Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Children cant be disciples so they cant be Christians either Essay Example for Free
Children cant be disciples so they cant be Christians either Essay I believe this statement has many argues for and against this view, I will be looking at both sides of this argument and producing my view. It is very hard when discussing Christianity and in which the age of someone is defined a child or adult, in the Christian world, is a child judged as an adult at the young age of 5 or 6? When a child is confirmed at the age of 14 or 15? Or is when you are legally classified as an adult at the age of 18? But who can put the boundaries on faith, religion and your own personal beliefs? In Marks Gospel we learn that we should have child like qualities, this is telling us that child like qualities is what we need to be a good Christian, Honesty, enthusiasm, trust no matter what the case may be but then on the other hand they may not be spiritually and intellectually developed yet and be able to understand the aspects of being a Christian and disciple of Jesus, they believe in such things as Father Christmas, the Easter Bunny Rabbit and the tooth fairy their beliefs for that is strong. They have faith in these and great enthusiasm but to their knowledge all of this is real not make belief therefore they can not have the complete commitment and understanding of being a Christian but they can learn and develop into one. Some may say that Children are more like Christians then anyone because they disciplined, they attended church, say there prayers and tend not to commit crimes and obey by the 10 commandments as adults tend to be able to do that more. Children such as babys cannot make a commitment for life and decide for themselves so they can be baptised and Godparents and parents will help guide you to Jesus until you can make your own decision and choose to get confirmed which is a positive response. A faith of a child can come from their parents who have faith but then how can these young people be able to understand it unless you have experienced something to believe it, which is the case in many stories, so then When children have had a life changing experience are they criticised for not knowing how to be a Christian? Children may be selfish as they need a lot of care and it is all about themselves but they can do kind deeds spend time with disabled people and do kind gestures which is all about being a disciple of Jesus and following the nature of discipleship in the beginning in Marks Gospel. Based on these arguments I believe to an extent that children can be disciples of Jesus and good Christians because as long as they believe and act as a Christian they have hope and faith in God, and in time their knowledge will grow as they follow the foot steps of Jesus.
Monday, August 5, 2019
Critical Appraisal Of Fraser Et Al Nursing Essay
Critical Appraisal Of Fraser Et Al Nursing Essay This assignment will critically appraise the study conducted by Fraser et al (2006) Living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: insiders perspectives. The study shows how very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease affects the persons life. This appraisal will critique the research process conducted by the authors. This will include the sampling methods, ethics, the data collection methods and the analysis of the data. The limitations of the study will be discussed along with the application to nursing practice. The qualification and credentials of the authors are cited within the article. According to Siviter (2008) the authors of this article are suitable as they are both experienced within clinical practice and academically. This reiterates the authors credibility. ABSTRACT AND LIT REVEIW The title appears to give a clear indication of the research aim and objectives. The article provides an insiders perspective of dealing with COPD. The abstract according to Parahoo (2006) is a short summary of the study which allows the reader to decide if this article is of any reference to them. The abstract should contain a short background, the aim of the study, the method in which the study was undertaken and the findings which the researchers found. This is clearly shown in the Fraser et al (2006) article. The abstract in which Fraser et al (2006) used was informative, kept the reader held by the information presented and was able to allow the reader to choose the article from the abstract. The literature reviewed by the authors shows in depth research to have an understanding of the topic and the literature used shows a broad timeline of articles used. The authors show how they used older studies but were backed up by more up to date studies. ETHICS In order to conduct the study Fraser et al (2006) had the research study approved by the sponsoring university and the hospital institutional review boards. Griffiths (2006) has shown that ethical committees are there to protect both the participant and the researcher. When the participants were contacted about taking part in the study consent was gained for interviews to take place by telephone. The article does not state whether written consent was obtained. Parahoo (2006) states that as much information must be given to participants to allow them to make the decision and within