Logic, Revelation And Authority - 864 Words

The three commonplace ways of knowing that was talked about in the article were logic, revelation and authority. Logic is one of the more useful ways of knowing because it deals with true or false. However, logic can be very misleading. The article gave the example of empirical logic that said,† All cows are brown. Bossy is not brown. Therefore Bossy is not a cow.† like the article says this is not logical because cows can be different colors. When it comes to me though, I believe that logic is the best way of knowing for quick thinking because making a logical choice is often the correct one in everyday life. Another way of knowing the article talks about revelation. The article defines this as a statement that comes from a source that is unquestionable. I think that a lot of people in America use this way of knowing to try and understand government. Like when the supreme court decided that black people freed or enslaved could not be U.S. citizens in the Dred Scott v. St anford, some of the country thought this to be the way it is because the statement came from the Supreme Court that is what some think an unquestionable source. The next way of thinking that the article talks about is authority. The authority way of thinking has to do with authority figures really. I guess my last example would work here too because the people see the Supreme Court as an established authority, but I didn’t want use it here because people fight supreme court cases. The Civil War was foughtShow MoreRelatedInterpretation By Summarizing. To Summarize Is To State1463 Words   |  6 PagesKen’s reasoning is based on divine revelation. That is, God reveals that Jesus Christ is the Truth. God reveals that God’s revelation is truth. God reveals this to Ken. Nothing can be claimed about ancient history or spiritual things without either assumption or revelation from God. Secular science always requires assumptions. Secularists even rely on assumptions fo r basics like the following: †¢ The laws on nature †¢ The regularity of nature †¢ The validity of logic and reason †¢ The validity of mathRead MoreWhy Be Moral : A Short Discussion Of Ethical Motivation1697 Words   |  7 PagesReddit Share this article on Pinterest Expert Author David Mascone Almost by nature, we feel the pull of ethical considerations. If we see someone drop a dollar, most of us run forward and return the dollar to the owner. But why not keep it? What logic or rationale supports our being concerned about the ethics of an action? Why not just follow our self-interest? Why not just keep the dollar and consider ourselves to be lucky. So let s dive into the question. Even though we likely judge being moralRead MoreThe Satanic Verses And Hey Nostradamus969 Words   |  4 Pageshypocrisy and challenging what is deemed sacred, The Satanic Verses and Hey Nostradamus! uncover the darkness within religion, illustrating possible impurity in religious authority and legitimacy. Peter Mullen points out that religious texts have ‘a definitive authority for the communities which accept and uphold them’. Such authority is engaged with and questioned, allowing dissent from the imposed sacred. In The Satanic Verses, the sacred is made up, religion and the name of God constructed to makeRead MoreEssay on Definition of Knowledge1036 Words   |  5 Pagesexperiences, word of mouth, logic, faith and many other things everyday of their life to determine whether something is truthful or not. Before continuing, it is important that it is stated that nothing should be taken for truth simply because it is written by any particular person. The statements in this text are no exception. This text, along with other statements, should be judged only by whether they are consistent with evidence or logic. Even if there are many examplesRead MoreThe Roman Catholic Church Responded Treatment1645 Words   |  7 Pagesanswer to the Protestant uprisings, the Jesuits helped. They started by Ignatius de Loyola in 1534, they were very militaristic with self-discipline and obedience to the Church. Good Catholics were to deny themselves and submit to the higher Church authority, combined with the traditional spirituality and mysticism of the Church. The Council of Trent 1545-1563, made almost entirely of Italy’s and presided by the Pope. The changes made were the ban of selling indulgences, made bishops live in their dioceseRead MoreEthics and Worldviews1417 Words   |  6 PagesHis personal goodness, absolute holiness, and perfect love is manifested in human form through His Son, Jesus Christ, the model of morality for all humanity. God also reveals His laws and moral principles through Scripture and special and general revelation. Because of God’s pure goodness and love, though, He is limited by His character and cannot force humans to do what He wants. That freedom given to humanity led to their fallen state and subsequent flawed sense of morality, but even today, humansRead MoreThe Role Of Divine Revelation On The Human Thought Process Or A Basic Heart Commitment1209 Words   |  5 PagesPre-suppositional is a belief that precedes all other beliefs or the most fundamental commitment of the heart. By this meaning, this indicates the role that divine revelation should play in the human thought process or a basic heart commitment. For the Christian that commitment is God as he is revealed in his word. While ones their ultimate commitment they cannot believe anything that conflicts with that commitment. For the unbeliever, to presuppose God in this perspective is for him to think, sayRead More Horror and Self-punishment in Sophocles Oedipus Rex850 Words   |  4 Pagesthrough the duration of its performance. The opening of the play presents us with a gathering, the old and the young, no women, no fully adult males, so that Oedipus is, at once, magnified and isolated. His calm authority is overwhelming and majestic. But on what does Oedipus authority rest? There is a crucial uncertainty here. The opening scenes present us with an image of Oedipus as a political figure, a human king whose power derives from the community he rules, whose perceptions and whose feelingsRead MoreFalse Doctrine And Its Effect On The Church1612 Words   |  7 Pagesexistence. They also believe that everything, in all areas of Christianity, is centered around Israel, the Jews, and the idea of a physical Davidic kingdom. According to Wikipedia, premillennialism is largely based upon a literal interpretation of Revelation 20 in the New Testament which describes Christ’s coming to the earth and subsequent reign at the end of an apocalyptic period of tribulation. They also use many other texts, such as Mat thew 24, to prove their beliefs. It is important to understandRead MoreEssay about Homosexuality1071 Words   |  5 Pagesmay be a New Testament scholar and thus draws out the intricacies of Romans 1:18-28 and the true meaning of the word â€Å"homosexual offender† (i.e. older man sleeping with a young boy) in that case. The other may be a biologist who appeals to natural logic and reproduction to defend sex as a behavior meant for heterosexuals. Both of them are right within their own expertise. But they cannot, then, debate, for it would be like Chuck pitching to a batter on another baseball field. I was pleasantly

