Abstinence Yesterday, Protection Today
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
0 comments
How should we categorize teen pregnancy, as the lack of fear for God or the lack of education? In the society we live in today, there is a wide divide in personal stance of the older and the newer generation when it comes to this particular subject. How do we compromise with the growing culture of openness in sexuality and the instilled ‘shush’ attitude of the Asian clan?
In 2005, our government proudly announced that they have agreed to implement sex education in the school’s syllabus in January 2006. However, until today, in the year 2008, we have yet to see any progress in this matter. We were supposed to be among the first Muslim countries to implement the subject in our system. What is it that is holding us back from moving forward?
As preparation, surveys of all sorts were conducted in our community; from primary school children to working adults. In my opinion, if a survey was conducted every 5 years, the results will vary because of the changing generations. What was not known in the past is common knowledge today. For example, the all-time favourite question, “Where did babies come from?” Kids know their parents had something to do with it. No story of the stork delivering the baby to a home will sell, even among kindergarten children.
Bethany Connection 2008
In this information-rich society, we can no longer fool ourselves by not acknowledging the change in believes and practices. One of the main reasons sex education was initially considered was the worry of AIDS becoming an epidemic in the world. However, our focus here is teen pregnancy, an increasing medical concern. In Malaysia, the Organisation for Economics Co-operation and Development reported in 2007 that the percentage of teen pregnancy has and will reduce in the years to come. This is also true for the Western countries.
Surprised? How is it that this is possible when the Population Reference Bureau reported that more teens are sexually active today than 10 years ago. And they claim that this number will keep increasing in the years to come. One does not have to pull their hair out to figure out the answer. EDUC
ATION.
Bethany Connection 2008
In this information-rich society, we can no longer fool ourselves by not acknowledging the change in believes and practices. One of the main reasons sex education was initially considered was the worry of AIDS becoming an epidemic in the world. However, our focus here is teen pregnancy, an increasing medical concern. In Malaysia, the Organisation for Economics Co-operation and Development reported in 2007 that the percentage of teen pregnancy has and will reduce in the years to come. This is also true for the Western countries.
Surprised? How is it that this is possible when the Population Reference Bureau reported that more teens are sexually active today than 10 years ago. And they claim that this number will keep increasing in the years to come. One does not have to pull their hair out to figure out the answer. EDUC
ATION.The preaching of abstinence is slowly being replaced by talks of safe sex, using contraceptives and fidelity. Even though sex education is yet to be in the Malaysian education system, teenagers and youths throughout the country are in a world where knowledge is just a mouse click away. It is no surprise if a boy who looks like he just attained puberty walks into 7-11 to purchase condoms. The reason he needs it in the first place maybe of concern to some but to others, the concern is one step further. Does he know how to use it?
CondomProtection.com
CondomProtection.com
The existence of protections may be common knowledge but steps of using it and the dangers or possible inefficiencies of an IUD or condom may not be known to most. This is why sex education is important and is in fact vital in today’s society. Youths should know exactly what are the possibilities of being sexually active and the responsibilities of getting pregnant for both the male and the female counterpart.
This is exactly why sex education is necessary. Education is the key to solving problems in the society such as sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy. To ensure the correct information is being obtained by youngsters, it ought to be made available by reliable and credible sources and where better than schools.
Labels: teen pregnancy
Posted by Tech Alley at 9:10 AM
Having a baby should be a wonderful experience, right? You meet the right guy, get married and then have a baby. However, it wouldn’t be a bed of roses if you were to get pregnant at the mere age of 16, unmarried, and still in high school. It would be truly tough to go through with it – bearing the heavy responsibility and also enduring the humiliation.
Anyway, in the movie “Juno”, Juno MacGuff is 16 and a junior in high school. She sleeps with her boyfriend, Paulie, and I guess they forgot to use a condom. Therefore, she got pregnant. Oh, what to do, what to do? Tough decisions to make. To keep the baby or to abort it, those are the questions.
She certainly can’t keep the baby and take care of it. She also almost wanted to abort the baby but gave up on the idea. Later, she and her friend, Leah, looked through advertisements in the Pennysaver where people were interested in adopting children. Finally, they found the perfect couple who could be the baby’s new parents.
Juno tells her family that she’s pregnant and they’re absurdly calm about it all. Juno’s father also follows her to meet the potential parents, Mark and Vanessa. Mark and Vanessa seem like nice people although I felt Vanessa’s kind of like an uptight person. Mark’s more laidback and he’s friendlier with Juno. Both of them are into music and guitars so they get along well.
I feel that Juno’s really lucky because she has a supportive father and stepmother and best friend. However, her boyfriend, Paulie did not do much except hang around, waiting for Juno to find him. He’s supposedly in love with her. But then, it seems that she has decided that they stay away from each other and has even suggested that he go to prom with another girl. She then gets upset when he does ask the other girl out!
Do I feel that this is a good movie or a bad one? Well, it all depends. It could be a good movie for those who are already pregnant. Yeah, abortion is a sin. Nobody should ever go for it but those without a choice are forced to do it. If not, they won’t be capable of taking care of their own kid. What’s worse is that they might even just dump their baby somewhere. So, this movie could help pregnant teens make the right choices.
On the other hand, it doesn’t mean that you should get pregnant when you’re just not ready for it. If you’re still in school, not financially secured, no guarantee that your guy will always be by your side to support you, then the best thing to do is to just avoid having intercourse.
For Juno, yes, she made a mistake with serious consequences and she had to deal with it by herself. She had to face the embarrassment in school as the girl with the big belly. She’s still as sarcastic as ever and speaks her mind when she wants. Juno’s a strong girl and she got a happy ending. Her baby’s got a happy home. Problem solved.
It’s only a movie and we shouldn’t think that things will be easy when one gets pregnant at a ridiculously young age. Thus, make the right choices and don’t be easily influenced. Think of the consequences. Are you willing to kill an unborn child? Or are you brave enough to be the only pregnant kid in school? What will your parents say? Is your boyfriend worth it? Does he care for you? Yup, it’s not that easy, right?
