Costco Wholesale Essay

1. Executive Summary Costco Wholesale Corporation founded in 1983 by Jim Sinegal in Seatle Washington with a vision & mission â€Å"to continually provide members with quality of goods and services at the lowest possible price control inventory.† Part of their strategy include direct buying relationship that ensures an efficient & strong SC management, high standard staffing plans, high quality products at lower prices and assessable to members who are considered more loyal. Efforts are made to develop strategic options in line with these strategies while focusing on the supply chain parameters that span from order placement to receipt of goods at the warehouse and made available to customers in the warehouse shop floor using the most cost effective processes in order to ensure they support the mission of the company. By assessing Costco’s external opportunities and threats as well as the internal strengths and weaknesses (using SWOT & Porter’s Five Forces analysis), one can infer they are doing well within their industry. More options were generated to increase sales and awareness of the retail warehouses. The report concludes with recommendations for Costco to sustain it’s market edge and advance by expanding into the European & Asian markets more as their presence is still very weak in these regions as well as add other services & goods to their already existing list. 2. Introduction Costco Wholesale Corporation founded in 1983 within the retail industry is the largest warehouse club in the world based on sales volume. A major wholesale business offering three levels of membership and the largest wholesale club operator in the US with membership/warehouse locations spread across Asia, Europe, North & South America with headquarters based in Washington, US. Their main competitors operating membership warehouses include Sam’s Club & BJ’s wholesale club. Jim Sinegal, the founder defines the company vision as â€Å"giving the best to the customer at the best value possible†. Here best value (in quality of goods & services offered) at low prices are the driving force. Costco backs up it’s products with a return policy within a time frame of average 90 days, a highly endearing attraction to it’s members. The business model focuses on low prices & volume purchase in order to achieve profit at low margin with stores offering discounts on an average of 4,000 products out of which roughly a thousand are ‘treasure hunt’ referring to goods that are scarcely available for purchase always. Volume purchase from few vendors yielding further reduction in price and lowers cost in marketing. With low prices, quality goods in limited selection based on forecast lead to quick turnover in inventory. The high volume purchase and efficient network distribution yield efficiency in operations for Costco. With a stipulated membership fee, Costco warehouses are designed to help small to medium size businesses reduce purchasing costs as well as serving large families with the goods packaged in bulk ranging from alcoholic beverages, electronics, fresh food/produce, household & office supplies, pharmaceuticals & tires. Also available are special memberships with services like car & home insuranc e, mortgage and real estate services, and packages for travels. 3.Purpose and Main Areas Of the Research (Concepts & Techniques) Analyzing the supply chain operations at Costco wholesales, in line with the business focus while limiting to it’s supply chain operations strategy for maintaining a competitive edge as it relates to SC operations (from sourcing to arrival on pallets and or display at their various warehouses racks), their challenges and options for improvement will be the focus of this report. The following issues will form questions that will give a frame for this report: †¢ What are the key issues facing Costco in line with (efficient) Supply Chain Operations? †¢ What would be options to compete with these issues?  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Which options best suits the business focus and would yield better growth financially? The sections thereafter will consider trying to answer the questions above by applying SWOT analysis (see appendix 1) and Porter’s five forces framework (see appendix 2). Areas needing improvement will be obvious from such, options that would generate better performance after localizing issues peculiar to Costco. These would ultimately lead to clear recommendations for Costco’s improvement. Due to inaccessibility of authentic and current data for successive years on sales, further analysis could not be carried out to compare Costco for accurate sales assessment in the last three years or compare with the other two leading club wholesalers (Sam’s & BJs). Identifying, analyzing key parameters with Supply chain operations processes at Costco and suggest areas of possible improvement. Inventory Management: Since good are moved straight to the selling floor and inventory is not held by Costco but managed by vendors, inventory & labor cost of handling is avoided. In their meat & grocery section for instance, they focus on low-price & high volume strategies hence, Costco carry very limited amounts of grocery & perishables whereas Wal-Mart is known to have weakness in the area of perishables (Petrak, 2006) Partnership/Collaboration with suppliers: Costco has buying relationships with many producers of national brands and are supplied directly from suppliers routing to the warehouses of docking points that serve as distribution points. Partnership market is an attribute of Costco, for instance by partnering with American Express to create a Costco-AMEX credit card, discounts & cash cards as offered to customers while Costco markets Amex cards, thereby helping them to acquire more customers. Distribution Strategies/Transportation: The redesign of product packages to fit into pallets and thereby maximize space has led to reduction of trucks used to transport goods. Cross-docking of goods by delivering directly to Costco stores while some are kept in the distribution centers saves a lot of time & cost along the SC. Utilization of buzzers for truck drives at delivery points to indicate when trucks have been unloaded can save time as against the truck driver’s physical movement within the warehouse is a time saver. Their warehouses are not situated on prime locations hence cost is saved from unnecessary high property cost; again, they own over 80% of the warehouses. Green Logistics: Costco Kirkland signature has launched eco friendly cleaning products. It maximizes the use of solar power in it’s warehouses, it’s delivery trucks are better packaged to allow maximization of space so as to reduce fleets of transportation and hence environmental pollution. Energy is better conserved with timed lighting and construction of warehouses that can maximize skylight during the day. Food products are packaged in recyclable and more environmentally friendly materials. Customers are paid to recycle their old electronics at the green sight. Information Technology: This retailer prides itself in it’s connection of all warehouses to the headquarters in Washington. By using the EFIM which provides real time information, manages control systems and inventory management system. The ECR is used to achieve profitability, improvement in efficiency, logistics, procurement and overall cost control. Kumar (2008) records that approximately $6 billion in a year is lost in the USA by supermarkets due to out of stock products among 25 top retailers as a result of inefficiency in their logistics. Vertical Integration: Costco practices a partial vertical integration with it’s cross-dock distribution. By gaining control of either its inputs or its outputs or both in sourcing directly from suppliers they have more control over innovation & delivery of those services. Cost is also reduced which is ultimately transferred to customers. Further optimization of operational performance through SC operations options that can sustain a competitive edge and improve customer satisfaction through service improvement and cost reduction. 4. Description Of The Separate Areas 4.1Description of The SC Operations Performance & Improvement. The measurement of SC performance can be based on profit, customer service or sales maximization (Chow, 1994). While the traditional method majorly measured product costs, identification of costs related to customer service is key. Elimination of various extraneous costs like plastic shopping bags, fewer shop floor staff, limited product variety & brands on shelf and also slowing down on capital expenditure like expansion, Costco has been able to focus on improving buying power for achieving greater output. Since inventory rates are quickly turned over, payments to suppliers is fast tracked hence they are able to benefit from discounted early payments. Cost is involved in sourcing products from suppliers, shipment to depots & warehouses, distribution to warehouses & storage in inventory. By considering the concept of avoidable cost (possibly considering packaging & storage), efforts can be made to improve on SC performance by implementing better SC integration program. Partnering with more suppliers and or service providers for better flow of operations as well as building keener competition can enhance better efficiency leading to more profit in the long run. More side business services can be added at Costco like money order and cash transfers to attract more customers and make Costco a one stop store. Aside from email messages being sent to existing members on promotions, greater awareness can create a more organized means to lure more customers on the expanding array of products & services such that new & more revenue streams are attained. 4.2 Issues Affecting Supply Chain and Possible Solutions Analysis of SC at Costco using SWOT analysis (appendix 1) reveals Costco is doing really well. Growth opportunities exist for business by entering the European & Asian markets as these have not been exploited. From present methods of operations, the high staff salary and low margins maintenance amongst other issues need to be looked into for future prospects. The aging and close exit of the CEO along with growing competition and other threats in intended foreign markets such as political and religious wars, foreign exchange & bank issues are threats to consider. In dealing with these issues, it will be important to assess briefly lead time management, product handling, transportation, quality, inventory as well as possible process solutions. Where possible, promotions should be done to enhance more sales though with the low prices and already highlighted low margin & high employee, this may eat into the profitability but if well planned can create more publicity for the company which can yield quick inventory turnover. Since low overhead & tight operation is the practice, better savings can be passed on to customers in form of promotion or otherwise. Exploration of overseas market is still a strong force and will yield greater profit considering the existing reputation Costco has and understudying how business is executed in such regions. Development of more private labels on wider product range and increased focus on customer loyalty programs are worth considering as well. It is advisable the board of management put in place a business plan before the exit/retirement of the CEO. Porter’s Five Forces analysis (see appendix 2) could identify an overall attractive industry, with the following power and threat situation: The buyer power was determined to have a positive potential impact on Costco business as it portray that buyers have the requisite level of expendable incomes to provide effective demand for goods & services. In a similar manner, low threat of new entrants and substitute products portray an attractive industry whereas moderate internal rivalry and supplier power have a positive impact on Costco operations as it kept the company alert and devoid of complacency. 4.3 Analyzing The Contribution Of SCOM to Competitive Business Performance To further highlight the role of SCOM in enhancing business performance and maintaining a competitive edge, a few activities like volume purchasing, efficient packaging & distribution, supplier integration & customer integration have contributed to give a close picture of Costco capabilities and business level performance with each activity having unique benefits and detriments. Again, constant review of SCM practices may further help management in Costco to further match demand with SC requirements like efficient, lean SC (Cook et al , 2011). Their Network design, JIT resource planning distribution, optimization of transport & replenishment policies have impacted positively and should be subject to constant review for sustaining a competitive edge. 5. Conclusion Finally, it is believed that some useful contributions are being developed to improve supply chain and it’s operation in line with the objective of Costco in delivering quality at lowest cost to customers on time with the aim of sustaining a more competitive advantage. Some useful SC options have been suggested above which support these objectives. While the ultimate goal remains to sustainably increase market share by achieving more qualitative growth and at the same time expand on the earning base through exploitation of the European market and already existing markets, Mascarehas et al (2004) adds that â€Å"competitive advantage must be won again and again† in other words, giving the current ever changing business world we live in, customer tastes and priorities are changing hence the need for Costco to be better positioned in order to respond always to it’s members needs while expanding on new fronts.

