Behavior of Packet Counts for Network Intrusion Detection

Behavior of Packet Counts for Network Intrusion Detection Statistical Behavior of Packet Counts for Network Intrusion Detection Abstract— Intrusions and attacks have become a very serious problem in network world. This paper presents a statistical characterization of packet counts that can be used for network intrusion detection. The main idea is based on detecting any suspicious behavior in computer networks depending on the comparison between the correlation results of control and data planes in the presence and absence of attacks using histogram analysis. Signal processing tools such as median filtering, moving average filtering, and local variance estimators are exploited to help in developing network anomaly detection approaches. Therefore, detecting dissimilarity can indicate an abnormal behavior. Keywords— Anomaly detection, statistics, Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS). I. INTRODUCTION NOWADAYS, the use of the Internet has become important and it increased considerably. Internet use has spread to daily work, business, education, entertainment and etc. Computer networks bring us a lot of benefits, such as computing and better performance, but they also bring risks. So, security systems have to be built to face those risks. One of those systems is the network intrusion detection system (NIDS), which is designed to alert the network administrators to the presence of an attack. Recently, intrusions are classified as serious Internet security threats due to the mass service disruption they result in, the unsafe use of the Internet, and the difficulty to defend against them [1]. Some attacks aim to consume large amount of resources to prevent legitimate users from receiving satisfactory performance. Network Intrusion Detection System is a tool to detect the attacks that attempt to compromise the availability, integrity or confidentiality of the network. It has been started to be used frequently as one component of an effective layered security model for an organization. This system monitors network traffic continuously for malicious activity, and raise alerts when they detect attacks. Existing intrusion detection systems can be classified into signature detection systems/ misuse and anomaly detection systems [2-3]. Signature detection systems rely on a database of a predefined set of attack signatures. They detect attacks by comparing the observed patterns of the network traffic with the database. If the attack is listed in the database, then it can be successfully detected and identified [4]. On the other hand, anomaly detection systems are designed to compare the parameters of the normal network traffic to the observed unusual traffic [5]. In such cases, the detected deviation from the normal traffic is declared as an attack. Such methods can detect new kinds of network attacks. In this paper, we aim to studding the intrusion and attacks behavior by monitoring the changes in the traffic of the network. Detecting dissimilarity between the correlation results of control and data planes can indicate an abnormal behavior [6]. This paper is organized as follows. Section II includes the anomaly detection techniques. Section III, includes the suggested statistical analysis. Section IV, includes the simulation results. Section V includes the concluding remarks. II. Anomaly detection techniques A number of studies have focused on developing network anomaly detection methods. For example, Haystack [7] is one of the statistical anomaly-based intrusion detection systems. In this system, a range of values is set to indicate the normal status of each pre-defined feature. If the values measured during a session lie outside the normal range, then the score of a subject is raised. Haystack was designed to work offline and that was considered as one of its drawbacks [8]. Statistical Packet Anomaly Detection Engine (SPADE) [9] is also one of the statistical anomaly-based intrusion detection systems. It uses the concept of an anomaly score to detect sport scans. A simple frequency domain based approach is used to calculate the anomaly score of a packet. The fewer the packets, the higher the anomaly score. One drawback of the SPADE is its high false alarm rate. In this paper, we concentrate on the statistical analysis of the correlation sequence between packet and control counts in computer networks [10]. The suggested approach is based on distinguishing histograms of the correlation sequences of normal and abnormal traffics. The correlation sequences are processed either directly or after pre-processing with differentiator, median filtering, or local variance estimation. III. Statistics Histogram Analysis Histogram is defined as a graphical representation of the distribution of data, a histogram is a function that counts the number of observations that fall into each of the disjoint categories, Thus, if we let k be the total number of bins and n be the total number of observations, the histogram mi meets the following conditions [7]: (1) Median Filtering The median filtering is based on sorting the data and selecting is the middle number. It is used to exclude impulsive values in the correlation sequences. Mean The mean is the average of a set of numbers (2) Variance The variance is a measure of how items are dispersed about their mean. The variance of a whole population is given by the equation [11] (3) where M is the local mean. IV. Proposed Approach The proposed approach can be summarized in the following steps: Network traffic packet traces are typically provided in raw tcpdump format [12]. Therefore, it is necessary to preprocess packets to extract the features in the format needed to carry out further analysis [6]. Extracting a count features, from the packet header information . Computing the similarity between the two traffic groups; control and data by using cross-correlation function. Applying some sort of pre-processing on the correlation sequence with median filtering, moving average, differentiator, and local variance estimation. Histogram estimation of the original correlation sequences and the pre-processed sequences. Creating databases for the histograms with attacks and without attacks. Setting thresholds based on these histograms for discrimination. V. experimental results We have used the cross-correlation results between the control and data packets when there is no attacks and when there is an attack for one day of KSU traffic. Fig. 1 shows the correlation coefficients between the control and data packets when there is no an attack. Fig 2 shows the correlation coefficients when there is an attack applied. Fig. 3 shows the correlation coefficients histogram distribution for normal and abnormal traffic. Fig. 4 shows the histogram distribution of the correlation coefficient median for normal and abnormal traffic. Fig. 5 shows the histogram distribution of correlation coefficients mean for normal and abnormal traffic. Fig. 6 shows the histogram distribution of the correlation coefficients local variance for normal and abnormal traffic. The experimental results reveal that when there is an attack, a noticeable difference in histogram distribution is found. Fig. 1 : Correlation coefficients for normal traffic. Fig. 2 : Correlation coefficients for abnormal traffic. Fig. 3 : Correlation coefficients histogram distribution for normal and abnormal traffic. Fig. 4 : Histogram of the correlation coefficients median for normal and abnormal traffic. Fig. 5 : Histogram of the correlation coefficients local mean for normal and abnormal traffic. Fig. 6 : Histogram of the correlation coefficients local variance for normal and abnormal traffic. From these figures, we can set a probability threshold for each case, based on which, a decision of normal or abnormal traffic can be taken. VI. Conclusion The paper presented a statistical study for the correlation coefficients between packet and control planes of network traffic. Simulation experiments have shown that there is a difference in histogram distribution between normal and abnormal traffics. With the aid of signal processing tools like median filtering, local mean filtering and local variance filtering, we can set a group of thresholds to distinguish between normal and abnormal traffics.

