Computer Networking Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Computer Networking Management - Essay Example As there is continuous progress in information technology, we move further and further into becoming a paperless society, and there is increased need for people to be connected to large networks to be able to exchange data just as quickly as when handing a piece of paper to another person. This can be achieved by connecting groups of computers in a network, so that the data can be accessed immediately by various when data is entered into one computer, no matter the distance from the originating computer. There is quite a lot of work involved in networking, including a lot of math, from equations to basic problems. This paper discusses the issues around the setting up a computer network and its management. A computer network is a connection of two or more computers in order to share resources and data. These shared resources can include devices like printers and other resources like electronic mail, internet access, and file sharing. A computer network can also be seen as a collection of Personal computers and other related devices which are connected together, either with cables or wirelessly, so that they can share information and communicate with one another. Computer networks vary in size. Some networks are needed for areas within a single office, while others are vast or even span the globe. In the vastly technological en... Most companies employ a network administrator or manager to oversee this very important aspect of the company's business. This is a significant position, as it comes with great responsibilities because an organization will experience significant operational losses if problems arise within its network. Computer networking is a discipline of engineering that involves communication between various computer devices and systems. In computer networking, protocols, routers, routing, and networking across the public internet have specifications that are defined in RFC documents. Computer networking can be seen as a sub-category of computer science, telecommunications, IT and/or computer engineering. Computer networks also depend largely upon the practical and theoretical applications of these engineering and scientific disciplines. Computer networking also involves the setting up of any set of computers or computer devices and enabling them to exchange information and data. Some examples of computer networks include: Local area networks (LANs) that are made up of small networks which are constrained to a relatively small geographic area. Wide area networks (WANs) which are usually bigger than local area networks, and cover a large geographic area. Wireless LANs and WANs (WLAN & WWAN). These represent the wireless equivalent of the Local Area Network and Wide Area Networks Networks involves interconnection to allow communication with a variety of different kinds of media, including twisted-pair copper wire cable, coaxial cable, optical fiber, and various wireless technologies. The devices can be separated by a few meters (e.g. via Bluetooth) or nearly unlimited distances (e.g. via the

European Court of Justice Essay Example for Free

European Court of Justice Essay The European Union (EU) is a celebrated alliance of Nations that runs from the United Kingdom and Portugal in the West to Turkey in the East. The EU has made travel and trade much easier between its member states. With few exceptions this Union now shares a common currency known as the Euro. After close to a decade of existence the Euro is now stronger than the U. S. Dollar. This economic powerhouse is energized by free trade between its members a free trade marked by cooperation rather than competition. Today, the average French Citizen has access to Limburger, Swiss and Italian Cheeses at ever cheaper prices. The EU can legitimately boast that it has all but eliminated tariffs between native states. Unfortunately, this Union is not without its faults. There are occasions when selfish national interest subvert the good of the Union. After all, despite the good will and benefits that nations gain from free trade, parochial interests can still sometimes over come the common good. In such cases the European Court of Justice may be forced to intervene. For example, In Commission v.  Italy Italian customs charges were struck down because any pecuniary charge, however small, imposed on goods by reason of the fact that they cross a frontier constitutes an obstacle to the movement of such goods. † Commission vs. Italy is not an isolated case, it is safe to say that â€Å"In developing the rules of the internal market, the European Court of Justice has maintained a careful balance between the de-regulation imperative of the Treaty, as interpreted by the Court, on the one hand, and legitimate Member State interests and the reality of regulatory diversity, on the other. The Court’s perception of the place of both civil and political rights and social rights within the internal market changes in accordance with how this balance falls. † The European Court of Justice (ECJ), also known as the Court of Justice of the European Communities is the highest court of the European Union. The court is similar to a national Supreme Court. It strives, interpret the EU laws to ensure equal application across the various European Union member states The European Court of Justice is based in Luxembourg City and was established in 1952. It is one of the few European Union institutions that is not based in Brussels. There is one judge for every member state although only thirteen can be present to hear a case at any given time. The ECJ has jurisdiction over all matter of European Community law, but can not intervene with respect to national law. Every nation has its respective national legal system which the Union must respect. However, the ECJ ensures that EU level legislation is interpreted and applied in equal manner across the whole of the EU. This prevents national Supreme Courts from interpreting the same legislation differently. The Courts decisions are binding. For instance, a state that fails to implement a directive or a Commission that acts outside its delegated power has to answer to the ECJ. The Court also has jurisdiction over cases involving disputes between states, institutions, businesses and individuals A full tale of the ECJs jurisdiction includes the insurance that the law is observed in the interpretation and application of the Treaties of the European Union. This application must be uniform across all nations without bias or favoritism, hence the need for a Union-wide arbiter of the law. The court must also see that the provisions are laid down by Community institutions with the proper competence. The Court enjoys a wide latitude to hear various actions. Among other things the court may rule on applications for annulment or actions for failure to act raised by a member state or institution, actions against Member States for failure to fulfill obligations, references for a preliminary ruling and appeals against decision of the Court of First Instance Under Article 226 of the Consolidated Treaty Establishing the European Community (CTEEC), the ECJ may determine if a Member State has fulfilled its obligations