The retail revolutions in the UK and US. Similarities and differences, Essay

The retail revolutions in the UK and US. Similarities and differences, the winners and losers - Essay Example Undoubtedly, in the last several years, the retail industry has changed considerably just to get better and enhanced. Uprising in every aspect of production, distribution, technological, marketing and delivery have ultimately led to the revolution of the retail industry. This project would focus on this specific industry, the revolutions taken place in USA and UK, the similarities and differences of the retail markets in these two countries. The analysis would further lead to the identification of gainers and losers of this industry. Global Retailing Industry At the end of the 20th century, both North America and Europe have experienced the surfacing of the supermarkets to take prevailing grocery retail form. As the income level increases, the super marketers expanded their product range to seek convenience as well as new tastes and stimulus of the customers. In the later years, with the advancement of technology, introduction of barcode has enabled these stores to effectively manage number of merchandises and their prices (Anand & Nambiar, n.d., p.1-2). Furthermore, the retail stores have introduced 'just-in-time' store replacement and the capability to manage more individual product items. In the coming years, the logistical systems integrated store replacement and computer driven depots integrated in one single electronic system leading to the establishment of superstores. There have been a considerable amount of changes from the last decade to this date. One of the few similarities, which still remain same from the last decade, is that Wal-Mart still holds its top position with distinction across the globe. Other than the dominance of Wal-Mart, there is little or even negligible changes from that of the mid-1990s. The world economy has experienced a considerable amount of shift with changes in the retailer’s operating systems and consumer demand with the incorporation of enhanced technology. Furthermore, intensive competition, saturated customer base and limited legislation have pushed the leading food retailers to cross the borders. Since middle of the 1990s, a number of governments have encouraged their economies to open up, leading to the entrance of the foreign investment and free markets. The entire situation has become favourable for the leading retailers to expand further to capture the global market. In the wake of recent economic downturn, there has been cutback in the corporate IT expenses and other capital spending. Furthermore, the consumers have become more sensitive to the price as well as conservative in the buying behaviour. This has been more prominent in the advanced economies. The global recession has forced the retailers to look more into the cost more effectively. In the second half of the 1990s, the supply chain innovations have been stronger and have continued till date. In the recent times, change in the consumer preference would fuel the online retail services. As of now, the US has remained the biggest area for the online retail with around 37.2 percent of the total market share (IMAP, 2010, p 3-4). USA Retail Revolution The retail revolution of the USA started with the opening of departmental stores in the 1860s, and the constant evolution of the retail industry in USA continues till date. Historically, the production sector has been credited with all innovation and contribution to the growth of the society, and the retail

Social Determinants of Health Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social Determinants of Health - Coursework Example The researcher states that the social and economic conditions experienced by an individual like position, power and financial stability and various other factors, affects health. It is in this context that ‘social determinants’, like poverty, lack of knowledge and health awareness among people, together contributes to health inequalities. Communicable disease refers to health a problem that possesses high chances of being transmitted from one person to another. These are caused by agents like bacteria and virus that release toxic substances in human body and thereafter, causing damages to the cells. The chain of infection comprises the agent, source, way of transmission and host who are generally prone to infections. The source of infection is the environment in which, the microorganisms exist and mode is the process by which, the disease is transferred from one to another human being. It is thus that a nurse plays a crucial role in controlling communicable diseases. The health care facilities in hospitals are looked after by the nurses, who are again responsible for providing a healthy environment to the patients. The type of infection identified in an individual, also influences the level of care provided by the nurses. A nurse is responsible for monitoring a patient and to prescribe antibiotics according to the type of disease. Nurses are required to provide health aid to the patients as well as take precautions so that the disease is not transmitted to others and is cured at the earliest.

Freuds psychoanalytic theory of a personality

Freuds psychoanalytic theory of a personality Freuds Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality In the field of therapy, psychoanalysis assumes that an individuals behavior and emotions are a result of an assortment of factors that the individual is unaware. Sigmund Freud is mostly accredited as the pioneer of this field with most of his theories finding acceptance by most psychological schools of thought. In his book titled An Outline of Psychoanalysis, Freud explains that psychoanalysis finds its foundation on the id, the ego and the superego, as the forces behind the physical apparatus. Freud explains that the id consists of what is inherited, instincts and it is characterized as being unconscious. The ego on the other hand as Freud further explains, is characterized as being conscious and it is the force which â€Å"acts as the intermediary between the id and the external world† (Freud, 1989, p.14). The principals characteristics of the ego as Freud (1989) describes them, include the ability to perform voluntary movements when it is required, preserving itself such as creating a sense of awareness to stimuli by storing them in the â€Å"memory†, escaping excessive stimuli by â€Å"flight†, or dealing with reasonable stimuli by â€Å"adaptation†. The ego also has the characteristic of learning how to deal with expedient changes in the external environment to its advantage through â€Å"activity†. The ego in relation to the id controls the demands of instincts by satisfying them, denying them or postponing them to an appropriate time favorable with the external world. Tensions produced by the stimuli whether internal or external guide the ego. When these tensions are increased it results in unpleasure while their decrease results in pleasure. The ego will generally tend to achieve pleasure and avoid unpleasure. The superego on the other hand represents the influence of dependence on parents during childhood. The id mediates the demands of the superego, while the ego tries simultaneously to satisfy the demands of the id and the ego. Freuds psychoanalytic theory of personality defines conscious psychical ideas, as those one is aware, while preconscious ideas are those that have the potential of becoming conscious. This is in contrast to unconscious ideas, which cannot be explained. Ewen (1998) points out that Freud presented four stages in the sexual development of an individual; oral stage, anal stage, urethra stage, phallic stage and genital stage. The oral stage is characterized through satisfaction through the mouth such as sucking of mothers breast, which the baby gets pleasure. During the anal and urethra stage, the child achieves pleasure through excretion. At the phallic stage, the child is afraid of the father, and sees him as a rival and sexually fantasizes about his mother referred to as the Oedipus stage. The genital stage involves completion of the sexual function to achieve pleasure. Coon (2009) points out that Freud considered that the dynamics of personality involve a conflict of the id, ego and super ego, for example â€Å"the ids demands for immediate pleasure often crash with the superegos mortal restriction† (p.147). An example would be an individual craves for sex. The id will aim to achieve immediate satisfaction, an action that the superego will oppose. The ego on the other hand will be caught in the middle and in an aim to reduce tension; it may lead to actions of courtship. However, the id may overpower the ego and it may give in to seduction while if the superego excels, then the energy will be transferred elsewhere such as sports. In conclusion, it is evident that Freuds psychoanalytic theory of personality argued that humans are not masters of their destiny. This is true according to his arguments that unconscious forces and the fact that the personality of an individual is strongly determined by childhood experiences, govern human behavior. He also stressed that the personality of an individual is shaped by how one deals with sexual urges. Carl Rogers Theory Person-Centered Theory (for personality) The term client-centered therapy is synonymous with Carl Rogers. The humanistic approach philosopher is famous for his theory of personality. Rogers aimed at advising therapists to allow patients to discover their solutions. Through what he refers to as â€Å"unconditional positive regard†, Rogers argues that each individual has the ability to grow and develop, thus influence his/her self-esteem and self-actualization. In order for an individual to achieve this, it becomes imperative for the therapist to accept fully the patient through reflection with the patient. This implies that the patient autonomously dictates the course of the counseling session with the therapist only intervening to assist the patient in identifying certain factors. Rogers theory, although at first widely used in psychotherapy, became referred to as â€Å"person-centered† due to its expansion to other fields such as marriage, education and other diverse professional fields. According to Rogers, the idea behind this approach revolves around what he believes that an individual possesses â€Å"vast resources for self-understanding, for altering his or her self concept, attitudes, and direct behavior†. This makes it possible to tap these resources in a â€Å"definable climate of facilitative psychological attitudes† (Rogers, Kirschenbaum Henderson, 1989 p.135). For this to happen, Rogers highlights three conditions; congruence, unconditional positive regard and emphatic understanding. The first element congruence which also refers to as realness or genuineness implies that if the therapist involves himself more in the relationship without regard to professionalism or personality, then the greater the chance that the client will grow and develop constructively. The second element, unconditional positive regard refers to the creation of a climate suitable for change. This implies that the therapist acts does not judge the person, which greatly enhances the therapeutic process. The third element as Rogers pointed out, is emphatic understanding. According to Jefferies (2005, p.3), he points out that Rogers defined it as â€Å"entering the private perceptual world of the otherbeing sensitive, moment by moment, to the changing felt meanings which flow in this other person† (Rogers 1980, p. 142). This implies that the therapist is supposed to sense and understand the feelings and meanings of the client and has the ability to define and clarify not only those that the client is aware of, but those that may also be unaware.   In addition to the above elements, Rogers also pointed a number of conditions that are required for constructive personality change. The first condition is that of the person coming for help, which is a significant step in acquiring help since the individual realizes that he/she needs help. The next situation involves the counselor setting the goals straight to the client. According to the theory by Rogers, the counselor is supposed to explain to the client that he does not have the answers but he can assist the client to work through the solutions. The counselor will then encourage the client to be free to express his thoughts and this is through the positive, friendly, receptive and interesting environment that the counselor creates. The counselor then takes up to himself to recognize, clarify, and reveal the negative feelings to the client. After the client expresses the negative feelings, positive impulses, which aid in growth, are then created and the counselor has to likewise a ccept and reveal the positive feelings to the client. This paves the way for insight from the client and the counselor paves way for positive action and ideas. This decreases the need for help from the client (Horthersall. 2003). Social Cognitive Theory The social cognitive theory advanced by Albert Bandura, centers on the fact that human behavior can be understood, predicted and changed. The theory takes human development as an embodiment of three forces â€Å"environment conditions (learning), cognitive-personal factors and behavior† (Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian, 2010 p.458). The two authors further point out that cognitive factors involve beliefs, values, expectations, while personal beliefs involve the emotional, biological and genetic makeup of an individual. Behaviors on the other involve a myriad of personal actions such as talking, gesturing among others. Lastly, environmental factors are the social, cultural and economic factors. This is against the backdrop of the psychodynamic theory advanced by Freud, which argues that the personality of an individual is inborn, and Carl Rogerss humanistic theory that argues that humans are generally good. The social cognitive theory advances the notion that we are neither good nor b ad but our personalities are shaped by the three aforementioned factors that Bandura points. Personality development according to the social cognitive theory is shaped by four cognitive processes, which enhance the ability of an individual to develop, grow and change; language ability, observational learning, purposeful behavior and self-analysis. The language ability acts as a powerful means which ideas, goals, values and other factors can be processed and understood. Observational learning allows an individual to imitate and thus enhances the learning process. Purposeful behavior enhances the ability to predict, plan and set goals for events. Lastly, self-analysis acts as an internal process whereby an individual analyzes his thoughts and actions (Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian, 2010 p.459). According to Shaffer and Kipp (2009), â€Å"Bandura emphasizes observational learning as a central developmental process†, this simply implies learning from observation (49). This can be in the form of a child imitating his parents and learning how to speak a language or perform some gestures. Sigelman and Rider (2008) argue that observational learning diverts from conditioning precisely because it involves paying attention, constructing and responding. According to the theory, individuals intrinsically have cognitive control over their actions, a trait manifested during infancy when one realizes they can make things happen, and regulate their actions according to the consequences. This results in the development of self-efficacy. Sigelman and Rider (2008) describe it as the â€Å"belief that one can effectively produce desired outcomes in a particular area of life† (p.43). According to his theory, Bandura refutes the notion of studying rat behaviors instead of human be ings and argues that a human is very sophisticated with regard to cognitive behavior.   Although Banduras idea closely resembles that of social learning theory, he argued that his idea should be referred to as social cognitive theory since his theory centered on â€Å"motivating and self-regulating role of cognition in human behavior† (Sigelman and Rider, 2008 p.42). In Banduras model, an individuals thoughts and actions influence the interaction between the individual and his/her behavior. On the other hand, social influences and the environmental structures, lead to the development of cognitive competencies and belies, which influence the interaction between the individual and the environment. In his model, the interaction between the behavior of an individual and the environment is influenced by how the individual determines the aspects of the environment, which later modify the individuals behavior. Bandura uses the term reciprocal determinism to explain the phenomenon of a human being as being cognitive. This argument is based on his assertions that personalities are not shaped by the environment, nor are they biological, but through reciprocal interactions between the three factors.

Femininity Versus Androgyny in The Laugh of the Medusa and A Room of Ones Own :: A Room of Ones Own Essays

Femininity Versus Androgyny in The Laugh of the Medusa and A Room of One's Own      Ã‚  Ã‚   There is much debate in feminist circles over the "best" way to liberate women through writing. Some argue that a female writer should, in an effort to recapture her stolen identity, attack her oppressive influences and embrace her femininity, simultaneously fostering dimorphic literary, linguistic, and social arenas. Others contend that the feminization of writing pigeonholes women into an artistic slave morality, a mindset that expends creative energy on battle and not production, and inefficiently overturns stereotypes and foments positive social change; rather, one should lose gender self-consciousness and write androgynously.    Hà ©là ¨ne Cixous and Virginia Woolf, in "The Laugh of the Medusa" and "A Room of One's Own," respectively, epitomize these opposing ideologies, highlighting different historical sources for women's literary persecution, theorizing divergent plans for women's progress, and stylistically mirroring their ideas. Ultimately, the primary difference is in each philosophy's time frame and belief over how much influence writing has to "empower," to borrow a current feminist buzzword. For Cixous, women's writing goes hand in hand with women's liberation: "Writing is precisely the very possibility of change, the space that can serve as a springboard for subversive thought, the precursory movement of a transformation of social and cultural structures" (311). Woolf, however, sees women's writing as emblematic of and dependent on women's progress in general; only with "a room of her own and five hundred a year," through widespread social change, will her fictional Mary Carmichael "be a poet" (9 4).    One of Cixous's main intents is "to break up, to destroy" (309). This destruction of injustice colors her entire perspective; much of her essay is devoted to reaction, to toppling the tyranny of men. Men's writing, she argues, "is a locus where the repression of women has been perpetuated, over and over, more or less consciously, and...has grossly exaggerated all the signs of sexual opposition" (311). Cixous compares women's self-image to that of disenfranchised blacks: "They can be taught that their territory is black: because you are Africa, you are black. Your continent is dark. Dark is dangerous...And so we have internalized this horror of the dark" (310). Through these cultural judgments, men "have made for women an antinarcissism!...They have constructed the infamous logic of antilove" (310). She connects this antilove most strongly with self-loathing for the body: "We've been turned away from our bodies, shamefully taught to ignore them, to strike them with that stupid sexual modesty" (315).