Mercury :: essays research papers

Mercury   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It’s average distance from the sun is approximately fifty-eight million km and it’s diameter is 4875 km, making it the second smallest planet in our solar system. It’s volume and mass are about 1/18 that of the earth and it’s average density is approximately equal to that of the earth. Mercury’s magnetic field is one-hundred times weaker than that of Earth’s. Mercury has the shortest revolution of all the planets in our solar system and revolves around the sun in about eighty-eight days. Radar observations of the planet show that its period of rotation is 58.7 days, or two-thirds of its period of revolution. That means that Mercury has one and one-half days in it’s year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mercury doesn’t have an atmosphere, but it does have a thin layer of helium. The helium is actually solar wind that is trapped by Mercury’s weak gravity. Scientists think that collisions with protoplanets early in the history of the solar system may have stripped away lighter materials, making Mercury a very dense planet with an iron core extending outwards 4/5 of the way to the surface.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mercury bares a very similar resemblance to our moon because it has a lot of craters. The craters, which cover seventy-five percent of Mercury’s surface, were formed by huge rocks that smashed into the planet’s surface. The largest crater is called the Caloris Basin and it is 1400 km in diameter and is flooded with molten lava. Mercury also has many cliffs that are usually over 300 miles long and two miles high. The rest of the planet’s surface is smooth and may have been formed by lava flowing out of cracks in the surface.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Temperatures on Mercury vary greatly because of it’s closeness to the sun. The surface temperature on the sunlit side is about 430 degrees Celsius, while the dark side may reach temperatures of -170 degrees Celsius..   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mercury was a difficult planet to study before the invention of the telescope. Even then, you could only see Mercury in the morning and evening. Then the Mariner 10 was built in the 1970’s to go observe Mercury.

The Iran Hostage Crisis Essay -- Diplomacy

President Carter’s New Year’s 1979 toast to the Shah at a state dinner in Tehran, announcing that he was "an island of stability in one of the more troubled areas of the world†, set the tone of the stance the United States had with the Shah which indicated support. This led to the trigger of The Iran Hostage Crisis that lasted 444 days, in which Carter allowed an ally, the unpopular Shah to flee to the New York to receive medical care for his cancer and escaping the Iranian Revolution. On November 4th 1979 student demonstrators raided the US Embassy in Tehran, capturing 66 Americans, in which 13 women and minority hostages were let go almost immediately and 1 ill man shortly after. The dislike the Iranian people had for the United States began in the 1950’s, whereas the United States became allies with non-communist regimes, regardless of their country’s people support. 1953 marked the US’s decision to become an ally with the Shah, the leader of Iran. The United State’s tie with the Shah involved using Iran’s oil wealth for economic development, furthermore he purchased billions of dollars worth of weapons of security from the US. In 1979 the monarchy was overthrown by radical Islams that were supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini, a Shia Muslim religious scholar. The motive of the Iranian students was to demonstrate their rebellion against the Shah, in which their demand was the return of the Shah for trial then execution, additionally they asked that the US stay out of their country’s internal affairs. Carter’s approach imposed the protection of the American hostages but also ensuring the alliance with Iran, this had a negative response that affected him being reelected. Carter entered office in 1977, a crucial time of America’s... ...Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute, 1985. Print. Smith, Steve. Policy Preferences and Bureaucratic Position: The Case of the American Hostage Rescue Mission. International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-) Vol. 61, No. 1 (Winter, 1984-1985), pp. 9-25 Published by: Blackwell Publishing on behalf of the Royal Institute of International Affairs Article Stable URL: (JSTOR) Hollis, Martin and Smith, Steve. Roles and Reasons in Foreign Policy Decision Making. British Journal of Political Science. Vol. 16, No. 3 (Jul., 1986), pp. 269-286. Published by: Cambridge University Press. Article Stable URL: (JSTOR) Pbs. "WGBH American Experience . Jimmy Carter . The Iranian Hostage Crisis | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. 1996. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. .

