Reparations Justified essays

Reparations Justified essays Reparations Justified The question of Reparations, has been the subject of many arguments, and will continue to be. Now, throughout history, man has self-defined himself as a destroyer of lives, of cities, and to be quite frank, a destroyer of a way of life. In the wake of such destruction, there can only be a flicker of hope, through mans flipside capacity of creation, organization and his ability to manipulate technology for his benefit. Many instances of these stages have been brought to the fore-front of these debates of reparation. Of the most prominent ones, we can administer only one remedy; that is RECOMPESATION or REPARATION. Not the admittance of responsibility, or the pointing of fingers, but a rather, a general idea of sympathy, reconciliation, empathy, and regret. All in one concerted effort to assist the fallen, or the ancestors of the fallen who are yet to arise from their fallen position. Let us now justify our means of stance on reparations to anyone affected directly or indirectly by wrongful human doing. In the case of Slavery in America, the U.S. government, not long dead Southern planters, bears the blame for slavery. Its support of slavery was seen by the letter and the spirit of its law. This is evidenced in the Constitution in article one. This designated a black slave as three-fifths of a person for tax and political representation purposes. It protected and nourished it in article four by mandating that all escaped slaves found anywhere in the nation be returned to their masters if caught alive. Many major institutions profited from slavery. The California state legislature passed a bill requiring insurance companies to disclose whether they wrote policies insuring slaves. Insurance companies made profits insuring slaves ...

10 Fascinating Facts About Fireflies and Lightning Bugs

10 Fascinating Facts About Fireflies and Lightning Bugs Fireflies or lightning bugs are from the family Coleoptera:Lampyridae, and they may well be our most beloved insect, inspiring poets and scientists alike.  Most importantly to remember, fireflies are neither flies nor bugs. Fireflies are actually beetles and there are 2,000 species on our planet. Here are other interesting facts about fireflies. The Flight of Fireflies Like all other beetles, lightning bugs have hardened forewings called elytra, which meet in a straight line down the back when at rest. In flight, fireflies hold the elytra out for balance, and rely on their membranous hindwings for movement. These traits place fireflies squarely in the order Coleoptera. Fireflies Are the Worlds Most Efficient Light Producers An incandescent light bulb gives off 90 percent of its energy as heat and only 10 percent as light, which is something you know if youve ever touched one thats been turned on for a while. If fireflies produced that much heat when they lit up, they would incinerate themselves. Fireflies produce light through an efficient chemical reaction called chemiluminescence that allows them to glow without wasting heat energy. For fireflies, 100 percent of the energy goes into making light; and accomplishing that flashing increases the firefly metabolic rates an astonishingly low 37 percent above resting values. Fireflies are bioluminescent, which means they are living creatures that can produce light. That trait is shared with only a handful of other terrestrial insects, such as click beetles and railroad worms. The light is used to attract prey and members of the opposite sex, and warn off predators. Lightning bugs taste bad to birds and other potential predators, so the warning signal is a memorable one to those that have sampled before. Fireflies Talk to Each Other Using Light Signals Fireflies dont put on those spectacular summer displays just to entertain us. Youre actually eavesdropping on the firefly singles bar. Male fireflies cruising for mates flash a species-specific pattern to announce their availability to receptive females. An interested female will reply, helping the male locate her where shes perched, often on low vegetation. Fireflies Are Bioluminescent Throughout Their Life Cycles We dont often see fireflies before they reach adulthood, so you may not know that fireflies glow in all life stages. Bioluminescence begins with the egg and is present throughout the entire lifecycle. In fact, all firefly eggs, larvae, and pupae known to science are capable of producing light. Some firefly eggs emit a faint glow when disturbed. The flashing part of fireflies is called a lantern, and the flashing is controlled by the firefly using neural stimulation and nitric oxide. The males often synchronize their flashes with one another during courtship, a capacity called entraining (responding to an external rhythm) once thought only possible in humans, but now recognized in several animals. Colors of firefly lights range widely among different species, from yellow-green to orange to turquoise to a bright poppy red. Fireflies Spend Most Their Lives As Larva The firefly begins life as a bioluminescent spherical egg. At the end of the summer, adult females lay about 100 eggs in soil or near the soil surface. The worm-like larva hatches out in three to four weeks and throughout the fall hunts prey using a hypodermic-like injection strategy similar to bees. Larvae spend the winter below ground in several types of earthen chambers. Some species spend more than two winters before pupating, in late spring, and they emerge as adults from their pupa after a period of 10 days to several weeks. Adult fireflies live only another two months, spending the summer mating and performing for us before laying eggs and dying. Not All Adult Fireflies Flash Fireflies are known for their blinking light signals, but not all fireflies flash. Some adult fireflies, most notably those that inhabit the western areas of North America, dont use light signals to communicate. Many people falsely believe that fireflies dont exist west of the Rockies since flashing populations are rarely seen there...but they do. Firefly Larvae Feed on Snails Firefly larvae are carnivorous predators, and their favorite food is escargot. Most firefly species inhabit moist, terrestrial environments, where they feed on snails or worms in the soil. But a few Asian species use gills to breathe underwater, where they eat aquatic snails or other mollusks. Some species are arboreal, and their larvae hunt tree snails. Some Fireflies Are Cannibals We dont know much about what adult fireflies eat. Most dont seem to feed at all, while some are believed to eat mites or pollen. We do know what Photuris fireflies eat, though- other fireflies. Photuris females enjoy munching on males of other genera. These well-known Photuris femme fatales use a trick called aggressive mimicry to make meals of other fireflies. When a male firefly of another genus flashes its light signal, the female Photuris firefly replies with the males flash pattern, suggesting she is a receptive mate of his own species. She continues luring him in, closer and closer, until hes within her reach. Then her meal begins. Adult female Photuris fireflies are also kleptoparasitic and can be seen feeding on a silk-wrapped Photinus species firefly (occasionally even one of its own kind) hanging in a spiders web. Epic battles can occur between the spider and the firefly. Sometimes the firefly can hold off the spider long enough to consume the silk-wrapped prey, sometimes the spider cuts the web and her losses, sometimes the spider catches the firefly and the prey and gets them both wrapped up in silk. Firefly Luciferase Is Used in Medical Research Scientists have developed remarkable uses for firefly luciferase in the research lab. Luciferase is the enzyme that produces bioluminescence in fireflies. It has been used as markers to detect blood clots, to tag tuberculosis virus cells, and to monitor hydrogen peroxide levels in living organisms; hydrogen peroxide is believed to play a role in the progression of some diseases, like cancer and diabetes. Fortunately, scientists can now use a synthetic form of luciferase for most research, so the commercial harvest of fireflies has decreased. Firefly populations are decreasing, and the search for luciferase is just one of the reasons. Climate change and modern construction have resulted in the loss of firefly habitats, and light pollution depresses the ability for fireflies to find mates and reproduce. Some Fireflies Synchronize Their Flash Signals Imagine thousands of fireflies lighting up at precisely the same time, over and over, from dusk to dark. This simultaneous bioluminescence, as it is called by scientists, occurs in just two places in the world: Southeast Asia and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, right here in the U.S. North Americas lone synchronous species, Photinus carolinus, puts on its light show in late spring each year. The most spectacular show is said to be the mass synchronous display of several Pteroptyx species in Southeast Asia. Masses of male fireflies congregate in groups (called leks) and in unison emit rhythmic courtship flashes. One hotspot for ecotourism is the Selangor River in Malaysia. Lek collective courting happens occasionally in American fireflies, but not for long periods. In the American Southeast, male members of the blue ghost firefly (Phausis reticulate) glow steadily as they fly slowly over the forest floor searching for females from about 40 minutes after sunset until midnight. Both sexes emit a long-lasting, nearly continuous glow in the forested regions of Appalachia. Annual tours to see the blue ghosts can be joined at state forests in South and North Carolina between April and July. Sources Buschman, Lawrent L. Biology of the Firefly Pyractomena Lucifera (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). The Florida Entomologist 67.4 (1984): 529–42. Print.