McDonalds and Its Critics 1973

McDonalds and Its Critics 1973 Introduction Marketing entails offering quality products at reasonable prices. The research focuses on the marketing strategy of McDonald’s Company and its critics. The research includes the history of McDonald’s Company from its humble birth in California to its current worldwide acceptance as the best seller in the food and beverage market segment.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on McDonalds and Its Critics: 1973- 2009 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Specifically, the research includes a SWOT analysis. The research ends with a recommendation as to what McDonald’s should venture into in the years to come. McDonald’s implements textbook-based marketing strategies to catapult it to its present stature in the restaurant, food, and beverage world. History Gilbert Sara (4) emphasized McDonald’s was founded by Ray Kroc. Dick and Mac McDonald’s had opened its McDonaldâ₠¬â„¢s Restaurant on 14th and E streets in San Bernardino state, California in 1940. The original store included a drive-in environment with a corresponding large menu and car hop services. In 1949, Dick and Mac had reduced their menu. The new menu item list included hamburger, cheeseburger, soft drinks, coffee, milk, potato chips, and pie. The most popular menu during this time period is the 15c hamburger. In 1954, Ray Kroc accidentally enters the McDonald’s scene by selling a multimixer product to both Dick and Mac McDonald’s. Ray Kroc learns that both owners of McDonald’s were interested to set up franchises of their McDonald’s restaurant in many cities across the United States. Ray Kroc decides to enter the McDonald’s franchising business. Consequently, Ray Kroc opens his first McDonald’s store in Des Moines Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955. Stanley Meston created the Golden Arches logo of McDonald’s. The company’s first day sale catapulted to $366. This was a large sum of money when comparing the value of $366 during that time period and today’s $366 value. The cost of food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities were cheaper back then compared to the prices of food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities of today, April 20, 2011. In 1965, the company was able to franchise 700 McDonald’s restaurants across the United States. The new recipes included the â€Å"Big Mac† which was introduced to the public in 1968 and the replacement of potato chips with French fries. McDonald’s celebrates its 25 years of business operations. In addition, the company reached its 50th anniversary in 2005. In 2008, McDonald’s came up with a global design of the company’s products. SWOT Analysis Strengths {internal} Anja Bohm (12) opined McDonald’s company has its strengths. First, the company has distinctive competencies. The competencies include its strategic advantag es. Competencies include low prices, high quality goods, excellent service and.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Second, the company gains a competitive advantage, people will enthusiastically flock to a new McDonald’s branch because the McDonalds name is a name that can be trusted and admired. Third, the company has a strong marketing strategy. The company spends lots of money for advertising the different McDonalds products in the television, radio, and newspapers. Fourth, the company has strength in research and development. The company continues to experiment with new ingredients and menu to pamper the current and future McDonalds clients. Fifth, the company has strengths in human resource management. The crew are well trained to serve each client the same high quality way; serving the same high quality products at low prices. Sixth, the compan y has strengths in information system. Clients and log on to the online McDonald’s website and make an order for hamburgers, French fries and the like. Seventh, the company has strengths in infrastructure. The company sets up the standard McDonald’s restaurant format. The people from different countries have grown to love the same store fast food style infrastructure, especially the busy working person. Anja Bohm (12) reiterated the McDonald’s Company has its strengths. The strengths represent the McDonald’s development and growth of the company over time which is identified as the company’s â€Å"competitive advantage† and â€Å"distinctive competency† that is responsible for the company’s growth to be one of the top restaurants, food, and beverage companies of the world. The company has the most critical components of a company’s financial resources. The company’s high revenues allow the company to have ready ca sh on hand to pay for its maturing obligations as well as daily operating expenses. There are other strengths not discussed above. First, the McDonald’s Company has distinctive competencies that include a strong worldwide presence. The company is recognized the leader in the fast food chain market segment around the world, especially within the United States. Everyone within the United States and major cities around the world has come across the name McDonald’s. People from all walks of life have visited a McDonald’s store. Everyone will comfortable that they can easily munch the same McDonald’s quality and taste whether one is in Los Angeles, California, Upstate New York, Virginia, London, China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, India, and other countries.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on McDonalds and Its Critics: 1973- 2009 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Second, the Mc Donald’s Company has under its worldwide fast food market segment more than 30,995 restaurants. The restaurants are strategically located in many places around the world. More importantly, more than 13,998 of the McDonald’s Company’s own stores are strategically located in many major cities within the local United States territory. The establishment of the McDonald’s Company restaurants in different parts of the world indicates that there is strong demand for the McDonald’s Company’s products and services. The increase in the number of McDonald’s Company restaurants around the world proves that there is a strong demand for McDonald’s Company products and services. Third, the McDonald’s Company introduces the important economies of scale principles in assigning costs and prices on its McDonald’s products. With the implementation of the economies of scale principle, the company continues to lessen its restaurant ope rating costs to more realizable levels. Specifically, the implementation of the scale greatly lessens the expenses of its overall charting of new paths into uncharted fast food market segments around the world. The economies of scale theory states that some countries are composed of a majority of poor people. The economies of scale theory states that some countries are composed of a majority of poor people. The economies of scale theory states that some countries are composed of a majority of very rich people. The economies of scale theory states that some countries are composed of a majority of average income people. McDonald’s offers it products at low prices. The company targets the general masses of the community. Since there are poorer and average income people in the community compared to the community of rich and very rich persons, McDonald’s targets the average income and low income groups of people. The company is satisfied to generate a small income because t here will be more clients visiting the McDonald’s stores compared to restaurants and food and beverages stores that offer its food and service products at very high prices. Fourth, the McDonald’s Company maintains a string of children’s charities around many of its branches around the world. The name of the charity is The Ronald McDonald House. The McDonald’s Company spends lots of cash to feed the children entering its charity outlets. By engaging in children’s charities the image of the McDonald’s Company will improve in the eyes of the current and future customers. The amount allocated for the care of the childrenAdvertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Fifth, the McDonald’s Company focuses on the clients’ health and overall well-being. The company only uses ingredients that have passed its strict high standards. The McDonald’s Company complies with all the policies of the United States Department of Agriculture in terms of healthiness of the food ingredients and the food itself. The company ensures that ingredients used in the production of goods and services are not spoiled or expired. The use of expired or spoiled food ingredients may cause the customers to suffer from food poisoning. Consequently, the customers can file a case in court for the food poisoning incidents. Such cases will cause a huge dent the image of the McDonald’s Company. The company goes out of its way to protect its image. A damaged image will translate to a decline in the demand for the company’s products and services. A decline in the demand for the company’s products and services will cause a drop in the companyâ⠂¬â„¢s revenues. A reduction in the company’s revenues will translate to a reduction in the company’s net profits. Sixth, Anja Bohm (12) reiterated the McDonald’s Company invests in properties around the world and offers franchises. The establishment of McDonald’s Company restaurants around the world shows that many investors believe that the infusion of their hard-earned cash into the McDonald’s Company will be a profitable decision. The spread of McDonald’s Company restaurants indicate the investors are comfortable with their capital investment decision to have one or more franchises of the McDonald’s Company restaurant. Seventh, the McDonald’s Company has a long list of real estate portfolios. The company is willing and able to purchase properties in different countries around the world. The purchase of such properties would be useful in terms of improving the company’s balance sheet presentation. The investors would be happy to see that the McDonald’s Company’s properties have increased through the years. An increase in the McDonald’s Company’s properties shows there is also an increase in the company’s stockholders’ equity accounts. Eight, the McDonald’s Company has patents over very popular food items. The food items include Big Mc, Chicken McNuggets. Patents are defined as the government’s right given to an inventor or new product developer to craft the McDonald’s Company products. The copyright prevents the competitors and new entrants to the restaurant, food, and beverage competitors to produce the same products or even use the same product name such as â€Å"Big Mac†. Ninth, the McDonald’s Company has one of the world’s most recognized logos. The Company’s logo is a huge â€Å"M† sign. Any person seeing the â€Å"M† logo can easily state that it means a McDonald’s restaurant is located nearby where the â€Å"M† sign can be easily seen from afar. Tenth, the McDonald’s Company focuses its unwavering attention on its corporate social responsibility. The company implements community-caring programs. The programs are aimed at giving back to the community what the community has given to each McDonald’s restaurant located in major cities around the world in terms of food and beverage revenues. Eleventh, the McDonald’s Company incorporates the local culture in all its branches in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world. The McDonald’s Company hires the local residents to manage each McDonald’s restaurant. With the locally-hired McDonald’s employees, the company can be classified as a diversity-based company. The Chinese employees bring a touch of the local Chinese culture to the McDonald’s China branches. Likewise, the Korean employees bring a touch of the local Korean culture to McDonald’s Korean branches. The United Kingdom employees bring a touch of the local United Kingdom culture to the McDonald’s United Kingdom branches. Twelfth, the McDonald’s Company is strategically located in major airports, cities, highways, tourist attractions, and parks. Consequently, the large number of people passing through each McDonald’s branch easily accepts the sumptuous menu items displayed in each McDonald’s establishment. Weaknesses {internal} Mike Meldrum (27) reiterated the McDonald’s Company has its weaknesses. First, the McDonald’s Company uses advertising strategies focused on inviting the children to visit the nearest McDonald’s restaurant. Second, the McDonald’s Company implements a low pricing strategy to capture the competitors’ current clients. Clients would easily transfer their preference to McDonald’s products because the prices of their food items are low. Consequently, the comp etitors are forced to reduce their prices to levels matching or even nearing the McDonald’s food pricing levels. Third, the McDonald’s Company lacks the penchant to innovate its products. The company continues to sell the same old McDonald’s products. The products include hamburgers, French fries, coffee, chocolate, beverage, Big Mac, and others. The people will generally prefer a change in the food menu to avoid boredom. Opportunities {the external environment surrounding the company} Mike Meldrum (27) theorized the company’s superior performance is the result of a successful fit between strategy and the environment. The community needs low priced food to fill their hunger fangs. In response, McDonalds creates high quality products to fill the community’s needs, wants, and caprices. In addition, the company’s main technique is to analyze the competitors. The McDonalds Company does not fear the entry of new competitors because it is difficul t to outmatch the McDonalds Company’s established high quality products sold at low prices. The suppliers are willing to supply McDonalds with highest quality ingredients and other company needs at reasonable prices. The McDonalds Company does not fear product substitution because the substitutes are sold at higher prices; the clients will prefer lower priced goods and services. Realistically other traditional restaurant competitors offer their products higher prices than McDonalds. Nadine Pahl (73) proposed The McDonald’s Company has its set of opportunities. First, the McDonald’s Company can effortlessly adapt to the food needs of the community where the company has established its strategically located branches. The company can introduce products that are very popular in the competitors’ restaurants. For example, the China branch of McDonald’s can introduce the popular food menus being sold to the competing Chinese restaurants or food outlets. S econd, Mike Meldrum (27) theorized the McDonald’s Company can introduce new marketing strategies to increase its revenues. The company can set up websites in each city, community, or state. With the McDonald’s website, the clients can easily order a hamburger or coffee with just the click of the mouse. In addition, the company can distribute leaflets or promotional brochures to communities indicating the cell phone text numbers. The clients can easily order a McDonald’s Big Mac just by sending a cell phone text message to the local community’s McDonald’s branch. Threats {the external environment surrounding the company} In terms of threats, Mike Meldrum (27) insists the company can easily hurdle the encroaching new competitors because the new entrants cannot easily win the away the established client base of the McDonalds brand. Further, the supplier threats can easily be resolved by contacting other suppliers to offer reasonably priced ingredients and other products. Likewise, the threat of substitute products can be easily answered by offering different product choices within the McDonald’s restaurant. For example, the Starbucks coffee is price three times higher than a cup of McDonald’s coffee. Economics tells us the as prices go up, the demand for the products decreases. Thus, McDonald’s will always better alternative compared to Starbucks coffee because there are more middle income and low income people than rich people. The restaurant and food industry is composed of strategic groups. McDonald’s countless branches around the world are one strategic group that constantly wins most of the current and prospective client’s food preference. The members of McDonald’s Company’s strategic group can easily resolve its immediate competitor situation. The company has been successful in implementing one universal marketing strategy to capture the new clients and communities food pref erences. Currently, the company is at its maturity stage in the product life cycle environment. The people from around the world have accepted McDonald’s as a mature company that serves their quality food needs at low prices for more than 50 years. Likewise, the macroeconomic environment, political environment, global environment, legal environment and social environment continues to be very favorable to the setting up of a new McDonald’s branch as well as the continued profitability of each currently established McDonald’s brand. The McDonald’s Company has to contend with its threats. First, the McDonald’s Company has to overcome the current economic depression or recession. The recession covers much of the United States and Europe. The recession has reduced the current clients’ penchant to spend quality time gobbling a McDonald’s hamburger or sipping coffee while reading the newspaper’s headline stories. Second, the McDonaldà ¢â‚¬â„¢s Company has to resolve the currency exchange rate fluctuations. The McDonald’s Company will be happy if the currency exchange rate between the United States dollar and the Chinese currency, Yuan, will remain on the same level. A change in the currency exchange rate between the two currencies may spell an increase in revenues and profits or a decrease in revenues and profits. Third, many of the competitors are coming up with new food items that can rival the taste, price, and quality of the McDonald’s products. Many local restaurants can easily implement new marketing strategies to please the ever-changing needs, wants, and caprices of its current and future food customers. On the other hand, the McDonald’s Company continues to steadfastly hold on to its popular brands throughout the years. Fourth, the McDonald’s Company has to finally settle the health issues relating to the company’s food products. Everyone knows that eating too much hamb urger is hazardous to a person’s health. Too much indulgence in the McDonald’s products may trigger hypertension, diabetes, and other ailments, especially for the â€Å"older† generation of restaurant clients. Fourth, the McDonald’s Company focuses a major part of its capital investment on advertising. People often see McDonald’s advertisements in television shows. Likewise, McDonald’s advertisements are found in newspapers. In addition, McDonald’s advertisements are found in radio stories. Fifth, many of the parents detest the McDonald’s Company’s marketing strategy. The strategy focuses on enticing the children to visit the nearest McDonald’s restaurant. The children are easy prey to the continuous advertising of the McDonald’s products and services. Consequently, the growing child will bring the McDonald’s food craze into their adulthood and elderly stages of life. Sixth, the McDonald’s Com pany has been sued in courts for the effects of the unhealthy McDonald’s products on the health of its current and future restaurant customers. The lawsuits include charges that the food items are injected with addictive additives. The additives will create a craving among the current and future McDonald’s Company clients to return back to the nearest McDonald’s fast food restaurant to buy another set of McDonald’s addictive products to satisfying their addiction to the McDonald’s food items. Seventh, major competitors are slowly, but surely, creeping into McDonald’s market segment and literally grabbing major markets. The popular Starbucks coffee is gaining a continuing increase in coffee lovers. Likewise, Burger King has been able increase its food and beverage market share by chopping away and pirating many of the clients of McDonald’s. In addition, Wendy’s has successfully increased the number of its worldwide branches. The increase in Wendy’s branches translates a decline in the McDonald’s clients. Eight, the McDonald’s Company’s setting up of new branches in other countries has been unfavorable in many instances. Some countries have slow economies which translate to slow sales. Slow sales statistical figures translate to slow profits. On the other hand, a fast economy translates to fast revenue generating activity. It is common knowledge that some countries have slow economies while other countries have fast economies. Consequently, a fast economy will generate more revenues and profits compared to companies with slow economic inputs. Normally, communities or countries with few people having purchasing money will translate to lesser revenues and profits when compared to communities or countries having more people with higher purchasing power or having more money to spend for McDonald’s products. The company’s control systems Karl Moore (83) emphasized the co mpany’s control systems focus is very realistic. The store officers and staff ensure that all the company’s ingredients are fresh and healthy. The store officers have implemented one strict production process in all the McDonald’s Company branches around the world. The company’s food preparation manual indicates the step by step process of preparing, cooking, and serving each McDonald’s around the world. The food preparation process in the California McDonald’s Company branch is similar to the food preparation of the McDonald’s Company branch in Florida. Likewise, the food preparation process in the United Kingdom McDonald’s Company branch is similar to the food preparation of the McDonald’s Company branch in France. The food preparation process in the Saudi McDonald’s Company branch is similar to the food preparation of the McDonald’s Company branch in India. The implementation of only one standard tried a nd tested ingredient choosing, and food cooking, and food preparation in all the McDonald’s Company branches around the world ensures that the outcome of each McDonald’s Company food and beverage activity complies with the company’s preset quality standards. The company implements preset standards as a measure of quality performance. All branches must adhere to the standards for the sake of maintaining the company’s top spot in the world’s fast food market segment. The McDonald’s Company officers compare the employees’ actual job performance with established standards with the aim of improving any lackluster service performed by the company’s crew. The McDonald’s Company officers do not waste any time in correcting or alleviation any customer complaints. The McDonald’s Company food crew is a human being, sometimes one commits unintentional errors. The new greenhorn employees are apt to commit mistakes fulfilling t he needs, wants, and caprices of the clients. The McDonald’s Company must be quick to remedy such errors to ensure the company will continue to patronize the company’s products and services. It is also customary to post the picture of the best employee of the month in each McDonald’s Company branch as a reward for enthusiastic and hardworking employees. Recommendations Based on the above discussion, it is highly recommended that the company continue its present course in terms of ingredient choosing, food cooking, food preparation, and pricing of the regularly sold McDonald’s Company products that include the â€Å"Big Mac†, Chicken McNuggets, the Frappes, and the standard hamburger, coffee, egg McMuffins, chicken, and other McDonald’s mainstay products being sold in its more than 50 years of existence. The company should continue to expand its horizons by setting up more branches in other communities and countries to ensure that the worldâ €™s craving for the favorite McDonald’s Company products will be filled to overflowing status. The Company does not have to retrench its employees because the company’s food and beverage market segment continues to generate huge revenues and profits. The company can use a combination of online (internet website) ordering, cell phone texting, and phone calls as a means for current and future clients to fill their need for the mouth-watering McDonald’s Company products. In terms of the future, the horizon is crystal clear. Crystal clear means the company sees an increase in the number of McDonald’s Company branches sprouting like mushrooms in other cities that do not have a McDonald’s Company branch within the reach of the hamburger-loving, French fry-loving, and chicken McNuggets-craving residents. Using trend analysis, since the current trend of setting up new McDonald’s Company branches in the past has spelled financial success, the com pany should continue in its unwavering stand to set up new branches in other parts of the world. In terms of rationalizing, the company has been able to generate profits from each branch set up in major places where a huge volume of people congregate, the company should continue its present course to set up new McDonald’s Company branches, in malls, groceries, busy street corners, airports, train stations, and other busy intersections around the world. Conclusion Marketing includes offering quality products at reasonable prices. The history of McDonald’s Company from its humble birth in California to its current worldwide acceptance as the best seller in the food and beverage market segment shows the company deserves the accolades for striving to be the best in terms of product quality and quality service. Specifically, the SWOT analysis scrutinizes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of McDonald’s. The recommendations show that McDonaldâ€℠¢s continue its present course because the company will continue to generate more revenues and profits. Indeed, McDonald’s Company continues to successfully implement textbook-based marketing strategies to retain its catapulted stature as one of the best in the restaurant, food, and beverage world. Bohm, Anja M. The SWOT Analysis. New York: Grin Press, 2009. Gilbert, Sara P. The Story of McDonalds. New York: Creative Press, 2008. Moore, Karl A. Marketing: The Basics. New York: Taylor Francis Press, 2009. Pahl, Nadine R. SWOT Anaysis, Methodology, and Practical Approach. New York: Grin Press, 2009.

