Physical Activity and Weight Control :: Health Fitness Weight Loss Essays

Physical Activity and Weight Control Regular physical activity is an important part of effective weight loss and weight maintenance. It also can help prevent several diseases and improve your overall health. It does not matter what type of physical activity you perform--sports, planned exercise, household chores, yard work, or work-related tasks--all are beneficial. Studies show that even the most inactive people can gain significant health benefits if they accumulate 30 minutes or more of physical activity per day. Based on these findings, the U.S. Public Health Service has identified increased physical activity as a priority in Healthy People 2000, our national objectives to improve the health of Americans by the year 2000. Research consistently shows that regular physical activity, combined with healthy eating habits, is the most efficient and healthful way to control your weight. Whether you are trying to lose weight or maintain it, you should understand the important role of physical activity and include it in your lifestyle. How Can Physical Activity Help Control My Weight? Physical activity helps to control your weight by using excess calories that otherwise would be stored as fat. Your body weight is regulated by the number of calories you eat and use each day. Everything you eat contains calories, and everything you do uses calories, including sleeping, breathing, and digesting food. Any physical activity in addition to what you normally do will use extra calories. Balancing the calories you use through physical activity with the calories you eat will help you achieve your desired weight. When you eat more calories than you need to perform your day's activities, your body stores the extra calories and you gain weight (a). When you eat fewer calories than you use, your body uses the stored calories and you lose weight (b). When you eat the same amount of calories as your body uses, your weight stays the same (c). Food scales Any type of physical activity you choose to do--strenuous activities such as running or aerobic dancing or moderate-intensity activities such as walking or household work--will increase the number of calories your body uses. The key to successful weight control and improved overall health is making physical activity a part of your daily routine. What Are the Health Benefits of Physical Activity? In addition to helping to control your weight, research shows that regular physical activity can reduce your risk for several diseases and conditions and improve your overall quality of life.

Human Resource Management Notes

09/06/11 Human Resource Management Notes #1 A. Management vs. Leadership: ManagementLeadership Planning and Budgeting * What do we need? * How much time/money? | Establishing Direction: * What do you see? * What’s your vision? | Organizing/Staffing * Hiring the right people * Or delegating tasks | Aligning People: * Target followers * Share ideas/vision| Controlling and Problem-Solving * Keeping things working * Or addressing Issues| Motivating and Inspiring * Convince others * Get them on board| Maintain Predictability and Order * Monitor progress * Achieve results| Produce Change * End Result|B. We watched the video and took notes on the idiosyncratic conductor’s leadership and management style relating to his orchestras. The Four Interpreations of Organizational Processe HRM Notes #2 A. What is the Four Frames? i. The Four Frames is a method developed by Lee G Bolman and Terrence E. Deal by which organizational situations are viewed. This analytical tool reveals the veiled aspects of an organization’s dynamics B. What are the Four Frames? 1. Structural Frame 2. Human Resource Frame 3. Political Frame 4. Symbolic Frame C. Characteristics of the Four Frames: Structural * Metaphor = a machine * All about division of labor * Delegating roles * Involves a clear hierarchy * Exact processes * Setting Goals * Human Resources * Metaphor = a family * Open communication * Grow/Improve Skills * Identify bias/limitations * Resolve conflicts * Informal relationships * Political * Metaphor = Jungle * Competition * Power * Scarce resources * Bargaining * Advocating/forming coalition * Symbolic * Metaphor = Temple * Values * Rituals * Image * Brand * Culture * Heroes * Meaning * Intuition D. Processes: * Strategic Planning: Structural = strategeties to set objectives and coordinate resources * Human Resources = Gathering to promote participation * Political = Arenas to air conflicts and realign power * Symbolic = Ritual to signal responsibility, produce symbols, negotiate meanings * Decision-Making: * Structural = Rational sequence to produce right decision * Human Resources = Open process to produce commitment * Political = Opportunity to gain or exercise power * Symbolic = Ritual to confirm values and provide opportunities for bonding * Reorganizing: Structural = Realign roles and responsibilities to fit tasks and environment * Human Resources = Maintain balance between human needs and formal roles * Political = Redistribute power and form new coalitions * Symbolic = Maintain image of accountability and responsiveness; negotiate new social orer * Evaluating: * Structural = Ways to distribute rewards or penalties and control performance * Human Resources = A process for helping individuals grow and improve * Political = Opportunity to exercise power * Symbolic = Occasion to play roles in shared ritual * Approaching conflict: Structural = Maintain organizational goals by having authorities resolve conflict * Human Resources = Devel op relationships by having individuals confront conflict * Political = Develop power by bargaining, forcing, or manipulating others to win * Symbolic = Develop shared values and use conflict to negotiate meaning * Goal