Music And Censorship Essay -- essays research papers

In our society today, some musicians and their music drain and plague the moral and spiritual well-being of the people; therefore, censorship offers a necessary action that we must take to keep the world from becoming a land of decadence. The musicians lives are not examples for the children or the adults. The lyrics of many songs are not suitable for anyone. All types of music need some kind of censorship. Censorship makes a person realize that music is good for the heart. Censorship totally makes people act better, and when thinking better, this sustains a better society. The lives of some musicians contain types of anarchy and self-gratification. Once the musicians realize that people want not just their music but them as well, they act as gods, which no one can touch. For example, think of it like a secret dictatorship, and we breathe as a fascist society, which puts fun and feelings above the Lord, above all. Many of the musicians consist of non-religious people who live only for fun and only for themselves. Why then would we, especially as Christians, put our total devotion in them? It exists like wanting to ride with a blind driver rather than one with perfect vision. In addition many of the musicians use drugs and stimulants to satisfy their hunger for themselves and for pure fun. The musicians tend to use drugs massively, to get out of the very real world that they consist so much a part of. Popularity seems pleasing but when one has the affections and total devotion of a mass of people, that person can not handle it because that person does not have Jesus' personality and only He could truly control that much fidelity. One person who truly could not handle the excitement was Jimi Hendrix. Instead of performing as himself and using his talent for good, he used rebellion and used many drugs. On stage, Jimi Hendrix would put hits of acid in his headband. When he perspired, the sweat, containing acid would run down into his eyes and make him "higher than a kite." Most people never actually saw Jimi Hendrix the person, but a blurred vision of him. When Jimi performed on stage at Woodstock, a man from the crowd asked him, "Jimi are you high?" He simply replied back to the man, "Thanks man I got mine," causing the crowd to act wild almost as if he had saved someone's life, but ironically he uni... ...loud out the Biblical ones. Just like one negative number will make a positive number come down. Censorship offers a better society in general, in which we can all live in harmony and learn to respect music power. People would respect the laws more because there would be a definite decline of ungodly things, acts and thoughts with censorship we won't think on ungodly things as much, therefore have a better society. Fewer crimes would be committed because there would be no musicians telling the public to break them or kill cops. People make musicians their idols and want to do what their idols say. With censorship we would learn to meditate on the right things. We would see the essence of music and learn to see the total spectrum of life rather than just our life. Good thoughts with productive meaning would flow through our heads. We would hear positive things and make us think about positive things in general. Christian music is a great example of what we should listen. People would learn to answer things with their minds and not their fists. People would think about positive ideas and positive outcomes to quarrels, that usually involved fighting or "back-stabbings."

The Life Of Lincoln West :: Essays Papers

The Life Of Lincoln West "It comforted him. For almost four years it meant a lot to him," ends the short story, "The Life of Lincoln West" by Gwendolyn Brooks. This quote suggests that the eleven-year-old Lincoln commits suicide. Why would he do this? Because of the crushing rejection of Lincoln by his parents, teacher, friends, and strangers, he ends his life. Although it may be hard to believe, Lincoln was rejected by his own family. His father couldn't stand to look at Lincoln. He tried very hard to please his father but was not successful. His mother put him with her hairpins and sweethearts, dance slippers, and torn paper roses. She didn't think of her own child as anymore important than these insignificant objects. His parents didn't love him because of the way he looked. Holidays with his family were ruined because his family members couldn't believe that he was so ugly. They felt resentment about him. Lincoln loved his kindergarten teacher but her only concern for Lincoln was one part sympathy and two parts repulsion. It was even difficult for her to be polite to Lincoln because of the way he looked. She did a nice thing for Lincoln one day after school by walking him home. The only reason she walked Lincoln home from school was because she felt pity for him. After she started walking him home she regretted it. Children need other children to grow up with and have fun with. Lincoln only had this with his neighbor friends when there wasn't anyone else around. They were nice to him and played with him but when other kids were around they acted like they weren't his friend. The kids on the playground wouldn't let him touch them and wouldn't be it when he caught them while they played tag. Lincoln had no real friends. No one liked him. Even strangers walking down the street would look at Lincoln and point and stare. In the movie theatre with his mother one day a man pointed Lincoln out and called him "Black, ugly and odd." They said that he was "The real thing." Lincoln found happiness in this statement. "The real thing" made him feel like he was special, a somebody.

