Health Information Technology: Electronic Medical Records Essay

Abstract For years the health care industry has explored methods to improve the way patient information is managed. Electronic medical records were developed to solve many, if not all, issues surrounding paper medical records and the management of patient information. Storage, legibility, accessibility and security of medical records are a few of the areas where electronic medical records excel over paper medical records. Instantaneous access and improved accuracy resulting from electronic medical records can greatly improve a patient’s quality of care, prevent serious harm to patients, and ultimately save lives. Financial aspects play a large role in the implementation of electronic medical records. While there are many cost-saving advantages to electronic medical records, the initial cost of implementation burdens many if not most health care facilities. This burden may prohibit health care facilities from the ability to implement electronic medical records. Overall, physicians and patients agree that electronic medical records will help improve patient care and efficiency. Health Information Technology: Electronic Medical Records For years the health care industry has explored methods to improve the way patient information is managed. Paper medical records are cumbersome and require a lot of storage space and personnel to maintain them. Transferring paper records between health care facilities and professionals is very tedious and time-consuming. To solve many, if not all, issues surrounding paper medical records, electronic medical records were developed. Electronic medical records relieve the issue of large warehouses of storage and tedious transferring of information, as well as many of the other concerns affiliated with paper records. While there are many advantages to electronic medical records, there are also some downfalls, such as the initial cost of implementation and the financial burden this places on healthcare facilities. Storage According to journalist John Csiszar, hospitals and medical facilities have warehouses filled with decades-worth of paper medical records (2012, Storage section, para. 1). Paper medical records not only take up quite a bit of space, they are also not eco-friendly (Csiszar, 2012, Storage section, para. 1). Another drawback of paper medical records is that they deteriorate over time due to paper being degradable and the more a paper record is handled, the faster it deteriorates. This poses major consequences, especially for patients who have chronic medical issues that require multiple reviews of their records. Electronic medical records are far easier to store than paper records. Csiszar states, â€Å"Electronic [medical] records can be stored on computer drives that require much less space and fewer resources to produce† (2012, Storage section, para. 1). Electronic medical records can also be stored and accessed forever, without concern of deterioration, as is associated with paper medical records (Csiszar, 2012, Storage section, para. 1). This is extremely beneficial for health care providers as they are able to review patients’ medical histories repeatedly without risk of deteriorating or damaging records. Legibility It is generally acknowledged that the readability of a hand-written document is dependent upon the penmanship of the writer. Legibility of handwriting varies with the individual. Medical terminology, especially for those unfamiliar with medicine, can be challenging to decipher in paper medical records (Csiszar, 2012, Legibility section, para. 1). This legibility problem can lead to miscommunication among health care providers and grievous errors, which in turn can lead to poor care, harm, and even death of patients. Csiszar notes, â€Å"One of the clear benefits of electronic [medical] records is that typeface is more or less standardized and clear across all records† (2012, Legibility section, para. 1). The clarity provided by electronic medical records saves time for the reader, and time is critical during medical treatment (Csiszar, 2012, Legibility section, para. 1). Improved accuracy resulting from the clarity of communication can prevent serious harm to patients and ulti mately save lives. Access When it comes to accessing a patient’s medical record, paper records are by far the most vexing to retrieve. In order for health care facilities or providers to share patient records with other facilities and providers, paper medical records must be copied and mailed, faxed, or scanned into the computer and emailed (Csiszar, 2012, Access section, para. 1). These processes can be very time-consuming and ultimately affect the outcome of a patient’s condition. Electronic medical records are designed to be easily shared among health care providers, especially providers employed by the same health care company. Electronic medical records can be shared almost instantaneously via electronic transmission or direct access to a computer storage system (Csiszar, 2012, Access section, para. 1). This instantaneous access can greatly benefit a patient’s quality of care, particularly when time is of the essence. Security Both paper and electronic medical records can be problematic when protecting patient privacy. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, three of the most common security risks include: â€Å"(1) the risk of inappropriate access, (2) the risk of record tampering, and (3) the risk of record loss due to natural catastrophes† (2012, para. 2). Risk of Inappropriate Access Regardless of the format of a patient’s medical record, it is always vulnerable to a risk of inappropriate access (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2012, para. 3). For paper medical records, the risk of inappropriate access occurs when individuals gain access to record storage areas, find records left in patient or exam rooms, receive misdirected faxes, or other similar scenarios (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2012, para. 4). The HRSA states, Since access to paper [medical] records implies physical access, securing against inappropriate access is accomplished by segregating records into separate locked storage areas; restricting physical access to storage areas; recording sign in and sign out procedures; and maintaining records handling training and other similar procedures (2012, para. 4). With electronic medical records, inappropriate access takes place in one of two ways: (1) an unauthorized user accesses a patient’s record; or (2) an authorized user violates conditions of the appropriate use policy (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2012, para. 5). According to the HRSA, â€Å"Electronic [medical] records can also be subject to breaches of network security that may allow a hacker to gain access to user credentials and thereby bypass the access control protections† (2012, para. 5). It is important for health care facilities to have strict network access guidelines and security as well as an appropriate use policy that is reviewed by newly hired staff and routinely reviewed by all staff. Risk of Record Tampering Medical records can be manipulated or tampered with in many ways, including changing dates of records, entering fraudulent data, or changing entries. Any individual who has access to a patient’s paper medical record has the ability to remove pages, add or erase entries, or other fraudulent acts (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2012, para. 7). Tracing the origin of altered paper medical records is very difficult and sometimes impossible. Electronic medical records are much more difficult to fraudulently manipulate because the ability to make changes to an electronic record depends on the rights assigned to a specific user. Individuals with privileges to modify data have the ability to add, delete, or change data or entire records (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2012, para. 8). An electronic medical record can also be tampered with by directly accessing information stored on the server using a server account rather than a user account (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2012, para. 8). Fortunately, any access or manipulation to electronic medical records can be tracked and thus is traceable. Identifying the person who may have fraudulently accessed or modified a record is much easier through electronic medical records than through paper medical records. Risk of Loss Due to Natural Catastrophes According to the HRSA, â€Å"Fires, floods or other environmental disasters attack physical locations and can result in the complete loss of both paper and electronic medical records† (2012, para. 9). An advantage to electronic medical records is that they can be continuously backed up to off-site storage. Therefore, the records can always be recovered, even if the physical medical facility is damaged. Financial Aspects In recent years, hospitals nationwide have been faced with immense pressure to implement health information technology systems, such as electronic medical records. According to Jay J. Shen, PhD and Gregory O. Ginn, PhD, CPA, The initiative to implement health information technology has persisted through two administrations. First, during the G.W. Bush Administration, the position of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology was created by executive order in the Department of Health and Human Services. Later, in the B.H. Obama Administration, Congress passed The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (2012, p. 61). The expectation of implementing health information technology is the improvement of hospital performance with regard to cost and quality of care to the consumer and the health care system. The downside of these initiatives is the crushing financial repercussions endured by non-profit hospital systems. Positive Financial Aspects By implementing health information technology, especially electronic medical records, hospitals can reduce the costs associated with quality patient care. Shen and Ginn state, Hospitals should be able to reduce the costs associated with medical errors by identifying harmful drug reactions or possible allergic reactions using the information provided by †¦ [electronic medical records]. Hospitals should also be able to lower costs by facilitating preventative medicine and helping physicians manage patients with complex chronic conditions by utilizing the information provided by †¦ [electronic medical records] (2012, p. 62). Electronic medical records help to increase efficiency and reduce cost by: (1) decreasing the need for medical transcription and physically pulling charts; (2) prompting providers to prescribe generic drugs instead of brand-name drugs; and (3) reducing duplicate diagnostic tests and studies (Shen & Ginn, 2012, p. 62). Electronic medical records contribute to lowered costs while improving the efficiency and quality of care for hospitals, patients, and the entire health care system. Negative Financial Aspects In recent years, only a small percentage of health care facilities have implemented electronic medical records, even though these facilities have the ability to experience substantial cost savings and improvements in quality of care (Shen & Ginn, 2012, p. 62). â€Å"This low rate of adoption is attributed in large part to financial barriers,† states Shen and Ginn (2012, p. 62). Some of the financial barriers contributing to the low adoption rate of electronic medical records include: (1) significant capital requirements; (2) absence of clear evidence showing a positive effect on investment return; (3) high maintenance expenses; and (4) high human resources costs associated with the need for an increased number of information technology staff (Shen & Ginn, 2012, p. 62). Another financial barrier for health care facilities is that although they endure the cost of implementing electronic medical records, the providers and payers experience the financial benefits from the cost sav ings (Shen & Ginn, 2012, p. 62). Physician and Patient Perception of Electronic Medical Records Overall, research shows that electronic medical records have been well-received by the base of physicians and patients affected by their implementation. Sage Healthcare Division, a unit of Sage North America, conducted a study that examined the effect of electronic medical record implementation on physicians and their patients (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 1-2). The study indicated that the majority of patients and physicians have a positive perception of electronic medical records (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 1). Healthcare IT News Staff specify, â€Å"According to the study, patients felt more comfortable with physicians that used †¦ [electronic medical records], and more importantly, felt that the information contained in the medical record was more accurate when they physically saw information being entered electronically† (2011, para. 3). Betty Otter-Nickerson, President of Sage Healthcare Division, noted, â€Å"†¦ [W]e learned †¦ [that] †¦ patients like to see their verbatim information entered into the record as they said it, not as the doctor interpreted it† (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 4). She also noted that patients who participated in the survey said they had greater confidence in providers who used electronic medical records and encouraged their physicians to adopt more connected technologies such as electronic medical records (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 6-7). â€Å"†¦ [D]irect feedback from patients gives providers an opportunity to learn how to improve their practices and their patient relationships,† stated Otter-Nickerson (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 7). Key Findings * Physicians and patients have a positive overall perception of patient care that was documented electronically (62 percent of physicians and 81 percent of patients) (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 5). * Nearly half of patients positively perceived their physician when they were noted to be documenting electronically (45 percent) (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 5). * Over half of physicians find real-time access to patient records to be the biggest benefit of using electronic medical records (60 percent) (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 5). * One of the most important benefits noted by physicians is the ability to easily share information with other physicians, facilities, and payers (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 5). * The majority of patients and physicians agreed that electronic medical records will improve the quality of care in the healthcare industry (78 percent of patients and 62 percent of physicians) (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 5). * Both patients and physicians have concerns about patient privacy and the security of electronic medical records (81 percent of patients and 62 percent of physicians) (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 5). * The most important benefits noted of electronic medical records were: (1) they give physicians real-time access to patient records; (2) they help physicians securely share patient information with other providers; and (3) they help the physician improve the quality of patient care (Healthcare IT News Staff, 2011, para. 5). Conclusion Electronic medical records are a useful tool in improving patient satisfaction, quality of care, and the efficiency of the health care industry. Electronic storage options relieve the burden of large warehouses and the risk of deteriorating repeatedly viewed medical records. Instantaneous access and improved accuracy resulting from electronic medical records can greatly improve a patient’s quality of care, prevent serious harm to patients and ultimately save lives. The ability to easily identify individuals who may have fraudulently accessed or modified a record helps to protect accuracy of records and patient privacy. Although the initial implementation costs of electronic medical records can be quite arduous, the cost-saving benefits will continue to grow. Patients and physicians agree that electronic medical records will improve patient quality and efficiency of care. References Csiszar, J. (n.d.). Paper vs. electronic medical records. Retrieved November 12, 2012, from Chron: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/paper-vs-electronic-medical-records-40354.html Health Resources and Services Administration. (n.d.). What are the privacy and security risks of electronic vs. paper health records? Retrieved November 12, 2012, from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.hrsa.gov/healthit/toolbox/HealthITAdoptiontoolbox/PrivacyandSecurity/securityrisks.html Healthcare IT News Staff. (2011). Study: Patients believe EMRs bring accuracy to their records. Retrieved November 15, 2012, from Healthcare IT News: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/study-patients-believe-emrs-bring-accuracy-their-records Shen, J. J., & Ginn, G. O. (2012). Financial position and adoption of electronic health records: A retrospective longitudinal study. J Health Care Finance, 61-77.

