Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Oxbow Lakes - Information and Examples

Oxbow Lakes s Rivers flow across wide, river valleys and snake across flat plains, creating curves called meanders. When a river carves itself a new channel, some of these meanders get cut off, thus creating oxbow lakes that remain unconnected but adjacent to their parent river. How Does a River Make a Loop? Interestingly, once a river begins to curve, the stream begins to move more rapidly on the outside of the curve and more slowly on the inside of the curve. This then causes the water to cut and erode the outside of the curve and deposit the sediment on the inside of the curve. As the erosion and deposition continue, the curve becomes larger and more circular. The outer bank of the river where erosion takes place is known as the concave bank.   The name for the bank of the river on the inside of the curve, where sediment deposition takes place, is called the convex bank. Cutting off the Loop Eventually, the loop of the meander reaches a diameter of approximately five times the width of the stream and the river begins to cut the loop off by eroding the neck of the loop. Eventually, the river breaks through at a cutoff and forms a new, more efficient path. Sediment is then deposited on the loop side of the stream, cutting off the loop from the stream entirely. This results in a horseshoe-shaped lake that looks exactly like an abandoned river meander. Such lakes are called oxbow lakes because they look like the bow part of the yoke formerly used with teams of oxen. An Oxbow Lake Is Formed Oxbow lakes are still lakes, generally, no water flows in or out of oxbow lakes. They rely on local rainfall and, over time, can turn into swamps. Often, they ultimately evaporate in just a few years after having been cut off from the main river.   In Australia, oxbow lakes are called billabongs. Other names for oxbow lakes include  horseshoe lake, a loop lake, or cutoff lake.   The Meandering Mississippi River The Mississippi River is an excellent example of a meandering river that curves and winds as it flows across the Midwest United States toward the Gulf of Mexico. Take a look at a Google Map of Eagle Lake on the Mississippi-Louisiana border. It was once part of the Mississippi River and was known as Eagle Bend. Eventually, Eagle Bend became Eagle Lake when the oxbow lake was formed. Notice that the border between the two states used to follow the curve of the meander. Once the oxbow lake was formed, the meander in the state line was no longer needed; however, it remains as it was originally created, only now there is a piece of Louisiana on the east side of the Mississippi River. The length of the Mississippi River is actually shorter now than in the early nineteenth century because the U.S. government created their own cutoffs and oxbow lakes in order to improve navigation along the river. Carter Lake, Iowa Theres an interesting meander and oxbow lake situation for the city of Carter Lake, Iowa. This Google Map shows how the city of Carter Lake was cut off from the rest of Iowa when the channel of the Missouri River formed a new channel during a flood in March 1877, creating Carter Lake. Thus, the city of Carter Lake became the only city in Iowa west of the Missouri River. The case of Carter Lake made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Nebraska v. Iowa, 143 U.S. 359. The court ruled  in 1892 that while state boundaries along a river should generally follow the natural gradual changes of the river when a river makes an abrupt change, the original border remains.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Modern English - Linguistic Definition

Modern English - Linguistic Definition Definition Modern English is conventionally defined as the English language since about 1450 or 1500. Distinctions are commonly drawn between the Early Modern Period (roughly 1450-1800) and Late Modern English (1800 to the present). The most recent stage in the evolution of the language is commonly called Present-Day English (PDE). However, as  Diane Davies notes, some linguists argue for a further stage in the language, beginning around 1945 and called World English, reflecting the globalisation of English as an international lingua franca (2005). See Examples and Observations below. Also see: The Earliest English DictionariesEnglish LanguageThe English Manner of Discourse, by Thomas SpratGlobal EnglishHistory of the English Language: A Mini-AnthologyKey Events in the History of the English LanguageMiddle EnglishNotes on English as a Global LanguageOld EnglishSpoken EnglishWorld English Written English Examples and Observations Old English (used until the 12th century) is so different from Modern English that it has to be approached as we would a foreign language. Middle English (used until the 15th century) is very much more familiar to modern eyes and ears, but we still feel that a considerable linguistic difference separates us from those who wrote in itChaucer and his contemporaries.During the 15th century, a huge amount of change affected English pronunciation, spelling, grammar, and vocabulary, so that Shakespeare would have found Chaucer almost as difficult to read as we do. But between Jacobethan times and today the changes have been very limited. Although we must not underestimate the problems posed by such words as buff jerkin, finical, and thou, we must not exaggerate them either. Most of early Modern English is the same as Modern English.(David Crystal,  Think on My Words: Exploring Shakespeares Language. Cambridge University Press, 2008)   Standardization of EnglishThe early part of the mo dern English period saw the establishment of the standard written language that we know today. Its standardization was due first to the need of the central government for regular procedures by which to conduct its business, to keep its records, and to communicate with the citizens of the land. Standard languages are often the by-products of bureaucracy . . . rather than spontaneous developments of the populace or the artifice of writers and scholars. John H. Fisher [1977, 1979] has argued that standard English was first the language of the Court of Chancery, founded in the 15th century to give prompt justice to English citizens and to consolidate the Kings influence in the nation. It was then taken up by the early printers, who adapted it for other purposes and spread it wherever their books were read, until finally it fell into the hands of school teachers, dictionary makers, and grammarians. . . .Inflectional and syntactical developments in this early Modern English are important, if somewhat less spectacular than the phonological ones. They continue the trend established during Middle English times that changed our grammar from a synthetic to an analytic system.(John Algeo and Carmen Acevdeo Butcher , The Origins and Development of the English Language, 7th ed. Harcourt, 2014) The printing press, the reading habit, and all forms of communication are favorable to the spread of ideas and stimulating to the growth of the vocabulary, while these same agencies, together with social consciousness . . ., work actively toward the promotion and maintenance of a standard, especially in grammar and usage.(Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable, A History of the English Language. Prentice-Hall, 1978) The Normative TraditionFrom its very early days, the Royal Society concerned itself with matters of language, setting up a committee in 1664 whose principal aim was to encourage the members of the Royal Society to use appropriate and correct language. This committee, however, was not to meet more than a couple of times. Subsequently, writers such as John Dryden, Daniel Defoe, and Joseph Addison, as well as Thomas Sheridans godfather, Jonathan Swift, were each in turn to call for an English Academy to concern itself with languageand in particular to constrain what they perceived as the irregularities of usage.(Ingrid Tieken-Boon van Ostade, English at the Onset of the Normative Tradition. The Oxford History of English, ed. by Lynda Mugglestone. Oxford University. Press, 2006) Syntactic and Morphological Changes by 1776By 1776 the English language had already undergone most of the syntactic changes which differentiate Present-Day English (henceforth PDE) from Old English (henceforth OE) . . .. Older patterns of word order with the verb at the clause end or in second constituent position had long been replaced by an unmarked order framed by the sequence subject-verb-object or subject-verb-complement. A subject noun phrase was virtually obligatory in simple clauses other than imperatives. Great simplifications had taken place in morphology, so that the noun and adjective had already reached their present, vestigial inflectional systems, and the verb nearly so. The number and frequency of prepositions had expanded greatly, and prepositions now served to mark a variety of nominal functions. Prepositions, particles and other words frequently joined simple lexical verbs to form group verbs like speak to, make up, take notice of. Such formations as the prepositi onal and indirect passives had become commonplace. The complexity of the English auxiliary system had grown to encompass a wide range of mood and aspect marking, and much of its present systemic structure was already in place, including the dummy auxiliary do. Some patterns involving finite and nonfinite subordinate clauses had been rare or impossible in OE; by 1776 most of the present repertoire was available.However, the English of 1776 was linguistically by no means the same as that of the present day.(David Denison, Syntax. The Cambridge History of the English Language, Volume 4, ed. by Suzanne Romaine. Cambridge University Press, 1998) Global EnglishAs for the view of English beyond Britain, the tentative optimism of the 18th century gave way to a new view of global English, an outlook in which confidence turned into triumphalism. A turning point in this emergent idea occurred in January 1851 when the great philologist Jacob Grimm declared to the Royal Academy in Berlin that English may be called justly a language of the world: and seems, like the English nation, to be destined to reign in future with still more extensive sway over all parts of the globe. . . . Dozens of comments expressed this wisdom: The English tongue has become a rank polyglot, and is spreading over the earth like some hardy plant whose seed is sown by the wind, as Ralcy Husted Bell wrote in 1909. Such views led to a new perspective on multilingualism: those who did not know English should set promptly about learning it!(Richard W. Bailey, English Among the Languages. The Oxford History of English, ed. by Lynda Mugglestone. Oxford University P ress, 2006)

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Mobile Phone Market in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

The Mobile Phone Market in China - Essay Example At the same time, there is a heavy reliance on group affiliation and group membership in China that continues to feed growing consumption demand ratios for mobile phone products as a means to stay connected with other Chinese family members and peer acquaintances. There is also a growing demand for mobile services in the business environment for executives and generic employees alike, representing a whole different market segment other than just the middle class Chinese buyer. Therefore, there are multiple market segments that are available for targeting which will require the creation of an integrated marketing campaign for business and generic consumer markets. China, however, is a saturated market for mobile phone marketers, with such competition as Nokia, Motorola, Toshiba, Panasonic and other local Chinese manufacturers under partnership with NEC and other Chinese service providers (Myers & Yuan, 2008; Wang, 2005). This must be taken under consideration prior to market entry as unit volumes of competitor mobile phones have exceeded 134 million in 2008 (Fu, 2007). Subscribership to mobile services of varying variety has reached 480 million in China by 2008, a 20 million unit increase since 2007 (Fu). Thus, in order to be competitive in this market, the business must develop a marketing strategy that targets key demographics using a marketing strategy that is differentiated from competition and caters to local market needs. In 2006, Mitsubishi was forced to exit the Chinese mobile market due to a lack of acceptable market presence and failure to adopt marketing strategy to fit the local Chinese consumer (Myers & Yuan, 2008). Toshiba also was forced out of the market in 2006 after a joint venture with Nanjing Patina Wang Zhi Corporation was unable to meet market demand (Myers & Yuan). These are important factors to consider that have opportunities for new market entry and also to illustrate the importance of consumer influence in the Chinese mobile market. De spite the saturated presence of competition, research has identified much significant potential for revenue growth in China if the business develops an appropriate integrated strategy that targets multiple buying groups. The goal is to maintain an image of local market fluency that fits the psychographic profile of Chinese consumers related to their lifestyle, preferences, and social tendencies. This report provides research data on the Chinese consumer, the mobile market, competitive practices, and describes opportunities for short-run and long-run revenue growth in this difficult NIC market with ample consumer market availability. To succeed in China, the business must be flexible, innovative, and also invest considerable capital into promotion and advertising. 2. Background analysis on China The Chinese market currently maintains a 34.5 percent growth in mobile phone usership, with an increase of 20 million year to year in subscribership to mobile services (Fu, 2007). Growth in m obile phone usage has occurred by new industrial developments, new job opportunities, and also the balance of payments equilibrium that exists in China associated with import and export volumes and capital expenditures. The Chinese government maintains a significant trade surplus with other countries, but is able to offset this through capital outflows into foreign investment (Warren & Keegan, 2009). China has been