-. Larval Biology and Ecology of Photuris Fireflies (Lampyridae: Coleoptera) in Northcentral Florida. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 57.1 (1984): 7–16. Print.Day, John C., Tim I. Goodall, and Mark J. Bailey. The Evolution of the Adenylate-Forming Protein Family in Beetles: Multiple Luciferase Gene Paralogues in Fireflies and Glow-Worms. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 50.1 (2009): 93–101. Print.De Cock, Rapha, et al. Courtship and Mating in Phausis Reticulata (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): Male Flight Behaviors, Female Glow Displays, and Male Attraction to Light Traps. The Florida Entomologist 97.4 (2014): 1290–307. Print.Faust, Lynn, et al. Thieves in the Night: Kleptoparasitism by Fireflies in the Genus Photuris Dejean (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 66.1 (2012): 1–6. Prin t.Lewis, Sara M., and Christopher K. Cratsley. Flash Signal Evolution, Mate Choice, and Predation in Fireflies. Annual Review of Entomology 53.1 (2008): 293–321. Print. Martin, Gavin J., et al. Total Evidence Phylogeny and the Evolution of Adult Bioluminescence in Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 107 (2017): 564–75. Print.Moosman, Paul R., et al. Do Courtship Flashes of Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) Serve as Aposematic Signals to Insectivorous Bats? Animal Behaviour 78.4 (2009): 1019–25. Print.Wilson, Margaret, and Peter F. Cook. Rhythmic Entrainment: Why Humans Want to, Fireflies Can’t Help It, Pet Birds Try, and Sea Lions Have to Be Bribed. Psychonomic Bulletin Review 23.6 (2016): 1647–59. Print.

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 20

Philosophy - Essay Example Although it is not possible to say he describes the absolute truth in his works, the lens he uses to look at history—realism—is one of the most valuable and significant. What was Thucydides’ political philosophy? Simply put, people are not perfect and rarely have the best intentions of the human race in mind when they act, in particular if they are leaders of various countries. Thucydides looked at the characters and conflicts and his time and tried to understand why events happened the way they did. He didn’t act in a hardcore ideological way and he did let his curiosity motivate him, but he had decided views about politics. Although he admired Pericles, he hated demagogues who would rile up the masses and force the country and its leaders to act out of the basest of instincts. All of the issues and problems of politics that this great man came up with and first observed thousands of years ago are with us to this day. We can see the philosophical legacy of Thucydides present in today’s world amongst analysts who look at the world from a position of realism. These people would look, for example, at Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, and they would say that Russia’s motives in invading Afghanistan were rooted in self-interests, vested interests, the desire to perpetrate the communist ideology in the whole world, the amassing of more powers that would tilt the balance of power in its favor and against the interests of its Cold War adversary, the United States. To the realist and to Thucydides, expansion of power is often a nation or person’s motivating force and ambition. States and people compete for economic resources and the highest degree of security possible. States value military and economic strength and they are stopped in its tracks only when the level of power of opposing claimants are stronger or just as equal. When analyzing a war—Thucydides

The Growth of Student Loan Debt in the US Research Paper

The Growth of Student Loan Debt in the US - Research Paper Example This subject is fit for study considering the fact that due to high unemployment rates, most students’ graduates are faced with the difficult burden of having to repay the loans. Subsequently, the numbers of students borrowing the loan have increased too by about 70%, a similar proportion to the balance increase as owed by the same students. Statistical figures from the Federal Bureau also indicate that there has also been witnessed an increase in the total number of borrowers to about 17% in 2012 from under 10% in the year 2004. The burden of the student loan has its extended repercussions given that few of these people who still owe student loans have not been able to purchase houses. The intention is that it has been extremely challenging for the former students who are still having unsettled students’ loans to finance mortgages for their houses. According to the Fed report, the high burden of students’ loans and higher delinquencies has a direct impact on the borrowers’ abilities to get admittance to other methods of funding such as the credit access, and also affect the performance of the other debts held by the people. The concern of the escalating rate of students’ loans burden has been keenly monitored by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau which also holds the view that the high burden of debt on such students leads to the raising of pertinent questions such as the domino effect of the debt on the general American economy. Therefore, considering these statements and reports, it is quite clear that the issue of students’ loan is going to be a serious drag to the economy taking into consideration the fact that most of these young people who have debts are not going to be able to constructively participate in the enhancement of the economy like the former generations when they are faced with a loan debt burden that would require them to make extremely large payments out of their incomes

Most Violated School Policies Essay Example for Free

Most Violated School Policies Essay The formation of character is one of the most important features of the educational system at the University of Baguio. For this reason, the imposed discipline, while observant to the rights and feelings of others, is firm, especially when the reputation of the student body and institution is at stake. Students are expected to manifest both within and outside the University, the respect for order, morality, personal honor, and rights of others, which is required of God-fearing men and women. (UB student handbook, Article XIV: 2010 Edition) Schools have policies that are being implemented for the general welfare of its constituents. These policies provide a set of rules that the students, teachers, etc. should follow. These rules are necessary for the order and uniformity of the students within the school premises. Even with the presence of these rules, some of the students violate them disregarding the sanctions that go along with it. The word policy originated from the Latin word politia or polity. Defined as a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc.; an action or procedure conforming to or considered with reference to prudence or expediency. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/policy) Educational policies are significant because these are rules that are used in schools to discipline students. These rules determine how effective and efficient the school is in managing students and personnel. The policies have great influence in the quality of education in an area. Educational policies are important because effective policies can help students in school on their day to day activity. For a policy to become effective, it must have a well-pronounced outcome, assumptions should be clear and explicit, linkage to organizational direction must be present, due process in the development has to be observed, the priority should be on the public interest, expectations have to be made, the policy must be both efficient and effective, results should be stated in measurable terms, evaluation of results should be capable, funding and allocation of resources must be appropriate, accountability should not be vague, it should be lawful and administered, it must be based from history, ideas have to be verified before implementation, and the policy results should be well stated. (http://manuals.ucdavis.edu/resources/coordinators.htm) One of the factors why students violate school policies can be explained through their different behaviours. Behaviour is the manner of behaving or conducting oneself; the aggregate of all the responses made by an organism in any situation. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/behavior) Based on Operant Conditioning of B.F. Skinner â€Å"All behaviour caused by external stimuli and all behaviour can be explained without the need to consider internal mental states or consciousness.