Computer Security, 2 actual examples of where Security has failed Research Paper

Computer Security, 2 actual examples of where Security has failed (detailed description below) - Research Paper Example Such two instances have been discussed in the paper, along with the probable reasons of the security breach and preventive measures that should be taken for such matters in the future. 2. Sony PS3 Security Breach Sony Online Entertainment (PlayStation Network) is one of the market leaders in providing online games to its users around the world. Many users subscribe to the service to purchase games and online activities. In April 2011, the company faced a major setback regarding their service and data assets. The impact was so massive that they failed to offer their services even after two weeks of the incident. 2.1 Nature of the Attack Sony PlayStation network experienced denial of service attacks from one or more cybercriminals in April, 2011. According to Stuart and Arthur (2011a); the extravagance of the denial-of-service attacks occupied the company to such a great extent that another on-going attack went unnoticed by the authorities, i.e. cybercriminals were also trying to attem pt the intrusion attack around that same time. Another aspect that seems evident from the data theft activities is that the sophistication and extensive planning of the attack made it undetectable. Two weeks later, the company realized that their data assets had also been stolen from Sony Entertainment Online multiplayer domain. The intruders gained access to $77 million records of the customers of the company that had their names, postal addresses, email addresses, credit card information and birthdates. Later, the company admitted that more than $25 million had also been stolen from an outdated database of 2007 that contained data of similar nature. The massive theft of credit card information and personal information are feared to result in catastrophic instances of identity thefts and other misuse of data for a long period of time. Arthur (2011) provided the information that the data server, that contained information from the year 2007, was known to constitute of records of int ernational users from Austria, Germany and few other countries. Therefore, this attack has not only threatened the image of Sony in the local markets, but also internationally. 2.2 Causes of the Attack Batty (2011) reported the information that an unknown file named ‘Anonymous’ was found on one of their servers that had a message to warn the authorities about more attacks. This proves that the intruders had successfully gained access of their servers and systems and therefore managed to copy millions of data records for their use. The means of gaining access or intrusion in the systems can be based on multiple factors. Some of the most probable ones have been discussed below: Some employees might not be aware of the security policies that are supposed to be followed to safeguard the security of the data assets of the company; hence their negligence caused the exposure of sensitive login information. Hackers may have targeted some employees’ systems and sent them spam, phishing emails or advertisement links on social networks to lead the employees to a compromised source. Upon the download of any malicious attachments or entry at unauthentic websites, the malicious software is automatically transferred to the system of the user (with or without the knowledge of the user). This software can perform automated malicious

How to win the cold war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How to win the cold war - Essay Example If there was any doubt in the hearts and minds of the American people as to rather or not they were able to face the struggles ahead those fears were squashed under the triumph of Johnson’s words. Johnson presented what he felt was key to the success of the U.S. in the cold war. He wanted the nation to get back to work and called for the production industries to beef up their rate of production. Johnson felt that the nation needed to be prepared. The preparations that they were to make would serve to ensure that not only America stayed supplied, but any allies. Johnson wanted the nation to be ready to help any allies who happened to run low due to the costs of the war be supplied with the materials they would need to fight the war and win. He said, â€Å"America’s production machine must grow-and grow rapidly† Clearly there was not doubt in Johnson’s mind that American would be successful. President Johnson also had special desires for Texas and the American West. He had confidence in all of the country but he felt that these areas should be delegated special responsibility. Johnson felt that it was in the west that the expansion should take place. He said that it is in the west that America found its strength and that this area, although having become America’s backbone in a sense, has not been fully utilized. There was a great bounty of resources in the west, according to Johnson, that could be used to help America and her allies sustain themselves during the heat of a war. Therefore Johnson encouraged the western Americans to take courage and be prepared to work hard and give of their natural resourced to come to the aid off their country who would need them in the midst of the war. Therefore much of the responsibility of increasing production fell on companies in the west. Some of these surely were glad for the increased business. Johnson was ready to lead the country into a bold victory. He was not going

