Wireless Vulnerabilities Threats And Countermeasures Information Technology Essay

Wireless Vulnerabilities Threats And Countermeasures Information Technology Essay Introduction to Network Security maintains its focus on the network and its vulnerabilities, protocols, and security solutions. It includes network architecture, the functions of layers in a typical network, and network based attacks including header, protocol, and authentication attacks. Bottom-up approach, it provides understanding of the vulnerabilities and mechanisms of each layer of network security. In any stadium there is network security plan in order to control all the events occurred in the stadium like ticketing selling, consumable purchases, seating arrangement and others. By using the wireless technology and mobiles we can plan the top level network security in the plan, the steps taken in this are all the members in the wireless channel have one wireless mobile. From the mobiles all the members can give the information to channel that means it is a server. All the decisions taken by the empires are by the wireless only, the video channel also very much useful in controlling the stadium. Consider the cricket stadium Chinnaswamy, Cricket Stadium in Bangalore, INDIA. The boundary line of the stadium is marked by the rope and here the boundary line is called as the perimeter of the stadium having field diameter of 140 to 160 yards. Score board has to display scores and sometimes should work as a third empire for keen observation and all this setup should work with wireless technology because wired transmission cannot be implemented over there. This stadium with a seating capacity of 55,000. Features of the stadium: The entire stadium is equipped with the very sensitive digital cameras, short and long distance explosive detectors. Totally it have 29 closed circuit television cameras, in this 29 cameras five of them are very highly sophisticated which are having the 360 degree of vision and all these will covers all the corners of the stadium. Trained marshals will operate the 29 closed circuit television cameras (CCTV), nearly 20 trained marshals are there in the stadium. These marshals having the helmets which are with sensitive cameras and sensitive detectors which are capable for covering the explosives which are happened around of 300 meter, this is called as OSD(on-screen display) camera which in the helmet and it is directly connected to the CMS(central monitoring system) vehicle. This CMS vehicle is standing outside the stadium, so whatever the marshal see and do, each and every point of the stadium and things happening in the stadium are very clearly seen in the CMS (central monitoring s ystem) vehicle. The entire system works on SNMP(simple network management protocol). Total stadium can be seen in the CMS vehicle, and another important thing is that empires decisions for example take the out and not out decisions it can be displayed on the big digital screen. The runs taken by the both the teams will be displayed on the digital screen in stadium. At the heart of the modern stadium is a communications system capable of supporting the innovative new services and applications customers are looking for. Organizing and hosting events requires a complete communications foundation essential to satisfying the communication needs of fans, guests, corporate employees, service and security staff, event organizers, press and media. It is that to provide all the components needed to build a complete, converged, secure and reliable communications system. Security, communication and services are the main aspects at the stadiums now-a- days. The organizers and event managers should be able to satisfy the complete communications foundation essential to satisfying the communication needs of fans, guests, corporate employees, service and security staff, event organizers, press and media. And also the communication system which provides all the components needed to build a complete, secure and consistent communications system. Converged IP/Ethernet Core: Stadiums support the communications needs of events with much number of users. Moreover, the supporting infrastructure is shared by different groups with different needs including stadium corporate users, media and press and event promoters. It is important to the make the event successful with High-speed, consistent and secure communication which doesnt fails. With reliable, secure, high-performance, intelligent Ethernet connectivity the enterprise LANs can intelligently prioritize real-time business communications like voice, video and multimedia services. Voice communications: Voice communications are important in any environment and mainly in the stadiums. IP networks provide the strength and quality of service that voice service requires. Converging voice and data over IP maximizes network efficiency, streamlines the architecture, reduces capital and operating costs, and opens up new service opportunities. It would be secure for organizations of all sizes to use voice over IP (VoIP), with IP PBXs (Private Branch Exchange). Today the global markets have a complete variety of IP phones, including desktop phones with displays, rugged wireless handsets, and PC-based softphones. All of these access devices operate seamlessly across the range of IP-enabled platforms and applications. Mobility: The nature of the stadium environment is mobile. Staff move constantly on making the event successful and provide the security at the top level. For the users, it is essential to have the access to key information and communication tools and allows them to roam and remain in touch no matter where they are. In WLAN IP Telephony services, we have a large choice of mobile desktops and handsets. Voice calls can be placed from laptops or PDAs(Personal Digital Assistant) using soft phones and employees can be equipped with voice over WLAN handsets that support multiple functions extremely useful for stadium staff, such as text messaging, conferencing and a push-to-talk feature that allows groups of handsets to behave as walkie-talkies. With this, the good coverage can be assured in areas which are difficult to reach with public areas. Wireless Mesh Network extends the reach of Wireless LANs securely and cost-effectively for situations where cabling for the LAN network is not in place or too costly to deploy. Implementing new Technologies With a comprehensive communications infrastructure as the base, stadiums have the foundation on which to build an intelligent environment filled with new, media-rich applications and services capable of creating new revenue opportunities and improving the overall fan experience. Wireless ticketing kiosks: Premium seats for sporting events and concerts can be expensive. Stadiums can leverage wireless technology to implement standalone, mobile kiosks that attract fans to upgrade their existing tickets for an event onsite. Digital signage directs patrons to the kiosk during the event. The fan simply inserts his ticket, checks a map of available seats, uses a touch-screen to select the new seat and inserts his credit card to pay. The machine keeps the