How Not To Be A Roommate

Being a freshman on campus can be quite terrifying. Youve just moved to brand new place, and you dont know anyone - thats why your freshman roommate is so important. Sooner or later, you branch out and room with your best friends, but sometimes it doesnt work out the way you want it to. members know better anyone:From our office intern, Sylvia: I think I had it lucky compared to most other college students who have way worse stories. But, something that comes to mind repeatedly when thinking about my worst college roommate experience was in my 3rd year at USF. I had just moved out of the dorm and into an apartment two blocks away from school with 3 of my friends. We were finally â€Å"real† adults, no more cafà © points to rely on and no one to wash our dirty dishes. To a lightweight germ-o-phobe like me, it turned into a nightmare. Two of my housemates bought groceries or take out every week but never finished them and left everything to mold in the fridge, for weeks or months. When it came time to clean the fridge out at the end of the year, I found food that expired seven months ago and food that I wasn’t sure if it was originally meat, rice, or mushed blueberries. My other housemate never cleaned the dishes properly, leaving bits of dried food on the dishes in the cupboard. Once, I even found a piece of r aw meat, on the floor. From our beautiful in-office designer, Julia: Sophomore year at UCSB, my roommate was a girl I lived with in the freshman dorms. We chose to share a studio apartment, just the two of us in one big bedroom with a kitchen and a bathroom. Our issues started early on - she didnt take out the trash, vacuum, sweep, or wipe the counters a single time that year! I had no idea she was such a messy lady - when we lived together in the dorms, our room was always cleaned by university staff. Shed often eat my food without asking. I only really had the guts to confront her once, when she demolished an entire jar of peanut butter Id just purchased that week. When I asked her about it, she offered to trade me a handful of miniature peanut butter cups in exchange. (While not an adequate refund, this was certainly a sweet attempt at civility.) She also had an odd habit of leaving seemingly random objects around the apartment. Id come home to find a large granite rock in the middle of the bedroom, a broken bicycle in our kitchen, a cheese grater on her bed. I repeat, she left our only cheese grater lying on her bed for several days. What strange activity could lead her to forget it there, I dont want to imagine. Needless to say, when our lease ended we went our separate ways. Lesson to freshman seeking roommates: Before choosing to live with someone, really be thorough in making sure they dont have some kind of cheese fetish. From one of our co-founders, Lydia: I lived in the Phi Mu sorority house my sophomore year at Johns Hopkins. In general, it was a great group of girls and you couldnt beat the location. But 20 girls under one roof was intense to say the least. One housemate was particularly territorial and passive aggressive. She hated when guests used our first floor bathroom and lounge. She covered every room with poster board signs. ATTENTION:It is not acceptable to use the bathroom that is not on the floor of your own room. This escalated to many other things she wanted to bring our â€Å"attention† to, and eventually, we had to put up signs of our own saying, â€Å"ATTENTION: These signs are not acceptable.† From our other co-founder, Stephanie: I moved in with a gay designer post-Duke. We got along really well and I thought he would be a drama-free roommate to have. That is, until he started to hit on me. Turns out he wasnt gay. Whether you’re just starting your search or you’re looking for help applying, it’s never too early to make the college application process easier.Searchto find students like you orcontact a mentorfor help with the admissions process so you can narrow down your choices and get a head start.

Whats Tested on the SAT Math Section Topics and Practice

What's Tested on the SAT Math Section Topics and Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Your first step in preparing for the math section of the SAT should be familiarizing yourself with exactly what’s on it. Whatever math class you’re taking in school, you should be able to conquer the SAT math topics with the right approach to test prep. Let’s start this guide by reviewing the overall format of the math section of the SAT. SAT Math Format Math will be your third and fourth sections on the SAT, right after Reading and Writing Language. You’ll first get a 25-minute section, during which you can’t use a calculator. After a short break, you’ll move onto the 55-minute section. During this longer section, you’re allowed to use your calculator. Both sections will begin with multiple-choice questions, each of which will feature four answer choices. Then you’ll be asked for some student-produced responses, more commonly known as "grid-ins." On the calculator section, some of these grid-ins will relate to one another as part of an Extended Thinking question. // Here’s the breakdown of time, number of questions, and question types on the two SAT math sections. Section Number of Questions Time No calculator 15 multiple choice, 5 grid-ins 25 minutes Calculator 30 multiple choice, 8 grid-ins (including one Extended Thinking question) 55 minutes Total 58 questions 80 minutes While you can only use a calculator on the longer Math section, you’ll have access to the following reference information for geometry in both sections: Of course, you’d be better off having this information memorized than wasting time flipping back in your test booklet to these formulas. This material isn’t actually all that important on the math section, as geometry problems make up less than 10% of the questions. That being said, what skills and concepts are most prevalent in the math section? Content is king! Or, at least, it's very important to master before you take the SAT. SAT Math Topics // While the math section doesn’t place a large emphasis on geometry problems, it does focus on algebra, solving equations, and data interpretation from tables and graphs. College Board sorts the question types into three main categories: Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, and Problem Solving and Data Analysis (they apparently gave up on the creative naming once they reached the third category). These three realms describe about 90% of the SAT math questions. The remaining 10% are simply called Additional Topics, and they mainly include geometry, basic trigonometry, and complex numbers. Let’s take a closer look at each of these categories by going over the SAT math topics and skills they test. After a description of each one, you’ll see three official sample practice questions from College Board. Heart of Algebra SAT math questions in the Heart of Algebra category have to do with linear equations, inequalities, functions, and graphs. Below are the official topics as defined by College Board, followed by a summary of tasks you’ll need to be prepared for to tackle these questions and some example problems. // Official Topics Solving linear equations and linear inequalities (in these expressions, x is a constant or the product of a constant) Interpreting linear functions Linear inequality and equation word problems Graphing linear equations Linear function word problems Systems of linear inequalities word problems Solving systems of linear equations Summary of Tasks // Use multiple steps to simplify an expression or equation or solve for a variable. Solve for a variable within functions or systems of inequalities with two variables (usually x and y). Determine whether a given point is in a solution set or what value would make an expression have no solution. Select a graph that shows an algebraic equation, or, on the flip side, choose the equation that describes a graph. Indicate how a graph would be affected by a given change in its equation. Sample Questions Solving systems of linear equations: Solving systems of linear inequalities: Graphing a linear equation: Grab your passport- we're crossing the border into the land of advanced math. // Passport to Advanced Math While Heart of Algebra questions are focused on linear equations, Passport to Advanced Math questions have to do with nonlinear expressions, or expressions in which a variable is raised to an exponent that’s not zero or one. These questions will ask you to work with quadratic equations, exponential expressions, and word problems. Read on for the full list of topics that fall under Passport to Advanced Math, followed by a summary of tasks and three sample SAT questions. Official Topics Solving quadratic equations Interpreting nonlinear expressions Quadratic and exponential word problems Radicals and rational exponents Operations with rational expressions and polynomials Polynomial factors and graphs Nonlinear equation graphs Linear and quadratic systems Structure in expressions Isolating quantities Functions // Summary of Tasks Solve equations by factoring or using other methods to rewrite them in another form. Add, subtract, multiply, or divide two rational expressions or divide two polynomial expressions and simplify your results. Select a graph that matches a nonlinear equation or an equation that corresponds to a graph. Determine the equation of a curve from a description of a graph. Figure out how a graph would change if its equation changed. Sample Questions Functions: Nonlinear expressions: // Nonlinear equation graphs: Problem Solving and Data Analysis This third and final major category includes questions that ask you to work with rates, ratios, percentages, and data from graphs and tables. Read on for the official topics, a summary of tasks, and three sample questions. Official Topics Ratios, rates, and proportions Percents Units Table data Scatterplots Key features of graphs Linear and exponential growth Data inferences Center, spread, and shape of distributions Data collection and conclusions // Summary of Tasks Solve multi-step problems to calculate ratio, rate, percentage, unit rate, or density. Use a given ratio, rate, percentage, unit rate, or density to solve a multistep problem. Select an equation that best fits a scatterplot. Use tables to summarize data, such as probabilities. Estimate populations based on sample data. Use statistics to determine mean, median, mode, range, and/or standard deviation. Evaluate tables, graphs, or text summaries. Determine the accuracy of a data collection method. // Sample Questions Calculating data based on rate: Scatterplot and calculating rate: Calculating percentage based on table data: These next few categories don't quite fit anywhere else. Additional Topics in Math While 90% of your questions will fall into the Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, or Problem Solving and Data Analysis categories, the remaining 10% will simply be classified as Additional Topics. These topics include geometry, trigonometry, and problems with complex numbers. Official Topics // Volume word problems Right triangle word problems Congruence and similarity Right triangle geometry Angles, arc lengths, and trig functions Circle theorems Circle equations Complex numbers Summary of Tasks // Determine volume of a shape. Apply properties of triangles to determine side length or angle measure. Apply properties of circles to measure arc length and area. Solve problems with sine, cosine, and tangent. Sample Questions Right triangle problem with trigonometric functions: Congruence and similarity: Angles and parallel lines: To truly prepare for the math section of the SAT, you should make sure to review all of the above mentioned topics. Some problems, furthermore, will integrate topics and require you to apply multiple skills and concepts as you work toward a solution. Multi-step problems are prevalent throughout the math section. Let’s take a closer look at multi-step problems, along with the other main features you need to be aware of as you prep for SAT Math. // Grab your snacks and turn off your cell phone- it's time for the main feature(s)! What Are the Key Features of SAT Math? In addition to understanding content and format of the SAT Math section, there are some key features you should know about. As you study, keep an eye out for these features. By familiarizing yourself with them, you may even be able to use practice materials for the old SAT effectively to prepare for the current SAT. Multi-Step Problems You may notice that several of the above problem types state that they require multiple steps to solve. While wording of math questions should be straightforward, the thinking and calculations required will be relatively involved. To prepare, you'll especially want to focus on time management and working quickly and efficiently. // To solve a word problem, you may have to combine skills from one more than one content area or use several steps to get to your answer. Word problems may present a long scenario, and you’ll need to figure out what data to use and what concepts to apply to get to your answer. Speaking of word problems... Emphasis on â€Å"Real World† Applications According to College Board, much of its purpose behind redesigning the SAT was to make the test more closely aligned with classroom learning and real world skills. As a result, the math section won’t feature too many abstract reasoning questions. Instead, the word problems will be grounded in realistic situations. Some may ask you to calculate gas left in a car’s gas tank or the conversion of money from one country’s currency to another. Most word problems will present scenarios that you might encounter in your life. // There will be a few questions that test your understanding of sines. Also, cosines and tangents. A Few Geometry and Trigonometry Questions About 10% of the questions will feature geometry and/or trigonometry. Since not everyone has studied trigonometry in school by the time they take the SAT, these questions may call for separate, SAT-specific preparation. You should acquaint yourself with the relevant concepts and formulas, but focus most of your energies on preparing for algebra, functions, inequalities, graphs, and word problems. A No-Calculator Section and a Calculator Section For 25 minutes, you won’t be able to bring out your calculator to answer any of the math questions. There’s no need to worry! The problems in the 25-minute section won’t require a calculator; in fact, using one on those problems would probably just slow you down. // Calculator fluency, or knowing how and when to use your calculator effectively, is an important skill on the SAT math. The College Board says, â€Å"Calculators are important tools, and...you’ll need to know how - and when - to use them...The calculator is, like any tool, only as smart as the person using it. The Math Test includes some questions where it’s better not to use a calculator, even though you’re allowed to.† So you definitely won’t need one on the shorter â€Å"no calculator† section, and you may not even need one on many of the problems in the longer â€Å"calculator† section. Answering lots of practice questions can help you get better at deciding when a calculator would be helpful and when it would just slow you down. An Extended Thinking Problem A few of your questions will be part of an Extended Thinking problem. Typically, this Extended Thinking problem will be part of the grid-in questions near the end of your 55-minute section. // Basically, you’ll get a graph, table, or word problem scenario and then have to answer multiple questions about it. The following is one example of a word problem-based Extended Thinking question. Notice the bent toward â€Å"real world† application! Grid-in Math Questions Speaking of grid-ins, you'll have thirteen of these student-produced responses that you'll answer in a special part of the bubble sheet at the bottom. While you can write your answer in the spaces provided, you'll have to fill in the corresponding bubbles for credit. There are bubbles for digits between 0 and 9, as well as for decimal point (a period) and fraction line (a slash). To practice gridding in your responses, you can practice on College Board's SAT practice test answer sheet. As long as you're familiar with the key features and directions of SAT Math, you can hit the ground running and not waste time figuring out logistics. So whether you're prepping with PrepScholar, online practice questions, official College Board tests, or a combination of all of these, how should you approach prepping for SAT Math? // Unleash the power of prep. How You Should Study SAT Math Many of the concepts on SAT Math you'll learn in your math classes in school. This doesn't mean that classwork will prepare you enough to perform well on the SAT, though. SAT Math questions test the above concepts in a unique, SAT-specific way. In order to prepare and learn to be speedy in your time management, you'll want to practice and get familiar with the wording with high-quality practice questions. Official practice tests will also help you uncover and diagnose your strengths and weaknesses. If you find yourself consistently stumped by function questions, for example, you'll know to focus your energy and studying there. Even if you haven't taken an advanced algebra or trigonometry class yet in school, you can still prep for these questions by studying SAT concepts and questions. If you're strong in math and looking to achieve a top score, you want to approach the math section in a strategic way. This perfect scorer shares the techniques he used and how they can help you score at or near 800 on your SAT math. What's Next? // Are you scoring on the low side on math and hoping to break 600? Here are the steps you need to take to score a 600 or more on the SAT math. Looking for book recommendations specific to the math section? Here are our suggestions for the best prep books for SAT Math, along with a few pointers on how to use them most effectively. Want to make sure you're solid on math basics before diving into SAT Math? Check out our refresher articles on solving inequalities, adding and subtracting fractions, multiplication, perfect squares, and the distributive property. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Individual and International Response to Disasters Essay