Setting: * Structural = Keep organization headed in right direction * Human Resources = Keep people involved and communication open * Political = Provide opportunity for individuals and groups to make interests known * Symbolic = Develop symbols and shared values * Communication: Structural = Transmit facts and information * Human Resources = Exchange information, needs, and feelings * Political = Influence or manipulate others * Symbolic = Tell stories * Meetings: * Structural = Formal occasions for making decisions * Human Resources = Informal occasions for involvement, sharing feelings * Political = Competitive occasions to win points * Symbolic = Sacred occasions to celebrate and transform culture * Motivation: * Structural = Economic incentives * Human Resources = Growth and self-actualization * Political = Coercion, manipulation, and seduction * Symbolic = symbols and celebration

The Piercer

S w 908M57 The Piercer Colleen Sharen and Nicole Nolan wrote this case solely to provide material for class discussion. The authors do not intend to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. The authors may have disguised certain names and other identifying information to protect confidentiality. Ivey Management Services prohibits any form of reproduction, storage or transmittal without its written permission. Reproduction of this material is not covered under authorization by any reproduction rights organization.To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, contact Ivey Publishing, Ivey Management Services, c/o Richard Ivey School of Business, The University o f Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7; phone (519) 661-3208; fax (519) 661-3882; e-mail [email  protected] uwo. ca. Copyright  © 2008, Ivey Management Services Version: (A) 2008-08-22 â€Å"Don’t forget, your business idea pitch is due in two weeks, † said Professor Sharen at the end of class. Jessica Pierce turned to look at her project team mate, Ashley Mound.Jessica and Ashley were fourth-year management and organizational studies students at Brescia University College, taking an introduction to entrepreneurship course. Ashley and Jessica had developed an idea for the assignment: a personal safety alarm that both shrieked and flashed lights when the person carrying it set off the alarm function. Given the concern that many people had over personal safety, it seemed like a great business idea. In order to present their idea, they needed to show that there was a market for this product and that they had a way to sell it to consumers.The problem was that they did not really know how or where to start to get the information that they needed. They had a lot of work to do to be ready to present their project in the next two weeks. THE ASSIGNMENT The business pitch assignment was challenging. Sharen had asked students to deve lop an interesting business idea and present it to a panel of potential investors. These investors included a successful serial entrepreneur, a business consultant who practised in the area of small- and medium-size enterprises, an owner of a marketing and advertising services business and a business professor.The students were asked to present an innovative idea, show why it would be successful in the market place, demonstrate potential markets, show the business model and sell themselves to the investors as entrepreneurs. The investors were instructed to view their investments as seed money to enable the students to further develop business plans and prototypes of their ideas. The students weren’t required to complete a financial analysis for this assignment. Purchased by Gaia Cuccarini (gaia. [email  protected] it) on March 21, 2013 Page 2 9B08M057The investors were asked to assess project ideas on the basis of the feasibility of the idea and whether they believed that t he entrepreneurs would be able to deliver. They could consider the appeal of the idea itself, the logistics and operations required to run the business, the effectiveness of the business plan, the longterm viability of the business or the size of the market. The assignment would be graded 50 per cent based on how much money the teams received from the investors and 50 per cent on the quality of their presentation by the professor. THE IDEA The Piercer was a small device that hung on a chain worn around the neck.When activated, The Piercer emitted a piercing sound that traveled for approximately 500 meters, as well as a bright flashing light. To deactivate The Piercer, the wearer had to push two buttons simultaneously. This was to prevent an attacker from being able to deactivate the device. The piercing noise and the bright flashing light were designed to scare away attackers and attract those who might assist the person being attacked. In the situation of imminent attack, a person would not have to rely on their voice or bring a whistle to their mouth to signal for help.Ashley and Jessica had researched costs and thought that by manufacturing in China, they could make The Piercer for $2 and sell it for $7. 50 wholesale, with a retail price of $14. 95. The idea made sense to Ashley and Jessica. It fit with recent social and demographic trends as aging baby boomers began to need assistance with injuries and falls, and with increased general concerns about health, safety and violence. WHAT NEXT? Jessica and Ashley thought that they had a good idea. Now they had to prove it. What were the target markets for this product? How big were they?Which ones should they choose? How should they sell to them? What proportion of the target market should they expect to capture? Where should they look for information to help them make these decisions? A SIMPLE GUIDE TO INFORMATION RESOURCES AND EVALUATION Ashley and Jessica must do secondary research to be able to evaluate and implement their idea. They will need to consider 1) how to evaluate resources, 2) how to develop effective search strategies and 3) how to identify proprietary resources that support the case for this business. 