Summary of the Books of the Old Testament Books

Leviticus The book of Leviticus is largely a book of laws. Some key themes include God speaking to the people of Israel to define what it means to be the holy people of a holy God. This is accomplished by God speaking through Moses. The instruction given to Moses provides guidelines for the conduct of the individual as well as the nation as a whole. These instructions address the individual’s every day needs such as cleanliness, diet, sexual relations, and neighborly interactions. There are also laws given to address the relationship and worship between Israel’s people and God. There are descriptions of how to properly present God with a sacrifice. There are defined punishments for blasphemy and for child sacrifice. There are also descriptions of blessings for obedience. Though the Israelite people were the chosen people of God, God knew there would be times, as humans, they would be unfaithful. The book of Leviticus is setting the expectations and describing how to approach God for forgiveness if a person fails to observe the Law of God. (Word count 176) Ruth The book of Ruth is largely a narrative. Some of the key themes in this book are kindness and love. The book of Ruth shows how people of God can experience his wisdom, love, and kindness. These may be experienced and more greatly appreciated while the person is enduring a hardship. This is where we find Ruth and Naomi after the deaths of their husbands. Naomi is returning to her homeland and Ruth is accompanying her mother in law. We can see God’s love and kindness shown through the actions of Boaz and his field workers in allowing Ruth to glean wheat from his fields and assuring her safety. We also see the love and kindness of God when Ruth approaches Boaz in asking for their marriage. The heart of Boaz is right with God and his actions assure the proper following of the customs so there would be no disrespect or dishonor brought to Ruth or their marriage. God is pleased with both of his followers and blessed them with a son, Obed, who would be the grandfather of King David. (Word count 179) Job The book of Job is a book of wisdom. The key elements are trust and faith. We see Job, a servant of God that has been richly blessed by God for his loyalty and faith. Satan questions if Job’s faith is related to the blessed life God has provided for him. God allows for all to be lost for Job to assure his faith is honest and true. The loss and suffering experienced by Job offers an opportunity for doubt or distrust in God. Though within this book Job does get angry and questions God . God does not become vengeful, rather agrees with Jobs words and understands his hurt and anger. Due to Job’s unyielding faith God restores his health and bestows double the blessings upon him after this test . The book of Job is simply about God and his relationship with man . It was written to show that in a world where injustices and suffering occur daily God is present. We are not alone. Our continued trust and faith in God will be rewarded by blessings. Word count 178) Daniel The book of Daniel is largely a narrative . The key themes in this book are faithfulness, trust, and not compromising your beliefs. We find that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are captured and placed in exile in a foreign land. The three serve the king loyally yet without compromising their own loyalty to God. When found not to be partici pating in pagan worship Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were sentenced to death. Even in this time of great turmoil they stood fast in their trust in God and they were delivered from death. God used these three to show his awesome power . God showed several times in this book that he is a living God of action. His servant needs only to believe with all of his heart and pray and they will be delivered. The heart of the oppressor was humbled at the sight of God’s miracles. The oppressor may not have been converted away from his pagan worship but he had to acknowledge the power of the living God. (Word count 172) Jonah The book of Jonah is a book of prophecy. The key themes in this book are compassion, repentance, and forgiveness. God spoke to Jonah and gave him the direction to go to Nineveh to deliver his message to the people. Jonah disobeyed and attempted to run from God. God found Jonah and had him swallowed by a fish. In the belly of the fish Jonah asked for forgiveness and God placed him back on land to go to Nineveh to deliver his message. Jonah stayed on task . The message of pending destruction was received and the people of Nineveh repented and asked the Lord to forgive them and not destroy their city. God heard their prayers and let the city stand. This book shows us of a God who can and will readily punish for not abiding by his law but will also show love and compassion on those same people if only they repent and ask for forgiveness. (Word count 160)

