Community Safety Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Community Safety - Assignment Example These authorities are responsible for different areas and premises. They include the fire and safety authority operating in areas of residence, the Health and Safety Executive who is responsible for areas of the Navy and other such areas, local authorities and finally any fire inspectors or fire services maintained by the Secretary of Defense. All of these are the enforcing authorities for the fire safety of the community ("The regulatory reform," 2005). One authority alone however, cannot deal with an issue as huge as community safety. When dealing with projects as large as the one of reducing incidence of fires amongst a whole community of immigrant workers, a partnership between different agencies and authorities is important. This is because different authorities and agencies have access to different parts of the community, and have control over different aspects of the lives of the people. The police department is one, which may assist this authority from time to time. The polic e could do this by reinforcing the law pertaining to smoke detectors. In the US, it is illegal to deactivate a fire alarm in one’s home. Deactivation of this alarm can lead to heavy fines, since it poses a serious threat for the dwellers of the household. This implies that there is an important role the police can play in the reducing the risk of fire-related incidents. To do this, they could follow cases of reported fires where smoke detectors were not present to indicate the fire on time. To the people involved in such a fire, the police could issue warnings of heavy fines or punishment for not having had properly functioning smoke detectors. This would ensure that these citizens would heed the advice to keep properly functioning smoke detectors, thus reducing the incidence of fires, which the fire brigades could not stop on time due to absence of smoke detectors. One can sought out other parties that can be helpful in reducing the incidents through evaluation of the situat ion for its causes. This is possible through a problem-oriented approach. The situation involves immigrant workers who live in rented accommodation, and do not have smoke detectors or the proper education when it comes to safety from fire. So when helping these people to prevent fires, one can pin down several root causes for when these people experience fires in their living quarters. Firstly, they live in rented space, for which they are not responsible. Thus, they do not deem themselves liable to arrange for smoke detectors. Then, they may not be aware of the importance or necessity of smoke detectors in ones living quarters. In addition, they may not be aware of the basic procedures for prevention from fire hazards, since they may not have learned about them from the country they have migrated. Thus to remedy all these problems, the relevant authorities must be included in the solution. As far as the rent-tenant problem is concerned, the authority concerned with tenant-landlord laws must make the tenants aware the property owner is legally bound to provide them with a safe, health hazard-free living environment. The fire department should ensure that smoke detectors are available to any citizen who wishes to get them. Emergency healthcare services and immigration authorities should collaborate to ensure a final, very important factor. This is that each person who receives the permission to immigrate to the country is given a

Professional Communication at the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Professional Communication at the Workplace Essay Interpersonal communication is essentially the exchange of communication between one person(s) and another. Like any other form of communication, interpersonal communication involves the sender of the message and the recipient of the message. The message can only be passed correctly if both the sender and the recipient pass it correctly and understand each other. I work for a voluntary group at the University. This group aims at reaching out to the less fortunate both in the institution and the society generally. We do not offer financial help as such but instead focus on the abilities of the people we interact with and give them the necessary counsel and advice they need. In this way, we give them ideas on how they can actually help themselves out financially. This organization involves a lot of interaction, both within ourselves as the members of the organization and also between us and the people we interact with. As such there is a lot of interpersonal communication that goes on. The group consists of a total of ten members, and as they say, we are like our fingers; we come in different sizes and lengths, not literally but in terms of age, personalities, gender, culture, spiritual orientation and physical abilities and disabilities. This whole structure of diversity makes communication, particularly interpersonal communication, an issue worth debate. This is because the way we choose to communicate within ourselves and others is bound to affect our service delivery either positively or n egatively. The following part of the paper will critically analyze each of these factors mentioned above that makes us diverse in our communication, interpersonal communication.CITATION Joh12 p 56 l 1033 (Johnson, 2012, p. 56)Age The voluntary group I work for is extremely diversified when it comes to age, with members from the extreme sides of the age spectrum. The oldest member in the group is aged forty seven, while the youngest is seventeen. Most of the members, about seventy percent, are aged between seventeen and twenty five. The main reason behind this is the fact that the organization requires the participation of both the old and young. For instance, the young and vibrant group, which forms the majority of the group, is required to move up and down and interact with the people we look forward to offering our help to. The older group is mostly involved ion critically analyzing our case studies and give direction on the best way forward. It is therefore not easy to hold a conversation between these two groups that are different in terms of age. For instance, young people will always base their ideas on what social media says. They will go with current trends since that are what they are familiar with a nd immediately make a decision. The older group will look at trends on a more historical point of view and analyze historical events in relation to the topic of discussion before coming up with a remedy. The young members, moreover, communicate with a lot of slang because as much as this organization is based on official business, it is also a social and interactive group as well. This way, the message at times is not passed effectively from one person(s) to another. The consequence of this communication gap is that the goals of the organizations are not at all times met and therefore efficiency is not achieved as well.CITATION Ric01 p 76 l 1033 (Pircadi, 2001, p. 76)Perceived Emotions, Relationships and Personality Our personalities define us. We have different personalities just as we are different in other aspects of our lives. The personality of a person is one thing that psychologists have proved beyond reasonable doubt that is very difficult to change. The personalities of a person will most of the time dictate the way in which they communicate. Some people are introverts and as such they tend to keep to themselves. They listen more than they speak. They think more and learn more from their surrounding and the people around them. Others are outspoken and will speak more. They express themselves through speech. The relationship between or among people also influences communication. CITATION Joh12 l 1033 (Johnson, 2012)This I have witnessed in my voluntary work group. People tend to open up to those they are close with and give less details to the people they are not that close to. One’s family tends to know them better because of the blood relationship that exists as compared to outs iders. Finally, people perceive and express their emotions very differently. Jerry, a member of my voluntary group tends to hide his low moments in smiles. It is therefore not easy to tell what he is going through. I, on the other hand will always show it. I have no way to hide and it is communicated through my emotions. The way we react to how we feel will determine the way we communicate. There are those of us like Jerry who will drown our sorrows in smiles and those like me who will communicate it just as it is. It is therefore very clear that we communicate our emotions very differently and this goes way back to our personalities.CITATION Joh02 p 94 l 1033 (Gray, 2002, p. 94)Spiritual Orientation The world is composed of people with very diverse spiritual backgrounds. Spiritual background forms the foundation of the life of a person. More often than not, the behavior of a person is well explained by their religious beliefs. This is also the case with communication most of the time. Spiritual diversity will create diversity in speech and in communication generally. For instance, Moslems do not shake hands as a sign of greeting. Their greetings are always in form of speech. This is unlike other religions where people are allowed to shake hands casually and even hug. People from strong religious backgrounds and those with high faith are also very cautious with their speech. They tend to taste their words before they spit them out, that is, they are sensitive in their speech so as not to hurt others. The voluntary group that I work with, or rather that I work for has all Christians but one Moslem, Rahima Nassir. She, in one way or another, communicates in a different way from the rest. Most of the time, she refers to the Allah, who is the Supreme Being according to her religion. This happens especially in cases where she tries to sound optimistic and give a hopeless situation hope. The voluntary group involves a lot of interaction and therefore we have to be warm as we interact with others. This is at times not very easy to achieve owing to the fact that some religious beliefs have certain strains. Rahima is not the only one that faces such challenges. Even along the Christian front, there are various denominations which uphold different values. These values make the approach to various situations very differently. CITATION Gai10 p 104 l 1033 (Forey, 2010, p. 104)Gender The gender of a person also affects communication, particularly interpersonal communication. The female species has a different way of passing a message from the male species. One thing I love the most about my voluntary group is that we are balanced when it comes to gender. Out of a group of ten, we have five ladies and five gentlemen. This gives a ratio of one to one. However, this gender difference can at timers be a major setback in terms of communication. The Ladies, for instance would like to be addressed in a more soft way even when it comes to simple aspects such as greetings. Important to note is that communication does not involve only speech, there is verbal and non-verbal communication, all of which should be considered. Throughout the time that I spend with members of my organization, I have observed that men and women have very different modes and methods of communication. Most of the time, male members are very radical in their speech as well as their illustrations. La dies have a different approach. They, more often than not, are very soft both in their speech and illustrations. It is for this reason that they (ladies) are extremely cautious in their speech. I also noted that the men speak fewer words as compared to the ladies. Ladies speak more, except in a few instances.CITATION Mar09 p 85 l 1033 (Gufey, 2009, p. 85)Person with Disability They say disability is not inability. However, this part of the paper will view disability as a hindrance to communication to an extent. People with disabilities, physical disabilities for that matter, face a lot of challenges when it comes to passing a message effectively. This bottleneck is faced by not only the sender of the message but the recipient as well. The voluntary group that I work for or rather the members of the group that I work with experiences such challenges. In the group, there are two people with physical disabilities. Jerry is a deaf while Geoffrey is visually impaired. Of the two, I think Geoffrey has the most difficult time when it comes to communication. For one reason or the other, Geoffrey happened to be the secretary of the organization at some point in time. He therefore took minutes during meetings and did all the secretarial work. This position, I can say he deserved. Geoffrey is very brilliant besides being very diligent in his work. The main challenge that group faced was the translation of the brail recorded minutes. No one in the group understood brail language apart from Geoffrey himself. He was the only one that could read and understand the minutes. Consequently, he had to step down as secretary after a fortnight of good leadership. Jerry on the other hand, cannot communicate easily and effectively. As a matter of facts, he is most of the time misunderstood and the group experiences a lot of instances with miscommunication. Sign language is not that easy to understand. This impacts negatively on the communication in the organization. Both Jerry and the rest of the members have a hard time in communicating. The importance of both Geoffrey and Jerry in the group can never be underestimated but then at times the challenges effective communication a tall order.CITATION Per08 p 119 l 1033 (Mcintosh, 2008, p. 119)Culture Culture is a very important aspect that should be put into consideration when it comes to effective communication. The culture of a member or members of a group determines how the message is conveyed and it also determines how the message is perceived. Culture affects communication to a very great extent simply because the culture of a person will dictate their style of communication. This means that the more diverse the cultures are, the more diverse their styles of communication. Though to a small extent, there is cultural diversity in our voluntary group. In essence we have people from diverse cultural group. For matters of convenience, I will describe the cultural diversity as high culture and low culture, not that any culture is more superior to another, but for explanatory purposes. For instance, Evelyn, the group’s organizing secretary, is from the high culture. This category mainly focuses their communication on arts and by arts I mean it is more of music, drama et cet era. This category will therefore involve people with a very high esteem since for one to be able to express themselves through arts; they have to be extremely bold, just typical of Evelyn. On the contrary, the low culture category involves large audiences. A good illustration of how culture can affect communication is that in some cultures for instance, it is very vital to maintain eye contact during communication while in others; eye contact can be seen as offensive and unacceptable. Barry, the chairman of our voluntary group and Miley, our secretary are most of the time caught up in such a situation due to their religious differences.CITATION Jos14 p 92 l 1033 (Chesobro, 2014, p. 92)Conclusion and Recommendations With over seven billion people in the world, it is expected that people will differ in relation to various aspects of life. Even people from the same family, people with the same cultures, same