Women Homelessness And Domestic Violence Social Work Essay

Women Homelessness And Domestic Violence Social Work Essay The first part of the review outlines key research findings on the statistics of domestic violence, explanatory theories, factors associated with vulnerability, women are more likely to experience domestic violence, with repeat victimisation and more likely to end up homeless, with profound pyhsical, social and psychological effects in their lives. Most women with the experience of domestic violence, return to their abusers and repeat the circle of homelessness. The second part of the project presents evidence from the government, local authorities, a range of initiatives and partnerships are working together to tackle domestic violence, through established strategies and policies, to develop interventions to tackle the underlining problems of homelessness, by providing a safe route to re-housing and working in partnership to increase safe accommodations for women, escaping from domestic violence (Caramel, 2002 -no such source). Evidence on criminal justice responses in particular, a nd their effects on victims. The project was developed by identifying recent relevant research through online searches of the Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts and other abstracts databases and other relevant text books from various libraries, also by following up key references texts. Particular research has been paid to available UK research pacifically (?) within homelessness, but much published literature on domestic violence is North America in origin. Homeless women who are victims of domestic violence In England, women make up 30% of clients of homelessness services. Research conducted by Crisis showed that over 20% of women became homeless to escape from the domestic violence. (Crisis, 2009). Domestic violence has the highest rate of repeat victimisation of any crime; over 40% are reported as a victim of domestic violence. (Caramel, 2002). no such source In 2002 to 2003 129,000 applicants were accepted as homeless and in priority need, and increased by 10% in the previous year. This is old data Data carried out by the British Crime Surrey, indicate that 57% of those who have been a victim of domestic violence, are then a victim of domestic violence again. (Crisis, 2009)Not on the web-site. Walby and Allen, 2009 state that three-quarters of women (all women?) have been the victims of domestic violence. The worst possible cases of domestic violence, rage from all types of violence, one in five women have been the victims of domestic violence, the levels of domestic violence are extremely high, a third of female victims were subject to more than three incidents of domestic violence , which is subject to the worst incident experienced by women. Are we talking about all women or homeless women? Males Hague (1997) identify why women are more likely to experience domestic violence due to unequal power relationships between men and women, when relationships become violent, a women will leave her home because of the violence. All the time? Also by the homelessness legislation, which has been changed? ?(Males Hague (1997. p.397). The Home Office illustrate that all information gathered from the surrey regarding domestic violence carried out by the British Crime Surrey, indicate other inter-personal violence experienced by victims, for example these include sexual assaults, repeated victimisation, and the possibilities of seeking out-side help such as help from the police and other agencies. The overall results from the surrey provides useful information for policy makers, practitioners and criminal justice system, professionals in the challenge to reduce these forms of violence connected with domestic violence. (Walby and Allen. 2004). The policy development to address domestic violence is based on three elements; these include preventing violence from happening in the first place, protection and justice, making sure that the justice system provides adequate protection for victims and brings offenders to justice, and most importantly available support, providing adequate housing support to victims to build th eir lives. (Walby and Allen, 2004). You needed to relate all the materials to homelessness, Where is the logic here? Netto et al.2009) supplement their own data obtained throughout their own studies relating to the Sanctuary model. This refers to sanctuary schemes which support women facing homelessness due to domestic violence to remain in their current residence in order to be protected against attack from outside the home. The study will compare and contrast ( why are you reporting a study that has not yet been conducted?) different women that have used the sanctuary services, for the purpose to draw some qualitative data from the study, which allow us to get some data on the victims of domestic violence. However the data related to women from different ethnic groups and the scale of domestic violence was increasingly high. (was it conducted or not?) Local authorities fulfil their obligation to homeless women Local authorities fulfil their obligations to homeless women by statutory and operational level to provide the right service. Many local authorities and multi-agencies are working in partnership to support victims of domestic violence becoming homeless, but there is still more practice needed between multi-agencies (?) and the need for more trained staff. Local authorities have been particularly responsive to these initiatives (Hague 1999). Multi-agency initiatives have advantages in representing a valuable area for debate about the social meaning of domestic violence and the development of services. The ideology for setting up multi-agency initiatives on domestic violence was influenced by the increasing international scope of the movement of domestic violence, such as the United Nations. (? UN is an international organisation not a movement)However the multi-agency coordination was recommended by a number of people, including civil libertarians (?) and feminist activists, majority of initiatives were set up by groups of agencies, such as Womens Aid groups and many other organisations. The positive elements of multi-agencies initiatives lies lie in the commitment in working in partnership between agencies, and can lead to an emphasis on empowerment and support. Multi-agency initiatives could be of a major importance in the future in relation to strategies and policies of building awareness about domestic violence and its consequences in increasing womens safety and in developing and coordinating effective and wide reaching services in decision-making and making priorities. (Radford el al, 2002 p.129). How is this para related to multi-agency work? Essentially local authority departments were required to satisfy themselves that people who applied for housing were effectively homeless, had a priority need and were not intentionally homeless. Only people who satisfied the relevant criteria were entitled to accommodation. Although no housing minister has said he wants to limit womens ability to escape domestic violence, ideological factors significantly influence how governments and local authorities define and respond to the problems of homelessness. Legislative definitions of homelessness are problematic as they define the governments responsibility in a legal sense. However, Loveland (1994) argues, such discretion-laden criteria would encourage many councils to minimise, if not evade their obligations. (Loveland, 1994, p.369) Even though Local authorities obtain a statutory