Implementing Health Care Reform For A State With High...

California rose to the challenge of implementing health care reform in a state with high needs and limited funds by expanding its Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) and establishing its own marketplace (Covered California). As a result, by June 2014 California s uninsured rate had dropped from 22% to 11%. However, thoughtful examination of the rollout process reveals avoidable bumps in the road that, if corrected, could , have provided a better enrollment experience and thus better access to coverage for our most vulnerable populations. In order to assess California s success in widening the doorway to Medicaid coverage this report reviews policy decisions that shaped efforts in reaching out to, enrolling, and retaining eligible low-income†¦show more content†¦Those successes and barriers identified by at least three of the six participating organizations were selected as key successes and barriers. Outreach: Key informants identified the outreach and education work of community-based organizations as an area of success in California’s efforts to usher eligible consumers to the Medi-Cal doorway. The outreach barriers identified included investments in funding outreach work, DHCS and Covered California communication with consumers, and the limited availability of enrollment data throughout during the first year of the expansion. Enrollment: Medi-Cal enrollment figures far surpassed the 1.2 million predictions. By October 30, 2014 2.7 million new residents were enrolled in Medi-Cal. Key informants unanimously identified this as a success and identified several enrollment policies and the in-person assistance doorway as important contributors to that outcome. Barriers included the availability of data, DHCS and Covered California communication with consumers, technology challenges, policy and protocol adherence, and staff training across service channels. 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Music and Its Effects on Behaviors in Teenagers and Young Adults Free Essays

Jorja M. Rea Professor Andre Yang English 1A 25 November 2012 Music and its effects on Behaviors in Teenagers and Young Adults Picture this: A young man is arrested for murder, twisting and cursing at the police as his mother watches from the sidewalk. It is light enough out that you can see, not far from him, lays the body of a young women. We will write a custom essay sample on Music and Its Effects on Behaviors in Teenagers and Young Adults or any similar topic only for you Order Now She was his girlfriend, whom he had beaten to death. This young man is just one of many young adults that are being arrested for committing vicious crimes in our society. Barongan and Nagayama Hall (1995) examined the effects of cognitive distortions in men had towards women. The men in this study viewed women in a sexually aggressive way. The men’s behavior was observed in a laboratory setting. Twenty-seven men listened to misogynous rap music and 27 men listened to neutral rap music. Participants then viewed neutral, sexually-violent, and assaultive film vignettes and chose the vignette that they found appealing. The results showed that â€Å"participants who viewed the sexual-violent stimuli indeed felt sexually violent towards women, even having thoughts of raping and abusing women†. That young man will spend the next 3 years of his teenage life in a jovial facility and then be relocated to prison once he turns 18. What happened that caused a young man with a 3. 0 GPA to go from good to bad? According to Ortiz (2004) it all has to do with the human brain. The human brain has been called the most complex mass in the known universe. This is a well-deserved reputation, for this organ contains billions of connections called neurons. Among its parts and governs countless actions, involuntary and voluntary, physical, mental and emotional. The largest part of the brain is the frontal lobe. A small area of the frontal lobe located behind the forehead, called the prefrontal cortex, controls the brain’s most advanced functions. This part often referred to as the â€Å"CEO† of the body, providing humans with advanced cognition. It allows us to prioritize thoughts, imagine, think in the abstract, anticipate consequences, plan, and control impulses. Along with everything else in the body, the brain changes significantly during adolescence. In the last five years, scientists, using new technologies, such as an MRI, have discovered that adolescent brain is far less developed han previously believed. Doctors of Harvard Medical School have studied the relation between these new findings and teen behavior and concluded that adolescents often rely on emotional parts of the brain, the Amygdala, rather than the frontal lobe, â€Å"one of the things that teenagers seem to do is to respond more strongly with gut response than they do with evaluating the consequences of what they’re doing. † Since this young man, and many countless others in his position, lacks a complete prefrontal cortex they are forced to use the Amygdala. Fight or Flight is all it tells us to do. Thus, without any clear knowledge these young people are forced to find role models who the feel â€Å"get them†. They turn to music for its lyrics and