Monday, September 30, 2019

The Truth And Nothing But The Truth? The Legal Liability Of Employers For Employee References Essay

Negligent Referral Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Common law refers to a legal system native and developed in England and in which court decisions set precedence in decreeing case laws subject to usages and customs rather than the codified written laws. In common law, the duty of care refers to a legal obligation in which an individual is demanded to confirm to a standard and degree of reasonable care while undertaking any activity that could inflict foreseeable harm to others (Martin & Jonathon, 2009). This concept was developed by Lord Atkins and it set pace for determination of Tort Laws and especially negligence. For instance, employers are bound by law to observe standards of procedures in referring their former employees to other employers such that the other employer does not suffer (MacLeod, 2011). This paper explores the liability of the employer in making references about his or her employees in common laws, duty of care.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Business corporations today are afraid of providing their former employees’ information to prospective employers for fear of possible lawsuits. Often, the human resource department strongly fears these suits that they result to strong policies against employment references. However, the question of this action as to being the â€Å"best practice† substantially differs between one episode and another (MacIntyre, 2013). Essentially, the liability of employers may arise in any of the following four areas. Firstly, the employer may be liable for defamation at common la. Secondly, the employer may be bound for invading on the privacy of their employees at common law. Thirdly, the Civil Rights Acts, and the retaliation under the Fair Employment Act may deem the employer liable (Adams, 2013). Finally, the common law may fault the employer liable for negligent referral or in breach of the duty to warn potential and subsequent employe rs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The employer’s liability in negligent referrals of their employees arises from the doctrine of vicarious liability. Under this doctrine, a person is assigned liability due to inflicted harm or injury by a negligent person subject to their relationship to the negligent person. Vicarious liability is also known as imputed negligence (Finch & Fafinski, 2011). This doctrine is based on the theory of respondeat superior where â€Å"let the master answer† situation answers. For this liability to arise, the employee’s negligence must have occurred within the boundaries of his or her employment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Legislation to the employer’s liability on employee referrals was sustained in reaction to the defamation privileges claims emanating from employment references. According to Section 895.487(2), it is presumed that an employer’s response to a reference request is made in good faith. Therefore, it is immune to civil liability that may arise from provision of the reference to a prospective employer (Middlemiss, 2011). The good faith presumption, however, may be invalidated or expired if the reference response provided clearly convinces malice and falsehood by the employer. In addition, the presumption expires when the reference response is made in contravention of the blacklisting statute.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Employer reference liability was first decreed in the Gibson v. Overnite Transportation Co. In this case, the plaintiff, Gibson became harassed by union supporters in crossing a picket line aimed at completing his work assignment (Partington, 2011). Consequently, he resigned from Overnite Transportation falsely on grounds that he was going to help in his ailing grandfather’s company. However, the plaintiff was hired by another trucking corporation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Overnite Transportation responded to reference and the plaintiff was fired. He sued Overnite Transportation for defamation. The grand jury ruled that the previous supervisor acted maliciously and was hence liable for defamation. The jury awarded the plaintiff a compensatory damage of $33,000 for lost wages and punitive damages to the tune of $250,000. The appeal chambers upheld the award.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Court Of Appeals sent some light on the proof needed to convincingly establish defamation in employment references responses under the auspices of section 895.487(2) (Partington, 2011). According to the court, the plaintiff is burdened with proving that the employer’s response to a reference inquiry was made out of hatred, bad intent, ill will, envy, revenge, spite or other bad motive in regard to the defamed person (Finch & Fafinski, 2011). Therefore, it was not necessary to prove that the employer acted indeed, with actual malice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Additionally, the employer maybe held liable for negligent referral or duty to warn prospective employers. This doctrine holds that an employer may be held liable or answerable for providing misrepresentation (Middlemiss, 2011). That is untrue reference information or omission of knowledge of the criminal propensities and dangerousness of its former employee. Most recent cases adopted general non legal obligation to warn potential employers about dangerous former employees as was held in the priest abuse scandal (Riches, Allen & Keenan, 2011). However, there are no clear and uniform rules derailing the liability of the employer to third parties with regard to referring former employees who are known to be dangerous to other employers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the priest abuse scandal, multiple victims of the priest’s abuse scandal sued the diocese, a former employer of the priest for allegedly â€Å"knowing the priests potentiality to abuse children sexually and failing to referring him to the police or preventing further atrocities†. The court commented that doing so aggravated vast obligation overly exceeding the state and other jurisdictions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In recent years, courts gave decreed in favor of the universities in liability lawsuits. As was held in the Bradshaw vs. Rowling, â€Å"students now demand and receive expanded privacy rights in their life at college†. The college administrators no longer have control over the wide berthed arena and hence colleges and universities are not bound to the negligent liability clauses (Finch & Fafinski, 2011). In recent cases, the courts have held no liability subsists for the University for failing to observe the duty to warn. In the 2007Virginia Tech Ruling, the courts held that there was no special relationship subsisting between the university and the students to impose corresponding responsibility (Parry & Parry, 2009). In addition, the court clarified that even if there was a special relationship, the provided evidence failed to give rise to a duty of warning third parties of the criminal acts. However, mental and health specialists attached to a university are obliged to warn potential victims of dangerous and violent students as well as the police of the impeding danger. References Adams, A. (2013). Law for business students (7th ed.). Harlow: Pearson/Longman. (2010). Duty To Warn Third Parties. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 2(3), 235-236. (2010). Employers’ Liability At The Docks.. The Lancet, 142(3664), 1268-1269. Finch, E., & Fafinski, S. (2011). Legal skills (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. MacIntyre, E. (2013). Business law (6th ed.). Harlow, England: Pearson Longman. MacLeod, I. (2011). Legal method (8th ed ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Martin, E. A., & Jonathon, L. (2009). A dictionary of law (7th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Middlemiss, S. (2011). The Truth And Nothing But The Truth? The Legal Liability Of Employers For Employee References. Industrial Law Journal, 33(1), 59-67. Parry, G., & Parry, A. M. (1999). Randi W. V. Muroc Joint Unified School District 1997: Implications For Employer Liability In Employment References. Education and the Law, 11(4), 287-294. Partington, M. (2011). Introduction to the English legal system. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Original work published 6th) Riches, S., Allen, V., & Keenan, D. J. (2011). Keenan and Riches’ business law (11th ed.). Harlow, England: Pearson/Longman. Source document