responsibility for tackling homelessness, despite all the criticisms they face in regards to the services they offer for homeless people. Nevertheless, many local authorities are using techniques to avoid their responsibilities mainly on the grounds that, a women maybe pressurized into accepting such help without being property informed of their legal rights ( Netto et al, 2009). This argument can relate to the fact that, having left their accommodation due to legitimate fear of domestic violence, a women with children or pregnant is legally entitled to be re-housed by the local authority. The governments risk assessment states, a women who is encouraged to stay in her current home, rather being replaced with another alterative accommodation can be in danger of continuous violence. Further research conducted by Crisis found that the majority of homeless women were turned away by local authoritys front-line staff from making a homelessn ess application. Most women, who had negative experience, never approached their local authorities again for help again. (Crisis, 2009).not there There are particular Housing Associations and local councils that provide support and resources for homeless women, they are responsible for offering a priority need to a vulnerable person, threatened with violence and no-longer can stay in the household due to continuous violence. However (?) the council has a responsibility to help people who become homeless, and the obligation to found an emergency accommodation for a vulnerable person faced with violence. In no circumstances the council can not send a vulnerable person back to an area of constant violence. (Shelter, 2005). Women experiencing domestic violence often use the homelessness route to re-housing, but this should not be seen as the only option, but local authorities carefully provide support for homeless women. Emergency accommodations are provided by various organisations, and statistics show that most women who are given emergencies are affected with domestic violence. Local authority hostels may provide a more supportive environment and most have a policy of not accepting people who have a history of violence. However, some hostels are used by diverse groups and because it accommodates people with domestic violence. It is important that strict procedures are followed to keep information confidential, because most women are in threatening situations, therefore security and safety needs to be taken into consideration by local authorities. The best way of providing support, security and, in most cases, better facilities. Unfinished sentence However, there is a clear need for increased refuge a ccommodation as London does not meet recommended provision of one family space per 10,000 of the population. The pressure on existing refuges means that many women are unable to access a place. (Homes for Londons Women Mayor of London, 2005). Why do you suddenly move to discuss refugees? 1985, 1996 and 2001 Housing Acts relation to battered women. The Housing Act 1985 gave homeless women some legal rights, but limited as (?) womens chances of been re-housed and the few options that are available to them are commonly unsuitable. However women had been the invisible homeless, frequenting staying in violent relationships, which has caused them to be homeless, and with the limited help from the Housing Act 1985. There is no logic in this para you need first to describe the legislation and then critique itThe legislation failed to the increasing problem of homelessness and therefore women continued to suffer domestic violence, purely because of the lack of alternatives. (Logan, 1986). Vulnerable women are covered by part 3 of the 1985 Housing Act (Hallett, 1996 P.66). Part of the Act placed duties on local housing authorities to help homeless people, but the Act only granted priority need to certain people. (Royal College of Physicians, 1994). The legislation failed to the increasing problem of homelessness and therefore women cont inued to suffer domestic violence, purely because of the lack of alternatives. (Logan, 1986). The new Housing Act 1996 has bought (?) few changes; it updates provisions in the Housing Associations Act 1985. In accordance to domestic violence, the new act has introduced a new discretionary ground for a violent partner who has forced the other partner to leave the home and the court is satisfied that the abused partner is unlikely to return. Unclear (Cowan. 1996, p.128). Furthermore the Act gives the local authorities power to promote in regards to the existing legislation, where local authorities have analogous powers in relation to housing associations even though few of these only apply to registered associations.unclear (1996, p.26). The new law (It is not new) weakens existing homelessness legislation, therefore the new law brought about many challenging difficulties within local authorities to provide accommodation for homeless households. (Males Hague (1997). Pascal (et.al 2001) suggests, the Conservative family agenda was driven by fears that the, homelessness legislation encouraged teenage pregnancy, family breakdown and all the other ills that were thought to flow from the increasing numbers of lone mothers (Pascal, et.al, 2001, p.298). Consequently, the Housing Act 1996 removed the right to permanent housing for homeless applicants and replaced it with a right to temporary housing for roofless people and reduced the governments statutory responsibility. Nevertheless, the 2001 Housing Act made a priority need for housing for a person who is vulnerable as a result of ceasing to occupy accommodation by reason of violence from another person or threats of violence from another person which are likely to be carried out. (Delahay 2002). There is nothing on Homelessness Act 2002! Women rough sleepers, experiences they face on the street Crisis research shows that whilst 60% of homeless women have slept rough, only 12%t had engaged with street outreach teams. 40% of homeless women reported having been excluded from a service and 10% were not using any service. 70% had become homeless to escape violence from a partner, yet less than a third of woman have negative experiences of approaching local authorities. In comparison with male rough sleepers, only 6% of males are reported to be sleeping rough from experiences of domestic violence. Nevertheless, rough sleeping is extremely dangerous for homeless women and they are vulnerable to been physically attacked and sexually assaulted. Women are drawn to these dangers by been invisible and insolated in hidden locations away from public streets. Numerous homeless women are known for engaging in unwanted sexual liaisons in order to secure accommodations, such as prostitution to earn money for drugs or other habits. (Crisis, 2009). Not there When looking at this in a wider sca le, women who are rough sleepers are mainly associated with many types of problems. These problems can be related to emotional difficulties that come from domestic violence, and can be treatable that lead to recovering with the right support. However policy guidelines have been published by the local government in order to evaluate the extent of rough sleeping, this will help local authorities, in partnership with other agencies, to carry out a court of people sleeping rough in the area. (Brooke, 2009). Charles (1995) argues, the refuge movement now known, as Womens Aid has been instrumental in effecting changes, which grant certain rights to women threatened with domestic violence. The Womens Aid also provides various supports, on how to get