How Internet Shapes Contemporary Social Environment Research Paper

How Internet Shapes Contemporary Social Environment - Research Paper Example A vastly different world exists today due to the spread of Internet use which relies to a great extent on the concept of redundant networks to assure continuous connections in whatever conditions. This paper examines how computers and the Internet have changed the world environment where people increasingly rely on these two products of modern technology to do anything they want. The Internet has altered the way people work, live, transact their business, how they can bank their money, communicate with each other, socialize, research for some information and in many ways previously inconceivable just a few decades ago. One can find knowledge with just a few clicks of the mouse. However, one thing the Internet has changed in a very profound way is how it made the world a much smaller place and various cultures now become homogeneous. Instant communications have allowed people to know more about each other and various cultures around the world. Information travels very fast at the speed of light (or the connections). Language barriers are being brought down because of the Internet; it has also allowed people to learn more about the culture of far-away countries in an instant. World culture is largely defined by the mass media (multi-media such as the television, newspapers, online libraries, the Internet and pop culture such as hip-hop music) and there is now an easier intermingling of various ideas. World culture is now largely defined as instant gratification, people are unwilling to wait longer than necessary when they want something or search for some answers to nagging questions. The Internet is all about building communities (albeit online groups such as Facebook and Twitter).

Something Beautiful Is Coming Essay Example for Free

Something Beautiful Is Coming Essay HTC was founded in 1997 by Cher Wang and her husband. Wang wanted to manufacture personal digital assistance under contact of established brands. However, the company failed to convince buyers. Instead remained focused on contract manufacturer’s mobile phones according to its customer’s strategic priorities. Cher approaches the business with the eyes of the customer. HTC had nututred contacts into valuable business relationships, creating products that combined customer-oriented design with advanced technology to cast a reputation for consistency and excellence that many industry valued and applauded. In mid 2000, HTC started making customized smart phones running on windows operating system for Deutshe Telekom and Vodafone. This proved strategically shrewd, creating potential growth without having to rely on handset manufacturers. Facts and Figures HTC started making customized smart phones running on windows operating system for Deutshe Telekom and Vodafone. This proved strategically shrewd, creating potential growth without having to rely on handset manufacturers. Under this ‘operator business model’, sales exploded, growing 100% annually, with net profits rising some 300% per annum since 2003. HTC soon became darling of the market, with share prices soaring 1000% in March 2006. Mission A customer oriented positioning that communicated its strengths and tapped into the zeitgeist of its target market- tech savvy trendy customers interested in performance and design. Strategy Business Strategy- Sustained on ‘operator business model’, proved immensely successful. Functional (Marketing) strategy- The key to its strategy was its partnership with networks such as vodafone Internet and viral marketing proved effective Sponsorship of the Columbia –HTC cycling team in 2009 ensured messaged reached millions of viewers worldwide

Sin Tax Bills Pros And Cons Economics Essay

Sin Tax Bills Pros And Cons Economics Essay With tobaccos and cigarettes being the major cause of lung cancer death s in the Philippines, advocates are pushing to pass the Sin Tax Bill. Sin tax bill is the tax levied on any products that are notorious to be harmful like cigarettes, alcohol and even activities like gambling. In connection to this, it is said to be effective in reducing behaviour of using such. This thesis paper aims to show the pros and cons of the Sin Tax Bill reforms to the Philippine economy, presented before the Senate and the House. There were three specific sin tax reforms discussed, the Abaya Bill, Recto Bill, and the Santiago Bill. This study accentuates that the approval of the said bill has its great advantages that will help the countrys economy, but its possible disadvantages must not be neglected. Moreover, the ideas written here are not against the bill, but therefore require further analysis and revisions that are deemed helpful to the Philippine Economy. Discussion Introduction According to the World Health Organization in 2009, tobacco is responsible for 12% of male and 6% of female deaths worldwide. The Acting Chief of NCI Tobacco Control Research Brach Chief, Michele Bloch, MD, PhD said that overall around the globe, there are 41% of men that smoke and only 9% for women; also it is estimated that the total number of tobacco-related deaths will rise from 6 million today to 8  million in 2030 (Fromer, 2011). Every day, a person dies from lung cancer in the Philippines. Tobacco or cigarette is the only legal consumer product that kills half of its users when used as directed by the manufacturer. And not only cigarettes, but as well as other socially proscribed goods such as alcoholic beverages, drugs and even soft drinks (in other areas), are considered to be undesirable or harmful, and thus were levied with higher taxes compared to the original by the government in laymans term: The Sin Tax. Sin tax in modern economic terms, are externality taxes, taxes designed to reduce behaviour which is known to be harmful to society' (Gifford, 1997. p.1). It is an excise tax on which its objectives is to make consumers lose interest in buying such by imposing taxes on goods that are known to be harmful and lethal such as cigarettes and liquor or activities