Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Outlining Simple Homework Guidelines for K-8 Teachers
Homework; the term elicits a myriad of responses. Students are naturally opposed to the idea of homework. No student ever says, ââ¬Å"I wish my teacher would assign me more homework.â⬠à Most students begrudge homework and find any opportunity or possible excuse to avoid doing it. Educators themselves are split on the issue. Many teachers assign daily homework seeing it as a way to further develop and reinforce core academic skills, while also teaching students responsibility.à Other educators refrain from assigning daily homework. They view it as unnecessary overkill that often leads to frustration and causes students to resent school and learning altogether.à Parents are also divided on whether or not they welcome homework.à Those who welcome it see it as an opportunity for their children to reinforce critical learning skills. Those who loathe it see it as an infringement of their childââ¬â¢s time.à They say it takes away from extra-curricular activities, play time, family time, and also adds unnecessary stress. Research on the topic is also inconclusive. You can find research that strongly supports the benefits of assigning regular homework, some that denounce it as having zero benefits, with most reporting that assigning homework offers some positive benefits, but also can be detrimental in some areas. The Effects of Homework Since opinions vary so drastically, coming to a consensus on homework is nearly impossible.à We sent a survey out to parents of a school regarding the topic, asking parents these two basic questions: How much time is your child spending working on homework each night?Is this amount of time too much, too little, or just right? The responses varied significantly. In one 3rd grade class with 22 students, the responses regarding how much time their child spends on homework each night had an alarming disparity.à The lowest amount of time spent was 15 minutes, while the largest amount of time spent was 4 hours.à Everyone else fell somewhere in between.à When discussing this with the teacher, she told me that she sent home the same homework for every child and was blown away by the vastly different ranges in time spent completing it.à The answers to the second question aligned with the first.à Almost every class had similar, varying results making it really difficult to gauge where we should go as a school regarding homework. While reviewing and studying my schoolââ¬â¢s homework policy and the results of the aforementioned survey, I discovered a few important revelations about homework that I think anyone looking at the topic would benefit from: 1. Homework should be clearly defined. Homework is not unfinished classwork that the student is required to take home and complete. Homework is ââ¬Å"extra practiceâ⬠given to take home to reinforce concepts that they have been learning in class.à It is important to note that teachers should always give students time in class under their supervision to complete class work. Failing to give them an appropriate amount of class time increases their workload at home.à More importantly, it does not allow the teacher to give immediate feedback to the student as to whether or not they are doing the assignment correctly.à What good does it do if a student completes an assignment if they are doing it all incorrectly?à Teachers must find a way to let parents know what assignments are homework and which ones are classwork that they did not complete. 2. The amount of time required to complete the same homework assignment varies significantly from student to student.à This speaks to personalization. I have always been a big fan of customizing homework to fit each individual student.à Blanket homework is more challenging for some students than it is for others. Some fly through it, while others spend excessive amounts of time completing it.à Differentiating homework will take some additional time for teachers in regards to preparation, but it will ultimately be more beneficial for students. The National Education Association recommends that students be given 10-20 minutes of homework each night and an additional 10 minutes per advancing grade level. The following chart adapted from the National Education Associations recommendations can be used as a resource for teachers in Kindergarten through the 8th grade. Grade Level Recommended Amount of Homework Per Night Kindergarten 5 ââ¬â 15 minutes 1st Grade 10 ââ¬â 20 minutes 2nd Grade 20 ââ¬â 30 minutes 3rd Grade 30 ââ¬â 40 minutes 4th Grade 40 ââ¬â 50 minutes 5th Grade 50 ââ¬â 60 minutes 6th Grade 60 ââ¬â 70 minutes 7th Grade 70 ââ¬â 80 minutes 8th Grade 80 ââ¬â 90 minutes It can be difficult for teachers to gauge how much time students need to complete an assignment. The following charts serve to streamline this process as it breaks down the average time it takes for students to complete a single problem in a variety of subject matter for common assignment types. Teachers should consider this information when assigning homework. While it may not be accurate for every student or assignment, it can serve as a starting point when calculating how much time students need to complete an assignment. It is important to note that in grades where classes are departmentalized it is important that all teachers are on the same page as the totals in the chart above is the recommended amount of total homework per night and not just for a single class. Kindergarten ââ¬â 4th Grade (Elementary Recommendations) Assignment Estimated Completion Time Per Problem Single Math Problem 2 minutes English Problem 2 minutes Research Style Questions (i.e. Science) 4 minutes Spelling Words ââ¬â 3x each 2 minutes per word Writing a Story 45 minutes for 1-page Reading a Story 3 minutes per page Answering Story Questions 2 minutes per question Vocabulary Definitions 3 minutes per definition *If students are required to write the questions, then you will need to add 2 additional minutes per problem. (i.e. 1-English problem requires 4 minutes if students are required to write the sentence/question.) 5th ââ¬â 8th Grade (Middle School Recommendations) Assignment Estimated Completion Time Per Problem Single-Step Math Problem 2 minutes Multi-Step Math Problem 4 minutes English Problem 3 minutes Research Style Questions (i.e. Science) 5 minutes Spelling Words ââ¬â 3x each 1 minutes per word 1 Page Essay 45 minutes for 1-page Reading a Story 5 minutes per page Answering Story Questions 2 minutes per question Vocabulary Definitions 3 minutes per definition *If students are required to write the questions, then you will need to add 2 additional minutes per problem. (i.e. 1-English problem requires 5 minutes if students are required to write the sentence/question.) Assigning Homework Example It is recommended that 5th graders have 50-60 minutes of homework per night. In a self-contained class, a teacher assigns 5 multi-step math problems, 5 English problems, 10 spelling words to be written 3x each, and 10 science definitions on a particular night. Assignment Average Time Per Problem # of Problems Total Time Multi-Step Math 4 minutes 5 20 minutes English Problems 3 minutes 5 15 minutes Spelling Words ââ¬â 3x 1 minute 10 10 minutes Science Definitions 3 minutes 5 15 minutes Total Time on Homework: 60 minutes 3. There are a few critical academic skill builders that students should be expected to do every night or as needed. Teachers should also consider these things. However, they may or may not, be factored into the total time to complete homework. Teachers should use their best judgment to make that determination: Independent Reading ââ¬â 20-30 minutes per dayStudy for Test/Quiz - variesMultiplication Math Fact Practice (3-4) ââ¬â varies - until facts are masteredSight Word Practice (K-2) ââ¬â varies - until all lists are mastered 4. Coming to a general consensus regarding homework is almost impossible.à School leaders must bring everyone to the table, solicit feedback, and come up with a plan that works best for the majority.à This plan should be reevaluated and adjusted continuously. What works well for one school may not necessarily be the best solution for another.
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Autism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd ) - 1231 Words
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex set of neurological developmental disorders which are ultimately defined by it diagnosis. ASD is usually characterized by social-interaction difficulties, communication challenges and a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors (Bailey, Phillips, Rutter, 1996). The challenges autistic people face start very early on, sometimes barriers are put by people who are supposed to help them the most: their parents or guardians and the health professionals (Ford, Hamilton, Meltzer, Goodman, 2008), studies had found parents are hesitant to label or even treat their children accordingly to their diagnosis, because they fear it would lead to the stigmatization, rejection and devaluation of their child,â⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦they finally could understand how to deal with their social skills, sensory overload, and how to cope with change, which is something they would not have if they never were diagnosed (Griffith, Totsika, Nash, Hastings, 2 011). The purpose of the current study is to study the different approaches that autistic people has towards autism compared to their parents and neurotypical people. Since it appears there is a lot of contradictions in how these three groups interact with each other on this topic, from how to refer to someone who is autistic (i.e. autistic person or person with autism) to if finding a cure itââ¬â¢s something they are looking forward to, there is a difference of opinion within the community those with high functional autism seem to reject completely the idea of curing autism while the parents of autistic individuals, especially those with children who have severe autism have more of a mix reactions. Even in health services exist this disconnection betweenShow MoreRelatedAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1722 Words à |à 7 Pagesin every sixty-eight births are diagnosed with the Autism spectrum disorder in other words (ASD), which is about one percent of the worldââ¬â¢s population. A nd that more than three point five million people in America live with a person who has the Autism spectrum disorder. We all know that Autism is a spectrum disorder in which an abnormality is developed in the brain. It is a long life condition that has no cure for itself. People who have Autism face many difficulties in their communication and theirRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1441 Words à |à 6 PagesIntroduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a hereditary neurodevelopmental disorder. Like many other psychological disorders, it is commonly misunderstood in popular culture. Many allude to it casually, often equating it with crippling social awkwardness and disability when it is in fact a spectrum disorder with many degrees of severity. It is somewhat of an enigma within the scientific community as well; there are many things we do not know about ASD and there is ongoing research to learn moreRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1569 Words à |à 7 Pagesdiagnoses for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) occur has seen a dramatic growth in numbers. With diagnoses for ASD increasing, more siblings are also being found to have grown up with a sister or brother with autism spectrum disorder. Previous studies have shown no consensus on whether or not siblings of persons with ASD are at risk for negative effects. However, patterns of anxiety among these siblings are being examined to see if charac teristics of a child with autism spectrum disorder and their parentsRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1535 Words à |à 7 PagesHow Autism Influences the Interactions with Others There is a little boy that gets up every morning and goes to school. He goes home to his parents after school each day. He eats, sleeps, and plays just like any other child. There is one difference. He sees the world in a unique way than most other children not affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. The boyââ¬â¢s life and actions are a bit different and can be challenging for him. He needs understanding parents, family members, and teachers. Autism SpectrumRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1444 Words à |à 6 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder Dustin S. Staats University of Central Oklahoma ââ¬Å"Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) formerly known as just Autism, is a disorder that affects about 1 in 68 children here in the United States.