What Is CBNA on My Credit Report CBNA Definition Explained

What Is CBNA on My Credit Report CBNA Definition Explained SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Have you recently had the name "CBNA" appear on your credit report and are unsure what it means? If so, you’re not alone. Many consumers have had hard pulls on their credit report from CBNA, which most commonly refers to Citibank North America, but can also refer to the Credit Bureau of North America, Community Bank, N.A., or Comenity Bank. In this article, I’ll talk about what seeing CBNA on your credit card means, what each of the companies associated with the acronym CBNA are, and what you should do if you find something unexpected on your credit card. What Is CBNA On My Credit Report? An unexpected inquiry on your credit card can be stressful and lead to many questions. Where did the inquiry come from? Does an unexplained inquiry mean my identity has been stolen? Will this inquiry hurt my credit score? One of the most confusing inquiries on credit reports is for CBNA. CBNA mainly refers to Citibank North America, which is a major consumer and business banking institution in the United States. If you see the letters CBNA on your credit report, that means that Citibank has pulled a credit inquiry on you. When a bank or credit card company pulls a hard credit inquiry on you, that means the potential lender is reviewing your credit because you’ve applied for credit with them. Hard credit inquiries happen when you’re applying for things like a credit card, mortgage, or car loan. Hard credit inquiries do adversely affect your credit report. For most consumers, a hard credit inquiry will take less than five points off their reports. If you only have a few credit accounts or a short credit history, however, a credit inquiry may hurt your credit score more. Having many hard credit inquiries in a short space of time will also hurt your credit score. If you’ve got an inquiry from CBNA on your credit report and you’ve applied for a CBNA credit card or loan, you shouldn’t worry. Hard credit inquiries are a part of the process that comes with applying for a new credit account. You can write to the institution to ask them to remove the credit inquiry from your report, but they won't always do so, especially if the inquiry isn't fraudulent. If you see the letters CBNA on your credit card and you haven’t applied for an account with a CBNA institution, you should take steps to protect your identity. I’ll explain the other institutions associated with CBNA in the next section, as well as what to do when you’ve got an unexplained inquiry on your account. What Else Does CBNA Stand For? While Citibank North America is the most common institution that uses the CBNA acronym on credit reports, there are several others. #1: Credit Bureau of North America: CBNA may stand for Credit Bureau of North America, which is a debt collection agency. If you’ve got an open account with the Credit Bureau of North America, that means that you have an unpaid debt that they’re attempting to collect. You should attempt to settle your debt by paying it off. The best way to do this is to negotiate a pay for delete agreement with CBNA that says that CBNA will remove their information from your credit report once you’ve paid the debt. #2: Community Bank, N.A.: CBNA may also stand for Community Bank, N.A., which is a small local bank that offers personal and business banking in New York and Pennsylvania. If you’ve got a credit inquiry from Community Bank, N.A., you may have applied for a credit line or loan there. #3: Comenity Bank: Comenity Bank is a bank that manages credit cards mainly associated with stores and brands such as Victoria’s Secret or Gamestop. If you’ve applied for a credit card recently at a store, you may see an inquiry from CBNA on your credit report. What To Do If You’ve Got Something Unexpected on Your Credit Report If you’ve got an unexpected inquiry on your credit report that doesn’t match any of your recent credit activity, you should take steps to protect your identity. Start with these five steps to make sure your identity is secure. #1: Contact the Company That Made the Inquiry The first thing to do is to contact the company that made the inquiry. Call the company associated with the inquiry and ask them to prove that it was you that triggered the inquiry. If they can’t, then you can ask the company to notify the three major credit bureaus to remove the inquiry from your account. #2: Document the Fraudulent Inquiry If you’ve determined the inquiry is indeed fraudulent, you should download and complete an identity theft complaint and affidavit form from the Federal Trade Commission’s website. These can be sent to banks, creditors, and credit bureaus in order to explain the inquiry and any other fraudulent credit activity. Depending on the situation, you may also want to fill out a police report. #3: Notify the Three Credit Bureaus After documenting the inquiry with the Federal Trade Commission, you should place a credit freeze on your credit report, which restricts access to your accounts and limits the new inquiries that can be made. You need to contact all three credit companies individually. #4: Place a Fraud Alert at the Three Credit Bureaus You can also place a free, 90 day fraud alert with each of the three credit bureaus. This alert tells creditors to verify your identity through extra steps before extending credit in your name. #5: Dispute the Inquiry at the Three Credit Bureaus The best way to dispute an unexplained inquiry is to call the credit bureau or mail a formal notification of your dispute, proving that the inquiry was fraudulent and unauthorized. Unauthorized inquiries are relatively easy to remove, but may require a number of different conversations to remove. In Summary Many consumers have asked themselves the question: â€Å"What is CBNA on my credit report?† or wonder if they've applied for a CBNA credit card when they see those letters on their credit report. An inquiry from CBNA on your credit report means that you’ve applied for a credit account with an institution associated with those letters, or that you’ve got an open debt in collection with the Credit Bureau of North America. If you haven’t applied for a CBNA credit card, you should take steps to protect your identity from fraud. What's Next? How can you find the best credit card for your needs? Narrow down what the best credit card for you is with this guide. Thinking about getting a Banana Republic store card? We cover the pros and cons of the Banana Republic credit card here. Looking to learn more about other financial acronyms and terms? Find out what return on assets (ROA) is and how to use that information here.

