Legal system and method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Legal system and method - Essay Example Four Judges heard the case as there were two appeals heard together. They were heard together as they both involved interpretation of section 3 of the Homicide Act 1957. 3. Which judge chaired the bench and handed down the judgment? Write a brief biographical note on this judge, including his later career. What controversial statement did he make about Sharia law, in 2008? Name and date three out-of court-speeches made by this judge. How would you summarise his views on human rights? Lord Phillips CJ chaired and delivered the judgment. Nicholas Addison Phillips was born in 1938 and had his education at Bryanston School, Blandofrd, Dorset and Kings College, Cambridge. He served in Royal Navy. He was enrolled into the bar in 1962 and started his judicial service as a Recorder in 1982. After his stint as a High Court judge in 1987 and an appeal court judge in 1995, he became a Lord of appeals in 1999 and Master of the Rolls at the Court of Appeal, Civil division in June 2000. During his tenure, he heard appeals of General Augusto Pincohet, former dictator of Chile and ruled that he was not entitled to immunity from extradition. He presided over well known trials including the appeals from Maxwell brothers and Barlow Clowes, an investment company. He also conducted the BSE enquiry and concluded that a timely action by the government would have prevented the spread of the disease. Known for his simplicity of cycling to court, he is married to Cristylle Marie-Therese Rouffiac and has two children.1,2. During his speech before the London Muslim Council on 3 July 2008, he expressed that he was in favour of Sharia law being introduced in England and Wales provided it did not conflict with the laws of the country or did not result in severe punishments being imposed. Adding that there had been widespread misconception about Sharia law in England, he advocated that it could be used for alternative dispute resolution forms such as mediation and arbitration besides applicat ion of the Sharia law to marriage formalities. He also welcomed introduction of Islamic financial products. 3. Lord Phillip’s three out of court speeches: 1) â€Å"The Supreme Court And Other Constitutional Changes In The UK† before â€Å"Members Of The Royal Court The Jersey Law Society and Members Of The States Of Jersey â€Å" at The Royal Court St Helier Jersey 2nd May 2008. 2) â€Å"Lord Mayor’s Dinner for the Judges† at the Mansion House on 15 July 2008. 3) â€Å"Equality before the Law† at East London Muslim Centre on 3 July 2008. Lord Phillip has said that Human Rights are not hampering the efforts of the government to fight against terrorism. He reminds that Britain has welcomed refugees from all over the world after the World War II to guarantee them protection from violation of their human rights. â€Å"The so called 'war against terrorism' is not so much a military as an ideological battle. Respect for human rights is a key weapon in that ideological battle.†4 4. Who was the second ranking judge in the case? What was his role at the time? What is his job now? Write a brief biographical note on him. What is his special relationship with Kingston University? Name and date three out-of-court speeches made by this judge. What is his reputation on sentencing? Second ranking judge was Justice Poole. Sir David Anthony Poole was born on 8 June 1938 and died on 18 June 2006 shortly

Alcoholic abuse Essay Example for Free

Alcoholic abuse Essay The cause of alcohol abuse occurs when one becomes stressed, depressed, or peer pressured. Alcohol abuse is very common in today’s society. Most abusers are blinded to the fact that they are abusing. Abusers take a big risk with their lives when addicted to alcohol. Stress can lead to being an alcohol abuser; when people become stress, they tend to want an addiction to help them. Most people think alcohol is the key for relieving stress. One will want alcohol when being stress over work, family issues, and life. Work is a very stressful environment; one will feel overwhelmed, when dealing with co-workers. People need to settle their differences aside when working together. One will also become stress, when over worked to many hours. The economy today is very low; people now work more than one job, which can be very stressful. Family issues in today’s society have become a struggle in life. Everyone has family issues some have it worse, which can lead to drinking. One will become stress when arguing with a family member. One may also have a genetic gene in alcoholism. One may have grown up with an alcohol abuser. Life in general is stressful, which can lead to alcohol addiction. Most alcohol abusers start drinking little amount each day, which will lead to becoming an alcoholic. One will be stress with school, while holding a job. That will make some people very stress, and vulnerable in drinking alcohol. Depression is a very strong cause of becoming an alcoholic. People become depressed when dealing with relationships, bullying, and financial problems. Relationships will make one very depress. When one cheats on their spouse will lead people to alcohol. When one gets a divorce or splits up that will cause alcohol abusers. Bullying in today’s society has become very brutal. Most teens are being bullied, which will cause depression. Most teens being depress will cause drugs, and alcohol abuse. Being bullied can also lead to death. Financial problems are another common cause to become depress. People in today’s society have become broke, due to the economy. One may become depress by spending money on alcohol, and then one will have no money for other things. Alcohol abusers will become depress, when they have no money for more alcohol. One may become an alcohol abuser, by being peered pressured. In today’s society young teens will get addicted to alcohol. One will get peered pressure at school, parties, and wrong crowd. One may be peered pressure at school to drink alcohol. Teens today are bringing alcohol to school and skipping class and getting drunk. One may also skip school to go and drink alcohol. One may be peered pressure at parties. Most teens go to parties every weekend, and get drunk, which will make one become an alcohol abuser. Students in college in today’s society are looked as a party school. College students have phrat parties and one may become addicted to alcohol, or even worse dead. One may be hanging with the wrong crowds, which can make one have an addiction. People get influence by peers to make bad decisions. One will feel peered pressure by their friends thinking it is ok to drink. Most young teens don’t understand that drinking is dangerous. Alcohol abuse is really bad when a pregnant woman is addicted to alcohol. One may kill their unborn child, or the child can come out with medical problems. Studies have also showed that most people with ADHD will become alcohol abusers. Alcohol is a very serious addiction; one may feel like alcohol is helping them to recover. Alcohol abusers need help, before it gets too late. One needs to realize that there are better ways of coping stress, depression, peered pressure, etc. Alcohol abusers will need support with their family and friends, to overcome their addiction.

Internet Copyright Laws Essay example -- essays research papers fc

Internet Copyright Laws A student comes home to his dorm at the University of Scranton after a rough day of classes. With the quick internet connection provided on the school’s network, the student makes a few clicks and logs into Morpheus, a program that enables music fans to download free music. Within a few minutes he is on his way to owning an unlimited amount of songs at no cost. Everything this student is doing is legal, right? Wrong. The downloaded music from the internet is copyrighted material. Today’s internet is considered an â€Å"information superhighway,† a device where anything from music, books, programs and information can be shared worldwide. Since billions of people have the ability to access the internet, the content of the internet can be difficult to regulate. One controversy which has risen because people can transmit and share information broadly via the internet is that of copyright infringement. Arguments over the rights to property on the internet have been heated. For example, Napster (similar to Morpheus) was sued for providing software that enabled internet users to download music at no cost. Since the internet is a device that is used worldwide, copyright laws should exist to protect people who own copyrights so their civil liberties are not infringed upon. Because the internet is sometimes considered unregulated, users often assume that the law does not apply to its use. Widespread misuse of people’s intellectual property via the internet occurs because of this belief, though anyone can access the internet. Since the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   number of people who have the ability to access the internet is so high, laws that are made to protect people’s publications in other media should also apply to protect them on the internet. Copyrights that protect products can sometimes be confusing to understand. The simplest way to identify copyright infringement is to question if the copyright is handed over with the product. For example, if a person owns a compact disc and lets a friend borrow it, the compact disc i... ...material is under copyright laws. However, while in court, it was thought the publications could be of public domain. The courts decided that the information was not an infringement and returned the confiscated property to Wollershiem and Penny. Copyright laws exist to protect the ownership of material. Where the material is located should not void the copyright. If copying property is for personal use, than a problem should not exist. If a person starts to make money or distribute the copied material, then a problem with copyright laws will arise. In this case, the provider of the material will be at fault. With the arrival of the electronic age, the internet will be another place where copyright laws are needed, and must be enforced; The internet cannot be free and unregulated. Whether it is a tape in a stereo, or a religious hoax on the internet, copyright laws must exist and be upheld to protect individuals from infringement of their property rights. Bibliography: Knowledge and Identity in the Electronic Age. Richard Fearer; McGraw-Hill, 1998. 124 131. Who owns digital works. Scientific American Publication. Ann Okerson; October 13, 2002. 37-41.

