Evaluation of Consumer-Driven Health Plans (CDHPs)

Evaluation of Consumer-Driven Health Plans (CDHPs) Introduction Consumer-driven healthplans(CDHPs) are health care benefits plans focused on the commitment of patrons in health care decision-making. Consumer-driven healthplans(CDHPs) facilitate patients to also make use of dollars of employer-funded or to save their personal dollars in an account to be used to shell out for appropriate health care expenses.The backlash of managed care of the 1990s merged with growing health expenditures leaded to the formation of consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs), which lay bigger accountability for decision-making of health care in the consumer’s hands. In retort to the insight amongst consumers that managed care plans were restricting admittance to prospectively beneficial care consumer-directed plans were proposed to manage costs by altering health care decision-making accountability from insurers to customers. [Buntin MB, Damberg C,] CDHPs are anticipated to decrease spending of health care by divulging consumers to the implications of financial of their treatment decisions. The idea was that consumers, equipped with classy tools of information and rendered to the financial effects of their decisions, would compel in health care delivery value-based advance. CDHPs have developed in reputation ever since their inception, now enrolling in relation to 17 percent of people with insurance of employer-sponsored.[ Goodman, J. C.] There are three most important components of CDHPs plans under the head of the reimbursement account (HRA), health savings account (HSA),and Flexible Spending Account (FSA). The plans are initiated to support members to comprehend and have superior association in their individual decisions of health care. The employee can suitably choose when and how his or her health care dollars are utilized. Following are the descriptions of different types of plans:- Health Reimbursement Account -This account is funded by the employer. A Health Reimbursement Account plan includes a deductible, but enrollees classically employ their HRA to disburse for out-of-pocket expenses prior to they meet the deductible. The HRA plan comprises an enrollee out-of-pocket maximum. The plan offers 100 percent reimbursement once the limit is met, for covered services, together with pharmacy benefits. Health Savings Account -A Health Savings Account (HSA)is the individual account of account holder’s and can be employed to compensate for qualified pharmacy and medical expenses.HAS can be funded by the employee employer, or others. An HSA plan comprise a deductible, however enrollees can use their HSA to shell out for out-of-pocket expenses prior to they meet up the deductible. Flexible Spending Account -A patient may perhaps have the alternative to employ an FSA in combination with an HRA to assist to pay for entitled pharmacy and medical expenses not enclosed by the medical plan. This comprises non-medically necessary procedures, over-the-counter medications, (e.g., laser eye operation) and a great deal more. Consumer-driven health care tenders numerous opportunities to develop the health of employees and to lessen on the whole health care costs for employers. For the most part importantly, the model of consumer-driven health care propose support for employees, their families and further dependents to take a further dynamic role in supervision of their health and health care service. CDHPs are inclined to draw upper income, additional educated enrollees; other than there is no confirmation that CDHPs have escort to risk segmentation resultant in corroded insurance coverage. Approximately all the proof on CDHPs is from huge, self-insured employers for whom constructive choice into a CDHP is not essentially challenging. [Barry CL, Cullen MR,] On the whole, the consequences of this synthesis propose that the types of strategies used by CDHPs must carry on to be considered as an advance to containment of health care cost. [Buntin MB, Damberg C,] Research shows that major cost savings connected with these plans, suggestive of that financial incentives besieged at consumers can be efficient in lowering health care expenditures. Alongside this confirmation of cost savings there is relatively modest evidence of reductions in quality of care. While the effects of these plans on utilization and outcomes must be continued to monitored, predominantly given the changes in the types of plans offered in the market, the initial results shows prospective. Consumer Driven Healthcare Plans tender several diverse incentives such as: Tenders superior choice. Members appear to be stirring away from managed care restrictions as enrollment of HMO keep on to reducing while PPO enrollment style plans is increasing. Incentives for employees turn out to be more involved in making economic decisions in relation to the use of healthcare resulting in additional educated purchasers demanding lesser cost and superior quality service from their providers. Addresses cost and admission problems in the existing healthcare system. As the health care cost carry on to skyrocket, it is significant for employers to deem options like consumer-directed health plans (CDHP)—health plans with a confirmed trail record of sustaining wellness, even as controlling costs. These plans afford an appropriate, cost-effective resolution for companies. Employers can prefer to initiate CDHP plans as a complete substitution to the accessible health benefits program, or can tender CDHP options together with additional managed care options, for instance a PPO. Incentives can be intended to persuade members to partake and better administer their health.