Carol's AIS class

Tuesday, April 29, 2003

http://www.acm.org/ubiquity/views/f_coyle_1.html This link is to an article about XML, Extensible markup language, which underlies the work being done with XBRL

telecommuting http://www.att.com/telework/get_started/gs_perscr.html
this questionnaire will give you feedback as to whether you would be a good candidate for telecommuting. This is one link related to the subject of remote connectivity that I mentioned in class.

Sunday, April 27, 2003

This posting is in response to Kirsten’s topic, Electronic Monitoring in the Workplace. I work for a fortune 500 company and until the NCAA tournament, did I realize how much our employees use the internet during work hours. Our network had been experiencing major glitches, which caused us to have to hire an outside contractor to do the required system work. On the scheduled day, the same day of the NCAA tournament, our Management Information System’s department had to disable all employees’ ability to access the internet. The high volume of traffic on the internet inhibited the contractors’ ability to perform the needed network maintenance. In consequence, the internet was shut down for a two-hour period. Ironic, that following Monday, Kirsten presented her topic on Electronic Monitoring in the Workplace. I do think that it is necessary for Corporations to monitor the activity of their employees. It maintains honesty and integrity. In visiting Kirsten’s blog, I found the number of cases between employees and employers to be excessive and surprising. As payment is rendered by the time of service, therefore, personal activities should not take place during the company’s time. I do agree with keeping an eye out, but also for the necessity of regulations.

I found Linsay's presentation most interesting. In the accountancy field, I work on a computer 40 hours a week at the minimum; however, during our closing period it can be 70 to 80 hours a week not including schoolwork. With this amount of computer, desk and chair contact, my body is ready for a months relapse. Lindsay's handout offered ways to eliminate such ongoing discomfort. Since her presentation, I have utilized her Office Exercises and have found it to be very beneficial. In my interest, I visited her blogged website, Huntel Wellness Connection. This site offered additional information on Ergonomics in order to help sustain a pleasurable working environment. For example, Huntel Wellness suggests ways to reduce the stress we inflict on our bodies from every day commotion. Ideas include, limiting time spent working on a computer without a break, not exceeding weight capacities of which our bodies are capable to lift, and to keep good posture. With my busy schedule and long nights, some days I can be very lazy from tiredness. I slouch, I stare non-blinking and I cross my legs, all of which violates correct Ergonomic positioning. I would like to see more interaction with employers and Ergonomics. Implementing daily office Exercises or mandatory breaks would be a key success in employee welfare.

This posting is in response to Mike's presentation on privacy trends and computers. I was very interested and somewhat surprised by how easy it is to get a hold of personal information. I decided to visit the privacy rights website that Mike recommended and found a wealth of information available through their fact sheets. The topic I found most interesting and helpful was identity theft. In this section I read two articles, "Coping with Identity Theft," and "Identity Theft: What to do if it happens to you." Last year one of my aunts had her wallet stolen and has been spending the past year trying to get her credit back in order. The thieves opened several new accounts under her name and spent thousands of dollars within the few hours that it took her to realize the wallet was missing. To me the most surprising side of the theft was the amount of time and money she had to spend trying to resolve all of the problems that were caused. Identity theft is a major burden on those whose identities are stolen and I thought this site had some very good tips on what to do if it happens to you.

Saturday, April 26, 2003

This posting is in response to Dan's presentation on e-banking. I am familiar with the Cash Management System for business because I have to work with that system in my daily job. I have not used many e-banking tools in my personal life. I do, however, know that in this world of convenience and speed, e-banking is a god-send for some people. Dan had remarked in his presentation that many people in the older generations are not comfortable with e-banking and, having worked in banking for several years, I know that this is true. Many people in the older generations who are not technologically-savvy would probably have a hard time grasping the e-banking concept. Again, I think too, that there are a lot of privacy issues with e-banking and I believe that we will see more and more regulations relating to this area in the years to come.

