Technology :: Technology Research

Technology is a broad concept that deals with a species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment. In human society, it is a consequence of science and engineering, although several technological advances predate the two concepts. Technology is a term with origins in the Greek "technologia", "Ï„Î µÃâ€¡ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ¿ÃŽ »ÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ³ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ±" — "techne", "Ï„Î ­Ãâ€¡ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ·" ("craft") and "logia", "ÃŽ »ÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ³ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ±" ("saying").[1] However, a strict definition is elusive; "technology" can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines, hardware or utensils, but can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques. The term can either be applied generally or to specific areas: examples include "construction technology", "medical technology", or "state-of-the-art technology". The human race's use of technology began with the conversion of natural resources into simple tools. The prehistorical discovery of the ability to control fire increased the available sources of food and the invention of the wheel helped humans in travelling in and controlling their environment. Recent technological developments, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact on a global scale. However, not all technology has been used for peaceful purposes; the development of weapons of ever-increasing destructive power has progressed throughout history, from clubs to nuclear weapons. Technology has affected society and its surroundings in a number of ways. In many societies, technology has helped develop more advanced economies (including today's global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of the Earth and its environment. Various implementations of technology influence the values of a society and new technology often raises new ethical questions. Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of human productivity, a term originally applied only to machines, and the challenge of traditional norms. Philosophical debates have arisen over the present and future use of technology in society, with disagreements over whether technology improves the human condition or worsens it. Neo-Luddism, anarcho-primitivism, and similar movements criticise the pervasiveness of technology in the modern world, claiming that it harms the environment and alienates people; proponents of ideologies such as transhumanism and techno-progressivism view continued technological progress as beneficial to society and the human condition. Indeed, until recently, it was believed that the development of technology was restricted only to human beings, but recent scientific studies indicate that other primates and certain dolphin communities have developed simple tools and learned to pass their knowledge to other generations.

Hitchcocks North By Northwest: The Birth of the Modern Action Film Essa

1959 was an exciting year in the history of filmmaking. An extraordinary conjunction of talent throughout the globe existed. In France, Truffaut, Godard, Chabrol, Rohmer, Rivette, and Resnais all directed their first films, thus establishing the French New Wave. In Italy, Fellini created the elegant La Dolce Vita, and Antonioni gave us L’avventura. Most importantly, though, in America, famed British director Alfred Hitchcock gave us the classic thriller North by Northwest, the father of the modern action film. Throughout the history of filmmaking, many different genres have thrived such as the romantic comedy, giving us such classics as Bringing up Baby and His Girl Friday. The war film gave us All Quiet on the Western Front and Paths of Glory. The western gave us Stagecoach and The Searchers. Film Noir gave us such films as Sunset Boulevard and Chinatown. The one modern film genre not existing prior to 1959 was that of the modern action film whose entrance as a genre was inaugurated with the release of Hitchcock’s psychopolitical thriller North by Northwest, starring Cary Grant. North by Northwest is your basic espionage thriller involving mistaken identity and a government conspiracy. Cary Grant plays advertising executive Roger Thornhill, who, one evening at his usual club calls over the page boy when his is paging a Mr. George Kaplan. Two mysterious men observing Grant get the idea that Mr. Thornhill is Mr. Kaplan, not simply a man talking to a boy who is paging him. Believing him to be Mr. Kaplan, the two men kidnap Thornhill at gunpoint and whisk him away to a beautiful mansion somewhere outside the city. An important discussion point is that as to which type of hero Roger Thornhill is. The action hero created through North by Northwest is that of the everyman, only man attractive and witty. He is a reluctant, yet brave, hero. Thornhill is unafraid to make an attempted escape while he is in the captive of these two men. Thornhill is confronted at the house by a vaguely European fellow who demands answers from him. This usage of the seemingly upper class Eurotrash villain will permeate throughout the action film genre from the Die Hard movies to The Fifth Element. Thornhill, of course, has no answers for the man. While being held captive in a library, Cary quips, â€Å"I’ll catch up on my reading.† When they believe his as simply being uncooperative, the... ...ty directly onto the bed of a private room on a train. Lacking the ability to end the picture with a sex scene, Hitchcock cheekily ends the picture with a shot of a train going into a tunnel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What marks North by Northwest as the father of the modern action film is that of its hero. He is a contemporary man, with a decent and respectful job (here an advertising executive). As opposed to the heroes of Westerns, who are dark and mysterious characters with shady pasts, in the action film the hero is likeable, attractive, and witty. What made Cary Grant so perfect for the role of Thornhill is that he is attractive to both men and women. â€Å"Cary Grant is the male love object,† said Pauline Kael. â€Å"Men want to be as lucky and enviable as he is—they want to be like him. And women imagine landing him.† The influence of North by Northwest on the action and spy film is immeasurable. It influenced the James Bond series, the Die Hard movies, and even science fiction films such as Total Recall. What Hitchcock did, basically, was create an action film of such quality that directors ever since have been trying to equal its success in story, action, and characterization.

