Selasa, 26 Juni 2007

Oxygen (IBM data paper)

Oxygen is an element, a gas, and a drug that can help people who have certain lung diseases. The cells in the body get their energy from the interaction of oxygen with food. The energy produced is used to do everything from breathing, to carrying out bodily functions, to going to the grocery store. Some lung diseases, such as emphysema and sarcoidosis, reduce lung function to the extent that supplemental oxygen is needed to continue normal bodily function. For many people with end stage lung disease, supplemental oxygen allows their bodies to get the oxygen that they need and may also help them be more active.
· At all times, the body is taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. If this process does not happen adequately, the oxygen in the blood will decrease, and the person may need supplemental oxygen.
· There are three ways to dispense oxygen in the home. Compressed oxygen gas and liquid oxygen are two ways to have oxygen delivered to the home. Oxygen gas can be compressed and stored in tanks or cylinders of steel or aluminum. These tanks come in many sizes; larger ones are usually left in the bedroom, and smaller ones are used for leaving the house. Liquid oxygen is made by cooling the oxygen gas, which changes it to a liquid form. It is often used by people who are more active because larger amounts of oxygen can be stored in smaller, more convenient containers than compressed oxygen. The disadvantage is that it cannot be kept for a long time because it will evaporate.
· In addition, oxygen concentrators are available to deliver higher concentrations in the home. An oxygen concentrator is an electric device about the size of an end table. It produces oxygen by concentrating the oxygen that is already in the air and eliminating other gases. This method is less expensive, easier to maintain, and doesn't require refilling, but it is not portable. Some oxygen concentrators, however, give off heat and are noisy. Back-up methods are necessary in case of a power failure, and the electric bill may rise. For some patients, oxygen concentrators may not deliver adequate oxygen.
· For people who do not get enough oxygen naturally, supplements of oxygen can have several benefits. Supplemental oxygen can improve their sleep and mood, increase their mental alertness and stamina, and allow their bodies to carry out normal functions. It also prevents heart failure in people with severe lung disease. Oxygen at very high levels over a long period of time can be toxic and very harmful to one's health; therefore, a doctor's prescription is required.
· Oxygen is also being dispensed for recreational purposes at oxygen bars to patrons who believe that inhaling the pure oxygen will cause their bodies to function even better than normal. Inhaling oxygen recreationally is unlikely to have a beneficial physiological effect. Oxygen at high levels can be toxic; however, there is no evidence that oxygen at the low flow levels used in bars can be dangerous to a normal person's health. (Petra English business International)

Living in Indonesia Vs Living in US



Living in Indonesia Vs Living in US

After graduated from my high school, my parents asked me to go to the medical school. However, I was not interested at all, so that my sister tells me to study in US. Then, few months after my graduation, I went to US to study and work for a year. Even I just stayed there for a year, it seemed that one year was like several years for me because there were so many experiences that I could get. From my experiences, I can say that living in USA is much better than living in Indonesia because USA has better food, future retirement, and excellent law enforcement.
First, US has better food than Indonesia. In US, I can find food from many countries in the world; I can find Chinese food, Thai food, even Indonesian food, and still much more. I can choose which restaurant that we like because there so many restaurants I can choose, and I think most of them are delicious. The food also has good quality, because in US the quality of food is very essential things. They have some organization that controls the quality of food there. When someone get sick because of eat in a restaurant, that restaurant can get sue and check by police and some professionals in food so in US many restaurants are very careful with their quality of food. This makes many of Chinese restaurants there not using MSG and even if they use it will only in very small amount because there is a rule about it. Compare with Indonesia that have smaller amount of restaurant and kind of food. In addition, many of the food sellers in Indonesia are uncheck by health officer so it makes a lot of them is not really care about consumers health.
Next, US have more assurance in better future retirement. They have many program to make the old people can stay there more enjoyable especially for citizens. For example, the social security program that help people to save their money for retirement time, also, still many others like free ride on bus, half price on eating in many restaurants, price donation to the poor old people, or even special parking lot for disability and pregnant women . Many of old people have community there and they can have group activities like in the library, community clubs, so on. Maybe in Indonesia have those things too, but not as many and as good compare in US. In US, I have never seen an old people become beggar and I think this because they have better education and law that can help people to save their money in the old days. Maybe, if there any beggar found I think the officer will soon bring a beggar to place they can live appropriately like old folk home.
Finally yet importantly, the law enforcement in USA is superior. When there is something happen, the police will come very fast and the handling is so professional. For example, when there is a car accident, there usually ambulance, police, firefighters will come in count of minutes. Also, usually the police never ask money when we need their help so even if people not rich need help they will help voluntarily. Not like in Indonesia, if the police do not get money from the case usually they will work slowly or even not care about the case except there is a mass media. The others thing, police there not looking people mistakes to get money, they do it to upright the law. However, in Indonesia, many police tend to looking for money for themselves so they often looking people mistakes.
To conclude, after looking on the reasons above, I choose to live in US because it seem that people in USA has better life compare with Indonesian. Even it is not easy to live at new world with new culture in the first few years. However, it is worth it because if we work hard and smart in US, we may get good live there after few years. Compare with Indonesia that is harder to get good live because of instability, a lot of corruption, and often happen a chaos. In brief, living in US is better than living in Indonesia.
( Petra International Business English)