Computer and Network Hardware Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer and Network Hardware - Assignment Example We have also considered the other factors that include total number of employees, departments, current state and nature of the services provided by your organization. We have explained the characteristics of network servers, routers, hubs, network model and topology in the following sections. In order to develop a Computing Facility capable of providing 24 X 7 operations, it is necessary to identify and define the services to be provided by the Computer Server Room. We have identified following services: Operating Systems for servers and laptops are mentioned in the above table, the other software we proposed for clients and servers include Microsoft Office and anti-virus. On both servers, we would install OS Windows Server 2008 along with Active Directory Services, DNS and DHCP on first server, whereas on the second server we would install FTP, ERP Application along with its database and backup/Network Access Storage. We would use server virtualization to fully utilize the high end servers by executing multiple applications on single machine/server. The following diagram shows the network model in which router/firewall (according to need of the organization) would be connected to internet and the switch/hub which further connected to servers and WAPs to establish a LAN. As the organization is growing, therefore, we have used star topology which provides better performance, centralized management with easy monitoring, and above all we can enhance the LAN in future (if required). Microsoft Corporation. (2012). How do hubs, switches, routers, and access points differ?. Retrieved from:

Workforce 2020 Executive Report - DHSOS Assignment

Workforce 2020 Executive Report - DHSOS - Assignment Example Future trends – forecast 6 3.1 Economic, social, demographic, and workforce parameters that are expected to be in the U.S. in the year 2020 6 3.2 What are the general trends in leadership/management that are impacting your organization? 7 4. Recommendations – changes needed for the future in order for the organization to meet the expected challenges of 2020 8 4.1 Leadership actions that the organization should take 8 4.2 Competencies that will be needed 9 4.3 What does the organization need to do to be prepared? 10 References 11 Summary The standardization of organizational performance in the long term is a challenging task. Firms that tend to perform high on annual basis may face periods of downturns; this phenomenon has been related to problems in the organization’s internal environment, especially in regard to the leadership style and the workforce structure. Managers in DHSOS, a medium-size firm of the US computer industry, face the following dilemma: should they try to support the firm’s existing leadership practices or they should promote major changes in regard to the firm’s leadership style and workforce structure? The first choice has been considered as rather risky; the second one, i.e. the emphasis on changes on the specific sectors has been chosen. The particular plan can secure, at higher level, the limitation of a series of organizational problems that would result to severe delays in the firm’s performance up to 2020. 1. Introduction The ability of an organization to survive in the modern market is depended on certain criteria. Issues, such as the organization’s leadership style, its workforce diversity but also the quality and the level of communication are critical for the long-term success of the organization in its industry. On the other hand, in high competitive industries, the challenges for organizations of all sizes can be significant, at least compared to less competitive industries. DHSOS is one of the most promising firms in the computer industry in USA. The firm focuses on the provision of IT consultancy services in large firms. The firm was first established in New York in March of 2009, i.e. about 3 years before. During this time, the firm has managed to develop its customer base at least by 80%, a fact that it is quite promising for the firm’s performance in the future. Currently, the firm’s employees are estimated to 540, across the firm’s branches in New York, Chicago and Illinois. Up to the end of 2011, the firm’s performance seemed to be continuously developed, with no sign of a potential downturn. However, during the first half of this year, the firm seems to be unable to control employee performance, which tends to change unexpectedly leading to important losses, as compared to the same period of last year. A careful review of the organization’s key trends, such as its structure, its leadership style and its workforce ch aracteristics leads to the assumption that a series of changes need to be made in regard to the particular organizational sectors. These changes are highlighted in this paper, which can be used, as a manual for the firm’s workforce needs by 2020. 2. DHSOS – Presentation and analysis of key organizational trends 2.1 Organizational structure Since its establishment, DHSOS has been a highly centralized organization. In fact, its leadership style can be characterized as autocratic. The leader of the organization sets the key criteria on which workforce structure and employee performance would be evaluated. Moreover, the promotion of team – work within the organization is rather limited. Tasks are assigned to individuals are need to be completed by them, usually without cooperation with other colleagues. This practice has resulted, in many cases, to

Management Skills in Human Resource Development Essay Example for Free