Individual and International Response to Disasters - Essay Example The response towards major humanitarian disasters such as the deadly tsunami that struck Asia in December 2004 leaving approximately 200,000 people dead, scores of hundreds missing and property worth millions of dollars in damages has, no doubt, been massive (UN/ISDR par 4). From donations to volunteer services outpouring from all corners of the world, the responses with respect to the 21st century humanitarian crises without a sense of denial, have been commendable but not sufficient. Yet, the role of the media, an integral component of communication parameters, appears to be less than equal to the task of coercing the entire process with the right buttons; evidence points to synergies directed in the aftermath rather than in the preventive mechanisms. By definition, a disaster [according to the United Nations] refers to a sudden, adverse, disruptive event to the normal functioning of the society with intolerably widespread losses beyond the ability of the affected using the availab le resources (UN DHA/IDNDR 27). Whether man made or natural, disasters are catastrophic, instantaneous, indiscriminate in character, and more so, occur without warning thereby making adjustments efforts difficult. To be sure, man has known disasters for ages. Human suffering induced by floods and/or famines are but tales that have defied generational with deleterious damages that enjoins precious life in a long list of loses. Though helpful, the technological improvements have more than detached man from nature and made the modern era disaster occurrences even more frequent and perilous with partly irreparable consequences. Individual and international agencies/organizations respond to disasters as a show of care gesture and/or to assist in situations where facilities and resources are genuinely inadequate in addressing the humanitarian needs of the affected populations. The assistance normally ranges from immediate to long-term efforts designed to save lives of those in danger and subsequently lessen or alleviate altogether any form of suffering (â€Å"23 Principles of Humanitarian Donorship† par 3). It is worth mentioning that no single actor can successfully meet the facets of a relief/recovery without help. Indeed from the survivors’ needs spanning from health risks [nutrition and emergency shelters, for instance], to livelihood reconstructions, international disaster responses would be verily incomplete without the combinative effort from various specialized actors beginning with the affected government entities, intergovernmental organizations [the UN agencies, to be precise], nongovernmental organizations [both the domestic and the international], the Red Cross, and more importantly the support of the affected civilian populations. Nonetheless, while these actors respond uniquely in some way to humanitarian disasters, not all stretch their efforts to the ultimate objective, thus making disasters rightly multi-phased emergencies where actor s only make contributions towards a desired end. Coordinated collaboration among actors is thus vital in combining specific knowledge, skills, experiences as well as technologies. While it is almost certain that these resources will ultimately meet towards the course discussed herein, quite a number of factors [argued below] determine their supply. Factors that Influence Individual and International Response to Disasters Extreme events such as the 9/11 attacks, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, and the more recent Hurricane Sandy in the United States did produce catastrophic impacts with long-term disruption of socio-economic systems. With the exception

International Mass Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International Mass Communications - Essay Example For instance, 30% of women have been victims of domestic violence while 38% of murders of women are committed by the intimate partner. Moreover, domestic violence has serious implications such depression, effects on mother and baby, as well as long-term health problems. Austerity Pain also show that domestic violence is a serious atrocity since the trauma suffered by the victims is similar to the cruelty experienced by the survivors of war, terrorism, and concentration camps. Additionally, Pain draws a connection between domestic violence and geography and politics by stating that it affects communities, states and various wider groups’ interest. Moreover, this type of violence is an act of exertion of excessive power by the superior partners in a romantic relationship. Additionally, it set within the context of globalization, colonization, gender, and ethnicity, which further creates a political connection. Domestic violence occurs within the family unit, but since the family is a central cog in the nation, it therefore, becomes a political agenda. Majority of partners who commit domestic violence use it to gain and maintain control over their spouses and use force to instil fear in their spouses. The most vulnerable partners to domestic violence are women and children in the family or relationships (Kenney, 2011). Since perpetrators of domestic violence seek to gain power, the victims remain fearful and vulnerable as they suffer in silence. Victims of domestic violence tend not to tell what they are going through. In fact, they are made to believe that it is their fault, and thus, they are unable to voice their horrific experiences. Pain gives an example of Jennifer who thought she was responsible for the violence. This was because her partner made her believe so, and the culture of the society too conditioned her to believe that she is the one at fault. Domestic violence according to the lecture is also linked with the

