Wal-Mart to open new Super center in Tarpon Springs, Florida Essay

Wal-Mart to open new Super center in Tarpon Springs, Florida - Essay Example Wal-Mart has been one of the most profitable companies in the world, yet a growing movement among local citizens and leaders could cost the company valuable time, extensive legal fees, and a potential boycott among the locals in this traditional small city. Despite working with local and state officials in acquiring the proper zoning and building permits, Wal-Mart has faced an unexpected obstacle. Known as the U.S. base for the Greek-Orthodox religion, and a quaint area known for its exquisite sponges, traditional sponge-divers, and small Greek shops and restaurant, Tarpon Springs has amassed a unique culture. So, when Wal-Mart announced in 2004, that it was opening a Super center, opponents lined up to try to stop it. Armed with a piece of restrictive growth legislation titled "Statute 163," the non-profit citizens' group, Concerned Citizens, has raised tens of thousands of dollars to block the expansion. By February 1, 2006 this group has spent over $100,000 in legal expensesiii. Headed by the umbrellas organization, Friends of the Anclote River, and founders, Helen and William Gladwin, citizens' groups continue to fight and have placed the Tarpon Springs City Council in an uncomfortable positioniv.

Dallas TX weather over a 5 day period Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dallas TX weather over a 5 day period - Essay Example Weather tools like radars, barometers and thermometers help to predict weather and to report accurate conditions. Over the past five days the weather was predicted at about 75% percent accuracy. Temperature predictions were near accurate but cloud cover and actual wind gusts were off. Predictions were based off of the study of the earth’s rotation and how this affects different fronts that enter an area, sometimes this cannot always prove to be 100% accurate. Day one of the observation was held on Nov 18th. The minimum temperature for the day was 43 degrees with a high of 65 degrees. The weather was predicted to be sunny but there was a slight overcast of clouds. The dew point was 34 degrees and there were no accumulations of rain or snow. The wind was gustier then predicted and was reported at 25mph. The humidity started out around 50% then rose gradually with the temperature to around 70%. Due to the coriolis affect, there were much higher winds than usual. A midlatitutidinal cyclone was present since there was low pressure around 30%. Day two of the five day weather evaluation on Nov 19th had a high temperature of 78 degrees and a low temperature of 63 degrees. This is a large increase in temperature versus the previous day. The dew point was 61 degrees. There was zero precipitation. The wind was gustier then the day before and came in around 32 mph. The warm air was brought in by southern winds and there was little sun seen throughout the day. The weather was warmer than predicted. The pressure also began to drop due to a midlatitudinal cyclone. Day three of the five day weather evaluation on Nov 20th was different than usual. The temperature was near a record high for the time of year and over ten degrees above the average. The high was 76 degrees with a low of 43. The dew point dropped from 68 to 41degrees within 24 hours. This was because a new system was moving in. The pressure began to increase from the day before and winds began to

History Of Social Services In England Social Work Essay

History Of Social Services In England Social Work Essay In 1992 the Department of Health (DH) and the then, Social Services Inspectorate, in England, published the findings of a survey of two social services Departments in relation to abuse. This publication found there to be a lack of assessments in large numbers of elder abuse cases and little evidence of inter-agency cooperation. The report recommended guidelines to assist social services in their work with older people (DH/SSI 1992). During the 1990s concerns had been raised throughout the UK regarding the abuse of vulnerable adults. The social services inspectorate published Confronting elder abuse (SSI 1992) and following this, practice guidelines No longer afraid (SSI 1993). No longer afraid provided practice guidelines for responding to, what was acknowledged at that time, as elder abuse. It was aimed at professionals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and emphasised clear expectations that policies should be multi-agency and also include ownership and operational responsibilities (Bennett et al 1997). This guidance was issued under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 and gives local authority Social Service departments a co-ordinating role in the development and implementation of local vulnerable adult policies and procedures. In 2000, the department of Health published the guidance No Secrets. The purpose of No Secrets was aimed primarily at local authority social services departments, but also gave the local authority the lead in co-ordinating other agencies i.e. police, NHS, housing providers (DOH 2000). The guidance does not have the full force of statute, but should be complied with unless local circumstances indicate exceptional reasons which justify a variation (No Secrets, 2000) The aim of No Secrets was to provide a coherent framework for all responsible organisations to devise a clear policy for the protection of vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and to provide appropriate responses to concerns, anxieties and complaints of abuse /neglect (DOH 2000). Scotland Historical In December 2001, the Scottish