Management Skills in Human Resource Development Essay Technical skills encompass the ability to apply specialized knowledge or expertise. When you think of the skills held by professionals such as civil or oral surgeons, you typically focus on their technical skills .Through extensive formal education, they have learned the special knowledge and practices of their field. Of course ,professionals donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have a monopoly on technical skills ,and not all technical skills ,have to be learned in schools or formal training programs .All jobs require some specialized expertise ,and many people develop their technical skills on the job. Human Skills The ability to work with ,understand ,and motivate other people ,both individually and in groups ,describes ,human skills many people are technically proficient but interpersonally incompetent. They might be poor listeners ,unable to understand the needs of others, or have difficulty managing conflicts .Since managers get things done through other people ,they must have good human skills to communicate ,motivate, and delegate. Conceptual Skills Managers must have the mental ability to analyze and diagnose complex situations. These tasks require conceptual skills. Decision making, for instance, requires managers to spot problems, identify alternatives that can correct them, evaluate those alternatives ,and select the best one .Managers can be technically and interpersonally competent yet still fail because of an inability to rationally process and interpret information Effective vs. Successful Managerial activities Fred Luthans and his associates looked at the issue of what managers do from a somewhat different perspective. They asked the question : Do managers who move up most quickly in an organization do the same activities and with the same emphasis as managers who do the best job? You would tend to think that the managers who were the most effective in their jobs would also be the ones who were promoted fastest .But thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not what appears to happen. Luthans and his associates studied more than 450 managers .What they found was that these managers all engaged in four managerial activities : Traditional Management. Decision making ,planning, and controlling. Communication. Exchanging routine information and processing paperwork.

Itgc review of the foods fantastic company

Itgc review of the foods fantastic company Several months ago, you started working at a large public accounting firm as an IT staff auditor. You are currently working on your first assignment, an ITGC review of the Foods Fantastic Company (FFC). FFC is a publicly traded, regional grocery store chain, headquartered in Mason, Maryland, and includes 50 stores located in the mid-Atlantic area. The centralized data center is in Mason. FFC relies on an integrated suite of application programs that include state-of-the-art software to manage merchandise replenishment, store- level sales forecasting, and point-of-sale data. For example, FFC relies on bar code scanners and credit/debit card readers. To maintain its competitive edge in its market area, FFC recently implemented a fingerprint bio-coding payment system in all of its stores. This new systems implementation required that FFC change several of its general-ledger application programs; in particular, those related to its cash receipts processing. FFC does not use any outside s ervice organizations to provide its IT services. Sophie Ewing, the audit senior who heads up your team, decided that because of FFCs complex and sophisticated IT processing, an IT General Control (ITGC) review is man- datory to meet SAS 109s risk assessment procedures and SOX Section 404 Management Assessment of Internal Controls requirements. You know that an ITGC review is very important because ITGCs provide the foundation for reliance on any financial information FCCs systems produce. Your evaluation will affect the financial auditor in assessing the risk of material misstatement in FFCs financials, and consequently, the audit plan. At your first team meeting, Sophie announced that your firms network security specialists would review the technical issues related to FFCs internal controls. They will evaluate FFCs operating systems, its telecommunications software, and its network configuration and firewalls. In preparation for the meeting, Sophie encouraged you to review the key provisions included in SAS 109, SOX Section 404, applicable sections of PCAOB Auditing Standard No. 5, and your firms internal guidance, which groups ITGCs into the following five areas: IT management, systems development, data security, change management, and business continuity planning (BCP). IT managements key concepts include ITs position within the organization, whether IT goals are aligned with the organizations strategic goals, the use of an IT steering com- mittee, and whether the IT departments structure promotes proper segregation of duties to protect the organizations assets. Your primary concerns are: Does FFC have an IT strategic plan? To whom does the Chief Information Officer (CIO) report? What key responsibility areas report to the CIO? Does FFC have an IT steering committee? Is so, who are the members? Issues in Accounting Education, February 2009 Assessing Information Technology General Control Risk: An Instructional Case 65 Systems Development The key concepts within systems development include the existence of a new systems implementation methodology, project management, pre- and post-implementation reviews, quality control, adequate testing, and demonstrated compliance with the selected imple- mentation methodology. Based on this understanding, your teams primary concerns are: Does FFC design, develop, and implement systems in a logical fashion? Does