Comparing and Contrasting Thomas Hobbes and John Locke Essay

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were two of the great political theorists of their time. They both provided wonderful philosophical texts on how our government should govern us. This paper will show the largest differences and some of the similarities between Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan and John Locke’s Second Treatise on Civil Government. Although they do have some similarities, Hobbes and Locke have different views on most of their political arguments, and I will expand on their differences on the state of nature, government, and social contract. Hobbes’ view of the state of nature and Locke’s view of the state of nature offer remarkable differences. Hobbes believed people act on their own self-interest, and they would go to any extreme to help themselves. He believed we are always in competition with each other for the best food, shelter, money, and so on. Hobbes believed the best way to protect citizens would be to have a sovereign that is intimidating and all-powerful. The view Locke had on the state of nature is conceptually different. Locke’s view of the state of nature says that humans have limits as to what we should or should not do, but he believed that humans are generally nice to one another, and we will not bother one another. Therefore, in Locke’s state of nature, humans are peaceful. Hobbes, however, believes that humans live in a state of war and fight with each other constantly. Hobbes and Locke did not have many of the same views on government. Though it is not directly stated in his text, most historians believe Hobbes was a supporter of absolute monarchy. He believed the government should have absolute authority over all the citizens. He believed if such a government did not exist, we would live in a world of turmoil. The sovereign (government) has the obligation of keeping the peace and, when need be, national defense. The sovereign establishes all the laws, and has complete legislative, judicial, and executive authority. Locke’s view of government is very different from Hobbes’. Locke believes  people should have a say in government, and Hobbes would disagree with this statement. Hobbes believes that the sovereign should own all the land, but Locke believes that property is private–God gave us this property, and we should use and enjoy it. Locke is also a supporter of the market economy. He believes that when one invests his own labor, whatever he makes should become his own private property. Government is very much linked with Hobbes’ and Locke’s views on social contract. Social contract binds the people and the government together. Hobbes thinks that citizens should relinquish all of their rights to the sovereign, because the sovereign knows what is best for them. Theoretically, in Hobbes’ view, there actually is no contract, because the citizens have no rights. His view of social contract is more like a covenant. The only time the citizens can say â€Å"no† to a sovereign is when the sovereign threatens self-preservation. For example, citizens may be interrogated for a crime, but they do not have to confess. Locke’s view of social contract is fundamentally different from that of Hobbes–his view is not as well defined. Locke believes a social contract is an agreement made between citizens who institute a government to prevent people from occasionally violating the natural laws. Locke believes the contract between the people and the government should be conditional. For the government to have the obedience and loyalty of the citizens, the government must perform certain functions and act appropriately. Although they have several differences, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke do share some of the same beliefs. Both Hobbes and Locke were passionate about politics, and they both wanted to promote the common good. Both theorists believed in the state and laws of nature; they just had different interpretations of it. Also, both Hobbes and Locke both believed that people are free and equal in the state of nature. Hobbes and Locke both believed that the primary purpose of the government is to protect people. However, if the government does not protect the citizens, the citizens can revolt and go against or above the sovereign. The most important similarity between Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, however, is that their works were influential in  shaping people and government in regards to how a society should operate. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were the two most influential political theorists of their time. However, they had opposing views on almost every political issue. Their theories stem from their dissenting opinions about who should be the center of government: Hobbes believed there should be a monarch, while Locke supported Parliament. Examples of both men’s thoughts and opinions can be found throughout history. France and some other European countries sided with Hobbes and had absolute monarchies, while England and later the American Revolution used Locke’s thoughts in developing their governments. Hobbes and Locke wrote about and educated the citizens about the two extremes of running governments, and their opinions were so valuable that we still study them today, hence this paper.

Baidu SWOT analysis Essay

Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) – Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review provides you an in-depth strategic SWOT analysis of the company’s businesses and operations. The profile has been compiled by GlobalData to bring to you a clear and an unbiased view of the company’s key strengths and weaknesses and the potential opportunities and threats. The profile helps you formulate strategies that augment your business by enabling you to understand your partners, customers and competitors better. The profile contains critical company information including: – Business description – A detailed description of the company’s operations and business divisions. – Corporate strategy – Analyst’s summarization of the company’s business strategy. – SWOT Analysis – A detailed analysis of the company’s strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. – Company history – Progression of key events associated w ith the company. – Major products and services – A list of major products, services and brands of the company. – Key competitors – A list of key competitors to the company. – Key employees – A list of the key executives of the company. – Executive biographies – A brief summary of the executives’ employment history. – Key operational heads – A list of personnel heading key departments/functions. – Important locations and subsidiaries – A list and contact details of key locations and subsidiaries of the company. – Detailed financial ratios for the past five years – The latest financial ratios derived from the annual financial statements published by the company with 5 years history. – Interim ratios for the last five interim periods – The latest financial ratios derived from the quarterly/semiannual financial statements published by the company for 5 interims history. Highlights Baidu, Inc. (Baidu), formerly Baidu.com, Inc., is a Chinese-language Internet search provider. It offers Chinese -language search engine, and focuses on  online marketing operations. The company also offers Baidu Union, a network of third-party websites and software applications. Baidu designs and delivers online marketing services to its P4P customer base, which demands Baidu’s customized online marketing solutions. The company offers its products and services through a network of computers running on customized software developed in-house. The company’s technology list includes Web Search Technology, P4P Technology, Targetizement Technology and Large-Scale Systems Technology. Baidu, Inc. Key Recent Developments Jul 26, 2012: Baidu-I2R Research Centre Officially Opens In Singapore Key benefits of buying this profile include: You get detailed information about the company and its operations to identify potential customers and suppliers. – The profile analyzes the company’s business structure, operations, major products and services, prospects, locations and subsidiaries, key executives and their biographies and key competitors. Understand and respond to your competitors’ business structure and strategies, and capitalize on their weaknesses. Stay up to date on the major developments affecting the company. – The company’s core strengths and weaknesses and areas of development or decline are analyzed and presented in the profile objectively. Recent developments in the company covered in the profile help you track important events. Equip yourself with information that enables you to sharpen your strategies and transform your operations profitably. – Opportunities that the company can explore and exploit are sized up and its growth potential assessed in the profile. Competitive and/or technological threats are highlighted. Scout for potential investments and acquisition targets, with detailed insight into the companies’ strategic, financial and operational performance. – Financial ratio presented for major public companies in the profile include the revenue trends, profitability, growth, margins and returns, liquidity and leverage, financial position and efficiency ratios. Gain key insights into the company for academic or business research. – Key elements such as  SWOT analysis, corporate strategy and financial ratios and charts are incorporated in the profile to assist your academic or business research needs. Note: Some sections may be missing if data is unavailable for the company