under Community Law. A preliminary hearing will allow the erring Member State to reply to the complaint. If the hearing does not result in termination of the claim of failure by the Member State an action for breach of Community law may be brought before the European Court of Justice. Such an action is ordinarily brought to the court by a Member State by another Member State. If the court finds that the claimed obligation has not been fulfilled the erring Member State must terminate the breach with due haste. If the breach is not resolved within a reasonable time period upon the Request of the Commission, the European Court of Justice may impose a fixed or periodic financial penalty. In addition the court may also act on Actions for Annulment, Actions for failure to act, Applications for compensation based on non-contractual liability. The court can also rule of review on point of the law. The ECJ is the final arbiter with respect to the interpretation and application of community law. The Court of First Instance, deals with most cases before they are elevated to the ECJ. However, these two bodies are not the only judicial body tasked with interpreting the application of Community Law. The true court of first instance is actually the national courts. The national courts retain jurisdiction to review the administrative implementation of Community law. , for which the authorities of the Member State are responsible. It is because of this role that the National courts are the first guarantors of the Community law. Unfortunately, National courts are beholden to the nations in which they belong. It cannot be helped but for a justice to give his loyalty first to his country and second to the Union. Cynicism aside, there can and there have been occasions were the parochial interest of the state was upheld by the National courts over the fair and equitable application of the EU’s laws. It is in these circumstance that the Court must intervene. In Costa vs ENEL it was established that Community law takes precedence over the member states domestic law. Furthermore, in Simmenthal II the Court held that there is a Duty to set aside provisions of national law which are incompatible with Community Law. Hence, the Court justifies its rulings in favor of Community law over the parochial decisions of National Courts. Despite criticism that at time the court has overstepped its bounds and has interfered with local laws. The powerhouse economy of the EU is made possible by the elimination of Tariff barriers that once plagued the nations. Tariffs historically, made products of one nation less competitive in the market of another nation. For example, all things being equal, a bottle of wine produced in France will cost more than Italian wine in Rome because the French wine had to pay Tariffs. Articles 23 and 25 of the EC prohibit all â€Å"customs duties on imports and exports and of all charges having equivalent effect. This applies between Member States and also applies to customs duties of a fiscal nature. The ECJ has remained steadfast in upholding the Union’s commitment to Free Trade. The ECJ has ruled that ‘Goods’ are â€Å"products which can be valued in money and which are capable, as such of forming the subject of commercial transactions . † Hence, painting, sculptures and even musical recordings are ‘goods’ the establishment of tariff barriers against is disallowed. Even waste is capable of forming the subject of a commercial transaction A criticism against the ECJ is that at times it may overstep its bounds and interfere with the internal workings of a nation. For example, in Diamantarbeiders ; â€Å"A charge having equivalent effect to a customs duty is any pecuniary charge however small and whatever its designation and mode of application which is imposed unilaterally on domestic or foreign goods by reason of the fact that they cross a frontier and which is not a customs duty in the strict sense. This is the case even if it is not imposed for the benefit of the State [and] is not discriminatory or protective in effect, or if the product on which the charge is imposed is not in competition with any domestic product. Also in Bresciani Charges imposed for a public health inspection carried out on the entry of goods to a Member State can be a charge having equivalent effect to a customs duty. It was not important that the charges were proportionate to the costs of the inspection, nor that such inspections were in the public interest . Thus, the ECJ continues to maintain its commitment to free trade and the removal of all barrier to trade between Member States. The efforts of non-compliant Member States to form covert or hidden tariffs is vigilantly watch by the Court in order for it to act swiftly and decisively upon any breech that arises However, Court is not wholly without heart or willingness to render judgment based on its jurisdiction as a court of Justice AND equity. It is not utterly insensitive to the plight of Member States. In commission vs Germany it ruled that; A charge for a service will not be regarded as a customs duty where it: (a) does not exceed the cost of the service, (b) that service is obligatory and applied uniformly for all the goods concerned, (c) the service fulfills obligations prescribed by Community law, and (d) the service promotes the free movement of goods in particular by neutralising obstacles which may arise from unilateral measures of inspection . This decision is of interest because of its Solomonic approach, Germany at that time was suffering a period of economic dislocation and in a nut shell needed to be cut some slack. By allowing charges for a service to be accounted as not a customs duty, it allowed Germany a quantity of income. Strict rules were established to ensure that such allowance is not abused by Germany or any other Member State. However, the European Court of Justice still upheld its commitment to free trade. Art 90 of the EC provides that Member States are prevented from imposing, â€Å"directly or indirectly, on the products of other Member States any internal taxation of any kind in excess of that imposed directly or indirectly on similar domestic products. In Humblot it was held that the prohibition extends to internal taxation of such a nature as to afford indirect protection of product†. This case was an example of how pervasive and at times invasive the European Court of Justice can get in upholding its mandate. The European Court of Justice has a mandate to protect the Community Law. At times it must do so over the heads of Member States who have put parochial interests before the good of the Union. Fortunately, the Court has been granted sufficient mandate and jurisdiction to uphold the its commitment to Free Trade. The Court is at times criticized for being too invasive and interfering even with the internal workings of a Member State. The Court is also lambasted from being overly committed and ignoring the facts of the ground, or the special circumstances which might merit certain exceptions. As was noted in the Germany case, this is not so. Despite its mandate, the Court remains sensitive to the needs of individual nations some of which may require some temporary consideration in order to adjust and eventually be full partners of the European Union.