the organization consider internal controls as an integral part of systems design or does it retrofit them after implementation? To what extent is FFCs Internal Audit department involved in systems development activities? Is it part of the project review team? Is it a voting member of the team? In particular, how well did FFC manage the development and implementation of its new fingerprint bio-coding payment system? Data Security The critical concepts within data security include adherence to an established infor- mation security policy, access approval on a need-to-know basis, periodic rotation or change of access controls, monitoring, exception reporting, and incident response. Data security has both physical and logical aspects. On the physical side, data security includes physical access and environmental controls over the data center computer room. On the logical side, data security includes policies related to password configuration, change, and history re- strictions. Logical security also includes prompt review, modification, or removal of access due to personnel transfers, promotions, and terminations. Your teams primary concerns are: How well does FFC control physical access to its data center computer room? Is FFCs computer room adequately protected against environmental dangers, such as fire? Does FFC control logical access to its information systems? In particular, how does it control the logical access of terminated or transferred employees? Does FFC have a current IT security policy? Does FFC produce access violation reports? Do FFC IT personnel adhere to IT policy and follow IT procedures? For example, do appropriate personnel review any access violation reports and take the prescribed action? Change Management Change Managements key concepts include documented change procedures, user au- thorization and approval, separation of duties in implementing changes, management re- view, quality control, and adequate testing. Your audit teams primary concerns are: Does FFC have (and follow) formal change management procedures? In particular, did FFC follow these procedures when making any necessary changes to its current application programs because of the new bio-coding payment system? For example: Were the changes approved? Did the programmers adequately test the changes before putting them into production? Did the application programmer(s) that made the code changes, test the changes, and/or put them into production? Business Continuity Planning Key concepts of BCP are managements expectations regarding a timely recovery of processing capabilities, the existence of a written plan, the currency of the plan, offsite Issues in Accounting Education, February 2009 66 Norman, Payne, and Vendrzyk storage of both the plan and data files, and testing of the plan. Your audit teams main concerns are: Does FFC have a written BCP plan? Is it current? When is the last time FFC tested its plan? Does FFC back up its software and data? How often? Where do they store the backups? Did FFC need to recover its systems using its backups during the past fiscal year? Information Collected During the ITGC Review Under Sophie Ewings direction, you and other members of the audit team worked very diligently reviewing FFCs policies and procedures, interviewing FFC client personnel, and observing FFCs various operations and procedures related to its ITGCs. First, your team created an organization chart to document the FFCs management structure (see Ex- hibit 1). Exhibit 2 reflects the information your team collected from interviews, observations, and reviews of corroborating documentation related to FFCs ITGCs. EXHIBIT 1 Foods Fantastic Company Organization Chart Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Senior Vice President and Controller Senior Vice President, Internal Audit Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) Senior Vice President and Treasurer Vice President, Applications Vice President, Operations Vice President, Information Security Vice President, Database Administration (Currently V acant) Issues in Accounting Education, February 2009 Assessing Information Technology General Control Risk: An Instructional Case 67 EXHIBIT 2 Foods Fantastic Company IT General Control (ITGC) Review Notes Notes from meetings with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO): Foods Fantastic Company (FFC) implemented a new bio-coding payment system in all of its stores this past fiscal year. FFCs IT Executive Steering Committee develops IT policies and reviews the overall operations of the IT department. The voting members of the committee are: 1. the Senior Vice President (SrVP) and Chief Information Officer (CIO) 2. the VP, Applications 3. the VP, Data Base Administration (DBA) 4. the VP, Operations 5. the VP, Information Security (IS) 6. the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) 7. the SrVP, Internal Audit The IT Executive Steering Committee revised FFCs security policy in 2005. The policy addresses all organizational security issues including IT. FFC has no documented business continuity or disaster recovery plan. Management believes such a plan is cost-prohibitive for an organization of its size and FFC has never experienced any major business disruption. In case of disaster, the data center manager would retrieve the most recent backup tapes that are stored offsite. FFC would use these files to recover its systems. Notes from meetings with the SrVP, Internal Audit: FFCs Internal Audit Department is involved as a voting member of the project teams responsible for design, development, and implementation of new projects. Internal audit performs post- implementation reviews on all projects over $2 million. The new bio-coding payment system was 25 