like gambling (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2012). Before, a Tiered Specific Tax system based on suggested retail price (srp) was put in place. Until the late Pres. Corazon Aquinos administration in 1986, reforms the tax system by changing the specific or unit-based tax to an Ad valorem Scheme, from where the price is based on the manufacturers, for cigarettes. From then on, sin tax bill was revised many times until the year 2004, where the Congress passed Republic Act No. 9334: an act increasing the tax collection; but this is widely considered to be ineffective and a watered-down law. On its implementation in January 2005, under this law, all brands of cigarettes and alcohol products are mandated to an increase in the excise tax rate every two years, up until the year 2011, where there will be specified varying rates of increases (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2012). The matter on the issuance of the new sin tax bills proposed by different officials, mainly those of Abaya, Recto and Santiago, has caught many people in between two arguments. The Department of Finance wants the sin tax bill to raise P60 billion to fund the governments universal healthcare program, especially for the care of public hospital patients with lung diseases. The bills obvious benefit on its approval is more health-related, but there are still quite a number of critics against the approval of the said bill. Why? Because there are multiple reasons as to why the sin tax bill reform must not be approved and therefore must be a subject for further and more improved revisions. Different types of Sin Tax Bills proposed A data from the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation says, Despite the existence of laws that limit smoking, male Filipino smokers are among the top smokers in the world occupying the ninth spot following India and China among others (Manongdo,  ¶1). In accordance to this, many government officials started passing reforms of different kinds that are to change the current sin tax bill implemented. Firstly, the approved Abaya Bill: House Bill 5727, or the Act Restructuring the Excise Tax on Alcohol and Tobacco Products states that there will be equal taxes rates to be charged to any cigarette brands. With this, there will be competition between cigarette companies. Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya agreed to amend the sin tax on tobacco products from unitary tax system to two tiers. Under substitute bill, there will be two tiers or groups for cigarettes while distilled and fermented liquor will have 3. Tier 1: Cigarette packs priced lower than 11.50php below are meted with a P12 tax on the first year and P24 on the next year; while on Tier 2: Cigarette packs priced 11.50php above are meted with P28.30 on the first year, and P30 on the second year. Indexation or increase will be 8% for every two years, until the year 2025. It has been over 15 years since a sin tax bill made it out of committee meetings in Congress. A landslide vote happened in June, where 210 lawmakers voted to pa ss the amended House Bill 5727, by Cavite Rep. Abaya. But the bill was watered down, since the bill aims to reduce consumption of tobacco and alcohol, especially among the poor, while raising additional revenues, which will be channeled to the governments health care program (Balea, 2012). According to Finance Assistance Secretary Teresa Habitan, amended version will only translate to P33 billion from the original plan of P60billion revenue. Secondly is the Recto Bill by Sen. Ralph Recto. For cigars, the current 2-tiered NRP-based structure shall be retained, but starting March 1, 2013, there shall be an increase to the ad valorem rates by more than 100 percent. Pursuant to Cathy Yamsuans report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer 2012, there will be an increase of 121 percent to hand-packed cigarettes taxes from P2.72 to P6 per pack beginning March 1, 2013, particularly in low-priced cigarettes. While mid-priced cigarettes, a 32% rise from P7.56 to a P10 tax; and high-priced cigarettes, a 17% increase from P12 to P14 tax per pack. Recto, however, presented a committee report that would raise only between P15 billion and P20 billion in additional sin taxes. Lastly is Sen. Miriam Santiagos proposed reform. Santiago said that under her bill, 85 percent of the P60 billion would be used for the government health program while the remaining 15 percent for safety nets that would ensure that tobacco farmers can shift to more lucrative crops like vegetables that have a bigger market than tobacco (Yamsuan, 2012,  ¶12). No more further discussions needed to Santiagos Bill because Juan Ponce Enrile, the current Philippine Senate President, noted that the Santiago bill is almost similar to the governments original position.  Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiagos version of the Sin Tax Bill or the Senate Bill 3249 espouses a single tier excise tax scheme for cigarettes. The version reported out by Rectos Ways and Means Committee pushes a multi-tier scheme, while the House-approved bill is a two-tier system. Advantages There are a lot to mention when we look in-depth to the possible benefits, the country may be subjected to, that will be a great help to the society. Here, there are three main points that are most likely to be emphasized. First are the sin tax bills health-related purposes and benefits. Since the real reason behind the implementation of this law is to discourage the people, especially the youth to smoke cigarettes and indulge themselves to other vices, Department of Health (DOH) said that sin tax bill is a health bill. If this is approved, many Filipino lives will be saved if this law is effective enough after its implementation. As stated by The National Youth Commission (NYC), the number of young smokers in the country had increased. Two of five Filipinos aged 13 to 15 years old consumed tobacco last year. The increase in cigarette prices may thus limit the number of young smokers (Garcia, 2012,  ¶15). On the other hand when the Laylo Research Strategies made a poll survey on ho w will Filipino smokers react if there is an increase in sin taxes, the survey results confirms what the advocates have been saying higher tobacco taxes would accomplish: discourage consumption and therefore reduce the number of Filipinos who either develop diseases or die from smoking. The Southeast Asia Initiative on Tobacco Tax says higher sin taxes can help save 140,000 to 1.3 million Filipinos. With the pending Sin Tax bill likely to affect cigarette prices, 31% of the regular smokers said they will slowly stop smoking, while 17% will stop immediately (Rappler. 