[ Goodman, J. C.] Employees in CDHPs from a health perspective, expend more on preventive care and emergency room visits are reduced as a result. Female patients access additional women’s health screenings, and diabetes patients also carry out monitoring at higher rates in addition. It as well has educated patients who make use of essential prescriptions to cure chronic conditions, similar to their equivalent in PPO plans. Considerably, there is greater choice of generic drugs, escalating on the whole health care savings.[ John W. Rowe, Tina Brown-Stevenson, Roberta L. Downey, and Joseph P. Newhouse] The outcomes of CDHPs on rates of coverage of insurance are unidentified. Even despite the fact that the prospective for these products to produce risk segmentation crosswise diverse types of coverage hoist concern over the affordability and admission to coverage amongst high risks, the accessibility of lower-premium items which lesser premiums by lessening spending on low-value services may perhaps eventually add to rates of insurance coverage in the midst of both high- and low- risk consumers. While the facts point out that CDHPs be inclined to experience constructive selection when they are proposed by huge employers along with other types of plans, there is no proof that constructive choice in this circumstance has inclined on the whole rates of coverage of insurance. In the case of the small and individual group markets, there is modest to no proof on the level to which CDHPs experience constructive risk selection and the inference for coverage rates. The impact of these plans In addition, on vulnerable populations, predominantly amongst people with low down levels of income and proper education, is yet uncertain. An enhanced discerning of these effects is significant as market penetration of these products enhancement and they are gradually more offered by employers on a complete basis of replacement.[ Goodman, J. C.] CDHPs In the employer-sponsored market, may perhaps be offered either unaccompanied or next to other plans, and choice may perhaps take place at the stage of the employer choosing to render the plan or at the stage of the employees choosing amongst plans. For huge firms, which in general tender CDHPs together with other plans, risk selection takes place principally in the group. Since regulation forbid employers from diverging employee contributions founded on health status of individual, employee contributions do not diverge by risk of individual. As a result, if a CDHP with a low down employee contribution and an elevated deductible is tendered along with a plan with lesser cost-sharing and an elevated employee contribution, it is to be expected to be additional striking to low risks for whom likely out-of-pocket expenditure will be lesser. When the company is self-insured, on the other hand, as almost all big firms are, the employer is at hazard for the expenditure of the whole gr oup. Consequently, the employer, who does not advantage monetarily from excessively enrolling low down risks into the CDHP, has modest inducement to tender CDHPs to support such risk segmentation. Even as an added concern is that this kind of selection may perhaps intimidate the steadiness of a additional generous plan (20), an employer may perhaps keep away from this type of unpleasant selection â€Å"death spiral† in the course of the selection of the employee contribution policy. As a result, favorable selection into CDHPs inside firms in the huge group market is not likely to be challenging. In contrast, in the small group market, employers classically tender simply one plan and habitually acquire fully insured products. Risk selection In this case, occurs principally in the structure of the employer prefering which plan to tender employees and probable amongst employees choosing whether to register in the coverage of insurance tendered by the employer. Insurers have inducement to price products founded on the group risk, and if they are not capable to make use of risk-based pricing, they may perhaps intend coverage consecutively to accomplish risk segmentation. This would in due course for low-risk groups lower the premiums and raise them for groups of high-risk. The net result on rates of coverage would rely on how each one group act in