Project Risk Management Essay

I.Introduction I am the Project Manager developing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The development of this state-of-the-art airplane will include an international team of aerospace companies led by Boeing. The advances in this airplane will reduce the use of fuel by 20%, increase cargo capacity, increase nautical miles in a mid-range airplane, and improve passenger comfort. Boeing expects sales of 3,500 units over the next 20 years. (Norris & Wagner, 2009) To really understand the impact of multiple providers, along with the logistics to coordinate assembly, I will illustrate, discuss, and provide a conclusion using two decision tree analyses. The first fault tree will detail the delivery system and identify the failure that could result in delivery failure. The second fault tree details the lack of labor to assemble the airplane. Both pose results that have the potential to financially impact the project. The fault tree diagram will provide a visual representation of the risk and help analyze the cause by looking backwards to identify the root cause. II.Fault Tree One III.Discussion of Fault Tree One There are over 40 Companies/Business Units contributing to the success of developing the 787 Dreamliner. Nine of the Companies/Business Units are located outside of the United States. Given these two elements alone there are a number of faults that could cause the final assembly and completion date to be impacted. The first probable cause for missing the completion date is the supply chain. The supply chain flow ensures the material is available according to the inventory levels to continue building. Supply chain push systems help keep inventory levels set according to contractual agreements. When the quality throughput of the component is less than 95%, the demand is increased. Quality measures are in place to alert the supplier when the throughput is less than 95% as desired but additional demands with reduced quality requirements keep the supplier from delivering. Original plans called for specific manufactured items for each component yet the supplier elected to use a less expensive alternative which isn’t meeting quality requirements. To help mitigate the supplier risks, determine the supplier’s attitude to safety, quality, and environmental aspects to delivering components. Another treatment would be to appoint an onsite supplier liaison manager responsible for signing off on any supplier and/or design changes. It would also be helpful to have back to back contracts with sub-contractors. IV.Fault Tree Two V.Discussion of Fault Tree Two In the second fault tree I illustrated the impact of labor on the delivery of the 787 Dreamliner. The labor to assemble the airplane components at the Boeing facility in Everett is critical to ensure the on-time delivery of the airplane. The union labor to assemble the Dreamliner is under contract review, the contract will expire two months prior to the first assembly. The expiration of the machinist contract and failure to arrive at a new mutually acceptable contract would lead to a possible strike. Discussion between the labor union and the company would be required to mediate the dispute. The lack of a compromise would cause a significant impact on the scheduled completion date. However, negotiations to resolve this dispute are required to ensure employees feel fairly compensated and do not walk out during assembly. The use of risk treatment should provide a minimum of efficient operation of the organization, internal controls, and compliance with the laws and regulations. To assist with labor treatment risk, re-allocate internal staff and cross train non-union members to complete the assembly of the airplane. Assess the technical skills required, develop a skill requirement profile for assembly, and identify other critical skills required for replacement. Treatment could also include the establishment and maintenance of an internal/external skill profile of current, previous, and potential employees to assist should a labor strike occur. VI.Conclusions Above I only identified one risk analysis technique however there are many others available. Many are qualitative and don’t show the dependencies between events. The tree technique I used above takes into consideration the logical combination of causes that contribute to the identified failed event. The fault tree technique brings sufficient understanding to the nature of the failure and how to manage the failed event(s). Fault tree one helped me identify that an onsite supplier liaison manager would have eliminated the failure along with standard work, forms and signatures to authorize such changes to the bill of material for the component. Similarly, fault tree two identified adequate compensation as the root cause of the delivery/labor failure. Treatment of the risk could have included managing the risk earlier in the contract and/or establishing a contract bridge or extension to avoid a strike. VII.Works cited Cortez, A. (2010). The complete idiot’s guide to risk management. New York, NY: Penguin Group. Fraser, J., & Simkins, B. (2010). Enterprise risk management. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Kerzer, H. (2011). Project management metrics, kpis, and dashboards. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Norris, G., & Wagner, M. (2009). Boeing 787 dreamliner. Minneapolis, MN: Zenith Press. Schuyler, J. (2010). Risk and decision analysis in projects. (2 ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc. Turner, A. (2011). The birth of the 787 dreamliner. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Interrelationship between Psychology and Biology Essay

Of late Psychologists have shown a keen interest in Biology, which even today is considered a completely different discipline of study by many. However the fact is that both these disciplines are interconnected. Sickness of the mind affects body and vice versa. According to Nidamboor, â€Å"Stress, depression, and other psychological factors make us vulnerable to many diseases. This is so because the relation between mind and health is balanced not only by our own behavior but also by our biological connections. There are links between our brain and the immune system, which sometimes work in opposite directions.† (para. 5) As a result if we are suffering from a biological disease then it affects are behavior, emotions and interactions with others. In order to get to the crux of behavioral problems it is very important for the psychologists to have a fair idea of the biological history of a person. This approach would positively affect the diagnosis and the psychological treatmments that an individual is undergoing. Psychological problems like anxiety disorders, personality disorders, depressive disorders and behavioral disorders have their roots in the biological problems that one is facing. For example if a person is handicapped he might suffer from bouts of depression due to his inability to be normal as others. Similarly if a person is too fat or too thin then too his emotional well being is affected by his biological body structure. He might indulge in inappropriate eating behaviors and might suffer from a feeling of worthlessness and low self esteem. Hence it is extremely imperative for psychologists to get thorough knowledge about a client’s status of biological wellbeing. Since there is an extraordinary link between our minds and bodies imbalance of either would affect the other and perhaps this is why psychologists are so concerned with biology. References Nidamboor, R. (2009). How psychology affects biology. Retrieved April 25, 2009 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.mydigitalfc.com/2009/how-psychology-affects-biology

