Anti Hazing Law Essay

The given document regarding the anti-hazing law provides the possible penalties for the liable initiation rites or practice which purpose is to embarrass and humiliate the neophyte forcing him/her to menial, silly and foolish tasks and activities. Hazing, is only allowed for the Military clubs or organizations such as Armed forces of the Philippines, Philippine national Police, Philippine Military Academy or any form of army training in the Philippines that was approved by the agency head and hazing is not allowed for school organizations such as fraternities or sororities that prohibits physical violence. In my opinion, Hazing is the most appropriate prerequisite that had ever existed because it doesnt simply bring a benefit for the applicants/ neophytes and it only creates risks of injuries, discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, ridicule, forced consumption of alcohol, placing the individual into danger and even death and such negative consequences. The main reason why Hazers do hazing is that they need to feel powerful and in control yet hazing motivates no one; it even hinders academic achievements, destroys self-esteem and causes emotional and physical pains. It doesn’t have a purpose; it has nothing to do with trust or respect. Hazing was not even related to Greek letter organizations or athletics. It is just a foolish organization that are continued by foolish hazers traditionally as it turns to become epidemic and plague on campuses. Those members who are being hazed are more likely to haze others in the future and would continue yet it should not be tolerated. The only way to stop Hazing is to simple BREAK THE TRADITION and educate members who are responsible for Hazing to move on with their lives and focus more on academics, make people aware what hazing is and what penalties are and seek help from the government and help students develop to become moral citizens that will help rid our society of the negative consequences of hazing. To combat hazing, we should seek help and report such hazing activities to the Government.

Drug Cartel Violence Along the Mexican Border Essay

In lines thirty-five through forty-five of Ian McEwan’s Black Dogs, June and Bernard stand upon the precipice of a cliff in the French countryside. The particular description in this section, when teamed with June’s observations as they near the cliff, provide a startling comparison to June’s inner turmoil and the changes inherent to the baby she carries within her womb. Like her own future prospects, the path’s trajectory is a â€Å"steep descent† that fills her with anxiety and place June and Bernard’s relationship and imminent future into the context of a fall. Like the â€Å"bright, empty space† of â€Å"baking rock dropping three hundred feet† , their future stretches out before them and represents the unknowable nature of human relationships. However, perhaps more important in relating to June’s anxiety is her own awareness that such a physical descent of the earth could as easily be seen in as the physical and mental transformation she will go through in becoming a parent. The danger she senses is not merely the physical danger of their present but the psychological and emotional danger inherent to their own relationship with one another and their future child. The couple’s relationship in particular is vulnerable to the chasm that opens up before them with the knowledge of this new life and responsibility. Like the earth at the bottom of this open space, they can guess what the future will bring when they return to England but they cannot truly understand the context of what such a journey entails. There is the sense that they will look back upon this moment for a significance that they can only partially understand. On July 16, 2009, James Bone’s article for the London Times reported a series of murders that had just taken place in Mexico. Michoacan, where the killings have taken occurred, is an area of Mexico along the Pacific coast. As the country’s primary source of opium and marijuana, Michoacan hosts a great deal of drug cartel activity and violence– the most recent being when a dozen federal agent bodies were found on a highway in the mountains. These anti-drug agents are among several who have been killed this year in a series of attacks. This killing spree is reported to have been sparked by the arrest of Arnoldo Rueda Medina, a commander of La Familia cartel, which took place in Morelia– Michoacan’s capital. Seven cities came under attack from La Familia shortly after Medina’s arrest, including the tourist sites of Patzcuaro and Zitacuaro. The twelve bodies that were found on the highway– one woman and eleven men– marks the most severe attack thus far. Found with the bodies were death threats from La Familia, saying â€Å"†¦Join its ranks or leave† and â€Å"Let’s see if you try to arrest another one†, alluding to Medina being arrested. La Familia’s killing spree is reported to be a turning point in the long-standing Mexican drug war, as they are now killing federal agents directly. Some believe this proves that the arrest of Medina was a serious setback for the cartel. According to Jorge Chabat, a drug expert, the cartel’s operations have been negatively affected and they are showing signs of weakness rather than strength. Putting an end to this cartel, however, is seemingly an endless task– and due to La Familia having penetrated the legal system and obtaining protection, it is difficult to speculate when this violence is going to end. Link: http://www. timesonline. co. uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6715478. ece

Managing small and Medium Enterprises Year 3 Essay

Managing small and Medium Enterprises Year 3 - Essay Example ABC Toys is now penchant to expand business to four major Australian cities named Sydney (city of 4.6 million residents), Melbourne (city of 4 million residents), Perth (city of 1.7 million residents) and Adelaide (city of 1.2 million residents). The company knows that there are more than 2.9 million 65-years old and above citizens across Australia (CIA Fact Book, 2010), whereas the population of senior citizens is much higher if company includes citizens of 55-years and above. For instance, the individualistic cultural values in Australia have sidelined old citizens who are normally sent to old and elder care houses or community centres. Whereas, a large majority of those who live with their families do not receive sufficient attention due to busy working life of family members (BJ, 1993) ; (Parson, 1993) ; (McIntosh & Phillip, 2003). Therefore, there is immense potential in expanding business of senior citizens’ toys, instruments and games across Australia. Policy-makers have expressed the importance and benefits of market development, thereby forecasted first year sales (April 1, 2011 – March 31, 2012) from all operations will be between $0.3 million in Sydney, $0.3 million in Melbourne (April 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013), $0.2 million in Perth (April 1, 2013 – March 31, 2014) and $0.2 million in Adelaide (April 1, 2013 – March 31, 2014). The company has planned to inaugurate 3 outlets (one after another) in Sydney followed by opening of 3 outlets (one-by-one) in Melbourne besides distribution operations; while 2 outlets will be opened in Perth and Adelaide each. However, the success of first outlet is a prerequisite for opening new stores in these new markets. ABC Toys (hypothetical), which was inaugurated in 2006 masters in production and selling of toys, activity games and instruments for infants (6 months – 3 years), tweens (3 - 12 years), teens (12 – 16 years) and senior citizens (65

Offshoring And Outsourcing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Offshoring And Outsourcing - Essay Example Once the operation is outsourced to a given service provider, they will take the responsibility of conducting the operation and maintaining the management assets.When a company offshores, it just shifts the location of production or a service abroad. Examples of such are companies who outsource to foreign companies - for instance, Wal-Mart offshores production lines of a certain part of Chinese firms. Likewise, offshoring also refers companies who transfer specific lines of products or services to a location abroad without outsourcing the job. When a company offshores, it just shifts the location of production or a service abroad. Examples of such are companies who outsource to foreign companies - for instance, Wal-Mart offshores production lines of a certain part of Chinese firms. Likewise, offshoring also refers companies who transfer specific lines of products or services to a location abroad without outsourcing the job. Most of the times a company may never handle all aspects of organization's process internally or times they lack capacities to do so thus the need to outsource. Moreover, some processes are temporary, and the company may not intend to hire in-house experts to perform the tasks. These are some of the considerations including concerns for the economic accusation of labor and cost of production generally. For instance, instead of Wal-Mart paying more to acquire labor and raw material in a Specific line of production, they would rather outsource in China and in the long run obtain more gains.

Business regulations and practice assignment Essay

Business regulations and practice assignment - Essay Example ourt decree that Genix to carry out the task as agreed under the contract, especially in the case where Larson has paid for the delivery, but Genix didnt ship the goods. Another one is contract reformation where the contract is written again to incorporate the party intents, as in the situation of Genix falling to prepare shipment the contract is rewritten to include shipment alternatively Genix can cancelled the contract and form a new contract to meet his needs and Larson s what is termed as contract rescission (Miller 267). Anticipatory repudiation is the act of promising party failing to adhere to his/her obligations under the agreed contact, it occurs as a result of one party evincing to carry out the contract, though it can be retracted by the promising party in case there is no material change in the state of promising party besides it becomes cumbersome to retract the contract if the promising party that repudiates fail to maintain the promise (Miller 267).In this context Hammer is very correct since in anticipatory repudiation there is retraction whenever alterations in the position of performing party interim, besides the good has not been sold, hence when Hammer has retracted the repudiation then Moore has breached the contract between

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business Essay

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business - Essay Example Adelphia, Home Store, and IM Clone systems, where CEOs and top officials in large corporations have been found guilty of fraud, improper accounting, and insider trading. Most of these officials have been convicted and face imprisonment for up to 25 years and tough fines payable to the Government for the personal profits that they have made (www.marketwatch.com). A large Insurance Company, AIG was also accused of bid rigging, fraud, and improper rigging practices and forced into making a large settlement (www.corporatenarc.com). The Company was able to settle in a civil suit and paid up $1.6 million, thereby avoiding the stiffer penalties that a criminal case could have brought upon the Company. It is also paying settlement amounts to investors who have been defrauded, as well as $100 million to the SEC. Since DWI is involved in many of the industries where there has been a prevalence of such scandals, it needs to improve its regulatory practices within the organizations in order to b e able to face up to the tough scrutiny of the public and Government agencies. Corporate leadership in DWI’s firms, in particular, must be held accountable for any fraudulent dealings and there needs to be a periodic system of inspection and accounting introduced, in order to ensure that DWI is not rocked by any financial scandals like other corporations. In order to address these problems of fraud AIG, for example, has introduced new business practices and creating new levels of transparency in the market for the benefit of the customers. (www.corporatenarc.com). Delta Airlines that is facing difficulties in fulfilling the terms of pension plans for its pilots has dumped its pension plans and has filed for bankruptcy protection in order to cover its promised payments to its pilots.(www.money.cnn.com). Company law and the securities market have been regulated in the United States predominantly under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Securities Act of 1933.

