STRATEGIC NETWORK OPERATION :: essays research papers

Anyone who's run a network operations group knows the frustration that accompanies management inquiries about â€Å"our network strategy.† To be successful, a strategic network plan must define the services the network will offer the line operations of the business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Network, in computer science, techniques, physical connections, and computer programs used to link two or more computers. Network users are able to share files, printers, and other resources; send electronic messages; and run programs on other computers. A network has three layers of components: application software, network software, and network hardware. Application software consists of computer programs that interface with network users and permit the sharing of information, such as files, graphics, and video, and resources, such as printers and disks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Network software consists of computer programs that establish protocols, or rules, for computers to talk to one another. These protocols are carried out by sending and receiving formatted instructions of data called packets. Protocols make logical connections between network applications, direct the movement of packets through the physical network, and minimize the possibility of collisions between packets sent at the same time. These are some of the different types of Network software: Appletalk, Arpanet, Bitnet, CWIS, Ethernet, IBM Token Ring netwrok, Internet, LAN, and USENET. Also Class A, B, & C network refer to the different types of subnet protocol. Local Area Networks(LANs), which connect computers separated by short distances, such as in an office or a university campus, commonly use bus, star, or ring topologies. Wide area networks (WANs), which connect distant equipment across the country or internationally, often use special leased telephone lines as point-to-point links, and is the biggest network.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When computers share physical connections to transmit information packets, a set of Media Access Control (MAC) protocols are used to allow information to flow smoothly through the network. An efficient MAC protocol ensures that the transmission medium is not idle if computers have information to transmit. It also prevents collisions due to simultaneous transmission that would waste media capacity. MAC protocols also allow different computers fair access to the medium. One type of MAC is Ethernet, which is used by bus or star network topologies. An Ethernet-linked computer first checks if the shared medium is in use. If not, the computer transmits. Since two computers can both sense an idle medium and send packets at the same time, transmitting computers continue to monitor the shared connection and stop transmitting information if a collision occurs. Ethernet can transmit information at a rate of 10 Mbps.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most significant - and successful - encroachment occurred when switched Ethernet devices appeared on the scene.

Social Media in the Hiring Process

A current and somewhat controversial topic regarding the hiring process is employers’ use of social media screening. The most popular sites to be checked are Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter and now more than ever, companies are looking on the Internet to see if applicants are active on these social media websites (Swallow). Harris Interactive conducted a survey of 2,303 respondents from February 9, 2012 through March 2, 2012 to find out how many companies used social media sites to check on job applicants.The results showed that 37 percent of respondents indicated their companies used social media web sites to check on job candidates. Sixty-five percent indicated they were looking to see if a job candidate appeared professional and 51 percent indicated that they were checking to see if the candidate would be a good match in the company’s culture (â€Å"Social Media A Big Part of Hiring Process†). Another survey done by a social media monitoring service, Reppler, reveals even higher results.Their study found that over 90 percent of recruiters and hiring managers have visited a potential candidate’s profile on a social network as part of the screening process. The study also shows that 69 percent of recruiters have rejected a candidate based on content found on his or her social networking profiles although 68 percent say that they have actually hired a candidate based on his or her activity on those sites. The most common reasons for rejection include lies about qualifications, inappropriate photos (racy or indicative of drug or alcohol use), negative comments about a previous employer, and poor communication skills.The most common reasons that an employer has hired someone after viewing his or her social media profile include demonstration of a positive personality and good organizational fit, evident creativity, and good references posted by others (Swallow). Although screening social media profiles can provide employers with a weal th of useful information, it also comes with some potential pitfalls. Employers can get in trouble by obtaining information that is unlawful to consider in an employment decision such as an applicant’s race, religion, national origin, age, pregnancy status, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, and gender.In order to decrease the likelihood of a discrimination charge, employers sometimes have a person not involved with the hiring process review social media sites in order to filter out information about inclusion in a protected class (Michale). There are also social media screening services that claim to filter out any information pertaining to a protected class (Sterling Infosystems). As was mentioned earlier, one of the reasons for employers choosing not to hire someone based on their social media profile is inappropriate photos, including those in which alcohol use is shown.Using this as a reason to reject an applicant can put the employer in a sticky situation d epending on the particular state’s â€Å"off-duty† laws. In over half the states it is unlawful for an employer to take an adverse employment action based on an employee’s lawful conduct on their own time, even if the employee is only prospective. In â€Å"Using Facebook to Screen Potential Hires Can Get You Sued,† Robert Michale cites Minnesota as an example. In this state it is unlawful for an employer to prohibit a prospective employee from using lawful products such as alcohol and tobacco.So how can applicants protect themselves or best represent themselves within the social media domain? Renee Jackson, a Labor and Employment lawyer with Nixon Peabody LLP, has some advice to give. Jackson recommends that applicants assume that companies are looking for information about applicants online, whether or not it’s true. Another tip is to try displaying â€Å"the most professional online image possible. † In order to get a glimpse of oneâ€℠¢s image, Jackson encourages job seekers to Google themselves and some keywords from their resumes and see what results come up (Quast).Chirag Nangia, CEO of the social media screening service Reppify, offers advice similar to Renee Jackson’s. Nangia encourages job seekers to try to depict themselves in a manner that would be attractive to the company they want to be a part of. A ZDNet study indicated that British Facebook users are drunk in 76 percent of their photos. It doesn’t take a Human Resources guru to know that this is probably not the best representation of professional behavior (Quast). Finally, a prospective that hasn’t been touched on is that of the applicants.A study presented at the 27th Annual Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Conference in April 2012 shows that employers that use online screening practices may be â€Å"unattractive or reduce their attractiveness to job applicants and current employees alike. † The study involved 175 students who applied for a fictitious job they believed to be real and were later informed they were screened. Applicants were â€Å"less willing to take a job offer after being screened, perceiving the action to reflect on the organization’s fairness and treatment of employees based on a post-study questionnaire.They also felt their privacy was invaded. † Works Cited Ahearn, Tom. â€Å"Social Network Screening by Employers May Make Companies Unattractive to Job Applicants. † ESR News: Background Check News from Employment Screening Resources (ESR) A ». N. p. , 10 July 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. . Michale, Robert. â€Å"Using Facebook To Screen Potential Hires Can Get You Sued. † Fast Company. N. p. , 20 July 2012. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. . Quast, Lisa. â€Å"Recruiting, Reinvented: How Companies Are Using Social Media In The Hiring Process. † Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 21 May 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. . Quast, Lisa. â€Å"Social Media, Passw ords, and the Hiring Process: Privacy and Other Legal Rights. † Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 28 May 2012.Web. 18 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Social Media a Big Part of Hiring Process. † UPI. N. p. , 18 Apr. 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Sterling Infosystems – Why Screen? † Sterling Infosystems – Why Screen? N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. .