1. How to Evaluate ResourcesInformation is available everywhere, and for this reason, Jessica and Ashley need to be able to discriminate between good and poor quality information. Appropriate information usage for an academic project includes evaluating and assessing resources for reliability and credibility. Purchased by Gaia Cuccarini (gaia. [email  protected] it) on March 21, 2013 Page 3 9B08M057 Goals ? ? ? ? ? Ashley and Jessica should be able to locate and differentiate free versus proprietary web resources. They should be able to identify a quality website. They should be able to evaluate books and other print resources for quality and reliability.They should understand the difference between scholarly and non-scholarly articles and resources. They should be able to cite information properly. Free Versus Proprietary Web Resources Many students think that the World Wide Web has the answers for everything. While the web can have valuable information, students pay (through their tuition) to have access to quality proprietary information resources. Ashley and Jessica could examine some free web sites to help them. For example, associations, company information and government information can be very helpful, as long as the user knows how to determine the quality of a website.Quality Web Sites Anyone anywhere can make a website. Just because it is on the web, does not mean it is good quality or reliable. When Ashley and Jessica are evaluating websites, they need to consider: Who is providing the information? ? Is it a government institution, a university or a company? ? Does the url make sense (e. g. .org, . edu, . on. ca)? ? Does the owner of the website have anything to gain by providing the information? ? Does the owner of the website have good c redentials? ? Has anyone updated the website recently? Note that Wikipedia is not necessarily a reliable resource.Anyone anywhere can modify these pages. While it might be a place to find some resources or links, students should not cite Wikipedia as a reliable resource in an academic paper. The University of Alberta put together a good web evaluation checklist: http://www. library. ualberta. ca/instruction/science/evalweb. pdf For a more comprehensive list on evaluating web resources, see the bibliography on the topic: http://www. lib. vt. edu/help/instruct/evaluate/evalbiblio. html Purchased by Gaia Cuccarini (gaia. [email  protected] it) on March 21, 2013 Page 4 9B08M057Evaluating Other Resources Ashley and Jessica need to be critical of all the resources they use, not just websites. Ideally, they should be able to discriminate between proprietary and non-proprietary websites, scholarly and non-scholarly resources and evaluate the quality of any book used. Things for Ashley and Jessica to consider include: ? Who published the book or made the information available? ? How old is the information? ? Has the information been updated recently? ? Is the information peer reviewed? Does this matter? ? Did the library buy and recommend the resource? Is the author credible? Scholarly Versus Non-Scholarly Resources An academic library will provide access to both scholarly and non-scholarly resources. Scholarly work generally refers to published work that has been through a peer review process. Especially in the field of business, there are many practitioner resources. Therefore, Jessica and Ashley need to be aware of the type of information they are gathering. For example, industry trends, say from Standard and Poors NetAdvantage, is not a scholarly resource, yet the information within them could be valuable.Alternatively, ProQuest ABI Inform Global provides access to scholarly articles. Ashley and Jessica may also consider the relative value of evidence or fact ver sus opinion. Students should not read things and trust that what they are reading is accurate. Students should think about the rigor with which the argument is made and the evidence presented. ? Is there evidence to back up a claim? ? Has the evidence been collected in a reliable way? ? Is the author stating an opinion without backing up his or her ideas? Citing Work It is important that Ashley and Jessica cited their work properly, to avoid accidental plagiarism.Some of the more confusing things to cite include Statistics Canada data or online information. Statistics Canada has a website that describes systematically how to cite its tables, publications or other datasets: http://www. statcan. ca/english/freepub/12-591-XIE/12-591-XIE2006001. htm In addition, most academic libraries will have information about citation procedures, or will have copies of publication manuals available for borrowing. Any librarian can be asked about citation procedures. Purchased by Gaia Cuccarini (gaia . [email  protected] it) on March 21, 2013 Page 5 9B08M057 2. How to Develop Search StrategiesGoals ? ? ? ? Ashley and Jessica should know the difference between searching in different search fields, such as the abstract field and title field They should be able to use this technology to search the unique fields They should be able to use the â€Å"AND,† â€Å"OR,† or â€Å"NOT† features of a search engine to help narrow their search. They should understand what truncation and proximity search strategies are, and how that influences a search. Most search engines that index information have similar features. If Ashley and Jessica understand the concepts in searching, they can apply them to any search engine.Take Advantage of Search Fields For example, records in an index have many different fields such as keywords, title, author, publication title, document title, abstract, full