2008년 4월 30일 수요일

Cyber money in the real world

According to Kirkpatrick’s (2007, para. 9) article, “This virtual world - don't call it a game - has become a phenomenon: Second Life, which is free for casual use, has about 334,000 regular visitors. More than 2.6 million have checked it out, a figure that in mid-January was growing by about 20,000 per day”. As above in the article, the online world has become another world. An online game, which is a game that is based on a computer networking system, provides various kinds of contents to satisfy gamers’ need. Even though the majority of people do not think that online world is real, it has many similarities with the real world. It has an economic system, like an auction system, and it has a government that is controlled by the company. People who play the online game enjoy playing the game to fulfill satisfaction that is different from the real world. However, the online world has had problems recently; such as financial crime, damage in its market system and destruction of online game worlds. Therefore, the government, company and individual can make several solutions to prevent the problem.

Internet games are such that usually gamers play a game through the networking system such as the Internet system. As our technology has changed rapidly, our trend of games has changed a lot. This means that new types of games produce a variety of satisfaction for gamers. The history of online game was started in 1969. Many of the companies which provide service based on online network system had made games that many people could play together at the same time to fulfill consumers’ changes (Mulligan, 1999). Actually, many years ago, they started to provide online games, before the network system improved enough. Nowadays, the online world has become a new hot issue, because it has made new problems, since some people make real profit through trading cyber money. One solution to prevent this is that the government or the company could make a tax law system for the cyber world. According to Dibbell’s (2007, para. 8) article, “American Apparel's Second Life store sells virtual fashions to players. Consider ‘bartering’ and ‘prizes’ as outlined in IRS publication 525 (Taxable and Nontaxable Income): Anyone who acquires goods or services either in trade or at play must report as income the ‘fair market value’ of those goods or services”. However, others think that trading cyber money for real money does not cause problems, because it is natural that many players who want more power and position in their game world make the money market naturally to fulfill their own satisfaction (Ward, 2008). In fact, there are lots of problems in the cyber world due to the fact that many people do not consider its problem seriously today. For example, making a black market, spoiling a game’s surroundings and increasing financial frauds can be harmful to both the company and the player.

First, the government and company should regulate rules or policies to prevent an illegal market system. In Korea, several companies realized that there was a problem that many foreign gamers were making cyber money for selling in the real world. Usually the foreign gamers connected from their own countries, and the illegal company can use them at a lower labor fee. According to Wingfield’s (2007, para 4) article, “While some game makers have embraced such transactions, others view them as a form of cheating. A more vexing matter, though, is a new professional class of entrepreneurs, called ‘gold farmers,’ who do nothing but collect virtual goods and sell them for real money, often operating from low-wage countries like China and Eastern Europe”. So, the company makes the solution to prevent illegal trading, like blocking foreign Internet Providers. Through blocking foreign Internet Providers, we can prevent surreptitious uses, like stealing Social Security Numbers. Furthermore, through a tax system, people can prevent imbalance in the market system. So, a tax system can bring the result that every profit from trade in the cyber world can make more specific information about illegal trading. It means people can avoid damages from the illegal market system.

Another is that the company and government should restrict selling cyber money with specific action. The biggest problem is that our society does not think that cyber money can become real money. So, people can trade cyber money and items in online access easily, like E-bay and Runescape. Actually, some companies try to prevent it by employing a third gamer who can check every gamers’ trading information, or regulating specific policies to treat it as a crime (Real-Money Trading Policy, n.d.). In China, many younger people have played games. They think that is trendy, and there has been a problem related to trading cyber money for real money. In YunYun’s (2007, para. 5) article, “In the past, players had to buy certain cards to get access to an online game. However, currently, most of the operators don't charge players due to the cutthroat market competition. To find profits, the game operators turn to selling virtual gear, including clothing and special weapons, to players to enhance their gaming experience. That virtual gear costs real money and satisfies ‘human beings' inner desire to be powerful and dominant in one world’”. However, any operation cannot protect them from the cyber fraud, even if they got financial damage, because the government does not consider that is cyber money a real product. So, the government should need to make some protection system to protect them. For example, strengthen the police’s position, like make cyber police to help people who are victims of fraud by cyber money seller.

In addition, today both the company and people who trade cyber money for real money may tend to compromise with illegal trading. They might think that trading cyber goods will get worse, if the company and government just restrict trading the cyber goods (Wingfield, 2007). However, in this process, the players who just enjoy playing the games without trading cyber money for real money can get damage anyway. Actually, the majority of gamers who play online games have the experience of being annoyed by cyber money sellers. Cyber money sellers usually use the bot accounts, which are controlled by the computer without man’s control (Ward, 2008). Also, those bot machines can be camping, which means that the bot machines monopolize certain places that can be the best places to get cyber money. It causes many problems that many players have to spend more time to compete with them. Furthermore, those cyber money sellers can send spam messages to players to sell cyber money for a fast buck. That phenomenon can bring destruction of game’s surroundings, and it can be the biggest reason that some players can leave the game; also, it can affect the company’s goal to make a profit. However, as supply and demand formula, it cannot be an avoidable situation. If they restrict or stop the bot machine, it can cause other problems, such as making a black market and hacking. So, recently the companies and legal cyber money sellers have cooperated to trade cyber money with real money legally. It means that sellers cooperate, they can avoid making a black market and illegal market system, and the companies can solve the problem in part.