â⬠(Facts about ASD) This is a pretty high prevalence and the number is continuing to rise. ââ¬Å"Autism is a developmental disability that can cause significant impairments in behavioral, communication, and social aspects of everyday life.â⬠(Facts about ASD). The intellectual functioning ofRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1369 Words à |à 6 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Introduction I don t think people understand how unique children with Autism are or the demands of caring for a child with Autism is. In order to grasp the effect of this disability has on a child or their family it is important to understand the characteristics of a child living with Autism. So for you to understand I will be talking about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Autism in a childs life. I will be talking about what autism is, the history and descriptionRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1587 Words à |à 7 Pages Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorderà (ASD) Purpose: My audience will learn the importance of recognizing early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children. Thesis: It is important to understand the early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and why early intervention is the best treatment. Introduction: Gain/maintain attention There is a television show I like to watch called ââ¬Å"The Big Bang Theory, maybe some of you have seen it. This show focuses on the relationships between a group of friends, someRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd ) Essay1168 Words à |à 5 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder, as defined by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders, refers to a group of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized by repetitive and characteristic patterns of behavior and difficulties with social communication and interaction (ninds.nih.gov). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a very complex developmental disorder and the term ââ¬Ëspectrumââ¬â¢ was added to the original term simply known as ââ¬ËAutismââ¬â¢ due to the wide range of symptoms associated with the disorderRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1852 Words à |à 8 PagesThe following paper is going to cover the topic of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Using research and data collected from various authors and journalists the paper will describe the different variations of autism and discuss the impact autism has on a person- in society, at home, in the classroom, and in their careers. Beginning at infancy, autism has a major impact on not just the child but their familyââ¬â¢s life as well. The childââ¬â¢s lack of ability to interpret social cues, gestures, and expressionsRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1801 Words à |à 8 PagesAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by qualitative impairments in social interaction and communication, and restricted, repetitive behavior (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013), and is associated with impairments in executive functions. Autism Spectrum Disorder is also defined as a group of disorders that impair an individualââ¬â¢s ability to understand and engage in the give-and-take of social relationships. (Boyd, 2015) Autism is a well-known
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Himalayans Cat Free Essays
Student Number _____________ RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT Himalayans Cat Felis Catus Abstract When you think of a warm, loving, and sensationally beautiful cat with crystal blue eyes to die for the first cat that should come to mind is the prestigious Himalayan Cat. The Himalayan Cat is a lovable cat breed and is a favorite choice amongst cat lovers. This domestic breed of felines are a popular pick in Hollywood and are famous for playing cat characters in movies such as ââ¬Å"Meet the Parents,â⬠ââ¬Å"Meet the Flockers,â⬠ââ¬Å"Date Movie,â⬠ââ¬Å"Homeward Bound,â⬠and on the ââ¬Å"Martha Stewart showâ⬠(Petinsurance, 2012, Para. We will write a custom essay sample on Himalayans Cat or any similar topic only for you Order Now ). The Himalayan cat is unlike any other for it has a unique history. The Himalayan cat is derived from the Genus/Species Felis catus and is a result of the breeding of two very prestigious breeds of cats: the Persian and the Siamese cat. As a result of this unique breeding the Himalayan cat was created and has since been a symbol of elegance due to there ââ¬Å"very unique body characteristic that distinguishes them from any other member of the feline familyâ⬠(Helgreen, 2011, Para. 5). The Himalayan Cat is a domestic cat or Felis catus, which is ââ¬Å"a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammalâ⬠(Wikipedia, 2012, Para 1). It is more commonly referred to as the ââ¬Å"house catâ⬠. Its taxonomic classification group is ââ¬Å"animalia chordata mammalia carnivora felidae felis catusâ⬠(Ramel, 2012, Para 1). According to Ramel (2012) archaeological evidence suggests that modern cats lineage, recognizably similar to our present day species, began to emerge about 25 MYA and during the last 12 million years the eight separate lineages of modern cats have emerged. The domestic cats are apart of that lineage known as the Felis genius, which makes them in direct relation to the cougar, lion, and tigers with the exception of the obvious differences of size and domestication (Wikipedia, 2012). The Felis catus are strong, active, round headed, small-bodied, social natured, intelligent animals. ââ¬Å"Felis, typically weigh between eight and eleven pounds, but some breeds can exceed to twenty-five poundsâ⬠(Wikipedia, 2012, Para. 7). Domestic cats still have many of their wild instincts for instance; they are constantly climbing, jumping, running, and/or extending their claws in hunting or self-defense (Ramel, 2012). Their sharp retractable claws and strong sharp teeth are their defense mechanism against predators. Domestic cats have great sense of smell, excellent night vision, and a variety of ââ¬Å"vocalization methods of communication (purring, hissing, meowing, and growling), and exceptional hearingâ⬠(Wikipedia, 2012, Para 10). According to Wikipedia (2012) they can hear higher-pitched sounds than either dogs or humans, detecting frequencies from 55Hz up to 79 kHz. The life expectancy for a domestic cat is between 12-16 years but some may live longer. Domestic cats ââ¬Å"reach sexual maturity anywhere between the ages of 7 to 9 monthsâ⬠and usually have an average of 3-5 kitten per literâ⬠(Ramel, 2012, Para. 3) Domestic cats have a ââ¬Å"mutualistic relationshipâ⬠with human beings and are great companions for people of all ages (Wikipedia, 2012). One of the most devoted people loving breeds of domestic cats is the Himalayan Cat breed. Himalayan Cats are extremely affectionate (Anderson, 2012). Schapmann (2012) states according to Animal Planetââ¬â¢s rating of Himalayan cat characteristics, Himalayans rank high in affection toward their owners, need for attention, and compatibility with children and other pets. This breed of domestic cats are very calm natured but playful. ââ¬Å"The males are more outgoing than their female counter partners, who are more shy and reservedâ⬠(Anderson, 2012, Para. 3). Himalayans Cats are a result of a crossbreeding of the Persian cat with the Siamese cat. ââ¬Å"The Himalayan cat was the creation of scientist, Dr. Clyde Keeler and cat breeder, Virginia Cobb. The two teamed up to blend a Persian cat and a Siamese catâ⬠(Petinsurance, 2012, Para. 2) McDonald (1999) states that although, for decades, breeders attempted to breed these two cats but were unsuccessful. It wasnââ¬â¢t until Marguerita Goforth successfully created this breed in 1950s and by the 1960s, it was accepted as a breed by cat authorities (McDonald, 1999). The Himalayan Cat has a remarkable appearance, which makes them so popular. They are short with long thick white hair, which is a featured they adopted from the Persian Cat and have strong colourpoint markings, which is a featured they adopted from the Siamese Cat Petinsurance, 2012). The colourpoint markings are on their ears, legs, tail, and facemask and vary in color (Helgreen, 2011). ââ¬Å"There is a definite contrast between point and body colorâ⬠(Helgreen, 2011, Para. 4). Most Himalayan Cats range from either white to beige and their colourpoint markings can be ââ¬Å"chocolate, seal, lilac, blue, re d, cream tortile, blue-cream, chocolate-torte, lilac cream, seal lynx, blue lynx, red lynx, cream lynx, torte lynx, blue-cream lynx, chocolate lynx, lilac lynx, chocolate-torte lynx, and lilac-cream lynxâ⬠(Helgreen, 2011, Para. ) Aside from their distinctive color patterns, the Himalayans are also recognized for their piercing blue eyes and strong flat faces (American Cat Fanciers Association, 2012). There are two facial types: the Extreme/Peke (Ultra face) and the Traditional known as the ââ¬Å"Doll faceâ⬠(Helgreen, 2011, Para. 4). The major difference between these two is that Extreme faced Himalayan has an extremely flatten face. ââ¬Å"The nose is as nearly as high as the eyesâ⬠(McDonald, 1999, pg. 5). This flattened face feature causes this breed to experience problems with their eyes tearing, teeth crowding, and difficulties breathing (Petinsurance, 2012, Para 5). According to Chancellor (2012) Himalayans are subjected to the same types of diseases as Persian Cats due to their linage. These health issues include: ââ¬Å"Tear Duct Overflow, Skin fold dermatitis, Polycystic Kidney Disease, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, and Urinary tract stonesâ⬠(Chancellor, 2012, Para, 1). Despite the possible health issues, Himalayan Cats have a lifespan of 14-15 years and have no problems with breeding (McDonald, 1999). The female Himalayan Cats may be ready for breeding as early as five months and will begin calling for the her male counter partner to assist in the reproduction process (McDonald, 1999). According to Helgreen (2011) Himalayan cats normally birth 3-4 kittens however; they can produce liters of eight kittens. Himalayan Cats have a very lovable, docile, and playful personality (Schapman, 2012). ââ¬Å"The amazing pet behaviors observed in this cat are commendable the high level of affection intelligence and tolerance are not qualities that are seen in ordinary domestic catsâ⬠(Petinsurance, 2012, Para. 6). According to Schapman (2012) this breed of domestic cats has a strong need for attention and companionship from its human owner. This may range anywhere from daily grooming to reassurance and security from its owner. ââ¬Å"They are very dependent on their owners but also have an air of independence, calmness, and self-assurednessâ⬠(Schapman, 2012, Para 4). The Himalayan Cat breed is a very unique breed aside from all its unique physical and behavioral characteristics. The American Cat Fanciers Association recognizes this uniqueness and is the only association that recognizes this breed as a separate breed from all other varieties of Persian and Siamese cats (American Cat Fanciers Association, 2012). Despite their ancestral linage to the Persian and Siamese Cat, the Himalayan Cat breed is in a league of its own. References American Cat Fanciers Association. (2012) Himalayians. Retrieved from http://www. acfacat. com/breed_standard. htm Anderson, C. (2012). Personality differences for male and female himalayan cats. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/info_8087211_personality-male-female-himalayan-cats. html Chancellor, T. L. (2012). Himalayan cat diseases. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/about_5436085_himalayan-cat-diseases. html#ixzz2C8PXRtDf. Helgreen, J. A. 2011). Himalayan cats. Telmark Productions. McDonald, C. (1999). Guide to owning a himalayan cat. Facts On File, Incorporated. Petinsurance. (2012). Himalayan cats; blue-eyed wonder. Retrieved from http://www. petinsurance. com/healthzone/pet-articles/pet-breeds/himalayan-cats. aspx Ramel, G. (2012). Cats. Retrieved from http://www. earthlife. net/mammals/cats. html Schapman, S. (2012). Himalayan cat personality. Retr ieved from http://suite101. com/article/the-himalayan-cat-personality-a70239 Wikipedia. (2012). Domestic cats. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cat. How to cite Himalayans Cat, Essay examples Himalayans Cat Free Essays Student Number _____________ RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT Himalayans Cat Felis Catus Abstract When you think of a warm, loving, and sensationally beautiful cat with crystal blue eyes to die for the first cat that should come to mind is the prestigious Himalayan Cat. The Himalayan Cat is a lovable cat breed and is a favorite choice amongst cat lovers. This domestic breed of felines are a popular pick in Hollywood and are famous for playing cat characters in movies such as ââ¬Å"Meet the Parents,â⬠ââ¬Å"Meet the Flockers,â⬠ââ¬Å"Date Movie,â⬠ââ¬Å"Homeward Bound,â⬠and on the ââ¬Å"Martha Stewart showâ⬠(Petinsurance, 2012, Para. We will write a custom essay sample on Himalayans Cat or any similar topic only for you Order Now ). The Himalayan cat is unlike any other for it has a unique history. The Himalayan cat is derived from the Genus/Species Felis catus and is a result of the breeding of two very prestigious breeds of cats: the Persian and the Siamese cat. As a result of this unique breeding the Himalayan cat was created and has since been a symbol of elegance due to there ââ¬Å"very unique body characteristic that distinguishes them from any other member of the feline familyâ⬠(Helgreen, 2011, Para. 5). The Himalayan Cat is a domestic cat or Felis catus, which is ââ¬Å"a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammalâ⬠(Wikipedia, 2012, Para 1). It is more commonly referred to as the ââ¬Å"house catâ⬠. Its taxonomic classification group is ââ¬Å"animalia chordata mammalia carnivora felidae felis catusâ⬠(Ramel, 2012, Para 1). According to Ramel (2012) archaeological evidence suggests that modern cats lineage, recognizably similar to our present day species, began to emerge about 25 MYA and during the last 12 million years the eight separate lineages of modern cats have emerged. The domestic cats are apart of that lineage known as the Felis genius, which makes them in direct relation to the cougar, lion, and tigers with the exception of the obvious differences of size and domestication (Wikipedia, 2012). The Felis catus are strong, active, round headed, small-bodied, social natured, intelligent animals. ââ¬Å"Felis, typically weigh between eight and eleven pounds, but some breeds can exceed to twenty-five poundsâ⬠(Wikipedia, 2012, Para. 7). Domestic cats still have many of their wild instincts for instance; they are constantly climbing, jumping, running, and/or extending their claws in hunting or self-defense (Ramel, 2012). Their sharp retractable claws and strong sharp teeth are their defense mechanism against predators. Domestic cats have great sense of smell, excellent night vision, and a variety of ââ¬Å"vocalization methods of communication (purring, hissing, meowing, and growling), and exceptional hearingâ⬠(Wikipedia, 2012, Para 10). According to Wikipedia (2012) they can hear higher-pitched sounds than either dogs or humans, detecting frequencies from 55Hz up to 79 kHz. The life expectancy for a domestic cat is between 12-16 years but some may live longer. Domestic cats ââ¬Å"reach sexual maturity anywhere between the ages of 7 to 9 monthsâ⬠and usually have an average of 3-5 kitten per literâ⬠(Ramel, 2012, Para. 3) Domestic cats have a ââ¬Å"mutualistic relationshipâ⬠with human beings and are great companions for people of all ages (Wikipedia, 2012). One of the most devoted people loving breeds of domestic cats is the Himalayan Cat breed. Himalayan Cats are extremely affectionate (Anderson, 2012). Schapmann (2012) states according to Animal Planetââ¬â¢s rating of Himalayan cat characteristics, Himalayans rank high in affection toward their owners, need for attention, and compatibility with children and other pets. This breed of domestic cats are very calm natured but playful. ââ¬Å"The males are more outgoing than their female counter partners, who are more shy and reservedâ⬠(Anderson, 2012, Para. 3). Himalayans Cats are a result of a crossbreeding of the Persian cat with the Siamese cat. ââ¬Å"The Himalayan cat was the creation of scientist, Dr. Clyde Keeler and cat breeder, Virginia Cobb. The two teamed up to blend a Persian cat and a Siamese catâ⬠(Petinsurance, 2012, Para. 2) McDonald (1999) states that although, for decades, breeders attempted to breed these two cats but were unsuccessful. It wasnââ¬â¢t until Marguerita Goforth successfully created this breed in 1950s and by the 1960s, it was accepted as a breed by cat authorities (McDonald, 1999). The Himalayan Cat has a remarkable appearance, which makes them so popular. They are short with long thick white hair, which is a featured they adopted from the Persian Cat and have strong colourpoint markings, which is a featured they adopted from the Siamese Cat Petinsurance, 2012). The colourpoint markings are on their ears, legs, tail, and facemask and vary in color (Helgreen, 2011). ââ¬Å"There is a definite contrast between point and body colorâ⬠(Helgreen, 2011, Para. 4). Most Himalayan Cats range from either white to beige and their colourpoint markings can be ââ¬Å"chocolate, seal, lilac, blue, re d, cream tortile, blue-cream, chocolate-torte, lilac cream, seal lynx, blue lynx, red lynx, cream lynx, torte lynx, blue-cream lynx, chocolate lynx, lilac lynx, chocolate-torte lynx, and lilac-cream lynxâ⬠(Helgreen, 2011, Para. ) Aside from their distinctive color patterns, the Himalayans are also recognized for their piercing blue eyes and strong flat faces (American Cat Fanciers Association, 2012). There are two facial types: the Extreme/Peke (Ultra face) and the Traditional known as the ââ¬Å"Doll faceâ⬠(Helgreen, 2011, Para. 4). The major difference between these two is that Extreme faced Himalayan has an extremely flatten face. ââ¬Å"The nose is as nearly as high as the eyesâ⬠(McDonald, 1999, pg. 5). This flattened face feature causes this breed to experience problems with their eyes tearing, teeth crowding, and difficulties breathing (Petinsurance, 2012, Para 5). According to Chancellor (2012) Himalayans are subjected to the same types of diseases as Persian Cats due to their linage. These health issues include: ââ¬Å"Tear Duct Overflow, Skin fold dermatitis, Polycystic Kidney Disease, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, and Urinary tract stonesâ⬠(Chancellor, 2012, Para, 1). Despite the possible health issues, Himalayan Cats have a lifespan of 14-15 years and have no problems with breeding (McDonald, 1999). The female Himalayan Cats may be ready for breeding as early as five months and will begin calling for the her male counter partner to assist in the reproduction process (McDonald, 1999). According to Helgreen (2011) Himalayan cats normally birth 3-4 kittens however; they can produce liters of eight kittens. Himalayan Cats have a very lovable, docile, and playful personality (Schapman, 2012). ââ¬Å"The amazing pet behaviors observed in this cat are commendable the high level of affection intelligence and tolerance are not qualities that are seen in ordinary domestic catsâ⬠(Petinsurance, 2012, Para. 6). According to Schapman (2012) this breed of domestic cats has a strong need for attention and companionship from its human owner. This may range anywhere from daily grooming to reassurance and security from its owner. ââ¬Å"They are very dependent on their owners but also have an air of independence, calmness, and self-assurednessâ⬠(Schapman, 2012, Para 4). The Himalayan Cat breed is a very unique breed aside from all its unique physical and behavioral characteristics. The American Cat Fanciers Association recognizes this uniqueness and is the only association that recognizes this breed as a separate breed from all other varieties of Persian and Siamese cats (American Cat Fanciers Association, 2012). Despite their ancestral linage to the Persian and Siamese Cat, the Himalayan Cat breed is in a league of its own. References American Cat Fanciers Association. (2012) Himalayians. Retrieved from http://www. acfacat. com/breed_standard. htm Anderson, C. (2012). Personality differences for male and female himalayan cats. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/info_8087211_personality-male-female-himalayan-cats. html Chancellor, T. L. (2012). Himalayan cat diseases. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/about_5436085_himalayan-cat-diseases. html#ixzz2C8PXRtDf. Helgreen, J. A. 2011). Himalayan cats. Telmark Productions. McDonald, C. (1999). Guide to owning a himalayan cat. Facts On File, Incorporated. Petinsurance. (2012). Himalayan cats; blue-eyed wonder. Retrieved from http://www. petinsurance. com/healthzone/pet-articles/pet-breeds/himalayan-cats. aspx Ramel, G. (2012). Cats. Retrieved from http://www. earthlife. net/mammals/cats. html Schapman, S. (2012). Himalayan cat personality. Retr ieved from http://suite101. com/article/the-himalayan-cat-personality-a70239 Wikipedia. (2012). Domestic cats. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Cat. How to cite Himalayans Cat, Papers
Friday, December 6, 2019
There Is A Tension free essay sample