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Google is Making us Stupid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Google is Making us Stupid - Essay Example How much of what we know now do we get from Google? How often have we avoided the traditional methods of doing stuff and simply looked it up? While this may seem like a means of making light work, one is compelled to think of how little people want to exert themselves since Google and similar search engines came to existence. When a student is asked to write an article about the problems encountered in their school, they may rush to Google since they have assured it is the authority on everything. While may have information on a considerable number of subjects it would never be in a better position to understand your own environment. The hypothetical student ends up writing an easy about problems faced in another place and time and it loses all semblance of personal touch. It would seem that people have simply switched off their brains and let Google do all the thinking. The fact is that it may be deficient or it may lead them to links with unreliable content does not bother most of the people today. According to the two founders of Google Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the ultimate search engine is one that understands what one wants. They go ahead to state that this can be achieved by artificial intelligence arguing out that had one a brain connected to all the information they wanted it would be the perfect information system (Carr 1). However, the writer is vehemently opposed to this and with a good reason. Imagine if all human were to replace parts, then gradually all their brains with a computer. They would be able to surf the web instantaneously, and information could flow unhindered. Business deals could be opened and closed without leaving the comfort of your living room. The others fear are not new, even Socrates, when writing was first invented was skeptical saying it would cause people to lose much of their memories (Carr 1). In case the current written works mysteriously disappear and the computer databases collapse, it is unlikely that we would salva ge much of our knowledge from our memories. Yet the scholars of the past memorized Homers work and passed them on without writing, and today anyone capable of doing that would be perceived as a genius. The world and all its citizens would be fully reliant on the internet. Indeed one would be able to chat with friends on facebook or make calls without a phone (Laza 1). Conversely, all the risks found it the internet, and there is no doubt they would have increased in intensity alongside technology as it has in retrospect. As aforementioned, if wiring of the human brain with artificial one would indeed be possible, the risks that would occur are terrifying beyond belief. For once, assuming that humans would interact with their minds, not their PCs, computer virus would not just be something that crashes your computer. It would mess with ones brain and possible part them from your senses. Terrorist would have a new avenue for plying their trade. They would do this by inflating the brai ns of leaders, and other powerful people causing them to engage in self-destructive activities. Indeed the intent as it is today is highly unsafe and not the best place to get privacy. There would be no doubt as systems for controlling this in the same way that the internet search engines like Google have administrators. As such, these people would not only have power over the system of minds but even the individual minds.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

How movies influence kids Essay Example for Free

How movies influence kids Essay My Favorite Holiday My favorite holiday is Christmas. Christmas was the month Jesus Christ was born. Traditionally celebrated at home, Christmas is thought to be a family holiday. However nowadays the habits and ideas of people have changed very much. Christmas becomes more of a global holiday when it is appropriate to meet with many friends and go out for a round the night crazy celebrations. Every person finds their own most favorite thing about Christmas. In this small essay I will explain what this holiday means to me, and what are the best parts of it that I enjoy. As for me, the best thing about Christmas is giving. During Christmas I buy toys and clothes and to donate them to Churches and Charities to help those that are less fortunate. Christmas season people are usually more friendly and gentle to each other. They try to leave every sorrow and offense behind in the year that is passing by. I think this approach is a exercise for a person to make them feel good mentally and physically giving happiness and hope for a better future in the next year . When there is joy in the air, the organism wants to celebrate along with the mind. The renewal of the hope is felt all around. I have loved the celebration of Christmas since my early childhood. I still enjoy decorating the Christmas tree and simply walking around the streets looking at the decorations of the buildings and the trees around the city. In our country Christmas trees stand everywhere, for instance you can see them in squares and parks, in schools and offices, in shops and at homes. And what fun is it to wake up early in the morning and take a look under the tree seeking the presents Santa Clause brought. Of course, now that I am grown I know that someone from my family puts the presents there but I still wish to think that a very kind and fair old man called Santa Clause does it. As Santa brings the presents to the small children, the grown-ups enjoy exchanging presents with each other. I like giving presents to people, also like to get them as well he-he!! Most of all in conclusion WHAT IS CHRISTMAS? Christmas is the season during which Christians everywhere give thanks to God the Father for the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Richard Daley Essays -- Biography Biographies Essays

Richard Daley Boss, Richard J. Daley of Chicago written by Mike Royko depicts the life of Richard J. Daley and his career as the leading political influence in the city of Chicago. Considered by many as the last of the true â€Å"Bosses† Daley represented all that was considered machine politics. During his twenty-year reign as Mayor extensive urban expansion, political extortion, and a clear disregard for social justice characterize his administration. Royko clearly presents Daley’s performance as Mayor in an objective perspective identifying his accomplishments as well as his weaknesses. He provides the reader a record of Richard J. Daley the person, the politician, the Mayor and the corruption that plagued his political machine. Richard was born on May 15, 1902 to Lillian and Michael Daley. He was raised in a flat on 3602 South Lowe in the segregated neighborhood of Bridgeport, on the south side of Chicago. This simple Irish community made up of mostly blue-collar workers exhibited all the characteristics of a small town with â€Å"taverns, the funeral parlor, the bakery†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (31). Chicago was home to a diverse collection of ethnic cultures: English, Irish Protestants, Polish, Italian, Jewish and African American. It is this diversity of community and the conflict persistent along the boundaries of racial differences, which Royko suggests, carved Daleys’ resilient personality. His father provided for the family by working as sheet-metal worker, while his mother volunteered at the local Church. Information regarding his childhood is limited, except for the fact that it was â€Å"typical and happy† (33). His early education included a strict curriculum provided by the nuns at Nativity C hurch and part-time jobs selling papers. After completing elementary he continued his education at De La Salle Institute, a three-year commercial high school. His education focused on developing office skills such as typing and bookkeeping. After graduating in June of 1919, Royko mentions Daley’s questionable involvement in the south side race