Data Masking Free Essays

string(580) " Business Email Address W elfare Pension Insurance Number Custom Name Unemployment Insurance Number Employee Number Government Affiliation ID User Global Identifier Military Service ID Party Number or Customer Number Social Insurance Number Account Name Pension ID Number Mail Stop Article Number GPS Location Civil Identifier Number Student Exam Hall Ticket Number Credit Card Number Club Membership ID Social Security Number Library Card Number Trade Union Membership Number Oracle Data Masking provides several easy-to-use mechanisms for isolating the sensitive data elements\." An Oracle White Paper July 2010 Data Masking Best Practices Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices Executive Overview †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1 Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1 The Challenges of Masking Data †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 Implementing Data Masking †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. We will write a custom essay sample on Data Masking or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2 Comprehensive Enterprise-wide Discovery of Sensitive Data †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Enforcing Referential Relationships during Data Masking †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 Rich and Extensible Mask Library†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 Sophisticated Masking Techniques †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 High Performance Mask Execution †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 Integrated Testing with Application Quality Management solutions11 Oracle’s Comprehensive Solutions for Database Security †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 Customer Case Studies †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 13 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices Executive Overview Enterprises need to share production data with various constituents while also protecting sensitive or personally identifiable aspects of the information. As the number of applications increases, more and more data gets shared, thus further increasing the risk of a data breach, where sensitive data gets exposed to unauthorized parties. Oracle Data Masking addresses this problem by irreversibly replacing the original sensitive data with realistic -looking scrubbed data that has same type and characteristics as the original sensitive data thus enabling organizations to share this information in compliance with information security policies and government regulations. This paper describes the best practices for deploying Oracle Data Masking to protect sensitive information in Oracle and other heterogeneous databases such as IBM DB2, Microsoft SQLServer. Introduction Enterprises share data from their production applications with other users for a variety of business purposes. Most organizations copy production data into test and development environments to allow application developers to test application upgrades. Retail c ompanies share customer point-of-sale data with market researchers to analyze customer buying patterns. Pharmaceutical or healthcare organizations share patient data with medical researchers to assess the efficacy of clinical trials or medical treatments. Numerous industry studies on data privacy have concluded that almost all companies copy tens of millions of sensitive customer and consumer records to non-production environments for testing, development, and other uses. Very few companies do anything to protect this data even when sharing with outsourcers and third parties. Almost 1 out of 4 companies responded that live data used for development or testing had been lost or stolen and 50% s aid they had no way of knowing if data in non-production environments had been compromised. 1 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices The Challenges of Masking Data Organizations have tried to address these issues with custom hand-crafted solutions or repurposed existing data manipulation tools within the enterprise to solve this problem of sharing sensitive information with non-production users. Take for example, the most common solution: database scripts. At first glance, an advantage of the database scripts approach would appear that they specifically address the unique privacy needs of a particular database that they were designed for. They may have even been tuned by the DBA to run at their fastest Let’s look at the issues with this approach. 1. Reusability: Because of the tight association between a script and the associated database, these scripts would have to re-written from scratch if applied to another database. There are no common capabilities in a script that can be easily leveraged across other databases. 2. Transparency: Since scripts tend to be monolithic programs, auditors have no transparency into the masking procedures used in the scripts. The auditors would find it extremely difficult to offer any recommendation on whether the masking process built into a script is secure and offers the enterprise the appropriate degree of protection. 3. Maintainability: When these enterprise applications are upgraded, new tables and columns containing sensitive data may be added as a part of the upgrade process. With a script-based approach, the entire script has to be revisited and updated to accommodate new tables and columns added as a part of an application patch or an upgrade. Implementing Data Masking Based on Oracle Data Masking , Oracle has developed a comprehensive 4-step approach to implementing data masking called Find, Assess, Secure, and Test (FAST). These steps are: ? Find: This phase involves identifying and cataloging sensitive or regulated data across the entire enterprise. Typically carried out by business or security analysts, the goal of this exercise is to come up with the comprehensive list of sensitive data elements specific to the organization and discover the associated tables and columns across enterprise databases that contain the sensitive data. ? Assess: In this phase, developers or DBAs in conjunction with business or security analysts identify the masking algorithms that represent the optimal techniques to replace the original sensitive data. Developers can leverage the existing masking library or extend it with their own masking routines. ? Secure: This and the next steps may be iterative. The security administrator executes the masking process to secure the sensitive data during masking trials. Once the masking process has completed and has been verified, the DBA then hands over the environment to the application testers. 2 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices ? Test: In the final step, the production users execute application processes to test whether the resulting masked data can be turned over to the other non-production users. If the masking routines need to be tweaked further, the DBA restores the database to the pre-masked state, fixes the masking algorithms and re-executes the masking process. Comprehensive Enterprise-wide Discovery of Sensitive Data To begin the process of masking data, the data elements that need to be masked in the application must be identified. The first step that any organization must take is to determine what is sensitive. This is because sensitive data is related to specific to the government regulations and industry standards that govern how the data can used or shared. Thus, the first step is for the security administrator to publish what constitutes sensitive data and get agreement from the company’s compliance or risk officers. A typical list of sensitive data elements may include: Person Name Bank Account Number Maiden Name Card Number (Credit or Debit Card Number) Business Address Tax Registration Number or National Tax ID Business Telephone Number Person Identification Number Business Email Address W elfare Pension Insurance Number Custom Name Unemployment Insurance Number Employee Number Government Affiliation ID User Global Identifier Military Service ID Party Number or Customer Number Social Insurance Number Account Name Pension ID Number Mail Stop Article Number GPS Location Civil Identifier Number Student Exam Hall Ticket Number Credit Card Number Club Membership ID Social Security Number Library Card Number Trade Union Membership Number Oracle Data Masking provides several easy-to-use mechanisms for isolating the sensitive data elements. 3 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices ? Data Model driven: Typical enterprise applications, such as E-Business Suite, Peoplesoft and Siebel, have published their application data model as a part of their product documentation or the support knowledge base. By leveraging the published data models, data masking users can easily associate the relevant tables and columns to the mask formats to create the mask definition. ? Application Masking Templates: Oracle Data Masking supports the concept of application masking templates, which are XML representations of the mask definition. Software vendors or service providers can generate these pre-defined templates and make them available to enterprises to enable them to import these templates into the Data Masking rapidly and thus, accelerate the data masking implementation process. ? Ad-hoc search: Oracle Data Masking has a robust search mechanism that allows users to search the database quickly based on ad hoc search patterns to identify tables and columns that represent sources of sensitive data. With all the database management capabilities, including the ability to query sample rows from the tables, built into Enterprise Manager, the Data Masking a can assist enterprise users rapidly construct the mask definition – the pre-requisite to mask the sensitive data. For deeper searches, Oracle provides the Oracle Data Finder tool during data masking implementation to search across enterprises based on data patterns, such as NNN-NN-NNNN for social security numbers or 16 or 15 digit sequences beginning with 3, 4 or 5 for credit card . numbers. Using the combination of schema and data patterns and augmenting them with published application meta data models, enterprises can now develop a comprehensive data privacy catalog that captures the sensitive data elements that exist across enterprise databases. To be clear, this is not a static list. This is a dynamic living catalog managed by security administrators that needs to be refreshed as business rules and government regulations change as well as when applications are upgraded and patched and new data elements containing sensitive data are now discovered. Enforcing Referential Relationships during Data Masking In today’s relational databases (RDBMS), data is stored in tables related by certain key columns , called primary key columns, which allows efficient storage of application data without have to duplicate data. For example, an EMPLOYEE_ID generated from a human capital management (HCM) application may be used in sales force automation (SFA) application tables using foreign key columns to keep track of sales reps and their accounts. When deploying a masking solution, business users are often concerned with referential integrity, the relationship between the primary key and the foreign key columns, in a database or across databases. 4 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices CUSTOMERS EMPLOYEES ? ? ? EMPLOYEE_ID FIRST_NAME LAST_NAME Database enforced Application enforced ? ? ? CUSTOMER_ID SALES_REP_ID COMPANY_NAME SHIPMENTS ? ? ? SHIPMENT_ID SHIPPING_CLERK_ID CARRIER Figure 1:The Importance of Referential Integrity Oracle Data Masking automatically identifies referential integrity as a part of the mask definition creation. This means that when a business user chooses to mask a key column such as EMPLOYEE_ID, the Oracle Data Masking discovers all the related foreign key relationships in the database and enforces the same mask format to the related foreign key columns. This guarantees that the relationships between the various applications tables are preserved while ensuring that privacyrelated elements are masked. In applications where referential integrity is enforced in the database, Oracle Data Masking allows these relationships to be registered as relate d columns in the mask definition, thereby applying the same masking rules as applied to the database-enforced foreign key columns. 5 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices Figure 2: Automatic enforcement of referential Integrity Rich and Extensible Mask Library Oracle Data Masking provides a centralized library of out-of-the-box mask formats for common types of sensitive data, such as credit card numbers, phone numbers, national identifiers (social security number for US, national insurance number for UK). By leveraging the Format Library in Oracle Data Masking, enterprises can apply data privacy rules to sensitive data across enterprise-wide databases from a single source and thus, ensure consistent compliance with regulations. Enterprises can also extend this library with their own mask formats to meet their specific data privacy and application requirements. Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices Figure 3: Rich and extensible Mask Format Library Oracle Data Masking also provides mask primitives, which serve as building blocks to allow the creation of nearly unlimited custom mask formats ranging from numeric, alphabetic or date/time based. Recognizing that the real-world masking needs require a high degree of flexibility, O racle Data Masking allows security administrators to create user-defined-masks. These user-defined masks, written in PL/SQL, let administrators create unique mask formats for sensitive data, e. g. enerating a unique email address from fictitious first and last names to allow business applications to send test notifications to fictitious email addresses. Sophisticated Masking Techniques Data masking is in general a trade-off between security and reproducibility. A test database that is identical to the production database is 100% in terms of reproducibility and 0% in terms of security because of the fact that it exposes the original data. Masking technique where data in sensitive columns is replaced with a single fixed value is 100% in terms of security and 0% in terms of reproducibility. When considering various masking techniques, it is important to consider this trade-off in mind when selecting the masking algorithms. Oracle Data Masking provides a variety of sophisticated masking techniques to meet application requirements while ensuring data privacy. These techniques ensure that applications continue to operate without errors after masking. For example, ? Condition-based masking: this technique makes it possible to apply different mask formats to the same data set depending on the rows that match the conditions. For example, applying different national identifier masks based on country of origin. ? Compound masking: this technique ensures that a set of related columns is masked as a group to ensure that the masked data across the related columns retain the same relationship, e. g. city, state, zip values need to be consistent after masking. 