Childhood Memories Of Summer Camp Essay

â€Å"Are we there yet?† I yelled from the back seat of my best friend Alicia’s mothers grey minivan. My mother sat in front next to Mrs. Martin, while Alicia and I had the whole back seat to ourselves. Well, mostly except for the suitcases and gear we had packed to spend the week at Camp. I already knew the answer to the question I had asked so, it didn’t matter that both women in the front seat ignored me and continued on with their own conversation. The answer was no, but I knew we were getting close, because I could smell it. It smelled like the woods, like damp mulch, like soil and like trees. It smelled like mud puddles and like grass. It smelled like sunshine, laughter and an entire week of freedom. To me it smelled exactly like summer camp. Nothing in the world was more exciting than arriving at summer camp. Alicia and I could hardly make it through the two hour drive from home due to the anxiousness of what was to come. It was absolutely agonizing to get up that morning and pack everything perfectly, checking and rechecking our lists just to sit in a hot van for two long hours. When we finally did arrive, we immediately ran to the Camp lodge where we would check in and find out which cabin we were assigned to that year. †Cabin 11 again!† The same one we were in the year before. We then started on the long walk from the lodge to the cabin villages. We were quickly able to spot cabin 11. The cabins were wooden structures with a single room and no windows with the names we had carved in the wall from our last visit were still there. It had a small front porch and inside there were about 12 bunk beds. A few girls had already claimed their beds and began unpacking. Alicia and I found two top bunks beside each other and  threw all of our stuff right on the bed. Unpacking could be done later. We then, ventured outside to meet our counselor. Her name was Noel, she was short and pretty with dark curly hair. I don’t remember all the names of my camp counselors but Noel was one of my favorites throughout the next few years of attending summer camp. After that, Noel went over all the rules of her cabin pertaining to food, dirty laundry, being courteous of one another, etcetera. We all said our separate good byes to our parents. Some of the girls cried, while most of the girls cheered. After all, a week was an awful long time to not have your mommy within reach or nearby. Of course I was one of those that cried. However, with comforting words, my mom was always the best at making me feel secure again. She reminded me that it was only a week and she was only a phone call away. She hugged and kissed me, gave me a lecture on following the rules before her and Mrs. Martin started back towards the camp lodge. Summer Camp had officially begun! I could now, not only smell my week of freedom, I could touch it. All week long we would be busy doing many different activities. Some of my favorites were survival training, obstacle courses, wall climbing, mud soccer, swimming and campfires. My favorite thing of all was the five mile hike outside of the main camp that took you on a nature filled journey that taught us about the different plant life and geography native to the area. All of this ended with an overnight stay at a very primitive campsite that lacked the modern day amenities we are accustomed to. Just taking a shower required filling huge water basins that were assembled at the top of wooden outhouses while waiting for the sun to warm them up. The fun that summer camp entailed for me was endless. The sweet smell of happy childhood memories will linger inside my soul forever. It is really quite astounding to me that something as simple as a common smell could bring fourth such an abundance of joyful memories to a person. Still to this day, whenever I drive towards woodsy areas I am flooded with the most wonderful memories that could possibly exist on this Earth and today I have the privilege to make similar memories with my own family.

History of Legazpi Essay

DURING THE PRE-SPANISH PERIOD Early in the 13th century, Datu Balensusa and Dumagsil, two of the ten Bornean Datus led by Datu Puti, went from Panay to Laguna and the Bicol Region. Prehistoric dwellers mostly fishermen and farmers established a barangay on the mouth of Makabulo River called Sawangan (now Legazpi Port) , a small settlement by a mangrove swamp,Its inhabitants were headed by old chieftain, Gat Ibal,a descendant of Datu Dumagsil. The home grown name,Sawangan was another way to say Sabang indicating a† natural wharf created by the water from the sea†. Dwelling in tiny groups of huts which are made from rattan and nipa, small houses occupied this part of swampy and low land and its surrounding areas were known as Ibalon. DURING THE SPANISH PERIOD In 1573,under the Spanish expeditionary forces,Capitan Juan de Salcedo (Capitan Esteban de Manchaca) and 120 soldiers reached and explored barangay Sawangan. The natives gallantly fought the invaders but were no match for the conquistadores’ superior arms. Subsequently, the natives were converted to Catholism. In 1587,Franciscan friars of the Doctrina of Cagsawa began to convert the settlement to Christianity. Fr. Francisco de Sta. Ana,it’s first parish priest built the first chapel made of nipa and bamboo to house and established the first Franciscan mission in Sawangan, the â€Å"Mission de San Gregorio de Sawangan. In 1605, Sawaà ±gan was elevated to Visita Regular, having been previously under the spiritual ministry of Cagsaua since 1578. In 1616,Sawangan become an independent town separated from Cagsawa called Albaybay (meaning â€Å"by the bay†) finally shortened as Albay. It was declared the capital of the province of Partido de Ibalon (old name of the Province of Albay). The town was renamed Albay, then Legazpi, as Albay went on to refer to the province at present. Perennially rocked by minor eruptions of the Mayon Volcano for two centuries, compounded by sporadic attacks by Muslim pirates and the Dutch, the capital was partially destroyed by a major eruption on February 1, 1814. The catastrophe buried Cagsaua.The progress of the town was razed to the ground upon the eruption, Fr. Pedro Licup evacuated the community to Makalaya (today’s Barangay Taysan). Some of the people, however, remained in the old town and began anew as a barrio. In lieu of their former patron saint, St. Gregory the Great, which had also been transferred to Albay, they adopted St. Raphael, the Archangel and transformed the ermita into a church. They finally regained their old status but never changed the name of the place as Albay Viejo or Banwang Daan.Years later in 1856, Sawangan was restored and subsequently renamed Binanuahan (Banuang Gurang) which literally means â€Å"Old Town† or â€Å"ancient place or town wherein a town was founded† and/or â€Å"the former seat of a town†. It was made a Visita Tributaria of Taytay. The combined towns were later named Albay Nuevo (Bagumbayan – meaning â€Å"New Town†) with the residents of Binanuahan’s objections to the union. On July 17, 1856, Ramon Montero of the Govierno Superiora de las Islas Filipinas signed a decree which created the Visita of Pueblo Viejo, out of Binanuahan – uniting the barrios (settlement communities) of Lamba, Bigaa and Rawis. On September 22, 1856, through a subsequent Royal Decree, the name Legazpi was officially adopted to including the visitas of Lamba, Rawis and Bigaa, and declaring it an independent town. It was formally inaugurated on October 23, 1856. Historically, the city was named Legazpi, to perpetuate to the memory of Adelantado Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. This was the agreement made between the original inhabitants of the place and the Spaniards during the former’s quest for autonomy. It took them 21 years, in which they sought the help and support of the Spaniards, then living in the town. As a sign of gratitude, the people readily accepted the name, which was also then proposed by the Spaniards upon fulfillment of their efforts. Now autonomous, and with a fast paced progress and prosperity,the port of Legazpi served as anchorage of ships sailing for Nuevo Espaà ±a (through Mexico) in the later part of the 16th century until it was elevated a Royal Decree by issued earlier on May 18, 1872 in Madrid and was later promulgated by Governor Juan Alamenos y de Vivar on December 3, 1874 as a port of entry open to world trade . Legazpi first became a city under the Becerra Law of 1892 promulgated by the Spanish Minister of Ultramar in 1894, which constituted the municipalities of Legazpi, Albay Nuevo and Daraga, into the Ayutamiento de Albay with the resentment of the Daragueà ±os. At the height of the Filipino-Spanish Revolution, the Civil Governor of Albay, Angel Bascaran y Federic and the Spanish residents fled Albay. Subsequently, a revolutionary Junta was organized by Don Anacleto Solano, who later turned over command to General Vicente Lucban, General-in-Chief of Operations of the Philippine Revolutionary Governments in the Southern Region. DURING THE AMERICAN PERIOD By January 23, 1900 the American forces outgunned Legazpi defenders, defeating the Sandatahanes led by Vito Belarmino and Jose Ignacio Paua at the Battle of San Rafael Bridge known as the â€Å"Battle of Legazpi†. With the American occupation in 1900, the city was dissolved upon reestablished Legazpi, Albay and Daraga as independent towns under a military government. In 1908, the Philippine Assembly, again, merged the three towns creating the Municipio de Albay which became the capital of the province. Giving way to bitter opposition from Daragueà ±os, realizing the merger was doing more harm than good to their interests, the Philippine Assembly finally separated Daraga from the capital town in 1922. DURING THE JAPANESE PERIOD Simultaneous with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, the Japanese Imperial Army’s Kimura Detachment entered Legazpi on December 12, 1941. Yet again, countless accounts of the locals’ ultimate sacrifices, gallantry and heroism against the odds in the ensuing Guerilla warfare abound during that period. Under Japanese military administration for almost 4 years, the capital was finally liberated by American forces on April 1, 1945. DURING THE REPUBLIC Legazpi became a city for the second time on July 18, 1948 when Daraga and Legazpi were combined again to constitute its territory, under Republic Act No. 306. Re-Incorporating Daraga, Republic Act No. 306 elevated the town to today’s Legazpi City. However, bitter opposition from the Daragueà ±os ultimately prevailed with the passing of Republic Act No. 993 which repealed R.A. 306 creating the separate Municipalities of Legazpi and Daraga.With the re-creation of the two municipalities, the city was dissolved in June 8, 1954. Finally on June 12, 1959,Republic Act 2232 authored by Senator.Pedro Subido and Congressman.Jusfino Nuyda was signed by Pres.Carlos P.Garcia. This was later amended by Republic Act 5525. By virtue of this act, Legazpi became a city for the third time. .Legazpi was declared Albay Province’s seat of government as its capital city under Republic Act 2254. On February 27, 1973, With the onset of the Integrated Reorganization Plan of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, the City of Legazpi was declared under Presidential Decree No. 125, to comprise its present territorial jurisdiction and the adjacent Municipality of Daraga. however, the decree was permanently mothballed. This plan also made the city as the regional administrative center of the Bicol Region (Presidential Decree No. 1). At present,the Gateway City of Bicol,Legazpi,is a bustling and very progressive city that is home of more than 180,000 citizens.

Free Essays on “The Reader“ By Wallace Stevens

Why Writing is Important To inform, share, present facts, persuade, record, and learn; these are all reasons that we write. These reasons lead us to the conclusion that we write out of a profound need to communicate. In fact the thesaurus states that â€Å"communicate† and â€Å"write† are synonymous. According to James Kinneavy, there are four basic purposes for writing: to express yourself, to inform a reader, to persuade a reader, and to create a literary work. Expressive writing allows you to express your thoughts and feelings. An example of expressive writing would be keeping a diary. Writing of this type is an outlet for expression of deep personal feelings. Expressive writing is meant only for the author to read. As soon as it is intended for public reading it evolves into more of a literary work. Informative writings’ purpose is to provide information. This type of writing is most commonly found in textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers, ect. Expository writing is one of the more basic purposes for writing. The aim of informative writing is relay information to the reader with a minimum of bias. The goal is not to persuade but to teach. Persuasive writing seeks to change a person’s opinion on a subject. This is done through presenting a logical argument to combat that person’s known opinion through the use of examples and reasons that back up your point of view. Some examples of this type of writing are newspaper editorials, letters to the editor, reviews, and even sermons. Literary work, our final purpose, has many uses. It is meant to entertain, evoke feeling, and in some cases persuade. There are so many different genres in this type of writing that it would take years to explain all of them. This type of writing is the one most of us are most familiar with. All of these basic purposes for writing, although so overwhelmingly different are still used for one purpose, communication. Without communica... Free Essays on â€Å"The Readerâ€Å" By Wallace Stevens Free Essays on â€Å"The Readerâ€Å" By Wallace Stevens Why Writing is Important To inform, share, present facts, persuade, record, and learn; these are all reasons that we write. These reasons lead us to the conclusion that we write out of a profound need to communicate. In fact the thesaurus states that â€Å"communicate† and â€Å"write† are synonymous. According to James Kinneavy, there are four basic purposes for writing: to express yourself, to inform a reader, to persuade a reader, and to create a literary work. Expressive writing allows you to express your thoughts and feelings. An example of expressive writing would be keeping a diary. Writing of this type is an outlet for expression of deep personal feelings. Expressive writing is meant only for the author to read. As soon as it is intended for public reading it evolves into more of a literary work. Informative writings’ purpose is to provide information. This type of writing is most commonly found in textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers, ect. Expository writing is one of the more basic purposes for writing. The aim of informative writing is relay information to the reader with a minimum of bias. The goal is not to persuade but to teach. Persuasive writing seeks to change a person’s opinion on a subject. This is done through presenting a logical argument to combat that person’s known opinion through the use of examples and reasons that back up your point of view. Some examples of this type of writing are newspaper editorials, letters to the editor, reviews, and even sermons. Literary work, our final purpose, has many uses. It is meant to entertain, evoke feeling, and in some cases persuade. There are so many different genres in this type of writing that it would take years to explain all of them. This type of writing is the one most of us are most familiar with. All of these basic purposes for writing, although so overwhelmingly different are still used for one purpose, communication. Without communica... Free Essays on â€Å"The Readerâ€Å" By Wallace Stevens Why Writing is Important To inform, share, present facts, persuade, record, and learn; these are all reasons that we write. These reasons lead us to the conclusion that we write out of a profound need to communicate. In fact the thesaurus states that â€Å"communicate† and â€Å"write† are synonymous. According to James Kinneavy, there are four basic purposes for writing: to express yourself, to inform a reader, to persuade a reader, and to create a literary work. Expressive writing allows you to express your thoughts and feelings. An example of expressive writing would be keeping a diary. Writing of this type is an outlet for expression of deep personal feelings. Expressive writing is meant only for the author to read. As soon as it is intended for public reading it evolves into more of a literary work. Informative writings’ purpose is to provide information. This type of writing is most commonly found in textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers, ect. Expository writing is one of the more basic purposes for writing. The aim of informative writing is relay information to the reader with a minimum of bias. The goal is not to persuade but to teach. Persuasive writing seeks to change a person’s opinion on a subject. This is done through presenting a logical argument to combat that person’s known opinion through the use of examples and reasons that back up your point of view. Some examples of this type of writing are newspaper editorials, letters to the editor, reviews, and even sermons. Literary work, our final purpose, has many uses. It is meant to entertain, evoke feeling, and in some cases persuade. There are so many different genres in this type of writing that it would take years to explain all of them. This type of writing is the one most of us are most familiar with. All of these basic purposes for writing, although so overwhelmingly different are still used for one purpose, communication. Without communi...

