Author Archives: Evelina Rosser

REPORTERS STABBING DEMONSTRATION BACKFIRES

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Yesterday’s planned protest demonstration in downtown turned chaotic after violence broke out between demonstrators and reporters covering the event. What was intended as a peaceful protest opposing recent restrictions on public gatherings took an unexpected turn after some in the crowd began targeting journalists at the scene.

The demonstration was organized by a loose coalition of activist groups unhappy with new limits imposed on public assemblies due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the area. Rally organizers promoted the event on social media as a ‘peaceful protest for civil liberties’ but some attendees appeared more intent on confrontation than civil discourse. As demonstrators began marching through downtown streets calling for ‘freedom’ and railing against ‘government overreach,’ tensions began rising between them and members of the press documenting the event.

Chants of ‘fake news’ and ‘enemy of the people’ were soon directed at television reporters and photographers covering the demonstration live. When one print reporter attempted to interview some protest leaders about their objectives, a small mob began shoving and jostling the journalist aggressively. Nearby police rushed in to extract the reporter from the confrontation before things could escalate further. This altercation seemed to serve as a flashpoint, prompting more hostility from certain belligerent elements within the crowd toward credentialed members of the media.

Over the next hour, sporadic verbal and physical clashes broke out as rogue demonstrators specifically targeted reporters and videographers recording the protest’s progression. Video captured various individuals forcefully attempting to seize or damage camera equipment as crews from local TV stations tried to film from a safe distance. Some journalists reported being shoved, pushed, screamed at, and having objects like empty water bottles hurled at them. At one point, a masked man was seen lunging at a news photographer while wielding a large folding knife in a threatening manner. Screams erupted as terrified onlookers observed this brazen act of violence unfold.

Nearby law enforcement personnel responded immediately by tackling the knife-wielding assailant to the ground and disarming him. A struggle ensued as the suspect refused to relinquish the blade, causing minor injuries to one of the arresting officers. Once subdued, the man was identified as a 28-year old with a history of prior arrests for disorderly conduct and assault. He was booked on multiple new felony charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Meanwhile, paramedics attended to the wounded journalist – a gash on his forearm required several stitches but thankfully was not life-threatening.

As this incident played out, other elements sought to de-escalate tensions and return order to what had derailed into chaos. Protest leaders used loudspeakers to plead for calm and non-violence, urging attendees to disperse peacefully. Reinforcements from the city police department arrived and began attempting to separate agitated participants from members of the press now hunkered together protected by a cordon of law enforcement. Unfortunately, by this juncture the anger had spread beyond a few instigators – many in the crowd remained hostile toward cameras and microphones as groups scattered in various directions.

Rocks and bottles were seen flying amid flurries of profanity aimed at anyone perceived as media. One TV crew had their satellite uplink vehicle damaged after a projectile shattered a window. Livestreams captured expletive-filled verbal assaults directed at reporters essentially doing their job under trying conditions. Mounted police moved in to disperse lingering clusters of demonstrators increasingly unreceptive to reason. Gradually, over the ensuing hour, order was restored and the atmosphere settled although tensions remained high.

The failed rally concluded leaving in its wake deeper divisions, harm, and questions still unanswered. Law enforcement continues investigating those responsible for organized acts of assault against members of the press. Civil rights groups condemned the violence directed at journalists simply covering a matter of public interest. Meanwhile politicians on both sides weighed in, some decrying ‘senseless mayhem’ while others opined on perceived provocateurs. For their part, many affected reporters vowed to continue their duties safeguarding transparency despite vocal hostility from certain segments.

Yet issues at the core remain – how to exercise principles of free expression constructively without endangering others or the broader social fabric. How, in an era of polarization, can trust be rebuilt between factions when bad actors on all sides seek primarily to inflame rather than resolve? And most importantly, how can the trajectory away from engagement and toward confrontation be reversed before further such incidents erupt and society fractures along fault lines increasingly incapable of civil conciliation? Answers seem far from clear as debates continue over the trajectory of civic life in a complex, uncertain period.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SECURITY MEASURES IMPLEMENTED IN THIS ARCHITECTURE?

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Data Encryption: AWS enables encryption of data both in transit and at rest. For data in transit, SSL/TLS is enabled for all AWS API requests. For data at rest, services like Amazon EBS and Amazon S3 support server-side encryption using AES-256. Customers can also manage their own encryption of data stored in AWS services.