2012  ¶24). In a study on Tobacco and Poverty of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2008, the annual government revenues of P23 Billion from tobacco taxes is not enough compared to the conservatively estimated P149 Billion annual economic losses due to expenses for productivity and health care costs of the top four tobacco related diseases: Cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and stroke. (Manongdo, 2012). According to reports furnished, the money the government spends on tobacco-related healthcare issues is more than the revenue it gets from the taxes collected from tobacco and alcohol products. This means that the government is spending more to cure diseases chronic pulmonary diseases, heart disease, cancer, liver diseases etc. that are caused by the consumption of tobacco and alcohol (Garcia, 2012  ¶9). Secondly, with higher sin tax rates means higher government revenues. Lets say theres no existence of the sin tax bill, which means, 0% tax increase. With no tax, the government will only garner 25.4B php annually. But in consideration of the Rectos Bill, with 65% tax increase, there will 37.8B php revenue. While in Santiagos Bill, with 265% tax increase, there will be no less than 68.7B php revenue, which is by the way more than enough for the governments goal of 60B php. According to Dr. Antonio Dans, professor at the UP-College of Medicine, with the approval of 265% proposed tax increase by Santiago; chances are, smoking rates will go down to 26% from 31%.. That drop from 31% to 26% represents more than two million people stopping smoking. If you stop smoking, you will avoid death from 49 diseases that can kill you from smoking like lung cancer, coronary diseases, stroke, heart attack, chronic pulmonary diseases (Antonio, 2012,  ¶). Lastly, international smuggling of cigarettes will be lessened. According to Sen. Pia Cayetano, the Philippines has the second cheapest retail price in Asia (in terms of cigarettes). Even among the cheapest in the world, primarily because of relatively low tobacco taxes. Many other countries levied heavy amount of tax on cigarettes as part of their public health policy. Dr. Aida Yurekli, coordinator of the WHOs Tobacco-Free Initiative, says the nations low taxes on tobacco drive the foreign demand for illegal imports of cigarette from the Philippines.  He once thought the China is the main source of smuggled cigarettes, but he found out that there was a big number coming from the Philippines. Since tobacco companies are paying (low) taxes, they tend to overproduce. And an excess of 2 billion packs from the 5.4 billion packs to be produced this year, from which only 3.5 billion packs will be consumed, makes it suspicious (Merueà ±as, 2012). With the effectiveness of tax increase, Philippine cigarettes would not be any cheaper than before, and thus will discourage international smuggling, since tobacco companies will pay more taxes, and no longer will have rooms for overproduction that may end up as smuggled goods to other countries. Disadvantages Though many people, if asked, are pro-sin tax bill, due to its undeniable benefits, lawmakers, still, remain divided over the sin tax bill. Debaters tend to overlook the possible drawback, the sin tax bill, may offer to the countrys economy. Tobacco farmers are the most affected in the approval of the any bills mentioned above. La Union Rep. Victor Francisco Ortega said that many tobacco farmers were able to send their children due to their jobs in the tobacco industry. It has done more good, than evil, he said in an interview hosted by respected broadcast journalist Rappler editor-at-large Cheche Lazaro (Bisyo: A special report on Sin Tax, 2012). In the interview, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said, The government has not provided a comprehensive program for the support services, subsidy and assistance to tobacco farmers. Tobacco farmers will not benefit from the increase of retail prices of cigarettes increase due to sin tax. Therefore, the higher sin taxes will definitely negatively affect the tobacco industry, which will result into unemployment to huge industries like Fortune Tobacco and the likes. (Bisyo: A special report on Sin Tax, 2012)   In one of the three stated bills proposed above, specifically the Abaya Bill, inequity in pricing the goods may occur. If all brands will be taxed similarly, small scale companies are at a big loss and at the worst scenario, may stop production. Abaya suggested that equality in taxes will create competition between large scale companies and local tobacco companies; but the latter will be burdened more since bigger companies are far more able in paying the demand tax levied to their products. With high taxes means less production, which will end up to less profit by the company, and later on bankruptcy. On a debate, Sen. Ralph Recto said that if they tax too much, it may kill industries, and even the cigarette industry may be burdened too much already. Revenues may be lessened due to insufficient companies producing cigarettes, from where taxes are supposedly to be collected from. Too high taxes may result in less revenue. How? One of the debaters in the senate, Mr. Manos Koukourakis said, When you apply so high tax increases, people will find alternative ways to smoke (Bisyo: A special report on Sin Tax, 2012). Consumption did not diminish; on the contrary, it has increased. At first, sin taxes will give increased revenues for the government, but in no time, it will fall drastically. Why? Because