the article the researchers sates that information was given when the participants were first approached. Fraser et al (2006) state that anonymity was kept by using pseudonyms as interviews were transcribed verbatim ensured confidentiality was kept by the interview tapes and transcripts being anonymous and not having the participants name on them. By pseudonyms being used this kept in accordance to the conf identiality policies expressed by The Nursing Midwifery Council (2008). In accordance to ethical protocol all participants have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without having their treatment discontinued. METHODOLOGY The research perspective in which the authors used was a qualitative study which allowed the authors to gain a personal view from the participants. By using a qualitative appraoach this allows personal experiences and thoughts to be expressed, whereas a quantitative research approach is based on numbers and statistics to explain information (Brooker and Waugh 2007). By using Hermeneutic phenomenology the authors were able to gain an understanding of the human experiences. Moule and Goodman (2009) show that Hermeneutic phenomenology is an understanding of human experiences and it allows opinions and thoughts to be portrayed without being dismissed. Fraser et al (2006) express that having trust between the researcher and the participant is important and Moule and Goodman (2009) agree. SAMPLING The study population was drawn from caseload of patients attending the respiratory clinic. The target population was drawn from a purposive sample and this was 10 patients. The characteristics of the sample were similar. The participants were over the age of 55, English as their first language, living at home and able to openly talk about their experiences of living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These participants were also categorised as these variables were the inclusion criteria. The category of very severe COPD was based on the Gold framework (2003). The group of participants were recruited by the involvement of being in the hospitals case management or by being in the pulmonary rehabilitation programme. The potential participants were telephoned and asked if they would like to take part in the study. Before the patients were approved the authors gained ethical approval from their local ethics committee. Although the sample size could be regarded as small this is acceptable in a qualitative study. Parahoo (2006) states that a large group of participants is not always needed as this research study is an in-depth approach trying to obtain rich data. Blackler et al (2004) states that b y using a small sample size, rich data would be obtained. DATA COLLECTION Fraser et al (2006) collected data in 2003 and interviews were completed. Reference PIS sheet. The interviews were semi-structured which allowed the participants to express their thoughts without having yes or no questions. The interviews were conducted within the participants home or at the hospitals pulmonary rehabilitation unit. The advantage of the interviews being conducted in the participants home allows the participant to relax and talk more freely. According to McDonald (2009) participants feel more in their own home and knowing their surroundings. The disadvantage of conducting the interviews in the participants own home includes people knocking on the door, the phone ringing and family or pets to look after. The advantage of conducting the interviews in the pulmonary rehabilitation unit allows the interview not to be disturbed. The disadvantage of the interviews being conducted in the pulmonary rehabilitation unit are, participants may have travel problems and may find it h ard to get to the unit. Another disadvantage may be that the interview taking place in a hospital setting is too formal for the participant. All the interviews were recorded on audiotape. Consent would have to of been obtained for this. It is clearly stated in the article that consent was obtained. Lanoe (2002) states that the interference of white noise could affect the recordings, and if the interviews took place in the hospital setting then the white noise would be reduced. Once the tapes have been transcribed per verbatim, both recordings and transcripts will be locked in a secure unit until they are to be analysed. After all the data has been analysed to maintain rigour they will be destroyed. (Data Protection Act 1998). DATA ANAYLIS The authors used Colaizzis (1978) method. This method involves 7 steps for the researchers to follow. The steps in order are 1. Reading the transcripts to gain an understanding of the participants experiences. 2. Using phrases to describe the experiences of living with severe COPD. 3. Deciphering meanings for phrases used. 4. Sorting meanings into themes. 5. Comparing themes with phrases. 6. Describing themes founds in the transcripts. 