Banyan Tree Branding the Intangible

Strategic Drift in RIM Research In Motion (RIM) is a company that has suffered from strategic drift. The essential problem created by RIM only focused upon their current technology, without evaluating the rapid changing among the competitors Apple and Android were using. RIM has simply made incremental changes to the same product which has not met the change in customers' needs (Dwyer and Edwards, 2008). The leaders at RIM are overestimated the BlackBerry's advantages, while Apple and Android roducts developed the use of apps, better operating systems, hardware and usability.The RIM BlackBerry phones have seemingly fallen behind this environmental change (Guman, 2012). It had caused shareholders angry and 11% shared drop as a senior RIM employee wrote an open letter to the Co-CEO's urging them for citing the company lacked of focusing the market change and fail to improving the business. It is evident that the leaders are entirely responsible for revolutionary change in RIM. In 2012, the revolutionary changing in the two dual CEOs Mike Lazard and Jim Balsillie had been stepped down and replaced by Thorsten Heins.Heins made a substantial changes to the company's leadership team. John & Katulis (2007) suggest that there are many fallings that could cause business decline or strategic drift and one of the main points they highlight is a lack of marketing skill, which could attributed to the leaders. Eden (1998) offers the idea that a loss of external confidence and reputation could be caused by strategic drift and in the case of RIM these marketing errors have certainly affected their reputation. Banyan Tree Branding the Intangible Banyan Tree Branding the Intangible Abstract Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts had become a leading player in the luxury resorts and spa market in Asia. As part of its growth strategy, Banyan Tree had launched new brands and brand extensions that included resorts, spas, retail outlets, and even museum shops. Now, the company had to contemplate how to manage its brand portfolio and expand its business while preserving the distinctive identity and strong brand image of Banyan Tree, its flagship brand. Case Questions 1. What are the main factors that contributed to Banyan Tree’s success? 2. Evaluate Banyan Tree’s brand positioning and communications strategies. Can Banyan Tree maintain its unique positioning in an increasingly overcrowded resorts market? 3. Discuss whether the brand portfolio of Banyan Tree, Angsana, Colours of Angsana, and Allamanda, as well as the product portfolio of beach resorts and city hotels, spas, galleries, and museum shops fit as a family. What are your recommendations to Banyan Tree for managing these brands and products in future? Discussion of Case Questions 1. What are the main factors that contributed to Banyan Tree’s success? Banyan Tree’s success might be attributed to an verall well designed and executed external and internal marketing program, and in particular: †¢ Choice of target segment †¢ Positioning and branding strategy †¢ Product/service design and delivery †¢ Aggressive internal marketing †¢ Winning the support of local communities and public interest groups †¢ Pioneer status : first mover advantage †¢ Pro-environmental business practices Choice of target segment The large price gap in the luxury resorts market meant that middle upper class consumers must either stretch to pay for ultra luxurious resorts such as Aman, or settle for resorts, though luxurious, are catered to he masses. Ho recognized the business opportunity presented by the gap in the resorts market: there was room for something pricier and more exclusive that would better cater to these middle upper class consumers, who had better spending power than had the average consumer in the mass market, and would be able to afford and willing to pay for a more exclusive premium service offering. Moreover, as a result of today’s generally more hectic and stressful lifestyles, many well-to-do couples would appreciate Banyan Tree’s value proposition of a memorable, romantic holiday experience that would oth provide relaxation and create quality time for them to spend quiet moments together. Positioning and branding strategy Although Banyan Tree’s service offering was unique when it was first launched, this would not be a sustainable competitive advantage, as most tangible products could be easily copied by competitors. Establishing a strong service brand, however, would serve to distinguish Banyan Tree from competitors when they do jump on the bandwagon. Positioning as a sanctuary for romance and intimacy was well thought out, these being timeless attributes valued by many couples. A clear brand promise of romance and intimacy, which the company consistently delivered, also helped it achieve a clear and distinctive market position. That the company consistently delivered on its promise further reinforced what Banyan Tree stood for in the minds of its customers, thereby building both brand loyalty and emotional bonds. Product/service design and delivery The luxurious villas and distinctive native settings provided an excellent backdrop for guests to create memorable holiday experiences. Service employees were warm, sincere, and respectful; knew guests by their names; and emembered their preferences. Such personalized service delivery warmed guests, and helped them feel comfortable and relaxed, contributing to the entire customer experience. This was further enhanced by the feel-good factor that guests’ patronage helped to contribute to various social and environmental causes. Repeat patronage was also encouraged by the different services offered at differ ent locations, which gave satisfied guests an added incentive to visit Banyan Tree resorts around the world, to experience authentic flavors and practices of various local communities. As employees were given freedom to decorate the illas and in serving guests, even regular guests of a particular resort would have a different experience and may be pleasantly surprised every time they checked in. Such practices, together with continual service innovations, kept the Banyan Tree experience fresh and interesting. The whole Banyan Tree experience was engineered to appeal to one’s senses, giving guests a unique value proposition unlike the regular room stays offered by competitors then; such a service feature was also difficult to imitate, and successfully set Banyan Tree apart from other resorts in the market. Satisfied guests not only became loyal customers but lso helped spread positive word-of-mouth, which in turn gained the company new customers. Aggressive internal marketing Generous staff welfare policies created a strong sense of brand ownership among employees, which motivated them to achieve service excellence. Service staff served guests with passion and sincerity that could not be bought or easily copied by competitors. employees may not always provide the standard service across all the resorts nor always similar to that commonly found in five-star establishments in developed countries, their friendly and respectful attitudes towards guests more than made up for it and ctually provide an element of surprise even to the most regular guests. Winning the support of local communities andpublic interest groups The company’s considerable investments in conserving/preserving/promoting the social/cultural/natural environment beyond what was required of the company (without sacrificing on service quality) showed proof of corporate ethics that were driven by the management’s personal values. Such acts projected the Banyan Tree brand as being caring and sincere, consistent with its positioning of a romantic brand. Overall, Banyan Tree was viewed by guests, staff, local communities, and public interest roups as a warm, sincere, caring, ethical, and responsible company. Even when guests wander beyond the resorts’ compounds, the genuine feelings of hospitality and appreciation showed by the local communities at the villages made guests felt welcome and at home, making the entire stay pleasant and memorable. Such service capabilities were extremely difficult for competitors to imitate, requiring lots of investments in time, effort, and money by the firm to gain the trust and respect of both staff and the local community alike. Pioneer status: first mover advantage At a time when clinical spas were the norm, Banyan Tree invested in tropical garden spa pavilions, pioneering the concept of tropical spas and Asian therapeutic massages, a novelty which proved to be popular. Being the first in the market gave them a head start in penetrating the market. The lack of competition in the beginning also helped in consolidating the company’s position in the spa and resorts market. Establishments that were interested in providing similar spa services naturally approached them to establish an outlet in their premises, which helped further promote the concept of tropical garden spas beyond the regional markets. Pro-environment business practices Although being environmentally conscious sometimes resulted in costlier business decisions, for Banyan Tree, a major part of the resorts’ attraction was in the natural beauty of the location in which the villas were located. So, it made economic sense to protect and preserve the resorts’ surrounding environment to ensure that it remained an attractive tourist destination in the long run, or as Banyan Tree put it, â€Å"to prevent today’s darling from becoming tomorrow’s has-been. † Such pro-environmental business practices also generated a lot of positive publicity and won the ompany several awards, and these not only helped increase the brand awareness of Banyan Tree but also generated much interest among potential customers. At the same time, the company got the support of various public interest groups, such as environmentalists, and this saved the company from having to deal with any potential trouble that migh t have arisen from their development of the natural habitats of various flora and fauna for business purposes. 2. Evaluate Banyan Tree’s brand positioning andcommunications strategies. Can Banyan Treemaintain its unique positioning in an increasinglyovercrowded resorts market? Brand positioning is timely and appropriate in today’s hectic and stressful lifestyles Banyan Tree was positioned as a sanctuary that offered couples an exclusive romantic and intimate holiday experience. Positioned on such timeless attributes as romance and intimacy between couples, the positioning is timely and appropriate in today’s increasingly hectic and stressful lifestyle, where many couples are busy with their careers and have little time to spend together. Banyan Tree’s offering of an avenue to get away from it all and spend quality time together while relaxing and de-stressing would appear to be valued enefits sought by today’s busy couples. Being the first and only resort to be positioned as such, Banyan Tree occupied a unique position in the luxury resorts market when it first started. Focused promotion efforts with minimal wastage Banyan Tree’s communications program focused mainly on public relations and publicity, and direct marketing through its web site and sales offices that targeted wealthy consumers, with little emphasis on advertising. As advertisements were selectively placed in only high-end travel magazines that targeted the higher income and more sophisticated segment of the market, astage in advertising exposure is minimized. Showcasing the awards and accolades won credibly enhanced the brand’s reputation. Promotion through agents specializing in exclusive holidays adequately exposed Banyan Tree to its target segment of wealthy consumers. Efforts at obtaining and increasing editorial coverage on Banyan Tree both increased brand awareness in the industry and helped to sell the â€Å"Banyan Tree experience† credibly, coming from a neutral third party. Much positive publicity and public interest was generated as a result of the company’s investment in pro-environmental business practices, such as ponsoring various environmental conservation programs and community outreach programs. B esides being viewed as a caring and pro- environmental company, such publicity also drew attention to the natural beauty of the resorts and their environments, which helped the company to advertise its villas. Unique positioning sustainable? Whether Banyan Tree can maintain its unique positioning in the market would depend on how well it can keep its identity distinct and prevent competitors from encroaching into its turf. Generally, the positioning of providing romantic and intimate holiday experiences is not difficult to mitate; so is the concept of individual villas and any tangible offering. But, the overall service experience at Banyan Tree can still be unique, given its location specific service offerings and the uniqueness of the natural environment that Banyan Tree resorts are located. Although service innovations can be copied easily, the personality of a brand is less so, and the same can be said of the attitudes of staff and the local community at the resort destination, as well as the genuine feelings of hospitality shown towards guests. Banyan Tree had tried to appeal to â€Å"the senses,† ocusing on the overall customer experience and working on what the customer will ultimately bring home—memories. Judging from its success so far, it appears that even if competitors come up with similar lower-priced service products, it is unlikely that they would be able to replicate the total Banyan Tree experience so quickly. Perceptual mapping could be used to visualize the market positions of Banyan Tree and its sister brands relative to competitors in the industry. An example of a positioning map with the attributes price level and romantic versus sporty image is shown below: 4. Discuss whether the brand portfolio of BanyanTree, Angsana, and Colours of Angsana, as well asthe product portfolio of beach resorts and city hotels, spas, galleries, and museum shops fit as a family. What are your recommendations to Banyan Tree formanaging these brands and products in future? From luxurious six-star Banyan Tree resorts to small, individual Colours of Angsana branded hotels in exciting locations, these properties were bound together by one central theme: the romance of travel and the beauty of discovering the world. Banyan Tree targeted the higher end of the luxury resorts market Angsana was more mainstream and contemporary, targeting the wider market The Colours of Angsana range of boutique hotels catered specifically to the soft adventure tourism segment, locating in remote and exotic places that cannot justify the premium prices charged by Banyan Tree villas The various brands thus served to cater to different segments of the hotels and resorts industry, made distinct by price and benefits offered. The city hotel was also positioned similarly on romance and intimacy although it additionally catered to business travelers. There is a heavy emphasis on spa, designed to rovide an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. It also offered various getaway/wedding packages for couples to indulge in romance and intimacy. The various facilities, such as spas and retail outlets, found across Banyan Tree resorts, were also available at Banyan Tree Bangkok. In particular, the hotel had an open-air rooftop lounge, Vertigo, at the top of the building, where guests c ould get a good view of the city; the lounge could also be used to host wedding receptions and other parties. Four broad product lines: accommodation, clubs, spas, and retail outlets Banyan Tree’s products and services could be lassified into essentially four product lines: hotels and resorts, clubs, spas, and retail shops, under various brands and sub-brands. Banyan Tree’s properties and spas could be classified under the business of travel and leisure. The retail shops augmented and helped to extend the overall service experience through the sale of products that consumers might use at home to replicate and remind them of the Banyan Tree experience. Also, the arts and crafts sold at the shops not only served to reinforce Banyan Tree’s brand personality, but also fitted in the travel industry, with the sales of indigenous products that tourists could buy s souvenirs. Achieving branding consistency through management by brand Management of the portfolio by brand would achieve more consistency in branding and positioning, and also make it easier to cross-sell and bundle products, although such an arrangement would require duplication in resources for various functions. Target customer Banyan Tree focused on its target customer segment which was high-end wealthy customers looking for exclusive luxury holidays. Banyan Tree knew exactly which customers they wanted to target and carried out its brand positioning accordingly. Advertisement The advertising was very minimal to maintain exclusivity† and it was carried out in top-of-the-line travel magazines that targeted its preferred customer segment. It never went in for a mass market strategy by selling through wholesale and retail agents. It became so successful and profitable owing to the fact that it ended up knowing its target customers so well, it met their needs better than other giant chains such as Hilton and Shangri-La. Brand Identity -Brand value / ethics / CSR : Environmental fr iendly, preservation of eco system, bio- degradable products, customer focus, -Brand Associations / Personality : Caring, Romance and intimacy, social and sensitive, rivate, cultural and authentic, -Brand Vision – sanctuary for the senses, building a necklace across the world -Brand Positioning (Category, POD, POPs, Value Prop) -POD : Pricing, experience – intimate moments, private pools, spas and art gallery, building memories, romance, CSR, customer involvement(environmental preservation), sense of place (different place -> different experience) -POPS : all attribute of luxury resorts(high service standard, 5 star training -Value Proposition – is ideal for †¦.. provide target market segment because they provide†¦.. better than their competition

Reflecting journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflecting journal - Essay Example This particular health services promotion and education philosophy is likely doomed to failure as it relates to achieving its intended outcomes, due to human behavioural characteristics inherent in some who are addicted to drugs, such as genetic factors in some addicted groups and psycho-social mechanisms related to those with addictive personalities. The informational portion of the study indicates potential effectiveness associated with informing the IDU population about the risks of heroin overdose and how to curb its cravings through halving methods. The campaign is, in many ways, modelled after a respected model in psychological reprogramming referred to as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). In this treatment philosophy, the addicted patient receives knowledge and interventions between patient and counsellor as a means of altering maladjusted ways of thinking and acting. CBT focuses on retraining the patient to develop better thought processes, remove self-defeating behaviours and better cognition through rational adjustment (Rachman, 1997). The promotional literature developed for use in this campaign provides similar rationalization and cognition changes, but does not address psychosomatic responses that lead to drug use (i.e. past trauma, relationship histories leading to stress, etc.). There are too many variables involved with why an individual seeks heroin use to discount complex emotionally-based catalysts to expect this particular campaign to be successful. Furthermore, this study does not identify a particular target audience, thus does not appeal to individualized program opportunities. Up until the age of 24, the frontal cortex of the brain used for judgment has not fully matured for more rationalized decision-making (National Institutes of Health, n.d.). What this potentially leaves is a vast segment of the population under age 24 that may not respond to these risk

THERE ARE TWO TOPICS IN INSTRUCTIONS Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

THERE ARE TWO TOPICS IN INSTRUCTIONS - Case Study Example This is because a lot of tumors arise abruptly. The reason behind Jacobs’s cancer may be due to his surrounding and body immune. One of the surrounding causal impacts for such attributes is radioactivity. The radioactivity from the phone tower affects the environment around; vegetation, water and weather (Aldrich, 64). Jacobs immune might also be slightly weaker than that of an average person residing in the area. Furthermore, Jacob is at a tender age, 15 years, make his health state a bit sensitive in that; he can easily be affected by bacterium and virus from his surroundings sanitary conditions. Also at his age his physical fitness is also weaker. Above reasons may have resulted in Jacobs’s cancer. Though in the past, there have been concerns that exposure to radioactivity affects both body tissues and the brain. There has been no confirmation. The results of such studies do not give clear proof of the relationship between radiation and cancer. Nonetheless, there have been some noteworthy discoveries in particular subgroups of

