Progressive case analysis Essay

Over decades operating in a highly competitive environment, the key strategy that makes Progressive the top three in the $165 billion US private passenger auto insurance industry is focusing on innovations and customer satisfaction. Established in 1937, from the beginning, Progressive approached the market with an innovative method by providing customers drive-in claims service and the ability to make monthly installment payments. That, on one hand, appealed more opportunities for people who could not afford paying insurance in lump sum to have their vehicles protected. Besides, it helped Progressive enter the market with competitive advantage to approach more potential customers. In 1957, by positioning the market correctly and understanding all market segments’ potential benefits that had not been realized by competitors, Progressive was willing to take risk to enter the nonstandard segment, which includes drivers with poor driving records or high risk profiles. This strategy, in turn, increased the company’s sales significantly and turned Progressive into a major brand in the insurance industry. The fierce competition of Allstate in the nonstandard market in 1985 and the approval of the Preposition 103 mandating insurance rate cuts of 20% in 1989 caused a crisis at Progressive. The company attempted to reduce cost by firing 1,300 employees. In addition, the efforts in understanding consumers’ perception and behaviors facilitated the company to launch its new strategy called Immediate Response in 1990 with the attempt to build trust in consumers. The main advantage of this strategy was that it speed claims process and increased customer satisfaction when accidents occurred. Immediate Response could be considered as one of the major improvements and transitions of Progressive that could help the company improve customer retention. Facing the intense competition, along with launching Immediate Response, in 1990, Progressive also focused on diversifying its product line by running experiment to write standard policies. The investment in training agents and changing their selling behaviors raised considerably consumers’ awareness of the company’s products in the preferred and standard segments, which consequently increased the company’s revenues significantly. In addition, the introduction of Express  Quote in 1993, which provided quotes from the top eight local competitors, turned Progressive into a full line supplier. This approach also helped the company have more chance to sell its products directly to consumers. The invention of Internet in 1995 facilitated Progressive to be the first company in the insurance industry selling its products online. This created competitive advantage for Progressive to compete when the company launched its website to help customers manage their policies as well as increase quoting and policy application processes. Progressive has never stopped innovating in its products. The application of GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) devices in 1998 t o track customers’ driving behaviors and the introduction of the new program called TripSense in 2000 helped the company implement usage based charging method. By offering discounts to drivers who got involved into these programs, the company tried to raise consumers’ awareness of the correlation between driving behaviors and risk of accidents. Customer satisfaction has always been the key metric driving Progressive’s strategy over time. In 2000, Concierge Service was launched to serve customers better in case of accidents. Instead of waiting for their damaged cars fixed, customers were now provided an instant replacement car while the repair was done. That way, Progressive could save time for customers and save storage and rental car cost for the company. Not only that, Progressive continued to introduce Total Loss Concierge service, which replaced cars that had been totaled. This strategy did not only help the company reduce turnaround time and replacing cars for profitable value but also increase customer satisfaction considerably. In the effort to diversify its product line and exploit more benefits from the current custom ers, in 2000, Progressive started offering homeowner’s policies. The purpose was to attract and retain current auto consumers who wanted to have their auto and home protected from the same insurance provider. However, the strategy confronted the problem of lacking data that help create a pricing advantage. Since 2000 until now, the company has had major changes in many different aspects such as management, company organization, information technology, human resources. Among those, it is that Glenn Renwick took over the role of Peter Lewis in the company’s executive management put the company in the harder challenge of competition. Notably, in 2006, while the insurance market was softening, the strategy to keep the price firm caused  Progressive some disadvantages. On the other hand, the fierce competition from strong competitors such as Allstate, State Farm and GEICO, whose advertising campaigns have been so aggressive that Progressive has to always keep an eye on them and keep improving. II. SWOT Analysis 1. Strengths Firstly, Progressive is among one of the top leading automobile insurers in the United States. It has a strong position in both personal automobile and commercial automobile markets. Progressive’s use of risk analysis among all automobile users has enabled it to increase the larger customer acceptance in comparison to its competitors. Secondly, progressive’s use of technology and data is excellent. Progressive was the first insurer to go online. The company invested heavily in information technology. Progressive used detail data on drivers to price its policies and could claim to be industry’s first. Progressive used website effectively to help customers get quick and information. Moreover, an online quote is helpful, easy and quick to compare prices when customers shop for home insurance without having to wait for an agent. Thirdly, Progressive had a strong distribution channel. It focused on direct sales and independent agents, which helped to expand its market share in the United States. In addition, progressive used innovative approaches to increase customer satisfaction. Total Loss Concierge level of claims service was designed to provide total auto physical damage losses. Customers could opt for a different car, and pay the difference if the value of the totaled car was less. Fourthly, Progressive has a strong and reliable workforce. Progressive has over 28,000 employees. When recruiting, company makes sure that the individuals can embrace technology and are comfortable with change. The company invests a great deal in training. Employees work in claims and are trained with skills related to Progressive careers. 2. Weaknesses: One of the weaknesses of progressive is operation expenses. Lewis’s principle â€Å"hire the best† and â€Å"pay the most† with the purpose to pay at the top end of industry pay scales for good employees’ performance can increase company’s expenses. In addition, this can create competitive pressures among the employees, which could result in negativity in the company. The other  weakness of progressive is its inability to create brand awareness. Its competitors like GEICO, State Farm and Allstate were better able to create customer awareness through advertisement campaigns. The company needs to focus on building a better brand awareness if it wants to increase its market share in the auto insurance industry. Another weakness of progressive is its failure to cope with pressure associated with competition from its competitors. Big players like, State Farm, Allstate and GEICO have created competitive pressure directly to Progressive. For example, Allstate’s low cost structure caused Progressive crisis and 1,300 employees fired Furthermore, progressive’s difficulty to smooth management transition is another weakness. When Peter Lewis stepped down as president in 2000 and Glenn Renwick took up the post, company went through some tough times. Renwick’s decision to raise insurance rate affected growth and profits adversely. 3. Opportunities Innovation has and will create great opportunities for growth. Greater innovation can bring Progressive the chance to get more unique products and services in order to meet customers’ needs better. Many innovative services such as Express Quote, Concierge Service have helped the Company to serve and satisfy clients better. Furthermore, the firm was in top CIO Magazine’s CIO-100 list in recognition of its innovative practices and products. In addition, its website usually rated as the best one, facilitates to accesses information more easily. Moreover, Internet is another area that has potential for growth. The development of Internet offers Progressive the chance to expand their business and access directly to customers. They also can market to a much broader user for relatively less price. Homeowner Insurance is another area that offers opportunity for growth for progressive. In 2000, progressive started offering homeowners policies. However, the company was unable to generate enough data to have pricing advantage so they cancelled the entire initiative in 2002. Now, with the advent of technological advancement progressive could once again explore this area to generate more revenue in the future. One other area that provides great opportunity for expansion and growth is Emerging markets. Emerging markets like China, India, Russia and Brazil are expanding at the rate of knots. Although there are various risks factors associated with doing business in these countries, there are also greater rewards that come with it. 4. Threats One of the threats Progressive faces is intense competition from its competitors. The insurance markets in the US are more and more competitive with a large number of players supplying a broad range of products and services. Progressive Corporation has to face fierce competition with these players. The three biggest rivals of the Corporation include State Farm, Allstate, and GEICO. â€Å"State Farm was number one in the personal auto insurance industry with a market share of 18% in 2006 and also the leading home insurer†. The follower is Allstate, the second largest player I both personal auto and homeowners’ industries with market shares of 11%-12% in each in 2006. Moreover, GEICO was the fourth largest personal auto insurer with a market share of 6.7% in the same year. The other threat Progressive face is changing rules and regulations. Insurance regulations vary considerably among different States of the United States. This varying regulation has great impact on the firm’s operation. For example, the Proportion 103 was passed on November 8, 1988 in California, which mandated rate cuts of 20% in 1989. Due to this Proportion, the company had to pay out $50 million to 260,000 policyholders. The benefit was seriously affected, along with the strong reduction of market share in California market. Increasing nature natural disasters is another threat that affects all insurance companies including Progressive. Natural disasters cause damage to both house and vehicle, which increases expense for the company. As predication, â€Å"major climate changes are likely to occur in the coming decades†. Therefore, insurers have a risk of facing with a trend toward higher losses due to more claims relating to natural disasters. Reduction in insurance rates and use of sophisticated data mining techniques are other threats to progressive. While insurance rates are softening, Progressive is determined to hold prices firm. This decision could make the customers get away to other insurers, whose rates are lower. â€Å"Everyone was using  sophisticated data mining techniques and focusing on better claim support†. This reduces the chance of being distinguished from other supp liers. III. Recommendations Innovation has historically proven to be a vital tool for progressive insurance. Therefore, the company should continue to put more weight on innovation. An innovation offers the company a chance to improve its products and services whereby it can gain competitive advantage over its competitors. Progressive should also invest money in advertising in order to increase customer awareness. Progressive already has a larger customer base, but if it wants to compete with the industry giants like Allstate and State Farm, it needs to invest more in advertisement to attract and engage more customers. Developing and expanding the company’s market in foreign countries is one-area progressive insurance needs to focus on if they are to reduce financial risks. Expanding the market in other countries enables progressive to maintain a stable finances in case the U.S economy goes down. Furthermore, progressive needs to work on new lines of products and services if they are to thrive in a highl y competitive industry. In addition, expanding business to other areas like providing financial services or home security systems provides Progressive Corporation with opportunity to diversify its income sources.