legal advice such as solicitors that specialise in domestic violence cases. (The Gresham Press Surrey, 1998, p.11). obscure source There are many refuges available to women escaping from domestic violence. A refuge is a house where women can get away from domestic violence , a women who has experienced physical, psychological or financial violence or other forms of violences can be taken into a womens refuge. (Women Aid, 2009). Women refuges. Pahl,( 1978) states that a refuge should be seen as a place offering different help to different women, and a place where women can feel secure and at the same time, a women should be supported to find a more suitable place, as quickly as possible. The policy recommendations emphasis, that a refuge should be a place where women do not have to lose their rights in order to be re-housed. Battered women, with or without children should stay in the refuge as long as they wish, housing needs for battered women should be treated urgently. However women are no longer called battered women, instead women suffering from domestic violence. The Salvation Army is one of the largest providers of refuges for homeless women across the UK. They have refuges for women, with life- changing services that dramatically change a womens self-esteem while staying at the hostel. The Salvation Army provides emergency accommodations, and statistics show that most women who are given emergencies are affected with domestic violence. (Salvation Army, 2009). Not in your references Local authority hostels may provide a more supportive environment and most have a policy of not accepting people who have a history of violence. However, some hostels are used by diverse groups and because it accommodates for people suffering from domestic violence. It is important that strict procedures are followed to keep information confidential, because most women are in threatening situations. However security and safety needs to be taken into consideration by local authorities. The best way of providing support, security and, in most cases, better faciliti es. However, there is a clear need for increased refuge accommodation as London does not meet recommended provision of one family space per 10,000 of the population. The pressure on existing refuges means that many women are unable to access a place. (Homes for Londons Women Mayor of London, 2005). Not in your references Women more a risk of homelessness now than 20 years ago, has domestic violence changed over the years. Over the last twenty years homelessness has always existed, with the history of safe housing provision for women in the UK and the influence of the Womens Aid movement, the role of local authorities and the influence of the Conservative governments, which then lead to the New Labour government, in changes for women in homelessness. Unclear Also the womens movement in the 1970s, and before this movement came, women leaving a violent partner can only get support from a family member or a friend. What does it mean?(Morley 2000). The womens movement over the years has influenced and supported womens rights, with a few houses (?) offering sanctuary to women organised on self-help principles. Somerville (2000) notes the influence of the movement upon public perceptions of domestic violence that led to major changes in public policy. However, whilst the 1990s have been regarded as a period of significant development in terms of public awareness of domestic violence (Hague 1999) unfinished sentence.The Housing Act (1996) has been seen by some as a step backwards. Youve already discussed this Act.This legislation removed the right of those defined as statutorily homeless to be housed permanently. Local authorities can only offer permanent accommodation to those registered on the council housing list; those escaping domestic violence are now merely entitled to temporary accommodation. The legislation gave local authorities the power to refuse housing to any person believed to have suitable accommodation elsewhere; this especially affects women from ethnic minority groups who could be assessed as having access to housing in another country (Harwin and Brown 2000). Obviously, this had consequences for many made homeless as a result of violence. You need to look at the Homelessness Act 2002. The recognition of domestic violence that leads to all types of abuse have been strengthened by womens movements, state, and multi-agency initiatives, by creating a new service and developing policies in order to respond to abused womens needs. (repetition) Also with the new policies and womens refuge organizations its safe to say that women are safer than 20 years ago. (Skinner el al, 2005). Feminists activists have campaigned for developed organizations that have successfully challenged social institutions for failing to protect women.what does this mean? However (?) battered womens advocates have publicized their criticism of police departments, courts and the law has reinforced legislations for the criminal justice to respond. Criminal justice system has been criticized by battered women and their advocates for not providing enough protection to victims of violence. (Pauline, 1993). The feminist movement examined and politicized all aspects of womens lives. (Pauline, 1993 P.148). Feminist developed organizations to end gender discrimination and assaults on women as well as many other dilemmas. Majority of these organizations focused on protecting women, by ensuring safety at home also battered womens shelters. (there is no logic in this paragraph) In todays society there are vulnerary (?) and statutory sectors with experiences of women service users and professional staff, for example, until recently the focus in the UK was domestic violence. What does it mean? This relies on the success of womens groups, and organizations placing domestic violence on the agenda and influencing non-statutory bodies and statutory sectors and agencies. In order to achieve what domestic violence was focused upon, since feminist actives ? have overcome difficulties in the violence against women. (Pauline, 1993). Many organizations such as Womens Aid in regards to their influential movement in the 80s, which created a growing visibility of domestic violence in public and media campaigns. By the 1990s central government and statutory agencies had began to play a more direct role, practically at a local level and in relation to domestic violence, where there was policy of multi-agency intervention. Youve said all this already. Over the emerging years there was a new legislation from the mid- 90, which was a civil protection orders for domestic violence, this was the Family Law Act 1996. With the new labour government introduced in 1997, issues concerning domestic violence had gradually moved towards the mainstream. (Skinner el al, 2005). However it began by developing new policies, aimed at uprising ? intervention strategy on violence against women, one particular policy was Womens Unit 1999 and focused on domestic violence. Furthermore, this emphasis by state and multi-agencies ? on domestic violence had both negative and positive consequences (why?) , but on the other hand it can be seen as a way of success of pressure from womens organizations and feminists that violence against women should be taken seriously. (author 2005). The positive approaches in tackling violence against women starts with government funding for projects in order to support and end domestic violence. (Skinner, 2005). This is very vague Males Hague (1997) suggest that the high increase in homelessness this is old