Transferred Epithet Definition and Examples

Transferred Epithet Definition and Examples A transferred epithet is a little known- but often used- figure of speech where a modifier (usually an adjective) qualifies a noun other than the person or thing it is actually describing. In other words, the modifier or epithet is  transferred  from the noun it is meant to describe to another noun in the sentence.   Transferred Epithet Examples An example  of a transferred epithet is: I had a wonderful day. The day is not in itself wonderful. The  speaker  had a wonderful day. The epithet wonderful actually describes the kind of day the speaker experienced. Some other examples of transferred epithets are cruel bars, sleepless night, and suicidal sky.   The bars, presumably installed in a prison, are not cruel; they are inanimate objects. The person who installed the bars is cruel; the bars serve to foster this persons cruel intentions. Likewise, a night cant be sleepless. It is a person who is experiencing a night where she cannot sleep. And, a sky cant be suicidal, but a dark sky might make a depressed person feel suicidal. Transferred Epithets vs. Personification Dont confuse transferred epithets with personification,  a figure of speech  in which an inanimate object or abstraction is given human qualities or abilities.  One of literatures best examples of personification is 19th-century poet  Carl Sanbergs description of fog: The fog comes / on little cat feet.†Ã‚   Fog doesnt have feet. Its an inanimate object. Fog also cant come or walk. So, this quote gives fog qualities it cannot have- little feet and the ability to walk. The use of personification helps to paint a mental picture in the readers mind of the fog slowly creeping in. By contrast, you could say:   Sara has an  unhappy marriage. A marriage, itself, cannot be unhappy. Marriage is inanimate; its just an idea. But Sara (and presumably her husband)  could  have an unhappy marriage. This quote, then, is a transferred epithet: It transfers the modifier, unhappy, to the word marriage. Meditative Foot Because transferred epithets provide a vehicle for  metaphoric language, writers have often employed them to infuse their works with vivid imagery. These examples show writers and poets effectively using transferred epithets in their works: â€Å"As I sat in the bathtub, soaping a meditative foot and singing...it would be deceiving my public to say that I was feeling boomps-a-daisy. - P.G. Wodehouse, Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit, 1954 Wodehouse, whose work also includes many other effective uses of  grammar  and  sentence structure, transfers his meditative feeling to the foot he is soaping. Wodehouse even makes clear that he is really describing his own feelings of melancholy by noting that he could not say he was feeling boomps-a-daisy (wonderful or happy). Indeed,  he  was feeling meditative, not his foot. In this sentence, the silence  cannot be discreet; its an inanimate idea. Its clear that the author and his companions were being discreet by staying silent. Were coming close to those little creeks now, and we keep a discreet silence. - Henry Hollenbaugh, Rio San Pedro. Expressing Feelings British essayist, poet,  and  playwright T.S. Eliot  uses a transferred epithet to make his feelings clear in a letter to a fellow British poet and novelist: You dont really criticize any author to whom you have never surrendered yourself....Even just the  bewildering minute  counts. - T. S. Eliot, letter to Stephen Spender, 1935 Eliot is expressing his frustration, probably to criticism of him or some of his works. It is not the minute that is bewildering; it is Eliot who feels that the criticism is bewildering and likely unwarranted. By calling the minute bewildering, Eliot was trying to elicit empathy from Spender, who would have understood his feelings and frustration. So, the next time you want to express your feelings in an essay, letter, or story, try using a transferred epithet: You can cast your feelings onto an inanimate object yet still make your emotions perfectly clear to your reader.

Cloud computing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cloud computing - Research Paper Example Cloud computing facilitates the dynamic attainment of computing units that can be released when the need ceases to exist. Such services prove to cut IT expenses for organizations and facilitate the business of individuals who do not have huge funds. 1. Introduction Computers have caused revolutionary changes in almost every field of life; education benefits from the concept of e-learning, businesses benefit from the invention of data centers and information management systems. All of these platforms require an effective and elaborate infrastructure to provide their clients with an uninterrupted service. This requires the individual programmers or organizations to heavily invest in the purchase, maintenance and thus administration of their infrastructure. The innovative concept of cloud computing saves such costs and provides an effective approach to manage the computing needs. Cloud computing is a new and evolving domain of the field of computers that has gained much acceptance in a very short span of time. Reference [1] defined cloud computing as a platform as well as a type of an application. This innovative concept offers the dynamic availability of servers, virtual CPUs, networks, software applications etc. There are broadly three types of cloud computing services; Platform as a Service (PaaS): Reference [2] stated that the platforms are used by developers to run applications or develop new ones. It dynamically offers all the components like (operating systems, server hardware) that would be needed for such execution or development. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): This service offers the availability of servers, networks, virtual CPUs, storage to fulfill the computing needs of the client. Software as a Service (SaaS): Reference [3]; the traditional use of software required the installation on a system but the innovative techniques of cloud computing do not possess any such prerequisite. The users can attain the operation rights to the software without a ny prior installation since the software runs on the data centers of the cloud computing service providers. All of these services are providing the levels of convenience and ease that have never been offered before. Reference [4] explained that organizations do not have to spend hefty amounts on the establishment of the infrastructure since all the computing needs are only a few clicks away. Reference [5] stated that the computing power that is acquired, with respect to some need, can be released when the need ceases to exist. The paper discusses the main characteristics of cloud computing that have gained fame for the respective technology. Section 2 discusses the traditional form of computing; alongside its limitations and constraints that make it inefficient to cater the growing needs of the modern times. Section 3 discusses the level of its success and predicted revenues for the future. It also discusses the main characteristics of cloud computing services that have overcome the limitations of the traditional form of computing. Section 4 involves a brief analysis of the merits and demerits of the technology. Section 5 discusses the top vendors in the industry that provide these web services. Section 6 concludes the report with an accumulation of the research findings. 2. Traditional data centers The traditional form of computing involved minimal level of scalability, due to which, investments had to be made to increase the volume