Ultimate and Penultimate

Ultimate and Penultimate Ultimate and Penultimate Ultimate and Penultimate By Maeve Maddox A DWT reader noticed this example of the use of penultimate as if it meant ultimate or best: a commentator at a tv broadcast of a national dog show commented on a particular dog (a close contender for best in show) being the penultimate dog of its breed group. Penultimate means â€Å"next to last.† The only way the dog referred to could be the â€Å"penultimate dog of its breed group† would be if it were one of two. Even then, the speaker would have to have some way of knowing which dog would be the last to die. Here are two more examples of writers using penultimate as if it meant ultimate: And since it is, after all, the penultimate in mens formal wear, screwing up the tux is also the penultimate faux pas. Ezine article With many benefits available to us in regards to protein, we should consider whey protein isolate as the penultimate source of protein. nutrition blog That the writer of the second example believes penultimate means something like â€Å"the most important† is further illustrated in the article I’m quoting from: â€Å"Whey is perhaps the healthiest form of protein that is available to our bodies.† (Yes, â€Å"in regards† is nonstandard.) I suspect that the extra syllable in penultimate leads some speakers to believe it must mean â€Å"more than ultimate,† the way the prefixes super- and extra- elevate the base words in superman and extraordinary. It doesn’t help that various manufacturers use the word penultimate to name their games, applications, and other products. Ultimate, from Latin ultimus, â€Å"last, final,† means â€Å"lying beyond all others.† The Roman poet Virgil coined the expression â€Å"Ultima Thule† to mean a far-off land or an unattainable goal. Medieval mapmakers applied the term to unexplored northern lands that lay beyond the borders of the world they knew. The prefix pene- means â€Å"nearly, almost, all but.† It occurs in a few obsolete English words, like pene-lake, â€Å"an expanse of water almost surrounded by land.† Like pene-, the pen- in penultimate is from Latin paene, â€Å"almost.† A peninsula is â€Å"almost an island.† The penultimate event or item in a series is â€Å"almost the last. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Farther vs. FurtherProved vs. Proven25 Idioms About Bread and Dessert

The Golden Age of Piracy 1700-1725

The Golden Age of Piracy 1700-1725 Piracy, or thievery on the high seas, is a problem that has popped up on several different occasions in history, including the present. Certain conditions must be met for piracy to thrive, and these conditions were never more evident than during the so-called Golden Age of Piracy, which lasted roughly from 1700 to 1725. This era produced many of the most famous pirates of all time, including Blackbeard, Calico Jack Rackham, Edward Low and Henry Avery. Conditions for Piracy to Thrive Conditions have to be just right for piracy to boom. First, there must be many able-bodied young men (preferably sailors) out of work and desperate to make a living. There must be shipping and commerce lanes nearby, full of ships that carry either wealthy passengers or valuable cargo. There must be little or no law or government control. The pirates must have access to weapons and ships. If these conditions are met, as they were in 1700 (and as they are in present-day Somalia), piracy may become common. Pirate or Privateer? A privateer is a ship or individual who is licensed by a government to attack enemy towns or shipping during times of war as a private enterprise. Perhaps the most famous privateer was Sir Henry Morgan, who was given a royal license to attack Spanish interests in the 1660s and 1670s. There was a great need for privateers from 1701 to 1713 during the War of Spanish Succession when Holland and Britain were at war with Spain and France. After the war, privateering commissions were no longer given out and hundreds of experienced sea rogues were suddenly put out of work. Many of these men turned to piracy as a way of life. Merchant and Navy Ships Sailors in the 18th century had a choice: they could join the navy, work on a merchant ship, or become a pirate or privateer. Conditions on board the naval and merchant vessels were abominable. The men were routinely underpaid or even cheated of their wages completely, the officers were strict and harsh, and the ships were often filthy or unsafe. Many served against their will. Navy press gangs roamed the streets when sailors were needed, beating able-bodied men into unconsciousness and putting them on board a ship until it sailed. Comparatively, life on board a pirate ship was more democratic and often more profitable. Pirates were extremely diligent about sharing the loot fairly, and although punishments could be severe, they were rarely needless or capricious. Perhaps Black Bart Roberts said it best, In an honest service there is thin commons, low wages, and hard labor; in this, plenty and satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power; and who would not balance creditor on this side, when all the hazard that is run for it, at worst, is only a sour look or two at choking. No, a merry life and a short one shall be my motto. (Johnson, 244) (Translation: In honest work, the food is bad, the wages are low and the work is hard. In piracy, there is plenty of loot, its fun and easy and we are free and powerful. Who, when presented with this choice, would not choose piracy? The worst that can happen is you can be hanged. No, a merry life and a short one shall be my motto.) Safe Havens for Pirates For pirates to prosper there must be a safe haven where they can go to restock, sell their loot, repair their ships and recruit more men. In the early 1700s, the British Caribbean was just such a place. Towns like Port Royal and Nassau thrived as pirates brought in stolen goods to sell. There was no royal presence, in the form of governors or Royal Navy ships in the area. The pirates, possessed of weapons and men, essentially ruled the towns. Even on those occasions when the towns were off-limits to them, there are enough secluded bays and harbors in the Caribbean that finding a pirate who did not want to be found was nearly impossible. The End of the Golden Age Around 1717 or so, England decided to put an end to the pirate plague. More Royal Navy ships were sent and pirate hunters commissioned. Woodes Rogers, a tough former privateer, was made governor of Jamaica. The most effective weapon, however, was the pardon. A royal pardon was offered for pirates who wanted out of the life, and many pirates took it. Some, like Benjamin Hornigold, stayed legit, while others who took the pardon, like Blackbeard or Charles Vane, soon returned to piracy. Although piracy would continue, it was not nearly as bad a problem by 1725 or so. Sources: Cawthorne, Nigel. A History of Pirates: Blood and Thunder on the High Seas. Edison: Chartwell Books, 2005.Cordingly, David. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996Defoe, Daniel (Captain Charles Johnson). A General History of the Pyrates. Edited by Manuel Schonhorn. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1972/1999.Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. Guilford: The Lyons Press, 2009Rediker, Marcus. Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age. Boston: Beacon Press, 2004.Woodard, Colin. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down. Mariner Books, 2008.

Mandatory Vaccines Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mandatory Vaccines - Research Paper Example Parents in the US have, for many years, been reluctant to have their children vaccinated because of the supposed link between Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. This fear can partly be attributed to the fact; despite the overarching research on autism, there are still gaps in the identification of its causal factors. Parents are inclined toward suspecting MMR vaccine as the causal factor for autism because vaccination will have some impact on the child’s health over the passage of time. However, there is plentiful evidence from research that suggests that there is no valid reason or evidence that supports the consideration of MMR vaccine to be a cause of autism in children. In their research, Neal A. Halsey, Susan L. Hyman, and the Conference Writing Panel (2001) reviewed all information presented on the link by the parents, physicians, and scientists and found that there is no scientific cause-and-effect relationship between MMR vaccine and autism. The board further discussed the actual causes of autism and emphasizes a need for the pediatricians to ensure the reception of immunizations (Halsey et al., 2001). Gerber and Offit (2008) found more than 20 studies from researchers from all across the globe that could not find any evidence that would suggest the existence of a link between vaccines and autism. These scientifically incorrect theories are misleading and undermine the true causal factors of autism, substituting them with vaccination in the early childhood. Not only has vaccination found to have no cause-and-effect relationship with autism by a number of studies, but also certain studies have shown how not vaccinating can induce motor developmental abnormalities in children. Chelsea Flowers Anderson shares the story of Jennifer Russo discussing how her experience with her daughter transformed her from being anti-vax

Ecosystem services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ecosystem services - Essay Example It is difficult when it comes to valuation and maintenance biodiversity conservation. There are several reasons given as to the reason for the biodiversity conservation support, biodiversity elements are resources of great value to human beings so the choice of its conversation is ethical (Wilson, 1992). Human beings should play a crucial role in conserving and should respect the ecological system since they are part of it. Biodiversity can be classified as ethical, intrinsic and aesthetic ways. Biodiversity is intertwined to ecosystem in that they both coexist, biodiversity exits due to ecosystem services. Ecosystems systems have significantly progressed in the recent decades. This is through communication tools in the 1970’s that explained the nature’s dependence on nature, it has incorporated economic dimensions and it provides assistance in the decision making due to implementing conservation policies which are effective for the sustainable development and human support wellbeing. UNEP’s Millennium Assessment of the Ecosystem (MA) which was in 2005 marked a critical milestone in the development of concepts of the services of the ecosystem according to scientists. In conclusion, damaging the natural environment has seriously threatened its ability to provision of vital services and goods. We must manage our environment to conserve the ecosystem services around

Gender Portrayals in Modern Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Gender Portrayals in Modern Art - Essay Example The essay "Gender Portrayals in Modern Art" investigates gender portrayals in the modern art. This essay is based on the gender concept and the issues that have had an immense influence on the way gender in modern art is perceived and portrayed. To begin with, one needs to differentiate between modern, post modern and contemporary in order to understand the journey charted by gender portrayal in art over the ages. The modern portrayals of art depend to a great extent on the stereotypical depictions of features within art, while post modern depends on the vertical rather than the horizontal, which is a case of portraying a traditional feature in a new light. The contemporary period can be considered to possess a number of artists that can be considered of substance and grace in the corresponding field. This particular era in history was marked by the upsringing of various trends in arts and the foray of women and other unlikely sections of the society into the world of art. Mary Kelly is one of the artists of the contemporary period. She is known to be a feminist and fighting an important advocacy through her works. Femminism became a strong benchmark for the society in that particular period, which can be seen through the various art forms and literature created at that time. Unlike the modern times, feminism was not reflected in policy changes as yet and was still confined to mere forms of expression. This was one of the key features of Mary Kelly’s life as has been discussed below. ... After her undergraduate course in Arts, she studied her Masters in Arts in the European Region (Felsen, 2008). There are different works that are considered as significant in her career. One is the exhibit presented in the Rosamund Felsen Gallery which can be considered as a recent work. Kelly is known to present underlying messages in her work specifically pointing out to her topics of inclination such as cultural principles specifically pertaining to femininity. Art and Mass Media by Betty Ann Brown is a volume that chronicles the rise of western culture in context of its influence on art. This has been studied from the perspective of various art forms, ancient, medieval and modern so as to demonstrate how cultures are capable of affecting art forms and rendering finer detail to the structure in terms of gender portrayal as well as sexuality in art. (Brown, 2005; P 2 - 4). The volume has conceptualised the way art has been seen and used since 1985 with the advent of mass media and especially the Internet. This conceptualisation has reached a phase where the influx of ideas related with the use of technology and mass media has grown to such heights where it accommodates a whole new dimension of art in terms of gender portrayals. It is said that the way something is built has a large bearing on how it is perceived. In the case of art, the use of mass media has accentuated the play of technology and the portrayal of genders to the extent that the very way that an art form is conceptualised depends on the factors that are a part of the culture surrounding it. Since 1985, the play of mass media has begun on a note that has created the scope to create gender in art beyond what has been seen in the conventional sense. The rise

