Policy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Policy Paper - Essay Example United States is known for its long history of immigrations. For nearly a half a century, United States has experienced the largest and most sustained illegal immigration in the country’s history. While the illegal immigration phenomenon has constantly changed demographic landscape of the country, it has also generated a lot of debate as far as economic and social structure of United Sates is concerned. Of most concern is the large number of immigrants from the Latin America, which are largely unauthorized. The American public has been awaken to the reality that immigration from Latin American countries to the United States has moved to regions or states which, traditionally, had never experienced any of such phenomena before. The worry among the American public is compounded by the negative impact of such unauthorized immigration, which has subsequently changed the social fabric within the communities. While there is a general perception that illegal immigrants from Mexico have fuelled the dropdown of wages of the less educated Native Americans, some researchers disagrees. Those against this general perception state that this notion is wrongfully overstated, as many of the so called illegal immigrations offered cheaper labor to small businesses which led to their expansions. Significantly, this debate has motivated a beehive of research activities among scholars. Research attempts have been made to document how the immigration has affected the United States labor market in the last few decades. In line with these studies are the various policies that have been instituted and enforced in certain states. Some have caused controversy for the last three decades, igniting debates on their ramification on the general economy of the United States. Some of these policies are like enforcing barriers along the expanded border of United States and

Serving Justice in the Case of Billy Budd Essay Example for Free

Serving Justice in the Case of Billy Budd Essay From the case of Billy Budd, one must ponder about several important questions in regards to the power of the law and the extent to which it should be recognized. â€Å"Although Billy Budd killed Claggart unintentionally, he was aware that striking a superior officer was a serious offense, however, Claggart had provoked him by accusing him of organizing a mutiny† (Hunte). Thus, Billy Budd is described as the following, â€Å"His simple nature remained unsophisticated by those moral obliquities which are not in every case incompatible with that manufacturable thing known as respectability† (Melville). Perhaps Melville is emphasizing the point that Billy is some sort of special moral being, completely incapable of conceiving evil and bearing malice. Perchance, the case of Billy Budd should not be manipulated to fit the law; rather the law should be made to fit the case. In society, laws are made to serve justice and to protect individuals. Each case has unique circumstances and no one case is the same. Therefore, in order for justice to be served, the laws should be interpreted differently in each case. Captain Vere has illustrated his realization that this case has special circumstances, stating that â€Å"This case is an exceptional one† (Melville). Everyone on the Bellipotent knows Billy for his kindness; Billy even has attempted to befriend Claggart. By sentencing Billy to death, the Drumhead Court would eliminate a kind-spirited and hard-working man from the ship. Billy’s good heart and benevolent nature show that he is not likely to kill another man in the future, and killing him wont protect any individuals. Since a law is made for serving justice and protecting people, and sentencing Billy to death does neither. Furthermore, there are many things that make this case unique, and that need to be taken into consideration when devising Billy’s punishment. When considering this case, one must recognize that Billy Budd is crippled. It is true that he is not noticeably mentally or physically handicapped, but he does have a disability. In a situation where any other person would be able to speak up for himself, Billy was unable to. He has a condition that prevents him from verbalizing his thoughts when he feels very strongly about a certain topic or situation, which causes him to stutter. When Claggart accused Billy of conspiring with his fellow sailors, Billy could not verbally defend himself. As a result, he defended himself in the only way that he could, by striking Claggart across the head, causing his death. Because of his inability to protect his honor with words, Billys use of physical force was somewhat justified. Because every case is unique, and laws are made to properly serve justice leaving those responsible with clear consciences, they should not be made so strict that they do not allow for manipulation and mitigation depending on the situation at hand. Billy Budd’s case is unique for many reasons, including his own disability, and Billy’s lack of malicious intent. Through the eyes of an individual, Bill Budd can perhaps be viewed as innocent. Can one not support Bills actions of self defense? In order for justice be made, the case should shape the law and not the law mold the case as it happened in Billy Budd. Works Cited Billy Budd Morality and Ethics Quotes Page 1. shmoop. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2013. http://www.shmoop.com/billy-budd/morality-ethics-quotes.html. Erudite , Mann. Literature Criticism.Literary Works. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2013. http://www.mannmuseum.com/essay-serving-justice-in-the-case-of-billy-budd/ Hunte, Richard. West Port Wolf Pack .World Literature. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb. 2013. www.marion.k12.fl.us/schools/wph/teacher Melville, Herman. Billy Budd. Raleigh, N.C.: Alex Catalogue, 199. Print.

Albert Camus The Stranger Essay -- Stranger

Albert Camus' The Stranger What if the past has no meaning and the only point in time of our life that really matters is that point which is happening at present. To make matters worse, when life is over, the existence is also over; the hope of some sort of salvation from a God is pointless. Albert Camus illustrates this exact view in The Stranger. Camus feels that one exists only in the world physically and therefore the presence or absence of meaning in one's life is alone revealed through that event which he or she is experiencing at a particular moment. These thoughts are presented through Meursault, a man devoid of concern for social conventions found in the world in which he lives, and who finds his life deprived of physical pleasure--which he deems quite important--when unexpectedly put in prison.   The opening line of the novel sets the tone for Meursault's dispassion towards most things. The novel is introduced with the words: "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know" (3). Although the uncertainty originates with an ambiguous telegram, it seems that the tone alone could justify changing the meaning of the words 'I don't know' to 'I don't care.' In a sense, in the days following, he only goes through the motions of the vigil and then the funeral; the only emotion he expresses is joy when his bus takes him home and he is able to sleep. At one point, he looks back at the events of the past few days, realizes that he has to go to work, and notes: "that, really, nothing had changed" (24). Despite these reactions, there is evidence that Meursault did indeed love his mother, observed both in his defensive argument at the 'old people's' home as to why she was put there in the first place and in his recollections... ...has no comprehension of the objects in its existence--as he is unconcerned with the objects in his own life and finds meaning only within himself. Meursault does not care for objects in his world. He does not see the importance of certain words whose definitions attempt to explain human relationships either amongst themselves or their emotions in general. He does not follow 'conventional' social beliefs nor does he believe in God, nor salvation. Meursault however loves his life. It is a pure love derived from enjoying his existence on a day-to-day basis, rarely looking back and never looking forward. His love is not dependent on doing what society or some religion has deemed correct, but on what he feels he wants to do despite what most would consider common. Work Cited Camus, Albert. The Stranger. Trans. Matthew Ward. New York: Vintage International, 1989.

Evita: Saint Or Sinner? :: essays research papers

Evita: Saint or Sinner?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of Eva Peron is a fascinating one . Evita, as she is known, enjoyed a rise to power like no other. The details of this ascension are often disputed, making Santa Evita's tale all the more intriguing. . .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maria Eva Duarte was born on May 7, 1919,1 the fifth and youngest illegitimate child of Juan Duarte and his mistress, Juan Ibarguen. The week of her birth was known as Tragic Week, when the army massacred striking workers, perhaps a foreshadow of what was to come in her life.2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eva spent her childhood in an adobe farmhouse, with farm animals and earthen floors. In the farming trade, Juan Duarte incurred many debts, eventually leaving him with nothing. Thus, early in her life, Eva learnt the humiliation of poverty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Duartes were further put down by the stiff Argentine caste system, which divided the poor from the wealthy. Being a bastard child, Eva and her four sisters were seen as 'brats,' and were stopped from associating with the other village children. Rejection, thrown upon young Eva through no fault of her own, would not be forgotten nor forgiven.3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At age fifteen, Eva Duarte set out to become a radio actress. She knew she could be like the women in the movie magazines she either stole or borrowed from her friends. Eva met singer Agustin Magaldi, and, packed her bags and sneaked out of her mother's boarding house to the city of Buenos Aires.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once Eva learned the rules of the 'casting couch,' she dropped Magaldi and began her ascent to stardom. For years she wandered the streets, auditioned, and did whatever she had to do, no matter how distasteful. Eva gained modeling work and small parts in radio plays, frequenting nightclubs, and began to find better work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After several jobs in theatres, she was interviewed by the magazine Sintonia. After Eva started an affair with the magazine's owner, he began to give her good exposure. This led to jobs in the film industry. Though she made several, she had no talent to be seen in any of her films.4   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eva's body was what sold her to the masses. She could have any man that she wanted, and soon set her sights on Colonel Juan Peron, who had political ruthlessness, a passion for younger women (especially good-looking actresses), and was a 48-year-old widower.5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On January 15, 1944, San Juan Argentina was hit by a terrible earthquake. A gala benefit show was held to support the relief effort, where Eva and Colonel Peron first met. They were seen leaving the gala together.

