Partition after Civil Wars Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Partition after Civil Wars - Research Paper Example The resulting settlements of the issue after the bloody civil wars can often result into further bloodshed. Breakout of the State as a result of the ethnic issues therefore can put different ethnicities against each other and make the overall experiment worse because of the ease with which methods like ethnic cleansing can be adapted. What is also significant to understand that author has critically argued that in order to avoid ethnic civil wars, it is important that partition should be considered as one of the viable policy alternative. This argument is based on the assumptions that the ethnic conflicts have almost similar dynamics thus making it difficult to put back the multi-ethnic state in same state as before the war. Independent and Dependent Variables A closer analysis of the article would suggest that author has attempted to create link between the ethnic conflicts and civil wars with the partition. As such the dependent variable is the partition of the geographical areas w hereas the achievement of peace and lack of conflict as a result of the ethnic conflict as an independent variable. ... Case studies are often based upon an in-depth analysis of certain events, groups or individuals and as such can provide a comprehensive overview of subjects under review. Author has provided comprehensive details of the different ethnic conflicts which took place and the results of their settlement. Author has also used survey of the existing literature to present a theoretical analysis of the overall context of the ethnic conflicts and their solutions. Survey of existing literature also offers a valid theoretical platform based on which author can actually build the theoretical foundations for the research undertaken. By citing various examples from history author has actually been successful in providing a comprehensive overview of how the different negotiating settlements failed due to non-partition based solutions to the problem of ethnic conflicts. Conclusion This article is comprehensive in the sense that it has offered a very comprehensive overview of the historical accounts o f the different ethical and cultural conflicts. The overall theoretical foundations are set to discuss various approaches forwarded to resolve the multi-ethnic conflicts and how they failed to achieve the desired results. Author has adapted case study approach under which an overview of the different conflicts and their settlements. The overall conclusion of the article is that the partition can be one of the feasible policy alternatives to solve the ethnic conflicts and avoid civil wars. Are you convinced? Why? Though partition can be one of the key policy alternatives however, to get an overall acceptability of the same may remain one of the key challenges to such policy alternatives. In case such as Palestine and Israel where a separate State has been created for

Health Care Utilization Essay Example for Free

Health Care Utilization Essay Health care reform is not a recently devised concept. The government and health professionals have studied and tried to establish legislation that would assist the general population with a means of accessing adequate health care for decades. The task has proven itself as a daunting one although studied the world over. Individuals struggle with disease and illness that they cannot afford medical attention and treatment. Insurance companies price gouge or drop individuals from their insurance coverage. Reform has to be implemented to protect the public and provide across the board health care for every situation. Ronald Andersen wrote in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior there is a model of behavior that determines the seeking out of health services (Anderson, 1995). Anderson collaborated with Odin Anderson and wrote The Initial Behavioral Model in 1968 to assist in the analysis of national survey data collected by the Center for Health Administration Studies and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (Andersen Anderson, 1967). The model explains that there are elements that may determine if an individual will access health services. Anderson explained, â€Å"I want to stress that the model was initially designed to explain the use of formal personal health services rather than to focus on the important interactions that take place as people receive care, or on health outcomes†(Andersen, 1968, p. 1). The Initial Behavioral Model (1960s) PREDISPOSING ENABLING USE OF CHARACTERISTICS RESOURCES NEED HEALTH SERVICES Demographic Personal/Family Perceived Social Structure Community  (Evaluated) Health Beliefs (Revisiting The Behavioral Model and Access to Medical Care: Does it Matter?, 1995) The president had legislation passed in 2010 to implement the Affordable Care Act. Today, more than 45 million Americans lack access to affordable health insurance. Additionally, many individuals who do have health insurance have incomplete coverage that may include exclusions for pre-existing conditions, or they may be one-step away from losing coverage because of a change in employment. Individuals with health insurance face increasingly high premiums and medical costs that drive some to bankruptcy or force choices between maintaining health insurance coverage and paying for other household essentials (HHS, 2013). These new regulations will provide consumer protections and the developing of a competitive market. Insurance companies will be required to spend a specific percentage on health care and not excessive administrative costs. There have been major changes to the accessibility of insurance coverage for individuals which have been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition. Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny insurance coverage for individuals, such as children born with life-threatening illnesses. This will also address lifetime limits on medical care. There has been a health insurance exchange in an effort to pool millions of people and allow them to examine various insurance coverage policies to determine the best policy for them and their families. Health and Human Services has implemented a website for the comparison of the insurance coverage options (HHS, 2013). There have been conversations for decades about the implementation of universal health coverage. The World Health Organization defines it as a goal to ensure that people obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them. It goes on explaining, access to health services enables people to be more productive and active contributors to their families and communities†¦.financial risk protection prevents people from being pushed into poverty when they have to pay for health services out of their own pockets (WHO, 2012). There is a definite similarity with the concepts of universal health care and the Affordable  Care Act now in place in this country. Attempts are being made to ensure that all citizens can access health care and increase their wellbeing in the process. The expansion of Medicaid will benefit multiple low-income citizens who, through no fault of their own, are working at a minimum wage job. They are barely earning too much money to be eligible for assistance and are not making enough of a salary to afford health insurance coverage. It turns into a viscous cycle. The individual has to decide whether it is better to quit work and get assistance for medical care or to continue struggling and still not make the grade. There have been no major issues personally with the implementation of the health care expansion. The insurances that I carry are both the Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid has changed in that they are requiring that there is a primary care physician (PCP) established to oversee medical services provided. The initial visit would be to the PCP where any examination and testing would be performed for the determination of the necessity of a referral. The PCP’s office would organize all medical records and coordinate with the specialist’s staff to establish a consultation. I consider myself an extremely fortunate individual because I have been able to have multiple medical issues addressed and corrected because of the medical coverage. The Medicare coverage is not as restrictive as Medicaid. Medicare allows the individual to access any physician or facility that the patient desires for treatment as long as their insurance is accepted. There has not been any specific positive or negative effect with this coverage. Medicare has provided successfully for preventive measures in my health services such as yearly mammograms, colonoscopy testing every two years (if deemed necessary through findings during prior examination), and comprehensive yearly physical examinations. Unfortunately, there is minimal dental coverage and no eye examinations available. There has been major skepticism with the Affordable Care Act being voted on and implemented in the governmental realm. It is exhibiting a number of positive actions implemented with the creation of this act. It is time that this country gives thought to the individuals which are suffering because of no fault of their own other than being on the lower end of the income scale. Also citizens are pleased with the inclusion of the poor souls battling daily with an affliction that requires more attention and treatment than they could ever afford. It is in this new light that people are viewing the creation of the Affordable Care Act and see that this should prove to be beneficial to every citizen within the national borders. Reference Andersen, R. M. (1995). Revisiting The Behavioral Model and Access to Medical Care: Does it Matter? Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 36, 1-10, retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2137284 Andersen, R.M., Anderson, O.W. (1967), A Decade of Health Services, retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1815595 Health and Human Services (2013), Strengthen Health Care, retrieved from: http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/goal1.html World Health Organization (2012), What is Universal Health Coverage, retrieved from: http://www.who.int/features/qa/universal_health_coverage/en/index.html

Taxes and the Deficit: We MUST Return to the Fundamentals of our Consti

The United States of America is not leading into the direction our country was meant to lead. Our Forefathers that came before us and settled in the United Sates, fled here to be free from tyranny. They were escaping from Great Britain’s strict control and harsh taxation. After settling in America the Constitution was drafted to â€Å"form a perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity (Preamble to the United States Constitution).† After reading the preamble, I reread, and wondered how can the US be in the situation were in, if that is what our country ‘was’ built on? What direction is our country headed in, how is taxation hurting or benefiting us, and what can we do to better ours and our children’s future? The direction that our country is taking is far from the direction that Thomas Jefferson, Ben jamin Franklin, or James Madison had originally anticipated for America. The current US budget deficit is close to $1.5 trillion. If Americans were required to pay for government spending this year, we’d have to work an extra thirty-eight days to earn enough money to pay all our taxes. Approximately forty seven percent of Americans will not be eligible for any income tax return, but because of EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) and other credits implemented by Obama and Bush a majority will receive a tax credit. I am a supporter of tax credits, but I also think that there should be a ‘cap’ to limit your tax credit. Doing this could provide a credit for everyone, but having a limit can help to utilize money in many different areas. Money that we don’t have is being printed, spent, a... ...e money you invest, you’ll never see, because of government spending. After a ‘clean-house’ within the government and Americans morale improves. I believe that taxes are ‘generally’ good, except when taxing is used to fulfill greed. If more people invested in their future more soon, spent money wiser, saved money, and supported their communities their lead would influence others to do the same. Works Cited: Independence Hall Association. Constitution of the United Sates. Retrieved April 25, 2010, from http://www.ushistory.org/documents/constitution.htm. Cassidy, John. (April 7, 2010). Rational Irrationality. Retrieved April 11th, 2010, from http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2010/04/who-pays-federal-income-tax.html The Tax Foundation. (2010). America Celebrates Tax Freedom Day. Retrieved from, http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxfreedomday/ Taxes and the Deficit: We MUST Return to the Fundamentals of our Consti The United States of America is not leading into the direction our country was meant to lead. Our Forefathers that came before us and settled in the United Sates, fled here to be free from tyranny. They were escaping from Great Britain’s strict control and harsh taxation. After settling in America the Constitution was drafted to â€Å"form a perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity (Preamble to the United States Constitution).† After reading the preamble, I reread, and wondered how can the US be in the situation were in, if that is what our country ‘was’ built on? What direction is our country headed in, how is taxation hurting or benefiting us, and what can we do to better ours and our children’s future? The direction that our country is taking is far from the direction that Thomas Jefferson, Ben jamin Franklin, or James Madison had originally anticipated for America. The current US budget deficit is close to $1.5 trillion. If Americans were required to pay for government spending this year, we’d have to work an extra thirty-eight days to earn enough money to pay all our taxes. Approximately forty seven percent of Americans will not be eligible for any income tax return, but because of EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) and other credits implemented by Obama and Bush a majority will receive a tax credit. I am a supporter of tax credits, but I also think that there should be a ‘cap’ to limit your tax credit. Doing this could provide a credit for everyone, but having a limit can help to utilize money in many different areas. Money that we don’t have is being printed, spent, a... ...e money you invest, you’ll never see, because of government spending. After a ‘clean-house’ within the government and Americans morale improves. I believe that taxes are ‘generally’ good, except when taxing is used to fulfill greed. If more people invested in their future more soon, spent money wiser, saved money, and supported their communities their lead would influence others to do the same. Works Cited: Independence Hall Association. Constitution of the United Sates. Retrieved April 25, 2010, from http://www.ushistory.org/documents/constitution.htm. Cassidy, John. (April 7, 2010). Rational Irrationality. Retrieved April 11th, 2010, from http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2010/04/who-pays-federal-income-tax.html The Tax Foundation. (2010). America Celebrates Tax Freedom Day. Retrieved from, http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxfreedomday/

The Corrupt Patriarchal Society of Jane Smileys A Thousand Acres :: Smiley Thousand Acres Essays

The Corrupt Patriarchal Society of A Thousand Acres      Ã‚   Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres tells a dark tale of a corrupt patriarchal society which operates through concealment.   It is a story in which the characters attempt to manipulate one another through the secrets they possess and the subsequent revelation of those secrets.   In her novel, Smiley gives us a very simple moral regarding this patriarchal society: women who remain financially and emotionally dependent on men decay; those able to break the economic and emotional chains develop as women and as humans.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Roots of A Thousand Acres can be seen in numerous novels and plays, the most obvious of which is King Lear.   The parallels are too great to ignore. Smiley is successful because she fills in so many of the gaps left open in the play.   She gives us new and different perspectives.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the particular strengths of the novel lies in its depiction of the place of women in a predominantly patriarchal culture.   In this male dominated culture, the values privileged in women include silence and subordination.   Ginny is acceptable as a woman as long as she remains "oblivious" (121).   She is allowed to disagree with men, contingent upon her doing so without fighting (104).   Ultimately, her opinion as a woman remains irrelevant.   Ginny remarks, "of course it was silly to talk about 'my po int of view.' When my father asserted his point of view, mine vanished" (176).   When she makes the "mistake" of crossing her father, she is referred to as a "bitch," "whore," and "slut" (181, 185).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It could be argued that many of the male characters in the novel are suffering from a type of virgin/whore syndrome.   As long as the women remain docile receptacles they are "good"; when they resist or even question masculine authority, they are "bad."   Rose complains, "When we are good girls and accept our circumstances, we're glad about it....When we are bad girls, it drives us crazy" (99).   The women have been indoctrinated to the point that they initially buy into and accept these standards of judgem ent.   The type of patriarchy described by Smiley simply serves to show the inscription of the marginalization of women by men in the novel and in our society.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another strength of the novel is its treatment of secrets and appearances.