Finally, some opponents say that even with the company and government’s rules or policies, like a tax system, they cannot control imbalance of market system, because applying a tax system in the cyber world can bring lots of complicated problems. For example, the company that provides the service to gamers has to tax about the profit. Moreover, the gamers would have to pay taxes for playing games. It means that the company fixes the prices to make profit through the consumers’ payment for service. Also, it should include taxes. So, they might say it is unfair to consumers, but this argument is incomplete, because as the online world’s market has developed, the government needs more specific information about trading cyber money for real money. The opponents may be worry about double taxing to consumers, but the government can take care of that through reducing tax for payment, and tax for cyber money can be paid in cyber money. The others say that trading cyber money for real money can be a natural phenomenon in today’s economic situation, because the cyber money and item is a kind of product in the economy, so people who want the cyber money can buy it in cash, if they had money for it. However, this argument is illogical, because an immaterial thing, like cyber money and item, has risks with keeping property right. It can cause crime such that people who want to get easy money can deceive people who want to buy the cyber money or item, like fraud and hacking. The real world and cyber world should be separated to prevent the financial crime. If the government and company allowed the trading of cyber money for real money without any control, it would get worse in our economic situation.

In conclusion, trading cyber money or items causes lots of problems now. It causes imbalance of economic market, financial crime and destruction of game’s surroundings. As the online world gets bigger, we need specific solutions to make better online and real world. Through the government and company’s regulation of rules and policies, we can prevent imbalance of market system, and considering it as a crime so that the government and society can prevent financial crime. However, the most important thing is that the government, company and individual have to cooperate to prevent many risks. It should be protected by some kind of control, and we have to know that a game is just a game, not for a fast buck.

Reference:

Dibbell, J. (2007, January 30) Virtual gold could draw real taxes. About.com. Retrieved March 31, 2008,from http://pcworld.about.com/od/onlineentertainment/Virtual-Gold-Could-Draw-Real-T.htm

Kirkpatrick, D. (2007, January 23) Second Life: It's not a game. CNN.com. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://money.cnn.com/2007/01/22/magazines/fortune/whatsnext_secondlife.fortune/index.htm

Mulligan, J. (1999) History of online games. Happy Puppy.com. Retrieved April 9, 2008, from http://www.tharsis-gate.org/articles/imaginary/HISTOR~1.HTM

Real-Money Trading Policy. (n.d.). Guildwars.com. Retrieved April 8, 2008, from http://www.guildwars.com/support/rtm/rtm-en.php

Ward, M. (2008, Feburary 6) How cash can change online games. BBC News. Retrieved March 24, 2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/Technology/7226818.stm

Wingfield, N. (2007, December 17) Start-Up to create market for trade of virtual goods. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1399624091&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId =1509&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Yunyun, L. (2007, Feburary 25) Virtual world, real fortune. Bjreview.com. Retrieved April 5, 2008, from http://www.bjreview.com/print/txt/2007-02/25/ content_56736_3.htm

2008년 4월 28일 월요일

Wikipedia is best?

Nowadays many people use Internet to get any information and knowledge from it. According to Wolverton’s (2007, para. 8) article, “Contributing to the debate is the speed in which Wikipedia has grown. While many scholarly and academic sources have decades – if not centuries – of history, Wikipedia’s popularity has surpassed all of them in a matter of just six years”. Actually a tremendous number of people find Wikipedia to get specific information for working and living. It provides very useful information to users, and it is free to get information from it, so many users consider it as a good encyclopedia. However, it has become an issue that many universities and colleges have banned quoting from Wikipedia, because it is not authoritative or scholastic. Even though many teachers and educators think it is not suitable to use for college students, it has many good effects for the majority of people for a long time.

First, we can share our knowledge with anybody. Wikipedia systems allow anyone to post the definition and information on Wikipedia (Lengel, 2006). Usually, people prefer to count on their own knowledge, and although they want to expand their knowledge, it is a little difficult to get new knowledge. However, in Wikipedia, anyone can edit the information, and it is open for everybody. It is a very easy way to share information with someone who wants to know something. It provides a various kinds of topics and subjects that anybody can edit. It means that it may not be accurate information, but after many people edit and edit again, it can become accurate.

Second, it is free to use. According to Byers’ (2007, para. 3) article, “Approximately 38 million people visited the English language version of the site in December 2006. Wikipedia is also easy to find; it frequently appears at the top of many Google searches and access is completely free”. For many poor people who cannot afford to buy the books, Wikipedia is like an expensive encyclopedia, which can help to get knowledge. Already many people get information from Wikipedia, even though they know that it have not verified by the specialists. However, information that many people have shared makes it reliable for people to get information and knowledge. That is why Wikipedia has become the most popular online encyclopedia today (Martin, 2008).

Last, Wikipedia provides information quickly and easily. Actually, most information from any media may not be accurate. According to Lengel’s (2006, para. 12) article, “The internet will never be like the school library. Nor should it be. Its value as a communication medium lies in its openness and diversity. But these same aspects make it problematic for our students. They, like many of us, were brought to trust what we read in a library book, or in the newspaper, or on television. These communication channels were for the most part well mediated, and so over the years. A few years ago, the way to get information and knowledge was just though television, newspaper and books. Today, we can get the information on the desk without any effort. If we did not have Internet service, like Wikipedia, maybe we still would have to go to the library and rent books, or we would have to pay for newspapers or television to get information. Furthermore, those media like television, newspapers and books are more difficult than the online encyclopedia to find certain information in. It can require more time and effort. So, systems like Wikipedia are very useful and helpful for us in our society.

In conclusion, Wikipedia is very useful online access to get information and knowledge. Even though many students and educators treat it as an informal information provider, it has very good effects for everyone. Many people can share information through Wikipedia, and it can help poor people to get more information. In addition, it provides us a tremendous amount of information easily and quickly. Therefore, Wikipedia gives people a more convenient life through those good effects.