Teenage Sleep Deprivation Impact

Teenage Sleep Deprivation Impact Dont you just hate it when youre in the middle of teaching your class to look over and see about half of your students heads down, drooling away during precious learning time? As a student Ive wondered what goes on in students minds that barely receive sleep. Sleep deprivation is a common problem for teenage students ranging from the ages of 13 to 19. Sleep deprivation is defined as a general lack of the necessary amount of sleep that a person needs. An average teen needs approximately 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night for the best academic and physical performance during school hours. Studies show that teens on and average are getting between 6.5 and 7.3 hours of sleep. Teenage students that choose to stay up late on school nights are usually the ones who end up falling asleep in class, and the result is missing an important lesson of the day. This is just one example of the problems a sleep-deprived student could face. This leads to my thesis that sleep deprivation is a serious problem in the teen-aged world, in terms of schools. Behavior problems, Understanding, memory, cognition (the process of thought), motor functions, Alertness are effects sleep deprived teens may undergo. The affects of sleep deprivation on a teenage body can affect the ability to function at school. Studies showed that Sleep deprivation can affect mood/behavior, learning, performance (physically), attention (being focused), and cause health issues.(Teens, Sleep and School).Too little sleep may cause exhaustion or fatigue (an overall feeling of deep tiredness or lack of energy) which can lead deprived student to have mood swings and behavioral problems, such as crying for no reason or losing their temper over small things. It is necessary for teens to get enough sleep on a daily bases in order to function properly during school. Students have to process information given to them by an instructor in order to learn. Lack of sleep may cause a teens mind to be distracted and not focused, causing their grades to decline. According to Dr.Carskadon, a sleep researcher at Brown University Teens with As on their report cards received an hour of more sleep each night and students who had Ds and Fs on their report cards only had two hours less sleep then the students with As.(The Importance of Sleep for Teens Essay | Student Essays Summary). It is very important to get enough sleep in order for a student to be successful academically and perform in class to the best of their ability. A sleepy persons brain works harder but accomplishes less. Sleep can be characterized as food for the brain. According to Jim Horne, PhD, director of the sleep research laboratory at Loughborough University in England, the part of the brain that overworks in the sleep-deprived people normally is one of the most active areas of the brain (Horne). Complex functions involved, verbal fluency, planning, paying attention, dealing with situations such as, group participations, activities, fights and group discussions. Jim Horne also includes, what seems to be happening is that the functional part of the brain appears to be working even harder during compensation because performance shows deterioration (Horne) a sleep-deprived person cannot perform physical and mental tasks as well as a person who is well rested. (Lack of Sleep Takes Toll on Brain Power) James B. Maas is a Professor in Psychology, Education and Communication at Cornell University. Dr. Maas is also one of the nations most sought after corporate speakers. He received his B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) from Williams College and his M.A. (Master of Arts) and Ph.D. from Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Maas researches on sleep and performance, as well as on leadership and critical thinking. (Maas) What good does it do to try to educate teen-agers so early in the morning? Dr. Maas asks. You can be giving the most stimulating, interesting lectures to sleep-deprived kids early in the morning or right after lunch, when theyre at their sleepiest, and the overwhelming drive to sleep replaces any chance of alertness, cognition, memory or understanding.(Maas) Dr. Maas supports later start times at school. According to Maas, teenagers face significant challenges in maintaining healthy sleep routines.(Maas) Dr. Maas took matters in to his own hands, He went out and spoke to school regarding how students can perform better if school start times started later in the morning. Deerfield Academy was one of the schools that Dr. Maas spoke at, a preparatory boarding school in Massachusetts which loved his idea of pushing schools start time back. In Sept. 2007, the school administration began to consider his idea of changing the school schedule. In Oct. 2007, the school voted to decide if it was reasonable. 61 to 27 voted in favor of the plan. The old start time of school 7:55 a.m. was now moved to 8:30 a.m. Mr. Warsaw a teacher who taught at Deerfield Academy stated that, Students of first-period classes are more vibrant and discussions now began at the opening bell instead of half-way through the class,(Warsaw).Deerfield Academy decided to mainta in the later start schedule. Delaying school start times is one solution for solving the problem for students who are unable to stay steadily awake in class due to sleep deprivation. (Sleep deprivation-Undermining Teen Health) Sleep deprivation can also affect you out of school. Sleep deprivation can have the same affect behind the wheel as drunk driving. By the time teens reach high school, most would be already driving during the junior and senior year. REM sleep plays roles linked to being drunk which leads to car accidents. Researchers in Australia and New Zealand found that people who drive after being awake for 17 to 19 hours performed worse than those with a (B.A.L.) blood alcohol level of 0.05 percent. There studies also show that 16 to 60 percent of road accidents involve sleep deprivation. In a survey taken by teens reported that more than half has operated a car drowsy. According to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration more than 100,000 accidents, 40,000 injuries, and 1,500 people are killed in the U.S. every year due to crashes by drivers who are sleepy. A sleep-deprived teen can be characterized as drunken teen, results can also be fatal when driving drowsy. (Sleep deprivation as bad as alcohol impairment). In 2009 Braeshaun Jackson, 19, graduate from Laguna Creek High School was involved in a fatal car incident .He died in a wreck at the intersection of Whitlock Parkway and Shana Way due to driving sleepy.(Ruffin) According to M. Suzanne Stevens, MD (medical Doctor), Assistant Clinical Professor, from the University of Kansas, Sleep is controlled by neurotransmitters, which act on different neurons in the brain. Some, such as serotonin and norephine which keep the brain active while were awake. Adenosine (plays a role in promoting sleep) builds up in our blood while we are awake and breakdown of it causes drowsiness (Stevens). She also includes that there are five stages of sleep and REM (Rapid Eye Movement). During stages 1-4 of sleep, our brain waves become slower and slower until we switch to REM sleep. At that point, our breathing is more rapid and irregular and our eyes move rapidly under our eyelids (Stevens).REM sleep occurs when we are at a stage of being close to falling asleep, it can be characterized as skeletal muscle twitches or a feeling of low-voltage signals. Before you enter REM sleep a feeling of drowsiness occurs. Two characteristics that may be noticeable when REM sleep is taking place are the dilation of pupils and an increase respiratory rate. Sleep deprivation can also negatively impact physiology that is critical for athletic performance. Athletes can suffer from the loss of sleep/sleep deprivation. Impairments include athletes motor functions, and the inability to control all aspects of muscular movement fully. Examples include races such as sprints, as well as hurdles, which depend on a combination of power and striding over hurdles, or sports where the athletes must coordinate movements rapidly such as ball-sports. Another impairment that an athlete can be affected by is ones visual reaction time. Sports is mainly about reaction time and how one reacts to an object such as in the sport of baseball, where the batter has to be able to hit a 80-95 mph ball with success or in hockey where the goaltender has to be able to stop the fast moving puck from getting in the goal. Sleep deprivation also causes delays in an athletes auditory reaction, such as the reaction to a start of a pistol. Auditory reaction is how fast a person can respond by hearing or in sports were teammates are alerted by loud commands, an example would be the loud pistol to signal the start of a race with no delay in reaction time or when a conversation is going on were one out of the 3 person is slowest to respond. Glucose is compared as fuel for our body; it is the primary source of energy for the brain and also influences psychological processes. It is estimated that glucose metabolism will deteriorate in a period of seven to 10 days of limited sleep by as much as 30% to 40%. This condition will impair the ability of the body to properly store the glycogen necessary to provide the body with reserves to use during intense training or competition. (Sleep Deprivation and Sports Performance) Eve Van Cauter, Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Medical School, studied the effects of three different durations of sleep in 12 young men ages 17 to 22. For the first three nights of the study, the men slept eight hours per night; for the next six nights, they slept four hours per night; for the last seven nights, they slept 12 hours per night. Results showed that after four hours of sleep per night (the sleep deprivation period), they metabolized glucose least efficiently. Levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) were also higher during sleep deprivation periods, which have been linked to memory impairment, age-related insulin resistance, and impaired recovery in athletes.