How HIPAA Violations Affect the Medical Billing Process Essay Example for Free

How HIPAA Violations Affect the Medical Billing Process Essay When you hear HIV you always think of Aids are they the same or is there a difference. HIPAA Privacy Rule: HIPAA is a federal law that: †¢Protects the patients’ privacy with their medical records and other health information provided to health plans, hospital, doctors and all other health care providers. †¢Allows the patient access to their medical records. †¢It gives the patient rights to how their personal information is used and exposed. HIPAA has proven to be very successful in stopping discrimination against the people diagnosed with HIV and Aids by preventing anyone from knowing about their HIV and Aids status. In the year 2000 laboratories and doctors are required by law to report to their State Health Department all cases of HIV and Aids. They are reported to better measure the HIV and Aids epidemic, and how it is changing and to create programs for HIV and Aids prevention and offer medical which best serve affected people and their communities. All this information is protected by confidentiality laws. Under this law identifying information regarding who has HIV and Aids can only be used to help the State Health Department track the epidemic and for partner notification this information cannot be shared with immigration and naturalization Service (INS), police, welfare agencies, landlords, employers and insurance companies. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues guidelines influencing states to collect and report the data on HIV and Aids so they can track the epidemic on a national basis. The state health department will then remove all the personal information (name, address, etc.) from your test results and send the information to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Over the next several years HIV and Aids data will become the basis for funding formulas which will allocate federal money for care treatment under The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act.  This is the largest federally funded program in the United States for people living with HIV and AIDS. This act reaches hundreds of thousands of people every year with medical care, drugs, and support services. The program requires that health departments receiving money from the Ryan White program show â€Å"good faith† efforts to notify the marriage partners of a patient with HIV and AIDS. (www.Aids.gov) HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks the T-cells in the immune system. This illness changes their immune system making people very vulnerable to diseases and infections. This condition worsens as it progresses corresponding to research the origins to this disease dates back to the late 19th or early 20th century in Western Central Africa. In 2008 worldwide there were †¢33.4 million People living with HIV and AIDS. †¢2.7 new HIV infections †¢2 million deaths from AIDS The disease was identified in the 1980s, and there is now known cure, but treatments and medicine can slow the course of the disease. The newest drug combination drug therapy can cost up to $20,000 in U.S. dollars a year. HIV is found in body fluids like semen and vaginal fluids, blood and breast mild. And can be passed through blood-to-blood and also sexual contact. Women can pass this to their babies through pregnancy, childbirth, and through breast milk. AIDS is (acquired immune deficiency syndrome or immunodeficiency syndrome). AIDS is the disease caused by the HIV virus AIDS is the syndrome that appear in the advance stages of HIV infection, AIDS is a medical condition derived from HIV. HIV and AIDS are the same AIDS is the outdated name and HIV is the correct name. There are three recognized ethical principles that apply to clinical and research ethics: †¢Respect refers to respecting the decisions of autonomous people and protecting the ones who lack decision making capacity and therefore are not autonomous and imposes a positive obligation to treat people with respect by keeping this information confident and keeping promises. †¢Beneficence imposes a positive obligation of the best interest of the patient. †¢Justice requires people to be treated fairly and often requires that benefits and burdens to be distributed fairly within society. Privacy is critical  when it comes to HIV and AIDS, because of the sensitivity of HIV related information most patients don’t want to share this private and personal aspect of their life because it involves their sexual behavior or substance abuse. This information can lead to stigmatization this can cause patients to worry about their privacy being protected, and they may be hesitant to see a doctor or remain in the care of a physician. It is vital to have health care providers express that they are committed to securing patient privacy. The law gives certain protection to or conditions. Electronic systems need to be able to identify and manage this data appropriately. HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases are a whole different category with special privacy concerns. When releasing HIV and AIDS records for other purposes it is necessary to identify testing and treatment for these conditions through the use of red flags or warning messages. The electronic system simplifies exclusion or segregation of HIV test results to protect against release without patients proper consent from the patient. Preferably a system will also flag treatment of HIV and Aids when producing copies of records. EHR systems must provide mechanisms that enable facilities that extra layer of protection for this information required under 42 CFR, Part 2 requires patient consent for disclosures of protected health information even for the purpose of treatment this consent must be in writing. When a health care provider