Reference:

Byers, M. (2007,March 8 ). Controversy over use of Wikipedia in academic Papers arrives at Smith. Sophian. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://media.www.smithsophian.com/media/storage/paper587/news/2007/03/08/News/Controversy.Over.Use.Of.Wikipedia.In.Academic. Papers.Arrives.At.Smith-2765409.shtml

Lengel, J. ( 2006 ,Feburary 7). Authority. Teaching with Technology. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://www.powertolearn.com/articles/teaching_with_technology/article.shtml?ID=12

Martin, N. (2008, January 21 ). Wikipedia clamps down on ‘unreliable’ editors.Telegraph.co.uk Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://www.telegrapg.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/20/wiki120.xml

Wolverton, J. (2007, January 22 ). Wikipedia wisdom. Valley Vanguard. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from http://www.svsu.edu/clubs/vanguard/stories/1141

2008년 4월 22일 화요일

Trading cyber money with real money

Can you believe an image of the cyber item costs more than furniture? Have you ever thought that cyber money could be real money? Many companies that provide the service for playing online games have suffered with the issue of trading cyber money with real money. As the networking system developed, our trend of games has changed a lot. This means that new types of games produce a variety of satisfaction for gamers. According to Mulligan (1999), “Rick Blomme writes a two-player version of MIT's famous Spacewar for the PLATO service. PLATO was one of the first time-sharing systems dedicated to experimenting with new ways to use computers for education (Originally built in the late 1960's at the University of Illinois/Urbana)” (para. 6). Actually, many years ago, they started to provide online games, before the network system improved enough. Nowadays, the online world has become a new hot issue, because it has made new problems, since some people make real profit through trading cyber money. So, the government and company should regulate protection, such as an online tax system in other to checking trading information easily. There are many problems of trading cyber money with real money, so several solutions by the government, company and individual can help to make fewer problems in the cyber world.

First, the government and company can solve the problem of an illegal market system that trades cyber money with real money. In Korea, several companies realized that there was a problem, that many foreign gamers were making the cyber money for selling in the real world. Usually the foreign gamers connected from their own country, and the illegal company can use them in lower labor fee. According to Wingfield’s (2007) article, “While some game makers have embraced such transactions, others view them as a form of cheating. A more vexing matter, though, is a new professional class of entrepreneurs, called "gold farmers," who do nothing but collect virtual goods and sell them for real money, often operating from low-wage countries like China and Eastern Europe” (para. 4). So, the company should make the solution to prevent illegal trade through blocking foreign Internet Provider. Furthermore, the government should regulate laws, like a tax system to prevent imbalance in the market system. According to Dibbell’s (2007) article, “American Apparel's Second Life store sells virtual fashions to players. Consider ‘bartering’ and ‘prizes’ as outlined in IRS publication 525 (Taxable and Nontaxable Income): Anyone who acquires goods or services either in trade or at play must report as income the ‘fair market value’ of those goods or services” (para. 8). So, a tax system can bring the result that every profit from trade in the cyber world can make more specific information about it. it means the company can prevent an illegal market system.

Second, the cyber money can make financial crime in the real world, because our society does not think it is real products, so the company can solve the problem through a variety of policies. For example, some companies regulate the policies that treat it as illegal trading (Real-Money Trading Policy, n.d.). Basically, the company can prevent the trade, and people can realize it is not normal trade. Furthermore, the company can make more powerful position in the online world. So, it can control trading, such as checking selling cyber money and blocking spam messages to gamers.

Last, trading cyber money with real money can spoil the game’s surroundings for many gamers, so the company can help to solve that problem. Most people who like playing games want to make stress go away while playing. However, many gold sellers spoiled the game’ surroundings because they have to make more of the cyber money to get more of the real money. For example, farmers who make cyber money usually make a monopoly of places, which can be the best places to make more gold. It can make many players get more stress when playing the game. If the company can make non-tradable items in an online world, people cannot trade basically. Moreover, applying a system of restrictions playing time can be a good solution for players. Therefore, the company’s role is very important for the cyber world.

In contrast, opponents say, trading cyber money system is a natural phenomenon in our society, because our online technology has developed a lot, so it does not need to be controlled it by rules and policies. However, this argument is incomplete, because our society does not recognize it as a real product. Furthermore, if someone can get fraud from trading cyber money with real money, the police cannot help him or her, because it is not real. It is changing recently, but it is still a problem.

In conclusion, our technology has changed rapidly, and it has made lots of games and a cyber world to fulfill gamers’ satisfaction. However, it has made lots of problems like fraud, spoiling game surroundings and making a black market. So, the government and companies have to regulate specific rules or policies to prevent it.

Reference

Dibbell, J. (2007) Virtual gold could draw real taxes. About.com. Retrieved March 31, 2008, from http://pcworld.about.com/od/onlineentertainment/Virtual-Gold-Could-Draw-Real-T.htm

Mulligan, J. (1999) History of online games. Happy Puppy.com. Retrieved April 9, 2008, from http://www.tharsis-gate.org/articles/imaginary/HISTOR~1.HTMM

Real-Money Trading Policy. (n.d.). Guildwars.com. Retrieved April 8, 2008, from http://www.guildwars.com/support/rtm/rtm-en.php

Wingfield, N. (2007, December 17) Start-Up to create market for trade of virtual goods. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1399624091&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=1509&RQT=309&VName=PQD

2008년 4월 8일 화요일

Money and tax in virtual world

According to Dibbell’s (2007) article, “Virtual Gold Could Draw Real Taxes,” the author shows us that the Joint Economic Committee of Congress will apply tax law to a virtual world. First, the author explains that MMOs’ companies try to control the trade of virtual money with real money that usually make illegal profit, but many users trade the virtual money like exchanging with other games’ money. Furthermore, people who play online games can meet easily the trade information, like on E-bay system. Next, the author explains that it is complicated to make a tax for it. Last, the author said that many gamers realized this situation, but it is unfair to conclude that the virtual world needs a tax system. If the government is concerned about this situation, people will lose opportunities to fulfill the tremendous potential of communication beyond playing the game.

