Information Security College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Information Security College - Essay Example Information security essentially requires that the genuine parties to a transaction are identified, the actions they are allowed to perform are determined and their actions are limited to only those that are necessary to initiate and complete the transaction. Anything beyond that means that an intrusion attack is taking place. A new technology that has come up to secure information is the use of "tokens". Token is a form of two-factor authentication whereby the user needs a combination of something he knows for e.g. a password and something he has e.g. a token, to log on to a system. Tokens come in various shapes and sizes and they are mainly of two types; "passive tokens" are storage devices that contain a secret code that allow users to gain access to a network, whereas "active tokens" are usually small stand-alone electronic devices that generate a one-time password that is only useful for a single log-on and the user logs on to the system using this one-time password. Currently there are 20 vendors who are involved in the marketing of these handheld devices and the price ranges from $30 to $100 per unit. Companies wanting to use this technology can choose anything that serves their need and purpose because it can be customized and costs accordingly. However, four vendors are the market leaders because their products are sold the most; three vendors have the token device the size of a small calculator with a keyboard and use a 'challenge response' strategy. The fourth vendor supplies a device that is the size of a credit card and operates on a random number basis. Tokens are becoming increasingly popular among major companies today because they provide a very good and reliable solution to safeguard information. Over the years, companies have tried various means by which the network and information of the company would remain safe and not get in the wrong hands. However, more often than not, expert hackers have managed to break in and damage the whole network of companies. As a result of this, companies have faced enormous amounts of losses and experienced damages beyond repair. Companies using the technology of tokens are realizing that it is becoming extremely significant for the smooth running of their business without fearing the attack from hackers and losing valuable information. Tokens offer several advantages mainly: The password used in tokens is dynamic and cannot be re-used or guessed as it is a one-time password only. Tokens save costs as less money is spent on installing security technologies like firewalls etc and expert personnel don't need to be hired for the maintenance of these technologies. Since all the transactions require digital signing, it validates user identity. Even if the token device is lost or stolen, other built-in features prevent illegal access. Some tokens also have an audit trail and a built-in alarm that alerts the security director or mainframe operator to illegal access attempts. The size of the devices are such that they are portable and enable authentication for members of the company from anywhere, anytime. As more and more businesses are going online, the need to protect the company's network from attacks is greater than ever. A large amount of high-tec information passes to and fro among

The Challenges Posed By Digitalization And The Internet Media Essay

The Challenges Posed By Digitalization And The Internet Media Essay No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher? Perhaps, we all have read this phrase or a similar phrase somewhere at sometime. Similar warnings can be found in the movie credits, covers of music albums and similar other digital works which we can find in the Internet and other digital devices. How many of us have actually paid heed to such warnings? Almost always, nobody does. Everybody uses the Internet as if it is a limitless source of all that we need and want. The Internet is one big library. It is made up of numerous computers and devices which are connected together and carry data which can be transmitted to the other computers in the database. It has all the information that everyone virtually needs. Books, music, photos, news and many other kinds of information can be found on the Internet. Some for free and some for a fee. It is one big library without a librarian. And that is where the big problem lies. Nobody actually monitors what information you get from the internet and how you intend to use it. Most of the time, you can save or download any information that you need and do whatever you want to do with it at the click of a button. The Internet not being owned by anyone nor controlled by anyone is thus considered as a public domain. Everybody can have access to digital information which is usually free and available for all. With the Internet, the privacy of millions is threatened. Is there anything that we can do if a photo we posted online is being reposted by someone unknown in another website? Can we stop another person on the other side of the globe from copying the thoughts that we have posted on the blog? Are there even laws spanning across territories that we can invoke to protect us? Is it even possible to know and pinpoint who the person responsible is? Almost always, the answer to these questions is a big resounding No. This privacy problem is even compounded in areas of Intellectual Property. It refers to those property rights which result from the physical manifestation of original thought (Martin, 2002). Copyright is one of the areas covered by Intellectual Property Laws. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, Copyright refers to that system of legal protection an author enjoys in the form of expression of ideas. This covers protection given to authors with regards to his scientific, educational, literary or other works; musical compositions of a composer; painters and other artists with respect to their work of arts; and many others not limited to such enumeration. Prior to the era of digitalization and the Internet, these copyrighted materials only exist in printed form, usually on paper or on canvas. These works have specific laws which protect their use from infringement. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, display or derivatives can be considered infringement, subject to certain rules and standards set in the laws. However, as we have reached the digital age, these works have been made available through the Internet also. Due to this, the problems have arisen, problems which have not been covered by most Copyright laws. What constitutes reproduction or distribution or display in tangible form does not equate to reproduction, distribution or display over the Internet media. Strictly speaking a work cannot be the subject of an infringement unless there is something tangible which shows such. The same no longer holds true with the digitalization and Internet. The Copyright System and Laws are thus unable to effectively respond to the challenges posed by digitalization and the Internet. The Challenges Posed by Digitalisation and the Internet We know that schools, businesses, hospitals and various other institutions have date which can be useful to other organizations. Many of these data can be accessible by digital copies and through online. This resulted to the era of databases which can be accessed by almost everyone in the planet. Some argue that this is an invasion of privacy as well as an infringement of copyright rights. Copyright may be vested in a work closely similar or even identical to an earlier, already patented work, provided that the former is truly original (Martin, 2002). The Internet, as helpful and convenient as it is, has been a cause of a major problem when it comes to intellectual property laws. The Internet has paved way for the unauthorized collection, use or sale of copyrighted materials. It is not only famous authors or artists which are protected by copyright laws. Davis (1997) once suggested the idea that individual users of the Internet also have property rights. Whatever we write or put on the Internet which are from our own personal thoughts or ideas or works are our own private intellectual property and as such we have the right to protect it and should not be copied by just about anyone online. Copyright puts a limitation on the volume of information or material that a person can reproduce without getting a license to copy first (Gillespie, 2007). A copyright can also be a limitation on artistic choices as artists cannot even make artistic works which are similar to that which has already been copyrighted (Burrell Coleman, 2005). This may sound as nothing important for Internet users but for people who are the owners of copyrighted works, this is very important. Many people in fact do not understand the idea of Copyright Laws and how it works. Lets examine the case of authors and the books they write. With the digitalization and the Internet, books in paper have been transformed into electronic books and can be easily saved in millions of copies in a device even smaller than a matchbox. Electronic books, otherwise called ebooks are books in electronic form which can be read on the computer or any ebook reader device (Schwabach, 2006). These days, people dont buy books as often as before. Thanks to the Internet. Or perhaps, no thanks to the Internet? Remember way back ten years or more ago, people buy encyclopedias, almanacs and atlases which come in 20 book sets or more. People buy Bible books for children in sets of 10 or more. Often, these are done in set-ups of monthly installments which in this day and age seem illogical. Why would you need 20 books when you can just Google? Why would you need four feet of space for a set of books and magazines when you can just buy a computer and use two feet of space for information which cannot be contained in even a room full of books? We admit, more and more people are reading ebooks, they are cheaper, they do not take space and they can last a lifetime. Many of these ebooks can be copied online for free and are allowed to be disseminated over the Internet for several reasons, such as when they are already available in the public domain or the author chose to publish it free for all (Schwabach, 2006). However, not all authors are like this. There are also many authors who have placed restrictions in the ebooks and thus do not allow any unauthorized or unpaid copies to be made and distributed. There goes the problem with the Copyright Laws. Another favorite in the Copyright infringement with this boom of the digital and Internet era is the mass reproduction and dissemination of movies. Movies are cinematographic works of art. Usually, the producer has copyright for purposes of exhibition; for all other purposes, the producer, the author of the scenario, the composer, the film director, the author of the work are the creators and thus have the copyright protection. In this day and age, anyone can download movies through the Internet and store them in memory drives. One downloaded movie can be reproduced a million times, recopied in DVDs, transported to different areas of the globe, and watched in millions of homes countless times. This is very common and not everyone knows that this is actually infringement. Third scenario, have you ever heard of controversies involving speeches made by people and would later be found to be copied verbatim from a speech made on the other side of the globe and which can be found online? We have heard of these a lot. You can use it as a speech in a remote area and when fortune favors you, nobody would ever know that you copied that piece from an article you read online. No one will ever know and everyone who has listened to such speech will think of how brilliant a speaker you are. Little did they know, you not only plagiarized the speech, you have also broken certain laws. Yes, you are in the eyes of the law, a criminal. In these scenarios, somewhere, someone has the right to relief and damages for such mass reproduction and dissemination of the movies, for the plagiarized speech, for the ebooks which have been copied and passed hundred of times. The one who is responsible for the infringement exposes himself to criminal liability wherein the law prescribes penalties of imprisonment and fines. This can be easy in the past. But in this world of vast connection of wires all over the globe, how easy is it to catch who is responsible? How can authors, musicians and artists ask for damages when they do not know in the first place who is responsible? And, is there really a clear law which defines infringement of Copyright laws over the Internet? In the