Biotechnology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Biotechnology - Essay Example Recent technological advancements in the application of biotechnology have raised certain ethical concerns among people. Genetically engineered food has been a subject of hot debate for the past three decades. Genetically engineered food is an application of biotechnology in agriculture which has enabled us to design and create plants with the desired characteristics through genetic engineering. This idea has been rejected by some and praised by others. Both parties do realize how this technology could revolutionize the world but the idea of this revolution differs. The proponents and opponents of biotechnology and its application envision different futures. The idea of biotechnology is to aid human life but no one can guarantee whether it will be used to aid life or not. Scientists face such criticism everyday but this does not mean that they should stop doing their research. If they did so in the past then we may probably be living in miserable conditions. Technology is only a tool that has helped humanity survive through tough times. The crux of the matter is that the rewards of biotechnology do outweigh the risks associated with it. Biotechnology or Bioengineering has been accused of carrying potential threat but this does not mean that no reward comes with this threat. In fact Biotechnology does promises potential rewards whose proof can still be observed. Risks and threats have always accompanied technology but this in no way implies that one should give up on technology as I further stated that it is our moral obligation to provide our future generations with whatever we can to help them battle the problems of the world. This can in fact be termed as a compensation for using the resources of this planet for our present generation of people. Evidence of the fruits of Biotechnology has been most visible in the

Literature of Cyber Security Strategies

Literature of Cyber Security Strategies Natora Shepherd Abstract Staying Safe: Cyber Security for people and Organizations lucidly iterates the imperativeness of cyber security. The journal focuses considerably on how the lack of knowledge of both professional and personal environments has caused a surging level of threats due to security ignorance. The key topics covered by this paper is- The 8 Most Infamous Data Attacks, The Map of Breaching, Whats a PoS Attack, How Consumers View Hacked Business and The Rippling Effect, Heed The Waring Signs Well Provide A Solution. For the reason that 80% or more businesses process significant amounts of data or use PoS systems. Learning The Ins and Outs of Data Breaching May Save Your Company We live in a digital era, where computers are a part of everyday operations. As our technology advances, society has seen how much our nation struggles to secure government, personal, business, and financial data. Currently, the country suffers from a half-million cyber-attacks every minute, making it merely impossible to issue a patch promptly to seal exploited vulnerability and isolate the attack. Unfortunately, computers are not the only electronic devices subjected to cyber-attacks, for this purpose, its imperative that business, government agencies, and organizations construct a systematic approach to safeguarding their computers. Reading this document will provide a clear understanding of- Why are Business Attacked,The 8 Most Infamous Data Attacks, The Blueprint for Breaching, Whats a PoS Attack, How Consumers View Hacked Business and The Rippling Effect, Heed The Waring Signs Well Provide A Solution. Ultimately, as we progress into the future, the level of cultivation breaches upsurges throughout the cyber world. A data breach occurs when hackers exploit a weakness in the targets system. As a result, hackers can extract and access confidential information without the consent or knowledge of the user. Importantly, knowing why hackers mark government agencies, department stores, online stores, and healthcare organization is equally beneficial. Hackers fabricate attacks, where enormous amounts of confidential data are accommodated. Why are Business Attacked. Attacks against companies are increasing at an astounding rate. Yet, in still they continue to ignore incident until its too late. Understanding the motives behind the many attacks discussed enables corporations to concentrate on areas within the business infrastructure a hacker should possibly attack. For one large company, government agencies, and organizations process massive amounts of data on a daily basis. The amount of data acquired through these attacks is the driving force. Needless to say, knowledge holds power and information pertaining to any business is the biggest source of knowledge for a company. For instance, organized crime groups specifically use cyber exploits to commit identity theft, online fraud, and computer extortion. In many cases hacker prey on the knowledge that many businesses has lower defenses which are easy to penetrate. Once the information is in the criminals possession, their free to upload the content on Black Markets sites, underground trading sites. Meanwhile, admittance users navigate through the site scanning immense amounts of debit cards, bank account numbers, credit cards, social security numbers, and so forth (Wright, Sean). In this section, we take a look at five well-known companies that fell victim to data breaches. Data breaches continue to take our nation by storm, with business and organizations being the primary target. The reason why many companies become targets is that more and more businesses have become more contingent on digital data. Companies store the majority of sensitive data on local machines, cloud servers, and enterprise databases, because of this hacking, a companys data is simpler than ever. Lets take a look at some of the largest and most hindering breaches on records dating as far back as 2009. In 2012 Experian was indirectly involved with one of the largest data breaches after acquiring a company called Court Ventures. Court Ventures had a contract with the company U.S. Info Search that enabled clients of U.S Info Search to locate individuals addresses in order to determine which court registers to assess. The data retrieved was then sold to a number of third parties resulting in the data falling into the hands of a Vietnamese fraud service. The Vietnamese fraud service gave its own customers the opportunity to view Americans social security numbers and financial information. 