Pastoral counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pastoral counseling - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that many a time, people have thought mistakenly that being a pastor only entails the issuance of homilies and exhorting Christian congregants to observe Christ’s teachings. However, a critical look and direct involvement in pastoring not only corrected researcher's view but also underscores the comprehensive nature of duties which fall under pastoring. The author came to this realization when a parishioner left the congregation, following the failure of the parish to access proper counseling services, leaving him unsatisfied and unstuck. As far as the first year of pastoring and ministry is concerned, several challenges beset my aspiration to be the pastor the researcher had intended. He had difficulty in successfully and effectively reaching out to members of the church, especially when they needed counseling services. Part of this difficulty had its underpinnings in the fact that the author was still a novice in the work of the mi nistry. Being a novice in the work of the ministry also bombarded his psychology with timidity, and thereby hindering me from ministering well to a more mature audience. Conversely, there are some among the congregation who felt that he was too young to effectively minister to them. Secondly, he had not obtained formal training for the work of the ministry. Instead, the author was only armed with the conviction that the Bible as God’s word is an essential resource in counseling. To him, every problem that the parishioner had could be solved through the scriptural application. Â  ... Nevertheless, that there were problems in my approach and nascent stage of development in the ministry is a matter that was underscored by silent protest by the parishioners. Of much note was a parishioner who needed referrals to people-helper, in order to access counseling services. Due to my limitations, I doubted if I knew what to do exactly and continued to offer counseling services with little help. The culmination of this development was the parishioner leaving the church because of dissatisfaction and psychological detachment from the church. It is then that I realized that God’s commands are far much more than what can be attained by man, however sincere and devoted he may be, since those commands are spiritual. Again, when the parishioner left, I reckoned with the degree to which counseling is important in the running of the church. I came to appreciate the reason why Christ Himself is referred to as Wonderful Counselor. Current Needs and Expectations Even in the chur ch, it is expected that the man of God is equipped to do all that pertains to God’s work, and to align God’s people to God’s will. The spirit of love, power and sound mind is what God wills that His children have, yet competent counseling is a powerful tool by which love, power and sound can be acquired. Because of this, it is expected that the Church and the ministers are equipped to discharge duties and responsibilities that are geared towards ameliorating the condition of the faithful. Again, with the advent of the 20th century, the Church is expected to shift from classical views on counseling and personality and psychological soundness as being a culmination of spiritual warfare, or the ravaging

Globalization Problem Essay Example for Free

Globalization Problem Essay Introduction Globalization has practically changed societies all over the world. It has paved the way for the so called â€Å"borderless economy†. With the advent of the Internet, the role of information has dramatically changed the way people live and do business. As Naval points out in her paper, an immense reduction of time and space barriers among great nations is made possible through interconnectivity. She illustrated that such interconnections result to global transactions being done in the comfort zones of one’s home. This characteristic of the Information Age provides for accessibility to vast reservoirs of knowledge, which is power. 1 It is for this reason that all nations all over the world are adopting ICT-based solutions to address their information needs in this modern era of knowledge explosion. In the Philippines, the government anticipated the importance of Information Technology (IT) as early as the Ramos administration. Ramos in his speech at the First Information Technology and Telecommunications Education Congress outlined the National Information Technology Plan (NITP) of the government. He stressed that IT must be applied to the education sector as a means for national strengthening.2 In 1997, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) reported that the General Appropriations Act of the previous year provided some funds for the CHED-SUCs computerization program. Chairman Angel C. Alcala stated that majority of the fund was used to upgrade the computer capabilities of state-funded institutions. The biggest threat pointed out in the CHED computerization program was the readiness of the people in the educational institutions in the form of computer literacy to cope with the said technological changes. 3 Similarly, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) engaged in its own computerization program. Undersecretary Alejandro W.D. Clemente described the computerization project as two main thrusts, which are (1) improvement of learning/teaching environment and (2) management of education. While improvement of learning/teaching environment mainly involves direct use of IT tools in the classroom such as multimedia, computer-based training, etc., Clemente stressed that management of education through IT centers on three groups. These groups consist of support staff using application programs such as wordprocessors, spreadsheets and the like for processing. The second group is for the number crunching processing such as accounting, budgeting and others. Finally, the third group affected by IT in educational management is in the area of databanking. Storing of voluminous records such as student scholastic records may be kept and retrieved using computer technology. 4 In addition to government efforts, Malacaà ±ang has issued on July 12, 2000, under the Estrada administration, Executive Order No. 265, â€Å"An act approving and adopting the government information systems plan (GISP) as framework and guide for all computerization efforts in the government.† The order aims to provide a wide-ranging set of reforms to enhance government efficiency and effectiveness in its operations and delivery of basic services to the public. Furthermore, the executive order requires all government units to align their respective computerization projects to the thrusts of E.O. 265, also known as the Philippine Government Online. 5 In the light of these ICT undertakings at the national level, most specially in the education sector, former PUP President, Dr. Ofelia M. Carague was inspired to embark on a university-wide computerization project to address the information needs of the university, as embodied in the PUP Information Systems Strategic Plan (ISSP). The ISSP, in general, aims to address the mission-critical areas of the five sectors of the university, namely: Administration, Finance, Student Services, Academic Affairs and Research and Development. Different systems were lined-up for the different sectors of the university, such as, Admission System (AS), Enrolment System (ES), Student Grades Monitoring Systems (SGMS), etc. under the Student Services sector.6 Despite the massive computerization program of PUP during the early part of the Carague administration, the PUP Laboratory High School department was not included in the initial list of offices to be computerized, mainly due to the limited student population. This view was somehow overturned by a fire incident which threatened to destroy the archived student records in the possession of the high school registrar. This was cited by PUP LHS in its appeal to be included in the computerization project. The Polytechnic University of the Philippines Laboratory High School has been in existence for more than half a century since its inception in 1954. Throughout its existence it has adopted several information systems, both manual and automated, to facilitate in its day-to-day operations. Recently, the high school department engaged in an upgrading of its Student Information Systems (SIS). The semi-automated operations were replaced with a fully automated system known as Laboratory High School Student Information System (LabHiSIS). LabHiSIS is composed to two subsystems, namely: (1) Enrolment System (ES) and (2) Student Grades Monitoring System (SGMS). This transition from a