The First Amendment Essays (2326 words) - Freedom Of Expression

The First Amendment No other democratic society in the world permits personal freedoms to the degree of the United States of America. Within the last sixty years, American courts, especially the Supreme Court, have developed a set of legal doctrines that thoroughly protect all forms of the freedom of expression. When it comes to evaluating the degree to which we take advantage of the opportunity to express our opinions, some members of society may be guilty of violating the bounds of the First Amendment by publicly offending others through obscenity or racism. Americans have developed a distinct disposition toward the freedom of expression throughout history. The First Amendment clearly voices a great American respect toward the freedom of religion. It also prevents the government from abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Since the early history of our country, the protection of basic freedoms has been of the utmost importance to Americans. In Langston Hughes' poem, Freedom, he emphasizes the struggle to enjoy the freedoms that he knows are rightfully his. He reflects the American desire for freedom now when he says, I do not need my freedom when I'm dead. I cannot live on tomorrow's bread. He recognizes the need for freedom in its entirety without compromise or fear. I think Langston Hughes captures the essence of the American immigrants' quest for freedom in his poem, Freedom's Plow. He accurately describes American's as arriving with nothing but dreams and building America with the hopes of finding greater freedom or freedom for the first time. He depicts how people of all backgrounds worked together for one cause: freedom. I selected Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 as a fictitious example of the evils of censorship in a world that is becoming illiterate. In this book, the government convinces the public that book reading is evil because it spreads harmful opinions and agitates people against the government. The vast majority of people accept this censorship of expression without question and are content to see and hear only the government's propaganda. I found this disturbing yet realistic. Bradbury's hidden opposition to this form of censorship was apparent throughout the book and finally prevailed in the end when his main character rebelled against the practice of burning books. Among the many forms of protests are pickets, strikes, public speeches and rallies. Recently in New Jersey, more than a thousand community activists rallied to draft a human budget that puts the needs of the poor and handicapped as a top priority. Rallies are an effective means for people to use their freedoms effectively to bring about change from the government. Freedom of speech is constantly being challenged as is evidenced in a recent court case where a Gloucester County school district censored reviews of two R-rated movies from a school newspaper. Superior Court Judge, Robert E. Francis ruled that the student's rights were violated under the state Constitution. I feel this is a major break through for students' rights because it limits editorial control of school newspapers by educators and allows students to print what they feel is important. A newly proposed bill (A-557) would prevent school officials from controlling the content of student publications. Critics of the bill feel that student journalists may be too young to understand the responsibilities that come with free speech. This is a valid point; however, it would provide an excellent opportunity for them to learn about their First Amendment rights that guarantees free speech and freedom of the press. In his commencement address to Monmouth College graduates, Professor Alan Dershowitz of Harvard Law School defended the broad right to free speech. He stated, My message to you graduates is to assert your rights, to use them responsibly and boldly, to oppose racism, to oppose sexism, to oppose homophobia and bigotry of all kinds and to do so within the spirit of the First Amendment, not by creating an exception to it. I agree that one should feel free to speak openly as long as it does not directly or indirectly lead to the harm of others. One of the more controversial issues was the recent 2 Live Crew incident involving obscenity in rap music. Their record, As Nasty as They Wanna Be, was ruled obscene in federal court. They were acquitted of the charges and quickly became a free speech martyr. Although many stores pulled the album, over two million copies sold as a result of the incident. I feel that in this case the principles of free speech have

Discussion Example