2009 marked a major turning point for the company Heartland Payment Systems suffered a massive data breach resulting in 130 million records being compromised. The system was penetrated by malware planted on their network. Heartland obtained data from more than 250,000 businesses along. Sony PlayStation Network- experienced an outage back in 2011 from an external intrusion resulting in all network users losing access to their system. It was stated that approximately 77 million accounts were compromised. Living Social- is a local marketplace where consumers can buy and share the best things to do in their area. More than 50 million users accessed this site on a daily basis. In 2013 hackers attacked their servers and made off with more than 70 million members personal data worldwide. Evernote- runs a cloud base storage which allows its users to access notes from multiple devices. In 2015 tens of millions of their note-takers found themselves worrying about their security. No, customers, financial information was extracted. However, the hackers were able to gather customers user names, encrypted passwords, and email addresses(Andromeda botnet). The Blueprint for Data Breaching As with anything else, theres more than one type of attack that could put a business in a compromising situation. In this section well talk about the five most popular attacks, leaving any business in devastation. Brute force attack is a very sophisticated algorithm or software written to perform any actions necessary to attack a companies infrastructure. The software does this by searching for vulnerabilities- and several cases targets password protect mechanism. This attack is designed to go through hundreds of thousands of different words, combinations of words combined with numbers in efforts to crack passwords; it does this by evaluating each word in the dictionary seeing if they can access somewhat like a password. DDoS also known as distributed denial of service attacks happens when servers are overloaded with connections, the goal is shutting down the targets network system or website. An example of this particular attack is covered under The 5 Largest Data Breaches section. Next on the list is Phishing attacks which are perhaps among the most frequently reported method of cyber attacks. Theres numerous types of phishing attacks but the one used depends upon the industry. With this approach, hackers send out hundreds of thousands of emails with attachments or link hoping someone will click on them, given hackers system access. Coming in last is ransomware. Ransomware prohibits the use of the infected computer. In other words, it holds files or the PC for ransom. Now, there are various types of ransomware; however, all of the prevents the victim from using the PC. Point-of-Sale (PoS) Malware Point-of-sale malware is a malicious software expressly written to detect, aggregate and exfiltrate payment data. This malware was first exposed in October of 2008 when Visa issued an alert on a new type of exploit. Point-of-sale malware is a memory scraper that searches for data in its true format for track two credit card data. Chewbacca, BlackPOS, Kaptoxa, and Backoff are all types of POS malware. Orchestrating a POS attack is much simpler and a less risky way to obtain customers data without physically visiting the premises. So, what makes POS systems an easy target, well the systems are proprietary set up either by third-party consultants or vendors and may not be well comprehended by clients IT staff. The anatomy of a POS attack on a corporate network involves multiple stages. Ultimately, the hacker must acquire access to the victims network. This access is usually gained through an associated network not directly linked to a common desktop environment. Secondly, they can scan for vulnerabilities in external-facing systems, such as utilizing SQL injection on a web server or pinpointing a periphery device still using the default manufacturer password. Once inside the network, the attacker directs their attention toward the ultimate prize the POS system. They may achieve their objective in various ways, although, the simplest method is collecting user credentials, through password hash extraction, cracking, keylogging Trojans, or brute force. The third step entails the use of data-stealing tools-like RAM-scraping malware and network-sniffing(Colasoft Capsa,/Wireshark). All data gathered during this process is then stored locally in a file until exfiltration. Because POS attacks often take time to carry out the primary goal, hackers need their code to remain persistent on the compromised terminal. Lastly, the hacker may attempt to hijack the internal system acting as the companies primary server. During this process their trying to identify a server that regularly communicated with the POS system, while piggybacking on normal communications to avoid detection (Andromeda botnet). How Consumers View Hacked Business and The Rippling Effect First and foremost just in case, the company you work for