En Route Essay

D. C Scott’s poem, En Route describes the moment of stillness a train passenger observes as his train is unexpected halted on a train journey. This essay analyses the poem, exploring details of how the journey the passenger intended to take is interrupted, offering him an altogether unexpected journey, one which affords him an opportunity to see his surroundings in a new light. Within this essay I will explore the meaning of the title â€Å"en route† and consider the various meanings that can be attributed to this title as a result of the track followed by the passenger within the poem. The poem starts with an attention grabbing line, â€Å"The train has stopped for no apparent reason in the wilds†. The image presented is that of isolation, a passenger stuck in the middle of nowhere, with a sense of solitude and forbiddance. All around the now still train is further stillness. Winter has frozen the landscape in the same way in which the train has been stopped, â€Å"A frozen lake is level and fretted over†, â€Å"all so still†. The reader is provided with an image of stillness and serenity, the purpose of the train journey, its origin and its destination all become irrelevant and the reader instead becomes heavily involved in the here and now and what is happening in the landscape outside in which the train now sits is so still. The stoppage of the train allows the passenger to look beyond his immediate surroundings within the train to what is actually happening outside his carriage. The delicate and detailed language employed within the poem describes the world outside, â€Å"it seems a tiny landscape in the moonlight†. The landscape that, moments ago would have been a blurred image as the train rushed through, becomes a fascinating scene with multiple levels of life, detail and delicacy. Descriptive lines such as â€Å"wisps of shadows from the naked birches† and â€Å"one almost hears it twinkle as it thaws† provide the reader with a vivid sense of how the passenger is able to scrutinize every minute part of the landscape which surrounds him. These are all things that people generally do not have the time or opportunity to observe as they journey on route from one place to another. Whilst these images are perhaps real and part of nature and life, the passenger seems to perceive them as transitory, â€Å"they’re going fast where all impressions go†. He is preoccupied with his journey, a journey that he values in contrast to the scene he can see. The train represents real direction to him, a solid steel structure which is without emotion and sensuality is, ironically, of more meaning to him that these delicate images. The purity and honesty of the nature that he is afforded the opportunity to view in great detail is something that he sorrowfully perceives as meaningless, â€Å"On a frail substance- images like these, vagaries the unconscious mind receives†. The passenger is unable to change. He intends to carry on with the journey he started and, sadly, dismisses the intimate relationship between himself and the environment in which he lives. The title of the poem En Route has numerous meanings within this poem. The train is clearly en route from one place to another when it is stopped. The stoppage itself is ironic as the train is no longer â€Å"en route†; it is going nowhere at all. However, through the stoppage the passenger is transported from one place to another almost instantaneously. Whereas previously he would have been concerned with the immediate surroundings of his carriage, with the landscape perhaps whirling by quickly outside his window, he is now offered an opportunity to look beyond this, to real life outside his window. These views offer him another route, a possibility to acquaint himself with the real meaning of life. Although he momentarily observes this and appears to emphasize with it in some way, he eventually rejects it as being something that isn’t of real meaning. He instead chooses to continue on his intended route, leaving the reader with the sense that he is on the wrong tracks, failing to be fully appreciative of the images he can see.

Eleven Minutes

‘’Eleven minutes â€Å"– Paulo Coelho It took many years gruelling quest before I found author whose style of writing is natural and real. Paulo Coelho is my favorite writer and like nobody else knows a way how to grab my attention. He is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist. His books have been translated in 71 languages. Critics identify him with phenomenon of mass culture. He is rated among the best writers of all time. For me he became a true authority and I dare say that for many also.I read almost all his works but especially one exerted a huge impression on me. ‘’Eleven minutes’’ originally â€Å"Onze minutos† was published in 2003 in 39 languages and until 2005 sold in 6 million copies. It is one from this books which has a powerful magnetizing effect on me. The novel tells a story about young woman Maria, her beauty attracted to men. She lives in the Brazilian province. We meet her as a child who dreams of a prince from fai ry tale and a quiet house overlooking the sea. Her first innocent contacts with love leave her heartbroken.As a teenager she already knew what suffering is and was living in the belief that love brings only pain and is not worth to worry about. She is confident that will never find true, pure love. After graduating school she found a job in a store with fabrics. Owner fell in love with her but these unpleasant experiences from the past cause that she was only guided by a desire to hold money. This contributed to the fact that Maria has used him and then went to Brazil. There she met a rich guy who offered her a job as a dancer at a nightclub in Switzerland.Excited girl thought that the fortune had smiled upon her and this trip will help her make a career and earn the money she has always dreamed of. But Maria soon discovers that the work is different than she had imagined. The salary was low and working conditions below her expectations. Also, the employer was a completely different man. She decided not to give up because only her stubbornness could help her achieve the desired success. She entered into an affair with a rich Arab. She began to neglect her duties as a dancer, which led to job losses.Unfortunately, as it used to be in the life of Maria her lover dumped the girl and with this left another deep wound in her heart. This unpleasant experience cemented her belief that love is nothing. She wanted to become a model but she didn’t succeed it because the man who had to take care of her career turned out to be only a man seeking a woman for one night. Deprived of all hopes and dreams were not wondered long and with the adoption of a proposal from a stranger a part of Maria’s soul died. After that fateful night she has been meditating on her life.She could not go home with nothing therefore she decided to follow the path she chose. Maria borrowed many books about sex and bought clothes that seemed relevant to her profession. She began looking for work which proved to be very easy. After the first, actually the second night she didn’t feel like her, she hasn’t thought about it and started to do it automatically like someone who is devoid of all feelings. She tried to explain why she was doing but she couldn’t. Maria wanted to become the best in her profession to earn in the short time a lot of money.After six months she was unrivalled. She had high expectations of her customers which helped her keep respect for herself. She wanted only to survive the next 6 months and with a sizeable sum in the account return to Brazil where she will buy a small farm, animals and parents will take under her roof. She moved to a more comfortable dwelling and was careful to not fall in love. One day, when she had free afternoon went for a walk when she met a painter named Ralf Hart. Maria felt by him as the friend whom she had known for a long time.Girl for the first time told someone the whole truth because she felt s afe with him. At all meetings the man showed her true life reminded her that prostitution did not lead to anything besides money that has no value. Maria guided by an impulse decided to abandon the present life and return to the country. She did not intend to ask Ralf to go with her. She was grateful that he made that she was capable to love again. The end of her stay in Geneva was approaching. In two weeks, she had to leave Europe. She decided that the day before departure, she will say her lover about her plans.He tried to persuade her to not leave but she was adamant. Last night they spent together and then she went to the airport. All the time Maria believed that Ralf will show up at the last moment, like in the movies, take her in his arms and never let go. But that has not happened. When she flew to Paris, was still a lot of time until the next plane. She thought about it, or not spend one day in Paris, explore, contemplate about what had happened, but it turned out that the t icket does not allow for departure the next day.Suddenly she heard a voice. It was Ralf. He said that he had seen her at the airport in Geneva and flew to Paris to make her a surprise. She did not care about what will happen in the future, the present was the most important at this time. I stood before choosing to describe the entire book or just a fragment. I decided to describe everything not only a part because a whole novel and its message had a great influence on me. Novel’s language engages the attention – it is specific to the style of Coelho.On the one hand we find a metaphor, rich symbolism, subjectivity and emotion marked by language, which is perfectly adapted to the philosophical sense of the whole work. But this is not a reason to worry about because philosophical doesn’t mean something difficult. Coelho want to get closer to his readers, he isn’t inventing his own, an abstract style. On the contrary – often uses colloquial words and p hrases, so readers can easily identify with this book and its characters as human as he is. Even Maria is close to us – the script of her life could be a scenario, each of our lives.Her reflections are forcing the reader to his own reflection and try to answer questions like: what is for us sex nowadays? Or how much of our lives can change the case, for example the reading of boring books about the science in an exclusive cafe? These and other questions will also find the answer in the discussions of Mary with her customers, Ralf and the librarian. As I already mentioned the book contains many quotations. Especially one is impressive for me: â€Å"Everybody wants absolute love, and is not to be found in someone else, but in ourselves; we simply awaken it.But in order to do that, we need the other person. The universe only makes sense when we have someone to share our feelings with. † With these words comes a great moral, if we will be love ourselves with our shortcomin gs and weaknesses, we will be immensely happy. It's not about loving ourselves unconditionally and did not notice our own faults but try to work on them as far as possible and then keep a distance to ourselves. If we would satisfy our own needs then we will be able to love others, because each of us is dying for love, even if we try to defend against it.And I think that everyone has a moment in your life when he opens up for this feeling, it happens when we meet our true love. This book will inspire you to find the â€Å"light† that Ralf saw in Maria that she didn’t know she have. It awakens your senses and sensual side, allowing passion and love to take you to different heights. The novel not only shows us how to realize our dreams, but also how to follow your heart and love without being selfish because we cannot own anyone. Our love should be free as we want to be free. No words can talk about this book†¦. just wonderful.