Land, Public and Private Essay

1. Why do humans value land? Humans value land because it has multiple purposes such as agriculture, housing, recreation, industry, disposing waste, mining, etc. 2. What is the tragedy of the commons? What is an externality? The tragedy of commons is when people share a common resource they tend to deplete is because of self-interest and for a short term profit. 3. What is maximum sustainable yeild? Maximum sustainable yield is the maximum amount of harvest that the land can produce without having to compensate the future of the land or resource. 4. What are the main uses of public lands in the U.S.? The main uses of public lands in the United States is National parks, Managed resource protections areas, Habitat and species management areas, Strict Nature reserves and Wilderness areas, Protected landscapes and seascapes, National monuments, etc. 5. How do human land use decisions influence categories of public land classification? Human land use decisions influence categories of public land classification because what land we have interest in we will express more environmental policies, laws, and put more time in managing the land. 6. What are the ways in which timber is harvested in U.S. Forest, and how do they compare in terms of their environmental impact? Timber in the United States is harvest by commercial logging in exchange for a percentage of revenue. Clear cutting removes almost all of the trees within a certain area. This method is the most economical method because all the trees will be the same age because they are all planted at the same time. This method can also cause habitat alterations that can lose biodiversity. Selective cutting removes single trees out of a few number of trees. This method works only among shade tolerant trees because the other trees grow adjacently. The environment impact is less but the overall negatives effects are the same. 7. What is the significance of the National Wilderness Area designation for parts of federally owned lands? The significance of the National Wilderness Area for  parts of federally owned lands is to set aside land to preserve large intact ecosystems. The designated wilderness area however has roads that existed before the designations and may be still in use, mining activities can be permitted , and human use is limited but can still be done. 8. What is NEPA, and what is an environmental impact statements (EIS)? A NEPA is the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. This act involves federal money or federal permits. The Environmental impact statement (EIS) outlines the scope and purpose of development project that describes the environmental context. 9. What are urban sprawl and smart growth? Urban sprawl is the creation of urbanized areas that spread into rural areas and remove clear boundaries. Smart growth is the strategies that encourage the development of sustainable, healthy communities. 10. How can zoning help reduce urban sprawl? Zoning can help reduce urban sprawl because it can create a quieter and safer community.

Com 220 Prison Overcrowding Harms Everyone

Prison Overcrowding Harms Everyone March 18, 2009 Com 220 Axia College of University of Phoenix Did you know that the USA with 5% of the world's population has 25% of its prisoners, making it the world's no#1 jailer? The most recent statistics from the Department of Justice states that 1 out of every 30 men between the ages of 20 and 34 has been jailed. Most likely, every person in the USA has either been incarcerated or knows someone who was. At the start of 2008, 2,319,258 adults were being held in prison or jail and this number keeps growing. Because of the immense population of inmates, most facilities are overcrowded. To make room for all these inmates, correction departments have resorted to housing prisoners in tents, hallways, and gymnasiums. Below is a picture from USA Today of inmates being housed in a gymnasium. Locking up so many people in these overcrowded conditions creates serious emotional, physical, and mental problems for inmates and causes prisons to be even more dangerous. Due to these conditions, the prisoner winds up worst upon release than when they came in. (Smolowe and Blackman 1994) In addition to the overcrowding problem, there is a huge financial strain to keep these facilities operating. To incarcerate only California’s prisoners, it costs more than $7. 6 million dollars a day. While funding for education and public assistance decreases, the prison budget maintains growth. One would think that for all the important resources we take money away from to invest in prisons, we would see some positive results, but unfortunately the USA has the highest crime rate in the world. Locking up so many people causes serious overcrowding problems making rehabilitation next to impossible. Overcrowded prisons harm the rest of the population by breaking apart families, spreading diseases, and wasting valuable resources on a system that is not reducing the crime rate. (Clark 1994) The overcrowded prisons have a negative and dangerous impact on its residents’ physical well-being. Deadly and infectious diseases like HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculoses commonly exist in America’s prisons. With very few doctors available, many prisoners are not even aware that they are infected and go untreated. Every year, more than 1. 