Sex education for children and teens

Introduction The increase in the number of teenage pregnancy and the rise in HIV and AIDS cases across the globe have led to the development of sex education programs incorporated in the education curriculum for many schools. The sex education programs entail the training on matters â€Å"†¦relating to human sexuality, including human sexual reproduction, human sex anatomy, sexual intercourse and reproductive health† (Donovan, 1998, p.70).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Sex education for children and teens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Other than formal schools providing sex education to children and teens parents, caregivers and public health campaign programs also play a paramount role in propagation of sex education. The continued degradation of sexual morals especially among teenagers, adolescence and the emergence of HIV and AIDS has not only influenced the medical profession but also sh aped the education sector to reconsider their sex education programs. Although schools and higher learning institutions continue to put a lot of efforts and emphasis on sex education, the current sex education programs do not work. The failure of these programs predisposes teenagers and children to risks related to lack of sex and sexuality knowledge. Children and teens in such nations with collapsed sex education are prone to sexually transmitted diseases and unpreparedness for pregnancy later in life. Although statistics show that, comprehensive sex education on contraception and abstinence in schools help to shape the future lives of many teens, many schools have not yet incorporated the sex education in their curriculum. The debate surrounding whether covering of child sexuality is worthwhile or prejudicial continue to pull back the efforts of full implementation of sex education in many schools and learning institutions today. Education on the use of birth controls such as horm onal contraceptives and condoms elicit the need for teens and children to experience sexual contacts. Moreover, the conservative groups advocating for abstinence-only sex education for the current teens and children continue to increase the controversies surround the sex education in schools. This conservative attitude towards sex education for teens and children led to increase in teenage pregnancies and high prevalent in sexually transmitted diseases in the United States and the United Kingdom. Traditionally, in some countries, sex information to adolescence was a taboo only left to the discretion of the teenagers’ parents to educate the on sexual matter. This information remained concealed until just before marriage. The emergence of HIV and AIDS coupled with STIs has resulted to concerted efforts in responsibilities of training teens on sexual matters between the parents and teachers in schools.Advertising Looking for term paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The traditional influence leads to shyness among teachers in delivering the detailed sex education to teens as some continue to view it as a taboo. On the other hand, the continued debate surrounding the benefits of teaching children and teens on contraceptive methods still challenge teachers undertaking sex education. Many teachers fear uncovering sexual matters to teenagers who are in their puberty stages of life in which the curiosity of sexual experience is high. Teachers fear that the discussion of contraception and birth control methods at an early age would arouse the urge to experience sexual contacts among teens and, therefore, sex education becomes a challenge although it is the importance in prevention and control of STIS, HIV and AIDS and early pregnancies in teenagers. The confusion on whether to implement the comprehensive sex education or abstinence-only sex education to schools still challenge teachers in th eir quest to deliver helpful sex education to children and teens in their schools. The increase in the problems and challenge towards sex education for teens and children led to increase in â€Å"the number of teenage pregnancies and spread of sexually transmitted diseases† (Donovan, 1998, p.70) resulting into high school drop outs, and this led to enactment of state legislation requiring the incorporation of sex education in the school curriculum. For instance, the enactment of three bills out of the twenty bills pertaining provision of comprehensive sex education to teenagers and adolescent in the United States of America in 1998 led to the cessation of the debate on abstinence-only sex education (Donovan, 1998, p.70). The law provided for the teaching of mutual faithfulness, monogamous relationships, human sexuality, sexual anatomy and contraception to teens and adolescents. Proponents of the comprehensive view early sex education as a major factor in developing moral obli gation later in life for teens and, therefore, implementation of the laws enacted gives teachers the confidence in delivering the sex education content. In addition, the provision of financial support by organizations such as the centre for disease control to improve HIV and AIDS education has contributed significantly in encouraging the progress of sex education. Laws and policies strategy used to improve sex education bears a constitutional strength and background and, therefore, this gives the sex education providers the assurance of the constitutional backing.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Sex education for children and teens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Because of this, teenagers now receive sexuality education in junior and high schools in most parts of the world. According to Donovan, a survey in 1995 showed that, more than eight women in ten aged 18-19years said they received sex instruction i n their early age. Lack of effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms on whether sex education goes on in schools as the law provides results into a weakness in this strategy (1998, p.71). Good monitoring tools give a guarantee on the provision of sex education to teens and children as per the provisions of the state laws and policies. In the United States, almost all citizens get sex education between the ages of 7 and 12, and in some states, introduction in sex education starts as from grade 5. For example, Lickona (1998) observes that sex education in the United States at grade 7 involved puberty education, HIV, how to resist peer pressure and STIs (p. 86). As compared to other countries, the United States practices both the comprehensive sex education and abstinence-only sex education. In abstinence, only the proponents advocate for complete abstinence until marriage and do not provide information on contraception. On the other hand, proponents of comprehensive sex education urge that sexual demeanor after puberty is real and sexual information is, therefore, crucial about the risk involved. The focus on comprehensive sex education remains on general sexual behavior and instills morality to the teens. In African states, sex education focuses on stemming the increasing AIDs epidemic with the establishment of AIDS education programs integrated in educational systems. Nongovernmental organizations including the world health organization funds these programs in most African states. The world health organization being an international organization providing health services including training and provision of information pertaining different health aspects, provides sex education indirectly and directly to teens through the incorporation of AIDS related education in school curriculums and through media campaigns. CDC (centre for disease