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Critically Discuss the Contribution of the Work of Frederick W. Taylor

Grey offers a number of opinions on management thought in his book â€Å"A Very Short Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book about Studying Organisations† (2009). He outlines his opinions through a number of themes within the book such as looking at bureaucracy and scientific management together, his views on human relations theory (HRT) and its links with people management, the theme of organization culture and post-bureaucracy and how it is effecting change management.The final theme I will discuss in my essay is fast capitalism and how it is ending management. While looking at the themes I will also be evaluating Grey’s arguments within them and try to relate them where applicable to Wren and Bedeian’s book â€Å"The Evolution of Management Thought† (2009). Grey views on bureaucracy are that he sees it as a highly efficient way of management in this book bureaucracy is not seen as red tape but a management type as put forward by Weber whereby rule s and regulation are used to become as efficient as possible. Relevant materials: Scientific Management Theory in NursingGrey tells us how Weber saw an emergence of an ideal called â€Å"rational legal authority† (Grey, 2009). Grey tells us how rationality links with bureaucracy using a number of examples such as formal or instrumental rationality the idea of this is to adopt a means to meet and end using the most efficient way possible. Grey uses an excellent example to illustrate this being the Nazi Holocaust it is as Grey (2009) says the extreme application of bureaucratic logic. It operated under a set of rules which were applied impersonally.This allowed it to be unbelievably efficient. Grey’s ideas on bureaucracy are linked to the ideas explored in Wren and Bedeian’s â€Å"The Evolution of Management Thought† (2009) both books emphasise how Weber did not mean red tape when he said bureaucracy, they also share similar views of the disadvantages of bureaucracy such as how workers will work to the rules and theref ore know exactly what they must do to stay in the job or to achieve something Grey’s view on scientific management as put forward by Taylor is that his ideas still define management today.The real leap for scientific management as explained by Grey (2009) was the use of it by Henry Ford the man who made Ford cars. He employed scientific management within his factory to increase efficiency and it did so hugely. Grey also recognises the problems caused by Taylor’s ideas. Such as the many strikes by workers as it left the workers with less power and the managers with all the power, one of the main problems with it as explained by Grey (2009) is it eroded working onditions, reduced autonomy and threatened unemployment. I feel that Grey’s view here focuses too much on the problems caused by scientific management he does give a few advantages of it but he doesn’t emphasise enough how scientific management really revolutionised the way in which factories and com panies operated such as how using Taylor’s ideas on scientific management thought companies such as General Motors and Du Pont have become two of the biggest corporations in the world thanks to it.Wren and Bedeian share similar views to Grey on scientific management however I feel they show more admiration for it when they say how scientific management paved the way forward for subsequent management development (Wren and Bedeian 2009). Grey (2009) expresses his view many people see scientific management as the bad guy and human relations theory (HRT) as the good guy. I agree with this and Grey uses the Hawthorne experiment example which I feel expresses this view correctly and helped me understand the inefficiency’s caused by HRT.He tells us of an experiment in a bank wiring room where workers were producing electrical components and rather than produce at maximum output which would earn them a bonus they choose to produce at a lower level. This was due to informal nor ms set around the workplace such as peer pressure and an unofficial gang leader. This shows us that the informal side of an organisation to some is more important than the formal side. This shows how HRT can be seen as inefficient as and not always better than scientific management.This can be linked to Wren and Bedeian’s (2009) conclusions drawn from the Hawthorne Studies, they conclude that these experiments showed us that workers were not driven only by money but also by social factors which can lead to increased and decreased productivity. People management and HRT are very similar in my opinion as HRT is the way in which we manage people. It is important for people to see a manager as someone who helps people and not just a person who exploits someone to get the best work out of them.Grey (2009) gives an example of how HRT has changed the way we view managers by using a son and father conversation. The child asks his dad what he does and he replies how he exploits people and dehumanises them by making them work as hard as possible. Under HRT thought he replies how he helps people and makes unhappy people see that he cares about them. This example by Grey is exceptional in my opinion and to me it personifies what HRT and people management is; it is type of thought whereby the manager’s aim is to care for and motivate his workers.The view of the manager is undeniably hugely important to motivating workers as if they are seen as caring and helpful it acts as an incentive to workers to work harder this view is also shared in Wren and Bedeian (2009) where they say the significance of effective supervision in maintaining employee’s productivity and job satisfaction is huge. Grey’s (2009) view on organisation culture is that its aim is to intervene and regulate being so that there is no distance between individual’s purpose and those of the organisation for which they work.I agree with what Grey is saying here organisation cult ure to me is simply making an organisation a place where the worker feels completely comfortable and for the worker to feel proud to work for the company. An example of this I can relate to is the bank RBS having done work experience with them I now understand how they create organisation culture. On all their leaflets, cards and employee videos they try to show their core values and company slogans to create a good organisation culture. Grey argues that managers who try to change organisation culture are completely unrealistic.I agree with what Grey says here as the example he uses shows us how it is not possible. He cites an experiment carried out by Ogbonna and Wilkinson (1988) where a supermarket told all its employees to make customer service their prime focus by smiling all the time and to make them feel valued. The study results showed they obeyed superficially because they knew they were being watched but they didn’t mean their shows of friendliness. This may seem lik e they are carrying out the organisation culture but actually they have failed as they don’t actually believe in it.In relation to Wren and Bedeian’s view on