Comparing the College Cafeteria to Dinning below the Poverty Line :: Compare Contrast Comparison

Comparing the College Cafeteria to Dinning below the Poverty Line At the beginning of every school year I have to decide whether to get the $6000 carte blanche meal plan or the next smallest $5900 meal plan because I am required to have one of these two options as an on campus student. It's not a tough decision to go with the carte blanche because it is only $100 more for many more meals. The worst part is writing the check and imaging the money being moved from my account. But for the people of Jubilee Partners, a Christian intentional community in rural Georgia, meals have a much different focus. The people of Jubilee Partners intentionally live below the poverty line so that they will not have to pay federal taxes, a portion of which goes into the defense fund. This is just one of the many ways that they choose to live differently from the rest of the world. The thirty residents take turns to make the food that is eaten at their communal meals. During my stay I helped three Central American girls prepare an evening meal. As it was an evening meal, we were allowed to make something new rather than just use leftovers. Lunch always consisted of the preceding nights leftovers, fresh salad from the garden, bread, cheese, and peanut butter. If there were no leftovers, as there often were not, we only ate salad, bread, cheese, and peanut butter. As I looked around the small, simple kitchen, I wondered where were the large stainless steal pots and shiny stove that I was familiar with. The girls instructed me in broken English that I should make bread. With flour-covered arms I mixed and kneaded the dough in an old plastic bowl and smiled as I listened to the excited laughter and rapid Spanish that I could not understand. As Gabby showed me how to roll and form the loaves, I watched as the others make lasagna with synthetic meat from a government surplus. Meat was rare at Jubilee as it was expensive and much of the food they ate came from a food bank. Meat night, which was held once a week, was a special occasion anticipated by many. Standing in line in the Goshen College cafeteria, I examine the array of food spread before me trying to decide what I want. I had glanced at the menu board as my id was scanned but still am not sure what I am hungry for.