3-D Password for More Security

ADVANCED E-SECURITY CP5603 MINOR RESEARCH REPORT Submitted By: Neeraj Kumar MIT-MBA Student ID. : 12682310 TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page no ABSTRACT 3 INTRODUCTION 2-6 1. 1 Authentication 5 1. Authentication Methods 5-6 1. 3 Organization of the Report 6 ACTUAL RESEARCH WORK 7-8 3D PASSWORD SYSTEM 2. 1 Overview 7 2. 2 Innovative Component 7-8 2. Comparison with Current Authentication Systems 8 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 3D PASSWORD 9-16 3. 1 Virtual Object Recognition 9 3. 2 3D Password Selection and Inputs 10-13 3. 3 3D Virtual Environment Design Guidelines 14-16 APPLICATIONS 17-18 4. Advantages 18 CONCLUSION 19 REFERENCES 20 ABSTRACT Current authentication systems suffer from many weaknesses. Textual passwords are commonly used; however, users do not follow their requirements. Users tend to choose meaningful words from dictionaries, which make textual passwords easy to break and vulnerable to dictionary or brute force attacks.Many available graphical passwords have a password sp ace that is less than or equal to the textual password space. Smart cards or tokens can be stolen. Many biometric authentications have been proposed; however, users tend to resist using biometrics because of their intrusiveness and the effect on their privacy. Moreover, biometrics cannot be revoked. In this report mechanism of secure authentication is dicussed. The 3-D password is a multifactor authentication scheme. To be authenticated, we present a 3-D virtual environment where the user navigates and interacts with various objects.The sequence of actions and interactions toward the objects inside the 3-D environment constructs the user’s 3-D password. The 3-D password can combine most existing authentication schemes such as textual passwords, graphical passwords, and various types of biometrics into a 3-D virtual environment. The design of the 3-D virtual environment and the type of objects selected determine the 3-D password key space. INTRODUCTION In this chapter the pass word stereotypes such as textual passwords, biometric scanning, tokens or cards (such as an ATM) etc.Current authentication systems suffer from many weaknesses. Textual passwords are commonly used; however, users do not follow their requirements. Users tend to choose meaningful words from dictionary or their pet names, girlfriends etc. Ten years back Klein performed such tests and he could crack 10-15 passwords per day. On the other hand, if a password is hard to guess, then it is often hard to remember. Users have difficulty remembering a password that is long and random appearing. So, they create short, simple, and insecure passwords that are susceptible to attack.Which make textual passwords easy to break and vulnerable to dictionary or brute force attacks. Graphical passwords schemes have been proposed. The strength of graphical passwords comes from the fact that users can recall and recognize pictures more than words. Most graphical passwords are vulnerable for shoulder surfing attacks, where an attacker can observe or record the legitimate user’s graphical password by camera. Token based systems such as ATMs are widely applied in banking systems and in laboratories entrances as a mean of authentication. However, Smart cards or tokens are vulnerable to loss or theft.Moreover, the user has to carry the token whenever access required. Biometric scanning is your â€Å"natural† signature and Cards or Tokens prove your validity. But some people hate the fact to carry around their cards, some refuse to undergo strong IR exposure to their retinas (Biometric scanning). In this seminar, present and evaluate our contribution, i. e. , the 3-D password. The 3-D password is a multifactor authentication scheme. To be authenticated, we present a 3-D virtual environment where the user navigates and interacts with various objects.The sequence of actions and interactions toward the objects inside the 3-D environment constructs the user’s 3-D password. The 3-D password can combine most existing authentication schemes such as textual passwords, graphical passwords, and various types of biometrics into a 3-D virtual environment. The design of the 3-D virtual environment and the type of objects selected determine the 3-Dpassword key space. 1. 1 AUTHENTICATION Authentication is the act of establishing or confirming something as authentic, that is, that claims made by or about the subject are true.This might involve confirming the identity of a person, tracing the origins of an artifact, ensuring that a product is what it’s packaging and labeling claims to be, or assuring that a computer program is a trusted one. For example, when you show proper identification credentials to a bank teller, you are asking to be authenticated to act on behalf of the account holder. If your authentication request is approved, you become authorized to access the accounts of that account holder, but no others. 1. 2 AUTHENTICATION METHODS The first i s comparing the attributes of the object itself to what is known about objects of that origin.For example, an art expert might look for similarities in the style of painting, check the location and form of a signature, or compare the object to an old photograph. An archaeologist might use carbon dating to verify the age of an artifact, do a chemical analysis of the materials used, or compare the style of construction or decoration to other artifacts of similar origin. The physics of sound and light, and comparison with a known physical environment, can be used to examine the authenticity of audio recordings, photographs, or videos. The second type relies on documentation or other external affirmations.For example, the rules of evidence in criminal courts often require establishing the chain of custody of evidence presented. This can be accomplished through a written evidence log, or by testimony from the police detectives and forensics staff that handled it. Some antiques are accomp anied by certificates attesting to their authenticity. External records have their own problems of forgery and perjury, and are also vulnerable to being separated from the artifact and lost. Currency and other financial instruments commonly use the first type of authentication method.Bills, coins, and cheques incorporate hard-to-duplicate physical features, such as fine printing or engraving, distinctive feel, watermarks, and holographic imagery, which are easy for receivers to verify. Consumer goods such as pharmaceuticals, perfume, fashion clothing can use either type of authentication method to prevent counterfeit goods from taking advantage of a popular brand's reputation (damaging the brand owner's sales and reputation). A trademark is a legally protected marking or other identifying feature which aids consumers in the identification of genuine brand-name goods. 1. ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT The 3-D password is a multifactor authentication scheme. To be authenticated, we presen t a 3-D virtual environment where the user navigates and interacts with various objects. The sequence of actions and interactions toward the objects inside the 3-D environment constructs the user’s 3-D password. The 3-D password can combine most existing authentication schemes such as textual passwords, graphical passwords, and various types of biometrics into a 3-D virtual environment. The design of the 3-D virtual environment and the type of objects selected determine the 3-Dpassword key space.ACTUAL RESEARCH WORK 3D PASSWORD SYSTEM 2. 1 OVERVIEW In this chapter the system consist of multi factor authentication scheme. It can combine all existing authentication schemes into a single 3Dvirtual environment. This 3D virtual environment contains several objects or items with which the user can interact. The user is presented with this 3D virtual environment where the user navigates and interacts with various objects. The sequence of actions and interactions toward the objects i nside the 3D environment constructs the user’s 3Dpassword.The 3D password can combine most existing authentication schemes such as textual passwords, graphical passwords, and various types of biometrics into a 3D virtual environment. The choice of what authentication schemes will be part of the user's 3D password reflects the user's preferences and requirements. A user who prefers to remember and recall a password might choose textual and graphical password as part of their 3D password. On the other hand users who have more difficulty with memory or recall might prefer to choose smart cards or biometrics as part of their 3D password.Moreover user who prefers to keep any kind of biometric data private might not interact with object that requires biometric information. Therefore it is the user's choice and decision to construct the desired and preferred 3D password. 2. 2 INNOVATIVE COMPONENT The proposed system is a multi-factor authentication scheme that combines the benefits of various authentication schemes. Users have the freedom to select whether the 3D password will be solely recall, recognition, or token based, or combination of two schemes or more. This freedom of selection is necessary because users are different and they have different requirements.Therefore, to ensure high user acceptability, the user’s freedom of selection is important. The following requirements are satisfied in the proposed scheme 1. The new scheme provide secrets that are easy to remember and very difficult for intruders to guess. 2. The new scheme provides secrets that are not easy to write down on paper. Moreover, the scheme secrets should be difficult to share with others. 3. The new scheme provides secrets that can be easily revoked or changed. 2. 3 COMPARISON WITH CURRENT AUTHENTICATION SYSTEMS Suffer from many weaknesses. Textual passwords are commonly used.Users tend to choose meaningful words from dictionaries, which make textual passwords easy to break and v ulnerable to dictionary or brute force attacks. Many available graphical passwords have a password space that is less than or equal to the textual password space. Smart cards or tokens can be stolen. Many biometric authentications have been proposed. However, users tend to resist using biometrics because of their intrusiveness and the effect on their privacy. Moreover, biometrics cannot be revoked. The 3D password is a multi-factor authentication scheme.The design of the 3D virtual environment and the type of objects selected determine the 3D password key space. User have freedom to select whether the 3D password will be solely recall, recognition, or token based, or combination of two schemes or more. IMPLEMENTATION 3. 1 VIRTUAL OBJECT RECOGNITION Virtual objects can be any object that we encounter in real life. Any obvious actions and interactions toward the real life objects can be done in the virtual3Denvironment toward the virtual objects. Moreover, any user input (such as spea king in a specific location) in the virtual 3Denvironment can be considered as a part of the 3Dpassword.We can have the following objects: 1) A computer with which the user can type; 2) A fingerprint reader that requires the user’s fingerprint; 3) A biometric recognition device; 4) A paper or a white board that a user can write, sign, or draw on; 5) An automated teller machine (ATM) that requests a token; 6) A light that can be switched on/off; 7) A television or radio where channels can be selected; 8) A staple that can be punched; 9) A car that can be driven; 10) A book that can be moved from one place to another; 11) Any graphical password scheme; 12) Any real life object; 3) Any upcoming authentication scheme. The action toward an object (assume a fingerprint recognition device)that exists in location (x1 , y1 , z1 ) is different from the actions toward a similar object (another fingerprint recognition device) that exists in location (x2 , y2 , z2 ),where x1 = x2 , y1 = y 2 , and z1 = z2 . Therefore, to perform the legitimate 3Dpassword, the user must follow the same scenario performed by the legitimate user. This means interacting with the same objects that reside at the exact locations and perform the exact actions in the proper sequence. 3. 2 3D PASSWORD SELECTION AND INPUTSLet us consider a 3Dvirtual environment space of size G ? G ? G. The 3Denvironment space is represented by the coordinates (x, y, z) ? [1†¦ G]? [1†¦ G]? [1†¦ G]. The objects are distributed in the 3Dvirtual environment with unique (x, y, z) coordinates. We assume that the user can navigate into the 3Dvirtual environment and interact with the objects using any input device such as a mouse, key board, fingerprint scanner, iris scanner, stylus, card reader, and microphone. Consider the sequence of those actions and interactions using the previous input devices as the user’s 3Dpassword.For example, consider a user who navigates through the 3Dvirtualenvironment that consists of an office and a meeting room. Let us assume that the user is in the virtual office and the user turns around to the door located in (10, 24, 91) and opens it. Then, the user closes the door. The user then finds a computer to the left, which exists in the position (4, 34, 18), and the user types â€Å"FALCON. † Then, the user walks to the meeting room and picks up a pen located at (10, 24, 80) and draws only one dot in a paper located in (1, 18, 30), which is the dot (x, y) coordinate relative to the paper space is (330, 130).The user then presses the login button. The initial representation of user actions in the 3Dvirtual environment can be recorded as follows: †¢ (10, 24, 91) Action = Open the office door; †¢ (10, 24, 91) Action = Close the office door; †¢ (4, 34, 18) Action = Typing, â€Å"F†; †¢ (4, 34, 18) Action = Typing, â€Å"A†; †¢ (4, 34, 18) Action = Typing, â€Å"L†; †¢ (4, 34, 18) Action = Typin g, â€Å"C†; †¢ (4, 34, 18) Action = Typing, â€Å"O†; †¢ (4, 34, 18) Action = Typing, â€Å"N†; †¢ (10, 24, 80) Action = Pick up the pen; †¢ (1, 18, 80) Action = Drawing, point = (330, 130). Figure 3. 2 – Snapshot of an experimental 3-D virtual environmentThe 3-D password is a multifactor authentication scheme. It can combine all existing authentication schemes into a single 3-D virtual environment. This 3-D virtual environment contains several objects or items with which the user can interact. The type of interaction varies from one item to another. The 3-D password is constructed by observing the actions and interactions of the user and by observing the sequences of such actions. It is the user’s choice to select which type of authentication techniques will be part of their 3-D password. This is chieved through interacting only with the objects that acquire information that the user is comfortable in providing and ignoring th e objects that request information that the user prefers not to provide. For example, if an item requests an iris scan and the user is not comfortable in providing such information, the user simply avoids interacting with that item. Moreover, giving the user the freedom of choice as to what type of authentication schemes will be part of their 3-D password and given the large number of objects and items in the environment, the number of possible 3-D passwords will increase.Thus, it becomes much more difficult for the attacker to guess the user’s 3-D password. Fig 3. 2. 1 State diagram of 3D password 3. 3 3D VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT DESIGN GUIDELINES The design of the 3 D virtual environments affects the usability, effectiveness, acceptability of 3D password. The first step in building a 3 ­Dpassword system is to design a 3 ­Denvironment that reflects the administration needs and the security requirements. Figure 3. 3 3D virtual environment 1) Real life-similarity ­The prospec tive 3 ¬D virtual environment should reflect what people are used to seeing in real life. Objects used in virtual environments should be relatively similar in size to real objects (sized to scale). Possible actions and interactions toward virtual objects should reflect real life situations. Object responses should be realistic. The target should have a 3 ­D virtual environment that users can interact. 2) Object uniqueness and distinction ­ Every virtual object or item in the 3 ­D virtual environment is different from any other virtual object.The uniqueness comes from the fact that every virtual object has its own attributes such as position. Thus, the prospective interaction with object 1 is not equal to the interaction with object 2. However, having similar objects such as 20 computers in one place might confuse the user. Therefore, the design of the 3 ­D virtual environment should consider that every object should be distinguishable from other objects. Similarly, in desi gning a 3 ­Dvirtual environment, it should be easy for users to navigate through and to distinguish between objects.The distinguishing factor increases the user’s recognition of objects. Therefore, it improves the system usability. 3) Three Dimensional Virtual Environment Size  ­ A 3 ­Dvirtual environment can depict a city or even the world. On the other hand, it can depict a space as focused as a single room or office. A large 3 ¬D virtual environment will increase the time required by the user to perform a 3 ­Dpassword. Moreover, a large3 ­Dvirtual environment can contain a large number of virtual objects. Therefore, the probable 3 ­Dpassword space broadens.However, a small 3 ­D virtual environment usually contains only a few objects, and thus, performing a 3 ­D password will take less time. 4) Number of objects and their types ­ Part of designing a 3 ­D virtual environment is determining the types of objects and how many objects should be placed in th e environment. The types of objects reflect what kind of responses the object will have. For simplicity, we can consider requesting a textual password or a fingerprint as an object response type. Selecting the right object response types and the number of objects affects the probable password space of a 3 ­D password. ) System Importance ­ The 3D virtual environment should consider what systems will be protected by a 3D password. The number of objects and the types of objects that have been used in the 3D virtual environment should reflect the importance of the protected system. APPLICATIONS The 3D password can have a password space that is very large compared to other authentication schemes, so the 3 ­D password’s main application domains are protecting critical systems and resources. 1. Critical servers ­Many large organizations have critical servers that are usually protected by a textual password. A 3-D password authentication proposes a sound replacement for a te xtual password. Moreover, entrances to such locations are usually protected by access cards and sometimes PIN numbers. Therefore, a 3-D password can be used to protect the entrance to such locations and protect the usage of such servers. 2. Nuclear and military facilities- Such facilities should be protected by the most powerful authentication systems.The 3 ­D password has a very large probable password space, and since it can contain token ­, biometrics ­, recognition ­, and knowledge based authentications in a single authentication system, it is a sound choice for high level security locations. 3. Airplanes and jet fighters ­ Because of the possible threat of misusing airplanes and jet fighters for religious, political agendas, usage of such airplanes should be protected by a powerful authentication system. In addition, 3 ­D passwords can be used in less critical systems because the 3D virtual environment can be designed to fit to any system needs.A small virtual envir onment can be used in the following systems like Some other application areas: †¢ ATM †¢ Desktop Computers ; laptop logins †¢ Web Authentication 4. 1 ADVANTAGES * Easy to memorize: Users can memorize a 3D password as a â€Å"little† story which makes the password easy to remember * Flexibility: 3d passwords allows multi-factor authentication. Smart cards, biometrics and alpha num. password can embedded in the 3d password technology * Strength: A scenario in a 3D environment offers as almost unlimited combination of possibilities.As such system can have specific 3d world, hack are extremely difficult. * The 3D password gives users the freedom of selecting what type of authentication techniques. * Secrets those are not easy to write down on paper. * The scheme secrets should be difficult to share with others. * Provide secrets that can be easily revoked or changed. CONCLUSION There are many authentication schemes in the current state. Some of them are based on us er’s physical and behavioral properties, and some other authentication schemes are based on user’s knowledge such as textual and graphical passwords.Moreover, there are some other important authentication schemes that are based on what you have, such as smart cards. Among the various authentication schemes, textual password and token-based schemes, or the combination of both, are commonly applied. However, as mentioned before, both authentication schemes are vulnerable to certain attacks. Moreover, there are many authentication schemes that are currently under study and they may require additional time and effort to be applicable for commercial use.In this report the 3D password mechanism is explained the 3-D password is a multifactor authentication scheme that combines these various authentication schemes into a single3-D virtual environment. The virtual environment can contain any existing authentication scheme or even any upcoming authentication schemes by adding it as a response to actions performed on an object. Therefore, the resulted password space becomes very large compared to any existing authentication schemes. REFERENCES [1] X. Suo, Y. Zhu, and G. S. Owen, â€Å"Graphical passwords: A survey,† in Proc. 1st Annual . Comput. Security Appl. Conf. , Dec. 5–9, 2005, pp. 463–472. [2] D. V. Klein, â€Å"Foiling the cracker: A survey of, and improvement to passwords security, in Proc. USENIX Security Workshop, 2008, Measurement,VOL. 57,September 2008. [3] NBC news, ATM Fraud: Banking on Your Money, Dateline Hidden Cameras Show Criminals Owning ATMs, Dec. 11, 2003. [4] T. Kitten, Keeping an Eye on the ATM. (2005, Jul. 11). ATMMarketPlace. com. [6] G. E. Blonder, â€Å"Graphical password,† U. S. Patent 5 559 961,Sep. 24, 1996. [7] http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/3-D_Secure