response to the consequent alterations in premiums. Risk selection connected with CDHPs is a larger concern in the individual markets and small group in abstract, since insurers have incentives to employ in risk selection in the course of benefit design in these surroundings when risk of enrollee is complicated or expensive for them to monitor. Enrollment of CDHP in these settings, nevertheless, does not essentially indicate problematical risk-based selection. Enrollment of CDHP may perhaps replicate inclination for lower-premium, a lesser amount of liberal plans in this setting. [Goodman, J. C.] Conclusion CDHPs proponents emphasize the prospective for these plans to endorse superior implication in spending of health care and to lodge various consumer preferences (19, 3, 27). In contrast Critics, hoist the concern that, even as consumers may act in response to high deductibles by means of less medical care, they may perhaps not distinguish efficiently between less and more valuable care when constructing those reductions, eventually reducing eminence of care, and that superior cost-sharing places a too much financial load on low-income and/or not as much of healthy enrollees. However, in their current form, CDHPs are expected to represent merely part of a solution to deal with high and rising health care costs. The evidence indicates that CDHPs construct savings primarily among medium and low- -risk enrollees. They have modest outcome on spending for the diminutive proportion of the population who constructs the mass of health care spending. As a result, an all-inclusive approach to tackling high health care spending would need substitute solutions targeted in the direction of high-risk populations. References â€Å"Who Chooses a Consumer-Directed Health Plan?† Barry CL, Cullen MR, et al. Health Affairs, vol. 27, no. 6, 2008 â€Å"Consumer-Directed Health Care: Early Evidence About Effects on Cost and Quality.† Buntin MB, Damberg C, et al. Health Affairs, vol. 25, no. 6, 2006. Consumer Directed Health Care. Goodman, J. C. (December 2006). Social Science Electronic Publishing, Inc, The Effect of Consumer-Directed Health Plans on the Use of Preventive and Chronic Illness Services,John W. Rowe, Tina Brown-Stevenson, Roberta L. Downey, and Joseph P. Newhouse, Health Affairs, Volume 27, Number 1, January/February 2008

Greeks :: essays research papers fc

Greeks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Greek beliefs changed over time. In the beginning the Greeks believed strongly in the gods. These ideas were very similar to those of earlier peoples (Craig, Graham, et. al. 57). The Greek gods shared many of the same characteristics of the Mesopotamian deities (Craig, Graham, et. al. 57). The Greek pantheon consisted of the twelve gods who lived on Mount Olympus (Craig, Graham, et. al. 83). These gods were: -Zeus, the father of the gods, -Hera, his wife, -Zeus’s siblings: Poseidon, his brother, god of seas and earthquakes, Hestia, his sister, goddess of the hearth, Demeter, his sister, goddess of agriculture and marriage, -Zeus’s children: Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, Apollo, god of sun, music, poetry, and prophecy, Ares, god of war, Artemis, goddess of the moon and the hunt, Athena, goddess of wisdom and the arts, Hephaestus, god of fire and metallurgy, -Hermes, messenger of the gods (Craig, Graham, et. al. 83). The gods were seen as beha ving very much as mortal humans behaved, except that they possessed superhuman qualities and they were immortal (Craig, Graham, et. al. 83). These qualities are shown in many of the stories that are passed down through Greek history. The Greeks’ respect for their gods came partially out of fear. An example of superhuman qualities to be feared is stated in Theogony:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then Zeus no longer held back his might; but straight his heart was filled with fury and he showed forth all his strength. From Heaven and from Olympus he came immediately, hurling his lightning: the bolts flew thick and fast from his strong hand together with thunder and lightning, whirling an awesome flame. The life-giving earth crashed around in burning, and the vast wood crackled loud with fire all about. All the land seethed, and Ocean’s streams and the unfruitful sea. The hot vapor lapped round the earthborn Titans: flame unspeakable rose to the bright upper air: the flashing glare of the thunderstone and lightning blinded their eyes for all that they were strong(Hesiod 10). The Greeks believed that the will of the gods was sacred: â€Å"So it is not possible to deceive or go beyond the will of Zeus:† (Hesiod 9).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As time continued the Greeks’ beliefs changed in some ways. Some Greeks began to speculate about the nature of the world and its origin. In doing this they made guesses that were completely naturalistic and did not include any reference to supernatural powers or anything else divine (Craig, Graham, et.