New Hire Mismanagement Essay

When accepting the position of a Campus Recruiter for ABC, Inc., there were specific tasks and expectations that go along with the job title. The specific tasks were explained however, due to the improper planning and poor execution, the individual failed to deliver what was outlined in the job title. This paper will explain the failures due to improper planning, lack of experience and poor time management skills. Furthermore, areas that will be outlined from this case study will include various detailed causes as well as; different solutions to strengthen the recruiting department and prevent any further weaknesses. Background In early April, Carl Robins, was new to the human resources department of ABC, Inc. â€Å"The Corporate Human Resources Recruiter will play a critical role in ensuring we are hiring the best possible talent† (Nourse, 2013). Mr. Robbins had taken on the needed task of hiring 15 individuals, which would work for the Operations Supervisor, Monica Carrolls. This recruiting position is responsible for selecting proper candidates, collecting proper identification and various paperwork such as; a resume, application, transcripts and payroll processing information. A background check, drug screen and a new hire physical must also be performed prior to anyone starting. In addition to the proper processing of the new hires, Mr. Robbins also is responsible for scheduling the new hire orientation and providing the proper materials such as; the manuals, policy booklets and training guides. In this case, Mr. Robbins had already advised the new hires of the required orientation on June 15th. The lack of experience and follow through, along with procrastination was a large factor in completing the tasks set forth for the recruiting position. Mr. Robbins was feeling overwhelmed and began to panic, due to the realization that the needed workforce would not be ready for Monica Carroll, as he previously assured. The failures will effect several people and cause the operations department to not have the new additions to their team and be ready to move forward. Key Problems There are numerous key problems with this case. Mr. Robins’s lack of experience as well as, poor communication and planning from the beginning, caused the situation to spiral, making the end result in complete failure. An incompetent and poorly functioning human resources department reflects the overall state of affairs of an organization and its possible uncompetitive position in the marketplace (Dutta, 2013). Carl Robbins started the hiring process accurately. He successfully hired 15 individuals however, without creating a new hire protocol, several items were missed. Furthermore, Mr. Robins seemed to be completely focused on the fact that he was able to fill the needed positions and impressing the operations supervisor, he failed to follow through from the beginning. The inexperience may also be a factor however, he was hired as a recruiter and gained six months of experience therefore, Mr. Robins knew what was expected of him. Procrastination plays a large role in the end result, as well. Carl did not immediately check with the training facility, even after receiving the call from Monica Carrolls. He waited more than 10 days to look at the training facility availability. Procrastination, weather it was due to lack of experience or being overwhelmed, does not matter in this case. The consequence remained the same, failure to complete the tasks by the needed time. In most cases, time management and procrastination go hand in hand however, Carl did not look at the specific tasks nor did he allot the appropriate time to get the job done by the specified time. Failure to either create a hiring protocol or follow the steps that should have been learned during his first six months of employment, adds additional issues of concern. Being that this was Mr. Robins first recruiting effort, he failed to discuss, clarify or even have the steps that he had already taken reviewed with a fellow recruiting teammate to assure both himself and the recruiting department that the new hires will indeed be ready to start their positions in July. Many of the issues could have been avoided simply by doing research or asking for help. Developing a sufficient protocol or schedule is key however, it is imperative that the proper research on wait times for drug screens, background checks and pre-employment physicals is done so scheduling will go smoothly. It is critical to ensure that you have the proper tools and information to complete the required tasks. Just like any position or task assigned, organization is critical. Carl was moving forward without knowing exactly how the pieces of the puzzle were to be put together. The recruiter did not utilize the appropriate tools such as, database, spreadsheets or check lists to ensure proper completion of the hiring process. Moreover, the recruiter did not set completion goals for each step to aid in this completion. Therefore, Carl did not see that there were numerous critical issues in the hiring process, which will not only affect the new hires, but will also cause delays for Monica Carroll and the operations department. Alternatives There are several alternatives that may strengthen the human recourses (HR) department in the future however, will not fix the current issue at hand. Implementing a new hire protocol that clearly defines each step of the process. Utilizing tools such as, specialized software that can be directly accessed from the outsourced screening companies to deliver new hire physical information, drug screening and background check results. This will allow the recruiter to access the file and make sure that the candidate is ready to begin work or notify when there is an issue with that specific candidate. Another alternative would be to hire an assistant recruiter or administrative assistant to process paperwork as well as, scheduling training rooms and ordering new hire training manuals, etc. Other options to consider would be to outsource the entire hiring process by using an outside recruiting company or using an agency to employ all the individuals that work for ABC Inc. A recruiting company would minimize and allow the human resources department to simplify duties such as, conducting final interviews of the candidates that have been previously screened by the recruiting company. Complete outsourcing of all personnel or employee leasing is costly however, it is another way to prevent cases like Carl Robbins, who failed to represent the company’s professionalism, screen the new hires and organize a new hire schedule. Employee leasing will remove all responsibilities of the employer including, candidate screening, payroll and benefits which would replace both the HR and payro ll departments. Unfortunately, in doing this ABC, Inc. would no longer be eligible for the tax credits that are given when a company hires welfare to work or Veterans. Another downfall would be losing the ability to solve an employment issue in-house. Proposed Solutions There are several proposed solutions mentioned in this case study. The most economic and immediate realistic solution would be to implement an outlined human resources protocol which would include, step by step policies and procedures to successfully start a new hire, creating a spreadsheet or a checklist to prevent critical errors and ensure that each steps are followed as well as, having detailed contact information for each company that is outsourced such as; drug testing and pre-employment physicals and background checks. An important part of the protocol would be to have a new hire orientation packet saved on file so, when the need arises or the inventory gets low, the recruiter can order copies to be made in a timely fashion. The remaining solution that would be outlined in the protocol would be to have the recruiter notate each completed or received paperwork on the checklist to ensure all the necessary paperwork and outsourced results are received. This outlined human resourc es guide and organizational tool would guide the recruiter into making sure all procedures and requirements are met. Recommendations Implementing the protocols would be crucial to the success of the human resources department. A recruiter is just like a salesperson, this is where the first impression is made. If implemented correctly, this will assure hiring the right individuals, which in return will allow ABC, Inc., reach its fullest potential. In this case study, Carol Robbins was not organized. There were no protocols in place to prevent these errors. Furthermore, there was not any direct supervision. It is recommended that the manager of human resources, review the hiring process directly with Mr. Robbins and make clear written expectations on the job requirements. It is further recommended that a clear, step by step protocol be put into place preventing these issues from arising again. Lastly, it is critical for the Manager of Human Resources to review all files before the file is completed and the new hire is scheduled for training. This shall continue until Mr. Robbins clearly understands the policies and procedures.

Hand Gestures Around the World and Their Meanings

Hand Gestures Around the World and Their Meanings If you’re looking to travel abroad, it can seem stressful dealing with the language barrier between you and the locals. Learning a new language is not an easy thing to do especially if you don’t have a lot of time to spare. So rather than cramming a bunch of phrases last minute, why not learn how to communicate without saying a single word? The infographic below presents hand gestures around the world and their meanings. All you have to do is master  a few simple hand gestures and identify the one pertaining to the country you’re visiting and you’ll be able to communicate effectively without cramming a ton of phrases last minute.  Source:[BusinessInsider]

Medical outsourcing versus in-house development Essay Example

Medical outsourcing versus in Medical outsourcing versus in-house development Paper Medical outsourcing versus in-house development Paper Outsourcing has been a very controversial topic in the modern business environment.   This is because of the diverse benefits and costs that organizations which outsource, or fail to outsource, face.   Outsourcing involves sub-contracting services to other companies or firms, as opposed to in-house employees performing them. According to Altinkemer Chaturvedi (1), a company or firm enters into a contract with a vendor and the contract defines nature of outsourced services.   Such companies that have been given these contracts are usually professionals in that field, and provide the services more efficiently and relative easily, than the company that contracts them. The major reason that companies outsource services is to concentrate on their core activities and to save money.   It is also done to conserve use of labor, land, technology, capital and other resources.   In the medical field, outsourcing is also common due to similar reasons.   Services that can be outsourced in this field include surgery, treatment, IT services, facility management, catering among other services. Benefits of medical outsourcing. Cost One benefit of medical outsourcing is the reduction in cost.   According to Lauren (68-73), patients who would have otherwise not afforded health care are given a chance to access it, from specialists who charge cheaper than the medical facility.   Countries such as Philippines and India are reputed to be relatively cheap and this is the reason that foreigners flock to these countries.   This is however a benefit that is mostly enjoyed by the patient, since it is an opportunity cost is foregone by the hospital, in case the facility could have handled the problem. In terms of the health facility, outsourcing non-cores services reduces costs, due to increasing efficiency and effectiveness of operations.   This is achieved through delegating such duties to professionals.   Costs are also reduced since the medical facilities do not have to invest in capital equipment for activities that they outsource.   The vendors own their own equipment that they use to operate their activities.   Plant ownership and fixed overheads are eliminated, which saves money for the facility. Core services. Another benefit of medical outsourcing, especially if it involves facility management, is the fact that the medical facility can concentrate on providing its primary service, that is health care.   Other services provided by hospitals include catering, cleaning and maintaining stocks among other services. These services, though necessary, are the non-core services that are provided by medical facilities.   Outsourcing them would enable the medical facilities provide quality health care.   According to McEntee (12-18), such services would be delegated to professional in those fields, which would reduce the energy and time that medical facilities use in providing them. Customer satisfaction. Outsourcing non-core activities would also enable the medical facilities improve satisfaction by clients.   According to Ronan (77-88), this is through provision of high quality services due to two reasons.    The first reason is that the facility concentrates in its core specialty, which leads to attainment of higher levels of productivity.   The second reason is that such activities are delegated to professionals in those fields, who perform them effectively, and with relative ease, since that is their specialty.   This has the overall effect of improving effectiveness and efficiency of operations and hence achieving the objectives and goals of medical facilities.   This enables the needs of the customer to be satisfied. Career opportunities. When activities that are outsourced by medical facilities are performed within the premises of the hospital or health center, this provides opportunities for employees to learn from professionals.   They can get access to new skills or more efficient methods of achieving the desired tasks.   This may even create alternative careers for such employees.   Acquisition of new skills improves their professional resume, which may help advance their careers.   They are also able to make informed decisions due to access to a variety of information.

Cotton Industry Essays

Cotton Industry Essays Cotton Industry Essay Cotton Industry Essay Cotton Industry Through the beginning of evolution of humans one of the most common utilities used were cotton for clothing and other things. As trading became popular through Asia and machines were invented the owners would usually use many workers and get a low wage out of their work just as in Japan and India. The cotton industries throughout Japan and India became a great success in the period 1880s to the 1930s. A similarity of these countries was that they both recruited laborers who worked at farms. A difference between these two countries were the type of workers they had working for their cotton industries. Another difference was their production of Yarn. An additional type of document could have been about further explanation of the production of yarn of both cotton industries of Japan and India. First of all, Japan and India mostly had farm workers who worked in the cotton industry. As in for Japan, they would recruit farm laborers because they were cheap workers. These farmers would usually send their children to work at the cotton industries. Usually the worker would earn enough for them to live (Doc. 5). However, even though they would get a low income in working at the cotton industries, they would get a greater amount of wage of a year than working as a farmer. During the 1900, they had to turn over sixty percent of the crops they grew to the landlord. So at to their advantage they had cotton industries (Doc. 4). As well in India, they had workers from agriculture programs and also they had unemployed hand weavers. They usually worked for less than two year and their wages never increased nor decreased, it would usually stay the same (Doc. ). Also, even as were they’re workers had come from were the same, the type of sex was a huge difference. In Japan, they had a higher percentage of workers who were women than in India. During the 1920 the percentage of Female cotton workers was eighty percent which increased to eighty point sixty percent in the year 1930. In India their percentage in the year 1909 was a twent y-two point one percent which decrease to eighteen point nine in the year 1934 (Doc. 7). While Japans use of female cotton workers increased in India their female cotton workers decreased. Furthermore, the female workers in the cotton industries of Japan often were young girls who were sent from families to help them survive. They would always work from morning till dark; however their first year working they did not get payed till their second year and so forth. Unlike India, in Japan, the cotton workers would get an increase in their pay each year starting off with 35 yen (Doc. 3). Last, mostly in India their workers had to work standing up and weaving using the machines. In Japan, they were capable of sitting down and weave using machines or handmade. Last, India’s yarn production differed from Japan’s yarn production. Another difference of India was that they not only made yarn but also produced cloth. This was because throughout India there seemed to be a competition of the machine manufactures which cause local textiles of making their manufactures a huge success through shareholders, investors, and financiers (Doc. 6). Also, the production of cotton yarn and cloth in India through the years 1884 to 1914 seemed to increase except for their hand spun yarn that went from one-hundred fifty millions of pounds to ninety millions of pounds. For the machine spun yarn it began with one-hundred fifty-one million of pounds increasing to six-hundred fifty-two million of pounds. Furthermore, for Hand-woven cloth one thousand millions of yards started off increasing to one thousand four hundred five millions of yards. As for, machine-made cloth, it began with two hundred thirty-eight increasing to one thousand one hundred forty (Doc. 1). In Japan, they had a lower production of yarn and they did not make cotton cloth just simply yarn. In the year 1884, five millions of pounds were made both hand spun and machine spun. In the year 1894, they had quickly increase to one hundred seventeen millions of pounds. Last, through to the year 1914, they had made six hundred sixty-six millions of pounds of yarn. In conclusion, using farm workers to work for the countries Japan and India was a similarity they had especially how farm workers were peasants. However, the differences of their workers were that Japan had a greater percentage of female workers than India had. Statistics had showed that the used of female worked in India decreased while the use of female workers increased in Japan. Japan and India also differed of each other of their roduction or yarn especially of the percentages. Of the yarn, there is lack of information and there should have been another necessary document of why Japan did not produce cloth and how long it took to make it. Other of the differences and similarities, another purpose of the things the author gave was to show how cruel the things were before and how much the peasants h ad to work with little amount of payment. His reason might have been that he informed us this because the author wanted to show how it was before to reflect on how much things have changed from before to now.