riots as a member of the Hamburg Social and Athletic Club. Considered as the worst race riots in the city's history leaving "15 whites and 23 blacks dead, 178 whites and 342 blacks injured. About one thousand homes were burned† (36). Daley refused to respond to questions regarding his involvement in the rioting, but he could not deny, as Royko po... ... led by Edward Hanrahan raided a Black Panther apartment in search of unregistered guns. â€Å" When the raid was over they had the guns, and two panther leaders were dead†¦Fred Hampton†¦and Mark Clark†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (211). Royko’s representation of Richard J. Daley provides his readers an impartial glimpse into the obscure life of a true political power. Daley’s genius in gaining control as mayor of Chicago and then sustaining it from 1955 to 1976 characterizes his tenacity as politician. His explicit understanding of machine politics and use of patronage centralized the power of his administration. On one hand his constituents admire him for his contribution toward urban expansion, influence on the Democratic Party, and patronage of friends and family. On the other hand he is resented for his destruction of homes in the name of progress, corruption of local government, and absolute rule over his city. Royko concludes his colorful story on Richard Daley in quoting Alderman Paddy Bauler in his statement after Daley was first elected in 1995 as saying † Chicago ain’t ready for reform yet, â€Å"(214). Royko completes Bauler’s statement as saying " And in 1970, ready or not, it wasn’t getting any.†(214)!

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Critical Thinking Essay

Strong critical thinking (CT) skills are necessary for every successful nurse manager. Giving them an edge at creating a positive work environment, that is conducive to job satisfaction and retention of staff RNs. This study is entitled, â€Å"Critical Thinking of Nurse Managers Related to Staff RNs’ Perceptions of the Practice Environment. † The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) was used to measure critical thinking in nurse managers in relation to their respective staff RNs. Enhancing critical thinking skills is important, staff RNs that work in an environment perceived to be positive are in a better position to deliver higher quality and safer patient care. As nurses we are responsible for helping a patient every way we can, being able to engage in critical thinking is a skill that must be obtained. This study was based off of twelve volunteering nurse managers and their respective one hundred and thirty-two staff RNs. Assessment of Nurse Manager’s Critical Thinking Skills This study (Critical Thinking of Nurse Managers Related to Staff RNs’ Perceptions of the Practice Environment) used the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) to measure CT skills in nurse managers in relation to their staff RNs. This study was conducted in a nonprofit, hospital in the northeast United States. This study was completely voluntary, only thirty-one percent of nurse managers chose to participate, leaving the pool of staff RNs slim. This article is about a study that took place in the northeast United States at a 490 bed nonprofit, tertiary care hospital. The study explores,† the differences between nurse managers’ dispositions to use critical thinking skills and their respective staff RNs’ perceptions of the practice environment† (Zori, Nosek & Musil, 2010). This study was completely voluntary and with a limited number of nurse manager participants, the number of staff RNs was also very limited. Nurse Managers need to have good leadership skills and critical thinking skills; these skills are assed in comparison to those of their respective staff RNs. Research Question & Hypothesis There is a correlation between the Critical thinking skills of Nurse Managers and their respective staff nurses perception of the practice environment. Nurse Managers skilled in the use of critical thinking, may be able to create a positive practice environment for staff RN’s. Positive practice environments means increased retention of staff RN’s and improved job satisfaction. Sample of the Study Twelve nurse managers and one hundred and thirty-two staff RN’s were sampled. The study was conducted at a 490-bed voluntary, nonprofit, tertiary care hospital located in the northeastern United States. Only nurse managers who voluntarily chose to answer the CCTDI were included in the study (31. 6%). Sample size limited the ability to address how the difference in type of unit and full- or part-time work may influence the outcome. Descriptive Study In this descriptive study nurse managers were categorized as weak or strong in critical thinking dispositions based on scores achieved on the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). Then, staff RNs from the units of participating nurse managers completed the Practice Environment Scale (PES). Staff nurses’ Practice Environment Scale (PES) results were dichotomized based on the critical thinking disposition scores of their nurse managers. A two-tailed, independent sample t test was conducted to determine if there were significant differences in the Practice Environment Scale(PES) mean overall and subscale scores of the two groups of staff RNs (Zori, Nosek & Musil, 2010). CCDTI was created based on the APA Delphi Study. Reliability testing was conducted, with an overall score of . 90. The CCDTI is therefore considered reliable. Practice Environment Scale PES was developed from Nursing Work Index (NWI). Reliability testing of the final 31 items was conducted on both individual nurse scores and on the aggregate of subscale scores. Individual nurse subscale scores (n = 1,610) were analyzed using Cronbach’s ? , with ? > . 80 for all subscales except the collegial nurse-physician relations (? = . 71). The nurse manager ability, leadership, and support of nurse’s subscale scored the highest. The results are reliable. The PES has been endorsed by the National Quality Forum and is used by the ANA as part of the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators to measure staff nurse job satisfaction (Lake, 2007). Enhancing critical thinking skills and dispositions of course managers may help to create positive work environments for staff RNs. Staff RNs who work in an environment perceived to be positive may be in a better position to deliver high quality, safe patient care (Zori, Nosek & Musil, 2010). Table One Table one, of the article is entitled, â€Å"Nurse Manager California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) Score Distribution and Standard Deviation by Subscale. † This table breaks down the CCTDI Scale into seven subscales: truth-seeking, open-mindedness, analyticity, systematicity, CT confidence, inquisitiveness, and cognitive maturity (Zori, Nosek & Musil, 2010). The table also shows the minimum score, maximum score, mean score, median score, and standard deviation for the twelve sample nurse managers. Table Two Table two of the study entitled, â€Å"RN Staff Nurses’ Practice Environment Scale scores by Nurse Managers’ Critical Thinking (CT) Dispositions. † According to the study, â€Å"As this table indicates, there are significant differences in PES scores when they were compared based on their nurse managers’ strength or weakness on the CCTDI subscales of analyticity, systematicity, open-mindedness, and critical thinking confidence† (Zori, Nosek & Musil, 2010). The biggest difference