The Hershey Company Is The Largest Chocolate Producer Marketing Essay

The Hershey Company Is The Largest Chocolate Producer Marketing Essay The Hershey Company is the largest chocolate producer in North America and also one of the oldest US manufacturers of chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery and chocolate-related grocery product. The Hershey Company operates in accordance with their mission statement: Undisputed Marketplace Leadership (www.hersheys.com). Among the companys well established brands are  Hersheys Chocolate Bar, Almond Joy, Kit Kat, Hersheys Kisses, Reeses and many others. I shall begin an external analysis with the first element of Porters Five Forces Model: Industry Rivalry. Slow confectionery industry growth increases the intensity of rivalry among numerous competitors. It needs to be mentioned that the stage of confectionery industry life cycle is Maturity stage. These chocolate have been around since a 100 years and most people buying these chocolates are repeat consumers. The Hershey Company holds one of the leading positions in the domestic market, currently having a market share in the U.S. of over 22%. Its biggest rivals in US market are Mars Inc (the leader according to the industrys 2010 results), Kraft Foods and Nestle. As for the global competition, according to the latest results of the confectionery industrys global survey, Hershey Foods Corp. (USA) is number 5 among the top 100 international HERSHEY COMPANY EXTERNAL ANALYSIS confectionery brands rating with 4,881 US($) millions sales volume figure. The main competitors in the global market are Mars Inc (USA), Cadbury Schweppes PLC (UK), Nestlà © SA (Switzerland) and Ferrero SpA (Italy).(The Big Get Bigger, 2011, January 10). Although the Hershey Company has a steady strong presence in the U.S. chocolate and confectionery market, its global position needs to be strengthened and the focus should be kept on the global market. Rapidly developing countries such as China and India have to be Hersheys main targets because even a limited presence in these countries would provide a substantial increase in revenue. Besides it, company cannot duplicate their domestic strategy and expect to be successful. On the contrary they must integrate into each countrys culture and develop an adapted strategy to immerse their brand name into these areas. The next force I need to specify is the Risk of Entry by Potential Competitors force and this risk for chocolate industry is quite low. The reasons of it are significant entry barriers (high production output, large capital requirements, product differentiation, and customer loyalty). These factors deter smaller competitors from entering into the market. (Ellis M., McCants M., Frye N., Miller J., Polk M., Rogers G, 2008, May 22). HERSHEY COMPANY EXTERNAL ANALYSIS The third and one of the most influential in the Hersheys case force is Bargaining Power of Suppliers. Their bargaining power is relatively high because the number of suppliers of the chocolate industry is limited, supplier group is concentrated and there are no substitute products as well. The Hershey Company needs to find alternate (non-West African) locations or different methods for obtaining cocoa beans, because this would allow Hershey to have a secure control over their raw materials. The next force is Bargaining Power of Buyers which can be described as low to moderate. This industry has several large volume retailers that have significant bargaining power. Large volume retailers can bargain for lower prices and reduce the industrys profits, but the differentiated products (with high level of brand identification and customer loyalty among the chocolate consumers) considerably reduce the power of buyers. Finally, the Threat of Substitutes for chocolate industry is moderate. There are numerous substitute products such as alternative cooking flavors (such as vanilla, butter, etc) and non-chocolate snacks (such as ice cream, fruits, etc.). Also there is a threat of unhealthy image of chocolate products among the consumers. Besides Porters Five Forces Model and Industrys Life Cycle I would like to analyze the way demographic, social, or HERSHEY COMPANY EXTERNAL ANALYSIS technological trends have influenced the chocolate confectionery industry. There are some positive and negative socio-cultural and demographic trends that make an influence. Among the positive are: the desire for richer products/changing tastes, joint ventures (i.e. coffee), dark chocolate health benefits and increased importance of holidays. The negative trends are: spreading of allergies, increasing obesity and greater environmental concern. Among the social/political trends a problem of child labour and unfair trade can be named. For example, Hershey has been criticized for not having programs to ensure sustainable and ethical cocoa purchase, lagging behind its competitors in  fair trade  measures. (Hershey Dominates US Market, but Lags Behind Competitors in Avoiding Forced Labor, Trafficking and Child Labor (2010, September 13). The positive technological trends are: technological improvements to milking machines, efficiency improvements for distribution, telecommunications. And the negative technological trends are lack of government support to developing countries (poor education of new technologies) and increased cost of managing the manufacturing technological progress. And I would like to finish this essay with Hershey Company founder Milton Hershey quote about the most distinctive feature of Hersheys products: Give them quality. Thats the best kind of advertising in the world. HERSHEY COMPANY EXTERNAL ANALYSIS REFERANCE LIST Hershey slogan (n.d.) is retrieved from www.hersheys.com The Big Get Bigger (2011, January 10). Retrieved from http://www.candyindustry.com/Articles/Special_Reports/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000972812 Ellis M., McCants M., Frye N., Miller J., Polk M., Rogers G, (2008, May 22). The Hershey Company Introducing the World of Chocolate. Retrieved from http://www.washingtoniv.com/?p=65 Hershey Dominates US Market, but Lags Behind Competitors in Avoiding Forced Labor, Trafficking and Child Labor (2010, September 13). Retrieved from http://www.laborrights.org/stop-child-forced-labor/cocoa-campaign/news/12397 Confectionery Company Shares Report (2010), USA. Packaged Food: Euromonitor from trade sources/national statistics.