Effective communication Essay

Demonstrating and modelling effective communication skills, whilst dealing with others, contributes to positive relationships. You should take into account the way in which you approach others and in turn how to respond to them. Positive relationships make it much easier to communicate information and are therefore very important. Parents, as well as other adults who come into school, are more likely to be engaged and likely to offer beneficial support if communication is strong, clear and effective; this in turn has a positive effect on pupils. You should always model effective communication skills as it is important for pupils. This means that you should monitor everything you say especially at times of stress or excitement in order to demonstrate to pupils the expectations of the school. It is important to personally maintain the standards of which you expect from students so that they understand boundaries of what is, and isn’t, acceptable. Effective communication is somet hing you have to work at as it does not happen by chance. It is important to think about the way you relate to others and the messages that this sends out. When communication breaks down misunderstandings can occur, this can lead to poor relationships and bad feelings. Read more: Identify the different reasons people communicate  essay TDA 3.1 L O 1.2 Explain the principles of relationship building with children, young people and adults The principles of relationship building with children and adults in any context are that if that if others are comfortable around us, they are much more likely to communicate effectively. People are more likely to avoid communicating with one another if they are suspicious or do not get along with one another. It is important therefore to work on and maintain positive relationships. Relationships are built upon every day in schools. This  happens in many ways, some of which we do without even realising it. Good relationships are formed when the following are taken into consideration: Effective communication – This is the main area in which relationships are developed through the use of different forms of communicating such as: Showing respect It is important to be courteous and respectful, and to listen to others points of view when developing positive relationships. In schools many people have different beliefs and come from different cultures and it is important to respect and acknowledge the views of others and you should learn people’s names and ask them how they would like to be addressed. Being Considerate In schools any child or adult may be under particular pressure and may act or behave out of character. It is important to take the time to think about positions of others and give them the consideration they deserve. Remembering Issues which are personal to them It always helps, when building relationships to inquire about and remember aspects about other people’s lives for example talking to children about their hobbies Taking time to listen to others You should always listen to others, especially if they are asking for help, advice or they need to confide in you. You should always show your interest in what others have to say and use appropriate responses. Being clear on key points Whilst conversing with others and giving them information, you should always make sure that they have understood what you have said. This is because children can easily be distracted away from the main point of the conversation; therefore you should ask them to repeat back to you what it is the child should do. Maintaining a sense of humour Although work in schools is important, you should always try to see the funny side of situations. Laughing is a great way of relieving stress as well as being a great ice breaker. TDA 3.1 L O 1.3 Explain how different social, professional and cultural contexts may affect relationships and the way people communicate Depending on the situation and who with, communication will be adapted to fit the setting. This will most likely be done without thinking, for example in a more formal setting, such as a meeting, you would tend to use a more formal level of language than you would whilst on playground duty with pupils. Schools timetable regular meetings to allow for open communication between colleagues. Schools also have planned communication with other adults and professionals, consisting of meetings and discussions as well as more informal forms of communication. Speech however is not the only form of communication, it is conveyed in the way we respond to others, such as how quick we reply to digital communication (email, text), how attentive we are when talking to someone as well as things like body language and the way we dress. Nov-verbal communication can cause issues however as it can easily be misread. Different cultures have their own ways of speech free communication which include eye cont act and gestures for example in some cultures it is impolite to look someone in the eye when talking to them. TDA 3.1 LO 2.1 Explain the skills needed to communicate with children and young people TDA 3.1 LO 2.3 Explain the main differences between communicating with adults and communicating with children and young people There are lots of similarities, in terms of communication, when dealing with  children, adults and young people such as maintaining eye contact and interest, responding to what they are saying and treating them with respect and courtesy. However, when communicating with children, you need to maintain the relationship, and where relevant their carer. It is also important to be very clear and unambiguous when communicating with children to ensure that they understand exactly what you are saying. It may be a good idea to question children about what you have just said in order to check their comprehension. It is important to communicate what you expect from them as this helps children learn to increase their own communicative skills. Therefore you should pitch your level of vocabulary and verbal expressions to the right level so that all can understand you. It is also detrimental to children’s progression to offer physical contact, such as hugs and holding hands, however if it is not initiated by you personally then it would be wrong to decline. TDA 3.1 LO 2.4 Explain how to adapt communication to meet different communication needs of adults It is important that you are attentive with adults and approach them with sensitivity, particularly if they have difficulties communicating. You will most likey adapt the way in which you communicate accordingly to the situation, without even realising it, Whilst communicating with someone who has a hearing impairment for example, you would ensure that you face them and speak slowly and clearly, whilst keeping eye contact, in order for them to lip-read. Schools often need to communicate with parents/carers/guardians and do this via text, email or letter. This format is effective as it is instant and is easily accessible fpr most people. In my practical setting they do offer their newsletters and such in other languages so parents and such may still get relevant information in a format that they can then read and understand. They would also bring in a translator for one to one meetings with parents when required so face to face interaction can still take place and both  parties can communicate effectively. TDA 3.2 L O 2.5 Explain how to manage disagreements with children, young people and adults Disagreements in work are commonplace, and most of the time they are due to miscommunication or lack there of. These can cause bad feelings on both sides if not dealt with appropriately. Adults can misread or perceive information in a way which was not meant. Disagreements can occur when we blame others for saying things that may be ambiguous or for having varying opinions on matters. Where conflict takes place, it is important to show sensitivity and must try to resolve the problem with haste. This is because the longer a problem persists, the more difficult it is to resolve. It is important not to be drawn into conflict with a child or young person, and situations such as this need to be dealt with carefully, it may be good practice to alert another member of staff in order to seek advice to remedy the problem. Poor communication Conflict can often occur in line with miscommunication, This may be because: ââ€"  letters have not been passed on by parents or children ââ€"  there is a lack of time ââ€"  there has been a misunderstanding. In order to resolve issues of poor communication, you should discuss the problem in order to find the cause and then find a resolution together. Never just ignore the problem or talk about the problem to everyone but who the problem concerns. Opposing expectations Adults may often not have the same ideas about the purpose of an activity or meeting, or have a diï ¬â‚¬erent idea in mind. Aims should always be made clear about what you are there to do and why. Different values and ideas Parents and schools often have different attitudes and expectations. Conflict can often occur when a child is told to do two contrasting things. This can be resolved by working alongside parents. External factors Whilst working in a school it is important to keep in mind that people may have issues at home or other such pressures, which may affect the way they communicate. Once you have made a good personal relationship with someone, it is likely you will notice changes in their behaviour and you are able to ask if there is a problem and if you can assist them with anything. Lack of confidence Adults often act with aggression when they are unsure in what they are doing or lacking in confidence. This may come across as a personal attack however it is due to their perception of themselves and their own abilities. It would be wise to be sensitive and offer encouragement and support. Research 3.1 Adults who work with children in any setting need to have some idea about current legislation, as this will aï ¬â‚¬ect their practice. There is an increased awareness of how important it is to recognise the uniqueness of each child and have respect for their human rights. Legislation is an area which is constantly under review and you will need to keep up to date through reading relevant publications. Every Child Matters (England 2005) based on the Children Act 2004 This Green Paper stresses the importance of more integrated services and sharing of information between professionals. It came into being aer the tragic case of Victoria Climbià ©, when there was no communication between health and social workers. Data Protection Act 1998 In schools we ask parents and carers for a variety of information so that we are able to care for children as eï ¬â‚¬ectively as we can while they are with us. However, we can only ask for information which is directly relevant – for example: ââ€"  health or medical information ââ€"  records from previous schools ââ€"  records for children who have special educational needs. This is conï ¬ dential information and must be used only for the purpose for which it  was gathered. If the information needs to be passed on to others for any reason, parental consent will need to be given. This usually involves parents signing a consent form. Key term Conï ¬ dential information – information that should only be shared with people with a right to have it, for example, your teacher, your line manager or an external agency Under the Data Protection Act 1998, any organisation which holds information on individuals needs to be registered with the Data Protection Commission. This is designed to ensure that conï ¬ dential information cannot be passed on to others without the individual’s consent. There are eight principles of practice which govern the use of personal information. Information must be: ââ€"  processed fairly and lawfully ââ€"  used only for the purpose for which it was gathered research 3.2 When you are party to gathering information, whatever this is, you may sometimes be in a position where you need to reassure others about the fact that it is conï ¬ dential. If you attend meetings or need to be told about conï ¬ dential items, you should make sure that you let others know your obligations. In most cases, parental consent would need to be given before any information about children can be shared with other professionals. However, if there are any issues to indicate that the child is at risk from harm or abuse, or if there is a legal obligation placed on the school to disclose information, this can be done (see the following case study). There may also be cases where information on pupils needs to be accessible to all staï ¬â‚¬, for example, where pupils have speciï ¬ c medial conditions such as asthma or epilepsy. In this case there should be an agreed system within the school for making sure that all staï ¬â‚¬ are aware of these pupils. There may also be case s where information on pupils needs to be accessible to staï ¬â‚¬ who need to know – for example, where pupils have speciï ¬ c medial conditions such as asthma or epilepsy. In this case there should be an agreed system within the school for making sure that staï ¬â‚¬ who are in contact with the pupils are aware of their condition.