Sovereign Default risk in the Euro zone A further look at a possible Dissertation

Sovereign Default risk in the Euro zone A further look at a possible exit - Dissertation Example The resulting models which were arrived at using the forward stepwise procedure passed various goodness-of-fit tests as well as other tests of the significance of coefficients. This indicates that both CDS spread and Debt/GDP ratio improved the model’s predictive power in the case of the Euro zone while CDS spread was the only significant factor for Cyprus. Tests of the model using in-sample and out-of-sample data shows that it is capable of predicting default and non-default with a high degree of accuracy. 1.0 Introduction Sovereign default has been present in world economies throughout history. One of the countries that have defaulted in the past is Argentina. Very often, it is the same set of countries that are habitually in this state of economic crisis. The 2008 financial crisis has been described as one of the worst to be felt in this modern age since the Great Depression of 1933 (Your reference here). Its effects are still underway and countries around the world are try ing their utmost to maintain financial stability. One of the newest currency unions and the most powerful in the world; the Euro-Zone, therefore makes an interesting study. One of the single most important events that preceded the spiralling downturn in the 2008 financial crisis is the Lehman Brothers failure on September 15, 2008. Prior to the 2008 financial crisis, the sovereign Credit Default Swap (CDS) market was not as significant as corporate CDS markets. This was due to the relatively stable outlook of developed nations within the Euro Block and the perceived minimal default risk associated with these countries. As a result of the Lehman Collapse, and other proceeding financial institutional failures, large losses worldwide were incurred, which had spill over effects eventually affecting entire economies. This resulted in negative implications for investor confidence and a reduction of credit in the market. The bailouts for these banks by the individual governments could only be made possible by incurring massive amounts of debt (Dieckmann and Plank 2011). This led Governments to increased risk of sovereign default and a global reassessment of credit risk. In turn, CDS in the sovereign market became highly liquid as the uncertainty of these nations became an issue, implying an increase in sovereign credit risk. Since 2012 the Euro zone has been characterized by deepening crises in several countries, some of which have suffered what is described as selective default. These crises have been characterised by increases in CDS spread, increased Debt/GDP ratio and high bond yields. This has led to credit rating agencies such as Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s giving ratings to some of these countries that indicate to investors the risks associated with government bonds. In addition to Cyprus and Greece, some of the countries that have received speculative ratings include Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Estonia, Portugal and Spain (Blo omberg 2013). Concerns have been raised that the ratings given by credit rating agencies are unreliable as the default ratings for Greece in 2012 and Cyprus in 2013 came after the event. The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk of sovereign default in the Euro zone and also to develop an econometric model that is capable of predicting default before the event takes place. This would be very beneficial to

Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Law - Essay Example 541). It effectively allows individuals to challenge actions by Member States or the EU institutions through the ECJ but obtain an effective remedy from his national court. Article 234 also provides guidance on what national courts should do in the event that an individual seeks to invoke his/her Community rights in order to challenge national law. This is necessary because In most Member States concepts of sovereignty prohibit challenge to the legality of statute or, a fortiori, constitutional law. Furthermore, in most Member States there are lacunae, gaps in the legal protection of individuals, arising from traditional privileges and immunities. Sometimes these limitations are justified, sometimes they are not. (Steiner & Woods, 2003, p. 130) An EC decision is ‘binding in its entirety upon those to which it is addressed’ (Article 249). Italy therefore must implement the decision. Whilst EC decisions are not described as being ‘directly applicable’ they can be ‘directly effective’ (vis-Ã  -vis the State and the individual) provided the criteria for direct effects are satisfied: Grad v Finanzamt Traustein (case 9/70). Therefore Maria will have a remedy against her employer provided it is an ‘organ of the state’ and she can establish her allegations of unfair treatment. (2) Where such a question is raised before any court or tribunal of a Member State, that court or tribunal may, if it considers that a decision on the question is necessary to enable it to give judgment, request the Court of Justice to give a ruling thereon. (3) Where any such question is raised in a case pending before a court or tribunal of a Member State, against whose decisions there is no judicial remedy under national law, that court or tribunal shall bring the matter before the Court of Justice. There are a number of points to note from the Article. Only a court or a tribunal may

Answer the questions below and support your points using case law not Essay

Answer the questions below and support your points using case law not the textbook references - Essay Example Similarly, an advertisement or brochure does not constitute an offer, but only an attempt to obtain an offer. However, the display of goods in a shop is an invitation to treat. Application In Harvey v Facey [1893] AC 552, it was held that it was insufficient to just provide a statement regarding the price. In this case the plaintiff had asked the defendant, by means of a telegram, whether he would sell the Bumper Hall Pen and to quote the lowest cash price. The reply was to be given by telegram to the plaintiff. To this the defendant replied that the lowest price would be ? 900. In reply the plaintiff conveyed his consent and stated that he would purchase it for that price and asked the defendant to send the title deeds of that piece of land. The court held that there was no contract between these parties, as the mere statement of price did not constitute an offer and was nothing more than the provision of information. In Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots Cash Chemists (Southern) Ltd [1953] EWCA Civ 6, the Appellate Court deemed the shop sign to be an invitation to treat. In this case, the issue considered was when a sale was completed in a self service shop. The court held that the sale was completed when the medicine had been selected and taken to the shop assistant, who then accepted it and completed the contract. The display of goods on the shelves of the shop was not an offer but merely an invitation to treat. This was reiterated by the court in Fisher v Bell [1961] 1 QB 394, in which Lord Chief Justice Parker held that the mere display of a knife with a price tag in a shop window did not constitute an offer for sale. In this case, the shop had displayed a prohibited type of knife in a shop window. The legislation in force had prohibited the offer of such items for sale. This was deemed to be an invitation to treat and not an offer by the learned chief justice. Conclusion Offer can become a contract after its acceptance. An Invitation to Trea t is not an offer, which can be accepted, and is merely an invitation for offers. Question 2 Explain the standard of care owed by one person to another in the tort of negligence Issue The standard of care owed by one person to another in the tort of negligence. Rule The standard of care owed by one person to another in torts, is based on the notions of reasonableness and foreseeability. Contributory negligence in the context of personal injury and death relates to the failure of a person, usually the plaintiff, to adopt reasonable measure to promote safety, which contributes to the injury suffered by that person. Damages awarded by the Australian courts are reduced to the extent of the contributory negligence of the plaintiff. Application There is a clear distinction between the notions of reasonableness and foreseeability. Thus in Bolton v Stone [1951] AC 850, their Lordships ruled that although it was foreseeable for injury to occur due to being hit by a cricket ball that had been struck over the boundary fence, it was very much unlikely to happen, and that this was sufficient justification for the respondents to ignore the risk. In general, it is unreasonable to undertake a risk that is foreseeable. However, when the chances of the risk taking place are very meagre, a reasonable person will undertake the risk. Another major consideration relates to the seriousness of the injury caused. Thus, in Paris v Stepney Borough Council

Purchasing gloves for hotel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Purchasing gloves for hotel - Essay Example To start with, gloves are important for housekeeping activities because of several reasons. Firstly, gloves facilitate better and firm grip on housekeeping items. In most cases, housekeeping utensils and other items are used with soaps, making the utensils to be slippery and risky to handle. Therefore, gloves can be used to reduce risks of harm to staff carrying out housekeeping duties. Secondly, housekeeping activities involve use of various chemical that can be harmful to skin. In this case, gloves are used to protect housekeeping staff from chemical harm. Finally, gloves are used to protect housekeeping staff from coming into direct contact with dirt being cleaned from various surfaces and utensils. Of more importance, certain characteristics should be considered when choosing gloves o be utilized in housekeeping activities. To begin with, housekeeping staff should choose the right size of gloves that can fit effectively in their hands. This way, chances of gloves slipping off from hands will be minimized. Secondly, housekeeping staff should choose a form of gloves that can allow them to fit their five fingers comfortably hence increasing their quality of grip on various housekeeping items. In addition, the quality of gloves chosen should be capable of handling various chemicals and equipments used in housekeeping activities. For example, more tough gloves are required to handle washroom cleaning equipments and soaps as opposed to the lighter grade used in washing kitchen utensils. There are several companies that sale gloves in Russia that sale different types of gloves used in housekeeping activities. To start with, Dupont Protective Apparel is one of the famous companies that specialize in protective clothing to various industries. Another company that distributes gloves in Russia is the Magid Glove & Safety, which is the largest manufacturer and distributor of gloves. Other companies that distribute gloves in Russia include

The Corporate Citizenship of Avon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Corporate Citizenship of Avon - Essay Example According to James Post, corporate citizenship does not merely involve good acts. One central requirement of citizenship is the promotion of social harmony. A company should, therefore, ensure that its social activities are those that are directed to the building and sustaining of a harmonious society. A company and its operations should also have a harmonious existence with the society in which it operates under because it cannot promote harmony if it is the first to rub shoulders with its stakeholders and the community (Post 146). AVON Company has achieved this to a good level by speaking violence and ensuring that its operations do not cause disputes with the society of operation. AVON Company has sustained and even increased its public social works as they continue with their own private business. This means they have met the key corporate citizenship requirement that businesses are supposed to re-connect private work and public work. As corporate citizens, multinational companie s are required to take responsibility for the impacts that the company’s activities have on the environment and its stakeholders (Wood and Logsdon 53). AVON Company participates in and focuses its environmental protection and rehabilitation activities in opportunities and places that will achieve the greatest impact hence it is a corporate citizen. Another requirement for a corporate citizen is to voluntarily extend its social activities beyond those that are required by the country’s legislation (Post 145). As a demonstration to this, AVON Company has been actively involved in helping women affected by cancer by donating approximately $700 million towards breast cancer programs. It also participates in emergency relief and has awarded millions of US dollars to women affected by natural disasters.  Ã‚  

The Goddess of 1967 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Goddess of 1967 - Essay Example The film, The goddess of 1967 (Law, 2000) has a duration of 118 minutes in which the viewer is invited to traverse a beautiful physical landscape that parallels a bizarre and melancholy emotional landscape. Before immigrating to Australia, Clara Law, the director of this film, had made a number of films in Hon Kong which won good reception also (Phillips, 2001). This particular film had earned entry into prestigious film festivals like Venice and Toronto film festival (Phillips, 2001). The theme of the film is a journey undertaken by two strangers- a man and a woman- under odd circumstances, and the recollections they make of their lives through which they heal themselves as well. On surface, it is for the sake of a car, the whole journey is undertaken, but deep inside it is a journey through one’s own self for the protagonists. This was a movie that perplexed its viewers so that they were divided into its fans and foes (Coyle, 2005, p.67). Only two things that are seemingly perfect in this film are 1) the car, which is a much coveted Citroen DS, and 2) the natural beauty that encompasses the visual narrative of the film. Everything else is flawed- the minds of the characters, the life situations and the memories. Yet the beauty of the car is paralleled by the beauty of the landscape in each frame in which they appear together. And the film, like many other travel films, shows how the emotional wounds are healed by mutual understanding and companionship, by revisiting the past with a retrospective calmness. What the director tries to explain This film is about a lot many things including the mechanical life that one encounters in a city, the helplessness of human existence, loneliness, crime and the baser elements of human mind. Chaudhuri (2007) has called this film based on â€Å"themes of exile† whe rein the male protagonist is a temporary migrant in Australia and the female protagonist is alienated from her society and family in her own land and hence living a life of exile (p.122). Fung Cheu (2007) on the other hand has opined that the theme of this film is â€Å"cultural dislocation† (p.129). From a direct view point, this film has been also called the story of an abused woman (Fung Cheu, 2007, p.141) By making a car the major presence in this film, a car with a history, a car venerated as perfect and elegant in all times, the film contrasts the perfection of a machine with the liveliness of even a flawed human existence. A machine cannot sin against its design and it is built to behave, but a human being is prone to vices but still retains a hand full of godly moments in his/her life. In a feminist interpretation of the presence of this car in this film, some critics (Senzani and Florida Atlantic University, 2008) have said that the car represented a channel of †Å"escape†¦ for the abused women†, and even a â€Å"mobile home† (p.431). It is also a depiction of how circumstances make and carve human characters. The film is made in such a way that this conclusion can be arrived at either with pessimism or optimism. The beauty of the film is in that it never advises the viewer to make either of this choice. The director herself has called this film â€Å"an attempt to portray the dysfunctional character of contemporary life and personal relations† (as cited by Phillips, 2001). The isolation that comes inevitably with urbanization, the bizarre ways in which humans try to relate, even by trying to love reptiles and strangers, and the visible absence of a community around human lives, are some aspects that gets subtly discussed in this film.