semi-automated to a fully automated system entails a lot of adjustments on the part of LHS students, faculty members and non-teaching personnel. Thus, the researcher aims to assess the implementation of the said subsystems of LabHiSIS in order to understand the efficacy of the said system implementation, using as basis common good qualities of information, which an efficient or effective information system must provide. The study shall likewise identify the pr oblems encountered during the system implementations. Background of the Study The Polytechnic University of the Philippines Laboratory High School (PUPLHS) located in the main campus at Sta. Mesa, Manila is the only surviving high school unit of PUP. Previously, there were high school department in other PUP branches like PUP Bataan and Lopez branches. There were some motions in the past to close the department, but it was vigorously opposed to by certain sectors of the university citing that PUP LHS is an integral department of the College of Office Administration and Business Teacher Education (COABTE). The latter was founded in 1904 formerly starting as the College of Business Teacher Education while the former was established in 1954 to pioneer a unique commercial curriculum. The curriculum’s defining attributes are the subjects on distributive arts, which consist of Stenography, Bookkeeping and Salesmanship, viewed as a tool to make the students more equipped for early employment. The students are required to take one of these as a major in junior and senior year. The curriculum has remained very much intact for the past fifty years with very minimal modifications, like the inclusion of computer subjects. Though COABTE acts as the mother unit of the high school department, certain autonomy in the management of PUP LHS is given to its administrators. For instance, the LHS Registrar is not bound to adhere to procedures implemented by the university registrar to the colleges. In addition, since it is under the university system, the high school department also enjoys a similar type of independence from DepEd control. The PUPLHS enrolment process employs a typical manual enrolment process. Despite of this nature, the LHS administration is able to manage the enrolment due to the small student population. The enrolment starts with the filling up of registration forms at designated enrolment centers. Prior to this initial step, old students must be cleared of any accountability during the previous school year. Next, the student pays Student Council fees along with other organizational fees. The third step is the assessment of fees which is manually computed by the teachers themselves. After which, the students must pay the amount at the Cashier’s Office located at the main building. Finally, the student has to proceed to the LHS Registrar’s Office for the validation of registration certificate.7 This concludes the manual high school enrolment process, which is less complicated as compared to the college enrolment. Common problems under this situation arise from long queues of students waiting to be processed up to incorrect assessment of matriculation and other fees. The grades of the students like most secondary level institutions are likewise computed manually. The process starts with the posting of grades in the summary sheet which is done on a quarterly basis by the teachers. Each section has one summary sheet to which all subject teachers input the grades of students bel onging to the section. The posting of non-academic marks like attendance, conduct and homeroom are also posted on the summary sheet by the section advisers every quarter. Another type of quarterly report being prepared by the teachers is the report cards of the students. On the fourth quarter of the school calendar, the teachers must compute the subject averages and post it on the summary sheet to determine those who passed and failed from among the students. This is very crucial in the deliberation process of PUP LHS faculty members so that they are guided as to whom are the candidates for kick out or transfer. In addition, the advisers are responsible for the computation of the general weighted average and the posting of academic and non-academic marks on the report card of all the students under his advisory. Next, the teacher encodes the grades of the students to the Student Permanent Record form of the LHS Registrar’s office, which serves as the official scholastic record of the student. Finally, the teachers must prepare their grade sheets to be submitted to the LHS principal. The registrar, on one hand, is responsible of producing the Transcript of Records (TOR) of both graduates and students for college application purposes. At this stage, the student grades are encoded to the computer for the very first time. This summarizes the complex and tedious manual process of grades processing in PUP LHS.8 The manual systems in PUP LHS suffer from a lot redundancies. In their manual processing of student grades the only instance where the grades of the students are made in digital form is when the Registrar encodes the grades for the Transcript of Records (TOR) preparation. The rest of the processing stages consist of manual posting of grades unto different reports. When the appeal of PUP LHS to be included in the computerization project was approved by the Office of the Vice President for Finance, the PUP Information Linkage Systems (PUPILS) was tasked to assist the high school department in its request. The initial agreement was to customize the Integrated Student Information System (iSIS) of the college for the high school unit, but due to some differences in business logic the developers decided to create a system from scratch instead. Development started in April 2002 and the developers employed a Rapid Application Development (RAD) strategy in developing its first component – the Enrolment System (LabHiSIS-ES). The LabHiSIS package is composed of the following subsystems, namely: âž ¢ Enrolment System (LabHiSIS-ES) – a system which handles the registration needs of the students during enrolment periods. âž ¢ Student Grades Monitoring System (LabHiSIS-GMS) – a system which monitors the accumulating grades of student s. In a short period of barely two months, the PUPILS LabHiSIS development team prepared a fully functional stand-alone enrolment system. It was implemented in May 27-30, 2002 to all year levels of PUP LHS. LabHiSIS used a pre-printed implementation strategy. In this strategy, the registration certificates of the high school students were printed in advance. This facilitated the simple distribution of registration certificates to the enrollees during the enrolment proper, which were done by the enrolling advisers. After two years of implementing the Enrolment System in the department, the development team started with the development of the second subsystem. The first implementation of the Student Grades Monitoring System was implemented in SY 2003-2004. Throughout the entire development phase of the LabHiSIS systems, the system developers were guided by the following system objectives which they envision to be accomplished by the systems once operational. The LabHiSIS-Enrolment System’s objective is to automate the enrolment processing by generating a pre-assessed and a filled-up registration certificate. It shall also assist with some pre and post admission processing like the generation of unique student number. With the system, the faculty members of PUP LHS would no longer have to manually assess the matriculation and fees of the students. Though it is still not connected online to the university’s Cashiering system, the developers believe that this automation would provide a significant improvement to the LHS enrolment processes and, at the same time, introduce computerization to the PUP LHS community thereby preparing them for the second LabHiSIS module – Student Grades Monitoring System. The development of the more complicated Student Grades Monitoring System followed a multifaceted set of objectives. The objectives are as follows: 1. The Student Grades Monitoring System must automate the entire grades processing of PUP LHS from the time of its initial posting up to the generation of student Transcript of Records (TOR) for the department’s graduates. 