SEX AS CRIME 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SEX AS CRIME 2 - Essay Example The essay will also explore the different situations in which women might find themselves in which predispose them to rape. The sex industry is a large sector where acts of rape are perpetrated and the victims have no means of seeking legal action. In this regard, the essay seeks to bring into perspective the policies that have been put in place to combat sexual offences such as rape. In the essay, challenges that the government, the law enforcement officers and social services officers encounter in assisting victims of sexual violence are explored. Rape is forced sex. It involves forcing an individual to engage in sexual activity without their consent. It may involve penetration through various body openings and using various objects. Rape mostly occurs because of the social inequalities between men and women, or the inequalities related to age and position at the workplace. The most type of rape is date rape, which is done by a familiar person. Marital rape also occurs in marriage- like settings. Sexual violence allows men to control women (Brown miller, 1975). In her analysis of rape, Miller points out that rape is not a crime of irrational impulse or an uncontrollable act, but a deliberate violent, hostile act of degradation possessions on the part of the would be conqueror. According to Miller, rape is designed to intimidate and inspire fear. This explains why many rape cases go unreported and are tolerated in silence by victims. The silence of the society is equated as the silence of the victims. According to a 2005 report by the Sanders, many people believe that a woman bears the responsibility of her rape, either partially or completely, in case she demonstrated flirty behavior. A small percentage of the people interviewed expressed the opinion that a woman is partly to blame if she is raped and she has worn revealing attire or is under the influence of drugs (Sanders, 2005). These reasons do little to shed light on the low number of convicted criminals of sexual violence. Around 14% of the reported cases find their way in a court house, while almost 10% of these are termed as faulty allegations on the suspects. Majority of these are cases that involve women and girls from the age of 16 to 25. Some of these cases are later withdrawn for the victims fear that they are not believed, while others are dismissed on the grounds of insufficient evidence. The above mentioned reasons explain why very few cases are reported by rape victims. The public exudes no confidence in the justice system when it comes to handling sexual violence victims. Vulnerability of rape victims varies with different people. Different situations expose individuals to sexual assault. Adolescents make up the largest and most vulnerable group of individuals most susceptible to rape. They are most vulnerable because of their age. Assailants instill fear in them and they do not report cases of sexual assault until it is too late. On the other hand, teenagers are easily manipulated but their assailants as they are offered gifts and money in return for their sexual services (Phoenix, 2001). These are gifts that are very appealing to the teens as they make them stand out from their peers. Another group that is very vulnerable to rape is that of individuals whose mental health is problematic or unstable. Sexual violence also occurs as part of domestic violence. Studies show that almost 50% of women and 35%

Intrusion Detection System Using Node-Predictive Attack

Intrusion Detection System Using Node-Predictive Attack Intrusion Detection System Using Node-Predictive Attack Graph Model for Cloud Ambikavathi C Dr.S.K.Srivatsa Abstract- The role of Intrusion Detection System (IDS) in security world is considered as a key requirement for any computing model. This traditional methodology can add its own contribution of security to the distributed Cloud environment. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the steps that are needed to be taken in order to efficiently implement the IDS in cloud environment. The proposed system uses node predictive attack graph to correlate the newly occurred attacks with known attacks. The prediction steps are used to later monitor the environment and control the attacks. Keywords-Attack Graph; Cloud Computing; IDS ,; I. INTRODUCTION A. What is Cloud computing? Cloud computing is â€Å"a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction†[1]. This cloud model is co mposed of three service models, four deploy ment models and five essential characteristics . The three service models are So ftware as a Service (SaaS), Platfo rm as a Se rvice (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). The four deployment models are private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud and community cloud. The five essential characteristics of cloud are on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity and measured service. B. What is IDS? Intrusion detection systems are software or hardware systems that automate the process of monitoring the events occurring in a computer system or network, analyzing them for malicious activities or policy violations and produces reports to a management station. IDSs a rehost-based, network-based and distributed IDSs. Hos t based IDS (HIDS) monitors specific host machines, network-based IDS (NIDS) identifies intrusions on key network points and distributed IDS (DIDS) operates both on host as well as network [7]. IDS can be a valuable addition to the security arsenal. IDS performs the following functionalities : Monitoring and analyzing both user and system activities .Analyzing system configurations and vulnerabilities .Assessing system and file integrity.Ability to recognize patterns typical of attacks.Analysis of abnormal activity patterns.Tracking user policy violations.The extensive use of virtualization in implementing cloud infrastructure brings unique security concerns for customers or tenants of a public cloud service. Virtualization alters the relationship between the OS and underlying hardware. This introduces an additional layer virtualization that itself must be properly configured, managed and secured. Specific concerns include the potential to compromise the virtualization software, or hypervisor. So virtual machine security is essential in cloud environment. C. Attack Graph Attack graphs are used to determine how vulnerable their systems are and to determine what security measures to deploy to defend their systems. In the predictive attack graph, a node represents a host and an edge represents vulnerability. The predictive attack graph representation accurately forecasts the effect of removing vulnerabilities by removing edges from the attack graph. The predictive attack graph is the full attack graph with redundant paths removed. A path is considered redundant if the path contains the same vulnerability-host pair in two or mo replaces along the same attack path. In node predictive attack graph, a node can be host or a group of hosts, and an edge can be vulnerability or a group of vulnerabilities. The node predictive attack graph is a simplified version of the predictive attack graph. The node predictive attack graph’s purpose is to mitigate the effects of â€Å"firewall explosion.† Firewall explosion causes redundancy in the predictive gr aph. Thus, the node predictive attack graph mitigates this issue by merging nodes of the attack graph. Two nodes are merged if the attacker can compromise the two hosts from all hosts the attacker has already compromised. [16] Rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section II discusses about the related work done. Proposed system is described briefly in section III. Section IV, presents the implementation part of EIDS and section V concludes with references at the end. II. RELATED WORK In this section, we present related research to our proposed work: Intrusion detection in cloud and attack graph models. A. Anomaly based IDS Anomaly or behavior based detection [7] refers to techniques that define and characterize normal or acceptable behaviors of the system (e.g., CPU usage, job execution time , system ca lls). Behaviors that deviate fro m the expected normal behavior are considered intrusions. Generation of high false alarms is the major drawback of this type which leads to low detection efficiency. But it is able to detect new attack patterns. Here, Input parameter selection and analysis of ciphered data are tedious processes . It attains low throughput but high cost. Metrics and frame work to evaluate this IDS and compare with alternate IDS techniques is in need. Also it is poor in defending themselves from attacks. To avoid false alarms in anomaly based systems the system must be trained to create the appropriate user profiles. It requires extensive training to characterize normal behavior patterns. B. Signature based I DS Signature or Misuse based detection refers to techniques that characterize known methods to penetrate a system. These penetrations are characterized as a ‘pattern’ or a ‘signature’ that the IDS looks for. The pattern/signature might be a static string or a set sequence of actions[9]. It can only detect known attacks. Frequent updation is needed in the database for signatures of new attacks. The advantages of this IDS are, it generates less number of false alarms. A single signature can detect a group of attacks. It does not require extensive training. C. Fuzzy based IDS Fuzzy logic can be used to deal with inexact description of intrusions. It provides some flexibility to the uncertain problem of intrusion detection. Fuzzy logic techniques[5] are used for classification techniques. The classification algorithm is applied to audit data collected which learns to classify new audit data as normal or abnormal data. It allows greater complexity for IDS while it provides some flexibility to the uncertain problem of IDS. Most fuzzy IDS require human intervention to determine fuzzy sets and set of fuzzy rules . D. Artificial Neural Network based The goal of using ANNs for intrusion detection[5] is to be able to generalize data from incomplete data and to be able to classify data as being normal or intrusive. It is best because of it’s self learning capabilities , quick processing and can find small behaviour deviations. But it’s downside is it requires more tra ining sa mples and time consuming. E. Data Mining based IDS Some intrusion attacks are formed based on known attacks or variant of known attacks. To detect such signatures or attacks, signature apriori algorithm can be used, which finds frequent subset (containing some features of original attack) of given attack set. In Cloud, association rules can be used to generate new signatures. Using newly generated signatures, variations of known attacks can be detected in real time[5]. F. Profile based IDS In VM profile based IDS[12], a profile is created for each virtual machine in cloud that describes network behavior of each clouduser. The behavior gathered is then used for detection of network attacks on cloud. It detects the attacks early with robustness and minimum complexity. G. Entropy based IDS Entropy is, in general, used for measuring the data’s degree of impurity using a Threshold value. Entropy based anomaly detection system[14] is mainly proposed to prevent DDoS attacks. This is done in two steps. First users are allowed to pass through a router in network site. It detects for legitimate user using detection algorithm. Second again it passes through a router in cloud site. In this methodology confirmation algorithm is incorporated to detect the intruder by checking a threshold value. H. Multithreaded IDS Multithreading technique improves IDS performance within Cloud computing environment to handle large number of data packet flows. The proposed multi-threaded NIDS[8][4] is based on three modules named: capture module, analysis module and reporting module. The first one is responsible of capturing data packets and sending them to analysis part which analyzes them efficiently through matching against pre-defined set of rules and distinguishes the bad packets to generate alerts. Finally, the reporting module can read alerts and immediately prepare alert report. The authors conducted simulation experiments to show the effectiveness of their proposed method and compared it with single thread which presented high performance in terms of processing and execution time. However, the problem of detecting new types of attacks still needs many works to be done. I. Integrated model IDS It uses the combination two or more o f above techniques. It is advantageous since each technique has some advantages and drawbacks. Grid and Cloud Computing Intrusion Detection System (GCCIDS)[10] proposed the integration of knowledge and behavior analysis to detect specific intrusions. However, the proposed prototype cannot discover new types of attacks or create an attack database which must be considered during implementing IDS. A new integrated intrusion detection approach, called FCA NN[13] is proposed based on ANN and fuzzy clustering. Through fuzzy clustering technique, the heterogeneous training set is divided to several homogenous subsets. Thus complexity of each sub training set is reduced and consequently the detection performance is increased. J. Graph based IDS A graph is constructed in which nodes represent state of attack and edges represent the correlations between attacks. Queue graph, Dependency graph and Attack graph are the existing works done on IDS. To prevent vulnerable virtual machines from be ing compromised in the cloud, a multiphase distributed vulnerability detection, measurement, and countermeasure selection mechanism called NICE[2] is proposed, which is built on attack graph-based analytical models and reconfigurable virtual network-based countermeasures. III. PROP OSED WORK In this section, we describe how to construct and utilize node predictive attack graph model to handle vulnerabilities in cloud environ ment. Any attack has some set of predefined steps to incorporate it. An attack can only be accomplished when all its pre-conditions are met [11]. So that by keen monitoring the attack can be prevented. An attack graph is an abstraction that represents the ways an attacker can violate a security policy by leveraging interdependencies among discovered vulnerabilities. An attack graph can be generated from network configuration details and known vulnerabilities within the network. An attack path is a sequence of steps that starts from an attacker’s initial state to the attacker’s goal state (security policy violation) in an attack graph. Every virtual machine has it’s own logfile for recording the actions of that virtual machine. Th is logfile along with the knowledge base provides information for constructing attack graph. Fig. 1. Proposed Architecture IV. IMPLEMENTATION EIDS is implemented using Openebula[15] and OSSIM (Open Source – Security Information Management)[3] which comprises of traffic analyzers, vulnerability scanners. OS-SIM is embedded as a virtual mach ine in the c loud environment. The ro le of this virtual machine is to monitor all other virtual machines running in the environment. OSSIM provides a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solution. It is a one-stop solution and integrated the open source software’s NTOP, Mrtg, Snort, Open VAS, and Nmap. OSSIM is a cost effective solution in the area of monitoring network health and security of network/hosts compared to other propriety products[6]. A. Attack Analyzer Attack Analyzer is built on the top the traffic Analyzer of OS-SIM. It uses each virtual machine’s logfile to analyze and extract attack trace steps. Whenever an attack occurs it is added to the attack graph as a node along with its state and correlation function is invoked. Attack Graph Attack Graph Generator Alert System Knowledge Base Attack Analyzer B. Correlation function Correlation function correlates this new attack with known attacks and gives the prediction steps for this attack. These prediction steps for each attack are used to monitor the further attacks in future. C. Attack Graph Generator Each node in the graph defines an attack and the edge between nodes represent the correlation between that two attacks. V. CONCLUSION Defending distributed environment is difficult. Always prevention is better than cure. Prediction of Intrusions in prior enhances the security of cloud environment. So that predictive attack graph model is chosen for providing security to the distributed cloud environment. At any point the known attacks are correlated with each other to predict new attacks. REFERENCES: [1] NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology ) http://csrc.nist.gov/p ublications/nistp ubs/800-145/SP800-145.p df [2] Chun-Jen Chung, Pankaj Khatkar, Tiany i Xing Jeongkeun Lee, Dijian g Huan g, â€Å"NICE: Network Intrusion Detection and Countermeasure Selection in Virtual Network Systems†, IEEE Transactions On Dependable And Secure Computing, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 198 – 211, July /August 2013. [3] â€Å"OSSIM †, https://www.alienvault.com/ [4] Ms. Parag K. Shelke, M s. Sneha Sontakke, Dr. A. D. Gawande, â€Å"Intrusion Detection Sy stem for Cloud Comp uting†, International Journal of Scientific Technology Research Volume 1, Issue 4, M ay 2012. [5] M odi, C., Patel, D., Patel, H., Borisaniy a, B., Patel, A. Rajarajan, M ., â€Å"A survey of intrusion detection techniques in Cloud†, Journal of Network and Computer App lications. [6] â€Å"OSSIM †, http ://www.op ensourceforu.com/2014/02 /top -10-op en-source-security -tools/ [7] Amirreza Zarrabi, Alireza Zarrabi, â€Å"Internet Intrusion Detection Sy stem Service in a Cloud† IJCSI International Journal of Computer Science Issues, Vol. 9, Issue 5, No 2, Sep tember 2012. [8] I. Gul and M . Hussain, â€Å"Distributed Cloud Intrusion Detection M odel†, International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, vol. 34, pp. 71-82, 2011. [9] R. Bhadauria, R. Chaki, N. Chak i, and S. Sany al â€Å"A Survey on Secur ity Issues in Cloud Comp uting†, Available at: http ://arxiv.org/abs/1109.5388 [10] K. Vieira, A. Schulter, C.B. Westp hall, and C.M . Westphall, â€Å"Intrusion Detection for Grid and Cloud comp uting†, IT Professional, Volume: 12 Issue: 4, p p. 38-43, 2010. [11] X. Ou and A. Singhal, â€Å"Quantitative Secur ity Risk Assessment of Enterp rise Networks†, Sp ringerBriefs in Comp uter Scien ce, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-1860-3_2,  © The Author(s) 2012 [12] Sanchik a Gupta, Padam Kumar and Ajith Abraham, â€Å"A Profile Based Network Intrusion Detection and Prevention System for Secur in g Cloud Env ironment†, International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, Feb 2013 [13] Swati Ramteke, Rajesh Dongare, Ko mal Ramteke, â€Å"Intrusion Detection System for Cloud Network Using FC-ANN Algorithm†, Int. Journal of Advanced R esearch in Comp uter and Communication En gineeringVo l. 2, Issue 4, April 2013. [14] A.S.Sy ed Navaz, V.San geetha, C.Prabhadevi, â€Å"Entropy based Anomaly Detection System to Prevent DDoS Attacks in Cloud†, Int. Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887) Volume 62– No.15, January 2013 [15] â€Å"Op ennebula†, http ://opennebula.org [16] Nwokedi C. Idika, â€Å"Characterizin g and A ggregating Attack Grap h-based Security M etrics†, CERIAS Tech Rep ort 2010

Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Philosophy of Education â€Å"Be all that you can be. Find your future- as a teacher.† No, joining the army is not what Madeline Fuchs Holzer had in mind when she said this quote. Being all you can be in life requires dedication, responsibility and a desire to do what you love. Teaching is a profession that requires 110% from a person. I have the drive and ability to be the best that I can be as a teacher. There is not anything else I would want to do with my life besides teaching. I want to be a reflection to my students that they can be all that they can be. Another quote by Henry Adams, â€Å"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.† To be that type of teacher has been a lifelong goal for me. I want to make my mark in the world and this is my way of doing it. To have the ability to affect a child’s life for an eternity is something that not everyone can say they have accomplished. Teaching definitely is a profession that will affect eternit y. The main reasons for wanting to become a teacher would be my love for children, my family inspirations; God’s calling for me, and my love for learning. All my life I have enjoyed being around children. They have great spirits about them that makes me feel free spirited. Their innocence, undying energy and their love for life makes me take these characteristics and apply them to my own life. Another motivation for me is the inspirations of my grandfather and my father. My grandfather died when I was very young and the one thing everyone has always said about him is his love of flying and teaching. His life was spent on teaching others and when he passed away he was remembered as being a great teacher devoting himself entirely to his family and his students. My father spent the first thirty years of his life going form job to job since he had not finished his schooling younger in life. At middle age he decided to go back to college and earned his degree in education. He felt that becoming a teacher he would be a testimony to children to continue their education to better their future.

Levi’s Organization Essay

Levi Strauss & Co. is a worldwide corporation organized into three geographic divisions: Levi Strauss Americas (LSA), based in the San Francisco headquarters; Levi Strauss Europe, Middle East and Africa (LSEMA), based in Brussels; and Asia Pacific Division (APD), based in Singapore. The company employs a staff of approximately 10,500 people worldwide. The core Levi’s was founded in 1873 in San Francisco, specializing in riveted denim jeans and different lines of casual and street fashion.[3] From the early 1960s through the mid-1970s, Levi Strauss experienced significant growth in its business as the more casual look of the 1960s and 1970s ushered in the â€Å"blue jeans craze† and served as a catalyst for the brand. Levi’s, under the leadership of Walter Haas Jr., Peter Haas, Ed Combs, and Mel Bacharach, expanded the firm’s clothing line by adding new fashions and models, including stone-washed jeans through the acquisition of Great Western Garment Co. (GWG), a Canadian clothing manufacturer, and introducing Permanent Press trousers under the Sta-prest name. The company experienced rapid expansion of its manufacturing capacity from 16 plants to more than 63 plants in the United States from 1964 to 1974 and 25 overseas. They used of â€Å"pay for performance† manufacturing at the sewing machine operator level up. 2004 saw a sharp decline of GWG in the face of global outsourcing, so the company was closed and the Edmonton manufacturing plant shut down.[4] The Dockers brand, launched in 1986[5] which is sold largely through department store chains, helped the company grow through the mid-1990s, as denim sales began to fade. Dockers were introduced into Europe in 1993. Levi Strauss attempted to sell the Dockers division in 2004 to relieve part of the company’s $2 billion outstanding debt.[6] Launched in 2003, Levi Strauss Signature features jeanswear and casualwear.[7] In November 2007, Levi’s released a mobile phone in co-operation with ModeLabs. Many of the phone’s cosmetic attributes are customisable at the point of purchase.

