Columbus was the oldest of five children to poor â€Å"wool weavers†. His son has stated that Columbus had attended the University of Pavia, Columbus was a good observer and very well read. In 1476 Columbus traveled to Lisbon, Portugal were there he an established Genoese population, including Bartolome, he was a noted to be a mapmaker. After a couple of years Columbus sailed with the Portuguese through the Mediterranen and the Atlantic as far south as La Mina (Present day Elmaina , Ghana) and as far north as England. Columbus also made a voyage to Iceland in 1477. In 1479 Columbus married the Portuguese noblewomen Dona Felipa e Perestrello e Moriz and established land in Porto Santo were his son Diego was born in 1480. When his wife died somewhere between 1481 to 1485, Columbus returned to Lisbon. As early as 1484 Columbus got a plan to sail west from the Canary Islands to the Indies (now East Indies) and the island kingdom of Cipangu (modern day Japan). When King John II declined Columbus’s â€Å"Enterprises to the Indies† he decided to go to the Spanish monarch. Columbus traveled to Cordoba, in 1488 he and his mistress had another son. Columbus presented his plan to King Ferdinan and Queen Isabella two different times but both times a counsel of experts rejected his project. Columbus’s ideas were made fun of by many in the court. However he received support from other powerful people, for example â€Å"Luis de Santagel†, â€Å"chancellor of the royal household of Aragon and prior Juan Prez (the Queen’s con fessor). As a result of this Queen Isabella approved to Columbus’s project. Columbus’s first was to find a short voyage to the Indies by sailing west, and the second goal was to convert any foreign inhabitance to Christianity. There were three ships the first was the Santa Maria, which can hold up to forty sailors, The second ship is the Pinta, which held up to twenty-six sailors, and the Nina, which held twenty-four sailors. On October 12 1482 a seaman on the Pinta claimed â€Å"he spotted land†, his name was Rodrigo de Triana.

Why Wee Crave Horror Movie

Why we still crave in horror movie when we are scare? In Stephen King’s Article it mention three main points. The first one is showing our courage, that we are not afraid in horror movie. It doesn’t mean that we don’t scream. In contrast, we scream when the roller coaster twists through a complete 360. Horror movie just like roller coaster, if it can’t make us scream only means the movie is not excited enough. The second one is to ensure that we are normal. To confirm that although we are not as beauty as a star but we are still better than the character in the horror movieHowever, these two reasons are not the main reason why we crave horror movie. At the beginning of the article, he said â€Å"I think that we’re all mentally ill† The test has already proven this statement at least people in this classroom are all crazy. He believes that we are mentally ill and crazy but only in different level/degree. Our insanity leads us only talk to ours elves when we are under stress or squinch our faces into horrible grimaces when we believe no one is watching.As we are all insane, we have to practice our anticivilization emotion from time to time. What is anticivilization emotion? For example the excitement and hyper emotion when seeing others are killed or being menaced. However, in this civilized society, when we seeing someone was killed us should show our sympathy. Our teacher teaches us we should have love, loyalty, kindness etc. when we practice this emotion we applaud. For example, if we give a kiss to our sister, the adult will praise us.In contrast if we put her finger in the door hinge, scold would comes follow. Although we keep the anticivilization emotion from getting out, it demands a periodic exercise. Therefore we choose to watch horror movie, we can let loose to scream. We don’t need to care for the civilized emotion. We can laugh when we see someone was killed, because we know that it is only a movie, and all people in this theater are crazy, we are just reliving our emotion. We think that practicing the anticivilization emotion can also help us to relief our stress in our daily life.As we have said before horror is come from___________________ therefore these become the main component of horror movie. When we watch it we feel scare and fear, at the same time we project our pressure and stress in it. For example when the monster is chasing the actor, we feel tension. This tension also included the anxiety we experience in the real life. ______________________________________ Watching horror movie can also fulfill our curiosity. When our society told us what should be fear or what is dangerous, we alert from these thing. However we have a desire to know more.

