Diet effects on plasma lipoproteins ( Paraphrasing ) Essay

Diet effects on plasma lipoproteins ( Paraphrasing ) - Essay Example It is in the form of lipoprotines that the cholesterol and triacylglicerol are set on the move in blood. Ordovas (2005) has characterised lipoproteins as â€Å"generally spherical particles, with a surface layer composed of phospholipids with the fatty acids oriented toward the core of the Particle†. Carrying lipids from one inner organ to another is being the main function of these lipoproteins. The lipoproteins are chiefly those chylomicrons, named Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), Immediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), High-density lipoprotein (HDL). Chylomicrons are the largest lipoproteins, consisting mainly of triacylglycerol with apoB-48 and apoA, -C, and -E. Triacylglycerol is hydrolysed with endothelial-bound lipoprotein lipase, changing the chylomicron into a chylomicron remnant rich in cholesteryl ester. These remnants are removed from the circulation by interaction with the remnant receptors mainly present on hepatocytes. Chylomicron remnant rich in cholesteryl ester is made from chylomicron when triacylglycerol is hydrolysed with lipoprotein lipase that move towards endothelial. Mainly by the contact with remnant receptors found mostly on hepatocytes, the chylomicron remnants are removed. Tryacylglycerol with apoB-48, and apoA, -C, and –E are present in chylomicrons which are the major lipoproteins. Very low-density lipoproteins are secreted mainly by the liver, with apoB-100 and apoE on their surface. They are transformed into mature VLDLs by accumulating cholesterol ester, apoC, and apoE from HDLs. They then either interact with lipoprotein lipase to convert into IDLs, which can be taken up by the liver, or convert to LDLs by interacting with hepatic triglyceride lipase. VLDL particles vary in size. Small VLDL is converted into LDL, via IDL, to a greater extent than large VLDL, which is converted to a form of IDL that appears to be removed from the plasma before conversion to LDL. Mostly, liver discharges very

Free

Free Speech Essay In 1996 at Bonneville High school in Ogden, Utah a young foreign exchange student from Poland sat with her friend eating lunch. As she gazed upward she could see into the window of one of the history classes. To her horror, visible to the entire student body was displayed a Nazi flag. The flag was being displayed as part of a class on World War II and was displayed next to a Japanese flag, newspaper clippings, and other memorabilia to highlight certain aspects of that time period. After asking for the flag to be removed without avail, the student, Marta Daszkiewicz, wrote a letter to the local newspapers editorial section. In which she wrote â€Å"The swastika still evoked fears because the neo-Nazi movement is still alive in Germany. If you have Polish license plates, you can get beat up by neo-Nazis when you go into Germany, (Daszkiewicz, personal communication, February 15, 2012) A local newspaper at the time reported: [Karen] Miner said she was surprised to hear that Daszkiewicz, whose grandfather was killed at Auschwitz-Birkenau, felt the Nazi flag had no place on her classroom wall. â€Å"My father was one of the first Americans to go in D-Day, Miner said, adding that he helped liberate Paris and later some of the concentration camps where Nazis killed millions of Jews and members of other ethnic groups they deemed to be inferior.† (Associated Press 1996) At the school, teachers took sides, and because she was miles away from her parents and other means of support the young student felt ostracized. She felt like she had come to the land of the free and when she decided to speak her mind, she was shot down. (Daszkiewicz, personal communication, February 15, 2012) Karen Miner, the teacher, also felt her own freedoms had been brought under fire, and although she had been supported by her school and local school board, she certainly was not promoting Na zi ideology. (Associated Press 1996) What the student and the teacher had experienced here was a classic clash over when and if our freedom of speech should be censored. In either position; it is hard to know how we should respond. This was a balancing act with the teacher on one side representing the government, her students, and herself and the student on the other representing the individual. Both sides would probably describe their own freedom of expression to be the one that was threatened. And both have a reasonable claim to have their rights  being protected. In the United States of America, the right to freedom of speech has been held as one of this country’s highest values, as nationally recognized by the Constitution of the United States of America. Censorship of speech is a controversial subject matter, and will probably always be debated in the U.S. as long as this country exists. Balancing individual expression against the public’s welfare and safety is one of the most significant challenges of government. The passage and enforcement of unbalanced laws lead to suppression then revolt and an eventual disintegration of that society. Visual Aide The great balancing act is that even within the first amendment itself, there are often conflicts between the specific rights. And often Freedom of Speech is paired against not only the other rights within the 1st amendment, and also against the government’s role to protect the nation. Supreme court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said, I think that we should be eternally vigilant against attempts to check the expression of opinions that we loathe and believe to be fraught with death, unless they so imminently threaten immediate interference with the lawful and pressing purposes of the law that an immediate check is required to save the country. (Holmes, Abrams v. United States, 1919). Justice Holmes did not believe free speech should never be limited however. â€Å"The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic. [] The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent† (Holmes, Schenck v. United States, 1919) When speech is limited even for the reasons stated by Justice Holmes and Mr. Cohen, consequences can arise that are so disagreeable that they outweigh the original intent. On January 18th, 2012, only short time ago, a massive internet protest ensued. Some of the largest and most used internet sites went dark for 24 hours, including Wikipedia and Reddit, to bring attention to the movement against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA), two acts designed to protect owners of copyrights from the  possibility of intellectual robbery. Wikipedia, Google, and many others stated that while they understood the need to stop piracy of intellectual property, these bills went too far and began to censor ideas and knowledge. (Pepitone, 2012) It is only through this type of public discourse that the protections of speech and expression remain intact. On September 11th, 2001, one of the worst attacks in the history of the United States was perpetrated on our own soil. This act has lead to countless, laws and actions by the United States government. Among these is a very controversial act, known as the patriot act. This act has been argued by some to sacrifice our privileges of privacy and other rights for a little more security. Yet many believed our freedom of speech remained untouched. â€Å"Unlike World War I, for example, people were free to express their opposition to the â€Å"war on terror† without fear of being sentenced to ten years in prison†¦ In at least one significant area speech and association de emed to provide â€Å"material support† to terrorist groups our First Amendment rights are considerably less robust in the wake of 9/11 than they were before. Professor David Cole, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center explained â€Å"The â€Å"material support† law gives the executive the power to designate as a â€Å"foreign terrorist organization† any group that is foreign, has used or threatened to use a weapon against person or property, and whose activities undermine our â€Å"national defense, foreign relations, or economic interests.† (Cole, 2007) Cole further explains that the Supreme Court rulings of Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project uphold as constitutional the Bush and Obama administrations’ overly broad interpretation of that law and set dangerous precedents for speech rights in the future. The fear of further attacks by the enemies of the United States is not a reason to suppress our speech and expression. â€Å"Censorship,† according to Justice Holmes, â€Å"is an almost irresistible impulse when you know you are right† (Sunstein, p. 25). But letting the government swing toward suppression even in the face of adversity may at first help to protect a society but can eventually lead to much more complex and destructive problems. History has provided many examples of societies that used tactics to suppress ideas and expression. Examples of these groups are religions, governments, schools, and corporations. History has also shown  us that prolonged restriction of free speech leads to some sort of revolt. Known examples of revolts due to suppression are, the Lutheran and Calvinist Movements in Europe, the American Revolution, and Brown versus The Board of Education. (Heyman, 2010) A more modern, less dramatic, representation of the idea that censorship leads to revolt is known as â€Å"The Streisand Effect†. (Greenberg, 2007) The Phenomenon is named after singer Barbra Streisand and her failed attempt to suppress pictures of her home from being posted across the internet. In 2003 Kenneth Adelman posted aerial photos for an environmental survey. These photos included the singer’s Malibu beach house. Streisand responded to the pictures by suing Adelman. â€Å"Until the lawsuit, few people had spotted Streisands house, Adelman saysbut the lawsuit brought more than a million visitors to Adelmans Web site, he estimates. Streisands case was dismissed, and Adelmans photo was picked up by the Associated Press and reprinted in newspapers around the world.