This posting is in response to Mike's presentation on Privacy Trends. My husband and I recently refinanced our home and of course, when you do this, a credit report is ordered. It was amazing (and scary) - all the information contained on the credit report that is so readily available to anyone who wants to order one on you. Truly, I believe that privacy is a huge issue...I think it is gaining in importance every day. Internet privacy, personal privacy - from medical records to financial records - these are all extremely hot topics now. Also, working at an insurance company, I am familiar with the MIB, Equifax and Trans Union systems and with the need to keep information confidential. I thought it was really interesting to hear the information that Mike presented on these systems.

Thursday, April 24, 2003

My posting is in response to Melissa Curry's blog on web taxation. I found this subject to be very interesting. Before reading about these new internet tax ideas I never realized such a thing existed. The website reveals some of the ideas behind internet taxing, and many of the flaws that could come from this process. It is almost ridiculous to think that things we download off the internet could be subject to a tax. This idea of taxing internet downloads and tangible merchandise is something that needs to be well thought out. The article by Aaron Lukas details some very important thoughts on internet taxation. I would think that once things like downloads are taxed it could lead to the creation of even more ridiculous tax laws. Also, these internet downloads are going to very hard to trace and tax correctly. The new taxes imposed could thwart people from using the internet, and would create a whole new area of cyber crime. This is a subject that is very interesting and needs to be of particular interest to people who frequently use the internet to download and purchase merchandise.

Wednesday, April 23, 2003

This posting is in response to Michelle Border's blog on onsightergo.com from March 28. I found this sight to be very interesting because I enjoy reading about ergonomics. Ergonomics continues to grow in importance in today's society. I do agree with the premise of this sight because I believe that managers should take resposibility in keeping employees healthy and safe at work. I particularly enjoyed reading the ways to reduce injury for workers. I believe that improving job design is the best way to reduce the growing number of repetitive strain injuries. Taking breaks from the keyboard is very important because the QWERTY layout on most keyboards has been found to cause many RSIs. Because this layout has always been the standard, I don't see it disappearing anytime soon, so breaks are crucial. Although I believe that employers and supervisors must take responsibility for their employees' safety, I also believe that employees must take care of themselves. Employees should take rests if they have to, and they should ask for ergonomic equipment if they feel any threat of getting a repetitive strain injury.

Tuesday, April 22, 2003

I found Kirsten's topic and posting to be quite enlightening. As having been both a manager and an employee I see the necessity for employee monitoring. We'd all love to be able to trust the people we work with and who work for us but the truth of the matter is that there are many folks out there who do not have your best interest at heart. Business is business and if you don't protect yours, who will? I would probably let the employees know I was monitoring them but maybe not the full extent of the monitoring. I think the suggestions given on the site to employers who are considering monitoring was very insightful. They gave you ways to cover yourself legally with your employees and ways to protect your business at the same time. Certainly the type of business you were involved in I think would determine the level of monitoring needed. The more cash handling, for example, may lead to more monitoring of employees to ensure no one is skimming off the top. And as for communications over the internet or the phone, I don't think we have the right to expect complete privacy when having conversations over these media at work. As an employee I just try to find a place to work with a mature, ethical environment and realistic bosses. Luckily, I've hit it pretty close right now. But I still don't expect complete privacy while I'm on the phone at work.

I was very interested in Melissa's topic of internet taxation. With the global reach of the internet it feels strange to have individual states trying to claim pieces of it for themselves. In many cases I would think it would be very difficult to determine which state would get the money. It'll definitely take some individuals in a decison-making capacity who can think outside the box of brick and mortar businesses to comprehend the complexity of internet transactions. The subject of taxation certainly hasn't affected my decision to make purchases on the internet--mine is more of a privacy issue. Where the greatest impact lies is more in the way internet taxation by states would deter or encourage a business to set up shop in a particular state. I think they mentioned something on the site about any form of taxation not taking the form of collusion between states but serve as another aspect of competition to attract new businesses to any given state. In an ideal world, the internet would remain tax free, and as long as the decision-makers remain completely confused by this whole internet business I think we are as close to that ideal world as we are ever going to be.