Personal statement for master degree in english literature

For master degree in english literature - Personal Statement Example The romantic part of the story impressed me more than the historical situation which formed the backdrop to the novel. Later, I read the translated version of the book in my native language Farsi - once, and again several times over. Such is the power of this wonderful piece of literature. I read several other novels like Rebecca and Heartbeat and enjoyed reading them. I have read short stories of Guy de Maupassant and W. Somerset Maugham. Even as I was reading and appreciating them, I was evolving as a person, at times imagining myself in the roles of the protagonists, and many other times amazed at the closeness of the events/scenes/conflicts/characters in the stories with what I was familiar with in my young life. Literature is so compelling and true to life even as it influences and changes one’s personality and creates new dynamics in societies. The power of words and the art of story tellers cast a magic spell on me. Thus did my love for the subject of literature begin a nd made me to choose my academic path and career option. I wish to build upon my academic progress at the undergraduate course and achieve a higher level of proficiency in English and American literature. This is a natural progression of my chosen path and of a subject that is close to my heart. If I am selected to do this course in the prestigious California State University of Sacramento, I would consider myself blessed as it would enable me to achieve a much cherished ambition of even higher learning and acquiring a doctorate in literature in times to come. Compared to the scare resources and other facilities in my home country, this University of Sacramento has significantly higher reputation for facilities as well as academic ambience and guidance. It is this reputation that prompts me to apply for a seat in the University. Coming to the mundane issue, I have committed myself to the teaching line as a career option. Understandably, teaching and

Managing People in Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Managing People in Engineering - Essay Example However, since improvement is a continuous process, thereby certain changes and improved are desired which can be carried out in a collective way. Aims and objectives: The aims and objectives in the generic and simple terms can be defined as the overcoming of challenges faced along with the exploration of the new openings and horizons which would allow the company to perform further better and stand an edge over the compatriots in the same industry. Keywords: Market share, customers’ satisfaction, quality services. Challenges faced: Every new day brings along a new challenge with itself in the global scenario of organizations especially when the organization works on global trends and international level. Lantex is no exception and it is faced with equal number of challenges and this has caught the attention of the top management and thereby they have decided to investigate the overall scenario and look deep into the various sections and entities of the organization. Their eff ort in this regard is a multi fold and they aim to address not just the processes rather the individual performances and the relationship between the employees within and also the relationship with the other stakeholders and most importantly the overall attitude and response towards the clients and customers in a direct and indirect manner. As a Management consultant: the task is being assigned to a management consultant in form of being an overhead entity and watchdog to monitor the overall performance and investigate the areas of importance and improvement in the overall system and determine what level of improvement is possible and needed in each of the area. Task of the management consultant: Management consultant is an impartial individual who is assigned and hired for his services to determine the overall scenario and standing of the organization and determine what is being done, what should be done and how should it be done, against the processes and functions of what should be avoided, and how should it be avoided. Tasks at hand: Identifying the problems in the processes Identifying the loopholes Identifying the areas of improvement Over viewing the working relationship between the members Assessing overall management processes within the organization Evaluating the Human Resource aspect of the organization Creating the clear definition of legislation that allows for better performance and privileges enjoyed by the workers and employees at different levels within the organization. Comparing the different companies performance and take on the similar areas of operations How is the workforce planning is used to assess staffing requirements. In time delivery and ensuring the reach to the far regions speaks for the effective policy of the company that has been in place in order to meet the customers’ requirements. Vigorous planning is being induced into the network with due consideration of the kind of knowledge being required in each domain and als o the kind of expertise needed to ensure the in time delivery to the various segments. For example while the near areas delivery is being ensured on 24 hours bases from the time and point of order placement, the long distance orders may take long yet with the regard and consideration of keeping it to the least amount of time possible and

Timeline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Timeline - Essay Example The American Revolution took place during 1775 and 1783 and was led by George Washington. The purpose of the American Revolution was to gain freedom and equality for every man and woman in the United States. They felt that since everyone was created equally, they should be treated equally as well. George Washington took it upon himself to make sure that the United States became the great country of equality that it is today. July 4, 1776 brought about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a document that guaranteed the freedom of people living in America. Many important figures took place in this event, including John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Hancock, all of whom were among those to sign the Declaration. It was on this day that the United States gained its independence from other countries and powers that used to be stronger than the United States of America. The previously mentioned men helped to make it possible. Almost a decade later, on September 17, 1787, the Constitution of the United States was introduced to a land that was steadily becoming freer and more equal for all who lived there. The Constitution contains the basic freedoms of Americans, from being able to vote to being treated equally in society regardless of race, gender, nationality, or religion. George Washington and James Madison were among those present for the introduction of the Constitution, and played important roles in the adaptation of the new laws. On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln announced an end to slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation, an order introduced during the American Civil War. This order proclaimed freedom for more than three million slaves, five hundred thousand of which were immediately freed. The rest of the slaves were freed as the war become worse. Because of the Emancipation Proclamation, it is now illegal to own slaves in the United States, as well as in other countries

This Book is not Required Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

This Book is not Required - Essay Example As well, the authors of this book - all of whom are incredibly qualified and respected - critically discuss the ever so important matter of how academic life distinguishes between that of learning the institutional roles of higher education, combined with that of the matter of internalizing these particular rules. Furthermore, this book has many quality features included, such as real-life student vignettes that are completely honest and which perfectly address that of actual issues that are facing college students in the world today, and as well there is an overt encouragement of a participatory college education and personal reflection for students in regards to that of various different disciplines. In order to truly understand a literary work such as this, you truly need to divulge into the core parts of the book, and in this case that would refer to the concepts that are included: concept 1, and concept 2. Concept 1 is incredibly important, and it actually helps in several different ways, in particular by helping to explain what is actually going on in the book, and it truly involves the matter of encouraging students to educate themselves by doing several things, one in particular being to call their attention to that of the personal, social, intellectual, and spiritual demands and opportunities that are offered by the college life in general. The second concept is one which basically further describes the first one, however it is one which more so describes that of the impact of the college life, how it affects the students, and what they should do in order to make the matters that they deal with in college life more applicable to that of everyday life. Both of these concepts are extremely important, and truly are what makes this book such an essential read to students and the public in general, and applying these two concepts to the book truly helps you to understand it better overall, and in many different regards at that. This can be proven by the fact that this book is one which was actually revised by actual college students, and this was under the direction of Bernard McGrane, who is one of the authors; this helps not only to make the book actually true, but also to give a perspective that will be precise rather than assumed, thus allowing the aimed age group to truly be able to understand and familiarize with the matters of this book as a whole. The text in this book is given in an incredibly personal and refreshingly is it able and does truly take the critical discussion of academic life and then distinguishes it properly so that it is literate and understandable for the readers; which is favorable because it allows the readers because they will be more interested in something that they can relate to as opposed to something that is intolerable or not understandable or recognizable. One of the most influential chapters of the whole book

Smartphones Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Smartphones - Research Paper Example Smartphones assist students in the universities and colleges to connect to their instructors in various activities such as giving assignments and rescheduling classes. Statistics shows that Smartphone are essential devices and contribute positively to the lives of students. 53% of the phone uses are at the age of 18-24 years while 63% of the users are at the age of 25 to 34 years in the USA (33). Although Smartphones are very useful in academic institutions, they can also be harmful to schools especially during exam periods. Some of the harmful effects of students having Smartphones in schools especially Universities are cheating in exams, texting when instructors are in class and disturbances when they ring. There are several advantages of using mobile phones in the class by the students and teachers such as connectivity enhancement. Tutors and instructors can give assignments to students through the internet without the necessity of physical contact. Students do not need to visit the library to search for items as they can use the internet, which enhances their studies. According to Hingorani and others, students who do not have Smartphones experience some fear known as Nomophobia especially in the universities (35). There is increased usage of mobile phones by the youth aged between 18 and 35 years with most of them preferring Smartphones compared to other types of phones (36). As the students, advance their academic levels, their usage of mobile phones increases. Mobile phones have many accessories making their usage have a wide diversity in terms of its uses such as calculators, navigators, and maps, which are very useful to students and instructors (36). Students normally utilize S martphones in performing most of the class work such as calculations, studying maps, and downloading lecturers’ notes. There are many other services in the universities

Public Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Public Health - Essay Example Its objective is to offer conditions in which citizens can be fit and its focal point is one the complete populations (Chin, 2000). Therefore, public wellbeing is concerned with the whole organization and not only the abolition of particular illnesses. Mission: the task of the public wellbeing scheme comprises its objective at every point in moments and how, at the theoretical stage, these goals are prepared. At the start of the 21st era, the duty of community wellbeing is to guarantee situations that populaces can be fit. This task is conceptualized as being approved via the recital of the core purposes of evaluation, policy growth, and the declaration (Rugglero, 2007). The functions have come to symbolize the universal conducts in which civic wellbeing difficulties are known and tackled via planned, communal labors. Structure: the structural ability of the public welfare organization is the increasing capital and relations essential to take the vital processes of community fitness. Structural capacity comprises of the following basics: organizational resources, information resources, fiscal, human and physical resources. Process: the practice of community fitness can be considered in terms of primary processes via which practitioners look for to identify, prioritize, and address society heath difficulties. Also, it seeks to recognize resources and productivity of the basic operations, policies, public health involvements, services, programs, and regulations. The means of general fitness are those that recognize and tackle health difficulties. In addition, the methods also identify and attend to agendas and services reliable to community priorities and mandates (Chin, 2000). Outcome: an organization’s outcomes are the immediate and lasting change knowledgeable by communities, families, providers, inhabitants and individuals. It is also the cumulative consequence of the contact of the communal wellbeing system’s process and structural capacity given