Homeschool vs Public School Essay

In this paper I plan on describing education and how it has shaped me. How education effects everyone depending on their situation, whether they are rich, poor, white, black, healthy , or disable . There is a type of education for everybody. In all three essays the authors taught us through the characters they used, the hardships and discrimination that they insured trying to seek an education if they were not considered in the right classification in society. They have taught us that nothing can stop us and we can reach to the stars for anything we want to do as long as we  have the will power. As you read my essay you will see some of my own mothers hardships that she went through for us so we could get a good education. The essay tells you how you should go about to choose your education too. It proved in the essay â€Å"Finishing School† by Maya Angelou, how hard it was to be poor and black and get an education or be recognized in society. Even though her Mistress tried to dishonor her by changing her name and disgracing her in front of her friends Angelou had no intention on standing still for it. She might be black but she was not to be put down . She was just as smart or smarter as her mistress as far as she was concerned and no one had any right black or white , rich or poor to discriminate or change anything about her. This was a lesson Angelou taught us to do standing up for ourselves no matter how hard it may be Our education is well worth it and so are we. In the essay â€Å"Indian Education† by Sherman Alexie, he had it hard on the reservation. First he was picked on in school by his peers,,which is something a lot of us go through. As he got older he turned the tables and went through many hardships in his education. Finally to succeed and going to public school. He had to change his ways and get a proper education in order to become something in life. Alexie learned from discrimination and peer pressure. He learned what he had to do to make his life better and how to improve it . All the hardships Alexie, Angelou and Smith-Yackel went through did not stop any of them, they kept going and that is what is I think what makes our education the same Teachers have a way with teaching as told in the essay The Banking â€Å"Concept of Education â€Å"by Paulo Concept of Education (Home School vs. Public School 3 Friere. As told in the essay Friere points out how â€Å"Four times Four is Sixteen† can just be words unless put to use by the student . It is not just up to the teacher to teach us but up to us to take in what the teacher is trying to teach us. However, at the same time it goes without saying if a teacher knows only one way of teaching which may be memorization then that may be the only way a student can learn . So as student I think it is up to us to learn as much as we can. The teacher can only do so much, we have to do the rest . I think that is what Friere is also trying to point out to us. It is not only up to the teacher but up to us as the student too. The essay written by Bonnie Smith-Yackel â€Å"My Mother Never Worked†, is the one that really touched my heart the most. This is my favorite one. My mother was like Martha in many ways. Although my mother had epilepsy all of her life she volunteered to do everything for everyone. My mom was on disability but did not let that keep her down. It was society that tried to keep her, down but she refused to let them hold her back. She was a stay at home mom and did everything for us . She babysat for neighbors, friends and family. She was there at a moment’s notice if anyone had a sick child and needed her. She was a wonderful mother and wife. She went to college for child development and got her associates degree. When we started school she went to school with us every day and volunteered from eight in the morning till we got out of school each day. My moms dream was to be a teacher but because of epilepsy and disability she could not. She could still volunteer though but not get paid for her services. This did not bother my mom. To her she was still fulfilling her job as a teacher. When I was a child I went to public school. I learned a lot while in elementary school and some of middle school. As I got older I cared less about my education and more about fitting in. I grew up in Michigan and went to school there until the middle of the eighth grade. Starting in about the seventh grade school started being more about who was more popular and who likes who, or look at those cheap shoes that girl is wearing. For me I was more concerned about being cool and Concept of Education (Home School vs. Public School) 4 fitting in, than caring about my education. In the middle of eighth grade my family moved to Arkansas. This was very hard on me. I missed my friends very much and didn’t want to start a new school. My grades did improve for a while, but that was only because I didn’t have any friends to focus my attention on. I focused more on my school work. However this did not last long. I didn’t fit in because it was a very small town and I was a shy kid. I then started skipping school. When my mom found out she decided to put me in home school. Education was important to her and my dad. She always wanted to make sure I succeeded in life She got me up every morning just like as if I was going to school. I had the same hours as any other student in public school. My vacations were based around the public school. If the public school had a snow day or holiday I was allowed to have that day off. Home school was good for me because I had one on one teaching which I did not have in the public school. I needed that because of me being so shy and at times I would not raise my hand if I had questions. In home school I had my mom and dad to help me. I could focus better on my school work because I was not distracted or afraid of not getting anything done . I had hands on  learning with my mom, and my dad incorporated projects to go with her lessons. I remember my dad and making a computer out of sugar cubes and Styrofoam , volcano, castles out of toilet paper rolls and a lot of other projects. I was never really good in English although believe it or not my mom was very good . My mom taught me the basics of school work, while my dad taught me about cars , how to plant a garden, and taking care of animals such as pigs, chickens, cows. We had a garden with fruits and vegetables, I learned to cook for large family. I was in FFA and I won the BBQ chicken semi- finals. I learned how to live in society. I worked and had a job too. My mom taught me much more then what you can learn in a book . She taught me lives lessons just like Martha taught her children in My Mother Never Worked. She gave me the skills I needed. I learned to use those skills and so here I am today working at Lakeland Hospital now for 10 years Concept of Education (Home School vs. Public School) 5 and finally going to college and studying for a nursing Career. Audience Analysis With education comes how we the parent, teacher and student will educate or be educated. One of the toughest decisions that you’re going to face as a parent is that you’re going to have to decide where to send your kids to school. However, most parents at least consider the choice to choose either private school, home school or public school. You as a parent can weigh the options of what you think would be better for you and your child’s education. To do this you and your child might want to weight the factors that play a part in the pros and cons of public school and home school and what is best for you and your child. As a parent you may feel that public  schools have too many peer problems. Kids may argue with peers or pick up bad habits in public schools. There are so many children to one teacher it is hard to give one on one to the child that is quiet and needs help but won’t ask and they get lost in the school system. Your child may have health issues, like diabetes or other disabilities therefore when lunchtime comes it is hard for your child if he or she has diabetes or foods he or she can not have and is forced to eat what there or just take a sandwich from home and be the outsider. As a parent or student you need to weigh what is  best for the both of you. Home schooling may be the answer in this case. Home schooling is a great way to bring a family closer together, but you have to make sure your kids (and you) are getting the social interaction they need. You can set a school schedule that suits your family, travel together when it’s best for all of you and enjoy more family and life together. You also need to make sure you have the type of relationship with your child to listen to instruction from you as a teacher instead to a parent, You as a parent have the option to teach your child anything  from bible (which most public schools do not allow) to the basics school book skills to life skills. As a working parent public school is probably better . Transportation is provided, so there is no need Concept of Education (Home School vs. Public School) 6 to worry about having a car. School buses will pick up your child to and from school. For some parents the choice is easy because of the funds and the availability of the parent’s time. Public schools provide the kids with an opportunity to great activities , this is important to many of you as parents and as students . Many of you want your children in activities and  think this is important. Public school gives you this option , so this you might want to take into consideration also. All around development is easier in public schools. If you are worried about feeding your child at school and you are low income, they have low cost or free breakfast and lunches for your child too. So basically it is up to you on the education of your children. There are pros and cons. In Conclusion: Some kids do best when they are able to combine different options to complete their education. In order to choose the right type of school, you need to weigh all of the options  open to you. My sister Amy went and graduated from public school with honors. My sister Christal received a GED. , she choose to work. School was hard for her. I have an adopted sister Janice who was in special ed , she went to public school but was in special classes and received a special diploma . Now days you can do both of two worlds my sister (Chasity) has PCOS and Diabetes which made her miss a lot of school so she is doing through Coloma High School , a Coloma Virtual Academy which is a home school but works with the public school too. . She goes  to school to pick classes, participates if she wishes, can graduate with her class, but her Doctors appointment’s and her health problems will no longer prevent her from her education. So my mom is home schooling her in a different way than she did me. They made a different choice of education for her. They both were good choices but for different reasons. That is why you should look into the situation before deciding what to do. As a parent your child is not the same as anyone else so they may require a different type of education just like my sisters and I did. It is you and your child’s choice.

Should the government provide free public education to children of Essay - 3

Should the government provide free public education to children of illegal immigrants - Essay Example Arguments for Educating †¢ Moral justification since the children are underage and did not choose to be illegals †¢ Criminal potential; uneducated immigrants might become criminals in future †¢ The American dream, America should welcome those who are projected for fighting for its ideologies in their countries such as democracy †¢ Economic Social and Educational Value, immigrants can play a role in the developing the country as teachers or business people IV. Conclusion †¢ Educating of immigrants children has both positive and negative impacts †¢ The position of Americans on the issue has softened over time †¢ These children should be given a chance at a better future Four hundred years ago, America welcomed visitors and immigrants from all over the world, with the passage of time, generations of these people and their descendants became the citizens of the United States. However, of late, immigration has become thorny topic and the American borders are no longer open to all due to a myriad of demographic and security issues. For one to become a citizen, there is a long process to be followed, and few people have the patience or the means to follow this up. Despite the legal restrictions, America is still, in the eyes of many people a haven of prosperity and security, and this has resulted to illegal immigrants who cross over the border through either land or sea to try their luck in the states. President Obama through the Dream act gave immigrant’s children who have been brought up in America a chance to pursue their education, which was previously impossible due to legal restrictions (Orchowski, 2010). This has elicited a myriad of reactions from different quarters with some agreeing, but many set against this move. This paper is will discuss the two sides of the argument and attempt to argue out that the children of immigrants should be given a chance at an education in the United States. Americans opposing this ofte n have come up with several arguments to support their position; they include claiming that; allowing the children of these immigrants access to public education in America is self-defeating. This is because it implies that the American government is using taxpayer’s money to fund the US border patrol to keep out illegal immigrants, while at the same time educating their children from the same coffers. They argue that the education of immigrant’s children will drive up the taxes especially in view if the fact that their parents, who have no social security numbers, do not pay taxes, as such it is the taxpayer who will bear the whole burden. In addition, another argument is that the education of illegal immigrants is a slap in the face of those legal migrants who have worked hard and paid the taxes. Besides, immigrants might be an encouragement to come to the country purposefully, so that they can get an education hence, in the end, they will spur more immigrants to com e over escalating the illegal immigrants problems. To mitigate this, the Dream act covers only the children who had been in America before it was enacted, but admittedly, it will be hard to ensure it will not encourage future immigrants to cross over illegally. While one must concede that these arguments are valid largely, they do not tell the whole story; neither do they represent all the variables that arise when an immigrant’s child is educated in the states. At the need of the day, it is essential one considers the advantages of

Problems at Perrie Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Problems at Perrie - Research Paper Example Indeed the company has witnessed an economic downturn with the dwindling of the sales and resuscitation from this economic downturn requires the company to respond to the imminent business disruptions by promptly responding to change. The need of the hour is a viable change management that calls for an apt handling of the shifting consumer preferences, influx of enhanced competition and economic downturn in a way that steers the organization from the immediate state to a desired future situation. No wonder the employees are evincing some typical reactions to change. First and foremost the employees are interpreting change in correlation to the direct impact it will have on their earnings and job security. Besides, a call for change by the management is making employees angry and quiet resistant to change. The employees being comfortable with the hitherto business practices are certainly panicked by the emergent business scenarios. The reactions being evinced by the employees are cert ainly normal, but if not managed in a deft way may inhibit and curtail any viable attempts to change, thereby translating into a drastic impact on the organizational sustainability and its capacity to change in the light of the incumbent circumstances. One essential element of this resistance to change is that the employees are misinterpreting the change initiatives taken by the management in the light of their own fears and apprehensions. Besides, the employees are also fearful of the uncertainty inherent in the current organizational situation. They believe that any change initiative may directly impact their job security and hence are getting increasingly unionized. Employees also have a low trust regarding the Perrier’s capacity to change and the organization’s ability to usher in new initiatives. To manage change, the management needs to accept the fact that its personnel have got increasingly unionized to resist change. To effectively manage this change, the mana gement first and foremost needs to address the human side of the situation. The employees and the CGT being the key stakeholders in any change management initiative, the management should take the employees into confidence and must explain to them the immediate business scenario, its implications and how it intends to manage the consequent change. Besides, the change initiatives should be ushered in at the top level and the organizational leadership should get proactive about change. This will motivate the lower rung employees to embrace change initiatives. Third and the most important thing is that the management should be willing to involve every layer within the organization in the change process. No doubt, change has emerged to be unsettling for all the employees at Perrier and hence they naturally expect and look to the organizational leadership for direction and guidance. The resistance to change at Perrier is essentially a human problem and hence needs to be dealt with in a v ery sensitive and deft manner. So far the top management at Perrier has only zeroed in on the resistance to change in terms of the lower wrung employees, without delving on its own role in causing the resistance to change. However, the top management also need to delve on the point that the resistance to change may be ensuing from the top rungs, thereby gradually percolating to the lower levels. So it is the pivotal need of the hour that the top management