control), on the other hand, supports sex education locally in its bid to control both AIDS and STIs among teens in many Af rican states. In a case where my principal appoints me to constitute a group to improve sex education in my school, I would incorporate parents, teachers, educational stakeholder and church leader simply because the success of sex education would rely deeply on concerted efforts of these groups.Advertising Looking for term paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, with the support of parents and educational leaders and stakeholder, teachers would be at ease to deliver detailed sex education content to teenagers without fear of jeopardizing their careers. Lickona notes that, most teachers believe their careers are at stake for saying things that parents find objectionable (1998, p. 89). Moreover, the inclusion of education officials in the group improves their focus on sex education. In this case, sex education becomes a priority subject, which is examinable. My own experience in sex education involved shyness on the mention of sex and sexuality in my early age and teachers as well were timid on the subject of sex and sexuality. More focus in my early age entailed abstinence-only with both teachers and parents emphasizing on abstinence until marriage. Forces of peer pressure and media played the role of sex education provider. Comprehensive sex education remains a core topic in the educational arena especially during the current era with HIV and AIDs epidemic. Sex education becomes, therefore, essential so has to train teenagers the dangers and risks involved in sexual activities. Although teachers continue to emphasis on sex education, standards and status of sex education in many schools remain depressed simply because the education stakeholder including teachers and parents do not give sex education priority. The legislation of state laws and policies strengthen sex education as teachers feel supported and are no longer scared of jeopardizing their careers. Reference List Donovan, P. (1998). School base sexuality education: The issues and Challenges.  Family Planning Perspective Journal, 30(4), 70-72. Lickona, T. (1998). Where sex education went wrong. Educational leadership Journal,  51(3), 84-86. This term paper on Sex education for children and teens was written and submitted by user Vicente Padilla to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

ACT Test Dates When’s a Good Time for You

Choose Your SAT / ACT Test Dates When’s a Good Time for You SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips "I have no idea what to expect" is not a sentence you want runningthrough your mind on your way to take theSAT or ACT. If you take control of your test prep and schedule, then you shouldn't have any surprises on test day. Besides studying, part of your preparation should bestrategically planning out your SAT/ACT test dates. Instead of closing your eyes and pointing randomly at a calendar, you canask yourself some key questions to figure out when the best SAT/ACT test dates are for you. The first question that every student should ask herself, of course, is, When are my college deadlines? When Are My Deadlines? Most, if not all, students taking the SAT/ACT are doing so are part of their applications to 4-year colleges.Knowing your deadlines is the first piece of important information for making your SAT test date choice and ACT test date choice. SAT/ACT scores might also be required for some scholarships, which also might affect your choice of test dates. Deadlines for College Most regular decision deadlines for college are around January 1st in your senior year. January 15 is another common deadline, and some colleges go even later, like into February and March. If you're applying early action or early decision, then your deadlines are probably sometime in November. It takes about 3 weeks to receive your SAT or ACT scores, so you want to make sure you leave at least this much time between your test dates and your first deadline. For peace of mind, though, you'd be much better off getting your test done and ready to go before the last possible date. Leaving it to the last minute gives you no protection if you have a fluke testing day or are disappointed with your scores. Plus there's the rare chance you could get unlucky and have your scores delayed or even canceled, and then you'd be out of time. The SAT is given 7 times throughout the year, in January, March, May, June, October, November, and December. The ACT is usually given 6 times, in February, April, June, September, October, and December. One way to consider your testing schedule is the "1/3 - 2/3 rule." Depending on when you're starting to prep and plan, you could take the SAT/ACT 1/3 of the time between your starting point and when your applications are due, and the second time at 2/3 between "now" and your deadlines. If you started in January of junior year, for example, you could take your first SAT/ACT in April or May and your next test in the fall, like in October. This "rule" assumes you're going to take the SAT/ACT twice, but a lot of students choose to take it three or more times. I'll delve into what a typical test-taking schedule looks like for students more below, but first let's discuss the other deadlines you might be meeting: scholarship deadlines. Can't relate to this at all, right? Deadlines for Scholarships Your SAT/ACT scores might also be an important consideration for winning scholarship money. Most score-based scholarships come directly from colleges, so your scholarship deadlines will generally match your college deadlines. If SAT/ACT-based scholarships are important for you, then you might want to get your scores earlier to help determine your college list. If you are able to achieve qualifying scores for guaranteed SAT/ACT scholarships, then you can make sure to apply to those schools that will award you money. Since application planning is a process that takes several months, you probably want to have your SAT/ACT scores by the end of junior year. That way you can plan accordingly, know which colleges you're applying to, and focus on the rest of your application. As I mentioned above, one potential problem with taking your tests last minute is that you'd run out of test dates if you aren't satisfied with your scores. Many students take the SAT/ACT more than once or twice to prep between tests and improve their scores. How many times you want to take the test is the next important questionto ask yourself when choosing test dates. How Many Times Do I Want to Take the SAT/ACT? There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking the SAT/ACT more than once to achieve your target scores. In fact, I'd highly recommend taking it at least twice, if not three or more times. Almost everyone improves when they retake the SAT/ACT. This "real test" experience can be especially valuable if you use it as a launching off point to determine your strengths and weaknesses and do targeted test prep that will help you pull up your scores the next time. If, like most students, you're taking your test more than once, then you want to make sure you leave yourself enough test dates and monthsin between each one to study. If you took the SAT in May and then again the next month in June, then you really wouldn't have time to improve very much. Instead, you want to leave several months in between test dates to prep effectively. Given this strategic approach to hitting your scores on the SAT/ACT, what does a typical test-taking schedule look like for most students? Typical Test-Taking Schedule A typical SAT/ACT schedule for the majority of students involves three opportunities to