† (Greenberg, 2007) Yet based on history a suppressive government cannot sustain itself without making a switch to a more balanced approach to human rights, including free speech. In his book Did Plastic People of the Universe topple communism? Tom Stoppard shows the history of how suppression of Rock and Roll in Czechoslovakia eventually led to the 1989 Velvet Revolution. In 1976, after years of suppression by the Czechoslovakian Communist Party, The Plastic People of the Universe, a psychedelic rock and roll band were put on trial after attempting to stage a music festival that was not sanction by the government. (Stoppard, 2009) A diverse group of supporters, including playwrights, writers, professors and other Czech intellectuals, had attended the trial and gathered outside in the hallway. Among the supporters was avant-garde playwright Vaclav Havel who had met band members a week earlier and had been impressed with them. Havel left the trial feeling disgusted with the world and resolved to make a difference. (Stoppard, 2009) In the months that followed, these sympathizers gathered in solidarity with local hippies and rallied around the Plastic People. They dared to establish a human rights organization and released a statement of principles on  January 1, 1977, naming their organization after the charter, Charter 77. Havel said that the Plastics were defending lifes intrinsic desire to express itself freely, in its own authentic and sovereign way, which is as close to a perfect definition of both democracy and rock and roll as has ever been stated. Charter 77 evolved into a world-famous human rights petition that eventually landed Havel in jail, and was a precursor to the national revolution or â€Å"Velvet Revolution† that occurred 12 years later. (Stoppard, 2009) â€Å"The Velvet Revolution (Czech) or Gentle Revolution (Slovak) was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 to December 29, 1989. Dominated by student and other popular demonstrations against the one-party government of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, it saw to the collapse of the partys control of the country, and the subsequent conversion from Czech Stalinism to capitalism.† (Radio Prague, 1997) The Constitution of the United States extends the rights of speech as part of the first amendment. However, within the same amendment the constitution also offers religion, press, and peaceable assembly. Within the same amendment the right can sometimes conflict with some or all of the other rights protected by the constitution. Balancing the rights of citizens with the demands of government is not a battle that will ever be won. Due to changes in the worlds ideas and cultures we must, as Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. suggested, be â€Å"Eternally Vigilant† (Holmes, Abrams v. United States, 1919) in protecting others free speech. Balancing individual expression against the general public’s safety is one of the most significant challenges of government. If we do not we must face the possibility of losing our own freedoms and may have to fight either through words or deeds to retain those rights. Bibliography: Holmes, Oliver Wendell (1995). The Collected Works of Justice Holmes. Chicago: University of Chicago Press Radio Prague (1997) Radio Pragues History Online Virtual Exhibit!. http://archiv.radio.cz/history/history15.html Retrieved 2-16-2012 O’Brien, David M. (2010) Congress Shall Make No Law: The First Amendment, Unprotected Expression, and the Supreme Court. Lanham, Maryland: Bowman Littlefield Publishers, INC Heyman, Steven J. (2008) Free Speech and Human Dignity. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press Goldsmith, Edward (1971) Social disintegration: causes. London, England: Sphere Books Stoppard, Tom (2009) Did Plastic People of the Universe topple communism?. NY Times Online 12-19-2009. Retrieved 2-15-2012 Associated Press (1996) Polish Exchange Student Criticizes Nazi Display. Associated Press, Saturday, May 25 1996 http://www.deseretnews.com/article/491559/POLISH-EXCHANGE-STUDENT-CRITICIZES-NAZI-DISPLAY.html Greenberg, Andy (2007) The Streisand Effect. http://www.forbes.com/2007/05/10/streisand-digg-web-tech-cx_ag_0511streisand.html (2/15/2011) Norton, Rob (2008) Unintended Consequences. . The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. 2008. Library of Economics and Liberty. Retrieved February 18, 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/UnintendedConsequences.html Pepitone, Julianne (2012) SOPA explained: What it is and why it matters. CNN Money Tech. Retrieved February 18, 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/17/technology/sopa_explained/index.htm Finan, Christopher M. (2007) From the Palmer Raids to the Patriot Act. Boston, MA: Beacon Press Frontline (2006) The Memory of Tiananmen 1989. PBS Thomas, Andrew Peyton (2005) The People v. Harvard: Law How America’s Oldest Law School Turned Its Back on Free Speech. San Francisco, CA: Encounter Books Sunstein, C. (1993) Democracy and the Problem of Free Speech. NY: Free Press Cole, David (2011) Free Speech After 9/11: Why Advocating for Peace is Now a Crime. American Constitution Society. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://www.acslaw.org/acsblog/free-speech-after-911-why-advocating-for-peace-is-now-a-crime Kim, Jae-Young (2002) Sorting Out Deregulation: Protecting Free Speech and Internet Access in the United States, Germany, and Japan. New York, NY: LFB Scholarly Publishing LLC Kristoff, Nicholas D. (1989) A Reassessment of How Many Died In the Military Crackdown in Beijing. The New York Times. 21 June 1989 Abrams, Floyd (2005) Speaking Freely: Trials of the First Amendment. New York, NY: Viking Nunziato, Dawn C. (2009) Virtual Freedom: Net Neutrality and Free Speech in the Internet Age. Stanford, CA: Stanford Law Books Bernstein, David E. (2003) You Can’t Say That! : The Growing Threat to Civil Liberties from Antidiscrimination Laws. Washington, DC: Cato Institute Cohen, Henry Legislative Attorney (2009) Freedom of Speech and Press: Exceptions to the First Amendment. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service 7-5700 Daszkiewicz, Marta (2012) Personal Interview conducted by online chat on February 15, 2012. Poland. [emailprotected]

Articles Of Confederation Strengths And Weaknesses History Essay

Articles Of Confederation Strengths And Weaknesses History Essay The Articles of Confederation can be referred to as the first constitution of the United States and set out how the Federal government was to run, including implementation of United States of America, as a certified name for the new nation. The Articles were in exercise start starting 1777 following the Second Continental Congress appointment a committee to outline the Articles in June 1776 and prepared the draft to the states for endorsement in November 1777. The Articles was produced by the legislative body of the states which participated in the Second Continental Congress from a perceived call to have an understanding with confederacy for securing the independence, sovereignty, and freedom of the United States (Bailyn) The document enclosed 13 articles. It establishes that the confederation was to be referred to as: The United States of America. It also asserts the parity of the broken up states with the confederation administration such that every state retains its freedom, self -government, sovereignty, and its power, authority, and right, which should not be explicitly delegated by the Confederation. In addition the article do not identify the United States of America a state or government, yet instead say, that the said States hereby severally go into into a solid group of friendship with each one for their joint and common interests, common protection, and the safety of their liberties, strengthening the relationship among themselves to help out each other, in opposition to all might offered to, their mutual and general welfare or any of them, on relation to religious conviction, dominion, business, or any other simulation whatsoever. It establishes liberty of movement as anybody may possibly pass unreservedly in any of the states, not including vagabonds, paupers, and fugitives from fair dealing. In the article all people are entitled to the rights recognized by the state into which he moves. In case a wrong is committed in a single state and the perso n responsible for the action flee to another state, he will be taken to and tried in the same Nation in