organisation culture differs to that of Grey they see it as more innocent and with less scepticism than Grey does. They (Wren and Bedeian 2009) believe technology, economics and political facets provide the framework for organisation culture. Wren and Bedeian don’t go into the areas that Grey goes into when discussing organisation culture such as how management tries to change organisation as I have discussed already. Grey (2009) argues that post-bureaucracy can and should be mocked.He gives examples of studies which have been carried out to show that it is a flimsy thought. He cites a study by Paul Thompson who used aggregate statistical evidence and individual cases to prove that job structures and work experience are mostly unchanged by the post-bureaucratic revolution. This study was similar to that of Delbridge (1998) who studied two factories one which had all the paraphernalia of a post-bureaucratic workplace and one which did not. He concluded that both still shared very similar forms of working.I agree with what Grey is saying here as if you walk into a workplace today such as a factory the methods of management are still evident of the bureaucracy model and yes there is some evidence of post-bureaucracy but not enough to claim it’s a new era of post-bureaucracy. On the theme of change management Grey (2009) argues that is almost always fails. He supports his claim using the example of total quality management (TQM) which is implemented for the first time in a certain industry. One organisation may adopt it and then others will see it and decide to adopt it to.Now no one has a competitive advantage and there is a conveyer effect where by the companies now want a new method and therefore change. This claim by Grey in my opinion is correct change management doesn’ t work as for it to work something has to be applicable from one industry to another but change management fails at this. Grey (2009) however does admit that post-bureaucracy and change management cannot be ignored and that it is a huge part of society today as they have a huge hold over the managerial role in today’s world. Grey (2009) tells us how the post-bureaucracy and change management attract huge attention in the media today.He gives us the example of policies past by the British Government in which all are based on post-bureaucracy. Grey (2009) says how it is now assumed that for an economy to do well it must be purged of bureaucracy and open to change. I agree with what he has said here all we here about in today’s news is the need to change everything and for rules and regulations to be got rid of. However all we have to look at is the current economic climate to show us what happened when there was less bureaucracy and lots of change. People took advantage of it and we are now stuck in a recession for a number of years because of it.To show what fast capitalism is Grey (2009) uses the United Kingdom as an example and many of the companies within it such as Jaguar, P&O and Body Shop what all these companies have in common is they once used to be British owned now however they are owned by international companies or consortia. This shows us how Britain has taken on the idea of fast capitalism this however can lead to problems whereby the international companies who buy these smaller firms most of the time only see the financial value of them and not what the company may offer to a community with generations of families who have worked in the same business.This can lead to employees not feeling the need to work as hard as now they are working for an international company and therefore in my opinion inefficiency will begin to take place. The argument that fast capitalism is failing and problematic is put forward by Grey (2009) using the e xample of the bank Northern Rock who began by simply taking in deposits from savers and lending to borrowers for house purchases. In 1997 they choose a new more risky route whereby they raised money by through short term borrowing on financial markets.They also began to give loans to those who had poor credit history and they didn’t take in their account to pay them back. This was all well and good until 2007 when poor credit risks and the inability to get short term funds caused the bank to nearly collapse with customers going to the banks to take out all their money. The bank was then nationalised in 2008. This story shows me how fast capitalism failed as those who ran Northern Rock tried to adopt a new style of management and thought within the business to keep up with fast moving capitalism and in the long run their ideas failed leaving the customers and shareholders to suffer greatly.Grey (2009) puts forward the argument that management is ending. He explores this idea u sing a number of examples. The example which explores it best is the one about the study he carried out with a number of colleagues on a set of managers. They interviewed them and none of them described themselves as managers. When ask why they didn’t they all said it was an overused word which didn’t denote any real seniority in today’s workforce and secondly they felt the word had a meaning of someone who was inflexible and bureaucratic. This was not to say the end of management just it has become a somewhat meaningless word.The final thought Grey (2009) has on this is that managers might be coming to an end but management itself is not and it is constantly evolving and I whole heartedly agree with this point that it is simply changing constantly. Overall I feel that the themes in Grey’s book â€Å"A Very Short Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book about Studying Organisations† (2009) which range from looking at bureaucracy and scientific management together to his views on human relations theory (HRT) and its links with people management and the theme of organization culture and post-bureaucracy and how it is effecting change management.To the final one which I have explored; fast capitalism and end management have provided me with an insight into Grey’s thoughts on management and the arguments he has put forward about it. I also feeling my reading of this book has allowed me to relate it where applicable to Wren and Bedeian’s â€Å"The Evolution of Management Thought† (2009) and allowed me to compare some of the older views on management within this book to the more modern ones explored by Grey. However I do believe that Grey’s book is far more concise than Wren and Bedeian’s which I feel is too long winded and less interesting than Grey’s.Bibliography: Grey, C. (2009). A Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book about Studying Organizations. London, Sage. De lbridge, R. (1998) â€Å"Life on the Line in Contemporary Manufacturing† Oxford: Oxford University Press, Ogbonna, E. and Wilkinson, B. (1988) â€Å"Corporate Strategy and Corporate Culture: The View from the Checkout† Personnel Review, Vol. 19 Iss: 4, pp. 9 – 15 Wren, Daniel A . Bedeian Arthur G. December 2008,  ©2009. â€Å"The Evolution of Management Thought. 6th Edition†. USA: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Psychology of Evil, Psychological theories to explain the human Essay