Monday, April 21, 2003

I am responding to Melissa's information about internet taxation. I think this is a fascinating subject and one which is a lot like internet security in that it has not been fully resolved yet and will continue to evolve in ways that we don't even know about yet. It is obviously a complex and hard to solve issue, otherwise I am 100% sure we would already have massive taxation of internet commerce in place. The government - both federal and local - never miss an opportunity to get their share of any form of free enterprise. I will be interested in hearing how close we are to getting an internet commerce tax and how the government plans on implementing and regulating it. Also the fact that internet commerce is so global raises more complex issues on how to tax certain transactions.

Internet Taxation and Telecommunications Tax Policy
The contentious ongoing battle over Internet taxation promises to be the hottest high-tech fight in Congress and State capitals across America during the next few years. At the heart of this debate lies the question of whether state and local sales and use taxes should be imposed on goods and services purchased via the Internet. Moreover, the debate has raised important questions about the taxation of the telecommunications industry in general. Specifically, should the telecom industry be singled out for unique tax burdens and levies that other industries do not face?

I thought that Colleen's speech on wireless communications was very interesting and decided to visit the wireless toolbox that she recommended. This is obviously a very vast subject that can become overwhelming with the abundance of information available. However after looking around awhile in the mobile/computing devices area I found a neat article on wearable computers. This can be found in the cordless/intelligent peripherals section. This article talked about the future of wireless devices and the goal of making them small enough that they are almost invisible within one's wardrobe. Many different companies are working on these types of gadgets and developing such ideas as a watch like device. What I found to be most interesting was that the author stated that these devices will allow us to go about our daily activities, but yet we will be able to be on the computer while doing so. Basically, you would be able to check you email while cooking, and the device will be triggered by arm movements. I think this is fascinating! This website was very informative and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for wireless communications.

I am responding to Kirsten's posting that was made on March 30 about workplace monitoring. The article that she included, "Technological Surveillance in the Workplace," was an eye-opening breakdown of each kind of monitoring that can be done and whether or not that monitoring is legal according to the law. I thought that her presentation was shocking because I had never realized that this type of monitoring could take place! I had been under the impression that workers had to be notified if they were being monitored. Where I previously worked, we were informed that monitoring was going on, so I was comfortable with it, and I think that you should be informed if you are being monitored. However, while being monitored I came to the conclusion that I don't understand where the lack of distrust comes from. As workers we have confidence in the company's that we work for, we are not allowed to walk into the accounting offices and demand to see the records because we are afraid that they might be concealing something or that the business is in trouble. So why then are employers allowed to distrust their employees so much? Doesn't this hurt the team morale? I personally don't understand why you would hire people you have so little trust in. Furthermore, if the businesses' success lies in the hands of your employees how hard are they going to work for you if they know you don't trust them? I spent most of my days watching my every move and worrying about the monitoring instead of focusing on being the best worker I could, and throughout it all I had a general feeling of dislike for the company because of their lack of trust in me.

This is in response to Mike's blog on privacy trends. I visited the privacyrights.org site and found the site to be extremely informative. I especially liked the fact sheet. I looked into the privacy concerning medical records. I know there was a new act passed last week concerning medical records. When I took my daughter to her Pediatrician I had to sign a lot of papers outlining there practices concerning the transmission of medical information because of the new act passed. I think this is an growing problem with the powers of computers. I know I was anxiously waiting for test results a few months ago and when I didn't have them Friday evening I was very upset at having to wait through the weekend. A friend of mine, who is a nurse, told me that was no problem and she called the hospital and had someone who was working on her floor (a floor completely unrelated to the tests I had done) look up the results on the computer. Not only did she have the results, but copy of the test. I was completely amazed that anyone who works in the hospital can access anything on the computer about anyone. I think that is really scary. I don't understand why records aren't limited to access by the physician only. Furthermore, I went to a specialist several weeks ago and I thought it was strange that I didn't have to fill out a "previous history" sheet. I was even more shocked when the doctor came in and started asking me about specific medical procedures/medication. I asked him how he knew all of this information and he told me he had purchased a computer software package available to physicians that gives them access to such information. I had always thought that medical records were private, but obviously that is not the case. I also found the information on junk mail and telemarketing interesting. I am really looking forward to hearing Mike's presentation. I think privacy is a topic that is very important to everyone.