7 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices Deterministic Masking Deterministic masking is an important masking technique that enterprises must consider when masking key data that is referenced across multiple applications. Take, for example, three applications: a human capital management application, a customer relationship management application and a sales data warehouse. There are some key fields such as EMPLOYEE ID referenced in all three applications and needs to be masked in the corresponding test systems: a employee identifier for each employee in the human resources management application, customer service representative identifiers, which may also be EMPLOYEE IDs, in the customer relationship management application and sales representative IDs, which may be EMPLOYEE IDs in the sales data warehouse. To ensure that data relationships are preserved across systems even as privacy-related elements are removed, deterministic masking techniques ensure that data gets masked consistently across the various systems. It is vital that deterministic masking techniques used produce the replacement masked value consistently and yet in a manner that the original data cannot be derived from the masked value. One way to think of these deterministic masking techniques is as a function that is applied on the original value to generate a unique value consistently that has the same format, type and characteristics as the original value, e. . a deterministic function f(x) where f(x1) will always produce y1 for a given value x1. In order for the deterministic masking to be applied successfully, it is important that the function f(x) not be reversible, i. e. the inverse function f-1(y1) should not produce x1 to ensure the security of the original sensitive data. Deterministic masking techniques can be used with mathematical entries, e. g. social security numbers or credit card numbers, as well as with text entries, e. g. , to generate names. For example, organizations may require that names always get masked to the same set of masked names to ensure consistency of data across runs. Testers may find it disruptive if the underlying data used for testing is changed by production refreshes and they could no longer locate certain types of employees or customer records that were examples for specific test cases. Thus, enterprises can use the deterministic masking functions provided by Oracle Data Masking to consistently generate the same replacement mask value for any type of sensitive data element. Deterministic masking becomes extremely critical when testing data feeds coming from external systems, such as employee expense data provided by credit card companies. In production environments, the feed containing real credit card numbers are processed by the accounts payable application containing employee’s matching credit card information and are used to reconcile employee expenses. In test systems, the employee credit card numbers have been obfuscated and can no longer be matched against the data in the flat files containing the employee’s real credit card number. To address this requirement, enterprises pre-load the flat file containing data using tools such as SQL*Loader, into standard tables, then mask the sensitive columns using deterministic masking provided by Oracle Data Masking and then extract the masked data back into flat file. Now, the application will be able to process the flat files correctly just as they would have been in Production systems. 8 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices High Performance Mask Execution Now that the mask definition is complete, the Oracle Data Masking can now execute the masking process to replace all the sensitive data. Oracle Enterprise Manager offers several options to clone the production database: ? Recover from backup: Using the Oracle Managed Backups functionality, Oracle Enterprise Manager can create a test database from an existing backup. ? Clone Live Database: Oracle Enterprise Manager can clone a live production data into any non production environment within a few clicks. The clone database capability also provides the option to create a clone image, which can then be used for other cloning operations. With the cloned (non-production) database now ready for masking, the Oracle Data Masking builds a work list of the tables and columns chosen for masking. Other tables that are not required to be masked are not touched. Further, the tables selected for masking are processed in the optimal order to ensure that only one pass is made at any time even if there are multiple columns from that table selected for masking. Typically, the tables with the primary keys get masked first, followed by the dependent tables containing foreign keys. Once the mask work list is ready, the Oracle Data Masking generates mapping tables for all the sensitive fields and their corresponding masked values. These are temporary tables that are created as a part of the masking process, which will be dropped once all data has been masked successfully. Using a highly efficient data bulk mechanism, Oracle Data Masking rapidly recreates the masked replacement table based on original tables and the mapping tables and restores all the related database elements, such as indexes, constraints, grants and triggers identical to the original table. Compare this with the typical data masking process, which usually involves performing table row updates. Because rows in a table are usually scattered all over the disk, the update process is extremely inefficient because the storage systems attempts to locate rows on data file stored on extremely large disk s. The bulk mechanism used by Oracle Data Masking lays down the new rows for the masked table in rapid succession on the disk. This enhanced efficiency makes the masked table available for users in a fraction of the time spent by an update-driven masking process. For large tables, Oracle Data Masking automatically invokes SQL parallelism to further speed up the masking process. Other performance enhancements include using the NOLOGGING option when recreating the table with the masked data. Typical database operations such as row inserts or updates generate redo logs, which are used by the database to capture changes made to files. These redo logs are completely unnecessary in a data masking operation since the non-production database is not running in a production environment, requiring continuous availability and recoverability. Using the NOLOGGING option, the Oracle Data Masking bypasses the logging mechanism to further accelerate the masking process efficiently and rapidly. 9 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices In internal tests run on a single-core Pentium 4 (Northwood) [D1] system with 5. 7G of memory, the following performance results with reported. Criteria Baseline Metric Column scalability 215 columns 100 tables of 60G 20 minutes Row scalability 100 million rows 6 columns 1 hour 20 minutes Figure 4: Oracle Data Masking Performance scalability tests As these results clearly indicate, Oracle Data Masking can handle significant volumes of sensitive data effortlessly both in terms of the number of sensitive columns as well as tables with large numbers of rows. Oracle Data Masking is also integrated with Oracle Provisioning and Patch Automation in Oracle Enterprise Manager to clone-and-mask via a single workflow. The secure high performance nature of Oracle Data Masking combined with the end-to-end workflow ensures that enterprise can provision test systems from production rapidly instead of days or weeks that it would with separate manual processes. Optimized for Oracle databases Oracle Data Masking leverages key capabilities in Oracle databases to enhance the overall manageability of the masking solution. Some of these include: ? Flashback: Administrators can optionally configure Oracle databases to enable flashback to a premasked state if they encounter problems with the masked data. ? PL/SQL: Unlike other solutions, Oracle Data Masking generates DBA-friendly PL/SQL that allows DBAs to tailor the masking process to their needs. This PL/SQL script can also be easily integrated into any cloning process. 0 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices Support for heterogeneous databases Oracle Data Masking supports masking of sensitive data in heterogeneous databases such as IBM DB2 and Microsoft SQLServer through the use of Oracle Database Gateways. Figure 5: Data masking support for heterogeneous databases Integrated Testing with Application Quality Management solutions The final step of the masking process is to test t hat the application is performing successfully after the masking process has completed. Oracle Enterprise Manager’s Application Quality Management (AQM) solutions provide high quality testing for all tiers of the application stack. Thorough testing can help you identify application quality and performance issues prior to deployment. Testing is one of the most challenging and time consuming parts of successfully deploying an application, but it is also one of the most critical to the project’s success. Oracle Enterprise Manager’s AQM solutions provide a unique combination of test capabilities which enable you to: ? Test infrastructure changes: Real Application Testing is designed and optimized for testing database tier infrastructure changes using real application workloads captured in production to validate database performance in your test environment. 11 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices ? Test application changes: Application Testing Suite helps you ensure application quality and performance with complete end-to-end application testing solutions that allow you to automate functional regression testing, execute load tests and manage the test process. Oracle’s Comprehensive Solutions for Database Security Oracle provides a comprehensive portfolio of security solutions to ensure data privacy, protect against insider threats, and enable regulatory compliance. With Oracle’s powerful privileged user and multifactor access control, data classification, transparent data encryption, auditing, monitoring, and data masking, customers can deploy reliable data security solutions that do not require any changes to existing applications, saving time and money. Customer Case Studies Customers have had a variety of business needs which drove their decision to adopt the Oracle Data Masking for their sensitive enterprise data. These benefits of using Oracle Data Masking were realized by a major global telecommunications products company that implemented the above methdology. Their database administrators (DBAs) had developed custom scripts to mask sensitive data in the test and development environments of their human resources (HR) application. As the company was growing and offering new services, their IT infrastructure was also growing thus placing an increased burden on their DBAs. By implementing Oracle Data Masking, the organization was able to use the role-based separation of duties to allow the HR analysts to define the security policies for masking sensitive data. The DBAs then automated the implementation of these masking policies when provisioning new test or development environments. Thus, the telecommunications company was able to allow business users to ensure compliance of their non-production environments while eliminating another manual task for the DBAs through automation. The need for data masking can come from internal compliance requirements. In the case of this UKbased government organization, the internal audit and compliance team had identified that the nonproduction copies of human resource management systems used for testing, development and reporting did not meet the established standards for privacy and confidentiality. In joint consultations with their IT service provider, the organization quickly identified the Oracle Data Masking as ideally suited to their business needs based on the fact that it was integrated with their day-to-day systems management operations provided by Oracle Enterprise Manager. Within a few weeks, the service provider deployed the mask definitions for their Oracle eBusiness Suite HR application and thereby rapidly brought the internal non-productions systems into compliance. There are organizations that have internally developed data masking solutions that have discovered that custom scripts ultimately have their limits and are not able to scale up as enterprise data sets increase in volume. This Middle East-based real estate company found that their data masking scripts were running for several hours and were slowing down as data volumes increased. Due to the stringent requirement to create production copies available for testing within rapid time-frames, the company evaluated the Oracle Data Masking among other commercial solutions. Upon deploying the Oracle 12 Oracle White Paper—Data Masking Best Practices Data Masking, they discovered that they were able to accelerate the masking time from 6 hours using their old scripts to 6 minutes using the Oracle Data Masking, an improvement of 60x in performance. Conclusion Staying compliant with policy and government regulations while sharing production data with nonproduction users has become a critical business imperative for all enterprises. Oracle Data Masking is designed and optimized for today’s high volume enterprise applications running on Oracle databases. Leveraging the power of Oracle Enterprise Manger to manage all enterprise databases and systems, Oracle Data Masking accelerates sensitive data identification and executes the masking process with a simple easy-to-use web interface that puts the power of masking in the hands of business users and administrators. Organizations that have implemented Oracle Data Masking to protect sensitive data in test and development environment have realized significant benefits in the following areas: ? Reducing Risk through Compliance: By protecting sensitive information when sharing production data with developers and testers, organizations have able to ensure that non -production databases have remained compliant with IT security policies while enabling developers to conduct production-class testing. ? Increasing Productivity through Automation: By automating the masking process, organizations have been able to reduce the burden on DBAs who previously had to maintain manuallydeveloped masking scripts. 13 Data Masking Best Practices July 2010 Copyright  © 2010, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved . This document is provided for information purposes only and the Author: Jagan R. Athreya contents hereof are subject to change without notice. This document is not warranted to be error -free, nor subject to any other Contributing Authors: arranties or conditions, whether expressed orally or implied in law, including implied warranties and conditions of merchant ability or fitness for a particular purpose. We specifically disclaim any liability with respect to this document and no contractual obligations are Oracle Corporation formed either directly or indirectly by this document. This document may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by a ny W orld Headquarters means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without our prior written permission. 500 Oracle Parkway Redwood Shores, CA 94065 Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective U. S. A. owners. W orldwide Inquiries: AMD, Opteron, the AMD logo, and the AMD Opteron logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices. Intel Phone: +1. 650. 506. 7000 and Intel Xeon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. All SPARC trademarks are used under license and are Fax: +1. 650. 506. 7200 trademarks or registered trademar ks of SPARC International, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark licensed through X/Open oracle. com Company, Ltd. 0110 How to cite Data Masking, Papers