Political Power Essay Example for Free

Political Power Essay Power could be defined as â€Å"the ability to bring about change† according to Beyond intractability. Org website (http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/Power/). Power is the ability to influence the behavior of the others so as to make them do what one wants.   It entails authority and control.   Thus political power is the authority to control a society. Political power can be manipulated leading to negative use by the person or people holding it.   There are many bad uses of political power that can result from holding of the power by an irresponsible person. Such negative uses include dictatorship, corruption and oppression of the society.   Political power can also be used positively to bring benefit to the society. Political power can be used to foster development, to maintain peace and also to protect the society from external threats of invasion.   Despite the various harsh negative uses of political power, the positive uses shows that political power does not always lead to negative outcomes.   Political power can be effectively used to bring a lot of benefits to the society. Political power can be used to perpetrate corruption. People holding much political power can use it inappropriately to engage in corruption. This is particularly possible when much of the power is vested on a few individuals and there is no evaluation or a watchdog on how this power is used.   When they get enticed to use it for their personal gain at the expense of the society for which they are supposed to care. Corruption is abuse of office or power by a person so as he can benefit.   Corruption can take many forms all leading to great injustices to the society.   When political officers get into office, they do so promising the society that they will serve the interest of the society before their own personal gains.   However, after gaining political power they uphold their personal gain.   This can be done through misappropriation of funds whereby the offices holding the power spends public funds in a way that do not bring benefits to the society.   Example of misappropriation of funds may entail starting of projects that are not necessary to the society or buying luxurious facilities for their use at the expense of other more necessary facilities. Corruption can also be in the form of embezzlement o f public funds.   The political officers may use their power to get access to money belonging to the public through public corporations and use it for their own personal interests.   Facilities of such corporation can be wrongly used to serve the officer’s personal interests instead of their official use. Such actions lead to poor performance of such corporation leading to difficulties in meeting the essential needs of the society.   If funds belonging to a government institution, for example, a hospital are embezzled by a few officers, it means the hospital is not able to offer the services it is supposed to offer efficiently.   This will lead to great suffering of the members of the society which depend on such public facilities.   It is also very unfair to the society as they pay taxes so that they government can offer such services Corruption can also take the form of bribery.   This is mostly an administrative form of corruption but can be perpetrated by political officers also.   This involves the political officers asking for bribes from the members of society or organization so as they can be offered certain services. The is bribes may range from small gifts to massive amounts of money.   This form of corruption means the members of society are not able to get services without parting with other resources.   It also means there is segregation of some of the members of the society as, if they fail to raise the required bribes, they don’t get access to the resources they need. Corruption can also lead to extortion.   This entails use of political power by the political officers to obtain something by illegal threats.   The political officers may acquire interests in certain things or organization though issuing threats or force. Corruption has various costs to a country. If corruption is predominant in a country all the members of society are affected in one way or another.   The wealth of such a country is significantly affected leading to decrease in income.   The economy in a very corrupt state will be poor and businesses will not operate efficiently.   Consequently, the national income goes down affecting the ability of the government to offer essential services to the citizens.   This will inform produce a society with high rates of illiteracy and poverty. In the animal farm Napoleon used his political power to instigate corruption. He changed the rules from what had been collectively agreed to what suited his rule. He also used the dogs to threaten any other animal that opposed his rule. Napoleon and the other pigs also used the property of the farm for their own use which the other animals had not agreed upon. Another negative use of political power is establishment of dictatorship rule. Dictatorship is whereby the country is controlled by one or a few individuals who have absolute power.   Their rule is not limited by anyone, buy law constitution or social justices.   They do what they want. To gain dictatorship political officers use the little political power they have to gain more political power and later dictatorship. This is possible through oppression of nay efforts that try to limit their power.   This may include execution of people who take the bold steps of openly opposing the rule of these political powers. Dictators take control of all the operations of power in the country and personalize the rule. The dictatorship may also regulate all the actions by the citizens of a country and directs these actions against the will or consent of the citizens. Dictatorships are influenced by different factors that lead the political rules to misuse their political powers and establish dictatorships.   There are many countries that have been ruled by dictators or are still ruled by dictators.   An example of dictatorship is Stalinism which was a regime established by Joseph Stalin who lived between 1878 and 1953 in United Social Soviet Republic.   He was a dictator party leader whose tenure and campaigns costed lives of millions of people.   His rule had big negative impacts on USSR but also transformed it from a peasant society to an industrial nation http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RUSstalin.htm). In George Orwell’s book (1996), the Animal Farm he depicts how people struggle collectively to oust bad rule but after gaining control, the few who are trusted with the political power misuse it and establishes an autocratic form of rule whereby they dictate on all the others. The pigs in the story, after chasing the oppressive farmer, took control of the farm and established a rule that oppressed the other animals.   The animals that questioned the rule were mistreated or executed (Orwell 1996). Napoleon used mudslinging to destroy the reputation of Snowball and later chased him from the farm. These represent how people who oppose a dictator are exiled after being falsely accused. This is typical of many African and Asian countries whereby after gaining independence form colonialism, the leaders who were trusted with political power went ahead to establish dictatorship.   Other examples of dictators include Idd Amin of Uganda, Hu Chi Minh of North Vietnam and Saddam Hussein of Iraq. Oppression of citizens and social injustices is another form of negative use of political power.   In this case, the leaders vested with political power bends the rules, and perpetrate actions that lead to oppression of citizens and social injustices.   The law or the constitution is not followed and injustice becomes inaccessible to the society. In political system where citizen are oppressed and social injustice are rife, a few people control all the branches of government. Though the legislative, executive and judiciary branches of the government may seem independent, this few individuals use their political powers to influence the operations of all these branches.   This results to much suffering of the citizens and as the justice system are faulty the citizen lack a forum through which their injustices can be addressed. In modern society this can be done through practices like imposition of rules that are aimed at oppressing the citizens, coercion to the citizens to carry out certain actions and even detention of some prominent people.   The individuals who do not support the action of those with the political power are mistreated, detained or exiled. In the Animal farm, George Orwell depicts how this is done when the pigs after assuming the leadership of the other animals change the rules and uses their power to mistreat, overwork, starve and oppress the other animals (Orwell 1996). Napoleon sold off one of the animals after he became old and less productive. This was an act of betrayal and oppression of the animal as he had also taken part in the fight for their independence. Political power can also be used for the benefits of the society. There are many countries that have benefited from positive use of the political powers to the benefit of the society.   One way political power can be used positively is fostering development can greatly be encouraged through use of political power to create the right environment for development.   Political powers can be used to enact laws, policies and strategies that are aimed at fostering development.   As the political systems influence much of the economic systems in a country, positive use of the political power can lead to positive influence on the economy of a country. The leaders vested with political power can use this pioneer to help enact laws or policies that will encourage investment and expansion of the economy.   This may be in the form of providing incentives to investors building effective infrastructures or providing a conducive environment for the economy to flourish.   In the animal farm the decision to build the windmill was a good idea aimed at bringing development in the farm and comfort to the animals (Orwell 1996). United States is a country that has massive political power that is used to foster developments. The country has a free market economy with policies encouraging conducive running of the economy.   A country like Japan has used their political power to build good infrastructures that facilitate expansion of their economy. Another positive use of political power is maintenance of peace. Political power can be effectively used to maintain peace and order in the country.   As peace is very crucial for co-existence and development in a country such use of political power can lead to great benefits to the country.   The political leaders can use their authority and influence in the society they rule to encourage and foster good co-existence between the citizens.    Political powers are needed to ensure that this happens.   The leader will use their authority to maintain order in the society and make sure that no one single citizen engages in practices that infringe the rights of others.   Laws are enacted to guide the actions of the citizens and certain strategies are taken to make sure that the laws are followed.   Political power is used to establish such a system. In Orwell’s Animal Farm the animal had collaborated to come up with rules that were aimed at maintaining good co-existence among the animals (Orwell 1996). This is done through establishment of a police force that maintains law and order and enactment of a court system that ensures that those who defy the rules are punished or forced to obey. Political power also establishes the judicial system that offers a forum through which the citizens can have their rights enforced.   All these actions bring peace by ensuring all the citizens get their rights and live harmoniously. Another positive use of political power is protection of the country from invasion. Political power is used in establishment of strategies of ensuring that a country is protected from external invasion.   This will ensure that the country is safe from threats and can concentrate on development. Political power can be utilized in different ways to protect a country from external attacks.   First the political leader can use their power and authority to help and lead in formation of policies aimed at protecting the country from possible attacks.   These policies may include security measures aimed at preventing such attacks.   The political powers can also establish armed forces that will maintain the security of the country and defend it in case of any external attacks. Weapons can also be acquired either through manufacturing or purchase form other countries aiming at providing a security measure to prevent or defend an attack.   Political leaders can also use their authority to established partnerships links with other countries aimed at fostering co-operation thus minimizing threat of attack from those countries.   These co operations may also be used as partners in maintenance of the peace of the country.   Such partners will collaborate in case of an attack or in strategies aimed at minimizing possibilities of an attack. In Orwell’s Animal Farm he depicted good use of political power when the animals united in their fight against Mr. Jones, the earlier owner of the farm. Because of this unity they were able to defeat Mr. Jones (Orwell 1996). Political leaders can use their authority to influence the practices of their country so as to prevent any actions that may trigger attacks from other countries.   Such actions may include neutrality in conflicts involving other parties. Countries in Europe have formed the European Union aimed at co-operation and collaboration in different issues.   This union unites the country hence minimizing the possibility of attack of one country by another.   There are many such unions that have been formed for such purposes including organization for economic co-operation and development (OECD) and the African Union (AU). Other countries in Europe and other places have formed NATO which is aimed at collaboration to prevent attacks form other countries.   All these efforts are aimed at protection of the individual countries and are established by political powers Political power can be used to instigate very bad and harmful activities in a country such as corruption, dictatorship and oppression of citizens. These activities lead to a lot of suffering and deterioration of economies of such countries.   However, political power can also be used to establish policies and practices for the benefit of a country. Political power is a key ingredient for development, peace and safety of a country.   Actually for country to be successful it must have a good and strong political powers that will help instigate the success.   Ã‚  Thus, it is evidence that political power does not always lead to negative outcomes.   It can be used effectively to produce many benefits to a society. Reference: Beyondintractability.org. Power. Retrieved on February 6, 2008 from http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/Power/ Orwell G. (1996).Animal Farm. New York; New American Library. Spartacus educational. Joseph Stalin. Retrieved on February 6, 2008 from http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RUSstalin.htm