take the test. Hopefully this guide helps you realize that there are several considerations when making your SAT test date choice and ACT test date choice. Just because this schedule works for a lot of students, doesn't automaticallymean it's the best one for you. Typical Schedule Many students take their first SAT/ACT in the fall of junior year, after spending the summer studying. After receiving their initial scores and reflecting on the experience, students can take the next few months to reinforce their understanding and improve areas of weakness. Then they take the test again in the spring of junior year. At this point, you might have achieved your target scores and be satisfied with your results. If you want another chance to improve your scores, you still have several summer months to prep and then take your test again in the fall of senior year. At this point, you've reached your last opportunity to test and will be applying to college. There are pros and cons to this schedule. The pros include 3 opportunities to take the SAT/ACT Advanced skills and content knowledge that you've developed throughout high school. Over a year to prep and improve your scores between fall of junior year and fall of senior year. This schedule works really well for a lot of students, but there are also some cons to consider: Limited test dates. Once you reach fall of senior year, you don't have time to take the SAT/ACT for a fourth time. May overlap with busy times of year, like AP tests, college planning, and varsity sports in junior and senior year. May feel more pressure and stress on each test date, since you don't have extra time beyond these dates. If any of these cons resonate with you, perhaps because of your junior year activities or anxieties around testing, then you might consider pushing back this typical schedule and registering for the SAT/ACT even earlier than junior year. Juggling a lot junior year? Considertaking the SAT/ACT earlier. Earlier Schedule If you push this typical schedule back about half a year, then you could take your first SAT test in the spring of sophomore year and then have about three more opportunities to test. If you wanted five test dates, then you could take it in the fall of sophomore year. Depending on how much prep you put into the SAT/ACT, you could even be ready to take it freshman year. Technically, you can take the SAT as many times as you want and the ACT up to 12 times. Of course, this would be overkill, both a waste of time and money and a potential red flag to colleges. While taking the SAT/ACT up to 6 times is acceptable, you probably don't need more to leave yourself any more test dates than that. If you find yourself having to take it over and over to achieve your scores, that time and energy could probably be better spent on test prep. Besides taking the pressure off and leaving you with more test dates, pushing this typical schedule back to sophomore year is a good option if you're trying to build up your scores section by section, or "superscore" your test. I'll explain what exactly I mean by superscoring below. Superscoring the SAT/ACT For anyone not familiar with the term "superscoring," it refers to the policy that some colleges use when they consider your standardized test scores. If colleges superscore, they take your highest section scores across all the dates you took the test and use those for your final test scores. If you take the SAT/ACT more than once, then superscoring is your friend. If you know that your colleges will superscore your results, you can actually use this policy to your advantage. Rather than focusing on improving your scores in every section every time you take the test, you could focus intensively on bringing up your math score, for instance. Then you could take the test again and really focus in on Reading, or Writing, or ACT Science. Obviously you shouldn't completely neglect any sections, but this could be a way to achieve a really strong score section by section across numeroustest dates. Again, you would need to make sure your colleges superscore and don't look at all scores or your highest sitting.If you're using this approach, you would want to start taking the SAT/ACT in freshman or sophomore year to leave yourself enough test dates. Again, I wouldn't recommend taking either test more than 6 times. This superscoring approach to taking the SAT/ACT leads us to the next important considerationwhen choosing your test dates - how much test prep you're willing and able to devote to meeting your goals. Hard at work. How LongCan I Prepare Before My Test? Just as you don't want to neglect any sections of the SAT/ACT, you also don't want to treat any official test as a throwaway, even if it's just the first time you're taking it. At the very minimum, I would recommend putting in 10 hours of test prep before sitting for a real test. This will help you get familiar with the instructions and format, but won't help much beyond that for improving your scores. Your study schedule is a big factor in determining which test date you choose for your first SAT/ACT. So how long do you plan to study? How Much Time Can I Devote to Test Prep? To figure out your study schedule, you need to figure out how you can balance test prep with everything else you're doing in and out of school. I think the best way to make a schedule and stick to it is to write it down in a planner or calendar and create a routine. If you have free time on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 to 8, then set that aside as your study time. Of coursethis can change if you get assigned a big project or essay, but beingconsistent about your test prep is the best way to ensure that you'll stick to your plan. Before taking your first SAT/ACT, I would also recommend taking a practice test. You can time yourself, score it, and see if you're performing near your target scores. If you're much lower than you think you can achieve and still have several available test dates, then you might want to hold off on taking the real test until you study some more. If you start early enough, then you can have more flexibility in your study schedule and which test dates you choose. Either way, it's a good idea to consider your test-taking schedule in conjunction with your test prep schedule. As academic tests, the SAT/ACT also line up with your classes in school, but when they line upmight differ from student to student. Before signing up for your test, you should consider how it coincideswith your current high school classes. How Does It Line Up With My Classes? In order to answer this question, you want to familiarize yourself with what's actually tested on the Reading, Writing, and Math section of the SAT and the Reading, English, Math, and Science section of the ACT. While the content on each test is not all that advanced, there are certain concepts that are helpful to have studied in school. Both tests cover geometry, for example, and the math section of the ACT even covers some trigonometry. If you're taking geometry freshman year, then your best SAT test dates might beearlier than junior or senior year, since by then you'll have moved onto more advanced math. Conversely, if you aren't studying geometry or trigonometry until junior year, then you might be better off sticking to the typical schedule mentioned above and taking the SAT/ACT for the first time junior year. Similarly, you might benefit from one or two more years in high school writing persuasive essays and developing your reading comprehension skills before taking the SAT/ACT. If you're strong in English, however, you might be well prepared to score highly before you're an upperclassman. Plus studying early could