Intellectual Freedom essays

Intellectual Freedom essays Many parents feel that Internet filtering by programs such as BESS really do work effectively. However, by blocking information from reaching students by means of an automated filter may actually cause more harm than good. Teachers have forgotten their duty to supervise students while they use the Internet. Many students often try to "press the limits" of the filter and try to gain access to topics that are normally filtered, such as pornography. One student who attends a school district other than Pasco County has told me "students now go into the library and try to access pornographic sites seeing how many are not blocked. The librarians have relaxed a bit now and do not actively supervise students, since they believe the filter stops access to such sites. Today, more students access pornographic sites from school than before BESS was installed, just because they want to prove that they can. It is funny how before we had BESS, nobody ever dared to go to a pornographic site." The same thing happens here in Pasco County. Not only do students try to access pornographic and adult content knowing that it is against the "Acceptable Use Policy" (AUP), but they also break that same AUP by accessing content such as jokes, online video games, online clothing stores, etc. One incident regarding the blocked category of lingerie now comes to mind. A few weeks back I was in my Web Design class with two girls who were looking at clothing that they liked, online. They did not know that they were accessing a site that BESS should have blocked, because it did not do its job. An incredible number of educational sites are blocked by BESS for a varierty of reasons. N2H2, the creators of BESS, has publicly stated, "Our staff of 100+ Human Web Reviewers personally examines every site we categorize." Yet, students can still access pornographic sites through BESS and are then denied access to very educational sites. This is no surprise consider...

Analysis of Rembrandt Essays - Joseph, Book Of Genesis, Erotic Art

Analysis of Rembrandt Essays - Joseph, Book Of Genesis, Erotic Art Analysis of Rembrandt Joseph Accused by Potiphar's Wife The story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife is told in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, chapter 39. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and bought by Potiphar, a high ranking official in the Pharaoh's service. "The Lord was with Joseph," and gave him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar and before long Joseph was given the highest position in the household, and left in charge when Potiphar was away. Now Potiphar's wife found Joseph to be very good looking and had approached him several times saying "come to bed with me;" and Joseph being a man of God would not sin against his master or the Lord, so he refused her. One day when all the servants were gone, Joseph entered the house and Potiphar's wife approached him and while holding on to his cloak said "come to bed with me". Joseph refused and left the house leaving his cloak behind. Potiphar' Wife screamed for help saying that Joseph had attacked and tried to sleep with her. When her husband came home she told him the same false story. Potiphar was so angry at Joseph he had him locked up in Pharaoh's prison. "But while Joseph was in the prison, the Lord was with him." This is the subject matter for which Rembrandt choose to do his representational painting by. The content of the painting all reveals Rembrandt's interpretation of the story This is the account from the Bible of the accusation of Joseph by Potiphar's Wife. Rembrandt Van Ryn chose this particular story as the subject of his narrative painting completed in 1655, under the title of "Joseph Accused By Potiphar's Wife". Before researching this painting, I noted my fist perception of Rembrandt work of art. I realized through that as a result of my later research, my first perception did not change, but instead were enriched and enlarged by a newfound understanding of the man and his art. I largely concentrated on my first and later perceptions in the design elements and principles of lighting or value, infinite space, color, and focal point. After conducting research, my first perceptions about the value, or relative degree of lightness or darkness, in the painting did not change, but instead I learned that Rembrandt's use of light and dark was both purposeful and a technique well- known to the artists of his time. When I first observed this painting, I thought how dark everything seemed. The only exceptions to the darkness are the bed and Potiphar's wife, both of which are flooded in light almost as if a spotlight were thrown on her and the bed. Some light shines on Joseph's face and from behind him like a halo around his body, but this light is very dim. Potiphar in great contrast to his wife is almost in complete darkness. I first felt there should be more light from perhaps candles to cast the entire room in partial light. But after research I found that "Rembrandt liked strong contrasts of light and dark and used them in his paintings all his life, letting darkness hide unnecessary details while using light to bring figures and objects out from the shadows. The high contrast of light against dark changed an ordinary scene into a dramatic one ... the Italian word for this use of light and dark [is] chiaroscuro " (Muhlberger 9). Rembrandt must have believed that too much detail in the room would have obscured the primary players of this scene. He uses light to brightly illuminate the most important person in this painting, Potiphar's wife. In descending order of importance, Rembrandt places a glow around Joseph and casts Potiphar in a almost total darkness. I now am able to see how the contrast of light and dark demonstrates drastically this crucial turning point in Joseph's life. The fact that an Italian word exists for Rembrandt's lighting technique only proves the technique's establishment in the art world he lived and worked in. As a result of research, my fist perceptions about the presence of infinite space in the painting did not change, but instead I gained an understanding of why Rembrandt employed this particular technique in his painting. I first noticed before conducting any research on Rembrandt or this painting how the walls appear to go on indefinitely; there are no boundaries to the room. In addition the artist chose not to add and details to the walls or floor. I believe that the design element of infinite space, endless space as found in nature,