In the majority of cases knowledge Of the consequences were clear but were decidedly ignored with lingered views enabling individuals to not fully weigh up the sides to their decisions. Both Eve and Enable are persuaded to sin through the beauty of words. Eve is attracted to eating the fruit from the tree despite God forbidding it, Enable is tempted into a relationship with Giovanni despite incest being abhorred by religion and society.Enable is presented as easily swayed and appears to give little thought to the consequences of her actions, Giovanni leads her stating l think you love me sister and uses vain flattery to convince her of his love calling her eyes Promethean fire perhaps echoing Shakespeare indicating the falseness of the love as he borrows his compliments from others.Enable puts up little resistance to the pairing and the use of repetition between the characters, Giovanni stating that we shall either love, or must die and later Enable repeating the notion back love me , or kill me brother. This creates an idea of a weak-willed character and could be a reflection of the patriarchal society of the time, women were seen a passive and unintelligent, which could be seen to excuse Enable from fully thinking through the consequences of her actions and for being led stray so easily. However later on Giovanni repeats the phrase love me, or kill me back to his sister, showing how easily they allowed themselves to be caught up in their love and not think on the consequences. In Paradise Lost Satan, disguised as a serpent, coaxes Eve into eating the forbidden fruit Similar to Its Pity, Satan flatters Eves appearance calling her a celestial beauty and that nothing was equivalent or second to her beauty. However Satan does not just focus on Eves appearance but her intelligence.He describes how the fruit will allow her currently dim eyes to be opened and learned and it is this form of flattery which appears to sway Eve to eating the fruit. In both texts it is the beauty of words which persuade the women to sin, in Its Pity this is reflected in the use of iambic pentameter which creates a much more pleasing, song-like sound to the line but also links to the meter used for Shakespearean sonnets, showing the love Giovanni has for Enable.Physical lust It is a physical rela tionship which to an unmarried woman can strip her of her status and dignity. However it is considered normal and expected of men to e promiscuous and it is the women which have to deal with the consequences of a physical relationship, pregnancy and obvious loss o >After eating the fruit Adam and Eve feel lustful but also the need to cover themselves showing the shame of their actions Physical lust plays a large part in persuading characters to sin. In Its Pity it is clear, Enable and Giovanni quickly consummate their relationship, Happily has sex with Shorans on his word of marriage and Putnam divulges secrets about Giovanni and Enablers relationship to Basques on the basis of flattery and physical gratification . Eve in Paradise Lost is not persuaded by a sexual lust but for a thirst for knowledge and power that she believes is hidden in the forbidden fruit. Sexual lust does follow but it is not a key factor influencing her to eat the fruit.In the times the texts Were written double standards in society allowed men to be promiscuous whilst women had to remain pure until marriage or be stripped of their status and dignity. And it is the women who are left with the consequences of a physical relationship; pregnancy and an obvious loss of virginity. In Its Pity Giovanni seems naive of his asking why women consider this pretty toy called maidenhead, / So strange a loss indicating that perhaps Giovanni did not appreciate all the co nsequences of his actions, only thinking about the impact the relationship would have on himself.The use of toy shows just how little respect Giovanni has for the severity of his actions. Putnam does understand the significance of pregnancy and the relationship to Enable with the discovery of her pregnancy telling Giovanni Dead! its worse. However this did not stop Putnam from encouraging the relationship early on telling Enable that your brothers a man and that she should be able to take anybody. This argument that lust causes rashness can be seen too in Paradise Lost.Eve is described to have acted with her rash hand in evil hour as she ate the fruit. This led to carnal desire inflaming in both Adam and Eve, with Milton trying to express the sin that is found in lust. Paradise Lost also shows the strength of lust as despite Eves gaze fixed on the fruit she still stopped to contemplate the arguments against eating the fruit pausing a while after stating that we may not taste or touch: / God so commanded. Its Pity opens n media rest with Giovanni and the Friar arguing about the incestuous relationship, this provides a basis for audience to understand Giovanni reasonin g throughout the rest of the play, here the Friar sees lust and death as one and the same, asking is Giovanni has left the schools / Of knowledge to converse with lust and death and that the leprosy of lust rots his soul. The consequences of desire are clearly expressed in both texts.Both Giovanni and Enable end up dead for their incestuous relationship; Putnam is also killed purely for her knowledge of the relationship. None of these harassers are granted a peaceful death but deaths full of pain and horror. Adam and Eve are punished by their eventual removal from the garden but also by the change in relationship with each other. After eating the fruit they became despoiled / Of all [their] good, shamed, naked, miserable.They also both blame each other Adam calling Eve ungrateful Eve and asking if this is what the love .. . To thee Expressed. It is clear that they will never again appreciate the beauty of the Garden or God as Earth felt the wound. Eve worships a false God after eating the apple calling to the tree that l too late announce / Deity for thee. In comparison the violence of the deaths in Its Pity can be seen as a punishment for acting against religion and God.
Friday, November 29, 2019
3 Cases of Repetitive Punctuation
3 Cases of Repetitive Punctuation 3 Cases of Repetitive Punctuation 3 Cases of Repetitive Punctuation By Mark Nichol In each of the sentences below, the number of commas is excessive, which can obscure comprehension because the reader is distracted from effortlessly recognizing the syntactical structure of the statement. Discussion and a revision follows each example. 1. The next step is to escalate the issue to the executive management, including the CEO, and, through appropriate channels, the board of directors. When repetition of commas or other punctuation marks within a sentence is overbearing, recast the sentence or, as shown here, change punctuation marks to reduce the number of identical occurrences: ââ¬Å"The next step is to escalate the issue to the executive management (including the CEO) and, through appropriate channels, the board of directors.â⬠2. They will need to exercise their own judgment when considering whether a lower threshold is appropriate for a portion, or all, of their customers, which, again, may lead to inconsistent practices across the industry. If a word or phrase signals an abrupt or unexpected shift in a sentence, a dash is likely a more appropriate substitute when too many commas burden a sentence: ââ¬Å"They will need to exercise their own judgment when considering whether a lower threshold is appropriate for a portion, or all, of their customers- which, again, may lead to inconsistent practices across the industry.â⬠3. The entrance of nontraditional competitors, such as fintech, or financial technology, companies into the financial services industry, is driving this recent evolution. The primary parenthesis in this sentence is misidentified: The phrase ââ¬Å"or financial technologyâ⬠is inserted into the parenthetical phrase ââ¬Å"such as fintech companies,â⬠which expands on the main clause ââ¬Å"The entrance of nontraditional competitors into the financial services industry is driving this recent evolution.â⬠The parenthesis should therefore end at companies, not industry: ââ¬Å"The entrance of nontraditional competitors, such as fintech, or financial technology, companies, into the financial services industry is driving this recent evolution.â⬠However, the proximity of punctuation here is oppressive, and punctuation isnââ¬â¢t always required when additional information is inserted into a sentence; the statement is equally intelligible as punctuated here: ââ¬Å"The entrance of nontraditional competitors such as fintech, or financial technology, companies into the financial services industry is driving this recent evolution.â⬠Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with ââ¬Å"Withâ⬠50 Nautical Terms in General UsePreposition Mistakes #3: Two Idioms
Monday, November 25, 2019
Great Guide to Taking Online Tests
Great Guide to Taking Online Tests Great Tips to Help You Succeed in Online Tests While sitting an online test is very similar to taking a classroom test, there are some differences. In truth, many of the same success strategies apply to both types of exams, but there are a few other rules that apply to online tests. The tips provided below are designed to help you get the best possible scores in online tests, in part by making you aware of what mistakes to avoid mistakes that have no bearing on your knowledge of your course material. What to do Prior to an Exam It is important to study beforehand. Sometimes, students think that because they are not visible in an online test, they will have chance to check notes or books while a test is in progress. However, even if you cannot be seen, the time spent checking notes and/or books limits the amount of time left for the actual exam. It does not help much in the long-run if you get a couple more correct answers but do not have time to address all the questions. Therefore, studying in advance is important in order to familiarize yourself with the material. Additionally, unless your exam is of the open book variety, checking notes and books while an exam is in progress is viewed as cheating. So, try not to do this. Even if you are taking an open book exam, it is still necessary to do some advance study in order to understand the materials. This helps to make you more efficient and it maximizes exam time, thereby allowing you to earn the best possible grade(s). Identify a quiet space with no chance of interruption for your exam. Time is limited in exam situations. If you are taking your exam at home, let your family know the exam time and ask for quietness. Look for other options if you think this will not work. A lot of college and local libraries have quiet study rooms. By contrast, the local coffee bar is not a good option. Make sure you know what the technical requirements are.Do you know if your laptop or desktop computer is set up in the required way? Does your link to the test website work properly? Double-check that you are able to access the exam site and that you understand the login procedure well in advance. Another tool that is being increasingly used in online tests is webcam monitoring. If it is the case your particular course uses this technology to detect cheating, make sure your system is set up properly and understand what is and is not permissible. A webcam monitor is often set up to see the test-takers head, hands, computer/laptop screen, and a 180-degree view of the exam space. Understand the parameters of your test. There are a number of things it is essential to know about how a test is to be conducted. You may find some answers in your course syllabus. For instance:What is the duration of the test/exam? If you leave or log out of the test, will you be able to return i.e. log back in? Will you be able to revisit earlier questions or must you submit answers in order to proceed?Understanding the exam rules will allow you to use the allocated time more effectively and efficiently. What Happens While an Exam is in Progress During an exam, only the exam application should be kept open.Other open windows and/or applications could indicate cheating. Additionally, too many open windows can affect speed of response, which means time may be lost. So, do bear this in mind. Keep an eye on time.When you begin, calculate the amount of time you want to allocate to each question or section. This helps ensure you get through everything. Resist cheating. The aim of a test is to accurately measure the participants knowledge. It is unlikely you would employ a dentist or plumber who had cheated during their exams and did not properly understand their profession or trade. The exam system is only effective when participants act with honesty and integrity. In most universities and colleges, cheating is considered a violation of a code of honor. It can lead you to fail a test or entire course, or get you expelled. If you follow this advice, you should succeed in online tests. Feel free to add any of your own tips to our list!