help you cultivate your existing skills and get a headstart on learning new knowledge. The best way to gauge your level is to tryofficial practice problems for the SAT and ACT and see how familiar you are with the material. If you're already studying the concepts you need in freshman or sophomore year, then you might strongly consider signing up for the test early and even getting it finished with before you're a junior or senior. Getting your scores all set and ready to send to colleges early may also be a relief if your schedule gets busy in th and 12th grade. Yikes. What Else Is On My Schedule? When choosing the best SAT test dates and ACT test dates, you might also think about what other activities and responsibilities you have coming up. Junior year might get busywith AP classes and finals. You might lead Student Council or an Amnesty International campaign. Maybe you're exhausted everyday fromvarsity football practice. If your life is looking hectic junior year, then you might want to get your SAT/ACT done earlier than junior year. Even if it seems easier to push off the tests and let Future You deal with them, you could do yourself a favor by prepping early, taking the tests, and then having more time as your schedule gets more and more packed. On the flip side, maybe you're busy with summer camps before freshman and sophomore year and have more time before th and 12th grade. In either case, you can really personalize your testing schedule to fit your own goals and find balance with your other activities and interests. These might sound like a lot of questions to answer before signing up for the SAT/ACT, but they are meant to help you take control of the process and maximize your ability to find balance and achieve strong scores for your college applications. Read on for a summary of the most significant factors in determining the best SAT/ACT test dates for you. Choosing Your SAT/ACT Test Dates As I mentioned above, the typical test-taking schedule for the SAT/ACT is to take it for the first time in the fall of junior year, again in the spring of junior year, and, if so desired, for the final time in the fall of senior year (as long as your college deadlines allow). Students who are prepping earlier might move this timeline ahead to leave themselves extra test dates or get their scores all set and ready to go early. The most important questions you should ask yourself when planning your test-taking schedule are the following: What are my deadlines for college and scholarships? How many times do I want to take the SAT/ACT? Am Itrying to improve my scores in all sections with each retake or using a "superscoring" strategy? How long do I plan to study? Besides these primary considerations, you might also consider your classes and other pursuits as factors. In this case, ask yourself How does the SAT or ACT line up with my high school classes? What else do I have in my schedule and how can I balance test prep with my other assignments and activities? By answering these questions, you can devisea test prep and test-taking schedule and have a strong rationale behind your choices. Take control of the college application process by having a strong sense of where you're starting out, where you want to go, and what you need to do in between to get there. By articulatingclear reasons and a strong sense of purpose, you can answer any questions you have about the SAT or ACT and achieve your goals. Confused pug answered all his SAT/ACT questions. What's Next? Find out which exact dates you want to choose with our Table of 2015-2016 SAT Test Dates, and then read our Full Review of Every Single 2015-2016 SAT Test Date here. For more test-specific advice on exactly when to take the SAT or ACT for the first time, check out our SAT guidehere and ACT guidehere. Do you still have questions about how to design the best study plan for the SAT/ACT? Check outour guidefor your study plan before junior year and study plan before senior year. As you study, you definitely want to use official SAT and ACT practice questions. You can download official practice test pdfs for the SAT here and the ACT here. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Right is left and left is right Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Right is left and left is right - Research Paper Example Schools, in particular private schools, have practiced uniforms or conformation to dress codes for their students for many years to help maintain order. In the wake of increasing school-based violence and gang activity in recent years, a rethinking on the implementation of school uniform policies and more stringent dress codes has been found necessary by public schools as well. However, until now no state legislation mandates the use of student uniforms or specific dress codes. Many large public school systems have schools with either voluntary or mandatory uniform policies, mostly in elementary and middle schools (ECS, Education Commission of the States, 2009). According to Morris and Wells (2000), the argument of school officials, parents and researchers favoring the use of school uniforms is that â€Å"they enhance the ability of the school to achieve its basic academic purpose, diminish the differences among socio-economic levels, promote self-confidence and school spirit, and improve student behavior.† The Manual on School Uniforms published by the U.S. Department of Education (1996) identified several potential benefits for school uniforms including decreasing violence and theft, preventing gang members from wearing gang clothing at school, instilling discipline among students, helping resist peer pressure, helping students concentrate on academics, and aiding school officials recognize intruders. In Long Beach, California, education officials believe the pilot school uniform program implemented in 11 schools serving 8,000 students caused school-related crime to decline by 76 percent while significantly increasing attendance. H owever, the correlation between uniforms and positive results is yet to be proved (Morris and Wells, 2000). Parents and students have consistently opposed uniforms on several counts such as: they infringe upon the First Amendment rights of students; they

Debating ethical behavior in a commercial culture Research Paper

Debating ethical behavior in a commercial culture - Research Paper Example Today’s business practices show that we have forgotten how to deal fairly in our business dealings and other life situations. The only thing we care about is what is illegal. Even the current system has altered many unethical situations to be presented as what is legal. Now, everyone works in the scope of what is law. There is no more concern for what is true; people are trying to fit their deeds in the ‘unknowingly false’ bracket. (Bruce Frohnen, 2002) This behavior is shown because of the lack of embedding ethical practices in early childhood as well. It is also observed that children at young age, even the college going students are not taught the moral values. These values are engraved into every person by emphasizing on religious beliefs, family values, practicing what you preach and seeing everything in the law’s context as well. According to a research conducted by Sociologist Raymond Baumhart, people are not even sure what ethics is. They either rel ate it with what is law or religion, or with personal beliefs of right or wrong. Many people are not even interested in knowing the word’s meaning. (Balasudram Maniam, 2005) According to a survey cited in The Wall Street Journal, â€Å"79% of young Americans believe that there are no absolute standards in ethics.