Alzheimer’s disease Essay Example for Free

Alzheimer’s disease Essay Alzheimers disease is a neurological disorder in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline. A neurodegenerative type of dementia, the disease starts mild and gets progressively worse. Alzheimers is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimers disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Alzheimers is not a normal part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimers are 65 and older. But Alzheimers is not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimers (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s. Alzheimers worsens over time. Alzheimers is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimers, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimers is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Those with Alzheimers live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable to others, but survival can range from four to 20 years, depending on age and other health conditions. People with Alzheimer disease also develop deposits of stuff (protein and fiber) that prevent the cells from working properly. When this happens, the cells cant send the right signals to other parts of the brain. Over time, brain cells affected by Alzheimer disease also begin to shrink and die. Lots of research is being done to find out more about the causes of Alzheimer disease. There is no one reason why people get Alzheimer disease. Older people are more likely to get it, and the risk gets greater the older the person gets. For instance, the risk is higher for someone who is 85 than it is for someone who is 65. And women are more likely to get it than men. Researchers also think genes handed down from family members can make a person more likely to get Alzheimer disease. But that doesnt mean everyone related to someone who has it will get the disease. Other factors, combined with genes, may make it  more likely that someone will get the disease. Some of them are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Down syndrome, or having a head injury. ‘ Citation Page www.medicalnewstoday.com www.alz.org

Importance Of Media In Sport

Importance Of Media In Sport The first ever televised football match was shown by the BBC 12 Months After the service was born. Viewers watched 12 months before the match purely through excitement of which the two teams were to play. On the 16th of September 1937, Arsenal and Arsenal Reserved played each other in the first ever televised match. The first ever televised International match was between Scotland and England on 9th April 1938. Through the years television viewers have increased along with the popularity of sport. More sporting channels are available to watch on the television as a variety of providers such as Sky and Virgin are constantly upgrading and adding a wider variety of sports channels which includes many different sports. Per person in Britain the average viewing time on television a week is 25 hours. Sports channel viewers increase every day which means more of the 25 hours watched are spent watching sport. There are two bodies in Britain responsible for television and these are: The British Broadcasting Corporation  (BBC), which broadcasts television and radio programmes; The Independent Television Commission  (ITC), which licences and regulates commercial television service including cable, satellite and independent teletext services; (1) Showing times and slots for programmes are decided by these bodies and most of the times are decided by the shows popularity with the viewers. Ofcom (Office of Communications) is a company which licences all television services across the UK. They have a broadcasting code which all broadcasters must stick to and follow. Viewers are entitled to watch certain sports events free of charge through the BBC such as the Olympics, The Ashes and World Cup matches in football. Snooker and Rugby events are also provided free of charge by the BBC. Sky and Virgin sports channels cost money as they are sold as a package deal but money is also generated through offering of extra sport channels such as ESPN and Extreme Sports. Pay per View channels provide special events in Boxing and other sports such as wrestling. These events cost money but the viewer has the option whether to watch or not. Radio On January 15th 1927, The Rugby Union was the very first sport to be broadcasted on the radio. The match was between Wales and England and it took place at Twickenham. The radio is very important when relating to sport as it gives live commentary of a wide range of sports around the world. During sporting events many members of the public may not have access to a television as they may be at work or travelling. A radio is very accessible for example cars and mobile phones provide connections to radio signals. In many careers today workplaces allow radios to be listened to during work time. Football matches and also many other sports can be tuned into when a television cant be accessed. BBC Radio 5 is a very popular station for Sporting action, news and updates. Continental AM is the most popular sports news radio station in the UK. In the United States ESPN is the most popular as it covers Americas most popular sports such as baseball and American football. Both of these radio stations are majorly popular partly due to that they broadcast the worlds biggest sporting event which is The World Cup. Many people own mp3 players and i pods which also have access to radio stations. This is very useful when travelling by train or bus. Airplanes also provide headphones to allow passengers to listen to radio stations. Depending on the time of travel many sports events can be tuned into. Newspapers/Press Before television was invented a newspaper was the main source for accessing sports news and updates. The New York Times was the first ever newspaper to include a sports section. This idea grew at a very fast rate and more newspapers around the world began designating an area in their paper purely for sporting context. Below is a list of the UKs most popular newspapers: Top 10 UK Daily Newspapers 1 The Sun  (2,955,957) 2 Daily Mail  (2,096,074) 3 Daily Mirror  (1,239,691) 4 Daily Star  (823,025) 5 Daily Telegraph  (683,220) 6 Daily Express  (665,731) 7 The Times  (506,997) 8 Financial Times  (386,590) 9 Daily Record  (328,183) 10 The Guardian  (288,917) (2) The Sun is the most popular newspaper as shown above and it also has a sports section at the back of the newspaper. The problem with this is that The Suns information is believed to be not entirely accurate. Each newspaper has many different journalists. Cadwick and Nancarrow are the main sports editors for The Sun and are considered as major press to sports performers and managers. When editors gather information it can be totally altered for production and viewers interest. The Daily Mail is another popular newspaper for sport and it provides news and results for the following sports: boxing, football, rugby, tennis, snooker, golf and horse racing. The content produced in these sports includes information on different levels for example school football results. Newspapers are printed daily which is beneficial for finding recent and up to date sports information. Internet In the past decade the internet has became the main source of communication as well as promoting sporting information and news updates. The internet