religious beliefs and people from the same age group will at one point or the other differ. Communication, on the other is also very important. Each and everything we do revolves around communication. No man is an island. This simply means we have to live harmoniously with each other. For this reason, communication is very important. This paper has not focused on intrapersonal communication but interpersonal communication since this is the way we interact with each other in our work places. Without effective interpersonal communication at our work places, it almost difficult to make any social and economic progress. However, I have learnt from my work experiences at my voluntary group that diversities will always be there, they are there to stay. These are some aspects of life that we should a ccept them just in the way they come. We can never be the same. It is therefore very important to understand and embrace each of our diversities, placing our differences aside. From my own case study it is clear that communication is very important. It is equally clear that challenges must arise due to the diversities in various life aspects. Therefore, from my own experience, I would recommend that we respect the fact that we are not and can never be the same but try as well to burn any bridges that might exist as a result of the differences amongst us. We are one and shall always be one, despite our differences. Let us let communication to make us and not break us. References 1033 Avery, C. (2001). The Flexible Workplace. New York: New York University Press. Chesobro, J. (2014). Professional Communication at the Workplace. New York: New York University Press. Eunson, B. (2009). Communication in the Workplace. New York: Edgeworth Publishers. Forey, G. (2010). Globalization, Communication in the Workplace. Oxford University Press. Gray, J. (2002). Mars and Venus in the Workplace. Oxford University Press. Gufey, M. E. (2009). Essentials of Business Communication. New York: New York University Press. Johnson, J. (2012). Solving Problems in Technical Communication. Oxford University Press. Mcintosh, P. (2008). Interpersonal Communication In The Workplace. New York : New York University Press. Muema, T. (2007). Effects of Poor Communication in the Workplace. Miley and Sons Publishers. Pircadi, R. (2001). Skills of Workplace Communication. New York: New York University Press. Source document

Effect of Exercise on Depression: Literature Review

Effect of Exercise on Depression: Literature Review Depression is a disorder which will affect mood, thought and behaviour. Although the majority of the population will at some point in their lives experience low points and the ‘blues,’ depression itself is when these feelings begin to take over and affect the degree to which someone can function (Artal Sherman, 1998). The symptoms of depression can include a persistent sadness and feelings of emptiness, hopelessness and pessimism. People with depression will also often exhibit physical symptoms which can include decreased energy and fatigue, changes to sleeping and eating patterns (increased or decreased levels of) and increased experience of illness from headaches, digestive disorders and chronic pain episodes. (Depression Alliance) Anhedonia – the loss of joy from things or events that were once pleasurable, often including a reduced sex drive is also commonly reported by sufferers. As a result of the symptoms associated with depression and depressive disorders (major depression, bipolar) people can often become increasingly socially withdrawn by both reducing their contact with others, and through reducing their activities such as going out or participation in hobbies. Such withdrawal can also incur further psychological impact, whereby people begin to loose self-esteem and belief that t hey can complete activities they once had, which perpetuates to increase the depression and low mood. Major depression can have serious long term consequences – there is an increased risk of self harm and suicide, with estimates of approximately 15% of the severely depressed committing suicide (Artal Sherman, 1998). There is no one single root of depression that can explain all cases. People may experience depression due to a number of different factors; physical (developing a serious disease, impaired function of brain chemicals), environmental (uncertain housing situation, living in a neighbourhood with a high crime rate) social (inter-personal relationship difficulties or divorce, loss of a job, moving away form home) or traumatic events (bereavement, experiencing a natural disaster, domestic abuse), or even through a combination of these triggers. Depression is a clinical disorder and as a result will often need professional intervention in order to begin the road to recovery. Negative responses from others in regards to attitudes for people to ‘pull their socks up’ and ‘snap out of it’ are described by many with the condition as making the situation worse through causing distress and upset as they are unlikely to be able to do this. Treatment of depression thus usually involves professional help, through a number of available avenues for treatment types – successful recovery programmes are noted to often involve a combination of treatment methods (Lam Kennedy, 2004). Medication such as antidepressants like prozac or zoloft, and talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), counselling are tried and tested means of helping alleviate both the condition and its associated symptoms (Rethink). Existing treatments do not unfortunately work for everyone, and limitations of these existing treatments can include antidepressants which take weeks or months to have an effect or where side effects are at a level whereby compliance to the designated regimen is not adhere to; or the difficulties with which many people can have in accessing psychological therapies / talking treatments where waiting lists can be long or even where certain services are not even available in an area of residence. As a result of such factors, new ways of treating and managing psychological conditions like depression are being evaluated through research and investigation. One of these new methods is through the use of exercise, which has been increasingly suggested and supported through contemporary literature on this as an intervention. There are a number of articles which look at the link between exercise and depression and how exercise can help alleviate depression-related symptoms; and relief from the condition altogether (Halliwell, 2005; Bayak et al, 2000). Some studies report exercise treatment efficacy as being equal to medication treatments (Blumenthal et al, 1999), but a good number of published studies conclude that exercise therapy would optimise treatment within a combination therapy regime although one notable exception to this is the Babyak et al (2000) study which found the exercise group as superior in results to both the medication group, and the combination (exercise and med ication) group. Babyak et al (2000) compared experimental depression treatment groups of exercise, medication and a combination of exercise and medication. Results of this 10-month study concluded that use of a modest exercise plan (30 minutes of a 70% maximum heart rate workout 3 times per week) is an effective treatment for depressed patients who hold a positive view to such a treatment. Overall it has been suggested that 85% of people who use exercise therapy have found it helpful (Halliwell, 2005), and as a result of such studies, NICE guidelines on treatment of (mild) depression states that patients of all ages should be advised of the benefits of following a structured and supervised exercise programme for between 10 – 12 weeks (Hughes, 2005; Halliwell, 2005). The way in which