Global Warming: Causes, Consequences, Solutions Essay

Since the early days of the greenhouse debate, scientists have been interested in the impacts of global warming. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has initiated a comprehensive on the impacts of climate change for the country. The public’s increased attention to such problem is not anymore surprising as it threatens every creature with potentially devastating consequences, which has put global warming in the lime light (Silverstein et. al. , 2003p. 5; Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16). Nevertheless, attempts at a monetary quantification of these impacts – despite being classic application of environmental economics – have started to emerge just recently (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16). Many scientists believe that our planet has been experiencing a warming trend over the last 200 years- and that our activities are responsible for this global warming. It started with the industrial revolution, around 1750 (Silverstein et. al. , 2003p. 5; Kursunoglu et. al. , 2001 p. 151). People began to use machines in more and more areas of life and daily functioning, from heating, to building, and manufacturing, to transportation. The machines were powered by burning fuels, such as wood, coal, oil, and natural gas (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16; Silverstein et. al. , 2003p. 5). If these fuels burn, they emit carbon dioxide and other waste products into the atmosphere, which is the layer of air that covers our planet (Silverstein et. al. , 2003p. 5). Fossil fuels provide about 85% of the world’s energy, sustaining the world’s standard-of-living and providing the power for transportation. These fuels are inexpensive, transportable, safe, and relatively abundant. At the same time, their use contributes to problems such as air quality and acid rain that are being addressed through various control efforts and to the problem of global warming, which is now being considered by governments of the world (Kursunoglu et. al. , 2001 p. 151). Scope and Limitation The study involves mainly the issues of global warming in terms of its cause, consequences and solutions implicated. The study shall incorporate various theoretical explanations in order to address the subject criteria of the problem imposed. The scope of the study shall coincide mainly on the environmental issue of global warming. Mainly, the study shall scrutinize the details of the review of related literature patterned to the primary components imposed in the latter of the studies. Analysis and interpretation of data present shall involve clear and accurate depiction of the study utilizing the present and gathered data of the review of literatures. The following shall be the objectives of the study in this research paper: a. To be able to critically analyze the primary components imposed in the study, particularly the presenting phenomenon and the cause-effect relationships of global warming b. To be able to provide necessary data analysis and implication utilizing mainly the references, data gathered in review of literature and the analysis of latter studies proposed in order to provide primary depiction of the actual status of the environment in terms of global warming. Review of Related Literature Global Warming: Overview The basic principle of global warming can be understood by considering the radiation energy from the Sun that warms the Earth’s surface and the thermal radiation from the Earth and the atmosphere that is radiated out to space. On average, these two radiation streams must be balance. If the balance is disturbed, it can be restored by an increase in the Earth’s surface temperature (Houghton, 2004 p. 14). The gases nitrogen and oxygen that make up0 the bulk of the atmosphere neither absorb nor emit thermal radiation. It is the water vapor, carbon dioxide, and some other minor gases present in the atmosphere in much smaller quantities that absorb some of the thermal radiation and causing the difference of 21 degrees Celsius or so between the actual average surface temperatures on the Earth of about 15 degrees Celsius. Such blanketing condition is known as the natural greenhouse effects and the gases are known as greenhouse gases (Houghton, 2004 p. 16). The greenhouse gases are those gases in the atmosphere which, by absorbing thermal radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, have blanketing effect upon it. The most important of the greenhouse gases is water vapor, but its amount in the atmosphere is not changing directly because of human activities. The important greenhouse gases that are directly influenced by human activities are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and ozone (Houghton, 2004 p. 28). Normally, carbon dioxide is present in the atmosphere in small amounts-just enough to keep temperatures on Earth at a comfortable range for our planet’s living things. The burning fuels, however, has been increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (Houghton, 2004 p. 28; Silverstein et. al. , 2003p. 5). So far, global warming has not been substantial, increasing the average temperature of Earth by only about 0. 6 degrees Celsius in the last century. This change is so small that some scientists argue that it is just a natural fluctuation and not a trend. Other scientists state that there is a great deal of evidence to support global warming: Summers are getting hotter and winters are getting milder, glaciers are melting, and sea levels are rising, but these signs are only the initial phase of global warming phenomena. The warming trend is expected to speed up and produce even greater effects (Silverstein et. al. , 2003 p. 6). Warming did not occur evenly around the world, and some scientists wondered whether the changes in observed temperature might simply be a result of the growth of cities near weather stations. Urban areas form heat islands; pavement and rooftops absorb more heat than soils and plant leaves, so cities have warmer climates than rural areas. Climatologists admit they do not fully understand Earth’s climate system. For decades, however, they have agreed that signs of global warming would be most noticeable in cold regions (Pringle, 2001 p. 17; Silverstein et. al. , 2003 p. 6) – particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, because it holds less heat-absorbing ocean water than the Southern Hemisphere. Scientists have predicted that areas such as Alaska, Canada, and Northern Russia would harm more than Earth as a whole (Pringle, 2001 p. 17). Historical Overview: Development of Agencies and Organizations It has been known for about 175 years that the presence in the atmosphere of â€Å"greenhouse gases† such as carbon dioxide that absorb in the infrared part of the spectrum leads to a warming of the Earth’s surface through the greenhouse effects. The first quantitative calculations were made by the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius in 1896. In the 1960s, Charles Keeling and his colleagues began a regular series of accurate observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration from the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. Such studies showed increasing values as a result of human activities, mainly the burning of fossil fuels (Hester and Harrison, 2002 p. 1; (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16). By the 1980s, as the rate of increase of carbon dioxide concentration became larger, the possible impact on the global climate became a matter of concern to politicians as well as scientists. The report of a scientific meeting held at Villach, Austria in 1985 under the auspices of the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) began to alert governments and the public at large to the potential seriousness of the issue. Estimates were made that the carbon dioxide concentration could double before the end of the 21st century. In 1896, three multinational agencies, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the ICSU, who had co-sponsored the Villach conference, formed the Advisory Group of Greenhouse Gases (AGGG), a small international committee with responsibility for asserting the available scientific information about the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the likely impact (Hester and Harrison, 2002 p. 1). After the assembly of these well-known organizations, and formations of small groups, such as the AGGG, discoveries and widely assessments have been made regarding the issues of global warming. Private and public sectors in the United States and Europe have gathered (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 27), including those from other nations such as Japan, South Korea, etc. , in order assess possible etiologies, evaluate impending causes and provide critical support-based solutions (Hester and Harrison, 2002 p. 1). Measurements of Global Warming Even a few years ago, the acceptance of global warming was not as widespread as it is today. Global warming is difficult to prove as temperature records do no go back very far. Furthermore, the old records are primarily land based, are not representative of large areas of the world, are mostly from urban areas, and are not always collected with precision. Existing records, however, were collated, processed and standardized by P. D Jones and T. M. L Wrigley (1990), and their formulation of standardized data indicates a slow warming trend since the last century with occasional periods of cooling (Hester and Harrison, 2002 p. 1; Gupta, 1998 p. 86). The deviations from the general trend may occur due to three reasons: sunspot cycles; volcanic eruptions producing large quantities of fine ash in the air; the occurrence of El Nino Southern Oscillation. Correcting for all such factors, Jones and Wrigley estimated that the earth has become 0. 5 degrees Kelvin warmer since the 1880s (Gupta, 1998 p. 86). Evidence of global warming also come from other sources. In recent years, glaciers on mountains, particularly tropical mountains, have melted faster than before. The temperature of the top hundred metres of sea water off the coast of California shows an increase of 0. 8 degrees Kelvin over the last forty years. The data from the ice cores of Antarctica also indicate a warming trend (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16; Gupta, 1998 p. 86). These cores through the ice indicate snowfalls of number of years in sequence, which later has turned into ice. As this happens, tiny air bubbles trapped in the ice, and these bubbles can be investigated to determine the composition of the air at the time of the snowfall and also the temperature. The latter is determined by examining the ration of the two oxygen isotopes, 16O and 18O 9 (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16; Gupta, 1998 p. 86; Houghton, 2004 p. 28). The ratios reflect the ambient global temperature. A number of very hot years, in fact eight of the hottest on record, happened between 1980 and 1992. Apart from indicating the trend, this put global warming in public’s attention. Etiologies of Global Warming Currently, there are three theories about the cause of global warming; however, most of the scientists believe that the cause is an increase of greenhouse gases. Svante Arrhenius of Sweden in 1895 demonstrated the linkage between carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and temperature (Gupta,1998 p. 86). Carbon dioxide is the prime etiology involved in global warming causation. In fact, without any carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the earth would be much colder place to live. The global mean temperature would be below 0 degrees Celsius instead of being close to a comfortable 14 degrees Celsius. Most carbon dioxide comes from the decomposition of dead plants and animals, and the respiration of living animals, including humans, and plants. For thousands of years, there has been no problem with this because the oceans absorbed much of this carbon dioxide; hence, taking it out of the atmosphere. In addition, plants carrying on photosynthesis also absorbed a great deal of the atmospheric carbon dioxide (Tomera, 2001 p. 113; Gupta,1998 p. 86). However, with the advent of modernization, auto engines, power plants, industrial mills, and home and business heating systems burn coal, oil, or natural gas (Gupta, 1998 p. 86; Houghton, 2004 p. 28; Tomera, 2001 p. 113). Such accounts for 98% of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere, while the other 2% id due to the increased deforestation and mining (Tomera, 2001 p. 113). Another theoretical issue imposed is in the use of fossil fuels and burning materials that release CFCs. The first relatively successful calculation of how much the human use of fossil fuel could warm the planet published in a paper 1896 by Arrhenius. With the conceptual framework of carbon dioxide as the primary source of global warming, various theoretical concepts have formed. In the late 1930s, G. S. Callendar, an English chemist, argued that human activities were causing an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide and that this might have already started global warming. Despite Callendar’s concern, and although the scientific community has known about the pot4ential of human-induced warming to raise the earth’s temperature since the early 19th century (Tomera, 2001 p. 113; Brown, 2002 p. 14), global warming received little attention from the scientific community during the first half of the twentieth century, which centered mainly on human causations of carbon dioxide increase (Brown, 2002 p. 14). In 1957, two scientists with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, Roger Revelle and Hans Suess, found that much of the carbon dioxide emitted to the earth’s atmosphere is not absorbed by the oceans, as some had assumed, leaving significant amounts in the atmosphere that could eventually warm the earth (Brown, 2002 p. 14). With the current advent of environmental discovery and climatic technological advancements, there are now environmental impacts of the chemical substitutes that are now being developed by industry. These factors all into two main groups: hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which have limited ozone depleting potential, and HCFCs, which have no ozone depleting potential. Unfortunately, both groups of chemicals are greenhouse gases, both groups of chemicals are greenhouse gases, not as powerful as the fully halogenated CFCs but nonetheless significant (Marks and Plewig, p. 13). Such causation has been linked to the issue of ozone depletion wherein HCFCs are the prime depletors, and the end outcome contributes to the global warming. Since the stratospheric ozone or ozone layer is almost depleted by stratospheric chlorine, which depends on, for example, CFC emissions. CFCs are greenhouse gases, which account for approximately 25% of the global warming effect. Freon 11 is given a global warming potential of 1, which indicates the characteristics of a major contributor. Because of the dangers proposed by CFC use, there is great commercial interest in replacing such materials with substances, which have less ozone depletion potential (Whelan, 1994p. 73).

Gun Control Issues in the United States Research Paper

Gun Control Issues in the United States - Research Paper Example The national firearms act was the first act that restricted the rights to own guns. The guns were then provided to the people after complete background checking and assuring as if they really needed the gun for a fair use. The federal act of gun control was introduced in 1968, and as per this act, each gun is provided with a unique serial number that is held by the gun buyer. 1990s’ amendment then proscribes the criminals to become a gun owner and makes it essential to check the criminal record of the buyer during the sales time. Gun control opponents argue that people bearing handguns are able to defend themselves from criminal offense assuring personal safety. Whereas, the advocates of gun control suggest that increase in crime rates is an outcome of widespread ownership of the gun and ultimately bring negative consequences both in terms of private and public (Gun Control Debate 2011).   Since 1934, various federal laws have been acted out to promote federal regulation of firearms and ammunition, the constitutionality, and efficacy of which is continued to be a strong debate. Gun control proponents argue that laws and regulation to control gun ownership and holding can prohibit convicted felons, mentally challenged and other individuals who are not safe to the society to misuse guns to create harm. The advocates of gun control also suggest that accessibility of guns to these high-risk individuals can successfully be reduced by only the federal regulations and policies for gun usage. Some people even sought for extensive modifications in gun control policy such as non-police handgun possession and the registration of all firearm owners or firearms should be prohibited almost exclusively. For this prohibitive act regarding firearms, they insist that such regulation is not barred by the constitution and it does not incur any substantial social costs. Some proponents do not consider such strict policies rather they go for moderate policy alternatives suc h as the ones which would not hinder legitimate possession and transfer of firearms. The opponents of such federal policies have much stronger arguments. They refuse to accept that federal regulation can prevent firearms access by high-risk persons. They argue against the gun control acts indicating that such controls often disturb law observant citizens by creating burdens on them. Some people consider these policies as a violation of constitutional rights catered by the Second Amendment. They even give reasons for their opposition to gun control by demonstrating that they consider the widespread possession of the gun as one of the best impediments to criminal offenses and to likely despotism as well, whether through the use of guns by gangs or by the government. Some opponents may also criticize the impression of enhancing federal powers as opposed to state and police forces (Gun Control 2002). Gun control had been considered a prominent issue neither in the 2004 Presidential camp aign nor in the 2008 campaign.  Ã‚  