old ticket and provides the upgrade. The stadium fills the seats closer to the action and generates revenue that would have been lost. It creates a win-win for the guest, the team and the stadium. Stadium owners can use the same kiosk to encourage customers to buy tickets for future events while guests are onsite and in the mood to buy. The kiosk can advertise upcoming events and attract fans waiting to exit after watching a game or seeing a concert. The terminal shows a list of available events and allows users to follow the same simple steps to purchase a ticket. Additionally, stadium owners can use the kiosk to capture and collect valuable information about its customer base. The kiosk can advertise loyalty programs and contests that offer incentives for fans to provide personal data that helps the stadium better understand and communicate with its audience base. Public safety and security: With thousands of people attending major events at one time, public safety and security is critical. Stadiums can leverage the communications system to offer digital security options including digital video surveillance and RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) tagging and tracking. For example, stadiums can improve security threat detection with high-resolution IP cameras that provide full surveillance of the crowd using pre-sets by section: operators can select a stadium section and automatically receive all video from that section in multiple views. Operations staff can set rules to govern detection of left bags, perimeter entry, threshold crossing and loitering receiving alarms if any of the rules are breached Stadiums can improve event response through video feeds and text alerts that are transmitted manually or automatically to remote PDAs, laptops or offsite responders. All responders can be linked together automatically via dedicated audio conferencing channel. RFID tags can be used to locate and dispatch the closest security personnel to an emergency situation, ensuring a timely response. ABOUT NETWORK SECURITY AND TO FIND THREATS Vulnerabilities, Threats and Countermeasures Wireless networking has many advantages. Network configuration and reconfiguration is easier, faster, and less expensive. But, wireless technology creates new threats and alters the existing information security risk profile. Wireless networking alters the risks associated with various threats to security, the security objectives remain the same as with wired networks, preserving confidentiality, ensuring integrity, and maintaining availability of the information and information systems. Wireless Networks present a host of issues for network managers. Unauthorized access points, broadcasted SSIDs, unknown stations, and spoofed MAC addresses are just a few of the problems addressed in WLAN troubleshooting. Wireless Vulnerabilities, Threats and Countermeasures The wireless networks consist of four basic components: The transmission of data using radio frequencies; Access points that provide a connection to the organizational network and/or the Client devices (laptops, PDAs) and Users. Each of these components provides an avenue for attack that can result in the compromise of one or more of the three fundamental security objectives of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Wireless Network Attacks Malicious association Malicious associations are when wireless devices can be actively made by crackers to connect to a network through their cracking laptop instead of a access point (AP). These types of laptops are known as soft APs and are created when a cracker runs some software that makes his/her wireless network card look like a legitimate access point. Once the cracker has gained access, he/she can steal passwords, launch attacks on the wired network, or plant trojans. Since wireless networks operate at the Layer 2 level, Layer 3 protections such as network authentication and virtual private networks (VPNs) offer no barrier. Wireless 802.1x authentications do help with protection but are still vulnerable to cracking. The idea behind this type of attack may not be to break into a VPN or other security measures. Most likely the cracker is just trying to take over the client at the Layer 2 level. Ad-hoc networks Ad-hoc networks can pose a security threat. Ad-hoc networks are defined as peer-topeer networks between wireless computers that do not have an access point in between them. While these types of networks usually have little protection, encryption methods can be used to provide security. Identity theft (MAC spoofing) Identity theft (or MAC spoofing) occurs when a cracker is able to listen in on network traffic and identify the MAC address of a computer with network privileges. Most wireless systems allow some kind of MAC filtering to only allow authorized computers with specific MAC IDs to gain access and utilize the network. However, a number of programs exist that have network sniffing capabilities. Combine these programs with other software that allow a computer to pretend it has any MAC address that the cracker desires, and the cracker can easily get around that hurdle. Man-in-the-middle attacks A man-in-the-middle attacker entices computers to log into a computer which is set up as a soft AP (Access Point). Once this is done, the hacker connects to a real access point through another wireless card offering a steady flow of traffic through the transparent hacking computer to the real network. The hacker can then sniff the traffic. One type of man-in-the-middle attack relies on security faults in challenge and handshake protocols to execute a de-authentication attack. This attack forces AP connected computers to drop their connections and reconnect with the crackers soft AP. Man-in-the-middle attacks are enhanced by software such as LANjack and AirJack, which automate multiple steps of the process. What once required some skill can now be done by script kiddies. Hotspots are particularly vulnerable to any attack since there is little to no security on these networks. Denial of service A Denial-of-Service attack (DoS) occurs when an attacker continually bombards a targeted AP (Access Point) or network with bogus requests, premature successful connection messages, failure messages, and/or other commands. These cause legitimate users to not be able to get on the network and may even cause the network to crash. These attacks rely on the abuse of protocols such as the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). Network injection In a network injection attack, a cracker can make use of access points that are exposed to non-filtered network traffic, specifically broadcasting network traffic such as Spanning Tree (802.1D), OSPF, RIP, and HSRP. The cracker injects bogus networking re-configuration commands that affect routers, switches, and intelligent hubs. A whole network can be brought down in this manner and require rebooting or even reprogramming of all intelligent networking devices. Signal-Hiding Techniques In order to intercept wireless transmissions, attackers first need to identify and locate wireless networks. There are, however, a number of steps that