data defines the changing of the government policies and shrinking public provision within the UK. According to studies were carried out, indicating that violence was associated with domestic situations that women experienced. In the study womens feelings and about the process they went through within their previous experience of domestic violence and how they obtained safe accommodation. Where is the logic here? Males Hague (1997, p.398).A woman whose relationship ends through domestic violence and her only option are to avoid the long-term of homelessness. Many other elements are also connected in finding an alternative solution to the various problems, these all depend on whether a women faced with violence from her husband, she then needs to take legal action against him. The legal actions are getting a court order (injunction), this means removing a violent person from the home. Another court order a w omen can apply for is Non-molestation orders; this orders the violent person, not to assault, harass or molest her in any way, or to allow his friends or family to do. (The Gresham Press Surrey, 1998, p.10). This paragraph makes little sense Conclusion This literature review has focused on those women who are accepted as being priority need in the system. Although women with the experience of domestic violence face a tragedy of homelessness despite the significant advances in policy and legislation, its fair to say that homeless women continue to endure unpleasant situations and are not getting the right support they require. In conclusion to women who become homeless are at substantially greater risk of rough sleeping on the streets, which then results in dangerous situations where a woman has no other alternative but to adapt to the dilemmas of the streets. Despite, the help from local authorities and multi-agencies, there are still a high number of homeless women. According to various statistics the number of victims of domestic violence has risen over the years, which then increases homelessness significantly. All these institutions are aimed at working with women to reduce violence domestic (?), by providing the right services for women. Although homelessness legislation has changed over the years, it provides a crucial route to secure housing for homeless women. Crisis believes that by paying attention to the needs of homeless women they will provide the right services to reduce homelessness. This must be your conclusion, not Crisiss. In the past womens movements have campaigned for womens rights and have influenced organisations as well as creating many women organisations thats why society today goes a long way in supporting women, such as the Womens Aid organisation. Women are no longer oppressed in society and have the right to seek legal advice and support, a woman is no longer limited by society and is given much more legal protection against domestic assaults. Marjory of the organisations run by the government and vulnerary organisations all aim to deliver services that help women leave their abusers and leave their homelessness behind. (Crisis, 2009). Not there

The irresponsible cell phone users

The irresponsible cell phone users When a cell phone goes off in a classroom or at a concert, we are irritated, but at least our lives are not endangered. When we are on the road, however, irresponsible cell phone users are more than irritating: They are putting our lives at risk. Many of us have witnessed drivers so distracted by dialing and chatting that they resemble drunk drivers, weaving between lanes, for example, or nearly running down pedestrians in crosswalks. A number of bills to regulate use of cell phones on the road have been introduced in state legislatures, and the time has come to push for their passage. Regulation is needed because drivers using phones are seriously impaired and because laws on negligent and reckless driving are not sufficient to punish offenders. No one can deny that cell phones have caused traffic deaths and injuries. Cell phones were implicated in three fatal accidents in November 1999 alone. Early in November, two-year-old Morgan Pena was killed by a driver distracted by his cell phone. Morgans mother, Patti Pena, reports that the driver â€Å"ran a stop sign at 45 mph, broadsided my vehicle and killed Morgan as she sat in her car seat.† A week later, corrections officer Shannon Smith, who was guarding prisoners by the side of the road, was killed by a woman distracted by a phone call (Besthoff). On Thanksgiving weekend that same month, John and Carole Hall were killed when a Naval Academy midshipman crashed into their parked car. The driver said in court that when he looked up from the cell phone he was dialing, he was three feet from the car and had no time to stop (Stockwell B8). Expert testimony, public opinion, and even cartoons suggest that driving while phoning is dangerous. Frances Bents, an expert on the relation between cell phones and accidents, estimates that between 450 and 1,000 crashes a year have some connection to cell phone use (Layton C9). In a survey published by Farmers Insurance Group, 87% of those polled said that cell phones affect a drivers ability, and 40% reported having close calls with drivers distracted by phones. Scientific research confirms the dangers of using phones while on the road. In 1997 an important study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The authors, Donald Redelmeier and Robert Tibshirani, studied 699 volunteers who made their cell phone bills available in order to confirm the times when they had placed calls. The participants agreed to report any nonfatal collision in which they were involved. By comparing the time of a collision with the phone records, the researchers assessed the dangers of driving whil e phoning. The results are unsettling: We found that using a cellular telephone was associated with a risk of having a motor vehicle collision that was about four times as high as that among the same drivers when they were not using their cellular telephones. This relative risk is similar to the hazard associated with driving with a blood alcohol level at the legal limit. (456) The news media often exaggerated the latter claim (â€Å"similar to† is not â€Å"equal to†); nonetheless, the comparison with drunk driving suggests the extent to which cell phone use while driving can impair judgment. A 1998 study focused on Oklahoma, one of the few states to keep records on fatal accidents involving cell phones. Using police records, John M. Violanti of the Rochester Institute of Technology investigated the relation between traffic fatalities in Oklahoma and the use or presence of a cell phone. He found a ninefold increase in the risk of fatality if a phone was being used and a doubled risk simply when a phone was present in a vehicle (522-23). The latter statistic is interesting, for it suggests that those who carry phones in their cars may tend to be more negligent (or prone to distractions of all kinds) than those who do not. Some groups have argued that state traffic laws make legislation regulating cell phone use unnecessary. Sadly, this is not true. Laws on traffic safety vary from state to state, and drivers distracted by cell phones can get off with light punishment even when they cause fatal accidents. For example, although the midshipman mentioned earlier was charged with vehicular manslaughter for the deaths of John and Carole Hall, the judge was unable to issue a verdict of guilty. Under Maryland law, he could only find the defendant guilty of negligent driving and impose a $500 fine (Layton