percent over its initial time budget and 40 percent over its initial dollar budget. Notes from meetings with the CIO: The VP, Applications is currently responsible for the DBA function. However, the CIO reviews the logs that show the actions of the Application VPs user ID. FFC has an IT strategic plan, which is consistent with its corporate strategic plan. The IT strategic plan outlines the objectives and strategies that the information systems group will implement to assist FFC in meeting its overall business objectives. FFC adopted Structured Systems Analysis and Design Methodology (SSADM), an industry- recognized standard for systems development and project management. All projects (buy or build) follow the applicable SSADM phases. The CIO periodically reviews each projects required budget-to-actual reconciliation. FFCs security policy states that the VP, IS is to conduct a user audit on a quarterly basis. The appropriate department manager reviews electronically submitted reports that list each users profile, note changes on the reports, and return the reports to the VP, IS. The VP then makes the appropriate modifications based on the returned reports. The VP maintains the reports, and initials and dates the report after completing all modifications. Notes from meetings with the VP, Human Resources: FFC is currently interviewing individuals to assume the DBAs responsibilities and hopes to hire someone within the next six to eight months. Aside from the security policy, management does not provide any formalized security awareness programs related to data security. Each month, the Human Resources department forwards a Transfers and Terminations report to the VP, IS. (continued on next page) Issues in Accounting Education, February 2009 68 Norman, Payne, and Vendrzyk EXHIBIT 2 (continued) Notes from meetings with the VP, Applications: The VP, Applications assigns a project manager and develops an initial time and dollar budget for each new development project. IT personnel adequately tested the new bio-coding payment system prior to its implementation. This testing included integration testing, stress testing, and user acceptance testing. User depart- ments corroborated their testing and acceptance of the new system. Application programmers do not have access to the computer room unless escorted by data center personnel (e.g., an operator). FFC instituted formal procedures for change management. The VP, Applications is responsible for change management and maintains all documentation in a fireproof vault in his office. A Change Request form initiates all application software changes, including required software up- grades. A user completes the form, which the users department manager approves. The user forwards the request form to the VP, Applications, who logs each request in a Change Request Log. The VP performs an initial analysis and feasibility study and estimates the required devel- opment hours. The Change Request log is a listing of all requested changes and the status of the change request. The VP, Applications uses this log to track open items and follow up on changes not completed within the original time estimate. The VP, Applications assigns the change request to an applications programmer and issues the current systems documention to the programmer. The applications programmer copies the source code from the systems production region to its development region and makes the change. The pro- grammer works in the systems development region using test data. The programmer tests the change first within the affected module and then within the entire application. Changes are never tested against production data. The programmer updates the necessary systems documentation. The applications programmer migrates the code to the systems test region. A second programmer performs systems integration testing, volume testing, and user acceptance testing, again using test files. The second programmer then performs a quality review of the change, including a source- compare analysis, and reviews the updated systems documentation. Upon completion of testing, the user who requested the change and the appropriate department manager review the test results and accept the change by signing the original request form. The VP, Applications reviews the user-approved request form on which the department manager has indicated that s/he is satisfied that the program is ready for implementation. The VP, Applications also reviews the documentation prior to implementing any new or changed program to ensure that the documentation is adequate. The VP, Applications approves the change, initials the change request form, and transfers the change to the VP, Operations, who officially accepts the change. The VP, Applications then updates the Change Request log and returns the revised systems documentation to the fireproof vault. Notes from meetings with the VP, Operations: FFCs computer room, within its data center, is locked at all times. All outside contractors or visitors must first contact the data center manager for entry into the computer room. Each must bring an official picture ID, sign a visitors log, and be escorted at all times by data center personnel during the visit. In 2002, FFC installed video cameras on all doors entering the computer room to record activity 24/7. Building management staff, who report to the facilities manager, are responsible for main- taining these tapes. The VP, Operations has not needed to review these tapes for at least six months since no unathorized access attempts have been reported. Environmental controls are in place in the computer room (i.e., temperature controls, uninter- rupted power supply, a backup generator, fire-extinguishing equipment, and raised