A Mercy -Toni Morrison

The lives of slaves in the 1600’s can be compared to the life of orphans that have been moved back and forth from home to home. They have no idea where they’re going to end up and who they’re going to end up with. They’re lives are already difficult but illnesses and diseases can make it a lot more difficult. They live day by day not knowing what’s going to happen next. Sometimes, slaves are treated more like animals than humans. Other times, they were treated with a little respect. Slaves in the northern colonies of America were treated differently depending on different religions and cultures.In the novel, a Mercy, Toni Morrison sympathizes towards the lives of slaves and slave owners in the 1600’s. A Mercy is based on a historical time period of the 1600’s in New York, Maryland, and Virginia. The 1600’s is the time period when slavery first became popular. In 1619, a Dutch slave trader exchanged his cargo of Africans for food , which was the first arrival of Africans to Jamestown (Hening, 7). Africans were beginning to play a huge role in the economy of the Northern colonies in the U. S. Jamestown exported 10 tons of tobacco to Europe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and slaves were being traded back and forth for food and tobacco ( Hening, 5).By the 1680’s, slaves had become essential to the economy of Virginia (Hening, 7). Since trading slaves was getting bigger and bigger, eventually African slavery was legalized in Virginia and Maryland. â€Å"In 1663 the Maryland legislature enacted a law that ‘all negroes and other slaves to be thereafter imported into the province, should serve during life; and all children born of any negro should be slaves, as their fathers were for the term of their lives† ( Harper, Douglas, 6).This law was one of the many slave laws and codes that were passed in this time period. In New York, â€Å"the English took over the colony in 1664†. There were a lot of skilled and unskilled jobs that slaves were needed for (especially on plantations), so they continued to import slaves (Eckhaus, Phyllis, 5). 42 percent of New York City’s households held slaves ( Becker, Eddy, 7). Toni Morrison portrays the time period in the novel as a tough time period to live in because of slavery, diseases, debt, and death.At the beginning of the book, we are introduced to a character named Jacob Vaark who is a Dutch slave trader and owner. Vaark goes on a harsh journey to the D’Ortegas (who also trade slaves for a living), in Maryland to settle a debt. â€Å"Fog, Atlantic and reeking of plant life blanketed the bay and slowed him† (Morrison, 9). As Morrison describes Vaark’s journey to Maryland, it shows that the author wants us to feel sympathy for him and it explains some of the difficulties that people involved in the slave trade went through.A fact that the author adds from the time period is that â€Å"Virginia was still a mess. Who c ould keep up with the pitched battles for God, king, and land? † (Morrison, 11). The author adds this to the novel because slavery was also connected to religion and trading land. Another fact that Morrison adds in the book is that illnesses and diseases had an impact on slave’s lives in the 1600’s. When Vaark was building his dream home, he developed the pox and eventually passes away. His wife, Rebekka, also develops the pox.Lina, a servant of the Vaarks, sends Florens, a slave of the Vaarks, on a journey to find a blacksmith that has a cure for the pox. If Rebekka dies, then Lina and Florens will be stuck with no place to live and nobody to take care of them. â€Å"The need to swallow, the pain of doing so, the unbearable urge to tear her skin from the bones underneath stopped only when she was unconscious†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ( Morrison, 72). This quote shows that the author wants us to feel sympathy towards Rebekka’s illness.There were many different attitud es towards slavery in the 1600’s. While the majority of people thought that slavery was acceptable, some people thought that slavery was wrong. †(Becker, Eddy, 8). Most slaves weren’t treated as human beings so â€Å"they slept in the cellars and attics of town houses† (Harper, Douglas, 15). After 1682, as the number of slaves rose, fears of insurrection mounted, restrictions were applied and public controls began to be enacted†( Eckhaus, Phyllis, 15). â€Å"It had become illegal for more than four slaves to meet together on their own time† (Eckhaus, Phyllis, 15).All of these restrictions and laws show that people in that time period had very little trust towards slaves. In the book, Morrison portrays the characters as people who have different morals. Jacob Vaark was uncomfortable with gaining a slave, Florens, for a debt that he owed. â€Å"‘Ridiculous’ said D’Ortega. ‘You sell them. Do you know the prices they gar ner? ’ Jacob winced. Flesh was not his commodity. †(Morrison, 20). This quote shows that Vaark was not interested in slavery, but knew that he had to find a way to pay his debt.Another character in the novel that shows her morals is Lina. Lina is one of Jacob and Rebekka Vaark’s servants. She is very close to Rebekka and Florens. When Lina finds out that Florens has to go on a dangerous journey to find a blacksmith, she starts to pray. â€Å"Now, amazingly, she was praying. For what, to what, Lina did not know. †(Morrison, 66). This shows that Lina has a religion even though she’s indifferent about it. The fact that Rebekka is close to Lina and treats her more as a daughter than a servant, shows that she has good morals and doesn’t approve of slavery.Throughout the novel, Toni Morrison’s attitude is sympathetic towards the characters and the time period that they live in. Morrison shows us the different sides of slavery through the liv es of the characters. Jacob Vaark is in debt, Rebekka Vaark has an illness, and Lina and Florens are slaves that don’t know where their lives are headed. As the reader, this makes me feel sympathy for the people who lived during the slave trade in the 1600’s. Although the 1600’s was when slavery first became popular and was accepted, the author made out slavery to be something that wasn’t so horrible.The Vaarks were slave owners, but they weren’t typical slave owners of their time period. Jacob was opposed to the idea of slavery and Rebekka treated her slaves as if they were her own kids, which is unrealistic for the time period. The fact that Morrison includes the hardships that slaves and slaved owners went through makes the book somewhat realistic. The unrealistic details of the book make it more interesting to read and make us think about how relationships between slaves and free people really were in the 1600’s.