2. SGMS shall produce highly accurate reports, namely: Temporary Quarterly Report Cards, Final Report Cards, Quarterly Summary Sheets, Student Permanent Records, Grade Sheets and Transcript of Records. 3. The system shall uphold confidentiality of student grades, thus, preventing unauthorized access to certain subject matters. The teachers will be limited to the subject assigned to them. 4. The system shall promote a high standard of grade integrity and eliminate the repetitive manual posting/inputting of grades into different kinds of reports. It shall centralize the printing of reports which is the sole responsibility of the system administrators. The administrators, though with access rights to view the grades, have no access rights to modify any of the grade entries. The faculty members are, thus, assured that the grades they have entered are the same grades to appear regardless of the report type. With this scheme, discrepancies will be avoided and the faculty would only have to input the grades once. Theoretical Framework In this study, the theory of Prof. Karl Weick, from the University of Michigan, known as Information Systems Theory was used as one of the basis for the study. The theory primarily states that â€Å"An organization should connect with information processing. Information is the key item that all organizations must possess.† 9 According to Sweeney, the theory of Karl Weick can be tested for practical utility. This means that, â€Å"The more effective communication is, the more effective the organization will be, and as a result it [organization] will be more successful.†10 The theory when properly applied to an organization can increase business control which is one of the fundamental functions of management. Efforts, however, to improve organizational performance do not instantaneously arrive as a result of having computer-based information systems. Prof. N. Kano, in his Theory on Customer Satisfaction, identified several categories of quality attributes which influence customer satisfaction. He discussed the importance of Basic, Excitement and Performance Factors as the three attributes directly involved with client satisfaction. He stated that basic factors present the minimum requirements in any product which will cause dissatisfaction if not fulfilled but do not cause customer satisfaction when fulfilled. Excitement factors tend to cause customer satisfaction whenever fulfilled but do not promote dissatisfaction if absent. Performance factors causes satisfaction if the performance is high†¦they cause dissatisfaction if the performance is low. 11 Though this theory mentions of characteristics applicable to a product, it must be noted that software is considered a product. 12 In order to guarantee customer satisfaction the product must be carefully evaluated thoroughly. The Evaluation Theory according to Prof. Mel Mark, from the Pennyslvania State University, as one of its many application provides the important key whether or not to implement a new program. In his article Evaluation Theory and What are Evaluation Methods For?, he mentioned that evaluation theory acts as a performance measurement system that can identify problem areas and provide a feedback mechanism regarding the apparent consequences of a certain decision. 13 Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework employs the Systems Approach technique. It begins with the Input Box, which represents factors that must exist before the study can take place or a phenomenon can be investigated. In this study, the inputs are the respondents of the study and the LabHiSIS-Enrolment System and LabHiSIS-Student Grades Monitoring System. The second box is the Process box. It contains all the procedures taken in the study. In the study, the process begins with data gathering through a survey questionnaire. Other information was also derived from informal interview. After data tabulation the next step was the application of a correct statistical tool. Finally, analysis and interpretation was made on the basis of the statistical results. The third box is the Output box. It shows the findings of the study regarding the efficacy of the systems. Likewise, it also aims to identify the problems encountered in the systems implementation. A return or feedback arrow signifies the repetitive and continuous nature of the process. After the findings have been concluded a new set of problems may arise which requires another inquiry or investigation. Statement of the Problem The study assessed the effectiveness of the Laboratory High School Student Information Systems, particularly its two subsystems; Enrolment System and Student Grades Monitoring System. Similarly, it aims to answer the following specific questions: To what extent do the respondents rate the effectiveness of the LabHiSIS-Enrolment System in terms of the following software quality attributes: 1. Accuracy; 2. Completeness; 3. Timeliness; 4. Reliability; 5. Security 6. User-Friendliness? To what extent do the respondents’ rate the effectiveness of the LabHiSIS-Student Grade Monitoring System in terms of the given software quality attributes: 1. What are the problems encountered in the implementation of LabHiSIS, specifically its two subsystems – Enrolment System and Student Grades Monitoring System? Significance of the Study Change is not an easy thing to embrace. It is the very nature of man to resist change. This resistance is commonly due to the fear of the unknown. Information Technology, as a catalyst of change, is a major fear factor for many institutions and individuals. Thus, this study aims to assess the LabHiSIS implementations made to PUPLHS. The main goal of the study is to identify the efficacy rating of the LabHiSIS system implementations. Findings of the study are expected to contribute to the further refinement of the system and its future implementations. The study, upon its completion, will benefit the following stakeholders of the university, namely: The University Officials/Administrators. Implementation problems identified in this study can help top management arrive at sound decisions regarding budget allocations, policy formulation, etc. The Academic and Administrative Employees of PUP LHS. Through this research the employees would be able to express their comments regarding the system so that positive changes can be taken into consideration by the developers as a result of the system assessment. The Systems Developers. The developers of the system would greatly benefit from this research mainly because the users response to the questionnaire would serve as a gauge in measuring the system performance. The weak points identified in the study can become the focus of their corrective maintenance of the system. The Future Researchers. This research can serve as a model for other studies on system implementations that other researchers might want to investigate. It is important to note that through research the precious feedback coming from the beneficiaries or system users could be obtained. In this case, the beneficiaries of the LabHiSIS systems are the students while the users are the academic and the non-teaching personnel. The Students. The last beneficiary of the system study is the students of PUP LHS. They would benefit from the improved service brought about by refinements in the system which is in turn a result of the problem identification and performance appraisal found in this study. Scope and Limitation of the Study This study is concerned with the system implementation of the LabHiSIS computerized Enrolment System and Student Grades Monitoring System to PUP Laboratory High School in school year 2004-2005. It includes all the following enrolment and grades processing activities: (1) Academic Subject Enrolment and Assessment of Matriculation and Fees; (2) Posting of Academic Grades and Non-Academic Marks and (3) Generation of Periodic and Demand Reports. In addition, the study includes the system stakeholders, namely, faculty members, non-teaching personnel and students of PUP LHS. The study is however limited to 2nd year up to 4th year students only