Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Summary and Response #1 - Climate change influence sea turtles’ lives

Velasquez-Manoff’s (2007) article expresses the fact that climate change has threatened the lives of the sea turtle. Sea turtles have existed for 200 million years, from the time of dinosaurs to the current time, but the sea turtle is one kind of endangered animal now. Global warming is causing a lot of climate change. There are some problem that will appear, like stronger storms, rising seas and higher temperature. They all influence their lives and cause them to be extinct. The author also mentions that temperature will affect hatchlings to be male or female, but eggs will not be hatched in too high temperature. Sea turtles are looking for new cooler beaches to make their babies survive in this hot weather. People also want to save their lives by unnatural methods like moving eggs in to the nursery. The author also talks about the fact that sea turtles can find a new beach to survive, but people also like the same beaches. People destroy this natural beach to build new houses. People use chemicals to change the original sand. This sand will not be suitable to eggs hatched. Sea turtles’ babies will die on this horrible sand. Finally, the author expresses that scientists are not sure whether extinction of sea turtles will affect the food chain or not. So we need to protect these endangered animals, and should not catch sea turtles.

It is apparent that climate change causes sea turtles to be endangered. The sea turtle is not the only kind of animals that are facing the situation of extinction. Sea turtles have survived on earth for over 200 million years. At the present time they have a large chance of disappearing from this warmer and warmer climate. Maybe people don’t care weather sea turtles exist or not. If they become extinct in the future because of global warming, people probably will die out in the same situation. Global warming is a serious problem that people shouldn’t neglect.

First of all, we need to attach importance to problems of global warming because global warming is threatening animals’ lives. Not only sea turtles but also other animals are endangered, like American pikas, penguins, albatrosses, and Polar bears. Some plants are also threatened by global warming; for example, coral reefs are bleaching because of warmer seas. Even though some scientists argue that climate change that is compared with the past billion years is not very serious, we believe that there are some reasons that cause warmer climate. Furthermore, many kinds of evidence can prove that we have done something that makes earth become warmer and strange climate also can cause a lot of people to die. If we still don’t face this problem, the next endangered specie is humans.

Next, high temperature is a killer for sea turtles. High temperature causes rising seas. The beaches will be smaller than before. The habitats of sea turtle will be less and less. Temperature also determines the gender of sea turtles. According to the article, most sea turtles will be males if eggs are hatched below 29.4 degree C. Now most sea turtles are females because temperature is higher than 29.4 degree C. As a result, it will be hard to reproduce babies in the future.

Finally, the human is an enemy of sea turtles. Global warming is caused by human beings. People are also destroying beaches now. People build houses to make money on the beach. Chemicals and garbage pollute the beautiful beaches. Some people make some tours about the habitats of sea turtle. They want to see sea turtles but also influence the lives of sea turtles. There are fewer and fewer beaches that are safe and no human beings will go to stay there. The human definitely is the biggest enemy of the sea turtle.

In conclusion, we should try to find some methods to prevent global warming from becoming worse. Sea turtles need to be protected by human beings because we cause them to be endangered. Sea turtles want to live continually in this beautiful earth. If we want to see sea turtles in the future, we need to protect them from a dangerous environment and make a suitable environment that sea turtles can live in forever.

References

Velasquez-Manoff, M. (2007, June 21). Climate turns up heat on sea turtles. The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved October 23, 2007, from http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0621/p25s03-sten.html

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Summary and Response # Practice - Global Warming Threatens Million of Species

Bhattacharya’s (2004) article expresses the idea that global warming will be a serious problem. Many animals and plants will be endangered by 2050. Thomas, who is expert at the University of Leeds in UK, talks about his study that climate change is an important factor to influence lives of animals and plants. If animals want to live longer, they need to find a new place that is suitable for them. Pimm, who is an expert at Duke University in the US, claims that climate change destroys environment and makes animals and plants die. They will find a new place to live and this new environment will be smaller than before. Both of them suggest that control of climate change and actions of protecting the environment need to be started now by the government. The methods are about reducing carbon dioxide in the air and new use of energy.

It is clear that global warming is a big serious problem in this modern century. We have found that our weather has changed a lot. Rainfall is less than in the past hundred years. Huge changes of climate have appeared in current years. The flowers should bloom in spring, but they bloom in winter because winter is not cold enough. Climate change makes a lot of people die in unusual weather. We need to adopt some methods to stop global warming form destroying our environment.

The first way to reduce global is to cut CO2 emission. There is too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and it absorbs heat, which makes our earth warmer and warmer. Where is carbon dioxide mainly form? The answer is the car. It is very convenient for us to drive cars, but they also make exhaust gas in the air. What can we do for reducing carbon dioxide? We can take mass transit as mush as possible. If we need to buy cars, we should choose a new car that car company have designed for producing less carbon dioxide.