Psychology of Evil, Psychological theories to explain the human capacity for evil, Social Psychology and the Holocaust - Essay Example Maintaining the fabric of society to a large part depends on obedience of the citizens. Laws laid down by authority encourage obedience, required for harmonious communal living. But as experiments have shown, obedience is a deeply powerful ingrained behavior stemming from childhood that appears to override moral conduct, ethical training and sympathy. Experimental results indicate that individuals can very easily submit their entire moral standings to an authority. They may do just about anything to please the authority even when their internal moral gauge tells them that their actions are wrong. Conducted at Yale University between 1961 – 1962, Milgram’s experiments involved three participants – two individuals and the experimenter. The two individuals enter a psychological lab to study memory and learning. Each has a designation; one is the â€Å"teacher†, the other a â€Å"learner† (Milgram 1974). The experimenter explains that the study aims to observe the effects of punishment on learning. The learner, who in actuality is an actor working for the experimenter, is led to a room and seated in a minor version of the electric chair. An electrode is attached to his wrist. The experimenter explains that he will be read a list of word pairs and then tested for his ability to recall a word pair upon hearing the first word. If he fails to remember the associated word or answers wrongly he will receive increasingly intensities of electric shocks. The teacher is led to another room housing an instrument console with thirty lever switches labeled with a voltage designation ranging from 14 to 450 volts along with word designations such as slight shock, moderate shock, strong shock, very strong shock, intense shock, extreme intensity shock, sever shock for groups of four switches. When a switch is depressed, the corresponding