Jane Eyre: An Unconventional Heroine Essay

‘Ms. Eyre is one of those heroines who refuse to blend into the traditional female position of subservience and who stand up for her beliefs’ Explore how the female position is presented. Jane Eyre was written by Charlotte Bronte and was first published in 1847 in the Victorian era. During this period, women were expected to remain at home and their time was to be spent taking care of household duties and their children. Females were regarded as properties rather than as humans: they either belonged to their fathers or their husbands. As they were believed to be incapable of surviving on their own, they had no independence. Permission was required for almost everything and they were expected to abide by rules set out by their owners. Men were considered to be very much superior to women and they were to be treated with respect by the latter, whether they agreed with their views or not. In general terms, society’s portrayal of a conventional woman was very different to what it is now, so it is not surprising that modern readers may find their attitudes as shocking. Although Jane Eyre was written during this period, Bronte portrays her character in a very unconventional way, following the trends of the Gothic genre. The character of Jane is used to mainly challenge the Victorian attitudes towards women, religion and class. The fact that Bronte chooses a female character to portray her views is surprising to the Victorian reader. During that period, inequality between the genders prevented the views of females from being expressed, and if expressed, they were not regarded with respect. Expressing their ideas in any way was extremely unconventional as it would have been shocking for a woman to be passionate. By using Jane as a device to put forward her views, Bronte challenges the idea that women did not have views worth considering. Jane is a character who is sure of herself and her behaviour is described as â€Å"a picture of passion.† However, the reader cannot deny she is very intelligent and that she has a very good judgement of character. Jane’s uniqueness is detectable from the start. Even as a child, she is different from her cousins at Gateshead. Instead of taking pleasure in playing, she prefers reading books such as â€Å"Goldsmith’s History of Rome† and â€Å"Gulliver’s Travels† and forming opinions on the characters involved. Jane has a strong wish to travel and see the lands that she reads about, showing that â€Å"women feel just as men feel.† Here Bronte uses Jane to present the idea that women are capable of being intelligent; that they can form right judgements and that they have ambitions and dreams, just as men do. This idea is reinforced throughout the novel, especially when it comes to religion. Bronte makes the character of Jane Eyre stand up for her beliefs by challenge the views of men. She uses this character to challenge different ideas about religion. Mr Brocklehurst, the headmaster of Lowood Institution (her second home), represents the hypocrisy in the Evangelical Movement and the forceful authority of men. When referring to his students, he feels the need â€Å"not to accustom them to habits of luxury and indulgence,† but to encourage â€Å"spiritual edification to the pupils† by making them suffer â€Å"temporary privation,† contradicting his own luxurious lifestyle. Jane emphasises the ridiculous in his portrayal and his concepts on religion are mocked through the depiction of his hypocritical sermons, suggesting that this interpretation of Christianity must not be taken seriously. Brocklehurst fails to influence the beliefs of Jane, and in some ways, her friend Helen Burns. This character conveys a different concept: one of endurance and peace mainly based on the New Testament idea of â€Å"loving those who hate you.† Once again, Jane is not satisfied with this interpretation of religion and insists that she should â€Å"resist those who punish me unjustly.† The third interpretation of religion is represented by St John Rivers, who believes in sacrificing emotional needs for Christianity, which Jane also rejects (by rejecting his proposal). Bronte makes Jane Eyre reject the ideas imposed by male characters, emphasising her controversialist personality. Jane forms a more reasonable and agreeable interpretation of religion than male characters, and Helen in not influenced by Mr Brocklehurst’s cruelty. Bronte proposes another interpretation through this character: that religion does not require you to deny yourself completely; that it can be used as a guide in circumstances beyond human control. By doing this, Bronte shows that females have the ability to form their own opinions on complex ideas, such as religion and that they can form them independently even under the pressure of forceful authority. The idea that woman are capable of being independent is established when she opposes Mr Rochester’s efforts to â€Å"make the world acknowledge you a beauty† by pointing out that she will not be herself if he succeeds, â€Å"but an ape in a harlequin’s jacket.† Here Jane is refusing to be objectified and changed even by the man she loves. Bronte presents an independent woman who is sure of herself, and who wants to retain her individuality at any cost. Although Jane is a governess, she makes it clear that Mr Rochester doesn’t â€Å"have a right to command† her and that she is equal to him in many ways. Also, Jane maintains her dignity by refusing to marry Mr Rochester. Bronte shows that women are capable of being respectable and that they are not always lead by their emotions. This causes Jane to take courage and leave Mr Rochester, disregarding the Victorian idea that women should do as men wish. While it could be argued that Jane surrenders to the Victorian expectations by returning to Mr Rochester, it is clear that she is not returning to him because she cannot survive on her own. Circumstances change, making Jane rich. She returns to Mr Rochester as an equal in every way (whereas previously she was aware of their social difference), and she returns for love more than anything else. Besides Jane, Bronte uses the characters of Miss Temple and Diana and Mary Rivers to portray that women are not inferior to men. The mentioned characters influence Jane and are involved in the development of her character as an â€Å"independent woman,† as she calls herself by the end. Miss Temple is her role model and helps her to realise that she does not have to give in to forced authority; that she must stand up for what is right. In many ways, Miss Temple gives Jane courage for the future. She goes against Mr Brocklehurst’s orders and sympathises with the girls who are treated cruelly. Apart from feeling differently to him, she takes action by giving the girls â€Å"a lunch, consisting of bread and cheese, twice† and fearlessly takes responsibility for it. She is also used represent what Bronte believes to be the true interpretation of Christianity, mainly by giving her a strong sense of injustice in the running of Lowood Institution. While Miss Temple inspires Jane to become independent and to be just, Mary and Diana Rivers inspire Jane to improve her knowledge and to become more intelligent. Jane â€Å"followed in the path of knowledge they had trodden before me,† suggesting that she wants to become as knowledgeable and accomplished. The fact that Bronte chooses Jane to be inspired by female characters reinforces the points that women can be intelligent and independent, and at the same time inspire others to become better people. While some characters are used to represent what women should be, Bronte creates a sharp contrast between the character of Jane Eyre and other female characters in the novel to challenge Victorian the concept of the conventional woman. Women of that time were only valued for their appearance, social and economic status. In many ways, Blanche Ingram (the woman whom Jane believed Mr Rochester loved) represents the ideal woman of the Victorian era. She is beautiful, wealthy and had a well reputed family, contrasting with Jane, who is (in her own words) â€Å"poor, obscure, plain, and little.† However, while the Victorian reader might be inclined to admire Blanche more than Jane, Jane feels that â€Å"Miss Ingram†¦was too inferior to excite the feeling† of jealousy because â€Å"she had a fine person† but â€Å"she was not genuine†¦her mind was poor.† The modern reader can spot that Jane, in contrast to Blanche is very intelligent, she has self worth and that she speaks her mind. Jane can also analyse one’s character rather accurately, (as proved by Blanches’ rejection of Mr Rochester after she learns of his inferior economic status). Bronte is stressing that women must be admired for their character rather than their outward beauty; that appearances can deceive and that women are worth more than social or economic status. Another contrast is formed between Jane and Bessie, the maid at Gateshead. While Jane rebels against the cruelty of her aunt, Bessie advices her to â€Å"make yourself agreeable to them.† Bessie is used to represent Victorian women who give in to the expectations, while Jane represents the idea that women can express their views and stand up for themselves. While some may argue that Jane is a rebellious character, it is clear that she has control of her emotions, unlike Bertha, who lets her rage out (even though it is beyond her control). By using the character of Jane Eyre, Bronte presents a woman who is capable of being intelligent, independent, dignified and confident about her opinions even though she is not very attractive or wealthy. She uses this character to challenge some of the Victorian concepts concerning women and their positions, as well as to convey her less major themes about religion and class. In some passages, Bronte addresses these issues directly (in the conversation about Mr Rochester and Jane being equals) while she uses more subtle methods in other situations (while describing Blanche). Bronte takes care not to make Jane a perfect person, but she incorporates flaws to allow readers to relate to her. She also uses other female characters to reinforce her points, by showing the qualities of some as well as showing the flaws in others. By doing so, Bronte shows that women can be equal to men, not only in intelligence, but in actions as well. She also portrays different types of women: some who give in to the expectations of society, and some who stand up for their own beliefs. She outlines what she thinks a woman’s qualities should be and she encourages women to stand up their rights. Bronte successfully puts forward her points and she makes the reader understand her ideas by the portrayal of her characters, mainly females.