The Plant World Essay -- Environment, Plant Species, Plant Communicati

Introduction Plants exhibit exceptionally intelligent behaviour when it comes to interactions with their environment. They can detect perceived threats, then convey warning signals to other plants via chemical signaling. Forewarned plants will then assemble their defenses against these potential threats, thus, increasing their chance of survival and reproduction. Communication and competition are common occurrences among the plant world. Another brilliantly, almost inconceivable capability plants possess is the ability to recognize coexisting family members within their home range. These intelligent life forms realize that if family members compete less with each other by allocation of their resources, their group will do better overall. This is a strategy utilized by many species, especially plants, to eliminate competition within their community in nature (Mancuso 2006). Competition can occur between members of the same or different species. The involved individuals are negatively affected by other individuals that have the same living requirements, such as food or space. Inter-specific competition transpires when members of different species compete for a particular resource. Intra-specific competition arises when members of the same species compete with one another for a particular resource (Encyclopedia Britannica 2010). In this experiment we concentrate on inter-specific competition. We measured the effect of competitor density on the growth of plants in order to observe the outcome of inter-specific competition. In set one (of two), our group utilized allelopathic rye grass (Secale cereal L.) as our competitor species. In set two, we made use of non-allelopathic oats (Avena fatua var. sativa) as our competitor spec... ...ass soil. This demonstrates that a pathogen may influence allelopathy between plants and that rust may enhance ryegrass allelopathy against clover (Mattner 2001). Our results supported the alternative hypothesis which states that the density and weight of rye or oats (competitor species) had a significant effect on the 1/w of the clover (indicator species) under normal conditions. This proves that non-legumes win when in an inter-specific competition with a legume species and allelopathic chemicals negatively affect indicator species during inter-specific competition (Cain 2008). Errors that could have occurred when designing this experiment include possible uneven distribution light, water, or temperature fluctuations. For future research I would suggest observing the effects of allelopathy and symbiotic bacteria among different legume and non-legume species.

Foreshadowing and Irony in “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston

The short story â€Å"Sweat,† by Zora Neale Hurston, seems to exemplify the epitome of a bad marriage. Hurston uses foreshadowing and irony to demonstrate the disintegrated relationship between the abusive husband and the diligent wife. Throughout the story, it becomes obvious that the husband does not oblige by the motto, â€Å"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. † Hurston’s use of irony and foreshadowing helps reveal the fact that â€Å"the good will prevail† and Sykes will finally get what he deserves. From the very beginning, the reader notices the psychological and verbal abuse that Sykes puts on Delia. It was a Sunday and Delia decided to get ahead on her work for the week by separating piles of clothes by color. Fear then came upon her when â€Å"†¦something long, round, limp, and black fell upon her shoulder and slithered to the floor beside her† (355). Sykes’ bull whip, mistaken for a snake, invokes â€Å"great terror† (355) and extreme fear in Delia, foreshadowing an event that is to come in the future. It also demonstrates the distant relationship between Sykes and Delia. With full knowledge of Delia’s fear of snakes, Sykes continues to haunt her with them throughout the story. While Delia falls to the oppression of her husband, Sykes almost commits these acts as torture. Because of Hurston’s strong use of irony, it is evident that one day Delia will prevail and a clue to Sykes’ fate is provided: that one day he will be haunted by a snake as well. Delia is obviously the breadwinner of the family and works hard to support both herself and Sykes. Unfortunately, Sykes takes this for granted by taking advantage of the free housing while saving his rarely earned money to spend on other women. Fully aware of this, Delia mentions that â€Å"†¦whatever goes over the Devil’s back is got to come under his belly. Sometime or ruther, Syke, like everybody else, is gointer reap his sowing† (357). The use of irony here demonstrated that â€Å"what goes around, comes around† and once again alludes to Sykes’ fate. Many more indications throughout the story seem to allude to Sykes’ death. The other men in the town seem to disrespect Sykes and even suggest that he should die. While Delia started to deliver the clean laundry in town one ay, the men talked about how Delia is too good for Sykes and that she deserves better, They also despise Sykes for running around with an ugly and fat woman, ultimately cheating on his hardworking wife. Finally, one man says, â€Å"Syke Jones ain’t wuth de shot an’ powder hit would tek tuh kill ‘em. Not to huh he ain’t† (357) while another man adds, â€Å"†¦an’ we ough ter kill ‘im† (358). It seems like Hurston portrays this hostility to reiterate to the reader that Sykes will fall victim to a well deserved death. Perhaps the most important event in the story occurs when Sykes brings home a huge six-foot living snake. Fear once again overcomes Delia and she pleads, â€Å"Syke! Syke, mah Gawd! You take dat rattlesnake ‘way from heah! You gottuh. Oh, Jesus, have mussy† (360). Sykes, on the other hand, stands in amusement almost as if he loves to see Delia psychologically abused. His cockiness unravels as he acts like he is invincible and like anyone and anything should and will comply with him. In regards to the enormous snake, Sykes boasts, â€Å"†¦He wouldn’t bite me cause Ah knows how tuh handel ‘im† (360). He makes sure to instill fear into Delia by telling her to be careful because the snake would have no problem coming after her. Hurston also has Sykes portray his own death. In this same scene, Sykes’ reply to Delia’s request of getting rid of the snake is, â€Å"Ah ain’t got to do nuthin’ uh de kin’ – fact is Ah ain’t got tuh do nothin’ but die† (360). This statement only means that Sykes will not listen to Delia at anytime and enjoys torturing her in any way possible. He admits that he would rather die than give Delia the pleasure of control at any moment. This scenario is perhaps the most ironic because it is this same snake that takes Sykes’ life once and for all.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 12