between staff nurses and nurse managers scores were in the truth-seeking subscale (strength versus weakness), within the nurse-physician relationship. Limitations This study was conducted in one medical facility in the northeast United States. This may not be a proper representation of the whole population of nurse managers and their respective staff nurses. Also the nurse managers who participated did so by choice and were not required to, therefore, the number of staff RNs were limited to those whose nurse manager participated. Out of thirty-eight nurse managers only twelve chose to participate, this limited the three hundred and twenty-seven possible staff RNs down to one hundred and thirty-two. If there were more willing participants then the findings could be better generalized to the entire nurse manager population. My Findings and Improvements Nurse Managers skilled in critical thinking create a positive environment for staff RN’s resulting in increase in job satisfaction and retention of RN’s, decreasing job turnover. This study is extremely important because the World Health Organization (WHO) anticipates the RN shortage to reach 285,000 by the year 2020. If I was conducting this study, I would look at part-time vs. full-time employees, and areas of practice. Is burn-out more noted in critical care areas? Statistical Procedure, Methodology & Measurement This was a voluntary survey conducted at one tertiary hospital. A t-test was conducted. Scores of 40 or above were considered strengths, and scores of 39 and below were weakness. Scores on inquisitiveness and cognitive maturity were all in the strength range. Final Analysis As nurses we must use critical thinking every day, nurse managers are no exception to this. This study shows that by having a nurse manager who has strong critical thinking skills, the staff RNs respond positively.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Is411 Study Guide

Study Guide IS 411 Security Policies and Implementation Issues A perfect policy will not prevent all threats. Key to determining if a business will implement any policy is cost. Policies support the risk assessment to reduce the cost by providing controls and procedures to manage the risk. A good policy includes support for incident handling. Pg 15 Policy may add complexity to a job but that is not important. Unmanageable complexity refers to how complex and realistic the project is. The ability of the organization to support the security policies will be an important topic.Pg 105 Who should review changes to a business process? Policy change control board, minimally you should include people from information security, compliance, audit, HR, leadership from other business units, and Project Managers (PMs). Pg 172 ————————————————- Policy – a document that states how the organization is to perform and conduct business functions and transactions with a desired outcome. Policy is based on a business requirement (such as legal or organizational) ————————————————- ———————————————— Standard – an established and proven norm or method, which can be a procedural standard or a technical standard implemented organization-wide ————————————————- ————————————————- Procedure – a written statement describing the steps required to implement a process. Procedures are technical steps taken to achieve policy go als (how-to document) ————————————————- ————————————————-Guideline – a parameter within which a policy, standard, or procedure is suggested but optionalpg 11-13 Resiliency is a term used in IT to indicate how quickly the IT infrastructure can recover. Pg 279. The Recovery Time Objective (RTO) is the measurement of how quickly individual business processes can be recovered. Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) is the maximum acceptable level of data loss from the point of the disaster. The RTO and RPO may not be the same value. Pg 287 Policies are the key to repeatable behavior.To achieve repeatable behavior you just measure both consistency and quality. Oversight phases to operational consistency: * Monitor * Measure * Review * Track * Improve pg 40 Find ways to mitigate risk through reward. Reward refers to how management reinforces the value of following policies. An organization should put in place both disciplinary actions for not following policies and recognition for adhering to policies. This could be as simple as noting the level of compliance to policies in the employee’s annual review. Pg 78 Domain | Key policies and controls|User | Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)E-mail policyPrivacy policy – covers physical securitySystem access policy – IDs & passwordsAuthorization – Role Base Access Control (RBAC)Authentication – most important| Workstation| Microsoft system center configuration manager: * Inventory – tracks LAN connections * Discovery – detects software and info installed for compliance * Patch – current patches installed * Help desk – remote access to diagnose, reconfigure, reset IDs * Log – extracts logs to central repository * Security – ensures use rs have limited rights, alerts added administer accounts| LAN| Hub – connects multiple devicesSwitch – can filter trafficRouter – connects LANs or LAN-WANFirewall – filters traffic in and out of LAN, commonly used to filter traffic from public internet WAN to private LANFlat network – has little or no control to limit network trafficSegmented – limits what and how computers are able to talk to each other by using switches, routers, firewalls, etc. | LAN-WAN| Generally, routers and firewalls are used to connect LAN-WAN. Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) provide a public-facing access to the organization, such as public websites. DMZ sits between two layers of firewalls to limit traffic between LAN-WAN| WAN| Unsecure public Internet. Virtual Private Network (VPN) secure and private encrypted tunnel. Firewalls have capability to create and maintain a VPN tunnel.Lower cost, save time for small to medium companies with VPN instead of leased line| Remote A ccess| Enhanced user domainRemote authentication – two factor * Something you know (id/password) * Something you have (secure token) * Something you are (biometric)VPN client communicates with VPN hardware for tunneling, client-to-site VPN:Maintains authentication, confidentiality, integrity and nonrepudiation. | System/Application| Application software is the heart of all business applications. Application transmits the transaction to server. Data Loss Protection (DLP) or Data Leakage Protection (DLP) refers to a program that reduces the likelihood of accidental or malicious loss of data. DLP involves inventory, perimeter (protected at endpoints) and encryption of mobile devices. Pg 67|Motivation – pride (work is important), self-interest (repeat behavior rewarded, most important pg 326), and success (winning, ethical, soft skills). Pg 91 Executive management support is critical in overcoming hindrances. A lack of support makes implementing security policies impossibl e. Listen to executive needs and address in policy. Pg 341 Security policies let your organization set rules to reduce risk to information assets. Pg 22. Three most common security controls are: * Physical – prevent access to device * Administrative – procedural control such as security awareness training * Technical – software such as antivirus, firewalls, and hardware pg 27Information System Security (ISS) is the act of protecting information and the systems that store and