Discuss the relationship between The Lottery and Hands stories Essay

Discuss the relationship between The Lottery and Hands stories - Essay Example In the story titled ‘The Hands’ by Sherwood Anderson the reader is introduced the character of Wing Biddlebaum and the incidents in his life which led to prolonged psychological trauma and resulted in him retreating from society at large. Once a passionate and dedicated teacher, Adolph Myers was accused of molesting the young boys under him because of the false testimony of one of the boys. He was forced to run away from his town by an angry mob and change his name. While the pace of these two stories and the style in which each author unrolls the main plot are very different, they share some stark similarities in the intended object matter and societal lessons. The reader in both cases is forced to think about the concepts like rights of the individual, the justice of the situation and the impact of rigid society standards and conformism. To examine this thesis, we can first compare the climax of each story, the violence that took place and the conclusions that can be reached by examining those. In The lottery, the violence comes at the very end- it is sudden, unexpected for the reader but fully acceptable for the characters. The crowd is comprised of families who are on good terms with each other; the children play together and the adults indulge in general conversation before the lottery begins. Yet once the result is announced none of them have any compulsion about stoning an innocent woman, who they know well, in the name of keeping tradition. ‘Old Man Warner was saying, "Come on, come on, everyone." Steve Adams was in the front of the crowd of villagers, with Mrs. Graves beside him.’ (Jackson, p.21). The old lead the young in the violence and every one participates wholeheartedly. It is all very dispassionate and systematic (the children had already collected the stones) and no one thinks of raising any objections or listening to the woman’s pleas. The violence in ‘The hands’ is much more in line with the expectations the word

Hostage Negotiations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hostage Negotiations - Research Paper Example The actual negotiation period may take hours or even days to bring the situation to a positive conclusion. Discussion of the hostage-takers, negotiators and techniques used are given in the following information. First of all there may be many circumstances involved in why a hostage situation takes place. Some examples include 1. A situation of a desperate mother or father who locks themselves in with their own child. 2. It could be a bank robber disturbed and having financial problems. 3. Or it may be a terrorist situation that has taken hostages in return for demands being met. In any hostage situation, however, there are differing circumstances. There may be more than one hostage, or there may be more than one hostage-taker, or the situation could be planned or just a last minute desperate attempt to have their demands met. In any of these situations it is the negotiator who must control the situation using his skills to bring the situation to a prompt conclusion and a positive ou tcome. The hostage-taker has little choice in the outcome once the situation escalates. He can either â€Å"kill hostages or release them, kill himself or be killed by a shoot out, negotiate a way out (which is seldom done), or give themselves up.† Most major incidents that law enforcement deal with involving hostages are less than 20 percent and most are resolved with no loss of life. It has been proven in critical situations that negotiation strategies produce a 95 percent success rate in concluding a hostage situation without fatalities of neither hostages nor hostage-takers. The hostage-taker’s role in the situation is to have his demands met by using people as a bargaining chip. So when the police arrive the first thing they do is to find out as much as possible about the hostage-taker and why he has taken a hostage or hostages. The hostage-taker may be emotionally or mentally disturbed. The specific reason for the hostage taking may be illogical to the negotiator but it may make perfect sense to the hostage-taker. In cases such as these the hostage is usually related to the hostage-taker and normally its some type of domestic dispute. In most cases, this is the type of situation that police officers face in hostage situations. In other situations innocent bystanders are used as â€Å"human shields† to protect the hostage-taker from the police. This type of situation is normally unplanned and just a panic reaction of a caught criminal situation. The most extreme hostage situations are terrorist situations, which are always planned. From the very beginning it is the plan of the hostage-takers to use the lives of the hostages to achieve their specific goals. The participants in these types of situations are usually radical political groups, terrorists, or other extreme activists. Another form of hostage crisis is kidnapping, but in this type of situation the hostage taker uses other means to communicate their demands. Therefore, a negot iator is not necessarily needed. Lt.. Schmidt of the Cheektowaga Police Department in Cheektowaga, NY says, regardless of the situation, basic technique is the same. â€Å"You work to build a rapport and encourage them to bring about a peaceful conclusion. The same techniques are

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

International Business - Essay Example The demands and supply in the international market determines the exchange rate of world major currencies. The supply of a nation currency reflects demands for foreign goods services and securities by that country. The demand of a currency of a country reflects foreign demand for that country goods, services and securities from other countries. Ceteris Paribus, the quantity demanded reflects a negative function of the exchange rate. The market gravitates to equilibrium exchange rate where quantity demanded is equal to the quantity supplied. For instance, Ceteris Paribus, from initial equilibrium, if U.S incomes, inflations or foreign interests’ rates rise, U.S demand for foreign goods, services and securities will increase and so will the supply of dollar. The market will gravitate to the new equilibrium at a lower exchange rate that corresponds to the depreciation of the dollar (Bigman and Teizo 2003, p. 88). Similarly, Ceteris Paribus, if foreign incomes, foreign inflations, or U.S interest rates rise, foreign demands for U.S goods, services and securities will rise and so will be the demand for the dollar. The market will gravitate to a new equilibrium at a higher exchange rate that corresponds to an appreciation of the dollar. ... However, it is worth to note that market forces are not the only factors that influence the exchange rate. In addition, Central Bank may intervene in the foreign exchange market selling or buying currencies to impact the exchange rates. Central bank intervenes when the currency becomes either over or under valued. This system is distinctively different from the fixed exchange rate system under the Breton woods accord. Therefore, it is interesting to note that the present international monetary system can be characterized more correctly as a managed float exchange rate system. This is because the exchange rates changes according to demand and supply, however, central bank may intervene when deemed necessary to save the currency (Burton 2009, p.436). Opponent of Floating exchange rate system argues that’s the system leads to exchange rate volatility which consequently affects trade. Analysis of the effect of exchange rate volatility on trade can be grouped into two. There are th ose who use time series evidence to look at the relationship between volatility and trade, and there are those who use cross- sectional comparison across countries. Results on different studies relating to effect of exchange rate volatility and trade using the time series evidence varies quite widely a few have found a significant effect but most finds little or no impact, for instances surveys done by IMF in 1984 and the Commission for European Communities in 1990. This research indicates that higher volatility has a small negative impact on trade volumes (Burton 2009, p.438). Alternatively, comparisons can be made across countries rather than over time. A model of expected trade flows between countries calculates

Researched Thematic Analysis All in the Timing by David Ives Essay

Researched Thematic Analysis All in the Timing by David Ives - Essay Example too Also significant to remember is that it there are usually several themes in an artistic work, all tightly woven together and inter-related--some minor--some major. David Ives (b. 1950) attended Northwestern University where he began writing plays. He produced his first play, Canvas, in New York City with the Circle Repertory Company. He later took on a job as an editor of Foreign Affairs and eventually studied drama at Yale University's School of Drama, where he received his MFA. He is known for many successful plays including, All in the Timing, Words, Words, Words, Sure Thing, and Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread. His latest play, Don Juan in Chicago, received the Outer Critic's Circle's John Gassner Playwriting Award and a Drama Desk nomination for outstanding play. Ives also received the 1994 George and Elizabeth Martin David Ives' All in the Timing is a contradictory and even absurd comedy encompassing six acts. The first selection is entitled Sure Thing. It is a chronicle of the possibilities that exist when two people try to have a cup of coffee together. It starts with the question "is that seat taken" with responses starting with "yes, I'm waiting for someone" to "no, have a seat." It takes a few moments to become comfortable with the switching of scenes but it is eerily mesmerizing to watch the scene unfold and recognize that you yourself have been in that exact position. (Samudrala ||, 2005) The second selection, Trotsky, is about Leon Trotsky. He has a mountain climber's axe smashed/buried into his skull by his communist gardener, Ramon, the day before, yet he remembers nothing. His ice pick phobia is the focus of this act, but it is the mountain climber's axe that does him in. The weird part (yes, something weirder that an ice pick fetish) is that his wife comes in the room with an encyclopedia from the 1990s (the play is set in 1940s) to inform him that the book says he is going to die today. The third selection, Philadelphia, is interesting. It takes place in a coffee shop where the various inhabitants are stuck in different "cities" or states of mind. The person in a Los Angeles is perpetually carefree and doesn't get upset that his wife left him, or that he just lost his job. The person in a Chicago feels worse than dead, and the person in a Philadelphia gets exactly the opposite of what he asks for. The person in the Los Angeles explains everything to the person in the Philadelphia so he finally learns to ask for the opposite of what he wants. Unfortunately, the person in the Los Angeles gets sucked into the other person's Philadelphia and he finally feels the pain of losing his job and wife.The fourth selection is called English Made Simple. It involves a man and a woman at a party who are demonstrating language for the labcoat-wearing-maybe-psychologist person also on stage. Sure Thing, when a variety of possible outcomes were presented. (Schmidt, 205) The fifth selection is called Words, Words, Words. It is a bizarre look into the lives of three monkeys