Realism, Fantasy & Utopia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Realism, Fantasy & Utopia - Essay Example Truth and reality can be further defined by looking at the theories of how they are experienced has been examined in philosophical terms. Finally, seeing reality as it is reflected through art forms helps to define the way in which the nature of truth and reality are created, transformed, and then recreated. Truth and reality, because they are defined by absolutes, are a myth in which societies form beliefs in order to frame and explain their world. Reality is defined by the perception of the individual, even though it is often collaboratively linked within cultures, communities, and the greater society. In the end, one person’s reality is not the same as another’s because truth is defined by experience, not by a sense of mutually defined realness. Truth and reality are framed by the nature of experience within the individual, and while they may have some commonality through cultural similarities, in the end, a reality is confined within an individual, the truths of life developed though understandings surrounding experience that accumulate into a series of definitions. Foucault said of truth that each society has its regime of truth. However, the individual’s truth is based upon his position in life and less intrinsically linked to his level of intellectuality (208). Therefore, the question of how to define truth as it relates to the ideology of a society becomes a complexity that frames social constructio n, but is dependent upon the interpretation of individuals through their relating experiences. Foucault also linked truth to power, that power supports the promotion of truths so that belief can be created and framed as truth (208). An example of this can be seen through looking at the work of Galileo who determined that the Earth revolved around the sun, rather than the sun revolving around the Earth. However, because of the religious power of the

Development of European energy market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Development of European energy market - Essay Example Power generation, its trade and supply are opened to competition. However, network activities such as lower voltage distribution and high voltage transmission are still regulated by national monopoly. The liberalization started as a result of Electricity Market Directive of 1996. By the year 2000 most of the member states implemented the liberalization package. But some members especially France and Germany did not agree with these policies (Prospects for the internal gas and electricity, 2007). The Directive of 1996 was updated later, in the year 2003. The legislation ensured security of supply, efficient operation of power generation plants, efficient network access, access to storage, and transparency in the dealings of all member countries and thus facilitated a fully open energy market to all member countries. The industrial markets were opened up for competition by July 2004. By 1st July 2007, all the household users also had access to the open market and both industrial and ho usehold customers could select a provider of their own choice in the competitive market. This resulted in price reduction, increase of reliability and better quality service to all customers. Based on the legislation in 2003, national regulatory bodies were set up in each country to oversee the monopolies and European Regulators Group for Electricity and Gas (ERGEG) was set up to give advice to the European Commission to implement liberalization package more effectively (Liberalising the EU energy sector, 2009). European Commission conducted an inquiry in the market in January 2007 to study the nature and effect of open market and found that the structure of the market is still the same as old monopoly structure. It was dominated by companies which had both power generation as well as its transmission under their hold and therefore could control the prices. They prevented the entry of new companies into the market. This became one of the biggest obstacles for the complete impletion of liberalization package (Talus, 2008). Other major issues in the field, which still needed attention, are large-scale investments to set up more power generation plants and to increase the transmission capacity and the integration of overall electricity system. The third package of proposal for energy sector legislation is presently under discussion and this involves updating of the directives on electricity and gas, regulations of cross-border trade of electricity and gas and the establishment of a Cooperative Agency for Regulators. The key factors in the proposal, which was published on 19th September 2007, are the following (A competitive market, 2009): According to this proposal in order to ensure better competition the energy production sector has to be separated from the supply section. This would facilitate easy access to the market for competition. The proposal has put forward two options for the companies for this procedure. One is ownership unbundling in which the compan ies that deal with both power generation and its transmission has to sell part of its assets.  

Discussion Board 7-2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Board 7-2 - Research Paper Example In order to ensure that the managed care does not conflict with the code of ethics, the health care providers should adopt the systems that encourage the long-standing and effective relationships between the primary care providers and the patients. Quality medical care to the patients should be provided while ethically assuming the population based approach that incorporates the strategies of each individual of medication. In some cases, the counselor may disagree with the managed care on what he or she believes is ethical. One should consult the experts and colleagues outside regarding the issue and ask them to keep the conversation confidential (Theodore & Barbara, 1949). If there is time for consultation, one should send a request to the ACA Ethics Committee for more interpretations of ACA Code of ethics (2005). This is because there is a formal process of sending a request for interpretation and takes a couple of months to get the feedback. It is also ethical to schedule an appointment with the supervisor to discuss any arising unethical issue while working with the managed care. This is where one gets the chance to explain where the code of ethics are violated and ask to be directed to what is considered unethical manner. If the patient feels the operation in the patient would be his or her best interests, and then the health maintenance organization gives their determination that, another form of treatment that is less expensive, I find it ethical to follow the organization’s

Development of European energy market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Development of European energy market - Essay Example Power generation, its trade and supply are opened to competition. However, network activities such as lower voltage distribution and high voltage transmission are still regulated by national monopoly. The liberalization started as a result of Electricity Market Directive of 1996. By the year 2000 most of the member states implemented the liberalization package. But some members especially France and Germany did not agree with these policies (Prospects for the internal gas and electricity, 2007). The Directive of 1996 was updated later, in the year 2003. The legislation ensured security of supply, efficient operation of power generation plants, efficient network access, access to storage, and transparency in the dealings of all member countries and thus facilitated a fully open energy market to all member countries. The industrial markets were opened up for competition by July 2004. By 1st July 2007, all the household users also had access to the open market and both industrial and ho usehold customers could select a provider of their own choice in the competitive market. This resulted in price reduction, increase of reliability and better quality service to all customers. Based on the legislation in 2003, national regulatory bodies were set up in each country to oversee the monopolies and European Regulators Group for Electricity and Gas (ERGEG) was set up to give advice to the European Commission to implement liberalization package more effectively (Liberalising the EU energy sector, 2009). European Commission conducted an inquiry in the market in January 2007 to study the nature and effect of open market and found that the structure of the market is still the same as old monopoly structure. It was dominated by companies which had both power generation as well as its transmission under their hold and therefore could control the prices. They prevented the entry of new companies into the market. This became one of the biggest obstacles for the complete impletion of liberalization package (Talus, 2008). Other major issues in the field, which still needed attention, are large-scale investments to set up more power generation plants and to increase the transmission capacity and the integration of overall electricity system. The third package of proposal for energy sector legislation is presently under discussion and this involves updating of the directives on electricity and gas, regulations of cross-border trade of electricity and gas and the establishment of a Cooperative Agency for Regulators. The key factors in the proposal, which was published on 19th September 2007, are the following (A competitive market, 2009): According to this proposal in order to ensure better competition the energy production sector has to be separated from the supply section. This would facilitate easy access to the market for competition. The proposal has put forward two options for the companies for this procedure. One is ownership unbundling in which the compan ies that deal with both power generation and its transmission has to sell part of its assets.  

South Carolina Nullification Essay Example for Free

South Carolina Nullification Essay Throughout the great American history, Americans have been through a colossal amount of conflicts, and wars. However, they still figured out a way to compromise and accept each other’s differences. As America improves, they gradually lead to a making of a powerful and organized government. Yet in â€Å"South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification† a conflict arises, where South Carolina is furious at the federal government and wants the best for themselves. Like many other states South Carolina is one of which that had its own negative opinions towards the federal government, leading to a larger problem. The document â€Å"South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification† both supports and contradicts American and constitutional principles. In early 1860’s the Civil war took place, against the North and the South parts of America. In the time that was taken to reach the civil war, many small disagreements and arguments took place that eventually led to having an immense war. However, around three decades earlier, South Carolina had been having disagreements with the federal government. On May 19, 1928 the Congress of the United States passed the Tariff of 1828. The tariff was designed to protect industries in the northern United States which were being driven out of business, by low-priced imported goods by putting tax on them. Well it seems as if this was a great idea, until, the south started to feel the effects of it, on their antebellum economy. The south called the tariff of 1828, â€Å"Tariff of Abominations†. â€Å"South Carolina felt that the protective features of tariffs were harmful to them and they also claimed that they were unconstitutional because they favored North over the South. (u-s-history. com)A government should serve their people with equality and liberty. Instead the federal government chose to be unfair and help the north because that’s where they lived. This case continues to go on, as South Carolina and other southern states get more furious and lead on to making a Nullification of crisis. The Nullification of Crisis includes South Carolina’s opinions and how the tariff of 1828 is the opposit e of, liberty and justice for all. Since the federal government had passed a tariff that is unfair to the south, for the good of the North. South Carolina was so furious that they started talking about the seceding from the union and working their own independent state, where they can have their own laws. However, South Carolina believed that constitutionally, the state government of each state had more power within that state than did the federal government. Therefore, if a state considered it necessary, it had the right to nullify any federal law within its boundaries. The idea South Carolina had was injudicious, they thought of themselves as being more powerful than â€Å"The Federal Government†, the main and the most powerful government in America. The idea of a state being more powerful than a federal government does not exist. It doesn’t say anywhere in the constitution that a state could not follow the federal government laws and have more power than them as well. In addition, if South Carolina and other states had more power than the federal government, you wouldn’t need a federal government and there would be no point of having the â€Å"United States of America†. Moreover, when President Andrew Jackson found out about the nullification of tariffs passed by the congress, he declared an act of open rebellion and ordered U. S. ships to South Carolina to enforce the law. â€Å"Before federal forces arrived Calhoun and Senator Henry Clay had an agreement which lead to congress passing out the tariff of 1833. This lowered the tariff gradually over a decade and prevented any armed conflicts. †(. loc. gov) This shows the strength of the federal government over all the states. In conclusion, the â€Å"Ordinance of Nullification† was a document with many personal opinions and conflicts. For example, the federal government wasn’t equal to the south, by letting north have the positive affect of the tariff of 1928 and south have the negative affect. In result south tried to show that they have more power than the federal government by nullifying the tariffs. However all of this ended with an agreement. Throughout most of our history when a conflict derives a compromise is always made. After all, the conflict and work the Americans went through in the past, made an abundant change for us in the future.