AAD252 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

AAD252 - Essay Example I believe women should no longer be taught to give up athletic activity all for less energetic activities like midwifery and being housewives. History reflects on the weak image of women who could not participate in sports because of the â€Å"permanent injury† stage in their reproductive cycle. This image stuck in society for more than a hundred years, particularly amongst the opposite gender (Balsamo 42). Past literature sheds light on the procedure in which one series of beliefs is expressed with another broad system. In this case, the series of beliefs entailed female bodily inferiority especially when it came to sports and the broad system entailed women’s insignificant athletic contributions. The sexualization of the female body replaced these series of beliefs gradually (Balsamo 44). I believe this radically, but slow process cured because of the media’s less dramatic portrayal of skillfully trained female athletes. This treatment spurred the â€Å"criminal, deviant, and/or socially unacceptable† point of view on such athletes. The media branded the sexualization process as ordinary culture behavior, which only allowed women to embrace technology as a means of improving their

Email repies Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Email repies - Coursework Example One strongly believes that the Epistles provide lessons that confirm the existence of the Divine Trinity through the words and life of Jesus Christ. The response was therefore a positive manifestation of spiritual growth and an enhancement of appreciation for God’s Words through the readings. The discussion provided by Classmate B initially differentiated the way Fee and Stuart apparently discussed both historical and literary contexts of the Epistles; eventually, hermeneutical challenges were expounded, prior to providing comparative applications to contemporary times. The good point raised was the cultural context within which the contexts were written, explaining diversity in beliefs, practices and values that were eminent at that time. One contends that there is validity in taking into account the culture and historical context into which the biblical authors wrote their discourse. Greater understanding and appreciation of discerning that diversity in their applicability has been significantly due to the time element that transpired since then. One therefore commends the manner by which the thread was written in discerning the crucial elements that enhanced one’s learning through the discussed

Woodrow Wilson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Woodrow Wilson - Essay Example One, I agreed fully with my fellow Congressmen on the need for America to continue practicing its policy of Neutrality and Non-Interference, but it later got clear to me that Germany was continually taking America’s stance as a mark of weakness and an opportunity to disrespect America’s sovereignty. One of the instances in which Germany disregarded the sanctity of America’s territorial sovereignty and thereby changing my stand on America’s position is when Germany used its unauthorized submarines along America’s East coast in 1917. Germany respectively sunk the Lusitania, a British cruise ship that was bound for the United Kingdom, from New York. This incident claimed 1195 lives, 128 of them being Americans. This was part of Germany’s wider effort to use its U-boat ring to starve the Britannia Island by sinking its supply ships. It must be remembered that Germany had done this act of aggression many times, over the years (Foner, 709). Economic interests of the Unite States also underpinned my resolve and my fellow Congressmen’s decision to vote in favor of Wilson’s call to war. The countries that Germany was carrying unrelenting military onslaughts against were chiefly France and Britain, yet these two states harbored key economic interests of the United States. At the time, France and Britain owed America approximately 2 billion US dollars, compared to Germany which owed the US 27 million dollars.

The Formation of Florida as a New State Research Paper

The Formation of Florida as a New State - Research Paper Example Unification of Florida and the USA is a significant event in American history. It is reflected in the fact that formation of Florida as a new state proved its beneficial effect for safety and development of American lands, as well as harmonious life of their residents. Being the territory actively inhabited by the Seminole tribe of Indians, which caused serious troubles to the US Army, Florida received necessary assistance of American Government regarding the issue of the Seminoles’ outrage. In particular, such acute factors as safety matter and an issue of slavery appear to be the main aspects of Florida’s formation as a new state of America. Safety Matter as a Reason for Florida’s Becoming the US State The first condition, which caused unification of Florida and America, is a consequence of active migration of the Seminoles from north to Florida after weakening of Spanish positions on the peninsula. Actually, it was the beginning of long-lasting opposition between the Seminoles and American Army, as a result of Indians’ aggression towards Americans, resulted in three Seminole wars. Actually, Indians motivated their actions as a desire to protect their territory. Despite this fact, American government was aware of another one, that is, the Seminoles constantly made devastating raids on neighboring Georgia (Florida Becomes a Territory). All in all, the outrage of the Seminoles became a threat to peace of Americans and their harmonious development.