7. Showing the participants the results of the interviews. Since two independent researchers analysed the data, discussed the data and were then able to identify the themes present. Two out of the ten participants had their data shown to them to review the information and make sure it was correct. These two participants who reviewed their data showed there was no difference in the participants and researchers evaluation. Within the findings the authors together stated the three main themes and in the article participants quotes have been used. Fraser et al (2006) reported their findings and came to the conclusion that there were three main themes. These themes are Knowing What Works, Hanging On Barely and Losing Control Gaining Control. The article explains these themes and with the use of participants dialogue allows the reader to have an understanding of the situation. Fraser et al (2006) displayed the three themes vividly by having them as sub sections. These show the reader that the next piece of article is specifically about that theme and that it is going to be explained in detail. As the approach is qualitative Fraser et al (2006) have displayed the use narratives and quotes from the participants. Ryan et al (2007) state that the findings should relate to what has been already found. Within this article the findings have already been displayed and explained within the article. By showing quality throughout the article Astin (2002) says this can show trustworthiness and by using quotes from the participants allows t he readers to see the information taken. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY The limitations within this study include having participants who are willing to talk about their experience of living with the disease, being conducted within the southern United States of America and participants had to be diagnosed with Very Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Fraser et al (2006) stated these limitations within the article along with participants having no cognitive impairment. The researchers also state how this is a very small sample of the overall population who suffer with the disease. It is also stated that a general population of sufferers of the disease in the United States of America is unknown. Fraser et al (2006) have shown throughout this study that nursing staff are able to give a better standard of care to patients who suffer with this disease. This is due to nursing staff being able to have a better understanding of the impact this disease has on patients. By the nursing staff and patients working together the effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can be reduced and this in turn can lead to patients having a better quality of life. As stated by Fraser et al (2006) the effect that the nurse and the patient can work through together include dyspnoea. The nurse can help manage this symptom with the patient by using inhalers to help relieve stress or by preparing the oxygen for the patient. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) state that it is the nurses responsibility to uphold and deliver the best care to the patient with best practice and evidence which is available. To conclude this article has expressed the need to have an understanding of a participant who suffers from the disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a disease which not only can reduce the life span of a participant but one which can reduce the quality of life. This is a problem which will one day be reduced to give the participant a better life with a better understanding of the disease.
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Need for a New Health Care System Essay -- Politics Health Care Medica
Need for a New Health Care System à à à à à One of the major problems nagging America is the need for a new health care system. The number of uninsured Americans needing medical treatment is rising. Medicare, a major part of the American health care system, is projected to go broke in 2019 according to USA Today?s article, 'Congress refuses to swallow cures for ailing Medicare.' I have seen this ruin people?s pursuit of happiness. I worked in a nursing home for the past five years. Many elderly patients run out of money to support themselves for their long term care. When they go on Medicare, only certain treatments and prescription drugs are available. This causes them to worsen in condition physically and mentally. I believe that with a national health care system, similar to the one in Canada and some European nations, this destruction of life and happiness will be decreased. à à à à à The problem with Medicare is that it is not efficient and is in serious financial problems. One huge concern stated in the USA Today?s article, ?Congress refuses to swallow cures for ailing Medicare, is that the baby boomer generation is about to become eligible for Medicare, and there is currently barely enough money to cover the current population of beneficiaries. Medicare is not the only problem with the American health care system. Increasing amounts of uninsured people, increasing prescription drug costs, increasing amounts of prescription drugs per individual, and the trend toward more expensive drugs are some of the other factors troubling the current health care system (Hansen 2). We all pay for the uninsured through increased medical bills and insurance premiums (Hansen 3). Prescription drug costs are rising due to the increases in research and development costs (Hansen 3). People are requiring more medication and do not tend to shop for the best price, instead they buy what is recommended and sometimes the most expensive (Hansen 2). à à à à à We cannot just lower the cost of prescription drugs and expect a huge effect