C1). Such a light sentence is not unusual. The driver who killed Morgan Pena in Pennsylvania received two tickets and a $50 fineand retained his driving privileges (Pena). In Georgia, a young woman distracted by her phone ran down and killed a two year-old; her sentence was ninety days in boot camp and five hundred hours of community service (Ippolito J1). The families of the victims are understandably distre ssed by laws that lead to such light sentences. When certain kinds of driver behavior are shown to be especially dangerous, we wisely draft special laws making them illegal and imposing specific punishments. Running red lights, failing to stop for a school bus, and drunk driving are obvious examples; phoning in a moving vehicle should be no exception. Unlike more general laws covering negligent driving, specific laws leave little ambiguity for law officers and for judges and juries imposing punishments. Such laws have another important benefit: They leave no ambiguity for drivers. Currently, drivers can tease themselves into thinking they are using their car phones responsibly because the definition of â€Å"negligent driving† is vague. As of December 2000, twenty countries were restricting use of cell phones in moving vehicles (Sundeen 8). In the United States, it is highly unlikely that legislation could be passed on the national level, since traffic safety is considered a state and local issue. To date, only a few counties and towns have passed traffic laws restricting cell phone use. For example, in Suffolk County, New York, it is illegal for drivers to use a handheld phone for anything but an emergency call while on the road (Haughney A8). The first town to restrict use of handheld phones was Brooklyn, Ohio (Layton C9). Brooklyn, the first community in the country to pass a seat belt law, has once again shown its concern for traffic safety. Laws passed by counties and towns have had some effect, but it makes more sense to legislate at the state level. Local laws are not likely to have the impact of state laws, and keeping track of a wide variety of local ordinances is confusing for drivers. Even a spokesperson for Verizon Wireless has said that statewide bans are preferable to a â€Å"crazy patchwork quilt of ordinances† (qtd. in Haughney A8). Unfortunately, although a number of bills have been introduced in state legislatures, as of early 2001 no state law seriously restricting use of the phones had passedlargely because of effective lobbying from the wireless industry. Despite the claims of some lobbyists, tough laws regulating phone use can make our roads safer. In Japan, for example, accidents linked to cell phones fell by 75% just a month after the country prohibited using a handheld phone while driving (Haughney A8). Research suggests and common sense tells us that it is not possible to drive an automobile at high speeds, dial numbers, and carry on conversations without significant risks. When such behavior is regulated, obviously our roads will be safer. Because of mounting public awareness of the dangers of drivers distracted by phones, state legislators must begin to take the problem seriously. â€Å"Its definitely an issue that is gaining steam around the country,† says Matt Sundeen of the National Conference of State Legislatures (qtd. in Layton C9). Lon Anderson of the American Automobile Association agrees: â€Å"There is momentum building,† he says, to pass laws (qtd. in Layton C9). The time has come for states to adopt legislation restricting the use of cell phones in moving vehicles.

Harbor Seals Essay example -- Animals Sea Wildlife Descriptive Essays

Harbor Seals Harbor seals are marine mammals that have spotted coats in a variety of shades from silver gray, black to dark brown. They reach 5 to 6 feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds. Harbor seals are dimorphic, with the male being slightly larger than the female. They are true, or crawling seals, which means they have no external earflaps. True seals also have small flippers, and move on land by flopping along on their bellies. They breathe at the surface and hold their breath while diving. They can dive to 1,500 feet for up to 40 minutes, although their average dive lasts 3 to 7 minutes. Their scientific name basically means 'sea calf' or 'sea dog.' This nickname is fits them well, as these seals closely resemble a dog when their head is viewed at the surface of the water. When the harbor seal pup (baby seal) is born, it has a coat that closely resembles the adult coat. Some have a longer, softer white or gray coat (lanugo) when born, but they shed that coat within about 10 days. Harbor seals are found across the Northern Hemisphere in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In the northeast Pacific, they range from Alaska to Baja California, in Mexico. They live near-shore coastal waters and frequent sandy beaches, mudflats, bays, and estuaries. Some harbor seals even live in certain areas of Europe such as Finland. The total harbor seal population in the northeast Pacific is estimated to be 330,000, in California the estimated population was 40,000, and in Europe the estimated population was 6,000 in 1997. Harbor seals spend about half their time on land and half in water, and they sometimes sleep in water. They may sleep most of the day on the beach to keep safe from the predators that hunt them, and go into the water only a couple of times each day to hunt for food. Harbor seals don?t have a permanent place to live but they usually are found in small groups, but sometimes occur in numbers of up to 100 to 500. Their average life span is around 25 years, although some have lived for over 30 years. However, males seem to live shorter lives, probably because of the added physical stress of fighting during mating season.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Harbor Seal is both a predator and a prey. They are very vital in the food chain. Seals eat a lot of fish and prevent over population, and they are a great source of food to animals such as orca whales, great... ... high tolerance to carbon dioxide in the tissues, they have the ability to store large amounts of oxygen in the muscle tissues, and they have the ability to make their lungs collapse when air is expelled before they dive, which helps to prevent the bends. To help see in dark and murky waters, the seals have special adapted eyes that make them able to see in such conditions. To guard against very cold water temperatures, harbor seals maintain a thick layer of fat beneath their skin, giving them a thick sausage shape. To make the harbor seals less noticeable to predators, their coats sometimes blend in with the rocks or sand they?re lying in. To help them find food easier, they have a keen sense of smell. Without these adaptations, who knows if the Harbor Seal would still exist today. Works Cited: *Hanan, D. (1999). Pacific Harbor Seals. Alolkoy Publishing Co. PP 12-59. *King, J. (1983). Seals of the World. British Museum (Natural History) and Cornell University Press. PP 20-26. *Internet: Sea World web site. www.seaworld.org/animal_bytes/harborsealab.html April 20, 2001 *Internet: The Marine Mammal Center web site. www.tmmc.org/harborsl.htm April 20, 2001

History of Frogs :: essays papers