Searching the Internet didn't turn up much, just as I'd feared. Still, I took some satisfaction in at least doing something. It kept my mind off my possibly impending death. It kept my mind off demons descending on Seattle. Most importantly, it kept my mind off Seth. Because if I thought about him, I was going to think about touching him and kissing him and†¦well, a lot of other things. My feelings for him were starting to consume me, almost to the extent that my other problems seemed trivial. So, I lost myself in Google searches, hoping for any scrap of information about demon summoning. As expected, most of my hits sent me to sites on role-playing games and Dr. Faustus. Still, I felt better than if I'd just sat around. Driving to the meeting at the Cellar was about as agonizing as walking to the bookstore had been. I took slow back roads, unwilling to face the congestion and speed of the freeways. The Cellar was a pub a lot of Seattle immortals liked to frequent. Whoever had organized this event had apparently reserved the restaurant's back room, which was normally used for banquets and wedding receptions. I didn't have to sense demonic magic to know they'd sealed off the space from prying ears. The dimly lit room was crowded when I entered. I recognized some of the local lesser immortals, but most were demons I didn't know. Few sat at the long table, which was covered with appetizer plates and bottles of wine. Most people stood around the edges, deep in conversation, or had pulled chairs up in tight, furtive clusters. Grace and Mei were both working the room, looking as businesslike and efficient as ever-albeit edged in an uncharacteristically frazzled air. For the first time ever, they were dressed differently, and I wondered if stress had prevented them from coordinating their wardrobes. Mei wore a red skirt and blazer with a necklace made of tiny alternating gold and silver rings. Grace wore a linen pantsuit with a chunky stone choker with a crescent moon pendant. Peter, Cody, and Hugh stood in the corner and waved me over. â€Å"Hey,† I said, â€Å"what's going on?† â€Å"Not much,† said Hugh. â€Å"This seems to be more of a meet and greet. Not a lot of organization.† We fell silent, all of us watching the interactions. In the opposite corner, I saw Cedric gesturing dramatically as he spoke. His face was dark and intent, and Kristin stood nearby with a clipboard and rapt expression, taking notes. Not far away, Nanette stood with her lovely, unreadable face while listening to another demoness talk. â€Å"So, you must be Jerome's staff.† The four of us turned. None of us had noticed the demon approaching, thanks to losing our ability to sense immortal signatures. This whole experience, I decided, really was like being bereft of sight or smell. This particular demon was no one I knew. He had a big toothy smile and skin that looked like it had had a tanning job go bad. His spiky white-blond hair wasn't doing him any favors either. He extended a hand. â€Å"I'm Tom. Pleasure to meet you all.† We each shook his hand in return, introducing ourselves. He held our hands with great vigor, like a politician on the campaign trail. If we'd had a baby, I had no doubts he would have kissed it. â€Å"I imagine this must be pretty strange for you,† he commented. â€Å"But I want you to know that we're all here for you. There's nothing to worry about-things'll be back to normal before long.† â€Å"Thank you,† I said politely, giving as good a succubus smile as I could in a non-succubus state. Snark around a demon was never a good idea. Snark when you didn't have your normal powers? Horrible idea. â€Å"We're just anxious to get Jerome back.† His smile faltered a little but quickly resumed. â€Å"Yes, yes. Of course. We're all doing everything we can. But, of course, you know there's a chance Jerome might not be found†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"So we've heard,† said Hugh, speaking as politely as I had. Tom nodded. â€Å"But don't worry. In the tragic event that happens, we'll make sure you guys are taken care of. You can rest assured that Seattle's next archdemon will rule with control and competence, making sure you're able to perform your duties in an efficient and effective manner.† I had a feeling he was on the verge of telling us how, if elected, he'd cut taxes and increase jobs, but we were interrupted by a high-pitched voice. â€Å"Georg- gee -na!† A seven-foot woman was heading toward us. She had ebony-black skin that looked horrible with her orange hair. The combination made Tom's features look supermodel gorgeous. Gold eye shadow shot all the way to her eyebrows, its glitter rivaled only by the multicolored sequins of her dress. A black feather boa flared around her as she walked. Several demons in the room froze and watched her, which was remarkable. Demons are not easily fazed. â€Å"Who's that?† asked Cody. Just like with Tom, Cody could sense neither the identity nor even the type of this immortal. But I needed no such clues. â€Å"Tawny,† Peter and I said in unison. â€Å"How do you guys know?† asked Cody. â€Å"The clothes,† said Peter. â€Å"The whine,† I said. Tom was standing there, mouth half-open. A moment later, he recovered himself. â€Å"Well, it was nice meeting you all. I hope you'll come talk to me if you have any questions or concerns. I'm very eager to get to know you all better.† He scurried off just as Tawny reached us. We stared. â€Å"What the hell happened to you?† exclaimed Hugh. Tawny pouted. â€Å"Well, there was this really nice guy that I wanted. Really pure and-â€Å" â€Å"Tawny,† I interrupted. â€Å"I've told you a hundred times. Stop worrying about the good ones.† She shook her head. â€Å"No, no. He was into me. Well, he was into this.† She gestured to her body. â€Å"I figured out that he had these weird fantasies his wife didn't know about. So, I put on this shape, and we did it . And the energy†¦it was amazing.† I couldn't hide my astonishment. Tawny had managed to score a decent guy. She'd used a strategy that, while basic, was also highly effective: exploiting secret desires. It could shake the unshakable soul. â€Å"Wow,† I said at last. â€Å"That's great. I†¦well, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm proud of you.† She sighed. â€Å"But I didn't get to enjoy the rush. Like, ten minutes after it happened, it went away. Everything went away. I started feeling sick and-â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, we know the rest,† said Cody, not unkindly. â€Å"And I was wearing this body, and now†¦now I'm stuck with it.† Under normal conditions, this would have provided hours of hilarity. For now, I actually felt bad for her. â€Å"Well, hang in there. They say this won't last for long.† Tawny nodded unhappily. â€Å"Yeah. Here's hoping.† Then, unexpectedly, she brightened a little. â€Å"Oh, but hey, you were totally right about the blow-job thing.† Hugh's head whipped around to stare at me. â€Å"What?