Biological Theories and Criminal Behavior Essay

Biological theories address deviant behavior as a relationship between biological factors, and social norms in respect to crime. The theories address behavior of an individual based upon his or her biological impact. Schmalleger, (2008) points out a connection to social environments and the impact upon human behavior. The connection has validity because of human thoughts and activities are constantly flowing through the brain providing an impact relating to behavior. Researchers base biological theories on flaws relating to heredity, dysfunction of the brain’s neurotransmitters, injuries, trauma, or abnormalities involving the brain affecting behavior (Raine, 2002). Brain development is a biological theory providing information connecting damage of the frontal lobes located in the brain’s cerebrum to criminal behavior. The brain is similar to a computer sending messages to the body and when the messages cannot be delivered it is because of a dysfunction that has occurre d in the brain. The frontal lobes and the limbic system are two of the major areas of the brain involving behavior. The frontal lobes are responsible for reasoning, problem solving, and emotions (Allen & Harper, 2010). The limbic system contains electrical circuitry controlling emotions and motivation (Allen & Harper, 2010). The amygdala when stimulated produces behavior related to emotions, memory and fear. When the amygdala is functioning properly it produces the proper behavioral reaction or response to the event that is happening (Allen & Harper, 2010) When damage occurs to the frontal lobes the ability to reason or censor thoughts, and actions will become impaired leading to maladaptive behavior, aggression, or anti-social behavior (Allen, & Harper, 2010). A study by Antonio Damasio provided information relating to injuries of the frontal lobes may be responsible for anti- social behavior (Crime Times, 2007). The study revealed that damage to the frontal lobes was evident when monitoring the individuals who were injured when he or she exhibited social skills and behavior (Phillips, 2012). Patients who were able to handle and deal with decisions previously in his or her personal life were no longer able to do so (Phillips, 2012). Intellectually there was no change but when he or she had to make a decision involving emotions and feelings the abnormalities in behavior were exhibited (P hillips, 2012). Phineas Gage is the major example relating to the damage to the frontal lobes and change in  behavior. He worked as a foreman on the railroad engaged in construction work. There was an explosion when the tampering rod he was using ignited the blasting powder and the tampering rod entered his head just below the jaw traveling through the frontal lobe of his brain exiting the top of his head. After the initial recovery he began to exhibit violent, aggressive, and anti-social behavior (Crime Times, 2007). Phineas Gage was a mild mannered individual prior to his accident but after the injury to the frontal lobe he became just the opposite a man exhibiting aggression and anti-social behavior. The inability to make rational decisions, control aggression, and emotions has a possible connection to criminal thoughts and behavior. Ongoing research relating to the connection of crime and brain dysfunction will perhaps provide a more solid explanation in the near future. Neuropsychological factors may interfere with the ability to make important functional and executive decisions on a daily basis (Bartol & Bartol, 2011). Abnormalities in the brain may increase the aggression while preventing the ability to control aggressive behavior (Bartol & Bartol, 2011). The central nervous system provides a route for electrical impulses relating to thought, behavior, and emotions traveling to and from the brain. Synapses are the gaps between the cells of the nervous system and chemicals known as neurotransmitters provide the impulses the means of connecting to the synapses (Allen & Harper, 2010). When electrical impulses are interrupted researchers believe it is the result of low levels of neurotransmitters that interfere with emotions and produce aggressive behavior. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter and when the levels drop there is a proven relationship between violence and behavior (Allen & Harper, 2010). The anti-social behavior and chemical imbalances are prevalent in alcoholics. Malnutrition in children also inhibits the growth and development of the brain. Cognitive deficiencies and underdeveloped brains place children and adolescents at risk for anti-social behavior (Bartol & Bartol, 2011). Dysfunctions in the brain relating to growth, chemical imbalance and injuries prevent the ability to address issues, exhibit proper emotions and solving problems inhibit behavior acceptable in society. The brain controls the entire body and mental capacity to make proper, logical, and informed choices when dealing with risk factors influencing criminal behavior. References Allen, C. & Harper, V. (2010). Laboratory Manual for Anatomy and Physiology, Fourth Edition / Edition 4 Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated Hoboken, NJ ISBN-13: 9781118135662 Crime Times, (2007) A lesson from history†¦ Phineas Gage and frontal lobe damage. Retrieved from http://www.crimetimes.org/98d/w98dp5.htm Phillips, J. (2012). The Brain and Crime: What is the relationship here? Retrieved from http://drjezphillips.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/the-brain-and-crime-what-is-the-relationship-here/ Raine, A. (2002). The biological basis of crime. In J.Q Wilson & J. Petrsilia (Eds.) Crime: Public policies for crime control. Oakland: ICS Press.

Effect of Immigration Essay

Effect of Immigration Our communities are made up of so many different cultures, in our own group of friends we probably have Hispanics, African Americans, Asians and the list goes on and on. Our country is made up of so many people with different backgrounds that come to make a better future for themselves and their families. We see Hispanic super markets in our community, local Mexican restaurants or even flags from different countries in front of businesses. Immigrants cause an impact in our society politically, economically and culturally. The issue of immigration is major ebate in the united states. Although critics argued of negative impacts of immigrants such as overcrowding, drug trafficking and threatening of American culture, immigrants still have a great impact in our society. As stated before immigration has a big say on politics. We are starting to see how elections try to a pile to the Hispanic culture (Ildefonso Mendez and Isabel M. Cutillas) for example, when Obama went to Miami he tried to ask for coffee in Spanish. Recently, people wanting to reunite with their family members who may already have citizenship in he United States has been the major cause of immigration. More than one million people are coming to the United States for different reasons(lldefonso Mendez and Isabel M. Cutillas). Causes of immigration include religious freedom, better standard of living financially the need to bring their business to America, and academically for their children. Because of these uncontrollable reasons, the American Fernandez 2 government has created laws to legalize the residency of the immigrants (Ildefonso Mendez and Isabel M. Cutillas). Many of these reasons may sound pretty familiar to s because either we know people who are here for those reasons or we are here for those reasons. Those who argue against immigration do not realize that these immigrants benefit the economy. The American dollar has such a value, immigrants looking for a better living financially will get any type of Job that pays better than they were getting paid in their home country. They are the ones taking the unwanted Jobs by Native Americans(Alexandra Vinogradova pg. 201). Immigrants are usually forced to take unwanted Jobs for a low wage because they are not well educated or not luent in English ( Alexandra Vinogradova pg. 01). If you look around at the Food Court in any mall in south Florida, you will realize that most of the workers who keep the mall clean are either Hispanic or Caribbean. Nursing homes are filled with either HHA or CNA being either Hispanic or Caribbean also (Tomas R. Jimenez and Adam L. Is Panda Express American or Asian? Apparently it is Asian; Horowitz pg. 849). yet, at the mall the lines are filled with Americans waiting to be served Asian food. This is the impact the culture of immigrants has had on Americans. They bring a new ulture in America, which some most Americans embrace while others reject it. Those whom embrace it cook less at home and order Pizza’s which is an Italian Meal, Chinese food or Taco Bell, the Mexican Restaurant. There so many things we don’t stop to realize or take for granted but are there thanks to immigration. Immigration is in our daily lives, wherever we go, we have to deal with it. It has become part of the American living. Another example would be Sedano’s the Cuban Supermarket. This Fernandez 3 company easily provides Jobs for the Hispanic immigrant population. Because Cubans operate the company’s management, the use of English language may not necessarily be required because of the Hispanic environment. There is no need for them to speak English if their Boss, co-workers and customers all speak the same language. Such companies create thousands of Jobs and add to the economy. The issue of foreign workers has had an impact on politics. The beneficial aid of these skilled foreign workers has caught the government’s attention to permit them legal residence while in America (Ariana Mangual Figueroa pg. 333). An H-1 B visa is iven to skilled foreign workers for a limited time(Ariana Mangual Figueroa pg. 333). Unfortunately, once their Job ends they are no longer welcomed in America. H-1 B workers have impressed the Americans. Politicians on Capital Hill, led by Republican Senator Spencer Abraham of Michigan and Republican Representative David Dreier of California; have sponsored legislation to increase the number of H-1Bs from 1 15, 000 to 195, 000 per year, and President Clinton and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt support the increase Oudis) (Ariana Mangual Figueroa pg. 333). If these mmigrants will not cause us a deficit or harm us, we should welcome them to work. After all, they contribute to the technology field and help our economy. By helping, they also keep the value of the dollar high which benefits them when they return home. Many have argued against immigration while pro-immigration respond that America was built by immigrants. Recently, Hispanics and Haitians have had an impact in America. They provide culture diversity. Hispanics have bought in their language to Florida . Signs are now written in both English and Spanish. Some Jobs require that you are bilingual in order to be employed.

