The Eastern Red Cedar and Other Popular Christmas Trees

Americans buy about 20 million real Christmas trees  each holiday season, most at retail lots and Christmas tree farms. Depending on where you live, the kind of evergreen youll find will vary. In fact, there are dozens of evergreens native to the U.S. Cant decide which one you like best? The trees below are some of the most popular Christmas varieties. Fraser Fir The  Fraser fir  is perhaps the most popular variety of Christmas tree because it is hardy enough to survive being cut and shipped across long distances. The Fraser is a native southern fir and grows at elevations above 5,000 feet. The tree has excellent needle retention along with a pleasing piney scent. The Fraser fir was named for Scottish botanist John Fraser, who explored the southern Appalachians in the late 1700s. Douglas Fir The  Douglas fir  is another common variety of Christmas tree found throughout the central and northern U.S. It is not a true fir and has its own unique species classification. Unlike those of true firs, the cones of the Douglas fir hang downward. They have a sweet scent when crushed. The tree was named after David Douglas, who studied the tree in the 1800s. Balsam Fir The Balsam fir is a beautiful pyramidal tree with short, flat, long-lasting aromatic needles. The Balsam fir and the Fraser fir have many similar characteristics and some botanists consider them extensions of the same species. However, balsams prefer cool climates and are native to the northeastern U.S. and Canada. They have a nice, dark green color and are very fragrant. The Balsam fir was named for the balsam or resin found in blisters on its bark, which was used to treat wounds during the Civil War. Colorado Blue Spruce The  Colorado blue spruce  is most familiar to people as an ornamental landscape tree. It has dark green to powdery blue needles and a pyramidal form when young. The Colorado blue spruce is very often sold as a living Christmas tree,  which includes an entire root ball and can be planted after the holidays. Its also popular because it rarely sheds its needles indoors. The spruce was chosen in 1978 and planted as the official living White House Christmas tree and is the state tree of both Utah and Colorado. Scotch Pine The  Scotch pine  is one of the most popular Christmas tree species because it rarely sheds its needles and has excellent water retention when cut. The Scotch pine is not native to America; its origins are European. It was first used in reforestation efforts in the New World. The Scotch pine tree has stiff branches and dark green needles that are retained for four weeks. Its aroma is long-lasting and lingers through the entire holiday season. Eastern Red Cedar The  Eastern red cedar  is a popular Christmas tree in the southern U.S., where it is a native species. This evergreen isnt a true cedar; its a member of the juniper family. Unlike some species that must be pruned regularly to maintain the traditional cone shape, the Eastern red cedar comes by its pyramidal crown naturally. The trees ease of maintenance makes it a favorite at cut-your-own tree farms. Its needles are a dark, shiny green color and sharp and prickly to the touch. White Spruce The white spruce is native to the northeastern U.S. and Canada, and one of the most common varieties sold as Christmas trees in that region. Like the Eastern red cedar, the white spruce has a natural conical shape that makes it easy for tree farmers to maintain. Its a common  choice for cut-your-own farms. However, some people dont like white spruce trees because they tend to shed their needles, which have an unpleasant odor. On the plus side, the trees thick branches make it ideal for heavy ornaments. Eastern White Pine The  Eastern white pine  has been valued as a timber tree for centuries, and it is commonly sold in the mid-Atlantic states as a Christmas tree. Because this variety of evergreen has very little scent, it is popular with people who suffer from tree-related allergies. Eastern white pines have excellent needle retention and stout branches to support heavy decorations. White or Concolor Fir The White fir, sometimes called the concolor fir, is known for its long, blue-green needles, excellent needle retention, and pleasing pine scent. Its commonly sold as a Christmas tree in California, where it is a native species. Virginia Pine The Virginia pine is a newcomer to many Christmas tree lots, particularly in the South. This variety was developed as a heat-tolerant alternative to the Scotch pine and has only recently been used as a Christmas tree. The Virginia pine has wide tufts of soft needles ranging from dark green to gray in color. Its limbs are stout with woody branches.

The Armada Of The Spanish Armada - 1200 Words

THE SPANISH ARMADA Armada Portrait Queen Elizabeth I The Armada Portrait Buy at Allposters.com The defeat of the Spanish Armada is one of the most famous events in English history. It was arguably Queen Elizabeth s finest hour. For years she had been hailed as the English Deborah, the saviour of the English people, and now it seemed that this is what she had really become. She was now Bellona, the goddess of war, and in triumph she had led her people to glory, defeating the greatest power in the 16th century world. Spain was the most powerful country in the world. Philip II ruled vast territories of land, and had unparalleled wealth from the New World. England was a small country, with little wealth, few friends, and many enemies.†¦show more content†¦This had angered Philip immensely, especially as the stolen treasure was used to help fund those people rebelling against his rule in the Netherlands. As early as 1585, Philip had begun to prepare a great fleet that, under the Spanish commander Santa Cruz, would invade England. At first the aim of the Armada was to liberate the captive Queen of Scots, but when Mary was executed for conspiring Elizabeth s death in 1587, Philip planned to invade England in the name of his daughter, the Infanta Isabella. Philip believed he had a genuine claim to the English throne, both by descent from John of Gaunt, and as Queen Mary I s husband. The purpose of the mission was to depose Elizabeth, put Mary/Isabella on the throne, and make England Roman Catholic once again. It was perhaps an omen, however, that from the start, the Spanish faced problems. Santa Cruz died, and his successor, the Duke of Medina Sedonia, was not at all suited to the post. He had little faith in the enterprise and little experience. He begged Philip to release him from the charge, but the King was adamant. The enterprise had received another set back when Francis Drake and his men had sailed to the coast of Spain and destroyed many of the Spanish ships at Cadiz. Queen Elizabeth had heard mutterings of the intended invasion of England by