† Before I could say anything, Mei thankfully shouted for everyone's attention. And when I say shouted, I mean it. She used her power to amplify her voice, so it rang painfully through the whole room, making a lot of us wince and cover our ears. Several people backed away, giving us a clear view of her and Grace. â€Å"We want to thank everyone for coming,† Mei said, returning to her usual flat, emotionless voice. â€Å"And we appreciate everyone's help as we try to keep things running around here. Mei and I have everything under control right now, but the concern everyone's shown is certainly†¦admirable.† There was the slightest wry note in Grace's voice as she glanced around at the assembled demons. Many of them straightened up and smiled, acting as though they truly were here out of concern for us. â€Å"We know you're as anxious to find Jerome as we are,† said Mei. â€Å"And we'll be doing everything we can to locate him.† Some of those smiles tightened a little, and the crowd shifted uncomfortably. As I'd told Seth, not everyone was so eager for Jerome's return. â€Å"Yes, of course,† a booming voice said. Tom had joined Grace and Mei in the spotlight. â€Å"Jerome is our top priority, of course. And if-I mean, when-he's found, I'm sure Management will be most eager to talk to him about how this happened in the first place. No doubt he will need a little†¦rehabilitation, and should he be unable to fulfill his duties, I for one am ready right now to step up and run infernal affairs in Seattle.† â€Å"Well, Tom.† A dark-haired demoness from across the room straightened up from where she leaned against the wall. â€Å"If memory serves, your leadership in Tuscaloosa didn't end so well.† Tom glowered. â€Å"That was not my fault.† So it began. The meeting slowly degenerated into chaos and mostly became about each demon talking about why he or she was the best choice-and why all of the others were completely unfit. It was like a year of presidential campaigning condensed into an hour. â€Å"Look at Grace and Mei,† noted Hugh. â€Å"They look like they want to smite this entire room.† â€Å"Well,† I said. â€Å"That's the thing. All these demons are talking about keeping hellish affairs in order here, but those two are the ones who are actually doing it right now.† â€Å"Hell should just let them take over if Jerome doesn't come back,† said Cody. I gave him a sharp look. â€Å"Er, I mean, not that there's any question of that. He'll be back.† â€Å"Let's hope so,† a new voice said. Cedric had strolled over and joined our circle, Kristin in tow. â€Å"Whatever,† I said, unable to hide a smile. â€Å"You can't tell me you want him back. This is your perfect chance to create your great Northwest empire.† He shook his head. â€Å"No, believe me, I want nothing to do with any of this. Compared to some of these losers, Jerome suddenly seems like an ideal neighbor.† It was very much like what Isabelle had said. â€Å"I don't suppose,† Cedric added, â€Å"that you're going to be coming back up to Vancouver?† I hesitated. Was I? Who did I answer to now? Did Jerome's orders still stand? â€Å"I†¦I don't know,† I admitted. â€Å"I don't know what I'm supposed to. If I should leave.† â€Å"Well,† he said. â€Å"It wasn't like you were doing that great a job.† â€Å"I was too! I'd gotten them to back down before their so-called angel spoke to them. She told them not to trust me.† I frowned, wondering if I should go on. I didn't know who to trust without Jerome around, and as Hugh had said, Cedric was still a very likely candidate for Jerome's summoning, in spite of my gut instinct. â€Å"And you know†¦I think I have an idea about who did this and who that angel is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Cedric groaned. â€Å"Will you give up on Isabelle already?† I shook my head and lowered my voice. â€Å"I don't think it was her. I think it was Nanette.† The incredulous look on his face didn't change. â€Å"That's as ridiculous as Isabelle. You were there. You saw Nanette come to me because she was simply worried about managing her own territory.† â€Å"Funny, she had a similar meeting with Jerome not long after that.† Cedric's face kept that cool, skeptical expression that demons excelled it. But, I was pretty sure I could see a spark of interest in his blue-gray eyes. â€Å"That doesn't mean anything.† Another gut feeling told me he was lying. He started to turn, but then Cody spoke, voice hesitant. â€Å"Excuse me†¦do you know†¦are we mortal?† Cedric hesitated a moment and then laughed. When none of us said anything, he glanced between all our faces. â€Å"Oh. You're serious?† â€Å"Why is that such a crazy question?† I demanded. â€Å"We've lost everything else that makes us immortal.† â€Å"You've lost it to keep you out of trouble,† said Cedric. â€Å"Nobody wants you guys running around unsupervised with your normal abilities. So when you lose an archdemon, you get cut off. But you're still immortal. You think you can get out of your contract with something as easy as death?† â€Å"So we could get hit by a car and still be okay?† asked Cody. â€Å"Of course. Sure, it'd take awhile to recover. You'd heal like a human, but you'd eventually heal.† â€Å"What if we got decapitated?† asked Peter. â€Å"Yeah,† agreed Cody. â€Å"Like in Highlander ?† Cedric rolled his eyes. â€Å"Don't get decapitated, and we'll never have to find out.† He focused on me. â€Å"Look, stay here for a while. Something tells me that the Angel of Darkness isn't going to be making any appearances anytime soon. I suspect the distraction is over.† â€Å"I agree. Thanks.† He gave me a curt nod and started to turn. Then, he glanced back at Tawny and did a double-take. â€Å"What's your name?† â€Å"Tawny,† she replied. He eyed her from head to foot and then turned to Kristin. â€Å"Get her number and set up a date.† I saw a spark of something in Kristin's eyes, and it took me a moment to identify it. Jealousy. Reflecting back on the way she doted on his affairs, I shouldn't have been surprised that she had a crush on him. She flipped through a few pages in her clipboard, her lips tight and disapproving. â€Å"You've got a lot of appointments this week. You hate it when you've got back-to-back events.† She spoke levelly, but I could tell that while part of her warning came from true concern, another part of her welcomed the chance to throw a kink into his dating life. Cedric didn't appear to notice. He waved a dismissive hand. â€Å"Cancel something unimportant. You'll know what to do.† He wandered off while Kristin took down Tawny's number. â€Å"We'll be in touch,† Kristin said flatly. â€Å"Huh,† said Tawny, once Kristin was gone. â€Å"He's kind of cute. Maybe this body isn't so bad after all.† I exchanged glances with Hugh and Peter. They looked a lot like I felt: weary and frustrated, with the secret suspicion that this was all almost funny. â€Å"Well,† I said, watching Tawny smile with delight. â€Å"At least someone's happy with all this.†