Tech Alley
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Having a baby should be a wonderful experience, right? You meet the right guy, get married and then have a baby. However, it wouldn’t be a bed of roses if you were to get pregnant at the mere age of 16, unmarried, and still in high school. It would be truly tough to go through with it – bearing the heavy responsibility and also enduring the humiliation.Anyway, in the movie “Juno”, Juno MacGuff is 16 and a junior in high school. She sleeps with her boyfriend, Paulie, and I guess they forgot to use a condom. Therefore, she got pregnant. Oh, what to do, what to do? Tough decisions to make. To keep the baby or to abort it, those are the questions.
She certainly can’t keep the baby and take care of it. She also almost wanted to abort the baby but gave up on the idea. Later, she and her friend, Leah, looked through advertisements in the Pennysaver where people were interested in adopting children. Finally, they found the perfect couple who could be the baby’s new parents.
Juno tells her family that she’s pregnant and they’re absurdly calm about it all. Juno’s father also follows her to meet the potential parents, Mark and Vanessa. Mark and Vanessa seem like nice people although I felt Vanessa’s kind of like an uptight person. Mark’s more laidback and he’s friendlier with Juno. Both of them are into music and guitars so they get along well.
I feel that Juno’s really lucky because she has a supportive father and stepmother and best friend. However, her boyfriend, Paulie did not do much except hang around, waiting for Juno to find him. He’s supposedly in love with her. But then, it seems that she has decided that they stay away from each other and has even suggested that he go to prom with another girl. She then gets upset when he does ask the other girl out!
Do I feel that this is a good movie or a bad one? Well, it all depends. It could be a good movie for those who are already pregnant. Yeah, abortion is a sin. Nobody should ever go for it but those without a choice are forced to do it. If not, they won’t be capable of taking care of their own kid. What’s worse is that they might even just dump their baby somewhere. So, this movie could help pregnant teens make the right choices.
On the other hand, it doesn’t mean that you should get pregnant when you’re just not ready for it. If you’re still in school, not financially secured, no guarantee that your guy will always be by your side to support you, then the best thing to do is to just avoid having intercourse.
For Juno, yes, she made a mistake with serious consequences and she had to deal with it by herself. She had to face the embarrassment in school as the girl with the big belly. She’s still as sarcastic as ever and speaks her mind when she wants. Juno’s a strong girl and she got a happy ending. Her baby’s got a happy home. Problem solved.
It’s only a movie and we shouldn’t think that things will be easy when one gets pregnant at a ridiculously young age. Thus, make the right choices and don’t be easily influenced. Think of the consequences. Are you willing to kill an unborn child? Or are you brave enough to be the only pregnant kid in school? What will your parents say? Is your boyfriend worth it? Does he care for you? Yup, it’s not that easy, right?
Labels: movies, teen pregnancy
Posted by Tech Alley at 11:58 PM
Dealing with the responsibility of being a parent is one of the hardest tasks to take on. One of the problems in today's society is teenage pregnancy. The risk of pregnancy in teenagers is increasing largely. Many teenagers don't know how big of a responsibility it is to raise another human being when they themselves still have a lot of growing to do. Teenagers need to be more educated about themselves and their bodies as well as ways to protect themselves from getting pregnant if they're sexually active. Also, teenagers are more prone to risks during a pregnancy than a twenty or thirty year old woman would be.
Why do teenage girls get pregnant?
One of the main factors of teen pregnancy is the influence of media technology. Teenagers’ minds are easily influenced because they are not mature enough to decide what is right or wrong. Pirated DVDs are cheap and available everywhere, thus it is easy for a teen to get a copy of movies they can’t watch in cinemas because they are underage. Also, the convenience of the internet provides a way to help them download any video or the latest movies that contain pornography such as The Fast and The Furious, The Catwomen, Charlie Angels and others . At their age, they should not act like an adult and have sex. Therefore, media technologies easily influence the teenage mind which is still lacking of knowledge.
Below are some other factors that contribute to teen pregnancy:
Health Risks to a Teenage Mother
A teenage mother has special problems, emotionally and physically.
*The younger the mother, the greater the chance to have complications for both the baby and the mother.
Consequences of Teenage Pregnancy
The future of teenage girls who are pregnant often don't hold great promises for the baby and teenager due to the amount of dedication involved with raising a child.
Source:
Our Health, Our Futures
Tech Alley
Dealing with the responsibility of being a parent is one of the hardest tasks to take on. One of the problems in today's society is teenage pregnancy. The risk of pregnancy in teenagers is increasing largely. Many teenagers don't know how big of a responsibility it is to raise another human being when they themselves still have a lot of growing to do. Teenagers need to be more educated about themselves and their bodies as well as ways to protect themselves from getting pregnant if they're sexually active. Also, teenagers are more prone to risks during a pregnancy than a twenty or thirty year old woman would be.
Why do teenage girls get pregnant?
One of the main factors of teen pregnancy is the influence of media technology. Teenagers’ minds are easily influenced because they are not mature enough to decide what is right or wrong. Pirated DVDs are cheap and available everywhere, thus it is easy for a teen to get a copy of movies they can’t watch in cinemas because they are underage. Also, the convenience of the internet provides a way to help them download any video or the latest movies that contain pornography such as The Fast and The Furious, The Catwomen, Charlie Angels and others . At their age, they should not act like an adult and have sex. Therefore, media technologies easily influence the teenage mind which is still lacking of knowledge.
Below are some other factors that contribute to teen pregnancy:
- Some girls have not been educated on right and wrong birth control methods
- Some girls, although very rare, feel that becoming pregnant is a good way to rebel against her parents
- Some girls are missing love and other emotional feelings because they are not getting it at home, so they look for those feelings elsewhere in order to fulfil their needs
- Often, mistakes do happen (the condom is broken, she forgot to take her pill one day etc.)
- Some girls feel the need to have control when they loose control everywhere else
- Some girls feel that if they have a baby, her boyfriend will love her and stay
Health Risks to a Teenage Mother
A teenage mother has special problems, emotionally and physically.