5 million inmates are released back into the society, infected. Once released, they spread these deadly diseases to their families and communities. As long as prisons remain understaffed, inmates and the rest of society will suffer. (USA Today) Insufficient staffing makes it impossible for prisoners to go through a detailed screening process. The monitoring, screening, and managing of vulnerable or problematic inmates are rarely maintained. Many times dangerous and mentally ill prisoners, untreated and undiagnosed, are put into the main population where they have a negative effect on other inmates as well as themselves. Prisoners are no longer put into facilities that best match their needs; instead they are squeezed into whichever facility has room. This environment is conducive to violence. Many times prisoners are assaulted and even raped by others because staff is not readily available to control the situation. Besides an increased chance of being victimized, research has shown that understaffed jails have more suicides than ones that are properly proportioned. (Haney 3-4) Overcrowding has created a dangerous atmosphere that has forced staff to focus on keeping order rather than worrying about meeting prisoners’ basic needs. Overcrowding has caused many staff members to fear for their personal safety and to look at prisoners with disdain. They are equipped with many lethal and non-lethal weapons to keep them safe and in some jurisdictions rifles and shotguns are carried inside cell blocks. In California, armed guards are kept inside housing units and authorized to respond to inmate disturbances with lethal force. Even while theses inmates sleep, they are kept under gun surveillance. (Haney 11) Education and work programs conducive to rehabilitation are being done away with to pay for room for more prisoners. These programs are necessary because the majority of prisoners are illiterate. A study conducted back in 1992 concluded that about 70% of prisoners were functionally illiterate or illiterate. The Bureau of Justice reported that in the 1990’s, 40% of the prisoners had no job assignments at all, that 40% had menial prison duties like laundry, and only 7% were involved in some type of industry program. This means that little is being done to help prisoners make a smooth transition back into society. Once released, prisoners will have a record that any future job prospects will frown upon. Without any kind of job training it is unlikely that ex-convicts will ever get hired. Many times, released prisoners who are faced with this dilemma, go right back to prison because they resort back to the same illegal practices of receiving money that got them arrested in the first place. When programs are taken away, it tends to increases the violence and frustration amongst inmates. (Haney 5, 7-8) Many people find it hard to sympathize for inmates who are victims of violence, bad health care, or rape because the victims are criminals and many people believe they deserve to be punished. I have heard many people make light of the current prison conditions by telling jokes about Bubba violating men in the shower that drop the soap. What many people do not realize is that it is not just hard core rapists and murderers populating the prisons, in fact, about half of the prison population is serving time for non-violent crimes. Now-a-days one can be incarcerated for certain motor-vehicle infractions and there have been numerous occasions of innocent people being incarcerated. The following chart depicts the types of crimes prisoners were serving time for, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics for 2005. USA Today NID) (Haney 4) Mandatory sentencing is a major contributing factor to the prison overcrowding problem and should be eliminated. Aaron Clarence is a perfect example of why mandatory sentencing should be done away with. Aaron was a 22 year-old college student when he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for a first-time nonviolent drug conviction. The local U. S. attorney charged Aaron with dealing crack cocaine, drugs that he never even touched. What did he do? He accepted $1,500 to introduce a couple of drug dealers and one of the dealers robbed the other. Aaron was pulled out of class months later and charged because one of the dealers claimed Aaron was a big-time drug dealer. No other evidence besides the testimony of the dealer, who benefitted by getting a reduced sentence for his testimony was given. Aaron is spending the rest of his life in prison. (Saunders 2004) The conservative approach to crime, investing in new prisons and jailing our way to a lower crime rate is not working. Now is the time that we realize that this approach is unaffordable and does not decrease the crime rate. Now is the time that different strategies to reduce over crowdedness are looked into. Barbara Flicker argues that a more thorough screening process to determine who to incarcerate or not, needs to be implemented at each