80 Interesting Questions to Ask People in Any Situation

80 Interesting Questions to Ask People in Any Situation SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Have you been out at a happy hour with co-workers lately and had to answer the same mundane questions about that project you’re all working on? What about stuck at a dinner at a family reunion, asking your aunt for the tenth time about her college days? Or on a first date, powering through the typical first date questions - â€Å"Where’d you go to college?† â€Å"What do you do for a living?† If you’ve answered yes to any of the above questions, you know how frustrating and boring it can be to ask and answer the same questions over and over again. There’s nothing worse than having a boring, stifling conversation†¦ just as there’s nothing better than truly getting to know someone and learning something unique about them. In this article, I’ll help you revamp your small talk by giving you the 80 most interesting questions to ask people everywhere from a first date to a happy hour with coworkers. The 20 Best Questions to Ask on a First Date Ahh, first dates! Nothing can make or break a first date like conversation. These 20 funny questions to ask people will open up the channels of communication between you and your date and ensure that, however the date goes, it’ll certainly be memorable. Who inspires you? Who do you aspire to be like? Shark diving, bungee jumping, or skydiving? What’s your favorite cheesy pick-up line? Have you ever used it in real life? What’s your favorite Disney movie? What is the weirdest scar you have and how did you get it? Where did you and your best friend meet? Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of? What’s the weirdest Wikipedia rabbit hole you’ve stumbled down? Tell me about the best vacation you’ve ever taken. What’s your favorite physical attribute about yourself? Friday night- would you rather stay in or go out? Do you believe in ghosts? What piece of art (book, music, movie, etc.) most influenced the person you are today? Which would be harder for you to give up: coffee or alcohol? What’s the single best piece of advice you ever received? Who’s your best friend, and what do you love about him or her? What’s the greatest risk you’ve ever taken? If you had 24 hours to do whatever you wanted in this city, what would you do? What do you like about where you work? What hobby have you always wanted to develop? The 20 Best Questions to Ask Friends You've Known Forever We all have those friends we’ve known forever. You know, the ones that you make boxed macaroni and cheese with on Saturday nights for a Netflix binge. Even with those friends that we most love, conversations can get dull and repetitive. Here are some good questions to ask people for spicing up your conversations and getting to know your besties even better. Which house would you belong to in Hogwarts? What emotion do you experience the most? What was your first impression of me? If you were forced to open a bar, what would you name it? Would you rather be stuck in traffic for three hours, or never get Chipotle again? If you and I were to go to jail, what would it be for? If you could learn the date and time of your death, would you? What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done? Have you ever shoplifted? If yes, what did you take? What are the three things you would bring with you to a deserted island? What is one childhood superstition or fear you’ve never told anyone? What secret obsession do you have that I don’t know? If you could do anything for the rest of your life, what would it be? What makes you feel super loved? What do you lie most about? What's the silliest thing that you've ever gotten upset about? If you had to spend $10,000 today, how would you spend it? What’s your favorite viral video? Who’s your least favorite celebrity? If you could re-do one day in your life, what would it be and why? The 20 Best Questions to Get to Know Your Family Better Have you ever taken the time to really get to know your parents? What about your grandparents? Aunts, uncles, cousins? I’m talking beyond their little pet peeves about putting the dishes away or folding your laundry. Consider asking your family members these questions about the next family get together. You’ll be surprised what you might learn. Did you have a nickname when you were growing up? If so, what was it and where did it come from? Where was your first home? Were you named after anyone? What were your earliest memories of your home? What was your favorite bedtime story as a kid? What was your high school experience like? What clothing fads did you love as a kid? Did you like school? Did you and your friends like to hang out anywhere special as a teenager? Do you remember your first date? Describe your wedding ceremony. What was an unusual thing your children did when they were very small? What historical moment stands out most in your memory? What did you find most difficult about growing up? Were your parents strict or lenient? Do you remember your grandparents or great-grandparents? What were they like? Have you ever been in a serious accident? Name a good friend you’ve known the longest. How many years have you been friends? If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? If you had the opportunity to erase the last ___ years of your life and go back to age 18, would you do it? Why or why not? The 20 Best Questions to Ask Your Co-Workers Work. You spend hours there every week. But how well do you really know the people you’re there with every day? Fostering strong relationships with your co-workers is a great way to make your work experience more enjoyable. Try these funny questions to ask people the next time you’re gathered around the water cooler on break. What movie or book character do you most identify with? When are you happiest? What more are you wanting from your career right now? If you were to start a company from scratch, what would be its core values? What stresses you out the most at work? What would a perfect day look like for you? How would you spend a million dollars? If you could choose to remain an age forever, what age would you choose? What’s your favorite sport to watch? What was your most recent Netflix binge? What was the best thing that happened to you last weekend? If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? What’s the one skill you think everyone should have? Do you consider yourself artistic? Who was your most influential schoolteacher and why? What music would you recommend for me to listen to while I work? What would be the title of your autobiography? Do you have a favorite season? What’s the fanciest event you’ve ever been to? If you could go back to one historical event to witness it, what would it be and why? The Bottom Line: Questions to Ask People to Get to Know Them Conversations don’t have to be rote and boring! Use these 80 questions to spice up your next first date or family dinner. Use conversation as a way to better get to know the people in your life†¦and don’t forget to share about yourself, too!

Early History of the Celts essays

Early History of the Celts essays The Ancient Celts were not an illiterate people, but they transferred their knowledge orally. They had an alphabet of twenty letters called Ogham. Each letter was named after a tree from the land where they lived. Ogham was used on standing stones, primarily on graves and boundary markers. The primary sources of information about the Celts are, in that light, the texts written by the Romans who were in touch with them and Christian monks, who lived in Irish monasteries in the Middle Ages. Caesar, Livy and Tacitus, wrote about their contemporaries who lived in a way different than themselves and therefore were considered barbarians, but even though they did not have a positive attitude towards them, they still left some useful information about Celtic society, religion, way of life, and so on. One of the problems that arise from this is that many things in these writings are romanised, e.g. Caesar interprets Celtic gods and calls them by the names of their Roman equivalents: They worship as their divinity, Mercury, in particular, and have many images of him, and regard him as the inventor of all arts, they consider him the guide of their journeys and marches, and believe him to have great influence over the acquisition of gain and mercantile transactions. Next to him they worship Apollo, and Mars, and Jupiter, and Minerva; respecting these deities they have for the most part the same belief as other nations: that Apollo averts diseases, that Minerva imparts the invention of manufactures, that Jupiter possesses the sovereignty of the heavenly powers; that Mars presides over wars. The second type of sources are the books written from 6th - 13th century on by Christian monks in Ireland and Celtic Britain. These books were written several centuries later, so the oral tradition might have changed and much of the information was under Christian influences. The Celts were one of the most significant and pow...