organizations can take to make it more difficult to locate their wireless access points. The easiest and least costly include the following: Turning offthe service set identifier (SSID) broadcasting by wireless access points, Assign cryptic names to SSIDs, Reducing signal strength to the lowest level that still provides requisite coverage or Locating wireless access points in the interior of the building, away from windows and exterior walls. More effective, but also more costly methods for reducing or hiding signals include: Using directional antennas to constrain signal emanations within desired areas of coverage or Using of signal emanation-shielding techniques, sometimes referred to as TEMPEST, 1 to block emanation of wireless signals. Encryption The best method for protecting the confidentiality of information transmitted over wireless networks is to encrypt all wireless traffic. This is especially important for organizations subject to regulations. Securing Wireless Access Points Insecure, poorly configured wireless access points can compromise confidentiality by allowing unauthorized access to the network. Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a firewall Computers on a wireless network need the same protections as any computer connected to the Internet. Install anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and keep them up-to-date. If your firewall was shipped in the off mode, turn it on. Change your routers pre-set password for administration The manufacturer of your wireless router probably assigned it a standard default password that allows you to set up and operate the router. Hackers know these default passwords, so change it to something only you know. The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack. Allow only specific computers to access your wireless network Every computer that is able to communicate with a network is assigned its own unique Media Access Control (MAC) address. Wireless routers usually have a mechanism to allow only devices with particular MAC addresses access to the network. Some hackers have mimicked MAC addresses, so dont rely on this step alone. Training and Educating Users Notice that Figure 1 also includes users as the fourth basic component of wireless networking. As is the case with wired security, users are the key component to wireless networking security. Indeed, the importance of training and educating users about secure wireless behavior cannot be overstated. To be effective, user training and education needs to be repeated periodically. The Security Policy To maintain a secured wireless network security, we need to apply these policies, so that the wireless network can be protected by the major threats and vulnerabilities. Computer Acceptable Use. A general document covering all computer use by eventstaff, including desktop, mobile, home PCs, and servers. Password. A description of the requirements for password protecting computer systems, the rules for choosing passwords, and how the password policy is enforced. Email. This policy covers the use of email sent from any email address and received at any computer system. Web. A specification of what browsers may be used, how they should be configured, and any restrictions on which sites event staff can visit. Mobile Computing and Portable Storage. A description of who owns the mobile computing and portable storage on the network, how they are supported, and what specific devices (if any) are authorized for use on the network. Remote Access. A policy stating who can access what information from which locations under what circumstances. Internet. A description of your Internet-facing gateway configuration, stating what is allowed in and out, and why. Wireless. A specification stating how wireless access will be managed on the network and how access points will be plugged in, secured, and maintained; who is allowed to use them; and under what circumstances. Servers. A statement of the standards for servers, what services are enabled or disabled by default, and important distinctions between production, test, and development environments. Incident Response Plan. No policy is complete until it also specifies what to do when defenses fail: what is considered a security incident; who gets called; who is authorized to shut things down if needed; who is responsible for enforcing applicable local laws; who speaks for the company. Standards: Workstations: Approval for workstation connection must be obtained as part of the standard workstation installation process handled by Information Technology Services, or authorized departmental technical personnel. Other devices (including, but not limited to, network components such as hubs, routers, switches, wireless access points, printers and other communication devices): Approval to connect devices other than workstations must be expressly obtained from Information Technology Services/Network Services. Vendors/visitors can obtain a physical connection access to the University network through Information Technology Services on a per visit basis. This access will be granted for a specific period of time Mail servers may not be run outside of Information Technology Services. Guidelines: Accounts Definition and use of departmental accounts and shared accounts should be restricted as much as possible. Only those functions needed by the user should be made available through such accounts. Servers 1. SSL should be implemented on Web servers if account log-in is required. 2. Run intrusion detection system where appropriate 3. Store backups offsite on a monthly basis. 4. Install firewall system where appropriate 5. Application updates must be performed every 30 days. 6. Run file integrity checker such as Tripwire daily. 7. Periodically test backups for integrity. Passwords 1. should not use any words found in dictionary of any language 2. should not use any combination of letters of a users real name, username, initials or nickname 3. should not use any combination of a famous persons name 4. should not use any combination of a spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, or childs name 5. should not use any personalized numbers Workstations 1. Turn off workstations overnight. 2. Work-related files should be stored on the Novell cluster in the staff members home directory or the departments work directory 3. Implement periodic backups 4. Logging: a. should be enabled to record: i. successful and unsuccessful login attempts. ii. system and application errors. CONCLUSION: We introduce the top level network security plan in the stadium to control the things happening. So by this we can create the safe atmosphere to the audience in the stadium. We can prevent the things inside the stadium only but out side the stadium we cant, so the government have to come forward and give the external security to the stadium. Because of the terrorism attacks the government has to be very careful in giving the security to the stadium. For this each and every person who entering into the stadium is first checked with bomb squad and also by the wireless detector. By this we can provide the safety to people and the players in the match.