stage. The prosecutor, judges, jail administrators, and probation officers should use other resources besides prisons like: unconditional release, third-party custody, a treatment center, bail, probation supervision, electronic surveillance, or work-release programs for non-violent and lesser crimes. Now is time that we stopped punishing all the different types of crimes that are out there by the same method. Many times drug offenders are locked up in the same facilities as pedophiles and are serving more time than them. (1990) (Smolowe and Blackman 1994) The current prison system is in desperate need of change. Prisons are supposed to be a deterrent to crime but this not the outcome. Now is the time that people realize that what goes on in prison affects everyone in society. About 95% of prisoners will be released back into society at one point. We need to ask ourselves, â€Å"Do we want these people released back into our communities without any kind of rehabilitation or worse off than they started out? Are people being sentenced to life for committing a misdemeanor fair? Is it right to deprive money from schools and the community to finance a system that does not work? † If your answer to these questions is no, then now is the time for action. Discussing the situation is the first step. Many people openly discuss the school system and other facilities that our tax dollars contribute to, and overlook the prison system which takes much more money to run. Many people are unaware of the overcrowded conditions or mandatory sentencing until someone they care about is affected. People need to be made aware in order for change to happen. Read about outrageous prison sentences like Aaron Clarence’s that have been handed out. Write to a local politician explaining concerns about the problems in our current prison system. If nothing is done, and this lock-them-up trend continues, half the adult population will experience the inside of a prison or jail. (Will 1998) Reference Page Clark, C. S. (1994, February 4). Prison Overcrowding. CQ Researcher, 4, 97-120. Retrieved March 6, 2009 From CQ Researcher Online Flicker, B. (1990 February). To Jail or Not to Jail. ABA Journal. Retrieved February 13, 2009. From Business Source Campus Database. Haney, Craig. Prison Overcrowding: Harmful Consequences and Dysfunctional Reactions. Retrieved February 13, 2009. From http://prisoncommission. org/statement/haney. craig. pdf. Rising prison problems begin to trickle into society. (nid) USA Today. Retrieved February 13, 2009. From Master FILE Premier Database Smolowe, J. , & Blackman, A. (1994 February 7)†¦and throw away the key. (cover story). Time. 143(6). 54. Retrieved February 13, 2009. From Master FILE Premier Database. Saunders, D. (2004 November 28) Free Clarence Aaron. The San Francisco Chronicle (CA) retrieved March 5, 2008 from http://www. ovember. org/Blakely/Saunders11-28- 04. html. Will G. (1998 July 20) A jail break for geriatrics. Newsweek p. 70. Retrieved February 13, 2009. From Master FILE Premier Database. Peer Review Checklist* What is the main point of this paper? | The main point of the paper is the overcrowding of the prison system. | What is the greatest strength of this paper? | The greatest strength of t his paper is all the information provided. The statistics give the reader a chance to actually absorb numbers. | What material does not seem to fit the main point of the paper or does not seem to be appropriate for the audience? I think that all the information fit well into the paper. The statistics were there to represent the prisoners; you provided detailed information on what all the overcrowding did to the staff and others in the prison. You showed cause and affect of what the overcrowding did to the prison system. | Has the author sufficiently addressed counterarguments? Explain your answer. | I think the author sufficiently addressed the counterarguments represented in the paper. I would of like to of seen if there was any suggestions to fixing the problem though. | Where should the author add more details or examples? Explain your answer. | Suggestions on what they could do to fix the problem. Also a few updated statistics. The statistic from 1992 is little old. I would of liked to know if the prisoners are more alliterate now or then. | Where is the writing unclear or vague? | I found the writing to be clear. I did not find it unclear or vague. | What is your favorite part of this piece of writing? | I enjoyed the whole paper. I did not find myself liking one part better than the other. I enjoyed the whole paper. | What other comments can you provide for the author? I found the paper extremely informative. There was a large amount of information that I was not aware of. I would have to suggest that some of the paragraphs like the opener seem to be really long and there is a lot of information in them. I think if you broke them into smaller paragraphs it would make the information stronger for the reader. | *Adapted from Reinking, J. A. , Hart, A. W. , & Von der Osten, R. (2003). Strategies for su ccessful writing: A rhetoric, research guide, reader, and handbook (6th ed. ). Boston: Prentice-Hall/Pearson Custom Publishing.

