Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Experts Urge Pneumonia Shots for Elderly essays

Experts Urge Pneumonia Shots for Elderly essays Experts Urge Pneumonia shots for Elderly Because of the recent findings that there is a big shortage of flu shots, senior citizens of the ages 65 and older, have been urged to take the Pneumonia shot. This shot, called Pneumovax, is a one time shot for senior citizens. The vaccine is covered by Medicare.Younger people with heart disease and lung disease, and weak immune systems are also encouraged to use it too. For younger people though, the shot ranges from $30 to $50. Also is a person is under 65 and is taking the shot, they will have to get a booster shot after five years of taking it. This shot not only protects you from contracting pneumonia, it also prevents deadly blood infections and meningitis. This shot is not a replacement shot for the flu, but people are highly encouraged to get both shots if possible. The drug Pneumovax is always overlooked by many people, because most of them are looking for the flu shot, which always seems to come up short of the vaccine, but with this vaccine, there is never a shortage. S tudies show that 175,000 Americans are hospitalized with pneumonia. Also this germ causes more than 50,000 blood infections and up to 6,000 cases of meningitis. Almost 6,000 of those people die. The government is hoping that 90 percent of the elderly actually get the shot by the year 2010, but as statistics show now only 63 percent of them are receiving the shot now. Now what health officials are deciding to do is to expand the number of people who should get the vaccine to 50 or older, considering the fact that at this age people are more prone to the risk of getting pneumococcal disease, which will begin to rise before a more dramatic surge in the 60s. I feel that it is important for many people to go and get these shots. Senior citizens should especially abide by these recommendations. The elderlys health isnt doing anything but getting worse as they are getting older, especially thos...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Conscience vs. Conscious

Conscience vs. Conscious Conscience vs. Conscious Conscience vs. Conscious By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between conscience and conscious? They stem from the same Latin root, but their usage is distinct. Writers occasionally confuse the two words, but if you remain conscious, you’ll likely be able to say with a clear conscience that you know the difference. Conscience and conscious both come from the Latin word conscius; the word elements mean â€Å"with† and â€Å"to know.† (Yes, the -science in conscience means the same thing as science itself.) Conscience is a noun meaning â€Å"sense of the quality of one’s character and conduct,† â€Å"adherence to moral principles,† and â€Å"consideration of fairness and justice.† Confusion between conscience and conscious occurs because the latter word is sometimes used as a noun synonymous with consciousness, meaning â€Å"mental awareness,† though the longer form is usually employed. More often, however, conscious appears as an adjective meaning â€Å"aware† or â€Å"awake,† or â€Å"involving perception or thought.† It also appears in combination with a noun in phrasal adjectives such as â€Å"budget conscious† to refer to someone who is concerned, sensitive, or vigilant about something. Conscience and conscious can be distinguished because the former word is qualitative people have various degrees of moral strength while conscious, as its antonym, unconscious, indicates, is quantitative: You’re either one or the other, whether the word is used as a noun or an adjective. However, consciousness, as the word is usually applied, like conscious refers to a continuum: We speak of raising one’s consciousness and of higher consciousness, because this quality can be improved or increased. Like the noun conscious, though, consciousness has a quantitative sense as well, referring to a state of mental activity, as opposed to unconsciousness caused by illness or injury. Other words descended from the Latin word are self-conscious, which literally means â€Å"self-aware† but has acquired a connotation of â€Å"preoccupied with how one is perceived by others,† an attitude that leads to shyness and stress, and conscionable and its more common antonym unconscionable; the latter means â€Å"inexcusable, reprehensible.† Conscientious means â€Å"scrupulous† or â€Å"careful†; a conscientious objector is someone who objects to a requirement on religious grounds. Originally, around the turn of the twentieth century, the context was mandatory vaccination, but ever since World War I, the primary sense has been of a person who refuses military conscription. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Mostly Small But Expressive InterjectionsPeace of Mind and A Piece of One's Mind50 Words with Alternative Spellings

Thursday, November 21, 2019

State of personal indebtedness in Canada. You may focus on student Research Paper

State of personal indebtedness in Canada. You may focus on student debt or the society as a whole - Research Paper Example Recent figures suggest that the current level of personal debt in Canada is on the highest level for the past 8 years. The average non-mortgage personal loan of a Canadian is approximately $26,221 in the second quarter of 2012 suggesting that the overall debt levels are on the rise. (Johnson, 2012) There can be various reasons for this including the general trends and preferences of the consumers as well as the ability of Canadian banks to remain profitable and continue to supply consumer debt despite the fact that overall global scenario may not be encouraging. These trends are considered as troublesome as persistently high levels of personal debts can actually create serious consequences for the economy as a whole. This paper will discuss about the personal debt in Canadian society as a whole and will discuss the concerns as well as solutions for it. Personal Debt in Canada The recent trends of personal debt in Canadian society as a whole have been alarmingly high. The current aver age debt level in the second quarter of 2012 stood at $26,221 higher by $192 from the previous quarter. This figure is also considered as the highest during the last eight years since Credit Bureau actually started to track the personal debt levels. (Johnson, 2012) Studies have shown that debt to income ratio is on the rise as well as the debt-to total assets is on the rise too. These trends indicate that more and more portion of consumers’ income is taken by the debt and higher debt payments can actually reduce the disposable income for the individuals. Average annual growth rate of household debt in Canada grew by 7.4% in nominal terms and 5.3% in real terms during 2000-2011. Such consistent level of increase in household debt has actually put personal debt at the level which may not be sustainable for consumers in the long run. It is also important to note that this rise in the consumer debt is mostly in the non-mortgage debt class and is also secured against the household items. Such characteristics of the personal debt may therefore create significantly more economic consequences for the households. (Crawford & Faruqui, 2012) It has been suggested that such high level of personal debts can actually put Canadians at more vulnerability towards the economic shocks as any adverse change in employment dynamics can put lot of stress on the disposal income of the consumers. Sharp decline in home values as well as increase in interest rates as well as relatively higher level of unemployment can put individuals at more risk considering the current levels of debt in the country. (Chawla & Uppal, 2012) IMF has also shown its reservations over the higher levels of personal debt in Canadian economy and indicated that higher levels of personal debt can actually reduce the economic growth of the country. IMF has even cut its economic forecasts for Canada owing to higher personal as well as mortgage loans and suggested that higher debt levels at consumer level can actually create more risk for the economy as a whole. (BABAD, 2012) Some data indicates that this trend is on the rise across all ages and there are different factors which are actually at play causing the consistent rise in the personal debt levels. It has also been suggested that the persistent increase in the level of income as well as low interest rates have also contributed towards these trends. Some theoretical