History of Frogs A Frog is a small, tail less animal that has bulging eyes. Almost all frogs have long back legs. The strong hind legs make the frog able to leap farther than the length of its body. Frogs live on every continent except Antarctica, but tropical regions have the greatest number of species. Frogs are classified as amphibians. Most amphibians, including most frogs, spend part of their life as a water animal and part as a land animal. Frogs are related to toads, but are different from them in a few ways. The giant frog of west-central Africa ranks as the largest frog. It measures nearly a foot (30 centimeters) long. The smallest species grow only 1/2 inch (1.3 centimeters) long. Frogs also differ in color. Most kinds are green or brown, but some have colorful markings. Although different species may vary in size or color, almost all frogs have the same basic body structure. They have large hind legs, short front legs, and a flat head and body with no neck. Adult frogs have no tail, though one North American species has a short, tail like structure. Most frogs have a sticky tongue attached to the front part of the mouth. They can rapidly flip out the tongue to capture prey. Frogs have such internal organs as a heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys. Some of the internal organs differ from those of higher animals. A frog's heart has three chambers instead of four. And although adult frogs breathe by means of lungs, they also breathe through their skin. The eggs of different species vary in size, color, and shape. A jelly like substance covers frog eggs, providing a protective coating. This jelly also differs from species to species. Some species of frogs lay several thousand eggs at a time. But only a few of these eggs develop into adult frogs. Ducks, fish, insects, and other water creatures eat many of the eggs. Even if the eggs hatch, the tadpoles also face the danger of being eaten by larger water animals. The pond or stream in which the eggs were laid sometimes dries up. As a result, the tadpoles die. Certain tropical frogs lay their eggs in rain water that collects among the leaves of plants or in holes in trees. Other tropical species attach their eggs to the underside of leaves that grow over water.

My Experience as a Teenage Mother Essay -- Personal Narrative Pregnanc

My Experience as a Teenage Mother Twenty-six years have brought many changes to my home in the mountains of East Tennessee: one of the most important of these changes being the slow dissolution of what I call the ‘racial divide’. This change had just begun to take place when I found myself a frightened pregnant teenager growing up in the small community of Shell Creek in Carter County, Tennessee. It was 1977 and of the few hundred people in town, I was certain I would be the first to have a child that was half black and half white. My parents divorced when I was ten years old, so I grew up in my grandparents’ home, a place filled with love and acceptance. My grandparents had never imparted any type of prejudice, racial or otherwise to my young mind. However, I knew the Baptist church Grandma attended every Sunday warned against bi-racial relationships.. My grandparents were devout and sincere in their faith so they accepted this way of thinking. Would my family ever be able to accept this child I was carrying? I didn’t think they could at the time so I kept my secret. Telling the child’s father was out of the question as I knew he was not interested in me or our child. My pregnancy was a bi-product of youth and ignorance. The summer of 1977 passed quickly for me and the child growing inside me. I thought of the baby as a boy, although I had no idea what sex my baby was. Sometimes I wondered what he would look like. Was he smart? What would he become? Mostly I wondered how my family would react to him. How in the world was I going to raise a child alone? Being only sixteen, I was still a child myself. I knew I had only a few months to discover an answer to my question. By late fall I was b... ...nge. As she removed the tiny diaper, I saw what appeared to be a large bruise on the little boy’s bottom. My heart raced and I saw red in both eyes. â€Å"What have you done to my baby?† I screamed loud enough to wake the exhausted woman sharing my room. I lifted my sore body from the bed with angry force.† Where did he get that bruise?† I demanded. The startled nurse looked at me like I was insane. â€Å"That’s a Mongolian spot, very common in mixed babies,† she explained. â€Å"It’s not a big deal. I promise no one has hurt him.† At that moment I knew I loved the little boy like I’d never loved before. I would protect him with my life, giving him all the love in my heart. I had to figure out how to be the mother he deserved. Logan and I left the hospital together the next morning. Logan is in Iraq fighting for freedom and I came home to the mountains I love.

Computer networks assignment

Cable Maximum data rate speed cat 5 Single Mode Fiber cable gasps Recommendations Connector Reasons Category e, reasons for purchasing cat depute cable. Cat e cable is the most popular of all http cables, Has a superior bandwidth as compared with cat cable. RAJA 45 connector since it is the standard connector used to connect to a device and also for wall-plate connections. Multi-mode fiber-optic cable Straight tip connector (SC). Commonly used as a backbone, fast, intensity susceptible to eavesdropping.Straight tip connector is commonly used in Ethernet networks that use fiber-optic backbones, more so it is popular for use with multi-mode fiber-optic cable. Network Topology for the office Office 1 Task 2 The same design applies to the other offices. Methods for secure intranet 1. Use intranet based VPN 2. Use of Authentication. Advantages of intranet based VPN They enable secure broadband connections (through cable modems, DSL, etc. ). They can create significant communication saving s in particular when lots of remote users dial-in from outside the local calling area.Secure the connection between the client and ‘SP. Provide unauthorized users from tapping into the intranet. Extended connectivity and lower cost. Altered. Disadvantages of intranet based VPN Are not scalable and are more complex that NAS initiated VPN. The need to manage software on the client machines. NAS-initiated Access VPN connections are restricted to pops that can support VPN. Do not encrypt the connection, between the client and the ISP, but rely on the security of the EST..Advantages of using authentication User id and password is the least expensive authentication method to use. User ids and passwords can be changed anytime at the user's choice, furthermore most users know how to change them. No need to install extra software in the case of using ids and passwords. Token authentication can be used for login and transaction authentication purposes effectively. Biometric authenticati on is difficult to compromise. Disadvantages of Using Authentication d and password authentication is Weak and susceptible to numerous attacks.Token authentication involves additional costs, such as the cost of the token and any replacement fees. Token authentication requires some amount of user training. Security depends on the users' ability to maintain the user ID and password secret. Biometric authentication usually involves cost for support and maintenance. Protocols Intranet VPN protocols Pipes or IP Security is used to secure Internet communications. It's normally used as a security overlay for the other protocols. It's considered the â€Å"standard† VPN protocol, specially for site-to-site VPN.PPTP-Point to point tunneling protocol, a data link protocol that establishes a connection between two networking nodes, it creates the virtual connection across the internet, and provides connection authentication, transmission encryption and compression. LOTT, Layer Two Tunnel ing Protocol, it does not provide encryption and it relies on PPTP protocol to do this. Authentication One way authentication protocol. Mutual way authentication protocol-protocol that enables both the point of origin and the point of termination of a communication link to verify or authenticate each other.Amended-Schroeder Protocol Media required for connecting the offices Internet medium: It acts as a connection medium Router: I. E router to router VPN is used to connect separate offices in various locations. Software-network management software. Internet-To act as medium for connection purposes. Software to enable the devices to communicate and be able to send and receive information. Sips Hardware requirements to connect the Four Offices 2. Switch. 