floor). Appro- priate maintenance staff test these controls semi-annually. FFC backs up all of its data each day. It stores its most recent daily backup once a week at a company-owned offsite location, along with the most recent version of its software. FFC did not test backup tapes during the past year and has no plan to test these tapes in the future. The VP, Operations assigns IT operations personnel the task of placing new or changed appli- cations programs into production after the VP, Applications has approved the work. (continued on next page) Issues in Accounting Education, February 2009 Assessing Information Technology General Control Risk: An Instructional Case 69 EXHIBIT 2 (continued) Notes from meetings with the VP, Information Security: The VP, IS grants keycard access to the computer room. The VP, IS receives a keycard access report for the computer room on a monthly basis. The VP, IS determines if an unauthorized access attempt into the computer room has occurred. Passwords are not displayed on terminals or reports. Password standards are enforced by security software. FFC requires a minimum password length of six alphanumeric or special characters and a maximum length of nine alphanumeric or special characters. The software prevents the same character from being used more than once in a password and prevents numbers from being used next to each other in a password. The security software forces users to change their pass- words twice each year. The security software maintains a history of two previous passwords and does not permit employees to reuse their two most recent passwords. The security software does not display statistics regarding employees sign-on information. For example, there is no infor- mation regarding a users sign-on attempts (such as date and time of last sign-on), number of invalid sign-on attempts since last successful sign-on, or number of days prior to password expiration. The system allows three access attempts. If the third attempt is unsuccessful, the user ID is automatically disabled. The user must contact the VP, IS to reset the user ID. The system gen- erates a logical access violation report on a daily basis. User access is limited to workstations within the corresponding responsibility area. For example, users with access to the Accounts Payable module can only log in from workstations located in the Accounts Payable area. A workstation can stand idle for up to 60 minutes before the user is logged off. The VP, IS is responsible for maintaining user profiles and authorization lists. The VP grants access to the system to new hires. The appropriate department manager completes a computerized form that specifies the proper level of access. The VP reviews the request form for proper approvals and then either approves or denies the request. If approved, the VP issues the necessary ID and initial password with the requested access via encrypted email. Normal users may have multiple IDs. Each user ID can log on to one sign-on session at a time. The VP, IS, who has unlimited access, can log in from any workstation and have multiple sign- on sessions. The VP, IS is responsible for modifying and/or disabling user IDs for personnel whose job duties change because of promotions, transfers, and/or terminations based on the Transfers and Ter- minations report. The VP, IS maintains the report, and initials and dates the report when the VP, IS has made all of the modifications. Notes from meeting with the facilities manager, who reports to the VP, Human Resources: According to the facilities manager, no one asked to view the computer room video tapes during the past six months. Observations of the audit team: Documentation of the systems development process for the new bio-coding payment system confirms that the VP, Applications complied with SSADM requirements when implementing this new system. The data center is on the first floor of FFCs building. The data center manager reports to the VP, Operations. Company policy requires the VP, IS to review the keycard access report at least once per quarter. During the past six months, the VP has not reviewed the report for any unauthorized access attempts. The team observed no instances in which application programmers were in the computer room without a proper escort. The team observed no instances in which visitors or outside contractors were in the computer room without a proper escort. (continued on next page) Issues in Accounting Education, February 2009 70 Norman, Payne, and Vendrzyk EXHIBIT 2 (continued) Documentation of the computer room environment controls test results for the last 18 months shows no irregularities. These files are in the CIOs office. If someone attempts to enter the computer room without authorization, company policy requires that the VP, Operations review the video tapes from the computer room cameras within 24 hours. The FFC security policy requires each employee to sign an acknowledgment that s/he read the current policy. A review of the personnel files of a sample of employees found no exceptions. A review of the selected user profiles and passwords revealed the following: User Vice President, Applications Vice President, Information Systems Password 7LiAcOf# QSECOFR1 Note: The acronym QSECOFR looks familiar. Remember to review A Beginners Guide to Auditing the AS/400 Operating System (Bines 2002). During the past six months, the dates of the modifications were about three weeks after the VP, IS received the HRs Transfers and Terminations report. The VP, IS performed the most recent user audit eight months ago. Company policy requires the VP, IS to review the unauthorized system access report on a monthly basis to check for unusual activity (e.g., multiple violations, changes to the authorization lists, etc.). During the past six months, the VP, IS has not reviewed the report for any unauthorized access attempts. The audit team verified that FFC followed its approved change management procedures when making the bio-code payment-related changes to its cash receipts processing and other financial reporting application programs. In the past fiscal year, no incidents occurred that required FFC to recover its systems using its backup tapes. Case Requirements Sophie Ewing assigned your team the following tasks: 1. For each ITGC area, identify the control issues and classify them as strengths or weak- nesses, using Exhibit 3 to document your work. Exhibit 3 will be part of the audit teams work papers. 