process it. Information Assurance (IA) focuses on protecting information during process and use. Security tenets known as the five pillars of the IA model: * Confidentiality * Integrity * Availability * Authentication * Nonrepudiation Policy must be clearly written. Unclear purpose refers to the clarity of value a project brings. In the case of security policies, it’s important to demonstrate how these policies will reduce risk. It’s equally important to demonstrate how the pol icies were derived in a way that keep the business cost and impact low. Pg 104 ———————————————— Head of information management is the single point of contact responsible for data quality within the enterprise. ————————————————- ————————————————- Data stewards are individuals responsible for data quality with a business unit. ————————————————- ————————————————- Data administrators execute policies and procedures such as backup, versio ning, up/down loading, and database administration. ————————————————- ————————————————-Data security administrators grant access rights and assess threats in IA programs. Pg 188 ————————————————- ————————————————- Information security officer identifies, develops and implements security policies. ————————————————- ———————————————à ¢â‚¬â€- Data owners approves access rights to information. ————————————————- ————————————————- Data manager responsible for procedures how data should be handled and classified. ————————————————- ————————————————-Data custodian individual responsible for day-to-day maintenance, grant access based on data owner, backups, and recover, maintain data center and applications. ————————————————- —————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Data user end user of an application. ————————————————- ————————————————- Auditor are inter or external individual who assess the design and effectiveness of security policies. Pg 115 Separation of duty principle – responsibilities and privileges should be divided to prevent a person or a small group of collaborating people from inappropriately controlling multiple key aspects of a process and causing harm or loss. Pg 156Internal control principle – information security forms the core of an organization’s information internal control systems. Regulations mandate that internal control systems be in place and operating correctly. Organizations rely on technolo gy to maintain business records. It’s essential that such technology include internal control mechanisms. These maintain the integrity of the information and represent a true picture of the organization’s activities. Pg 155 Lines of defense in the service sector: 1. Business Unit (BU) deals with controlling risk daily, mitigate risk when possible. Develops long and short-term strategies, directly accountable. 2. Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program, team owns the risk process.Provides guidance to BU, aligns policies with company goals, oversight of risk committees and risk initiatives. 3. Independent auditor assures board and executive management the risk function is designed and working well. Pg 192 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects a person’s privacy. HIPAA defines someone’s health record as protected health information (PHI). HIPAA establishes how PHI can be collected, processed and disclosed and provides penaltie s for violations. Health care clearinghouses process and facilitate billing. Pg 50 Executive management is ultimately responsible for ensuring that data is protected.Information systems security organization enforces security policies at a program level. The team is accountable for identifying violations of policies. The front-line manager/supervisor enforces security policies at an employee level. Employees are responsible for understanding their roles and the security policies. They are accountable for following those policies. Employees can still be held liable for violations of the law. Employees can be prosecuted for illegal acts. Sampling of key roles to enforce security policies: * General counsel- enforces legal binding agreements * Executive management- implements enterprise risk management * Human resources- enforces disciplinary actions Information systems security organization- enforces polices at program level * Front-line manager/supervisor- enforces policies at employ ee level pg 366 A Privileged-level Access Agreement (PAA) is designed to heighten the awareness and accountability of those users who have administrative rights. Security Awareness Policy (SAP) laws can outline the frequency and target audience. Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) defines the intended uses of computer and networks. A good AUP should accompany security awareness training. Pg 220 Auditors are feared Contractors comply with the same security policies as any other employee (such as an AUP). There may be additional policy requirements on a contractor such as special non-disclosure agreement and deeper background checks. Pg 215Data Class| Class Description| Recovery Period| Examples| Critical| Data must be recovered immediately| 30 minutes| Website, customer records| Urgent| Data can be recovered later| 48 hrs| e-mail backups| Non-vital| Not vital for daily operations| 30 days| Historical records, archives pg 263| U. S. military classification – nation security information document EO 12356. * Top secret – grave damage to national security * Secret – serious damage to NS * Confidential – cause damage to NS * Sensitive but classified – confidential data under freedom of information act * Unclassified – available to the public A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) policy creates a plan to continue business after a disaster. Elements include key assumptions, accountabilities, frequency of testing and part includes BIA.Business Impact Analysis (BIA) purpose is to determine the impact to an organization in the event that key processes and technology are not available. Assets include critical resources, systems, facilities, personnel, and records. Pg 278 Desired results of the BIA include: * A list of critical processes and dependencies * A work flow of processes that include human req to recover key assets * Analysis of legal and regulatory requirements * A list of critical vendors and support agreements * An estimate of the maximum allowable downtime pg 286 Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is the policies and documentation needed for an organization to recover its IT assets after a disaster (part of BCP). Pg 288Governance – requires a strong governance structure in place. This includes formal reporting to the board of directors. Most boards receive formal GLBA reporting through the audit committee. The head of information security usually writes this report each quarter. Pg 51 An Incident Response Team (IRT) is specialized group of people whose purpose is to respond to major incidents. The IRT is typically a cross-functional (different skills) team. Pg 297. Common IRT members include: * Information technology SMEs * Information security representative * HR * Legal * PR * Business continuity representative * Data owner * Management * Emergency services (normally outside agency i. e. olice) pg 302 Visa requires its merchants to report security incidents involving cardholder data. Visa classifies incid ents into the following categories: * Malicious code attacks * Denial of service (DOS) * Unauthorized access/theft * Network reconnaissance probe pg 299 Declare an incident, develop a