New Coronary Intervention Codes in 2013 Essay Example for Free

New Coronary Intervention Codes in 2013 Essay Coronary Intervention Codes and Reimbursement: Two Decades of Effective Advocacy Why have interventional cardiologists’ salaries ranked at or near the top compared to other specialties for the past decade (1)? Long hours under high stress using extreme skills to perform dangerous procedures? Yes, but there is more. Effective advocacy by the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) has played a large role. This is the story. Medicare, enacted in 1965, based reimbursement for physician services on the actual charge on the current bill, the customary charge over the past year, or the local medical profession’s â€Å"prevailing† charge over the past year, whichever was lowest (2). This system was chaotic and confusing. In response, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 switched Medicare to the Resource Based Relative Value System (RBRVS). This used Hsaio et al’s estimates of physician time and effort to assign Relative Value Units (RVUs) to physician services (3). In 1991, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) convened a series of Technical Expert Panels (TEP) to refine Hsaio’s initial estimates of work for selected procedures. One of these was percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). A representative of the SCAI/ACC convinced the TEP to increase reimbursement for PTCA from Hsaio’s estimate of 9.5 RVU’s to 10.5 RVU’s. The 20 million or so coronary angioplasty and stenting procedures performed in the US since 1992 have all been reimbursed at a rate reflecting that 1 RVU increase granted by the TEP in 1991. Thus, this one instance of effective advocacy by SCAI/ACC increased reimbursement for these 20 million coronary intervention procedures over two decades. Now jump to 1994 when STRESS (4) and BENESTENT (5) compared elective stenting to balloon angioplasty, and a randomized trial compared then state-of-the-art Palmaz-Schatz and Gianturco-Roubin II stents (6). Elective stenting was just starting; most stents were placed to bail out failed balloon angioplasty. In this milieu a code for coronary stenting was developed. The expert panel that advised CMS on reimbursement estimated that the average stenting procedure required 120 minutes of physician time from first injection of lidocaine to last catheter withdrawn (diagnostic catheterization not included), 45 minutes of preparation time before the procedure, and 60 minutes of physician work after the procedure, for a total physician work time of 225 minutes per coronary stenting case. Thus, interventionists have been paid for coronary stenting at a rate based on almost 4 hours per procedure for the past 17 years. New Coronary Intervention Codes and Values For the past several years, CMS has attempted to curb Medicare expenditures by identifying and reducing payment for over-priced services. In 2011 CMS identified coronary stenting as possibly over-priced and required that it be re-valued. The value of a service depends on the time required to perform it, and to a lesser extent the intensity of the work. SCAI and ACC knew that invasive cardiologists were reimbursed for 4 hours of work per stent case since 1994, and that procedural times might have shortened since then. A re-valuation could significantly decrease the RVUs paid for a coronary stenting procedure. Interventional cardiologists were also keenly aware of problems with the existing coronary intervention codes (Table 1). Reimbursement for an emergency middle-of-the-night ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) stent procedure was the same as for elective stenting of a healthy patient at noon. Stenting of complex left anterior descending bifurcation lesions requiring 3 stents was valued the same as stenting of a type A lesion requiring 1 short stent. SCAI/ACC experts decided that if interventional procedures were to be re-valued, it was time to get codes that recognized and reimbursed for the extra work of performing complex coronary interventions. SCAI/ACC experts developed a new set of codes that describe interventional procedures with greater detail (Table 2) and won their approval by the AMA Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Panel. Then they had to be valued. This required several steps. The first step was a survey of practicing interventionists to estimate physician work and time required for each new coronary intervention code. As expected, practicing cardiologists estimated the skin-to-skin time required for coronary stenting to be much less than original 2 hours – 45 minutes to be exact. Without the new codes, reimbursement for coronary stenting would likely have been reduced proportionately, by over 50%. Fortunately, SCAI/ACC experts convinced the American Medical Association Relative Value Update Committee to recommend to CMS that the new complex coronary intervention codes be reimbursed at higher rates (by up to 25%) than simple coronary stenting. Overall, reimbursement for the family of coronary intervention procedures will drop 18-20%, much less than the 50% that might have occurred without the new codes. New Coronary Intervention Codes Solve Old Problems The new codes solve several longstanding problems. .1. For a decade interventionists have complained that they are not reimbursed for the intensity of STEMI PCI. Now they are. RBRVS rates intensity using units of â€Å"RVU’s per minute of procedure time†. The intensity of seeing patients in clinic rates.03, coronary bypass surgery rates.10, and emergency tracheostomy rates.26. Coronary intervention codes were previously rated at.10, but the new code for STEMI PCI has an intensity rating of .18. Intensity of other new coronary intervention codes is raised to the .13 – 15 range. .2. The extra work and stress of PCI of grafts and chronic total occlusions is now recognized and reimbursed higher, by 10% and 25% respectively. .3. Stenting preceded by atherectomy is now reimbursed at a higher rate (by 12%) than stenting alone. Previously there was no differential. .4. The additional work of performing PCI on multiple branches of a single artery is now recognized with separate codes. CMS refuses to pay for these, and SCAI and ACC are lobbying CMS reverse this decision. The good news is that CMS’ decision does not limit reimbursement because CMS bundled the value of the â€Å"additional branch codes† into payment for the base codes. SCAI/ACC still recommends that the â€Å"additional branch codes† be used because some private payers may choose to reimburse them. Interventional Coding Examples to Illustrate Basic Principles .1. Problem: Coronary angiography is followed by ad hoc coronary stenting of the right and circumflex coronary arteries. Solution: 93454 (coronary angiography), 92928 (stenting single coronary), and 92928 again (stenting circumflex). Principles: As before, catheterization is coded using the separate cardiac cath codes, which are paid at 50% when performed with coronary intervention. Also, the base code for coronary stenting (92928) is used for both vessels, whereas previously the base code was used once, along with an â€Å"each additional vessel† code which was retired in 2013. .2. Problem: Stenting of the circumflex is performed followed by atherectomy and stenting of the ramus. Solution: 92928 (stenting single coronary), 92933 (atherectomy and stenting single coronary). Principles: Previously CMS recognized and reimbursed for procedures in only 3 arteries (the left anterior descending, the circumflex, and the right) and might have denied reimbursement for the ramus PCI. Starting in 2013, CMS recognizes two additional arteries (the left main and ramus arteries) and will reimburse for PCI in all of them. Also, use the new â€Å"atherectomy + stenting† code (92933) offers higher reimbursement than the stent code (92928). . 3. Problem: A patient with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction has a 99% lesion with slow flow stented. Solution: 92941: (stenting of subtotal/total occlusion causing acute MI). Principle: This code can be used for any acute MI patient (STEMI or non-STEMI) with a â€Å"total or subtotal† lesion. CPT does not provide a definition of â€Å"total or sub-total†, so if the code is used an accurate description of the lesion to support this code should be included in the procedural report. .4. Problem: Bifurcation stenting of the left anterior descending is performed, with PTCA of the sidebranch ostium and stenting of the parent vessel. Distally, a separate diagonal sidebranch is rotationally atherectomized. Solution: 92928 (stenting of the LAD), 92921 (angioplasty, additional branch for the LAD diagonal bi9furcation), 92925 (atherectomy, additional branch). Principles: PTCA of the diagonal as part of the bifurcation stenting is now recognized. When a separate branch is treated, use a second â€Å"additional branch† code. .5. Problem: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) shows a significant left main lesion extending into the proximal LAD which is stented. Fractional flow reserve across a distal lesion is measured and is not significant. Solution: 92928 (stenting of the left main/LAD), 92978 (intravascular ultrasound), 93571 (fractional flow reserve). Principle: As before, IVUS and FFR codes are used as â€Å"add-on† codes in addition to the base coronary intervention codes. When a single stent is used to treat a lesion in the left main extending into the LAD or circumflex, it is coded with only one code.

