Warhol and the Importance of Moving in Two Directions

Paul Fischer

10/17/2016

Kelsey Brosnan

Warhol and the Importance of Moving in Two Directions

The artistic exhibition at the Fleming Museum at the University of Vermont was recently displayed as a celebration of architectures, of the 80’s, and will be followed by an exhibition of romantic art. Social disambiguation occurs when the work of great artists such as Warhol and Picasso glowers angrily across two exhibits in one museum at each other through their artwork. The liquid gel covered ‘Electric Chair’ marks a distinct and international call of recommendation of the actions which are portrayed in the oils, inks, and pastels of other artists.

This was not only a presentation in photography with the illustration, but also a moralistic behavior, a set of judgements which were as clearly stated as the ancient tablet from Sumer which lies cooly outside of the marbled exhibition room, dating from 2885 BC. Beyond the introduction of photographic display, a poster for a film about Jean-Michel Basquiat took the exhibition beyond the traditional mediums of art exhibition: the viewer is encouraged to find subject material outside of the exhibition itself. That is fitting for a walking artist such as Basquiat.

As an exploration of a specific time period, there is also a progression which follows both rooms of the exhibition. Underneath the weighty Egyptian collection sits a glaring representation of the emptied fast food restaurants of the strips of modern corporatism, and represent the dominance of franchise, all too soon after the corporation overtook the individual or family businesses. Electric lights still glare, and the spirit of a material wasteland is emphasized in a Butlins-style photograph which hangs out quietly around the corner. While this is just a photographic preparation for the directionality which is enforced by Picasso, there is also a transitive quality for one who starts with the exhibit room containing works by Warhol and Basquiat.

A final note should be offered to the nature of the mediums offered. Three-dimensional art, lists, even a feather is offered as a form of artistic representation in the exhibition. Pen and paper to crayons are offered to make more than a point, but to invert the message of the work into the sublime. Yet somehow, with the liberation of Namibia, also correctly called South West Africa prior to the independence, a certain curiosity is evoked among the trends which are being emphasized. An almost arrogant statement of this moment in history is rebuked by the celebration of what was accomplished in Butlin-style photography.

This was a moment of great hope for the world, and for Africa: as independence was won the rich world fought epidemics and poverty in quite the same numbers as even the poorest nations. It was a moment in history where it seemed as though a senseless reaper demanded equal destruction from each of the continents of the world, and these were artists who caught this phenomenon and questioned it. One of Andy Warhol’s favorite pictures, of what appears to be a young Lou Reed with his eyes nearly closed, is separated by a decade from the electric chair which would define Andy Warhol’s career and initiate greater controversy and discussion than any of the antics, deaths, pranks, or mischief which had marked him as an artist. For him, this was a symptom of barbarity sustained by the rank ignorance and dormant ardor of a system of values which was missing a cog, or a piece of some sort, something which is illustrated at a later point in the exhibit.

Work Schedules for Survivors of Childhood Trauma Using the Stress Hormone Cortisol as an Indicator of Psychosis

Paul Andreas Fischer

11/20/2016

Work Schedules for Survivors of Childhood Trauma Using the Stress Hormone Cortisol as an Indicator of Psychosis

 In order to understand the nature of critical responses to societal pressures, it is first necessary to evaluate the role of various negative outcomes which can be seen even today among functioning members of society. The establishment of such a control has allowed the establishment to flourish, and in order to maximize productivity and well-being a better coherence of the information at hand should be offered. Appropriate labor laws such as the prohibition of child labor, which began in the 1800s but did not meet modern medical standards of adulthood until the 1900s, and the elimination of the total war after the Second World War, have meant that for the first time, the medical community can address all instances of such trauma. There are no longer communities which "simply have to live with it" as a form of treatment as had occurred when labor was frequent for children or excessive work hours for adults. The consequences of elevated cortisol as a result of childhood trauma, forced work, or the number of older methods of inducing this state include physical damage to a specific part of the brain, degradation of memory and functioning, and even psychosis or irrational decision making.

 Some basic trends emerge, primarily that a healthy level of cortisol does indicate better psychological health, and trends across various physical responses as well. This paper will demonstrate that the primary unavoidable cause of increased cortisol extant in today's society is childhood trauma through parental separation and a history of sexual or physical abuse.