Spatial Disorientation for Pilots Research Paper

Spatial Disorientation for Pilots - Research Paper Example Three types of spatial disorientation occur in the field of aviation. Type I disorientation relates to when the pilots do not sense any unusual occurrence. The pilots tend to be in a state that makes them believe in the normalcy of the aircraft’s response to the required inputs. This results from the pilot’s lack of concentration on the primary flight instruments. Lack of concentration can be due to distractions that make the pilot shift attention to another source for a considerable amount of time. Type II disorientation occurs when the pilot senses the existence of conflicting orientation cues. The pilot becomes unsure of what the flight instruments depict in relation to their personal interpretation, as well as what the out-the-window view signals. Such cases arise when the pilots shift their attention from the flight instruments for a substantial period, or when they break from a cloud in an unusual position. In most of these cases, the pilot gets to control the air craft or manages to access the help of another pilot. On the other hand, if the pilots fail to control type II spatial disorientation, the problem becomes more risky, leading to an incapacitating spatial disorientation, or type III spatial disorientation. This involves the awareness of the pilot of the conflicting cues. However, the state of the aircraft confuses the professionals, leading to incorrect adjustments. Making changes to the incorrect actions usually poses great difficulty, which makes recovery impossible in most cases. Research by the U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center further illustrates the prevalence of accidents caused by these three types of disorientation. Type I disorientation poses the highest amount of risk, compared to the other two.This follows the fact that the pilots do not get to realize the potential danger, which means that no precautions take place to counter the hazard. Type III disorientation poses a minimal risk, which means that most pilots ga ther the courage to correct anomalies, while a small percentage fails to gather such confidence (Webb, Estrada & Kelley, 225).

The Goddess of 1967 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Goddess of 1967 - Essay Example The film, The goddess of 1967 (Law, 2000) has a duration of 118 minutes in which the viewer is invited to traverse a beautiful physical landscape that parallels a bizarre and melancholy emotional landscape. Before immigrating to Australia, Clara Law, the director of this film, had made a number of films in Hon Kong which won good reception also (Phillips, 2001). This particular film had earned entry into prestigious film festivals like Venice and Toronto film festival (Phillips, 2001). The theme of the film is a journey undertaken by two strangers- a man and a woman- under odd circumstances, and the recollections they make of their lives through which they heal themselves as well. On surface, it is for the sake of a car, the whole journey is undertaken, but deep inside it is a journey through one’s own self for the protagonists. This was a movie that perplexed its viewers so that they were divided into its fans and foes (Coyle, 2005, p.67). Only two things that are seemingly perfect in this film are 1) the car, which is a much coveted Citroen DS, and 2) the natural beauty that encompasses the visual narrative of the film. Everything else is flawed- the minds of the characters, the life situations and the memories. Yet the beauty of the car is paralleled by the beauty of the landscape in each frame in which they appear together. And the film, like many other travel films, shows how the emotional wounds are healed by mutual understanding and companionship, by revisiting the past with a retrospective calmness. What the director tries to explain This film is about a lot many things including the mechanical life that one encounters in a city, the helplessness of human existence, loneliness, crime and the baser elements of human mind. Chaudhuri (2007) has called this film based on â€Å"themes of exile† whe rein the male protagonist is a temporary migrant in Australia and the female protagonist is alienated from her society and family in her own land and hence living a life of exile (p.122). Fung Cheu (2007) on the other hand has opined that the theme of this film is â€Å"cultural dislocation† (p.129). From a direct view point, this film has been also called the story of an abused woman (Fung Cheu, 2007, p.141) By making a car the major presence in this film, a car with a history, a car venerated as perfect and elegant in all times, the film contrasts the perfection of a machine with the liveliness of even a flawed human existence. A machine cannot sin against its design and it is built to behave, but a human being is prone to vices but still retains a hand full of godly moments in his/her life. In a feminist interpretation of the presence of this car in this film, some critics (Senzani and Florida Atlantic University, 2008) have said that the car represented a channel of †Å"escape†¦ for the abused women†, and even a â€Å"mobile home† (p.431). It is also a depiction of how circumstances make and carve human characters. The film is made in such a way that this conclusion can be arrived at either with pessimism or optimism. The beauty of the film is in that it never advises the viewer to make either of this choice. The director herself has called this film â€Å"an attempt to portray the dysfunctional character of contemporary life and personal relations† (as cited by Phillips, 2001). The isolation that comes inevitably with urbanization, the bizarre ways in which humans try to relate, even by trying to love reptiles and strangers, and the visible absence of a community around human lives, are some aspects that gets subtly discussed in this film.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Essay Example for Free

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Essay The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1969), and Moon Tiger (1987) all cover various aspects of desire such as the woman as a sexual object of desire, sexual development, repressed sexuality, and variations of sexuality. All three novels cover the woman’s early sexual experiences from childhood, the prevailing Madonna image of the woman accepted by society, sexual liberation, and their unconventional lifestyles. All set in the United Kingdom, the stories traces and discloses the life of the English woman. The novels are written in the post 1960s after the sexual revolution where many sexual taboos are lifted and most people feel an individualistic, unbridled freedom to express their desires. In the novel, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), the title is self-explanatory in dealing with the issue of desire for the prime does not only signify having the best of health, but also enjoying one’s peak in sexuality or sexual activity. Miss Jean Brodie is a young, bachelorette teacher who is in quest of a partner so as she enters the realm of school, she has to confront desire in fellow teachers, Mr. Lloyd (a married man) and Mr. Lowther. Throughout the novel, Brodie manipulates both men with whom she has a triangular love affair. Her pupils â€Å"found in (Miss Brodie) the only sex-bestirred object in their daily environment† (Spark 50). She awes the Brodie set with her past love affairs and lays bare to their view her sex life. The principal and some of the teaching staff frown on her educational deviance and continue to probe into her sexual life in order to set up Brodie for a downfall. Desire is also manifests itself in the school girls, more commonly called â€Å"the Brodie set† as the book spans their adolescent periods (pun intended). Like a bildungsroman novel, Sparks traces the development of the six girls as they grow into women under the watchful eye of Miss Brodie. In the early chapters of the novel, Sparks observes that â€Å"the year to come was in many ways the most sexual year for the Brodie set† (Spark 45). At the start, Brodie begins educating them at age ten and maintains active interaction with them until they are eighteen, therefore Brodie and the Brodie set are both in their prime of life. Through her, they glean much information about sexual maturity, menstruation, and love. Because sex is taboo, they live in a restrained environment where sexuality is subtle if not altogether cloaked (to which Sandy’s monastic life and the scandalous nature of open sexuality point). A juxtaposition of opposites of desire also arises in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie where innocence seduces and experience repulses. Sparks describes Rose Stanley as being â€Å"famous for sex† (Spark 57) because of her attractive appeal however she confesses that Brodie’s erotic affairs inspire no desire within her and remains indifferent to sex although she generates wide passion. On the other hand, after Sandy has sexual intercourse with Mr. Lloyd, she converts to the Roman Catholic church, choosing to lead the celibate life of a nun (Sparks 132). Her one-time sexual experience has made her turn away from living a promiscuous life as her teacher, Brodie does. In The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1969), is a novel replete with sexual desire and the sexualized, objectification of the woman. The beginning of the novel begins with male voyeurism as John Fowles â€Å"the telescopist† (Fowles 2) peers through his binoculars looking at an engaged couple, Charles and Ernestina, walking along the seaside and then turns his vision to Sarah, â€Å"stretching eyes west over the sea wind foul or fair, always stood she prospect-impressed† (Fowles 1), longing and disappointed in love, staring at the sea. These three individuals are all in their sexual prime but are frustrated romantically. The title of the novel, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, also relegates an inferior position to the woman, for her identity is hidden and thus irrelevant apart from her association with the French lieutenant. The overwhelming and provocative interest in Sarah arouses not only Fowles, but Charles. The rest of the village also looks at her as a specimen embodying strangeness, yet rare attraction. Although notorious rumors fly, which she does not attempt to contradict, she still incites much attraction and performs to perfection her role an object of desire. Repressed desire functions to provide insight into the society and its acceptance of different expressions of desire in individuals. Fowles tells us that Ernestina, the first mentioned fiancee of Charles, lives a sexually repressed life peculiar to the Victorian Age, the time frame of the novel. The telescopist observes her outfit which â€Å"was feminine by way of compensation for so much of her expected behavior† (Fowles 3). Charles soon gets bored with Ernestina for her plain, Victorian outlook cannot satisfy his sexual desires. More overt sexual desire adds to the enigma and resultant desirability. This observation proves true as Charles fascination for Ernestina transfers to Sarah, whom society has ostracized and abandoned. The epitome of sexual repression is Mrs. Poulteney who is reputed for her piety, charity, and tyranny. Living under the roof of Mrs. Poulteney imposes Sarah with restrictions on her whereabouts and by extension, associations. Poulteney thinks herself always in the right therefore, the unorthodox or bohemian would never sit well with her. As a consequence of differences in desire, Sarah and Mrs. Poulteney ultimately part ways as Sarah repeatedly flouts Mrs. Poulteney’s commands to not follow a particular path along the farmhouse. This statement is pregnant with meaning since Sarah still ventures out alone, which works against mainstream directives. Out of Mrs. Poulteney’s stifling control, Sarah could reveal her sexual desire more liberally. Marriage is no longer held as the only institution under which one fulfilled sexual desire. Charles and Sarah have sexual encounters, although unmarried. In the end, Sarah chooses not to marry however she continues to live an unconventional life with the Pre-Raphaelite artists which composed controversial art and literature. Charles still desires marriage as a means of consolidating the union between him and Sarah, however, Sarah rebuffs him, standing unique as a Victorian woman who does not aspire to marriage or family. Moon Tiger (1987), authored by Penelope Lively, chronicles the life of a bohemian woman who lives a sexually unbridled life, hinged on desire. Unlike most women, she never falls into the regular, mainstream category of female tradition. Accounts of incest, homosexuality, and promiscuity pepper this novel, making it non-conventional and iconoclastic. The novel traces the sexual development of her and her brother, Gordon â€Å"from the first stirrings of sexual desire† (Lively 25). They undergo many changes during which they carry on an early incestuous relationship. Their filial and sexual ties permeate their lives. Desire is the compass which leads the sibling duo to each other’s arms. Moon Tiger explores incestuous desire, parallels historical records of incest, and justifies it. While doing coverage in Cairo, Egypt during WW II, a tour guide mentions that â€Å"the wife of pharaoh was also the sister of pharaoh. He is loving his sister†¦incest said the Army Padre, quite acceptable in those days apparently† (Lively 74). The incestuous desire runs through the book once both siblings are alive for they both object to each other’s sexual partners and seem unfulfilled in their own relationships. Claudia confesses that desire for Gordon never extinguishes in her life and when he dies. When Claudia and Gordon reveal their incestuous relations to Sylvia and Mrs. Hampton, Claudia gets physically sick and is emotionally disturbed. Yet, the two prefer to classify their relationship as â€Å"classical, very high class. Look at the Greeks† (Lively 142). Since this book is written by a historian, several references to world history are not uncommon. The Greeks were a people who are said to found classic civilization and who favored incest and homosexuality. Claudia rejects wifehood and motherhood as a bohemian woman. Claudia does not have the inclination to marry and rejects the proposals of several men to marriage. She prefers to preserve her own freedom by remaining single. Jasper offers to marry Claudia after finding out that she bears their child. Although she gets impregnated a few times, she refuses marriage as a way out to escape reproof. She attests that â€Å"no one has ever married Claudia† (Lively 53) –which not only appears as a confession, but also a resolution. Gordon marries and settles down with Sylvia, and it can be argued that because she cannot marry her brother, she spurns marriage. In spite of her lack of will to get married, Claudia chooses to have â€Å"a sexual field day† (Lively 91). Working in a male dominated realm allows Claudia opportunity to explore more desire in herself and sparks the desire of other male soldiers in the camp. A highly desirable woman, she enjoys herself as the men make erotic advances to her especially since women are rare. She also denies her daughter, Lisa, a maternal relationship since her birth came about with a man for whom she does not love enough to marry. In sum, the novels all delve into woman’s desire and the ways in which she expresses her sexuality whether covertly or openly, conventionally or otherwise. Desire drives the women to pursue passionate relationships, where they either become fulfilled or hurt. Within framework of female desire is male sexuality which is sparked by the female presence. The texts deal with the recourses which women have to take in order to live contentedly with themselves, their sexual desires, and their partners and point the reader to wider considerations such as culture, belief systems, and the woman question. Works Cited: Fowles, John. The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Back Bay Books. , 1998 Lively, Penelope. Moon Tiger. Grove Atlantic Inc, New York, 1989. Sparks, Muriel. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Harper Collins Publishers, United Kingdom, 1984.