itself is found on many devices today such as laptops and mobile phones. This makes the internet very accessible no matter where you are located. Every day more sports facts and information is added to the internet which can be discussed through email or chat rooms. For example Facebook is the worlds largest social network website with a substantial figure of more than 500 million users. Sports updates and results are posted on this website which means a huge amount of the public have access to them. As well as social interaction to discuss sport there are also individual websites which give information in depth on upcoming and present sports events and competitions. It can be argued that the internet has now taken over television and radio regarding recent news and worldwide updates. Therefore the most viewed sports channels are now con verted onto the internet which allows the public to access live sports action and results through their computer. For those interested in predicting the outcome of these events, several gambling websites regarding sport have been launched and are now available for internet users. This is extremely convenient and efficient as the public can play a part in the sporting action straight from their online device. Sports advertisement is escalating on the internet which promotes a variety of sports and gets online users interested. Developing role models Role models are a major part of promoting sport around the world. Performers at the peak of their individual sport become a role model to sports fans and inspire youths to try hard to better their personal ability. When most people think of a sports role model the majority of the public would say the name David Beckham. David is without a doubt a main role model figure in sport around the world as he promotes football through advertisements such as television adverts and internet advertisements. Scotland also has role models in a variety of sports such as tennis star Andrew Murray. This 23 year old athlete is currently ranked number 1 in Britain and number 5 in the world. Many young performers look up to Andrew and try to excel in sport as he has. Sponsorships play a huge role in promoting sport and role models are usually sponsored by main sports labels such as Adidas and Nike. Andrew Murray appears in Adidas adverts on television and the internet which promotes tennis and sporting activity. Being a major role model in sport also comes with a certain amount of pressure. Most of Scotland relies on performers such as Andrew Murray to succeed and represent their country. The performer stresses about winning as failure may ruin their role model reputation and decrease their national popularity. National Identity This is when the nation unites or comes together and supports a national team in a major sporting event such as The World Cup. Advertisements through television, radio and the internet promote national status and increase the nations interest and support. Scotland is a very patriotic country and when a major sport event arises everyone shows full support by gathering together to watch the event or uniting and chanting the national anthem. All over the nation the event will be discussed and a high number of supporters will where Scottish tartan or kilts to show their full support. The events stadium or venue will be guaranteed a full capacity to represent the whole nations support. Agencies such as the S.F.A promote Scotland in major competitions and the management team are put under a lot of pressure to live up to this positive promotion. Both managers and performers are pressured due to national identity as they dont want to let the whole nation down and look to be a disappointment. National support plays a massive part on sport success because it increases the players confidence and belief in their countries ability to succeed. Conclusion This report showed the importance of different forms of media and how they influence sport. Technology is constantly improving hopefully new forms of media will be produced. Each form has its own individual benefits and they all play a part in promoting sport and advertising events. As described, role models and national support promote and increase sport interest and involvement around the world.

Short Story Example | Extreme Kidnap

Short Story Example | Extreme Kidnap Something clicked and my senses turned on; heart pounding, mind wide awake, fists ready for action as I started to hear the rush of wind and a propeller outside, a 12 seater Cessna Caravan. I could see two of my best friends with duct tape around their feet and seated at the back of the cabin next to the luggage compartment. I turned around towards the front of the plane. I could see blood on the ground; I felt the back of my head, and it was wet, sticky wet. I looked further past the blood. My eyes stung from the concentration, but I saw a man lounging on a red seat next to the aisle with a pistol pointed at me. I wiped my eyes to lessen the sting; it helped a little bit. I thought this was all a dream as I attempted to stand. I dragged a knee up, levering myself into vertical. I swayed as I looked at the mans face. It was dirty with red rings under his eyelids. His black hair was lank and greasy. He stood up and waved his gun towards the back of the plane. I continued to stagger to wards him, but something stopped me as I tried to take another step. I looked down to see my friend prostrate on the ground with his hand on my ankle. Tears were forming in his eyes. What was I doing? Im in a plane with people who have guns and two friends who have duct tape around their feet and I am walking towards my death? As I turned around, someone grabbed me from behind and forced me towards the back of the plane. Pain snaked across my upper arm and shoulder. My body was screaming out in agony as I tried to twist away, but all that happened was more pain. A blond haired man with a huge freckle of his chin forced me to sit with my back against the cargo door. Not too far away was the door that was used for exiting the plane. It had a simple red handled lever that was used to open the door. I glanced outside to see if there were any houses down on the ground but no, there was still only the Australian desert. From what I could see there were only small shrub bushes with occasional gum trees. There was no hope of escape. Another man appeared from the cabin carrying three items of baggage; they were a backpack of a sort. He approached us and calmly stated Thank you for being our experiment. We have some clients that want some fun with guns. They are placed on the ground and if they find you or see you they will shoot you. I began to panic. My heart was beating faster. As I looked across at my friends and they were trembling I began to realise what the backpacks were. They were parachutes. I told myself to remain strong and I gave my friends a reassuring pat on the shoulder. The blond haired freckle man spoke this time, Simple as this, you put on these backpacks and jump. I was shoved out the plane with barley enough time to put my parachute on. . It felt nice to be outside putting aside the fact that I was falling towards the ground at an astonishing rate. My lungs lurched out of their normal place right into my mouth, or so it felt like it. It was the biggest whoopsy I have ever had. I pulled the straps tight around me, and then I pulled the rip cord at the front. A small chute about the size