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Interpersonal relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interpersonal relationship - Essay Example It wasn’t hard for me to listen actively with interest in what the other person was saying as I was quickly involved in the other person’s issue, but I found it difficult to restrain my mind to listen to just what they were saying instead of trying to jump out with twenty questions. Another one of the more difficult skills for me to implement was paying attention to the nonverbal cues such as body language and ‘reading between the lines’. I got caught up in the narrative of the moment and then thought more about what was communicated later. At a later time I was able to understand many of the nonverbal physical and emotional cues, meaning I must have taken note of them at some level during the conversation, but I was not sufficiently aware of them enough to take advantage of the opportunities for greater communication when it mattered. For example, when the other person expressed that not everyone was doing their fair share of the work and was looking direc tly at me, I failed to recognize the hint and assumed she was speaking generally. Later reflection of other people’s schedules forced me to realize the other person might have had a point. The conversation I had with a focus on developing my nonverbal listening skills was different from typical conversations I’ve had in that I really focused on trying to listen to what the other person was saying instead of assuming I knew what the issue was going to be. In attempting to listen, I began to realize that the questions that I was suppressing for the moment were all geared around this assumption that I was already familiar with the problem. This effort to constrain my tongue was difficult for me because I tend to interrupt in order to clarify a point or to understand a specific element better, but it was noticed by the other person. The other person, able to finish out the main points of the issue before I began

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response in Schools Essay Example for Free

Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response in Schools Essay The professional nurse uses clinical judgment and decision making skills to provide appropriate nursing care and collaborates with other health care professionals responding to the emergency or disaster. The purpose of this paper is to outline the professional nurse’s role and how the nurse works with other responding personnel as well as the community affected in the event of a tornado that affects a school. The Role of the Nurse A disaster is defined as any natural or human-made incident that causes disruption, destruction, and/or devastation requiring external assistance (Stanhope, 2012). Schools are generally considered a safe haven for the children attending, but various types of emergencies can occur within the school walls that impact the school and the surrounding community. Severe weather can be a natural disaster when it produces tornadoes. Tornadoes have proven to be large scale disasters, causing problems ranging from loss of power to major structural damage and resulting in physical injuries, including loss of life. Tornadoes outside of a school setting cause severe damage and casualties, but when the tornado hits a school it becomes a disaster setting for all school personnel and the school nurse. The school nurse immediately is looked at when there is any type of medical emergency. When there is an entire school that has been affected by destruction like a tornado, the school nurse is most definitely overwhelmed with patients. The nurse must be prepared and work closely with all responding personnel to ensure a timely response to all affected, inside the school and the parents affected outside the school. The school nurse is an expert in the nursing process and should utilize these steps in order to care for all involved in a disaster like this. The professional nurse, through her education, should be prepared to utilize the nursing process (assess, plan, implement, evaluate). It is critical the school nurse knows his/her role prior to the disaster. His/her role includes triage, coordination of the first aid response team, and direct hands-on care to the victims of the emergency. The school nurse also plays an important role in the mental health support for the students and faculty involved during the emergency and in the recovery phase of the emergency. The nurse must be able to identify with and be able to communicate with all responding healthcare personnel. The responding will include, but is not limited to, firefighters, both paid and volunteer, EMS personnel, Emergency Management Personnel, law enforcement, and local healthcare providers, such as physicians and nurses. The school board office will also have responding personnel to the scene as well. The main goal of the professional nurse is to communicate with all responding personnel and ensure that everyone involved in the response clearly knows their role and who they should report to. Nursing Strategies Every community can always improve in their response to emergencies and disasters. Planning before the disaster hits is the key. Preparations for a facility’s response to an emergency involving realistic training exercises, (O’Boye, 2006) can greatly reduce anxiety levels and increase the likelihood of more positive results. Some examples of emergency and disaster planning includes, but is not limited to, mock exercises, more interagency cooperation in the mock exercises, identifying how we, as a community, will respond, who would be in charge of communications, who would be in charge of logistics, and a list of every one’s role in the emergency response (Laureate, 2012). The school nurse is in a leadership position to provide continuous coordination and training of all school personnel as well as the communities involved as part of the school’s emergency plan. Implementing the National Incident Command system into the school’s emergency plan is vital. This system includes universal protocols and language (Stanhope, 2012). This system acknowledges the need for mutual aid response and allows for easy to understand communication and description of roles no matter what agency or community the responders come from. This system should be implemented in every school because when a disaster strikes, especially at a school, people come from all over the country to render aid and this system provides a framework that everyone can understand. Summary The school nurse’s assistance in community-wide planning groups is helpful in the facilitation of a rapid, coordinated, effective emergency response within the framework of the Incident Command System. This includes establishing standard emergency response plans and participating in skills, drills and exercises to evaluate the response capabilities of a school, as well as the effectiveness of the plan (NASN, 2013). Disasters occurring at schools create a larger scale disaster because not only is there the disaster inside the school, but there is also a disaster created outside the school from all of the parents wanting answers that sometimes takes hours to produce the answers to. Planning is the key and the school nurse is in the position to help in the planning of the response plan in these disasters.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Therapeutic Horseback Riding and Children with Autism Developmental Dis