The Terms and Conditions Contained In a Contract of Employment Essay

The Terms and Conditions Contained In a Contract of Employment - Essay Example The paper tells that the employment contract may be written or agreed verbally in certain instances. Nonetheless, it is necessary, and an employee has a statutory right, to obtain a written statement of the employment terms some two months after the beginning of an employment in the event that no such formal agreement was made. The employee has to check his entitlement to this right as some may not be entitled to some statutory rights. By accepting a job offer, an employee agrees to abide by the conditions of authority relationship provided on the employment contract. These are referred to as the terms and conditions of the contract. The contract of employment defines the rights of the employees that will help in solving problems that may arise in the course of the contract. The employee and the employer are bound by the written agreement until the contract ends or until the terms of the contract are adjusted. The termination of a contract is often preceded by a written notice to the employees while the terms and condition of a contract will be adjusted after an agreement between the employer and the employee. An employee will enter into an employment contract as soon as he/she takes on an employment to create the employment relationship. The contract of employment may be written or verbal, but a written agreement is appropriate for a formal employment. The contract of employment will contain essential information; the details of employer/employees, date of commencement of the contract, place of work, role and duties of the employees, rate and mode of payment, sick pay arrangement, holiday leaf and pay, pension schemes, and the different policies governing the employment deal. An employment contract will be defined by the terms and condition of the contract. There is some difference between terms and conditions as referred to here. The terms of an employment contract define all that an employer and an employee will expect from each other.

Plato and the Sophists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Plato and the Sophists - Essay Example triad of philosophers beginning with Socrates, often called the father of classical philosophy, followed by his student Plato who in turn was followed by his student Aristotle. Between the three of them they shaped classical Greek thought and the way of life which became a model of inspiration for generations to come. Socrates, who was one among the group of Sophists, is generally considered to be the wisest and noblest Athenian, whose thoughts were always concerned with ways of improving public life and who well knew that in order to lead a life of goodness, man must stay away from public office. Plato in his Apology quotes Socrates as saying that â€Å"The true champion of justice, if he intends to survive even for a short time, must necessarily confine himself to private life and leave politics alone.† This could be the reason why Socrates shied away from holding any public office and instead devoted his whole life to the â€Å"supreme art of philosophy† and taught it to willing students without any monetary gains. He was the only one of the philosophers, who lived the life he preached. Socrates became so popular that his advice was sought on matters ranging from social conduct to solving the most mundane problems. But in 399 BC Socrates was charged "as an evil-doer and curious p erson, searching into things under the earth and above the heavens; and making the worse appear the better cause, and teaching all this to others" (Plato) and was eventually given the death sentence on charges of impiety. Socrates has often been called the gadfly of Athens because of his ceaseless pursuit of truth. Plato, one of the most famous students of Socrates is famous for his work ‘The Republic’ which is generally considered a text for a perfect society. In this book Plato argues about knowledge and reality and makes reality an offshoot of our thinking process. In Platos argument’s there is a higher reality called ‘Forms’ which is unchanging and universal and it is

Quinte Magnetic resonance imaging Essay Example for Free

Quinte Magnetic resonance imaging Essay Brenton-Cooper Medical Centre (BCMC) has outsourced its MRI operations to Quinte MRI, a seasoned and highly recognized MRI service provider. Unfortunately, after six weeks of operations Quinte MRI’s leased MRI machine is not meeting its expected outputs as projected and is causing concern to both Quinte MRI and BCMC which has begun to lose revenue via referrals away from its clinic. Further, BCMC’s reputation is now at risk which could result in additional loses to the centre. The root cause of the problem appears to lie with the scheduling of the scanning operations. Dr. Syed Haider, the owner of Quinte MRI, has tasked his business development coordinators with finding a solution to this problem and to report back within 2-days. Acting as David Wright and Kevin Saskiw, the business development coordinators, my solution to these issues are to regain control of the scheduling process as this is an integral part of the operations. Streamline the scheduling process to reduce variability and improve reliability. Introduce the use of technology to remove manual processes, improve process efficiencies, minimise errors and improve communication across the business lines of operation. I would also hire a new employee to support the scanning operations as there is no backup or adequately trained support for the only Technologist running the operations. Issues Identification Brenton-Cooper Medical Centre (BCMC) has outsourced its MRI operations to Quinte MRI, a seasoned and highly recognized MRI service provider. Unfortunately, after six weeks of operations Quinte MRI has not lived up to expectations and is not fulfilling its contractual obligations. Quinte MRI’s leased MRI machine is not meeting its expected outputs as projected and is causing concern to both Quinte MRI and BCMC which has begun to lose revenue via referrals away from its clinic. Further, BCMC’s reputation is now at risk which could result in additional loses to the centre. Quinte MRI is well aware of this as it stands to lose in both areas as well. If the firm cannot meets its contractual obligations and have its leased machine produce its expected output the loss of revenue would surely spell business failure and a subsequent loss of reputation. As well, the firm would probably be sued for breach of contract. On another level Quinte MRI has also identified potential issues with a stressed out, overworked employee whom is critical to the success of their business. Potentially, this employee could actually be one of the reasons of the problem that the firm is experiencing. He has identified issues surrounding the scheduling of patients for scanning and has indicated that the process needs to be fixed as it is not working. He further went on to indicate that the expectations from the radiologist for speedy delivery cannot be met due to the time it takes for him to process the patients’ MRI films. Environmental and Root Cause Analysis In my opinion there are several operational issues causing problems in the MRI scanning process. First, I believe that there is a problem with the scheduling of patients in that it lacks accuracy, consistency and clarity. Since this operation is being handled by BCMC, Quinte MRI is finding itself at a disadvantage in terms of being able to control this part of the operation. The operation appears to be purely manual, handled by several persons and is prone to input and interpretive errors. Since patients can be sent for scanning via two means (scheduled and same day(unscheduled)) some amount of variability will result. It is therefore imperative that the scheduling function be properly controlled and managed to reduce variability to minimum possible levels. Variability and uncertainty in the scheduling operation is negatively impacting capacity utilization resulting in an overall reduction of efficiency in the scanning process. Quinte MRI must balance the flow and increase capacity for greater efficiencies and to remain competitive. The bottleneck of the scanning process is the MRI machine and the time it takes to do each scan. Each scan may have different times associated with it depending on the type to be performed, limiting the capacity of the overall process. Each step in the scanning process is dependent upon the previous one therefore improvements need to start at the beginning. The objective here is to improve the process flow up to the point that the actual scan will take place. I also believe that patients are not being properly screened prior to arrival which is causing Quinte MRI losses in revenue and time. If a patient turns up and has to be turned away, or rescheduled for misdiagnosis there is a resulting disruption in the flow of patients which will impact the schedule and process and ultimately the pocket and reputation of the company. Further, it appears that the technologist is engaged in performing pre-screening services and this is a highly paid employee who should not be pre-screening patients. This tasked could best be left to a lower paid trained staff. From an operational perspective it appears that the initial implementation process of the new machine had a learning curve. This resulted in longer lead times for processing patients during the first few weeks until Jeff had found a rhythm. It appears that Jeff was either not properly trained or did not have sufficient experience in the use of that model machine. Communication, and barriers to, seems to be a fundamental problem in the whole scanning process. People and processes are not talking to each other in an efficient and effective manner. The patients are unsure of the process and what is expected of them resulting in missed dates, tardiness, improper attire, rescheduling, lost revenue, lack of confidence, etc. Responsibilities appear not to be clearly defined, or assigned, leading to inefficiencies in the process. As well, expectations of persons are not clearly defined and communicated ahead of time leading to missed schedules, frustrations and delays. Alternative and Options In my opinion Quinte MRI could request the transfer of the responsibilities of the scheduling process over to their firm. This could benefit the firm in that they would now have ultimate control of the scheduling process from start to finish. As it is the firm has to rely on BCMC to manage this function and this is causing many issues. I believe that an MR Technician could be hired to perform the scheduling tasks and also provide support to Jeff Sinclair. Quinte MRI is already paying for these services but not receiving value. Revenue loss from turn-aways alone (1.2 p/day) could adequately cover the costs of hiring someone to provide these services. Additional benefit would be backup support for Jeff during vacation or other away days. Training would be provided on the job to support Jeff and add additional new skills to the technician. Screening could be done well ahead of time before the patient arrives because someone with the knowledge and expertise is handling this. Quinte MRI could invest some capital in technology to support the scheduling and communication functions. The technology would be able to support scheduling combinations for more efficient processing of patients in the scanning process. Many persons (from BCMC and Quinte MRI) could have visibility into the system with relevant authority to administer or make changes. This technology would be able to eliminate some amount of confusion and errors based on interpretation as is currently happening. Savings from a smooth flowing process with no disruptions would easily cover upfront costs as well as any operating costs.