Macbook Consumer Behaviour Analysis

Business 4274F Consumer Behaviour Individual Assignment Oct, 26, 2012 General Information MacBook Air is a series of laptop created by Apple Inc. which makes the product distinguished and remarkable due to its ultraportability and thinness and elegant style. It was originally introduced and released in Jan 29, 2008 by Steve Jobs, the previous CEO of Apple Inc. The company typically releases new models for this series annually. The most recent release was in Jun 11, 2012, which has two models, one has an 11’’ screen, and the other gets a 13’’ screen.The series of MacBook Air has been very successful since its inception. Its success is not only reflected in the vast profit it made for Apple, but also in the inspiration it gives to the whole PC manufacturing market to make ultraportable and elegant-style laptop which can also balance performance. Hardware The most important factor which makes the MacBook Air so successful, in my opinion, is the great balance of portability and power of the product.The laptop features a unibody design which makes possible to significantly reduce thickness and weight, and also it integrates with the latest CPU of Intel (3rh generation Core i5 and i7), and SSD (Solid State Drive) to give more power and capability to use. The design is another factor. The machined aluminium casing and backlit keyboard make it look elegant and handsome. This design also delivers inspiration to the PC manufacturer. Many PC manufacturers copied the design and used it to re-design their own laptop, and they call them â€Å"Ultrabook†, which is targeted the same consumers and market as the MacBook Air.Software Compared with the hardware, the software is a more distinguished component of the product. MacBook Air, as well as other Mac series, is using the Macintosh system (also called OS X system). Unlike the PC industry where manufacturer buy the system license from Microsoft, which separates the hardware and software, OS X system is solely designed by Apple with the intention to work perfectly with the hardware. The trackpad on the laptop is the best over other laptops. People can use multi-touch gestures which enables them to control the laptop naturally and smoothly as they are using the iPad.And also, the system has come with many apps designed by Apple, so that those apps have uniform style with the system and great features. Involvement I have high-involvement attitude toward MacBook Air, referring to the ABC Model of Attitude. Before I got the feels about the product, I have got some beliefs of it, as follows: 1. The logo of Apple for me has been a label of â€Å"good design† and â€Å"user-friendly† 2. I had bought iPod and iPad, so I’m sure the Mac will be suit me as the other two products do 3. A friend who also has the products told me the laptop changed his life 4.The OS X system is more beautiful than the Windows system 5. Portability is the priority because I want t o carry it with me everywhere, and Mac has it 6. The system has faster response and less virus threats than Windows 7. Mac has very good synergy with other Apple products, so it can work well with my iPad I evaluated those beliefs according to my values, which is, referred to textbook, a belief that some conditions is preferable to its opposite. My values are the preferences of efficiency, elegant style, and reliable performance.Those beliefs give me a feel that the laptop is worth buying, though it’s more expense than other laptops. And then the feel gives me the behavior, which is the intention to pay for that. This is a high-involvement attitude toward the product, because the choice process is very careful and comprehensive. This also yields a great brand loyalty to Apple, and makes me wipe all the Windows-based laptop out from my buying list. Means-end Chain Analysis Attribute-value Table Attribute Fast response Portability Elegant style Less virus threatsBenefit I can u se it anytime I need it I can carry it with me I feel happy when I see the beautiful thing I feel safe and less worries Value A more efficient life A comfortable life Pleasure Safety Synergy with my iPad More efficient to use my iPad and the Mac Efficiency Associative Network of Knowledge The associative network of knowledge starts at the laptop, which is the class-level decision, and Apple’s laptop is the most favorable product for me, because it has the most links with the positive end states.The laddering technique illustrates the most important end state is efficient and comfortable. Cheap Windows system Microsoft PC Familiar Product Comfortable Laptop Good taste Elegant Apple Thin and light Portability Expensive Safe Synergy with other product Fast response Good CPU Carrying it with me SSD Efficient Advertisement In this advertisement, the MacBook Air was put on a file bag. The comparison of the Mac and the bag makes me believe the laptop can be placed into the small bag easily.The message the ad delivers to me is very clear: the product is very handy and portable. The message delivery is very efficient, because this is what I concern about. The picture let me think about the portability of the laptop, which is the attribute of the product, and then I would think about the benefits the portability can give me, for example I can carry it with me everywhere and I won’t be tired by its weight. Last, I compared the benefits with the end values of mine, if those benefits meet the values, it yields positive attitude and feel about the product.

Television Is a Great Invention

Some people say television is the worst inventions of modern times. They make this assertion for some reasons. The following points are some of them. First, they think that televisions make people more passive than before. Second, they think televisions contribute to the fact that people are more distant to each other. To begin with, I must admit that the first point is reasonable. With a television all you need to do—and all you can do is to sit on a comfortable sofa and look at the screen. People are becoming more passive simply because there is no interaction and no efforts on them. Everything contains good side and bad side and television has no exception. Yeah, of course, it makes people lazier and passive. They just watch things on TV instead of doing by themselves. But apart from that, television is by all means a great invention. There is only a minority of people who can watch some events on the scene, like some live matches and competitions . So how can the rest of people participate in the events far from the place the events happen? Of course through television which all people are legal and free to enjoy can we do so. In addition, to people who want to travel but with no money, television is undoubtedly a great thing through which people can see the world only by sitting ideally at home. To the second point, I want to say that it is true. Televisions do make people less close to each other. Family get-togethers and conversations are disturbed by TV—when one member is watching TV, he would like others to keep quiet. But everyone have time when he or she is alone. Television alienates people not so much as it provides all kinds of relaxation and entertainment for people when they are alone. Although television addict some adolescents to situation comedies; although televisions put glasses on millions of students' noses; although television reduce communications between families and friends, the advantages of television are far more than the harm it does to us. To us individuals, when we finish a whole day's work and feel exhausted both physically and mentally, we may turn on televisions and have a good relaxation; when we want to get information on sports?entertainment or large events in the world, we turn on televisions and get it from all kinds of TV programs; even when we want to learn English?etiquette or custom of foreign countries, we can turn on the television and get what we need from them, always. In a word, I think television is a great invention which is of great significance to the evolution of human society. References: http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Television-Great-Invention/100718 http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/parents/television/good_things_tv.cfm http://articles.famouswhy.com/the_benefits_and_dangers_of_television/ http://wenda.tianya.cn/wenda/thread?tid=24535823bd68dd80 http://wenwen.soso.com/z/q138729005.htm

Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Construction - Essay Example Because of their malleability and relative ease of working, copper and lead became synonymous with the complexities of Gothic architecture. Endowed with the rich green patina of age, weathered copper spires and roofs still enliven the skylines of northern European cities. Improved techniques of pre-patination can now bestow an instant, uniform illusion of maturity; Jean Nouvel's new cultural centre in Lucerne (p38) is crowned by a vast, overhanging roof clad in sheets of prepatinated copper. Sheltering a new urban square in its oversailing embrace, the emerald green structure forms a powerful horizontal datum in the lakeside landscape Metals have useful properties such as tensile strength, ductility, hardness, electrical conductivity, and high melting points. They are widely used for electrical and structural applications. Understanding the physical and chemical properties of metals allows for improved technological advances. Since metals are so widely used in today's modern world, corrosion is all around us and affects our lives in many ways. Corrosion has many serious consequences to our society such as, economic, health, safety, technological, and cultural. Cast iron played a pre-eminent role in the industrial development of our country during the 19th century.. As an architectural metal, it made possible bold new advances in architectural designs and building technology, while providing a richness in ornamentation. cast iron in the form of slender, nonflammable pillars, was introduced in the 1790s in English cotton mills, where fires were endemic In 1849 Bogardus created something uniquely American when he erected the first structure with self-supporting, multi-storied exterior walls of iron. Known as the Edgar Laing Stores, this corner row of small four-story warehouses that looked like one building was constructed in lower Manhattan in only two months. Its rear, side, and interior bearing walls were of brick; the floor framing consisted of timber joists and girders. One of the cast-iron walls was load-bearing, supporting the wood floor joists. The innovation was its two street facades of self-supporting cast iron, consisting of multiples of only a few pieces--Doric-style engaged columns, panels, sills, and plates, along with some applied ornaments. Each component of the facades had been cast individually in a sand mold in a foundry, machined smooth, tested for fit, and finally trundled on horse-drawn drays to the building site. There they were hoisted into position, then bolted together and fastened to the conventional stru cture of timber and brick with iron spikes and straps. The second iron-front building erected was a quantum leap beyond the Laing Stores in size and complexity. Begun in April 1850 by Bogardus, with architect Robert Hatfield, the five-story Sun newspaper building in Baltimore was both cast-iron-fronted and cast-iron-framed. In Philadelphia, several iron-fronts were begun in 1850: The Inquirer Building, the Brock Stores, and the Penn Mutuai Building (all three have been demolished). The St. Charles Hotel of 1851 at 60 N. Third Street is the oldest iron-front in America. Framing with cast-iron columns and wrought-iron beams and trusses was visible on a vast scale in the New York Crystal Palace of 1853. Wrought iron can be distinguished from cast iron in several ways.