(Cauter) Eve Van Cauter also said that, after only one week of sleep restriction, young, healthy males had glucose levels that were no longer normal and showed a rapid deterioration of the bodys functions. (Cauter) This can reduce the body to have the ability to store glucose properly. His results showed that these young healthy males had glucose similar to those found in the elderly. The strongest opposing argument for sleep deprivation is that students should sleep less if its necessary to get more urgent things done such as an important assignment(s) due the next day or being that a final exam/test is going to be given. Stephanie, a high school graduate (2007) was asked, Should I stay up late studying and doing homework or rest?(Yahoo! Answers) on an online website. Questions were asked randomly by an unknown person(s) and opinions were given. Stephanies opinion was that he/she should stay up late, according to Stephanie you learn more before you sleep (Stephanie), she also includes that that was my technique (Stephanie). What she is saying is that, you can always get your sleep back but cannot re-do a failed exam/test/assignment because you decided to go to sleep a little early so the next day you wouldnt arrive to class sleepy. However without the proper amount of sleep trying to study or get work done is not a good idea, eventually youll fall asleep during c lass. This leaves you unprepared to do what is presented and take an F for the day. Sleeping in late will mentally impact you the next morning leaving you, drowsy, constantly yawing, and distracted because eventually youll try to think of ways to stay awake in class. The best suggestion is to study/do home work when your suppose to like student should and not just the night before. The second opposing argument is that some find it easier to sleep later at night and still would not be affected by the loss of sleep. According to a college student Ive always been a night owl.(student) A night owl is characterized as a person who says up late a night like an owl dose. She found it easier not to go to bed at all some nights than to get up early in the morning for class or work. She also includes that It was always easier to stay up late to finish (or start) my work than it was to get up early.(student) However staying up to late will take affect on your body when you least expect it, because your body needs to rest and rebuild for the next day. The third opposing argument is that since school starts early in the morning when students cannot mentally focus on studying, studying at night when drowsiness and missing sleep can be eliminated since the student is already mentally up. This gives them a better chance of being able to remember what was being studied the next day. However trying to cram all kinds of information in your brain in one night is not worth it because the next morning youll just forget. Trying to over work your body will make it even more tired the next day. With that being said students should get the regular amount of sleep each night so the next theyll have less of a hassle of dealing with miscommunications. Sleep deprivation is a serious problem in the teen-aged world. Teens get a bad record for staying up late at night, waking up late for school and falling asleep in class. It is necessary for teens to get enough sleep in order for them to function properly during school hours on a daily basis. The effects sleep deprivation on everybody in general can affect learning, performance (physically), attention (being focused), and cause health issues. By not getting the necessary amount of sleep can impair alertness, attention span, reaction time, awareness of the environment, concentration, Loss of motivation and fixating (stalling) on one thought. Some suggestions that can help prevent sleep deprivation is to, go to bed earlier each night, improve sleeping environment by keeping it dark, turning off the television and using relaxation techniques to help you fall asleep quickly.

Hindu Religious Traditions Essay -- essays research papers

Hindu Religious Traditions Most people in the world derive their religious beliefs and traditions from their parents and peer influences. From a religious point of view, â€Å"There are many definitions for the term ‘religion’ in common usage. [Broadly defined], in order to include the greatest number of belief systems: ‘Religion is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life’† (Robinson, 1996). However, in examining Hinduism, it is difficult to label the practices as a religion. This paper will expound upon the Hindu traditions, taking into account the characteristics of sacred elements, their meaning, and significance. Hindu Traditions â€Å"For thousands of years people have associated objects in the sky, the Earth, and aspects of their physical world with the gods and goddesses of their culture† (Windows Team, 2000, Mythology). The Hindu culture is no different with the association of several gods and goddesses acknowledged through their traditional worship. Worshipping the many gods and goddesses makes Hinduism difficult to comprehend the many elements of the tradition. The worship of many gods and goddesses is rooted in henotheism. â€Å"Belief in one god without denying the existence of others† (Yahooligans! Reference, 2000). This way of worship is what makes Hinduism complex and hard to understand. In addition, what makes Hinduism even more complex, is that fact that it is also â€Å"viewed as a monotheistic religion, because it recognizes only one supreme God: the panentheistic principle of Brahman that all reality is a unity. The entire universe is seen as one divine entity who is simultaneously at one with the universe and who transcends it as well. [Still others] view Hinduism as Trinitarian because Brahman is simultaneously visualized as a triad - - one God with three persons† (Robinson, 1995): †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brahma the Creator who is continuing to create new realities; †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vishnu, (Krishna) the Preserver, who preserves these new creations. Whenever Dharma (eternal order, righteousness, religion, law, and duty) is threatened, Vishnu travels from heaven to earth in one of ten incarnations; †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shiva, the Destroyer, is at times compassionate, erotic, and destructive. Sacred Elements Thus, it is understandable, based on the various gods worshipped in Hinduism that one must look at th... ... largest religion. Retrieved June 13, 2005 from Religious Tolerance Website on the World Wide Web: http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm Robinson, B.A. (1995). Hinduism: A general introduction. Retrieved June 13, 2005 from Religious Tolerance Website on the World Wide Web: http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism2.htm Robinson, B.A. (1996). About specific religions, faith groups, ethical systems, etc. Retrieved May 31, 2005 from Religious Tolerance Website on the World Wide Web: http://www.religioustolerance.org/var_rel.htm Windows Team (2000). Mythology. Retrieved May 31, 2005 from Windows to the Universe Database on the World Wide Web: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link%3D/mythology/mythology.html%26edu%3Dmid Windows Team (2000). Surya. Retrieved June 13, 2005 from Windows to the Universe Database on the World Wide Web: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mythology/surya_sun.html Yahooligans! Reference (2000). The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed. Retrieved June 13, 2005 from Houghton Mifflin Company on the World Wide Web:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entries/13/h0151300.html

General Prologue :: essays papers

General Prologue When the seasons are filled with fresh, milk-white snow to pack happy snowmen together, and lively decorations to usher the New Year in and keep the evil spirits away; when also the frenzied salary-men are able to relax from jobs and pursue pet hobbies, it is joyous winter. In the spirit of celebration, pilgrims from the world over who are part owners in Chang Securities have come to the San Francisco company headquarters for the anniversary of incorporation. And so by chance, a company of five unique pilgrims met each other at the Chicago Airport. Each different pilgrim was headed for the celebration on the same, delayed flight. They were a pleasant lot, and soon after the first half hour had passed I got to know each one quite well. But before I continue my tale, and while it is fresh in my memory, let me tell you about the social station of each, what they wore, what their jobs were, and who they were. First there was a woman senator who had a bright, but smooth smile and a neat appearance. Her campaign shout was, â€Å"Make the world a happier one.† She was often quick to praise lavishly, but whether or not it was deserving had secondary importance to her. She could speak a dozen phrases in a dozen different languages so her value in international matters would increase. Besides her language skill, she took classes in the sciences, literature, and music at night school, but she never stayed on for more than a few weeks at a time. She dressed conservatively, as a candidate for office would: stately, and filled with dignity and confidence. Coworkers sometimes pointed out her elegance in taste and lifestyle: she was often seen with dozens of politicians at orchestra concerts, and she loved to play golf with the richest businessmen. If I remember correctly, she said she loses at golf on purpose so her business opponents will feel accomplished. At Christmas she would give the c hildren of her wealthy supporters lavish gifts and fine food; no expense would be spared to make them happy. With her was a merry, wealthy landowner. His motto was to live for pleasure, and he had adequate funds to indulge himself with. He was a fat man; he always had to choose first class because he could not get himself to fit inside the coach airplane seat.