Brain Fingerprinting Technology

BRAIN FINGERPRINTING TECHNOLOGY Mandar Ghate Department Of Computers, Padmabhushan Vasantdada Patil Pratisthans College Of Engineering [email  protected] com Abstract— Brain fingerprinting is a new computer-based technology to identify the perpetrator of a crime accurately and scientifically by measuring brain-wave responses to crime-relevant words or pictures presented on a computer screen. Brain fingerprinting has proven 100% accurate in over 120 tests, including tests on FBI agents, tests for a US intelligence agency and for the US navy, and tests on real-life situations including felony crimes. Brain fingerprinting was developed and patented by Dr. Lawrence Farewell in 1995. Keywords— Perpetrator, MERMER methodology. INTRODUCTION Brain Fingerprinting is based on the principle that the brain is central to all human acts. In a criminal act, there may or may not be many kinds of peripheral evidence, but the brain is always there, planning, executing and recording the crime. The fundamental difference between a perpetrator and a falsely accused, innocent person is that the perpetrator, having committed the crime, has the details of the crime stored in his brain, and the innocent suspect does not. This is what Brain Fingerprinting detects scientifically. THE SECRETS OF BRAIN FINGERPRINTING Matching evidence at the crime scene with evidence in the brain: When a crime is committed, a record is stored in the brain of the perpetrator. Brain Fingerprinting provides a means to objectively and scientifically connect evidence from the crime scene with evidence stored in the brain. (This is similar to the process of connecting DNA samples from the perpetrator with biological evidence found at the scene of the crime; only the evidence valuated by Brain Fingerprinting is evidence stored in the brain. ) Brain Fingerprinting measures electrical brain activity in response to crime-relevant words or pictures presented on a computer screen, and reveals a brain MERMER (memory and encoding related multifaceted electroencephalographic response) when, and only when, the evidence stored in the brain matches the evidence from the crime scene. The MERMER includes P300 brain response and also electri cally negative component, with an onset latency of approximately 800-1200ms. Thus, the guilty can be identified and the innocent can be cleared in an accurate, scientific, objective, non-invasive, non-stressful, and non-testimonial manner. MERMER Methodology: The procedure used is similar to the Guilty Knowledge Test; a series of words, sounds or pictures are presented via computer to the subject for a fraction of second each. Each of these stimuli are organised by the test-giver to be a â€Å"Target†, â€Å"Irrelevant†, or a â€Å"Probe†. The Target stimuli are chosen to be relevant information to the tested subject, and are used to establish a baseline brain response for information that is significant to the subject being tested. The subject is instructed to press on button for targets, and another button for all other stimuli. Most of the non-Target stimuli are Irrelevant, and are totally unrelated to the situation that the subject is being tested for. The irrelevant stimuli do not elicit a MERMER, and so establish a baseline brain response for information that is significant to the subject in this context. Some of the non-target are relevant to the situation that the subject is being tested for. These stimuli, Probes, are relevant to the test, and are significant to the subject, and will elicit a MERMER, signifying that the subject has understood that stimuli to be significant. A subject lacking this information in their brain, the response to the Probe stimulus will be indistinguishable from the irrelevant stimulus. This response does not elicit a MERMER, indicating that the information is absent from their mind. THE FANTASTIC FOUR!!!! The four phases of Brain Fingerprinting: In Fingerprinting and DNA Fingerprinting, evidence recognized and collected at the crime scene, and reserved properly until a suspect is apprehended, is scientifically compared with the evidence on the person of the suspect to detect a match that would place the suspect at the crime scene. Brain Fingerprinting works similarly, except that the evidence collected both at the crime scene and on the person of the suspect (i. e. in the brain as revealed by electrical brain response) is informational evidenc e rather than physical evidence. There are four stages to Brain Fingerprinting, which are similar to the steps in Fingerprinting and DNA fingerprinting: 1. Brain Fingerprinting Crime Scene Evidence Collection; 2. Brain Fingerprinting Brain Evidence Collection; 3. Brain Fingerprinting Computer Evidence Analysis; and 4. Brain Fingerprinting Scientific Result. In the Crime Scene Evidence Collection, an expert in Brain Fingerprinting examines the crime scene and other evidence connected with the crime to identify details of the crime that would be known only to the perpetrator. The expert then conducts the Brain Evidence Collection in order to determine or not the evidence