Identity and Access Management (IAM): IAM allows creation of individual accounts and fine-grained access permissions for individuals or applications to only perform authorized actions. Authentication is enforced at the API level through signature version 4 signing process. Policies can be attached to users, groups and roles to control what resources they can access and the level of access. IAM enables integration with existing identity systems through SAML 2.0 and OpenID Connect.

Monitoring and Auditing: Detailed logging is enabled by default for all AWS API activity at granular level down to individual API calls and their parameters. CloudTrail service collects API activity logs from across all AWS regions and makes them available for monitoring, forensic analysis, and policy evaluation. Config service tracks configuration changes to resources and notifies customers of any changes that can impact compliance or security posture.

Network Security: Firewalls, security groups, network ACLs and WAFs provide network security controls. Security groups act as virtual firewall at the instance level, network ACLs filter traffic between subnets/Vpcs. WAFs protect web applications from common exploits and vulnerabilities. Direct internet access to EC2 instances is prevented by default. Access requires going through Load Balancers or application proxies which are exposed to internet.

Infrastructure Security: AWS infrastructure is isolated and segmented. Services and resource instances are deployed across multiple, isolated Availability Zones within a Region with their own independent power, network and physical security. Regions are isolated from each other with minimal connectivity required between them, providing greater fault tolerance. Physical security controls include – badge access, biometric recognition systems, video surveillance, intrusion detection systems etc. Strict protocols are followed for hardware and software delivery and maintenance.

Incident response: Detailed incident response plans, automated response procedures and regular DR exercises ensure availability of services. Postmortem reviews following incidents help improve security controls. The AWS security team stays up to date on the latest threats through direct information sharing with customers, research groups and other providers

Operational Best Practices: Guidelines provided through AWS Compliance Programs help customers achieve security and compliance standards like PCI DSS Level 1, FedRAMP Moderate, HIPAA, SOC 1/SOC 2/SOC 3. CIS benchmarks provide security configuration recommendations. Well-Architected Framework helps build secure and reliable systems. Automation tools like CloudFormation enables confidential infrastructure as code.

Service Specific Security: Features like S3 Vault lock for sensitive data access, secrets management through Secrets Manager, database security through VPC endpoints, fine grained IAM policies improve security of individual services.Encryption, authentication and authorization is enforced at the service level and vulnerabilities are addressed through regular patching and updates.

Third Party Assessment & Validation: AWS undergoes regular external audits and assessments by third parties like independent auditors under SOC, PCI, and FedRAMP programs to validate security controls. Penetration tests also help identify vulnerabilities. Attestations and certifications provide customers with confidence in AWS security posture.

AWS implements a defense-in-depth approach to security spanning people, processes and technologies. Strong identity and access management, encryption, monitoring capabilities, infrastructure segmentation, incident response plans and compliance help secure the cloud platform and assist customers in building and operating secure systems on AWS. Regular reviews and third party validations further strengthen the security control environment. Together, these measures provide customers with industryleading security to deploy applications and run their workloads securely on AWS. AWS security capabilities enable customers to focus on their applications rather than the underlying infrastructure security issues.

HOW LONG DOES IT TYPICALLY TAKE TO COMPLETE A DSW CAPSTONE PROJECT

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The capstone project is the final culminating experience for a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) degree. It involves conducting an original research project that makes a meaningful contribution to the field of social work. The length of time needed to complete a DSW capstone project can vary depending on various factors, but on average most students take between 12-18 months to fully finish their capstone from beginning to end.

The capstone process typically begins after students have completed all of their other required coursework for the DSW program. They first need to select a topic area and develop a problem statement that identifies an important issue within social work that their research will aim to address. This initial topic selection and problem identification stage usually takes around 1-2 months as students research literature, discuss ideas with faculty advisors, and refine their focus.

Once a topic and problem statement has been approved, students then move on to developing their capstone proposal. The proposal involves creating detailed chapters outlining the purpose and significance of the study, conceptual framework, research methodology, plan for data collection and analysis, timeline, and limitations. Students also need IRB approval for their proposed methods if they involve human subjects. Developing the full capstone proposal usually takes around 4-6 months as it requires thorough literature reviews, planning of research design and methods, and going through feedback/revision cycles with advisors.