Current Issue Barclays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Current Issue Barclays - Essay Example company has more than 50 branches in different countries of the world including Africa, Asia, and Europe, North America and South America and almost 48 million customers. Barclays is renowned as universal bank and is organized as Corporate and investment banking and wealth management, and Retail and Business Banking. The corporate and Investment banking and wealth management cluster consists of three business units: Barclays Corporate (Commercial Banking), Barclays Investment bank and Barclays Wealth (Wealth Management). The retail and Business Banking cluster comprises four business units: Barclaycard (credit card and loan provision), Barclays Africa, UK Retail Banking and Western Europe Retail Banking. Barclays is the fourth largest bank in UK. Its main competitions are HSBC, RBS and Natwest. The current issues faced by Barclays are competitive market environment, segmentation issue and communication models. Here we will just discuss competition between Barclays and HSBC. HSBC is a London based banking and financial service providing organization. HSBC is not indebted to the British Government. But Barclays has resorted to borrowing. During the year of 2010 HSBC earned a total interest income of 80 billion dollars and a net profit of 14.2 billion dollars (wikinvest.com). There is tough competition between Barclays and HSBC. Since these are the two leading banks in UK so they are trying to achieve the biggest share in the market. Barclays reduce their rates on its Woolwich branded tracker mortgage to attract customers but HSBC in turn decrease to 1.99% discount on products. Both banks are taking further steps and bringing competitive products in the market which resulted in decline in market prices. Barclays has decreased its mortgage rate on its tracker mortgage by 0.45% and HSBC in return launched its amended rates by reviewing (Johnston, Mark 2010). Barclays has now launched new Premier Life Banking Program revive lending and compete for new customers.

Microsoft Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Microsoft Management - Term Paper Example This company has helped to alter the living, working, and recreational behavior of hundreds of millions of public around the world (History link.org, 2000). Additionally, Microsoft entered the operating system (OS) business in 1980 with its own version of UNIX, called Xenix. However, Disk Operating System (DOS) ultimately proved the company's dominant power. After the breakdown of the discussion with Digital Research, IBM granted the contract to Microsoft in November 1980 to provide a version of the CP/M operating system. It was set to be utilized in the upcoming IBM Personal Computer (IBM PC). By December 1982, Microsoft approved DOS to 50 additional manufacturers. Millions of IBM "clones" were being sold, and were powered by MS-DOS. Soon after, in 1983, the Graphical User Interface (GUI), which facilitates representation of computer programs and files through icons and other graphics on the screen of the computer, was launched. The success of MS-DOS led to invention of a new operat ion system OS/2 in 1984 and also release of Microsoft Windows (United States Securities And Exchange Commission, 2011). Subsequently, Microsoft introduced its Office collection, ‘Microsoft Office’, in 1990. The software bundled distinct office use applications, such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. As the early versions of Windows were unsuccessful, so Windows 3.0 was launched with an efficient graphics user interface and superior ‘protected mode capability’ for the Intel processor. This idea made both MS Office and MS Windows foremost in their respective areas. The company also diverted into software applications, by creation of certain programs that allow computers to perform specific tasks, such as word processing and spreadsheets. It also began producing Compact Disk--Read Only Memory (CD-ROMs) (United States Securities And Exchange Commission, 2011). In the year 1995, Microsoft redefined its assistance and extended its products into ‘networ king’ along with the ‘World Wide Web’ and also with ‘Windows 95’. Windows 95 was an entirely innovative user interface with a narrative start button. It also provided 32-bit compatibility as well as the MSN, an online service, and Internet Explorer for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), a web browser. In 1998, Microsoft enjoyed its monopoly in the field of operating systems. Moreover, by 2001, Microsoft established Windows XP. It became very successful and also acquired a reputed position in the market. In 2004, new version of Windows XP was developed and later in 2007, Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 came into existence (History link.org, 2000). Thus, it can be stated that Microsoft, with its immense inventions marked its path as an industrial giant. Empowerment Human Resource Management (HRM) includes the administration of people in an organization in order to form a collective relationship between management and employees. This appro ach focuses on the proper functioning of the organization. Human resource management includes various processes such as work force planning, training and development, empowerment and employee appraisal among others (Mathis & Jackson, 2010). Empowerment is a part

Communication with difficult people Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communication with difficult people - Essay Example and harmony in the working relationship, it is important that the interpersonal problems, that give rise to conflicting situation at the workplace, be resolved be done at the earliest. The conflicts in workplace must be resolved early because if left long to fester, the situation can become explosive and critical for the organization and adversely affect the performance outcome. I have had a major interpersonal problem with one of my colleagues. I was a teacher and he was looking after the laboratory. For the practical sessions, I needed his help in preparing chemical solutions with specified concentration so that the children could experiment successfully. I was quite perplexed when I found that the experiment was always successfully concluded when I made the chemical solution but failed when the solution was made by the said colleague! When I discussed the problem with the colleague, he not only refused to thrash out the matter but became aggressive and accused me of harassment. Later, it was found that other colleagues were also facing the same problem with him. Taking matters to the principal just resulted in worsening the relationship with the person. To keep peace, I stopped taking the help of the said lab technician but realized that the problem with the colleague needed to be resolved early for long term better relations. The workplace problems are basically external in nature and may arise due to differences in personal and work ideologies among the workers. For effective communication it was important to identify the situations and issues that are seemingly created by others and which threaten personal and professional goals and desires of a person. Noted authors Hitt et al have asserted that conflicts and workplace problems can usually be contributed to four major factors: lack of understanding; different assessment; self interest and envy; and low tolerance (Hitt el al, 2005). The various aspects of the interactive elements of the organization, work