past, it has been clearly laid down what constitutes copyright infringement and which doesnt. In the past, it has been clearly laid down who is entitled to copyright protection. In the past, it has been clearly laid down who owns the copyright. In the past, it has been clearly laid down what constitutes Fair use. The Fair Use Doctrine refers to the fair use of copyrighted work for the purpose of criticism, educational purposes, news reports, research and other similar purposes. Fair Use does not constitute infringement. In this instance, fair use in tangible media and fair use over the digital networks and the Internet seem to be the same. In the payment for damages, some laws lay down rules on assessment on the basis of the proof given by the author or artist of sales made by the infringer of the infringing work deducted by whatever costs the infringer may be able to prove (Martin, 2002). With the copyright infringement happening on the Internet, sometimes sales do not even take place, there is but a free for all reproduction of copyrighted works. We can see that in addition to losing protection from infringement, the author or artist also loses any chance of getting any amount of damages for compensation. Are information found online in this age of the Internet and digitalisation owned absolutely by their authors or artists, or is there some form of joint ownership with all the other users of the Internet? Does the fact that a copyrighted photo is found online give the Internet users the absolute right to use it? If that is so, then it goes to say that we have all become owners of whatever information that we can find on the Internet, right? Wrong. In some instances, there are owners of copyrighted materials such as music and books which allow specific transfers to internet users without any copyright infringement taking place (Rimmer, 2007). For example, the importation of a copy of a work by an Internet user for solely personal purposes shall be permitted without the authorization of the author of, or other owner of copyright in, the work under certain circumstances as laid down by law. When copyrighted materials are sold over the internet, there is no tangible medium. It is thus only the right to use which is being passed to the one who is buying the copyrighted digital works (Schwabach, 2006). Thus, technically speaking, a digital work which is sold online may not be sold by the buyer to another. That right to sell only belongs to the real owner of the digital work. The buyer only has the right to use, he can read or listen to the digital work but he does not have the right to sell it. The same analogy goes true when buying a DVD. If you buy a DVD and you copy the contents of the DVD and then sell the copied DVD, you are guilty of infringement. These are just some of the hundreds of challenges that are faced by the Copyright System and which have to be dealt with to protect artists, authors and others who have created manifestations of their brilliant ideas. It is therefore important to examine and to address the rights associated with the people who are owners of information or media disseminated over the internet (Gillespie, 2007). We, the billions of Internet users in the planet, are not the owners of every thing that we can find on the Internet. There is nothing to prevent you or me from downloading the latest movies, or posting a video of yourself online singing the latest chart-topping song of a music phenomenon, or posting an exceptionally beautiful painting made by your neighbor and claiming it as your own. A cornerstone in helping the problem with copyright protection is to inform the general public about rights and duties of owners of copyrighted materials and the Internet users (Wolf, 2003). Being socially responsible for whatever we download and use from the Internet may seem like the best possible option at present. Sad to say, but authors and other owners of copyrighted materials do not seem to have any avenue to defend their Copyright protection. Novel efforts must be made to explore how Intellectual Property Laws on Copyright can be amended and streamlined for the digitalization and Internet use. No matter how good the countrys Intellectual Property Laws are, these are still not designed for the digital and the Internet era. These laws have proved lacking, giving more freedom to Internet users and stripping Copyright owners of the Copyright protection that laws have given them. Conclusion What the Internet and digitalization gives away with one hand, it usually takes away with the other. The Internet and digitalization may have opened a whole lot of doors for everyone, but it also creates a very serious problem with regards to the use and abuse of information. Different jurisdictions all over the world have made the recognition that with the boom of digitalization and the Internet, privacy is almost impossible and the laws on copyright are unable to effectively respond to this. Movies, books, music and similar digital works have been the subject of numerous infringement which does not seem to stop anytime soon. Many challenges are faced by Copyright Laws because of digitalization and the Internet. Among these problems are the inapplicability of present Intellectual Property Laws, the lack of control in the information dissemination of the Internet, the easy access and download of various digital works over the Internet and the seeming lack in social responsibility and awareness of many Internet users, to name a few. A lot of people are actually unaware that not everything that we find on the Internet can be copied and used to our hearts content. And even if people knew, they either do not understand or do not care. Besides, what would stop them from infringing copyrighted works? The vast interconnection of wires and computers almost makes it virtually impossible to catch someone who is responsible for downloading and copying several copies of a movie, a song, a book, a photograph or similar works. In conclusion, until a perfect law against infringement of copyrighted digital materials over the internet is made and implemented, or a perfect socially responsible Internet- and digitally-savvy community of users exists, there is no specific and effective solution to help the owners of Copyrighted materials against these challenges that they face in this age of digitalization and the Internet.