Business Continuity Plan

Data Sources in Digital Forensics March 17, 2013 Joana Achiampong CSEC 650 Introduction Four sources of data that stand out for forensic investigators in most criminal investigations are files, operating systems, routers and network traffic, and social network activity. Each data source presents a variety of opportunities and challenges for investigators, meaning that the more reliable data collection and analysis activity typically involves examination of a variety of sources.Digital forensics must cover the four basic phases of activity, which include: data collection, which describes the identification and acquisition of relevant data; data examination, which includes the processing of data through the use of automated and manual tools; analysis, which describes the evaluation and categorization of examined data into coherent groups, such as their usefulness in a court proceeding; and reporting, in which the results of analysis are described with careful attention paid to recommen dations (Marcella & Menendez, 2009).The viability of each data source to an investigation must be evaluated based on how they can contribute to each phase. For example, the ability of routers and switches as a data source to help investigators might be effective in one area, but not in the other three. An examination of router activity might yield a surfeit of observable data that fails to provide diverse analytical tools that cannot be relied upon in a forensic setting. Another example is network traffic, which may yield a large amount of data that is unreliable or has a high degree of volatility (Garfinkel, 2010).Time is often essential for forensic investigators, and it is often important to know in advance the dynamics of each data source. This helps investigators avoid wasted time, or spending time analyzing data that may of minimal help in a forensic setting. For these reasons, it is important to critically assess the pros and cons of each data source for their ability to prov ide contributions. A valid assessment of each data source should be made based on consistent factors such as costs, data sensitivity, and time investment.The overall costs of each data source depend on the equipment that will be required to collect and analyze data without corruption. Costs also refer to the training and labor required during the course of the collection and analysis, which may be higher for uncommon sources that require a unique process and chain of command pattern. Data sensitivity is critical is a forensic tool, but may be more questionable depending on the source. For example, network activity can provide a wealth of information depending on the device and setting upon which data is moved.However, a network environment with many devices and multiple configurations may provide unreliable data that cannot be recognized in court proceedings. In addition, chain-of-command issues regarding the contribution of outside network analysts could compromise a source that wo uld be otherwise valid. These issues have to be considered in any data source assessment. Data Files The most common data sources in a digital forensic examination are current and deleted files. Most forensic investigators in most data retrieval environments begin with an examination of the various media store on the hard drive of a computer, network, or mobile device.The variety of types of stored data in current and deleted files, in addition to partitioned packet files and the slack space of a device’s memory, can be massive and diverse. A typical first step in data retrieval is to shut down a system and create a data grab or forensic duplicate upon which collection and analysis can be made. This ensures the integrity of the original data, while allowing investigators the ability to manipulate data however they see fit. However, this process alone creates challenges for forensic investigators, including an inability to capture live system data.This might prevent investigat ors from catching a perpetrator in the act of altering or adding data to a device or system. One of the primary benefits of files as a data source is the ability to separate and analyze the types of files, which creates a specific signature based on the content and user (Marcella & Menendez, 2008). Data can be pulled from deleted files, slack space on a system’s hard drive, or free space, all of which provides information that can be useful to investigators.The directory location and allocation type for each file informs the data that has been collected, including a time stamp and whether tools have been used to hide the data. Each of these characteristics provides investigators easy-to-access information about a system. In addition, there are a variety of hardware tools that can be used to access data. This technology is fairly common, meaning that associated costs tend to be minimal when retrieving data from files (Purita, 2006). File examination can yield a variety of type s of suspicious activity that tend to be helpful for investigators.One example is the presence of hidden evidence on file systems. This type of data can be hidden in deleted file spaces, slack spaces, and bad clusters. File space is marked as deleted when it is removed from an active directory. This data will continue to exist within a cluster of a hard disk can be identified and accessed by creating a file in Hex format and transferring the copied data. Data can also be hidden in many others ways, including by removing partitions that are created between data and by leveraging the slack space that exists between files.Attempts by users to hide data using these methods are quickly identifiable by investigators, who can then restore the data using a variety of inexpensive and efficient methods. For example, matching RAM slack to file slack identifies the size of a file and makes it easier to identify and retrieve (Sindhu & Meshram, 2012). This type of retrieval inherently emphasizes the importance of data integrity. This type of integrity is important in any forensic environment, and compromised data is usually rendered instantly unusable. The many opportunities for data retrieved from file space to be compromised are a drawback to this data source.For example, data retrieval using bit stream imaging provides a real-time copy onto a disk or similar medium. However, this can be compromised based on the fact that re-imagining of data is constantly changing during re-writing. Investigators will typically choose the type of data copy system based on what they are looking for. However, changes to data can occur if the appropriate safeguards are not taken. Write-blockers are often used to prevent an imaging process from providing data that has been compromised by writing to that media. Sindhu and Meshram 2012) stated that computing a message digest will create a verification of the copied data based on a comparison to the original. A message digest is an algorithm th at takes input data and produces an output digest. This comparison helps investigators ensure the integrity of data in many cases. There are additional pitfalls when it comes to using files as data sources. Users have different resources for eliminating or hindering data collection. One example is overwriting content by replacing it with constant values. This type of wiping function can be performed by a variety of utilities.Users can also demagnetize a hard drive to physically destroy the content stored there. Using files as a data source in this case will require a complex operation requiring different tools. Users can also purposefully misname files – for example, giving them . jpg extensions when they are not image content files – in order to confuse investigators. Investigators have to be familiar with strategies for circumventing these pitfalls, such as maintaining an up-to-date forensic toolkit and remaining committed to maintaining data integrity.In the end, fi les are very highly relied upon by investigators and are a strong source forensic data. However, investigators must be experienced and have the appropriate tools to ensure the viability of collected data. Operating Systems Generally speaking, the data that can be collected from Operating Systems (OS) is more diverse and rich than file systems data, and has greater potential to uncover application-specific events or vital volatile data specific to a network operation (Sindhu, Tribathi & Meshram, 2012).However, OS data mining can be more difficult and challenging, and often requires investigators to make quick decisions based on the type of data they are seeking. OS data mining is more case specific, in part because the retrieval of data is frequently connected to network configurations. Collecting volatile data can only occur from a live system that has not been shut down or rebooted (Marcella & Menendez, 2008). Additional activity that occurs over an individual network session is ve ry likely to compromise the OS data. For this reason, investigators have to be prepared and aware of what they are looking for.Time is of the essence in this case, and it is important to decide quickly whether or not the OS data should be preserved or if the system should be shut down. Keeping a system running during data extraction can also compromise data files. This also leaves data vulnerable to malware that has been installed by a user with bad intentions, determined to undermine the operations of investigators. The types of data that can be retrieved from the OS include network connections, network configurations, running processes, open files, and login sessions.In addition, the entire contents of the memory can be retrieved from the OS history, usually with little or no alteration of data when the footprint of retrieval activity is minimized. The order in which this data is collected typically runs in a standard succession, with network connections, login sessions, and memor y collection sitting at the top of the list or priorities. These sources are more important because they tend to change over time. For example, network connections tend to time out and login sessions can change as users log in or out.Network configurations and the files that are open in a system are less time-sensitive and fall further down the list of priorities for investigators. The forensic toolkit must be diverse to ensure that data retrieval is achieved with minimal alteration (Bui, Enyeart & Luong, 2003). In addition, the message digest of each tool should be documented, along with licensing and version information, and command logs. This careful documentation protects users from sudden loss of data or other disturbances during data retrieval.In addition, a number of accessibility issues can be implemented by users, including the placement of screen saver passwords, key remapping and log disabling features, all of which can disrupt the work by investigators, either providing unworkable obstacles or time-consuming hurdles that make complete transfer impossible. Ultimately, the use of OS as a data source is a case-by-case tool dependent on the availability of other sources and the specific needs and tools of investigators. Routers and Network TrafficAmong network configuration data sources, router activity and network sourcing has the potential to provide the most specific amount of incriminating activity for forensic use. Forensic equipment should have time stamping capabilities activated to provide an accurate time signature of network interaction between an end-user and a router or switch (Schwartz, 2011). Importantly, firewalls and routers that are tied to a network often provide network address translation which can offer additional information by clarifying configuration or additional IP addresses on a network (Huston, 2004).There are a number of tools available to people seeking an analysis of network activity, including packet sniffers and intrusi on detection systems (Marcella & Menendez, 2008). These tools help investigators examine all packets for suspicious IP addresses and special events that have occurred across a network. This data is usually recorded and analyzed so that investigators can compare unusual events to evaluate network weaknesses and special interests of would-be attackers.This is of great interests to security agents determined to identify and stop potential network intrusions. A number of technical, procedural, legal and ethical issues exist when examining and analyzing network data. It is imperative that investigators be sure to avoid disconnected from a network or rebooting a system during data retrieval. They should also rely on live data and persistent information. Finally, it is important to avoid running configuration commands that could corrupt a network or its activity (Gast, 2010).Issues such as storage of large amounts of data over a highly trafficked network and proper placement of a decryptio n device along a network can impact how data is available and whether or not it maintains integrity. It is also important to consider the ethical and legal issues of data retrieval along a network when it involves sensitive data, such as financial records and personal information like passwords. In many cases, ethical issues can be circumvented with careful documentation and the publication of organizational policies and procedures that are strictly followed.However, these are all issues that must be considered in the analysis of network trafficking as a data source. Social Network Activity The sheer volume of social network activity – such as that on Facebook, Twitter, and Instragram – makes examining it as a data source great potential as a forensic tool. To this point, the little available research on social network data has failed to come up with a comprehensive framework or set of standards for investigators. Social network tools across mobile platforms invariably have geolocation services.However, the use of these as a data source has been questioned from ethical and legal perspectives (Humaid, Yousif, & Said, 2011). The communication layer of social media applications on mobile devices can yield rich data, such as a browser cache and packet activity. Packet sniffing can expose unencrypted wifi use and third party intrusion across a social network. However, these tools are highly limited when they are restricted to social network activity. The best tools may be the ability to create a social footprint, which includes all friend activity, posted pictures and videos, communication habits, and periods of activity.For most people, this information is only available on social network websites and is not stored on a user’s hard drive. A certain climate of permissibility tends to apply to social network use, in which users are prone to making data available online that they would not otherwise expose. All of this strengthens the use of soci al networks as a data source. The greatest pitfall to social network activity is the malleability of the material. Users frequently change their habits, including the times of the day and the users with whom they connect.Cumulative social network data can be used to create a graph of all activity across a variety of factors, including time, space, usage, and devices (Mulazzani, Huber, & Weippl). But this is a rapidly changing field. There is little doubt that the cloud computing data storage and continued growth of social networks will change this field quickly, which could quickly undermine past data that has been retrieved. Potential Usefulness in Specific Events The usefulness of a data source is strictly tied to the event it is intended to investigate.It is imperative that investigators are clear on their goals prior to selecting a source to retrieve and analyze data from. For example, a network intrusion would be best tackled with an examination of network traffic, followed by social network analysis, Operating Systems, and data file systems. Network analysis is less prone to attacking strategies that can compromise file and OS data. It can observe network traffic to find anomalous entities and their entry point within a network. It can also identify source and destination data by data recovery and access to routers r other network access points (Aquilina, Casey & Malin, 2008). This is critical information for network intrusion investigations. Operating Systems enable access to volatile data, but this is limited by single-time use and data integrity issues. Most OS examinations look at network connections first, which is often another way of accessing the same data. File storage and social network analysis tend to offer peripheral views of the same material. Operating systems are the most helpful data source in malware installation investigation, followed by network traffic, data files, and social network activity.Examination of volatile data offers a ran ge of data, including network connections and login sessions, which are primary tools for finding the source of malware installation (Aquilina, Casey & Malin, 2008). Maintaining the integrity of data through quick retrieval and minimal footprints helps ensure its usefulness. At the same time, monitoring network traffic in a pro-active manner is often the surest way of pinpointing time signatures and matching them with network activity (Marcella & Menendez, 2008). The best data sources for identifying insider file deletion are data files, network traffic, social network activity and OS.Each source offers benefits for this type of investigation, but data file collection and analysis yields bad clusters and slack space, both of which pinpoint the likelihood of deleted files. Recovery can begin from this point. Network activity and OS data retrieval can lead investigators to unusual login attempts and anomalous activity in order to pinpoint the location of deleted files along a network. At the same time, social network examination can help investigators understand reasons for deleted files and even learn more about the habits and lifestyle of a likely perpetrator.In the end, a collection of each of these sources provides a rich, revealing glimpse at deleted file activity. Conclusion Network traffic, data files, operating systems, and social network activity are four common data sources in digital forensic. Each provides a unique opportunity and set of risks for investigators, and the source should be chosen based on clear objectives and awareness of all circumstances. In many cases, the best choice is a combination of sources to provide multiple opportunities to arrive at the relevant evidence.Another factor is whether the data search is reactive or pro-active, with network traffic often providing the best source of evidence in a pro-active, forward-thinking environment. The variable of time must also be considered, specifically with respect to how investigators a pproach volatile data. Each of these issues must be considered when evaluating data sources. References Aquilina, J. , Casey, E. & Malin, C. (2008). Malware forensics: Investigating and Analyzing Malicious Code. Burlington, MA: Syngress Publishing. Bui, S. , Enyeart, M. & Luong, J. (2003, May). Issues in Computer Forensics. Retrieved ttp://www. cse. scu. edu/~jholliday/COEN150sp03/projects/Forensic%20Investiga tion. pdf Garfinkel, S. (2010). Digital forensics research: The next 10 years. Digital Investigation, 7. 64-73. Gast, T. (2010). Forensic data handling. The Business Forum. Retrieved from http://www. bizforum. org/whitepapers/cybertrust-1. htm Humaid, H. , Yousif, A. & Said, H. (2011, December). Smart phones forensics and social networks. IEEE Multidisciplinary Engineering Education Magazine, 6(4). 7-14. Huston, G. (2004, September). Anatomy: A look inside network address translators. The Internet Protocol Journal, 7(3).Retrieved from http://www. cisco. com/web/about/ac123/ac1 47/archived_issues/ipj_7- 3/anatomy. html Marcella, A. & Menendez, D. (2008). Cyber Forensics: A Field Manual for Collecting, Examining, and Preserving Data. Boca Raton, FL: Auerbach Publications. Mulazzani, M. , Huber, M. & Weippl, E. (n. d. ). Social network forensics: Tapping the data pool of social networks. SBA-Research. Retrieved from http://www. sba- research. org/wp-content/uploads/publications/socialForensics_preprint. pdf Purita, R. (2006). Computer Forensics: A valuable audit tool. Internal Auditor. Retrieved from http://www. theiia. rg/intAuditor/itaudit/archives/2006/september/computer- forensics-a-valuable-audit-tool-1/ Schwartz, M. (2011, December). How digital forensics detects insider theft. InformationWeek Security. Retrieved from http://www. informationweek. com/security/management/how-digital-forensics- detects-insider-t/232300409 Sindhu, K. & Meshram, B. (2012). A digital forensic tool for cyber crime data mining. Engineering Science and Technology: An Internati onal Journal, 2(1). 117-123. Sindhu, K. , Tripathi, S. & Meshram, B. (2012). Digital forensic investigation on file system and database tampering. IOSR Journal of Engineering, 2(2). 