Ship Accidents

ABSTRACT Safety may be defined as an acceptable state of risk by society. In this respect, for assessing the current safety level of ships, it is necessary to quantify the risk level of the operating world fleet, thus estimate and assess the basic contributors to risk, namely the frequency of maritime accidents and the extent of their consequences. As this paper deals with a systematic analysis of ship accidents in recent years and evaluates the current level of safety for the majority of ship subtypes present in the world fleet, namely, tankers, bulk carriers, containerships passenger and cruise ships, passenger Ro-Ro cargo vessels, Ro-Ro cargo ships, general cargo vessels, reefer ships, car carriers, fishing vessels, LNG and LPG carriers. Introduction The history of maritime transport is marked by ship accidents with partly disastrous consequences on human lives and impact on society and the marine environment. In response to these disastrous accidents, more and more new requirements and amendments of existing regulations for the safe maritime transport were introduced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as this paper gives an overview of the global safety level of all basic merchant ship types in terms of accidents' occurrence, frequencies and consequences. For each ship type, accidents occurred within the time period 1990-2012 are presented and analyzed with respect to the degree of accident severity, accident category and accident's geographic area, number of fatalities and total losses of ships. Furthermore, the total accident frequency and frequencies per main accident categories are given as well as comparative results among the different ship types. The ultimate goal of this investigation is the assessment of the relative safety level per ship type in order to identify those ship types that are more prone to marine accidents (per ship type), possible historical trends, and geographical areas, where accidents more often happen. Frequencies and basic consequences were investigated for the entire period of interest (i.e. 2012), as well as separately for the last decade of the studied period. The source of the analyzed accidental data is the IHS Sea-web ® database and the analysis pertains to the generic ship types as defined by the particular database; namely, Bulk carriers, Passenger and Cruise ships, Passenger Ro-Ro cargo vessels, Ro-Ro cargo ships, General Cargo vessels, Reefer ships, Car carriers, Fishing vessels, LNG and LPG carriers. The analysis of accident records was performed for the time period 1990-2012; we included those accidents associated with merchant passenger and cargo ships, regardless ship size, however built after 1980. Operational fleet at risk has been calculated from the Lloyd's Register of Shipping ® database for all the afore-mentioned ship types. The output of the particular calculations was compared with corresponding data from Clarkson's SIN ® and a rather good fit of the respective results was recorded. The presented results related to Cellular Containerships and Large Crude Oil tankers (greater than 60,000 DWT) are coming from two earlier completed research projects of NTUA, namely CONTIOPT (2011-2013) and SAFEDOR (2005-2009), as well as from internal NTUA research (Eliopoulou et al. 2012, 2013).

Advantages and Hazards of Embedding Media Elements

Advantages and Hazards of Embedding Media Elements with Forward Deploying Units Colorado Springs, Colorado September, 2012 Abstract War has evolved, as has the media and society’s demand for its updates. Operational security continues to remain a top combat priority however; we must not ignore the first amendment rights of the press. Our government exists for its people, and when we mobilize our military assets it is on the behalf of the people we need to ensure they are informed.Thus, we must analyze and balance the hazards and advantages of the media’s involvement with ongoing military operations. Commanders Brief: Advantages and Hazards of Embedding Media Elements with Forward Deploying Units As we prepare for an impending military mobilization, we must decide the level to which the media will be embedded and have access to military updates. Members of the media desire to be able to send near real time reports and updates as the battle unfolds. Concurrently, unit com manders want to insure that operational security (OPSEC) is not compromised as a result.Advantages of Media Inclusion The modern American is a creature dependent on immediate gratification in everything they do. Receiving news updates on operations that their military is conducting is no different. Several public opinion polls suggest that, by and large, the public was well satisfied with wartime coverage during the initial invasion of Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom (Kim, 2004). This was thanks to, in part, by the unprecedented access granted to reporters on the battlefield, as well as advances in communication technologies.It was particularly helpful from the perspective of the United States Government (USG) as it helped ensure that the information relayed to the public was credible rather than propaganda from the enemy. Additionally, as the USG maintains a civilian controlled military, more transparency can garner more support and less suspicion from the populace. Such and attit ude from the homeland during operations such as the Iraq invasion can assure battlefield decisions are being made by field commanders rather than politics. Potential Hazards of Media InclusionIncreased media access has indeed helped insure the true story is being told. However there have been instances when the embedded reporters transmitted inaccurate information (PBS, 2003). Such information could be as minor as a slight miscalculation of enemy tanks destroyed in a battle, or as major as declaring a friendly fire casualty rather than enemy fire. Either way, it is imperative that we ensure the utmost accuracy with all reports being made. Another hazard is the reallocation of forces to ensure the safety of the reporters themselves as they are not combatants.This can usually be quelled by ensuring an adequate safe distance from the frontline is adhered to. However, in the event that US forces find themselves outnumbered, or in a disadvantageous position, US personnel must then not on ly repel the enemy, but take extra measure to ensure the safety of the reporters. Such an instance could result in additional loss of life, equipment, or mission initiative. Then there is perhaps the greatest potential hazard of all: OPSEC. OPSEC is paramount for military success. It ensures the enemy doesn’t know our intentions, methods, or capabilities.If the media is too loosely monitored, they could potentially release critical information. If mission details are made available to the enemy prior to or even during an operation, operational security has been compromised, and the mission may be jeopardized (Kim, 2004). Making a Compromise, Finding a Balance Ultimately, military operations are going to occur and the media will need to be present. In order to maintain mission integrity a balance must be found and compromises will need to be made. First, let’s address ensuring accurate reporting is taking place.As all major military commands have public affairs officers and uniformed soldiers tasked with reporting themselves, it should be relatively painless to ensure all civilian reports are monitored for accuracy before being transmitted. This can also ensure OPSEC guidelines are being adhered to as well. We must also make it very clear that there may be times when military operations will require the media to not be allowed to transmit for indeterminate amounts of time. As for maintaining the physical security and safety of civilian media personnel, we should restrict their postings to larger units, battalion or greater.Doing this will provide greater numbers of forces for security of the reporters without degrading combat effectiveness. Additionally, during times of intense combat, every effort should be made by the onsite commander to make sure the civilians are well clear of front lines. Conclusion As war and the military continue to evolve, so must the USG’s relationship with the media. The media must no longer be viewed as merely a burden and an unwanted distraction, but as another tool for the commander. Our military force is highly educated and professional.Having accurate and timely media coverage of military operations will ensure that the world sees it. References Kim, J. J. (2004). Reporters on the Battlefield: The Embedded Press System in Historical Context. In Rand: National Security Division. Retrieved September 6, 2012, from http://www. rand. org/pubs/monographs/2004/RAND_MG200. pdf Pros and Cons of Embedded Journalism. (2003, March 27). In PBS News Hour. Retrieved September 6, 2012, from http://www. pbs. org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june03/embed_3-27. html

Nutrition questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nutrition questions - Essay Example l as maintain his health because imbalances in the diet with inappropriate amount of nutrients might result in health problems(Insel et al 2007 and Caldwell et al 1981). 2. Suggest the dietary amounts (in grams) of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats a person will need on a balanced diet if he/she requires 2500 kcalories per day . Explain the reasons for the values that you have chosen to use in solving this problem and show your work. Explain why this is considered a balanced diet for a normal individual. Answer: The acceptable range of carbohydrates, proteins and fats that are allowed in the diet is 50 %, 30% and 20 % percent respectively. These values fall in the normal recommended range according to the Acceptable Macro Nutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDRs). This is considered to be a part of a normal diet because these constituents are all present in the right amounts which are necessary to be consumed by an individual (Insel et al 2007 and Caldwell et al

Texas' war for independence from Mexico and the Guadalupe Treaty Essay

Texas' war for independence from Mexico and the Guadalupe Treaty - Essay Example These expansionist policies were a reflection of aggression on the side of the United States’ administration and can only be considered to have propagated unfairness and injustice on the Native American and Mexican people who lacked sufficient defense mechanisms to protect themselves from the unjust acts of the United States. The Battle of San Jacinto, organized by General Houston, between Texans and Mexicans and was important for the emancipation of Texas from Mexico, and involved a harsh confrontation between who led a group of Texans and Mexicans. Although Houston was later elected as the president in an independent Texas, other individuals such as Stephen F. Austin equally contributed their efforts to ensuring the independence of Texas from Mexico (Hammeken 374). The war lasted less than ten minutes, even as Texans won the victory (Winters 143). This war was critical, as it marked the beginning of the strained relationship between Mexico and the United States, as these two countries shared a common interest of owning the then independent Texas. It was in this regard that Polk commissioned the Mexican War that followed shortly after. The United States wanted to possess Texas, which had just gotten independence from Mexico; but Mexico claimed Texas was still its possession, and this resulted in disagreements between the United States and Texas. This was a major contributing factor to the Mexico-American war that lasted between the years 1846 and 1848, even as President Polk of the United States called for the Mexican-American war as a strategy of achieving the goal of his administration with regard to expansion of the country. Polk did not employ any democratic procedures in negotiating with Mexico over his objectives. Instead, it was coercion and war, which all lead to the victimization of the inferior party, and in this case, Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Law - Essay Example In this paper, I briefly review some of the prohibited practices during job interviews as well as review some of the questions that are generally regarded as unacceptable. Title VII is a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that protects employees or prospective employees from discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin (EEOC, 2014). It is applicable to governmental and nongovernmental employees in equal measure. Dissimilar to labor laws that do not cover managerial employees or wage and hour laws that exclude certain cadres of employees, Title VII applies to all levels and types of employees. Further on, the act covers United States citizens employed by American employers without the borders of U.S. As pertains to non-U.S. citizens, they remain protected by the act as long as they are within the borders of the United States and not outside. Several employment practices are prohibited by Title VII and employers, unless they are careful, might find themselves unintentionally violating some of the provisions. Recruitment of new employees always elicit varied emotions among the applicant as well as the interviewing bench that may trigger acts of discrimination deliberately aimed at eliminating a certain cadre of candidates. Understandably, employers who are seeking a certain type of employees would go to any level to restructure and classify the questions in the interview with a deliberate intention of eliminating some candidates. For example, when conducting job interviews, the law prohibits setting up tests that are based on the races, national origin, or gender of the applicant. Pregnancy or someone disability should not be the reason as to why a person should be intentional denied an employment opportunity. Also, since U.S. states is a cosmopolitan society comprising of person from different nations and of different ra ces, the law prohibits the