Managing and Preserving Electronic Health Records Essay

This proposal discusses how to apply standard and interoperable solutions to manage and preserve electronic health records (lab test results, physician notes, etc.) and migrate, distribute, replicate, and access these records from legacy formats and platforms. Another important thing the proposal discusses is incorporating a technological system that will allow better time management and increase profitability at CorpHealth. Business Problem Statement The business problem to be solved is how to improve time management by improving strategic planning and incorporating new technology that will allow better time management and planning. Also the company currently does not have a system that preserves electronic health records. It is important for the company to start working to create a standard preservation infrastructure to support a wide variety of electronic health records, data formats, and delivery mechanisms as well as identify, evaluate, and integrate standard and best practices in the long-term preservation and management tools to migrate, replicate, and distribute electronic health records. Currently the only technological advance the company uses is the Cholestest LDX system that provides efficient and economical point of care testing for cholesterol and related lipids, and blood glucose serve as diagnostic tools that provide information for immediate risk assessment and therapeutic monitoring of heart disease, inflammatory disorders and  diabetes.allows and improve insight into the financial management aspects of the company for improved strategic planning and performance monitoring. Name of the Company or Organization CORPHEALTH Medical and Wellness Solutions, Inc. Brief Description of Proposed Solution Incorporating new technology at CorpHealth will allow the business to reach out to new customer increase profit and grow technologically. Looking at these issues will help decrease major challenges the Company faces in IT, operations, strategic planning while diminishing the risk on non-compliance regulatory fees. CorpHealth should develop business tailored solutions to incorporate a better strategy that overall will bring growth and stability to the company. General Benefits it will provide the Organization General benefits to the company will mean growth and advancement. The company need to stay ahead of the competition and implementing new marketing strategy in different ways is a great way to attract different clients or new demographics. Implementing new technology will improve the speed and accuracy of diagnoses. Implementing a new system that will allow health information to be safe and secure will allow the current clients and future clients to have peace of mind. Also this will give the Company better access to the information if needed by the Doctor allowing better time management to the Staff. Audience to whom you are presenting the recommendation(s) The audience of this proposal is presented for all CorpHealth personnel. After recommendations are implemented and agreed on who will benefit from it will be the Staff, client and future clients.

Angels Demons Chapter 46-48

46 The Secret Vatican Archives are located at the far end of the Borgia Courtyard directly up a hill from the Gate of Santa Ana. They contain over 20,000 volumes and are rumored to hold such treasures as Leonardo da Vinci's missing diaries and even unpublished books of the Holy Bible. Langdon strode powerfully up the deserted Via della Fondamenta toward the archives, his mind barely able to accept that he was about to be granted access. Vittoria was at his side, keeping pace effortlessly. Her almond-scented hair tossed lightly in the breeze, and Langdon breathed it in. He felt his thoughts straying and reeled himself back. Vittoria said, â€Å"You going to tell me what we're looking for?† â€Å"A little book written by a guy named Galileo.† She sounded surprised. â€Å"You don't mess around. What's in it?† â€Å"It is supposed to contain something called il segno.† â€Å"The sign?† â€Å"Sign, clue, signal†¦ depends on your translation.† â€Å"Sign to what?† Langdon picked up the pace. â€Å"A secret location. Galileo's Illuminati needed to protect themselves from the Vatican, so they founded an ultrasecret Illuminati meeting place here in Rome. They called it The Church of Illumination.† â€Å"Pretty bold calling a satanic lair a church.† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Galileo's Illuminati were not the least bit satanic. They were scientists who revered enlightenment. Their meeting place was simply where they could safely congregate and discuss topics forbidden by the Vatican. Although we know the secret lair existed, to this day nobody has ever located it.† â€Å"Sounds like the Illuminati know how to keep a secret.† â€Å"Absolutely. In fact, they never revealed the location of their hideaway to anyone outside the brotherhood. This secrecy protected them, but it also posed a problem when it came to recruiting new members.† â€Å"They couldn't grow if they couldn't advertise,† Vittoria said, her legs and mind keeping perfect pace. â€Å"Exactly. Word of Galileo's brotherhood started to spread in the 1630s, and scientists from around the world made secret pilgrimages to Rome hoping to join the Illuminati†¦ eager for a chance to look through Galileo's telescope and hear the master's ideas. Unfortunately, though, because of the Illuminati's secrecy, scientists arriving in Rome never knew where to go for the meetings or to whom they could safely speak. The Illuminati wanted new blood, but they could not afford to risk their secrecy by making their whereabouts known.† Vittoria frowned. â€Å"Sounds like a situazione senza soluzione.† â€Å"Exactly. A catch-22, as we would say.† â€Å"So what did they do?† â€Å"They were scientists. They examined the problem and found a solution. A brilliant one, actually. The Illuminati created a kind of ingenious map directing scientists to their sanctuary.† Vittoria looked suddenly skeptical and slowed. â€Å"A map? Sounds careless. If a copy fell into the wrong hands†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It couldn't,† Langdon said. â€Å"No copies existed anywhere. It was not the kind of map that fit on paper. It was enormous. A blazed trail of sorts across the city.† Vittoria slowed even further. â€Å"Arrows painted on sidewalks?† â€Å"In a sense, yes, but much more subtle. The map consisted of a series of carefully concealed symbolic markers placed in public locations around the city. One marker led to the next†¦ and the next†¦ a trail†¦ eventually leading to the Illuminati lair.† Vittoria eyed him askance. â€Å"Sounds like a treasure hunt.