† It means that the actions done by students are responses to its environment. (http://www.learning-theories.com/behaviorism) Another type of behaviourism is Radical Behaviourism which is the connection to role of emotions and the major differences in the acceptance of mediating structures and etc. In order to resolve this problem the group found out that the best solution is the use of Biometric identification systems which can be grouped based on the main physical characteristic that lends itself to biometric identification. There are different kinds of biometric system in which the fingerprint biometrics is the commonly used one. There are also other biometric identification systems such as the hand geometry, palm vein authentication, retina scan, iris scan, face recognition, signature, and voice analysis. There are biometric systems that are composed of more than two physical characteristics to be identified. Statement of the Problem 1) What are the reasons why these students violate such policies? 2) What are the most common policies that are violated by the violators? 3) How can the proposed biometric ID system control students from violating the wearing of ID? Scope and Delimitation This proposal was limited only to the students of the University of Baguio including the administrative staff, teachers, faculty and utilities. Significance of the Study With the help of this proposal, the University of Baguio would be able to control every entrance and exit of the school. The act of not wearing IDs for the students would no longer be possible because they will not be able to enter the school without their IDs. The biometric ID system would strengthen the security of the academe for the safety of the students. The time when the students would enter and leave their classes would be monitored. The system would be able to determine if the students will skip their classes. Also, the entry of thieves and pick-pocketers within the school premises would no longer be possible due to this proposal. With this modernized system to be established in the University, all of the students and personnel of the school will benefit from it. FRAMEWORK The leniency of the marshals in checking the ID’s and proper wearing of uniforms, students not following the rules and regulation of the school and to monitor the entrance and exit of the students of University of Baguio within the school’s vicinity are the reasons why the researchers proposed an ID Biometric System. The students violated the above mentioned rules due to leniency, habitual actions of students, laziness, and unwanted behaviours of students. Some students just wanted to violate such policies because they thought that it was a fun and interesting thing to do. If the proposed project will be fully implemented, there will be organization in the school campus and an effective monitoring of the passage ways in entering and going out of the school. Based on these factors that we have retrieved on the data that we have collected, the theory that would best support our proposal is the belief theory. We chose this theory because we, the researchers, believe that the proposed biometric ID system will work and we will therefore translate these beliefs into action. The researchers foresee that this would be able to control the reoccurring problems that are being done by the University of Baguio students and that is the reason why we have made this very proposal. DEFINITION OF TERMS * Biometric – pertaining to, noting, or using a person’s unique physical and other traits for the purpose of identification and security. * Coincide –to occupy exactly corresponding or equivalent positions on a scale or in a series * Identification – psychological orientation of the self in regard to something (as a person or group) with a resulting feeling of close emotional association. * Implementation – the act of implementing, or putting into effect. * Policy – a definite course of method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions. * Proposal – An act of putting forward or stating something for consideration. * Scanner – a device sensing a recorded data. * System –a group of devices or artificial objects or an organization forming a network especially for distributing something or serving common purpose. * Units – a piece or complex apparatus serving to perform one particular function ASSUMPTION The group assumed that if the proposal is to be approved by the Board of Directors, it would be implemented immediately. The ordered units will be put up to the designated areas and the Biometric system will start functioning. With the new system of the school, there will be an organization in school activities. The school then will be a safe and humane place to study. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERARTURE I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In the millennial years rapidly advancing technological world, the issue of security is becoming a more and more pressing matter. Computer crimes and identity theft related crimes are becoming more rampant and apparent, requiring better solutions to cope with them. One of the proposed methods for solution for future high-technology security issues lies in the field of biometrics. Biometrics defined simply in its regard to security matters is any method or technology which uses biological measurements to facilitate authentication for verification or identification of a particular user. Although still in major phases of development, biometrics is seen as a highly valuable initiative to one day replace present day security authentication practices due to its ideal concept of being virtually risk free and non-inaccurate. This paper will analyze all aspects concerning biometrics including its overall concept, how a biometrical authentication system works, controversial issues concerning its implementation, its current uses in technology, business, and governmental agencies and its future developments. II. CONCEPT OF BIOMETRICS IN SECURITY A. TWO CATEGORIES Biometrics can be subdivided into two main categories. These include physiological and behavioral categories of specific measurements. Physiological measurements include biological characteristics inherent to individual human beings. Some of these would include facial structure, fingerprints, hand structure, iris and DNA structure of a particular person. Behavioral measurements measure dynamics in individual behaviors. Some of these would include keystroke behavior, signature and voice recognition. B. VARIOUS METHODS FOR COLLECTING MEASUREMENTS FACE: Facial recognition involves technology which scans the face and interprets the data as recognizable characteristics of a particular user, including the size and shape of the face and their relationship to each other. Facial recognition is a natural method that humans use to identify people they come into contact with, but it is not an easy method to duplicate for identification on a biometric system. This is due to changes such as plastic surgery, weight gain or weight loss which can cause the results to be inaccurate. Another emerging method of collecting biometric information involving the face is facial thermograph which detects and measures the heat patterns created by the branching blood vessels within the face and emitted through the skin. FINGERPRINT: Fingerprint analysis has been around for centuries as a means of identifying people. It has been evidenced that ancient Chinese used fingerprinting to sign legal documents as long ago as 1000 BCE. Fingerprint analysis involves examining the ridges on an individual fingerprint in order to match them to a specific owner. HAND: Hands can be analyzed and measured in a few different ways. Aside from fingerprints, another way to use hands in biometrical analysis is through hand geometry which measures and compares the different physical characteristics of a persons hand such as shape and size. Another method concerning hands is palm vein authentication which uses an infrared beam to penetrate a persons hand and measure the complexity of the vein patterns within that persons hand. This specific method is more useful than hand geometry measurement because palm vein patterns are internal to the body, and difficult to be counterfeited by an illegitimate user. EYES: Eyes can be used in two different ways as a part of a biometrical scrutiny process. Iris scanning involves analysis of the rings, furrows, and freckles in the pupil of the eye of a particular human. Retina scanning involves analysis of the capillary blood vessels located in the back of the eye. DNA: DNA verification uses analysis of genetic information found within a specific persons DNA code (or genetic code) as a means of identifying that person. DNA analysis is often used now as a method for identifying paternity of a persons child or in forensic crime investigations as a evidence for convicting individuals for crimes such as murder or rape. ODOR SCENT: Odor and scent analysis is a fairly new development in biometrical analysis and is based on a theory entitled individual odor theory. This theory is premised on the notion that each person has a particular and unique scent. In forensics, odor analysis has been used to identify people by the use of blood hounds (dogs). VOICE ANALYSIS: Voice analysis involves analyzing of the pitch, tone, cadence, and frequency of a particular users voice to facilitate authentication. Voice analysis can technically be seen as both