MA1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MA1 - Essay Example The thesis for the advertisement is: drink soda, and you add weight, to the levels of obesity in a few years. The intended addressee’s group for the commercial is the general population, due to the fact that concerns over childhood and adulthood obesity have hit the news over the last decade (CPHE and NCCPC 4). The man used in the advertisement is meant to communicate the figurative message, of a person ingesting fat into their body – in the form of soda. However, it is also possible to interpret that the rationale for using an adult in doing the commercial was used to pass the message to adults, some of whom are parents, so that they can stop the consumption of sugary sodas among their children. Taking into account that obesity is a problem that affects all people, rich and poor, young and old, healthy and sickly, can offer the indication that the advertisement is not targeted at any social class of people (CPHE and NCCPC 5). Further, the disgust on the face of the man, as he tries to ingest the messy contents of the glass seems to have been incorporated into the advertisemen t intentionally. The aim of incorporating the horrible facial expression into the scene could have been made, with the aim of communicating to the audience, the kind of feelings they will experience after taking sugary beverages for some years. In support of the theme that soda is a contributor to the increasing problem of adult and childhood obesity, Friedman and Schwartz give the information that the wide availability of obesity-contributing foods like sugary drinks in supermarkets, grocery stores, vending stores at school and other public places increases the access to these problems for all (718). More importantly, Friedman and Schwartz make the observation that the desire for the sugary beverages, among other similar foods, is heightened by the reinforcement of the information communicated over the media (718). The messages

Financial and economic comparison between Qatar and the United kingdom Research Paper

Financial and economic comparison between Qatar and the United kingdom - Research Paper Example 97,583,513,617 2,183,862,761,501 128,738,144,613 2,155,836,882,035 2010 127,322,413,671 2,256,260,000,000 113,782,317,847 2,194,805,447,471 2011 172,981,588,421 2,445,408,064,516 151,207,682,186 2,383,438,659,372 Table 1 – Comparison of Real GDP and Nominal GDP between Qatar and the UK Table 1 represents a comparison of nominal and real GDP between Qatar and the UK for the years 2000 to 2011. The nominal GDP was used in the calculation of real GDP along with the GDP Deflator. (World Bank 2013a; World Bank 2013b). According to Kumaranayake (2000) as general price level increases price and cost information needs to be adjusted when making comparisons between different years. The formula used in the calculation of real GDP is stated as follows: Real GDP = (Nominal GDP/(GDP Deflator + 100)) * 100 The Nominal GDP represents the GDP at current market price. It does not take into consideration the fact that inflation has impacted purchasing power in the different countries. In order to account for that the Nominal GDP is divided by the (GDP deflator + 100) and then multiplied by 100. Therefore, if the annual GDP deflator is 3% and the Nominal GDP is US$1,000,000 then it simply means that the purchasing power in the economy has been reduced by 3% to 97%. By dividing the Nominal GDP by 103 and multiplying by 100, the Real GDP at base year prices are calculated for the period. Table 2 shows the GDP deflator for Qatar and the UK which were used in the calculation of Real GDP. GDP Deflator/Inflation rate Year Qatar UK 2000 Â   0.7 2001 -4.4 1.6 2002 3.1 2.3 2003 17.4 2.5 2004 11.4 2.6 2005 26.3 2.4 2006 18.5 2.9 2007 11.4 2.2 2008 22.8 3 2009 -24.2 1.3 2010 11.9 2.8 2011 14.4 2.6 Table 2 – GDP Deflator for Qatar and UK 2000 to 2011 The GDP deflator for Qatar is greater than that for the UK. While Qatar shows double digits for all years except 2001 and 2002 with 2001 being negative the UK had single digits for all the years. The GDP deflator for Qatar ranged from -24.2 for 2010 to 26.3 for 2005. The lowest rate was 3.1% in 2002. The UK on the other hand ranged from 0.7% for 2000 and 2.8 in 2010. The differences in their corresponding GDP deflators explain the differences between the Nominal and Real GDP for both countries with Qatar showing greater differences than the UK. Part (b) The graph in Figure 1 shows the trends in nominal and real GDP for Qatar and the UK for the period 2000 to 2011. Figure 1 – Graph of Trends in Real and Nominal GDP Figure 1 shows the trends in both Nominal and Real GDP for the years 2000 to 2011. The graph shows mainly moderate increases in both variables for Qatar except between 2008 and 2009 when there was a decline in the Nominal GDP and from 2009 to 2010 when there was a decline the real GDP. The reason is that in 2009 the GDP deflator was a negative 24% and so the Real GDP was higher. The UK experienced a slight decline in both variables between 2000 and 2001. However, there was a steep increase b etween 2001 and 2004. The increase was moderate between 2004 and 2006 with a steep rise between 2006 and 2007. However between 2007 and

CASE STUDY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

CASE STUDY - Essay Example In 1972 the company reported Net Income of $172.7 million that increased by more than hundred percent to $497.3 million. The financial performance of the company was characterized by steady and consistent growth and rising profitability. AHP increased revenues, earnings and shareholders’ dividends for straight 29 years. The company managed to retain the growth in the range of 10 percent and 15 percent in recent years. This growth was financed by the company through internal means even though it paid roughly 60 percent of the earnings as dividends. The earnings growth of the company boosted the share price of the company by nearly three times. The steady growth in sales and rising EPS made the shares of the company an attractive ‘buy’ among the institutional investors. The low debt exposure of AHP seemed to work in favor of the company as it gained wider acceptance from the institutional investors. To couple with this the steady rise in the return on equity of the company seemed to attract more number of buyers which can be the reason for the three fold rise in the share price of the company. The cash flow position of the company was also very strong as evident from the steady rise in the Cash position of the company. In 1976 the company had Cash of nearly $358.8 million that grew to $729.1 million. Even though the company declared a generous portion of the profits as dividend the cash reserves of the company kept rising steadily. In fact the growth in cash reserves even outpaced the growth rate in sales and profits. This ensured that the liquidity position of the company remained strong. A high liquidity, as measured by a high current ratio, is a good sign as it signifies that the company is capable of taking care of any financial emergency (Siegel, et al., 1997, pp80). Warner Lambert was the only company that was comparable to AHP. Like AHP the former also operated in roughly the same businesses and had a debt

Analyse the Factor That Might Inhibit London' s Status as a Essay

Analyse the Factor That Might Inhibit London' s Status as a Pre-eminent Global Financial Centre In the Next Decade - Essay Example The paper starts off by plying a brief illustration on the London’s position as the pre-eminent global financial centre and then moves on to the illumination of the study’s central concern being the menaces that are more likely to affect its ‘pre-eminent’ position. This report makes a cocnlusion that London is undoubtedly one of the most significant financial centres of the world. However, despite its dominating position in the global financial market it confronts with certain threats that can impair its significance among other international cities. London alone accounted for about 37% and 31% income more than the whole UK average for men and women respectively in the year 2002 (LSE, London’s Place In The UK’s economy, 2003). But along with that, London also sustains the highest unemployment level, greatest rich and poor income differences, the ever-rising property costs and insufficient provision of public health and utility services than other countries in the UK region. Apart from that, London’s ability to pull in abounding foreign investments has also led to the disappearance and re-shifting of its domestic firms. All these and the other factors sum up to the concerns and apprehensions that are faced by international b usinesses in London. Its high time the government needs to take considerable actions to curtail the dreadful factors while improving the city’s condition as a favourable financial centre for the whole world. Otherwise, these can greatly hamper the growth of London as a pre-eminent global financial centre.

Psychoanalysis-Sigmund Freud Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Psychoanalysis-Sigmund Freud - Essay Example The most interesting aspect of the theory however is that it can be applied to various concepts to give convincing explanations for phenomena, thus this paper aims at applying the theory to the fashion industry to draw various patterns to understand the human psyche in regard to the industry. To comment on the various aspects of the theory to relate them with fashion, it is important to highlight the dominant propositions of the theory. Psychoanalysis is the theory put forth by Sigmund Freud to explain the personality formation and conceptualization of the human psyche in context to their identity development as a process carved out through enculturation and socialization in the world they live in (Freud 1923). To make sense of the proposition, Freud talks about the unconscious mind, mental drives and the emerging conflict giving rise to various emotions and personality developments (Freud 1920). Since fashion is also an entity revolving around the social sphere rather being shaped by the social variables, it can also be understood in terms of shaping human identity by affecting the mind and conscious. Fashion affects the human body and mind as it relates to various social constructs manifested amongst the masses by using various tools and techniques, which will be elabo rated on in this essay. Fashion manifests the internal desires of humans, as the libido is now centered at the body of an individual, where the social constructs and the ego impulses inflict the gratification with various objects1. Freud is quoted to have said "The ego is not master in its own house." (Farquhar & Askay p 131) Freud is of the view that the unconscious mind contains the repressed pleasure seeking desires of an individual which have been subdued by the ego and the superego drives, or by the fear of castration (Freud 1923). Also, in relation to this context, it is important to discuss the libido drives which are

Evaluation of Early Supplier Involvement in Product Development Essay Example for Free