Arthur Eisenberg and Cap Pannell

Arthur Eisenberg and Cap Pannell seemed to have the perfect partnership. They achieved huge success due to their individual skills. They created a successful firm called Eisenberg/Pannell/St. George. Sales began to soar; revenues rose 50 % in 2 years, pushing the two million dollars mark; a national magazine praised their work. However beside the scene resentment was building between Arthur & Cap. The two partners had never really discussed what each wanted from their business venture. Arthur was dedicated to his work on the other hand Cap was pretty much family centered. Arthur wanted Cap to work all night long. But Arthur refused as he had a baby. Cap and his wife started coming office with their baby Ben. This incident make Arthur furious but he didn’t discuss it with them instead he complained to other employees. The crisis occurred when cap and his wife return from a vacation. Arthur asked them into his office and told them that he would like to discontinue the relationship. Cap left the office in silence and collected his belonging. Cap still bitter, says , â€Å"The business always did well. I don’t even know the real reason we split up. I really can’t forgive him right now in my heart. † For this part, Arthur insists, â€Å" If Cap & I were at a party, we would shake hands, and talk about old times†¦.. I think Cap was as unhappy I was. He probably out of the situation, too†¦ I wish I knew what he felt. † The communication barriers that Arthur Eisenberg & Cap Pannell faces in this situation are such as difference in perception, differing emotional states, lack of commitment etc. When they were working together the communication barriers that we are talking about wasn’t there but after pending some time they realized that they had different ideas about themselves. They were totally different from each other & that’s where the communication problem occurred. Arthur was a work loving person. He always committed to work for the organization. On the other hand, Cap Pannell was more family-centered person who had to give enough time to his family. He wasn’t ready to sacrifice his time with his family members due to excessive work load. Family comes first to him. The two guys have different perception about their work. So clearly there is a communication gap between Arthur & Cap.  We also have noticed that they both have different emotion towards their family members as well. Cap possess more emotion towards his family than Arthur. He had wife & a baby. So of course he will be more family centered. On the other hand, Arthur was more work oriented person. Difference in this can create communication between the two. Lack of commitment showed by Cap is also responsible for creating communication gap. As Cap refused to work longer hours at night as well as taking frequent business tours, Arthur was very anger towards Cap. He showed his anger not to Cap but other employees of the company. Arthur was so committed to his work while Cap wasn’t. that’s where the communication gap had actually occurred. There were so many differences between the two people that had created a problem resulting communication problem. Even they don’t discuss what they were going to achieve from doing business together, what were they expecting from each other & so on so. Unless they discuss this sort of things they were always in trouble & that has happened. We have some suggestion about overcoming communication between the two. Perception cannot be changed, but they can set aside their individual perception when they come to work. They should understand each other better if they set themselves in each other’s position. Personal life is important but that should not be mixed with professional life. Personal life is different from professional life & we should build ourselves in such a way that has a firm balance between our personal life & professional life. As we see from Cap’s perspectives, we should always be committed to our work which Cap wasn’t. Communication barriers will no longer present if we compromise as much as possible when we are working together, meaning we have to sacrifice something in order to achieve something. Arthur & Cap should communicate with each other in order to achieve certain objectives which they had & try to minimize the difference between them. The best option could be know what they are expecting from each other that will make them understand each other better when they are communicating. They have to avoid those things which create misunderstanding & have a different in point of view.