Review of Young, Muslim and French Essay

There are many advantages and disadvantages of film documentaries which can help someone learn about pretty much any topic they want to. Some documentaries are based on scientific concrete facts while others are based on opinion and feelings like the documentary Young Muslim and French. One of the advantages of the documentary format is that unlike a book or article a documentary gives someone a visual image that can help to reinforce what the documentary is talking about. For example if talking about math one could see math problems and solutions which could help them to understand what is being talked about and with a documentary like the one we watched in class we got to actually see the person that was being focused on which plays more to emotions because unlike with reading getting to see an actual person gives a visual image instead of having to form one. We all know facts cannot be changed but opinions can be with the use of visuals that convey emotion. We could see that Manal felt very compelled to wear her headscarf and that without it she felt she was dishonoring her religion and God. One good example of visuals was when she was showing off her room and there was a big yellow Pokemon Pikachu on her bed that would not have been known if there was no visuals. This helps someone to see she is a regular teenage girls who is just trying to live her life that way she thinks is best. Another advantage is that we could actually hear Manal and others talk about their opinions. While this can be done in other formats like in a book it is again good to be able to see and hear someone talk about their feelings because it makes it more realistic and gives a more lasting effect to the subject that is being spoken about. You can also hear peoples tone of voice which can to convey emotion but also allows the viewers to get firsthand experience on how someone feels about something that cannot be experienced in another format with no sound. The story was personal to Manal. However, there are also limitations to the documentary format simply because a documentary is meant to be watched and can only contain so much detail because of time constraints. In Young Muslim and French we get to see very limited opinions on the subject because there simply isn’t enough time to interview every Muslim girl in the school to see what their feelings are. There is also no time to interview parents, all the teachers or government officials to see what they feel about the subject because if they did the documentary would be hours and hours longer than people would be willing to watch. Another disadvantage to the documentary format is there the is limited amount of information that can told again because of time constraints. Very little was said as to why there was a ban on head scarves but also was Muslim the only religion targeted or were Christian Crosses no longer allowed as well and how far did the school go to stop other religious items from being in school. Many issues were briefly mentioned such as teenagers not being able to get jobs, women only seeing women doctors and people being scared of Muslims but not much information was given on any one topic but a little information on lots of topics. This documentary helped me to better understand and even made known to me that there was a ban on headscarves in French schools because previously I had no knowledge of this at all. I also liked the fact that the documentary format gave images and I could see real people which to me made the topic more real and had a great impact on me. Had I read this in a book I probably wouldn’t have given it much thought even if the book or article was about Manal but seeing a person and their struggles to finish school and follow the religion they thought was right really made things feel real to me. I think what part of this subject would be better off in a book was more about Muslim religion overall and why the French government had a problem with religious symbols in school. I also would have liked to have known more about why no religious symbols were allowed all in school. I can understand wanting a separation of church and state because not everyone believes the same thing but I would like to know more about why it wasn’t even ok to wear a headscarf or a cross because it is not really effect anyone else and is a personal clothing choice. I also would have liked to have had the opinions of more people which would have been better suited for a book because books are generally much more in-depth that a documentary. Overall, there are many advantages of the documentary format because of the way visuals, sounds and people can be used. However, there are also disadvantages and things that can be better or more effectively explained in a book.

Radioactive Isotopes

Radioactive Isotopes An isotope is one of two or more atoms with the same number of protons, and position in the periodic table, but different number of neutrons and physical properties. Isotopes have an unstable nucleus that decay suddenly by a release of nuclear electrons and radiation. This essay will be discussing one of the applications and uses of the radioactive isotopes, and it will also state one problem that radioactive isotopes can address. The radiation characteristically meet four kinds: alpha radiation, beta radiation, gamma radiation and x radiation.Alpha radiation is weighty, that includes a very-short variety element and is in fact a homeless helium nucleus. Some examples of alpha radiation are radium, radon, uranium, and thorium. Beta radiation is weightless, has short-range particles and is in fact a cast out electron; some examples of beta radiation are strontium -90, carbon-14, tritium, and sulphur-35. Gamma and x radiation are extremely incisive electromagnetic rays. One of the problems I’ll be discussing and is actually solved by radioactive isotopes is a cancer cell.Radiation therapy draws on high-energy radiation to damage on cancer cells by damaging their DNA, unfortunately it can also damage normal cells, so as a result the treatment must be circumspectly designed to reduce side effects. X rays offers huge advantages, counting the previous discovery of cancer and the opportunity of premature action, their use is linked with minute improves in cancer danger. In attendance the agreement vision is the profit of showing women over 50 years old, ignorantly prevail over the associated risks due to radiation experience.Typical effective doses from diagnostic medical exposures in the 1990s Diagnostic procedure | Typical effective does in millisieverts | Equivalent number of chest x-rays| Approximate equivalent period of natural background radiation (1)| X ray examination: -| Limbs and joints (except hip)|