Intrusion Detection System Using Node-Predictive Attack

Intrusion Detection System Using Node-Predictive Attack Intrusion Detection System Using Node-Predictive Attack Graph Model for Cloud Ambikavathi C Dr.S.K.Srivatsa Abstract- The role of Intrusion Detection System (IDS) in security world is considered as a key requirement for any computing model. This traditional methodology can add its own contribution of security to the distributed Cloud environment. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the steps that are needed to be taken in order to efficiently implement the IDS in cloud environment. The proposed system uses node predictive attack graph to correlate the newly occurred attacks with known attacks. The prediction steps are used to later monitor the environment and control the attacks. Keywords-Attack Graph; Cloud Computing; IDS ,; I. INTRODUCTION A. What is Cloud computing? Cloud computing is â€Å"a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction†[1]. This cloud model is co mposed of three service models, four deploy ment models and five essential characteristics . The three service models are So ftware as a Service (SaaS), Platfo rm as a Se rvice (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). The four deployment models are private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud and community cloud. The five essential characteristics of cloud are on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity and measured service. B. What is IDS? Intrusion detection systems are software or hardware systems that automate the process of monitoring the events occurring in a computer system or network, analyzing them for malicious activities or policy violations and produces reports to a management station. IDSs a rehost-based, network-based and distributed IDSs. Hos t based IDS (HIDS) monitors specific host machines, network-based IDS (NIDS) identifies intrusions on key network points and distributed IDS (DIDS) operates both on host as well as network [7]. IDS can be a valuable addition to the security arsenal. IDS performs the following functionalities : Monitoring and analyzing both user and system activities .Analyzing system configurations and vulnerabilities .Assessing system and file integrity.Ability to recognize patterns typical of attacks.Analysis of abnormal activity patterns.Tracking user policy violations.The extensive use of virtualization in implementing cloud infrastructure brings unique security concerns for customers or tenants of a public cloud service. Virtualization alters the relationship between the OS and underlying hardware. This introduces an additional layer virtualization that itself must be properly configured, managed and secured. Specific concerns include the potential to compromise the virtualization software, or hypervisor. So virtual machine security is essential in cloud environment. C. Attack Graph Attack graphs are used to determine how vulnerable their systems are and to determine what security measures to deploy to defend their systems. In the predictive attack graph, a node represents a host and an edge represents vulnerability. The predictive attack graph representation accurately forecasts the effect of removing vulnerabilities by removing edges from the attack graph. The predictive attack graph is the full attack graph with redundant paths removed. A path is considered redundant if the path contains the same vulnerability-host pair in two or mo replaces along the same attack path. In node predictive attack graph, a node can be host or a group of hosts, and an edge can be vulnerability or a group of vulnerabilities. The node predictive attack graph is a simplified version of the predictive attack graph. The node predictive attack graph’s purpose is to mitigate the effects of â€Å"firewall explosion.† Firewall explosion causes redundancy in the predictive gr aph. Thus, the node predictive attack graph mitigates this issue by merging nodes of the attack graph. Two nodes are merged if the attacker can compromise the two hosts from all hosts the attacker has already compromised. [16] Rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section II discusses about the related work done. Proposed system is described briefly in section III. Section IV, presents the implementation part of EIDS and section V concludes with references at the end. II. RELATED WORK In this section, we present related research to our proposed work: Intrusion detection in cloud and attack graph models. A. Anomaly based IDS Anomaly or behavior based detection [7] refers to techniques that define and characterize normal or acceptable behaviors of the system (e.g., CPU usage, job execution time , system ca lls). Behaviors that deviate fro m the expected normal behavior are considered intrusions. Generation of high false alarms is the major drawback of this type which leads to low detection efficiency. But it is able to detect new attack patterns. Here, Input parameter selection and analysis of ciphered data are tedious processes . It attains low throughput but high cost. Metrics and frame work to evaluate this IDS and compare with alternate IDS techniques is in need. Also it is poor in defending themselves from attacks. To avoid false alarms in anomaly based systems the system must be trained to create the appropriate user profiles. It requires extensive training to characterize normal behavior patterns. B. Signature based I DS Signature or Misuse based detection refers to techniques that characterize known methods to penetrate a system. These penetrations are characterized as a ‘pattern’ or a ‘signature’ that the IDS looks for. The pattern/signature might be a static string or a set sequence of actions[9]. It can only detect known attacks. Frequent updation is needed in the database for signatures of new attacks. The advantages of this IDS are, it generates less number of false alarms. A single signature can detect a group of attacks. It does not require extensive training. C. Fuzzy based IDS Fuzzy logic can be used to deal with inexact description of intrusions. It provides some flexibility to the uncertain problem of intrusion detection. Fuzzy logic techniques[5] are used for classification techniques. The classification algorithm is applied to audit data collected which learns to classify new audit data as normal or abnormal data. It allows greater complexity for IDS while it provides some flexibility to the uncertain problem of IDS. Most fuzzy IDS require human intervention to determine fuzzy sets and set of fuzzy rules . D. Artificial Neural Network based The goal of using ANNs for intrusion detection[5] is to be able to generalize data from incomplete data and to be able to classify data as being normal or intrusive. It is best because of it’s self learning capabilities , quick processing and can find small behaviour deviations. But it’s downside is it requires more tra ining sa mples and time consuming. E. Data Mining based IDS Some intrusion attacks are formed based on known attacks or variant of known attacks. To detect such signatures or attacks, signature apriori algorithm can be used, which finds frequent subset (containing some features of original attack) of given attack set. In Cloud, association rules can be used to generate new signatures. Using newly generated signatures, variations of known attacks can be detected in real time[5]. F. Profile based IDS In VM profile based IDS[12], a profile is created for each virtual machine in cloud that describes network behavior of each clouduser. The behavior gathered is then used for detection of network attacks on cloud. It detects the attacks early with robustness and minimum complexity. G. Entropy based IDS Entropy is, in general, used for measuring the data’s degree of impurity using a Threshold value. Entropy based anomaly detection system[14] is mainly proposed to prevent DDoS attacks. This is done in two steps. First users are allowed to pass through a router in network site. It detects for legitimate user using detection algorithm. Second again it passes through a router in cloud site. In this methodology confirmation algorithm is incorporated to detect the intruder by checking a threshold value. H. Multithreaded IDS Multithreading technique improves IDS performance within Cloud computing environment to handle large number of data packet flows. The proposed multi-threaded NIDS[8][4] is based on three modules named: capture module, analysis module and reporting module. The first one is responsible of capturing data packets and sending them to analysis part which analyzes them efficiently through matching against pre-defined set of rules and distinguishes the bad packets to generate alerts. Finally, the reporting module can read alerts and immediately prepare alert report. The authors conducted simulation experiments to show the effectiveness of their proposed method and compared it with single thread which presented high performance in terms of processing and execution time. However, the problem of detecting new types of attacks still needs many works to be done. I. Integrated model IDS It uses the combination two or more o f above techniques. It is advantageous since each technique has some advantages and drawbacks. Grid and Cloud Computing Intrusion Detection System (GCCIDS)[10] proposed the integration of knowledge and behavior analysis to detect specific intrusions. However, the proposed prototype cannot discover new types of attacks or create an attack database which must be considered during implementing IDS. A new integrated intrusion detection approach, called FCA NN[13] is proposed based on ANN and fuzzy clustering. Through fuzzy clustering technique, the heterogeneous training set is divided to several homogenous subsets. Thus complexity of each sub training set is reduced and consequently the detection performance is increased. J. Graph based IDS A graph is constructed in which nodes represent state of attack and edges represent the correlations between attacks. Queue graph, Dependency graph and Attack graph are the existing works done on IDS. To prevent vulnerable virtual machines from be ing compromised in the cloud, a multiphase distributed vulnerability detection, measurement, and countermeasure selection mechanism called NICE[2] is proposed, which is built on attack graph-based analytical models and reconfigurable virtual network-based countermeasures. III. PROP OSED WORK In this section, we describe how to construct and utilize node predictive attack graph model to handle vulnerabilities in cloud environ ment. Any attack has some set of predefined steps to incorporate it. An attack can only be accomplished when all its pre-conditions are met [11]. So that by keen monitoring the attack can be prevented. An attack graph is an abstraction that represents the ways an attacker can violate a security policy by leveraging interdependencies among discovered vulnerabilities. An attack graph can be generated from network configuration details and known vulnerabilities within the network. An attack path is a sequence of steps that starts from an attacker’s initial state to the attacker’s goal state (security policy violation) in an attack graph. Every virtual machine has it’s own logfile for recording the actions of that virtual machine. Th is logfile along with the knowledge base provides information for constructing attack graph. Fig. 1. Proposed Architecture IV. IMPLEMENTATION EIDS is implemented using Openebula[15] and OSSIM (Open Source – Security Information Management)[3] which comprises of traffic analyzers, vulnerability scanners. OS-SIM is embedded as a virtual mach ine in the c loud environment. The ro le of this virtual machine is to monitor all other virtual machines running in the environment. OSSIM provides a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solution. It is a one-stop solution and integrated the open source software’s NTOP, Mrtg, Snort, Open VAS, and Nmap. OSSIM is a cost effective solution in the area of monitoring network health and security of network/hosts compared to other propriety products[6]. A. Attack Analyzer Attack Analyzer is built on the top the traffic Analyzer of OS-SIM. It uses each virtual machine’s logfile to analyze and extract attack trace steps. Whenever an attack occurs it is added to the attack graph as a node along with its state and correlation function is invoked. Attack Graph Attack Graph Generator Alert System Knowledge Base Attack Analyzer B. Correlation function Correlation function correlates this new attack with known attacks and gives the prediction steps for this attack. These prediction steps for each attack are used to monitor the further attacks in future. C. Attack Graph Generator Each node in the graph defines an attack and the edge between nodes represent the correlation between that two attacks. V. CONCLUSION Defending distributed environment is difficult. Always prevention is better than cure. Prediction of Intrusions in prior enhances the security of cloud environment. So that predictive attack graph model is chosen for providing security to the distributed cloud environment. At any point the known attacks are correlated with each other to predict new attacks. REFERENCES: [1] NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology ) http://csrc.nist.gov/p ublications/nistp ubs/800-145/SP800-145.p df [2] Chun-Jen Chung, Pankaj Khatkar, Tiany i Xing Jeongkeun Lee, Dijian g Huan g, â€Å"NICE: Network Intrusion Detection and Countermeasure Selection in Virtual Network Systems†, IEEE Transactions On Dependable And Secure Computing, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 198 – 211, July /August 2013. [3] â€Å"OSSIM †, https://www.alienvault.com/ [4] Ms. Parag K. Shelke, M s. Sneha Sontakke, Dr. A. D. Gawande, â€Å"Intrusion Detection Sy stem for Cloud Comp uting†, International Journal of Scientific Technology Research Volume 1, Issue 4, M ay 2012. [5] M odi, C., Patel, D., Patel, H., Borisaniy a, B., Patel, A. Rajarajan, M ., â€Å"A survey of intrusion detection techniques in Cloud†, Journal of Network and Computer App lications. [6] â€Å"OSSIM †, http ://www.op ensourceforu.com/2014/02 /top -10-op en-source-security -tools/ [7] Amirreza Zarrabi, Alireza Zarrabi, â€Å"Internet Intrusion Detection Sy stem Service in a Cloud† IJCSI International Journal of Computer Science Issues, Vol. 9, Issue 5, No 2, Sep tember 2012. [8] I. Gul and M . Hussain, â€Å"Distributed Cloud Intrusion Detection M odel†, International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, vol. 34, pp. 71-82, 2011. [9] R. Bhadauria, R. Chaki, N. Chak i, and S. Sany al â€Å"A Survey on Secur ity Issues in Cloud Comp uting†, Available at: http ://arxiv.org/abs/1109.5388 [10] K. Vieira, A. Schulter, C.B. Westp hall, and C.M . Westphall, â€Å"Intrusion Detection for Grid and Cloud comp uting†, IT Professional, Volume: 12 Issue: 4, p p. 38-43, 2010. [11] X. Ou and A. Singhal, â€Å"Quantitative Secur ity Risk Assessment of Enterp rise Networks†, Sp ringerBriefs in Comp uter Scien ce, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-1860-3_2,  © The Author(s) 2012 [12] Sanchik a Gupta, Padam Kumar and Ajith Abraham, â€Å"A Profile Based Network Intrusion Detection and Prevention System for Secur in g Cloud Env ironment†, International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, Feb 2013 [13] Swati Ramteke, Rajesh Dongare, Ko mal Ramteke, â€Å"Intrusion Detection System for Cloud Network Using FC-ANN Algorithm†, Int. Journal of Advanced R esearch in Comp uter and Communication En gineeringVo l. 2, Issue 4, April 2013. [14] A.S.Sy ed Navaz, V.San geetha, C.Prabhadevi, â€Å"Entropy based Anomaly Detection System to Prevent DDoS Attacks in Cloud†, Int. Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887) Volume 62– No.15, January 2013 [15] â€Å"Op ennebula†, http ://opennebula.org [16] Nwokedi C. Idika, â€Å"Characterizin g and A ggregating Attack Grap h-based Security M etrics†, CERIAS Tech Rep ort 2010