Evaluation of Early Supplier Involvement in Product Development Essay I certify that in the preparation of this thesis, I have observed the provisions of Purdue University Teaching, Research, and Outreach Policy on Research Misconduct (VIII.3.1), October 1, 2008.* Further, I certify that this work is free of plagiarism and all materials appearing in this thesis/dissertation have been properly quoted and attributed. I certify that all copyrighted material incorporated into this thesis/dissertation is in compliance with the United States’ copyright law and that I have received written permission from the copyright owners for my use of their work, which is beyond the scope of the law. I agree to indemnify and save harmless Purdue University from any and all claims that may be asserted or that may arise from any copyright violation. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Standing outside the Knoy BS440, I was waiting for the dissertation defense result. Few minutes later, Prof. Schmidt, my committee chair, came to me, gave me one big warm hug and said, â€Å"Congratulations!† Suddenly, the memory in the past two years, all the pains and pleasure at Purdue University, came up to me. This is the moment I had waited for so long, but this is also the moment I was unwilling to face because of the coming goodbye. Nevertheless, I knew things I learnt and people I met there will be the valuable asset in my life and will be with me all the time. For those who have supported the creation of the work, I would like to begin by thanking my principle advisor, Prof. Edie K. Schmidt, who has always encouraged me with her sharp insight and great patience. She is not merely a constant guide throughout my research but also a thoughtful friend. Additionally, I would like to show my gratitude to the members of my committee: Prof. Nathan W. Hartman, Prof. Patrick E. Connolly, and Prof. John A. Springer. Without their guidance, suggestions, criticisms and support, I would not make my thesis possible. One notable faculty in the Department of Aviation Technology I also owe a note of thanks. To Prof. Chien-Tsung Lu, I am grateful for your assistance in reviewing the cultural appropriateness of this research, which facilitated the IRB’s approval process. Thanks are also due to all my colleagues from College of Technology and from graduate office and all my friends at Purdue University, who made my two years life colorful. Having their company was the great encouragement when I felt frustrated. For the numerous industrial contacts and friends in Taiwan, thanks are due to them all. In particular, I would like to thank Yi-Hen Chen for his patience and backing me up. Finally, I am deeply indebted to my parents, who fully supported me when I made the decision to pursue higher education and who never lost faith in me. I love you.