Evaluative Report to Support a Marketing Environment Essay

Evaluative Report to Support a Marketing Environment - Essay Example Jack Cohen in East end of London started Tesco in 1919. It started when Jack Cohen began to sell surplus grocery from a stall in east London. It become a private limited company in 1932 and two years later the company built it’s headquarter and a warehouse. Later in 1947 its stocks were floated on the stock exchange and in 1956 it opened its first self-service supermarket. By 1995 Tesco had become the world leading retailer and a year later it launched a 24 hours trading. Currently Tesco operates in 14 markets across Europe, Asia, and North America. Tesco UK is the largest of the Tesco businesses contributing to over 60% of the group’s sales and profits. Its plan to build a better Tesco focuses on six key elements that are service & staff, stores and formats, price & value, Range & quality, Brand & Marketing and Clicks & Bricks (Tesco 2012). Throughout this report, we will be underpinning our empirical finding from our research with the theory from various appropriate literatures. We will show how practices on these two retail outlets correspond to the available theory of marketing practice available in various marketing literature. Moreover, we will also show how some of the practices in these two retail outlets deviate from the available theory of marketing and management.... Moreover these new technologies has enabled this retail outlet to make its retail transactions more efficient by reducing the delay in which the customers are served thus improving the retail productivity of these organization. Moreover, I found out that the two retail outlets have started to practice online retailing where customers are required to place their orders on the organizations website and then after paying for the products they have delivered to their homes. In a consumer oriented organization such as a retail organization, to gain a competitive advantage the business has to ensure that customers are served better as compared to their competitors (Cant 2004). In these two retail outlets, I found out that the service to the customers is the key objective of every employee. I found out that employees are placed in almost every subsection of the retail shop to assist the customer in case of any need. This actually has differentiated this retail outlet from their competitors and thus making them to have a competitive advantage in the areas where they are located. According to Dahlen et al. (2010), brand positioning for retailer brands involves the design and implementation of a retail mix to create an image of the retailer in the customers mind relative to its competitors. Using the quality and the attractiveness of the product these group of retailers put in its retail outlets, it has helped them in the brand positioning. As revealed by the information which I received from several customers that I talked to most of the customers have a very good image of this retail outlets. This kind of positioning that this retail outlets have employed have helped them to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors and thus