The Use And Abuse Of Technology Media Essay

The Use And Abuse Of Technology Media Essay Technology can be defined as science applied to practical purposes. It is more than hardware and silicon chips. In propelling change and altering our belief systems and culture, technology has joined religion, tradition, and family in the scope of its influence. Its enhancements of human muscle and human mind are self-evident. But technology is also a social amplifier. It stretches the range, volume, and speed of communications. It inflates appetites for consumer goods and creature comforts. It tends to concentrate wealth and power, and to increase the disparity of rich and poor. In the competition for scarce resources, it breeds conflicts. In social-psychological terms, it alters our perceptions of space. Events anywhere on the globe now have immediate repercussions everywhere, with a portfolio of tragedies that ignite feelings of helplessness. Technology has also skewed our perception of time, nourishing a desire for speed and instant gratification and ignoring long-term impacts. Nowadays, when the rapidness of development and research is so impressive, it is easy to think about the advantages of modern technology. Nevertheless some people argue that science can destroy mankind. Im quite agreeing with them, and I believe that modern technology is destroying the values of our Islamic society somehow. Computers, Cellophanes and the World Wide Web are examples of the modern technology; which are used widely nowadays, and they affect our moralities and manners badly, not because they are useless, but because we used to get the negative aspects out of every thing around us. Therefore, the most frequently asked question is: Does technology go the right way and will it save or ruin our Islamic civilization? In this project I wish to set out some of the benefits, the drawbacks and an Islamic view of one of those modern technologies which called The Internet, the influence of it on the Islamic world and the internet from an Islamic respective. As starting point for the Muslims contribution in dialogue with other sectors of society, especially other religious groups, concerning the development and use of this amazing technological mechanism. The Internet is being put to many good uses now, with the promise of many more, but much harm also can be done by its improper use. Which it will be, good or harm, is largely a matter of choice-a choice to whose making the Muslim society brings two elements of great importance: its commitment to the dignity of the human person and its long tradition of moral wisdom. WHAT IS THE INTERNET? Ten years ago, the Internet was practically unheard of by most people. Today, the Internet is one of the most powerful tools throughout the world. The Internet is a collection of various services and resources. The Internet or the World Wide Web is indeed a wonderful and amazing addition in our lives. The Internet can be known as a kind of global meeting place where people from all parts of the world can come together. It is a service available on the computer, through which everything under the sun is now at the fingertips of anyone who has access to the Internet. A human brain to our eyes appears approximately six inches in size only but inside this little bowl hidden an ocean of ideas and thoughts. Internet is not that little word as is generally understood but actually it is the name of whole computer worlds universe which is carrying with it sea of knowledge and information that deals with each and every topic that exists on the face of the earth. Today Internet is providing eve ryone peculiar knowledge and information that one needs. There is no department left about which information are not available on the Internet. In Tokyo, the city of Japan, an exhibition of Information Technology was held in which it was announced that any one who would tell a department name about which no information are given on the Internet would be awarded a prize of one million $ US. However, no one could win the prize at the end of the exhibition. Thus nobody could point out the topic. The internet has allowed our world to become a globally connected network that advances knowledge everyday. A few years ago the internet was changed forever with the creation of Napster. Napster was the first program that allowed internet users to download music and files with a click of the mouse. However, Napster was a company that was said to be profiting from the website, so musicians took a stand and shut Napster down. By that time millions of people had already become used to the idea of free downloads and wanted more. THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL CONNECTION: The last few years in the society have seen incredible changes technologically and culturally. Life has become increasingly easier as machines designed to improve living standards proliferated. Communications and travel capabilities have advanced dramatically, with long distance phone calls soon to be a thing of the past. Computers have brought so much information home that many students do all their research from the comfort of their desktop. Socially the changes have been just as great, though perhaps not always for the better. Children have massacred one another on school grounds. The income inequality gap has steadily risen. Overall, people are feeling less connected to one another than ever before. Many sociologists subscribe to the belief that the internet, in-home computer usage and widespread availability of virtual access, are transforming modern social and economic life. Problematic to these issues, however, is whether the changes have been beneficial or detrimental. The paper shows that some argue that the internet is causing social isolation and forcing a break from genuine social relationships, while others argue that the internet leads better social relationships by freeing people from mundane restraints of geography, isolationism or factors outside normal controls (e.g., illness, schedules). This group argues that the internet allows people to become socially involved on the basis of common interest rather than the vicariousness of convenience. If people were to use the Internet primarily for entertainment and information, the Internets social effects might resemble those of television. However, research has shown that interpersonal communication is the dominant use of the Internet at home. That people use the Internet mainly for interpersonal communication, however, does not imply that their social interactions and relationships on the Internet are the same as their traditional social interactions and relationships, or that their social uses of the Internet will have effects comparable to traditional social means of communication ADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET: In fact, the advantages are out weigh the disadvantages. The most common thing the Internet is used for is research. Children and students are among the top people who use the Internet for research. Today, it is almost required that students use the Internet for research. Thirty percent of teachers give assignments requiring research from the Internet. In the classroom, sixty-six percent of teachers use the Internet to teach. The Internet has become one of the biggest sources for research. Almost everyday, research on medical issues becomes easier to locate. Web sites have become available for people to research diseases and talk to doctors online at sites. Another popular thing to do on the Internet is to check out the news. Almost all local news can be obtained through the Internet. Using the Internet to get the weather allows people to view weather all over the world. Live radar all over the country and local forecasts are just to name a few of the things that may be obtained for weather information on the Internet. Shopping online has also become a huge success and is considered a great advantage of the Internet. No matter what people are shopping for, it can be found on the Internet. People do not even have to leave their homes. A few companies have collected millions of dollars using the Internet for selling. Clothing is probably one of the most bought items online. Almost every major clothing store has its on Web site. Just one click of the mouse on the items they want to purchase and the items are delivered to their front door. DISADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET: Despite all of these advantages of the Internet, there are numerous disadvantages. Many fear the Internet because of its disadvantages. They claim to not use the Internet because they are afraid of the possible consequences or are simply not interested. People who have yet connected to the Internet claim they are not missing anything. Today technological society must realize, it is up to them to protect themselves on the Internet Children using the Internet have become a big concern. When children are online, they can easily be lured into something dangerous. When children talk to others online, they do not realize they could actually be talking to a harmful person. There are a number of tools available today that may help keep the Internet environment safer for children. Some companies, such as America Online, try to monitor everything that is said and done on their online service; however, because thousands of chat rooms are available, it is simply impossible for everything to be monitored. In other words, children want to explore things; however, there are people on the Internet that are just too believable. Most parents do not realize the dangers involved when their children log onto the Internet. Prophet Mohammad SAW Said: كلكÙ†¦ Ø ±ÃƒËœÃƒËœÃ‚ ¹ Ùˆ كلكÙ†¦ Ù†¦ÃƒËœÃ‚ ³ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¦Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€ Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ Ø ¹Ãƒâ „¢Ã¢â‚¬   Ø ±ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¹Ãƒâ„¢Ã…  ÃƒËœÃ‚ ªÃƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¡) (, thus parents should be aware of what their children are doing or seeing .. It is the duty of parents to raise their children upon the teachings of Islam by using all possible good means. In fact, the Internet can help parents in this regard if it is used correctly. However, parents should guide their children to the ways of using it in a positive way and protect them against misusing this service. The prominent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, Imam of Calgary Mosque, Alberta, Canada, and Former Professor at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, States: There are many ways of protecting both children and ourselves from the haram (unlawful) as follows: 1. By creating a barrier between us and sins. 2.By providing alternatives to take us away from the haram. Parents need to establish firm and healthy channels of communication with their children and explain to them the Islamic position concerning these issues and how to deal with them. The best way to achieve this is to be a good role model for their children, for if they see their parents as a good example, they will learn the good from them as well. Parents are supposed to introduce alternatives to them. There are many good Islamic websites that they can visit and learn from. They can be given tasks to do on each website, and then can receive prizes for that. Most importantly we must teach our kids how to choose the right friends, who are aware of Islamic teachings and can protect them from learning about haram.. One of the Islamic rules is the consideration of the other rights. The accessibility and freedom of copyrighting is also one of the disadvantages of the Internet. E.g. Musicians are one of those who are worried because of that. They are upset because the Internet provides their music online at no charge to customers. File-sharing services, such as Napster, provide copyrighted songs to all Internet users. The main concern is the music is free! Musicians feel they are not getting paid for their work. Because of Napster, it is almost impossible to close down all file-sharing services; there are too many of them to count. Legal cases have developed across the country with copyright owners declaring that their music is being plagiarized by people on the Internet. Another major disadvantage of the Internet is privacy. Electronic messages sent over the Internet can be easily snooped and tracked, revealing who is talking to whom and what they are talking about. People should become aware that the collection, selling, or sharing of the information they provide online increases the chances that their information will fall into the wrong hands. Consequently, they will become a victim of identity theft, one of the worst privacy violations with potentially devastating financial consequences. When giving personal information on the Internet, people should make sure the Web site is protected with a recognizable security symbol. On the other hand, this does not mean they are fully protected because anyone may obtain user information. Today, not only are humans getting viruses, but computers are also. Computers are mainly getting these viruses from the Internet; yet, viruses may also be transmitted through floppy disks. However, people should mainly be concerned about receiving viruses from the Internet. Some of these dangerous viruses destroy the computer entire hard drive, meaning that the user can no longer access the computer. Virus protection is highly recommended. THE INFLUENCE OF THE INTERNET ON THE ISALMIC WORLD: Although there has been a tremendous amount of discussion in the popular press about how the Internet is changing all facets of Islamic social life, research on the impact of the Internet is only beginning to emerge. A review of the studies reported in this issue suggests that the Internet may have had less impact on many aspects of social life than is frequently supposed. In many cases, the Internet seems to have created a new way of doing old things, rather than being a technology that changes the manner in which people live their lives. As a consequence, the policy implications of increasing Internet use may be less than is often believed. PRIOR STUDY: (The Internet and Youth Subculture in Kuwait) Abstract Young people in Kuwait constitute both the highest concentration of Internet users (estimated to be approximately 63% of all Internet users in Kuwait) and the largest sector of Kuwaiti society. Moreover, as argued in this article, young peoples Internet practices are likely to stimulate the most significant changes in Kuwaiti society. This article scrutinizes a handful of descriptions by young Kuwaiti of the importance and implication of the Internet in their lives. Survey Research on Kuwaiti Youths and the Internet, 1996-2001: This was the first professional conference to consider the development and impact of the Internet in Kuwait, and the Islamic World in general, ever held in the Gulf. The papers presented that independently came to the same conclusions: 1- Kuwaiti youths seem to be the most deeply effected by the transformations in communicative practices enabled by the Internet. They focused on the ways in which the Internet was detrimental to face-to-face social ties between peers and among family members. They argued that customarily, young (and old) Kuwaiti men had gathered in the late afternoon and evenings to drink tea and eat sweets together. Women had done the same. With the introduction of the Internet, young people argue that they find it more enjoyable to surf the net in the evenings instead of participating in traditional social rituals. A recent regional survey found that 55% of Internet use takes place between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m., the hours when tea and home visits, or visits to the diwaniyya (male social clubs) are most likely to occur(  [1]  ). 