2. Determine the level of risk (High, Medium, or Low) that you believe is present in each particular ITGC area. 3. Assess the overall risk of the organizations ITGCs, taking into consideration the five separate risk assessments that you just made (task #2 above), and their relative impor- tance to internal controls over FFCs financial reporting. 4. Prepare a report that documents and appropriately supports your overall IT risk as- sessment (task #3), using the guidance Sophie provided in Exhibit 4. You must include a statement explicitly stating your overall risk assessment in the reports concluding section and attach your completed ITGCs matrix. Issues in Accounting Education, February 2009 Assessing Information Technology General Control Risk: An Instructional Case 71 EXHIBIT 3 Foods Fantastic Company IT General Controls Matrix Part A: Strengths and Weaknesses ITGC Area Summary of Issue Strength or Weakness IT Management FFC has an IT strategic plan Strength Part B: Risk Assessment for each ITGC area (Indicate Low, Medium or High) ITGC Area IT Management Systems Development Data Security Change Management Business Continuity Planning Risk Assessment Issues in Accounting Education, February 2009 72 Norman, Payne, and Vendrzyk EXHIBIT 4 Report Guidance IT General Controls Risk Assessment Report Foods Fantastic Company Students Name Date Background: Write a short description of Foods Fantastic Company (FFC) and why the ITGC review is necessary (2-3 sentences). Purpose: Briefly describe the purpose of an ITGC review and why it is important (2-3 sentences). Scope: Provide a short description of the work your team performed at Foods Fantastic to develop your risk assessment (3-4 sentences). Findings: Elaborate on the key finding(s) that influenced your overall risk assessment. Discuss the key control strengths and weaknesses you identified within each of the five ITGC areas and its corresponding risk assessment. Provide enough detail to support your assessment. Include specific examples from the information your team collected (interviews, observations, and reviews of corrob- orating documentation). Your arguments need to be consistent with your risk assessment for the five different areas, as well as your overall risk assessment (4-5 paragraphs). Conclusion: Provide a statement of your overall risk assessment. For example, I set FFCs assessed level of ITGC risk as (Low, Medium, or High) because of . Summarize the primary reasons that contributed to your assessment. Keep in mind the relative im- portance of each of the five ITGC areas in controlling FFCs financial reporting (3-4 sentences).

Real Homosexuality: Robert Mapplethorpes Photography in a Political Landscape :: Robert Mapplethorpe Photographic Essays

At each moment, the question boils down to this: dignity on whose terms? Increasingly, the answer is that to have dignity gay people must be seen as normal. --Michael Warner No medium or arena is free from political assimilation. Perhaps this is why the term "the personal is political" is so reverberant in such a multitude of communities. In the fine arts community, every art piece reflects a personal decision or touch; what medium to best describe a subject or idea in, or the physical shape and making of art by an artist, for example, are ways in which each artist has ownership over their own work. When art is displayed for an audience, the very act of placing a personal piece into the public sphere creates a forum for interactive and political dialogue and judgment. To present artwork in a public arena authorizes the audience to construe interpretation and assessment on that art. The policies and politics that dictate the arrival of art for the public purview are not immune to the authority and judgment-making that occurs once the art is on display. There are foundations and organizations that are founded and funded by the government for the promotion and distribution of fine arts, which of necessity are bound by the legal and litigious dictates of the governing bodies and the public it represents. When artwork or an artist is controversial, it becomes a political issue due to the governmental involvement in funding, and thus approving, of the contentious art or art-maker. For artists who work in the photographic medium, controversies arise more readily due to the realism of the images. In the case of Robert Mapplethorpe, a prominent and sensationalist photographer of the '70s and '80s, his photography was the site for which conservative senator Jesse Helms was able to symbolize the misinterpretations of visual representation for 'real' action. Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) was a gay male artist who died at the age of 43 of AIDS. His technically brilliant and stylistically scandalous images sparked both controversy and contemplation. He was both praised and derogated by his stark and honest appraisal of the erotic male nude, sadomasochism culture and practices, and homoerotic and multiracial portraits. "Mapplethorpe's work has a 'shocking' quality both for his choice of subject matter and the fact that the photograph is intrinsically more realistic than painting because the images are 'real'." (Cooper, 285). North Carolina Republican