Business proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business proposal - Essay Example This industry is being supported by the economic situation: the rise in real wages and growing food expenditure (Morrison). The European for Reconstruction and Development revised the growth projections for Russia increasing them by slightly above 0.3% and considering this change there is the need to increase production of processed food products in the market. Serovic Stores Inc. Russia is a mainstream food store in Russia and could do better-adding food and poultry products to its shelves. Sourcing these products from the Shuka Food Processors Co. LTD would allow the store to provide more products. These are new to the Russian market and beat the competition by having the healthiest and most delicious range of products gracing their shelves. The purpose of Shuserovis Food Processors Company limited to start the partnership to conquer the Russian processed food market. Consequently, it is in order to make an impact in the rich Russian market Shuka Food Processors Co. LTD needs Serovic Stores Inc. The investment in this lucrative venture would be a significant success for both companies that couple together. The partnerships are to come up with an enterprise for food production in Moscow to serve the Russian market. There market gap is owing to the increasing demand for food in China due to population growth, hence reducing the export of food products to Russia (Schweitzer). Currently, it means that the Russian economy has an additional order of about 15000 tons per year. The production capabilities of agricultural produce, in this case, is in the approximation of 35000tons per year, and approximately 75% of the total raw material will be from the Russian farmers.The projection of Investment benefits is 40.2million USD per year. Shuserovis Food Processors Company limited, require introducing new processed food products to the Russian market to beat the competition and to earn profits. The

Aspects of Japanese uniqueness (history, culture, economics, etc) Essay

Aspects of Japanese uniqueness (history, culture, economics, etc) - Essay Example The major changes include the increased participation of women in paid work, the reduction of family size and the replacement of rural with urban lifestyles. The prosperity of Japan covers the discrimination and the unequal wealth distribution, which is channeled at some Groups. This paper will explore the uniqueness of Japan, including its culture, historical events and the country’s economics. One aspect of Japan’s unique history and economics can be traced to the introduction of many reforms, primarily by the Americans. One of the crucial areas of the reform agenda was that of women’s rights, where men and women were declared equals, followed by the women suffrage of 1946 and the promotion of education for women.2 Examples of the changes emanating from the reforms included the formation of 26 women’s universities, as well as the employment of 2,000 female police officials. In 1947, there was the passage of the equal pay policy. These policy changes and the reforms that emanated from them made the reconstruction of the Japanese economy and its production facilities faster than those of other countries that were left behind in the area.3 For example, instead of depending on the labor input of men to rebuild its infrastructure and to grow the national economy, Japan relied on the input of its male and female populations: the huge laborforce enabled it t o advance faster than other national economies. The unique historical changes of Japan and its economy can also be traced to the reduction of family size, which became evident during the 1950s, following a change of attitudes towards the family system and marriage.4 The changes included getting into marriage late, working prior to marriage, and giving birth to fewer children, so that they can remain actively involved in employment among other lines of productivity. The reduction in the size of the family – where many of the marriages are arranged and the women are

Men and women have equal pay. Discuss Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Men and women have equal pay. Discuss - Essay Example Recognising the biased nature of the wage situation, several attempts have been made on the part of the UK government and other equal-rights organisations to remove the inequality, but limited progress has been made until now. Rather, the situation persists despite the fact that laws have been passed to discourage this practice1. Theories for the existence and persistence of this problem are many. Some blame the lower level of education or other kind of training possessed by women; others to the willingness of women to accept initial wage offers. Still others attribute the wage gap to problems in the labour market or to the alternate responsibilities of women as mothers or child-carers. Whatever the reason: occupational segregation, sex discrimination, or other; it is evident that even today the labour market is constructed in a way that allows women to be poorly paid for a job that they do as well as the men who work alongside them. One study describes wage discrimination as stemming from the â€Å"crowding [of] women into a limited range of occupations† (Walby and Olsen, 2002, p. 41). This is also known as occupational segregation. Women have made great strides in the working world since their general entrance into the workforce, which occurred only recently. However, they still have much to do in order to be considered on the same level as men. In the British Virgin Islands, poverty â€Å"has been especially associated with female headed households because of the concentration of women in lower paying jobs† (Status of Women, 2005). This type of â€Å"crowding† is typical all over the United Kingdom. Women are forced into menial or low-skilled jobs, largely because many do not possess the education or skill to fill higher positions. This is especially true of older women, who lived in a generation where women were much less likely to attain higher levels of education. As a result, women fi nd themselves in general receiving less money than

Definition of fallacy Essay Example for Free

Definition of fallacy Essay The author tries to distract the audience from the original issue by bringing up related but irrelevant issues. Usually the evidence can be used to support a closely related or similar conclusion. Explanation The author is placing information within the article that is irrelevant to the case. He is talking about Mr. Iqbal and the fact he is seeking discovery, which is likely to be critical for his claims to go forward. And then talking about how the government officials aren’t involved, intercepts. Mr. Iqbal is the center of this article, and everything within it is not entirely about him. They deter and talk about how the Bush administration is arguing that these government officials are innocent. â€Å"The issue in the Supreme Court is whether these high-ranking officials are protected from having to answer questions of this kind. The Bush administration argues that the officials were not sufficiently involved in the detention policies to be responsible for them. It also maintains that if top government officials were required to comply with such discovery requests, it would interfere with their ability to do their jobs. † Argument in Standard Form Point One: Bush administration insists the officials are not really involved. Point Two: That complying with discovery requests would interfere with their ability to do their jobs. So, the Bush administration should not give a feeble excuse for the government officials to get out of the discovery requests. 2. Name of fallacy Slippery Slope Definition of fallacy When the conclusion rests on an alleged chain reaction, and there is not sufficient reason to think that the chain reaction will actually take place. Explanation of fallacy Here, one is jumping from one thing to another on what may or has happened. What’s to say it will happen again? People can change; people can learn from their mistakes and never commit such a thing again. â€Å"The construction state is in some respects akin to the military-industrial complex in cold-war America (or the Soviet Union), sucking in the country’s wealth, consuming it inefficiently, growing like a cancer, and bequeathing both fiscal crisis and environmental devastation, commented Gavan McCormack, a professor at the Australian National University. The stimulus plans had the opposite effect of what was expected. Appalled at the country’s new deficits, Japanese consumers closed their wallets. † Argument in Standard Form Point One: The construction state is akin to the military-industrial complex in cold-war America (or the Soviet Union). Point Two: The stimulus plans had the opposite effect of what was expected. So, we should not outright assume things will repeat as they did in the past before anything has even been tried. 3. Name of fallacy Straw Man Definition of fallacy Ignores an actual position and presents a distorted, oversimplified or misrepresented version to make it easier to attack. Explanation of fallacy The author is saying that while the financial chaos has ruined sleep, our physical and human capital is unscathed? What does that mean? It’s a distorted message. Then the fact they talk about if it hasn’t changed, we haven’t suffered any capital loss. What if we have suffered some capital loss and the government simply will not let the public know about it? â€Å"This financial chaos has ruined our sleep but left our physical and human capital unscathed. We have the same productive capacity today we had a year ago. And if our capital hasn’t changed, we’ve suffered no overall capital loss. † Argument in Standard Form Point One: Financial chaos has ruined our sleep but has left our capital unscathed. Point Two: Since we have the same productive capacity today we had a year ago, we should have suffered no capital loss. So, financial chaos happened. It affected us in more ways than one. That’s it.