Deception Point Page 100

I tried to help him, Pickering told himself, recalling all the damaging evidence he had sent Marjorie Tench. Unfortunately, Herney had forbidden its use, leaving Pickering no choice but to take drastic measures. â€Å"Rachel,† Pickering said, â€Å"the information you just faxed off this ship is dangerous. You must understand that. If it gets out, the White House and NASA will look complicit. The backlash against the President and NASA will be enormous. The President and NASA know nothing, Rachel. They are innocent. They believe the meteorite is authentic.† Pickering had not even tried to bring Herney or Ekstrom into the fold because both were far too idealistic to have agreed to any deceit, regardless of its potential to save the presidency or space agency. Administrator Ekstrom's only crime had been persuading the PODS mission supervisor to lie about the anomaly software, a move Ekstrom no doubt regretted the moment he realized how scrutinized this particular meteorite would become. Marjorie Tench, frustrated by Herney's insistence on fighting a clean campaign, conspired with Ekstrom on the PODS lie, hoping a small PODS success might help the President fend off the rising Sexton tide. If Tench had used the photos and bribery data I gave her, none of this would have happened! Tench's murder, though deeply regrettable, had been destined as soon as Rachel called Tench and made accusations of fraud. Pickering knew Tench would investigate ruthlessly until she got to the bottom of Rachel's motives for the outrageous claims, and this was one investigation Pickering obviously could never let happen. Ironically, Tench would serve her president best in death, her violent end helping cement a sympathy vote for the White House as well as cast vague suspicions of foul play on a desperate Sexton campaign which had been so publicly humiliated by Marjorie Tench on CNN. Rachel stood her ground, glaring at her boss. â€Å"Understand,† Pickering said, â€Å"if news of this meteorite fraud gets out, you will destroy an innocent president and an innocent space agency. You will also put a very dangerous man in the Oval Office. I need to know where you faxed the data.† As he spoke those words, a strange look came across Rachel's face. It was the pained expression of horror of someone who had just realized they may have made a grave mistake. Having circled the bow and come back down the port side, Delta-One now stood in the hydrolab from which he had seen Rachel emerge as the chopper had flown in. A computer in the lab displayed an unsettling image-a polychromatic rendering of the pulsating, deepwater vortex that was apparently hovering over the ocean floor somewhere beneath the Goya. Another reason to get the hell out of here, he thought, moving now toward his target. The fax machine was on a counter on the far side of the wall. The tray was filled with a stack of papers, exactly as Pickering had guessed it would be. Delta-One picked up the stack. A note from Rachel was on top. Only two lines. He read it. To the point, he thought. As he flipped through the pages, he was both amazed and dismayed by the extent to which Tolland and Rachel had uncovered the meteorite deception. Whoever saw these printouts would have no doubt what they meant. Fortunately, Delta-One would not even need to hit â€Å"redial† to find out where the printouts had gone. The last fax number was still displayed in the LCD window. A Washington, D.C., prefix. He carefully copied the fax number down, grabbed all the papers, and exited the lab. Tolland's hands felt sweaty on the machine gun as he gripped it, aiming the muzzle at William Pickering's chest. The NRO director was still pressuring Rachel to tell him where the data had been sent, and Tolland was starting to get the uneasy feeling that Pickering was simply trying to buy time. For what? â€Å"The White House and NASA are innocent,† Pickering repeated. â€Å"Work with me. Don't let my mistakes destroy what little credibility NASA has left. NASA will look guilty if this gets out. You and I can come to an arrangement. The country needs this meteorite. Tell me where you faxed the data before it's too late.† â€Å"So you can kill someone else?† Rachel said. â€Å"You make me sick.† Tolland was amazed with Rachel's fortitude. She despised her father, but she clearly had no intention of putting the senator in any danger whatsoever. Unfortunately, Rachel's plan to fax her father for help had backfired. Even if the senator came into his office, saw the fax, and called the President with news of the meteorite fraud and told him to call off the attack, nobody at the White House would have any idea what Sexton was talking about, or even where they were. â€Å"I will only say this one more time,† Pickering said, fixing Rachel with a menacing glare. â€Å"This situation is too complex for you to fully understand. You've made an enormous mistake by sending that data off this ship. You've put your country at risk.† William Pickering was indeed buying time, Tolland now realized. And the reason was striding calmly toward them up the starboard side of the boat. Tolland felt a flash of fear when he saw the soldier sauntering toward them carrying a stack of papers and a machine gun. Tolland reacted with a decisiveness that shocked even himself. Gripping the machine gun, he wheeled, aimed at the soldier, and pulled the trigger. The gun made an innocuous click. â€Å"I found the fax number,† the soldier said, handing Pickering a slip of paper. â€Å"And Mr. Tolland is out of ammunition.† 124 Sedgewick Sexton stormed up the hallway of the Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building. He had no idea how Gabrielle had done it, but she had obviously gotten into his office. While they were speaking on the phone, Sexton had clearly heard the distinctive triple-click of his Jourdain clock in the background. All he could imagine was that Gabrielle's eavesdropping on the SFF meeting had undermined her trust in him and she had gone digging for evidence. How the hell did she get into my office! Sexton was glad he'd changed his computer password. When he arrived at his private office, Sexton typed in his code to deactivate the alarm. Then he fumbled for his keys, unlocked the heavy doors, threw them open, and burst in, intent on catching Gabrielle in the act. But the office was empty and dark, lit only by the glow of his computer screensaver. He turned on the lights, his eyes scanning. Everything looked in place. Dead silence except for the triple-tick of his clock. Where the hell is she? He heard something rustle in his private bathroom and raced over, turning on the light. The bathroom was empty. He looked behind the door. Nothing. Puzzled, Sexton eyed himself in the mirror, wondering if he'd had too much to drink tonight. I heard something. Feeling disoriented and confused, he walked back into his office. â€Å"Gabrielle?† he called out. He went down the hall to her office. She wasn't there. Her office was dark. A toilet flushed in the ladies' room, and Sexton spun, striding now back in the direction of the restrooms. He arrived just as Gabrielle was exiting, drying her hands. She jumped when she saw him. â€Å"My God! You scared me!† she said, looking genuinely frightened. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"You said you were getting NASA documents from your office,† he declared, eyeing her empty hands. â€Å"Where are they?† â€Å"I couldn't find them. I looked everywhere. That's what took so long.† He stared directly into her eyes. â€Å"Were you in my office?† I owe my life to his fax machine, Gabrielle thought. Only minutes ago she'd been sitting at Sexton's computer, trying to make printouts of the images of illegal checks on his computer. The files were protected somehow, and she was going to need more time to figure out how to print them. She would probably still be trying right now if Sexton's fax machine had not rung, startling her and snapping her back to reality. Gabrielle took it as her cue to get out. Without taking time to see what the incoming fax was, she logged off Sexton's computer, tidied up, and headed out the way she had come. She was just climbing out of Sexton's bathroom when she heard him coming in.

My Worst Day of School Essays

My Worst Day of School Essays My Worst Day of School Paper My Worst Day of School Paper My worst day of school was my freshman year. I had the worst day of school in the beginning of the year, September, to be exact. It wasn’t the first day of school but it was close. It started of as most terrible days of school start, missing the bus. It wasn’t that I just missed my bus it was that I was wearing wrinkled clothes and my hair was all messed up also. When I actually got into the building, the one good thing happened to me, I found a five dollar bill on the floor. But that luck wouldn’t last long, I had lunch fourth period and at the end of my table there was a bunch of jerky seniors. These kids always seemed to ruin my day. They had knocked over some cranberry juice all over my wrinkled white shirt, but that wasn’t the worst of it, I didn’t have a shirt to change into after the incident. Of course, it doesn’t stop there, at ninth period, I had gym class and I didn’t have a change of clothes, so I had to wear the terribly wrinkled and stained shirt. When I got home I had loads of homework that had to be done right away because later that night my mother wanted me to watch a crappy movie on oxygen with her. These movies are of course directed toward women and try as hard as they can to make you cry. So my worst day of school ended with my mother crying over the old woman who never had loved anyone but the man she had just lost to tuberculosis.

Free Essays on Virgil And Dante

DANTE'S VIRGIL: A LIGHT THAT FAILED In memory of J. Arthur Hanson No linked pair of poets has, over the centuries, been considered as so significantly related a pair of poet-prophets as Dante and Virgil. Not only does each of them present himself in the role of the vates or prophet, but their works contain solemn moments of explicitly prophetic utterance, promising us that we shall behold a novam progeniem of one sort or another. It further seems clear that Dante's presentation of himself as prophetic poet is at least importantly joined with his sense of Virgil's own assumption of that role. Among the past generation of Dante's readers it has become increasingly germane to place his role as poet into relation with his self-presentation as Judeo-Christian prophet. The  «Italian school », in which the most significant name in our century is probably that of Bruno Nardi, and the  «scuola arnericana », led by Charles Singleton, have in common, for all their many desperate differences, an awareness of Dante's appropriations of the vestments of such as David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, John the Baptist, St. Paul, and of John's vision on Patmos. Surely no one who reads even cursorily in the dantology is innocent of the notion of  «Dante theologus-poeta ». Whether or not this putative reader admires or rejects a theological formulation of the Comedy's essential stance, all can see that the second half of our century has seen the direction of Dante studies move away from aestheticism and toward theology. The questions which such a perception of Dante's theological purposes in his poem necessarily enjoin most dramatically concern Virgil. Just as we should never forget to be amazed at Dante's choice of Virgil as guide and master in this vigorously Christian poem, neither should we cease to be pestered by associated doubts: How can the prophetic enterprise of Virgil be assimilated to the specifically Christian purposes of the Comedy?... Free Essays on Virgil And Dante Free Essays on Virgil And Dante DANTE'S VIRGIL: A LIGHT THAT FAILED In memory of J. Arthur Hanson No linked pair of poets has, over the centuries, been considered as so significantly related a pair of poet-prophets as Dante and Virgil. Not only does each of them present himself in the role of the vates or prophet, but their works contain solemn moments of explicitly prophetic utterance, promising us that we shall behold a novam progeniem of one sort or another. It further seems clear that Dante's presentation of himself as prophetic poet is at least importantly joined with his sense of Virgil's own assumption of that role. Among the past generation of Dante's readers it has become increasingly germane to place his role as poet into relation with his self-presentation as Judeo-Christian prophet. The  «Italian school », in which the most significant name in our century is probably that of Bruno Nardi, and the  «scuola arnericana », led by Charles Singleton, have in common, for all their many desperate differences, an awareness of Dante's appropriations of the vestments of such as David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, John the Baptist, St. Paul, and of John's vision on Patmos. Surely no one who reads even cursorily in the dantology is innocent of the notion of  «Dante theologus-poeta ». Whether or not this putative reader admires or rejects a theological formulation of the Comedy's essential stance, all can see that the second half of our century has seen the direction of Dante studies move away from aestheticism and toward theology. The questions which such a perception of Dante's theological purposes in his poem necessarily enjoin most dramatically concern Virgil. Just as we should never forget to be amazed at Dante's choice of Virgil as guide and master in this vigorously Christian poem, neither should we cease to be pestered by associated doubts: How can the prophetic enterprise of Virgil be assimilated to the specifically Christian purposes of the Comedy?...