Cybercrime Awarness Essay

In today’s cyber world in which everyone is dependent on computers and Internet cybercrime is a growing concern since it costs individuals and companies billions of dollars each year. This paper is researching the awareness of people regarding cybercrime and its effects. It is being researched because the awareness itself and the knowledge on the matter are requirements for stopping cybercrime, considering the effects of no action. Research showed that although the majority is aware of the dangers that cybercrime poses they are mostly not willing to do much, except the basic steps, to protect themselves from it. They are leaving the door open for cybercriminals to step in. Introduction This project focuses on the dangers of cybercrime and the awareness and knowledge of individuals regarding it. In addition to finding out how much and what people know about cybercrime raw data regarding cybercrime subtypes is presented. Cybercrime Cybercrime is most commonly defined as crime in which computers and Internet are used for illegal activities such as fraud, trafficking, stealing of identities, violating privacy and many others (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2010). Due to the widespread use of computers and Internet in today’s society, cybercrime has become largest growing type of criminal activity around the world (British Broadcasting Corporation, n. d. ). According to the Computer Crime Research Center (2004) cybercrime is most commonly divided into three categories (a) cybercrime against persons, (b) cybercrime against property or (c) cybercrime against government. First type of cybercrime, the one done to people consists of crimes such as different kinds of harassments, child pornography distribution, basically everything done to people with the use of computers and Internet (Parishat, 2004). One of many examples of cybercrime against persons was the famous â€Å"Melissa Virus† (CERT, 1999) which attacked over 1 million computers in the United States and Europe through Microsoft Word program. Melissa was engineered as a macro virus that attacks Microsoft Word 97 and 2000 and Microsoft Outlook and then sending the virus to other people through the outlook address book (tech target, 2011). Furthermore, it has the possibility to cripple mailing systems of corporations as it did with Microsoft. Second type of cybercrime named above is the one against any and all types of property (Parishat, 2004). Furthermore, property cybercrime is most often the destruction of other people’s property either through damaging programs or through acts of vandalism, sabotage and industrial espionage. Third and the last category are crimes towards government (Parishat, 2004). According to Parishat, Internet is often used to wage threats towards governments and citizens. Furthermore, most common type of cybercrime against government is hacking government or military websites. Types of cybercrime acts will be explained in more detail in the following pages. Spam. Usual definition of spam (iskon, n. d. ) would be that it is an unwanted and unasked electronic mail, which is usually sent to large number of recipients. Increasing numbers of internet users report spam problems on their email accounts, which is why more and more online internet providers offer protection against spam in form of spam filters and various features that can block unwanted mail (Spamlaws, 2009). Spam is so annoying that a survey in Australia showed that spam mail is on 15th place of things that annoy Australians the most (Anonymous, 2010). A study conducted by joint forces of University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, San Diego show that spammers can earn millions of dollars per year just by sending spam mail (British Broadcasting Corporation, 2008). Moreover, they concluded that although spammers receive answer on approximately every 12th million mail they send they still earn a significant amount depending on the size of their spam network. Spam has risen to such levels that individuals now pose as companies and send out spam mail that can damage the company’s reputation (HT Media, 2010). Most spam mail is just advertising and as such is harmless, but some spam messages are part of more severe internet frauds such as identity theft or any other common internet fraud (Microsoft, n. d. ) File sharing and piracy. The word piracy has greatly changed its meaning compared to what it used to stand for in the past. Today when we say piracy we do not mean on pirates who attack other ships and settlements, rather we think of people who are duplicating the work of others and selling it for their personal gain without the permission of the owner (The Indian Music Industry, 2010). Companies and governments are trying to fight the piracy by encouraging consumers to use legal means of acquisition of movies, music and other work typically targeted by pirates (Pichevin, 2010). Moreover, they are implementing laws that are supposed to prevent piracy, but people have started taking piracy for granted and do not hesitate to do it on daily basis thinking it is not a crime, and this costing the industry millions of dollars. Internet fraud. According to Australian Federal Police, â€Å"the term ‘online fraud’ refers to any type of fraud scheme that uses email, websites, chat rooms or message boards to present fraudulent solicitations to prospective victims, to conduct fraudulent transactions† (Australian Federal Police, 2010). In today’s time of computers and internet many scams are circling the World Wide Web (National Fraud Information Ceneter, n. d. ). Moreover, old phone and mail frauds that used to circle the world are doing the same again, but this time on the internet, and to such extent that it is becoming hard to tell the difference between genuine online sellers and scammers, who just want to take our money. Child pornography. One of the first applications of the internet that strived for profit was pornography (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2010). Although legal, pornography has a criminal element to its name and that is child pornography. That element has grown to such extent that experts say it has became a business that earns around 3 billion dollars a year. Also as such child pornography is hard to track on the internet due to the fact that there are still many countries with inadequate cybercrime laws in place. Providers of child pornography use the internet to sell it to pedophiles, who in addition of buying child pornography also use the internet to lure children into ngaging in illegal sexual activities (Law Library, 2010). Moreover, one of the difficulties in stopping child pornography is that it is done over the internet, meaning it is on global scale, and law enforcement officials all around the world have to cooperate in stopping the offenders. Hacking. In the early days of the internet hacking was no more than a practical joke, but today hacking has completely other meaning and it is considered a severe transgress ion of the law (British Broadcasting Corporation, n. d. ). Furthermore, hackers today prove their worth and skills to other hackers by attacking computer systems of big multinational corporations and even governments. Moreover, they plant their viruses which can then cause severe damage, for example the â€Å"love-bug† virus which hit over forty million computers in the world and managed to cause billions of dollars in damages. Today hackers often compromise computer systems of banks and other business in order to steal money or some valuable information which they can later sell on the black market (British Broadcasting Corporation, n. . ). Furthermore, in a survey taken by the Computer Security Institute 90% of companies in the survey said that they have experienced security breaches in their systems in the last year, while 74% claimed to lose money because of these security breaches. The total bill was over 260 millions of dollars. Moreover, almost 80% of the companies know that their employees tend to exploit the internet for pers onal gain, during their working hours, and approximately the same percentage of companies has detected signs of viruses in their systems I the last year. Today there are even websites where people can learn how to become a hacker and improve their hacking skills (hackthissite. org, 2010). Identity theft. Probably the most famous type of cybercrime is the identity theft or the theft of personal information of people (techterms, 2011). Identity theft doesn’t only refer to theft over internet, but on any type of illegal obtaining of personal data (department of justice, n. d. ). There are two ways of gathering information over the internet and they are phishing and pharming (techterms, 2011). Phishing is a type of internet fraud in which fake emails are used to gather information. Furthermore, it is important to say that people fall on this kind of scams because they appear to be legitimate and from legitimate websites. While phishing lures users to fake sites, pharming redirects internet users to fake websites without their knowledge. Moreover, unlike phishing pharming has the possibility to hit more users at the same time. Furthermore, when users are redirected to fake websites either by phishing or pharming they are asked for their personal information which criminals can use to steal their identity. Through identity theft criminals can severely damage people whose identity they have taken (department of justice, n. d. ). Furthermore, they do financial damage through credit card debt, loans, etc. in addition to the reputation of the victims that suffers as well. It is important to mention that first offenders who ruined many lives usually walked free due to lack of laws against identity theft. First laws against identity theft were not made until 1998. According to Federal Trade Commission approximately 9 million Americans become victims of identity theft, and that is just on yearly basis (Federal Trade Commission, n. . ) Intellectual property. According to World Intellectual Property Organization (n. d. ) intellectual property is work of mind including literary and art work, different inventions, names, symbols images and designs. According to Law Library America (2010) intellectual property theft is a theft of copyrighted materials and other company’s trade secrets. Most common intellectual properties that are stolen online are software, movies and music, and games. Furthermore, trade secrets such as plans, designs, different kind of policies and procedures, even recopies are also stolen. Moreover, companies or individuals counterfeit brands of products and sell them as the real deal which they are not. Intellectual property theft can affect the entire economy, because hackers and pirates contribute to losses of millions of dollars. Furthermore, with appearance of computers intellectual property theft has become easier than ever since companies have everything on computer files which are easy to break in. Moreover, pirated secrets are sold to other companies that use them to stay in the race or to get insight on how their competition operates etc. dditionally article states that that intellectual property criminals have very low cost of operation due to the fact they do not make any sales in person, they don’t have to travel anywhere outside their homes and their profits are rather high. According to Mills (2009) theft of information and other cybercrimes have cost businesses on global level around $1 trillion just in last year. Furthermore, she claims that bus iness in developing countries and third world countries spend more money on protecting their intellectual property then western countries do. Industrial espionage. Industrial espionage appeared as a by-product of the fast technological progress, it reflects the attempts of businesses to acquire secrets of the trade from their competition and use it for their personal gain (Encyclopedia Britannica, n. d. ) Moreover, industrial espionage is not always as dramatic as it sounds; it can be as simple as checking prices of competition. Furthermore, trade secrets could e exposed through disgruntle employees who might seek revenge against their company and give away sensible information to its competitors. In addition some employees are lured by other companies with promises of better salary and work conditions just so that employee gives them secrets of their competition. A very recent example of industrial espionage happened in Renault, where their project with Nissan in developing a battery-powered car was involved in industrial espionage affair (Haase, 2011). Furthermore, the article states that top Renault managers might be involved in the case, but Renault is still unsure as to who might had breached their security protocols and gained access to the information. Another example of industrial espionage, but on more global level, is the WikiLeaks, who published great number of secret documents on the Afghan and Iraq war to the general public (Greenberg, 2010) Furthermore, that breach of secret information is the biggest one in military history and according to the founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange it is just the beginning. Moreover, he claims that he possess a trove of yet to be published documents about private sector in the US that could bring down major US bank. However, he says that this information will be published in 2011 upon gathering more information, so it remains to be seen what will happen. According to Smole (2004) industrial espionage is becoming easier with technological progress. It is relatively easy to listen in and record someone’s mobile phone records; all you need to do is switch phone batteries. Furthermore, technology is so advanced today that eavesdropping and theft are growing problem for companies today. Further in the article it is stated that 60% of members of the Institute of Directors (IOD) have been victims of theft. Every medal has two sides, so does this one, it provides handful of opportunities for security companies to step in and offer their services in protecting other companies. According to Smole’s article listening devices were found at around 5% of companies, in UK, that seek protection and security checks. Moreover, another commercial advantage of industrial espionage is that in the UK alone ? 10milion worth of listening devices has been sold, so that is nice business for companies selling those devices. It is important to add that nowadays information is vital to success on the market and brings companies needed edge over competition. However, article also states that there are even some partially legal companies in the business of providing espionage services for other companies. Companies who manage to discover that their confidential information has been compromised usually take legal efforts to stop further loss of trade secrets (Encyclopedia Britannica, n. d. ). Furthermore, law regulated consequences for companies responsible of industrial espionage range from injunctions for use of knowledge acquired through illegal ways to fining for damages, depending on the severances of the crime. Today industrial espionage is so widespread it is not just in the movies we watch, but it is a real threat to ethics of business (Smale, 2004). According to Symantec Company (2010), one of the leading world companies in protection against cybercrime, around two thirds of Internet users in the world have been victims of cybercrime. Furthermore, they claim that majority of people who become victims of cybercrime blame themselves for becoming victims of such act. Moreover, majority of victims state that they do not plan on changing their behavior and large portion never even reports the crime to the authorities. Researching awareness is very important, because awareness directly influences prevention of cybercrime. Methods Primary research part of this project consists of a survey, which was administrated online with the use of survey monkey an online survey tool. According to Trochim (2006) survey is one of the most valuable research methods. In this case survey was chosen due to time constraints and the fact it can give the needed information from greater number of respondents. Survey targeted all ACMT students and faculty total of them 500, of which ne hundred responded to the survey. Respondents were all literate and educated enough, with no language barrier and surprisingly cooperative. The survey was created on January 21, 2011 and it consisted of sixteen closed-ended questions that would take no more than five minutes to answer. Goal behind such short survey was for the respondents not to lose interest towards the end and answer all questions. Survey was designed to test the general k nowledge and awareness of the audience. A sample of the self-administrated online survey can be seen in Appendix B. Survey Questions Question 1. Please identify your gender. This first question was posed in order to gather background information about the sample audience, to see what percentages of respondents were male and what percentage were female. Question 2. Please select your age group. This question also served to gather additional data about the sample audience, to see what percentages of respondents belong to which of the four offered age groups. Question 3. How much time do you spend in front of a computer on daily basis? This question was designed to see how much time respondents spend in front of their computers in order to investigate if there are any connections between the amount of time spent in such manner and knowledge about cybercrime issues. Question 4. For what purposes do you use computers and Internet? This question was designed to see for what purposes respondents use computers and the Internet, is it purely