Financial Reporting A Key Resource Company

Question: Describe about the Financial Reporting for A Key Resource Company. Answer: Introduction BHP Billiton BHP Billiton, a key resource company specializes in production of commodities like copper, coal, iron ore etc. It is also involved in activities related to gas, coal, and oil. It has also gained the title of a major producer of items such as iron ore, nickel, silver etc. The company headquarters in Melbourne, Australia and its listing is on the ASX. The company targets on a long-term basis to own low-cost assets that are diversifiable by market and geographical locations. For such purposes, it satisfies the needs and expectations of customers through its growth and resources. The sales initiated through Houston and Singapore but are sold throughout the globe. Incorporated in 1885, it hires nearly 123,800 employees and contractors diversified to more than 130 locations, for such motives. BHPs position is a clear-cut sign of its significant contribution towards achievement of economic growth (BHP Billiton, 2015). Rio Tinto Rio Tinto is a leader in the field mining and mineral processing. It aims to offer strong returns to its shareholders through an effective portfolio. It is headquartered in UK and employs more than 60000 people in its workforce. Established in 1873, its listing is on the ASX and is operative in 40 countries as a whole. With an international presence, it can provide a proper prowess in the right time. On a whole, it pursues an effective portfolio that assists it to develop globally (Rio Tinto, 2015). It aims to offer an enhanced value to customers and to be a most reliable partner. 2. Sources of financing BHP Billiton The total debt accommodating liabilities that were of interest bearing nature and BHP Group issued a four part Global Bond totaling to US$5 billion that consists of Senior Floating Rate Notes of US$ 500. BHP pursues US$ 6 billion commercial papers that are funded by credit facilities of US$6 billion. The financing activities consists of liability proceeds that are interest bearing in nature, liability repayments that are also interest bearing, proceeds from debt-related instruments, ordinary share proceeds, activities of buy-back, dividend payment etc. These activities result in cash flow from financing activities (BHP Billiton, 2015). The equity part consists of treasury shares, share capital, retained earnings, and reserves. The issued share capital consists of shares assisted by treasury, preference, and public shares. Rio Tinto Rio pursues powerful finance availability but not lean to banks and capital markets. It obtained Finance Plc bonds through the group in 2013. This finance limited and finance plc proceeded into an activity that resulted in a sum of US$7.5 billion as syndicate banks borrowers. The group entered into a bilateral agreement (bank facility). In order to manage obligations, Rio issued 1436542 treasury shares and 951 fresh shares. The trustees bought 842000 shares and company registrar bought 1089189 shares for satisfaction of obligations. Retained earnings, share premium account, and reserves form a significant part of the companys share capital (Rio Tinto, 2015). The financing activities comprised of equity dividend payment, repayment of all borrowings, interest purchase (non-controlling), proceeds extracted from further drawings, and other cash flows. Ratio Analysis and comparison a. Profitability Ratio BHP Billiton Net Profit Margin Net profit Margin 2014 2015 Net income 15224 2878 Net sales 56762 44636 26.82076 6.44771 A significant decline in the net profit margin is observable in 2015 due to the inappropriate control of operating profit ratio and operating expenses by the company. Hence, it must consider the same. Return on Total Assets ROTA 2014 2015 PBT 21735 8056 total assets 15413 124580 1.410173 0.064665 The ratio of ROTA declined in 2015 as the company has not efficiently utilized its resources. Such a sign is a poor indicator and hence, company must make ways for change (Williams, 2012). Rio Tinto Net Profit Margin Net profit Margin 2014 2015 Net income 4285 799 Net sales 24337 17980 17.60694 4.443826 The net profit margin of Rio Tinto also declined as it failed to sustain its operating expenses as a whole. ROTA ROTA 2014 2015 PBT 6092 1745 total assets 107827 101303 ROTA 0.056498 0.017226 Rio Tinto witnessed a sharp decline in its ROTA as it failed to utilize its resources properly. Comparison It is observable through the profitability ratio that both BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto failed to deliver a proper profitability ratio. Both the companies witnessed a decline in ROTA and the net profit margin and hence, both must make ways for change (Parrino et. al, 2012). Liquidity Ratio BHP Quick Ratio Quick Ratio 2014 2015 Quick assets 16,283 12,077 Current liabilities 18,064 12,853 Quick ratio 0.901406 0.939625 BHP is approximately closer to the standard quick ratio of 1:1. An increment is observable in 2015 that depicts that BHP has enough resources to discharge its obligations (Northington, 2011). Current Ratio Current Ratio 2014 2015 Current asset 22296 16369 Current liabilities 18064 12853 Current ratio 1.23427812 1.2735548 An enhancement of current ratio is observable in 2015 that portrays BHP is solvent and is capable of meeting its obligations with flexibility and simplicity (Needles Powers, 2013). Rio Tinto Quick Ratio Quick ratio 2014 2015 Quick assets 16463 14349 Current liabilities 12220 11980 1.347218 1.197746 A significant decline in the quick ratio of Rio Tinto is observable that depicts that it does not pursue enough resources. Moreover, the ratios are near to standard ratio and it will definitely assist Rio in achieving desired outcomes (Melville, 2013). Current Ratio Current ratio 2014 2015 Current assets 20813 18273 Current liabilities 12220 11980 A decreased current ratio of Rio Tinto suggests that it will encounter problems in meeting the obligations. However, the decrease is less and is attributable to decline in current assets (Melville, 2013). Comparison In relation to liquidity ratio, it is observable that BHP is in a good position to meet its debt obligations because its quick and current ratios have increased towards standard ratios but the opposite is in Rio Tintos case. c. Market performance BHP Earnings per share 2014 2015 EPS 249.3 120.7 A decline in the companys EPS suggests poor company performance in relation to factor of earnings (Horngren, 2013). Dividend per share Dividend per share 2014 2015 118 124 An increment of DPS in 2015 suggests shareholder benefits because of profits made by BHP. However, other ratios have disappointed in comparison to 2014. Rio Tinto DPS DPS 2014 2015 103.09 144.91 An increase in DPS suggests shareholder benefits due to significant profits earned by Rio in 2015 (Horngren, 2013). EPS EPS 2014 2015 238.2 43.8 A decline of EPS depicts a bad indicator for Rio Tinto, as shareholder benefits will be less. However, when it comes to profitability measurement, this can be considerable as a best indicator. It is notable that this EPS is not entirely for 2015 and hence, figures can vary (Gibson, 2010). Comparison Both the companies have witnessed increment in DPS that indicates better scenarios for obtaining profit by them. Furthermore, such good profits imply payment to shareholders as dividend (Gibson, 2010). The dividend enhanced and EPS declined in case of both the companies but such decline was more in Rios case. On a whole, BHP is better. Capital structure BHP Equity ratio Equity ratio 2014 2015 Shareholder fund 79143 64768 total assets 151413 124580 Equity ratio 0.522696 0.519891 A decline in equity ratio of BHP is observable here and it suggests that creditors of BHP are at huge risk as its resources have burnt out towards interest payment (Libby et. al, 2011). Debt equity ratio Debt equity ratio 2014 2015 Total liabilities 66031 54035 Shareholder equity 79143 64768 Debt equity ratio 0.83432521 0.8342854 It is observable that the company has taken no further debt from markets and continued activities from resources it pursues. In other words, a little reliance is on debt, which is a good indicator. Rio Tinto Equity ratio Equity ratio 2014 2015 Shareholder fund 46285 42647 total assets 107827 101303 Equity ratio 0.429252 0.420985 A low equity ratio is observable that depicts efficiency of capital structure. Furthermore, it declined in 2015 that suggests high risks, thereby creating problems in taking of loans and huge sum expended for interest payment. Debt equity ratio Debt equity ratio 2014 2015 Total liabilities 53233 50670 Shareholder equity 46285 42647 Debt equity ratio 1.150113 1.188126 An increment in debt equity ratio suggests increase in debt. Rios reliability on debt is high and this is an issue because lender claims will be more when debts are high (Kaplan, 2011). Comparison In relation to the above, the capital structure of BHP is better with equity and less reliance on debt but lower equity ratio indicates problems especially for lenders. Rio has higher debt equity ratio that signifies high reliance on debt and low equity ratio also create problems for creditors. Framework BHP Billiton BHP pursues a powerful corporate planning that allows it to meet the challenges of the external environment, thereby facilitating in an enhanced average return (Brigham Daves, 2012). The beginning stage rests the creation of a central case that assists in assessment of bottom up strategies. Furthermore, the designed planning of corporate procedures assists in outshining several uncertainties prevalent in the international scenario. Nevertheless, the framework supports in establishing external factors that comprises political, technical and governance. Even the compliance and governance procedures make sure that review of internal control is appropriate (BHP Billiton, 2015). Therefore, this designed framework assists in mitigating risks and providing an effective solution. Rio Tinto Rio Tinto emphasizes risk dealing a relevant portion of creating and protecting value. The risk management framework identifies leaders as significant and assists in providing perfect guidance. Rios framework aims for such a way so that risks are controllable to a desired stage (Rio Tinto, 2015). Summary Findings Both Rio Tinto and BHP belong to a similar industry but the significant part that requires explanation is the maintenance of internal policies. Both the companies choose a varied framework. Secondly, the long-term finance is observable by way of bonds. Both companies pursue varied management and therefore, they pursue varied strategic tools. Besides, the ratio analysis outcomes will be different in different scenarios (Choi Meek, 2011). Thirdly, the ascribable profit of BHP Billiton stood at US$ 13.8 billion and the net operating cash reported at US$ 25.4 billion. These advantageous results are attributable to the increased production and cost effectiveness measures of the company. The company received A credit rating and its balance sheet depicted strong results too due to the fact that it invested in high return schemes. On the other hand, Rio created sustainable shareholder returns in 2014 by providing vital commodities. A powerful and operational performance is observable through the annual report. The net cash from operating activities reported at US$14.3 billion while the underlying earnings stood at US$9.3 billion. Fourthly, Furthermore, the company at enhanced prices sold assets worth US$ 6.7 billion. The company also did an effective contribution towards the environment and communities that made it very popular. Moreover, in relation to recordable injury, the company noted a significant decline of nine percent. The significant increase of two percent in the revenues made the figure US$ 67.2 billion (BHP Billiton, 2015). On the contrary, in the case of Rio, the capex decreased to US$8.2 billion and economic contribution reported at US$230 billion. In 2014, the company had paid 204.5 US cents per share that is 15 cents higher to that of 2013. The net debt decreased from US$18055 to US$12495, thereby indicating low reliance on debt (Rio Tinto, 2015). Recommendation/ Forecast It is clearly observable that both companies are striving to obtain their goals but they have to encounter various difficulties for the same. Since, not all standards are sustainable; ratio analysis can result in variations in the results. Moreover, the ratios of both companies suggest that they pursue a potential to increase their position in the market through their strategies. To ensure a better performance it is important for both the companies to stress on capital structure. However, Rio needs to strengthen its balance sheet and various other ratio while BHP has strong fundamentals that can help it to attain a strong position. In the coming years both the companies can further strengthen their hold on the market as the fundamentals are strong. References BHP Billiton 2015, BHP Billiton Annual Report and accounts 2015, viewed 24 September 2016, https://www.bhpbilliton.com/~/media/bhp/documents/investors/annual-reports/2015/bhpbillitonannualreport2015.pdf. Brigham, E. Daves, P 2012, Intermediate Financial Management , USA: Cengage Learning. Carmichael, D.R. Graham, L 2012, Accountants Handbook, Financial Accounting and General Topics, John Wiley Sons. Choi, R.D. Meek, G.K 2011, International accounting, Pearson . Gibson, C 2010, Financial Reporting and Analysis: Using Financial Accounting Information, Cengage Learning. Horngren, C 2013, Financial accounting, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W: Pearson Australia Group. Kaplan, R.S 2011. Accounting scholarship that advances professional knowledge and practice, The Accounting Review, vol. 86, no.2, pp. 367383. Libby, R., Libby, P. Short, D 2011,Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Melville, A 2013, International Financial Reporting A Practical Guide, Pearson, Education Limited, UK Needles, B. Powers, M 2013, Principles of Financial Accounting, Cengage Learning. Series: Cengage Learning. Northington, S 2011, Finance, New York, NY: Ferguson's. Parrino, R., Kidwell, D. Bates, T 2012, Fundamentals of corporate finance, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Williams, J 2012, Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Rio Tinto 2015, Rio Tinto Annual Report and accounts 2015, viewed 24 September 2016, https://www.riotinto.com/documents/150806_Rio_Tinto_delivers_first_half_underlying_earnings_of__2.9_billion.pdf.