The Differences Between DNA and RNA

The Differences Between DNA and RNA Although their names may sound familiar, DNA and RNA are often confused for one another when there are in fact several key differences between these two carriers of genetic information.  Deoxyribonucleic acid  (DNA) and  ribonucleic acid  (RNA) both are made of nucleotides and serve a role in the production of protein and other parts of cells, but there are some key elements of both that differ on the nucleotide and base levels. Evolutionarily, scientists believe that RNA may have been the building block of early primitive organisms due to its simpler structure and its pivotal function of transcribing DNA sequences so that other parts of the cell may understand them- meaning RNA would have to exist in order for DNA to function, so it stands to reason RNA came first in the evolution of multi-celled organisms. Among these core differences between DNA and RNA is that RNAs backbone is made of a different sugar than DNAs, RNAs use of uracil instead of thymine in its nitrogenous base, and the number of strands on  each type of genetic information carriers molecules. Which Came First in Evolution? While there are arguments for DNA occurring naturally in the world first, it is generally agreed upon that RNA came before DNA for a variety of reasons, starting with its simpler structure and more easily interpretable codons which would allow for faster genetic evolution through reproduction and repetition. Many primitive prokaryotes use RNA as their genetic material and did not evolve DNA, and RNA can still be used as a catalyst for chemical reactions like enzymes. There are also clues, within viruses that use only RNA, that RNA may be more ancient than DNA, and scientists even refer to a time before DNA as the â€Å"RNA world. Then why did DNA evolve at all? This question is still being investigated, but one possible explanation is that DNA is more highly protected and harder to break down than RNA- it is both twisted and â€Å"zipped† up in a double-stranded molecule which adds protection from injury and digestion by enzymes. Primary Differences DNA and RNA are made up of subunits called nucleotides wherein all nucleotides have a sugar backbone, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base, and both DNA and RNA have sugar â€Å"backbones† that are made up of five carbon molecules; however, they are different sugars that make them up. DNA is made up of deoxyribose and RNA is made up of ribose, which may sound similar and have similar structures, but the deoxyribose sugar molecule is missing one oxygen that a ribose molecule sugar has, and this makes a big enough change to make the backbones of these nucleic acids different. The nitrogenous bases of RNA and DNA are also different, though in both these bases can be categorized into two main groups: the pyrimidines which have a single ring structure and purines which have a double ring structure. In both DNA and RNA, when complementary strands are made, a purine must match up with a pyrimidine to keep the width of the â€Å"ladder† at three rings. The purines in both RNA and DNA are called adenine and guanine, and they also both have a pyrimidine called cytosine; however, their second pyrimidine is different: DNA uses thymine while RNA includes uracil instead. When complementary strands are made of the genetic material, cytosine always matches up with guanine and adenine will match up with thymine (in DNA) or uracil (in RNA). This is called the â€Å"base pairing rules† and was discovered by Erwin Chargaff in the early 1950s. Another difference between DNA and RNA is the number of strands of the molecules. DNA is a double helix meaning it has two twisted strands that are complementary to each other match up by the base pairing rules while RNA, on the other hand, is only single-stranded and created in most eukaryotes by making a complementary strand to a single DNA strand. Comparison Chart for DNA and RNA Comparison DNA RNA Name DeoxyriboNucleic Acid RiboNucleic Acid Function Long-term storage of genetic information; transmission of genetic information to make other cells and new organisms. Used to transfer the genetic code from the nucleus to the ribosomes to make proteins. RNA is used to transmit genetic information in some organisms and may have been the molecule used to store genetic blueprints in primitive organisms. Structural Features B-form double helix. DNA is a double-stranded molecule consisting of a long chain of nucleotides. A-form helix. RNA usually is a single-strand helix consisting of shorter chains of nucleotides. Composition of Bases and Sugars deoxyribose sugarphosphate backboneadenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine bases ribose sugarphosphate backboneadenine, guanine, cytosine, uracil bases Propagation DNA is self-replicating. RNA is synthesized from DNA on an as-needed basis. Base Pairing AT (adenine-thymine)GC (guanine-cytosine) AU (adenine-uracil)GC (guanine-cytosine) Reactivity The C-H bonds in DNA make it fairly stable, plus the body destroys enzymes that would attack DNA. The small grooves in the helix also serve as protection, providing minimal space for enzymes to attach. The O-H bond in the ribose of RNA makes the molecule more reactive, compared with DNA. RNA is not stable under alkaline conditions, plus the large grooves in the molecule make it susceptible to enzyme attack. RNA is constantly produced, used, degraded, and recycled. Ultraviolet Damage DNA is susceptible to UV damage. Compared with DNA, RNA is relatively resistant to UV damage. The Differences Between DNA and RNA DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, while RNA is ribonucleic acid. Although DNA and RNA both carry genetic information, there are quite a few differences between them. This is a comparison of the differences between DNA versus RNA, including a quick summary and a detailed table of the differences. Summary of Differences Between DNA and RNA DNA contains the sugar deoxyribose, while RNA contains the sugar ribose. The only difference between ribose and deoxyribose is that ribose has one more -OH group than deoxyribose, which has -H attached to the second (2) carbon in the ring.DNA is a double-stranded molecule while RNA is a single-stranded molecule.DNA is stable under alkaline conditions while RNA is not stable.DNA and RNA perform different functions in humans. DNA is responsible for storing and transferring genetic information while RNA directly codes for amino acids and as acts as a messenger between DNA and ribosomes to make proteins.DNA and RNA base pairing is slightly different since DNA uses the bases adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine; RNA uses adenine, uracil, cytosine, and guanine. Uracil differs from thymine in that it lacks a methyl group on its ring. Comparison of DNA and RNA While both DNA and RNA are used to store genetic information, there are clear differences between them. This table summarizes the key points: Comparison DNA RNA Name DeoxyriboNucleic Acid RiboNucleic Acid Function Long-term storage of genetic information; transmission of genetic information to make other cells and new organisms. Used to transfer the genetic code from the nucleus to the ribosomes to make proteins. RNA is used to transmit genetic information in some organisms and may have been the molecule used to store genetic blueprints in primitive organisms. Structural Features B-form double helix. DNA is a double-stranded molecule consisting of a long chain of nucleotides. A-form helix. RNA usually is a single-strand helix consisting of shorter chains of nucleotides. Composition of Bases and Sugars deoxyribose sugarphosphate backboneadenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine bases ribose sugarphosphate backboneadenine, guanine, cytosine, uracil bases Propagation DNA is self-replicating. RNA is synthesized from DNA on an as-needed basis. Base Pairing AT (adenine-thymine)GC (guanine-cytosine) AU (adenine-uracil)GC (guanine-cytosine) Reactivity The C-H bonds in DNA make it fairly stable, plus the body destroys enzymes that would attack DNA. The small grooves in the helix also serve as protection, providing minimal space for enzymes to attach. The O-H bond in the ribose of RNA makes the molecule more reactive, compared with DNA. RNA is not stable under alkaline conditions, plus the large grooves in the molecule make it susceptible to enzyme attack. RNA is constantly produced, used, degraded, and recycled. Ultraviolet Damage DNA is susceptible to UV damage. Compared with DNA, RNA is relatively resistant to UV damage. Which Came First? While there is some evidence DNA may have occurred first, most scientists believe RNA evolved before DNA. RNA has a simpler structure and is needed in order for DNA to function. Also, RNA is found in prokaryotes, which are believed to precede eukaryotes. RNA on its own can act as a catalyst for certain chemical reactions. The real question is why DNA evolved if RNA existed. The most likely answer for this is that having a double-stranded molecule helps protect the genetic code from damage. If one strand is broken, the other strand can serve as a template for repair. Proteins surrounding DNA also confer additional protection against enzymatic attack. Unusual DNA and RNA While the most common form of DNA is a double helix. there is evidence for rare cases of branched DNA, quadruplex DNA,  and molecules made from triple strands. Scientists have found DNA in which arsenic substitutes for phosphorus. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) sometimes occurs. It is similar to DNA, except thymine is replaced by uracil. This type of RNA is found in some viruses. When these viruses infect eukaryotic cells, the dsRNA can interfere with normal RNA function and stimulate an interferon response. Circular single strand RNA (circRNA) has been found in both animals and plants. At present, the function of this type of RNA is unknown. Sources Burge S, Parkinson GN, Hazel P, Todd AK, Neidle S (2006). Quadruplex DNA: sequence, topology and structure. Nucleic Acids Research. 34 (19): 5402–15. doi:10.1093/nar/gkl655Whitehead KA, Dahlman JE, Langer RS, Anderson DG (2011). Silencing or stimulation? siRNA delivery and the immune system. Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. 2: 77–96. doi:10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-061010-114133

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Reflection - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that  as a health care provider, having spirituality assists in enhancing the confidence of the patients through meditation and prayer, which gives them, hope of healing and quick recovery. The spirituality aspect enhances the patient’s belief that the medication they are undergoing is going to be effective in curing them. It also serves to enable the health care provider, be in a position to offer pastoral counseling to the patients, which boosts their spirit and comforts them amidst their sad and lonely feeling. Being spiritual goes a long way to ensure that patients understand the connection between life and death, affording patients comfort even when they are on the verge of passing on, by making them accept death as a part of transition.  This paper discusses that the difference in dealing with acute and chronic patients spirituality is that while the acute patient’s spirituality is pointed towards accepting the fate of death, t he chronic patient’s spirituality is pointed towards giving them confidence that medication is going to restore their health. The need for spirituality in children and families is to enhance their acceptance of illnesses and find meaning in them, while evoking for their compassion and forgiveness towards each other. The reporter's vision of the role of a spiritual provider in patients spiritual needs have been changed to point to the direction of religious intercession.