Marketing Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Marketing Communication - Essay Example In the third section, semiotic analysis is done on the advertisement of United Colours of Benetton and has been interpreted depicting the underlying meaning of the advertisements. Semiotic Analysis Semiotics deals with symbols which occur in the form of pictures and text along with underlying meaning. Since advertisements both print and television tends to make an extensive use of signs and symbols in order to generate awareness about the product and the brand along with cultural meaning (Murphy, 2007). Semiotics has been applied in various fields such as film, medicine, theatre, zoology, architecture and other fields which involve communication and transfer of innovation. Two key notion of semiotic analysis are signs and relations. A text like ‘Star Trek’ can be interpreted as system of sign and the meaning stems from system and sign which ties them together. In semiotic analysis temporary and arbitrary separations are made in between the form and context and attention is mainly focused on the system of sign which makes the text. The essay deals with signs and not text so the discussion will mainly involve signs and its forms. Semiotic is concerned with sign and are made up of three main areas which includes are the sign, codes and the culture. According to Saussure a sign is a combination of sound image and concept by signified and signifier where signifier may constitute actual objects like lines or backgrounds and signified is the actual concept in one’s mind (Tsotra et al, 2004, 4212). Signs are mostly used in advertisements as sign of symbol which are used by corporate to create an identity (Berger, 2004, p. 11). In cases of images or pictorial advertisements takes into consideration three different types of models which are narrative model, rhetorical model and finally the Laokoon model. In the essay image analysis will be used to interpret the three advertisements of Benetton. Semiotics can be related to brand management as it helps the researcher to clarify issues with regards to brand identity, the personality along with the association which the brand communicates in the current environment. By means of locating the meaning of packaging, logo, and the messages send through advertisements, semiotic analysis thus enables marketer’s to tie brand communication with brand legacy and marketing strategy and remain relevant in the changing environment (Oswald, 2007, p.4). Benetton is among the strongest brand globally and one of its biggest advantages adding to the popularity of the brand is the advertising strategy of the brand. One of the biggest accolades for the company was for its practice to separate the products from advertisements. Benetton group is famous for its unusual themes and techniques used in advertising where most of the ads puts u a debate or controversy. Benetton utilised â€Å"shock value† along with the reality of the images in order to grab the attention of the viewers to make th e brand memorable. Unlike advertisements which usually are centered on the product and image of the brand, advertisements of Benetton address political as well as social issues like child labour, pollution, death, AIDS awareness radical integration and others. The company tries to communicate to the world regarding such issues and not just sell accessories and apparels. Benetton has over the years created worldwide recognition through its advertisements themes which

Outline for renewable energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Outline for renewable energy - Essay Example This also ensures energy security. Renewable energy is, therefore, sustainable. Renewable energy also creates employment opportunities due to the fact that the labor and materials needed to establish and sustain renewable energy facilities need workmanship. This also boosts the economies of regions making use of renewable energy sources. Renewable energy is also considered safer, compared to the safety concerns and risks such as explosions associated with fossil fuels and collapsing of coal mines. Before the development and extensive use of coal as a source of energy in the 19th century, almost all the sources of energy that were used were renewable. Wind and solar energy were among some of the oldest sources of renewable energy in history, apart from biomass. European Union countries are considered number two in the world when it comes to developing and applying renewable energy (Bradford 3). These countries include Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal and Lithuania. 20% of Germany’s energy needs, by the end of 2012, were provided by renewable energy. The largest contribution of this was from wind energy. Portugal also heavily relies on renewable sources. In 2010, more than 50% of the electricity generated in the country came from renewable source, with wind energy taking a significant portion. The same could be observed in Spain, with more that 15% of the energy produced in 2010 coming from wind energy. The entire EU hopes to acquire more than 20% of its energy from renewable sources, at least by 2020. This will enable the region to reduce greenhouse emission and lessen its dependence on imported energy. It will also create more employment opportunities, as well as foster technological creativity and

Discussions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussions - Essay Example The health care law lobby’s for spending based on quality of health care received and not quantity. This has therefore led to improvement of the services being rendered in the health care centers and all these at a reduced cost. The new health care act is also making institution be more involved in health care issues and ensure that they device ways to improve the quality of health care and at the same time cut the costs. This has been evident in a hospital in Minnesota where the hospital has resorted to monitoring around 300 of its heart patients from home rather than having them in the hospital. This decision has reduced the hospitals spending associated with admissions and hence in the end saved the country several million dollars which is put into continual quality improvement of health. This therefore continues to be an indication that the new health care law; the Affordable Care Act is working as proposed which was to improve the quality of health care and reduce the

Management Efficiency Impact on Performance within CocaCola Dissertation

Management Efficiency Impact on Performance within CocaCola - Dissertation Example Coca Cola has been awarded severally for its management and market status the world over. The company has employed different management theories in different countries of operation to suit the market and human resource requirements. Betsy Morris a CNN-Money correspondent reported in her feature on Coca Cola management noted that the company’s management style directly impacted on delivery and profits. The early 2000s saw the company slur but the recent years of good management have seen it rise again. The theories of change management have seen the company record all time high profits in the last two years. Research Strategy and Methodology The evaluation process will use two instruments, the interview and the survey, to collect information on the intended Coca Cola project. The interview will be carried out on the top management of the company to gauge the management style. The process should run in a scheduled time frame of fourteen (14) weeks. The interview method provides detailed information and can develop relationships among participants. The limitations of this method are that it takes large amounts of time, can be costly and participants may feel uncomfortable. It is also hard to get time with the top brass management for the interview. The interviews should therefore be conducted face to face, over the phone or internet video calls and through emails. The second activity is to design surveys to be filled in anonymously by the low and midlevel workers of the company in different states.

Impact of the Media on the Development of a Child Research Paper

Impact of the Media on the Development of a Child - Research Paper Example The teens have invaded the media in droves and according to the recent research, they constitutes almost seventy percentages of the users especially in internet and broadcast media, the big question is whether the media is contributing positively in the development of this cadre of population. Certainly, the answer is no, it is now apparent that the media particularly the internet has made the moral turpitude of the teens to be put to doubts and ascertained that this is the avenue through which they explore and practice illicit behaviors. Media’s Contribution in development of the Teens It is not accurate to state that media does not have any meaningful contribution in the lives of teens. It is true that it does influence many things with positive outcomes, an example of the case in the US where adolescent obesity has been mitigated through the media (Ford 11). Notwithstanding, when critically assessed it will be found that media has also contributed negatively in the lives of the teens by exposing them to issues related to sex, an example is the phonographic videos in the internet. Teens have also fallen into the trap of engaging in the illicit activities following the kind of advertisement they are accorded in the media. The media is thus an area where both positives and negatives conducts are drawn by the teens. Positive Attributes of the Media on teens Development The media has significantly contributed to the positive development of the teens in several ways helping them to achieve their life objectives. These positive impacts of media to the teens include academic improvements, growth of a reading a culture and networking. Academic Improvement According to research, it has been proven that the teens with computer and laptops in their room demonstrate remarkable improvement in their performance in academic work. This is attributed to the fact that by having computers, they not only have the ease to reach information through the internet but also get motivated and spend more hours reading information in the internet. Television show are also rated to have the best educational session on several issues that even the parent might not be having good grasp of knowledge about. In a close supervision then, television can prove to be one of the best informative media on relevant issues to the teens; an example is the show by Dr Oz and Oprah (Ford 17). Inculcation of the Reading Culture and Networking It is certain that our reading culture is threatened with the technological advancement today, as most of the teens demonstrate a very poor reading culture that needs to be reinforced. The print media that details several issues that takes place around the world is rejuvenating this culture. Through the magazines, journals that discuss the topical issues, the teens are fond of extracting the information in them through reading and this is helping in realizing the culture of reading. The internet on the other hand, provides the teens with a faster and safe way of interaction and can have the opportunity to share on some of the issues that interest them with whomsoever they choose around the world (Ford 20). Therefore, parents should then ensure that their children do not fall a prey to the other sides of the media that bears contrary impact. This precautionary measure ensures that the teens do not succumb to the disturbances, obsessions, depressions, and mental deterioration characterized with dwindling academic performance. Negative Attributes of the Media to the Teens Several studies have indicated that teens who demonstrate