exercise therapy exerts this effect on depression is suggested within the literature as through two possible routes. The first route is physiological. Physical exertion occurring through exercise is known to cause chemical reactions within the body that result in the release of endorphins (a type of hormone) to five times their resting rate. that is secreted from the pituitary gland into the bloodstream during times of pain or stress. Through blocking the release of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, endorphins stop pain signals being received and therefore act as the body’s own ‘natural pain killers’. This analgesic effect also extends to causing a feeling of euphoria. Endorphins thus work towards both mood-enhancing and pain relieving effects and so will work towards alleviating depressive symptoms such as headaches, whilst also boosting positive moods. In relation to depression specifically, it has also been suggested that exercise can reduce physiological responsivity of the body to stressors, which can lead to improvements in psychological well-being, and feelings towa rds ability to cope. (Steptoe, Kimbell Basford, 1998). Lastly, neuro-chemicals are also believed to be an important physiological means by which exercise improves depression. Research into the physiological components of depression has demonstrated low levels or ineffective transmission of neurotransmitters such as noreinephrine and serotonin and thus may play a role in depressive symptomology – as exercise increases the release of neurotransmitters it is believed this increased availability (which is the same effect that many antidepressants exert) is behind improved mood (Ransford, 1982) after exercise. Improvement in neurotransmitter functionality, more specifically improved serotonin availability, has also been suggested as a way in which exercise appears to help people restore normal sleep patterns, important when considering that disruption to sleep is a very common symptom experienced by people with depression. This is suggested to stem from the fact that serotonin has a role of inputting to the SCN (suprachiasmatic nuclei) where our internal body clock which regulates our circadian rhythms, is located. As serotonin as often found to be altered (decreased) in those with depression, improved availability through exercise is a way in which depressive symptoms of disturbed sleep may be helped. (Solberg, Horton Turek, 1999) The second proposed way in which exercise is believed to help depressed individuals is the psychological route. Participation in exercise can invoke positive feelings of self-belief and accomplishment, through which self-esteem can be improved the so-called Mastery hypothesis (Babyak et al, 2000) where achievement makes us feel better about ourselves. This is an important aspect as the way in which social withdrawal is so often seen in those that are depressed can negatively impact self-esteem. (MIND) Along these lines involvement in exercise activity also raises the possibility of improving social support through providing opportunity for social interactions with others, with social support renowned for its importance in recovery from depression. (MIND) One of the other more psychological explanations behind exercise and its affect on depression is the Distraction hypothesis. Quite simply, through the distraction of the physical activity we are temporarily able to shift our focus a nd thoughts away from the stressors or everyday difficulties which may be contributing to the depression and low mood. Evidence for exercise in the treatment of depression can also be supported through literature from another angle. Participation in exercise has been studied in its protective capacity against depression (Artal Sherman, 1998), with findings that individuals categorised as participating in lower levels of exercise activity were at higher risk of developing depression than individuals who had regular and high levels of physical activity (Camacho, 1991). On the back of available research such as that reviewed for this essay, the use of exercise in the treatment of medical conditions is gaining credibility within the medical professional to stem beyond treatment for purely physically based conditions such as heart disease and obesity, but as a means of helping those with psychological conditions like depression. Authors promoting use of exercise as a treatment for depression also often comment on the positive health benefits it will bring alongside amelioration of depression-related symptoms that other treatments for depression cannot bring (van de Vliet et al, 2003). Exercise itself is associated with positive health benefits including reducing body fat, lowering blood pressure, strengthening bones, and muscles and improving the body’s cardiovascular system. Exercise is therefore a potentially more positive treatment regimen as the experience it involves does not include the negative side effects which are commonly reported fr om pharmacological treatments. (Halliwell, 2005). In summary, there is a vast array of literature that supports the integration of exercise therapy within a treatment programme for a more effective and positive treatment experience for people with mild to moderate depression. The severity of the depression will influence whether exercise is a practical treatment to provide, as more severe cases are less likely to be able to adhere to such a treatment regimen (potentially as a result of more severe physical symptoms and fatigue that may stop them from any higher level of physical exertion). As a result it is found throughout the literature that for exercise therapy to be a success and exert a therapeutic benefit, individuals must have some level of positive feeling towards participating in such a programme – thus exercise therapy is recommended for mild not moderate, but not severely depressed individuals. Not only does the research in this field demonstrate the ability of exercise to alleviate both mood and physical symptoms through the body’s release of endorphins, but can aid psychological and physical recovery through improved self-esteem through mastery, and with all the physical benefits that an active lifestyle brings. Exercise on prescription is now available throughout the UK via GP’s, and so future research is thus needed into developing specific treatment programmes that will optimise both levels and types (e.g. aerobic versus mindful; Netz, 2003) of exercise, and investigating the ways that these need to be individualised (Artal Sherman, 1998) potentially by condition, patient demographic etc for the treatment and long term care of those with depression. Research by the Mental Health Foundation does suggest however that awareness amongst the general practitioner community about the capability and availability of exercise programmes for depression is low †“ only 5% of GP’s are thought to offer exercise within the 3 most common treatment options they offer to their patients. (Mental Health Foundation, 2005) so raising awareness of exercise within the medical community is also a key future action within the promotion of exercise therapy. References Artal, M. Sherman, C. (1998) ‘Exercise against depression’ The Physician and Sprots Medicine Vol. 26, 10 Babyak, M. Blumenthal, J. Herham, S. Khatri, P. Doraiswamy, M. Moore, K. Craighead, E. Baldewicz, T. Krishnan, K. (2000) ‘Exercise treatment for major depression: Maintenance of therapeutic benefit at 10 months’ Psychosomatic Medicine Vol 62 Blumenthal, J. Babyak, M. Moore, K. Craighead, W. Herman, S, Khatri, P. Waugh, R. Napolitano, M. Forman, L. Appelbaum, M. Doraiswamy, P. Krishnan, K. (1999) ‘Effects of exercise training on older patients with major depression’ Arch Intern Med Vol. 159, 19 Camacho, T. (1991) ‘Physical activity and depression: Evidence from the Alameda County Study’ American Journal of Epdemiology Vol 134, 2 Halliwell, E. (2005) ‘Reflections.. on exercise and depression’ Healthcare Counselling Psychotherapy Journal Vol. 5, 3 Hughes, I. (2005) ‘NICE in practice: some thoughts on delivering the new guideline on depression’ Healthcare Counselling Psychotherapy Journal Vol. 5, 2 Lam, R. Kennedy, S. (2004) ‘Evidence-base strategies for achieving and sustaining full remission in depression: Focus on Meta-analyses’ Canadian Journal of Psychiatry Vol. 49 supplement 1 Mental Health Foundation (2005) ‘Up and running: exercise therapy and the treatment of mild or moderate depression in primary care’ London Mental Health Foundation Ransford, C (1982) ‘A role for amines in the antidepressant effect of exercise’ Medical Science in Sports Vol. 1, 10 Solberg, L. Horton, T. Turek, F. (1999) ‘Circadian rhythms and depression:effects of exercise in an animal model’ Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol Vol. 276 Steptoe, A. Kimbell, J. Basford, P. (1998) ‘Exercise and the experience and appraisal of daily stressors: a naturalistic study’ Journal of Behavioural Medicine Vol. 21, 4 Netz, Y. (2003) ‘Mood alterations in mindful versus aerobic exercise modes’ The Journal of Psychology Vol. 137, 5 Van de Vliet, P. Onghena, P. Knapen, J. Fox, K. Probst, M. van Coppenolle, H. Pieters, G. (2003) ‘Assessing the additional impact of fitness training in depressed psychiatric patients receiving multifaceted treatment: a replicated single-subject design’ Disability and Rehabilitation Vol. 25, 24 INTERNET RESOURCES www.depressionalliance.org www.mind.org.uk www.rethink.org

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - The Power of Money Essay

In the preface to Major Barbara, the playwright George Bernard Shaw observes that "money is the most important thing in the world--it represents health, strength, honor, generosity and beauty," but, the poet continues, "it also destroys people as certainly as it fortifies and dignifies others" (Shaw 28). Shaw recognized that many people look toward money, the ultimate representation of materialism, in search of the power that enables them to live. But, money can play many parts in the drama of life. It can represent or give the illusion of wealth, prestige, nobility, and power. Those that seek to harness its powers must also strive to conquer its ability to destroy and corrupt. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the repeated image of money, no matter in what form or through whom it is portrayed, is used to such an extent that it becomes central to the development of the story. The abstract idea of money can be expressed in many ways. Perhaps the most straightforward way is through the acquisition of grand possessions. In the first chapter of the novel, Nick, the first-...

Advantages and Disadvantages of mobile phone Essay

Cell phones are a great invention and a popular way to communicate—half of all Americans and Europeans use one. They allow us to work on the go and stay in touch. When put in the hands of a teenager, however, they can have some effects of which adults should be aware. It is a common sight – cell phones (mobile phones) in the hands of people, especially teenagers. Literature has provided in-depth evidence of the uses, advantages, disadvantages, impact, consequences and concerns about the use of mobile phones. Why teenagers fancy this device, is an interesting observation where the experts attach its significance to teenagers’ identity factor. The usage of mobile phones has re-shaped, re-organised and altered several social facets. Particularly focussing on teenagers’ mobile phone usage, literature has provided evidence of them being used for both positive purposes and negative reasons. Is the gap between uses and negative impact widening? Are consequences and concerns superseding positive uses? How do parents/caregivers perceive the overall usage of mobile phones by their teenagers? Are there any solutions, possibilities and avenues to address such problems? These are the basic queries that drive this study. PACG is the acronym for parents/caregivers used in this document. Objectives: This study is centred around parents/caregivers’ (PACG) perceptions of their teenagers’ mobile phone usage: †¢ To gain an overall understanding of teenagers’ mobile phone usage (positive purposes and negative impacts) †¢ To understand the influence of texting on teenagers (such as text language on proper language, text messaging on communication skills) †¢ To understand the effects on teenagers’ physical (such as driving, health) and psychological (such as bullying, un-monitored time usage, family time) safety issues. Methods: A mixed methods approach was employed to explore the research problem. Quantitative data was collected through questionnaires (18 closed and 02 open-ended questions) and qualitative data through interviews (approximately  21 questions). The survey and interview participants were parents/caregivers of teenagers aged 13 to 19 years irrespective of their teenagers’ mobile phone possessions. They were broadly divided into seven ethnic groups. 115 PACG completed the questionnaires through survey and 07 participants from the survey sample were interviewed (one from each ethnic group). Results: Teenagers possessing mobile phone/s were 96.5% (n=111). A further breakup of age groups indicated that all the 17-19 olds had mobile phones. In addition, not possessing mobile phone/s is higher in the age bracket 15-16 year olds when compared to 13-14 olds. Chi-Square tests established significance between independent and dependent variables, in the following relationships. The results are briefly mentioned. †¢ ‘Gender’ with ‘teenagers sharing with PACG, if bullied: A high percentage of PACG said that their teenagers share with them if they are bullied. It was also evident that girls share more with PACG, if bullied, than boys do †¢ ‘Ethnicity’ with ‘Interruption of personal time with PACG’: A high percentage of PACG said that their personal time is to ‘some extent’ interrupted due to social bonding enabled by their teenagers’ mobile phone usage †¢ ‘Ethnicity’ with ‘PACG feeling secure with teenagers’ un-monitored times usage’: A high percentage of PACG said that they feel secure with their teenagers’ mobile phone usage during un-monitored times †¢ ‘Ethnicity’ with ‘PACG feeling using mobile phones while driving is risky’: A high percentage of PACG said that using mobile phones while driving is risky †¢ ‘Ethnicity’ with ‘PACG feeling to ban mobile phone use while driving’: A high percentage of PACG supported a ban to use †¢ ‘Ethnicity’ with ‘PACG feeling to have an age limit to possess a mobile phone’: More than fifty percentage of PACG supported a minimum age limit for possessing a mobile phone either by saying ‘yes’ or ‘probably’. Conclusion: Parents/caregivers of this study express both positive and negative impact towards teenagers’ mobile phone usage. On a positive note, PACG perceive that mobile phones are very useful devices for communication and co-ordination of activities. They also find that they are compulsory as they are used as safety devices especially in emergencies. Voice and text features are considered as the basic required facilities in teenagers’ mobile phones by PACG. On the negative side, PACG express that teenagers are  addicted and obsessed with texting, while some of the PACG feel that it distracts the teenagers from their study time and other important activities. Some PACG hold the service providers responsible for this because of texting plans. Bullying and abusive messages have been perceived as the major problem mediated by mobile phones. PACG express that teenagers with their mobile phones are out of control for them. They also add that teenagers lose