Discuss the main causes and effects of gun crime in the USA Essay - 2

Discuss the main causes and effects of gun crime in the USA - Essay Example Subsequently, the following paper makes an insight into most widespread causes and effects of gun violence. One if the factors the most commonly blamed for gun crimes is availability of firearms. The debate over the right of the general population to bear firearms has been among the actively and commonly debated ones. From one side, opponents of gun control argue that any law denying such right would be a violation of the Constitution that allows one to protect property and life from criminals, who would still have a gun, regardless of the prohibition. Although the following position may contain the grain of logic, it, in fact, leads to more crimes, research shows. A recent study that compared data from developed countries on gun ownership and subsequent deaths clearly concluded that more guns mean more gun-related deaths. †There was a correlation between guns per head per country and the rate of deaths with Japan being on one end of the spectrum and the US - on the other† (Boseley, 2013) Subsequently, availability and easy access to guns can be regarded as one of the essentia l causes of gun crimes in the U.S. Another possible cause of gun violence in the United States has been called social conditions that allow the existence of risk factors most commonly associated with gun violence. According to Walker (2014), one of the recent strategies that proved its effectiveness for alleviating the rates of gun crimes has been a mentoring program, focusing on the at-risk population and preventing it from the involvement in felonious situations and aggressive behavior. Success of the program in reducing crimes occurrence proves that unfavorable social conditions are associated with gun crimes. The commonly cited risk factors are unemployment, poverty, and poor education. (Walker, 2014; "Gun violence prevention,") Therefore, the low quality of life should be regarded as a predictor of gun crimes. Apart from that, it is argued that the lack

The Diamonds (authorJ. Sorie Conteh) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Diamonds (authorJ. Sorie Conteh) - Essay Example Conteh first indicated the cabinet in which de Seve had kept the money and then proceeded to trace the thief back to the servants' quarters and to his very bed even indicating the side of it on which he had usually slept, information corroborated by his former bedmate. (Conteh, 33-90) The Divinity of the lieutenant-general devised another test of Conteh's abilities. Calling him into her drawing room, she asked Conteh to determine who had stolen money from a certain Diviner, one of the witnesses present. It was a trick question, however: she had taken the money herself. Conteh searched the room and announced that he did not believe a theft had occurred. She asked him to look again and he gave the same response as before but added, apparently rather coldly, that if there had been a theft it had been committed as a joke and in an innocent manner; his talent, he claimed, worked only when he tracked real criminals. (Conteh, 33-90) We can picture a long, solid line of matter from the object to the eye, an instrument designed specifically to filter such information. This sort of explanation can also be utilized to show how heat can be transferred, for example, from a candle flame to a hand.

Urban Transportation Problems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Urban Transportation Problems - Assignment Example g this, there are two policies that present problems: the first, that city governments mismanage curb parking, and second, that city governments required developers to provide free parking or extensive off-street parking (Klein, 2006). In truth, free parking is not free, since easily the required parking for a business establishment, such as a restaurant, may occupy a space three times that of the establishment itself. In the US, the subsidy to parking may easily reach $127 billion to $374 billion annually, not yet counting curb parking which is either free or underpriced (Shoup, 2005). Furthermore, it makes people feel that they are entitled to free parking as a right. Free parking and off-street parking, when carried to excess, tends to â€Å"increase traffic congestion and air pollution, distort urban form, degrade urban design, increase housing costs, limit homeownership, damage the urban economy, harm the central business district, and penalize poor families (Shoup, 2005:592). More importantly, it has an effect on the demand for public mass transportation facilities. Because parking becomes convenient, there is a general tendency for people to choose to travel in their own private cars, instead of taking public transportation, or even in lieu of cycling and walking (Shoup, 2005:2-3). It was found that in urban neighbourhoods that are required to provide parking spaces, residents were 28% more likely to travel by automobile than residents in areas where parking supply is optional and therefore less (Litman, January 2010). Since private cars would be able to carry travellers from their homes to within close proximity to their destination, the c onvenience afforded by free parking makes it the transportation medium of choice. Pursuant to Anthony Down’s triple convergence principle, there are three types of convergence: spatial convergence, when drivers tend to come together at peak hours to a principal thoroughfare; time convergence, when more cars elect to

Analyze one or more main character traits of the protagonist in one of Essay

Analyze one or more main character traits of the protagonist in one of the stories. How do these traits create the action of the - Essay Example This is the character trait of Sammy and this paper is an analysis of Sammy’s character in order to trace how Updike weaves a beautiful story using this inherent weakness in the central character. The place where Sammy stands in the store gives him a full view of the intricate divisions in the store. His eyes can easily follow the customers who pick up the articles for purchase and for him â€Å"there was nothing much to do except lean on the register and wait for the girls to show up again† as it was a Thursday (Updike). The readers follow Sammy as he is also the narrator. When the three girls enter the store and when his eyes study the details of their physical appearance, Sammy becomes spellbound. The incident shows the natural impulses of a boy at the sight of his opposite sex. Sammy is overpowered by the force of female attraction: â€Å"With the straps pushed off, there was nothing between the top of the suit and the top of her head except just her †¦ it was more than pretty† (Updike). The girls have arrived there wearing their swimming suits, revealing the beautiful shapes of their bodies. He could bear the sight of the first two girls walking into the store, but the third one, Queenie's beauty, broke his heart. Sammy is an innocent boy who has not learned to live in this corrupt world. He reacts immediately to his impulses, to fulfill his desires.

HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

HR - Essay Example However, this change in organizations has been met with resistance from the employees within the organization. This resistance in organizations takes place when the employees realize that they do not want a change and protest. Sometimes, this resistance may be unknowingly, where the employees express their resistance though their actions, words they use to delineate the change, and the tales they tell at the working stations (Holland 62). As organizations change in order to be competitive in the contemporary business environment, resistance has been attributed to poor communication, a feeling of exclusion, self-interest, lack of the necessary skills and lack of trust. Transitions in most organizations have been resisted by employees since they require learning of new skills, for instance, adoption of new technology. On the other hand, trust plays an imperative role in adoption of transitions and the success of organizations ( Holland 65). It is challenging for human resource personne l to institute any changes in the organizations if the workers do not trust each other or if they do not trust the primary decision makers. In some instances, employees have attributed the transitions to numerous negative reasons or may presume that they will ultimately lose their jobs. Resistance to change by employees can have numerous adverse effects on an organization. These effects are far reaching and affect the progress of the company and motivation of the workers. Resistance to change can impede the accomplishment of human resources managers and the success of the organization as a whole. Needless to say, protest among the employees can influence the pace at which innovation is espoused ( Holland 71). It affects the sentiments, feelings and attitudes of the workers at all phases of the espousal process. When employees protest a change in their work stations, they may experience a decrease in their optimism and hopefulness on their professional prospect within the organizatio n. This may take place particularly if there is little or no communication about the transition (Holland 73). This can, therefore, result to widespread decrease in employee motivation, which can sequentially raise issues in the retention of employees. Resistance to change also affects the productivity of the personnel and their associations. Low and reduced productivity results when employees spend more time protesting change within their workplaces and less time on the operations of the organization. This results to deceased efficiency and productivity among the workers, which impacts the organization’s bottom line. In reality, decreased levels of productivity will jump unswervingly to the surface of the basis for the transitions, as transitions are always aimed at increasing productivity and effectiveness of the organization (Holland 73-5). Resistance to change may trigger or cause a disorderly work setting. The staff members protesting against transition may cause upheaval s with flare-ups concerning the transitions or develop a confrontational attitude towards the company management. This may be spread to the other workers within the organization, inspiring them to embrace similar acts and deeds, which can subsequently cause immense agitation among the workers. It is, therefore, imperative for the human resource professionals to spot resistance to change among the employe

Analyze one or more main character traits of the protagonist in one of Essay

Analyze one or more main character traits of the protagonist in one of the stories. How do these traits create the action of the - Essay Example This is the character trait of Sammy and this paper is an analysis of Sammy’s character in order to trace how Updike weaves a beautiful story using this inherent weakness in the central character. The place where Sammy stands in the store gives him a full view of the intricate divisions in the store. His eyes can easily follow the customers who pick up the articles for purchase and for him â€Å"there was nothing much to do except lean on the register and wait for the girls to show up again† as it was a Thursday (Updike). The readers follow Sammy as he is also the narrator. When the three girls enter the store and when his eyes study the details of their physical appearance, Sammy becomes spellbound. The incident shows the natural impulses of a boy at the sight of his opposite sex. Sammy is overpowered by the force of female attraction: â€Å"With the straps pushed off, there was nothing between the top of the suit and the top of her head except just her †¦ it was more than pretty† (Updike). The girls have arrived there wearing their swimming suits, revealing the beautiful shapes of their bodies. He could bear the sight of the first two girls walking into the store, but the third one, Queenie's beauty, broke his heart. Sammy is an innocent boy who has not learned to live in this corrupt world. He reacts immediately to his impulses, to fulfill his desires.

Computational Fluid Dynamic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Computational Fluid Dynamic - Assignment Example It can be used by architects to produce 3D models of their buildings, by engineers to model the production of their outputs and also by designers to improve the aerodynamics of the cars. a. Please list the governing equations of fire simulation and explain the physical meaning of each equation. To solve the equations, do we need to consider boundary conditions? Give three typical boundary condition examples. b. Explain the reasons why CFD codes are written in low speed solver and high speed solvers. A student is simulating an object flying at a velocity of 290m/s in the air using FDS6. Can this student obtain acceptable results and why? (7 marks) The reason why CFD codes are written in low speed solvers and high speed solvers is because the simulation and analysis of the of the flow models is dependent on a number of factors which include the geometry of the model, the size, the velocity and the mesh size of the model. FDS6 solver cannot be used to simulate an object flying at a velocity of 290m/s in the air since this is a relatively high speed and the FDS6 solver is only designed for low speeds making it unsuitable. c. What is background pressure used in FDS? Can different rooms have different background pressures? Please explain using a formula and define two pressure zones using FDS input instructions. (6 marks) The background pressure component can be said to be the background pressure component that is assumed to be applied to the whole domain of computation. A single department assumption was made in the old versions of FDS while new versions of FDS5 make the assumption that the background pressure of the whole system is not the same throughout the whole computational domain but it rather differs from one compartment to the other (Ferziger and Peric, 2006). The value of the pressure can be estimated by decomposing the above equation into perturbation and the background pressure. If one of the volumes of the computational domain is