Specific Performance Issue

Question: You are required to identify one specific performance management issue and one compensation management issue in your organisation or an organisation that you are familiar with. Answer: In the present market of immense competitive business and aim on the popularity, the performance management and the compensation management have become really necessary. Every profitable or non-profit organization uses these management concepts as standardized tools in order to evaluate the performance of the employees, define their job roles, and offer them adequate financial or non-financial compensations. A business organization can only become successful if its employees efficiently contribute to the objective of the organization. But the performance of the employees should be evaluated at regular intervals so that the work process meets up with the organizational strategy. It also helps an organization to determine the structure of the remuneration for its employees. But these management concepts face a heavy challenge under some specific circumstances and due to the inability to meet the requirement what it was originally implemented for and this has become a global phenomenon (Armstrong and Brown, 1998). Recent studies show that the employers themselves think that both the performance management and the compensation systems are not efficient and complete enough to meet the organizational objectives and satisfy the employees (Bourne et al., 2013). The employees also have expressed their dissatisfaction and disgust about these systems. In light of such complicated situation, this paper attempts to critically discuss the issues found in the performance management and compensation management systems of the Little Heart Agency (LHA), a non-profit organization based in Porirua, New Zealand. Through critical and evaluative discussion, this paper also tries to present some potential and probable solutions so that the situation becomes simple and the organizational objective is perfectly met. Overview of the Organization The Little Heart Agency is an active non-profit organization which operates from the Porirua city of New Zealand. It has its offices and branches spread all over the New Zealand. This company is efficiently headed and controlled by Jack Fraser. LHA is mainly associated with children welfare. But, they provide ample support to the needy families too. These children either suffer from acute illness or from economic deprivation. The Board of the Directors of this organization includes several community leaders. It makes the organization accessible to all. Moreover, it also helps the organization itself to convey its message to the whole community. LHA arranges special programs, health check up and treatment camps, food supply camps etc in the distant areas. The employees have to work hard and sincerely to raise funds for the children through contacting several government agencies and charitable trusts. Therefore, the employees should be compensated adequately for their hard work. But th e compensation is generally made effective through a particular compensation management system. But before that, the performance of every employee should be evaluated by a standardized performance management technique so that the employers can determine the compensation structure for each post or individual employees. The LHA has implemented the Job Ranking method as the standardized tool of the performance management. The compensation is determined in accordance with the evaluation. The employees of the LHA are compensated through a compensation system of salary depending on the pay band structure. But these management systems have presented a number of difficulties to the employers and the employees also. Therefore, it is relevant to critically analyze the related performance management and compensation management concepts so that the issues can be properly addressed and solutions can be found out. The Concept of Performance Management The performance management helps an organization to establish a proper understanding of the workforce and the desired achievement with the help of that workforce. This process has various parts. Performance Planning Performance planning is the primary and fundamental step of performance management. This formal process helps an organization to identify, discuss, and then develop proper plans to set both organizational and individual goals within the company structure (Bhattacharya, 2011). It clearly demonstrates the desired level of achievement by the employees in the upcoming period of performance appraisal. This step is necessary because, at the end, the fixed goals and objectives serve as the standards for assessing and evaluating the performance of the employees as well as the improvement of the organization. Performance Monitoring This monitoring process is usually supervised by the managers. The focus is invested on the achieved results, and how the individual and group behavior of the employees contribute to the work environment (Bacal, 2012). The monitoring process should also concentrate on continuous tracking of the objectives through regular meetings with the employees, identifying barriers to the achievement of the objectives, sharing feedback on the achievements of the employees, keeping the employees aware of any required changes in the objectives in accordance with the shifting environment, and determining any extra support that may be required for enhancing the performance of the workforce. Performance Development This stage focuses on the development of the skills of the employees and the managers so that their professional excellence are enhanced. It includes a discussion with the managers, exchanging opinions and ideas among the individuals, promote individual growth, and allow the employees to adopt new skills and thoughts in accordance with the organizational objectives (Delpo and Guerin, 2014). Performance Evaluation The evaluation process helps to summarize the accomplishments of the employees both on the individual level and on a wholesome organizational level so that the organization becomes able to find out the key results and the shortcomings in accordance with the organizational objectives set at the first level (Sandler and Keefe, 2004). This process also helps to find out the challenges for the workforce and identifies the areas that need development. Succession Planning Succession planning is an important step in the performance management system. Through this particular step, the organizations recruit suitable and fit employees, managers, and other superior employees according to the defined job roles. The Concept of Compensation Management Compensation management is an important aspect of the organizational structure. The organizations use different kinds of compensation policies, incentive opportunities, extra credits and facilities, insurance facilities, and many other benefits within the compensation management program so that the employees remain motivated to work harder and better (Milkovich, Newman, Venkataratnam, 2009). An effective compensation management system helps to retain the valuable employees and attract the other professionals in the market. It provides the organization with a kind of competitive advantage. Issues of the Performance Management and Compensation Management Systems It is theoretically and practically considered that the performance management system has a close relationship with the compensation management system. It is also observed that it is the performance management strategy that leads to unequal compensation management technique. LHA uses a particular performance evaluation technique named job ranking. In this method, each job role and the employee performance related to each job role are compared with the other job roles of the organization. It allows the organization to rank all the jobs according to their importance in the organization in the form of highest to lowest, and hardest to easiest (Armstrong, 2005). This ranking should be done according to the responsibility, expectation, and duty of each specific job role. But such evaluation technique is the subject of controversial discussion. The people think that the technique does not separate the efficient employee from the inefficient ones. For example, one can observe that inside an organization, there are a number of people who work as the clerks but very few of them take their responsibilities seriously and sincerely. The same is the case in LHA. There are a number of employees who work in the same job role but the evaluation technique ultimately does not distinguish between the effective employees and the useless ones. Performance management is meant for encouraging and motivating the employees to keep doing the better work. But such incomplete evaluation discourages the employees instead of motivating them. The employees have to be attributed with specific job roles but at the same time, it should also distinguish between the worthy and the less-active employees and the inability to do this separation is often reflected through the compensation management system (Chong and Eggleton, 2007). The employees of the LHA are compensated according to the pay bands specified for their job roles. In this compensation structure, the more active and worthy employees r eceive the same amount of compensation as those who hardly work actively to fulfill the organizational goals. It creates a negative impact on the attitude and the thought process of the employees. The more active employees start to think that there is no meaning of working hard because the organization does not provide any additional benefits to the hard-working individuals. Moreover, the compensation system is incomplete in another way. The employees of LHA often have to travel to distant parts of New Zealand. They might face accidents or other types of physical hazards during their travel for the purpose of work. But the organization does not offer any travel bonus or insurance to the employees. There are not any kind of incentives for better performance. The experts suggest that an extra credit for the better performance would encourage the employees to