The Ecstasy Debate: Weighing The Good And The Bad :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Ecstasy Debate: Weighing The Good And The Bad Ever since its first synthesis 80 years ago, the seemingly harmless nature of the drug ecstasy has been the subject of much debate. While many scientists are convinced that there is a darker side to the euphoria-inducing pill than meets the eye, the millions of users insist that no such danger exists. In fact, while I conducted my research on the subject, I discovered that to some extent, the users' concept is true - ecstasy does seem to be far less harmful than any of the other popularized drugs of the century. But why, then, in 1985 was this limitlessly pleasurable drug outlawed (1), with such a weak case against it? Is the scientific world's overly cautious attitude preventing us from experiencing a limitless pleasure unlike anything we have ever known? These were the questions I sought to have answered. 3,4 - Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA as it has come to be called, is a psychoactive drug with a chemical structure similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline, and demonstrates both psychedelic and stimulant effects (3). It was first synthesized by a German company in 1912 to be used to help develop more advanced therapeutic drugs (1). In the 1970s, MDMA was used to facilitate psychotherapy by a group of therapists in the United States (5). Not until the 1980s and early 1990s did the drug gain worldwide popularity as the illicit "ecstasy" (5), the drug that would eventually stir a wave of excitement among young people everywhere. Ecstasy use, which saw its roots in the hippie generation of the 1970s, has since grown exponentially. Ecstasy tablets confiscated by the Drug Enforcement Administration increased from 13,342 in 1996 to 950,000 in 2000 (4). According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research in 1998, 4.3 percent of 8th graders, 7.3 percent of 10th graders, and 11 percent of 12th graders reported they had used MDMA at some point (4). However, by far the age group with the heaviest use (1.4 million Americans) of the drug was reported for those between 18 and 25 years of age (4). So much ecstasy is entering our country at present that the Customs Service has developed an ecstasy command center and is training dogs to sniff out the drug (2). What is it that lures so many people to "experiment" with ecstasy and tantalizes them to want more?

Local-Color Regionalism in Tennessees Partner Essay -- essays research

The literary movement of local-color regionalism in American literature is a very distinctive and interesting form of fiction writing that effectively combines regional characteristics, dialect, customs and humor. In Bret Harte’s Tennessee’s Partner, these characteristics helped the story jump off the page, allowing the reader to understand the â€Å"times† rather than just the characters. And, for that reason, I feel that this is an outstanding piece of work. One of the most distinguishable characteristics of local-color regionalism writing is the usage of authentic dialect based on the story’s setting. In Tennessee’s Partner, Harte uses this tactic best when quoting the title character. For example, when Tennessee’s Partner suddenly appears in court on behalf of his best friend, Tennessee, his words are carefully written based on how they sounded from his mouth – not on how they should be, grammatically speaking: â€Å"†¦Tennessee, thar, has played it pretty rough and expensive-like on a stranger, and on this yer camp. And now, what’s the fair thing?...Here’s seventeen hundred dollars in coarse gold and a watch, -- it’s about all my pile, – and call it square!† Such talk effectively captures the typical conversation of the Old West and the Gold Rush and gives the reader a feeling of authenticity. Tennessee’s speech is similar, though not nearly as rough. Although not one hand of poker was played throughout the entire story, Tennessee revealed, through his use of words in his every...

Cornucopia of Disability Information

When we attempt to label people with disabilities we are faced with a very broad spectrum of issues and concerns. There are millions of people suffering from various disabilities. The number of disabled individuals world-wide is sky-rocketing. As we consider the connection between self-esteem and social pressures for a disabled individual, how many variables must be considered in determining the emotional drawbacks associated in the attempts at social adaptation and self-esteem for a disabled person? There are over 50% of our over-65 years of age individuals that have some level of a disability. That’s 32 million people! On top of this, 33 million people of all ages are labeled as severely disabled and in need of special day-to-day assistance. Cancer and heart disease are the leading causes of impairment in the United States. Chronic pain suffers accounts for 86 million Americans, which falls in line behind cancer and heart disease. When we look at long-term severe disabilities, stroke is the leader. Here’s a few more statistics: †¢ 1. 5 million Americans experience traumatic brain injury annually †¢ About 11,000 United States individuals suffer traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) †¢ Approximately 230,000 people live with SCI in the United States Some individuals have unique stresses that hinder strong self-esteem. First, it’s critical to point out that a disability can range from dyslexia to mental illness to physical and cognitive impairments. They may have physical handicaps, attention deficit problems, or emotional disturbances. This can be compounded social pressure of ethnicity, race, or even environmental issues such as poverty or alcoholism in a family. However, regardless of someone’s setback in life—whether they are verbal or non-verbal, suffer emotional disturbances, or paralysis—everyone can develop positive self-esteem. How a person feels about themselves is the catalyst toward making a happy, successful life. For, every individual has a right to be happy. It’s a choice, not something you have to earn. No one can ever take that away from someone. Unless the social pressures of adapting to society gets in the way. The late Christopher Reeve is an excellent example of someone who never allowed a physical disability to alter his smiling presence. Mr. Reeve believed that there is something positive to be gained out of every experience in life. His loss of motor functioning did not alter the empowering self-esteem he carried to his dying day. Even when the odds were stacked against him, he continued to promote how valuable life is, and he cherished it. Self-esteem, however, for many people suffering from disabilities can cause havoc on their own life. Emotions can drain people to a state where they physically shutdown, losing desire. This desire can be in direct relation to social pressure. For our youth, peer pressure can have an overwhelming impact on performance, both in school