Web Server Attacks

Web Server Attacks Aaron G. Flaugh Strayer University Dr. Patricia White April 15, 2013 Web services are the most frequently attacked services of the modern network. There are three common attack types. They are all mitigated in different ways, this paper will discuss the means of protecting against them. The most effective attacks are call Denial of Services or DoS attacks. No organization is save from a denial of service attack even the federal government has been successfully attacked. How corporations can reduce the risk of these attacks will also be discussed.Web Application Vulnerabilities Web services have become one of the most frequently used technologies in business today, therefore it is no surprise, which are among the most frequently targeted applications. There are five common types of attacks for web services: SQL injection, remote file inclusion, local file inclusion, directory traversal and cross site scripting. Those were just the technical type attacks there are al so two other business layer attacks, they are email extraction and comment spamming.According to a survey group iMPERVA; cross-site scripting (XSS) accounts for twenty-nine percent of sampled attacks, directory transversal (DT) accounted for twenty-two percent, local file inclusion was fifteen percent of the attacks, SQL injections were fourteen percent of the malicious traffic, business logic attacks accounted for another fourteen percent and finally remote file inclusion only accounted for six percent of the traffic. The business logic attacks were split as follows email extraction was nine percent and comments spamming accounted for five percent of the section. Cross-Site ScriptingIn this attack type the attacker attempts to hijack a user session then steal the information that they need to log on to the site. Sometimes they hijacker inserts hostile content or redirect the user to a malicious site to steal information. The final flaw that is used is not properly validating and es caping that content. Directory Traversal Directory traversal is attacking parts of a web site that are not typically exposed to the public viewers. This an exploit of the security of the web server. It is also possible to use this attack by not properly removing user-supplied file names to the file API’s.SQL Injection Attacks against the background database server is called SQL injection attacks. Using this type of attack the attacker is able to steal the data contained on the page or site. This attack is most viable when user input is either incorrectly filtered for escaped characters in the SQL statements or the user input is not typed appropriately. Combating Web Server Attacks There are several things that users can do to protect themselves from web server attacks. First they can patch their operating systems up-to-date. Second, install a personal firewall, anti-virus and anti-malware tools.Use complex usernames and passwords, and change passwords regularly. Finally, turn off client-side scripting such as JavaScript or ActiveX. On the web server side, there are some suggested fixes. First of all implement SSL connections however, it used to be that 128-bit encryptions was sufficient according to Saumil Shah from Net Square. Now it is not uncommon to utilize 1024-bit RSA encryption on SSL certificates. Second, run a best practices analyzer or threat analyzer and implement security fixes. Another, security method to protect internal resources through the use of reverse proxy servers.The final solution to these web attacks is the human element, verify code written by developers and correct any errors discovered. Denial of Service Attacks The most feared attacks on a network is denial of service attack or a distributed denial of service attack. In both attacks the objective is very simple as the name implies it is to disrupt the flow of information into a network, generally the objective is not to steal data or release confidential information. Denial o f service attacks are performed usually by a single attack thus, are much easier to defend against.Distributed denial of service attacks are much more difficult to detect and thus much more difficult to defend against. They are generally coordinated amongst many individuals or through automation using botnet malware. Defending and halting denial of service type attacks can be very easy to stop since they are from one threat. The first defense against this type of attack is the use of access control lists on either the firewall or on the border router. Cisco uses the following syntax in its IOS enabled devices: permit tcp eq .Within Cisco’s firewall products the PIX or the current Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) the syntax is similar to that of the IOS devices. Cisco’s ASA platform has a much more diverse set of features to block attacks at the border of the network. The ASA con also be configured to detect and block ICMP flood attacks. The more sophisticated web se rvers can be configured the block http attacks. Cisco also offers products that are designed to detect and block single origin attackers. Most operating systems have firewall functions that are built into them.Third party security companies such as Symantec, Sophos, McAfee, and Zone Alarm offer personal firewalls to potentially block an incoming threat. This is the best alternative if a person or group doesn’t have control of their border devices. There are two other means by which a single attacker can be stopped. They are interrupting the communication between a hacked machine through the use null routes on a pc or device its, however this is sometimes very difficult to accomplish and only works on some Operating Systems.The final means by which to slow an attacker down is to enable web server security to block connections from the particular ip address. In a distributed denial of service attack there is generally no clear indication of which ip addresses are causing the ev ent. This make the DDoS attack extremely difficult to detect and defend against. Most the time DDoS traffic looks like ordinary network traffic, which makes detection difficult if not impossible in some cases. DDoS attack can be used against many different protocols used in network including TCP, UDP, ICMP and DNS, using flooding techniques to overwhelm a victim’s network.One of the best ways to prevent http or https flooding attacks is the incorporation of reverse proxy servers into the mix. The proxy server sits outside of the network and acts like a traffic cop in many ways. It doesn’t allow packets through that it deems at threat. It also breaks up or fragments the requests from the outside world. Department of Justice attacks Many organization has fallen victim to web server attacks. In October 2002, a DDoS attack was used to cripple the internet in the United States.This was done by simultaneously attacking eight of the thirteen root DNS servers. The Federal Gove rnment has fallen victim to DDoS a number of times, the Department of Justice has been attacked twice in the last eighteen months. In the last two notable events in January of 2012 and just this past January, the hacker group Anonymous has claim responsibility for the attacks. They were targeted in protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act and most recently in support of Aaron Swartz who had recently committed suicide.The only possible way that DDoS attacks could be carried out against the government’s servers is either enlisting thousands of people to assist by flooding the webservers with http requests or by the use of malware and the use of botnets. In either case the, it would take a lot of time to detect the attack and even more time to stop the attack. DDoS attacks on the Federal Government would need to be extremely complex and would take a long time to plan and carry out. I do not believe that they are as easy to carry out as some make it out to be.In order to mitigate at tacks in the future the Government needs to do several things. Implement reverse proxy server in front of the web servers. Make sure that all security fixes are up-to-date on all servers. Implement policies and procedures tracking changes to the web server security settings. Verify all user supplied information through the use of security images or the use of services like capture. Use of web services are common these days. Corporations, users and Government all need to take steps to protect themselves from web server attacks.This can be done in a variety of ways and is the responsibility of the information services to help management understand and prevent these attacks. References Geiger, William (2001). SANS Security Essentials GSEC Practical Assignment 1. 2f Practively Guarding Against Unknown Web Server Attacks Murphy, David (26 January, 2013). Pro-Swartz Hackers Attack U. S. Department of Justice Website retrieved from http://www. pcmag. com O’Keefe, Ed (20 January, 201 2). How was the Justice Department Website Attacked? Retrieved from: http://www. washingtonpost. com Romm, Tony (19 January, 2013).After Anonymous claims hack, DOJ site back. Retrieved from: http://www. politico. com Shah, Saumil (2002). Top Ten Web Attacks Presentation at BlackHat Asia Thatcher, Greg. How to Stop a Denial of Service Attack? Retrieved from: http://www. gregthatcher. com Weiss, Aaron 02 July, 2012). How to Prevent DoS Attacks Retrieved from: http://www. esecurityplanet. com Cisco Systems (2004). Defeating DDOS Attacks White Paper Citrix Systems Protecting Web Applications from Attack and Misuse Imperva (2012). Imperva’s Web Application Attack Report Government of Hong Kong (2008). Web Attacks and Countermeasures

The Great Gatsby: What Makes Daisy So Attractive?

â€Å"Her voice is full of money† (Fitzgerald, 120). This quote, said by important personality Gatsby, explains Daisy’s character and demeanor. Daisy Buchannan is one of the main characters in the novel The Great Gatsby. The wife of Tom Buchannan and the dream of Jay Gatsby, Daisy embodies the immoral and shallow values of the upper class East Egg. Although she is not very sincere, to most Daisy is attractive, beautiful, and sexy. What makes Daisy so inviting? She makes a man improve for her in order to get what they want, she has standards and she wants the best, and only the best. Since the beginning, Jay Gatsby has been madly in love with Daisy, or the thought of Daisy. Gatsby only knew Daisy for one month before he was deployed to war. Is one month enough to fall in love with someone? Five years later, Gatsby still believed that he was in love, and he conceived a new persona to make Daisy come back to him after she married Tom. â€Å"You're acting like a little boy†¦. † (Fitzgerald, 88). This was a quote that the narrator, Nick Caraway, said to Gatsby about how he was acting around Daisy. Jay Gatsby knew to get Daisy back he would need to become the absolute best, the richest, the most handsome, and the most charming. It might have been the challenge of being superior to the rest that was so appealing to Gatsby or it could have been Daisy’s dead-as-a-doorknob personality. The real question is, Is Daisy worth it? What makes Daisy so appealing to smart men such as Gatsby? Is it the challenge of becoming the best, or is it something else? Jay Gatsby wasn’t the only one who thought Daisy was worth more than perceived. Her husband, Tom Buchannan also believed that Daisy was a prize. To Tom, it seemed, that Daisy was a trophy wife, someone he could show off, not care about, come back, and she would still be there. What brought them together was money, the thing that they both loved and had in common. Nick summed up her love for money well, â€Å"She wanted her life shaped now, immediately—and the decision must be made by some force, of money†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Fitzgerald, 151). Daisy didn’t care about who she loved more when she had to pick Tom or Gatsby; she cared about the money while she was making one of the biggest decisions of her life. To Tom, Daisy was a beautiful woman who he would love to have for his wife. Tom and Daisy were alike in that way, neither of them cared about personality or values; they cared about their reputation. It wasn’t Daisy’s disposition that made Tom marry her; it was her looks and reputation that he found attractive. Daisy Buchannan wasn’t one of the brightest aristocrats in East Egg to say the least. Her ditzy nature might have been cute to some, but it was obvious that it was more than just a darling quality. Daisy had no common sense, if a man was looking for just looks (like Tom), Daisy was the girl to go to. Her comment to Gatsby, â€Å"I’d like to just get one of those pick clouds and put you in it and push you around† (Fitzgerald, 94) made readers re-think why Jay Gatsby would be so far in love with her. â€Å"She never loved you, do you hear? She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. † (Fitzgerald, 130). There must have been something special about Daisy for Tom Buchannan and Jay Gatsby to have such strong feelings for her. Whether it was her looks, her dimwits, or her money she had what other women would die for, two of the richest and most known men in East Egg fighting over her. What makes Daisy Buchannan so attractive? To some, it’s her looks, the thought of what she might be like, to others it’s her money or her innocent ditz, and certain people might even find her repulsive. The readers of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby will take strong stands on Daisy and her character.