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Exchange Rate Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Exchange Rate - Assignment Example Kerr Inc. may reduce its economic exposure to foreign exchange risk by using foreign exchange contracts. A foreign exchange contract will enable the company to make future transactions using the current exchange rate (Jacque & Jacque, 1996). Kerr Inc. can minimize its exposure to foreign exchange risk by expanding its investments to other foreign markets. For instance, the company may experience losses if the U.S dollar appreciates in value against the Japanese Yen. However, the company can recoup the losses if the U.S dollar depreciates or devalues against the currency of another country it exports to, which increases the money the company receives for the same volume of goods (Managing foreign exchange risk, 1986). Alternatively, Kerr Inc. can decide to accept payment for its exports in U.S dollars only. Using the U.S dollar as the only currency of transactions will enable the company to mitigate the exchange rate risk because the exchange rate between the U.S dollar and the Japanese Yen will no longer affect the transactions of Kerr Inc (Managing foreign exchange risk, 1986). Kerr Inc. may decide to charge more for its products in the Japanese market to carter for the foreign exchange risk. This strategy may require the company to study the Japanese Yen to determine the magnitude of the risk of exporting to the Japanese market. For instance, if the company discovers that the Yen fluctuates by about 8% annually, then it may decide to charge 8% more for its products (Jacque & Jacque, 1996). However, this strategy may fail to yield desires results if the exchange rate fluctuates more than anticipated. More so, market forces or government intervention may hinder the companyââ¬â¢s move to raise prices for its products (Small Business - Chron.com, 2015). Small Business - Chron.com. (2015). How Do Companies Mitigate the Risk of Foreign Currency? Retrieved 2 May 2015, from
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Reflection of the module assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Reflection of the module assignment - Essay Example I joined the university to gain this skills and practices so that I can advance my career positively. E-commerce module has been and is of great contribution to my career given the technological evolution and digitalization of many services into internet based services. Individually I observe e-commerce as the technological tool or platform that the world is certainly migrating into in its operation. It is then no doubt that learning such a module was being placed strategically and being equipped with the tool that can tap the available rich opportunities in e-commerce. E-commerce module uniquely presented its course content in an easy to understand manner that enabled me to remain motivated to research and learn more. In the first semester I was able to learn and understand many concepts that are important to my career. The module research material was readily available and accessible. One of the most beneficial gains I got from the module is bringing too practice the theories learn t in the lecture. Coupling the theory with practical lecture enabled me understand n how one can start an online business. The online business practice gave a perspective of the cost required to start an online business, how long it takes and how one can optimise the business for better gains (Sterne, 2001). The creating of a digital profile made me understand how various components of an e-commerce website are structures to create the whole e-commerce website. For example I learnt the importance of planning an e-commerce project and distributing activities in a given order that will realize the value of the project. I noted the connection of workflow, time and the anticipated result in practice. The planning is the very critical thing in an e-commerce project and failing to plan or planning wrongly can result into chaos in the futures. It also came to my attention that content is the stake of the website and the main thing that most user are interested in any website, but how it is presented and rendered will also determine whether the user will appreciate it or not. The digital profile also made me fully understand the role of search engine optimisation or keyword optimisation. The role and how search engines will search the website is search a critical thing in this career that I highly appreciate to have gained. The use of social media to market an online business became clear through the semester one practical as well. It is at this juncture that I learnt how important social sites are in e-commerce and how to use them to market an online business and gain successful leverage in oneââ¬â¢s career. The most important part is that I did this work practically and gained the technical skills required to advance my career. During the digital profile project design I noticed that the rapid technological changes have less to do with oneââ¬â¢s project as most of the systems are abstracted and changes can be easily accommodated. I learnt that
Monday, November 18, 2019
How organisational culture and safety influence on project performance Essay
How organisational culture and safety influence on project performance in organisations - Essay Example The paper tells that generally it is believed that organizational culture is one of the factors which influence the performance of the construction industry. The organizational culture is the set of shared values and belief that people of organization follow and it is reflected in their behavior, attitude, and reaction with each other and with organizationââ¬â¢s stakeholders. However, the cultures which are being followed in the construction industry is associated with the ineffective communication and coordination among members of a project team, sexual harassment, poor mentality and lack of trust among project team members. These features results in negatively affecting the overall performance of the industry. This research study is being conducted in order to investigate the impact of organizational culture on the safety of the project with reference to the construction industry. The study also seeks to explore the impact of culture and safety on project performance. The study is based on the construction industry located in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The researcher in this study also interested in finding the current health and safety policies being adopted by the construction industry in Saudi Arabia, the accidental rates in construction sites, and the factors influence in implementing safety culture in construction companies. The research would be helpful in determining the degree to which culture influence safety and performance of the project. Choudhry, R., Fang, D., and Lingard, H. conducted research study regarding the safety climate of the construction industry and concluded that the safety is highly important for improving the overall performance of the construction organizations and thus provided a framework for measuring the safety climate of a construction company. Fang, Chen, and Wong conducted the research study on the safety climate of the construction industry in Hong Kong and presented important insights for the organizations operating in t he construction industry of Hong Kong. Larsson, Pousette, and Torner and Oââ¬â¢Toole worked on the relationship of the safety climate with the employeesââ¬â¢ behavior and performance.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Snapshot Of The Tourism Industry In Malta Tourism Essay
Snapshot Of The Tourism Industry In Malta Tourism Essay The Tourism Industry remains one of the key pillars of the Maltese Economy contributing 23.7% of the labour market. Over the past forty years the continuous growth of the Industry has been a contributory factor in encouraging local business men to increase the number of hotels on the island thus creating healthy competition, particularly in the Five Star segment. However, despite the structural differences, each hotel faces the same environmental forces. Therefore, the key to survival lies with the strategies implemented to gain competitive advantage. This report examines how each of the various Forces has shaped Corinthia Palace Hotel Spas business decisions. In this assignment, The Director of Finance Claire Mifsud, and The Director of Sales Karl Schranz, give their views on the macro and micro environmental forces that relate to Porters Five Forces Model. Section 2 Company History At the tender age of twenty three, Mr Alfred Pisani saw a window of opportunity to enable him to enter the hotel industry. Three years after purchasing a 1920 private residence then called Villa Refalo, the Pisani family began to operate this property as the Villa Corinthia Restaurant (IL-Haddiem, 1968). His dreams of becoming a hotelier coupled with business acumen led him to seek ways to expand the family business. When he became aware of an opportunity to receive a soft government loan, he engaged the services of architect Dom Mintoff, who drew up the plans for a 152 bedroom hotel which was to be amongst one of the first 5 star hotels having full conference facilities. Mr. Pisanis sheer determination and vision, drove him to present a business plan which convinced The British Collonial Government to award him a loan of 1.2 million US dollars. The hotel construction project commenced under the supervision of architect Dom Mintoff and Four years later, in June of 1968, Mr Pisani hel d the official opening ceremony in the presence of, prominent society figures such as the then Minister of Education, Culture and Tourism, Doctor George Borg Olivier, His Excellency Duke of Edinburgh and renowned actor Roger Moore (IL-Haddiem, 1968). This grand Boutique style hotel is located near the official residence of the Official Residence of the President of the Republic of Malta and the San Anton Botanical Gardens. This hotel has since gained an excellent reputation and has been given many prestigious awards in the Global Travel and Tourism Industry with the most recent being that of Maltas Leading Hotelà [1]à in the 2010 World Travel Awards. The current General Manager, Mr. Rota, acclaims the hotels success to its Trademark Maltese Hospitality. This hospitality is also the Unique Selling Point (USP) of the Corinthia Brand. 2.1 Company Mission Statement Our Mission is to provide our guests with the craftsmanship of care 2.2 Research Methodology The information to meet the objectives of this assignment was gathered from the following sources :- I conducted a series of interviews with Key Management members who are instrumental in formulating business strategies for the Company, namely, Ms. Claire Mifsud, Director of Finance at The Corinthia Hotel and Spa and Mr. Karl Schranz, Director of Sales at Corinthia Central Sales Office who were also given questionnaires to complete. The second means was in terms of Desk Research through various media sources. Section 3 Definition of an Industry The Oxford English Dictionary succinct description of an Industry is :- a particular form or branch of economic or commercial activity Snapshot of the Tourism Industry in Malta 3.1 World Tourism Benchmarking There is a wealth of information available to assist the Business Sector to assess the viability of the Tourism Industry. One medium used by the Corinthia Palace Hotel is the report published by The World Travel and Tourism Council. The report uses Set Indices which may be valuable to ascertain an Industrys attractiveness and future economic potential. However, as Malta is a Small Island Destination, competition must also be measured from a global perspective of tourism. 3.2 Tourisms Economic Performance on the Island According to the World Travel and Tourism Council 2010 reportà [2]à , Travel and Tourism contributes towards 19.4% of the Maltese Islands GDP (EUR1,151.4 million) with a forecasted increase of a further 3.6 % by 2020. Export Earnings from International Visitors is expected to reap in the region of à ¢Ã¢â¬Å¡Ã ¬ 777 million, with a forecasted growth to à ¢Ã¢â¬Å¡Ã ¬ 1443.4 million by 2020. Currently, 23.7% of the Labour Market is employed in Industry Related Occupations and it is anticipated that this will rise to 28.9 % by 2020. These statistics substantiate the theory that Travel and Tourism will remain one of the key engines for growth in the Maltese Economy. 3.3 Tourist Performance At the time of preparing this assignment, the National Statistics Office had not yet issued the official statistics for 2010. However, in a press conference held in January 2011, the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mr. Mario De Marco, estimated that the total number of Tourists was estimated to be in the region of 1.3 millionà [3]à . This equates to a 0.1 million increase on 2009 figuresà [4]à . During the first 11 months of the 2010, Cruise Liner Traffic reached a total of 467,142 passengersà [5]à , however only 3 % of passengers (14,441) landed in Malta. Therefore despite the fact that nearly half a million cruise passengers visited the island, very few stayed in hotels overnight. According to the Domestic Market, the local preference is to reside in Four Star Hotels and statistics show that during the month of November, the 5 Star segment produced a total of 9,638 bed nights. 