of smuggling. Taxing cigarettes and other sin products will not make people quit intousing it. Its already an addiction and this simple means of increasing retail price is not the answer. Recto said in one of his reports, the solution is not to severely tax the sin products but to ban them completely. When the price of any product rises excessively, smugglers bring in cheaper products. So instead of discouraging consumption, the very high prices actually encourage it because the smuggled products are very cheap (Cruz, 2012, 4 ¶). A House leader from the Philippine delegation warned that if ever the government would not take a second look to these proposed sin tax bills, the signing of the free trade agreement (FTA) with EU or the European Union, may be put in jeopardy. The EU expressed their continuous objection to the sin tax bill. EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht told the lawmakers that the approved House version and proposed Senate version will not pass the World Trade Organization (WTO) compliance because of unfair taxation (Luci, 2012). British American Tobacco (BAT) Philippines general manager James Michael Lafferty said, The current tax system has worked against the entry of new brands into the market  (Galang, 2012,  ¶46). Conclusion Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, one of the most vocal sin tax bill advocates said, When cigarettes and liquor are cheap, more people will use them- and so this has been the advocates standing point. The sin tax bill had been a controversial debate to the lawmakers. It made Sen. Ralph Recto, the chairman of the Senate committee, resign after numerous opposition from the Senate; he had Sen. Franklin Drilon take over his place after resignation. They even called his proposed bill a watered-down bill or ineffective. In the approval of the Sin tax bill, relations with the European Union may be affected. If ever the Philippines free trade with EU will be cut-off, our economy will lose a lot. And not only that, since Lucio Tan, a renowned business tycoon, is the owner of the biggest tobacco company in the country, the Fortune Cigarette, increasing of taxes to the sin products might be reflected to other major companies under him as well, like those of Philippine Airlines and the likes. All these factors will not increase the governments revenues, and on the other end might be the opposite. Therefore the sin tax bill has defeated its main purpose of raising revenues. Also, the argument of the pro-sin tax bill that higher taxes would discourage smokers is a mere assumption. They have not presented clear provisions and relied on surveys, which is not at all very reliable. Then again, according to Benjamin Diokno, professor of Economics at the School of Economics, UP Diliman and former secretary of budget and management undersecretary for budget operations in the Aquino 1 administration, talking about the threat of smuggling, it is real, and ignoring it would be a monumental mistake. The country has been facing a lot of smuggling cases in other products like rice, oil products, and other consumer goods continuously. And the possible addition of cigarettes to be smuggled would be a lot of work for the Bureau of Internal Revenue, which he considers weak (Diokno, 2012). But behind the drawbacks mentioned, there are a lot of other alternatives, other than taxing, that may discourage and lessen the use tobaccos and cigarettes. One suggestion is the proposal of former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral to put graphic photographs of smokers with lung or mouth cancer on the packs of cigarettes, and they believe it should scare some of them into stopping smoking. Though most of the tobacco industries are against it, the Philippine Senate and Congress are also in debate about it. Another suggestion is the prohibition of smoking in the public, from which the Senate lose the case against tobacco companies. In the question of what would be the most effective among the proposed bills. The countries Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos currently part of this worlds emerging economies use ad valorem rates in taxing their products like tobacco and alcohol. These countries must have adopted ad valorem taxation, after learning the best practice from their foreign tax consultants. The Philippines is the only country in the region that uses specific rates  (Diokno, 2012,  ¶7). On the contrary, eeconomist and former Economic Planning Secretary Solita Collas-Monsod at a forum on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 said that the tobacco industry players are disseminating about the possible aftermaths of the proposed sin tax measure on the Philippine economy, from which she considered as all lies. She opposed all the issues discussed and declared that these are just false claims (cited from Fonbuena, 2012). But experts urge the Senate to use the proposed bill of Sen. Miriam Santiago. This, Santiago said, would help avoid the 240 deaths daily among Filipino smokers with P200-billion health costs to government. It hews much more to the actual realities and the actual principles that we want. If everybody is in favor of a sin tax bill, lets start with that sin tax bill, economics professor Solita Monsod commented to Santiagos version of the bill, from where tobacco and alcohol products projected tax revenues will be around P60 billion (cited from Chua, 2012,  ¶3). The author is not against the approval of this bill, but thus, is in favor of the amendment and better revisions of the sin tax bill. People must look not only to the possible advantage it may bring, but one should always be aware of the possible drawback it will take along its process. The benefits, the sin tax bill, will bring the Philippines is undeniable. Health-related and even revenues is a given. But the fact it has taken a long course of almost 16 years of amendment, has a reason. There are multiple reasons as to why the sin tax bill reform must not be approved and therefore must be a subject for further and more improved revisions; and this reasons must not be neglected.