providers care to an HIV and AIDS patient they seem to be walking and ethical tightrope even when they are aware of protocol about disclosing HIV status simple assumptions and carelessness can lead to devastating consequences for the patient and also legal ramifications. There are some things a health care worker can do on their own to protect private information while at work. †¢Turn off your computer when you walk away or not in use. †¢Set your computer with passwords to get access to confidential files. †¢Use a system that will trace who accesses confidential informatio n. †¢Become familiar with the law train employees in proper disclosure protocol. †¢Never discusses a patients HIV and AIDS status. Social ramifications exist if HIV and AIDS information is announced improperly. If a patients friends discover he or she has HIV and AIDS they won’t want to be around them due to the fear of catching the disease people  will start to gossip spreading this private information destructing the life of the infected person. They will undoubtedly be treated differently. He or she could have difficulty finding employment if the employer finds out about the disease because of inappropriate disclosure of medical information. If a person is living with HIV and Aids you are protected against discrimination under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Under these laws, discrimination means that you are not allowed to participate in a service that is offered to others or you are denied a benefit, because of your HIV disease. ( http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/just-diagnosed-with-hiv-aids/your-legal-rights/civil-rights/index.html ) HIV and AIDS in the workplace gets larger each year, because it affects people between ages 25 – 44 and they make up 50% of our 121% million workers. There are laws to protect people with HIV and AIDS in the workplace. †¢Americans with Disabilities act of 1990 (ADA) does not allow employment discrimination because of disability and covers businesses with 15 or more employees. †¢Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Federal and state governments work with more than 100 million working men and women and 6.5 million employers. †¢The Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) this act to the private-sector of employers of 50 or more employees and within a 75 mile radius of their worksite. A person is entitled to a total of 12 weeks of job protected unpaid leave in a 12 month period. †¢The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Addresses obstacles to healthcare you can face if you are HIV and AIDs positive. Protecting you discriminatory treatment from your insurance company, and also protects your privacy rights. †¢The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation act of 1986 (COBRA). This law allows employees the option to keep their health insurance at their own expense after getting laid off, fired from a job. Allowing them to purchase health insurance for a period up to 36 months. HIV and AIDS not only hurt people with the disease but also their families and families. According to the International Labor Organization believes that by the year 2020 HIV and AIDS will lower the workforce by 24 million people. This will cost the workforce higher costs of medical insurance as well as work absences related to health, hiring and costs of retraining.

Christian Gospel Essay Example for Free

Christian Gospel Essay What are some ways the Christian gospel is perceived in our Culture The Gospel of Christian is alleged in our traditions in many customs. Most people have the perception that if you are a Christian you feel you are holier than a non-believer. What they do not understand is that, when anyone makes the choice to become a Christian, they make life-long changes in their lives. On several occasions, friends and sometimes family become offended with the choices you make in becoming a Christian. In my life, my wife and I made the decision to become a Christians, we changed everything in our life, including the way we think. What are some specific moral, emotional, and intellectual reasons people may reject the Christian Gospel The main reasons individuals refuse the gospel is mainly due to their morals. Usually it is beliefs, marital status or political. Christianity weights a devotion to positive ethical regulations that several individuals think is old-fashioned, or prejudiced. People view Christians as being hypercritical and unenthusiastic to earn the right to be heard because of their attitudes. People who live a diverse lifestyle other than the Christian Gospel, we are not willing to dialog with someone. Christian Gospel is viewed as conflicting to intellectual learning. The majority of the bible is viewed as a leprechaun or myths, and several human beings are reluctant to obtain a firm glance at the worldly, for Christ’s life, fatality and renaissance. The Christian Gospel can be tough to grab a hold of, particularly for non-believers who really do not understand God’s love for his children. The fact that human beings do not understand that there is somebody that loves them unconditionally. Nevertheless, when people begin to understand and have a relationship with God, they start to give him their all and just dive in. What can Christians do to address these objections and better communicate the Christian gospel? To be honest, Christians should reserve themselves from the noisily hypercritical, the fakes. Our actions should always speak louder than words. People should see in Christians, the Jesus in them. By caring for those individuals who are still living in sin, like Jesus did, we get the right to heard. Just accusing people, and performing or behaving ungodly, in which you are acting no different from the non-believers, will not conquer the objections of the humankind.