Discussion Example Discussion – Coursework Example Conflict in Smith’s Family Economic stress in Smith family could lead to an area of family conflict. The conflict wouldmanifest itself in arguments between Smith and his wife, Ray. The couple could argue on the way to pay rent, health insurance, and quality education for the three kids. Smith may look down on his kids as the source of his financial troubles. Benokraitis argues that unemployed workers tend to blame their problems on the expensive education system and increased tax burdens (p.372). The three children may blame their parents for lack of accessories that other kids have in school and the neighborhood. The family would have dealt with increasing costs of living if Smith’s wife has an extra income. The family could suffer from profound stress and clinical problems (Skolnick 359). Coping with StressSmith’s family can cope with stress due to the tough economic situation by asking for professional support. Professional support would direct them to counsel ing services and financial planners that can help the family take over the financial situation. The strategy would not only help Smith family roll out ways of generating income but also reduce the unnecessary expenses that can boost their budget. Affordable Care Act can also offer a remedy for health insurance dilemma. The health of the family is essential and could be accessed through affordable insurance cover in the Act. The act would enable Smith cut on tax burdens, increase education chances for his children, and enjoy regulated health spending. Smith would be a shield from expensive insurance policies covering the family at in the current situation. Work CitedBenokraitis, Nijole V. Marriages & Families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.Skolnick, Arlene S, and Jerome H Skolnick. Family In Transition. 17th ed. 2013. Print. Discussion Example Discussion – Coursework Example How a Firm Should Address Ethical Issues As They Relate to Managerial Accounting Ethics is a critical part of accounting more so managerial accounting. Various institutions form code of conducts to set ethical behavior that they expect for accountants working in their groups. The objective of managerial accounting is to provide financial information about what happened in the past of the company. Managerial accounting supplies the correct operational information and has its focus on the future of any organization. The facts mentioned above gives managerial accountants an important role in maintaining and upholding a business’ ethical culture. An overview of the work of managerial accounting indicates how much of a connection its tasks and responsibilities are with any business ethics and business ethical standards. Monitoring functions for managerial accounting include defining standards against which efficiency, performance, and accountability can be measured. Decision makers in companies require objective and full data when they review business operations and make critical decisions for the enterprise (Maher, Stickney positive, or negative.The field of managerial accounting has a role and takes its role in upholding and maintaining business ethical issues seriously. The global governing body of accountants, International Federation of Accountants, has a code of ethics and code of conduct that applies to managerial accountants throughout the world. The governing body’s code outlines ethical issues and responsibilities of accountants relating to areas such as taxes. It also includes ethical questions that have guidelines that relate to integrity and objectivity, competence, confidentiality and resolution of ethical conflicts (Maher, Stickney & Weil, 2011). IFAC moral code of conduct and standards are mandatory requirements for any managerial accounting.ReferencesMaher, M.W., Stickney, C.P. and Weil, R.L. (2011). Managerial Accounting: An Introduc tion to Concepts, Methods, and Uses. Michigan: Cengage Learning Publishers. Discussion Example Discussion – Coursework Example Insert The Problem of Social Inequality I feel that social inequality in the United s is a serious problem which sees national resources being disbursed unfairly and largely based on doctrines of allocation requiring specific criteria based along some social factors that influential people consider as effective. The economic inequality in the country is dictated by the capitalism aspect of unequal apportionment of earnings and or wealth, which has since created a few billionaires as vast populations scramble for the limited remainder of the wealth. Many American citizens are feeling the pinch of uneven sharing of social and natural wealth because the tradition has created various social classes, with those who are most privileged occupying the higher end of the society while the less privileged occupy the lower class segments of the social and economic order. The working class fall in between – the middle class. Specifically, the problem of social inequality is influencing dis parity in the citizens’ enjoyment of the rights and freedoms, political power and other services offered by government including education, security, justice, health care, shelter, financial services, and infrastructure development. With social inequality, members of the lower social classes will continue to be disadvantaged in terms of enjoying these public services. The solution to social inequality lies in the fair distribution of the public resources without any influence from capitalist norms. This can be achieved by formulating universal social policies which cut bring lower social classes symbolically at par with members of the higher end. By enforcing stronger social welfare policies and laws such as the Affordable Care Act, the lower social classes will feel more empowered and earning their ‘rightful’ share of the national resources. Discussion Example Discussion – Coursework Example Juvenile Court System versus Adult Court System Juvenile Court System differs from Adult or Criminal Justice System mostly in terms of psychological aspects. The former believes in the potential of â€Å"rehabilitation†. A juvenile undergoes a â€Å"hearing†, which is normally done in