Is Dictatorship Ever Justified Politics Essay

Is Dictatorship Ever Justified Politics Essay Many people take a negative light to dictatorship, even though in some countries it can really help to improve circumstances. Take for example Singapore, in 1960 it was slums and poverty, but in 1965 it became independent from Britain and took on a dictatorship under the Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Lee transformed the slums into a thriving city, which now has one of the highest GDPs per person. This essay will take a look at dictatorships, in Singapore specifically, and answer the question of if they can ever be justified, and the subtopic questions the original raises. To understand the question one must first understand the context. The definition of a dictatorship is when one person or a group of people has absolute power, meaning that they have total control, no one can challenge them.  [1]  Dictatorships come into power when there is a weakness in government due to a financial problem or social problem. Singapore used to be full of poverty and uneducated people in the 1960s  [2]  , and when Lee Kuan Yew saw this, he saw an opportunity. He persuaded his way into power through the PAP (Peoples Action Party),  [3]  and begun to implement his plans for the city. However, he used his power to greater benefit the city and all its inhabitants, and this is called a benevolent dictatorship.  [4]  The other kind of dictator is called a tyrant, and it is the one that most people think of when they hear the word dictator: a cruel person or group who uses his or her power for himself or herself or a small portion of the population. Dictators are basically just the modern version, or word, really, of kings. There have been many famous, or really infamous, tyrants in history, and not so many benevolent ones. For example, there has been Hitler, Stalin, and Kim Jong-Il. All of these tyrants have given a bad reputation to dictatorship. In todays world, dictatorship is linked with cruelness and oppressiveness, but that is not always the case. Singapore is a great example of a justified dictatorship. Singapore was ruled by Britain until 1965 when they declared their independence. However, this meant that Singapore was cut off from Malaysias economy and Indonesia continued to threaten them, drying up their entrepot, a port that can import or export without paying import duties, taxes on the goods.  [5]  This greatly hurt Singapore but they did not despair. Because of this economic crisis, a dictator came into power. Lee Kuan Yew quickly cleaned up the place using a number of techniques. To control birth rates he put up free family planning clinics and ran a campaign while decreeing that women who have more than 2 children would get higher hospital bills, shorter maternity leaves and less income tax relief  [6]  . Lee also gave a $5000 reward to mothers who, after their second child, are sterilized. Sterilized mothers are given better housing and education for their kids.  [7]  On the problem of poverty and econo my, Lee came up with a brilliant solution. He required all workers to save 25% of their salaries, and the money can only be claimed after the age of 55.  [8]  This effectively cut down poverty so much that Singapore is now almost completely poverty-free. Almost all Singaporeans agree with these rules as well. They think that it is reasonable and they make sense. They do not fear the government either, they (most, at least) complain when they feel they need to.  [9]  The amazing part about all of this is that it was achieved through a dictatorship, something once associated with vile and cruel acts and feelings. Nothing comes without a price, unfortunately. Although Singapore is rich economically, they are harsh politically. Is this price worth it? Singapore has a harsh death penalty, which has been criticized before, and freedom of speech is suppressed. However, Singapore has virtually no criminals due to their government, so there were only 11 executions from 2008 to 2010.  [10]  There has also been some ill treatment, namely caning. Caning is when you are beat with a rod, though human rights say that is must be covered in antiseptic beforehand to ensure that there will not be any infections.  [11]  A good number of the offences that are punishable by caning are immigration violations.  [12]  On the other hand, Singapores economy has skyrocketed, it has one of the highest GDPs per person in the world, and their poverty rate is 0.3%. Americas poverty rate is 20%.  [13]  Another thing to address in this question is that although these treatments are incredibly strict and unor thodox, they get their job done. They are barely ever used, and when they are, it is only enforcing the point to people. Over all, most people would agree that these unusual treatments are not without reason, they do what they are supposed to do very well, and that the huge economic benefits outweigh the ethical downsides. Another thing to consider is whether Singapore is considered a dictatorship at all. Singapore is assumed to be a dictatorship because there is one party that runs unopposed, the Peoples Action Party. There are still elections but no one wants to run against them, mainly because the way they run the country is fine with everyone as explained before. Another reason why Singapore is a dictatorship is because Lee was in power for over 30 years, while in typical democracies like the U.S. there are term limits to prevent presidents or leaders from staying in power too long and becoming dictators. Yet another reason why Singapore is not a democracy is that the peoples opinion is very important in most democracies. In Singapore people can complain to the government but that does not mean that their opinion will be taken into effect, it is always the ruling partys decision. Nonetheless, this could have changed easily. If an opposing party ran against the PAP and won other parties may be inspi red to rise up as well, turning the dictatorship into a democracy quite quickly. This is why most dictators must find ways to force their people into submission so that they will not challenge his authority. The ruling party does not need to because they have acted in the peoples best interest and therefore the people have no need to challenge their authority, they already like what they are currently doing. These are the reasons that peoples assumptions about Singapore are right, that it is a dictatorship; it is just under the guise of a democracy. Even if Singapore is a dictatorship, what makes it a benevolent dictatorship? A few reasons have been mentioned before, but those arent fact enough. The problem with a question like this is that considering Singapore a benevolent dictatorship is all an opinion, it is all based on your point of view. So, to answer the question you must ask the people. In this case, the majority of people say that yes, the Peoples Action Party are benevolent dictators. However, people do not consider them to be dictators because they are benevolent. They associate dictatorship with meanness and cruelty, not kindness and the best interest of the people. But what are their reasons behind their decision to support their government? As mentioned before in this essay, the PAP have done much to control birth rates and they have also made savings mandatory so that old people can support themselves and to reduce poverty. Along with that the Peoples Action Party has helped to improve every apartment complex so that it either has or is near to a swimming pool, recreation centre, shopping centre, community centre, and a school. They have also helped to make sure that the apartments not be shabbily built and not tiny, either. The PAP has also practically declared war against bad habits, such as littering, jaywalking, spitting, smoking, gambling, and even anti-social behaviour. The fine for all of these (except for anti-social behaviour) is $250, though gambling in the state lottery is allowed.  [14]  The PAP has especially attacked smoking. During a certain Smoke-Free Week they put up signs everywhere saying, Stub it Out, Singapore! and other signs state the cities smoking deaths, around 10 a day back then. The best part about their campaign against smoking was not the signs, anyone can put up signs, but the Peoples Action Party sent out smiling teens with baskets of apples and the teens offered to trade an apple for a pack of cigarettes. Their campaign was successful in the end, with th e percentage of smokers in the population going from 23% to only 13%.  [15]  The PAP also created new jobs for people, and improved the conditions of working by simply shifting the countrys focus to technology-intensive high value industries. That was in 1989, and that same year 30% of the countrys GDP was from manufacturing alone.  [16]  These are the reasons that people consider the PAP to be benevolent, and with that many improvements plus more unmentioned it is enough to make anyone believe that they are benevolent. However, just because dictatorship worked for one country does not mean it will work for all. One of the worst dictators was Adolf Hitler. He was smart enough to find a way to keep people from challenging him out of power but not enough to not wage war  [17]  . He paid no attention to the state of his country, and left that up to his subordinates, who paid even less attention than him.  [18]  Another example would be Kim-Jong-Il in North Korea. He ignored his people so much that 43% of children under 5 were so malnourished that their growth was actually stunted  [19]  . He monitored everything and kept around 200,000 prisoners in labour camps where they starve and are tortured.  [20]  Many people, if asked, would say that dictatorship is very bad and one person or a group having all the power is just too much. However, Singapore clearly shows that if the right man or woman is chosen for the job, they can really use that power to change their country, and even the worl d. On the other hand, if the wrong person is given power they can misuse it to the point that the rest of the world has to step in to intervene. Unfortunately, this is the most common case. So really, it all depends on the person put in power. So, in conclusion, is dictatorship ever justified? Yes, it is. It is justified in the case of Singapore, under a benevolent dictatorship disguised as a democracy. The way the dictatorship turns out depends on the person put in power. Hitler had no more power than any other dictators he just misused it more. If you can find the right person, than your country can be hugely improved and redesigned to discover new advancements, a perfect example of which is Singapore.

Free Essays - Survival in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

Free Essay - Survival in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn    In literature, authors have created characters that have traits that contributes to their survival in society. The qualities of shredders, adaptability, and basic human kindness enables the character Huckleberry Finn, in Mark Twain's novel The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn to survive in his environment.   The purpose of this paper is to depict the importance of these traits or qualities to his survival.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Huckleberry Finn is able to confront complex situations because he is shrewd. Nothing is more natural or more necessary than his ability to lie.   In certain situations I will discuss how he must lie because the circumstances forced him to deception and lies and evasions are the only weapons he has to protect himself from those who are physically stronger than he. The creativity, common sense, and understanding of people of different classes give him the edge he needs to survive in a rather harsh society.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Living with Ms. Watson and Widow Douglas, Huck has adjusted his life to that of a civilized society. Huck illustrates his shrewd thinking when he see signs that indicates his father is back. Being afraid of his father, he gives all of his money to Judge Thatcher to avoid being persecuted by his father. Protecting himself was his number one priority; he knew that if his father got the money he would get drunk and in return would abuse him. His father drunkenness become a threat to his life later on in the story and by stopping him from getting the money, he stopped his father from being an abuser at that point and time.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pap, Huck's father returns to town to get custody of his son because he here of Huck's fortune, finally resorting to the kidnapping. Huck is locked in the cabin when Pap is not around; once he was locked up for three days. At this point and time Huck was being neglected and abuse; his father had no idea what his abusive behavior was doing to Huck until he escapes. Pap became so abusive(not realizing it because of he is always drunk), that he almost kills his son in the cabin, thinking he was the angel of death. This incident forces Huck to realize that his father is an Free Essays - Survival in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays Free Essay - Survival in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn    In literature, authors have created characters that have traits that contributes to their survival in society. The qualities of shredders, adaptability, and basic human kindness enables the character Huckleberry Finn, in Mark Twain's novel The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn to survive in his environment.   The purpose of this paper is to depict the importance of these traits or qualities to his survival.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Huckleberry Finn is able to confront complex situations because he is shrewd. Nothing is more natural or more necessary than his ability to lie.   In certain situations I will discuss how he must lie because the circumstances forced him to deception and lies and evasions are the only weapons he has to protect himself from those who are physically stronger than he. The creativity, common sense, and understanding of people of different classes give him the edge he needs to survive in a rather harsh society.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Living with Ms. Watson and Widow Douglas, Huck has adjusted his life to that of a civilized society. Huck illustrates his shrewd thinking when he see signs that indicates his father is back. Being afraid of his father, he gives all of his money to Judge Thatcher to avoid being persecuted by his father. Protecting himself was his number one priority; he knew that if his father got the money he would get drunk and in return would abuse him. His father drunkenness become a threat to his life later on in the story and by stopping him from getting the money, he stopped his father from being an abuser at that point and time.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pap, Huck's father returns to town to get custody of his son because he here of Huck's fortune, finally resorting to the kidnapping. Huck is locked in the cabin when Pap is not around; once he was locked up for three days. At this point and time Huck was being neglected and abuse; his father had no idea what his abusive behavior was doing to Huck until he escapes. Pap became so abusive(not realizing it because of he is always drunk), that he almost kills his son in the cabin, thinking he was the angel of death. This incident forces Huck to realize that his father is an