Mission, Vision, and Values Paper

The University of Phoenix was founded in 1976 as an outlet for working adults to obtain an education, while continuing to hold down a full time job. The ingenious idea of creating such an organization can be coupled with the name Dr. John Sperling. Dr. John Sperling begin the creation of University of Phoenix in his basement, at the preface of personal computers. The University of Phoenix offers degree program at the level’s of associates, bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees. The degree programs can be obtained by several modalities.The most commonly know modality is online, and there are also over 200 campuses that offer programs as well. Dr. John Sperling suggested how institutions would pioneer new approaches to curricular and program design, teaching methods and student services. These beliefs eventually resulted in the creation of University of Phoenix and they continue to inspire the University’s mission, purposes and strategies today (University of Phoenix [ UOP], 2008). The University of Phoenix is the nation’s largest private university.The mission of University of Phoenix is to provide access to higher education opportunities that enable students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their professional goals, improve the productivity of their organizations, and provide leadership and service to their communities (University of Phoenix [UOP], 2008). The following are the purposes for the University of Phoenix: ~To facilitate cognitive and affective student learning–knowledge, skills, and values — and to promote use of that knowledge in the student's work place.~To develop competence in communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and information utilization, together with a commitment to lifelong learning for enhancement of students' opportunities for career success. ~To provide instruction that bridges the gap between theory and practice through faculty members who bring to their classroom not only advanced academic preparation, but also the skills that come from the current practice of their professions. ~To provide General Education and foundational instruction and services that prepare students to engage in a variety of university curricula.~To use technology to create effective modes and means of instruction that expand access to learning resources and that enhance collaboration and communication for improved student learning. ~To assess student learning and use assessment data to improve the teaching/learning system, curriculum, instruction, learning resources, counseling and student services. ~To be organized as a for-profit institution in order to foster a spirit of innovation that focuses on providing academic quality, service, excellence, and convenience to the working adult.~To generate the financial resources necessary to support the University’s mission. (UOP, 2008) All corporations depend on effective strategic management. A starting point in strat egic management is setting goals. Every business needs goals, a mission, and values. Goals are basically intended to meet hopes and plans of an organization. The mission usually tells how a company will reach their goals. Values are what the organization beliefs in. The strategy of an organization should determine the firm’s overall attitude toward growth and the way it will manage its businesses.A company may decide to grow by increasing its activities or investments. Strategies should focus on improving the companies competitive position, and how best to achieve corporate goals by being as productive as possible. The mission statement is a message designed to be inclusive of the expectations of all stakeholders for the company's performance over the long run (Pearce & Robinson, 2004). At many companies, top management drafts and circulates detailed mission statements.Because such a statement reflects a company’s understand of its activities as a marketer, it is not e asily described. The mission statement for the University of Phoenix explains how they will achieve their purposes in the environments in which they conduct businesses. Strategy tends to have a wider scope. It is the definition a broad program that describes an organization’s intentions. A business strategy outlines how the business intends to meet its goals and includes the organizations responsiveness to new challenges and new needs.Because a well formulated strategy is so vital to a business’s success, most top managers devote substantial attention and creativity to this process. A second implication of viewing strategic management as a process is that strategy formulation and implementation are sequential. The process begins with development or reevaluation of the company mission (Pearce & Robinson, 2004). This also presents an opportunity for an organization to do a SWOT analysis. SWOT is an acronym for the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of a firm and the envir onmental Opportunities and Threats facing that firm.SWOT analysis is a widely used technique through which managers create a quick overview of a company's strategic situation (Pearce & Robinson). The ultimate goal of the new strategy is to have an effective impact on the leaders, the culture, and the stakeholders. The strategy should allow the leaders to efficiently run the organization. The strategy should enable a conducive culture so that there is no negativity brought to the organization. The strategy should reward stakeholders and ultimately reward the stakeholders so that they may continue to hold stake in the company.