has forgotten all business are in the market to make money. However, not possess customer rapport makes it merely impossible to do so. By this token, it is necessary to view this situation through the clients eyes. How exactly does a breach on a company affect consumers or customers perspective of them? Take a moment to rewind back to a time where you felt betrayed by either a business or person. Surely the memory resonates clearly in everyones mind because the human psyche holds a great capacity for feelings of abuse or betrayal. Clearly, it should not come as a surprise that consumers harbor those same negative emotions against business that allow their personal information to be stolen. If it where you would the level of trust remain the same? According to recent statistics75% of consumers say they would cease to do business with a company who had been hacked. Moreover, hacking has a tremendous impact on a business future. So, why are many businesses willing to take the chances of subjecting themselves to these types of threats. Perhaps, saving money now is worth losing loyal customers and withstanding the devastation and setback a breach would have on any companies future. Afterward, depending on the type of corporation or business it could leave them paying out millions of dollars to every customer compromised. Ironically, then and only then companies wish to ponder on the repercussions.(Last Name, Year) Heed The Waring Signs Well Provide A Solution. Most organizations and business are coming to terms with why hacker breaching techniques are becoming more sophisticated. Even with this being the case some companies place all their trust in their antivirus software not recognizing the need to take other precautionary measures. All businesses whether big or small struggles to allocate security resources. In some case its not that IT dont have the required tools to improve their risk of exposures- its more about not having the time. So, here are some early warning signs. Improperly trained employees Solution: Cybersecurity awareness is critical to the operation of any business. All users need appropriate training on how to safeguard all devices on the company network, spot fraudulent e-mails, and when to contact IT personnel. Unclear security policies Solution: Reinforces policies for accessing data, sharing data, granting user permission, and how employees use mobile devices on company network Unforeseen file activity or uncommon log-in patterns from team members Solution: track relationships among users and activities. Keep an eye out for various security product in the ecosystem. Unsupported or None-patched operating systems Solution: All workstations connect to network servers must be continuously patched and up-to-date as a preventive measure against criminals exploiting vulnerabilities. Joint user accounts Solution: one of the most insecure actions, even though it creates conveniences. Oftentimes using shared accounts results in a lack of accountability for access confidential data. Reframing from creating shared accounts prevents these types of data leaks. Unsubstantial Passwords Solution: reframe from the use of short password. A strong password is said to consist of longer words (15 characters at minimum) mixture of numbers, capital letters, lower-case letters, and symbols. Not managing file syncing Solution:make sure all company files remain under company controls at all times. The employees should never use personal accounts for work. In addition, invest in business-ready versions of products like Box, given executive granular authority over company Unsupported or None-patched operating systems Solution: All workstations connect to network servers must be continuously patched and up-to-date as a preventive measure against criminals exploiting vulnerabilities (Warning Signs Of A Breach, n.1-7). Time-consuming account lockouts (security professional encounter 10,000 or more alerts per month). Solution: make sure the SOC team can distinguish between real security incidents which take hours to investigate and heavy fingers. Some many SOC teams proceed to unlock accounts prematurely as a means to save time. Distractions like DDoS attacks used to steer a security operations center(SOC) attention towards isolated the breach, while allowing hackers to move in undetected. Solution: the companies SOC team should have a mitigation solution in place for possible violations. The key is being prepared for what might come, and constantly monitor for suspicious activity across the network(Shteiman, B n.8-9). Conclusion To conclude for years, our nation has felt the crippling effects of cyber attacks targeting business and government sectors. Many of these attacks have brought agencies and corporations to an abrupt halt, as they attempted to veil the devastating effects. Yet, they still choose to ignore the risk by rejecting adequate security and failure to educate themselves. Weve approached the modern day area of cyber attacks; this is why organizations must heed the warnings by taking action. Our nation must move forward by learning how to recognize warning signs and guard against various data breaches and pos attacks. The information from this document was designed to stress the importance of knowing all the threats that lurk around in the cyber world by offering insight on two prominent threats of Data Breaches, PoS devices, and avoidance methods. References 5 types of cyber attacks and how they can affect your business. (n.d.). Retrieved February 02, 2017, from http://www.propertycasualty360.com/2016/06/22/5-types-of-cyber-attacks-and-how-they-can-affect-y?slreturn=1487565444page=6 Mid-Year Review: 6 of the Biggest Cyber Threats of 2016. (2016, September 28). Retrieved January 03, 2017, from https://heimdalsecurity.com/blog/2016-biggest-cyber-threats/ New point-of-sale malware distributed by Andromeda botnet. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2016, from http://www.csoonline.com/article/2948966/cyber-attacks-espionage/new-pointofsale-malware-distributed-by-andromeda-botnet.html (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2017, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-warning-signs-your-business-may-risk-data-breach-sean-wright (n.d.). 3 Warning Signs Of A Breach What Security Teams Should Be Looking For. Retrieved December 30, 2016, from https://techcrunch.com/gallery/3-warning-signs-of-a-breach-what-security-teams-should-be-looking-for/ Types of Phishing Attacks. (2007, August 24). Retrieved November 15, 2016, from http://pcworld.about.com/od/emailsecurity/Types-of-Phishing-Attacks.htm