private, instead of a trial and is charged as â€Å"delinquent† instead of guilty. The latter imposes punishment for an offense. Judicial processes are open to public in the adult court system. Also, an adult offender may apply for bond or bail. Parole is based on surveillance and activities for juvenile, while for an adult, it is based on surveillance and behaviour (WGBH Educational Foundation , 1995-2012). The Juvenile Court System implements â€Å"statutory exclusion† wherein a youth can be placed under the criminal court, depending on his previous court history, issues related to age, and offense committed. This is necessary for the deterrence of juvenile violent crime wh ere rehabilitation is no longer sufficient. The setbacks of this â€Å"statutory exclusion†, based on studies, are tendencies for relapse, and certain cases of physical and sexual assaults (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinqunecy Prevention). Revocation of probation for juvenile is permitted. As per Section 771.7 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. 771.7 Revoking probation of juvenile for conviction of felony or misdemeanor; commitment of juvenile to department of corrections; violation of probation; order. (http://law.onecle.com, 2010) The use of computers, or information technology in general, may increase crime clearance rates and improve the quality of police work, but it does not alone reduce crime rate. Information technology and an effective organization of the police department should go hand in hand in order to achieve a more successful and powerful crime-fighting. (Garicano & Heaton)References:Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. (2011, April 22). O JJDP- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Retrieved January 4, 2012, from ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/structure_process/qa04101.asp?qaDate=2009Garicano, L., & Heaton, P. CentrePiece Winter 2007/08. Retrieved January 4, 2012, from http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/cp247.pdfhttp://law.onecle.com. (2010, March 26). Retrieved January 4, 2012, from http://law.onecle.com/michigan/760-777-code-of-criminal-procedure/mcl-771-7.htmlOffice of Juvenile Justice and Delinqunecy Prevention. (n.d.). Juvenile Justice Reform Initiatives in the States 1994-1996. Retrieved January 4, 2012, from ojjdp.gov/pubs/reform/ch2_j.htmlWGBH Educational Foundation . (1995-2012). Juvenile Justice. Retrieved January 4, 2012, from pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/juvenile/stats/juvvsadult.html Discussion Example Discussion – Article Example Running Head: DISCUSSION ID Lecturer Discuss what attitudes, beliefs, and values are and the influence they have on us as speakers and listeners. How do you feel your personal attitude, beliefs, and values shape who you are and will influence your perspective?The attitudes, beliefs and values are the most inherent forms of comprehension that can be found within people. These come about with experience, judgment, interaction and societal linkages – that develop over a period of time. As speakers and listeners, the attitudes, beliefs and values have a major and drastic consequence since these define how significant basic pointers are when discussing the same within a number of individuals, belonging to different groups and diverse communities. These considerations need to be paid essence because people hail from backgrounds of which the speakers have little clue about. Hence it is always a good starting point to know the audience up front in order to be seen as a good speaker. A s far as my personal attitudes, beliefs and values are concerned, I make sure that I remain much personalized to the people and act in a way that they feel as if I am one of them. This essentially facilitates me at gathering an understanding of how people would like to see the subject that is being talked about. In addition, it provides me the luxury to comprehend the nuances related with public speaking and listening. These are significant facets that need to be adhered to at all costs, and I am one of those individuals who goes out of his way to guarantee that the audience is given the number one priority. It influences my perspective regarding who I am and what I offer to this world through my different actions, undertakings and understandings in essence. Discussion Example Discussion – Coursework Example Decision-Making Bias Decision-Making Bias Decision-making bias is as a result of psychological bias that is the result of the tendency of making decisions in an illogical manner. The effects of bias in decision-making include loss of opportunity and decision-making that is below par. I have come to realise of decision-making bias that affected my choice of career with the main examples being anchoring and confirmation bias. Anchoring bias impacted on the choice of majoring in business to be an accountant as a career choice through putting a lot of importance on the needs of my parents who believed that was my best career choice with little to no consideration of my personal interest and needs. My decision to make the career choice was anchored in the view of my parents always wanting to have their son to follow a career related to business field resulting in my undertaking business depicting the impact of anchoring bias in my career choice. Maybe the influence of my parents on my car eer decision and their needs would