The Roman Relationship Between Patron and Client

The Roman Relationship Between Patron and Client The people of ancient Rome were divided into two classes: wealthy, aristocratic patricians and poorer commoners called plebians. Patricians, or upper-class Romans, were patrons to plebian clients. The patrons provided many types of support to their clients who, in turn, rendered services and loyalty to their patrons. The number of clients and sometimes the status of clients conferred prestige on the patron. The client owed his vote to the patron. The patron protected the client and his family, gave legal advice, and helped the clients financially or in other ways. This system was, according to the historian Livy, created by Romes (possibly mythical) founder, Romulus. Rules of Patronage Patronage was not just a matter of picking out an individual and giving him money to support himself. Instead, there were formal rules pertaining to patronage. While the rules did change over the years, the following examples provide an idea of how the system worked: A patron could have a patron of his own; therefore, a client, could have his own clients, but when two high-status Romans had a relationship of mutual benefit, they were likely to choose the label amicus (friend) to describe the relationship since amicus did not imply stratification.Some clients were members of the plebian class but had never been slaves. Others were freed slaves. While freeborn plebes could choose or change their patron, freed slaves called liberti or freedmen automatically became clients of their former owners and were obligated to work for them in some capacity.Each morning at dawn, clients were required to greet their patrons with a greeting called the salutatio. This greeting could also be accompanied by requests for help or favors. As a result, clients were sometimes called salutatores.Clients were expected to support their patrons in all matters, personal and political. As a result, it was possible for a wealthier patron to count on the votes of his many clien ts. Meanwhile, however, patrons were expected to provide a range of goods and services including food (which was often traded for cash) and legal counsel. There was also patronage in the arts where a patron provided the wherewithal to allow the artist to create in comfort. The work of art or book would be dedicated to the patron. Outcomes of the Patronage System The idea of client/patron relationships had significant implications for the later Roman Empire and even medieval society. As Rome expanded throughout the Republic and Empire, it took over smaller states which had its own customs and rules of law. Rather than attempting to remove the states leaders and governments and replace them with Roman rulers, Rome created client states. Leaders of these states were less powerful than Roman leaders and were required to turn to Rome as their patron state. The concept of clients and patrons lived on in the Middle Ages. Rulers of small city/states acted as patrons to poorer serfs. The serfs claimed protection and support from the upper classes who, in turn, required their serfs to produce food, provide services, and act as loyal supporters.

HR Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HR Management - Assignment Example According to Wilcox and Lowry it is the reframing and repositioning of HRM practices as the businesses strategic partner that makes employees the important economic resources (2006, pp. 50-64). There are two major views and perspectives when it comes to Human Resource Management. These are the instrumental or hard practices and the humanistic or soft practices. Instrumental practices focus on the quantitative and strategic approaches towards people management. In this case, it mainly provides a highlight of the economic value of human resources. It focuses on how these resources are important in maximizing the performance of the organization (Lee-Ross & Pryce 2010, p. 66). As such, they can be used to provide a firm’s competitive advantage. It is these HRM practices that can be aligned with the other activities in the business and strategies of the organization to promote some of the other additional practices such as restructuring, outsourcing and downsizing, which are considered to be strategic actions. The instrumental or hard HRM practices include labor legislations. On the other hand, the humanistic or soft HRM practices are those that include functions of orga nizational development, management of conflicts, and education of human resource, organizational culture, leadership development and components that contribute in building of relationships. They are more employee-centered and put into account the humanness within employees as it considers them to be proactive contributors to the firm (Harris, Wijesinghe & McKenzie 2010, p. 129). It makes more emphasis on the need for commitment, job satisfaction, motivation, trust and knowledge. In this sense, it helps in the enhancement of the level of employee engagement, development, participation and autonomy in addition to the participation in decision making activities and collaboration. Between these two kinds of HRM practices it is the humanistic

Behavior Problems research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Behavior Problems - Research Paper Example On the other hand, creativity is not directly related to the academic achievements of learners. However, birth order is directly linked to higher levels of creativity. Introduction Behavioral problem, as a noun phrase is used to refer to any suggestive expression of interpersonal or emotional maladjustment, especially in children. These problems are externally depicted through actions like enuresis, nail-biting, negativism, or the display of overt antisocial acts or hostile behavioral patterns. On the other hand, Creativity is the predisposition to recognize or generate ideas, possibilities, and alternatives to an issue – especially during the course of solving problems, while conversing, and when communicating with others. Creativity is also displayed, from the ability of an individual to entertain themselves and others. There are three courses, as to why individuals are provoked into developing creativity. These include the necessity to express values or ideas; the desire to solve the problems that will come in the way of an individual; and the need to express original, varied and multifaceted stimulation. However, in order to be creative, there is an intricate need to be able to view things in varied ways, or from different perspectives. The ability to display creativity does not occur by change, but is linked to highly fundamental qualities of thinking, these including tolerance of unpredictability, the ability to enjoy unknown things, and flexibility in thinking processes. Academic achievement can be defined as the display of superiority in varied academic fields – both in class as well as in extracurricular activities. It is a phrase used to mean a combination of superiorities in the following areas: behavior, confidence, sporting, communication, skillfulness, arts, punctuality, culture and assertiveness among others. Discussion From a previous study carried out by (Yousefi et al. 2010), the statistics shows that boys suffering from behavior al and emotional difficulties scored lower in academic achievement, when compared to those who did not have these problems. However, in the case of girls showing the symptoms of internalizing problems, it was different, as they attained higher grades in academic achie

Principles of Safeguarding and Protection in Health and Social Care Essay Example for Free