Next, using new clean power should be a goal for every country. There are many methods to make electricity. Thermal power plants are the cheapest way to produce electricity, but they make so much exhaust gas. Especially in summer, demand for using electricity is more than other seasons. Because the thermal power plant is the cheapest way to make power, thermal power plants will produce more waste gas in the air. So we need to find another way to produce clean power. A wind power generator is a good way to produce power. It also can decorate our environment and it is also a beautiful building for visiting. A nuclear power plant is another choice for producing electricity.

Finally, the government should play an important role in global warming. A lot of countries don’t want to keep their present situation to develop their countries. Protecting the only one earth is a responsibility for us. Governments need to make a law to stop the action that can cause global warming. They also have to spend some money doing some research to solve this serious problem. We need to maintain this beautiful earth for our next generation. The next generation can also enjoy any beautiful thing that I am enjoy now.

In conclusion, we can’t pretend that global warming is not our business. We can do our best in daily life; for example, we can take mass transit as much as possible. We can also reduce the use of electricity. Governments also need to have some strategies to prevent global warming from getting worse. After all, we just have one earth. We need to protect it and live in it forever. We take action now to protect our beautiful earth.

References

Bhattacharya, S. (2004, January 07). Global warming threatens millions of species. NewScientist.com. Retrieved October 16, 2007, from http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn4545&print=true

Friday, October 5, 2007

Reading Reaction Journal #5 - Must-Have For Tweens: Cell Phone.

Reference:

Bora, M. (2007, August 26). Must-Have For Tweens: Cell Phone. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on October 2, 2007, from http://www.lexisnexis.com

Summary:

In M. Bora’s article, Must-Have For Tweens: Cell Phone, the author describes a situation in which more and more tweens have cell phones. First, many tweens want to ask their parents to give them a cell phone to be a toy or present because other classmates all have cell phones. Even five-year old children have cell phones. Next, the companies of cell phones sell specific cell phones to these tweens that can let parents control where their children are. Finally, the author claims that tweens don’t like this special cell phone for them. They want use the usual cell phone that general people use.

Reaction:

I am interested in the influence of technology on society. This article tells me some trends of using cell phones. I feel that tweens are living in a good period. Recalling in my memory, I was almost 19 years old when I got my first cell phone. But now 5-year-old people have their own cell phones. The time is changing very fast. I am even not able to imagine that this situation has happened. I think there are some advantages for tweens to have cell phones. Parents can easily contact with their children, and they can find their children by using new technology like GPS. But I think it is not a good phenomenon that children like to use the newest cell phone and like to compare who has the better cell phone. Parents should give children good concepts to have cell phones. After all, cell phone is used to contact with people, not compare with friends.
By Jeremy

Monday, October 1, 2007

Reading Reaction Journal #4 - How cell-phone-only use subtly affects the culture.

Reference:

Himowitz, M. (2007, August 19). PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY; How cell-phone-only use subtly affects the culture. Newsday. Retrieved on September 25, 2007, from
http://www.lexisnexis.com

Summary:

In Himowitz’s article, the author expresses the idea that the cell-phone-only use is a new phenomenon and affects Americans’ daily life in the United States. First, he talks about the change in using telephones from landlines to cell phones. According to the research, there are more than 10 percent of people who are cell-phone-only users. Next, more than 50 percent of people who live with unrelated roommates are cell-phone-only users. The young, poor, single, and black; people and non- homeowners have a high percentage to be cell-phone-only uses. Finally, the author claims that this change influences a lot of people, such as pollsters and telemarketers. Pollsters can’t do the correct survey and telemarketers can’t find people to sell products to from the white pages directory.

Reaction:

I am interested in the relationship of technology and daily life. This article makes me surprised that cell phone affect our life very much. Cell phone is very convenient and some one like me who lives individually doesn’t have any phone in the room. He just uses cell phone to contact with other people. In Taiwan the fee of making a call by cell phone is more expensive than by landline. Pollsters usually don’t make a call by cell phone to do surveys and telemarketers as well. But in recent times they have begun making a call to people who answer the call by cell phone. Even though this way costs more money than before, they still need to do these kinds of jobs by finding cheaper ways. I think the invention of cell phones will make different forms of lives for people. Maybe some day there will no landline at home.
By Jeremy

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Reading Reaction Journal #3 - New link between cancer and mobile phone use

Reference:

Fleming, N. (2007, August 30). New link between cancer and mobile phone use. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on September 18, 2007, from http://www.lexisnexis.com

Summary:

The article discusses a new study of electromagnetic waves from the cell phone. First, the author express that a study finds that the mobile phone signal makes the cell of the bodily tissue break in two. Next, a cancer researcher finds a new result that non-thermal mobile phone radiation still makes a cell divide into two cells. Nevertheless Cancers grow when the body can’t stop too much growth and separation of cells in the wrong place. Finally, the author tells that the research was finished in laboratory conditions. They couldn’t prove directly that radio waves make people get cancer because there are many different that causes occurred in the same time.