Analysis of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)

Analysis of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) Introduction Intrusion detection systems (IDS) were developed in 1990’s, when the network hackers and worms appeared, initially for the identification and reporting of such attacks. The intrusion detection systems didn’t have the ability to stop such attacks rather than detecting and reporting to the network personnel. The Intrusion Prevention Systems got both characteristics i.e. threat detection and prevention. The detection process analyzes the events for any possible threats while the intrusion prevention stops the detected possible threats and reports the network administrator. Purpose Scope The main purpose of the project is to evaluate the security capabilities of different types of IDPS technologies in maintaining the network security. It provides detail information about the different classes components of IDPS technologies, for example, detection methods, security capabilities, prevention capabilities internals of IDPS. It is mainly focused on different detection techniques responses by these technologies. 1.2 Audience The information can be useful for computer network administrators, network security personnel, who have little knowledge about these IDPS technologies. 1.3 Project Structure The project is organized into the following major structure: Section 2 provides a general introduction of IDPS. Section 3 provides detail information about of IDPS technologies, components architecture, detection methodologies, security capabilities prevention capabilities. Section 4 provides the internals of IDPS incident response. Section 2: Introduction of IDPS This Chapter Explains the Intrusion Detection Prevention Process, Uses, Functions and Different Types of IDPS The modern computer networks provide fast, reliable and critical information not only to small group of people but also to ever expanding group of users. This need led the development of redundant links, note book computers, wireless networks and many others. On one side, the development of these new technologies increased the importance and value of these access services and on other side they provide more paths to attacks. During the past, In the presence of firewalls and anti-virus software, organizations suffered huge losses in minutes to their businesses in terms of their confidentiality and availability to the legitimate clients. These modern threats highlighted the need for more advance protection systems. Intrusion detection prevention systems are designed to protect the systems and networks from any unauthorized access and damage. An intrusion is an active sequence of related events that deliberately try to cause harm, such as rendering system unusable, accessing unauthorized information or manipulating such information. In computer terminology, Intrusion detection is the process of monitoring the events in a computer network or a host resource and analyzing them for signs of possible incidents, deliberately or incidentally. The primary functions of IDPS are the identification of incident, logging information about them, stopping them preventing them from causing any damage. The security capabilities of IDPS can be divided into three main categories: Detection : Identification of malicious attacks on network host systems Prevention: stopping of attack from executing Reaction: Immunization of the system from future attacks. On the basis of location and type of events they monitor, there are two types IDPS technologies, host-based network based. The network-based IDPS monitors traffic for particular network segment and analyze the network application protocol activity for suspicious events. It is commonly deployed at the borders between networks. While on the other hand, host-based IDPS monitors the activity of a single host and events occurring within that host for suspicious activity. There are two complementary approaches in detecting intrusions, knowledge-based approach and behavior based approach. In knowledge-based approach an IDPS looks for specific traffic patterns called Signatures, which indicates the malicious or suspicious content while in the behavior-based approach an intrusion can be detected by observing a deviation from normal or unexpected behavior of the user or the system. What is an IDS? The Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) can be defined as: tools, methods resources to identify, assess report unauthorized or unapproved network activity. It is the ability to detect attacks against a network or host and sending logs to management console providing the information about malicious attacks on the network and host resources. IDSs fall into two main categories: Host-Based Intrusion Detection System (HIDS): A HIDS system require some software that resides on the system and can scan all host resources for activity. It will log any activities it discovers to a secure database and check to see whether the events match any malicious event record listed in the knowledge base. Network-Based Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS): A NIDS system is usually inline on the network and it analyzes network packets looking for attacks. A NIDS receives all packets on a particular network segment via one of several methods, such as taps or port mirroring. It carefully reconstructs the streams of traffic to analyze them for patterns of malicious behavior. The basic process for IDS is that it passively collects data and preprocesses and classifies them. Statistical analysis can be done to determine whether the information falls outside normal activity, and if so, it is then matched against a knowledge base. If a match is found, an alert is sent. Figure 1-1 outlines this activity. Response Manager GUI Host System Pre-processing Statistical Analysis Alert Manager Knowledge Base Long-Term Storage Signature Matching Fig 1.1 Standard IDS System What is an IPS? IPS technology has all capabilities of an intrusion detection system and can also attempt to stop possible incidents. IPS technologies can be differentiated from the IDS by one characteristic, the prevention capability. Once a threat is detected, it prevents the threat from succeeding. IPS can be a host-based (HIPS), which work best at protecting applications, or a network-based IPS (NIPS) which sits inline, stops and prevents the attack. A typical IPS performs the following actions upon the detection of an attack: IPS terminates the network connection or user session. It blocks access to target .i.e. IP address, user account or sever. It reconfigures the devices i.e. firewall, switch or router. It replace the malicious portion of an attack to make it benign An IPS typically consists of four main components: Traffic Normalizer: Interpret the network traffic and do packet analysis and packet reassembly traffic is fed into the detection engine service scanner. Service Scanner: Builds a reference table that classifies the information helps the traffic shaper manage the flow of the information. Detection Engine: Detection engine does pattern matching against the reference table. Figure 1.2 outlines this process: Response Manager GUI Traffic Normalizer System Scanner Detection Engine Alert Manager Reference Table Long-Term Storage Signature Matching FIG 1-2 Standard IPS Uses of IDPS Technologies The identification of possible incidents is the main focus of an IDPS, for example, if an intruder has successfully compromised a system by exploiting the vulnerability in the system, the IDPS could report this to the security personnel. Logging of information is another important function of IDPS. This information is vital for security people for further investigation of attack. IDPS has also the ability to identify the violation of security policy of an organization which could be intentionally or unintentionally, for example, an unauthorized access to a host or application. Identification of reconnaissance activity is one of the major capabilities of IDPS, which is the indication of an imminent attack, for example, scanning of hosts and ports for launching further attacks. In this case, an IDPS can either block the reconnaissance activity or it can alter the configurations of other network devices Functions of IDPS Technologies The main difference between different types of IDPS technologies is the type of events they can recognize. Following are some main functions; Recording of information regarding observed events, this information could be stored locally or could be sent to the logging server. Sending of alerts is one of the vital functions of IDPS. Alerts are sent through different methods i.e. email, SNMP traps, syslog messages etc. In case of detection of a new threat, some IDPS do have the ability to change their security profile, for example, when a new threat is detected, it might be able to collect more detail information about the threat. IDPS not only performs detection but it also performs prevention by stopping the threat to succeed. Following are some prevention capabilities: It can stop the attack by terminating either network connection or user session, by blocking access to a target host. It could change the configuration of other network devices (firewalls, routers switches) to block the attack or disrupt it. Some IDPS could change the contents of a malicious IP packet, for example, it can replace the header of an IP packet with a new one. Types of IDPS Technologies IDPS technologies can be divided into following two major categories: Network-Based IDPS Host-Based IDPS Network-Based IDPS Network-based IDPS monitors network traffic for a particular network segment. They analyze the network and application protocol activity to identify any suspicious activity. A network based IDPS is usually sits inline on the network and it analyzes network packets looking for attacks. It receives all packets on a particular network segment, including switched networks. It carefully reconstructs the streams of traffic to analyze them for patterns of malicious behavior. They are equipped with facilities to log their activities and report or alarm on questionable events. Main strengths of network-based IDPS are: Packet Analysis: Network-based IDPSs perform packet analysis. They examine headers of all IP packets for malicious contents. This helps in detection of the common denial of service (DOS) attack. For example, LAND attack, in which both the source destination addresses and source destination ports are same as of the target machine. This cause the target machine to open connection with itself, causing the target machine either performs slowly or crash. It can also investigate the payload of an IP packet for specific commands. Real Time Detection Response: Network-based IDPS detects attacks in real time as they are occurring in the real time and provides faster response. For example, if a hacker initiated a TCP based DoS attack, IDPS can drop the connection by sending a TCP reset. Malicious Content Detection: Network-based IDPS remove replaces suspicious portion of the attack. For example, if an email has infected attachment, an IDPS removes the infected file and permits the clean email. Evidence for Prosecution: Network-based IDPS monitors real time traffic and if an attack is detected and captured the hacker cannot remove the evidence. Because the captured attack has data in it but also the information about his or her identification which helps in the prosecution. Host-Based IDPS A Host-Based system monitors the characteristics of a single host and the events occurring within that host for suspicious activity. It require some software that resides on the system and monitors the network traffic, syslog, processes, file access modification and configuration or system changes. It logs any activities it discovers to a secure database and check to see whether the events match any malicious event record listed in the knowledge base. Some of the major strengths of Host-Based IDPS are as under: Verification of Attack: Host-based IDPS uses logs which contains events that have actually occurred. It has the advantage of knowing if the attack is successful or not. This type of detection is more accurate and generates fewer false alarms. Monitoring of Important Components: Host-Based IDPS monitors key components for example, executables files, specific DDLs and NT registry. All of these can cause damage to the host or network. System Specific Activity: Host-based IDPS monitors user and file access activity. It monitors the logoff or login procedure and monitors it on the basis of current policy. It also monitors the file access for example, opening of a non shared file. Switched Encrypted Environments: Host-Based IDPSs provide greater visibility into purely switched environment by residing on as many critical hosts as needed. Encryption is a challenging problem for network-based IDPS but not a major problem for host-based IDPS. If the host in question has log-based analysis the encryption will have no impact on what goes in to the log files. Near Real Time Detection: A host-based IDPS relies on the log analysis which is not a true real time analysis. But it can detect respond as soon as the log is written to and compared to the active attack signatures. Real Time Detection Response: Stack-based IDPS monitors the packets as they transverse the TCP/IP stack. It examines inbound outbound packets and examines in real time if an attack is being executed. If it detects an attack in real the time then it can responds to that attack in the real time. Section 2: IDPS Analysis Schemes IDPSs Perform Analysis: This Chapter is about the Analysis Process- What Analysis does and Different Phases of Analysis. 2.2 Analysis In the context of intrusion detection prevention, analysis is the organization of the constituent parts of data and their relationships to identify any anomalous activity of interest. Real time analysis is analysis done on the fly as the data travels the path to the network or host. The fundamental goal of intrusion-detection prevention analysis is to improve an information system’s security. This goal can be further broken down: Create records of relevant activity for follow-up. Determine flaws in the network by detecting specific activities. Record unauthorized activity for use in forensics or criminal prosecution of intrusion attacks. Act as a deterrent to malicious activity. Increase accountability by linking activities of one individual across system. 