Executive published Vulnerable Adults: Consultation Paper (2001 consultation) (Scottish Executive, 2001). This sought views on the extension of the vulnerable adults provisions to groups other than persons with mental disorder and the possible introduction of provisions to exclude persons living with a vulnerable adult, where the adults health is at risk. A joint inquiry was conducted by the Social Work Services Inspectorate and the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland. Both of these agencies were linked with the central government of Scotland who had responsibility for the oversight of social work services and care and treatment for persons with mental health problems. In the report by the Scottish Executive (2004), a case of a woman who was admitted to a general hospital with multiple injuries from physical and sexual assault and who had a learning disability became the focus for change for Scotland in terms of adults who have been abused. The police investigation identified a catalogue of abuse and assaults ranging back weeks and possibly longer. In June 2003 the Minister for Education and Young People, Peter Peacock MSP, asked the Social Work Services Inspectorate (SWSI) to carry out an inspection of the social work services provided to people with learning disabilities by Scottish Borders Council. At the same time, the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (MWC) also undertook an inquiry into the involvement of health services, though worked closely with SWSI during its inquiry. The two bodies produced separate reports, but also published a joint statement (MWC and SWSI, 2004), which summarised their findings and stated their recommendations. The findings included: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a failure to investigate appropriately very serious allegations of abuse à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a lack of information-sharing and co-ordination within and between key agencies (social work, health, education, housing, police) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a lack of risk assessment and failure to consider allegations of sexual abuse a lack of understanding of the legislative framework for intervention and its capacity to provide protection à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a failure to consider statutory intervention at appropriate stages The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 (ASPA) is a result of the events that were known as the Scottish Borders Enquiry. Following the various police investigations, it was identified that there were historical links between the client and the offenders who were later prosecuted in terms of statements held by social services department detailing the offenders behaviour towards the woman and that this information was held on file. The Scottish Executive (2004) described the case as extremely disturbing but even more shocking to many that so many concerns about this woman had been made known and not acted on. As a consequence, 42 recommendations from the inquiry were made and there was a specific recommendation which was taken to the Scottish Executive and involved the provision of comprehensive adult protection legislation as a matter of urgency as there had been concerns raised from political groups and high profile enquiries to provide statute for the protection of adults at risk of abuse in Scotland (Mackay 2008). The Scottish framework links with three pieces of legislation. In 2000, the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act [AWISA 2000] was passed and focused on protecting those without capacity with financial and welfare interventions for those unable to make a decisions. Second, the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act (2003) [MHSA (2003)] modernised the way in which care and treatment could be delivered both in hospital and the community and improved patients rights. Finally, the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act (2007) [ASPSA (2007)] widened the range of community care service user groups who could be subject to assessment, and mainly short-term intervention, if they were deemed to be adults at risk of harm. Mackay (2008) argues that the Scottish arrangements both mirror and differ from those of England and Wales. She maps out the intervention powers for adults at risk of harm into a type of hierarchical structure known as a pyramid of intervention which aims to reflect the framework of the various pieces of Scottish legislation and goes onto say that the principle underlying all of the legislation is minimum intervention to achieve the desired outcome. Critique of definitions. In England, the No Secrets (2000) guidance defines a vulnerable adult as a person aged 18 or over and who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation (DOH 2000 Section 2.3) The groups of adults targeted by No Secrets were those who is or may be eligible for community care services. And within that group, those who were unable to protect themselves from significant harm were referred to as vulnerable adults. Whilst the phrase vulnerable adults names the high prevalence of abuse experienced by the group, there is a recognition that this definition is contentious. ADSS (2005). The definition of a vulnerable adult referred to in the 1997 consultation paper Who Decides issued by the Lord Chancellors Department is a person: who is, or may be in need of Community Care Services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness: and who Is, or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation (Law Commission Report 231, 1995) There are however broader definitions