Have you ever thought one image of items can make money in society? Nowadays many companies and individuals can make profits through selling the virtual money and goods. Actually, our economic system requires a tax on profit from any kinds of services and goods. However, most online game money exchangers do not pay any taxes, even though they have evened earn something like real money or virtual items. Moreover it is difficult to judge what profit is, because the virtual money usually cannot be defined like real money. Most gamers think that they should not need to pay taxes for virtual money because of several reasons.

First, it is too complicated to pay taxes. Usually paying taxes is concluded on labor and service, but most people who enjoy games think that the game is not for getting money. Many users paid money to play games, and the companies pay taxes on that earning. If the government is concerned with the paying of taxes in the virtual world, the players may pay double the taxes for it. Besides, recent online games have made profit all over the world. If people who want to make the tax laws in the virtual world apply a tax system in the online world, the companies and gamers will get confused about where they should pay the taxes. The biggest problem is that the virtual money system is still not treated as real now. Just some gamers know the value of the virtual money, but except for those gamers, most people could not know about that. So, paying taxes for the virtual money is not easy for many people to tax as real.

Paying taxes as gamers for the cyber money can make reasons that many gamers would leave that game. Most people enjoy the game to make stress go away. It means that the cyber world is different from the real world. There may not exist the stressful things, such as paying taxes, bullying somebody, ordering from a higher officer, or being chided by the parents. If the government is concerned with paying any sector in virtual world, it will make one of the reasons that gamers leave that game, because there will not be any differences with the real world. Also, it can cause the failure of companies, and other companies have to take that risk to make profits. So, it could make problems with both the companies and gamers.

Adjusting a tax system in the cyber world require lots of time and labor. The majority of countries have suffered problems with higher labor fees. If the government wants to make a tax law system in the cyber world, they will have to expand a number of people to take care of the cyber tax law. Actually, the cyber world has risks that it can disappear at any time for any reasons. For example, production companies can become bankrupt someday, or they can merge with any other game companies. If some people take care of an online world tax system, they could get confused from that. It means that the cyber world is incomplete to judge as the real world. So, it can cause the wasting of labor and time, because it could not need a tax system as the real society does.

In conclusion, many people pay taxes from any earning and spending in the real world. However, in the cyber world, it could not be possible to pay taxes in any sector in the cyber world. It should be a problem to make trade between the virtual money and the real money, but paying taxes in the cyber world can make problems in that would require a very complicated law, and it can make reasons for some gamers to leave. Also, it can cause wasting of labor and time, because it is not the real world. Therefore, the tax system in the online world can be considered impossible, and it has lots of risks for everyone.

Reference

Dibbell, J. (2007) Virtual gold could draw real taxes. About.com. Retrieved March 31, 2008, from http://pcworld.about.com/od/onlineentertainment/Virtual-Gold-Could-Draw-Real-T.htm

2008년 3월 31일 월요일

Real money and Cyber money

In Ward’s (2008) article, “How Cash can Change Online Games,” the author explains that trading the cyber money with the real money has become the hot issue. First, some of sellers who make the gold, which is the cyber money, sell to poor gamers who do not have enough items to get their goals in their game. Next, the author shows us that it can affect the surroundings of the game to spoil playing the game for other players in the same way spam messages, camping that monopolize the good place to make more the cyber gold and fraud spoil other plays’ playing in cyber space. Then some producers who invented a company to sell the cyber money with the real money said that it cannot give bad effects in the game. Moreover, it is just many players who made that the cyber money market like an auction, so there are not any differences between the real and cyber worlds. However, he states that money companies, which sell gold, cooperate with gamers who want to buy the cyber money with real money, even though the majority of players do not want to be involved with them.

Cyberspace and the real world are merging into as the same world. Some gamers used to buy the cyber money with the real money because they wanted more power and position in their game. So, there are several bad effects of selling the cyber money to players.

First, trading cyber money with real money can spoil the game’s surroundings for many gamers. Most people who like playing games want to make stress go away while playing. However, many gold sellers spoiled the game surrounding because they have to make more of the cyber money to get more of the real money. For example, farmers who make cyber money usually make a monopoly of places, which can be the best places to make more gold. It can make many players get more stress when playing the game.

Second, people are exposed to bad sellers can make a trick to get big money easily. Many people think that the cyber money is not real, but for some gamers it can be more meaningful than real money. Some players want to be a more powerful and strong character because many players have similar goals in the game world. So, if they do not have enough of the cyber money, they can buy the cyber money with real money. However, in this process, sellers can make fraud to make more profits, so many victims just try to trust them, and even calling the police to solve the fraud is not helpful for players, because it is not the real world’s money.

Last, trading the cyber money with real money can spoil the economic market. Nowadays, many companies try to jump into the cyber money business because some companies made a tremendous amount of money with that. It does not require a special place to work, and it does not need to pay lots of taxes for earning, because it is not real trade. For example, someone bought the cyber money with the real money. One side could get real money but the other side may get cyber money. It means that players just gave money to the company to get some images. Therefore, the company might not have to pay taxes for that.