control over the information enabled by their mobile phones. Every interviewed PACG expressed concerns on internet access via teenagers’ mobile phones. The overall findings from this study reveal that parents/caregivers’ perceptions of teenagers’ mobile phone usage are not satisfactory. Although they express a mixed opinion, they lean towards negative impacts. A very high number of interview participants expressed the view that negative impacts outweighing positive purposes with teenagers’ mobile phone usage. This further leads to recommendations from PACG on proper usage, future research, avenues and possibilities to implement solutions for problems. PACG mainly perceive that educating teenagers (on consequences and tackling issues) and providing mobile phones to teenagers from the age of 14 years (the legal age to stay home unsupervised and mature enough) will help in ameliorating the negative impacts. In addition, PACG support to ban using mobile phones while driving. These are the outcomes of the study Cell phones and mobile phones are the main invention of modern technology and also have historically been given to human beings to send messages, entertain and ultimately help them make life easier. Also, cell phones have become one of the fastest growing communication technologies. Although mobile phones have greatly facilitated people’s lives, people more and more depend on using cell phones and cannot leave it frequently, especially young people nowadays. There is no denying that cell phones bring a wide variety of benefits to teens, but it also have many negative side effects to teens no matter for their health, study habits and behaviors. Therefore, I believe that the usage of mobile phones should be limited to a wide range of teenagers because the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. To begin with, if we confine teens to use cell phones will make their campus and social life become inconvenient because cell phones allow teenagers to keep in touch not only with their friends, but also with family members, schools and emergency services. Dr. Stefania  Kalogeraki points out â€Å"mobile phones provide a direct communicative channel between teenagers and peer groups, parents and children; therefore the device enhances social interactions and bonding with peers and family†. Despite of the fact that mobile phones can be the excellent tools to stay in touch with people; it also can be a weapon for young people to hurt themselves. Cell phone becomes an addition for a large amount of teenagers around the globe, and its use by this age group has many disadvantages with short-term and long-term consequences. It also will cause lots of jumbo problems for youngsters without proper supervision and responsible use. For their health, radiation, this is the biggest issue for young people who use cell phones everywhere, every day and even every moment. Dr†¦ Cell phones are there to make communication and life much easier, but people engage regularly in multi tasking when they are behind the wheels. â€Å"Cell phones are a great invention and a popular way to communicate—half of all Americans and Europeans use one. They allow us to work on the go and stay in touch, however there are ways in which cell phones can affect teenagers† (Reynolds, 2012). It is important to understand the effects because although â€Å"parents see †¦ cell phones role as a mixed blessing for their teenagers, it can bring distressing things into their lives’’ (Lenhart, Madden, Smith, Purcell, Zickuhr & Raine, 2011). What are possible effects of cell phones on teenagers? There are several ways in which cell phones can affect teenagers, such as educational, social and health, which can all be both positive and negative. Social effects of cell phones can be sex-ting, cyberbullying and social networking. Educational effects are effects relating school and education of a teenager. Health effects are health risks and benefits for a teenager while using a cell phone. There are m any different effects of cell phones on teenagers but the most important ones that are mainly looked at are educational, social and health. This essay will cover the positive and negative educational, social and health effects of cell phones. Positive Effects of Mobile Phones Communication Convenience Mobile Phone is the best way to communicate. We can stay in touch with our  loved ones anywhere, anytime, just because of mobile phones. All thanks to their small size, lightweight, that make them portable. Entertainment Life is nothing less than a hell without any entertainment in it. Thanks to mobile phones that let us entertain while on the go. The mobile phones getting launched nowadays, come with super impressive features related to entertainment. Mobile manufacturers know it pretty well that entertainment is demand of today. This is the reason why mobile phones are nothing less than a complete portable entertainment devices. Useful in Studies and Business Mobile phones are quite useful in studies and business. In both fields, the mobile phone has become like compulsory gadget. Students can access Internet on their mobile phones while on the go, and thus can get knowledge of any topic they wish to. The business persons can keep updated with the markets up and downs, can stay in touch with their employees and clients. Work as Boon in Emergencies Just consider any emergency situation in which you want to talk to your friend, relative or anyone else? Mobile Phone is what works as boon in such situations. You might have faced any emergency situation in which mobile phone helped you, have you? Whether you have faced it or not, it’s quite easy to understand the role of mobile phones in emergencies. Boon is what we can call the mobile phones in such situations, right? Negative Effects of Mobile Phones Bad Impact on Studies The students are just addicted to mobile phones. They can be seen playing games, chatting, and talking to their friends on their mobile phones most of the times. This is the reason why they don’t get time for studies. In fact, students are more interested in wasting their time on mobile phones, rather than spending it on studying. Accident and Health Issues Most of the accidents that happen daily arise because of mobile phones. The  mobile phones have resulted in dangerous driving, whose direct impact can be seen in increasing no. of accidents. Apart from accidents, mobile phones have bad impact on health as well. Several researches conducted by the health experts have proved the bad impact of mobile phones on health. These are the positive and negative impacts of mobile phones on our lives. These is no doubt mobile is a necessity these days, but we should take care of the negative points too and use this technology accordingly. the influence of mobile technology on our lives is huge and even greater on teenagers. In the age in which they’re developing as individuals all that mobile phones birng leaves a strong trace on their growing up. The usage of mobile phones in their age should be controlled but they shouldn’t be discouraged from using them as they bring many benefits. Positive Effects on Teenagers That it provides a sense of security for teenagers as well as their parents, is one of the prominent argument that is put forth by those in favor of cell phones. You will seldom come across someone who doesn’t understand the importance of cell phones or who hasn’t used his/her cell phone in times of emergency. It is this convenience of reaching each other, both for teens and their parents in emergency situations, which makes cell phone one of the most important devices in the world today. At the same time, the recently launched handsets with GPS on board are also of great help, considering that the parents can now keep a track of their child’s whereabouts by tracing