and on the home front. For individuals who suffer from a learning disability, their differences, regardless of how small or large, can magnify the issue of social pressures. Once the social pressure is felt, its emotional weight can create other problems. There is a connection between social pressures and low self-esteem; For, we must also consider environmental and social stresses like poverty, neglect, or parents suffering from alcoholism. All of this can destroy a disabled person’s self-esteem. These environmental concerns and social pressures can take its toll and destroy hope. Sometimes hope is the main factor fueling disabled people as they attempt to hurdle life’s self-esteem challenges. An individual with poor self-esteem might be more inclined to settle for lesser accomplishments, both, in the classroom settings and in life. He or she may suffer through humiliation, depression, and lack of ability to earn respect from others. At the same time, low self-esteem can make a disabled person seek favor from social groups to gain a sense of belonging. Many times, however, this may not be positive or healthy. For example, drug and alcohol abuse can pressure any individual, and those with disabilities face even greater challenges due to the separation they feel through social pressures in peer groups. Hearing impairment, for example, in some disabled individuals can lead to denial. As a hearing impaired individual struggles to socially adapt, he or she is bound to face esteem issues. Here, it’s the social stigma of succeeding in society that fosters this lack of self-esteem. The extra effort required to communicate in society causes social pressure and can, in turn lead to depression. About 100 million people nation-wide—that’s 40%—are affected by hearing loss, in one way or another. This statistic is rather staggering. For the disabled population, hearing loss create a greater percentage of psychological problems than other disabilities. True, it is apparent that there is a connection between self-esteem and social pressure but there are underlying problems that must be considered. Firstly, part of dilemma surrounding disabled individuals in relation to self- esteem and social pressures is unsubstantiated—the results are mixed. This inconsistency is based on parental perceptions (Gresham & Reschly, 1986; Sater & French, 1989), teacher perceptions (Bursuck, 1989; McKinnery, McClure, & Feagan, 1982), and peer perceptions (Garrett & Crump, 1980; Kistner & Gatlin, 1989; Vaughan, Hogan, Kouzekanani, & Shapiro, 1990). Among the above three perceptions, some of the studies found positive results and some were negative. Thus, according to these statistics, there is conclusive evidence that these parallels are unfounded. On top of this, there are also differences found between various males and females in relation to self-concept, as well as students in regular and special education classes. The topic of mainstreaming further blurs this evidence. So, even though self-esteem issues are apparent within the spectrum of the disabled, similar self-esteem issues are apparent in the mainstreamed individual. Thus, it is unfair to label the disability as the reason for low self-esteem. Secondly, from another stance, in order for people to feel self-esteem they must rate themselves against a set of criteria. They rate themselves in comparison to other people’s successes. Often times, people can feel good about themselves if they succeed at something. However, the problem comes when we don’t measure up to that success. Also, is it really hard to feel good about yourself just because you are a kind, decent person? This is another challenge to interpreting self-esteem and how it affects disabled or non-disabled people. Also, what makes a person feel down about themselves? It goes back to the measuring device. So, the act of rating oneself becomes the real issue that can lead to emotional problems such as depression. It’s the measuring device that sets up loss of self-esteem. When we consider all this, the whole issue surrounding self-esteem and social pressure becomes more of an issue of an individual and himself, and not an issue of how social pressures affect an individual and his self-esteem.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 20

I thought about it for half a heartbeat, and even that was too long. There was no question what my decision could be. Seth and I were bound together. Even if it had been for Jerome's convenience, Seth had found my soul across the incredible reaches of the dream world. Seth and I had found each other, life after life, and continually fallen in love. Even if we didn't consciously remember each other, some inner part of ourselves had connected. I remembered Roman's words. Over and over, you find each other and lose each other, you bicker and fight, throw it all away on mistrust and lack of communication. Are you going to let that continue? No, the cycle was going to end. On my terms. These lives we'd lived . . . the pain we'd suffered . . . it wouldn't be for nothing. It didn't matter if Seth hated me and never wanted to see me again. I wouldn't abandon him – not now, not ever. â€Å"No deal,† I said to Roman. â€Å"Seth and I are doing this together, whether he knows it or not.† Roman didn't try to talk me out of it. He simply said, â€Å"You understand what's at stake?† â€Å"I do.† If we failed here, I wouldn't just lose my soul. I would also be looking forward to an eternity in Hell's service, with superiors none-too-pleased that I'd shaken up the status quo. I didn't doubt that there was some article or clause somewhere that said I couldn't be penalized for this, but as I'd noted before, Hell had plenty of ways of punishing people off the record. The Las Vegas position would probably no longer exist, forcing me to relocate to some truly terrible location. Hannibal called the court back to order, and Roman relayed my decision. Hannibal clicked his tongue disapprovingly. â€Å"Risking it all for the new car, eh? Well, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it falls in your hands now. You've heard the evidence – and lack thereof. Do you believe there is enough ‘proof' to support the petitioner's case? Should both contracts – that these individuals willingly signed – be invalidated?† So much for justice being blind. The jury cast votes anonymously, which I found interesting. It was a small nod toward impartiality, theoretically providing protection to those who voted against their side's best interests. From what both Roman and Marcel had told me, I could see it happening among the angels. But did it ever happen with demons? Even if they knew the right or wrong of a situation, their ultimate goal was to accrue souls for Hell. Would any of them be moved by a case enough to go with their conscience? Was it possible that some spark of goodness could still endure in the darkness of this place? Judging from the quick way everyone scrawled their responses on the pieces of paper given, it didn't look like it. There was no hesitation. The demons wore cocky, self-assured expressions. Angels and demons came from the same stock, but I'd been told that once they spent enough time in Hell, that angelic nature was eroded away. These demons weren't going to lose any sleep about what became of my soul. The votes were collected by the bailiff. He sorted them into two suspiciously similarly sized piles and handed them to the judge. Hannibal did a quick count and nodded to himself before addressing us. A new stillness fell over the room. â€Å"Here we go,† murmured Roman. â€Å"The jury has spoken,† said Hannibal. â€Å"Six to six. We have a tie.