Real Estate Intern Report Essay Example for Free

Real Estate Intern Report Essay The company analyzed and discussed in this analysis is one of many health insurance companies registered under the Security Exchange Commission. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated or commonly referred as, â€Å"United Health Group,† or the â€Å"Company is the central tenant which this paper will focus on.† The Company, which was formally known as Charter Med Incorporated, was founded by a group of physicians and health care professionals in 1974. Their main objective was to give consumers a broad variety of options on health care coverage. A decade later, UnitedHealth Group becomes publicly traded, concentrating heavily on modern day technology. As a public traded company, UnitedHealth Group can be denoted as their ticker symbol, UNH. UnitedHealth Group’s core structure posits the goal of helping people live healthier lives by innovating thinking. The foundation of the Company is derived from the best practices in the medical care business. By achieving this goal, UNH uses incorporates an innovative and progressive clientele for their business management team to advance the health of patients. In order to reach out to potential patients, the Company operates under two platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which offers health benefits, and Optum which provides health services. UnitedHealthcare segments include Employer Individuals, Medicare Retirement, Community State and International. In contrast, Optum’s sections consist of OptumHealth, OptumInsight, and OptumRx. To fully understand the Company’s strategy, we must first understand its mission. UnitedHealth Group mission is â€Å"helping people live healthier lives and making health care work better (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p. 1).†After we have establish a sense of understanding, we can further conduct a series of analysis by using tools such as PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces, and SWOT analysis. As a result, we will be able to interpret UnitedHealth Group’s strategy and its competitive advantage. PESTEL 1). Political A). â€Å"The laws and rules governing our business and interpretations of those laws and rules are subject to frequent change, and the integration into our businesses of entities that we acquire may affect the way in which existing laws and rules apply to us†¦agencies administering, interpreting and enforcing current and future regulations governing our business could force us to change how we do business, restrict revenue and enrollment growth, increase our health care and administrative costs and capital requirements, or expose us to increased liability in courts for coverage determinations, contract interpretation and other actions (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.17).† B). In general, health care industry is and will continue to be heavily regulated in order to protect consumers. Insurance companies and other identities must be licensed in order to operate and hold jurisdiction where business are practiced. The complexity of regulations impedes companies such as UnitedHealth Group from generating revenue. As a result, the regulations force the Company to change how they do business. For example, UnitedHealth Group signed a contract with the Department of Defense to provide coverage to those in the military who are active or retired. The service known as TRICARE Managed Care Support will serve more than 2.7 million beneficiaries in 21 states (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.4). Thus, the losses leveraged from other services or products did not satisfy proper regulation. 2). Economic A). â€Å"Unfavorable economic conditions may impact demand for certain of our products and services. For example, high unemployment rates have caused and could continue to cause lower enrollment or lower rates of renewal in our employer group plans and our non-employer individual plans (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.25).† B). Because the economy changes daily, it is impossible to predict the certainty of unemployment rates. Unemployment rates are inversely related to the success of company operations. Simply, if rates increase, then membership levels decrease. To manage the inconsistency of unemployment rates, UnitedHealth Group offers a spectrum of products and services. When the economy is strong, traditional plans that typically â€Å"include a full range of medical benefits and network options from managed plans such as Choice and Options PPO† (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.3), tend to thrive. Conversely, when unemployment is high and the economy is weaker, essential benefits product which offer less than traditional plans but still provide basic services such as guides to physicians, become copious. 3). Sociocultural A). â€Å"As we continue to expand our business outside the United States, acquired foreign businesses, such as Amil, will present challenges that are different from those presented by acquisitions of domestic businesses, including adapting to new markets, business, labor and cultural practices and regulatory environments that are materially different from what we have experienced in our U.S. operations (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.24).† B).Although the Company’s main operations are in the United States, it has expanded its operations to other nations. Conducting business internationally faces many factors such as â€Å"political, economic, legal compliance, regulations, and operational risks and exposures that are unique and vary by jurisdiction (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.17)†. But having already been exposed to these elements in parts of Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia the recent acquisition of Amil, whose services are dispersed throughout Brazil, will face minimal encumbrances. Additionally, Amil’s products and services are much similar to those offered by UnitedHealth Group and thus effortlessly adapting to the new markets. The new market, which consist of over five million people, have been exposed to Amil’s health and dental benefits and have access to 45,000 contracted physicians (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.5). 4). Technology A). â€Å"Our ability to adequately price our products and services, to provide effective service to our customers in an efficient and uninterrupted fashion, and to accurately report our results of operations depends on the integrity of the data in our information systems †¦technology initiatives and recently enacted regulations, changes in our system platforms and integration of new business acquisitions, we periodically consolidate, integrate, upgrade and expand our information systems capabilities (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.26).† B). Technology is fundamental to UnitedHealth Group. In their earlier years, the Company provided physicians with office software that managed and controlled cost. Investing in technology can be costly, but for UnitedHealth Group it serves as a competitive advantage. One way UnitedHealth Group stays above average is by utilizing its information system’s user-friendly resources that help consumers control their decision on health care. These resources â€Å"provide greater transparency around quality and cost, such as the Premium Designation ® program and Health4Me for Apple ® and Android ® phones, myHealthcareCost Estimator, Health Care Lane and myuhc.com (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.2).† 5). Environmental A). â€Å"Relatively low interest rates on investments, such as those experienced during recent years, have adversely impacted our investment income, and a prolonged low interest rate environment could further adversely affect our investment income†¦delay in payment of principal and/or interest by issuers, or defaults by issuers, could reduce our net investment income and we may be required to write down the value of our investments, which could materially and adversely affect our profitability and shareholders’ equity (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.25).† B). As mentioned previously, UnitedHealth Group has an impact in the national and global economy. Due to its operations conducted on the international scale, UnitedHealth Group has significant exposure to environmental factors that directly affect shareholders’ equity. These factors include currency exchange, government intervention, and political instability. Because of the nature of the global economy, the Company must take preventative actions to protect their investments. This is exemplified when one takes note that the Company may choose to allocate its investments into smaller portfolios to help reduce exposure to the market. Additionally, the acquisition of Amil puts pressure on the company’s profitability. Fluctuating currency rates have an adverse effect on the Company’s cash flows. Thus, currency exchange may benefit UnitedHealth Group if not hindered by local government making transfer of funds difficult. 6). Legal A). â€Å"The Health Reform Legislation and the related federal and state regulations will impact how we do business and could restrict revenue and enrollment growth in certain products and market segments, restrict premium growth rates for certain products and market segments, increase our medical and administrative costs, expose us to an increased risk of liability†¦or put us at risk for loss of business†¦may also create new or expand existing opportunities for business growth, but due to its complexity, the impact of the Health Reform Legislation remains difficult to predict and is not yet fully known (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.11).† B). Health care regulations affects the whole industry who range from consumers to providers. Because insurance companies are so controlled, it obstructs the way businesses are run. Regulations that apply to health care companies, such as UnitedHealth Group, increases loss of business. For example, legislation will â€Å"includes an annual, non-deductible insurance industry tax to be levied proportionally across the insurance industry for risk-based products (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.35).† As a result, the Company is force to pay an upwards of $8 billion and gradually increasing every year. Porter’s Five Forces 7). Current Competitors (High) A). â€Å"†¦competitors include Aetna Inc., Cigna Corporation, Coventry Health Care, Inc., Health Net, Inc., Humana Inc., Kaiser Permanente, WellPoint, Inc., numerous for-profit and not-for-profit organizations operating under licenses from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and, with respect to our Brazilian operations, several established competitors in Brazil, and other enterprises that serve more limited geographic areas (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.14).† B). The companies stated above are a select few who construct the health care insurance industry. The thin selection of insurance companies causes companies to compete highly with each other to gain market shares. Health care insurance companies are much alike offering similar coverage to their clients. In order to have the upper hand, UnitedHealth Group spends an ordeal amount of money on technology to differentiate their products. Thus created plans for members to be â€Å"provided access to clinical products with the goal of helping them make better health care decisions, and thus better use of their medical benefits, with the ultimate goal of improving health and decreasing medical expenses (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.14).† 8). Threat of New Entrants (High) A). â€Å"In particular markets, competitors may have greater capabilities, resources or market share; a more established reputation; superior supplier or health care professional arrangements; better existing business relationships; or other factors that give such competitors a competitive advantage†¦merger and acquisition activity has occurred in the industries in which we operate, both among our competitors and suppliers†¦Consolidation may make it more difficult for us to retain or increase our customer base, improve the terms on which we do business with our suppliers, or maintain or increase profitability (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.22).† B). Due to the limited amount of insurance companies, other companies compete for market shares. Top companies like UnitedHealth Group hold sizable portions in segmented markets. Moreover, mid-size companies merge together in order to increase their shares in the market. Similarly, bigger companies acquire smaller companies to broaden their consumer base such as UnitedHealth Group with Amil. 9). Power of Suppliers (Medium) A). â€Å"We contract with physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical benefit service providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and other health care providers for services†¦Failure to develop and maintain satisfactory relationships with health care providers, whether in-network or out-of-network, could materially and adversely affect our business†¦ (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.22).† B). A strong connection with suppliers is crucial to the company’s business because it has a strong positive correlation between prospective clients. UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest amongst other insurers and attracts an abundance of health care providers. As a result, an increase in suppliers dilutes their bargaining power. 10). Power of Buyers (High) A). Under our risk-based benefit product arrangements, we assume the risk of both medical and administrative costs for our customers in return for monthly premiums†¦The profitability of these products depends in large part on our ability to predict, price for, and effectively manage medical costs (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.16).† B). It is human nature to desire a variety of choices. Although health care insurance companies are scarce, their products and services are not. In the case of UnitedHealth Group, a full range of services are offered to employers and individuals. As a result, consumers have the choice and power to select a plan that suits them well. â€Å"As the commercial market becomes more consumer-oriented, individuals are assuming more personal and financial responsibility for their care, and they are demanding more affordable products, greater transparency and choice and personalized help navigating the complex system (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.2).† Acknowledging this helps UnitedHealth Group to stay competitive. 11). Threat of Substitutes (Low) A). â€Å"Our information systems require an ongoing commitment of significant resources to maintain, protect and enhance existing systems and develop new systems to keep pace with continuing changes in information processing technology, evolving systems and regulatory standards, emerging cyber security risks and threats, and changing customer patterns (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.26).† B). Technology serves as a great substitute compared to basic products sold by insurance companies. Technology consists of software programs that track your health, new medical treatment devices, and the ever changing Internet. The issue with technology is that it can get very expensive for both the company and the consumer. Therefore, only those who can afford it are amongst a few. Conversely, companies who are not developing new information technology will lose their competitive advantage and ultimately give up their market shares. Consumers are likely to find a cheaper and better alternative otherwise. SWOT 12). Strengths A). â€Å"UnitedHealthcare provides network-based health care benefits for a full spectrum of customers in the health benefits market. UnitedHealthcare Employer Individual serves employers ranging from sole proprietorships to large, multi-site and national employers, as well as students and other individuals†¦ (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.1).† B). UnitedHealth Group sustains a competitive advantage through its diversified products and services. Coverage is offered to large scale employers, military personal, the elderly, and those who cannot afford health care through government sponsorship. The Company reaches to consumers throughout the nation and even internationally. 13). Weaknesses A). â€Å"†¦legal actions we face or may face in the future could further increase our cost of doing business and materially and adversely affect our results of operations, financial position and cash flows†¦certain legal actions could result in adverse publicity, which could damage our reputation and materially and adversely affect our ability to retain our current business or grow our market share in select markets and businesses (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.23).† B). The health care industry has have a negative connotation. The public views insurance companies as scammers that rob society. Companies gain a bad reputation when they get investigated by the Government. UnitedHealth Group’s goal is to provide people with healthier lives, not rob them financially. Consequently, â€Å"negative publicity may adversely affect our stock price, damage our reputation in various markets or foster an increasingly active regulatory environment, which, in turn, could further increase the regulatory burdens under which we operate and our costs of doing business (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.18).† 14). Opportunities A). â€Å"UnitedHealthcare International acquired Amil, which provides health and dental benefits to over five million people and also operates 22 acute hospitals, as well as specialty clinics, primary care, and emergency services across Brazil, principally for the benefit of its members (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.5).† B). The acquisition of Amil will provide UnitedHealth Group with newer market segments, more consumers, and increase the company’s revenue. Amil will also offer diversified product portfolio that contain a range of products offerings, benefit designs, and indemnity products. Furthermore, Amil will include various administrative services which include network access, care management and personal services (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.5). 15). Threats A). â€Å"Several of the provisions in the Health Reform Legislation will likely increase our medical cost trends. Examples of these provisions are the excise tax on medical devices, annual fees on prescription drug manufacturers, enhanced coverage requirements†¦the prohibition of pre-existing condition exclusions and the implementation of adjusted community rating requirements (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.19).† B).As mentioned in the PESTEL breakdown, under the analysis of the legal realm, Health Reform Legislation causes a serious threat to the well-being of UnitedHealth Group’s business. Excess taxes take away from the company’s profits thus rendering them unable to reinvest into their company. Lastly, prohibition of excluding pre-existing conditions may increase the risk and medical cost in the future. Competitive Strategy 16a. â€Å"We believe the principal competitive factors that can impact our businesses relate to the sales, marketing and pricing of our products and services; product innovation; consumer engagement and satisfaction; the level and quality of products and services; care delivery; network and clinical management capabilities; market share; product distribution systems; efficiency of administration operations; financial strength and marketplace reputation (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.14).† In order for a company to have sustainable competitive advantage, they must abide their company’s vital principals. UnitedHealth Group does not only accomplish their objective, but they surpass other companies’ strategy. First they exceed in sales by offering premium services such as UnitedHealthcare and Optum products. The company also provides a variety of these products and services ranging from value-oriented plans to essential-oriented plans. Secondly, UnitedHealth Group has an exclusive network system that only clients have access to. Clients have access to physicians and hospital that meet their unique needs. Moreover, the Company serves to large national employers, public sectors employers, and midsize employers to individuals. As a result, UnitedHealth Group is â€Å"providing nearly 27 million Americans access to health care (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.2).† Lastly, UnitedHealth Group is a massive health insurance company which has enabled them to control ample market shares. Their recent acquisition with Amil shows how strong UnitedHealth Group is financially. Overall, UnitedHealth Group is a leading company in health care insurance proven by their business factors. The Company uses a differentiation strategy to maintain its competitive advantage. Article 16b. UnitedHealth to buy most of Brazils Amil for $4.9 billion The company is making a bold move taking on the fast growing markets of Brazil. UnitedHealth Group has made record on being the first to acquire manage Care Company across seas. The acquisition will bring UnitedHealth Group more leverage and revenue to its operations. â€Å"Amil has more than 5 million clients in Brazil and owns 22 hospitals and 50 clinics. It forecast revenues of $5 billion for 2012, up 15 percent from 2011. UnitedHealth had revenues of nearly $102 billion in 2011 and expects the deal to slightly increase its 2013 earnings per share (reuters.com). Ultimately Amil’s operations will be similar to UnitedHealth Group in that it will provide its products and services to new market segments. In addition, â€Å"Brazils healthcare system consists of public and private plans, similar to the U.S. model. The number of Brazilians covered under private plans has grown more than 50 percent over the past 10 years to nearly 48 million people, roughly a quarter of the count rys population (reuters.com).† Work Cited Humer, Caroline. UnitedHealth to Buy Most of Brazils Amil for $4.9 Billion. Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 08 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Sept. 2013. UnitedHealth Group, Inc. (2012). Form 10-K 2012. Retrieved from SEC EDGAR website http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml View as multi-pages

Most Important Cybersecurity Vulnerability Facing It Managers Computer Science Essay