214-221. Business Continuity Plan Data Sources in Digital Forensics March 17, 2013 Joana Achiampong CSEC 650 Introduction Four sources of data that stand out for forensic investigators in most criminal investigations are files, operating systems, routers and network traffic, and social network activity. Each data source presents a variety of opportunities and challenges for investigators, meaning that the more reliable data collection and analysis activity typically involves examination of a variety of sources.Digital forensics must cover the four basic phases of activity, which include: data collection, which describes the identification and acquisition of relevant data; data examination, which includes the processing of data through the use of automated and manual tools; analysis, which describes the evaluation and categorization of examined data into coherent groups, such as their usefulness in a court proceeding; and reporting, in which the results of analysis are described with careful attention paid to recommen dations (Marcella & Menendez, 2009).The viability of each data source to an investigation must be evaluated based on how they can contribute to each phase. For example, the ability of routers and switches as a data source to help investigators might be effective in one area, but not in the other three. An examination of router activity might yield a surfeit of observable data that fails to provide diverse analytical tools that cannot be relied upon in a forensic setting. Another example is network traffic, which may yield a large amount of data that is unreliable or has a high degree of volatility (Garfinkel, 2010).Time is often essential for forensic investigators, and it is often important to know in advance the dynamics of each data source. This helps investigators avoid wasted time, or spending time analyzing data that may of minimal help in a forensic setting. For these reasons, it is important to critically assess the pros and cons of each data source for their ability to prov ide contributions. A valid assessment of each data source should be made based on consistent factors such as costs, data sensitivity, and time investment.The overall costs of each data source depend on the equipment that will be required to collect and analyze data without corruption. Costs also refer to the training and labor required during the course of the collection and analysis, which may be higher for uncommon sources that require a unique process and chain of command pattern. Data sensitivity is critical is a forensic tool, but may be more questionable depending on the source. For example, network activity can provide a wealth of information depending on the device and setting upon which data is moved.However, a network environment with many devices and multiple configurations may provide unreliable data that cannot be recognized in court proceedings. In addition, chain-of-command issues regarding the contribution of outside network analysts could compromise a source that wo uld be otherwise valid. These issues have to be considered in any data source assessment. Data Files The most common data sources in a digital forensic examination are current and deleted files. Most forensic investigators in most data retrieval environments begin with an examination of the various media store on the hard drive of a computer, network, or mobile device.The variety of types of stored data in current and deleted files, in addition to partitioned packet files and the slack space of a device’s memory, can be massive and diverse. A typical first step in data retrieval is to shut down a system and create a data grab or forensic duplicate upon which collection and analysis can be made. This ensures the integrity of the original data, while allowing investigators the ability to manipulate data however they see fit. However, this process alone creates challenges for forensic investigators, including an inability to capture live system data.This might prevent investigat ors from catching a perpetrator in the act of altering or adding data to a device or system. One of the primary benefits of files as a data source is the ability to separate and analyze the types of files, which creates a specific signature based on the content and user (Marcella & Menendez, 2008). Data can be pulled from deleted files, slack space on a system’s hard drive, or free space, all of which provides information that can be useful to investigators.The directory location and allocation type for each file informs the data that has been collected, including a time stamp and whether tools have been used to hide the data. Each of these characteristics provides investigators easy-to-access information about a system. In addition, there are a variety of hardware tools that can be used to access data. This technology is fairly common, meaning that associated costs tend to be minimal when retrieving data from files (Purita, 2006). File examination can yield a variety of type s of suspicious activity that tend to be helpful for investigators.One example is the presence of hidden evidence on file systems. This type of data can be hidden in deleted file spaces, slack spaces, and bad clusters. File space is marked as deleted when it is removed from an active directory. This data will continue to exist within a cluster of a hard disk can be identified and accessed by creating a file in Hex format and transferring the copied data. Data can also be hidden in many others ways, including by removing partitions that are created between data and by leveraging the slack space that exists between files.Attempts by users to hide data using these methods are quickly identifiable by investigators, who can then restore the data using a variety of inexpensive and efficient methods. For example, matching RAM slack to file slack identifies the size of a file and makes it easier to identify and retrieve (Sindhu & Meshram, 2012). This type of retrieval inherently emphasizes the importance of data integrity. This type of integrity is important in any forensic environment, and compromised data is usually rendered instantly unusable. The many opportunities for data retrieved from file space to be compromised are a drawback to this data source.For example, data retrieval using bit stream imaging provides a real-time copy onto a disk or similar medium. However, this can be compromised based on the fact that re-imagining of data is constantly changing during re-writing. Investigators will typically choose the type of data copy system based on what they are looking for. However, changes to data can occur if the appropriate safeguards are not taken. Write-blockers are often used to prevent an imaging process from providing data that has been compromised by writing to that media. Sindhu and Meshram 2012) stated that computing a message digest will create a verification of the copied data based on a comparison to the original. A message digest is an algorithm th at takes input data and produces an output digest. This comparison helps investigators ensure the integrity of data in many cases. There are additional pitfalls when it comes to using files as data sources. Users have different resources for eliminating or hindering data collection. One example is overwriting content by replacing it with constant values. This type of wiping function can be performed by a variety of utilities.Users can also demagnetize a hard drive to physically destroy the content stored there. Using files as a data source in this case will require a complex operation requiring different tools. Users can also purposefully misname files – for example, giving them . jpg extensions when they are not image content files – in order to confuse investigators. Investigators have to be familiar with strategies for circumventing these pitfalls, such as maintaining an up-to-date forensic toolkit and remaining committed to maintaining data integrity.In the end, fi les are very highly relied upon by investigators and are a strong source forensic data. However, investigators must be experienced and have the appropriate tools to ensure the viability of collected data. Operating Systems Generally speaking, the data that can be collected from Operating Systems (OS) is more diverse and rich than file systems data, and has greater potential to uncover application-specific events or vital volatile data specific to a network operation (Sindhu, Tribathi & Meshram, 2012).However, OS data mining can be more difficult and challenging, and often requires investigators to make quick decisions based on the type of data they are seeking. OS data mining is more case specific, in part because the retrieval of data is frequently connected to network configurations. Collecting volatile data can only occur from a live system that has not been shut down or rebooted (Marcella & Menendez, 2008). Additional activity that occurs over an individual network session is ve ry likely to compromise the OS data. For this reason, investigators have to be prepared and aware of what they are looking for.Time is of the essence in this case, and it is important to decide quickly whether or not the OS data should be preserved or if the system should be shut down. Keeping a system running during data extraction can also compromise data files. This also leaves data vulnerable to malware that has been installed by a user with bad intentions, determined to undermine the operations of investigators. The types of data that can be retrieved from the OS include network connections, network configurations, running processes, open files, and login sessions.In addition, the entire contents of the memory can be retrieved from the OS history, usually with little or no alteration of data when the footprint of retrieval activity is minimized. The order in which this data is collected typically runs in a standard succession, with network connections, login sessions, and memor y collection sitting at the top of the list or priorities. These sources are more important because they tend to change over time. For example, network connections tend to time out and login sessions can change as users log in or out.Network configurations and the files that are open in a system are less time-sensitive and fall further down the list of priorities for investigators. The forensic toolkit must be diverse to ensure that data retrieval is achieved with minimal alteration (Bui, Enyeart & Luong, 2003). In addition, the message digest of each tool should be documented, along with licensing and version information, and command logs. This careful documentation protects users from sudden loss of data or other disturbances during data retrieval.In addition, a number of accessibility issues can be implemented by users, including the placement of screen saver passwords, key remapping and log disabling features, all of which can disrupt the work by investigators, either providing unworkable obstacles or time-consuming hurdles that make complete transfer impossible. Ultimately, the use of OS as a data source is a case-by-case tool dependent on the availability of other sources and the specific needs and tools of investigators. Routers and Network TrafficAmong network configuration data sources, router activity and network sourcing has the potential to provide the most specific amount of incriminating activity for forensic use. Forensic equipment should have time stamping capabilities activated to provide an accurate time signature of network interaction between an end-user and a router or switch (Schwartz, 2011). Importantly, firewalls and routers that are tied to a network often provide network address translation which can offer additional information by clarifying configuration or additional IP addresses on a network (Huston, 2004).There are a number of tools available to people seeking an analysis of network activity, including packet sniffers and intrusi on detection systems (Marcella & Menendez, 2008). These tools help investigators examine all packets for suspicious IP addresses and special events that have occurred across a network. This data is usually recorded and analyzed so that investigators can compare unusual events to evaluate network weaknesses and special interests of would-be attackers.This is of great interests to security agents determined to identify and stop potential network intrusions. A number of technical, procedural, legal and ethical issues exist when examining and analyzing network data. It is imperative that investigators be sure to avoid disconnected from a network or rebooting a system during data retrieval. They should also rely on live data and persistent information. Finally, it is important to avoid running configuration commands that could corrupt a network or its activity (Gast, 2010).Issues such as storage of large amounts of data over a highly trafficked network and proper placement of a decryptio n device along a network can impact how data is available and whether or not it maintains integrity. It is also important to consider the ethical and legal issues of data retrieval along a network when it involves sensitive data, such as financial records and personal information like passwords. In many cases, ethical issues can be circumvented with careful documentation and the publication of organizational policies and procedures that are strictly followed.However, these are all issues that must be considered in the analysis of network trafficking as a data source. Social Network Activity The sheer volume of social network activity – such as that on Facebook, Twitter, and Instragram – makes examining it as a data source great potential as a forensic tool. To this point, the little available research on social network data has failed to come up with a comprehensive framework or set of standards for investigators. Social network tools across mobile platforms invariably have geolocation services.However, the use of these as a data source has been questioned from ethical and legal perspectives (Humaid, Yousif, & Said, 2011). The communication layer of social media applications on mobile devices can yield rich data, such as a browser cache and packet activity. Packet sniffing can expose unencrypted wifi use and third party intrusion across a social network. However, these tools are highly limited when they are restricted to social network activity. The best tools may be the ability to create a social footprint, which includes all friend activity, posted pictures and videos, communication habits, and periods of activity.For most people, this information is only available on social network websites and is not stored on a user’s hard drive. A certain climate of permissibility tends to apply to social network use, in which users are prone to making data available online that they would not otherwise expose. All of this strengthens the use of soci al networks as a data source. The greatest pitfall to social network activity is the malleability of the material. Users frequently change their habits, including the times of the day and the users with whom they connect.Cumulative social network data can be used to create a graph of all activity across a variety of factors, including time, space, usage, and devices (Mulazzani, Huber, & Weippl). But this is a rapidly changing field. There is little doubt that the cloud computing data storage and continued growth of social networks will change this field quickly, which could quickly undermine past data that has been retrieved. Potential Usefulness in Specific Events The usefulness of a data source is strictly tied to the event it is intended to investigate.It is imperative that investigators are clear on their goals prior to selecting a source to retrieve and analyze data from. For example, a network intrusion would be best tackled with an examination of network traffic, followed by social network analysis, Operating Systems, and data file systems. Network analysis is less prone to attacking strategies that can compromise file and OS data. It can observe network traffic to find anomalous entities and their entry point within a network. It can also identify source and destination data by data recovery and access to routers r other network access points (Aquilina, Casey & Malin, 2008). This is critical information for network intrusion investigations. Operating Systems enable access to volatile data, but this is limited by single-time use and data integrity issues. Most OS examinations look at network connections first, which is often another way of accessing the same data. File storage and social network analysis tend to offer peripheral views of the same material. Operating systems are the most helpful data source in malware installation investigation, followed by network traffic, data files, and social network activity.Examination of volatile data offers a ran ge of data, including network connections and login sessions, which are primary tools for finding the source of malware installation (Aquilina, Casey & Malin, 2008). Maintaining the integrity of data through quick retrieval and minimal footprints helps ensure its usefulness. At the same time, monitoring network traffic in a pro-active manner is often the surest way of pinpointing time signatures and matching them with network activity (Marcella & Menendez, 2008). The best data sources for identifying insider file deletion are data files, network traffic, social network activity and OS.Each source offers benefits for this type of investigation, but data file collection and analysis yields bad clusters and slack space, both of which pinpoint the likelihood of deleted files. Recovery can begin from this point. Network activity and OS data retrieval can lead investigators to unusual login attempts and anomalous activity in order to pinpoint the location of deleted files along a network. At the same time, social network examination can help investigators understand reasons for deleted files and even learn more about the habits and lifestyle of a likely perpetrator.In the end, a collection of each of these sources provides a rich, revealing glimpse at deleted file activity. Conclusion Network traffic, data files, operating systems, and social network activity are four common data sources in digital forensic. Each provides a unique opportunity and set of risks for investigators, and the source should be chosen based on clear objectives and awareness of all circumstances. In many cases, the best choice is a combination of sources to provide multiple opportunities to arrive at the relevant evidence.Another factor is whether the data search is reactive or pro-active, with network traffic often providing the best source of evidence in a pro-active, forward-thinking environment. The variable of time must also be considered, specifically with respect to how investigators a pproach volatile data. Each of these issues must be considered when evaluating data sources. References Aquilina, J. , Casey, E. & Malin, C. (2008). Malware forensics: Investigating and Analyzing Malicious Code. Burlington, MA: Syngress Publishing. Bui, S. , Enyeart, M. & Luong, J. (2003, May). Issues in Computer Forensics. Retrieved ttp://www. cse. scu. edu/~jholliday/COEN150sp03/projects/Forensic%20Investiga tion. pdf Garfinkel, S. (2010). Digital forensics research: The next 10 years. Digital Investigation, 7. 64-73. Gast, T. (2010). Forensic data handling. The Business Forum. Retrieved from http://www. bizforum. org/whitepapers/cybertrust-1. htm Humaid, H. , Yousif, A. & Said, H. (2011, December). Smart phones forensics and social networks. IEEE Multidisciplinary Engineering Education Magazine, 6(4). 7-14. Huston, G. (2004, September). Anatomy: A look inside network address translators. The Internet Protocol Journal, 7(3).Retrieved from http://www. cisco. com/web/about/ac123/ac1 47/archived_issues/ipj_7- 3/anatomy. html Marcella, A. & Menendez, D. (2008). Cyber Forensics: A Field Manual for Collecting, Examining, and Preserving Data. Boca Raton, FL: Auerbach Publications. Mulazzani, M. , Huber, M. & Weippl, E. (n. d. ). Social network forensics: Tapping the data pool of social networks. SBA-Research. Retrieved from http://www. sba- research. org/wp-content/uploads/publications/socialForensics_preprint. pdf Purita, R. (2006). Computer Forensics: A valuable audit tool. Internal Auditor. Retrieved from http://www. theiia. rg/intAuditor/itaudit/archives/2006/september/computer- forensics-a-valuable-audit-tool-1/ Schwartz, M. (2011, December). How digital forensics detects insider theft. InformationWeek Security. Retrieved from http://www. informationweek. com/security/management/how-digital-forensics- detects-insider-t/232300409 Sindhu, K. & Meshram, B. (2012). A digital forensic tool for cyber crime data mining. Engineering Science and Technology: An Internati onal Journal, 2(1). 117-123. Sindhu, K. , Tripathi, S. & Meshram, B. (2012). Digital forensic investigation on file system and database tampering. IOSR Journal of Engineering, 2(2). 214-221.