Since I tend to like electronic devices I was very interested in Colleen's site. I have a PDA and I was interested in finding out more about their capabilities and to verify I'd made a good choice in mine. My husband and I are also half-heartedly shopping around for new wireless phones and this site was able to give us some good information about what's available. I would have loved one of those PDA's that's also a wireless phone but I couldn't quite sell that idea. This site is so jam-packed with information that I saved it as one of my "favorites" on my computer at home so I could reference it the next time we need to look up information about these products.

I am responding to Blake's posting on ergonomic devices. I like to have the correct tool for the job, whatever the job is and I am very interested in this subject. The statistics listed on the link made me think about the significant increase in injuries and how the modern office is the most dangerous workplace in the US. I think this is because so much of it is left up to the individual user and many workers refuse to operate their equipment properly. I loved looking at all the gadgets on his sites. They look sleek and modern and you can tell they look very comfortable. I liked the elbow rest and the laptop straddler in particular. I personally spend all day on the computer at work. Add to that the time required on the computer for homework etc. and I can feel my wrists and my eyes getting very tired. I can imagine how costly it can be for businesses to remodel with ergonomics in mind. But with more than 70,000 computers in the workplace today, it may be more costly for them not to.

Privacy Rights website. Firstgov. My presentation is on Privacy Trends and Computers. My presentation specifically deals with the wealth of computer databases that contain peoples private information. These databases hold information on bank accounts, medical records, and Also, I will give some tips on how to keep your information private and safe from identity theft. This topic is very broad and contains a lot of information on different privacy topics. For the purpose of my presentation I narrowed it to some of the basics. For more information you can check out the two websites on information privacy and compuers. These sites offer different ways to keep your informaiton off major data sharing databases.

Sunday, April 20, 2003

My presentation is on encryption dervice . how we can protect how information, without anybody playing with our information . Also some of the process that we have to do and what we have to use to secure how information so that unexpected person will not be reading how document when we are at work or any where that we maybe. The website that can give more information on encryption_http://www.pgpi.org.

This posting is in response to Blake's presentation on ergonomics. I had only minimum knowledge of ergonomics before this presentation. I entered the link to the copergo site of ergonomic products. It was interesting to see how many different types of ergonomic keypads, mouses, and chairs were available. I work at an office where people are generally sitting and typing at computers for long periods of time each day. I frequently hear some of them complain of problems caused the by poorly constructed furniture. Although many people complain of such problems the office has done little to provide more ergonomic furniture for employees. Currently, the office only will provide ergonomic chairs for employees if they have a physical problem and can provide a doctors note. The statistics on physical problems related to poor office furniture in Blakes presentation seemed to show that ergonomics was a problem in the business world. Poorly designed computer keyboards and office furniture could pose huge lawsuits for employers. Hopefully more business offices will start providing ergonomic solutions for employees.

This is in response to Blake's presentation. I knew very little about ergonomics before this class so I was glad to see so much information on the websites that he posted. A girl at my work has had carpel tunnel surgery, so I am familiar with the special items that she needs for comfort and in order to prevent further deterioration. Several years ago, a portion of our work complex was remodeled and new furniture, including chairs and new desks were put in place. I have worked in both the un-remodeled and the remodeled sections and I know how the better chairs and improved desks have helped several people in our workplace. It is amazing to me how the introduction of the PC has increased the number of Repetitive Motion Disorders. We think of the PC as this incredible tool that helps us with our daily lives, but on the other hand, look at the problems it is causing.