response/procedure to control the incident. Before a response can be formulated, a discussion needs to be made. This involves whether to immediately pursue the attacker or protect the organization. Having a protocol in advance with management can establish priorities and expedite a decision. It is important to have a set of responses prepared in advance.Allowing the attacker to continue provides evidence on the attack. The most common response is to stop the attack as quickly as possible. Pg 309 How do you collect data? A trained specialist collects the information. A chain of custody is established and documented. Digital evidence, take a bit image of machines and calculate a hash value. The hash value is essentially a fingerprint of the image. IRT coordinator maintains evidence log and only copies ar e logged out for review. Pg 311 Why do policies fail? Without cohesive support from all levels of the organization, acceptance and enforcement will fail. Pg 19 Which law allows companies to monitor employees?The Electronic Communication Privacy Act (ECPA) gives employers the right to monitor employees in the ordinary course of business. Pg 356 Policy enforcement can be accomplished through automation or manual controls. Automated controls are cost efficient for large volumes of work that need to be performed consistently. A short list of several common automated controls: * Authentication methods * Authorization methods * Data encryption * Logging events * Data segmentation * Network segmentation pg 361 Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) is a free download that can query systems for common vulnerabilities. It starts by downloading an up to date XML file. This file includes known vulnerabilities and release patches. Pg 378Business Continuity Plan (BCP) sustain business durin g disaster Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) support strategic functions during disaster Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) plan to recover facility at alternate site during disaster Business Recovery Plan (BRP) recover operation immediately following disaster Occupant Emergency Plan (OEP) plan to minimize loss of life or injury and protect property from physical threat pg 292 Extra notes: There are two types of SAS 70 audits: * Type 1 – is basically a design review of controls. * Type II – includes type 1 and the controls are tested to see if they work. Pg 61 Governance, Risk management, and Compliance (GRC) and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) both to control risk. ERM takes a broad look at risk, while GRC is technology focused.GRC top three best frameworks are ISO 27000 series, COBIT, COSO. Pg 197 Incident severity classification: * Severity 4 – small number of system probes or scans detected. An isolated instance of a virus. Event handled by automated controls. No unauthorized activity detected. * Severity 3 – significant probes or scans. Widespread virus activity. Event requires manual intervention. No unauthorized activity detected. * Severity 2 – DOS detected with limited impact. automated controls failed to prevent event. No unauthorized activity detected. * Severity 1 – successful penetration or DOS attack with significant disruption. Or unauthorized activity detected.Pg 308 To measure the effectiveness include IRT charter goals and analytics. Metrics are: * Number of incidents * Number of repeat incidents (signifies lack of training) * Time to contain per incident (every incident is diff, least important) * Financial impact to the organization (most important to management) Glossary terms Bolt-on refers to adding information security as a distinct layer of control after the fact. Business Impact Analysis (BIA) a formal analysis to determine the impact in the event key processes and technology are not available. Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) focuses on financial and risk management.Control Objectives for Information and related Technology (COBIT) framework that brings together business and control requirements with technical issues. Detective control is a manual control that identifies a behavior after it has happened. Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC) a standard image mandated in any federal agency. Image locks down the operating system with specific security settings. Firecall-ID a process granting elevated rights temporarily to resolve a problem. Flat network has little or no controls to limit network traffic. Information Technology and Infrastructure Library a framework that contains comprehensive list of concepts, practices and processes for managing IT services. IRT coordinator documents all activities during an incident, official scribe.IRT manager makes all the final calls on how to respond, interface with management. Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA) also known as a confidentiality agreement. Octave is an acronym for Operationally Critical Threat, Asset, and Vulnerability Evaluation. ISS framework consisting of tools, techniques, and methods. Pretexting is when a hacker outlines a story in which the employee is asked to reveal information that weakens the security. Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) NIST spec for how security software products measure, evaluate and report compliance. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system hardware and software that collects critical data to keep a facility operating.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Praying Mantis

Praying Mantis EVERYTHING You ever wanted to know on the subject PRYAING MANTIS, including the Martial Art and Cultural Significance Excellent job!!praying mantis(Mantis Religiosa)ContentsIntroductionClassesFirst Things FirstKey FeaturesBasic FeaturesDiet Combat StyleReproductionGrowth DevelopmentSelf-DefenseCultural SignificancePraying Mantis Kung-FuINTRODUCTION'Praying Mantis' is the name commonly used in English speaking countries to refer to a large, much elongated, slow-moving insect with fore legs fitted for seizing and holding insect prey. The name, 'Praying Mantis' more properly refers to the specific Mantid species Mantis Religiosa or the European Mantis, but typically is used more generally to refer to any of the mantid family. The name is derived from the prayer-like position in which the insect holds its long, jointed front legs while at rest or waiting for prey. It is also called the 'preying' mantis because of its predatory nature.CLASSESMany questions have risen regarding the prayi ng mantis.English: Mantis religiosa. Lisboa, Portugal. Franï ¿ ½...Such questions include how many different species there are in the animal kingdom. Estimates range from 1500 to 2200 different mantid species WORLDWIDE. The most common figure given, though, is about 1800.The ways the Mantid's are classified in the Animal Kingdom. There is agreement that the collection of mantid species make up the Mantidae family of insects. The Mantidae family, in turn, is part of the order/suborder Mantodea that includes a variety of mantid-like species. But the existing literature does not reflect a clear consensus about what insect order Mantodea belong in. Some have placed Mantodea in the Dictyoptera Order-with the roaches.Others place Mantodea in the Orthoptera Order-with crickets and grasshoppers. Finally, some believe that Mantodea constitute their own independent order of insects. There seems to be an emerging consensus around this position.FIRST THINGS FIRSTThe Mantis Religiosa was first. ..