Electricity Demand and Supply Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Electricity Demand and Supply Pakistan Essay Electricity load-shedding in Pakistan is one of the biggest domestic problems faced by the country. Along with the problems that the power shortage brings for the society as a whole and for the inhabitants of the society the power failures seriously curbs the economic potential of the economy. Considering most of the medium and large scale industries of Pakistan depend on machinery that is run by electricity they are heavily dependent on the electricity supply, with the electricity supply cut their production capacity decreases dramatically as well. Since most of Pakistani manufacturing industries lack the self generation ability hence this power outage is even more harmful to their business. So eventually what ends up happening is that along with creating general distress among the public this power shortage reduces the production capacity of the firms and hence reduces the aggregate supply. Aggregate supply can be defined as the total supply of goods and services that firms in a national economy plan on selling during a specific time period. It is the total amount of goods and services that firms are willing to sell at a given price level in an economy. It is the total amount of goods and services that firms are willing to sell at a given price level in an economy. In the long run, the aggregate-supply curve is assumed to be vertical In the short run, the aggregate-supply curve is assumed to be upward sloping SRAS (Short run aggregate demand) shows total planned output when prices in the economy can change but the prices and productivity of all factor inputs e.g. wage rates and the state of technology are assumed to be held constant. LRAS (Long run aggregate supply) shows total planned output when both prices and average wage rates can change – it is a measure of a country’s potential output and the concept is linked strongly to that of the production poss ibility frontier The SRAS and LRAS can be graphically represented as follows: SRAS LRAS Now what happens is that firms will have to cut down their production process in order to effectively meet the costs incurred or it will come to a position of losses. The cutting down of the production process means  decreasing the supply of the firm. As a firm produces lesser than it did before, fewer workers will be needed because the excess labor has been made redundant since fewer employees are now needed to produce lesser output. Moreover, the firm can no longer afford to employ as many workers as it did before. Hence this will eventually give rise to over the course of time as many workers have will have to be laid off in industries due to low activity. This will invariably decrease the total consumption of the population because as the unemployment increases the purchasing power of the people also falls. They are now earning fewer wages and the income effect will lead to a drastic decrease in the consumption. Consumption is one of the major contributors in the aggregate demand function. We define aggregate demand as the total demand for all goods and services produced in the economy at a given time and price level. It is the amount of goods and services in the economy that will be produced at all possible price levels. The aggregate demand is usually described as a linear sum of four separable demand sources.[3] Where: C = Consumption I = Investment G = Government Spending (X-M) = Net Exports – Net Imports The graph for AD is as follows: It is often cited that the aggregate demand curve is downward sloping because at lower price levels a greater quantity is demanded. While this is correct at the microeconomic, single good level, at the aggregate level this is incorrect. The aggregate demand curve is in fact downward sloping as a result of the Pigou’s wealth effect. Pigou effect is an economics term that refers to the stimulation of output and employment caused by increasing consumption due to a rise in real balances of wealth, particularly during deflation. Keynes said that a drop in aggregate demand could lower employment and the price level (deflationary depression). Hence it can be  said that any decrease in the consumption would bring about a fall in the aggregate demand. Consumer demand or consumption, that is also known as personal consumption expenditure, is the largest part of aggregate demand or effective demand at the macroeconomic level. The interaction of the aggregate demand and aggregate supply gives us the market equilibrium. Now as has been previously pointed out, frequent power cuts will mean a cutting down of the production process which invariably brings about a decrease in the aggregate supply. What happens is that as aggregate supply decreases with the aggregate demand being constant (as obviously people would still be demanding the same quantity of products) inflation will increase as shown below: Now here we can see with AS moving to a new point as it decreases it is actually increasing the price level which results in inflation and as a result unemployment increases as well, because when there is inflation in the economy there is a rise in prices hence there is a fall in the demand of goods and services and the producers reduce their production level and as a result they end up decreasing the number of workers which means unemployment increases. Unemployment on the macroeconomic level is a sign that the economy is operating below its full production capacity, this is a sign of inefficiency. Here we can see that inflation is playing a key role in determining the employment level. Hence we’ll have a look at how load shedding gives rise to inflation. Inflation is conventionally defined as a general increase in the level of prices in goods and services. One of the effects of inflation is a decrease in the value of money. During the course of inflation income and prices do not increase at the same rate; the purchasing power of the nation as a whole drops. One of the reasons of inflation is surplus amount of money which causes the prices to rise at an extremely high rate. Other than that, another reason for inflation is the rise in the costs of production which in turn increases the prices of the products. Moreover inflation occurs when aggregate supply exceeds aggregate demand hence increasing the price level. In the context of load shedding though, we see that it has been a triggering stimulus for initiating inflation. The CPI inflation averaged 23.5 percent in July-February 2008-09 in Pakistan as against 8.9 percent in the comparable period of last year. The deficiency of energy sources is causing stir on the demand side of the economic picture causing an increase in the demand for energy sources as it has a huge effect on all spheres of economy of a nation having a primary influence on industry level. The insufficiency of the available energy sources is causing the people to demand more electricity to meet their needs on the individual as well as industry level which in turn when observed in the context of graphical representation shows a shift of the demand curve to the right causing a shift of the equilibrium position increasing the price level. (Demand-Pull Inflation) The increase in level of inflation has also been caused due to an increase in the cost of energy sources. The scarcity of the energy resources available to the industries is making them shift to other sources for the purpose of energy generation which in turn has caused their costs to sky rocket. Now, due to the heavy burden that everyone has to face in this state of affairs is causing a shift of the AS curve in terms of graphical representation of the scenario. The increase in the costs of production for the industries in turn affects the aggregate supply causing it to decline. This shift of the AS curve to the left also then causes the equilibrium price level to rise, in turn stirring up inflation in the society (Cost- Push Inflation). The power tariffs imposed would further increase the industrial input cost which is already very high making the products more expensive in the domestic as well as the international market. As far as the international market is concerned, the competitive edge of a country would be lost as their goods are more expensive in comparison to the other countries.

Impact of Adderall

Impact of Adderall Higher and Higher Within weeks of deceiving his doctor into prescribing Adderall, Jamison Monroes grade rose steadily through Christmas. That D in biology raised to a B and heading higher. As far as his parents were concerned, what had been holding back their son for the first two months of high school was his ADHD. No one suspected a thing. Jamison kept Adderalls dire effects to himself. He got horribly dehydrated, particularly in the spring when he played on the baseball team. So as sophomore year began, he gave up sports and started taking the pills only on the nights he needed to cram. In the summer after his freshman year, Jamison attended his older sisters wedding. He enjoyed a strange new feeling as he tasted the champagne. He had tasted alcohol before, but this time it untended his body. Before long, he had five flutes of champagne and a few glasses of white wine. He ended up puking in the bathroom. But he woke up the next morning wanting to do it again. Champagne was too expensive, so Jamison began heading to liquor stores for beers with three of his buddies. First on weekends and then as a routine after school. His friends would take hours to sober up, but Jamison had a secret: any hangover was solved with another pill. By the end of sophomore year, the twelve-packs became Jack Daniels and Coke. On the last day of classes, Jamison and his two buddies went to McDonalds for food and to get cups, lids, and straws to disguise their Jack and Coke from any curious cops. By noon they came back to school with one last plan. Their English teacher, Mrs. Morse, was on away for the week. Maybe the final exam was in her office. While they were in Mrs. Morses office copying down the questions and answers, they heard footsteps. Jamison threw everything back in the drawer and they got out. They were walking slowly down the hall when Peter, one of Jamisons buddies, realized that they had left a piece of paper with his name and Jamisons handwriting in the office. They went back to retrieve it. The footsteps had belonged to a teacher who had locked Mrs. Morses office and watched from down the hall as the boys jerked the doorknob with increasing panic. The three boys were immediately expelled from St. Johns. With Jamisons good reputation, Episcopal High was told everything about Jamisons incident and still admitted him. During his junior and senior years, he found out that Adderall countered not just the effects of alcohol, but also the lethargy from the marijuana he began to enjoy. But Adderall couldnt keep his grades up. But he had scored a respectable 1320 out of 1600 on the SAT, the University of Texas would admit him if he went to its summer program and received at least a B in biology. He figured he needed to get at least 98 to raise his D to a B. With lots Adderall and cramming in the final week; he got a 100. Jamisons summer at Texass summer program taught him a new and improved way to enjoy his Adderall: snorting it. Most experts agree that the effects of cocaine and stimulants, when snorted, can be remarkably similar. Jamisons first semester at the University of Texas became a mood-modulating haze of alcohol, Adderall, and Valium. Jamison went home to Houston during Thanksgiving break. He was arrested for DUI and ultimately bailed out by his parents. A judge required him to be examined by a psychologist who told the family that Jamison had three options: kill himself in a car accident; kill someone else in a car accident; or go to drug rehab. Jamison decided to go the drug rehab. Nestled on a peninsula fifty miles north of Seattle, Gray Wolf Ranch was like Club Med. Up to fourteen young men would blend their addiction therapy with outdoor fun.   He was allowed no alcohol, pot, cocaine, or any other drugs except for his daily dose of Adderall. Jamison emerged after three and a half months totally sober, except for his continued affinity for amphetamines. He returned to college, avoided his old UT temptations by enrolling at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Two years later, he made the St. Thomas deans list and posted a 3.8 grade point average. Adderall had a lot to do with it. He was still using the pills to study. After Jamison transferred back to Texas to try to finish his government degree there, he returned to his old cycle of cramming with Adderall. By Christmas he had failed out of the University of Texas for a second time. He went back to rehab to a different treatment center in southern California. This time, therapies pushed Jamison to explore his Adderall use specifically. His father joined the therapy sessions and got to know his son. He asked Jamison what he wanted to do. Jamison said he wanted to open his own treatment center for teenagers like he was when this all stared. His father offered his support. He told Jamison if he learned the ropes by working at some other treatment centers for a whole, and developed a legitimate business plan, he would provide some seed money. In March 2006, Jamison left rehab for the final time. He got a job as a counselor at a local treatment center in Southern California and moved up the ladder and began managing the medication window. He spent his nights churning out a business plan for his own treatment center, estimating $6 million in start up cost. His father had wealthy friends and associates who remembered Jamisons smarts and trusted that he had finally turned the corner. By April 2008, Jamison had assembled enough investors to start building a girls-only program. Newport Academy officially open on May 12. One week later, a 17-year-old girl named Kristin Parber joined the program to get off cocaine and vodka.