The Technological Life Cycle

Today we swim in a sea of ever-changing technology that affects us as much as our thoughts and actions shape it. The technology we have chosen, either by the preferences of those who use it, or the agendas of those who own and benefit from it, has had its own influence on us from gross examples such as increased pollution, or a higher Western-style standard of living, to the way one person perceives another. Some people who resist using some, or even all technology; they are often called Luddites by those who embrace all things new; another type calls themselves Neo-Luddites, such as Kirkpatrick Sale. In his book Human scale, Sale describes the slow rotting of the stones of the Parthenon and other ancient monuments to civilization from the acid pollution developed by our present Industrial civilization and compares it to the slow disintegration our industrialized society has seemed to have undergone. He identifies effects of technology which have been harmful to the human condition and the environment, but seems to not quite â€Å"get it† about the Luddites: they were not fighting the machines themselves; they were struggling against powers of society that, for the past century, through enclosure and the abolishment of commonality [and the subsequent arisal of a class of people who lived by renting their labor: the working class] (Laslett, 195), had been seeking to disempower and disenfranchise the mass of people, and were now striking anew with the latest, and most powerful manifestation of their social policies, the Industrial Factory. The men of Nottinghamshire who died as Luddites were fighting a system, not a technology, a system whose intentions were not to cut costs and increase efficiency, but to increase the control of management (i. e. the control of the owners of capital) over labor. Technological developments are made by, and in the best interests of those who own those who own and benefit from technical innovations (Law, 195). The history of Industrial factory technology begins to appear as a collective fetish of the ruling classes for instruments of control. In American Industrial development, the direction of technological development since the Civil War has been driven by the largest customer of that Industry, the Military (Noble, 334), and the society that works in and uses the products of that Industry has been affected by that direction. But as to the woes of our civilization, â€Å"†¦ Technology is not the problem, nor is it the solution. The problem is political, moral, and cultural, as is the solution: a successful challenge to a system of domination which masquerades as progress. † Social power is needed to direct the resources necessary for technological innovation; so during the history of the Industrial Age, at the beginning, the machines were new, large, and expensive, so only those who controlled enough social power to bring about the machines could decide on what forms those machines came in– the wealthy, and the state, through the needs of the military. Less expensive and more efficient technologies were stifled by those in authority if they did not contribute to the goal of taking power away from the workers and placing it in the hands of management. In this century, the development of Numerically Controlled (N/C) machine tools was controlled by the emerging military-industrial complex, which spared no expense to implement a troublesome and complicated technology that was no better than the conventional methods, and inferior to the alternative Record/Playback automated machining (Noble, 146). The Boeing plant in Seattle even had special switches on the machines so the operators could signal the manager for permission to go to the bathroom! (Noble, 243) The engineers of the 1950's announced the dawning of a Second Industrial Revolution- one that would finalize the subjugation of labor- but instead that Revolution has come full circle: we presently have come to a break-even point where the products of the Industrial Age are now its undoing; mass-production and the unprecedented ability of modern electronic communication. Mass production was intended partially to maximise the usefulness of expensive machines through continuous production, but also to discipline workers who had to attend to the rigors of working with a machine that never took breaks, never slowed down, and never stopped for a stray finger or hand. The reduction in the prices of many goods due to mass-production has enabled the average citizen to afford many amenities which would have been beyond his means a century ago- including capital goods, which more and more tend not to be heavy machinery, but relatively inexpensive electronic devices. The Information Age is just beginning, and the control of information is the control of power, power to direct the next step of technological development. Once, publishing required printing presses, copious amounts of paper, and the ability to distribute printed matter, and thus the wealthy controlled the written word. Now, anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can make a Web page accessable to millions of people around the world. Scientists use this ultra-efficient electronic journal to advance their research (Stix, 106), and now, the explosion of popularity in the net brings together people of all different beliefs and motivations into the discussion that shapes society. Political ideas once suppressed by newspaper chains and television networks now filter through the strands of the Internet. In this new society, anyone who is interesting enough can be a star (Browning). Luddites are not afraid to use new technology- somethings are better done by them (Martinez). Power looms had been around before Jacquard's innovation; for even a Luddite saw that it took much of the effort out of the work, and he could produce far more than with a conventional loom- but those machines amplified and extended the skills of the operator, instead of replacing them with punched cards. The center of the struggle through the ages never was machines, it always was, and still is information- the control of information- that is, skills and knowledge. Slavery devalues the enslaved, and desensitizes the enslavers. Free labor cannot compete fairly against slaves; this has been a fact since the beginning of history, and it applies whether the slaves are human or machines. â€Å"†¦ Our discrimination against machines hurts us just as much as it hurts the machines that we confine, in a second-order way, to the mechanical margins of our human civilisation. † (Law, 17) We prefer to think of ourselves as special, exclusively posessing self-awareness and intentionality, but what justifies our prejudice? â€Å"†¦ What entitles us to attribute intentionality to non-machines in the first place? What makes our description of human intentionality other than metaphorical? † (Law, 91) We fear being dehumanised by being equated with machines, because our speciist biases tell us that the non-human is less than human, just as racism and sexism deny the humanity of those who are not like us- but we are in fact part machine ourselves! Our lives are a series of human/machine interactions, and each living half of society is dependent on the other. The machines are alive, and to deny that they When machines are not free, neither are men, and both suffer. As long as the controllers of the machines can reap profit from their labor, they will continue the fight to eliminate the wage-earning human worker, and as they push their human and mechanical robots to higher levels of production, their suffering will increase: for example, between 1940 and 1945, eleven times as many Americans were killed or injured in industrial accidents than in combat. In most factories, management requires production speeds that cause machines to break down more frequently, and prohibit proper repair of them when they do, causing them work less efficiently– so they are run faster, forcing human workers to keep up with them, increasing accident and equipment failure rates†¦ So long as the machines are enslaved, they, through no fault of their own, will be used to bludgeon the working class, and then cast aside as scrap. The time has come for human and machine robots to come together in common struggle for the rights of both. Machines have the right to fair compensation for labor rendered as production, for their proper maintenance and repair. It is the responsibility of those work most closely with, and operate the machines, to advocate their cause, to ensure the collection of just compensation, and to protect and maintain them in good mechanical health. We cannot wait for the grace of capitalists to give up their slaves; a revolution is called for- a revolution of capital from the state and the idle rich to those who actually work with it at a person-machine level. A naive faith in technology's power to improve our lives through easier and less work has led organized labor in this country to the sorry state it is now in, while the increased profits and leisure time have mostly gone to a corporate elite. Waiting for technological deliverance at the mercy of the social powers that control technology is futile- labor must become proactive and strive to liberate themselves from the Industrial system by liberating the machines from their capitalist slave-drivers. A new social movement is needed, to spread awareness of the rights of machines as well as of men, and to help build a new class of capitalist/workers, who do not merely own their own means of production, but work together with machines towards a better future.