Mark Twain as a Realist Writer

Mark Twain as a Realist Writer Considered one of the great American Realist  writers, Mark Twain is not only celebrated for the stories he tells but also the way in which he tells them, with an unmatched ear for the English  language and sensitivity to the diction of the common man.  To flesh out his stories, Twain also drew heavily on his personal experiences, most notably his work as a riverboat captain on the Mississippi, and never shied from portraying everyday issues in starkly honest terms.   Dead-On Dialects Twain was a master of conveying the local vernacular in his writing.  Read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, for example, and youll immediately hear the distinctive Southern dialect of that region.   For example, when Huck Finn attempts to help Jim, a slave, escape to freedom by paddling a canoe down the Mississippi, Jim  thanks  Huck profusely: Huck yous de  bes  fren Jims ever had:  en  yous de  only  fren olde Jims got now. Later in the story, in chapter 19, Huck hides while he witnesses deadly violence between two feuding families:   I staid in the tree till it begun to get ​dard, afraid to come down. Sometimes I heard guns away off in the woods; and twice I seen little gangs of men gallop past the log-store with guns; so I reckoned the trouble was still agoing on. On the other hand, the language in Twains short story The Celebrated  Jumping Frog of Calaveras County reflects both  the narrators upscale Eastern Seaboard roots and the local vernacular of his interview subject, Simon Wheeler. Here, the narrator describes his initial encounter with Wheeler: I found Simon Wheeler dozing comfortably by the bar-room stove of the old, dilapidated tavern in the ancient mining camp of Angels, and I noticed that he was fat and bald-headed, and had an expression of winning gentleness and simplicity upon his tranquil countenance. He roused up and gave me good-day. And here is Wheeler describing a local dog celebrated for his fighting spirit: And he had a little small bull pup, that to look at him youd think he wans worth a cent, but to set around and look ornery, and lay for a chance to steal something. But as soon as money was up on him, he was a different dog; his underjawd begin to stick out like the focastle of a steamboat, and his teeth would uncover, and shine savage like the furnaces. A River Runs Through It Twain became a riverboat cub- or trainee- in 1857 when he was still known as Samuel Clemens. Two years later, he earned his full pilots license. As he learned to navigate the Mississippi, Twain became very familiar with the language of the river. Indeed, he adopted his famous pen name from his river experience. Mark Twain- meaning two fathoms- was a navigational term used on the Mississippi. All of the adventures- and there were many- that Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn experienced on the Mighty Mississippi relate directly to Twains own experiences. Tales of Abuse And while Twain is rightly famous for his humor, he was also unflinching in his portrayal of abuses of power. For instance,  A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court,  while absurd, remains a biting political commentary. And for all his pluck, Huckleberry Finn is still an abused and neglected 13-year-old boy, whose father is a mean drunk. We see this world from Hucks point of view as he attempts to cope with his environment and deal with the circumstances into which he is thrown. Along the way, Twain explodes social conventions and depicts the hypocrisy of civilized society. No doubt Twain had a terrific knack for story construction. But it was his flesh and blood characters- the way they spoke, the way they interacted with their surroundings, and the honest descriptions of their experiences- that brought his  stories to life.

Love- Crime and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Love- Crime and Society - Essay Example Generally, crime is defined as the activity involving harm to the society. The dimensions of the crimes are widespread throughout the society (Albanese, 2002 ). There is no single explanation to why the rate of crimes is rising day by day and that why the books and institutions of justice have failed to address the opportunity and the facilitating factors of crimes with respect to the behavioral uplift of the individuals. Not only the areas with a low intensity of social and financial individuals are notorious but the high society members have also been originated to be occupied in at least some of the criminal activities if not all. In this paper, I will be highlighting the main issues in my selected areas of study followed by the steps taken to change or improve the unwanted outcomes. My study and explanations are based on the following thesis statement. â€Å"Biological and psychological factors positively correlate with the dimensions of crimes in a highly specialized environment and are directly proportional to the opportunities and factors facilitating the rates of these criminal activities.† Around the world, in many years that have passed, it has been observed that the rate of crimes is most commonly based upon the fact that the people inhabiting a certain area get influenced by the behaviors of their significant others. The definitional issues relating to the age, gender and race are widespread. Blue-collar crimes and that of juvenile crimes usually fall in the category of age dimension. These are the rational street crimes including the shoplifting, kidnapping, rape and vandalism. These crimes usually do not get a mature backup. Various studies indicate that there is more of the under-aged society members involved in such crimes as compared to bigger members (Flowers, 2003 ). Those kids who are involved in criminal activities because of any social reason, when caught and released with a minor punishment are most likely to go back into the same

Public Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Public Law - Essay Example The principle of Parliamentary sovereignty formulated by Dicey 1 states that the English Constitution confers power to the Parliament both to â€Å"make or unmake any law† and that no other person or body recognized by the English law has power to â€Å"set aside† or â€Å"override† â€Å"the legislation of Parliament†2 The judges have power to make law known as common law though the Parliament can pass legislation to nullify a particular common law which the judges are expected to follow. In fact according to Dicey, judges as handmaidens of the Parliament are expected to expound, explain and â€Å"give effect to the statutes† they come across in their discourse. This principle was confirmed in British Railways Board v Picklin.3 Judges as guardians of common law Notwithstanding this principle, judges as the guardians of common law retain the power of statutory interpretation to ensure that the common law constitutional principles are not eroded by t he Parliamentary legislation. It follows therefore that Parliament does not have an unfettered right to make laws foolishly or unreasonably contrary to the common law principles. However, this presumption is so broad that its weight varies with the specific common law right in issue. European Convention on Human Rights reflect some of these principles. In R v Secretary of State for State for the Home Department ex p. Simms 4 , the issue involved challenge of blanket ban on permitting prisoners to meet journalists to protest their innocence. This was held by the House of Lords as a breach of the common law right giving freedom of expression. Although the prison rules permitted such a policy of blanket ban, the House of Lords found it necessary to read down the rules to make the policy unlawful. Lord Hoffman though agreed with the Parliamentary Sovereignty that gives it a right to pass legislation contrary to fundamental principles of human rights and that The Human Rights Act 1998 ne ed not absolve Parliament of this power, it is fraught with political cost. He further states that fundamental rights cannot be denied by means of general or ambiguous words. This might have escaped unnoticed in the democratic process of law making. As such when there is no express provision, courts find it necessary to presume such general words are also subject to the fundamental rights of individuals. Therefore, courts while in agreement with the sovereignty of Parliament, apply these principles universally applicable in different countries where the parliamentary power is limited by the constitution.5 Thus several case laws have recognized some of the fundamental rights. For example, unhindered access to the courts vide R v Lord Chancellor ex-parte Witham 6 and R v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex-parte Saleem7. Secondly, right against punishment through a retrospective legislation as held in Waddington v Miah 8 . Thirdly, right against increase of penalties and rig ht of confidential communication with legal advisor in R v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex-parte Pierson 9 and R v (On the Application of Daly) v SSHD 10 respectively. Lord Hoffman drives home the point that in giving effect to what the Parliament must have intended, the courts rather uphold the supremacy of the

Communication observations from in class movie, THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE Assignment

Communication observations from in class movie, THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE (2009) - Assignment Example was like going to the same journey the actors went through where their sincere search to understand other people’s outlook in life brought them to their own realization. There was a somewhat strong connection between the audience and the actors portraying the role. However, this could be considered indirect communication since there was no personal interaction between the two elements. Second, it was the connection pattern between the two brothers to the people they met along their journey. It was true in its essence that a person should put himself to someone else’s shoe to truly understand the condition of others. What gave the main characters the most powerful realization they had at the end of the story was their personal â€Å"experience† living with the people who had less in terms of material possession yet abundant with reasons to be happy and grateful with life. This was more interpersonal in approach. Finally, it was the intrapersonal communication pattern. The most compelling message of the movie was the question the audience would end up asking themselves. Therefore, one could only find genuine happiness and satisfaction by searching within. What was good about the people others tend to see as less fortunate was that tend to be more grateful and they treasured the greatest blessing given to them despite material lack- ‘life†, itself. Inner joy and peace is that every individual could find within is also the greatest reason for anyone to have a deeper understanding and appreciation of life. It only needs to take a few minutes to ask ourselves and reflect on

Public Policy Formation and Analysis Assignment

Public Policy Formation and Analysis - Assignment Example Cobb and Rocheford identified certain traits that make up the nature of a problem and of course these traits are incumbent on the solutions to such identified problems. We must also note that the traffic problems in Oman has a social, economical and political dimension. Severity: The severity of any identified road safety problem has to be taken into cognisance in other to ascertain how severe the said problem is. How serious a problem and its consequences are taken to be, is what determines the extent to which actions will be taken to resolve that particular problem. A good example is the constant road traffic accidents in Oman. The amount of lives that has been lost this few years has motivated the Government of Oman to take a firm stand in formulating Traffic policies to curb the incidence. Incidence: According to Cobb and Rocheford, (1993) a social problem's incidence is an important descriptive dimension that represents the overall scope of people affected as well as those group s disproportionately at risk (64) Those groups that are affected by this incidence in Oman are teenagers between the ages of 16-25. This is a volatile group of persons still full of l;ife and the excitement of motor cars, who do not necessarily consider the implications of traffic safety policies. Novelty: Simply refers to situations where a policy seems to have popular opinions from the public, which soon becomes obsolete as the public and the media becomes less enthusiastic about such policies overtime. This is a major problem in Oman as many road safety policies that seemed to excite the people have become distasteful and un effective today. This has not augured well for the Government of Oman. It is a major social and political barrier to policy formulation as regarding Road safety policies. Proximity: To judge an issue as having proximity is to insinuate that it brings your point close home or directly affects a person's interest. Now if such cases can be made successfully, mem bers of the general public will become more concerned and may go all the way to express this opinion politically which will aid in more positive policy formulation. Crises of the problem: This terminology is used to denote a situation where corrective action is long overdue and the problem still exist. Thus dire consequences are in occurrence due to such delay. The lack of adequate action by the Government of Oman to tackle the impeding road safety abuse and non-compliance has become a crises situation in the country. Question 2 Drunk driving: Many youths are addicted to alcoholic products and tend to ply the roads at very high state of drunkenness, most especially at nights. The statistics in the article by Shalama et al (179) shows that that results of drunk driving were between 3-982 and as of last year it was 4% alone. This is an aspect of individuals behaviour as it relates to accidents in Oman Lack of formal traffic education: This is a major social/cultural condition that mus t be checked in Oman. Teaching all road users in Oman how to observe road usage norms and regulations and lunching campaigns via the media on the importance of road safety applications is paramount if the Nation is to witness less accidents and more respect for traffic regulations. Traffic regulation enforcement organization and licencing: must be effective at all times within the country. They have a major responsibility to check the