Drugs among youth.3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Drugs among youth.3 - Essay Example ng, the methodology used by (Knyazev) is a good example because the research participants were asked to complete personality questionnaires in addition to different questions regarding their relationships with their family members and friends. Kirst, Erickson, and Strike (135) have demonstrated the characteristics of their research participants stratified by their gender. Similar approach can be adopted to stratify the characteristics of the research participants of this research by their age and gender. Hadland et al. (490) have presented the popularity of different kinds of drugs among the research participants belonging to different samples in the form of a graph. The same graph can be plotted for the causes of drug abuse and the different groups of research participants on the basis of their age and gender while presenting the results of this research. Since the data collected for this research will be analyzed and the results will be presented in the form of a blog post, tables, graphs, and charts will be used to present the results. Once the data has been collected from the research participants using the aforementioned tools, it will be analyzed with the help of SPSS Software. Recordings of the interviews priorly conducted with the research participants will be heard and their responses will be summarized under different headings, that would henceforth be referred to as variables. Using the software’s features, correlation among the variables will be found out. The variables will include both the responses of the research participants gained from the interviews and their characteristic features like age and gender as identified from the demographic survey. In addition to that, the relative importance index of the different causes of drug abuse will be identified. One the data has been analyzed, it will be presented in the form of a poster. The blog post will contain a chart showing research participants belonging to different age groups and genders, and

Spiritual Needs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Spiritual Needs - Assignment Example The results show that those who had frequent involvements in spiritual matters were significantly more likely to have longer, healthier lives. (McCullough, Hoyt, Larson, Koenig & Thoresen, 2000 ) Thesis - Of course any patient needs treatment for his illness, but this should be given as part of a holistic approach which includes an attempt to both assess and to meet his spiritual needs, whatever his particular faith stance and practice. In order to do this effectively it is necessary to be aware of particular spiritual needs. For this reason each patient should be assessed spiritually. A number of question s should be asked in order to arrive at the truth regarding an individual’s spiritual state. The answers then provide clues or pointers to what is required – does the person want to see a minister, to receive the Eucharist, or perhaps need space to put down a prayer mat if they are a Muslim.... Rather they provide an inclusive framework. They may not necessarily be addressed directly to the patient , but may be based upon observation, if for instance the patient has difficulty speaking or when there is a language barrier. They may for instance be wearing a cross or a Sikh steel bangle The questions do not include words specific to particular religious groups e.g .church, temple, synagogue, sacraments. It isn’t that these may not be used, but rather that it is necessary to establish first of all if the patient does belong to a particular faith ]tradition e.g. If they ‘I go to the Episcopalian church in my town.’ the care provider might go on to ask if anyone from the church know you are in hospital? Would you like us to let them know? If they say ‘I am a Muslim’ they can then be informed of any specifically Muslim provision such as a prayer room or told that they can use the day rom at particular times . b) My assessment of Michael R. Michael is a 45 year old gentleman whom I have come to know well over several weeks. He originally came into hospital with what he thought was simple chest infection, but was told within a few hours that he required a lung transplant, something he found to be devastating. Since that time his kidney function has deteriorated and he had a near fatal episode a few days ago. Date of interview most recent interview 27th July 2012 . Significant discoveries. Michael has a young child and, because he feels his illness is self-induced he feels a great deal of guilt about his more youthful follies such as street drug use which now prevent him from being with his child . He doesn’t want his daughter to see him in his present state. c) What went well? At first Michael pretended he didn’t want

Qatar and Bahrain Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Qatar and Bahrain - Research Paper Example The British had defined the national borders, but they did not demarcate most of these boundaries properly, which left prospects for conflict, particularly in regions that had the most expensive deposits of oil. In the Gulf, British- controlled forces saw to it that there was peace and order, and British officers settled local disputes. Nevertheless, this was not until the year 1971 when these influences as well as officials withdrew, resulting in the inception of suppressed ethnic hostilities as well as old territorial claims. The impetuous significance of boundaries in defining oil deposits’ ownership as well as the notion of the modern state that the European supremacy pioneered into the Gulf States stirred up heightened territorial disagreements (Library of Congress Country Studies, 1993). Introduction Boundary problems comprise one of a succession of dilemmas in the region of the Arabian Gulf. Moreover, they mirror tensions in the region. Amongst these problems, the confl icts between Qatari and Bahraini were the most serious. The source of this clash dates back to the nineteenth century when Great Britain fully controlled the Arabian Peninsula’s eastern region. This dispute affected the relationship between Qatar and Bahrain as well as threatened Gulf Cooperation Council’s existence (Karam, 2007). ... It has severally made them want to fight, and it has been an enduring problem not only for both emirates’ British protectorate but also for Saudi Arabia and Gulf Cooperation Council, endeavoring to maintain peace in the region (Theestimate.com, 2001). Although both parties concur with the fact that in the 18th century (prior to ousting the Iranians from Bahrain), the Arab clan of the Al Khalifa had inhabited Al Zubarah and that they inhabited Bahrain some years afterward, they differ regarding the prevailing subsequent legal circumstances. The Al Thani, Qatar’s ruling family, disputed strongly the claim by Al Khalifa to the ancient area of settlement presently in the hands of the Qatari over and above laying claim to the Hawar (inhabited by Bahraini) and neighboring islands, very close to Qatar mainland but over 20Kms from Bahrain (U.S. Department of State, 2012). According to Qatar, in the year 1937, Bahrain illegally and clandestinely occupied the Islands of Hawar. On the other hand, Bahrain insists that its leader was only carrying out legitimate works of exercising control in his own region. Qatar’s Ruler presented the British Government with protests through a letter dated May  10, 1938. He was protesting against what he referred to as Bahrain’s irregular action against Qatar and earlier in February  1938, he had already referred to this issue in Doha where he had a talk with the Political Agent to Britain in Bahrain. The British Political Agent later wrote Qatar’s Ruler on 20  May the same year, asking him to express his case on Hawar as soon as possible. The latter wrote back on 27  May  1938 and on 3  January  1939, Bahrain presented a counter-claim. Qatar’s Ruler then presented the British Political Agent with his

Art in humanities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art in humanities - Essay Example The resentment that Humanities should not form part of the tertiary curriculum and that it only deviates from the actual education of the students is as narrow-minded as it is dismissive. College is supposed to make a student employable, but it is also to mold a holistic person who appreciates the world around him. I have chosen to major in Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) primarily due to my interest in various forms of art. I have long been interested not only in the product of art but even more in the process of creating art. Clearly, the Humanities play a main factor in my chosen field. If anything, I can say that I have specifically chosen to be into art which is the very foundation of Humanities. I have not changed majors and this is not something that I have seriously contemplated. I have taken elective subjects such as Theater Art (TA) and also some drawing classes. One can say I may have taken the less beaten path by my choice of course but I chose it because it is something that interests me and I believe that I could have a future in it. Contrary to the stereotypical belief, I am certain that there are many classifications of jobs that I could decide to take on after I graduate and that they are viable, and also fulfilling, careers. Undeniably, I do consider that if it were up to my parents, they would have wanted me to focus on a more stable career such as one in the sciences or mathematics. No parent would want their children to suffer and endure the woes of unemployment or of poverty. But I do trust in my choices and my fascination with the arts has not wavered. My parents have remained supportive of my decisions and they trust my judgment as well as my talents and that is more than I could ever hope for from them. Humanities offer a wide perspective that enables one to understand more about the human life than they actually think. It allows students to develop a clearer

Your pick for THIS PROJECT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Your pick for THIS PROJECT - Assignment Example In 2008, we organized a two-week corporate tour for Barclays Bank employees. Egypt was their target destination and we are proud to announce that the trip was a success. The trip was intended to be an appraisal for outstanding performers and we were able to enable them to fulfill their dream. At Explorer Tours, we believe in offering the best value for money. Thus our cost policies are designed to cater to a wide range of customers who value our services. We enjoy outstanding collaboration with other established business partners such as hotels and airline companies and hence we are able to strike the best deals for our customers. At our company, you can find the best deals for beach holidays, all inclusive cruises, family holidays, corporate holidays and adult holidays. We also have special discounts for cooperates, return and referred customers. Our prices range from  £ 666 -  £200 per person depending on the destination and accommodation requirements. At explorer tours and travel, you will never go wrong with late booking, trip cancellation and occurrence of unfortunate events. Tours and travel is a risky venture and therefore we are concerned with the welfare of our customers. To facilitate smooth operations, we have partnered with Argos Travel Insurance Company. In addition, our contract requires us to assume full responsibility for our customers and their belongings. We value our customers and therefore we provide cover for trip cancellations and other insurable events. For more information on travel packages, offers, holiday destinations and adventure clubs visit our website at explorertours.com. Corporate clients are requested to be on the lookout for our upcoming team-building trip to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The website also has latest information on tours and travel and the trendy holiday destinations. Information on baggage allowance, online bookings, credits cards and advance payments is also available on the website. Testimonies and

