ETHICS (PLATO) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ETHICS (PLATO) - Assignment Example In this sense, Plato believed that circles would still exist even if mathematics did not help us draw them. Plato believes that there is an inherent and unseen world where truth, justice, and beauty are eternal and non-altering. In this view, Plato gives credence to the concept of an ideal world just as Christianity proposes heaven. In the idea of heaven, Christianity asserts that people can perfect their behavior by emulating Christ thereby earning the privilege of staying in heaven. Heaven is an ideal place whereby there is eternal happiness and no injustice to individual. Individuals, therefore, exist in an uninterrupted harmony. Although this ideal contains some deal of similarity with Plato’s ideas, it differs in the sense that it does adequately endorse thinking. Plato believes that the mind is the only way of reaching the ideal world. This theory correlates the theory of forms that postulate a dual word. This suggests two levels of knowledge and two levels of reality. Plato defines a form as an abstract quality or property. For instance, when a person removes the property of an object, such as color, from the object, then the color becomes a form of an object. For instance, when a person separates the red color of a tomato from the tomato, the red color is perceived as a form. The existence of such a quality, the form, is independent of the existence of any object. In turn, objects copy the existence of forms. For example, a tomato copies the form of redness. It is essential to highlight the properties of forms in order to adequately understand their relevance in truth and justice. To begin with, forms are transcendent because they do not occur in space and time. In addition, a form is a pure property, which is separated from other qualities. In this sense, a form has an independent existence that does not rely o n the existence of other forms nor objects. On the other hand, a material and observable object is a combination of forms.

The UK travel and tourism sector Essay Example for Free

The UK travel and tourism sector Essay Inbound and Outbound Tourism Outbound tourism is when you leaving the UK to travel to another country for business or leisure. Outbound tour operator is organising holidays and provides a range of discount package deals, which you can combine with accommodation, transport to the destination and ground transport such as a transfer from the airport to the hotel. The two largest tour operators are Thomson and Thomas Cook Group. Outbound travel agents can give advice, sell and administer the booking for a number of different tour operators. 7000 travel agency has been estimated in the UK, some of these agencies have multiple branches while others are independent shops. Some online travel agencies operate only on the internet and have no physical outlet on the high street for example online agencies are Expedia, Ebookers, Travelocity and Opodo. Outbound Transport In the UK, there are varieties of ferry, rail and airlines organisations providing transport services to other countries. The Euro star is the outbound rail for the UK, it takes passengers to France (Paris and Lille) and Belgium (Brussels). Norfolk Line is the outbound ferry company in the UK, it take passengers from Dover to France. Supporting organisations- There are various supporting organisations that provide a regulation and promotion role for outbound tourism. Ancillary organisations- There are a variety of ancillary organisations that support outbound tourist, these include car hire and insurance companies. An example of ancillary organisation is providing travel insurance to outbound traveller can be found at GO, Columbus Direct and Direct- travel. Inbound tourism is when a foreign tourists coming in to the UK for business or leisure Inbound Tour operator- UK inbound tour operators can organise travel service for groups of inbound tourists. After the tourists have arrived by plane, these organisations can organise transfers, accommodations, tours, interaries, events and education for them. Coach  operators- Coach Operators are the first UK travel and tourism organisations used by a group of inbound tourists arriving in the UK by coach operators. They can provide a range of transport operations for inbound tourist ranging from simple airport to accommodation and transport to full tours around the UK.Many coaches provide DVD/video players, toilets, tea and coffee services. Supporting organisation- There are many supporting organisation that operate in Britain. For example, Meet England is the official body responsible for promoting England as meetings and events destinations, venue, and travel arrangements for those organising conferences. Ancillary organisations- As with domestics and outbound tourism, there are a variety of ancillary organisation which support inbound travel and tourism organisations, including car hire companies such as enterprise easy car and national.

Christ :: essays research papers

Christ: VICTORY!! "It is finished!" John 19:30. What Christ is referring to here is the accomplished salvation of the people. What that means is that when we are saved, we do not have to put out burnt sacrifices up to Him. It is no longer needed because Christ died for us, which took away the iniquities of our sin. He did this out of great love for us. This is exemplified in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that who so ever belief in him shall have eternal life!". That verse is very important to us, or should be, because in a way, one could base his/her relationship with the Lord upon it. The reason is because God loved us so much that he did that for us so that is the least that we could do. In Genesis 3:15 it says that we will be punished for our sins. Yes, that is true, but God will forgive and forget them if we repent. You see this is not possible without Jesus dying for our sins. In Romans 5:6-8 it says that Christ died for all of us. Even the bad ones, ALL. This is a sign of the Victory that Christ had won a victory here. The reason is because of all of the lives that he saved and will later be saved. In Romans 5 it says that Jesus died for All Sinners! We are all sinners so his death was for all. When Jesus says that "It is finished", he can also be referring to the older predictions of Christ’s' life. There is one in particular that it might have been talking about in Isaiah. That is the one in which Isaiah talks of the life of Jesus and the crucifixion, in very short and brief detail. The suffering in which Jesus took for us lasted all through the night, and then in the morning a sword was thrusted into His side to see if he was alive. After the water poured out of His side, you can say that it is officially over. In my heart it is not completely over, just that of that era. Jesus will always live in my heart and not until the very end times is it over in my heart. When the life of Jesus was over, at the same exact time God tore the cloth in the temple from the top to the bottom. The reason it had to have been God is that no one would be capable of tearing it from the top.

“The Lemon Tree” Essay

Film Viewing Assignment The film that I watched is called â€Å"The Lemon Tree† directed by Eran Riklis. The actors spoke in both Arabic and Hebrew, as its plot involved both Palestinians and Israelis. The film took place in the West Bank, Palestine. A middle-aged Palestinian widow named Salma Zidane lives on a property that belongs to her great grandparents. On this property is a field of lemon trees planted by her grandparents themselves when they were alive. This field provides her with a steady source of income and, I believe, a hidden sense of pride.In the film, she gets new neighbors living right across from her. They live exactly on the green line border between Israel and the West Bank. To her disadvantage, her new neighbor is the Israeli Defense Minister and his family. Not to my surprise however, the Defense Minister declares Salma’s field of trees as a threat to the Minister’s safety and quickly tries to initiate an order to uproot them. So, in turn, S alma tries to fight this order. She calls upon Ziad Daud, a young lawyer, to help her save her trees.What greatly interested me, however, was the invisible bond that had developed between Salma and the Minister’s wife, Mira Navon. This woman was portrayed as unhappy with her life in her new house and feels bad for Salma and her situation. They come from two separate worlds, yet they share similar feelings as individuals, rather than as Palestinians and Israelis. This was something I had hoped all viewers would notice and take into regard. Most of the time, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is never viewed as neutral.Both peoples are criticized, and in my belief, the Palestinians are targeted more harshly than the Israelis. Yet my point is that it is refreshing to see representatives from both parties seen as individuals who struggle with everyday problems, rather than entire minorities battling this ongoing situation. For the most part, this film did a great job of capturing l ife in Palestine and some Israel from a physical standpoint. It captured everything that I, as a Palestinian, am used to seeing.The entire plot was unique yet very accurate in its depiction of what the Israelis will do to sabotage the people and land that mark the very existence of a once peaceful Palestinian state. However, I did not appreciate the romance that occurred between Salma and her lawyer, Ziad. This is completely inaccurate of the Palestinian mentality. Since this was an independent film about a conflict that not many people are completely aware of, viewers will subconsciously or even consciously get a solid idea as to how the Palestinians behave from it.As I know them, Palestinians are very respectful people. They respect themselves and as far as being men and women, they know where they stand. Though a person can argue that Salma felt vulnerable due to the situation that she was in and the fact that she had no man in her life to really comfort her, one has to understan d that there are so many Palestinian families that have lost their husbands/wives/ siblings/kids and they do not invoke shame onto whatever is left of their family through romantic affairs.Yes, she was depressed, and yes she is alone, but the typical Palestinian woman will look to God, not another man, to help her get through her problems. Granted, this film does not depict the entire minority as a whole, but it is implied that Salma represents them. So being the representation of the Palestinians, she is scandalous and insecure. Meanwhile, the Israeli family is very clean and well-kept. They are shown as happy and celebrative at their house-warming party; While Salma and the visitors that we see are quite depressing.In class, we have very briefly discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It is an extremely controversial and sensitive issue, for we couldn’t even make it through twenty minutes on the subject without having a very defensive intruder raise his voice in the cla ss. Though we have learned that both the Jews and the Arabs have inhabited this land since a time that anthropologists cannot even track, it is still appalling to me how such people can be so inhumane. There is so much evidence, when searched for correctly and accurately, that the Palestinian existence is weakening.Cities are being attacked, villages demolished or evacuated, bombings, and families being destroyed are all brutal factors of the evidence. It is distinctly known through the Middle East that Israelis are destroying olive and lemon trees that are hundreds of years old. What is the point of this? To what extent is this humane and indicative of their desire for peace? Just typing about the topic enrages me. This film, produced by an Israeli, could have done a better job of portraying the Palestinians as stronger people. Though there are some nice aspects about the film, there is a lot that I would have changed.