This response is in regards to Colleen's posting on Wireless Communication. When I first saw the site I had to sit back for a good five minutes to take in the expanse of information that could be tapped into on this site. This site deals with all issues, from Gateway to WAN's to encryption. I choose to look into the topic of MAN's. A MAN is a metropolitan Area Network that connects several local are networks that lie in a geographical region larger than that covered by a LAN (local area network), but smaller than a WAN (wide are network). The pulled up much information and many products and services that assist with the design and development of a wireless network architecture. I was feeling a little overwhelmed so I decided to check out the careers in wireless communication. I didn't actually get to far with that because I had to submit a resume first and I do believe I might be a "little" unqualified for a job in this field. I did read that this site is unlike traditional recruiting services. ITtoolbox Staffing utilizes an expansive global knowledge network to identify companies that need IT resources, and uses that same network to locate ideal candidates for those positions. I can see why Colleen had a hard time with her speech. Yet, I think considering the circumstances that it was well done and the site gave her much justice. It is hard to find sites that encompass all that you wish to say and your site surely had a whole bunch of everything!

Wednesday, April 16, 2003

I am responding to Brittney's posting on Decision Support Systems. After reading her posting and hearing her speech, I became interested in this subject. I did find some interesting information in these sites, but I did have some difficulty understanding some of the technical aspects of the Microsoft: Decision Support Panel. However, I do realize the relevance and importance of Decision Support Systems in our society. The technology of the Microsoft Decision Support Panel is very impressive. It has the ability to provide ad hoc, free-standing analysis, and the results of the analysis may be e-mailed to other collaborators. DSP also has many other capabilities that are too detailed to describe here. The Cognos site gives a brief overview of its Decision Support System, but I didn't really gain too much insight about this particular system. Overall, I did enjoy these sites, and I did learn some valuable information. I also realize that this is a difficult subject to completely understand.

Monday, April 14, 2003

I am responding to Blake's posting on ergonomics. We are in the process of having new furniture ordered for our new library within the next few months and I found it interesting how much focus is put on ergonomics. Several companies have brought in chairs for us to try out and then we were given sheets to write comments on regarding how comfortable they were. I found most of the chairs brought in to us were uncomfortable for me since I am a small person. When we asked to have smaller chairs brought in, most of the companies were not able to provide chairs for a smaller person. I was glad to see on Blake's site there are chairs made for smaller people. We have never been given information about how much the chairs are but after looking at Blake's site I saw they range from $275 on up. For our staff alone, we estimate we need about 30 chairs. That is a lot of money just to ensure ergonomic safety for the employees. This may be a lot, but when a person factors in the costs that may be incurred from an employee's back problems or other injuries sustained from improper seating, it will benefit the employer. I'm glad to see there was a reason for having to try out all the chairs I have had to sit in within the last few months.

I found Colleen's site on the Wireless Toolbox to be very interesting and it contained a lot of resources. I did feel a little overwhelmed when the site first popped up because there was so much information on the screen. In order to get a feel for what the site had, I clicked on a couple of the links. I first clicked on the mobile computing devices and then on the PDA's. This excerpt talked about how more and more people are using PDA's and the need for them to be like laptops is important. Since so many people are using them everyday, these people are using these to type papers and do schedules. Therefore, PDA's are trying to keep up with laptops by being able to hook them up to printers and print out documents off of the PDA. Another link I looked at was on security and it discussed what security is. Also, it had links that would show you an example of security on Windows and how it applied to different programs. I see why Colleen can't fit all of this into ten minutes because wireless communications covers a lot of area in today's modern world. I'm looking forward to hearing Colleen's speech about the main points of wireless communication.