In-Depth Summary of Expectancy Theory Essay example -- BTEC Business M

In-Depth Summary of Expectancy Theory In today’s organization, there is a need for ways in which to effectively motivate employees. Expectancy theory addresses the underlying issues that are associated with the belief that a performance or outcome is attainable. Developed initially by Edward Tolman and Kurt Levin, introduction of the theory into the workplace was not achieved until quite some time later by Victor Vroom (Bradt, 1996). It is his first utilization of the theory that enabled others to develop and recognize the potential the theory played in motivating individuals. This essay will address not only the fundamental mechanics behind expectancy theory, but also how it can be correlated with education, performance appraisals, and leadership roles in the workplace. When an individual is confronted with a task within the workplace they first assess if the effort that is required will produce a successful performance. Underlying issues such as self-esteem, educational background, and duration of the task all can aid in the individual's perception of probability in achievement. If an individual's perception of the task has a high probability of success, then motivation will ensue. Subsequently, if the individual feels there is little chance, then a lack of motivation occurs. From there the individual will attempt to analyze the probability that if this task is achieved, the desired outcome or reward will be acceptable and bestowed. This analysis of probability is labeled performance-to-outcome expectancy (Moorhead & Griffin, 2001). Desired outcomes vary depending on the individual’s needs, wants, and expectations. It is with this knowledge of diverse needs that the manager is able to realize the potential differences in how to best satisf y the employee’s outcome perception. This assessment of importance of the outcome to the individual is its valence. Having discussed the fundamentals involved with expectancy theory, we will know look more closely at how it can further be applied to motivation through education in the workplace. Studies have shown that there is a definite correlation between education and motivation amongst employees. When an individual assess their effort-to-performance probability, factors such as self-esteem and expectations can play a significant role. Lack of basic fundamental skills among individuals who have ... ...nd a feeling of insecurity there is now more then ever a reason for the organization to develop more effective ways to motivate employees. After analyzing just a few of the hybrids associated with expectancy theory, it is clear that employee perceptions and expectations play a vital role in the success and productivity of the organization. The ability of the manger not only to identify, but also to utilize, this information is essential in fostering an environment of willing and highly motivated employees. Through analyzing and offering education, relevant performance appraisals, and leadership an environment of motivation can be achieved. Works Cited: Bradt, J. (1996, March). Pay Employees for Their Contributions. Personnel Journal New Product News Supplement, 7-9. Clinton, M. (1998, Nov). Uncertain Effects: Can Basic Skills Education Improve Motivation. Technical Training, 9(6), 35-37. Isaac, R. & Zerbe, W. (2001, Summer). Leadership and Motivation: The Effective Application of Expectancy Theory. Journal of Managerial Issues, 13(2), 212. Moorhead, G. & Griffin, R. Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.