The Retail Environment and the Supply Chain of Online and Offline Assignment

The Retail Environment and the Supply Chain of Online and Offline Retailing of the Music Industry - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that home stereos had initially become popular and truly affordable during the 1980s, which brought about a boom in home entertainment devices. At that period of time, it was unimaginable that in the following two or three decades, record shops would barely exist anymore. However, the shift in buying patterns of the consumers from offline to online retail has led to the stark reality where physical shops have nearly disappeared from the retail panorama. With fewer shops, there is the even lesser number of distributors catering to the offline retail chain. The prices should be compared against that of competitors and price adjustments should be made accordingly. A product tracking interface could be developed in order to track and assert all the titles so that those can be stacked in one place. Comparing products against those of the competitors helps the retailer to gain better knowledge pertaining to product positioning strategies. The produ cts assorted can be further filtered in terms of discount range, price range, publisher, and genre. The retailers can make use of advanced technological developments to analyze the assortments by genre, music company, price range, singers or other dimensions that are deemed fit. The gaps, thus, discovered in the product catalog will help strengthen assortment structure of the retail shop and the weak categories can be developed by benchmarking assortment against that offered by the competitors. Keeping tabs on the competitor’s product strategies is an important part of successful retailing. The music albums that the competitors are featuring as well as the genres wherein heavy discounts are being offered should be researched. Apart from being up-to-date with the competitor knowledge, the retailer must also upgrade his stocks appropriately such that titles and albums promoted by the competitors are available and priced attractively. The retailer should be able to receive alert s on stock outs, price changes, promotions for the key titles and new introductions.

Classic Hollywood Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Classic Hollywood Cinema - Essay Example It is not only an entertainment zone of human stories, but it is also a source of investigating identities of individuals. Thus, along with holding the art of self-expression, films are a means of communicating social and developmental messages that combines film, culture, and technology (Adams 2001). With a huge economic potential working toward its advantage, the interest in films is growing at every level. Since the beginning of times, film industry has been constantly dominated by only a few countries. Where at one end American and European companies have held the dominant side, the developing countries have mostly revolved around the edges. Thus, the picture has been quite imbalanced. However, with the changes in the distribution, production, and exhibition in the technological arena, the picture seems to be changing. Statistics state that a figure of approximately US$75 billion makes up the global value of the film industry where the production and sale of DVDs bring in a total of US$55 billion along with spending on theatrical tickets amounting to $9 million. Statistics also state that globally, 4000 movies are made each year of which only 700 are created in the US. Apart from the production in the earlier mentioned country, India also stands as a major producer of films. In 2001, India produced a total of 1000 films whose motion picture industry is also known as Bollywood (U.K. Film Council 2002). With revenue of over 45 billion Rupees in its bucket, its sales are increasingly being aided by countries like the United Kingdom that sometimes add one third in the revenue. This allows for the industry to use more money in the production phase with high production budgets. Other than the Bollywood, Hollywood also is a major player that is leading the local films of countries like France and Italy (European Audiovisual Observatory 2003). The technological effect on the production, distribution, and exhibition phase of films can be better understood with a val ue chain for motion pictures. (Eliashberg, Leenders & Elberse, 2005) Over the years, there has been such major technological advancements that the scope of exhibition and distribution have expanded to a great extent (Sobol & Firmin, 2009). After the decade of 1950s, one of the most apparent advancements in technology gave way to increased use of television in the fields of both, production as well as exhibition. With the advancement of 1980s, the advent of cable, home videos, and satellites gave the life of theater a chance to breathe. After analyzing the current data, it can be confidently stated that intentionally or unintentionally, the movie makers aimed for the ‘shot for the box’ approach at that time (Bordwell, Ledoux & Dale). According to Derks, the era of 1980s was the era of high concept films that started as an extension of the previous decade. Cinematographers in this era belonged to such a school of thought that favored speed cutting and close ups as it was believed that it would keep the eyes of the audience glued to the screen (Bordwell, Ledoux & Dale). The concept of these films could be easily understood in a few words and thus were easy to understand as well as promote in the market. This concept was first originated by the producer Don Simpson, who, after exploiting the MTV concept with the film Flashdance from

EBusiness Strategy4 - Topic in Instruction Essay

EBusiness Strategy4 - Topic in Instruction - Essay Example While e-business is derived from similar terms such as "e-commerce," and "e-mail", which is also the conduct of business on the Internet, however it does not only encompass purchasing and selling but also providing support for customers and communicating and collaborating with business associates and stakeholders (Rouse, 2005). Without a doubt, e-business is the innovative and revolutionary form of e-commerce. At the present, the majority of business organizations is adopting e-business tools and applications for instance customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP) and e-procurement to transform customary business practices into internet supported activities. In addition, a number of researchers have favored this point of view. For instance, e-business and ecommerce work collectively. In this scenario, they form a both front and back-office frameworks that establish the structure of contemporary business. Moreover, the business organizations use e-busin ess as an overall strategy, while e-commerce is believed to be a very important component of e-business strategy (Viehland, 2000). The Internet allows business organizations to without problems look into the external and internal business structure with the purpose of collecting and analyzing data that could be utilized for effective decision making by business executive. In this scenario, these data can be used for making decisions regarding allocation of resources in a way that comply with industry or organizational standards and take the maximum benefit of accessible resources. It is an admitted fact that the use of the Internet allows business organizations to communicate and share data, ideas and decisions easily and quickly. The research has shown that the internet allows business organizations to benchmark from other organizations’ strategies that could be followed to attain certain objectives (Answers Corporation, 2013; Yourdon, 2001, p. 81). Without a doubt, the Inte rnet has significant impact on all the areas of a business. In the same way, it influences the way a business plans its strategies. For instance, the Internet is a huge source of information, and it provides significant information on every topic. The planning for e-business strategy starts with the motivation. Of course, the internet plays a significant role and significantly influences the motivation process. For instance, if the top manager or CEO of a firm (let’s say Company A) visits the web site of amazon.com and impressed by its e-business strategy. In fact, the amazon.com is a huge internet based business and the majority of the Internet users known about this business. In this scenario, this website works as a source of motivation for the CEO of Company A. This source of motivation will force the CEO to establish and plan a strategy that could attract more and more customers (following the example of amazon.com). As discussed above, the Internet is full of informatio n. For instance, if the CEO and management of Company A do not know what strategies and ways Amazon.com Company has adopted to attract a large number of customers then the Internet can help Company A find out ways to process planning steps. In this scenario, the Internet can be used to access information on Amazon’s e-business strategies. In fact, internet will not only provide the information regarding their strategies

Whole Grain Food Choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Whole Grain Food Choice - Essay Example Amanda (2014) indicates that USDA recommends individuals to consume grains daily and at least half of the grains should be whole grains. Unless one is experiencing non-celiac gluten sensitivity, this article depicts that an individual should not miss the health benefits of eating whole grains. Some of the notable benefits of whole grains as outlined by this article include getting adequate fiber, vitamins, a variety of phytochemicals, and minerals. A Vital aspect to note is that whole grains have the original parts of the kernel which include bran, endosperm, and germ. This article indicates that whole grain lower blood pressure, which is a major factor for heart diseases. As compared to refined food, Amanda argues that whole food helps individual’s blood glucose from rising, thus reducing the risks of getting type 2 diabetes. For example, a study indicated that by taking one-third of serving cooked white rice per day for brown rice, the risks of type 2 diabetes is reduced by 16%. Reference no. 2: WebMD. Tips for Reaping the Benefits of Whole Grains This article indicates that whole grains diet has positive implications on bowel health due to the regular bowel movements and promotion of healthy bacteria in the colon. Despite the importance of whole food in consumers’ bodies, WebMD indicates that only 10% of Americans consume three servings a day, which is the recommended level. This is due to the fact that it is somehow challenging to tell just which foods are whole grains.