3.4 Collective Accommodation Establishments on the Maltese Islands : There are a total of 158 accommodation establishments on the Maltese Islandsà [6]à , fifteen of which are classified with a 5 Star Rating. Renowned International Hotel Brands such as Hilton, InterContinental, Kempinski Resorts, Radisson and Starwood Hotels currently compete for the same market. The two longest established 5 Star Hotels on the island are The Phoenicia and The Corinthia Palace Hotel and Spa. During the month of October, the 5 Star Hotel accommodation tier yielded an average occupancy of 73 %. Section 4 -The use of PESTLE to scan the Broad Environment for drivers of change. There are numerous characteristics or strategic elements that may influence the life cycle of the local tourism industry. One organisation, acting independently, may have very little influence on the broad environment: however, the forces in this environment can have a tremendous impact on the organisation (Enz, C.A, 2010).p16à [7]à . Consequentially, in todays local business scenario, if one was to consider this statement it confirms the school of thought that organisations within the tourism industry, will face difficulties when trying to manipulate the broad environment. However, according to The principle of Enactment organisations do not have to submit to the existing forces in the environment. (St.John, Harrison ,2010)à [8]à . A high percentage of local hoteliers have opted for Management Agreements with Internationally Renowned Brands. Such strategy allows local operators to capitalise on the Brand Marketing and Existing Customer Base to attract business, however, Corinthia Palace Hotel has evolved its own Brand. This strategic decision was taken as a means to differentiate from other hotels by offering authentic Maltese Hospitality. This in itself is believed to create a competitive edge over the International Brand Names which currently operate on the island, namely, Hilton, Inter Continental, Marriot and Starwood Hotels. These days travellers are far more discerning and many seek new insights into the local culture, as apposed to a reproduction of International Hospitality. Through successful Backward Integration the Corinthia Brand has eliminated substantial contributions to Third Party Management Companies by forming its own unique Brand Identity. Furthermore, in contrast to most local operators, the company has been able to penetrate the International Tourism Industry by offering Management Contracts to overseas operators in the Industry. The task of measuring competitiveness is full of complexities as there are numerous forces at play. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to have a thorough understanding of both the potential threats and the opportunities available. This will then provide the basis for which a company responds to Trends and Influences by integrating its resources to achieve a strategic advantage on its competitors. Invariably, local firms competing within the Tourism Industry, have similar resources available to them and each one is challenged by similar forces. Therefore, it is safe to assume that most will pursue similar strategies. Making the company that best acclimatises itself to the broad environment more likely to be successful. Under the current scenario, the well coined phrase The survival of the fittest could not be more appropriate for hotels competing within the same industry. Despite being one of the older Five Star Hotels on the island, The Corinthia Palace Hotel still competes well with the newer properties. It appears that customers tend to opt for older properties where Customer Service is at the optimum. The Corinthia Palace Hotel has achieved worldwide acclaim for its high level of service and currently holds the World Travel Award Maltas Leading Hotel. This prestigious award is a great accolade to the Industry as it is believed to be the equivalent of the Oscars. Such recognition is an excellent marketing tool as given the choice, most potential customers would prefer to stay in a reputable hotel. 4.1 PESTLE Analysis Views of the Financial Controller An interview was conducted with the Financial Controller, Ms. Claire Mifsud who provided an insight as to how the company conducts a Situational Analysis of the Broad Environment. According to her Corinthia uses a PESTLE Analysis Template which define the following six areas that form the context of its operation :- Political Forces Economical Forces Socio-cultural Forces Technological Forces Legal Forces Environmental Forces The forces listed above significantly influence both the industry and the organisations that operate within it. She perceives that the Maltese Government recognises the fact that Tourism is a key contributor to the Maltese Economy and therefore continues to invest and work closely with stakeholders within the industry. This year the government has awarded The Malta Tourism Authority a total of 35 million Euro for 2011à [9]à . The main vision for 2015 is to promote the Maltese Islands as a Unique Mediterranean Destinationà [10]à , hence the reasoning behind the substantial investment to improve the product. Through the European Social Fund, the Malta Tourism Authority is investing in a three million Euro program to improve the skills of those currently working within the Industry. The Advance Training Tourism Leaders Programà [11]à is being offered free of charge, to both employers and managers in the industry. The aim of this program is to enhance the Current Skill Set and to create a Culture of Innovation. As the Group Training Manager, I can disclose that seven managers working at the Corinthia Palace Hotel are currently taking this Diploma Course. When asked what perceived barriers had been identified by the hotel, Ms. Mifsud referred to the governments stronger stance to align with European Regulations, particularly in areas such as Health Safety and Environmental Issues. Being an older property, substantial investment is required to conform with some of the regulations. The forecasted economic recovery is more subdued than that of other small economiesà [12]à . Ms Mifsud then expressed her concern on escalating operational costs and stated that the 2% increase of VAT on accommodation and the budgeted cost of living increase bear a great influence on profitability. She also remarked that nowadays, business customers require their rooms to be an extension of their offices when travelling, therefore, adequate technology has become a norm rather than an ancillary service. Hence, in order to remain competitive and meet the customers needs additional investment in this area is required. Section 5 The Broad Environment. Forces within both the Broad and Task Environment are critical determinants for Strategy Formulation for any organisation. However, the core of a Firms Task Environment is formed by its interaction between the following three key stakeholders and their impact on the market place :- Customers Suppliers Competitors All contemporary organisations, irrespective of type of Industry, face forces that can significantly affect profitability. If a firm understands these forces, then it can develop a business level strategy that allows the business to either take advantage or protect itself from these forces, which in turn allows the firm to be consistently profitable. (Ahlstrom.D, 2009)à [13]à . 5.1 Swot Analysis An internal audit provides an opportunity for a company to have a greater understanding of the capabilities and limitations of its resources. Such information will provide a platform from which Operational Strategy will be focused. The identified strengths and weaknesses of the hotel are as follows :- 5.2 Strengths Location The location of this hotel has the potential to attract the following niche markets. The close proximity to the Presidential Palace makes it the ideal location for Diplomatic Delegations. Its remote location and proximity to the National Stadium is also key selling point to attract Foreign Football Teams who come to Malta for Training Camps and Official Matches. Being close to the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre offers potential for business in accommodating delegates who are participating in large scale forums. Global Reputation for Excellent Service This property enjoys 20% Repeat Business which is amongst the highest on the island. This reputation is also achieved on a local level as there is a high percentage of locals who frequent the Food and Beverage outlets. Accommodation Hotel rooms are much more spacious than the newer five star properties on the island. In 2009 all rooms were refurbished to optimum condition. The hotel offers great value for money when one considers the level of service offered. The customers comments posted on Travel Review sites such as Trip Advisor are very positive. Spa The Athenaeum Spa by Algotherm has now established itself as one of the best Medical Spas on the island. Market Unlike many of the other hotels, the Corinthia Palace is not dependant on one Nationality or Market Segment and therefore a drastic drop in one of these areas will not cause catastrophic consequences. 5.3 Weaknesses Meeting Rooms The main meeting rooms are small in severe need of refurbishment as they are inferior to what the competition is offering. This may be a contributory factor why some Destination Management Companies direct Group Business elsewhere, which causes opportunity cost situation for the hotel when having to refuse business that exceeds the capacity required. Loyalty Program Unlike all the competitors there is not Loyalty Program in place to reward customers for their loyalty to the company. Working Environment Investment is required to totally refurbish the main kitchen as the current structure not adequate for the volume of work being produced nowadays. Executive Lounge Facilities Unlike all the five star hotels within the same Competitive Set this hotel does not have an Executive Lounge. Most corporate clients seek this facility as it provides an additional area, where they can conduct their business and entertain their clients. In order to measure the potential of an Industry most companies use the framework of Environmental Understanding as established by the Economist Michael Porter. Section 6 Porters Five Forces Model In March-April 1979, Professor Michael. E. Porter, published an article in the Harvard Business Review, titled How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy.à [14]à . In this article he wrote : Competition in an industry is rooted in its underlying economics, and competitive forces exist that go well beyond the established combatants in a particular industry. Customers, suppliers, potential entrants, and substitute products are all competitors that may be more or less prominent or active depending on the industry. The state of competition in an industry depends on five basic forces. The collective strength of these forces determines the ultimate profit potential of an industry. This article formed the basis of Porters Five Forces Model. This user friendly model is now widely employed by many organisations to formulate the firms business level strategy. Corinthia Palace Hotel is no exception. Key strategic decision makers within the company use this model during their business planning process to represent their analysis of the dynamics of the competitive structure and how the combined strength of these forces influence the Maltese Tourist Industry. Strong forces will suggest lower prices and higher costs, whereas weak forces suggest the contrary. 6.1 Bargaining Power of Customers and Suppliers Informed customers become empowered customersà [15]à (Dubrin,2008) . Trends show that a high percentage of travellers book their travel arrangements directly through the internet. Budget airline sites such as Ryan Air and Easyjet, provide a one stop shop that is accessible around the clock. Nowadays, middlemen such as travel agents are gradually being eliminated. The internet has accelerated the power of this competitive force. Customers now have an advantage over the organisations, as they are able to conduct frugal searches of the web from the comfort of their own home. This provides them with ample opportunity to compare rates and subsequently purchase the best deals. Since opening, the hotel has witnessed changes in booking channels. Customers are more likely to book directly through the internet. Price wars with competitors are prevalent, however despite this, Corinthias pricing strategy is based on past performance and forecasted demand. Much focus is placed on safeguarding Gross Operating Profit and as the company is apposed to reducing rates ,added value is offered instead. During my interview with Mr. Schranz I asked who has the strongest leverage when negotiating rates with suppliers. His reply indicated that the key to successful negotiation is to create a win win situation giving them equal leverage. 6.2 Threat of New Entrants According to Slocum et alà [16]à the phrase New Entrants refers to the relative ease with which new firms can compete with established firms. Over the past forty years the number of companies operating 5 Star Hotels has risen substantially. Empirical data issued by the National Statistics Office of Malta indicates that in 1996 there were only six Five Star Hotels operating on the Maltese Islands. Today, some fifteen years later, the amount of five star hotels has almost tripled increasing to fifteen. The high concentration of upscale hotels on the market, has made it essential to create barriers. Recent Government Regulations, Capital Requirements and Rising Operating Costs are forecasted to affect profitability. Such contributory factors may defer new entrants in the future. During my interview with Director of Sales and Marketing, Mr Karl Schranz, he revealed that he does not envisage any other Five Star Hotels entering the market this year. He further elaborated that in his opinion the industry does not require more 5 star properties. The industry has seen an explosion of Five Star Room Stock on the market in the last 5 years. There is a surplus of Hotel Rooms in low season due to the seasonality of our business. On the other hand, all five star properties run at very high occupancies from May till October. In my opinion, it all boils down to market forces. When market conditions permitted and when it was highly feasible for other hotels to join, most local and foreign business men invested heavily in the Hotel Sector. 