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder that affects a person’s social interaction and communication. This disorder is mainly characterized by having difficulty with social interaction, communication, and having restricted behaviors. Difficulty with social interaction means someone will struggle to communicate their feelings/emotions, understand how others feel or think, develop peer relationships, and understand nonverbal behaviors (eye gaze, facial expressions, etc). Difficulty with communication will vary among the individual. Some individuals will develop expressive language, while others will not. The speech of those that do develop expressive language will often be repetitive, rote, and lack meaning. They may struggle with turn taking in conversation and topic maintenance. Those individuals who do not develop expressive language typically do not use other modalities to communicate, like pointing or gestures. The last characteristic of the autistic spectrum disorder is having repetitive behaviors or activities. Typically children on the spectrum will play with their toys in an unusual manner, or may prefer only one toy, movie, or activity. Changes in daily schedule are hard for children on the spectrum to adapt to; usually these children like the same daily schedule. Bass, Duchowny, and Llabre (2009) state, â€Å"It is possible that animal-assisted activities provide a multisensory environment that will prove beneficial to children with profound social and communication deficits.† Macauley and Gutierrez (2004) state: Today, in the United States, people’s use of horses can be classified into two main categories: equine-assisted activities and equine-assisted therapy. Equine- assiste... ...tations of this study were the age range (6-8). Also, only looking at children with autism. Other children with motor and sensory function disorders might benefit from the same horseback-riding program. Works Cited Bass, M., Duchowny, C., & Llabre, M. (2009). The effect of therapeutic horseback riding on social functioning in children with autism. Journal Of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 39(9), 1261-1267. Macauley, B. L., & Gutierrez, K. M. (2004). The effectiveness of hippotherapy for children with language-learning disabilities. . Communication Disorders Quarterly, 25(4), 205-217. Wuang Y, Wang C, Huang M, Su C. The effectiveness of simulated developmental horse-riding program in children with autism. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly [serial online]. April 2010;27(2):113-126. Available from: PsycINFO, Ipswich, MA. Accessed March 19, 2012

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

School Systems in Japan India and the US

This site is an first-class one to utilize in that it defines what a typical school twelvemonth looks like in England. This site besides describes what the standardised testing that is required for each pupil, what vacations are observed during the school twelvemonth, and when pupils are able to go forth school. This web site was written by a former instructor at the school. Bing a instructor, Ms. Barrow was able to easy depict how the educational system works in England. ( Barrow, 2009 ) Combs, K. & A ; Angela Bartlett. ( 2007, October ) . Education in Japan. Retrieved from www.education-in-japan.info This website gives an first-class overview of the school system in Japan and what the national course of study is in Japan. This site besides explains how the Japanese came up with the current system of primary, in-between and high schools. This site besides explains the learning doctrine in Japan and the four key functions pupils have in modern Nipponese schooling. This site was started by two adult females who wanted to explicate how the instruction system worked in Japan. They lived in Japan for a clip and wanted to assist people who were either traveling to Japan or non-Japanese people populating in Japan understand the school system. ( Combs & A ; Bartlett, 2007 ) Education system in India. ( 1998 ) . Retrieved from www.indiaedu.com/education-india/education-system-india.html This website gives an overview of the instruction system in India. This site besides talks about the universalization of an simple instruction in India and why it has non to the full occurred. It tells at what age a pupil is required to go to school and at what age they are allowed to go forth school. This site besides gives stats demoing the literacy rate between males/females and rural/urban countries. This site was started by a company that is based in India and was started in order to supply resources for the people of India to be able to obtain higher instruction grades. ( â€Å" Education system in, † 1998 ) Miller, D.C. , Sen, A. , Malley, L.B. , Burns, S.D. , & A ; Owen, E. US Department of Education, ( 2009 ) . Comparative indexs of instruction in the us and other g-8 states: 2009. Washington, DC: US Department of Education. This article compares the G-8 states and gives statistics demoing where the United States falls in assorted classs such as subject jobs, and entire population, per centum of pupils enrolled in formal instruction. There are besides statistics comparing instructor experience in the United States and the United Kingdom. This article besides goes on to give really elaborate information on the school systems of each of the G-8 states, which include Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Because this article was written by people in the US Department of Education, it should be accurate and timely. ( Miller, Sen, Malley, Burns, & A ; Owen, 2009 ) Osgood, R. L. ( n.d. ) . Dawdlers, idiots, human cinders and other curious childs: progressivism and pupil differences in determining public instruction in the united provinces. Unpublished manuscript, Muskingum University. This was a address given by Mr. Osgood which explicating how labels ( both good and bad ) were applied to pupils in the United States and how these labels affected their public presentation in school. Mr. Osgood went back to a book published in the early 1900 ‘s to obtain some of the background for his address. He talks about how labeling pupils either helped them stand out or keep them back from accomplishing ends in school. He besides spoke on how labels changed since the early 1900 ‘s. For illustration, a pupil, in the early 1900 ‘s, who was falling behind in school was called a dawdler. Today, he would necessitate particular instruction categories which would cement the label of being slow. Mr. Osgood was President of Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio and an pedagogue so he is a believable beginning. ( Osgood ) Ruddock, G. & A ; Sainsbury, M. ( 2008 ) . Comparison of the Core Primary Curriculum in England to those of Other High Performing Countries. Department for Children, Schools, & A ; Families. This article was written by two bookmans in England who were comparing the instruction given to English kids from ages 7 – 11 to kids from around the universe. This article focuses on three chief countries, Mathematicss, Science and Literacy. The bookmans found that in Mathematics, the stuff was similar to the eight other states included in this survey. In Science, the bookmans discovered many assortments of course of study. No 1 was perceived to be better than any other. In literacy, the bookmans discovered that the other states were more likely to include the doctrine and principle behind the linguistic communication where in England, this was instead brief. This paper was written by two bookmans by petition of one of the British Government Departments. School old ages in England. ( n.d. ) . Retrieved from www.learnenglish.de/culture/educationculture.htm This website gives a elaborate listing of what ages are in what classs. It besides explains the difference of a Public school and a Government tally school. This site besides explains what national testing is done at what age degree and at what age a pupil is allowed to go forth school. This site was written to let non-English speech production people to larn English. All of the information obtained on this site was able to corroborate information received on other web sites refering to the English Education system. ( â€Å" School old ages in, † ) Schutz, G. , West, M.R. , and Wobmann, L. ( 2007 ) , â€Å" School Accountability, Autonomy, Choice, and the Equity of Student Achievement: International Evidence from PIDA 2003 † , OECD Education Working Papers, No. 14, OECD Publishing. Department of the Interior: 10.1787/246374511832 This article explains the doctrine that if a kid succeeds in schools so they will win later in life. This article besides explains whether supervising instructor lessons has any impact on pupil public presentation. This article talks about holding issue tests before a kid is allowed to go forth school and if that is a productive thought or non. This article besides touches on the thought that kids with low socio-economic alterations achieve every bit much as those with high socio-economic alterations. OECD, or Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, is a authorities organisation in France and should be a really dependable beginning for this paper. ( Schutz, G. , 2007 ) Schmidt, W. H. , Houang, R. , & A ; Shakrani, S. ( 2009 ) . International lessons about national criterions. Thomas B Fordham Institute. This article, written by three writers at the Thomas B Fordham Institute, gives information refering to the Indian School System. It provides more information refering how the Indian Government perceives instruction and how the schools are funded. It besides explains the National Curriculum that India has and who is responsible for implementing that the course of study is followed. It explains who comes up with the course of study for each topic, what topics are taught in what schools and when national tests are given. The Thomas B Fordham Institute is an organisation that wants to progress educational excellence for every kid. ( Schmidt, Houang, & A ; Shakrani, 2009 ) Wieczorek, C. C. ( 2009 ) . Comparative analysis of instruction systems of American & A ; Nipponese schools: positions and visions. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Foreign Languages, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio. This article explains how the Japanese and the United States school systems are similar, but it besides explains how they are different. The writer ne'er comes out and says which is better, but he does indicate out that the United States seems to hold more troubles to get the better of. This writer wrote this paper as a consequence of an assignment for a category he was taking at the University. Some of the information that was given in this paper could be verified by other beginnings. ( Wieczorek, 2009 ) World Bank, ( 2000 ) . Investing in instruction: analysis of the 1999 universe instruction indexs, instruction and accomplishments Washington, DC: Retrieved from www.electrade.gfi.fr/cgi-bin/OECDBookshop.storefront This article explains in item how the instruction system in India plants. It explains what ages are in what school each age is assigned. This article besides explains how the federal authorities and the provincial and regional authoritiess are involved in the instruction system. The World Bank is an organisation overseen by the United Nations. The information presented by them should be every bit accurate as possible. ( World Bank, 2000 )