Action and Physiological Response: Permanent and Impermanent Symptoms

 It has been well established that higher levels of cortisol are indicative of a number of societally unacceptable results, which include psychosis and lower left hippocampus volume (Mondelli, 116.2). Loss of parents have been shown to increase cortisol levels in victims even as adults (Nicolson). Parental separation and childhood adversities have also been shown to increase the levels of psychosis, in such a manner as to account for nearly all ER psychosis incidents in any given year (Morgan). This impact is found in victims with a history of sexual or physical abuse (Mondelli, 119.1). There is also evidence of elevated cortisol occurring in the course of a week with excessive stress and disrupted sleep patterns (Dahlgren). It should be noted that adults with PTSD suffer lower levels of cortisol after the initial period of shock, inducing symptoms including low processing speed, metabolism and other factors, though these are also normal responses for victims of head trauma (Cernak).

 Elevated levels of cortisol are a long-term human response to a traumatic incident, especially among those who are young and this is a result of continued changes to the brain which can only be simulated through a specific variety of factors. Concussion would be one of these, and the period of around a week after the initial 3 days of lower cortisol post-head trauma can help to show the physical and psychological impacts of elevated levels of cortisol. After two weeks, the victim would return to normal, which is not something that occurs in victims of childhood trauma. Excessive work schedules have also been shown to induce this increased cortisol release, though recovery can take weeks or months, depending on duration of the effects, and there is no reason that survivors of childhood trauma would not be in the same situation (Steptoe). This is a physical change which has also been found in college students recovering from a romantic break-up (Field).

Effects and Responses

 

 The use of cortisol to gauge the severity of trauma is not effective, though it does lend credence to the reality of its use for the purpose of evaluation if such an event occurred at all. The psychosis and lower left hippocampus volumes are not the only exhibitions of the damage from such an incident, which has also been shown to cause coronary heart damage (Dahlgren). In order to evaluate these claims, it will be necessary to turn to one of the only populations who do not have appropriate labor laws which prevent creation of such a state simply from taking on excessive work: the American elderly. As the brain ages the way in which information is processed changes so that a lower level of information can be processed before legitimate psychological harm can be done.

 Excessive work levels in this population leads to elevated cortisol and hippocampal atrophy (Lupien). This produces workplace dangers and harms which stem from memory deficits and cognitive dysfunction. In people who are younger, it is one way in which a psychotic episode may manifest itself, and indicates past or present trauma.

Predictive Indicators of Exacerbation of the Symptoms of Elevated Cortisol Levels

 The use of childhood trauma to enforce a social class structure is no longer present, though it is still not conceivable for all of those with parental separation, childhood trauma or excessive work schedules to operate from a prevention-based standpoint, and those who exhibit the symptoms will need to make lifestyle and personal choices which are appropriate for the predicament. The alternative includes many negative symptoms and a much higher rate of mortality from heart attack.

 Chronic use of marijuana has been shown to increase cortisol levels dramatically (King), though lower levels of THC administration have been suggested to lower cortisol release outside of statistical significance, as a female pregnancy hormone, prolactin, also blocks some effects of the product. That is a phenomenon which may explain how responsible adult users of the product have twice as many geniuses per capita as non-users, while those who use chronically and from a young age have only half as many (Fried). Moderate use of alcohol can increase cortisol substantially, or about double that of chronic cannabis use (Badrick). Like responsible adult use of cannabis, there is no indication of increased cortisol from light use of alcohol or beverages containing trace amounts of alcohol such as Kombucha. This runs about the same cortical increase as failing to quit smoking for heavy smokers (Steptoe).

Applications to Lifestyles and Conclusion

 Cortisol may be responsible for a great deal more than is currently recognized, and with it positive physical health consequences including heart disease are also enhanced. Legal lifestyle choices such as diet, work schedule, and substance use do play a role for some parts of society, and even though many decisions have been prohibited which can induce a dangerous release of cortisol, it is worth checking out what effects can be felt. Some decisions which are still recommended for the general population are dangerous for specific groups of people, and that is also something which needs attention. It can even occur that events outside of an individual's control, such as parental separation, physical or sexual abuse, and even for a period head trauma can change the decision making process as it is elucidated throughout discussion.