3. Firewall How access can be provided to the company intranets via extranet.Staff access their computers in whatever the location they are, they then provide their ids or swords to the company's website upon which they are verified t o be the genuine staff, after being authenticated through the extranet VPN, they are finally allowed to access the offices, if a user tries to forcefully access the intranet the firewall in between detects and shuts of the intruder. Intranet and extranet Diagrams Task 3 Security issues related to Intranets and extranets Unauthorized Access – An unauthorized person gains access to a company's computer system and access sensitive information.Misuse of user privileges – An employee or supplier authorized to use the system for one purpose misuses it for another purpose other than for what it is should be. Users or telecommuters accessing the corporate intranet from their home can or sometimes expose sensitive data as it is being sent over the wire. Security breaches- at certain times the intranet will experience unusual traffic like spam, pushing, Edward and mallard. Networks attacks- there can be a network attack in form of forceful intrusion into the intranet or extranet .Lack of encryptions – at sometimes confidential information is shown to unauthorized personnel because of the lack of using encryption. Usability problems- omen users will use the intranet improperly through not knowing how to search, retrieve, send and receive information. Weak passwords – some users use weak passwords, they write them down, never change them and in the end forget their content – users are vulnerable to dangerous content like Trojan, worms and viruses that attach on emails.Violations of security policies – some users make an attempt to penetrate the network forcefully and illegally without clearance and permission. Protection From viruses Trojan and other threats 1) Adoption of intrusion detection prevention system in the network to offer retention against network attacks. 2) Deployment of effective email filters and firewalls to block against suspicious traffic from entering the network. 3) Authentication through use of passwords, smar t cards and biometric scanners to overcome unauthorized access in the network. ) Use of intranet monitoring soft wares by companies so as to check and monitor what their employees are doing on the intranet or on their own PC. 5) Strict adherence to the security policies put in place by the company any violations of the security policies should be met with strict consequences. 6) Users on the intranet must remember to always update and maintain their security software on every PC and server on the network to ensure protection. 7) Formal training should be given to new employees who don't know how to use the intranet so that they will know how to perform searches, send and retrieval of information. ) Network administrators should encourage users to use strong or hard to guess passwords as well as not to show their passwords to any other party. 9) Use of SSL Digital certificates to help secure the intranet from lack of encryption. 10) Setting up firewall rules to only allow messages th at come from within the internal server. Recommendations to counter any threats to the network. Use of anti-virus toolkits so as to safeguard the computers on the network, the anti virus toolkits should be updated regularly and used to scan both PC and servers on the networks.Security policy – should be put in place so as to protect the company's resources and information. Physical countermeasures: such as CATV cameras, gratitude's, data backup and recovery systems should be embraced so that the company will be able to monitor and protect its equipments and information safe. Authorization – Access rights and privileges should be given to certain users in the many. Authentication-users and systems must be authenticated; authentication can be through passwords, digital certificates and other methods.Conclusion The network project was a success though it seemed hard; I find that I have acquired some certain skills that I didn't have during the beginning of this module. Am grateful at least that I have managed to do my best in this module. The project was about creating a network that would be used to connect the four offices which currently house about seven computers. Weaknesses One of my weaknesses as displayed in my project is that I did not manage to show a actuarial representation of the various cables, servers and other equipments which would have otherwise enabled me to illustrate my project in a clear and visible manner.In task 1 1 was required to come up with and identify the type of media I will propose for the company, I chose a wired media category e cable as the best option to go for, the cat e cable altogether needs a connector hence I chose the RAJA-45 connector which is the standard that can be used by the cat e cable. I provided the cost of cabling and installing such a cable in a network, the assumption made was that the many did not have any networks and so I included them in the cost and installation section.As for the data speed I gave the maximum speed that can be achieved by a category e cable which is Mbps. L provided recommendations for the category e cable to purchased together with raja-45 connector . In task 2 after researching on the methods that can provide a secure intranet I finally ended up choosing three methods and these are Intranet based VPN, Authentication and Digital signatures, I named a few protocols which are applied in the above methods such as layer two tunneling protocol for the intranet VPN.The media required to connect the offices such as Internet form the service of the hardware that can be used to connect the offices are Routers, switches and firewalls. In task 3 1 gave a listing of the security issues that are prominent with such a network some of them include, network attacks and lack of encryptions such issues can cause a company a great loss as much time will be spent trying to solve the problems which at times are difficult to solve.To protect the workstations in the networ k from attacks from viruses, Trojan and worms I gave the following suggestions, that the company et up strict security policy that the staff should adhere to so as to ensure the resources and information in the company are in safe condition, adoption of intrusion detection and prevention systems in the network to secure the network form any forceful entry into the network.Using methods such as updated antimatter toolkit, the staff can be able to operate under a conducive environment which is free from any malicious software attacks, second thing is that authorization rights and privileges should be given to certain staff or members in the company, so s to prevent information from being accessed by unauthorized user who possess a threat to the company.