Modern Terrorism Essay Example for Free

Modern Terrorism Essay 1. What major measures can the international community take to prevent terrorism? The fight against terrorist organizations and terrorism is not just a fight that the United States must face alone. This is evident from the Madrid train bombings, the bombings in London, and the terrorist attacks that Israel seems to face everyday from Hizballah. Terrorism is, in effect, international. All nations have a responsibility to combat terrorism to protect them and to protect other nations as well. One of the security measures that can be undertaken is that of securing aircraft and airports. Enders and Sandler cite in their book that between 1973 and 2002, there was an average of ten skyjackings per year (Enders, W. . Sandler, T., 2012). This was a number that is surprising due to the fact that it seems like most werent reported or very little coverage was given to the incidences. There are new technologies being developed all the time to aid in securing of air travel. There is new technology in the area of explosive detection devices. One such technology is called micro-tagging. During this process, tiny chips of micro-taggants are blended into explosive substances and color-coded to identify the manufacturer and batch of explosives (IME, 2005). This system would also be beneficial in the reconstruction of bomb scenes and used to gain knowledge and prepare for future terrorist acts. Another innovative technology is called dielectric analysis. Dielectric analysis is a powerful non-destructive tool for characterizing materials; it can provide accurate, repeatable results unavailable by other electrical means. This, in essence, gives the explosive agents a â€Å"fingerprint† and could provide immediate identification of explosive substances at airports (DHS, 2012). Along with technological advanced in air security, people can often make the biggest impact. In this area, Federal Air Marshals play an important role. This is not something that all countries partake in but more and more countries are adding these individuals to their flights. The airline association estimates that 10 or 20 out of some 115 airlines that fly into the United States already use air marshals (Lichtblau, 2003). Israel, for instance, has used marshals on El Al flights for years, and as stated, some other countries have followed suit more recently, as Australia announced in 2003 that Qantas Airways would begin placing armed marshals on flights to Singapore. Mexico has stated that they would start to use their own air marshals on flights that are going to the United States. However, not all countries and airlines are signed on to the idea. Air France does not use air marshals and the British Air Line Pilots Association said it does not believe that arms belong on aircraft, and British Airways, the countrys biggest airline, said it reserves the right not to fly if it is forced to add air marshals (Lichtblau, 2003). Although there is a general feeling among passengers that they would feel safer on a flight if there were an air marshal on board, not everyone believes the passengers would necessarily be safer. There are those that cite that an armed conflict on a plane would become more dangerous to the passengers as opposed to just letting the terrorist state their demands and work with them for the release of passengers. Sound, actionable, intelligence is another area that countries can utilize for overall protection. Political intelligence is an important factor to combating terrorism. This can be used to identify where the groups are garnering the most support for their cause. When this has been determined, pressure from other nations can be placed on these states to not support the terrorists. The gathering and use of military intelligence is vital in any operation. The intelligence gathered by our forces can assist in finding out how many are in a particular group, what kinds of weapons they have, and where they are located. 2. Do you think the U.S. should follow Israel’s example of fighting terrorism? Explain fully. Israel has been fighting terrorism for many years, even before they became a nation in 1948. They are surrounded by Muslim nations, which historically do not get along with Israelis. This is particularly true of Palestinians. Since Israel is surrounded by so many that wish to do them harm, they have had to take more drastic steps in order to protect themselves. They had become one of the first countries to articulate a deliberate and official policy of retaliation against terrorism. Most nations understand that a nation must fight back in order to protect itself and its interests. Israel on the other hand seems to retaliate in a much more aggressive manner. Such a case was their retaliation against an Arab village in Qibiya, Jordan in 1953. On October 13, 1953, Jordanian terrorists infiltrated the Israeli border and threw a grenade into a house, killing a mother and two children in Tiryat Yehuda. In an effort to prevent further attacks and protect its borders, Israel launched a reprisal raid on Qibiya, a Jordanian town across the border from Tiryat Yehuda. Unit 101, led by then Colonel Ariel Sharon, destroyed 50 homes, killing 69 Jordanian civilians who were hidden inside and had gone unnoticed (Oreck, A. 2007). Sharon had stated that he was not aware that civilians were involved but that did not help in the embarrassment that Israel suffer ed due to the incident. The Israelis have pioneered the area of preemptive strikes against terrorism. This policy is a bit more difficult to convince the international community for its justification. It is one thing to fight back against an attack on your country it is another to strike first to prevent such an attack. But in many cases is necessary to do so. Should we follow Israel’s example? If that question had been posed ten or fifteen years ago, I may have said no. Today, my answer would be yes, with a caveat. Though it may be difficult, I think we would need other countries to publicly back us to carry out certain missions. In the case of a preemptive strike, our allies must be informed of such action so they are not taken by surprise of the situation. As far as targeted killings, we had better have support in this undertaking or else we are going to look like the aggressors or worse, assassins. A prime example is our current situation in the Middle East. Although the United States has a policy against taking out heads of state, which President Ford imposed by executive order in 1976, there is nothing to say that we cannot take out leaders of terrorist groups as in the case of Osama bin Laden. In the climate we live in today, we had better have all of our options open and on the table if we want to defend ourselves and help prevent future attacks. 3. Identify and explain at least three international conventions organized to suppress terrorism. I.The International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 9, 1999, and signed on behalf of the United States of America on January 10, 2000. The Convention is aimed at cutting off the funding that terrorist groups need to operate. This Convention provides an obligation that States Parties criminalize such conduct and establishes an international legal framework for cooperation among States Parties directed toward prevention of such financing and ensuring the prosecution and punishment of offenders, wherever found. II.The International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombing was adopted in 1997. At this convention, The United Nations (1997) states: Created a regime of universal jurisdiction over the unlawful and intentional use of explosives and other lethal devices in, into, or against various defined public places with intent to kill or cause serious bodily injury, or with intent to cause extensive destruction of the public place. (article 2) It is similar to other conventions in that it requires parties to extradite or submit for prosecution person’s accused of committing or aiding in the commission of such offenses. III.The Convention on the Making of Plastic Explosives for the purpose of Detection was ratified by the United Nations in 1991. The members of the U.N. were concerned that plastic explosives had been used for such terrorist acts in the past and could be again in the future and wanted to do something about it. This Convention was aimed at deterring such unlawful acts of the use of plastic explosives because they felt there was a need for an international mandate for States to adopt appropriate measures to ensure that plastic explosives are marked. 4. Briefly evaluate the provision of the U.S. Patriot Act. The U.S. Patriot Act has ten different provisions that outline the United States governments war on terrorism. These provisions impact the war on terrorism in different ways. Some of the provisions deal with rights and responsibilities; others provide areas in which terrorism can be fought. The first title is for the enhancement of domestic security and provides for funding and information gathering. It also prohibits the discrimination against Muslim Americans. Title II is probably the most controversial of all the provisions. It is here where the perceived infringement on civil liberties takes place. This provision reshapes the way the federal government can collect information. The FBI can seize materials from private citizens when it believes national security is at stake and then get permission from courts to do so afterwards. Title III involves the area of money laundering and the financing of terrorist organizations. Title IV increases border patrols and mandates the detention of suspected terrorists. Title V deals with removing obstacles in the investigation of terrorism and addresses the capture and prosecution of terrorists. Title VI provides aid to the families of Public Safety Officers who were injured or killed in terrorist attacks, and amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984. Title VII supports the sharing of information by federal law enforcement agencies. Title VIII strengthens criminal laws against terrorism, defines domestic terrorism, and expands biological weapons statutes. Title IX provides guidance on intelligence information sharing from foreign agencies. The information derived from electronic surveillance or physical searches is disseminated for efficient and effective foreign intelligence purposes. The last title is kind of a catchall and is listed as miscellaneous. It contains 16 sections that do not fall under other titles in the act. 5. Briefly discuss the impact of emergency powers on defeating terrorism. Many nations have forms of so called, â€Å"Emergency Powers†. Some countries call it â€Å"State of Exception†, â€Å"Special Powers†, or â€Å"Terrorist Affected†. No matter what a country may call their emergency powers, extreme circumstances may exist in which the security of the country in needed and these powers allow for authorities to stop, search, question and detain individuals suspected of terrorist involvement. There have been emergency powers used even before the United States was formed. Between 1775 and 1781, the Continental Congress passed a series of acts and resolves which count as the first expressions of emergency authority. These instruments dealt almost exclusively with the prosecution of the Revolutionary War (Relyea, 2006). The President of the United States has available certain powers that may be exercised in the event that the nation is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances (other than natural disasters, war, or near-war situations). Part Two: What changes has the F.B.I. made since 9/11? How have these changes improved the F.B.I.’s ability to respond to terrorism? Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Robert S. Muller, III said the following in a 2008 Washington Times article: Before 9/11, we were an agency that focused primarily on investigating crimes after the fact, he told The Washington Times in an e-mail interview this week. Today we are actively preventing and disrupting destructive and illegal acts before they occur. (para. 3) A few examples of how the F.B.I. is accomplishing this are how they recruit and train their special agents. Mr. Muller instituted a five-year move up or get out plan for its leadership, calling it critical to the success of the future success of the F.B.I. The budget for 2012 was $8.1 billion including $119.2 million in program increases to enhance counterterrorism, computer intrusions, and other programs (The FBI, 2012). They have also made great efforts to increase information sharing with other intelligence agencies which makes efforts to prevent terrorists activities a greater success as in the thwarting of the attempted bombing of downtown Manhattan financial district just a few short months ago. Since the institution of Director Muller’s initiatives and the FBI’s new focus on counterterrorism rather than just being a reactive agency, the FBI is better trained and equipped to not only respond but to go on the offensive when needed. With the help of the Patriot Act and the expanded powers it allows law enforcement to react more decisively and with greater effectiveness. Part Three: What were the policies of Germany and Japan before 9/11? What measures have been taken by these two countries in order to combat terrorism? Prior to 9/11, the German government had a typical laissez faire approach to international terrorists and their organizations. After 9/11 this changed. In a CRS report, Miko, F.T. (2004), stated the following: The German response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States was immediate and unprecedented in scope for that country. Setting aside its post-World War II prohibition against deploying forces outside of Europe and overcoming pacifist leanings of some in the governing coalition, Germany quickly offered military and other assistance to the United States. In his initial reaction to the attacks of 9/11, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder declared Germany’s â€Å"unlimited solidarity† with the United States. On September 12, 2001, the German government, along with other U.S. allies, invoked NATO’s Article V, paving the way for military assistance to the United States. The Chancellor gained approval from the German Parliament to deploy troops to Afghanistan with a call for a vote of confidence in his own government. Since then, German efforts in the fight against terrorism have expanded across a wide spectrum. Germany has instituted significant policy, legislative, and organizational reforms. Bilateral cooperation with the United States has been extensive, despite differences stemming from the distinct approaches and constraints in each country and frictions resulting from sharp disagreement over Iraq policy. (p. 1) Since the end of WWII and Japan’s defeat, their policy has been one of maintaining a Ground Self Defense Force (GSDF) aimed at protecting the homeland only. While Japan remains a loyal supporter of the United States, the public is very reluctant to view military intervention outside the country as favorable. However, they did send a small force to Iraq in a relatively peaceful operating environment in the town of Samawah. While there they neither caused nor received any casualties, which was popular with the Japanese public. Although Japanese opinion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq suggests a willingness to recognize the utility of military power for territorial defense, but not for offensive uses of force, unless these are directly related to national defense, they remain a strong supporter of U.S. policies against terrorists. Part Four: Summarize the salient points of the National Strategy For Combating Terrorism. The salient points of the National Strategy For Combating Terrorism can be summed up as follows: âž ¢Defeat Terrorists and Their Organizations âž ¢Deny Sponsorship, Support, and Sanctuary to Terrorists âž ¢Diminish the Underlying Conditions that Terrorists Seek to Exploit âž ¢Defend U.S. Citizens and Interests at Home and Abroad The list above serves as the Goals and Objectives of the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism as of 2007. These same goals still hold true today. Part Five: Summarize the salient points of the National Strategy To Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction. This was first issued by then President, George W. Bush in December 2002. A description of strategy is as follows: The Weapons of Mass Destruction strategy presents a national strategy to combat weapons of mass destruction (WMD) through three major efforts: (1) nonproliferation, (2) counter-proliferation, and (3) consequence management in WMD incidents (The White House, 2003). The plan addresses the production and proliferation of WMD among nations, as well as the potential threat of terrorists using WMD agents. I leave you with a final quote from President George W. Bush. â€Å"The gravest danger our Nation faces lies at the crossroads of radicalism and technology. Our enemies have openly declared that they are seeking weapons of mass destruction, and evidence indicates that they are doing so with determination. The United States will not allow these efforts to succeed. History will judge harshly those who saw this coming danger but failed to act. In the new world we have entered, the only path to peace and security is the path of action.† President Bush The National Security Strategy of the United States of America September 17, 2002 References: (2005). Taggant History and Background. IME. Retrieved January 8, 2013 from http://www.ime.org/dynamic.php?page_id=66 (2012). Electromagnetic Studies of Explosives Laboratories. 1-2. Department of Homeland Security: http://www.orau.gov/DHS-TSLvisSciProg/labs/TSL_EMX LAB.pdf. (2012). Quick Facts. The FBI. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/quick-facts Conery, B., Mueller praises FBI’s changes since 9/11. The Washington Times. [Editors Picks]. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/25/mu eller-praises-fbis-changes-since-911/?page=all Enders, W. . Sandler, T. (2012). The Political Economy of Terrorism. (2nd ed., pp. 86-90). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Lichtblau, E. (2003). U.S. says it will force countries to arm flights. San Francisco Chronicle, A/1. Retrieved January 8, 2013, from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/12/30/MNGJD40F651.DTLtype=printable. Miko, F.T. (2004). Germanys Role in Fighting Terrorism: Implications for U.S. Policy. (RL32710). 1. United States Congress. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/RL32710.pdf Oreck, A. (2007). Qibya. Jewish Virtual Library, The Library. Retrieved January 8, 2013, from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Qibiya.html. Relyea, H. C. (2006). National Emergency Powers. In CRS Report for Congress. Congress. Retrieved January 9, 2013, from http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/98-505.pdf. The White House. (2003). National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction. Arms Control Today. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2003_01-02/document _janfeb03 United Nations. (1997). Conventions Against Terrorism. Retrieved January 9, 2013, from United Nations: http://www.un.org/law/cod/terroris.htm