References:

Badrick, Ellena, et al. "The relationship between alcohol consumption and cortisol secretion in an aging cohort." The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 93.3 (2008): 750-757.

Cernak, Veljko J. Savic, Angel Lazarov, Mirjana Joksimovic, Stevan Markovic, Ibolja. "Neuroendocrine responses following graded traumatic brain injury in male adults." Brain injury 13.12 (1999): 1005-1015.

Dahlgren, Anna, Göran Kecklund, and Torbjörn Åkerstedt. "Different levels of work-related stress and the effects on sleep, fatigue and cortisol." Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health (2005): 277-285.

Field, Tiffany. "Romantic Breakups, Heartbreak and Bereavement*-Romantic Breakups." Psychology 2.4 (2011): 382.

Fried, Peter, et al. "Current and former marijuana use: preliminary findings of a longitudinal study of effects on IQ in young adults." Canadian Medical Association Journal 166.7 (2002): 887-891.

Lupien, Sonia J., et al. "Cortisol levels during human aging predict hippocampal atrophy and memory deficits." Nature neuroscience 1.1 (1998): 69-73.

King, George R., et al. "Altered brain activation during visuomotor integration in chronic active cannabis users: relationship to cortisol levels." The Journal of Neuroscience 31.49 (2011): 17923-17931.

Meewisse, Marie-Louise, et al. "Cortisol and post-traumatic stress disorder in adults." The British Journal of Psychiatry 191.5 (2007): 387-392.

Mondelli, Valeria, et al. "Abnormal cortisol levels during the day and cortisol awakening response in first-episode psychosis: the role of stress and of antipsychotic treatment." Schizophrenia research 116.2 (2010): 234-242.

Mondelli, Valeria, et al. "Higher cortisol levels are associated with smaller left hippocampal volume in first-episode psychosis." Schizophrenia research119.1 (2010): 75-78.

Morgan, Craig, et al. "Parental separation, loss and psychosis in different ethnic groups: a case-control study." Psychological medicine 37.04 (2007): 495-503.

Nicolson, Nancy A. "Childhood parental loss and cortisol levels in adult men." Psychoneuroendocrinology 29.8 (2004): 1012-1018.

Steptoe, Andrew, et al. "Job strain and anger expression predict early morning elevations in salivary cortisol." Psychosomatic Medicine 62.2 (2000): 286-292.

Steptoe, Andrew, and Michael Ussher. "Smoking, cortisol and nicotine." International Journal of Psychophysiology 59.3 (2006): 228-235.

Unity, Expansion, and Rate of Change in Stylistic Interpretation from Baroque to Classical Artwork

Paul Andreas Fischer

11/15/2016

Professor Kelsey Brosnan

Unity, Expansion, and Rate of Change in Stylistic Interpretation from Baroque to Classical Artwork

The place of unity in the stylistic representation of space frontiers without a time period from which to operate is also lacking movement in this placement, conceivably speaking throughout the appropriate conceptualization of the comfort of that artistic form and representation. Connotation of belief in the fluidity of artistic difference can be felt within the artistic devices of expansion (Wöllflin, 164) and is found in the artistic work of Dirk Vellert. A genuine departure from the pioneering provincialism is found as the Reconquista is effectively discarded and the focus of artistic work begins to develop into a united demonstration of piety combined and bound to ungodly wealth.

Style is not neither logical nor is it itemizable (Schapiro, 2) and the transition from the primitive art form is one which finds direct loss of contact with the rational as a result of social unity and coherence in artistic expression. The expansion of such a development indicates a cognitive disregard for the reality of a material expansion into artistic form. This cognitive disregard both hinders the expansion of the singularity, preserving the local multitude as well as ensures that such an expansion must occur.

What style can be directly seen as is the Baroque development from classic art of the 15th century. As a constant form, this is definitely implied as a community singularity, which is seen in the art of newly relaxed artists in their approach to the expression of their work (Wöllflin, 156). The gradual change of artwork from Classical to Baroque in style is marked by the limitation to specific fields of development, as defined by the refinement of materials, procedures, and investment behind artistic endeavors. Finally, it should be seen in both unity and expansion that a greater singularity in style is found.