† Honest and fair business dealing do not have any value in people’s mind. ... Most of these toys by no mean teach good things to kids. Some toys preach them to use more and more cosmetics, whereas some represent cartoon characters that are violent. There have been many laws to protect children from harmful toys that have hazardous material, but there are a very few laws to protect the psychological health of these children, who at this age adapt everything that they experience. (CROSS, 2007) A normal corporate professional is unaware of the basic traits of ethics that should be practiced. These traits include Attendance, Communication, Productivity, Team work, Appearance, Respect, Character and Organization. Ethics is not only related to a person following the honest path in the world, it also ensures the wellbeing of person and organizations. There have been many instances of organizations failing due to unethical practices. The two most evident examples in the history of American business are- Enron & Worldcom. These names are famous for succeeding in the hi story, but for showing extremely unethical practices. Enron involved complex transactions that led to the insiders enjoy huge profits, without having to pay for any associated financial liabilities. World Call’s bookkeepers dealt with utter smartness or can say evilness by accounting everyday spending as expenditures for ‘capital assets’. This simple adjustment, overstated the income greatly because what was to be deducted 100% from the income right away, was spread over the life of the assets. In this case, even the stationary was treated as a capital asset of the business. This unethical practice was done by knowing that by the time the future income would be reduced in the long run, they would all be dead. (InfoCenter, 2007) These examples show the least amount of concern for the

Source Analysis Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Source Analysis Assignment - Essay Example Different decisions are necessary before making a bible interpretation such as allegory in which the reader must look beneath the surface of the text to get the real meaning. Reading the accounts of creation in genesis chapter 1 and 2 requires one to understand the deeper meaning of the text and avoid literal reading (Aageson, 2000). The message by the author of this reading is that the bible requires an in-depth reading to understand the actual meaning of its contents. Literal reading will not give a perfect interpretation of what the bible contains, as the language is figurative. All biblical material such an epistle, prophecies, apocalypse, and fable require the reader to make an accurate meaning of the word before making any interpretation. According to the author, historical facts need to have meaning, significance, and some biblical claims such as the death of Jesus on the cross for human redemption. Jesus death on the cross is a historical fact, but the argument that his death was meant to save the world from third sins does not have historical evidence. Evaluation of the truth concerning the bible material is not possible except by using the truth by definition. for instance, the statement "Jesus is God" (Aageson, 2000). The state can be taken as truth by definition and cannot be verified. Some of the biblical myths are mainly the Israelites ideas of covenant especially the Devine promise of land such as Canaan. Therefore, many biblical themes and stories fall under the mythical category rather than the truth and anything concerning God’s creation and his dominion over the world are all myths. The author gives critical contents of the bible to those that think that the bible has more hidden meaning and require critical analysis to establish the truth. According to the author, literal reading of the bible will not elaborate the statements or give the actual meaning to th ose who need a serious interpretation of the

Data leakage

Data leakage Data leakage is the unauthorized or unintentional exposure, disclosure, or loss of sensitive information (GAO, 2007, p.2). Many businesses have in their control sensitive data about their organisation, employees and customers. The Information Commissioner (ICO) in a recent press statement (ICO,2010) is alarmed with the unacceptable number of data leakages within the modern world and will issue fines for major breaches to commence in 2010. In addition to our markets, the safety and security of our information could not be assumed either. (Verizon Business, 2009 p.2). In 2008 there appears to be a link between the turn of the recession and an increase in reported data leakages. Research conducted by Verizon Business (2009) showed that the number of reported compromised records was more than the previous four years combined as shown below in Figure 1.1. Figure 1.1 Number of records compromised per year in breaches investigated by Verizon Business (2009) Within this study (Verizon Business, 2009) it was found that the industries with the highest number of data leakages were in retail (31%) and financial services (30%). As employees exit, so does corporate data (Ponemon Institute, 2009, p.1). A survey conducted (Ponemon Institute, 2009) showed 59% of employees who left a business (including voluntarily and those asked to leave) stole data. It is difficult to measure the entire impact of a data leakage. Data Breaches Are Frequent, but Evidence of Resulting Identity Theft Is Limited; However, the Full Extent Is Unknown. (GAO, 2007, p.1.)   The financial impact on a business per breach according to the Ponemon Institute (2006) is on average $4.8 million.   Breaches can not only be financially costing to a business but also extremely damaging to a companys reputation, this study (Ponemon Institute, 2006) showed that 60% of customers terminated or considered terminating contracts after a security breach. According to Verizon Business (2009) in 2008 91% of all compromised records were linked to organized criminal groups. Examples of confidential data that criminal groups may wish to obtain are companys financial information, customers sensitive data and credit card details.   There are many ways in which data leakage can occur, some of which will be discussed in the following chapter of this report. 1.2 Data Leakage in the Media The media is one of the most influencing ways of communicating issues globally. Data leakage appears to be increasingly more popular in the media as the reported breaches increase. The ICO stated that there were 434 organisations that reported data security breaches in 2009, the previous year had 277 reported (Unacceptable level of data loss, 2009). This evidence supports the theory of there being an increase in breaches during the recession but what must be taken into account is that there is an increase in the reported cases. It may be that more businesses are becoming aware of data leakages where previously they were oblivious to breaches committed or did not disclose the known leakages. Reported in the media, a Nationwide employees laptop was stolen from their home containing confidential customer data (FSA,2007). 11 million Nationwide customers were said to be at risk of identity crime at the time. The FSA (Financial Services Authority) were alerted by the breach and it was found that the Nationwide did not start an investigation until 3 weeks after the theft took place. The firm were fined  £980,000 by the City watchdog for the security violation. Another example in the media (Previous Cases of Missing Data, 2009) is the Ministry of Defence data security breaches. The Ministry of Defence admitted to losing or having stolen 121 memory sticks in a four year period. According to this press release (Previous Cases of Missing Data, 2009) Defence Secretary Des Browne said 747 laptops had been stolen of those only 32 have been recovered. 