as the first year students, in June 2005, still have no knowledge and complete experience with the two LabHiSIS subsystems. Definition of Terms The following terminologies were used as operationally defined in this study: Accuracy of information simply means that the information system is error free. Administrator is in-charge of the system security for both subsystems. As such he has access to all utilities menu commands. Completeness of the information means that all needed details are incorporated in a report or output produced by an information system. Effectiveness refers to the satisfactory performance or rating of the system based on software quality factors such as Accuracy, Completeness, Timeliness, Reliability, Security and User-Friendliness. End-users are members of the faculty and non-teaching staff of the PUP Laboratory High School who directly interact or use the computer-based information system. LabHiSIS refers to the Laboratory High School Student Information System, a computer-based information system designed to automate the enrolment and grades preparation process of PUP Laboratory High School. The system is composed of two subsystems, namely the Enrolment System and the Student Grades Monitoring System. Reliability is an information characteristic which means that the output or report produced by an information system can be depended upon by its users despite changes in the environment which may affect the system. Security refers to the ability of the system to limit accessibility of the users thus safeguarding confidential or restricted records from any form of unlawful access. Source documents, as used in this paper, pertain to the Summary Sheets from which all academic and non-academic marks of the students are initially posted by the subject teachers from their respective class records. The summary sheet is used for reference by the faculty members during the encoding of grades to SGMS. Timeliness of information is about the prompt release or issuance of a needed detail or report whenever it is needed. User Friendliness pertains to the characteristic of the information system to be easily understood by the users. Figure 1 Paradigm of the Study FEEDBACK OUTPUT PROCESS INPUT Assessed Laboratory High School Student Information Systems (LabHiSIS): Enrolment System (ES) Student Grades Monitoring System (SGMS) Solutions to the Problems Encountered in the implementation of the systems. Assessment of the Laboratory High School Student Information System (LabHiSIS) Subsystems: – Enrolment System (ES), and – Student Grades Monitoring System (SGMS). Identification of the problems encountered during the systems implementation 1Naval, Victoria C., â€Å"Rethinking Prospects and Challenges of Globalization in Education†, The Mabini Review, Vol. 1. 2001 11Kano, N., â€Å"Customer Satisfaction Model†, http://www.12manage.com/methods_ kano_customer_satisfaction_model.html, 1984. 12Sommerville, Ian A., Software Engineering, 4th Edition, Addison – Wesley Longman Inc., 1995) pp. 5. 13Mark, Mel, â€Å"Evaluation Theory or What are Evaluation Methods For?†, http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/eval/issue30/theory.html 9Dudas, Marion, â€Å"Applying the Information Systems Theory to a True Situation†, http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~md413097/is.htm, 2000. 10Sweeney, Matt C., â€Å"Information Systems Critique† http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/ ~ms101996/is.htm 8Gonzales, Jaime Y., interview held during system development start-up, Registrar’s Office, April 2002 7Gonzales, Jaime Y., PUP Laboratory High School Enrolment Procedures, 2004 6Escober, Rosicar E., PUP Information Systems Strategic Plan, College of Computer Studies, Graduate School, Dela Salle University, Manila, 1999. 2. 4Clemente, Alejandro W.D., â€Å"Use of Multi-media in DECS†, IT Education in the Philippines: Preparing for the 21st Century, pp.29-34, February 1997. 5Estrada, Joseph Ejercito, Executive Order 256, Malacaà ±ang Palace, Manila, http://www.neda.gov.ph/ads/gisp/default.htm, 2000. Laboratory High School Student Information Systems (LabHiSIS): Enrolment System (ES), and Student Grades Monitoring System (SGMS). Problems encountered in the systems implementation 2Ramos, Fidel V., â€Å"Taking the Future in our Hands†, speech delivered in the First Information Technology and Telecommunications Education Congress, Dusit Hotel Nikko Manila, February 1997. 3Alcala, Angel C., â€Å"The CHED Computerization Program: Goals, Policies and Projects†, IT Education in the Philippines: Preparing for the 21st Century, pp.25-28, February 1997.

The North American Free Trade Agreement Essay -- essays research paper

The North American Free Trade Agreement Since the birth of this great nation in 1776, the United States has remained a dominant world power in many aspects. The American standard of living has been the envy of the world, powered by an economy rivaled by nearly no one. Our economy continues to be the rock with which the global economy can lean on, as evidenced by nations that rely on huge reserves of the dollar because of its stability as a means of settling international debts. Unfortuneatly, despite the solidity that our economy is so often associated with, we have accumulated a 5 trillion dollar (that's 9 zeros) national debt. Something has to be done about this colossal problem to ensure that the United States retains its status as a world power in the global economy. One vital catalyst to help promote growth and neutralize the massive account deficit and foreign debts is the North American Free Trade Agreement. NAFTA, for short, is one positive effort that not surprisingly, has met with the opposition of many. In light of this opposition, it is evident that NAFTA is accomplishing its primary goals and encouraging the growth of the American economy. NAFTA negotiations began on June 11, 1990 when former President George Bush and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gurtari met to discuss the possibility of revising current trade policies. The thing that set the NAFTA apart from other trade agreements historically was that it was to be the first trade agreement entered into between two industrial countries and a developing country. By much of the world the NAFTA is often viewed upon as North America's answer to the European trading bloc. Many provisions of the NAFTA take their roots in the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement which became operational January 1, 1989. A target objective was to create free trade between the United States, Mexico, and Canada rather than a comprehensive economic union such as that of the European Community. Whereas the EC dealt with monetary exchange rate issues by implementing a standard in currency called the "Euro-Currency", the NAFTA would be off limits to such control. Like many issues today, this topic was hotly debated. Many people vehemently argued that job loss and low wages would plague the United States and Canada inflicting more damage on these two ... ...rs for projects such as nature preserves, solid waste disposal, and the cleaning up of the Mexico-U.S. border. Another government agency that has been receiving a significant increase in funds is the Mexican equivalent of the United States' EPA. Provisions concerning the environment and industry standards may escape NAFTA, but due to mounting pressure, they will not escape serious revamping at the national level. In conclusion, NAFTA, the brainchild of George Bush and Salinas de Gurtari, has many positive aspects that with a little ironing out could prove to be a dynamic economic catalyst for this country. By using this export-led growth strategy centered around a reduction in tariffs over a 15 year period, the member nations can achieve all that they hoped to. After about 2 years of NAFTA, the U.S. has shown formidable gains in it's economy. To avoid problems that critics argue such as job loss and depletion of the environment, the U.S., Canada, and Mexico can create policies on the national level to curb such things as these from happening. All in all, granted support from the constituencies of the member nations, NAFTA should be around for a while.