Chose an interesting topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chose an interesting topic - Essay Example This leads Alice to be even more frustrated than she was in earlier chapters. While on the surface the way of life in Wonderland seems strange to Alice, this is perhaps because she is not really at home. Not being from Wonderland means that she cannot really understand the mindset of the critters that reside in the area. In this way, she grows increasingly mad at the actions that are taking place around her, when she should be soaking up what is being said and trying to understand what is really happening. Take the fact, for example, that every question Alice asks in chapters six and seven is met with a nonsensical answer. This is completely alien to Alice’s way of life. She was raised, the reader is lead to believe, in a world that has purpose and direction. In her mind, Wonderland lacks both. Her questions, while logical in her former world, are actually illogical to the animals in Wonderland. In this way, the animals and Alice continue to go back and forth, until Alice is on the verge of giving up. It is quite interesting to watch this ‘battle of the minds’ and consider how it will play out through the remainder of the

Costco Wholesale Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Costco Wholesale Corporation - Case Study Example Though less readily measurable, it is apparently accompanied by a shrinking of activities for the few remaining general merchandising wholesalers and a loss of sales for small stores carrying women's and children's apparel, particularly in low and medium-quality lines. Costco is a closed-door store which allows only "members" access to the store through membership eligibility as defined by rather broad classifications of government employees, teachers, union members, or employees of government contractors (see Appendix 4). The chain carries a wide range of soft goods and apparel, but also gives major attention to furniture, appliances, food, and automotive supplies. Several of the closed door operations have recently opened their doors to the general public. "Examples of Costco's incredible annual sales volumes included 96,000 carats of diamonds (2006), 1.5 million televisions, $300 million worth of digital cameras, 28 million rotisserie chickens (over 500,000 weekly), 40 percent of the Tuscan olive oil bought in the United States, $16 million worth of pumpkin pies during the fall holiday season, $3 billion worth of gasoline, 21 million prescriptions, and 52 million $1.50 hot dog/soda pop combinations" (Thompson p. 2008, p. C5). Low operating margins achieved through volume sales and limited service expenditures for clerks, delivery, credit, and so on have allowed prices which average about 15% below those of the department stores and specialty shops with which discount stores compete in the sale of soft goods. Full-size food supermarkets are being established within many of the new large discount stores. Because of consumers' long experience in comparing food values between stores and because of the frequency of food store visits by the average family, these food departments are attractive to the soft-goods stores as traffic builders, and are frequently operated with planned narrow margins (or even planned losses) to maximize their drawing power (Costco Home P age 2008). Chief Elements of the Costco's strategy The uniqueness of Costco strategy is that it proposes advantages and benefits to its members only, except gasoline and beverage products. The closed-door stores depend primarily on word of mouth and on mail promotion to their members to publicize the attractive values offered. Costco does not make extensive use of advertising media to give publicity to the low prices and special values which they offer. Major retail innovations involve an "invention" of new means of performing the retailing function. They are dependent on concomitant developments in products, in physical handling technology, and in organization at the wholesale supply level; but, most important of all, they are dependent on changes in the income, location, and style of life of consumers (Drejer 2002). In contrast to other retailers, Costco proposes wide product rage: "Whereas typical supermarkets stocked about 40,000 items and a Wal-Mart Supercenter or a SuperTarget might have as many as 150,000 items for shoppers to choose from, Costco's merchandising strategy was to

The course Academic Communication in the English language Essay - 61

The course Academic Communication in the English language - Essay Example The three essays that I wrote during this course was a challenge because the style of writing taught in the English Second Language program differed to a great extent from the writing that I was introduced to in this course. Going through the Academic Communication cures taught me a lot of useful concepts in the English language. Most importantly, Academic Communication cures program has taught me how to write a research paper, how to write an argumentation research, and how to link my ideas with the topic that I focus on. Because of Academic Communication cures, I feel that my ability to deliver effective research papers has improved. Looking back, I struggled so much to write my ideas and points in a cohesive and appropriate manner in my first essay. In fact, because of frequent mistakes, I cannot remember the number of mistakes I made in that first essay at the beginning of this course. However, by week two, we had already discussed so much on plagiarism, APA style and citation ru les and much more. We had also read an article titled, â€Å"An Enviro’s Case for Seal Hunt,† to help us in research writing which helped in avoiding plagiarism in writing. I also learned about argumentative writing which allows writers to show their opinion and thoughts.Writers can use many sources to support their arguments. I have learned how to support a logical argument in a perfect manner. I faced challenges analyzing the work of another author so as to clarify and perfect my ideas.

Case of the Rewired Supply Chain Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Of the Rewired Supply Chain - Case Study Example The inventory problems are exacerbated by the fact that communication is disorganized and may not consist of real time communications. This lack of real time information is particularly problematic in an industry where inventory moves quickly. This lack of real time information sharing can increase supply cost unnecessarily. For example, a plant running short of supplies may communicate this shortfall to headquarters while another plan with excessive supplies may not communicate the excessive supplies to headquarters on time or too late to have any benefit to the business. As a result, the business is bound to purchase supplies for the plant that has a shortfall and increase inventory unnecessarily when the same supplies are available at another plant. To this end, it has been reported in the literature that real time information serves two primary purposes: processing an order to the customer’s satisfaction and sharing inventory data â€Å"quickly† throughout the supply chain (Cachon & Fisher, 2000). Relying on information exchanges between the four plants and headquarters through facsimile and email communications have proven to be inadequate for facilitating real time information sharing objectives. There is significant room for improvement through information technology which allows for the sharing of information between the four plants and headquarters â€Å"quickly and inexpensively† (Cachon & Fisher, 2000, p. 1032). The use of facsimile and email information sharing between the four plants and headquarters is complicated by the confusing reporting system adopted by the staff at headquarters. Information technology can be adopted for resolving all of these problems and especially the problem with forecas ting and planning. A lack of coordinated and shared metrics for measuring inventory and manufacturing process and effectiveness is also problematic. This is especially important for management at headquarters

Bio Sem Mock Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Bio Sem Mock Research Paper Essay Abstract: If one was to try to grow corals in order to build up a damaged reef, what would be the most effective, quick way to do it? Coral reefs are always facing hardships from natural and unnatural destructors, causing the percentage of reefs to diminish. Coral reefs have their own, natural, ways of rebuilding but sometimes, things need to be helped along in order to restore the ecosystem. In order for coral to grow, especially in captivity, there must be proper levels of everything. Whether it be, calcium levels, pH levels, or even salt levels, everything has to be perfect, and if there are any imbalances, it could result in devastation to the captive coral population. The results found from the experiment suggest that corals exposed to zooxanthellae with proper nutrition and chemical levels in the water grew the fastest and healthiest. Introduction: Ever since I was little, I was fascinated with everything to do with marine life and I can definitely thank my father for introducing me to the complexities of the underwater world. Corals especially catch my attention because they are not only plants, they are thriving creatures with, what seems to be, minds of their own. The fact that each species have their own specific niches such as being able to collect food by themselves, protect themselves with chemicals, and move on their own is just amazing to me. My interest in coral reefs has led me to want to learn more and maybe someday help protect this staple in underwater ecosystems. My interest in maintaining coral reefs has led me to the question, how does one cultivate corals and/or restore damaged corals in a closed environment to the point of being grown and healthy enough be placed back into the ocean in the fastest amount of time possible? Materials and Methods: Pioneer corals were used in the experiment because when restoring a coral reef, pioneer corals must come first in order to create a basis for the other corals to grow off of. Different aquariums housed the coral, each with different variations of the chemicals needed. There was a constant variable aquarium that contained water most similar to that of the ocean’s and the others had variations such as higher or lower pH levels, added nutrients, and different amounts of sunlight. Results: Discussion: It was found that one of the important factors of a healthy developing coral is the harboring of a photosynthetic dinoflagellate called zooxanthellae. This develops a lining in the coral’s cells that helps produce much of it’s carbon energy needs. Acknowledgements: Literature Cited: Jaap. Coral reef restoration. Florida Marine Research Institute and Lithophyte Research. Ecological engineering 15 345-364. Elsevier. 10 March 2000.