Principles of Safeguarding and Protection in Health and Social Care Essay Principles of safeguarding and protection in health and social. Ai; Physical Abuse is when somebody causes feelings of physical pain, injury other suffering or bodily harm, such as hitting, kicking, scratching, pinching, shaking. Sexual Abuse is where you are forced to do, say and watch sexual things. Eg; being undressed or having sexual contact when you do not want to or even touching another person, being made to say sexual things and being made to watch porn is also sexual abuse. Emotional Abuse is a form of power that someone has over you to cause depression, anxiety, stress. It is bullying someone by calling them names that hurts their feeling or to scare them and even threaten them. Financial Abuse is when another person steals or takes something that belongs to you. Eg; stealing your money, making you buy things you are not willing to, refusing to allow individuals to manage their finances and tricking individuals to hand over their property. Institutional Abuse is not only confined to large scale physical or sexual abuse, individuals can also be abused in many other ways in settngs where they could exoect to be cared for and protected. Eg; Individuals not given choice over decisions (meals, outings, clothing.) Mistreated to their medication. Privacy and dignity also not respected. Self-neglect is when an individual neglects to attend to their basic needs. Eg; personal hygiene, appearance, feeding not bothering to obtain medical help or an unwillingness to see people or go out. Neglect by others is when the victim is being looked after by somebody else but fails to provide adequate care. For example failure to provide sufficient supervision, food or medical care, or the failure to fulfil other needs that the victim is unable to provide for herself or himself. see more:explain the importance of an accessible complaints procedure for reducing the likelihood of abuse. Signs and symptoms of abuse. Physical abuse Aii; Bruising Fractures Burns Fear Depression Weight loss Assault Cowering Flinching Welch marks Malnutrition Untreated medical problems Bed sores Confusion Over sedation Emotional abuse:. Fear Depression Confusion Loss of sleep Change in behaviour Onset of phobias No communication Sexual Abuse: Loss of sleep Diseases Repeated urinary infections Bruising Soreness around the genitals Torn, stained bloody underwear or bed sheets Preoccupation with anything sexual Excessive washing Reluctance to be alone with an unknown individual Financial Abuse: Unexplained loss of fundsor withdrawels from bank accounts Inability to pay bills Change in lifestyle/standard of living Basic needs not being met Loss of property Unnecessary building work or repairs to property Not trusting anyone around them Self-neglect: Poor hygiene (smell of urine faeces) Dehydration Weight loss Abnormal body temp Inappropriate clothing Not taking medication Infections Illnesses Institutional abuse: No flexibility at bed time Waking up to a routine Dirty beds and clothing Missing clothing, possessions, documents and letters Excessive or lack of medication Lack of consideration of dietary requirement’s Aiii; If you was to suspect an individual was being abused you should report your concerns to the manager. Also ask to write a private account for your records, making sure it doesnt go in the care plan in case the abuser comes across it. Aiv; If a client was to tell you they are being abused, you should stop what youre doing and listen carefully to them. All conversations should be treated with confidence and information only passed on to those who need to know. Even if the person speaks in the strictest of confidence, line managers must still be informed and the discussion must be written down. Never agree with the client that you wont tell anyone else. Say that youll only tell someone who can do something about it. Av; Make a written record of messages (e.g answer phones) to ensure they are not lost. Include the date and time and sign them. Ensure written records  (notes, letters, bank statements,medication records etc) are kept in a safe place. Do not tidy up, wash clothes, bedding or any other items. Do not try to clear or tidy things up Try not to touch anything un;ess you have to for the immediate wellbeing of the victim- if you have to try make a record of what you have done. If any sexual offence is suspected try to discourage the vicim from washing, drinking, cleaning their teeth or going to the toulet until the police are present. Preserve anything used to warm or comfort the victim (E.g: a blanket). If you can try to ensure that the alleged perpetrator does not have any contact with the victim. Record any physical signs or injuries using a body map or hand drawing write a description of any physical signs or injuries including size, shape colour etc. Always remember to sign and date your notes and any other records you have made. Avi, Avii: No secrets- set out a code of practice of how commissioners and providers of care services should protect vulnerable adults. Criminal records bureau- DBS will filter certain old and minor cautions and convictions, reprimands and warnings from criminal records certificates. DBS- Disclosure and barring service. In safe hands(wales only)- sets out roles and responsibilities of CCIW in relation to other statutory bodies including local authorities who have the lead role in coordinating the development of local policies and procedures in adult protection. Office of the public guardian -agency with responsibilities then extend across England and wales. If supports the public quardian in the registration of enduring powers of attorney and lasting powers of attorney and the supervision of debuties appointed by the court of protection. The code of practice- sets out the criteria against which a registered providers compliance with the requirements relating to cleanliness and infection control will be assessed by the care quality commission. It also provides guidance on how the provider can interpret and meet the registration requirement and comply with the law. Local Partnership boards- committed to preventing the abuse of adults and responding promptly when abuse is suspected. Safeguarding adults means that local authorities, police and NHS agencies involved with adults who might be at risk of abuse have a duty of care to ensure that procedures  are in place, that encourage reporting of suspected abuse, and take action to stop the abuse. Care Quality Organisations (CQC)- registered over 18,000 care homes and publish all inspection reports, which check on the essential standards of quality and safety. Aviii: Social worker- Protect and support vulnerable people, and place them in a safe environment away from risk of danger. A risk assessment is used to decide what help is needed and the correct actions to take. They also investigate any reports. Police- Protect the community, investigate allegations of abuse, prepare court cases and make case reports. Informal agencies or third sector agencies- Research and raise awareness, campains, charities. Offer support (counselling services) Health care practitioners- Perform examinations and report finding relevant authorities . Serious case review chair person- Review serious investigations and/or failures that have previously been investigated and look at what changed need to be made. Aix: Many local Authorities run free, multi-agency, safeguarding courses for anyone who works with vulnerable children and adults, and so should any decent employer in this field. Ask your workplace training department about this. You can also find more information through their local safeguarding team in the Social Services Department or the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Direct.gov Cqc.org.uk Lancashire county council.

Children of the Holocaust Essay -- Slaughter of Children, Nazi Extermi

â€Å"One of the most extraordinary aspects of Nazi genocide was the cold deliberate intention to kill children in numbers so great that there is no historical precedent for it.† (Lukas, 13 Kindle) About 1.5 million children were murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust—one million being killed because they were Jews (ushmm.org) The Germans had a clearly defined goal of killing the Jewish children so that there would be no remnants of their race to reproduce, resulting in extinction. Not only were the children that were victimized in the Holocaust persecuted and murdered, but they were all stripped of their childhood. Children were not allowed to be children—they had to, for their own survival, be adults. The oppression of children because of race was a direct result of Hitler’s cruel policies and beliefs. In order to stifle the Jewish race from growing, the children were the first to be slaughtered at extermination camps (ushmm.org). Through selection at the extermination camps, the Nazis forced children to be separated from their relatives which destroyed the basic unit of society, the family. Because children were taken to different barracks or camps, they had to fend for themselves. In the book A Lucky Child by Thomas Buergenthal, the author describes the relief he felt when reunited with his mother after the War. Thomas writes: I felt that a tremendous burden had been lifted from my shoulders and put on hers: now Mutti was again responsible for me†¦Until then, I had been responsible for my own life, for my survival; I could not afford to depend on anyone but myself; I had to think and act like a grown-up and be constantly on the alert against all possible dangers. But once I was back in her arms, I could be a child again, le... ...ich were all Nazi-induced (ushmm.org). The experiences of the children in the Holocaust remind society of the innocence of youth and the cruelty in exposing them to horror at an early age. Works Cited Buergenthal, Thomas. A Lucky Child: A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy. New York: Little, Brown, 2009. Lukas, Richard C. Did the Children Cry?: Hitler's War against Jewish and Polish Children, 1939-1945. New York: Hippocrene, 1994. Remember Me? Holocaust Children Talk of Survival. Dir. United States Holocaust Museum. Perf. Nathan Kranowski. Xfinity Video. Comcast. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. http://xfinity.comcast.net/video/remember-me-holocaust-children-talk-of-survival/2085065960 United States' Holocaust Museum. "Children During the Holocaust." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 6 Jan. 2011. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. http://www.ushmm.org