Zombie

The Cranberries provides the right qualities for the 60 minutes segment on investigation of the power of public protest. The combination of a strong message, powerful lyrics and visually dramatic video clip creates a public protest masterpiece. The AIR ceasefire of 1994 can be attributed to the success of public protest mounted by The Cranberries in their song Zombie'. Over thousands of years, music has been a part of human culture and been used to convey different messages.Music has the power to Inspire, unify and galvanism people into action. It can be used as a form of public protest to raise awareness of the issue to the general public and create a worldwide movement for a solution. This is demonstrated in the song Zombies' by the band The Cranberries, creating a public protest song about the reciprocal acts of violence between the AIR and the British Army. ‘Zombie' is centrally about Irish society normalizing war and young children losing their Innocence due to the Intense violence.In Ireland, violence was accepted as normal and a part of everyday life, this caused young children to become asininities about violence and its usage in ‘normal' life. Irish children lived a generational perpetuated war, for decades. The Irish Republican Army or AIR committed reciprocally motivated acts of terrorism directed against the British control of Northern Ireland. Zombie' makes the point that the boundaries between war and normal life are confused and ambiguous. This blurring created the atmosphere for accepting and excusing the war.The song ‘Zombies' uses very strong and powerful lyrics to describe the situation of violence in Ireland. With their tanks ND their bombs, and their bombs and their guns' refers to the environment which the Irish people lived in and the lead singer strongly stresses key words like tanks', ‘bombs' and ‘guns'. The message of ‘nothing has changed' is common throughout the song's lyrics, ‘It's the same old theme since 1916' which is a direct historical reference to the 1916 Easter Rising of the RIB (later known as the AIR) and explains the length of time the violence has been effecting Irish society.The lyrics show how the Irish people distance themselves from the violence by saying ‘but you see, it's not me, it's tot my family, they are implicitly denying the conflict and violence. The Juxtaposition and cross cutting between black and white shots of children playing and soldiers creates ambiguity between play and war. The strength of the message to the audience is enhanced by the pace at which the shots are screened in synchronization with the tempo of the music and lyrics. The gold symbolism Is visually dramatic which creates a paradox by contrast to the other bleak Images.Dramatic images are created with Dolores Ordinary against the cross, which is a preference to the 1 916 Easter Rising of the RIB. The singer is completely encrusted in gold and surrounded by golden nymph like figures which invites multiple references to Greek Mythology. The gold represents Justice, power, strength, purity and value. These visual messages add complexity and remove the viewer from the immediate clip and instant recognition by the public, therefore it would be an excellent choice for the 60 minutes special on the power of public protest. The Cranberries hit song ‘Zombies' has become an anthem for the worldwide peace movement.

Nearly 25% of nurses are burned out and here is why

Nearly 25% of nurses are burned out and here is why Calling all nurses: Are you working hard and â€Å"feeling the burn?† No, not from too much activity, but from burnout. If so, then you should take it seriously- burnout is a serious condition that can impact your ability to perform the essential tasks of your job, as well as your physical and mental well-being- both in the short-term and throughout your career. If you’re a nurse and you’re feeling burned out lately, the truth is you’re not alone. Available estimates Indicate that nearly 25% of active nurses are coping with some level of burnout while on the job. Despite being a rewarding and professionally challenging career path with plenty of options and opportunities, the nature of the work nurses do means that they’re particularly prone to experiencing professional burnout at some level, and many nurses are left wondering why this seems like an unavoidable side effect of the job.It’s an especially important topic to address because as pe ople continue to live longer and the median age of the population continues to increase, the need for talented and capable nurses will continue to grow. So, if you suspect that you or someone you know may be experiencing some of the signs and symptoms of burnout or have been for a while and finally want to understand why, then keep reading!The PhysicalLet’s start with the physical nature of being a nurse, which can take its toll on even the strongest and most resilient of individuals. It’s no secret that nurses often work extremely long and grueling hours. 12-hour shifts are not uncommon in the field, and the hours can be erratic- one day a nurse may be working a day shift and another overnight, depending on the need of the facility at which they work, which can really adversely affect sleep patterns and subsequent energy levels. This becomes especially problematic as nurses spend their workdays in physically demanding situations- on their feet, always on-the-go, often engaged in strenuous activity as they work to meet the diverse, and often critically important, needs of their patients. Now stretch out these intense physical demands over the course of an entire career, and it’s no wonder that being a nurse can lead to feelings of burnout.The MentalThe mental demands of being a nurse can be just as draining and problematic. Nurses constantly operate at a heightened level of stress and anxiety and must often make quick decisions regarding their patients that can have serious consequences. Many nurses spend their entire careers in high-pressure emergency situations, and deal with serious life and death situations day in and day out. Given all of these significant pressures, the reasons why nurses are prone to burnout should become abundantly clear.What to look forSome of the more common signs of burnout among nurses are constant fatigue that becomes increasingly hard to shake, a general listlessness and dwindling enthusiasm for the job, a mo od that increasingly reflects feelings of being overworked and under-appreciated, and a compromised effectiveness and ability when performing the various tasks associated with the job.If you or someone you know or work with is experiencing some or all of these symptoms, it’s in your best interest to take them seriously and not pretend they aren’t happening. There are resources available to help nurses deal with burnout- from services available through your employer to personal counseling and stress-reduction activities as well as support groups and more. Simply put, the work of nurses is too important to let burnout take hold and effect job performance. As a nurse, you are constantly in a position to take care of others. Don’t forget to take care of yourself too along the way!

Trace Darnell Essays - College Sports In The United States

Trace Darnell Essays - College Sports In The United States Trace Darnell Prof. Pauley English 1302 March 3, 2016 Moneyball "Conversely, when sports are no longer fun, children and youth are more likely to step participating" ("Why We Play",1). Going to college is not just a dream anymore, it is a requirement. Having a high school diploma or a GED does not help you achieve or acquire a high paying job. A high school education can not stand against the superior four-year degree from a university. For college being so important, there is a sudden amount of college athletes dropping out. As kids, we begin to play sports to have fun, but sports also benefit children by helping build social skills and self-esteem, vital to their success. Working with teammates, apprehending constructive criticism, becoming interactive with other adults and children help create these skills. Becoming older, kids or teens, sports seem to become more "job like". When teens enter into high school sports they became a "student athlete" and playing sports in high school seems to become a full time job ("Why We Play" 1-3). Playing for a high school team in today's generation a new rule is introduced to them, "no pass no play". To be able to play any kind of sport, a student athlete has to have an average of 70 or above in any classes that he or she is currently taking. Along with the most important aspect, grades, the need for athletic ability comes into play. High school sports seem to be extremely competitive and every team wants the best of the best to play for them. Becoming a student athlete requires some extreme hours of hard work and dedication. The average high school football player spends seven hours attending school Monday through Friday, at least three hours a day at practice, an additional two hours for weightlifting, and countless more doing homework or even eating. But that's just football, what about baseball, soccer, tennis, or any other time consuming sports that require numerous hours of dedication. So why after all the effort and dedication that student athletes put into their grades and sports in high school do they give it up and quit in college? Does it become even more "job like" with even more hours and requirements? Does the love of participating in sports just die? How big of a factor is money? College athletes, stars and leaders of their respective colleges or universities, seem to be dropping out for unbelievable reasons. All college athletics are based off of five different divisions based on enrollment and the number of sports the college or university offers. Only Division 1 schools, junior colleges, and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), can offer a full athletic scholarship for student athletes, while Division 2 and 3 schools can offer a partial athletic or a full academic scholarship. Focusing on one individual sport, only about 6.5 percent of all high school football players actually play football in college. Only 2.6 percent of these players receive a full ride scholarship while the rest of the 3.9 can only receive a partial. "Graduate rates also vary by sport" (Sharp 2). If the majority of the football players receive only a partial scholarship, colleges must ask themselves how many families can actually afford to play the rest. Only 59 percent of college freshmen graduate with a 4-year degree within 6 years. Low-income families face education problems starting from elementary school. In the 1980's, only 54 percent of the richest families received a bachelor's degree, while only 9 percent of the poor received a degree. Since the 1980's the cost of college has significantly risen because of the expenses of tuition, books, materials, transportation, and housing. The majority of the students that drop out of college because of money are extremely close to finis hing ("Dropout Rate for College Students" Lamb 1-3). With college tuition still rising, it creates an even bigger problem for students that want to come back. Some families have the resources to spend on college education, but many families do not have the money. There is very little hope for low-income families to attend college themselves or send their children. Without the resources or the money, it is rather difficult for a child who is