Conrads Intent In Heart Of Darkness :: essays research papers

Distilling the Darkness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In analysis of Heart of Darkness, much is made of Conrad’s intentions in telling his tale. People search for a moral lesson, a strict social commentary, an absolution for the evil of the dark jungle. It isn’t there, and that’s not the point.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In works of philosophy (like The Republic), or works of political theory (like Socialism: Utopian and Scientific), or works of natural science (like The Origin of Species), this sifting of important and clear ideas from the mess and confusion of experience is what writers like Plato, Darwin, or Engels are doing. They experience the world in all its messy confusion, and then they attempt to abstract from the mess, by careful selection, a system of ordering principles which other people can comprehend and make use of. In more figurative words, they are trying to shed the light of intelligence upon the darkness of experience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As, primarily, students and teachers, we naturally look for the conveyance of such ideas in any material we encounter. We miss that books like Heart of Darkness are fundamentally different in intent and we continue searching for that lesson from which to make a rational response to the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even literary professionals seem often to fall into the error of neglecting or misunderstanding the novelist's purpose. Consider, for example, the criticism leveled against Heart of Darkness by Paul O'Prey in his introduction to the Penguin edition. He writes: â€Å"It is an irony that the ‘failures’ of Marlow and Kurtz are paralleled by a corresponding failure of Conrad's technique--brilliant though it is--as the vast abstract darkness he imagines exceeds his capacity to analyze and dramatize it, and the very inability to portray the story's central subject, the ‘unimaginable’, the ‘impenetrable’ (evil, emptiness, mystery or whatever) becomes a central theme.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mr. O'Prey's sentence is somewhat impenetrable itself, but his complaint is that Conrad wants to evoke an abstract notion of darkness, but he doesn't manage to adequately define it or analyze it. He then goes on to quote, approvingly, another critic, James Guetti, who complains that Marlow â€Å"never gets below the surface,† and is â€Å"denied the final self-knowledge that Kurtz had.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In other words, according to Mr. O'Prey and Mr. Guetti, Conrad has somehow failed in his attempt to delineate the horror that is Kurtz's final vision, failed to penetrate the darkness that Marlow evokes, failed to give a precise name and shape to the dark and tragic human condition. Mr. O'Prey and Mr. Guetti want, as all good academics want, clarity, definition, intellectual coherence, order, a well-stated and well-argued thesis; they

Asi Questions Essay

The Interview Format – Does It Have to be an Interview? This is perhaps the most often asked question regarding the ASI. In the search for faster and easier methods of collecting data many clinicians and researchers have asked for a self-administered (either by computer or paper and pencil) version of the instrument. We have not sanctioned the use of a self-administered version for several reasons. First, we have tested the reliability and validity of the severity ratings by having raters use just the information that has been collected on the form – without the interview. This has resulted in very poor estimates of problem severity and essentially no concurrent reliability. Second, we have been sensitive to problems of illiteracy among segments of the substance abusing population. Even among the literate there are problems of attention, interest and comprehension that are especially relevant to this population. Finally, since the instrument is often used as part of the initial clinical evaluation, it has been our philosophy that it is important to have interpersonal contact for at least one part of that initial evaluation. We see this as simply being polite and supportive to a patient with problems. We have seen no convincing demonstration that the interview format produces worse (less reliable or valid) information than other methods of administration and we have found that particularly among some segments of the substance abusing population (eg. the psychiatrically ill, elderly, confused and physically sick) the interview format may be the only viable method for insuring understanding of the questions asked. Particularly in the clinical situation, the general demeanor or â€Å"feel† of a patient is poorly captured without person-to-person contact and this can be an important additional source of information for clinical staff. There are of course many useful, valid and reliable self-administered