Violation Of Code Of Ethics Construction Essay

Violation Of Code Of Ethics Construction Essay Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 route 28 was built by Malaysian Public Works Department to connect neighborhoods near the boundary of Kuala Lumpur. The entire highway system consists of Federal Route 28, from Sri Damansara to Sunway Interchange and from Sunway Interchange to Sri Petaling Interchange. MRR2 is generally referred to Route 28 since Route 28 occupies about two-thirds of the system. Construction on this ring road would divided on 3 phase. These sections include Kepong-Gombak, Gombak-Ampang and Ampang-Sri Petaling. The contract period is 36 months and was completed in 34 months (May 1999 to March 2002). CONTROVERSAL ISSUE First closure The Kepong Flyover was reported to be faulty because 31 of 33 pillars supporting the flyover were reported to have obvious cracks. Public concern about the safety issues at Kepong Flyover was due to the risks faced by at least 4,300 motorists using the flyover at a time. Investigations were held by the government and as a result, Kepong Flyover was closed to traffic and then Initial findings by PWD suggested that the temporary hoisting crane mounted on the permanent RC structural piers to launch the precast beams to the bridge decks could have exerted pressure on the concrete crossbeams and caused the cracks. It is found that the structure at the 11th package of the MRR II was found to be unstable because of the strain and caused the beams to split at three sections. The PWD, which carried out its own probe, revealed that the MRR IIs Kepong Bridge, was not stable due to internal redistribution of forces and alternative load paths due to yielding of reinforcement caused by excessive hot temperature there was no homogenous drying, externally and internally, because of differential (uneven) drying of concrete. British Halcrow Consultancy Ltd said the cracks that have appeared on 31 of the 32 crossbeams since 2000 nothing to do with the design. Halcrow has found a rare phenomenonthe expansion of a chemical compound, ettringite, had caused serious cracks. The compound contains calcium, aluminium, oxygen, sulphate, and water. Halcrow recommended to JKR to waterproof the bridge immediately, so that the delayed ettringite formation (DEF) would not result in further cracks. Ettringite is found in cement. Usually, it does no harm. But, under rare conditions such as during concrete hardening, temperature reaching over 70 degree Centigrade in the presence of sulphate and plenty of water, ettringite is formed, expanding dangerously. If all the cracks are not waterproofed, more water seeps into them, aggravating the situation. The Sun Daily  reported that the MRR2 cracks due to design flaw and improper anchorage of crossbeams that was supposed to be the verdict of Halcrow. The design also did not indicate the proper anchorage of the beams and the columns. Halcrows report was prepared by its bridge engineering director Roger J.Buckby and submitted to the Works Ministry. The main cause of excessive cracking in the crosshead to the T-shaped pier is a deficiency in the design and the anchorage of the columns reinforced into the crosshead. There is also a deficiency in the design of the transverse reinforcement in the top of the crossheads to resist splitting forces between bearings. The horizontal cracking in the crosshead directly above the columns is a direct result of the inadequate anchorage of the column bars into the crosshead. Second closure On 4 February 2006, the Kepong Flyover was closed to traffic from 10:30 a.m. after serious damages on the flyover was confirmed. Traffic jam also has rose due to the incompletion of the MRR2 on 8 December 2006; the Kepong Flyover was reopened to all traffic. Third closure On 3 August 2008, Kepong flyover was closed to all traffic after three of the eighteen carbon fibre panels on pillar 28 had peeled off. Pillar 28 is where the German consultant Leonhardt Andrà ¤ und Partner (LAP) did the repair works as a sample for Malaysian contractor to follow. ACCIDENT ANALYSIS Violation of Code of Ethics Section II (2)(a) Engineers shall undertake assignments only when qualified by education or experience in the specific technical fields involved. The Kepong Flyover was reported to be faulty because 31 of 33 pillars supporting the flyover were reported to have obvious cracks. The engineers and contractors were responsible in this case. The main cause of excessive cracking in the crosshead to the T-shaped pier is a deficiency in the design and the anchorage of the columns reinforced in the crosshead. There is also a deficiency in the design of the transverse reinforcement in the top of the crosshead to resist splitting forces between bearings. The horizontal cracking in the crosshead directly above the columns is a direct result of the inadequate anchorage of the column bars into the crosshead. Section II(1)(a)- If engineers judgment is overruled under circumstances that endanger life or property, they shall notify their employer or client and such other authority as may be appropriate. In this case, public concern about the safety issues at Kepong flyover was due to the risks faced by at least 4,300 motorists using the flyover at a time. Despite numerous repairs and much of taxpayers money spent, people are questioning the safety and condition of the bridge despite the assurances by the relevant authorities. Users or clients were deprived of usage of the bridge causing them to use other congested roads, waking up early to travel and returning home late, using more petrol and diesel, more time wasted on roads and making users more tired. The cost here is political cost. Section II (3)(b) Engineers may express publicly technical opinions that are founded upon knowledge of the facts and competence in the subject matter. According to British Halcrow Consultancy Ltd that has sought the service of Glascow University, ettringite is found in cement. Usually, it does not harm. But, under rare conditions such as during concrete hardening, temperature reaching over 70 degree Centigrade in the presence of sulphate and plenty of water, ettringite is formed, expanding dangerously. If all the cracks are not waterproofed, more water seeps into them, aggravating the situation. Section II (3)(a) Engineers shall be objective and truthful in professional reports, statements, or testimony. They shall include all relevant and pertinent information in such reports, statements or testimony which should bear the date indicating when it was current. Works Minister Datuk S.Samy Vellu imposed a gag order on his officers saying that he alone will handle any queries on the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) Kepong flyover repairs. But he was reluctant to answer question on the flyover which had been closed for repairs to cracks on 30 pillars which had attracted the Anti-Corruption Agencys attention. Prevention Safety Guidance The engineering society codes of ethics, NSPE (National Society of Professional Engineers) has provided guidance in handling or preventing the event from happening, as discussed below. Section III (9)(e) Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers and should keep current in their specialty fields by engaging in professional practice, participating in continuing education courses, reading in the technical literature and attending meeting and seminars. Based on a statement by the Public Work Departments consultant, Kohler Seitz, they have indicated that faulty design had caused the pillars of MRR2 flyover to crack. This means that the crack might be caused by faulty design by the engineers. Referring to the code of ethic above, the MRR2 engineers should be up to dated towards the latest design. The word of faulty design should have not occurred at all because the MRR2 is cost up to RM 238.8 million. So, the MRR2 design engineers should improve their design skill so that their design will not have serious problem in the future. Section III (1)(a) Engineers shall acknowledge their errors and shall not distort or alter the facts. The engineers shall accept the truth regarding their faulty work on the MRR2. Consultant Company, Kohler Seitz have indicated that faulty design had caused the pillars of MRR2 flyover to crack. In this case, they with the help of government were denying that statement. Then, government had to appoint British Halcrow Consultancy Ltd to study the cracks that have appeared on 31 of the 32 crossbeams since 2000. This was a huge waste of money and times. They should be responsible if the cracks occurred is because of their mistakes. Section II (1) Engineer shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public. In designing and construction process of MRR2, the engineers should hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public. They must obey the standard approved by the authorities in choosing the material used. This is because, if they use cheap and low quality materials to gain maximum profit, they might endanger public that will use the highway in the future. Section III (1) (f) Engineers having knowledge of any alleged violation of this Code shall report thereon to appropriate professional bodies and, when relevant, also to public authorities, and cooperate with the proper authorities in furnishing such information or assistance as may be required. For the sake of publics safety, health and welfare, engineers should do whistle blowing. Whistle blowing is an act by an employee of informing the public or higher management of unethical or illegal behavior by an employer or supervisor. In MRR2 case, if they have qualified all the 4 conditions to do whistle blowing, they are obligated to do this. It is acceptable to blow the whistle to protect the public interest. ETHICAL THEORIES PROBLEM SOLVING TECHNIQUE Utilitarianism Definition of utilitarianism is balance between good and bad consequences of an action The good thing is MRR2 brought travel within easy reach The bad thing is the controversial Issues. Right Ethics Definition of right ethics is the people have the fundamental rights that other people have a duty to respect The right to use the flyover safely Do not want to keep stuck in traffic jam as a result from the closure of the MRR2 Do not want to see the few well-connected companies or individuals profit at the public expense Duty Ethics Definition of duty ethics is people have duties to protect the rights of others Fidelity : the duty to keep promises Contractors and engineers have failed to design and build the flyover in compliance with the contract Justice : the duty to recognize merit work minister does not take any action against the irresponsible contractors and consultant Beneficence : the duty to improve the conditions Repairs cost RM40 mil to RM70mil Cause by improper planning and poor cost estimation and poor administrative of the Work Minister This expenses could be reduced if he appointed a reliable contractor to build the flyover Virtue Ethics Irresponsibility Engineers did not fully supervise the project Minister did not give explanation of the RM70 million bill No actions taken towards original contractors Dishonestly Denied cracks were due to design flaw Did not build according to right specifications and designs Case Analysis Problem Solving Factual issue: For the first closure, 31 of 33 pillars supporting the flyover were reported to have obvious cracks. At