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Music-Based Improv Games for Young Actors

Music-Based Improv Games for Young Actors Most improv exercises are intended to expand actors comfort with creating characters, interacting in front of an audience, and thinking on their feet. Few exercises, however, are built around musical comedy. There are a few reasons for this: Musical comedy requires music, and few drama teachers have access to a piano and piano player. Sure, you can play around with recorded music but thats not as easy as it sounds.Musical comedy requires singing, and a surprising number of young actors are very shy about singing. Those students who are not confident in their singing skills may refuse to take part.Musical comedy doesnt generally require the same level of character development as a straight play or even a non-musical comedy. With music and dance to take up the slack, many musicals have stock characters with little motivation and few personal characteristics. So why bother with music-related improv? First: almost every high school in America and many junior high schools produce musicals every spring. If your students plan to take part, theyll need to brush up their musical skills. Second, music is a terrific tool for building internal rhythm and other skills your young actors will need whether or not they ever play a musical lead. The improv activities described here are music-related, but they dont require participants to read music or even to sing! Theme Music Improv This improv activity is suitable for 2 – 3 performers. It requires theatrical music to be played while the actors perform. I recommend a simple keyboard and someone who can play impromptu background music. (Nothing fancy is necessary – just music that conveys different emotions.) Have the audience members suggest a location. For example: library, zoo, kindergarten class, driving school, etc. The actors begin the scene with a normal, everyday exchange: Hey, Bob, did you get that promotion?Son, I got a call from the principal today.Hello, and welcome to jury duty! Once the conversation is underway, the instructor (or whoever is manning the keyboard) plays background music. The melody can alternate between dramatic, whimsical, suspenseful, western, science-fiction, romantic, and so forth. The actors must then create action and dialogue that matches the mood of the music. Whenever the music changes, the behavior of the characters change. Emotion Symphony This drama exercise is terrific for large groups. One person (perhaps the drama instructor or group leader) serves as the orchestra conductor. The rest of the performers should sit or stand in rows, as though they were musicians in an orchestra. However, instead of having a string section or a brass section, the conductor will create emotion sections. Learn more about how your students can create an â€Å"Emotion Orchestra.† Song Spoofs It’s not easy to compose original melodies. (Just ask 80s band Milli Vanilli!). However, students can take their first step toward a song-writing career by spoofing existing songs. Form the students into groups (between 2 – 4 people). They should then select a song with which they are each familiar. Note: It doesn’t have to be a show tune – any Top 40 song will do. The instructor will give the song-writing groups a topic for their song lyrics. Because of the storytelling nature of musical theater, the more conflict, the better. Here are a few suggestions: Getting â€Å"dumped† on Prom Night.Being trapped in an elevator.Getting caught shoplifting.Saying goodbye to your dead goldfish.Finding out your grandma is a vampire. Students collectively write as much of the lyrics as they can, hopefully telling a story, or conveying lyrical dialogue. The song could be delivered by one or more characters. When the students present their work to the rest of the class, they can simply read the lyrics to the class. Or, if they feel brave enough, they can perform the newly created number and sing their hearts out!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Court System and the Judicial Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Court System and the Judicial Process - Essay Example Appellate courts (ibid) accept the complaints on inappropriate decisions of lower courts and re-try them, i.e. hear and re-consider arguments and apply the law to the evidence which has already been confirmed. In these courts, decision-making is delegated to groups of judges (Ball and Cliffs, 1987). "Judicial federalism is the term used to describe the relationships between these independent court systems at the state and national levels, and the various ways individual cases can move between different court systems []The U.S. Constitution also allows for states to maintain their own individual court systems that derive their authority from state constitutions and state laws" (ibid, p. 102). Nevertheless, according to the Constitution Article III, federal questions are tried by the U.S. Supreme Court (Abraham, 1986), a highest U.S. court. The litigation system, adopted in our country, is also known as 'adversarial' system, since it is based upon the plaintiff's presentation of their dispute or problem to an impartial third person, who deals with finding and examining the facts. Another prominent characteristic of the U.S. court system is the obligation to pay litigation fees (approximately $150 for a civil case). As a rule, cases are resolved by the U.S.