Philosophy and Critical Thinking Skills

What Is Your Philosophy Georgette Duropan PHL/215 April 11,2012 Ryan Shriver What Is Your Philosophy? According to â€Å"Merriam Webster† (2012), Epistemology is the study or a theory of the nature and grounds of knowledge, especially with reference to its limits and validity. In my essay I will give you a description about the approaches to philosophical questions for each of the major philosophical areas of inquiry, and explanation of how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought.I will also give an explanation of why the selected philosophy best describes my identification of cultural factors that influenced my choice of philosophy. The Divisions of Philosophy falls into four areas, such as Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics (moral philosophy, social philosophy, political philosophy, and aesthetics), and Logic. Metaphysics has more to do with being or existence. Epistemology is the theory of knowledge and wants to know the truth. Ethics covers four differ ent areas. Moral philosophy is the study of moral judgments.Social philosophy is the study of society and its institutions. Political philosophy focuses on the state and seeks to determine, proper organization. Aesthetics, study of art, and of value judgment. Making a statement to me will get me to use my critical thinking skills. I for one do one believe everything I am told until sold proof, facts, or reasoning have been proven. This falls into the same perspective on how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought. How people choose to use their words when trying to explain something to me makes a big difference.Often times I can mistakenly misinterpret what the speaker is trying to say. In other words, something cannot be a true fact and a false fact in a sentence. I call this contradicting. However, two people coming from two different backgrounds or from two different cultures might say the same thing but mean the opposite. Using your critical thinking skills on how explanation of how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought needs to be dug into and come out with solid proof, facts, or reasoning behind the statement.The major philosophical area of inquiry that best describes me is Epistemology. As I have mentioned above I am the kind of person where I need to have solid proof, facts, or reasoning before I believe something someone is trying to tell me. Because Epistemology is the theory of knowledge questions related to Epistemology are What is truth? and Is it possible to know anything with absolute certainty? The more you know, the more you are able to learn and grow.Knowledge is power. Epistemology has to do a lot on how one thinks. When I think I like to go deep into though, therefore; I rely on my own experiences as a reference. If I had none the only way to find out the truth is to experience it for my self. Some cultural factors that influenced my choice of philosophy specifically Epistemology is the Japanese cultural. For the New Year’s Japanese believes that consuming noodles will give you a long live because the noodles are longs.Although this is not a proven factor I do see a lot of older Japanese people consuming noodles. These people look healthy and strong therefore I just believed that noodles does give you along life. Another cultural factor that influenced my choice is the Filipino culture. My husband is pure Filipino and is originally from the Philippines. His mother, my mother in law told me that saving the first washing of the rice and use that first washing of the rice water to water the orchids will help sustain the life of the orchid plant.Because I am the kind of person that needs to have things proven to me I asked my mother in law to water one orchid with regular water and another orchid with the first washing of the rice water. Both orchids were of the same family of orchid types. After two months the orchid that was watered with the first washing of the rice produce two times as much more flowers then the regular watered orchid and the flowers from the first washing of the rice lasted about two times longer.Some may think that this is coincidence, however; after continuously watering the orchids with the first washing of the rice water versus regular results have spoken for itself. In conclusion, I discussed the definition of Epistemology, the approaches to philosophical questions for each of the major philosophical areas of inquiry, and explanation of how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought.And I also gave an explanation of why the selected philosophy best describes my identification of cultural factors that influenced my choice of philosophy. Wanting to have solid proof, facts, or reasoning behind a question that is given is not a bad thing. This just shows that you obtaining answering behind a question will give you more knowledge. Knowledge is power! References Merriam webster. (2012). Retrieved from http:/ /www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/epistemology