1.3 Data Loss Prevention (DLP) The protection of sensitive data, to avoid data breaches, should be a vital part of a business day to day operations. Yet organisations rarely have adequate visibility or control of their data (Broom, cited in When financial data goes missing, 2008). From the research conducted (Verizon Business, 2008) out of all the data leakages that occurred in the year 87% were preventable through simple or intermediate controls. This suggests that many businesses are not putting in adequate controls to prevent leakages. The Date Protection Act (DPA) is a framework to ensure that personal information is handled properly (ICO, The Basics, no date). One of the principles of the act is, it is the responsibility of the business to secure the sensitive data it withholds. The DPA have the right to prosecute and unless exempt, all businesses have to abide by this act. The difficulty faced by many businesses is to manage the risk without affecting their productivity and to manage risk in a new and challenging environment (CFO Research Services and Crowe Chizek and Company LLC , 2008, p.2). The important factors to consider when implementing a DLP plan is the alignment of process, technology and people as a unit.   developing a robust security policy and ensuring that all employees fully understand their role and obligations(Broom, cited in When financial data goes missing, 2008). Broom also stated that users need high-quality training and good communication regarding information security concerns. Chapter 2: Types of Threats Threats to the protection of data can be split into two broad categories: Internal and External threats. Internal threats are from within the business itself and majorly centred on employees actions. Attacks from outside of the business are known as external threats. Examples include hackers, organized crime groups and government entities (p.8, Verizon Business, 2009) According to Verizon Business (2008 or 2009) 20% of reported data breaches are caused by insiders whilst 39% of the breaches involved multiple parties, thus proving the importance of a combination of internal and external controls. 2.2 External Threats According to Verizon Business, 2008 saw   more targeted, cutting edge, complex, and clever cybercrime attacks than seen in previous years   (p5 2009). The fact that attacks appear to be increasingly more sophisticated is a concern for many organisations to ensure they have adequate control measures in place. One of the most common external threats to data security is Malware.   According to Easttom (p6 Computer Secuirty Fundamentals) Malware is the Generic term for software that has a malicious purpose. Malware can be used to steal confidential data from a personal computer to a global network. A virus is a small program that replicates and hides itself in other programs, usually without your knowledge (Symantec,2003) through Computer security fundamentals p6.) A Trojan Horse is a useful or apparently useful program containing hidden code that, when invoked, performs some unwanted function. (P48 info sec pipkin). Trojans must spread through user interaction such as opening an e-mail attachment. It looks legitimate and so users are tricked into executing the malicious program. The Trojan can then potentially delete files, steal data and spread other malware. They can also be created to generate back doors to give hackers access to the system. (http://www.cisco.com/web/about/security/intelligence/virus-worm-diffs.html) An example of a dangerous Trojan is the Dmsys Trojan. According to (http://www.2-spyware.com/trojans-remova) and (http://www.uninstallspyware.com/uninstallDmsysTrojan.html) it steals users confidential information by infecting instant messengers. It uses a keystroke logging technique to steal passwords and private conversations. This information is stored in a log file and then sent to the hacker. Thus allowing the malicious user to have access to potentially, confidential information. There are various tools online that can dispose of this Trojan automatically, but if a user wanted to do it manually they would need to delete the files: dmsysmail.eml and dat.log. Manually Deleting Malware Each program consists of files. Evenspyware, a virus or a different parasite all have their own files( http://www.2-spyware.com/news/post203.html ) To remove a parasite usually means to delete all its files. According to this website, it is not always this simple, as files being used by active applications can not be deleted and some of the Malwares files may be set to invisible. Following this sites guidelines: Open Windows Task Manager and select End Process but only works if you know what processes should be running and those that look suspicious. Once you have stopped the process it is now possible to try and delete the malicious files. Locate the folder you believe the program to be (eg My Computer) and ensure all hidden and protected files are visible (Tools, Folder Options, View, Advanced Settings).There may still be files that are invisible, now type cmd into run to access the Command Prompt. Within the Command Prompt enter dir /A folder_name. All files within this folder will be listed including all hidden files. To delete these files within the cmd enter the command cd folder_name to locate the folder. Then enter del file_name to delete the file. Ensure the Recyle Bin is also emptied. http://www.2-spyware.com/news/post203.html steps on how to manually remove Malware. Preventing Malware attacks Since new viruses are introduced daily (p49 info sec pipkin) an up-to-date valid anti-virus software is essential to avoid data leakages via Malware. Vulnerability patching firewalls A combination of the mentioned attacks can be catastrophic to the security of data hacking gets the criminal in the door, but malware gets him the data (p20 verizon) It is critical that a blend of the above security measures are put into place. 2.1 Internal Threats Whether knowingly or unknowingly, innocently or maliciously, employees engage in behaviours that heighten the risk of data loss.( Cisco data leakage find page) According to a study conducted by cisco data leakage 46% of employees admitted to transferring files between work and personal computers and approximately 1 in 4 admitted sharing sensitive information with friends, family, or even strangers. According to the Deputy Information Commissioner David Smith (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8354655.stm) Unacceptable amounts of data are being stolen, lost in transit or mislaid by staff. Dangerous numbers of personal data is still being needlessly stored on unencrypted laptops and USB sticks. if they do not think about security, users can start to cause quite a few problems p37 computer insecurity book. bar chart 5 ponemon 2009 page8 info kept after leaving chart 7 ponemon 2009 page 9 According to Ponemon (2009), only 11% of the respondents who took part in this research had permission from their supervisor to keep this information. in figure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. An alarming percentage of the above transfers may have been avoided with appropriate controls, which will be discussed later in this report. It can often be hard to detect data leakages, such an employee copying confidential data to a USB device. more often, the information is left just as it was so that the theft is not quickly discovered p59 info sec pipkin. Using a Data Leakage Prevention tool can assist in monitoring and blocking users risky actions to avoid leakages. In this report Digital Guardian by Verdasys will be used to demonstrate some examples of how a DLP tool can be used to assist in the battle of information security. Chapter 3: Verdasys Digital Guardian Software Introduction Digital Guardian is a comprehensive and proven data security solution for protecting and tracking the flow of critical data anywhere in the world. (Verdasys, 2006) (http://www.daman.it/wp/dg/Digital_Guardian_DS.pdf ) According to Verdasys (2006) Digital Guardian (DG) can help to prevent the loss of data by identifying hard to detect user actions. The tool can block unauthorized access, copying, printing, and other user actions. The DG platform consists of a central server and control console to communicate with remote agents deployed to desktops, laptops and servers where data needs protection. It is an agent based (Endpoint) Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tool. These agents operate silently and report rules violations, continuing to operate even when a device is removed from the network. (Verdasys, 2006 http://www.daman.it/wp/dg/Digital_Guardian_DS.pdf ). The DG server is accessed via a web-based interface to the Control Console.   