A Very Brief History on the Existence of God Essay -- Philosophy, Des

The subsequent essay will provide a brief overview on the existence of God from Renà © Descartes through Immanuel Kant. First, section (1), examines Descartes’ proof for the existence of God. Section (2), explores G.W. Leibniz’s view on God’s existence in addition to his attempts to rectify the shortcomings of Descartes’ proofs. Before continuing, it is imperative to understand that both Descartes and Leibniz believed that the existence of God could be proved via reason. The remainder of the essay then examines two additional philosophers, David Hume in section (4) and Immanuel Kant in (5), who contend that God’s existence cannot be rationally proven. (1) Being a devout Catholic, Descartes undeniably believed in God. He makes this clear in the letter of dedication preceding Meditations on First Philosophy. He writes that we must â€Å"believe in God’s existence because it is taught in the Holy Scriptures, and, conversely, that we must believe in the Holy Scriptures because they have come from God† (Descartes, 1). Nonetheless, in the actual Meditations Descartes casts doubt on everything, including religion in his search for absolute certainty. In the Third Meditation, however, Descartes provides his first rationalistic proof for the existence of God. In doing so, he first doubts the very existence of God, conceding that he does â€Å"not yet sufficiently know if there is even a God† (25). He then deliberates on this issue, pondering â€Å"whether there is a God† (25). However, even though he questions God’s very existence, Descartes maintains his innate idea of God. After some deliberation, h e concludes that because he has an innate idea of God, (which is not fabricated by the mind or drawn from the senses), it must be God who endowe... ... to exist, then a necessary being does exist. 6. It is possible for a being to have all perfections. 7. Therefore, a necessary being (God) does exist. (3) (3) On the contrary, David Hume did not believe an argument could establish the existence of God. In fact, Hume attacks both Descartes’ and Leibniz’s methodology for establishing the existence of God in the following: â€Å"there is an evident absurdity in pretending to demonstrate a matter of fact, or to prove it by any arguments a priori. Nothing is demonstrable, unless the contrary implies a contradiction. Nothing, that is distinctly conceivable, implies a contradiction. Whatever we conceive as existent, we can also conceive as non-existent. There is no being, therefore, whose non-existence implies a contradiction. Consequently there is no being, whose existence is demonstrable† (Bailey, 79).

Aging in Family and Marriage

People in society have a longer life-span now than ever before in the history of man.   The population of old people and â€Å"old old† people are increasing every year making a four generation family – consisting of children, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents – the norm in society.In the late 19th century the amount of people in their senior years (i.e. 65 years old and above), given a total population of 23.2 million people was 600,000 which increased tremendously in the 20th century.At the beginning of the 20th century, the amount of old people were at 3.1 million given a population of 76,000,000 and in 1975, with a population of 235,000,000, there were 21.8 million senior citizens in society, making it an 8 percent increase in old people in a span of 75 years.With that percentage growth, there are definitely more â€Å"old old† people currently in society and it cannot be doubted that the amount of â€Å"old old† people affects soci ety in numerous ways.  Ã‚   For this study, the effect of the aging population on the most basic institution of society will be discussed – the family.Aging definitely affects people’s lives and proportionally affects the lives of the people around those who are aging.   Since the family is the basic unit of society, the effect of aging on the family and the changes that occur in that social unit because of aging will be discussed.When we speak of family, this entails the relationships between parent and child as well as husband and wife. Aging has an impact on these relationships that cannot be ignored by the rest of society as the family represents the foundation of society and thus if any changes occur within that framework then it cannot be questioned that these changes influence the dynamics that transpire with the society as a whole.Aging and the FamilyAccording to Andre Cherline (1983), historically, old people continued to hold the power and authority over the family until the day they died.   This was the case mainly because it was the elders who had ownership of all the properties and resources of that family, which the heir will only be able to handle the moment the patriarch of that family has bequeathed his possession in a will, after his death.Thus, older people were normally respected and feared by the younger generation albeit not loved. (7)   Ã‚  This is especially true since it is in itself an accomplishment to grow old because to be old at that time would mean that the person has survived all the diseases in a time when medicine was not at all as advanced as it is today.Although an accomplishment, it creates resentment in the younger generation especially if the younger generation has reached adulthood since the old man controls the family’s resources, the adult child had to be dependent on the old man until such time that he passes away.This no longer holds true in this day and age.   