† There was a collective exhalation in the room, and then the tension ramped back up as everyone waited for the next step. I shouldn't have been surprised by the tie, but some part of me had been hoping maybe, just maybe, a wayward demon would've voted in my favor. I had my answer. There was no spark of goodness here. It couldn't survive in Hell. â€Å"In accordance with article . . . fuck, I don't know . . . article something-or-other, we'll be going to a tiebreaker vote,† said Hannibal. The bailiff returned with an ornate vase, which he handed to the judge. Hannibal dumped out the contents, revealing a white marble and a black marble. â€Å"In this case, it really is as simple as black and white. If the black one's drawn, a demon casts the deciding vote. If it's white, an angel will.† He paused, looking bemused. â€Å"That's so cliched. I don't suppose we could switch the colors around? Just this once? No? Okay, let's get on with it.† He scanned the jury and pointed to an angel with curly red hair and long-lashed blue eyes. â€Å"You. You'll do the draw.† She nodded her acceptance and approached the bench gracefully. Again, another attempt at justice. If Hannibal had drawn the marbles, I would have been suspicious of the outcome. The fairness of the matter was future solidified when he made her swear to draw fairly, without using her powers to advantage. â€Å"I swear,† she said, placing the marbles in the vase. She shook them up and reached her hand in, casting a brief and – unless I was mistaken – sympathetic look at me. Her hand emerged, closed in a fist. When she opened it, no one could see the marble right away, but her face told the story. â€Å"Shit,† said Roman. The angel's palm revealed a black marble. She handed it to the judge who made no pretense at hiding his joy. He thanked her as she returned to her seat and then held the marble up for all the room to see. There was a murmur of excitement among the demons, delighted at having won the gamble he'd laid before us. I had a moment of regret, but only a small one. I could've walked away from here with my soul and life intact. I could've never brought this up and continued my life as a succubus undisturbed, living out the dream scenario in Las Vegas. Instead, I'd risked everything for the chance to free myself and Seth. And I'd lost for both of us. Had it been worth it? Yes. † ‘Fate' has spoken,† said Hannibal, still admiring the marble. â€Å"Per the rules, the decision now falls to a thirteenth juror, who will be randomly selected from a pool of Hell's illustrious servants. Doris?† Doris began clicking away at her laptop. After a few moments, she gave a nod toward the bailiff. He walked toward the back exit, presumably to escort in the thirteenth juror. My heart felt heavy and leaden, and I was startled when Roman again placed his hand on mine. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said in a low voice. â€Å"I should have fought harder. Or pushed you to take the deal – â€Å" I squeezed his hand back. â€Å"No. You were perfect. The only thing you shouldn't have done was get involved with this mess.† It was impossible to believe, but whatever fate awaited me after my suit was denied wouldn't be half as bad as his. He gave me a playful smile. â€Å"What, and miss the chance to laugh in the face of Heaven and Hell? Besides, there's no way I could leave you to – â€Å" The courtroom had given way to chatter when the bailiff left, and now silence resumed upon his return. Whatever sentiments Roman had been about to say were lost, as he joined me in looking back to see the demon who would cast the last condemning vote on me. When I did, I had to do a double take. It was Yasmine. I almost didn't recognize her. It had been a year since I'd seen her, a year since I'd watched her fall from grace, transforming from an angel to a demon. Yasmine had committed a number of grave sins as an angel, starting when she'd fallen in love. That alone was forbidden for her kind, but it had gone one step further – she'd fallen for a nephilim named Vincent. Vince was a great guy, but like Roman, the standard reaction from angels and demons alike had been prompt destruction. One angel had finally acted on that impulse, and Yasmine had rushed to defend Vince – killing the other angel in the process. And with that, she had been condemned to Hell. I had seen it. It had been terrible. One angel's death, another's fall. It had all gone down the night Nyx had been found and recaptured. Vince and I had been in the cross fire of it. I'd done what I could for him, but there was nothing I could do to stop Heaven's punishment. Before leaving town, Vince had told me that it didn't matter what I thought I knew about Yasmine. He'd said that once she had spent enough time in Hell and around other demons, she'd become like them. It was what happened to all of them, how someone like Carter could become someone like Jerome. I hadn't believed it at the time but could understand it better after being surrounded in the despair and wrongness of this place. And when I studied her now, I could see it had happened to her too. I remembered a smiling, laughing young woman with sparkling dark eyes and shining black hair. The hair and eyes were ostensibly the same, but there was no light or laughter in them. Her eyes seemed fathomless, dark and cold as she stared straight ahead and walked to the front of the courtroom. She was wearing a gauzy black dress, reminding me of some Goth courtesan, and her long, flowing hair blended into the silken fabric. Even if I'd never met her or known her history, I would have instantly identified her as a demon. Just like the others in the room, there was something in the way she looked and carried herself. I was about to be condemned by someone who had once been my friend. Yasmine reached the front of the courtroom and was gestured toward the witnesses' table. She sat down, gazing around the room with an unreadable expression. â€Å"You've been following the trial?† asked Judge Hannibal. â€Å"Yes,† she said, in a voice as expressionless as her face. How she'd been watching, I couldn't say. With Hell, it could've been closed-circuit TV or a magic mirror for all I knew. â€Å"And you understand your duty?