a physiological trait as well as a behavioral trait because voice is not only inherent to a specific person, but also the way that person speaks is also a unique and measurable trait. SIGNATURE: Signature analysis analyzes the way a person writes his/her signature as a basic means of identification. Although handwriting techniques vary for individuals throughout their lifetimes, handwriting identification is seen as a scientifically reliable criterion for measurement. KEYSTROKE: Keystroke analysis measures the dynamics of a persons typing rhythms to facilitate authentication of a particular person. Keystroke analysis may be more useful than other methods of identification because unlike other biometrical authentication methods, keystroke dynamics can still be measured throughout the computer session even after the access control point has been successfully passed by the user. GAIT: Another new developing biometrical technique is one which measures gait which is a persons particular way of walking and facilitating motion. Gait can be used effectively to recognize people coming in from a distance. COGNITIVE BIOMETRICS: Cognitive biometrics is also a developing method in biometrics which uses measurements of brain activity responses when triggered by specific stimuli and matched within a computer database as a means for authentication of a particular user of the system. Currently, systems which utilize this kind of method are being created to trigger responses to odor stimuli. In the future, other triggers may be used to create responses. C. PARAMETERS Given the various methods for collecting biometrical data, each of these techniques must pass a set of parameters to a degree in order to be considered as a viable method for integration within a biometrical system. These parameters include: UNIVERSALITY: The principle of universality stipulates that every user should have the characteristic. Sometimes, in some cases this may not be true as it the case of a person with no hands who cannot use a hand analysis machine for verification. UNIQUENESS: The principle of uniqueness involves the degree of how separable the biometric characteristic is between each individual person. PERMANENCE: The principle of permanence involves how well the technique used for measuring is resistant to changes such as aging, human developmental processes such as pregnancy, or things such as plastic surgery. COLLECTABILITY: The collectability principle is related to how easy the method is to acquire. Easier methods, as well as more sanitary methods are more ideal for a viable biometrical system. PERFORMANCE: The performance principle is concerned with the accuracy, speed and the strength of the technology used to authenticate the user. ACCEPTABILITY: The acceptability principle is related to the degree of social approval for use of the technology as a means for collecting biometrical data. CIRCUMVENTION: Circumvention involves, the biometrical systems ease of adaptation to a substitute should the system need one. 1. COMPARISON OF VARIOUS METHODS WITH PARAMETERS (Based on the Comparison of Various Biometric Technologies table by A.K. Jain, et. al. 2004) FACE: Facial scanning has a high level of universality because it is virtually impossible for any living human-being to possess no form of a face. Facial scanning scores low in its level of uniqueness due to the fact that it can be difficult to distinguish characteristics from person to person at times. This is due to some people having similar features which may be hard to distinguish. In the case of identical twins, this may not be a useful means for authentication at all. Facial scanning scores a medium ranking under the permanence factor. This is due to the fact that although a persons actual facial characteristics never change, they are subject to transformations such as aging, weight gain or loss, and alterations such as plastic surgery or accidents. As far as collectability, facial scanning scores a high mark due to the fact that, going along with its high level of universality, every living human-being does have a face which is easy to locate on a human body. Facial scanning is low in performance because it can tend to be highly inaccurate due to the dynamical aspect of human faces. Facial scanning also scores high in acceptability as a comfortable and accepted way people would want to collect their biometrical data, but it scores low in circumvention because it doesnt have an easy substitute which can replace it. Facial thermograph scores high in universality, uniqueness, collectability, acceptability, and circumvention. It scores low in permanence and medium in performance. FINGERPRINT: Fingerprinting scores medium in its level of universality. This is due to the fact that although all people inherently possess fingerprints at birth, fingerprints can still be damaged via rare skin diseases or through loss of fingers, abrasions, etc. Fingerprinting has a high level of uniqueness and a high level of permanence. Fingerprinting has a medium level of collectability and performance due to the fact that although it is easy to acquire for measurement, there is a 5% failure to enroll rate which exists for everyone even with good sensors and analysis software. Fingerprinting has a medium level of acceptability by the public as a means for collecting data. This is because although it is an easy method of measurement, it may be unhygienic, inaccurate as well as easy to duplicate unlawfully. Fingerprinting has a high level of circumvention due to its ease of adaptation to a substitute if deemed necessary. HAND: Hand geometry scores medium in its universality, uniqueness, permanence, performance, acceptability, and circumvention. Hand geometry scores high in its collectability aspect. Hand vein analysis also scores medium in universality, uniqueness, permanence, collectability, performance, and acceptability; but it scores hi gh in circumvention. The overall reason why hand analysis carries a medium ranking in virtually all the parameters listed is because of a human-beings ability to live without them. EYES: Eye analysis provides for a more accurate analysis approach in a biometric system. Iris scanning scores high in universality, uniqueness, permanence, performance, and circumvention. This is due to the complexity and exclusivity of iris patterns which does make them a better choice method of biometric authentication. Iris scanning received a medium score in collectability and a low score in acceptability due to the complexity of the method and its suitability to the general masses. Retinal scanning also received similar scores, scoring high in universality, uniqueness, performance, and circumvention; receiving a medium score in permanence, and low scores in both its collectability and acceptability. DNA: DNA analysis has split results, scoring high in universality, uniqueness, permanence, and performance, and scoring low in collectability, acceptability, and circumvention. Although DNA can be extracted from a numerous amount of different ways, a method of extracting DNA in order to be used in a biometrical authentication system cannot be done without seeming invasive or unsanitary. Also, many people may be concerned with privacy matters concerning DNA analysis. ODOR SCENT: Odor and scent analysis scores high in universality, uniqueness, and permanence. Although scents can be masked by deodorants, fragrances and lotions, the underlying biological scent of a person cannot be concealed. Odor analysis also scores low in collectability, performance, and circumvention, with a medium score in acceptability. VOICE ANALYSIS: Voice analysis scores medium in its universality and collectability. It scores low scores in uniqueness, permanence, performance, and circumvention, making it not an ideal method for use in a biometrical system. This is because not only does a persons voice change throughout time, but people can knowingly change their voice or use technology to change their voice (such as a recording) in order to dupe a system. Voice analysis scores high in acceptability due to the simplicity of the method. SIGNATURE: Signature analysis scores low in universality, uniqueness, permanence, performance, and circumvention. It scores high in collectability, and acceptability. Signature analysis may not be an ideal method for authentication because although graphology experts can distinguish identities through meticulous handwriting analysis, it may be more difficult for a biometrical system to accurately analyze differences in handwriting for each individual person. This is because a persons handwriting can change depend on various things such as the mood of the person. Also some people may write similarly or use forgery to try to dupe the system. KEYSTROKE: Keystroke analysis is another method which may be seen as not as reliable as some of the other methods for collecting biometric information. Although it has the advantage of being able to simultaneously authenticate a user while he/she is still within the work session, keystroke analysis scores low for universality, uniqueness, permanence, and performance. It also has medium scores for collectability, acceptability, and circumvention. This may be due to the behavioral aspect of typing which can be easily changed if a person learns to type in different