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Body Image Outline Essay

Introduction 1. Beauty. It poses the age old question, is beauty in the eye of the beholder or is beauty only skin deep? a. Where does the obsession to be beautiful come from? b. We are all taught at such an early age that looks do not matter, yet we live in a society that seems to contradict this very idea. c. Magazines, reality shows, billboards†¦ they all promote a certain body image as being beautiful, and it is a far cry from the average woman’s size 12. i. (FIRST SLIDE) Read more:  How to write an informative essay outline d. Body image is a pressing issue that plagues all men and women alike. 2. The obsession of many young girls and guys over their body image has led to an increasing number of people who have developed an eating disorder to try to deal with their lack of self-esteem or other related problems. a. According to an article in Psychology Today, the most common of these eating disorders include Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating, and Muscle Dysmorphia. 3. In a recent survey of 185 students on a college campus through the Nutrition Journal, 58% felt pressure to be a certain weight, and of the 83% that hardcore dieted for weight loss, over half of them were already at a normal weight pre dieting. a. It was also recorded through the ANAD Foundation that eating disorders are recorded to be the 3rd most chronic illness of young adults. Body (SECOND SLIDE) 1. The media’s use of airbrushing is one of the major causes of these impossible standards of beauty. a. Leah Hardy, a former editor of Cosmopolitan, admitted that this is true†¦ many of stick-thin models in Cosmo were actually struggling with eating disorders, but were airbrushed to look less unwell. b. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Hardy stated that the models had 22-inch waits, but they also had breasts and great skin. They had teeny tiny ankles and thin thighs, but they still had luscious hair and full cheeks. Thanks to retouching, our readers never saw the horrible,  hungry downside of skinny. The models’ skeletal bodies, dull, thinning hair, spots and dark circles under their eyes were magically erased away by technology†¦ a vision of perfection that simply did not exist. c. By airbrushing these models, the media gives young girls the idea that this body image is attainable—and by trying to look like these models, these girls become just as unhealthy. 2. Although media plays a huge role in holding such high standards for beauty, it is recorded that pressure from friends and family tend to out rank the media and start at a very early age. i. (THIRD SLIDE) b. Eating disorders can be triggered by lack of support following traumatic events such as bereavement, relationship problems, and abuse, according to the Journal of Clinical Nursing. c. Family relationships are complex and central to the development of a child’s sense of self. d. According to a study from the University of Florida titled, â€Å"Too Fat to Be a Princess?† nearly 50% of all children aged from three to six were already concerned about their weight. e. Criticism and teasing from parents, siblings, and peers shape how young children perceive their bodies. f. Experts say the children who develop eating disorders are mostly girls who are often following examples set by their most favorable role models; their mothers. 3. Along with pressure from one’s family and friends, there are several psychological factors that contribute to eating disorders. a. Among some of these psychological factors include i. Depression, anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, and low self-esteem. b. Many studies have been done on the relationship between these psychological behaviors and eating disorders; all have concluded through various measures that there is a strong relation between the two. c. Too often, the result of an inadequate self results in the distortion of eating. Conclusion 1. In conclusion, the unrealistic standard of beauty that men and women are bombarded with everyday gives them a goal that is nearly impossible to reach, and the effects are devastating. 2. Theses impossible standards need to be stopped, and society instead needs to promote a healthy body image  along with the idea that men and women of all shapes and sizes are beautiful—not just those who are size 2.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Value of the Chinese Renminbi