Merger of Cadburys and Kraft | HR Analysis

Merger of Cadburys and Kraft | HR Analysis Cadbury being one of the top lead and almost 200 years old confectionery company having chocolate, gum and candy brands in the portfolio , with a power of making brands like Cadbury, Trident and Halls, that people love. John Cadbury, in 1824 started cocoa and chocolate selling shop in Birmingham. Since then the business kept expanding over time around the world, and today operates in more than 60 countries, with over 35000 direct and indirect suppliers and having more than 45000 employees Cadburys HR department Cadbury operates in more than 60 countries all around the world. Each of the factories has its own HR department that deal with the demand of the workers of the region according to their local situations and demands. Like all other HR departments, it deals with the efficient and effective utilization of resources available. The HR department actively takes care of the following: Recruitment of new staff that must have good skill level or past experience of working at factories of similar kind. Provision of training to new and existing staff so that they are fully equipped with knowledge of any new equipment or procedure brought in and will be able to use it efficiently. Helping the existing workers with problems that they may have at work place. The problems that Cadburys HR department is most likely to face are: Potential employees have in adequate skill or knowledge creating a skill gap. Other factories create competition among staff and creating a deficiency of new staff. Increase in staff turnover in different situation affect production GUEST MODEL: Through statistics and evidences we can easily identify the active management at Cadbury that not only seek betterment of its business but continuously strives for development for the people it holds and for the people that looks forward in joining hands with the company. In this way the Guest model fits in the best with the companys strategies and outcomes. The Cadburys powerful organizational policies can be understood by any good marketer through the managerial decision it takes in the market all over the world. The utmost emphasis on human resource development has helped Cadbury to gain the loyalty of its employees. The employees that are working with the company have created a good will of the company in market such a way that new graduates seek opportunity to work with the company. (Cadbury) The proactive approach of providing equal opportunities to the workers for their development and encouragement packages that the existing employees are enjoying helped to maximum decrease in the turnover and absenteeism percentage. The flexibility employees get during their tenure help them enjoy their work. The organizations communication system is well operated. The management gives a platform to its employees and not only that, they assure the employees that they have a devoted audience that will welcome whatever they place upon that platform. This strategy has helped tremendously that it has not only reduced the grievance level but have also again helped in the reducing the absences. Thus, all the statistics, feedback of employees and consumers and the well known companys market reputation indicates the companys conformance best with the Guest Model. KRAFT: ABOUT KRAFT: A US manufacturer, Kraft, being the second largest food company with approximately $ 50 billions revenue, doing business in more than 160 countries. A company that grew out of cheese whole sale and delivery business started in Chicago in 1903 by James L. Kraft. It later on incorporated as Kraft Bros, Co. in 1909. It acquired Philip Morris Cos in 1988 and later on renamed it as Altira Group Inc., in 2003. THE CULTURE: At Kraft, being open and inclusive a simple concept to follow that has became a part of their core company value in action and that guides their behavior. Being open and inclusive is critical to creating a delicious work experience for our employees and business partners. And its the foundation of our strategy to build a high-performing culture. (Krafts management) Their business style: Two words open and inclusive has become the core code of all the business Kraft do everyday, from training and development programs to the accountability in leadership objectives. THE HR PERSPECTIVE: The Kraft believe in attaining heights through their diverse workforce is one of the modern day technique. Krafts Human resource approach revolves around the same perspective. The management claimed to be providing equal opportunities and rights to different races and color people working at Kraft. At Kraft, following key points are emphasized and are followed religiously: Provision of training for every employee to value the diversity creating a sustainable culture of welcoming differences and values. Their diversity-focused council aligns objectives with the business strategies in order to enhance the impact. HARVARD MODEL: Kraft Foods Company fits in with the Harvard model for HRM. The reviews, feedbacks and statistics indicated that the company emphasis on the company as a whole with respect to its employees. The Kraft management is working with the situations of the worlds market in formulation of policies and making organization wide decision. It works in interest of all the members i.e. stakeholders, of the company. Although the model is weaker than the others and has a fair vulnerability to Unitarianism but it is a much more appropriate model of reference. The decisions the company have made over time had given us the idea that the company works in between constraints and choices that made the company a successful and still growing one. The influence of company itself on the unique contribution within the environmental and organizational parameters not only depicts the management as the real actor but also confirms its conformity with the model. The hr perspective also indicates the active HRM the company has that gives the 4 C outcome that is obvious enough through the employees feedbacks that have been reviewed. In the last the model gives three types of long term consequences i.e. individual based, organization based and societal level. At individual (employee) level, the psychological rewards a worker receives in exchange for efforts. At organizational level, increased effectiveness that ensures the survival and growth of organization. These two levels in turn, enable the societal level as; these two levels make its possible for fully utilization of human resource available and thus, societal goals like employment and growth are easily attained. STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: CADBURY: Strategic human resource management aims at the improvement of the way human resources are managed strategically within organizations, with the definitive goal of improving organizational performance, as judged by its impact on the organizations declared corporate strategy, the customer or shareholders. It is a philosophy of people management based on the belief that human resources are uniquely important to sustain the success of a business. It can also be defined as the process of linking the human resource functions with the strategic objectives of the organization in order to improve performance. Strategic human resource management involves the linking of HRM with the strategic goals and objectives of the organization in order to achieve a progressive business performance and achieve an organizational structure that promotes innovation and flexibility. Strategic HRM according to text published in 2004 has emerged as a major approach to improving the competitive advantage of the firm. The strategic management is concerned with policy decisions effecting the entire organization, overall objective being to position the organization to deal effectively with its environment. Strategic HRM aims to provide a sense of direction in an often turbulent environment so that organizational and business needs can be translated into coherent and practical policies and programs. It provides competitive advantage over the others. (Malik, 2009) The goals and objectives of HRM are aligned with the strategic objectives and plans of the organization. The case referred presents a clear picture of an organization that works with clear business objectives i.e. to deliver shareholder performance. The company works with the aim at dividends. The company policy works with the vision that the people it holds are the most important asset that not only works for the company but also integral in achieving the desired goals. Through different papers and journals we saw that the management is managing its human resources in a contingent manner. Thus, we can say that they are following the contingency approach.ÂÂ   Many advocates of the contingency theory of SHRM a company can only be effective if its policies and strategies align with the other key factors and strategies of the firm. According to journal HR must be closely integrated into the planning process of a firm. They also believed that a firm can achieve success if it is able to develop HR policies and practices that complement and support other HR policies and practices and other elements of the organizations strategic plan. (TME) Thus it is evident enough in the case that Cadbury considers its people as a source of competitive advantage and believes that they work as the main contributors to the companys success. The company also seeks and welcomes changes. The goals and objectives are clear and in order to achieve the goals and set objectives it must be aligned with the efforts of its people. The only way to observe such a trend is through Strategic Human Resource. As the company requires active and effective communication with its human resource and it plays the most important role in the companys approach, and in conveying all the policies, plans and strategies so that people at work can synchronize their efforts. The mere fact that Cadbury Schweppes has an HR director on the main board and that HR is represented at every regional business unit make it obvious that the company recognizes the strategic importance of human resources and takes HR issues and concerns seriously. (Cadbury) Cadbury is a resource based company. The company core competencies make it a resource based company. Cadburys unique strategies and policy, the working conditions and the development opportunities it provides to its employees that in turn becomes the key asset or its edge over its competitors. (TME) KRAFT: Kraft unique style of providing training and development opportunities at all level and point of time during an employees tenure makes it a best fit, best practice based company. Through analysis we can see that all the employees from top to bottom have a particular thing to be on that position. The core