Listening Log Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Listening Log - Essay Example Furthermore, it is beautiful to hear a single unaccompanied instrument, which really brings the focus down to the skill of the individual musician and the abilities of the instrument. The second piece is a piano piece entitled Adagio Sostenuto performed by Daniel Barenboim It is by enlarge soft and delicate. The perpetual melody of only three notes bring all of the other elements of the composition into incredibly sharp focus. This piece is also almost entirely in a minor key, underscoring a sad or somewhat mournful attitude. This is an amazing piece that I like quite a lot. One of the things I like about it is its huge amount and variety of textures, and rolling mini climaxes without that show that you can create a peak in music without going overly-loud or increasing tempo overly much. I also like that it is soft and delicate without being in any way tentative, every stroke is done with precision and determination, and even after a moment of hesitancy the stroke comes down in a pow erful way. The next song is the classic â€Å"Smooth Criminal† by the ever-famous (even posthumously) Michael Jackson. Its genre is, strictly speaking, pop. It is incredibly danceable, in a strict and somewhat predictable four-four time. It also has an incredibly catchy and single-able chorus. It incorporates a wide variety of influences, however. There are touches of proto industrial music in the percussion, which sound like they may be clanging on metal pans or the sides of a building. Furthermore, rap has a significant influence on the song, with its tersely spoken-word style narrative, as does funk through a wide use of synth and base. So while this is a pop song through and through, it has a wide variety of influences. This song is a really enjoyable one to listen to for a wide variety of reasons. Firstly, Michael Jackson has an incredibly interesting voice, which he layers and uses to great effect in this song. It also is a great representative of 1980s pop, almost over using synth while somehow being able to pull it off effectively at the last minute. This is a song by Cold Play. It is definitely a pop-rock song, falling into four-four time with emphasis on the two and four, though it interestingly has a base drum on every beat. Unlike many pop-rock songs, this forgoes traditional insturemenation, choosing to augment the classical base-guitar-vocalist-drummer set-up with at least a quartet of string instruments (the cello carries the melody for much of the song, but there are places one can definitely hear a viola and or a violin as well), along with a wide range of non-traditional (for the genre). I am indifferent to this song, because it does some things well but some things poorly. I think the choice of instrumentation is very interesting to listen to, and carry the song very well. The problem, however, is that I do not feel that the lyrics are very evocative, and fail to carry the song properly. The final song is â€Å"Back to Black† b y the gone-all-to-early Amy Winehouse. This is an incredibly interesting songs. By far the most important instrument in this composition is vocals, with Amy Winehouse providing a powerhouse performance. It also has a string section, a drum kit and possibly some horns kicking in the back, which all lead to a very layered and rich sound. This song harkens back to Motown Era R&B, with a heavy influence from soul.

Are pro athetes paid too much Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Are pro athetes paid too much - Essay Example It shall discuss this issue using evaluations published by experts on the topic; a thorough assessment of professional athletes’ salaries shall be made based on accepted standards in the field of economics and sports. Professional athletes are reportedly paid millions of dollars annually. Salaries of professional athletes from the NBA, MLB, NHL, and the NFL seem to increase per year and for each athlete. The latest figures from the 2007-2008 sports season reveal that Alex Rodriguez was paid $28 million; Jason Giambi, $24 million; Shaquille O’Neal, $21 million; Kevin Garnett, $23.8 million; Julius Peppers, $14.1 million; Carson Palmer, $13.5 million; Scott Gomez, $10 million; and Daniel Briere, $10 million (Gilmartin â€Å"Articles†). Based on 2002 statistics, basketball players have an annual salary of $2.2 million, with 220,000 as minimum starting salary; baseball players register an annual salary of $1.37 million with $109,000 as minimum starting salary; hockey players have an annual salary of $892,000 and 125,000 as minimum starting salary; and finally football players register an annual salary of $795,000 and 131,000 starting salary (Strategic Reading, p. 26). The figures above seem to be lopsided when they are compared or set side by side with annual salaries of teachers, police officers, fire fighters, or even doctors. Many critics weigh in on this issue as they evaluate the factors which contribute to such high salaries and whether or not such salaries are deserved. An article which dates back as far back as in the 1990s attempted to evaluate the issue by weighing in both sides of the argument. On one hand, it contends that professional athletes are worth their high salaries because sports consumerism drives or dictates the terms of this market. This article cites Larry Lundy, a sports marketing director at Walt Disney who contends that there is only a limited number of superstar

Private sector bank Essay Example for Free

Private sector bank Essay 1. Difference of recruitment Public sector banks recruit mainly through bank exams and public notices. Private banks, on the other hand, prefer campus placements and referrals. For entry level jobs too, private banks usually go through campus placements. You would seldom find a public notice issued by a private bank for recruitments. 2. Difference of vacancies Public sector banks go by the vacancy rules laid by the government. There is a certain portion of vacancies reserved for OBCs and SC/STs. There are no reservations in private sector banks. The reservations make it harder to find a job in a public sector bank. 3. Difference in growth One of the banes of public sector banks is slow growth. If you get recruited at the entry level in a public sector bank, you would take forever to reach the higher levels. There are certain rules for promotion and salary is fixed according the level you are working at. Promotions in public sector banks are usually not done on merit, but other criteria laid down by the government. On the other hand, growth can be fast and robust in a private sector bank job. In the private sector, you get promotions on merit, and if you are good, sky is the limit for you. 4. Difference in working environment Largely, the working environment of private and public sector banks is the same. However, private sector banks are largely more competitive than the public sector banks, although that situation is changing fast. In a private sector bank, you usually have to meet tough targets, and adhere to the deadlines. You could be working longer hours very often in private sector banks in order to meet your targets and deadlines. The environment is more relaxed in a public sector bank, but that by no means implies you do not have work in the public sector. 5. Difference in pay scale Largely, the pay scale in private and public sector banks is the same. However, according to recent studies done on the field, it has been seen that public sector banks pay more compared to private sector banks, when the working hours are taken into consideration. However, since the growth in public sector banks can be slow, the advantage of higher pay scale is usually negated. As for the question, whether to work in a private sector or a public sector bank, the difference between both the sectors is fast diminishing. If you have a choice, go for a bank that offers opportunities for growth, which could be a public sector bank or a private sector bank too.

Health Care Marketing Essay Example for Free

Health Care Marketing Essay The United States spends more than $4.2 billion annually as a resource to market in the direction of health care consumers. Advertisements consist of pharmaceuticals, alternative medicine, and in many cases, lawsuits as a result of alleged bad drugs. The two forms of marketing are direct to consumer advertising (DTCA) of medicines to treat a disease or illness, and direct advertisements reaching a more diverse populace of health care consumers requiring medication. Through the practice of print advertisements, television announcements, radio commercials, the far-reaching side effect of health care marketing is fast becoming an epidemic. My Opinion on Current Health Care Marketing Techniques While my opinion on health care is apparent, I also realize the ever-changing atmosphere and understand that with change come additional responsibilities. From first-hand accounts and voice-to-voice with family in the health care arena, I am doubtful that all possible improvements have been implemented. It is my desire to see a more established forefront to the real problems in health care. We have great potential in this country to improve the processes and services available to health care consumers. How I feel Current Marketing Techniques Are Affecting Consumers? Marketing techniques, in my opinion, often overstep the boundary of ethical behavior; more particularly regarding the use of pharmaceutical marketing techniques. I often wonder about the validity of claims made on behalf of pharmaceutical companies, providing vast amounts of information to an unrecognized audience. â€Å"A recent content analysis of 38 television commercials concluded that the emotional appeal overshadowed factual information about the drug: only 26% of commercials provided information about the causes of or risk factors for disease, and 19% suggested lifestyle changes as adjunctive treatments† Pharmaceutical Industry Profile 2007. This information has aided in forming an opinion about how techniques are often over-extended to reach a more diverse population, often with disregard to how this information is perceived by the audience. Conclusion I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this course. My hopes are to expand my understanding of the processes of health care marketing, learning all the facets of techniques, capabilities, and social responsibilities. References Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Pharmaceutical Industry Profile 2007. Washington, DC: PhRMA, 2007.