from the crime scene matches evidence stored in the brain of the suspect. In the Computer Evidence Analysis, the Brain Fingerprinting system makes a mathematical determination as to whether or not this specific evidence is stored in the brain, and computes a statistical confidence for that determination. This determination and statistical confidence constitute the Scientific Result of Brain Fingerprinting: either â€Å"information present† (â€Å"guilty†)-the details of the crime are stored in the brain of the suspect-or â€Å"information absent† (â€Å"innocent†)-the details of the crime is not stored in the brain of the suspect. THE DEVICES USED IN BRAIN FINGERPRINTING BRAIN WAVES HOW IT WORKS A Suspect is tested by looking at three kinds of information represented by different coloured lines: —–Red: information the suspect is expected to know —–Green: information not known to suspect —–Blue: information of the crime that only perpetrator would know. NOT GUILTY: Because the blue and green. Lines closely correlate, suspect does not have critical knowledge of the crime GUILTY: Because the blue and red Lines closely correlate, and suspect has ritical knowledge of the crime. INSTRUMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 1. A personal computer. 2. A data acquisition board. 3. A graphic card for driving two computers from one PC. 4. A four channel EEG amplifier system. 5. Software developed by Brain Fingerprinting lab. CASE STUDIES TERRY HARRINGTON: [->0] Dr. Lawrence Farewell conducts a Brain Fingerprinting test on Terry Harrington. For the test on Schweer’s murder at U. S in 2001, th e determination of Brain Fingerprinting was â€Å"information absent†, with a statistical confidence of 99. 99%. The information stored in Harrington’s brain did not match the scenario in which Harrington went to the crime scene and committed the murder. The determination of the Brain Fingerprinting test for alibi-relevant information was â€Å"information present†, with a confidence of 99. 99%. The information stored in Harrington’s brain did match the scenario in which Harrington was elsewhere (at a concert and with friends) at the time of the crime. JB GRINDER: [->1] Brain Fingerprinting testing was also â€Å"instrumental in obtaining a confession and guilty plea† from serial killer James B. Grinder. In August 1999, Dr. Farewell conducted a Brain Fingerprinting test on Grinder, showing that information stored in his brain matched the details of the murder of Julie Helton. Faced with a certain conviction and almost certain death sentence, Grinder then pled guilty to the rape and murder of Julie Helton in exchange for a life sentence without parole. He is currently serving that sentence and has also confessed to the murders of three other women. LIMITATIONS OF BRAIN FINGERPRINTING If, however, the suspect knows everything that the investigators know about the crime for some legitimate reason, then the test cannot be applied. There are several circumstances in which this may be the case. If the suspect acknowledges being at the scene of the crime, but claims to be a witness and not perpetrator, then the fact that he knows details about the crime would not be incriminating. There would be no reason to conduct a test, because the resulting â€Å"information present† response would simply show that the suspect knew the details of the crime-knowledge which he already admits and which he gained at the crime scene whether he was a witness or a perpetrator. Another case where Brain Fingerprinting is not applicable would be one wherein a suspect and an alleged victim-say, of an alleged sexual assault-agree on the details what was said and done, but disagree on the intent of the parties. Brain Fingerprinting detects only information, and not the intent. The fact that the suspect knows the uncontested facts of the circumstances does not tell us which party’s version of the intent is correct. Obviously, in structuring a Brain Fingerprinting test, a scientist must avoid including information that has been made public. Detecting that a suspect knows information he obtained by reading a newspaper would not be of use in a criminal investigation, and standard Brain Fingerprinting procedures eliminate all such information from the structuring of a test. Even in highly publicized cases, there are almost many details that are known to the investigators but not released to the public and these can be used as stimuli to test the subject for knowledge that he would have no way to know except by committing the crime. Brain Fingerprinting does not detect lies. It simply detects information. No questions are asked or answered during a Brain Fingerprinting test. The subject neither lies nor tells the truth during a Brain Fingerprinting test, and the outcome of the test is unaffected by whether he has lied or told the truth at any other time. The outcome of â€Å"information present† or â€Å"information absent† depends on whether the relevant information is stored in the brain, and not on what the subject says about it. Brain Fingerprinting does not determine whether a suspect is guilty or