† Langdon chuckled. â€Å"In a manner of speaking, it is. The Illuminati called their string of markers ‘The Path of Illumination,' and anyone who wanted to join the brotherhood had to follow it all the way to the end. A kind of test.† â€Å"But if the Vatican wanted to find the Illuminati,† Vittoria argued, â€Å"couldn't they simply follow the markers?† â€Å"No. The path was hidden. A puzzle, constructed in such a way that only certain people would have the ability to track the markers and figure out where the Illuminati church was hidden. The Illuminati intended it as a kind of initiation, functioning not only as a security measure but also as a screening process to ensure that only the brightest scientists arrived at their door.† â€Å"I don't buy it. In the 1600s the clergy were some of the most educated men in the world. If these markers were in public locations, certainly there existed members of the Vatican who could have figured it out.† â€Å"Sure,† Langdon said, â€Å"if they had known about the markers. But they didn't. And they never noticed them because the Illuminati designed them in such a way that clerics would never suspect what they were. They used a method known in symbology as dissimulation.† â€Å"Camouflage.† Langdon was impressed. â€Å"You know the term.† â€Å"Dissimulacione,† she said. â€Å"Nature's best defense. Try spotting a trumpet fish floating vertically in seagrass.† â€Å"Okay,† Langdon said. â€Å"The Illuminati used the same concept. They created markers that faded into the backdrop of ancient Rome. They couldn't use ambigrams or scientific symbology because it would be far too conspicuous, so they called on an Illuminati artist – the same anonymous prodigy who had created their ambigrammatic symbol ‘Illuminati' – and they commissioned him to carve four sculptures.† â€Å"Illuminati sculptures?† â€Å"Yes, sculptures with two strict guidelines. First, the sculptures had to look like the rest of the artwork in Rome†¦ artwork that the Vatican would never suspect belonged to the Illuminati.† â€Å"Religious art.† Langdon nodded, feeling a tinge of excitement, talking faster now. â€Å"And the second guideline was that the four sculptures had to have very specific themes. Each piece needed to be a subtle tribute to one of the four elements of science.† â€Å"Four elements?† Vittoria said. â€Å"There are over a hundred.† â€Å"Not in the 1600s,† Langdon reminded her. â€Å"Early alchemists believed the entire universe was made up of only four substances: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.† The early cross, Langdon knew, was the most common symbol of the four elements – four arms representing Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Beyond that, though, there existed literally dozens of symbolic occurrences of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water throughout history – the Pythagorean cycles of life, the Chinese Hong-Fan, the Jungian male and female rudiments, the quadrants of the Zodiac, even the Muslims revered the four ancient elements†¦ although in Islam they were known as â€Å"squares, clouds, lightning, and waves.† For Langdon, though, it was a more modern usage that always gave him chills – the Mason's four mystic grades of Absolute Initiation: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Vittoria seemed mystified. â€Å"So this Illuminati artist created four pieces of art that looked religious, but were actually tributes to Earth, Air, Fire, and Water?† â€Å"Exactly,† Langdon said, quickly turning up Via Sentinel toward the archives. â€Å"The pieces blended into the sea of religious artwork all over Rome. By donating the artwork anonymously to specific churches and then using their political influence, the brotherhood facilitated placement of these four pieces in carefully chosen churches in Rome. Each piece of course was a marker†¦ subtly pointing to the next church†¦ where the next marker awaited. It functioned as a trail of clues disguised as religious art. If an Illuminati candidate could find the first church and the marker for Earth, he could follow it to Air†¦ and then to Fire†¦ and then to Water†¦ and finally to the Church of Illumination.† Vittoria was looking less and less clear. â€Å"And this has something to do with catching the Illuminati assassin?† Langdon smiled as he played his ace. â€Å"Oh, yes. The Illuminati called these four churches by a very special name. The Altars of Science.† Vittoria frowned. â€Å"I'm sorry, that means noth – † She stopped short. â€Å"L'altare di scienza?† she exclaimed. â€Å"The Illuminati assassin. He warned that the cardinals would be virgin sacrifices on the altars of science!† Langdon gave her a smile. â€Å"Four cardinals. Four churches. The four altars of science.† She looked stunned. â€Å"You're saying the four churches where the cardinals will be sacrificed are the same four churches that mark the ancient Path of Illumination?† â€Å"I believe so, yes.† â€Å"But why would the killer have given us that clue?† â€Å"Why not?† Langdon replied. â€Å"Very few historians know about these sculptures. Even fewer believe they exist. And their locations have remained secret for four hundred years. No doubt the Illuminati trusted the secret for another five hours. Besides, the Illuminati don't need their Path of Illumination anymore. Their secret lair is probably long gone anyway. They live in the modern world. They meet in bank boardrooms, eating clubs, private golf courses. Tonight they want to make their secrets public. This is their moment. Their grand unveiling.† Langdon feared the Illuminati unveiling would have a special symmetry to it that he had not yet mentioned. The four brands. The killer had sworn each cardinal would be branded with a different symbol. Proof the ancient legends are true, the killer had said. The legend of the four ambigrammatic brands was as old as the Illuminati itself: earth, air, fire, water – four words crafted in perfect symmetry. Just like the word Illuminati. Each cardinal was to be branded with one of the ancient elements of science. The rumor that the four brands were in English rather than Italian remained a point of debate among historians. English seemed a random deviation from their natural tongue†¦ and the Illuminati did nothing randomly. Langdon turned up the brick pathway before the archive building. Ghastly images thrashed in his mind. The overall Illuminati plot was starting to reveal its patient grandeur. The brotherhood had vowed to stay silent as long as it took, amassing enough influence and power that they could resurface without fear, make their stand, fight their cause in broad daylight. The Illuminati were no longer about hiding. They were about flaunting their power, confirming the conspiratorial myths as fact. Tonight was a global publicity stunt. Vittoria said, â€Å"Here comes our escort.