of vulnerability which are used in different guidance and in the more recent Crime and Disorder Act (1998) it refers to vulnerable sections of the community and embraces ethnic minority communities and people rendered vulnerable by social exclusion and poverty rather than service led definitions. There is concern, however, that the current England framework is more restricted than it should be, and that the problem is one of definition. The House of Commons Health Committee, says that No secrets should not be confined to people requiring community care services, and that it should also apply to old people living in their own homes without professional support and anyone who can take care of themselves (House of Commons Health Committee, 2007). Even within the ADASS National Framework (2005) it has been argued that vulnerability seems to locate the cause of abuse with the victim, rather than placing responsibility with the acts or omissions of others (ADASS, 2005) The Law Commission speaks favourably of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which, it says, understands vulnerability purely through the situation an adult is placed [in] (Law Commission, 2008). It is now becoming questionable whether the term vulnerable be replaced with the term at risk. If we were to look at the current legislation in England surrounding the investigations of abuse to adults, there are none, however there are underpinning pieces of legislation which whilst not in its entirety focus specifically on the adult abuse remit, but can be drawn upon to protect those most vulnerable. There are many duties underpinning investigations of adult abuse, but no specific legislation. The NHS and Community Care Act 1990, section 47 assessments can be implemented in order to consider an adults need for services and can therefore consider any risk factors present at the time of the assessment. From this, assessment and commissioned services can support people who have been abused or can prevent abuse from occurring. The National Assistance Act (1948) deals with the welfare of people with disabilities and states that the: local authority shall make arrangements for promoting the welfare of person whosuffers from a mental disorderwho are substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury or congenital deformity or other disabilities and gives power to provide services arising out of an investigation out of the NHS Community care Act 1990. (Mantell 2009). The Fair Access to Care Services 2003 (FACS) recognises that community care services will be a vital aspect of adult protection work (Spencer- Lane, 2010). Interestingly the eligibility criteria that superseded Fair Access to Care from April 2010 (Prioritising Need in the context of Putting People First: A whole systems approach to eligibility for Social Care), continues to place adults who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect, in Critical and substantial needs criteria banding, as FACS did. Another definition of a vulnerable adult is cited within The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006), (SVG Act 2006), and defines a vulnerable adult as: A person is a vulnerable adult if he has attained the age of 18 and: (a)he is in residential accommodation, (b)he is in sheltered housing, (c)he receives domiciliary care, (d)he receives any form of health care, (e)he is detained in lawful custody, (f)he is by virtue of an order of a court under supervision by a person exercising functions for the purposes of Part 1 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (c. 43), (g)he receives a welfare service of a prescribed description, (h)he receives any service or participates in any activity provided specifically for persons who fall within subsection (9), (i)payments are made to him (or to another on his behalf) in pursuance of arrangements under section 57 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 (c. 15), or (j)he requires assistance in the conduct of his own affairs. This particular act appears to take an alternative approach to the term vulnerability. It refers to places where a person is placed and is situational. (Law Commission, 2008). Following the consultation of No Secrets, one of the key findings of the consultation was the role that the National Health Service played in relation to Safeguarding Vulnerable adults and their systems. The Department of Health produced a document titled Clinical Governance and Adult Safeguarding- An Integrated Process (DOH 2010). The aim of the guidance is to encourage organisations to develop processes and systems which focused on complaints, healthcare incidents and how these aspects fall within the remit of Safeguarding processes and to empower reporting of such as it identified that clinical governance systems did not formally recognise the need to work in collaboration with Local Authorities when concerns arise during healthcare delivery. The definition of who is vulnerable in this NHS guidance, refers to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) and states that any adult receiving any form of healthcare is vulnerable and that there is no formal definition of vulnerability within health care but those receiving healthcare may be at greater risk from harm than others (DOH 2010). In the Care Standards Act 2000 it describes a Vulnerable adult as: (a) an adult to whom accommodation and nursing or personal care are provided in a care home; (b) an adult to whom personal care is provided in their own home under arrangements made by a domiciliary care agency; or (c) an adult to whom prescribed services are provided by an independent hospital, independent clinic, independent