Design of Traffic Light System

Design of Traffic Light System Contents Task 1 Design Specification Design 1 Complete Block Diagram of the traffic light system State diagram Table Circuit simulation using Multisim software, Task 2 Timing Counter Task 3 Figure 13 (Main red and amber sub amber) Task 4 Remake design LIST IN Tab;e Table 1(State diagramme) Table 2(D type Flip Flop) Table 3(design cost) Table 4(compare table) List in Figure Figure 1: traffic lights system Figure 2(block diagrammed) Figure 3(Moore model) Figure 4 (main red and sub green for 10s) Figure 5 (Main amber and sub red and amber for 2s) Figure 6(main red and sub green for 10s) Figure 7 (Asynchronous counter for timing counter) Figure 8(The Design is 30s counter for main road in Asynchronous counter) Figure 9 (The Design is 20s counter for side road in Asynchronous counter) Figure 10 Main green and sub red Figure 11 (Main amber and sub red and amber) Figure 12 (Main red and sub green) Figure 13 (Main red and amber sub amber) Figure 14(remake design) Design Specification Design specification prepared for a single main and sub -road junction in rural area is given below The green light for the main road will be stay ON for 30s. The green light for the side road will be stay ON for 20s. The amber caution light will say ON for 5s between changes from green to red. Main road and side road timing countdown should display in a 7segment display. Sequence change of the traffic lights show in the Appendix I. The traffic light system for a single main road and sub road junction in a rural area. Complete Block Diagram of the traffic light system Figure 2(block diagrammed) The FSM description stands for Finite state machines. the Finite state machines are the most common controllers of machines. Its In the example Traffic light, the intersection of a main road with a side road is controlled by two traffic lights. FSM has three inputs (T1, T2 and T3) AND six outputs (Rm, Am, Gm, Rs, As and Gs) In here Rm is Red light for main road Am is Amber caution light for main road Gm is Green light for main road Rs is Red light for sub road As is Amber caution light for sub road Gs is green light for sub road T1 time is 30seconds T2 time is 20seconds T3 time is 5seconds Complete Moore model state diagram for traffic light system State diagram Table P.State N.State INPUT Outputs Gm Am Rm Gs As Rs 1 0 0 0 0 1 T1 0 1 0 0 1 1 T3 0 0 1 1 0 0 T2 0 1 1 0 1 0 T3 Table 1(State diagramme) State Assignment in Gray code Here using gray code for states State transection table Here using D type flip flops for design a circuit P.S Q1 Q0 N.S Q1+ Q0+ INPUT Gm Am Rm Gs As Rs 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 T1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 T3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 T2 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 T3 0 0 Table 2(D type Flip Flop) Simplified equations for the system. From Laws of Boolean Algebra ( The equations are, Circuit simulation using Multisim software, Figure 4 (main red and sub green for 10s) Figure 5 (Main amber and sub red and amber for 2s) Figure 6(main red and sub green for 10s) Timing Counter Figure 10 Main green and sub red Figure 11 (Main amber and sub red and amber) Figure 12 (Main red and sub green) Figure 13 (Main red and amber sub amber) Task 4 Item name quantity Price (Rs) 2 pin AND gate IC 5 120ÃÆ'-5=600 3 pin AND gate IC 2 120ÃÆ'-2=240 2 pin OR gate IC 1 40ÃÆ'-4=40 3 pin OR gate IC 1 40ÃÆ'-1=40 2 pin XOR gate IC 1 40ÃÆ'-1=40 Dual JK FF IC 10 100ÃÆ'-10=1000 Dual D FF IC 1 100ÃÆ'-1=100 DCD 7 Segment decoder IC 5 100ÃÆ'-5=500 7 Segment display 5 50ÃÆ'-5=250 NOT gate IC 2 40ÃÆ'-2=80 Red color LED 2 5ÃÆ'-2=10 Amber color LED 2 5ÃÆ'-2=10 Green color LED 2 5ÃÆ'-2=10 wires 20m 15ÃÆ'-20=300 Power adaptor 2 150ÃÆ'-2=300 Total 3420 Table 3(design cost) Remake design Figure 14(remake design) Compare the cost Item name Previous cost (Rs) New cost(Rs) 2 pin AND gate IC 1ÃÆ'-120 = 120 1ÃÆ'-120 = 120 3 pin AND gate IC 1ÃÆ'-120 = 120 0 XOR gate IC 1ÃÆ'- 40 = 40 0 D type FF IC 1ÃÆ'-100 = 100 1ÃÆ'-100 = 100 Decoder IC 0 1ÃÆ'-100 = 100 NOT gate IC 1ÃÆ'- 40 = 40 2ÃÆ'- 40 = 40 OR gate Ic 1ÃÆ'- 40 = 40 1ÃÆ'- 40 = 40 total 460 400 Table 4(compare table) In new design cost is less than old design Reference à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‹Å"à ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Mano M.M,Michael D.C. (2008).Digital Design.New Delhi:PHI. à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‹Å"à ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Floyd,L.(2011).Digital Fundamentals.10th ed.India:Pearson. p271- 287. à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‹Å"à ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  http://www.topssrilanka.com/article24948-new-traffic-ligth-system-atbambalapitiya.html.Lasr à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‹Å"à ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2012/06/03/imp01.asp

Donne’s Poem Death Be Not Proud :: Death Be Not Proud Essays

Donne’s Poem Death Be Not Proud In the poem "Death Be Not Proud," written by John Donne death is personified. The personification of death creates a feeling that death is less powerful than we think. Donne creates and image of death that is not mysterious, not in control, and a slave of low status. He does this by undermining the idea of death as bound to the rules of "fate, chance, kings, and desperate men." He insists that death is no more powerful than any mortal is. Suggesting that death is not mysterious is the word slave. Directed to death, "thou art slave" forms an unthreatening stance of death because slaves are not threatening. This is due to the connections that go with the word slave. A slave is bound in submission to a master therefore having no say in what he or she can do. Death, in being personified into a slave that has many masters, is more extremely bound. This lack of freedom that death has in choosing its victims takes away any reason to be fearful of it. Power comes from being able to control something. Here death is the one being controlled by other outside forces that have power over how and when death can do its work. Death casts fear into mortals because it is unknown as to what happens in the afterworld. This poem creates a sense that we know who death is. For example we can see how death is a poor beggar on the street. This would make death a non-threatening person. He is a low class citizen that is just waiting for an opportunity to feast when his master allows. Donne produces this low-life death figure by associating him with "poison, war, and sickness." These are all things that less fortunate mortals deal with on a daily basis. These are dreadful things that are not good. Death personified is subject to these horrible circumstances therefore is very low in stature. If death can only reap his vengeance with such low standards governing him, then death is as low as what he works for. Death becomes less mysterious and something which we are not afraid of.

Popularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream in Death of a S

Popularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream in Death of a Salesman For most, the American Dream is a sure fire shot at true happiness.   It represents hope for a successful, fortune-filled future.   Though most agree on the meaning of the American Dream, few follow the same path to achieving it.   For struggling salesman Willy Loman, achieving this dream would mean a completely fulfilled existence.   Unfortunately, Willy's simplistic ideas on how to accomplish his goal are what ultimately prevent him from reaching it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Out of all of Willy's simplistic ideals, one major pattern we can notice is how Willy truly believes that popularity and physical appearance are what make people wealthy.   We are first introduced to this idea when Willy is speaking to his wife, Linda, about their son Biff.   "Biff Loman is lost," says Willy.   "In the greatest country in the world, a young man with such personal attractiveness gets lost."   In this quote, not only is Willy confused about how Biff's good looks can't help him get a job, but also because his son can't get a job in a country like Ame... ... things that made people successful in life, regardless of whether or not hard work was involved.   Because of these simplistic ideas, Willy went through life with a somewhat naive frame of mind, and was unable to reach his goal of achieving the American Dream. Works Cited Lewis, Allan. American Plays and Playwrights. New York, NY: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1970. 47. Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman." Discovering Literature: Stories, Poems, Plays. Ed. Hans P. Guth and Gabriele L. Rico. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997. 1211-82.

Fashion Trends in the Fifties Essay -- Fashion Retail Merchandising Es

Fashion Trends in the Fifties â€Å"It was different in the USA, where wartime restrictions had been quickly removed, and where the new ‘consumer society’ was forging ahead – helped by new developments such as the start of the credit card system in 1950. But these differing conditions produced a similar effect on fashion both in Europe and America – a tendency to prefer the safe and normal, a veering away from the radical and extreme. ‘Normal’ felt good, especially with the memory of the war still so fresh in many people’s minds† (Baker 6). Fashion is an important aspect to people’s lives, and is influenced by various parts of society. Sometimes there are practical reasons behind certain fashion trends, but there are some trends that have no apparent origin or purpose. Fashion can also influence other parts of popular or high culture, including music. â€Å"Rock n’ roll,† the music of the 1950’s, displayed young people’ s (17-25 year-olds) interest in clothes, as heard in such pop tracks as â€Å"White Sports Coat† and â€Å"Blue Suede Shoes† (Baker 12). Regardless of purpose or origin, â€Å"style [in the 1950’s] often meant super luxury, whether it was the use of lots of shiny chrome or lace, shimmering with sequins† (Baker 11). During the 1950’s, style was not only a portrayal of one’s sense of fashion – it was a portrayal of who you were. In the 1950’s, the role of a woman was to be in the home, and particularly in the kitchen. â€Å"Yet the usual media image of a housewife showed her not as a mother in comfortable trousers and sweater, or loose dress, suitable for such work, but as a doll-like figure dressed in rustling, full skirts, nipped waist and narrow-fitting bodice. Even her apron had deep frills and a heart-shaped top and pocke... ...er vests and chinos as leisurewear, then people were that much closer to being â€Å"normal.† Works Cited - Baker, Patricia. Fashions of a Decade: the 1950s. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1991. An edition of a series that illustrates the most influential trends in twentieth- century fashion. Focuses on fashion as an integral part in the arts, technology, politics, and society. - Stott, Jon C., Raymond E. Jones, and Rick Bowers, eds. The Harbrace Anthology of Literature 2nd ed. Toronto: Harcourt Canada Ltd., 1998. An anthology of various literature, ranging from poetry, to prose, to plays. - Unknown Author. â€Å"Fashion 50s.† Yesterdayland Web Site. 2000. http://www.yeaterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/fashion/ (17 Mar. 2002). A web-site showcasing fashion trends throughout the decades of the twentieth-century.