beat and this is where the trouble begins. Mahiri and Conner (2003) tested whether or not it is true that our African-American youth is more violent than other nationalities and why. Is it the rap music that they may listen to? The researchers assessed the perspective on violence of 41 middle school students attending a unique school in a low-income section of a large northern California city. The researchers probed ways that these students interpreted or reflected upon rap music and hip-hop culture, particularly its representation of violence, crime, and sex. A brief questionnaire was handed out to each of these participants, which consisted of scenario questions (what would you do if†¦). Based on the responses to the questions researchers were able to come to the conclusion that these particular students were â€Å"unfortunately looking up to these negative role models†. The constant talk of female assault, sex, and violence was being imbedded into these children’s minds†. And it doesn’t end there. Many other researchers have examined the effects of how musical genres have increased tendencies towards violet behaviors in teenagers and young adults. These studies have helped to uncover whether or not violent and aggressive music and music lyrics have had in fact, increased the rate of individuals that lash out in a violent, aggressive manne r. Although none of the researchers in this paper considered the lack of the prefrontal cortex as a results as to why these young adults are so effects by the images they see or the music they listen to, they did however find something else altogether; these studies were done to inform society on how music is affecting people’s moods. For example: Anderson et al. (2003) studied whether or not media violence influences youth. They randomly assigned youths to watch either a short violent or a short nonviolent music video and then observed how they interacted with other people after viewing the music video. After each participant watched the music video for approximately 15 minutes, both physical and verbal aggression towards others was assessed using a 10-point scale: with 1 showing nonviolent behaviors and 10 showing a lot of violent behaviors. A correlational analysis was used to see if there was a relationship between a participant watching the violent music video and acting violent, or watching the nonviolent music video and not acting violent. â€Å"The results showed that exposure to media violence had a statistically significant association with aggression and violence among youth†. This research clearly demonstrates that exposure to media violence heightens the chances that a youth will behave aggressively and have aggressive thoughts in the short run. Arlin (1996) examined the â€Å"influence of exposure to violent rock videos on participants’ appraisals of their own aggressiveness†. Participants were preselected based on their scores on a measure of locus of control. After completing a measure of Buss and Durkee’s Hostility Inventory, they were randomly assigned to view either a view or nonviolent music video. After viewing the video, participants once again completed the Hostility Inventory. The results revealed a main effect of locus of control, such that individuals with an external locus of control showed lower self-reported aggressiveness after viewing a music video than individuals with an internal locus of control. Johnson, Jackson and Gatto (1995) studied whether exposure to rap music could cause violent attitudes and delayed academic performance. Forty-six African-American males (ages 11 to 16 years) from an inner city boys club in Wilmington, North Carolina were recruited to participate in this study. Participants were randomly exposed to violent rap music videos, nonviolent rap music videos, or no music videos. They read two vignettes involving: (a) a violent act perpetrated against a man and a woman and (b) a young man who chose to engage in academic pursuits to achieve success, whereas his friend, who was unemployed, â€Å"mysteriously† obtained extravagant items (i. e. , a nice car, nice clothes). The results showed that participants who saw the violent rap music videos reported greater acceptance of violence. In addition, â€Å"participants who saw the violent rap videos reported higher probability of committing similar acts of violence and greater acceptance of the use of violence against women†. St. Lawrence and Joyner (1991) examined the effects of sexually violent rock videos on males’ acceptance or violence against women. The experimental manipulation involved exposure to sexually violent heavy-metal rock music, Christian heavy-metal rock music, or easy listening classical music. One month prior to the experimental manipulation, participants were administered several attitudinal scales about religious orientation, sex roles, rape myths, and interpersonal violence. The results indicated that â€Å"males without a religious background were more accepting of sexist and rape-supportive beliefs†. The researchers also came across an unexpected finding which was greater self-reported sexual arousal in response to classical music. Kalof (1999) examined the effects of gender and music video imagery on sexual attitudes. A group of 44 U. S. college students