medical agency or National Health Service body. Similar to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act, the Care Standards Act 2000 classifies the term vulnerable adult as situational and circumstantial rather than specific and relevant to a persons individual circumstance. Spencer-Lane (2010) says that these definitions of vulnerability in England have been the subject of increasing criticism. He states that the location of the cause of the abuse rests with the victim rather than the acts of others; that vulnerability is an inherent characteristic of the person and that no recognition is given that it might be contextual, by setting or place that makes the person vulnerable. Interestingly Spencer -Lane (2010) prefers the concept of adults at risk. He goes on to suggest a new definition that adults at risk are based on two approaches as the Law Commission feel that the term vulnerable adults should be replaced by adults at risk to reflect these two concerns: To reflect the persons social care needs rather than the receipt of services or a particular diagnosis What the person is at risk from whether or not the term significant harm should be used but would include ill treatment or the impairment of health or development or unlawful conduct which would include financial abuse Spencer-Lane (2010) also argues that with the two approaches above, concerns remain regarding the term significant harm as he feels the threshold for this type of risk is too high and whether the term in its entirety at risk of harm be used whilst encompassing the following examples: ill treatment; impairment of health or development; unlawful conduct. Unlike in Scotland, there are no specific statutory provisions for adult protection; the legal framework is provided through a combination of the common law, local authority guidance and general statute law (Spencer-Lane 2010). Whereby in England the term vulnerable adult is used, in Scotland the term in the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 uses the term adults at risk. This term was derived by the Scottish Executive following their 2005 consultation were respondents criticised the word vulnerable as they believed it focussed on a person disability rather than their abilities, hence the Scottish executive adopted the term at risk (Payne, 2006). Martin (2007) questions the definition of vulnerability and highlights how the vulnerability focus in England leaves the deficit with the adult, as opposed to their environment. She uses the parallel argument to that idea of disabling environments, rather than the disabled person, within the social model of disability. She goes on to comment that processes within society can create vulnerability. People, referred to as vulnerable adults, may well be in need of community care services to enjoy independence, but what makes people vulnerable is that way in which they are treated by society and those who support them. It could be argues that vulnerability and defining a person as vulnerable could be construed as being oppressive. This act states that an adult at risk is unable to safeguard their own well-being, property, rights or other interests; at risk of harm and more vulnerable because they have a disability, mental disorder, illness or physical or mental infirmity. It also details that the act applies to those over 16 years of age, where in England the term vulnerable adult is defined for those over the age of 18 and for the requirement under the statute is that all of the three elements are met for a person to be deemed at risk. ADASS too supports the use of risk as the basis of adult protection, although its definition differs from the one used in Scotland. It states that an adult at risk is one who is or may be eligible for community care services and whose independence and wellbeing are at risk due to abuse or neglect (ADASS, 2005) The ASPSA (2007) act The Scottish Code of Practice states that no category of harm is excluded simply because it is not explicitly listed. In general terms, behaviours that constitute harm to others can be physical (including neglect), emotional, financial, sexual or a combination of these. Also, what constitutes serious harm will be different for different persons. (Scottish Government, 2008a p13). In defining what constitutes significant harm, No Secrets (2000) uses the definition of significant harm in who decides? No Secrets defines significant harm as:- harm should be taken to include not only ill treatment (including sexual abuse and forms of ill treatment which are not physical), but also the impairment of, or an unavoidable deterioration in, physical or mental health; and the impairment of physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural developments (No Secrets, 2000. The ASPA (2007) act also goes onto detail that any intervention in an individuals affairs should provide benefit to the individual, and should be the least restrictive option of those that are available thus providing a safety net on the principles of the act (ASPA, 2007). The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 says: harm includes all harmful conduct and, in particular, includes: conduct which causes physical harm; conduct which causes psychological harm (e.g. by causing fear, alarm or distress) unlawful conduct which appropriates or adversely affects property, rights or interests (e.g. theft, fraud, embezzlement or extortion) conduct which causes self-harm N.B conduct includes neglect and other failures to act, which includes actions which are not planned or deliberate, but have harmful consequences Interestingly the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (section 