† Langdon looked up to see a Swiss Guard hurrying across an adjacent lawn toward the front door. When the guard saw them, he stopped in his tracks. He stared at them, as though he thought he was hallucinating. Without a word he turned away and pulled out his walkie-talkie. Apparently incredulous at what he was being asked to do, the guard spoke urgently to the person on the other end. The angry bark coming back was indecipherable to Langdon, but its message was clear. The guard slumped, put away the walkie-talkie, and turned to them with a look of discontent. Not a word was spoken as the guard guided them into the building. They passed through four steel doors, two passkey entries, down a long stairwell, and into a foyer with two combination keypads. Passing through a high-tech series of electronic gates, they arrived at the end of a long hallway outside a set of wide oak double doors. The guard stopped, looked them over again and, mumbling under his breath, walked to a metal box on the wall. He unlocked it, reached inside, and pressed a code. The doors before them buzzed, and the deadbolt fell open. The guard turned, speaking to them for the first time. â€Å"The archives are beyond that door. I have been instructed to escort you this far and return for briefing on another matter.† â€Å"You're leaving?† Vittoria demanded. â€Å"Swiss Guards are not cleared for access to the Secret Archives. You are here only because my commander received a direct order from the camerlegno.† â€Å"But how do we get out?† â€Å"Monodirectional security. You will have no difficulties.† That being the entirety of the conversation, the guard spun on his heel and marched off down the hall. Vittoria made some comment, but Langdon did not hear. His mind was fixed on the double doors before him, wondering what mysteries lay beyond. 47 Although he knew time was short, Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca walked slowly. He needed the time alone to gather his thoughts before facing opening prayer. So much was happening. As he moved in dim solitude down the Northern Wing, the challenge of the past fifteen days weighed heavy in his bones. He had followed his holy duties to the letter. As was Vatican tradition, following the Pope's death the camerlegno had personally confirmed expiration by placing his fingers on the Pope's carotid artery, listening for breath, and then calling the Pope's name three times. By law there was no autopsy. Then he had sealed the Pope's bedroom, destroyed the papal fisherman's ring, shattered the die used to make lead seals, and arranged for the funeral. That done, he began preparations for the conclave. Conclave, he thought. The final hurdle. It was one of the oldest traditions in Christendom. Nowadays, because the outcome of conclave was usually known before it began, the process was criticized as obsolete – more of a burlesque than an election. The camerlegno knew, however, this was only a lack of understanding. Conclave was not an election. It was an ancient, mystic transference of power. The tradition was timeless†¦ the secrecy, the folded slips of paper, the burning of the ballots, the mixing of ancient chemicals, the smoke signals. As the camerlegno approached through the Loggias of Gregory XIII, he wondered if Cardinal Mortati was in a panic yet. Certainly Mortati had noticed the preferiti were missing. Without them, the voting would go on all night. Mortati's appointment as the Great Elector, the camerlegno assured himself, was a good one. The man was a freethinker and could speak his mind. The conclave would need a leader tonight more than ever. As the camerlegno arrived at the top of the Royal Staircase, he felt as though he were standing on the precipice of his life. Even from up here he could hear the rumble of activity in the Sistine Chapel below – the uneasy chatter of 165 cardinals. One hundred sixty-one cardinals, he corrected. For an instant the camerlegno was falling, plummeting toward hell, people screaming, flames engulfing him, stones and blood raining from the sky. And then silence. When the child awoke, he was in heaven. Everything around him was white. The light was blinding and pure. Although some would say a ten year old could not possibly understand heaven, the young Carlo Ventresca understood heaven very well. He was in heaven right now. Where else would he be? Even in his short decade on earth Carlo had felt the majesty of God – the thundering pipe organs, the towering domes, the voices raised in song, the stained glass, shimmering bronze and gold. Carlo's mother, Maria, brought him to Mass every day. The church was Carlo's home. â€Å"Why do we come to Mass every single day?† Carlo asked, not that he minded at all. â€Å"Because I promised God I would,† she replied. â€Å"And a promise to God is the most important promise of all. Never break a promise to God.† Carlo promised her he would never break a promise to God. He loved his mother more than anything in the world. She was his holy angel. Sometimes he called her Maria benedetta – the Blessed Mary – although she did not like that at all. He knelt with her as she prayed, smelling the sweet scent of her flesh and listening to the murmur of her voice as she counted the rosary. Hail Mary, Mother of God†¦ pray for us sinners†¦ now and at the hour of our death. â€Å"Where is my father?† Carlo asked, already knowing his father had died before he was born. â€Å"God is your father, now,† she would always reply. â€Å"You are a child of the church.† Carlo loved that. â€Å"Whenever you feel frightened,† she said, â€Å"remember that God is your father now. He will watch over you and protect you forever. God has big plans for you, Carlo.† The boy knew she was right. He could already feel God in his blood. Blood†¦ Blood raining from the sky! Silence. Then heaven. His heaven, Carlo learned as the blinding lights were turned off, was actually the Intensive Care Unit in Santa Clara Hospital outside of Palermo. Carlo had been the sole survivor of a terrorist bombing that had collapsed a chapel where he and his mother had been attending Mass while on vacation. Thirty-seven people had died, including Carlo's mother. The papers called Carlo's survival The Miracle of St. Francis. Carlo had, for some unknown reason, only moments before the blast, left his mother's side and ventured into a protected alcove to ponder a tapestry depicting the story of St. Francis. God called me there, he decided. He wanted to save me. Carlo was delirious with pain. He could still see his mother, kneeling at the pew, blowing him a kiss, and then with a concussive roar, her sweet-smelling flesh was torn apart. He could still taste man's evil. Blood showered down. His mother's blood! The blessed Maria! God will watch over you and protect you forever, his mother had told him. But where was God now! Then, like a worldly manifestation of his mother's truth, a clergyman had