instruments appropriate for the substance abuse population. For example, we have routinely used selfadministered questionnaires and other instruments with very satisfactory results (eg. Beck Depression Inventory, MAST, SCL-90, etc.) but these are usually very focussed instruments that have achieved validity and consistency by asking numerous questions related to a single theme (eg. depression, alcohol abuse, etc.). The ASI is purposely broadly focussed for the purposes outlined above, and we have not been successful in creating a viable self-administered instrument that can efficiently collect the range of information sought by the ASI. Thus, it should be clear that at this writing there is no reliable or valid version of the ASI that is self-administered and there is currently no plan for developing this format for the instrument. We would of course be persuaded by comparative data from a reliable, valid and useful self-administered version of the ASI and this is an open invitation to interested parties. Role of the Interviewer – What are the qualifications needed for an ASI interviewer? Having indicated the importance of the interview process it follows that the most important part of the ASI is the interviewer who collects the information. The interviewer is not simply the recorder of a series of subjective statements. The interviewer is responsible for the integrity of the information collected and must be willing to repeat, paraphrase and probe until he/she is satisfied that the patient understands the question and that the answer reflects the best judgment of the patient, consistent with the intent of the question. It must be emphasized that the interviewer must understand the intent of each question. This is very important since despite the range of situations and unusual answers that we have described in the manual, a new exception or previously unheard of situation occurs virtually each week. Thus, ASI interviewers should not expect to find answers in the workbook to all of the unusual situations that they will encounter in using the ASI. Instead it will be critical for the interviewer to understand the intent of the question, to probe for the most complete information available from the patient and then to record the most appropriate answer, including a comment. There is a very basic set of personal qualities necessary for becoming a proficient interviewer. First, the prospective interviewer must be personable and supportive – capable of forming good rapport with a range of patients who may be difficult. It is no secret that many individuals have negative feelings about substance abusers and these feelings are revealed to the patients very quickly, thereby compromising any form of rapport. Second, the interviewer must be able to help the patient separate the problem areas and to examine them individually using the questions provided. Equally important qualities in the prospective interviewer are the basic intelligence to understand the intent of the questions in the interview and the commitment to collecting the information in a responsible manner. There are no clear-cut educational or background characteristics that have been reliably associated with the ability to perform a proficient ASI interview. We have trained a wide range of people to administer the ASI, including receptionists, college students, police/probation officers, physicians, professional interviewers and even a research psychologist!! There have been people from each of these groups who were simply unsuited to performing interviews and were excluded during training (perhaps 10% of all those trained) or on subsequent reliability checks. Reasons for exclusion were usually because they simply couldn’t form reasonable rapport with the patients, they were not sensitive to lack of understanding or distrust in the patient, they were not able to effectively probe initially confused answers with supplemental clarifying questions or they simply didn’t agree with the approach of the ASI (examining problems individually rather than as a function of substance abuse). With regard to assisting the interviewer in checking for understanding and consistency during the interview, there are many reliability checks buil t into the ASI. They are discussed in some detail in the workbook and they have been used effectively to insure the quality and consistency of the collected data. Severity Ratings – How important and useful are they? It is noteworthy that the severity ratings were historically the last items to be included on the ASI. They were considered to be interesting but non-essential items that were a summary convenience for people who wished a quick general profile of a patient’s problem status. They were only provided for clinical convenience and never intended for research use. It was surprising and interesting for us to find that when interviewers were trained comparably and appropriately, these severity estimates were reliable and valid across a range of patient types and interviewer types. Further, they remain a useful clinical summary that we continue to use regularly – but only for initial treatment planning and referral. A Note on â€Å"Severity† – It should be noted that much of the reason for the reliability and validity of these severity ratings is the structured interview format and the strict (some would say arbitrary) definition of severity that we have adopted: ie.†need for additional treatment.