Field Marshal Jeffery Amherst in the French Indian War

Field Marshal Jeffery Amherst in the French Indian War Jeffery Amherst - Early Life Career: Jeffery Amherst was born January 29, 1717, in Sevenoaks, England. The son of lawyer Jeffery Amherst and his wife Elizabeth, he went on to become a page in the household of the Duke of Dorset at age 12. Some sources indicate that his military career began in November 1735 when he was made an ensign in the 1st Foot Guards. Others suggest that his career began as a cornet in Major General John Ligoniers Regiment of Horse in Ireland that same year. Regardless, in 1740, Ligonier recommended Amherst for promotion to lieutenant. Jeffery Amherst - War of the Austrian Succession: Through the early years of his career, Amherst enjoyed the patronage of both Dorset and Ligonier. Learning from the gifted Ligonier, Amherst was referred to as his dear pupil. Appointed to the generals staff, he served during the War of the Austrian Succession and saw action at Dettingen and Fontenoy. In December 1745, he was made a captain in the 1st Foot Guards and given a commission as a lieutenant colonel at large in the army. As with many of the British troops on the Continent he returned to Britain that year to aid in putting down the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. In 1747, the Duke of Cumberland took overall command of British forces in Europe and selected Amherst to serve as one of his aides-de-camp. Acting in this role, he saw further service at the Battle of Lauffeld. With the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, Amherst moved into peacetime service with his regiment. With the outbreak of the Seven Years War in 1756, Amherst was appointed to be the commissariat for the Hessian forces that had been gathered to defend Hanover. During this time, he was promoted to colonel of the 15th Foot but remained with the Hessians. Jeffery Amherst - The Seven Years War: Largely fulfilling an administrative role, Amherst came to England with the Hessians during an invasion scare in May 1756. Once this abated, he returned to Germany the following spring and served in the Duke of Cumberlands Army of Observation. On July 26, 1757, he took part in Cumberlands defeat at the Battle of Hastenbeck. Retreating, Cumberland concluded the Convention of Klosterzeven which removed Hanover from the war. As Amherst moved to disband his Hessians, word came that the convention had been repudiated and the army was re-formed under Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick. Jeffery Amherst - Assignment to North America: As he prepared his men for the coming campaign, Amherst was recalled to Britain. In October 1757, Ligonier was made overall commander-in-chief of British forces. Disheartened by Lord Loudons failure to seize the French fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island in 1757, Ligonier made its capture a priority for 1758. To oversee the operation, he chose his former pupil. This was a stunning move as Amherst was relatively junior in the service and had never commanded troops in battle. Trusting Ligonier, King George II approved the selection and Amherst was given the temporary rank of major general in America. Jeffery Amherst - Siege of Louisbourg: Departing Britain on March 16, 1758, Amherst endured a long, slow Atlantic crossing. Having issued detailed orders for the mission, William Pitt and Ligonier ensured that the expedition sailed from Halifax before the end of May. Led by Admiral Edward Boscawen, the British fleet sailed for Louisbourg. Arriving off the French base, it encountered Amhersts arriving ship. Reconnoitering the shores of Gabarus Bay, his men, led by Brigadier General James Wolfe, fought their away ashore on June 8. Advancing on Louisbourg, Amherst laid siege to the town. After series of fights, it surrendered on July 26. In the wake of his victory, Amherst considered a move against Quebec, but the lateness of the season and news of Major General James Abercrombies defeat at the Battle of Carillon led him to decide against an attack. Instead, he ordered Wolfe to raid French settlements around the Gulf of St. Lawrence while he moved to join Abercrombie. Landing in Boston, Amherst marched overland to Albany and then north to Lake George. On November 9, he learned that Abercrombie had been recalled and that he had been named commander-in-chief in North America. Jeffery Amherst - Conquering Canada: For the coming year, Amherst planned multiple strikes against Canada. While Wolfe, now a major general, was to attack up the St. Lawrence and take Quebec, Amherst intended to move up Lake Champlain, capture Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga) and then move against either Montreal or Quebec. To support these operations, Brigadier General John Prideaux was dispatched west against Fort Niagara. Pushing forward, Amherst succeeded in taking the fort on June 27 and occupied Fort Saint-Frà ©dà ©ric (Crown Point) in early August. Learning of French ships at the northern end of the lake, he paused to build a squadron of his own. Resuming his advance in October, he learned of Wolfes victory at the Battle of Quebec and of the citys capture. Concerned that the entirety of the French army in Canada would be concentrated at Montreal, he declined to advance further and returned to Crown Point for the winter. For the 1760 campaign, Amherst intended to mount a three-pronged attack against Montreal. While troops advanced up the river from Quebec, a column led by Brigadier General William Haviland would push north over Lake Champlain. The main force, led by Amherst, would move to Oswego then cross Lake Ontario and attack the city from the west. Logistical issues delayed the campaign and Amherst did not depart Oswego until August 10, 1760. Successfully overcoming French resistance, he arrived outside of Montreal on September 5. Outnumbered and short on supplies, the French opened surrender negotiations during which he stated, I have come to take Canada and I will take nothing less. After brief talks, Montreal surrendered on September 8 along with all of New France. Though Canada had been taken, the war continued. Returning to New York, he organized expeditions against Dominica and Martinique in 1761 and Havana in 1762. He was also forced to send troops to expel the French from Newfoundland. Jeffery Amherst - Later Career: Though the war with France ended in 1763, Amherst immediately faced a new threat in the form of a Native American uprising known as Pontiacs Rebellion. Responding, he directed British operations against the rebelling tribes and approved a plan to introduce smallpox among them through the use of infected blankets. That November, after five years in North America, he embarked for Britain. For his successes, Amherst was promoted to major general (1759) and lieutenant general (1761), as well as accumulated a variety of honorary ranks and titles. Knighted in 1761, he built a new country home, Montreal, at Sevenoaks. Though he turned down command of British forces in Ireland, he accepted the position of governor of Guernsey (1770) and lieutenant-general of the Ordnance (1772). With tensions rising in the colonies, King George III asked Amherst to return to North America in 1775. He declined this offer and the following year was raised to the peerage as Baron Amherst of Holmesdale. With the American Revolution raging, he was again considered for command in North America to replace William Howe. He again refused this offer and instead served as commander-in-chief with the rank of general. Dismissed in 1782 when the government changed, he was recalled in 1793 when war with France was imminent. He retired in 1795 and was promoted to field marshal the following year. Amherst died August 3, 1797, and was buried at Sevenoaks. Selected Sources Canadian Biography: General Jeffrey AmherstJeffrey Amherst Biography

E-business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

E-business - Essay Example Benefits of Ebusiness to Organizations: Ebusiness expands the marketplace to not only national but also the international markets. It also decreases the cost of storing and retrieving paper-based information. This kind of business also reduces the time between the outlay of the capital and the receipt of products and services. Ebusiness also reduces the telecommunication costs as internet is relatively much cheaper than Value Added Networks. Organization to focus: The website on which we will focus in this report in Asus.com. Asus is one of the leading companies in the manufacture of notebooks, netbooks, motherboards, graphic cards, etc. Asus is regarded as the number one manufacture of mother boards in the world. They are believed to be blessed with one of the world’s best research and development team who believe in innovation of the product. Ebusiness Website: The ebusiness website of Asus is developed by one of the best people which mark the tradition of the company and pe ople can understand it through a look at that website. However, its ebusiness operations can be improved in various other ways. How to improve? There are numerous ways by which web analytic systems can be improved, and if the company knows what it is supposed to do, the web analytic systems are very useful. ... The profit margin and the overhead cannot be easily reported in most of the key analytic system, but the average sale price, conversion rate and the number of visitors who visit the website can be measured by the good key analytic systems. Improving Customer Satisfaction through ebusiness: The customer satisfaction can be improved through ebusiness using a number of factors that encourage long term relationships. Customer Relationship: Improving customer relationships is a very important factor of customer satisfaction. When dealing with customers, empathy is very important. A couple of factors by which this can be done are by addressing the customer by his name, knowing what was the product he purchased recently and offering new product according to his taste and preferences which makes him feel that the business has thought about his needs and makes him feel important. Asus.com should develop various service-quality and relationship-building initiatives which are designed specifica lly to give customers a reason to buy products from its firm and do frequent business with them. The business strategy of Customer Relationship Management should be given more attention by asus.com in order to optimize profitability. Service and Support: Different studies reveal that customers purchasing through the web usually find poor customer service and this becomes the reason they refrain from purchasing a product online. One of the main reasons of this is that when customers buy using internet, they serve themselves, but they do not really want to receive and lesser service than what they receive in the real world. The requirements of ebusiness are higher expectations for

How could pivotal events in America have turned out differently Argue Essay

How could pivotal events in America have turned out differently Argue for an alternate history into the present using evidence - Essay Example as popular with the troops in Korea, he believed that with his command of the UN forces, and US support, he had autonomy from the American government (Pak 42). Truman viewed the war as a war against North Korea while MacArthur observed it as a confrontation with both North Korea and China. By 1950, the General began contemplating of the notion of utilizing nuclear strikes because the Chinese kept their forces closely together and thus vulnerable to air strikes (Malkasian 5). The idea of utilizing A-Bombs would have resulted in the successful detonation of 28 atomic bombs and thus would have changed the course of history in reference to the war. With various regions in Korea bombarded by nuclear weapons, the Korean War would end as a result, for various reasons. During the war, Chinese forces were closely knit together, and an airstrike would alleviate any actions they had planned. In the 1950s, the Chinese government lacked the ability to develop nuclear weapons and thus did not possess any atomic bombs. Therefore, Communist China would surrender in view of preventing a nuclear strike in their homeland. The main concern for the American government would be the Soviet Union as they also developed nuclear weapons at the time, which had the potential to cause tremendous problems (Dijk, Ruud van et al. 37). Consequently, with United States and Soviet Union utilizing weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons would turn out to be conventional weapons of combat by numerous countries around the globe. Therefore, in a world where the Soviet Union developed atomic Bombs, such a pursuit of victory would have resulted in World War III due to the wide spread of atomic bombs. As nuclear weapons would play a significant role in the WWIII, traditional bombings, infantry matches and armor offenses would typify the warfare. The effects of the A-Bomb would have various ramifications of a political nature internationally and in the United States. The utilization of the atomic

Commercial Litigation Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Commercial Litigation Assessment - Essay Example ended that the court had jurisdiction since Austria was the place of performance of the contract as evidenced by the Brussels Convention’s Article 5 (1). Further, in all the invoices raised by the Gasser to MISAT, Austrian court was mentioned as a ‘choice of court’ clause and MISAT had never raised any objection over it. Within the meaning of Articles 17 of the Brussels Convention and because of the trade usage and practice existed in the trade between Italy and Austria, the two parties had consented to accept the jurisdiction of the Austrian courts. Whether the court second seised may evaluate the authority of the court of the first seised if the second court has the sole deciding authority under Art 17 or must the second court prevent its proceedings as per Art 21 albeit the accord granting jurisdiction. (Sheppard 2007: 211). Though, there is no involvement of English parties in Gasser case, UK government still presented its written remarks on the question raised. It was submitted that in cases of unique jurisdiction, a derogation from Art 21 can be made by the court second seised and can declare its verdict without awaiting for the court first seised to decide that it had no legal standi on the issue. They counted on ECJ verdict in â€Å"Overseas Union Insurance â€Å", which dealt with Article Sixteen as opposed to Article Seventeen, which was in question this case. It was further contended that the court named in the agreement authorising jurisdiction will, in normal parlance, be in a better status to rule as to the impact of that agreement by applying an essential law of that Member Nation. (Sheppard 2007: 211). The European Court held that the objective of Art 21 is to bar corresponding actions occurring in courts of various Contracting States as to stop implementation of judgments. Hence, so as to give effect to this, Art 21 shall have to be given a wide elucidation. It was viewed that under the provision of Art 21, until the legal status of the court