† asked Hannibal. â€Å"Yes,† she replied. Hannibal was trying to maintain some semblance of formality and procedure, but the self-satisfied smirk on his face was kind of negating that. He was too goddamned pleased with himself and this turn of events. â€Å"Cast your vote then, based on the evidence and arguments you've witnessed. If you believe the two contracts are both sound and have not contradicted each other, then cast your vote against the petitioner.† When silence followed, Roman spoke up. â€Å"And if she thinks the two contracts aren't valid?† â€Å"Yes, yes.† Hannibal made a dismissive gesture, annoyed at this obvious waste of his time. â€Å"If you believe the contracts do contradict each other, then cast your vote for the petitioner.† Yasmine was given a piece of paper and pen, just like the other jurors. And just like the others, she wasted no time in writing her vote, her markings swift and certain. When she finished, she looked up serenely, no change in her expression, no sign that we'd ever once known each other. As terrible as I felt about my own fate, I couldn't help but feel nearly as bad for what Hell had done to someone as good and kind as her. No, I thought. Not just Hell. Really, Heaven was just as guilty. What kind of group could advocate goodness and not allow its members to love? Hannibal took the paper from her with a flourish and held it out before him to read. â€Å"In accordance with the laws of this court, and the infallible Kingdom of Hell, the jury finds – † There was a pause, and the next part came out as a question. â€Å"In favor of the petitioner?† A spark of goodness in the darkness. . . . For a moment, nothing happened. The courtroom was silent, frozen in time. Then, several things happened right on top of each other. From behind me, I heard Jerome say, â€Å"Shit.† Yasmine winked at me. Roman hugged me. Hannibal reread the slip of paper, looked at Yasmine, and then swallowed before speaking. â€Å"Both contracts are declared invalid, null and void.† Most of the room was on its feet, voices raised in fury. I had no time to process what they were saying, though, because I was disintegrating away. â€Å"No, not yet!† I exclaimed. I reached desperately for Roman, whose arms had been around me, but couldn't get ahold of him anymore. I was becoming nothing, a will-o'-the-wisp, unable to grasp anything of substance. I tried, though. I tried to grab him and take him with me because there was no way I could leave him here, not in the midst of a bunch of demons pissed off over having just lost two souls. I even tried to say his name, but it didn't work. I had no mouth, no voice anymore. I was leaving this place, and he was staying. The last thing I saw was his sea green eyes regarding me with both happiness and sorrow. I thought I heard him saying something about â€Å"a far, far greater thing,† and then I perceived nothing. I would have screamed in fury if I could have, but I was gone. I was nothing. Only darkness.

Why I Decided to Go Back to School

Why I decided to return to school The Purpose of my essay is to give my readers some high in sight on a few different challenges in my life that helped motivate me upon my return to school. I am a single 45 year old divorced woman with six children. I needed a good paying job and a college education to be able to continue supporting my family. I am also the youngest child of four and the light of my mother’s eyes. I was once married to my children’s father for 20 years. My ex-husband was always the bread winner for our family, so I had no worries. He worked for the park district in the city where we lived.I was going to school full time and taking care of the children. My two oldest children are boys and they are grown men now 25 years old and the youngest son is 22 years old. They both are out on their own and the oldest son has two children. A boy and a girl, their names are Ryan Jr. and my granddaughters name is Savannah. All of my children are the light of my life, as well as my grandchildren. I was 25 years old when I got married to my ex-husband. We had been together 5 years prior to getting married. He was the light of my life, the sun in the morning to me, so to speak.I was a full time student and my husband at the time was a foreman. I went to college after I had graduated from high school. However, I dropped out of college because I met my now ex-husband and we moved out of town to New Orleans, LA. We lived there for about a year and I got pregnant and I had my first son down in New Orleans. I was so excited about our first son. Everything seemed to be going just fine. Then three years later I became pregnant again and this time it was my second child (son). Again, we were very excited for the birth of our second son. As happy as we both were, things seemed to be changing before my very eyes.As time passed, I would say after about five years, we decided to get married. After marrying, we decided to move back to Illinois so we could be cl oser to our families. At the time that seemed perfect, since we were having children and we were starting to need sitters and just the support from our families. So, we packed up the kids and moved back to Illinois. Once there, we got settled in and we began looking for jobs. We bought our first house and then we both got great jobs. I was a teacher assistant and my husband got on as a foreman at the park district. My mother babysat for us and everything seemed to be oming together as we had planned. We had been home in Illinois about six months and everything that was good began to turn bad. My great life was turning for the worse all before my eyes. My husband was starting to abuse me physically and he had also started cheating on me. Well, he had promised to never do it again and I wanted to believe him, not to mention I wanted to keep my family intact. I was brought up that family was everything, and a family that prays together stays together. My parents had been married 45 yea rs and it was just unheard of where I come from.Time had passed on (7 years to be exact) and things had gotten better for us and we talked about expanding our family some more and that is what we did. I became pregnant in 1997 with our first daughter, Maurice. I named her after her dad. Crazy, I know but I did it with no remorse at all. Then, a year later I was pregnant with our fourth daughter, Mauriah. Everything was back in full swing again, I and Maurice were happy as ever and we had our four children that we were blessed with. I was working full time and so was Maurice, so we really didn’t have a care in the world, so I thought.As time passed, Maurice had got a raise and a higher position at his job. All had been going well, and then I found out again I was pregnant with another girl. I was a bit surprised because the other children had pretty much been planned, but now we were on our fifth child and the raise my husband had received was now starting to leave with all of our children. It didn’t matter because we had fought bigger storms than that and managed to make it through. I loved my husband and what he wanted pretty much made sure that I complied with it. Our family was expanding and I was happy and I felt great about it.Then sure enough, two years later I had my sixth