In conclusion, trading the cyber money with the real money can make dangerous problems for economy and gamers. As our society is changing, many ways of making money are increasing. Some players want to buy cyber money to get more fun, and companies can sell the cyber money to fulfill their desire. However, in the trade bad sellers can make a fraud to make easy money. Therefore, we have to realize what problems are, and the government has to make a standard to make a better place for trading cyber money for players and sellers. Moreover, the owners who work the companies and the online system have to regulate a strict law or rules to take care of illegal trade in the online world as the government do in real world.

Reference

Ward, M. (2008) How cash can change online games. BBC NEWS.
Retrieved March 24, 2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/Technology/7226818.stm

2008년 3월 27일 목요일

Our society needs the online world.

In Twist’s (2005) article, “Controversy Blights UN Net Summit,” the author criticizes that controlling the use of the internet in Tunis has become a problem and is against freedom of speech. First, the author introduces the organization like UN that tried to help poor countries through benefits of information and communication technology. Next, the author shows us that many people who know how important of sharing information is argued about what happened in Tunis. She explains to us several opinions of different countries that disputed freedom of expression in the internet. Then, the author shows the US said that the Tunisian government made a wrong policy which prohibits important parts to society from taking benefits from freedom of expression. However, she explains the other side, like China, which that agreed controlling and limiting online access is necessary for preventing serious crimes. Besides, she says that sharing information and communication is important to develop into an information society. In conclusion she states that it can be very hot issue to limit the right of freedom of expression for many countries, speech and sharing information in internet, but it is important to make international standards.

Have you ever thought that someone could force you to forfeit your right? Everybody has right to know certain things. There are several reasons why internet and any online access is important to us.

First, nowadays internet is the most important system in which we can get any information and knowledge. Many people use it in school, office and home to get information easily. For example, most students get information for learning from an online system. Furthermore, teachers also use online systems to teach students more efficiently. The internet system has replaced our source of knowledge that is from books, and it makes our life change easy and with variety. If someone controls the use of the internet system, it can make problems in education such as lack of material to expand knowledge and skill. So, internet system is very important system to get information in our education sector now.

Second, everyone has the right to get and know information. It is a basic right like freedom of sharing information. Internet system is a huge virtual world of information and knowledge, and most of it is open for everybody to get. It means that everyone can use it to get any information. Some countries like China control it to prevent crime. They said that the online system can be used by criminals, and it makes more crime. However, it is still against human right. Moreover, controlling the online system cannot be a good solution for reducing the rate of crime. It can make more illegal systems which criminals use to do something bad. It is just against freedom of sharing information. So, it cannot be controlled by anybody, because everybody has freedom to know something.

Last, the online system can be a good solution to making a better economy in our society. Sharing information and communication is needed by our society to solve the economic crisis and any problems. People who have suffered from no knowledge about their problems can get tremendous information in an online system. For example, South Korea has the experience that many parts of economy had suffered from long-term recession. So, they followed the Japanese’s example to make the recession go away, and in this process the online system helped them to get information easily. They gathered information about the solution that the Japanese used to make recession go away. If the government controlled getting information in the internet, it could be impossible to make recession go away easily. So, the online system is helpful to make a better economic situation in our society.

In conclusion, now our society needs the internet system to expand education and economic sectors. Huge information in the online world can help us with how to deal with any suffering and problem. It can help many people make better any parts of their life. This means that the online system can give more knowledge for students, teachers and any workers. Furthermore, nobody should control the use of the internet because it is a basic human right. If someone controls using the online system because of certain bad effects, it can make more different bad systems illegally, such as an expanding black market. Therefore, the internet is very important to us, and it is very useful in our society.

Reference

Twist, J. (2005). Controversy Blights UN Net Summit. BBC News
Retrieved March 19, 2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4450474.stm

2008년 2월 28일 목요일

Effects of Global Warming

Human caused global warming. Most of scientist said happening now, it’s very obvious, when you look at the temperature of earth, and it is pretty much a no-brainer. (Doskoch, B., 2007). We already knew that earth’s average temperature has risen. Is this a natural happening? We live one planet and we did not find new places to live like earth yet. We have to stop it, but we do not know exactly why it is happening. The sea level is rising gradually, and it would speed up the melting ice caps and exterminate the polar bear. Most of scientists agree that all of mankind did it and do it now; furthermore, world population is increasing for a long time because our science has improved to expend our time of life. It could be made global warming more seriously because of many factories, cars, and houses. There are three main effects of global warming to change climate pattern, ecosystem, and health.

First of all, Global warming could change climate patterns. Global warming caused rising average temperatures and it make waves wormer. Why is it occurred serious problem? Because of fossil fuels, we use it every day, and everywhere. We cannot live without it. We burn it and it makes some of energy to heating, driving, cooling, etc, and it made carbon dioxide, also plants absorb carbon dioxide, but human being could not stop killing that because we need land to live. Ozone is the earth's primary filter for ultraviolet radiation, but carbon dioxide eliminates ozone layer, so it is getting weak, a lot of harmful ultraviolet radiations just increase earth’s temperature. According to an article in the NRDC, "Every year from 1998 through 2006 ranks among the top 25 warmest years on record for the United States, an unprecedented occurrence, according to NOAA." (NRDC “Consequences”, 2007). Beside, warmer temperature could bring high chances of drought, wildfire, and rainstorm, so we should save fossil fuels, or consider alternative resources.