The Man With The Movie Camera

The Man With The Movie Camera Dziga Vertovs 1929 film, The Man with the Movie Camera, documents life in a Russian city while also telling a story about filmmaking. The film is a dazzling mix of imagery and technique, inviting the viewer to see the city through the eyes of the cameraman, and to share his perception of the events and visions that he encounters through the filmmaking process. This review will examine the films narrative line and its underlying themes, its use of genre and generic traditions, the cinematic techniques employed and the effectiveness of its approach to the material. At the beginning of the film, The Man with the Movie Camera defines itself as something out of the ordinary. In the opening credits, the title cards refer to the film as an experiment in the cinematic communication of visible events, executed without the aid of intertitles, without the aid of a scenario, without the aid of a theater (Vertov). From the outset, the film distinguishes itself by aiming to explore the pure essence of film-to document and record human life and activity in the form of moving pictures. The Man with the Movie Camera is split into four sections, and is book-ended by imagery relating to film and filmmaking. It opens in a cinema and closes with the lens of a camera shutting its eye. From a narrative perspective, the film is different from the norm in that it has no typical protagonist or antagonist. If a main character had to be defined, he would be the cameraman, with his main supporting character being the editor. The city and its inhabitants as a unified entity also become a major character in the film, showing how they interact with each other in the daily routine of work, rest and leisure through the perspective of the filmmaker. The movie is predominantly concerned with depicting reality, rather than dramatized fiction or re-creations of historic events. The films story is constructed in an unconventional narrative style, but is brought together through the recurring theme of the camera and the filmmaker. The events in the film take place over the course of a day, and although Vertov experiments with geographical and temporal continuity, the audience is given enough information to piece together the plot. Upon first viewing, this plot may not be entirely clear, but as Roberts confirms, The Man with the Movie Camera does have a plot (1). Each section of the film covers the different parts of the day (work, rest and leisure), and through this, Vertov establishes images which provide the visual language which is brought into play throughout the length of the film. By layering this imagery through editing and montage, and combining them with the underlying story of the filmmaker and his camera, the overarching narrative is tied together. Roberts explains that all human life is here from birth to death via childhood, marriage, divorce, wo rk, rest and play (2). This avant-garde style of filmic storytelling became popular in the form of the city symphony genre. Dimendberg explains that the genre encompasses around twenty titles and relies heavily upon montage to represent a cross-section of life in the modern metropolis (109). In adhering to this genre, The Man with the Movie Camera does away with the traditional trappings of the documentary and becomes something different. There is no narration, no conventional narrative or plot elements, but rather a succession of rhythmic imagery detailing the inner workings of a city. Graf describes the genres structure as having a dawn to dusk strategy in the search for a pure film form (79). Vertov employed many cinematic techniques to achieve the incredible momentum of imagery found in the film. These techniques included split-screen, slow motion, freeze-frame, fast motion, and stop-motion animation. The stop-motion animation sequence where the camera seems to come alive and walk around on its tripod remains startling even today. When juxtaposed with the everyday motions of human life which the film presents, it becomes clear that the camera itself has a life of its own. It has its own perception of events separate from that of the filmmaker, and separate from that of the audience. The diversity of techniques used makes the film a showcase of the power of cinema and its ability to transform everyday life into something completely different, with its own rhythm and sense of unpredictability. The editing in The Man with the Movie Camera is one of the films strongest points. There is a segment which contrasts challenging footage of a birth with that of a funeral. As one life ends, another begins. Similarly, there is a scene of marriage, with joyous atmosphere and smiling faces. In contrast, Vertov inserts a somber scene of a couple signing their divorce papers. These binary oppositions are ubiquitous throughout the film, with juxtapositions between work and play, play and rest, man and machine, and many others. The musical score also brings much life and energy to the film. The repeated themes complement the visual language that Vertov established. According to Feldman, Vertov carefully planned the musical score and may well have intended the work to be made as the first Soviet sound film (qtd in Barsam 74). The synchronicity between sound effects and onscreen action creates an impressive and exciting mosaic of audio and imagery. While the film is certainly a product of its time, it holds up surprisingly well in modern day. Barsam states that the film was well-received in the domestic and international press (74). The inventive narrative construction and the multitude of cinematic techniques placed the film genuinely ahead of its time. Vertov was successful in his attempt at documenting Russian life in a city without many of the normal elements typically found in documentaries. He managed to show an impressive cross-section of Russian society, by following the daily lives of different classes of people. The Man with the Movie Camera remains a wonderful piece of experimental cinema, and offers a fascinating view of life as it was in the Soviet 1920s.