Effects of Structural Adjustment Programs and Globalization on women Essay

Effects of Structural Adjustment Programs and Globalization on women in Zambia - Essay Example Structural Adjustment Programs that are the policy package of the IMF and World Bank which calls for reducing government expenses, privatization, and opening up countries to manipulative foreign investment, among other dealings which actually has intensified poverty around the world. In the two regions with the most structural adjustment experience, per capita income has vegetated as in Latin America or fallen as in Africa. Structural adjustment has also contributed to rising income and wealth inequality in the developing world. "In terms of policy initiatives, the market-based approach embodied in SAPs became pre-eminent in the 1980s. SAPs have become widespread throughout the developing world. By the end of 1989, they had been put into force in 28 Sub-Sahara African countries. In total, 55 borrowing countries had been involved (World Bank,1990). Up to the end of 1988, adjustment efforts have been concentrated in Latin America and especially, Africa, by governments that have, however, varied considerably in their commitment, willingness and ability to implement policy changes." "Elson, (1987) distinguished betwe... the elimination of exchange controlsthe floating of the kwacha the liberalization of the banking sector the removal of quantitative restrictions on imports and exports the reduction of the level and dispersion of customs tariffs It is a report given by World Bank in 1990 "In terms of policy initiatives, the market-based approach embodied in SAPs became pre-eminent in the 1980s. SAPs have become widespread throughout the developing world. By the end of 1989, they had been put into force in 28 Sub-Sahara African countries. In total, 55 borrowing countries had been involved (World Bank,1990). Up to the end of 1988, adjustment efforts have been concentrated in Latin America and especially, Africa, by governments that have, however, varied considerably in their commitment, willingness and ability to implement policy changes." There is another report which is quoted over here as it is:: "Elson, (1987) distinguished between women in different parts of the economy. While some women will gain in terms of employment and income from the end of certain subsidies and the development of the market; others will lose. The contraction of the state's role will also have a mixed effect on women. Certain actions of the state have perpetuated women's subordination while others have aided women. Gender issues have mostly been expressed in terms general to all developing countries. This global approach to gender issues is partly due to the universality of the way that economic upheaval and worsened poverty impinge on women multiple roles in delivering sustenance to their families. It is also partly because the evidence of the impact of the new policies on women tends to be anecdotal with continental cross-reference." Structural Adjustment Programs have

Is resurrection a more plausible view of the afterlife than Essay

Is resurrection a more plausible view of the afterlife than reincarnation Why or why not - Essay Example and Vaughn, p. 305). In my opinion, resurrection is a more plausible way of afterlife because it does not contain internal contradictions in its system. Although the advocates of reincarnation promote moral behavior, they primarily rely on different practices such as meditation rather than making morality the integral part of one’s behavior. Moreover, it seems that people are encouraged on behaving morally in order to be able to enjoy reincarnation in the future. Thus, their motivation is primarily utilitarian that contradicts the fundamental religion principles. The traditional Christian worldview and the idea of resurrection do not contain such contradictions. This position also stresses that resurrection may occur only in relation to human body. It seems correct and logical as all human beings have reason and can act rationally selecting the most appropriate means for attaining their ends. In contrast, animals and plants do not have reason and cannot objectively analyze the external environment. Therefore, the system of reincarnation presupposes the movement to lower stages of development (from humans to animals, plants, e tc.), and it cannot be considered being natural or logical. Thus, the idea of resurrection is a plausible religious option while reincarnation is an element of mysticism that neglects the main aspects of

Critical analysis on potential benefit of using CRM in organization Essay - 1

Critical analysis on potential benefit of using CRM in organization - Essay Example grating effective customer relationship management into business strategy, with a contextual focus and comparative analysis of the retail sector and tourism industry. The digitisation of business through the Internet has expedited novel business opportunities through the piecemeal development of e-commerce, thereby culminating in an unfamiliar business paradigm. However, the rapid pace of online business activity has led to ad hoc responsive retail strategy measures in an attempt to balance the interests and protection of consumers, whilst simultaneously facilitating market growth. Furthermore, a central business strategy mantra of conventional businesses is â€Å"location, location, location† as being imperative to profitability and commercial prosperity; however the e-commerce paradigm arguably renders physical location irrelevant (Lloyd, 2004). As such, the traditional emphasis on â€Å"location† has created an inherent contradiction, where â€Å"location returns very much to the forefront† (Lloyd, 2004). To this end, it has been argued that the common issues deriving from e-commerce are contractual jurisdiction, applicable law, tax and and consumer protection (Lloyd, 2004). This in itself highlights the multifarious complex issues pertaining to contemporary retail management strategy as a result of the e-commerce business model. For example, the internet business model reduces overheads and provides increased anonymity with regard to customer interaction as a result of globalisation. Indeed, Brah et al, further highlight the instantaneous nature of globalisation as highlighted by the increased internet usage and wide dissemination of information (Brah et al, 1999: 3). They further posit that a crucial element is movement of capital, commodities, cultural imaginations and practices (Brah et al, 1999:3). Moreover, Tomlinson posits that globalisation culturally impacts the contemporary social and cultural framework, arguably creating a fragmentation of the

HRM SCENARIOS ASSIGMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

HRM SCENARIOS ASSIGMENT - Essay Example Since then, Tesco has come a long way and has faced many changes in its corporate strategy. There are certain features of Tesco PLC which help in its differentiation from other retail giants. First is its 'inclusive offer' which has helped Tesco to appeal to all segments of markets thereby attracting customers from all groups of incomes- upper, medium and low and hence make it a one-stop shop for a an array of commodities. Second, Tesco has propagated use of its 'own-brand products' and thereby made the best of efforts to overcome reluctance faced by customer in purchasing own-brands, as they are considered to garner more profits for a supermarket. Thirdly, one of the key features of Tesco's policy is 'Customer Focus' which is put into effect by shifting focus from 'maximization of shareholder value' to have an unambiguous focus on customer service as the top aim of the company, thereby also making higher profits. Home Market- Tesco focuses on the core UK business which involves grocery retailing in its home market. It is also looking at expanding by making a move into the convenience-store sector which is an idea otherwise shunned by supermarkets. Non-food business- In 2006, Tesco had successfully managed to become the largest non-food retailer in the UK. ... Retailing services- Going one step further, Tesco is also into services like personal finance, telecoms, and other utilities. It has managed to fight competition in these fields by entering into joint ventures with the big players thereby increasing its customer base and brand strength. International - In 1994, Tesco started to expand internationally and by February 2006 nearly a quarter of its sales were a result of its international operations. Its major developing markets are present in Central Europe, Far East and the United States. Future Scenario-1 The centre point of this future scenario is based on the assumption that Asda, the second biggest retail store in U.K. and a subsidiary of Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retail store, takes over Tesco. At present Tesco is the lading retail store in U.K. with a market share of about 30.6%, more than double as that of its closest competitor Asda. Supermarket Market Share (%) Tesco 30.6 Asda 16.6 Sainsbury's 16.3 Morrison's 11.1 Somerfield 5.4 Waitrose 3.7 Iceland 1.8 Source: TNS (2006) If Tesco looses out its market share to Asda ,owing to critical policy changes by Asda then in the face of such competition, Tesco would have to critically examine its priorities and hold on to its customer base. According to extrapolation of the current scenario, the probability of such a case to take place is very less. However, if Wal-mart focuses more on the functioning of Asda giving out its necessary skills and experience, this could happen in a matter of 5-7 years. HRM implications This would mean critical changes in the HR management of Tesco. It would have to undertake various measures in order to fight the

Bargaining Power Of Supplier Essay Example for Free

Bargaining Power Of Supplier Essay Suppliers barely make any difference to companies involved in shipping line business, especially who are leading players like â€Å"Maersk† in this business. While it may affect to certain extent to small players like Five star shipping company, Varun Shipping company etc. who are struggling to establish within the industry. Many suppliers are such which are borne directly by customers but arranged by shipping lines like pesticide, wooden pallets, container repairs and truck transportation due to corporate contract or link ups of companies with service providers. While there are cases when these same services are borne by shipping lines but then these charges are included in freight rate which would be higher if the suppliers were not arranged by company. â€Å"Maersk† supply service expects a lower result than in 2010 due to lower contract coverage and weaker spot market rates than at the beginning of 2010. Another supply which is related to loading of containers on third party vessels is very important here because this is the only supply where shipping lines have to face the bargaining of suppliers. Not all shipping lines own the vessel and therefore they hire the service of other companies, to load their containers for different destinations. â€Å"Maersk† is the largest container operator in Kandla port. But its own vessels are not operating from Kandla due to drift problem and therefore they hire the services of third party feeder vessels to load its containers till JNPT [Jawaharlal Nehru] port in Mumbai, from where â€Å"Maersk† mother vessels are operating across continents. In this case â€Å"Maersk† may have to pay extra money if demanded by ship operators. While this is not the case with MSC [Mediterranean Shipping Company] which has its own small vessels operating from Kandla to different gulf locations. But if we move to location like JNPT port in Mumbai, the situation is totally different. â€Å"Maersk† vessels are the biggest here operating among other carriers and those small carriers are using slot on â€Å"Maersk† vessels for transporting their cargo. There are other supplies like loading/ unloading of containers from vessel ie, movement of containers to CFS (container freight station) and vessel towing which are provided by port authorized suppliers and companies. Port authority charges fixed amount towards these handling from shipping lines and shipping company charges the same from customers after  adding their profit margin. Bargaining Power of Buyer Buyer is one of the strongest factors in shipping line business. Buyers may be in form of importer or exporter, clearing agent, freight forwarder or manufacturer of goods. Sometimes manufacturer himself acts as an exporter or importer if not, then trader acts on behalf of manufacturer of goods. Container line business is based on two main core factors price and quality of service. Price refers to freight rate at which one container is decided by shipping company to transport from one place to another. Due to much competition in this sector and limited number of operators, bargaining power of buyer has increased in relation to freight price. Almost all shipping lines have service to Jebel Ali (an important transit hub in Dubai) from India, and customer is sure to get very competitive rate for this location from market. For such locations customer are virtually like king but when it comes to transporting cargo to far Europe or America, then this power is transferred to companies operat ing in those regions. Therefore â€Å"Maersk† has strategized the businesses in such a way to get maximum profits from service to odd or far reaching areas and make normal profits from operation to common areas like Jebel Ali. Another factor Service refers to fast processing of documents, bill of lading and prompt loading and movement of containers etc. It is rather difficult for customers to get better quality  of service than getting competitive freight rates. In this world of technology every company is trying to adapt to new technology in their day to day businesses like e-processing of documents and fastest data entry to name a few. â€Å"Maersk† is so technologically advanced in this field, that all its data processing is being done electronically by back office and customers are able to access all information relevant to shipment though dedicated space available on company website. Electronic processes are shipping bills, vessel certificates, freight invoices and bill of lading in encrypted format, once the payment is done by customer either electronically or at â€Å"Maersk† local office. Companies like APL and MSC do have electronic processing systems but are not fully fledged and as a result much of the work is still being done manually. Other sections of buyers which may affect container line business are freight forwarders or clearing agents, with rapid expansion of shipping industry and import/export businesses. Many agents acting as freight forwarders have came up in market to share the profit in form of commission. These agents earn commission by way of collecting excess freight from exporter than charged by shipping lines. It is relatively easy for shipping lines to entertain these agents, so there is no difficulty of approaching different small exporters.