Review for FS Test Ch. 1 Essays - Law, Evidence Law, Criminal Law

Review for FS Test Ch. 1 Instructions: Use your online textbook and PPP for Chapter 1 Know what a forensic scientist does. Government agencies that have their own crime labs? (from PPP) FBI, DEA, ATF, USPS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of the Treasury What is considered evidence? Evidence is anything that tends to establish or disprove a fact . Date that the FBI crime lab was created? 1932 How are violations of Civil Law punished? Violations of civil law are usually punished by fines or transfer of property. Another name for Criminal Law? Public law Entities that fall within Administrative Law Laws established by IRS, SSA, or branches of military Types of law that forensic scientists deal with? Case/common law, civil law, and criminal law What does the Miranda Right guarantee? The Miranda Right s are guaranteed by the Constitution . The p olice must advi se an arrestee of their rights. T he Miranda Right guarantee s the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. What does "stare decisis" mean? "to stand by the decision", meaning previous legal decisions are to be followed Do you need a jury for a preliminary hearing? No What is a plea bargain? Agreement in which a defendant plea d s guilty to a less charge and the prosecutor in return drops more serious charges to avoid the cost and time of a trial. What is needed for evidence to be considered admissible? Admissibility is determined by: -Whether the theory or technique can be tested -Whether the science has been offered for peer review -Whether the rate of error is acceptable -Whether the method at issue enjoys widespread acceptance. -Whether the opinion is relevant to the issue -Must be Probative and Material -Means, Motives, Opportunity Who determines if a person is considered an "expert"? Their credentials, background and experience establishes their credibility as an expert witness. What is taken into consideration to determine the effectiveness of an expert's testimony? The judge can determine the significance of the expert's option Case that states what is accepted by the relevant scientific community. The case of Frye v. United States brought the concept of evidence accepted by the scientific community. Amendment that protects against unreasonable search and seizure? Bill of Rights, 4 th Amendmen t Amendment that protects against self-incrimination? Bill of Rights, 5 th Amendment Crime unit that deals with blood stains? Biology Unit How are lie detectors used in criminology? Lie detectors (polygraphs) are used to analyze pulse and breathing rates to tell if a person is lying.

Religion and Spirituality Research Paper free essay sample

Spirituality and Religion Research Paper Due: 12/7/11 Throughout the world there are many different things that individuals tend to believe. Some people believe in luck, crediting everything that happens to them, good or bad, to their fortune. Some believe in karma, always warning colleagues about the things they may do or say to their counterparts, implying that those things may come back to them, possibly in a worse way. Others believe in superstition, which according to the World English Dictionary, is an irrational belief usually founded on ignorance or fear, and characterized by obsessive reverence for omens, charms, etc. For example, when walking with my sister she doesn’t like for something to pass between us as we walk, better known as ‘splitting the pole’; she is superstitious in believing that splitting a pole or tree or any freestanding inanimate object will bring bad luck to either of us. A number of people believe in a higher being. We will write a custom essay sample on Religion and Spirituality Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Most times the ‘higher being’ depends on what part of the world in which people live or the culture in which they were raised. Nelson states that Hinduism is best understood as a grouping of diverse Indian religious traditions around a common core of sacred writings; while Buddhism was founded in the North Indian kingdom of Maghda and the Western part of Christianity was headquartered in Rome. In some religions, parishioners believe in monotheism, which is belief in a single higher being, and some believe in polytheism, which is belief and worship of multiple gods. They all believe that someone or something, of a non-human life form, sees all, knows all and has power over all. While believing in this higher being, they practice what they believed to have been said by that higher being and written down by a scribe of some sort. These believers live to attain all aspects of the human relationship to the transcendent, according to Nelson, also known as their ‘religion’. Believers attach themselves to their religion. For instance, upon joining the nation of Islam some believers and followers of Allah, the Supreme Being according to Muslims, choose to obey the set rules or rituals by not eating pork as well as other things. Coming from a private school background, growing up in Catholic elementary, middle and high schools a lot has been learned about the different religions around the world; through several courses. Logistics were always covered but there were never any inferences made as to why some churches worship the way they do. Therefore, students of a different religion were left to wonder why certain connections were made with people and God within their churches. It was especially difficult going to Catholic schools and attending mass, experiencing this different type of worship and not seeing those same connections being made as they were at the church regularly attended by myself, the student. In some Baptist churches music is loud, soulful and up tempo, complete with plenty of instruments; whereas in the Catholic Church that was attended, music was not so soulful and rarely up tempo. Parishioners took it upon themselves during the Baptist service to shout unto God, thanking Him for the many blessings bestowed upon them. During a Catholic service it appeared as if no one had time for believers to share their good news or their appreciation for it, the sole purpose seemed to be ‘get in, handle business and get out’. Although it is very possible that all Catholic churches don’t operate in the exact same manner, they all go through the same motions from the beginning to the end of the service. It was mind boggling to possibly deduce how a connection was made with God, other than prayer, through such strict rituals. Baptist churches let the spirit lead them through the service, for instance, if the soloist is lead (by the spirit) to lengthen the song the congregation encourages him and the spirit seems to spread like wildfire through the church. This is most likely the reason for the lengthy services, but no one objects. The Baptist religionists can be found happy and fulfilled of the goodness of the Lord leaving the church house on a Sunday afternoon. Through the long songs and worship experiences, connections were made with the higher being together, as a church family. The Catholic parishioners and priests just seem to tap their foot and worship to themselves to an operatic hymn; possibly an explanation for the short services. In retrospect, Catholic religionists appear to be happy to leave church and get on with their day. In conclusion, people have their own ways of getting what they want or need out of any given event. From a religious service, some may need the extra verse to a song and some may need to have the scriptures sung to them in an orchestral fashion. Some may need time to fellowship with other parishioners and others may just need to get in and get out. Some believers know what they need and where they need to go to get it. Other believers don’t feel they need to worship in a facility at all. Religion is relative to where an individual is from, the culture that was instilled in them and the good and/or bad things that may have happened during their upbringing. God is the head of my life and the reason for my salvation, therefore religion will remain a staple in my life. Although I am not where I want to be in my walk with God, I feel that I need the extra verse of that song or those few hugs from my church family to keep me encouraged. I feel the Baptist church gives me what I need in order to strengthen my walk with God. I love to go and worship at my home church and grow spiritually every Sunday.