Analysis of Analytical Discrimination Essay -- Essays Papers

Analysis of Analytical Discrimination If one was required to put a definition on analytical discrimination, what would it mean? In the article â€Å"Discrimination is a virtue,† author Robert Keith Miller discusses the word â€Å"discrimination† and its true meanings, stating it as just knowing a difference. So if the question were asked once again, would it be possible to discriminate the appeals used in analytical analysis? Miller presents us stories and examples to point out a â€Å"lost† definition of a word often overheard, but never studied. His use of appeals sides with logos, discriminates against ethos, and makes anti-pathos a reality. His writing appeals to the mind, leaving much to ponder, though these thoughts may be lost in the whirlwind of ink ideas thrown into a paperback debate. This article focuses on different situations to discuss the problems within. This topical discussion is effective being as there are no two clear sides for argument, and no steps to concluding a definite answer. This articles presentation leaves it open for logos, the writer seemingly shuns or does not have the use of ethos and pathos. Miller has written for Newsweek, where this article comes from. He has also written writing handbooks, such as Motives for Writing (McGraw-Hill) and Hodges’ HarBrace Handbook (Harcourt College Publishers). He is an educator in argument techniques, writing Informed Argument: A Multidisciplinary Reader and Guide. The audience for his article is people of open mind and education. His appeals to logic show a need to take apart his examples and examine them to find their meanings. When he presents his ideas, there is a need to understand each situation, and... ...f logos is a main theme in the argument. Miller needs people to think about what he is presenting to have an effect on them. To a concentrated audience, his appeals make a good impression and even some realizations. An argument that offers a change in a language may come as hard for the reader to understand, but Miller presents examples in which he change makes sense to arouse the readers mind. This use of examples may be rampant and unconnected in some aspects, but all do serve the main purpose and relate to the main argument. Miller’s techniques form an informative and interesting essay. I believe that he has found his purpose and offered his point in the best possible way considering the subject matter. In interpreting his essay, Miller’s own words seem to sum it up best: â€Å"Let us be open-minded by all means, but not so open-minded that our brains fall out.†

Men and Women, Perspectives on Communication Essay -- Gender Difference

Men and Women, Perspectives on Communication Throughout time it has been documented that men and women see things in the world from different perspectives. A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he wants but a woman will pay $1 for a $2 item she doesn't want. Men and women’s minds are truly wired up differently, and I’m not just talking about sex. Making love, for most women is the greatest expression of intimacy a couple can achieve. To most men, you can call it whatever you want just as long as they end up in bed. (Actually, I hope that is my last sexual reference.) A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears, and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house. These are just a few crude stereotypical examples of how men and women see the world differently. Heartfelt, meaningful and truthful communication or the lack there of, is a primary culprit in accentuating the differences between men and wom en. Women long desperately for it and men don’t know how to or are unwilling to provide it. These differences, although sometimes very subtle, are also apparent in many of today’s literary classics. In the short story by John Steinbeck, â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†, the husband and wife do not communicate effectively and both see their particular status in life differently. Stanley Kauffmann’s â€Å"The More the Merrier† is a funny look at four people’s perspective on what marriage would mean for them and how the secrets they kept will come ‘round to bite them. But, perhaps, not all men and women are as ineffectual at communicating as those I have highlighted in the first two examples. Judith Viorst’s â€Å"True Love† is an expression of how she knows what she shares with her husband is true love. Most men would probably agree with her. There is obviously great two way communication in her relationship with her husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heartfelt, meaningful and truthful communication or the lack thereof, plays a large part in John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† and Judith Viorst’s â€Å"True Love† and to a smaller extent in Stanley Kauffmann’s â€Å"The More the Merrier†. The stereotypical model tells us that the man is usually the one that can not or will not communicate. In chrysanthemums, there is a bit of a twist, Elisa is the one that has a hard time com... ...unspoken message. â€Å"It is true love because†¦ When I said that playing the stock market was juvenile and irresponsible and then when the stock I wouldn’t let him buy went up twenty-six points, I understood why he hated me.† (19, 23-24) Strangely, I think that most men would agree with Ms. Viorst’s expression of their true love. Genuine, heartfelt, meaningful and truthful communication between men and women is the key that can solve any problem. Men may be from Mars and women from Venus, but every once in a while, a couple to manage to split the difference and meet her on earth. Work Cited Poem Viorst, Judith. â€Å"True Love.† Literature, An Introduction to Reading and Writing. 2nd Compact ed. Eds. Edgar Roberts and Henry Jacobs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003. 471. Short Story John Steinbeck, â€Å"The Chrysanthemums.† Literature, An Introduction to Reading and Writing. 2nd Compact ed. Eds. Edgar Roberts and Henry Jacobs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003. 359-66. Play Kauffmann, Stanley, â€Å"The More the Merrier.† Literature, An Introduction to Reading and Writing. 2nd Compact ed. Eds. Edgar Roberts and Henry Jacobs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003. 821-30.

Mobile phone and Landline phone Essay

Phones are important because we rely on them to communicate with other people. Despite the cell phone cannot give you a clear, crystal clear connection as a landline phone. Landline phone is a device which we connect to the output of our homes and businesses. On the other hand, cell phones and mobile have the capacity and advanced technology. While they both perform the same basic function, there are significant differences between landline and mobile phones. There are many differences between landline and mobile phones. Convinces of having a cell phone is that you can have it on hand where ever you go. As for a landline you cannot take it with you. Cell phone have a GPS technology that can find your exact location or where you trying to go. Cell phone also can give you the chance to take live pictures or video camera whereas landline cannot. Cell phone has great features such as watch TV, MP3 players, can store all our contact information, keep track of our appointments, and important dates. The most important advantage of landlines for cell phones that 9-1-1 operators can better determine your location in an emergency. When you call 9-1-1 from a landline phone, the operator can find the exact address where the call originated. When you call 9-1-1 from a cell phone, on the other hand, the operator only receives information about your approximate latitude and longitude, which can be from 50 to 300 yards. If you are in an emergency and cannot speak to give 9-1-1 operator your location, have stationary can save your life. The similarity of landline and cell phone is the fact that they are both used for communication. One quality of the technology they are good for emergencies, for example, if you just need to call a friend or family, as the technology can do this. Both are good and reliable person depends on your needs. In conclusion, we know that cell phones are more comfortable and fashionable than landline. Phones have improved over the year; we have gone from the house phone to cell phones. Cell phones and home phones are similar in a couple of ways, but very different in many ways. Nowadays we see people on the streets with their cell phones, as many people know that it’s easier and cheaper

Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 13

I think,† Jeanne said, â€Å"that he's here to get Delosto close the Dark Kingdom out Shut up the castleand come join him Outside. And, incidentally, ofcourse, kill all the slaves.† Maggie stared. ‘Kill them all?' â€Å"Well, it makes sense. Nobody would needthem anymore.† â€Å"And that's why you were escaping now,† Maggiesaid slowly. Jeanne gave her a quick, startled glance. â€Å"You'rereally not as stupid as you seem at first sight, you know?† â€Å"Gee, thanks.† Maggie shifted on her branch. Aminute ago she'd been thinking how good it would feel to get away from the twigs poking her. Now she suddenly wanted to stay here forever, hiding.She had a very bad feeling. â€Å"So why,† she said, forming her thoughtsslowly,†doesHunter Redfern want to do thisright now?† â€Å"What do youthink? Really, Maggie, what do you know about all this?† Four Wild Powers,Maggie thought, hearing Delos's old teacher's voice in her mind. Who willbeneeded at the millennium, to save the world-or todestroy it. â€Å"I know that something's happening at the millennium, and that Delos is a Wild Power, and thatthe Wild Powers are supposed to do something-â€Å" â€Å"Save the world,† Jeanne said in a clipped voice.†Except that that's not what the Night People want.They figure there's going to be some huge catastrophe that'll wipe out most of the humansand then they can take over. And that's why Hunter Redfern'shere. He wants the Wild Powers on his side insteadof on the humans'. He wants them to help destroythe human world instead of saving it. And it lookslike he's just about convinced Delos.† Maggie let out a shaky breath and leaned herhead against a branch. It was just like what Deloshad told her-except that Jeanne was an uninterested party. She still wanted not to believe it, but she had a terrible sinking feeling. In fact, she had a strange feeling of weight,as if something awfulwas trying to settle on her shoulders. â€Å"The millennium really means the end of theworld,† she said. â€Å"Yeah. Our world, anyway.† Maggie glanced atP.J., who was swinging her thin legs over the edge of a branch. â€Å"You stillokay?† P.J. nodded. She looked frightened, but not unbearably so. She kept her eyes on Maggie's face trustingly. â€Å"And do youstill want to go to the castle?†Jeanne said, watching Maggie just as closely.†Hunter Redfern is a very bad guy to mess with.And I hate to tell you, but your friend Prince Delosis out for our blood just like the rest of them.† â€Å"No, I don't still wantto go,† Maggie said briefly. Her head went down and she gave Jeanne a brooding look under her eyelashes. `But I have to, anyway. I've got even more reasons now.† â€Å"Such as?† Maggie held up a finger. â€Å"One, I've got to. gethelp for Cady.† She glanced at the motionless figure clinging trancelike to the fir's trunk, then held upanother finger. â€Å"Two, I have to find out what happened to my brother.† Another finger. â€Å"And, three,I have to get those slaves free before Hunter Redfern has them all killed.† â€Å"You have to what?†Jeanne said in a muffled shriek. She almost fell out of the tree. â€Å"I kind of thought you'd react that way. Don'tworry about it. You don't have to get involved.† â€Å"I was wrong before. You areas dumbasyoulook. And you are totally freaking crazy.† Yeah, I know, Maggie thought grimly. It's probably justas well I didn't mention the fourth reason. Which was that she had to keep Delos from aiding and abetting the end of the world. That wasthe responsibility that had settled on her, and she had no idea why it was hers except that she'd been inside his mind. She knew him. She couldn't justwalk away. If anybody could talk to him about it and convince him not to do it, she could. She had absolutely no doubt about that. So it was her job to try. And if he was really as evil as Jeanne seemed tothink-if it was true that he'd killed Miles†¦ well, then she had a different job. She had to do whatever was necessary to stophim. Distant and impossible as it seemed, shewould have to kill him if that was what it took. â€Å"Come on,† she said to the other girls. â€Å"Cady, do you think you can climb down now? And, Jeanne,do you know a way into the castle?† The moat stank. Maggie had been glad to find Jeanne knew a wayinto the castle. That was before she discovered that it involved swimming through stagnant water and climbing up what Jeanne called a garderobe butwhat was all too obviously the shaft of an oldlatrine. â€Å"Just kill me, somebody,† Maggie whispered halfway up. She was soaking wet and daubed with un thinkable slime. She couldn't remember ever beingquite this dirty. The next moment she forgot about it in her worryabout Cady. Cady had managed the swim, still doing everything she was told asif she werein a trance. But now she was getting shaky. Maggiewondered seriously whether this sort of activity was helpful to somebody who'd been poisoned. When they werefinally at the top of the shaft,Maggie looked around and saw a small room thatseemed to be built directly into the castle wall. Everything was made of dark stone, with a cold and echoing feel to it. â€Å"Don't make any noise,† Jeanne whispered. Shebent close to Maggie, who was helping support Cady. â€Å"We need to go down a passage and throughthe kitchen, okay? It's all right if slaves see us, butwe have to watch out for them.† â€Å"We've got to get Cady to a healing woman-â€Å" â€Å"I know! That's where I'm trying to take you.†Jeanne clamped a hand on P.J.'s shoulder and steered her into a corridor. More stone. More echoes. Maggie tried to walkwithout her shoes squishing or smacking. She wasdimly impressed with the castle itself-it was grandand cold and so huge that she felt like an insect making her way through the passage. After what seemed like an endless walk, theyemerged in a small entryway partitioned off bywooden screens. Maggie could hear activity behind the screens andas Jeanne led them stealthily forward, she caught a glimpse of people moving onthe other side. They were spreading white tablecloths over long wooden tables in a room thatseemed bigger than Maggie's entire house. Another doorway. Another passage. And finallythe kitchen, which was full of bustling people. Theywere stirring huge iron cauldrons and turning meaton spits. The smell of a dozen different kinds offood hit Maggie and made her feel faint. She was so hungry that her knees wobbled and she had to swallow hard. But even more than hungry, she was scared. They were in plain sight of dozens of people. â€Å"Slaves,† Jeanne said shortly. â€Å"They won't tell onus. Grab a sack to wrap around you and come on.And, P.J.,take off that ridiculous hat.† Slaves, Maggie thought, staring. They were alldressed identically, in loose-fitting pants and topsthat were like short tunics. Jeanne was wearing thesame thing-it had looked enough like clothes from Outside that Maggie hadn't really focused on it before. What struck her now was that everybodylooked so†¦ un-ironed. There were no sharp creases. And no real color. All the clothes were an indeterminate shade of beige-brown, and all thefaces seemed just as dull and faded They were like drones. What would it be like to live that way? she wondered as she threw a rough sack around her shoulders to hide the dark blue of her jacket. Without any choice in what you do, and any hope for thefuture? It would be terrible, she decided. And it mightjust drive you crazy. I wonder if any of them ever †¦snap? But she couldn't look around anymore. Jeanne was hustling through a doorway into the open air.There was a kind of garden here just outside the kitchen, with scraggly fnut trees and what lookedlike herbs. Then there was a courtyard andfinallya row of huts nestled against the high black wall that surrounded the castle. â€Å"This is the really dangerous part,† Jeanne whispered harshly. â€Å"It's the back, but if one of them looks out and sees us, we're in trouble. Keep yourhead down-and walk like this. Like a slave.† Sheled them at a shufflingrun toward a hut. This place is like a city, Maggie thought. A cityinside a wall, with the castle in the middle. They reached the shack. Jeanne pulled the door open and bustled them inside. Then she shut the door again and sagged. â€Å"I think we actually made it.† She sounded surprised. Maggie was looking around. The tiny room was dim, but she could see crude furniture and piles ofwhat looked like laundry. â€Å"This is it? We're safe?† â€Å"Nowhere is safe,† Jeanne said sharply. â€Å"But wecan get some slave clothes for you here, and we can rest. And I'll go get the healing woman,† sheaddedas Maggie opened her mouth. While she was gone, Maggie turned to Cady andP.J. They were both shivering. She made Cady lie down and had P.J. help her go through one of the piles of laundry. â€Å"Get your wet things off,† Maggie said. Shepulled off her own hightops and shrugged out ofher sodden jacket. Then she knelt to get Cady'sshoes off. The blind girl was lying motionless on athin pallet, and didn't respond to Maggie's touch.Maggie was worried about her. Behind her, the door opened and Jeanne camein with two people. One was a gaunt and handsome woman, with dark hair pulled untidily back and anapron over her tunic and pants. The other was ayoung girl who looked frightened. â€Å"This is Laundress.† The way Jeanne said it, itwas clearly a proper name. â€Å"She's a healer, and the girl's her helper.