Familial relations are no t as feudalistic as it used to be during colonial times.   The dynamics of the family are no longer such that the parent has full control of the resources of the family.Although, parents may have possessions that they accumulated throughout the years of hard work that they may want to bequeath to their children, the financial stability of the children are no longer fully dependent on these resources as they can independently work for their own wages and accumulate their own wealth apart from that of their parents.However, the presence of old people poses a problem of idleness wherein they are â€Å"too old to work but too young to die† (Freedman, 1999).   In 1952, insurance companies decided that the best way to care for the elderly was to insure them with pension upon retirement.The marketing ploy was to make retirement a leisure trip – no kids, no responsibilities, no worries – which they coined the â€Å"Golden Years.†Due to this, most elderly peop le availed of a pension plan making them absolutely independent of their children while enjoying the rest of their life in comfort and leisure.(1)   Given this independence of each other, the relationship between adult child and parent are normally more favorable than during the colonial times, wherein the parent and child may develop a more emotionally satisfying relationship which is warm, close and affectionate. (Cherline, p.8)This, however, does not hold true for the elderly who are dependent on their children for financial support.   It is common that the parent had spent all their income for the upbringing and education of their children and so upon retirement there are financially incapable of supporting themselves or even enjoying the â€Å"Golden Years.†In cases like these, the relationship between parent and child may be tense and the dynamics of the family of the adult child will have to change and adjust itself to the presence of the elderly parent.The strain or benefit that the elderly parent will cause to its adult child may differ per situation.   First, assuming that the adult child has his own family, the strain may be caused by the elderly parent’s relationship with the in-law.Depending on how intrusive the elderly parent is, his presence will cause a strain in the marriage of his adult children.   Apart from the possible abrasive nature of the elderly parent, the strain may originate from the extra expense in caring for the elderly parent as well.Assuming that the adult child is divorced the strain in the parent-child relationship maybe greater.   Divorce in itself is a very traumatic experience for those involved in the process and so the divorcee is normally both emotionally sensitive and financially unstable.The strain with the elder parent can come in two forms: the disapproval of the elder parent of the divorce and the expense of caring for an elder parent in a situation when finances, due to the divorce, are ext remely tight.   (15)However, the presence of an elder parent in a newly divorced adult child can also have benefits which can strengthen the relationship between the parent and the adult child.The adult child may find his/her emotional support from the present parent as well as help the adult-child in caring for the children, household and finances (granted that the elder parent is financially able).   (16)  Whatever the case maybe, it is through the relations of the elderly with their family that the elderly are able to maintain their social identity.   (18)   Through their connections to their family – with their children, with their grand children and great-grandchildren – the elderly find purpose and meaning to an otherwise â€Å"purposeless† aging existence when they cannot work and contribute to the society or are too young to die.By providing the emotional support for their children their relationship are strengthened.   Through the caring and sharing in the raising and upbringing of the grandchildren, their contributions to the welfare of the children’s disposition ultimately contributes to the well-being of society.Although, these relationships may not be always peachy, the contribution and influence over their children and their grandchildren is apparent and allows them to continue to become a function of society.Aging and MarriageIn marriage, aging has a very direct consequence and influence.   Assuming that both partners are still alive, the interaction of the spouses within their relationship change proportionately with their age because of their emotional maturity as well as deteriorating physical health.In terms of physical health, physiological complication causes the deterioration of physical intimacy within an elderly couple.   Both the ovarian function in females and the testicular function in males deteriorate as they age.Apart from these physiological changes, psychological changes occur as well.    Especially for men, the inability to sexually perform, the loss of the role of leader and breadwinner, and the extra time to notice everything else may cause depression.   Thus, there is a greater need for emotional support, affirmation, acceptance and trust from the spouse.   (Metz, 1998)As a result of these needs and the compensation for the lack of physical intimacy, elderly couples claim that they have a better relationship with their spouses as they now consider them their best friends.   (Appleton & Bohm, 2001) (Fahey, 2001).As Appleton & Bohm succinctly puts it (2001), elder couples have relationships where â€Å"myths dissipate, reality sets in and marital identity takes hold. Communication patterns solidify, knowledge expands and reliance on collaborative-cooperative styles of dispute resolution increases.†