repeat the same actions to receive the bonus again (Ryckman, 1986). It has also been recommended that the employees should be co mpensated with some bonus after the evaluation of the employee performance over a specific period of time (Keenan, 1994). This bonus should be provided on the discretionary basis. It would make the employees feel that the organization thinks about its employees and thus, the employees would feel more responsible for achieving the organizational objective (Widener, 2006). In order to have a better understanding, one should critically discuss the issues specifically related to the performance management and the compensation management systems. Static Business Objectives In the modern scenario of business, the organizations should continuously remodel their thought processes, values, and objectives in accordance with the change of the time (Panda, 2011). It has been observed that the LHA sets its goals and objectives during the performance planning stage at the start of a business session. But the organization does not develop or change the goals even if the business market witnesses a radical change. Thus, the whole performance management system loses its validity and credibility. The employees are evaluated on the standards of the outdated and irrelevant organizational objectives. Extreme Time-Consumption during Performance Feedback The LHA reviews the performance of the employees on the annual basis. But the performance evaluation step happens to be so lengthy that the employees receive the feedback months later. For example, if an employee does any mistake, he can get the feedback 6 or 7 months later. It does not help the organization or the employee. Extra and extreme time consumption mean that the employees would not receive the feedback in time and it increases the possibility that they would repeat the same mistakes during that period of time (Banker et al., 2000). Insufficient Focus on the Personal Development Each employee has his/her own credentials and abilities. Therefore, the managers should focus on the individual abilities so that the personal development of the individuals can collectively contribute to the organizational progress (Hale, 2012). But LHA only provides general feedbacks and suggestions to its employees. Thus, the employees also seem to be disinterested in the collective development because of their personal development gets neglected by the organization (Melnyk et al., 2014). Moreover, such performance management system neglects the unique contributions made by the employees. The final rankings are based on some generalized views. It discourages the employees to a great extent. Absence of Internal Equity This issue is related to both the performance and the compensation management systems. As the performance evaluation is based on some generalized notions, the Job Ranking method seems to be inadequate. This is because equity does not only mean that every person should get equal opportunities, but it also means that an employee with a better performance should receive better compensation than any other employee of the same job role (Pearce, Stevenson, and Perry, 1985). But this system is absent in the LHA. The better performers feel betrayed because every employee receives their salaries based on the pay band structure irrespective of their performance quality. 5.5. Absence of Adequate Extra Benefits Experts opine that the success of an organization largely depends on the tactics and strategies an organization adopts in order to attract the efficient newcomers, experienced professionals, and to retain the existing employees who are regarded as the valuable assets of the organization (Berger Berger, 2015). But this cannot be done until an organization provides some extra benefits to the employees. The LHA hugely fails to attract new professionals and retain the existing ones because the organization does not provide adequate performance incentive, business travel bonus, attractive joining allowance or retaining allowance. Inadequate Response to the External Competition In the present scenario of the business market, an organization should cope up with the tactics and strategies that best suit the time. But LHA does not respond to the competitive market in an efficient way. The companies have to reanalyze and re-evaluate their compensation structures by following the most suitable trend and implementing the appropriate compensation structure so that they can have an advantage (Brown, 2001). But LHA does not have such strategy and they stick to the fundamental tactics in the rapidly changing scenario. There are multiple issues that need to be assessed and properly addressed in order to survive in this extremely competitive market and establish LHA as a recognized institution. Recommendations The research and the discussion have brought out a number of shortcomings in the implemented performance management and compensation management system within the organizational structure of LHA. Therefore, the organization should immediately take the necessary steps in order to solve any potential problem or threat. Extensive studies and research recommend the following steps to the LHA: I) The LHA should set flexible objectives that can change its shape with the change of the dynamics in the business market. This would help the organization to continuously update the tactics and keep itself updated. II) The managers should more frequently communicate with the employees so that the performance feedback can be provided in time and the employees get an opportunity to develop their personal abilities. III) The compensation structure should use the Points Rating technique instead of the Job Ranking method. The Point Ranking method allows the evaluator to allocate points to each job role according to specific factors like responsibility, required skill, employee's knowledge, produced effort, and difficulty level of the job (Armstrong and Murlis, 2007). Thus, this method will ensure that the employees of LHA are compensated according to their credentials and abilities. It will maintain the internal equity within the organization. IV) The LHA should also reassess their business strategies and compensation techniques so that they can meet the requirements of the competitive market. The organization should also provide some extra benefits and facilities to attract new professionals or retain the existing ones. Conclusion The research has made it clear that LHA has to implement various new and updated policies to improve its organizational structure on a wholesome level. The performance management system has a lot of issues that makes it ineffective. The same is the fact in the case of the compensation management. They fail to properly set the objectives, focus on the development of the employees, correctly and timely evaluate their performance and providing them the adequate compensations. All of these aspects have to be addressed and analyzed to find the best solutions. The organization should not only focus on the proper performance evaluation and internal equity of compensation but it also should concentrate on the organizational structure so that the development takes place in all of the related areas. This will potentially help the LHA to perform better as a properly organized organizational workforce and touch the heights of success. Reference List Armstrong, M Brown, D 1998, Relating Competencies to pay: The UK experience, Compensation Benefits Review, vol.30, no.3, pp. 2839. Armstrong, M 2005, Job evaluation: A guide to achieving equal pay, Kogan Page, London. Armstrong, M Murlis, H 2007, Reward Management: A Handbook of Remuneration Strategy and Practice, Kogan Page, London. Bacal, R 2012, Manager's guide to Performance management, McGraw-Hill, New York. Banker, RD, Lee, SY, Potter, G Srinivasan, D 2000, An empirical analysis of continuing improvements following the implementation of a performance-based compensation plan, Journal of Accounting and Economics, vol.30, no.3, pp. 315350. Berger, LA Berger, DR 2015, The compensation handbook, sixth edition: A state-of-the-art guide to compensation strategy and design, McGraw-Hill Professional, New York. Bhattacharyya, D K 2011, Performance Management Systems and Strategies, Pearson, Delhi. Brown, D 2001, Reward strategies: From intent to impact, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, London. Bourne, M, Melnyk, SA, Bititci, U, Platts, K Andersen, B 2013, Emerging issues in performance measurement, Management Accounting Research, vol. 25, no.2, pp. 117118. Chong, VK Eggleton, IRC 2007, The impact of reliance on incentive-based compensation schemes, information asymmetry and organisational commitment on managerial performance, Management Accounting Research, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 312342. DelPo, A Guerin, L 2014, The manager's legal handbook, NOLO, Berkeley. Hale, JA 2012, Performance-based management: What every manager should do to get results, John Wiley Sons, New York. Keenan, W 1994, Commissions, Bonuses and Beyond: Sales and Marketing Management's Guide to Sales Compensation, Probus Publishing, Chicago. Melnyk, SA, Bititci, U, Platts, K, Tobias, J Andersen, B 2014, Is performance measurement and management fit for the future?, Management Accounting Research, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 173186. Milkovich, GT, Newman, JM Venkataratnam, CS 2009, Compensation, McGraw Hill, Delhi. Panda, S 2011, Performance management system: Issues and challenges, Management and Labour Studies, vol. 36, no.3, pp. 271280. Pearce, JL, Stevenson, WB Perry, JL 1985, Managerial Compensation Based on Organizational Performance: A Time Series Analysis of the Effects of Merit Pay, Academy of Management Journal, vol.28, no.2, pp. 261278. Ryckman, WG 1986, Compensating Your Sales Force, Probus Publishing, Chicago. Sandler, C Keefe, J 2004, Performance appraisal phrase book: Effective words, phrases, and techniques for successful evaluations, Adams Media, Avon. Widener, SK 2006, Human capital, pay structure, and the use of performance measures in bonus compensation, Management Accounting Research, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 198221.