Friday, September 27, 2019

Religious Liberty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Religious Liberty - Essay Example It is, therefore, the very first amendment, introduced in the constitution in 1791, provides an absolute and unrestricted religious freedom to the masses, where the followers of all faiths are declared free to perform their religious practices without any prohibition, interference or restrictions from the state or government altogether. The first amendment in the US constitution states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble...† Runquist (2007) observes that the first clause prohibits the government from establishing a religion (including preferring one religion over another or over no religion). The second clause guarantees the free exercise of religion. Father of the US nation, George Washington, hand-wrote in his own personal prayer book that it is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and th e Bible (Judiciary House, 2011). Hence, the Americans are free to attend churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples without any checks on their religious performances from the state as well as from their religious opponents and rival communities. Religion can rightly be stated as one of the most fundamental elements of human life. Though it is a diversified subject, and thousands of faiths exist in the world, yet believe in the supernatural and metaphysical powers is common in all cultures of the world. An overwhelming majority of the people at global scale maintain that some Supreme Being certainly exists in the universe, which could solve all their difficulties and problems, and can protect them from the disasters and calamities they themselves are unable to combat with. Consequently, people develop emotional attachments with the deity they adore and do not allow any type of hindrance or obstacle that could stop them from displaying their sincere compliance, reverence, and worship to the deity. History is replete with the examples of horrible wars fought in the name of religion, which resulted in heavy and irreparable losses in men and material. Adherence to the religious teachings is not confined to one single community or social class only; rather, it is equally popular among the rich and poor and the strong and weak. It is, therefore, George W. Bush (2001) had declared the war of terrorism as the continuity of the crusade wars fought by the Christians against the Muslims in the medieval times. Judis (2005) submits to state that in putting forth his foreign policy, George W. Bush speaks of the United States having a calling or mission that has come from the Maker of Heaven. Thus, the religion is central in the life of the American people; it is therefore 79% of the population openly declares it as the follower of various Christian factions. Keeping in view all these facts and realities, along with the mental condition and sentiment of the people behind the m, the founder-leaders of the USA decided to offer unrestricted religious liberty to the masses in order to avoid and escape any unpleasant state of affairs for the future years to come. I

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Preservation of Justice as the Power to Rightness Essay

Preservation of Justice as the Power to Rightness - Essay Example In the fall off the devil, Anselm says the angels that did not fall are free, and yet cannot sin. This proves that to Anselm, freedom construes the right, and ability to act in the right reason, or meaning having the right intention that cannot lead to sin. In this paper I will review the validity of Anselm’s argument in the statement that â€Å"after Satan fell, the angels that did not fall are free and yet cannot sin.† First I will evaluate Anselm’s view relating to the nature of God, secondly, I will review Anselm’s argument concerning, being and the essence of being. This will then lead to the relation between ‘being,’ and preservation of good and evil, evaluating how a being is regarded to be good or evil as related to act and intention of such a being. Finally I will evaluate the dilemma concerning freedom of choice, which will be essential in proving the hypothesis above. In Anselm's argument on free will, God, angels and humans are con sidered as rational beings able make viable decisions. Anselm view justice as the ability to will what one ought to will, meaning they possessed justice in willing what they ought to will, and sine they were rational beings, the good angles had the potential to sin, but refrained form it by choice. The essence of any being is to obtained justice by wiling what they ought to will; just as the good angels refrained from sin. ... er He has, and all other things have something only from him, and just as they have from themselves only nothing, so they have from him only something† (Anselm, 216). Anselm argues that everything has its essence through God, and nothing exists devoid of his power and will. This affirms the importance of ‘will’ in any action. God having been the first being to will implies that any subsequent rational beings have to share this quality. God being the absolute rational being, could only have created other rational beings in his own image, meaning that as God has freedom to will, only so could other rational beings be created. God has imparted the freedom to choose in all rational beings. Secondly, Anselm elaborates on the will and freedom of God to create and preserve any being. God is responsible for being, and what ‘is’ as He conserves in existence what’ is’. Every being is, because it was created by God, and He conserves it in existence. The theme of conservation in this case is responsible for the state of everything which is, without which a being cannot be. â€Å"But if you consider existing things: when they pass to not being, God does not cause them not to be†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. But also being cannot remain how it was made except by his conserving† (Anselm, 217). It is through conservation that a being is, without which the being would return to not being. Ekenberg (17) further elaborates this notion by arguing that God is only a cause of what is, not of ‘what is not.’ God according to Anselm cannot make something not to be, but by removing his conserving over the being, such a being automatically returns where it belonged to; in not being. Therefore, God’s will is positive and not meant to destroy; though God has freedom to preserve that which He wills.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