Benefits of Network Management Tools

Benefits of Network Management Tools 1. Introduction These are the various network management tools used by network manager to verify network connection, monitor network packets, analyse captured packets, troubleshoot network connectively failure, diagnosing network slow performance and identify source of incident in order to make the network available 24 hours seven days a week. 1.1 Benefits of Network Management Tools Network manager benefits from network monitoring tools in so many ways as described below Easy migration from old legacy application to new technologies For example when network administrator is migrating form a legacy IOS based application to LWAPP using Airwave Management Platform software tool for wireless network management, net work administrator is provided with centralized control for Wi-Fi networks where roaming data and information as well as historical data are kept as airwave gives a common platform to manage the devices. This is beneficial to the network manager because it makes it easy for migration from old legacy applications to new technologies and makes it easy to monitor the network usage all the time Quick identification of network or server failure when the server of a portion of the network is down, before users get to notice the failure network administrator receives a warm and rectified the fault and providing the network manager with means of monitoring and providing network availability round-the-clock. Using network-monitoring tool like ipMonitoring with attributes such as such as reporting, user tracking, access point configuration management and rogue AP discovery, network administrator is able to monitor any networked device on the corporate intranet and TCP/IP LAN and receive alerts immediately depending the administrators configuration of receiving alerts; this can be received through alarm, e-mail, or third-party software when a connection fails. Diagnosis and troubleshooting, Network monitor can be used to diagnose why the server computer is not communicating with the clients computers on the network on a local area network, for example network administrator can configure network monitor to capture all the frames on the network, this includes source and destination address of the computer sending and receiving frames, protocols used as well as part of message sent. Net work administrator analyses this information to locate the source of problem on the network and troubleshoots it. Checking for connectivity of a computer online for example using ping command to check if a computer is online helps network manager for example when user calls and said they can logon to networked computer to troubleshoot and diagnose the network manager uses ping to find out if the computer in on the network or not. This is beneficial to the administrator because it helps him to identify where the problem is originating. 1.2 Structure of management information Structure of management information is a network component used in network management which is used in simple network management; its main role is to define set of module identity, object type and notification type. Structure of management information shows how related managed objects such as object names, types of data that can be stored in an object and how its transmission over the network for example action done to retrieve vale of an object with codes 2. Use Datagram Protocol User datagram protocol is a transport layer protocol that is used to send packets to computers in networked environments. User Data Protocol has the following advantages over Transport Control Protocol Connectionless When communicating with two computers on the network, user data protocol doesnt negotiate connection between the two client computers but just transfers data as its received No Connection State User data protocol doesnt maintain and doesnt keep track of any parameters such as buffers sent, congestion control and rate which data is transfer for example when used in server environment, user data protocol is able to support more active clients if a particular application is run over it because it doesnt acknowledge packets being sent or received. Small packet header over head User data protocol has got a smaller header of 8bytes of overhead making it faster in transferring data Unregulated send rate, user data protocol doesnt have congested control mechanism and data is sent at rate, which it has been generated by the application in use for example taking into account the CPU, clock rate at the source of data. 2.1 Applications layer protocol used by User data protocols as Transport layer protocol Domain Name Service Is a database like that converts the computers fully qualified domain name that are easy to be remembers such as www.yahoo.com into IP address such as 201.171.25.0. 6 that are then used by computers to connect/ communicate with each other Steaming multimedia This is the continuous transfer of video, voice and digital data that is received and showed/displayed in real time for example podcast and webcast Routing protocol Routing protocol is used to determine which path to be used to sent/ transmit data packets across a network. 2.2 Reasons why UDP is preferred over TCP Domain Name Service User data protocol is preferred over transport control protocol because its used by DNS for name queries and because the information exchange between UDP and DNS is small in size for example the packet size sent through UDP is not greater than 512 bytes. Streaming multimedia Streaming multimedia its used by UDP because it compresses audio files in to small packets of data that makes it easy to transmit and continuously streaming and transmitting audio files whenever their audio data drops. This doesnt break or cause delay on audio broadcast. The streamed data is sent by the server application to the client application stores the stream data the then displays the data received in real time or playing the voice streamed files as soon as its buffered. Routing protocol On routing protocol, User data protocol is preferred because routing table updates are sent periodically and some of the data is lost a long the way and updates need to be resent so its up to date on network layer which is impossible with transport control protocol 2.3 Controversial use of UPD in multimedia applications The use of user data protocol for streaming multiple media application is controversial because user data protocol doesnt have congestion control which is much needed to prevent the network from going into a state in which less or no work can be done, for example if a users sends high bit rate video are sent without using congestion control, user will be unable to see the video messages because of the packet overflow at the router. 2.4 Adaptive congestion control scheme One scheme that would force the use of adaptive congestion control is real time communication scheme which has building reliability into applications that will force the use of congestion control, for example in mobile application where congestion control is built though the application run over user data protocol, it acknowledges and retransmit packets that get loss during transmission Applications that perform congestion control user the network more efficiently for example with bits rates being controlled, the network will not go into a state where it can not be used 2.5 Advantage of Adaptive congestion scheme Better performance of the network for example in the case of video when small bit are sent and controlled, the performance improves as the bandwidth will be enough to support bit rates It ensures that all packets sent reach destination 3. Exchange between Dhcp Server and Client Computers DHCP Server and Client Computers See Appendix (i) For clients to receive IP addresses from dhcp servers TCP/IP need to be con figured to get IP addressed automatically on the TCP/IP properties dialogue box. Dhcp client computers that are configured to obtain IP address automatically request and receive IP configuration upon booting the client computer. Dhcp clients get IP addresses and other configuration each time the client computers are started and join the network. Dhcp server assigns IP address to a client from a predefines scope for a given duration of time and if that duration expires the IP address is released to the scope and can be assigned to another client but if the duration is longer than the lease time, the client requests for and extension before the lease expires. 3.1 Router and Components A router is a device that connects one or more computer to create a network environment for example a modem. A router has the following major components Input port Is the point is direct connection for physical link and it is the point at which incoming packets enters the port. Input port provides functions such as performing the data link layer encapsulation and encapsulation, a route lookup and sending packets to output port via switching fabric as well as proving quality of service guarantees input port classify the in a predefined service level Output port Output ports stores packets that are forward via the switching fabric and transmits or schedule packets for service on an output link performing both the reverse data link and physical link functionality as done in input port Switching Fabric This connects input ports and output ports Routing processor Executes routing protocols, creates and forward routing tables which is used in packet forwarding and performs management functions within the router. 3.2 Internet Protocol version 4 Internet protocol version 4 is the protocol that is widely in use in most corporate networks and it uses network layer protocol and its used as internetwork layer protocol on the internet 3.3 Internet protocol version 6 Internet protocol version 6 is the update version of internet protocol version 4 with much more address space. Its mostly used on the internet bone in Asian countries. Protocol Structure of an IPV4 header See Appendix (i) Protocol Structure of an IPV6 header See Appendix (iii) Due to the depletion of internet protocol version four and lager routing tables, internet version 4 has been updated to version 6 that provides better security, more address space. This has made internet version 6 more advantageous in some ways as discussed below. Internet protocol version 6 address space 3.4 Advantages of internet version 6 Internet protocol version 6 has got more address space as compared to internet version 6 for example version 6 has got 128-bit address space which allows for flexible creation of multilevel, hierarchical and routing infrastructure which is not that possible with internet protocol version 4 Internet protocol version 6 has got in built security which is standard and mandate, its offered in all implementation and has no changes the application, for example security features such as authentication on packet signing , data encryption and end-to end DHCP, DNS and IPv6 mobility is provided for in security model. 4. Wired Equivalent Privacy WEP is the short term for Wired Equivalent Privacy for a security protocol used in wireless local area network that operates at a data link layer and has a security that can be turned of and on again as defined in 802.11b standards. This standard has been set by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering The main aim of Wireless Equivalent Privacy was to provide security via 802.1wireless network where data is sent from one end point to another. For example Key security features of WEP was meant to offer the following Confidentiality Wireless Equivalent Privacy is used to prevent data transmitted on the network from being eavesdropped by some whom the information is not meant to be communicated. Unauthorised access to wireless network Wireless Equivalent Privacy used to prevent unauthorised access to the network Data integrity, to prevent the alteration of data being transmitted 4.1 Advantages of Wired Equivalent Privacy WEP uses a 2.4 gigahertz radio frequency which provides clear signal for its lower than other frequencies and can travel through wall without affecting frequency. WEP is relatively cost effective for example the cost of a router and Wi-Fi card is normally below  £55 which makes it cost effective for both big corporations, and home users 4.2 Disadvantages of Wireless Equivalent Privacy Static encryption key which is used by all the devices on the network make it very easy for packets to be intercepted and crack what the key is making it very vulnerable to hackers. For example when a router is set up on the network, the encryption used by the router is then used by almost all the device on the network Weak keys made it easier for it to guessed and cracked when used at the access point Initialisation vector in WEP is also ways reused, for example if a user who connects with WEP to access wireless network uses the same key over and over changes, this key can easily be cracked WEP has its algorithms sent in plaintext which makes it a lot easier for key streams to be determined 4.3 Difference between WEP and WPA Wireless Equivalent Privacy standard 802.11 and Wireless Fidelity Protected Access are different in so many ways for example WEP uses 128bit with 24 integrity value, while WPA used 128 bite with a 48 bit integrity value. WPA has features such as Temporarily Key Integrity Protocol which dynamically changes the keys used for encryption while Key in WEP are static and is shared by all device on the network. The combined used of 48bit integrity values and TKIP, AES makes WPA more security strong as compared to WEP. Weak keys made it easier for it to guessed and cracked when used at the access point. Initialisation vector in WEP is also ways reused for example if a user who connects with WEP to access wireless network uses the same key over and over changes, this key can easily be cracked. WEP has its algorithms sent in plaintext which makes it a lot easier for key streams to be determined These weaknesses among others called for a better standard to be adopted which will provide wireless network with better security and this led to the improvement of 802.1 to WPA. 4.4 Wireless Fidelity Protected Access WPA stands for Wireless Fidelity Protected Access for local area network base on the specification of 802.11. This standard was designed to improve on the security weakness of Wired Equivalent Privacy. 4.5 Advantages of WPA WPA provides added authentication features to basic WEP which provides for stronger encryption mechanisms. The added features includes Advanced Encryption standards protocol as used in WPA2, Temporary key Integrity Protocol as used in WPA. When use in windows 2003 environment, WPA provides the strongest wireless security. WPA has back ward compatibility for older applications that use WEP this doesnt call for upgrade. The use of 802.1x Radius servers provides administrators with means of auditing and logging incidents. 