#topic2

Music is Medicine - Topic 2

Music has had a profound impact on human culture since medieval times and is now being attempted to be applied to aspects of improving human health. The implementation of music into therapeutic treatment is used to promote, maintain, and restore a patient's physical health. The Globe and Mail published an article (Tapping Music’s Power to Heal the Brain) in 2016 that sets an informative tone about the innovative possibilities following music therapy on those recovering from strokes, speech loss, and Parkinson’s disease (Barton, 2012). The link between mood and music has tendencies to alter an individual’s direct temperament, making them experience pleasant and unpleasant emotions, placing an impact on music as a constructive instigator. Music is a harmless alternative to medication which poses a high incentive for patients to try this unorthodox method of restoration and wellbeing as opposed to drug therapies with adverse effects, or surgical brain implants with a possibility for complications (Barton, 2012).

Although the limits and potentials of music therapy continue to be explored, the success observed has had exceptional results through double-blind studies in a study concerning speech loss in patients who had recently experienced a stroke, singing familiar songs such as “Happy Birthday” initiated simulation in neurons responsible for melody and language located in the brain. The unexpected results of language and neuron recovery highlight the significant impact that certain associative melodies have on the brain, and continue to have even through the loss of speech. There seems to be a continues stream of positive conclusive theories devised in respect to music and its overwhelming impact on human emotion. Multiple studies have been replicated and proven to indicate how playing Mozart sonatas in the ICU is a contributor to a release of stress lowering hormones in the human body (Barton, 2012). Researchers should now turn their attention to how they can utilize this very effect in uplifting a patients mood, as oppose to administering potent medication.

The implementation of music therapy into the biomedical model of health can have extremely positive outcomes for a wide range of conditions. Through the course of the article, the authors highlight the importance of music and its promotion of mental and emotional health. If researchers can understand the specific melodies required to manipulate specific emotion, Music therapy could be a primary resource to assisting those who suffer from anger management, desire a need to control manic emotions, and possibly depression. The connection between music and emotion is a highly malleable outcome that should be taken advantage of especially in the realm of health and wellness. In patients who have cancer, the manipulation of emotion seems to be an ideal treatment to cope with the stress of receiving radiation therapy in order to reduce levels of stress and anxiety. If health practitioners and medical professionals can find alternative methods of treatment that is less invasive, safer and facilitates a positive outcome, they owe it to those that are suffering to investigate the potential and limits of music therapy further.

On 7th June 2018

Following the 1% quarterly growth in the first quarter, the trade surplus decreased by 44% from $1.7 billion in March to $977 million in April.

This is reflected in a declining Terms of Trade, with the value of exports falling by 2%

The big drag on exports were coal, down $400 million or 7 per cent, and iron ore and minerals, down $300 million or 4 per cent.

This is expected to have a significant impact on net exports as Australia's primary exports consists of the above categories

However, natural gas exports continue to rise. with price increasing by 1% and export volume increasing by 2%.

Cyclical factors which has supported growth in the first quarter is not expected to continue to be sustained, as Paul Dales from Capital Economics said,

"The evidence suggests that growth may have already peaked ... it looks as though net exports are on track to make a neutral contribution to real GDP growth in the second quarter after having added 0.3 percentage points in the first quarter"

The slowdown in cyclical factors can be attributed to the increasing uncertainty in the global market with the loom of the trade war

With the increased tarriffs, this will reduce globalisation effects and the amount of global trade which occurs

However, even as the ToT declines, export volumes are seen to be on the rise. Along with Australia's narrowing CAD, this has resulted in a stronger AUD

This driven by stronger demand for exports, which increases demand for AUD on the FOREX

The demand has managed to sustain the AUD above US 0.75, and this is predicted to remain for the remainder of 2018

As imports remained stable, this is due to capital goods imports ofsetting a decline in consumer goods imports.

The increase in capital goods supports the view business investment is picking up, but the fall in consumption indicated that household spending is still weak

This is can be seen as a reflection of the effects of government policy, as policies which aim decrease tax/ increase subsidies/ consistent low cash rate all aim to encourage businesses to increase investment

However given the lower household consumption, this results in less demand pull inflation. 

Given that inflation is just within the target band, this may curb inflation levels as household fuelled inflation accounts for aprox 50% of headline inflation.

On 2nd July 2018

In June, the Renminbi (RMB) fell by 3.3% against the USD, marking it as one the of steepest falls since China established it's pegged exchange rate.