6.3 The Threat of Substitute Products or Services Organisations that provide services that adequately substitute those offered by competitors within the same industry are considered as a threat to those competing within the same industry. In the local context, substitutes to Five Star hotels can be identified as either the Chartering of Yachts or Opting for a Cruise. However, with high level of accessibility offered by budget airlines, emerging tourist destinations poise a bigger threat to the industry. Central and Eastern European destinations are offering similar products at more competitive rates. However, if one was to consider the high concentration of natural disasters or adverse weather conditions many countries have recently experienced many travelers may be influenced by Maltas more agreeable climate. Furthermore, political instability in emerging destinations like Tunisa may also defer travellers to choose alternative destinations. 6.4 Existing Competition The level of competition is a key determinant of how other hotels in the industry are likely to behave. Hotels within the same Competitive Set strive for market share. From the fifteen 5 Star Hotels on the island, the only four categorised in the same Competitive Set as the Corinthia Palace and Spa are Phoenicia, Excelsior, Intercontinental and the Meridien. However, both the Director of Finance and the Director of Sales consider the Phoenicia as their main competitor. This is attributed to the fact that both hotels have been in competition for the past forty years and that both properties appeal to the same markets. According to the information provided by Mr. Shranz, the hotels average market share is approximately 10.5 %. Karl Schranz commented as follows : Price Wars are tremendous in all Hotel Categories in Malta. We had managed to reduce price wars significantly before 2008 when demand was in line with supply. Since more Five Star Properties opened in Malta and since the recession set in, most hotels started slashing rates in order to generate advance and last minute business As operating costs are rising, the onus must remain on targeting specific markets that can yield the highest profits. Although perceived as a business hotel, leisure travellers remain the key market. The Tour Operator and Leisure Segments approximately constitute to 64% of the hotels market share. Section 7 Conclusion 7.1 Industry Life Cycle As each industry evolves it goes through a sequence of phases. Factors used to ascertain at which stage the Industry is currently in, is by assessing both the number of firms operating and their potential for profitability. Desk research conducted for this assignment indicates that despite global economic recessions, the Maltese Tourist Industry has shown growth. Furthermore, projections for the coming years also indicate growth. All in all, it appears that Tourism remains a promising Industry for the near future. 7.2 Strategic Direction for the Hotel The way forward for the company is to maintain its high level of customer retention rate which currently averages in the region of 20%. This relatively high percentage of customer loyalty is attributed to the General Mangers high level of customer orientation in conjunction with the very high level of personalised services. The recent award should feature more prominently on the hotels website, thus using this as an extra tool to market the hotel. From a financial perspective, costs must be closely monitored and opportunities to generate income should be exploited. The hotel management should pool their resources together to create a culture that encourages innovation. Investment in alternative sources of energy should be studied and the possibility of acquiring EU Funding explored. Investment should also be made to upgrade the property seeking in order to gain a return on investments through increased room rates. Future growth should stem from the hotels Unique Selling Point, which is the ability to offer a memorable experience. The Sales Team needs to take a more aggressive approach to tap into unexploited markets and offer innovative packages based on value. Finally, with the continued commitment to fulfil the companys mission, the team must drive the Corinthia Brand Identity by offering authentic Maltese Hospitality. By focusing on the main priority which is Customer Satisfaction, the hotel will not only remain profitable but will also remain a strong competitor. For many, tourism is a source of employment and income. The tourism industry is responsible for 5.2% of the EUs employment and accounts for 5% of Europes Wealth. It is therefore a strategic sector of our economy, facing new challenges that ought to be kept in check and opportunities that need to be taken. With 380 million international arrivals annually and market share of more than 40% of global tourism Europe commands the position as the number one tourist destination European Commission Vice-president Antonio Tajani- Journal of the Institute of Tourism Studies Dec 2010 pg 30. References http://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-maltas-leading-hotel-2010 IL-Haddiem Corinthia Palace Hotel 11 June 1968 pg 5 http://www.wttc.org/bin/pdf/original_pdf_file/malta.pdf http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/tourist-arrivals-expected-to-reach-1-3-million-by-end-2010 http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=2873 http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=2928 http://finance.gov.mt/image.aspx?site=MFINref=2011_BudgetSpeech2011_English https://opm.gov.mt/vizjoni-2015 Free programme of advance training for tourism leaders http://hbr.org/1979/03/how-competitive-forces-shape-strategy/ar/1 Daily Telegragh Malta Centre of Excellence in the Mediterranean 16 June 2000 NSO news release 242/2010 Collective accommodation establishments :Oct 2010 Dec 22, 2010
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Phaedo by Plato :: Papers
Phaedo by Plato The main theme behind the "Phaedo" is Socrates' readiness and willingness to die, because of his belief of immortality. Socrates believed that when his body ceased to exist anymore, that his soul would leave and join that of the forms, where he would be eternally. Socrates believed so strongly in this, that not only did he not fear his death, he welcomed it. He believed that only when the soul separated from the body, is a person able to be truly enlightened and gain all knowledge. This "enlightenment" has been Socrates' life long goal of discovering the truth. Even at his hour of death, Socrates showed no hesitation. However, Socrates' friends did not believe so strongly, and took some great convincing by Socrates, to allow his friends to be okay with his death. The two proofs that Socrates used to convince his friends are the "Doctrine of Opposites" and the "simple and composite theory. The first proof, the "Doctrine of Opposites," is the type of proof that uses a sequence of factual statements the lead from to another to prove that one thing is the same as another thing. The "Doctrine of Opposites" uses simple references to allow the reader to easily comprehend and follow the steps of the logical process. For example, hot comes from cold. An object could not possibly be hot if it was never heated up from the state of being cold. The same holds true for the reverse of this analogy. If cold object must have at one point been cooled down from a state of being hot. Since hot and cold are opposites, this simple statement proves that things come from there opposite. Also by using this example, Socrates is trying to imply the idea of eternal existence. He is saying that cold doesn't come from thin air. It had to have come from some previous existence in some other form, which in this case would be hot. Another example that he uses is the asleep and awake analog y. One would have to agree that a person could be only one or the other. If you are not sleeping, then you are awake and if you are not awake then you have to be asleep. This example further proves that you can only be one of something or the other, its opposite, but you must be one of them.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Chapter 2 Exercises & Case Exercises Essay
1. Consider the statement: an individual threat agent, like a hacker, can be a factor in more than one threat category. If a hacker hacks into a network, copies a few files, defaces the Web page, and steals credit card numbers, how many different threat categories does this attack fall into? a. Overall, I believe this attack falls into four major threat categories: deliberate acts of trespass, compromises to intellectual property, technical failures, and managerial failure. Furthermore, I believe this attack would be categorized as a deliberate act of theft/trespass which compromises intellectual property due to technical and managerial failures. b. It seems as this hacker was deliberately causing harm (i.e. copying files, vandalizing the web page, and theft of credit card numbers); due to their method of entry ââ¬â hacking into a network ââ¬â it leaves me to believe there were some technical failures, such as software vulnerabilities or a trap door. However, that is just one possibility as to what could have occurred. This could have also been a managerial failure; say the unknown hacker used social engineering to obtain the information to gain access to the network ââ¬â proper planning and procedure execution could have potentially thwarted this hackerâ⬠â¢s attack. 2. Using the Web, research Mafiaboyââ¬â¢s exploits. When and how did he compromise sites? How was he caught? c. Michael Demon Calce, also known as Mafiaboy, was a high school student from West Island, Quebec, who launched a series of highly publicized DDoS (denial-of-service) attacks in February 2000 against large commercial websites including: Yahoo!, Fifa.com, Amazon.com, Dell, Inc., E*Trade, eBay, and CNN. Calce also attempted to launch a series of simultaneous attacks against nine of the thirteen root name servers. d. On February 7th, 2000, Calce targeted Yahoo! With a project he named ââ¬Å"Rivoltaâ⬠ââ¬â meaning riot in Italian. This project utilized a denial of service cyber-attack in which servers become overloaded with different types of communications, to the point in which they completely shut down. Calce managed to shut down the multibillion dollar company and the webââ¬â¢s top search engine for almost an hour. His goal was to establish dominance for himself and TNT ââ¬â his cybergroup. Over the next week, Calce also brought down eBay, CNN, Amazon and Dell via the same DDoS attack. e. Calceââ¬â¢s actions were under suspicion when the FBI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police noticed posts in an IRC chatroom which bragged/claimed responsibility for the attacks. He became the chief suspect when he claimed to have brought down Dellââ¬â¢s website, an attack not yet publicized at the time. Information on the source of the attacks was initially discovered and reported to the press by Michael Lyle, chief technology officer of Recourse Technologies. Calce initially denied responsibility but later pled guilty to most of the charges brought against him ââ¬â the Montreal Youth Court sentenced him on September 12, 2001 to eight months of ââ¬Å"open custody,â⬠one year of probation, restricted use of the Internet, and a small fine. It is estimated that these attacks caused $1.2 billion dollars in global economic damages. 3. Search the Web for the ââ¬Å"The Official Phreakerââ¬â¢s Manual.â⬠What information contained in this manual might help a security administrator to protect a communications system? f. A security administrator is a specialist in computer and network security, including the administration of security devices such as firewalls, as well as consulting on general security measures. g. Phreaking is a slang term coined to describe the activity of a culture of people who study, experiment with, or explore telecommunication systems, such as equipment and systems connected to public telephone networks. Since telephone networks have become computerized, phreaking has become closely linked with computer hacking. i. Example of Phreaking: Using various audio frequencies to manipulate a phone system. h. Overall, a security administrator could use this manual to gain knowledge of terms associated with phreaking and the inââ¬â¢s & outs of the process (i.e. how it is executed). However, the security administrator should focus on Chapter 10 ââ¬â ââ¬Å"War on Phreakingâ⬠ââ¬â this section (pg 71-73) deals with concepts such as access, ââ¬Å"doom,â⬠tracing, and security. An administrator could reverse engineer this information to protect his/her systems from such attacks. 4. The chapter discussed many threats and vulnerabilities to information security. Using the Web, find at least two other sources of information on threat and vulnerabilities. Begin with www.securityfocus.com and use a keyword search on ââ¬Å"threats.