ways. GAIT: Gait scores medium in universality and circumvention. Gait has low scores in uniqueness, permanence, and performance. Gait also has high scores in collectability and acceptability. Of all the various methods for collecting biometric data, some of the most reliable methods (according to the table by A.K. Jain et. Al) are iris scanning, retinal scanning, facial thermograph, fingerprint analysis, and DNA analysis. Some of the least reliable methods are keystroke analysis, signature analysis, and voice analysis. Overall, it appears that physiological data is seen as a more reliable method for collecting data than behavioral data. III. BIOMETRIC SYSTEM A. BIOMETRIC SYSTEM A biometrical system although seemingly complicated, has only two main steps, regardless of the methodology or the technology used to facilitate it. The system begins with a process called enrollment which is when the biometric information from individual users is collected and stored within a database and translated into a code or graph. In some instances data may be stored on a smart card which can be carried away with the user. The next operation of the biometrical system is called testing. During this portion of the system, biometrical data is detected and compared with that which is in the database. In order for a biometrical system to be robust, it is necessary that the storage and retrieval of data within the system be highly secured. (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Biometric_system_diagram.png/800px-) A biometrical system can carry out two main functions. These include verification or identification. In verification, the systems objective is to authenticate the user in conjunction with another method such as a smart card, a username, or a password. With identification, the systems intention is to authenticate the user only on the basis of the biometrical data alone. The goal of this function is to identify the user according to the closest match within the allowable limit of the system. B. PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS The performance of a biometric systems technology can be broken down into a variety of probability descriptions. These descriptions indicate the level of accuracy the system is able to achieve. FAR- The first measurement is entitled False Accept Rate. This measurement determines the likeliness of a biometric system incorrectly accepting access to the system by an un-authorized user. This measurement is calculated by dividing the number of false acceptances by the number of times an identification attempt has been made. FRR- The second measurement is called a False Rejection Rate which measures the probability that a biometric system will incorrectly reject an authorized user from using the system. This number is calculated by dividing the number of false rejections by the number of authentication attempts. EER- Equal error rate stands for the rate at which FAR and FRR are equal. This measurement can be used to compare two different biometric systems. Whichever biometric system has a lower EER is considered to be a more accurate system than the other. ROC- Receiver operating characteristics deals with the systems accuracy within certain environments as it relates to False Rejection and False Acceptance Rate results. FTE- FTE stands for failure to enroll rate. This measurement is calculated as a percentage of the data which failed to pass through the system due to invalidity. Failure to enroll typically happens when the sample data is of poor quality and does not match the data which is stored in the database of the system. FTC- FTC is the failure to capture rate. This measurement measures the probability that the system will fail to pick up on a biometric characteristic when it is presented accurately. High calculations of this measurement typically mean that this authentication method will be difficult as well as frustrating to use. C. SUSCEPTIBLE AREAS OF ATTACK FOR BIOMETRICS The three most susceptible areas of vulnerability for attack of a biometric system are: 1) Copied-biometric attacks- where the attacker obtains a substitute for the true biometric sample in order to cause proper authentication to occur via the normal system procedures. 2) Replay attacks- where perpetrators obtain valid templates from the original user and then use them to directly dupe the biometric system. 3) Database attacks- where perpetrators access a template database and obtain the ability to replace valid templates with invalid ones. IV. ISSUES WITH BIOMETRICS A. IDENTITY THEFT ISSUE Although the ideal goal of biometrical authentication is to have ultimate prevention of identity theft, the issue of an illegitimate user having the ability to commit identity theft still exists within biometrics and can have even more dire circumstances than with non-biometrical authentication systems. Depending on the method used to collect the biometrical data, a persons identity can be stolen easily. An example of this would be in the case of fingerprints which can be taken from inanimate objects such as glassware or metal objects and then duplicated in order to be used to dupe a biometrical system. The main problem concerning this issue is in the fact that if an individuals identification is stolen by another, the legitimate user may never be able to undo the damage which has been created because, unlike with non-biometrical authentication, once biometrical data has been compromised, it is compromised for the entirety of the legitimate users existence. One proposed possible solution for solving the issue of identity theft is to only use a portion of the biometric data, so that if the data does become compromised, it will not be entirely lost. This way, if one part of the data is stolen, another part of the original users biometric data can be used to replace it. B. PRIVACY ISSUE Privacy can also be a staggering issue with the implementation of a biometrical system from a societal standpoint. Many people may not care to have all of their biological characteristics recorded on some medium for a variety of reasons. One concern is that if information is recorded on systems used at more than one location or by more than one entity, an individuals movements can be tracked preventing anonymity. Safety of the legitimate users can become compromised, if malevolent individuals choose to target that person in order to obtain their goal. Another issue regarding privacy involves physical harm which can be done to an individual using a biometrical system. Physical harm can occur by use of unsanitary instruments used in the technology to obtain the biometrical information, which may cause the system to be considered unsafe. Another issue regarding privacy lies with the administrative ability to misuse users biometrical data without the consent of those users. Currently, few regulations exist to protect biometric information of individuals. C. SENSOR OBSTACLES Different types of technology (hardware software) used within different biometrical systems can counteract one another, making it difficult to have standardized biometrical data. One of the reasons this problem exists is because each vendor of biometrical technology generates their own encryption methods for the recorded information. Unfortunately, many of these encryption methods do not coincide with one another making the use of biometrical systems more difficult and less efficient. The only way unification of the different biometrical systems can occur is by a standardizing process which would require exposing of all the concealed data. Unfortunately, this can also present a serious threat. D. FAILURE TO MEET PARAMETERS Another issue concerning implementation of biometrics is in the issue of a systems failure to meet parameters. In order for biometrical data to be interminable, the biological characteristic must be unique, universal, acceptable, collectible, reliable in regards to the performance and circumvention of the technology used to collect the data, but most importantly, the data must be permanent, which is the most fragile issue concerning the parameters of biometrical data. Unfortunately, most if not all biological characteristics are not guaranteed to be permanent. Many of them can be compromised via accidents, health problems or alterations such as surgery. V. CURRENT USES OF BIOMETRICS Although the field of biometrics as a whole is still in need of major development before widespread implementation will ever occur there are some entities including private industry and governmental agencies which currently utilize biometrical technology. Certain examples of American organizations which currently use biometric technology include: 1) Walt Disney World: Walt Disney World uses fingerprint analysis technology to authenticate the fingerprints of guests in order to ensure that season tickets are used by the authorized ticket owner. This is in order to prevent lost sales through ticket sharing, as well as thefts. 2) First Tech Credit Union: First Tech Credit Union is an Oregon based credit union which utilizes keystroke recognition technology for authentication of users on its online website. 3) Casinos: Over 100 American casinos such as the Imperial Palace casino in Las Vegas use facial recognition technology to identify and prevent known cheaters or dishonest patrons from entering into their establishments. 