innocent of a crime. This is a legal determination to be made by a judge or jury, not a scientific determination to be made by a computer or a scientist. Brain Fingerprinting can provide scientific evidence that the judge and jury can weigh along with the other evidence in reaching their decisions regarding the crime. CONCLUSIONS Brain Fingerprinting is a revolutionary new scientific technology for solving crimes, identifying perpetrators, and exonerating innocent suspects, with a record of 100% accuracy in research with US government agencies, actual criminal cases, and other applications. The technology fulfills an urgent need for governments, law enforcement agencies, corporations, investigators, crime victims, and falsely accused innocent suspects. Additionally, if research determines that brain MERMER testing is reliable enough that it could be introduced as evidence in the court; it may be the criminal investigative tool of the future. REFERENCES [1]www. google. com[->2]. [2]www. brainfingerprint. org[->3]. [3]www. brainfingerprint. pbwiki. com[->4]. [->0] – http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/File:BrainFingerprintingFarwellHarringtonTest2. jpg [->1] – http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/File:BrainFingerprintingFarwellGrinder. jpg [->2] – http://www. google. com [->3] – http://www. brainfingerprint. org [->4] – http://www. brainfingerprint. pbwiki. com

Positive Effects Of Gene Altering Essays - Molecular Biology

Positive Effects Of Gene Altering Essays - Molecular Biology Positive Effects Of Gene Altering The Positive Effects of Gene Altering Since the beginning of the human race, we have been looking. We have been looking for ways to make our lives healthier, more comfortable, and happier. In the beginning it was simple rocks, plants, and fires. As our technology advanced so did the comfort of our lives. The wheel, the cure to the plaque, and who can forget the remote control, were all tools that made it possible to improve the quality of life. What tool lies ahead in the future to promote our well being and happiness? Genetic engineering is that tool. Every living thing is made up of genes, and with the capability of altering these genes, the possibilities are endless. Everything from better quality produce to the prevention of cancer is a possibility with genetic engineering, and scientists are just now beginning to understand the complex gene patterns. If you can imagine a world free of diabetes, or male pattern baldness, and genetics has a major role. Genetic engineers might someday have the capabilities to remove th ese genes or even clone wanted genes, and in the end allowing us to live the healthy, comfortable, happier lives we seek. The numbers of positive outcomes from genetic engineering are inconceivable. Genetic engineering will lead to healthier, more comfortable, and better lives. Genetic engineering will improve every day produce and goods. For producers involved with living organisms as their products, genes play a major role in the quality of their products and amount of profit. If a farmer's cows are not as lean, or their corn is diseased, then the demand for their product is going to be less than the competition. That is where genetics comes in. It is possible, by altering certain genes, to create a leaner cow, or a disease resistant stalk of corn, and it is this fact that makes genetic engineering invaluable to the every day farmer. If their cattle is leaner, or their chickens are engineered to lay two eggs instead of one, then there is going to be a greater profit earned by the farmers, and a better quality of product. In the near future there may be bacon that is relatively fat free, or a chicken breast with twice the meat. By selecting the wanted genes and removing the unwanted, the producer can improve it product that it sells to the consumer, and th e spectrum is not just restricted to food. Softer cloths, sturdier wood, hardier trees and shrubs, and slower growing, greener grass are all possibilities. These improved products will impact everyone, and will be everywhere. The impact is hazy, but the effect is clear; they will improve not only the profit of the producer, but also the lives of the consumer. Genetic altering will be a powerful tool against disease, and disabilities. Every year millions of people die from a variety of diseases and disabilities that are passed down by genes. Cancer is one example of a disease that has been linked to genes and heredity. Many patients have a family history involving some type of cancer in the past. With the introduction of genetic engineering, there is a good chance that scientists will be able to locate genes that are prone to cancer and alter them so that the chance of getting cancer is greatly reduced. Cancer is not the only disease that this could be applied to either. Almost any disease, disorder, or disability has a future in genetic engineering. Another example is Down's syndrome, a syndrome that is passed down through generations by a mutated gene, and causes mental impairment. Imagine if someday that mutated gene could be removed from a family's future, allowing their kids to lead normal lives. There is no doubt that it would improv e the quality of life for these kids who, then, would be normal healthy children. Just the same, blindness, diabetes, dwarfism, heart valve deformities, Alzheimer's and many more conditions can be avoided or even eliminated by the use of genetic engineering. The uses of genetic altering in the medical field are exciting as well as numerous, and it will no doubt change the way we look at our health and the health of