Proposed Act Would Give Federal Agents Power

Pornography is a big deal in America and arguably has its place. While New York City, Miami and Los Angeles are all cities with big porno markets, this week, record porn site hits came from another city.   Cleveland. Ohio! During the 2016 Republican National Convention, the number of people watching pornography videos surpassed the number of people who watched the Cavaliers win the NBA Championship. Yup. Turns out, Trump is good for the porn business. A record setting 873,294 videos were viewed in The Buckeye State after Trump’s name was put into pornographic search engines. Who knew the party of Lincoln drips with erotica? Since this subject is trending, let’s see if we can tie it in with animal rights. Yes we can! There’s a connection, and it’s very disturbing. First, a little background. Bestiality, or, sex with animals, is legal in plenty of states. But it’s not enough you know that, just for fun, I’m going to call them out on it so those who live in these states can get busy on the legislation needed to outlaw this sick stuff. Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Kentucky, Montana, Washington, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Vermont , Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming and, not surprisingly, the District of Columbia. Humans are not the only ones being screwed by politicians in D.C. Oh, and you can have intimate relations with a non-human in Guam with complete immunity. As if sexual abuse of  animals isn’t bad enough, some sickos just can’t stop until the animal or animals are tortured and killed for sexual pleasure. Just ask Brent Justice, 54, and his girlfriend, Ashley Richards, 25. This deranged Houston couple was  arrested in 2012 for making and distributing dozens of â€Å"crush videos† where animals were tortured by the couple while the couple engaged in sexual acts. Graphic details of what this entails can be found here. Puncturing a kitten’s eye with a high heel shoe is just the beginning. Don’t look if you can’t deal with the facts of the case. It’s not really important that you make yourself sick. What’s important is that you take action. More on that later. The Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act passed during the Legislative Session of the 111th Congress in 2010 prohibited the trade in pornographic videos in which animal cruelty is depicted. It states, in part:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Each of the several states and the District of Columbia criminalize intentional acts of extreme animal cruelty, such as the intentional crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating or impaling of animals for no socially redeeming purpose.† As if any of that can ever be sold to the public  as socially redeeming. The exact text of the Act can be found on GovTrack.US. Of course, nothing is ever easy so there are limits to what this law does. In a nutshell, the trade in crush videos is illegal but the act of animal cruelty isn’t. It’s confusing. So now, the 114th Congress which concludes in January, 2017, has been asked to plug up the loopholes in the 2010 act. Specifically, H.R. 2293 was introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith, (R-TX), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Tom Marino (R-PA) and Earl Blumenthal (D-CT). The Senate bill, 1831, was introduced by Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Entitled the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (PACT), this bill would prohibit the extreme acts of animal cruelty depicted  in the videos. It would also provide federal prosecutors with the ammo they need to prosecute offenders when the offense is occurring in a federal jurisdiction or interstate commerce. Federal agents would be permitted to pursue animal cruelty charges revealed while agents are  investigating another interstate violation, such as drug trafficking. Prosecutors could also stop to the transport of animals for the purpose of bestiality, even if the crime occurs in one of the states listed above. Ann Chynoweth is the Vice President of the Animal Cruelty Campaign for the Humane Society of the United States. She believes the PACT Act is sensible, bi-partisan legislation that would outlaw extreme acts of animal cruelty that occur on federal property or in interstate commerce.   â€Å"The PACT Act would strengthen current federal law that outlaws the commerce in crush videos where animals are tortured for a sexual fetish.   It would give federal prosecutors the ability to not only prosecute the peddlers of these hideous videos, but also those who crush, burn, drown, suffocate or otherwise torture animals to make them,† says Ms. Chynoweth.   â€Å"There is a documented connected between animal cruelty and human violence and that is why the National Sheriffs’ Association and more than 200 law enforcement agencies from across the country have endorsed the PACT Act.† So what can you do? â€Å"Not much is moving now during the presidential elections,† says Laura Bevan, Southeast Regional Director for the HSUS. But that doesn’t mean that after November, lawmakers can sit back and rest. No, they need to get back to the task at hand, passing laws to make life better for animals because animals have an inherent right to live their lives and make their way in the world without human intervention. So find out who your reps are (you can do so here) and call, email and visit them to urge them to support the PACT act. This shouldn’t be controversial, and there’s no appropriate argument against passage of this act.