- The death rate from pregnancy complications is a lot higher for girls who are pregnant under the age of 15 than among older teenagers
- Pregnant teenagers are more likely to be undernourished and suffer premature or prolonged labor
- During the first 3 months of pregnancy; seven out of ten teenage girls do not get prenatal care, see a doctor, or go to a clinic
- Teenage mothers are at risk of getting anemia, high blood pressure, placental problems, and pregnancy induced hypertension
- Teenage girls with STI's or HIV can pass complications on to her baby when it is born
- Teenage girls may also develop many emotional problems such as depression, shame, guilt, and stress
- Teenage mothers have the risk of problems such as poor weight gain and premature labor.
*The younger the mother, the greater the chance to have complications for both the baby and the mother.
Consequences of Teenage Pregnancy
The future of teenage girls who are pregnant often don't hold great promises for the baby and teenager due to the amount of dedication involved with raising a child.
- 2/3 of pregnant teenagers drop out of school
- The demands of education are high in order to find a good job, therefore leaving a problem for a teenage mother who has dropped out; leading her to go on welfare because of her deep financial problem
- If a teenage couple get married after they have a baby, it will most likely end in divorce
- A teenager can’t go out with friends as much as they used to, their social life is put on hold for quite a while
- Teenage girls who are pregnant can’t party (drink, smoke, and use drugs)
- Teenage girls miss out on their own childhood because they are busy taking care of another child
- Teenage girls put pressure on their parents for help on raising the child
- Children miss out on many things an older mother can give to her child
- Due to a teenagers young age, they do not have the proper parenting skills that are needed in order to raise a child well
- Staying in school can be harder due to the schools attitude, peer attitudes, and lack of day care for the baby
Source:
Our Health, Our Futures
Labels: teen pregnancy
Posted by Tech Alley at 5:25 PM
Online shopping is an action of buying and selling of products or services over the Internet and other computer networks. Online shopping has grown extraordinarily in our country since the spread of the Internet. This is due to a rapid rise in the number of PCs in Malaysia. This provides greater opportunities for Malaysians from young to old to conduct both business and shop online.
However, there seems to be a lack of understanding and knowledge on consumers’ attitudes towards online shopping.
According to Malaysians, they do not like to shop online because:
1. Lack of trust from the merchant
2. No assurance of the product’s quality
3. Malaysian love to touch and see (even they don’t buy)
4. Malaysian claimed it’s slow in shipping
5. Some claimed they are worry of credit card fraud
It seems that most of the Malaysians are conservative minded, they prefer to buy something only when they can see it in front of them rather than giving out their own credit cards number online. This is perhaps people feel insecure towards online shopping.
Actually online shopping is not that bad as people imagine. It does offer some significant advantages to shoppers. It gives you access to products and services which are not available in your local stores. It saves time and helps you avoid going through the hassle of finding car parks and stuck in the jam for hours. It too saves you money, as some products are cheaper in other countries. It helps you to research product details and make comparisons of prices and features, before you actually visit a store.
Safety and security during online ordering and payment are important to consumers, and a lack of confidence about security among people has held back the growth of online shopping. Seriously, you can trust online shopping, it actually benefits us. As long as you take some simple precautions, you can enjoy shopping online with a high degree of security. Here’s a list of tips you should consult when shopping online.
•Check the Site's Security
-Make sure you are on a secure site before you give your information such as name, address or credit card details.
-If the site is secure, the "http" in the address bar at the top of your screen will change to "https" at the page where you are asked to type in payment information. You can also look for other signs that the site is secure such as a closed padlock on the browser's status bar.
-On a secure site, your information is stored on a secure database. If the company wants to pass on your details to other companies, you have the right to say no. Look for a tick box on the site, and make a choice about disclosing your details.
-Don't buy online if the site isn't secure.
•Shop with companies you know.
-If you're not familiar with a merchant, ask for a paper catalog or brochure to get a better idea of their merchandise and services. You can try typing the site's name into a search engine. If you find unfavorable reviews, you may be better off doing business with someone else.
-Make sure the Web site gives the business' name, mailing address (more than a post office box) and telephone number.
-You need to know how to reach the seller. So if you can't find a working phone number, go somewhere else.
-Know who pays the shipping costs on anything that needs to be returned. Also, determine the site has clear information about what you can do if you have problems with your purchase. Some purchases may need to be returned.
•Keep your password private.
-Be creative when you establish a password. Avoid using telephone number, date of birth, or part of your identity certificate number.
-If you use a password to log on to your computer, choose a different one to make a purchase.
-Use an unpredictable combination of numbers, letters and symbols.
-Do not give your password to anyone who contacts you, including people who claim to be employees of online services or stores.
•Use the safest way to pay on the Internet.
-Paying by credit card is the safest and quickest way to shop online.
-Don't send cash or use a money-wiring service because you'll never get your money back if something goes wrong.
-For additional security, you can ask your credit card company about getting a "single-use" credit card number that allows you to buy online by using a temporary card number.
•Keep a Record
-Keep records of all your transactions.
-Be sure to print and file a copy of your purchase order and confirmation number for your records, in case you have a problem with your purchase.
-Print out details from the webpage you used, such as date and copy of terms, conditions, warranties, item description, and company information. Save them with your records of your purchase.
-Keep copies of any emails you exchange with the supplier.
•Turn it Off
-When you finished shopping online, turn off your computer.
-Leaving it on all the time is a perfect opportunity for scammers to commit cyber crime by installing harmful software and control your machine.
In a nut shell, online shopping is not that bad as Malaysian imagine. Why don't we try something new and adapt with it since it doesn't harm to us? Let's shop online right now!!
Tech Alley
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Online shopping is an action of buying and selling of products or services over the Internet and other computer networks. Online shopping has grown extraordinarily in our country since the spread of the Internet. This is due to a rapid rise in the number of PCs in Malaysia. This provides greater opportunities for Malaysians from young to old to conduct both business and shop online.