strategies that are followed at Kraft begin with the aim of building a high-performing organization (Kraft Foods). The provision of best fit entitles an employee for his reward in terms of promotion or training or even other means of rewards and appraisals. It also provides the top management the opportunity of enjoying a decentralized decision making power. The best fit eventually leads to best practice where a good healthy employee who is psychologically satisfied through rewards and encouragements strives to work for better tomorrow. All these practices are observed in Krafts foods operations making it Best Fit, Best Practice based company. LITERATURE REVIEWS: Kraft wins BBC Big Challenge Award for Gloucestershire (Kraft Foods, 2006) Kraft Foods today announced that it has won the BBC Big Challenge Health Works Award for Healthiest Large Employer in the BBC Radio Gloucestershire area. This award is presented to employers who have made health in the workplace one of their top priorities in 2005 and beyond. Kraft won the award for its commitment to creating a working environment that encourages and supports employees in their efforts to lead a balanced, active and healthy lifestyle. Since its launch in July 2004, Krafts employee wellbeing programme has offered advice on living a healthy lifestyle, supported activities that promote wellbeing such as pilates and yoga, provided healthy options in its staff restaurants, and offered all employees the opportunity to obtain periodical health checks through the companys occupational health team. The programme also demonstrates Krafts commitment to being a global leader in Health and Wellness, and its vision to Help people around the world to eat and live better. Christine Harrop, Occupational Health Sister at Kraft Foods won the BBC Big Challenge Unsung Hero Award for Gloucestershire an award presented to employees who have done something to inspire and encourage their colleagues to lead healthier and fitter lives. Christine won the award for her commitment to the health and wellbeing of Kraft employees, and her role over the past 18 years in participating and encouraging Kraft employees to take part in the annual London to Brighton Bike Ride. Christine regularly manages to recruit up to 60 employees to participate in the initiative and has raised thousands of pounds for the events chosen charity, the British Heart Foundation. Commenting on the two awards, Jim Beaty, HR Director stated Its a terrific achievement and recognition for the efforts of all employees who have contributed to the success of the employee wellbeing programme. Kraft Foods Names May to Global Human Resources Post. (Busniess Wire, 2005) NORTHFIELD, Ill. Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE:KFT), a global leader in branded foods and beverages, announced today that Karen May, 47, is joining the company in October as Executive Vice President, Global Human Resources. May will provide leadership for all of Krafts human resources disciplines, including benefits, compensation, diversity, facilities management, labor and employee relations, human resources strategy, safety and security, and talent management. She will report to Roger Deromedi, Chief Executive Officer of Kraft Foods, and join the Kraft Executive Team. May replaces Terry Faulk, who is retiring after more than 38 years with the company. She will work closely with Faulk to ensure a smooth transition, prior to his retirement at the end of the year. We will truly miss Terrys vast experience and sound judgment, said Deromedi. I want to thank him for his many significant contributions to Kraft throughout his long and distinguished career, and wish him and his family the very best in his retirement. Karens broad range of experiences and thorough understanding of the Human Resources function will serve her well in this role, Deromedi noted. Im confident that shell play a key role in driving Krafts transformation to a more consumer-focused, innovative and nimble company in the years ahead. May joins Kraft from Baxter International, Inc., where she has been Corporate Vice President of Human Resources since 2001. She joined Baxter in 1990 as Director of Corporate Audit and held several positions of increasing responsibility, including Vice President of Corporate Audit and Vice President of International Finance. In 1998, she became Vice President of Global Talent Planning and Staffing at Baxter and, prior to her most recent assignment, was named Vice President of Human Resources in 2000. May began her career in finance, with PricewaterhouseCoopers. She has a BS in accountancy from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Kraft Foods markets many of the worlds leading food brands, including Kraft cheese, Maxwell House and Jacobs coffees, Nabisco cookies and crackers, Philadelphia cream cheese, Oscar Mayer meats, Post cereals and Milka chocolates, in more than 155 countries. CONCLUSION: After all the research it can be concluded being key players of same consumer good category companies, and apart from the merger or acquisition, both the companies have their own unique set of competitive advantage over each other. Challenges in Highway Construction | Research Proposal Challenges in Highway Construction | Research Proposal Dissertation Proposal Challenges in Highway Road Construction in Nigeria. Research Questions: Why is there a high number of highway roads in poor conditions especially in the eastern part of the country? Why is there abandoned highway roads across Nigeria despite huge investments in highway construction? Why this there a poor maintenance culture of roads across the country? Hence, this proposed dissertation would aim to address this gap in knowledge by challenges facing the highway road construction, focusing more on the supervision of highway roads of indigenous construction companies. AIM To review and identify the challenges facing the construction of highway roads in Nigeria and to provide relevant recommendations for minimising these problems. The objectives of this research proposal are: To clearly identify the challenges facing highway construction in Nigeria through literature review. To conduct a questionnaire survey and interview of professional bodies and engineers and obtain their perceptions on highway construction challenges in Nigeria (particularly professionals with 30years and over of experience). Analysis of the survey data. To recommend possible changes in the supervision of highway construction in Nigeria. Background Introduction Nigeria is the largest country in Africa in terms of size and population of 174 million with landmass of 923,768 sq. km with diverse ethnic and cultures. It has 36 states with the Federal capital at Abuja with commercial states at Kano, Lagos, and Port Harcourt representing the northern, southern and eastern parts of the country. The Construction industry contributes about 7% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in Nigeria annually and the GDP per capital was about $2,800 in 2013 and is made up of small, medium and large scale companies. It is dominated by foreign companies controlling about 95% of the construction works across the country with top construction companies namely Julius Berger, Dantana Sowoe, Borini Prono, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, etc. OVERVIEW OF HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION IN NIGERIA Nigeria has the largest road network in West Africa with a total of over 193,000km length which is generally funded and managed by government. Road transportation is the major means of movement in Nigeria and it accounts for about 90% of movement of goods and services (Akpogomeh, 2002). In terms of scale and value, the transport infrastructure sector is dominated by the roads and bridges which make up about 17.2% of the total construction industry in 2014. However less than 20% of the road network is paved. With the government’s commitment to development, large investments in highway roads has been awarded across the country and the sector is expected to grow. The road network in the South and eastern part of the country are denser than the other parts owing to the high population densities in the areas (Ubogu et al, 2011). For example, the population in Lagos is about 6 million which was the former capital state and is the commercial and production part of the country and hence the volume of usage of the highway roads to and fro Lagos is quite high. The total highway roads are separately owned with the responsibility for construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation.The Federal roads are about 17%, State owned roads 16%, rural and Local Government Areas (LGAs) about 67%. The funding of the construction of the highway roads comes from the allocation of budget and also revenues from excess crude oil sales. Also, some states generate funds through private partnering which is used in Lagos States. However, only about 27% of Federal roads are reported to be in good condition, of which a major cause is likely to be the instability of the country during the military regime, which later became civilian rule since 1999. Annual loss to the economy is estimated in the region of N175b (N75b due to reduction in asset value; N88b due to increased vehicle operating cost; N12b due to increased turn around and increased travel time). Due to the high cost of construction of highway roads especially in the southern part of the country characterized with poor soils, high cost of labour, the Federal government relies heavily on international aid especially from China and the World Bank. With the World Bank, funding erosion projects across the country worth over $500 million. In October 2012, in the Northern part, Kaduna State approved $176million for 31 rural and township roads, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreed a loan of $170million for roads as part of the Nigeria Agriculture Transformation Agenda (NATA), which targets rural development. Also, a 128km road contract in Zamafara state worth $43.47million was awarded in 2013. Over in western part of Nigeria November 2012, in one of the biggest road developments, Ogun state awarded four companies a share of $568million for road contracts. Borini Prono, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Hi Tech and PW Construction will complete eight new roads by 2014, with a second phase of construction worth over $250 million. Also, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is one of the major road projects under development. The Infrastructure Bank Plc. is to raise NGN117bn for the reconstruction of the 127km road. Over in the Middle part of Nigeria, Delta where the country gets its crude oil from, a road construction contract worth $1.07 billion has been awarded to China Railway Construction in Nigeria. The Ministry of Delta