4.6 Disadvantages of WPA The set up of the pre-shared key is difficult and it not beneficially to home users with less technical knowledge. It has more over head as compared to WPE. Its incompatible with pre 1998 windows operating systems and doesnt support older firmware. Its major fall is the denial of service attacks which can leave the whole network shutdown due to constant different keys that are generated and interpreted by the network as some kind of attack. 4.7 Comparing WPA and WEP features WPA has enhanced featured that is based on WEP standard. The features in WAP include temporarily key integrity protocol and 802.1 x. This features provides dynamic key integrity and mutual authentication to most wireless local area networks 48-bit initialisation vectors Like Wireless Equivalent Protocol, Temporal Key Integrity Protocol uses the RC4 stream cipher provided by RSA security for frame body decryption and CRC for each frame before transmission but the difference here is that WPA has added feature Temporal Key Integrity Protocol that uses a 48bit initialisation vectors that has reduced the re-use of initialisation vectors. This has brought about data confidentiality. While WEP encryption is based on 128bit with 24 integrity value, which means the keys are of smaller size and integrity value making it easy for hackers to crack the keys as the initialisation vector seeds to WEP algorithm coded, this feature has been enhanced by the 48 bit integrity vector in WPA. Data Encryption When data packets are sent, it encrypted separately with RC4 cipher stream, generated by b4 bit RC4 key, the key consist 24 bit initialisation vector Pre-Packet key Construction and Distribution WPA generates a new encryption key automatically for each client, for example WPA uses unique and different key for each 802.11 frames and avoid the use of same key as in WEP. This automatic key generation makes it impossible for WPA keys to be cracked by hackers While in WEP the same key is shares by all the devices on the network is static which means due it its unchanging nature, its a lot easy for the shared key to be modified Message Integrity codes The use of Michael prevents against attacks and forgeries, WPA uses a secrete 648bite authentication key that will be shared only between the source and destination where during the process of authentication tagging function takes place and message integrity code. For forgeries to be identified, the destination receiver inputs source into verification predicate and creates another tag code and it this both matches then the message is considerers authentic is created to detect bit flipping and changes to the source and destination. Unlike WEP that uses 4 byte integrity check value to the standard payload. The receiving client calculates the integrity check value and if the values do match then there is a chance that frames were not tempered with and in case data Counter mode/ CBC-MAC This is a data confidentiality protocol used for packet authentication and data encryption. For confidentiality for example CCMP uses the advanced encryption standards in counter mode and for encryption and data integrity CCMP deals with Cipher Blocking Chaining Message Authentication Code making this standard more secure as compared to WEP which has got no encryption mode EAP encapsulation over LAN, this is the key standard use n key exchange that is not used in WEP for example this protocol allows for a four way key handshake as well as a group key handshake while in WEP there is only a two way key handshake. The IEEE802.1x as used in WPA2 provided a sure means of authenticating and controlling user traffic to secure networks 5. A Disaster Recovery Plan Is the process of restoring access to the main business applications, data, hardware and software that is required to start the system operational, Disaster Recovery Plan provides information on how to handle information that may be lost or corrupted during the disaster as well as proving team leaders with procedures of restoring information and data. 5.1 Major steps in disaster recovery process Notification procedure This is the action taken by disaster team members as soon as emergency occurs. In the notification stage, systems can be restored functions on a limited basis. For example in a data centre when database team leader receives alert on his/her computer that a file within the database is corrupt, this alert can be sent to the team assessment team either automatically by the system or mailed to the assessment team to analyse the damage Analyse the extent of the damage The analysis of the damaged cause should be done as soon as possible to determine the level of damage to the applications for example if it a power outrage has occurred in the data centre, the analysis should be able to detailed the applications affected, origin of the incident, work areas that have been affected and if there is another source of power to run the database the this can be powered on for example in case there is UPS backup while further investigation in the outrage is carried Activation of the plan Depending on the damage cause by disaster and the out come of analysis, the disaster recovery team can make a decision to activate the plan. For example in the case of data centre if the entire database server is down, the team looks at the possible way that the system can be restored with a minimal time, planning for team communication procedures, then the respective team leaders will notify staff members about and start working on their respective tasks to restore the system as agreed by the team members. Execution stage Recovery process at this stage can be looked at under Sequence of Recover activities and Recovery procedures and depending on what has been defined in the data recovery plan for example in case of ordering database, this can be done manually while recovery process is done Sequence of Recovery activities Recover process should be carried out according the priority of each disaster and level of disaster damage from the results got from the analysis. For example if the database sever is recovered and this is the main critical business system, then this should be restored first before other servers and all the disaster recovery team should carried out the restoration process as in the disaster recovery plan,. If the business has to be transferred to another site then the critical files associated with the service has to be transferred depending on the plan. For example a plan to transport IT equipment and important data files. Recovery process This includes having access to the damaged IT equipment in case of the data centre this could database servers, corrupt files, informing users of the applications, getting backup if its not in house, restoring critical systems such operating systems, SQL database, testing the system before if goes operational and connecting the system on the network and informing uses of the application of the success of the restoration. Rebuilding process Ones the recovery process has been usefully, the disaster team recovery embarks on the process of transferring all the data recovered back to the original system, or may be totally system that can best support the functionality of data service being offered. The disaster recovery team will continue to monitor for any reoccurrence of incidents, make the necessary network and infrastructure connections, bring down the contingency system upon which the application was running and when the all system is stable the data centre staff can be able to use the original system after full restoration of data Update the disaster recovery plan If new procedures are find out during the process of recovery, it‘s updated on the recovery plan documentation which will be used again in case the same disaster occurs again 5.2Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan The IT business continuity and disaster recovery plan for the IT department that I currently work in seeks to deal with the how best to handle emergency in the event of disasters and how best to minimise risk of damage, provide emergency services and recover to normalcy of service operations The Business Continuity Institute defines business continuity planning as â€Å"A holistic management process that identifies potential impacts that threaten an organisation and provides a framework for building resilience with the capability for an effective response that safeguards the interests of its key stakeholders, reputation, brand and value creating activities† 5.3 Aims of Business Continuity Planning Preventing a disaster At the initial planning stage, the critical areas of service operation of Information Technology is identified, for example within the Information Technology department where I work, servers for crucial systems, hot sites and training of the disasters team leaders are laid down. This initial planning stage is carried out with the aim of minimising the impact of disasters on Information technology resources and services; this also ensures that the department is able to recover as fast as possible from a disaster. Continuity The procedure of running a Information services using minimum resources during a disaster, this prevents the organisation from being put out of services both internally and externally. For example running applications for only crucial systems to continue operation while recovery is on the process Recovery The procedures that are required to restore all systems and resources are identified. This helps in bring all the resources and system to full operation, for example backing up data from off site centre. 5.4 Contingency Plan activation The activation of the organisations IT service continuity plan can be started at any time. The decision of activating the plan will be the sole responsibility of Estates and Security department with the assistant of officer in charge and contingency plan can not be started without the instruction being issued by Estates and security department with assistance from the Officer in charge. In case emergency occurs during business working hours, members of disaster recovery team will be gathered and depending on the level and mature or damage the Information technology team will be contacted If the emergency occurs out of business working hours, security is required to call the head of security or his/her deputy who will get in touch with the disaster recovery team with the help of the officer in charge and then the decision to initiate the Information communication technology business continuity plan If the team leaders are not available in the event of the emergency the deputy will take the responsibility and in the event where both the team leader and deputy are not available, next person on the list takes responsibility. 5.5 Emergency Management Team Team leader: Head of information Technology department who is responsible for over seeing all the information system services Deputy team leader: Systems Manager Responsible for all the systems applications such as the servers, back up and liaison between the off sites third party centres Team member: Database Administrator Responsible for; Internal databases and well as internal sites Ensure that a domain account has been set up for the SQL services. The admin backup and standard jobs from SourceSafe InstallationSQL Server 2000 Customise the jobs to ensure that server names and paths are correct Team member: Information Technology Security officer Responsible for the security of the internal sites and well as blocking unsafe sites Team member: Network Engineer Responsible for network connectivity and test our network devices from within our network Run test network script using DOS command Test access to the web services -Use government secure intranet network PC or dial-up PC belonging to web team in OCPD to check connection to all websites -Use nslookup to connect to wb-dns1 internal to the organisation and check that website names can be resolved Test email -An email should be sent to [emailprotected] and echo. These should respond by sending an email back 5.6 Disaster Recovery Plan Is the process of restoring access to the important system data, hardware and software that is required to start the system operational, Disaster Recovery Plan provides information on how to handle information that may be lost or corrupted during the disaster as well as proving team leaders with procedures of restoring information and data. 5.7 The main Objectives of the Information Technology Recovery Team The Recovery Teams main duties/ task are to: Prevent damages to Information Communication Installations Decide the requirements of senior management for other Departmental Recovery Teams and work accordingly to meet the requirements. Carry out tasks that lead to the provision of restoring all Information Communication service to normality as started by the Recovery Team within the disaster constraints or limits. 5.8 Disaster Recovery Team Team leader: Head of Estates and Security Responsible for the safe of the building as well as staff and members of the public Deputy team leader: Site Contractor Responsible for building and central service Team member: Head of security Responsible for staff and public safety 5.9Recovery Site The recovery site will be informed by the Information Technology Departmental recovery team leader and the assistant by Disaster recovery Team in case the team leader is absent. The site is located about 3 miles a way from the organisation, In case of serious incidents, the site can be contacted by information recovery mobile phone. 6. Assumptions With regard to the following case scenarios below, the disaster recovery team can take actions base on case scenario that is relative to the real disaster. Its the organisations policy that when incidents occur, staffs are evacuated from the building and entry to the site is not permitted unless staff members are informed by head of Estates and Security. 6.1 Case Scenarios Building Non-disruptive These case scenarios may include: Disaster in the staff car park not affecting the building Gas licking the building basement Suspicious package found in the public lockers Building is partly destroyed Scenarios in this case may include: Flood affecting the whole building Apart of the sever room that supports site B of the building is partly destroyed A part of fame room in site A where frame cabinets E8a and E8b are located is partly destroyed. IT store room is also partly affected. Building is completely destroyed Scenario in this case is: Server Room on site A of the building including cabinets room E1 and E2 are completely destroyed. 6.2 Building Non-disruptive 6.3 Actions In these case scenarios, all the information technology equipment are not destroyed. The disruption did call for evacuation of staff for healthy and safe issues and as soon as the build is cleared safe, staff members will be allowed in and operations will resume. 6.4 Building is partly destroyed In these case scenarios, some IT equipment are affected partly, it may escalate to a major for example the part destruction of server room in site A and the cabinet room where E8a and E8a may cause staff on this site to loss access to network resources. Here nothing can be done till staff members are not allowed to enter the building. Ones members are allowed in the building, all the equipment in the area affected can the