Blood Promise Chapter Twenty-Seven

I didn't recognize the guy Sydney sent to meet us when we reached Novosibirsk, but he had the same golden tattoo that she did. He was sandy-haired and in his thirties-and human, of course. He looked competent and trustworthy, and as I leaned against the car, he laughed and spoke to the elderly couple like they'd been best friends forever. There was a professional and reassuring air about him, and soon they were smiling too. I'm not sure what he told them, maybe that I was his wayward daughter or something, but they apparently felt good enough to leave me in his hands. I supposed with their jobs, the Alchemist charm in action. When the old man and woman drove off, his demeanor shifted slightly. He didn't seem as cold as Sydney initially had, but there was no laughing or joking with me. He'd become distinctly businesslike, and I couldn't help but think of the stories of men in black, the people who cleaned up after extraterrestrial encounters in order to keep the world ignorant of the truth. â€Å"Can you walk?† he asked, eyeing me up and down. â€Å"Unclear at this time,† I replied. It turned out I could, just not very well. With his help, I eventually ended up at a town house over in a residential part of the city. I was bleary-eyed and barely able to stay on my feet by that point. There were other people there, but none of them registered. The only thing that mattered was the bedroom someone took me to. I mustered enough strength at that point to break free of the arm supporting me and do a face-plant right in the middle of the bed. I fell asleep instantly. I awoke to bright sunshine filling my room and voices speaking in hushed tones. Considering everything that I'd been through, I wouldn't have been surprised to see Dimitri, Tatiana, or even Dr. Olendzki from the Academy there. Instead, it was Abe's bearded face that looked down at me, the light making all of his jewelry gleam. For a moment, his face blurred, and all I saw was dark, dark water-water that threatened to wash me away. Dimitri's last words echoed in my head: That's what I was supposed to say†¦ He'd understood that I wanted to hear that he loved me. What would have happened if we'd had a few moments more? Would he have said those words? Would he have meant them? And would it have mattered? With the same resolve I'd mustered before, I parted the waters swirling in my mind, ordering myself to push aside last night as long as I could. I would drown if I thought about it. Now I had to swim. Abe's face came back into focus. â€Å"Greetings, Zmey,† I said weakly. Somehow, him being here didn't surprise me. Sydney would have had to tell her superiors about me, who in turn would have told Abe. â€Å"Nice of you to slither on in.† He shook his head, wearing a rueful smile. â€Å"I think you've outdone me when it comes to sneaking around dark corners. I thought you were on your way back to Montana.† â€Å"Next time, make sure you write a few more details into your bargains. Or just pack me up and send me back to the U.S. for real.† â€Å"Oh,† he said, â€Å"that's exactly what I intend to do.† He kept smiling as he said it, but somehow, I had a feeling he wasn't joking. And suddenly, I no longer feared that fate. Going home was starting to sound good. Mark and Oksana walked over to stand beside him. Their presence was unexpected but welcome. They smiled too, faces melancholy but relieved. I sat up in bed, surprised I could move at all. â€Å"You healed me,† I said to Oksana. â€Å"I still hurt, but I don't feel like I'm going to die, which I have to think is an improvement.† She nodded. â€Å"I did enough to make sure you weren't in immediate danger. I figured I could do the rest when you woke up.† I shook my head. â€Å"No, no. I'll recover on my own.† I always hated it when Lissa healed me. I didn't want her wasting the strength on me. I also didn't want her inviting spirit's side effects. Lissa†¦ I jerked the covers off of me. â€Å"Oh my God! I have to get home. Right now.† Immediately, three pairs of arms blocked my way. â€Å"Hold on,† said Mark. â€Å"You aren't going anywhere. Oksana only healed you a little. You're a long way from being recovered.† â€Å"And you still haven't told us what happened,† said Abe, eyes as shrewd as ever. He was someone who needed to know everything, and the mysteries around me probably drove him crazy. â€Å"There's no time! Lissa's in trouble. I have to get back to school.† It was all coming back to me. Lissa's erratic behavior and crazy stunts, driven by some kind of compulsion-or super-compulsion, I supposed, seeing as Avery had been able to shove me out of Lissa's head. â€Å"Oh, now you want to go back to Montana?† exclaimed Abe. â€Å"Rose, even if there was a plane waiting for you out in the other room, that's a twenty hour trip, at minimum. And you're in no condition to go anywhere.† I shook my head, still trying to get on my feet. After what I'd faced last night, this group wasn't that much of a threat-well, maybe Mark was-but I could hardly start throwing punches. And yeah, I still wasn't sure what Abe could do. â€Å"You don't get it! Someone's trying to kill Lissa or hurt her or†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Well, I didn't really understand what Avery wanted. All I knew was that Avery had somehow been compelling Lissa to do all sorts of reckless things. She had to be amazingly strong in spirit to not only manage those feats but also keep it hidden from Lissa and Adrian. She'd even created a false aura to hide her golden one. I had no idea how that magnitude of power was possible, particularly considering that Avery's fun-loving personality could hardly be called insane. Whatever her scheme, Lissa was at risk. I had to do something. Removing Abe from the equation, I looked up at Mark and Oksana pleadingly. â€Å"It's my bondmate,† I explained. â€Å"She's in trouble. Someone's trying to hurt her. I have to go to her-you understand why I have to.† And I saw in their faces that they did understand. I also knew that in my situation, they'd try exactly the same thing for each other. Mark sighed. â€Å"Rose†¦ we'll help you get to her, but we can't do it now.† â€Å"We'll contact the school,† said Abe matter-of-factly. â€Å"They'll take care of it.† Right. And how exactly would we do that? Call up Headmaster Lazar and tell him his party-girl daughter was actually corrupting and controlling people with psychic powers and that she needed to be locked up for Lissa's and everyone else's good? My lack of an answer seemed to make them think they'd convinced me, Abe in particular. â€Å"With Oksana's help, you'd probably be in good enough condition to leave tomorrow,† he added. â€Å"I can book a morning flight the next day.† â€Å"Will she be all right until then?† Oksana asked me gently. â€Å"I†¦ I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What could Avery do in two days' time? Alienate and embarrass Lissa further? Horrible things, but not permanent or life threatening. Surely, surely†¦ she'd be okay that long, right? â€Å"Let me see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I saw Mark's eyes widen slightly as he realized what I was about to do. Then I saw nothing in the room anymore because I was no longer there. I was in Lissa's head. A new set of sights settled in around me, and for half a second, I thought I stood on the bridge again and was looking down into black waters and a cold death. Then I gained a grip on what I saw-or rather, what Lissa saw. She was standing on the ledge of a window in some building on campus. It was nighttime. I couldn't tell offhand which building it was, but it didn't matter. Lissa was on what appeared to be the sixth floor, standing there in high heels, laughing about something while the dark ground threatened below. Behind her, I heard Avery's voice. â€Å"Lissa, be careful! You shouldn't be up there.† But it had the same double meaning that permeated everything Avery did. Even as she said those words of caution, I could feel a reckless drive within Lissa, something telling her that it was okay to be where she was and not to worry so much. It was Avery's compulsion. Then, I felt that brushing of my mind, and the annoyed voice. You again? I was forced back out, back to the bedroom in Novosibirsk. Abe was freaking out, apparently thinking I'd gone into some catatonic fit, and Mark and Oksana were attempting to explain to him what had happened. I blinked and rubbed my head as I gathered myself, and Mark breathed a sigh of relief. â€Å"It's much stranger watching someone do that than it is doing it myself.† â€Å"She's in trouble,† I said, attempting to get up again. â€Å"She's in trouble†¦ and I don't know what to do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They were right in saying there was no way on earth I could get to Lissa anytime soon. And even if I followed Abe's suggestion and contacted the school†¦ I didn't know for sure where Lissa was at or even if anyone there would believe me. I thought about jumping back in and trying to read Lissa's location from her mind, but Avery would likely throw me out again. From what I had briefly felt, Lissa didn't have her cell phone on her-no surprise. There were strict rules about having them in classes, so she usually left hers in her dorm room. But I knew someone who would have his. And who would believe me. â€Å"Does anyone have a phone?† I asked. Abe gave me his, and I dialed Adrian's number, surprised I had it memorized. Adrian was mad at me, but he cared about Lissa. He would help her, no matter his grudge toward me. And he would believe me when I tried to explain a crazy, spirit-induced plot. But when the other end of the line picked up, it was his voicemail that answered, not the man himself. â€Å"I know how devastated you must be to miss me,† his cheery voice said, â€Å"but leave a message, and I'll try to ease your agony as soon as possible.† I disconnected, feeling lost. Suddenly, I looked up at Oksana as one of my crazier ideas came to mind. â€Å"You†¦ you can do that thing†¦ where you actively go in someone's mind and touch their thoughts, right? Like you did to me?† She grimaced slightly. â€Å"Yes, but it's not something I like to do. I don't think it's right.† â€Å"Can you compel them once you're in there?† She looked even more disgusted. â€Å"Well, yes, of course†¦ the two things are actually very similar. But reaching in someone's mind is one thing and forcing them into some unwanted behavior is an entirely different matter.† â€Å"My friend is about to do something dangerous,† I said. â€Å"It could kill her. She's being compelled, but I can't do anything about it. The bond won't let me actively reach her. I can only watch. If you could reach inside my friend's head and compel her out of danger†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Oksana shook her head. â€Å"Supposing morals weren't an issue, I can't reach into someone who's not actually here-let alone someone I've never met.† I raked a hand through my hair, panic setting in. I wished Oksana knew how to walk dreams. That would at least give her the long-distance capability. All of these spirit powers seemed to be one off from each other, each having some additional nuance. Someone who could dream walk might be able to take the next step and visit someone awake. An even crazier idea came to me. This was a groundbreaking day. â€Å"Oksana†¦ you can reach into my mind, right?† â€Å"Yes,† she reaffirmed. â€Å"If I†¦ if I was in my bondmate's head at the time, could you reach into me and then reach into her mind? Could I, like, be the link between you guys?† â€Å"I've never heard of anything like that,† murmured Mark. â€Å"That's because we've never had this many spirit users and shadow-kissed around before,† I pointed out. Abe, understandably, looked completely lost. A shadow fell over Oksana's face. â€Å"I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Either it works or it doesn't,† I said. â€Å"If it doesn't, then there's no harm done. But if you can reach her through me†¦ you can compel her.† She started to speak, and I cut her off. â€Å"I know, I know†¦ you think it's wrong. But this other spirit user? She's the one who's wrong. All you have to do is compel Lissa out of danger. She's ready to jump out a window! Stop her now; then I'll get to her in another day or so and fix things.† And by fix things, I meant ruin Avery's pretty face with a black eye. In my bizarre life, I'd grown pretty used to people-especially adults-rejecting my outlandish ideas and proclamations. I'd had a hell of a time convincing people that Victor had kidnapped Lissa and an equally hard time making the guardians believe the school was under attack. So when situations like this happened, part of me almost expected resistance. But the thing was, as stable as they were, Oksana and Mark had been fighting with spirit for most of their lives. Crazy was kind of par for the course for them, and after a moment, she didn't argue any further. â€Å"All right,† she said. â€Å"Give me your hands.† â€Å"What's going on?† asked Abe, still totally clueless. I took a small amount of satisfaction in seeing him out of his league for a change. Mark murmured something to Oksana in Russian and kissed her on the cheek. He was warning her to be careful, not condemning her for her choice. I knew he'd want the same thing if she were in Lissa's place. The love that flashed between them was so deep and so strong that I nearly lost my resolve to do this. That kind of love reminded me of Dimitri, and if I allowed myself to think about him for even a moment more, I was going to relive last night†¦ I clasped Oksana's hands, a knot of fear coiling in my stomach. I didn't like the idea of someone being in my head, even though that was a hypocritical sentiment for someone who was constantly traveling into her best friend's mind. Oksana gave me a small smile, though it was obvious she was as nervous as me. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said. â€Å"I hate doing this to people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And then I felt it, the same thing that had happened when Avery pushed me out. It was like the actual physical sensation of someone touching my brain. I gasped, looking into Oksana's eyes as waves of heat and cold ran through me. Oksana was in my head. â€Å"Now go to your friend,† she said. I did. I focused my thoughts into Lissa and found her still standing on the window's ledge. Better she was there than on the ground, but I still wanted her off and back in the room before something bad happened. That wasn't for me to do, however. I was the taxi, so to speak. Oksana was the one who had to literally talk Lissa off the ledge. Only I had no indication the other woman had come with me. When I'd jumped to Lissa's mind, I'd lost that sense of Oksana. No more tickling of the mind. Oksana? I thought. Are you there? There was no response-not from Oksana, at least. The answer came from a very unexpected source. Rose? It was Lissa's voice that spoke in my mind. She froze her position in the window and abruptly cut off whatever she'd been laughing about with Avery. I felt Lissa's terror and confusion as she wondered if she was imagining me. She peered around the room, her eyes passing over Avery. Avery recognized something was going on, and her face hardened. I felt the familiar sense of her presence in Lissa's mind and wasn't surprised when Avery tried to shove me out again. Except-it didn't work. Avery kicking me out in the past had always felt like an actual shove. I got the impression that when she tried it now, it felt like hitting a brick wall to her. I wasn't so easy to push around anymore. Oksana was with me somehow, lending her strength. Avery was still in Lissa's line of sight, and I saw those adorable blue-gray eyes go wide with shock that she couldn't control me. Oh, I thought. It's on, bitch! Rose? Lissa's voice was there again. Am I going crazy? Not yet. But you have to get down, right now. I think Avery's trying to kill you. Kill me? I could feel and hear Lissa's incredulity. She'd never do that. Look, let's not argue it for now. Just get out of the window and call it good. I felt the impulse in Lissa, felt her shift and start to put one foot down. Then it was like some core part of herself stopped her. Her foot stayed where it was†¦ and slowly began to grow unsteady†¦ That was Avery at work. I wondered if Oksana, lurking in the background of this bond, could overpower that compulsion. No, Oksana wasn't active here. Her spirit powers had somehow gotten me into actively communicating with Lissa, but she was remaining passive. I'd expected to be the bridge and thought Oksana would jump to Lissa's mind and compel her. The situation was reversed, though, and I didn't actually have compulsion powers. All I had was legendary wit and powers of persuasion. Lissa, you have to fight Avery, I said. She's a spirit user, and she's compelling you. You're one of the strongest compulsion users I know. You should be able to fight her. Fear answered me. I can't†¦ I can't compel right now. Why not? Because I've been drinking. I mentally groaned. Of course. That was why Avery was always so quick to supply Lissa with alcohol. It numbed spirit, as demonstrated in Adrian's frequent indulgences. Avery had encouraged the drinking so that Lissa's spirit abilities would weaken and give her less resistance. There were a number of times Lissa hadn't been able to gauge exactly how much Avery was drinking; in retrospect, Avery must have been doing a fair amount of faking. Then use ordinary willpower, I told her. It's possible to resist compulsion. It was true. Compulsion wasn't an automatic ticket to world domination. Some people were better at resisting it than others, though a Strigoi or spirit user certainly complicated matters. I felt Lissa build up her resolve, felt her repeat my words over and over, that she had to be strong and step back off the ledge. She worked to push away that impulse Avery had implanted, and without knowing how, I suddenly found myself pushing on it as well. Lissa and I joined our strength together and started shoving Avery out. In the physical world, Avery and Lissa's gazes were locked as the psychic struggle continued. Avery's face showed hard concentration that suddenly became overlaid with shock. She'd noticed me fighting her too. Her eyes narrowed, and when she spoke, it was me she addressed and not Lissa. â€Å"Oh,† Avery hissed, â€Å"you do not want to mess with me.† Didn't I? There was a rush of heat and that feeling of someone reaching into my mind. Only it wasn't Oksana. It was Avery, and she was doing some serious investigation of my thoughts and memories. I understood now what Oksana meant about it being invasive and a violation. It wasn't just looking through someone's eyes; it was spying on their most intimate thoughts. And then, the world around me dissolved. I stood in a room I didn't recognize. For a moment, I thought I was back in Galina's estate. It certainly had that rich, expensive feel to it. But no. After a moment's examination, I realized this wasn't the same at all. The furnishings were different. Even the vibe was different. Galina's home had been beautiful, but there had been a cold, impersonal feel to it. This place was inviting and clearly well loved. The plush couch had a quilt thrown haphazardly in its corner, as though someone-or maybe two someones-had been cuddling underneath it. And while the room wasn't messy, exactly, there were scattered objects-books, framed photos-that indicated this room was actually used and wasn't just for show. I walked over to a small bookshelf and picked up one of the framed photos. I nearly dropped it when I saw what it was. It was a picture of Dimitri and me-but I had no memory of it. We stood arm in arm, leaning our faces together to make sure we both got in the shot. I was grinning broadly, and he too wore a joyous smile, one I'd hardly ever seen on him. It softened some of the protective fierceness that usually filled his features and made him look sexier than I'd ever imagined. A piece of that soft brown hair had slipped his ponytail and lay on his cheek. Beyond us was a city that I immediately recognized: Saint Petersburg. I frowned. No, this was definitely a picture that couldn't exist. I was still studying it when I heard someone walk into the room. When I saw who it was, my heart stopped. I set the photo back on the shelf with shaking hands and took a few steps back. It was Dimitri. He wore jeans and a casual red T-shirt that fit the lean muscles of his body perfectly. His hair was down loose and slightly damp, like he'd just gotten out of the shower. He held two mugs and chuckled when he saw me. â€Å"Still not dressed?† he asked, shaking his head. â€Å"They're going to be here any minute.† I looked down and saw that I wore plaid flannel pajama bottoms and a tank top. He handed me the mug, and I was too stunned to do anything but take it. I peered into it-hot chocolate-and then looked up at him. There was no red in his eyes, no evil on his face. Only gorgeous warmth and affection. He was my Dimitri, the one who'd loved and protected me. The one with a pure heart and soul†¦ â€Å"Who†¦ who's coming?† I asked. â€Å"Lissa and Christian. They're coming for brunch.† He gave me a puzzled look. â€Å"Are you okay?† I looked around, again taking in the comforting room. Through a window, I saw a backyard filled with trees and flowers. Sunshine spilled through onto the carpet. I turned back to him and shook my head. â€Å"What is this? Where are we?† His confused expression now turned into a frown. Stepping forward, he took my mug and set his and mine on the shelf. His hands rested on my hips, and I flinched but didn't break away-how could I when he looked so much like my Dimitri? â€Å"This is our house,† he said, drawing me near. â€Å"In Pennsylvania.† â€Å"Pennsylvania†¦ are we at the Royal Court ?† He shrugged. â€Å"A few miles away.† I slowly shook my head. â€Å"No†¦ that's not possible. We can't have a home together. And definitely not so close to the others. They'd never let us.† If in some crazy world Dimitri and I lived together, we'd have to do it in secret-somewhere remote, like Siberia. â€Å"You insisted,† he said with a small smile. â€Å"And none of them care. They accept it. Besides, you said we had to live near Lissa.† My mind reeled. What was going on? How was this possible? How could I be living with Dimitri-especially so near Moroi? This wasn't right†¦ and yet, it felt right. Looking around, I could see how this was my home. I could feel the love in it, feel the connection Dimitri and I had to it. But†¦ how could I actually be with Dimitri? Wasn't I supposed to be doing something else? Wasn't I supposed to be somewhere else? â€Å"You're a Strigoi,† I said at last. â€Å"No†¦ you're dead. I killed you.† He ran a finger along my cheek, still giving me that rueful smile. â€Å"Do I look like I'm dead? Do I look Strigoi?† No. He looked wonderful and sexy and strong. He was all the things I remembered, all the things I loved. â€Å"But you were†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off, still confused. This wasn't right. There was something I had to do, but I still couldn't remember. â€Å"What happened?† His hand returned to my hip, and he pulled me into a tight embrace. â€Å"You saved me,† he murmured into my ear. â€Å"Your love saved me, Roza. You brought me back so that we could be together.† Had I? I had no memory of that, either. But this all seemed so real, and it felt so wonderful. I'd missed his arms around me. He'd held me as a Strigoi, but it had never felt like this. And when he leaned down and kissed me, I knew for sure he wasn't a Strigoi. I didn't know how I could have ever deluded myself back at Galina's. This kiss was alive. It burned within my soul, and as my lips pressed more eagerly into his, I felt that connection, the one that told me there was no one else in the world for me except him. Only, I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't supposed to be here. But where was I supposed to be? Lissa†¦ something with Lissa†¦ I broke the kiss but not the embrace. My head rested against his chest. â€Å"I really saved you?† â€Å"Your love was too strong. Our love was too strong. Not even the undead could keep us apart.† I wanted to believe it. Desperately. But that voice still nagged in my head†¦ Lissa. What about Lissa? Then, it came to me. Lissa and Avery. I had to save Lissa from Avery. I jerked away from Dimitri, and he stared in surprise. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"This isn't real,† I said. â€Å"This is a trick. You're still Strigoi. We can't be together-not here, not among the Moroi.† â€Å"Of course we can.† There was hurt in his deep brown eyes, and it tore at my heart. â€Å"Don't you want to be with me?† â€Å"I have to go back to Lissa†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Let her go,† he said, approaching me again. â€Å"Let all of it go. Stay here with me-we can have everything we ever wanted, Rose. We can be together every day, wake up together every morning.† â€Å"No.† I stepped further back. I knew if I didn't, he would kiss me again, and then I'd truly be lost. Lissa needed me. Lissa was trapped. With each passing second, the details about Avery were coming back to me. This was all an illusion. â€Å"Rose?† he asked. There was so much pain in his voice. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said, feeling on the verge of tears. Lissa. I had to get to Lissa. â€Å"This isn't real. You're gone. You and I can never be together, but I can still help her.† â€Å"You love her more than me?† Lissa had asked me almost the same thing when I'd left to hunt Dimitri. My life was doomed to always be about choosing between them. â€Å"I love you both,† I replied. And with that, I used all of my will to push myself back to Lissa, wherever she was, and tear away from this fantasy. Honestly, I could have spent the rest of my days in that make-believe world, being with Dimitri in that house, waking up with him each morning like he'd said. But it wasn't real. It was too easy, and if I was learning anything, it was that life wasn't easy. The effort was excruciating, but suddenly, I found myself looking back at the room at St. Vladimir's. I focused on Avery who was staring me and Lissa down. She'd pulled out the memory that tormented me most, attempting to confuse me and tear me from Lissa with a fantasy of what I wanted more than anything else in the world. I'd fought Avery's mind trap and felt pretty smug about it-despite the ache in my heart. I wished I could communicate directly with her and make a few comments about what I thought of her and her game. That was out of the question, so instead, I threw my will in with Lissa's once more, and together, we stepped down off the ledge and onto the room's floor. Avery was visibly sweating, and when she realized she'd lost the psychic tug of war, her pretty face turned very ugly. â€Å"Fine,† she said. â€Å"There are easier ways of killing you off.† Reed suddenly entered the room, looking as hostile as ever. I had no idea where he'd come from or how he'd known to show up right then, but he headed straight toward Lissa, hands reaching out. That open window loomed behind her, and it didn't take a genius to guess his intentions. Avery had tried to get Lissa to jump by using compulsion. Reed was just going to push her. A mental conversation flew between Lissa and me in the space of a heartbeat. Okay, I told her. Here's the situation. We're going to have to do a little role reversal. What are you talking about? Fear flooded her, which was understandable, seeing as Reed's hands were seconds away from grabbing her. Well, I said, I just did the psychic power struggle. Which means you've got to do the fighting. And I'm going to show you how.