for business and education or they use it for personal purposes as well. Question 5. Do you use Internet for any of the following? This question is closely related to the previous question. It was designed to check for exactly what personal or business purposes the sample audience uses Internet. From the data gathered it was possible to draw conclusions on how advanced is their usage of Internet possibilities and do they use it to full potential or just capture small portion of its possibilities. Question 6. Have you ever experienced problems with any of the following? This question was designed to see with what kind of Internet attacks respondents most often suffer from. Whether they are from viruses, spyware or hackers themselves. Question 7. What types of cybercrime can you name? This was the only question that was open-ended, but the respondents were required to name only cybercrime types they know. Regrettably the survey tool used is such that it is possible for respondents to skip questions and this question might be skipped by some. Question 8. Do you feel that you are protected enough against cybercrime? This question was designed to detect the general level of protection of respondents against cybercrime. To test if they feel vulnerable against cybercrime or they think they are protected enough against it. Question 9. Do you use any program to protect your Internet browsing? This question was posed to see if the sample audience is aware of the Internet threats and use programs specifically designed to protect them while they are online. It doesn’t test what program exactly they use but it just tests the general usage of such programs that protect its users from unwanted viruses and spyware. Question 10. Has your PC ever been infected by a virus that damaged its components or stored data? This question is somewhat connected to the previous question. It was designed to test if the sample audience ever came under attack from viruses that damaged their computers hardware or software and corrupted data. It does not measure what was damaged in the process or excess of the damages, just the occurrence of the attack; did it ever happen or not. Question 11. Have you ever been a victim of identity theft? This question was designed to see if any of the sample audience has ever been a victim of an identity theft fraud. It does not test the severity of the fraud or its depth and damages to the respondent only the occurrence of such action. Question 12. Do you know anyone who suffered from identity theft? This question completes the previous one; it provides additional information about identity theft. It was presumed that only few respondents suffered from identity theft I used this additional question to gather more information. Reasoning behind this was that some of the respondents at least know someone who suffered from identity theft. Question 13. Have you ever downloaded any material from the Internet without paying for it? This question was used as a control question, posed in order to check validity of answers to other related items. Reasoning was that everyone has at some point in time downloaded something from the Internet without paying for it, especially in this time when downloading torrents are all present. Question 14. Have you ever felt that your computer has been hacked? Hacking is one of more serious types of cybercrimes and it causes billions of dollars in damages each year. This question serves the purpose of gathering information on hacking attacks on any of the respondents in the survey. Although it is highly probable that a lot of the answers will be negative, since hackers rarely attack individuals due to low profit possibilities, it is possible to get relevant feedback from the data gathered Question 15. Have you ever sent spam mail? This item is a pretty straightforward question regarding spam mail. It was designed to test if anyone from sample audience sent some spam mail, e. g. if they forward popular junk mail on social networks, company mails etc. Question 16. Have you ever stolen someone else’s work? (Intellectual property) This question was posed as another control question, to check validity of answers to other related items. Did they ever steal someone else’s work, or take credit for something they did not do. Results Due to the limitations of the online tool used for the survey only one hundred people could respond to the internet survey. The survey was available online from January 21, 2011 until the February 3, 2011. This means that about 20% of all ACMT students and faculty responded to the online survey. Only ACMT members and staff had the opportunity to take part in the survey. For questions consult the Methods part of this project. Graphical representation of the results can be seen in Figures 1 through 15. Survey Results Response to question 1. Data gathered by the first item shows that 59 respondents or 59 % of the respondents were female and 41 respondents or 41% of the respondents were male. It needs to be noted that one must assume, when gathering the data by an internet-administered survey, that none of the respondents would feel the need to misrepresent themselves since they were given the option to remain completely anonymous. Response to question 2. As was to be expected, due to the fact that most of the population was consisted of students attending ACMT 83 people or 83% of respondents answered that they are between ages of 18 to 25. On the same question nine other people or 9% of respondents answered that they are between ages of 26 to 35, additionally four people or 4% of respondents answered that they are between ages of 36 to 45. Last four respondents or 4% of respondents answered that they are between ages of 46 to 70. Response to question 3. On this question none of the respondents answered that they spend less than 30 minutes on their computers on daily basis. On the other hand five people or 5% of respondents said that they spend somewhere between 30 and 59 minutes on their computers on daily basis; 22 people or 22% of respondents said that they spend one to two hours in front of their computers on daily basis. Majority of respondents or 37 of them or 37% of respondents claims that they spend somewhere between two to four hours on their computers on daily basis. Large portion of respondents or 36 of them or 36% of total sample audience answered that they spend more than four hours in front of their computers on daily basis. Response to question 4. When answering this question three respondents or 3% of respondents claimed that they use Internet only for personal purposes; five of them or 5% of respondents answered that they use Internet for business and educational purposes. Majority of respondents 92 of them or 92% of respondents say that they use Internet for both personal and business/education purposes. Response to question 5. On this multiple choice question 38 respondents or 38 % of respondents answered that online banking is one of the things they use Internet for; 40 respondents or 40% of respondents answered that they use Internet for online shopping. Almost all of them or 98 or more precisely 98% of respondents use Internet for research and information gathering. E-mailing is another thing for which 98 people from the survey or 98% of respondents uses Internet for; 65 respondents or 65% of sample audience claim that they use Internet for work. This question also had the option â€Å"other† providing the respondents with the possibility to write down additional things that they use the Internet for, which were not available among the offered options. Response to question 6. This was also a multiple choice question on which 95 people or 95% of respondents answered that they had problems with viruses; on the same question 53 people or 53% of respondents answered that they had problems with spyware. Only 20 people or 20% of respondents answered that they had problems with hackers. Response to question 7. This open-ended question offered a possibility for the respondents to name any of the cybercrime types they know or heard of. Some of the examples they named were spam, identity theft, hacking, data theft, piracy, financial fraud, child pornography, credit card frauds etc. Some people, not few of them, listed Trojan as cybercrime which is just a type of virus. Response to question 8. The data gathered shows that only 33 respondents or 33% of the sample feels protected enough against cybercrime. Majority of the respondents, 67 or 67% don’t feel protected enough against cybercrime. Response to question 9. Majority of respondents 83 of them or 83% of total sample respondents answered that they use some kind of a program to protect them while they browse the Internet. Much smaller number or only 17 of them or 17% of total sample respondents don’t use any program to protect their Internet browsing and thus are exposed to cybercrime. Response to question 10. The data gathered shows that 66 respondents or 66% of the sample stated that they have experienced a virus that either damaged their computer’s components or data stored on it. On the other hand 34 people or 34% of the sample audience claims that they never experienced situation such as that. Response to question 11. Only six people or 6% of the sample responded positively on this question and answered that they have been victim of some sort of identity theft. Majority of people 94 of them or 94% of the sample have never been victims of identity theft. Response to question 12. Data gathered shows that 50 respondents or 50% of the sample said that they know someone who has been a victim of identity theft. Same number of respondents answered that they didn’t know anyone who has been a victim of identity theft. Response to question 13. A vast majority of respondents 94 of them or 94% of the sample audience responded positively and said that they have downloaded materials from Internet without paying for it. Only small portion of six people or 6% of respondents said that they have never downloaded any material from the Internet without paying for it. Response to question 14. In this question 31 people or 31% of respondents said that they have felt hacked at some point in time; 69 people or 69% of respondents said that they have never felt hacked before. Response to question 15. Only 16 people or 16% of respondents answered that they have sent spam mail at some point in time. Majority of respondents 84 of them or 84% of respondents answered that they have never sent any spam mail. Response to question 16. On this question 12 people or 12% of all respondents answered positively and admitted of stealing someone else’s work. Majority of respondents 88 of them or 88% of respondents said that they have never stolen someone else’s work. Discussion The goal behind the research was to test the hypothesis that most of the people, although they spend a great deal of time on their computers, are not aware of the dangers of cybercrime which often makes them victims and offenders as well when they download material. Research was conducted on sample group consisting of students, faculty and staff members at ACMT. Data gathered through survey administration confirmed the thesis based on literature review, that public is not aware of all the dangers that cybercrime poses and the general lack of effort in dealing with it. Research conducted proved that in academic settings people are bound to spend more and more time on the Internet, often unaware of the dangers. Majority of respondents, while using the Internet for either personal or business needs, have at some point in time, encountered viruses or spyware that attacked their computer and put their data at risk. Whether they know any specific details of those cybercrimes or not, the survey did not test, rather it tested only if the sample audience is familiar with any cybercrime type. They could have experienced some of those cybercrimes on their own skin or just hear about them somewhere. To test their specific knowledge on each cybercrime subgroup more time was need and possibly another primary research type such as and in depth interview which could give more data but would also take much more time to answer, which was not possible with current time constraints. Even though one could doubt the depth of their knowledge of cybercrime issues, based on the survey results analysis, they obviously are aware of the fact that is stressed throughout professional literature reviewed for the purposes of this project, the fact that there is no program r measure that could completely protect against all types of cybercrime. Only thing that might protect us is raising awareness about cybercrime and the ways it works and the prevention strategies. To inform people about scams cybercriminals use, to help companies defend their data and accounts from intrusions, whether they are from an outside or an inside source. As it was previously mentioned one way to help protect your data and Internet browsing are antivirus and antispyware programs. Those programs detect intrusions in the system and block or delete them and report back to the user. As research showed many individuals and companies use not only those programs but also seek additional ways of protection in form of firewalls etc. Firewalls in big companies are commonly built by IT experts who design the whole systems for companies trying to make the system unbreakable for all kind of intrusions, since today everything is stored on company servers. This is additionally confirmed by survey results – even though more than 50% of respondents claimed to have antivirus protection their computer was attacked by viruses that corrupted their data. Like mentioned before cybercrime has far worse aspects to it than just viruses and spyware. Some types of cybercrime such as identity theft can completely ruin lives of individuals and all around them. People can get completely ruined by it. Someone else passing as you is always terrible, let alone when that person has all of your personal information from social security number to access to all of your bank accounts etc. Luckily survey results showed that it is a rare occurrence in the academic settings in this part of the world, but one should be aware of the problems faced by people elsewhere. Increasing number of people is getting targeted by cybercriminals who are trying to steal their identities for their financial gain. Still, in analyzing survey results, it is quite important to stress possible factors that might influence the response rates, e. g. without knowing the extent of their knowledge on what identity theft is, there are two possible ways to interpret the low number of affirmative answers. On the one hand, it might be interpreted by the lack of knowledge of all the subcategories concerned, on the other it might simply be the fact that the target audience has not encountered with identity theft. As stated in the research many people today tend to use internet to download data without paying for it. Research shows that industries such as movie or music industry are losing millions of dollars because of illegal downloads of their products from torrents which do not pay royalties to authors for usage of their material (Pichevin, 2010). Vast majority of respondents to the survey said that they tend to download material from the internet without paying for it. Like in every question so in this one there is a margin for error. Respondents might have thought that this question relates to any material they download from the internet so that fact might influenced on such majority of affirmative answers. On the other hand this is Croatia where laws against piracy exist, but implementation of such is difficult so people feel free to download material from the internet without being afraid of any legal action or consequence (Ministry of Economy, Labor and entrepreneurship, 2009). Another subtype of cybercrime in which cybercriminals get into is intellectual property theft. From companies coping brands to individuals taking credit for something that is not their own work. As stated in research intellectual property theft has cost companies around the world around $1 trillion in 2008 a number that is growing with each coming year. Research showed that very small percentage of the sample audience admits committing identity theft. That fact might be due to some irrational fear of being made, which is absurd since it is an anonymous survey with no names. Also they might have misunderstood the question, or are not sure in what exactly falls under the category of intellectual property. Academic dishonesty, which is monitored and punished, is another view of intellectual property that ACMT has. Maybe the procedure implemented in academic honesty policy on ACMT influenced the answers given by the survey population. Examining the results of the online survey showed that the respondents, ACMT students and staff, are, to some extent, aware of the dangers of cybercrime. Although the sample audience that responded to the survey might not all be IT experts, although some might, or legal advisors for that matter they have showed an understanding of cybercrime. The background of their knowledge is unknown and untested, but nonetheless it’s there. Whether it is due to their high education or self education on the matter through the internet they have shown they know a thing or two about cybercrime. Although they show some knowledge about cybercrime it is superficial and that they do not completely comprehend the dangers and some of them as research showed think they are untouchable by cybercrime. Research states that general public needs to be more educated on the matter to create awareness and thus increase the level of protection. Education is especially important in business/educational surroundings.