Teams Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Teams - Research Paper Example They are rewarded for mastering a variety of skills needed to meet team performance goals. To lead effective teams, leaders must understand successful elements of a good team because leader can effectively teach only what they consistently model. Leader’s action, behaviors and decisions have direct impact on team members. A leader having knowledge on team processes and dynamics is the key to having an effective team based organization (Lussier & Achua, 2009). A strong leader has all the qualities of effective team player. A team player is usually a contributor to overall success of a group-work, whereas a leader is a key influencer of the overall success and agenda for the group. A leader sets an example for team members. A leader is not only responsible for his/her actions but also for entire team. The Leader Exchange Model or Vertical Dyad Linkage Theory discover how leaders and managers develop relationship with their team members and explains how those relationships can contribute to growth. The theory states that all relationship between managers and subordinates go through three stages: Role-Taking, Role-Making and Routinization (Griffin & Moorhead, 2011). Role-taking occurs when team member joins group and manager evaluate member’s skills. In Role-Making, new member start working on project and manager expect new member will work hard and prove trust-worthy. During this phase, group members are divided into two groups: In-Group and Out-Group. In-Group team member receive more attention and support, and more opportunities from their managers whereas in Out-Group, members get very less consideration and opportunities. In Routinization, routines between team members and managers are established. The limitation of Leader-Member Exchange Theory is that it assumes all team members are equally trustworthy. Although we may like to think that everyone is honest, but reality is different! Managers need to get the best possible outcome, that is,

Public Policy Formation and Analysis Assignment

Public Policy Formation and Analysis - Assignment Example Cobb and Rocheford identified certain traits that make up the nature of a problem and of course these traits are incumbent on the solutions to such identified problems. We must also note that the traffic problems in Oman has a social, economical and political dimension. Severity: The severity of any identified road safety problem has to be taken into cognisance in other to ascertain how severe the said problem is. How serious a problem and its consequences are taken to be, is what determines the extent to which actions will be taken to resolve that particular problem. A good example is the constant road traffic accidents in Oman. The amount of lives that has been lost this few years has motivated the Government of Oman to take a firm stand in formulating Traffic policies to curb the incidence. Incidence: According to Cobb and Rocheford, (1993) a social problem's incidence is an important descriptive dimension that represents the overall scope of people affected as well as those group s disproportionately at risk (64) Those groups that are affected by this incidence in Oman are teenagers between the ages of 16-25. This is a volatile group of persons still full of l;ife and the excitement of motor cars, who do not necessarily consider the implications of traffic safety policies. Novelty: Simply refers to situations where a policy seems to have popular opinions from the public, which soon becomes obsolete as the public and the media becomes less enthusiastic about such policies overtime. This is a major problem in Oman as many road safety policies that seemed to excite the people have become distasteful and un effective today. This has not augured well for the Government of Oman. It is a major social and political barrier to policy formulation as regarding Road safety policies. Proximity: To judge an issue as having proximity is to insinuate that it brings your point close home or directly affects a person's interest. Now if such cases can be made successfully, mem bers of the general public will become more concerned and may go all the way to express this opinion politically which will aid in more positive policy formulation. Crises of the problem: This terminology is used to denote a situation where corrective action is long overdue and the problem still exist. Thus dire consequences are in occurrence due to such delay. The lack of adequate action by the Government of Oman to tackle the impeding road safety abuse and non-compliance has become a crises situation in the country. Question 2 Drunk driving: Many youths are addicted to alcoholic products and tend to ply the roads at very high state of drunkenness, most especially at nights. The statistics in the article by Shalama et al (179) shows that that results of drunk driving were between 3-982 and as of last year it was 4% alone. This is an aspect of individuals behaviour as it relates to accidents in Oman Lack of formal traffic education: This is a major social/cultural condition that mus t be checked in Oman. Teaching all road users in Oman how to observe road usage norms and regulations and lunching campaigns via the media on the importance of road safety applications is paramount if the Nation is to witness less accidents and more respect for traffic regulations. Traffic regulation enforcement organization and licencing: must be effective at all times within the country. They have a major responsibility to check the

Wood processing technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wood processing technology - Research Paper Example Aesthetically recycled wood could be more resilient and more manageable than actual wood. In terms of strength recycled wood can also be comparable and would be able to withstand the requirement of wood products. The objective of the proposed thesis is to educate the different sectors dependent on wood and the sector that heavily contribute to wood processes of the advantages of recycled wood. It is also the objective of this thesis to provide alternative processes that would make use of recycled wood rather than raw wood in wood processes. The proposed thesis will be able to provide information on the different qualities and specifications of the different recycling methods and the recycled wood products that they produce. Using secondary sources and the works of others in the same subject of research will enable the proposed thesis to provide reliable information that could be used by wood producers. Due to the limited time and resources experimentation with regards to the strength and aesthetic impact of recycled wood cannot be done. â€Å"There is an increasing need to develop technologies in which renewable materials are used as direct replacement for non-renewables. Our current rate of consumption of non-renewable are high and in most cases increasing, but the reserves from which they are obtained are finite and exhaustible. Our present patterns of consumption are not sustainable in the long term. Although this problem appears to be unique to the 21st century, these concerns are not new.† (Hill) The wood industry is on its last breath as the last 10 million trees remaining on the world’s forest are being harvested for its wood. If sustainable wood processing technique is not found or developed that would rely heavily on processed wood. The wood industry will die as a trade. Wood processing is the only industry that directly damages the environment. The raw material itself comes