After receiving approval on their proposal, students can begin the implementation stage which includes activities like pilot testing instruments, recruiting and obtaining consent from participants, collecting data, preliminary analysis, and transcribing interviews if qualitative methods are used. This implementation stage averages around 6 months if collecting primary data through surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc. If a student is conducting a secondary data analysis using existing data sets, this stage may be shorter at around 3-4 months.

Once data collection and preliminary analysis is completed, students then focus on analyzing results, discussing findings, and developing conclusions and implications over the next 3-4 months. This is a crucial stage that requires making sense of all the collected data and linking results back to the original research questions and purpose. They also need to discuss limitations and unanswered questions to lay the groundwork for future research.

The final stage is writing up the full capstone report, which for a DSW typically ranges from around 150-250 pages. This stage takes the longest at around 4-6 months as it requires integrating all the previous work into a cohesive, well-written document following dissertation format standards. Multiple revisions are common at this stage based on faculty feedback to refine language, support claims, address structural issues, and ensure a professional final product.

Therefore, if estimating a typical timeline, most DSW students take the following approximate time periods to complete each main capstone stage:

Topic selection and problem identification: 1-2 months
Proposal development: 4-6 months
Implementation (collecting primary data): 6 months
Analysis and preliminary conclusions: 3-4 months
Writing full dissertation report: 4-6 months

In total, this comprehensive process from beginning conceptualization through final revisions generally takes a minimum of 12 months up to 18 months on average for most DSW students to fully complete their capstone project from start to finish. Some highly motivated students may be able to finish within 12 months if they move quickly through stages, while others needing more time or experiencing delays may take closer to 18 months or slightly longer to complete their capstone research independently. Proper planning, regular meetings with advisors, and steady progress are important to finishing within a reasonable timeframe.

The DSW capstone is an intensive research project requiring a significant investment of time to complete all components with high quality. While timelines may vary, students should plan to dedicate between 12-18 months on average to fully develop, implement, analyze, and report their original capstone study by the end of their DSW program. Careful planning and structured work across staggered stages helps maximize efficient use of time and ensure a quality final research product.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF COMPLETING A CAPSTONE PROJECT FOR SEI STUDENTS

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Completing a capstone project provides SEI students with numerous benefits as they near the culmination of their studies. One of the most significant benefits is that it allows students to synthesize and apply the wide array of knowledge and skills they have gained throughout their SEI program. Capstone projects require students to select a meaningful software engineering problem, thoroughly research potential solutions, design and plan a project, and implement their solution—all while demonstrating the technical and soft skills necessary for success in the field.

By undertaking a major, multi-month long project, students are able to experience the entire software development lifecycle firsthand from conception to completion. This mirrors real-world software engineering work and better prepares students for an industry career. Students must utilize teamwork, project management, communication, problem solving, coding, testing and other skills as they plan, execute on and present their capstone projects. Going through each stage of a full development cycle strengthens understanding of processes, builds confidence in abilities and results in portfolio-worthy work.

The capstone project also allows students the freedom to explore a software idea of personal interest. This fosters passion, creativity and ownership over their work. Students are empowered to directly apply the technical lessons from their SEI courses to a self-directed goal. Working on something meaningful and intriguing keeps students highly motivated throughout the long-term project. Finishing such a project of personal value leaves students with a deep sense of achievement and pride in their accomplishments.

Presenting capstone projects to faculty and peers mimics real software demos for potential employers or clients. It trains students to clearly explain technical concepts, problems and solutions to non-technical audiences. Feedback from the presentation is invaluable for honing valuable presenting and communication expertise. The presentation experience builds students’ confidence for industry interviews, conferences and collaborating with cross-functional teams post-graduation.

The capstone project culminates in a substantial portfolio piece. The final project demonstrates to potential employers a student’s cumulative abilities, interest areas and work ethic. Hiring managers value seeing substantive, long-term work to assess passion, skill level, work quality and potential cultural fit. A strong capstone project leaves students well-prepared for interviews and establishing themselves in their technical career field.

Many students opt to tackle issues or build projects directly relevant to their post-graduation goals. Using the capstone to prototype or contribute to desired startups, open source projects or areas of interest network is students for future success. Some projects have even organically led into job offers, conference speaking engagements or new ventures. The capstone empowers self-directed career discovery.