which he/she committed the crime. The article allocates a single chance to each state to cast their votes in the assembly of the union (the United States in congress Assembled) this was allowed to a designation of involving two to seven members. Assembly members were selected by state legislature. Also, persons could not serve other than three out of whichever six years. it also; states that the Articles are everlasting, and can only be changed by consent of Congress with approval by all the state legislatures, it reassures that the Confederation agrees with war debt incurred by Congress previous to the existence of the Articles, it also define a team of the States to be a rule while Congress is not in sitting, it also does state the powers accorded to the United States of America: to set weights, to announce war and procedures (as well as coins), and for Congress to serve as the highest court for settling differences between states, it also says that spending by the United States of America shall be paid by finances raised by state legislatures, and based on the real property values shall be apportioned to each of the states .In the article, Only the central government was permitted to carry out foreign dealings and to pronounce war. No single state could have its navy or standing armies could engage in war without the consent of Congress (even though the state militias existence was encouraged). Each time the military is raised for general defense, military and colonels ranks below colonel would be named by the state legislatures. The Articles were later on replaced with the more comprehensive the United States Constitution (Mcgeehan) Nonetheless, weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation became clear before the Revolution finished. The Articles left the largest part of the authority in the state governments owing to doubts of recreating a tough middle power like the British Monarchy. The necessity for a income stream was broadly conceded. Under the articles, assembly lacked power to charge taxes. Instead, it had to appeal to the states to give funds to the general treasury; this was never sufficient for the central government. To remedy this shortage, Congress requested to the states for authority to put down duties and make safe the public debts. Twelve states approved to such an adjustment, however Rhode Island refused to consent, by this means defeating the application. Nevertheless, the Congress borrowed cash and sold western land to make some cash. The need for supermajorities was a subsequent defect in the Articles of confederation. Not just did every adjustment had to be approved by all the thirteen states, but also all significant legislation required the endorsement of at least nine states. With some delegates often being not in attendance, one or two states were often capable to defeat legislative proposals of main importance. Other limitations in the Article of Confederation proved to be embarrassing as well. Congress may possibly, for example, bargain treaties with foreign powers, but all these treaties had to be endorsed by the states. Still when a treaty was accepted, Congress did not have the authority to secure compliance. The Congress could not act directly upon individuals or upon the nations. In such state of affairs, overseas nations doubted the worth of treaties with the new confederation. In addition, Congress had no power to standardize foreign or interstate business. Legislation in this field, due to irrelevant exceptions, was left to the individual States. Differences amid States with similar welfare in the direction-finding of definite rivers and bays were unavoidable. Prejudiced regulations were followed by reprisals The nonexistence of a single, consistent, and steady currency also hindered trade among the states and with different countries. Not only did the worth of paper currency differ from state to state, but also a small number of states, like New York and Virginia, charged duties on goods incoming into their ports from other states, thereby exasperating retaliatory measures. The states could declare, as had the federal administrator of finance that their public credit was moved out. To amalgam their problems, these newly self-governing states, having separated aggressively from Britain, no longer got preferential handling at British ports. While John Adams, U.S. minister tried to bargain a profitable agreement in 1785, the British disagreed because the entity states would not be confined by it. (Jensen) In distinction to the other state legislatures, the Massachusetts legislature forced tightly imperfect money and high taxes, which triggered creation of a little militia of farmers, headed by Daniel Shays, a former radical War army captain. The happening came to be recognized as Shays uprising. In a bid to take charge of the Massachusetts statehouse, others Shays required that foreclosures and unjust mortgages be left. Militias were called out and they speedily concealed the rebellion, however nationalists asked what would take place if a revolt got out of hand, George Washington warned, present are combustibles in all states which a spark may set fire to. Even though there were symbols of returning success in a number of areas of the fledgling states, overseas and domestic troubles continually grew. It became ever clearer to a lot of nationalists that the confederations central rule was not sturdy enough to set up a sound financial system, control trade, put in force treaties, or go to war when required (Isaacs). It is clear that The Articles of Confederation had many more weaknesses than strengths. This is so because Articles of Confederation gave a lot of power to the states and not sufficient to the central government. Basically, they formed a fragile vital administration, under which the nations could not work well as a single nation. One event that clearly shows the defects of the Articles of Confederation would be Shays uprising. After people started causing trouble, the richer citizens had to pay for their individual soldiers and safety because the Articles of Confederation did not give the country the authority to create a standing army. The articles formed no separate administrative department to carry out and put into effect the acts of Congress and no state court system could interpret the meaning of laws. To make an alteration to the Articles, it had to be determined collectively by all states. As well, 9 out of the 13 states had to endorse any major law prior to it being passed. There existed no standing army to shield the nation. Every state had to create its own foreign policy, as well as the passage of treaties. Each state could make its own money and it may not be acknowledged in other states. The war left an enormous debt, but the Articles did not permit congress to collect taxes, only to solicit for cash from the states. The essential administration could not control business amid the states. The Articles of Confederation was the first authorized administration of the United States had several severe defects. Under the Articles there was just a unicameral government so that there was no division of powers. The central administration under the Articles was too fragile since the majority of the supremacy rested with the states. Senate, under the Articles, had no influence to tax which meant that they could by no means put their finances in order. In order to alter or adjust the Articles, undisputed approval of the states was necessary which basically meant that adjustment to the Articles were not possible. For some key laws to go by, they had to be agreed by 9 of the 13 states this proved so tough to do that even the usual business of running a government was not easy. Under the Articles, senate did not have the authority to control business which would cause contest between states, as well as diplomatic issues. While the Articles of Confederation had many defects, they were able to achieve much. It held the states as one until the Constitution were printed. It developed a just policy for the growth of the western lands. The nations ceded their claims to the lands west of the Appalachians to the vital government. This helped forge a sensation of national harmony and congress under the Articles enacted laws to put in order the western territories and acknowledge new states on the same footing with the original states. The Articles also encouraged collaboration between the states. Although it was not always successful, the Articles provided that all states give full credit and faith to the lawful acts of the other states. Moreover, they could bargain and make treaties with new countries (Marconi). Another similar achievement of the Articles was the Northwest decree. This decree was passed in 1787 and permitted the settlement of the north of the Ohio River area and east of the Mississippi River. Whereas this may seem to merely be consent to go settle land, it is a lot more. By passing this order, the Articles instilled the idea of apparent future into the American man. It ensured that THE United States would go on to grow and happen to be a great nation of power and size. While the Articles may not have a lot of direct power capabilities, it is apparent that their indirect power to persuade the people was indeed well within its capabilities.