were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups that viewed either a video portraying stereotyped sexual imagery or a video that excluded all sexual images. A two-way scale revealed that exposure to traditional sexual imagery had a significant main effect on attitudes about adversarial sexual relationships. There seems to be some confirmation of a relation between sex and exposure to conventional sexual imagery on the acceptance of interpersonal violence. † Viemero and Paajanen (1992) examined whether or not viewing violent television actually does increase the aggressive behavior of those who viewed it. There were 391 eight-year old and ten-year old children participating in this study. â€Å"These children were tested on their aggression, their fear fantasies, and their dream and fantasies about these shows†. Two measurements of aggression were made: peer-nominated aggression and self-related aggression. TV viewing habits were measured by the amount of TV viewed during the week. Violence was depicted by how regularly violent TV shows were watched. They found that there was significant positive correlation for boys between TV viewing variables and aggression. There was also a significant positive correlation between the amount of TV and televised violence viewing and fear and aggressive fantasies about actual shows that were seen by the children. â€Å"These children seem to have been strongly impacted by the violence seen on television shows they were watching, and then acting in a more aggressive way after watching the violence†. Now that the It seems very obvious that there is a significant relationship between listening to violent music and watching aggressive/violent music videos and one getting into more fights, using inappropriate language, inappropriate gestures, and a tendency to think less of women. All of these researchers identified in this paper studied this exact relationship and found significant results. It is apparent that there is indeed a direct correlation between violent music and people’s aggressive behaviors. An operational definition of violent behavior is physically and verbally hurrying others, cursing, stealing, inappropriate gestures and negative views of women. Whether it is the lyrics, the beat, or watching the entertainers act violently, people in general who are viewing these music videos are behaving in an inappropriate and destructive way. Listening to violent music has an effect on aggression. This information is useful for parents of young children who are growing up watching these music videos. The studies completed by the researches mentioned in this paper reveal a serious problem. Our society as a whole should consider this a severe problem, especially with all of the school bombings, the high rates of angry- gang affiliated- weapon carrying young people, and the millions of dollars being spent on this violent and degrading (mostly to women) kind of music. When angry, violent, aggressive, vulgar videos were shown, participants portrayed a massive amount of hostility; their moods were changing as the video continued as did their behavior. They also answered the scenario questions with the most violent answer chose available. The participants who viewed nonviolent videos showed amazingly different answers to the questions, the majority of them answering the questions with the nonviolent or calmer answer choses. This clearly shows evidence that allowing teenagers and young adults to watch violent music videos (like Eminem or DMX) has and will have a strong effect on violent tendencies like beating a women to death. It can also be said that the reason the results were significant in the violent groups is because of the extreme difference between the two videos. The violent videos were extremely violent showing fighting, carjacking, yelling, cursing, and hitting women. Meanwhile, the nonviolent groups watched music videos that showed people dancing on the beach and having fun. The extreme differences between the two types of videos could be the reason for the significant results obtained by the researchers. It may be wise in the future research to use videos that are not so tremendously different. Bibliography Anderson, C. A, Berkowits, L. , Donnerstein, M. , Edward, K. , Huesmann, L. , Rowell, J. , Johnson, J. , Linz, D. , Malamuth, N. , Wartella, H. 2003). The influence of media violence on youth. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4, 81- 110. Arlin, B. , (1996). The influence of locus of control and aggressiveness of rock music on aggression. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 14, 491- 498. Barongan, C. , Nagayama Hall, G. C. (1995). The influence of misogynous rap music on sexual aggression against women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 19, 195-207. Mahiri, J. , Conner, E. Black youth violence has a bad rap. Journal of Social Issues, 59, 121-140. Johnson, J. D, Jackson, L. A. , Gatto, L (1995). Violent attitudes and different academic aspirations: Deleterious effects of exposure to rap music. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 16 (1-2), 27-41. Kalof, L. (1999). The effects of gender and music video imagery on sexual attitudes. Journal of Social Psychology, 139, 378- 385. St. Lawrence, J. S. , Joyner, D. J.. (1991). The effect of sexually violent rock music on males’ acceptance of violence against women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 15, 49-63. Viemero, V. , Paajanen, S. (1992). The role of fantasies and dreams in the TV viewing-aggression relationship. Journal of Social Psychology, 18, 109-116. How to cite Music and Its Effects on Behaviors in Teenagers and Young Adults, Papers