4) Missing Childrens Clearinghouse: A West Virginia based organization entitled Missing Childrens Clearinghouse uses biometric technology which utilizes scanned digital photographs to search for missing children. 5) Citibank Singapore: Citibank in Singapore uses fingerprint scanning technology for customers who use their clear platinum card for point-of-sale purchases. 6) Coca Cola: Coca Cola uses hand scanning machines to replace time cards for employees in order to document worker time keepinsg records. 7) Welfare crack-down: New Jersey as well as six other states use biometric technology to crack down on individuals who abuse the welfare system by claiming benefits in multiple names. 8) Notebooks: Computer products such as the Compaq Armada E500 are being developed to use fingerprint scanning technology to verify the identity of the user. 9) Prisons: Up to 100 American Prisons use biometric technology to regulate methadone dispersement among prisoners. VI. FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN BIOMETRICS Since the occurrence of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a surge in the demand for biometric technology has begun. Stocks in publically trade biometric companies such as Visionics, Viisage Technology, and Indentix have soared with the overall biometric technology industry projected to have revenues approaching $10 billion dollars annually by 2020. Emerging trends for future uses of biometric technology seem to lean more towards law enforcement, homeland security, and security within certain types of private industry such as in airport security or finance. Many credit card companies such as Mastercard and Visa are beginning to implement biometric authentication methods to verify card users. Also, the Immigration and Naturalization Service may begin implementing biometric technologies to identify illegal immigrants. Certain types of biometric technology which are becoming more widespread include access control facial recognition technology which is used to permit only authorized individuals to enter upon certain facilities, facial recognition passive surveillance technology which is used to monitor premises in order to identify possible terrorists or suspect individuals, and alert management which includes the use of real-time technology in association with biometric technology to provide security alerts of potential security breaches. Applications which use biometric technology will also have an effect on commerce, particularly in e-commerce to provide extra security for online purchases, and installation within certain personal items such as cars and cell phones. VII. CONCLUSION Although not that long ago, the concept of having biometric technology as a part of our mainstream society may have been seen as a science-fictional impossibility, technological innovation has grown to the point where it is becoming more and more of a reality. Although we are not quite ready for widespread implementation of this technology, as the need for better hi-tech security increases, research as well as investor and consumer confidence and innovation within the biometric industry is also expected to improve. Although no single biometric system method is without flaws, combinations of these various methods and technologies may provide the ideal security that we hope to attain one day. CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY There was difficulty in determining the real students of the University of Baguio because of the hard-headed students who cannot abide with the simple rules and regulations which was the reoccurring problems of the security. Due to this problem, the â€Å"mandos† and â€Å"magnas† can easily enter the school’s premises victimizing a lot of students. This was one of the reasons why such simple violations became a huge problem for the school. Regarding this matter, the group came up with an idea for a topic for their action research. Before they finalize their topic, the group went to the Office of the Student Affairs and interviewed the dean to know which rules are commonly violated by the students. After the interview, the group determined that the rules which are commonly violated are: a) wearing of I.Ds inside the school campus; and b) wearing of uniforms on the designated days. The group then convened and finalized their topic that would focus on â€Å"A proposed Biometric ID system to control the reoccurring violations by University of Baguio students.† Since there was already a topic to be talked about in the research, the group started to gather data which were relevant to the research proper like that of related studies and researches and terms that are significant to the study. After collecting relevant information for the research, the group prepared communication letters addressed to the deans of the different schools of the University and respondents likewise with the survey questionnaire. Upon approval of the deans of the different schools, the group administered the questionnaires to the respondents. The survey forms were distributed to the eleven schools of the University having ten (10) respondents each to see which results have the same percentage which were used to know the reasons behind these actions. After distributing the survey questionnaires, the group then retrieve the questionnaires and start tabulating the results. The tabulated data showed the reasons why the students violate these simple policies of the school. The result of the survey supported the proposal that were passed to the Board of Directors. The group then proposed the biometric ID system that will be put up in every entrances and exits of the buildings in the University. The biometric ID system will most likely be very costly but disregarding such amount, the administration will approve it and immediately ordered the said system. By the time the systems that had been ordered arrive, the people designated by the higher ops will put up such systems on the designated areas to make the University a safe and humane place to study. CONCLUSION In light of the findings, the following conclusions are hereby presented: Not wearing of ID has been a habit of the students. Sometimes the teachers themselves forget to check their students ID. The security guard also are not lenient in checking the IDs of these students. Because of this attitude most number of the student no longer uses their IDs. The students think that it is just fine not use their IDs. The researchers are found out that the school really need a biometric ID system. Approximately, one unit of the biometric system will cost more or less two hundred fifty thousand pesos. In such case the University of Baguio can still afford this system since it does not only help the students but it can also secure their safety With the help of this proposal it will lessen the burden of the security personnel. This proposal can also lessen the number of students violating the proper use of IDs. In such situation students can no longer use any ID because of the presence of finger prints. The students whether they like it or not would still be forced to use their IDs. Also, this proposal can help in the security of the school campus because outsiders can no longer come in because of the presence of finger prints. RECOMMENDATION Drawing from the conclusions that the researchers arrived at, the following recommendations are forwarded. The researchers would recommend the strict implementation of the rules and regulations of the university and the maintenance of the biometric ID system. In addition, each of the gates should be closed. Also, the lenient checking on the wearing of IDs should be done. The guards should monitor every student entering the university. In case the students lost their IDs, we recommend that a password that would allow them to enter would be provided by the OSA during the time of the ID’s loss. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS * Addiction Today, Sept. 27, 2008. Prisons Use Biometrics to Manage Methadone. * Germain, Jack M., Sept. 11, 2003. Beyond Biometrics: New Strategies for Security. * New York Times, Nov. 15, 2008. Technology and Media, a Surge in the Demand to use Biometrics. * Osborn, Alice, Aug. 17, 2005. Future of Biometrics-Trends and Emerging Uses for Biometric Technology. * Panko, Raymond R., Corporate Computer and Network Security. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2004. * Risk Management, Mar. 15, 2005. Biometrics: The Future is Now. * Technology and Human Values Senior Seminar, 2008. Biometrics. * Tilton, Catherine J., Feb. 2006. The Role of Biometrics in Enterprise Security. * Wikepedia, Nov. 13, 2008. Biometrics.† ONLINE * http://www.addictiontoday.org/addictiontoday/2008/09/prisons-use-bio.html. * http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/31547.html?wlc=1226777438 * .http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E0DB163EF934A25751C1A9679C8B63sec=spon=pagewanted=1 * http://www.video-surveillance-guide.com/future-of-biometrics.htm * http://www.riskmanagementmagazine.com.au/articles/FF/0C02DDFF.asp?Type=124Category=1240 * http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050132-Tilton-OE.pdf . * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biometrics#cite_note-jain_short_article-20 .