Case Study Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Report - Case Study Example Apart from these provisions, there are other  Individual  indispensable needs such as education that social environment should  offer: counseling therapy at times of psychological turmoil, security, independence, and family, makes the proceeding of the list. A person achieves a state of peace and psychological stability when he or she has the advantage of accessing all these needs. In the case of the 21-year-old Simon, it is apparent that he has traveled through a chain of disappointing case scenarios in life that had altered his thinking and relationships with those he cared for including his mother (Gambrill, 2006). Simon’s problems did not commence when he quit his job. As a counselor, I can trace his troubles from childhood stages when he witnessed the tragic event of a divorce of his parents. Divorce has extremely adverse effects on children. In fact, it has been argued and established that divorce affects children caught up in such marriages with the intense trauma that surpasses that of the parents. Effects of divorce can manifest in adulthood even 20 twenty years later. Divorce instills feelings of despair and rejection. He must have felt rejected since childhood and to make the matters worse, the events of maltreatment kept on recurring in his life experiences. Subconsciously, he was building blocks for protection, which is normal for every ego. Community plays a vital role in an individual’s development since it provides the social environment that nurtures a person’s social growth (Rosen & Proctor, 2013). The community determines whether a person will develop socia l or social attributes. Definitely, the environment begins with the family set-up, which is the primary determinant given it poses as the immediate social environ for every individual. Feeling instilled in one’s persona at home can reflect secondary environs. For instance, a student who has issues at home can project those

In this paper the belief in eschatology and the notion that current Research

In this the belief in eschatology and the notion that current events are a predictor of the rapture are compared and contr - Research Paper Example The Minor Signs may or may not occur before the Major Signs, but they will be less serious in nature and possibly more open to interpretation. It is said, for example, that earthquakes will increase, but that could refer either to the number of earthquakes or to their severity, or to both. As in Christianity, interpretation of these verses is disputed among Muslim scholars and lay-people. What is clear is that in order for a Muslim to be considered a believer, he must adhere to five articles of faith, the second of which is 'Belief in the Last Day'. Eschatology is considered a fundamental aspect of Islam, belief in which is shared by all Muslims. By contrast, many branches of Christianity take a far less litera approach to eschatology, and place less importance on its ideology than on other aspects of their faith. Minor signs of the Last Day include a great many ideas which are shared with other major religious ideologies, including Christianity. Both religious make reference to trib ulation, to various disputes between individuals, sexual immoratlity, disease, and even a plague of infertility. http://www.islamcan.com/islamic-articles/the-minor-signs-of-the-last-day.shtml Richardson, Joel. The Islamic Antichri

Comparative Analysis of The Communist Manifesto by Marand The Gospel Essay

Comparative Analysis of The Communist Manifesto by Marand The Gospel by Andrew Carnegie - Essay Example new phenomenon but industrialization led to the emergence of the two classes which included the laborers or the proletariats and the owners of the means of production or the bourgeoisie (Marx and Friedrich). Carnegie on ‘the gospel of wealth’, wealthy individuals who have amassed their wealth through businesses must adopt a just distribution approach that guarantees good use of the money. Money from entrepreneurship venture must be protected and not spent on frivolous purposes which have no significant implication on the society and the people. The presence of poverty within the capitalistic world can be completely removed if entrepreneurs become philanthropists who share their business spoils with the disadvantaged in the society (Carnegie). In this paper, the thesis of Carnegie and Marx will be compared to provide a critical evaluation of how they impact on the society. The paper will adopt the position taken by Carnegie in the ‘gospel of wealth’ and advocate for the redistribution of profits and proceeds from business in capitalistic economies. In the communist manifesto, Marx highlighted his views of the society and how industrialisation had created significant segregation of people into different classes. As captured in the opening phrase of the manifesto, the history of human beings has an age old practise of dividing the human population into various classes based on their economic abilities and the influence they hold in the society. The class struggles have not necessarily been influenced by everything, but more specifically the principle forms of production within the society. When the industrial revolution arose, the European society was defined by the position that the individuals held within the industries and the production factors that they controlled (Carnegie). Those individuals who had the power to own the means of production such as raw materials, the cottage industries among other form of production belonged to the upper class and

In this paper the belief in eschatology and the notion that current Research

In this the belief in eschatology and the notion that current events are a predictor of the rapture are compared and contr - Research Paper Example The Minor Signs may or may not occur before the Major Signs, but they will be less serious in nature and possibly more open to interpretation. It is said, for example, that earthquakes will increase, but that could refer either to the number of earthquakes or to their severity, or to both. As in Christianity, interpretation of these verses is disputed among Muslim scholars and lay-people. What is clear is that in order for a Muslim to be considered a believer, he must adhere to five articles of faith, the second of which is 'Belief in the Last Day'. Eschatology is considered a fundamental aspect of Islam, belief in which is shared by all Muslims. By contrast, many branches of Christianity take a far less litera approach to eschatology, and place less importance on its ideology than on other aspects of their faith. Minor signs of the Last Day include a great many ideas which are shared with other major religious ideologies, including Christianity. Both religious make reference to trib ulation, to various disputes between individuals, sexual immoratlity, disease, and even a plague of infertility. http://www.islamcan.com/islamic-articles/the-minor-signs-of-the-last-day.shtml Richardson, Joel. The Islamic Antichri

Exploring the strength of social media in marketing strategy Essay

Exploring the strength of social media in marketing strategy - Essay Example Social media has gained support from a business marketer known as Radian6. Radian6 has enabled many organizations to turn into Socially Engaged Enterprises containing the ability to understand and obtain useful information about social media through measurement, sentiment, metrics, and analytics reporting (Safko 31-33). It is also through social media listening, monitoring, tracking and engagement tools that motivate many organizations adopt social media strategy. In addition, Radian6 advices on how to utilize social media guidelines, case studies, the best practices, and educating the staff thus enhancing easy understanding of the impact that both the Social CRM and Social Graph have on their business. Social Media Marketing has paved way for developing buzz and visibility for brands, services, companies, and products. Through consulting solutions, it has provided many companies with extensive connectivity within its target audience; which is an effective way of developing conversations and interacting with consumers. Marketers obtain the skills of identifying important metrics (Evans 67). Furthermore, they are in position to determine measures of social media in their firms in turn having the ability of providing the return measurement for the plans before and after implementation. Social media also provides extensive visibility, increasing sales significantly and reducing costs involved with traditional lead generation systems, email marketing campaign and cold calling. They face many limitations such as difficulty in identifying the best practices, determining the effectiveness of their campaigns, having no idea of where to start, and working under full time resources. Social media addresses all these challenges with the aim of improving their business. Social brand conversation provides solutions that allow customers to engage in end-users for better networking, collaboration, well lead generation, loyalty building, thought