The Joint Commission: National Patient Safety Goals for Medicare Based

The Joint Commission: National Patient Safety Goals for Medicare Based Long Term Care The Joint Commission is a nonprofit organization that focuses on improving the Healthcare system. They do this by regulating and evaluating health care organizations, helping them improve and give a more effective and safe care (The Joint Commission, 2012). The National Patient safety goals are ways in which the joint commission strives to improve the way health care is provided (The Joint Commission, 2012). Effective on January 1, 2012, the Joint commission came up with new ways to improve the Care of Medicare Based Long term Care facilities and provided Safety regulations to be followed. In order to better understand the impact that this regulations have in the healthcare, it is necessary to identify and describe the purpose of each regulation, and emphasize on the impact that falls in particular, can have among the geriatric patients. Safety Goals and Purpose †¢ Identifying patients correctly when providing Care: Nurses are supposed to have two resident Identifiers when trying to care for a patient for the first time and after that, one identifier is acceptable. Identifiers such as Room number or location are not acceptable. To ensure this is carried out correctly nurses must ask for two identifiers in situations such as specimen collection, when providing treatments or when collecting blood for clinical testing (containers must be labeled in front of the patient). The Purpose of this guideline is to ensure that the patients are been properly identified and that they are receiving the right treatments and medications (The Joint Commission, 2012). †¢ Using Medications Safely Reduce Harms associated with Anticoagulant Therapy: This goal e... ...m, and taking these basic precautions will take health care to the next level. References Jones, D., & Whitaker, T. (2011). Preventing falls in older people: assessment and interventions. Nursing Standard, 25(52), 50-55. Jr, K. R., & Barber, C. E. (2011, August 29). Preventing falls in the elderly. Retrieved from http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/consumer/10242.html Peel, N. M., Travers, C., Bell, R. R., & Smith, K. (2010). Evaluation of a health service delivery intervention to promote falls prevention in older people across the care continuum. Journal Of Evaluation In Clinical Practice, 16(6), 1254-1261. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2753.2009.01307.x The Joint Commission. (2012, January 01). National patient safety goals: Medicare based long term care. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/6/NPSG_Chapter_Jan2012_LT2.pdf

Work in Front of the Kids

Kohler-Evans, Patty A. Co-Teaching: How to Make This Marriage Work in Front of the Kids. Education, 127, 2, 260-264. Summary The article â€Å"Co-Teaching: How to Make This Marriage Work in Front of the Kids† by Kohler-Evans discusses the implications and effects of co-teaching on children, and provides co-teaching lessons for teachers whoa re willing to improve class performance. The article provides both theoretical and practical research of the problematic issues. The author writes that general education teachers don’t try to meet the needs of all students, but it is inappropriate as students have different abilities to learn.Moreover, disabled students should be provided with more care and attention than normal students. Therefore, co-teaching seems to be one of the most effective strategies to make teachers feel the needs of all students and to choose education program depending on that factor. As a result, a practical research was conducted to identify whether co- teaching was effective in improving overall students’ performance. During experiment two teachers were placed in one room at the same time. This process was called co-teaching.Kohler-Evans continues that â€Å"co-teaching teams have been forced into the general education classroom where veteran teachers feel insulted to have a special education teacher placed in the room with the expectation that they both teach content area critical concepts†. (p. 260) She claims that results appeared encouraging. Despite the fact that teachers were forced to teach, not asked, the majority of teachers involved in the experiment said they were pleased with the outcome and were going to try again as it ensured positive effect of students’ performance.However, the author claims that more studies are needed to identify exacts effects and outcomes of co-teaching on children, especially on children with special needs. Nevertheless, it is apparent that co-teaching is effective way to make students more involved in studying process and to improve their achievements. I think that one of the most important ideas of co-teaching is tendency to cooperation and partnership as working with another teacher will provide more new ideas about managing, planning and monitoring the perfect lesson. Apparent strength of the article is that the author doesn’t simply discuss effects and benefits of co-teaching.Instead, she provides practical recommendations for those teachers whoa re willing to practice the technique of co-teaching. She recommends, for example, finding volunteers. Of course, many teachers are confident in their professionalism and they don’t want to be taught, but there are still teachers who are open to new ideas. It is important to note that co-teaching relations are an excellent opportunity for professional growth and development. Further, the author tells to place value on co-teaching and to refer to it as inclusive practice.It is important as à ¢â‚¬Å"when all students are valued, students without disabilities have the opportunity to develop into more compassionate and caring individuals†. (p. 262) However, the central advice is to have fun from