child. It was another girl and that was my true blessing, because I wasn’t ready for her and I had considered having an abortion. I asked Maurice to take me to get an abortion in St. Louis because I was so far along I had to go out of state to where they could meet my needs. We arrived at the clinic and I just couldn’t do it. I had prayed about it and I just could not go through with the abortion. I’m glad that I didn’t, she is just amazing to me. However, things were starting to change all over again for my husband and myself.Maurice was back to his old tricks of physically abusing me and cheating. I was home with the kids one day and one of his mistresses had come by our house looking for him. I was livid and mentally crushed after the lady had told me she was sleeping with my husband. When Maurice came home I told him what had happened and of course he wormed his way out of it again. I knew he was lying but I also had six kids and was working full time. I would have to be a millionaire to try to keep up the way I was accustomed to living. Not to mention I wanted to keep my family together.I was mentally sickened with all of the mental and physical things that I was being put through by the man I trusted with my life. I depended on him to be the best husband and father that he could be. However, he let me down. He then apologized for the millionth time and he got me back by telling me that I could quit my job and go back to school. That was my Maurice’s way of making up to me since he had cheated and abused me when I had been nothing but good to him. In the mist of me getting emotionally tied into more of the li es and deceit, I turned in my two week notice.Things seemed to be okay at least I was getting the opportunity to get my degree like I had always wanted to do. Maurice tricked me back into his good graces and all was well between the two of us. About a year later history began to repeat itself. I was going to a junior college in my hometown and I started hearing rumors again about my husband and I was a full time student and full time mother. I had tons of homework to do on top of my normal duties as a wife and mother. I was literally mentally exhausted from the rumors, homework, kids, no good husband and my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.I had hit rock bottom, I really didn’t think I was going to make it mentally. I was trying to be strong because I didn’t want my children to know that their father was up to his old tricks again, but all along I was the only one in denial. I had later found out that they knew anyway, just because it was a small town. My mother and father were my support system and I didn’t have anyone else I could depend on. Then shortly after my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, my father took ill and we found out he had cancer as well.I was going crazy, because we were such a close knit family. My father was in the last stages of cancer and he took chemo but it didn’t help. It was too far gone and it spread very fast and in a matter of months we lost my father. I was devastated and my mother was in chemo still and my husband was not there for me. I prayed about my situation and filed for divorce. I didn’t know what I was going to do for money and I had just lost my father also. I felt doomed and so alone. Before the divorce was final my husband made one last attempt to get me back.However, I was done so I refused to even consider taking him back. I had to think about my children and what message I was sending them. Finally, I divorced my husband and I had nowhere to turn. I thought about my children first and my mother second and right then and there I knew if I wanted to keep up with the life style I had been accustomed to then and now, I needed an education. I decided to work full time and go back to school and get my education. I made a promise to my kids, mother and self that I would get my degree in education if that was the last thing that I did.I want to be able to give my children everything that they need and I would like to be able to financially take care of my mother. My mother has been my anchor from day one and she never once complained. The least I can do is please her along with myself and get my degree. I am the baby of four and everyone has their degree except me, and my mother told me that would be gift enough to see her baby graduate from college. Then I knew I had no other choice, so I prayed about my final decision and here I stand. God saw fit for me to continue my education in spite of and he made a way out of no way.I had to hit rock bottom men tally and physically for me to get myself together. It was all worth it in the end, because I have a piece of mind and I am at peace with myself. I heard about Ashford from a friend in another state and I am now a full time student at Ashford University. I just hope that my misery can be someone else’s ministry, and to let the world know that if GOD can bring me through the storm he can bring anyone through it. Look at GOD, isn’t he awesome! And these are the few different reasons why I chose to go back to school.

Strategic Marketing Analysis for Starbucks Essay

Strategic Marketing Analysis for Starbucks - Essay Example In 1971, Starbucks was established on adoration for espresso. Three specialists, Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin, and Zev Sigel, had a longing to impart that love to Seattle by opening a little coffeehouse known as Starbucks Coffee, Tea & Spice. After ten years, Starbucks had developed to four retail locations situated all over the Seattle region. Entire bean espresso was sold in all four areas. After coming to 100 stores in 1992 the organization opened up to the world. Starbucks developed at an exponential pace from there on, into a fruitful, extraordinary worldwide association that aids about 35 million clients a week (Van, 2006). Starbucks utilizes a grid arrangement by joining divisional and useful structures. Due to the multifaceted nature of network structures, Starbucks is classified as an unthinking association, which involves high vertical and flat unpredictability, high formalization, high centralization, slender compasses of control, and high institutionalization. The CEO of Starbucks, Howard Shultz, has attempted to make a more productive and streamlined structure where data can stream openly from the client and low-level worker to the corporate level. This is frequently hard to attain to with an elaborate structure. Starbucks uses its grid structure to keep away from the correspondence breakdowns that can happen in an association that uses vertical separation, as the number of levels of power builds a more vertical the organization. Starbucks partitions its work into cross useful workgroups, which permits representatives to answer to various administrators. The network structure appears to work for Starbucks, as they keep up compelling correspondence, excellent item advancement, productive generation, and praiseworthy client benefit accordingly (Chernev, 2006).