Ophelia Foreshadowing

Queen Gertrude In-depth My impression of Queen Gertrude is that she is easily manipulated. Just after king Hamlet was murdered by king Claudius she easily fell for Claudius. Gertrude is a person that only thinks about her self and only thinks what she wants. She marries Claudius because she has to or eles she wouldn’t have the power of being called a queen of Denmark. She remarried so quickly one because she is easily manipulated so Claudius took her in because she would be moaning over king Hamlet.She also remarried so quickly because she wants power and she would have to marry Claudius to get it. Her role women portrayed was that women didn’t have power during the time and women didn’t have as much rights as men had. She lies to herself and people around her to keep herself safe. In the bedroom scene is finds out that Claudius killed King Hamlet but she doesn’t do anything about it. Her loyalties lie on herself because she only wants to protect herself a nd has to lie to do that. Ophelia ForeshadowingOphelia is the daughter of Polonius and whom Hamlet loves. Her role in the play was to be Hamlet's girl in the play. There was some foreshadowing that led to the dead of Ophelia. In the beginning of the play Hamlet starts to act a little crazy with meant Ophelia was gonna be treated differently. If Hamlet didn’t go crazy and mad , it wouldn’t have made Ophelia depressed making her kill herself later on in the play. Another foreshadowing of Ophelia deaf would be after Hamlet breaks her heart and then killing her father Polonius c

Components of Supply Chain Management (SCM) Essay

The main elements of a supply chain include purchasing, operations, distribution, and integration. The supply chain begins with purchasing. Purchasing managers or buyers are typically responsible for determining which products their company will sell, sourcing product suppliers and vendors, and procuring products from vendors at prices and terms that meets profitability goals. Supply chain operations focus on demand planning, forecasting, and inventory management. Forecasts estimate customer demand for a particular product during a specific period of time based on historical data, external drivers such as upcoming sales and promotions, and any changes in trends or competition. Using demand planning to develop accurate forecasts is critical to effective inventory management. Forecasts are compared to inventory levels to ensure that distribution centers have enough, but not too much, inventory to supply stores with a sufficient amount of product to meet demand. This allows companies to reduce inventory carrying costs while still meeting customer needs. Moving the product from warehouses or manufacturing plants to stores and ultimately to customers is the distribution function of the supply chain. Supply chain integration refers to the practice of developing a collaborative workflow among all departments and components involved in the supply chain to maximize efficiencies and build a lean supply chain. 2 Walmart’s Method of Managing the Supply Chain Walmart has been able to assume market leadership position primarily due to its efficient integration of suppliers, manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution to stores. Its supply chain strategy has four key components: vendor partnerships, cross docking and distribution management, technology, and integration. Walmart’s supply chain begins with strategic sourcing to find products at the best price from suppliers who are in a position to  ensure they can meet demand. Walmart establishes strategic partnerships with most of their vendors, offering them the potential for long-term and high volume purchases in exchange for the lowest possible prices. Suppliers then ship product to Walmart’s distribution centers where the product is cross docked and then delivered to Walmart stores. Cross docking, distribution management, and transportation management keep inventory and transportation costs down, reducing transportation time and eliminating inefficiencies. Technology plays a key role in Walmart’s supply chain, serving as the foundation of their supply chain. Walmart has the largest information technology infrastructure of any private company in the world. Its state-of-the-art technology and network design allow Walmart to accurately forecast demand, track and predict inventory levels, create highly efficient transportation routes, and manage customer relationships and service response logistics. 3 Benefits of Efficient Supply Chain Management Wal-Mart’s supply chain management strategy has provided the company with several sustainable competitive advantages, including lower product costs, reduced inventory carrying costs, improved in-store variety and selection, and highly competitive pricing for the consumer. This strategy has helped Walmart become a dominant force in a competitive global market. As technology evolves, Walmart continues to focus on innovative processes and systems to improve its supply chain and achieve greater efficiency. How to Manage the Bullwhip Effect on Your Supply Chain The goal of any supply chain is to get the right selection of goods and services to customers in the most efficient way possible. To meet this goal, each link along the supply chain must not only function as efficiently as possible; it must also coordinate and integrate with links both upstream and downstream in the chain. The keystone for a lean supply chain is accuracy in  demand planning. Unforeseen spikes in demand or overestimations of demand stimulate the supply end of the chain to respond with changes in production. Production and supply issues then impact the consumer end of the supply chain and the effects ripple up and down the chain. This is often referred to as the bullwhip effect. 1 What Causes the Bullwhip Effect? Supply chain management is a complex process. There are several issues that can lead to the bullwhip effect and those issues can be exacerbated by delays in transmitting information, and a lack of coordination up and down the supply chain. Some causes of the bullwhip effect include: Consumer demand swings Natural disasters that disrupt the flow of goods and services Overcompensation when addressing inventory issues Ordering processes, such as order batching, can also contribute to thebullwhip effect. Organizations may accumulate larger orders before processing them in an effort to reduce costs and create transportation economics. They may also wait to place larger orders to benefit from lower prices offered during a promotion. Demand forecasting manipulation is another cause. By padding the forecast to compensate for possible errors, the organization loses sight of true customer demand. Customers can also contribute to the bullwhip effect by engaging in shortage gaming during periods of short supply by purchasing more than they need. Additionally, customers taking advantage of liberal return policies can create problems with developing accurate demand forecasts. 2 How to Minimize the Bullwhip Effect The first step in minimizing the bullwhip effect is to understand what drives customer demand planning and inventory consumption. Lack of demand visibility can be addressed by providing all key players in the supply chain  with access to point of sale (POS) data. Suppliers and customers must then work collaboratively to improve both the quality and frequency of information communication throughout the supply chain. They may also choose to share information through an arrangement such as vendor-managed inventory (VMI). Eliminating practices that introduce spikes in demand, such as order batching, can also help. The higher order cost associated with smaller or more frequent orders can be offset with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and computer aided ordering (CAO). Pricing strategies and policies can also help reduce the bullwhip effect. Eliminating incentives that cause customers to delay orders, such as volume transportation discounts, and addressing the causes of order cancellations or reductions can help create smoother ordering patterns. Offering products at stable and fair prices can prevent buying surges triggered by temporary promotional discounts. Special purchase contracts can be implemented to encourage ordering at regular intervals to better synchronize delivery and purchase. 3 Adopting Supply Chain Management Best Practices Using sound chain management processes and systems will result in the efficient flow of goods from a raw stage to the consumer while enhancing ROI for the company. Reviewing case studies and other resources detailing best practices can suggest opportunities for improvement. Adopting successful practices such as Walmart’s use of cross docking, or Dell’s process of bypassing the middle man by offering made-to-order computers directly to customers, can contribute to a lean supply chain and minimize the bullwhip effect. Reducing the bullwhip effect requires a thorough evaluation of organizational policies, measurements, systems, and practices. Based on the positive implications an efficient supply chain can have on costs, sales, profits and customer satisfaction, it’s an undertaking well worth the investment and effort.

