Technlogy in Society essays

Technlogy in Society essays Accelerating technological change has stretched human adaptability to the limit. In order to understand the way technology may be changing our views of the world, people must first understand the ways in which modern technology itself processes information. Every technical step towards intelligent robots and machines has a rough evolutionary counterpart, and each is likely to benefit its creators, manufacturers and users. Companys like Microsoft who create some of these counter parts for robots/machines and most of the technology that exists today, are not only monopolizing the business but are also forcing everyone to use their software because there are no leading competitors. Today people are so dependent on Microsoft and its computer technology that we cannot live without it. Everyday in society people are making improvements, however, these improvements also have equal drawbacks. Today we are using cutting edge technology to improve every aspect of our daily lives. For instance in today's society the fields of Communication and Medicine are constantly advancing yet they both create significant losses. Technology has helped increase the speed of communication and decrease its cost. However, at the same time it has caused people to become more impersonal with each other. In earlier times the major form of communication was for people to visit each other and go to public meeting places. But now all this can be done through e-mail, telephone, or just standard mail. These advances both improve our lives and hurt them. They improve them by decreasing time and money, but hurt by our frustration and anger tords them if they do not obay orders or not work. Society has experienced, change in time spent at work to the efficiency in producing goods due to the changing technologies. ...

How to Care for and Protect Old Photographs

How to Care for and Protect Old Photographs Whether it is paintings on cave walls or writings chiseled in stone, mankind has been recording history  since the  beginning of time.  The ability to document history photographically is a more recent invention, however, beginning with the daguerreotype in 1838. Photographs provide a very important visual connection to our ancestors. Shared family physical characteristics, hairstyles, clothing styles, family traditions, special events, and more provide a graphic portrayal of the lives of our ancestors, but if we do not properly care for our photographs, some of our history will fade away right along with those precious images. What Causes a Photo to Deteriorate? Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and sunlight affect photographs more than any other factor. Cyclic conditions (high heat and humidity followed by cold, dry weather such as you would find in an attic or basement) are especially bad for photos and may cause cracking and separation of the emulsion (image) from the support (paper base of the photo).  Dirt, dust, and oil are also big culprits of photographic deterioration. Storage Tips The worst places to store your photographs are in an un-insulated attic or basement. Constant high temperatures and humidity in the summer and low temperatures and humidity in the winter can cause your photographs to become brittle and crack. In severe cases, it may cause separation of the emulsion (image) from the support (paper base) of the photo. Dampness can cause photographs to stick together. Insects and rodents, commonly found in basements, also like to feed on photos. The best conditions for storing photographs are in a location with a consistent temperature from 65 °F–70 °F with a relative humidity of about 50%. These arent always possible in a home environment, however, so if your photographs are especially important to you, you may want to consider storing them in a safe deposit box at your bank where the conditions are ideal.Do not store your negatives in the same place as your photographs. If something happens to your photos or albums, your negatives will stil l be available to reprint your treasured family heirloom. Avoid cheap drugstore-type photo albums, magnetic photo albums, and  paper and plastic storage products that arent specifically made for storing photos. Regular envelopes, ziplock bags and other things commonly used for photo storage arent always safe for your photos.  Use only lignin-free, acid-free, un-buffered paper  for  storing  photographs or as interleaving paper in albums.  Use only PVC-free plastics such as Polyester, Mylar, Polypropylene, Polyethylene, and Tyvek.Water and fire can ruin your photos. Keep pictures away from fireplaces, heaters, dryers etc. Avoid water damage by storing photos on high shelves well away from water pipes and in locations not prone to flooding or leaks (dont store in the basement or in a closet which backs on a shower, tub or sink). What to Avoid Dirt, dust, and oils from your hands can cause permanent damage. You should handle prints and negatives along the edges, preferably while wearing white cotton gloves.Do not write on the back of your photos with standard ball-point or felt-tip ink pens. Unless it is marked specifically for use on photos, most ink contains acids which will eat away at and stain your photos over time. If you must mark a photo and dont have an acid-free photo marking pen available, then write lightly with a soft lead pencil on the back of the image.Do not use rubber bands or paper clips to hold photos together. Rubber bands contain sulfur which can cause your photo to deteriorate. Paper clips can scratch the surface of your photos or negatives. Clippings should be photocopied onto alkaline paper.Do not use paper clips to hold photos together or in albums. They can scratch the surface of your photos or negatives.Do not display important photos in your home. The glass can stick to the emulsion over time. S unlight will cause your photo to fade. If you want to display a precious photo, then have a copy made and display the copy! Do not use glues (especially rubber cement) or pressure sensitive tapes to mend photographs or hold them in albums.  Most glues contain substances such as sulfur and acids which will cause your photos to deteriorate. Look for special photo-safe glues and tapes in the archival section of your favorite photo or craft store.Avoid exposing photographic materials to anything containing sulfur dioxide, fresh paint fumes, plywood, cardboard, and fumes from cleaning supplies.Do not take special family photos (wedding photos, baby photos, etc.) to an inexpensive photo developer for processing, especially one hour services.  It is important that the film is developed with fresh chemicals and that the negatives are washed sufficiently (for at least an hour) and only professionals usually provide these services. Ask questions and make sure you get what you are paying for.