co-teaching as it offers many opportunities for cooperation and collaboration, for exploring new teaching practices and improving performance. Knowledge Application I think the article is very informative offering use new fresh ideas about teaching practices. The information provided in the paper has improved and broadened my knowledge of co-teaching and its specific moments.I think that this practice can be implemented in every classroom as it is a new opportunity for both teachers and students. Teachers will learn how to treat each other equally and how to share responsibilities. Students, in their turn, will be provided with wider range of information and knowledge. However, I don’t think that traditional education should be forgotten. Summing up, co-teaching gives a n opportunity to share the best teaching moments with someone else. References Kohler-Evans, Patty A. Co-Teaching: How to Make This Marriage Work in Front of the Kids. Education, 127, 2, 260-264.

Mobile Technologies

We are indeed living in a very fast-paced world. Everything seems to be found on the World Wide Web, communication is instant, and there are countless of technologies developed that would make our lives easier. These technologies, or most of them, aimed to make the world connected, so that communication is possible beyond distance, space, location or time. The history of communication would show us the developments and significance of communication in our everyday lives. The need for an efficient communication has led to the technologies that make communication faster. From messengers as a way to deliver the message in the old times to telegraphs and to telephones in the present time, communication has gone a long way. But the fact is that it didn’t stop there. Today, we can communicate through the vast choices of technologies such as cellular phones, pagers and computers. Further developments continue until today. These technologies have become mobile, meaning we can communicate with others, conduct business and be entertained on the go without being confined to one place, as is the case with desktops (Farooq & Carroll n.d.). Thus, we call them mobile technologies. Many studies were conducted about different mobile technologies that can be offered to consumers. One thing those studies have in common is that they showed how important these technologies became, as shown by the demand for them. One significant aspect of mobile technologies is in the area of business. One does not really have to be in his office in front of the computer when conducting business. Even when he eats lunch, he can tie a deal with just a few clicks on his phone or palmtop. It is important to note that with the rise of these mobile technologies, certain things have changed. One example is how we conceptualize things, such as place, locality and physical presence. This paper will try to delve into the role and importance of these mobile technologies and how they affect our conceptualization of place, locality and physical presence. Mobile Technologies on Place and Locality Mobility is fundamentally associated with location (Farooq & Carroll n.d.). The question that arises in connection with this is, how does location bring possibilities for the mobile user? Farooq and Carroll mentioned that location-based or place-based awareness for the users can be augmented by the use of Global Positioning System (GPS). The use of GPS will surely bring research possibilities and richer user interaction. According to the article â€Å"Locality in the Age of Virtual Transcendence,† the people’s experiences of place, locale in particular, are bound with the idea of distance. It adds that locale is a â€Å"human-centric concept† which exhibits a spatial relationship between presence – a mobile, for example – and a â€Å"perceivably stationary place.† Moreover, since humans cannot be at more than one location at a given time, this becomes an existential constraint. Today, however, we all experience transition into the virtual extensions of the physical world. Due to the technological advances, temporal and spatial distances have been overcome. In fact, two subjects can dwell in the same place in sound and image despite the physical distance. They can share a virtual space through avatars (Internet user’s representation of her or him) and can access physical spaces through webcams and satellite broadcasts. The article concluded that being at more than one location at the same time has risks. It says that man’s need to conquer distance and break the boundaries of locality may mean the loss of the possibility for transcendence (â€Å"Locality† n.d.). Meyrowitz (2004) agrees with this. He says that a person cannot occupy two places at the same time regardless of the sophistication the technologies offer. He adds that â€Å"the localness of experience is a constant.† The concept of locality persists in our everyday lives. Our basic needs must be â€Å"met locally.† We are also grateful for the local convenience stores when we need something. Meyrowitz (2004) mentions that although locality plays a role in the way we sense the world, those entities that we sense are not just local. Why? It’s because media have extended our perceptual field. He furthered that with the rise of mobile and immobile technologies, the people near us have less influence as they use technologies to interact with others who are more distant but still are local and accessible. Media have also influenced us in a way that we perceive our community as not just the community but one of the many communities where we could live. Our locality, we realize, is not the center of the universe, nor our physical surroundings the foundation of our experiences (Meyrowitz 2004). With the rise of mobile technologies, or those devices that we can carry around and still be connected to the world, we have conquered the concept