Role of Fast Food in Increasing Childhood Obesity

Role of Fast Food in Increasing Childhood Obesity The pandemic of childhood obesity is something that should be concerning to the individuals of our country as it is something that can be prevented. Within the last 3 decades, child obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents. In 1980, only about 7% of US children between the ages of 6 and 11 were obese, while in 2012 about 18% of them were. Similar results were seen in US children aged 12 to 19 years old, jumping from 5% to 21% during that same time. A person is considered overweight when they have excess body weight from fat, muscle, bone, or water for a certain height. A person who is considered obese has excess body fat (â€Å"Adolescent and School Health†, 2014). Caloric imbalance, which is when more calories are consumed than expended, contributes to obesity and can be affected by an assortment of behavioral, genetic, and environmental factors. Considered both an environmental and behavioral factor, the consumption of fast-food and convenience food contributes to higher obesity rates among children. The pace of the fast-food industry has only sped up in the past 30 years, as fast-food chains are rapidly multiplying and popping up faster than ever before on every street corner. They are known to serve calorie-dense foods which are high in salt and fat, and low in micronutrients (Fraser, Clarke, Cade, Edwards, 2012). These extra calories consumed in addition to the sedentary lifestyles of many children create an â€Å"obesogenic environment.† Extra calories get stored as adipose fat and contribute greatly to obesity (Fraser et al., 2012). Today, over 50 million customers are served each and every day from more than 3,000 different fast-food restaurants across the country. Promotional activities sponsored by these fast-food restaurants often target vulnerable populations including families with children or of low socio economic status, and stress that their products are quick and inexpensive meal replacements (Newman, Howlett, Burton, 2014). Like fast-food outlets, convenience stores are viewed as unhealthy since most of the products on their shelves are non-perishable and can last for long periods of time. The majority of the shelves in these types of stores are stocked with snacks and junk food. Seeing that portion sizes are significantly larger at fast-food and sit-down restaurants, they contain more calories and fat than meals prepared in the home would have (Lee, 2012). Many families opt for these alternatives because they do not have the time to cook a meal in the home or they are trying to save money and this is the only way they know how to. Consuming fast-food and convenience food is unhealthy for people, especially children since their bodies are still growing and need essential nutrients for proper development. An additional 150 calories a day has been associated with children who choose to eat fast-food for one of their meals throughout the day (Lee, 2012). Extra calories get stored as adipose fat, which can lead to being overweight and becoming obese if not monitored closely. The negative effects are numerous and can last a lifetime. Immediate effects of childhood obesity include greater risk for cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and developing asthma. Children can also develop sleep apnea and trigger the onset of early puberty by simply being overweight. This can cause a child to become self-conscious about their body image because they are developing faster than their peers. If not monitored before a child reaches adulthood, they have a greater risk of becoming obese as an adult, which can then lead to p roblems such as stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, arthritis and a variety of different cancers (â€Å"Adolescent and School Health†, 2014). The rate of childhood obesity is climbing in every country with rates around 10% for school-aged children from all over the world. This is concerning since it is known that obesity can stay with a child through adulthood and cause disease. The more accessible grocery stores and farmers markets are, the smaller the risk a person has at becoming obese. While on the opposite end, the more one is surrounded by fast-food and convenience stores the higher their weight status usually is. In 2009, a study performed on 1,669 children indicated that 23% of them were overweight or obese. Additional findings included body weight to be 1.3 kg lower, BMI 0.5 kg/m ² lower, and body fat 1.1% lower in children who had access to supermarkets and food options than those who did not have this advantage (Jennings et al., 2011). Similar results were seen in another study that compared 72,900 children, from 17 different countries aged 6 to 7 years old. Twenty-three percent of the children said that they consumed fast food, while 4% of them said that they consume fast-food on a daily basis. The children who rarely came in contact with fast-food had an average BMI of 16.35, those who consumed fast-food once or twice a week had an average BMI of 16.5, and those who consumed fast-food daily had an average BMI of 16.57 (Braithwaite et al., 2014). Consumption of fast food only increases as a child gets older into their teen years. The more frequent fast-food is consumed, the higher a child’s BMI will be. Children are in a vulnerable state during their childhood, but also have an opportunity for extraordinary growth. It is important to nip these bad habits now, so they do not become the norm in the future. A study of 13 to 15 year olds in the United Kingdom showed associations between eating fast-food and the increase of body fat. Persons who ate fast-food typically had 2% more body fat and increased their odds of becoming obese by 23% (Fraser et al., 2012). Due to its expanding fr anchises, calorie dense products and large portion sizes, fast-food chains have become a major concern in several countries. Another thing to consider is the location of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores in relation to the school and the home. At least one fast-food chain has been found within walking distance of about 37% of all schools around the country (Newman, Howlett, Burton, 2014). Fewer servings of fruits and vegetables and increased servings of soda were seen in students who walked one half mile or less to a fast-food chain from school. The population of students who attended schools close to fast-food chains were more likely to be seen as overweight or obese than students who were not considered to be in that type of environment. In this study, the average BMI was 21.7 kg/m ² for students aged at least 12.5 years old. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), this is considered to be in the healthy weight range. With only 55% of children attending a school within walking distance of a fast-food restaurant, 27.7% of the total sample was overweight and 12% were considered obe se. A 0.10 unit increase in BMI was also seen in children who attended schools with a fast-food restaurant nearby (Davis Carpenter, 2009). Almost the same results were seen in a Leeds, UK population of 33,594 children ages 3 to 14. Of those living within the metropolitan boundaries, 27.1% of the population was overweight with 12.6% being obese (Fraser Edwards, 2010). Not only does fast-food cause an increase in BMI, but also increases a child’s risk of becoming obese. The odds of being overweight increases 1.06 times and the odds of being obese increases 1.07 times for children who attend schools that are in close proximity to a fast-food chain (Davis Carpenter, 2009). In a California-based study, the occurrences of obesity in high schools were significantly higher for students that could walk to fast-food outlets during or after school (Lee, 2012). Another survey conducted at a medium-sized public school district in Virginia showed that students within one-tenth of a mile of any fast-food place were 3.9 times more likely to be obese and have an increase of 2.32 units in BMI. BMI increased another 0.40 units if there was another restaurant within one quarter of a mile (Mellor, Dolan, Rapoport, 2011). It is all about location; children are more tempted to grab a bite to eat from a fast-food restaurant if it is on their way to and from sch ool. Convenience food is another factor that contributes greatly to childhood obesity. In a national study, 9,760 children were tracked from kindergarten until the spring of their eighth grade on fast-food, snack, and soda consumption. Fifth-graders showed that they ate an average of 0.46 fast-food/snacks per day, while 12% of them consumed fast-food daily. The average soft drink consumption was 0.91 servings daily with 19% reporting that they had more than twice the daily recommended serving (Andreyeya, Kelly, Harris, 2011). Another national survey states that an extra soft drink serving for children is associated with a 15% increase in the probability of obesity, while an additional serving of fast-food causes a 25% increase. Also, an extra serving of juice a day is associated with a 10% increase (Mandal Powell, 2014). An additional study of 350 kindergarteners in south-eastern Poland reported that 14.6% of all children were overweight. After reviewing their diets, it was found that m ost of the foods were calorie dense and loaded in added sugar. Snacking was seen between all meals and the consumption of sugary drinks was high. At least once a week, fruit juice high in sugar was drunk by 66% of children and sweetened sodas by 44.6% of them. Furthermore, 58% of children ate only one serving of sweets per day, while roughly one third ate these treats multiple times per week. Research indicates that young children with a BMI above the 80th percentile are at three times the risk to experience obesity during the ages from 24 to 29. The risk even increases to four times for adolescents who are overweight (Kostecka, 2014). Even though more and more children these days are eating convenience food and fast-food, there are several ways parents, schools, and communities can help to prevent this from happening. Prevention programs must have an approach that aims to boost energy expenditure and reduce intake. Individually, caregivers would need to be targeted since most children are too young to understand. Caregivers should have nutrition education and be able to prepare healthy meals. At home, parents should be encouraged to serve proper food portions, support physical activity, and minimize or eliminate sedentary behaviors. They should also prepare meals in the home versus grabbing fast-food on the run. A good idea might be to make leftovers so that they can be heated up when in a time crunch. That way, the children are still getting a healthy and satisfying meal that gives them plenty of energy for whatever activities they might be doing. At school, school lunches can be altered to lower the caloric cont ent and vending machines can be removed. That will eliminate any energy dense snack foods and sugary drinks, although children may still bring these kinds of snacks from home. Another idea for schools is to design their buildings so that students expend more energy throughout the day. This can be done by designing a multistory building where each succeeding class is on a different level which promotes significant stair stepping during the day. In the community, public policies and mass media campaigns can aim to promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle. The community can also place taxes on sugary items and fast-food in the hopes that the extra cost will deter people from purchasing these items. An example of a public policy that helps prevent child obesity can be seen in Arkansas. It called for mandatory BMI testing of children in public schools starting in 2003 (Han, Lawlor, Kimm, 2010). This type of testing has been used in 13 other states and should be considered in state s currently lacking this screening. This way, children’s weight can be monitored from an early age and preventative measures can be taken before it is too late. As one can see, the rate of childhood obesity has been growing rapidly all over the world. Rates are only going to keep increasing if nothing is done to prevent it. All the studies have shown that there is a positive association between BMI and fast-food intake, and BMI and convenience food intake. A higher BMI than the norm indicates that the child is either overweight or obese. Positive associations were also seen between BMI, obesity, and distance between fast-food/convenience stores and the home/school. It is our job as a community to reduce the prevalence of obesity in children. There will always be a continued need for nutritional education concerning fast-food and its health consequences. Of the United States total gross domestic product, about 12.7% is spent on health care annually. Seeing that obesity is one of the most expensive medical conditions, the need for intervention is clear (Davis Carpenter, 2009).

A Rose for Emily Essay -- A Rose For Emily, William Faulkner

Throughout the Eighteen Years of my life I read many interesting short stories. Some stories where more eye catching than others. Furthermore â€Å"A Rose For Emily† by William Faulkner and â€Å"Metamorphosis† by Franz Kafka were not on the top of my list. In my opinion, the stories were eye catching because of how the author made its characters react and respond toward the suspense and eeriness in certain parts of the climax of the stories. For example, in â€Å"A Rose For Emily† the ladies of the community said â€Å"We did not say she was crazy then. We believed that she had to do that† (Faulkner 81) These two lines were said about Emily after the people found out about the death of Emily’s father and they knew that she was keeping his body inside of her house because she could not let go of her father. The eeriness about this is that they did not think it was weird at all. Furthermore, these two stories look to me just like every other story t hat I have read from other authors. Nevertheless, when I started to look into the concepts and ironies, the stories reveal an aspect about how the characters progress and why do they progress a certain way throughout the story. On the other hand, not only did I start to create an interest towards them, but I caught how they were alike in many unusual aspects. â€Å"A Rose For Emily† and â€Å"Metamorphosis† develop a climax similar to one another because they both have unpredictable events, rare responses of those events, a theme that connects theme, and a twist to an unpredictable endings. To begin with, the aspect that caught my attention was how both of the authors, Faulkner and Kafka gave the passages an unpredictable events and another meaning to the characters. In â€Å"A Rose For Emily† Faulkner said â€Å"When her ... ...ore descriptive than Emily’s. Kafka described as Gregor’s death was peacefully even though he had died of starvation. Furthermore Kafka stated how Mr. Samsa took the death of his son. Mr. Samsa said â€Å"Well, now we can thank God† This not only does it describe them being happy that Gregor is dead but it describes the relief that the fell in their lives after Gregor’s transformation. To conclude, I am happy I looked deeper into these two stories. They gave me a reality check and showed me that things do not always turn out to be how one wants it and that life always brings surprises to shake things up in our lives. I did not like the ending of the story of the â€Å"Metamorphosis† by Kafka because I would of liked to see him getting revenge on those who did not treat him the way they should of, but that too surprised me that the story did not turn out to end like that.

Teaching: A Commitment to Lifelong Learning Essay -- Teaching Educatio

Teaching: A Commitment to Lifelong Learning Education is an ever-changing part of society. A classroom teacher is faced with new challenges and obstacles that have never been dealt with before. Students come to the classroom with different life stories. Every student has strengths and weaknesses that surface in the classroom environment. Teachers must understand and focus on utilizing each student's strengths and work to improve weaknesses. Students learn in a variety of ways. The classroom must be a safe zone that appreciates student's viewpoints and allows room for mistakes. When topics in the classroom are related to "real-life" experiences, the information is more likely to be retained. Students learn from one another. The ideas and perspectives that each student brings to the classroom can bring insight into what is being learned. Students have to be allowed to explore new ideas, try them to see if they work, and sometimes fail. When students are encouraged to explore, they begin the process of becoming lifelong learners. The teacher in the classroom encompasses several roles. Resource, facilitator, and mentor are three of them. The teacher must be a resource that provides ideas and lessons to be learned. The teacher also must be a facilitator that encourages creative thinking, exploration, and mastery. The teachers is responsible for what needs to be learned. The subject matter that is taught is based on both curriculum as well as the world that students live i...

My First Day Essay Essay

My First Day†¦ As of today, August 30th, I, Blah blah blah, took the initiative to explore the entire campus. Today, the temperature could have possibly been right at about 93 degrees, and I decided to walk around this gigantic campus to waste time before my next class. During orientation week, I missed the campus tours because I was too busy sleeping my day away. So, what other way to compensate for lost time than to take my very own campus tour? Initially, I intended to look for the art buildings, but the best thing I discovered after my journey today happened to be the fact that the art buildings were being reconstructed. Just my luck. However, I did find the Knight Physics building which happens to be absolutely gorgeous. I also happened to stumble across the school’s arbortorium. I felt like I was walking through a jungle with my combat boots on and the leaves hovering above my head. I walked around in a circle and found my way to the school of law. The school of law is literally like its own kingdom within the campus. The students had their own law shirts, and the windows of the classroom even had curtains to block the sun out. I know curtains are a pretty simplistic observation, but I could not help but to find that fascinating! I have failed to sit in any classroom that had panels to block the sun. Only in the law school at the University of †¦. As I walked away from the law school, I made my way towards the UC area and back around towards the Rat. Passing the vivacious students lounging with their friends, I hiked around the lake under the scorching sun wishing that I had a bottle of water, a hat, and maybe even some sun glasses. The heat was pretty unbearable. Passing between the Hecht and Stanford towers, I ventured towards the school of architecture. That is one white building. I expected it to be more lavish in its exterior design seeing that it is the school of architecture. I walked past the school of architecture and head back towards Mahoney-Pearson. I know that area pretty well. †¦ is my new home for now. As I left the Mahoney-Pearson area, I circled around towards the UC area again and crossed the winding paths towards the Whitten Learning Center. There was approximately 10 minutes left to spare before class started, and the brightest idea that I came up with all day was†¦ to finally sit down!

Health and social care Essay

Explain how the plan meets the health and wellbeing needs of the individual In health and social care the wellbeing of the individual is essential for all round health and well-being. Using the case of Miss JB, this essay I will explain how my plan will meet the health and wellbeing needs of this individual. To assist this process an action plan have been drawn up to support the short term, mid-term and long term goals of the individual to enable Mr JB to achieve his health and wellbeing needs. NOW TALK ABOUT WHAT HEALTH AND WELL BEING IS A person’s health and well-being is affected by a number of different factors. In general terms, health and well-being can be defined as†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ having a balanced diet (e.g. improved immunity, feeling healthy controlling weight) adequate rest and sleep (e.g. improved concentration, refreshes body, restores energy) regular exercise (e.g. improved fitness, weight control, circulation, mobility) supportive relationships (e.g. friends, family, professionals, improved self-esteem, self-worth) adequate financial resources (e.g. social security benefits, free prescriptions, free dinners, pension, mobility allowance) stimulating work, education and leisure activity (e.g. improve mental ability, valued) According to Mr JB BMI he is considered to be overweight and he does not get much exercise or sleep. Mr JB also lives in a confined space, sharing 2 bedrooms flat with 7 people. He is takes paroxetine and mirtazapine for stress and depression and does not spend any time with his family. Mr JB is at high risk I have created a plan to help improve Mr JB health and well-being. I have suggested the Mr JB move out of his parent’s house and buy a house of his own on a long term goal. I have also suggested to him that he could rent as an alternative action. The benefit of Mr JB owning his own home is he will have his independence, having his own space for him and his family and feel less stress about living with his parents. Having regular exercise will help Mr JB to lose weight; I have suggested that he exercise three times a week on a mid-term goal. For an alternative action he needs to lose 3 st one in 3-6 months. He need to join a gym, drink  more water and eat healthy (five a day fruit and vegetable). The benefits he will get are self-confidence, energy which will help him to spend time with his family, relief of stress and reduce the risk of a heart attack. Regular physical activity can help you prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type two diabetes, depression, and certain types of cancer, arthritis and falls. Mr JB will also need to take paroxetine gradually. Stop Paroxetine hydrochloride abruptly can cause withdrawal symptoms or cause your original condition to return. In these instances, reducing the dose of Paroxetine hydrochloride gradually over time may reduce the chances of having these problems. Spending quality time and creating happy memories with his family will help reduce stress and strengthen the bond between him and his family which will result in being more relax less stress and help him to stop depending on his medication. I have suggested that he stop smoking because the amount he smoke long term can cause lung cancer, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Alternatively he should reduce that amount he smoke daily from 10 cigarettes a day to 3 a day and also used Nicorette patches to help him to stop over a period of 6 months on a short term plan. If he decides to follow the plan to stop smoking the result can be rewarding; less stress, reduce headache, feeling less tired, your sense of taste and smell improve and your heart will be less strained and work more efficiently which reduce that chance of lungs cancer and heart diseases. The recommended amount of alcohol to drink for a man is 21 units a week. Mr JB drinks 28 units a week. Your liver processes alcohol. It can only cope with so much at a time. Drinking more alcohol than the liver can cope with can damage liver cells and produce toxic by-product chemicals. The more you drink, and especially above the recommended limits, the greater the risk of developing serious problems such as: liver disease (cirrhosis or hepatitis); cancer; gut and pancreas disorders; depression; anxiety; sexual difficulties; muscle and heart muscle disease; high blood pressure; damage to nervous tissue; serious accidents; obesity (alcohol is calorie-rich). Also can mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and various other problems. I have suggested that Mr. JB reduce his alcohol intake by 19  units a week which is just under the recommended amount. The benefit of reducing his intake will reduce his chance of liver disease; You will immediately start having more money, reduce calories in take, Your liver will begin to rejuvenate All the little aches and pains throughout your body will slowly but surely go away, Your natural energy will slowly but surely return, You will find joy in all the little things of life, Your family will love the new you When I created this plan for Mr JB I thought about his preferences and circumstances I have chosen long term, mid-term and short term goal for him to achieve. I thought about what are his favourite five a day and encourage him to buy the and gradually introduce new ones if need. Mr JB like the idea of going to the gym so I suggested he join one, he work on shift base, so when he is on late shift I suggest that he take his younger child to school in the morning and pick them up when he is on early shift which will enable to spend more time with his children.