Hypothesis Teenagers Pregnancy Health Essays

Hypothesis Teenagers Pregnancy Health Essays Nowadays we have serious problems about the teenagers pregnancy and the abortion. People do not take serious about having sex before marriage. It is now became a way to developing relationship each other. Teenagers pregnancy is not that serious problem. The abortion is most an important matter in this situation. The abortion is a murder. It is killing their baby. I want to talk about the pregnancy and the abortion in the world. Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo. Its means that fetus is killed. Abortion gives harmful facts to humans body. If someone wants to do abortion because of their fine life, they killed their baby and themselves. Abortion has various methods. The baby removes for the use of sharpened tools, physical trauma, and other traditional methods. It also has a history for the methods. Many countries have a various way to doing an abortion. In many parts of the world there is prominent and divisive public controversy over the ethical and legal issues of abortion. There are many types of abortion methods. This graph is showing us about the way to remove fetus in various time. The contraception also has a time slots. The medicine called Nolevo is most powerful method for non-surgical. If women take this medicine after having sex, the chemicals from medicine kill sperm and prevent adapting between sperm and ovum. But that is only possible in 72hours. The time before 24hours is most successful duration for the preventing. In the case of failure of medical abortion, vacuum or manual aspiration is used to finalizing the surgical abortion. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Abortionmethods.png/350px-Abortionmethods.png a0101451_49700a68ec887.jpg Surgical method is the most safety way to remove the fetus. They do not put anything on to the uterus. They suctioning in to the uterus and cut off the baby. The baby thrown out from the womb is killed or forced to dead. This is a picture of the baby came out from the womb. This baby cannot see the world and cannot breath and does not have name. it just killed by their parents. In the first 12 weeks, suction-aspiration or vacuum abortion is the most common method for the abortion. Manual Vacuum aspiration (MVA) abortion consists of removing the fetus or embryo. Sooner abortion gives reliable result. Manual Vacuum Aspiration also known as mini-suction and menstrual extraction can be used in early pregnancy. From the 15th week until 26th, Dilation and Evacuation is used. It consists of opening the cervix of the uterus and emptying it using surgical instruments and suction. Dilation and curettage is the second most common method of abortion. It examines of the uterine lining for the possible malignancy, investigation of abnormal bleeding and abortion. Curettage is cleaning the walls of the uterus with a curette. The World Health Organization recommends this procedure (also called sharp curettage) only when Manual Vacuum Aspiration is not available. There are some other techniques of abortion in the second trimester. Premature delivery can be induced with prostaglandin. This can be coupled with injecting the amniotic fluid with hypertonic solutions containing saline or urea. After the 16th week of gestation abortions can be induced by intact dilation and extraction which requires surgical decompression of the fetus head before evacuation. A hysterectomy abortion is a procedure similar to a caesarean section. It is performed under general anesthesia. It requires a smaller incision than a caesarean section and is used during later stages of pregnancy. From the 20th to 23rd week of gestation, an injection the fetal heart is used as the first phase of the surgical abortion. It is make sure of the fetus is not born alive. An herbal abortion is one another methods in the world. It is safe and effectual methods to women. Herb is plant and it has strong flavour and health things on it. There are many effective herbs for abortion. Parsley, black cohosh and pennyroyal are common useful herbs for abortion. Parsley is generally considered to be both safe and effective. But it is limited if a blast cyst has implanted in the lining of the womb. It is unlikely that herbal abortions with parsley are effective when more than a few days have passed since implantation. Parsley oil is nominally effective in this capacity, but it is also considered to be immensely dangerous. It can cause severe inflammation throughout the body. Many countries know that black cohosh can be extremely effective in treating many disorders of the female reproductive system. And it is also used in the traditionally uses. Many people believe that it is a safe home abortion method. Pennyroyal is the herb most widely known for its abortifacient properties. While there are a few rare herbalists and naturopathic gynecologists who recommend its use pennyroyal is generally considered to be very unsafe owing to its ability to cause acute and terminal liver failure. There have been several case reports of deaths in women who used pennyroyal to induce abortion. It is likely that other incidents have gone unreported. Pennyroyal will cause even more serious complications than other abortfacient. While all herbal abortion methods and pharmaceutical abortion pills can cause death if the pregnancy has implanted outside of the uterus. The legislation about the abortion is become a serious matter in this time. People do not care about the abortion and they do not want have a baby. If they get a baby they thought it is just a miracle and their fault. Then they decided abortion too easily. Even women suffered rape; they decided to kill the baby. My opinion is that if women have a baby of raping. The government and all the care line must allow doing an abortion. Because that baby is not their loved and they do not want to get that baby from strangers. If government does not allow that then, they have to take the baby to others or give her money to care that baby. Abortion is illegal against the Bible. The Bible said that the baby is same if it is born or none born. It is a creature from God. International status of abortion law http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/AbortionLawsMap-NoLegend.png/350px-AbortionLawsMap-NoLegend.png   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Legal on request   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Legal for rape, maternal life, health, mental health, socioeconomic factors, and/or fetal defects   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Legal for or illegal with exception for rape, maternal life, health, fetal defects, and/or mental health   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Illegal with exception for rape, maternal life, health, and/or mental health   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Illegal with exception for maternal life, health, and/or mental health   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Illegal with no exceptions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Varies by region   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No information This is the law about the abortion around the world wide. # 1    Russia: 2,766,360   # 2    United States: 1,210,880   # 3    India: 596,345   # 4    Japan: 343,024   # 5    France: 161,129   # 6    Italy: 134,137   # 7    Germany: 97,936   # 8    Bulgaria: 97,023   # 9    Cuba: 83,963   # 10    Hungary: 76,957   # 11    Canada: 70,549   # 12    Sweden: 37,489   # 13    Israel: 15,509   # 14    Norway: 13,672   # 15    New Zealand: 11,173   # 16    Finland: 9,884   # 17    Greece: 1,216   # 18    Iceland: 807   # 19    Poland: 559   Total: 5,728,612  Ã‚   Weighted average: 301,505.9  Ã‚   This is the graph of the abortion ranking. Before the 19th century, most US states had no specific abortion laws. Women were able to end a pregnancy prior to viability with the assistance of medical personnel. Abortion is one of the most visible, controversial, and legally active areas in the field of medicine. These laws have a variety of controversial questions; The issue of parental notification. A number of state laws do require that some minors notify parents before obtaining an abortion, but what provisions are necessary to protect young women who feel they cannot notify their parents? Should spouses be notified before a woman has an abortion? Has the pregnancy progressed far enough that the foetus could live on its own before termination (termed viability)? Should there be mandatory waiting periods before an abortion can take place? What might be mandatory wording for counseling sessions or consent forms? Should public funds be used for abortions? What regulations if any should apply to abortion providers? What provisions might be made against specific abortion techniques? Should emergency contraception be allowed? Should the rules be different in cases of sexual assault and rape? Approximately 25% of the world population lives in countries with highly restrictive abortion laws. It has mostly in Latin America, Africa and Asia. These are the countries where abortion is most restricted according to the law. In some countries, such as in Chili, women still go to prison for having an illegal abortion. Women can chose one, either abortion or having a baby. This selection is most difficult in her life. Because both options will gives her pain. Most states allow a grace period of around six months after the child is born. This grace period permits the birth mother to change her mind about placing the child for adoption. They want to become a parent; they must change their mind before. If they care their child with curious way, that child will get a hurt. It means it is not different when they kill this baby. If they do not want to get a baby then abort it and they decide to have a baby then get the baby and care this baby as like as your real baby. People against abortion argue that parents need to be informed about and approve an abortion for a daughter younger than 18 years.  Those supporting the rights of a woman to choose abortion said that the parental consent is not required for a woman to carry a pregnancy to term. If or not do parents need to give permission for a woman seeking birth control such as pills or an intrauterine device. Parents are also not consulted when a woman seeks treatment for a sexually transmitted disease. Research shows that many young women younger than 18 years  do involve their parents in their decision to abort (45%). Laws requiring parental consent are forcing minors to obtain abortions much later in their pregnancies. Some minors must travel great distances to states with no such law. The highest teenagers pregnancy rate is United States. It has an amount of 494,357 births  from the teenagers. The statics of abortion are researched as; In the United States: In 2003, about 16 women for every 1,000 women aged 15-44 years had an abortion, and for every 1,000 live births, about 241 abortions were performed, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. In the past 20 years, considerable progress has been made in the technology used for second-trimester abortion. This and the social issues surrounding abortion have led to more women seeking terminations later in pregnancy. Safety: Legal abortion is a safe procedure. Infection rates are less than one percent and fewer than 1 in 100,000 deaths occurs from first-trimester abortions. Abortion is safer for the mother than carrying a pregnancy to term. Medical and surgical abortions are both safe and effective when performed by trained practitioners. Race: Most women seeking abortion are white (53%) 36% are black, 8% are of another race, and 3% are of unknown race. Age: Abortion rates are highest among 20- to 24-year-old women. Rates are lowest among women younger than 20 or older than 40 years but these women are far more likely to have an abortion if they become pregnant. In other world: Abortion causes at least 13% of all deaths among pregnant women. New estimates are that 50 million abortions are performed worldwide each year, with 30 million of them in developing countries. Approximately 20 million of these are performed unsafely because of conditions or lack of provider training. WORLDWIDE Number of abortions per year = 42 Million Number of abortions per day = 115,000 83% of all abortions are obtained in developing countries and 17% occur in developed countries. It means that developing countries has a highest birth rate. Developed countries people can abort their baby but it is not possibly to do of developing countries people. That is why Africa and Eastern Asia has many birth and death rate. Children will die before an age of 1~2. As with many developing countries the rate of teenage pregnancy in South Africa is high. Most people argue that this is a substantial problem for the country. It is an expression of a failure to help young girls deal with sexuality. This failure leads to not only pregnancies and abortions but also to STDs and HIV and AIDS. Women get an AIDS from sexual relationship and her baby also get an AIDS from birth. There are many factors behind teenage pregnancy in South Africa. Often adequate knowledge of contraception is lacking due to negative attitudes regarding sexual activity before marriage. Young girls are not educated about contraceptive use because many believe around that. They must wait until they are married to have sex anyway. Teenage pregnancy in South Africa is mainly a problem among women who live in rural. South Africas urban female adolescents are also at a high risk of finding themselves pregnant at an early age. These urban girls have become addicted to drugs, alcohol, and expensive lifestyles. It is to ensure that they have the money for their desires. They sadly stumble onto the path of prostitution and often become pregnant and drop out of school. Unfortunately, there are a number of myths the most prominent being that sleeping with a virgin will cure HIV-AIDS that actually promote the rape of young women. In many cases these victims are left pregnant. Education regarding these myths and other issues relating to teenage pregnancy in South Africa are believed to be fundamental in dealing with the problem of adolescent pregnancy. Many education programs, however, are controversial, as is the practice of forcing a young girl who is visibly pregnant to drop out of school furthermore; a consensus has not been reached as to what degree tradition should play in educating young girls. One controversial practice that may be impacting teenage pregnancy in South Africa is that of virginity testing in rural KwaZulu-Natal, where girls on average between the ages of 7 and 26 allow a stranger to check if their hymens are intact. The girls are overjoyed when the test confirms they are virgins. People supporting this practice say that it is an effective tool in stopping the spread of teenage pregnancies and HIV, while opponents claim that the practice is unconstitutional, unhygienic and a violation of human rights. Advocates of the practice also agree that virginity testing is unhygienic at the moment, as the tester touches up to 600 girls a day, often with bare hands and without washing hands between girls; however, advocates