Concept of Steganography in Society

Concept of Steganography in Society Introduction Cheddad, Condell, Curran and Kevitt (2010) allege, â€Å"Steganography refers to the art of covered or hidden writing† (p. 752). The primary objective of steganography is surreptitious communication to conceal a message from unauthorized parties. Steganography is different from cryptography, which is an art of hidden writing that aims at ensuring that a third party does not read a message.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Concept of Steganography in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While steganography hides the presence of a secret communication, cryptography leaves it palpable. Despite numerous distinctions between steganography and cryptography, there are numerous similarities between the two. Some scholars treat steganography as a method of encryption. Nevertheless, this article will tackle steganography as a distinct way of ensuring information security. Even though the term st eganography was invented in the early 16th century, the use of secret communication dates back a couple of millennia. Before the innovation of steganography, people could tattoo messages on the scalps of slaves or hide information in the stomachs of rabbits (Cheong, Ling, Teh, 2014, p. 3566). Students and kids have been using indiscernible ink for hundreds of years. Besides, terrorists and spies have for decades used the concept of concealed communication to perpetrate serious espionages (Cheong et al., 2014).  Despite steganography hiding the hidden message, it is easy to note that two parties are communicating. The process of steganography entails inserting covered communication in a particular transport means, known as the carrier (Cheong et al., 2014). The clandestine communication is attached to the carrier to create the steganography medium. The parties may use a steganography key to encrypt the concealed message or randomize the scheme. There are two main categories of ste ganography; technical and linguistic steganography (Cheong et al., 2014). Technical steganography applies experimental techniques to conceal a communication. The experimental methods include microdots, invisible ink, and other size-reduction mechanisms. On the other hand, linguistic steganography hides a message in a transport medium in a manner that is hard to detect (Cheong et al., 2014). History of Steganography Throughout history, individuals have been concealing messages through numerous approaches and variations. For instance, in the early days, the Greeks used wax-coated tablets to hide texts. To relay a secreted message, an individual would scrap wax off a tablet, engrave a communication and conceal it using wax. It was hard for other people to suspect that a wax-coated tablet contained significant information (Chiew Pieprzyk, 2010).Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another ingenious method was to â€Å"shave the head of a messenger and tattoo a message or image on the messenger’s head† (Fridrich, Goljan, Hogea, 2012, p. 86). Once the hair grew back, it was hard for people to notice the message. The recipient of the message had to trim the messenger’s hair to retrieve the communication. During the World War II, people began to use invisible ink to send messages. During this period, steganography entailed the use of invisible inks only. The inks enabled people to encrypt a message in an apparently innocent letter. It was hard for a third party to detect a signal included in a message. Later, technological development made it easy for third parties to recognize concealed messages. Consequently, people had to look for alternative methods of relaying clandestine messages. The need for hiding sensitive information led to the invention of the microdot technology (Fridrich et al., 2012). The technology used i mages to send information. It made it easy for government agencies and criminal groups to relay information undetected. As computer experts continue to develop programs that can detect hidden communications, people are developing novel steganographic applications. Some information security experts have built on ancient steganographic methods. Indeed, the present development of computer technology has resulted in a revolution in steganography. People continue to store massive and sensitive information in computers and broadcast it over networks. There is no doubt that steganography has infiltrated the digital era (Hamid, Yahya, Ahmad, Al-Qershi, 2012). Today, there are steganographic applications that enable people to hide any form of a binary file in other records. Nevertheless, most messages are transmitted in the form of audio and image files. Hamid et al. (2012) hold that steganography offers some quite valuable and economically essential roles in the digital universe. For insta nce, steganography facilitates digital watermarking. Digital watermarking enables an author to â€Å"embed a hidden message in a file to safeguard the integrity of the content† (Hamid et al., 2012, p. 177). An artist, for instance, can publish their creative work on a website without fear that another person might steal it. If other parties take the work and claim it to be theirs, the real owner can retrieve the watermark to substantiate their claims. Even though both digital watermarking and steganography use similar concepts, the former has singular technical objectives.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Concept of Steganography in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The contemporary steganography allows people to conceal data in varied formats like text, images, internet protocol (IP) headers, and email. Hernandez-Castro, Blasco-Lopez, Estevez-Tapiador and Ribagorda-Garnacho (2006) claim that s teganography has been crucial in information warfare throughout history. Hernandez-Castro et al. (2006) posit, â€Å"Steganography continued to be seen as another aspect of the internet until the September 11th attack against the United States† (p. 68). A majority of the media outlets alleged that terrorists were using steganography to send secret messages. They further noted that terrorists could entrench messages into pornographic image files, websites, notice boards, and chat rooms (Hernandez-Castro et al., 2006). However, it was hard for the media outlets to substantiate their claims since they never produced evidence. Today, many people are apprehensive that terrorists may use steganography to stage a devastating cyber attack. Consequently, the internet civil libertarians call for the law enforcers to institute stringent rules to govern encryption and steganography (Hernandez-Castro et al., 2006). Principles of Steganography According to Hmood, Jalab, Kasirun, Zaidan, an d Zaidan (2010), various embedding techniques and rules enable communicating parties to conceal messages in a given medium. Nonetheless, all the techniques and regulations must meet several principles for steganography to be useful. One of the principles is that the integrity of the concealed message must not change during and after concealment. In other words, the meaning and purpose of the hidden message should remain intact. A successful steganography is one that upholds the integrity and quality of the secret information. Another principle is that the image or object used to hide information should remain unchanged (Hmood et al., 2010). People should not see changes in the stego-object as this might stir nosiness. Individuals sending messages through steganography should always presume that a third party is aware of the concealed message. Such an assumption helps to ensure that the communicating parties are cautious when concealing and relaying messages. Steganographic Technique s People use different approaches to hiding information. Over the years, information technology (IT) experts have come up with diverse techniques of embedding covert information in multimedia objects. According to Lin and Tsai (2008), IT experts have come up with multiple ways of entrenching messages in images such that it is hard to detect them.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The experts encode entire message or segments of a message in â€Å"noisy† regions that are hard to detect. Besides, some experts distribute a message haphazardly all over the image. The most conventional steganographic techniques used in images include â€Å"masking and filtering, least significant bit (LSB) insertion and transform techniques† (Lin Tsai, 2008, p. 407). Apart from the steganographic techniques used to conceal messages in images, individuals use numerous methods to hide messages in texts. The methods include feature, word shift, and line shift coding (Lin Tsai, 2008). Least Significant Bit Insertion Least significant bit (LSB) insertion is the most common and straightforward method of securing information. The method entails attaching a message to a cover file. The primary disadvantage of LSB is that it is susceptible to even a minor image change. Changing an image may have significant repercussions on the concealed message. The least significant bit (LSB) insertion technique uses a steganographic application that packages LSB insertion to ensure that it is hard for a third party to detect a concealed message. According to Luo (2010), the application uses EZStego tools to organize the palette and minimize the chances of arranging colors that differ so much close to one another.  The EZStego tools are used mainly in gray-scale images. The method works fine in images with associated colors. Apart from EZStego tools, LSB technique also uses the S-Tools. The S-Tools are different from the EZStego tools as the former require drastic palette changes (Luo, 2010). For the 24-bit images, altering the least significant bit of the pixels may result in new colors. The S-Tools facilitates minimization of the number of colors without affecting the quality of an image. Therefore, the S-Tools guarantee that changes in LSB do not affect the color values. Masking and Filtering Papapanagiotou, Kellinis, Marias, and Georgiadis (2007) allege that masking and filtering technique is useful in gray-scale and 24-bit images. The technique conceals messages by marking an image in a manner similar to paper watermarks (Papapanagiotou et al., 2007, p. 591). Watermarking systems are more incorporated into the picture. Therefore, the system ensures that the quality of an image is not lost due to lossy compressions. Unlike traditional steganography that hides information, the masking and filtering technique conceals messages by extending the information and assuming a characteristic of the cover image. Masking is more versatile than the least significant bit (LSB) insertion in terms of cropping, image processing, and compression. The masking and filtering technique entrenches information in crucial areas such that the concealed communication is more important to the cover image than just hiding it in the noise areas. Transform Techniques The transform techniques embed the message by modulating coefficients in transform domain like discr ete cosine transform (DCT) used in Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)† (Qiao, Retraint, Cogranne, Zitzmann, 2015, p. 15). The transform techniques help to retain the quality of an image after lossy compression or image processing. One of the transform techniques that are common in information security is Jpeg-Jsteg. Qiao et al. (2015) argue that Jpeg-Jsteg â€Å"creates a JPEG stego-image from the input of a message to be hidden and lossless cover image† (p. 18). The autonomous JPEG group holds that the existing Joint Photographic Experts Group’s (JPEG’s) software has been altered to work with 1-bit steganography in JPEG File Interchange Format (JFIF) output files. The files comprise lossy and nonlossy segments. The software uses a JPEG algorithm to coalesce the concealing images and message leading to the formation of JPEG stego-images. The DCT helps to compress the JPEG images. Apart from the discrete cosine transform, the communicating parties can use Wavelet Transform and Discrete Fourier Transform to process images (Qiao et al., 2015). The techniques change other features of an image like brightness. The hidden information is distributed throughout the cover image using patchwork and other techniques.  Wang, Wu, Tsai, and Hwang (2008) allege â€Å"Patchwork uses redundant pattern encoding or spread spectrum methods to scatter hidden information throughout the cover images† (p. 154). These methods help to maintain the security of the hidden message during image transformation process like rotation or cropping. Besides, they conceal a message more comprehensively than through simple masking. Other transform techniques encrypt and distribute the hidden data all over an image. Distributing the secret information makes it look like noise. Hence, it is hard for a third party to detect the message. Such techniques use a stego-key to secure information. Consequently, even if a third party manages to extract some bits of a concealed message, they can hardly decipher it without the stego-key and the algorithm. A good example of this steganographic technique is the White Noise Storm technique (Wang et al., 2008). The method relies on frequency hopping and distribution range technology that spreads the data all through the image. Despite the ongoing developments in information security, steganography cannot substitute for cryptography. Instead, it ought to work as an addition to encryption (Wang et al., 2008). Line Shift Coding Line shift coding technique entails moving various lines inside the document up or down by a small fraction according to the codebook (Liu Tsai, 2007, p. 27). The affected lines are hard to detect since the alteration is too diminutive. However, one can identify the lines using a computer by measuring the gaps between individual lines. Line shift coding uses differential encoding techniques to hide information. The method ensures that the lines bordering the one being shifted re main untouched. The direction of the change is used to represent a single bit. When an entire document is put together, it is easy to entrench multiple bits, and thus be in a position to conceal a large data. Word Shift Coding According to Shirali-Shahreza and Shirali-Shahreza (2006), the principles of word shift coding technique are similar to those of the line shift coding. However, for the word shift procedure, the words are moved instead of lines. Additionally, the words are moved to the left or right but not up or down. The word shift technique is also referred to as the justification of the document. The codebook instructs the encoder on the words to move as well as the direction of the movement. Again, the moved words are identified by measuring the gaps between individual words. Both the right and left shifts are assigned different bits. Feature Coding Feature coding technique is slightly different from word shift and line shift coding skills. The feature coding method uses a parser to evaluate a document. The parser generates a unique codebook for individual documents. Satir and Isik (2012) claim that the parser selects all the characteristics that it deems might help to conceal a message. Feature coding technique uses different features to enforce security (Satir Isik, 2012). They include the dots on top of individual letters like i and j and the height of certain letters. Besides, feature coding technique may be used together with line shift and word shift techniques to enhance security and augment the quantity of information that can be concealed. Benefits of Steganography The main advantage of steganography is that it is easy to relay a message clandestinely without the knowledge of a third party. Steganography allows parties to a communication to hide different types of files over any communication medium in a way that it is hard for unauthorized persons to detect or read the concealed data. Such capabilities have numerous effects, both positive and negative, on the contemporary world. For instance, people can use steganography to relay sensitive and confidential information, therefore safeguarding their privacy (Castiglione, De Santis, Soriente, 2007). Additionally, an organization may use steganography to preserve copyrighted property. The present level of competition in the corporate world calls for the protection of business strategies. For an organization that uses the internet to communicate with employees, it might be hard to secure information from unauthorized persons. Nevertheless, the use of steganography can go a long way towards ensuring that employees share organizational policies in a safe manner. Sumathi, Santanam and Umamaheswari (2014) claim that steganography can facilitate information warfare. A government may use steganography to relay sensitive information without the knowledge of the enemies in the event of a war. For instance, government spies may use steganography to inform their soldiers about th e strategies that an enemy intends to use, therefore facilitating preemptive attacks. Limitations of Steganography Steganography has numerous limitations. One of the limitations is that the process involves momentous overhead to conceal a limited amount of data. One requires a lengthy text to hide a short text message (Rengarajan, Jiaohua, Balaguru, 2012). Besides, it is hard to hide audio or image files in text records because of their sizes. The size of the medium used to conceal a message is a major limitation. The principles of steganography dictate that a message must be hidden without changing the integrity of the medium used to protect the communication (Rengarajan et al., 2012). However, it is hard to conceal data without affecting the quality or nature of the concealing object. Another limitation of steganography is that it is prone to attacks (Rengarajan et al., 2012). Once hackers detect a steganographic system, it becomes ineffective. Consequently, steganography does no t guarantee the security of a message that is in transit. Thus, it is difficult for institutions or government agencies to transmit sensitive or classified information through steganography. Rengarajan et al. (2012) allege that steganography acts as a suitable avenue for terrorists to perpetrate heinous acts or spread propaganda. The dynamic nature of the contemporary electronic networks makes it easy for terrorists to send messages without being detected. Today, people create new websites and discard them after use (Saha Sharma, 2011). Besides, novel auctions are mushrooming on a daily basis. All these offer tremendous opportunities for terrorists to create steganographic contents. According to Saha and Sharma (2011), a majority of the steganography detection mechanisms are numerical. They focus on the files that look suspicious. Thus, the terrorists take advantage of this loophole to perpetuate crimes. The fact that paintings, photographs, graphics, and drawings have varied image features makes it hard for the existing detection techniques to identify the files that look suspicious (Sallee, 2005). Besides, criminals have identified new methods of circumventing detection. Today, criminals use distraction or diversion techniques to evade detection (Saha Sharma, 2011). The methods entail adding inconsequential data inside a single file. The inconsequential data serves numerous purposes. The criminals ensure that the data corresponds to a particular statistical profile. Thus, when a file is scrutinized, the detection software detects the insignificant data. Hence, the authorities do not discover the actual message. Conclusion Institutions and government agencies have been using steganography to relay classified information for security purposes. The growth in technology and the advent of the internet have resulted in tremendous changes in steganography. People no longer use steganography to send classified and concealed messages only. Presently, numerous stega nographic tools are accessible to the public. As long as people have access to the internet, they can use the available steganographic tools. Unlike in the past where people concealed information in the bellies of animals or tattooed it on scalps, technology has made it easy to embed a message in a text, image or even an audio file. Indeed, people can transmit concealed data over a long distance without fearing that it might fall into the wrong hands. The growth of steganography has not come without merits and demerits. It has enabled people and organizations to safeguard copyrighted properties. Furthermore, government agencies can relay classified information without being detected. The major drawback of steganography is that terrorists can use it to communicate and spread propaganda. The growth of technology has opened room for criminals to come up with diversion and distraction mechanisms. Therefore, they can evade the detection mechanisms that are put in place with ease. The pub lic should know that steganography is not the safest method of sending confidential information. Rather than relying on steganography alone, people should use it together with other security techniques like cryptography. References Castiglione, A., De Santis, A., Soriente, C. (2007). Taking advantages of a disadvantage: Digital forensics and steganography using document metadata. Journal of Systems and Software, 80(5), 750-764. Cheddad, A., Condell, J., Curran, K., Kevitt, P. (2010). Digital image steganography: Survey and analysis of current methods. Signal Processing, 90(3), 727-752. Cheong, S., Ling, H., Teh, P. (2014). Secure encrypted steganography graphical password scheme for near field communication smartphone access control system. Expert Systems with Applications, 41(7), 3561-3568. Chiew, K., Pieprzyk, J. (2010). Binary image steganographic techniques classification based on multi-class steganalysis. Information Security, Practice and Experience, 6047(1), 341-358. Frid rich, J., Goljan, M., Hogea, D. (2012). New methodology for breaking steganographic techniques for JPEGs. Security and Watermarking of Multimedia Contents, 143(1), 83-97. Hamid, N., Yahya, A., Ahmad, R., Al-Qershi, O. (2012). Image steganography techniques: An Overview. International Journal of Computer Science and Security, 6(3), 168-187. Hernandez-Castro, J., Blasco-Lopez, I., Estevez-Tapiador, J., Ribagorda-Garnacho, A. (2006). Steganography in games: A general methodology and its application to the game of Go. Computers Security, 25(1), 64-71. Hmood, A., Jalab, H., Kasirun, Z., Zaidan, A., Zaidan, B. (2010). On the capacity and security of steganography approaches: An overview. Journal of Applied Sciences, 10(16), 1825-1833. Lin, C., Tsai, W. (2008). Secret image sharing with steganography and authentication. Journal of Systems and Software, 73(3), 405-414. Liu, T., Tsai, W. (2007). A new steganographic method for data hiding in Microsoft Word documents by a change tracki ng technique. Information Forensic and Security, 2(1), 24-30. Luo, W. (2010). Edge adaptive image steganography based on LSB matching revisited. Information Forensics and Security, 5(2), 201-214. Papapanagiotou, K., Kellinis, E., Marias, G., Georgiadis, P. (2007). Alternatives for multimedia messaging system steganography. Computational Intelligence and Security, 4(2), 589-596. Qiao, T., Retraint, F., Cogranne, R., Zitzmann, C. (2015). Steganalysis of JSteg algorithm using hypothesis testing theory. Journal of Information Security, 13(1), 14-23. Rengarajan, A., Jiaohua, Q., Balaguru, R. (2012). Random image steganography and steganalysis: Present status and future directions. Information Technology Journal, 11(5), 566-576. Saha, B., Sharma, S. (2011). Steganographic techniques for data hiding using digital images. Defence Science Journal, 62(1), 34-46. Sallee, P. (2005). Model-based methods for steganography and steganalysis. International Journal of Image and Graphics, 5(1), 16 7-175. Satir, E., Isik, H. (2012). A compression-based text steganography method. Journal of Systems and Software, 85(10), 2385-2394. Shirali-Shahreza, H., Shirali-Shahreza, M. (2006). A new approach to Persian/Arabic text steganography. Computer and Information Science, 1(3), 310-315. Sumathi, C., Santanam, T., Umamaheswari, G. (2014). A study of various steganographic techniques used for information hiding. International Journal of Computer Science Engineering Survey, 4(6), 745-761. Wang, C., Wu, N., Tsai, C., Hwang, M. (2008). A high-quality steganographic method with pixel-value differencing and modulus function. Journal of Systems and Software, 81(1), 150-158.