Reaction:

I am interested in technology and health. Does an electromagnetic wave make people get cancer? This is a controversial issue in our world. Scientists are studying this unknown field. Although scientists didn’t prove that electromagnetic wave make people have more chances to get cancer, I think there are some relationship between radio waves and cancers. In this modern time people can’t live without cell phone, because it is very convenient for people to connect with anyone. So my opinion is that people shouldn’t use their cell phones for a long time in every call. And keep cell phone away from your body. People can put their cell phone in their bags or purse. This way can reduce people’s contracting directly with cell phone and prevent electromagnetic waves from affecting their bodies. When scientists can’t prove the relationship between radio wave and body health, people should decrease the frequency about using cell phones and keep cells away from their bodies.

by Jeremy

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Reading Reaction Journal #2-Dialing for disaster: when employees talk on cell phones while driving.

Reference:

McClellan, C. (2007, July 23). Dialing for disaster: when employees talk on cell phones while driving. Foulston Siefkin LLP. Retrieved on September 3, 2007, from http://www.lexisnexis.com

Summary:

This article discusses the fact that you will easily have a car accident when you make a call while driving. The company especially has to pay attention to the car accidents that are caused by cell phones. If your employees make victim injured in the car accident because they make a call for a customer or receive a call from business, you will pay huge money for the victim. The author provides some examples from some states of lawsuits of big money paid because their employees use cells when driving a call. The author said that there are some methods to prevent this kind of things from happening. For example, the company needs to carry out rules for employees about when they can use cell phones while driving. Employees can’t use cell phone when they are driving. If they want to use a cell phone, they need to pull the car off the road in the right way and use the phone. The emergency call is allowed in any situation. You also need to understand particularly the state laws about using cell phones when driving.

Reaction:

I am very interested in new technological products. Sometimes technological products will make you have some troubles or make someone hurt or die. This article claims that using cell phones when driving is very dangerous. In Taiwan, it is prohibited to use cell phones when driving a car. If you use a cell phone in the car and police see that, you will get an expensive ticket. When I came to Carbondale, I was not used to seeing a driver using a cell phone when driving. I think that it is very dangerous behavior. Why doesn’t the government prohibit it to protect drivers’ lives? Although there is no law to inhibit it, you can protect yourself in order to drive more safely. If you must answer a phone call when you are driving, you need to pull off your car, park it in the a right place and answer the phone call. You are also able to buy an earphone for your cell phone. That is also better way to use a cell phone in the car. In order to have your security, please don’t use cell phones when you are driving a car.

by Jeremy

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Reading Reaction Journal - "Apple's Quarterly Earnings Show The iPhone Revolution Is Succeeding"

Reference:

Wagner, M (2007, July 26). Apple's Quarterly Earnings Show The iPhone Revolution Is Succeeding InformationWeek. Retrieved on September 3, 2007, from http://www.informationweek.com

Summary:

This article discusses the fact that Apple’s new product “iPhone” has good sales volume in the first week. Although iPhone has some disadvantages compared with Nokia N95 such as a worse camera and low speed wireless networking, it has advantages such as human-based and easy user interface. Customers like this new Apple cell phone very much. Apple Company hopes iPhone will become its third popular product by the side of Mac and iPod. iPhone will be sold in Europe next quarter and sold in Asia in 2008. They have a big target to sell 10 million by 2008. They have confidence to contend with their competitor with their new-tech platform.

Reaction:

I am very interested in new technological products. I am also very concerned about the hottest cell phone “iPhone.” Before iPhone is sold, there are some different advertisements on TV and on the internet. They just were short advertisment that show the creative function about using iPhone. They attracted the hearts of consumers. I was attracted to this first cell phone from Apple Company. This article proves that Apple Company has succeeded to sell this hottest product “iPhone.” I think if iPhones are sold in another country, there will be a shopping rush. It is regrettable that it was just sold in the U.S, and buying an iPhone requires making a long contract with AT&T. However, there are some disadvantages when it is compared with the smartphone, like a lower megapixel camera and a low speed wireless network. But they are not important for me. The function of iPhone that I love very much is its human-based platform. It is easy to use this phone. I think if Apple Company can fix some disadvantages of the iPhone, it will be a great business for Apple Company and it will help Apple make more money.
by Jeremy