President Andrew Jackson Essay -- Essays Papers

President AJ Andrew Jackson was born in 1767, and grew up in the border of North and South Carolina. He attended frontier schools and acquired the reputation of being fiery-tempered and willing to fight all comers. He also learned to read, and he was often called on by the community to read aloud the news from the Philadelphia papers. In 1775, with the beginning of the American Revolution, Andrew Jackson, then only 13 years old became an orderly and messenger. He took part in the Battle of Hanging Rock against the British and in a few small skirmishes with British sympathizers known as Loyalists or Tories. His brother Hugh was killed, and when the British raided Waxhaw, both he and Robert were captured. Because Jackson refused to polish the boots of a British officer, he was struck across the arm and face with a saber. The boys were put in a British prison in Camden, South Carolina, where an epidemic of smallpox broke out. Mrs. Jackson gained her boys' release, but Robert soon died. Mrs. Jackson then volunteered to nurse other American prisoners, and she too caught smallpox and died. Andrew was now 14 years old and without any immediate family. With the war over, he took up saddle making and school teaching. With a $300 inheritance from his grandfather, he went to Charleston, South Carolina, then the biggest city in the South. There he cut a dashing figure in society until his money ran out. In 1787, Andrew Jackson became a lawyer and he set his office up in McLeanville, North Carolina. He quickly became successful lawyer and engaged himself in land speculation. He soon moved his office to Nashville where he met and fell in love with Mrs. Rachel Donelson Robard. Believing that Mr. Robards had obtained a divorce, they were married in 1791. Two years later they found that this was not so and the divorce had just then become final. A second marriage ceremony was performed. However, this failed to prevent gossips and political opponents from attempting to make a scandal out of the Jacksons' happy marriage. Mrs. Jackson endured in silence the many slanders that followed. Jackson, however, preferred to use dueling pistols to avenge his wife's honor. In 1796, Andrew Jackson was elected into the House of Representatives, representing Tennessee. He soon allied with the Jeffersonian Party, criticizing Washington and his administration. He claimed th... ...ssly by the letter of the Constitution, unauthorized by its spirit, inconsistent with every principle on which it was founded, and destructive of the great object to which it was formed. Jackson also pushed through Congress a force bill that authorized the use of federal troops to collect the tariff. The crisis was eased when, through the efforts of Henry Clay, Congress passed a compromise tariff in 1833 along with the force bill. As a last defiant gesture, South Carolina accepted the tariff but nullified the force bill. Jackson had preserved the Union, but nullification remained a great question. By 1836 Jackson was weak from tuberculosis and had no thought of seeking a third term. However, he stubbornly continued with affairs of state and party, including ensuring that the party nominated Van Buren as his successor. Although he was eager to return to the Hermitage after Van Buren's election, he grimly fulfilled the duties of his office until the inauguration the following March. The last day of Jackson's presidency was as much a personal triumph as his first. Thousands came, not to see the new president but to bid good-bye to their beloved hero. Bibliography: Encarta

I.T. System for a Newsagents

As in went into the first newsagents they said that they had no Information technology Equipment such as computers in their shop so I went into the next newsagent and explained to them I was in year 10 and was in the middle of doing a GCSE Coursework and was to update a system. I then said to them I would like to help them and update their system, they said they would be more than happy if I would do that for them because they did not know how much profit they were making or even loss. I then went into an off-licence that was near to where I lived on Cranbrook road. I told them what I was doing and explained that I was doing an Information technology Project, I then asked them if they would let me update their system so it would save them time and money on their business. They said, † yes ok, as it would help me as well†. Now that I had one choice I had then started to make my way to the Gants hill library, they said that their system was already up to date but said thank you for the offer. I still had 2 offers but unfortunately had to choose. I decided by thinking of who would have the most benefit of the system and I thought in the end that a newsagent would not really need a system as much as an off licence, as an off-license has a lot more stock and is much bigger than newsagents, I also thought it would be more challenging than a newsagents and hope to find out the profit/loss made by my clients and also hope they benefit from me. This was my final decision. Description of Problem: An off-licence called Cranbrook Food & wines situated on Cranbrook road sells stock of food, drinks and sweets and other grocery items. The problem is that my client knows if he is making a profit or loss but he doesn't know how to work it out on a P.C. As for the last5 years he has been doing it manually and Manual systems cannot keep up and they are much slower than P.C.'s. So he has I asked me to help him using the information he provides me with such as Income and Expenditure. They have a system but were not using it for Microsoft Excel, they told me they have hardly any idea how to use Microsoft Excel, and said they used their computer only to write letters on Microsoft Word and use the Internet for e-mail. Now it is up to me to show them how to work Microsoft Excel and update their system by making profit and loss account and a cash flow showing them their rates of profit so they now how much profit they will make when they see there closing balance. I will also be using formulas and teaching them to use Microsoft Excel and will also help them by showing them some strategies which will help them run their business better. One of their incomes is selling the stock and Expenditure is buying the stock. These will go into their profit and loss account using the figures that they supply me with and there will also be more such as, Electricity bill, Gas bill, Water bill etc for Expenditure, and Photocopier etc for Income. I will use formulas to total each of them up and use formulas to find out the closing balance. I will set-up a cash flow for them, as it is very easy to use, as they are new users. I will also put in formulas so if they wished to change anything such as change the price of the photocopier it will also change all the incomes and outcomes as well as the closing balance. To find a bit more about my client, I asked some questions so I could know how much knowledge he had about computers. 1) How long have you run a business? A) I have run a business for 5 years now. 2) What do you do in your business? A) In my business I have to stand behind the counter-serving people for about 11 1/2 Monday-Saturday, I also have to send my wife or sister to the cash and carry to buy our stock then I have to set-up all the stock and label the price on all the stock. 3) Do you use you system for any record of your business or financial work? A) No, I only use the computer for my e-mail and to write letters to people. 4) Have you employed any staff? A) No, my family and me run our business. 5) What do you now anything about computers, do you have any knowledge? A) Yes I know how to work on the Microsoft word processor and the Internet. 