not have been that strong and I decided to follow my interests, I would not have chosen chose business, as a career path. Confirmation bias also impacted on my career choice where I aimed at finding out information on the business field, as a good career path. Instead of seeking information from accountants and other professionals in the business field, I sought to check from friends and family members on the goodness of a career in business. They all believed that a career in business was great and confirmed my beliefs about the career choice resulting in deciding to join the business field. The decision might not have been the same if I chose to seek advice from business professionals who would have provided objective advice and not aim at confirming my beliefs as it happened with family and friends. Confirmation bias, therefore, impacted on me deciding to join the business field through seeking information that would confirm my beliefs and not r igorously looking for the correct and even contradicting information career choice. Discussion Example Discussion – Coursework Example Discussion 4 Richard Cory ‘Do not judge a book by its cover is the theme portrayed by the reading. Richard Corys friends thought he was happy and yet he was not. They judged him from how brilliant he looked every morning. The friends also thought that his wealth would automatically translate to happiness. In addition, the neighbors also thought that Richards education would make him happy but it did not. It was only until he committed suicide that his neighbor truly knew that he had not been happy in his life.The text addresses the subject correctly. Richards neighbors wished they were like him. It was because of the good things they saw from the outside. They, however, could not see the pain he was undergoing. It was unbearable for his, and he had to take his life. For this reason, I totally agree with the reading’s portrayal of the theme. Discussion 9The basis of this study is an article that was featured in cnn.com of a hunter who was attacked by bears in Alaskan Isla nd. The articles author draws the attention of readers to the article by providing an overview of the article’s content in its title. A reader is easily lured into reading the entire article by merely reading its title. The audience of the report is the general public, and the author uses a melancholic tone to capture the sympathy of his audience (Jethro 1). The author’s choice of words prompts readers into sympathizing with the victim. In describing the attack, he used the term ‘maul’ to illustrate how the bears pawed the victim. Despite the fact that he has not disclosed the sources of his facts, the author’s information seems accurate. This is because he gives details of the attack and even mentions survivors of the attack (Jethro 1). The author gives particular facts including the age of the victim in his article. He also relates this attack to a previous bear attack that happened in the Air Force Base. These details vivify the dangers of bears in this region. In overall, the author has not just succeeded in broadcasting the news but also warning the populace of the danger of bears (Jethro 1). Work CitedJethro, Mullen. â€Å"Hunter airlifted from Alaskan island after bear attack.† edition.cnn.com. 6th November 2014. Web. Retrieved on 6th November, 2014 from http://edition.cnn.com/2014/11/06/us/alaska-bears-attack-hunters/index.html?hpt=hp_t3 Discussion Example Discussion – Coursework Example Discussion The scope of nursing involves dilemmas in which nurses’ responsibilities conflict with patients’ interests, and needs, in such situation requires both ethical and legal considerations. The fact that legal provisions may also establish the conflict further complicates dilemma in which nursing personnel find themselves. Hospice situations in which patients with terminal conditions may be suffering from extreme and unmanageable pain, for example, induces the need for assisted death that establishes a dilemma. A similar dilemma exists with a patient who would wish to quit smoking but does not and it is necessary to ensure a decision that can maximize benefits to all involved stakeholders. As a nurse in the situation, I would have a discursive session with the patient to explore effects of the smoking, both perceived positive and negative effects, and the involved stakeholders to the effects. Using the patient’s perspective, we would outline people who may perceive benefits from the act of smoking and those who may perceive harm. We would then try to quantify the effects on each stakeholder and evaluate whether the patient’s act of smoking offers net benefit or harm to the involved members of the society. I would then introduce the patient to utilitarian ethics and explain to him the need to commit acts that brings net benefits to a majority of members of the society (Brooks and Dunn, 2009). I would use ethical principles such as beneficence and non-malficence doctrines to encourage the patient that some decisions are made not only because they benefit an individual, but because of the effects that the decisions could have to other members of the society. I would however explain to the patient that the ultimate decision on smoking lies with him, based on the moral doctrine of autonomy (Paola, Walker and Nixon, 2010). This approach would offer an informed perspective to the patient and ensure an intrinsic motivation that, if the patient would resolve to quit smoking, would ensure sustainability in the abstinence. ReferencesBrooks, L. and Dunn, P. (2009). Business & professional ethics for directors, executives & accountants. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Paola, F. Walker, R. and Nixon, L. (2010). Medical ethics and humanities. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