come to the hospital. He was not any clergyman. He was a bishop. He prayed over Carlo. The Miracle of St. Francis. When Carlo recovered, the bishop arranged for him to live in a small monastery attached to the cathedral over which the bishop presided. Carlo lived and tutored with the monks. He even became an altar boy for his new protector. The bishop suggested Carlo enter public school, but Carlo refused. He could not have been more happy with his new home. He now truly lived in the house of God. Every night Carlo prayed for his mother. God saved me for a reason, he thought. What is the reason? When Carlo turned sixteen, he was obliged by Italian law to serve two years of reserve military training. The bishop told Carlo that if he entered seminary he would be exempt from this duty. Carlo told the priest that he planned to enter seminary but that first he needed to understand evil. The bishop did not understand. Carlo told him that if he was going to spend his life in the church fighting evil, first he had to understand it. He could not think of any better place to understand evil than in the army. The army used guns and bombs. A bomb killed my Blessed mother! The bishop tried to dissuade him, but Carlo's mind was made up. â€Å"Be careful, my son,† the bishop had said. â€Å"And remember the church awaits you when you return.† Carlo's two years of military service had been dreadful. Carlo's youth had been one of silence and reflection. But in the army there was no quiet for reflection. Endless noise. Huge machines everywhere. Not a moment of peace. Although the soldiers went to Mass once a week at the barracks, Carlo did not sense God's presence in any of his fellow soldiers. Their minds were too filled with chaos to see God. Carlo hated his new life and wanted to go home. But he was determined to stick it out. He had yet to understand evil. He refused to fire a gun, so the military taught him how to fly a medical helicopter. Carlo hated the noise and the smell, but at least it let him fly up in the sky and be closer to his mother in heaven. When he was informed his pilot's training included learning how to parachute, Carlo was terrified. Still, he had no choice. God will protect me, he told himself. Carlo's first parachute jump was the most exhilarating physical experience of his life. It was like flying with God. Carlo could not get enough†¦ the silence†¦ the floating†¦ seeing his mother's face in the billowing white clouds as he soared to earth. God has plans for you, Carlo. When he returned from the military, Carlo entered the seminary. That had been twenty-three years ago. Now, as Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca descended the Royal Staircase, he tried to comprehend the chain of events that had delivered him to this extraordinary crossroads. Abandon all fear, he told himself, and give this night over to God. He could see the great bronze door of the Sistine Chapel now, dutifully protected by four Swiss Guards. The guards unbolted the door and pulled it open. Inside, every head turned. The camerlegno gazed out at the black robes and red sashes before him. He understood what God's plans for him were. The fate of the church had been placed in his hands. The camerlegno crossed himself and stepped over the threshold. 48 BBC journalist Gunther Glick sat sweating in the BBC network van parked on the eastern edge of St. Peter's Square and cursed his assignment editor. Although Glick's first monthly review had come back filled with superlatives – resourceful, sharp, dependable – here he was in Vatican City on â€Å"Pope-Watch.† He reminded himself that reporting for the BBC carried a hell of a lot more credibility than fabricating fodder for the British Tattler, but still, this was not his idea of reporting. Glick's assignment was simple. Insultingly simple. He was to sit here waiting for a bunch of old farts to elect their next chief old fart, then he was to step outside and record a fifteen-second â€Å"live† spot with the Vatican as a backdrop. Brilliant. Glick couldn't believe the BBC still sent reporters into the field to cover this schlock. You don't see the American networks here tonight. Hell no! That was because the big boys did it right. They watched CNN, synopsized it, and then filmed their â€Å"live† report in front of a blue screen, superimposing stock video for a realistic backdrop. MSNBC even used in-studio wind and rain machines to give that on-the-scene authenticity. Viewers didn't want truth anymore; they wanted entertainment. Glick gazed out through the windshield and felt more and more depressed by the minute. The imperial mountain of Vatican City rose before him as a dismal reminder of what men could accomplish when they put their minds to it. â€Å"What have I accomplished in my life?† he wondered aloud. â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"So give up,† a woman's voice said from behind him. Glick jumped. He had almost forgotten he was not alone. He turned to the back seat, where his camerawoman, Chinita Macri, sat silently polishing her glasses. She was always polishing her glasses. Chinita was black, although she preferred African American, a little heavy, and smart as hell. She wouldn't let you forget it either. She was an odd bird, but Glick liked her. And Glick could sure as hell use the company. â€Å"What's the problem, Gunth?† Chinita asked. â€Å"What are we doing here?† She kept polishing. â€Å"Witnessing an exciting event.† â€Å"Old men locked in the dark is exciting?† â€Å"You do know you're going to hell, don't you?† â€Å"Already there.† â€Å"Talk to me.† She sounded like his mother. â€Å"I just feel like I want to leave my mark.† â€Å"You wrote for the British Tattler.† â€Å"Yeah, but nothing with any resonance.† â€Å"Oh, come on, I heard you did a groundbreaking article on the queen's secret sex life with aliens.† â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"Hey, things are looking up. Tonight you make your first fifteen seconds of TV history.† Glick groaned. He could hear the news anchor already. â€Å"Thanks Gunther, great report.† Then the anchor would roll his eyes and move on to the weather. â€Å"I should have tried for an anchor spot.† Macri laughed. â€Å"With no experience? And that beard? Forget it.† Glick ran his hands through the reddish gob of hair on his chin. â€Å"I think it makes me look clever.† The van's cell phone rang, mercifully interrupting yet another one of Glick's failures. â€Å"Maybe that's editorial,† he said, suddenly hopeful. â€Å"You think they want a live update?† â€Å"On this story?† Macri laughed. â€Å"You keep dreaming.† Glick answered the phone in his best anchorman voice. â€Å"Gunther Glick, BBC, Live in Vatican City.† The man on the line had a thick Arabic accent. â€Å"Listen carefully,† he said. â€Å"I am about to change your life.†