Affairs of Nigeria awarded the package of works for Section V of the A121 East-West highway to China Civil Engineering Construction, a division of China Railway Construction with a 5 years duration to connect the main North-South highways. ITS route runs from the A1 highway at Shagamu in Ogun State to the A2 highway at Benin City in Edo State. More recently, in 2014, the governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of which Nigeria is strong member approved a $50million six dual lane road projects to link Lagos, Abidjan and Dakar together cutting across Benin, Togo and Ghana. Also, the African Development Bank is expected to provide $16million for the construction and rehabilitation of roads across Africa linking the major cities. In general, the present condition of the Nigerian roads require urgent attention, in terms of rehabilitation and had a negative effect on the cost of production, lengthy travel time and standard of living ((Ubogu et al, 2011). For example, travelling from Benin to Lagos normally should take 5hours, but due to the bad road, the journey takes 8hours. Table 1.0 showing highway construction projects, value in US dollars, capacity, contractors and status. Project Name Value(US$) Capacity/length Companies Status Benin-Sagamu Highway 156 9.93km NA Under construction from 2013 Edepie-Tombia road Reconstruction 63 13km Shell Petroleum Development Company Under construction Niger Delta East- West Highway 2,175.69 338km Setraco Limited Under construction from 2013 Akwa Ibom State roads reconstruction 726 266km NA Planning stage Six lane Rig road in Niger Delta Port Harcourt 1,000 125km Africa Finance Corporation, China Harbor Eng. Company Contract awarded in 2008 East-West Road Project 2,276.3 338km Setraco Nigeria Ltd, Reynolds Construction Company Ltd, Gitto Costruzioni General Nigeria Ltd. Under construction since 2012. 51% of work completed. Ibadan-Ilorin highway upgrade 292 52km Shikin Binui Housing and Construction Under construction awarded 2010 and includes new dual carriage with interchanging bridges. Lagos- Ibadan Expressway 1054 127.6km Julius Berger, Reynolds Construction Company Ltd. Awarded 2013. Concession awarded to Bi-Courtney Highway Services ltd and was terminated and granted to Messrs Julius Berger Plc, Reynolds Construction Company. Gbongan Akoda Omoluuabi Motorway widening 185.8 30km RATON construction Nigeria Awarded May 2013 Magami-Dangulbi Dankurmi, Sabon Birni, Bagega Anka road 94.91 128km Bonny Prono Awarded Nov. 2012 Charanchi Ganuwa-Rawayau road 8.18 17km Mothercat Under construction from Oct 2013 Kaduna roads 178.1 NA NA Project Finance Closure(Funding Approved) NA-Not Available Source- Nigeria Infrastructure Report 2014 (BMI key Projects Database) SUPERVISION IN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION IN NIGERIA In Nigeria, supervision of highway construction is done by consultant engineers and middle level supervisors with few highway field experience, for example in the construction of say 10km rehabilitation in rural areas. A major factor affect supervision of highway projects is low knowledge of highway design and construction, understanding and interpretation of drawings, which is impossible to supervise what ones does not have knowledge of. Some processes in highway construction requires proper supervising such as the road alignment, soil tests, laying of asphalts or macadam as the case maybe. Also, the supervision should involve checking of quality of the material used for construction such as sand, laterite in accordance with the specifications in the highway drawings. In the awarding of highway roads contracts, the construction and supervision are awarded separately with competitive biddings. For example, Julius Berger, a foreign based company which specializes in highway construction which major works in Abuja city capital. The major issue is that for some construction works supervision contracts are awarded based on connection instead of actual knowledge of the supervision and hence there are no checks. But in general, most of the construction of highway roads by the foreign companies have stood the test of time. The case is not the same for home based construction companies who have limited resources and technical knowledge are awarded huge highway road contracts, with home based consultants supervising. Another issue is that the bill of the consultants supervising the construction is often times added to the entire contract and hence responsibility rests in the hands of the contractors and hence the consultants are often times forced to cut corners and save costs such as not putting a resident engineer to supervise daily and give reports. LOW KNOWLEDGE BASE. A major problem facing the highway construction is the lack of knowledge passage from the old and experienced engineers to the young, inexperienced engineers. Often times, due to the lack of availability of supervision works, most consulting firms do not employ and train engineers, engaging them in design and interpretation of drawings on site. Often times, when consulting firms get work, they employ contract based engineers to supervision leaving a huge gap of knowledge passage to the younger engineers and hence in Nigeria, most graduate Engineers have little or no construction experience. Also there is a lack of modern method of road construction especially the home based construction companies and hence many highway projects, such as highways and bridges, do not meet cost and time performance requirements. There is a poor maintenance culture of highway roads across the country and with the huge investments in highway construction, the average Nigerian lacks maintenance culture. In some cities across the country, some of the highways are constructed without the side drains and in some other cases only one side of the drains are constructed, which later causes failure of the roads. Also, litters can be seen in some of the highway roads especially in the eastern and western parts of the country which is a very serious issue which should be addressed. In the rural areas, most of the side drains are completely blocked especially in the eastern part which is prone to erosions. Another major issue within the highway construction in Nigeria is the failure of the Federal Government in paying contractors. For example, in the reconstruction of the 125km Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which was re-awarded to Julius Berger and R.C.C in which the construction is due to start due lack of payment by the government which is one of the reasons for abandoned highway projects across the country. Nigeria still uses the traditional contracting approach in which procurement is done through advertisement and bid processes has failed in performance in both the quality of construction and the management of the highways, in many developed countries adopting performance-based contract in road construction and maintenance. The Federal Ministry of Works which has branches across the 36 states with head office in Abuja the capital is responsible for all the federal highways construction which involves planning, design, construction, and rehabilitation. It is responsible for awarding for major highway contracts across the country. It also supervises and monitors construction and maintenance of the federal roads. In terms of quality, the choice of materials used, methodology and supervision are key in improving the quality and life span roads. In this regard, (Arumala 1987; and Akpododje 1986) investigated how the design standards, poor supervision and the failure of highways and found little or no evidence supporting it. Also, studies on road failure caused by use of sub-standard materials and knowledge on the geotechnical properties of the soils in which the roads are built (Ibrahim 1980; and Ola 1978). For example, the cost of road construction in the south and eastern part of the country is higher than that in the northern part mainly on the bad conditions of the soil, high cost of labour and availability of construction materials. The British code of Highway practice (BS codes) are still used in Nigeria for both in highway construction and buildings as it was a former colony of the Britain and currently a member of the Common Wealth. The Federal ministry also supervises the activities of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) which is responsible for carryout maintenance works on the federal and state highways across the country. Research Method My proposed research method would be a qualitative research (questionnaire and interview survey). Interview survey for consultant engineers who have over 30 years’ experience in highway construction and questionnaire survey for contractors in highway construction in Nigeria. The reason being that the research requires an in depth perspective and in terms of numbers there are few engineers with over 30 years’ experience I can meet. The structure of the interview would be semi structured to allow for flexibility for 3 consultant engineers home based medium scale firms. Possible Problems Potential Solutions Possible limitations to my proposed study is the firstly the time management and a timetable has been drafted as shown below. Also the responsiveness of the interview survey could be challenging finding professional engineers and consultants with over 30 years’ experience. The research limited to home based construction companies and professionals. Conclusion Hopefully, at the end of research work, solutions could be recommended in the highway construction industry in Nigeria especially in the supervision area which would help in future planning of projects. References Alaba Adetola, et.al (2011) A critical appraisal of road transport infrastructure management in Nigeria International council for research and innovation CIB, pp.77-95. Abdulkareem, Y. and Adeoti, K. (2003), Road maintenance and National Development available at unilorin.edu.ng Adams, O. (1995) Indigenous Contractors’ Perceptions of the constraints on Contractors Performance and Development Programmes required in Nigeria. Habitat International, 19(4), pp.599-613. Adetola, A. (2011) A critical appraisal of road transport infrastructure management in Nigeria. International council for research and innovation CIB, pp.77-95. Aibinu, A. and Jagboro, G. (2002) The effects of Construction Industry, international Journal of Project Management. 20(8), pp.593-599. Nigerian Infrastructure report, 2013; 2014. (2014). A.E Okezie (2013) A case for Performance based road maintenance in Nigeria available at www.nseph.org Odeh, A. and Battaineh, H. (2002) Causes of construction delays: traditional contracts. International Journals of Project Management, 20, pp.67-73. Okigbo, N. (2012) Causes of Highway failures in Nigeria. International Journal for Engineering Science and Technology, 4(11).