document, date, author, etc. It is often possible to specify what part of the recor d to search in, which helps to be more specific with the search. Searching an entire text document may retrieve less meaningful records than a search of just abstracts. Use Boolean Search Strategies Using â€Å"AND† and â€Å"OR† can be helpful in expanding or narrowing a search. AND narrows a search and OR expands it. Using the term â€Å"NOT† can also be helpful, but should be limited.For example, searching for beer companies will retrieve companies on diamonds (DeBeers). Excluding the term â€Å"diamond† from a search on beer companies could be helpful in narrowing one’s search. Truncation and Proximity Many search engines allow for truncation and proximity searching. In ProQuest, an asterisk symbol will truncate. For example, if one types â€Å"leader*† into a search box, records with leader, leaders and leadership will be retrieved. This helps capture all variations of a word. Proximity searching refers to how close two words are togeth er in a document.Presumably, if two words are close together in a document, they are more likely to have something to do with each other. In ProQuest, a â€Å"w/1† or â€Å"w/2† (â€Å"w/3,† etc. ) facilitates proximity searching. For example, if Ashley or Jessica typed â€Å"organizational w/3 learning† in the search box, they will retrieve documents where the word â€Å"organizational† is within three words of â€Å"learning. † Find Creative Ways In There are many different ways to find information. Knowing a company name or a competitor’s name is convenient. Taking advantage of key words (or subject terms) also is a good way to search.Purchased by Gaia Cuccarini (gaia. [email  protected] it) on March 21, 2013 Page 6 9B08M057 It is also a good idea to brainstorm for synonyms prior to beginning a search. Being d eliberate about a search strategy and deciding on what concepts to combine can really help make the search go easier. Sea rching is iterative as well. One is advised to read some articles to learn the jargon of the topic, then go back and do the search again using the subject jargon. Most librarians will help on developing a search strategy! 3. How to Identify Proprietary Resources GoalsAshley and Jessica should be able to identify library resources and understand what type of information they can find in various types of resources. The following databases are some of the library databases that Ashley and Jessica could consider. They could also go to the library (or call or e-mail) and ask for assistance. Library staff will know what resources the library has, if there are any other resources that may be of use and how to access and use the resources. Finding Background Scholarly Articles ProQuest ABI Inform Global is a database that indexes business and management journal articles.Most of the articles are available in full text, and both scholarly and non-scholarly articles are available. The search b ox in ProQuest has a drop-down menu on the right that allows users to search in specific fields. For example, users can search the title, abstract, author, company or publication fields. Scopus is a database that indexes articles on the social sciences, life sciences, physical sciences and health sciences. For the purposes of a business or entrepreneurship project, searching only the social sciences category would be appropriate. This resource indexed scholarly articles.Google Scholar is a free resource that indexes scholarly information from the World Wide Web. There is an advanced search engine feature to help specify a search. Many academic institutions integrate access to full text articles with Google Scholar. This means that any article the student has access to via the library, is also available to them via Google Scholar. Because Google Scholar is integrated with library resources, the student will likely need to either be on campus, or logged into the off-campus proxy serve r to take advantage of these services.If they are off campus or not logged into the proxy server the student can still search Google Scholar, but access to full text resources may be limited. Finding News and Magazine Articles Factiva is a database that indexes newspapers and magazines. While this resource does not index scholarly articles, it is a broad resource that captures current global news and events. LexisNexis has a comprehensive database that indexes newspapers and magazines. significant Canadian content indexed there. Purchased by Gaia Cuccarini (gaia. [email  protected] it) on March 21, 2013 There is alsoPage 7 9B08M057 Finding Industry Trends Several databases including Standard & Poors NetAdvantage, Mintel and Marketline provide reports on industry trends. These databases provide regularly updated reports on broad industries. Each database tends to report on different industries, so students would have to do some trial and error research to find relevant reports. Stu dents may find their topic is too narrow for these reports. The Financial Post Investor Suite is a database that provides industry information from a Canadian perspective. Finding Company InformationCompany information may be important for a project such as The Piercer, especially for researching competitors. MarketLine provides company information, including financial information, company descriptions and a list of competitors. Similarly, Hoovers provides comprehensive company descriptions. Not all companies are in both resources, therefore checking both resources is recommended for company research. Marketing and Advertising The World Advertising Research Center (WARC) is a resource that provides access to information about marketing and advertising, as well as to case studies of winning ad campaigns.Such a resource could be helpful in this context to see if other, similar products have