Premarital Sex And Promiscuity Theories

Premarital Sex And Promiscuity Theories This essay will be discussing the topic of promiscuity and premarital sex from both Ellistons and Punzos theories. According to Punzo on Premarital sex, it is for two people to have engaged in a sexual contact/intercourse without having the full commitment but on the other hand, promiscuity according to Elliston it is to have sex with many different people without having any commitment. When comparing both, Punzo is seen as the conservative while Elliston is seen as supporting casual sex. Punzos theory is when two people are together having sex they both must be engaged in a deep commitment between the two people. On the other hand, Elliston is arguing that sexual intercourse doesnt require any thoughts or strong consideration with any commitments since it is not that big of a deal. According to Elliston promiscuity is seen as free love, where you can just meet someone and starting to fall in love with them. With this definition, it might be easier for some to understand it, as having freedom. It can also be recognized as having recreational sex, having sex just for fun. When the word fun comes with anything, it will be seen as attractive and easy going. Elliston has created a definition himself that better defined promiscuity. Promiscuity is defined as sex with a series of other adults not directly related through marriage and with no commitments; no promises of affection, sexual exclusivity in future (Elliston 144). Elliston also stated that for those who just want to get others in bed to have sex by lying, exploiting, and deceiving or something close to it are wrong. It is seen as wrong because it breaches the ethical principles that we all learned as a child, which is not to lie. When someone is lying about everything just because they are trying to get someone in bed to have sex with them, it is seen as very unethical. Promiscuity is seen as to the advantage of males and to the disadvantage of females because it is true that males do not have anything to lose while females will lose their virginity and at times their love. It has become exploitive; woman would get social blame but man would get sexual satisfaction. Promiscuity is not actually wrong but it is the double standard that is in places where woman is at a disadvantage in comparison to man. Promiscuity can not be defined as wrong all the time; the charges that it necessarily violates generally accepted a moral principle is false. (E lliston 146). Elliston is saying that the double standard that should be remove but not the promiscuity, since it is always seen as a disadvantage for woman. The female involved might not feel the same as to being cheated or being used for the man to have their sexual satisfaction but it might be the woman who is using the man to satisfy herself. Sex is just a body language in the form of body interaction between the two people that are willing to interact and it leads to pleasure. It also has a deep meaning behind it. According o Elliston, sex is more than thrusts and moans, caresses and sighsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦just as verbal language has a dimension of meaning beyond phonemes and morphemes, so body language has a significance beyond the intertwining of two bodiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Promiscuity has instrumental value in that it can facilitate the mastery of one kind of body languageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦sexual body language is learned through sexual interactionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦experiences enable an individual to develop a repertoire of gestures for communicating desire and affection and of decisive movements that clearly state intentions of love or amusement. People can be moved not only by the things we say but also by the things we do-with them, for them, or to themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦desire and satisfaction can be communicated not only through verbal exchanges, but also through a lingering look and an appreciative caress. To a shattered ego a physical embrace may express far more reassurance than its verbal counterparts, and a kiss may convey desire more eloquently than pleas or poemsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The observance of this etiquette is an acknowledgement of the selfhood of the other. The acquisition of it is one of the opportunities promiscuity provides(Elliston 149). Based on this quote, Elliston is saying sex is a part of body language and the more you practice it the better you will get. The skills that you get from promiscuity will wider range of people outside of marriage or committed-relationships. Usually a married couple would be seen as only one man is allow to have dinner with one woman, which is referring to only having sex with the partner and that is it, third party is not acceptable (traditionally). Elliston sees having sex with one person at first before you decide to love that person or not. Pretty much he i s saying having sex first will be a pre-stage of trying out whether the persons sexual skill or chemistry from sexual intercourse will help you decide to love this person or not. Therefore Elliston is arguing that promiscuity should be allow and should not be seen as wrong because it is something for the two to try out and see if the chemistry is there. In Punzos view, sex before marriage or even having sex with no commitment is seen as wrong. Punzo has answered the question of is having pre-martial sex without any commitment wrong, with using Wilsons theory of sexual intercourse to compare it with playing tennis and Chessers theory of two people going to see movies together. Both Wilson and Chesser see it normal and there is nothing morally wrong about having pre-marital sex. At the same time, Punzo has disagreed with both of them stating that going to the movies or playing tennis with many people are just some general activities which anyone can encounter, but it does not necessary have to be the one you would have sex with, or have any sexual interest with. In Punzos view, sexual intercourse must be between two committed people, so having sex without any sort of commitment is wrong. Punzo states that commitment is a must before sex, as one must agree to commit to a relationship before they can move on to a new level in their rela tionship, through having sex, the two gives themselves to each other in the way of trust, expressing ones mind, and feelings through the most intimate activity, sexual intercourse. Punzo see Ellistons argument between sex and dinning is a wrong example because dinning and sex are two different things, it is in an extreme that it has nothing to do with each other, dinning and sex has no connection at all. Dinning can be with any friends, or family members, and it does not involve any sexual contacts. Yes, dinning can be with your spouse, partner but it can also be with someone else. Both eating and sex do give people satisfaction, but they are totally different from each other. Food is a need for people to survive but people can live with out sex. Ellistons theory is to have sexual intercourse with as many people as you can before falling in love, but Punzos theory is to be in love or have the necessary commitment before having sexual intercourse. The moral perspectives of both are totally different from each other. This is why Punzo would not agree with Elliston and vice versa. Ellistons argument has a defect to it, it is having sex with a number of people does not only increase the skills of ones sexual ability, but it also limits the important value of having the most intimate relationship with the other through sexual intercourse. I believe we all know that having sex with the one we love is the most loving and special feeling of being complete as a whole. If one is engaged in a sexual activity with many other people and then stated that the one is now in love with their partner is not a rational theory, but it is also very confusing and unreasonable that promiscuity does not damage a committed relationship. Having sex without any commitment, and isolate oneself with uncommitted sex is a view that may not be true. They can have sex without any commitment but they might realize more about themselves. It doesnt mean they are isolating themselves just because they do not involve in a committed relationship. Punzos full commitment does not have a clear defi nition, does it mean to be in a legal marriage with legal documents, and so if the two are just common-law couple then does that mean they are not legal? Punzo should have clear that term and have a better explanation of it. With the mutual understanding and respects towards each other with pre-martial sex, it is not going to affect the two negatively. It would not be harm if pre-martial sex will lead the two into commitment and onto future commitment, it would become a good thing. If pre-martial sex is happening then protection is needed to prevent any unexpected or unwanted pregnancy. In conclusion, both Punzo and Elliston has their pros and cons. Premarital sex should follow Punzos theory of sex, and they must involve commitment, but not with full commitment. Punzo did not clarify what full commitment means, if it meant at the stage of being legally married, then those who are only engaged or soon to be marry couples should not be having any sexual interactions. Also promiscuity must be permitted only if no one is being hurt and lie to as a result of promiscuity. It is true that Ellistons argument of double standard needs to be remove because it is only seen as woman being the one that are at a disadvantage, but sometimes it is not the case, woman would be out to lie to man just to get money or any material that need from the man. Therefore double standard should be remove but not promiscuity. Also promiscuity is a good way to practice ones sexual skills and ability in the bed, it is true to the term practice makes prefect, it would suit this practice of promisc uity closely.

The Health Care Crisis :: American Health Insurance Essays

It is hard to imagine life without health insurance. If you have any type of medical problem that requires attention, and you have appropriate health care insurance, you can be cared for in the finest of private hospitals. You can get great treatment and your ailments, depending on the severity, can be treated as soon as possible. Doctors, physicians and surgeons are willing to put out a big effort if they know that they are dealing with patients who are insured and have the money to go under extensive medical treatment. But imagine life without such luxuries. For example, what happens if a relative requires much needed surgery, but does not have health insurance to cover the procedure? What happens if a lack of medical insurance prevents you or your family from seeing a doctor, which could result in health problems that had not been identified but could have been treated before they became life threatening? These scenarios may seem far-fetched, but these types of s ituations happen to people who lack health coverage everyday. There is a true story about a patient who was insured and diagnosed with treatable cervical cancer. Unfortunately, she lost her job and with it her insurance. She was then unable to see her private doctor, and was turned away from other hospitals because ?cancer treatment is not considered an emergency in a patient who can?t pay? (?Help for D.C.?s Uninsured?). The woman later died at her home without ever being treated. This example raises the question, since when are people with less money less deserving of health care or appropriate treatment? The District of Columbia fares terribly when it comes to health care. Avram Goldstein is a journalist from the Washington Post who has written numerous articles on the health care situation in D.C. Goldstein has worked for the Post for nine years but has been covering health care for numerous years as an investigative reporter and as an editor in many newspapers. As an expert on the issue of health care, he states in one of his articles, ?If you live in the District without health insurance or a regular doctor and you get sick, city officials and health administrations have an important message for you.

The Challenge :: Progressivism Education Teaching Essays

The Challenge â€Å"Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theatre.† (Gail Godwin) This statement can be proven time and time again in the classroom. Students can only learn so much sitting in their seats. Making the lesson into an adventure, letting students discover things on their own, hands-on, lets students feel that they have a part in what they get to learn and can grasp concepts better. Having this perception is almost essential in today’s classroom. Students are made to be in school for almost eight hours a day. To make the classroom fun lets students get the extra boost of energy they need. Running a classroom like this way a great example of how a Progressivist would do so. I want my classroom to be full of progressivism. Children should be given the chance to explore, develop opinions, and have extraordinarily unique personalities without one test determining the student’s knowledge. My philosophy is that education should be offered to students in the way that they learn best, whether it be through bookwork, group work, or presentations that not only will help them learn now, but also with everything they do. Education is a right and a gift that should be handled with care. Being a teacher is one of my main goals because if you cannot have fun within the learning process, and create an appetite for further knowledge, then students will never retain what they learn, nor want to. I want to have brightly painted walls that will create open-mindedness with educational murals, relating to the content area of the grade level I teach, to decorate the room. I want to have students arranged in groups to help each other learn. Students will be able to take part in the rule making process and the technique of learning in my classroom. If a student cannot learn under certain conditions, they should not be made to do so. The role of the teacher isn’t to stand in front of the room and dictate material. I feel that I should influence the growth of my students by controlling the environment in which the growth takes place, rather than pounding bits of information into their heads (Sadker and Sadker pp96-97).