on medical costs. We still are going to be faced with the failure of Medicare and the increasing amount of uninsured Americans. With the increase in the number of uninsured Americans, the increase in the cost of health care will come. With the baby boomer generation coming to eligibility age for Medicare, it is inevitable that Medicare will run dry. Thi... ...o emotional depression. One of our three unalienable rights that our country gave us is the pursuit of happiness. With the current health care policies, many elderly are being restricted of this right. With a national health care system, the country as a whole would benefit. Our national health would improve, uninsured citizens would be eliminated, costs would fall, and Medicare would be revived. Works Cited Axworthy, Lloyd and Spiegel, Jerry. ?Retaining Canada?s health care system as a global public good.? Canadian Medical Association Journal 167.4 (2002): 1-3. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. University of Iowa, Main Library. 18 Dec. 2004 . ?Congress refuses to swallow cures for ailing Medicare.? USA Today (2004): 1-2. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. University of Iowa, Main Library. 18 Dec. 2004 . Hansen, Christopher W. ?Perspective on drug costs.? Vital Speeches of the Day 70.10 (2004): 1-8. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. University of Iowa, Main Library. 18 Dec. 2004 . McCarthy, Michael. ?US doctors group calls for national health-care system.? Lancet 362.9384 (2003): 1-2. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. University of Iowa, Main Library. 18 Dec. 2004 . Need for a New Health Care System Essay -- Politics Health Care Medica Need for a New Health Care System à à à à à One of the major problems nagging America is the need for a new health care system. The number of uninsured Americans needing medical treatment is rising. Medicare, a major part of the American health care system, is projected to go broke in 2019 according to USA Today?s article, 'Congress refuses to swallow cures for ailing Medicare.' I have seen this ruin people?s pursuit of happiness. I worked in a nursing home for the past five years. Many elderly patients run out of money to support themselves for their long term care. When they go on Medicare, only certain treatments and prescription drugs are available. This causes them to worsen in condition physically and mentally. I believe that with a national health care system, similar to the one in Canada and some European nations, this destruction of life and happiness will be decreased. à à à à à The problem with Medicare is that it is not efficient and is in serious financial problems. One huge concern stated in the USA Today?s article, ?Congress refuses to swallow cures for ailing Medicare, is that the baby boomer generation is about to become eligible for Medicare, and there is currently barely enough money to cover the current population of beneficiaries. Medicare is not the only problem with the American health care system. Increasing amounts of uninsured people, increasing prescription drug costs, increasing amounts of prescription drugs per individual, and the trend toward more expensive drugs are some of the other factors troubling the current health care system (Hansen 2). We all pay for the uninsured through increased medical bills and insurance premiums (Hansen 3). Prescription drug costs are rising due to the increases in research and development costs (Hansen 3). People are requiring more medication and do not tend to shop for the best price, instead they buy what is recommended and sometimes the most expensive (Hansen 2). à à à à à We cannot just lower the cost of prescription drugs and expect a huge effect on medical costs. We still are going to be faced with the failure of Medicare and the increasing amount of uninsured Americans. With the increase in the number of uninsured Americans, the increase in the cost of health care will come. With the baby boomer generation coming to eligibility age for Medicare, it is inevitable that Medicare will run dry. Thi... ...o emotional depression. One of our three unalienable rights that our country gave us is the pursuit of happiness. With the current health care policies, many elderly are being restricted of this right. With a national health care system, the country as a whole would benefit. Our national health would improve, uninsured citizens would be eliminated, costs would fall, and Medicare would be revived. Works Cited Axworthy, Lloyd and Spiegel, Jerry. ?Retaining Canada?s health care system as a global public good.? Canadian Medical Association Journal 167.4 (2002): 1-3. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. University of Iowa, Main Library. 18 Dec. 2004 . ?Congress refuses to swallow cures for ailing Medicare.? USA Today (2004): 1-2. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. University of Iowa, Main Library. 18 Dec. 2004 . Hansen, Christopher W. ?Perspective on drug costs.? Vital Speeches of the Day 70.10 (2004): 1-8. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. University of Iowa, Main Library. 18 Dec. 2004 . McCarthy, Michael. ?US doctors group calls for national health-care system.? Lancet 362.9384 (2003): 1-2. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. University of Iowa, Main Library. 18 Dec. 2004 .