been marketed, and if so, how they have been marketed. There is scholarly and non-scholarly inf ormation in this resource. Technology Information Both eMarketer and Forrester have information about technology trends. There may be information about the Internet, emerging technologies or electronic marketing. Statistics and Demographics Statistics Canada provides access to demographic data. Many secondary educational institutions participate in the Data Liberation Initiative.This means that information a member of the public would have to pay for, can be retrieved for free by a student. Students, through the academic library website, can use data for research. For more information about accessing statistics, students can talk to their subject librarian. Some resources that Statistics Canada has that might be useful to find demographics include the Market Research Handbook, Canadian Business Patterns, CANSIM data, Census data, and Canadian Social Trends, among others. There are other resources available via www. statcan. ca such as Community Profiles.Data are available down to gr oupings of the population of about 2,000 to 7,000 people, meaning students can find demographic data for each 2,000- to 7,000-person neighbourhood across the country. Purchased by Gaia Cuccarini (gaia. [email  protected] it) on March 21, 2013 Page 8 9B08M057 Global Information Although global research may not be as important for a product such as The Piercer, other entrepreneurial projects may require researching the global market. Economic Intelligence Unit, Global Market Information Database and Business Monitor Online are three resources that provide global market and industry information.Other Helpful Resources Students are encouraged to use the World Wide Web to help them find good information. For example, city homepages often have information about setting up a business. Association websites also can have helpful information. Also, banks have entrepreneurial information on their websites. In addition, many books in the library explain how to develop small business plans or provide information on entrepreneurship. Purchased by Gaia Cuccarini (gaia. [email  protected] it) on March 21, 2013

3 Sentences with Unnecessary Semicolons

3 Sentences with Unnecessary Semicolons 3 Sentences with Unnecessary Semicolons 3 Sentences with Unnecessary Semicolons By Mark Nichol Semicolons, used to separate two independent clauses or two or more words and/or phrases in a list when at least one phrase is itself a list whose items are separated by commas, are sometimes erroneously employed when those conditions do not exist. Here are three such sentences, each followed by a discussion and a revision. 1. The regulation extends the civil market abuse regime to new markets and instruments; adds extraterritorial scope; and introduces a new offence of attempted market manipulation. A long sentence that lists several things with extended phrasing does not merit semicolons; commas are sufficient the separate the elements: â€Å"The regulation extends the civil market abuse regime to new markets and instruments, adds extraterritorial scope, and introduces a new offence of attempted market manipulation.† 2. The organization saw an opportunity to connect more clearly with a multitude of stakeholder expectations; position risk in the context of an enterprise’s performance, rather than as the focus of an isolated exercise; and enable organizations to become more anticipatory. This sentence does not require semicolons, either- â€Å"rather than as the focus of an isolated exercise† is clearly parenthetical to the second item, not part of a list within a list: â€Å"The organization saw an opportunity to connect more clearly with a multitude of stakeholder expectations, position risk in the context of an enterprise’s performance, rather than as the focus of an isolated exercise, and enable organizations to become more anticipatory.† (Notice how each item begins with a verb, signaling a clear syntactical structure.) 3. Advances in digital technologies- including intelligent devices and machines; virtual reality; mobile technologies; cloud computing; social business; and smart grids, factories, and cities in an app-centric world- are driving disruptive change. Only one item in this list itself consists of a list, and it is the last item, so no confusion about the organization of the sentence is likely: â€Å"Advances in digital technologies- including intelligent devices and machines, virtual reality, mobile technologies, cloud computing, social business, and smart grids, factories, and cities in an app-centric world- are driving disruptive change.† An alternative is to set the final item apart from the others: â€Å"Advances in digital technologies- including intelligent devices and machines, virtual reality, mobile technologies, cloud computing, and social business, as well as smart grids, factories, and cities, in an app-centric world- are driving disruptive change.† This version also avoids the cluttered look of a semicolon-laden sentence, though it makes the sentence slightly more complex. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Structure A Story: The Eight-Point ArcTaser or Tazer? Tazing or Tasering?48 Writing Prompts for Middle School Kids

Information Security Standards for Internal Revenue Service