2.3 Anatomy of Intrusion Analysis There are many possible analysis schemes but in order to understand them, the intrusion process can be broken down into following four phases: Preprocessing Analysis Response Refinement 1. Pre-Processing Preprocessing is the key function once the data is collected from IDPS sensor. The data is organized in some fashion for classification. The preprocessing helps in determining the format the data are put into, which is usually some canonical format or could be a structured database. Once the data are formatted, they are broken down further into classifications. These classifications can depend on the analysis schemes being used. For example, if rule-based detection is being used, the classification will involve rules and patterns descriptors. If anomaly detection is used, then statistical profile based on different algorithms in which the user behavior is baseline over the time and any behavior that falls outside of that classification is flagged as an anomaly. Upon completion of the classification process, the data is concatenated and put into a defined version or detection template of some object by replacing variables with values. These detection templates populate the knowledgebase which are stored in the core analysis engine. 2. Analysis Once the processing is completed, the analysis stage begins. The data record is compared to the knowledge base, and the data record will either be logged as an intrusion event or it will be dropped. Then the next data record is analyzed. The next phase is response. 3. Response Once information is logged as an intrusion, a response is initiated. The inline sensor can provide real time prevention through an automated response. Response is specific to the nature of the intrusion or the different analysis schemes used. The response can be set to be automatically performed or it can be done manually after someone has manually analyzed the situation. 4. Refinement The final phase is the refinement stage. This is where the fine tuning of the system is done, based on the previous usage and detected intrusions. This gives the opportunity to reduce false-positive levels and to have a more accurate security tool. Analysis Process By Different Detection Methods The intrusion analysis process is solely depends on the detection method being used. Following is the information regarding the four phases of intrusion analysis by different detection methods: Analysis Process By Rule-Based Detection Rule-based detection, also known as signature detection, pattern matching and misuse detection. Rule-based detection uses pattern matching to detect known attack patterns. The four phases of intrusion analysis process applied in rule-based detection system are as under: Preprocessing: The data is collected about the intrusions, vulnerabilities and attacks and then it is putted down into classification scheme or pattern descriptors. From the classification scheme a behavior model is built and then into a common format; Signature Name: The given name of the signature Signature ID: The unique ID for the signature Signature Description: The description of the signature what it does Possible False Positive Description: An explanation of any â€Å"false positives† that may appear to be an exploit but are actually normal network activity. Related Vulnerability Information: This field has any related vulnerability information The pattern descriptors are typically either content-based signatures, which examine the payload and header of packet, or context-based signatures that evaluate only the packet headers to identify an alert. The pattern descriptors can be atomic (single) or composite (multiple) descriptors. Atomic descriptor requires only one packet to be inspected to identify an alert, while composite descriptor requires multiple packets to be inspected to identify an alert. The pattern descriptors are then put into a knowledge base that contains the criteria for analysis. Analysis: The event data are formatted and compared against the knowledge base by using pattern-matching analysis engine. The analysis engine looks for defined patterns that are known as attacks. Response: If the event matches the pattern of an attack, the analysis engine sends an alert. If the event is partial match, the next event is examined. Partial matches can only be analyzed with a stateful detector, which has the ability to maintain state, as many IDS systems do. Different responses can be returned depending on the specific event records. Refinement: Refinement of pattern-matching analysis comes down to updating signatures, because an IDS is only as good as its signature update. Analysis Process By Profile-Based Detection (Anomaly Detection) An anomaly is something that is different from the norm or that cannot be easily classified. Anomaly detection, also referred to as Profile-based detection, creates a profile system that flags any events that strays from a normal pattern and passes this information on to output routines. The analysis process by profile-based detection is as following: Preprocessing: The first step in the analysis process is collecting the data in which behavior considered normal on the network is baselined over a period of time. The data are put into a numeric form and then formatted. Then the information is classified into a statistical profile that is based on different algorithms is the knowledge base. Analysis: The event data are typically reduced to a profile vector, which is then compared to the knowledge base. The contents of the profile vector are compared to a historical record for that particular user, and any data that fall outside of the baseline of normal activity is labeled as deviation. Response: At this point, a response can be triggered either automatically or manually. Refinement: The profile vector history is typically deleted after a specific time. In addition, different weighting systems can be used to add more weight to recent behavior than past behaviors. Section 3: IDPS Technologies This section provides an overview of different technologies. It covers the major components, architecture, detection methodologies security capabilities of IDPS. Components Following are the major components and architecture of IDPS; Sensor Agents: Sensors Agents monitors and analyze the network traffic for malicious traffic. Sensor:The technologies that use sensors are network based intrusion detection prevention systems, wireless based intrusion detection prevention systems and network behavior analysis systems. Agents: The term â€Å"Agent† is used for Host-Based Intrusion detection prevention technologies. Database Server: The information recorded by the sensors and agents are kept safely in a database server. Console: A console is software that provides an interface for the IDPS users. Console software is installed on the administrator’s PC. Consoles are used for configuring, monitoring, updating and analyzing the sensors or agents. Management Server: It is a centralized device, receives information from sensors agents and manages that information. Some management server can also perform analysis on the information provided by sensor agents, for example correlation of events. Management server can be both appliance based or software based. 3.1 Network architecture IDPS components are usually connected with each other through organization’s network or through Management network. If they are connected through management network, each agent or sensor has additional interface known as management Interface that connects it to the management network. IDPS cannot pass any traffic between management interface and its network interface for security reasons. The components of an IDPS i.e. consoles and database servers are attached only with the Management network. The main advantage of this type of architecture is to hide its existence from hackers intruders and ensure it has enough bandwidth to function under DoS attacks Another way to conceal the information communication is to create a separate VLAN for its communication with the management. This type of architecture doesn’t provide a much protection as the management network does. 3.2 Security capabilities IDPS provide different security capabilities. Common security capabilities are information gathering, logging, detection and prevention. 3.2.1 Information gathering Some IDPS gather general characteristics of a network, for example, information of hosts and network. They identify the hosts, operating system and application they use, from observed activity. 3.2.2 Logging capabilities When a malicious activity is detected by the IDPS, it performs logging. Logs contain date time, event type, rating and prevention action if performed. This data is helpful in investigating the incident. Some network-based IDPS captures packet while host-based IDPS records user ID. IDPS technologies allow log to be store locally and send copies of centralized logging server i.e. syslog. 3.2.3 Detection capabilities The main responsibility of an IDPS is to detect malicious activity. Most IDPS uses combination of detection techniques. The accuracy and types of events they detect greatly depends on the type of IDPS. IDPS gives great results once they are properly tuned. Tuning gives more accuracy, detection and prevention. Following are some the tuning capabilities: Thresholds: It is a value that sets the limit for normal and abnormal behavior. For example, the number of maximum login attempts. If the attempts exceed the limit then it is considered to be anomalous. Blacklists Whitelists: A blacklist is list which contains TCP or UDP port numbers, users, applications, files extensions etc that is associated with malicious activity. A whitelist is a list of discrete entities that are known to be benign. Mainly used to reduce false positive. Alert Setting: It enables IDPS to suppress alerts if an attacker generates too much alerts in a short time and blocking all future traffic from that host. Suppressing of alerts provide IDPS from being overwhelmed. 3.2.4 Prevention Capabilities IDPS offers multiple prevention capabilities. The prevention capability can be configured for each type of alert. Depending on the type of IDPS, some IDPS sensors are more intelligent. They have learning simulation mode which enables them to know when an action should be performed-reducing the risk of blocking benign activity. 3.2.5 Types of Alarms When IDPS detects an intrusion it generates some types of alarms but no IDPS generates 100% true alarm. An IDPS can generate alarm for legitimate activity and can be failed to alarm when an actual attack occurs. These alarms can be categorized as: False Alarms: When an IDPS fails to accurately indicate what is actually happening in the network, it generates false alarms. False alarm fall into two main categories: False Positives: These are the most common type of alarms. False positive occurs when an IDPS generates alarm based on normal network activity. False Negatives: When an IDPS fails to generate an alarm for intrusion, it is called false negative. It happens when IDPS is programmed to detect ck but the attack went undetected. 2. True Alarms: When an IDPS accurately indicates what is actually happening in the network, it generates true alarms. True alarms fall into two main categories: True Positives: When an IDPS detects an intrusion and sends alarm correctly in response to actually detecting the attack in the traffic. True positive is opposite of false negative. True Negative: It represents a situation in which an IDPS signature does not send alarm when it is examining normal user traffic. This is the correct behavior. ARCHITECTURE DESIGHN Architecture design is of vital importance for the proper implementation of an IDPS. The considerations include the following: The location of sensors or agents. The reliability of the solutions the measurements to achieve that reliability. For example using of multiple sensors, for monitoring the same activity, as a backup. The number location of other components of IDPS for usability, redundancy and load balancing. The systems with which IDPS needs interfacing, including: System to which it provides the data i.e. log servers, management softwares. System to which it initiates the prevention responses i.e. routers, firewalls or switches. The systems used to manage the IDPS components i.e. network management software. The protection of IDPS communications on the standard network. 3.3 Maintenance Operation Mostly IDPS are operated maintained by user graphic interface called Console. It allows administrator to configure and update the sensors and servers as well as monitor their status. Console also allows users to monitor and analyze IDPS data and generate reports. Separate accounts could be setup for administrators and users. Command Line Interface (CLI) is also used by some IDPS products. CLI is used for local administration but it can be used for remote access through encrypted tunnel. 3.3.1 Common Use of Consoles Many consoles offer drill down facilities for example, if an IDPS generates an alert, it gives more detail information in layers. It also give extensive information to the user i.e. packet captures and related alerts. Reporting is an important function of console. User can configured the console to send reports at set time. Reports can be transferred or emailed to appropriate user or host. Users can obtain and customized reports according to their needs. 3.3.2 Acquiring applying updates There are two types of updates –software updates and signature updates. Software updates for enhancing the performance or functionality and fixing the bugs in IDPS while the signature updates for adding detection capabilities or refining existing capabilities. Software updates are not limited for any special component but it could include all or one of them i.e. sensor, console, server and agents. Mostly updates are available from the vendor’s web site. New Chapter Detection Methodologies Most IDPS uses multiple detection methodologies for broad accurate detection of threats but following are primary detection methodologies: Signature Based Detection Anomaly Based Detection Stateful Protocol Analysis 3.3.1 Signature Based Detection The term Signature refers to the pattern that corresponds to a known threat. In signature based detection, the predefined signatures, stored in a database, are compared with the network traffic for series of bytes or packet sequence known to be malicious, for example, an email with the subject of free screen savers and an attachment of screensavers.exe, which are characteristics of known form of malware Or a telnet