Business Plan #3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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No topic - Essay Example He based moral requirements on categorical imperative. Aristotle thought that the human life has a purpose and proper function to do, which provides happiness to the individual. This he termed as the purpose of human beings. It was achieved by using one’s reason and logic. Kant used the example of the honest shopkeeper. The honest shopkeeper was considered a moral person because he was honest out of inclination. The shopkeeper feels that being a moral and ethical person brings him better reputation more business and profits. John Stuart Mill argued that human beings are capable of experiencing ‘higher pleasures’ as well as ‘lower pleasures’. In order to differentiate he stated that the higher pleasures produce better quality and more quantity of pleasure or happiness. While on the other hand, the lower pleasures tend to be more of selfish in nature. According to Locke the life of an individual is governed by reason and ‘the reason’ happens to be the basic driving force behind the state of nature. Locke came out with the thought that reason teaches us not to harm another in his life, liberty, health or possession. He further added that an transgressions will invite punishments. Hobbes and Locke both happened to be renowned social contract theorists, but their views differ on several aspects. For example, while Locke believed that man is by nature a social animal, Hobbes thought it otherwise and suggested that ‘society could not exist except by the power of the state.’ In my opinion Kant’s Ethical Theory stands out as one of the best. While on the one hand this theory talks about the Good will on the one hand, rationality and morality are also described as integral components of the human behavior. Kant advances the argument that the outcome of our actions cannot be accurately predicted, but the intent