Figure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ DG Management /Control Console The above figure is the web-based management console. This tool can be implemented on both Windows and Linux machines. For this project Windows machines have been used. Capabilities Digital Guardian can monitor or block various risky actions users are taking. Whether it be users abuse or accidental operations. There are many actions that the software can perform some of which will be shown in the followingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Rules can be created within the software and then applied to policies which are deployed to machines chosen. These rules can generate warnings to the user and also email alerts to administrators upon policy breach. Reports can be generated to allow for auditing and drilldown summaries of use of data and users actions. Along with being able to completely block specific actions DG can also ask for justification from a user which is a form of Soft Blocking (DG, 2006). This type of DLP can also allow for a monitoring only approach, which   according to ( http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php) can be more   successful than a blocking solution. It can be used assist in computer forensics investigations whether it would be monitoring triggered rules by prohibited actions that breach corporate policy or more sinister illegal activity. According to (http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php)   The beginning of the investigative process is to find out what was being sent, where, and by whom. Is it legitimate business reasons? Maliciously? They didnt know any better? Blocking may keep the data safe, but it wont answer those questions. (http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php) There are functions within the tool that can block the removal of confidential data via clipboard actions (cut/paste/print screen).   add on features such as mail/file encryption and content inspection by Autonomyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (company name) (Verdasys 2006) Figure (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) shows the capabilities of the software, How the software works Digital Guardian installs drivers that tie into the Operating System (O/S) at a very low level within the kernel. When an application wants to save a file, it calls a function within the application that does this, and that the O/S handles the task, right down to the kernel that does the hard work, without application writers having to know the details.DG ties into that kernel, detects these events happening, extract useful details (like the filename and size etc), and then send the details onto the DG server. The advantage of this is that any application saving a file will have to get the O/S to do it, so tying in at that very low level ensures it works for virtually all applications. Any more Installation oh god try and remember!! Installation details of .. appendix. windows server,   SQL Server, DG Server, DG Agents,   Hardware and Software à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ pre , key etc. Detailed in the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Digital Guardian files.   Limitations  Ã‚   - FIND some Digital Guardian is mainly used for insider threats and doesnt lessen external threats by intruders or malicious attacks. It also does not address server and network vulnerabilities. (http://www.software.co.il/data-security/17-data-loss-prevention-shoppers-guide.html) No functionality to actually block users downloading applications (CHECK THIS) and running them if not already blocked within Application Management. The software has to be installed on the network to be able to block the use of it. check!! No rule to be able to block all attachments sent via emailcheck Scalability challenge of maintaining classifications of Windows shares/content (http://www.software.co.il/data-security/17-data-loss-prevention-shoppers-guide.html) Chapter 4: Testing and Implementation Policy Exception USB Encrypt Email Prompt Encrypt Mail Rule Encrypted Email Password Application Management Application Management Exceptions Application Management Exceptions Block of Applications Prompt Upload Via Webmail Upload via Webmail Prompt Block upload via webmail sites. This rule controls users access. Instead of completely blocking their access to certain sitesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Can access the specified sites but can not upload to these sites. For example social networking sites like Facebook. Stops the sending of attachments via webmail.   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If laptop accessed from outside of network these rules will still functionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. NEED BETTER SCREEN SHOT THAN THIS IS THERE A COMPONENT RULE FOR THIS? Control of USB Devices Block non-approved USB devices Within DG it is possible to block all uploads to all USB devices, thus preventing all users from removing any data from the network. It is also possible to block uploads to USB devices with the exception of predefined USB devices. For example if a business provides users with an encrypted USB device (such as Kingston.) a rule is created to say block all USB device if stated device is not listed in the component rule associated. The USB device is recognised by its Product ID and Vendor ID. These IDs can be discovered by using a simple tool such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Block non approved USBs Above is the control rule called Block non approved USBs. This rule is set to block any File Copy/Move/SaveAs to a removable device that is not listed within the function (component control rule) approved usb device. Component rule for USB Approved Within the approved usb device component rule is the Vendor Id and Product Id for the approved USB device(s). USB Block Prompt If the USB device inserted does not match the predefined approved removable device then the above prompt is triggered. This prompt is flexible and any message the administrator wishes to set will be displayed. Once Close is selected no data can then be transferred to the device. This way if the USB device is lost/stolen it is encrypted so would be extremely difficult to view any sensitive contents on the device without knowing the password. This rule could be useful for businesses where their employees have to travel regularly (eg Sales) and so data needs to be easily transportable. Obviously this rule does not stop users from stealing the data but does assist with accidental loss. The software could still be used to monitor who/what/how much data is being transferred to these devices. BETTER SCREEN SHOT Content inspection rulesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Look into TRY AND CRACK/BREAK THESE RULES. Manually blocking USB within the Registry It is possible to manually block all USB devices via the registry. The following steps were taken from Microsofts Support site (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823732). Before manually adapting the registry it is strongly recommended that a backup of the registry is made as any errors made within the registry can cause severe problems.   