Saturday, August 3, 2019
The Lack Of Women in Arizona Politics, Specifically the United States Congress :: Essays Papers
The Lack Of Women in Arizona Politics, Specifically the United States Congress Arizona has been referred to as the "state of the woman" in recent literature. Last year, the state made history when it became the first to elect females to all top five executive positions of the state, see Jimena Valdes' essay. These elections indicate that women have gained much equality in Arizona politics based on their state success. However, if one is to study the representation of Arizona women in national politics, it is apparent that there is still a definite lack of woman in this area of politics. Currently, there are no women representing Arizona in the United States Congress, and there have only ever been two, Isabella Greenway and Karan English. This essay discusses the reasons behind this misrepresentation of woman in Arizona national politics; such as economic inequality, the lack of support from well-known male politicians, strong family bias, which has been a result of the powerful Republican political force that exists in Arizona, and the alienation of wome n when they are finally elected to the United States Congress. I: Isabella Selmes Greenway: Socialite and Businesswoman Isabella Greenway was the first Arizona congresswoman, and unlike many other woman of her time, she had strong political support from the first family, which was the main reason behind her nomination to Congress in 1933. Isabella Greenway first entered politics as a supporter of Franklin Roosevelt, who became a very close friend as a result of Greenwayââ¬â¢s long relationship with his wife (Office 1). This of course was an extremely important step in her establishment of a political career. Because of her close friendship with the first family, Isabella Greenway had every opportunity to watch Franklin Roosevelt in his political career, and then use her acquired knowledge to move into a political career of her own, in the Democratic party. This was a unique opportunity, and there is no doubt that she would not have entered into politics if there had not been this friendship between her and the Roosevelts. In Greenwayââ¬â¢s lifetime, female politicians were an extremely r are species, and it was only because of this strong political backing from the first family, that she became the first Arizona Congresswoman. Isabella Greenwayââ¬â¢s nomination also came as a result of her wealth, which was also a unique property for a woman living in her time, and would not have come about if her two rich husbandââ¬â¢s had not died.
Shakespeares World Essay -- essays research papers
Shakespeare's World Almost every nation on earth reads, studies and performs the works of William Shakespeare. No writer of any country, nor any age, has ever enjoyed such universal popularity. Neither has any writer been so praised. As William Hazlitt observed, "The most striking peculiarity of Shakespeare's mind was it's generic quality, its power of communication with all other minds." It is perhaps this quality that has earned Shakespeare the supreme accolade, that of lending his name to an era. Other than a monarch or an emperor, few can boast that a time or place is so exclusively theirs. As we talk about Napoleonic Europe or Victorian England, so we speak of Shakespearean London or the Age of Shakespeare. No other artist, let alone writer, has had their name inscribed on such a towering edifice. "Thou in our wonder and astonishment, hast built thyself a long-live monument," wrote Milton, in praise of Shakespeare. Shakespeare is by far and without doubt the most popular and successful writer of all time. But what of the man himself? Who was William Shakespeare? The life of William Shakespeare is shrouded in mystery. There is no record of him receiving an education, buying a book or writing a single letter, and no original manuscript of a Shakespeare play survives. There is no direct record of his conversations, and no one in his home town seems to have known that he was a successful playwright while he was alive. There is not even a contemporary portrait to reveal his true appearance. Although a number of mentions of William Shakespeare the poet-dramatist appear on record during the 1590's and early 1600's, they comment only briefly on his writings, telling us nothing about the man. Less is known about Shakespeare than almost any other playwright of his time. The orthodox version of William Shakespeare's life is probably the most widely accepted Shakespeare legend of them all. According to it, he was born on 23 April 1564, in an upstairs room of a Stratford house in Warwickshire. He was born to John and Mary Shakespeare, and was baptized Gulielmus filius Johannes Shakspere (William, son of John Shakespeare) three days later. His father ran a successful glove making business on Henley Street. In 1565, his father ... ...ow position could hope to rise to a high position while someone in a high position could expect to fall to a low position. All these would be brought about by a change in fate or fortune. Some people believed that the people rose to a higher position during the spring and the summer, while they sank to a lower position during the autumn and the winter. However, it was later noticed that such beliefs were very unpredictable. Like the belief in the zodiac, the Wheel of Fortune opposed the theory that fate was controlled by man. Instead, fate was believed to be controlled by the stars. This is why in the opening chorus of Romeo and Juliet, both of them are described as "â⬠¦ star crossed loversâ⬠¦" This suggests that the stars had already destined them to love and then to die. Shakespeare is arguably the best writer of all time, yet it is interesting to know that so little is known about him. Perhaps no-one will ever know who the real William Shakespeare was. Only one thing is certain: Shakespeare may be dead, but his great works never cease to astound us and it makes us wonder if any person will ever come to rival the maestro of English Literature.