6) Would any of your business partners have trouble using the computer, and are they all familiar with Microsoft excel? A) My business partners are my family and they have no knowledge of Excel but as soon as I learn I will be able to teach them it won't be a problem. General Specification: My client has a very good knowledge of Personal computers but does not have a good knowledge when it comes to Microsoft excel. I had checked his computer and I could see he has windows 2000 and this is good, as it is the latest out. As he has very little knowledge of Microsoft Excel I will have to make this system very easy to use and I will also be installing a help wizard, which he does not have so if I'm not there he can rely on the help wizard to help him. The system I will input will also be flexible and quick so he won't waste any time. I am very sure that the software I will install will be fully compatible with my client Computer as I checked all the system files in their CPU. I have to also install Microsoft excels on his computer as his computer only came with Microsoft word, works, money and autoroute. My targets are benefit both of us, me by being successful and getting a good grade and my client, by helping his business by making it easier for him and much more efficient . When my system is finished it will be time saving, which will allow my client to either do personal things or expand on his business more. So my targets are to help my client have a better and more efficient business. By creating spreadsheets, which will show him the profit, he is making and will allow him to see what to decrease on, e.g. if Electricity bills are à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500 then he will know to turn of light and save electricity. This will also save a lot of his time. The new system I will be installing must be able to automatically change the corrections as my client is unfamiliar with excel. It must also be very easy to use, and must have a help wizard to guide my client. The information that he would want to store, would need to be stored in an organised way-I could do this by using tables to present the information in a more clearer way to my client I.e. A spread sheet. The system would also have to be user friendly as I was saying before and needs to be able to follow simple instructions so that everyone could use it easily and effectively. Specific Specification: After I had discussed some things with my client, we had both decided to include: * Profit and Loss- To show if he is making enough profit or not. * Formula's- so if he changed one of the outcomes e.g. water bill is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½200 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500 the total outcome will also change which will save quite a lot of time. * Validation checks- to check a computer to carry out when data is input. * Security- to make sure no one can tamper with the information, which is inputed with the exception of my client, and people who he wishes to share his password with. * The system is easy to use- to make sure my client can use the system with no trouble so he can change information and input it easily and so he can understand the system. We has also acknowledged that my client does not know much about spread sheets so he would like me to make it an easy system. The information I am going to use should be put under suitable heading; I have made some up for my client; – Stock – Photocopier – Selling Price – Retail price – Expenses The system must allow the information to be organised into certain orders e.g. the Stock could be put in numbers and the quantity sold could be put into alphabets. The system must also be able to save the information. As my client is going to need to store a lot of information on his system it will need to be stored efficiently. The new system must also be able to perform accurately so the system will need to be able to do many important calculations by using formulas if needed. The system must perform rapidly- the system must be able to calculate all the different prices when the quantity sold is changed. This will prevent my Client of having to waste time and tired of it. My client has not just started his business in fact he has been running it for 10 years now. He has also asked me to put a password on all the systems as it will save him from his files being deleted or being viewed by any other person which he doesn't want to no. Design of Solution: I have now got to choose which software my client would want to use; and which is most suitable for this assignment, we can choose any of the following choices: – Data base package (Microsoft Access & Microsoft Pinpoint) – Word Processing package (Microsoft Word & Microsoft Word perfect) – Microsoft Desktop Publishing (DTP)(Microsoft Publisher & Adobe PageMaker) – Presentational package (Microsoft PowerPoint) – Spreadsheet Packages (Microsoft Excel & Lotus 1-2-3) – Graphics Package (Corel draw & Microsoft paint) – Computer aided design (CAD) (Auto CAD) After thinking about the problem, I decided we could definitely not use all of this software so I have narrowed it down by choosing to use Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. I did not choose The Data base packaging as my client had no access to it as he did not have the software installed on his computer, but this did not matter as Microsoft access is one of the programs we could do without. We did not use the Presentational or Graphics Project as this is a GCSE project and we will not need a lot of presentation in our work. We also did not use it as the presentational package is not very confidential and all the information I will be storing for my client will have to be confidential so no one can change it without him knowing. These are also the same reasons why we did not use Microsoft Desktop Publishing. I chose the word processor as it can be used in letters, essays, projects, CV's etc. In my list I wrote Projects and as I'm doing one right now I thought it would be a good idea to use word. I also chose word as there is a very big advantage to it, it can be edited if mistakes have been made and can also be formatted in many ways such as, Letters can be Bolded, made Italic, and underlined. The word processor also gives you the advantage of making a word art, as you can see I have used this a number of times, and you can also choose between a ranges of clipart. I will mainly use this program to write out my GCSE coursework project and say what how and when I did to help my clients business. Microsoft excel is a spreadsheet made up of a grid into where numbers are entered. The program it self is used for mathematic calculations, statistical and financial calculations. I mainly chose it for the financial calculations as I am going to help my clients business. Even though my client does not have access to Microsoft excel, instead he has Microsoft works spreadsheet, I fell that Excel is better so I have a disk, which has Excel on it, and I will be happy to install it for him. I will use excel to put all of the Income and expenditure (PROFIT & LOSS) into a table, this will show how Much profits my client gets and how much of it he spends. FIELD NAME DATA TYPE REQUIRED DATA ENTRY REASON Opening Balance The opening balance of cash flow Formula No Opening balance is brought over from the closing balance at the end of the month the number is produced by formula so you do not need to type it manually Revenue This is the sales that the company receives when selling their products Number Yes This is a figure and changes from month to month so it needs to be typed in manually Overheads The utilities in this are the Electricity, gas and water bills. Another overhead is the raw materials, this is when they buy the products that they are selling Number Yes This also varies from month to month so it will need to be typed in Manually. Total Overheads Formula No The Total Overheads are brought from the overheads so at the end of the month if the overheads were changed the total overheads would also change automatically. Systems Flowchart: . RESOURCES: I have now installed the help wizard on his computer, which should be able to help him, whenever I am not there to assist him. I have also installed Microsoft excel. I am now going to show you the hardware and software I am going or not going to use. Hardware: The hardware that I am using to create this system are Intel powered Pentium machines which have PII 266 systems, containing 2 GB of hard Drive, 32 Megs of RAM and a 8 Meg Video Card. The server that windows use is NT. My client Pc is very different it is a Gateway PC, Intel inside Pentium 3 PC with Windows 98. It contains 