To enter the registry of the computer from the Start menu click Run and enter regedit.   Find the registry key : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesUsbStor. On the right hand side double click Start as highlighted in figureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.   Ensure Hexadecimal is highlighted and enter 4 within Value data. This will now block all USB devices being used on this machine. When a device is plugged into the machine the device will not be acknowledged. To re-enable USB devices follow the same steps above but change the Value data back to the default value of 3. Chapter 5: Analysis of results founded by Digital Guardian.   Digital Guardian Technology   ANY IMPROVEMENTS FOR DG Chapter 6: Critical review of other products Having assessed an Endpoint (agent based) DLP tool, secondary research was conducted on a Network DLP tool, Websense Data Security, for comparison. Figure below is a table of brief pros and cons for different DLP measures available, taken from informationweek.com . Analyse table Taken from (http://www.informationweek.com/1163/163ss_impactassessment690.jhtml;jsessionid=WA0XH3S4GN0CTQE1GHPSKH4ATMY32JVN) WhenDLPvendors are being honest, theyll readily admit they cant stop the serious and skilled insider from getting data out. (http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php)Their real significance is in finding employees who are accidentally leaking data, those who dont know its against policy or who are taking risky shortcuts to get their jobs done. Websense Data Security is a network based DLP tool with forward proxy.   According to a review by (http://www.software.co.il/data-security/17-data-loss-prevention-shoppers-guide.html) it is typically used for monitoring email traffic and quarantining suspect messages. It requires placing an application-layer proxy next to an Exchange server or server agent. With a network based DLP such as Websense it avoids having to install an agent onto every machine, and instead involving installing network taps. As data passes through these it is checked, and events collected that way. According to(http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php) Network-based solutions have the potential to be more vulnerable to an insider threat. An insider can steal data out via thenetwork, using encryption or steganography (where data is embedded within another data format). Unlike DG a network-based tool would not prevent a user plugging in a USB stick and copying files, it also would not log that this event had even occurred. TYPE UP MORE COMPARISONS Still, an even somewhat paranoid but unskilled insider can use a cell phone or digital camera to photograph documents on the screen. No form ofDLPcan protect against that. (http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php) Installing   a DLP tool is not the be all and end all protection against threats and as emphasised earlier in this report a combination of measures needs to be addressed. Chapter 7: Conclusion and Future Work. Highlight any deficiencies etc Ethical Traking employees? ANY IMPROVEMENTS FOR DG   .Many different aspects to consider Link intro with conclusion. Verizon other factors p3 . The best security technology in the world wont produce a good return on investment without the foundation of security processes, policies, and education. P8 Cisco data leakage. if you have never experienced a security incident, does this mean that you are secure? Or does it just mean that, so far, you have been lucky? computer insecurity book in short no one is immune computer insecurity book More.. Glossary Bibliography Online Sources ICO. (2010), Press Release: Data Breaches to Incur up to  £500,000 penalty, [Online]. Available at [Accessed 31st January 2010]. (2009),Unacceptable Level of Data Loss, [Online]. Available at [Accessed 1st February 2010]. FSA. (2007), Final Notice to Nationwide Building Society, [Online]. Available at [Accessed 26th January 2010] (2009), Previous Cases of Missing Data [Online]. Available at   [Accessed 12th January 2010] Broom, A. (2008),When financial data goes missing.[Online]. Available at [Accessed 3rd February 2010] ICO. (date unknown), The Basics . [Online] Available at [Accessed 2nd February 2010] Journals GAO. (2007), What GAO Found, Report to Congressional Requesters Verizon Business (2009), Data Breach investigations Report Ponemon Institute. (2009), As Employees Exit so does Corporate Data, Data Loss Risks During Downsizing Ponemon Institute. (2006), 2006 Annual Study: Cost of a Data Breach CFO Research Services, Crowe Chizek and Company LLC. (2008), The Changing Landscape of Risk Management Appendices

Misunderstanding The Day We Were Dogs :: Day We Were Dogs Essays

Misunderstanding The Day We Were Dogs      Ã‚  Ã‚   Writers as well as many people make or mislabel stories. Magical, unreal, real, fantastic, and the sublime are just a few types of different labels that a person can use. The different types of stories are amusing and fun. The world is made up of all types of different labels of material for stories that people like to read and enjoy. Elana Garro is one of the Spanish authors who has written stories that have been mislabeled and put with other stories that were listed under the magical and the unreal. The short story "The Day We Were Dogs" is one of the stories that has been misplaced. Elana Garro wrote this story in 1993. The magical and the unreal of this story could easily be identified; during the first part of the story, the girls woke to find a day with two days inside the day. Now either this situation is unreal or it is crazy. A person can think of a day and then think of the present, or a person can think of the future and be in the present. The thought of two days being together in the same day is ludicrous; the thought of this statement being real is also ludicrous. The real aspect of this story is that the children are pretending to be dogs. The children have wild and creative imaginations. The short story has two children out in the yard with their dog, Toni. While in the yard, the children are talking to the dog and talking among themselves. "Look for your dog name, I'm looking for mine. I'm a dog? Yes were dogs"(208). Children can actually be playing and really think that they are living in their pretend world. They can actually believe that they are really living their imaginations. People who actually read stories question the plot and the story as the story progresses. The characters in the story accept everything; however, they are pretending. Questioning and receiving ideas about time and space with the identity of the characters worked well with the characters of the story. By the experience of being a reader, this person can verify that looking for a plot and the story line is very important. The attitude of the characters of the short story of "The Day We Were Dogs" did well. The way the characters acted through out the story was like real children playing out side with the pet dog.