Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Technology for the old?
http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue23/cartoon/Image1.jpg
This cartoon bascially shows an old lady who doesn't know how to us a computer. I find this cartoon pretty interesting as I feel that it is relevant to the world today.
I learnt how to use a computer way back when I was about 6 years old from my father. At that time it was just playing computer games. And over the years, I am able to learn the basic stuff like surfing the internet, installing programs, etc, on the computer. And this is largely due to exposure to the computer for a long time. Some of these stuff are also learnt from my father and friends. This is just for me and I assume that every other teenager learnt how to operate a computer the same way as I did.
But as for the old folks, most of them are not exposed to the modern technology, so naturally they would not know as much IT stuff as the youth unless they use and learn. From here, we can tell that the use of different technology varies with age. For example, we see more youths listening to mp3 then the middle-age and old folks. This is largely due to trends and thought of the different generation. The youths may think that it is 'in' to listen to music players, whereas the older generations don't really care.
In this modern world, new technologies come about every year. So I feel that even if we don't use them, it is good to at least know about them and keep updated as they are after all things that exist in our world.
Technological expert
Loke Jia Wei
Labels: old, Technology
11:18 PM
Technology and health
I came across an article in a tech magazine from The Straits Times called Digital Life. It talks about how overusing of digital tools or misusing them can be harmful to us.
As we all know, music players like iPod are quite common among people nowadays especially teenagers. Some people tend to blast their music especially in buses or train to drown out background noise. Sometimes I do hear the music clearly, coming out from the person’s earpiece, even when he is few feet away. This is bad as long exposure to loud sounds will cause hearing loss. And these people who blast their music are normally not aware of this. So as time goes by, their hearing will deteriorate.
The article also talks about repetitive stress injury (RSI). This injury is where poor posture or repetitive motions cause an injury to muscles, tendons, or nerves. For example, gamers who hold a controller for long hours, pressing the same buttons repetitive will risk affecting their fingers, hands or wrists. Other examples include slouching in a chair while using the computer will put extra strain on the back. Even SMSing for a long time will injure the person’s fingers.
Technology is meant to improve human condition, but misusing or overusing them will be harmful to us. But many people are not aware of this. Thus, technology ended up harming them instead.
Technological expert
Loke Jia Wei
Labels: health, Technology
10:42 PM
Technology to us
As I mentioned in my previous posts, technology plays an important role in our lives. Look around you and almost everything you see is technology. Technology has served us for a long time. It is difficult to live without it. Due to technology, we have lost some of the abilities, skills and traditions that the people in the past have. Take away mobile phones, telephones, internet, and any other communication devices, the people will have difficultly to communicate with others. Writing a letter may a way to communicate with others, but how many of them have actually wrote one before? Removing vehicles, ships, airplanes will lead to people having difficulties to travel from one place to another. They will definitely not ride a horse or camel.
So Man has been relying on technology and this will no doubt lead to over-reliance on technology. It has been asked whether Man has become the servant and technology the master instead of the other way around. From the above examples, it already shows the power and influence of technology over us. An example that clearly shows this relationship between Man and technology would be the Taiwan earthquake at the end of last year which damaged several undersea cables, disrupting telecommunication services in various parts of Asia which also lead to the disruption of internet services. Financial transactions, particularly in the foreign exchange market were seriously affected. Businesses were also affected. This shows that technology has a great influenced on the world. We are too reliant on technology. Thus a slight change or absent of technology will affect us greatly.
I feel that technology is meant for Man to rely on. So it is expected that such a thing will occur. As long as technology is within our control and not take over our lives, it is fine to rely on technology.
Technological expert
Loke Jia Wei
Labels: Technology
10:32 PM
Technology and its impact on the world today
It is true that technology has helped Man in his daily life and benefit the world. Simple form of transport like a cart in the past has evolved into the cars, ships and airplanes today. We are now able to travel to different parts of the world. With the invention of telephone, internet, communication among people is a lot easier. Technology also serves to bring us our basic needs. A gas stove for example allows us to cook our food easily compared to the past where people cooked food over a fire. Also, tools are made to assist further discoveries and developments. A microscope allows us to research on microorganisms, whereas a telescope helps in the study of outer space.
However, despite all these benefits, disadvantages come along with it too. For one, technology sometimes produces unwanted by-products, i.e. pollution. Factories, vehicles cause air pollution. Drilling in a construction area will produce noise pollution. Ethical questions will also arise for example in the case of bioengineering. Technology may also be used in other ways, for example, destruction. Technology may not necessary be used for peaceful purposes. Clubs used by caveman in the past have evolved into nuclear weapons today. Explosives were first invented to blow up buildings and mountains are used to blast humans. All these shows how technology may not necessary be flawless and benefits Man all the time.
All in all, I feel that we should not abuse the use of technology and ensure that it does not harm us more than it helps us. Only then can technology be truly beneficial to mankind.
Technological expert
Loke Jia Wei
Labels: Impacts, Technology
9:43 PM
Technology
Technology to us refers to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines, vehicles, etc. In the human society, it is the result of science and engineering, which produces the tools and craft for Man’s usage that affects the way of living. These tools are produced mainly for the sake of simplifying or aid Man’s work and allow us to lead a more comfortable life.
Use of technology began long ago where Man made use of natural resources as simple tools. For example, when people first discover and gain the ability to control fire, it increases the availability of food, and gives Man light and warmth. The invention of wheel helped human in traveling and transporting goods.
So through many years of technological developments and new discoveries/inventions, the world is what it is today. The invention of vehicles provides transport to people, enabling them to travel to far away places where traveling by foot is impossible. Invention of the telephone, internet has lessened physical barriers to communication and people are able to communicate with one another all over the world.