Friday, August 2, 2019
Financial statement Essay
Write a five- to seven-page financial statement analysis of a public company, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. In this analysis, you will discuss the financial health of this company with the ultimate goal of making a recommendation to other investors. Your paper should consist of the following sections: introduction, company overview, horizontal analysis, ratio analysis, final recommendation, and conclusions. Your paper needs to include a minimum of two scholarly resources in addition to the textbook as references.Here is a breakdown of the sections within the body of the assignment:Company OverviewProvide a brief overview of your company (one to two paragraphs at most). What industry is it in? What are its main products or services? Who are its competitors?Horizontal Analysis of Income Statement and Balance SheetPrepare a three-year, horizontal analysis of the income statement and balance sheet of your selected company. Discuss the importance and meaning of horizontal analysis. Discuss both the positive and negative trends presented in your company.Ratio AnalysisCalculate the current ratio, quick ratio, cash to current liabilities ratio, over a two-year period. Discuss and interpret the ratios that you calculated. Discuss potential liquidity issues based on your calculations of the current and quick ratios. Are there any factors that could be erroneously influencing the results of the ratios? Discuss liquidity issues of competitive companies within the same industry.RecommendationBased on your analysis, would you recommend an individual invest in this company? What strengths do you see? What risks do you see? It is perfectly acceptable to state that you would recommend avoiding this company, as long as you provide support for your position. Businâ⬠¦ Think about your resume from day one. Yes, you want your diploma to be the feature point of the resume. However, you also want to put anything else youà can on it. Work-study, summer job or internship experience is a big plus. Also cultivate opportunities through extra-curricular activities that appeal to you. Business ââ¬â Accounting Final Paper Focus of the Final Paper Write a five to seven page financial statement analysis of a public company, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. In this analysis you will discuss the financial health of this company with the ultimate goal of making a recommendation to other investors. Your paper should consist of the following sections: introduction, company overview, horizontal analysis, ratio analysis, final recommendation, and conclusions. Here is a breakdown of the sections within the body of the assignment: Company Overview Provide a brief overview of your company (one to two paragraphs at most). What industry is it in? What are its main products or services? Who are its competitors? Horizontal Analysis of Income Statement and Balance Sheet Prepare a three-year horizontal analysis of the income statement and balance sheet of your selected company. Discuss the importance and meaning of horizontal analysis. Discuss both the positive and negative trends presented in your company. Ratio Analysis Calculate the current ratio, quick ratio, cash to current liabilities ratio, over a two year period. Discuss and interpret the ratios that you calculated. Discuss potential liquidity issues based on your calculations of the current and quick ratios. Are there any factors that could be erroneously influencing the results of the ratios? Discuss liquidity issues of competitive companies within the same industry. Recommendation Based on your analysis would you recommend an individual invest in this company? What strengths do you see? What risks do you see? It is perfectly acceptable to state that you would recommend avoiding this company as long as you provide support for your position.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Hearing Loss Attributed to the 21st Century use of Personal Music Player Essay
In the recent few years leisure noise has become one of the threats to the hearing as it can reach high volumes and an increasing number of people are exposed. The danger is not only exposed by the music from the clubs but also it has been extended to the new generation of music players which are known to produce sounds at high volumes. Across Europe it is estimated that millions of people are using personal music players on a daily basis and in most of the cases these gadgets are being used inappropriately putting the user at a great risk of ear damage. This is a serious concern as the emerging technology may cause numerous problems to the people who are fond of using these entertainment gadgets. To add salt into the injury the users are exposing themselves to this particular danger for a long time as they are spending substantial time listening to music using ear phones. The amount of time one exposes to the sound of loud music from the personal music players increases the chances of hearing loss. The children and the youth are at risk as they have been noted to constitute the highest proportion of users. In this paper I will discuss the dangers involved in the use of personal music player and at the same time bring into the understanding who should be blamed for the hearing loss as a result of the constant use of these gadgets. Is it the makers of the personal music players or should we blame the users for putting their life at risk? A scientific study that was carried out for the European Union revealed that noise from the personal music players is a routine pollution for many people. It threatens permanent damage of the ear to as many as hundred million people in Europe and other parts of the world. The report indicated that those people who listened to the music for a continuous five hours per week on high volume were exposing themselves