Voltaire’s Candide Essays

Voltaire’s Candide Essays Voltaire’s Candide Essay Voltaire’s Candide Essay Essay Topic: Candide Voltaire opens chapter three of Candide with our hero amidst a battle between the Aberes and the Bulgarians. The imagery depicted by the author speaks of cannons, gunfire, death of soldiers accompanied by martial drum rolls and trumpets. The two armies are both rejoicing the â€Å"heroic debauchery† and singing a song of thanksgiving. The protagonist finds himself not wanting to do anything with the whole affair and decided to escape while everyone else was preoccupied, so that he could just resolve to try to figure out the â€Å"cause and effects.† After encountering several dead and dismembered bodies he was able to reach a near by Abarian village, and was able to see the carnage left behind by the Bulgarian army. The wittiness of Voltaire appears once more when he says that such massacre is in accordance with international law. As such it criticizes the political justifications of war during his time that warrants the destruction and death of people their community simply because it’s consequential to a legitimized warfare. He hastily tries to leave this bloody scene and moves forward to another village, one which belongs to the Bulgarians. Unfortunately, he sees the same sort of tragedy; now brought about by the Aberians. He flees to Holland, where he initially felt optimistic in learning that the said country was inhabited by wealthy Christians. He was disillusioned the moment started to ask people for charity. The locals denied helping him even threatening to place him in a correctional where he would learn how to earn a living. He then opted to approach a sort of catholic orator who asked him whether or not he believed that the pope was an antichrist. Candide answered honestly that he had no idea who the pope was but nonetheless he only wants a piece of bread. The man curses Candide for this, while the wife who overheard the conversation dumped a pot full of feces over our hero. Candide was able to find momentary relief from his misfortunes when he meets an Anabaptist named James. The latter pitied our protagonist. James takes Candide home, feeds him, allows him to bathe, and gives him a Job. As a result Candide was able to redeem his beliefs of the teachings of his Master Pangloss. Everything works towards the greatest good, this world is the best of all possible worlds and all has sufficient reason for occurring. The era when Voltaire wrote his novella was marked with wars among states, the battles between the Bulgarians and Abares is said to be based on the seven years war occurring at the time he wrote the book.   We are able to see the anti-war sentiment the author had, as well find reason in his criticism against the laws that warrants an event that would result to nothing more but devastation on both sides of the field. We could see the irony of the two kings making their camp sing to the glory of god, and the terming of soldiers as heroes despite the fact that the latter are to certain extent murderers, rapists, and pillagers. It indeed reflects the world then governed supposedly by law and the divine, only to result to injustice and evil. The religion, Catholicism which at that time was becoming more and more powerful did not escape the satire pen of Voltaire. He pointed out the flaws of the said institutions and its believers. We could see the hypocrisy of those who claimed to be followers of the Catholic Church. This brings into question the validity of the said faithful in upholding the teachings of Jesus Christ regarding charity, love, and mercy. Historians may not be too pleased with the factuality of Voltaire’s account of the details regarding War. Voltaire was able to portray in Chapter three his sentiments and criticisms regarding the powers (war and religion) that existed during his time. It is the case that the story reveals the truth of the values upheld at the period the novel was written. References: Voltaire (1984). Candide. (Lowell Bair, Trans.). New York: Bantam Classics.

The New Wave of Populism essays

The New Wave of Populism essays Western democracies are experiencing a period of change because of a rising wave of right-wing populism. The populists already had success in Britain with Brexit and the United States with president Trump, and their success seems to be contagious in the rest of Europe. Political leaders Marine le Pen from Front National in France and Geert Wilders from the Party for Freedom in the Netherlands are the next right-wing populist candidates favored to win. Both of them are forces to be reckoned with in the coming elections. These populist want to rebuild state-egoism by laying emphasis on the national politics and stop mass-immigration. The established western elite, who have been the ruling power since the Second World War, are watching with fear to what this new period is going to bring. The sovereign rule of the people as a homogeneous body is the central idea in this thin-centered ideology or political doctrine (Abts, Koen and Stefan Rummens: â€Å"Populism versus Democracy†. University of Leuven, 2007 vol. 55) The word populism comes from the Latin word â€Å"populus†, which means the people. Populism comes in both right- and left-wing parties, but the current wave of populism is especially connected to the right-wing parties. The populist leader considers himself as the representative who knows the general will of the â€Å"ordinary forgotten people†. Their goal is to unite â€Å"the pure people† and to give the power back to them from â€Å"the corrupt elite†, who does not understand the middle-class (Mudde, Cas. Populist radical right parties in Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge U Press, 2007. Print.) For the people in the nation who say the populist leader does not represent them, he has a clear response: they do not belong to the nation. Only those who agree with this â€Å"national will† do belong to the nation. They along with the elite form the â€Å"enemy† of the people and are the reason for the problems within in the nation. Crea...