Possible Solutions to the Problem of Solid Waste Management Basing on the Comparison of the Situation in the USA and the European Countries

Today the problem of solid waste management is current for developed and developing countries because the hazardous effects of the ineffective solution of the question can lead to influencing the state of the environment and changing the ecological situation at the polluted territories. There are many models and programs developed at local, regional, and governmental levels in the USA and the European countries which are worked out for providing the effective solution to the problem of solid waste management.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Possible Solutions to the Problem of Solid Waste Management Basing on the Comparison of the Situation in the USA and the European Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To overcome the issue of solid waste management, the USA and the European countries practice the collection, transportation, recycling of the waste at the local and regional levels, with focusing on the com petitiveness of the industry, with involving the other countries’ landfills, or with concentrating on the inter-municipal cooperation. It is necessary to develop the economically advantageous project of the industry’s modernization according to which the spending costs should become lower and results higher. The inter-municipal cooperation can be considered as the most economically effective solution to the problem. The problem of solid waste is one of the most controversial for the urban territories with the constant growth of industries which provide the highest percentage of the solid waste. Moreover, the problem of municipal domestic waste is also current. Today it is more typical for the USA to use landfills and the system of recycling as the main methods of solid waste management. Nevertheless, different states focus on various ways of waste management with paying attention to the regional and local programs (Bel et al.). However, the main problem which can limit the effectiveness of solid waste management remains unsolved. It is the problem of the local and governmental costs spent for the management. That is why the most effective solution to the problem must be also effective from the point of its financing. The discussion on the effectiveness of this or that solution to the problem of solid waste management is still open. If it is possible to accentuate the successfulness of the realization of the inter-municipal cooperation in such European countries as Spain and the Netherlands and in the USA, it is also possible to focus on the regional programs typical for the US counties with involving the citizen information programs, recycling, and depending on waste-to-energy plants, and on the cooperation between two countries (Canada and the USA) because they are used with following the standards of technology and provide definite environmental benefits. Thus, the example of the realization of the regional program associated with solid waste m anagement in the US counties is the system of waste management in Cheshire County. The main characteristics of the system are the usage of the citizen information programs, the waste stream reduction and recycling, the development of the network which connect the territories with the centrally located county landfill.Advertising Looking for essay on ecology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To support the system, many counties can use public and private partnership with the local transport companies. All these factors accentuate the fact that â€Å"municipalities are paying too much for solid waste disposal† (Monahan 7). That is why it is necessary to find the more economically effective solution to the problem. The idea to use the landfills of the neighbor countries, for instance Canada and the USA, for realizing waste management programs can be considered as effective from the point of economy. However, it is important only for those territories which are located close to the countries’ borders. Moreover, there are many aspects connected with the problems of crossing the borders (transportation) and locating the waste in the landfills (Schaefer). That is why this solution also cannot be considered as the most successful one. To realize the effective solution to the problem of solid waste management in the USA, it is significant to use the principles of the inter-municipal cooperation which also can involve the definite aspects of the public-private mixed policy. This system is more appropriate for the USA because of the high level of the local fragmentation in the country. Moreover, it can be also discussed as the more developed one in comparison with the typical local and regional programs. Thus, â€Å"in the US, inter-municipal cooperation is usually not compatible with private production, although it is seen as a form of contracting out† (Bel et al. 5). The inter-municipal cooper ation allows decreasing the amount of the costs used for the collection, transportation, effective disposal, and recycling of the solid waste with sharing the responsibility for providing the necessary management. Thus, the effective inter-municipal cooperation can solve the challenges of funding and social costs. Moreover, such form of cooperation between the local authorities contributes to solving the environmental issue which is rather difficult to discuss at local levels independently. Nevertheless, why is the inter-municipal cooperation more effective than, for instance, regional county programs? It is important to note that modern programs used in counties are predominantly based on the successful aspects of the inter-municipal cooperation which is economically beneficial. The inter-municipal cooperation provides the opportunities to concentrate on the technological modernization of the processes, development of the transport system, to rationalize the division of the budget and involve all the necessary means with increasing the managerial capacity (Wilson and Scheinberg).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Possible Solutions to the Problem of Solid Waste Management Basing on the Comparison of the Situation in the USA and the European Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The inter-municipal cooperation as the solution to the problem of solid waste management is based on the efficient economy balance between the country’s territories and provides the effective developed system (Bel et al.). In spite of the fact there are many programs which are used in the world for solving the problem of solid waste management, one the most economically effective systems is the inter-municipal cooperation which can be successfully realized in the USA. Summary Discussing possible solutions to the problem of solid waste management, Matthew Schaefer in his article â€Å"Waste Management in the U.S. Context: Trade or Environmental Issue?† pays attention to the relations between the USA and Canada, their integration in overcoming the issue of the solid waste with the help of the landfills abroad; Germa Bel and the group of researchers in their work â€Å"Similar Problems, Different solutions: Comparing Refuse Collection in the Netherlands and Spain† focus on comparison the effectiveness of the realization of the inter-municipal cooperation in Spain and the Netherlands; in their article â€Å"What Is Good Practice in Solid Management?† David Wilson and Anne Scheinberg concentrate on the necessity of finding the easiest variant for solving the problem which can also be appropriate for implementing in cities and countries with low incomes; Matt Monahan in his â€Å"Municipal Solid Waste Study† develops the recommendations for using regional programs in US counties. In his article â€Å"Waste Management in the U.S. Context: Trade or Environmental Issue?†, Matthew Schaefer discusses the peculiarities of the transportation of the waste between Canada and the USA. The author states that such practice has advantages for the economy of the both countries, but it also requires the solution to the question of the open borders and the creation of definite transnational standards for reducing the waste. Germa Bel, Elbert Dijkgraaf, Xavier Fageda, and Raymond Gradus developed the work in which they analyzed the peculiarities of the realization of the inter-municipal cooperation in Spain and the Netherlands with references to the experience of Great Britain and the USA. It is the most beneficial program from the point of economy for countries with the high level of the local fragmentation. In their article â€Å"What Is Good Practice in Solid Management?†, David Wilson and Anne Scheinberg discuss the findings of their prolong research which was conducted on the problem of finding the most effective and less expensive way to cope with the issue of solid waste management which could contribute to the requirements of the developed countries and developing countries.Advertising Looking for essay on ecology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They focus on the difference in approaches to solving the problem in big cities and low-income cities. The necessary technological modernization of the process should be supported by the authorities and political commitment. Nevertheless, it is also important to pay attention to the modernization of the economically advantageous recycling system. In his â€Å"Municipal Solid Waste Study†, Matt Monahan analyzes the features of waste management in the counties of the USA and concludes that the current system is not effective in relation to the level of expensiveness and requires the further development. It is necessary to implement the constant system with basing on the cooperative work of municipalities in order to monitor the process of collection, transportation, and recycling the solid waste form the territory. The articles are similar in providing the analysis of the effectiveness of this or that program depending on the economic factor with the focus on the examination of the benefits resulted from the usage of the mixed (public and private) policy. These examined articles are different in providing the possible solutions to the problem of solid waste management which depend on various criteria (the involvement of municipalities, governments, integration with the neighbor countries). Works Cited Bel, Germa, Elbert Dijkgraaf, Xavier Fageda and Raymond Gradus 2006, Similar Problems, Different Solutions: Comparing Refuse Collection in the Netherlands and Spain. PDF file. Web. Monahan, Matt 2004, Municipal Solid Waste Study. Web. Schaefer, Matthew. â€Å"Waste Management in the U.S. Context: Trade or Environmental Issue?† Canada-United States Law Journal 28.103 (2002): 103-114. Web. Wilson, David and Anne Scheinberg. â€Å"What Is Good Practice in Solid Management?† Waste Management Research 28.12 (2010): 1055-1056. Web. This essay on Possible Solutions to the Problem of Solid Waste Management Basing on the Comparison of the Situation in the USA and the European Countries was written and submitted by user Julian Jenkins to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

biology of aristotle essays

biology of aristotle essays Many would consider that Aristotles biological studies left a more beneficial legacy. His studies in this area marked a watershed in the history of Greek science.[20] In contrast to Plato, he placed the value of personal observation above abstract argument.[21] He was an expert logician (the founder of formal logic) and this led naturally to him being the originator of systematic biological classification.[22] Most scholars agree that this was his greatest contribution to science. In his works[23] he referred to about 520 species of animals, and his descriptions of some have only been confirmed in the last 150 years.[24] With the benefit of specimens collected during Alexanders conquests Aristotle was able to write his History of Animals, The Generation of Animals and The Parts of Animals, reputedly the first scientific treatises of this kind produced in Europe and unsurpassed in their detail until the sixteenth century.[25] Aristotle rightly rejected the idea that the reproductive seed is drawn from the whole body (known as pangenesis), and so denied that acquired characteristics could be inherited[26] as Lamarck (1744-1829) later maintained. He has been called the first evolutionist by some.[27]. Such a claim is totally unjustified because Aristotole taught the fixity of species[28] and attributed the driving force behind evolution to a guiding intelligence[29] rather than to a purely natural random process. Aristotle rejected the idea that men were spontaneously generated by the earth, and that water-animals had developed on dry land.[30] However, he did teach that spiders, locusts, cicadas, roundworms,[31] eels[32] barnacles[33] and certain fish,[34] are all spontaneously generated from mud and putrefying material. By the sixteenth century Aristotelian philosophy had been harmonised with biblical revelation and biblical revelation with Aristotelian philosophy to such a degree that it b...

Women Are Less Engaged in Criminal Activity Than Men

Women Are Less Engaged in Criminal Activity Than Men On Crime: Women Take the High Road Historically Women Are Less Engaged in Crimes Who knows why people commit crimes – maybe because they think they can get away with it. Maybe they’re just desperate, hard up for money, or doing it for the sheer thrill of taking the risk. In any case, people commit crimes every day: an ex-con robbing a convenience store, a businessman giving a client a much-needed, doctor-prescribed painkiller. It’s so easy to commit a crime that they go unnoticed and often without consequence. And if you look at human nature, you see how most of the ruthless criminals of ancient history have mostly always been men. Sure there’s been some women, but women are just less engaged in criminal activity than men. It comes down to anatomy and psychology, parental instincts and statistics. Male and Female Brains Let’s look at brain development for more insight into this argument, that women are less engaged in criminal activity than men. It has been documented that female’s brains develop about an average two years earlier than male brains, so that means a male’s brain develops much later than the female’s brain. It is also common knowledge that the male brain is not fully developed until the age of 25, especially the prefrontal cortex of the brain responsible for impulse control and decision-making. Why is this important? Because it shows how men – especially young men – are more likely to make bad life decisions, ones that most certainly lead to, or involve crime, even if only petty crimes. This is certainly an indication of how women are less engaged in criminal activity than men. With this said, women are also more likely to experience, and pursue, their parental instincts when compared to men – especially young men, 18 to 25, the age when too many young men are arrested for committing various crimes – underage drinking, drinking, and driving, drug possession, assault and battery, etc.; though some of the men being convicted are of course innocent, a majority of them were involved in a crime or crimes. Females – well, teenage girls – reach puberty before males (adolescent boys) do, and females mature much faster than men. While young women are looking for life partners, creating a future, a family, and a life, men their age certainly are not. Young men in their late teens, early 20s, are drinking and driving, doing drugs, taking risks – and frequently break the law. They are not thinking of these things – life partners, their future. Some are, of course, but until they are in their mid-20s, the brains of males are not fully developed like females, which illustrates how males may be more likely to engage in criminal activity than females. Speaking Statistics All you have to do to see that women are less engaged in criminal activity than men is look at the numbers of inmates in the American prison system. A graph on prisonpolicy.org shows the American prison population by gender, â€Å"United States Incarceration Rates By Sex, 2010.† The graph shows the number of people incarcerated per 100,000 people of that sex; it shows 126 females to 1,352 males. If more men are serving time in a penitentiary than women, clearly this is an indication of how more men are engaging in criminal activity than women. In conclusion, women do less crime than men. Consider the evidence – it comes down to anatomy, biology, and psychology; then there’s instincts, sexual vs. parental; and top of that, there are the numbers: there are many more men in prison than women; so men are more likely to engage in criminal activity. Or consider this notion – what if women are just better at hiding their criminal activity than men? It’s a very objective question to consider, and it is always important to consider the alternate school of thought, the other side of things. After all, things aren’t so black and white, more of a gray color, when mixed together. Nonetheless, the evidence illustrates that men are more engaged than women, in criminal activity. This is a problem our society must face with objectivity and compassion. Why is this so? It doesn’t have to be this way, however. There is always a better way to reach and teach young males and get them to steer away from drugs, alcohol abuse – crimes, essentially. There is a problem if the men of your community are in jail and not at home or at work providing for their families.