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St John of the Cross A Mystic for the 21st Century

St John of the Cross A Mystic for the 21st Century Regnum 146874Â   Human beings have always cultivated a desire to meet God, to question him, to know his thoughts, to find out his plans. How to find him? Where can we meet him? In ancient times it was believed that the ideal place would be the peaks of the mountains. All nations had their sacred mountains-meeting places between heaven and earth, the abode of the gods and goal of human ascent-for the Greeks, Olympus; for the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Ararat; for the Ugarits, the Tzaphon. Israel also shared this belief. Abraham, Moses, and Elijah had their strongest spiritual experiences on the mountains: Moria, Horeb, and Mount Carmel. Saint John of the Cross follows in such a tradition. But how could one consider John of the Cross, a 16th century mystic in the scholastic tradition, as having relevance for the 21st century? McGinn, quoting Henri Bremond states; In short, it is not possible to ignore the mystics without disowning ones self. (McGinn, 30) what I believe John offers is a spirituality th at attempts to transcend oneself, comes out of ones experiences and moves close to divine union by forsaking self in relation to others and to God. Essentially, I believe John develops an existential approach to spirituality which offers a hand for the parched lives in modern society. Known as a great advocate of St John of the Cross, Thomas Merton remarked, [T]hese words I underlined, although they amazed and dazzled me with their import, were all too simple for me to understand. They were too naked, too stripped of all duplicity and compromise for my complexity, perverted by many appetites. (Egan, 62) How difficult is it to understand simplicity? In the 21st century, increasingly so. Our lives have become so complicated and dominated by a cacophony of soundbites, images and false truths that we seem to be further from finding God than ever before. It was the Canticle I glanced at while seated in the school chapel. A joyful piece of poetry full of light and far from the Dark Night of my earlier knowledge of John of the Cross. If ever I needed a sign it was on the feast of St. John of the Cross as I sat taking a deep breath removed from the hectic business of a days work. Oh to be a mystic, shut away from the hustle and bustle of life engaged in prayer, spiritual reading and gentle manual work. Such a view of the life of a mystic I am certain is common, yet far from reality. Sitting reflecting on the life of John of the Cross I was intrigued by how busy he was, how engaged in lifes activity. Further, I became aware of a saint for diaconal ministry and for a personal spirituality based on liberation and freedom. What Martin Heidegger would refer to as anticipatory resoluteness. Heidegger says that the intelligibility of Being-in-the-world expresses itself as discourse (Heidegger, 204) That discourse for John is with God and aids a transformation from self to other. For John, conversion is what the contemplative life is all about.[1] Of course, John came from a family of converts to Christianity, as a converso he descended from Jewish converts to Christianity. While his early family life is well known; the rejection of his father by his noble family for marrying his mother who was of a lowly class, the poverty, destitution and homelessness following the death of his father. It is apt to consider such biographical details to come to an understanding of how he developed a self-sacrificial approach towards life. At fourteen, John took on a job caring for hospital patients who suffered incurable diseases and madness. There is little reward for such tasks. For John he discovered his love of life and of God. Such love of God sustained him throughout his prison experience following his contact with Teresa of Avila and his agreement to join her reform movement. John supported her belief that the Carmelite order should return to its life of prayer. After nine months in prison John managed to escape taking with him his unf inished poetry. Ascent of Mount Carmel and Dark Night of the Soul later became two of his books of practical advice along with A Spiritual Canticle and the Bridegroom Christ. His works were never intended to be published, they were merely aide memoirs to help initially the members of the order and others develop in their love of God. Initially John intended the reader to interpret his poetry for themselves. However, like Jesus before him John was prevailed upon to explain and help others to understand. Indeed, in the prologue to the Ascent John makes reference to others who will be attempting to guide directees towards the summit. He says they understand not themselves and lack competent and alert directors. (Ascent Prologue, 2) In the prologue to the Ascent, John indicates his principal sources: I have to say, or at the least, in that which is most important and dark to the understanding, of Divine Scripture; for, if we guide ourselves by this, we shall be unable to stray, since He Who speaks therein is the Holy Spirit. (Ascent Prologue, 2) While predominantly from the New Testament John makes reference to over 1300 scriptural quotations from almost every book. He seems to have known the Bible from heart and he twists and moves such knowledge of the scriptures with his understanding of life and love of God. Shaped, as it was, by his very experience of life. John bases his entire doctrine upon well-established dogmatic facts; nature of God; nature of man; mans purpose and the means by which one gets there. In the Ascent John begins his climb to the summit of divine union with the dark night, essentially a purge of the sensual self to develop passivity and reception of Gods will into our lives. It is no happy accident that John makes reference to a young Tobias from the Old Testament; (Tobit 6:4-5) In the first (night) he commanded him to burn the heart of the fish in the fire, which signifies the heart that is affectioned to, and set upon, the things of the world; which, in order that one may begin to journey toward God, must be burned and purified from all that is creature, in the fire of the love of God. And in this purgation the devil flees away, for he has power over the soul only when it is attached to things corporeal and temporal. When one considers the materialism and the need now mentality in the culture of todays world a brief reflection upon the need to purge oneself of desire of all things seems ever more pressing. As we anticipate the inauguration of Donald Trump as president of the United States the rise of populism creates an energy and drive which at the same time drives a wedge into society. Ghetto mentality has been seen in Warsaw and we neednt spend too long considering the cause of that or the horrific outcomes. So what fills the void when we exorcise Twitter, Facebook and things of no lasting value? John gives us prayer. However, he insists it is not removed from the rest of life nor is it measured in time or quantity. Instead John gives us a life of prayer to help save us from evil, or at least the inordinate indulging of desires that injures the soul. Nothing is evil in and of itself. It is ones attitude. Todays society has seen an inordinate growth in mindfulness, a need for alternative spirituality and a wholesale rejection of the institutional church, at least in the West. Even Apple load, by default, a Mindfulness App on every iPhone they ship. By July 27th, 2016 they had shipped 1 billion units; one billion souls potentially saved by a single trans global corporation, all in the space of nine years. If only Jesus had met Steve Jobs down by the shores of Lake Galilee. One hundred years previously William James raised the same issues in his Gifford Lectures at Edinburgh University, Varieties of Religious Experience, or that John of the Cross and his interest in psychology and human nature got there 400 years before James? In lecture IX and X James refers to Conversion and a need to transform ones soul from sickness to wellbeing. Ironically, James work was utilised by Alcoholic Anonymous some 25 years after his death to help treat sick souls. (Bevacqua, 440) Ones addiction may be al cohol but there is also a plethora of addictions for which one must seek healing. Egan states: For John of the Cross, the journey of The Ascent of Mount Carmel is but a prelude to the love that blooms in a heart that God has freed. Genuine freedom comes not through ones own efforts-the active nights. For John of the Cross, liberation from disordered attachments comes fully and finally through the purifying contemplative dark nights-the passive nights-that follow on what is described in The Ascent of Mount Carmel (Egan, 67) There truly is nothing new under the sun. Consequently, Johns writings are neither a commentary nor a manual for those who devoted their lives to God in an enclosed convent or monastery. They are for every one of us who seek with a sincere heart the best way to spend our lives on earth. Freedom to be and freedom from is alluded to by Johns Ascent of Mount Carmel and his Dark Night of the Soul. According to St John [H]uman nature can never attain to the ontological status of Being Itself inasmuch as it can never assume the divine nature (even while participating in it), the perpetuity of its becoming -that-always-verges-on-being remains an inviolable aspect of its created nature. Mondello, 2) Simply put, we are always moving towards God (or away from), we can never Be God, or attain divine unity. Within existentialism Mahon OBrien argues for the structural and thematic coherence of Heideggers movement from authenticity to the search for an authentic free relation to the world as captured by the term releasement. By demonstrating the structural and thematic unity of Heideggers thought in its entirety, OBrien paves the way for a more measured and philosophically grounded understanding of the issues at stake in the Heidegger controversy. (OBrien, 119) In respect of St John detachment is grounded in his desire for self-sacrifice. It is simply the attitude that makes us value things in their true light before God and use them as He intended. For John the ontological is deeply radicated in the eschatological. Becoming is inexhaustible, for becoming, as such, occurs in eternity. Does John attain the summit? It would be most unlike his character to admit so. Detachment is necessary in, did ministry or indeed in the lives of all Christians. Who is my God? That which is worshipped in the temple of Mammon situated in a shopping centre near each of us? Or the one true God revealed in the scriptures? It is in the prophet Zephaniah that the word poor is used with a new connotation: it indicates not only as a social and economic situation but, above all, an inner religious attitude. For Zephaniah, poor is he who, having no security, trusts entirely in God and submits to his will. John offers us a window through which to gaze at the mountain, but we, as being s in the world, must take the steps to climb that mountain. There is no doubt that St John of the Cross must be read repeatedly and frequently. As a mystic he experienced lifes truly hard knocks, he lived his life in service of God and found love of God in doing for others. If there was ever a sign I received in November 24th 2016 then it was to begin to discover the depth and reality of John, and in doing so I share in some small way the incredulity of Thomas Merton who despite his deep desire to know John found his words, all too simple for him to understand. Saint John has the final word if anyone is seeking God, the Beloved is seeking that person much more. (LFL 3.28) Bibliography Abbreviations Saint John of the Cross Ascent Ascent of Mount Carmel LFL The Living Flame of Love Bevacqua, Tony, (2010). William Jamess sick-minded soul and the AA recovery paradigm: Time for a reappraisal. The journal of humanistic psychology: 50, (4): 440 Egan, KJ 2007, Thomas Mertons Approach to St. John of the Cross, Merton Annual, 20, pp. 62-78 James, William, (2012) The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature. Oxford, Oxford Worlds Classics Kavanaugh, Kieran and Rodriquez, Otilio (Eds.) The Living Flame of Love 1.1; 1.3; and The Spiritual Canticle B, 29.3 in The Collected Works of Saint John of the Cross, rev. Washington, DC: Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1991. McGinn, Bernard The Mystical Tradition, in Woods, Richard and Tyler, Peter.(2012) The Bloomsbury Guide to Spirituality, London: Bloomsbury, 30 41 Mondello, Geoffrey (2010) The Metaphysics of Mysticism:Toward a Theory of Cognitive Transcendence OBrien, Mahon, (2011) Heidegger and Authenticity: From Resoluteness to Releasement, London: Bloomsbury [1]. See The Living Flame of Love 1.1; 1.3; and The Spiritual Canticle B, 29.3 in The Collected Works of Saint John of the Cross, rev. ed., eds. Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriquez (Washington, DC: Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1991).