FAQs About Purchasing and Maintaining a Chainsaw

FAQs About Purchasing and Maintaining a Chainsaw Small chainsaws  are commonly purchased by rural property owners, tree and timber owners, firewood users and farmers. Often, a new chainsaw owner can become frustrated at the learning curve associated with chainsaw ownership. Here are answers to many questions asked by people planning to buy and operate a chainsaw. This Frequently Asked Questions page is for the new chainsaw owner and addresses the most common concerns about purchasing and maintaining a chainsaw. How to Select a New Chainsaw You should buy only the chainsaw you feel comfortable with. Chainsaw manufacturers are using newer  and lighter materials to build more powerful but durable machines.   Where to Purchase Most foresters and loggers agree and suggest purchasing chainsaws like Stihl, Jonsered or Husqvarna with strong local dealers.  Any reputable brand of chainsaw you purchase with a local dealership servicing that brand can last a long time. How to Learn Operating One There are many great resources on the Internet that can help you operate your saw. The best way is  to place it on flat ground, pull the start control to the on position, and hold the front handle with your left hand as you place your right foot on the rear handle. Make sure to safely review hazards before operating a chainsaw. According to saw expert Carl Smith: If you place your hands on a chainsaw, you must keep in mind that it is like grabbing  a hand grenade without a pin in it. It is very likely to go off in your face. From the moment that you take it out of storage to the time that it goes back to the same place, you can be hurt by either it, or by whatever you will be cutting. Chainsaw Kickbacks and Prevention One in every 12 timbering accidents is caused by chainsaw kickback. If a professional tree feller is at risk, it can definitely happen to a less experienced chainsaw user.  The main focus is to be aware and alert and always wear chainsaw safety clothing. Notice the position of the chainsaw bars nose and chains. Chainsaw Protection Equipment Wearing the proper clothing is one of the best safeguards for you to reduce the possibility of serious injury. Wear sturdy, snug-fitting clothing that gives you complete freedom of movement. The Most Important Parts of a Chainsaw OSHA requires you to have  10 parts on a chainsaw including the chain catcher, flywheel, and the clutch. It is also wise to not buy a  chainsaw bar  thats too short for your average trunk or limb diameter. Mixing Oil With Gas All 2-cycle engines require gas to be mixed with oil. The oil tank is for bar and chain lubricant. Additionally, you really do need to use a quality bar oil as your chainsaw bar oil rather than regular motor oil. This is because the bar and chain oil have a high-tack additive that prevents it from slinging off the chain as it travels. Chainsaw Chipper Vs. Chisel Chain A chipper is a round tooth, round filled chain. It maintains its edge better in dirty cutting. The chisel chain is a square tooth, often ground round and older in design. Filing a Chain When the chips it cuts are no longer chips but dust, or when you have to physically push or force it to cut, you need to sharpen your chain. Depth Gauge Depth gauges are the metal point in front of each tooth on a chainsaw chain. They determine how large a chip the tooth can be taken by the cutter.

Contemporary Art vs. Crafts Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contemporary Art vs. Crafts Movement - Essay Example The essay "Contemporary Art vs. Crafts Movement" discovers the different definitions of the art, analyzes its function and compare Contemporary Art with Crafts Movement. While the end result may not always be considered art, the possibility of creating an original drawing that transcends it’s parameters and materials is always possible, and that, to me, is the definition of art†. Others define the difference based upon distinctions of whether something is intended merely to suggest thought and ideas or is instead intended to serve a particular function as well as remain aesthetically pleasing. â€Å"People still debate the relative value of art made to be used, and art made to be contemplated (painting, drawing and sculpture). It’s the utilitarian versus the high art tradition†. As these definitions might suggest, there is no easy, one-size-fits-all solution to distinguishing between arts and crafts, yet it remains equally clear that there is a difference. Understanding the current debate between arts and crafts can provide several points of assistance to a high school level arts instructor in helping students recognize true talent from mere accident. Charles Lewton-Brain provides a helpful run-down of the various ways in which art and craft have been distinguished from each other. Somewhat jokingly, he indicates that one difference between art and craft is about $3,000, but more seriously suggests that the difference can be found in the intent. The Canadian Professional Relations tribunal.