W4a2-modernism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

W4a2-modernism - Assignment Example dings constructed during the modernism period were designed to accommodate modern architectural elements including little ornamentation, factory made parts, man-made materials such as metal and concrete. Mies believed that for one to be successfully fulfilled, he or she should co-exist with the culture if his or her time. Emphasis was also put on the purpose of the building being built. Mies designed a simple house that served as a weekend retreat and also intended to create a space whereby life would unfold freely and interdependently with the nature. Mies acted as both the architect and the general contractor (Mies van der Rohe Society). Philip Johnson designed the Glass house in 1949 as a residential house. He was the owner of the building that he built on a dairy farm land he bought in Connecticut. The Glass house is similar to Mies Farnsworth house with only a few differences. He was inspired byMies design of the Farnsworth. Johnson designed the building taking maximum economization and transparency into consideration. The design of the building also employed the modern architectural elements including little ornamentation, factory made parts, man-made materials such as metal and concrete just as Mies design of the Farnsworth. The building has with two parallel planes suspended between the earth and the sky by eight w-shaped steel columns. The design seems simple, but it incorporates a thorough attention to detail. Since, in the design, the floor and the roof of the building were suspended, strong steel structures and high grade concrete were necessary for its construction. Precast concrete slabs formed the roof and the floor and steel frame construction supported the uninterrupted floor and roof planes. The steel frames were accurately welded to minimize their visibility.In the interior, Mies incorporated a continuous curtain rack that allowed for the occupants defined privacy. Mies used an extensive clear glass than span from the floor to the ceiling to

Research Report for the Business development in the engineering sector Paper

Report for the Business development in the engineering sector - Research Paper Example This calls for acute understanding of the customer expectations. Research shows that the mastery of technological and scientific disciplines is not enough to deal with the market dynamics of a technologically driven economy. There have been profound implications in the technologically driven global economy. Developing business in the sector requires engineers capable of working in different cultures and with knowledge on the dynamics of the global markets. The distinction between collaboration and competition in the sector continues to blur. Therefore, new perspectives must be developed to build competitiveness in the sector. This paper will be discussing the changing global knowledge which has driven economy and caused the engineering sector to shift from the conservative to business-sensitive approach in a quest meet the organizational objectives, business development needs and respond to the customer expectations High quality engineering services are being developed in countries w ith cheap labor (Rob, 2002). The aim is to lower the costs of labor. Developed countries like United States have been forced to look for cheaper labor to compete with China and India. Contemporary business development practices demands that interdisciplinary strategies be used to attract potential customers, develop quality products and other stakeholders (Annacchino, 2007). The modern engineering practice is bound to shift from the conservative approach of market ting and service delivery. Engineering sector is calling for innovative solution with involve cultural, social, ethical and environmental issues. Modern engineers rarely take the leadership positions in business issues (Haaf et al, 2002). The knowledge-intensive business society demands engineers with knowledge concerning marketplace and how to develop technical solutions are responsive to the needs of the society. The culture in developed countries, the free-market and demographic values offer a conducive environment for technological innovation. Business development in engineering sector shall involve empowering the engineers with sales and marketing skills (Annacchino, 2007). The brand dynamics must be understood in the sector (Rob, 2002). Technical engineers are product developers. They should be in a position to understand the market needs and competitiveness of services and products. Adding value in the engineering sector shall entail giving them the skills on developing competitive products, understanding market needs, responding the consumer expectation and means of sales (Haaf et al, 2002). This demands increased creativity, innovation and communication skills. The construction industry can develop competitive designs that address consumer concerns. This involves ensuring the stakeholders deliver quality in the construction process. There has been a long standing conflict between marketing and engineering (Haaf et al, 2002). The conflict is being addressed through integration, commercializin g of products and establishing successful development processes (Annacchino, 2007). This demands support from management to ensure products are developed in an integrated process. This marketing process takes into consideration the personality differences and capabilities of the manufacturing personnel. Knowledge management is the use of strategies to identify, distribute, and adopt experiences and insights beneficial to an engineering organization (Rob, 2002). An increasing

Target location technology, tracking systems Essay Example for Free

Target location technology, tracking systems Essay Today there are many differing forms of tracking systems that can be used to locate targets accurately very much different to the simple procedures used on aircraft in world war two. One of these technologies is symbology. These are imaged laid over the real world images. The images give target position and other relevant information such as the planes heading. The images change as quickly as the real world view change, there is no visible delay as this could have fatal consequences. The target is clear and weapons can easily be directed to the correct point. The guidance images are displayed in the pilots head-mounted display. These are developed at BAE systems, and their design is critical due to the setting they are used in. The headsets are linked to a powerful and accurate computer that works very quickly to update the view almost instantly and to give warnings about dangerous situations. The Kiowa helicopter from the US Army used a symbology system that included night vision. The system recorded the mission allowing the pilot to play it back. The US Army also uses a laser as a target locator. It has been developed into a hand held laser targeting technology that doesnt damage eyes. Currently they are largely ground based but they allow targets to be located and intensified even in the dark. This technology has been transferred onto a military fighter aircraft for range finding in light and dark environments. The system also gives a range finder which can vary between the direct view and an intensified view. The system can digitally provide a magnetic compass that gives range and elevation. They are already used across the world. Another possible technology is the use of intelligent radar systems that lock onto targets allowing missile to be guided. This technology can be found on the patriot missile, which is aimed at incoming missiles. The system depends on ground-based radar that locates and tracks targets however this technology could be developed to fit on an aircraft like the sidewinder missile. This is a very long ranging and variable system. It can run automatically or an operator can intervene if necessary but these need to be very accurate due the speed the missiles travel at. The radar antenna can scan the sky, identify targets, determines aim and positioning of target, gives information and can help direct the missile to the target even when missile has been launched. Two operators watch the progress of the missiles, they can then change things if necessary such as deselecting targets. One form of missile has its own in-built guidance computer and radar transmitter allowing it to guide itself. The technology allows targets to be located very accurately. Especially if the technology is watched over by operators such as the patriot missile radar system. The accuracy could save many lives, as civilian positions are less likely to be hit with the accuracy of the technology. Therefore military targets can be located successfully allowing for a less morbid military operation. The technology often needs much equipment that is highly developed and costly. As resources such as missiles with their built in computer are expended during war, much money is lost. In less developed countries this money would be needed for other vital materials, so the technology may not be used. The wastage of materials would not be environmentally friendly. The new technology would need people to be trained to be able to operate the systems. If a person puts on a headset and does not know what the lines and boxes mean they be useless at controlling it. However the training takes time to be done safely this will cost money but is necessary for the technology to be used

Euthanasia Essay - Physician Assisted Murder :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Physician Assisted Murder Physician assisted suicide is illegal in all states but Oregon. Physician assisted suicide is defined by Religious Tolerance.org: a physician supplies information and/or the means of committing suicide to a person, so that they can easily terminate their own life. The decision of when and where the time of our death should occur is one that only God has the right to decide. Because no person or doctor has the right to end a life, physician assisted suicide should be illegal. Some feel that a terminally ill patient should have a legal right to control the manner in which they die. Physicians and nurses have fought for the right to aid a patient in their death. Many families of the terminally ill have exhausted all of their funds caring for a dying patient and would prefer the option of assisted suicide to bankruptcy. While there are many strong opposing viewpoints, one of the strongest is that the terminally ill patient has the right to die in a humane, dignified manner. However, dignity in dying is not necessarily assured when a trusted doctor, whose professional ethics are to promote and maintain life, injects a terminally ill patient with a lethal dose of morphine. Every culture has a taboo against murder, including our own. The practice of physician assisted suicide is wrong across all religious and cultural groups. According to Leon R. Kass, M.D., the taboo against doctors killing patients, even on request, "is the very embodiment of reason and wisdom. Without it, medicine will have lost its claim to be an ethical and trustworthy profession." Before a physician is allowed to practice medicine, he/she takes the Hippocratic Oath, which is described by Encyclopedia Britannica as " a pledge to prescribe only beneficial treatments, according to his abilities and judgment; to refrain from causing harm or hurt". This oath has been practiced for more than 2000 years. If a doctor breaks that promise and helps a patient to purposely die, then the oath has meant nothing. Physician assisted suicide is illegal in all states but one state. Oregon law states that when a patient requests physician assisted suicide they must be suffering from a disease that will end his or her life within 6 months.