Garment

Even though the labor cost is cheaper in developing countries than in developed countries, due to the specific market nature of the garment industries, for example the short production life cycle, high volatility, low predictability, high level of impulse purchase and the quick arrest response, garment industries are facing the greatest challenges these days (Lucy Daly and Towers 2004). Before 1 980, customers tolerated long lead times, which enabled producers to minimize product cost by using economical batch sizes.Later, when customers began to demand shorter lead times, the producers were not able to stand in the competitive market with their current production system. This is when the problem arose and companies started to look for changes to be more competitive. This pressure was further intensified with the elimination of quotas as of January 1 , 2005. To stay competitive, many domestic textile manufacturers have sought to improve their manufacturing processes so that they can more readily compete with overseas manufacturers. Garment industries in developing countries are more focused on sourcing of raw material and minimizing delivery cost than labor productivity because of the availability of cheap labor. Due to this, labor productivity is lower in developing countries than in the developed ones. For example, labor is very cheap in Bangladesh but the productivity is poor among other developing countries (Shadily and Seed Shall 201 1). Similarly, since the cost of fabric is a major factor of the garment cost, it is controlled by using CAD and CAM system for marker making and fabric cutting to save fabric consumption.So now the worry is about labor productivity, sewing process improvement and making production flexible. Even today, industries are getting the same or more volumes (orders), but the number of styles they have to handle has increased drastically. Earlier, industries were getting bulk order so there was no need to worry, if the production line was set for the first time it would run for a month or at least a week or two. Now a days, the fashion industry is highly volatile and if the orders are not fulfilled on time, the fear for losing business is real.Due to small order quantities and complex designs, the garment industry has to produce multiple styles even within a day; this needs higher flexibility in volume and style change over (Ashram and Christian 201 1). In some cases It has been observed that, in developing countries the garment industries are run as family businesses. They don't have much confidence towards innovation over old processes. They are happy as long as they are sustaining their business. Since lacking of skilled personnel as well as sufficient capital to implement new technologies for improving productivity and flexibility, they are not moving towards new innovation. Because of all these things the industries have been running in a traditional way for years and are rigid to change (Gao et al 2009). T he best Way to Cope with all these challenges is the implementation of lean manufacturing. This will serve the purpose of flexibility and save a lot of money by reducing production lead time, reducing the inventory, increasing productivity, training operators for multiple works, ND by reducing rework. 1. 2 RESEARCH PROBLEM The sewing section in a garment firm is a most problematic section as compared with other value chains . Most of the time, failure to meet delivery time is because of the sewing section.Sewing operations (with respect to cutting and finishing) demands high skill in machine handling as well as material handling and more chances of producing defective products. So we have to give more attention to stitching tasks than fabric cutting and other value chains of garment production. Firstly, high WHIP in traditional type of batch production is the major problem aced by industries. Due to high WHIP, the throughput time as well as rework level is very high. In some cases, even though the operator has completed the sewing operations, the garment cannot be packed because of high WHIP.Also, the defective parts are hidden inside the batches and it is very difficult to clear them while completing the final order quantity. This is the reason why garment professionals seem to work like fire fighters; because they are always in hurry for searching the missing garment pieces all over the shop floor. 