Annotated Bibliography Essay

Bibliography Gastaldo, E. (n.d.). New on FBI’s Most Wanted. Retrieved from http://www.newser.com/story/169670/new-on-fbis-most-wanted-ex-usc-prof Walter Lee Williams faces charges of sexual exploitation of children. He taught anthropology, gender studies and history and now is one (police headquarter, 2013)of FBI’s 10 Most Wanted fugitives. Williams, 64, became the 500th name added to the list in its 63-year history. The extensive traveler and Fulbright Award winner is accused of sexually exploiting at least 10 children between ages 9 and 17 while abroad. Because of his status he has the means and access to children is what makes him dangerous man. Bibliography police headquarter. (2013, july 23). Sex crimes. Retrieved from http://www.kcmo.org/police/crime/sexcrimes/sexcrimes/index.htm Sex Crimes are about power and control and are often reported later because the victim feels scared or ashamed. Sex Crimes are one of the most under-reported crimes. The Sex Crimes Section handles all reported ADULT (17 years of age and older) sex crimes whose victims are heterosexual or same sex. These crimes include: Rape is sexual intercourse with another person by the use of forcible compulsion. Sexual Assault is sexual intercourse with another person knowing that the victim is unconscious, drugged, intoxicated or sleeping. Sexual Misconduct- is any form of sexual activity or sexual contact including harassment, which is unwanted that occurs as a result of intimidation, threat of force, use of force or other coercive behavior or which occurs without consent. Sodomy which is deviant sexual intercourse with another person by the use of forcible compulsion. Stalking which is a pattern of repeated, unwanted attention, harassment and contact. All these acts are forms of sexual crimes. Bibliography Lelis, L. (2012, January 7). Retrieved from Orlando Sentinel: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-01-07/news/os-carol-sheridan-obituary-20120107_1_crime-victims-victim-compensation-and-assistance-crime-act Carol Lee Sheridan was among the first to serve as advocate for victims of crime the late 1970s. She worked with victims of crime, helping victims of rape or domestic abuse with their questions about the law-enforcement investigations and court cases. She was part of the first team for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office of what would be called victims’ advocates, Victims sometimes don’t know what to do and are often lost. When you’re traumatized and have lost your daughter to a heinous, you need guidance and information. Bibliography Matsota, O. (n.d.). Sex Crimes. Retrieved from Helping Human Trafficking Victims: http://ezinearticles.com/?Sex-Crimes:-Helping-Human-Trafficking-Victims&id=5656185 Human trafficking involves trafficking of human beings across borders. There are several ways a person can be trafficked. One is the by kidnapping and selling. A person may be deceived with a false promise for job and lured into crossing international border. There the person may be forced into forced slavery or indentured servitude. A person may accept prostitution due to lure of drugs. In USA for instance a minor (below 18 years) is considered as a trafficking victim, although no movement has taken place. This is in accordance to the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 Bibliography Noceda, K. (2013, February 19). Police. Retrieved from Victim in Hummer Mom’ Sex Crimes Target of Cyberbullying: http://livermore.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/police-investigating-report- Hubbs a 44 year old woman, was recently released from prison after serving two and a half years behind bars for sexual relationships she had with two teen boys. The former Livermore resident is now back in jail after a suspected parole violation, according to court records. Hubbs violated terms of her parole when she was found with possession of pornography in Hayward, according to a KPIX report .Hubbs got the nickname â€Å"Hummer mom†Ã‚  because of the vehicle she drove around, sometimes with her victims accompanying her. Bibliography Reuters. (2013, July 19). Virginia: Charge Against Air Force Oficer. Retrieved from Alteredhttp://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/19/us/virginia-charge-against-air-force-officer-is-altered.html? A charge of sexual battery against an Air Force officer was dropped on Thursday, and the prosecutor instead will pursue a charge of assault and battery. The officer, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, was chief of the Air Force sexual assault prevention and response branch when he was arrested in May and accused of groping a woman in a parking lot. After a closer investigation of the facts and a review of the status of the case law, the more appropriate charge is the assault and battery, not the sexual battery charge,† said Theo Stamos, the prosecutor. She declined to comment about the evidence in the case. Bibliography Travis, A. (2013, January 10). One in Five Womaen Are Victims of SExual Offense. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/10/sex-crimes-analysis-england-wales The first joint statistical overview of sexual offending in England and Wales by the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and Office of National Statistics confirms that only a very small proportion of sexual offences lead to a conviction. In the last three years court statistics show an average of 5,620 offenders convicted each year for all types of sexual offences, with 1,070 convicted for rape. The estimate that there are 473,000 victims of sexual offences every year, of whom 400,000 are women, is drawn from the Crime Survey for England and Wales. It estimates that there were 97,000 victims of the most serious sexual offences last year, of which there were around 69,000 female victims of rape. The analysis adds that 90% of such victims knew the perpetrator. Bibliography Ward, C. (2013, July 18). Scout Leader Accused of Sexual Assault at Wisconsin Camp. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/suburbs/glen_ellyn/chi-scout-leader-accused-of-sex-assault-at-wisconsin-camp 20130718,0,897229.story A Boy Scout leader from DuPage County has been charged with sexually assaulting a Scout at a Wisconsin camp according to Wisconsin law enforcement officials. Marquette County sheriff’s police identified the man as Jeffrey L. Borneman, 54, of the 22-W-000 block of Stratford Court in unincorporated DuPage County near Glen Ellyn. He was charged with sexual assault of a child under 16 years of age and was released after posting a $5,000 cash bond Thursday, Marquette County District Attorney Chad Hendee said. The assault is alleged to have taken place on July 5 at Camp Freeland Leslie, a Boy Scout facility near Oxford, about 25 miles from the Wisconsin Dells. Bibliography West, C., & M. (2013, March). Sexual Violence in the Lives of African American Women. Retrieved from http://www.nsvrc.org/publications/articles/sexual-violence-lives-african-american-women This Applied Research paper reviews the sociohistorical context of Black women’s sexual victimization, the characteristics of Black rape survivors and their experiences, and the risk factors that elevate Black women’s vulnerability to rape and consequences thereof. Culturally sensitive techniques to promote resilience are offered. The institutional pattern of rape was well established before the newly enslaved Africans reached the Americas. During the transatlantic voyage, crew members routinely raped and impregnated Black women. In preparation for sale, enslaved women were stripped naked and placed on auction blocks. African American women’s economic value. Bibliography Woo, J. (2013, June 18). South Korea Toughens SEx Crimes Law. Retrieved from http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2013/06/18/south-korea-toughens-its-sex-crimes-law/ South Korea took a big step toward clearing legal hurdles in the fight against sex crimes against women and minors. The government has made more than 150 revisions to the current law related to sex crimes that will take effect on Wednesday. One of the biggest changes is the abolishment of a 60-year-old law under which a prosecutor can’t pursue a sexual assault case if a victim and an attacker reach an agreement on not taking legal action.  Critics have said the law often led to situations where attackers bully victims into dropping legal complaints. Works Cited Gastaldo, E. (n.d.). New on FBI’s Most Wanted. Retrieved from http://www.newser.com/story/169670/new-on-fbis-most-wanted-ex-usc-prof Lelis, L. (2012, January 7). Retrieved from Orlando Sentinel: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-01-07/news/os-carol-sheridan-obituary-20120107_1_crime-victims-victim-compensation-and-assistance-crime-act Matsota, O. (n.d.). Sex Crimes. Retrieved from Helping Human Trafficking Victims: http://ezinearticles.com/?Sex-Crimes:-Helping-Human-Trafficking-Victims&id=5656185 Noceda, K. (2013, February 19). Police. Retrieved from Victim in Hummer Mom’ Sex Crimes Target of Cyberbullying: http://livermore.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/police-investigating-report-of-cyber-bullying-to-victb3d8e9589b police headquarter. (2013, july 23). Sex crimes. Retrieved from http://www.kcmo.org/police/crime/sexcrimes/sexcrimes/index.htm Reuters. (2013, July 19). Virginia: Charge Against Air Force Oficer. Retrieved from Alteredhttp://www.nytimes.com/2013/ 07/19/us/virginia-charge-against-air-force-officer-is-altered.html? Travis, A. (2013, January 10). One in Five Womaen Are Victims of SExual Offense. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/10/sex-crimes-analysis-england-wales Ward, C. (2013, July 18). Scout Leader Accused of Sexual Assault at Wisconsin Camp. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/suburbs/glen_ellyn/chi-scout-leader-accused-of-sex-assault-at-wisconsin-camp-20130718,0,897229.story West, C., & M. (2013, March). Sexual Violence in the Lives of African American Women. Retrieved from http://www.nsvrc.org/publications/articles/sexual-violence-lives-african-american-women Woo, J. (2013, June 18). South Korea Toughens SEx Crimes Law. Retrieved from http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2013/06/18/south-korea-toughens-its-sex-crimes-law/