44) introduced a new criminal offence of ill treatment and wilful neglect of a person who lacks capacity to make a relevant decision. It does not matter whether the behaviour toward the person was likely to cause or actually caused harm or damage to the victims health. Although the Mental Capacity Act mainly relates to adults 16 and over, Section 44 can apply to all age groups including children (Code of Practice Mental Capacity Act 2005). The Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) published a National Framework of Standards to attempt to reduce variation across the country (ADSS 2005). In this document the ADSS 2005 updated this definition above to :- every adult who is or may be eligible for community care services, facing a risk to their independence (ADSS 2005 para 1.14). England and Scotland differences with policy/legislation Definition of vulnerability Three part definition to definition of at risk of harm Harm might be caused by another person or the person may be causing the harm themselves no category of harm is excluded simply because it is not explicitly listed. In general terms, behaviours that constitute harm to others can be physical (including neglect), emotional, financial, sexual, or a combination of these. Also, what constitutes serious harm will be different for different persons. Code of Practice, Scottish Government (2008) Defining vulnerable: adult safeguarding in England and Wales Greater level of contestation in defining VA in adults than children. Doucuments in wales and England are very similar. In safe hands document is greater but both are issued under the provision of section 7. Whilst they are guidance, there is a statutory footing behind them. No Secrets (DH2000) defines vulnerable in a particular way: Is a person who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation. No Secrets paragraph 2.3 Lord Chancellors Department, Who Decides (1995) The ASP Act introduces new adult protection duties and powers, including: Councils duty to inquire and investigate Duty to co-operate Duty to consider support services such as independent advocacy Other duties and powers visits, interviews, examinations Protection Orders: assessment, removal, banning and temporary banning Warrants for Entry, Powers of Arrest and Offences Duty to establish Adult Protection Committees across Scotland Harm includes all harmful conduct and, in particular, includes: a) conduct which causes physical harm; b) conduct which causes psychological harm (for example: by causing fear, alarm or distress); c) unlawful conduct which appropriates or adversely affects property, rights or interests (for example: theft, fraud; embezzlement or extortion); and d) conduct which causes self-harm. An adult is at risk of harm if: another persons conduct is causing (or is likely to cause) the adult to be harmed, or the adult is engaging (or is likely to engage) in conduct which causes (or is likely to cause) self-harm N.B conduct includes neglect and other failures to act (Section 53)

Amyotrophic Later Sclerosis Essay examples -- Health, Diseases

There are many known diseases in the world that we live in today affecting a wide range of individuals of different ages, ethnicities, and genders. With each type of disease comes a diagnosis, prognosis, and potential for a cure from one of life’s many ailments. Over the course of time, technology has began to lead the way in discovering as well as treating many disease in which doctors previously knew little about. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, was first described in 1869 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. In 1939 ALS brought international attention when Lou Gehrig abruptly retired from baseball after being diagnosed with the disease(6). Today there are as many as 20,000 to 30,000 people in the United States that have ALS with an estimated 5,000 people being diagnosed with the disease each year. While the disease can affect all races and ethnic backgrounds, it is more common among men than in women. The typical onset of ALS is generally between the ages of forty and sixty, however, individuals that are younger and older can also develop the disease as well. There are no clear risk factors associated in 90 to 95 percent of all sporadic or noninherited forms ALS. Only five to ten percent of all diagnosis’s are inherited from one parent who carries the gene responsible for the disease(2). It is clear that there are many statistics surrounding ALS with such a wide range of unknown potential causes, but what do medical professional know about it thus far? ALS is a rapidly progressive motor neuron disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Upper motor neurons within the brain are responsible for transmitting vital communication links betw... ...BIPAP(bi-level positive airway pressure)to allow for proper breathing while asleep. Inevitably, patients may even consider the use of other forms of mechanical ventilation for survival. Although ventilation support can help ease problems with breathing as well as prolong survival, it does affect the patient’s quality of life and cost. Over the course of time, advancements in technology have helped to find many potential causes for ALS, however, it is yet to be completely understood. Perhaps on day there will be efficient test(s) to effectively determine a cause of ALS. Once a determination is made on the exact cause of the disease, medical professionals can then began discovering new means of treatment, thus potentially leading to a cure some day. Until then, ALS will remain difficult to diagnose with limited treatment options and an inevitable outcome.