claim that if the government supported the practice, there would be funding to purchase gloves, food, and areas where girls could be tested in private. Furthermore, many supporters of the practice argue that in a country where rape of young girls is prevalent, virginity testing is proving to be a useful method of uncovering sexual abuse on young girls who fear speaking out about it. PREGNANCY, CONTRACEPTION, ABORTION Marie Stops Clinics Has 30 day clinics and 10 micro clinics around the country offering safe abortions, family planning services including birth control, pregnancy tests, male and female sterilization, HIV testing and ante-natal services. Fees charged according to clients income bracket. Toll free: 0800 11 77 85 National: (011) 838 3271 http://www.mariestopes.org.za/home.aspx This is a service that about cares of abortion. Teenagers pregnancy is too much difficult to care it. In school there must have a support system. People do not want to their children gets pregnancy before marriage. But that can be happened in this stage. A sexual relationship is became a ways of love and developing their relationship. If one of the students in the school gets a baby, what can school do to that girl? That girl does not want to attend a school and will get an afraid against meet all her friends. Then the school must help her to get rid of everything on her mind. Tell all the students that take care of her like before. The school must have; Student help-line(far away from the class) School mini-hospital Psychologist office Pharmacy Bed room These various things give more comfortable to the pregnancy students. There are a lot of abortifacient facts in the world. The Pill Progesterone only, low dose combination pills Progesterone hormonal contraceptives have three mechanisms of actions Prevent ovulation Thicken the cervical mucus to prevent sperm from entering the uterus and fallopian tube Alter the lining of the uterus so implantation cannot take place. If third action is occurs, the abortion is work. It means that a human cannot continue to develop without the nourishment from the mothers uterine wall. It is important to educate ourselves and our clients about this potential action of the Pill. Those who seek to protect the sanctity of human life from the point of fertilization should be cautious about taking any drug which could end the developing childs life. Norplant This implant is placed under the skin of the arm for up to a 5 year period. The progesterone hormones effect is to suppress ovulation. But after 2 years there is a greater chance of break-through ovulation and fertilization. The hormone may prevent implantation of the embryo. They break up of connection with womans fertilisation. Depo-Provera This Progesterone hormone derivative is injected every 3 months to prevent a woman from ovulating. But it also alters the uterine lining. Break-through ovulation and fertilization will be occurs. The hormone may prevent implantation of the embryo. Then the foetus cannot get the place to live. Morning after pill This medication has an anticipatory effect on the endometrial. That is a hardening of the lining of the uterus. It prevents implantation of the tiny new human being (blast cyst stage). For example, a rape victim had ovulated just before the assault and fertilization had occurred, then the use of such medication after the event would clearly be abortive. There is a possibility that can act in a sterilizing fashion. The large hormone could rapidly affect in the ovary and prevent an ovulation that going to occurred one to three days after the intercourse. If sperm were still present and active in the womans genital tract, she might have been fertilized one to three days after the event. In this case some have suggested that such treatment might actually prevent a pregnancy. There is no way of knowing if she was fertilized at all. If it is so, which effect the medicine had. RU-486 When a woman takes RU-486, it kills her baby by interfering with progesterone. The hormone which keeps the baby implanted in the wall of the mothers uterus. Two days later, the woman returns to the clinic to receive a prostaglandin drug which induces labour and expels the dead embryo RU-486 is used until 7 weeks after the first day of her last menstrual period. If the baby hasnt been expelled by the time the woman makes her third visit to the doctor, she will require a surgical abortion procedure. Raymond, Klein and Dumble are the pro-abortion authors of RU486 Misconceptions. It stress that RU-486 is not safe for women and list the following contraindications. A person should not take RU-486 under age 18 or over 35 menstrual irregularities history of fibroids abnormal menstrual bleeding or endometriosis cervical incompetence previous abortion or abnormal pregnancies pelvic inflammatory disease recent use of IUD or the pill 3 months Methotrexate Misoprostol Two drugs that were developed for cancer and ulcer treatment are now being used in combination to kill babies. Methotrexate is used to poison the baby and then Misoprostol empties the uterus of the baby. Keep in mind that Methotrexate is a chemotherapy drug with the potential for serious toxicity. It can result in the death of the mother as well as the baby. Aftercare Aftercare is more an important things for the lady who did take abortion. Either surgical or medical abortion gives very harmful effects on humans body. They have to know clearly about that and before they going out from the hospital. You may ask the questions to the doctors. I researched about the aftercare of surgical abortion. Most of them are also possibly to a medical abortion as well. On taking care of yourself Basic things Drink lots of fluids Stay off work for a few days if you can Take vitamins, eat healthy food, and try to sleep Take the antibiotics prescribed by your doctor right away and for the full amount of days prescribed! No exercise for two weeks No swimming or tub baths for 2 weeks Dont lift anything over 15 pounds for two weeks, dont use anything vaginally for 2-4 weeks no sex, no tampons, no douches. You can ovulate as soon as two weeks after an abortion, which means yes, you could get pregnant again within two weeks after an abortion! After the 2-4 weeks is over, you should not have sex again unless you feel physically recovered, and have discussed with your partner what you want to do if an unplanned pregnancy occurs again. Do not let yourself be pressured into having sex again before you are physically and emotionally ready. You can get pregnant as soon as two weeks after an abortion. Your body normally will go back to its regular cycle. So once you decide you are ready to resume sexual intercourse again, make sure you are using birth control right away. As many of us know birth control is not 100% effective. It is very important that you dont have sex again until you are healed physically and emotionally and you have a clear consensus on what will happen if you become unexpectedly pregnant again. For women who had an abortion for maternal health reasons or for a poor prenatal diagnosis. Consult your doctor about birth control and future pregnancies. If you were 9 or more weeks along in the pregnancy. It is possible that you may have trouble with milk or a milky fluid leaking from your breasts after the abortion. This can be upsetting, but it wont last for long. Its a normal effect of the hormones that your body releases when you are no longer pregnant. These hormones make your body start to produce milk. Whenever a pregnancy is ended. Your breasts may feel sore, tight, swollen, and will leak out droplets of clear to whitish fluid. At times the milk may let down, and a substantial amount of liquid may come out. Wear a well-fitting/snug bra and try to avoiding stimulation of your breasts or nipples. Wear the bra 24 hours a day until your milk dries up. It can take one to four weeks for the milk to dry up. It will not be as painful as it originally feels when the milk first comes in as the milk is not used the pressure on the milk ducts will cause the milk to dry up. Keep wearing that snug-fitting bra, and take Tylenol for the sor eness, and this will subside. If you develop a fever, or extreme tenderness in either of your breasts, consult a doctor there is also a condition where your milk glands can get infected and this will need to be treated with antibiotics. Visit the Recent Abortion Support Board or to the Medical Questions Problems. In the Weeks time after abortion The pregnancy hormones that your body generates to keep you pregnant start to dissipate after the pregnancy has been terminated. Depending on how far along in the pregnancy you were and how sensitive you are to hormones. You may have pregnancy hormones still in your body for up to a year after an abortion. For the first 2-4 weeks time after abortion. Your hormones will make you feel like you are on an emotional rollercoaster ride. You need to do; Cry at the drop of a hat, and for no reason Still have problems with nausea Still have problems with tiredness and weakness May still feel slightly pregnant and swollen May still test weakly positive on a pregnancy test May feel extremely depressed May have no appetite, and no desire for food May have trouble sleeping, or concentrating,p> After the first month the pregnancy hormones are still there and they are slowly leaving your body. It can take from 6-24 months after an interrupted pregnancy before your body and hormonal systems feel completely back to normal again. This means that; Your period may come at a different time each month, even if it was regular like clockwork before. It may come in 25 days, then not come for 35 days, and may be different every month, and may be completely different from your normal period. The length of your period (amount of days during which you bleed) may vary from month to month The amount of bleeding and the amount of cramping you have may vary from a little to a lot. It may be different every month. It may be completely different from your normal period. You may feel signs of pregnancy again each month before your period starts. Which could include of swollen and tender breasts, nausea, tiredness, cravings for foods, fullness in the uterine area, frequent urination, back pain and stronger than usual PMS. Your cervix may feel tender and sex may be difficult or painful All of these above symptoms and occurrences have been reported again and again by women visiting this site. However if you are having sex, it is also possible for you to become pregnant again, and technically you can get pregnant again within two weeks after an abortion, you can also get pregnant while you are having your period. So be very careful, use lots of birth control, and we know that even birth control is not 100% effective. I recommend having alternative forms of sex when possible. If your partner is loved and understanding, he should be able to work with you while you recover, and find alternate ways to enjoy each other, without slowing your physical recovery, and allowing you the chance for closeness without doing things your body is not ready for. Like this, aftercare of the abortion is very important. You can get a baby in 2 weeks time if you having sex after that time. You have to have keep your body relaxes. 2 weeks time is most important period to who have abortion. They have to do the checklist about the careless. If they avoid to doing a check, they will get a serious problems after that time. It also gives a disease. Postabortal Hematometra is severe cramping. It discomforts due to the collection of blood in the uterus that can occur following evacuation of the uterus. This kind of disease causes that the cervical becomes blocked. The uterus fills with clots and continues to bleed. The uterus cannot contract. You have to go to hospital if you get these various strange things. It is sign for the Postabortal Hematometra. The signs are consists of a severe cramping, Sweating, Lightheadedness, Nausea Vomiting and diarrhea. You can immediately treats using prompt reevaluation of the uterus produces rapid relief of symptoms. Aspiration will yield blood and clots. There is rarely any remaining pregnancy tissue. It should be ensured that the uterus is completely evacuated. Most abortions are safe and uncomplicated. Most women do not have physical problems afterwards. But some surgical procedure has risks. There are possible serious complications. If someone do not feel well or are worried that something might be wrong. You can call a doctor or your local ER. Dont worry about being embarrassed or ashamed about that youve had an abortion. Calling and telling what is going on with you. Some women are extremely sensitive to pregnancy hormones. This can cause depression to her. Doctor must check about that and give her a prescription. If you are still have trouble with depression after 2 months of abortion. You should seek out treatment from a doctor. The same hormones that cause PPD and PMDD are the ones active in your system after an abortion. It can cause severe depression if your system is sensitive to these hormones. Prevent abortion How to prevent abortion? It is a rhetorical question to all of you. Preventing abortion is impossible at that stage, but we can prevent it beforehand. Prevent pregnancy is the only way to prevent all the failure. Abortion is like an AIDS. It also increases the birth and death rate. AIDS is a disease but abortion is murder. I would like to share with the various methods for preventing pregnancy. 244-180-127.jpg There are many ways to prevent. The pill is both before having sexual relationship and after having sex. After pill is an emergency contraception like Nolevo. It must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex in order to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. A woman must take 1 Norlevo and a second pill 12 to 24 hours later. Beside Norlevo, most combination birth control pills can also be used. Take within 72 hours of unprotected sex. One dose 100  µg ethinylestradiol + 500  µg levonorgestrel (2-4 birth control pills), 12 hours later a second dose. For the women, there are many things to prevent. I researched it and it has; DIAPHRAGM is a rubber disk with a flexible rim that covers the cervix and must be used together with spermicidal. It is available by prescription only and must be sized by a health professional. The diaphragm protects for six hours and should be left in place for at least six hours after the last intercourse but not for longer than a total of 24 hours. ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES protect against pregnancy by the combined actions of the hormones estrogens and progestin. The hormones prevent ovulation. The pills have to be taken every day as directed and do not work after vomiting or diarrhoea. Side effects of the pill can be nausea, headache, breast tenderness, weight gain, irregular bleeding, and depression. DEPO-PROVERA is a hormonal contraceptive injected into a muscle on the arm or buttock every three months. The injection must be repeated every 3 months. The menstruation can become irregular and sometimes even absent. IMPLANTS (such as Norplant or implanon) are made up of small rubber rods, which are surgically implanted under the skin of th