Anxiety Disorders

As you get up every morning, there is a fear of crossing that day. What happens if you are often concerned? What if there is a spontaneous and uncontrollable panic attack throughout the day? What if you can not control your hand to wash their bloody broken places? What happens if you have anxiety disorder? Anxiety is the most common disease in the United States, affecting 40 million adults over the age of 18; this accounts for 18% of the U.S. population. However, 22.8% of cases were considered as severe anxiety. Anxiety is thought to be an impairment of the shaft, there are five types of anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety disorder and panic disorder, phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. The definition of post-traumatic stress disorder is as follows. Exposure to trauma, repression, abuse and development of severe situations and anxiety disorders of severe natural and unnatural disasters. Symptoms of post traumatic stress disord er are usually as follows: ... The crowd is anxiety disorder. It is clear that Western anxiety is increasing. Three main factors contribute to this, including treatment and reduction of anxiety in patients receiving education systems, technology, media, criticism. It is worth noting that in recent years it has become more difficult whether the educational system is good or bad in various ways. However, those who tend to be uneasy often go to school There are several types of anxiety disorders such as post - panic disorder, specific phobias, social anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and related disorders, stress related diseases and trauma: The latest diagnosis and mental disorder statistical manual (DSM - 5) destroys anxiety to three categories. This difference suggests that although these diseases are commonly related, they are very diff erent. The six most common forms of anxiety are generalized anxiety disorder, post panic disorder, phobia, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by nonspecific living events, excessive concern about subjects and condition. People with GAD are often difficult to identify specific fears and control them. This means that fear is often unreasonable and not proportional to expectation under normal circumstances. Anxiety Disorders Anxiety Disorder Anxiety is a tension associated with dangerous threats when the cause of anxiety is unknown. In contrast, fear is a tension associated with known hazards. I believe that mild anxiety in our daily life is normal. I was a little worried about that day, but everyday I can think about it. Anxiety warns us that we can prepare for response to battle and escape. However, the increase in anxiety hurts emotionally. Anxiety is thought to be an impairment of the shaft, there are five types of anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety disorder and panic disorder, phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. The definition of post-traumatic stress disorder is as follows. Exposure to trauma, repression, abuse and development of severe situations and anxiety disorders of severe natural and unnatural disasters. Symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder are usually as follows: ... The crowd is anxiety disorder. It is clear that Western anxi ety is increasing. Three main factors contribute to this, including treatment and reduction of anxiety in patients receiving education systems, technology, media, criticism. It is worth noting that in recent years it has become more difficult whether the educational system is good or bad in various ways. However, those who tend to be uneasy often go to school There are several types of anxiety disorders such as post - panic disorder, specific phobias, social anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and related disorders, stress related diseases and trauma: The latest diagnosis and mental disorder statistical manual (DSM - 5) destroys anxiety to three categories. This difference suggests that although these diseases are commonly related, they are very different.