Project Risk and Procurement Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Project Risk and Procurement Management - Essay Example The study investigates global catalogue facility in IBM that supports strategies aimed at offering IBM innovative catalogue solution for indirect purchases while supporting all teams in need of catalogue functionality. Issue at hand Procurement teams face challenges as well as opportunities from the increased competition, accelerated globalization and growth of services as essential differentiators in the marketplace, it is essential for organizations have to reassess their prevailing strategy and constantly validate its efficiency based on current and expected future business environment. At the core of IBM’s integrated supply chain is its global procurement’s value coming from its people and technologies that secure goods as well as service in support of internal partners and external clients in development and delivery of quality products and offerings (Williams, Lueg & LeMay 2008). IBM’s global supply chain involves a large number of suppliers is used to addr ess every product and service offering the company produces. Devising supply chain of this dimension and complexity while attaining end-to-end perceptibility and total incorporation is not a small task. Collaboration with suppliers and business partners remains crucial for the company in today’s business because it enables communication in the supply chain and ensures that suppliers are agile and responsive. Currently, the company’s supply chain is complex and functions much like a multi-point network configuration with movement of goods, processes and communications essential to the network (Baraldi 2008). Concept of supply chain management Supply chain management in the past few decades became extremely essential to companies operating in the competitive global marketplace. Although there are many definitions on the concept of supply chain, supply chain entails the context in which goods, services and information flow from the supplier to the end user; however, in re cent past supply chain expanded to include flow in the opposite direction. Therefore, supply chain management entail effective and efficient supervision of the supply chain and relationships between parties taking place in the chain. The significance of supply chain management is often associated with benefits it offers to organizations in the chain because it offer benefits like decreased costs, boosts revenue, increases satisfaction in customers and improves delivery and product or service quality. The benefits arise from various factors associated with supply chain management like information sharing, coordination and the resulting synergies between organizations (Baltacioglu, Ada, Kaplan, Yurt & Kaplan 2007). Moreover, through supply chain management, market data needs can efficiently be monitored and changing consumer needs and demands can easily be accessed and satisfied through proper production processes. As well, providing the right products and services at the right time a nd location offers customer satisfaction, and this potentially increases sales and revenue. Supply chain is essential considering that in the current global market it is impossible

OPM System Potential Threats and Vulnerabilities

OPM System Potential Threats and Vulnerabilities Risk Assessment Report Purpose The purpose of conducting this risk assessment was to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities related to OPM System. The risk assessment will be used to identify possible risk mitigation plans related to Agency. The network was identified to have a potential high-risk during security assessment. Therefore, risk assessment is needed to be conducted to measure the impact of any breach that can result from the vulnerabilities discovered. Scope The companys system comprises several infrastructural components. The external interface is a series interactive web page that allows users to input data and receive the required information from the application. The system is built using Internet Information Server that uses Active Server Pages. The network infrastructure helps in the management of information transaction in the entire system. The web application, database and operating systems that support these components are all included in the scope. Making sure that the servers require several firewalls which are set up in almost all the network interconnection boundaries. Threats Cybercrime have been a major source of leak of personal, corporation and governmental leak. The OPM operates without a proper risk governance structure. The OPM does not have a structured and standardized monitoring system for security controls. The OPM failed to maintain accurate IT inventory that undermines all attempts at securing their information systems. Insider threats to information systems may be the biggest threats that any organization might face. The reason why they are said to be the biggest is that it becomes very difficult to determine who would betray your organization among the trusted employees. It is always very easy to ignore the threat within on the assumption that there is always that loyalty within only to realize that the root cause of the threats is from within. The common insider threats are: Theft of unsecured personal device is a very big threat as the mobile devices use in organizations are out of control. These devices can be used to access vital information about the organization not limited to Intellectual Property and Defense plan theft. External threats Some of the examples of external security threats to the information system of the organization are: Phishing attacks is an external attack where a hacker uses the scam to trick an employee into giving them their login details. They send emails that are embedded with a link that captures the details when entered by the employee. Denial of Service attack where the attacker gains access to the network of the