Study On A Paperless System Information Technology Essay

Study On A Paperless System Information Technology Essay Many organizations, in an effort to increase their effectiveness and efficiency in order to develop competitive advantages in their marketplace, are eager to develop information technology on their business systems. The age of information technology provides possibilities for an effective coordination of business process. Different partners and parties transact electronically in the modern commerce environment and this creates a push factor for accounting and auditing systems to convert into paperless forms as well. Over the last decade, climate change became one of the top key concerns for all countries. More and more nations are concerned with the sustainability of the worlds environment and are trying to contribute by various policies such as reducing their carbon footprints, conserving on resources, building greener environments and preserving wildlife habitats. The challenge is to maintain economic growth without threatening the long term survival prospects of mankind. One of the key issues with regards to the environment is deforestation. Food and Agricultural Senior Forestry Officer, Dieter Schoene, said, at a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change workshop in 2006, that We are working to solve two of the key environmental issues deforestation and global warming at the same time The removal of trees causes many problems including destruction of natural habitat and damage to our atmosphere. One reason for deforestation is the production of paper. Paper pulp is made of wood. Paper production accounts for about a large percentage of felled trees, and thus paper conservation has been a key concern for the world with plenty of researchers, conservation groups, campaigns and initiatives with the aim of reducing paper usage. A typical sale transaction will consist of but not limited to: the quote, the purchase order, the proforma invoice, the delivery note, the sales invoice. This means that one transaction will use at least five pieces of paper and this does not include other documents like the bank payment advice, beneficiary advice and other functions that lead to the sale. In 2007, Singapore had at least 160,000 small medium enterprises. If each business had a conservative average of 20 sale transactions per month, 16 million sheets of paper would have been used which is the equivalent of 32,000 reams of paper. That would mean to the world a lost of at least 1,800 trees every month just because of Singapores SMEs alone. Paperless system is used for automating the accounting information processes. Automation in accounting system means reducing the paper dependency, and it will provide effectiveness. An effective paperless business system will make paper an option rather than a necessity and thus reducing the usage of paper in the corporate world. It is for this reason that paperless systems have also become a need for business processes with many professionals believing that going paperless is no longer an option but a must. Another reason is that paperless systems involve technology which could make the business much more effective. The rapid rise of paperless business solutions and providers around the world goes to show that more and more businesses have identified pursuing a paperless office as a strategy that can help them gain a competitive advantage in their marketplace. It has been observed that internationally (Hannon, Neal 2004) many regions are adopting and shifting towards electronic transactions, electronic business systems and even the development of Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL), a standardized digital language for business financial reporting. The EU for example already has a large and extensive list of directives covering the usage of electronic transmission of financial transactions, customs and trade documents, taxation issues, online privacy and security. Almost all countries in Asia have electronic transaction laws, with the exception of Sri Lanka and Nepal which have pending legislation. In Singapore there are many statutes that govern the administration of documents within organizations. A recent addition is the Electronic Transactions Act 2010 where it is specifically stated that where a rule of law requires any document, record or information to be retained, or provides for certain consequences if it is not, that requirement is satisfied by retaining the document, record or information in the form of an electronic record if conditions are satisfied (Singapore Statutes). The Singapore Standard for Auditing, namely SSA 500, also deals with electronic documentation. It has specified that electronic evidences are accepted as long as they fulfill the requirements. However it has also stated that electronic evidences are not as reliable as original documents. This contradicts the Electronic Transactions Act 2010 where the original documents may actually be in electronic forms. It is in the above context that this study attempts to investigate the awareness of the implementation of the Electronics Transactions Act 2010 in Singapore. It further attempts to examine whether such awareness translates into an intention to adopt paperless accounting systems and if there is no intention to adopt paperless accounting systems then the reasons for companies resisting the intention to pursue a paperless office. For the above purpose, the study will conduct a survey on the awareness of paperless accounting and the Electronic Transactions Act 2010 in Singapore and whether it has impacted the way businesses operate in various industries. It will also survey on the reasons that hamper businesses from adopting electronic transactions as part of their operation models. The study will also attempt to find out what can be possible push factors to help businesses adopt paperless accounting. LITERATURE REVIEW The case for paperless accounting and chasing paperless offices have been researched and discussed by many practitioners and researchers, yielding a lot of literature on this topic both in popular and academic sources 2.1 The Case for Paperless Accounting Paperless accounting is based on electronic transactions where all business transactions are recorded electronically. The literature available on this topic is generally from popular sources with very little scholarly research attempted. The literature on paperless accounting from both popular and academic sources is primarily targeted on the benefits of going paperless, ways to implement a paperless office. They are focused on building the case for businesses to adopt a paperless strategy. Many researchers and practitioners believed that businesses must adopt paperless processes as part of their strategies. As a company grows and the transactions increase it will require a paperless system for its business processes (Webster 2004). James Blaylock (2005) believed that Going paperless is no longer an option, but must for a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). Businesses have to go paperless in order to keep up with their competition. The mentality has changed. For example in 2005, a survey by PCPS/Texas Society of CPAs National Management of Accounting Practice (MAP) showed that 41% of CPA respondents indicated that they would consider going paperless, and 20% already have done it. 25% of the firms are planning to go paperless, but 13% will not consider it. Later in 2008, CCH Incorporated surveyed accountancy practitioners who have implemented paperless system. Of those of were surveyed, 95% would recommend the idea of setting up paperless offices to other users. However some researchers have also challenged the notion that paperless is the way to go. Paper is still the most widely used form of document medium due to its many benefits that is not easy to replace and will still co-exist with electronic documents in the long term (Liu and Stork, 2000) Paper usage cannot be reduced significantly unless work practices are re-organized and the digital alternative to paper has to be improved. Until that happens, offices will still most likely have paper around (Sellen 2003). This view is further re-emphasized by Gragg (2004) where he pointed out that it is difficult to depend solely on electronic documentation due to swift developments in software technology and hard copies will unlikely go away permanently. It is also wrong to assume that there will be no printing costs in a paperless office since a lot of people will carry on to print out the documents that are sent to them electronically, even if huge investments have been made to obtain technol ogy that help to store documents digitally. What Sellen and Gragg observed in 2003 and 2004 respectively still hold true today. The world usage of paper is still increasing. Some businesses still stick to paper. Even those which have invested in technology to automate their business processes still rely heavily on paper documents. For example, it is not uncommon to see executives printing out hard copies of their email correspondences. Logistics and shipping companies still require hardcopies of the bills of lading and certificates on goods. Banks and tax authorities still require hardcopies of hand-signed institutional documents. In such cases, businesses should look at usage of recycled paper which is more environmentally friendly although the ultimate aim should still be at reduction eventually. Therefore the case for paperless offices is very obvious with many benefits that all businesses should strive to achieve. Paperless accounting can bring about increased efficiency while at the same time lowering the costs of accounting (Gullkvist 2002). Brian Steinert, director of specialty software product management at CCH, in a supplement to Accounting Today, said that Because of the amazing efficiencies that result from streamlined, integrated workflows; because of the greater productivity brought about when professionals have anytime/anywhere access to what they need and anywhere/anytime ability to collaborate with their peers; because young professionals expect and embrace paperless processes; because all professionals will spend more time on high-level, high-value work; because money will be saved in the long run simply by buying and storing much less paper. Cost reduction will be the primary objective for many vendors who are considering implement paperless business processes (Davis 2005). Reduction in paper usage will also reduce the damage to the environment. The amount of literature available on paperless accounting suggests that it is a widely known concept around the world. However the lack of literature on the adoption rate of paperless accounting systems even in the United States and Europe, which are considered to be more developed in terms of technology, suggests that the actual awareness of the public is much lesser. A survey on the awareness of paperless accounting in Singapore should yield negative results. 