Solar-Powered Food Can Help Save the Planet Professor Ramos Blog

Solar-Powered Food Can Help Save the Planet Plant-Based Lifestyles

Melting Pot Essays - Melting Pot, Abstract, The Melting Pot

Melting Pot Essays - Melting Pot, Abstract, The Melting Pot Melting Pot Melting Pot Mr. Bellamy Jeremy Howard [Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document.] Jeremy Howard Mr. Bellamy English 122: Academic Writing II 4-3-2012 Shortly after birth, most Americans have the ethic/racial group identity of their biological parents placed on their birth certificates. This provides an identity (even though it may be a false one) for children that will usually stay with them throughout their lives and will have a major impact on how they see themselves and how others see them as well. It often restricts their choices of friends and marriage partners, especially in the ?south? where most people are reluctant to let the past be just that. In some instances being categorized may create roadblocks in education, careers, and the neighborhood in which they wish to live. When I was a little boy, no one ever asked me what race I was. It was a non-issue, and, as a matter of fact I cannot remember being asked verbally, at any time throughout my life what my race was. I hear some people say I?m one-third this, half of that, and a quarter of this. I find that to be totally ridiculous, how can you truly know what really lies within your blood, people go back so far that it is virtually impossible to track your entire blood-line, (unless your family is royalty or the worlds best record keepers). We are all a melting pot of races, cultures, and backgrounds. In some cases people see a person of darker skin color and automatically assume that this person must be ?black?, or having African American parents, when in fact they could be assuming incorrectly. Some Dominicans have darker skin, for example, David ?Big Papi? Ortiz. Born in the Dominican Republic most people would automatically assume that his origin is African American, simply because of his skin color. Not only is it dangerous to put people in these small categorized boxes it is also wrong. As I stated earlier, we are all comprised of different things, why can?t we simply be called people. Many Americans of mixed ancestry do not fully identify with the single race/ethnic category that they have been assigned to and do not feel comfortable with it. For instance, when one parent is of European and Chinese descent and the other is African and Native American, what single category would their children fit into? For many Americans with complex ancestries such as this, the answer is that they are multi-ethnic. The number of these multi-racial children in America has doubled during each of the last three decades. We as people are a constantly moving organism. To think that anyone has the exact same genetic makeup as his or her first ancestors is a far stretch of the imagination. I believe that people have a need to clarify what race or ethnicity we are simply because they long to be different. Simply being different is not good enough. I also believe that it gives people a sense of pride to be able to say these are my ancestors and so, this is who I am. While some people long to keep their heritage alive others are desperately trying to forget theirs. For me to know that my heritage began in a slave house is hurtful, I do not long to see my great, great, great grand father bound and chained, those are stories I could go a lifetime without hearing. But on the other hand, some people have very rich and lush heritages, and they enjoy hearing about their ancestors. I do not have a problem with that, but my problem lies with the people that believe that, either they are a pure race, or believe that each person should be fitted into an ethnic box. It simply isn?t possible. Most people around the world are identified in terms of ethnic and or racial identity at birth; however, ethnicity is not a static phenomenon. Ethnic groups can change through time in complex ways. Similarly, individual identity in heterogeneous societies today, such as the United States, Canada, and Brazil, can also be flexible-individuals may identify themselves as being members of different ethnic groups or