Transportation In Malaysian Context

Transportation In Malaysian Context Unlike most other Asian cities, driving is the main mode of commuting in Kuala Lumpur. Hence, every part of the city is well connected by highways. As the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur has a comprehensive road network that leads to the rest of Peninsular Malaysia. Public transport in Kuala Lumpur and the rest of the Klang Valley covers a variety of transport modes such as bus, rail and taxi. Based on the article Prasarana to buy trains worth RM1.2bil by The Star in 2006, despite efforts to promote usage of public transportation, utilisation rates are low as only 16 percent of the population used public transportation. Rail transport in Kuala Lumpur encompasses light rail, rapid transit, monorail and commuter rail. Kuala Lumpur is served by three separate rail systems which meet in the city and extend towards other parts of the Klang Valley, namely RapidKL Light Rail Transit, KL Monorail, and KTM Komuter. These lines have underground, elevated or at-grade stations around the city. The main rapid transit hub is KL Sentral which facilitates as an interchange station for the rail systems. RapidKL is the operator of two light rail lines in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley, namely Ampang Line and Kelana Jaya Line which connect Kuala Lumpur to its satellite city, Petaling Jaya. The issue of what transport system in Kuala Lumpur City Centre and Petaling Jaya has today is, people are too lazy. They are lazy to walk so they decided to park their car as close as they can to their destination. They are lazy to find car parks so they park at road shoulders, causing congestion to the drivers and also an obstacle for pedestrians and cyclists. They are lazy to walk a few miles to the nearest LRT station to go to city centre and opt to go there by car instead, despite the massive traffic especially during early morning and late evening. But they are okay with it. Because no matter how they said they hate the traffic, they would still go out using their cars, and put up hours on the road, wasting precious times. So why would these people, simply put up with the traffic that they hate so much and deceiving the fact that they have the multi-million Ringgit worth of PUTRA LRT, which is one of the most advanced rapid transit systems in the world, and at the time of construction was the worlds longest driverless metro. Because if they travel with LRT, it may not stop approximately at their destination. Theres this term, faced by the LRT users, which are called first mile and last mile. And Malaysian hates this. So they prefer to sit in their little air-conditioned steel boxes which move slower than a bike during peak hours. Because of peoples love for their cars, finding a solution to the question of access to these buildings, to avoid being surrounded by a sea of parked cars, is therefore an important part of the problem. According to Brian Richards in his book Future Transport in the cities (1960), he summed up the approaches that being used towards dealing with traffic problems in the cities by the authorities. These approaches are: There is a serious and effective grass roots opposition in most countries to more urban road-building on the basis that more roads mean more traffic. Within residential areas there has been the development of traffic calming and town yards. Controls on parking within city centres has effectively reduced and controlled the amount of traffic entering cities. Planning laws are banning more out of town shopping centres or random car-oriented developments. Public transport has been maintained and improved, without which any of the other measures would be effective. Although these measures were introduced, there are problems with the continuing growth of cars, the political strength of car lobby and the desire for people to own and use their own cars. In this selfish world, people love their cars. It gives them a retreat from the real world which partly accounts for their popularity. It provides them with a degree of comfort and privacy for the user, which public transportation did not have. It allows the user to go straight to their destination without having the hassle to change stations or switch mediums like public transportations do. As a result, these cars caused the most problems to city life. It is now that alternative ways must be sought to provide transportation systems that are good enough for people to opt out for it and leave their cars for major trips like going back to their kampung and road trips. Another reason that makes people opt for cars is the lack connectivity of LRT in Petaling Jaya area. Realising the problem, the Government of Malaysia is now working on a Malaysia Rapid Transit project. The proposal was announced in June 2010 and was approved by the government of Malaysia in December 2010. The newly-launched Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) will oversee and coordinate the entire MRT development in terms of cost and viability, alignment and integration, and will play the role of regulator once the project is completed. National infrastructure company, Syarikat Prasarana Negara would ultimately own and operate the MRT. A First Class Land Public Transport System Contributes to Social and Economic Development Historical data in Malaysia and around the world indicates a correlation between GDP and mobility growth increased population, employment and economic activity always translate into higher mobility requirements. In this context, a first class land public transport system is especially important given our immediate aims as outlined in the ETP: 6 per cent annual growth and 3.3 million new jobs by 2020. Travel vehicle demand grew from 13 million trips per day in 1991 to 40 million in 2010. Projections point towards this trend continuing in Malaysia, with the figure expected to reach a staggering 133 million in 2030.With urbanization expected to reach 70 per cent by 2020, there is a need to enable an efficient and smooth flow of people, which in turn also enables the growth of new urban areas through increased connectivity. Beyond satisfying a growing demand, land public transport plays a catalytic role in accelerating and shaping economic growth. Provision of effective public transport services has the potential of opening up new growth clusters, enhancing the attractiveness of existing clusters, and driving urban revitalization. And there are other positive spill-over effects of increased economic activity built upon an advanced land public transport network it yields employment and business opportunities in local economies by having synergies with other industries like advertisement, retail and property development. Malaysia has seen a surge in ownership of cars and motorcycles across the country, which is an indication of our countrys increased prosperity, but although private vehicles contribute to the mobility solution, sustainable and inclusive social and economic development cannot be overly dependent on private vehicles. As a general rule, public transportation is more affordable and mitigate traffic congestion as well as the attendant pollution problems caused by private vehicles on the road. All this puts tremendous pressure on the land public transport system to meet the mobility and connectivity requirements closely linked to the social and economic development agenda. Public Transport Masterplan which was being proposed recently. MY Rapid Transit (MRT) is a proposed three-line Mass Rapid Transit system in the Klang Valley. The MRT will be integrated with the LRT, Monorail, KTM Komuter and intra/ intercity buses and will help alleviate traffic congestion by increasing the number of people using public transport in the city centre. When operational, the system targets to carry 400,000 commuters daily. In 2020, it is estimated that the population in the Klang Valley will grow from the current 6 million to 10 million. This means that if every single trip is on private transport, the roads in the Klang Valley will be in gridlock. An effective public transport system is the only solution to this as it can move people in masses and it has an optimal usage of space to carry the same number of people. Rail-based public transport, such as the MRT, LRT or commuter train, always forms the backbone of a citys public transport system as it can carry large numbers of people and can move people quickly because it is not hindered by road traffic. Klang Valley currently has a shortage of rail-based public transport coverage compared with most public transport-oriented cities. It has less than 20km per million population. Public transport-oriented cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong and London have more than 40km of rail per million population. With the MRT, it will boost the rail-based public transport coverage in Klang Valley significantly. The first line of this project is the Sungai Buloh Kajang Line (SBK Line), which stretches 51km and have 31 stations. The line will pass through the city centre and will serve densely populated suburban areas including Kota Damansara, Mutiara Damansara, Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Bukit Damansara, Cheras, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn and Balakong, with a total catchment population of 1.2 million people. Out of the 31 stations, 16 stations will be equipped with Park and Ride facilities: Sungai Buloh Maluri Pusat Bandar Damansara Kota Damansara Taman Bukit Mewah Bandar Tun Hussein Onn Taman Industri Sungai Buloh Plaza Phoenix Taman Koperasi Taman Tun Dr Ismail Taman Suntex Saujana Impian Seksyen 16 Taman Cuepacs Kajang Works on the MRT SBK line has begun in July 2011 and is expected to be completed by 2017. The Klang Valley MRT will not only significantly increase the current inadequate rail network but will also serve to integrate the existing rail networks and expectantly alleviate the severe traffic congestion in the Greater KL metropolitan area. The new MRT system is to radically improve and transform Kuala Lumpurs poor and sorely inadequate public transportation coverage and to propel the Greater Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area to be on par with that of a developed city. The new lines will increase Greater Kuala Lumpurs rapid rail network from 15 km per million people in 2010 to 40 km per million people once completed. The proposal also envisages a fivefold increase in rail ridership, in line with the governments target for public transport usage in the Klang Valley of 40% by 2020 from 18% in 2009. The Red Line will go from Damansara in the northwest to Serdang in the southeast of Kuala Lumpur, While the Green Line will be from Kepong in the northeast to Cheras in the southwest. Bot h lines will pass through the city of Kuala Lumpur and converge at the Dataran Perdana (Kuala Lumpur International Financial District) near Jalan Tun Razak. The underground MRT Line 2 looping around the city of Kuala Lumpur will serve an important role to tie-up and integrate the currently disjointed LRT and monorail lines. Under the Greater KL/ Klang Valley Land Public Transport Master Plan draft, MRT 2 would cater for orbital movements around Kuala Lumpur, provide linkages to existing areas such as the Mid Valley, Mont Kiara, Sentul Timur and Ampang, as well as proposed major developments identified in the DBKL City Plan such as Matrade. The master plan draft says the circle line would be developed in at least two phases The first, comprising 29km with 22 stations would be the western and southern sections linking Ampang with Mid Valley, Matrade and Sentul. The second phase (12km with 8 stations) would link Ampang with Sentul Timur, completing the northeastern sector of the circle line. The master plan also says MRT 3 or the north-south (NS) line would cater for a north-west corridor of the Greater Klang Valley, linking developing areas such as Sungai Buloh, Kepong and Selayang with the eastern half of the city centre (including Kampung Baru and Kuala Lumpur International Financial District), which was forecast to be overloaded in the future. Sustainably Enhancing Connectivity Public transport has an important role to play in Malaysias aspirations to develop holistically and sustainably. As populations in urban centres get denser, the problems of congestion and pollution will rise. Proper planning of public transport and land-use are essential to mitigate the ill-effects of population growth in urban areas and to make city-life a pleasant, healthy and environmentally sustainable one. Under the Final Draft of Malaysias National Land Public Transport Masterplan, chapter 3.7 ABOUT BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE states that policy 3.7.1 is to promote healthy living. One of the indirect benefits of using land public transport systems is that they indirectly promote healthier lifestyles. This is because when the public transportation hubs are well connected, the first and last miles of a public transport users journey are typically travelled by foot, rather than in a car or on a motorcycle. The stretch between the public transport station and the users origin or destination is crucial to reduce the barrier of using public transport in the first place. †¢ Pedestrian facilities improvement to bus stops and railway stations will be encouraged as part of the local authority development plans. Walking structures should be defined around transit stops to increase the convenience of those locations. To enhance the accessibility of KLà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s public transport network, a target has been set of having 75 per cent of the population live within 400 meters of a public transport stop. In addition to ensuring ease of access to the major transport nodes for pedestrians, fitting in cyclist-friendly infrastructure such as bicycle parking facilities and bicycle lanes will make it easier and more attractive for people to ride to the stations or interchanges. It will also increase the catchment area of these bus interchanges or rail stations as people living further away would not be put off by having to walk a distance to take public transport. policy 3.7.1 : Final Draft of Malaysiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s National Land Public Transport Masterplan First, lets take Singapore as a reference in terms of public transportation usage and connectivity. It is easy to take Singapore as a reference to this study because of its climate is the same as Malaysia and taking Kuala Lumpur City Centre and Petaling Jaya as a place of study, it is almost similar to Singapore in terms of urbanization. Then again, how did Singapore able to encourage their people to use their public transportation? Although the approach of Singaporean government is not through cycling, however, it is still beneficial to review their integrated transport system and compare with our own transportation system. In terms of connectivity, public transportation in Singapore is highly connected all over its main town to its suburbs. Since Singapore is a small town with a high density of population, it is possible to do so. Furthermore, because of its size, it is possible to enforce restrictions on private car ownership this, curbing congestion and pollution. To own a car, one must pay duty one and a half times the market value and bid for a Singapore Certificate of Entitlement which comes in very limited numbers. Therefore, according to Singapores department of statistics, only 1 very 10 people own a car. Within the absence of private cars, Singaporeans seems to live normally and manage their time effectively, to catch up with the public transportations schedule. Singaporeans usually travels either by bus, taxis, trains, or maybe a combination and some of them might cycle. Although according to Tan Mike Tze in a chapter of the book THE JOURNEY: Singapores Land Transportation Story (2005), he says Singaporeans does not like the idea of pedal-powered bicycle as it is too hot and humid, the