2.2 Electronic Transactions Act in Singapore Many regions around the world are experiencing pressures for legal and regulatory changes due to the growth of paperless offices. The paperless office demands that transactions are documented electronically. Therefore the laws related, for example taxation and contract laws, need to be updated to recognize digital records of transactions as legal documents. As the information technology environment develops over time, nations will also move to improve their laws governing electronic commerce. This can be observed from the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts (UN Convention), adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 23rd November 2005 which was based upon the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce issued in 1998. The main driver for the new Convention was the fact that the electronic commerce environment in 2005 was very different from 1998 due to the evolution of the Internet. Singapore, being the first country in 1998 to follow the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce, on 7 July 2010 was the first Asian country to confirm its alignment to the new Convention, which is aimed at minimizing differences between laws in different countries. Therefore Singapore needs to update its Electronic Transactions Act (ETA) 1998 to complement the UN Convention and this resulted in ETA 2010. The ETA 2010, although based on the one in 1998, has introduced many key changes, one of it being Clause 9 which provides that Where a rule of law requires certain documents, records or information to be retained, the requirement is satisfied by retaining them in the form of electronic records subject to certain safeguards. If the rule of law already expressly provides for such retention in electronic records, the clause will not apply. A public agency may impose additional requirements for the retention of electronic records under its jurisdiction. This is the critical change that allows for the feasibility of a paperless office as businesses are no longer required to keep paper records of their business transactions by law. Besides financial reporting purposes, the other reason that companies archive their financial transactions is for audit purposes. In the Singapore Standard on Auditing under SSA 500, A31 states that Audit evidence in documentary form, whether paper, electronic, or other medium, is more reliable than evidence obtained orally (for example, a contemporaneously written record of a meeting is more reliable than a subsequent oral representation of the matters discussed) This is consistent with the ETA 2010 and further enhances the notion that companies no longer have to generate invoices in paper forms. Businesses can choose to issue their invoices in digital formats to their clients. The digital invoice will be recognized in the eyes of the law as a legal document. As the ETA 2010 was passed only in July this year, it is expected that most executives will be unaware of this change in the Act and subsequently, most will not have plans to adopt paperless accounting systems yet. The survey will attempt to determine if this is indeed the case. METHODOLOGY The primary research instrument used in this paper is a questionnaire which is piloted among members of the public working in finance related positions across a wide range of industries. The diversity of the members surveyed was as wide as possible in order to obtain a good mix of responses from members in both IT-savvy industries and non IT-savvy industries. The survey was administered and collected between October-November 2010. In keeping with the topic that is being discussed the questionnaires were sent out either via e-mail as attachments or through transfers via thumb drives and respondents were encouraged to complete and return in the same manner. The questions were structured in order to get feedback of respondents awareness of the Electronic Transactions Act 2010, whether it has impacted the way their businesses operate. If it has no impact yet, the survey will aim to find out why the business has not adopted a paperless transactions as part of its operations and what factors will push the business to adopt paperless systems. Surveys were distributed to 200 possible respondents from through digital survey forms. Although the target members were requested to reply in digital formats with respect to the topic in questions, some respondents replied through their own paper formats of the survey. Instructions and explanations are clearly stated should the respondents face any difficulties in understanding the questions. RESULTS 4.1 Question one After 2 reminders, the surveys were returned by 124 (62 percent respond rate) respondents. The breakdown of the respondents according to their industries is shown in the chart below. Chart 4.1 Breakdown by Industries Although an attempt to survey a wide diversity of respondents was made, 47% of the respondents came from the Banking and Finance and the IT industry. This is highly due to the fact that almost half of the 200 surveys were distributed at 2 commercial buildings physically where the tenants at both buildings consisted mainly of companies providing financial services or IT-related services. In order to obtain a more accurate response rate for different industries, the survey should have been distributed in a fixed number per industry. It must also be mentioned that a larger sample of respondents is needed in order to obtain more accurate results that can be indicative of the total population. 4.2 Question 2 The second question of the survey was to find out whether the respondents were aware of paperless accounting. The results of the survey are shown below. Q1 Q2 Yes No Banking and Finance 32 19 13 Fashion 5 1 4 Food Beverage 13 1 12 IT 26 9 17 Logistics 4 0 4 Manufacturing 11 2 9 Pharmaceutical 1 0 1 Property 1 1 0 Retail 20 1 19 Trade 10 4 6 Government 1 0 1 Total 124 38 86 Table 4.1 Question 2 results Out of the 124 respondents, 69% of the respondents were unaware of what is paperless accounting. This is consistent with what was concluded in the literature review. Although paperless accounting is widely discussed in both popular and academic articles, the adoption and awareness rates are much lower. This is especially the case as shown by the results above, where almost 74% of the respondents who are aware of paperless accounting come from IT-savvy industries. And even within the IT-savvy industries, only 28 out of the 58 respondents (48%) are aware of what is paperless accounting. Clearly, more has to be done in order to increase the awareness. 4.3 Question 3 The third question of the survey asked if respondents are aware of the Electronic Transactions Act 2010. As discussed in the literature review, the awareness level should be low since this Act was only in effect since Jul 2010. The results of the survey are listed below. Q1 Q3 Yes No Banking and Finance 32 6 26 Fashion 5 1 4 Food Beverage 13 0 13 IT 26 6 20 Logistics 4 0 4 Manufacturing 11 0 11 Pharmaceutical 1 0 1 Property 1 0 1 Retail 20 0 20 Trade 10 1 9 Government 1 0 0 Total 124 14 110 Table 4.2 Question 3 Results The results are almost one-sided with 88% of the respondents stating that they are unaware of the Electronic Transactions Act 2010. Most are unaware that invoices no longer need to be in paper form and can be sent via electronic means. This can be considered as a failure on the part of the government when the residents of a country are unaware that the country is the first Asian country to ratify the UN Convention. The government will need to raise awareness through more media coverage, campaigns and gazettes. 4.4 Question 4 The fourth question of the survey tries to find the adoption rate of paperless accounting by businesses in Singapore. The results are tabulated below. Q1 Q4 Yes No Banking and Finance 19 0 19 Fashion 1 0 1 Food Beverage 1 0 1 IT 9 6 3 Logistics 0 0 0 Manufacturing 2 0 2 Pharmaceutical 0 0 0 Property 1 0 1 Retail 1 0 1 Trade 4 1 3 Government 0 0 0 Total 38 7 31 Table 4.3 Question 4 Results Since the results of the previous 2 questions have indicated that there is a lack of awareness of paperless accounting and the Electronic Transactions Act 2010, only 38 respondents answered this question. The rate of adoption of paperless accounting systems cannot be high. Based on these 38 respondents, only 18% of the companies implemented paperless systems. Based on the results of this survey, Singapore is on a long road to becoming a paperless society. It is worthy to note that among the 19 respondents in the Banking and Finance industry who are aware of what paperless systems are; none of them were in companies that implemented such systems. This is highly likely due to the nature of their industry where paper documents are required. 4.5 Question 5 Question 5 asked respondents, whose companies have not implemented paperless systems, the reasons behind their companies decisions. A list of 5 options was offered to the respondents and they were allowed to choose more than one. The following chart shows their responses. Chart 4.2 Reasons for not adopting Paperless Systems Out of the 38 respondents, only 3 felt that paperless systems were costly. A majority of 30 felt that their suppliers and clients required paper documents and thus there was no need for them to adopt paperless systems. This clearly shows that the respondents and their clients/supplier as well are unaware of the new Electronics Transaction Act 2010. Half of the respondents felt that paperless systems are not adopted as it was not a standard procedure in their industry. Thus if their competitors started adopting paperless systems, they will highly likely follow suit as well. 13 respondents felt that there was no need to implement paperless systems since it is not mandatory by law and 7 felt that there were not many incentives to adopt such systems. 4.6 Question 6 Question 6 surveyed all the respondents on the factors that will push their companies to adopt paperless accounting. Again, a list of 5 options was offered and respondents were allowed to choose more than one option. The chart below shows their response. Chart 4.3 Push Factors for Paperless Accounting The biggest push factor for companies to adopt paperless accounting systems is for the government to make is a legal requirement. This is indicated by the response of 66% of those surveyed. 76 of the respondents indicated that they will consider adopting paperless systems if it is one of their industry standards. Half of the respondents felt that there is a need to create more awareness of paperless accounting. It is also worthwhile to note that less than 30% of respondents are looking at incentives and costs of adopting paperless accounting. CONCLUSION This survey, carried out in late 2010, found a low level of awareness and adoption rate of paperless accounting. The results of this study must be interpreted in the light of the response rate of 62%, which were obtained after 2 reminders. The final sample size of 124 respondents is definitely not a good indicator of the total population. The fact that 47% of respondents came from 2 out of at least 8 different industries shows that the distribution of the survey was not conducted wide enough although the time given for the survey to be conducted has to be taken into consideration. Basically this means that more time and resources need to be allowed in order for a similar survey to be conducted on a wider scale. A survey that yields at least 1000 respondents that are equally distributed across different industries will be a better indicator of the total population. The results of the survey indicate low awareness of both paperless accounting and the new Electronic Transactions Act 2010. Survey respondents have indicated that there should be more awareness made about paperless accounting. This indicates that there is a lot of potential in the Singapore market for companies that provide digital document management services. The government can increase the awareness of paperless accounting by setting up a national framework for a paperless society as well. This framework should be aimed at resolving the issues that are creating resistance to paperless accounting and helping Singapore businesses to switch to paperless accounting systems progressively. When businesses adopt paperless accounting systems, there are a few authorities that will have to be involved as well. For example, the Monetary Authority of Singapore will have to look into solutions that can enable banking and financial institutions to adopt paperless business processes without compromising on risks and securities. The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority will have to look into the acceptance of electronic financial statements. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore will have to come up with solutions that enable business to file their taxes electronically. By creating such frameworks and support, businesses can be assured of a smoother and easier transition as they adopt paperless accounting systems. This will greatly reduce the resistance to the adoption of paperless business processes that currently exists. The survey results should be interpreted with caution as they indicate only respondents awareness of paperless accounting and the Electronic Transactions Act 2010. However it does indicate that there is a need for more research to be done regarding actual business adoption rates of paperless systems and the benefits that both companies and the environment enjoy with the reduced usage of paper.