List of countries for Obscure Country Project Research Paper

List of countries for Obscure Country Project - Research Paper Example It was in this year that the country gained independence from Ethiopia. The independence was the resultant of a referendum in which nearly 100 percent of Eritreans advocated separation from Ethiopia. Long before this in the year 1890 Eritrea fell under the colonial rule of Italy. Becoming a province of Italian East Africa in the year 1936. The Ethiopian forces joined hands with the Britishers to expel the Italians from the country and took over its charge in the year 1941. The British rule over the state under the UN Mandate continued for almost ten years. Eritrea was given solely under the federation of Ethiopia after this. Independence from this rule has given rise to the present day Eritrea. The territory of Eritrea has come under disputes even after its independence. A dispute over Hanish Islands and fishing rights in the Red Sea erupted with the country of Yemen in the year 1995. This conflict was resolved after the intrusion of UN. Both the countries complied with the organizat ion’s verdict. In the year 1998 a territorial conflict erupted with Ethiopia. A ceasefire in the year 2000 was followed by an arbitration decision made by a boundary commission that represented both the countries. This decision has not been implemented upon as yet and thus the conflict has remained unresolved to date. Since the year 2005 3,300 troupes have been deployed at the mutual border of both the countries by the UN over a span of 25km on the Eritrean land. (History of the Nations). GEOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HABITAT The location of Eritrea is 15 °Ã‚  N; 39 °Ã‚  E. The neighboring nations of Eritrea are Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan. The coastline of t state is 1151 km long. The borders that connect the neighboring nations have the following lengths: With Ethiopia the border length is 912 km the border length with Djibouti is 113 km and finally that with Sudan is 605km. The sea limit that comes under the territory of Eritrea is 12 km long. The sea that this country border s is the Red Sea. The Total area of the country is 124,320 square kilometers. The time zone of the nations of 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. The topography of the country can be divided into the broad categories of an arid narrow lowland strip along the red sea, the north-central region (this region is an extension of the Ethiopian Plateau and is dissected by rivers valleys) and the plains on the west that border Sudan. The highest point in the Country’s physical region is at Emba Soira. The lowest point of the terrain is in Denakil Depression which is along the Red Sea. At some places, this depression is 130 km below sea level. (MongaBay 2006). The major rivers of the country include Setit River. This river comes into Eritrea after passing through Ethiopia and then passes onto Sudan later on. There are other rivers as well but they are usually dried and live only in the rainy season. Names of these rivers include Anseba, Barka and Mareb. Its inhabitants are racially, culturally and linguistically Tigrayan. The population of the country reaced 4.3 million in the year 2004. These statistics are in accordance with the studies of the UN. Nearly 120,000 Eritreans are living as refugees in the state of Sudan. About 20 percent of the country’s population lives in the urban areas while the rest of them reside in the rural areas. RESOURCES The natural resources of the nation include  precious elements and minerals like copper, salt, gold, potash, zinc. (Eritrea Economic Statistics and Indicators 2011). Natural

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Quitting Smoking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quitting Smoking - Essay Example One of the major reasons for reverting back to smoking is that it has become a source of leisure time for me and an excuse to get outside the house for a breath of fresh air, a walk around the block or to the store. Still, the endeavors of quitting smoking have been a result of the realization of the financial, as well as the health problems related to it. The cost of a cigarette pack may seem trivial to an occasional smoker but the small amount of $7 tends to have a significant effect on the budget of a serious smoker who has greater consumption than an occasional one. Alongside the monetary effect of the addiction, smoking tends to increase one’s chances of getting cancer. It is usually witnessed that some instances prove to be life altering and compel the individual to adopt different paths. One such incident also took place in my life that made me realize that the harmful habit of smoking tends to effect the smoker, as well as the people around him. This notion was realized when I had to face the dilemma of having a 17 year old move into my mother’s house. His transition into my mother’s house not only meant that a teenager was being exposed to smoking all the time, it also brought up the situation in which he wanted me to sponsor his smoking. When this occurrence was revealed to my sister, she was very concerned about her son’s well being and disappointed in me for being an unconstructive influence on her son’s life. After suffering ethical issues and disappointment from my family, I finally took the decision of quitting smoking and trying to relieve myself from its addiction. Alongside making the decision of quitting smoking, I encouraged my nephew to quit too but my nephew turned a deaf ear to all of my reasoning of quitting smoking. My decision also proved to come in between my relationship with him since our common ground of communication had disappeared. Still, I stayed persistent and

Monday, September 23, 2019

One Water, Sanjeev Chatterjee Water Project Essay

One Water, Sanjeev Chatterjee Water Project - Essay Example One Water A concern demanding worldwide attention regarding the worldwide deficiency prompted Professor Sanjeev Chatterjee to initiate an international campaign aimed at providing a solution to the emasculating endangerment of freshwater. Professor Sanjeev went ahead to propose an initiative in the university of Miami, later writing the movie One Water that highlights the endeavors communities make in trying to sustain their water needs. The theme of the movie is based on the effects that lead to the detriment of water bodies that provide clean ample water, which comes from the effects of industrialization and globalization such as pollution, heightening drought levels among others. The heart of the movie lies not only on water necessity as a physical need but also on the spiritual and physical significance of water. Professor Sanjeev elaborates on certain number key aspects that portray the need set theme of the movie. The initiative creation was geared by the Miami university campa ign through a documentation that heeds to employ the art of film to create awareness on the face of the world. The success of the documentary was immense bearing recognition from certain water deficiency stricken nations including South Africa, Columbia, India and Bahrain. This demonstration aids in the awareness for a number of remedial steps that should be emulated to secure and protect the water resources now present, while avoiding their demise. At the screening of the movie One Water, professor Sanjeev expressed the basic message of the movie â€Å"One Water was conceived as a wake-up call to the global crisis of provisioning of safe potable water in a visually compelling way.† What are the Physical and Spiritual Aspects of Water? Water in different communities holds different importance and views. The physical aspects of water are quite elaborate and are wide all over the world. Besides quenching thirst, it is used in all aspects of life. In reference to the movie, ther e are quite number of scenes that show the desperation in many as they struggle getting ample potable water for consumption. The sense in portraying the physical aspect of water is that it holds the sustainability of life. Water is life (UNESCO). In the Buddhist religion, water is a vital aspect of their religion. Buddhists use water as a purifier of objects. Aside from providing spiritual cleanliness, it also provides the physical cleanliness. Different religions have different significance of water. The Buddhists hold significance in water during the burial ceremony of an individual, symbolizing the spiritual endowment willed to the departed in the life after. The Christian aspect of water likens believing of the living water to the promise of a life in heaven. The core of Christian faith is Jesus, who was baptized in the river Jordan by john the Baptist. This attribute has built the foundation for the baptismal ground of the Christian faith. In the catholic and other Christian fa ith, the baptism rite is only valid if there is the use of water as a sign of the union with the Almighty. Additionally, jesus regards Himself as the living water, pointing out the importance of water in life. Hinduism rewards water with the power to cleanse all things. In the Hindu religion, there are seven rivers that are considered the backbone water importance