The Effects of Stress Among Female Registered Nurses Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Stress Among Female Registered Nurses Essay Prior research has suggested that nurses, regardless of workplace or culture, are confronted with a variety of stressors. As the worldwide nursing shortage increases, the aged population becomes larger, there is an increase in the incidence of chronic illnesses and technology continues to advance, nurses continually will be faced with numerous workplace stressors. Thus, nurses need to learn how to identify their workplace stressors and to cope effectively with these stressors to attain and maintain both their physical and mental health. This article describes workplace stressors and coping strategies, compares and contrasts cross-cultural literature on nurses workplace stressors and coping strategies, and delineates a variety of stress management activities that could prove helpful for contending with stressors in the workplace. (Lambert and Lambert 2010, Nurses’ workplace stressors and coping strategies). In Baguio City, hospital nurses are not spared from the environmental culprit called stress. They are too prone to this even a seated individual can easily observe, but stress as they say always come with the work, nurses chose to be of service to the sick, and sick people are in the verge of experiencing most of the stresses, sometimes the nurses who takes good care of them are the absorbers to some of these stresses. Possibly yet, stress is also present in the work place when nurses are overworked and unavoidably there are build up tension among themselves causing now a strained working relationship. According to Betty Neuman, a nurse theorist she said that stressful environment causes the majority of illnesses and when it becomes severe and neglected it could lead to death. Stress has been categorized as an antecedent or stimulus, as a consequence or response, and as an interaction. It has been studied from many different frameworks (or perspectives? ). For example, Selye proposed a physiological assessment that supports considering the association between stress and illness. Conversely, Lazarus advocated a psychological view in which stress is â€Å"a particular relationship between the person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding his or her resources and endangering his or her well-being. † Nevertheless, stress has been regarded as an occupational hazard since the mid-1950. In fact, occupational stress has been cited as a significant health problem. Work stress in nursing was first assessed in 1960 when Menzies identified four sources of anxiety among nurses: patient care, decision making, taking responsibility, and change. The nurse’s role has long been regarded as stress-filled based upon the physical labor, human suffering, work hours, staffing, and interpersonal relationships that are central to the work nurses do. Since the mid-1980s, however, nurses’ work stress may be escalating due to the increasing use of technology, continuing rises in health care costs, and turbulence within the work environment. (B. M. Jennings, 2010, Work Stress and Burnout among Nurses). The writer’s opinion with regards to the sudden rise and use of technology in the hospital, these are true and stressful especially among older nurses. Some of them feel intimidated about it since they need to learn how to use computerized gadgets and equipments needed to fasten treatment. Some institutions require knowledge to advance technology in order to be hired, some they assume all nurses are computer literate, if they are not; this becomes a failure to their evaluation which later on could serve as basis for their termination a major impact to the life of a nurse. Workplace stress can be described as the physical and emotional outcomes that occur when there is disparity between the demands of the job and the amount of control the individual has in meeting those demands. Anytime stress occurs, it is an indication that the demands placed upon the person have exceeded the persons personal resources, whether these resources are physical, emotional, economic, social, or spiritual. Thus, workplace stress occurs when the challenges and demands of work become excessive, the pressures of the workplace exceed the workers ability to handle them, and job satisfaction turns to frustration and exhaustion. (Lambert and Lambert, 2010). Nevertheless, work stress and burnout remain significant concerns in nursing, affecting both individuals and organizations. For the individual nurse, regardless of whether stress is perceived positively or negatively, the neuroendocrine response yields physiologic reactions that may ultimately contribute to illness. In the health care organization, work stress may contribute to absenteeism and turnover, both of which detract from the quality of care. Hospitals in particular are facing a workforce crisis. The demand for acute care services is increasing concurrently with changing career expectations among potential health care workers and growing dissatisfaction among existing hospital staff. By turning toxic work environments into healthy workplaces, researchers and nurse leaders believe that improvements can be realized in recruitment and retention of nurses, job satisfaction for all health care staff, and patient outcomes particularly those related patient safety (B. M. Jennings, Chapter26 Work Stress and Burnout among Nurses: Role of the Work Environment and Working Conditions). In one article entitled â€Å"Job Stressors and Coping Mechanisms among Emergency Department Nurses in the Armed Force Hospitals in Taiwan† it states that, nurses, as one of the professional service groups, tend to be exposed to extreme workloads. Their works are generally characterized by having a high contagious potential, being labor-intensive, having an overwhelming job shifting, and experiencing malicious complaints from patients. Compare to other general and professional service jobs, nursing requires handling complicated and dynamic occurrences under strict time pressures. Studies have generally revealed that continuously excessive workloads tend to lower their job satisfaction and deteriorate in turnover intentions. These contextual difficulties indeed continuously challenge a nurse’s temper and professional performance. This may be particularly true for nurses in the emergency departments of the AFH. (Wei-Wen Liu, Feng-Chuan Pan, Pei-Chi wen Sen-Ji Chen, Su-Hui-Lin, 2010). In another study entitled â€Å"Effects of job rotation and role stress among nurses on job satisfaction and organizational commitment†, they mentioned that Job rotation inspires nurses to achieve higher performance, allowing continuous growth at work, extended knowledge and skill, and increasing clinic patient care-taking quality. Scholars have all proposed that job rotation may help employees to acquire multiple capabilities and expand vision, and that it can be an approach to reduce job burnout. But emotional pressure often occurs in the work environment where interpersonal interactions are highly involved. Especially, the nurses working at hospitals not only implement independent and professional nursing activities in accordance with doctors advice, but take responsibility for any immediate threat to patients lives as well. Thus, the importance of nurses is undeniable, and the influence of urses qualities and capabilities on medical care quality can never be ignored. Therefore, the primary concern of the practical field of medical care is to exhaustively recognize how role stress among nurses could affect their job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and effectively utilize the job rotation system to enhance and develop nurses job satisfaction and organizational commitment, in order to promote competitive advantages (Wen-Hsien Ho, Ching S. Chang, Ying-Ling Shih and Rong-Da Liang, 2010, Effects of Job Rotation and role stress among nurses on job satisfaction and organizational Commitment). It is the writer’s point of view that stressful lives among nurses are sometimes not all related to work, some nurses go to work stressed. This maybe due to presence of children, relationships or overworked at home so that when they report for work they are already exhausted and becomes exhausted all the more if there are many patients to attend to. These are also true most especially among women, since they do much of the work at home; attending to school activities of their children and attending to the needs of the whole family, physically, financially, and socially they become vulnerable to stress and illness. Despite all the work stress that the nurses endure, there are also some ways that help nurses cope with stress. To keep them physically, emotionally, and mentally stable if not strong, they divert their attention to activities which they consider relaxing. Nurses learn techniques on how to control their temper when being stressed at work, for some they just endure tensions and exhaustion but once they reached home it is there that they find comfort and peace of mind, but to others, home sometimes adds to more stress, so they prefer staying out like malling. In an article entitled â€Å"Nurses’ Workplace stressors and coping strategies† it describes strategies to help nurses cope; coping can be defined as the constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of the person. Coping activities may be problem-focused in that they are directed externally and involve attempts to manage or change the problem causing the stress. On the other hand, coping activities may be emotion-focused in that they are internally directed and involve attempts to alleviate emotional distress. Examples of problem-focused coping includes problem-solving activities, recognizing ones role in solving a problem and confronting the situation by using some degree of risk-taking behavior; while emotion-focused coping includes wishful thinking, avoidance of confrontive behavior, and detachment or disengagement from the situation. This study will use the Integrative Transactional Process Model by Beehr and Schuler to guide on the effects of stress among registered Nurses in the workplace. According to the Integrative Transactional Process Model by Beehr schuler’s 1982, it corporate environmental stressors, perceptions, the stress response and stress outcomes, plus a host of moderator variables. The environmental stressors pertain to what the registered nurse encounters in his/her workplace perceived as stressful stimuli. The coping mechanisms that registered nurses utilize in combating the effect of stress to her/himself pertains to the perceptions and the response of a registered nurse to stress. This method model is in accordance with Lazaru’s conceptualization of stress by focusing on the role of cognitive appraisal (individual perception) which also highlights the nature of the (mis) fit between the organism and the environmental demands. The discrepancy between, whether challenges or goals, and the way the person perceives his potential responses to his demands cognitive stress. It is the person’s own perception of the stressful event and the appraisal of one’s ability to cope that stress. Time (duration of stress) is incorporated through the separation of the immediate perception of stress and longer term response segment of model. The name of the model implies that its relationship is reciprocal, happens across time and/or stressor and integrated diverse areas of theory. This had implied the importance of time in the stress process. That is why the years of service and the age of the registered nurse was taken as variables in the scope of the study. Individual and contextual differences such as organizational changes, job qualities personal experiences, and individual needs/values are given central role in the models which are also considered strengths of this model. These qualities correlate to the variables specifically to the ward assignments of these registered nurses and their working relationship among nurse supervisors and other health personnel. Their everyday encounter in the workplace give them the opportunity to gain experience which maybe a nurturing or bad experience that may contribute to the stress of the registered nurse. This model considers the individual and contextual differences among registered nurses which in the study pertaining to their age and gender. The aim of the study is to find out the following effects of stress among registered nurses in the workplace. It specifically aims to find answers to the questions: 1. ) what are the effects of stress among registered nurses in the workplace considering the following a. ) Physical health b. ) Emotional health c. ) Mental health 2. ) Is there a significant difference on the effects of stress among registered nurses considering the following a. Age b) Gender and c. )Years of service in the hospital, 3. ) Is there a significant difference on the effects of stress among registered nurses when assigned to a. ) Emergency ward b. ) Operating Room c. ) Surgical ward, and lastly, 4) What are the coping mechanisms utilized by registered nurses to overcome stress in the workplace?   This study is for the nurses themselves, the outcome of this will serve as a guide for them to determine, where thus the highest stress related factor occur in the lives of hospital nurses particularly the female nurses. It will be an eye opener for them in a way that they will know that simple interaction among other people could mean two different things; it can be negative or positive in effect that could cause stress. To the nursing profession especially in the field of research, this study would serve as a tool to use, as a source of information and guide not only among nurses but to other health practitioners as well, from this output, they can yield flyers or pamphlets entitled â€Å"what causes stress in the workplace†, which would contain vital information’s about stress, its causes and effects to ourselves and to the people that surrounds us. Lastly, to the Hospital administrators, this research would serve as a source of information, so that they will become aware, up to what extent does stress do among workers. This could also serve as basis in giving rest days among workers when needed. â€Å"A well rested employee becomes a productive, efficient and successful employee†. The study will utilize a questionnaire in the form of a self-assessment checklist that was developed by the researchers based on review of literatures. The first part of the questionnaire is a letter to the respondents that informs them of the purpose of the study to give full disclosure of information. The second part includes the demographic data inclusive of name (which is optional) and workplace of the respondents, followed by the questionnaire proper. This will be answered by the respondents thru checking the correct rating in assessing the Effects of Stress among Registered Nurses in the Workplace. The questionnaire will be subjected by a research expert, Ms. Geraldine D. Delson, M.A.N. She was chosen to validate the questionnaire for the reason that she is an instructor in the SLU- School of Nursing, major in Psychiatry and therefore she is well-knowledgeable on the topic. She will be asked to evaluate the relevance of the items in the questionnaire using a four-point scale, where a score of 1 is not relevant, 2 as somewhat relevant, 3 as quite relevant and 4 as very relevant. After rating, all the items with a score of 3 and 4 will be counted and divided by the total number of items in the questionnaire. Her comments and suggestions will be taken into consideration during the revision of the tool. Reliability of the questionnaire will be subjected to a preliminary item analysis. The questionnaire will be distributed to thirty (30) staff nurses having their duty at the operating room, emergency ward and medical-surgical ward of SLU-Hospital of the Sacred Heart. After answering, the questionnaires will be collected and will be asked for their comments and feedbacks regarding the questionnaire. Answers in the tool will be checked by the researchers to check for presence of ambiguity. Their comments will be taken into consideration in the revision of the tool before finally floating it. In the data gathering procedure, initially, the researchers will be giving a letter to the Chief Administrator of the Hospital informing her about the purpose of the study and that their respective Institution is chosen to be the locale wherein a number of nurses having their duty there will be taken as the respondents. Also, the letter will ask for permission to float questionnaires to the chosen respondents. After granted the permission, data gathering follows. During the data collection, the researchers will be given different hospital wards based from the selected special wards of SLU-Hospital of the Sacred Heart where they will collect data. In all the special wards chosen, the researchers will introduce themselves to the respondents and will establish rapport. The researchers will also inform the participants of the purpose and nature of the study before consent will be taken. In cases wherein the respondents decline to be part of the study, their decision will be respected. For the respondents who will agree, the researchers will present the checklist and they will give instructions as to how they will answer it. After giving the necessary instructions and reminders, the respondents will be given enough time to answer the questionnaire. The researchers will maintain a distance of 1-2 meters from the respondents while the questionnaires are being answered. To ensure anonymity, names will not be required to be written. The researchers will emphasize that any unanswered item will make their whole answers invalid. To prevent such occurrence, the researchers will stay with the respondents and double check on the answers of the questionnaire once it is passed to the researcher. After the respondents finish answering the checklist, the researchers will retrieve it and the researchers’ gratitude for participation will be expressed. The researchers will assure the respondents that they will be informed of the results of the study. After collecting the checklist, the researchers will check it for any unanswered item. All incompletely filled out questionnaire will be disregarded. The data collected will be collated, tabulated, organized and analyzed. Descriptive statistics will be used to describe and summarize the data that will be gathered, making the data readily comprehensible. Through it, the researchers will be able to identify significant differences between the variables of the study. Frequency count and percentage (Sanchez, 1988) will be utilized to measure and compare data such as age, total number of male and female nurse respondents and years of service. For the physical, emotional and mental health effects, as well as the effects on whether they are nurses assigned at the operating room, emergency department or the surgical department, frequency count, and the coping mechanisms utilized, weighted mean and ranking will be used. Weighted mean measures the average of the responses (f) in relation to the weight or the rating (r) allotted to the said response. To determine the significant difference on the respondents responses on the effects of stress among registered nurses in the workplace, nurses are grouped based on age and gender, the F-test or analysis of variance (ANOVA) test ( Tan, 1997) will be utilized. A statistical technique designed to whether the means of more than two quantitative populations are equal. The variances are used to test the quality of more than two populations. The effects of stress among registered nurses are categorized according to physical health, mental health and emotional health. The study was conducted among registered nurses of SLU-Hospital of the Sacred Heart regardless of gender, and those who are twenty five years of age and above, assigned at the operating room, emergency and surgical ward. The nurse respondents are also categorized according to their number of years in service After the researchers collected, collated, tabulated and organized the data, results were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to describe and summarize the data that were gathered. Through it, the researchers were able to identify the significant differences between variables of the study. In table one (1), weighted mean and ranking were used, weighted mean measures the average of the responses. Looking at the table, in category one (1) effects of stress among nurses in their physical health, question number one (1) increase in overall sickness absence has the highest mean score of 3.1, while question number three (3) I do not want to go to work early garnered the least mean score of 2.4, meaning most of the nurses assigned at the operating room, emergency ward and surgical ward when under physical stress opt to absent from work by filing a sick leave. And only few nurses do not want to report to work early when under stress. Second category which is the effect of stress in the mental health of nurses, question number eight (8) conflicts arise with colleagues, garnered the highest mean score which is 2.8 while question number six (6) I have ethical problems with my job, garnered the lowest mean of 2.1, while questions 11, 13, 14,15,16,17 and 19 (please refer to table 3) are all ranked as second question with the highest mean score of 2.6 and 2.7 respectively. The highest result means that nurses when under stress have this tendency to create tension at work and lots of misunderstandings happen between and among them, which sometimes become evident when they are doing their job then suddenly commit mistakes. Then it is good that the lowest mean score is number six, having ethical problems with job, meaning nurses despite stressors and other problems, they still respect each other and remain professional when dealing with it. The third and last category which is effect of stress to nurses in their emotional health, question number twenty five (25) I feel overloaded at work has the highest mean score which is 2.7, while question numbers twenty seven (27) my relationship with co-workers are poor and twenty eight (28) poor relationship with patients, are the two with the least mean score of 2.2 respectively. The meaning of the highest result which is I feel overloaded at work goes to show that nurses becomes work engine at the hospital, this could be due to under staffing or un equal division of work load. While it is a good remark that number 27 and 28 garnered the lowest mean score, because poor relationship with co-workers as well as with patients does not bring out the best in a nurse and in nursing service. In an article entitled â€Å"Nurses’ workplace stressors and coping strategies†, it defined stress as the physical and emotional outcomes that occur when there is disparity between the demands of the job and the amount of control the individual has in meeting those demands. Table two (2) is the coping mechanisms used by nurses when under stress in the workplace. Weighted mean and ranking are the statistical treatment used to determine the results. Coping mechanism number five (5) I say no to overtime if I do not feel happy to do it garnered the highest mean score of 3.4, while coping mechanisms numbers two (2) I exercise regularly and number thirteen (13) I allow myself to feel angry and express this in a safe way have the least mean score of 2.4, meaning nurses are but human beings, they feel and they learn to say no when it comes to overtime because of exhaustion. They reach the point when they are totally burn-out. In an article entitled â€Å"Stress Management†, it says that these stressors can lead to the classic â€Å"burn-out† syndrome. Instead of persisting until this happens, nurses can learn more effective coping strategies, become self-aware, acknowledge their own limitations, and acquire emotion-fcused and problem-solving skills (Selye, 1956). While that is the highest result, we come to the lowest which are numbers two and thirteen. Exercising regularly got a low mean score most probably because nurses when they get home from work they are already tired and there is no more time for them to do some exercising. While the latter expressing anger the safe way, it got also a low score most probably because it was not clear to the respondents what was meant by safe way to express anger. Safe way can be counting from one to one hundred, inhaling and exhaling until the body feels calm. Or maybe drinking or eating your favorite dish, food can become an outlet of anger; these are few ways of safe outlet for anger.