some pillars and tiers, there were more than 7000 cracks detected Investigations were carried out by 4 different parties, namely Maunsell, Sharma Zakaria (the designer), Kà ¶hler Seitz Engineering Services (appointed by the contractor), Halcrow Consultants Ltd. (appointed by JKR) and  Leondhardt Andrà ¤ und Partner (LAP) Kepong Flyover was closed to traffic and then reopened with only 4 out of 6 lanes Works Minister reminded the public that the cracks were not due to design flaw Halcrow Consultants Ltd. suggested the design did not comply with the requirement of BS5400, the improper anchoring of the column rebar to the crossbeams and the formation of ettringite  (Delayed Ettringite Formation were responsible for the cracks Ettringite is found in cement, the expansion of a chemical compound, had caused serious cracks For the second closure 4 February 2006, the Kepong Flyover was closed to traffic from 10:30 am after serious damages on the flyover  and reopened on December 8, 2006. For the third closure, on 3 August 2008, Kepong flyover was closed to all traffic after three of the eighteen carbon fibre panels on pillar 28 had peeled off Pillar 28 is where the German consultant Leonhardt Andrà © und Partner (LAP) did the repair works as a sample for Malaysian contractor to follow. Conceptual issue: The crack on the pillars that support the flyover resulting the MRR2 cannot be opened for traffic and huge jam was occurred. Although investigation had been carried out, the crack on the pillar still occur. Based on the investigation, main problem is because of the MRR2 design did not follow the BS5400 requirement. Moral issue: The accident make us to be more aware of the safety of people that used the flyover Designer of the MRR2 unable to make a design that follow the specification of flyover that leads to crack on the pillars. The lack of communication skills between the team makes the accident repeated and cannot be fixed faster. Government should find the company that are capable enough to build the bridge and make troubleshooting properly. To find a solution for the case, the flow charting technique is used because it is easy to understand and it is able to show the chain of event happens by following the step-by-step approach. Fig. 2 Flowchart for MRR2 accident From the flowchart drawn, it is obvious that problem occurs because of the design and material used did not follow the specification. Although there were teams that assemble to investigate the problem, they cannot find the exact solution on how the problem occurs. Different teams come out with different problem and solution. To prevent it from happening again, designer should follow the rules and make sure material used are correctly picked What Should Have Done by People Involved? All the people involved in the accident should have done differently in avoiding the accident from happen to the flyover, as described below: Engineers Design Engineer should have designed the flyover intelligently and professionally to avoid design flaws. Besides, the engineers should have tested the flyover for its lifespan and capability to support the busy traffic so that the flyover can function without cracking. Management Should have monitored the whole project by itself to ensure everything is done accordingly and no design flaws should occur. The quality of the flyover should have been examined by the management team. Government Should have assigned the construction project to reliable constructor so that the extra millions of ringgit will not be spent to repair the flyover. After the incident happened, the Ministry should inform the public about the causes of the cracked pillars and admit the mistakes done by the ministry. Local authority should put more concern on the project by monitoring the construction and getting report of the construction progress from time to time. In addition, local government/authority should have evaluated the whole project and the contractors capability before approving the project. IV.CONCLUSION All in all, huge sum of public tax-payers money, amounting to a few hundred million ringgit, were used to carry out all these repairs. There were talks of litigation, but somehow, as time went by, things just fizzled out. Even though this major bridge was closed to the public three times, and millions of public ringgit had been spent on repair work, yet there was no public enquiry in order to find out as to what had actually gone wrong, so that everyone including civil and structural engineers could learn from the mistakes. In closing, this bridge is still being carefully monitored by the Malaysian government. V.REFERENCES Maverick, SM., Project Report Middle Ring Road 2, February 2006 Maverick, SM., Risk, Health Safety, February 2006 Charles B. Fleddermann., Engineering Ethics (3rd Edition), Pearson Practice Hall , University of New Mexico, 2008 Main Portal for Kementerian Kerja Raya Fuel prices likely to drop The Star Online August 4, 2008 Monday New Straits Times,2006,MRR2 Cracks, 3rd Jan, Malaysia Berita Harian,2006,PM: MRR2 ditutup lindungi keselamtan pengguna, 5th Mac, Malaysia Ismail E,2006.Seminar Paper: Industrialization of Malaysian Construction

Time to Wake Up :: essays research papers