Network Design Essay

The objective at hand was to build a network from the ground up. This was accomplished by breaking down all of the sections and building upon all previous assignments. This was a good course as I learned a lot about all of the different sections of building a network. The pros are now I know how to build a network on the design side from the ground up. I learned quite a bit about using a lot of the technologies associated with networking and it allowed me to learn quite a few new concepts. Some of the downfalls about this course and what I have learned are I did not feel I accomplished much as there is no hands on training associated with the course. I do not feel like concepts and design ideas are a great resource to actually learn how to use any of the systems but they do give a pretty good idea. Cabling SpecificationsEthernet is a Local Area Network (LAN) technology with a transmission rate of 10 Mbps and has a typical star topology. Computers and devices must wait-and-listen for transmission time on the network as only one device can transmit at any one time. In order to operate with this network strategy, Ethernet incorporates CSMA/CD (Carrie Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection). Each device on the network listens for the network to be clear before transmitting data. If more than one computer or device transmits data at the same time, then collisions occur. Once collisions are detected, all devices stop transmitting for a period of time until one of the devices senses the line is free and will then gain control of the line to transmit its data. Receiving devices just sit there waiting and listening for transmissions that are meant for them, which are determined by an IP (Internet Protocol) address. The main advantage to Ethernet is it is one of the cheapest networks to put into service. Compared to other hardware for Token Ring, Ethernet equipment such as hubs, switches, network interface cards, and cable (Cat5 common) is inexpensive. The main disadvantage to Ethernet is related to the collisions that occur on the network. Even though Ethernet cable (Cat5) is fairly inexpensive, it can become a cost issue if designing a large network as each device or computer requires its own cable connection to the central hub. Another disadvantage is distance limitation for node connections. The longest connection that can occur within an Ethernet network without a repeater is 100 meters. Today’s Ethernet standards, 100 Mbps and 1000 Mbps, incorporate switched technology, which for the most part, eliminates collisions on the network. The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) specification for Ethernet is 802.3 with three-part names designating the different types. For example, 10BASE-T is for 10 Mbps, and 100BASE-TX is for 100 Mbps. Token RingToken was developed by IBM as an alternative to Ethernet. The network is physically wired in star topology, but is arranged in a logical ring. Instead of a hub or switch like in an Ethernet network, a MAU (Multistation Access Unit) is used. Access to the network is controlled by possession of a token that is passed around the ring from computer to computer as data can only travel in one direction at a time. A computer that wishes to transmit data on the network takes possession of the token and replaces the token frame with data. The data goes around the ring and returns to the transmitting computer, which removes the data, creates a new token, and then forwards it to the next computer. The IEEE specification for Token Ring is 802.5 and it comes in two different speeds: 4 Mbps and 16 Mbps. The main advantage to Token Ring is there are never any collisions within the network, which makes it a highly reliable solution for high-traffic networks. The disadvantage to Token Ring is the network cards and MAU are more expensive than equivalent Ethernet hardware. FDDIFDDI (Fiber-Distributed Data Interface) is an architecture designed for high-speed backbones that operate at 100 Mbps, which are used to connect and extend LANs. A ring topology is used with two fiber optic cable rings. It  passes a token on both rings and in opposite directions. The specification for FDDI is designated by the American National Standards Institute as ANSI X3T9.5. The advantage to FDDI is that it uses two rings for protection in case one ring breaks. When a break occurs, data is rerouted in the opposite direction using the other ring. It is also considered reliable because it uses a token-passing strategy. The disadvantage to FDDI is the expensive network cards and fiber optic cable. In addition, the amount of fiber optic cable is doubled because it has redundant rings. WirelessLocal Area Network (LAN) TopologiesA mesh topology has a point-to-point connection to every other device (node) within the topology. The point-to-point link is dedicated between each device so it will only carry traffic to the two devices that is connected by that link. The advantage of a mesh topology is it works on the concept of routes, which means that traffic can take one of several paths between the source and destination. The network is also robust in that it will not be crippled if one path becomes unavailable or unstable due to each device being connected to every other device. The Internet uses a mesh topology to operate efficiently. The main disadvantage to a mesh topology is the fact that it requires a large number of cables, which is very expensive. A bus topology is a multipoint topology that entails each device being connected to a common link or path. The common link can be thought of as the backbone to the network. All devices typically connect to the backbone with a T-connector and coax cable. The main advantages of a bus topology are that it is easy to install and is not expensive (cost effective) because it uses very little cable to build. The main disadvantage is if there is a problem with the one backbone cable, then the entire network will no longer have the ability to communicate.  These networks are also very difficult to troubleshoot because any small problem such as a cable break, loose connector, or cable short can cause the outage. The entire length of cable and each connector must be inspected during troubleshooting. Another disadvantage is the lack of amplification of the signal, which results in a limited network size based on the characteristics of the cable because of how far a signal can travel down that cable. A ring topology means that each device is connected in a ring, or daisy-chain fashion, one after another. A dedicated connection only exists between a device and the device on each side of it. Data flows around the ring in one direction. Each device contains a repeater that regenerates the signal before passing it to the next device. The main advantage of a ring topology is that it is easy to install. One disadvantage includes difficulty to troubleshoot because data flows in one direction and it could take time to find the faulty device when there are problems. The entire network could be taken off line if there is a faulty device or cable break within the ring. The star topology has each device in the network connected to a central device called a hub, which can actually be a hub or switch. All traffic must pass through the hub in order to communicate with any other device on the network. There is no direct communication between devices like in a mesh topology. One advantage to a star topology is any failure to one cable or device connected to the hub will not bring the entire network down. Repairs can be done to individual nodes without disrupting traffic flow. Another advantage is expandability of the network. Additional devices can be added to the network without disrupting any of the current users. All that is required is an additional cable run from the device to the hub. One disadvantage includes cable costs because each device must have its own cable connected back to the hub. The other disadvantage is the hub itself.  Since all traffic runs through one device, it becomes the single point of failure. If the hub goes down, so does the entire network. Wide Area Network (WAN) DesignA WAN, also known as a Wide Area Network, is an essential part to bigger corporate networks most government networks and companies with multiple sites as well. A WAN, basically, is 2 or more LANs (Local Area Networks) stuck together and running as one big network over a big geographical area. Although a WAN could cover very small distances, most WANs cover much larger geographical areas such as a country or possibly even the world. The largest WAN today would technically be the internet or the World Wide Web. The internet is, in short, one giant WAN because it consists of many smaller LANs and servers. Most WANs can cover a fairly large geographical area, but some, such as the World Wide Web can cover the globe. The United States Government has quite a big WAN as a lot of their LANs are in other countries. They need to get data from one place to another almost instantaneously, and this is one of the quickest and easiest ways to be able to do so. To be able to get on the internet, a subscriber must go through an ISP (Internet Service Provider) and they will give the subscriber access to the internet for a certain price every month. There are different ways to get access to the internet depending on the geographical location in which you live. A subscriber can go through dial up, which is one of the slowest methods, but it is also one of the most common. There is also DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) through most phone companies if they have access in the area and cable which is usually one of the fastest and most expensive methods to access the internet. The last common method is using a satellite to obtain access. This is usually the most expensive ways to access the internet because the equipment usually needs to be bought. When talking about telephone lines, we start getting into analog versus digital signals and degradation over longer distances. A telephone system works on analog signals. These work by a computer transmitting a digital  signal to the modem which converts the signal into an analog signal (this is the beeping heard when a computer dials up to access the internet) and later being converted by a different computer back into a digital signal with the use of a modem. DSL is digital all the way, along with T1 and T3 lines. When using DSL or T1/T3 lines, a filter of some sort is used to filter out the digital and analog signals, so the phone and computer are receiving different signals. Companies usually use faster lines to access the internet or to have access to their other sites. Smaller companies can use DSL or Cable internet services, but when talking about larger corporations or the government, most use public systems such as telephone lines or satellites. Usually, when talking about larger companies and going through a public system, we are talking much faster speeds that can hold many more users. T1 and T3 lines are usually used, satellites are commonly used and fiber-optic is becoming much more common. When getting into many users on a WAN, we need to start talking about Network Latency. According to Javvin.com network latency is defined as “latency is a measure of how fast a network is running. The term refers to the time elapsed between the sending of a message to a router and the return of that message (even if the process only takes milliseconds, slowdowns can be very apparent over multi-user networks). Latency problems can signal network-wide slowdowns, and must be treated seriously, as latency issues cause not only slow service but data losses as well. At the user level, latency issues may come from software malfunctions; at the network level, such slowdowns may be a result of network overextension or bottlenecking, or DoS or DDoS activity.”Dos or DDos stands for Denial of Service and Distributed Denial of Service respectively. These types of attacks are usually by hackers or someone who does not want others to access a certain service. There was a recent DoS threat on the CNN webpage as some hackers wanted CNN to stop talking about a certain issue. This works by one or multiple people talking all of the networks latency or bandwidth from them and thus causing other not to be able to access their site or services. There are other issues that may slow down a users PC as well. Not all issues revolve around hacker attacks. A lot of problems could be caused by malicious software, such as, Spyware, Malware, Viruses, or other programs that may be problematic. These can usually be taken care of by installing anti-virus software or even a spyware removal tool. The issue here is instead of the malicious software causing slowdowns on a PC, there are slowdowns due to the software protecting a certain computer in the background. Sometimes a simple fix to this problem is to defragment a hard drive. This can tremendously speed up a PC, because the files will be closer together and easier and quicker to access. On a network, a simple way to test latency is to use the trace route program. To do this, simply go to a command prompt and type tracert and then an IP address if internal or a website if external. This will send out packets of information and check how much time has passed to receive a packet back. The time passed would be the latency time. Usually it says it only took a certain amount of milliseconds which does not seem like very much time, but it was only a tiny packet of information. The higher the milliseconds the higher the latency time. The higher the latency time, the longer it will take to do anything in a network. If a high latency time is present, there is bound to be lag somewhere down the line. In a WAN, the equipment that will be used is as follows. In each LAN there will be PCs connected to a router somewhere (this is a ring topology example) and that router should be connected into a switch. There may be more but this is a basic example. Each of these LANs then connects to a central HUB somewhere which should interconnect all of the LANs. All of the information then travels to the central hub which is then separated out to the correct switch, router and then PC. There are usually central servers that can store and backup all of the data on the network as well, but this was an example of a crude network. Most companies also a very repetitious and redundant with their WANs. This is because they do not want a central failure point to bring the entire company to itÂ’s knees. There are usually multiple switches that can tie the  entire system together. If a huge corporations Wan decided to fail, the company could lose a few million dollars in a matter of minutes. This is the main reason redundancy in this situation makes more than enough sense. A lot of companies use software called VPN software. This software will let users login from the outside into their computer inside the company. This is a very nice system because if an employee needs to do work from home, they have access to everything they working on onsite. This is also helpful from an Information Technology perspective as it allows the Tech who is working on a remote problem login remotely and find out what the issue is, make any configuration changes and fix most software related issues without actually having to be onsite. This works well when being on call from an offsite location. There are other software packages that work well too. A lot of companies use PCAnywhere to do this