Influences on Consumer Behavior for Mobile Phone Choice

Influences on Consumer Behavior for Mobile Phone Choice INTRODUCTION With the passage of time, advents in technology have given new meanings to almost everything around us. Every preconceived notion and idea has been forced to go through a metamorphosis to keep in line with the growing pace of change. This tidal wave of change has surely altered communication drastically. The new advances have led to addition of many new forms which came about as a revolution. The communicative revolution that concerns us is actually the third wave, according to which information can now be transmitted through electronic signals and controlled waves present in the air around us. A mobile phone is an electronic device which is used in two way communication. To make use of a mobile phone, connection to a cellular network is required which is an interconnection of base stations through which signals are transmitted, hence the mobile uses those signals to forge and maintain connection. A user using a mobile phone can make or receive telephone calls to and from other cellular networks and also fixed line phones worldwide. Each mobile phone holds a subscription with a cellular network which then connects it to a mobile network operator and thus lets communication to flow freely. Mobile phones are not used for calls only, especially modern mobile phones. They offer a wide variety of communicative services such as: text messaging sending and receiving emails voicemails accessible through voicemail inbox access to internet MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) interactive games connectivity through Bluetooth and/or USB, infrared music player camera GPS (Global Positioning System) With the influx of countless models of mobiles in the UK market, with minor or significant differences in features, generally they are categorized into two groups. We have feature phones, which are normally characterized as low end mobile phones having less functions, whereas at the other extreme we have Smartphone which are high end phones with sophisticated, computing capabilities. Hence the focus of this report is to discuss a Market Research Study with the aim of providing readers with a comprehensive insight into the factors that influence the consumer behavior when it comes to choosing mobile phones, particularly for UK market. Once the factors have been determined, this report will further shed light on the market research objectives as well as the main purpose and procedure for this proposed market research study. In addition to the aforementioned topics in this report you will also find ample information regarding how to conduct a qualitative and quantitative market research study explaining the finer points in detail. Also a proposed reporting research schedule and timing, fees and credentials will be a part of this report. The reports prime focus will be on the consumer influences because it is these factors that aid the consumer in making a rational choice when given several alternatives to choose from. The consumer would first have to have a need or a problem for the satisfaction of which a product would be required. In this case we have the purchase of a mobile phone. Hence factors influencing consumer behavior in choosing a mobile phone from the different brands will be considered. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES As the main research objective of this study is to identify the factors that influence consumer behavior at the time of choosing a mobile phone brand; hence, the primary research objectives are stated below which have been further subdivided into sub objectives to illustrate the point further. Primary objectives are: Demographic factors Psychographic factors Behavioral factors Following are the sub objectives providing explanation for each of the research studys objectives: Demographic factors: are those factors influencing consumer behavior which are the consumers factors comprising of age, gender, income, occupation, education, religion and nationality. Demographic factors are important as consumers belonging to similar demographics have alike buying patterns. Based on the research study result, researchers would know what brands are favored by the male or female consumers, also depending on the income and occupation which brands would be the choice for consumers. Psychographic factors: comprise of factors that are based on consumers social class, lifestyle and personality traits. A point to be noted is that same demographics may have very different preferences when it comes to psychographic structures. Some brands are chosen over others if they are better at portraying an image which truly reflects the consumers psychographics. Behavioral factors: are specifically related to the buyers habits and their attitudes towards different brands. Basically it comprises of components that tell about the consumers knowledge, attitudes and responses to a product. If the marketer has ample knowledge about these behavioral variables then it makes the research very informative. PURPOSE AND PROCEDURE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH METHOD AND DESIGN The prime focus of this proposed marketing research method and design is to be able to identify the significant factors that play an important role in influencing consumer behaviour in respect to choosing between different mobile brands, specifically in the UK market. In order to be able to collect genuine and authentic data this research design will incorporate both primary and secondary research study. Elements of the said primary research study will be utilised in the form of both qualitative and quantitative research. The purpose being the determination of various factors that play a key role in influencing consumer behaviour in relation to choosing mobile phone brands. The factors under discussion will be from the broad categories of demographics, psychographics and behavioural. Furthermore, to complement the marketing research study results, a literature review relating to the importance of proper knowledge regarding different consumer influences, consumers preferences and choices, prices and availability of different features such as camera, games, Wi-Fi, and also the notion of brand loyalty. In addition to it, evaluation methods explaining how best to gauge consumer responses will also be augmented in the study. As told earlier, secondary research will be also be implemented, its aim would be to augment information about the patterns of consumer behaviour in the past and also the changes that have taken place recently. All of this information gained will then be considered and used in forming the main purpose and objectives of the proposed research study. For the designing of a questionnaire judging the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the research study, the following questions will be a part of it. The questions are: Which mobile phone brand are you currently using? Would you buy the same brand when buying a new phone in the future? Which mobile phone brand would have been your next choice? How much are you willing to pay for a mobile phone of your choice? What are your preferences in choosing a mobile phone? What features are the most important in a mobile phone? What features are the least important in a mobile phone? In your opinion, which brand is the UK market leader in mobile phones? RATIONALE BEHIND THE QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN Initially there is a need to recognize what is the kind of relationship shared between the variables and hypothesis. The two broad categories of such relationships are cause and effect relationship and non cause effect relationship. The one under consideration belongs to the former group as we have identified different factors as cause, bringing about effect in the form of consumer behaviour when opting for a certain mobile phone brand. It is widely believed that quantitative research methods which are based on scientific mode of study are the most effective in delivering a credible research hypothesis. Though there are other methods too, but they do have their shortcomings as well. If a pure statistical quantitative research method is implemented the results would not be comprehensive enough. They would only depict the general evaluation of the research and not the finer details that went into forming this conclusion. Another method for that matter is pure observational approach; again this mode is not favourable as it is primarily based on the researchers supposition of the hypothesis. Therefore this approach is greatly endangered by distortion of the final conclusion and lacks credibility as a result of it. Phenomenological method is another approach that can be taken as it asks the researchers to better understand the idea or hypothesis in relation to all its aspects and then form an evaluation based on the experiences felt by the person under its influence. In the end to sum up, its best suggested that statistical method be used for quantitative purpose and qualitative approach be taken to research the factors. As this combination of methods incorporates both the pros and cons of the respective approaches so it will, in most probability, helpful in delivering a credible and unbiased evaluation at the end of the research study. ABOUT THE PROPOSED RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN The questionnaire was formulated for the key purpose of identifying the different factors that influence consumer behaviour when choosing between different mobile phone brands in the UK market. Therefore each question was designed with the aim of extracting some information that would be insightful in understanding the complex buying behaviour of the consumers. Question 1 will find out which brand is most used by the consumers. If there are a major proportion of the participants choosing a particular brand that would mean that brand may be the market leader. Questions 2 and 3 will assess whether they wish to change the phone. If they do then what is the reason behind it, if a shortcoming in the current brand is recognized then the marketer can capitalize on it and add this feature in its own product if feasible. Question 4 will judge the brand loyalty in the participants as part of the behavioural factors influencing consumer behaviour. Whereas, question 5 will aim to find out what the customers next favoured option is in mobile phone brands. This would give an idea as to which brand has the potential of becoming the market leader. Question 6 will evaluate what is the technological literacy in the participants so that a need for introduction of complex technology can be considered. While question 7 will review what are the activities that the users mostly indulge in when using their phones. This will also be helpful in finding out what areas can be improved as are mostly used by the consumers. Question 8 will aim to discover the power friends have on consumer preferences as part of the psychographic factors. Generally it is believed that family, friends and peer pressure play a vital role in this area, this question will be finding out whether there is any truth to this notion or not. Question 9s purpose is to obtain information regarding how much consumers are willing to spend on the purchase of a mobile phone. Price is in relation to income which is a component of demographic factors. Also if a trend in low spending is observed then this would mean that there is a need for lowering the prices. Question 10 will ask the participants to make a choice between two of the most coveted mobile phone features. In addition to the usual ones features available, preference for camera and Wi-Fi will be asked for. Question 11 is in extension to the earlier asked question, asking what are the features that they most want in their mobile phones. It is expected that the answers will greatly depend on the age of the participants. Question 12, the last question, will actually provide additional information about the consumers assessment of the available brands. This will also show which brand the consumers think is the market leader, the response to this question will be interesting as it may be in contrast to what the marketers expectations are. IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC QUESTIONING, INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES AND EVALUATION In order to be certain that the questions prepared are honest and not misleading, it is necessary that the questions being asked as part of the research are credible. If not then the results may be deceptive. For this purpose it is also necessary that strategic questioning is such that asks questions that are actually informative and insightful, helping in forming strategies. Therefore it of the utmost importance that the questionnaire designed should be clear in stating what its purpose is. The understanding of the responses should be such which would be able to serve its purpose of finding out the factors most influencing consumer behaviour in choosing mobile phone brands, particularly for the UK market. The researcher should incorporate all such plausible and relevant questions that will be helpful in achieving this aim. While conducting an interview, researchers are at an advantage of extracting much more out of the respondent than from a questionnaire. It is because of the nature of the method that gives the freedom to the researcher to pay attention to the gestures and body language of the participant in addition to obtaining a response. When evaluating and getting ready to present the data, the researcher should not forget what the purpose has been all along. Also a general code of conduct and ethics should not be breached at any stage of the research as that would deem the study false. PROPOSED RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND REPORTING As the research has to kept bias free so it is important that the respondents are chosen at random from the targeted segment. The researcher should thus aim to distribute the questionnaires to people who can be counted on for providing the best possible response. For our study, prime focus would be UK residents. It will be this collected data which will be analysed and evaluated. Since our study encompasses the whole UK market, so the researcher will aim to get 100 survey questionnaires by the residents of four main countries of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Each participant will be at complete liberty to refuse to participate in this survey, only after their consent would they be given a questionnaire to fill. Correct purpose of the study will be explained to them. After all the data has been collected, it will then be analyzed and interpreted with the use of computing aids in order to be certain about the veracity of the study. These results will be compiled as a report in addition to study results, recommendations and conclusions. For the meeting this report will be presented along with a PowerPoint presentation. PROPOSED RESEARCH SCHEDULE AND TIMING This research will be conducted within an expected time duration of 7 weeks. In the initial weeks, the market research proposal will be composed. This step will involve the preliminary identification of factors influencing consumer behaviour namely, demographic, psychographic and behavioural factors, which will then be taken as the basis for the whole study. Literature review will be a key component for this area as this will evaluate what needs to be researched. It will be during this literature review that the factors will be further sub divided into smaller facets to cover every aspect of consumer behaviour. During the 3rd week, quantitative and qualitative research study questionnaire will be designed. For this purpose first the merits and demerits of each form of study will have to be taken into consideration. Then after the questionnaires are prepared, they will be distributed to the targeted segment of the population based on country wise division for UK market. It will be during the 4th and 5th week that the questionnaires will be filled and collected. Two week time is being allotted as the questionnaires will be divided over a large area so shipping to and forth will have to be accounted for. In the 6th week the researcher will have to get down to the task of the evaluating the results. For this a systematic procedure of first entering the data into computing software and then retrieving the end result will be initiated. Computers are being used of this purpose to guarantee no or very insignificant discrepancies. Once the results are obtained they will be included in the study for the experts review and analysis. As told earlier, informal interviews will also be conducted so that gain even better insight into the workings of consumer influences. These responses along with formal interview data collected will be also be added into the survey. At the completion of all these steps, final evaluation will be carried out. This evaluation will incorporate elements from all the parts of the whole research proposal study, the purpose for this detailed study will be to avoid all forms of prejudice that might have seeped into the study at any step of the process. In the final 7th week, after the study is completed, final review will take place. COST FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS AND BREAKDOWN As the participants selected belong to four different countries therefore questionnaire filling will in itself be a long process. Mostly it takes a couple of days for the questionnaires to be filled but as the participants are over an extended area so for that we have projected a longer time duration. During all this time various expenses will be incurred which have to be accounted from. Apart from the obvious transportation and telecommunications costs which are a part of every research schedule, other expenses are also to be considered. These other expenses can be listed under sundry expenses, comprising of paper and printing cost, food expenses. Also the volunteers will be given allowances for the services being offered.