Hamburger Universities Essay

As of today, we have seven Hamburger Universities (HUs) around the world. They are state of the art training centers for restaurant employees and corporate staff. Since its inception, Hamburger University training has emphasized consistent restaurant operations procedures, service, quality and cleanliness. The curriculum is comprehensive, thought-provoking and the perfect foundation for building a successful career. The fact that our Oak Brook Campus Hamburger University is the only restaurant company training academy awarded  college credit recommendations by the American Council on Education (ACE) is indicative of the value Hamburger Universities bring to our system and our employees. ACE recommendations mean that credits earned at Hamburger University can be applied toward a college degree. 100% of the restaurant manager and mid-management curricula are eligible for a total of up to 46 credits – approximately two years of full-time college study. Over the years, McDonald’s Malaysia sent its Restaurant Managers to Hamburger  Universities located in the United States, Australia and Korea. In mid-2006, we officially launched the McDonald’s Leadership Institute, a virtual learning community with guidance and resources to support and develop employee leadership and talent. It gives McDonald’s leaders opportunities to grow and develop through structured learning with other leaders, to participate in challenging development experiences and to access a wide variety of development tools and best practices resources. The Leadership Institute helps them develop critical leadership skills needed to address major short and long-term business challenges that are affecting the corporation. Under the auspices of the Institute, accelerated leadership development programs for high-potential directors and officers are offered annually across all areas of the world. As the end of 2007, 184 employees from 43 countries had participated with more than 40% of those who graduated receiving promotions.

Lab report about metabolic syndrome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Lab report about metabolic syndrome - Essay Example They are catalase, Glutathione peroxidase I , superoxide dismutase and thioredoxin. These antioxidants play an important role in the reduction of the elevated fatty acid level and help the patients to maintain the cholesterol level. Many genes are responsible for the regulation of oxidation in the cells. Glutathione peroxidase I is one of the major antioxidant enzyme. S...... The individual components of Metabolic Syndrome cluster together and this clustering increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The main root cause for this disease is linked to the poor eating habit and the sedentary life style of the people. The presence of common genetic variants can increase the susceptibility to Metabolic Syndrome. Complex gene environment interactions are also found to be associated with the Metabolic Syndrome. (Bryne and Wild 2011). Family history is the main reason for the Metabolic Syndrome prevalence in the childhood. The genes responsible for the maintenance of many cell functions play an important role for the syndrome. Insulin resistance is found to be present in the children suffering from the Metabolic Syndrome. Lipid deposition in the insulin responsive tissues is the main reason for the metabolic effects of the insulin. The hepatic fat accumulation is strongly associated with the obesity and the hepatic resistance, thereby affecting t he glucose metabolism. Background and analysis Insulin resistance is nothing but the abnormal response shown for the normal level of insulin production. Insulin resistance is further classified based on the resistance to the metabolic effects of the insulin with suppressed effect of insulin on the endogenous glucose production and peripheral glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis. Before undergoing fasting the hyperinsulinemia condition develops. Along with the increasing plasma insulin concentration, the increase of the risk factors can be found. Insulin resistance is second to the insulin resistance for the Metabolic Syndrome next to obesity. The insulin resistance factors are free fatty acids, adipocytokines, pro- inflammatory mediators and genetic factors. Insulin resistance is a

Short Essay-Close Reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Short -Close Reading - Essay Example The next chapter indicates that Jim, apart from going out with Lena to theatre, also meets her at her shop, visits her apartment and spends a considerable amount of time, since the time he met her. Chapter three of book three seems to be an account of the play and their experience watching it, but it is significant to the entire book as it brings out the pain in Jim with his separation from Antonia and his sudden realization of the compelling similarity between the play and real life. This realization is the heart of the chapter. When we reached the door of the theatre, the streets were shining with rain. I had prudently brought along Mrs. Harlings useful Commencement present, and I took Lena home under its shelter. After leaving her, I walked slowly out into the country part of the town where I lived. The lilacs were all blooming in the yards, and the smell of them after the rain, of the new leaves and the blossoms together, blew into my face with a sort of bitter sweetness. I tramped through the puddles and under the showery trees, mourning for Marguerite Gauthier as if she had died only yesterday, sighing with the spirit of 1840, which had sighed so much, and which had reached me only that night, across long years and several languages, through the person of an infirm old actress. The idea is one that no circumstances can frustrate. Wherever and whenever that piece is put on, it is April (p. 201). After his account of how Jim and Lena were able to navigate through the rain, he slides into his version of his experience of his walk back home after leaving Lena at her house. Unlike Lena, he stays in the country side. Jim describes the things in nature as he finds his way back home through the country side in which he lives. It is spring and the rain has left the blossoming lilacs fresh and fragrant. However, the words â€Å"bitter sweetness†, juxtaposes two opposites forming an oxymoron

Health effects of air pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health effects of air pollution - Essay Example Inhalation of air pollutants causes distress to the respiratory system, which lead to development of chronic respiratory infections, and aggravation of ailments affecting the system. The air pollutants cause respiratory problems in various ways including blocking the air pathways after being deposited in the lungs, irritation and inflammation of the respiratory tract resulting to production of mucus and coughing. These effects increase the vulnerability of the affected person to developing infections of the respiratory system. Numerous medical research studies on the effect of air pollution on children indicate that their health is more prone to the emissions than adults are (WHO, 2005). Polluted air causes adverse effects to the growth and development of both unborn and born children. Several factors contribute to the increased vulnerability of children’s health to air pollution. These include the continuing growth and development process of the lungs, incomplete metabolic systems and undeveloped immune systems that makes them susceptible to respiratory infections (WHO, 2005). These factors could lead to higher exposure of the children to air pollutants and increase the toxicity of the substances once they enter into the respiratory system. According to WHO (2005, p18) the effectiveness of the detoxification system in children improves with time, during prenatal and postnatal period. Hence, children at prenatal stage are most susceptible to air pollution because the lungs and the respiratory syste m are at critical stage of growth and development. When the developing lungs are exposed to air pollution, their optimal functional ability reduces and the abnormality continues to adulthood, causing reduced functional reserve of the lungs (WHO, 2005). Reduced functional reserve in adulthood increases the vulnerability of infections due to ageing and exposure to other pollutants, such as smoking and work related exposures (WHO, 2005,

The Situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Situation - Essay Example According to the constitution, the federal government cannot enter into treaties with an entity, unless it is fully sovereign. The US government between the years 1790 and 1870 has entered into 371 treaties that affirm their sovereignty that is now both inherent and constitutionally valid (Churchill, 1985, p. 31). Throughout history, there have been numerous instances, besides the occupation of their homeland, whereby the government has failed to safeguard the interest of the Native Americans. Furthermore, from an economic point of view, the territories under the Native American tribes are extremely well-endowed with minerals and energy resources. Hence, not only from an ethical viewpoint, the Native American population deserves to enjoy the status of a Nation from a legal and economic perspective as well. The Native population is further divided into three very distinct racial units. Hence essentially there is no all-encompassing term for the numerous racial divisions of the indigenous population of North America (Churchill, 1985, p. 30). Despite the fact that the American constitution has was composed in order to safe guard the interest of every group, but so far it has failed to do anything for the indigenous people or even control the crimes that take place within these tribes. Inherent sovereignty may be a barrier, but it further demonstrates one of the key flaws within the country’s legislative and judicial system that has been unable to reach a position of compromise with the Native American tribesmen and the Government. The situation of the indigenous population is the perfect embodiment of the concept of ‘Internal colonialism’; which is the glaring disparity in development between two regions within the same society. As pointed out and elaborated by Churchill, it is truly a shame that the system fails to protect the rights of the