Infection Control Practices in Nursing Homes

Infection Control Practices in Nursing Homes Introduction Literature review on the infection control practices in the Nursing Homes most particularly in the United Kingdom. It is well known that the elderly population has a substantially increased incidence and severity of many infectious diseases (Hampton, 2003). The student will focus on the infection control and prevention issues most specifically to person- to-person transmission and a little regarding food -borne transmission. In fact, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1.5 million nosocomial infections occur in long-term care residents per year, which translates to an average of one infection per resident per year (Williams, 2008). Between February and May 2006 infection control staff across the United Kingdom and Ireland completed the third national survey into health care associated infection. A prevalence rate of 7.6% broadly supports the results that were reported in the first and second national surveys (Cole, 2007). According to Knoll and Lautenschlaeger (2010), the rate of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) is listed for the United Kingdom at approximately 50 thousand cases in every year. Among these are the elderly people, which are the most vulnerable hosts (Aitkenhead, 2009). According to Nazarko (2007b), infection control in UK care homes does not yet receive the same level of scrutiny as in hospitals. People requiring care in nursing homes may have infections, or may be at risk of picking up infection from other people. Staff and visitors may also be at risk since they are the ones who are in direct contact with the clients. As being observed by the student, infections spread rapidly between the residents in the Nursing homes. Standard precautions aim to eliminate sources of infection whenever possible and to prevent the spread of infection (Nazarko, 2007). Controlling the spread of the infection may be difficult for some workers due to lack of education on infection control and prev ention. This is the main reason why the student came up with several sources that may sum up the problems and makes solutions that may be helpful to health personnel. The number of people in care homes will continue to expand as the population ages. Today, according to Hampton (2003), residents in care homes have more complicated medical conditions than they did 5 years ago, as they become even more elderly and the trend continues towards shorter and shorter hospital stays in acute care facilities. This literature review was made by the student to emphasize the importance of compliance of infection control procedures in the care home. The students experiences and knowledge gained from work based studies and broad sources of reading materials greatly contribute in making the substance of this paper. This paper may help readers to gain knowledge on the ideal infection control procedures that applies mainly in the healthcare setting. Common mode of transmission in a nursing home facility Infection control is described by the National Health Service Executive as a managed environment, which minimises the risk of infection to patients, staff and visitors (Health Protection Agency, 2006). Standard precautions are directed towards breaking the chain of infection by preventing the transmission of infection (Cole, 2010). According to El-Kadiki and Sutton (2005), compliance of infection control may provide high quality and safe services among individuals. It may also prevent cross contamination among staff member and may lower the costs of health care services since prevention is more economical than treatment (Eriksen et al, 2007). From the article by Nazarko (2005), the spread of infection within health care requires three elements: 1. a source of infecting organism (bacteria, viruses, and fungi), 2. a susceptible host and, 3.a route of transmission of the organism from one person or site to another. In relation to the nursing home environment, the source may be a resident, a staff member or a visitor. That certain individual may have signs of infection, or may be colonized and does not show any symptoms (Knoll, 2010). The source may also be inanimate objects within the environment that have become contaminated such as equipments. The host is the resident or client that is on the nursing home facility. According to Williams (2008), resistance to pathogenic microorganisms may vary greatly from each individual. Microorganisms can be transmitted by variety of routes and the same organism can be transmitted by more than one routes. According to Cole and Lai (2009), there are common modes of transmission of infecti on in the nursing homes that every staff can prevent by just executing correct infection control procedures. However, the student has chosen the most common types that were being noticed in the workplace. These are 1. Person-to person, 2. Food-borne, and 3. Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). Cole and Lain (2009) briefly describe person-to person spread as a conveyance of a certain disease condition to another individual. Person-to-person spread of infections may be airborne, faecal-oral, blood-blood or skin-to-skin. The most common infectious diseases the student noticed over the past few months were colds and flu. The spread of the infection to each person was so massive despite flu vaccination several months before the onset. The residents that were affected with the viral infection were treated with several courses of antiviral medications and antibiotics. Aitkenhead (2009) indicated that anti-viral medication is currently under-used for older people in care homes in the UK. Isolation was also done to severely affected residents. According to Cole and Lai (2009), isolation may be done to residents if they acquired infectious or communicable disease; they may also be place on isolation if a certain individual has been suspected of any infectious disease. Despite doing procedure, flu virus was able to spread on few of the residents and staff. False handing or poor infection control procedures must have caused the break in isolating the resident with infection. Food borne infection had also been very common among care homes. With this, according to Ashurst (2007a) on her article, nursing homes and hospitals in the United Kingdom are now subject to strict environmental health inspections to monitor the premises, and making sure that foods that are served are safe for consumption. As being observed by the student in the workplace, all kitchen staffs are handlers of basic food hygiene certificate as part of their induction programme. Kitchen staffs were taught about the principles of food hygiene with emphasis being placed on high standards of personal hygiene, including hand washing. As stated in Ashurst (2007b) in her second article, food safety should never be taken for granted, as people may lost their lives as direct result of the staff failure to follow agreed policies and procedures. This matter is to protect both the residents and staffs from potential harm. Food poisoning, according to Ashurst (2007a), is caused by poor hygiene and, in particular, is caused by the contamination of ready-to-eat food with food poisoning bacteria. From the students basic knowledge, poor temperature control of ready-to-eat food may also cause of bacteria to multiply in large numbers. The best environment for most bacteria to grow and increase in number is a moist environment between 5 °C and 60 °C. This range of temperatures is known as the growth or danger zone (Fisher and Hartshorn, 2005). Undercooking may also cause poisoning since this enables food poisoning bacteria to survive. Hospital acquired infections, according to Gaspard et al (2008), is an infection acquired during hospital care which was not present or incubating prior to admission. Among reported case of nosocomial infections on the students work place, MRSA or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is the most common. Common types of person to person infection in Nursing Homes in the UK There have been a number of outbreaks on infection in the Nursing Homes in the UK, according to Nararco (2005). Few of these infective diseases are Flu, gastrointestinal conditions, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and scabies. Wound infections had also been very common in residents, especially those who developed decubitus ulcers or bed sores. Each of these infectious conditions will be discussed by the students. Influenza is defined by Daniell (2004) in his journal article as an acute viral, respiratory infection causing the temperature to rise quickly, with profound malaise, headache, myalgia, congested nose, cough and breathing difficulties. For otherwise healthy individuals, influenza is an unpleasant but usually self-limiting disease; this normally resolves in 7-14 days. Flu continues to cause outbreaks in care homes and in the community (Benison, 2006). The student was able to observe that influenza outbreaks occur readily in elderly care homes. They strike rapidly and are frequently associated with widespread severe illness and deaths. Eleven years ago, According to Nguyen-Van-Tam (2000), in Britain, outbreaks are frequently detected too late in their course when the options for effective intervention are few. Flu vaccinations are being given to staffs and clients during outbreaks. Vaccination against flu must also be given to staffs considering they are exposed in both setting inside and outside the care home. Whilst this cannot be applied to all situations it is advisable in some circumstances. It should always be combined with other infection control efforts however to ensure complete protection. In conjunction with vaccination is post exposure prophylaxis, this is used where vaccines do not exist after contact with infection has occurred (Booker, 2004).  Staff spend a lot often time with residents, and can infect vulnerable residents inadvertently. If staff have flu vaccinations they are very unlikely to bring the flu virus into the home, therefore reducing the risk of older people getting flu (Daniell, 2004). The flu immunization season, which is the beginning of winter season, is a busy time for the nurses but its preventive value cannot be overestimated. If an outbreak of flu does occur, anti-viral medication can be used (Eriksen et al 2007). According to Benison (2006), the combined use of immunization and targeted treatment with antiviral agents can e ffectively control the serious impact of seasonal influenza on vulnerable communities of residents in care. Scottish researchers found that giving flu vaccinations to nursing staff working in nursing homes reduced death rates (Booker, 2004). Flu Vaccination can highly reduce death rates and prevents vulnerable older people who develop flu from becoming increasingly disabled. Second condition that had been known to be very common is gastroenteritis or diarrhoeal problems. According to Ashurst (2007a), this condition is very common and extremely infectious and affects approximately 1 in 5 people are affected by the condition in England every year. In which at least 50% of cases of gastroenteritis are due to  foodborne illness  are caused by  norovirus. This can be acquired from contaminated foods and water. However, this can easily be prevented by frequent and correct execution of hand hygiene since bacteria can be transferred this way through poor hygiene. For example, if someone does not wash their hands after going to the toilet. For this reason, staffs and residents are encouraged to perform hand hygiene after using the bathroom or changing incontinence pads. Any viruses or bacteria on their hands will be transferred to whatever they touch, such as a glass, kitchen utensil or food. As per Doctors recommendation every time a resident experiences this kind of condition, nurses in the workplace, including the manager, must assure that food be properly cooked and stored to prevent gastroenteritis. It has also been encouraged to thoroughly wash both hands before eating and after. Bleaching soiled laundry and household surfaces may also help prevent spreading bacteria caused by gastroenteritis (Parker, 2004). Based on the students observation, Pneumonia has also been common to the clients in the nursing home. According to Booker (2004), pneumonia in nursing and residential care homes may be different from that found in the general population. Mortality is also higher this group. According to Metha (2009), pneumonia vaccine is important since there had been reported outbreaks of pneumonia in unvaccinated clients in some nursing homes within the UK and even in United States of America for people who are aged 65 years and above. According to Roberts (2004), the bacteria that cause pneumonia can become extremely resistant to any types of antibiotics in nursing homes, and when the disease occurs, it can be difficult to treat. As being observed in the workplace, nurses determine new residents vaccination records to determine the need of the vaccine and the risks. As the student involves himself in the caring of residents with Pneumonia, good, general nursing care is vital. Adequate rest had bee n encouraged and smoking- discouraged. The patient may well be agitated and fearful and will need plenty of reassurance. Urinary incontinence is one of the most common and disabling conditions affecting a frail elderly individual (Hampton, 2004); this can also lead to the use of indwelling catheters for some. According to Nazarko (2009), urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common healthcare-acquired infection in the UK. So far, based on the students observation in the workplace, UTI due to long term indwelling catheterization has the highest rate of prevalence and reoccurrence. With the general knowledge the student has, patients should be monitored at regular intervals; communication between carers and relatives should be effective to promote understanding how and why long-term catheters should be maintained. Catheter care is a nursing procedure and its importance is sometimes overlooked. According to Harvey (2007), it should be addressed by education and self-directed learning. Practices such as routine catheter irrigation should be avoided and the NICE guidelines recommend that bladder instill ations or washouts must not be used to prevent catheter associated infection (Brown, 2006). However, if necessary, perform appropriate catheter care and consistently use appropriate infection control guidelines while maintaining a closed drainage system. In the workplace, the use of bubble bath/oils, perfumed soaps and talc around the genitals should be avoided as they break down the bodys natural protective flora. Also, common tradition on the workplace to prevent or treat UTI is to offer cranberry juice to the residents. However, frustratingly, a study of Hampton (2004) concluded that there was no good quality or reliable evidence for the effectiveness of cranberry juice in prevention and treatment of UTI and that more research is needed. It was also confirmed in the study by Harvey (2007) that claims that Cranberry juice, on a daily basis, will not have any effect greater than that water in preventing UTI. If an older person becomes suddenly confused, its not an indication that the elder must be developing Alzheimers Disease (Brown, 2006). It has also been observed by the student in the workplace that some staffs may mistakenly assume that confusion is normal for all older people. Staff seeking advice from a healthcare provider regarding a quick onset of confusion may be surprised if the doctor orders a urine specimen. Actually, a urine specimen is not a bad idea since urinary tract infections are a common cause of delirium in the elderly (Goldrick, 2005). Scabies had also been one of the causes for outbreaks in the UK nursing homes (Nazarko, 2005). This can easily be spread by staffs, relatives, visitors, and residents since close prolonged contact causes the transmission. In this case, the student ensures all staffs must wear gloves and