Fundamentals of Computer

entExamination Paper: Fundamentals of Computer IIBM Institute of Business Management Semester-I Examination Paper MM. 100 Fundamentals of Computer Section A: Objective Type (20 marks) ********************************************************** Multiple Choices: 1. b. 2 types 2. b. 1 or more input signals to produce output 3. d. Both (a) & (c) 4. b. Non-volatile 5. c. Direct-access storage device 6. c. Multiple object program files of any software 7. a. Are geographically distributed 8. b. Way in which the network’s nodes are linked together 9. a. World wide web 10. . General purpose electronic equipment for homes Fill in the Blanks: 1. Multimedia applications are multimedia presentation, foreign language learning, multimedia Kiosk and †¦multimedia books, e books, digital library, video games, animation films & virtual shops†¦ 2. Computer audio deals with synthesizing, recording and †¦Palying audio†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ with a computer. 3. Collating sequence is ordering o f symbols in an †¦encoding†¦. standard. 4. Binary coded decimal is a †¦6-Bit†¦ Code. 5. The logic gates are interconnected to form gating or logic networks known as †¦combinational†¦.. ogic circuits. 6. †¦CPU†¦. is the brain of a computer system. 7. The term †¦software†¦. refers to a collection of programs. 8. Program errors are known as †¦bugs†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9. Documentation†¦. is the process of collecting, organizing storing and maintaining a complete historical record of programs. 10. File organization†¦ deals with physical organization of records of a file for convenience of their storage and retrieval. Section B: Short Questions (20 marks) 1. What is data processing? Data processing is a series of actions on input that converts the input into useful output.In data processing, input is data and output is the useful information. In consists of three sub activities: Capturing input data, manipulating it and pro ducing output information. People, procedure and devices are required to produce the output from the input data. 2. What is a file management system? File management system is a set of programs which help the users to organize, create, delete, update and manipulate their files. Its common features are as described below. a. Transaction file: It stores the input data until the application uses it during next processing cycle. b.Master file: It contains all current data relevant to an application. c. Output file: some applications use multiple programs. One program takes the output of another program as input; hence the former program stores the output as an output file. d. Report file: It is a copy of report, generated by application in computer accessible form. e. Backup file: It is a copy of file crated by user or system to avoid loss of data due to corruption or deletion of original file. 3. What is a computer network? Computer network is a group of computers which are linked to e ach other via internet.The computers on network can communicate with each other and can share information. Four basic service provided by internet to its users are electronic mail, file transfer protocol, telnet and use net news. The common network types are personal area networks (PANs), local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area network (MANs), campus area networks (CANs) and wide area network (WANs). 4. What is a secondary storage? The additional memory needed in all computers to overcome the limitations of primary storage (Limited capacity and Volatile) is called secondary storage. t is nonvolatile and has lower cost per bit stored. It operates generally at slower speed than primary storage. Computer system uses it primarily to store large volume of data on permanent basis. Commonly used storage devices are hard disk, CD ROM, DVD, memory card and Pen drive. Section C: Long Questions (20 marks) 1. Explain the printing mechanism of laser printer. Mechanism of Laser Printers: Tr ansfer of Data The very first step in laser printing is the transfer of data from a computer to the memory of the image processor of a printer. Writing DataNow, once the data is transferred to the printer's memory, it is written to the printer's drum with the help of a laser. The drum will keep rotating and the moment it rotates past the laser, it sweeps off the printer's surface neutralizing some spots to about -100v. These spots are the areas where the toner remains stuck to the drum and further gets transferred to the paper. Inserting the Paper and Pickup Process of the Toner Once the writing process is over, you need to add papers to the printer. Keep the papers into the printer's paper tray.The feed rollers inside the printer pull the paper inside and the registration rollers hold it till its release. As the drum keeps on rotating, the toner settles down in an area which is at a charge of about -100v and remains attached to the drum till the paper comes in. Transfer of the Tone r to the Paper Now, the complete toned image is created on the drum. The moment you apply the paper to the printer, the toner transfer process starts. The transfer corona applies a charge of about +600v to the paper and when the paper passes through the drum, the toner which is at a charge of about -100v gets transferred to the paper.Further, the paper passes through a static charge eliminator that decreases the positive charge in the paper, with the help of its negative charge. Fusing The process of fusion takes place in order to secure the printout by melting the minute plastic fragments present on the toner's surface, so as to fix them to the paper fibers. Laser printers are handy when it comes to fast, bulk and quality printing. But high prices and some health risks such as respiratory disorders due to the release of some harmful sub-micrometer particles are some of the disadvantages associated with laser printing.However, this kind of printer still remains the first choice for most of the organizations when it comes to printing. 2. Explain the importance of system software for a computer system. System Software is a set of programs that manage the resources of a compute system. System Software is a collection of system programs that perform a variety of functions. * File Editing * Resource Accounting * I/O Management * Storage, Memory Management access management. System Software can be broadly classified into three types as: System control programs: It Controls the execution of programs, anage the storage & processing resources of the computer & perform other management & monitoring function. The most important of these programs is the operating system. Other examples are database management systems (DBMS) & communication monitors. System support programs: It provide routine service functions to the other computer programs & computer users: E. g. Utilities, libraries, performance monitors & job accounting. System development programs assists in the creat ion of application programs. E. g. , language translators such as BASIC interpreter & application generators.Application Software: It performs specific tasks for the computer user. Application software is a program which program written for, or, by, a user to perform a particular job. Languages already available for microcomputers include Clout, Q & A and Savvy ret rival. The use of natural language touches on expert systems, computerized collections of the knowledge of many human experts in a given field, and artificial intelligence, independently smart computer systems – two topics that are receiving much attention and development and will continue to do so in the future. 1.Operating System Software Storage Manager Process Manager File – System Manager I/O Control System Communication Manager 2. Standard System Software Language Processor Loaders Software Tools 3. Application Software Sort/Merge Package Payroll/Accounting Package DBMS General-purpose application soft ware such as electronic spreadsheet has a wide variety of applications. Specific – purpose application s/w such as payroll & sales analysis is used for the application for which it is designed. Section D: Applied Theory (40 marks) 1. What is a computer virus? How does a typical virus works?When a computer system suffers from virus infection, how it is cured? Defenition: Computer virus is a small software programs that are designed by human to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with normal computer operations. Work of Typical virus: The A computer virus is most often defined as â€Å"a malicious code of computer programming†. What this means is that a computer virus is just another software, written with not so very noble intentions. A computer virus is designed to install, propagate and cause damage to computer files and data without the knowledge and/or express permission of the user.A computer virus can only survive, attack and propagate in computer memory. Computer memory is usually the RAM (and all different variations of it) and disk storage (hard, floppy and everything in between). Besides this you will not find computer viruses in your monitor, keyboard and certainly not in your own blood stream! The first step in any virus attack is always the invasion. This is when the virus actually enters the computer system from an outside source. Much of the effort in preventing a virus attack lies in understanding what these virus entry points are and how best to monitor and block out any possible intrusion.All viruses enter the computer system through two main entry points: the disk network adapter card is most likely your computer network and/or modem card connected to the local Intranet and/or the Internet. Virus enters through the network card most likely disguised in the form of attachments in e-mails. These attachments are often program files and office documents containing macros. Besides this, certain webpages that we visit on the Internet may also contain harmful programming codes that might transfer virus or virus-like codes into our system.To guard our systems against virus intrusion from these sources, many good anti-virus programs allows users to completely scan all files read form disk drives or downloaded from the Intranet/Internet. How do virus infections occur? The act of infection often begins with a harmless looking action such as opening a file (like a video game or a Word document) that one often gets in e-mail attachments or while accessing any disk in a disk drive. These actions inadvertently activate the virus lurking in these files and disks. The virus then installs itself into the computer’s memory. Computer system suffering from virus infection:After entering the computer memory, a virus often immediately sets out to multiply and spread duplicate copies of itself across the main data storage device (most often the hard disk drive). It does this by copying itself into as many files it can find on the disk drive. Later when users transfers or copies these files to their friends and colleagues, the virus gain entry into ever increasing number of systems. If the virus has found its way to this level of the user’s computer, the user runs a high risk of permanent damage to data and hardware. But such a level of infection only happens to two types of users.The first are those who do not employ any kind of anti-virus measures (or if they do, it obviously isn’t doing a good job). The second are those who do have good anti-virus programs installed and running but did not bother updating their software with the latest virus data files. As a result newer viruses can actually use the anti-virus programs to infect an even greater number of files. So we can see here that having good anti-virus software isn’t enough. One must constantly keep it updated (preferably on a monthly basis). If a virus were to just spread itself, users might not have much to worry about.But the worst is yet to come. Many viruses contain what is called a payload. This is the destructive sequence that is activated on a certain trigger. The trigger may be the arrival of a particular date or an action done by the user. The effect of the payload can be anything as benign as some harmless message appearing on screen to as frightening as the destruction of the disk drive’s boot record – making it completely unusable and in most cases completely irreparable. Indeed it is the later that causes permanent lose of data and hardware and which is responsible for the virus’ notorious reputation.If a virus is capable of unleashing its payload on the user’s system, this indicates a serious breach of security on part of the user. It’s time for the user to learn from the experience and never let computer virus have a second chance. How do I know if my computer has been infected? After you open and run an infected program or attachmen t on your computer, you might not realize that you've introduced a virus until you notice something isn't quite right. Here are a few indicators that your computer  might  be infected: * Your computer runs more slowly than normal * Your computer stops responding or freezes often Your computer crashes and restarts every few minutes * Your computer restarts on its own and then fails to run normally * Applications on your computer don't work correctly * Disks or disk drives are inaccessible * You can't print correctly * You see unusual error messages * You see distorted menus and dialog boxes How to Cure: Remove a virus manually: Sometimes a virus must be removed manually. This can become a technical process that you should only undertake if you have experience with the  Windows  registry and know how to view and delete system and program files in  Windows.First, identify the virus by name by running your antivirus program. If you don't have an antivirus program or if your pr ogram doesn't detect the virus, you might still be able to identify it by looking for clues about how it behaves. Write down the words in any messages it displays or, if you received the virus in email, write down the subject line or name of the file attached to the message. Then search an antivirus vendor's website for references to what you wrote down to try to find the name of the virus and instructions for how to remove it. Recovery and prevention:After the virus is removed, you might need to reinstall some software or restore lost information. Doing regular backups on your files can help you avoid data loss if your computer becomes infected again. If you haven't kept backups in the past, we recommend that you start now. 3. Write short notes on: (a) The OSI model (b) Internetworking tools (c) Distributed computing systems (a) The OSI model The Open System Interconnection, model defines a networking framework to implement protocols in seven layers. This article explains the 7 Lay ers of the OSI Model.The  OSI, or  Open  System  Interconnection, model defines a networking framework to implement protocols in seven layers. Control is passed from one layer to the next, starting at the application layer in one station, and proceeding to the bottom layer, over the channel to the next station and back up the hierarchy. a. Application Layer This layer supports  application  and end-user processes. Communication partners are identified, quality of service is identified, user authentication and privacy are considered, and any constraints on data  syntax  are identified.Everything at this layer is application-specific. This layer provides application services for  file transfers,  e-mail, and other  network  software  services. Telnet  and  FTP  are applications that exist entirely in the application level. Tiered application architectures are part of this layer. b. Presentation Layer This layer provides independence from differences in data representation (e. g. ,  encryption) by translating from application to network format, and vice versa. The presentation layer works to transform data into the form that the application layer can accept.This layer formats and encrypts data to be sent across a  network, providing freedom from compatibility problems. It is sometimes called the syntax layer. c. Session Layer This layer establishes, manages and terminates connections between  applications. The session layer sets up, coordinates, and terminates conversations, exchanges, and dialogues between the applications at each end. It deals with session and connection coordination. d. Transport Layer This layer provides transparent transfer of data between end systems, or  hosts, and is responsible for end-to-end error recovery and  flow control.It ensures complete data transfer. e. Network Layer This layer provides  switching  and  routing  technologies, creating logical paths, known as  virtual circuits, for transmitting data from  node  to node. Routing and forwarding are functions of this layer, as well as  addressing,  internetworking, error handling, congestion  control and packet sequencing. f. Data Link Layer At this layer, data packets are  encoded  and decoded into bits. It furnishes  transmission protocol  knowledge and management and handles errors in the physical layer, flow control and frame synchronization.The data link layer is divided into two sub layers: The Media Access Control (MAC) layer and the  Logical Link Control  (LLC) layer. The MAC sub layer controls how a computer on the network gains access to the data and permission to transmit it. The LLC layer controls frame synchronization, flow control and error checking. g. Physical Layer 1 This layer conveys the bit stream – electrical impulse, light or radio signal through the  network  at the electrical and mechanical level. It provides the  hardware  means of sending and rece iving data on a carrier, including defining cables, cards and physical aspects. b) Internetworking tools The art and science of connecting individual  local-area networks (LANs)  to create  wide-area networks (WANs), and connecting WANs to form even larger WANs. Internetworking can be extremely complex because it generally involves connecting networks that use different  protocols. Internetworking is accomplished ith  routers,  bridges, and  gateways. Routers: It is a  device  that forwards data  packets  along  networks. A router is connected to at least two networks, commonly two  LANs  or  WANs  or a LAN and its  ISP  network. Routers are located at  gateways, the places where two or more networks connect.Routers use  headers  and forwarding tables to determine the best path for forwarding the packets, and they use  protocols  such as  ICMP  to communicate with each other and configure the best route between any two hosts. Bridges : It is a  device  that connects two  local-area networks (LANs), or two segments of the same LAN that use the same  protocol, such as  Ethernet  or  Token-Ring. Gateways: It is a  node  on a  network  that serves as an entrance to another network. In enterprises, the gateway is the computer that  routes  the traffic from a workstation  to the outside network that is serving the Web pages.In homes, the gateway is the  ISP  that connects the user to the internet. In enterprises, the gateway node often acts as a  proxy server  and a  firewall. The gateway is also associated with both a  router, which use  headers  and forwarding tables to determine where  packets  are sent, and a  switch, which provides the actual path for the packet in and out of the gateway. A computer system located on earth that switches data signals and voice signals between satellites and  terrestrial  networks. An earlier term for  router, though now obsol ete in this sense as  router  is commonly used. c) Distributed computing systems A distributed computer system consists of multiple software components that are on multiple computers, but run as a single system. The computers that are in a distributed system can be physically close together and connected by a local network, or they can be geographically distant and connected by a wide area network. A distributed system can consist of any number of possible configurations, such as mainframes, personal computers, workstations, minicomputers, and so on. The goal of distributed computing is to make such a network work as a single computer.Distributed systems offer many benefits over centralized systems, including the following: Scalability The system can easily be expanded by adding more machines as needed. Redundancy Several machines can provide the same services, so if one is unavailable, work does not stop. Additionally, because many smaller machines can be used, this redundancy does not need to be prohibitively expensive. Distributed computing systems can run on hardware that is provided by many vendors, and can use a variety of standards-based software components. Such systems are independent of the underlying software.They can run on various operating systems, and can use various communications protocols. Some hardware might use UNIX(R)  as the operating system, while other hardware might use Windows operating systems. For inter machine communications, this hardware can use SNA or TCP/IP on Ethernet or Token Ring. This system contains two local area networks (LANs) that are connected to each other. One LAN consists of UNIX workstations from several different manufacturers; the other LAN consists primarily of PCs that are running several different PC operating systems.One of the LANs is also connected to a mainframe by way of an SNA connection. The client/server model A common way of organizing software to run on distributed systems is to separate funct ions into two parts: clients and servers. A  client  is a program that uses services that other programs provide. The programs that provide the services are called  servers. The client makes a request for a service, and a server performs that service. Server functions often require some resource management, in which a server synchronizes and manages access to the resource, and responds to client requests with either data or status information.Client programs typically handle user interactions and often request data or initiate some data modification on behalf of a user. For example, a client can provide a form onto which a user (a person working at a data entry terminal, for example) can enter orders for a product. The client sends this order information to the server, which checks the product database and performs tasks that are needed for billing and shipping. Typically, multiple clients use a single server. For example, dozens or hundreds of clients can interact with a few servers that control database access.The client is isolated from the need to know anything about the actual resource manager. If you change the database that you are using, the server possibly needs to be modified, but the client does not need to be modified. Because usually fewer copies exist of the server than of the client, and because the servers are often in locations that are easier to update (for example, on central machines instead of on PCs that are running on users' desks), the update procedure is also simplified. Also, this approach provides additional security. Only the servers, not the clients, need access to the data that the resource manager controls.Clients can also access several different servers, and the servers themselves can act as clients to other servers. Exactly how the functions are distributed across servers is an application design decision. For example, a single server could provide all the services that a client needs, or the client could access multiple servers to perform different requests. The application designer must consider items such as scalability, location, and security. For example, are the clients and servers local or is the application distributed over a wide geographic area? Do the servers need to be on machines that are physically secure?Such design decisions are outside the scope of this introduction. Some servers are part of an application and are referred to as  application servers. Other servers are not part of a specific application. Instead, any application can use them. For example, the CICS Structured File Server (SFS) provides record-oriented file access for applications. Three-tiered client/server architecture A common design of client/server systems uses three tiers: 1. A client that interacts with the user 2. An application server that contains the business logic of the application 3. A resource manager that stores data.