Sunday, April 13, 2003

I am responding to Blake's posting on The EasyMotion CPM®. I found the statistics on this site very interesting. For example, the median number of days away from work due to carpal tunnel syndrome is 24, but the median number of days away from work for amputation is 18. Wow. Also, the number of "Repetitive Motion Disorders" reported to OSHA has risen from 18% to 70% since the introduction of the PC in 1981. I hate to sound distrusting, but I have to wonder if that has something to do with the fact that this country is "sue-happy." I have no doubt that a large number of people actually do get injured at work, but having worked in a chiropractor's office and a family physician's office for two years, I definitely saw a few illegitimate cases. Either way, I think it is good that this topic is getting attention, so managers can try to bring those statistics down, no matter what the cause.

My presentation is on wireless communications. This is a dynamic topic and therefore is hard to keep up with. I found this site to be extremely informative and helpful with all aspects of wireless. The site contains an abundance of information. Please don't feel overwhelmed. The site has divided wireless into the following sections: applications, architecture, development, general wireless, infrastructure, mobile computing/devices, network management, networking, security, and standards/technologies. Obviously I cannot possbily cover all of this in ten minutes. That's why I wanted to post this site. If there is anything that I don't cover that you are curious about, I am sure you can find it here.Wireless Toolbox

My presentation is on Decision Support Systems. Anyone in any kind of decision-making or management supporting role can benefit from using one of these systems to organize their data and create various business scenarios. This gives the decision-maker the chance to plan ahead and influence the direction the business is going in. Most are designed these days to be pretty user friendly using natural language. While I didn't have time to get into specific systems in my presentation, the two links I have listed here are good examples of actual Decision Support Systems. If anyone is interested in learning more about the specific workings of these systems I invite you to visit these sites as they were very informative if not a little overwhelming from a technical aspect. Microsoft: Decision Support Panel and Cognos

Thursday, April 10, 2003

l am responsing to amber 's posting , the posing is an interesting one that am looking forward to hear. The most shaking thing to me was the percentage that forgery is really high l don't know that the percentage of people destroy other people life. I hope the goverment will find a solution to this problem that it outrageous and for other people that don't know how this people get the information of other people and love to destroy it. Amber am looking forward to listern to your presentation and l hope you will have alot of information to share with us so that we can all learn and have some information to help ourselves from people that like to destroys life and get away with it. Good luck on your presentation

Wednesday, April 09, 2003

It’s known that fixed postures breed muscle tension and restrict vascular flow - the two leading symptoms of computer-related injuries. Motion, whether active via mandatory exercise breaks, or passive via CPM, is the only natural way to break static muscle tension and increase blood flow to the soft tissues of the hands and wrists. The EasyMotion CPM® is the only engineered solution to automatically deliver the natural motion needed. Besides the information about the EasyMotion CPM®, this site provides interesting charts, graphics, and data relating to repetitive motion disorders and the related days away from work caused by RMDs. Also, if you are interested in looking at various ergonomic devices, or if you are thinking about purchasing some ergonomic devices, the cogergo site may be helpful. This site provides users the opportunity to view various office ergonomic devices, and it even allows users to purchase the products.

Tuesday, April 08, 2003

Kirsten's posting and link to the site on personal privacy was very interesting. My project involves privacy trend and computers, this is closely related to some of things Kirsten talked about in her presentation. This web-site contained several pieces of information on computer monitoring and e-mail privacy. I also enjoyed viewing the issues on Title III wiretapping. I currently work for the U.S. Attorney and have had a few oppurtunities to watch presentations on wire tapping and e-mail surveillance. Wiretapping is a very complicated issue for law enforcement. This site presents actual court cases and direct issues dealing with wire taps and other forms of surveillance.