Us Postal Service – Insolvency

The United States Postal Service: At the Brink of Insolvency Business 510 – Managerial Economics Final Project Submission February 25, 2012 Executive Summary this report takes a look at the United States Postal Service financial problems, which brought it to the brink of insolvency, after losing more than $25B in the last 5 years. It analyzes factors and performance and postulates corrective actions to bring USPS back to financial solvency. Both microeconomic and macroeconomic factors affecting the firm were analyzed while identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.USPS products and services demonstrate its strengths with its monopoly of the mailing industry and as a government franchise with an open line of credit with the Federal Financing Bank of up to $15B. Weaknesses include lack or very little diversity in its products and services, very restrictive delivery schedules and mandated large delivery points. Opportunities for USPS include increasing its product diversity taking advantage of the internet and other developing technologies it can use to improve its operating expenses. USPS is also experiencing external and internal threats.One of these threats is the wider acceptance of digital technology especially with the internet and email, smartphones and mobile internet, skyrocketing operating costs and inability to make timely changes and responses to mitigate continued losses without having to go through the Postal Regulatory Commission and Congress. In view of this, USPS is recommended to take a multi-prong approach to improve its revenues by increasing product pricing with its shipping services while staying competitive, using the theory of price elasticity of demand to appropriately price its mailing services and diversifying its products.Reduce operating costs by reducing numbers of employees, improving its fleet of vehicles to more fuel efficient vehicles or using alternate energy and also by reducing managed facilities a nd delivery schedules. And finally USPS needs to request Congress to give it authority to effect price changes resulting from out-of-the-ordinary changes in cost of fuel and other materials and resources used in fulfilling its mandate of providing a fundamental postal service to the nation. Overview Establishment and General Business Description Article 1, Section 8, clause 7 of the United States Constitution establishes the U.S. Postal Service. The current post office organization is operating under the provisions of the Postal Reorganization Act of July 1, 1971 designating the US Postal Service (USPS) as an independent establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, Public Law 109-435 made further revisions and the governing statute is codified in Title 39 of the United States Code. The same public law created the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) bestowing the PRC with regulatory and oversight obligatio ns in the management and operation of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS Annual 10-K Report, 2011). The mandate of the USPS is to offer a â€Å"fundamental postal service† to the entire nation at fair and reasonable rates approved by Congress. This mandate is fulfilled by offering different level of mailing and shipping services throughout the country. As of September 30, 2011, total employees number to 557,251 career employees, down 4. 6% from the year before of 583,908 and 88,700 non-career employees (Annual Report to Congress, 2011).More than 85% of career employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements through one of the following four management organizations: American Postal Workers Union (APWU), National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), National Postal Mail Handlers (NPMHU) and National Rural Letter Carriers (NRLCA). Products and Services The United States Postal Service divides their services into two broad categories: Market dominant mailing services and c ompetitive shipping services. Mailing services include First Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals and Package Services.Shipping Services include but not limited to Priority Mail, Express Mail, Bulk, Parcel Post and Bulk International Mail. Mailing services have set floor prices but generally doesn’t have any set ceiling price up to the allowed maximum size and weight limits (usually 70 pounds for each package). The same holds true for shipping services. All these services are offered through a network of more than 32,000 Post Offices, stations and branches, plus thousands of contract post units, Community Post Offices, Village Post Offices, retail establishments selling postage stamps and other services including the internet, www. sps. com. Additional services offered are sale of Postal Money Orders, leasing of Post Office boxes and sale of post cards or greeting cards. International mail and package services are also available to more than 190 countries (Annual Report to Congress, 2011). The current First-Class Mail stamp costs $0. 45 increased 2. 1% starting in January 2012 that was announced in October 18, 2011. Postal Service Mail pricing is set by the Board of Governors and approved by the PRC. Shipping services pricing is set by law covering both the institutional costs allocation and attributable costs.The institutional cost allocation is determined by the PRC and is currently set at 5. 5%. Thus the shipping cost is the sum of 5. 5% institutional costs (comparable to transaction costs) and attributable cost, representing the direct cost of the mailing or shipping services based from the weight and size of the package (USPS Annual 10-K Report, 2011). Current Financial Statement For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011, the United States Postal Service reported a net loss of $5. 067B from their operation, an improvement compare to the previous year’s loss of $8. 505B. This is despite a reduction of 4. % in the number of its career em ployees from 583,908 to 557,251 (USPS Annual 10K Report, 2011). Just like any other private businesses, the USPS was also greatly impacted by the global economy especially the deep and prolonged economic recession of 2008. Additionally, with improvement in technology, wider availability of internet broadband services, lower cost of personal computers, prevalent use of online banking and also surge in offering of online funds transfers, which not only offers convenience and speed but virtually free, has directly compete and won over some of the mailing services of the USPS.Mail volume deliveries have decreased by 5% in the last two years, 2011 and 2010 and the year before, in 2009, the decrease was a staggering 12. 8% (USPS Annual 10K Report, 2011). The expansion of mobile internet coupled with smart phones will only worsen USPS declining mail volume in the future. Finally, one of the biggest operating expenses of USPS besides transportation costs and plant equipment and facilities i s employee wages and retiree benefits. USPS employment costs makes up approximately 80% of its total operating costs (Kosar, 2012).Employee wages and retiree benefits costs are significantly impacted by wage inflation, health benefit premium increases, retirement and workers’ compensation programs, and cost-of-living allowances. In the last 5 years, the USPS suffered a total net loss of more than $25 billion including $21 billion of expenses for the pre-funding of the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund (PSRHBF) mandated by Public Law 109-435 (USPS Annual 10K Report, 2011). USPS current total debt as of September 2011 is at $13B which is only $2B from its statutory limit of $15B set by 39 U.S. C 2005(a) (Kosar, 2012). Financial statements reported to Congress for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011: Years ended Sept. 30, 2011Percent change from preceding year (dollars in millions) 2011 2010 2009 2011 2010 2009 Operating revenue $ 65,711 67,052 $ 68,090 (2. 0%) ( 1. 5%) (9. 1%) Operating expenses * $ 70,634 $ 75,426 $ 71,830 (6. 4%) 5. 0% (7. 6%) Loss from operations $ (4,923) $ (8,374) $ (3,740) Operating margin (7. 5%) (12. 5%) (5. 5%) Net loss $ (5,067) $ (8,505) $ (3,794) Purchases of capital $ 1,190 $ 1,393 $ 1,839 (14. 6%) (24. 3%) (7. %) Property and equipment Debt $ 13,000 $ 12,000 $ 10,200 Interest expense $ 172 $ 156 $ 80 Capital contributions of $ 3,132 $ 3,132 $ 3,087 U. S. Government Deficit since reorganization $ (22,072) $ (17,005) $ (8,500) Total net deficiency $ (18,940) $ (13,873) $ (5,413) Number of career employees 557,251 583,908 623,128 (4. 6%) (6. 3%) (6. 0%) Mail volume (pieces in millions) 167,934 170,860 176,744 (1. 7%) (3. 3%) (12. 8%) New delivery points served 636,530 739,580 923,595 *P. L. 112-33 had a net impact of a $5. 5 billion reduction of expenses in 2011.P. L. 111-68 had a net impact of a $4. 0 billion reduction of expense in 2009. Graphical representation of USPS operating revenues and expenses from FY 2 004 – FY 2011 Market Structure Monopoly Salvatore D. (2012) defined a monopoly market as â€Å"an organization in which a single firm sells a product for which there are no close substitutes† (p. 388). And of the four sources of monopoly cited (Salvatore, p. 390) is one established by a government franchise like the United States Postal Service. Not all of USPS products and services are monopolized.USPS monopoly is only in their mailing service referring to as its â€Å"dominant mailing service†. No other delivery service company in the industry is allowed to deliver mail. And this includes delivery service companies like UPS and FedEx. Mailing services includes First Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals and Package Services. The USPS’s has monopoly over letter delivery, mailbox monopoly and the ability to suspend the delivery in certain areas. It enforces this monopoly with its armed postal inspectors who can conduct searches and seizures if it suspect s breach of its monopoly.The only exceptions to this monopoly are â€Å"letters accompanying cargo† and â€Å"letters of the carrier† (interoffice correspondence) including bicycle messengers and overnight deliveries (Giddens, 2003). Monopolistic Competition Is defined, â€Å"as the form of market organization wherein there are many sellers of a heterogeneous or differentiated product and entry into and exit from the industry are rather easy in the long run† (Salvatore, D. , p. 396). Although the United State Postal Service does have a monopoly on â€Å"mailing services† it however does not have monopoly over â€Å"shipping services† which it shares with FedEx and UPS.However, this non-monopolized â€Å"shipping service† cannot be classified as â€Å"Monopolistic Competitive† market as there are only few sellers offering the products or services. Additionally, the same products and services are basically homogeneous. Instead it is cla ssified as an oligopolistic market. Oligopoly Is defined, â€Å"as the form of market organization in which there are few sellers of a homogeneous or differentiated product† (Salvatore, D. , p. 412). Products and services offered by the U. S.Postal Service in its â€Å"Shipping Services† division is classified as an oligopoly market. It shares this â€Å"shipping services† market with United Parcel Service and FedEx. With very few firms in the shipping industry, all three (USPS, UPS, and FEDEX) seems to operate more like interdependence firms rather than rivalries. This is evidence by the collaborating services of USPS and UPS called â€Å"UPS Basic† while the one between USPS and FEDEX is called â€Å"SmartPost†. This interdependency operation between these three firms mutually benefits all parties.Although it may look like USPS is getting the shorter end of the deal, but by conducting an incremental analysis it will show USPS is just actually syn ergizing its required mandate of providing fundamental postal services. On the other hand, UPS and FEDEX benefit also from the consolidation by sharing their â€Å"not so profitable† area of their shipping services to USPS to ensure continued services to their customers and at the same time customer loyalty. Competition and Alliances There are a number of communications media competing for the same types of transactions and communications in the mailing and delivery services industry.These include newspapers, telecommunications, televisions, e-mail, social networking and online electronic funds transfers. For the shipping services intense competition is offered by United Parcel Service and FedEx Corporations (USPS Annual 10K Report, 2011), although at the same time these two competitors are also its alliances as described above. United Parcel Service (UPS) Financial comparison Below is UPS’s financial statement for the last three years 2008 to 2010. Comparing U. S. Pos t Office 2010 and 2009 annual total revenues, UPS’s 2010 is only 73. 2% to that of the U. S. Post Office while its 2009 revenue is only 66. 53% to that of the U. S. Post Office. This is proof positive even though the U. S. Postal Office is generally a local national firm, it has larger revenue than a multinational firm like UPS. However, when comparing operating expenses the U. S. Post Office edges UPS by a very large margin. U. S. Post Office total operating expenses of $75. 426B for 2010 more than doubles UPS’ $31. 989B. And for 2009, U. S. Post Office’s total operating expenses of $71. 83B dwarfs UPS’ $31. 692B!While UPS posted a Net income of $3. 488B and $2. 152B in 2010 and 2009 respectively, the U. S. Post Office posted a Net Loss of $8. 374B and $3. 74B in the same years. Income Statement All numbers in thousands Period EndingDec 31, 2010Dec 31, 2009Dec 31, 2008 Total Revenue 49,545,000 45,297,000 51,486,000 Cost of Revenue11,682,000 9,804,000 11, 878,000 Gross Profit 37,863,000 35,493,000 39,608,000 Operating Expenses Research Development- – – Selling General and 30,197,000 29,945,000 32,412,000 Administrative Non Recurring- – – Others1,792,000 1,747,000 1,814,000Total Operating Expenses- – – Operating Income or Loss 5,874,000 3,801,000 5,382,000 Income from Continuing Operations Total Other Income/3,000 10,000 75,000 Expenses Net Earnings Before 5,877,000 3,811,000 5,457,000 Interest and Taxes Interest Expense354,000 445,000 442,000 Income Before Tax5,523,000 3,366,000 5,015,000 Income Tax Expense2,035,000 1,214,000 2,012,000 Minority Interest- – – Net Income From3,488,000 2,152,000 3,003,000 Continuing Ops Non-recurring Events Discontinued Operations- – – Extraordinary Items- – –Effect Of Accounting Changes- – – Other Items- – – Net Income 3,488,000 2,152,000 3,003,000 Preferred Stock And Other Adjustments- †“ – Net Income Applicable3,488,000 2,152,000 3,003,000 To Common Shares Product and Services comparison UPS products and services are homogenous to U. S. Post Office products and services with the exception of mailing services in the United States. UPS is basically a package delivery company (shipping services) providing transportation, logistics and financial services in the United States and in other 220 countries.It also provides letter and document delivery but only those considered time constraint delivery exempted by the U. S. Post Office from its mailing service monopoly. Unlike the U. S. Post Office â€Å"shipping services†, UPS operates internationally thus providing import and export logistic services throughout the world. It also provides various technology solutions for automated shipping, visibility, billing, distribution centers (to various industries like healthcare), technology, retail/consumer and a portfolio of financial services. FedEx Financial co mparisonBelow is FEDEX’s financial statement for the last three years 2009 to 2011. Comparing U. S. Post Office 2011 and 2010 annual total revenues, FEDEX’s 2011 is only approximately 59. 81% to that of the U. S. Post Office while its 2010 revenue is only approximately 51. 80% to that of the U. S. Post Office. Just like with UPS, FEDEX annual revenue is just barely a little over half of the U. S. Post Office annual revenue. However, U. S. Post Office Operating Expenses more than triples FEDEX annual operating expenses hence resulting in huge annual Net Loss to the U. S. Post Office while FEDEX posted a Net Income of $1. 