Selecting The Most Suitable Procurement Route Construction Essay

Selecting The Most Suitable Procurement Route Construction Essay Understand that due to the terrible weather and severe storm, a significant damage was happened to Cinnamon Grand hotels. As a result, the hotel management board requested for advice on selecting an appropriate procurement route after deciding to reconstruct the destroyed buildings. There are a few procurement routes could be selected amongst traditional procurement route and non-traditional procurement routes which includes Design and Build, Management Contracting and Construction Management. In general, Traditional method is more favored by public project because it satisfies public accountability, Design and Build method is more for inexperienced client who desire cost certainty and fast track projects, Management Contracting method is usually adopted by experienced client who does not take cost certainty as their priority, similar to Construction Management. Selecting an appropriate procurement route will directly benefit the client in many perspectives, such as time saving, cost saving, risk avoidance, quality control, price competition and so on. Provided information states that you do not have an in-house executive to advise the reconstruction; you will obtain a financial assistance of estimated 120 million; you intend to re-open the business latest by 28th February 2015. Thurs, the most important issues which you are highly concerned are risk allocation, price certainty and project duration. Two points each will be allocated to the most suitable procurement route. Besides, you are also concerned about site control, quality control, complexity and heritage. One point will be allocated to the most suitable procurement route. Table 1 shows the matrix for making decision on how to select a suitable procurement route. Table 1: Matrix of selecting the most suitable procurement route Traditional Procurement Design and Build Management Contracting Construction Management Risk Allocation à ¡Ã‚ µÃ†â€™ 1 2 Price Certainty à ¡Ã‚ µÃ¢â‚¬ ¡ 2 2 Project Duration à ¡Ã‚ ¶Ã…“ 1 2 1 1 Site Control à ¡Ã‚ µÃ‹â€  1 1 Quality Control à ¡Ã‚ µÃ¢â‚¬ ° 1 1 1 Complexity à ¡Ã‚ ¶Ã‚   1 1 Total 6 7 3 3 2. Factors Affecting the Selection of Procurement Route 2.1 Risk Allocation Risks can be classified as design risks and construction risks. It is crucial for you to know much risk it can bear and how to pass the risks to the contractor; especially in this case, you do not have a team of specialists who are capable of advising on the design nor the reconstruction. Amongst all the procurement routes, Design and Build method will allow you to pass almost all the design and construction risks to the contractor, at a price. Traditional procurement method distributes risks to both insured consultant and contractor equally, while Management Contracting and Construction Management have a disadvantage of retaining most of the risks to employer. Therefore, Design and Build and Traditional methods are most suitable for Cinnamon Grand to minimise risks à ¡Ã‚ µÃ†â€™. 2.2 Price Certainty Price certainty is always a prior concern in private projects, because preventing overrunning budget plays a big part for private client. It has been highlighted in the key issues by Cinnamon Grand saying price certainty is most important. Traditional method provides a high level of price certainty because it relied on competitive tender, usually the Contactor with the lowest tender price will be accepted, although sometimes negotiation happens. Other advantages of Traditional method are competitive fairness, which means all tenderers prices will be based on same design drawings issued by Consultant, and a relatively low tender preparation cost comparing to the rest methods. Design and Build method also ensures a firm cost as most contracts will be let on a lump sum basis, it is also unlikely to have design changes, because contractors responsibilities of both design and construction will increase the buildability and minimise the variation. Management Contracting and Construction Ma nagement are at disadvantage as the actual project cost will only be know when all the work packages have been let. In order to make the price competitive, the best way of obtaining price certainty is through Traditional method or Design and Build method à ¡Ã‚ µÃ¢â‚¬ ¡. 2.3 Project Duration Time is essence for those who want quick return on the investment, especially for private client. There are two ways to avoid project delays, one is to start project as early as possible, the other is to end project as early as possible. As I know that the date of commencement is on 1st March 2014 and the date of completion is on 28th February 2015, which means the time for construction is really crucial. Fortunately, the decision has been made in August 2012, giving us one and a half year head start on doing whatever necessary preparation works, for example, to carry out brief, design and competition. The late worksite handover date seems to be suitable to use Traditional method, however, under certain circumstances of any variation order incurred, Contractor reserve the right to claim extension of time, this will affect the crucial construction period and cause project delays. Therefore, even though Traditional method allows design works can be start early, it still has a medium risk of project delays because the design responsibility does not lie with Contractor. Same applies to Management Contracting and Construction Management as well. Although Management Contracting and Construction Management allow design and construction works to be carried out concurrently, Management Contracting takes more time on selecting a management input and then subcontractors, and Construction Management makes you have to deal with many subcontractors and no single subcontractor is solely responsible for the date of completion. So since there is a long preparation period from August 2012 to March 2014, I suggest that Competitive Design and Build (two-stage tendering) method will be best suitable to meet the time requirement à ¡Ã‚ ¶Ã…“, not only because it avoids delay to the commencement date, but also ensures the completion date with buildability and single point of contract and responsibility. 2.4 Site Control In order to provide a good service while the construction is going on, work site must be well managed in every perspective including safety, planning, noise and etc. The advantage of Management Contracting and Construction Management methods is having a shorter communication line between you and subcontractors, so that to ensure a faster response to decisions. On the other hand, Traditional and Design and Build method do not have control of subcontractors, because there is no contractual relationship between you and subcontractors. Thus, Management Contracting and Construction Management methods will be best suitable to control work site à ¡Ã‚ µÃ‹â€ . However, it is still possible for other procurement methods to keep the work site well managed by improving the contract requirements and specifications. 2.5 Quality Control Traditional method has a low quality risk because most of the design works are done by insured Consultants who working directly for you. Management Contracting and Construction Management methods also have a low quality risk because a close link will be established between you, Consultants and Contractors, to allow buildibility. Even though when under certain circumstances, design quality may be compromised duo to pressure from employer. Design and Build method has a relatively high quality risk because the whole design and build process is solely undertaken by Contractor, which may slightly affects the quality level. All above mentioned procumbent methods except Design and Build method are suitable to enhance quality control and heritage à ¡Ã‚ µÃ¢â‚¬ °. Even so, the possible affected quality using Design and Build method also depends on how experienced the employer is and how accurate is the requirements stated in the contracts document. So I think it will not be a difficult task for such an experienced client in renovation of buildings like Cinnamon Grand. 2.6 Complexity Projects complexity can be identified by the types of physical services involved, the number of sub-contractors, resources in term of labour, plant and materials, the level of technology and the uniqueness of project activities (Songer and Molenaar, 1997). Traditional method and Design and Build method are more suitable for simple or medium-scaled buildings like this particular project, while Management Contracting and Construction Management methods cater for larger and more complex buildings. Considering all types of complexities mentioned, the core concept still revolves around time and cost as the primary purpose is to re-open the hotel business to make money. And the construction period for phase two is only one month time. So I suggest that in order to encourage time saving, Design and Build method should be selected à ¡Ã‚ ¶Ã‚   rather than Traditional methods, because all construction works will be conducted by Contractor alone while Traditional method has different specialists doing high technology multimedia facilities and air conditioning system. 3. Recommendations There is no single procumbent method suitable for all kinds of projects, advantages and disadvantages can only be determined according to clients concerns and priorities. Therefore, by referring to the result formulated in Table 1, I suggest that the most suitable procurement route should be Competitive Design and Build.