Resource Environmental Economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Resource Environmental Economics - Assignment Example Nevertheless, the opposite situation is also possible. NOX variable reflects the pollution level in the area. The 'dirtier' in terms of pollution a town is, the less would the demand for housing in it be. Therefore, I expect nitric oxides concentration variable to be negatively correlated with price of houses and the corresponding coefficient to have negative sign. For the CHARLES variable which takes only two possible values of 0 and 1 calculation and interpretation of mean and standard deviation would be misleading. Count and frequency describe this particular variable better. Out of 506 entries, 471 (93.08% of total) correspond to 0-value of CHARLES variable and houses that do not bound the river. CHARLES is equal to 1 for 35 entries (6.92% of total). LSTAT variable demonstrates absence of correlation with CHARLES. Position of houses near a river and percentage of the lower status population in the area do not depend on each other. It is quite logical because the former is determined by the geographical factors while the latter is more of social nature. LSTAT is moderately correlated with PTRATIO, CRIME, RAD (positive correlation), and DIS (negative correlation). Based on the correlation coefficient it cannot be determined which variable influences which. For example, we can assume that high percentage of lower status of the population leads to increase in crime rates because of high poverty levels. However, it can also be argued that the relationship between variables goes in the opposite direction and

Health investment in relation to other forms of economic investment Essay

Health investment in relation to other forms of economic investment - Essay Example It is a fact that most countries find difficulty in meeting healthcare needs of citizens because of the limited resources. Economic concept emphasises that when resources are limited then they should be prioritized so that it generates maximum economic gain for the society. In one of the estimates of World Bank in relation to developing economies, it was found that a 10 percent increase in public health expenditure will reduce maternal mortality by 7 percent, child mortality by 0.69 percent and a 4.14 percent decrease in low weight for newborns. Such outcomes will certainly result in significant increase in economic productivity in long-term. A healthy child free of any disease and disability will have more opportunity to develop higher skills and education. All these factors will finally catapult into higher economic contributions in the society.The following policy recommendations towards allocation of resources can improve long-term health and economic outcomes.A large portion of healthcare resources including nurses and healthcare workers should be diverted to the prenatal and post natal care including care for mothers. Prenatal screening needs to be enhanced in risk-prone population for some of the deadly genetic diseases that later on becomes a burden on society. More rural quality healthcare centers should be established to take care of children with 100 percent coverage.A large-scale immunization programme should be run covering children of all age group to make them free of major communicable diseases.

THE LOTTERY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

THE LOTTERY - Essay Example In this case, Jackson questions this tradition implicitly by stating that the villagers are not very conscious about the actual lottery but still continue to conserve its tradition (Jackson 7). The writer reveals how rationalizing such a primal tradition makes it difficult to view any rituals involved as anything but hypocritical. As a result, only readers can see the madness of this tradition by the villagers. The theme of tradition is very applicable today. Much emphasis and emotional value is placed on yearly celebrations such as Christmas and New Year’s Day. On top of these emphases, consumerism marks both traditions and impairs any rational judgment required to rethink their rue values to society. Christmas today cannot be celebrated without overindulging in shopping behavior and bodily consumption to the extent that shoppers get violent when products sell out in stores. I think society’s blind adoption of excessive consumption during Christmas as a tradition allows it cover its ears to any logic and has ultimately become part of its

September 11 Attack on America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

September 11 Attack on America - Research Paper Example A Description of the historical event Analysis of the historical and contemporary causes of the event Analysis of the different historical interpretations of the event Evaluation of the positive and negative outcomes of the event Conclusion September 11 attack on America Introduction September 11 attacks on America remain to be the main memorable event of the twenty first century all over the world. The recent decades have seen scientists, academicians and the theorists conduct comprehensive research in a bid to establish the causes of such a thrilling event as well as the impacts, which some remain unfolded. However, the historical descriptions in regard to this event are quite amazing to the extent of instilling fear on the contemporary society. The issue has long raised a variety of truths as well as controversies since its occurrence as many as try to swallow the event’s bitterness. There are countless historical and contemporary causes of the challenging 9/11, which are i nclusive of the bitterness of the Al-Qaeda towards America for supporting Israel. The demonstration of this bitterness is viewed in the recent incident where America portrayed its deed of killing the then Al-Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden. The event sets the stage of understanding the extent to which great psychological, social, political, and economic impacts overtook the contemporary America. The discussion in this paper seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of September 11 attacks. A discussion of the historical context in regard to the even will be provided. ... The terrorists are said to have hijacked four passenger Jet airliners that were meant for commercial services and crashed them at various destinations, which included the north and south towers of the world trade center, pentagon house and forth targeted the white house, the location of the American capital. The 9/11 morning dawned in a devastating state when the Al-Qaeda’s hijacked jet airliners. Two airliners were intentionally crashed at the World Trade Center Twin Towers that collapsed within two hours of attack. The third airliner was as well crashed at the Arlington, Virginia pentagon house, while the fourth was directed onto the rural Pennsylvania’s Shanksville. Three thousand people were killed on the sport, and no one survived from the crashing flights, including 60 military officials (Griffin, 2009). The report of the investigations conducted by the Newborn research personnel indicated that there had been prior plans by the terrorist group on the procedure of attacking the entire United States, including the capital city. The attack is always remembered since it resulted in massive deaths of people, who included 60 military officials, a case that has never occurred in any other war or attack in the world. Therefore, the 9/11 attacks left a legacy that all Americans have in mind up to date. The chief suspect at the time was Al-Qaeda under the leadership of Osama bin laden, who denied responsibility of the act. In 2004, he agreed to take responsibility and disclose the act where it became identified worldwide. The history commences with a heavy burst where in May 2011, the then AL-Qaeda leader Osama was found and put to

APPLYING MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES IN THE WORKPLACE Assignment

APPLYING MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES IN THE WORKPLACE - Assignment Example (Gawel, 1997). Individuals working within an organization have different needs and desires which need to be fulfilled in a manner that not only achieve the organizational objective of improved employee performance but also motivate them to continue to perform. Such efforts therefore require that there must be a constant effort by the organization to continue to motivate their employees through different ways and means including compensating them adequately for their work. (Mullins, 1985). Employee motivation however, may not only be associated with explicit rewarding of the employees through monetary benefits but an inspirational motivation can be the source of implicit motivation for the employees. In order to achieve this implicit motivation, inspirational leadership therefore shall be instrumental in achieving such results. It is argued that commitment towards work is a voluntary act and as such organization despite providing all the environment and necessary tools to perform may not be able to get the desired level of commitment from its employees.(Rabey,2001). This case study may also be attributed to this fact of not achieving the desired behavior from an employee despite the fact that voluntary commitment is there from the employee. What is therefore important to understand here is the fact that absence of motivation can often lead to the behaviors which may not be entirely in favor of the organization. Employee motivation and participation is often considered as following the crescendo effect in career motivation because with the passage of time, employees, if given the proper motivation through equitable reward and compensation, promotions etc, can quicken the pace of their commitment towards work.(King,1997). However, in order to achieve such motivation employers have to set up a just and equitable motivational system

People Environment and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People Environment and Business - Essay Example This confirms that natural resource exploitation has the capacity to cause imbalances in ecosystems as wells other effects, which may not be reversible. This informs this study on possible environmental effects that Iran experiences in the process or because of exploiting oil. General issues that are of concern to Iran have been vehicle gaseous emissions, operations by refineries as well as effluents by industries, which together contribute towards air contamination, water sources pollution as well as general environmental degradation. For instance, the city of Tehran in Iran ranks among the most polluted cities across the globe. Among other major environmental concerns, that are of great importance and which are being analyzed in depth are issues of environmental pollution from exploitation of oil as a natural resource in the country (Narimisa and Basri, 334-337). The world is increasingly in need for oil and associated products, which causes the rate of exploitation of this natural resource to increase as days go by. The ever-increasing uses into which oil is put into raises the demand of this non-renewable resource. It is widely used for industrial purposes, as a source of fuel to both domestic users as well as industries, in production of electricity as well as for locomotives, which accounts to the highest use into which oil is put. In studies on assessment of social impact associated with exploitation of oil in Iran this study projects future affects the environment in continued exploitation of the resources. Iran is however ranked among the great producers of oil and has amassed great economic wealth through the exploitation of oil globally. In concentrated efforts to study the case in Iran, we investigate oil refinery at Tehran, which has major environmental effects on emissions of gasses, solid wastes, industrial effluents, odor, aesthetic and visual complains as well as noise. However, it is worth understanding that the case study of Tehran oil refini ng is a representation of many other industries within the larger Iran. Air pollution within the country as associated with oil exploitation result from firing processes, furnaces, steam boilers, compressors as well as distillation towers among many others. The major air pollutants from oil exploitation and refining include carbon oxides, oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, ammonia as well as hydrocarbons among others. Water pollution emanates from discharging of the industrial effluents into the water sources either directly or indirectly through contaminating underground water, which later contaminates the surface waters. The process of producing sludge, coke, cracking as well as the process of separation of water and oil produces solid wastes which without proper disposition results to degradation of the environment. Over and above all the adverse effects on environment, that exploitation of oil in Iran brings about is the demolition of ecosystems. Evidence shows that the exploitation causes mass marine as well as land environment degradation through excavations, which are associated with destruction of aesthetic value of the country. In conclusion, despite

Amazon Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Amazon - Case Study Example The company, Amazon.com, Incorporation is one of the electronic commerce companies, operating on the multinational level, located in America having its headquarters in Seattle, Washington. It is one of the largest online retailers globally (Jopson, Barney, 2011). Amazon incorporation also produces the products of consumer electronics, which most prominently include the Amazon Kindle e-book reader. It also provides the services of cloud computing to its consumers. The company manages it sellers by contributing towards programs which let its consumers sell their products through the websites of the seller and also market and sell them on the website of Amazon incorporation. It earns per-unit activity fees or revenue share fees and fixed fees on such business dealings. The enterprises are served by Amazon through AWS that brings the technological infrastructure in easy access to the developers, who can utilize it to facilitate nearly every sort of business. Amazon mainly functions in the online retailing business of e-books, and has various websites in many countries across the world. They operate in United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Italy, France, Spain, Japan, Germany, and China, along with the international delivery to many other places for some of its products. The company initially came into the business by starting up an online bookstore. However, it quickly expanded into a bigger company dealing in the selling of CDs, DVDs, software, MP3 downloads, apparel, furniture, electronics, video games, toys, food, and jewelry (Rivlin, Gary, 2005). The Amazon Incorporation competes in the Internet & Mail-Order Retail industry. It provides business services in media, publishing, clothing and other retailing. The top competitors of Amazon incorporation include Apple incorporation, Columbia House Company, eBay Incorporation, Wal-Mart Stores, Incorporation, Barnes & Noble Incorporation, and Hastings