And now, we are still making many new discoveries and developments in technology. Technology has no doubt improved the human condition and society. However, these technological progresses may also have a bad impact on us. Ever since the invention of new tools and crafts, Man has been relying on them and may lead to over-reliance. It is also said that technology alienates people, destroying culture and tradition, etc. We have all heard these things on the use of technology. To me, I feel that there it cannot be help. We have already reached a point where we cannot live without technology. Technology is the source to our basic needs. Once it is removed, the whole world will change. As long as we do not forget the role of technology, that is to improve human condition and society, and not let it take over the world, technological progress is not really a bad thing.
Technological expert
Loke Jia Wei
Labels: Technology
9:42 PM
HEALTH PROBLEMS FROM GLOBALIZATION
The seamy side of globalization – health risks
26 April, 2007: Nations, especially world’s top economies which benefit from globalization, must face its disadvantages too.
One of the main harmful effects of globalization is the health hazards especially the people of the developed nations face, according to new report issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The report was released to coincide with World Health Day, celebrated every year on April 7, the anniversary of the World Health Organisation’s founding in 1948. The theme of this year’s World Health Day was ‘Invest in Health, Build a Safer Future.’There are a growing number of health problems linked to the increasing number of people and goods crossing the borders every day, because diseases cross the borders in people and goods, Ian Simpson, a spokesman for WHO, said in Singapore. Simpson, who was attending a conference in connection with the World Health Day, suggested that countries need international health security to protect themselves.
An international health security report just released by the World Health Organisation lists the following priorities for the agency in 2008:
The threat posed by emerging infectious diseases, such as influenza and the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
The easier spread of disease around the globe because of the movement of people and tainted goods as part of the global economy.
The need to manage better international health disasters, such as tsunamis and earthquakes.
Awareness of biological and chemical terror threats.
The effects of global warming.
AIDS
Ian Simpson said there has been a growing risk of spread of diseases during the last decade as global trade has shot up. Along with greater access to commercial goods has come the potential to transport tainted food products, illegal black market goods, as well as diseases carried by people as they travel. The two events that spurred this year’s theme of the World Health Day are the SARS epidemic in 2003 and the increasing possibility of an international flu pandemic.* The SARS epidemic started in the fall of 2002 in China, killing nearly 800 people worldwide, most of them in Asia, before subsiding the following summer. While its spread was prevented, it served as a wake-up call about the emerging threat of such infectious diseases, Ian Simpson said. These global concerns are very different from the international issues that motivated the founders of the United Nations to establish World Health Organisation after World War II, Simpson said. When WHO was created, like all the other United Nations agencies, people were very concerned about securing world peace and, as part of that, improving the health of people around the world.That a person could be in Singapore at 11 o’clock in the evening and then be in London the next day was an impossibility in 1948. As a part of its new focus on cooperation between countries on health threats, WHO has revised its international regulations so that nations can identify health problems as early as possible and seek the help they need from governments, other countries and the private sector. The regulations will be effective from June 15, 2007. stressed.
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Health is one such barometer that measures the successes and failings of globalization. It is a marker of social infrastructure and social welfare and as such can be used to either sound an alarm or give a victory cheer as our interconnectedness hurts and heals the populations we serve.
In an increasingly globalised world, people and goods travel from one place to the other place of the earth within 24 hours. The number of people and goods crossing the borders increases everyday. There are a growing number of health problems due to the increasing number of people and goods crossing the borders as diseases cross the borders in people and goods. People and goods always carry bacteria from one place to another and as a result, possibility of an international flu increases.
There has been a growing risk of spread of diseases during the last decade as global trade has shot up. Along with greater access to commercial goods has come the potential to transport tainted food products, illegal black market goods, as well as diseases carried by people as they travel. For example, SARS and bird flu were carried by people and goods everywhere and thus they became so widespread among the Asian countries, cause such severe consequences.
Modern modes of transportation allow more people and products to travel around the world at a faster pace, they also open the airways to the transcontinental movement of infectious disease vectors. One example of this occurring is West Nile Virus. It is believed that this disease reached the United States via “mosquitoes that crossed the ocean by riding in airplane wheel wells and arrived in New York City in 1999.” With the use of air travel, people are able to go to foreign lands, contract a disease and not have any symptoms of illness until they get home, having exposed others to the disease along the way.
Because of globalization, the pace of people and goods traveling become faster and faster. As a result, the diseases spread much wider within a short time. To avoiding a tragic consequence, I think we need a more strict international health security check system to protect us. Otherwise, globalization should be blamed.
luxi
8:12 PM
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Health and Environment
firstly, this is a picture of the farvelaes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. for a close up of this pic, go to this site..
http://www.ephphata.net/images/favela-bresil2.JPG
as we can see, the farvelaes are all squashed and cramped together in a very limited space. So naturally, the environment there would be very dirty and filthy. With this type of environment, once again, it would definitely be natural for health problems and diseasese to surface.
Most of the people who live in the farvelaes came from the rurals areas in Brazil. And due to the large numbers of Urbanization, the city is unable to keep up with its pace thus resulting in numersous problems like inadequate housing and insufficient availability of jobs.
Without a home, many would either built themselves a home(farvelaes) or to go and rent a unit. However, with such limited jobs and low pay, the majority would have to chose to built themselves a home with whatever materials they can find.
Also, with little money due to the low pay or unavailabitlity of jobs, many would suffer from malnutrition thus affecting their health. Adding on to the dirty environment they are living in, diseases do occur which may result in death.
Environment and Health Expert
Denise Lim
11:00 PM