The concentration of wealth created a unique system of complexity in artistic style that found itself without a direction and yielded a yearning or longing for a return to simplicity of primitive art forms by the modern era (Schapiro, 4). Other factors which played a role included a spiritual communality which could not be experienced during the massive onslaught of death and poverty which marked European art forms in the centuries preceding that new era. Lack of style, then, as well as the primitive art form can be seen to be logical in nature. This brings a new meaning to the joke from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, “if it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it!”

In artistic expression, unlike architecture, for example, the illogical can be seen to have a positive attribution of form and projection in its appeal to both the audience and the social tapestry for which the artwork provides a distinct and complete excitement in form. The domination of unity can be seen in the lighting as well (Wöfflin, 162). This is the sort of individualistic conceptualization of the development of style which was singular across the artistic world at the time. There is a use for such an analysis, as it affects modern painters such as Escher who attempt to increase their artistic tension by disregarding the rigidity of logic in their painting or drawing almost to an extreme to achieve a level of modernity in style.

References:

Meyer Schapiro (1904-1996), “Style,” 1953 [Excerpt, pp. 1-4]

Jonathon Blower H. Wölfflin, translator, & Evonne Anita Levy, editor, writer of essay. (2015). Principles of art history : The problem of the development of style in early modern art / Heinrich Wölfflin ; a new translation by Jonathan Blower ; edited and with essays by Evonne Levy and Tristan Weddigen. (Texts & documents).

Form and Content in the Modern Art of Paul Andreas Fischer and John Flaxman

Paul Andreas Fischer

11/15/2016

Professor Libby Davidson

Form and Content in Modern Art

Style is the form which an artist gives to the content provided in their expression. My artistic expression can be seen in the form of an almost intentional stratification in complexity, as an illustrative quality is provided in the series of drawings which follow UVM campus through Shelburne Farms and the Ethan Allen Homestead to the Intervale and back to UVM. Silver Nickelback trees break the illustration’s contemplative power into a deft performance of nature in action and the community which encapsulates, protects, and preserves that natural bounty.

These are a combination of the fossils of nature, the trees, and water which have been dealt with in the collection. Figure 1, it can be seen that there is an expression of the elemental which is concentrated into work on leaves. These drawings have a similarity in style and presentation to the work of neoclassical artists such as John Flaxman, which is a connection that holds through the rest of the work. Simplicity in supporting lines and elimination through the curvature of interpretation, that is the complexity which lends drawing an intrinsic value of isolated value, in this neoclassical work creates a new utility in support of sculpture or graphic artistic representation shown as the artist declares to his young wife, “I am ruined for an Artist!” But in very little time, he finds that his sculptural talents are recognized after she travels to Rome with him and Banks, the greatest sculptor of the time once exclaimed, “The little man cuts us all out!” That was following some great investment in skill and labor by both the aspiring artist and those around him (Flaxman, 620-621).

In figure 2, a communication of art and style is found as nature finds itself in an almost text or storybook setting. With appropriate room for framework, it began a discovery of a style which helps to place nature in a setting with people that is communicated throughout the work. This is a simple tree by the road, and is finally one that is built appropriately.

Only describing a tree as a natural phenomenon in a setting which has been cared for by people is not the only opportunity for the style to emerge, but this artwork can also be seen to develop the conceptual ideals of charm in a familiar setting. The viewer can identify with the art in a classical sense. This is seen in a series of transformational drawings which come together as a projection of the emphasis on personal identification with the past, one of which can be seen in figure 3.

The historical connection can be seen with the accurate representation of the Charlotte Whale, found in the museum at UVM Perkins Geology Museum. A holographic T-Rex now looks over the display, which is among the earliest demonstrations of global climate shifts and the dramatic consequences for the Earth which have been impacted by them in the past and present. An error in the directionality of the head is extant and can be seen in figure 4. Due to the curvature of the spine, however, this may have been appropriate in nature to the actual position of the whale in motion in a sea once present here in Vermont.

References:

Flaxman, John. (1853). Littell's Living Age, 37, 620-621.

