Writing Samples

Electronics and your smartphone

Gold is an essential component in the manufacture of electronics. Your smartphone is a good example. Most of the gold present in this small device is used in its circuit board, which enables communication between a variety of components such as the phone’s microprocessor, display, and memory. A thin coating of gold covers the circuit board to ensure that the components communicate efficiently. Due to gold’s resistance to corrosion, it allows the smartphone components to operate reliably for the long term. In addition, many of the smartphone’s connectors, as well as the SIM card that joins the phone to a network, contain a total of about 8 milligrams of gold. Although the amount of gold in one smartphone is very small, this precious metal plays a significant role in the millions of phones manufactured each year.

Truck overloading

Truck overloading is among the major causes of truck-related crashes. If cargo is overweight or unbalanced, there is a greater chance for the driver to lose control of the vehicle. All it takes is for the load to shift when the truck makes a sharp turn or swerves to avoid an accident, and you have an 18-wheeler that is involved in a devastating incident, such as a rollover.

Braking issues

An overloaded truck is heavier, requiring increased braking distances. A novice driver, especially, may not account for the extra time it will take to bring the big vehicle to a safe stop. This kind of problem increases when the truck is traveling down an incline. Furthermore, along with other equipment, brakes will have to be replaced more often due to the wear and tear caused by overloading.

What trucking companies should do

Trucking companies must train new drivers in proper loading practices. Drivers should be well-informed about the dangers of overloading. For example, they should know that improper load distribution can result in a raised center of gravity, which increases the possibility of a rollover. Off-balance cargo, which raises safety concerns, also increases operating costs and shortens the lifespan of the vehicle.

Assisted Living: Is there a doctor in the house?

Perhaps your mother is having cognitive issues and is ready to trade independent living for assisted living. This sounds like a good idea, but is this the right move? Do you know the difference between assisted living, continuing care, and a nursing home? Will your loved one have the care she needs?

Need-based facilities

Like a continuing care retirement community, an assisted living facility (ALF) is “need-based.” An ALF is where many people go when they can no longer stay in their own homes and before they need the round-the-clock medical care a nursing home provides. There are 30,000 to 40,000 ALFs in our country, and many in Florida. Many ALFs will accept residents who are dealing with dementia and other cognitive issues. You might, therefore, assume that the ALF you have your eye on for Mom has a doctor on staff, or at least on call, but that is not necessarily true. State regulations vary as to the kind of personnel an assisted living facility must employ. Some do not even have a registered nurse on-site, although the trend is for ALFs to provide more nursing services than they once did.

St. Augustine: Sunshine, Palm Trees, and Lots of History

When you think of Florida, you probably envision things like beautiful beaches, sparkling blue water, and decorative palm trees beneath a clear, sunny sky. But don’t forget how much history there is in this state, beginning with enchanting St. Augustine.

The Castillo de San Marcos

The fort, dating from the 1660s, is usually the first thing visitors to St. Augustine want to see. By 1668, the wooden structure erected to guard the San Agustin settlement was dilapidated. There was no money, and the people were starving. To make matters worse, pirates executed a surprise attack, sacking the town and killing anyone in sight before sailing away. Hearing of the attack, the Spanish Queen Regent Mariana sent funds and troops with orders to build a permanent fortress. The result is what visitors see today: the Castillo de San Marcos, now a national monument.