Should Batman Kill the Joker

Should Batman Kill the Joker? Summary In the very beginning, this article raises the question by asking the reader whether Batman should kill the joker or not and also uses it as the title to draw readers’ attention. Based on the question/topic, the author, Mark White, further discuss different arguments by providing three different schools and perspectives from the Batman’s quandary. First of all, from â€Å"utilitarianism† aspect, Joker is probably deserved to be killed because his death may save more people lives.Secondly/Moreover, on the issue of â€Å"deontology† and the action of â€Å"murder†, the death of Joker might be preferable or even desirable or acceptable as it seems that Joker should accept the punishment by law or official rather than â€Å"vigilante justice†. This is because Joker is created and considered as an â€Å"evil† character in the movie/story; yet, he is still a human being who should receive the basic human right and dignity as well as respect.However/last but not the least, the character â€Å"Batman† instead of â€Å"Joker† is the main discussion from the aspect of â€Å"virtue ethics† in the final perspectives. The question is: if Batman kills the Joker, is there any guarantee that all problems can be solved out in Gotham City? Also, it is against one of Batman’s personal principles—to take/have â€Å"his enemies’ lives†.According to above three ethical perspectives, White, the author, not only offers the clear arguments, but also explains the reasons whether Joker should be killed or not from Batman’s point of view and from social cultural perspectives. Added to that, the author then applies Batman’s philosophy to other pop culture and phenomena in the end of article, to help readers to look different issues and topics from different viewpoints and aspects, as well as different roles/characters or personalities. Should Batman Kill the Joker Should Batman Kill the Joker? Summary In the very beginning, this article raises the question by asking the reader whether Batman should kill the joker or not and also uses it as the title to draw readers’ attention. Based on the question/topic, the author, Mark White, further discuss different arguments by providing three different schools and perspectives from the Batman’s quandary. First of all, from â€Å"utilitarianism† aspect, Joker is probably deserved to be killed because his death may save more people lives.Secondly/Moreover, on the issue of â€Å"deontology† and the action of â€Å"murder†, the death of Joker might be preferable or even desirable or acceptable as it seems that Joker should accept the punishment by law or official rather than â€Å"vigilante justice†. This is because Joker is created and considered as an â€Å"evil† character in the movie/story; yet, he is still a human being who should receive the basic human right and dignity as well as respect.However/last but not the least, the character â€Å"Batman† instead of â€Å"Joker† is the main discussion from the aspect of â€Å"virtue ethics† in the final perspectives. The question is: if Batman kills the Joker, is there any guarantee that all problems can be solved out in Gotham City? Also, it is against one of Batman’s personal principles—to take/have â€Å"his enemies’ lives†.According to above three ethical perspectives, White, the author, not only offers the clear arguments, but also explains the reasons whether Joker should be killed or not from Batman’s point of view and from social cultural perspectives. Added to that, the author then applies Batman’s philosophy to other pop culture and phenomena in the end of article, to help readers to look different issues and topics from different viewpoints and aspects, as well as different roles/characters or personalities.