Figures:

Figure 1 - Leaves by Paul Andreas Fischer

Figure 2 - Illustrated Tree by Paul Andreas Fischer 

   Figure 3 - Prehistoric Tree by Paul Andreas Fischer

Figure 4 - Charlotte Whale by Paul Andreas Fischer 

Data Encryption and Obsoleting the Hash

Paul Andreas Fischer

11/15/2016

Professor Kathleen Hyde

Data Encryption Using AES 128 and 256 Images

  Sometimes AES encryption can be used to protect data against oncoming attackers or simply prying eyes. While this paper will discuss the procedure and benefits of encrypting a simple text document, and display the radical difference between the raw data which is produced without appropriate permissions and the data which is produced with appropriate permissions, it should be noted that this technology can also be used to encrypt programs, pictures, films, or even operating systems and firewalls. Finally, the obsolescence of a hash will be discussed by the use of two-fold encryption, which will be demonstrated in the course of the procedure.

Preparing to Encrypt Your Data

  In my data, the chess sheet, some very embarrassing information about the first attempt to learn to play chess using professional lessons is provided. The first thing to do is to identify the document or documents which need to be encrypted and place them in a folder as seen in figure 1. It is then necessary to open an encryption software, in this case Disk Utility.

The Encryption Process

  The option to create an image from the file will give the capability to encrypt the data as seen in figure 2. In this case blue is used for a lighter encryption while green is used for a heavier encryption, it should be possible to change the file to read/write as well at this point, both actions of which can be seen in figure 3. A .dmg is created as seen in figure 4, and the encryption process has been completed.   The finished products, encrypted at AES-128 and AES-256 can be seen in figure 5.

Figures 6 and 7 serve two purposes. The first is to demonstrate how radically different both forms of encryption are, while the second will be discussed in the section on the hash later. The unsuccessful attempts to access the data using Textedit are followed by a successful authorization process in figures 8 and 9.

  Finally, this embarrassing data can be seen in figure 10. A complete analysis of these first 16 games which precede completion of the lessons has been provided and, given time now that 150 lessons have been completed over the course of a weekend, will be followed by more successful statistics, undoubtedly, which will not require encryption. Double redundancy means that the files will not be lost but also provides another security measure.

Obsolete the Hash

  The purpose of the hash is to not only protect the data from unwanted viewers by producing hash values (Anderson), but ceding that possibility for some batches of data, which became necessary with the popularization of the personal computer, to alert the reader to any manipulations of the data. By using a double redundancy, even if one form of encryption is intercepted and manipulated, or even if both are, the chances that both will be intercepted by the same attacker makes this a secure method of securing information. It can be verified by a third-party partway to delivery, just as with a hash, without access to the actual information by verification of the source, as long as the package identity is confirmed.

References:

Anderson, K. D., & Glover, N. (1995). U.S. Patent No. 5,406,279. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Figure 1: File Awaiting Encryption

                                                      

Figure 2: Dropdown tab from Disk Utility

Figure 3: Disk Utility, creating AES encryption

Figure 4: Disk Utility, Encryption Completed

Figure 5: Encrypted .dmg files

Figure 6: Accessing AES-128 Encryption with Textedit, notice difference despite same source from AES-256 Encryption

Figure 7: Accessing AES-256 Encryption with Textedit, notice difference despite same source from AES-128 Encryption

Figures 8 and 9: Access of Chess Gradesheet Using Password 

Figure 10: A final decrypted file, the Chess Gradesheet

Steps to Secure and Map a Network

Paul Fischer

10/30/2016 revised: 11/11/2016

Kathleen Hyde

Steps to Secure and Map a Network

Jerry’s … Locked

Jerrys.media … Locked

MyCharterWiFi13-2G … Locked

MyCharterWiFiaa-2G … Locked and Inconsistent

MyCharterWiFiaa-5G … Locked

MyCharterWificb-2G … Locked

NETGEAR07 … Locked

NETGEAR47 … Locked

NETGEAR83 … Locked

NETGEAR83-5G … Locked

These networks are all locked. They have been mapped in this manner pursuant to a legal ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States of America in 2014 which allowed the google Fi program to map all wireless networks in the country. It is apparent that several are standardized while at least two appear to be commercial and bear the name of a local establishment. The transconnection groupings within similar names may be part of family contracts with wireless companies, which often allow multiple modems, or devices concurrent and component to the original registered device.