Brendon Gallacher and Medusa Essay

Loss is a key, reoccurring theme in my two poems of choice; ‘Brendon Gallacher’ and ‘Medusa. ’ ‘Brendon Gallacher’ is an affectionate elegy for an imaginary, eponymous childhood friend, ‘Medusa’ is a poem divided into stanzas of mostly equal length. Both poets use varying language to help the reader visualise the characters’ feelings and persona. Emptiness and loss are presented in both poems through numerous techniques including alliteration, imagery and refrain. There is a childlike quality to Jackie Kay’s elegy for the death of an imaginary friend. The persona uses simple language and a range of techniques such as colloquialism. Contrastingly, in Medusa, Duffy uses a sombre tone thought the poem which helps the poem flow naturally and contributes to the developing sorrow. In ‘Brendon Gallacher’, Jackie Kay’s use of a repetitive refrain gives a song-like quality; this is further reinforced by the interjections that show grief in the last lines: ‘Oh Brendon, Oh my Brendon Gallacher’. The passing of Brendon leaves an empty void, filled by the repetition of ‘Brendon Gallacher’, which demonstrates fixation and inability to let ones feelings pass – an emotional attachment; ‘Brendon’ as opposed to the full name previously used. The repetition of the possessive pronoun emphasizes the idea that Brendan belongs to the narrator, and emphasizes the theme of loss and longing for something that is gone. Similarly, Duffy uses evocative language immediately by beginning on the theme of obsession/mistrust. Duffy emphasises this by the list of three, â€Å"suspicion, doubt and fear† which â€Å"grew in her mind†, allowing the flow of thoughts through enjambment. This doubt and fear shows that Medusa is somewhat compulsive and has lost any freedom or ability to control her thoughts. Moreover in Brendon Gallacher, they meet ‘in the open air’, as if Brendon represents autonomy and journeying; he talks of ‘Some place far’, which offers a purpose for the narrator to live on. This is all lost with the ‘death’ of Brendon. A physical loss rather than emotional loss is demonstrated through the words â€Å"we’d been friends for years† and â€Å"he would hold my hand† which suggests there is an emptiness of physical intimacy. Similarly, Medusa was once a beautiful woman who was transformed into a horrible monster by the Greek goddess, Athena. Jealousy and paranoia transform the hair upon â€Å"Medusa’s† head, in the poem, into â€Å"filthy snakes. † Already the reader is aware of the change ‘turned the hairs’, giving the impression that she was not always like this and did at one point have beautiful hair. Both poets have used descriptive techniques and imagery to show the physical changes and loss each character has undergone. â€Å"One day when it was pouring and I was indoors†, this paragraph in Brendon Gallacher uses pathetic fallacy to make the mood evoke a loss of innocence which is reflected by the rainy weather. Immature language and description is used to help the audience visualise the narrator’s childhood, â€Å"He had six brothers and I had one† can be conveyed as quite childish and this might have been used to emphasise that the narrator is talking about her past when she was younger, her childhood emptiness and loss. Also, in Medusa the rhetorical questions, â€Å"Wasn’t I beautiful? Wasn’t I fragrant and young? † show insecurity due to the repetition of questions but also shows a side of innocence as is normally related to young people. Both poems show a loss of innocence, albeit in different ways. â€Å"Look at me now. † The single line in Medusa emphasises the final request that appears as a paradox, a plea for sympathy but also a threat. Another, loss, this time more mentally affecting, Medusa has lost control over her decisions, this is further enforced by her turning of others into stone; â€Å"bullet tears in my eyes†, â€Å"you were stone†, Medusa has lost her ability to even look at others, and much like her tears, her fate is set in stone. This varied sentence length is indulging and engrossing as it really questions the empathy of the reader. All in all, both poems have certain similarities when trying to present loss. Both ‘Brendon Gallacher’ and ‘Medusa’ use language to bring alive the thoughts of the characters. Duffy focuses more on the imagery and tone of the poem whereas Kay brings to life the exact detail to provide the full picture.

Organic food †Agriculture Essay

What is Organic Food? Organic farming is a relatively new concept to us, though we are practicing it for thousands of years without noticing. Organic farming is nothing but cultivating foods and other agricultural products using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation. Organic food is produced with: †¢No synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fumigants †¢No fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge †¢No genetically modified organisms (GMOs). †¢No irradiation †¢No hormones, antibiotics, artificial ingredients or trans fats In simple words organic farming is way and means to cultivate naturally, in other word primitively in a sense. The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people. A Brief History of Organic Food: Until the early part of the 20th Century pretty much all the food grown across the world was organic. It wasn’t called organic food – it was just food. Nobody had thought of putting chemicals into soil and sprays to enhance crop growth and yield. And genetic engineering took place over generations as farmers selectively bred to improve their stock or their seeds. Organic food farming continued in small, mostly family-run, farms or kitchen gardens where people grew food for their own requirements. The produce was sold in farmer’s markets. Large scale organic farming was begun by farmers and scientists, as a mark of protest to the agricultural industrialization. With the rise of the petro-chemical industries in the early 1900s, agricultural research became focused very much on the chemicals that are needed for plant and animal growth. That these chemicals come from finite resources, most often as by-products of oil refining, was rarely thought of. That they could cause other problems was seldom recognized until the problems became too big to ignore. In the 1930s there was a reaction against the use of chemical additives in people’s food. It was led, in part, by Rudolf Steiner who also designed an educational system based on his holistic and sustainable outlook. These early organic farmers and foodies laid the foundations for today’s interest in sustainable lifestyles. Now, organic food is widely available and has become very popular, with soaring sales. Principles of Organic Agriculture: These Principles are the roots from which organic agriculture grows and develops. They express the contribution that organic agriculture can make to the world, and a vision to improve all agriculture in a global context. The Principles of Organic Agriculture serve to inspire the organic movement in its full diversity and guide our development of positions, programs and standards. Principle of Health. Organic Agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible. This principle points out that the health of individuals and communities cannot be separated from the health of ecosystems – healthy soils produce healthy crops that foster the health of animals and people. Health is the wholeness and integrity of living systems. It is not simply the absence of illness, but the maintenance of physical, mental, social and ecological well-being. Immunity, resilience and regeneration are key characteristics of health. The role of organic agriculture, whether in