Information Security Standards for Internal Revenue Service Information Revenue Service (IRS) is an American agency that collects taxes and enforces the tax laws that guide the entire process. Since the agency is handling information deemed confidential, it has employed numerous securities standards in enhancing confidentiality of their data.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Information Security Standards for Internal Revenue Service specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The information security standards at IRS have abroad perspective; the security components include physical security program, Privacy, Information Protection and Data Security (PIPDS), Information Technology (IT) Security, and National and Personal Security Information (Internal Revenue Manual, n.d.). Information privacy at IRS remains a key issue in enhancing taxpayers’ confidence. The purpose of physical security program is to offer protection to the lives of employees and the entire management of IRS. IRS protects its information through data security, physical security, and sensitive procedures of handling documents. These complex procedures ensure that these resources are not accessible to third parties. Third parties ease to data accessibility can cause risk and harm. In enhancing information security, IRS ensures that the security procedures are in line with the federal regulations of disclosure, access, disposition, and use of information. Under this program, there are authorities that ensure the employees and contractors meet the outlined standards fully. For instance, The Privacy Act of 1974 prohibits information disclosure from public records without a written acceptance from the concerned person. The Act follows a specified rule regarding allowing an individual to access any information. The rule clarifies on the timing fee and location under which the body can authenticate one to view the data (Internal Revenue Manual, n.d.). Although one has a right to get access to any of the agency’s records, an exemption prohibits information access by the public. If on request for information availability on a format that is already available, the agency is free to supply such information on a format that is reproducible. Additionally, IRS conducts annual security briefings to its employees in order to familiarize them with their security responsibilities. The agency only grants access to sensitive information on a need-to-know basis, and the employees remain responsible for providing security to all information to enhance trust among the public. The agency has a Physical Security Handbook that outlines guidelines on minimum information security standards that allow flexibility for developing higher standards for meeting different requirements. The management at IRS implements these policies on physical security.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In Information Technology (IT) Security, IRS’s systems and applications are secured (Internal Revenue Manual, n.d.). The IT Security creates, updates, and maintains information. This system enhances the security of information that the taxpayers have given to IRS thus averting issues of unauthorized information access. Clearly, information security starts with improving physical security of the organization. On Privacy, Information Protection, and Data Security (PIPDS), IRS uses modern technological applications to protect the taxpayers’ personal identifiable information. The agency uses these data according to the applicable laws and Presidential Directives (Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 2013). This step enhances confidence among the American taxpayers. Notably, PIPDS Programs and Policies carry out implementation of varied programs that boost information security standards. For instance, the Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) carries out th e overall assessment of both the internal and external threats that can compromise information confidentiality. This program follows the guidelines in the E-Government Act of 2002. Further, Information Protection program protects taxpayers from identity theft. The policies and procedures avoid access of data by hackers. Incident Management Program (IMP) is a program that takes necessary steps and responses in case of data losses especially personally identifiable data. IMP also responds to data disclosure, breach, and theft. IRS prevents third parties from accessing taxpayers’ private information. IRS launched IMP after the President’s Identity Theft Task Force recommendations of data loss notification. Notably, it is a requirement for employees to report any disclosure, theft, and loss of information within an hour. This reporting time limit is meant to minimize the possibility of compromising personal information thus can be used in committing fraudulent activities. However, an employee has to confirm the identity of the caller before reporting the incident within the stipulated one hour. This step helps in confirming if the caller is a taxpayer or not (US Tax Center, n.d.). The PIPDS office monitors and regulates Live Data Testing Reviews. The regulations restrict live data testing without prior written approval; this responsibility lies with the PIPDS office. Taxpayers who perform online transactions through computers are protected from fraudulent cases by the Online Fraud Detection Prevention. The launched phishing program conducts a global monitoring of those who access their websites; in case of malicious occurrences, the program reports to the central system for immediate intervention.