2- young people are unlikely to use the Internet along with other family members (just over 10% did), which means that family ties are potentially jeopardized by Internet use. Instead, youths share their ideas and positive energies in cyberspace with people they dont know personally. While such interactions foster a positive sense of being one with the world. Only 7.8% of the students surveyed by Mazeedi and Ismail were taught to use the Internet by a family member. Thus the authors conclude that families dont set the rules of standards on how to use the Internet ethically and academically. Moreover, since students often use the Internet to meet with the opposite sex (more than 30% admitted to this as a regular practice) Islamic sanctions against interactions with the opposite sex outside of relatives and marriage are transgressed(  [2]  ). 3- Throughout my fieldwork, I met people who had fallen in love, or attempted to, via the Internet. One person I interviewed explained that her brother and sister-in-law had fallen in love via the computer. They met in a chatroom. Over time they developed a regular cyber-relationship. One day, several months into the relationship, they decided to meet in person. When they went to pay for their Internet subscriptions at the Ministry of Communication building, they decided to wait for each other near the entrance. It was love at first sight and they decided ultimately to marry. There were some problems, however, because he was Shii and she was Sunni, and her parents refused to bless the engagement. Ultimately love won out, and their wedding cake was shaped like a computer, a symbol of the amazing tool that brought them together, enabling the transgression of sectarian lines which divide Kuwaitis and interrupting the ritual of arranged or semi-arranged marriages(  [3]  ). 4- 73.4% of students who use the Internet felt that it was being used in socially abusive and ethically unreliable ways. Similarly, 61.1% of those surveyed felt that the morals and behavior of the students have been affected negatively by the Internet(  [4]  ). 5- Students continue to misuse the Internet. Many of them sneak into Internet cafes to freely browse through sites linked with immoral activities without check(  [5]  ). 6- Cyber-relations could in fact help young men and women in Kuwait to understand the other gender in a way that might improve communication between the sexes in marriage and the family. Moreover, the Internet might give young people more sovereignty over the choice of a spouse. Often family members choose a spouse for their child based upon standards related to what might improve or protect the social status of the family as a whole(  [6]  ). 7- While some Kuwaiti students are critical of the ways in which the Internet enables them to violate the norms they are raised to hold, others are taking full advantage of the Internet as a vehicle for challenging Kuwaiti societys increasingly conservative view of proper public interaction between the sexes. Students increasingly find cyberspace an attractive place in which to experiment with unfamiliar or endangered forms of social interaction. To a degree, students cyber-relations reveal that the Internet supports decentralization, individual empowerment, resilience and self-sufficiency. practices which coincide with the design principles of the technology. The fact that many Kuwaiti youths remain critical of such practices illustrates how Muslim values help to filter and buffer the meanings and implications of such experiences. Local cultural and social frameworks both shape what is revolutionary about the use of a new tool, and in addition, influence the pace of change(  [7]  ). A research project about the effects of the Internet on the social Arab world (  [8]  ): Dr. Albrecht Hofheinz(  [9]  ) put the cyber world into the context of social behavior in order to identify more clearly whether any possible effects of virtual changes are becoming apparent in the real world. As for if people are dealing with religious and political questions, and how do transnational and local publics connect and interact with one another? He commented: In the 1990s, Internet enthusiasts had a vision: all you need is a modem, a PC, and an Internet connection to have the world at your fingertips. This gave rise to the hypothesis that the entire structure of the way in which public opinions are formed would be transformed by significantly facilitating access to publication opportunities for a large number of people. It was felt that public debates would spread around the world, thereby bringing about a radical change in the formation of opinions in Arab-Islamic countries. The theory was that the emancipator effect of this development would be twofold: larger sections of society would become more involved in the formation of opinions and this, in turn, would result in greater participation in decision-making processes. In other words, the Internet would spread democracy. The aim of his research project was to test the theory that more people would get involved in the opinion formation process and would have more to contribute to this process as a result of the Internet. Implicitly, this would pose a threat to the hegemony of traditional hierarchies and authorities in terms of shaping opinions: The theory was that it would soon become second nature to Internet users to form their own opinions and not simply to refer to a single authoritative source and blindly follow the opinions presented there. The fact that users would themselves be able to comment on material published by others and discuss solutions in a non-hierarchical manner would result in the development of a social dynamism that would inherently help accelerate the democratization of decision-making processes. That was the theory on which this research project was based. About the developed of the use of the Internet in Arab countries he claimed: We cant generalize. The state reaction to the Internet phenomenon differs from country to country in the Arab world. None of these countries now completely rejects the Internet. However, some treat the occurrence more restrictively than others. The first countries to open up to the Internet in the early days were traditional, liberal economic, pro-Western states like Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. As for the free access to the Internet in the Arabic world he commented: A comparison of the countries in the Arab world reveals that some allow completely free access to the Internet while others channel all Internet traffic through a filter. This central filter allows them to block access to specific sites. But anyone with technical know-how can get around these filters. This sort of filter censorship can be found in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Syria. The Saudis, for example, only opened up public access to the Internet in 1999 after a long delay: they waited until the technical requirements for total filtering were fulfilled. Beforehand, the debate had centered on how Saudi society could be protected against damaging influences through the Internet. Dr. Hofheinz commented on the way that Arab countries are dealing with the Internet: Many Muslim thinkers and scholars were very careful and feared that the Internet could lead to an infiltration and wearing down of Muslim social and moral standards. In this context, discussions with Islamic overtones took place. These same discussions had other overtones elsewhere: in Asia, for example, but also in Europe and anywhere people think that the Internet might lead to a homogenization of the cultures. In concrete terms, this means that western or American cultural values and ideas are disseminated under the existing balance of power. This discussion has not become any less powerful to this day. On the other hand, Islamic groups were some of the first to make use of the Internet. At the end Dr. Hofheinz talked about his theory: My initial theory has not proven well-founded in the short term. But that doesnt mean that all opportunities have been wasted. I would say instead that the initial theory was naive in its radicalism. It was quite simply naive to expect the introduction of the Internet to unleash a political tidal wave. One has to examine what socialization process are being promoted on the Internet. The trend is clear: the Internet reinforces the role and the self-confidence of the subject. Even the chatting of young people should not be underestimated. It is easier to talk openly in chat rooms about things that are usually only talked about among friends. I still believe that this will lead to a change in political culture: not necessarily a radical change and not only as a result of the Internet, but the Internet is undoubtedly an important factor. THE INFLUENCE OF THE INTERNET FROM AN ISLAMIC PRESPECTIVE: Many researches and scholars consider the internet as the real reason for the flourishing of the so called Islamic Virtual Ummah, what do you think? In so far as virtual today has become virtually identical to cyberspace, this is certainly correct. Further, there is no doubt that the Internet has contributed greatly to a new growth of pan-Islamic feelings among many of its Muslim users. This phenomenon should, however, not be regarded in isolation from its social and historical context. Muslim activists on the Internet have been drawn first and foremost, in the beginnings, in the 1990s, from among these circles, and they have found in the Internet an ideal medium to share reflections on their beliefs, identity, practicies, policies, social life, moral ways, etc. In other words, to think of themselves as a community in new ways that were more self-reflected, and less bound by tradition, than tended to be the case back home. And this new community is often referred to, or thought of as, a virtual ummah. In how far do you think what happens on the Internet has any effect on real life? Especially in the context of the murder of Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands: the murderer apparently used texts from the extremist websites in the letter he left on the body of his victim. The Internet is thus less revolutionary than it is often made to appear. Rather, it is the latest incarnation in a long development of media that have helped Muslims (among other people) to imagine their belonging. The Internet is a medium; media, consumed, are part of peoples socialization and can influence their thoughts and acts. To say so much is trivial but it has to be said since some people still question the effect of the net on real life. Exactly how, and to what extent, media influence peoples thoughts and acts is, however, a very different question. After 40 years of research into the effects of television, there is no unanimity among researches about the nature and quality of these effects. And the debate continues on how exactly to measure such effects. Comparatively speaking, Internet research is still in its infancy, but the problems are essentially the same. People are influenced in their thoughts and acts by a great variety of factors, and to posit some simple linear connections between material posted on the net, or peoples online activities, and their acts in real life, is too simplistic. All that can be said with some certainty is that the Internet is likely to play an increasingly important role in peoples socialization, and that therefore the way material, thought, ideas, social relations etc are presented on the net is going to exert a growing influence on real life. With regard to Islam, for example, this means that increasingly, only material easily accessible on the net will be considered by the majority of Muslim Internet users in the construction of what Islam means, and how one should live properly as a Muslim. Do you think that the Internets effect of reducing and simplifying complicated and rich cultural and religious traditions will eventually lead to a loss of Islamic knowledge and traditional authority? And do you think this is necessarily a dangerous or undesirable development? Primarily it is an unavoidable development that should not be lamented so much as is taken as a challenge. And secondly, the simplification of the scholastic canon that is speeded by the Internet (but which in itself is a development that started much earlier, in the 18th century C.E.) is but one side of a larger development which at heart is dialectical. One the one side, the complicated scholastic tradition is reduced to relatively simple truths but on the other hand, these truths get reappropriated by many more people than ever before, and in the process of this appropriation new ways of thinking are engendered, which in turn will lead to a new culture, or rather, new rich cultures, and new traditions, over time. In your opinion, to what extent is Islam represented on the internet? And in compared to other religions? With regard to the first part of the question, it is noticeable that the representation of Islam on the Internet started from the periphery so to speak- from the US- (and European) based on Diaspora. For long, their voices on the Internet were much more prominent than voices from the established centers of Islamic learning in the Muslim heartlands, and that has sent the note, to an extent. What are the most popular Islamic websites on the net? It is not al-Azhar, or the Zaytuna or Deoband. Rather, it is sites like Islam Online, Amr Khaled, Islamweb, al-islam.com, Isalm Todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Sites that operate from the sides of the old establishment, if you will (and I include Islamweb from Qatar and al-Islam.com from Sakhr among the sides here). So, the representation of Islam on the Internet clearly has changed from what it was before. And one may also argue that for seasoned users those who know how to find things the plurality of voices has dramatically increased. If one knows how to find, one can find pretty much anything on the net today, including pretty much any of the many representations of Islam. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, today society is in the middle of a technological boom. People can either choose to take advantage of this era, or simply let it pass them by. The Internet is a very powerful tool. It has many advantages; however, people need to be extremely aware of the disadvantages as well. People on the Internet participate in a unique electronic culture. Like all other cultures, the Internet culture has its own norms, standards and expectations for members of the electronic community. A number of resources exist to help people who are new to the Internet learning about its electronic culture. These resources usually address one of two topics: ethics or etiquette. Internet etiquette, which is often called netiquette, is similar to and often overlaps with ethical issues; however, netiquette is less a strict code of conduct and more an understanding of what constitutes good manners and electronic community expectation