Sunday, September 22, 2019

A Vindication of the rights of Woman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

A Vindication of the rights of Woman - Essay Example omen’s social status elevated to the point, where women could partake in all aspects of life, while maintaining family life which she did not belittle. The main argument in the Vindication is that current educational and ethical principles on which society is based are utterly erroneous, and instead of enhancing overall development and growth these principles endanger society’s morality. In her concept of moral behavior, Mary Wollstonecraft embedded the â€Å"revolution† in manners and education to ensure that women develop their rationality and intellectual powers, rendering them worthy citizens, entitled to the â€Å"inherent rights of mankind† (Wollstonecraft, 175). Through the analogous use of the â€Å"Rights of Man,† rhetorically epitomized during the French Revolution, Wollstonecraft demanded that women be freed from â€Å"all restraint,† properly educated, and made participants in the â€Å"virtuous equality† of a just civilization (Wollstonecraft, 141, 175). The moral system of Wollstonecraft is largely based on the principle of judicial and intellectual equality of men and women, as she points out: â€Å"To render also the social compact truly equitable, and in order to spread those enlightening principles, which alone can ameliorate the fate of man, women must be allowed to found their virtue on knowledge, which is scar cely possible unless they be educated by the same pursuits as men† (Wollstonecraft, 173). This statement on equal intellectual opportunities should be understood through the perspective that any woman writing on the improvement of women in the later 18th century inevitably interested a conversation dominated by men, a so called â€Å"male-dominated philosophic discourse† (Finke, 20), that obliged her to contend with the discrete and nuanced discourses established by philosophers, political theorists, didactic writers, among others on the subject of women’s role in society. That is the main reason why Mary Wollstonecraft emphasized