of a kids plastic swimming pool opened up. My heart sank and I had the worst feeling in my life. I heard a tearing sound. I looked up and thought the mini-chute was tearing apart, but no, something forced its way out of the bag and pushed against my back. I saw a huge black object about the size of an Olympic swimming pool open up. I slowed down to a steady pace and all was calm, surprisingly. I scanned the sky for my friends, there was nothing except for the wispy white clouds and WHOA!! I exclaimed out aloud, as a large dark object whistled in front of me. It was Jake. I realised he didnt know how to open the chute. I screamed out, Pull the strings! It appeared that he didnt hear me, but after what seemed an eternity a parachute opened. I breathed a sigh of relief. I looked around, beneath, above and beside me. There was no one else, other than Jake, to be found. Could Frankie have fallen past me and crashed on the carpet of brown and green spots? I refused to belief that, and squinted my eyes to look across the sky where the plane was. I focused harder and thought I could see my friend. To confirm my thoughts a mushroom blew up in the sky. How on earth are Jake and I going to find Frankie now? Jake and I had levelled with each other in flight. As we neared the ground, which was about 50metres away, I tensed up for a hard landing. Jake glanced across at me, a nervous look on his face. I shouted out Aim for the clear patch and run when you hit the ground! Jake held up his hand and put his thumbs up. I looked up at the inside of the parachute to see if everything was fine, landing spot was okay, head still pounding but okay, legs sore and stiff; I was ready. In the last few seconds as I came down I started to run in mid air, Jake was doing the same. 4 metres, 3 metres, 2, 1, 0, SMASH, pain shot up my legs, but I continued to run. I slowed down, my parachute folding in on itself, scratches starting to bleed, dust blowing everywhere and legs collapsing under me. I lay there for a moment thinking over what had happened today or yesterday. Bike riding with my friends, kidnapped, drugged, woke up in a plane, forced to jump and now, apparently, prey in the middle of the Australian desert. I dragged myself up and dropped the parachute on the ground. I limped over to Jake who was lying face down on the dark red ground. Checking his breathing, I rolled him over. He had blood dripping out of a cut, just under his chin, but otherwise was okay. I went over to the parachute and tore a strip of fabric of it. As I wrapped the cloth under his chin and over his head, I had to chuckle a little bit. He looked a little like red riding hood. Jake sat up and said, I dont think I will ever do parachuting again in my life. Same here, I replied. I continued in a more serious manner, Okay lets move out, we have no idea how many people are trying to kill us and we have to find Frankie. We got up and began to walk away from the landing site, towards Frankie. The terrain was flat but it was not desirable. There were small knee height bushes covering every bit of land, we couldnt see the ground and I was afraid of being bitten by a snake. There were a few taller shrubs that were my height, but were sparsely spaced out. There were also a few gum trees that I could see in the distance and nothing else of importance. There was an eerie silence; there were no birds, cars engines, horns or people yelling. The silence was totally opposite to the sound of Perth, where I live. We continued our journey towards Frankies landing spot. Both of us had walked 2miles all ready. We came upon a gum tree, it was a large tree and it provided a lot of shade. We stopped and sat for a rest, my throat was dry as parchment and it hurt. My legs were also shaky from lack of food. The sun was getting hotter. It must be near midday I thought. All of a sudden we heard leaves rustling, Jake and I jumped into the nearest bush, because we thought it was someone with a gun. My heart pounded, and prickles went all over my body and started pressing into my skin. Out of the surrounding a voice yelled. Oi! up here. Sweat was pouring out of all my sweat glands, I lay down as flat as I could, it was uncomfortable and I was really scared. I couldnt see my friend and wished the best for him. Then the voice yelled out again, Help me Im stuck in this tree. I looked up without getting out of my hiding spot. In the gum tree I saw Frankie dangling with his parachute snagged on the higher branches. I crawled out of the bush, being careful not to cut myself again. I hoped to my feet and yelled in a happy voice, Frankie! Frankie yelled back, Of all the open shrub land I landed in a tree. I began to laugh and say, Well we landed in the only spot where it has clear ground. Jake came across to where I was standing and glared up and said, How are you going to get down? You are about 2 stories high, dangling in the air with no branches nearby. Frankie shouted back, Ill jump, but first Ill drop this down to you. He reached around and grabbed the zip on his bag and yanked it down, he pulled out a grey plastic shopping bag. He carefully dropped it to the ground; it went clunk and a crackle. I went over and picked the bag up, I glanced inside and there was three one litre mount Franklin bottles. I moved the bottles around and saw a flash of bright red; I reached in more and pulled out three big mars bars. About time I got some good news, I said aloud. Look at below said Frankie as he released the strap and jumped. He landed on the heavy side but was okay. We all sat down and pulled out the water bottles and had a drink. It felt nice, clean crisp cold water running down my dry throat. I had already drunk more than half of the water, but I stopped because we had to ration the water. We got up and walked west. According to Frankies watch by lining the hour hand with the sun, and halfway between the minute hand and the hour hand was north. Head for the ocean was our thinking. We walked for ages, my legs are sore and sweat is pouring out of my back. The terrain was changing there were more mounds in the dirt and uneven ground. There were more trees with greener leaves. While we were walking along taking sips of our water we came across a small gravel cliff. We all began to climb down, however I slipped on the gravel and tried to grab the nearest plants, but I ripped them out as I fell. I clawed my hands against the edge of the rock face, but I couldnt grab anything. I was increasing my speed; it was a 3 story building drop and I was approaching the bottom. I looked down it rounded of a little bit. It flashed through my head as if it were less than a second. I hit the bottom, my legs skidded out from the soft sloping gravel and I hit my head after my hands tried to lessen the impact. I cried out in pain as I yelled for my friends to help me. I lay on the ground with pain coming from my leg, ankle and head. I felt giddy and the world spun around me. Then a supporting hand lifted my head and propped me against a tree nearby. My friends came into view; there were tears in their eyes. I reached over to touch my leg which I couldnt feel. I couldnt see that well so I was going by touch. I ran my hand from my hip down to my knee, over the knee cap, halfway down my lower leg then I reached a bump in my leg, I continued to run my hand down but it wasnt just bent it was broken. It was lucky that I couldnt feel much pain because I would be crying out if I did.