The Chosen :: essays papers

The Chosen The Chosen, written by Chaim Potok may relate to many universal topics, it is clear that it directly relates to the field of education. Mr. Potok has brought us on a journey, which allows many of us to see from an outside prospective, all of the factors, which account for a healthy education. It is a difficult task to relate a novel to the field of education; however, Mr. Potok has made my job easy. The book has received rave reviews from many sources, and the Chicago Tribune said: "†¦Works of this caliber should be occasion for sinning in the streets and shouting from the rooftops.† The story is about the friendship between two Jewish boys, growing up in New York City. The catch is that they are from two different sects, and have different ideas about the future. The first boy we meet is Reuven Malter, the son of a Jewish teacher, David Malter. He raises Reuven alone as his wife passed away. The other boy is Danny Saunders, who is the son of a very devoted Hassidic Jewish tzaddik. Danny is cursed with the fate of taking over his father’s position, and he does not want to do so. Reuven wants to become a mathematician. The accident, which seems as if it will separate these two boys in hatred, actually ends up uniting them. It takes place on a baseball field, made up of concrete, and they are both on opposing teams. The incident occurs when Reuven is playing pitcher, and Danny is the batter. Reuven pitches the ball, and Danny hits it right into Reuvens eye. After being taken to the hospital, we find out that there is some glass in the eye and it must be taken out, and Reuven will remain in the hospital for several days. While in the eye-ward of the hospital, Reuven meets Mr. Savo, a retired boxer, with a patch over his right eye, and Bobby, a young boy who was blinded in a car accident. They have an impact on his life, as he can see that other people have it worse than him. The story takes place in New York City during World War II, and being Jewish, the stage is set for a turbulent time.

Ethical Non-Objectivism Essay

According to A. J. Ayers, the moral judgements are not cognitive in nature and are based on specificity to a given situation. These judgements can not be evaluated in absolute terms as true or false but rather on the basis of validity or applicability to a given situation. A moral judgement, according to him, is reflective of emotions aroused by a particular situation and can hence be classified as valid or invalid rather than as true or false. These judgements are not objective propositions but they express emotions and are not verifiable. An argument about the truth or falsity of a moral judgement is actually the interpretation based on empirical observations to specific cases thereby constituting a non-objective reality. The validity or the truth and falsity of ethical judgements can not be found because they are dependent on sense-experiences and they do not categorically make statements but rather give one’s biased opinion towards the situation. The ethical and moral judgements are thus purely emotive. Persuasive arguments for moral objectivism do not constitute a proposition since they are based on normative emotional reactions and earlier moral conditioning. His key argument against moral objectivism is thus this emotive response because even if an adversary agrees to facts in a given situation, he might still differ on his moral judgement with the two parties accusing each other of having a distorted moral sense whereas in reality each may be justified in having their judgements from their emotive experiences. Hence, the claims of moral objectivists on the correctness of their moral evaluations can not be verified in absolute terms as a propositional claim. Any such claim carries with it a certain emotive content or a sense-experience and so these do not come under the purview of being right or wrong as the moral objectivists proclaim. A more sound treatment of these value judgements, Ayer believes is an approach that takes into view an individual’s or a group’s empirical viewpoints. References Jules Ayer, Alfred. (1952). Language, truth, and logic. Dover Publications.

Poverty in the United States Research Paper Essay

Today, â€Å"the number of people in the U.S. who are in poverty is increasing to record levels with the ranks of working-age poor approaching 1960s levels that led to the national war on poverty† (â€Å"Poverty in the United States,† 2012). When looking at the increasingly important issue of poverty in the United States, one cannot help but wonder how this will affect future generations and the stability of the nation as a whole. In order to fully understand the problem at hand, poverty must first be defined, have the causes and effects of it examined, look at it from a world-wide perspective, and then consider how it will affect the future of the United States. The goal of this document is to bring to the readers attention the potential consequences of ignoring poverty in the United States and motivate them to do something about it. â€Å"Poverty is the deprivation of well being that occurs when people cannot satisfy their basic needs† (â€Å"Poverty,† 2012). There are two kinds of poverty: absolute poverty and relative poverty. Absolute poverty, or destitution, refers to the lack of basis needs such as food, water, clothing, shelter, health care, education, and the necessary supplies to live hygienically (â€Å"Poverty,† 