† Many users of the ASI have selected the instrument exclusively for research purposes and these ratings have never been used for this purpose – especially as outcome measures. Other users do not agree with our definition of severity. Still others do not have the time or inclination to check and recheck severity estimates among their various interviewers. For all of these potential users the severity ratings would not be useful or worth the investment of man-hours required to train reliability. Even for those with primary clinical uses, these ratings are not essential and are perhaps the most vulnerable of all the ASI items to the influences of poor interviewing skills, patient misrepresentation or lack of comprehension and even the surroundings under which the interview is conducted. Therefore, it is entirely acceptable to train ASI interviewers and to use the ASI without referral to the severity ratings. Composite Scores – What are they for, why were they constructed this way and what are the norms? Users familiar with earlier editions of the ASI know there is a separate manual designed to describe their use and to show how to calculate them (See Composite Scores from the Addiction Severity Index – McGahan et al. 1986). The composite scores have been developed from combinations of items in each problem area that are capable of showing change (ie. based on the prior thirty day period, not lifetime) and that offer the most internally consistent estimate of problem status. The complicated formulas used in the calculation of these composites are necessary to insure equal weighting of all items in the composite. These composites have been very useful to researchers as mathematically sound measures of change in problem status but have had almost no value to clinicians as indications of current status in a problem area. This is due to the failure on our part to develop and publish normative values for representative groups of substance abuse patients (eg. methadone maintained males, cocaine dependent females in drug free treatment, etc.). At the risk of being defensive, our primary interest was measuring change among our local patients and not comparing the current problem status of various patient groups across the country. Further, we simply did not foresee the range of interest that has been shown in the instrument. A Note on â€Å"Norms† for the Composite Scores – At this writing, we are collecting ASI data from a variety of patient sampl es across the country. These samples will be used to convert the composite raw scores into T-scores with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10 (as MMPI and SCL-90 scores are presented). Our intention is to publish these â€Å"normative data† and to circulate copies of the tables to all individuals who have sent to us for ASI packets. We will also provide programs written in Basic, Lotus 123 ® or Excel ®to calculate these composite scores and to convert existing composite scores into Tscores. In this way we hope to make up for the lack of standardization that has been a problem with the composite scores to this time. Appropriate Populations – Can I use the ASI with samples of Substance Abusing Prisoners or Psychiatrically Ill Substance Abusers? Because the ASI has been shown to be reliable and valid among substance abusers applying for treatment, many workers in related fields have used the ASI with substance abusing samples from their populations. For example, the ASI has been used at the time of incarceration and/or parole/probation to evaluate substance abuse and other problems in criminal populations. In addition, because of the widespread substance abuse among mentally ill and homeless populations, the ASI has also been used among these groups. While we have collaborated with many workers on the use of the instrument with these populations; it should be clear that there are no reliability or validity studies of the instrument in these populations. This of course does not mean that the ASI is necessarily invalid with these groups, only that its test parameters have not been established. In fact, workers from these fields have turned to the ASI because they felt that no other suitable instrument was available. In cases where this is true, it is likely that the ASI would be a better choice than creating a totally new instrument. However, it is important to note circumstances that are likely to reduce the value of data from the ASI among these groups. For example, when used with a treatment seeking sample and an independent, trained interviewer, there is less reason for a potential substance abuser to misrepresent (even under these circumstances it still happens). In circumstances where individuals are being â€Å"evaluated for probation/parole or jail† there is obviously much more likelihood of misrepresentation. Similarly, when the ASI is used with psychiatrically ill substance abusers who are not necessarily seeking (and possibly avoiding) treatment, there is often reason to suspect denial, confusion and misrepresentation. Again, there is currently no suitabl e alternative instrument or procedure available that will insure valid, accurate responses under these conditions. The consistency checks built into the ASI may even be of some benefit in these circumstances. However, it is important to realize the limits of the instrument. Regardless, systematic tests of the reliability and validity of the ASI in populations of substance abusers within the criminal justice system and within the mental health system are necessary but have not been done and this is an open invitation to interested parties. A Special Note on Adolescent Populations – Despite the fact that we have repeatedly published warnings for potential users of the ASI regarding the lack of reliability, validity and utility of the instrument with adolescent populations there remain instances where the ASI has been used in this inappropriate manner. Again, the ASI is not appropriate for adolescents due to its underlying assumptions regarding self-sufficiency and because it simply does not address issues (eg. school, peer relations, family problems from the