According to Kennewick Man in his article

IntroductionAccording to Kennewick Man in his article that â€Å"for NAGPRA and other related legal purposes, the federal government defines native Americans as any tribe, people, or culture that resided in the territory of the United States before historic European contact and exploration. At present, there are more than 2,000,000 Native Americans in the United States, represented by 769 federally recognized tribes† (See K. Man, â€Å"Who are Native Americans?† Past concepts of Native Americans).In Wikepedia, the free encyclopedia stated that â€Å"the term indigenous people of the America encompasses the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the first European explorers in the late 15th century, as well as many present-day ethnic groups who identify themselves with those historical people (See â€Å"Indigenous Peoples of the Americas†. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).On the other hand, the National Museums Liverpool published in its website that â€Å"the people of West Africa had a rich and varied history and culture long before the Europeans slavers arrived. They had a wide variety of political arrangements which include kingdoms, city and other organizations, each with their own languages and culture† (See â€Å"Africa before European slavery†. National Museums Liverpool).Native Americans*Culture*Even though cultural features included language, garb, and customs vary enormously from one tribe to another, there are certain elements which are shared by many of the indigenous people of the America (See â€Å"Indigenous Peoples of the Americas†. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).*Music and Art*Native America music of North America Indians is almost entirely monophonic but there not notable exceptions. Traditional Native American music often includes drumming but little other instrumentation, although flutes are played by individuals. While the art of the indigenous people of Central Mexico and Central Americas comprises a major category in the world art collection. Their contributions are pottery, paintings, jewelry, weavings, sculptures, basketry, and carvings (See â€Å"Indigenous Peoples of the Americas†. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).*European Colonization*In wikipedia, its researched stated that â€Å"the European colonization of the Americas forever changed the lives and cultures of the indigenous peoples of the continent. In 15th century up to 19th century, their populations were ravaged by the privations of displacement, by disease and in many cases by warfare with European groups and enslavement by them. The first indigenous group that was met by Columbus was about 250,000 in number which were the Arawaks of Hispaniola and this group was enslaved by them.These European people also brought illnesses against which the indigenous people of America had no immunity† (See â€Å"Indigenous Peoples of the Americas†. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).   According to David Ruvolo that â€Å"the history of America religion is dominated by the presence of Christianity brought to the New World by European settlers. Time had run out for the indigenous race that populated the continent of North America. Native Americans were faced with an enemy that was more advanced like with the Israelites of the sixth century B.C.E.† (See D. Ruvolo, â€Å"A Summary of Native American Religious†).*Africa before the European slavery*According to Olaudah Equiano on his autobiography which he wrote in 1789 stated that â€Å"the part of Africa which was known by the name Guinea to which the trade is carried on extends along the coast above 3,400 miles from Senegal to Angola and includes a variety of kingdoms. This kingdom is divided into many provinces or distinct. In one of the most remote and fertile of which is called Eboe. Equiano was born in 1745, in charming fruitful vale named essaka. The distance of the province fr om capital of Benin and the sea coast must be very considerable, for Eboe Equiano had never heard about the white men or Europeans† (See O. Equiano. â€Å"Early Life†. Merseyside maritime museum).*Agriculture*As Equiano stated that their â€Å"land was uncommonly rich and fruitful, and produces all kinds of vegetables in abundance. All industries were exerted to improve those blessings of nature. Agriculture was their chief employment, and everyone even the children and women were engaged in it† (See O. Equiano. â€Å"Early Life†. Merseyside maritime museum).*Clothing*He continued, Equiano, which â€Å"their manners were simple and their luxuries were few. The dress of both sexes was nearly the same. It generally consists of a long piece of calico or Muslin, wrapped loosely around the body, somewhat in the form of a highland plaid. This was usually dyed blue, which their favorite color. It was extracted from a berry and was brighter and richer than any he had seen in Europe.Their women, of distinction wore golden ornaments which disposed with profusion on their arms and legs. When their women were not employed with the men in tillage, their usual occupation was spinning and weaving cotton, which they afterwards dye and made into garments. They also manufacture earthen vessels of which they had many kinds† (See O. Equiano. â€Å"Early Life†. Merseyside maritime museum).*Dance and Music*  Moreover, Equiano added that â€Å"they were almost a nation of dancers, musicians and poet. In every great event such as a triumphant return from battle or other cause of public rejoicing,   was celebrated in public dances which were accompanied with songs and music which was suited to the occasion† (See O. Equiano. â€Å"Early Life†. Merseyside maritime museum).*After the Europeans*West Africans had traded with Europeans through merchants in North Africa for centuries. In the 15th century, the Portuguese were the firs t traders who sailed down the West African coast. After that, the Dutch, British, French and Scandinavians followed. They were mainly interested in precious items such as ivory, gold, and spices, in particular the pepper (See â€Å"Africa before European slavery†. National Museums Liverpool).Referencesâ€Å"Indigenous Peoples of the Americas†. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_the_AmericasRuvolo, D. â€Å"A Summary of Native American Religious†. http://are.as.wvu.edu/ruvolo.htmâ€Å"Indigenous Peoples of the Americas†. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Cultural Supression: Abusive Behavior Towards Women and Its Effect on the Spread of Hiv/Aids