However, there seems to be a lack of understanding and knowledge on consumers’ attitudes towards online shopping.According to Malaysians, they do not like to shop online because:
1. Lack of trust from the merchant
2. No assurance of the product’s quality
3. Malaysian love to touch and see (even they don’t buy)
4. Malaysian claimed it’s slow in shipping
5. Some claimed they are worry of credit card fraud
It seems that most of the Malaysians are conservative minded, they prefer to buy something only when they can see it in front of them rather than giving out their own credit cards number online. This is perhaps people feel insecure towards online shopping.
Actually online shopping is not that bad as people imagine. It does offer some significant advantages to shoppers. It gives you access to products and services which are not available in your local stores. It saves time and helps you avoid going through the hassle of finding car parks and stuck in the jam for hours. It too saves you money, as some products are cheaper in other countries. It helps you to research product details and make comparisons of prices and features, before you actually visit a store.
Safety and security during online ordering and payment are important to consumers, and a lack of confidence about security among people has held back the growth of online shopping. Seriously, you can trust online shopping, it actually benefits us. As long as you take some simple precautions, you can enjoy shopping online with a high degree of security. Here’s a list of tips you should consult when shopping online.
•Check the Site's Security
-Make sure you are on a secure site before you give your information such as name, address or credit card details.
-If the site is secure, the "http" in the address bar at the top of your screen will change to "https" at the page where you are asked to type in payment information. You can also look for other signs that the site is secure such as a closed padlock on the browser's status bar.
-On a secure site, your information is stored on a secure database. If the company wants to pass on your details to other companies, you have the right to say no. Look for a tick box on the site, and make a choice about disclosing your details.
-Don't buy online if the site isn't secure.
•Shop with companies you know.
-If you're not familiar with a merchant, ask for a paper catalog or brochure to get a better idea of their merchandise and services. You can try typing the site's name into a search engine. If you find unfavorable reviews, you may be better off doing business with someone else.
-Make sure the Web site gives the business' name, mailing address (more than a post office box) and telephone number.
-You need to know how to reach the seller. So if you can't find a working phone number, go somewhere else.
-Know who pays the shipping costs on anything that needs to be returned. Also, determine the site has clear information about what you can do if you have problems with your purchase. Some purchases may need to be returned.
•Keep your password private.-Be creative when you establish a password. Avoid using telephone number, date of birth, or part of your identity certificate number.
-If you use a password to log on to your computer, choose a different one to make a purchase.
-Use an unpredictable combination of numbers, letters and symbols.
-Do not give your password to anyone who contacts you, including people who claim to be employees of online services or stores.
•Use the safest way to pay on the Internet.
-Paying by credit card is the safest and quickest way to shop online.
-Don't send cash or use a money-wiring service because you'll never get your money back if something goes wrong.
-For additional security, you can ask your credit card company about getting a "single-use" credit card number that allows you to buy online by using a temporary card number.
•Keep a Record
-Keep records of all your transactions.
-Be sure to print and file a copy of your purchase order and confirmation number for your records, in case you have a problem with your purchase.
-Print out details from the webpage you used, such as date and copy of terms, conditions, warranties, item description, and company information. Save them with your records of your purchase.
-Keep copies of any emails you exchange with the supplier.
•Turn it Off
-When you finished shopping online, turn off your computer.
-Leaving it on all the time is a perfect opportunity for scammers to commit cyber crime by installing harmful software and control your machine.
In a nut shell, online shopping is not that bad as Malaysian imagine. Why don't we try something new and adapt with it since it doesn't harm to us? Let's shop online right now!!
Labels: online shopping
Posted by Tech Alley at 5:40 PM
Sometimes it seems as if the whole world goes out on a Saturday afternoon to shop. Shopping has become more of a hobby to some youths than a practicality. In today's culture where the shopping centre is the main focus of the city, youths are easily drawn into the social aspects of this past time. Experts have anticipated that shopping on the internet will transform the lives of youths, bringing groceries to their front door, booking tickets to see their favourite bands at the touch of a button and choose and pay for a holiday without visiting a travel agent or browsing a brochure once. It all sounds ideal, but why does online shopping comes last in youths’ lists??? It wouldn’t be fair to say that youths aren’t more enthusiastic about adopting new technology. They do too love engaging themselves in new technology but it lacks in the case of online shopping.
From the charts above, Generation Y as in youths simply loves the idea of new technology. Young people are much more likely to utilize these services than their elders, despite the fact that people of all ages use new technology. Part of this is probably due to the fact that the user interface for data services requires a keen eye and a steady hand, something less likely to be found in older people. But it's also a willingness of younger users to adopt new forms of communication. Therefore, it’s an utter shock when researchers found out that youths, despite their love for new technology, do not agree on the term of online shopping. Are there any particular reasons why youths prefer high street or mall shopping instead of online shopping??? Evidently, there are various reasons leading to these findings that are so unlikely to be considered true as follows:-
1) Access to credit card
- Younger youths from age 13-18 find it hard to purchase through the internet without a credit card.
2) Preference for ‘actual shopping’
- Youths enjoy handling merchandises they buy and the fun of hanging out with friends accompanied by their advice of goods’ purchases.
3) Frauds
- When youths uses credit card to pay for the goods they purchased, they run the risk of being conned (unsecured sites).
4) Hidden costs
- Hidden costs like unexpected delivery charges or a product that isn't exactly what youths had in mind may come into picture.
5) Identity theft
- Some sites might use youths’ personal information for marketing purposes resulting in lack of privacy.
6) Item issues
- Some products have no warranty (damaged) or are not returnable. So, purchasers may have to suffer the consequences.
7) Delivery time
- Through online shopping, purchasers have to take extra time before they can receive their products.
WILL ONLINE SHOPPING GROW THROUGH TIME???
As the world adapts itself to the technological advances that have brought people into the next century, youths are growing more and more comfortable with searching for products on the net and shopping online. It is agreed that the online shopping industry is growing in numbers as the years progressed as it is gaining acceptance to youths worldwide.