The Gospel of Thomas Essay -- Informative, Manuscripts

Discovered in the twentieth century, The Gospel of Thomas was founded by peasants that were digging for fertilizer close to the village of Nag Hammadi, Egypt. The peasants revealed a container containing thirteen leather-bound manuscripts that were buried in the fourteenth century. The container contained fifty-two tractates that represented â€Å"heretical† writings of Gnostic Christians. Dated back to 200 A.D., there was not much known about the Gospel of Thomas besides that there were only three small fragments from Oxyrynchus. The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of literary works that contains 114 ‘opaque sayings’ of Jesus that were collected and written down by St. Didymus Jude Thomas, but nobody knows if St. Didymus Jude Thomas wrote the sayings down for sure, it is just said that he did. St. Didymus Jude Thomas was said to be Jesus’ twin brother, assumed by a few early Christians. Thomas is actually Hebrew for twin, and Didymus is Greek for twin as well. According to saying twelve, the disciples said to Jesus, â€Å"We know that you will depart from us. Who is to be our leader?† Jesus said to them, â€Å"Wherever you are, you are to go to James the righteous, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being†(Gospel of Thomas: saying 12). As I was reading the Gospel of Thomas and read over saying twelve, I believe that Jesus is stating that his brother James is the go to guy, the leader, when they are to be departed. I also believe that saying twelve is evidence that, in the second century, someone who admired James had help write the Gospel of Thomas. Furthermore, I think that the writer of the Gospel of Thomas most likely has had access to the Gospel of John. This is because the writer references Jesus as being a light. Only John's Gosp... ...ng how Christianity would be different if the Gospel of Thomas were in the New Testament is impossible to answer because no one could say in regards to the details. However, it would be safe to say that Christianity as we know it would not exist. The Bible would now contain opposing teachings on salvation. This kind of contradiction would certainly lead to confusion and distrust in the veracity of any of the Gospel accounts. The Canonical Gospels can be traced back to the earliest Church via the writings of the Ante-Nicene Church fathers. The Gnostic Gospels cannot be traced back to any writer who is connected to Jesus in any manner. Furthermore, all the texts within the Old Testament and the New Testament were never in question among believers at any point, while the Gnostic texts were seen as texts simply using the name â€Å"Jesus† to teach different â€Å"truths.†

Analysis of Arby’s Sports Illustrated Advertisement Essay -- Sexual Im

Sexual imagery has been used in advertising for a long time with a great deal of success. With the ever-increasing difficulty of advertisers to gain the attention of the media consumer, the use of both effective and ineffective sexual imagery has flourished in recent years. Some products such as perfume and clothing are relatively easy to sell with sexual imagery. Companies selling products such as fast food, however, must be more creative with their use of sexual imagery. Arby’s Roast Beef Restaurant took such a creative approach with its full-page advertisement in the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. The ad featured two of Arby’s soon-to-be released Roastburger sandwiches covered by a model’s crossed arms. The burgers were positioned side-by-side in the upper third of the ad, with the model’s arms crossed at the wrists at about the center of the ad. The model’s hands were positioned in such a way that they covered a majority of the two burgers, but left some of the top and bottom of each burger visible. The model’s arms extended out of the print area of the ad and no other part of the model’s body was visible. In the lower quarter of the ad was a bright red text box that extended from the left edge of the ad across to the Arby’s logo at the right edge of the ad. The minimal amount of white text in the box contained the headline, â€Å"We’re about to reveal something you’ll really drool over,† (Rovell, 2009). The remaining copy text acknowledged that Arby’s was teasing the viewer with a glimps e of the burgers, but that the viewer would have to wait until it was released in March 2009 (Rovell, 2009) to see the whole thing. Although anything but a cursory glance at the ad shows nothing more than a pair of... ...eef Restaurant: http://www.arbys.com/about/values.php CNBC. (2010, January 28). The Business Behind the SI Swimsuit Issue. Retrieved January 31, 2010, from CNBC: http://www.cnbc.com/id/34828908?slide=2 Echo Media. (2005). Sports Illustrated Magazine. Retrieved January 28, 2010, from Echo Media: http://www.echo-media.com/mediadetail.asp?IDNumber=4489 Henthorne, T. L., & LaTour, M. S. (1995). A Model to Explore the Ethics of Erotic Stimuli in Print Advertising. Retrieved January 30, 2010, from Research Library: http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/BF00871984 Rovell, D. (2009, February 11). Arby's Scores In Swimsuit Issue. Retrieved January 30, 2010 from CNBC: http://www.cnbc.com/id/29139052 Sports Illustrated. (2007). MRI National Spring 2007 Fact Sheet. Retrieved January 30, 2007 from Sports Illustrated: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/adinfo/si/mri2007.html

Is Social Networking Good for Society?