52B and $1. 184B in 2011 and 2010 respectively. Income Statement All numbers in thousands Period EndingMay 31, 2011May 31, 2010May 31, 2009 Total Revenue 39,304,000 34,734,000 35,497,000 Cost of Revenue14,266,000 11,908,000 12,672,000 Gross Profit 25,038,000 22,826,000 22,825,000 Operating Expenses Research Development- – – Selling General and20,598,000 18,852,000 18,899,000 Administrative Non Recurring89,000 18,000 1,204,000 Others1,973,000 1,958,000 1,975,000 Total Operating Expenses- – – Operating Income or Loss 2,378,000 1,998,000 747,000Income from Continuing Operations Total Other Income/(27,000)(25,000)15,000 Expenses Net Earnings Before2,351,000 1,973,000 762,000 Interest And Taxes Interest Expense86,000 79,000 85,000 Income Before Tax2,265,000 1,894,000 677,000 Income Tax Expense813,000 710,000 579,000 Minority Interest- – – Net Income From1,452,000 1,184,000 98,000 Continuing Ops Non-recurring Events Discontinued Operations- – – Extraordinary Items- – – Effect Of Accounting Changes- – – Other Items- – – Net Income 1,452,000 1,184,000 98,000 Preferred Stock And Other Adjustments- – –Net Income Applicable To1,452,000 1,184,000 98,000 Common Shares Product and Services comparison FEDEX product and services are als o similar to UPS and with USPS’s shipping services. Its services are divided into four segments: FEDEX Express, FEDEX Ground, FEDEX Freight and FEDEX Services. FEDEX Express, Ground and Freight generally deals with domestic and international shipping services while FEDEX Service provides sales, marketing , administrative, information technology and customer service support services including copying and digital printing services.Economic Factors Macroeconomic Factors Unemployment and recession The greatest recession in U. S. history since World War II was declared to have started as early as December 2007 and officially over by June 2009 per National Bureau of Economic Research (Beatty, A, Sept 2010). During the start of the recession, unemployment was at a 5. 0% (Dec 2007) and reached its peak of 10% in October 2009.However, these unemployment figures are misleading because as per Bureau of Labor and Statistics, â€Å"Unemployment† is defined as people who do not curr ently have a job, have actively looked for work in the past four weeks (from the time when the report is prepared) and are currently available for work (Amadeo, n. d. ). It also includes people who are temporarily laid off and waiting to be called back to work. People who are unemployed and have not looked for job in the last four weeks (from the time the report is prepared) are removed from the labor force and are not counted as unemployed.The Bureau of Labor and Statistics also releases â€Å"Alternative measures of labor underutilization† report divided into 6 sections as follows: * U-1 Persons Unemployed 15 weeks or longer as a percent of the civilian labor force * U-2 Job losers and person who completed temporary jobs as a percent of the civilian labor force * U-3 Total unemployed as a percent of the civilian labor force (official unemployment rate) * U-4 Total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus discouraged workers * U-5 To tal unemployed plus discouraged workers, plus all other person marginally attached to the labor force, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all person marginally attached to the labor force *U-6 Total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force Of these six sections, the focus is on the U-3 and U-6 figures. As of December 2008 the official unemployment rate as per BLS Report (U-3 figure) is at 7. 3% while the U-6 figure is at 13. 5%. The difference is 6. 2% meaning while 7. 3% of the work force is being reported as officially unemployed, another 6. 2% are not. And this unreported 6. 2% are mainly those who have stopped looking for jobs or those who hold part time jobs. By June 2009, when the last economic recession was officially declared over, the U-3 and U-6 figures are 9. 5% and 16. 5% respectively. And for the year ending, December 2011, U-3 was reported at 8. % and U-6 at 15. 2% for a difference of 6. 7%. This difference indicates 44. 0% (6. 7% / 15. 2%) of the unemployed is not reported in the official unemployment rate. This is an indication although unemployment rate has been reported to decline from its peak of 10% in October 2009 to 8. 5% in December 2011, there are still far more unemployed people being unreported or have continuously decided not to join the workforce. High unemployment adversely affects the national economy in general including delivery and shipping services firms like USPS. With consumers having less confidence and less money to spend, there is less business for delivery of goods.When unemployment rate is high, there are fewer consumers while still those employed has less spendable money. Hence, retailers’ sales decline so is the order of replacement merchandise directly translating to reducing shipping services both for the retailers and consu mers. In short, there will definitely be a negative impact on USPS revenue. Cyclical changes in the economy, i. e. recession and inflation is nothing new to USPS, however the effect of modern technology like the personal computers and internet is.At the height of the recession, 2009, USPS revenue declined by 9. 1% over the previous year with a total net loss of $3. 74B followed by another $8. 473B net loss in 2010. Unemployment rates peaked from 7. % in January of 2009 to 10% in October 2009 and declined to 9. 4% in December 2010 were in parallel with these revenue losses. The bulk of USPS operating expenses is mostly from its employee wages and retiree benefits and transportation. Of these, employee wages and retiree benefits are the least elastic. With more than 85% of its employees covered by Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA’s), USPS is strictly constrained to react promptly to sudden changes to the economy to reduce its operating expenses, i. e. laying off employees or reducing retiree benefits. Inflation Inflation is defined as a sustained increase in the general level of prices for goods and services.It is measured as an annual percentage increase. As inflation rises, every dollar you own buys a smaller percentage of a good or service. The value of a dollar is never constant and it is referred to as its purchasing power. With inflation there is a decline in the purchasing power of the dollar (Investopedia. com) For USPS, inflation also results in adverse effects on its revenues but mostly it affects the cost of health benefits it has to cover for its employees and retirees. For its operations, the cost of fuel also greatly affects its operating expenses. Cost of living allowances and workers’ compensation programs also add to increased operating expenses.But the most negative impact is the inability of USPS to readily adjust its product and services pricing based from inflation as it requires legislative actions to do so. Government Le gislations Since USPS is a government owned firm, it operates within the guidelines of public laws. Product and services pricing are approved by Congress. In addition, delivery schedules and delivery routes are also regulated by the Postal Regulatory Commission. With the implementation of Public Law 91-375 commonly known as the Postal Reorganization Act of 1971, the USPS became a self-supporting, wholly governmental entity designed to cover its operating costs with revenues generated through providing fundamental postal services to the entire nation (Kosar, 2012).It does not receive annual appropriation from Congress for its operating budget except for the annual $100M congress pays to compensate USPS for the revenue losses incurred for free mailing privileges to blind persons and overseas voters, as directed by Congress. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (PAEA) established the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund (PSRHBF) and required USPS to prefund its future retirees’ health benefits at a cost of approximately $5. 5B per year for 10 years with remaining balance amortized in the subsequent next 40- year period. For FY ending 2011, the unfunded obligation to this fund is at $46. 2B (the accuracy of this amount is still being debated depending on what valuation method is used) (Kosar, 2012). Below is the table for the RHBF payments under the PAEA: Table 1.Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund Payments Under PAEA Fiscal Year Payment Due Per PAEA (billions) Status of Payment 2007 $5. 4 Paid in full. 2008 $5. 6 Paid in full. 2009 $5. 4 $1. 4 billion paid 2010 $5. 5 Paid in full. 2011 $5. 5 No payment 2012 $5. 6 Due September 30, 2012. 2013 $5. 6 Due September 30, 2013. 2014 $5. 7 Due September 30, 2014. 2015 $5. 7 Due September 30, 2015. 2016 $5. 8 Due September 30, 2016. Source: Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (P. L. 109-435,  §803; 120 Stat. 3251-3252; 5 U. S. C  §8909(d)(3)(A). ) Due to solvency problems, Congress reduced the FY 2009 payment amount to $1. 4B (P. L. 111-68) while in FY2011, Congress delayed the payment to August 1, 2012 as per H. R. 112-331.By front loading the RHBF, USPS has switched from funding its RHBF from â€Å"out of pocket† cost to pre-funding. It’s this prefunding causing a tremendous financial strain on the firm. It’s also an indicator on how much leverage and control government legislations have over the firm. And this is just one of the two biggest entities having control over the firm’s operations. The other one is employees’ unions. Collective Bargaining Agreements More than 80% of USPS operating cost is due to its employees’ wage; and more than 85% of its employees belong to one of the four unions or referred to as management organizations, i. e. , APWU, NALC, NPMHU and NRLCA.Unfortunately for USPS even though it enjoys benefits from federal regulations like monopoly of mailing services and having the ability to borrow money from the Federal Financing Banks up to $15B or as set by Congress; the same federal laws also put constrains in its ability to increase revenue by increasing prices without prior approval; or decreasing its operating costs by reducing mail delivery schedule; or closing non-performing post offices; or by having power to control labor costs. Statutory processes for resolving disputes between labor and management frequently results in arbitrators being empowered to make binding decisions heavily favoring employees (USPS Annual 10K Report, 2011). With declining revenues since 2007, USPS has been unable to reduce employee numbers to desired sustainable strength, its main operating cost, without having to rely solely on attrition or buy outs due to collective bargaining agreements that heavily favor employees. Future strategy calls for attrition or reduction in employees’ numbers to an additional 120,000 positions by FY2015.However, USPS is unable to achieve this with out overriding current CBA’s and it doesn’t have the power to do so. Microeconomic Factors Personal Computers and Internet In their 2009 annual report, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, approximately 68. 7% percent (81. 939 million households) of all U. S. households have internet access. Out of this 68. 7%, 63. 5% uses broadband service while 4. 7 % uses dial up service with the remaining 0. 4% using either satellite or dish access (BLS, 2010). And the numbers will only continue to grow as personal computers become more affordable and internet services continue to be made available in the rural areas.With internet comes email and social networking services. Although email is a differentiated product from regular paper mail or commonly referred to as â€Å"snail mail†, its purpose and function is completely the same. In short, email is almost a perfect substitute product for regular paper mail. The decline in first-class mail volume started to tak e center stage when the volume of First-Class mail, where USPS gets the majority of its money from, fell below junk mail volume for the first time in 2005 (Leonard, 2011). Total mail volume declined 20% between 2006 and 2010 resulting in a total net income loss of $25B. 1-From 2011 Report on Form 10-K USPS So is email killing USPS?Although decline in First-Class mail alone cannot postulate this to be accurate, there is however undisputed evidence email has delivered a severe financial blow to USPS. Like this is not serious enough yet, digital communications continue to evolve and quickly becoming mainstream. Mobile phones or smartphones are not only capable of making a phone call but also able to send emails just about anywhere they can find service signals from their providers. The phone can also be used to send text (â€Å"texting†), providing not only faster communication than regular paper mail but even better than regular email as it requires no computer to access it and is in real time.To make matters worse for USPS, most businesses are already moving to â€Å"paperless† bill and payment delivery meaning the 20% decline in first-class mail volume in the previous years, not only will it be probably irreversible but will most likely worsen before it gets better. And then there is yet still another evolving technology that could also adversely affect USPS’s other business model, â€Å"shipping services†, and this is with the digital or electronic books. According to Amazon, the largest retailer on the web, Kindle books are just now starting to outsell printed books (Leonard, 2011). Everyday Low Pricing strategies If you are looking for the cheapest postal rate around the world, look no further than the U. S. Postal Service.For a universal rate of 44 cents (before January 12, 2011, where it rose to 45 cents), for the first ounce, a First Class letter mail can be delivered anywhere in the United States and its territories. In compa rison, for the same letter mailed locally, in Norway it would cost the sender $1. 63; in Japan it would be $1. 06, in France it would be $0. 81, in Germany it would be $0. 77, in UK it would be $0. 74 and in Canada it would be $0. 61 (Annual Report to Congress, USPS, 2011). Like this is not cheap enough yet, the Standard Mail is even cheaper consisting mostly of advertising and periodical mails. So is everyday low pricing causing financially losses USPS?In comparison to other postal services it would seem so. An analysis of this dilemma is presented in the business strategies section of this report. Outsourcing and global competition Although most U. S. companies have adopted globalization and have included outsourcing in their strategy to compete in the global market, the U. S. Postal Service remains a sole government franchise operating only nationally. As such it does not include outsourcing as a part of its business model and do not compete globally. Business Analysis Current Fi nancial Performance USPS current financial performance in the last 5 years and especially in the 2011 is in â€Å"dire straits†.With over $25B in net losses over the past five years including $21B of expenses for the prefunding of retiree health benefits, it ended 2011 with only $1. 2B in total cash and only $2. 0B of remaining borrowing capacity. The projected payments for the PSRHBF for 2012 is a staggering $11. 1B ($5. 5B for the deferred 2011 and $5. 6 for the upcoming 2012 contributions) and then there is the payment for workers’ compensation for approximately $1. 3B by September 30, 2012. Even with all the re-structuring tools available for the USPS put into place including price increases just recently approved, USPS will not be able to meet all its current year financial obligations.Unless, congress makes changes to the current requirements of prefunding USPS’ PSRHBF, the firm is technically insolvent even prior to the end of its 2012 accounting period a nd will remain so at least until 2016. Previous Financial Performance The last time USPS posted net income from its operations was in FY2004 ($3. 1B), FY2005 ($1. 