Collaboration is a crucial aspect of software teamwork. Capstone projects facilitate valuable group work experience. Students develop leadership, delegation, organization, conflict resolution and other soft skills necessary for agile environments. Peer feedback further improves communal learning. Networking with fellow dedicated students often sparks lifelong professional relationships and referral opportunities down the road.

Taking on the capstone project solidifies students’ commitment to pursuing careers in software engineering. Seeing long-term passion projects through to completion despite challenges reassures students they have made the right educational and career choice. The undertaking inspires confidence and motivation to take the next steps towards thriving in the field. Completing a major project immerses students in the daily activities, mindsets and perseverance essential for long-term success in their technical profession of choice.

The capstone experience is one of the most impactful components of an SEI education. It unites the diverse skills, perspectives and passion students have accumulated over their course of study. Through hands-on, self-directed application to an individually meaningful problem, students gain invaluable real-world training. Project completion bolsters technical abilities, soft skills, self-assurance and career preparedness in ways that maximize post-graduation outcomes and lifelong learning. The profound learning achieved sets SEI students up for true success in their software engineering careers and beyond.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER EXAMPLES OF VISIONARY LEADERS IN THE TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY?

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Bill Gates – Co-founder of Microsoft. Gates had a clear vision for personal computing and saw the potential of the microprocessor at a time when others dismissed the idea of personal computers. Under his leadership, Microsoft created MS-DOS which became the dominant PC operating system and helped launch the PC revolution. Gates also envisioned Microsoft Windows which brought graphical user interfaces to PCs and made computing easier for the masses. Gates’ vision helped make technology accessible to people worldwide and helped launch the digital era.

Steve Jobs – Co-founder of Apple. Jobs had an amazing ability to anticipate consumer needs before they knew it themselves. He created products that merged great design with intuitive interfaces and gave people technology they wanted before they realized they wanted it. Jobs launched the Macintosh which brought the graphical user interface to the mainstream. He later rescued Apple from near bankruptcy and launched breakthrough products like the iPod, iPhone and iPad which redefined entire industries and our relationship with technology. Jobs had an uncanny ability to predict what kinds of devices and software people truly wanted to use.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin – Co-founders of Google. Page and Brin had a vision for organizing the world’s information and making it universally accessible through an internet search engine. They created Google which was a revolutionary leap forward from previous search engines. Google Search helped transform how people find information online and marked one of the largest creations of value in recent history. Page and Brin also went on to launch ambitious “moonshot” projects under Alphabet like Waymo, Calico, Verily, Wing and more which are pushing the boundaries of technologies like self-driving cars, healthcare and delivery drones.

Mark Zuckerberg – Founder of Facebook. Zuckerberg envisioned connecting the world through an online social network. He created Facebook, which started as a way for Harvard students to connect but quickly expanded to become the world’s largest social network. Facebook helped introduce billions of people worldwide to the power of online connections and relationships. Beyond connecting friends and family, Facebook launched initiatives to expand Internet access and build tools like WhatsApp and Oculus, helping advance connectivity and new technologies. Zuckerberg also champions issues like education, immigration reform and science through his philanthropic work.

Elon Musk – CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. Musk has ambitious, visionary goals to accelerate sustainable energy and make humanity a multi-planetary species. As CEO of Tesla, he helped launch the mainstreaming of electric vehicles and battery storage, to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. At SpaceX, he created entirely reusable rockets to advance space exploration. Beyond his leadership roles, Musk is passionate about enabling direct brain-computer interfaces to augment human capabilities through Neuralink. His companies reflect the vision of transforming transportation both on Earth and in space.

Jeff Bezos – Founder and CEO of Amazon. Bezos had a grand vision to build the world’s largest online store and use the internet to offer vast selection at low prices. This drove Amazon to transform retail and set the bar for customer experience. Beyond e-commerce, Bezos pioneered cloud computing infrastructure and services through Amazon Web Services, which powers a significant portion of the internet. More recently, Bezos outlined his vision to make space travel accessible and affordable through Blue Origin, which is developing technologies like reusable rockets. He also champions initiatives in sustainable energy, education and fighting climate change through his Day 1 Fund.

This covers just a few of the many visionary tech leaders over the past few decades who displayed incredible foresight in identifying major technology trends and creating companies that revolutionized entire industries. Their visions helped transform how we work, communicate, shop, stay informed and entertained. Many of these leaders faced skepticism early on for their bold ideas, but persevered through their deeply held visions to build technologies that impacted billions of lives worldwide.