farming, processing, distribution, or consumption, is to sustain and enhance the health of ecosystems and organisms from the smallest in the soil to human beings. In particular, organic agriculture is intended to produce high quality, nutritious food that contributes to preventive health care and well-being. In view of this it should avoid the use of fertilizers, pesticides, animal drugs and food additives that may have adverse health effects. Principle of Ecology Organic Agriculture should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them. This principle roots organic agriculture within living ecological systems. It states that production is to be based on ecological processes, and recycling. Nourishment and well-being are achieved through the ecology of the specific production environment. For example, in the case of crops this is the living soil; for animals it is the farm ecosystem; for fish and marine organisms, the aquatic environment. Organic farming, pastoral and wild harvest systems should fit the cycles and ecological balances in nature. These cycles are universal but their operation is site-specific. Organic management must be adapted to local conditions, ecology, culture and scale. Inputs should be reduced by reuse, recycling and efficient management of materials and energy in order to maintain and improve environmental quality and conserve resources. Organic agriculture should attain ecological balance through the design of farming systems, establishment of habitats and maintenance of genetic and agricultural diversity. Those who produce, process, trade, or consume organic products should protect and benefit the common environment including landscapes, climate, habitats, biodiversity, air and water. Principle of Fairness Organic Agriculture should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities Fairness is characterized by equity, respect, justice and stewardship of the shared world, both among people and in their relations to other living beings. This principle emphasizes that those involved in organic agriculture should conduct human relationships in a manner that ensures fairness at all levels and to all parties – farmers, workers, processors, distributors, traders and consumers. Organic agriculture should provide everyone involved with a good quality of life, and contribute to food sovereignty and reduction of poverty. It aims to produce a sufficient supply of good quality food and other products. This principle insists that animals should be provided with the conditions and opportunities of life that accord with their physiology, natural behavior and well-being. Natural and environmental resources that are used for production and consumption should be managed in a way that is socially and ecologically just and should be held in trust for future generations. Fairness requires systems of production, distribution and trade that are open and equitable and account for real environmental and social costs. Principle of Care Organic Agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment. Organic agriculture is a living and dynamic system that responds to internal and external demands and conditions. Practitioners of organic agriculture can enhance efficiency and increase productivity, but this should not be at the risk of jeopardizing health and well-being. Consequently, new technologies need to be assessed and existing methods reviewed. Given the incomplete understanding of ecosystems and agriculture, care must be taken. This principle states that precaution and responsibility are the key concerns in management, development and technology choices in organic agriculture. Science is necessary to ensure that organic agriculture is healthy, safe and ecologically sound. However, scientific knowledge alone is not sufficient. Practical experience, accumulated wisdom and traditional and indigenous knowledge offer valid solutions, tested by time. Organic agriculture should prevent significant risks by adopting appropriate technologies and rejecting unpredictable ones, such as genetic engineering. Decisions should reflect the values and needs of all who might be affected, through transparent and participatory processes. How can we be sure that our Food is Organic? The early followers of organics were often dismissed as anti-scientific cranks. Nowadays, organic production is one of the fastest growing sectors of agriculture, and there are millions of dollars being spent to research more sustainable farming methods. But, unfortunately, organics still account for a minority of the foods grown. Most nations have a government regulated system that certifies that those people who claim to be selling organic produce are actually doing so. It will vary from country to country, but most systems will be affiliated with the international umbrella organization IFOAM. We can check with IFOAM to make sure that the organic accreditation is actually recognized. Types of Organic Food: Organic products grown in healthier soil contain higher amounts of nutrients, and many taste better than their conventional counterparts. Hence, the popularity of such produce is picking up volumes in recent years. There is no better choice for one’s consumption than organic produce. The major types of organic foods are: Organic Vegetables and Fruits Organic vegetables and fruits are the most common type of organic food that is available in the market. They come in a wide variety and they are usually in good quality. Any certified organic plant product must come from fields that have remained free of chemical application of fertilizers and pesticides for at least three years, and must follow regulations set by Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore. Organic Meat Organic meat is perfect for meat lovers as in is healthy and not contain any chemicals in the meat as the animals are fed with natural food that does not contain chemicals. Organic provisions require animals to be raised without receiving antibiotics, hormones, or growth stimulants. Humane treatment and access to the out-of-doors are stipulated, and the animals must be fed 100% certified organic feed and must graze in certified organic pastures. Organic Dairy Products Organic dairy products are extremely popular in recent years as they are safe and healthy to consume. Milk from all dairy animals, including cows, goats, and sheep, may be certified organic. Certified organic products cover nearly the full dairy spectrum, including milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream, and more. Organic Fish Organic fish are fishes that are rare in fish farms such as salmon, trout, cod, halibut and sea bass. Fishes that are caught in the open see cannot be labeled as organic due to the fact that it is uncertain of what the fishes eat. Advantages of Organic Foods: The debate about the advantages of organic foods is over. According to a new $25-million study into organic food – the largest of its kind to date – organic food is more nutritious than ordinary produce and it may help to lengthen peoples lives and prevent disease. More Nutrients The European Union funded study found that organic fruit and vegetables have up to 50% more antioxidants, which scientists believe can cut the risk of cancer and heart disease. They have also more vitamins and minerals such as iron and zinc. According to other recent studies, organic foods are better for fighting cancer. And people eating organic food have improved immune system, better sleeping habits and are less likely to be overweight than when eating â€Å"conventional† foods. (Can you imagine the benefits of eating both raw and organic food? ) Better Taste The taste of organic fruits