The Value of the Chinese Renminbi Free Online Research Papers MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ECON 867 International Financial Management Lecturer: Dr. George Milunovich The value of the Chinese renminbi, its management and risks associated with investing in China written by Mahmut Berdan 41404068 Arthur Britto 41087054 Rasmus Heim 40981088 Joanne Papanikitas 40321711 Words: 2,932 Table of Contents Introduction 1 The current economic situation and the present exchange rate regime in mainland China 2 The equilibrium value of the Chinese renminbi under a flexible exchange rate regime 4 Reasons behind the Chinese governments decision to keep the renminbi pegged to a basket of currencies 7 Risks commercial participants face from a managed float versus a fully flexible exchange rate in China 9 Conclusion 12 References 13 Introduction In recent times, the Chinese economy has become a topic of great interest within economic literature and global affairs. In particular, China’s rapidly exceeding economy has sparked extensive discussion on the value, management and stability of the Chinese renminbi, as well as considerable debate concerning the strengths and potential risks associated with investing in China. In what appears to be an economy with immense potential to further expand its global influence, several key factors need to be analysed. Firstly, the advantages and disadvantages associated with the current economic situation and present exchange rate regime existing in mainland China. Secondly, the motivations behind the Chinese governments decision to peg its national currency to a basket of currencies and moreover, the potential risks associated with replacing a fixed exchange rate system with a more flexible one. By considering such factors, it is seemingly clear that China’s recently introduced peg to as basket of currencies will more adequately reflect its economic position, as well as the renminbi’s currency value, within global financial markets. The current economic situation and the present exchange rate regime in mainland China China possesses one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with its rapidly booming economy seaming ahead of its global competitors. Undoubtedly, China is the primary contributor to the growing economic strength of Asia, as well as for global economic growth. Over the last four years, China’s economy has expanded at an average of 10.4 per cent per year which, during the same financial period, more than doubled the average growth rate of the world economy. Factors considered bring responsible for China’s startling economic growth are the rise in GDP, GDP Per Capita, investment, trade and the success of Chinese enterprises (Full Steam Ahead for Chinese Economy 2007). China contributes a strong 5.5 percent of the worlds GDP, with growth stable, remaining within 1.1% fluctuation points. Predictions have been made that in 2008, Chinas GDP could possibly increase to 10.7% with the Olympic Games taking place in Beijing (Full Steam Ahead for Chinese Economy 2007). Chinese government officials wish to sustain economic growth in order to reduce poverty (Chinese Economy Exceeds Forecast 2007). In 2006, China appeared to have succeeded, with its per capita income reaching the 2000US threshold for the first time. Rural resident incomes increased by 7.4 per cent, whilst urban residents increased by 10.4 per cent. According World Bank statistics, such an increase suggests that China can no longer be considered a low-income nation (Full Steam Ahead for Chinese Economy 2007). In the last four years, China’s national fixed assets investment has increased by 26.6 per cent, whilst its trade volume has made rapid progress, reaching the third largest volume globally at 1.76 trillion in 2006. Moreover, Chinese enterprises have recorded impressive profit margins, which have undoubtedly strengthened national economic growth (Asia Economy: The Impact of the Renminbi Revaluation 2005). It is seemingly clear that in present terms, the Chinese economy has conditions of high levels of growth and sustainability. However, a nation with such rapidly exceeding growth may face problems of surplus production capacity, the risk of deflation and overheating, if the proportion of exports in GDP capacity continues to rise into the future (Future worries for Chinese Economy 2007). The main priority of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is to maintain strong rates of economic growth, political and economic stability, as well as implement reforms in a country experiencing significant economic transformations (China: Country Outlook 2007). As an eloquent example of economic reform, Chinese officials made a moderate revaluation of the currency by ending the eight year fixed exchange rate policy of pegging the Renminbi against the US dollar and replacing it with a floating exchange rate regime, targeting its value against a basket of currencies (Asia Economy: The Impact of the Renminbi Revaluation 2005). Under the reform, a ‘reference basket’ of currencies is referred to when selecting targets for the Renminbi (Asia Economy: The Impact of the Renminbi Revaluation 2005). Such basket currencies will have assigned ‘index weights’ administered by The State Administration for Exchange Control (SAEC), under direct control of the Peoples Ba nk of China (PBOC) - China’s Central Bank- , that reflect which currencies are most commonly traded in terms of foreign trade, external debt and foreign direct investment (People’s Bank Of China 2007). The Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) stated that trade weighted indexes will not be followed rigidly, as account considerations such as the share of other major currencies in foreign debt and foreign direct investment will also be considered (People’s Bank of China 2007). The revaluation has exhibited a moderate appreciation of 2.1 per cent, from 8.28 per cent against the US Dollar to 8.11 per cent (Asia Economy: EIU’s October Assumptions 2005). An announcement of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) states that the changes ‘†¦enables the market to fully play its role in resource allocation†¦as well as further strengthen the managed floating exchange rate regime based on supply and demand’ (People’s Bank of China 2007). Chinas trade patterns have moderately altered, relieving pressures caused by China’s capital and current account surpluses. Despite its advantages, the present exchange rate regime may create uncertainty of the future exchange rate level, the appreciation or depreciation of the currency, as well as prices of imported goods and level of export costs in the longer term (Kuroda 2003). The equilibrium value of the Chinese renminbi under a flexible exchange rate regime In order to calculate the equilibrium value of the renminbi, first, one has to decide which of the three basic versions of PPP to use: the Law of One Price (LOP), the absolute PPP or the relative PPP (Yang Bajeux-Besnainou 2006). In this report, the relative PPP will be used to determine RMB’s equilibrium value. Like the other two options, relative PPP does not differentiate between tradable and non-tradable input goods. So, wages are included in prices used to calculate the PPP exchange rate, but not in the market exchange rate. Therefore, the former is lower than the market equilibrium exchange rate given a low per capita income currency such as the RMB being the quoted currency. Hence, the RMB’s value, implied by PPP, is higher than the value indicated by actual exchange rate. However, the relative PPP overcomes LOP’s problem of lacking representativeness. Moreover, in contrast to the absolute PPP, it also reduces the impact of including traded as well as non-traded goods by relying on the equilibrium exchange rate S0 of a base year t=0. The PPP exchange rate then is determined by adjusting S0 by the relative price changes of the two currencies (Yang Bajeux-Besnainou 2006). Since this model is based on an equilibrium value of the exchange rate, the results obtained will be more reliable than those of the other two versions. Therefore, to determine the equilibrium value of the renminbi, the relative PPP method will be used by applying this formula: To ascertain the base period, one has to select a period in which