Financial Analysis of Dell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Financial Analysis of Dell - Essay Example Dell, Inc. is a leading supplier of information technology equipment and peripherals such as printers, music players, mobile phones, laptop and desktop computers and software, and servers and storage systems. Founded in 1984 by Michael Dell, currently the Chairman of the Board, it generated total sales of $55.9 billion and profits of $3.6 billion in 2006 on the basis of a direct-selling business model to a growing global corporate and consumer market. Customers place orders over the phone or the Internet, pay for purchases up front, and wait for on-time delivery. Its business model allows Dell to sell computers at a lower price and that are tailor-fit to each customer's needs. Although it began by selling to individual consumers, the company now generates over 75% of its sales from large corporate accounts. Using a supply chain and financial management system that it innovated and successfully continues to improve, the company keeps spare parts and finished products inventories low, its cash volumes high, and net profits optimized to drive phenomenal corporate growth. In the task of managing a 65,000-strong global workforce spread in seven manufacturing sites in the U.S., Brazil, Malaysia, China, and Ireland, Dell is assisted by President/CEO Kevin Rollins and a team of directors and professional managers from its Austin, Texas headquarters and five regional offices (Dell, 2006e, p. 22-24). The company belongs to the highly competitive technology sector populated by established companies. It competes for global market share in computer hardware sales with IBM, HP, Xerox, and Apple of the U.S., and with NEC, Fujitsu, and Canon of Japan. Due to the effects of global competition on operating margins, Dell has evolved from a mere assembler and seller of products developed by other companies - such as Intel that supplies computer chips and Taiwanese companies supplying wires and other parts - into a designer of its own products like PDAs and PCs. The first half of 2006 was good for Dell. Fortune ranked the company 25th among the 500 Largest U.S. Corporations; 23rd in annual profit growth measured in Earnings per Share over the last ten years hitting 33.1%; and 2nd in Ten-Year Total Return to Shareholders with 39.4%, making it the second best investment in the list (McGirt, 2006). Its revenues made it the 88th largest company and the third largest supplier of computers and office equipment in the world after IBM and Hewlett-Packard (Lustgarten, 2006). However, the second half of the year has been brutal for the company. First, a battery in a Dell laptop exploded in the U.S., which turned out not to be an isolated case, leading Dell to recall and replace 4.1 million batteries, the largest such order in the history of American business, opening the company to embarrassment and potential lawsuits. Second, Dell made public that in August 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) launched an investigation of its accounting practices. This double trouble

PTSD The invisible wounds of War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