Amy Chua Hanna Rosen Essay

Amy Chua and Hannah Rosin: a comparison and contrast of parenting styles In recent years, Yale professor Amy Chua has drawn a great deal of attention due to her focus on a parenting style that is foreign – both figuratively and literally – to most Western parents. This style centers on a Chinese model that Chua espouses, and that has become famous, or infamous, for the stern and rigorous practices that Chua enforced with her own two daughters. Chua has received a large amount of criticism; one of her critics is Hannah Rosin, a prominent writer and editor. In response to Chua, Rosin outlines an alternative method of parenting. It can be argued that while both Chua and Rosin are involved and devoted mothers, they have distinctly contrasting views on how to raise children. There are three areas in which this contrast can be most clearly seen: attitudes to success, attitudes to self-esteem, and attitudes to happiness. Amy Chua’s model of parenting has success at its core. Chua sums up the Chinese approach to activities in this way: â€Å"What Chinese parents understand is that nothing is fun until you’re good at it† (Chua, 2011). With this as a mantra, Chua promotes an extremely rigorous approach to such activities as learning a musical instrument; she believes that two or three hours of practicing an instrument daily is appropriate for young children. Furthermore, Chua believes that parents should not give their children any choice over which musical instruments to learn; the violin and piano are the only acceptable choices, regardless of the child’s natural talent or predilection. This approach is also evident in academics. Chua says, â€Å"†¦the vast majority of Chinese mothers†¦believe their children can be ‘the best’ students, that ‘academic achievement reflects successful parenting’ and that if children did not excel at school there was ‘a problem’ and parents ‘were not doing their job’† (Chua, 2011). Hannah Rosin takes a distinctly different approach to success, one that is arguably more reflective of Western attitudes in general. Rosin says, â€Å"Ms. Chua has the diagnosis of American childhood exactly backward. What privileged American children need is not more skills and rules and math drills. They need to lighten up and roam free, to express themselves in ways  not dictated by their uptight, over-invested parents† (Rosin, 2011). In Rosin’s view, Chua’s version of success is ultimately very limiting. Rosin doesn’t argue that success is a negative thing in and of itself; however, her looser, freer approach suggests that it can be achieved differently. Another area where Rosin and Chua differ from each other is in their approach to self-esteem and the way in which parents should treat their children. Chua openly admits that it is common for Chinese parents to make comments to their children that Western parents find reprehensible, such as â€Å"Hey fatty, lose some weight†, or referring to a child as â€Å"garbage† (Chua, 2011). However, Chua defends these comments by arguing that in fact, Chinese parents speak in this way because ultimately, they believe that their children are capable of being the â€Å"best†. She contends that Chinese children know that their parents think highly of them, and criticize them only because they have high expectations and know that their children can meet them. Hannah Rosin disagrees. She says, â€Å"†¦there is no reason to believe that calling your child ‘lazy’ or ‘stupid’ or ‘worthless’ is a better way to motivate her to be good than some other more gentle but persistent mode’† (Rosin, 2011). She believes that a parent’s role is not to act as a harsh critic and task master, but rather to guide them through the inevitable difficulties of life that arise. Unlike Chua, Rosin is not concerned with forcing her children to be â€Å"the best†. Rather, she says that â€Å"It is better to have a happy, moderately successful child than a miserable high-achiever† (Rosin, 2011). It is in this area, pertaining to notions of happiness that Chua and Rosin depart most distinctly from each other. It can be argued that the idea of happiness is almost completely absent from Amy Chua’s template. Chua says, â€Å"Chinese parents believe that they know that is best for their children and therefore override all of their children’s own desires and preferences† (Chua, 2011). In other words, the feelings or preference of the child as an individual are lacking completely from the Chinese framework of parenting. The child’s happiness, or misery, is completely irrelevant, because the  parent is the supreme authority, acting in the child’s best interest. Chua claims, â€Å"It’s not that Chinese parents don’t care about their children , just the opposite. They would give up anything for their children† (Chua, 2011). However, the one thing that Chua and other parents will not give up is complete authoritarian control. Rosin takes an entirely different approach to the value of individual happiness. She observes that happiness does not come through being successful; furthermore, â€Å"happiness is the great human quest† (Rosin, 2011). Parents cannot possibly always be in a position to know what will make a child happy or not; children must work out their own path to happiness (Rosin, 2011). Rosin believes that an over-emphasis on perfection will not lead to greater happiness and may even create less happiness in the end. In conclusion, it is undeniable that both Amy Chua and Hannah Rosin love their children and believe that their approach to parenting is based on a desire to do what is best for those children. However, the two approaches present a sharp contrast to each other. Amy Chua believes that success, perfection and being â€Å"the best† are of paramount importance, and will ultimately build a child’s self-esteem (Chua, 2011). Hannah Rosin is critical of the harshness of the Chinese template and argues for a gentler approach, one that takes the natural interests and talent of the child into account (Rosin, 2011). Rosin notes that the idea of enjoyment or happiness is strikingly absent from Chua’s parenting style; in turn, Chua observes that many Western parents are disappointed with the choices that their children make in their lives (Rosin, 2011; Chua, 2011). It can be argued that both the Eastern approach and Western approach have a great deal to offer each other; a wise parent knows how to walk a middle ground.