type of work and Bomgar is another solution to be able to remotely login. A WAN is an imperative part to any corporation, government agency or company with multiple locations, as it allows them to transfer data quickly, easily and over great distances at the click of a button. There seems to be more and more need for employees in the networking field today, because more and more corporations need to transfer data quicker and easier. There will be new technology soon that will improve our current technology such as fiber optic. Network ProtocolsThere are many solutions to remote access and the most common and one of the most cost efficient methods is the VPN (Virtual Private Network). VPN technology is already built in to most operating systems and is very easy to implement. With bigger environments and corporations, a consideration for concentrated VPN hardware should be in place because of the simultaneous users and stress on the servers. There are a few different types of VPN including IPsec, PPTP and SSL. Once the connection from remote access has been made, you need to make sure the files are readily accessible for the user logging in remotely. One way to do so is to use Samba which is an open source file access system. There  are other ways to allow access as well. Using remote desktop connection, the user has the ability to log directly in to their PC and use it as if they were sitting at their desk, rather than away from the company. A lot of companies use software called VPN software. This software will let users login from the outside into their computer inside the company. This is a very nice system because if an employee needs to do work from home, they have access to everything they working on onsite. This is also helpful from an Information Technology perspective as it allows the Tech who is working on a remote problem login remotely and find out what the issue is, make any configuration changes and fix most software related issues without actually having to be onsite. This works well when being on call from an offsite location. There are other software packages that work well too. A lot of companies use PCAnywhere to do this type of work and Bomgar is another solution to be able to remotely login. Network Remote AccessMost companies need to be able to access their work from many locations, including home and while traveling. The solution that allows them to access the network is one of two ways to access their network. The first is through a VPN (virtual private network) that allows the user access to remotely log in easily and quickly. The other way is through a dial up remote connection; this way is a bit easier to set up but can become very costly in the long run. The problem with being able to do this is it can be very costly and can eat up much of the IT departments time to set up, configure and implement this system into the current hardware. The definition from whatis.com about a VPN is “ virtual private network (VPN) is a network that uses a public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or individual users with secure access to their organization’s network. A virtual private network can be contrasted with an expensive system of owned or leased lines that can only be used by one organization. The goal of a VPN is to provide the organization with the same capabilities, but at a much lower cost. VPN works by using the shared public infrastructure while maintaining privacy through security procedures and tunneling protocols such as the Layer Two Tunneling  Protocol (L2TP). In effect, the protocols, by encrypting data at the sending end and decrypting it at the receiving end, send the data through a â€Å"tunnel† that cannot be â€Å"entered† by data that is not properly encrypted. An additional level of security involves encrypting not only the data, but also the originating and receiving network addresses.”A VPN, also known as a Virtual Private Network is a helpful tool that allows users of a specific domain to be able to log in to their PC from anywhere in the world with the help of another PC. With this tool, they would log in with a special piece of software, using their user name and password to gain access to all functionality of the PC they want to log in to. This allows for a lot of comfortable solutions, such as if an employee is sick, they may still have an option to work from home. This allows a flexible company schedule as well because if a user needs to access a document from their home PC, they can essentially log in to their work PC and download the document. Network Business ApplicationsA second way to access oneÂ’s computer from a different location would be using a dial up service, with this you can basically dial in to access all of their resources available within the server. Using this is a very secure and easy route to go, and allows the user access to files they may desperately need. Another good thing about using a remote connection to access a server is if the user is on a business trip, they have the ability to access all of their much needed documents easily and securely with out much fuss. The explanation between these two pieces of technology is “with dial-up remote access, a remote access client uses the telecommunications infrastructure to create a temporary physical circuit or a virtual circuit to a port on a remote access server. After the physical or virtual circuit is created, the rest of the connection parameters can be negotiated.With virtual private network remote access, a VPN client uses an IP internetwork to create a virtual point-to-point connection with a remote access server acting as the VPN server. After the virtual point-to-point connection is created, the rest of the connection parameters can be negotiated. ”There are many advantages and disadvantages to using a dial up remote connection over VPN. The biggest advantage I have been able to find is, it is easier to set  up and maintain while using VPN makes you set up and maintain individual accounts for both the VPN and the users name and password on the system. Another advantage of dialing up in to the system would be the fact that no matter where the user is all they need to do is plug into a phone jack and they should be able to log in. The disadvantage of this is depending on where the user is long distance charges may apply and it could rank up a pretty penny or two. Another disadvantage is although the system is cheaper in the short term, the system may be more expensive than VPN in the long run. There are also other methods of using VPN. One specific way is certain ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and other third party support companies are assisting in setting up the VPN and supporting it without a great deal of time spent on it by the current department. This may or may not be more cost efficient than setting it up yourself, but it does remove a lot of the headache that VPN’s can give due to different errors. There are also many advantages and disadvantages to using a VPN over a dial up system. One of the biggest advantages to this system over a dial up system is in the long run this is a much cheaper system than a dial up system. This system is a little bit quicker than a dial up system as well. This system is cheaper than a dial up system because using a dial up system, long distance fees may apply, with the virtual private network, you do not need to worry about this as the user may call into a local internet service provider to gain access. Any internet connection will gain a user access to the companyÂ’s network through a VPN. Through all of this, there still needs to be security measures put in place to keep unwanted users off of the system while allowing employees or other authorized users access without down time. VPN’s can work well with firewalls, all the IT department would need to do is allow the ports to be accessed by the VPN and the user should have full access. All in all, there are two very cost effective solutions at a companyÂ’s finger tips and both are fairly easy to set up. The company needs to decide if they want to save money up front and make it easier so they do not need  to set up multiple accounts per user, or if they would rather have a better solution and save more money down the road. The choice also depends on the amount of users logging in at any given moment. Backup and Disaster RecoverySecurity, back ups and disaster recovery are all important very parts of all networks in today’s world. The problem with today is information on how to hack, destroy and program any type of malicious software (or malware) is easily accessible via the Internet and other easy to access sources. There are roughly 1.4 billion people on the Internet or that at least have access to the Internet in the world, which is about 25% of the world’s population. All of these people have extremely easy access to hacking networks, creating malware and destroying any personal or private data a user may have and wish to keep. There is not really any way to stop these people from harming our personal software and data from their side, this is why a user needs to make sure they have security on the user’s side. There are other things that happen besides people trying to maliciously harm a user’s files and data. Accidents can happen and destroy data as well. There could be many things that can harm a user’s data such as a fire, earthquake, power surge or worst case scenario, some sort of electro magnetic pulse (EMP). This is where data back ups and disaster recovery come in nicely. There are many companies that specialize in helping a user or company back up their data and store it off site such as SunGard (mostly used in bigger company settings). There are other ways to store a user’s data as well. One way is to make a physical copy of everything needed on CD’s, DVD’s, Flash Drive or some other type of media and store it at a friend’s house or some other person’s house they trust. This keeps a hard copy of all of their data off site just in case something happens and it can now be restored. There are a few other companies as well that offer on line backups. For this a user downloads their software and it automatically backs up to a few different location for redundancy which allows the customer more safety and easier access to all of their files. One of the first steps to a business that wishes to be very secure in all  that they do is to set up a backup and disaster recovery plan to start it all off. Like I stated earlier, there are many way s to do it. If this is a larger company they probably want to hire someone internally to make a physical back up of all the data and send it to an off site company for storage. They should also keep another copy close to them at all times, preferably away from where the physical data lies. They should put it on the opposite side of the building than where the file server is. If anything happens to the servers, they can quickly and easily use their backed up copy of all the data and recover it on to the servers in which they lie. Most companies have 2 or 3 backup units on site for redundancy and this allows that if one of those go down as well there are still a couple others in which they can restore all of the data from. Although this can become a little more expensive than just a regular back up system, sometimes it can be well worth it. Network SecurityAccording to devx.com “the first step in drafting a disaster recovery plan is conducting a thorough risk analysis of your computer systems. List all the possible risks that threaten system uptime and evaluate how imminent they are in your particular IT shop. Anything that can cause a system outage is a threat, from relatively common man made threats like virus attacks and accidental data deletions to more rare natural threats like floods and fires. Determine which of your threats are the most likely to occur and prioritize them using a simple system: rank each threat in two important categories, probability and impact. In each category, rate the risks as low, medium, or high. For example, a small Internet company (less than 50 employees) located in California could rate an earthquake threat as medium probability and high impact, while the threat of utility failure due to a power outage could rate high probability and high impact. So in this company’s risk analysis, a power outage would be a higher risk than an earthquake and would therefore be a higher priority in the disaster recovery plan.”Another big part of any security system development is the company (or department) needs to look at their budget and how much they are willing to spend on their system. A company can get a basic security system for their network (including firewall) for fairly cheap and this may do most of what is needed, but larger companies are going to need to spend quite a  bit more money than that of a small company. Most larger companies spend quite a bit because they usually have higher priced clients that they can not afford to lose and all of their data is invaluable to the company. Some companies actually have their own Information System Security employees to monitor the network in case of any type of attack. They also make sure all of the anti-virus and anti-malware softwares are running and updating properly. Lastly, another thing most companies forget about after they have their equipment and software installed is there is more than just the implementation of the hardware and software to save them. They need to make sure everything continues to run and update itself from newer and bigger threats. These companies need to make sure they continually test and check what needs to be done to continually maintain a network that can not be broken in to. There are people out there that can be hired to try and break into a companies network. They get paid and let the company know what needs to be fixed so others can not break into it as well. In conclusion, a company can be nothing or brought to it’s knees with out it’s network and servers. There are many things that can cripple a company without the help of man. The only way to avoid these is to have a proper disaster recovery plan and to make sure the network is not vulnerable in any way. References About, Inc. (2004). Network topologies : bus, ring, star, and all the rest. RetrievedOctober 12, 2004, from http://compnetworking.about.com /library/weekly/aa041601a.htmBrain, M. (2004). How stuff works : how wifi works. Retrieved October 12, 2004,from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/wireless-network.htm/printableNetwork Latency. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2008, fromhttp://www.javvin.com/etraffic/network-latency.htmlBroadband Internet. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2008, fromhttp://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/id;988596323Wide Area Networks.(n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2008, fromhttp://www.erg.abdn.ac.uk/users/gorry/course/intro-pages/wan.htmlVirtual Private Network. (n.d.).retrieved May 11, 2008, fromhttp://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid14_gci213324,00.html#VPN vs. Dial up. (n.d.). Retrieved May 11, 2008, fromhttp://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/d85d2477-796d-41bd-83fb-17d78fb1cd951033.mspx?mfr=trueHow to Create a Disaster Recovery Plan, RetrievedMay 23, 2008, from http://www.devx.com/security/Article/16390/1954World Internet Usage Statistics, RetrievedMay 23, 2008, from http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm

The Slave Trade Abolishment essays

The Slave Trade Abolishment essays Up until the 1st May 1807, the Slave Trade had been an important source of income for the British Empire. Britain had relied on the Triangular Trade since 1662 and benefited in the centuries that followed until in May 1807, Parliament passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Bill in the House of Laws by 283 to 16. There were four main reasons as to why the slave trade was abolished; these reasons fell under one of these factors: the work of individuals; the work of groups; economics and fear. This essay will discuss the above categories and make a judge which one was the main contributor to the abolition of the slave trade in Britain. To begin with, the first factor this essay will explore is the work of individuals. The work of individuals certainly contributed to the abolition of the slave trade and the types of individuals varied from former slaves to Members of Parliament. John Newton, a former captain of a slave ship, gave evidence and wrote diary entries about the horrible and tragic things that occurred on slave ships; Newton also wrote Amazing Grace, a song widely known today. Olaudah Equiano was an extremely influential person in the 18th century- he was one of the few slaves that had managed to purchase his freedom. His heart rendering story became public when he published his autobiography in 1789. Equiano toured Britain, wrote letters to MPs and worked with white abolitionists- he dedicated the remainder of his life to the abolition of the slave trade. One of the greatest campaigners for abolition of slavery was Granville Sharp. In 1765 Sharp saw a black teenager waiting for free medical attention; the youth was almost blind, could barely walk and had a swollen head. Sharp introduced himself to the youth and learned his name was Jonathon Strong. Strong had been brought to Britain as a slave and had been badly beaten by his owner. Granville took Strong to a hospital where he recovered; two years later St...