32 Megs of RAM, 20 GB of Hard drive, DVD and 20 Meg video drives. Software: The software packages that I am going to use are Word Processing, Desktop Publishing and Spreadsheet. A Word Processor can be used to write letters, reports, essays, projects, memos, curriculum vitae, theses and basically any form of written work. When text is entered at the keyboard, the characters and words are displayed on the screen and held in the computer's memory. This work can be saved to hard drive or disk and can also be printed out. The advantage of using a Word Processor is that the text can be changed or edited onscreen and reprinted if mistakes are made. I will be mainly using Word Processor to do my project, which is listed above. A Desktop Publishing Program allows users to look at the page of he document as a whole and design the layout by marking areas for text and graphics. Text can be typed directly into the Desktop Publisher package or it can be imported from a word processing package. The text can be arranged in columns with large titles or headlines heading the columns. Images can be imported from graphics packages, scanned or taken from clipart. I will mainly be using this program to do my user documentation. A Spreadsheet is a computer program which is designed to display and process numbers. It is made up of a grid to which numbers are entered. The program contains many mathematical, statistical and financial calculations, which can be applied to the numbers. Many Spreadsheets can also show the numbers in the form of graphs. I will be using this program to show my profit and loss and cash flow for my client. The software packages I am not going to use are Presentation, Database and Graphic packages. A Presentation Package allows users to prepare and give presentation to using the computer. The information being presented is made into a set of slides. Each slide can contain text, clipart, graphics, video, sound and animation. A salesman might use the program to demonstrate a new product; a teacher, to give a lesson or lecture; a pupil might use the software to prepare a talk or a school assembly. A Database is a collection of related data items, which are linked and structures so that the data can be accessed in a number of ways. A simple database consists of only one set of data. This is called a flat file. An example of a flat file is pinpoint or Microsoft works. A relational database is more complex. Relational Databases are very powerful as they allow the data to be accessed in many different ways. An example of a relational database is Microsoft Access. I am now going to show you the advantages and disadvantages of a manual system (File base system) and see which one I chose and why? ADVANTAGES: * Do not have to waste electricity when using CPU * The financial cost for a file base system is not around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000 where as it does to buy computer * If the electricity goes out you wont have to worry about your business, as you would have it all on paper. * The computer may crash and you could loose all your data if not saved. DISADVANTAGES: * Computer saves time as writing takes to long * It is easier to work out profits more easily * If you need to change something, the computer will adjust the changes to everything else it affects automatically * If you make a mistake the computer would detect it and notify you by underlining it or correct it automatically. * You can produce graphs and charts by using the Popular Microsoft Excel whereas you would have to spend time calculating and drawing it if you had no computer * You can store up to hundreds of pages on one simple disk. The above argument tells you that you would benefit more from having a P.C Computer system than you would with a manual system. I will go with the results of this argument and use a computer to do my project. I am going to use a spreadsheet over a database because for this particular coursework, a spreadsheet is more appropriate than a database. This is because the information I will be inputting is not relational or linked e.g. Library books are linked in some way therefore it maybe put into a database. A spreadsheet is also good for financial use as it is good with mathematical equations this is another reason why I am using it instead of Database. Data Collection, Data Capture and Input: The data that my client wishes me to put into his system are; sales from stock; sales from photocopier; electricity bill; Gas bill and buying stock, other than that my client does not mind what information I input. The information will be given to me by my client which he will get from his Bills and from his invoices that he holds which has a record of his shops sales records and how much he spends to buy the stock. Input Devices: The input devices are will be using are as follows: Keyboard: The most common way of entering data into a computer is through the keyboard. Modern Keyboards often have a support at the front of the keyboard as a rest for the typist's wrist's and some manufacturers have designed keyboards with a more curved key layout in an attempt to make typing faster and more comfortable, even though this maybe, the keyboard is very slow even for today's typing experts. Mouse: The pointer on the screen is called the mouse; you may move the pointer by the user moving the mouse, which will move the pointer. Under the mouse is a ball, which rolls as the mouse is moved. When the screen pointer is over an icon or a menu selection the mouse can be double-clicked to activate the program. This is a standard device like the keyboard. The Input devices I will not be using are; Scanners: Scanners enable both pictures and text to be input to a computer. Scanning text in order to recognise the words and letters requires special software. The most common type of scanner is the flatbed but smaller and cheaper hand-held scanners, which are rolled over the document/picture, are also available. Although the scanner is available to me I have no need to use it. Touch screen: A touch screen is when there are beams of infrared light just in front of the glass on the computer monitors. When a user touches the screen or glass with their finger, the infrared light recognises it and co-ordinates the points. The computer can detect the position of the finger and respond accordingly. I am not using touch-screen because it is not available to me. Processing: Validation and Verification: I will need to have some validation checks as a mistake may happen and this prevents this, a mistake that could happen and is very likely to is writing in the number with text rather than numerical symbols, that is eight instead of 8. The range checks are very liable to read editing with time as the company grows. So they too should be easy to modify. However it is important not to over use the validation only but to only have the item in suitable areas, as people find going error messages very annoying. Verification is the checking of a mistake manually. It involves either printing of your work to look at it or looking at it on the monitor screen, another way is double-checking your work twice or you may make a mistake such as writing the instead of the or in figures such as 394 instead of 934. There are certain types of validation; they are Picture check, Character count, Range check, Presence check and file lookup. Presence check means the cell or field cannot be empty, if there is nothing inside the cell or field it will read error. Character count would make sure there is only a limited amount of characters that can be typed into a cell. Range check, checks the range of numbers that is typed. E.g. the number can be equal to, less than, greater than or between parameters, picture check, checks that the data entered in this field is as expected, i.e. TTTNNTTT (where T=text and N=number) so it would be something like this, GFD77GGG. Finally File Lookup, V PATEL, here the persons code (first three characters) and the subject code, (last three characters) can be checked by opening separate files and ensuring the codes do exist in a valid list. Output Format: Output Devices: The output devices I am going to use are: Monitor: The computer monitor screen or VDU is the most common