the actual exchange rate was equal to the PPP exchange rate (Artus 1978). Moreover, according to Artus (1978), since biases in measuring relative price changes rise with time, the base period chosen must not lie too far in the past. Yang and Bajeux-Besnainou (2006) chose a period, in which major changes in China’s exchange rate system occured. Given this and Artus’ claim that the base period must not be too distant from the current period, therefore, the exchange rate of July 23 2005 will be taken as a base period. Two days before, the People’s Bank of China announced that the renminbi would be pegged to a basket of currencies. Before that, it was pegged to the US-Dollar only. The following data is used to calculate the PPP exchange rate: 2005 2007 Exchange rate 8.12110 exchange rate of July 23, 2005, i.e. two days after the revaluation (Oanda.com ) 7.0222 (7.55580) exchange rate of March 31, 2008, chosen in accordance with the latest CPI month available (Oanda.com) Domestic price level p (RMB) 101.3 CPI of August 2005, i.e. the month after the revaluation (National Bureau of Statistics of China 2007) 108.3(106.5) latest available CPI, March 2008 (National Bureau of Statistics of China 2008) Foreign price level p* (USD) 196.4 CPI of August 2005, i.e. the month after the revaluation (US Department of Labor 2007) 213.5 (207.9) latest available CPI, March 2008 (US Department of Labor 2008) Since the long-run equilibrium exchange rate implied by relative PPP is higher than the actual exchange rate S2007, the foreign currency USD is undervalued by and the domestic currrency RMB is overvalued by Using PPP as a trading rule, buying USD and selling RMB is recommended. It is important to bear in mind that, since there are, in reality, differences between traded and non-traded goods as well as restrictions in the movement of goods, relative PPP can only be employed as an estimate. More specifically, governments should solely use it as guide for their exchange rate policies, rather than as a precise means to determine deviations of actual exchange rates from an equilibrium value. Reasons behind the Chinese governments decision to keep the renminbi pegged to a basket of currencies In order to establish the reasons behind the Chinese government’s decision to keep the RMB pegged to currencies such as the US dollar, Euro and Japanese Yen, it is important to first differentiate between the reasons given by the Chinese government and the ones pointed out by the US government. Two major justifications made by Chinese policymakers include concerns that moving to a more flexible system would exacerbate deflationary pressures and undermine export competitiveness (Tung Baker 2004). In other words, with the RMB at a higher value against the dollar, there would be an increase in the price of exports and that could lead to a downward pressure on domestic prices. In addition, the Chinese government has also mentioned that the current exchange rate adjustment aims to promote the basic equilibrium of the balance of payments and safeguard macroeconomic and financial stability (Xinhua 2005a). The People’s Bank of China says that it has chosen an exchange rate system â€Å"that caters to its domestic situation by taking into consideration its fundamental interests and economic and social development† (Xinhua 2005b). In other words, China argues that the pegged system more likely guarantees stable economic growth. On the other hand, Americans- namely US lawmakers and manufacturers- have stated that China gives its exporters an unfair price advantage in global markets by keeping the RMB’s value artificially low (Reuters 2007a). For Ben Bernanke, US Federal Reserve Chairman, the yuan regime provides an effective subsidy to Chinese exporters, even though it is not a subsidy in the legal sense of the word (Kaiser 2007). Finally, Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, has recently called for reform of the currency to one that will be reflective of the market (Reuters 2007b). In response to these claims, Chinese President Hu Jintao has currently indicated that China would continue to reform the currency exchange system and let the market play an increasing role (Pulizzi 2007). However, as written by David Cohen in the article China Hints at Further Appreciation of Yuan, â€Å"China remains committed to proceeding [yuan’s revaluation] at its own pace† (2007). Despite Yang and Bajeux-Besnainou’s research finding no convincing evidence to support that the RMB was undervalued (2006), the US Treasury noted in June 2007 that Chinas currency was in fact undervalued. However, it had been unable to determine that Chinas exchange rate policy was carried out for the purpose of preventing effective balance of payments adjustment or gaining unfair competitive advantage in international trade. (Somerville Palmer 2007). Intended or not, considering both countries’ points of view, the Chinese government’s decision to peg the yuan to a basket of currencies has undeniably given a competitive edge to China (The Economist 2007). It is this particular competitive edge that China does not want to lose. This would occur if the country allowed the renminbi to fully float. As Burdekin (2006) stated, losing export markets would slow down economic growth and negatively affect employment. Hence, to make sure that displaced workers can find employment, the government hesitates in accepting even a modest reduction in the country’s high economic growth. To conclude, another reason for keeping the exchange rate system as it is, as Cohen (2007) suggests, is to refer to the old saying â€Å"if it is not broken, do not fix it†. Risks commercial participants face from a managed float versus a fully flexible exchange rate in China According to Davis (2004), the future development of China’s economy is highly determined by its efforts to become more integrated with global financial markets. The necessity of this is also reflected by China’s strict capital controls combined with an immature banking system, which deteriorates external funding for local companies (Davis 2004). Such integration could be achieved by aiming for a market driven ergo floating currency of the Yuan. However Davis (2004) envisages that a sudden change of China’s currency policy would adversely affect China’s interest, due to a continuing underdeveloped banking system, which is being rated one of the worst in the world. In this context, Moosa (2006) suggests that for countries with poor financial systems such as China, a freely floating currency is not suitable since such systems require sophisticated futures and forward markets. Due to this, the pegged currency has proven itself as a major pillar of stability, especially during the Asian crisis (Das 2005). However, the pegged currency is subject to policy decisions which have announced destabilizing effects on the financial markets as compared to periods in which the exchange rates are held constant. Davis (2004) argued that the change towards a free float would lead to an asset flight stemming from Chinese depositors who would diversify their portfolios by investing in other international markets. The economic slow-down and/or potentially resulting crisis would most likely be combated by an enormous rise in interest rates in China. For this reason, Davis suggests that implementing a freely float would not be a viable option for another decade. The change that is most likely to occur in the short term is a revaluation of the pegged exchange rate by appreciating the Yuan, which would require China some time to develop a more competitive and functional banking system. U.S. direct income investors would be majorly affected by such revaluation, since the need for the Chinese Central Bank to buy large quantities of U.S. securities would decrease. This is due to the decreasing proportion of the U.S. trade deficit China is currently backing. Naturally, an appreciation of the Yuan would make Chinese exports more expensive for foreign countries such as the U.S. and therefore possibly reduce imports stemming from China. As a consequence of the revaluation, there could be inflationary impacts on the world economy whose magnitude however would differ between countries (Yang Bajeux-Besnainou 2006). Nevertheless it is important to note that an increase