Is Social Networking Good For Society? Irma Barrios Brandman University Is Social Networking Good for Society? With various ongoing debates about why social networking may be bad for society, I have found it to be a positive resource. Social networking comes in many forms. It comes in the form of facebook, twitter, and even professional forums such as Linkedin. In such a fast-paced world, I find social networking to be an invaluable way of sharing ideas and interests that allow me to remain engaged.Although some may debate that social networking takes away from face to face and/or quality interactions, I have found it to be an invaluable tool in building community and networks. In fact, I believe it has given us a more effective way of communicating and engaging with one another especially in our fast-paced society. If I am on a work assignment that requires me to keep abreast of current events, one of my favorite tools to use is twitter. I find it to be a quick news feed and I usual ly learn about news first from there before learning it from the mainstream media such as television or radio.On a professional level, I have found Linkedin to be highly valuable. It has given me the ability to connect with prospective clients or sponsors that otherwise may have never been possible. And of course facebook has been the staple for me as for many in helping us remain engaged and to keep abreast of graduations, weddings, births or other special events regarding our family and friends. Social media continues to make strides to make communication more accessible and easier for all of us.Just this week Mark Zuckerberg, founder of facebook, has announced that it is now offering a Graph Search function in order for the user to have the ability to run queries from one’s network of friends. It allows users to run queries in order to find commonalities or other areas of interest within friend networks. Twitter has allowed many in suppressed countries to organize and make their voices heard to the point of overthrowing oppressive government leaders. Here at home many have opted to use facebook or twitter to raise awareness for their special causes and obtain signatures for legislation they are hoping to pass.On a more critical note, there have been cases where people have found an organ donor match or long lost loved one using social network sites. The deaf and mute have found a voice via their use of twitter and facebook and it has giving them a platform to be on par with the rest of the world. For the elderly, it has given them the ability to remain connected with loved ones. It has given them a way of remaining engaged and a way of overcoming obstacles of face to face interactions especially if they are experiencing physical limitations (Lu, 2011).For those who have been concerned about their online image, they can take control by taking advantage of the resource Linkedin. There you can list professional achievements, build a professional rolodex , and ask for recommendations for visibility on your online profile. Various career sites have mentioned that prospective employers place as much value on Linkedin recommendations as they do on traditional references. It is also thrilling to see that social networking has provided a platform for online learning.It is because of this invaluable resource that many, including myself, now have the opportunity of completing a formal education that otherwise may have been an impossible dream. Yet with all of these positive aspects of social networking, there are many who oppose the idea of it and for their own personal reasons. Michael Bugeja, director of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University, has written a book entitled Interpersonal Divide: The Search for Community in a Technological Age. According to his book, one of Bugeja’s main objections to online social networking is the business models.He argues that the main goal of online social net working is to generate revenue through their ads, not to build a community experience. Another one of his concerns is that online social networking, in particular facebook, can lend itself to creating addiction (Jayson, 2009). But according to Nancy Bayam, an associate professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, â€Å"There is not compelling evidence that spending time on social networking sites and expanding our social circles damages the close relationships we have.People think that if you’re hanging out on Facebook, you’re not having quality face-to-face time. That is not supported† (Jayson, 2009). Also, in a study conducted by Robert Kraut, a professor of human computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, in the journal Information, Communication & Society showed that for those who communicated online with someone they knew, experienced a reduction in depression (as cited in Jayson, 2009).Furthermore, Barry Wellman wh o is a sociologist at the University of Toronto stated, â€Å"The mythology we have is that people used to spend whole days hanging around community – like the bar at Cheers. They didn’t. They stayed home. If we switch from television to social networking sites, it’s a switch toward sociability-not away from it† (Jayson, 2009). Some oppose facebook because they believe it is a superficial means of communication. Others oppose it due to the cyber bullying and cyber stalking stories they hear in the news. Others fear it due to a feeling that it leads to an invasion of privacy or identity theft.Some may oppose twitter because they don’t understand how there could be any value of sending messages at 140 characters per tweet. Other critics have the preconceived notion that the time people spend in front of a computer on social sites is time taken away from other positive aspects in life such as exercising or attending events in person. As you can see th ere are many reasons why critics of social networking believe it is bad for our society, yet the powerful effects of online social interaction seem to outweigh what can be misconceptions or fears.Sharon Jayson, the author of the article published in USA Today entitled â€Å"Flocking behavior lands on social networking sites† (Jayson, 2009) finds that social networking influences human behavior regardless of it occurring face to face or online. In her article she quotes Claude Fischer, a sociology professor at University of California-Berkeley, â€Å"Those of us who study social networks believe they matter – that things do spread along social networks. † She adds that Nicholas Christakis, a physician and Harvard University sociologist states, â€Å"In many ways, human beings behave like flocks of birds or schools of fish. She shares the observations by James Fowler, a social scientist at the University of California-San Diego, and Christakis, â€Å"Whether the y’re face-to-face or virtual social networks influence human behavior and shape everything from finance to the