Andy Warhol Essay -- essays research papers fc

It is rare for an artist to become a celebrity, but Andy Warhol experienced much more than his â€Å"fifteen minutes of fame†, and became an icon of his generation. Andrew Warhola was born August Sixth, 1928, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He was the youngest son of Julie and Andrej Warhola, both immigrants from Czechoslovakia. In Fifth grade Andrew started attending the free Saturday classes that the Carnegie Institute taught. It is noted that even then young Andrew excelled at his art. Due to the bullying by his classmates he stayed inside a great deal, working on his art. Due to his aptitude in school, Andrew skipped two grades and was admitted into the Carnegie Institute of Technology at the young age of 16. Once in the school Andrew was admitted to the Department of Painting and Design. He studied various aspects of commercial graphic design. Warhol graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1949, with a degree in pictorial design. He then went to New York City to work as a commercial illustrator. Warhol was involved in many artistic fields such as painting, filmmaking and photography. . He got his first break in August 1949, when Glamour Magazine wanted him to illustrate a feature entitled "Success is a Job in New York". But by accident the credit read "Drawings by Andy Warhol" and that's how Andy dropped the "a" in his last name. He continued doing ads and illustrations and by 1955 he was the most successful and imitated commercial ar...

Differing Views On Reconstruction :: American America History

Differing Views On Reconstruction By 1866, several distinct positions on Reconstruction emerged. These were divided into three opposing camps: Conservatives (democrats), Moderates, and Radicals. The Conservatives believed the South should be readmitted into the Union as soon as possible, but the Radicals and Moderates believed there should be consequences for succeeding. The question of what those consequences should be separated Radical from Moderate. The answer to this question was as related to how important each side believed it was to enfranchise African Americans into this country (socially, politically, economically, and culturally) as it was in exacting an appropriate punishment for the treasonous South. Although the two Republican factions disagreed on several aspects of Reconstruction policy, they both understood that the Conservative approach to Reconstruction could never be enacted. The Conservatives lead by President Johnson, believed in a rapid readmission, into the Union, for the defeated Southern states. Johnson's stipulations were solely that the states ratify the 13th Amendment, and repudiate Confederate war debt (thus making it null and void). A second more controversial measure to the democrat's plan for rapid reconstruction was the issuing of pardons to former Confederate officials, landowners, and generals. As a direct result of these pardons, former plantation owners' land was returned. The goal of the Conservatives during Reconstruction was obviously to return the South to the social, political, and economic structure of the antebellum period. The Conservative plans for reconstruction allowed the former Confederate leadership, which led the South to war to regain high ranking political positions. This made the Republicans fearful that the South would eventually move down the path of war with the Union. Furthermore, it also proved to the South that there were no consequences for succession. This was unacceptable to both Moderates and Radicals. In their eyes the South had committed treason and should have to suffer the consequences. However, Johnson never tried any of the Confederate leaders on charges of treason. The obvious answer to why the Conservatives wanted to enact this policy were because they were the ones guilty of succession. This was their way of protecting their self-interests. Before the war, Conservatives dominated Southern politics. After Southern succession they made up the majority of the Confederate government. However, the less than obvious answer was that they saw preserving the status quo antebellum as the only way to allow the Southern economy to one-day flourish. Considering that many conservatives were former slaveholders they enjoyed some vested interest in preserving the system. Differing Views On Reconstruction :: American America History Differing Views On Reconstruction By 1866, several distinct positions on Reconstruction emerged. These were divided into three opposing camps: Conservatives (democrats), Moderates, and Radicals. The Conservatives believed the South should be readmitted into the Union as soon as possible, but the Radicals and Moderates believed there should be consequences for succeeding. The question of what those consequences should be separated Radical from Moderate. The answer to this question was as related to how important each side believed it was to enfranchise African Americans into this country (socially, politically, economically, and culturally) as it was in exacting an appropriate punishment for the treasonous South. Although the two Republican factions disagreed on several aspects of Reconstruction policy, they both understood that the Conservative approach to Reconstruction could never be enacted. The Conservatives lead by President Johnson, believed in a rapid readmission, into the Union, for the defeated Southern states. Johnson's stipulations were solely that the states ratify the 13th Amendment, and repudiate Confederate war debt (thus making it null and void). A second more controversial measure to the democrat's plan for rapid reconstruction was the issuing of pardons to former Confederate officials, landowners, and generals. As a direct result of these pardons, former plantation owners' land was returned. The goal of the Conservatives during Reconstruction was obviously to return the South to the social, political, and economic structure of the antebellum period. The Conservative plans for reconstruction allowed the former Confederate leadership, which led the South to war to regain high ranking political positions. This made the Republicans fearful that the South would eventually move down the path of war with the Union. Furthermore, it also proved to the South that there were no consequences for succession. This was unacceptable to both Moderates and Radicals. In their eyes the South had committed treason and should have to suffer the consequences. However, Johnson never tried any of the Confederate leaders on charges of treason. The obvious answer to why the Conservatives wanted to enact this policy were because they were the ones guilty of succession. This was their way of protecting their self-interests. Before the war, Conservatives dominated Southern politics. After Southern succession they made up the majority of the Confederate government. However, the less than obvious answer was that they saw preserving the status quo antebellum as the only way to allow the Southern economy to one-day flourish. Considering that many conservatives were former slaveholders they enjoyed some vested interest in preserving the system.