traffic is dangerous to the cyclist and so on. Also, generally bicycles are used by construction workers, say some. In the book, Tan Mike Tze has this thought where he wants people to imagine a world where everybody goes to work by bicycles or walking or public transportation and their companies are encouraging it by providing showers and changing room facilities allow people to freshen up before starting their work. A world with dedicated lanes and protected side road reserves for the bicycles. A world where the roads are dominated by cyclists and pedestrians and cars have to give way to them. Imagine the health benefits, environmental friendliness and sheer graciousness in such a world. In Petaling Jaya, there are already bicycle paths and bicycle parkings at bus stops, being integrated as part of a residential areas streetscape in Damansara Jaya. Although not many people have come to know about these facilities, it is actually a part of Petaling Jayas Green City big plan, where they are trying to decrease the carbon footprints produced and reduce the use of private motorised vehicles on the road. The bicycle path in Damansara Jaya is the pioneer project which tries to communicates urban parks within the Petaling Jaya area. Even though it was meant for recreation, it indirectly helps the cyclist to safely commute within that area. Children can now cycle to school without having their parents to worry about their safety on the road, thus, reducing the number of cars on the road during 7.00 am to 7.30 am and 2.00pm to 3.30pm. It is a very good example set up by the Petaling Jaya Municipalities on how to manage traffic in urban areas. Singapores transport planners have occasionally toyed with this idea. The Registry of Vehicles stopped registering bicycles in 1981, but a 1955 estimate reckoned Singaporean owned about 240 bicycles per 1000 population. This puts Singapore sixth in a table with other developed countries, a table inevitably topped by the developing worlds most devoted cyclist, in Holland, with its 550 bicycles per 1000 people. But ownership does not equate with usage, of course. Most bicycles use in Singapore is recreational, and often the bikes belong to a child or teenagers but not working adults. There already is a good network of recreational bike paths in parkland areas. But only 1% of Singaporean trips were made on bicycles in 1995, way below the most other countries. In many admittedly cooler European countries, up to 50% of rail travellers and perhaps 20% of bus travellers may arrive at the station or terminus on a bicycle. There certainly are valid safety concerns, given the current configuration of Singapores roads; while only 1% trips were made by bicycle, the percentage of road accident casualties for cyclists is disproportionately large, at about 4%. But these conditions could be changed. The cyclist could be protected via dedicated lanes or paths among other strategies. Road planners, of course, panic that they are already short enough of land for road-building, without sacrificing any more for à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬-frills such as bicycle lanes. For engineers, all the glamour lies in rail. To some extent, this mindset can be seen in the 1996 White Paper A World Class Land Transport System. In this report, bicycles are relegated to a brief paragraph at the back, under the general heading Supporting Measures. The provision of more facilities for bicycles would encourage short trips of about 3km within housing estates, and possibly to the nearest MRT stations as well. It is the strength of this lobby to create future demand that ultimately will determine whether the planners really embrace the bicycle. The Land Transport Authority, had provided some 869 bicycles at 38 MRT stations by 1997, but it seems significant that bicycles did not feature in the LTA annual report after that, and that a search of the current LTA website under bicycle- does not yield any information. How much friendlier and nicer our roads and public spaces would it be if more of us paddled around on bicycles instead of sitting high and aloof in our four-wheeled steel boxes. It will require a national cycling strategy integrated into the national transport, health and environmental policy. The such master plan will provide for necessary infrastructure such as traffic signs and bicycle parkings, redesign roads and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾traffic calmingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ measures in built up areas and school zones to slow down motor traffic. It will require some changes to the law, most importantly, it will require safety education and training for all road users. Chin Yih Ling, Singaporeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s Today Newspaper, 17 January 2005 According to existing cyclists, cycling in early in the morning and late afternoon hours could be much more comfortable than walking as they can feel the breeze during riding the bike and the temperature of the surrounding is quite cool. It would extend the catchment of the LRT stations of more than 45% walking, thus making cycling a better option than walking. In Malaysia, people are allowed to take motorcycle license as early at the age of 16 and car license at the age of 18. Malaysia has cheap petrols, subsidized by the government, lots of highways and wide roads to occupy the needs of urban transportation. Therefore, people here cant seem to find a reason to not own a car or ride one. Thus, the existence of bicycle is forgotten. Even kids are demanding to be sent and invited back home by cars. Bicycles in Kuala Lumpur city centre and Petaling Jaya are now merely for recreations, where people brought their bicycle by cars, to the urban parks, and ride it there for the sake of heal th benefits they claim. There are even peoples, who strived the congested roads every day after work, for the sake of riding a stationary bicycle at the gym, also, for the health benefits. Figure 2.1.3 Copenhagen, Denmark, Mao showing 300km of cycle paths provided beside all existing regional roads and distributor streets, used by 30% of commuters daily. New cycle routes are being built, aimed at increasing the length of average cycle trips from 5 to 15km. For those who arent cycling, the idea of having a dedicated bike path would make them think as if it was a waste of space and resources. But looking things at a bigger picture, having dedicated bicycle paths would encourage more people to cycle as it ensures the cyclists safety on the road. When more people cycles, the dependency on private cars lessens thus, reducing the number of cars on the road, and releasing the traffics pressure, especially during peak hour. With just a few millions spent on providing bicycle-oriented facilities such as painting the paths and providing bicycle parking, and give 1.5 metre minimum from the existing roads to these bike paths instead of spending billions on building more highways and flyovers the government could save billions more and able to spend it to increase the performance of existing public transportations such as increasing the number of coaches to the train to allow more people to enjoy the ride, increasing the number of trains and platforms to allow more frequent trips and better connectivity to places throughout the city. 2.2 Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the federal capital of Malaysia. The city covers an area of 243KM ² and has an estimated population of 1.6 million as of 2012. At 1999, the administrative centre of Malaysia was shifted to Putrajaya as an approach to release the population pressure of Kuala Lumpur. Started as a tin mining town, Kuala Lumpur evolves rapidly as among the fastest growing metropolitan regions in the country, in terms of population and economy Malaysia. After the big flood swept through the town following a fire that had engulfed it earlier in 1881, Kapitan Yap Ah Loy restructured the building layout of the city into new brick buildings with clay tiles inspired by shophouses in southern China, characterised by five foot ways as well as skilled Chinese carpentry work. This resulted in a distinct eclectic shop house architecture typical of this region. A railway line increased accessibility into the growing town. As the development intensified in the 1890s, Kapitan Yap Ah Loy spent a sum of $20,000 to expand road access in the city significantly, linking up tin mines with the city, these roads include the main arterial roads of Ampang Road, Pudu Road and Petaling Street. Climate and weather Protected by the Titiwangsa Mountains in the east and Indonesias Sumatra Island in the west, Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya has a tropical rainforest climate which is hot and humid all year round. Average temperatures tend to remain constant between 31 and 33  °C and typically receives minimum 2,600 mm of rain annually. Flooding is a frequent occurrence in both cities whenever there is a heavy downpour, especially in the city centre and downstream areas. Dust particles from forest fires from nearby Sumatra sometimes cast a haze over the region. It is a major source of pollution in the city together with open burning, emission from motor vehicles and construction works. 2.3 Petaling Jaya Petaling Jaya is a city in Selangor originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur, comprising mostly residential and some industrial areas. It is located in the Petaling district with First developed by the British on the former 486 hectares Effingham Estate,as an answer to the problem of overpopulation in Kuala Lumpur in 1952 and has since witnessed a dramatic growth in terms of population size and geographical importance. The migration from Kuala Lumpur to the Petaling area had indeed started before the town was officially named in 1953 as Petaling Jaya. The satellite town began to take shape in 1952 when 800 houses were built and another 200 under construction. By the end of 1957, there were well over 3,200 houses in Petaling Jaya, along with more than 100 shops and 28 operating factories. The year also saw the opening of the first phase of the Federal Highway (Lebuhraya Persekutuan) which divided Petaling Jaya into two. Linking Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and Port Klang, it enhanced PJs reputation as a strategically located town, particularly in the eyes of industrialists and the affluent searching for prime residential land. Transportation facilities and infrastructure are well developed in Petaling Jaya. Bus services were initially provided by Sri Jaya between the early 1950s until the early 1990s. The mid-eighties saw the introduction of minibuses. The introduction of the IntraKota bus system by DRB-Hicom saw the replacement of Sri Jaya and the minibus by the early 1990s. At the same time, some of the Petaling Jaya-Kuala Lumpur bus routes were also serviced by Metrobus. The introduction of the Putra LRT service in 1998 saw the addition of the Putraline feeder bus services. The combination of Putraline and Putra LRT brought a relief to many Petaling Jaya residents especially those who had had to rely on public transportation. In 2006 RapidKL took over the operations of IntraKota as well as both Star and Putra LRT. Today, public transportation is provided by RapidKL in the form of buses as well as the KL Light Rail Transit System Kelana Jaya Line, which extends slightly into Petaling Jaya. There are five Kelana Jaya Line stations in Petaling Jaya.Petaling Jaya has three access points to the national highway system North-South Expressway via Kota Damansara, Damansara, and Subang. Internally, highways such as the Damansara-Puchong Expressway, Sprint Expressway and the Federal Highway also exist. There are plans for extensions to the existing Klang Valley light rail transit network with a new 30 km line from Kota Damansara in the northern part of Petaling Jaya to Cheras (southern Kuala Lumpur) with stops in Mutiara Damansara and Taman Tun Dr Ismail, to name a few. The extension line which would connect to Subang Jaya, the Kelana Jaya Line, will start operation on April 2011 and expected to be completed in 2013. 2.4 Cycling In The City Before the economy of Malaysia blooms and the first national car, Proton Saga, was launched in July 1985 by Malaysias then Prime Minister, Mahathir bin Mohamad, cars is a luxury to many, and cycle is the most common medium of transportation. Peoples daily travel distances were shorter and the city is more friendly towards people, rather than machines. People in those days treated cycling as part of their utility, rather than a hobby. Utility or transportational cycling generally involves travelling short and medium distances, which involves a few kilometres and not more, often in an urban environment. It includes commuting to work, school or university, going shopping and running errands, as well as heading out to see friends and family or for other social activities. It also includes economic activity such as the delivering of goods or services. In big cities, the bicycle courier has been often a familiar feature, and freight bicycles are capable of competing with trucks and vans particularly where many small deliveries are required, especially in congested areas. In Yokohama, Japan, bicycle also being used as a medium of public transportation through services called Velotaxi. Similar to the old days rickshaw, Velotaxi provides environmental friendly transport to its user and is actually one of the main tourist attractions in the city. Utility cycling is believed to have several social and economic benefits. According to a report by the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Cycling in Netherlandsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬-, policies that encourage utility cycling have been proposed and implemented for reasons including: Improved public health Individual health and employers profits A reduction in traffic congestion and air pollution Improvements in road traffic safety Improved quality of life Improved mobility and social inclusiveness Benefits to child development In the Chinese city of Beijing alone, there are an estimated four million bicycles in use based on article à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢China ends bicycle kingdom as embracing cars, China Daily on 11th November 2004, which stated it has been estimated that in the early-1980s there were approximately 500 million cyclists in China). While in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢A Study on Measures to Promote Bicycle Usage in Japan Department of Civil Engineering, Utsunomiya University, as of the year 2000, there were an estimated 80 million bicycles in Japan, accounting for 17% of commuter trips, and also, in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Cycling in Netherlandsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬- report, stated in the Netherlands, 27% of all trips are made by bicycle. Figure 2.4.3 A common type bicycle in Japan where it comes with front and rear-mounted child seats. Source: Authors own Factors That Influence Levels of Utility Cycling According to a book by Grà ©gory Vandenbulcke-Plasschaert, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Spatial Analysis of Bicycle Use and Accident Risks for Cyclistsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬-, many different factors combine to influence levels of utility cycling.In developing economies, a large amount of utility cycling may be seen simply because the bicycle is the most affordable form of vehicular transport available to many people. In richer countries, where people can have the choice of a mixture of transport types, a complex interplay of other factors influences the level of bicycle usage. Factors affecting cycling levels may include: Quality of infrastructure, such as the availability of bike path, safe parkings,etc. Retail policy Marketing the public image of cycling Integration with other transport modes Cycle training Terrain condition which influences bikeability Distance to destin