Ethical Behavior vs Unethical Behavior Essay

There really isn’t one way or another to be able to ensure ethical behavior in any business all the time. There are things that can be done to help encourage and increase the likely hood of a business acting ethically all the time. The two strongest influences for ethical behavior in the professional world are the regulations that are set by the government and committees like the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), and to have good ethical behavior being modeled from top management (lead by example). The federal laws for social responsibilities for business represent the minimum standards of social responsibility that businesses must adhere too. If a company is acting socially responsible then more than likely they are acting ethically. It is currently up to each business leader to decide how far beyond the minimum standards they go when performing in their business. There really isn’t room for unethical behavior in the professional world; there is no greater impact on stakeholders than a company/business performs unethically. We have already witnessed what can happen when businesses have employees who act unethically, i. . : Enron. The Enron situation actually brought on more regulations for companies to follow to promote/ensure ethical behavior. Companies obviously still aren’t always acting ethically but there certainly seems to be less unethical behavior in the professional world than before Enron. When people are aware of the consequences of what could happen to them if they act in a certain way they are less likely to do that action, unless the consequence is a positive one. With unethical behavior it is very unlikely to have a positive consequence unless they don’t get caught. Personally I think that having regulations for ethical behavior is a must, but it is not the only tool or resource we, as stakeholders, need businesses to use moral principles to guide their business down a moral and ethical path. However, without regulation there is no way businesses would act nearly as socially responsible as they do now, so it is definitely one of the best ways to ensure ethical behavior. It just needs to be combined with other tools such as a code of ethics, an employee handbook, ethics training, or other ethical programs that are designed specifically for the business using it. There are multiple reasons why someone might consider acting unethically when performing their duties; the most obvious and common reason is self interest/greed then short cuts or easy way out. Some individuals, regardless of their profession, will always look for some form of personal gain, even if it means conducting themselves in an unethical manner. With this being the case there will continue to be unethical behavior in the professional world where regulations may not be strict enough or not have the capacity to catch the unethical behavior. For instance in the case of Shell in Nigeria, Nigeria does not have nearly as strict rules/standards for oil companies as those set by the international laws. Shell is able to get away with more pollution, gas flares, and aiding the militant government in harming the communities. For the most part Shell is following the regulations of the country they are drilling in it makes this difficult to enforce ethical behavior from Shell in this type of instance. In other situations regulations can help keep a company acting ethically, for example thanks to Enron there are quite a few regulations on how a company can produce, and present their financial information. If a company doesn’t follow these standards set forth by the government there can be some serious consequences. With these regulations companies are less likely to submit false financial statements. As you can guess, one can lean either way on this; regulations are helpful at times and not at others. But more often than not regulations do help ensure ethical behavior in the professional world.