A Ponzi scheme originated

There are people who decide to put away their hard-earned money through investment. Unfortunately, there are also those who take advantage of people’s investments to defraud others and make money for themselves. Bernard Madoff proved to be part of the latter, as he had recently become infamous for securities fraud. Bernard Madoff was initially revered as hero in Wall Street. In 1960, he established Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities with the money he had earned while working as a lifeguard in Far Rockaway, Queens (Gandel).He proved to be a critical player in Wall Street, as his firm provided the middle ground wherein buyers and sellers of stocks can meet. The firm also was responsible for the progress of Nasdaq, wherein Madoff was a former chairman. The New York Times reported that Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities had under its management over 24 funds, which was worth an estimated $17 billion in assets. The said funds were sold to rich investors, institutions and hedge funds (â€Å"Madoff†). At present, Madoff is considered the villain.On December 11, 2008, Madoff was arrested at his home in Manhattan on charges of what could possibly be the most extensive fraud in the history of Wall Street (Gandel). The 70 year-old former Nasdaq chairman defrauded his clients through a Ponzi scheme which was originally said to have been worth $50 million. Later on, the cost was estimated at $65 million. A Ponzi scheme originated as a form of a pyramid scheme named after Charles Ponzi, who tricked the citizens into a postage stamp investment scheme in 1920s (U. S. SEC).However, the Ponzi scheme at present works rather differently. People now operate on a â€Å"rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul† scheme, wherein they take the money of new investors to pay what they owe to their old investors (U. S. SEC). This is exactly what Madoff did with his firm. In the 1990s, Madoff used his reputation in the finance industry to create an asset-management firm (Gandel) . He utilized his social network to acquire money for his newly-established business. He would encourage people from the exclusive clubs wherein he and his relatives were included to invest in his firm.It was said that he had found an investor in the Palm Beach Country Club who helped him find other investors (Gandel). Madoff was able to invite many people to invest in his firm through a guarantee of low payments but with high profits (Henriques and Kouwe 1). He managed the Fairfield Sentry fund, which was said to have $7. 3 billion in assets. Every year in its 15-year history, it was maintained that the firm paid over 11 percent interest (Henriques and Kouwe 1). Most of Madoff’s investors contributed to his funds through several feeder funds (Gandel). In turn, these funds were promoted by other companies.The funds were associated with an investment management firm, which forwarded the money to Madoff. One of the funds which brought millions of dollars in Madoff’s poss ession was the Tremont Broad Market Fund (Gandel). It was in 2005 when what originally began as a legitimate business became a Ponzi scheme, as Madoff used the money of his new clients to settle the accounts of the earlier investors who wanted their cash back (Gandel). Despite the continued economic decline in 2008, Madoff insisted to his clients that there was a 5. 6% growth in his funds by the latter part of November that year.This proved to be a false claim, as during the same period, the stocks of Standard & Poor’s 500 decreased by an average of 37. 7% (Gandel). For his fraudulent scheme to work, Madoff recruited people who had no previous training or experience to be part of his clerical staff (â€Å"Madoff†). He instructed these employees to produce false documents. It was these fraudulent papers which he provided to regulators. Madoff also knew that while his business was no longer running, he had to make it appear that his investment operation was still working . He did this by constantly transferring millions of dollars from one bank to another.The bank transfers were also used to give the illusion that Madoff was actively making securities negotiations in Europe for his clients. In addition, he spent the funds of the firm for the personal use of relatives, associates and himself (â€Å"Madoff†). Madoff’s operation became increasingly questionable as it continued to give a consistently optimistic report about its performance despite the dire economic situation. In addition, a senior executive at Madoff’s firm also became suspicious when Madoff expressed his desire to give the annual bonuses of the employees two months earlier than intended (Henriques and Kouwe 1).Days prior to that incident, Madoff mentioned to a different senior executive that he was having difficulty raising money to pay the investors $7 billion worth of withdrawals. When he was confronted by the senior executive, Madoff finally told the truth. His firm was actually bankrupt and it had been bankrupt for awhile. Madoff told his executives that while he planned to submit himself to the authorities, he first wished to give the remaining money to his family, friends and some employees (Henriques and Kouwe 2). He was not able to do as he planned, as he was soon arrested.Madoff was charged with several federal offenses, including perjury, money laundering and securities fraud (â€Å"Madoff†). On March 12, he pleaded guilty to all 11 felony counts, which could earn him a total of 150 years in prison (â€Å"Madoff†). Madoff’s Ponzi scheme had a rather extensive scope. The consequences of his actions had negatively affected finance all over the world (â€Å"Madoff†). The scheme had caused problems with international institutions such as HSBC and BNP Paribas. The investors that lost in Madoff’s scam included prominent names in sports, entertainment and publishing.His clients included Steven Spielberg, Eliot Spitzer, Elie Wiesel and Mortimer B. Zuckerman. Hedge fund manager R. Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet also lost $1. 4 billion to the scheme (â€Å"Madoff†). Due to the Madoff controversy, the U. S. SEC had been bombarded with criticism. The latest Ponzi scheme by Madoff showed the committee’s inability to look after investments and safeguard the investors (Hutchinson). Prior to the scandal, the U. S. SEC claimed that they did not detect anything questionable about Madoff’s business (Serwer). This would denote negligence on the part of the SEC.If the SEC itself cannot help investors, how do investors help themselves to avoid becoming victims of such massive fraud? Financial experts have several suggestions on how securities fraud can be prevented. Both Hutchinson and Serwer agree that one must not invest in something he or she does not understand. If a person is presented with an investment offer, that individual must thoroughly investigate about the said o ffer. One must ask as many questions as needed, and until he or she has completely understood the process (Hutchinson).If the person who made the offer cannot properly describe how he profits from the said investment, there is a possibility that the offer maybe dubious. If possible, try to get hold of the accounting ratio of the company. Ask a securities analyst to verify the numbers. Second, one must follow the three rules of investment. According to Hutchinson, these are: â€Å"diversify, buy over an extended period and research well what you intend to buy. † Diversifying is very important; one must not invest all their money in one place. Lastly, experts are discouraging people from making investments in nameless enterprises (Serwer).People must avoid making investment transactions with people who claim to have connections (Hutchinson). If one plans to make an investment, he or she should seek competent and experienced investment specialists (Hutchinson). The story of Bern ard Madoff is an unusual one. From one of Wall Street’s most prominent personalities, he became one of the America’s most recognizable criminals. The case of Madoff offers a lesson for everyone. In times wherein people will take advantage of other people’s investment, one must take the necessary precautions to avoid becoming a victim.Works Cited â€Å"Bernard L. Madoff. † The New York Times. 12 March 2009. 26 March 2009 . Gandel, S. â€Å"Wall Street’s Latest Downfall: Madoff Charged with Fraud. † Time. 12 Dec. 2008. Time Inc. 26 March 2009 . Henriques, Diana B. , and Zachery Kouwe. â€Å"Prominent Trader Accused of Defrauding Clients. † The New York Times. 11 Dec. 2008. 26 March 2009 . Hutchinson, Martin. â€Å"How to Avoid Madoff Mayhem. † Money Morning Web Site. Money Map Press. 26 March 2009 . Serwer, Andy. â€Å"Madoff investors burned by SEC, too. † CNN. com. 15 Dec. 2008. Fortune Magazine. 26 March 2009 . U. S. Se curities and Exchange Commission. â€Å"‘Ponzi’ Schemes. † SEC Web Site. 19 April 2001 .

Personal life Essay

Quote I chose the quote â€Å"You also have to take time to think about why it is the right thing† this quote with the context of the text is certainly true. Just because all the people including your parents act in certain ways for specific situations, it doesn ´t mean that it ´s the right thing to do. And if you act like you have always seen just to follow everybody else, in my opinion is worst, because you don ´t even know if that actions are the right thing to do, you are just doing what â€Å"everybody does† and for me that is worst than thinking about the situation, taking your own decision, and then if you made it wrong, that helps you learning about good and bad decisions by your own, then you can judge another people decisions, because you have already analyze different situations by your own. Personal Case In the part of the text that shows some examples of ethical dilemmas, the one that says â€Å"should I extend the life of my beloved pet, or should I put an end to its increasing suffering by having it put to sleep?† This reminds me of a pet my dad loved, its name was Toby, it was a little Fox Terrier my dad bought like 10 years ago, it was a very healthy dog, but then when he started getting older, a ball started growing in his throat, so he started having eating and breathing problems, we took him to the vet, and he told us that he had a type of cancer, so he recommended us to put it to sleep, but my father refused. Toby started being skinner, and one day we found him dead in the garden. Maybe I would preferred having it put to sleep, that make him and my dad suffer, because every time my dad saw Toby, he was very sad because of its condition. Main Points This article wants us to understand what ethics is, the main point of it is realize that ethics is present everyday in every activity we do during the day. Also its purpose is to show us some ethic dilemmas to identify whether we have been part of something similar. At the end this article what’s us to realize that we have to take control of our lives, and our ethic decisions, because doing the things just because always he have done it like this, it doesn ´t mean it is the right thing to do.