organization and keeps users from having access to certain services. The hackers achieve this by disrupting how the host system functions. When the attacker floods all the computer ports instead of only certain port is called Direct denial of service attack. Spoofing occurs when an attacker masquerades as a legit host and steals the IP address, spoofs a website or hijacks a network system and by that means inject malicious codes that are developed to create damage to the system operations. They include Trojan horses, viruses, key-loggers, spyware and many others. Once they are planted in the system, they interrupt the functionality of the system by disabling the firewalls and giving access to the hackers (Catteddu Hogben, 2013). Impact Very Low Low Medium High Very High Likehood Very Likely Known Unpatched Exploit Digital Ransom Hackers / DDoS/ Malicious Codes Somewhat Likely Insiders / Phishing Attacks Partners / Competitors /Terrorists / Spoofing Likely Theft of IT equipment Man in the middle Not Likely Above is the risk matrix of threats that exist in many organizations. This includes their likeliness of occurrence and their level of impact of the attack. Vulnerabilities The OPM allows information systems to operate indefinitely without been subjected to a strict security controls assessment. The FISMA requirements, OMB policies and applicable NIST guidelines have not been followed through appropriately such as dated system inventory which includes the organization and contractor-operated systems. The Risk Assessment Matrix below shows the threat source, threat action likelihood of occurrence and the impact of the vulnerabilities involved. Vulnerability Threat Source Threat action Likelihood of occurrence Impact/s OPM applications do not require PIV authentication Unauthorized users and terminated employees Dialing into the companys database and access of critical information. Very high Loss of crucial data, loss of revenues through litigation expenses in case this information is misused. Unsupported software Terminated employees, Hackers and computer criminals Getting into the system using the unsupported software or any other software Very high This may lead to loss of sensitive files from the system of the company. Lack of annual assessment of its systems Unauthorized users, hackers and computer criminals Accessing the database of the company through hacking or any other way such as getting used to the pattern Very high Remote access of the data which may lead to the access of the data. Impact assessments for exploitation of security weaknesses The weakness of security makes the OPM exposed to data loss. The evaluation shows that OPM does not have a process to record or track security status making the process vulnerable. This also showed the need for OCIO to centrally track the current status of security weakness. Remediation On performance standards, systems owners had to be modified to fit the FISMA compliance systems. These were few remediation forwarded among others. OIG recommends that the OCIO develop and maintain a comprehensive inventory of all servers, databases, and network devices that reside on the OPM network. All active systems in OPMs inventory must have a complete and current Authorization. OPM must ensure that an annual test of security controls has been completed for all systems. Use of Access control is very important in making sure that access to information in the system is controlled. The use of passwords and usernames help the organization protect private data from landing the hands of authorized personnel. This technique is important in protection against threats like spoofing, packet hijacking, malicious codes and many others. RDBMS help in making the transactions within the systems quite efficient and effective because they provide the ACID tests that provide security to the transactions. The use of transaction logs also helps in tracking the changes that are made to the database. Firewall log files help in protecting the transaction within the system secure from attacks. Cryptography also applies complex mathematics and logic to design high-end encryption methods that allows system administrators to maintain confidence of the clients in the organizations operations. People are assured that their data is kept private using cryptography and very important in making sure that the database transactions are kept secured and lock out the attackers (Filipek Hudec, 2015). Cost/benefit analyses of remediation The OPM is working to improve their comprehensive security control system that will, later on, need periodic system authorization. Even though it may cost the organization high to have this work, it will be a win due to the security threats and vulnerabilities they face. Proper governance is needed to proactively implement cost-effective controls to protect critical information systems that support the mission and changing the risk management. High-level plan of action with interim milestones (POAM) The action was done through auditing standards accepted by the government. The standards requirement includes the systems that allows efficient auditing in order to extract sufficient informations and conclusion on any activities in the network. Considering OPM, internal controls were examined for various systems which had varying degrees of computer generated data. Summary This is a report on OPM Authorization program have concluded that OPM has not substantially defined the roles and responsibilities of all positions of the IT management structure. With the existent threats and vulnerabilities, there have been significant improvements to the monitoring program. REFERENCES Catteddu, D., Hogben, G. (2013). Cloud computing risk assessment: benefits, risks and recommendations for information security, ENISA report. Filipek, J., Hudec, L. (2015, June). Distributed firewall and cryptography using PKI in mobile Ad Hoc networks. In Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies (pp. 292-298). ACM.