The Myth of a Classless America Essay -- Wealth Society Culture Racism

The Myth of a Classless America The myth of a "classless" American society coupled with social stratification impedes race relations in the U.S. far more than any racial differences. The never ending struggle of the "have-nots" to become one of the "haves" produces a frustration and feeling of oppression that acts as a catalyst for spawning racial tensions. Minorities see the majority of wealth in the hands of the white population and feel that the wealth is unevenly distributed. Whites hear of government programs for minorities and feel as if they are lazy or just looking for a handout. This occurs and stereotypes are formed. Combine all of this with the United States system of "dual welfare"and the perfect environment for racial strife is created. In our "classless"society of false hope the working class and poor are continually seeking opportunities to excel that just aren't there. They have been led to believe that intelligence and ambition are key contributors to one's success. This belief lays blame on the unsuccessful themselves, even if they do possess ambition and intelligence. These people are in a never ending cycle of struggle, followed by minimal rewards, which eventually produces a frustration that sometimes leads to desperate measures. Cornell West expands on this with the following statement : ". . . homicidal assaults by young black men on one another are only the most obvious signs of this empty quest for pleasure, property, and power" (Race and Racism p.123). This statement shows the extremes one will go to in his "empty quest" for a better life. This is not only happening to blacks by blacks. It is happening to all races by all races. People hear of events like these and categorize them as a racial crime or a racially motivated crime just because the victims may be of a different race. As W est's statement demonstrates the killings occur as a means to an end, the end being a better life. In our ever diversifying melting pot of a country, same race victim and criminal crimes are becoming less and less statistically likely anyway. Events such as these don't occur because of race. They occur because of the frustration and desperation bred by the false hope that hard work and determination leads to success. It is no mystery that most of the wealthy people in America are white. West again points out (Race and Racism p.... ... amount that they pay in is equal to the amount that Bill Gates pays in. There's something about this whole system that just doesn't seem proportionately correct. It seems like the percentage sacrificed should be the same across the board. All the examples I have given may seem like this paper is about the wealthy and the poor, and not about racial differences in the United States. If it does there is a reason for that. The upper class or super rich, whichever you want to call them, receive more benefits than the poor. The upper class is mainly white and the poor and working class are a mixture of all races. This gives the appearance that assistance is based on race, when it's not. It is based on class. People see these events and make generalizations and this in turn leads to racial tension. If steps are taken to make "classless America" a reality, then these racial tensions would ease. Works Cited Langston, Donna. "Class and Inequality." Race , Class, and Gender . 20 January 2000. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company 1998. West, Cornell. "Race and Racism." Race, Class, And Gender . !9 January 2000. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company 1998.

Academics versus Writing Centered Classes Essay -- Literature English

One of the biggest debates in composition theory seems to be the notion of fostering the â€Å"creative impulse† versus â€Å"structure† in the writing classroom. We have run into this argument time and again in class, and it is waged on a larger scale in the â€Å"Bartholomae and Elbow Debate† in terms of academic versus writing centered classes. In class we have discussed â€Å"structure† as grammar, and the â€Å"creative impulse† as the desire students have to break the rules of language in their own creative endeavors. Bartholomae and Elbow provide us with natural extensions of this argument in their own debate. The â€Å"academic classroom† according to Bartholomae is more beneficial to students, as they gain a sense of intertextuality and learn how to write and respond to the academic writing that has preceded them ( i.e. critical theory and literature). Elbow on the other hand fosters the idea that students will learn how to write mor e effectively within smaller writing communities that are created right within the classroom itself and spends more time in his own classes with that side of the issue. This is the conflict that we will run into no matter what facet of composition theory we discuss. The problem with this debate, however, is that both Elbow and Bartholomae are conceiving of these two (supposedly) oppositional roles too narrowly. They are both at odds concerning the role of each in the writing classroom despite the fact that they see the commonalities. It is important for all teachers of writing to address this debate, and be able to see past it, which as evidenced in the debate in Cross Talk, Elbow and Bartholomae were not able to do. I feel as if my first personal essay addressed these matters as well, although I did not deal them specific... ...ter good writing. Theories and concepts could be introduced regarding critical analysis, but nothing would be set forth as the proper way to view it. All of this however, may be too much for first year composition students to handle. By keeping the number of major works to a minimum and keeping the required responses and writing assignments short but quite frequent, hopefully it would be possible to keep things from getting too overwhelming, and keep this debate from rearing its ugly head. Works Cited Bartholomae, David. â€Å"Writing with Teachers: A Conversation with Peter Elbow.† Cross Talk in Comp Theory: A Reader. Ed. Victor Villanueva, Jr. Washington State University: NCTE, 1997. Elbow, Peter. â€Å"Being a Writer vs. Being an Academic: A Conflict in Goals.† Cross Talk in Comp Theory: A Reader. Ed. Victor Villanueva, Jr. Washington State University: NCTE, 1997.

Louis Brandeis and Jewish Political Identity :: Zionism Louis Brandeis Jewish Identity

Louis Brandeis and Jewish Political Identity â€Å"Whence comes this combination of qualities of mind, body and character? These are qualities with which every one of us is familiar, singly and in combination; which you find in friends and relatives; and which other doubtless discover in you. They are qualities possessed by most Jews who have attained distinction or other success. In combination, they may properly be called Jewish qualities. For they have not come to us by accident; they developed by three thousand years of civilization, and nearly two thousand years of persecution; developed through our religion and spiritual life; through our traditions; and through the social and political conditions under which our ancestors lived. They are, in short, the product of Jewish life.† – Louis D. Brandeis Louis Brandeis makes an inspirational plea to the educated Jews in this passage, calling on them to push for the establishment of a Jewish home. Zionism, a movement which came about very recently in Jewish history, pushed on with power through the early twentieth century fueled by the past. As Jewish identity was stretched thin between geographical association and religious affiliation, Jews found themselves struggling for national recognition. Louis Brandeis, in A Call to the Educated Jew said â€Å"the glorious past can really live only if it becomes the mirror of a glorious future; and to this end the Jewish home in Palestine is essential. We Jews of prosperous America above all need its inspiration† (Glatzer 713). Brandeis’s depiction of Jewish qualities is, more than anything, a call to understand Jewish identity. As a proponent of Zionism, Brandeis recognized the importance of unity, and tried to bring Jews together in identifying their characteristics: â€Å"†¦qualities with which every one of us is familiar†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Glatzer 707). In the United States, a country whose Jewish population was composed of Jews from other nations around the globe, a sense of strong identity was of singular importance. These treasured qualities of mind, body and character â€Å"†¦may properly be called Jewish qualities.† (Glatzer 707). Brandeis redefines the meaning of â€Å"Jew† for those who had lost themselves in immigration and overwhelming anti-Semitism. So what can we understand about Jewish identity from this piece? Brandeis does not shy away from the importance of Jewish history. In fact he lauds it as the impetus behind the outstanding qualities which the Jews of his day possessed. â€Å"†¦They have not come to us by accident; they developed by three thousand years of civilization†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Glatzer 707).