Cute Guy Quotes

Cute Guy Quotes If you see a really cute guy and want to approach him, what would you do? Turn on your charm and hope that he notices you, or go right up to him and ask him out? Whatever you do, you need to know how guys think. Here are some cute guy quotes to get you started. Work your way into the mind of cute guys and you will never go wrong with your approach. Alphonse Karr: If men knew all that women think, they would be twenty times more daring.Mark Twain: Man is the only creature who has a nasty mind.William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing: O, what men dare do! What men may do! What men daily do, not knowing what they do!Mason Cooley: Young men preen. Old men scheme.Robert Elliott Gonzales: Even the most staid and respectable husband likes for his wife to think he is a devil among the women.Francesca M. Cancian: Part of the reason that men seem so much less loving than women is that mens behavior is measured with a feminine ruler.George Bernard Shaw: Power does not corrupt men; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power.Julius Charles Hare: The greatest truths are the simplest, and so are the greatest men.Karen Blixen: What is man, when you come to think upon him, but a minutely set, ingenious machine for turning, with infinite artfulness, the red wine of Shiraz into urine?Jean Giraudoux: When you see a woma n who can go nowhere without a staff of admirers, it is not so much because they think she is beautiful, it is because she has told them they are handsome. Buddha: A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.Oscar Wilde: A man who marries his mistress leaves a vacancy in that position.Buddha: A wise man, recognizing that the world is but an illusion, does not act as if it is real, so he escapes the suffering.Will Cuppy: All modern men are descended from a worm-like creature, but it shows more on some people.Albert Einstein: Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.Richard J. Needham: Every woman needs one man in her life who is strong and responsible. Given this security, she can proceed to do what she really wants to do fall in love with men who are weak and irresponsible.Anais Nin: I, with a deeper instinct, choose a man who compels my strength, who makes enormous demands on me, who does not doubt my courage or my toughness, who does not believe me naive or innocent, who has the courage to treat me like a woman. Linda Ellerbee: If men can run the world, why cant they stop wearing neckties? How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a little noose around your neck?Rita Mae Brown: If the world were a logical place, men would ride side saddle.Henry David Thoreau: In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, they had better aim at something high.Helen Rowland: It takes a woman twenty years to make a man of her son, and another woman twenty minutes to make a fool of him.Groucho Marx: Man does not control his own fate. The women in his life do that for him.Jim Backus: Many a man owes his success to his first wife and his second wife to his success.Laura Swenson: Men are like a deck of cards. Youll find the occasional king, but most are jacks.Kathleen Mifsud: Men are like a fine wine. They all start out like grapes, and its our job to stomp on them and keep them in the dark until they mature into something youd like to have dinner with.Carrie Latet: Men like a woman with a daring tongue. Thats a double-entendre, which reminds me they also like a menage a trois. Ninon de Lenclos: Men lose more conquests by their own awkwardness than by any virtue in the woman.Roger Woddis: Men play the game; women know the score.E. H. Chapin, Living Words: Physically, man is but an atom in space and a pulsation in time. Spiritually, the entire outward universe receives significance from him, and the scope of his existence stretches beyond the stars.Maureen Murphy: Some men are so macho theyll get you pregnant just to kill a rabbit.Gloria Steinem: Some of us are becoming the men we wanted to marry.Francis Bacon: The desire of excessive power caused the angels to fall; the desire of knowledge caused men to fall.Natalie Wood: The only time a woman really succeeds in changing a man is when he is a baby.

Tourism Policy of West London Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tourism Policy of West London - Essay Example At the same time, the sustainable tourism policy says local people are partners in the revenue of tourism because they have to maintain the culture and heritage of the place to make it an attraction. Developmental policy focuses on the ecological and financial development of the society. It is necessary to take this perspective while forming the policy as a socio-economic factor, development, tourism, and sustainability are all interlinked. In London, tourism supports the economy, and generates jobs. The important tasks detailed by the Mayor say it all. He reiterates that London's economy should continue to be successful and only then, could it be distributed. It is a long term sustainable success dealing with the climate change and its necessities. "All Londoners must participate in this success. Not only for social justice but because without it the quality of life in the city will deteriorate and the consensus for London's internationalisation will break down" http://www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1886 It is possible to present a vision with the right perspective of development, cultural atmosphere and socio-economic parameters because they are the main factors that govern tourism and its development. Cultural background is necessary to develop, retain and to present as an attraction, while socio-economic parameters are necessary for benefit and improvement. Development of London with the impending Olympics cannot develop without a vision of its own. What is tourism visioning Provide an example of a vision statement from your policy document. (Note it may be necessary to read between the lines if this is not immediately obvious) Why is it necessary to undertake such an exercise Tourism visioning has the social and economic conditions of the region in mind, while keeping the cultural perspective intact. It is more of eco tourism that sustains the tourism industry, but maintains the eco balance of the state, by not harming the tourist attractions or the region in any way and it will also combat the global warming. The Mayor's vision of London tourism says: "To develop London as an exemplary sustainable world city, based on interwoven themes: strong and diverse, long-term economic growth; social inclusion to give all Londoners the opportunity to share in London's future success; fundamental improvements in London's environment and use of resources. A Prosperous City: Making London a more prosperous city with strong and diverse economic growth. A City for People: Making London a better city for people to live in. An Accessible City: Improving London's transport and making it accessible to disabled users, women, children and the elderly; making the most sustainable and efficient use of the space in London; encouraging intensification and growth in areas of need and opportunity" A Fair City: Promoting social inclusion and tackling deprivation and discrimination A Green City: Making London a more attractive, well designed green city" . It is necessary because London must have better economic growth to remain a prosperous city and it has to remain eminently habitable without any adverse effects of tourism. It should be internally and externally suitably linked for all

Health Services Finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health Services Finance - Assignment Example Moreover, the wages for the casual workers in the expansion process will also be categorized as direct cost. This example is justifiable since the cost expensed in paying salaries and wages in the expansion process will entirely benefit the expansion project. Indirect costs are services or activities that benefits more than one object (Wei-Yu, Dilip, and James 41). It is almost unfeasible to relate the indirect cost to a particular object. A good example of an indirect cost in Chiropractor organization includes the salaries of permanently employed managers who oversee operations in more than one organization’s branch. It is sometimes difficult to relate how these organizational managers directly benefit a particular branch. The responsibility center in Chiropractor organization is incredibly indispensable and valuable. The organization has decentralized its operations to create efficient responsibility centers. Chiropractor has three main responsibility centers that include: investment, profit, and cost (Merkley 41). Cost responsibility center manager has the responsibility of relating the expenses incurred in an organization to the available revenues. Profit responsibility center is mandated with the responsibility of generating revenue from cash outlays. A profit responsibility center is expected to meet the set profitable goals in the organization. Finally, investment responsibility center’s main role is to manage other responsibility centers. Additionally, the investment center has an obligation of managing the organization’s assets. The other supplementary responsibility of the investment center entails regulating returns on invested resources. The Chiropractor community has over the year’s experienced endless environmental catastrophes such as earthquakes and other artificial and natural accidents that interfere with their daily operations. This has as a result led to significant loss of lives and property (Chrysanthus 137). However, to counter

Data Analysis by SQL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Data Analysis by SQL - Essay Example Based on the results obtained, it is evident that the highest value customers in terms of the revenue are mainly from Europe, including, Denmark, Germany and France. The total revenue from US customers amounts to $ 56,029, whereas the revenue from France is $ 68,011. By identifying the products bought by the customers, their preferences can be identified. This will enable the firm to create a customer profile and make the appropriate products readily available in the proper locations. It will also be beneficial to identify the most preferred shipping service of the customers. From the database, it is evident that the United Package has been chosen for 326 times, the Federal Express was preferred for around 255 orders, whereas Speedy Express for 249 orders. Hence it is evident that the three shipping services are equally important. The orders are analysed based on the products, in order to identify the most preferred and the highest revenue generating products.The high revenue generating categories are also identified and the role of discounts in the orders are also analysed. From the analysis, the highly sold product has been found as Gorgonzoo Telino whereas the product generating the highest revenue is Cote de Blaye.However, when analysing the categories, it is found that the best selling categories in terms of revenue and number of products are Beverages, Dairy products and Confections. It is imperative to note that the least revenue generating revenues include Produce and Grains and Cereals.

Business Plan Proposal for Devoted Medics Research

Business Plan for Devoted Medics - Research Proposal Example From this discussion it is clear that the numbers indicate a growing customer base, the volume of these calls has seriously strained the clinic due to shortage of staff members at the call center. However, the clinic cannot afford to hire additional staff, thus the only option is to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction by using modern technologies and encouraging teamwork among the clinic’s staff members.This study outlines that as a privately-owned clinic, Devoted Medics is led by a management team comprised of one physician, a nurse and a technical manager. The technical manager is in charge of the call center, where two assistants take customer requests. Currently, the call center still operates on a switchboard operator where the assistants pick the calls and ask the caller whether they are calling about an earlier issue or they are following up on an earlier issue. The assistants then forwards the call to a customer care representative who addresses the callers ne eds.  This process is very cumbersome, considering the number of calls that have to be forwarded as compared to the call center workforce. Accordingly, this calls for a more modern contact center that does not put so much pressure on the workforce, but rather encourages teamwork.  The primary goal of Devoted Medics and any other clinic for that matter is to deliver quality and coordinated health care to patients.

Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Death Penalty - Essay Example Death penalties in previous times were charged for the theft, sedition and killing, etc. People of modern times raise questions against the execution of death penalties charged by the State as people think ethically there should be a thorough discussion based on evidences, rights and ethical values before such executions (Lee and Mooney). Since day one, the United States of America has been quite successful in controlling overall affects and consequences than any other country including Europe, etc. United States of America had set proper laws and regulations for the execution of death penalties for some of the identical crimes. People in the United States believe that the death penalty is not just a punishment for a single person but could equal to a proper torture for the entire family. Death is death, either killing or punishment so people raise issues and arguments. Therefore, Americans tend to choose death penalty as the last option for severe terrorists and criminals. Holding all other arguments constant, government does explain to people that some criminals are habitual of conducting severe crimes like murder or terrorism that it might not be feasible to let such criminals open as this way, they can commit more crimes in future. After the incident of nine eleven, the US has been stricter than ever before. In some ways, death penalties can not only prevent the citizens from dangerous habitual terrorists but can also be an example for other people to stay far of such

Business Plan Proposal for Devoted Medics Research

Business Plan for Devoted Medics - Research Proposal Example From this discussion it is clear that the numbers indicate a growing customer base, the volume of these calls has seriously strained the clinic due to shortage of staff members at the call center. However, the clinic cannot afford to hire additional staff, thus the only option is to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction by using modern technologies and encouraging teamwork among the clinic’s staff members.This study outlines that as a privately-owned clinic, Devoted Medics is led by a management team comprised of one physician, a nurse and a technical manager. The technical manager is in charge of the call center, where two assistants take customer requests. Currently, the call center still operates on a switchboard operator where the assistants pick the calls and ask the caller whether they are calling about an earlier issue or they are following up on an earlier issue. The assistants then forwards the call to a customer care representative who addresses the callers ne eds.  This process is very cumbersome, considering the number of calls that have to be forwarded as compared to the call center workforce. Accordingly, this calls for a more modern contact center that does not put so much pressure on the workforce, but rather encourages teamwork.  The primary goal of Devoted Medics and any other clinic for that matter is to deliver quality and coordinated health care to patients.

How does globalization affect financial markets Research Paper

How does globalization affect financial markets - Research Paper Example This is because globalization has created a wide-ranging affects in the financial markets of various economies. This essay will focus on the quantitative and qualitative analysis of globalization of the financial sector. The essay will use descriptive statistics to conduct the quantitative analysis. The paper will explain the impact of globalization in the capital, investment and the exchange rate market. The studies of the essay will help the researcher analyze the advantages and disadvantages of globalization in the global financial market. It will show how a single change in the financial market of one nation in the current world can affect the market conditions of all the other economies. Contents Contents 3 Introduction 4 Situation Analysis 5 Conclusion 17 References 18 Introduction The report will throw a light on the impact of globalization in the financial market. In order to implicitly analyze this statement, the paper will utilize both theoretical and technical tools of res earch analysis. After completing the analysis, the researcher will conclude with the empirical analysis. This is the era of globalization and liberalization. Globalization is the process that involves the international integration between the nations that takes place from the interchange of ideas, products, world views and culture between nations. In the contemporary world, the economic development of any economy is not possible without the effective contribution of globalization. Any development in the transportation, communication or internet segment of the market is only feasible with the contribution of globalization. This process has helped countries augment the living standard of individuals and substantially helped them to experience the usage of new goods and services. The growth of business activities in the modern economies has shown the requirement for contribution of financial sectors. The financial segment of any country includes the commercial banks, non-banking financ ial institutions and the central banks of the countries (Kang & Paper, 2007). The globalization process has largely influenced the performance of the financial sectors of different countries. The exchange rates now are flexible in order to compete and cope up with the machineries of globalization. Globalization in the world economy has facilitated large capital flows between countries. The monetary authorities between nations are largely entangled with each other due to the globalized state of affairs in the contemporary market system. Capital rising, globalization of the equity markets, domination of the financial sectors in different economies and maximization of the investment returns are all the functions that have enveloped the current world market due to the emergence of globalization. The integration of the financial system between countries has only taken place due to globalization (Baldwin, 1999). Situation Analysis Financial Market in the Modern Economies: The financial ma rket refers to the markets where the trade involves financial securities or commodities. The transactions are made at low cost and the prices at which the transactions are made reflect the demand and supply of such financial products. The banking and non-banking financial institutions that facilitate the trading of such financial products are also included in the financial markets. There are a lot of activities in the financial

How Did the Indsutrial Development Unite or Divide the North and the South Essay Example for Free

How Did the Indsutrial Development Unite or Divide the North and the South Essay During the Civil War, the advances of the Industrial Revolution introduced great changes in the industrial and technological development. Both the North and the South created many advances in railroad and water transportation. The Union, however, was far more advanced technologically than the Confederate states . Consequently, the North made greater and more effective use of progress in weapons, communication, transportation and medicine than South . Although the industrial development made the nation very widely known, both the south and the north were divided because their differences. The Civil War was the first modern war that helped strengthen the technology and industrial system. But their industry and technology distinguished the two sides, which represented different economic conditions. The North had developed a strong economy that was becoming day-by-day more industrialized. By the nineteenth century, large factories and organizations sprang up throughout the north. Also, the population of the country was increasing and immigrants from all over Europe came along. The North was becoming a huge success but the South was falling behind. The North was rising in a higher success rate than the South. The Union flourished more factories and more transportation. Canals were being handmade, there was an increase of labor force and there it was becoming more adequate to transport product through trains . Inventions were also becoming to life. For example, the Telegraph was becoming a extremely useful. Invented by Samuel F. B. Morse, the Telegraph was inexpensive to make and was ideal for long distance communication. The north had more advantages in growing the economy because it had twice as big as the population from the south. It had much greater man power and it had a better work force. Many factories from the north built war material to supply to the Union. However, slavery was decreasing around the 1860’s and factories were pouring in by the immigrants from Europe. In fact, seven out of every eight immigrants that traveled to the U. S. settled in the North rather than the South. The economy in the North was also increasing therefore immigrants settled there to establish their own business. Northerners were far more likely to have careers in business, medicine, or education . Also, children were slightly more prone to attend school than Southern children. As for the South, the warm climate and the fertile soil made it ideal for farmers to grow significant amounts of crops. There were more abundant natural resources in the south and because agriculture was so profitable few Southerners saw a need for industrial development . There were no large cities aside from a few known places. Most of the known cities existed near shipping ports to send agricultural produce to Northern destinations. However, the South had difficulty with transportation and most products were sent by water. Only a few train tracks were located in the South. In the other hand, Southern children tended to spend less time in school and most Southern families based their teachings in gravitating toward military careers as well as agriculture . The first half of the nineteenth century was a time of expansion and improvement of transportation systems. States in the North and the Midwest chartered and built overland roads and turnpikes. The Turnpike Era† (1790-1820) consisted of Americans relying on roads for internal transportation. Canals, such as the Erie Canal, tied New York City to the Great Lakes. Steamboats and railroads improved the movement of goods and people, forging ties that served both sides well during the Civil War. The first federal charter corporation that created the dream of the transcontinental railroad was the Union Pacific Railroad Company and the Central Pacific Company . Both of these companies gathered many immigrants, at low pay, to work massive hours to construct the railroad. However, better transportation fostered an upgrade on trade within the country and dispersed new civilization to the west. The industrial revolution created many social problems. Poverty became a growing concern, especially the fact that factory wages were scarcely adequate for family survival . Most residents experienced hunger and destitution. Among the poor, child labor was very common. Most parents forced their children to look for jobs instead of going to school for survival. Southerners often cited these factors as crimes whenever the North challenged its institution of slavery. The Industrial Revolution brought Southern landowners an invention that they adopted and embraced: The Cotton Gin. Invented by Eli Whitney, the cotton gin made slavery profitable and made cotton the nations number one export . The South also adopted the steam engine, mainly to aid the cotton gin and to use on steamships to transport cotton. Ironically, the success of the cotton gin, by fostering slavery, helped to separate the two sides of the country and bring about the Civil War. The pace of immigration also stimulated economic growth while increasing differences between North nd South. Immigrants, mostly from Europe at this time, were supplied with low-cost labor. Most immigrants lived in the North where jobs were constantly available but had no respect to the workers. The use of standard, interchangeable parts, especially the manufacturing of guns, clocks, and sewing machines , allowed the nation to advance technologically by using unskilled workers. During the Civil War, with Southern representatives of Congress gone and the Republican Party controlling the house of Congress and the presidency, â€Å"the government set about to aid business and technology†. In 1862, the Department of Agriculture was founded. It provided a national center to coordinate agricultural development and promote scientific farming. â€Å"A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free. † This quotation was from Abraham Lincoln in 1858. Abraham Lincoln did not want the North and South to separate but for the Industry to grow bigger . In the first part of the quotation, â€Å"A house divided against itself cannot stand†, portrays that the United States needs to be UNITED not divided. A house needs to stand tall and not let anything else break it down. It is true that the â€Å"government cannot endue permanently half-slave and half-free† because this needs to be a united country not a haft this haft that country. Lincoln convinced others that the United States could not be this way. It had to bet glued together again and it had to abolish anything that was not right. However, throughout time, The Divided States of America was soon becoming the United States of America. After Lincoln’s death, three amendments were ratified that help America put back to place. The 13th amendment concluded that slavery was officially abolished . The 14th amendment granted â€Å"all persons born or naturalized in the United States, â€Å"to be citizens which included former slaves that were freed . The 15th amendment granted African Americans the right to vote . These three amendment helped bit by bit to repair the United States. Even though today there is still a difference in the North and South, our nation will always be together. The United States grew tremendously during the Industrial Revolution. Inventions were made, transportation was spread out, new jobs were increasing and more knowledge was diffusing. Throughout time, our population was growing and our nation got to spread out to the west to expand our land and culture. Even though our presidents may have made mistakes, we get to learn what we have done wrong and use that in our future. Our nation may have been divided for awhile but we can always retain it back. Back where it always was, united.