Brave New World Essay - Societys Moral Decline :: Brave New World

Brave New World   Society's Moral Decline    Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World out of fear of society's apparent lack of morals and corrupt behaviour during the roaring twenties. Huxley believed that the future was doomed to a non-individualistic, conformist society, a society void of the family unit, religion and human emotions.   Throughout the novel, Huxley predicts many events for the future, most of which concentrate on a morally corrupt society.   The most important of these predictions include:   greater sexual freedom, over-population, brain-washing/sleep-teaching, and the use of mind altering drugs.   Aldous Huxley's Brave New World warns of a possible future dystopia, based on social attitudes and medical advancements of his time.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Huxley's future dystopia is created largely by perverted sexual freedoms, which in turn cause corrupt individuals, entirely lacking ethics and morals.   Sexual promiscuity appears to be a much more frequent activity now then it was in the Thirties.   Critics blame "...the advent of the pill for declining morality and indiscriminate sexual activity."   Many believe that each time medicine reduces the risk of unwanted diseases and pregnancies, society, on the whole, will increase its sexual activity.   Huxley's prediction of promiscuity is based on his iron law of sexuality:   "As political and economic freedom diminishes, sexual freedom tends compensatingly to increase."   A current example of Huxley's belief is China. China is the last   remaining communist regime, it also suffers from having one fifth of the world's population within its borders.   Needless to say, China's large population is a direct result of a very sexually active society.   Aldous Huxley's fears of the future caused him to write about sexual freedom and the resulting over-population in Brave New World.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Over-population is another problem which is addressed by Huxley, and is the direct result of sexual freedom.   The fear which Huxley addresses concerning population control is:   "Food supplies cannot grow as fast as people can, and population growth in underdeveloped countries will jeopardize the world order."   Simply stated the growing population of earth will consume more than it will be able to produce, unless some form of regulating births can be created.   This is an obvious truth today, as millions of people are starving each day.   The brave new world that Huxley speaks of, is a warning to mankind concerning its destruction of the laws of nature. For example, marriage is forbidden, as well as, pregnancies, and mothers are non-existent because possible children result in abortion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     

Lesson Planning and Teacher Chat Rooms :: Education Technology Internet Papers

Lesson Planning and Teacher Chat Rooms The nature of research and discovery of a topic at one time used to be complicated. Going to the library, searching through piles of cards that were categorized and confusing in itself. Trying to find the various sections of material and checking out the material (books, periodicals, etc.) I just thought, thank God for the library course offered through the University! How would I have ever found what I was looking for! I could brows through the high school, junior high school library, but when I got to college and saw the different library buildings. I thought to myself, "I hope I can get through this!" I did, but it took time and patience. Time and patience is one thing I always seem to run short of. This is the reason why I am in favor of technology and most of all, the Internet. I believe the age of information has brought a lot of good things and bad things, but we won't go into this because that is another topic in itself. When I began using the Internet I did not find it as difficult as going to the library and learning how to search for a book or a required material. Again, I was exposed to the computer and the Internet through my college classes. Therefore, I did not find it so complex when I got a computer of my own to use at home. As a matter of fact, the only problem that I had was waiting for the pages to load and for me to view the information. Throughout my life my only purpose for using the Internet was to communicate with friends through e-mail and find information for my well being and amusement. It was not until later that I found it a little more difficult in using the Internet. I was asked to do rese arch on the Internet in my English class, I thought, "Piece of cake!" Yeah, right! "Web sites are not organized like books in a library and it would be impossible to catalog all of its sites," Branham says. I knew that, but what I didn't know was that it would not be as simple as I thought, looking for a resource that pertained to my topic specifically. Garcia 2 I was excited when I first heard about doing research on the Internet. I thought to myself, "This is great! Now, I really get to spend the time and get the kind of information that I have been wanting to get for a long time.