Medicine and Law Essay

On February 11, 2003, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the State of Arkansas could force death row prisoner Charles Laverne Singleton to take antipsychotic drugs to make him sane enough to execute. Singleton was to be executed for felony capital murder but became insane while in prison. â€Å"Medicine is supposed to heal people, not prepare them for execution; a law that asks doctors to make people well so that the government can kill them is an absurd law,† said David Kaczynski, the executive director of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty. There are many arguments in this passage. The first argument is this passage is â€Å"medicine is supposed to heal people, not prepare them for execution†. The premise is â€Å"medicine is supposed to heal people, not prepare them for execution† and the conclusion is â€Å"medicine shouldn’t kill people†. The second argument in this passage is â€Å"a law that asks doctors to make people well so that the government can kill them in an absurd law†. The premise is â€Å"a law that asks doctors to make people well to kill them† and the conclusion is â€Å"the law is absurd†. This passage depicts many issues occurring in America today. Although, the prisoner Charles Laverne Singleton was convicted to the death penalty, using doctors and medicine to execute him is wrong. Medicine was created to heal people from disease and prevent illness. Doctors became physicians to support people, save lives, and educate individuals to increase their quality of life. When doctors graduated from medical school they took an oath to help save lives. Participating in an execution goes against the laws medical ethics and everything a physician stands for. Arguments for this passageway may include the amount of money it takes to keep the prisoner in jail, lethal injection is a less violent way of execution, and a doctor is the most qualified person to give a lethal injection. A lthough, keeping convicts in jail costs a lot of tax payers’ dollars, there are other ways to execute the individuals on death row. The lethal injection might be less violent however; it doesn’t make it the ideal method to kill. Doctors are the most qualified to give a lethal injection yet there are not the most qualified to murder. The decision also puts prison doctors in a position that challenges ethics. Doctors have to ask themselves: Is it better to provide care for death row inmates patients, because everyone deserves competent care and protection from unnecessary suffering? Does it degrade the healing  profession to use one’s medical skills to prepare a person for execution? The government wants to kill the individuals on death row but they don’t want to do it themselves. Asking a doctor to dirty their hands results in the government keeping their hands clean. More research has to be done to find new methods to execute these death row convicts. M edicine and doctors should not be the means to kill anyone. The Code of Ethics states that a physician should never be â€Å"compelled to participate in the process of establishing a prisoner’s competence or be involved with treatment of an incompetent, condemned prisoner if such activity is contrary to the physician’s personal beliefs† [9]. On February 11, 2003, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the State of Arkansas could force death row prisoner Charles Laverne Singleton to take antipsychotic drugs to make him sane enough to execute. Singleton was to be executed for felony capital murder but became insane while in prison. â€Å"Medicine is supposed to heal people, not prepare them for execution; a law that asks doctors to make people well so that the government can kill them is an absurd law,† said David Kaczynski, the executive director of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty. There are many arguments in this passage. The first argument is this passage is â€Å"medicine is supposed to heal people, not prepare them for execution†. The premise is â€Å"medicine is supposed to heal people, not prepare them for execution† and the conclusion is â€Å"medicine shouldn’t kill people†. The second argument in this passage is â€Å"a law that asks doctors to make people well so that the government can kill them in an absurd law†. The premise is â€Å"a law that asks doctors to make people well to kill them† and the conclusion is â€Å"the law is absurd†. This passage depicts many issues occurring in America today. Although, the prisoner Charles Laverne Singleton was convicted to the death penalty, using doctors and medicine to execute him is wrong. Medicine was created to heal people from disease and prevent illness. Doctors became physicians to support people, save lives, and educate individuals to increase their quality of life. When doctors graduated from medical school they took an oath to help save lives. Participating in an execution goes against the laws medical ethics and everything a physician stands for. Arguments for this passageway may include  the amount of money it takes to keep the prisoner in jail, lethal injection is a less violent way of execution, and a doctor is the most qualified person to give a lethal injection . Although, keeping convicts in jail costs a lot of tax payers’ dollars, there are other ways to execute the individuals on death row. The lethal injection might be less violent however; it doesn’t make it the ideal method to kill. Doctors are the most qualified to give a lethal injection yet there are not the most qualified to murder. The decision also puts prison doctors in a position that challenges ethics. Doctors have to ask themselves: Is it better to provide care for death row inmates patients, because everyone deserves competent care and protection from unnecessary suffering? Does it degrade the healing profession to use one’s medical skills to prepare a person for execution? The government wants to kill the individuals on death row but they don’t want to do it themselves. Asking a doctor to dirty their hands results in the government keeping their hands clean. More research has to be done to find new methods to execute these death row convicts. M edicine and doctors should not be the means to kill anyone. The Code of Ethics states that a physician should never be â€Å"compelled to participate in the process of establishing a prisoner’s competence or be involved with treatment of an incompetent, condemned prisoner if such activity is contrary to the physician’s personal beliefs† [9].