The Use of Force :: essays research papers

The doctor in "The Use of Force" is very unprofessional. He describes the patient in a very infatuated way. The doctor also abhors the way the parents of the patient referred to him. And the doctor treats the patient aggressively. From the moment the doctor enters the house. He introduces the girl to us in an infatuated sense. He saw her as a "very attractive little thing" and he described her to have "magnificent blonde hair†¦ one of those picture children often reproduced in advertising leaflets and the photogravure sections of the Sunday papers." Throughout the process of the examination we see that he "had already fallen in love with the savage brat.† The doctor forces the examination on the girl for the sense of self-enjoyment. As he said, "it was a pleasure to attack her." The doctor seemed very unprofessional when he detested the way the mother, referred to him. When the mother told her daughter that he is a â€Å"nice man† and that he won't hurt her, he became very impatient and mad. This is very ironic because all parents usually tell their kids that doctors are nice people. Why did he become angry with that comment? Ironically enough, doctors are supposed to be nice to their patients and the parents of the patients, at least the professional ones. Doctors are usually extra tolerant towards kids, and are trained to handle kids like this specific patient, who do not wish to cooperate. In attempt to examine the patient, the doctor acted extremely unprofessionally. The doctor was very forceful and harsh. When the young patient wouldn’t allow the doctor to look into her throat, the doctor forced the wooden tongue depressor between her teeth, and the patient broke the tongue depressor. The doctor at that point had become violent, and decided upon continuing the examination with additional power towards the young patient. While the young patients’ mouth was bleeding because of the broken wooden depressor, the doctor forced the handle of a smooth metal spoon into the patient’s mouth.

Ravindra Nath Tagore

The youngest of thirteen surviving children, Tagore was born in the Jorasanko mansion in Calcutta (now Kolkata) of parents Debendranath Tagore (1817–1905) and Sarada Devi (1830–1875).? [†º][11] Tagore family patriarchs were the Brahmo founding fathers of the Adi Dharm faith. He was mostly raised by servants, as his mother had died in his early childhood; his father travelled extensively. [12] Tagore largely declined classroom schooling, preferring to roam the mansion or nearby idylls: Bolpur, Panihati, and others. 13][14] Upon his upanayan initiation at age eleven, Tagore left Calcutta on 14 February 1873 to tour India with his father for several months. They visited his father's Santiniketan estate and stopped in Amritsar before reaching the Himalayan hill station of Dalhousie. There, young â€Å"Rabi† read biographies and was home-educated in history, astronomy, modern science, and Sanskrit, and examined the poetry of Kalidasa. [15][16] He completed major works in 1877, one a long poem of the Maithili style pioneered by Vidyapati.Published pseudonymously, experts accepted them as the lost works of Bhanusi? ha, a newly discovered? [†º] 17th-century Vai ava poet. [17] He wrote â€Å"Bhikharini† (1877; â€Å"The Beggar Woman†Ã¢â‚¬â€the Bengali language's first short story)[18][19] and Sandhya Sangit (1882)—including the famous poem â€Å"Nirjharer Swapnabhanga† (â€Å"The Rousing of the Waterfall†). A prospective barrister, Tagore enrolled at a public school in Brighton, East Sussex, England in 1878.He read law at University College London, but left school to explore Shakespeare and more: Religio Medici, Coriolanus, and Antony and Cleopatra;[20] he returned degreeless to Bengal in 1880. On 9 December 1883 he married Mrinalini Devi (born Bhabatarini, 1873–1902); they had five children, two of whom died before reaching adulthood. [21] In 1890, Tagore began managing his family's vast estates in Shilaidaha, a region now in Bangladesh; he was joined by his wife and children in 1898. In 1890, Tagore released his Manasi poems, among his best-known work. 22] As â€Å"Zamindar Babu†, Tagore criss-crossed the holdings while living out of the family's luxurious barge, the Padma, to collect (mostly token) rents and bless villagers, who held feasts in his honour. [23] These years—1891–1895: Tagore's Sadhana period, after one of Tagore’s magazines—were his most fecund. [12] During this period, more than half the stories of the three-volume and eighty-four-story Galpaguchchha were written. [18] With irony and gravity, they depicted a wide range of Bengali lifestyles, particularly village life.

A study of the famous Bob Dylan song “Mr.Tamborine Man” Essay

Why Mr. Tambourine Man is A Modern Classic The most obvious and popular interpretation of Bob Dylan’sMr. Tambourine Man is that the song is about drugs. This makes sense, as it was against the law to write songs about drugs in the 1960s when ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ was composed. The metaphors are simple: ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ is the drug-dealer. â€Å"Take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is asking the drug-dealer for the drugs, and then the lyrics go on to describe the physical effects on the body after consuming hallucinogens: â€Å"My senses have been stripped My hands can’t feel to grip My toes too numb to step. . .† Another obvious reference to drug-taking comes from the fourth verse, â€Å"Take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The smoke rings relating literally to drugs being smoked, and the last line of the last verse, also if taken literally, relates to escaping from the realities of life by using drugs: â€Å"Let me forget about today until tomorrow†. However, this interpretation does not explain some of the vivid imagery used throughout the song where it is not easy to draw parallels between drugs and the image, for example, â€Å"The haunted frightened trees†. This phrase could be written about the emotional state of the drug user, and by embuing those emotions onto something else the surreal atmosphere already invoked in the earlier passages is heightened. In the second and third verses there are several lines expressing suprise at feeling fatigued: â€Å"My weariness amazes me† and how the body is also tired: â€Å"my toes too numb t o step.† Bob Dylan said himself â€Å"Drugs never played a part in that song†¦ ‘†¦disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind†¦.’, that’s not drugs, drugs were never a big thing with me.† This leads me to believe that the song is indeed about something other than drugs. Some analysts have written about the song as an expression of freedom. One clear example of a phrase  that expresses a sense of freedom is, â€Å"To dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free/ Silhouetted by the sea†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This image strongly evokes the idea of someone living freely, both literally, dancing a beach, and the connotations that the sea and the sky provide here, of openess and liberty. There are several references to ‘escaping’, for example, â€Å"I’m ready to go anywhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"†¦but for the sky there are no fences facing† which means that the sky is the limit, â€Å"†¦just escaping on the run† and again â€Å"Let me forget about today until tomorrow.† These lines fit with the freedom theme: escaping to achieve freedom. But forgetting about today until tomorrow seems only a temporary escape, bringing the back the idea about drugs. It has also been suggested that Mr. Tambourine Man is a poem about transcendence, or reaching enlightenment. Some people see Bob Dylan himself as Mr. Tambourine Man, and he does â€Å"Cast [his] dancing spell† through the magical and fantastic imagery of swirling ships and trips into one’s own mind. I believe that the song could be about all of these ideas, and the importance of one in particular relating only to the mood of the listener. This is an important reason for stating that Mr. Tambourine Man is a classic: The lyrics provide the possibility to understand the song in different contexts by different listeners. The ideas differ between people, some finding freedom in Dylan’s song, some feeling like they are under a spell when listening to the light repetitive tune and figurative language. The cleverness of the language is that people can read almost anything into it, the most basic example being Mr. Tambourine Man, who can be seen as anything from a drug-dealer to a religious man to Bob Dylan himself. Another reason that the song has such a hallucinogenic feeling is the structure of the song. The verses are made up of what appears to be many individual concepts put together, like a dream, giving a surreal effect. The reference to Ozymandius and crumbling empires furthers the dream-like quality of the words.

New Labour claims to be ‘tackling domestic violence on every front’ (Home Office 2000)