The Pirate Hunters

The Pirate Hunters During the Golden Age of Piracy, thousands of pirates plagued the seas from the Caribbean to India. These desperate men sailed under ruthless captains like Edward Blackbeard Teach, Calico Jack Rackham and Black Bart Roberts, attacking and pillaging any merchantman unfortunate enough to cross their path. They did not enjoy complete freedom, however: the authorities were determined to stamp out piracy in any way they could. One of the methods was the employment of pirate hunters, men and ships specifically chartered to hunt pirates down and bring them to justice. The Pirates Pirates were seamen who had tired of the harsh conditions on board naval and merchants vessels. The conditions on those ships were truly inhuman, and piracy, which was more egalitarian, appealed to them greatly. On board a pirate ship, they could share more equally in the profits and they had the freedom to elect their own officers. Soon there were dozens of pirate vessels operating all over the globe and particularly in the Atlantic. By the early 1700s, piracy was a major problem, particularly for England, which controlled much of the Atlantic trade. Pirate vessels were swift and there were many places to hide, so the pirates operated with impunity. Towns like Port Royal and Nassau were essentially controlled by pirates, giving them the safe harbors and access to unscrupulous merchants they needed to sell off their ill-gotten loot. Bringing the Sea-Dogs to Heel The government of England was the first to seriously try to control the pirates. The pirates were operating out of bases in British Jamaica and the Bahamas and they victimized British ships as often as those of any other nation. The English tried different strategies to get rid of the pirates: the two that worked the best were pardons and pirate hunters. The pardons worked best for those men who feared the hangman’s noose or wanted to get out of the life, but the true die-hard pirates would only be brought in by force. Pardons In 1718, the English decided to lay down the law in Nassau. They sent a tough former privateer named Woodes Rogers to be Governor of Nassau and gave him clear orders to get rid of the pirates. The pirates, who essentially controlled Nassau, gave him a warm welcome: notorious pirate Charles Vane fired on the royal navy ships as they entered the harbor. Rogers was not intimidated and was determined to do his job. He had royal pardons for those who were willing to give up the life of piracy. Anyone who wished could sign a contract swearing to never again return to piracy and they would receive a full pardon. As the penalty for piracy was hanging, many pirates, including famous ones like Benjamin Hornigold, accepted the pardon. Some, like Vane, accepted the pardon but soon returned to piracy. The pardons took many pirates off the seas, but the biggest, baddest pirates would never willingly give up the life. Thats where the pirate hunters came in. Pirate Hunters and Privateers For as long as there have been pirates, there have been men hired to hunt them down. Sometimes, the men hired to catch the pirates were pirates themselves. This occasionally led to problems. In 1696, Captain William Kidd, a respected ships captain, was given a privateering commission to attack any French and/or pirate vessels he found. Under the terms of the contract, he could pretty much keep the spoils and enjoyed the protection of England. Many of his sailors were former pirates and not long into the voyage when pickings were scarce, they told Kidd that he had better come up with some plunder†¦or else. In 1698, he attacked and sacked the Queddah Merchant, a Moorish ship with an English captain. Allegedly the ship had French papers, which was good enough for Kidd and his men. However, his arguments did not fly in a British court and Kidd was eventually hanged for piracy. The Death of Blackbeard Edward Blackbeard Teach terrorized the Atlantic between the years of 1716-1718. In 1718, he supposedly retired, accepted a pardon and settled down in North Carolina. In reality, he was still a pirate and was in cahoots with the local governor, who offered him protection in exchange for part of his loot. The Governor of nearby Virginia chartered two warships, the Ranger and the Jane, to capture or kill the legendary pirate. On November 22, 1718, they cornered Blackbeard in Ocracoke Inlet. A fierce battle ensued, and Blackbeard was killed after taking five gunshot wounds and twenty cuts by sword or knife. His head was cut off and displayed: according to legend, his headless body swam around the ship three times before sinking. The End of Black Bart Bartholomew Black Bart Roberts was the greatest of the Golden Age pirates, taking hundreds of ships over a three-year career. He preferred a small fleet of two to four ships that could surround and intimidate his victims. In 1722, a large warship, the Swallow, was sent to get rid of Roberts. When Roberts first sighted the Swallow, he sent one of his ships, the Ranger, to take it: the Ranger  was overpowered, out of sight of Roberts. The Swallow later returned for Roberts, aboard his flagship the Royal Fortune. The ships began firing on one another, and Roberts was killed almost immediately. Without their captain, the other pirates lost heart quickly and surrendered. Eventually, 52 of Roberts men would be found guilty and hanged. The Last Journey of Calico Jack In November of 1720, the Governor of Jamaica got word that notorious pirate John Calico Jack Rackham was working the waters nearby. The governor outfitted a sloop for pirate hunting, named Jonathan Barnet captain and sent them off in pursuit. Barnet caught up with Rackham off of Negril Point. Rackham tried to run, but Barnet was able to corner him. The ships fought briefly: only three of Rackhams pirates put up much of a fight. Among them were the two famous female pirates, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read, who berated the men for their cowardice. Later, in jail, Bonny allegedly said to Rackham: If you had fought like a man, you need not have hanged like a dog. Rackham and his pirates were hanged, but Read and Bonny were spared because they were both pregnant. The Final Battle of Stede Bonnet Stede the Gentleman Pirate Bonnet wasnt really much of a pirate. He was a born landlubber who came from a wealthy family on Barbados. Some say he took up piracy because of a nagging wife. Even though Blackbeard himself showed him the ropes, Bonnet still showed an alarming tendency to attack ships he could not defeat. He might not have had the career of a good pirate, but no one can say he didnt go out like one. On September 27, 1718, Bonnet was cornered by pirate hunters in the Cape Fear inlet. Bonnet put up a furious fight: the Battle of Cape Fear River was one of the most pitched battles in the history of piracy. It was all for nothing: Bonnet and his crew were captured and hanged. Hunting Pirates Today In the eighteenth century, pirate hunters proved effective at hunting down the most notorious pirates and bringing them to justice. True pirates like Blackbeard and Black Bart Roberts would never have given up their lifestyle willingly. Times have changed, but pirate hunters still exist and still bring hard-core pirates to justice. Piracy has gone high-tech: pirates in speedboats wielding rocket launchers and machine guns attack massive freighters and tankers, looting the contents or holding the ship ransom to sell back to its owners. Modern piracy is a billion-dollar industry. But pirate hunters have gone high-tech as well, tracking their prey with modern surveillance equipment and satellites. Even though pirates have traded their swords and muskets for rocket launchers, they are no match for the modern naval warships which patrol the pirate-infested waters of the Horn of Africa, Malacca Strait and other lawless areas. Sources Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996 Defoe, Daniel. A General History of the Pyrates. Edited by Manuel Schonhorn. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1972/1999. Raffaele, Paul. The Pirate Hunters. Smithsonian.com.

U.S. Real Estate Market - Commercial & Residential Market Essay

U.S. Real Estate Market - Commercial & Residential Market - Essay Example The Florida real estate market may be turning for the better. According to MLS.com, as of November 2009, the median sales price $145,800 was an increase of .09% from the previous month and an overall increase of 8.0% from the previous 6 months. Although this news sounds refreshing, the real estate market is still down 6.5% for the year. The best and worst performing zip codes measures which zip codes in Florida have had either the best or worst previous month based on their median home sales prices. The best zip codes for November 2009 were 33805, 34601, 33547, 34652, and 32720 while the worst were 33916, 33705, 32819, 33607, and 33830. (MLS.com) In 2008 the Florida population demographics consisted of 18,328,340 people with a median income of $47,804. Of this population, 12.1% live below the poverty rate. According to Florida State University Leroy Collins Institute, Florida had 82.5 million visitors in 2008 which is slightly down from 84.5 million in 2007 and 83.9 million in 2006. Of its 20 post-secondary schools, Florida universities had a total enrollment of 298,866 people enrolled. Now is the time to buy. Real estate prices are at an all time low with numerous foreclosures in every state. Foreclosures in certain cities are selling for as low as 20 cent on the dollar. In order to calculate potential profit yield, it is necessary to know what’s the market value for an arms-length transactions in that specific market area. This can be determined by having an appraisal done. It is best to have a real estate appraisal performed prior to the purchase of any property whether it is a foreclosure or an arms-length transaction. By having an appraisal performed prior to the purchase, an investor or potential home owner can ensure that the purchase price is similar to that which houses are selling for in the condition and under the terms of the purchase. Once an investor/potential home owner knows what the distressed