Medical law and ethics Essay

According to Fremgen (2012), every state has a statue or regulation that necessitates that all health care professionals and physicians report all cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) to the department of health local or state level. This would allow Dr. K to meet his obligation in reporting the communicable disease. In some states it is also legal to inform a spouse, needle sharing partner, or other party that may be at risk of contracting the disease (Fremgen, 2012). In this case Dr. K could reach out to Brian’s partners without him depending on the state they are currently located. Dr. K could also use this as leverage to get Brian to come back in and speak about his current medical condition. This could help get Brian back into the office to talk about a treatment plan, plan to inform his sexual partner’s, and how Brian plans to cope with this new development in his life. Brian will need information on support groups and coping. If this strategy doesn’t work then maybe Dr. K can continue to reach out through email, mail, and weekly phone calls. He could also send information on local support groups in hopes that Brian would seek out help and support from a local support chapter and eventually come back and speak to me when the initial shock has worn off.

Bsa 375 Week 2 Individual Paper Essay

IT Solutions: Proposal for New HR System By University of Phoenix BSA/375 09/02/2013 Proposal for New Human Resource System In our quest to ever better ourselves the IT department, of Riordan Manufacturing, is submitting this Request for Proposal to integrate a more sophisticated, state-of-the art, information systems technology in our Human Resources department. Riordan Manufacturing has always strived to better ourselves by keeping up with technology in all of our operating systems and our manufacturing systems. Our goal is to remain at the forefront of the manufacturing community as we keep leading the way in all of our business systems and, at the same time, keeping the feel of a customer friendly company. We want to make sure that our customers can feel safe in the knowledge that we will do what is necessary to fulfill their business needs. As of now, our Human Resource, (HR), Operating System, (OS), has fallen short of this goal. Please understand that the system that is in place, while it has the ability to complete the task at hand is not sufficient enough for our growing organization. Right now, we are running many separate applications to process all of the HR system requirements. This process is not only time consuming, but is not a cost efficient solution that this company is looking for. If we want to accomplish our goal we need to combine all the old HR systems into a single integrated application. The IT department is looking to complete this project in approximately six (6) months, so the new system can be utilized in the second quarter of next year. We want to have a prototype system available for testing in approximately two (2) months before final system deployment, for training and technical support purposes. Our goal is to have all training and any problems fixed one (1) month before start up. This way we will have time to apply any necessary changes to the system. The new HR system will have many applications that can be used across most of our other business systems from Marketing and Sales to Inventory and  Warehousing. We are hoping for companywide training to be completed within four (4) months of startup, making the new system available for all departments before the end of the third (3rd) quarter. Below are some requirements that will need to be accomplished so that the process of integrating the new HR system will go smoothly. Access the Stakeholders Involved in System Startup The first step in setting up the new Human Resource Application, (HRA), is to gather information about the system requirements and user needs from everyone that will be involved in the startup and rollout of the new system. The process of gathering information from involved stakeholders can be a tedious process if the wrong techniques are used. So, to expedite this in an orderly and timely manner we will be passing out questioners to all members of the Human Resource Department and to all Department heads. Using Questioners will help the IT department get an idea of what requirements are expected from the new system. It is not cost efficient to talk to each employee so, it would be very beneficial for all that every questioner is filled out in a timely manner. We will be emailed to each employee on Monday September 9th, 2013 and would like a response no later than Thursday September 12th, 2013, (for processing purposes). Questioners will also be available on the Employee Web Site under HR applications. Another technique of gathering the needed information will be to conduct group meetings with the HR department executives and managers. The IT department will be holding Joint Application Development, (JAD), sessions starting Monday September 16th, 2013. These sessions are managed processes that the IT department uses to gather information in an efficient, cohesive manner. We want to use team involvement so that we can gain a firm understanding of what you, the client, will want out of the new HR system. The JAD session will help all of us jointly develop the new system. Ensuring Successful Gathering of Project Information We, in the IT department, want to make sure that every system requirement that maybe be asked for will be deployed at the time of the system prototype introduction. To insure that this goal is accomplished we must gather correct, concise and relevant information from each of you, the stakeholders  involved in the system development. Gathering good information will help us develop the system molded to what you want. We understand that the information gathering process can be a daunting task, but with your help we can make this as painless as possible. Remember, without your input on this project the IT department cannot rollout a system that will be an effective tool for Human Resources and the rest of Riordan Manufacturing. The ability to gather good information is the most important process in all parts of every System Development Life Cycle, (SDLC), and with everyone’s support in this process the system rollout will go smoothly. Developing the Project Scope and Project Fea sibility Riordan Manufacturing wants all projects that go into development to be successful. If we want the new Human Resource system to be successful we will need to institute a project scope system. Even with the feedback and involvement of each stakeholder and the success of other projects delivered from the IT department there is a chance that this new system can still fail. At any given time there will be necessary changes to the project. These changes can have a negative effect, but our goal is to remain focused on the system requirements. We want to delivers the new system on time and under budget with the required functions that are expected. Our plan is to set up a system to manage key aspects of the new systems development: * Project Size – Understand how large this project will be * Project Goals – Make sure goals are set and achievable * Project Requirements – All system requirements are carried out To deliver a finished project that meets the goals above our Project Scope will need to follow a these five (5) steps: * Project Initiation – evaluate the need of the new system and deliver appropriate solutions. * Scope Planning – Create a feasible Work Breakdown Structure, (WBS) that charts all the work that will be done on this project. * Scope Definition – Working with you, the end user, expand in detail the work breakdown the will be needed. * Scope Verification – Timely scheduled work assessment and acceptability checks by the end user and the IT department during the SDLC of the new application. * Scope Change Control – Put a formal system in place to control any system changes that will take place. This will  limit Scope Creep, (Unauthorized access to changes to the system). As you can see, applying proper scope management will be crucial in the development of the new Human Resource system. Conclusion To stay as one of the leaders in manufacturing we must keep trying to evolve. While we at Riordan Manufacturing have strived to be the best in the industry there are occasions when we must look into ourselves and see what changes are needed so that we can remain an innovator in manufacturing techniques while still being a customer friendly organization. The current Human Resource system has fallen behind and is keeping us from maintaining all that we have set out to accomplish. Integrating a more sophisticated, state-of-the art, information system in our Human Resource department will accomplish more than just the above goal. It will streamline our business applications into an easy to use easily accessible system that will be cost efficient with little maintenance. This is what we have always strived to accomplish and this new system will keep us on track. With proper planning, creating a good project scope, gathering good, reliable and relevant information and with your constant in volvement throughout the SDLC of the new HR system we will be guaranteed of a successful project completion and rollout. Thank You. IT System Manager 09/01/2013 References Wich, Darren. 2009. â€Å"Project Scope Management† IS 6840. Online http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/6840_f09_papers/Wich/scopemanagement.html Heldman, Kim. PMP, April 14th, 2009. â€Å"The Importance of the Project Scope Statement†. Lakewood, Colorado. Online. http://pm.97things.oreilly.com/wiki/index.php/The_Importance_of_the_Project_Scope_Statement Blankenburg, Joanne. September 9th, 2012 â€Å"Use Joint Application Design (JAD)