Time to Wake Up As society becomes more Mcdonaldized or methodical in order people lose meaning to live and people’s quality of life is diminished. There is no wonder why suicide levels are the third leading cause of death for youths (ages 15-24) because when you take away creativity you taking away meaning. Although this order has brought efficiency it has caused humanity to lose focus of what separates us from all other animals. Humans are not met to be robotic, there is a reason why we have feelings, emotions, and passions and don’t act on everything by instinct. Since these special traits have been suppressed humanity now runs around like chickens with their heads cut off and does whatever society tells them to do. It is my belief that this trend to Mcdonaldize everything will eventually lead to mankinds destruction and the only way to prevent this is for us all to wake up. People need to realize that we are not in a race to win or to see who finishes the strongest, so there is no point to join societies rat race because all it is an illusion. People need to stop for one second and ask themselves what are they doing and why. When people can finally answer those questions then humanity will finally wake up. The question I have for everyone is, where are you going and what is the hurry? Can’t you see that we are all in this together! My suggestion to anyone who reads this would be not to join the band wagon but instead be unique or different. Sit outside the box and look in it and then you will see what I am talking about, people are like lost sheep that have gone astray and don’t know who they are, so instead of searching who they real are they submit to society and do whatever is in. So they key is to search within yourself to find out who you really are and to live this out you all the days of your life. Time to Wake Up :: essays research papers Time to Wake Up As society becomes more Mcdonaldized or methodical in order people lose meaning to live and people’s quality of life is diminished. There is no wonder why suicide levels are the third leading cause of death for youths (ages 15-24) because when you take away creativity you taking away meaning. Although this order has brought efficiency it has caused humanity to lose focus of what separates us from all other animals. Humans are not met to be robotic, there is a reason why we have feelings, emotions, and passions and don’t act on everything by instinct. Since these special traits have been suppressed humanity now runs around like chickens with their heads cut off and does whatever society tells them to do. It is my belief that this trend to Mcdonaldize everything will eventually lead to mankinds destruction and the only way to prevent this is for us all to wake up. People need to realize that we are not in a race to win or to see who finishes the strongest, so there is no point to join societies rat race because all it is an illusion. People need to stop for one second and ask themselves what are they doing and why. When people can finally answer those questions then humanity will finally wake up. The question I have for everyone is, where are you going and what is the hurry? Can’t you see that we are all in this together! My suggestion to anyone who reads this would be not to join the band wagon but instead be unique or different. Sit outside the box and look in it and then you will see what I am talking about, people are like lost sheep that have gone astray and don’t know who they are, so instead of searching who they real are they submit to society and do whatever is in. So they key is to search within yourself to find out who you really are and to live this out you all the days of your life.

Events Leading Up To Martin Luthers Excommunication :: essays research papers fc

Martin Luther was the founder of the Protestant church. Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in Eisleben in the province of Saxony. His view of Christianity started what is called the Protestant Reformation in Germany. Luther sought out to inform people of what he thought were the churches wrongdoings. The resistance of the church called the Counter Catholic Reformation permanently divided western Christianity. Luther was raised (for the most part) in Mansfield. His mother and father were so cruel and abusive his childhood was almost non-existent, which later in life caused him to run away to a monastery and become a monk. He studied at Eisanbach and Madgeburg and later studied at the university of Erfurt. The reasons Luther unexpectiantly became a monk are conflicting and could be argued upon. Luther himself said, "When I was terror stricken and overwhelmed by the fear of impending death, I made an involuntary and forced vow". There are many legends explaining this statement but nobody knows for sure. The main reason Luther went deeper into his religious life was that he felt he would never earn his salvation. He didn't feel that all the prayer, sacraments, and the good deed doing were enough. Therefore Luther did not think he could satisfy such a judging god, which meant damnation. Soon after entering the religious life he became an Augustian monk and entered the Augustian monastery at Erfurt on July 17, 1505. In 1512 Luther earned his doctorate in theology and became the professor of biblical literature at Wittenberg University. Luther took his religious vocation very seriously and spent much of his time reading the bible, which lead him to question the Roman Catholic Church. He realized man was at a disadvantage because our weaknesses force us to be burdened with sin. He said humans could not earn salvation by doing good deeds or performing holy acts instead we can earn it with faith in Jesus alone. Believing this, Luther was influenced to write the ninety-five theses along with him strongly opposing the sale of indulgences which are documents freeing sinners of punishment after death. After posting up the ninety-five theses on the castle churches door on October 31st, 1517, Luther sent a copy of the theses and an explanation to the Arch Bishop. The bishop sent it to his councilors at Aschaffenburge. The council was unanimous that Luther was a heretical man and proceedings against him should be taken.