Most Important Cybersecurity Vulnerability Facing It Managers Computer Science Essay Vulnerabilities to exploitation in modern computers are varied. They range from web server vulnerabilities that allow attackers to take over the web server to very sophisticated side channel exploits that use things like packet timing or instantaneous power consumption to glean confidential information from computers. Vulnerabilities appear in the client software that members of an organization use to get their jobs done. The conclusion of this paper is that unpatched client side software is the most important cybersecurity vulnerability facing the IT community today. Since all modern organizations (companies, non-profits or government entities) use computers and networks as part of everyday operations, this vulnerability is applicable to all of them. For this reason, this paper does not focus on a particular organization or industry. Vulnerability vs. Threat Cybersecurity vulnerability is defined as weakness in a computer hardware or software system that can be exploited. This is different than a threat. A threat is the way in which vulnerability is exploited. An example of a cybersecurity threat is spyware or malware being introduced into a computer. Vulnerability is the weakness in the computers systems that allowed the threat to succeed. This paper focuses on the vulnerabilities, not the threats. Vulnerabilities can be very expensive. The 2009 Computer Security Institute / Federal Bureau of Investigations Computer Crime and Security Survey reports that average losses per respondent were $234,244, although that number was down from the previous year (Peters, 2009). Cybersecurity vulnerabilities can be present in any part of a computer systems software or hardware. According to the SANS institute, the number of vulnerabilities discovered in software applications far outnumber those found in operating systems. (Top security risks-vulnera bility exploitation trends). This is because operating systems tend to be more long lived and therefore more tested than applications. Vulnerabilities can also be more sophisticated than the normal vulnerabilities we read about often. For example, one can determine what operands are being processed by a computer by monitoring it instantaneous power consumption. This, along with a knowledge of what algorithms are being processed can lead to the guessing of an encryption key (Brooks, 2010). Once the encryption key is guessed, files and communications involving that host could be decrypted. Another unusual vulnerability is the fact that keystrokes are sent across communications networks one at a time, so that if one captures the communications of an ssh session, the keystrokes can be guessed based on the time between them and the layout of a QWERTY keyboard (Brooks, 2010). The Origin of Vulnerabilities Most vulnerabilities occur because of programmer error. One of the most common errors that cause cybersecurity vulnerability is called buffer overflow. In buffer overflow, more data is provided as input than the program is expecting. This causes a corrupted stack and can allow an attacker to inject rouge code. The use of modern programming languages and proper coding techniques can eliminate the possibility of buffer overflow, but there is vast amount of software out there that has this vulnerability, Much work has gone into mitigating and preventing this type of vulnerability to exist in software, or if it exists, to not be exploited. Vulnerabilities that appear in software may not be the result of programmer error. They may be inserted into software applications intentionally by dishonest employees of software vendors. The fact that there is not much reporting of the discovery of such vulnerabilities does not mean they dont exist. Consider the factors that might prevent a software vendor from publicizing the discovery of deliberate malicious code in one of their products. There are liability issues and the companys reputation would suffer if such a thing became known (Franz, 2008). Human Vulnerabilties Vulnerabilities that allow malicious actions to take place on an organizations computer systems sometimes have nothing to do with hardware or software. An organizations personnel can be a large cybersecurity vulnerability as well. Since it is the organizations personnel who implement any cybersecurity measures that are dictated from the CIO staff, it is they that are the key to the cybersecurity plans effectiveness. If people are practicing dangerous activities on the organizations computers, then all the planning in the world wont prevent bad things from happening. There are factors that contribute to the cybersecurity vulnerabilities that personnel contribute to. One study divided these factors into nine areas, external influences, human error, management, organization, performance and resource management, policy issues, technology, and training (Kreamer, Carayon, Clem, 2009). The authors make the point that not all vulnerabilities are caused by bad programming. Personnel issues a re a big factor, also. Take, for example, the Stuxnet worm that infected the Iranian nuclear facilities and has reportedly caused lots of damage and has delayed the Iranian nuclear development. The cyberdefenses that the Iranian IT security staff put in place were circumvented by the actions of at least one employee. The worm was introduced via an infected flash drive (Paulson, 2010). All the perimeter defense in the world wont work if an insider does something wrong either intentionally or unintentionally. Impacts of Vulnerabilities on Organizations Some of the cybersecurity vulnerabilities faced by an organization largely depend on what type of business that organization is engaged in. For example, if an organization has a large presence in online commerce (Amazon, New Egg) it has more vulnerability to web based attacks than an organization that doesnt use the internet for commerce. An organization that possesses unique hardware, for instance an electric utility or a hospital, has vulnerabilities that most organizations dont face. Regardless of the type of business an organization engages in and the associated vulnerabilities that are unique to that type of business, a modern organizations day-to-day operations are performed on computers. Computers and networks are at the core of every process that a company uses to do business. Most managerial and technical employees of any organization have access to and use a computer for performing his or her work. There are internal web sites and email systems that allow communications between employees. Employees use these computers to do research and purchase products from web sites. This requires that these computers be connected to the internet. The Most Important Cybersecurity Vulnerability: Unpatched Client Software Because internet connected computers are ubiquitous in an organizational setting, these computers must be kept up to date with relevant security patches to prevent attacks against known vulnerabilities. For a large organization, this can be a daunting task. The fact that a patch exists for a vulnerability means that the vulnerability has been found and probably publicized. This means that the entire hacker community has access to the exploit and there is a good chance more attacks exploiting this vulnerability will be launched. This makes it imperative that the patch be put in place quickly. Failure to do this leaves an organization open to This is why the SANS institute ranked as the number one vulnerability facing organizations today (as of 2009) unpatched client side software (Top security risks executive summary, 2009). The number two ranked vulnerability was internet facing web sites. SANS also stated that on average, major organizations are taking at least twice as long to pat ch client side vulnerabilities than they are to patch operating systems (Top security risks executive summary, 2009). Because the unpatched client software vulnerability is not industry or business class dependent it is applicable to any company, non-profit organization or government entity. For this reason, the discussion of unpatched client side software does not focus on a particular class of organizations. Unpatched client side software can be exploited in many different ways. One of the more popular methods is by use of directed email attacks called spear phishing. In a spear phishing attack, a computer user is sent an email intended to entice the user into opening an attachment or clicking on a link that results in malware being installed on the users computer. When the user opens the attachment or clicks on the link, vulnerabilities in the client software on his or her computer are exploited to gain access to the users machine or the entire corporate network. The exploited vulnerabilities may be in any client software such as browsers, document readers, or image viewers. These types of attacks are a common method of gaining footholds into corporate networks (ICS-CERT, 2011) and were the method used to launch some well publicized attacks, like the Aurora attack against Google, Adobe and other tech companies (Zetter 2010). While the Aurora attack was not enabled by unpatched client so ftware (it used previously unknown, or zero day vulnerabilities in Microsoft Internet Explorer to enable the exploit), it is relevant to this discussion because the methods used in this attack have been published, making it easy for other attackers to replicate it. This makes it imperative that patches are applied in a timely manner to prevent it. There are two main problem areas that contribute to the large amount of unpatched client software that remains in use in an organization. The first is that the software vendors sometimes do not publish patches in a timely manner. The second is that once a patch is issued by a software vendor, the patch does not get deployed to the organizations computers for various reasons. As an example of software vendors not fixing vulnerabilities quickly enough, a company called TippingPoint (now a part of Hewlett Packard) recently released the details of 22 unpatched security vulnerabilities. Some of these vulnerabilities had been reported to their developers over two and half years ago (Keizer, 2011). TippingPoints Zero Day Initiative buys exploits from independent researchers. They also sponsor contests that reward the best exploits. They then provide their customers protection from these exploits and notify the developer of the targeted software of the existence of the vulnerability that all owed the exploit to work. When a patch is issued by a software vendor, it then has to be applied to an organizations infrastructure in order to be effective. The application of patches does not always happen quickly for several reasons. One reason is that the application of patches is disruptive to the organizations operation. The patches must be vetted by the security personnel and tested by the IT department. Testing patches prior to deployment is critical in avoiding incompatibility problems which would disrupt the organization even more. Another reason that patches dont get applied quickly is that they may not be compatible with in-house operating software. For instance, if Microsoft announces an upgraded browser that fixes many security holes, an organization may not be able to use it because internal software such as an accounting or HR system that they use is not compatible with it. How to Prevent Unpatched Client Software Vulnerabilities Organizations can deal with the problem of unpatched client software by being proactive in subscribing to a service that informs them of the existence of new vulnerabilities and in creating and implementing a patch management process. A patch management process is a multifaceted one. The following elements must be included in the patch management process (Gerace and Cavusoglu): Senior Executive Support. Without which this, no process can succeed. Dedicated Resources and Clearly Defined Responsibilities. If there is no staff assigned to the patch management process, it wont get done. Creating and Maintaining a Current Technology Inventory. This helps the patch management team determine which and how many systems need to be patched. Identification of Vulnerabilities and Patches. This allows the team to be aware of what patches are applicable to the organizations machines. Pre-deployment testing of patches. This should be done in a controlled environment to prevent adverse side effects. Post-deployment scanning and monitoring. This gives an indication of the effectiveness of the patch. As with any other business process, the patch management process must be audited by the use of measurements and metrics. Key metrics include severity/priority incidents associated with mission-critical application outages for inaccurate patching (Colville, 2010). Measuring the effectiveness of the patch management process then leads to modifications to it that improve the effectiveness. Conclusion Of the many different cybersecurity vulnerabilities that face organizations in todays world, unpatched client side software is the most dangerous. This is because this type of vulnerability threatens all organizations, regardless of the type activities they are engaged in. If they utilize computers, then this vulnerability must be addressed to prevent cybersecurity exploitation.

Drug and Alcohol among College and High School Students Essay -- Drugs

Drug and Alcohol among College and High School Students In an era in which drugs and alcohol has become increasingly easy to obtain, its abuse has proportionally plagued American youth time and time again. In the past few years’ abuse amongst youngsters has reached an all time high. The effects of these substances, on students damage their mind and body; and in addition, has effected their academic performance, not only on the collegiate level but also amongst high school students. Since alcohol is the number one drug problem among young people and Marijuana, which is the most frequently used illicit drug in the United States. These substances are becoming more and more frequent throughout high school students and college students, the bodily harm the abuse causes takes action at a much earlier age. The problem of drug and alcohol abuse starts at a young age, were teenagers start to experiment with different substances. Peer pressure plays an enormous role in teenager’s decision to take a substance. Adolescence’s have almost always started drinking because of peer pressure, in an attempt to be accepted and included in the group. The pressures facing young kids in high school and college face to be â€Å"cool† is unreasonably high. Many people continue with the use of alcohol or drugs because it relaxes them in social situations and makes it easier to communicate with the people around them. In today’s society children are trying substances at earlier ages then before. Drug and alcohol among teenagers starts at the adolescence age; It is common among these teenagers to start trying these different substances. The trying of these substances is where the problem starts; when students take it to the next step toward o... ...the fifteen students we approached, all fifteen of them admitted that they use alcohol or drugs to escape from something. Whether from schoolwork, their friends, boyfriends or girlfriends or plain and simply from reality, they all abuse the substances to feel good for a few hours just to go back to reality and face their troubles the next day. The continued process of this makes it almost a routine for these students to continuously go out and get drunk or high to have fun and not worry about anything else for the night. Drugs and alcohol are going to continue to be used by high school and college students forever but there are many actions to take that can help decrease the numbers. Communities need to begin getting more involved, parents need to be more involved in their children’s lives and laws need to be more strictly enforced before these bad habits break.