American Laws Protecting Companies from Cyber Crime

American Laws Protecting Companies from Cyber Crime The US federal government considers cyber crime as one of the most critical threats to its security alongside terrorism (Cowley, 2012). In fact, the government considers cyber attacks a threat to the national security, which has prompted enactment of a number of laws.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on American Laws Protecting Companies from Cyber Crime specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since 1985, America has established several statutes with an aim of protecting the federal and state governments, organizations and the public from effects of internal and external cyber attacks (Cowley, 2012). Companies are required to comply with certain laws in order to ensure that their computer and communications systems do not provide cyber criminals with an easy target to execute their crimes. Although there is no single law that describes the specific way in which corporations should implement cyber security measures, a n umber of legislations seek to protect both the government and corporations from cyber crime. The purpose of this paper is to discuss legislations relevant to protecting corporations from cyber attacks, with a special reference to an organization dealing with management of equity fixed income property and allocation of asset funds. In October 2012, the American government issued a warning to organizations that the country might experience a possibility of what it calls ‘cyber-Pearl Harbor’ (Cowley, 2012). It warns that foreign computer hackers are likely to let loose chaos on America’s transportation system, information systems, power grid and financial networks. However, it considers a cyber havoc as the most probable and dangerous effect because most organizations do not have sophisticated measures to protect their intellectual property from cyber attacks. Case study: Legislations protect a hypothetical equity and assets firm from cyber crime The federal compute r Fraud and Abuse act 1984 is the first statute in the United States of America to protect intellectual property from theft and other forms of cyber crime. The statute was originally enacted with an aim of prosecuting hackers and those attempting to hack or attack computers and information systems in financial organizations or institutions of the federal government. Both organizations and the public sector have used this act to prosecute people who hack into their information systems. However, there are disagreements in courts over the use of the statute, which implies that the legislation is not effective for the financial institution in question to protect its intellectual property from cyber attacks (Cowley, 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on administrative law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Being a financial institution dealing with figures and facts as its main item of trade, the company under dis cussion is likely to apply the Economic Espionage Act to prosecute people who attempt to hack into its information system or pose a threat to its intellectual property. This statute states that any acts of theft, intentional receipt of trade secrets and authorized copying of information or data is a crime that punishable under the law. It aims at criminalizing theft of trade secret, which protects governments, agents and financial organizations (Fischer, 2012). The Digital Millennium Copyright Act is a statute in the United States of America that seeks to protect the government and organizations from cyber attack by prosecuting IP theft. The statute considers theft of computer and computer systems’ identity as a crime. It seeks to protect organizations from people who fraud them of their intellectual property by illegally stealing the identity of their computers, internet servicers and other parts of the information system. By enacting the Wiretap Act, the federal government of the US aims at protecting privacy in communications between people in and out of organizations. The act criminalizes and seeks to prosecute people and organizations that attempt to involve in certain acts such as intentional or purposeful disclosure, intercept or use the contents of any wire, electronic or oral communication use a device (Cowley, 2012). The term device includes such objects as the computer, the internet, telephone, radio and other items of electronic communication. In addition, the act provides civil and criminal penalties for people who violate these regulations. However, it has a number of exceptions to when the violations are legal. Electronic Communications Privacy Act considers all writings, images, data, sound, transfer signals and intelligence that are transmitted through wire, electromagnetic, radio, photooptical or phoelectronic means as a property that needs protection. The statute sets down a number of requirements for arrests and search warrants. Stor ed Communications Act is the second title of the statute that seeks to protect communications held or on transit in electronic devices and channels such as the internet and computers (Fischer, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on American Laws Protecting Companies from Cyber Crime specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 is a federal statute in the United States of America that seeks to protect companies and public institutions from unauthorized access of government or corporation electronic communications. In fact, this statute is an extension of the omnibus crime control and safe act of 1986 (Tunstall, 2011). With respect to the above statutes, the company is obliged to comply with reporting regulations after it suffers a cyber attack or breach of its data. For instance, the SEC is involved in developing and publishing detailed guidelines that institutions need to follow when reporting events of cyber crime or breach of data. They also need to use these guidelines when disclosing information related to these events in case the attacks are likely to cause some effect on the their data, clients, liquidity, losses, pand business operations (Cowley, 2012). According to the regulations, disclosures must have specific content and in plain English (Tunstall, 2011). However, cybercrime disclosures are alarmingly infrequent in the United States, but it is important that the company comply with these rules and regulations (Kayman Elbaum, 2012). The law requires the company to comply with these laws in order to guarantee the customers, the public and other organizations reasonable degree of security for their information. However, the size of the company, the industry to which it belongs and the type of business it conducts determine how the company will comply with the law. There are minimum legal requirements the company must fulfill in order to p rovide maximum security for the information that it values as its assets. For example, it is mandatory for the company to be registered as a private company, a public liability company or a corporate. Secondly, the company must provide information regarding its size, value and nature of data as well as the number of customers it deals with. Moreover, it is necessary for the company to ensure that customers are provided with an ability to access their data but provide security so that their data is protected from cyber criminals. Finally, it is necessary for the company to comply with the regulations on disclosure of information on cyber attack to the relevant authorities, the prosecution and the courts if the offenders are brought in court for an offense related to crimes against the company’s intellectual property (Tunstall, 2011). References Cowley, S. (2012). FBI Director: Cybercrime Will Eclipse Terrorism. Web.Advertising Looking for research paper on administrative law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Fischer, E. A. (2012). Federal laws relating to cybersecurity: discussion of proposed law revisions. Congressional research service. Web. Kayman, S., Elbaum, L. (2012). Ninth Circuit Fuels Employee Misappropriation Debate. New York Law Journal 2(3), 15-16. Tunstall, M. K. (2011). Reporting Cyber Attacks and Data Security Breaches Guidance from the SEC. New York: SEC.