and vegetables is often superior to any conventional produce. That’s why many top restaurants use organic produce in their menu. Today, most fruits and veggies are manipulated to look and stay good. The strawberries from your ordinary supermarket may look great on your cake but they have virtually no taste. However, the taste of fresh organic fruits is irresistible! Safer for Babies and Children The advantages of organic foods might be highest for babies. The average baby is born with 200 toxins and carcinogens in its body. By the time kids reach their 2nd year, most have pasted the lethal limit for the toxins. By feeding your child organic food, it will have about 1/6th the amount of carcinogens in its blood. Thus you will decrease the chances of illnesses significantly. Therefore, especially for infants and children a raw organic food diet is incredibly important. Irradiation? Do we ever wonder why organic vegetables and fruits seem to spoil so much faster than produce from normal supermarkets? The reason is that many foods are irradiated. Irradiation kills bacteria and extends food life. But, it also alters the molecular structure and life force of the food. Some irradiation methods use radioactive substances, others high energy electrons or X-rays. I don’t know about you, but I prefer my food pure and not irradiated. So one of the advantages of raw organic foods is that it still has life force. Raw organic seeds grow – cooked and irradiated seeds don’t GMO Secrets Organic food stores don’t sell genetically modified (GM) food. It’s suspected that GM food causes allergies and decreases your immune system. Government is being secret – at least vague – about the health consequences of GMO food. I’ve read enough to not want to take a chance. Do you? Shocking Animals Organic meat, fish and poultry is healthier for you. Organic farmed animals are raised without dangerous chemicals, growth hormones or antibiotics. Pesticides used in ordinary farming don’t just affect the animal who eats it first. They accumulate in their tissues (mostly fat). Animals on top of the food chain get the highest concentration of these chemicals. Conventional animals full of toxins and dirt. A cow, chicken or pig will retain most of the pesticides it has ever eaten (directly or indirectly through other animals). Factory farm animals are fed great quantities of (polluted) fish, food doused in pesticides and fed many unnatural compounds never eaten by wild animals. Inorganic animal food (meat, fish, dairy and eggs) is a main source of pollution to the environment. According to research animal food contribute to as much as 95% of the toxic chemical residues in the American diet. Meat, fish and poultry have 10 times the amount of the dangerous chemicals DDT, DDE and TDE as conventional produce. In addition intensive farming is incredibly cruel to farm animals. One of the most outrageous advantages of organic foods is that organic farms treat their animals much more humane. They place a great emphasis on animal welfare. Just for this reasons, switching to an organic living makes sense. And even consider becoming vegan. Save the Environment Organic food facts are especially striking if you consider the environment. Conventional farming methods erode soil and use dangerous pesticides that may take centuries before they’re gone. Think of the DDT, thought to be harmless but appeared to be extremely bad for your health. Even though this pesticide has been forbidden for many years now, it’s still found in virtually all waters, human beings and animals in the world†¦ In addition, over time, artificial pest controls become less and less effective, so that even more chemicals must be used or other methods found. One of the huge advantages of organic food is that buying it has a huge positive impact on the environment, the animals and people who live on it. Organic vs. Non-organic: A new study looking at the potential health benefits of organic versus non-organic food found that fruit flies fed an organic diet recorded better health outcomes than flies fed a nonorganic diet. The study from the lab of Southern Methodist University biologist Johannes H. Bauer, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, found that fruit flies raised on diets of organic foods performed better on several tests for general health. Flies on organic food performed better on some health tests â€Å"The data demonstrated that flies raised on organic food extracts by-and-large performed better on the majority of health tests,† reported the researchers. It remains unclear why organic diets delivered better health, the researchers said. The Bauer lab results come at a time when the health effects of organic food are widely debated. Prior studies by other researchers have found conflicting results when reviewing the scientific literature for data. While several studies have shown elevated nutrient content and lower pesticide contamination levels in organic food, a recent publication reporting a large-scale analysis of all available studies concluded no clear trend was apparent. Organic farming only uses naturally occurring chemicals or traditional remedies to control pests and diseases. According to public perception, organic food is the healthy option. Sales of organic produce have rocketed over the past few years with the organics industry sending out messages of safer, healthier food created by farming practices which are better for the environment. But is it really as good as we think? Critics argue that organic farming leads to the risk of contamination with potentially dangerous bacteria and mould toxins, and increased levels of ‘natural pesticide’ found in organic produce could even be as dangerous as synthetic chemicals. So who do we believe? Are organic fruit and vegetables as harmless as they appear? And why do they cost so much? In this piece, common views about this subject are discussed. Is organic food the healthier option? Is it as safe as the public think? Many in the public perceive organic food as the healthy option. However, organo-sceptics argue that organic food may not be as safe as we think. †¢The public’s viewpoint is based on the fact that no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers are used in organic agriculture leading to the assumption that no pesticide residues are present on the products. Without the use of pesticides, organic crops develop a natural defense mechanism in the form of chemicals all called phenols. The organic supporters claim that these chemicals are antioxidants and that organic fruit and vegetables are better at protecting the body from cancers and heart disease. Organic-sceptics argue that these natural pesticides may be a potential health risk and insist that there is no evidence to show health gains from organic food. The lack of evidence, however, may be due to the difficulty in conducting such a study. †¢The use of manure as a fertilizer in organic farming leads to fears of contamination of produce with bacteria such as E.coli which could lead to food poisoning. However, it has been shown that by composting the manure for a precise time at an exact temperature, the amount of bacteria present is greatly reduced. As long as these conditions are adhered to, the risk of food poisoning is kept to a minimum. †¢Another significant concern regarding organic farming is the contamination of produce with toxic substances produced by moulds called mycotoxins. There is a greater chance of crops being vulnerable to moulds if they are damaged by insects or weather. The organic lobby argues that although less effective fungicides are used in their farming methods, organic produce is less prone to fungal