In 1999, the Government published ‘Living Without Fear: An Integrated Approach to reducing domestic violence', outlining their commitment to reducing the incidence of violence against women and the strategy for accomplishing this. Safe housing is a basic human need. As many women are dependent upon a man for this necessity, the choice between unsafe housing or homelessness is often unrealisable. The majority of safe accommodation for women escaping violent relationships is provided by the voluntary sector with little support from the state. Safe housing is a crucial element for women leaving violent partners. ‘The need for both temporary and permanent secure accommodation for women and children who have left home because of violence must be paramount' (Harwin and Brown 2000 p219) In this essay, I plan to review the history of safe housing provision for women in the UK and look at the influence of the Women's Aid movement, the role of local authorities and the influence of the Conservative governments. Then I will assess the welfare needs of vulnerable women and children – what housing support do women escaping violent relationships need? Do different ethnic groups have different needs? Following that, Labour's focus upon domestic violence will be analysed and I will assess whether this emphasis has produced any real changes for women in terms of housing and homelessness. In term of housing, Dobash and Dobash (2000) developed four conditions under which an abused woman is able to be safe: 1. Her male partner ceases his violence and lives peacefully; 2. The woman escapes to refuge where she can live free of violence, albeit only temporarily; 3. The man is successfully evicted from the matrimonial home, remains away and does not harass her, or; 4. The woman is safely rehoused in another home and is not pursued or harassed in her new location. (Dobash and Dobash 2000 p200) The Government's pledge represents significant statutory commitment to this issue for the first time – do Labour's promises reflect real change? Firstly, to look at the history of safe housing provision for women in the UK. Traditionally, it has been thought that the state ought not to interfere in family life; domestic violence therefore raises questions about the position of the state in the private sphere of the family (Wasoff and Day 2000). Even relatively recently, the prevalence of this attitude can be identified. During the thirteen years of Conservative government during the 1980s and 90s, an emphasis was placed upon the important role played by the nuclear family unit and policy encouraged ‘traditional family values' and stigmatised groups such as single parents. Policy objectives of the time were directed at ‘tackling the problem' which tended to express a ‘problem family' orientation towards reducing recurrences of abuse of violence. Consequently, this approach underplayed policies aimed towards prevention or the enforcement of victim's rights. The feminist refuge movement was established in the 1970s, previous to this there was no provision and women leaving a violent partner had to rely on the informal sector for support from family or friends. Domestic violence was not regarded as a sufficient reason for homelessness and any input from statutory agencies such as the police or social service departments was geared towards reconciliation (Morley 2000). The women's refuge movement began with a few houses offering sanctuary to women organised on ‘self-help' principles. Somerville (2000) notes the influence of the movement upon public perceptions of domestic violence that led to major changes in public policy. Consequently, there has been a huge amount of legislative change. This began with the Domestic Violence Act (1976) which allowed a woman to obtain a court order to excluded her violent partner from the home and the Housing (Homelessness) Act (1977) made it a duty for local authorities to house women made homeless as a result of domestic violence. However, whilst this was an enormous step forward, in reality women had a difficult time ‘proving' violence. Due to the nature of domestic violence, there are rarely witnesses. The wording of the1977 Act was ambivalent and open to misinterpretation, less than half of refuge groups felt that it had improved women's housing prospects (Morley 2000 p233), this was largely due to inconsistencies in legislative interpretation. Surveys such as Jayne Mooney's study into domestic violence in North London (1994) revealed high levels of domestic violence, this put pressure on the government to make more legislative changes. Changes in policing emphasised the importance of protecting the victim and taking strong positive action against the perpetrator. Similarly, social service departments made an ‘about face', recognising the importance of empowering mothers, rather than threatening them with the removal of their children. However, whilst the 1990s have been regarded as a period of significant development in terms of public awareness of domestic violence (Hague 1999), The Housing Act (1996) has been seen by some as a step backwards. This legislation removed the right of those defined as ‘statutorily homeless' to be housed permanently. Local authorities can only offer permanent accommodation to those registered on the council housing list; those escaping domestic violence are now merely entitled to temporary accommodation. The legislation gave local authorities the power to refuse housing to any person believed to have suitable accommodation elsewhere, this especially affects women from ethnic minority groups who could be assessed as having access to housing in another country (Harwin and Brown 2000). Obviously, this had consequences for many made homeless as a result of violence. Section 180 of the 1996 Act made local authority funding for refuges a duty. As a result, an average 37% of refuge income is received from this source but has brought with it its own disadvantages. Women's Aid (2000a) note that some local authorities fail to comply or set conditions which ‘undermine strategies for ensuring the safety of abused women and children' as well as putting pressure upon refuges to only take local women. That aside, as mentioned earlier, the trend towards appropriate intervention and support for those escaping violent relationships has been upwards. A 1992 Home Office Enquiry resulted in a co-ordinated national response and emphasised multi-agency co-operation. There are now over 300 refuges throughout the country offering a wide range of services with specialist provision for women and children from differing ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Before I move on to examining the role New Labour have played in terms of safe housing provision it is important to look at exactly what it is that is needed by women and children escaping violence from men. The Conservative government's introduction of the ‘right to buy' programme has resulted in depleted council housing stock and social renting has developed into a residual sector (Conway 2000). Local authority housing has increasingly catered for a smaller range of people marginalized from mainstream society. Combined with the fact that households headed by women are at a disadvantage as a whole in the UK this results in further social inequality for those escaping domestic violence. Women need good quality housing in a safe environment with a responsive housing management. Access to suitable housing would include: ? A sensitive response to all applicants ? Day-to-day management support ? Specialist support staff ? Liaison with other services and agencies ? Benefits advice/debt counselling (Adapted from Conway 2000 p102) McGee (2000 p91) identified three main areas of support wanted by women escaping domestic violence: 1. Easily accessible information regarding sources of support. 2. Counselling. 3. Help for mothers in supporting the children to deal with their experiences. This final point is a particularly important one. Refuge financing does not take into account the numbers of children using refuges. There is no recognition of the existence of children, and the cost of providing for children, when there may be up to 18 children in a six-bedroom project (Women's Aid 2000a). Additionally to this, children are often extremely disturbed by the violence they have witnessed and the disruption in their lives, yet a quarter of all refuges have no funding for a specialist children's worker. Women from minority groups can face increased difficulty when escaping a violent partner. Racism especially plays a large part in dissuading black women from taking action to address violence from a partner. The reputation of the police is a significant factor in this. Mama (2000) notes that the police appear more ready to investigate cases of illegal immigration than to respond to cases of domestic violence. Despite attempts to challenge racism within the police force, officers on the ground have still been found to perpetrate the abuse via racism. The belief that violence against women is part of the black culture is one that appears especially resistant (Mama 2000). In terms of housing it is imperative for black women to be housed in an area which not only places her in an area away from the perpetrator but also ensures her safety from racism. Women, especially those with children, are more likely than men to be dependant upon social housing; for women from ethnic minority backgrounds this is even more so. The most crucial need of women, overwhelmingly in evidence, is that of safe permanent housing. The refuge movement has improved service provision for women considerably, but is limited by their ability to solely provide temporary housing for women and children. Only by statutory provision can this need be met. This would necessitate significant statutory change. Women who continue to live with a violent partner often give their fear of being homeless as their reason for remaining (Mama 2000), a valid one as evidence suggests. If New Labour is ‘committed to tackling domestic violence on every front'; this is the key area they need to be addressing. So, to evaluate the progress being made. Since coming to power, Labour have been keen to adopt a more progressive stance towards domestic violence than the Conservative rhetoric for supporting traditional families that arguably promoted male control over women. Publications such as ‘Living Without Fear' (1999) and the ‘Break the Chain' (1999) campaign were some of the platforms used by the Government to address this issue and encourage people to access help and support. Early evaluations of Labour's policy response to domestic violence have been cautious in supporting the Government's proposals. Hague (1999) acknowledges that both before and after election, Labour have been clear in their commitment to improving services for victims of domestic violence. However, she notes that there have been contradictions and lack of consistency in policy. Both Hague (1999) and Harwin and Barron (2000) draw attention to the fact that there are discrepancies between local authorities in terms of practice guidelines. There is no national policy to govern their practice and whilst many local authorities have recognised the serious nature of domestic violence, some less liberal authorities adopt a harsh view of the law, leaving many women and children in insecure and vulnerable positions in terms of housing. There is no single government office directly responsible for policy in this area; it falls between the Home Office, the Department of Environment and the Department of Health. A clear example of this is the research discussed later in this essay. This reiterates the findings published by the Government in ‘Tackling Domestic Violence' (1998) which considered how local authorities dealt with domestic violence and partnerships with other agencies. Based on evidence from local authorities it discovered evidence of inadequate funding and incomprehensive coverage (Wasoff and Dey 2000). In the publication ‘Government Policy Around Domestic Violence', little attention is paid to housing and accommodation despite the actuality it is recognised as a key issue. The key point states the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions has worked with other Government agencies to commission research into accommodation and support services available to those suffering domestic violence. Harwin and Barron (2000) assessed the research in terms of accommodation provision; their key findings, published by the Home Office, include: ? Leaving the family home is a last resort and some would have stayed if security was improved ? Good practice by local authorities needs to be examined and assessed ? Problems with service provision still exists ? Official figures on homelessness due to violence are inaccurate and underestimate the extent of the problem ? In term of temporary accommodation, much is not appropriate for women with children and the length of stay in temporary accommodation is unacceptable The paper concludes that monitoring of domestic violence need to be improved in terms of how many applicants for housing as a result of violence are rejected and support services need to be improved, particularly resettlement services. A key area only to be addressed this year has been that of the Housing Act 1996 in relation to homelessness. Hague stated ‘If it [the Housing Act 1996] remains on the statute book under Labour, [it] is a license for less liberally-minded authorities to adopt harsh measures.' (Hague 1999 p144) With the Homelessness Act 2002, Labour has brought major changes to the statutory program of help for women who are homeless as a result of domestic violence (Delahay 2002). Whilst it makes no new environment for homelessness or housing allocation, the Act does contain some tangible revisions to the terms of the Housing Act 1996. Introduced is a new category of priority need for housing for ‘a person who is vulnerable as a result of ceasing to occupy accommodation by reason of violence from another person or threats of violence from another person which are likely to be carried out' Homelessness Act 2002 s10 Additionally, the proposed Code of Good Practice emphasises the safety of the applicant and maintaining confidentiality. The need to ‘prove' violence has been repealed and it has been accepted that the impact of violence or threatened violence can be cumulative. The impact of this legislative change is impossible to evaluate at present but it does represent a significant shift towards supportive measures for those experiencing violence. The Government has placed a great deal of focus upon developing a co-ordinated response towards domestic violence in terms of multi-agency partnerships. ‘Our overall goals are†¦to see effective multi-ageny partnerships operating throughout England and Wales' Living Without Fear (1999) Local authorities have been particularly responsive to these initiatives (Hague 1999) Examining the wider picture, increasing women's eligibility for housing will not have a real impact if this is not backed up by addressing the problem of residualisation. Labour is doing little to address this (Morley 2000) and could even be seen as exacerbating the issue by announcing in Autumn 2002 their intention to grant housing association tenants the right to buy which will further deplete social housing stock. In conclusion, there have been huge improvements in terms of support for women experience violence in the home, much of this directly attributable to the work of Women's Aid and other feminist groups. The Government's commitment to addressing this issue can only be positive but the overall picture remains one of ambivalence and lack of consistency in policy implementation. Continued lack of funding appears to remain the key issue in terms of housing and is holding back comprehensive intervention. Domestic violence is about control over women, a sentiment that thrives within the larger system of patriarchy within our society Our social order is antagonistic to the female gender. If domestic violence is about control, then our society enables men's control over women. As a whole, Labour's policy has a tendency towards liberalism (with a small ‘l'!), thereby neglecting policies that might encourage equality. It is important to acknowledge the increased prominence of domestic violence, however, fundamentally the Government falls short on its claim to be ‘tackling domestic violence on every front'. When a woman makes the important step of leaving an abusive relationship she faces a society that opposes her at every turn – lower pay, little accessible childcare, and significantly inadequate housing – no wonder the relationship begins to look attractive again.