Of Mice and Men Essay examples -- Literary Analysis, John Steinbeck

â€Å"One day our descendants will think it incredible that we paid so much attention to things like the amount of melanin in our skin or the shape of our eyes or our gender instead of the unique identities of each of us as complex human beings† (QuoteGarden.com). This quote by Franklin Thomas is a great example of marginalization and mistreatment in the past, both issues that were made very evident in the books that were read during the summer. Throughout A Lesson Before Dying, Burned Alive, and Of Mice and Men, marginalization and maltreatment were immanent. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, some of the characters experience several examples of both mistreatment and marginalization. Throughout the book Curley’s wife is mistreated due to her female gender. The farm hands were always calling her a ‘tramp’ and George once said, â€Å"I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her† (Steinbeck, 32). When George says this, he is warning Lennie to stay away from Curley’s wife because he thinks that she is very effective at deceiving men to get what she wants. Lennie was also mistreated throughout the book, though not because of his gender but due to the fact that he was developmentally delayed. He was even neglected by his own friend, George, who would constantly be thinking of a life without Lennie. George continuously blamed Lennie for causing him to lose his jobs and having to move all around the country (Steinbeck, 11). Unlike Lennie, Crooks was discriminated against considering his race and color. One example from the book would be: â€Å"Where the hell is that God damn nigger† (Steinbeck, 29)? Just like in this example, throughout the book Curley would refer to Crooks as a ‘nigger’,... ...k had many ideal examples of various types of marginalization and mistreatment including those about gender, race, and the Handicapped. Where Of Mice and Men had diverse examples of maltreatment, Burned Alive by Souad was based on just one case of maltreatment: the mistreatment of women in a Middle-Eastern society. The marginalization and exploitation of African-Americans was also made very apparent in the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines through the treatment of Jefferson and his community. Many people throughout history have hoped for a better future free of marginalization and mistreatment, and one of those people was Martin Luther King Jr. He once said, â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character† (BrainyQuote.com). Of Mice and Men Essay examples -- Literary Analysis, John Steinbeck â€Å"One day our descendants will think it incredible that we paid so much attention to things like the amount of melanin in our skin or the shape of our eyes or our gender instead of the unique identities of each of us as complex human beings† (QuoteGarden.com). This quote by Franklin Thomas is a great example of marginalization and mistreatment in the past, both issues that were made very evident in the books that were read during the summer. Throughout A Lesson Before Dying, Burned Alive, and Of Mice and Men, marginalization and maltreatment were immanent. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, some of the characters experience several examples of both mistreatment and marginalization. Throughout the book Curley’s wife is mistreated due to her female gender. The farm hands were always calling her a ‘tramp’ and George once said, â€Å"I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her† (Steinbeck, 32). When George says this, he is warning Lennie to stay away from Curley’s wife because he thinks that she is very effective at deceiving men to get what she wants. Lennie was also mistreated throughout the book, though not because of his gender but due to the fact that he was developmentally delayed. He was even neglected by his own friend, George, who would constantly be thinking of a life without Lennie. George continuously blamed Lennie for causing him to lose his jobs and having to move all around the country (Steinbeck, 11). Unlike Lennie, Crooks was discriminated against considering his race and color. One example from the book would be: â€Å"Where the hell is that God damn nigger† (Steinbeck, 29)? Just like in this example, throughout the book Curley would refer to Crooks as a ‘nigger’,... ...k had many ideal examples of various types of marginalization and mistreatment including those about gender, race, and the Handicapped. Where Of Mice and Men had diverse examples of maltreatment, Burned Alive by Souad was based on just one case of maltreatment: the mistreatment of women in a Middle-Eastern society. The marginalization and exploitation of African-Americans was also made very apparent in the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines through the treatment of Jefferson and his community. Many people throughout history have hoped for a better future free of marginalization and mistreatment, and one of those people was Martin Luther King Jr. He once said, â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character† (BrainyQuote.com).

Should You Buy a Harley Davidson? :: Harley Davidson

I have conversed with many other motorcycle riders about what motorcycle is the best. Many riders had wanted, ordered or already purchased a Harley. Reasons I hear from other riders and potentially interested persons as to why they have to have a Harley: It is the only real American made motorcycle. A Harley is the best motorcycle on the road. Harley Davidson is the oldest motorcycle company. A Harley Davidson is a good investment. American riders do not want to ride "Jap Junk." Riders do not want to start on something small and have to trade up. Fact: Harley Davidson is not the only American made motorcycle. There is a myth that Harley is the only American made motorcycle. To believe that, you would need to overlook the Honda of America plant in Marysville, Ohio and the Kawasaki Plant in Nebraska. Both are manufacturing plants, not assembly plants. That means that Honda does not ship in boxes of parts and put them together here as part of some evil conspiracy. Simple fact, it makes good business sense to manufacture their motorcycles in the USA. Manufacturers will be the first to tell you that the work force here is skilled, the U.S. suppliers and vendors produce excellent pieces. Take a good look at the contemporary Harley Davidson; it has quite a collection of foreign made parts. I do not have a problem with this; lets just keep it in perspective. Finally, manufacturers cannot just claim something is "Made in the USA." The Federal Trade Commission has specific criteria for what percentage of the parts must be ma de and sourced in the USA. There have been years where a larger percentage of a Honda Goldwing was USA made and sourced than a Harley Davidson. Everyone wants to think their motorcycle is "the best." I have owned several different brands of motorcycles. I would not call any of my former motorcycles "the best." Yes, maybe they were the best sport bikes in a given year, or touring model, or trail bike at the moment. Each and every motorcycle I have owned had room for improvement. What would make a Harley Davidson the best? Best should be defined as a motorcycle that suits you and your primary use for it. Should You Buy a Harley Davidson? :: Harley Davidson I have conversed with many other motorcycle riders about what motorcycle is the best. Many riders had wanted, ordered or already purchased a Harley. Reasons I hear from other riders and potentially interested persons as to why they have to have a Harley: It is the only real American made motorcycle. A Harley is the best motorcycle on the road. Harley Davidson is the oldest motorcycle company. A Harley Davidson is a good investment. American riders do not want to ride "Jap Junk." Riders do not want to start on something small and have to trade up. Fact: Harley Davidson is not the only American made motorcycle. There is a myth that Harley is the only American made motorcycle. To believe that, you would need to overlook the Honda of America plant in Marysville, Ohio and the Kawasaki Plant in Nebraska. Both are manufacturing plants, not assembly plants. That means that Honda does not ship in boxes of parts and put them together here as part of some evil conspiracy. Simple fact, it makes good business sense to manufacture their motorcycles in the USA. Manufacturers will be the first to tell you that the work force here is skilled, the U.S. suppliers and vendors produce excellent pieces. Take a good look at the contemporary Harley Davidson; it has quite a collection of foreign made parts. I do not have a problem with this; lets just keep it in perspective. Finally, manufacturers cannot just claim something is "Made in the USA." The Federal Trade Commission has specific criteria for what percentage of the parts must be ma de and sourced in the USA. There have been years where a larger percentage of a Honda Goldwing was USA made and sourced than a Harley Davidson. Everyone wants to think their motorcycle is "the best." I have owned several different brands of motorcycles. I would not call any of my former motorcycles "the best." Yes, maybe they were the best sport bikes in a given year, or touring model, or trail bike at the moment. Each and every motorcycle I have owned had room for improvement. What would make a Harley Davidson the best? Best should be defined as a motorcycle that suits you and your primary use for it.