I thought Amber’s information on Forgery and Fraud were very interesting. The website she noted had a lot of good information on it with a lot of helpful statistics. I had one instance of dealing with forgery when I worked at the bank where someone’s daughter had written a lot of checks out of their parent’s account for a good deal of money. I also dealt with numerous occurrences where people would write checks on closed accounts or shift money between two banks to cover bad checks. This is a form of fraud I believe. Also, when I ran a restaurant for a number of years, we would constantly be on the look out for checks from certain people who we knew would intentionally write bad ones. We had a few instances of forgery there to deal with also. I know that it is hard to ever get back any money from these people for the businesses involved, and it is frustrating to know that you have been scammed. The instances I dealt with were usually for small amounts, but Amber’s material shows how these small amounts add up to a big impact on the economy overall. It is a difficult problem to deal with, especially when you are dealing with some of the more experienced criminals who can really fool you with their explanations and manipulation. I really enjoyed reading the information on Amber’s link and seeing how big a problem this really is.

Monday, April 07, 2003

I'm responding to Lindsay's posting on what OSHA is doing to implement ergonomics in the workplace. I didn't find much on how ergonomics affects employers, besides employees missing work. The two articles that you have links to are exactly some of the information that I used to complete my presentation. The www.osha.gov site has great references and statistics to ergonomic injuries and what OSHA is doing to improve the situation. I try to mention the four pronged approach and the General Duty Clause in my speech. I decided to give a brief background on OSHA because they're a big part of what makes up ergonomics today. I'm interested in hearing what the other ergonomic speeches are about and what information is presented. I tried to remember when working on my speech that I need to stray away from the other two ergonomic topics, so I don't overlap. I agree with you that the two articles you have are great references to what OSHA is doing to prevent ergonomic injuries. Also, the two articles are just great references for any person to research what ergonomics is about. I can't wait to hear your speech on what employers can do to implement ergonomics in the workplace. I'm sure I'll learn a lot more about ergonomics than what I've researched. Good luck on your speech!

This is in respnose to Amber's blog on forgery and check fraud. I found your website very interesting! We had a guest speaker come to a management course last semester from Bank of America and she really emphasized the issue of check fraud. She asked the class what we felt was the biggest fraud issue affecting banking and everyone thought it would be hackers and internet fraud. The class was amazed that check fraud was by far the biggest problem for the banking industry. I never knew it was so easy to "make" your own fraudulent checks! The statistics on your website were amazing. If there was $12 million in check fraud in 1996, I can only imagine what it has been in more recent years! I am really excited to hear your presentation. I am sure it will be very informative.

Sunday, April 06, 2003

"Black-box" and "White-box" In penetration testing, the project can be conducted in one of two ways: black-box (with no prior knowledge of the infrastructure to be tested) or white-box (with complete knowledge of the infrastructure to be tested). As you might expect, there are conflicting opinions about this choice and the value that either approach will bring to a project. Some penetration testing organisations will suggest that when given the choice, the black-box approach is the best because it closely simulates the process of a real hacker. This is an interesting theory, but not particularly true. Firstly it presupposes that an attacker doesn't have any knowledge of your systems, which is actually unlikely. If someone is targeting your organisation specifically then it is a strong possibility that they do indeed have detailed knowledge of your systems and procedures (an ex-employee with a grudge for example). In which case it would be wise to assume the worst, that they in fact have complete knowledge of your systems; because if your security relies solely on the secrecy of your designs, then you do not have any tangible security at all. Secondly, a hacker will not be limited to any time constraints that might be applied to a penetration test. For arguments sake, they will not have a week in which to circumvent your security measures, they will happily be able to probe away for years (if undiscovered) until they find a weakness they can exploit.