of place. We can always communicate with our families or friends no matter where we are (as long as there is a signal). This is probably one of the advantages of these mobile technologies. Unlike desktop computers, radios or bulky devices, handheld and portable ones such as cellular phones and laptops and iPods can be carried around and some can even do business while riding the train. The new technologies have enable people to share information with others who are in different localities. Imagine that long ago, we couldn’t have reached the people who are in far localities in the same way we now do. Mobile, and immobile, technologies have enabled us to have access on our families and friends no matter where we are or where they are. In an article of O’Hara, Brown and Perry (2003), they believed that the concept of place in relation to mobility can afford various possibilities for â€Å"ongoing configuration of relationships with other people, and even for performing actions and for habitual action.† However, the configuration of place means more than just location. Technologies have important roles in making work possible for those mobile workers in different places, and devices such as mobile phone and networked laptop make these possible. The authors also mentioned that mobile workers can transform any place, be it restaurants, cafes or bars, into places of work. These leisure spaces become invaded by the mobile technologies. In fact, a testimony to this is the ring of the mobile phone in any of these places (O’Hara, Brown & Perry 2003). Ito (n.d.) mentioned that â€Å"place and locality is a technology-enabled achievement.† This is probably because with technologies in our hands, place and locality is not a hindrance. We can communicate, do business, and be entertained in places that seemed impossible in the first place. Perlman (2005) added that technologies have made the Internet to be anywhere. In fact, they can even bring the Internet into the streets. When we look around us, we see people holding phones where they can access the Internet, or typing in a laptop. Perlman also said that people used to just view webpage, but now they can also create them. However, Farooq and Carroll (n.d.) countered by saying that users of mobile technologies have no access to peers or resources compared to desktop users. This is because mobile users are in a different contextual situation since everything within the environment has changed. The authors said that this usually leads to uncertainty, or heterogeneity. Moreover, mobile users of these technologies do not have much control over the configuration of their environment. Thus, they do not have much control on the way they manage work. People began to subscribe to these mobile technologies for whatever they’re worth. Today there are cellular phones that can help in tracking another person through location-awareness and presence. There are also phones that can receive information about that house you want to buy through a transmitter. Moreover, some phones today have built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) and outfitted with WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) technology. All of these are created to enhance communication or social networking or business (Smith & Grubb 2004). Meyrowitz (2004) mentioned that through the electronic media (including the mobile technologies), people have become emotionally attached to certain places. Just think that long ago, when we are moving in another locality, we miss our old place along with its people and places and the experiences we have gathered there. But the media have helped us in a way that â€Å"we can now transport most of our nexus interactions with us wherever we go† (6). Smith and Grubb (2004) reported that consumers and businesses using location-aware computing will increase from 150,000 to 42 million in just three years. This was brought about by the 1996 FCC mandate that requires mobile carriers to find any subscriber making an emergency call to within 50 to 100 meters. They added that through location-awareness and presence, both of which enable a device to be geographically located, the way people use networked services will still change. Moreover, designers of such technologies are finding out ways that location-awareness, mobility and presence can further improve each service and application so that they can offer their users superior experience. Mobile Technologies on Physical Presence Through mobile technologies, one doesn’t really have to be with the person he communicates with just to talk with him or send him a message. This is one of the advantages offered by the mobile technologies. Today there are 3G (third generation) phones that enable someone to communicate with another while looking at that person on the phone. Several companies can also do a meeting while on different countries through a screen where they can see each other. It’s almost face to face. Farooq and Carroll (n.d.) believed that a sense of physical presence is associated with a common place wherein people meet and interact. But Harper, Goble and Pettitt (2004) argued that today, the virtual world tends to be more respected than the physical. They have mentioned that people are becoming too reliant on the ‘net’ because it is their gateway to other worlds or their way of communicating with remote people and a better form of self-expression. Moreover, the focus on the virtual distorts our perception in overestimating the importance of these technologies. As a result, the local environment becomes ignored when it comes to information giving. Harper, Goble and Pettitt (2004) added that the virtual and the physical must be connected because the latter is important to realize the full potential and importance of the virtual world. They also suggested that the ‘net’ and the mobile technologies must