The Internet Impact On Children And Teenagers - 1380 Words

The Internet Impact For most children and teenagers, are open to the Internet. People have different opinions about it. Older adults grew up without electronics, but nowadays all kids have electronics. Depending on which electronics the kids have, it changes how the kids learn. If it’s a smart calculator or if it is just a game. Adults and children are moving into life that surrounds them with electronics. â€Å"In fact, 87 percent of 12 to 17-year-olds are now online† (Packard). Studies say, that children who used the internet more had higher scores on standardized reading tests from three-six months, and higher grade point averages one year and 16 months after the start of the study than did children who used it less. More time spent reading, given the heavily text-based nature of Web pages, may account for the improvement. Not all kids that use the Internet is for gaming and texting. Kids can use the electronics to read off and do studies. Research and tests have been completed by Linda Jackson, a researcher with Michigan State University. â€Å"She has been researching 140 urban children from HomeNetToo, a longitudinal field study designed to assess the effects of the Internet on children who come from high-income to low-income households. The children were all around the age of 13 and African American.† The children were also underperforming in school, scoring in the 30% range before the readers’ tests began. They found out, that kids who used internet had a higher score onShow MoreRelatedEffects of The Internet On Teenagers Essays783 Words   |  4 Pagescomputer and maybe do their homework. Internet is one of the most recent changes in the last two decays. Not surprisingly, this new phenomenon is perhaps one of the greatest inventions of the last century, but unfortunately this occurrence has made some negative impact on our society and children. 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To be eligible the participants must impose the interest of social media. Both male and females are wanted to participate in the research. Limitations My inquiry had various limitations. The quantity of participants would have been more evenly distributed across gender and year in school. Limits also depended on parental guidance and/or permission in allowing kids to take part in the surveyRead MoreHow The Internet Affects Us?866 Words   |  4 Pages How the Internet affect us? For decades, people have lived without a phone, a computer or a tablet in their hands. But, in these days, surviving without any kind of technology connected to the Internet is so difficult to overcome. Moreover, the youngest individuals are learning to live in a world completely dependent on the Internet. Moreover, it you want to learn about how to use computers and the Internet, go to ask your grandchildren to teach you. 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First of all, a social network is a user s association on Internet, who exchanges information. Each member shares information with â€Å"friends†, who themselves have their own â€Å"friends†. all the members of the social network are indirectly connected. There exists any kind of social networks and they all have different goals. Indeed, some give the opportunity of communicating with friends, colleagues or family, by sharingRead MoreBehind the Internet Addiction Essay968 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Study Finds Teenagers Internet Socializing Isnt Such a Bad Thing† demonstrates the support that the writer states towards the amount of time teens spend on the Internet. The essay caught my attention because it’s incredible to read about something clearly bizarre coming from a person that is not well informed about what the teens do exactly while on the Internet and what can be interpreted from the extra attention and usage of the Internet. Lewin states that the usage of Internet by teens doesRead MoreDiscussion of a Patents Desire to Protect Their Children on the Internet in The Undercover Parent741 Words   |  3 PagesToday, the Internet has an important impact on our daily lives. We use it for communication, research, etc. Unfortunately sometimes the Internet can be a dangerous place and we have to be cautious when using it. We do not have as much privacy as we used to have 30 or 40 years ago. The article â€Å"The Undercover Parent†, discusses the issue of whether or not parents should put spyware on their child’s computer to monitor everything that they are doing. Some parents believe that they should put spyware

How Biobutanol Can Be Used as a Motor Fuel