Gang Violence Essay

No one attempts to see the factors such as poverty, homelessness, lack of opportunity are a major contributor to crime and the forming of delinquents in our community. Delinquency is defined as a failure to what law or duty requires. It is a behavior that is often times a result of poverty and inopportunity in youth’s life. Often time those who can obtain what they need through conventional means will use unconventional means such as crimes to obtain necessities due to having no job, no money, and lack of education. Gang members age from 13-18 years of age. However everyone knows a person who has lost a life due to gang violence or gang related activities. The biggest ethic groups involved in gangs are Latinos and Spanish. Although there trying to pass a law that states any gang related activity will serve from 2-3 years whether he or she is a minor or not. In my conclusion I came across that young men and women don’t wake up and decide to be this way, from the lack of love, care and attention at home, so they feel like an outcast and doesn’t have a positive role model to look up to and lean on in times of need. So when they join a gang they get the attention they being feeding for. â€Å"In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear for failure.† –Bill Cosby There were 9% of females involved in gangs in year 2000 as of today there are 15% of females affiliated in gangs. Females are generally classified to four types of ways to join a gang. They can be violated or jumped in meaning a physical beating so she can prove her toughness, loyalty, and her commitment but women who choose to get sexed in a gang gets the least respect. Usually getting sexed in a gang is uncommon for females due to not having any respect and majority of the reason is to get respect from everyone. Children in a house hold that doesn’t have a male role model is mostly to be  a behavior child and if he or she isn’t getting enough attention they need it will cause them to find that attention in a gang or a group of people where they feel they will be cared for and loved. Most children join gangs because of peer pressure but majority is because of girls and money. For a little percent of children they become a part of a gang because of the things they don’t have and becoming a member of a gang it will be quick money but a lot of risk along with it. Usually they are only trying to help out there house hold but because of where there from they have no other choices, it’s almost like force. Gang related actives is most common in urban areas like Chicago they are the number 1 ranked in cities with the most gang violence, Detroit is not far behind it is ranked as number 5. Been said Gang Violence is an act from children who is crying out for attention and others who can’t help it because its where there from and is almost as if they have no choice. Due to low income homes and no jobs children go to the streets for help as a comfort zone.

JPMorgan Chase Essay

JPMorgan Chase is one of the oldest and most respected banks in the United States. However, during the summer of 2012 Chase announced trading losses and bad investment decisions that resulted in a loss of approximately $5.8 billion. Not only did they report this substantial loss they admitted to falsifying their first quarter reports, were they where attempting to conceal the massive loss. Three months prior to this event JPMorgan Chase was viewed as the top American bank. The first question to be discussed in this paper will be what actions can Administrative Agencies such the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and or the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) take to prevent high risk gambles in securities/banking which are one of the main cornerstones of this country’s economy. According to the SEC, their â€Å"main mission is to protect investors, to maintain fair, orderly, efficient markets and facilitate capital formation† (www.sec.gov) One of the ways that SEC does this is by requiring public companies to disclose meaningful financial information to the public to help the public decide which companies will be the best to invest in. In response to the JPMorgan Chase revelation SEC Chairperson Mary Shapiro told the Senate Banking Committee that â€Å"her agency’s investigation is limited, because the trades happened in divisions of the banking giant that are not subject to SEC regulation†. She also stated that â€Å"we (the SEC) did not have any direct oversight or knowledge of the transactions†. In addition to the above statements Ms. Shapiro stated that â€Å"the SEC’s investigation would target the appropriateness and completeness of the entity’s (JPMorgan Chase) financial reporting and other public disclosure s† (Liberto, 2012). Next I will discuss the Commodity and Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) main purpose as well as some of its other responsibilities. The Commodity and Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC)  main purpose is to regulate commodity futures and options markets. Its goals include the promotion of competitive and efficient futures markets and the protection of investors against manipulation, abusive trade practices and fraud (www.sec.gov). Gary Gensler, chairman of the CFTC told the Senate Banking Committee that â€Å"he couldn’t provide specific information about the investigation, but he did say that he first learned about the questionable trades from press reports. He also stated that the CFTC does not have regulators on the ground to look at bank trades yet. Chairman Gensler also told the Banking Committee that currently, the American public is not protected in that way (e.g. having regulators looking at the trades as they happen) (Liberto, 2012). Regulators have been struggling for months trying to figure out who should be included in a new crackdown on swaps and derivatives. Swaps and derivatives are complex financial bets derived from other financial products. Gensler made it clear that once the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reforms are fully implemented it will be illegal for JPMorgan Chase to make the kinds of trades that resulted in the $5.8 billion loss. He also clarified that Dodd-Frank allows for trades made to hedge against â€Å"individual and aggregate positions† – not to guard against future economic losses, as the JPMorgan trades have been described (Liberto, 2012). Next I will cover the elements of a valid contract, as well as discuss how consumers and banks each have a duty of god faith and fair dealing in the banking relationship â€Å"A contract is a legally enforceable promise or set of promises. If the promise is broken, the person to whom the promise was mad – the promise – has certain legal rights against the person who made the promise – the promisor† (Bagley, 2012). There are 4 basic elements to a contract and they are: 1) offer and acceptance, 2) consideration, 3) both parties must have the capacity to enter into a contract, 4) the contract must have a legal purpose. â€Å"The offer is a manifestation of willingness to enter into a bargain that justifies another person in understanding that his or her assent will conclude the bargain† (Bagley, 2012). Acceptance indicates the receiving person’s willingness to enter into the agreement proposed in the offer (Bagley, 2012). Consideration is something of value that is provided by both parties (Bagley, 2012). Lastly, a valid contract requires that both parties have the capacity to enter into the agreement (Bagley, 2012. Next I will discuss the duty of god faith and fair dealing  in the consumer/banking relationship. Prior to 1929, Massachusetts expressly provided that good faith was applicable to all contracts. In 1929, the Supreme Judicial Court, in addressing a breach of contract claim under an option agreement for the purchase of stock in an oil-producing leasehold, expressly stated, for the first time, that there was an obligation of good faith and fair dealing in all contracts. The court emphasized that a business contract â€Å"is to be interpreted as a business transaction entered into by practical men to accomplish an honest and straightforward end†. Beginning in 1936, the duty of good faith was defined as a covenant â€Å"that neither party shall do anything which will have the effect of destroying or injuring the right of the other party to receive the fruits of the contract†. This â€Å"fruits† articulation of the duty of good faith remains intact today and is regularly quoted as the operative standard (Weigand, 2013). The next topic is to compare and contrast the differences between intentional and negligent tort actions. There are several types of intentional torts and they are: torts against persons, intentional torts that involve personal property, and intentional torts with regard to economic interest and business relationships. There are also several types of negligent torts. Two of which are: duty to rescue and duty to invitees. Intentional torts against consist of battery, assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, and invasion of privacy. The key word in all of these intentional torts is intent or purpose to cause harm to another. Intentional torts against property include trespass of land, nuisance, conversion, and trespass to personal property. Intent and purpose are also why these are considered intentional. The key difference between these two torts is that one is against people and the other is a misuse of another’s property. An individual has to purpose commit these acts. Negligent torts consist of different types of duties. Duty is when a person with a legal duty to another is required to act, reasonably, under the circumstances to avoid harming the other person. Some examples of this are duty to rescue and duty to invitees. Duties are basically an obligation that one person is legally bound to perform for another. In comparing the two types of torts we find that intentional torts are torts that people commit against other people. Negligence also others but it is a failure to perform that causes the injury or unjust action. An  example of this comparison is the intentional tort of battery and failure to perform the duty to rescue. When I commit battery I cause harm to another, when I fail to perform the duty to rescue the other individual also suffers harm but it is because I failed to act. In contrast intentional torts are actions committed against another and negligence is when I fail to take action on another. Next I will discuss the tort action of â€Å"interference with contractual relations and participating in a breach of fiduciary duty†. Interference with contractual relations protects the right to enjoy the benefits of legal ly binding agreements. It provides a remedy when the defendant intentionally induces another person to breach a contract with a plaintiff. Interference with contractual relations requires intent to interfere. The existence of a contract is the difference between tortuous interference and the more difficult to prove tortuous interference with prospective contractual relations. The most famous case of tortuous interference was Pennzoil v Texaco which occurred in 1983 (Bagley, 2013). Similarly a defendant who knowingly participates in, or induces a breach of fiduciary duty by another commits the tort of participation in a breach of fiduciary duty. Lastly, I believe that if god grounds exist for the interference, such as exists in the JPMorgan Chase case then I should be able to prevail in the tort action. Lastly, I will cover how banks protect the software that allows for online transactions. Most banks protect the customers who participate in online transactions through what is called the Online Banking Guarantee. This protection covers your banking and personal information. It is the banks responsibility to ensure the customers protection while the customer engages in online transactions. In most if not all case the customer is 100% covered in the case of theft of funds. One of main defenses for software protection is through complex encryption systems. Another deterrent is simply the vast amount of software that is available for online banking. So between the wide array of software and encryption systems online banking transaction are relatively safe. In this paper I have covered several topics and they are as follows: What actions Administrative Agency’s take to be effective in preventing high-risk gambles in securities and banking, the elements of a valid contract and the duty of good faith and fair dealing between banks and consumers, comparing and contrasting intentional and negligent torts, the tort action of  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Interference with contractual relations and participating in a breach of fiduciary duty, and lastly, how banks protect the software that they use for online banking. References Bagley, C. (2013). Managers and the Legal Environment: Strategies for the 21st Century, 7th Edition. Mason: South-Western, Cengage Learning. Liberto, J. (2012) CNN Money. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2013, from http://money.cnn.com/2012/05/22/news/economy/jp-morgan-senate/index.htm U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2013, from U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission: http://www.cftc.gov/index.htm U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2013, from U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: http://www.sec.gov/ Weigand, T. (2013) . The Duty of Good Faith and Fair Dealng in Commercial Contracts in Massachusetts, Massachusetts Law Review. Retrieved 10Sep13