Second, global warming could change the ecosystem. Warmer water in ocean could give serious problem to animals, and it could bring ecological adaptation. In fact, a lot of species already changed appearance, habits, and living places more than before. For instance, polar bears decrease to live in the South Pole because of changed water temperature and lots of ice caps melted, so they do not live on ice caps any longer, and another example is that most of sea turtles in Costa Rica already changed sex to female. According to article, “ Their genes do not directly determine whether a hatching comes out male or female. Instead, buried eggs take their cue from the ambient temperature below 29.4 C produce a clutch that is mostly male; above that, it is mostly female. With a mere 2 degree increase, a nest will produce all females.” (Velasquez-Manoff, M., 2007) This phenomenon could affect humans life because human is highest creature of food chain, so it might make more serious problems in human society in near future.

Last, global warming could affect human's health. These harmful heat waves that were already heated by global warming could bring unusual temperature in several countries or cities; moreover, it should cause spread of diseases. For example, Disease-carrying mosquitoes could spread quickly than before. Those mosquitoes can carry serious illness viruses that can let people sick or die, such as Malaria in Indonesia (NRDC “Consequences”, 2007). So, people just think about how to cure those diseases, but we have to think where those problems are from and how to prevent it.

In conclusion, global warming caused disasters in many parts of environment. Most of important thing is that human being has occurred this disaster, such as changing climate patterns, ecosystem and human’s health. We should consider how to protect our environment from global warming and invent more efficient ways to save fossil fuels for nest generation.

References

Natural Resources Defense Council. (2007, Sep 9). The Consequences of Global
Warming: Unless we act now, our children will inherit a hotter world, dirtier air and water, more severe floods and droughts, and more wildfires. Retrieved on November 14, 2007, from http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/fcons.asp

Velasquez-Manoff, M. (2007, June 21). Climate Turns up Heat on Sea Turtles.
Csmonitor.com. Retrieved November 14th, 2007, from http://politicsblog.ctv.ca/blog/_archives/2007/1/22/2674245.html

What are good effects of the technological revolution?

Have you ever thought about our life expectancy is just 40 or 50 years? Have you ever imagined nobody works in the factory? Anton, Silberglitt and Schneider explain the technology revolution: “Life in 2015 will be revolutionized by the growing effect of multidisciplinary technology across all dimensions of life: social, economic, political, and personal. Biotechnology will enable us to identify, understand, manipulate, improve, and control living organisms (including ourselves). The revolution of information availability and utility will continue to profoundly affect the world in all these dimensions. Smart materials, agile manufacturing, and nanotechnology will change the way we produce devices while expanding their capabilities” (The Global Technology Revolution: Summary, 2001, p.A1). Nowadays the technology revolution effects in the many parts. We cannot imagine today’s us without the technology revolution. We enjoy the developed technology to make our life easier and safer. We have already heard about globalization and automation that is caused by the technology revolution. The technology revolution, however, has changed to give us many benefits in many fields of our life such as health, economy and education in the world.

First, the technology revolution makes that many parts of human life about health make it better quality of life. Our life expectancy has been longer than before because we can have got cure more convenient by any kinds of food and medicine from the technology revolution. Today, we can get easily many kinds of nutrition by these food and medicine, also we can get more advanced medical system when we sick. For example many diseases can cure by developed medicine. Some of diseases are very difficult to cure such as cancer, A.I.D.S and many genetic diseases because there were not enough advanced tools and medicines to make it easier. Some of diseases, however, are already disappear for a long time ago like the plague by new method of medical revolution. Therefore, the technology revolution made people more healthy life and longer span of life. On the other hand, the technology revolution can have affected human science. Maybe we can see easily cloned animal and more perfect cloned human in the future. It means that the advanced technology can improve genetic field to pursue better quality of human life. According to Anton, Silberglitt and Schneider (2001), “By 2015 we may have the capability to use genetic engineering techniques to "improve" the human species and clone humans. These will be very controversial developments--among the most controversial in the entire history of mankind. It is unclear whether wide-scale efforts will be initiated by 2015, and cloning of humans may not be technically feasible by 2015” (p. A2)

Second, world economy can improve and develop by technology revolution. Most of companies pursue developing technology because usually it become that it can make to spend less money for many parts of production and trade. Developing computer system can make speedy and easy to work. In the past, our technology was limited a few years ago, but after appear computer system, our technology has been improved a lot. Also, it will make more efficient to make products than before. Developed technology can make more products in shorter time; also it can be occurred higher-productivity. For example, TOYOTA production system makes products with different method. They produce many cars in short time, and they invent new technological computer system that can design lots of model in short time. Moreover, it is totally different between the Western modes (Shirouzu, 2004). It is possible to be a larger scale of economy. Recently, the globalization spread out in the world, and it can make that most of companies’ market get chances to be bigger in the big global market. Through developing transportation system and internet system, companies can sell the products easier. For example, internet system is one of most popular system to connect each company, and it could be occurred international competition (Anton, Silberglitt & Schneider, 2001). Furthermore, E-mail and web-homepage system can make trade easily. Consequently, lots of consumers can get cheaper and better quality of products. So, the technology revolution makes that companies and individuals’ economy will be able to get better quality.