626B) and FY2006 ($969M), (USPS Annual Report 2007). It was in 2006 P. L. 109-435 became a law relieving USPS of the $27B in pension liabilities for workers with military service (USPS workers with military pension used to be paid by USPS vice the U. S. Treasury) but at the same time USPS agreed to make annual payments of $5. billion for the next 10 years to build up a fund for future retirees. When this bill was signed into law, USPS was ecstatic. So for FY 2006, USPS finished the year with a net income of almost $1B. Little did it know it will be the last time USPS will ever finish the year in â€Å"black†! Future Financial outlook Future financial outlook for USPS is dimmer than ever. With decline in First Class mail volume continuously declining, there is no indication this is not permanent or worse yet decline more in coming years, even if the economy improve. So far USPS seems to be more focus on increasing its revenue by increasing prices in both of each services, i. e. , mailing and shipping services.At the same time, it also wants to reduce its operating expenses by reducing its number of employees and closing or converting some of its branches into â€Å"village post offices†. However, even with all these business strategies, USPS doesn’t seem to focus on how it can re-structure its business model to adapt to digital technologies and the use of Internet. Although, it has adapted its shipping services and selling of stamps into the digital world USPS is yet to make headways into a profitable business model. Business Strategies Product pricing One of the business strategies of USPS and usually most of businesses do is to increase product pricing everytime the end of the accounting period reports â€Å"Net Loss†! This seems to be a knee-jerk reaction since itâ€℠¢s the easiest logic to recoup â€Å"net losses†.And this is because supposedly increase in product pricing directly correlates to increase revenue thus increased profit or having to post â€Å"Net Income† instead of â€Å"Net Loss† at the end of each accounting period. However product pricing is not as plain and easy as it looks. In the case of USPS product pricing, the elasticity of each product pricing should be taken into account. USPS has validated the fact that technology, increased availability of broadband services, growing internet access in homes, declining prices in personal computers, and expanding mobile services has caused a decline in its mailing services. This is directly attributed to e-mails and online banking billing and payments.In short, email and other electronic online banking transactions, although differentiated from regular paper mail are direct substitute products. As such, it can be postulated increasing the price of USPS â€Å"maili ng services† will not necessarily translate to increased revenues. With price elasticity of demand (EP), the more there is a close substitute to a product the higher is the elasticity of demand. This is shown in the below graph: Figure 2: Managerial Economics in Global Economy (Salvatore, D, 2010) With EP greater than one (highly elastic as shown on the upper portion of the blue demand line) the demand line indicates an increase in price (PX) will result in decrease in quantity demanded (QX). With decrease in quantity demanded means reduction in total revenue.Based from the mail volume decline since 2006 (when mailing was cheaper than last year and this year) up to the present it’s almost conclusive further increase in the cost of mailing will only exacerbate the decline in mail volume; making it easier for business managers to make the decision to switch to â€Å"paperless† bill statements and delivery. Although current statutory requirements limit pricing incre ase on â€Å"shipping services† (including mailing services) to rate of inflation, USPS should request Congress to include a direct authority for USPS to increase prices (with approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission, PRC) based from increased cost of transportation, i. e. , fuel, the same strategy used by the airline industry. The airline industry started using surcharges for baggage checked in when the cost of fuel surge to unsustainable levels.USPS should have the same authority to make time sensitive changes to its pricing as it deems necessary for its continued operations with the approval of the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). Even if given this authority, USPS should still consider the competition before it can raise shipping prices and by how much. By having the authority though, USPS can be a flexible firm able to respond in time to stop massive losses while waiting for Congress to give it an approval. Product diversity With technology, USPS has started to adapt the internet for some its product offerings. Customers can go at USPS. com and fill their forms online and even print their mailing or shipping stamps.Additionally, customers can also request home or station pick up by USPS meaning customers need not even to get out of their houses to receive mailing or shipping services. However, these shipping services are also available with USPS competitors like UPS and FEDEX and seem to be doing a better job than USPS. There is however, one product USPS offers that its competitors do not offer and this is Postal Money Order. U. S. Postal Money Orders are very popular and reliable people up to this day prefer them as a form of payment over credit or debit cards or even online fund transfer companies like Western Unions or Paypal. USPS should conduct a study on how to establish a business model allowing it to offer a digital version of its Postal Money Orders.With USPS monopoly on money orders this is almost a sure winner if it can design a digital or online business model for its money orders. In 2010, Paypal posted total revenue of $3. 4B and expects to double this revenue by 2013 (Galante, 2011). On the otherhand, Western Union posted a Net Income of $909. 9M (Yahoo Finance). With potential revenue at this level just from its money order business, USPS is posed to increase its annual business revenue tremendously compare to just increasing its product pricing. Resource utilization USPS resource utilization is obviously not at its optimal level considering the amount of losses it incurred in the last 5 years.Probably the worst resource underutilization is in the excessive number of employees and its huge fleet of gas guzzling trucks and delivery vehicles. USPS was very slow to adapt to new technology and didn’t quite see the effect of the internet with its mailing services and continued rising cost of fuel. This is in spite of the significant decline in First-Class mailing volumes as early as 2005 and the mor e than $100 a barrel of crude oil in 2008. USPS did not initiate to stop Saturday’s mail delivery until 2010 when it was already losing tens of billions in income. USPS tries to optimize its resource utilization by working interdependently with its â€Å"Shipping Services† competitors like UPS’ â€Å"UPS Basic† and FedEx’s â€Å"Smart Post†.However, USPS should strive instead to get as much of this business for itself instead of having to share it with its competitors. This doesn’t mean it has to get rid of this interdependency relationship as it helps in its resource utilization but should try to get as much as it can so as to enjoy the revenue for itself instead of sharing with others. And it can easily accomplish this through pricing, which it has an advantage over the competition. With oil price increases in 2008, USPS should have started switching or equipping its delivery vehicles either to more fuel efficient vehicles or those equipped to use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). According to Consumer Energy Report. om (Rapier, 2009), based from EPA reports, a gallon of gasoline contains approximately 115,000 BTU’s of energy while a Standard Cubic Feet (SCF) of natural gas contains 1,000 BTU’s (hence 115 SCF of CNG equates to 1 gallon of gasoline). In November 2011, the national average price of gasoline was $3. 37 a gallon while for diesel it was $4. 01 a gallon (Consumer Report, 2011). On the same period, the price for natural gas is $8. 60 per thousand SCF for commercial rate and $4. 53 for industrial rate (EIA. gov, 2012). A thousand SCF of natural gas equates to 8. 7 gallons of gasoline or diesel (1,000 divided by 115), meaning had USPS converted some of its vehicles into CNG, it would only be paying approximately 98. 85 cents to equivalent gallon of gasoline or diesel at the commercial rate price, and even less if given the industrial rate price.At present, price of natural gas has declined al though not significantly but it might as well be because on the other end of the spectrum the price of gasoline rose to almost $4 a gallon from $3. 37 in November 2010, an increase of 18. 7% and it is just starting to get worse. USPS has the largest civilian fleet of vehicles in the world numbering to 215,625 burning through more than 399 million of gallons of gasoline/diesel for a total of 1. 25 billion miles driven (Postal Facts, 2011); it could have easily saved tens of millions of dollars with the use of CNG. USPS should continue with its strategy of reducing its number of employees and post office branches or converting some branches into â€Å"Village Post Offices†. Additionally, it should also strive to reduce its delivery service from a 6-day to a 5-day delivery.Although this may sound like an easy feat to accomplish, i. e. , to reduce operating cost due to reduced mail volume, it is not. This is because although there has been a decrease in mail volume there is howev er an increase in delivery points. So the bottom line is although reducing operating cost is a positive step, USPS can only reduce it for so much and for so long before it starts failing in providing fundamental postal services to the nation; its primary mandate and reason for existence. The other strategy for USPS besides operating cost reduction is synergized on what it is currently accomplishing now and for the future. Cost Volume Profit Analysis Cost-Volume-Profit analysis or breakeven analysis is a process of determining the output where a firm breaks even or earns a target profit from the total revenue and total cost functions of the firm† (Salvatore, D. 2012). Unlike manufacturing or production firms, or any private firms, the USPS has a constant mandate to provide â€Å"fundamental postal service† to the nation. As such, it requires a minimum number of employees, material and other resources to accomplish this task, hence an absolute minimum operating cost. In p rivate sector, when a firm CVP analysis indicates a decline in total revenue (TR) compare to total cost (TC), its tendency is to reduce TC until it is low enough to gain profit.Even better for the firm it has the option of totally abandoning some specific operations or productions if it cannot gain profit despite drastic reductions in TC. However, this is not the case for the USPS. With minimum requirements to provide fundamental postal service to the nation, the USPS cannot reduce its TC to the point it will cease some or even a single part of its operation, despite heavy net losses in income. When USPS is operating at a loss and has done just about everything to minimize its TC, its only other option is to increase the volume of its business to at least break even. With decline in mail volume still yet to hit bottom, USPS needs to venture to different products especially those taking advantage of the internet and other evolving technologies.It is only through additional products o r improvement in current existing products USPS can increase volume of its business to at least cover its minimum operating cost. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Being a government own firm, USPS has some inherent strengths in its business model as follows: 1. Monopoly of the mailing service industry 2. Open Credit lines or borrowing up to $15B from the Federal Financing Bank, which can also be increased in due time with the approval of Congress 3. Large operating capacity with more than 33,000 facilities throughout the nation 4. A non-profit organization whose only financial objective is to break even giving it the strength to undermine the competition through low pricing 5.Highly resilient to cyclical changes in the economy brought by recessions and inflations 6. Modern technological network infrastructures and highly computerized distribution systems USPS should utilize its strengths to increase revenue especially with its business goal of only requiring breaking even. It can also flex its strength in pricing to beat the competition when it comes to its shipping services. With its large operating capacities it should plan to expand its business model to achieve â€Å"economies of scale†. USPS weaknesses also come mostly from the same institution that gave some of its strengths: 1. Large operating cost due to large required coverage in mail and shipping deliveries as mandated by Congress 2.Very little diversity in products and services despite large operating capacities and highly technological networked infrastructure 3. Very little to none bargaining power with employees management organizations or unions 4. Very restrictive operating schedules and product pricing flexibilities 5. Slow adaptability in a highly changing business environment brought by newer technology due to restrictions placed upon the firm by Congress through the Post Office Regulatory Commission 6. Large number inefficient fleet of vehicles 7. Very expensive emplo yee pension and retiree health benefit plans Weaknesses in large number of inefficient fleet of vehicles unnecessarily contributing to high operating cost can be easily avoided with the use of alternate energy like CNG.Congress should give temporary authority to USPS to effect price changes as a result of out of the ordinary changes in fuel costs and other materials and resources it uses to fulfill its mandate. The two most readily available opportunities for USPS mostly come only in two forms, i. e. product diversity and more use of the internet as another source of business revenue. This can be as simple as developing a business model to the current postal money orders so it can be transformed to something like e-Money Order that can be used for online fund transfers the same as Paypal’s or Western Unions business model do. As for product diversity, USPS should start looking into expanding its shipping services to aggressively compete directly with UPS and FedEx.The biggest threat facing USPS is the continuing decline of its mailing services. Despite the big proposal of increasing prices supposedly supplementing losses, it’s more likely the more USPS continue to raise prices in its mailing services the sooner it will decline more. The threat of defaulting with its PSRHBF funding for this year and probably for the following years is imminent. The possibility of a government bailout seems to be very more likely starting this year and the years thereafter. USPS needs to face the reality of the internet technology and should start restructuring its business model so as to treat the internet as an ally instead of an adversary. ConclusionAn expeditious and short term solution to the Unites States Postal Service current financial problem is way out of reach of the sole capability of the firm and requires a congressional legislation to make it happen. This specifically with the firms mandated annual $5. 5B prefund contribution to its PSRHBF where $11. 1B is due by September 30, 2012. In addition there is also the $1. 3B Workers’ Compensation Fund required to be paid to the DOL at the end of the fiscal year. To keep USPS financially solvent and operational at least for the time being, Congress should legislate to postpone payments to the PSRHBF and to the Workers’ Compensation for the next three years.This should give enough â€Å"breathing room† for USPS to stay â€Å"afloat† while at the same time implementing its multi-prong strategies of reducing its operating costs, increasing revenues, diversifying its products and improving its processes and methodologies to attract more customers. References: 1. 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