way people vote. † Since it is human nature to belong to a group, one can see how â€Å"joining† twitter, facebook or Linkedin groups is a natural part of our human behavior. Some experts state that studying the long-term effects of social networking is still in its early stages since this form of interaction is relatively ew. However, there are experts who are already disclosing positive findings from various studies. Scientific American Mind (as cited in Jayson, 2009) discloses that â€Å"social support and social networking offer benefits, from additional resilience to greater life satisfaction to reducing the risk of health problems. † Apparently, other studies in recent years have found that in a large group the feeling of belonging to a larger group was beneficial for stroke victims in their recovery, and another benefit was that of improvin g memory.A major benefit is that of helping to boost a feeling of well-being. Christakis and Fowler conducted a study based off of the Framingham Heart Study with a group consisting of 5,124 adults within a network of 12,067 people from Framingham, Massachusetts. Their findings indicated that participants had an average of 10. 4 ties to others and totaled 53,228 ties (as cited in Jayson, 2009). The results of this study are telling in that they demonstrate the community building that has taken place via these social sites.With a all of the hustle and bustle and stresses of the world, achieving a feeling of well-being is priceless. Note The Australian Psychological Society in 2010 conducted a survey that disclosed some interesting findings. Participants stated some of the reasons they used social network sites were to check up on their kids, receive event invitations, and for business, promotional and professional networking purposes. Surprisingly, more than 50% of the participants s tated they felt they would lose touch with friends if they were not actively using a social network site.Some participants valued the use of social network sites especially if they had issues with being shy or for matters related to the heart. Nearly 80% had a date with someone they had met online and 82% had formed an intimate relationship with someone they had met online. The use of social network sites have also proved to be effective in the political arena. There was a telling study conducted by Matthew James Kushin, Department of Communication-Utah Valley University and Masahiro Yamamoto, from The Edward R.Murrow College of Communications-Washington State University. It analyzed the online media use by college students for political purposes during the 2008 election. Facebook users could express themselves politically in various ways such as by making online donations, encouraging their friends to vote, and posting graphics or status updates expressing political attitudes and o pinions. Twitter and blogs were used by candidates and voters alike to comment on social and political issues, share information, and encourage participation. – Kushin and Yamamoto, 2010Twitter has proved to be such an effective means of communication for political activists that it is banned in China. Ai Weiwei a Chinese activist explains that in China twitter is used differently compared to other countries. In China 140 characters lends itself to writing a novel. This allows activists to share deeper ideas as they relate to democracy and freedom (Ladhani, 2011). All in all, there appears to be a consensus among experts in the social studies, communications, and other relative fields who have discovered that there are many benefits that come from social networking, even if it is via a computer.As Christakis said, â€Å"So many things we normally think of as individualistic – like what our body size is, or what we think about a political topic, or whether we are happy – are actually collective phenomena† (Jayson, 2009). In conclusion, social networking sites have in fact given us additional tools to nurture our relationships, build community and professional networks. It has provided an avenue for people in the world including those in oppressive countries, to have a voice and create positive change on important political matters.In essence, it has provided an equal platform where regardless if you are someone who has a physical or social impediment, you can remain engaged and be heard, even in this fast-paced world. References APS National psychology week survey 2010, The Australian Psychological Society, Retrieved January 18, 2013 from http://www. psychology. org. au Bugeja, M. (2005). Interpersonal divide: The search for community in a technological age. Retrieved from www. amazon. com Christakis and Fowler (2011). The surprising power of our social networks and how they shape our lives.Retrieved from www. amazon. com Jayson, S. (2009, September 28). Flocking behavior lands on social networking sites. USA Today. Retrieved January 28, 2013 from http://www. usatoday. com Kraut, R. (n. d. ). Information, Communication & Society. Retrieved from http://www-bcf. usc. edu/~wdutton/ics_journal. html Kushin, M. J. and Yamamoto, M. (2010), Did social media really matter? College students’ use of online media and political decision making in the 2008 election. Mass Communications and Society, 13, p. 608-630. doi: 10. 1080/15205436. 2010. 16863. Ladhani, N. (2011). The organizing impact of social networking. Social Policy. Retrieved January 16, 2013 from http://www. socialpolicy. org Lu, X. A. (2011), Social networking and virtual community. Proteus a Journal of Ideas, 27, p. 51-56. Retrieved February 1, 2013 from http://www. ship. edu Rosenquist, J. N. (2011), Social network determinants of depression. Molecular Psychiatry, 16, p. 273-281. doi: 10. 1038/mp. 2010. 13. Scientific American Mind (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. nature. com/scientificamericanmind/index. html

Our Life Is Affected by Excess Clutter That Weighs Us Down