Capital Punishment Should Be Abolished in Malaysia

Capital punishment is a death sentence awarded for capital offences where in the criminal provisions consider such persons as a gross danger or threats to the existence of the society. As the merge of human rights associations, this punishment is strictly opposed for its cruelty and this has been a global debate for some years. In Malaysia, this punishment is proudly held in the law and until today, executions are being held. It is a great shame as all members of the United Nation were already called to Join the moratorium of death penalty (Amnesty International, 2007). Many countries have abandoned capital punishment and Malaysia should do the same as it is inappropriate, cruel and it does not help the society in any ways. It is inappropriate for today as clearly, it is incongruent with what Malaysia is aiming for. The aim is to be a fully developed country and to be one Malaysia has to fulfil all challenges which one of it is to be a fully caring society (Razak, 2010). Putting an end to ones life does not define caring at all. Even though the punishment has been practised in almost every society, many have abandoned the punishment and ore are in favour of abolishing it (Caroline Sculler, 2010). If the policy is as such, then the government is at the same footing as the murderers (Stevenson, 1993). As death penalty is final, those criminals will also be deprived from the opportunity to change and the true causes of crimes will not be figured out Ooseph A. Melusky, 2003). Thus, when Justice is hurried, Justice is buried too. This clearly shows that we have no mercy and for a society that values human rights, Justice and mercy, there should be no death penalty at all (Ragunath Kesavan, 2010). To punish does not mean having to do it cruelly. The world has decides that death penalty is inhuman and degrading punishment which also constitutes a torture (Caroline Sculler, 2010). Inevitably, there are risks in executing innocent people such as cases of drug trafficking involving people who were fooled by so-called Job agencies (The Star Online, 2010). It is very unjust to prosecute innocent lives. What is more, The United Nation disapproves capital punishment as it is contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Malaysias excuse was that, Malaysia is not ne of the signatories of Committees Against Torture (CAT) and International Convention of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and so, Malaysia is not bound to any of their aims (Eldridge, 2002). Malaysia has shown how barbaric the nation is and the reality of death penalty is that it is hypocritical as lives cannot be traded like commodities. To replace belongings or things is acceptable, but to kill, it is cruel (Stevenson, 1993). What more to grieve is, capital punishment does not deter crimes and it does not help the society. It shows no positive result in decreasing violent crime rates (Caroline Sculler, 2010). Death penalty actually promotes crimes. When our government approves on taking ones life, its a symbolic to vengeance. Thus, victims because a clean break is not that frightening. Having the thought of being locked up in a room for the whole life is scarier. For drug-trafficking offences, there is also no evidence that the punishment helps (Human Rights Watch, 2009). It is not only useless, but it obscures the true causes of crime too. Knowing the causes of crimes is hat matters the most and by executing, this disallows research on them and will consequently blind us forever. Hence, the aim of deterring crime will never be achieved. Common arguments and beliefs of why Malaysia should continue capital punishment are of Justice, deterrent and retribution. On Justice, an execution is said to bring closure to the criminal and closure to the ordeal for the victims family. Of deterrent, capital punishment is taken as a tool to scare potential criminals as it is hoped that they will think twice before breaking the law for fear of losing their lives. And of retribution, the taking of criminals life allows society to show convincingly that certain crimes will not be tolerated. However in reality, if criminals have made up their minds to commit crimes, having the mens rea to do any, the punishments will never be taken in considerations. Plus, it is not the best deterrent tool as there is no exact statistic showing the decrease of crime rate for which the death penalty is mandatory (Ragunath Kesavan, 2010). To continue this law is to show how decadent the nation is. Malaysia has more moral based policies, but still, why is this legal? Australias previous Prime Minister, Hawke, have mentioned capital punishment as barbaric by seeing Malaysias policy. And that was insulting (Eldridge, 2002). Killing in any form victimizes all human kinds. Killing will never solve problems and killing will further brings great destructions. The world has decides that the punishment is cruel and let us stand with others. We pride ourselves for being a caring society and let us show to the world that we are. Capital punishment should be abolished as it proves nothing but the act of barbarism.