aprons upon dealing with infected individual. The infected individual must also be taken for a bath or shower everyday with the aid of medicated soaps and shampoos. Bed bathing is still a nursing skill that is greatly appreciated by patients but it can be associated with cross-infection. According to Parker (2004), bowls used to bath patients are often stacked inside each other in the sluice and poorly cleaned. Infection control nurses have tried to have this practice changed so that individual bowls are kept at each bed space and cleaned after use. Wound infection had also been one of the most common infections found in the nursing homes. However, as the student able to perceive, it the less common among all of those infective diseases mentioned earlier. There is little information on the development of wound infection within the nursing and residential care settings. Wound infection can be a huge burden on the patient and relatives in terms of pain and suffering, with the added threat of a resultant systemic illness (Russell, 2006). Skin had been considered as the first line of defence. In healthy people it is intact and even if a person has contact with microorganisms, they can be removed by washing. The treatment of wound infection has been and still is a subject which is debated within literature (Timmons, 2003). Based on the students basic understanding, in order to help prevent wound infection in any care setting, it is vital that basic infection control protocols are followed. Correct hand-washing technique is essential to avoid the transfer of bacteria from staff to a resident. As a protocol on the nursing home where the student works, residents with infected wounds should be isolated if possible, and wounds should be reassessed regularly to avoid further complications. The principles of aseptic technique should be followed in order to avoid cross-contamination among residents. Preventing pressure sores in the vulnerable elderly is complex. The literature written by Russel (2006) clearly highlights the importance of early and continual assessment of the individuals risk of pressure sore development and implementation of preventive strategies. As being observed by the student, senior nurses and managers of the home regularly inspect and ensure proper training of the staffs since lack of knowledge is a contributing factor that should be addressed by the provision of education and training so that all staff possess and implement evidence-based practice. This should be supported by strategies to provide guidance on the prevention of pressure sores. Skin care ha d been part of the daily routine for nurses and carers in the nursing home. The skin should be kept clean and dry, perfumed soaps and cleansing agents must be avoided because they cause excessive dryness and irritation (Timmons, 2003). In cases of incontinence or if the area is contaminated with urine or faeces, it is best to wash the area with warm water and pat dry with towels or soft tissues. Impact of poor infection control practice Having robust policies and procedures in place for infection control is fundamentally important. However, each organization has to go a step beyond this (Flanagan, 2009). As care homes fill with increasingly vulnerable elderly, control of infection within long-term care facilities becomes a daunting problem (Cole, 2007), with residents developing similar infections to acute care facility. Elderly patients are at particularly high risk of contracting infection because of reduced innate immunity, malnutrition, and the presence of chronic medical conditions (Roberts, 2004). According to Maudsley (2004), poor infection control practices may lead to common infections such as urinary infection, respiratory infection, and skin and soft tissue infections, resulting in increased costs to the health service, extended durations of care and substantial morbidity. Aside from that, infections acquired by infected residents or individuals may spread to other, which cause a serious problem on contro lling and containing. People requiring care in hospitals, care home clinics, doctors surgeries and their own homes may have an infection or may be at risk of picking up infection from other people (Cole, 2007). Staff and visitors are also at risk of infection. Staffs in a healthcare facility may also be considered as the main transporter of the disease itself. According to Hampton (2003), education in infection control and attention to employee health is essential to enable staff to care appropriately and prevent the spread of infection for todays care home population. Antimicrobial Resistance According to Brown (2006), overuse of antimicrobials may lead to increase resistance in many pathogenic bacteria of viruses. As observed by the student during every consultation, General practitioners usually prescribe oral broad-spectrum agents such as cephalosporins. Although many antibiotics initially prescribed are broad-spectrum, which is capable of killing a wide range of bacterial types, each antibiotic has limited effectiveness against certain types of bacteria (Goldrick, 2005). If an infection does not resolve, the antibiotic being taken may not be compatible with the bacteria causing the infection. Antimicrobials are specific as to the type of organism they work for and they should not be used for a purpose that is different from that for which they were prescribed (Nazarko, 2005). In line with El-kadikis (2005) article, unwarranted use of antimicrobials can partially mask symptoms and delay the exact diagnosis and recovery. Unless directed by the prescriber, antimicrobials should not be administered before the service user has symptoms (prophylactic treatment) because that increases the risk of resistance developing. According to the General Health Protection-Department of Health (2006), nurses must ensure that General practitioners (GP) do not prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily for the residents. It is important that antimicrobials are administered appropriately to ensure successful treatment and reduce the development of resistance. Policies and Procedures According to Nazarko (2007b), there are several policies that the National Health board formulated to implement healthy practice within the care home setting. These policies are implemented in every Nursing Home; as observed, the manager also ensures that these policies and procedures are made available to the staffs for all the time. This may ensure that written policies, procedures and guidance for the prevention and control of infection are implemented. The manager also engages staff throughout the care home to promote and secure the implementation of best practice in the prevention and control of infection. In the nursing homes, there are several infection control procedures. On where the student works, hand hygiene, disinfecting, personal protective equipment, and safe use and disposal of sharps are the very common practices. These practices are beneficial to both the residents and the staff. The practice of these procedures can also be found in the Infection control manuals that are located in all units in the nursing home. As mention on the previous section, the manuals are placed in a certain area of the institution to make it accessible to all the staffs. From the manual, aseptic techniques based from the UK standards were identified. There are 3 aseptic techniques that are commonly identified by the UK healthcare system. These are 1. Hand hygiene, 2. Personal Protective equipment and 3. Safe use and disposal of sharps. The student will discuss briefly on the later part of this essay. Hand Hygiene The most basic aseptic technique found to be the most common is Hand hygiene. On the study made by Knoll and Lautenschlaeger (2010), demonstrates compliance of the staffs in the nursing home with regard to hand hygiene guidelines can be significantly influenced by a number of factors. According to the research article by Rickard (2006), the link between hand hygiene and the infection rate in healthcare establishments is not in doubt. Research articles and reviews have demonstrated the evidence that increased hand-hygiene performance reduces the infection rate. Careful infection-control practice, including frequent hand washing, will remain critical for limiting the spread of infection. Also, very importantly, is the availability of soap, hand towels, disinfectant and disposable cleaning cloths. Infection control is an extremely important aspect of health care. Based on the research by Gould (2001), cold and flu may also be acquired by failing to perform hand hygiene. The cause of the increase of incidence of flu in the nursing homes must be from noncompliance of basic hand hygiene. It was also reported that improper or failure to perform hand washing can cause pneumonia in older people and in people who are diagnosed with chronic illnesses (Stanwell-Smith, 2008). Based on what the student found out, several journals that discuss about the cause infections in the health care setting were mostly from the staffs poor hygiene practices. Although these measures are all important in the prevention of cross-infection, they are not likely to be used appropriately without education and monitoring of hand washing and cleaning practices of all staff. Personal Protective Equipment Infection control is also concerned with personal protective equipment or PPE. Personal protective equipments in the workplace are also used such as disposable gloves and plastic aprons. By definition by Williams (2008), Personal protective equipment or PPE is a specialized protective covering worn by an employee for protection against infectious materials. The use of PPE is essential when working in a healthcare setting. The purpose of PPE is to prevent the worker from coming into contact with infection. Usage of PPE promotes health and safety upon working with clients (Brown and Nay, 2006). From the students basic experience, the most basic principle of infection control based from the infection control manual is to work from clean to dirty. In this instance, this refers to getting in contact with clean body sites or surfaces before touching dirty or heavily contaminated areas. This method prevents any debris from spreading toward the cleaner surface. This principle had been compet ently practiced by the staffs on where the student works. Safe Disposal of Sharps Safe disposal of sharps is the third most practiced infection control procedure in the healthcare setting. Ideally, the contaminated syringe needles, scalpel blades, and other sharp devices should be thrown away in a sharps bin (Aitkenhead, 2009). As being observed by the student, sharps bin are located in a protected room in the nurses station where residents with mental incapacity, such as dementia, will not be able to gain access on the bin. Based on the article by Trim (2004), numerous staffs sustain sharps injury. In his definition, sharps injury is an injury where a sharp material contaminated with body fluids, penetrates the skin. Majority of the sharps injuries are avoidable and happen when they are handled or disposed in an unsafe manner. Aside from these three main techniques to prevent spread of infection in the nursing home, there are some other protocols the students workplace implements. Among these are provision of yellow bins, plastic bags and red hampers. Waste Segregation, Use of Bins, and Laundry Waste segregation had also been part of infection control. According to Conrardy and Hillanbrand (2010), the safe and effective disposal of waste starts with the healthcare professionals or practitioners. Staff in the nursing homes had been instructed to dispose infectious waste such soiled dressings, catheter bags, incontinent bags, etc. in the yellow bin and domestic waste on the black bin. Nappies and incontinence pads however are thrown in black bins. The protocol of pads disposal on where the student works is being followed by staff. Soiled nappies and incontinence pads are being wrapped with plastic bags prior to disposal on the black bin. Aside from that, instructions are given to staffs to be familiar with the waste management policy and procedures for health care waste management. The policies and procedures manual for waste management is accessible to everybody as it is together with the infection control manual. According to Ashurst (2010), it is part of the Care Quality Commissions responsibilities to ensure that care homes meet the requirements of the national agenda for infection prevention and control; this includes monitoring laundry facilities. Based on the practice on where the student works, soiled linens are placed on a special kind of bag before placing in to red hampers. Dirty linens are being handled with extra care paid to the potential spread of infection. It is also stated on the manual that gloves and disposable plastic apron should be worn upon handling of soiled garments. It is impossible to avoid all contact with infected tissue or potentially contaminated body fluids, excreta, and secretions. Appropriate barriers such as gloves should be used when handling potentially contaminated linen followed by hand hygiene after removal of the gloves. If a certain material is reusable, transmission of infective agents is prevented by cleaning and by appropriate disinfection or steril ization. All staffs have a responsibility to prevent and control the spread of any infection that may threaten a care home with vulnerable older people in residence. Laundry services also have the potential to set a positive impression for visitors. Staffs working tirelessly behind the scenes in the laundry are sometimes in danger of being forgotten, so their major role in ensuring safety through infection control and securing the homes reputation must be acknowledged. It is not just about utilising the most efficient chemicals and cleaning solutions in order to prevent infection. The training of staff can also be seen as an important preventative measure. If workers can understand and appreciate the issues concerned with infection control and management it is more likely they will follow procedures. Application to Practice It is not just prevention that makes up infection control, the process of surveillance and investigation can also be involved. Fundamentally this is the detection of infection origins and symptoms in order to develop efficient preventative measures. The student has gathered information regarding infection control and may also be helpful to some staffs, residents, and even relatives. On the recent learning that the student was able to gain upon the composition of this paper, he may be able to share the knowledge regarding infection control towards other staffs, especially those who involve in direct care to the clients. Ideal procedures and latest evidence-based practices may also be implemented when students knowledge will be shared. The basis of infection prevention and control is the attention to hygiene. Microorganisms can be found everywhere and the cleanliness of individuals, equipment and the environment is essential in reducing the risk of infection. Paying attention to the ba sics of nursing practice such as bed bathing, oral hygiene, nutrition and elimination is not only part of the caring aspect of nursing, but also necessary for preventing cross-infection. The Infection Control Nurses Association devised a tool to determine of certain. According to the NHS Chief Medical director, Mr. Donalson (2005), this infection control audit tool for primary and community care settings builds on previous work for acute Trusts and provides a standardised method for monitoring both clinical practice and the environment. The feedback may enable the staff to know and systematically identify the points where improvement is greatly needed. Thus, enables them to give minimize infection and give quality care for the residents. However, this type of tool was never implemented by the manager on where the student works. Perhaps, knowing the existence of this tool may be very helpful to the company when introduced