† Relief washed through Maggie. â€Å"This is Cady,†she said. And then, since nobody moved and Cady couldn't speak for herself, she went on, â€Å"She's fromOutside, and she was poisoned by the slave traders. I'm not sure how long ago that was-at least a couple of days. She's been running a high fever andmost of the time she's just sort of sleepwalking-â€Å" â€Å"What is this?† The gaunt woman took a step toward Cady, but her expression was anything but welcoming. Then she turned on Jeanne angrily.†How could you bring this-thing-in here?† Maggie froze where she was by Cady's feet.†What are you talkingabout? She's sick-â€Å" â€Å"She's one of them!† The woman's eyes wereburning darkly at Jeanne. â€Å"And don't tell me you didn't notice. It's perfectly plain!† â€Å"What'sperfectly plain?† Maggie's fists were clenched. â€Å"Jeanne, what's she talking about?† The woman's burning eyes turned on her. â€Å"Msgirl is a witch.† Maggie went still. Part of her was amazed and disbelieving. Awitch? Like Sylvia? A Night Person? Cady wasn't at all like that. She wasn't evil. Shewas normal,a nice, ordinary, gentle girl. She couldn'tbe anything supernatural†¦. But another part of Maggie wasn't even startled.It was saying that at some deep level she had known all along. Her mind was bringing up pictures. Cady in thehollow tree, when she and Maggie were hidingfrom Bern and Gavin. Cady's lips moving and Gavin saying I can't feelthem at all. The hound today had said the same thing. I can't follow theirlifeforce anymore. She was blocking them from sensing us, Maggiethought. And she was the one who told us to climbthe tree. She's blind, but she can see things. It's true. She turned slowly to look at the girl lying onthe pallet. Cady was almost perfectly still, her breathingbarely lifting her chest. Her hair was coiled around her head like damp snakes, her face was smudgedand dirty, her lashes spiky on her cheeks. Butsomehow she hadn't lost any of her serene beauty. It remained untouched, whatever happened to herbody. I don't care, Maggie thought. She may be a witch,but she's not like Sylvia. I know she's not evil. She turned back to Laundress, and spoke carefully and deliberately. â€Å"Look, I understand that you don't like witches.But this girl has been with us for two days, and allshe's done is help us. And, I mean, look at her!†Maggie lost her reasonable tone. â€Å"They were bring ing her here as a slave! She wasn't getting any special treatment. She's not on their side!† â€Å"Too bad for her,† Laundress said. Her voice wasflat and †¦plain. The voice of a woman who saw things in black and white and didn't like arguments. And who knew how to back up her beliefs. Onebig gaunt hand, went beneath her apron, into a hid den pocket. When it came out again, it was gripping a kitchen knife. â€Å"Wait a minute,† Jeanne said. Laundress didn't look at her. â€Å"Friends of witchesare no friends of ours,† she said in her plain, heavyway. â€Å"And that includes you.† With one motion, Jeanne wheeled away from herand into a fighting stance. â€Å"You're right. I knewwhat she was. I hated her, too, at first. But it's like Maggie told you. She's not going to hurt us!† â€Å"I'm not going to miss a chance to kill one of them,† Laundress said. â€Å"And if you try to stop me, you'll be sorry.† Maggie's heart was pounding. She looked backand forth from the tall woman, who was holdingthe knife menacingly, to Jeanne, who was crouchedwith her teeth bared and her eyes narrowed. They were ready to fight. Maggie found herself in the middle of the room,in a triangle formed by Cady and Jeanne and theknife. She was too angry to be frightened. â€Å"You put that down,†she said to Laundressfiercely, forgetting that she was speaking to anadult. â€Å"You're notgoingto do anything with that. How can you even try?† Vaguely, she noticed movement behind the woman. The frightened young girl who hadn't saidanything so far was stepping forward. She was staring at Maggie, pointing at Maggie. Her eyes andmouth were wide open, but her voice was an indrawn breath. â€Å"The Deliverer!† Maggie hardly heard the gasped words. She wasrushing on. â€Å"If you people don't stick together,what kind of chance do you have? How can youever get free-â€Å" t's her!†This time the girl shrieked it, and nobody could help but hear. She clutched at Laundress's arm wildly. â€Å"You heard what she said,Laundress. She's come to free us.† â€Å"What are you talking a-?†Jeanne broke off, looking at Maggie with her eyebrows drawn together. Suddenly the eyebrows flew up and she straightened slightly from her crouch. â€Å"Hmm.† Maggie stared back. Then she followed all their eyes and looked down at herself in bewilderment. For the first time since she'd arrived in the DarkKingdom she wasn't wearing her jacket and hershoes. She was wearing exactly what she'd beenwearing when her mother's screams woke her threedays beforeher flowered pajama top, wrinkled jeans, and mismatched socks. â€Å"‘She will come clothed in flowers, shod in blueand scarlet,†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ the girl was saying. She was stillpointing at Maggie, but now it was with something like reverence. â€Å"‘And she will speak of freedom.'You heard her, Laundress! It's her. She's the one!† The knife trembled slightly. Maggie stared at thered knuckles of the hand holding it, then looked up at Laundress's face. The blotchy features were grim and skepticalbut there was an odd gleam of half-stifled hope inthe eyes. â€Å"Is she the one?† she said harshly toJeanne. â€Å"Is this idiot Soaker right? Did she say she'scome to deliver us?† Jeanne opened her mouth, then shut it again.She looked helplessly at Maggie. And, unexpectedly, P.J. spoke up. â€Å"She told usshe had to get the slaves free before Hunter Redfern had them all killed,† she said in her light,strong child's voice. She was standing straight, her slender body drawn to its fullest height. Her blondhair shone pale above her small earnest face. Her words had the unmistakable ring of truth. Something flashed in Jeanne's eyes. Her lipquirked, then she bit it. â€Å"She sure did. And I toldher she was crazy.† â€Å"And in the beginning, when Jeanne showed herwhat they do to escaped slaves here, Maggie said it had to stop.† P.J.'s voice was still clear and confident. â€Å"She said she couldn't let them do thingslike that to people.† â€Å"She said we couldn't let them do things likethat,† Jeanne corrected. â€Å"And she was crazy again.There's no way to stop them.† Laundress stared at her for a moment, then turned her burning gaze on Maggie. Her eyes wereso fierce that Maggie was afraid she was going to attack. Then, all at once, she thrust the knife backin her pocket. `Blasphemer!† she said harshly to Jeanne. â€Å"Don'ttalk about the Deliverer that way! Do you want totake away our only hope?† Jeanne raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Youwere the one about to take it away,† she pointed out. Laundress glared at her. Then she turned to Maggie and a change came over her gaunt features. Itwasn't much; they still remainedassevere and grim as ever, but there was something like a bleak smile twisting her mouth. â€Å"If you are the Deliverer,† she said, â€Å"you've gotyour work cut out for you.† â€Å"Just everybody hang on one second,† Maggiesaid. Her head was whirling. She understood whatwas going on – sort of. These people believed shewas some legendary figure come to save them. Because of a prophecy-they seemed to have a lot ofprophecies around here. But she couldn't really be their Deliverer. She knew that. She was just an ordinary girl. Andhadn't anybody else ever worn a flowered top inthis place? Well maybe not. Not a slave anyway. Maggie looked at Laundress's clothes again with new eyes.If they all wore this sort of thing, hand sewn and plain as a burlap sack, maybe a machine-made topwith bright colors and a little wilted lace would look like something from a legend. And I bet nobody wears red and blue socks, shethought and almost smiled. Especially at once. She remembered how Sylvia had looked at them. Normally she would have been terribly embarrassed by that, perfect Sylvia looking at her imperfections. But the socks had been what started heron this whole journey by convincing her that Sylviawas lying. And just now they'd saved her life. IfLaundress had attacked Jeanne or Cady, Maggie would have had to fight her. But I'm still not the Deliverer, she thought. I haveto explain that to them†¦. â€Å"And since she's the Deliverer, you're going tohelp us, right?† Jeanne was saying. â€Å"You're going to heal Cady and feed us and hide us and everything? And help Maggie find out what happened toher brother?† Maggie blinked, then grimaced. She could see Jeanne looking at her meaningfully. She shut hermouth. â€Å"I'll help you any way I can,† Laundress said.†But you'd better do your part. Do you have a plan, Deliverer?† Maggie rubbed her forehead. Things were happening very fast-but even if she wasn't the Deliverer, she hadcome to help the slaves get free. Maybe it didn't matter what they called her. She looked at Cady again, then at Jeanne, and at P.J., who was staring at her with shining confidence in her young eyes. Then she looked at thegirl named Soaker, who was wearing the sameexpression. Finally she looked into the gaunt, hard-bittenface of Laundress. There was no easy confidencehere, but there was that half-stifled look of hopedeep in the burning gaze. â€Å"I don't have a plan yet,† she said. â€Å"But Ill comeup with one. And I don't know if I can really helpyou people. But I'll try.†