in Chinese exports prices might not have an effect on China’s exports at all due to the general low level of prices stemming from extremely low labour cost. Generally, investors are concerned with exchange rate fluctuations, for they impact on the net worth of their investments. In this context, floating exchange rates are often viewed as a way to achieve higher flexibility and avoid costs associated with policy changes in parities which create greater uncertainty (Aliber 1972). In the case of China, the risk that stems from a floating exchange rate is related to its immature banking system and unforeseeable reaction from investors that suddenly face a more volatile currency. These reactions could generate a chain reaction similar to Thailand which triggered the Asian financial crisis in 1997 (Das 2005). There are a number of political and economic issues for China such as the high degree of corruption for instance, which could increase the likelihood of disorderly national behaviour, creating additional uncertainty (Aliber 1972), (Business Monitor International 2007). This becomes critical in a scenario where the Chinese foreign exchange should depreciate. In that scenario, Chinese exporters and investors will be worse off, whilst political pressure may deteriorate appropriate adjustment of the exchange rate. Additionally, despite China’s accession to the WTO, adequate reform needs to be made in addressing issues such as intellectual property protection, which is still a major impediment on FDI in China according to Business Monitor International (BMI 2007). Moreover, there remain possibilities of financial crisis in China forecasted by BMI (2007) due to a number of factors. Firstly, the lack of effective reduction of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the state-owned banking sector negatively impacts investors’ confidence. Secondly, the currently rapid investment in China could lead to over-capacity, which in turn could lead to the re-emergence of deflationary pressures. Furthermore, the undisputed growth of China’s economy is widely feared as being unsustainable and the impacts of a slow-down are unclear creating uncertainty for investors. Lastly, China is still classified as a non-market economy with most of its trading partners within WTO regulation, which makes China more vulnerable against anti-dumping duties. Conclusion It is apparent that China is highly integrated and influential in today’s global economy. The impact of a revaluation of the Yuan has triggered widespread controversy, with changes in China’s monetary policy being deemed a potential threat to stable global market movements which could trigger economic instability and future crisis. On the one hand, it is feared that the appreciation of the RMB may result in inflationary impacts on the world economy, as well as a decrease of Chinese exports to major trading partners. However, structural aspects such as low labour costs and increasing levels of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) provide a competitive advantage to China over most economies in the world. Therefore, impacts of an appreciation of the RMB may not, as widely assumed, adversely impact China’s competitiveness as a strong exporting nation. In the long term, China will aspire to achieve a more market driven exchange rate system in order to become more closely associated and integrated within global financial markets. In order to successfully sustain and operate a sophisticated and well functioning financial system, financial authorities need to invest time and effort in its structural development. References Aliber, R 1972, ‘Uncertainty, Currency Areas and the Exchange Rate System’, Economica, New Series, vol. 39, no. 156, pp. 432-441. ‘Asia Economy: EIU’s October Assumptions’ 2005, Economist Intelligence Unit Ltd., 28 September, p.1. Retrieved September 19, 2007, from Factiva database. ‘Asia Economy: The Impact of the Renminbi Revaluation’ 2005, The Economist Intelligence Unit Ltd., 27 July, p.1. Retrieved September 19, 2007, from Factiva database. Burdekin, R 2006, ‘China and the Depreciating U.S. Dollar’, Asia-Pacific Issues, East-West Center, no. 79. Retrieved September 21, 2007, from Macquarie University WebCT. Business Monitor International 2007, The China Business Forecast Report. Retrieved September 4, 2007, from Business Monitor Database. ‘China: Country Outlook’ 2007, Economist Intelligence Unit Ltd., 1 September, p.2. Retrieved September 19, 2007, from Factiva database. ‘Chinese Economy Exceeding Forecasts’ 2007, Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 12 July, p.2. Retrieved September 19, 2007, from Factiva database. Cohen, D 2007, ‘China Hints at Further Appreciation of Yuan’, BusinessWeek, 22 May. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from businessweek.com/investor/content/may2007/pi20070522_343319.htm Das, D 2005, ‘THE ANATOMY OF A CRISIS: ASIA AS GROUND ZERO’, Centre for Japanese Economic Studies Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109, Research paper Davis, H 2004, ‘Investment Implication of a future Chinese Currency Revaluation’,Vanguard Investment Counseling Research, pp. 2 – 11. ‘Full Steam Ahead for Chinese Economy’, 2007, Asia Pulse Pty Ltd., 19 September, p.1. Retrieved September 19, 2007, from Factiva database. ‘Future worries for Chinese Economy’ 2007, Xinhua Electronics News, 2 July, p.1. Retrieved September 19, 2007, from Factiva database. Kaiser, E 2007, ‘Subprime losses could hit $100 billion: Bernanke’, Reuters, 19 July. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from reuters.com/article/pressReleasesMolt/idUSN1933365020070720?pageNumber=2sp=true Kuroda, H 2003, ‘How to Help the Renminbi Find its Own Level’, The Financial Times Ltd., 17 October, p.1. Retrieved September 19, 2007 from Factiva database. Moosa, I 2007, International Finance, An Analytical Approach, 2nd edn, McGraw-Hill, Sydney. National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2007, Statistical Data. Retrieved September 29, 2007, from stats.gov.cn/english/statisticaldata/ Oanda Corporation, 2007, FXHistory: historical currency exchange rates. Retrieved September 29, 2007 from oanda.com/convert/fxhistory The Peoples Bank of China Decides to Expand Designated Banks Forward Sale and purchase of Foreign Exchange Business and Launch RMB Swaps against Foreign Currencies 2006. Retrieved September 19, 2007 from pbc.gov.cn/english/detail.asp?col=6800id=59. Pulizzi, H 2007, ‘White House: Yuan Reform Alone Wont Solve US-China Trade Woes’, Dow Jones International News, 6 September. Retrieved from Factiva database. Reuters 2007a, ‘China should revalue yuan faster: U.S. official’, 21 June. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSL2111360320070621 Reuters 2007b, ‘Rice: China doesnt play fair on trade, currency’, 6 July. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN0619427620070706 Somerville, G Palmer D 2007, ‘U.S. pass on China currency stirs Senate action’, Reuters, 13 June. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1334224920070613?sp=true The Economist 2007, ‘Another shoe to drop: It is how steadily the dollar is falling that counts, not how swiftly’, 13 September. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9804394CFID=14864436CFTOKEN=90675586 Tung, CY Baker, S 2004, ‘RMB revaluation will serve China’s self-interest’, April. Retrieved September 21, 2007, from Macquarie University WebCT. US Department of Labor 2007, Archived News Releases for Consumer Price Index. Retrieved September 29, 2007, from bls.gov/schedule/archives/cpi_nr.htm Xinhua News Agency 2005a, ‘Yuan Peg to Dollar Scrapped’, 21 July. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from china.org.cn/english/2005/Jul/135685.htm Xinhua News Agency 2005b, ‘RMB Wont Float by Big Margin’, 22 July. Retrieved September 24, 2007, from china.org.cn/english/2005/Jul/135753.htm Yang, J Bajeux-Besnainou, I 2006, ‘Is the Chinese Currency Undervalued?’, International Research Journal of Finance and Economics, no. 2, pp. 106–130. Research Papers on The Value of the Chinese RenminbiDefinition of Export QuotasPETSTEL analysis of IndiaTwilight of the UAWAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2The Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Project Managment Office System