English Oral Text

Where have you been? We have not seen each other for two years. ‘ miss you a lot. A:Ooh! C didn't tell you? ‘ have to move that weekend because my father has transferred to other place and he needs to start his work immediately. ‘ try to look for you on the last day but there was nobody in your house.B:At that time,' was on vacation with my family at Singapore. C Just informed to me after I came back from loudly. Let felt so bad because I couldn't meet you to say goby. A:But,when I think back about it,' think maybe it is better to go without saying goodbye. At least,we don't need to say goodbye and feel sad. B:Yeah! That's true. Hey,do you live here? A:Yes. Lam living here,This is my hometown. By the way,do you have a phone number? B:Yeah! Of course. Do you want it? A:Yup. So we will be keep in touch after this. B. Okay. Give me your phone because I need your phone number too. A:Sure. Here is it.B:Okay. L got it. Let's done. A:So,what are you doing here? B:Ooh,l was on a school trip for three days and two nights. Today is our last day here. A:Wow,that's fun. Well,what are you going to do now? B:' want to buy some souvenirs for my family and friends. How about you? What are school. ‘ want to thank her for her sacrifice. Anyway,let me help you with it. ‘ know the best souvenir's shop here. B:Well,that is a good idea. A:' also want you to try ‘Alaska',the famous local dish here. Let's absolutely very appetizing if you take it with a bowl of BBC. B:Wow,that sound interesting. Shall we go now?A:Yeah,this way. The shop is over there. Let's go! EXAM FAA : Haw, Sahara our exam is Just around the corner? Have you prepared? Sahara : Yes, I am. I have my own time table and I follow it carefully so then I have many time for study. Btw have you prepared? Flash : 50/50 I think. I want to achieve my target that is sea's but I don't assured. Sahara : Fyi, I Just tell my parent about my time table, if I forgot they will remember me. I know ou r class teacher give us many haw but I did it one by one as long I don't delay it. Flash : Wow :O don't you feel uncontrollable with that time table?Sahara : Sometime I feel like that too but I catch up again. All we need is our attempt and support from our family. Flash : Thanks Sahara I will tried start from today. One more thing friend, how you study at home? Just read reference book or Just do exercise book. I Just read reference book, if I do exercise book I Just do a few then I felt lazy and put it away. Sahara : No Flash you can't do like that, if you want to achieve your target you should attempt. Like me I do that two way to be more better. Flash : Oh I see! You great Sahara. I should fast, you are in the front.Btw I GTAG, thank for the info really appreciate and I hope I'll be like you. Sahara : Haw its okay, I really enjoy talk with you BTW later we can had a study group together bye, make sure arrange your time table carefully 🙂 A friend that change school A : H ey guys! Long time no see. I missed you guys a lot! B : We're too babe! 😀 So bored when you not with us at school. C : Absolutely freaking boring you know? Well, here you are the one that always cheer us up. So how your life in hostels? A : Whoa! Whoa! I miss you guys a lot too 😀 First week I feel like â€Å"Mama, take me back home! So lonely there. I'm too awkward to speak with others and them too. But now everything was fine. B : Hawaii pity you! 😛 That's why I said don't you ever moving to other school. Our school are good what, everything was perfect. C : Agree B! Don't you feel like want school here back? A : Of course I want school here back! But what should I do? Everything is my mama decision. I still loves our school and you know what? I cried when remember our memory together. B : Whoa same goes with me! Haw 😀 I cried when realizes that you no longer with us. C : What? You too B?You always imitate me 😛 A, when we walk, we always tal k to you pretend that you're here. A : You're guys make me proud to have a bestrides like you 😀 Don't worry every weekend, I'll be home. Just came to my house. B : Nah it's not same okay. C : So A, who's your friends there? A : Relax B, long time later you'll be okay without me. My friends there? Me, her mama is D. She's a talkative girl that always make me laugh. B & C : Him okay VACATION A very good morning to our English teacher Pin Numismatists, and fellow friends. Today my group and I would like to act out a dialogue with the title VACATION.Now before I start allow me to introduce my group that is Barium, Gaskin and myself Mira. Mira: (1st day of school after the summer holidays) Hi ABA Hi siskin how was your holiday guys? ABA : It was great. My family went to Pula Language which is known as the Jewel of Asked. We visited many tourist attractions. Some of my favorite spots are the Bird Park, The crocodile farm and The Underwater world. We also got the chance to visit Ma sseur's grave. While we were there I saw a painting of Mashers. Do you guys know the reason why Mashers is special?Gaskin: No I don't, why is Mashers so special? Mira: I heard that Mashers was a pregnant woman who was sentence to death for eating the kings precious fruits right. ABA: Well it is true about that but that's only half of it. Like you said she is a pregnant woman that was sentence to death and legend had said the day of her prosecution she had prayed to god never to let Pula Language to be modernized before her seventh generation was born. Since then Language was never modernized until it is said that Masseur's seventh generation was born, but enough about me how was your summer holiday Siskin?Gaskin: Oh how interesting. My holiday however was not as interesting as yours did but to me it was the most memorable. We went to visit my grandmother at my mother's hometown in a small village situated at Amelia. My grandmother has a garden there and the time was right because th e fruits have fully ripened. She grew many fruits there like Durian, Mangos and Managements. It feels like an island paradise there especially after we finished harvesting the fruits and that's how my vacation went. So how was yours Mira? Mira: Your vacation sounds tons of fun ABA and you to Sick.Well for my vacation my parent's brought us to Cameron highlands where we stayed at Strawberry Park Resort. When we arrived at Cameron it was raining and the temperature there is way cooler than here and you could hardly imagine how it was at night we went there for 3 days 2 nights. On the day that we arrived in Cameron we went to check in the hotel and rest because we were tired after staying in the car for 4 hours. The second day of the trip to Cameron we went to see many places some of my favorites are the Tea farm, Strawberry farm and the Lavender park.It was so nice there at the tea farm we could smell the scent of tea all around us. While at the strawberry farm we could hand pick the strawberries ourselves and we got to taste many types of food made out of strawberry. There was strawberry ice cream, strawberry dipped in chocolate and there were even strawberry muffins with strawberry toppings and large chunks of real strawberries in it. Well while at the lavender farm we got to smell lavender, buy lavender perfume and lavender Hampton other than that we also got to buy lavender flowers. Well that's my vacation and Oh before I forget guys come to my class during recess.I have something to give to you guys. (The bell rings time to go to class)OK then that's the bell I better get going don't want to be late for class. Bye guys see you during recess. ABA & Asking: (together) K bye see you during recess. B: Good morning, Sherry! A : You look so beautiful today! You buy a new down coat? B: Haw! Yes, yes. I went shopping last Sunday! You know there were so many beautiful clothes discounting! A: Really? Oh, what a pity! I'm so busy these days and eave no time going out! B: In fact , I nearly can't stand so cold day in Hairpin.You know I am a new comer, and the weather here hard to suit for me! I almost fear to go outside and stay in the dormitory all day long . But now, I have this down coat and also a hat and a scarf. So I can go out to play. A: I am sorry to hear that . Four years ago when I came here the first year, I'm also feel so cold to go out. Gradually I used to it. Take it easy, today I listened to the radio and it said in the next few days it will be worming up. B:Oh,Let is so grateful ! A: Oh, Annie, do you find these days the price of goods , for example vegetables, pork ND so on, has so sharp drop.?What's your opinion about this fact? B: I think the financial crisis in the United States has affected China Under the condition of economic globalization, no country has a narrow escape in this crisis. A: I think so.. L heard that a quantity of goods in China exported to America. Just because the crisis happened in the USA, a lot of enter prises in the coastal areas of China go bankrupt and then many people lose their Jobs. I am afraid that we will have some difficulty to find a suitable Job in the next year. B: What a terrible thing it is! In today's newspaper,I learned that at the end of this year , about one hundred million college students cannot find a Job. And the next year , there will be six hundred college students graduated. So you can imagine the way to find a ideal Job for us will be a hardships. A: He! Maybe the topic we have today is too sad. B: Ye. Don't too worry about it now . The only thing we can do is to work harder and try to learn more things appropriate to social application. And the government will also take actively steps to stimulate more Job opportunities. A: K! Let's correctly face opportunities and challenges in the future. B:Yes. OK! Let's coordinate our efforts!

Foods/Typical Meal Essay

Talking about Belgian food, Earl Steinbicker (2006) says: Regular meals tend to be enormous and lengthy, as compensation for the small continental breakfast. A great deal of fat is often used in traditiononal Belgian cooking, so you will probably want to limit yourself to one full meal a day. some typically Belgian meat dishes are:Carbonnades flamandes(beef cooked in beer),Biftek et frites(beefsteak with French fries) and jambon dArdennes(smoked ham). the favorite seafood seems to be moules(mussels)served in very large quantity. Shrimps is often prepared as tomatoes aux crevettes (stuffed in tomatoes). Vegetable dishes: Chicoree-witloof (Belgian endive)-Asperges a’la flamande (white asparagus with egg sauce). the most common snack, sold every where is frites (French fries eaten with mayonnaise), and try gaufres (Belgian waffles). Belgium is the land of beer no one can make better brew. Like: pils, kriek. Another fowl treat is Oie aIinstar de vise'(goose boiled and then fried). Daily Schedule There is no illiteracy in Belgium. Schooling is free and compulsory from ages 6 to 14. The nation’s primary and secondary school systems are divided between private denominational (usually Roman Catholic) schools and nonsectarian government schools. The subsidized private schools educate more than one half of the pupils. Most schools work a half-day on Wednesday, though the afternoon is sometimes given over to sporting or cultural activities. These can also happen on a Saturday morning (Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 2007). Your Reaction Place you’d like to see The Castle of Veves A fascinating castle in the village of Celles . It has been built on 1410 and still lived in by the same family and is fully furnished. The castle is overlooking the picturesque village of Celles, which is considered one of the â€Å"Most Beautiful Villages of Wallonia†; it is composed of five magnificent towers. Inside, there’s a remarkable half-timbered gallery from the 16th century. From far a way you may think that it’s a fairy tail castle and a charming prince will come out of it any time. (See Figure 4). Figure 4. Event you would like to attend Choco-Late, the Bruges Chocolate Festival This festival takes place from 6 April until 10 April, in the historic city centre of Bruges. 72 exhibitors presented their products of chocolate to a large number of visitors. For the chocolate lover, it will be a good opportunity to taste many kinds of it with different new ways of preparing it. Once again visitors to the festival will have the privilege of tasting, experiencing and appreciating chocolate in all its forms. Well it would be a great chance to be missed. Time of year/Place to avoid Any time of year is good time to visit Belgium, but you may avoid July and August are since many take vacation during that period and Most Catholic holidays are celebrated in Belgium so check dates before attempting to schedule. Also avoid visiting Ghent on Monday when many of its important sights are closed. References Belgium. (2007). In Britannica Student Encyclopedia . Retrieved April 23, 2007, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online: http://www. britannica. com/ebi/article-228985 The Belgian school system. (2006, Oct). Expatica. Steinbicker, E. (2006). Daytrips Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg: 40 One Day Adventures by Rail, Bus or Car. Winter park, Florida: Hastings house/Daytrips publisher. The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US. Retrieved April 23, 2007, from http://www. visitbelgium. com/.