Youths are on a paradigm shift where they are starting to adopt the behaviours of online shopping. They are starting to realize that online shopping is accessible round the clock. They can buy whatever they want even at 3 a.m. in the morning. They can choose from a wider variety of things available for them to shop which may not be available in the local brick and mortar stores. They also have the benefit to do all from the comfort of their own home.
When youths buy from online store they have the comfort to take their own sweet time while checking for the things of their choice. This will lead them to a simple and quick way to perform price comparison unlike the dissatisfied and hurried shopping they do in the local stores. Below are some proven articles where youths from Asian countries, Singapore are making their way into online shopping where youths are starting to play their part as well instead of the other adopters:-
PROVEN ARTICLES
Tech Alley
Sometimes it seems as if the whole world goes out on a Saturday afternoon to shop. Shopping has become more of a hobby to some youths than a practicality. In today's culture where the shopping centre is the main focus of the city, youths are easily drawn into the social aspects of this past time. Experts have anticipated that shopping on the internet will transform the lives of youths, bringing groceries to their front door, booking tickets to see their favourite bands at the touch of a button and choose and pay for a holiday without visiting a travel agent or browsing a brochure once. It all sounds ideal, but why does online shopping comes last in youths’ lists??? It wouldn’t be fair to say that youths aren’t more enthusiastic about adopting new technology. They do too love engaging themselves in new technology but it lacks in the case of online shopping.
From the charts above, Generation Y as in youths simply loves the idea of new technology. Young people are much more likely to utilize these services than their elders, despite the fact that people of all ages use new technology. Part of this is probably due to the fact that the user interface for data services requires a keen eye and a steady hand, something less likely to be found in older people. But it's also a willingness of younger users to adopt new forms of communication. Therefore, it’s an utter shock when researchers found out that youths, despite their love for new technology, do not agree on the term of online shopping. Are there any particular reasons why youths prefer high street or mall shopping instead of online shopping??? Evidently, there are various reasons leading to these findings that are so unlikely to be considered true as follows:-
1) Access to credit card
- Younger youths from age 13-18 find it hard to purchase through the internet without a credit card.
2) Preference for ‘actual shopping’
- Youths enjoy handling merchandises they buy and the fun of hanging out with friends accompanied by their advice of goods’ purchases.
3) Frauds
- When youths uses credit card to pay for the goods they purchased, they run the risk of being conned (unsecured sites).
4) Hidden costs
- Hidden costs like unexpected delivery charges or a product that isn't exactly what youths had in mind may come into picture.
5) Identity theft
- Some sites might use youths’ personal information for marketing purposes resulting in lack of privacy.
6) Item issues
- Some products have no warranty (damaged) or are not returnable. So, purchasers may have to suffer the consequences.
7) Delivery time
- Through online shopping, purchasers have to take extra time before they can receive their products.
WILL ONLINE SHOPPING GROW THROUGH TIME???
As the world adapts itself to the technological advances that have brought people into the next century, youths are growing more and more comfortable with searching for products on the net and shopping online. It is agreed that the online shopping industry is growing in numbers as the years progressed as it is gaining acceptance to youths worldwide.
Youths are on a paradigm shift where they are starting to adopt the behaviours of online shopping. They are starting to realize that online shopping is accessible round the clock. They can buy whatever they want even at 3 a.m. in the morning. They can choose from a wider variety of things available for them to shop which may not be available in the local brick and mortar stores. They also have the benefit to do all from the comfort of their own home.
When youths buy from online store they have the comfort to take their own sweet time while checking for the things of their choice. This will lead them to a simple and quick way to perform price comparison unlike the dissatisfied and hurried shopping they do in the local stores. Below are some proven articles where youths from Asian countries, Singapore are making their way into online shopping where youths are starting to play their part as well instead of the other adopters:-
PROVEN ARTICLES
THEY ARE CREATING BUZZ ABOUT ONLINE SHOPPING
By Liew Hanqing
LIKE many of her working peers, Miss Shannen Ang, 26, spends most of her time in the office. But the accounts executive also spends almost 20 hours a week on a small online business, where she sells handmade jewellery. The self-confessed shopaholic carefully assembles each piece by hand, photographs her work and uploads the pictures on her blog, where she sells them.
She makes about $100 a month from her blog shop, Sweet Nothings Accessories, which she runs as a hobby. Miss Ang is among an increasing number of small online local retailers who run blog shops, or websites selling personalised items. Some of them will be participating in the E-biz exhibition, an online shopping bazaar tomorrow and Saturday at Singapore Management University's School of Economics and Social Sciences.
The exhibition, a first, aims to raise awareness of the local online shopping scene. Some retailers will be selling their products at the exhibition, in addition to showcasing them. Miss Ang herself will be sponsoring prizes and promoting her creations at the exhibition.
The event's organisers, Miss Hooi Ren Yi and Miss Li Ru, both 19, said they came up with the idea for the exhibition while chatting about a mutual friend who had recently set up an online business selling personalised gifts.
'We felt what he was doing was interesting, but little seems to be known about online shopping here,' said Miss Li. Miss Hooi and Miss Li, both former students of Hwa Chong Institution, decided to organise the exhibition instead of taking up part-time jobs like most of their peers, while waiting to enter university.
Said Miss Li: 'Online shopping here is growing, but the market is still relatively immature. We hope we can heighten awareness of online shopping, especially among those who don't really shop online.'
Miss Hooi added that the allure of small online retailers here is the huge variety of personalised gifts and accessories which are available. 'Also, unlike real-life bazaars, most of the products sold online are accompanied with detailed descriptions,' she said.
SHOWCASING GOODS
Among the items showcased at the exhibition are imported clothes, shoes and organic skincare products. Some 35 online sellers will be showcasing their products at the exhibition.
One of them is Miss Lee Wei Ling, 22, who runs an online handicraft business. Her most popular items include photo frames and handmade flowers. She makes between $50 and $100 a month selling items on her website, which was set up about a year ago.
She said: 'I've always enjoyed making handicrafts, so I decided to start selling them.'
Like Miss Ang, she has a day job in a company selling camping equipment, but devotes her spare time to maintaining her craft website, which her boyfriend helped her set up. She will be manning a booth at the exhibition, showcasing handmade items like crystal gifts, photo frames and keychains.