Wooden churches in Eastern Europe Essay Example for Free

Wooden churches in Eastern Europe Essay Wooden churches in Eastern Europe represent distinctive feature of regional cultural heritage and are probably the most valuable contribution of this land to the world art treasury. In this research we will make an attempt to make in-depth analysis of relationships between architecture and design of these historical constructions in the light of local traditions and lifestyle. The study is divided into two parts illustrating materials and techniques used to create these fascinating buildings and key design principles tightly associated with regional culture. Construction materials and techniques. In Slavic world wooden constructions were dominant until mid-1950s. Vast territories covered with forest provided cheap, solid, and easy-to-access building material used for domestic, industrial, economic, defensive, public, and religious units. Most ancient architectural monuments of that area trace their roots back to early 10th century which is also recorded in chronicles and modern ethnographic materials. Traditionally architects recognize three styles of Eastern European wooden churches including Hutsul style (originated from the name of ethnical group in Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains), Gothic style, and Baroque churches adopted from western civilization . Hutsul churches have brought to us the oldest manner of Eastern European church building based on the principle of trinity – a church has three parts, three sections, and three towers. A Baroque tower gave name to 22 Baroque churches in this area. Churches with high spires and turrets represent the famous Gothic style in local communities. All wooden sacred monuments are based on log construction allowing various solutions in terms of horizontal planning and exterior design. Apart from quadrate frame, unique polygonal constructional forms are observed here especially in altar rooms. Fir, spruce, and pine were widely used in constructing non-load-bearing parts of the building while oak, red spruce, and yew were applied while creating bearers and ribbands for the construction. Typically, buildings were placed on strong foundation stones joined together by clay, lime, and sand. Older generations remember seeing eggs, bull’s blood, and breast milk combined together as an admixture for making the building stronger and more resistant to rains and storms . Initially for religious reasons no nail was used to make timber works and other constructional elements firm. This practice was very common to many wooden churches throughout entire region and some parts of Russia where this architectural phenomenon was present. Numerous conducted studies and artifacts found show that no-nail technique undoubtedly has to do with associations with crucifixion. To solve this problem local craftsmen were trying to create climate-friendly unions to keep construction in one piece. Their invention of unique blazes on assembling unions made it possible to start building churches without iron nails with decreasing use of even oak wedges. Unlike Slavs, German tribes preferred pole and light-frame constructions. This type of wooden temples can be encountered in England and Northern Europe including Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Similar architectural style has spread in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, and Poland. The second biggest heritage of wooden temples is possessed by Norway and has strong historical roots directly connected with era of Vikings and their friendly relationships with Slavs . Exterior and interior design. One of the most distinctive features of monumental architecture is triple design symbolizing Trinity. Significant number of wooden churches consist of three parts emphasized by three towers. The middle log of the temple is the biggest construction with square shape which has altar room inside. The front part is a shorter copy of the middle log and serves as an assembly hall for nuns. The back part behind the altar room is the highest one and since it is always facing east as the beginning of a new day and life it has become a landmark for many travelers. Traditionally, location of all three parts corresponds to laws of symmetry which means that horizontal axis of the wooden church intersects with its vertical axis in the very middle of the building . In Middle Ages this so-called â€Å"triple style† was popular throughout entire territory of Kyiv Rus being applied on concrete churches as well. Irrelevant of construction material or religion practiced in the church Slavs would always build their churches on top of a hill or in some remote area. Only rare spiritual architectural monuments are located in the village downtown. People from Eastern European community still believe that both wooden and concrete churches are too sacred to be situated somewhere close to the city downtown full of noise and turmoil. Sacral buildings in Eastern Europe (primarily east of Slovakia and west of Ukraine) frequently had pronounced decorations on shingles. Wood carving ornaments covered approximately two thirds of the entire exterior design of the church. Rich decorations were stipulated by great number of carpenters and craftsmen who polished their talents on regular basis due to never-ending forests in the area. Many are still fascinated by remarkable iconostasis as a key and most valuable part of any church interior design. In wooden churches iconostasis is placed in altar room separating it from back part of the building. Iconostasis is a wall picturing sacred paintings decorated with gold. Together these paintings represent iconography which requires strict observance of holy rules and selection of topics. Typical iconostasis in wooden churches have three exits. The main one is located in the middle and is designed especially for the main priest. Two other ones house secondary priests and deacons which are not allowed to use the main exit decorated with carved vermeil. Many wooden temples in modern Slovakia, Poland, and Ukraine preserved ornamental conical, A-line, and pyramidal domes. Impacted by baroque, quadrangular roofs acquired four more corners turning into octagonal domes. Regardless of refusal from iron nails metal was still used to create additional functional details including crosses, gates, and window ironwork. Metal crosses placed on the top of each dome embodied creativity and talent of local artists. Apart from esthetic purposes, exterior and interior designs of wooden temples performed educational function as well. Artists painted walls using simple tools to educate people with Old and New Testaments. To do that they chose the finest wall of the temple with no windows or doors. Then using simple paint and brushes to make foliated lines on the wall they pictured Jesus, Maria, prophets, disciples, and evangelists. Interestingly enough, non-religious episodes were also portrayed on those walls which corresponded to feelings and thoughts of people at that time rather than specific sacral motives. Some icon illustrations were linked to specific life situations and peculiarities of local community which perceived some saints as guarantors for their existence and prosperity. Most frequent images included St. George who based on local beliefs was helping farmers, St. Nicholas who protected houses from fire and guaranteed well-being for carpenters, St. Michael as a sky warrior, and many other religious spirits. Such icons are marked with particularly exuberant ornament and thoroughly selected colors . Some of wooden temples in eastern part of Europe were not saved due to weather impacts and other negative influences. This is especially concerned World War I and World War II. Also active migration of local communities had negative effect on architectural monuments in general. However, once the church was built by permanent local community it was being taken care of appropriately. Experts in the field of sacred architecture say, Eastern Europeans created design and architecture for their religious buildings that would remind them of closeness with nature and necessity to enrich inner world on regular basis. This is the reason why interior design alongside with its iconostasis and paintings are so exuberant and rich. Unlike Latin churches, wooden temples in this part of the world fascinate by its perfect combination with surrounding environment. Color scheme here plays one of the most important parts since green forests and deep brown represent perfect match . Because of the painful losses in local wooden architecture the cultural value of each saved church has considerably increased and all wooden churches constructed in traditional manner are to be protected irrespective of age. In conclusion it would be appropriately to note that wooden churches in Eastern Europe symbolize peculiarities of local communities including religious beliefs, lifestyles, and geographical location. They represent special interest in comparison to other highlands such as the Alps which offer no architectural contribution whatsoever. Educative function of wooden temples remains very valuable even today since wall paintings provide better view of historical reality. Due to its geographical location eastern regions of Europe have been equally influenced by neighboring cultures but still managed to preserve their own architectural identity. Works Cited Bragg, Rick. Wooden Churches: A Celebration. New York: Algonquin Books, 1999. Patterson, Joby. Wooden Churches of the Carpathians: A Comparative Study. Bratislava: East European Monographs, 2001. Sopoliga, Miroslav. Pearls of Folk Architecture. London: Brand House, 1996

Quasi-experimental Design :: Research methods and statistics

I. Jackson (2012), even-numbered chapter exercises, p 360. 2. The recommended design for this type of study is a non-equivalent control group post-test only design. 4. If a study is confounded, the researcher is not absolutely certain that changes in the dependent variable were caused by the manipulation of the independent variable, or some other uncontrolled variable. In a non-equivalent control group post-test only design, any differences observed between the two classes may be due to the non-equivalence of the groups and not to the injection of quizzes. No pre-test measures were given to establish equivalence. Another confound that may impact the results of this study could be the testing effect. Repeated testing may lead to better or worse performance. Changes in performance on the test may be due to prior experience with the test and not to the independent variable. In addition, repeated testing fatigues the subjects, and their performance declines as a result (Jackson, 2012). Because the professor is interested in determining if the implementation of weekly quizzes would improve test scores, an experimenter and/or an instrumentation effect may also affect results. In a single group post-test only design, possible confounds include the lack of a comparison group and the absence of an equivalent control group. Once again, a testing and an experimenter effect could also contribute to changes in test performance. 6. A single-case design is used when: 1. Only one person is measured. 2. The researcher does not want or need to generalize the results to a population. 3. The researcher believes it is unethical to withhold treatment to one group. 8. A multiple-baseline design differs from a reversal design by attempting to control for confounds through the introduction of treatment at differing time intervals to a few different people, to the same person in different situations, or to the same person across different behaviors. Reversal designs attempt to control for confounds by reversing the baseline and treatment conditions one or more times to assess the impact on behavior (Jackson, 2012). 2. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of quasi-experiments? What is the fundamental weakness of a quasi-experimental design? Why is it a weakness? Does its weakness always matter? Quasi-experimental designs are experimental designs that do not provide for the full control of extraneous variables. Primarily, the absence of control in this design is due to the lack of random assignment to groups. Quasi-experimental research designs are used in the study of cause and effect by manipulating the independent variable.

Essay --

John Keen English 101-003 Amy Borders 14 March 2014 The Media Bias That Affected the 2012 Presidential Election President Barack Obama was re-elected to a second term as President of the United States in November of 2012. When giving his acceptance speech Obama was quick to thank his wife and family, his campaign officials, the voters, and everybody that worked so hard to help him get re-elected. One group left out of this display of gratitude, and perhaps the most influential one, was the mainstream media. The media plays a huge role in how viewers formulate their opinions, which in turn become deciding factors when choosing a President. The mainstream media has a responsibility to present the candidates in an unbiased manner, so that the electorate can make a truly educated decision as to the best candidate for the office at hand. While some may argue that the media presents an unbiased view of each candidate, this is not always the case. When looking back at the 2012 Presidential election, there are several examples where the media coverage aided the candidacy of Barack Obama and hindered the candidacy of Mitt Romney. The media outlets handled the candidates very differently when came to blundering comments. For example, the media came down hard on Romney for his comment about 47% of Americans not voting for him. In a secretly recorded conversation about campaign strategy, Romney made the statement the 47% of voters are dependent upon the government, and they believe that the government should provide them with food, healthcare, jobs, housing, along with whatever else they need. He made the comment that these voters would vote for the current president â€Å"no matter what,† and he said that his job was not to worry ... ...ced a great deal of negative reporting during the 2012 Presidential election, the majority of that reporting was about insignificant matters and came during the Primary stage where he did not face any competition. Once the election became between himself and Mitt Romney, the coverage was overwhelmingly positive toward the President. Opponents argue that the criticism that President Obama received over high gas prices, the bad economy, and national health care were unjustified and presented an unbalanced attack on the Obama Campaign. Factual reporting of current events but where were they when the media was criticizing President George W. Bush? National Healthcare has been a subject of debate since the early Clinton administration In weighing the evidence both for and against a media bias in favor of Barack Obama it is important to look at a variety of evidence. Essay -- John Keen English 101-003 Amy Borders 14 March 2014 The Media Bias That Affected the 2012 Presidential Election President Barack Obama was re-elected to a second term as President of the United States in November of 2012. When giving his acceptance speech Obama was quick to thank his wife and family, his campaign officials, the voters, and everybody that worked so hard to help him get re-elected. One group left out of this display of gratitude, and perhaps the most influential one, was the mainstream media. The media plays a huge role in how viewers formulate their opinions, which in turn become deciding factors when choosing a President. The mainstream media has a responsibility to present the candidates in an unbiased manner, so that the electorate can make a truly educated decision as to the best candidate for the office at hand. While some may argue that the media presents an unbiased view of each candidate, this is not always the case. When looking back at the 2012 Presidential election, there are several examples where the media coverage aided the candidacy of Barack Obama and hindered the candidacy of Mitt Romney. The media outlets handled the candidates very differently when came to blundering comments. For example, the media came down hard on Romney for his comment about 47% of Americans not voting for him. In a secretly recorded conversation about campaign strategy, Romney made the statement the 47% of voters are dependent upon the government, and they believe that the government should provide them with food, healthcare, jobs, housing, along with whatever else they need. He made the comment that these voters would vote for the current president â€Å"no matter what,† and he said that his job was not to worry ... ...ced a great deal of negative reporting during the 2012 Presidential election, the majority of that reporting was about insignificant matters and came during the Primary stage where he did not face any competition. Once the election became between himself and Mitt Romney, the coverage was overwhelmingly positive toward the President. Opponents argue that the criticism that President Obama received over high gas prices, the bad economy, and national health care were unjustified and presented an unbalanced attack on the Obama Campaign. Factual reporting of current events but where were they when the media was criticizing President George W. Bush? National Healthcare has been a subject of debate since the early Clinton administration In weighing the evidence both for and against a media bias in favor of Barack Obama it is important to look at a variety of evidence.