Reproductive Health Bill Essay

* House Bill # 4244 ─ An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and For Other Purposes * Senate Bill # 2378 ─ An Act Providing For a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Population and Development While there is general agreement about its provisions on maternal and child health, there is great debate on its key proposal that the Philippine government and the private sector will fund and undertake widespread distribution of family planning devices such ascondoms, birth control pills (BCPs) and IUDs, as the government continues to disseminate information on their use through all health care centers. On October 2012, a revised version of the same bill was presently re-named to Responsible Parenthood Act and was filed in theHouse of Representatives as a result of re-introducing the bill under a different impression after overwhelming opposition in the country, especially from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines[2][3]. The bill is highly divisive, with experts, academics, religious institutions, and major political figures supporting and opposing it, often criticizing the government and each other in the process. Debates and rallies proposing and opposing the bills, with tens of thousands of opposition particularly those endorsed by the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church and various other conservative groups, have been happening nationwide. Bill content [edit]Sections Philippine Population Density Map. Darker areas mean more population. The basic content of the Consolidated Reproductive Health Bill is divided into the following sections. 1. Title 2. Declaration of Policy 3. Guiding Principles 4. Definition of Terms 5. Midwives for Skilled Attendance 6. Emergency Obstetric Care 7. Access to Family Planning 8. Maternal and Newborn Health Care in Crisis Situations 9. Maternal Death Review 10. Family Planning Supplies as Essential Medicines 11. Procurement and Distribution of Family Planning Supplies 12. Integration of Family Planning and Responsible Parenthood Component in Anti-Poverty Programs 13. Roles of Local Government in Family Planning Programs 14. Benefits for Serious and Life-Threatening Reproductive Health Conditions 15. Mobile Health Care Service 16. Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education 17. Additional Duty of the Local Population Officer 18. Certificate of Compliance 19. Capability Building of Barangay Health Workers 20. Ideal Family Size 21. Employers’ Responsibilities 22. Pro Bono Services for Indigent Women 23. Sexual And Reproductive Health Programs For Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) 24. Right to Reproductive Health Care Information 25. Implementing Mechanisms 26. Reporting Requirements 27. Congressional Oversight Committee 28. Prohibited Acts 29. Penalties 30. Appropriations 31. Implementing Rules and Regulations 32. Separability Clause 33. Repealing Clause 34. Effectivity Summary of major provisions The bill mandates the government to â€Å"promote, without bias, all effective natural and modern methods of family planning that are medically safe and legal.†[12] Although abortion is recognized as illegal and punishable by law, the bill states that â€Å"the government shall ensure that all women needing care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner.†[12] The bill calls for a â€Å"multi-dimensional approach† integrates a component of family planning and responsible parenthood into all government anti-poverty programs.[12] Under the bill, age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education is required from grade five to fourth year high school using â€Å"life-skills and other approaches.†[12] The bill also mandates the Department of Labor and Employment to guarantee the reproductive health rights of its female employees. Companies with less than 200 workers are required to enter into partnership with health care providers in their area for the delivery of reproductive health services.[12] Employers with more than 200 employees shall provide reproductive health services to all employees in their own respective health facilities. Those with less than 200 workers shall enter into partnerships with health professionals for the delivery of reproductive health services. Employers shall inform employees of the availability of family planning services. They are also obliged to monitor pregnant working employees among their workforce and ensure they are provided paid half-day prenatal medical leaves for each month of the pregnancy period that they are employed.[12] The national government and local governments will ensure the availability of reproductive health care services, including family planning and prenatal care.[12] Any person or public official who prohibits or restricts the delivery of legal and medically safe reproductive health care services will be meted penalty by imprisonment or a fine.—————- Maternal health and deaths Birthing services are key to solving maternal deaths Maternal deaths in the Philippines, according to the WHO, is at 5.7 per day,[50] not 10-11 deaths a day, as per the proponents who repeated these numbers â€Å"to drive home the point.†[51][52] The proponents state that RH will mean: (1) Information and access to natural and modern family planning (2) Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition (3) Promotion of breast feeding (4) Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications (5) Adolescent and youth health (6) Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, HIV/AIDS and STDs (7) Elimination of violence against women (8) Counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health (9) Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers (10) Male involvement and participation in RH; (11) Prevention and treatment of infertility and (12) RH education for the youth.[citation needed] The Department of Health states that family planning can reduce maternal mortality by about 32 percent.[17] The bill is â€Å"meant to prevent maternal deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth,† said Clara Padilla of Engender Rights. She reported that â€Å"Daily, there are 11 women dying while giving birth in the Philippines. These preventable deaths could have been avoided if more Filipino women have access to reproductive health information and healthcare.†[citation needed] Regarding these figures, Francisco Tatad of the International Right to Life Federation and former Senator wrote that â€Å"If correct, experience has shown (as in Gattaran, Cagayan and Sorsogon, Sorsogon) that the incidence of maternal death arising from such complications could be fully mitigated and brought down to zero simply by providing adequate basic and emergency obstetrics care and skilled medical personnel and services,† without any need for a law on the distribution of contraceptives.[11] The key to solving maternal deaths, according to the Senate Policy Brief on reproductive health, is the establishment of birthing centers.[7] The Philippine Medical Association or PMA stated in their Position Paper that the goal of reducing the rise of maternal and child deaths â€Å"could be attained by improving maternal and child health care without the necessity of distributing contraceptives. The millions of funds intended for the contraceptive devices may just well be applied in improving the skills of our health workers in reducing maternal and child mortality in the Philippines.†[53] Magna Carta for Women of 2009 There have been comparisons made with the 2009 Law called the Magna Carta for Women and the RH Bill. The Magna Carta for Women contains the following provisions in Section 17 and 19:[54][55] * Prenatal and postnatal care * Information regarding all types of family planning methods * Access to family planning methods as long as they are ethically and medically safe * Sex education * Obstetric and gynecological care regarding pregnancy complications and the prevention of AIDS, HIV, STD, and the like * Spouses have the right to decide to space their children The Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Magna Carta directs the Commission on Women under the Office of the President to oversee that the provisions are implemented by the Department of Health, the Department of Local Governments, the Commission of Human Rights, the Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare, Department of Labor, the Commission on High Education. In the IRR, it also states that in order for the law to be successful, the government should tie up with all LGUs so that midwives, doctors, birthing facilities should be put in place to take care of the health needs of all to ensure that we minimize maternal and child deaths. Because of these provisions, Senator Majority Floor Leader Tito Sotto said that the RH Bill is redundant. Family planning Catholic Church: A large family is a sign of God’s blessings (CCC2373) The Catholic Church teaches the necessity of responsible parenthood and correct family planning (one child at a time depending on one’s circumstances), while at the same time teaching that Every birth is a gift from God; every new life, a blessing.[57] The RH bill intends to help couples to have government funded access to artificial contraception methods as well.[citation needed] Access One of the main concerns of the proponents is the perceived lack of access to family planning devices such as contraceptives and sterilization. The bill intends to provide universal access through government funding, complementing thus private sector initiatives for family planning services, such as those offered by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) which supports the Family Planning Organizations of the Philippines and the 97 organizations of the Philippine NGO Council.[citation needed] The opposition argues that â€Å"Access to contraceptives is free and unrestricted† and that the proposed law is pushing an open door.[11] They say that these family planning items are available to the citizens and many local government units and NGOs provide these for free. Congressman Teddyboy Locsin argued, echoed by a Business Mirror editorial, that the poor can afford condoms since they can pay for other items such as cellphone load. Opponents also argue that Philippine government is not a welfare state, and taxpayers are not bound to provide for all the wants and desires of its citizenry, including their vanity needs, promiscuous actions and needs artificially created by elitist, imperialist and eugenicist forces; nor should taxpayers pay for drugs that are objectively dangerous (carcinogenic) and immoral. They argue that the Philippines should give priority to providing access to medicines that treat real diseases.[11][23] Birth control pill The UP School of Economics argues, in contrast, that there is lack of access especially for poor people, because contraceptive use is extremely low among them and â€Å"Among the poorest families, 22% of married women of reproductive age express a desire to avoid pregnancies but are still not using any family planning method.†[13] They say that lack of access leads to a number of serious problems which demand attention: (1) â€Å"too many and too closely-spaced children raises the risk of illness and premature deaths (for mother and child alike),† (2) â€Å"the health risks associated with mistimed and unwanted pregnancies are higher for adolescent mothers, as they are more likely to have complications during labor,† (3) women who have mistimed pregnancies are â€Å"constrained to rely more on public education and health services and other publicly provided goods and services,† further complicating limited public resources, (4) families are not able to ach ieve their desired family size. Thus the UP economists â€Å"strongly and unequivocally support† the thrust of the bill to enable â€Å"couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information and means to carry out their decisions.†[13] Proponents argue that government-funded access is the key to breaking the inter-generational poverty that many people are trapped in. Abortion Abortifacient issue According to the RH bill, one of its components is â€Å"prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications.† It provides that â€Å"the government shall ensure that all women needing care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner.† It also states that â€Å"abortion remains a crime and is punishable,† as the Constitution declares that â€Å"the State shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception.†[66] Opposing the bill, the Faculty of Medicine of the catholic University of Santo Tomas, the Philippine Nurses Association (with at least 368,589 members), the Bioethics Society of the Philippines, Catholic Physicians’ Guild of the Philippines stated that â€Å"the antiabortion stance of the bill is contradicted by the promotion of contraceptive agents (IUD and hormonal contraceptives) which actually act after fertilizati on and are potentially abortifacient agents.†[67] Opposition refers to a 2000 study of a scientific journal of the American Medical Association, in which a meta-analysis of 94 studies provides evidence that when a common birth control pill fails to prevent ovulation, â€Å"postfertilization effects are operative to prevent clinically recognized pregnancy.†[24] They also point to the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2005), which concluded that the IUD brings about the â€Å"destruction of the early embryo,†[25] thus is deemed to kill five-day old babies.[68] The position of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) â€Å"is founded strongly on the principle that ‘life or conception begins at fertilization’ at that moment where there is fusion or union of the sperm and the egg and thus a human person or human being already does exist at the moment of fertilization.† The PMA condemns abortifacients that â€Å"destroys the fertilized egg or the embryo† and â€Å"abhors any procedure †¦ or medication that will interrupt any stage of fertilization and prevents its normal, physiological, uninterrupted growth to adulthood†.[53] Jo Imbong, founder of the Abay Pamilya Foundation, reported that â€Å"Lagman said in a House hearing that the bill would protect human life ‘from implantation,'†[69] and not from fertilization, noting at the same time that the Records of the Constitutional Commission state that â€Å"Human life begins at fertilization.†[69][70] After referring to many standard textbooks of medicine and human embryology to affirm this as true,[71] the anti-RH bill citizens argue that the human embryo already has the complete genetic code and is thus a distinct human life beginning its own new life cycle. They say that the embryo is an individual, self-coordinated and self-organizing subject belonging to th e species homo sapiens: a human being by nature and thus a person equally worthy of respect.[26] 5-day old human embryo called a blastocyst, which comprises 70–100 cells. [edit]Contraception and abortion relationship Proponents argue that research by the Guttmacher Institute, involved in advancing international reproductive health, reveals that the use of contraceptives can reduce abortion rates by 85%. Proponents such as 14 Ateneo de Manila University professors, argued thus: â€Å"Studies show that the majority of women who go for an abortion are married or in a consensual union (91%), the mother of three or more children (57%), and poor (68%) (Juarez, Cabigon, and Singh 2005). For these women, terminating a pregnancy is an anguished choice they make in the face of severe constraints. When women who had attempted an abortion were asked their reasons for doing so, their top three responses were: they could not afford the economic cost of raising another child (72%); their pregnancy occurred too soon after the last one (57%); and they already have enough children (54%). One in ten women (13%) who had attempted an abortion revealed that this was because her pregnancy resulted from forced sex (ibi d.).

The Effect of Modern Day Technology

World Literature II November 22, 2010 Cause and Effect Essay 590 Words The Cause and Effect of Modern Day Technology â€Å"The zipper displaces the button and a man lacks just that much time to think while dressing at dawn, a philosophical hour, and thus a melancholy hour. † Ray Bradbury’s character of Beatty explains how technology has negatively had a negative effect in Fahrenheit 451. Technology transforms around us every day and almost every day new technology comes out that makes last year’s technology seem almost prehistoric.There is no question that technology has made life easier and more convenient as well as, travel faster and life saving medical advancements. It is hard not to wonder how much one actually depends on these new technologies and how they could be used to control everyone. Will the effect of all this technology be good or bad in the long run? Today in our economy we have less people needed for manufacturing and processing jobs and thus a s urplus of desk jobs and product designing jobs. These jobs then result in even higher productivity and more advancements.This never ending cycle of productivity and advancements leaves us dependant on technology. In the book The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, the main character Offred explains how new technology was being introduced until the country became dependent on it. Suddenly that technology and the way she had learned to live is taken away and people were lost without it. Some unknown dystopian empire then easily controlled these people that now couldn’t do anything. What if something like that were to happen today, the government started tracking where everyone goes through, navigation systems in cars, or phones and who knows what else.Radio transmitting chips are already being implanted in some dogs so that their owners can find them if they get lost. This same technology could be implanted in kids to prevent kidnappings or in criminals when released fro m prison. While all of this sounds great at the time, will that technology later be used against us just like it was against Offred? Will governments track all of our movements? Will our thoughts and ideas be read before we can speak them? Will satellites look into our homes to make sure we are eating the right foods?Even today’s news headlines are filled with reports regarding the full body scanners at airports. While all of us want to be safe when flying and the argument is strong for the scanners, the expense or effect of it leaves us literally naked to the government. According to 24/7 Wall St. com, â€Å"the list of devices the Smartphone has begun to replace, and in some cases, that process is so far along that the older products have almost disappeared. † Will technology put more and more people out of work? Will the work that technology replaces humans leave us all lazy because we are not using a physical effort anymore?On the other hand technology has been ver y beneficial to us. Technology has made us tremendously more efficient and productive, some technology at least, other technology however, is designed to makes us less productive. Hopefully this trend will increase. Some companies have already acknowledged that privacy is an important freedom and are putting things out to help people. For example Apple has acknowledged that people don’t like the idea that they could be tracked through their iPhone without warning.To decrease these fears they created icons that show up on your phone and allow you to see when an application is using your current location, as well as options to limit which applications can use your location. Hopefully more companies will follow in their lead and eliminate possibility of this negative effect of depending on modern day technology. Technology will only be advancing more and the human race will hopefully not succumb fully to it. We have to make good decision regarding how far we will let technology replace the human brain—the ultimate computer. Like Ray Bradbury’s quote, we will no longer have a chance to think.