National Health Service in the United Kingdom Essay

The National Health Service (NHS) was formed in the UK on July 5 1949. Its formation was part of the nationalization drive that epitomized post World War II UK which witnessed the establishment of the welfare state and the drive towards production of goods and services for public use instead of profit for private investors and owners. (Yergin and Stanislaw, 1998)[1] Thus reflecting the political economic philosophy of the time, the establishment of a free for all health delivery system within a country outside the Eastern socialist/communist block of nations was quite extraordinary as other systems of health care in most western economies had adopted the insurance system – i.e. pay for health care when healthy and use the care when ill.   Prior to the nationalization of health care under the NHS, health care providers like voluntary hospitals, municipal hospitals (that also provided mental health services), entrepreneurial cottage hospitals and specialist hospitals were already in existence. Local authorities also had departments responsible for health care services like midwifery and child welfare and also had authority to provide health care under the Poor Law. The NHS thus did not commence on a clean slate as these already existing health care establishments were inherited under the NHS. Also, health care for workers was covered under the Lloyd George’s National Insurance Act of 1911, though this did not extend to the families of workers. (Rivett, 1998)[2] Though the role of the general practitioner (GP) had been envisaged as crucial in providing non-specialised primary health care covering areas and activities like home visits and attending to patients in GP surgeries, prenatal and antenatal care, child welfare, venereal diseases, and industrial medicine, the reality of pre-NHS health care in the UK was very far from the realization of these ideals. According to Rivett (n.d.) the NHS in the UK was founded on the following principles: â€Å"The service was financed almost 100% from central taxation.   The rich therefore paid more than the poor for comparable benefits †¦ Everyone was eligible for care, even people temporarily resident or visiting the country.   Anybody could be referred to any hospital, local or more distant. Care was entirely free at the point of use, although prescription charges and dental charges were subsequently introduced Organisation was based upon 14 Regional Hospital Boards that funded and oversaw local hospital management committees.   The teaching hospitals were directly responsible to the Ministry of Health for they served the nation, not the locality.†[3] The NHS has three main interacting parties who have diverse stakes, responsibilities, and expectations in the running of the health service – those who need health care, the skilled personnel who deliver health care, and those responsible for raising money and ensuring that the money is spent properly on the NHS. (Rivett 1998)[4] Undoubtedly, the formation of the NHS has had an immense impact on health care delivery in the UK. For instance, life expectancy for females has risen from 71 years in the pre-NHS era to 80 years under the NHS. Life expectancy for males has also risen from 66 years in the pre-NHS era to 75 years under the NHS. Infant mortality rate (i.e. babies under 1 year old) has decreased from 34 per thousand to six per thousand. (Secretary of State for Health, 2000)[5] In spite of the altruistic principles upon which the NHS was founded, it has faced significant challenges of which finance is perhaps one of the most paramount. Rosenberg (1987) has for instance argued that the â€Å"implementation of developments has often been slower in the UK than in other countries. Partly this has been due to innate conservatism, but mainly it has been the result of financial restrictions.†[6] The former prime minister of the UK, Tony Blair, summarized the problems faced by the NHS as follows: â€Å"†¦ the NHS retains, in its essential values, huge public support. But over twenty years, it has struggled. Its funding has not kept pace with the healthcare systems of comparable countries. Its systems of working are often little changed from the time it was founded, when in the meantime virtually every other service we can think of has changed fundamentally. So urgent was the need for extra money for the NHS that many of the failures of the system were masked or considered secondary.†[7] Despite the apparent inability of the public purse to fund a free for all health delivery system under the NHS, government policy in the UK is firmly set against any form of payment of healthcare by workers as done in other western countries like France and Germany. Leaving healthcare in the hands of the market as in the United States has also been decidedly kicked against. (Secretary of State for Health, 2000) The UK government’s stance may be seen more as a decision of political expediency rather than an economic one, as the issue of free healthcare is a highly charged political debate that is top on the agenda not only of the ruling Labor government but also of the opposition Conservative Party. (BBC News 2004) On both sides of the political divide, it is highly improbable that privatisation of healthcare would be an option. Consequently, the future of the NHS, it appears, would not be based on the recommendations of health professionals and administrators, but rather the manifestos of political parties.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though inadequate public funding has been the pivotal problem faced by the NHS, it is bedevilled with other problems that affect the ability of the system to deliver a proper service for the demands of the 21st century.   