The Election of 1860

By the election of 1860 profound divisions existed among Americans over the future course of their country, and especially over the South's â€Å"peculiar institution,† slavery.During the presidency of James K. Polk (1841-1849), the United States had confirmed the annexation of Texas to the Union, negotiated a treaty with Great Britain for the Oregon territory up to the 49th parallel, and, as a result of the Mexican War, added California and New Mexico as well. The American eagle now spanned the entire continent, a source of nationalistic pride to those who thought expansion was the fulfillment of both God's will and America's mission to spread its republican institutions.But national exuberance turned sour when Americans confronted the issue of whether slavery should follow the flag into the new territories. During the 1850s, different views about slavery's expansion and its place in America's future fueled suspicion and bitterness between northerners and southerners. In Kans as, the question of whether the territory would be opened or closed to slavery erupted in violence and political unrest.â€Å"Bleeding Kansas,† the treatment of fugitive slaves, and other issues involving slavery strained and then shattered the nation's two-party system which had served for a generation to weld sections and interests into two powerful national institutions. Of the two major parties, the Whig organization totally succumbed in the mid-1850s to the sectionalizing effects of the slavery issue and ceased to operate as a national party.Like the country, the Whig party could not exist half slave and half free. Meanwhile, the Democratic party managed to remain intact throughout that decade, but slavery acted like a solvent to weaken its bonds. Increasingly, its powerful, predominantly southern wing was at odds with a smaller, northern contingent.The campaign of 1860 accurately registered the country's precarious condition after a decade of sectional turmoil. The lead ing political organization in the North was the Republican party. It was composed of former Whigs, a smaller number of ex-Democrats, as well as members of other parties, including some who had previously supported antislavery parties, such as the Liberty party, which had sought to end slavery by political means.Like any party, the Republican party contained a broad spectrum of opinions on many issues, including slavery. But most Republicans were, like Lincoln, moderates who were positioned between the more radical and conservative elements of their party.The key to the Republican party's success was its position on slavery. It opposed the expansion of slavery and called upon Congress to take measures, whenever necessary, to prevent its extension. It condemned slavery as an immoral institution, a relic of â€Å"barbarism,† and most Republicans thought that by confining slavery within its present boundaries, the institution would be placed on the road to eventual extinction.The party was, therefore, a genuine anti-slavery party, but most Republicans rejected a more radical stand that would associate them with abolitionism.The party, for example, upheld the constitutional sanctity of slavery within the South, and a significant minority (including Lincoln) were willing to support a constitutional amendment forever guaranteeing against congressional interference with slavery in the states.Republicans also acknowledged the legitimacy of the fugitive slave clause of the Constitution and accepted its enforcement by proper laws. Republicans, therefore, separated themselves from abolitionists who agitated for a quicker, immediate, end to slavery, and the adoption of measures, such as the emancipation of slaves in the nation's capital, which would render slavery insecure in its present boundaries.At the same time, moderate Republicans also distinguished themselves from the more egalitarian racial program of abolitionism. Most Republicans accepted the principles of the Declaration of Independence as assuring black people certain rights now and, perhaps also, as ultimate goals to be fully realized sometime in the future.But they disavowed measures that would immediately bring about true equality between the races. Lincoln, who may have been somewhat more conservative than the core of his party, declared himself against equal rights in voting and officeholding, and he advocated the colonization of blacks to lands outside the United States, an idea that was anathema to abolitionists. Southerners, however, hardly distinguished between the different antislavery and racial views of the Republicans and abolitionists.The Republican party's opposition to the expansion of slavery, therefore, encompassed a distinctive moral protest against slavery itself, but also contained, at least for many Republicans, a racial concern that the territories be reserved primarily for free white people. In addition, the Republican mainstream associated a free labor soci ety with economic opportunity, hard work, upward mobility, liberty, morality, and other essential elements of a true republic.Slavery, on the other hand, was associated with economic backwardness, aristocracy, violence, illiteracy, intemperance, and immorality. Worse yet, Republicans viewed slavery as an aggressive institution, whose leaders, in alliance with sympathetic northerners, were conspiring to spread this cancer throughout the nation.This idea of a â€Å"Slave Power Conspiracy,† which Lincoln boldly proclaimed in his â€Å"House Divided† speech to the Illinois Republican convention in June 1858, identified the party with democratic ideals and provided a shorthand expression of northern resentment against the South's political clout. Although a minority section, the South had disproportionate influence in national politics, and frequently scuttled measures desired by many northerners, such as higher tariffs to protect manufacturing, or homestead legislation to provide free land for western settlers.VIDEO: A House Divided (1.9 MB)In May 1860, the Republicans gathered in Chicago for only their second national convention and nominated Lincoln as their candidate. The platform held that the â€Å"normal condition† of all territory was â€Å"freedom.† The platform also endorsed measures to encourage industry, a homestead act, and a transcontinental railroad.VIDEO: Lincoln's Nomination (2.1 MB)As for the Democratic party, the corrosive effect of slavery finally made itself felt on this national institution. For years, Democrats had united behind the doctrine of popular sovereignty. Popularized by such prominent party leaders as Lewis Cass, its nominee in 1848, and Stephen A. Douglas, Illinois's eminent and ambitious United States senator, popular sovereignty left the question– whether slavery should be permitted to expand into a territory– up to the people in the territory.Popular sovereignty promised to keep the subj ect of slavery out of the hands of politicians in Washington, and to give it, instead, to the people, the territorial citizens, most directly involved. The doctrine sounded democratic, fair, and practical.But popular sovereignty proved a hollow idea. Most northern Democrats assumed that, under this doctrine, slavery would never actually expand into territories. Climate, terrain, the swift movement of free state settlers into the West, and other considerations would discourage slaveholders from entering the territories.Thus, the initial settlers in a territory would favor free labor and would take measures to keep slavery out. Fairly applied, popular sovereignty would hold the territories (or virtually all of them) for the North without insulting the South by explicitly excluding slavery under federal authority.Republicans, however, denounced popular sovereignty as inadequate to prevent the spread of slavery, and morally bankrupt because it implied that a decision for slavery was mor ally equivalent to one against. Equally problematic was the view of most southern Democrats, who interpreted popular sovereignty to permit and even protect slavery in the territories throughout the entire territorial stage.Southerners insisted that slaveholders had the same constitutional right as nonslaveholders to bring their property, including slaves, into the territories. Moreover, since the territories were the common property of all the states, slaveholders must have equal access. For the South, the question of whether slavery would actually go into a territory was of less moment than establishing the principle that slavery must have equal standing to free labor.Honor and security demanded that slavery be treated as no less sacrosanct than freedom. Southerners, therefore, interpreted popular sovereignty to mean that only at the very end of the territorial stage, after slavery had been permitted to take root, could the citizens of the territory declare against the institution. There could be free states in the United States, but no free territories.These different definitions of popular sovereignty, which actually expressed variant attitudes towards slavery itself, came to a head when the Democratic party assembled in Charleston, South Carolina, in April 1860. Southern Democrats insisted that the party endorse the idea of a federal slave code for the territories.This would secure the rights of slaveholders to enter the territories throughout the territorial period. When the majority of delegates refused to accept the southern position, delegates from the deep South states, plus a few from the upper South, marched out of the convention. The remaining delegates, after failing to nominate a candidate, adjourned to meet again in Baltimore in June. The only political party with a truly national constituency was now split asunder.The following June 1860, efforts to reunite the Democratic party failed, and Democrats met in two separate conventions in Baltimore. The predominantly northern wing nominated Douglas, and adopted a platform upholding popular sovereignty without mentioning a federal slave code, and leaving it to the Supreme Court to determine the specific powers of a territorial legislature. Herschel V. Johnson of Georgia was selected as Douglas's running mate.The southern Democratic wing nominated the present vice president of the United States, John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky, as its presidential candidate, and Joseph Lane of Oregon as his running mate. The southern Democratic platform affirmed the right of the federal government to protect the slaveholder's equal right to settle in a territory.Further complicating the election was the formation of a fourth political party, the Constitutional Union party. Composed of conservative members of the moribund Whig and Know Nothing parties, the Constitutional Union party denounced the major parties for inciting sectional divisions, and appealed for a popular, patriotic rallying to th e cause of the Union.Its convention, which met in May 1860, also in Baltimore, nominated John Bell, a Tennessee Whig, for President, and Edward Everett of Massachusetts for vice president. The party's conservative appeal attracted a following, especially in the border states; throughout the South, it constituted the main opposition to the Breckinridge ticket.The campaign of 1860 demonstrated that a national political system was no longer operating. The contest was actually two elections, one in the North and one in the South. In the North, the Lincoln and Douglas forces vied for victory; in the South the contest was between Breckinridge and Bell. The sections were insulated from each other.Lincoln did not even appear on the ballot in most southern states, and only in a few northern states did Breckinridge muster any discernible support. In the end, Lincoln won the election by carrying seventeen free states, while Breckinridge triumphed in eleven slave states. Neither candidate captu red a single state in the opposite section. Bell and Douglas trailed far behind.The highly sectionalized nature of the campaign meant that northerners and southerners waged battle against a shadow opponent. Lincoln refused to issue public assurances to the South that he would uphold slavery in its present confines. Nor did southerners have to pay heed to the Republican party's official denunciation of John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry, Virginia.This attack on a federal arsenal in the fall of 1859, by the Ohio abolitionist did not provoke the intended insurrection of slaves, and ended in Brown's capture and hanging.The raid sent shock waves through the South. Despite Republican disclaimers, southerners readily linked the party to abolitionism and the violent overthrow of slavery. Similarly, northerners, swept up in the renewed Lincoln-Douglas contest, paid insufficient heed to the intensity of anti-Union feelings in the South.Although neither Breckinridge nor Bell threatened secess ion, they often challenged each other in the South as to who was the more loyal to southern rights and interests. The air was filled with frequent warnings that Lincoln's election would justify secession.