SWOT Analysis Essay -- Business Analysis

Organizational performance is a result of business interaction with its internal and external environment (Houben, Lenie & Vanhoof, 1999). There are a variety of internal and external forces that either stimulate or compromise the organization's performance in achieving objectives or goals (Houben, et al., 1999). An analysis can identify and evaluate areas within or outside of the organizations to provide information for leadership. The analysis can be done by internal personnel or external experts. Experts are often used to identify, monitor, forecast and assess environment trends (Swayne, Duncan & Ginther, 2008). Often the SWOT analysis is used to review internal and external areas in the four components; strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. The SWOT analysis indicates that the strengths and weakness are internal. Strengths are the organizational competitive advantages and distinguishing competencies (Houben, et.al, 1999). Weaknesses hinder the progress of the organization in a certain direction (Houben, et.al, 1999). Weakness can be considered areas of opportunities. Data collections from employees and customer surveys along with financial information can indicate the strengths and weakness. Opportunities and threats are viewed more as external forces. Opportunities are investment or change which the organizations may consider. Threats could be competitors or other known factors which the organization should identify. This paper will review a SWOT analysis that was conducted by an external exporter on the healthcare organization, Kaiser Permanente. The external expert is Datamonitor and is familiar with nonprofit organizations. Datamonitor (2011) indicates â€Å"that Kaiser Permanente (KP) is one of the ... ...amonitor (2011). Kaiser Permanente.,Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. SWOT Analysis; Dec2011, p1-9, 9p DATAMONITOR (2010). Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. SWOT Analysis; Nov2010, p1-8, 8p Hardwick, P.l (2005). Want a better business? Invest in SWOTing . Mississippi Business Journal, 1/31/2005, Vol. 27 Issue 5, pA5-A5, 3/5p Houben, G. Lenie, K. Vanhoof, K. (1999). A knowledge-based SWOT-analysis system as an instrument for strategic planning in small and medium sized enterprises. Retrieved from. http://www.cuaed.unam.mx/puel_cursos/cursos/d_gcfe_m_dos/modulo/modulo_2/m2-10.pdf Weisman, S (2008). S.W.O.T. analysis is no longer the best approach to planning for success. Hudson Valley Business Journal, 10/27/2008, Vol. 19 Issue 43, p11-11, 1/3p Swayne, L. E., Duncan, W. J., & Ginter, P. M. (2008). Strategic

Of Mice and Men Quotations

â€Å"Of Mice and Men† Quotes Hopes and Dreams: â€Å"An’ live off the fatta the lan’,† Lennie shouted. â€Å"An’ have rabbits† â€Å"We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there. We’d have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house† They fell into silence. They looked at one another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was coming true. â€Å"Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody never gets no land. It just in their head. † [Crooks] â€Å"why I’d come lend a hand† â€Å"Well just forget it,† said crooks. â€Å"I didn’t mean it. Just foolin’. Wouldn’ want to go no place like that. † George said softl, â€Å"- I think I knowed from the very first.I think I knowed we’d never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much i got to thinking maybe we would. † Friendship VS Isolationism George: â€Å"Guys like us , that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family —- â€Å" â€Å"With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. Lennie broke in â€Å"But not us! An’ why? Because†¦ because I gotyou to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why† Candy: â€Å"Well-hell! I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. He was the best damn sheep dog I ever seen. †Slim: â€Å" Ain’t many guys travel around together,† he mused. â€Å"I don’t know why. Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other† Crooks: â€Å"A guy needs somebody – to be near him. A guys goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody† 1. â€Å"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. . . . With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn.But not us. † Toward the end of Section 1, before George and Lennie reach the ranch, they camp for the night in a beautiful clearing and George assures Lennie of their special relationship. In this passage, George explains their friendship, which forms the heart of the work. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck idealizes male friendships, suggesting that they are the most dignified and satisfying way to overcome the loneliness that pervades the world. As a self-declared â€Å"watchdog† of society, Steinbeck set out to expose and chronicle the circumstances that cause human suffering.Here, George relates that loneliness is responsible for much of that suffering, a theory supported by many of the secondary characters. Later in the narr ative, Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife all give moving speeches about their loneliness and disappointments in life. Human beings, the book suggests, are at their best when they have someone else to look to for guidance and protection. George reminds Lennie that they are extremely lucky to have each other since most men do not enjoy this comfort, especially men like George and Lennie, who exist on the margins of society.Their bond is made to seem especially rare and precious since the majority of the world does not understand or appreciate it. At the end, when Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife, Candy does not register the tragedy of Lennie’s impending death. Instead, he asks if he and George can still purchase the farm without Lennie. In this environment, in which human life is utterly disposable, only Slim recognizes that the loss of such a beautiful and powerful friendship should be mourned. 2. â€Å"S’pose they was a carnival or a circus come to town, or a ball game, or any damn thing. Old Candy nodded in appreciation of the idea. â€Å"We’d just go to her,† George said. â€Å"We wouldn’t ask nobody if we could. Jus’ say, ‘We’ll go to her,’ an’ we would. Jus’ milk the cow and sling some grain to the chickens an’ go to her. † In the middle of Section 3, George describes their vision of the farm to Candy. At first, when Candy overhears George and Lennie discussing the farm they intend to buy, George is guarded, telling the old man to mind his own business. However, as soon as Candy offers up his life savings for a down payment on the property, George’s vision of the farm becomes even more real.Described in rustic but lyrical language, the farm is the fuel that keeps the men going. Life is hard for the men on the ranch and yields few rewards, but George, Lennie, and now Candy go on because they believe that one day they will own their own place . The appeal of this dream rests in the freedom it symbolizes, its escape from the backbreaking work and spirit-breaking will of others. It provides comfort from psychological and even physical turmoil, most obviously for Lennie. For instance, after Curley beats him, Lennie returns to the idea of tending his rabbits to soothe his pain.Under their current circumstances, the men must toil to satisfy the boss or his son, Curley, but they dream of a time when their work will be easy and determined by themselves only. George’s words describe a timeless, typically American dream of liberty, self-reliance, and the ability to pursue happiness. 