Computer Security Essay -- Technology Papers

Computer Security In the last few decades, the world saw a revolution in information and technology, and the main factor of this revolution was the computer. Computers made life easier for millions of people all over the world, especially in the United States, where the latest innovations in the field of computers take place. Information circulates with extreme speed, and a person with a computer and access to the Internet can follow what is happening on Wall Street, even if he is thousands of miles away from there. Any user of this network can buy, sell, and make money by staying in his bed. But in order to guarantee the stability of such a world where a lot of transactions occur, billions of dollars are at stake, there must be some kind of security to regulate the traffic of information between millions of interconnected computers. Even if computer security techniques are more and more effective, there are still threats to my security as a user of the Internet. It would be interesting to understand the concept of computer security and its techniques before explaining what are the threats to computer security, and finally looking to its application on the Internet. Computer security has been important since the creation of the Internet. Still, Steven L. Shaffer and Alan R. Simon describe it as being one of the largest difficulties with which the computer technology industry is confronted today (21). Computer Security is â€Å"the generic name for the collection of tools designed to protect data and to thwart hackers† (Stallings 1). It is important to guarantee such security to protect data while it is transmitted. When there are many computer security services in a network, the transmission of information has to be ... .... 2001. *Macgregor, Robert S. www.Security. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996. *Protos, John. †The High Cost of Cyber Crime.† Business Week 26 Mar. 2001: 52. *Shaffer, Steven L., and Alan R. Simon. Network Security. Boston, MA: AP Professional, 1994. *Stallings, William. Network and Internetwork Security. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: IEEE P, 1995. *Wayner, Peter. Digital Cash. Boston, MA: AP Professional, 1996. *â€Å"What is Hacking?† Online Posting. 17 Mar. 1998. 08 Apr. 2001. Available: http://www.hackers.com/html/hdcfaq.html#008. *â€Å"Why Cryptography is Harder Than it Looks.† Online Posting. 24 Mar. 2001. Counterpane Systems. 8 Apr. 2001. Available: http://www.counterpane.com/whycrypto.html. *Willing, Richard, and Salina Khan. â€Å"Search for Love Bug Creator Narrows Female Suspect in Philippines may be Arrested Today.† USA Today 8 May 2000: 1B. Computer Security Essay -- Technology Papers Computer Security In the last few decades, the world saw a revolution in information and technology, and the main factor of this revolution was the computer. Computers made life easier for millions of people all over the world, especially in the United States, where the latest innovations in the field of computers take place. Information circulates with extreme speed, and a person with a computer and access to the Internet can follow what is happening on Wall Street, even if he is thousands of miles away from there. Any user of this network can buy, sell, and make money by staying in his bed. But in order to guarantee the stability of such a world where a lot of transactions occur, billions of dollars are at stake, there must be some kind of security to regulate the traffic of information between millions of interconnected computers. Even if computer security techniques are more and more effective, there are still threats to my security as a user of the Internet. It would be interesting to understand the concept of computer security and its techniques before explaining what are the threats to computer security, and finally looking to its application on the Internet. Computer security has been important since the creation of the Internet. Still, Steven L. Shaffer and Alan R. Simon describe it as being one of the largest difficulties with which the computer technology industry is confronted today (21). Computer Security is â€Å"the generic name for the collection of tools designed to protect data and to thwart hackers† (Stallings 1). It is important to guarantee such security to protect data while it is transmitted. When there are many computer security services in a network, the transmission of information has to be ... .... 2001. *Macgregor, Robert S. www.Security. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996. *Protos, John. †The High Cost of Cyber Crime.† Business Week 26 Mar. 2001: 52. *Shaffer, Steven L., and Alan R. Simon. Network Security. Boston, MA: AP Professional, 1994. *Stallings, William. Network and Internetwork Security. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: IEEE P, 1995. *Wayner, Peter. Digital Cash. Boston, MA: AP Professional, 1996. *â€Å"What is Hacking?† Online Posting. 17 Mar. 1998. 08 Apr. 2001. Available: http://www.hackers.com/html/hdcfaq.html#008. *â€Å"Why Cryptography is Harder Than it Looks.† Online Posting. 24 Mar. 2001. Counterpane Systems. 8 Apr. 2001. Available: http://www.counterpane.com/whycrypto.html. *Willing, Richard, and Salina Khan. â€Å"Search for Love Bug Creator Narrows Female Suspect in Philippines may be Arrested Today.† USA Today 8 May 2000: 1B.

Green permits :: essays research papers

Green Permits Transferable discharge permits create an economic incentive to reduce pollution and exhibit many other advantages over the current command and control pollution regulation system. However, ‘green permits’ on a large scale would be difficult to allocate fairly, and the efficient economic outcome may not be the socially desirable outcome. Introduction to Green Permits 1. Green Permits as an incentive to reduce pollution: cost to pollute- tie up money induces costs/benefits of pollution to owner of permits a. polluter pays incentives for research and development 2. Green Permit benefits over Command and Control under CAC delay is profitable new technology must develop to ever-changing EPA standards fixed cost of pollution -free if under guidelines no incentive to reduce each pollution written into law b. who determines value of each pollutant c. special interest groups ruling majority 1. Problems with Green Permits initial allocation c. auction off - generate revenue but create barriers d. give away - harm firms already environmentally friendly trading rules leading to socially undesirable outcome a. anybody trade - geographic concentration problem b. mixing problem - receptor sites and ambient standards 4. Green Permits as a market failure can’t have failed without trying on large scale example - rapid phaseout of lead gasoline References: Develin, Rose, Grafton, Quentin. Marketable emission permits:efficiency, profitability and substitutability. Canadian Journal of Economics, Ap(96). Vol.29,260-264 Rothschild, Micheal. (1992) Green Markets. Upside. Bionomics Institute Field, Barry, Olewiler, Nancy. Environmental Economics (First Canadian Edition). Toronto: McGraw Hill. 1994 Cost-effectiveness has emerged as a major consideration in the design of environmental policies. Cost-effectiveness means that with prudent policy design, the same level of environmental improvement can be achieved at a lower cost, which implies real cost savings for the affected polluters. Alternatively, a higher level of environmental quality can be achieved at the same cost, which implies a real gain for the population affected by pollution. Cost-effectiveness thus generates win-win opportunities between polluters and the community at large and has emerged as a concept that can bring the battling parties in the political controversy about pollution control policies together to one table. While charges fix the cost of pollution control but leave the total level of emissions to be determined by the market, a system of tradable permits fixes the total amount of emissions from all sources but leaves the price of pollution and the allocation of the total emissions to individual sources to the market.