Direct Mail Homework

1. Who will your target audience(s) be for this coming year? When using direct mail as a medium for fund raising, firms measure their performance by comparing the dollars earned with the dollars spent (Bhagat and Donovan). Hence, for the coming year we should concentrate on those who can give us the maximum amount of money while we keep our costs at the lowest possible. Also, most of our donors are in the retired age bracket. For these reasons we should concentrate on targeting middle age people; those who have are concerned about others and also have the means to help them.2. What proportion of your budget will you allocate for new requests versus ongoing communication? At least half of the budget should be allocated for new requests as the company is in dire need of altering its current donor list age bracket. 3. What other communication tactics might you use to try and reach potential donors? The firm can use many other tactics such as online mailing, setting up a website, making online forums where people can come and discuss new ideas and giving an advertisement in the newspaper.However, newspaper advertisement will cost a lot and thus, the chosen newspaper must be the one which is widely read by the target audience. 4. How might you distinguish yourself from other charities making requests for funds? A lot of fundraisers show their donors the monetary benefits of raising funds through them. We do not think this is a healthy practice as those giving away something should not be interested in getting more back.Hence, we will distinguish ourselves from others by highlighting the benefits that society will get out of our the donors’ gesture to help others. 5. Is there any certain determinant you can think of that might help you identify good potential donors? While identifying potential donors, we will need to know if they have been giving donations in the past and how they feel about that. That can be identified through inviting people to online discu ssions and then contacting those whom we think have the potential via direct mail to give donations.