4 Secondly, in batch processing (Progressive Bundling system), flexibility awards the style change over cannot be achieved easily; which is the current demand (Decreasing order size and increasing number of style) of garment industry.To meet this requirement, production layout should be designed in such a way that it should hold minimum WHIP and should be flexible enough to the changing need of order. Thirdly, in batch process, since the operators are given specific jobs, they know one or few more operations only. Though he She may have good skill and can work mor e efficiently on one (allocated job only) operation; he ‘she cannot work immediately on some other operation. This is another need of today's industry, because the fashion is changing frequently and the work force should be capable enough to cope with this change.To achieve this operator should be multi-skilled; which can be served by regular training and converting long assembly lines into small manufacturing cells. Workload fluctuation and process balancing among operators is another problem in batch processing, because one operator is given one operation at a time. So the operator who is performing easier and low time consuming jobs can pile up a huge amount of WHIP whereas in the critical operations (operations which deed more time and skill) there is lagging which causes unbalanced WHIP between machines and the work load.This research tries to address all these problems of garment industry by implementing lean manufacturing tools in an apparel firm. 5 1. 3 RESEARCH OBJECT IVES Lean manufacturing is an operational strategy oriented towards achieving the shortest possible cycle time by eliminating wastes. The term lean manufacturing is coined to represent half the human effort in the company, half the manufacturing space, half the investment in tools and half of engineering hours to develop a new product.These benefits can be achieved only if the concept is religiously followed in the organization. The objectives of this research is as follows To understand the lean manufacturing principles and identify the suitable lean manufacturing tools which minimize the process wastage such as work in progress(Wall), through put time, change over time, product defects, production space and loss of productivity in garment industry TO restructure the sewing section such as machine layout, operational modification and operator skill improvement, which demand lean implementation.

Impact of the Light Bulb and Cell Phone on Society Essay

When one reflects on the past century, it is astonishing how much technology has evolved in every sense. From light bulbs that lasted only ten hours, to bulbs that can now last over ten thousand hours. From a simple cellular phone only capable of making phone calls, to today’s smartphones that have effectively changed the way we interact with one another. Although there will always be opponents of technology, there is no denying that is has positively impacted modern society, and the way we live, work, and communicate. Thomas Alva Edison In today’s society, when a light bulb goes out, we think nothing of it. It is easy to drive to the closest store, purchase the appropriate bulb for next to nothing, and replace the burnt out bulb. What people don’t realize, however, are the painstaking hours of work and dedication that Thomas Edison devoted to this magical wonder, and the impact that it has had on society today. In order to fully understand and appreciate this marvel, it is necessary to go back in time and relive the invention for yourself. In Chapter 1 of Beyond Engineering, Robert Pool takes you back to the beginning, back to the time when â€Å"if people wanted light after the sun went down, they still performed the age-old ritual: they lit a fire. Outdoors, it might be a wood fire; indoors, a candle or kerosene lamps†. Before Edison’s invention transformed society, the majority of people were cast in the dark when the sun went down. Although candles and kerosene lamps were an option, they were not only dim, but also a potential safety hazard. They were also unable to provide the reliable source of light that today’s lamps produce. Even though a few warehouses and factories had arc lighting installed, this technology was far too expensive and unattainable for the average household. It goes without saying that the light bulb itself was nothing special. Without all the additional technology and developments that followed, such as power stations, transformers, electrical wiring, etc., its impact on society would have been minimal. It is incontrovertible, however, that the electrical technology that has emerged thanks to the light bulb, has impacted and transformed society beyond recognition. Without these developments, modern society would still be in the dark. We would not have the privilege of travel that we take for granted today, thanks to vehicle headlights, aircraft lighting, streetlamps, etc. We would never have developed the modern workforce that our society benefits from today, thanks to twenty-four hour lighting, and the contemporary conveniences that we enjoy today. Not to mention the ability to enjoy our homes any time of day, not just when the sun is shining. Without the progress that followed the light bulb, we would not have access to today’s amenities that we take for granted, such as electric stoves, microwaves, movie theatres, â€Å"night life† and computers, to name only a few. Though it is doubtful that Thomas Edison ever dreamed that his invention would alter life for millions of people to come, it is indisputable that it truly has. Cellular Devices The cellular telephone is an excellent example of a device that has evolved from a simple, uncommon product, in to a complex multi-billion