his cell phone in real time. Not to forget, cell phones have also given a boost to social networking by giving teenagers the ability to reach out to more people. Negative Effects on Teenagers While terms like safety and connectedness may give the rising trend of cell phone use by teenagers a thumbs up, there are quite a few negative aspects of the same which have put it under the scanner of late. For instance, studies reveal that those teenagers who are addicted to cell phones are prone to sleep disturbances, anxiety and depression. Other than these psychological problems, the use of cell phones is also known to come heavy  on our eyes and thumb in form of repetitive strain injuries – which are similar to those injuries that are caused as a result of using the computer for extended hours on a regular basis. Even though the researchers are divided on this, there do exist some studies which associate cell phone use with brain tumor and low sperm count. While cell phones may improve socialization for teenagers, it restricts the kind of people that these teens come across and widens the gap between them and their parents. Distracted driving is by far the worst of the various negative effects of using a cell phone, with thousands of accidents – mainly those involving teenagers, being attributed to the very trend of attending calls or texting while driving. At the same time, the critics also highlight the fact that the device which was predominantly devised for communication and entertainment is also being used for a lot more than that of late, and accessing pornography is just one of these activities. Initially, it was the computer that was the main source of banned pornographic material for teenagers, but the advent of multimedia cell phones has made it a lot easier for these teens to access pornographic material which ethically they shouldn’t. Similarly, sexual harassment in form of sexting – sending lewd messages, or making porn videos and circulating them, is also on rise. While cyber bullying has been one of the most talked about issues related to Internet use, a relatively ne w but similar concept referred to as ‘text bullying’ is slowly gaining steam especially in school environment. All these arguments and counterarguments has made this topic one of the heated subjects of debate of late. The argument on safety is no doubt justified, but that happens to be one of the very few positive effects of cell phone use – especially with the negative effects of this practice existing in plenty. Overuse or abuse of cell phones cannot be justified at all. It is this blatant abuse of cell phones by individuals belonging to the age group of 13-18 that has put it under the knife for all the wrong reasons. At the end of the day, technology can be of great help when used in correct manner – its misuse, on the other hand, can spell disaster for the user. Negative effects: Physical- mobile phones can affect you, such as brain damage. Mental-mobile phones could interrupt studies. Emotional-mobile phones could cause to phone bullying. Social-the wrong person could get hold of mobile number, so be careful. My objectives are to gather information related to my question, to learn more about mobiles phones having an effect on our youth today. I will carry out my research by exploring the internet, researching books and I will also ask other people what they think about the question for my project. History About Hexagonal call technology When mobile phones were first introduced to the public they had used a technology called the hexagonal cell. Hexagonal cell had enabled the first mobile phone to work, this was developed by Bell Labs. â€Å"Hexagonal technology allowed mobile phones to be used while on the move, this was done by transmitting wireless signals from one tower to another†. This technology had enabled mobile phones to gain reception from anywhere when on the move, this works by the mobile phones transmitting phone signals to the nearest tower to you but when on the move it does this quicker and it is always moving to other towers to get good reception for phones. Good effects of using a mobile phone Travel Safety It is a good idea to let a family member or friend know where you are, where you are going next, and when you arrive. This is good for teenagers to let there parents know if they are alright. Traffic Problems A mobile phone is handy to have to inform the person that you are late and you could come to an arrangement about the time you will arrive. Accidents When we least expect it, accidents happen. Some can be minor accidents and some can be major accidents. If the accident is bad and you need to call for help such as an ambulance to come and help you. This is a big help and you can call for help by using a mobile phone and the call is for free. Staying in Touch Having a mobile phone gives you a privilege to stay in touch with people all over the world with a simple phone call or a text message. Teenagers are always on the phone to there friends. Finding Your Way If Lost This can happen to any of us, a mobile phone could help us get out of this. A mobile phone will allow you to make a call of your choice and you could ring a person to help you make your way back to wherever you want to go. This is good way to help out teenagers if they don’t know there way around. In Case of Emergency In case of an emergency a mobile phone is really useful to have, if you are in trouble with anything use your mobile phone to call 999, this is a free call but this is only to be called if in an emergency. If teenagers carry around a mobile phone they are more likely to be safer then not having one because this mobile phone will allow them to call the police if in trouble with anything. Bad effects of using a mobile phone Addiction Using mobile phones a lot can lead to addiction, especially to teenagers, as wasting time on communicating with people via text messages and phone calls. Auto Accidents Talking or sending SMS text messages on a mobile phone while driving is proven to be as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. Sleep Loss Mobile phones cause’s teens and young adults to lose sleep, finding it difficult falling and staying asleep, this could increased stress and fatigue. Increased Expenses Mobile phone usage is expensive and can easily lead you to keep buying credit which can cause a lot of money if addicted, this could cause high stress levels. Environmental Effects Improper disposal of cell phones and their batteries can release harmful, non-biodegradable chemicals into the environment. Brain Damage Some Pros Are as following: – Parents can be in touch with their children and know their whereabouts. – Your kids can reach you in the event of an emergency and vice versa. – If in danger, your children can reach the authorities or a medical provider. – Phones can be silenced during class or study periods and active only in appropriate places. – Students can take pictures of class projects to e-mail or show to parents. Ordinarily, parents do not see projects that are completed in groups in school. – Students can text message missed assignments to classmates that are absent. A buddy system can be put into place. – Many cell phones are equipped with calculators-plenty of new math curricula encourage the use of a calculator when problem-solving. A student should become accustomed to having a calculator handy for both homework and real life math applications. Con’s of Cellular Usage – They disrupt the class with noises from the phone and ringtones and you can text other students during class and not pay attention. – Some groups have raised concern, for example, over the possibility of brain tumors, headaches, and dizziness. Others suggest that cell phone usage may have caused some reproductive effects in both males and females.