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Information Security Standards for Internal Revenue Service specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Markedly, IRS has ensured safety of their data by usin g these programs. In addition, IRS assigns pseudonyms to all their employees. Pseudonyms are false identity names; they ensure safety of employees. In online transactions, such names make it difficult for trackers to identify the personal information of the employees. IRS policies require that an employee must give adequate justifications to why he/she wants to use the pseudonym. Employees have to register these pseudonyms with the managers; this is for accountability purposes. IRS also runs the Unauthorized Access (UNAX) program. UNAX program offers employees’ awareness on consequences of compromising data like losing the public’s confidence (Internal Revenue Manual, n.d.). There is also strict legislation on breaching of Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Personal safety also comprises of harassment, taxpayer contacting an employee with no legitimate communication, and taxpayer’s aggression towards IRS employees. The well-guided procedure on the use of pseudonyms shows the extent at which IRS puts into concern its information security standards. On its key principles, IRS works towards protecting individuals’ rights to privacy. IRS can distribute these data only when they are authorized by federal legislation. The employees can be allowed to access these taxpayers’ data. In case of information leakage to wrong or unauthorized persons during this process, these groups of people become liable. The law requires them not to leak any taxpayer’s information in any format, either electronic formats or hardcopy documents, to any person. The agency goes ahead to conduct in-house trainings to these groups of people in order to remind them of their daily expectations. Moreover, the senior management is always in the forefront in ensuring that the employees adhere to the privacy policy and data security procedures. In case of non-compliance, the senior management applies penalties in line with the IRS policy and guidelin es. The IRS Privacy Principles include the following: It is a public trust to protect employees and taxpayers’ privacies, information are only collected upon request from the tax management, these information are used for a specific purpose, and reliable information are to be obtained from individuals who relate to them (Internal Revenue Service Topics Page, n.d.). In their services and roles, IRS stipulates that its employees, visitors and contractors must adhere to the federal privacy guidelines. IRS system owners are expected to be formulating and promoting effective and efficient information protection, employee and taxpayer policy, and information security programs.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The different divisions in IRS enhance service delivery as specialization does increases work output. The information security standard is enhanced through IRS partnership with Government Liaison and Disclosure. The partnership ensures that the privacy policy applied in the agency is in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974. It also facilitates the development and distribution of periodical reviews that update the changes on information protection policy. The Information Security Standards for IRS uphold privacy of data. However, monitoring of people as they access information in the internet shows that privacy is at the same time not fully upheld. The idea of tracking for collecting statistical data is revoking the same provisions of information security as it results to tracking (IRS Has Improved Controls but Needs to Resolve Weaknesses, 2013). From this point of view, information in the World Wide Web seems to expose a persons privacy such as location and computer information l ike internet protocol address. Although IRS has made tremendous steps towards achieving total information protection, it still requires effective implementation of the information security program. Some of the components of security, which have not met their targets or operated effectively, include the IRS procedure of testing on the financial system. Data privacy is essential in element in any organization. IRS should ensure that all their security programs are effective thus working towards meeting their objectives. In the end, the improved services will raise taxpayers’ confidence, trust, and loyalty. References IRS Has Improved Controls but Needs to Resolve Weaknesses. (2013, March 15).U.S. Government Accountability Office (U.S. GAO). Web. Internal Revenue Manual. (n.d.).  Internal Revenue Service. Web. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). (2013, March 7).  USA.gov: The U.S. Governments Official Web Portal. Web. Internal Revenue Service Topics Page. (n.d.).  USA TODAY: L atest World and US News USATODAY.com. Web. US Tax Center. (n.d.).  US Tax Center | File Your Tax Return Online, Tax Extension, Tax Forms, Tax Help. Web.

Take in Stride

Take in Stride Take in Stride Take in Stride By Maeve Maddox A reader is curious about the expression â€Å"to take in stride†: What exactly does it mean and where does the expression come from? The verb stride is one of those lovely old words to survive from Old English. As an intransitive verb, stride means to walk with long or extended steps. The word connotes confidence and purpose. The past tense is strode; the past participle is stridden. The word is frequent in tales of knighthood: From out of the forest strides Merlin, dramatic, cape flowing When [the Green Knight] came to the water he would not wade it, but sprang over with the pole of his axe and strode boldly over the brent that was white with snow. The White Knight had stridden  confidently forward, armor glinting in the sun Stride is alive and well in contemporary contexts: From the start there was something about Woods’ air of invincibility that rubbed me the wrong way as I  watched him stride  down a fairway. It was a case of playing for pride when The Reds strode out onto the field for the final metro of the spring season. The verb bestride is not much used by modern writers, but can be found in literature. It means â€Å"to straddle or to step across.