Visitors to the exhibition will also be able to attend talks on how to set up an online business, how to shop online safely, and how to use the Internet for marketing. With the help of online entrepreneur Shaun Stanislaus Lau, 21, one of the founders of youth lifestyle club nEBO, the organisers managed to secure $5,000 to fund the event.
They hope to attract about 1,000 visitors to the exhibition.
RESOURCES:
They are creating buzz about e-shopping
Study shows youth embracing technology even more than before
Online Shopping - Advantages and Disadvantages
Teenagers and on-line shopping
Labels: online shopping, youths
Posted by Tech Alley at 12:37 PM
Everyone knows about downloading. If you don’t, you must know about someone else who does. Common knowledge says that downloading copyrighted material is illegal and unethical. Peer to peer file sharing programs, the most common method of music downloading today, are easily accessible but blur the lines between copyright and open source and free material.
Different countries have different laws for illegal downloading.
In Canada for example, downloading copyright music from peer-to-peer networks is legal, but uploading those files is not. It is because Canada has imposed fees on recording mediums like blank CDs and similar items. These levies are used to fund musicians and songwriters for revenues lost due to consumer copying. Canada has initially charged this tax on MP3 players, but a recent Supreme Court decision ruled that the law was written in such a way that these players were exempted from the tax.
However in the US, the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act is much stricter and deems copying of copyrighted music (with the exception of making a copy for your own use) as illegal. The U.S. Code protects copyright owners from the unauthorized reproduction, adaptation or distribution of sound recordings, as well as certain digital performances to the public. In more general terms, it is considered legal for you to purchase a music CD and record (rip) it to MP3 files for your own use. Uploading these files via peer-to-peer networks would constitute a breach of the law.
!!!BEWARE !!!
In Malaysia, if you download material illegally from the Internet, be prepared to fork out a minimum fine of RM250,000. The maximum fine for downloading material illegally from the Internet was as high as a whopping RM500,000. It doesn't matter whether it's buying a CD from the street or illegally downloading songs from the Internet. It's still the same as stealing…
Ways to avoid illegal downloading:
1) Read user agreements carefully.
2) Ensure that you’re legal P2P software is not set to share the files you have on your computer.
3) Check the Web sites of the musicians, record companies, or movie studios to see if they allow distribution of their materials on the Internet.
4) When purchasing music, movies, games, software, or other materials, read the license carefully to learn if you have permission to convert materials to other formats for personal use.
5) Don't share or distribute materials unless you have permission.
Sources:
www.dailymail.co.uk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_to_peer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtube
http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4110436.html
Tech Alley
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Everyone knows about downloading. If you don’t, you must know about someone else who does. Common knowledge says that downloading copyrighted material is illegal and unethical. Peer to peer file sharing programs, the most common method of music downloading today, are easily accessible but blur the lines between copyright and open source and free material.Different countries have different laws for illegal downloading.
In Canada for example, downloading copyright music from peer-to-peer networks is legal, but uploading those files is not. It is because Canada has imposed fees on recording mediums like blank CDs and similar items. These levies are used to fund musicians and songwriters for revenues lost due to consumer copying. Canada has initially charged this tax on MP3 players, but a recent Supreme Court decision ruled that the law was written in such a way that these players were exempted from the tax.
However in the US, the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act is much stricter and deems copying of copyrighted music (with the exception of making a copy for your own use) as illegal. The U.S. Code protects copyright owners from the unauthorized reproduction, adaptation or distribution of sound recordings, as well as certain digital performances to the public. In more general terms, it is considered legal for you to purchase a music CD and record (rip) it to MP3 files for your own use. Uploading these files via peer-to-peer networks would constitute a breach of the law.
!!!BEWARE !!!
In Malaysia, if you download material illegally from the Internet, be prepared to fork out a minimum fine of RM250,000. The maximum fine for downloading material illegally from the Internet was as high as a whopping RM500,000. It doesn't matter whether it's buying a CD from the street or illegally downloading songs from the Internet. It's still the same as stealing…
Ways to avoid illegal downloading:
1) Read user agreements carefully.
2) Ensure that you’re legal P2P software is not set to share the files you have on your computer.
3) Check the Web sites of the musicians, record companies, or movie studios to see if they allow distribution of their materials on the Internet.
4) When purchasing music, movies, games, software, or other materials, read the license carefully to learn if you have permission to convert materials to other formats for personal use.
5) Don't share or distribute materials unless you have permission.
Sources:
www.dailymail.co.uk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_to_peer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtube
http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4110436.html
Labels: downloading, Internet
Posted by Tech Alley at 11:21 PM
One of the big issues concerning the music industry is, of course, the revenue loss. In theory, if a person is able to download his or her favourite music off the Internet, that person would not need to purchase the CD at a local music store.
Organizations that support music sharing and downloading however have thrown a wrench into the statistics released by the music industry as they suggest some of these losses are due to a bad economy and fewer "new releases" hitting the market in some of those years. It is obvious that the music industry has to be losing some money due to Internet music file sharing, but finding the exact amount lost due to music downloading isn't so simple. One thing that is for certain however is that the loss affects the industry, the musicians, and even sound technicians, recording studios, and music stores.
What’s the big appeal of the downloaded songs?
**It’s not of a better quality ..
**It doesn't have any hidden extras..
**In fact it has less than a CD.
BUT yet more of us are turning to downloading..
**Is it simply because we cannot be bothered to walk into a shop and look for a CD?
I find that difficult to come to terms with, being as I find music shopping a pleasure and not a chore. Or is it simply because an mp3 is nothing? It just appears as certain numbers on your computer. So technically it can be put anywhere. There isn't a disc or a tape but a memory card which can be stored in a number of devices.
So why download????
I am an illegal downloader. I believe I am not helping the decline of the record industry. I roughly buy two albums a month and own a minidisc player which I download my mp3s onto. If I download an album I usually listen to it up to a month and then buy it if I so wish. I find nothing wrong with this. I believe without illegal downloading I wouldn't have found most of the artists I love and adore today. The real music fan will buy the album for a permanent record despite already having the mp3. Legal down loaders are not willing to do this as they have already paid for their music.