Third, education revolution will have occurred by the technology revolution. It can make opportunities that lots of people can get education through access system. Many people did not have chances to educate themselves in past because it cost a lot or need too much time, but developed technology can have made it more simply. For instance, internet spread out huge chance to study to uneducated people who do not have enough money to study, and do not have enough time to go to school. Also, it make to possible that some people who cannot be educated can study by computer. Anton, Silberglitt and Schneider talk about education by the technology: “Combined with an increased pace of technological change will likely come an increased need for continued learning and education. Just as computer skills are becoming more important today, both blue-collar and white-collar workers will likely need to improve their skills in other areas to avoid obsolescence in technological realms” (The Global Technology Revolution: Discussion, 2001, p. A6). Many people who are disable people did not have chances to get education, even though they are extremely talented. Advanced education can make it possible to educate them. For instance, many blind had to give up chances to be educated in past because they did not read book and did not write a note, but today some machines help them to read and write, so it must be helpful to make more quality of manpower. Therefore, the technology revolution makes more chances and choices that people can have more quality of education.

In contrast, opponents say, the technology revolution is not a beneficial thing for the world because it can destroy our environment. This theory, however, is illogical because advanced machinery system can improve more to prevent making any pollution, even though it can affect increasing number of factories. For example, many MDC’s have lots of advanced factories which are make lots of pollution, but they have also developed purgation system to make it clear, and by this system, they can get more advantages than other country. Moreover, future advanced computer system can control causes of pollution, and it will make outcome as less pollution. On the other hand, they argue that the technology cannot help LDC’s economy, but it is incomplete because the technology revolution can bring globalization by internet system. For example, if the United States build factory in LDC, it will make lots of jobs and give chances to develop their market. Also, they may accept advanced new technology. Consequently, it can be helpful to activate LDCs’ economy. Therefore, it is need more serious in a lot of fields to make our life easier, simpler and more convenient.

In conclusion, the technology revolution helps many parts of our life such as health, economy and education. It makes to have more quality of life; also, we can get lots of information and financial thing by the advanced technology. It might make pollution from many factories, but it can solve through the technology revolution. Through the new technology, we can get more knowledge such as Internet system. It will bring new ideas in economy, business, trade and education. Therefore, it gives us beneficial effects, and probably we need it in the world in many parts for a long time.



Reference
Anton, P, S., & Silberglitt, R., & Schneider, J. (2001). The global technology
revolution; summary. Retrieved Feburary, 03, 2008 from http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_ reports/MR1307/MR1307.ch3.html#fig3.4

Anton, P, S., & Silberglitt, R., & Schneider, J. (2001). The global technology
revolution; discussion. Retrieved Feburary, 03, 2008 from http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1307/MR1307.sum.html

Shirouzu, N (2004, August 4). Bumpy Road: As Toyota Closes In on GM, Quality
Concerns Also Grow. The Wall Street Junal. Retreved Feburary, 03, 2008, from http://www2.gsu.edu/~ecojxm/MBA/micro/w080404a.htm

Alternative sources of food can be best solution

According to “GM Crops: Food For Thought” article (2001), “This case is yet to be proven and whilst few genetic engineers would argue that GM crops are the sole means to solve world hunger and counteract all the myriad causes of social and economic inequity, there are those who believe that it's premature to discount the contribution the new crops might make” (para.10). As in the above example, there are lots of countries that have to need of some support to solve starvation. Alternative sources of food which means that substitute food can replace the principal food can help to solve these food problems. Alternative sources of food like new crops and meats are that most of people do not think of as edible and economical. However, nowadays some of new crops and meats have more nutrition, and people who cannot afford to buy enough food can get them cheaper price. So, many kinds of alternative food sources can be helpful to solve food problems such as starvation, lack of nutrition, economy and business crisis.

Food is “Material, usually of plant or animal origin, that contains or consists of essential body nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals, and is ingested and assimilated by an organism to produce energy, stimulate growth, and maintain life” (“Food”, n, para.1) Our sources of food are changing somehow, and our ancestors struggled to find more efficient and more sustainable sources of food. According to Starch 'fuel of human evolution' article (2007), “The researchers believe our earliest human ancestors began searching for new food sources other than the ripe fruits that primates eat. These were starches, stored by plants in the form of underground tubers and bulbs - wild versions of modern-day foods like carrots, potatoes, and onions.” Today, people who live on the earth have own habits of food style. It means that the source of food, which is from own ancestors, have kept for a long time. For example, dog farms are one of most popular food system in Korea. It is from customs as ancestors’ alternative food since 3000 years ago (“S Korea Dog Meat Row Deepens”, 2001). According to Plants For A Future (n.d.), There are quite literally thousands of species of edible plants that can be grown, yet most people are only aware of the thirty or so species to be found in the grocers, and many of these will have been imported” (para.1). Many people argue that some of alternative food is disgusting and weird; also, they think that it is not our style, and it can be harmful our health. However, some of countries’ people have to eat alternative food to live, and it is normal that some people eat different food in their culture, such as insects and dogs. Also, insects are very good source of nutrients. In Thai insects are traded on industries produce canned insects and insects dishes in these days (“Eating Insects in Thailand”, 2002). There are a lot of different sources of food, and different people eat different source of food. It is defends on People who live different climate, land, and economic surrounding. So, they have to eat different food because people can get alternative foods easier and cheaper than other principal food. Therefore, alternative sources of food can help everyone in the world.

First, the primary reason is that alternative sources of food can provide more food for hungry people. Some of countries isolate from world support such as North Korea, and they need to develop methods that can make more efficient and sustainable food sources. Different sources of food can be competitive in production and quality. According to “Plants For A Future” (n, d), “There are quite literally thousands of species of edible plants that can be grown, yet most people are only aware of the thirty or so species to be found in the grocers, and many of these will have been imported. They are all fairly easily grown in most soils and often require less attention than many of our better known food crops” (para.1). It means that alternative sources of food as crops can make easy way to get food. In other words, those new sources of food can make mass-production. This way can get the solution to several countries’ people who do not have enough food can get more food because of mass-production. For example, we know that there is almost same protein between meat and soy, and today many vegetarians got soy protein instead of meat. Moreover, soybean is much cheaper than meat because soybeans can have more output than meat. Therefore, alternative sources of food can solve starvation problem in the world.