Africa is facing a devastating crisis with respect to the AIDS epidemic, currently accounting for over 70% of the world's HIV-positive population. There are, of course, many factors that drive the explosive transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, but in the tangled web that is the epidemic in Africa, many of these issues share a common thread. The oppression of women in Africa can be considered the virus' cultural vector. Females are rendered powerless in African societies, and existing gender inequalities are largely responsible for the spread of the disease.Females' disadvantaged position in society is intrinsically linked to the subordination of women in their relationships with men. In order for progress to be made, an examination of gender relations and empowerment for women must take place. To be successful, AIDS campaigns must be built on the existing organizational skills of women, but must incorporate men as well. The blatantly skewed distribution of power in Afric an patriarchal societies makes women extremely vulnerable but has dangerous implications for all.To examine the forces that steer the epidemic down its course, the epidemiology of HIV and AIDS in Africa must first be considered. More than 80% of all HIV infections in Africa are acquired through heterosexual contact. This statistic is grossly out of balance with the 13% rate of infection through heterosexual contact in the United States. Vertical transmission from mother to child is the second most common route for the virus to take in Africa (Essex et al. , 158). These rates are generally much higher than in the United States and Europe, where the use of a drug called nevirapine has drastically reduced mother-to-child transmission.This disparity is a direct result of differences in the nations' wealth. African nations simply cannot afford to provide the drug to infected pregnant women. The continued transmission of HIV through contaminated blood during processes such as blood transf usions is another dismal consequence of poverty and inferior health services in many African countries. This method accounts for the third most important mode of transmission, one that has been virtually eradicated in many countries because the technology is available to prevent it (Essex et al. 159). Part of what makes the situation in Africa so devastating is that the primary roads the virus travels in Africa were shut down long ago in other countries. Much of the world's population already takes many of the roadblocks for granted. The transmission route of heterosexual contact is so heavily traveled in Africa that it demands an examination of sexual behavior. Before we delve into the workings of intimate relationships, however, the fine points of gender inequality in the public sphere must be examined.These social conditions spill over into every aspect of life, tainting women's casual and sexual relationships with men. Women are systematically disadvantaged in African society. M ale bias in the structures of society is reflected in day-to-day behavior, embedded in legislation, policy, political and religious ideologies, and cultural conventions (Baylies et al. , 6). Examples of this trend abound. The Civil Code of the Empire of Ethiopia designates the husband as the head of the family and gives him the authority to administer household property.The husband is given the right to control and manage common property and to make all decisions regarding it. While the Code requires that the husband act judiciously and not alienate property without the consent of his wife, strong traditional and cultural beliefs discourage women from enforcing this requirement (African Region Findings). In Kenya, the Constitution permits the application of customary law to personal matters. The Constitution contains no provisions for gender as a basis for non-discrimination and consequently, even gender-biased practices are held as valid and constitutional.Women's access to economi c resources in Kenya is largely defined by customary laws (African Region Findings). Inheritance is usually along the male lineage; women do not inherit family property. Not only do women have less access to income and possess much less wealth than their male counterparts, but they also contribute more hours of labor than men do (Baylies, et. al. , 7). In a village meeting held in rural Lushoto, Tanzania, in 1996, coordinated in response to AIDS, even two of the men present agreed that women take the heavier burden. A man, if you need him, is always out,† an elderly man spoke out, â€Å"whereas the woman is the one at home, taking care of cooking and all other household affairs. . . . We get up in the mornings and go about our business and don't concern ourselves with whether [the children] eat or not,† he continued. â€Å"We leave it all to mama. We give orders, we are ‘dictators' in the home† (Baylies et al. , 191). Most of the men, however, did not share his capacity to see the situation in this way. One male maintains, â€Å"as a man you have so many things to attend to, and you rely on her to think of things like soap for washing† (Baylies et al. 190). Women's limited opportunities also translate into reduced access to education.Their lower levels of literacy contribute to their more limited access to information about sexually transmitted diseases and HIV (Baylies et al. , 6). Cultural conventions prevent them from asserting themselves in public, squelching any hope of improving their situation in this way. Since their work is confined to the domestic field, women's labor does not command market value, leaving them dependent on those members of the household who operate in the cash economy (Baylies et al. 7). Economic need often drives women to enter into prostitution. The selling of sex, many argue, is often the only choice African women have â€Å"between starvation and survival† (Essex et al. , 538). It is the l ink between women's position in wider society and position in sexual relations that is crucial to understanding their vulnerability to the virus. UNAIDS reported in 1999 that in sub-Saharan Africa 12 or 13 women are infected with the HIV virus for every 10 men (Russell 101). Women have characteristically been viewed as responsible for transmitting the virus.Prostitutes are blamed for spreading HIV to clients, and mothers are blamed for passing it to their children (Essex et al. , 3). Females are thought to have a polluting influence and are treated as â€Å"vaginas or uteruses,† â€Å"whores or mothers,† and â€Å"vectors or vessels† as opposed to people (Essex et al. , 3). Instead of regarding women as blameworthy for the severity of the AIDS epidemic in Africa, they should be more accurately perceived as occupying a cultural niche in which they are highly vulnerable to contracting the virus.Since women are forced to relinquish the driver's seat to males in the public sphere, they certainly have no say in the nature and timing of their sexual activity in the private sphere, leaving the roads HIV travels open to traffic. Intimate relations revolve around the same â€Å"notions of personhood† that operate in the larger society (Baylies, et. al. , 7). The outcomes of these gender ideologies take form as sexual practices. The foundation of these sexual understandings seems to be that women are expected to give but not receive pleasure.Sexual norms prescribe relative passivity for females, while according sexual decision making to men (Baylies et al. , 7). Tolerance is expected for the greater sexual mobility of men. Female fidelity is usually viewed as necessary while male infidelity is consistent with the extension of the familial line (Essex et al. , 534). The double standard expectation is that women will enter into a marriage as virgins but men will not. In patriarchal, sub-Saharan African cultures, marriage can be defined as a leg ally and socially sanctioned relationship between a man and a woman within which procreation takes place (Essex et al. 534). Women are not viewed as people capable of sexual pleasure but as the means by which to achieve an end. That end is the perpetuation of the family line. This prime value on marriage and motherhood presses young girls into risky, multiple-partner relationships long before they are psychologically or physically mature. Young women cannot refuse the sexual demands of older men nor bear the social stigma of being without a husband or children (Essex et al. , 536). Women are powerless within their relationships and have too little power outside of them to abandon partners that put them at risk.How, then, do these social and sexual patterns account for the severity of the AIDS epidemic in Africa? Many claim that male privilege is what drives the AIDS epidemic, even going so far as to call AIDS a form of mass femicide (Russell 100). Diane Russell bluntly states, †Å"Those women who contract HIV/AIDS from their male partners because of their sexist attitudes and behavior, and/or because of their superior power and dominant status, are? when they die? victims of femicide† (102). There are many examples of manifestations of male domination that can be fatal for female partners.Male refusal to use condoms is perhaps the most critical of these behaviors. Utilization of condoms is the one factor that would undoubtedly reduce transmission rates drastically. Women are not even allowed to ask, â€Å"Can we have sex? ,† so it is even more difficult to bring up condom use (Russell 103). However, if a woman does find the courage to ask her male partner to use a condom, not only will he almost certainly refuse, he is likely to beat her. â€Å"Talk to him about donning a rubber sheath and be prepared for accusations, abuse or abandonment,† relates Johanna McGeary in TIME magazine.Her article also related the story of a nurse in Durban, who, coming home from an AIDS training class, suggested that her husband put on a condom. He proceeded to grab a pot and bang on it loudly, attracting all the neighbors. He pointed a knife at her and demanded: â€Å"Where was she between 4 p. m. and now? Why is she suddenly suggesting that? What has changed after 20 years that she wants a condom? † One man, who had already infected his wife with HIV and was developing open herpes sores on his penis, objected to his wife's suggestion of using condoms, accusing her of having a boyfriend (Russell 103).Even educated men, aware of the AIDS risk, balk at the suggestion. McGeary heard the same answer come up again and again: â€Å"That question is nonnegotiable. † Several myths account for the lack of condom use, even when they are distributed for no cost: your erection can't grow, free condoms must be too cheap to be safe, condoms fill up with germs, condoms from overseas bring the disease with them, condoms donated by forei gn governments have holes in them so that Africans will die (McGeary).Some men simply decide they do not like the way condoms feel, and that is enough to decide the issue. When interviewed, one couple in Kanyama, Zambia, reported using condoms for contraception, but the husband started to complain that they were â€Å"burning† him and was not going to continue using them (Baylies et al. , 98). The established trend is that women must risk infection to please men. Women compromise their sexual safety to men's pleasure by even more drastic physical means. Throughout Southern Africa, many women practice â€Å"dry sex† to please their husbands.This involved drying out the vagina with soil mixed with baboon urine; some use detergents, salts, cotton, or shredded newspaper (Russell 102). Not only is dry sex reportedly very painful for women, it causes vaginal lacerations and suppresses the vagina's natural bacteria, both of which increase the likelihood of contracting the HIV virus when engaging in sex with an infected partner (Russell 103). Since women are already twice as likely to contract HIV from a single encounter than are men, this is extremely dangerous (McGeary).The decision to engage in dry sex can be made for economical reasons as well. The prostitute who dries out her vagina can charge more, 50 or 60 rands ($6. 46 to $7. 75), enough to pay a child's school fees or to eat for a week (McGeary). This is in contrast to the 20 rands ($2. 84) she might receive otherwise. Since male economic privilege plays a major role in forcing women into prostitution, any AIDS deaths resulting from it can be considered femicide. Economic disadvantage for females drives them to participate in other â€Å"dirty† deals.Teenage girls especially are easy prey for older, wealthier â€Å"sugar daddies,† men who provide money and goods in exchange for sex (Essex et al. , 536). Sex has been referred to as the â€Å"currency by which women and girls are ex pected to pay for life's opportunities, from a passing grade in school to a trading license† (Baylies et al. , 7). Girls as young as ten and eleven in Tanzania have been reported as having sexual relations with men for chips, Coke, money for videos or transport to school (Baylies et al. , 11).Sexual networking has dangerous implications for the spread of HIV, leaving many young women with much more than they bargained for. Yet another expression of male dominance on which the virus thrives is the practice of female genital mutilation. This practice, which has roots in the patriarchal society, is defined by the World Health Organization as the removal of part or all of the external female genitalia and/or injury to the female genital organs for cultural or other nontherapeutic reasons (Russell 104).It is designed to cater to men's sexual preferences and reinforce their control over women. The tendency of mutilated genitals to bleed, especially during intercourse, puts women at high risk for contracting the virus, as does the repeated use of the crude instruments used to perform these operations. The tools are often used on a number of girls on the same occasion (Russell 105). This practice is imposed on millions of girls in Africa. It is an attack not only on their bodies but also on their womanhood, on their personhood, and on their ability to protect themselves from a deadly disease.Tolerance of male promiscuity is a further social construction that strips away females' autonomy with fatal consequences. Men are accepted as sexually voracious by nature. â€Å"They are like that, and you can't do anything,† says one girl in Lushoto (Baylies et al. , 128). Many families' economic situations require that husbands are gone for months at a time in order to work, and they are certainly not expected to abstain from sexual activity during this time. Another Lushoto girl, married to a trader often away in Dar es Salaam, reports that she is afraid of her hu sband, worrying â€Å"he may infect me† (Baylies et al. 128). Her concern is absolutely justified. When a wife suspects that her husband has many partners outside the marriage, she is not entitled to refuse to engage in sex. â€Å"You are a wife, what can you do? † is the sad reality for most (Baylies et al. , 128). Marriage is an institution of vulnerability for women in Africa with respect to HIV. In general, it is men who bring HIV into a marriage (Baylies et al. , 11). Women can be infected, not through promiscuous activity on their own part, but as a consequence of being faithful to their husbands.The prevalence of AIDS in Africa also transforms sexual assaulters into murderers. The problem of rape is especially highlighted in South Africa, where a woman is estimated to be five times more likely to be raped than a woman in the United States (Russell 106). It is an extremely rare event that a rape is reported at all; 75% are believed to remain unreported (Russell 1 07). The existence of rape gangs is also a serious problem in South Africa. The term for recreational gang rape is jackrolling, and it is considered a game, not a crime.An analysis of gender relations in Africa provides insight into how and why HIV spreads so efficiently. The question now becomes what should be done with this knowledge to generate prevention strategies. It is obvious that women must become more empowered for the epidemic to be slowed with any significance. Russell claims that the first order of business requires educating people about the role played by male domination in the spread of HIV and AIDS, and that policies must then be developed to eliminate manifestations of patriarchy (109).It is clear that education should focus more on gender issues than the need to avoid risky sexual behavior. However, as has been demonstrated over and over, increased knowledge does not always translate into changed behavior. Baylies and Bujra investigate the potential of women's gro ups in campaigns of protection against HIV in Africa. They also point out that if economic dependence on men is a factor underlying women's vulnerability, greater economic security should serve to empower women. For this to occur, women would require higher levels of education.How men should be involved is another debatable issue. Male behaviors not only put their partners in danger, but themselves as well. Therefore, not only do men bear responsibility in this area, but it would be in their interest to assist in the process. One thing is clear: if the AIDS epidemic is to become any less of a problem in Africa, women will have to be empowered. Though AIDS is certainly a virtually impossible fire to extinguish in any context, the patriarchal society and exploitation of women not only fuels the flames but turns a fire into an inferno.For millions of African women, this hell is the reality. Their inferior position in larger society renders them powerless in sexual relations. The manife station of these social constructions emerges in sexual practices and behavior that not only allow HIV to transmit at alarming rates, but also are blatant violations of basic human rights. When African women are no longer denied these fundamental rights, a decrease in the severity of the epidemic will undoubtedly follow.Works Cited African Region Findings. The World Bank Group, No. 126, January 1999. ttp://www. worldbank. org/afr/findings/english/find126. htm April 29, 2002. Baylies, Carolyn and Janet Burja. AIDS, Sexuality and Gender in Africa. NY: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2000. Essex, Max, Souleymane Mboup, Phyllis J. Kanki, and Mbowa R. Kalengayi, eds. AIDS in Africa. NY: Raven Press, 1994. McGeary, Johanna. Death Stalks A Continent. Time Magazine, 2001. http://www. time. com/time/2001/aidsinafrica/cover. html April 29, 2002. Russell, Diane E. H. and Roberta A. Harmes, eds. Femicide in Global Perspective. NY: Teachers College Press, 2001.