Muscular Dystrophy

This paper intends to define Muscular Dystrophy, enumerate some of the most common kinds, state its characteristics or symptoms, indicate the tests, treatment as well as its prognosis before finally reintroducing its complications and prevention. Muscular Dystrophy Defined â€Å"Muscular Dystrophy† is actually composed of thirty plus genetic diseases (National.., 2007). Otherwise known as â€Å"inherited myopathy†, â€Å"Muscular Dystrophy† includes the following inherited sickness or medical conditions: 1) Becker’s muscular dystrophy; 2) Duchenne muscular dystrophy; 3) Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy; 4) Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy; 5) Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy; 6) Myotonic Dystrophy; and 7) Myotonia Congenita (Kantor, 2006).   Furthermore, Muscular Dystrophy’s characteristics include the following: 1) feeling weak; 2) losing control of skeletal muscles; as well as 3) affecting all ages (National.., 2007). Kinds of Muscular Dystrophy The kinds of Muscular Dystrophy are the following: 1) Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy This kind occurs in approximately three out of three thousand five hundred boys (The.., 2007). It happens when the genes are unable to produce dystrophin which is responsible for the strength of the muscles (The.., 2007). This kind emerges at the age of 5 and by 12, the patient is expected to use a wheelchair (The.., 2007). First, their pelvic muscles are affected, and following that, his or her shoulders, back, arms, as well as, legs will be the next (The.., 2007). With this kind of Muscular Dystrophy, a person will only live for approximately twenty years (The.., 2007). 2) Becker Muscular Dystrophy This kind happens in one in every 30,000 boys and just like the first kins, it is also due to the absence of dystrophin (The.., 2007). However, it is milder than the first and that patients suffering from it may live without a wheelchair (The.., 2007). 3) Myotonic Dystrophy This is caused by a gene that should not be as large as it is (The.., 2007). It occurs before a person turns twenty years old (The.., 2007). Its major symptoms include the following: weakening & shrinking of the muscles (The.., 2007). 4) Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy This kind emerges in both genders (Limb.., 2006). The muscles in the back, pelvis, as well as, shoulders are usually affected in this kind (Limb.., 2006). 5) Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy With this kind, weakening of the muscles begin in the face, then the shoulder and back comes next, and finally the muscles located in the legs and pelvis may lose strength (Muscular.., 2006). Symptoms For Muscular Dystrophy, the symptoms are the following: First of all is weakness of the muscles which actually gets worse gradually (Kantor, 2006). This is very much noticeable especially if the patient suffering from it experiences recurrent and numerous falls (Kantor, 2006). In addition to that, the patient may be confronted with interrupted development of what is technically referred to as muscular motor skills (Kantor, 2006). Moreover, if the patient is already delayed in walking or if he or she experiences problems with walking then it is highly possible that he or she suffers from Muscular Dystrophy (Kantor, 2006). Furthermore, if the patient finds it difficult to utilize even just one of the muscle groups, then it is time to ask the doctor to check on the patient to confirm occurrence and emergence of Muscular Dystrophy (Kantor, 2006). Also, the patient who has Muscular Dystrophy will experience drooping of the eyelid (Kantor, 2006). Last but not least, the patient suffering from Muscular Dystrophy will exhibit drooling as well (Kantor, 2006). Secondly, there are types of Muscular Dystrophy wherein a patient may signify mental retardation (Kantor, 2006). Thirdly, Muscular Dystrophy patients also suffer from low muscle tone or that which is technically referred to as â€Å"hypotonia† (Kantor, 2006). Fourthly, a patient who is diagnosed to have Muscular Dystrophy exhibits joint contractures like clubfoot, clawhand, etc (Kantor, 2006). Last but not least, someone who has Muscular Dystrophy may also have a spine that’s curved which means that he or she also has scoliosis (Kantor, 2006). Tests For Muscular Dystrophy to be diagnosed as a medical condition suffered from by the patient, there are several tests that could be carried out and some of these are the following: First in the list is to have a physical examination including a look at the patient’s medical history (Kantor, 2006). The second one is to undergo muscle biopsy (Kantor, 2006). This will already confirm if the patient indeed suffers from Muscular Dystrophy (Kantor, 2006). The third is to perform what is technically referred to as Serum CPK (Kantor, 2006). The fourth is for the patient to be checked and tested through electromyography or EMG, for short (Kantor, 2006). Last but not least is for the patient to go through ECG or electrocardiography (Kantor, 2006). Other tests that the patient could go through to confirm Muscular Dystrophy include the following: 1) Aldolase; 2) AST; 3) Creatinine; 4) LDH; and 5) Myoglobin (Kantor, 2006). Treatment Unfortunately, experts have yet to discover ways on how to address this particular medical condition (Kantor, 2006). However, they presented techniques on how to manage the symptoms exhibited by the patients diagnosed to have Muscular Dystrophy (Kantor, 2006). Some of these are the following: First of all, physical therapy may be carried out to help sustain the strength of the muscles, as well as, in keeping the muscles functional (Kantor, 2006). Second is the utilization of braces and wheelchair (Kantor, 2006). This enables the patient to do some of the things on his or her own, for instance, moving around etc (Kantor, 2006). Third is for the patient to undergo spine or leg surgery (Kantor, 2006). This action may keep, if not improve the functions of the aforementioned parts of the body (Kantor, 2006). Fourth, some doctors prescribe corticosteroids to children so as to keep them walking (Kantor, 2006). Fifth, medical experts advice that patients suffering from Muscular Dystrophy should avoid complete inactivity since this will make the condition much worse (Kantor, 2006). They should try to move or be active as much as possible (Kantor, 2006). Prognosis Muscular Dystrophies worsen as time goes by — and this goes for all kinds (Kantor, 2006). However, how severe it is dwells on the kind of Muscular Dystrophy suffered from by the patient (Kantor, 2006). How fast it occurs also depends upon its kind and on the person suffering from it (Kantor, 2006). There are also some kinds of Muscular Dystrophy which have been proven as fatal (Kantor, 2006). Complications Muscular Dystrophy also has some complications and these are: 1) cardiomyopathy; decreased ability to take care of oneself; decreased mobility; failure of the respiratory system; joint contractures; mental disability; as well as, scoliosis (Kantor, 2006). Prevention Medical experts say that in cases where a family member from the previous generations had â€Å"Muscular Dystrophy†, the members from the current generation should seek for what is technically referred to as â€Å"genetic counseling† (Kantor, 2006). References Kantor, D. (2006). Muscular Dystrophy. Retrieved May 6, 2007 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001190.htm Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy. (2006). Retrieved May 6, 2007 from http://www.emedicine.com/PMR/topic65.htm Muscular Dystrophy Association. (2006). Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy. Retrieved May 6, 2007 from http://www.mdausa.org/disease/fshd.html National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2007). Muscular Dystrophy. Retrieved May 6, 2007 from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/md/md.htm The Nemours Foundation. (2007). Muscular Dystrophy. Retrieved May 6, 2007 from http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/medical/bones/muscular_dystrophy.html   

Scapegoating

Scapegoating, (v, act of singling out any party for unmerited, negative treatment) has been around since the biblical days, and still exists in many different forms today. Although there are many reasons a person or group of people may have for choosing a scapegoat, the bottom line is the simple fact that the â€Å"blamer† does not want to accept responsibility for their own actions or feelings.Whether fueled by hostility, aggression, frustration or jealousy, the scapegoat is singled out as the cause of those unwanted feelings, and for any trouble that may come up along the way. Scapegoating can happen anywhere from right at home within the family, right up the line to various issues within society and politics. Within the home, although most people view this to be their â€Å"safe place,† this may not be the case for some.There are many families that either knowingly or unknowingly pick one member of the family to be the scapegoat. This person will bear the brunt of mo st or sometimes all family members’ anger and frustrations. There are different factors that contribute to how this person is chosen, such as: being viewed to be weaker, they may have traits of un liked relative or friend of the family, or many other unknown reasons. Eventually, this person will begin to accept this to be their lot in life, and begin to accept the blame as reality.This will lead to emotional, behavioral, and social problems, as well as lead to low self- confidence and low self -worth. Another common place to see issues of scapegoating or bullying would be within society and politics. Some societies will place the blame for certain social problems on certain groups. There are places in the world that label specific tribes or ethnicities as the cause for what is going on. Countries will put the blame for government issues onto the President, or Prime Minister.The leader of these countries will then in turn use scapegoating to distract from more serious, underly ing issues by keeping the public busy blaming another person, country or group. The bottom line is that scapegoating, although it may seem convenient at the time, does not actually solve anything! It can lead to violence, hatred, segregation, and more serious issues. There are very rare instances of anything positive coming from scapegoating in a family setting, and even more within society and politics.

Living in Germany Around 1941 Essay

A) Explain why the invasion of the USSR changed the lives of those living in Germany around 1941-42. (12 Marks) The invasion of the USSR in the summer months was that of great confidence and assertiveness that they were on the ‘front foot’ from the German people. During these summer months, the Russians had been pushed back by the Germans to what many thought of as the core of the USSR; Russia. Obviously when the Germans had advanced 20 miles short of the central of the most powerful enemy they’ve faced yet, the German people had a right to be happy with their recent progress in the war. This changed their lives by giving them more confidence in that they felt they could defeat the Russians as they were pushing them back towards the capital. However, after the winter set in the attitude of the German people to the progress being made in the war changed. Before the war the Germans had demolished smaller countries such as France and Poland, meaning that the German people felt that losing was almost alien to them. But when the Russians kicked back against the Germans on the Eastern Front on December 5th 1941 outside of Moscow, the German retreat began. More and more soldiers fell, and the Germans were never able to recover the ground that they had lost. Due to the soldiers diminishing, letters had to be written back to rural Germany to notify those whom had relatives/friends in the war. When the letters started to come thick and fast, the German people now had a hint of doubt in their mind. I like to think of it as a seed that was planted- the plantation is from the initial invasion of the USSR, and when more and more letters and stories came back from the Russian lines the tree grew. Eventually, the doubt that was once a seed at the start of the invasion of Russia, had now fully flourished into a vast tree of doubt, showing us how the German lives had changed through doubt and anxiety that gradually built up through the invasion of Russia, from going and destroying France and Poland to being pushed back from the Russians. Some historians could say that the battle of Stalingrad had the biggest effect of the German people around 1941. I would say that it was the turning point in the entire war, as it caused the realization from the German people that they were not going to win the war. This contrasts to before the war, where, as said, the German people didn’t have many qualms about minor losses because they believed they knew they were going to win in the first pl ace. However during Stalingrad this changed; where a quarter million Germans were surrounded, field marshaled, and eventually forced to surrender- this continued on to 1942 where the German soldiers were freezing, and running low on ammunition. The news of this was tried to be kept ‘under wraps’ by some of the hierarchy in the German army, as it would prove low for morale. However the word spread through the press and a flurry of letters of death being sent home. This fully confirmed to the German citizens that the Germans were now on the ‘back foot’ changing their lives, as they now had to be preparing for a loss, instead of a victory. Although it is not directly coherent to the invasion of the USSR, it could be said that the bombings that partly came about from the invasion of Russia changed the lifestyles and actions of the German people. Before the bombings, William L Shirer reported â€Å"The atmosphere was so peaceful and calm. The bathing beach at Wannsee jammed with thousands. Hundreds of sailboats and canoes on the Havel. Families picnicking under the trees† this tells us that the German people were once not bothered as much by the war, and it continued to be ‘business as usual’ for the German citizens. I can contrast this when the bombings continued to develop on 16th and 17th of January 1943. The German people were now saying that the â€Å"English are clearly superior in the air, and that the German Luftwaffe is ‘impotent’ at the moment and has no possibility of retaliating appropriately† I think that this is a perfect example of the change from the Germans being confident and carrying on with their ‘normal day’ to then beginning to doubt the German superiority in the war, showing us how much their attitude has changed from pride to dread in a matter of three years. Even though the bombings weren’t as connected to the Germans invading Russia, it could be said that had not the Germans invaded Russia then the bombings may not have been present/ been less relentless.