Police Powers

Legal Studies | Outline some of the power police have to conduct an investigation. How does the current system balance the need for justice with the rights of citizens? The law defines what a crime is and whether a particular act constitutes an offence. The responsibility for enforcing criminal laws and ensuring they are adhered to lies with the police. The police are a part of an executive arm of government and so are separate from the legislature who makes the laws and the courts that make enforceable legal decisions and judgements.The responsibility that police have is the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of public order, but most importantly it is the police that are responsible for ensuring the criminal laws are observed. The role the police have in the criminal investigation process is to investigate crimes, make arrests if necessary, interrogate suspects and gather evidence against the accused. Once all evidence is collected police will then present the ev idence for judgement to the court on behalf of the state, either directly or through a prosecutor.An example a newspaper article titled â€Å"tougher terror laws† gives us an example of police having power to enter a home without a warrant and re-entered after twelve hours during an emergency under new anti-terror laws. Labour and the collation voted together in the senate last night to pass the legislation, this then create a joint parliamentary committee to monitor the AFP (Australian Federal Police) and the Australian Crime Commission. After a seven day detention limit for someone arrested on suspicion of terrorism the legislation was disregarded.This is an example police not using a warrant to enter a home. The article was specifically about terrorism and creating new legislation for anti-terror laws; in this case the legislation did no pass and was disregarded. Since this case there has been much legislation that has passed for instants The Anti-Discrimination Act 2004 w hich includes amending the Crimes Act 1914 to strengthen the powers of Australia’s law enforcement authorities setting minimum non-parole periods for terrorism offences and tightening bail conditions for those charged with terrorism offences as well as other initiatives.To the Anti-Discrimination Act 2004 there has also been The Anti-Discrimination Act (No. 2) 2004, The Anti-Discrimination Act (No. 3) 2004 as well as Anti-Terrorism Act (No. 2) 2005 which this basically which amends the Criminal Code to allow for the listing of organisations that advocate the doing of a terrorist act as terrorist organisations, establishes procedures for preventative detention and control orders, updates the offence of sedition and other measures.Another example I have is also from a newspaper titled â€Å"DNA on demand† which basically talks about New South Wales police having the power to demand DNA samples from any offender regardless of the severity of the crime. The power was appro ved by cabinet as part of a legislative package focused largely on anti-terrorism measures. Police have been given the tools to fight terrorist and other criminals. Under this new legislation police will be able to demand a hair sample or mouth swab after any arrest no matter how minor. All police have to do is believe that the sample will link the offender to the crime.There are also other measures which include police being able to use spikes as a weapon against terrorism or major crime suspects. But the civil libertarians accused the government of creating a peace state monitoring every aspect of the lives of its citizens. Both â€Å"tougher terror laws† and the article above both obviously is about creating anti-terrorism laws and how there should be tougher laws to make Australia terrorism free and keep the citizens safe because everyone has the rights to feel safe in the environment that they are living in. Police Powers Police Powers INTRODUCTION Police powers are defined as â€Å"legal abilities to perform actions that would otherwise be legally forbidden; they are not duties to perform actions to which the law would otherwise be indifferent† (Shiner, 1994). Police exercise powers with respect to detention and arrest, search and seizure, use of force, and interrogation of crime suspects’ . The degree to which police exercise these powers vary from one case to another. A police force with unlimited power might be more effective, but it would interfere with the freedoms citizens to enjoy.Thus, one major problem permeates the whole field of police powers: how to frame the law to give police adequate powers to perform their law enforcement duties, while at the same time ensuring that such powers do not allow arbitrary and unreasonable interference by the police with the freedom of the individual (Lambert, 1986). Lambert (1986) has stated that, police forces are expected to use powers of c oercion to function efficiently. He acknowledges that powers to detain suspects against their will are essential elements of the investigative process.He also suggests that, there will always be circumstances, where police forces will need to stop and question people, search them and their premises or vehicle and take them to the police station in order to proceed with the investigation, if need be, by force. This would enable them to carry out their job successfully. This term paper looks at two police powers namely the power to detain and arrest and the power to search people and places to seize evidence that are essential to ensure order and pursue criminals, while protecting the rights of citizens.Canadian criminal offences do not all have the same degree of severity. Understanding the classification of criminal offences is essential before discussing about arrest and detention. Arcaro (Arcaro, Classification of offences, 2003), has classified criminal offences in two categories : 1. Summary Conviction: Minor criminal offences that include indecent acts, disturbances, trespassing at night et cetera. 2. Indictable:Major criminal offences that include first degree murder, infanticide, kidnapping et cetera. ARREST AND DETENTIONThe term arrest has been defined as ‘actual restraint on a person’s liberty, without that person’s consent’, and ‘physical custody of a person with the intent to detain’ (Arcaro, Arrest without warrant, 2003). It involves a statement that person is under arrest and may/may not involve physical touch of the person In Canada, The power to arrest is provided by the Criminal Code and other federal statues as well as by provincial legislation such as motor vehicle statues. An arrest can be made to prevent a crime from being committed, to terminate a breach of the peace, or to compel an accused person to attend the trial (Griffiths, 2007).Griffiths (2007) proclaims that only a handful of criminal suspec ts are â€Å"formally arrested† when they are charged with an offence. He claims that most of them are issued an appearance notice by the police officer or are summoned to court by a justice of the peace (JP). He states that, sometimes, the police have to respond quickly without securing a warrant from JP. Section 495(1) C. C states four circumstances where a police officer can arrest a criminal suspect without a warrant: 1. Find a person committing a criminal offence 2. Reasonable grounds that a person has committed an indictable offence. . Reasonable grounds that a person is about to commit an indictable offence. 