Rizal as Inspiration (Reflection)

Rizal as Inspiration By J. Arcilla ( Reflection) There is nothing wong to study Rizal’s works and doings. For me, it’s a good thing to know and understand his history. Rizal became a hero bacause of his accomplishments not because he was made to be. In his writings, he mentioned characters and scenarios related in reality. It focuses his ideals and misery in our country. Indeed, he is an inspiration but only some people sees that. Many fiipino knows Rizal is our natonal hero and being a hero is what they knew about him and that is wrong.It is more than that. It is not enough only knowing him as a hero. We should also understand and learn something fron him. Fighting for a freedom of a country is not a simple thing. I know you will needed so much courage, knowledge and a prescence of mind. Like him, he used the power of his mind to fight for good and that’s we should try to imitate from him. The social cancer Rizal mentoned still exist today and we are the one liv ing in present so I think we should at same as him. But not literally same. Being patriotic is also what made me inspire him.His selfless love in our country is remarkable. The values he has is also what we need to have. He inspired readers through his words. His real words. Rizal has become the constant model that inspires man and woman across the land to dream and work for its realization no matter the cost is brings for the sake of nationhood and promoting the liberty for the people. He also proven education is the answer to our struggle nation. So we student should value education because in the future we are the one who will get benefit from it.That’s why I will strive hard to get my diploma beacuse I believe someday I can also do remarkable things for our next generation. Education will helped us broadened our minds, so that we’re not confined to our countries and comfort zones anymore. We aren’t trapped in our small worlds, instead we have come out of our shells and begun to explore and learn new things about the world. It makes us aware of our rights in the society. It also grants us the power to never be enslaved, either by thoughts or actions.

Bus401 Mini Case Chapter 9

Percentage of future financing Type of financing Bonds (8%, $1,000 par, 16- year maturity38% Preferred stock (5,000 shares outstanding $50 par, $1. 50 dividend15% Common equity47% Total100% A. Market prices are $1,035 for bonds, $19 for preferred stock, and $35 for common stock. There will be sufficient internal common equity funding (i. e. , retained earnings) available such that the firm does not plan to issue new common stock. Calculate the firm's weighted average cost of capital. BondsPreferred stockCommon Stock 1035-15% (155. 25) = 879. 75 1. 50/(19-2. 01) 16. 99 = 8. 83% 2. 65/35 + . 06 = 13. 57% 9. 9% 9. 49% (1-. 34) = 6. 26% WeightsAfter tax captialProduct Bond 0. 38X6. 26%=2. 3788 Preferred Stock0. 15X8. 83%=1. 3245 Common Stock0. 47X13. 57%=6. 3779 10. 08% B. In part a we assumed that Nealon would have sufficient retained earnings such that it would not need to sell additional common stock to finance its new investments. Consider the situation now when Nealon's retained ear nings anticipated for the coming year are expected to fall short of the equity requirement of 47% of new capital raised. Consequently, the firm foresees the possibility that new common shares will have to be issued.To facilitate the sale of shares, Nealon's investment banker has advised management that they should expect a price discount of approximately 7%, or $2. 45 per share. Under these terms, the new shares should provide net proceeds of about $32. 55. What is Nealon's cost of equity capital when new shares are sold, and what is the weighted average cost of the added funds involved in the issuance of new shares? Common Stock 2. 65/32. 55 + . 06 = 14. 14% WeightsAfter tax captialProduct Bond 0. 38X6. 26%=2. 3788 Preferred Stock0. 15X8. 83%=1. 3245 Common Stock0. 47X14. 14%=6. 6458 10. 35%

Describe the UK carbon reduction strategy, trends and the contextual Literature review

Describe the UK carbon reduction strategy, trends and the contextual issues that are forcing carbon reduction - Literature review Example UK policy: Recent years have seen a significant increase in the U.K legislation’s focus towards reduction in carbon emissions. A number of government departments across U.K have seen adopt and implement greener processes and equipment to help reduce carbon emissions. In 2008, the UK Climate Change Act proposed a target regarding the reduction in carbon emission levels of the country. Through the Act the government obtained its first target for the year 2020 in which the government has taken upon itself to reduce carbon emissions by at least 34%. Along with a short term target the Act also has provided the British government with a long term target for the year 2050 where its target of carbon reduction is 80% (DWP, 2013). The Act provided the basis for a number of legislations such as the CRC EES (CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme), which makes it mandatory for each and every sector to purchase a certain amount of carbon allowances every year (DWP, 2013). In addition to this, the go vernment has made it compulsory for all government departments to adhere to the carbon reduction targets that have been provided to them. These targets are in terms of energy consumption, transportation as well as in terms of solid and water waste (DWP, 2013). The table below shows the sources of carbon dioxide emissions, within U.K, in metric tonnes since 1995. Finally in order to promote the idea of carbon reduction all buildings that cover an area of at least 1000 square meters and provide public access are legally bound to procure a DEC (Display Energy Certificate). DEC rates each building between a scale of A and G with A representing a building with the lowest amount of carbon emissions and G representing a building with the highest amount of carbon emissions (DWP, 2013). Year Energy Supply Transport Business Residential Other 1990 241 120 113 79 39 1995 210 120 107 81 36 2000 203 125 107 87 31 2005 216 129 97 84 27 2008 213 125 90 80 23 2009 190 121 79 75 17 2010 195 119 79 8 7 18 2011 182 117 76 66 17 2012 192 116 79 74 18 Source: (Department of Energy and Climate, 2013) Climate change: Climate change is a phenomenon that leads to a significant change in the temperature of Earth over a period of time. Climate change occurs due to numerous factors for example natural phenomenon such as a variation in solar radiation that hits the earth increase the temperature of the planet. However, over the past few years’ human activities have also contributed to the increase in the overall temperature of the globe. These factors are have collectively been categorized under the heading of global warming (Houghton, 2004). Global warming in its basic terms is the steady increase in earth’s temperature mainly due to the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons and other pollutants. Due to the increase in greenhouse gases the past few years have been the warmest over a period of hundred years. The effects of global warming are not just re lated to the overall temperature of the planet, but can cause a wide range of physical as well as social impacts (Oxlade, 2003). Experts believe that

Computer security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer security - Essay Example Once an individual clicks on the link, it directs to a website where a malware software and virus is downloaded into the individual computer, in addition to downloading and installing a spyware that captures sensitive information from the computer (US CERT, 2012). Thus, blended threat is fatal than other forms of threat, since it entails the damage of an individual’s computer, while at the same time allowing for the track of sensitive information by the attackers, who can later use it for their benefit. Additionally, blended threats are more difficult to combat, since any activity on the link sent by the attacker will definitely cause harm to the computer in one way or the other (Trend Micro, 2008). Mobile threats With the increase in technology advancement, mobile technology has not been left out. Sophisticated mobile devices are being produced each day, allowing the users to access information from the internet at the click of their phone button. This has motivated the cyber criminals to venture into targeting mobile devices, where they have developed files that are easily transferrable through email, MMS, Bluetooth and even text messages (Trend Micro, 2008). ... They are eventually transferred to other mobile devices through texts, MMS and Bluetooth and cause the same harm to the other devices. Phishing scam This refers to major malware campaigns that have been launched to target individual computers, which occur in the form of the attackers sending electronic greeting cards that contain malware (Trend Micro, 2008). The attacker have also developed attack files inform of attractive and enticing free screensavers, which contains malware files. Once an individual downloads and installs the screensaver, the malware in transferred to the individual’s computer, where they cause its malfunction (US CERT, 2012). Additionally, phishing scams have been developed inform of credit card information applications or online shopping advertisements that seek to capture individual’s credit card information, for theft purposes (Trend Micro, 2008). Measures to protect individual’s computer from these attacks Maintaining update anti-virus a nd anti-malware Computer security calls for the vigilance of the individual using the computer. Therefore, notwithstanding that anti-viruses and anti-malware do not fully protect the computer from external threats, it essential to maintain them updated and activated at all times. This is because; they play a great role in protecting the computer from certain external threats, leaving the computer owner with few threats to tackle (US CERT, 2012). Therefore, the computer owner should consistently upgrade their anti-virus and anti-malware to the recent versions, which include more protective features (Vacca, 2009). Use of firewall Configuring and maintaining firewall in place is essential. Firewall is the most recognized form of protection of a computer from external software attacks, since