perspective of the adolescent, etc.) that are critical to an evaluation of adolescent problems. At this writing, there are two versions of the ASI that have been developed for adolescent populations and have shown at least initial evidence of reliability and validity in this population. A third instrument is not in the same format as the ASI but has shown excellent reliability and validity. Interested readers may contact these individuals directly for more information about these instruments. Kathy Meyers, Research Department, Carrier Foundation, Belle Meade, New Jersey â€Å"Carrier – Addiction Severity Index† or Yifrah Kaminer, Adolescent Chemical Dependency Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. â€Å"Teen – Addiction Severity Index† or Al Friedman, Adolescent Substance Abuse Program, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia Psychiatric Center, Phila., Pa. â€Å"Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Diagnostic Assessment† ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR THE ASI Can I ask additional questions and/or delete some of the curr ent items? As indicated above, the ASI was designed to capture the minimum information necessary to evaluate the nature and severity of patients’ treatment problems at treatment admission and at follow-up. For this reason, we have always encouraged the addition of particular questions and/or additional instruments in the course of evaluating patients. In our own work we have routinely used the MAST, an AIDS questionnaire, additional family background questions and some self-administered psychological tests. We do not endorse the elimination or substitution of items currently on the ASI. Again, the ASI items (regardless of whether they are good or bad for particular individual needs) have been tested for reliability and validity as individual items and as part of the composite and/or severity scores. The elimination or substitution of existing items could significantly reduce the reliability and comparability of these ASI scores. It is possible to eliminate whole sections (problem areas) of the ASI if particular problems are not applicable for specific populations or the focus of specific treatment interventions. In the current version of the ASI and in this workbook, we have included a set of additional items and instruments that have been developed by us and others over the past ten years, to add information in areas that are now inadequately covered by the existing ASI questions. The items themselves are presented on the latest version of the form (See Appendix 1) and the specific instructions for asking these questions and for interpreting the answers are discussed in each of the problem areas in the Specific Instructions part of the workbook. It should be clear that we have not used these items in the calculation of the composite scores or in the determination of severity estimates. Obviously, the use of additional information for these purposes would alter the reliability and validity of the ASI and reduce the comparability of the resulting scores across sites and time points. Thus it is important to stress that the use of earlier ASI versions will still provide comparable data on the composite scores and on the majority of items, since they have not been changed or eliminated, only supplemented in the current version. In addition to these items, there has also been significant work over the past ten years in the development of general and specialized information collection interviews and questionnaires for substance abusers. Some of these instruments bear special note in that they can be used instead of or in addition to the ASI to provide enhanced or specialized information. Some of the more widely used and better validated instruments are presented below but the interested reader is advised to consult the tests and measurements literature for additional information.

Marketing and Mini Cooper Essay

Abstract My paper will be about how the MINI cooper has been worked on to continue to be reliable to the old customers and new customers. It has been around since the 1950’s and it looks like it will continue to be around. My paper will hit up information about explicit and implicit brand of communication for the MINI cooper. Levi’s positioning 1. How has BMW achieved continuity of brand message without alienating existing customers and encouraging new Mini purchasers? The Mini cooper is a very historical car. The original mini was designed in 1959 by Sir Alec Issagonis. Two years later the Mini took on a more racing and sporty model called the Mini Cooper, named after the racing expert John Cooper. Minis are known to be a smaller, sportier car with maximum interior space for the driver and passengers. In 2001, BMW managed to bring back the retro image of the Mini, while at the same time making it modernized, affordable and safe. The Mini continues to appeal to the younger audience and also the older audience. The company tries to retain an emotional association towards the product. With German engineering and British character, there was now a more European character to the new Mini. That is how is keeping its old customers. 2. What elements of the marketing communications mix have been used to build and/or maintain the Mini brand narrative? According to the book, the marketing communications mix is a subset of the marketing mix, both being the tools which deliver respectively communications and marketing strategies. It provides a mix of communication methods that blend to achieve a message. The marketing communication mix that have been used to build and maintain the Mini brand narrative has been using publicity stunts, advertisement all over the London and also using online communication. There have been many online advertisements that are created to catch attention and encourage website visitors. Use of press and outdoor billboards and posters has installed a since of excitement about the brand. 