Tv And Violence :: essays research papers

Violence on Television We hear a great deal about violence on television these days. Nearly everywhere you turn there is something being written about it, or a program dealing with the issue of it, or a news story about a child somewhere who was influenced by it to do something harmful. The subject permeates our collective consciousness. Maybe this is due to the ever-increasing number of gangs in our urban centers. Maybe it's due to the ever-increasing crime rate that we hear about almost nightly on the news. Whatever the reasons behind its being such a concern, the fact remains that violence on television is a very real problem that is quite definitely a contributing factor to increasing violence among children and, yes, even among adults. Cartoon violence has been around as long as cartoons have - and that's a long time. The first animated Disney cartoons featured a rabbit named Oswald back in 1928 and the cartoon industry grew from there. So for seventy years now we've been treated to the antics of various characters, either through the opening Looney Tunes at the movies or the five hours of Saturday morning cartoons that were a ritual with us all growing up. There was Tweety Bird always getting the best of Sylvester the Cat, Bugs Bunny always outsmarting Elmer Fudd and Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn constantly getting bruised by the awkward antics of his little chicks, Yosemite Sam getting his head blown off at least once a week and of course, the memorable Wyle E. Coyote who never, in all his forty-odd years of pursuing the Roadrunner ever bought anything from the Acme Co. that ever worked right (Siano, 20). They were truly funny and, in some respects, cathartic for us and it is this writer's opinion that cartoon violence is quite probably the least of our worries as far as what is corrupting the minds of our children today. We grew up on it and there is not one single documented case of a violent criminal who ever claimed that he ended up the way he did because he ingested a steady diet of Roadrunner episodes. Let's get serious. Most of these violent criminal types weren't home with the family watching Saturday morning cartoons when they grew up. They were out tying cats' tails together and throwing them over somebody's clothesline so they could watch them kill each other. Or they were torturing the neighbor's new puppy while Mom was at work, Dad was non-existent, and all 3 or 4 or 5 kids were left to raise themselves. Or they were busy learning violence first-hand from their alcoholic father whose chief mission in life seemed to be

Virginia Woolf’s a Room of One’s Own

Though published seventy years ago, Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own holds no less appeal today than it did then. Modern women writers look to Woolf as a prophet of inspiration. In November of 1929, Woolf wrote to her friend G. Lowes Dickinson that she penned the book because she â€Å"wanted to encourage the young women–they seem to get frightfully depressed† (xiv). The irony here, of course, is that Woolf herself eventually grew so depressed and discouraged that she killed herself. The suicide seems symptomatic of Woolf's own feelings of oppression within a patriarchal world where only the words of men, it seemed, were taken seriously.Nevertheless, women writers still look to Woolf as a liberating force and, in particular, at A Room of One's Own as an inspiring and empowering work. Woolf biographer Quentin Bell notes that the text argues: the disabilities of women are social and economic; the woman writer can only survive despite great difficulties, and despite th e prejudice and the economic selfishness of men; and the key to emancipation is to be found in the door of a room which a woman may call her own and which she can inhabit with the same freedom and independence as her brothers. 144) Woolf empowers women writers by first exploring the nature of women and fiction, and then by incorporating notions of androgyny and individuality as it exists in a woman's experience as writer. Woolf's first assertion is that women are spatially hindered in creative life. â€Å"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction,† Woolf writes, â€Å"and that as you will see, leaves the great problem of the true nature of women. . . and fiction unresolved† (4). What Woolf seems to say is that being female stifles creativity.Woolf does not assume, however, that a biological reason for this stifling exists. Instead, she implies that a woman's â€Å"life conflicts with something that is not life† (71). In other words , mothering, being a wife, and the general daily, culturally defined expectations of women infringe upon creativity, in particular the writing of fiction. The smothering reality of a woman's life – – housekeeping and child-rearing duties, for example – – distract a woman from writing. Sadly, Woolf notes, even if a woman in such circumstances manages to write anyway, â€Å"she will write in a rage where she should write calmly.She will write foolishly where she should write wisely. She will write of herself where she should write of her characters† (69-70). Woolf posits here that an angry woman, writing out of the repression of her everyday life, will be an ineffective writer. Finally, Woolf blames the patriarchal culture, as if the freedom of women writing is â€Å"some infringement of [man's] power to believe in himself† (35). She suggests that men resist women writers because fiction by women somehow diminishes their belief in their own wo rks.Woolf's message, it seems, is that women must rail against the resistance of the patriarchal culture and attain some degree of independence and androgyny. Woolf does not suggest that women write the same as men. In fact, Woolf asserts that â€Å"it would be a thousand pities if women wrote like men, or lived like men, or looked like men† (88). Woolf believes that a man's sentence is not a woman's sentence, that the two will be vastly different from each other, though not necessarily one better than the other.Her assertion is that men's sentences are awkward in the hands of women because â€Å"the nerves that feed the brain would seem to differ in men and women† (78). This difference of gray matter and neurons would necessarily result in a difference of perspective and sentence structure. Woolf suggests that for fiction to be artfully done, there must exist a measure of androgyny, â€Å"a plan of the soul so that in each of us two powers preside, one male, one fema le† (98).In essence, Woolf claims that this state of androgyny would allow women the same freedom to express themselves that men seem to have been inherently endowed with. â€Å"The androgynous mind is resonant and porous,† Woolf continues, â€Å"it transmits emotion without impediment; it is naturally creative, incandescent and undivided† (98). What Woolf overtly states here is that the ideal creative mind is a marriage, or balance, of the supposed female traits of emotionalism with the supposed male traits of productivity and style. What is implicit, however, is that the female mind can be resonant and porous only when undivided.In other words, a woman can write well only when her mind, like a man's, is not forced to choose between gender and identity, or between her art and society's expectations of her. A woman will write with fluidity and resonance only when she has the same freedom of expression as a man. An additional notion Woolf presents is that women mu st maintain individuality in their experiences as writers. This intimacy with one's identity nurtures the creation of fiction, but only when written out of one's own personality and not imitated through another's. â€Å"Why are Jane Austen's sentences not the right shape for you? Woolf asks Mary Carmichael (80). The idea Woolf reinforces here is that a woman should find and develop her own writing style, not simply mimic her predecessors. Notice, though, that Woolf does not suggest we glean no stylistic inspiration from women writers like the Brontes and Jane Austen, who paved the way for generations of women writers. â€Å"Books continue each other,† Woolf says, â€Å"in spite of our habit of judging them separately† (80). Continuing something, however, does not mean using the same blueprints or tools during the creative process.What Woolf implies is that every book a woman, sitting in that room of her own, produces will generate books from other women. A degree of m imicry, of course, is impossible to avoid. â€Å"A woman writing,† Woolf admits, â€Å"thinks back through her mothers† (97). The â€Å"mothers† here are not only biological mothers who give birth to our physical bodies, but also those women who meticulously scratched their way out of patriarchal constraints and into print; the women who acted as surrogates to birth generations of women writers.Subtle mimicry would seem a natural act under such circumstances, much as a child unconsciously develops personality traits of either parent. Finally, a woman reading Woolf's book has to wonder if that â€Å"room of one's own† is strictly a spatial, physical concept. It is possible that Woolf writes of a psychological construct as a room of one's own, a place one can emotionally go to and write from. Few of us have the luxury of a concrete room of our own, and if we are to be writers, emotional space of our own is the barest necessity.Women who want to write must f ind some quiet space in their psyches from which they can create. â€Å"So long as you write what you want to write, that is all that matters,† Woolf encourages, â€Å"and whether it matters for ages or only for hours, nobody can say† (106). What Woolf seems to say is that what we create within that space of ourselves, within a single moment, is what matters so long as we do it with an eye toward our own individual, androgynous hearts.