Breaking Down The CompTIA Security+

Breaking Down The CompTIA Security+ Over the last decade or so, IT security has exploded as a field, both in terms of the complexity and breadth of the subject matter, and the opportunities available to security-focused IT professionals. Security has become an inherent part of everything in IT, from network management to web, application and database development. But even with the increased focus on security, there is still much work to be done in the field, and opportunities for security-minded IT professionals aren’t likely to decrease any time soon. The Importance of Certifications For those who are already in the IT security field, or are looking to enhance their career, there is a range of certifications and training options available for those who want to learn about IT security and demonstrate that knowledge to current and potential employers. However, a lot of the more advanced IT security certifications require a level of knowledge, experience, and commitment that might be outside of the range of many newer IT professionals. A good certification to demonstrate basic security knowledge is the CompTIA Security certification. Unlike other certifications, such as the CISSP  or the CISM, the Security doesn’t have any mandatory experience or prerequisites, though CompTIA does recommend that candidates have at least two years of experience with networking in general  and security in particular. CompTIA also suggests that Security candidates obtain the CompTIA Network certification, but they don’t require it. Even though the Security is more of an entry-level certification than others, it’s still a valuable certification in its own right. In fact, the Security is a mandated certification for the US Department of Defense  and is accredited by both the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Another benefit of the Security is that it’s vendor-neutral, instead choosing to focus on security topics and technologies in general, without limiting its focus to any one vendor and their approach. Topics Covered by the Security Examination The Security is basically a generalist certification – meaning that it evaluates a candidate’s knowledge across a range of knowledge domains, as opposed to focusing on any one area of IT. So, instead of maintaining a focus on application security only, say, the questions on the Security will cover a broader range of topics, aligned according to the six primary knowledge domain defined by CompTIA (the percentages next to each indicate the representation of that domain on the exam): Network Security (21%)Compliance and operational security (18%)Threats and vulnerabilities (21%)Application, Data, and Host Security (16%)Access control and identity management (13%)Cryptography (11%) The exam provides questions from all of the domains above, although it is somewhat weighted to give more emphasis on some areas. For example, you can expect more questions on network security as opposed to cryptography, for example. That said, you shouldn’t necessarily focus your studying on any one area, especially if it leads you to exclude any of the others. A good, broad knowledge of all the domains listed above remains the best way to be prepared for the test. The Exam There is only one exam required to earn the Security certification. That exam (exam SY0-301) is comprised of 100 questions and is provided over a 90-minute period. The grading scale is from 100 to 900, with a passing score of 750, or roughly 83% (although that’s just an estimate  because the scale changes somewhat over time). Next Steps In addition to the Security, CompTIA offers a more advanced certification, the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP), providing a progressive certification path for those who want to continue their security career and studies. Like the Security, the CASP covers security knowledge across a number of knowledge domains, but the depth and complexity of the questions asked on the CASP exam exceed those of the Security.​ CompTIA also offers numerous certifications in other areas of IT as well, including networking, project management and systems administration. And, if security is your chosen field, you might consider other certifications such as the CISSP, CEH, or a vendor-based certification such as the Cisco CCNA Security  or Check Point Certified Security Administrator (CCSA), to extend and deepen your knowledge of security.

Native American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Native American History - Essay Example For this essay, the period examined will be the 19th century and the event is the â€Å"Trail of Tears† which is an account of the forced eviction of members of the Cherokee native America communities from their ancestral lands in eastern America to create room for white settlers.1 Owing to the marginalization of the Native American community at the time there were few historians from the community and most of the written works emerge from white authors. However one of the most popular accounts of the trial is a narrative rendered by Michael Rutledge about his Cherokee grandfather Samuel Cloud who was nine at the time of the march, he vividly recounts how he (Samuel ) struggle to understand the atrocities that were occasioned upon his community and recounts very real and personal experience through the naive and innocent eyes of a child who suffers for a cause he does not understand. 2 He describes the way his family and neighbors were force to leave their village at gun point how some of them were not even given time to pack their belongings leaving with only the clothes on their backs. The people were led to stockades like cattle and they were forced by soldiers to remain there for several days and nights despite the freezing cold, Samuel’s father died and later on so does his mother both having succumbed to the brutal conditions. Many more people died and they were buried in shallow unmarked grave by the wayside as the march continued and Samuel recounts his bitterness and frustration which he felt as result of losing both his parents and yet he could not understand why. 3 On the road he describes the death by the hundreds and thousands of the Indians and their unceremonious burial by the roadside far from home. He could only feel a bitter hatred for the soldiers who he blamed for having put them in that situation. Notably, his is just one account and hundreds of children were orphaned and parents widowed and families broken either by death or separation by the cruel soldiers. The second account by Joan Gilbert who is not an insider nor actively involved in the lives of the Native American community also renders an account of the events of the march based on extensive research and interviews. She begins by giving a background of the events leading up to the removal such as the sale of Indian land by lottery to settlers even before they had been evicted, consequently some settlers moved in and took over Indian property. The book article discusses President Jackson and how he pursued a policy to eliminate Indians to provide more land for the speculating settlers.4 Although many American were against the decision, Jackson received little trouble as a result since he had the backing of the southern and western state that made up his biggest support base. Some of the communities tried to resist by going to back court or by violence while others cooperated and accepted the new lands. This ultimately divided the communities in t he long run since the collaborators were seen as traitors and many of them were later murdered by their own people as a result of working with the state. The Cherokees from Georgia had taken the matter to the Supreme Court and judge Marshall had found in their favor declaring that the settlers had no claim to their land. However the president had ignored the injunction and proceeded to

Nutrition for Women and Children Research Paper

Nutrition for Women and Children - Research Paper Example g population partnerships to recognize and cure health issues, developing plans and programs to sustain individual and societal health efforts and assurance that requires enforcing laws and issues to ensure public health and safety, building linkages among people needed for personalized health services and ensuring supply of health care services that are otherwise unavailable, assurance of a very diligent public and personal health care workforce, evaluating accessibility, validity and quality of personal as well as public health care services and researching newer and innovative solutions to health care service related problems(10 Essential Public Health Services, pp.1).Although theoretically this can sound assuring, yet the problem lies somewhere else that needs to be discussed. First, let us take some examples of malnutrition and its effects in certain developing nations affecting its women and children. Research on malnutrition in sub-Saharan African nations done by Abosede and M cGuire (2001) show that in Gambia, seasonal food shortage causing low food intakes by pregnant women in times of agricultural workload being very high resulted in their dramatic weight loss during their pregnancy period resulting in lower birth weight rise from 13% to 35%. Another instance show anemic women in Benin, 55% of whom are pregnant, giving birth to iron- deficient babies. Nigeria shows children below 80% expected weight-for-age having a 33% increase in the duration of diarrhea. In Uganda it has been found that malnourished infants below 3 years of age being able to develop at a standard rate only be shortening physical activities by 20% per kg. body weight. This study also shows that many African countries suffering from vitamin A deficiency affecting 53 million children but only... This study also shows that many African countries suffering from vitamin A deficiency affecting 53 million children but only a mere 8million covered by supplementation programs. One hundred million people in Africa are suffering from Iodine Deficiency Disorders with almost two-thirds of pregnant women and more than half of infants being anemic due to deficiency of iron in their bodies. This essay makes a conclusion that the intervention should be pocket friendly and innovative in ensuring successful delivery mechanisms. The leadership is also expected to ensure government policies regarding agriculture and food production should be such as to ensure human nutritional demands. There are a few areas where the leadership can be useful in accelerating progress. Primary health care services is the prime sector where intervention should be operational, that is, proper counseling of mothers will help reduce infant deaths due to sub optimal breast feeding, supply of ready-to- use therapeutic foods which will allow malnourished infants to be treated in home. The topical time is a genetic age. In certain ways it is more of a natural development of biotechnology and genetic engineering; on the other hand, it is a revolutionary era in which there have been various views regarding diet and nutritional needs of human body. Genomic information is now being utilized to evaluate th e reasons for individual variations in correspondence to specific nutritional requirements and dietary plans.