† For example, one bestrides a horse. A victor bestrides his enemy as he stands above him with a foot at each side of the prostrate body. Cassius vividly describes the ambitious Caesar as a giant standing high above ordinary people: Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus, and we petty men Walk under his huge legs and peep about To find ourselves dishonorable graves. As a noun, stride refers to a long step taken in walking: Having a longer stride can give you the edge you need when it comes to competing in a race.   In late 2007, the crossing [of Ladd Creek] was simply a long stride from one large rock to another. Idioms like â€Å"take in stride† are based on the noun. Here are the most common: to take in stride: to accept advances or setbacks as normal, to be dealt with as they arise. The image is of a person walking along without stopping for distractions. Examples: Successful traders take losses in stride. There was a time when Americans  took political  cartoons  in stride Paul Ryan  takes  fame and hecklers  in stride. to get into stride/to hit one’s stride: to reach a comfortable and efficient pace. Runners use this idiom in a literal sense to refer to getting into stride before reaching their optimum pace. Figuratively, it refers to the process of settling into a new job or situation. Examples: But Higuain is not the only striker who has struggled to get into his stride in front of goal in this tournament. How Long Did It Take To Hit Your Stride? to make strides: to make progress Lauvao making  strides  as he adjusts  to  Washingtons offense Future MBAs  Make Career Strides to break stride: to deviate from a steady pace while walking, running, or marching. This is another sports term that may be used literally. Figuratively, â€Å"to break stride† would be to pause or stop whatever one is doing. Paper blowing across the track can cause a horse to break stride. Rocco followed with a spiel that I clocked at five minutes and that never broke stride or, to my ear, approached coherence. to put off stride: to cause someone to deviate from a steady stride or movement in sports; to interfere with someone’s expected progress; to disconcert. The horse left his feet and was thrown  off stride  for a brief time. We like people who can laugh at themselves, who can find something risible in the news, and who may put an opponent off stride with some anecdotal jibes. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Handy Expressions About HandsSocial vs. Societal20 Names of Body Parts and Elements and Their Figurative Meanings

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Report - Essay Example This is determined by the direction of the moment (Bansal, 2001). When the moment on the left of the force is clockwise and the moment on the right of the force is anticlockwise, the moment generated is considered positive. However, this causes the beam to bend and is also called the sagging moment. There are two types of loads, which cause moments on beams. These are either concentrated loads or distributed loads. Distributed loads have the weight spread over the significant length of the beam. However, the concentrated loads have their weight placed on one point of the entire beam. The shearing force in the beam is the chance that at that point, the beam is likely to slide laterally against the other portion of the beam. The diagrams below best explain the relationship between beams which have uniform weight distribution, their bending moments, and their shearing force distribution along the length. For a beam whose length is denoted as l with a distributed weight of w supported on both ends: The total weight acting on the beam is W*L= WL The reactive forces at both supports of the beam are obtained to be WL/2 (for each end of the beam) In order for the moments to be calculated, the force on the beam is assumed to be acting on the middle of the beam (L/2) (Bansal, 2001; Kassimali, 2010). The moments calculated about a point X length from the left of the beam, will be denoted as: (WL/2)*X – (WX)*X/2 = WL/2 * (L - X) The maximum shearing force will be WL/2, and the minimum shearing force will be –WL/2. There is no shear at the centre L /2. The moment is greatest here, according to the analysis. This can be found by replacing X with L/2 to give: M= (WL/4)*(L - L/2) = WLL/8 The ultimate limit state allows that the load allowed on the beam be 1.33*W, where W is the weight of the first plastic deformation of the beam. Thus, the initial load allowed on the beam, considering the ultimate limit state design, should consider that the beam is subjected to elasticity up to a certain extent (Kassimali, 2010). The solution W = 5KN + 1 KN = 6 KN L = 4000mm = 4M Shearing force: Wl/2 =6000N * 4m* 0.5 = 12000NM 12 KNM The maximum moment: WLL/8 = ( 6000*4*4) / 8 = 12000NM The ultimate weight allowed is, 1.33 * 6000 = 7980 N Question 2 The U-values are sum of all the thermal resistances of the materials used in the construction of the walls of buildings. This is also described as the sum of the inverse of all the thermal resistances in the materials used in constructing buildings. Thermal resistivity is a measure of a material’s property to fight the transfer of heat across a material, with a temperature difference across it. These values are obtained from already set British standards, published by the British Standard Institute. The units for this property are (m2k)/W. Fabric heat loss in materials occurs when there is a temperature difference between two different sides of that material. Due to the difference, the material experienc es a process of heat transfer from the hot side to the cold side. In the construction industry, it is important to obtain the heat loss values in order to know how to heat up buildings in winter, to a desirable temperature. The units for the U value are W/m2K, which is the reciprocal of the thermal resistivity (Yogesh & Jaluria, 2003). The thermal resistivity of the dense brickwork – 1.6 Thermal resistivity of wool batts - 0.048 Thermal conductivity of glass –