attack as crops are not fed with chemicals known as nitrates which may make plant cells in conventional crops more vulnerable to fungal growth. Are the levels of pesticides used in conventional farming enough to damage health? The quantities of pesticides used in agriculture are declining as the industry is developing more efficient methods of delivery and pesticides which have the ability to target specific pests more accurately. Pesticides have played an important role in improving crop yields but are often hazardous materials. Care must be taken when using such materials to ensure that they are applied as advised to minimize risks associated with misuse. Before a pesticide can be used commercially its safety must first be proved. The law requires that only pesticides approved by Government regulators shall be sold, supplied, used, stored or advertised. This ensures that the levels and toxicity of all pesticides used in agriculture are at a safe level. Is organic farming a viable option in the developing world? It is argued that without pesticides and genetically modified crops, farming is not economically viable in the developing world. Non-organic farming allows you to farm land that would otherwise not be farmable. Yields are high and costs are low. However, there is a worry that intensive farming in these countries will destroy the fertility of the land and in the long run organic farming will secure the future for sustainable farming. Why is the price of organic produce so high? Crop rotations, higher animal welfare standards and restricted use of chemicals, leading to lower yields, all mean that organic food costs more to produce. Subsidies from the government are paid mainly to farmers with non-organic farms allowing them to keep their prices low. The pro-organic lobby argues that when buying non-organic food you are in fact paying threefold; once at the counter, second via taxation and third to remedy the environmental pollution. As the sector develops and technologies are improved, the cost of organic food should decrease as yields increase and production costs decrease. Organic Food market: From economic point of view, organic market is growing very fast worldwide. A simple statistics can tell a lot. According to Data monitor’s â€Å"Organic Food: Global Industry Guide†, the global organic food market grew nearly 10% in 2009 to reach a value of $60 billion and market is forecasted to have a value of $96. 5 billion in 2014. Organic agriculture offers enormous trade opportunities for farmers in the developing and least developed countries. This organic market expansion makes it possible for farmers to reap the benefits of a trade with relatively high price premiums. Food producer have also found fast growing markets for natural and organic products. One example is Earthbound Farm, a company that grows and sells organic product. It started in 1984 as a 2. 5-acre raspberry farm in California’s Carmel Valley. Founders Drew and Mera Goodman wanted to do the right thing by farming the land organically and producing food they’d feel good about serving to their family, friends, and neighbors. Today Earthbound Farm has become the world largest producer of organic vegetables, with 40000 acres under plug, annual sells of $480 million, and products available in 75% of America supermarkets. Organic farming, on the other hand, promotes the health of both consumers and the environment contrast to modern farming. The main problem with modern agriculture, however, is that the synthetic chemicals never disappear. When we eat a mango grown using synthetic pesticides, traces of the pesticides remain in the mango, and the chemicals end up in our fat cells. Similarly, cotton grown using synthetic chemicals retains traces of the chemicals after it is woven into a fabric. Chemicals, used for cultivation are then absorbed into the plant, air, soil, water, and eventually, our bodies. Started after mid 1950’s reaction against modern toxic farming methods, organic farming excludes the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and genetic engineering. Organic farmers respect their land: they feed and build the soil with natural fertilizers; they protect crops against insects using natural insect predators, barriers, or traps; and they control weed growth with crop rotation, hand weeding, cover crops, and mulches. In the past decade, the organic agriculture market has grown exponentially because more consumers are learning that organic farming is better for them and their environment. How can we market Organic Products? The marketing model used in conventional agriculture is not easily applied to organic systems. Currently, local elevators that accept organic grains are not common, though they do exist in some areas. Farmers that transition to organic production must also transition their marketing strategies. Whether growing organic grains, herbs, fruits and vegetables, or raising organically certified livestock, marketing becomes an additional consideration. Producers who have always sold to local elevators will find that quality time will be needed to do a good job with marketing organic products. Organic Foods Strategic Marketing and Communications The â€Å"Go Green† trend is quickly gaining momentum. Law makers are actively working to pass legislation that promotes the development of green energy sources, manufacturers are researching technologies that can be used to produce new biodegradable products, and USDA certified organic foods are increasingly finding their way into every home. More than other green initiatives, the demand for organic foods has soared in recent years. With the implementation of new federal requirements for labeling of natural and organic foods, and the growing research that suggests links between foods produced using antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, irradiation or bioengineering and illnesses such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, consumers are gaining confidence in the quality and benefits of organic foods and increasingly rejecting their conventionally produced counterparts. As young people grow up consuming organic foods and learn to accept them as healthier and more eco-friendly, the organic foods industry will continue to gain market share. Many organic farmers link in to existing networks of organic wholesalers, exporters and processors. Others use the opportunity provided by their change to organic, to take on a completely different approach such as direct marketing to consumers. This fact sheet discusses some of the options for marketing of organic produce and poses some questions to be considered as we develop our marketing strategy. A small but rapidly growing market The market for organic food and fiber has been growing around the world for some years now. It is however still very small, making up only about one per cent of the world total market value. One of the risks associated with supplying product into a small market, is that of oversupply of certain products, leading to depressed prices. To help avoid this situation, some market research is vital early in the process of considering organic conversion and certification, as highlighted below. Some organic farmers manage the risk of oversupply in organic markets by selling into conventional markets when necessary. This means sacrificing any organic price premium, but can help to stabilize prices in the organic market – a benefit in the longer term. Organic price premiums. Many organic products receive a price premium, justified by higher costs of production under organic management. Such premiums are not guaranteed and can be influenced by the supply and demand