output device. The most common size of monitor screens are 15 inches, others are 17 and 19 inch, which are much bigger. Computer monitors are similar in many ways to the television. They use a device called cathode ray tubes which contains an electron gun at the back the tube which fires electrons at phosphor dots coating the inside of the screen. Laser Printers: Laser printers work on the same principle as photocopiers. The toner, which is powered in, is transferred to the paper where it is fused by the action of heat and pressure. Lasers are very quiet printers and give high quality print. Laser Printers can print 8-10 pages per minute, which is much faster than other printers. The output devices I will not be using are; Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD's): Liquid Crystal Displays utilise tiny crystals which, when a charge is applied across them, polarise the light passing through them. Used in combination with special filters, this means that light will not pass through when an electrical charge is applied. LCD's are also used in watches and calculators. Thin Film Transistor Screen: A more advanced type of display, giving a full colour and high quality output, is the TFT active matrix screen. Each pixel on the screen is controlled by its own transistor. This provides a higher resolution and more contrast. I am now going to show you how my cash flow works and also show you part of a cash flow. As you can see in he highlighted section is the revenue, the formula I had inputted in the total revenue cell=SUM (B4:B5) pending on which total I wanted. By inputting the formula, certain changes vary; such as now if you change the â€Å"sales from stock in shop† it will automatically change the total revenue, and is also the same if you change the â€Å"sales from photocopier† it will automatically change the total revenue. For example if you higher your price of the photocopier you will make more money, so my client will need to change the figures in the photocopier section. For instance if he changes it from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½300.00 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½400.00 the total revenue will automatically change to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.400.00 that would not happen if the total were typed in manually. As you can see, there is a formula to work out the total revenue; it does this by adding the cells B4 and B5 together. I have several formulas and different formulas are used for different things. For instance if I wanted to know the total revenue I would use a formula which looked something like this; =SUM (C3:C4), and then it would give me the total of the two cells. This is the same for total expenditure, but if I wanted to know the net cash flow I would have to minus the total revenue from the total expenditure, it would look something like this; =SUM (C5-C6), then it will give me the total amount left over. The formulas used in the spreadsheet above are as follows: =SUM (B4: B5) This formula adds up the total revenue for the particular month, it does this by adding up all the revenues. This formula varies throughout each month, as business may be better or lower. =SUM (B9: B11) This formula adds up his total expenditure or expenses for the particular month. The expenses vary throughout each month. =SUM (B6-B12) This formula shows the net cash flow by subtracting the total revenue from the Expenditure resulting in the profit/loss. =SUM (B16-B17) This formula works out the closing balance by subtracting the Opening balance from Net cash flow resulting in the closing balance. Introduction: Now that I have finished creating a system I have to test it, to see if there are any problems. Strategy: There are to different ways I could test my system. Test1- I could test it with the current figures. Check if the formula works and see if the validation is accurate. Test2- I could test it with last year's figures, and see if the totals agree. I will then again see if the validation checks are accurate. I have chosen to do test 1 and I will do this by doing it in a Test plan & results table. The results able will consist of three columns the first is â€Å"Test† for what I'm going to test e.g. If the Validation works. The second is â€Å"Prediction† e.g. if I put the validation check in Cell C4 that 9>500, it would print error if there was more than 500. The last column is the â€Å"Results†. It is where you put in he results of your test and to see if your predictions are correct.

United States of America Essays

United States of America Essays United States of America Essay United States of America Essay Few countries in history have achieved the level of mobility as the United States of America.   The spirit of motion and discovery pushed the earliest pioneers across the continent and to the Pacific, while the spirit of ingenuity helped turn these long distances into relatively short jaunts.   From wagons to steam-powered trains, motion and speed became the mark of the Industrial Revolution and helped transform the landscape and the people inhabiting it.   By the dawn of the twentieth century, a new invention was to further change the country and the world for good, bringing with it an independence and convenience of motion previously unknown; that invention was the automobile.   From these earliest days, safety and continuous innovation became the main attributes of the development of the automobile, with roads and new laws for traffic becoming the reaction to its proliferation.   As the technology that created automobiles increased their speed, li mits were created to prevent possible dangers to drivers and pedestrians.   Today, there are as many automobiles in the United States as there are people, and the speeds that they can reach are often beyond anything that could have been imagined a century earlier.   Because of this, as well as the ever-increasing pace of modern life, many states have seen fit to abolish traditional speed limits in favor of higher limits.   While many people enjoy the freedom to drive a little faster without the threat of receiving a costly speeding ticket, some critics claim that the increased speed limits also lead to increased traffic fatalities; however, while some research shows that fatalities have increased in some areas with increased speed limits, there is also evidence to suggest that the increase is negligible and that increased speed limits may also contribute to bolstering the economy. Until the late 1980s, the Federal speed limit had been 55 miles per hour.   By 1998, Connecticut was the only state remaining that had yet to increase the speed limit on any of its roads, even though all states had government sanction to do so.   However, that year Connecticut became the last state in the continental U.S. to raise its speed limit from 55 to 65 m.p.h. on 334 miles of state highway (â€Å"Connecticut To Increase Speed Limit†).   The heavy resistance to the increased speed limit in the state, as well as many other states that initially resisted raising speed limits, was based on the fears of increased fatalities from faster driving.   Logically, cars that are moving faster stand a greater chance of creating spectacular and deadly accidents, and this fact is too obvious to ignore.   The realities of increased fatalities were continuously addressed by Federal highway experts, which continued to warn states that the increased speed limits would also lead t o increased fatalities on the roads.   The earliest figures from studies of states that increased speed limits supported their assertions.   According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, states that increased speed limits in 1996 experienced about 9 percent more Interstate fatalities than expected, while states that did not increase speed limits did not (â€Å"Connecticut To Increase Speed Limit†).   While the studies failed to mention whether the increased speed limits led to increased accidents, the deadly nature of the increased speeds were apparent.   Reinforcing the findings of the Federal experts, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety found a 12 percent increase in fatalities on highways in states that had raised the speed limit above 55 during the last nine months of 1996 (â€Å"Connecticut To Increase Speed Limit†).   