Health Care Transparency Essay

Healthcare transparency has been defined by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) as making available to the public, in a reliable and understandable manner, information on the health care system’s quality, efficiency and consumer experience with care, which includes price and quality data, so as to influence the behavior of patients, providers, payers and others to achieve better outcomes (American College, 2010). Transparency allows consumers to make better informed decisions. It also helps health facilities convey information to the public. With more information in the open, there will be less overall confusion. People will be better equipped and facilities will know how they compare to other facilities. In the past transparency has been affected by lawsuits. With the risk of being sued, many physicians and hospitals did not want to divulge private information. Of course, this attitude is beginning to change. In the video â€Å"Healthcare Transparency† Dr. Patrick Cawley expresses that transparency in the future will be greatly increased (Dr. Cawley, P., 2009). More information will lead to better patient care. Eventually a patient will be able to review how well a hospital or physician is able to provide care. Everything from infection rates to waiting times will all be accessible to the public. I agree with all forms of medical transparency. Access to wait times will better prepare potential patients for their visits to a hospital. Knowledge of infection rates will affect how the public perceives a health institute. If infection rates are high, most likely public opinion will be able to change this. No longer will things of this nature be shrugged off as typical health care. If a facility is providing less than optimal care, people will be aware of this and know to avoid the facility. This means that poor health care facilities will rightfully fail, while prominent effective health  facilities remain active and prosperous. Thus means overall better patient care. If only the best health care facilities are able to thrive, more people will be able to receive optimal care. Patient satisfaction surveys will also help potential patients understand the environment they are about to enter. If a staff is rude and curt than the public will have access to this. Essentially, this will encourage health care providers to give optimal quality of service to each and every patient. Of course, it’s important that a patients expectations are not too grand. Nothing in life is perfect and people should understand this. Busy hours and numerous patients can cause fatigue. After all, health care providers are still human. Perhaps if all physicians were machines then we could expect them all to be perfect. Performance of medical procedures will enlighten a patient of how well a hospital is able to provide a service. This in turn will allow consumers to make the best choice when selecting a facility for providing care. Someone needing back surgery should be able to locate and choose a facility right for them. If a facility performs poorly with back surgeries, the public has a right to know so that they can avoid this. People have the right to make the most well informed decision. Facility treatment of patients should definitely be transparent. If a facility is trying to hide something it can’t be good. People have the right to know how well a facility treats their patients. This also encourages a facility to always do their best. Ultimately, everyone wants the best health care possible. With expanded information more people will be properly informed of all their choices. Transparency means freedom for consumers. It means more access to information, and more freedom to select the best choice. Without transparency health care is more of a guessing game. Does the facility perform well with back surgery? Who knows guess you’ll have to find out on your own. Of course, that’s risky. But why risk, when you can be informed? At least with information the public can make better decisions. Better decisions will ultimately lead to the best health care. The strong will survive, while the weak will perish. Poor health facilities will fail as more and more people choose the best facilities. As the best facilities succeed the health community will become stronger as a whole. A strong health community will lead to an overall better equipped public community. References American College of Physicians. (2010). Health Transparency. Retrieved from http://www.acponline.org/advocacy/current_policy_papers/assets/transparency.pdf Dr. Cawley, P. (2009). Health Care Transparency. Retrieved from https://portal.phoenix.edu/medialibrary/videodetails.05V130128092014044.html