One such problem is the waiting times for care in accident and emergencies (A&E), GP surgery appointments and operations. In 2000, it was expected that by 2005 patients would have a maximum of 48 hours waiting time for a GP appointment, three months maximum for an outpatients appointment, six months maximum for an operation and the halving of A&E waiting times. (Secretary of State for Health, 2000) By 2007 however, these targets were far from a reality. A 2004 survey found that patients in England and Scotland had to wait for up to eight months for a cataract operation, eleven months for a hip operation, twelve months for a knee replacement, five months to repair a slipped disc, and five months for a hernia repair. (BBC News, 2004) Injection of more funds in health care in the NHS has been viewed by some health care professionals as inadequate to solve the problems of waiting times. A senior surgeon in the NHS is reported to have said that: â€Å"The government is increasing capacity by investing money but I’m concerned as a surgeon that the arrangements are not in the patient’s best interest. The individual patient may get their operation done quicker by the NHS funding treatment in the private sector but it will be with a different surgeon from the one they saw in the clinic.†[8] Though by December 2007, there had been significant reductions in the waiting times for inpatient and outpatient appointments, the problem delays in the NHS continues to persist. For example, 91.3% of patients in England waited for under 13 weeks for an inpatient appointment and 8.3% waited for over 13 weeks for an inpatient appointment. Also, 95.6% of patients waited for under 8 weeks for an outpatients appointment by December 2007. (Department of Health, 2008)[9] Evidently, lack of requisite skilled health workers has had an immense impact on the problems of long waiting times in the NHS. Funding the NHS from the public purse however presents problems of recruitment as remuneration has not been enticing enough for health care professionals and for potential training of needed skilled professionals from the communities. As stated earlier, the nationalization drive in post World War II UK precipitated the establishment of the NHS. Thus, centralized administration at the national level is a typical hallmark of the NHS. Over centralization has been identified as one of the major problems facing the management of the 21st century NHS. (Secretary of State for Health, 2000) Administration of a health service built for the population and health needs of the mid-20th century UK is still used for the needs of a country that has witnessed seismic growth in its population and especially in the size of its immigrant populations. Consequently, the organizational growth and modernization of the NHS has not kept pace with both population growth and modern organizational and administrative principles. The NHS today could be seen as a colossal, amorphous entity that that seriously needs a structural overhaul. The Secretary of State for Health (2000) also identifies the following as problematic within the current constitution of the NHS – â€Å"a lack of national standards†, â€Å"old-fashioned demarcations between staff and barriers between services† and â€Å"a lack of clear incentives and levers to improve performance†. (p.10) Thus the need overhaul the organizational structure of the NHS should affect the staff incentives and performance levels and effective communication and networking between the different health services within the NHS. Bibliography and References: BBC News, May 27 2004. ‘NHS Waiting Time Underestimated’. Retrieved February 14 2008 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3749801.stm Department of Health. February 1 2008, ‘Statistical Press Notice: NHS Inpatient and Outpatient Waiting Times Figures’. Government News Network, Retrieved February 14 2008 from http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=349539&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=True Rivett, G. (1998). From Cradle to Grave: Fifty Years of the NHS. London: King’s Fund Publishing Rivett, Geoffrey (n.d.) ‘National Health Service History’ http://www.nhshistory.net/shorthistory.htm Secretary of State for Health (2000). The NHS Plan: A Plan for Investment, A Plan for Reform. London: HMSO (Cm 4818-I) Rosenberg, C. (1987) The Care of Strangers: The Rise of America’s Hospital System. New York: Basic Books Timmins, N. (1995) The Five Giants: A Biography of the Welfare State. London: HarperCollins Yergin, D. and Stanislaw, J. (1998) The Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World’s Economy. New York: Touchstone [1] Yergin, D. and Stanislaw, J. (1998) The Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World’s Economy. New York: Touchstone [2] Rivett, G. (1998). From Cradle to Grave: Fifty Years of the NHS. London: King’s Fund Publishing [3] Rivett, G. (n.d.) ‘National Health Service History’. Retrieved February 14 2008 from http://www.nhshistory.net/shorthistory.htm [4] Rivett, G. (1998). From Cradle to Grave: Fifty Years of the NHS. London: King’s Fund Publishing [5] Secretary of State for Health (2000). The NHS Plan: A Plan for Investment, A Plan for Reform. London: HMSO (Cm 4818-I) [6] Rosenberg, C. (1987) The Care of Strangers: The Rise of America’s Hospital System. New York: Basic Books, p.7. [7] Secretary of State for Health (2000) op cit p.8 [8] BBC News, May 27 2004. ‘NHS Waiting Time Underestimated’. Retrieved February 14 2008 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3749801.stm [9] Department of Health. February 1 2008, ‘Statistical Press Notice: NHS Inpatient and Outpatient Waiting Times Figures’. Government News Network, Retrieved February 14 2008 from http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=349539&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=True