A Second Chance Essay

It was my chance to prove myself; I was about to go out there and audition for a talent show through singing and playing the piano. I was so sure that I would do it, since I knew the judges personally and they were already aware that I had the talent. I haven’t actually practiced the song as much as I was supposed to, but I was certain that I would know it properly since I have practiced before several times. I was waiting for my turn, and while I was waiting, I was starting to get nervous and tense about the whole thing. When I was up, I took a deep breath and started playing the song. The first thing I did wrong was mix up the notes. The first time was excused as it was thought to be normal and that everyone makes mistakes. The second time was also excused, the third, the fourth.. It was starting to get irritating. Other than the note mix up, when I started to sing, my voice went too high and I started to get out of breath. In addition to this, I forgot and mixed all the lyrics of the song. This made me stop in the middle of the song excusing myself for all the mistakes that I’ve done. Since the judges were my friends, they were totally understandable; they realized that I was nervous and that I am good at this, despite my failed efforts. This made me feel miserable. I have failed to preform something I have known and been playing for almost a year. I couldn’t sing the song without making a word mixup every now and then. I informed the judges the next day that I would like to audition again, and this time I was going to do it right. The minute I told them I was going to audition again, I went home searching for a completely different song to preform, and this time I was going to focus on singing it only. I found the perfect song, and once I did I started practicing on it. I have noticed that the last time I auditioned, I was nervous when my turn was up, so I decided to ask different people I knew to hear me out, and anytime I would get nervous I would randomly start singing, to try and overcome my fear of preforming in front of a crowd. When the day of my second audition finally arrived, I was assured that I would do it this time, given the fact that I have practiced beforehand and tried to overcome my fear. The minute I preformed, I felt a tinge of nervousness, but then It was like I was preforming to myself, not scared at all. I was confident enough and because of this I did a good job and the judges loved it. This made me realize that once you set your mind on something, even if you fail it once, you can always achieve it. If you have the will to do it, you will succeed. The second thing I realized was that you should always, ALWAYS make sure you are prepared for any situation that may arise, even if you think you know how to handle it. After all, practice makes perfect. This has made me believe that I should never give up on where I want to study, and even if I don’t get accepted the first time, I can work harder and apply again, I have nothing to loose. I should believe in myself and prepare myself for what’s ahead and will hopefully succeed. A Second Chance Essay In Harold Ramis’s film, â€Å"Groundhog Day† and Franz Kafka’s story, â€Å"The Metamorphosis†, both main characters are faced with a life-changing event because of the way they live their lives. In Groundhog Day the main character Phil is an arrogant, sarcastic weatherman absorbed in his own discomforts, without hope, and cut off from other people. He is forced to relive the same day, groundhogs day, over and over again. In â€Å"The Metamorphosis the main character is Gregor Samsa, a man who spends his time working to pay off a debt for his father. Gregor wakes up to find that he has turned into a beetle. Throughout these two works the main characters try to go back to living their life as before not realizing that this is their second chance at life to make things right. Phil manages to do so only by breaking through and becoming a person of intimacy, creativity and compassion which sets him free from his exile of living in the same day over and over again. As for Gregor, going from someone everyone depends on to something no one wants to care for, he doesn’t get a chance to have everything go back to normal. He dies and his family, for once, is relieved. Groundhog Day lets us experience what it would be like to make a breakthrough like this in our own lives. The movie shows us a character that is like the worst in ourselves. Like us, he finds himself in an inexplicable situation, something like fate. But, unlike us, he gets the luxury of being stuck in the same day until he gets it right. Where most of us go semi-automatically through most of our days, he is forced to stop and treat each day like a world onto itself, and decide how to use it. In the end, he undergoes a breakthrough to a more authentic self in which intimacy, creativity and compassion come naturally – a self that was trapped inside him and that could only be freed by trapping him. Like many of the heroes of fiction, he can only escape his exile from himself by being exiled in a situation not of his choosing. This movie hits on a message that is commonly found elsewhere and that appears to express an essential truth. When we get beyond denial and resentment over the conditions of life and death, and accept our situation, it tells us, then life ceases to be a problem and we can become authentic and compassionate. Phil makes two such breakthroughs: first he accepts being condemned to being stuck in the same day, then he accepts the fact that everyone else is condemned to die. In The Metamorphosis, Gregor’s transformation is kind of an extended metaphor. He deeply resented having to support his family. Desiring to be in turn nurtured by them, he becomes a parasite. The complete dependence of Gregor’s family and employer on him, then, is seen as an ironic foil to the reality of Gregor’s anatomical transformation into a parasite. The Metamorphosis is not upon Gregor, but on his family, as they abandon their dependence on him and learn to be self-sufficient. One interpretation of the story holds that the title applies equally to Gregor’s sister Grete: she passes from girlhood to young womanhood during the course of the narrative. Another view of Gregor’s transformation is that it is an extended metaphor, carried from abstract concept to concrete reality: trapped in a meaningless job and isolated from the human beings around him, Gregor is thought of as an insect by himself and by others, so he becomes one only to die, and relieving the family of having to take care of him. Fiction allows us to identify with and play characters who find their true selves, putting us in touch with the universal human nature in each of us. The ability to watch and play the role of fictional characters makes the fiction more interesting and expands our vision of possible ways of being. But, one way or another, it must lead us back to our true selves, the universal, moral being we all are, which is as real as the physical world is real. Groundhog Day symbolizes just this since Phil treats his life as a game only when he is in despair. Once he has a sense of hope, he becomes more authentic and discovers himself. As for The Metamorphosis, Gregor’s state before he turned into a bug contrasts with the family’s state after the got jobs and began working. I guess Kafka is trying to say that we shouldn’t work like bugs for others leaving out time for ourselves as Gregor had but instead work for ourselves with pride and dignity as the family did at the end of the story. A Second Chance Essay Three years ago, my cousin Wael, aged 17, died next to me in a car accident. It was a very beautiful evening, I just got off work and was excited to go home and drive my new Nissan 350Z my boyfriend just got me. As I arrived to my house, Wael was waiting for me. I hadn’t seen him over a week or so, and the excitement to see him was killing me. I wanted to go out for a drive to catch up, as well as test drive the new car. We were out driving for about twenty minutes or so; we told each other stories and just laughed until we couldn’t breathe any longer. At a point, he kept asking me to let him drive my car. This car was probably every teenagers dream. I didn’t want to at first, because my boyfriend had asked me to please not let anyone else drive it. I couldn’t say no to Wael. He was my everything; we always did things with each other, and for each other. I finally gave up, parked at a random store and switched seats with him. The fun then really began. We drove everywhere; we drove past my house, past our high school and finally went on this road called Hillcrest Road. This road is known for how small and narrow it is, and its big bumpy hills. We both knew what was about to happened. We were about to have the best time. He got in it, stepped on the gas as hard as he could, and the car speed off. We were screaming with laughter from how fast the car was going, and how much fun it was to feel like we were flying in the air. Finally we made it at the end of the road. I was glad that was over with, because in my head I kept thinking,† please don’t scratch up the car.† He wasn’t done, he asked me, â€Å"one more time please?† I gave up arguing with him, and agreed. This time around he put his whole weight on the gas pedal and took off as fast as he could. We were laughing, screaming, and looking at each other as we were flying in the air. There was a moment when the car flew af ter the hill and started to drift to the left. I got scared and asked him to stay in the lane. I think he freaked out and didn’t know how to handle the car. He made a mistake by hitting the break while we were flying instead of hitting the break when we landed. The two front wheels locked and as soon as it hit the concrete ground, everything started moving in slow motion. I could feel the car sliding off the road and going towards a white fence. I don’t remember what happened after that hit because it happened so fast. I can recall waking up with glass pocking the soles of my feet, blood dripping down my neck; it was so wet and gushy. I was so sore and in so much pain. I looked over to my shoulder to see if my cousin is still there, but all I see is blood dripping down his nose and I tried to wake him up. I was screaming at him â€Å"Please wake up, please.† When he couldn’t respond to me I tried to get out the car even though opening the door was very hard. Everything was blurry and every muscle in my body was aching. I was told, I just passed out on the ground while I was trying to walk to a house to get help. Eventually, someone called 911 and the ambulance and care flight came for both of us. I was taken on the ambulance to be treated for severe head injuries, while they were working on getting Wael out of the crushed car. I have been hit in the head by the fences we ran into, and had lost too much blood. Wael was pronounced dead due to internal bleeding. When I eventually woke up in the hospital, I heard all the crying and screaming, and that’s when I knew someone died. I couldn’t understand who, I mean it wasn’t me because I was still here. I kept telling myself this is just a dream; I will wake up soon, but I never woke up. That person who died was my cousin. I couldn’t cry, I was numb, I couldn’t feel anything. I couldn’t understand what had just happened. I just couldn’t believe it, no way. We were just having so much fun a couple hours ago it seemed. I guess bad news spreads faster than good news, because the next morning I was surrounded by people who I knew as well as I didn’t know. It was variety of people from friends, police officers and even family members from all over that I haven’t seen in years. That’s when it hit me, that my cousin is gone forever. I cried and cried myself to sleep. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, and the nightmares kept getting worse as the days went on. All of my family hated me because they blamed me for his death. I developed very bad depression, I stopped talking to everyone, I got angry fast and I felt lonely. I had nothing going for myself. I felt like I lost everyone who I once loved, or at least those who loved me. One day my mom begged me to go get help, or just get out and do something with myself. I had to do something about this; it had been way too long. I had suffered enough, I grieved for way to long and that’s when I came to the conclusion that God has a plan for me and this is why he is still keeping me around. God gave me a second chance, he wants me to do something with myself. I believe everyone deserves second chance in life. It doesn’t matter if it a big mistake or a small mistake. Walking around with grudges won’t solve anything. Obviously when I was walking around grieving it didn’t do me any good. I blamed God, I blamed my boyfriend for getting me that car, and I took it hard on myself because I willingly handed the vehicle to my cousin. This world is filled with good and bad things. It’s sad to say that it took a car accident and losing the closest person I had ever had to make me realize this. Wael might be gone but he will never be forgotten. I feel like he begged me to drive the car for a reason. It me who was supposed to be killed, but God took him before me. I believe everyone deserves a second chance just like God gave me another chance. I felt like I died and came back. As long as I am alive I can survive anything, and I know I have a purpose in life. My life did change dramatically; I can’t say I am the same person I used to be. My family went from hating me to being the closest people I have in my life; I went from doing nothing for myself to enrolling at Kettering Medical College. Life can be cruel and destructive, but God gave me a second chance at life for a good reason. This I must believe.