3. A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin’ books or thinkin’ or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets thinkin’, an’ he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he don’t know whether it’s right or not. He can’t turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too.He can’t tell. He got nothing to measure by. I seen things out here. I wasn’t drunk. I don’t know if I was asleep. If some guy was with me, he could tell me I was asleep, an’ then it would be all right. But I jus’ don’t know. Crooks speaks these words to Lennie in Section 4, on the night that Lennie visits Crooks in his room. The old stable-hand admits to the very loneliness that George describes in the opening pages of the novella. As a black man with a physical handicap, Crooks is forced to live on the periphery of ranch life. He is not even allowed to enter the white men’s bunkhouse, or join them in a game of cards.His resentment typically comes out through his bitter, caustic wit, but in this passage he displays a sad, touching vulnerability. Crooks’s desire for a friend by whom to â€Å"measure† things echoes George’s earlier description of the life of a migrant worker . Because these men feel such loneliness, it is not surprising that the promise of a farm of their own and a life filled with strong, brotherly bonds holds such allure. 4. I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads . . . very damn one of ’em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of ’em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. In this passage from Section 4, after Lennie shares with Crooks his plan to buy a farm with George and raise rabbits, Crooks tries to deflate Lennie’s hopes. He relates that â€Å"hundreds† of men have passed through the ranch, all of them with dreams similar to Lennie’s. Not one of them, he emphasizes with bitterness, ever manages to make that dream come true.Crooks injects the scene with a sense of reality, reminding the reader, if not the childlike Lennie, that the dream of a farm is, after all, only a dream. This moment establishes Crooks’s character, showing how a lifetime of loneliness and oppression can manifest as cruelty. It also furthers Steinbeck’s disturbing observation that those who have strength and power in the world are not the only ones responsible for oppression. As Crooks shows, even those who are oppressed seek out and attack those who are even weaker than they. 5.A water snake glided smoothly up the pool, twisting its periscope head from side to side; and it swam the length of the pool and came to the legs of a motionless heron that stood in the shallows. A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically. The rich imagery with which Steinbeck begins Section 6, the powerful conclusion, evokes the novellaà ¢â‚¬â„¢s dominant themes. After killing Curley’s wife, Lennie returns to the clearing that he and George designate, at the beginning of the book, as a meeting place should they be separated or run into trouble.Here Steinbeck describes much of the natural splendor as revealed in the opening pages of the work. The images of the valley and mountains, the climbing sun, and the shaded pool suggest a natural paradise, like the Garden of Eden. The reader’s sense of return to a paradise of security and comfort is furthered by the knowledge that George and Lennie have claimed this space as a safe haven, a place to which they can return in times of trouble. This paradise, however, is lost. The snake sliding through the water recalls the conclusion of the story of Eden, in which the forces of evil appeared as a snake and caused humanity’s fall from grace.Steinbeck is a master at symbolism, and here he skillfully employs both the snake and heron to emphasize the predatory n ature of the world and to foreshadow Lennie’s imminent death. The snake that glides through the waters without harm at the beginning of the story is now unsuspectingly snatched from the world of the living. Soon, Lennie’s life will be taken from him, and he will be just as unsuspecting as the snake when the final blow is delivered. Themes Friendship: -George and Lennie -Candy and his dog -Saves them from loneliness -Makes sacrifices – George shoots Lennie, so that Curley will not have a hance to torture him, even though he doesn’t want to. -Loyalty – George stuck by Lennie through all his problems and did what he though was best for Lennie what he killed Curley’s Wife. – â€Å"I ain’t mad† Friendship that he forms with Slim after Lennie’s death – â€Å"me an’ you’ll go in an’ get a drink. † Loneliness: Curley’s wife – sexism -Is given a bad reputation -Sexuality: â €Å"jailbait†/ â€Å"tramp† Crooks – color/ racial discrimination -Isolated – he does not live in the bunk house with the rest of the ranch hands and is not allowed in unless under special circumstances: ChristmasCandy – His best friend was a dog -His do was shot, he was completely alone George is lonely even though he had Lennie. This is because he is not mentally compatible with George. Also since the relationship is seen as a â€Å"master-pet† or â€Å"parent-child† relationship Lennie can be more of a responsibility. [However, friendship and companionship plays a big role in their bond. ] Slim is seen as â€Å"God-like† so the reader does not see slim effected by loneliness Power: Curley has power because he is the boss’s son.Curley’s Wife also has a lot of power over the ranch hands because of her sexuality and because she is Curley’s Wife. â€Å"I could have you strung up on a tree so easy it ainâ₠¬â„¢t even funny. † â€Å"Crook’s face lighted with pleasure in his torture† â€Å"a nigger, an’ a dum-dum, and a lousy old sheep† â€Å"bindle stiffs† Wearing high heeled boots symbolizes power. This does not apply to Slim. He does not have to Wear high heeled boots yet he has authority at the ranch and has natural respect, it does not have to be forced unlike with Curley. Discrimination: Sex Discrimination – against Curley’s Wife I ain’t want nothing to go with you† George says this to Curley’s Wife. Pg. 93 – racial discrimination against Crooks â€Å"A colored man got to have some rights even if he don’t like ‘em† Inverted discrimination â€Å"In a second George stood framed in the door, and he looked disapprovingly about. ‘What are you doin’ in Crook’s room. You hadn’t ought to be in here. † Nature: Lennie is compared to animals. The actions/ mo vements of nature show foreboding/danger â€Å"One end of the great barn was piled high with new hay and over the pile hung the four-taloned Jackson fork suspended from its pulley.The hay came down like a mountain slope to the other end of the barn, and there was a level place yet unfilled with the new crop. At the sides the feeding racks were visible, and between the slats the heads of horses could be seen. Fallacy – personification but with nature. This reflects the mood of the scene. Pg. 104 – nature’s response to Curley’s Wife’s death. â€Å"But the barn was alive now. The horses stamped and snorted, and they chew the straw of their bedding and the clashed the chains of their halters. † Pathetic Fallacy – Horses reflect the danger.