2012). When poverty is measured in relative terms, it is defined contextually by the median income of where people live (Smeeding, 2006, p. 71). Relative poverty does not imply that that the person is lacking anything, just that they are living below a certain level of income (â€Å"Poverty in the United States,† 2012). For example: a person with an annual income of $150,000 living in a neighborhood with an average annual income of $500,000 is relatively poor even though they by no means lack the ability to provide the basic essential needs outlined by absolute poverty. Both types of poverty vary from location to location, but absolute poverty tends to be more of a universal definition while relative poverty is strictly dependent upon the Running head: POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES 3 location in which a person lives. â€Å"Since the 1960s, the United States government has defined poverty in absolute terms. When the Johnson administration declared ‘war on poverty’ in 1964, it chose an absolute measure. The ‘absolute poverty line’ is the threshold below which families or individuals are considered to be lacking the resources to meet the basic needs for healthy living; having insufficient income to provide the food, shelter and clothing needed to preserve health† (â€Å"Poverty in the United States,† 2012). â€Å"A 2001 poll in the United States asked: ‘In your opinion, which is the bigger cause of poverty today- that people are not doing enough to help themselves out of poverty, or that circumstances beyond their control cause them to be poor?’ Responses were nearly evenly split between ‘people not doing enough’ (48 percent) and ‘circumstances’ (45 percent)† (Iceland, 2006, p. 70). There are many speculations as to what the causes of poverty in the United States are and studies show that the main causes are both social and economic, both of which will be discussed here. Problems leading to poverty in the United States include family status, the level of education of the head of household, age of the head of household, and race. â€Å"In 1991, 8.3% of children in two-parent families were likely to live in poverty; 19.6% of children living with father in single parent family; and 47.1% in single parent family headed by mother† (â€Å"Poverty in the United States,† 2012). That means that an average of 33.35% of children coming from a single parent family are likely to live in poverty compared to a mere 8.3% of children living in the traditional, two-parent, family. Another great factor leading to poverty is the level of education of the head of household. â€Å"Studies have shown that people who invest in their education or skills can expect higher incomes† (Iceland, 2006, p. 70-71). Obviously, income has Running head: POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES 4 a direct correlation with poverty as it is in the essence of its definition. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, â€Å"the median earnings of household headed by individuals with less than a 9th grade education was $20,805 while households headed by high school graduates earned $40,456, households headed by holders of a bachelor’s degree earned $77,605, and families headed by individuals with professional degrees earned $100,00† (â€Å"Poverty in the United States,† 2012). In 2009, households headed by individuals age 15-24 averaged an income of $30,750 annually, while households headed by individuals age 25-34 averaged $50,188, and households with a head age 35-44 averaged $61,083 (â€Å"Poverty in the United States,† 2012). Along with this study, there were no indicators as to what the primary cause of this was; however, it’s possible that work experience and additional education may be factors. While this is more of a combination of a social and economic factor to poverty, it is more of a social one because it deals directly with the head of household. The factor related to poverty to look at is race. In 2003, the poverty rate amongst African Americans in the United States was 24.4%, almost double the national poverty rate of 12.5% (Iceland, 2006, p. 81). This could be due to the oppressions of society through racial discrimination or profiling, or simply the effects of the oppression that once was- slavery and the racist discrimination of the early 20th century. â€Å"Poverty increases the risk of homelessness† (â€Å"Poverty,† 2012), and children who grow up in low income families have less of a chance to get a good education and attempt to better themselves and their income (â€Å"Poverty,† 2012). With this in mind, it makes sense that the African American community makes up a large majority of the poor in the United States. Their beginnings in this nation were the lowest, poorest conditions of anyone in that day. Many believe that they simply have not been able to Running head: POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES 5 climb out of the hole they were placed in to when they were enslaved back in the 1700’s. â€Å"Another factor that contributes to higher poverty rates among African Americans is human-capital skills differentials. This refers to differences in average levels of education, quality of educational opportunities, and subsequent work experience. The gap in average levels of education has declined over the past few decades. Nevertheless, the quality of schooling received by children varies widely, and African Americans are more likely to attend inferior schools with fewer