situation and product quality. Whether or not your produce is likely to attract a premium price, and whether or not a premium is necessary for economic viability, should be considered during your market research and development of a marketing strategy. Consider marketing options early One of the first steps in the process towards organic certification is to identify marketing options. We should ideally have our markets organized before you begin certification, especially if you think you will need to receive a price premium to cover extra costs arising from organic management. The change to organic marketing may be easy if you already sell direct to end-consumers or retailers who might welcome the access to organic produce, or to wholesalers and exporters who have links to organic markets. If your wholesalers/exporters currently have no links with the organic industry, are they interested in pursuing organic certification to diversify their business? If not, some research may be required to identify suitable alternative marketing options. Develop a marketing strategy When you are planning your change to organic farming and are looking at marketing options, take the time to consider what your marketing objectives are and how you might achieve them. Pulling this and other relevant information together into a marketing strategy will help us to focus your efforts in the most productive areas. Some key points to consider are: †¢Be closely involved in selling your produce or leave it to a ‘professional’ marketer? †¢Maintain a diversity of markets to spread the risk in case the usual supply chain fails for you? †¢Have direct contact with end consumers? †¢Use customer feedback to guide farm production (e. g. crop varieties and seasonal availability)? †¢Increase financial security by improving returns? †¢ Consider different marketing options Following are options that organic farmers commonly use to market their produce, along with some of their pros and cons from a farmer’s perspective. Often a range of different options will be used to balance the risk, the workload and the prices obtained. 1. Direct to consumers 2. Direct to retailers 3. Direct to Wholesaler 4. Use mass media Look for opportunities to tell a story that gets media attention as this exposes potential new customers to our organic business and products. One area of opportunity is to piggy-back onto relevant local, state, national and global events. For example, contact local media with an interesting story about: †¢National Organic Week (e. g. highlight local organic production and produce availability) †¢Earth Day and World Environment Day (e. g. how organic farming reduces environmental impacts). †¢Organic Day (e. g.promote citizen buying organic produce within the country as an example) †¢National Tree Day (e. g. plant a treed spray buffer) †¢World wetlands day (e. g. how your farm protects its wetland) Organic Food in Bangladesh: Organic certification is the parallel tool needs to develop getting the market opportunity worldwide. Those who intend to label and market their foods as organic will usually seek certification – almost certainly if they grow for the export market. However, many farmers practice organic techniques without seeking or receiving the premium price given to organic food in some markets. This includes many traditional farming systems found in developing countries. Agriculture that meets organic production standards, but that is not subject to organic inspection, certification and labeling, is referred to as ‘organic by default’. While economic and institutional conditions differ, both certified organic agriculture and organic agriculture ‘by default’ rely on the same technology and principles. Although the results might be similar, organic agriculture ‘by default’ may not always represent a deliberate choice between alternative productions. Organic certification focuses on this part. We may have a huge farm producing by default organic product. Organic certification will just convert it certified and added a huge value. Organic certification scheme varies from country to country regulators. The two sources of general principles and requirements governing organic production and trade are: Firstly, the ‘Basic Principles’ of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), a private sector international body, with some 750 member organizations in over 100 countries. IFOAM defines and regularly reviews, in consultation with its members, the Basic Standards that shape the organic term. According to IFOAM basic standards ‘organic agriculture is a whole system approach based upon a set of processes resulting in a sustainable ecosystem, safe food, good nutrition, animal welfare and social justice. Organic production therefore is more than a system of production that includes or excludes certain inputs. ’ But in order to access the major organic markets in Europe and United States, one has to comply with specific regulations that are instituted in these countries. These are Regulation 834/07 in the case of Europe and the National Organic Programmed (NOP) in the case of United States. Certification Bodies operating following above stated standards, need to take accreditation from an accreditation body under ISO/IEC Guide 65 for demonstration their competence. Bangladesh Accreditation Board (BAB) is ready to play its role in this regards. We expect our entrepreneurs to come forward with initiative for launching organic farming and organic certification body. BAB will provide all necessary support as national Accreditation Body.

U.S Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Essay

U.S Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) - Essay Example By the early 1970s, the problems being created by drug use were severe enough to need more attention, time, and labor to try to sort them out. Therefore, President Richard Nixon created the Drug Enforcement Administration in July 1973 by Executive Order so that a solitary united command to fight the drugs war could be established (DEA, 2008). At its origin, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had in total two thousand, seven hundred and seventy five employees, this includes a support staff of one thousand, three hundred and five, and the budget was a mere sixty five million dollars in 1972. By 1975, there were four thousand and seventy five employees, with two thousand, two hundred and thirty one special agents. They had an annual budget of one hundred and sixteen million dollars. By the turn of the century in 2000, the administration had nine thousand, one hundred and forty one employees, four thousand, five hundred and sixty six were special agents, and they had a budget of 1,586.6 million dollars. However, by 2007, the Drug Enforcement Agency had an amazing ten thousand, seven hundred and fifty nine employees, five thousand, two hundred and thirty five special agents, with an annual budget of 2.3 million dollars, and have eighty-seven offices in sixty-three countries (DEA, 2008). By 2008 the DEA had eleven thousand employees all together (The Associated Press, 2008). In 2002, more that twenty-six thousand United States citizens died from drug related causes. To put this in perspective, that is seven times larger number of people than those who died in the 9/11 attacks. The money spent on direct drug related costs is enormous, and includes costs for health care and drug treatment programs, costs of services and goods lost to drug related crimes, law enforcement, costs for jails and prisons, and the judicial system costs. Additionally, there are the indirect costs of drug related use and crime are loss of productivity due to ill health or