Angels Demons Chapter 28-31

28 Secretary Sylvie Baudeloque was now in a panic. She paced outside the director's empty office. Where the hell is he? What do I do? It had been a bizarre day. Of course, any day working for Maximilian Kohler had the potential to be strange, but Kohler had been in rare form today. â€Å"Find me Leonardo Vetra!† he had demanded when Sylvie arrived this morning. Dutifully, Sylvie paged, phoned, and E-mailed Leonardo Vetra. Nothing. So Kohler had left in a huff, apparently to go find Vetra himself. When he rolled back in a few hours later, Kohler looked decidedly not well†¦ not that he ever actually looked well, but he looked worse than usual. He locked himself in his office, and she could hear him on his modem, his phone, faxing, talking. Then Kohler rolled out again. He hadn't been back since. Sylvie had decided to ignore the antics as yet another Kohlerian melodrama, but she began to get concerned when Kohler failed to return at the proper time for his daily injections; the director's physical condition required regular treatment, and when he decided to push his luck, the results were never pretty – respiratory shock, coughing fits, and a mad dash by the infirmary personnel. Sometimes Sylvie thought Maximilian Kohler had a death wish. She considered paging him to remind him, but she'd learned charity was something Kohlers's pride despised. Last week, he had become so enraged with a visiting scientist who had shown him undue pity that Kohler clambered to his feet and threw a clipboard at the man's head. King Kohler could be surprisingly agile when he was pisse. At the moment, however, Sylvie's concern for the director's health was taking a back burner†¦ replaced by a much more pressing dilemma. The CERN switchboard had phoned five minutes ago in a frenzy to say they had an urgent call for the director. â€Å"He's not available,† Sylvie had said. Then the CERN operator told her who was calling. Sylvie half laughed aloud. â€Å"You're kidding, right?† She listened, and her face clouded with disbelief. â€Å"And your caller ID confirms – † Sylvie was frowning. â€Å"I see. Okay. Can you ask what the – † She sighed. â€Å"No. That's fine. Tell him to hold. I'll locate the director right away. Yes, I understand. I'll hurry.† But Sylvie had not been able to find the director. She had called his cell line three times and each time gotten the same message: â€Å"The mobile customer you are trying to reach is out of range.† Out of range? How far could he go? So Sylvie had dialed Kohler's beeper. Twice. No response. Most unlike him. She'd even E-mailed his mobile computer. Nothing. It was like the man had disappeared off the face of the earth. So what do I do? she now wondered. Short of searching CERN's entire complex herself, Sylvie knew there was only one other way to get the director's attention. He would not be pleased, but the man on the phone was not someone the director should keep waiting. Nor did it sound like the caller was in any mood to be told the director was unavailable. Startled with her own boldness, Sylvie made her decision. She walked into Kohler's office and went to the metal box on his wall behind his desk. She opened the cover, stared at the controls, and found the correct button. Then she took a deep breath and grabbed the microphone. 29 Vittoria did not remember how they had gotten to the main elevator, but they were there. Ascending. Kohler was behind her, his breathing labored now. Langdon's concerned gaze passed through her like a ghost. He had taken the fax from her hand and slipped it in his jacket pocket away from her sight, but the image was still burned into her memory. As the elevator climbed, Vittoria's world swirled into darkness. Papa! In her mind she reached for him. For just a moment, in the oasis of her memory, Vittoria was with him. She was nine years old, rolling down hills of edelweiss flowers, the Swiss sky spinning overhead. Papa! Papa! Leonardo Vetra was laughing beside her, beaming. â€Å"What is it, angel?† â€Å"Papa!† she giggled, nuzzling close to him. â€Å"Ask me what's the matter!† â€Å"But you look happy, sweetie. Why would I ask you what's the matter?† â€Å"Just ask me.† He shrugged. â€Å"What's the matter?† She immediately started laughing. â€Å"What's the matter? Everything is the matter! Rocks! Trees! Atoms! Even anteaters! Everything is the matter!† He laughed. â€Å"Did you make that up?† â€Å"Pretty smart, huh?† â€Å"My little Einstein.† She frowned. â€Å"He has stupid hair. I saw his picture.† â€Å"He's got a smart head, though. I told you what he proved, right?† Her eyes widened with dread. â€Å"Dad! No! You promised!† â€Å"E=MC2!† He tickled her playfully. â€Å"E=MC2!† â€Å"No math! I told you! I hate it!† â€Å"I'm glad you hate it. Because girls aren't even allowed to do math.† Vittoria stopped short. â€Å"They aren't?† â€Å"Of course not. Everyone knows that. Girls play with dollies. Boys do math. No math for girls. I'm not even permitted to talk to little girls about math.† â€Å"What! But that's not fair!† â€Å"Rules are rules. Absolutely no math for little girls.† Vittoria looked horrified. â€Å"But dolls are boring!† â€Å"I'm sorry,† her father said. â€Å"I could tell you about math, but if I got caught†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked nervously around the deserted hills. Vittoria followed his gaze. â€Å"Okay,† she whispered, â€Å"just tell me quietly.† The motion of the elevator startled her. Vittoria opened her eyes. He was gone. Reality rushed in, wrapping a frosty grip around her. She looked to Langdon. The earnest concern in his gaze felt like the warmth of a guardian angel, especially in the aura of Kohler's chill. A single sentient thought began pounding at Vittoria with unrelenting force. Where is the antimatter? The horrifying answer was only a moment away. 30 â€Å"Maximilian Kohler. Kindly call your office immediately.† Blazing sunbeams flooded Langdon's eyes as the elevator doors opened into the main atrium. Before the echo of the announcement on the intercom overhead faded, every electronic device on Kohler's wheelchair started beeping and buzzing simultaneously. His pager. His phone. His E-mail. Kohler glanced down at the blinking lights in apparent bewilderment. The director had resurfaced, and he was back in range. â€Å"Director Kohler. Please call your office.† The sound of his name on the PA seemed to startle Kohler. He glanced up, looking angered and then almost immediately concerned. Langdon's eyes met his, and Vittoria's too. The three of them were motionless a moment, as if all the tension between them had been erased and replaced by a single, unifying foreboding. Kohler took his cell phone from the armrest. He dialed an extension and fought off another coughing fit. Vittoria and Langdon waited. â€Å"This is†¦ Director Kohler,† he said, wheezing. â€Å"Yes? I was subterranean, out of range.† He listened, his gray eyes widening. â€Å"Who? Yes, patch it through.† There was a pause. â€Å"Hello? This is Maximilian Kohler. I am the director of CERN. With whom am I speaking?† Vittoria and Langdon watched in silence as Kohler listened. â€Å"It would be unwise,† Kohler finally said, â€Å"to speak of this by phone. I will be there immediately.† He was coughing again. â€Å"Meet me†¦ at Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Forty minutes.† Kohler's breath seemed to be failing him now. He descended into a fit of coughing and barely managed to choke out the words, â€Å"Locate the canister immediately†¦ I am coming.† Then he clicked off his phone. Vittoria ran to Kohler's side, but Kohler could no longer speak. Langdon watched as Vittoria pulled out her cell phone and paged CERN's infirmary. Langdon felt like a ship on the periphery of a storm†¦ tossed but detached. Meet me at Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Kohler's words echoed. The uncertain shadows that had fogged Langdon's mind all morning, in a single instant, solidified into a vivid image. As he stood there in the swirl of confusion, he felt a door inside him open†¦ as if some mystic threshold had just been breached. The ambigram. The murdered priest/scientist. The antimatter. And now†¦ the target. Leonardo da Vinci Airport could only mean one thing. In a moment of stark realization, Langdon knew he had just crossed over. He had become a believer. Five kilotons. Let there be light. Two paramedics materialized, racing across the atrium in white smocks. They knelt by Kohler, putting an oxygen mask on his face. Scientists in the hall stopped and stood back. Kohler took two long pulls, pushed the mask aside, and still gasping for air, looked up at Vittoria and Langdon. â€Å"Rome.† â€Å"Rome?† Vittoria demanded. â€Å"The antimatter is in Rome? Who called?† Kohler's face was twisted, his gray eyes watering. â€Å"The Swiss†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He choked on the words, and the paramedics put the mask back over his face. As they prepared to take him away, Kohler reached up and grabbed Langdon's arm. Langdon nodded. He knew. â€Å"Go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kohler wheezed beneath his mask. â€Å"Go†¦ call me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Then the paramedics were rolling him away. Vittoria stood riveted to the floor, watching him go. Then she turned to Langdon. â€Å"Rome? But†¦ what was that about the Swiss?† Langdon put a hand on her shoulder, barely whispering the words. â€Å"The Swiss Guard,† he said. â€Å"The sworn sentinels of Vatican City.† 31 The X-33 space plane roared into the sky and arched south toward Rome. On board, Langdon sat in silence. The last fifteen minutes had been a blur. Now that he had finished briefing Vittoria on the Illuminati and their covenant against the Vatican, the scope of this situation was starting to sink in. What the hell am I doing? Langdon wondered. I should have gone home when I had the chance! Deep down, though, he knew he'd never had the chance. Langdon's better judgment had screamed at him to return to Boston. Nonetheless, academic astonishment had somehow vetoed prudence. Everything he had ever believed about the demise of the Illuminati was suddenly looking like a brilliant sham. Part of him craved proof. Confirmation. There was also a question of conscience. With Kohler ailing and Vittoria on her own, Langdon knew that if his knowledge of the Illuminati could assist in any way, he had a moral obligation to be here. There was more, though. Although Langdon was ashamed to admit it, his initial horror on hearing about the antimatter's location was not only the danger to human life in Vatican City, but for something else as well. Art. The world's largest art collection was now sitting on a time bomb. The Vatican Museum housed over 60,000 priceless pieces in 1,407 rooms – Michelangelo, da Vinci, Bernini, Botticelli. Langdon wondered if all of the art could possibly be evacuated if necessary. He knew it was impossible. Many of the pieces were sculptures weighing tons. Not to mention, the greatest treasures were architectural – the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, Michelangelo's famed spiral staircase leading to the Museo Vaticano – priceless testaments to man's creative genius. Langdon wondered how much time was left on the canister. â€Å"Thanks for coming,† Vittoria said, her voice quiet. Langdon emerged from his daydream and looked up. Vittoria was sitting across the aisle. Even in the stark fluorescent light of the cabin, there was an aura of composure about her – an almost magnetic radiance of wholeness. Her breathing seemed deeper now, as if a spark of self-preservation had ignited within her†¦ a craving for justice and retribution, fueled by a daughter's love. Vittoria had not had time to change from her shorts and sleeveless top, and her tawny legs were now goose-bumped in the cold of the plane. Instinctively Langdon removed his jacket and offered it to her. â€Å"American chivalry?† She accepted, her eyes thanking him silently. The plane jostled across some turbulence, and Langdon felt a surge of danger. The windowless cabin felt cramped again, and he tried to imagine himself in an open field. The notion, he realized, was ironic. He had been in an open field when it had happened. Crushing darkness. He pushed the memory from his mind. Ancient history. Vittoria was watching him. â€Å"Do you believe in God, Mr. Langdon?† The question startled him. The earnestness in Vittoria's voice was even more disarming than the inquiry. Do I believe in God? He had hoped for a lighter topic of conversation to pass the trip. A spiritual conundrum, Langdon thought. That's what my friends call me. Although he studied religion for years, Langdon was not a religious man. He respected the power of faith, the benevolence of churches, the strength religion gave to many people†¦ and yet, for him, the intellectual suspension of disbelief that was imperative if one were truly going to â€Å"believe† had always proved too big an obstacle for his academic mind. â€Å"I want to believe,† he heard himself say. Vittoria's reply carried no judgment or challenge. â€Å"So why don't you?† He chuckled. â€Å"Well, it's not that easy. Having faith requires leaps of faith, cerebral acceptance of miracles – immaculate conceptions and divine interventions. And then there are the codes of conduct. The Bible, the Koran, Buddhist scripture†¦ they all carry similar requirements – and similar penalties. They claim that if I don't live by a specific code I will go to hell. I can't imagine a God who would rule that way.† â€Å"I hope you don't let your students dodge questions that shamelessly.† The comment caught him off guard. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Mr. Langdon, I did not ask if you believe what man says about God. I asked if you believed in God. There is a difference. Holy scripture is stories†¦ legends and history of man's quest to understand his own need for meaning. I am not asking you to pass judgment on literature. I am asking if you believe in God. When you lie out under the stars, do you sense the divine? Do you feel in your gut that you are staring up at the work of God's hand?† Langdon took a long moment to consider it. â€Å"I'm prying,† Vittoria apologized. â€Å"No, I just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Certainly you must debate issues of faith with your classes.† â€Å"Endlessly.† â€Å"And you play devil's advocate, I imagine. Always fueling the debate.† Langdon smiled. â€Å"You must be a teacher too.† â€Å"No, but I learned from a master. My father could argue two sides of a Mobius Strip.† Langdon laughed, picturing the artful crafting of a Mobius Strip – a twisted ring of paper, which technically possessed only one side. Langdon had first seen the single-sided shape in the artwork of M. C. Escher. â€Å"May I ask you a question, Ms. Vetra?† â€Å"Call me Vittoria. Ms. Vetra makes me feel old.† He sighed inwardly, suddenly sensing his own age. â€Å"Vittoria, I'm Robert.† â€Å"You had a question.† â€Å"Yes. As a scientist and the daughter of a Catholic priest, what do you think of religion?† Vittoria paused, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes. â€Å"Religion is like language or dress. We gravitate toward the practices with which we were raised. In the end, though, we are all proclaiming the same thing. That life has meaning. That we are grateful for the power that created us.† Langdon was intrigued. â€Å"So you're saying that whether you are a Christian or a Muslim simply depends on where you were born?† â€Å"Isn't it obvious? Look at the diffusion of religion around the globe.† â€Å"So faith is random?† â€Å"Hardly. Faith is universal. Our specific methods for understanding it are arbitrary. Some of us pray to Jesus, some of us go to Mecca, some of us study subatomic particles. In the end we are all just searching for truth, that which is greater than ourselves.† Langdon wished his students could express themselves so clearly. Hell, he wished he could express himself so clearly. â€Å"And God?† he asked. â€Å"Do you believe in God?† Vittoria was silent for a long time. â€Å"Science tells me God must exist. My mind tells me I will never understand God. And my heart tells me I am not meant to.† How's that for concise, he thought. â€Å"So you believe God is fact, but we will never understand Him.† â€Å"Her,† she said with a smile. â€Å"Your Native Americans had it right.† Langdon chuckled. â€Å"Mother Earth.† â€Å"Gaea. The planet is an organism. All of us are cells with different purposes. And yet we are intertwined. Serving each other. Serving the whole.† Looking at her, Langdon felt something stir within him that he had not felt in a long time. There was a bewitching clarity in her eyes†¦ a purity in her voice. He felt drawn. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, let me ask you another question.† â€Å"Robert,† he said. Mr. Langdon makes me feel old. I am old! â€Å"If you don't mind my asking, Robert, how did you get involved with the Illuminati?† Langdon thought back. â€Å"Actually, it was money.† Vittoria looked disappointed. â€Å"Money? Consulting, you mean?† Langdon laughed, realizing how it must have sounded. â€Å"No. Money as in currency.† He reached in his pants pocket and pulled out some money. He found a one-dollar bill. â€Å"I became fascinated with the cult when I first learned that U.S. currency is covered with Illuminati symbology.† Vittoria's eyes narrowed, apparently not knowing whether or not to take him seriously. Langdon handed her the bill. â€Å"Look at the back. See the Great Seal on the left?† Vittoria turned the one-dollar bill over. â€Å"You mean the pyramid?† â€Å"The pyramid. Do you know what pyramids have to do with U.S. history?† Vittoria shrugged. â€Å"Exactly,† Langdon said. â€Å"Absolutely nothing.† Vittoria frowned. â€Å"So why is it the central symbol of your Great Seal?† â€Å"An eerie bit of history,† Langdon said. â€Å"The pyramid is an occult symbol representing a convergence upward, toward the ultimate source of Illumination. See what's above it?† Vittoria studied the bill. â€Å"An eye inside a triangle.† â€Å"It's called the trinacria. Have you ever seen that eye in a triangle anywhere else?† Vittoria was silent a moment. â€Å"Actually, yes, but I'm not sure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's emblazoned on Masonic lodges around the world.† â€Å"The symbol is Masonic?† â€Å"Actually, no. It's Illuminati. They called it their ‘shining delta.' A call for enlightened change. The eye signifies the Illuminati's ability to infiltrate and watch all things. The shining triangle represents enlightenment. And the triangle is also the Greek letter delta, which is the mathematical symbol for – â€Å" â€Å"Change. Transition.† Langdon smiled. â€Å"I forgot I was talking to a scientist.† â€Å"So you're saying the U.S. Great Seal is a call for enlightened, all-seeing change?† â€Å"Some would call it a New World Order.† Vittoria seemed startled. She glanced down at the bill again. â€Å"The writing under the pyramid says Novus†¦ Ordo†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Novus Ordo Seculorum,† Langdon said. â€Å"It means New Secular Order.† â€Å"Secular as in non religious?† â€Å"Nonreligious. The phrase not only clearly states the Illuminati objective, but it also blatantly contradicts the phrase beside it. In God We Trust.† Vittoria seemed troubled. â€Å"But how could all this symbology end up on the most powerful currency in the world?† â€Å"Most academics believe it was through Vice President Henry Wallace. He was an upper echelon Mason and certainly had ties to the Illuminati. Whether it was as a member or innocently under their influence, nobody knows. But it was Wallace who sold the design of the Great Seal to the president.† â€Å"How? Why would the president have agreed to – â€Å" â€Å"The president was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Wallace simply told him Novus Ordo Seculorum meant New Deal.† Vittoria seemed skeptical. â€Å"And Roosevelt didn't have anyone else look at the symbol before telling the Treasury to print it?† â€Å"No need. He and Wallace were like brothers.† â€Å"Brothers?† â€Å"Check your history books,† Langdon said with a smile. â€Å"Franklin D. Roosevelt was a well-known Mason.†