Research Paper Essays - Writing, Essay, Lead Paragraph, Free Essays

Research Paper Essays - Writing, Essay, Lead Paragraph, Free Essays Research Paper ESSAY OUTLINE FORM Main (Controlling) Idea of the essay: Three main points of argument (1)(2)(3) INTRODUCTION: [Introduction should start on a general level with lead-in statements and gradually focus in on the specific topic of the essay. In the introduction, the reader should find the main idea of the essay expressed in the thesis sentence. Also in the introduction, the reader should be able to tell what specific points about the main idea will be discussed and in what order they will be developed. The lead in statements could (1) make a striking assertion, (2) use a split anecdote ( a story that is begun in the introduction and is finished in the conclusion), (3) use an interesting detail, statistic, or quotation, or (4) ask a provocative question. The introduction should make the reader want to continue reading.] Lead-in statements: Thesis (which includes points of argument): BODY: [Each topic sentence should be a major point of argument which supports the thesis statement. Primary support sentences are general statements which support the topic sentence. The secondary support sentences (or concrete illustrations), which support the primary support sentences, provide specific details, quotes, statistics, or real-life examples.] Body Paragraph 1 (develops first point of argument): Topic sentence Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Body Paragraph 2 (develops second point of argument): Topic sentence: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Body Paragraph 3 (develops third point of argument): Topic sentence: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: CONCLUSION: [The concluding paragraph should include a general summary statement which recaps the thesis, a sentence which restates the major points of argument, and a wrap-up statement. The conclusion could also contain the end of a split anecdote which would finish the story begun in the introduction. The wrap-up statement could contain insights of the essay writer, encourage the reader to take action, emphasize the importance of one of the points of argument, or create a solid sense of finality.] General summary statement which recaps thesis: Recap major points of argument: Wrap-up statement (consequences and insights): Handouts Bibliography ESSAY OUTLINE FORM Main (Controlling) Idea of the essay: Three main points of argument (1)(2)(3) INTRODUCTION: [Introduction should start on a general level with lead-in statements and gradually focus in on the specific topic of the essay. In the introduction, the reader should find the main idea of the essay expressed in the thesis sentence. Also in the introduction, the reader should be able to tell what specific points about the main idea will be discussed and in what order they will be developed. The lead in statements could (1) make a striking assertion, (2) use a split anecdote ( a story that is begun in the introduction and is finished in the conclusion), (3) use an interesting detail, statistic, or quotation, or (4) ask a provocative question. The introduction should make the reader want to continue reading.] Lead-in statements: Thesis (which includes points of argument): BODY: [Each topic sentence should be a major point of argument which supports the thesis statement. Primary support sentences are general statements which support the topic sentence. The secondary support sentences (or concrete illustrations), which support the primary support sentences, provide specific details, quotes, statistics, or real-life examples.] Body Paragraph 1 (develops first point of argument): Topic sentence Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Body Paragraph 2 (develops second point of argument): Topic sentence: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Body Paragraph 3 (develops third point of argument): Topic sentence: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: Primary Support: Secondary Support: CONCLUSION: [The concluding paragraph should include a general summary statement which recaps the thesis, a sentence which restates the major points of argument, and a wrap-up statement. The conclusion could also contain the end of a split anecdote which would finish the story begun in the introduction. The wrap-up statement could contain insights of the essay writer, encourage the reader to take action, emphasize the importance of one of the points of argument, or create a solid sense of finality.] General summary statement which recaps thesis: Recap major points of argument: Wrap-up statement (consequences and insights): Handouts

A Tale of Two Cities Theme essays

A Tale of Two Cities Theme essays Ironically, the theme of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens has nothing to do with geographical distance or size, as suggested by the title; rather it is predominately about resurrection. Throughout the novel, resurrection plays a vital role in the plot of the story that adds to its appeal. One must note however, that the theme of redemption and rebirth are closely tied with resurrection. The theme of resurrection is first portrayed in Book I with the phrase recalled to life. This phrase indicates Dr. Manettes release from 18 years of solitary confinement, which commences the plot of Dickenss story. Lucie Manette, the daughter of Dr. Manette, then nourishes her father back to his right state of mind, resurrecting him from his psychological difficulties. The theme of resurrection is exemplified even more in Book II. Jerry Crunchers nighttime job of grave robbing directly illustrates the theme; he literally raises people from the dead. With the acquittal of the jury, Charles Darnay is resurrected from his seemingly inevitable fate of torture and death. Roger Cly is given another chance to live when he fakes his own death just like the aristocrat, Foulon. Sydney Cartons life and spirit is resurrected by Lucies compassion as stated in the following quote: ...I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul... that the sight of you and your father...has stirred old shadows that I thought had died out of me... (Bk. II, Ch. 13, p. 154) Furthermore, Darnays identity as an Evrmonde, a hated name throughout France, is resurrected, stirring up the old fears and mental state in Dr. Manette. In Book III, Sydney Cartons heroic sacrifice is the best example of resurrection. Under the blade of the guillotine, Carton says, I am the Resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and wh...

Fire Service Pro Qual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fire Service Pro Qual - Essay Example However, the systems main emphasis is on the procedures used to administer examinations. In doing this, the system ensures that the participating institutions and entities act in accordance with IFSAC’s laid down procedures and policy framework aimed at improving the quality of the certification programs (IFSAC). It is important to point out that IFSAC’s role is to give accreditation to institutions and programs that provide certification to individuals. In effect, this implies that IFSAC role is not to accredit fire departments. Like IFSAC, the Pro Board was established in 1990 with the responsibility of accrediting organizations that followed the professional qualifications standards provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In this case, the system’s primary responsibility is to accredit organizations that provided certification to career and voluntary firefighters in public fire departments. Nonetheless, it is crucial to note that the Pro Board also considers other organizations with fire protection interests. Certified individuals from Pro Board’s accredited entities meet the rigorous national standards measurements measured against their peers. In addition, the accreditation enhances the credibility of an organization, which helps the organization secure more funds during budget time (The Pro Board). The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), provides various certifications to ensure that fire professionals acquired the requisite ability, which requires knowledge and skills, in order to remain competent in their line of duty. One such certification is on professional qualifications for fire inspectors. In order to achieve this certification, fire inspectors should have the knowledge, skills, and ability required to perform their roles. First, a fire inspector should have the ability to prepare inspection reports that are clear and concise according to the codes and standards. In