Steriods in sports Essay example -- essays research papers

Steroids in Sports   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In my opinion, the initial reason a person starts to play any sport is to either to have fun or mainly to emulate their favorite sports figures. So many kids want to swing a bat like Barry Bonds, or rush the football like Jamal Lewis, or play soccer like Pelle’. When I was younger, I wanted to tackle like Lawrence Taylor. Since these children like to do what they see their role models do, what happens if they find out that their favorite person boosts his skills by using illegal substances? Since there are a lot of impressionable minds out there, some of those little fans may be swayed to do the same when they get the chance to. Steroids are addictive, just like marijuana or other illegal substances, and there are some well known athletes abusing them to get a quick â€Å"power up† instead of actually working hard to achieve muscle tone, or that extra intensity; that extra strength that they think they need. Steroids are seemingly displacing hard wor k in today’s sports world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I asked coach Wilson, my hometown football coach, about his opinion on steroids. â€Å"I’ve caught some boys taking steroids personally, and I think the main reason that it’s taken is competition. They usually do not know how to lose, and they will do almost anything to win.† When I asked him what could be done to improve on this problem, â€Å" Well the only thing that I can think of to sort of contain this problem is random testing for athletes.† â€Å"There is now a cream out that players do not have to inject into their blood stream, they just have to rub it on their skin, and it won’t show up in a blood test.† He went on to state that â€Å"In Highschool it’s pretty easy to point out most of the kids using.† â€Å"You can mainly tell by their attitude, and their size for a highschool student.† Also, he stated that â€Å"steroids don’t really make you better, I mean they don’t really increase your speed or agility, they just increase your intensity level, and make you bigger as far as muscles go, but it’s not worth it when you think about the risk those people take with their bodies.† Former baseball all-star, Jose Canseco had a book published, call â€Å"Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big.† This book pointed the finger at several players accusing them of steroid abuse. Miguel Tejada was among the p... ...kle, that maybe we would have won a game or two, but never did I think about using steroids for the â€Å"extra edge† that I thought I needed. I just used other methods of cheating, like tripping players, or holding players, or when there was a fumble, I would get under the pile and kick, and punch, and twist limbs. I cheated legally and we still did not win many games. I can not say that none of my teammates thought about using, but I do not think so, and from a personal locker room relationship with them, I do not think any of them used steroids while I was on the team. We lost our games honestly, â€Å"well sort of.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Steroids are â€Å"eating up† the sports world as we know it. Whether it is giving players who are already good, unfair advantages, or killing and or crippling steroid abusers for life. All major sports, from baseball to track and field are cracking down on the usage of steroids. There is not yet a way to completely stop it, but random testing, and psychological profiles can help contain the problem. Also the media should use discretion when reporting these problems on the news or in the newspapers, as they would when talking about other substances.

Stem Cells :: essays research papers

Photo courtesy University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Microscopic 10x view of a colony of embryonic stems cells (The stem cell colonies are the rounded, dense masses of cells.) Meriam-Webster defines stem cells as: an unspecialized cell that gives rise to differentiated cells. This means the can turn into any cells the body is in need of .Their almost limitless potential has made stem cells a significant focus of medical research. Imagine having the ability to return memory to an Alzheimer’s patient, replace skin that was lost during a terrible accident or enable a wheelchair-bound person to walk again. But before scientists can use stem cells for medical purposes, they must first learn how to harness their power. They can't treat disease until they learn how to manipulate stem cells to get them to develop into specific tissues or organs. A stem cell is essentially the building block of the human body. The stem cells inside an embryo will eventually give rise to every cell, organ and tissue in the fetus's body. Unlike a regular cell, which can only replicate to create more of its own kind of cell, a stem cell is pluripotent. When it divides, it can make any one of the 220 different cells in the human body. Stem cells also have the capability to self-renew -- they can reproduce themselves many times over. There are two types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells come from an embryo -- the mass of cells in the earliest stage of human development that, if implanted in a woman's womb, will eventually grow into a fetus. When the embryo is between three and five days old, it contains stem cells, which are busily working to create the various organs and tissues that will make up the fetus. Adults also have stem cells in the heart, brain, bone marrow, lungs and other organs. They are our built-in repair kits, regenerating cells damaged by disease, injury and everyday wear and tear. Adult stem cells were once believed to be more limited than stem cells, only giving rise to the same type of tissue from which they originated. But new research suggests that adult stem cells may have the potential to generate other types of cells, as well. For example, liver cells may be coaxed to produce insulin, which is normally made by the pancreas.

Challenger Disaster :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Challenger Disaster It was on January 28, 1986 at 11:38 A.M. that the shuttle Challenger, NASA flight 51-L, the twenty-fifth shuttle flight, took off. It was the "Teacher in Space" mission. At lift-off, the temperature at ground level was 36Â ° Fahrenheit, which was 15Â ° Fahrenheit cooler than any previous launch by NASA. It was the Challenger's tenth flight. Take-off had been delayed several times. Finally the shuttle had taken off. The shuttle had climbed high in the sky thirty-five seconds after take-off, and it was getting hit by strong winds. The on board computers were making continuous adjustments so the shuttle would stay on course. About eight miles in the air, about seventy-two seconds after take-off, people watched in fear and horror as the shuttle was engulfed by a huge fire ball. All the crew members were killed instantly. Engineers and scientists began trying to find what went wrong almost right away. They studied the film of the take-off. When they studied the film, they noticed a small jet of flame coming from inside the casing for one of the rocket boosters. The flame got bigger and bigger. It started to touch a strut that connected the booster to the big fuel tank attached to the space shuttle. About two or three seconds later, hydrogen began leaking from the gigantic fuel tank. About seventy-two seconds after take-off, the hydrogen caught on fire and the booster swung around. That punctured the fuel tank, which caused a big explosion. Even though people knew what had happened, they didn't know why it had happened. Gradually people found the answer. Here's why it happened: the rocket booster's casing was made in different sections. These sections were attached to each other and sealed together with o-rings-rubber rings. The o-rings were held in their places by the pressure of the hot gasses, which were from the rocket booster after it was ignited. On previous missions of the Challenger, the o-rings were found to be worn away by the hot gasses. The o-rings had been tested and the results had shown that the o-rings were a lot more likely to fail in cold or freezing weather. That was what happened on the cold morning of January 28, 1986. The people on board the shuttle on January 28, 1986 were Lieutenant Ellison Onizuka, an Air Force Officer; Commander Michael Smith, a Navy officer; Christa McAuliffe, a high-school teacher in New Hampshire; Dick Scobe, a Navy officer; Greg Jarvis, an engineer; Judy Resnik, an astronaut; and Ronald McNair, an astronaut.