There is speculation that the float had been dirtied as in the closing days of the month, the RMB stabalized again, however, in the face of the trade wars, China can use the value of it's currency to combat the effects of potential tarrifs.

Given the currently undervalued state of the RMB, this gave China a cost advantage in the global market as their goods were cheaper to foreign buyers

By allowing the value of the RMB to fall, it can bring the RMB to a more realistic representation of market demand 

This will allow the price of US imports to become cheaper as the USD : RMB heads closer to a 1:1 conversion, which can also lessen the value of imposed US tarriffs on Chinese exports

Currently, China imports $US 130 billion of goods from the US,  while the US imports  $450 billion from China, leaing to a trade imbalance of $280 bil USD.

To minimise the negative impacts if a trade war does occur, the Chinese government has started implementing policies to reduce risk in the financial market, 

“[The trade war] is occurring against the backdrop of China’s continuing attempts to reduce the excessive levels of leverage in its economy and financial system ... China had been tightening credit. There were signs of a slowing of economic growth as the authorities sought to reduce the level of financial risk within their system.”

By reducing risk in the system, the government is also tightening the stock markets. There is an counterargument that the fall in the RMB reflects problems in the Chinese economy itself, as the Shanghai stock exchange fell by 7.5 percentage points. 

“Bloomberg has estimated there are more than $US770 billion of Chinese shares pledged as collateral for loans”

If stocks still fall, it could raise alarms as this situation is similar to the US housing crisis, where the use of property as collateral for loans led to a devaluing of a the housing market, eventually leading to the GFC.

Therefore, by tightening financial markets, the Chinese government can be seen in attmepting to ensure their external stability

“They would be mindful of the potential for too-abrupt a decline in the value of the renminbi to trigger a surge of capital outflows, further tightening liquidity in their system, and would be weighing that risk against the potential to soften the impact of the tariffs”.

Another argument arises that the RMB fell against other TWI currencies, while the USD appreciated, which would be reflective of weaker global economic growth.

On 4th June 2018

In the March quarter, there has been especially strong growth, at 1% for the quarter, bringing the year growth from March 2017 to 3.1 %.

This will be in the desirable band of 3-4% of yearly GDP growth, which indicates a healthy economy (indicating the economy in on road to  recovering)

This was fuelled mainly by mining sector profit growth, where gross operating profits rose by 5.9%. Non- Mining profits has also outperformed expectations, in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, retail, and a small rebound in professional business service.

The strenght in profit also lead to wage growth of 0.8% in the quater and 5.1% over the year, well above the minimum wage decision of 3.5% in 2018. This increase however, is said due to higher demand in the labour market, according to Kristina Clifton, Senior Economist at the Commonwealth Bank

“The growth in wages and salaries over the past year has been largely driven by jobs growth,” she said. “Growth in wages for people who already have jobs has been stuck around the 2% mark for the past two years.”

The increases in growth has largely been attributed to cyclical factors, as the economy beings to accelerate again

on 2018 Feb 12th 

JB-Hi-Fi feels the strain of market competition form foreign competitor Amazon Prime. This is affecting their shareholder’s confidence and is dropping their share prices by 7.5 points despite greater than expected revenues due to a few negatives in the profit annoucement.

The demonstrates the effects of foreign competitors affecting consumer confidence, where international competition threatens the profits of a domestic company. 

JB-HI-FI’s response was to lower their prices, i.e. discounting. This increased demand, as consumers responded well to the lowered prices, increasing sales. However, the gross sales margin (the difference between the wholesale cost and the retail price) went down.

This is an example of the effects of foreign competition entering a market with an international price lower than the domestic price.

In theory, it should allow JB-HI-FI to grow more competitive as they will increase their productivity in order to compete with the new overseas firm. 

This will allow consumers to enjoy lower prices for these products, both from Amazon and JB, which leads to increased spending.

Also, as JB sells primarily technological goods, a boost in sales of luxury goods should increase the headline inflation rate, which would be welcomed given the low level of inflation in the Australian economy recently.

However, if consumers do purchase Amazon’s products, this will increase import spending, leading to an increase in funds leaving Australia.

This money will most likely not contribute to Australian income tax, and will not be re-invested into the Australian economy.

As Amazon prime is a web-based service, they can provide even lower costs as their cost of labour is greatly diminished

on 2017, August 22nd

The Chinese government is imposing stricter regulations on foreign investments.

This is due to:

 A majority of Chinese bank transactions consists of lending and borrowing, as compared to western countries where bonds and shares contribute more to the financial system

If a great deal of these investments fail, it may pop the credit bubble, and this poses a great risk to the Chinese financial system.