It was a necessary realization to me how much living among excess clutter could harm my health, physically and emotionally. We may think it is just a cleaning process, but the depth of the problem will open our eyes to realize how and why the effect of clutter weighs us down. Why it is hard to unclutter? Why can’t it be organized? Why is more clutter mounting up? Emotionally attached objects are hard to get rid of. New attractive items are found in markets all the time. Consequently, clutter can easily mount up in one’s life.Clutter and disorganization impairs productivity. By knowing these facts as problems, we can start searching for the solutions to make our life so much easier. I wanted to find solutions as I was living with excess clutter! I will be introducing a practical method to end excess clutter called â€Å"Danshari. † Danshari is a new notion of de-cluttering that has been prevalent in Japan. The idea includes the concept of removing the emotional bu rden that comes with having too many items.Furthermore, Danshari teaches people to let go of their burdens and make clear plans for a better future. We need to understand that clutter is created by unorganized people who are creating physical and mental danger for themselves. Physically, if one lives in a cluttered house, one probably doesn’t eat well, because the kitchen isn’t functional. The person most likely doesn’t even know what is in the refrigerator and whether or not their food is contaminated.People start to realize the need of de-cluttering when there is a distinct element of danger due to the excess clutter. However, unless one is highly organized, one would most likely understate the problem. People may think it is an issue of space when they approach the problem of de-cluttering. However, this subjectively viewed space problem can be solved by organizing accordingly by acquiring trash bags and containers. According to David F.Tolin, Director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Institute of Living in Hartford, CT, and an adjunct associate professor of psychiatry at Yale, â€Å"Hoarding is not just a house problem; it’s also a person problem. † (Tolin, Frost, & Steketee, 2007) The person needs to fundamentally change their behavior. The victims of this excess clutter problem would be the clinically defined hoarders; however, many people can find problems similar to the hoarder’s behaviors. I must state that the hoarders I am referring to are different from collectors, as an expert explains as follows: A definition of hoarding that discriminates clinical hoarding syndromes from collecting and normal saving involves: (a) the acquisition of, and failure to discard, a large number of possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value; (b) living spaces sufficiently cluttered so as to preclude activities for which those spaces were designed; (c) significant distress or impairment in functioning caused by the hoarding. † (Steketee & Frost, 2006) Hoarding has been reported in a variety of disorders. One of the problems is that hoarding involves the inability to discard worthless or worn out items.Some individuals firmly believe that all personal objects have emotional attachments. Consequently, they are unable to separate themselves from emotionally charged items that they feel holds some sort of personal memory. Those people may object to an uncluttering proposal because they may think and feel that all items are essential and they are unable to differentiate between essential and non-essential items. It is an understandable time consuming process; however, one must realize that failure to organize and de-clutter will often result in decreased feelings of well-being.Kupfermann (2011) in the New York Times article â€Å"The hoarder fights back,† opposes the notion that de-cluttering increases the level of mental health by demonstrating the traumatic experience of the d e-cluttering process at her house. Kupfermann (2011) argued that de-cluttering, Zen-like simplicity, or Feng-Shui practice would drain our feelings and leave us with emptiness. When Kupfermann was urged to clean her house for her child’s wedding, she reluctantly agreed to de-clutter objects with her minimalist friend who suggested going through the de-cluttering process.As Kupfermann’s memorable objects went into trash bags by the friend’s hand, she felt embarrassment, distress, and anger. After the friend declared gleefully there were ten containers to de-clutter, Kupfermann felt emptiness in her mind by losing irreplaceable memorial objects. Kupfermann (2011) addressed a noticeable drawback of de-cluttering, â€Å"Feng-shui experts will tell you that clearing the clutter is like weeding a garden to let the flowers emerge. Clear the decks and you'll make space to let new things into your life. Kupfermann opposed, â€Å"less is not always more; sometimes it re ally is less. † As a self-identified hoarder, Kupfermann falls into the expert definition of a hoarder; (a) the acquisition of, and failure to discard, a large number of possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value. It appears that Kupfermann’s feeling was fear that many hoarders experience. According to empirical evidence, many hoarder’s fear is derived from the belief that they must keep items in sight, otherwise they will lose or forget the personal value these items hold.Kupfermann experienced emptiness which made her feel insecure. The feeling of distress, insecurity, and anxiety caused by the notion of de-cluttering is the factor that interferes most with the hoarder’s problem of organization and systematization. Furthermore, compulsive buying disorder is featured in hoarding. Donald W. Black, MD, Professor at the University of Iowa, stated that compulsive buying disorder (CBD) is characterized by excessive shopping cognitions and buying behavior that leads to distress or impairment. Black, 2007) The study of hoarders’ brain activity by Tolin, Frost, & Steketee (2007) provides evidence that hoarders have difficulty in decision making, organizing, and planning. Hoarders’ brain activities were scanned and tracked while they looked at various possessions and made decisions about whether to keep them or throw them away. The items were shredded in front of them, so they knew the decision was irreversible. When a hoarder was making decisions about throwing away items, there was increasing activity in the orbitofrontal cortex, a part of the brain involved in decision making, organizing, and planning. Tolin, 2012) Moreover, since hoarding is associated with difficulties in organizing possessions, acquiring more clutter results in an endless chain of problems for hoarders. Materialism is another dimension that contributed to hoarding problems in today’s society. A new line of products always allures sho ppers despite the marketing strategy of manufactures. The shoppers can have the instant gratification of purchasing an item to improve social status and that will speak of their place in the tradition of affluence. It is apparent that oods have an important place in most consumers’ dreams, if not in their hearts. Yet it is not the goods themselves that people desire, but rather the benefit those goods provide, i. e. , an increase in comfort or pleasure, the ability to accomplish new tasks, and the perception of others when they regard what we own. Holdbrook (2002), the W. T. Dillard Professor of Marketing in the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University, defined materialism in his book, â€Å"Consumer Value : A Framework for Analysis and Research† reported on the importance a consumer attaches to worldly possessions.According to Holdbrook (2002), materialism is a value orientation in which individuals, 1) place possessions and their acquisition at the center o f their lives, and 2) believe that possessions lead to important life satisfactions. If one doesn’t see a hoarding problem, one might not identify