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

A Quiz About Tactical Syntactical Revision

A Quiz About Tactical Syntactical Revision A Quiz About Tactical Syntactical Revision A Quiz About Tactical Syntactical Revision By Mark Nichol Most writers understand that whole subject-verb-predicate thing, but there’s more to crafting sentences than making sure they include those basic ingredients (but not necessarily in that order and, then again, a sentence doesn’t really require any of those elements). The following sample sentences suffer from poor organization (and, as a result, their readers suffer, too). Although the information in them is present in fundamentally correct grammatical components, the syntax the arrangement of these building blocks is clumsily ineffectual. Redistribute the parts of these sentences for optimum impact, and then compare your solutions with mine, provided and annotated below each example. (This is a new format for quiz-type posts here let me know whether you like this format or prefer that my revisions be collected together at the bottom of the page.) 1. â€Å"He says he doesn’t think a prominent breast cancer charity should continue giving grants to Planned Parenthood because it provides abortion services.† The location of the â€Å"because . . .† phrase at the end of the sentence can confuse readers into assuming that there is a reason other than the one stated that the paraphrased speaker supports the grants. But the sentence means that the stated policy is the reason the person does not support them. This ambiguity is resolved by inserting the â€Å"because . . .† phrase at the head of the sentence: â€Å"Because Planned Parenthood provides abortion services, he says, he doesn’t think a prominent breast cancer charity should continue giving grants to the organization.† 2. â€Å"Passengers who refuse to complete the screening process cannot be granted access to the secure area in order to ensure the safety of others traveling.† The problem in this sentence is similar to that of that in the first example. A reader might assume that the intention of the passengers is to ensure the safety of other travelers, but that they will be granted access for another reason. Other misreadings are also likely. This confusion is eliminated by placing the concluding modifying phrase at the head of the sentence: â€Å"In order to ensure the safety of others traveling, passengers who refuse to complete the screening process cannot be granted access to the secure area.† 3. â€Å"America should rely on the entrepreneurship and goodness of its citizens to be a great society, not on the well-intentioned but ineffective policies of government agencies.† This sentence is not incorrect, but it is weakly constructed, spoiling the conclusion by placing it near the head of the sentence and trailing off with the alternative. Sentences intended to persuade are most effective when they first dismiss an obverse point of view and are anchored with the point of argument. (The sentence preceding this parenthesis has a similar effect.) Also, the stated goal is stronger when located at the head of the sentence than at the tail: â€Å"To be a great society, America should rely not on the well-intentioned but ineffective policies of government agencies, but on the entrepreneurship and goodness of its citizens.† 4. â€Å"Every year, colleges inject a stream of impassioned, idealistic new leaders into our nation, eager to take on our country’s toughest challenges.† The modifying phrase â€Å"into our nation,† and especially the comma following it, retard the momentum of this sentence. By placing the phrase earlier in the sentence, the writer solidifies the â€Å"inject . . . nation† imagery and omits the obstructive comma, thereby streamlining the statement: â€Å"Every year, colleges inject into our nation a stream of impassioned, idealistic new leaders eager to take on our country’s toughest challenges.† 5. â€Å"The fact is, evangelicals have progressed a long way in a very short time when it comes to relations with Catholics.† The explanatory modifier about the target segment of Christians for the evangelicals is best located earlier in the sentence, which is strengthened by placing the accomplishment at its end: â€Å"The fact is, when it comes to relations with Catholics, evangelicals have progressed a long way in a very short time.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:5 Uses of InfinitivesWhat to Do When Words Appear Twice in a RowCareful with Words Used as Noun and Verb

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Cell Phones Should Be Allowed in Class Assignment

Cell Phones Should Be Allowed in Class - Assignment Example Cell phones have enormous benefits to offer to the society and its members and thus individuals expect to be able to use them every one. One setting where cell phones have been enormously criticized is in classrooms. Although cell phones have been criticized, this technology should be allowed in classrooms because this technology enhances learning, security, and connectivity.  Mobile phones should be allowed in classrooms because these devices enhance learner’s learning. Those who oppose this technology in classrooms believe that this technology is an obstacle in learning because this technology diverts the attention of the student from what is being taught in the class. These devices do not become an obstacle to learning what is being taught, they rather support and enhance the understanding of the course material. There are many instances when even the instructors fail to provide information relevant to the course material. In such instances, cell phones allow individuals to search for information in connection with course material and this information does not only benefits the user, this information even benefits other class members and the instructor. According to Ferriter, mobile phones can be used in classrooms to replace essential classroom supplies (Ferriter 1). Ferriter states that while conducting a lab experiment students required timers to time their experiments. There were insufficient timers to help the students, so mobile phones were used as timers and this activity allowed cell phones to perform various functions such as helping students in locating definitions and sharing of knowledge with other students through texting.  Security is one of the major issues that have been addressed by the use of cell phones. When students are restricted in a classroom they are unaware of the happening in the world outside the classroom. Due to this students face security issues as information regarding negative events taking place outside the classr oom is essential for students to take preventive measures while returning to their homes.