dollar industry. From a product that began as an expensive toy, only attainable by the most privileged members of First World society, to an invaluable device used by the majority of people worldwide. If you were to return to the point of origin, when the cell phone was first created, you would certainly never be able to convey to its original manufacturer the technological evolution that has brought cellular technology to the point it’s at today. When mobile telephones were first invented, they were a modest, bulky device with only one purpose- to make and receive phone calls from â€Å"anywhere†; not at all similar to the sleek, complicated models we use today. It is not difficult to realize the enormous changes the cellular phone has undertaken since the first model was released. Although the cell phones of the past certainly had an assortment of parts and pieces to make it work, it pales in comparison to the vast, complex array of parts that are needed today to make a smartphone function. Similar to the complexities of the Boeing 747 â€Å"super jet†, â€Å"No single person can comprehend the entire workings† of a cell phone. The cell phone found in the pocket of the majority of citizens of the world today include GPS, Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G networks, LTE, high-resolution cameras and millions of downloadable user-made applications to choose from. In fewer than 30 years, the cell phone went from a rare device only attainable by the wealthiest of the population, to a device that a large percentage of the population now owns. Whether on the streets of downtown Toronto, or a small village in poverty-stricken East Africa, it is becoming increasingly rare to find a person who does not own a mobile device. Similar to the light bulb, the cell phone began as a modest product with a modest purpose, and underwent multiple, complex revisions to result in the current models manufactured today. If one examines the cell phone’s impact on our culture, it is evident that it has had both a positive and a negative impact on society. Without a doubt, the largest positive impact has been its ability to make day-to-day life less complicated, and ultimately, easier. Among a never-ending list of examples are: the ability to set reminders for appointments, meetings and important dates, an endless array of how-to and do-it-yourself applications to save money on professional services, internet access from anywhere, instant access to bank, email and home security accounts, etc. Mobile technology has also made it easier to stay in touch with loved ones around the world. Deployed troops are able to communicate with their families at home via Skype, international businesses can hold meetings with cowor kers on the other side of the world via videoconference, and parents are able to communicate with their children anytime, from anywhere. It is easily debatable that the positive impact cellular phones have had on society far outweigh the negative, however, it is not realistic to maintain that there has been no negative bearing at all. Aside from the physical danger associated with our near-obsession with our cell phones, such as texting and driving, the most easily identifiable negative effect is the noticeable decrease in personal, human interaction. It is not an exaggeration to say that the vast majority of today’s generation spend a large portion of their time on their cell phones. Whether in a restaurant, a classroom, public transportation, or the movie theatre, you are most likely surrounded by the bright light originating from someone’s phone screen. It is rare to walk down a public street, or through a shopping centre, without seeing people walking, texting, chatting or surfing online all at the same time, regardless of their surroundings. The intimate, social relationships between friends seems to have suffered as a result of society’s need to constantly feel â€Å"plugged in† to our mobile devices. Conclusion Without a doubt, technology will continue to adapt and evolve, as will our attitudes towards it. What seems futuristic and revolutionary today, will one day be taken for granted by our descendants. Just like the original inventors of the light bulb and cellular telephone, the inventors and manufacturers of today can only scarcely begin to imagine the different evolutions and modifications that their current products will undertake in the near-future. Though it is impossible to predict the inventions, creations and ideas to come, it is irrefutable that the impacts, both positive and negative, on society and the worldwide population as a whole, will be substantial. Bibliography 1) Chapter 1, History and Momentum, Beyond Engineering, How Society Shapes Technology, Robert Pool 2) Chapter 4, Complexity, Beyond Engineering, How Society Shapes Technology, Robert Pool ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Chapter 1, History and Momentum, Beyond Engineering, How Society Shapes Technology, Robert Pool [ 2 ]. Chapter 4, Complexity, Beyond Engineering, How Society Shapes Technology, Robert Pool