Sources:
www.dailymail.co.uk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_to_peer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtube
http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4110436.html
Tech Alley
One of the big issues concerning the music industry is, of course, the revenue loss. In theory, if a person is able to download his or her favourite music off the Internet, that person would not need to purchase the CD at a local music store.
Organizations that support music sharing and downloading however have thrown a wrench into the statistics released by the music industry as they suggest some of these losses are due to a bad economy and fewer "new releases" hitting the market in some of those years. It is obvious that the music industry has to be losing some money due to Internet music file sharing, but finding the exact amount lost due to music downloading isn't so simple. One thing that is for certain however is that the loss affects the industry, the musicians, and even sound technicians, recording studios, and music stores.
What’s the big appeal of the downloaded songs?
**It’s not of a better quality ..
**It doesn't have any hidden extras..
**In fact it has less than a CD.
BUT yet more of us are turning to downloading..
**Is it simply because we cannot be bothered to walk into a shop and look for a CD?
I find that difficult to come to terms with, being as I find music shopping a pleasure and not a chore. Or is it simply because an mp3 is nothing? It just appears as certain numbers on your computer. So technically it can be put anywhere. There isn't a disc or a tape but a memory card which can be stored in a number of devices.
So why download????
I am an illegal downloader. I believe I am not helping the decline of the record industry. I roughly buy two albums a month and own a minidisc player which I download my mp3s onto. If I download an album I usually listen to it up to a month and then buy it if I so wish. I find nothing wrong with this. I believe without illegal downloading I wouldn't have found most of the artists I love and adore today. The real music fan will buy the album for a permanent record despite already having the mp3. Legal down loaders are not willing to do this as they have already paid for their music.
Sources:
www.dailymail.co.uk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_to_peer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtube
http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4110436.html
Posted by Tech Alley at 10:28 PM
Online dating, a.k.a Internet dating is a dating system which allows individuals, couples and groups to meet online and possibly develop a romantic or sexual relationship.
Internet dating gets attention especially from youths as it is relatively new, but conventional ways of meeting other youths are even more shrill and desperate, if you analyze them. Meeting someone online is just like meeting someone offline. Youths lie, mislead and play games in the real world. Hearing people talk about bad online dating stories makes it sound like they expected everyone online to be honest. Grow up! The world is full of liars. Youths going online expecting things to be any different in cyberspace are kidding themselves. Online dating doesn't just tempt people to lie - it practically compels them to, because otherwise how are they going to get noticed among the dishonest competition?
We, as youths try to meet people at school and university, through friends and relatives, at parties, bars and the list goes on. But yet, so many of us complain that it is hard to meet anyone. That is when online dating comes into the picture. Online dating is one extra option and on the plus side, youths save time and learn some things about people ahead of time. That beats going to a party talking to someone for an hour only to discover a major turnoff. What's nice about online dating is we don't have to dress up and pass visual inspection to go there and enjoy some great conversations. We just have to be ourselves. Period.
A list of pros and cons is just bits and pieces about the whole “online dating” issue. Let’s do practical instead.
Two youths/girls are chatting about online dating.
Miss A : Hey, so how's your hot online date?
Miss B : I think love is in the air! (giggles sofly)
Miss A : Wow, someone's in love. By the way, have you ever met him before?
Miss B : Duh~ It is called online dating, as in not meeting. There is loads of picture. He's dashingly good looking.
Miss A : Helloooo~ wake up! There's a thing called Photoshop, don’t you know?Miss B : ???? (doubts filling her mind)
IMAGINATION
REALITY
Until today, online dating sites are still viewed with skepticism by many people. Simply because people look at this matter from a darker side does not mean that it's negatively true. Why don't we give it a try? Love might be at the end of the line, just waiting for you. Come on, we are youths, no harm in trying. We still have all the time in the world!!!
Other sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/catherine-specter/the-ups-and-downs-of-onli_b_108714.html
http://thestar.com.my/news/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
http://www.answers.com/online%20dating
Tech Alley
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Online dating, a.k.a Internet dating is a dating system which allows individuals, couples and groups to meet online and possibly develop a romantic or sexual relationship.
Internet dating gets attention especially from youths as it is relatively new, but conventional ways of meeting other youths are even more shrill and desperate, if you analyze them. Meeting someone online is just like meeting someone offline. Youths lie, mislead and play games in the real world. Hearing people talk about bad online dating stories makes it sound like they expected everyone online to be honest. Grow up! The world is full of liars. Youths going online expecting things to be any different in cyberspace are kidding themselves. Online dating doesn't just tempt people to lie - it practically compels them to, because otherwise how are they going to get noticed among the dishonest competition?
We, as youths try to meet people at school and university, through friends and relatives, at parties, bars and the list goes on. But yet, so many of us complain that it is hard to meet anyone. That is when online dating comes into the picture. Online dating is one extra option and on the plus side, youths save time and learn some things about people ahead of time. That beats going to a party talking to someone for an hour only to discover a major turnoff. What's nice about online dating is we don't have to dress up and pass visual inspection to go there and enjoy some great conversations. We just have to be ourselves. Period.
A list of pros and cons is just bits and pieces about the whole “online dating” issue. Let’s do practical instead.
Two youths/girls are chatting about online dating.
Miss A : Hey, so how's your hot online date?
Miss B : I think love is in the air! (giggles sofly)
Miss A : Wow, someone's in love. By the way, have you ever met him before?
Miss B : Duh~ It is called online dating, as in not meeting. There is loads of picture. He's dashingly good looking.
Miss A : Helloooo~ wake up! There's a thing called Photoshop, don’t you know?Miss B : ???? (doubts filling her mind)
IMAGINATION
REALITYUntil today, online dating sites are still viewed with skepticism by many people. Simply because people look at this matter from a darker side does not mean that it's negatively true. Why don't we give it a try? Love might be at the end of the line, just waiting for you. Come on, we are youths, no harm in trying. We still have all the time in the world!!!