Argument Against Universal Health Care in the Us Essay

Argument Against Universal Health Care in the Us BY shaker71493 Jacob Nieuwenhuis Contemporary Issues MSR 10 March 2010 Universal Health Care in the United States â€Å"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep. His cupidity may at some time point be satisfied; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. † -C. S. Lewis (1898 – 1963) The issue of universal health care taking over the present health care system has become a heated topic all over America. With President Obama’s promise to pass a bill that will give government coverage to all Americans, most people were happy that health care would become more affordable for them. But is this the case? There has been a stiff opposition to the passing of any bill of this kind throughout the entire process, but the longer a bill stays in circulation the more time people have to form an opinion on the issue. With the law in effect now the issue now turns to if this will e better off for America in the long run, and if there is any good to such a system. History has a lot to say about socialized medicine. There have been many countries, not only socialistic countries which have used a public method of offering medicine. A few of these countries are Great Britain, Canada, France, Australia, and also the European system. These systems will be analyzed from their ro ots up in order to see whether they were successes or failures. The National Health Service (NHS) of Great Britain, which was created on July 5, 1948, is the world’s largest publicly funded health service ever. As can be seen on the diagram, the NHS is divided into two sections: primary and secondary care. Primary care is the first point of contact for most people and is delivered by a wide range of independent service providers, including general practitioners, dentists, pharmacists and optometrists. Secondary care is known as acute healthcare and can be either elective care or emergency care. Elective care means planned specialist medical care or surgery, usually following referral from a primary or community health professional such as a general practitioner. In this system there are a lot of different trusts (refer to iagram). These trusts are where the money is sent for certain types of care. The main trusts are the Primary care trusts. Primary care trusts (PCTs) are in charge of primary care and have a major role around commissioning secondary care, providing community care services. They are the main core to the NHS and control 80% of the NHS budget. Green, did a report on the effects of preventive care in Great Britain for diseases such as circulatory disease and cancer. His main focus was on the circulatory system and the conclusion of his reports states that: â€Å"The main findings can be summarized as follows. The I-JK has a poor record of preventing death from diseases of the circulatory system. After allowing for the different age structure of each country in the European Union, the I-JK death rate from circulatory diseases for persons aged less than 65 was ranked thirteenth out of the 15 countries studied. † There are many negative aspects of the NHS. There are stunning reports of people who didn’t get care, or who waited for months in order to get prevented care. One example of a terrible thing that happened recently in Great Britain was a cancer patient who had to wait for 62 weeks before starting treatment. Patients were outraged by this. They said that for some cancer patients with slow growing tumors could wait that long but that it is atrocious that someone would have to wait that long to receive any type of care at all. It was compared side by side with a case from 20 years earlier, when Heather Goodare was diagnosed with the same problem and eceived treatment within two weeks after first being diagnosed. The European system has run into a lot of obstacles over the years, mostly financial. There is currently a 5 percent to 8 percent increase in expenses per year in real terms, resulting in enormous deficits and even greater problems when the rate of unemployment rises. When employment rates improve, the deficits are eased because more taxes come in to pay for care. But as soon as employment falls again (which is common everywhere right about now), deficits come back. A common method used for getting over this deficit is rationing care and restricting use of high ost preventive cares such as CAT scans. Sometimes this is only towards people who meet a certain criteria, e. g. the elderly. This can only be bad for the consumer. Michael Tanner sums this up nicely in his article condemning socialized medicine in the U. S. : â€Å"The Europeans have run into a very simple economic rule. If something is for it. Think of it this way: if food were free, would you eat hamburger or steak? At the same time, health care is a finite good. There are only so many doctors, so many hospital beds and so much technology. If people over consume those resources, it drives up the cost of health care. â€Å" All the countries in Europe have this health care system. There are, however, three countries in Europe that allow their citizens to opt out of the official system and to take with a tax credit for the money they paid to the official system, to purchase private insurance in the health market. These countries are Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. In those countries, citizens do not have to pay twice in order to acquire private health insurance. The systems of these three countries are important in that they may point the way to a solution for the current financial problems Western health care systems are experiencing. This private plan is more expensive but reachable for at least a third of the population. For the most part, people in Europe are happy with the health care they receive. In the Netherlands there is a basic plan that everyone can buy (it is not a government mandate). This covers things such as broken limbs, emergency room visits Oust the visit), and seeing general practitioners. On top of this, a person may buy whatever â€Å"premium add-ons they want. An example of an add-on is dental and orthodontic care. With this add-on all the people in the household of the insurance buyer receive ull dental care as well as braces for all the children of the family. Trudy Rubin, who is a Philadelphia Inquirer opinion columnist, says that the United States is not learning valuable lessons from the European system of healthcare. She addresses the three myths that she thinks are thought to be believed as fact. She takes these myths from an excerpt from T. R. Reid. The three myths are as follows: à ¢â‚¬Å"Myth No. 1, he says, is that foreign systems with universal coverage are all â€Å"socialized medicine. † In countries such as France, Germany, Switzerland, and Japan, the coverage is universal while doctors and insurers are private. Individuals get their insurance through their workplace, sharing the premium with their employer as we do – and the government picks up the premium if they lose their Job. Myth No. 2, which is long waits and rationed care – is another whopper. â€Å"In many developed countries,† Reid writes, â€Å"people have quicker access to care and more choice than Americans do. † In France, Germany, and Japan, you can pick any provider or hospital in the country. Care is speedy and high quality, and no one is turned down. Myth No. 3 really grabs my attention: the delusion that countries with universal care â€Å"are wasteful systems run y bloated bureaucracies. † In fact, the opposite is true. America’s for-profit health insurance companies have the highest administrative costs of any developed country. Twenty percent or more of every premium dollar goes to nonmedical costs: paperwork, marketing, profits, etc. â€Å"If a profit is to be made, you need a n army of underwriters to deny claims and turn down sick people,† says Reid. † Canada is another place where health care is run by the government. This came into effect when the parliament unanimously passed the Canadian Health Act in system. Under this law, provinces must ensure that their health care systems respect ive criteria: The first is public administration. This means that the health insurance plans must be administered by a public authority who is accountable to the government. The second is comprehensive benefit. The plan must cover all medically necessary services prescribed by physicians and provided by hospitals. The third is universality. This means all legal residents of the province must be covered. The fourth criterion is portability. Under this, residents continue to be covered if they move or travel from one province to another. And the final criterion is accessibility. This means that services must be made available to all residents on equal terms, regardless of income, age, or ability to pay. The process which a patient goes through to receive health care is very simple. When a person goes to a doctor for any kind of medical treatment they have to present what is called a provincial health card. This is a credit card-looking piece of plastic that lets your physician know you are a legal user of the system

Great Gatsby1 essays

Great Gatsby1 essays The more things change, the more they stay the same "The Times They are a-Changin'," or so 60's singer/songwriter Bob Dylan thought. But have we really matured enough as people to say that racism and prejudice are no longer words in the English vocabulary? Most people like to think so, but the facts paint a different picture. The novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald can be used to illustrate these points. In the mid-20's, when American author F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, it was common to use words to describe African American people that today would be seen as offensive and degrading. Mainly the sole purpose of using such words were to depict African Americans as objects, not human beings. When Nick describes the "two Bucks" and a Negro girl passing them in a horse-drawn carriage with a white chauffeur he thinks to himself "Anything can happen now that we've slid over this bridgeÃ…  anything at allÃ…  " This shows how people in Fitzgerald's time reacted to free black families. Nick describes the black males as "Bucks" because that's the name people used when they auctioned them off as slaves. He couldn't just refer to them as "men" or "gentlemen" because it was inappropriate to give blacks a high status. Throughout the novel discussing the downfall of the white race is a common topic. Tom and Daisy share thoughts about the downfall over dinner and Tom states that "If we don't look out the white race will be-will be utterly submerged," and Daisy follows that comment up with "We've got to beat them (minorities) down." Because nobody looks the same and because people fear anything different, they had no choice but to fear minorities. If you were not wealthy and white, you were feared. But racism wasn't the only degrading thing in the book; characters spoke condescendingly about people's financial status as well. If you lived in East Egg, you were wealthy and glamorous. If you lived in West Eg ...