resources† (Iceland, 2006, P. 84). Attendance to schools with fewer resources is a direct result of their economic situation, which causes the poor to stay poor in this case. Another example of race being a factor of poverty in the United States can be seen when observing the hispanic culture. In 2003, the Latino poverty rate was at 22.5%, just below that of the African American community (Iceland, 2006, p. 85). This is in large part due to immigration, as â€Å"immigrant families are at greater risk of poverty than nonimmigrant families† (Iceland, 2006, p. 85). Also, â€Å"in places with many immigrants, the competition for low-wage jobs also appears to drive down wages for these immigrants† (Iceland, 2006, p. 86). For as much as Americans focus on equal opportunity and not discriminating based upon race, it would appear that poverty does discriminate based upon race and does not provide all races with equal opportunities in the United States. Obviously there are exceptions, and not everyone who grows up in poverty stays poor. Nonetheless, there is still a trend of minority races having higher poverty rates in the United States. â€Å"21% of all children in the United States live in poverty; about 46% of black children and 40% of Latino children live in poverty† (â€Å"Poverty in the United States,† 2012). Now that the factors leading to poverty and effects of them have been examined, it is time Running head: POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES 6 to look at poverty from a world-wide perspective. Mahatma Gandhi said, â€Å"Poverty is the worst form of violence.† All across the world, this violence is real, and to many, a way of life. The poverty line is much lower in some other countries due to an uneven distribution of wealth. In the USA, the wealthy middle class brings the median up and causes the poverty threshold to be higher. However, different factors such as the level and trend of poverty and inequality amongst nations, along with considerable detail on the sources of market incomes and public policies are used to compare poverty levels from nation to nation (Smeeding, 2006, p. 69). With that said, absolute poverty is much more rampant in some other countries than it is in the United States. For example: in 2008, of the estimated 1.29 billion people living in absolute poverty, 400 million of them lived in India and 173 million lived in China. That’s almost half of the world’s poor living in just those two countries, while the United States hosted just 39.1 million. Everyone reacts to their circumstances in a different way. For example: â€Å"in Zimbabwe, a number of girls are turning to prostitution for food to survive† (â€Å"Poverty,† 2012). Some turn to violence or steal to get what they need to survive. For many Children living in poverty, their lives are deemed a failure before they are ever given a chance to succeed. â€Å"Research has found that there is a high risk of educational underachievement for children who are from low-income housing circumstances† (â€Å"Poverty,† 2012). In some countries, young children can be seen begging in the streets for money. As Abraham Maslow showed in his hierarchy of needs, when people don’t have their basic needs- food, water, shelter, safety, comfort, etc.- it can be very difficult to focus on much more than those. For children living in absolute poverty, these are the very things that they seek after on a Running head: POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES 7 daily basis. The number of homeless children in America rose from 1.2 million in 2007 to 1.6 million in 2010 (â€Å"Poverty,† 2012). Children are the future of this great nation. If so many are forced to grow up in sub-par circumstances without the necessary tools and opportunities to be successful, how can the United States fulfill its potential as a nation. Poverty rates are on the rise once again. It is everybody’s responsibility to do something about it. Give what can be given. Feed the homeless. Care for them. Provide the poor with an opportunity to better their lives. â€Å"Give a man a fish and you’ve fed him that day, teach a man to fish and he can eat for the rest of his life.† Sometimes all that needs to be given is a little bit of time and energy to reach out and attempt to better someone else’s circumstances. In this paper, poverty was defined, the causes and effects of poverty were examined, it was looked at from a world-wide perspective, and the long term effects of poverty in the United States were considered. People can never know what they are truly capable of until they truly apply themselves. Just because poverty has always been an issue in the world does not mean that it always has to be. Take it from a man who spent his life serving the poor and trying to better the world around him: â€Å"be the change you wish to see in the world† -Mahatma Gandhi. Running head: POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES 8 References Poverty. (10/6/2012). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty. Poverty in the United States. (9/24/2012). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States. Iceland, J. (2006). Poverty in America: A handbook. Berkley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press. Smeeding, T. (2006). Poor people in rich nations: The United States in comparative perspective. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 20(1), 69-90.

Compare and Contrast the Whiskey Rebellion with Shay’s...