Kenyon Commencement Speech Essay

David Foster Wallace brings a completely different approach to commencement speeches in his â€Å"Kenyon Commencement Speech.† He strays away from the typical commencement speech topics on â€Å"extraordinary wealth,† â€Å"comfort,† or â€Å"personal freedom† (208). Instead Wallace emphasizes the real value of a liberal arts education, which is learning â€Å"how to think† (199). When Wallace mentions â€Å"how to think† he is taking a different stance to the idea of education. He doesn’t feel education should revolve around the capacity to think, but rather â€Å"what to think about†(199). He is trying to influence his audience to think on a completely different level. He wants people not to see a glass half empty or half full but both. Wallace asks of his audience to think in more ways than one. These other levels of thinking go so much further than wealth, freedom, or comfort. Although these things are nice, they can simply be given to people. For instance, there are many wealthy, free, and comfortable citizens in countries like the United States where some people never think on the level they could. A true education is one that creates a level of thinking and understanding apart from oneself. Read more:  Good people David Wallace  essay Wallace emphasizes how people should choose to be conscientious of others, rather than oneself. He wants the audience, who is about to go out into the world and be the change, to stop and think, not of wealth or power, but rather of others. A number of people go though life and choose only to think selfishly of themselves. In the end, what good does this do? There is a default setting that exists within every human’s mind. Wallace chooses to address the unspoken parts of life including â€Å"boredom, routine, and petty frustration† in order to point out the default settings that occur within the mind (203). These less positive attitudes only exist within the mind, which can be altered. People have the power to control what they choose to think about. People can consciously choose to look at situations from other points of view that stray away from this default setting. In Wallace’s commencement speech, his goal is to influence people to not comfortably go through â€Å"life dead† or unconscious to the many marvelous people and things that surround them because those are the things that truly stretch a human being’s worth and meaning in life (203)

Explore the role of nature Essay

In the first three opening sections of â€Å"Tess of the D’Urbervilles†, nature plays many a significant role. It acts as a storytelling device, helping the plot of the story to move and develop; it acts as a mirror for Tess’ feelings and the feelings of others; it adds atmosphere to the plot itself. Most importantly, it plays a major role in Tess’ wellbeing, but this role is often thwarted by the actions of man and the actions of man’s Church – the two are often in conflict, and these sections often explore this. We first see Tess taking part in an activity, â€Å"clubwalking†, with many of her friends and surrounding neighbours. All the people taking part are women, and it is a very simple activity; it is only them and the surrounding nature. This suggests that they share a harmony with their surroundings, and also that it is very feminine and pure, much like Tess at the beginning of the novel. As Tess emerges from this, we associate nature with her almost immediately. Angel also appears from this setting, with his two brothers, and he seems more connected with nature than he does with their religion. His brothers seem uptight and stuffy – â€Å"dancing with a troop of country hoydens! † being an indication of this – whilst he seems more carefree and willing to interact. In this way, Tess and Angel are instantly connected for the reader, and nature appears to shelter and protect them. However, Angel chooses another girl to dance with, marring the experience and implying that there is more to the situation; perhaps they are not so perfect. It implys that where nature creates a situation, man can often disrupt it, through their actions and religion. It therefore acts as a device for dramatic irony and foreshadows further events in the book. The death of the family horse, one of the more important contributors to Tess’ decision to work for the d’Urbervilles, is caused by both nature and man. Tess falls asleep during her coach ride, and nature fails to keep her awake. It could be argued that it was enticing her to go to sleep, and therefore was a main conspirator against her. However, a man kills her horse (â€Å"the morning mailcart†¦ had driven into her slow and unlighted equipage†). The death of her horse is a combination of the two, and it seems as though nature is working with man to contribute to her ruin, although it may also be looked on as nature trying to protect her and, again, man disrupting it – the two forces work against each other. Tess’ family had already raised the idea of her going to work for an old family (although Tess was against this – when her younger brother questioned her on it she burst out â€Å"never mind that now! â€Å") but this new factor makes Tess think that she is responsible and must therefore help her family in their time of need. She has no choice in the matter; nature and fate, it seems has decided it for her – â€Å"she had hoped to become a teacher at the school, but the fates seemed to decide otherwise. † It suggests that nature has carved out its own path for Tess. Due to the death of the horse, and at the persuasion of her family, Tess leaves for Trantridge. She plans to gain work from the D’Urbervilles that live there. As readers, we are informed that they are not real D’Urbervilles like Tess and her family; the father in the family, Simon Stoke, bought the name once he had made his money from being a merchant, in order to appear more grand to the rest of society – they are not natural D’Urbervilles, and Tess has been tricked. This is an example of man meddling with nature – nature did not give them that name and they are therefore imposters. Trantridge itself, the house where the Stoke-D’Urbevilles like, seems out of place with the surrounding nature; it is described as â€Å"of recent erection†¦ of the†¦ rich red colour that formed such a contrast with the evergreens†¦ â€Å". It is far more modern and different from its surrounding and therefore appears almost sinister – Nature did not intend for it to be there. Tess is assigned to work on the â€Å"fancy farm† belonging to the D’Urbervilles. This small poultry farm seems unnecessary and frivolous, and is not needed in nature’s scheme – it is merely the whim of man, much as Tess is for Alec in the novel. In this way, nature and its parts act as a mimic for the story. When Alec D’Urberville first meets Tess, he immediately begins to seduce her. He feeds her strawberries – one of nature’s most seductive fruits, due to its rich red colour – and is riveted by the form that nature has given her. In this way, nature unwittingly works against Tess; by making her â€Å"appear more of a woman than she already was†, it has caused Alec to be immensely attracted to her. However, during the cart ride from her family home to his, when he has attempted to kiss her and she has dismounted under the pretences of saving her hat, he tries to use nature against her by hemming her in with his cart against the fence. She, however, uses nature to save her and talks to him â€Å"from the top of the hedge into which she had scrambled† – nature assists her here. Just before Tess’ rape, the descriptions of wood are dark and unforgiving, with â€Å"webs of vapour† forming â€Å"veils against the trees†. Nature shows its darker side, and indicates what is about to happen. What happens to Tess, however, is a vital part of Nature – perhaps nature assumes it is helping her in this way. It could be argued that nature here is working against Tess to set the next events in motion, or that nature is giving her a form of gift – sex and pregnancy is widely regarded as nature’s highest privelege. Human religion and attitudes, however, view it as a sin. The Church is in conflict with nature’s ideas here that these acts are a vital part of life and therefore later outcasts Tess – the slogans painted on the fences around Marlott such as the beginning of â€Å"thou shalt not commit adultery† emphasise this in our minds. Alec’s attitude towards Tess after, when she leaves, suggest that he feels that it was Tess’ fault, for being so beautiful and irresistible to him; in reality, that is the fault of nature. Once she has left Alec’s house, Tess feels she has discovered the true meaning of nature to her; â€Å"the serpent hisses where the sweet bird sings†. This phallic imagery shares a link to Troy’s sword in Far From the Madding Crowd, another popular book by Thomas Hardy – for them both, nature leads them to men, men lead to their heartaches. To Tess, nature has exposed its dark underbelly and she feels robbed of natural beauty; what has happened to her, however, is a natural act, but in the eyes of man and the church, it is an unforgivable sin. This is empahasised in â€Å"She had been made to break an accepted social law, but no law known to the environmet in which she fancied herself such an anomaly. † When we meet Tess again, after a period of time has passed, we see her working in the local fields. The women working are described as â€Å"assimilated† with the fields – nature wishes to protect them. However, when Tess works, she â€Å"bleeds† from the â€Å"stubble† on the corn; nature appears to be punishing her, or she punishes herself by working herself too hard. It is then revealed that Tess has a newborn baby, which is widely regarded as the greatest gift Nature offers. For Tess, and for man, however, this separates her from them – she has sinned in their eyes; she still cannot resist pull of motherhood though, and her feelings for her baby are mixed and confused. Once she has decided she loves her child, nature takes it back when it dies from illness. The Church adds suffering for Tess when they refuse to bury it on concecrated ground; nature and the Church work together to upset Tess. Nature, at least, takes it from its suffering that it would have faced from mankind; the baby would never have been properly accepted. When Tess goes to work in Richard Crick’s dairy, we see the idyllic side of nature once more. Here, nature mirrors Tess’ feelings and attitude – there is a â€Å"change in the quality of air from heavy to light†, and we feel that the nature in the Valley of Great Dairies is far lighter and carefree for Tess; it will become her salvation for a time being, as nobody knows of her past here. She feels a connection with nature, and we have a sense that Tess is nature’s child – she belongs to it far more than she does to man’s Church. Nature saves her from herself, and the hard work with nature grants her peace. It also serves as an escape from Church, and has granted her this opportunity either as an apology or to set her up for more heartache. At the dairy, she is reunited with Angel Clare, a figure we haven’t seen since the opening chapters of the book. His description as a â€Å"figure rising out of the past†¦ and a mobility of mouth†¦ with an unexpectedly firm close of the lower lip† gives us an idea of his character – nature has given him a look with compliments his personality. His mouth gives an indication that, although he is open to ideas, he can be â€Å"unexpectedly firm† in his ideals, a slightly chilling prediction of the events to come. Tess’ mouth, by contrast, is described firstly as a â€Å"mobile peony mouth†; like her, it is full and beautiful, and also everchanging. Nature presents Tess to Angel as a â€Å"fresh and virginal daughter of Nature† -although her past contradicts this ideal, Angel regards her image as perfect in every way. Nature could be seen as tricking him or trying to make amends and improve Tess’ life. However, with the latter, the Church seems to oppose these ideas, and this is the cause of her heartache – man’s inability to work with nature. In the romance of Angel Clare and Tess, nature tries to help them come together, with romantic settings such as a â€Å"violet and pink dawn†. There is the incident with the butter tasting like garlic, forcing Angel and Tess to work together on the mead, and the butter not churning properly (which, according to the dairyman, happens only when love is affecting it, although the story he tells is far more similar to that of Tess and Alec than that of Tess and Angel.) There is, too, the rising rain before church that seems to force them to come together, and although Angel has to carry â€Å"Three Leahs to get one Rachel†, he feels as though the trial was worth it for a moment with Tess. However, when they finally embrace while Tess is milking, the cow reacts unfavourably – perhaps nature has realised what the consequences of its actions may be and is therefore trying to stop the romance. In this way, nature still tries to look out for Tess – it is very much a mother figure to her.