Psychosocial Stage Essay

Psychological development is generally accepted as product of the interaction among social and psychological forces which directly affect and shape the personality of every individual (Erikson, 2000). This may also encompass changes in self-control, and prosocial behavior. In relation to this, Erik Erikson established a unifying theory on the social and psychological aspects of human development throughout life span. In his eight developmental stages, each individual should, from infancy to senescence, accomplish psychological tasks in line with his or her social experiences. In addition, his theory, often called as â€Å"the stages of man,† is primarily grounded on the notion that every individual develops self-images through others’ perceptions and his or her own perceptions (Erikson, 2000). Erikson described the development of personality and the process by which an individual acquires societal role and shapes his or her identity. In contrary to Freud’s psychosexual emphasis, Erickson accentuated the development of one’s attitudes, skills, and the sense of responsibility. Further, Erikson argued that individuals undergo the different developmental stages, each with crisis or dilemma, and expected to resolve specific conflict in every stage. Unresolved conflicts in the previous stage will pass on the succeeding stages which impart negative traits in one’s personality (Erikson, 2000). On the other hand, as an individual successfully confronted every developmental crisis, he or she achieves positive traits or psychological attributes. Generativity versus Stagnation Erikson viewed â€Å"development† as a continuous process of facing the complexities of life (Santrock, 2002). A young professional, for example, to ensure success and intimate relations, he or she must perceive and accomplish the task of creating and caring his or her life role or style. Erickson’s 7th stage of psychosocial development, generativity versus stagnation, coincides with the middle adulthood period of humans. As defined by Erikson, generativity is the desire to take an active role in establishing the society and nurturing the youth to ensure the continuity of human generation (Lerner, 2002). In this stage, individuals should develop concern for the next generation in order to prevent personal stagnation (Santrock, 2002). While some individuals accomplish this through active community involvement and participation, some contribute for the welfare of the society through responsible parenthood. In any means, the dynamic that must be attained is the outward shifting from the well-being of one’s self to the consideration and care for the humanity. As such, the strength of care is achieved through creating, parenting, volunteering, and mentoring. For instance, by means of genuine care and concern, the generative religious teachers indoctrinate traditional religious view on development. Generative adults, on the other hand, may take responsibility on the cycle of life by leading and guiding their children in the first five stages of psychosocial development (Santrock, 2002). Meanwhile, a key element of â€Å"generativity versus stagnation† is the continuity of stages and cumulative implications of various experiences in life (Santrock, 2002). The adults’ sense of generativity is stimulated by encouraging and supporting the future of the next generation. However, individuals who fail to bestow the continuity to the next generation may possibly become engorge with his or her personal needs, disregard the needs of other individuals, and eventually become stagnated. Influences on my Personality The psychosocial development constructs of Erickson encompasses every experience of an individual that processes and shapes his or her personality, generativity, and perceptions. These processes are deemed universal; that is, although individuals experience family, social, and cultural life differently, the variations are minor. The minor variations account for other individual variables such as socioeconomic status, age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, education, and culture (Lerner, 2002). Hence, the psychosocial processes in the middle adulthood show variations on themes but of similar dynamic of change. Erikson outlined these changes in every developmental stage through specific conflicts or tasks that one needs to attend to or resolve. As such in middle adulthood, generativity versus stagnation is the conflict that needs to be resolved. However, as the resolution of conflicts in the early adulthood influences this stage, the outcome in this stage will directly affect the late adulthood period (Lerner, 2002). As well, as individuals are expected to provide inspiration, care, and guidance for the youth, they are also challenged to acquire productive roles for the societal development and continuity. Generativity then should not only be confined in parenting but should stretch out to community involvements through projects, leadership, and commitment. It must be deemed with respect to the manner by which an individual handle his or her relations with his or her family, societal institutions, friends, relatives, and with other individuals. Whereas every social behavior is determined by myriad of factors, the commitment and concern for the welfare of the next generation must be the primary motivation in all those aforementioned social responsibilities and activities (Lerner, 2002). As I learned the middle adulthood psychosocial stage of Erikson, about 35-40 years of ages, I examined the present state of my personality in terms of generativity and stagnation. That is, I assessed my self if I am productive in my field of endeavor and geared towards inspiring and guiding my children and other youngsters and young adults. I became concern with the achievement of generativity for Erikson argued that it is crucial for a positive outlook during midlife. As such, I formulated my developmental goals of preparing my self for my senescence period and caring for and guiding the youngsters for adulthood. However, life experiences in this stage of life are not identical among individuals; some are still single adult while others are happily married or divorced during this period. Generally, the middle adulthood has developmental discontinuity and continuity. In particular, psychological attributes like cognitive functioning may rapidly change while the others such as intelligence and personality may attain stability during midlife (Lachman, 2001). I realized then that in defining life’s success, experiences in midlife have significant roles. During middle adulthood, every individual compensates for and copes with life’s losses which tend to be apparent as senescence life approaches. As revealed by psychological researches, life satisfaction is at its peak in midlife; this is the period of life where subjective happiness and well-being are rated best as compared to other stages of life (Lachman, 2001). Thus, midlife is known as the prime of one’s life, where most middle adults are at the summit of their family and professional careers, and income generation. In addition, middle adults experience a very satisfactory psychological well-being; they have positive outlook in life, autonomy, and aim for both personal and professional growth (Lachman, 2001). They perceived midlife as the period where one should function best. Thus, my consciousness on my work performance, multiple-role playing, and parenting styles were awakened. Nevertheless, at the other extreme of middle adulthood are the midlife crises. Based on psychological reports, middle adulthood is battered by worries in life such as the feelings of individuals of life losses and failures, non-achievement and underachievement, and trivial and non-essential goals (Lachman, 2001). Yet, amidst these crises and as compared to other stages of life, middle adulthood is the period of less depression and higher well-being. In this period, most individuals attained their professional and personal goals. Those who are susceptible to environmental factors, limited resources, and poverty, are at risk to psychological and physical distress (Lachman, 2001). It was then clarified in my mind that during midlife, individuals may either enjoy the fruition of their respective labors or suffer the cumulative deficits of their life due to unresolved conflicts in previous stages. Therefore, middle adulthood, as generativity versus stagnation implies, is not only a period of fulfillment and accomplishment but also a transition period for the past and present events of life basically influence the later life’s transition. Midlife is the stage of life when individuals, more frequently, have already decided for a lifestyle and other social context like vocation, routine, neighborhood, and support network. Thus, I postulated that personality molds the life of an individual, rather than life experiences shapes the personality of an individual. In particular, only specific aspect of personality is altered by dramatic life events during middle adulthood. For example, career or marriage failure, affliction due to mental or physical disorder, and death of a loved one may alter the behavioral trait of an individual which in turn only causes minor shifts in personality but do not reflect in the holistic personality structure. Moreover, the concept of midlife crisis, perceived as inevitable in middle adulthood, was found to be false (Lerner, 2002). Even though midlife is a stage of reflection, increased anxiety, midcourse correction, and unpredictable transformation, researches revealed that during middle adulthood, individuals still undertake the shifting of life perspective from birth until to their last years to live (Lerner, 2002). The nature of an individual’s response to midlife challenges is largely affected by personality attributes and less by the individual’s present developmental stage or chronological age. As proposed, the enduring nature of midlife crisis is possibly related to the capability of an individual to cope with the tragic life events and in the end still considers his or her self as fairly fortunate. In sum, Erikson suggested the importance of finding oneself in another during midlife developmental stage. By merely serving oneself or own family, an individual becomes engorge with his or her personal needs, disregard the needs of other individuals, and eventually ends as stagnated. Hence, I must not confine my self in looking at and working only for the welfare of my family. Bringing up my children into the best that they can be is inadequate contribution for the welfare of the society. I need to acquire the sense of altruism in order to contribute whatever resources I have, actively involve myself to community projects, and to extend whatever support I can give for the welfare of the next generation. In addition, since midlife crisis is inevitable in middle adulthood, I realized that in order to face every travail, empathy and support to others are crucial so as to establish a network support where I can lean on as I resolve any form of midlife crisis. References Erikson, E. H. (2000). The Erik Erikson Reader. Coles, R. Ed. New York: Norton. Santrock, J. W. (2002). Life-span development. New York: McGraw-Hill. Lachman, M. E. (2001). Handbook of Midlife Development. New York: John Wiley. Lerner, R. M. (2002). Concepts and Theories of Human Development, 3rd ed. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Child Beauty Pageants Must Stop Essay

A child beauty pageant is a beauty contest featuring contestants younger than 13 years of age. Divisions include talent, interview, sportswear, casual wear, swim wear, western wear, out-fit of choice, decade wear, and evening wear, typically wearing makeup as well as elaborate hairstyles. The debate about child beauty pageants in Australia is getting particularly ugly. Ever since the US group ‘Universal Royalty Beauty Pageant’ announced plans to hold its first Australian competition in Melbourne, the cries of protest from parent groups, psychologists and children’s rights organisations have been loud and fierce. â€Å"Would you stand your two daughters side by side in the lounge room and tell one of them that she’s more beautiful than the other?† Pull The Pin organiser, Catherine Manning said. For most people that’s a resounding no, and the reason is obviously not just because of the impact you have on the girl that you tell isn’t the most beautiful, but you’re also sending a really strange message to the girl that you tell is the most beautiful. Adolescent and child psychotherapist, Collett Smart, states that â€Å"it’s cruel to judge little girls on their appearance. To say to a young girl, no, you’re not pretty enough.† It’s harmful to a young girl’s self-esteem to tell her that she simply isn’t pretty enough and that’s the only reason she didn’t win the pageant. It starts to lead to three of the most common mental health problems in girls and women; eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression. In 2002, Stacey Weiner conveyed a study for a column she was writing on seventh-grade girls who viewed idolised magazine images of women, reported a drop in body satisfaction and a rise in depression. In 2005, a study conducted by Anna Wonderlich, of the University of Minnesota, eleven women who took part in child beauty pageants were compared to eleven women who did not. The study found pageant contestants score higher on body dissatisfaction, interpersonal distrust and greater impulsiveness. Child psychologist, Dr. Robert Reiner, stated in 2006 that many parents whose children took part in pageants were attempting to live through their young daughters and were often ‘very pushy parents who, for a variety of reasons didn’t get what they wanted when they were children’. In all the studies shown, 1 in 3 professionals all conveyed that child beauty pageants have major impacts on the well-being of these children, from low self-esteem to depression to eating disorders from such a young age. Savanna Jackson made headlines in the Herald Sun on June 7th 2012, because a three-year-old girl should not be allowed to have a spray tan, on a monthly basis. Lauren Jackson, Savanna’s mother, spends roughly $4,670 a month entering Savanna into beauty pageants. Lauren thought that when she reached the age two, that she would start giving Savanna tanning sessions so the other girls wouldn’t have an unfair advantage. Mrs Jackson first entered her daughter into a ‘natural pageant’ at 10 months, which allows little or no make-up. After Savanna won, her mum began entering her into ‘more glamorous’ pageants. She said that Savanna loved the attention and being on stage made her happier than she had ever been before. What more could a parent want for their child than seeing them happy, however, it starts to become a little concerning when Lauren tells the Herald Sun that her three-year-old daughter wears more make up than her 26 year old mother. Karen Nussbaum, a member from Minor Consideration, a non-profit foundation to give guidance and to support young performers, says that most stage mothers claim their child wanted to enter the pageant on their own. Do children under the age of 10 really know what is best for them? For example, in 1996, 7 year old Jessica Duboff died when her parents let her fly a plane across the country just because she wanted to do it. The Universal Royalty Beauty Pageant, made famous in the reality TV show Toddlers & Tiaras, is travelling from Texas this month so Australian children can compete in formal wear, photogenic and congeniality contests. A controversial article published by the ABC on April 6, 2012 by Stephanie Corsetti, interviews Australia MP’s and gets their opinions. Federal Labour MP Anna Burke is supporting the private members bill and calling for a national ban on the event. Anna says â€Å"dressing them up, fake tans, fake teeth known as flippers, even fake books and bums on three-year-olds is a bit of a ridiculous situation.† It makes us start questioning; do we actually want to promote this in Australia? Promoting something that is not emotionally and mentally stable for young people especially children under the age of 10. In another perspective, for those who believe child beauty pageants should not be banned, owner of Universal Royalty Beauty Pageants, Annette Hill, stated â€Å"if you are looking at children in a sexual way, you should be ashamed of yourself and something is wrong with you. It’s all about a beautiful dress, a beautiful child with lots of personality performing on stage.’ Brendan O’Neill wrote an opinion piece published by the ABC on August 4, 2011 which stated â€Å"the pageant-bashers see SEX, a little whore, a walking, talking temptation for the predatory paedophiles who apparently lurk in every street and alleyway in Australia.† There needs to be a limit on these horrendous child beauty pageants. Change the age to at least 13/14 years old or limit the amount of make-up used etc. That is approach Sally Belinda Broad took. Direct of Australian Kids Pageants. â€Å"our events are ‘natural’ pageants where anything fake is disallowed and age appropriate appearance and performance is encouraged.†