Disaster Recovery

Disaster recovery is the planning and implementation of a process whereby a company can recover from a catastrophic information technology failure. The three main categories of disaster exposure include natural threads and hazards (including hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes and fire), technical and mechanical hazards (such as power outages, gas leaks, accidental or deliberate Halon discharges, or chemical spills) and human activities and threats (like computer error, loss of records, vandalism, sabotage or epidemic) (Rike, 2003).The goal of disaster recovery planning in information technology is to restore access to business data and system resources as quickly as possible, as well as to minimize data loss and physical resource loss. Disaster recovery must address each of the main categories of threat, assess the likely impact and the chance of occurrence of each one and plan reactions and facilities accordingly. Disaster recovery is not only important for the IT-based company, but for any company which is vulnerable to natural disaster or malicious attack.Proper planning of a disaster recovery framework will increase response time, minimize data loss and speed recovery and regained access to data and computing resources. Disaster recovery planning for information technology includes: data assurance with a proper backup and restore procedure; network continuity; intrusion detection and response; proper facilities planning including air conditioning, fire detection and control and environmental sensors; and personnel training in order to ensure proper response.A business's disaster recovery framework may extend beyond its information technology into facilities management, human resources and other operations. Disaster recovery is a relatively new facet of information technology planning which has rapidly become more important as businesses have become more dependent on technology resources. Many modern businesses come to a standstill without their technology ba se, and this can be devastating to the business. Rike (2003) noted that 93% of companies which suffer a major data loss go out of business within five years following that loss.However, according to Rike, many companies are unprotected from this danger – two surveys noted that only 35% of small and midsize businesses have a disaster recovery framework in place, while only 36% of all businesses and government offices have such a framework. Disaster Recovery Case Studies One of the first discussions of disaster recovery in information technology occurred after the 1995 Kobe earthquake in Japan. Garland and Morimoto (1996) provide an account of the outcome of the Kobe University disaster recovery framework on their IT infrastructure, as well as the effects of the earthquake itself.The Kobe earthquake, referred to as the â€Å"Great Hanshin Earthquake Disaster†, struck the Kobe area in the early morning hours of January 17, 1995. Aftershocks and fires worsened the damage c aused by the earthquake, cutting off communications and electricity to the region. Transportation routes were completely blocked due to collapsed roadways and damaged rail lines. The earthquake, which measured at 7. 2 on the Richter scale and left almost 5,400 dead as well as 400,000 homeless in its wake, was one of the worst disasters that have occurred in modern Japan.The university, where the authors were teaching at the time, lost two professors and thirty nine students, as well as all its laboratory animals. Data loss was extensive, and computing equipment loss was exacerbated by physical damage caused by falling furniture and books. The university's telephone and fax connections were completely cut off. However, despite the damage to the university's infrastructure and community, Internet connectivity was able to be restored within a few hours of the earthquake.The resulting email access (there were no extensive Web-based resources at the time) allowed students and staff outsi de communication, a means to reassure loved ones and provided a connection to government disaster recovery resources. University personnel also used cellular phones, a then-nascent technology, to connect to the outside world. Kobe University was using the best available technology at the time, which allowed for quick recovery of the lightweight machines.The IT personnel at the university noted specifically that the hardest-hit IT resources were the older-style, stationary, heavyweight servers and storage units, rather than the newer equipment which was designed to be moved and handled. Specific successes of the Kobe University disaster recovery included: use of alternate routes of communication, broadcast communication to all personnel involved (including students and staff), fast restoration of outside connectivity, setup of alternate email access points and gateways to continue to provide communication and the use of more robust, newer hardware resources.Some of the problems with the university's disaster recovery were lack of system-wide backup plan leading to widespread data loss, insecure physical premises leading to damage, including fall damage to computer equipment placed inappropriately close to other hazards and environmental system failure leading to the death of the lab animals. Because Kobe University is the first instance of formalized study of disaster recovery in information technology, there are a number of questions which arise from the planning and execution of the recovery.What are the priorities of the business or organization when planning? How do you put into place organization-wide policies, such as data backup, which reduce the risk of failure? How do you deal with facilities and functions (such as public utility infrastructure) that are out of your control? A more recent demonstration of the importance of disaster preparedness and recovery was Hurricane Katrina, in 2005.Chenoweth, Peters and Naremore (2006) analyzed the disaster prepa redness and recovery response of a New Orleans hospital during the hurricane and the flooding that followed. East Jefferson General Hospital, located in Jefferson parish, was one of three hospitals in New Orleans to remain open during and after the storm. The hospital planned for a two to three day emergency situation; staffers brought appropriate supplies for only a few days.There were over 3,000 people, including staff, patients and community members, as well as a handful of pets, sheltering at the hospital by the time the storm hit New Orleans on August 28. The hospital's IT staff worked quickly to move critical equipment out of harm's way – they moved data center equipment to upper floors and PCs and other equipment away from windows, printed out hard copies of patient records, contact information and other vital data, and set up a hospital command post with PCs, telephones and fax machines for outside connectivity.The hospital itself did not sustain a high degree of phys ical damage in the storm, in contrast with Kobe University. However, the infrastructure of the city itself was virtually destroyed, with electricity, telephone and water cut off, roads blocked and food and drinking water supplies tight. The hospital was isolated from the rest of the world for over a week as external recovery crews worked. East Jefferson Community Hospital did have a written disaster recovery framework in place prior to Hurricane Katrina.According to Chenoweth et al (2006), the IT department had a hot site arrangement with SunGard; weekly backups of the hospital's data were stored in a local tape vault, occasionally retrieved for safe storage in SunGard's offsite facility in New Jersey. Unfortunately, the evacuation of the vault's staff left the tapes inaccessible. During the storm, the hospital lost first grid power and then generator power; communications were lost as the Bell South CO, then the onsite CO, and finally the hospital's Cox internet cable connection we nt down.The rapidly changing situation, according to the authors, forced a reprioritization of IT resources and efforts from internal systems maintenance to restoring and maintaining communication with the outside world. The IT staff found a usable dialup line and set up email access using some of the PCs on-site; they also leveraged spotty cellular service and messaging services to maximize communications, which allowed them to coordinate with rescue teams and officials and arrange for food, water and generator deliveries. The internal telephone system was also utilized to maintain communication throughout the hospital.A secondary concern to the hospital, according to Chenoweth et al (2006), was its employees; particularly, circumventing the normal payroll system, which was inaccessible, in order to provide funds to employees who were suffering high expenses due to evacuation. This was accomplished by using the Internet to provide a funds transfer to each employee approximating the ir last paycheck. Similar workarounds were created for accounts receivable, with employees manually entering charges and emailing them to the system provider for processing.The hospital's outsourced IT provider also had its own issues to deal with; it had to locate missing employees (which was accomplished within three days by using a broadcast approach of Internet connections and message boards and contacting family and friends of the staffers; this is in contrast to many other companies, which were still struggling to locate employees by November) and prevent employee burnout by arranging for relief staffers. East Jefferson Community Hospital's IT infrastructure was back up and running only a week after the storm hit, and began providing patient services immediately.Its disaster recovery framework, as well as quick thinking in repositioning the framework when it became clear that it did not match the profile of the disaster it was supposed to counter, was a clear factor in the hos pital's fast recovery and return to service. Following the experience during Katrina, the hospital's IT staff investigated its disaster recovery framework and cited a number of changes which should be made, including increased emergency communications capacity, maintaining high-speed Internet access and implementing an automatic switching mechanism should one generator go down again.Disaster Recovery Framework Design The experiences of Kobe University and East Jefferson Community Hospital clearly indicate the need for robust disaster recovery planning. While disaster recovery is not always a matter of life and death as it was in these two cases, it can often mean the difference between a company that recovers successfully and one that is driven out of business by a critical failure. How can a company begin to develop a disaster recovery framework, and how extensive does this framework need to be?Benton (2007) suggested that the disaster recovery framework must begin with a formal bu siness impact assessment. This assessment draws on the knowledge and experience of the IT staff and the CIO to determine what the critical pieces of IT infrastructure are for a given company. A business impact analysis (BIA) is a way in which the contribution or importance of a given business resource can be analyzed and expressed in dollars and cents terms, in order to allow corporate officers to determine the correct emphasis during disaster recovery.The BIA also includes subjective observations of the resource's importance, giving an overall view of the organization to the decision makers. The second piece of the decision-making process is the risk analysis. What kinds of disasters are likely, Benton asked, and how much damage are they likely to cause should they occur? Exactly how likely is a disaster to happen? Benton urged caution on this question; as he pointed out, the risk of being unprepared is potentially far greater than the cost of preparedness.Rike (2003) discussed the risk analysis that should be performed before beginning a business inventory analysis and disaster recovery planning. Risks should be analyzed in three different dimensions: the type of risk, the likelihood of the risk and the magnitude of the risk. Rike divided risk types into three general categories: natural threats and hazards, technical and mechanical hazards and human activities and threats. Rike noted that it is not always possible to predict some types of disasters, such as human activities, while some activities, such as common weather phenomena, can be planned for in advance.The third dimension of risk analysis is the magnitude of the potential risk. Rike identified three categories of magnitude: community-wide disasters, such as the Kobe earthquake and Hurricane Katrina as discussed above; localized to a building or a group of buildings, such as water leak or electricity outage; or individual, or only affecting a single organization, department or worker. A disgruntled w orker sabotaging data exemplifies this situation. Rike (2003) outlined a proposed schedule and method for designing a disaster recovery framework.The first step, obtaining top management buy-in and support, is critical in order to fund and implement the disaster recovery framework. It is also necessary for top staff to be informed of disaster recovery procedures because they will be ultimately responsible for its implementation. The second step Rike suggested was to establish a planning committee staffed with personnel from facilities, information technology and other critical departments who will be responsible for planning and implementing the policy. The third step in Rike’s method is to perform a risk assessment and conduct a BIA.The risk assessment should include determining the type of risk the behavior is subject to and its likelihood, the consequences of each scenario, the estimated cost of each scenario, replacement cost of data, equipment and staff recovery versus d isaster framework implementation, and the potential risk of the worst-case scenario occurring. Rike’s fourth step is determination of critical business facilities – business equipment, connectivity through Internet and phone lines, internal phone system, fire and fumigant systems and other facilities required to continue to operate.This step also includes the determination of disaster recovery procedures and documentation, vital records and personnel. Step five is the procurement and preparation of disaster recovery facilities, including offsite storage facilities, inventory of critical documents, policy and procedure manuals, master lists of staff contact information, vendor information, account numbers and other vital information, and a review of security and environmental systems. Step six is preparation of a written framework, taking into account the information gathered in steps one through five.Rike recommended that a standard format and software package should b e used to write the framework, rather than a customized solution. The framework should then be reviewed on a frequent basis to ensure continued alignment with company business and goals as well as changes to potential risk. The final step in Rike’s methodology is to test the written framework in order to make sure it is feasible. In order to begin developing a disaster preparedness framework, Benton suggested a company-wide IT inventory, detailing application, storage and server assets.These assets could then be ranked into categories depending on the importance of the business application and replacement cost of the equipment. There are two main ranking criteria. Recovery time objective (RTO) is the optimal maximum amount of time between disaster and service resumption. Recovery point objective (RPO) is the maximum amount of allowable data loss. Benton recommended a multi-tier system; at the top level should be no data loss and minimal downtime, or an RTO and RPO of close to 0, reserved for mission-critical services and business units that provide immediate revenue for the company.Business units should then be ranked in descending order according to their revenue generating potential and criticality. At its lowest level, Benton suggested that the RTO could be extended out to 72-96 hours. Rike (2003) identified key questions to use when conducting the BIA, including â€Å"how would the department in question operate if online systems were not available? † and â€Å"what is the minimum space required for the department to operate? † Benton prioritized two critical preplanning steps for disaster recovery.The first was data consolidation, or optimizing the protection of data by assembling all critical data in a single location for ease of backup and recovery. This can be established by use of a centralized file server in a small organization or use of a SAN or NAS scheme in a larger one. The second prerequisite, which can be more complicated than storage consolidation, is server consolidation. This step can be complicated because the performance profile of servers can vary, and processing and network access can vary between them. Benton further discussed the complexities of disaster recovery of data.Among the problems he noted are difficulties with logical consistency and order of recovery. If standard file backup technologies are used, these backups may not be logically consistent when they are recovered because they will be recovered to a slightly different point in time. Newer snapshot technologies can alleviate this problem, however. Another inconsistency issue is data replication, which may be interrupted when the write heads lose power. Finally, order of recovery will be important because some applications and servers will be dependent on other servers being restored first in order to maintain logical consistency.Benton also noted that disaster recovery should be maintained separately from periodic backups and arc hival procedures, because data storage procedures for periodic backups and archival procedures may not be adequate or appropriate for disaster recovery. Finally, Benton remarked that hardware designated for disaster recovery should be exercised in a non-emergency situation in order to ensure that it is properly configured and connected. Rike (2003) recommended a course of action in the event that the disaster recovery framework needs to be put into action following a physical disaster.The first step in Rike’s method is to perform a damage assessment in order to determine the scope and type of damage, the size of the area affected and what assets have been damaged. Rike’s second step is damage control by environment stabilization. In the event of physical damage, the damage can become permanent very quickly. Rike suggested that the physical environment must be stabilized by drying the air, removing water and soot particles, restoring air conditioning and whatever other cleanup can be performed.She suggested that material such as power generators, sump pumps to remove standing water, high-powered fans, plastic sheeting, absorbent materials and other cleanup equipment should be kept on hand in order to speed environmental stabilization. Once the environment is stable, Rike prioritized activation of the emergency team as defined in the disaster recovery framework, and then restoration and cleanup; this cleanup can in some cases be performed by business staff, but in some cases, such as a toxic spill or mold contamination, should be handled by specially trained professionals.While Rike discussed physical disaster recovery resulting from primarily natural or mechanical threats, Patnaik and Panda (2003) discussed data recovery from a malicious attack, addressing the human threat perspective. Malicious attack on data and application resources can come either from within the business (most often from a disgruntled employee) or outside the business (hacker s or industrial spies). As Patnaik and Panda noted, it is not necessarily possible to distinguish a malicious attack from a legitimate data transaction.According to the authors, requirements for protecting data from malicious attack include protection from unauthorized users, detection of hostile activities and damage recovery. Unfortunately, as the authors noted, in the case of a database storage system it is not always possible, even with these precautions in place, to catch all potential malicious transactions. This is particularly problematic when the malicious actor is someone who has trusted access to a system. If a malicious transaction is committed to the database, it is then seen as legitimate and may be propagated to other areas of the database through normal interactions.In order to prevent this spread, a quick recovery is required. Unfortunately, the authors noted, the size of database logs often precludes a fast recovery, due to extended periods of time spent accessing and applying the logs. In order to remedy this, Patnaik and Panda proposed a partitioned or segmented log solution which allows recovery of a malicious transaction to access only one of the log segments in order to perform recovery, rather than the full logs. This increases recovery time by an order of magnitude over applying the full redo log, according to the authors.Disaster recovery is a relatively inexpensive method of assuring business continuity in the wake of a natural, physical or human event or attack. The costs of not having a disaster recovery framework is, as Rike (2003) noted, extremely high – 93% of businesses which suffer a major data loss go out of business within five years. The experiences of Kobe University and East Jefferson Community Hospital demonstrate the value of a disaster recovery framework, as well as the importance of examining priorities when deciding on the framework.While physical premises may be covered by insurance in some cases, the same is not typically true for data, institutional knowledge, continued business and personnel. In order to implement a data recovery framework, one can follow Rike’s (2003) methodology, beginning with gaining the support of senior staff and the appointment of a disaster recovery planning committee, performing risk analysis, a BIA, and determining and putting in writing a disaster recovery framework and finally testing the framework to ensure its viability.These steps will help to protect the business in the event of a disaster, whether it is natural, mechanical or human in origin, and whether it is localized or community-wide. Research Proposal In order for a business to determine whether a disaster recovery framework is appropriate for their business, as well as to analyze the relative risks and costs of implementing a disaster recovery framework and replacing lost business assets and personnel in the event of a disaster. Following steps three and four of Rike’s methodology will provide a determination of utility of a disaster preparedness framework for a given business.In order to perform this analysis, the assent of senior staff members should be obtained. This analysis can be conducted in the following manner. First, perform Rike’s third step, that of risk analysis and assessment. This assessment should evaluate the potential threat to the business and its effects in three dimensions: type of threat (natural, mechanical or human), magnitude of threat (individualized, localized, community-wide), and likelihood (certain, likely, unlikely, extremely unlikely). Questions that should be asked during this risk assessment include: What is the natural environmental pattern of the geographic area? Is the area subject to earthquakes, flooding, hurricanes or other natural phenomena?†¢ Are current environmental control provisions such as Halon systems and fire detection systems up to date? †¢ How likely is attack by a human threat? Does the co mpany tend to have disgruntled workers, or no? How much access does any individual worker have to the data and application servers? †¢ What is the replacement cost of data, equipment and staff versus the cost of disaster recovery framework implementation? What is the potential for the worst-case scenario to occur?After the risk analysis is complete, step four of Rike’s methodology, determination of critical business resources, should be implemented. This step includes asking the following questions: †¢ What is the minimum amount of servers, Internet connectivity, communications capacity, space, documentation, data and staff the company can continue to operate on? †¢ Who is the critical staff? What is the critical data? How many single points of failure are there?Step four of Rike’s methodology, the business impact analysis or BIA, is the final method of analysis in determining the benefit of the disaster recovery framework to an individual organization. The BIA examines each aspect of a business’s function and determines which functions are critical to the business’s continued operation, as well as which functions can be brought back online after the most critical operations are stabilized. This examination should include all facets of a business, including seemingly unimportant functions such as facilities management, janitorial access and human resources records access.Business functions should be ranked on a matrix of direct and immediate benefit to the business, determined by their immediate monetary value as well as subjective perceptions of importance. Using a combination of a risk and cost analysis to determine the likelihood of risk occurring and the cost of implementation versus non-implementation, a business needs analysis to determine critical business requirements, and a BIA to determine critical business functions, it will be possible to determine whether a disaster recovery framework makes sense for a gi ven business, as well as what type of disaster recovery framework should be implemented.It is the author’s contention that disaster recovery planning makes sense for every business, and should be implemented at a level that will ensure business continuity and hasten recovery should a disaster occur. Customization of disaster recovery planning should be done using the risk, cost and business needs analysis to create a framework that will allow the business to secure its own interests in the event of a small or large disaster.No disaster recovery framework is perfect, and there can always be situations that remain unconsidered, as East Jefferson Community Hospital’s experience showed. However, having an initial disaster recovery plan in place made it easier to reprioritize resource allocation when there were unexpected issues. As von Moltke remarked, â€Å"no plan survives contact with the enemy† – but that is no reason not to plan.