The International Schools in the uae

The International Schools in the uae The United Arab Emirates International School is a well established educational trust, which wants to open an international school in Oman, knowing that there is now an opening for international schools in the educational sector. This Research will include important analysis for the United Arab Emirates International School to use in order for them to learn about the international schools in Oman, like the environment surrounding them which is Political, Economical, Social and Technological factors and also known as the PEST Analysis. Other than that the people that can have an effect and impact on the business will be included as part of the analysis, like customers, suppliers, substitutes, new entrants and competitors and also known as the Porters Five Forces. So by conducting these analysis and learning them the company will then be able to find out their opportunities and threats which are part of the SWOT Analysis including the Strengths and Weaknesses. These analyses will be me asured for three different cities and three different regions which are Muscat City in Muscat Region, Sohar City in Batna Region and Buraimi City in Dhahra Region. Then finally we will be able to give the United Arab Emirates International School recommendations. Definition PEST analysis is a technique used to identify, assess and evaluate external factors affecting the performance of an organization. A PEST analysis is undertaken to help an organization gain an understanding of the wider business environment and may be carried out as part of an ongoing process of environmental analysis or scanning. The aim is to provide information to assist those responsible for strategy development and decision making. PEST analysis may be used in the context of overall organizational strategy or more specifically to evaluate the feasibility of a new product or service, or expansion into a new market. (http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5221632/Carrying-out-a-PEST-analysis.html) Advantages of PEST analysis. PEST analysis: * provides an understanding of the wider business environment * encourages the development of strategic thinking * may raise awareness of threats to an organizations ongoing profitability * can help an organization to anticipate future difficulties and take action to avoid or minimize their effect * can help an organization to spot business opportunities and exploit them successfully. It helps the firm in many ways, its important that environmental analysis is carried out before entering into the industry. PEST analysis is a helpful method of summarizing the external environment in which a business operates. Nevertheless, it should follow up by considering how a business should act in response to these influences. (http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5221632/Carrying-out-a-PEST-analysis.html) Political and legal factors: Political factors are rules and regulations that are made by the government that has a direct impact on the business. These rules affect the daily running of the business when it comes to policies and regulations. We believe that the school should take into consideration the following political factors: Employment Laws: Every country has its rules and regulations for a new foreign organization entering the country to establish its business, when talking about rules and regulations for example Omanization the countrys rule is that these foreign companies must recruit Omani citizens as employees to help reduce the unemployment in the country and to gain experience from the foreign employees as well, in addition to that local partnership is one of the rules that a foreign owner must take in consideration which is also called (Foreign Trade Regulations). Speaking of international schools in Oman SABIS of Muscat is one of the schools that are owned by both a foreign and local partners. Government Stability: Because there is no war in Oman the government is stabled, secure and safe and not much of a change with the government. There are many foreign and local companies opening up in Oman, there are many international schools existing in Oman for example the AMERICAN BRITISH ACADEMY (ABA) if the government was not stabled then these types of schools wont exist because of the constant changes with the government therefore there will be less or no foreigners living in Oman. It is absolutely safe for any foreign organization to establish its business in Oman. Economical Factors: All businesses are affected by economical factors nationally and globally. Whether an economy is in a boom, recession or recovery will also affect consumer confidence and behavior. Equally economic factors affect the purchasing power of potential customer, and the state of the internal/external economy in the short and long-term. The unit may need to consider: Unemployment: Oman has been encouraging Omanisation to reduce the level of unemployment in the country. By the entrance of the International school from the UAE into Oman, it will play a role in reducing the unemployment and providing more jobs for local Omanies. Disposable income: Oman is facing a boom in the economy due to the surplus they are getting from oil sales. Accordingly consumer spending is high. With higher consumer spending, an increase of demand will show up. This demand will have to be satisfied. For that reason, the International school will have the chance to satisfy this increasing of demand. Socio-cultural Factors: social factors will include the demographic changes, trends in the way people live and think. Moreover, it also includes the cultural aspects of the macro environment. These factors influence customer needs and the size of potential markets (inside and outside of the International school). Lifestyle changes: by time the life style in Oman changed and is continuing to change. People have different views over many things such as: Education. Many years ago there were no private schools in the country and girls were made to stay at home and look after their parents. As time passes by, things changed. Omani citizens thinking have changed. They started sending all their kids to school, in order to gain education. In addition, when private schools opened up in Oman, families didnt mind sending their despite the mixture of both male and female. Moreover, Omani families started going out and eating out more often. Population: its the number of people in the country, when it comes to that the population in Oman is on the rise. Companies and organizations take population in consideration, because it means that people increase and the needs increase too. For example, for schools increase in the population of a country or a city means increase in number of students every year. The Chart below is an example of the rise in population in Oman. Educational levels: the level of education throughout the years has increased tremendously, and the demand of International schools in some parts of Oman is high, due to the increase of foreigners in the country for work purposes. Technological factors: technological factors are vital for competitive advantage, and are the major driver of change and efficiency. Technological factors can for example lower barriers to entry and reduce minimum efficient production level. New technology has an impact on changing the way business operates. The Internet has the most effect on the strategy of organizations. New discoveries and development: the advancement in technology has been beneficial to the International school in the industry. Due to technology the administrative staff can now access to the Internet 24 hours a day comfortably from their homes. Another advantage that technology has given the International school industry is the ability to reduce their costs as new machinery is now available for them to reduce their paper work and also reduce the time wasted. In fact the Internet allows the managers of the International school to use video conferencing to keep up to date with their other branches without to physically go there. This technological revolution means a faster exchange of operating environment. (http://www.btinternet.com/~katrina.severn/avce/PESTAnalysis.pdf) After looking at all four PEST analyses we believe that Sohar is the best place to open an international school due to the increasing of population by both local and foreigners. Also adding to that Oman tend to have a political stability due to the ruling of the Sultan rather the change of government, economical Oman is stable at the moment sine they are at the boom due to the surplus of the oil sales but this does not mean it will remain stable forever things might change if there was a decrease in oil prices. The socio- cultural in Oman is defiantly on the change to the better people are moving forward and want the best for themselves and families. We have identified earlier PEST analysis which includes the external environment and it was concluded that the environment was in a favorable condition for the UAE International School to enter the Omani market. However, we must consider the internal environment. These factors are within the control of the organizational members, to do so a Porters Five Forces analysis must be carried out. Porters Five Forces Analysis: Porters five forces model is a framework that describes how an industry grows, behaves and responds to five primary external and internal forces. The Porter 5 forces model is a framework for understanding the underlying structure of an industry or business segment, built around the five primary and dominating competitive forces that affect the short, intermediate and long-term effects of an industrys size, strength, vitality, and profitability. The value of the 5 Forces model and subsequent analyses is to help understand and predict the behavior of the industry, and most importantly, the actions of rival companies. (http://drivedemand.com/logo.html) There are five vital forces which have been introduced by Michael Porter for the analysis, these are: The threat of New Entry: The possibility of new firms entering the industry impacts competition. The threat of Substitution: as those products that are available in other industries that meet an identical or similar need for the end user. Supplier Power: An industry that produces goods requires raw materials. The power of the suppliers to drive up the prices of your input. Buyer Power: The power of buyers describes the impact customers have on an industry. Competitive Rivalry: the strength of competition in the industry. Threat of New Entry: Competition in an industry will be higher if entry into the industry is easy; therefore barriers to entry are there to protect the high levels of profits. Barriers reduce the rate of entry of new firms in order to allow the existing firms to enjoy levels of the profits. Product Differentiation: since there are very little or no product differentiation in the International Schools industry, new entrants may feel that competition will be strong and profits will be hard to earn. Capital Costs: Any normal person will find it hard to come up with the costs required to open an International School, as it is hard to find and buy a land large enough to accommodate such requirement. They would also have to pay suppliers for the initial stock, employees, etc. Capital costs are unbelievable high for this type of industry since initially large amount would be needed to buy land, resources, advertisement, etc. Economic of Scale: this refers to the decline in unit costs of a product or a service that occurs as the absolute volume of production per period of time increases. Economics of scale gives the International School competitive advantage as they can price their fees at a lower price than the others, and a new entrant will find it hard to compete with the low prices. This is because there is no product differentiation so competitors must compete in terms of price. Threat of substitutes: Substitutes are goods or services that satisfy the same customer needs. A threat from substitutes exists if alternative products with lower prices and better value satisfy the same need. In the International School Industry the substitutes will be the competitors. The threats of substitutes are determined by factors such as: Customer Relationship: it is important to build a good relationship with the customers to prevent them from moving on to the substitutes, if a customer were to feel that he/she has a better relationship with a certain school than the others then that customer is more likely to go the particular school than the others. Supplier Power: It is important for The UAE International School to obtain the resources that is needed for them to successfully operate the school, therefore it is crucial for them to have a good relationship with their suppliers. Moreover, for the UAE International School to succeed, they must try to reduce the power of their supplier, because the higher the bargaining power the supplier, the higher will be the price of resources. Buyer Power: Buyer Power is the power of customers to drive down your prices. If we look in the terms of the UAE International School, the buyers would be the customers that come to them and they have great power over the UAE International School, then the school will be forced to lower their selling price. Two factors of buyer power are included as examples, which are: Brand identity: Is how the company wants the consumer to perceive the image of their product. The buyer has a power when it comes to brand identity its because they choose the brand that satisfies them the most. So if the brand in your company does not satisfy consumers then youll either have to lower your prices or lose the consumer. For example, if the UAE International School does not offer branded items to their customers, while Muscat International School offers branded items, then most of the buyers will choose the branded school. Threat of Backward Integration: This is when the buyer changes from buying your product to buying your competitors product even though they are similar. The reasons of this maybe the price or the quality of the product and so on. So in this case the buyer has power over the supplier. For example, if the buyer compares between two international school like Muscat International and Sabis, they may find that the price differs in both schools, where Muscat International School might be cheaper, so the buyers would definitely go for Muscat International School. So the UAE International School will have to consider the competitors price and try to offer lower or the same price or better quality, and they would also have to consider the needs of the buyers and try to reach their satisfaction. Competitive Rivalry: The intensity of the competition between exciting firms in the industry can be analyzed. It is important for the school to know the number of its competitors such as: Azzan Bin Qais Private School, Muscat International School, Sultan Private School, Sabis International School and Sohar International School. Since the products are likely to be the same (homogenous), the UAE International School will have to find a way to offer something different to its competitors. High competition results in prices and margins thus, the profitability of the industry. Product Differentiation: this is when the customers are made to feel that a brand is different from another even though the product is the same and since all products are provided at the International Schools, competition will be high, because all will be competing with the same products for the same crowd of customers. Customer Relationship: it is important to build a good relationship with the customers to prevent them from moving on to the substitutes, if a customer were to feel that he/she has a better relationship with a certain school than the others then that customer is more likely to go the particular school than the others. Looking at this, we can see that three out of the five forces are favorable towards the UAE International School. In brief the internal environment is in good condition for the school to enter. From the analysis it can clearly be see the fast that there is no product differentiation is a major issue to the industry.