Another reason is that alternative sources of food can have more nutrition. Some countries have a long history about alternative sources of food because they have known that it makes healthier body than other food sources since long ago, but today it become controversy to treat it like principal food or not. It could be controversial to treat it food or not. However, some people believe it have much more nutrition than principal food. For example, dog meat is very popular in Korea. According to the Cerralbo’s article (2005), “Dog food has many medicinal values such as beefing up men's virility and improving women's skin. “Anyone can tell you that eating dog meat is very healthy," said Park Gye-dong while enjoying a bowl of boshin-tang with his friends, "The Chinese wrote about its healing powers 3,000 years ago in their medical texts, and even now doctors tell patients who are recuperating from operations to eat dog meat in order to recover quickly” (para.11). GM food is also controversy in the world because it has lots of risks to eat. However, it can improve nutrition to control attributes and the major nutritional deficiency. Furthermore, alternative foods can be better quality than primary food because there are lots of alternative sources of food like GM food that can be better quality than other sources of food. For example, GM food increases resistance, productivity, hardiness, and feed efficiency, and it can be better yields of meat, eggs, and milk, also it can improve animal health and diagnostic methods (“Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms”, 2007, para.3). It can be something that we have never seen before, but it can be more perfect food. So, alternative sources of food can be good solution to get good nutrition and better quality food.

In addition, alternative sources of food can affect agriculture market. According to “Food For Thought” article (2001), “Proponents argue that GM crops have the potential to be of enormous benefit to farmers and consumers in less developed nations” (para.9). Nowadays rate of agriculture is declining since technology revolution. Many country’s rural people move to urban areas to get the better job because farmers’ income is declining, and labor force is still needed for lots of work. Furthermore, many different alternatives of sources of crops can make good market for consumers by cheaper price of crops. So, consumers can get variety of good quality food sources easily, and instead of principal food, people can have lots of choices to eat many different sources of alternative food. For instance, if farmers produce wheat instead of rice which need lots of labor and money to plant them, consumers can get chances to buy lower price of wheat. It means that farmers must buy seeds, which are from GM food companies, and more efficient seed can make more a yield of crops or meats, so it can affect increasing farmers’ income. Therefore, it will bring growth of agriculture.

Finally, country which has suffered about high rate of dependence on foreign crops and meats can reduce dependence on imports through alternative sources of food. Many countries supply cheaper food through trading other some crops and meats in lower price but recently increasing consuming of some sources of food bring unbalance of trade between countries. For example, if some countries monopolize some kind of crops, other countries which need it as the principal food have to import it even if it costs lots of money, so it means one county can affect another country’s economy. According to U.S. economic woes weigh on Mexico article, “More than any other country in Latin America, Mexico's economic fate is tied to the U.S., its partner in the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mexico sends more than 80 percent of its exports to the U.S., which is also Mexico's largest source of direct foreign investment and remittances” (para.4).However, if they can investigate alternative sources of food, they can reduce suffering food problem. First, alternative food can reduce suffering about tax from food. When the government makes trade sources of food with other country, they spend nation’s tax to buy it. If they spend taxes to invent newer or better alternative sources of food, it will reduce taxes on the food in the long run. Therefore, alternative sources of food are good solution to make good economy in the world.

Some of opponents say that alternative sources of food cannot solve hunger problem. However, it is incomplete because most country have suffered food problem somehow such as war and nature disaster. For instance, as Korean dog meat culture, they did not have enough meats in the past because of many of war and nature disaster. So, dog meat was good sources to get enough energy instead of other meats. Furthermore, some of opponents say that alternative sources of food do not have good nutrients. However it is illogical because some of crops have better quality than others and have similar nutrition with others. For example, soy and meat have similar protein in that, also some of improved breed of soy have much more protein and nutrition than meat. Therefore, alternative sources of food can be helpful in many fields of food, and it can be best solution to solve food problems.

In conclusion, alternative sources of food have lots of benefits in the world. It can be helpful to get more nutrition than normal food, and it can be helpful to get cheaper food. Many countries have suffered starvation and high price of foreign food, and consumers have suffered from these problems. If the government has more concentration to improve and invent alternative food, they will reduce suffering from food problems. Therefore, Alternative sources of food can be good solution to solve these problems in the world.





References

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Daniells, S.(2008, Feburary 14). Flavoured soy proteins to enhance use as meat
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Eating Insects in Thailand. (2002, July 10). BBCNEWS.com. Retrieved
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Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms. (2007, July 4). Human Genome
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GM Crops: Food For Thought. (2001, March 21). BBCNEWS.com. Retrieved
Fuburary 19, 2008, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/sci_tech/highlights/010322_seed.shtml

Plants for a future. (n.d.). Alternative food crops. Pioneer Thinking. Retrieved
Feburary 15, 2008,from http://www.pioneerthinking.com/crop.html

S Korea dog meat row deepens. (2001, November 12). BBCNEWS.com.
Retrieved Feburary 16, 2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/ asia-pacific/1651543.stm

Starch 'fuel of human evolution'. (2007, September 9). BBCNEWS.com.
Retrieved Feburary 16, 2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6983330.stm

U.S. economic woes weigh on Mexico. (2008, January 30). MSNBC.com.
Retrieved Feburary 27, 2008, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22918109/