to high noise than it is allowed in the factory work places. This means that users of the personal music player who prefer to listen to their music on high volume are at a worse position than workers who are located in a noisy factory in an industrial hub. (Linkov,I and Steevens,J 2009 359) Experts argue that the maximum volume from these equipments can generate as much noise as an aero plane that is taking off. That kind of noise is enough to make a person have a quick and permanent hearing loss. The worst thing according to this report is that the users do not realize the problem until very late. This is the time when the damage has already been caused and nothing can be done about it. It is a very sad situation where a young person with bright future prospects losses his or her ability to hear at such an early age, it can be a very devastating experience but whom do we blame? Do we pass the buck to the manufacturer of these gadgets fro their neglect or do we blame the users for sometimes knowingly exposing themselves to dangers through their constant use of the music players. (Jameson,P and Romer,D 2008 347) The MP3 generation is headed for permanent hearing impairment in the cause of their lives. The youth are at the greatest risk as well as the older people too, in twenty seven countries across Europe it is estimated that fifty to a hundred million people out of five hundred people may be listening to a portable personal music player at any given time. Equivalents of five percent listeners who expose themselves to these new generation entertainment gadgets for more than one hour are at the greatest risk. These statistics have raised fears among some people prompting them to take some actions so as to avoid a future generation which has numerous problems which has been caused by things which can only be described as luxurious. In the year 2006 a man in Louisiana sued one of the manufacturing firms, The Apple claiming that this company had failed to take enough steps to prevent the problem of hearing loss among the users of one its popular product, the iPod. The suit which was filed in a federal district court in California city of San Jose claimed that iPod produces a sound which is as loud as one hundred and fifteen decibels when the maximum sound that is considered safe for listening is eighty five decibels. To this man the Apple Company was to blame for the problem that is threatening to have millions of deaf people in some years to come. I tend to disagree with his sentiments as it is clearly evident that the ipods sold by this company and many other manufacturer comes with a warning in the manual where the users are warned about the dangers they expose themselves into through playing the music in high volumes from their personal music players. It is blatantly clear that the users expose themselves to the risk of hearing loss through ignoring the warnings given by the manufacturers. The companies can not escape blame too, such warnings are printed using very tiny fonts such that not all the users might get a chance to read the small inscriptions which are usually placed on a page where the user might not even see. (Kirk,R and Mayshork,C 2007 73) The risk involved do not only come from ipods, the portable phones and personal stereos pose a similar problem as their earphones leads to a high sound exposure than any other type of a listening device. It has been stressed that young people who continue to expose themselves through listening to the high volume music from their music devices usually run into the risk of developing some hearing complications by the time they hit their twenties. Problems such as persistent tinnitus which is induced by high volume music has been reported common among the people in their youth and are constant users of the personal music devices. Despite this problem the same people continue using these devices. Therefore the problem squarely lies with the users, they are clearly aware of the risks involved, they have gone through numerous problems which have been as a result of their insatiable appetite for entertainment but they still continue to expose themselves to the risk. This can only be termed as deliberate move by these users to harm themselves and it is for this reason we can not blame the companies for the problems that are being experienced by the MP3 generation. The manufacturing firms only came to fill the gap that existed; they offer satisfaction to the people who are keen on entertainment especially when they are on move. They have clearly indicated the dangers one can expose him or herself to if the device is not used properly, that is if it is put on high volumes but the users choose to ignore such information for their personal reasons. (Tulchinsky,T and Varavikova,N 2000 285) The choices we make in life determine the direction we head, if we make the right ones we will always be on the right direction, if we happen to take the wrong choices as we mostly do then we are bound to blame others for the trouble we may get ourselves into later in our lives. It is extremely important for us to make the right decision as pertaining what we do as the opposite can lead to devastating effects. People have a choice of either buying a personal music player or any other similar device, they make a choice as to whether they will listen to the music high or low, it is basically a matter of choice. There is nothing about MP3 technology that can directly lead to hearing loss. It is the choice we make. For those users who choose to always put their devices at manageable and recommended sounds the problem of hearing impairment might not affect them but for those who choose to ignore the warnings given by the manufacturers, this problem will affect the rest of their lives. They just make a mistake of listening to the music on loud volumes for too long therefore exposing themselves