Cultures Influence on Technology Essay -- Environment Environmental P

Culture's Influence on Technology Culture and technology are in a constantly expanding positive feedback loop. The greatest changes in human culture are almost always the result of a technological innovation. However, a technology capable of a cultural shift can only have come from the culture itself. Without the culture's choice to refine the technology, the practical applications would have been left as only fleeting ideas; technology will only be developed if the culture has some immediate and apparent use for it. Although a culture will develop a technology based on its inherent valence towards a particular application, that culture cannot possibly fathom the ultimate repercussions of its collective decision. The inherent multiplier effect in the feedback loop along with unforeseen applications of the technology will guide the "trajectories of cultural evolution" (Ehrlich 255) in completely unexpected ways. Even though cultures can and do have an effect on their course through history, it is only slight when comp ared to the monstrous effect that their technologies have on them. The nature and importance of this type of self-propagating relationship are described in Paul Ehrlich's book "Human Nature: Genes, Culture, and the Human Prospect." Ehrlich describes his own opinion on human development and feedback loops in the following passage: "It is important to know what shapes the course of history, how that influences the evolution of our natures, and how that in turn feeds back on evolutionary history itself." (Ehrlich 254) The statement briefly describes the general form of the positive feedback loop for human development throughout history. The influences he refers to could be anything from the environment to culture... ...e the resources and could not carry a kiln. They did, however, have an immediate and apparent use for the chariot, which could increase their speed and power by an innumerable factor. Although culture is able to guide the technological innovations that are borne from it, humanity does not seem to have much of a say in its course through history. Each step through time is a result of an infinite amount of steps before it all pushing history towards an unknown end. Even the individual who invents an integral technology is only a very small ripple in a tide of inexorable humanity. Works Cited: Chant, Colin. "Chapter 2:Greece" in "Pre-Industrial Cities and Technology." Routledge Press, 1999. pp. 48-80. Ehrlich,Paul R. "Ch. 11: Gods, Dive-Bombers, and Bureaucracy" in "Human Natures: Genes, Cultures, and the Human Prospect." Island Press, 2000. pp. 253-279.

I Believe in Forgiveness Essay

I never really understood the meaning of forgiveness. When people hurt me or treat me badly I always thought the best way to handle it is to hold it in. I never showed anger on the outside but just kept it all in. Instead, I let it boil inside of me. My kind act toward those who hurt me was a shield from my pain. Most of my kind act was at my mother. I blamed my birth mother for every relationship I have ever been in that ended with my hurting the guy or me thinking I am just going to be like my mother and leave him for the next person. see more:to err is human meaning Over the years, her actions and mishaps became the victim for my own actions. The fact that I have not yet become a divorcee like her was justification for her being irresponsible, dishonest, and ungrateful. Throughout the years of struggle, dysfunctional relationships, and little to no relationship, I hardly took responsibility for anything that I had done. I laid all my relationship troubles on my birth mother. I call her my birth mother because I never grew up with her but I have met her from time to time. She gave me to my dad when I was seven years old because of another man. I blame my relationship trouble on her because she never had a solid relationship for me to learn from. She has been married four times and the longest have been a year and that was to my dad. Then a few months ago, something shocking happened to me: I was in a committed relationship for the first time in my life. I was so scared I would be just like her or I was going to ruin this wonderful guy’s life. One night, as I was trying to sleep, thinking about my life, I suddenly became filled with fear. I was convinced I would screw up my life —that all my fear of being like her was tarnishing my relationship life. Strangely, while panicking about my life becoming a doom, my mother came to mind. I sat there in the dark, surrounded by the soothing sounds and smells of my air freshener in my room, and I thought of how my mom must have blame her mother for the same reason I am blaming her. I knew at that moment that she never intended to hurt me. I realized that might have been as scared like I am when it comes to commitment just as I am. I knew that she had done the best she could to stay in those relationships, but it was not the right thing to do. I forgave my mother that night—for all the times she got divorced, embarrassed me, or hurt my father or made me feel like I can never have a relationship because I always think I would end up like her. I forgave her for not being around. I let go of the resentment I’d held toward her for so many years. I stopped blaming her. For some reasons maybe my reasons were not very noble. Maybe I was afraid my life would turn out to be just like hers or maybe I might never find that person to settle down with. Whatever the reason, for the first time, I saw my birth mom as a real person. A person with flaws and mistakes. I knew she did not jump from marriage to marriage to hurt me. She got divorced for four times because she was flawed and hurting. I knew that if I did not forgive her, I would never have the kind of relationship I wanted with my future husband. If I kept