However, Connecticut Department of Transportation would later relent that: â€Å"If a posted speed limit is unr ealistically low, it creates a speed variance (i.e. some drivers follow the speed limit while most drive the reasonable speed).   This speed variance can contribute to accidents† (â€Å"Speed Limit†).   While these early studies certainly reinforced the fears of legislators who wished to keep the speed limits down, they also did little to dissuade other states from continuing to increase limits, driven on by motorists desire to go faster. In states like New Jersey, highly populated and heavily traveled, speed limits were often treated as mere suggestions.   In 1997, when the speed limits were finally increased in New Jersey, many hailed it as a success by those that had lobbied for a higher speed limit for years.   According to Stephen G. Carrellas, at the time the coordinator of the New Jersey chapter of the National Motorists Association, said: â€Å"Jersey drivers travel at a speed they feel is safe and comfortable for the conditions on the road at that point in time.   They are voting with their gas pedal that that speed is at least 65 miles per hour on a limited-access highway† (Herszenhorn).   The increased speed limits in New Jersey, while universally applauded by commuters, also set limitations on which roads would enjoy the increased speeds.   On roads like the New Jersey Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway, and the Interstate, the increased speed limits merely created a situation in which law -abiding motorists were no longer subject to speeders flying by them in right line at 65 or 70 m.p.h. while they followed the tradition 55 m.p.h. speed limit.   The irony of this fact is that it would seem to negate the claims that increased speed limits lead to more accidents, as had been claimed as the key counter argument against increased limits; and if anything, the increased speed limits actually made it safer along these certain stretches of road.   Governor Christine Todd Whitman, who originally opposed increased speed limits because of its potential dangers, agreed to support it once she learned that studies revealed the increased speed did not cause more accidents.   With an emphasis on road safety, the governor believed that increased speed limits on certain roads would help compliment the state’s anti-aggressive driving program, which at the time in the seven counties where the program operated traffic accidents fell by 18 percent (Herszenhorn).   While Go v. Whitman’s decision was based on research and her desire to make the roads in her state safer, it also illustrates how the research surrounding the fatality rate and its correlation to increased speed limits was severely lacking during these initial years after the Federal speed limit increased. The contradictory reports of whether increased speed limits also increase accidents and fatalities were difficult for many legislators as they decided whether to increase speed limits or keep them down.   While common sense would dictate increased speeds led to increased fatalities, it does not touch on whether increased speeds actually lead to more accidents.   Only through implementation of the increased speed limits and observation over time were researchers able to get a true picture of the impact of high speed limits.   The surprising picture is that with the increased speed limits on the nation’s highways, fatalities and injuries are down significantly.   In 2005, according to data from the National Highway Safety Administration, the rate of injuries per mile traveled was lower than at any time since the Interstate Highway System was built 50 years ago, and the fatality rate was the second lowest ever, slightly higher than the all-time low that occurred in 2004 ( â€Å"Safe at Any Speed†).   Despite all the fears that Federal and highway experts instilled in legislators, and despite all the protests that increasing speed limits would increase fatalities, a decade of implementation and research showed that all the fears were unfounded.   In the past decade, over thirty states have increased speed limits to about 70 m.p.h., and the results continue to be astounding with all but two states experience a decline in highway fatalities; per mile traveled, there were about 5,000 fewer deaths and almost one million fewer injuries in 2005 than in the mid-1990s (â€Å"Safe at Any Speed†).   These figures are made even more remarkable when one takes into account the proliferation of cell phones and the fact that so many people use them while driving.   While achieving proper speed limits for roads instead of a universal limit can be seen as a contributor to these lowered fatalities, it must also be acknowledged that technology cont inues to make safer cars, from brakes to airbags, and the highways of the country continue to improve with constant renovation.   With such numbers and the overwhelming lack of danger posed by increased speed limits, the questions arise as to why it took so long and why it faced so much opposition.   Like many things in the country, the answer is cost. The Federal speed limit was originally enacted because of costs, as well as its abolition.   It was believed that by the early 1990s as many as 95 percent of all drivers routinely exceeded the 55 m.p.h. speed limit, and it was considered the most disobeyed Federal law since Prohibition; and while the law garnered the reputation as a life-saver in later years, the truth behind its inception was to save gasoline during the Arab oil embargo during the 1970s (â€Å"Safe at Any Speed†).   When deciding to abolish the Federal limit, legislators were forced to consider whether increased expenses incurred because of accidents and fatalities would be greater than the money saved from motorists reaching their destinations sooner.   Using figures obtained from 1986 through 1993, researchers found that each person killed in a crash in effect contributed through the loss of his or her life $1.54 million, adjusted for inflation, to the value of the time that was saved by the faster dr iving of everyone during those seven years (Uchitelle).   By this conclusion that each individual life lost on the road was worth $1.54 million dollars illustrated the ultimate bottom line for the shifting speed limits, which was not human life so much as money.   Additionally, according to a study by the Cato Institute, since the increase in speed limits Americans have also arrived at their destinations sooner, worth an estimated $30 billion a year in time saved (â€Å"Safe at Any Speed†).   So, like the earliest studies of increased speed limits that focused on the social value of human life, the later studies also have their share of disparity when measuring the economic costs. Only hindsight can provide an accurate view of things sometimes, and hindsight certainly puts to bed the many fears opponents of increased speed limits once had.   Increased speed limits, when used logically and in the right places, actually do a great deal to reduce fatalities.   While improved automobile technology and stricter laws against aggressive and drunk drivers are also to credit for this decline, increased speed limits do little to create danger on the roads. : â€Å"Connecticut To Increase Speed Limit.† The New York Times. 1 Oct 1998. 24 Jun 2008. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07E4D91738F932A35753C1A96E958260. Herszenhorn, David M.. â€Å"New Jersey to Raise Its Top Speed Limit to 65 M.P.H.† The New York Times. 13 Dec 1997. 24 Jun 2008. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res= 9C0DE7DA1F3CF930A25751C1A961958260. â€Å"Safe at Any Speed.† Wall Street Journal. 7 Jul 2006. 24 Jun 2008. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1072989621sid=7Fmt=3clientId=394RQT=309VName=PQD. â€Å"Speed Limit.† Connecticut Department of Transportation. 6 Sep 2005. 24 Jun 2008. ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?Q=259744a=1380. Uchitelle, Louis. â€Å"Accelerate To 65 M.P.H. Now Empty Your Pockets.† The New York Times. 7 Jul 2002. 24 Jun 2008. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res= 9802E7D61031F934A35754C0A9649C8B63.