3. List the ‘explicit’ and ‘implicit’ elements of communication illustrated by the ‘It’s a Mini Adventure’ campaign. The explicit elements of communication illustrated by the â€Å"It’s a Mini Adventure’ campaign is featuring in the product in a music video. There had been many publicity stunts demonstrating spacious feature of the MINI. The implicit elements are illustrated in a serious of MINIs packaged as if they were toys viewed in shopping malls. It ensured high impact and generating a tremendous amount of consumer interest and word of mouth amongst potential buyers. References Dahlen M, Lange F, Smith T. (2010). Marketing Communications A Brand Narrative Approach. The marketing communication mix, (275-277)

definition of capitalism Essays

definition of capitalism Essays definition of capitalism Essay definition of capitalism Essay From an economic standpoint, capitalism is an economic system whereby all capital (defined in next essay below) employed in commerce is privately owned and the benefits (the return generated on the employed capital) accrues to the owners of the capital. The market (individuals willfully making decisions) determines where to allocate capital (what goods and services to produce and what price to sell them) for and the benefits (profits or return on capital) from this exchange accrue to the individual. The primary alternative to capitalism is socialism or centrally-planned economic ystems whereby all the capital (in the form of ownership interests in companies) is owned by the government, and therefore the benefits accrue to the government, not to individuals. In addition, the government, not the market, determines what goods and services to produce. Some countries may employ a combination of the two systems (companies may be privately owned as well as owned by the government). Capitalism, however, is more than Just an economic system. It is a philosophy that revolves around the individual and combines many of mans natural instincts and the natural forces of economics. As discussed in the Human Nature essays, man has a natural desire to be free and no economic system allows the individual more freedom to make their own decisions in an economic context than capitalism. In addition, man has a natural desire for wealth and no economic system is better at facilitating the creation of wealth. Furthermore, capitalism is based on the concept of fairness. As discussed in the Morals essays, the concept of fairness is at the heart of all morality. In an economic context no system is fairer with respect to the rewards accruing to those who have arned and deserve them. One could certainly argue that unequal distribution of wealth is not fair but it is this very concept that drives people to create wealth, which in the end benefits everyone from an economic standpoint as discussed in the Economics essays. In the context of economics, no economic system is more in line with the natural forces of economics than capitalism. At the highest level, the natural forces of economics compel capital to be allocated to its most productive use and no system accomplishes this more successfully than capitalism. The primary goal of capitalism is to create and maximize wealth which is accomplished by maximizing the return on capital (see Goals of Capitalsim essay below). Capitalism, however, is not perfect and does have its disadvantages. In a capitalist society only goods or services that can be sold at a profit will be produced which one could argue may not encourage the most desirable culture or maximize the quality of such an environment encourages unethical behavior, which is the primary enemy of capitalism as will be discussed below

Dorian Grey Review essays

Dorian Grey Review essays In the novel The Picture of Dorian Grey homosexuality is an important aspect of the novel, and the book deserves credit as a pioneering depection of homosexual relationships in serious English fiction. The depection of homosexualtity in the book is undoubtedly shaped by Wildes personal ambivalences toward his own sexuality which is found expressed both in idealized love affairs and in liaisions with prostitutes. It is important to stress that the novels primary intrest is literaty rather than biographical, and that Wilde hints at homosexuality rather than expresses it directly. Homosexual readers would certainly have responded to the books under current of gay feeling, and may have found the very name Dorian suggestive of Greek homosexuality, since it was the Dorian tribesman who allegedly intorduced homosexuality into Greece as part of their military regimen. Wilde purposely leaves the exact nature of the sins of Dorian Grey mysterious and vague, suggested but not Wildes attitude toward homosexuality in the novel may best be seen in his portrayal of Basil Hallward. Hallward is the character mast clearly defined as homosexual, and it is significant that he is presented as the most morally sensitive character as well. His love for Dorian seems altogther noble, especially in contrast to the blandishments of Lord Henry, his rival for the young mans affection. In the triangle formed by the competition of the two older men for the attention of the beautiful boy, Basil represents an idealized, platonized homosexuality, linked to a long tradidtion of art and philosophy. Wilde conceives of Basils homosexual love for Dorian as something positive but dangerous, an emotion that inspires guilt and fear: measures , respetively, of the internal and external condemnations brought to bear against homosexuality. In the end it seems that it is Basil homosexual love for Dorian th...