Other sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/catherine-specter/the-ups-and-downs-of-onli_b_108714.html
http://thestar.com.my/news/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
http://www.answers.com/online%20dating
Labels: online dating, youth
Posted by Tech Alley at 3:26 PM
Youths date. There’s no mistake about it. Whether it’s the girl next door or the muscular jock, youths couldn’t survive without dating phases in their lives. In the old English movie, youths can be seen dating in ice cream parlours, holding each other’s hands and whispering sweet words, blushing shyly. That doesn’t seem to be the case lately. Online dating is the next big thing these days. Blind dates and match makes are so out of the window. Each and every youth out there dates hoping to find their prince charming or long-haired maiden. But is this the case for every one of them? Where do youths, particularly gays and lesbians stand in this so-called dating matter? Worry no more.
There’s not only one but various websites especially for youths, who are gays and lesbians. Such as GayCrawler.com,
an online directory for gay and lesbian youths. There are also websites just dedicated to gays and just for lesbians and sites linking gay and lesbian youths. Through these websites, gays and lesbians can wonder no more whether the guy or girl chatting away happily considers them a potential romantic partner or just a same-sex friend.
‘Computer mediated communication’ has had a particularly dramatic effect on the gay and lesbian youth community,
whose members may live in geographic or psychological isolation. The internet has not only opened the transgression of geographical and temporal boundaries but has also allowed opportunities for political mobilization, identity play, increased anonymity and the meeting of other gays and lesbians youth within the safety and confines of cyberspace. The internet and online dating services have reduced the isolation and fear of gays and lesbians youth which have distressed them for several years now, which accounts them to be early adopters of the internet. Gay and lesbian online users are able to build their own youthful communities without feeling harassed, isolated or fearful from the outside world; it allows them to explore new areas, meet new friends, and have freedom to do what they want with the same kind of people and ultimately be happier. So, discriminate no more. They are also a part of our big happy family in this world.
Top 5 Date-safety Tips for Youth-Lesbians and Gays
1. Trust Your Instincts
Your instincts are your best defense. Trust them. Don't let someone pressure you into something you are not comfortable with, even though you are pretty much in love.
2. Keep Personal Information Personal
Youths are especially vulnerable on the internet. Keep your personal information to yourself by using a screen name instead of your real name. Keep private your address, phone number or links to websites that might have this information.
3. Don't respond to inappropriate emails
Sometimes people just try to get a rise out of you. They might send you something sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate just to see how you will react. The best advice is to ignore the message and block that person from sending you more messages.
4. Stay away from Adult-Only site
There are plenty of good sites for gay and lesbian youths, including the Lesbian Life Forum, which has a nice mix of adults and youths. Enjoy sites that are geared toward youths.
5. Don't be a Loner
Make sure someone knows about the sites you visit and what your online activity is. If you're not out to your parents, tell a close person like a trustable youth-best friend. If your friends have concerns about your internet safety, listen to them.
Sources:
http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Online_Dating_-_Gay/lesbian_Online_Dating
http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/youth/tp/TeenDatingSafe.htm
Tech Alley
Monday, August 4, 2008
Youths date. There’s no mistake about it. Whether it’s the girl next door or the muscular jock, youths couldn’t survive without dating phases in their lives. In the old English movie, youths can be seen dating in ice cream parlours, holding each other’s hands and whispering sweet words, blushing shyly. That doesn’t seem to be the case lately. Online dating is the next big thing these days. Blind dates and match makes are so out of the window. Each and every youth out there dates hoping to find their prince charming or long-haired maiden. But is this the case for every one of them? Where do youths, particularly gays and lesbians stand in this so-called dating matter? Worry no more.
There’s not only one but various websites especially for youths, who are gays and lesbians. Such as GayCrawler.com,
an online directory for gay and lesbian youths. There are also websites just dedicated to gays and just for lesbians and sites linking gay and lesbian youths. Through these websites, gays and lesbians can wonder no more whether the guy or girl chatting away happily considers them a potential romantic partner or just a same-sex friend.‘Computer mediated communication’ has had a particularly dramatic effect on the gay and lesbian youth community,
whose members may live in geographic or psychological isolation. The internet has not only opened the transgression of geographical and temporal boundaries but has also allowed opportunities for political mobilization, identity play, increased anonymity and the meeting of other gays and lesbians youth within the safety and confines of cyberspace. The internet and online dating services have reduced the isolation and fear of gays and lesbians youth which have distressed them for several years now, which accounts them to be early adopters of the internet. Gay and lesbian online users are able to build their own youthful communities without feeling harassed, isolated or fearful from the outside world; it allows them to explore new areas, meet new friends, and have freedom to do what they want with the same kind of people and ultimately be happier. So, discriminate no more. They are also a part of our big happy family in this world.
Top 5 Date-safety Tips for Youth-Lesbians and Gays
1. Trust Your Instincts
Your instincts are your best defense. Trust them. Don't let someone pressure you into something you are not comfortable with, even though you are pretty much in love.
2. Keep Personal Information Personal
Youths are especially vulnerable on the internet. Keep your personal information to yourself by using a screen name instead of your real name. Keep private your address, phone number or links to websites that might have this information.
3. Don't respond to inappropriate emails
Sometimes people just try to get a rise out of you. They might send you something sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate just to see how you will react. The best advice is to ignore the message and block that person from sending you more messages.
4. Stay away from Adult-Only site
There are plenty of good sites for gay and lesbian youths, including the Lesbian Life Forum, which has a nice mix of adults and youths. Enjoy sites that are geared toward youths.
5. Don't be a Loner
Make sure someone knows about the sites you visit and what your online activity is. If you're not out to your parents, tell a close person like a trustable youth-best friend. If your friends have concerns about your internet safety, listen to them.
Sources:http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Online_Dating_-_Gay/lesbian_Online_Dating
http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/youth/tp/TeenDatingSafe.htm
Labels: gays and lesbians, online dating
Posted by Tech Alley at 2:42 PM
Tech Alley