blaming her I would never start living my own life. My mom have not asked for my forgiveness; she’s never acknowledged that she’s done anything wrong. But I realized that in forgiving her, what I was really doing was taking responsibility for myself and my own actions for the first time in a long time. Forgiving my mom changed my life. I accepted her for who she was and that set me free. I realized that when we forgive someone it is not for them but for you. After I forgave her it was like a burden was taken off my shoulders. I felt this inner peace that I have never felt before. My relationship with my boyfriend is going good and I don’t think or say to myself that I am going to end up like my mother. My eyes are open now to my own failings. I am going to take responsibility for every mistake I make in my relationships and not blame someone for them. And I discovered that forgiving someone is both an innately spiritual act that brings us closer to a higher power, and a uniquely human act that connects people in a way that strengthens us all. Forgiveness is a powerful thing. This I believe. I Believe Essay Draft 1 09/12/12 Word Count 752 The Power of Forgiveness I believe in forgiveness. I never really understood the meaning of forgiveness. When people hurt me or treat me badly I always thought the best way to handle it is to hold it in. I never showed anger on the outside but just kept it all in. Instead, I let it boil inside of me. My kind act toward those who hurt me was a shield from my pain. Most of my kind act was at my mother. I blamed my birth mother for every relationship I have ever been in that I had to end because I feel I am going to hurt him or he is going to hurt me. Over the years, her actions and mishaps became the victim for my own actions. The fact that I have not yet become a divorcee like her was justification for being irresponsible, dishonest, and ungrateful. Throughout years of struggle, dysfunctional relationships, and little to no relationship, I hardly took responsibility for anything that I had done. I laid all my relationship troubles on my birth mother. I call her my birth mother because I never grew up with her but I have met her from time to time. I grew up with my loving stepmother and father. She gave me to my dad when I was seven years old because of another man. I blame my relationship trouble on her because she never had a solid relationship. She has been married four times and the longest have been a year and that was to with my dad. Then a few months ago, something shocking happened to me: I was in a committed relationship for the first time in my life. One night, as I was trying to sleep, thinking about my life, I suddenly became filled with fear. I was convinced I would screw up my life —that all my fear of being like my mother was tarnishing my relationship life. Strangely, while panicking about my life becoming a doom, my birth mother came to mind. I sat there in the dark, surrounded by the soothing sounds and smells of my air freshener in my room , and I thought of how my birth mom must have blame her mother for the same reason I am blaming her. I knew at that moment that she never intended to hurt me. I realized that might have been as scared like I am when it comes to commitment just as I am. I knew that she had done the best she could to stay in those relationships, but it was not the right thing to do. I forgave my mother that night—for all the times she got divorced, embarrassed me, or hurt my father or made me feel like I can never have a relationship because I always think I would end up like her. I forgave her for not being around. I let go of the resentment I’d held toward her for so many years. I stopped blaming her. For some reasons maybe my reasons were not very noble. Maybe I was afraid my life would turn out to be just like hers or maybe I might never find that person blame. But whatever the reason, for the first time, I saw my birth mom as a real person. A person with flaws and mistakes. I knew she didn’t jump from marriage to marriage to hurt me. She got divorce for four times because she was flawed and hurting. I knew that if I didn’t forgive her, I would never have the kind of relationship I wanted with my future husband. If I kept blaming her I would never start living my own life. My mom hadn’t asked for my forgiveness; she’s never acknowledged that she’s done anything wrong. But I realized that in forgiving her, what I was really doing was taking responsibility for myself and my own actions for the first time in a long time. Forgiving my mom changed my life. I accepted her for who she was and that set me free. I realized that when we forgive someone it is not for them but for you. My relationship with my boyfriend is going good and I don’t think or say to myself that I am going to end up like my birth mother. My eyes are open now to my own failings. And I discovered that forgiving someone is both an innately spiritual act that brings us closer to a higher power, and a uniquely human act that connects people in a way that strengthens us all. Forgiveness is a powerful thing. This I believe. 09/14/12 Process Memo At first I didn’t know what I was going to write about so I wrote down some things that I believe in. some examples like family, forgiveness and friendship. I listen to some of the essays on thisibelieve. om and it gave me an idea of what to write. I made a list of who took me so long to forgive them then I chose one and then I chose one. I wrote down things they did that made me not to forgive them. I also wrote down the process it took me to forgive them. I then developed and created my essay. The workshop in class helped a lot from reading other people’s essay it gave me a better idea of how to arrange my paper. My group members gave me nice idea on how to develop and make it more interesting and correct my mistakes. The workshop helped a lot.