Forgery: Difficult to find data on the "market" of the document falsification in France and Europe. Nevertheless, American studies on the phenomenon are eloquent. American institutions have become aware of the extent of this risk which is increasing constantly. The advent of electronic trade and other means of payment did not alter the curve of progression of the use of the cheque, nor even use of documents and written contracts. $12.000 Million ...The Office of the Controller of Currency indicates that check fraud reached $12.000 million in 1996. Each day, more than 1,2 million fraudulent checks will penetrate the American banking structure in 1998, representing more than $300 million.+1.300%... In 1981, the FBI declared 1.825 cases of falsified checks worth more than 100.000 dollars. In 1991, the number went up to 26.931 (an increase of 1.300%).




The mission of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to save lives, prevent injuries and protect the health of America's workers. To accomplish this, federal and state governments must work in partnership with the more than 100 million working men and women and their six and a half million employers who are covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
OSHA has a four-pronged comprehensive approach to ergonomics designed to quickly and effectively address musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace. The four segments of OSHA's strategy for reducing injuries and illnesses from MSDs in the workplace are: guidelines, enforcement, advise, and assistance. This site explains these segments and how employers will be affected by them. Also, in this site you can information on the General Duty Clause, which OSHA will use to provide legal action against employers who are not in accordance to ergonomically correct practices.

This reply is in response to Michelle Borders's posting on ergonomics. I found it very interesting because my presentation is on what employees can do about ergonomics in their work evirnoments. I found the site to be benefitical for me. Yet, I was wondering, how does ergonomics affect the employer. I found many sites, like the one you posted for employees, but I have not found many good sites that represent the employer and how they are effected by ergonomics. Your site collarborated with much information that I have too. The most interesting topic in regards to ergonomics that I found at most sites, including yours, is the exercises that employees can do to minimize their risks of developing an injury. I am awaiting to hear your speech to see if you found much information that pertains to the emploer.

Recording Industry
Beware of sharing music electronically
RIAA Sues College File-Swappers - Ryan Naraine, Internet News

The RIAA wasn't bluffing. Following through on a threat to sue illegal
file-swappers at universities nationwide, the Recording Industry Association
of America (RIAA) has slapped four lawsuits against operators of what it
described as "Napster-like internal campus networks" that aid in the theft
of copyrighted songs. Just months after seeking the cooperation of college
administrators and sysadmins to eliminate the peer-to-peer networks from
campuses, the association filed suits against two individuals from the
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and file-sharing operators at
Princeton University, and Michigan Technological University.

Saturday, April 05, 2003

tifaq.com
Repetitive Strain Injury and Back Pain:
Low Back Pain – The crippling condition that prevents you from living your life fully!
Do you wake up in pain? When you are trying to get out of bed the pain in your back takes your breath away…you move slowly…you make it into the shower and let the hot water run on your back…and finally you’re “almost ok”. And it’s still early in the day! As the day goes on it seems to improve a bit, until you get into the car and drive home. By the time you try to get out of the car the pain is back with a vengeance. This time it doesn’t seem to get any better, and you eventually go to bed – to repeat the cycle tomorrow.
Many people go to their chiropractor and it feels better for awhile, but the pain keeps returning. There is a very logical reason that it comes back. I’ve mentioned this in past newsletters, but it is so important that I believe it deserves to be repeated.
These conditions can all be the end result of muscle spasms! While it seems incredible that a simple thing like a spasm can cause so much trouble, it’s easy to understand when you take a close look at the body. There are 600 muscles in the body and 206 bones. The only reason that bones move is because muscles pull on them (unless you have a traumatic accident), and therein lies the problem. The muscle originates at a stationary point in the body; it then crosses over a joint and inserts onto another bone. When a muscle contracts it pulls the insertion point toward the origination point, and the joint bends.

Tuesday, April 01, 2003

I think the information provided by Jamie Nichols through her link to 2600.com is very interesting. This topic is very intriguing not only to me but to most people, and I enjoyed the chance to visit the hacker's website and see what they themselves say about what they do. I also enjoyed the discussion about the various individual hackers and their exploits. I agree that they are looked at with both awe and disdain at the same time, and I liked reading more about them and what they did and are doing now on the links provided by Jamie.