Shays Rebellion was an armed uprising in western Massachusetts that run from 1786 to 1787. The rebels, led by Daniel Shays were small farmers angered by debilitating debt and taxes and failure to repay such debts often resulted in imprisonment in prisons. This was viewed by many as unjust, unfair and primarily favoring those with money. The levying of the taxes was orchestrated so as to put money back to the coffers after the American revolution. Those adversely affected were small scale subsistence farmers and because of this, many found it extremely difficult to feed and cloth their families. There was also the issue of the tax system. The tax system at this time was regressive in that much of the Eastern state economies lay in the†¦show more content†¦The military suppression of the Whisky Rebellion told citizens who wished to change the law that they had to do so peacefully through constitutional means; otherwise, the government would meet any threats to disturb the pe ace with force. The suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion also had the unintended consequences of encouraging small whiskey producers and other settlers to relocate to the then-frontier lands of Kentucky and Tennessee, which were outside the sphere of Federal control for many years. In these frontier areas, they also found good corn-growing country and smooth, limestone-filtered water to make their whiskey. Both Shay and the Whiskey rebellion arose from agrarian foundations, that is subsistence farmers complaining about the excruciating taxes, when it come to the Whiskey Rebellion, the U.S. government withstood a formidable challenge to its sovereignty. Preceded by Shayss Rebellion in 1786, and followed by Friess Rebellion in 1799, the Whiskey Rebellion is distinguished by its size. While all three rebellions were motivated by their opposition to burdensome taxes, neither Daniel Shays nor John Fries ever gathered more than a few hundred supporters at any one time. On at least one occ asion, as many as 15,000 men and women marched on Pittsburgh in armed opposition to the federal excise tax onShow MoreRelatedHistory 13015-82262 Words   |  10 PagesResolves argued for states rights. For which specific right did the Resolves argue? (pg 166) The First Amendment (Speech amp; Press) Among the causes of the War of 1812 was the ___ desire of Westerners to expand into Canada and Florida. Compare and contrast the ideas of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton as they relate to: (a) The size and power of the national government; (b) Preservation of a rural/farming economy and lifestyle; (c) Commitment to an urban/commercially driven economy (pgRead MoreAmerican Revolution and Study Guide Essay example5377 Words   |  22 PagesIndians. What specific developments illustrate that the English living in the plantation colonies tried to apply these lessons? (25 pts) 2. Compare and contrast the ways in which tobacco and sugar affected the social and economic development of colonial America (10pts) Chapter 3 Study Guide â€Å"Settling the Northern Colonies† 1. Compare and contrast the motives of the their founders, religious and social orientation, economic pursuits, and political developments of TWO of the early colonial

Summer in Algiers by Albert Camus Free Essay Example, 1250 words

The essay first treats the subject as if the author agreed with the reduction of wines to average availability and prices, as it promotes the common good for the man-on-the-street. It then systematically brings this belief apart by demonstrating exactly how we are losing fine, unique wines through the relentless competition of the supermarkets, which emphasize price and quantity over individual qualities. â€Å"But with wine, there is such a spread of price and quality that the clamour by the supermarkets to make this art-form into just another piece of merchandise, results in a swamping of the shelves with low end, look-alike wines, to the exclusion of the many fine wines that can be found just a price point or two higher. † and â€Å"These places are often our only source of truly unique wines, but, unable to compete on price, and perhaps unwilling to compromise on what they sell, will they go the way of our high street butchers, bakers, florists and fishmongers? † This is truly saddening, because the decline of any art is to be regretted, especially when it is not very difficult to keep it alive, given a bit of discretion and powers for appreciation. Wine is to be understood in its profundity and infinite variety, and not reduced to uniform, boring tastes and aromas, to be popular with all and sundry. What wine you like is also a bit of an expression of who you are, and it might be worth the effort to experiment with various types and pricelines to find the favorite, which is unique to your preferences. The next time I come across a wine, I will know that this is not just another beverage, but possibly a work of art to assimilate and appreciate. The last but not the least, â€Å"The Wedding† by Charles Lamb is a moving portrait of an English household in the life and times of Lamb, during and after the marriage of the daughter of the family. This is an essay that is almost a short story in the way it depicts the emotions of the characters depicted through vivid imagery. We will write a custom essay sample on Summer in Algiers by Albert Camus or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now It gives an insight into the ways of that period and a brief glimpse of Lamb himself, who feels mightily for the plight of his friend. Of special interest is how a romance born at the age of fourteen for the girl results in marriage at nineteen, and everyone other than the girl’s father thinks it is too late! â€Å"To this instinct may be imputed, and by it alone may be excused, the unbeseeming artifices, by which some wives push on the matrimonial projects of their daughters, which the husband, however approving, shall entertain with comparative indifference.