Dramatic techniques Essay

In act four Proctor has to make the decision whether he should or should not confess. Arthur Miller uses dramatic techniques such as the use of descriptive stage directions. These tell you of the feelings emotions and actions of the characters such as in the opening of the act were Miller sets the scene by saying â€Å"The place is in darkness but for the moonlight seeping through the bars†. Arthur miller also describes sounds such as the sound of footsteps the shouting and the drums used to add drama and tension to the act. Hale has considerably changed from when we first saw him, as now he is no longer self-assured or confident like when he was first introduced. The audience sees a change in which Hale is presented as a different character to the beginning of the play, Hale is now described as being guilty and he is noticed to be different by the other characters â€Å"They look at him for an instant in silence. He is steeped in sorrow, exhausted, and more direct then he ever was† as opposed to his first description of a â€Å"Tight skinned intellectual†. Hale decides to try to convince Elizabeth to help them as they think that she is the only one who can convince proctor to confess, and as Proctor is a respected man within the village they hope that the other accused will also confess. Hale knows that neither he nor Parris could convince Proctor to confess so Elizabeth is there only hope of persuading Proctor before dawn.  When hale pleads with Elizabeth to talk to Proctor to persuade him to confess she is silent and will not speak to hale, but Hale then tells her Proctor will die at dawn, which makes Elizabeth ask if she can speak with proctor. Elizabeth dose not promise to convince proctor to confess however she pleads with Danforth to allow her to speak with Proctor as she knows that he will die at dawn and she wants to see him one last time before he is hung. Proctors appearance is now a visual shock as he is a contrast to when he was first introduced, as he is now a shadow of his former self. When we were first introduced to Proctor he is described as â€Å"powerful of body† and â€Å"not easily led† which is the opposite of how he is described now. Proctor is now described as being â€Å"another man, bearded, filthy, his eyes misty as though webs had overgrown them†. This shows the audience he is no longer the once proud Proctor who was gained the respect of people as he entered the room. Proctor is pressured to confess as he loves Elizabeth and dose not want to leave her as now she has a child on the way and when Proctor questioned her on what he should do she told him â€Å"I wan you living John, that’s sure†. Elizabeth also tells him that a hundred or more have confessed. However Proctor is also pressured not to confess as people which he knows have not confessed such as Giles. Elizabeth tell Proctor that Giles stood mute and did not answer his indictment so that he would be pressed and die a Christian death, she also tell him that Giles said only two words â€Å"More weight†. This adds conflict to proctors decision as Giles was an old man and yet he died for his beliefs so that his sons would get his farm. Proctor is also told that Rebecca nurse has still not confessed. Proctors body language towards Elizabeth is different to how he used to address her. Proctor now shows himself to be guilty and dose not know what to do â€Å"with great force of will but not quite looking at her† this show the audience that Proctor dose want to talk to her but his guilt is holding him back. In this section of act four Proctor is shown to be in turmoil as he is not sure whether or not Elizabeth dose want him back or not and whether or not she loves him still â€Å"pauses- then with a flailing of hope†. Emotive language is used in the stage directions to suggest that Proctors decision to confess or not is emotional words such as pain and agony show how Proctor feels although he is not physically in pain he is emotionally torn between his the decision he must now make. Proctor realises that Elizabeth still cares for him when she tells him that there is still some good in him. This adds to Proctors confidence allowing some of his guilt to be lifted and gives him the strength to look into her eyes and ask for her forgiveness. Elizabeth realises that Proctor is about to makes his decision and knows what it will be this adds to the emotion. Proctors decision to confess is dramatic as it builds up wen he rises slowly until he cant hold in what he wants to say anymore and shouts out in great pain â€Å"Enough, enough-.† Proctors decision to confess leads the audience to believe that because he has decided to confess then maybe this will influence Elizabeth and Rebecca nurse to confess. It also makes the audience think that Proctor will live.  The speed of Danforth and the others adds tension as it shows the audience the urgency of getting Proctor to sign as it will soon be to late as its not only Proctor they want to confess. Danforth also wants Rebecca as they feel that hanging these people will cause the villagers to rebel as Proctor and Rebecca, are respected people. Danforth is and the others are so rushed as time is running out and dawn is nearing this means that it will soon be to late for them to save Rebecca and also Proctor may change his mind to confess.