The History of Satellites - Sputnik I

The History of Satellites - Sputnik I History was made on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched  Sputnik I. The worlds first artificial satellite was about the size of a basketball and weighed only 183 pounds. It took about 98 minutes for Sputnik I to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path. The launch ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments and marked the beginning of the space race between the U.S.and the U.S.S.R. The International Geophysical Year In 1952, the International Council of Scientific Unions decided to establish the International Geophysical Year. It wasnt actually a year but rather more like 18 months, set from July 1, ​1957, to December 31, 1958. Scientists knew that cycles of solar activity would be at a high point at this time. The Council adopted a resolution in October 1954 calling for artificial satellites to be launched during the IGY to map the earths surface. The U.S. Contribution   The White House announced plans to launch an Earth-orbiting satellite for the IGY in July 1955. The government solicited proposals from various research agencies to undertake development of this satellite. NSC 5520, the  Draft Statement of Policy on U.S. Scientific Satellite Program, recommended both the creation of a scientific satellite program as well as the development of satellites for reconnaissance purposes. The National Security Council approved the IGY satellite on May 26, 1955, based on NSC 5520. This event  was announced to the public on July 28 during an oral briefing at the White House. The  governments statement emphasized that the satellite program was intended to be the U.S. contribution to the IGY and that the scientific data was to benefit scientists of all nations. The Naval Research Laboratorys Vanguard proposal for a satellite was chosen in September 1955 to represent the U.S. during the IGY.   Then Came Sputnik I   The Sputnik launch changed everything. As a technical achievement, it caught the worlds attention and the American public off guard. Its size was more impressive than Vanguards intended 3.5-pound payload. The public reacted with fear that the Soviets ability to launch such a satellite would translate to the ability to launch ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear weapons from Europe to the U.S. Then the Soviets struck again: Sputnik II was launched on November 3, carrying a much heavier payload and a dog named Laika. The U.S. Response The U.S. Defense Department responded to the political and public  furor over the Sputnik satellites by approving funding for another U.S. satellite project. As a simultaneous alternative to Vanguard, Wernher von Braun and his Army Redstone Arsenal team began work on a satellite that would become known as Explorer. The tide of the space race changed on January 31,  1958, when the U.S. successfully launched Satellite 1958 Alpha, familiarly known as Explorer I. This satellite carried a small scientific payload that eventually discovered magnetic radiation belts around the Earth. These belts were named after principal investigator James Van Allen. The Explorer program continued as a successful ongoing series of lightweight, scientifically-useful spacecraft.   The Creation of NASA The Sputnik launch also led to the creation of NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, commonly called the Space Act,† in July 1958,  and the Space Act created NASA effective October 1, 1958. It joined NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, with other government agencies. NASA went on to do  pioneering work in space applications, such as communications satellites, in the 1960s. The Echo, Telstar, Relay, and Syncom satellites were built by NASA or by the private sector based on significant NASA advances. In the 1970s, NASAs Landsat program literally changed the way we look at our planet. The first three Landsat satellites were launched in 1972, 1975, and 1978. They transmitted complex data streams back to earth that could be converted into colored pictures. Landsat data has been used in a variety of practical commercial applications since then, including crop management and fault line detection. It tracks many kinds of weather, such as droughts, forest fires, and ice floes. NASA has also been involved in a variety of other earth science efforts as well, such as the Earth Observation System of spacecraft and data processing that has yielded important scientific results in tropical deforestation, global warming, and climate change.