Biobutanol is four-carbon alcohol derived from the fermentation of biomass. When it is produced from petroleum-based feedstocks, its commonly called butanol. Biobutanol is in the same family as other commonly known alcohols, namely single-carbon methanol, and the more-well-known two-carbon alcohol ethanol. The importance of the number of carbon atoms in any given molecule of alcohol is directly related to the energy content of that particular molecule. The more carbon atoms present, especially in a long carbon-to-carbon bond chains, the denser in energy the alcohol is. Breakthroughs in biobutanol processing methods, namely the discovery and development of genetically modified microorganisms, has set the stage for biobutanol to surpass ethanol as a renewable fuel. Once considered usable only as an industrial solvent and chemical feedstock, biobutanol shows great promise as a motor fuel due to its favorable energy density, and it returns better fuel economy and is considered a superior motor fuel (when compared to ethanol). Biobutanol Production Biobutanol is derived mainly from the fermentation of the sugars in organic feedstocks (biomass). Historically, up until about the mid-50s, biobutanol was fermented from simple sugars in a process that produced acetone and ethanol, in addition to the butanol component. The process is known as ABE (Acetone Butanol Ethanol) and has used unsophisticated (and not particularly hearty) microbes such as Clostridium acetobutylicum. The problem with this type of microbe is that it is poisoned by the very butanol it produces once the alcohol concentration rises above approximately 2 percent. This processing problem caused by the inherent weakness of generic-grade microbes, plus inexpensive and abundant (at the time) petroleum gave way to the simpler and cheaper distillation-from-petroleum method of refining butanol. My, how times change. In recent years, with petroleum prices heading steadily upwards, and worldwide supplies getting tighter and tighter, scientists have revisited the fermentation of sugars for the manufacturing of biobutanol. Great strides have been made by researchers in creating â€Å"designer microbes† that can tolerate higher concentrations of butanol without being killed off. The ability to withstand harsh high concentration alcohol environments, plus the superior metabolism of these genetically enhanced bacteria has fortified them with the endurance necessary to degrade the tough cellulosic fibers of biomass feedstocks such as pulpy woods and switchgrass. The door has been kicked open and the reality of cost competitive, if not cheaper, renewable alcohol motor fuel is upon us. Advantages So, all of this fancy chemistry and intense research notwithstanding, biobutanol has many advantages over here-to-fore easier-to-produce ethanol. Biobutanol has a higher energy content than ethanol, so there is a much lower loss of fuel economy. With an energy content of about 105,000 BTUs/gallon (versus ethanol’s approximate 84,000 BTUs/gallon), biobutanol is much closer to the energy content of gasoline (114,000 BTUs/gallon).Biobutanol can be easily blended with conventional gasoline at higher concentrations than ethanol for use in unmodified engines. Experiments have shown that biobutanol can run in an unmodified conventional engine at 100 percent, but to date, no manufacturers will warrant use of blends higher than 15 percent.Because it is less susceptible to separation in the presence of water (than ethanol), it can be distributed via conventional infrastructure (pipelines, blending facilities and storage tanks). There’s no need for a separate distribution network.It is less corrosive than ethanol. Not only is biobutanol a higher-grade more energy dense fuel, but it is also less explosive than ethanol.EPA te st results show that biobutanol reduces emissions, namely hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide (CO) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Exact values depend upon the engine state of tune. But that’s not all. Biobutanol as a motor fuel—with its long chain structure and preponderance of hydrogen atoms—could be used as a stepping-stone in bringing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to the mainstream. One of the biggest challenges facing hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development is the storage of onboard hydrogen for sustainable range and the lack of hydrogen infrastructure for fueling. The high hydrogen content of butanol would make it an ideal fuel for onboard reforming. Instead of burning the butanol, a reformer would extract the hydrogen to power the fuel cell. Disadvantages It is not common for one fuel type to have so many obvious advantages without at least one glowing disadvantage; however, with biobutanol versus ethanol argument, that doesn’t appear to be the case. Currently, the only real disadvantage is there are many more ethanol refining facilities than biobutanol refineries. And while ethanol refining facilities far outnumber those for biobutanol, the possibility of retrofitting ethanol plants to biobutanol is feasible. And as refinements continue with genetically modified microorganisms, the feasibility of converting plants becomes greater and greater. It’s clear that biobutanol is the superior choice over ethanol as a gasoline additive and perhaps eventual gasoline replacement. For the past 30 years or so ethanol has had most of the technological and political support and has seeded the market for renewable alcohol motor fuel. Biobutanol is now poised to pick up the mantle.