hoarding behaviors as a high-priority problem. The awareness of a potential hoarding problem and its solution could be beneficial to anyone who is willing to consider an alternative living context and overcome problems of indecisiveness. The process may take a long time depending on the person; however, the advantages are multidimensional.As mentioned earlier, individuals who see objects as value refers to the emotional meaning attached to the possession. With items that have a personal symbolic meaning, such as a particularly important time in their life, a radically different decision making process as a result of organization and structure will most likely take considerable time. Kupfermann’s (2011) experience with her minimalist friend resulted in her rejecting the beneficial aspects of de-cluttering. Clutter should not be referred to as weeds, as those items hold some very important memories of people’s lives.Her friend was not attuned to Kupfermann’s feelings and item attributions, therefore Kupfermann had a traumatic experience resulting in the emergence of feelings and cognitions counter to the process of de-cluttering. One could argue that if the items are reassuring one’s feelings, one should keep the items and not necessarily discard them. It is important to take time to organize those memorable items. Through the process of organization, we will find out which objects reassure positive feelings and which do not. Memories are not in the objects themselves but they are within the individual.If one thinks every object reassures positive feelings, one is presumably living in the past, not in present. People will achieve a significant relationship with de-cluttering objects, finding essential objects in their life. The difference is how the individual took care of these memo rable items; whether to treat them as clutter or keep them as cherished memories, neatly organized and even beautifully displayed. If the item is important enough to keep as a memorable item, one would not just put the item somewhere that is hard to find, one would organize it and possibly proudly display the item.This type of cognitive attribution and style of thought is the difference between the collectors and the hoarders. Another possible drawback of this proposal would be the time for the decision making processes that will enter into making a choice between essential and non-essential personal items. A person may raise the question as to whether or not the decision to unclutter would be correct which may cause a certain level of distress. Most people think they don’t have enough time in their day. When will people find the time to organize and dispose of items when there are numerous simultaneous decisions that need to be made?People are proficient at making excuses. N evertheless, we should realize that in the long term, the time it takes to search and find a cluttered item will most likely be temporally similar as the process of de-cluttering and organizing. I would like to describe â€Å"Danshari (Yamashita ,2012)†, the notion of de-cluttering that is sweeping Japan. It is written with three chinese characters that indicates respectively, refusal, disposal and separation. The proposer, Hideko Yamashita, learned this notion through the study of Yoga which taught her to â€Å"let go,† as signified with the three chinese characters.There are psychological and religious dimensions mostly from zen which suggests the disposal of mental burden, along with the physical excess of clutter. As I am from Japan, this notion was easily accepted knowing the meaning of each chinese character. It is important to acquire the ability to distinguish what is essential to us and what is not essential in order to live positively with organized thought. It is the ability to make firm and logical decisions about what to keep and what to reject, and then engaging in the behavioral expression of disposal. One will gain control and personal reedom from the ability to emotionally separate oneself from those items that are no longer needed. There are many tips to being able to detach from emotionally charged objects. I will introduce a couple of tips; in regards to gifted items purchased by other people, if these gifts are undesirable, appreciate the kindness of the purchaser, then give the gift away to someone who can use it. When purchasing an item, consider if you already possess an item or similar item, and what is the purpose of the item you are considering purchasing. Key phrases to remember are â€Å"optimum amount,† â€Å"optimum quality†, and â€Å"optimum relationship. Keeping these concepts in one’s mind teaches a sense of function and practicality. Danshari (2002) teaches us to discard our lingering, ill ogical, and impractical senses. The de-cluttering practice allows us to realize and recognize the culminating effect of clutter, restricted space, and crowding which interferes with people’s ability to think clearly and act accordingly. As clutter becomes less prominent and cognitions become clearer and free of distraction, the mental condition improves and people’s quality of life improves. The most important impact achieved by Danshari (2002) is high self-affirmation.Humans are sensitive to environmental conditions. Living in a space where all objects suit one’s preference and need, one will feel welcomed by the space. Additionally, quality objects with the highest level of emotional attachment still remain by practicing the careful selection of memorable goods. Moreover, the Danshari (2002) practice will strengthen the ability for the discernible selection of activities and people. Danshari is also utilized as a training module to help people view themselves from another perspective on how much people cling to the past.By being able to re-orient themselves to the here-and-now, people will start to feel for the moment. References 1. Black. D. â€Å"A review of compulsive buying disorder† ncbi. nlm. nih. gov. World Psychiatry. 6 February, 2007. Web. 24 April. 2012 2. Tolin, D. F. , Frost, R. O. , & Steketee, G. â€Å"Buried in treasures: help for compulsive acquiring, saving, and hoarding. † Oxford University Press, 2007. 3. Holdbrook, M. B. â€Å"Consumer Value: A Framework for Analysis and Research† Taylor & Francis e-Library ed. Routledge. 2002. 4. Francine, J. â€Å"Minimalism around the World: Danshari. Miss minimalist, 11 Aug. 2011. Web. 19 April 2012. 5. Kupfermann, J. â€Å"The hoarder fights back. † Solo Syndication Ltd. News Paper article. January 2, 2011. 6. Tolin, D. F. â€Å"A Clutter Too Deep for Mere Bins and Shelves. † Nytimes. com. The New York Times, 1 January, 2008. Web. 28 April. 201 2 7. Steketee, Gail & Frost, Randy. â€Å"Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring: Workbook. † Oxford University Press, Nov 2006. 8. Yamshita, H. â€Å"Danshari – Hideko Yamashita official site. † Danshari. com. Keiei Kagaku public, co, ltd. 20 April, 2010. Web. 26 April. 2012