Reflection on CORE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection on CORE - Essay Example ritically read a text, I always come up with different meanings and this helps me to grasp the context of what the writer would be intending to convey to the readers. I have observed that there can be different meanings attached to a certain reading and this can only be possible if you read the text critically. This helps the reader to criticise some of the ideas portrayed by the writer. However, the major disadvantage I can talk about is that the core has a lot of work to do. A lot of essays need to be written and I at times find it difficult to complete them since some topics do not fit in the subject area under discussion. The other important core topic I have learned pertains to ethics and environment. Our life is mainly shaped by the environment in which we live since we obtain all the basic needs that sustain our lives from it. There is a strong relationship between human kind and the environment. The other important issue I have learned is that our actions often impact on the environment and it should be our responsibility to ensure that we do not harm it. The more we act negatively, the more we cause harm to the environment. Therefore, the major lesson I have learnt from this core is that it is our responsibility to protect the environment for the benefit of the future generations to enjoy the same environment. Due to improved communication technology, I have discovered that we are now living in what is commonly known as the global village. As a result of globalisation, people from different parts of the globe can engage in business and it is also possible to communicate instantaneously as a result of the improved communication and technology. Globalization has greatly helped to promote trade among nations and this is beneficial to different countries. It also helps to promote culture exchange where people from different parts of the globe can benefit from the cultures of other countries. However, the only negative aspect about globalization is that some

Favorite place (Dillard's) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Favorite place (Dillard's) - Essay Example While Dillard’s is considered to be an upscale department store, it offers an assortment of treasures for most budgets, including its low-priced clearance centers, making Dillard’s an economically-friendly company. As a department store, Dillard’s offers an array of merchandise useful for all aspects of one’s life and their home. Despite the enormous variety of high-end products found throughout Dillard’s many stores, this company’s claim to fame is its vast selection of clothing and shoes. Being upscale and at the forefront of procuring the best fashions, Dillard’s does not have a difficult time in staying up-to-date with the latest designs for men, women, and children. In the clothing department, available brands range from Antonio Melani, Armani Exchange, Calvin Klein, DKNY, and Ralph Lauren, in all desired styles: dresses, coats, pants, tops, pajamas and gorgeous gowns and handsome tuxedoes for any special occasion, including weddi ngs. The children’s department is just as abundant in its selection, with stunning formal wear for holidays and the character clothing that children adore for day-to-day wear. Dillard’s clothing department is only matched by its shoe department with thousands of different styles in countless brands, including their newest addition of the popular Ugg brand. There are shoes for every occasion and each season, from tennis shoes and sandals to strappy pumps and leather dress shoes. While the clothing and shoe selections define Dillard’s department stores, the perfume, make-up and accessories section, appropriately located at the center of each building, are the centerpiece. This area is easily recognizable from the sweet and strong fragrances of the dozens of bottles of perfume and cologne. Though there are many options for men in this area, it can be considered the paradise of women. Here they can find perfume and body spray in scents ranging from sweet and innocen t to strong and daring, all provided by some of the top brands, including Prada, Chanel, and Dior. The vast collection of make-up brands gives women what they need at their fingertips to enhance their own natural beauty or to design a completely new and stunning look. To add to the wonders of the make-up and perfume section are the helpful representatives willing to aid guests until they find the scent or look they are searching for. Often circling the perfume and make-up counters are racks upon racks of handbags, purses, scarves, belts, and beautiful jewelry. Men and women alike can find all that they need to complete the perfect outfit or to surprise a loved one with a dazzling gift. Once someone has finished spoiling themselves with the clothes and jewelry and glamorous extras found among the many shelves of Dillard’s, they can turn their attention on dressing up their homes. In the outer regions of the circle of Dillard’s, a guest can find all that they need for th eir bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, including little knickknacks and decorations to accentuate any room. For the bedroom, Dillard’s offers a wide selection of bedding sets and individual sheets and pillowcases, as well as pillows, canopies, and bed skirts. Unlike the selections found at many common department stores, the bedding found at Dillard’s exemplifies elegance, turning even a child’