4. Reasonable grounds that a valid warrant exists in the territorial jurisdiction in which the accused person is found. (Arcaro, Arrest without warrant, 2003) Two additional conditions apply to making an arrest. First, the officer must not make an arrest if he or she has no â€Å"reasonable grounds†. Reasonable Grounds has been defined by case law as â€Å" a set of facts or circumstances which would cause a person of ordinary and prudent judgment to believe beyond a mere suspicion (Arcaro, Arrest without warrant, 2003). A police officer must have reasonable grounds that an indictable offence has been committed. Second, the officer must believe on â€Å"reasonable grounds† that an arrest is â€Å"necessary in the public interest. † This is defined specifically as the need to: 1. Establish the identity of the person; 2. Secure or preserve evidence of or relating to the offence; and/or 3. Prevent the continuation or repetition of the offence or the commission of another offence. (Griffiths, 2007) In practice, arrests are usually made only in the case of indictable offences.For summary conviction offences, arrest is only legal if the police finds someone actually committing the offence or if there is an outstanding arrest warrant or a warrant of committal. The Supreme Court of Canada has held that a detention occurs when a p olice officer â€Å"assumes control over the movement of a person by a demand or direction that may have significant legal consequence and that prevents or impedes access to legal counsel. (Griffiths, 2007)†. Detention is a part of arrest, but a person can be detained without being arrested.Upon arrest or detention, the suspect can choose between exercising charter rights or not. According to Section 10 of the Charter, anyone who has been arrested or detained has the right to be informed promptly of the reason for the arrest or detention. That person also has the right to instruct counsel without delay and to be informed about that right. Suspects have a right to retain counsel but do not have an absolute right to have that counsel paid for by the state. When an arrested or detained person does not have a lawyer, police must inform the suspect of a toll-free number that offers free preliminary advice.They must hold off on further questioning to give the suspect an opportunity to access this advice. Failure to do so is considered as an infringement of suspects’ Charter rights. SEARCH AND SEIZURE â€Å"Search and seizure† is defined as the power of the police to search people and places and to seize evidence. Griffiths (2007) suggests that, historically, under the common law, the way evidence was gathered did not affect its admissibility in a criminal trial. This scenario was changed by Section 8 of the Charter which protects all citizens against â€Å"unreasonable† search and seizure.Section 24 of the Charter requires evidence from an illegal search to be excluded from the trial as is would bring the justice system into disrepute. As a result, conditions and requirements have emerged regarding prior authorization for a search. Generally, a search warrant must be issued. A search warrant is a written document that represents judicial authorization for peace officers to enter and search a specific place for specific items, and to seize those items that are evidence to the offence, if they are found (Arcaro, Search and Seizure, 2003).Arcaro (2003) explains that search warrants must be preceded by an application; they are not automatically granted on the basis of a request by a police officer. He states that, justice may issue a search warrant if reasonable grounds exist to believe that there is in a building, receptacle or place: 1. Anything on or in respect of which any criminal offence under any federal statute has been, or is suspected of having been committed, or 2. Anything that is reasonably believed to be evidence of an offence against the criminal code or other federal statutes. . Anything that will reveal the whereabouts of a person who is believed to have committed any classification of criminal offence; 4. Anything that is intended to be used for the purpose of committing any criminal offence, against the person for which a person may be arrested without a warrant. Essentially the warrant authorizes the search for and seizure of tangible, physical items that are evidence that proves the commission of any classification of offences under any federal statute.The general contents of a search warrant include applicant’s name and signature, the place intended to be searched, description of the items to be searched for, the offence that the evidence to be searched for will prove, and reasonable grounds for belief that the items are in the place (Arcaro, Search and Seizure, 2003). All of the above contents must be sufficiently proven to a justice. If one area is deficient, the application will be rejected. Box 4. 4 (Griffiths, 2007) illustrates a situation where Supreme Court expanded police practice with respect to searches.Police responded to an anonymous tip from a caller regarding young men brandishing weapons by setting up a roadblock, searching for weapons in cars leaving the club. While doing so, they seized weapons from an unsuspecting vehicle. These weapons were ruled out as evidence by the Ontario Court of Appeal in acquitting the two accused, as it was obtained by means of a blockade, which was unlawful since there had been no evidence that anyone was in danger and that the police had not limited their search to vehicles described by the caller.However, the Supreme Court of Canada overturned the decision, deciding that the search was justified. It was agreed that stopping any vehicles from leaving the parking lot of the club was a reasonable response. This example illustrates that the Supreme Court has adopted more of a law-and-order stance in recent years. Works Cited Arcaro, G. (2003). Arrest without warrant. In G. Arcaro, Basic Police Powers (p. 353). Toronto: Thomson/Nelson. Arcaro, G. (2003). Classification of offences. In G. Arcaro, Basic Police Powers (p. 353). Toronto: Thomson/Nelson.Arcaro, G. (2003). Search and Seizure. In G. Arcaro, Basic Police Powers (p. 353). Toronto: Thomson/Nelson. Griffiths, C. T. (2007). Police Powers and Decisio n Making. In C. T. Griffiths, Canadian Criminal Justice (p. 367). Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd. Lambert, J. L. (1986). Arrest and Detention. In J. L. Lambert, Police Powers and Accountability (p. 230). London ; Dover, N. H. : Croom Helm Ltd. Shiner, R. A. (1994). Citizens rights and police powers. In R. S. Macleod, Police Powers in Canada: The Evolution and Practice of Authority (p. 76). Toronto: University of Toronto Press . ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Formal arrest takes place when an arrest warrant has been issued against the criminal suspect. Arrest warrant is a document that permits a police officer to arrest a specific person for a specified reason. It is issued by the Justice of Peace. [ 2 ]. A document issued by a judge directing prison authorities to accept a person into custody upon his or her sentencing or a document issued by parole board to revoke an offender’s co nditional release.