â⬠i. http://www.darkreading.com/vulnerability-threats ii. Dark Readingââ¬â¢s Vulnerabilities and Threats Tech Center is your resource for breaking news and information on the latest potential threats and technical vulnerabilities affecting todayââ¬â¢s IT environment. Written for security and IT professionals, the Vulnerabilities and Threats Tech Center is designed to provide in-depth information on newly-discovered network and application vulnerabilities, potential cybersecurity exploits, and security research results j. http://www.symantec.com/security_response/ iii. Our security research centers around the world provide unparalleled analysis of and protection from IT security threats that include malware, security risks, vulnerabilities, and spam. 5. Using the categories of threats mentioned in this chapter, as well as the various attacks described, review several current media sources and identify examples of each. k. Acts of human error or failure: iv. Students and staff were told in February that some 350,000 of them could have had their social security numbers and financial information exposed on the internet. v. ââ¬Å"It happened during an upgrade of some of our IT systems. We were upgrading a server and through human error there was a misconfiguration in the setting up of that server,â⬠said UNCC spokesman, Stephen Ward. l. Compromises to intellectual property: vi. Today we bring news of action against a site that supplied links to films, music and games hosted on file-hosters all around the world. Authorities say they have charged three individuals said to be the administrators of a very large file-sharing site. vii. To get an idea of the gravity local police are putting on the case, we can compare some recent stats. According to US authorities Megaupload, one of the worldââ¬â¢s largest websites at the time, cost rightsholders $500m. GreekDDL (according to Alexa Greeceââ¬â¢s 63rd largest site) allegedly cost rightsholders $85.4m. m. Deliberate acts of espionage or trespass: viii. The individual responsible for one of the most significant leaks in US political history is Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the CIA and current employee of the defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. Snowden has been working at the National Security Agency for the last four years as an employee of various outside contractors, including Booz Allen and Dell. ix. Snowden will go down in history as one of Americaââ¬â¢s most consequential whistleblowers, alongside Daniel Ellsberg and Bradley Manning. He is responsible for handing over material from one of the worldââ¬â¢s most secretive organization ââ¬â the NSA. x. Additional, interesting, read: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57600000/edward-snowdens-digital-maneuvers-still-stumping-u.s-government/ 1. The governmentââ¬â¢s forensic investigation is wrestling with Snowdenââ¬â¢s apparent ability to defeat safeguards established to monitor and deter people looking at information without proper permission. n. Deliberate acts of information extortion: xi. Hackers claimed to have breached the systems of the Belgian credit provider Elantis and threatened to publish confidential customer information if the bank does not pay $197,000 before Friday, they said in a statement posted to Pastebin. Elantis confirmed the data breach Thursday, but the bank said it will not give in to extortion threats. xii. The hackers claim to have captured login credentials and tables with online loan applications which hold data such as full names, job descriptions, contact information, ID card numbers and income figures. xiii. According to the hackers the data was stored unprotected and unencrypted on the servers. To prove the hack, parts of what they claimed to be captured customer data were published. o. Deliberate acts of sabotage or vandalism: xiv. Fired Contractor Kisses Off Fannie Mae With Logic Bomb xv. Rajendrasinh Babubha Makwana, a former IT contractor at Fannie Mae who was fired for making a coding mistake, was charged this week with placing a ââ¬Å"logic bombâ⬠within the companyââ¬â¢s Urbana, Md., data center in late October of last year. The malware was set to go into effect at 9 a.m. EST Saturday and would have disabled internal monitoring systems as it did its damage. Anyone logging on to Fannie Maeââ¬â¢s Unix server network after that would have seen the words ââ¬Å"Server Graveyardâ⬠appear on their workstation screens. p. Deliberate acts of theft: xvi. Four Russian nationals and a Ukrainian have been charged with running a sophisticated hacking organization that penetrated computer networks of more than a dozen major American and international corporations over seven years, stealing and selling at least 160 million credit and debit card numbers, resulting in losses of hundreds of millions of dollars. q. Deliberate software attacks: xvii. China Mafia-Style Hack Attack Drives California Firm to Brink xviii. A group of hackers from China waged a relentless campaign of cyber harassment against Solid Oak Software Inc., Milburnââ¬â¢s family-owned, eight-person firm in Santa Barbara, California. The attack began less than two weeks after Milburn publicly accused China of appropriating his companyââ¬â¢s parental filtering software, CYBERsitter, for a national Internet censoring project. And it ended shortly after he settled a $2.2 billion lawsuit against the Chinese government and a string of computer companies last April. xix. In between, the hackers assailed Solid Oakââ¬â¢s computer systems, shutting down web and e-mail servers, spying on an employee with her webcam, and gaining access to sensitive files in a battle that caused company revenues to tumble and brought it within a hairââ¬â¢s breadth of collapse. r. Forces of nature: xx. Websites Scramble As Hurricane Sandy Floods Data Centers xxi. The freak storm flooded data centers in New York City, taking down several major websites and services ââ¬â including The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed and Gawker ââ¬â that depended on them to run their businesses. xxii. Several websites stored their data at a lower Manhattan data center run by Datagram, whose basement was inundated with water during the storm, flooding generators that were intended to keep the power on. s. Deviations in quality of service from service providers: xxiii. Chinaââ¬â¢s Internet hit by biggest cyberattack in its history xxiv. Internet users in China were met with sluggish response times early Sunday as the countryââ¬â¢s domain extension came under a ââ¬Å"denial of serviceâ⬠attack. xxv. The attack was the largest of its kind ever in China, according to the China Internet Network Information Center, a state agency that manages the .cn country domain. xxvi. The double-barreled attacks took place at around 2 a.m. Sunday, and then again at 4 a.m. The second attack was ââ¬Å"long-lasting and large-scale,â⬠according to state media, which said that service was slowly being restored. t. Technical hardware failures or errors: xxvii. A hardware failure in a Scottish RBS Group technology center caused a NatWest bank outage. xxviii. It prevented customers from using online banking services or doing debit card transactions. u. Technical software failure or errors: xxix. RBS boss blames software upgrade for account problems xxx. The boss of RBS has confirmed that a software change was responsible for the widespread computer problems affecting millions of customersââ¬â¢ bank accounts. v. Technological obsolescence: xxxi. SIM Cards Have Finally Been Hacked, And The Flaw Could Affect Millions Of Phones xxxii. After three years of research, German cryptographer Karsten Nohl claims to have finally found encryption and software flaws that could affect millions of SIM cards, and open up another route on mobile phones for surveillance and fraud. Case Exercises Soon after the board of directors meeting, Charlie was promoted to Chief Information Security Officer, a new position that reports to the CIO, Gladys Williams, and that was created to provide leadership for SLSââ¬â¢s efforts to improve its security profile. Questions: 1. How do Fred, Gladys, and Charlie perceive the scope and scale of the new information security effort? a. Charlieââ¬â¢s proposed information security plan aims at securing business software, data, the networks, and computers which store information. The scope of the information security effort is quite vast, aiming at securing each vulnerability ââ¬â in addition to the aforementioned, the new information security plan also focuses on the companyââ¬â¢s staff. Since extra effort will be required to implement the new managerial plan and install new security software and tools, the scale of this operation is quite large. 2. How will Fred measure success when he evaluates Gladysââ¬â¢ performance for this project? How will he evaluate Charlieââ¬â¢s performance? b. Gladys is appointed as CIO of the team, which is gathered to improve the security of the company due to virus attack that caused a loss in the company; I believe Fred will measure Gladys success by her ability t o lead, keep the plan on track (i.e. time management) and successfully sticking to the proposed budget. Charlie was promoted to chief information security officer, a new position that reports to the CIO; I believe Fred will measure Charlieââ¬â¢s success by his ability to implement the new plan, report his/their progress and the overall success of the new system. 3. Which of the threats discussed in this chapter should receive Charlieââ¬â¢s attention early in his planning process? c. Portable Media Management (Ex. USB, DVD-R/W) should receive Charlieââ¬â¢s attention early in his planning process
Friday, November 8, 2019
I have a dream. Speech Analysis
I have a dream. Speech Analysis Introduction ââ¬Å"I have a dreamâ⬠speech was given by Martin Luther King on 28th August 1963. There was an audience of about 250,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington where the speech was given. This speech was mainly based on the freedom for the blackââ¬â¢s referred to as Negros.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on ââ¬Å"I have a dreamâ⬠. Speech Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He was much concerned about the oppression and exploitation of the black Americans at that time and he wished that people would understand that they were all equal. Unfortunately, Martin Luther king was assassinated on 4th of April 1968 when he was thirty nine years old. However, Martin Luther king left a legacy and is remembered on Martin Luther King Day every year. Significance of the Speech in the world today In the course of delivering his speech, Martin Luther King said, ââ¬Å"I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nationâ⬠(King speeches 1). This statement as he said has remained in our times and this is what has been happening all over the world. People are fighting for their freedom. He viewed it as an end to all oppression that was continuously being witnessed. This is a sign of new life of freedom and equality. Since he was a theologian, Martin Luther King addressed many injustices according to the Bible. Martin Luther King was enlightened and was tired of seeing blacks being exploited. He saw that the blacks were enslaved by the whites and yet they were helping them. He said, One hundred years later, the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely Island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. (Speech 1) Today many people are being exploited because of the ir race, tribe and even their origin. Many are living in poverty in the midst of the rich. Martin Luther King had spoken about this in his speech. He regretted that even after the country got a constitution; it did not accomplish the purpose it was meant to accomplish: ââ¬Å"This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happinessâ⬠(Speech 1).Advertising Looking for essay on rhetoric? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is a fact even in todayââ¬â¢s society. Many countries have constitutions made up so as to bring about justice to the people. However, it is very unfortunate because many people are experiencing injustice in form of labor, race and tribe. Martin Luther King said that, ââ¬Å"It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the momentâ⬠(Speech 1). This signifies that it was a matter that needed to be address ed in urgency; otherwise it would bring great destruction to the society at large. The same applies to the world today. If nations do not put away their differences it may lead to great losses to many people, for instance the mass killings which were witnessed in Rwanda, Yugoslavia and even currently the conflicts in the Middle East are consequences of injustices not being addressed urgently (United Human Rights Council 1). Martin Luther King said, that he had a dream, that every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low meaning that he hoped for a future with equality. This is believed to have become the reality of the dream when, black American Barack Obama became the president of America. Criticism of the Speech Although the speech is of great significance in our society today critics say that King was excessively rhetorical and that he did not provide a way to solve the many problems he addressed. Others say that some of his work in his doctoral disserta tion was plagiarized. This was followed by other responses that disagreed with the statement and said that it had nothing to do with his contribution in the civil rights movement (E-notes 1). Conclusion Martin Luther Kingââ¬â¢s Speech remains important in the modern society. It consists of well founded goals which if well addressed will take many countries up the ladder. However, critics will always be there to search for the wrongs. E-notes. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929-1968. E-NOTES, 2011. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on ââ¬Å"I have a dreamâ⬠. Speech Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More King speeches. Martin Luther King Jr-I have a Dream speech. Writers Reviews, 2011. Web. Speech. The I Have a Dream Speech Analysis. Speech topics Help, Advice Ideas, 2011. Web. United Human Rights Council. Genocide in Rwanda. United Human Rights Council, 2011. Web.
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