to al manner of dangers associated with the noise. (Chan,S and Kwok,S 2003 34) The European Union is planning to regulate the volumes on personal music players and other stereos due to the fears that usage of these devices is causing the damage to the ears. This action has been precipitated by the findings of the scientific commission which was given a task of coming out with ways in to which this problem that is threatening the ability of million to hear can be tackled. In normal circumstances the personal music players are allowed to go up to one hundred decibels but when it used with an inbuilt headphones the sound can go up to one hundred and twenty. This is way above the recommended safe sound volumes which are close to eighty five. The recommended sound levels by the European Union committee are eighty, a figure which has been pointed out as safe enough to warrant any fears. This clearly points out that it is only a matter of educating the users on how they are supposed to go about listening to music using their sophisticated technology. If someone decided to ignore the message, he or she can not blame the manufacturing company for the problems that hearing problems which might occur later in life due to inappropriate use of the device (Linkov,I and Steevens,J 2009 359) For the sake of those who ignore the information given by the manufacturers, the makers of these devices should be advised to limit the volume levels so that they do not exceed the recommended limits. Though this might affect their sales it is the right thing to do as it will save those who have a problem following the given instructions. The company will in the short term suffer minimal losses but in the long term they will have more users as they will have expanded the markets as the effects of these devices to the ears will be minimal. The users will have won the confident of the music players as they have been set according to the standards which are considered safe for average use. (Davis,G 2004 40) The government can not limit the time a given person will spend on the personal music player. This is an individual choice; we spend as much time as we can get on these entertainment gadgets. Therefore it is up to the users to limit themselves as to how long they are going to be exposed . The user should ensure that they spend less time listening to the music through their devices to minimise the risk involved. All these points indicate that the manufacturing companies have no role to play as far as the usage of the personal music player is concerned. Their duty is to inform the users of the dangers involved through playing it loud and continuos exposure over a long period. The rest lies with the person using the gadget to decide how much time he or she is going to spend listening and on what volume they will get their music. If one decides to put his or her health at risk you can not turn at the company and blame it for the presonal problems which were as aresult of own volition. The government has the responsibility of ensuring that the manufacturing company follow the standards as far as making of the personal music players is concerned. This will go a long way in saving the users who are conscious about their health. The recommeded standards should include limiting the volume settings to a particular level which can not harm the user even if the decide to ignore the warnings. People need to take a responsibility as far as their actions are concerned. There is a need for every user to take precautiosn as far as usage of these devices is concerned. Inappropriate use can lead to devastatiting health effects which would have been prevented if the user was careful. Technology advancement has come to make our lives easier and more enjoyable. This can only be achieved if we use this technology appropriately,use of personal music player beyond the recommended sound volume can lead to seroius effects which are not related to the manufacturing. The user have all the responsibility to ensure that this piece of sophistication does not harm him or her rather it serves the right purpose which is entertainment. (Markel,G 2007 25) The manufacturing company should carry a warning on the users who violate the instructions which comes along with the product. They have a responsibility to save the end users from their own ignorance. They can do this through offering and sponsoring sessions where users get to be taught on the proper methods of handling these entertainment equipement. This can help save some people but the biggest part should be played by the end user,they must use the device responsbly so as to avoid complications that might be brought by high sound volumes besides the time spent listening to the music at the expense of other important actiivities such as studying. The sole responsbility of the hearing loss as a result of inappropriate use of the personal music player and other related devices lies squarely on the user. He or she has the ability to control its use and therefore ealding a healthy life. (Anderson,B 2004 103) Work Cited Tulchinsky,T and Varavikova,N The New Public Health:An Introduction for the 21st Century,Academic Press (2000) Linkov,I and Steevens,J Nanomaterials ,Spring Publishers (2009) Davis,G How to do Everything with your iPod and iPod Mini,Mac Graw Hill Professionals (2004) Chan,S and Kwok,S Culture and Humanity in the new Millenium:the Future of Human Value Chinese University Press (2003) Kirk,R and Mayshork,C Personal Health in Ecological Perspective,Mosby (2007) Markel,G Defeating the 8 Demons of Distraction,Geraldine Markel (2007) Jameson,P and Romer,D The Changing Portrayal of the Adloescents on the Media Since 1950,Oxford University Press (2008) Anderson,B Bringing Business to Life:Achieving Corporate Social Responsibility,ASQ Quality Publishers (2004)
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