By imposing stricter regulations, this should dampen investment activities, and therefore reduce the risk of overseas investments

More than $1.6 trillion USD has been invested overseas by Chinese companies

Implications for Australia:

As China is a major trading partner for Australia, we will see less investments coming into Australia, which can lead to a smaller KAFA surplus

As 38% of all property developments last year were developed by Chinese companies, this will also allow the housing market to cool after rapid growth in the last few years.

This also is in line with the tighter conditions from our own government, to cool the market as the housing credit bubble is growing at an alarming rate.

The majority of Chinese investments in Australia have been in resources (32%) and metals (30%), followed by real estate (12%) and agriculture (9%)

Topic Title: IP SUBNETTING 

IP Address 

 - It is a logical numerical address that uniquely identified a devices that is part of a TCP/IP  on IP network such as a single computer.  - Made up of 32 bits.  - Can be divisible into a network portion and host portion with the help of as subnet mask

- two IP addressing operates: OSI model (network layer) & TCP/IP (internet layer)  - BINARY OCTETS CONVERT TO DECIMAL (below)  -> The octets are broken down to provide an addressing scheme that can accommodate large and small networks.

IP Address Classes 

Class A: 

The first octet is the network portion

Major network address of 1.0.0.0 − 127.255.255.255

Octets 2, 3, and 4 (the next 24 bits) are for the networkmanager to divide into subnets and hosts as he/she sees fit

Used for networks that have more than 65,536 hosts

Class B: 

The first two octets are the network portion

Major network address of 128.0.0.0 − 191.255.255.255

 Octets 3 and 4 (16 bits) are for local subnets and hosts

Used for networks that have between 256 and 65,534 hosts.

Class C: 

The first three octets are the network portion

Major network address of 192.0.0.0 − 233.255.255.255

Octet 4 (8 bits) is for local subnets and hosts − perfect for networks with less than 254 hosts.

Network Masks

Helps to know which portion of the address identifies the network and which portion of the  address identifies the host

Class A, B and C = default masks = natural masks. 

The mask helps you identify the network and node parts of the address, convert the address and mask to binary numbers.

Identifying the network ID and host ID is easier when have the address and the mask represented in binary.  

bits set to 1 represent the network ID.

bits set to 0 represent the host ID.

Subnetworks 

known as subnets

A logically visible subdivision of an IP network

The practice of dividing a network into two or more networks is called subnetting

A subnetwork is a network which covers only part of a project and is linked in relationships with other subnetworks in the same project.

Used the subnetworks to refine and detail the networks as planning progresses. The system treats subnetworks and networks the same, that is, can plan dates, capacities, costs, materials and production resource/tools also with a subnetwork.

Subnetting

It allows you to create multiple logical networks that exist within a single Class A, B, or C network

If you do not subnet, you are only able to use one network from your Class A, B, or C network

Each data link on a network must have a unique network ID

With every node on that link being a member of the same network

If you break a major network (Class A, B, or C) into smaller subnetworks, it allows you to create a network of interconnecting subnetworks

Each data link on this network would then have a unique network/subnetwork ID.

In order to subnet a network, extend the natural mask using some of the bits from the host ID portion of the address to create a subnetwork ID.

Router, subnetworks, IP address. 

Each of the router is attached to four subnetworks

One subnetwork is common to both routers

Each router has an IP address for each subnetwork to which it is attached

Each subnetwork could support up to 30 host addresses

The more host bits you use for a subnet mask, the more subnets you have available.

The more subnets available, the less host addresses available per subnet

Variable-Length Subnet Masking (VLSM)

VLSM is a process of dividing an IP network into the subnets of different sizes without wasting IP addresses. When we perform Subnetting, all subnets have the same number of hosts, this is known as FLSM (Fixed length subnet mask). In FLSM all subnets use same subnet mask, this lead to inefficiencies.

Variable Length Subnet Mask (VLSM) extends classic Subnetting. VLSM is a process of breaking down subnets into the smaller subnets, according to the need of individual networks.

Steps for VLSM Subnetting

Find the largest segment. Segment which need largest number of hosts address. 

Do Subnetting to fulfill the requirement of largest segment.

Assign the appropriate subnet mask for the largest segment. 

For second largest segments, take one of these newly created subnets and apply a different, more appropriate, subnet mask to it. 

Assign the appropriate subnet mask for the second largest segment. 

Repeat this process until the last network.