Unusual Festivals

My lecture is about unusual festivals. Could you give me some examples for unusual festival? -Yes that’s true -Don’t you have any idea? I'm sure you have seen some unusual festivals on TV but now you might forgot them. Forexample you imagin a lot of people gathering in a city throwing tomatos at each other just for fun. Have you ever participated in an unusual festival? -Yes: great this is such an interesting experience I'm sure you never fogot that day. -No: no problem I will give you a lot of information about it. I think you might be in charshanbesori.It is held In the last Wednesday of the year. Just as the rest of the world moves forward into the online digital world, there are still various classical traditions from past centuries that retains their popularity with the new younger generation of people. Even as some of these traditions are strange and unusual, they have been held until now. Another example is Halloween. On October 31, in many countries children and adults dress up in unusual costumes. Some become witches or ghosts; others dress up as trees, goats, and in other very unusual costumes.This festival started in Europe and has spread to all parts of the world. However, not all celebrations spread around the world. Every country has its own singular festivals. The first example that I prepared is Festival of Snakes Many people are afraid of snake.. In some parts of the world, snakes are regarded as evil or, at least, dangerous. But, there is one small village in Italy where the people seem to worship snakes. They show their respect and love for snakes with a festival. This festival is held each year in the tiny village of Cocullo, which is surrounded by some of Italy's wildest forests.There is a legend in Cocullo that the surrounding mountains and forests were once full of poisonous snakes. Many of the people from Cocullo who went into these areas died after being bitten by the poisonous snakes. In 700 B. C. , the villagers prayed t o Apollo, a Greek god, for help. Apollo told them to capture the snakes, put them around his statue in the village, and then put them back in the mountains and forests. This seemed to work, and the ritual has been repeated ever since. Over the years, the villagers have made some changes to this tradition.Now a statue of a Christian saint, Domenica, has replaced the statue of the Greek god Apollo. In addition, the villagers have added fireworks to the festival. Celebrations begin on Saint Joseph's Day, March 19, when the first snakes of the season are captured and put in cages. Two months later, on the first Thursday in May, villagers set off fireworks and then go to church. After church, the statue of Saint Domenica is carried through the streets, and villagers put the captured snakes around his statue. Then, more fireworks are set off.At the edge of the village, the snakes are set free in the forest, and the villagers believe that they are immune from snakebites for another year. L a Tomatina The festival of La Tomatina in Bufiol, Spain, is very simple. It is a food fight festival. Everyone throws tomatoes at each other on the last Wednesday of August. The town's streets turn bright red as over 20,000 people hit each other with large, red, soft tomatoes. There are many ideas on how the festival started. The most likely explanation is that it started as a fight between poor and rich teenagers.No one knows who threw the first tomato, but somehow they began throwing tomatoes at each other. Over the years, this local event has become a national event. It is no longer a war between poor and rich and is now an exciting time for young people to have a good time throwing tomatoes at everyone. The standard uniform is an old T-shirt, old shorts, and safety glasses. Farmers bring thousands of tomatoes from around the countryside, and the festival begins with the firing of a rocket. An hour later, the end of the festival is announced with the firing of another rocket, and everyone begins to clean up the town.Zombie Walk A zombie walk is an organized public gathering of people who dress up in zombie costumes. Usually taking place in an urban center, the participants make their way around the city streets or through shopping malls or a local cemetery or other public spaces. Holi- The Festival of Colors This popular Hindu spring festival, observed in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and other Hindu countries, is also known as The Festival of Color. Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month, usually in the later part of February or March.It is Originally a festival to celebrate good harvests and fertility of the land. Crying Baby Festival overweight men in this shape can be a very scary sight for many of us. So, you can imagine how babies will react when they are held by one of these men. In Konaki Sumo, a Japanese festival, pairs of babies are held by men like this facing each other. The winner is the baby who cries first. The festival is based on the Japanese proverb â€Å"crying babies grow fast†. Fish-Swallowing Festival the festival involves eating fish but the difference is that they are still alive! t is happend in The last Sunday of every February in Geraardsbergen in Belgium. The ceremony draws protests from animal rights activists who want to substitute live fish with fish-shaped marzipan. Monkey Buffet Festival There really is a festival just for monkeys every year in Thailand. On the last Sunday in November at the Pra Prang Sam Yot temple in Lopburi province, north of Bagkok,thousands of pounds of fruit is gathered for a huge buffet just for monkeys. The festival over the years has become more lavish and has put this small province on the world tourism map. Wife Carrying World ChampionshipsEach summer, this weird event in Sonkajarvi, Finland, becomes more and more popular. The wife-carrying contest has been at a world championship level for over 13 years now. Wife ca rrying is a sport in which male competitors race while each carrying a female teammate. The objective is for the male to carry the female through a special obstacle track in the fastest time. Now my lecture is finished. I want to know your opinion. -Do you think it is a good idea to hold these festivals? For example in tomatina thousands tones of tomato are wasted. While it is possible to cook them and to use them instead of throwing them at each ther. However I have to admit tomatina bring happiness to many of people. But some of them like Crying Baby Festival, Fish-Swallowing Festival, Monkey Buffet Festival and Baby-Jumping Festival are really ridiculous and some of them are really dangerous. -What's your opinion about charsaabesori in Iran? -Do you agree with it or not? Yes I agree with you. Nowadays it become like a urban war. it is such an dangerous night. As all of us know unfortunately many people die and injure seriously. – Do you have any question? Thanks a lot for your consideration.

5 steps in a process to collect digital evidence Essay

Some important steps in the process of collecting digital evidence from the time you are called to assist and the time when you have to testify are: identifying evidence, collecting evidence, preserving evidence, analyzing evidence and presenting evidence (Solomon et. al, 2011, Loc 2332). One of the first steps in identifying evidence is understanding the purpose of the investigation. This knowledge will help you to decide what evidence you will need based on the type of case you’re participating in. A critical part of identifying evidence if it is a criminal investigation would be to know what is allowed on the search warrant. As the Computer Forensics Jumpstart we are using for our textbook, seldom is â€Å"take everything† allowed (Solomon et. al, 2011, Loc 2332). Even if the investigation does not involve a search warrant, care must be taken to operate within legal guidelines because ANY investigation may â€Å"end up as prime evidence for lawsuits in the future† (Solomon et. al, 2011, Loc 2341). The second step in identifying the evidence is to take a look around. Perform a site survey (Solomon et. al, 2011, Loc 2351). Take pictures, make notes, sketch the area and make sure you have enough information to describe the area in detail should you need at some future date (Solomon et. al, 2011, 2361). Take note of what you see and what you think it means. You will look at the usual laptop or computer and at the hard drive and other portable storage devices of course, but remember to look beyond the obvious. The textbook uses the example of seeing a high-speed scanner and a credit card reader (Solomon et. al, 2011, Loc 2389) and thinking about what possibilities these items would be used for.

Film and Countless Alien Eggs Essay

I was in the middle school. I still remembered the feeling when I first watched this film. It was so scary that I couldn’t even breathe, and I once dreaded that these aliens would come to our planet and destroy our humanity. There is no doubt that this film is a masterpiece in the Sci-Fi/horror film history. The director Ridley Scott made an amazing film. The story mainly tells about a commercial towing spaceship, which carries seven crew members, and receives a beacon form a planet, so they decide to check it out. Three of crew member Dallas, Kane and Lambert discover a derelict spaceship which contains countless alien eggs; one of these attacks Kane and makes him unconscious. After Kane is brought to the ship, the strange thing happens. An alien bursts from Kane’s’ chest and kills all the crew members except Ridley. By her intelligence and braveness, she finally kills the alien and escape from the spaceship. Films about UFO and spaceships are extremely popular in the film industry especially in America, but in other countries it’s not popular at all. I think it is because schools in United States focus more on educating students’ imagination and creativity. People love to see films about future world and extraterrestrial life. As we know, our universe is extremely large; a lot of people believe that aliens do exist somewhere. Some rumor says they visited us and government knew it, but for some reason they didn’t want people to know. The more government wants to conceal the existence of alien, the more people want to know the truth. That’s why Sci-Fi movies can succeed in the box office so well. The Alien is one of the most successful Sci-Fi movies in the history. Some people think it also can be categorized as a horror movie too. There are so many scary moments in this film; some are really gross and disgusting. The effect of chest bursting of Kane is still amazing; even it was a movie that filmed 30 years ago. Director created a very scary creature, the alien. They have no gender, or you can say they are hermaphrodite. They have no womb and reproduce really fast, and their blood is made by strong acid, which can penetrate several floors of the giant spaceship. It makes them hard to kill, and the scariest thing is they use human body to reproduce. Once the baby alien ready to go from its host, they will burst out from their father/mother’s chest and instantly kill him/her. The alien grabs all the audience’s attention. Its giant body and gross drooling mouth creates the scary atmosphere, which make audience dread and anxiety. The success of Alien was quite closely linked to the background of America at that time. The Alien was born in the era of the Cold War. People were living under the tremendous pressure from the other countries. The feeling of the panic to the uncertainty just like an alien was hiding in the darkness, which was going to kill someone. By watching this film, audiences can release the pressure and forget the pain of real life. The Alien is an amazing film, which blends elements of Sci-Fi and horror to create a very horror and fantastic film. I would love to watch this movie again and recommend to all the people who like Sci-Fi and horror movies.

Personal Statement on a subject of Social Injustice in the US and why

On a subject of Social Injustice in the US and why you want to be an intern with GO Project - Personal Statement Example My aim shall be to provide avenues in which children are recognized in society. This means allowing children to be aware of their environments while at the same time enabling them survive in societies that limits their freedom. Child negligence remains a problem in the 21st century and it is up to the society to change this fact. There is need to focus on how to equip children with the required knowledge to survive current societies. My ambition is to create a generational change where society will embrace and treated children equally. Empowering children will mean securing their future hence creating a responsible society. My passion for children will prompt me to develop mechanism that allow children to access basic education and enhance their skills and talents. The future of these children is paramount to any development agenda. They have the potential to transform the society and my aim would be to ensure they achieve these