relate to the users’ physical location and real-world artifacts to be able to arrive at choices and decisions about what information will be useful or required. Smith and Grubb (2004) said that the introduction of the aspect of presence will bring changes in the way we use person-to-person communication media and will influence network service. For instance, when we know the location of a family member in advance, it eliminates the need to send a voice call when the reason for calling is to find out that information. Moreover, if we know the mood and activity of that person, we can determine the method of communication that is appropriate. Another example is that, if we want to call a friend just for a friendly chat, it would be better to know first if he is not busy or in a bad mood. In the same way, if I need to contact an associate about an urgent business decision, I would like for him to know this urgency so that he can let me know what he thinks. Farooq and Carroll (n.d.) commented that handheld devices are now engrained in our everyday lives. But that would mean we should consider the existing application and how the standard will change with the emerging mobile technologies. They added that handheld technologies, which are also mobile in a sense, can create even better interactions and consequences for different users, whether they are in their homes or outside. This just shows that the addition of mobility to the various technological devices will supply more channels of communication that are beyond the exchange of information. Rheingold (2005), along with some friends, has interviewed several mobile technologies users, preferably those who use telephones. Their survey showed that the people of Shibuya, particularly the teenagers, were very much into sending text messages and ring tones and logos. In fact, they are called â€Å"the thumb tribe† (Rheingold 2005). The article also showed that the advent of mobile phones in Japan has freed youth in one way or another. It was mentioned that they are no longer constrained by the landline shared by inquisitive family members. Mobile phones have offered youth privacy, something the landline cannot give them. This is just one of the reasons why the mobile phones started an intergenerational power shift in the country (Rheingold 2005). More and more developments will arise that would further affect how we conceptualize place, locality and physical presence. One thing is for sure: these technological developments are there to help us in making our lives easier and giving us richer experiences. However, as these technological advancements cannot be avoided and must be embraced to realize their full potential, users must bear in mind that they must still appreciate and give importance to the things that would somehow affect them. It is still better to go visit and see our friends and families no matter how far they are and despite that mobile phone in our pockets. And it is still better to treasure the places and the locality that have been a part of our lives. References The Beginnings of Communication. N.d. Swinburne University of Technology. Farooq, U. & Carroll, J.M. n.d. Mobilizing Community Networks. Center for Human Computer Interaction, Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic and State University. Harper, S., Goble, C., & Pettitt, S. 7 April 2004, ‘Proximity: Walking the Link.’ Journal of Digital Information, Vol. 5, Issue 1, viewed 31 October 2007, . Ito, Mizuko. Network Localities: Identity, Place and Digital Media, viewed 31 October 2007, . Globe Newspaper Company. 2006, The Art of Mobile Technology, viewed 31 October 2007 from Boston.com site. Locality in the Age of Virtual Transcendence. N.d. Viewed 31 October 2007 from Between Man and Place, . Meyrowitz, Joshua 2004, The Rise of Glocality: New Senses of Place and Identity in the Global Village. O’Hara, K., Brown, B. & Perry, M. Mobile Work, 2003, Technology and Place. 18:08 Rheingold, Howard 20, July 2005, The Next Social Revolution. Swinburne University of Technology. Basic Books. Smith S. & Grubb J. 2004, Location and Presence in Mobile Data Services, viewed 31 October 2007 from Boxesandarrows site: .   

Chemical or Molecular Formula for Carbon Dioxide

Chemical or Molecular Formula for Carbon Dioxide Carbon dioxide normally occurs as a colorless gas. In solid form it is called dry ice. The chemical or molecular formula for carbon dioxide is CO2. The central carbon atom is joined to two oxygen atoms by covalent double bonds. The chemical structure is centrosymmetric and linear, so carbon dioxide has no electric dipole. Key Takeaways: Carbon Dioxide Chemical Formula The chemical formula for carbon dioxide is CO2. Each carbon dioxide molecule contains one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms, bound to each other by covalent bonds.At room temperature and pressure, carbon dioxide is a gas.The carbon dioxide molecule is linear. Carbon dioxide is soluble in water, where it acts as a diprotic acid, first dissociating to form the bicarbonate ion and then carbonate. A common misconception is that all dissolved carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid. Most dissolved carbon dioxide remains in molecular form. Why Is Water Bent and Carbon Dioxide Linear? Both water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) consist of atoms connected by polar covalent bonds. Yet, water is a polar molecule while carbon dioxide is nonpolar. The polarity of the chemical bonds within a molecule is not sufficient to make the molecule polar. Each water molecule has a bent shape because of the lone electron pair on the oxygen atom. Each CO bond in carbon dioxide is polar, with the oxygen atom pulling the electrons from carbon toward itself. The charges are equal in magnitude, yet opposite in direction, so the net effect is to produce a nonpolar molecule.