Jackie Robinson Essays -- Sports, Dodgers, First Black Player

Throughout his professional career, Jackie Robinson, received criticism for being the first â€Å"black† player to play the game. Not only did Jackie Robinson manage to live up to the criticism, he also changed the face of America’s greatest past time forever. With his entrance into the MLB he opened the path for great black players like Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and Ozzie Smith just to name a few. In crossing the color-barrier in baseball Robinson not only strived as a great player on the field, but also a inspiration to the black community of the field with his humility, and willingness to move forward in a time where blacks were not considered â€Å"equal†. Jackie Robinson was one of the most profound individuals to ever walk on this earth. Robinson established a reputation as a man who never tolerated insults to his dignity (Kahn 6). One of his accomplishments was entering the major leagues and is one of the most remarkable and inspiring accomplishments in sports history. When Robinson became the first black to play in Major League Baseball, he changed Americans’ views on racism forever. Robinson was born the youngest of five children near Cairo, Georgia, on January 31, 1919. Robinson’s father, a sharecropper, left the family when Robinson was only about 2 years old. His mother, named Mallie McGriff Robinson, moved to Pasadena, California, to find work. (James 5) Trouble found Robinson at an early age, when he became a member of the Pasadena gang (7). At that school, he played several sports. He even lettered in: track, baseball, football, and basketball. His largest inspiration was most likely his older brother Matthew. He was a shortstop and catcher on the baseball team, a quarterback on the football team, a guard... ...a lifetime batting average of .311. He appeared in six All-Star Games and six World Series with the Dodgers. At the 1972 World Series, which commemorated the 25th anniversary of his rookie season, a physically deteriorating but still crusading Robinson, a diabetic, said he hoped to live to see blacks in baseball management jobs. Nine days later, he died of a heart attack at the young age of 53. Today, with the dominance of black players in professional sports, it seems unfathomable that a mere 50 years ago, not only were black athletes absent in all mainstream sporting arenas, it was simply not an option and even illegal in some states. His legacy is the inspiration he gives to athletes and people of all color. Robinson is heroic, in part, because of the excellence of his athletic achievement and equally important, for his political commitment to racial equality.

The Complex Moral Issue of Stem Cell Research Essays -- Biology Biolog

The Complex Moral Issue of Stem Cell Research Works Cited Missing For Sale: One small miracle in a bassinet. Will cure AIDS, cancer, acne, possibly bad breath and athletes foot. Limited supply only, so call and reserve your miracle cure now, a.k.a. Human Fetus. Only a couple of years ago the ad above would have seemed like something from a science fiction novel. However, now the pages of that novel are coming to life. In 1998, James Thompson, a biology student from the University of Wisconsin, isolated the first embryonic stem cell. Contrary to the sound of its name, a stem cell is actually a human fetus that has been aborted and allowed to "develop for up to twelve days or until he is about 100 cells big" (Sullenger). Scientists are now conducting research on these stem cell lines. A stem cell line comes directly from a single embryo. After that line is fully developed "it can reproduce indefinitely, allowing hundreds of researchers to work with cells from a single line" (Meckler). As of right now, there are only 64 stem cell lines existing i n the United States. Out of those 64, only 24 or 25 are fully developed and ready for research. The research done on these cells is meant to find cures for diseases such as Leukemia, AIDS and other forms of cancer. There are many controversies concerning this area of research. The main one is whether or not the research done on human fetuses is a violation of a human being’s life. The ones who say that it is not a violation believe that life doesn’t start until the day of birth. On the other hand, those who do believe it is a violation say that the life of a human begins the minute they are conceived. In order to obtain the stem cells, researchers must get the cells from an abor... ...cures for all sorts of ills, from diabetes and heart disease to Alzheimer’s -all without taking a single additional embryo" (Lemonick). On the other hand, there was still the issue of whether it’s morally right to kill a human in experiamentation. To many, it seems like a waste for scientists to create stem cells only to do experiments on them, and then get rid of them when they are done, "in effect, these humanistic apologists have created an entire group of throw-away people, whose lives only have meaning in how they can serve the rest of humanity" (Sullenger). This is one issue that won’t be easily resolved, and it may never come down to being able to order a miracle cure over the tv. We live in an age of scientific discovery, and with that, anything is possible. There might even be a way for people to agree on the moral issues of the subject in the future.

Jane Eyre Obstacles and Love Essay examples -- English Literature

Jane Eyre Obstacles and love The novel, Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte is a story about a young orphaned girl and her quest for love. Jane, the young girl searches for love and acceptance through each setting; Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield, Moor House, and Ferndean. Throughout these points in her life, the maturation and identity recognition of Jane becomes visible. It is only when, Jane flees from Rochester and Thornfield, and spends time at Moor House, that her maturation to womanhood is completed. In this moment, Jane is able to come back to Rochester as an independent woman, knowing that she has a desire to love, and to be loved. If we look at the world, through Jane's eyes we see that she is a strong girl who wants to erase her birth name as an orphan. We see each struggle that Jane tries to beat for an identity and for love. The book opens up with Jane living with her Aunt Reed, who constantly thinks of her as burden, and low life. Jane is forced to live with her Aunt Reed, for her parents die and she came to live with her uncle, who also later dies making his wife promise him that she would take care of Jane. Gateshead is Jane's first home. Here we see that Jane is amazingly self-willed and has a temper. We realize that she has this strong tempered when she steps up to her aunt, exclaiming, " You think I have no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness, but I cannon live so: and you have no pity. I shall remember how you thrust me back -- roughly-- and violently thrust me back--into the red room, and locked me up there, to my dying day; thought I was in agony; I cried out, while suffocating with distress, ' Have mercy! Have mercy, aunt Reed!' and that punishment you made me ... ...rn child's face. Jane discovered the maturation and the inner self of her woman hood. She can love, and is capable of being loved. This book, shows us the main obstacles that a woman had during the Victorian times. Many woman did not have it easy, and Jane was one of them. Woman needed a high self confidence. It is hard for one to love, when they themselves, have never felt what it is like to be loved. How are you suppose to trust those around you, when all you have been through is hurt? The main thing, a woman would need is courage. Jane is determined to find a life for herself. She is determined not to give up. She is determined to show everyone that she could be loved. She is determined to show her aunt, that she could be anything that she wanted to be. It just goes to show that no matter how many obstacles come your way, determined minds always win.