PTSD The invisible wounds of War - Essay Example Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) starts after a horrifying ordeal that concerned physical harm or the danger of physical injury. The soldiers get PTSD due to the horrors and miserable events of the war. In war, the service volunteers powerlessly witness brutal deaths of dear comrades and guiltless Afghanistans and Iraqi (Bouvard, 2012). They undergo sexual abuse and even rape by superiors during the war and cannot report. The veterans become both agents and fatalities of violence and then come back home to a country not knowledgeable or concerned in engaging with their afflictions. Their training regularly prevents them from reporting the necessity to seek counseling. The moment one admits, they encounter a Veterans Administration insufficiently resourced (Bouvard, 2012). The re-experience of PTSD is from the veterans. Many veterans suffer in mum, unable to state the pain they experience, the losses they have undergone the change that has transformed them strangers to themselves (Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs, 2007). It is not simple to hear their tones, but Marguerite Guzmà ¡n Bouvard has projected their sounds, by learning how to pay attention. In this book of the dreadful truth, she inspires the rest of readers to pay attention and to be far more considerate and angry and optimistic. An awful outline of psychic spoil emerges from Bouvards summary of veterans and their loved ones (Bouvard, 2012). Avoidance symptoms are attempts individuals make to shun the traumatic experience. Individuals with PTSD may attempt to shun situations that prompt memories of the traumatic encounters (Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs, 2007). Avoidance and numbering symptoms presented in the story through Noah Pierce events. Noah Pierce joined up the volunteer service team to Afghanistan in 2002, at age seventeen (Bouvard, 2012). The mother, Cheryl,

HOW FAST FOOD IN AMERICA EFFECTS THE GROWTH OF CHILD OBESITY Research Paper

HOW FAST FOOD IN AMERICA EFFECTS THE GROWTH OF CHILD OBESITY - Research Paper Example Such overweight and obese children are, often, the recipients of consistent harassment, cruel taunts, and likely, bullying. Unfortunately, the number of children falling into the category of obese, or well on their way to becoming obese, is growing and has been for some time. Why are children battling issues of obesity at younger and younger ages? There are multiple theories about the different aspects and elements of modern society that are contributory to the issue of childhood obesity. Many researchers favor the idea that it is the fast food industry that can, and should, be blamed for this unhealthy trend in childhood weight gain. Although, it is unlikely, that fast food alone can be held entirely responsible; however, it is most certainly a contributor. Background A child can be classified as overweight if their â€Å"body mass Index,† or BMI, is higher than the 85th percentile for their age and gender. Obesity is determined when a child’s BMI is at or above the 95 th percentile for their gender and age. The number of children that fall into these percentiles has, essentially, tripled over the last 3 decades. (Miller , Rosenbloom, and Silverstein 1) The dangers for children who are overweight or obese are at risk to contract or develop a number very serious diseases and conditions; cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and prediabetes, which can eventually evolve into actual diabetes. Children who are obese may, also, face unpleasant social isolation, which can lead to psychological and self esteem issues. Overweight and obese children are considerably more likely to grow up to me overweight and obese adults. At which point they, potentially, become even more at risk of developing the aforementioned conditions, but, also, joint problems and heightened risk of developing cancers of the prostate, cervix, breast, pancreas, bladder, and kidney to name a few. Given a bit more time, at this rate, obesity, or complications caused by it, will b ecome the number 1 cause of death in the United States.(Miller, Rosenbloom, and Silverstein 1) Because childhood obesity is a concern that does not seem to be slowing down or stopping, much research has been done to determine causes that have allowed childhood obesity to increase so much, preventions that can combat these modern causes, and treatments to improve the health and lives who are presently overweight or obese. There are a multitude of contributing factors, some genetic, others environmental, and some are related to the nature and quality of the food that they consume. ("Childhood Obesity") Fast food, like pizza, tacos, burgers and fries, and all the franchises open all times and hours, has earned a finger pointed their direction as the pan-ultimate cause of childhood obesity. Although not all researchers agree, but the fast food industry does absolutely play a significant part. Discussion The modern society we live in today is so very different from generations that came before us. The nature of jobs and entertainment have all become far more sedentary with all of the new technological advances; televisions, video games, and computers encourage longer and longer periods devoid of physical activity. The children are a product of that environment. It has, also, been determined that our modern world is far more dangerous than it once was, children’s parents are less comfortable with their children playing outside, parks and playgrounds are