Virtue theory and abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Virtue theory and abortion - Essay Example I strongly support the idea that abortion is the best option for Rebecca. It was mentioned earlier that the theory of utilitarianism considers an action to be right if the chosen action can provide a person the best consequences that can make the person happy (Hursthouse 225). Since both persons are only 22 years of age, it is given that both Rebecca and Tobias are not ready to settle down and have a child. This brings out the question, what would really make Rebecca happy in life? Is it becoming a single mother? Or being able to pursue her career as a human rights lawyer? Abortion, based on the theory of utilitarianism, seems to be the best option for Rebecca. It was mentioned in the given case study that the relationship between Rebecca and Tobias were not based on sincerity and true love; but more on just sexual desires and pleasure. For this reason, continuing the pregnancy may not be the best action that will make Rebecca happy. Aside from not feeling ready to start a family, Rebecca refuses to raise a child without a husband to support her either financially or emotionally. The problem with Tobias is that is guy, given the young age, is also not determined or responsible enough to face his personal obligation as a father to Rebecca’s unborn child. Therefore, it is close to impossible that Rebecca would be able to raise the unborn child with Tobias. On the contrary becoming a human rights lawyer is what will make Rebecca happy in life. Therefore, it is just right for Rebecca to decide on having an abortion. Opponents can criticize my personal point-of-view using the theory of deontology. Basically, the theory of deontology considers an action to be right in case it strictly follows the basic moral principles of God or as required by the natural law (Hursthouse 234). In general, one of the common principles of God includes the idea that it is morally wrong to kill people. Within the

The Second Treatise of Civil Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Second Treatise of Civil Government - Essay Example This is an indication that freedom has its own limitations based on the activities that individuals are involved in. Freedom is important in ensuring that the individuals are able to carry out their activities without the fear of being arrested or harassed . Different forms of freedom exist in the current world. The different types of freedoms are recognized by the government in the United States of America and it based on theses freedoms that the individuals are allowed to carry out certain activities and restrained from carrying out other activities.   Freedom also comes with a sense of responsibility and the individuals are supposed to be responsible when carrying out different activities.   The issues of slavery have also been highlighted in the article. Slavery has negative impacts on the freedom of the individuals. This is because a slave does not have any freedom and cannot make any decision. The master decides everything for the slave which puts their life at the mercy of their master. Freedom is therefore important to the society in enabling the individuals to be involved in different political, social and economic activity. The freedom that the individuals enjoy in the society determines the levels of democracy.   The theory of John Locke considers freedom as one of the most important aspect in the society. It is through freedom that the members of the society can make decisions on how they should be governed.   The limitation of the freedom in the society in most cases results to dictatorship.

Hiroux's Basic Principles of Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hiroux's Basic Principles of Morality - Essay Example When we evaluate the United States through the lens of Thiroux's basic principles, we find a country that is striving for moral idealism and compromising to satisfy reality. When considering the United States, it needs to be defined as a culture and society of people, religion, and laws. It is not the canyons, mountains, and buildings. The morality of the United States extends to the people, their laws, and the philosophical underpinnings of the constitution. Giving a moral standing to the inanimate objects within our borders would go beyond the traditional boundaries of the moral universe (MacNiven, 1993, p.204). When we apply Thiroux's five principles, we examine the people, the law, and the principles as they are applied to the people in our own country and around the world. When evaluating a situation or a people for its ethical nature it is critical that we have the truth. Honesty, one of the five principals, is the foundation that morality is built upon. Our major religions embody the principle in the ninth commandment of 'thou shalt not bear false witness'. It is reflected in our expectation of truth from our leaders and courtroom testimony. However, the US is inundated with false and misleading advertising, and our country goes to war based on a deception. In the US, honesty is generally valued only so long as it is in our own self-interest. In the long term, the self-interest of corporations and politicians can become the illusion of honesty (Mansbridge, 1990, p.151). While the US embraces honesty as a concept, the principal is often overrun by self-interest. A fundamental moral principle is the sanctity of life and the belief that we should celebrate life and accept death (Thiroux, 2007). The United State's Declaration of Independence expresses the similar belief when it says that one of our inalienable rights is our right to life. This moral principle is reflected in our laws that prevent assault or murder, as well as the fundamental respect for life that is practiced by our mainstream religions. Still, abortion laws, lack of child health care, and militaristic adventures call into question whether this is a guiding principle of the US or merely words to strive for. Here we see our principles overlapping and contradicting one another. Freedom of choice and a right to privacy impede the idealism of the value of life in regards to health care and abortion (Thiroux, 2007). It is also argued that military action serves to save a greater number of lives than it takes. No system of laws or government has a greater respect for individual freedom than the democracy of the United States. Once again, the principles are valid only within a well defined context. If questioned, many Americans would express the feeling of exploitation and slavery to the economic system. Personal freedom is only attainable if the freedom is in itself moral. The United States has made incremental progress towards individual freedom, though we do not have the absolute freedom to do as we please. Our morality may be at odds with someone else's value system. Henry David Thoreau (1892) said, "The progress from an absolute to a limited monarchy, from a limited monarchy to a democracy, is a progress toward a true respect for the individual" (p.151). While the United States has the ideal of a universal morality, our diversity challenges our individual freedo

The impact of the new technologies is revolutionising typographic Essay

The impact of the new technologies is revolutionising typographic practice. How is typograhpy and the role of typographic designers changing to meet new challen - Essay Example drew Haslam (2005), in their book Type and Typography, referred to the term as that concerned with the creation of typefaces and their arrangement to convey a message. (introduction) There are various other versions of these definitions but it all boils down to one thing: Typography’s existence occurred sometime in the 15th century and is tied with the invention of the printing press because it was responsible for the mechanical notation and arrangement of language. To borrow the words of Philipp Meggs, Rob Carter and Ben Day (2002): â€Å"The development of printing technology so drastically changed the nature of written communication that the term typography was coined to describe the study, use, and design of sets of identical repeated letterforms. According to Meggs, Carter and Day, the invention of typography was, in fact, the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, writing that the earliest mechanization of a handicraft is the hand-lettering of books. (p. 103) With the above information established, we underscore that typography evolves because of technology and thus, have had slightly differing meanings at different periods of history. In the age of the metal type, for instance, type and typeface were distinguished from each other, while in today’s digital age, they are used interchangeably. This will discussed, further later on. Peter Bil’ak offered us an interesting perspective when he said that typography should not be connected to any specific medium because it tends to change and evolve. The idea is that we continue to define and redefine the visual systems of visual language. We see this in the great leap we have achieved since the cave paintings to the synthesis of the digital pictographs. Tova Rabinowitz (2006) tells us that the widespread participation in typography’s recent evolution and its vibrant and experimental nature present an optimistic outlook for the continuation of type as a vehicle for expression and a democratizing cultural

Power discusses several issues of human rights and genocide since the Essay

Power discusses several issues of human rights and genocide since the 1970s. Select one of these issues---Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, or Kosovo, and explain what - Essay Example Other than communist China, the international community was disturbed by Vietnamese involvement. The real issues, like in other genocide cases since 1970, was not the genocide, but of varying agendas by individual countries. When the Khmer Rouge came to power, the first order was to empty all cities. The goal was to create an agricultural based society with all members living in rural areas. The flaw to Pol Pot’s plan was he expected this change to happen overnight. The young, old, sick, dying, man, woman, and everyone else had to leave the city (Chandler, 2000: 95). This alone created casualties. Some city residents only had ten minutes (Kiernan, 2002: 38). The residents that refused, no matter if sick or unable to leave, were killed. All the urban population had to relocate to the countryside in a matter of weeks. The second type of casualties occurred in the countryside. The old people, rural people, and the new people, urban people had a distinctive line drawn between them. Rural people were given larger rations of food, easier work details, and local positions of power. The urban people were given less food, harder work details, and no power at all. The urban people were not prepared for a hard rural life. Most of these people were scholars, businesspeople, doctors, lawyers, and so forth. Much of the real genocide occurred through starvation. The urban people were not given enough to eat, and did not have the skills to survive like their rural counterparts. The last set of casualties was due to arrest, deliberate torture, and assassination. Urban people were subject to arrest by the Khmer Rouge. Areas like S-21 were used to detain suspect people (Chandler, 2000: 7). These prisons obtained confessions through torture, and then the victim was murdered. Few people ever came back from a Khmer Rouge prison. Estimates of the deaths in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge vary from 1.5 million up to 5 million Cambodians (Kiernan, 2002:

Eastern Orthodox Essay Example for Free

Eastern Orthodox Essay I. Origin The Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholicism were branches of the same body—the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church until 1054 AD, which is the date of the first major division and the beginning of â€Å"denominations† in Christianity. The Christian Church divided into two Churches, East and West. Both Churches believe that they are the original Church established by Jesus Christ and the Apostles, and they disapprove each other. The Church in the East added â€Å"orthodox†, which comes from the Greek word â€Å"orthodxia†, to show that they retain the original teachings and traditions. Every Church in the Eastern Orthodox system can trace their roots back to the five early Christianity center—the Roman Church, the Jerusalem Church, Antioch, the Alexandrian Church and the Church of Constantinople. Although all Orthodox Churches recognize the Patriarch of Constantinople as the ecumenical Patriarch and the supreme leader, the Churches are independent of each other in the mutual recognition of state instead of entirely united. Disagreements between the two branches of Christianity—Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholicism—had long existed even before the division, and increased throughout the first millennium. Their disputes include issues pertaining to the nature of the Holy Spirit, the use of icons in worship, and the correct date to celebrate Easter. Also, the Eastern mindset inclined more toward philosophy, mysticism and ideology. They reject rationalism, as they believe that unless God speaks out, humans can not know him through reason. The Western outlook guided more by a practical and legal mentality, a perfect example being the Summa Theologica by St. Thomas which successfully fused Aristotelian philosophy with ideology. The Catholics believe that humans can one day see the true body of the Lord through rationality. With these disputes worsening and the gaps widening, separation was inevitable. The slow process of it was encouraged in 330 AD when Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to the city of Byzantium and called in Constantinople. After he died, the Roman empire was divided by his two sons into the Eastern portion, which was ruled from Constantinople, and the Western portion, which was ruled from Rome. The formal split took place in 1045 AD when Pope Leo IX, leader of the Roman Church at the time, excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius, leader of the Eastern Church. Cerularius then condemned the Pope in mutual excommunication. Michael Cerularius was the Patriarch of Constantinople from 1043-1058 AD, and played a prominent role in the East-West Schism. In 1045 he wrote a letter to the Pope claiming the title â€Å"ecumenical patriarch† and addressing Pope Leo as â€Å"brother† rather than â€Å"father†. It can be argued that it was this letter that initiated the events which followed. At the time the two primary disputes were Rome’s claim to a universal papal supremacy and the adding of the word filioque to the Nicene Creed. Filioque is a Latin word which means â€Å"and from the Son†. By inserting it to the Nicene Creed during the 6th century, the phrase pertaining to the origin of the Holy Spirit â€Å"who proceeds from the Father† was changed to â€Å"who proceeds from the Father and the Son†. The change was made to emphasize Christ’s divinity, but was strongly objected by the Eastern Christians, as they not only opposed any alteration of anything by the first ecumenical council, but also disagreed with its new meaning. Eastern Christians believe that both the Holy Spirit and the Son have their origin in the Father. During the time of the Crusades beginning in 1095, Rome joined the East in fight against the Turks to defend the Holy Land. But by the end of the Forth Crusade in 1204, all hope for potential reconciliation between the two Churches was over as the hostility between them continued to worsen. The Eastern and Western Churches remain divided and separate until present day. II. Institutional Structure â€Å"The Orthodox Church is evangelical, but not Protestant. It is orthodox, but not Jewish. It is Catholic, but not Roman. It isn’t non-denominational—it is pre-denominational. It has believed, taught, preserved, defended and died for the Faith of the Apostles since the day of Pentecost 2000 years ago.†Ã¢â‚¬â€Steve Robinson The Orthodox Catholic Church is the second largest Christian Church in the world and the religious denomination of the majority of the population in Russia, Greece, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Cyprus. Orthodoxy plays a smaller role in a dozen other countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the U. S. It also consists of churches in scattered presence in other countries. The Orthodox Church has an Episcopal organizational structure where consecrated bishops are the chief ecclesiastical officers in each diocese and have the power to ordain priests. The Church believes in the Apostolic Succession, which means that the consecration of its bishops can be traced back to Jesus’ apostles. The Orthodox Church is composed of several self-governing ecclesial bodies, each geographically and nationally distinct but theologically unified. Each self-governing body, often but not always encompassing a nation, is shepherded by a Holy Synod whose duty, among other things, is to preserve and teach the apostolic and patristic traditions and related church practices. III. Basic Belief System In Orthodox history, events that have transformed the external appearance of the Orthodox world—the capture of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem by Arab Muslims; the burning of Kiev by the Mongols; the two sacks of Constantinople; the October Revolution—have never broken the inward continuity of the Orthodox Church. The  greatest characterization of the Orthodox faith is its antiquity, its apparent changelessness, its continuity with the Apostolic Church and that it follows the faith and practices defined by the first seven Ecumenical Councils. For the Orthodox Christians, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity underlies all theology and spirituality. Salvation is personal and underlines particularity, yet also communal and implies sharing; there is a uniqueness and wholeness in the human person, in humanity and in creation. It is also on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity that the councilor and hierarchical structure of the Orthodox Church rests. The mystery of the Trinity is revealed in the supreme act of love, the Incarnation of the divine â€Å"Word that became flesh†, assuming and healing humanity and creation entirely. Participation in the defied humanity of Jesus Christ is the ultimate goal of the Christian life, accomplished through the Holy Spirit. In the seven Sacraments and in the life of the Church, each person is called to theosis or deification, for â€Å"God became human in order that humanity might be divinized†. When expressing these beliefs, the Orthodox look for consistency with Scripture and Tradition, as manifested in the life of the Church and the early Church Fathers, but will search also for new formulations of this tradition. External criteria of truth are lacking; for Orthodox Christians seek the living experience of truth accessible in the communion of Saints. Thus they are reluctant to define matters of faith with too much precision, in the firm conviction that truth is never exhausted. The apophatic or   negative approach safeguards the transcendence of God even while designating His immanence; it also affirms the uniqueness of each person—divine and human—that they may never be reduced to anything less than a mystery. Integral to the long history and tradition of the Orthodox Christian faith are the Icons, which further reflect the divine glory and beauty. The Incarnation of Christ implies that God became fully human and therefore accessible and describable. God is not only understood but, at the Incarnation, is looked upon and seen. An Orthodox Church is, therefore, filled with icons invariably depicting Christ or the Saints of the Church, and an Orthodox Christian kisses and assigns veneration to those depicted by them. Icons are never worshiped, and they are the Christian faith and histories depicted in images and constitute part of the transfigured cosmos. Today people tend to think of the Orthodox Church as a vast, world-wide institution. Yet the concept of universality as expressed in the local community is a fundamental principle of Orthodox doctrine. Each local Eucharist gathering is related on the principle of identity. IV. Morality Eastern Orthodoxy does not differ from the larger Christian principles of moral thought and action in any way, but does offer a unique view on Christianitys promised redemption. It teaches a doctrine of theosis, or unity with God, which is a kind of deification that is available to all. The Orthodox doctrine of theosis is grounded in several key New Testiment scriptures. In the epistles of Paul, he repeatedly describes the Christian life as life â€Å"in Christ.† In the Gospel of John, Jesus prayed, â€Å"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me† (John 17:20-21). The idea of this mutual indwelling, God in us and we in God, is a constant theme in John’s Gospel. In the Second Letter of Peter he says, â€Å"Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires† (2 Peter 1:4) The goal of the Christian life, and its expected outcome, is to partake in the divine nature. This is theosis, or deification, and the idea merits special discussion so that its meaning is not distorted. The hoped-for mystical union between God and human is a true union, but it is a union with God’s energies, not the divine essence. Humans remain fully human and distinct from God. But they become perfected in grace, so that every element of ego and selfishness disappears and they are able to reflect the divine light. Few Christians will experience theosis before the Day of Judgment, but on that day, Christians will be resurrected and glorified by God, clothed in a spiritual body that radiates the divine light. Still, deification begins in the here and now, in the daily lives of ordinary Christians. All Christians are called to follow Gods commandments, and as long as they try to do so, however weak their efforts may be, or however often they may fail, they become in some way deified. Deification begins in repentance, and is nurtured through the normal routines of the C hristian life. To become deified, the Christian should go to church, regularly participate in the sacraments, pray to God with honesty and great sincerity, read the Gospels, and follow the commandments. The most important commandments are love of God and neighbor. To love God is to live in and for others, which is why some of the greatest of the Eastern Orthodox saints are remembered for their service to others, such as St. Basil of Caesarea (c. 330-379) caring for the sick, or St. John the Almsgiver (d. 619) caring for the poor. Sincere dedication to following the commandments and living life within the church bears with it the promise of redemption fulfilled in the resurrection of a radiant body and soul. But Christians may look forward to even more than this. The Bible speaks of a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1) and of the hope that the creation itself will be redeemed (Romans 8:22). In these scriptures, Eastern Orthodoxy sees the promise of a cosmic redemption, in which all of material creation is transfigured. This belief in the redemption as deification rests in the Orthodox interpretation of the doctrine of the Incarnation. By choosing to become human, God became flesh and blood, thereby sanctifying material as well as immaterial creation. Because of this, all of material creation can look forward to its ultimate redemption, in which pain, death, and suffering will cease, along with hostility and enmity, and all of creation will be transfigured. The first fruits of this promise can already be seen as fulfilled in the divine power that works through the holy relics, in the divine presence in the icons, and in the radiant transfigured faces of the hesychasts. V. Worship The life of an Orthodox Christian can be seen as being composed of five cycles. First of all, there is the cycle of life, which embraces the whole life of a man from birth to death, and which consists in liturgical actions which are not repeated, occurring only once in a person’s lifetime. There are Holy Baptism, Holy Chrismation (equivalent to Confirmation in the West) and the Burial Service. In addition, there also belongs in this great cycle the Sacraments or Sacramental Blessings which bestow special grace for a particular office or vocation with the community. These are Holy Matrimony, the Monastic Tonsure and Holy Orders. Another major cycle which involves the entire life of an Orthodox Christian is the daily cycle of prayers and praises offered by the Church, once every twenty-four hours. These services express our remembrance of events which happened at certain hours and contain petitions relevant to these memories. In antiquity the day was considered to begin at sunset and divided according to the following order. Night began at 6 p.m. and was divided into four parts called watches, which means the time of changing guards: Evening (6 p.m. to 9 p.m.), Midnight (9 p.m. to 12 midnight), Cock-crow (12 midnight to 3 a.m.), and Morning (3 a.m. to 6 a.m.). Day began at 6 a.m. and was too divided into four watches (or hours): First Hour (6 a.m. to 9 a.m.), Third Hour (9 a.m. to 12 noon), Sixth Hour (12 noon to 0 3 p.m.), and Ninth Hour (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.).