Professional Development of the Nursing Professionals Essay

In 2010 the Affordable Care ACT was signed into law. With these laws, the United States is being provided an opportunity to completely redesign its health care system. The model includes heath care that is easier to access, affordable by all, higher safety standards, and higher quality with improved patient outcomes (Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine, 2010). The United States’ health care workforce is largely comprised of nursing professionals. Their role can be pivotal with the reorganization, but are faced with a number of barriers. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the IOM responded to the need for the assessment and transformation of the nursing profession by producing a report which provides recommendations for the future of nursing. Within this report, four key messages were created, the first three being our focus today: * Nurses should use their education and training to its fullest extent * Nurses should expand their education levels and training via seamless, progressive educational models * Nurses should play a leadership role with other health care professionals to reorganize health care * Improved medical health records data and containment systems for more efficient planning and policy creation (Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine, 2010). Obtaining an RN degree should be only the beginning of the lifelong learning process for nursing professionals. Obtaining a higher degree level (BSN or above) should be a smooth process which is encouraged and rewarded. The report recommends licensing, certifying and accrediting bureaus create mandatory competencies and evidence of skills mastery as a complement to the degree program and board exams (Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine,  2010). This will ensure effective critical thinking processes and increase patient safety. Creating a more diverse nursing population will open otherwise previous barriers to this vastly expanding field, while allowing the patient population to widen their views of what nursing really entales. After all, the nursing population should be as diverse as the patient population. Finally, educating nursing students alongside other health professionals, including physicians, throughout their nursing careers will encourage them to become future lead ers working collaboratively together. (Cresaia & Friberg, 2010) The Affordable Care Act of 2010 will challenge health professionals to create a more patient centered system. Opening new opportunities for expanding the nursing role and scope will help to bridge the gap in care for chronic conditions, preventative medicine, palliative care, and coordination and transition of care (Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine, 2010). By delivering care to the community and focusing on wellness, prevention and education, healthcare will again be reinvented and adapt to the growing needs of the communities. Creating new careers and scopes of practice for advanced degree nurses will enable patients to have easier access to health care, and more affordable care. Advanced degree nurses are known to provide longer consultations, and provide more education-based, preventative medicine, and increase recall (Laurant, Reeves, Hermens, Braspenning, & Grol, 2009). With the nursing profession continuing to change, more nursing leadership roles are evolving. Though the community is not accustomed to visualizing a nurse in leadership capacity, all nurses must become leaders in order to transform the current working model into the patient centered model. More leadership skills and positions will be necessary to design, implement, evaluate and advocate for the future of health care needs. Working alongside physicians and other health professionals require these leadership skills to achieve a targeted outcome. This also transcends to the care environment by ensuring evidence-based improvements are implemented. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 will provide an opportunity for the health  care system in the United States to be completely redesigned. With nursing being the largest health care profession, nurses can assist with obtaining the objectives in the IOM report which suggests recommendations for the future of nursing (Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine, 2010). Allowing nurse to use their education and competencies to their fullest, more higher degree level nurses will emerge. By expanding their education and training, more leaders in nursing will be created and new opportunities will arise. Community oriented, wellness and disease prevention will be crucial to the growing community needs. By placing Nurse Practitioners in these areas of expertise, cost will be lowered and patient satisfaction, as well as outcome will rise. Furthermore, working as a partnership with physicians and other health care professionals will create a more collaborative working environment and provide b etter patient outcomes as well. References Cresaia, J., & Friberg, E. (2010). Conceptual Foundations: The Bridge to Professional Nursing Practice (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Laurant, M., Reeves, D., Hermens, R., Braspenning, J., & Grol, R. (2009). Substitution of doctors by nurses in primary care. The Cochrane Library. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001271.pub2/abstract?systemMessage=Wiley+Online+Library+will+be+disrupted+4+Feb+from+10-12+GMT+for+monthly+maintenance Robert Wood Johnson, Institute of Medicine. (2010, October 5, 2010). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (Institute of Medicine). : Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing.

People have become overly dependent on technology

The World Wide Web is a huge world that should be controlled. The Internet has many advantages and disadvantages. It is either to be a useful tool or to be a harmful weapon. The Internet had many effects and side effects in the social life, Safety and also purchasing or shopping. If it was controlled all those will be much better and life will be easier. However, if it was uncontrolled that will lead to huge problems. The peaceful tool will convert to be a harmful weapon. It won't kill humans but I will kill nations and cultures. First, the Internet had developed the teaching methods and made the education uch easier and better.The student can look up for any subject that he need in the internet and It will Just pop up to him. It is better than referring to books. Internet will take you seconds to find specific information, while books may take hours and day to look up on them. The student homework's, assignments and projects also require him to use Internet. The students and kids ar e totally able to look up for anything in the Internet, so that can lead to one of two things. First, Either the kids will use that to improve their skills, knowledge and they will catch up with the technology.Second, they will start to look up for pornographic media and it will be easy to obtain. It will destroy a lot of their parents work. They may addict online games as most of the kids in this time. This will cause them their social life. They wont be able to make friends or to contribute with anyone. They will not feel that they are wrong until they grew up and become adults. In that time they will notice that they have no friends or anyone around him. It will be very hard in that time to recover what he did. Not to mention that the kids who stay a lot in the Internet they got some issues.They will have pain in their packs and in their hands. This pain will be noticed after they grew up. But they will feel that their eyes are becoming weaker with time. It is the main reason for why too many people are wearing glasses in these days. They should be censored in what they see, how long they set in front of their computers or laptops and how they set. Second, The Internet can be used by governments to ensure the safety. It is a tool that the governments can use to detect the strange cases and stop them right away. There were some cases those terrorist used emails to contact each other.If their emails were controlled and under the government eyes they would probably save human lives. Governments should also watch the text massaging and instant massaging such â€Å"WhatsApp† or â€Å"skype† because it may used to plan for something. If governments work harder in the telecommunication security side, they would achieve many things that they are trying to do by other methods. They may detect a terrorist or also a murder evident, these things should not be ignored. Other wise we will watch a new type of terrorist that is more crazy than the previous on es.Third, There are types ot thieves and terrorist. In these days the worse type ot it is the hacker. There are a lot of hackers in this time. Those hackers may do small things such hacking an email. They also may do huge things like trying to hack a financial websites and steal the money from it. There are a lot of people who shops in the Internet and they are all afraid from the hackers or the fake website. Since they Just fill in their credit card information. They will find out that they were stolen. There are many fake websites and hackers that use Internet to gain money.The huge what hackers can do is trying to steal a bank. If government do not secure banks, people money will Just disappear. All the financial websites should be secured and controlled by the government so no body get stolen. Finally, The Internet can be a very useful tool to develop and to live a better life. However, this can never be unless that the Internet was secured and under the government eyes. I hope that people understand the meaning of the Internet and how harmful can it be. I also hope that people understand how a useful it is if it was used properly. People Have Become Overly Dependent on Technology Humans have been called the animals which make things, and at no time in history has this been so obvious as the present. Today, every human activity is dependent upon various tools, machines, and systems, from growing food to providing shelter to communication, healthcare, and entertainment. Some machines, like the tractor, speed up and make more efficient activities that humans have done for hundreds of thousands of years. Others such as the airplane or the Internet, make possible things that humans have never been able to do before. This collection of devices, capabilities, and the knowledge that accompanies them is called technology. We can say that â€Å"living without technology is like living without air† in this technical world of today. Therefore, we are much dependent on technology. Broadly speaking, technology is how people modify the world to suit their own purposes. From the Greek word techne, meaning art or artifice or craft, technology literally means the act of making or crafting, but more generally it refers to the diverse collection of processes and knowledge that people use to extend human abilities and to satisfy human needs and wants. Technology has been going on since humans first formed a blade from a piece of flint, harnessed fire, or dragged a sharp stick across the ground to create a furrow for planting seeds, but today it exists to a degree unprecedented in history. Planes, trains, and automobiles carry people and cargo from place to place at high speeds. Telephones, television, and computer networks help people communicate with others across the street or around the world. Medical technologies, from vaccines to Stem Cell therapy, allow people to live longer, healthier lives. 00 years ago people’s average age of death was from 40 to 45. But now it’s 75. Furthermore, technology is evolving even as we speak, with new technologies being created and existing technologies being improved and extended. The benefits of technology are usually obvious, if they were not, it would probably never be developed, but the disadvantages and dangers are often hidden. A perfect example is chlorofluorocarbons, or C FCs. When CFCs were invented, no one realized that these chemicals used as refrigerants would eventually damage the ozone layer. Today, the Internet is having profound effects on society, how people interact and communicate with one another, how they do their business, and how they get their entertainment and recreation, but no one knows exactly what to expect from it in future. Computers make our lives easier and give us new ways to learn about the things we're interested in. They make it possible to do many things from the comfort of our own home — we can shop online, keep in touch with our friends online, even go to school online. They make it easier to record and organize information and entertain us with a nearly endless variety of games. However, it's still important to maintain a life outside of the cyber world; a life spent attached to a computer screen isn't a real life. When a computer becomes the central point of a person's life, they undergo a change in behavior; they become lazy and develop anti-social tendencies, and, in some severe cases, simply cannot function without a computer. Some people say that we are not really dependent on technology. We can live without the technology. Our ancestors did it, so why can't we? I would ask these questions: When was the last time you solve math problems without using calculator? When was the last time you went to library to find information instead of searching from internet? Also time has changed since our ancestors era. Has technology really taken over our lives this much? Where we can't go 2 minutes without checking our phone to see if we have a text? Where we can't go a day or two without checking our e-mail, and facebook? We can't even walk across a campus without seeing a student on the phone, laptop or listening to their iPods. All this makes it particularly important that people understand and are comfortable with the concepts and workings of modern technology. Today's people, including me, have become socially inept and too dependent on technology. Now this isn't meant to be a hate technology thread, because technology really can be awesome at times. From a personal standpoint, people benefit both at work and at home by being able to choose the best products for their purposes, to operate the products properly, and to troubleshoot them when something goes wrong. And from a societal standpoint, an informed citizenry improved the chances that decisions about the use of technology will be made rationally and responsibly. But sometimes we take technology too seriously, and depend on it too much. If your computer breaks, don’t get pissed about it. If the Internet goes down, it’s not the end of the world. If your phone is broken, don't kill yourself. And ask this question from yourself: How long can you â€Å"survive† without technology?