Human relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human relation - Essay Example In doing so, three factors have to be considered. These are: the effectiveness of Personal Communication, Communication in the work Place, and Getting along with your manager, coworker, and customers. How do these factors affect me in my personal environment and workplace? First let us have a definition of human relations. Dictionary meaning of the term defines it as â€Å"the study of group behavior for the purpose of improving interpersonal relationships, as among employees. It is further defined as â€Å"the skill or ability to work effectively through and with other people† (Lamberton, chap. 01, p.4). A separate description that I find more suitable states that human relations â€Å"includes all interactions with people whether it is conflict, cooperative effort or group relationships†. In a broader sense it is the study of why, beliefs, and attitudes that cause a strain in work-related relationship. So in the end, it emphasizes not only analysis of behavior, but provides strategies for prevention, resolution of the problems and self development (College. HMCO , 2008, ch. 01, p. 3, pdf) Several authors and studies point to factors that affect human relations in business. Lamberton, (chap.01, p.16 ) in his study, argued that human relations has two goals: one is for personal development and growth; and the other is for the accomplishment of the organization’s goals and objectives. In order to achieve these goals, the three areas of major importance in human relations that has to be understood are Personal Communication Effectiveness, Communication is described as an important element of human relations because it is the process of transferring of information from one person to another (Skills you need, 2014) . Although the definition may seem to be simple, I argue that communication process is the core of the functions of management since it transfers ideas, thoughts, and feelings from one to another. So therefore, communications

The Role of International Systems - The Balance of Power During the Essay

The Role of International Systems - The Balance of Power During the Cold War - Essay Example In itself, the balance of power theory suggests that any rapid change in the international status or power of an independent state or collection of states will result in counterbalancing actions by other states. This occurs most readily when the alliances between different states are easily broken and formed based on what is beneficial to the particular state at the time. This essay argues that the balance of power was a key factor in the Cold War and was the driving factor of many of the events that occurred, including the Cuban Missile Crisis. Furthermore, this ultimately resulted in the development of the unipolar international system that is present today. The theory of the balance of power differs substantially between authors and publications and this section will attempt to determine some of the overall themes. Some authors consider that the model is a description of the international systems that are in place currently, others consider that it is a theory of coalitions, while still others consider it a guideline to peace2. In one sense, any international system is a balance of power relationship at some level. However, the term is usually used to refer to specific systems where the actors respond to each other primarily through negotiation rather than through war and where they each attempt to protect their state’s short-term and long-term interests3. Each country has their own internal resources and interests which they aim to maintain, as well as their position on the international stage, their relationship to other international powers and international trading relationships. States must balance their internal needs with needs of the international environment. Regardless of exact definition, the balance of power remains one of the most central theories of international systems and relations.

Logitech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Logitech - Essay Example The company's retail sales and marketing activities are classified into three geographical divisions namely Americas (including North and South America), Europe-Middle East-Africa, and Asia Pacific. In order to minimize production costs and take advantage of the other benefits of business process outsourcing, it has set up its manufacturing plant in Suzhou, China in 1994. Other productions are outsourced from different countries in Asia. During the fiscal year 2007, it reports revenue of $2.06 million and net income of $.229 million (Logitech Annual Report 2007). The mission statement of Logitech is communicated as follows: "Logitech brings to market tools that enrich the interface between people and information" (Logitech Company Profile 2008) This emphasizes the business organization's commitment in focusing on computer peripherals. However, it should be noted that it did not limit itself to its current lines indicating its openness to changes and willingness to respond to emerging consumer needs. The company' strategic intent can be seen through its growth outlook presented in its 2007 Annual Report. Logitech communicates its major strategy of innovation in order to sustain steady growth and development. The company's goal is to further develop new products and improve existing ones in order to maximize consumers' comfort. Also, the business organization is keen on focusing into growth markets in order to drive revenue. c. Problem Identification The United States is one of the major markets of Logitech. Even though it cannot be possibly identified how much share this market has in the company's revenue, it should be noted that the forecasted economic recession in US will adversely reflect in the company's operation. Logitech thus, needs to take this into in order for it to continue its highly profitable operation. II. Environmental Analysis a. External Environmental Analysis In general, the operation of Logitech is dependent in its ability to introduce innovative products in the market noting that the information technology market is subject to fast product obsolescence. Since the company has global coverage, it is also exposed to the fluctuations in the exchange rates. The weakening of the dollar due to the economic recession makes its income in the United States lower when expressed in Swiss franc. The industry environment of Logitech can be assessed through the use Porter's Five Forces model. Buyers. The evolution of a hypercompetitive business environment heightens the bargaining power of consumers. It should be noted that sales are directly affected by consumer demand. Thus, consumer needs should properly be identified and products should be created to best respond to these needs. Suppliers. Supplier power is also high in the market where Logitech