Computers And Automation Essay Example For Students

Computers And Automation Essay What is a computer? A Computer is an electronic device that can receive a set ofinstructions, or program, and then carry out this program by performingcalculations on numerical data or by compiling and correlating other forms ofinformation. Thesis Statement:- The modern world of high technology could nothave come about except for the development of the computer. Different types andsizes of computers find uses throughout society in the storage and handling ofdata, from secret governmental files to banking transactions to privatehousehold accounts. Computers have opened up a new era in manufacturing throughthe techniques of automation, and they have enhanced modern communicationsystems. They are essential tools in almost every field of research and appliedtechnology, from constructing models of the universe to producing tomorrowsweather reports, and their use has in itself opened up new areas of conjecture. Database services and computer networks make available a great variety ofinformation sources. The same advanced techniques also make possible invasionsof privacy and of restricted information sources, but computer crime has becomeone of the many risks that society must face if it would enjoy the benefits ofmodern technology. Imagine a world without computers. That would mean no propermeans of communicating, no Internet, no video games. Life would be extremelydifficult. Adults would have to store all their office work paper and thereforetake up an entire room. Teenagers would have to submit course-works and projectshand-written. All graphs and diagrams would have to be drawn neatly andcarefully. Youngsters would never have heard of video-games and will have tospend their free time either reading or playing outside with friends. But thanksto British mathematicians, Augusta Ada Byron and Charles Babbage, our lives aremade a lot easier. Later, on my investigation about the growth of comp uters overthe decades, I will be talking about types of computers, how and when computerswere first being developed, the progress it made, computers at present and plansfor the future. In types of computers, I will be talking about analogue anddigital computers and how they function. In the development of computers, I willbe mentioning about the very first electronic calculator and computer. Underprogress made, I will only be mentioning about circuits. For computers of thepresent, I will be talking about networking, telecommunications and games. Andfinally, as for planning for the future, I will mention about new and recentideas, research and development of new computers heard and talked about innewspapers and on television. I. MAIN TYPES OF COMPUTERS There are two maintypes of computers which are in use today, analog and digital computers,although the term computer is often used to mean only the digital type. Analogcomputers exploit the mathematical similarity between physicalinter relationships in certain problems, and employ electronic or hydrauliccircuits to simulate the physical problem. Digital computers solve problems byperforming sums and by dealing with each number digit by digit. Hybrid computersare those which contain elements of both analog and digital computers. They areusually used for problems in which large numbers of complex equations, known astime integrals, are to be computed. Data in analog form can also be fed into adigital computer by means of an analog- to-digital converter, and the same istrue of the reverse situation. a) What are analog computers and how do theywork? The analog computer is an electronic or hydraulic device that is designedto handle input in terms of, for example, voltage levels or hydraulic pressures,rather than numerical data. The simplest analog calculating device is the sliderule, which employs lengths of specially calibrated scales to facilitatemultiplication, division, and other functions. In a typical electronic a nalogcomputer, the inputs are converted into voltages that may be added or multipliedusing specially designed circuit elements. The answers are continuouslygenerated for display or for conversion to another desired form. b) What aredigital computers and how do they work? Everything that a digital computer doesis based on one operation: the ability to determine if a switch, orgate, is open or closed. That is, the computer can recognise onlytwo states in any of its microscopic circuits: on or off, high voltage or lowvoltage, or-in the case of numbers-0 or 1. The speed at which the computerperforms this simple act, however, is what makes it a marvel of moderntechnology. Computer speeds are measured in megahertz, or millions of cycles persecond. A computer with a clock speed of 10 MHz-a fairlyrepresentative speed for a microcomputer-is capable of executing 10 milliondiscrete operations each second. Business microcomputers can perform 15 to 