The Relationship Between Terrorism And Tourism Tourism Essays

The Relationship Between Terrorism And Tourism Tourism Essays The Relationship Between Terrorism And Tourism Tourism Essay The Relationship Between Terrorism And Tourism Tourism Essay The words touristry and terrorist act exist at either terminal of a continuum of quality of life. The word touristry means populating merrily, enjoyment, and relaxation, while terrorist act means feeling of decease, devastation, frights and terrors every where. Harmonizing to Beirman ( 2003 ) , tourers are primary concerned with going to the finish fulfilling their desires with minimal complications, menaces to their safety and wellbeing , while on the other manus Gilham ( 2001 ) said, physical menace or serious perturbations to one s programs are suffer to cut down the chances of a tourer finish or tourer house . In past decennary terrorist act has really terrible impacts on the travel and touristry industry than any other industry. The chief ground of this may be because the basic aims of the terrorist groups are to distribute fright, as a consequence the basic safety and security of people threatened. Harmonizing to Abraham Maslow ( 1943 ) the Hierarchy of demands, he said tha t human nature neer satisfied when they have met their basic demands for safety and security. When they are able to fulfill their basic demands, so they attempt to fulfill their ego realization demands such as better life, travel and touristry. Harmonizing to Essner 2003 ) , the psychological impacts are plenty to hold terrible impacts on touristry. The fright of terrorist act is irrational, because in terrorist onslaught opportunities of being killed are really small and security environment has demonstrated its negative impacts on touristry in many top finishs around the universe. Three industries are dominated in twenty-first century, telecommunications, Information engineering and touristry. Harmonizing to World Tourism Organization 2008 study, touristry provides employment over 100 1000000s around the universe. Tourism is an of import economic sector for UK economic system and harmonizing to BBC 2010 study ; domestic and abroad visitants put an ?115 one million millions a twelvemonth in UK economic system. The direct part in the UK economic system was ?52 billion in term of GDP which represent 4 % of UK economic system. Tourism besides provides 1.36 million occupations in 2009 to UK work force which is 4.4 % of entire work force. UK is the universe s 6th largest international touristry finish in term on figure of tourers, but after September 11, 2001 and July 7, 2005 incidents this industry was severely affected. Harmonizing to the LCCI ( 2005 ) study, it has been estimated that the autumn in touristry could be UK touristry industry over ?300 1000000s. In this competitory age, the concern environment is altering dramatically. Terrorism is the biggest menace to touristry industry because travel is susceptible to the incidents of terrorist act. When people travel they ever avoid jeopardies, so for tourers safety is the major concern. During the past decennary particularly after September 11 2001, there are figure of events which have had important negative impacts on UK touristry. The correlativity between terrorist act and touristry is undeniable in the epoch due to industry strength and tourer topographic points are the ideal mark for terrorist to make big sum of economic and societal break in the state. In UK terrorist act can be seen in significant portion, as a consequence of this recoil to the touristry industry. There are figure of definitions of terrorist act, in the universe of Alexander et Al ( 1979 ) terrorist act is a menace or usage of enforcement and bad weather to accomplish a political end by agencies of bullying fri ght, and coercion . In the present universe context, the European Union ( 2001 ) specify the terrorist act relevant to international concern in the undermentioned words. Terrorist offenses are certain condemnable offenses set out in a list comprised mostly of serious offenses against individuals and belongings which, given their nature or context, may earnestly damage a state or an international administration where committed with the purpose of: earnestly intimidating a population ; or unduly obliging a Government or international administration to execute or abstain from executing any act ; or earnestly destabilizing or destructing the cardinal political, constitutional, economic or societal constructions of a state or an international administration . Harmonizing to U.S Department of province ( 2002 ) , terrorist select concerns ( e.g. touristry topographic points ) for onslaught comparison to other marks . The most sort of onslaught is bomb blast, although armed onslaughts and snatch are besides some sorts of terrorist onslaughts. Harmonizing to Council of Foreign Relations ( 2002 ) reported the bulk of victims in terrorist onslaught are civilians . The comparatively big figure of tourers may non fix to confront these sorts of terrorist onslaughts. However the scenario has changed as it was at the clip of terrorist onslaught in 9/11. Kunreuther et Al ( 2003 ) cited that during the yearss of terrorist onslaughts in 9/11 a common feeling came into head of people that it could be me. But with the transition of clip this may give manner to may be it will non me following clip. This sort of behavior is more common now a twenty-four hours in south Asia. But it is a common thought that it is highly easy for terrorist that to assail any where in the universe. Even in low cost and low tech onslaughts, terrorists achieve to interrupt the touristry industry. Terrorism has deep history scientific discipline the cold war but this issue become most outstanding after terrorist onslaughts in September 11 2001. This incident affected the UK and international touristry industry in assorted ways. On one manus the universe touristry industry was affected financially, the other manus it suffers due to legal and security issues. The international touristry industry between states was most earnestly affected due to security and safety concerns and legal issue. Especially UK, US and other developed states were irresistible impulse to protect their district and people at any cost. Tourism industry in UK and USA found themselves staggering financially in the months after the terrorist onslaught on universe Trade Centre, while remainder of the universe touristry industry besides lost 1000000s of dollars. Harmonizing to U.S section of province ( 2002 ) more than 3000 people of different nationalities were killed in the terrorist attacks merely in the Uni ted States in September 11, 2001. The onslaughts were the conspicuous illustration of terrorist act on planetary degree. Harmonizing to the overview of European committee ( 2001 ) this was the one of the major event in the yesteryear decennaries which diversifies the point of view and mentality of people around the universe. Terrorism affects both the long term and short term positions of the concerns around the universe. Czinkota ( 2002 ) cited that terrorist act influenced long term karma of full industries, for illustration touristry, retailing and fabrication industries. After the September 11 terrorist onslaughts many international tourer finishs have severely affected lawfully because states have introduced new Torahs for alien tourers e.g. rigorous visas demands, security cheque and condemnable record cheque etc. UK authorities besides introduced rigorous in-migration jurisprudence for every one who wishes to come UK for touristry in the attempt to forestall farther terrorist onslaughts. The new terrorist Torahs restricted the tourers for freely travel across the UK boundary lines and require by security section to maintain proper path of their activities. The anti terrorist Torahs have made really complicated for touristry industry to carry on its concern activities across the international boundary lines as a consequence many states touristry industries have financially struggled. Another major issue that affect the international touristry industry is security and authorities have to put immense sum of money to better both internal and external security. The security is most of import because terrorist mark hot musca volitanss to accomplish their marks. There is non a huge existing literature which shows the relationship between terrorist act and touristry direction theories, and the deficiency of presence of research literature is perfectly seeable on the relationship between terrorist act and touristry direction, which elaborates constructive techniques for touristry industry in the presence of phenomena of terrorist act. Terrorism has capacity to make ambiance of fright and can be intimidate industry in figure of ways. This menace of terrorist act onslaughts poses a uninterrupted ambiance of hazard for the touristry around the universe. This hazard itself creates extension for intervention of hazard in direction theories. The bulk of direction literature theories adopt term uncertainty as a factor of unpredictable environment which may act upon the public presentation of houses in certain ways. The environment effected by terrorist act besides has a factor of capriciousness in it. This survey is another effort to research and in vestigates impacts of terrorist act on the touristry industry in UK and we will besides discourse different attacks for cut downing and managing the terrorist act menaces. Research purpose and aim: Research Purpose: This purpose of this research is to analyze and research the effects of terrorist act on touristry industry in the United Kingdom after September 11 2001. The 2nd portion of my research is to critically analyze and urge the most appropriate schemes for touristry industry to cover with the terrorist menaces or size up the different strategic positions to avoid and understate the impact of terrorist act on industry. Research Aims: This research has the following single aims: Critically analyse the impact of terrorist act on single organisation and the whole market. Measure the managerial public presentation in organisations, before, during and after the occurrence of the terrorist onslaughts and in unsure environment. Research Questions: What is terrorist act and why terrorist mark concern? What are the effects of terrorist act on concern? How to development scheme for directors or follow a better attacks to cover with above mentioned issues? Abbreviation and nomenclature: Uncertainty: specifically intend the unpredictable environment ; it is unpredictable when following terrorist onslaught will happen. Hazard: average menace ; internal and external menace in concern environment which may impact the productiveness of administration.