There do not appear to be any communications between these networks but evidence is not provided as to the nature of the networks. There may be a reference to the data communication extant in the devices, and the speed and coverage of the networks which have been connected. The average speed of the networks surveyed came to3G while the average speed of constant (not fluctuating) networks was found to be 3.5G, and these calculations also exclude the commercial connection.

To double check the results of this report, a search of the local region using google Fi reveals that the connection guaranteed for wireless devices is 4G. Speculation may commence thatanother high speed device exists without detection, that the sample is not large enough to provide a random group of devices or to determine the connection type possibilities of other local devices.

Steps a Security Firm Can Take to Protect Businesses From Cyber Attack

Security firms can be asked to help businesses with a number of different programs. Methods which can be taken to fight cybercrime in the financial sector include the use of honey nets, defensive programs, or other system structural changes. A list of such programs (Montcalm, 6) will follow along with a comprehensive step-by-step guide to preventing the ability of a Botnet program to enter into a system.

Airmagnet

SnifferWireless

Airopeeks

The Wireless Security Auditor

Netstumbler

Kismet

Methods of Intrusion

In order to understand the needs of security it is first necessary to outline the means of infection (Gibbs, 3-4). Firstly, wormlike replication indicates an evasion of intrusion detection systems by scanning a subnet using bots; malware can then be selectively inserted and replicated into unprotected networks while avoiding those with protection. Secondly, infected media such as thumbdrives and CD/DVDs can be used in the event of a physical breach. Finally, watering holes are used to instigate drive-by downloads in which undeclared downloads containing malware can insert code into a system.

While the first two are exceptionally useful in use against systems vulnerable to a physical breach or direct access, the last would be a concern only in companies with a high number of employees active on such “watering holes” that might allow a critical mass of localized traffic to obtain objective information either through a general attempt or in conjunction with wormlike replication software. It is important to remember that none of the three main methods of infection are mutually exclusive, and the presence of one likely indicates that various forms of the others are either en route or already have ben attempted.

IDPS systems of prevention

IDPS systems of prevention are recommended by the government, which will be outlined in the following section (Scarfone, 23-26). In the same way that infection techniques can build upon one another, nearly all protection services which are recommended by a government guide to intrusion detection and prevention systems are sensors. There are multiple typical components be aware of, which include appliance, software only, inline, and passive sensor systems.

Ironically enough, passive sensor systems are indeed the most effective of the systems in protection against a botnet intrusion. As was mentioned earlier, one way that aggressive attacks can enter through system protection services is by use of a reconnaissance program. Detection of these programs can be seen to be of paramount importance. An effective honey net will use information from mining techniques that have been collected into a crossplane correlation report  that allows both the types of machines and the types of activities, such as “spamming or scanning” to be used in creation of the architecture of a honeynet with individualized pots to catch the onflow of attacking programs (Gibbs, 17-24).

Steps which can be recommended to secure a wireless network in a business setting:

Detection: Set up multiple forms of detection, not just one

-Mining-based Detection

-C-plane Monitoring

-DNS based detection

-Anomaly-based detection approaches

-Network based signature

This final list is an indication that the defense mechanisms outlined thus far are limited to a reaction to a detected scanning or spamming attempt to gain command and control servers which can pose a serious threat to computer resources. There is an intrinsic flow between botnet and vulnerable threat targets which also must be addressed to deactivate an attacker, and even after some command and control servers have been accessed, it may be necessary to include logging systems which can provide a critical director towards the one way flow of code which indicates the presence of a Botnet Master. It does absolutely no good, and only distributes company information and security resources to chase these attempts at taking down vulnerable threats, marked by a number of systems, so signature-based approaches allow low rates of false positives and decrease the chances that an alert or protective service will alert intruders.

References:

Gibbs, Peter. (2014), Botnet Tracking Tools. https://www.sans.org/reading-room/whitepapers/detection/botnet-tracking-tools-35347

Montcalm, Erik. (2003), How to Avoid Ethical and Legal Issues in Wireless Network Discovery. https://www.sans.org/reading-room/whitepapers/wireless/avoid-legal-issues-wireless-network-discovery-176

Scarfone, Peter (2012), Guide to Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems.http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/drafts/800-94-rev1/draft_sp800-94-rev1.pdf