40million operations per second, and supercompu ters used in research and defenceapplications attain speeds of billions of cycles per second. Digital computerspeed and calculating power are further enhanced by the amount of data handledduring each cycle. If a computer checks only one switch at a time, that switchcan represent only two commands or numbers; thus ON would symbolise oneoperation or number, and OFF would symbolise another. By checking groups ofswitches linked as a unit, however, the computer increases the number ofoperations it can recognise at each cycle. For example, a computer that checkstwo switches at one time can represent four numbers (0 to 3) or can execute oneof four instructions at each cycle, one for each of the following switchpatterns: OFF-OFF (0); OFF-ON (1); ON-OFF (2); or ON-ON (3). II. WHERE IT ALLBEGAN a) The Mother of all Calculators The first adding machine, a precursor ofthe digital computer, was devised in 1642 by the French philosopher BlaisePascal. This device employed a series of ten-toothed w heels, each toothrepresenting a digit from 0 to 9. The wheels were connected so that numberscould be added to each other by advancing the wheels by a correct number ofteeth. In the 1670s the German philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Wilhelmvon Leibniz improved on this machine by devising one that could also multiply. Leslie twiggy Hornby EssayThe pattern 11010010, for example, might be binary data-in this case, thedecimal number 210 (see NUMBER SYSTEMS)-or it might tell the computer to comparedata stored in its switches to data stored in a certain memory-chip location. The development of processors that can handle 16, 32, and 64 bits of data at atime has increased the speed of computers. The complete collection ofrecognizable patterns-the total list of operations-of which a computer iscapable is called its instruction set. Both factors-number of bits at a time,and size of instruction sets-continue to increase with the ongoing developmentof modern digital computers. IV. COMPUTERS OF THE 90S a) Computer NetworksMajor changes in the use of computers have developed since it was firstinvented. Computers have expanded, via telephone lines, into vast nation-wide,or world-wide, networks. At each extremity of the network is a terminal device,or even a large computer, which can send jobs over the wire to the centralcomputer at the hub of the network. The central computer performs thecomputation or data processing and sends the results over the wire to anyterminal in the network for printing. Some computer networks provide a servicecalled time sharing. This i s a technique in which software shifts the computerfrom one task to the another with such timing that it appears to each user at aterminal that he has exclusive use of the computer. b) TelecommunicationsCertain telecommunication methods have become standard in the telecommunicationsindustry as a whole, because if two devices use different standards they areunable to communicate properly. Standards are developed in two ways: (1) themethod is so widely used that it comes to dominate; (2) the method is publishedby a standard-setting organisation. The most important organisation in thisrespect is the International Telecommunication Union, a specialised agency ofthe United Nations, and one of its operational entities, the InternationalTelegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT). Other organizations inthe area of standards are the American National Standards Institute, theInstitute of Electrical Engineers, and the Electronic Industries Association. One of the goals of these organizations is the full realisation of theIntegrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), which is projected to be capable oftransmitting through a variety of media and at very high speeds both voice andnon-voice data around the world in digital form. Other developments in theindustry are aimed at increasing the speed at which data can be transmitted. Improvements are being made continually in modems and in the communicationsnetworks. Some public data networks support transmission of 56,000 bits persecond (bps), and modems for home use are capable of as much as 56kbps. c) PCGames and Video CDs CDs have developed a lot over the past decade. At first,they were used only for music. Now, there are CDs from which we can play PCgames and watch movies. The games at present are usually 3D. This means that thegame seems almost life-like or virtual. One can spend hours playing a games onCD because they are addictive. This is one of the main disadvantage of computergames, because the person prevents themselves from doing anything educational orengaging themselves in any physical activities. Another common disadvantage isthat playing too much on the computer can cause bad eye-sight. But there are afew educational games for young children to help them learn and understandthings better. Games may not be all that good for an individual, but if s een howthey are programmed one will realise that it is not all easy to program a game. A few years ago, if one was bored, they would usually go to a video shop andrent a movie. Now one can rent Movie CDs and play them on the computer andspecial Movie CD players which are also installed in some new Hi-Fi Systems.