Saturday, September 21, 2019

White Privilege And Male Privilege Essay Example for Free

White Privilege And Male Privilege Essay Peggy McIntosh is an American feminist and she is also an anti-racist activist of The United States of America. Peggy McIntosh is also the associate director of the Wellesley Centers for Women, a speaker and the founder and co-director of the National S.E.E.D. Project on Inclusive Curriculum which is basically the seeking of educational equity and diversity. Peggy McIntosh’s area of expertise is feminism and racism. She deals with equality in society and political world for women. She fights for the equal rights of women as the same rights as men. She also expertizes in the field of racism. According to Peggy McIntosh, whites are taught not to recognize the white privileges and that is why she started to ask what it was like to have these white privileges in life and then she started to write this article on her personal observations and experiences. The article, â€Å"White privilege and male privilege† is based on Peggy McIntosh’s daily experience within a particular circumstance. White Privilege means that the advantages that white people enjoy in society that people of other color cannot enjoy. It is bound to only the white people and it is beyond the people of color in the same society, politics or economic places. It sometimes said to be the advantages that white people have but they do not realize that they have it. According to Peggy McIntosh, she says in her article, â€Å"White Privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, assurances, tools, maps, guides, codebooks, passports, visas, clothes compass, emergency gear and blank checks† (White Privilege and Male Privilege, Peggy McIntosh, 95). Basically, white privilege is the privilege that white people have only not people of other race or color. Peggy McIntosh says that white privilege is an indivisible knapsack. She tries to imply that these privileges are not equally distributed among people of different race and color and to be more specific these are such privilege s that sometimes even the white people are unaware of it just as if these privileges were invisible to them. On this topic, Minnich said that white people are taught to think that their life is morally neutral, normal and average and that people work to benefit others. This is what Minnich said about this topic in Peggy’s article that white people think that they work to benefit others. Peggy McIntosh, in her article talked about the white privileges of people in daily circumstances. She wrote about some of her own experiences. According to me, the most striking ones among all of the effects emphasized by Peggy are that white people can go shopping anytime anywhere without having the fear of being followed and harassed by some detectives, white people can turn on the television or turn the papers of the newspaper and proudly see their race being represented with positive attitudes, white people can be casual if they want to or not want to listen to the speech of the person of another race. White people may use either checks, credit card or cash but in the counters, no one will tell t hem anything about their financial background. Some of the other daily effects that were most striking to me were that white people can swear, dress up as they want, and also even if they did not answer any letters, they would not be called illiterate or that they have bad morals. White people can criticize the government whenever they want to without being said anything to them or even the white people can attend the meetings late without anyone telling them anything about their race. Basically, white people have a lot of privilege and they can do almost anything they want to do. Peggy McIntosh says in her article that white people and also male controls almost everything. She says that they have control over the daily life and they dominate the world. She tells us that being privileged may mean something that almost everything in this world want and I agree with Peggy McIntosh because everyone in this world want to be privileged. But, sometimes privilege might mean the power that someone has to do something which people from other sex are not allowed to do. And also at times, because of the race and sex of people, they are empowered and Peggy McIntosh refers to this as conferred dominance in her article. Peggy also talks about unearned entitlement and this basically means that people may be because of their race or sex are entitled to something and they earn it by birth. They do not have to work to earn it because it is already theirs. They do not need to earn it since it is already belonged to them. According to me, after reading this article by Peggy McIntosh, white people have a lot of power in the United States of America. White people and also males dominate the society and people from other races or sex cannot do anything about it. It is how the things were and it is how it will go on. People tells us that racism is over but it is there in America maybe not shown but it is there hidden. White people still have hatred for other races in themselves but they just learnt a way to hide it and deal with it. White people enjoy a lot of benefits that people that belong to other races or sex or color do not enjoy. Some of these benefits are not even known to the whites. They may not eve n know about it but still enjoy it. Works Cited Kleiner, A. (2003). Who really matters: the core group theory of power, privilege, and success. Doubleday, Random House Inc. Sergiovanni, T. (1999). Building community in schools. Jossey-Bass Inc. McIntosh, Peggy (1988). White Privilege and Male Privilege, A personal account of coming to see Correspondences through work in women’s studies.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Advantages Of Semisynthetic Penicillins Biology Essay

Advantages Of Semisynthetic Penicillins Biology Essay Introduction Amoxycillin is a semisynthetic ÃŽ ²-lactam antibiotic derived from a common chemical nucleus of naturally occurring Penicillin G, 6-aminopenicillanic acid. Vital to Amoxycillins biological effects is the ÃŽ ²-lactam ring contained within this nucleus. Amoxicillin is bacteriolytic and bacteriocidal to susceptible gram positive and gram negative microbacteria. Today, amoxicillin is the 9th most prescribed drug in the world. Penicillin discovery Up until the early 1900s, the only treatment for bacterial infection was antiseptic which was only useful for surface wounds. In 1928, Alexander Fleming made a momentous albeit accidental discovery in St Marys Hospital in London. He noticed that a Staphylococci plate being grown in culture had been contaminated with mould of the species Penicillium notatum and that this had resulted in the inhibition of bacterial growth in the vicinity of the mould. Fleming subsequently isolated the mould and formulated an antibacterial mould broth. In 1938 at Oxford, Howard Florey and his biochemist Ernst Chain extracted penicillin from the mould and established that it was nontoxic and had chemotherapeutic effects. In 1941 an injectable form of penicillin became available for therapeutic use Advantageous of Semisynthetic Penicillins Penicillin G (naturally occurring) is poorly stable in gastric acid and broken down rapidly as it passes through the stomach. Therefore, Penicillin G must be given intramuscularly which limits its usefulness. Semisynthetic penicillins such as Amoxycillin with increased oral bioavailability were a major advancement in therapeutic antibiotics. Furthermore, while aminopenicillins and natural penicillins have similar efficacy against gram positive bacteria, semisynthetic aminopenicillins (such as Amoxycillin) are more active against certain strains of gram negative rods. Amoxycillin Discovery In Beecham Laboratories in 1957, 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) was isolate from penicillin. Through chemical modification of the ÃŽ ²-lactam thiazolidine ring side chains semisynthetic penicillins were developed. In 1961, Ampicillin was created which was quickly followed in 1964 by the introduction of a Ï -hydroxyl group in Ampicillins side chain creating amoxycillin. Amoxycillin was found to have improved absorption following oral administration and 2-2.5 times greater plasma concentrations compared to an equivalent dose of Ampicillin. In 1967 Beecham laboratories discovered that the susceptibility of Amoxycillin to ÃŽ ²-lactamase could be overcome with co-administration of clavulanic acid (a ÃŽ ²-lactamase inhibitor isolated from Streptomyces olivaceus). Chemistry Amoxycillin is a white crystalline powder that is somewhat soluble in alcohol and water. Amoxycillins chemical name is (2S,5R,6R)-6-[(R)-2amino-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetamido]-3,3-dimethy;-7-oxo-4-thia-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptanes-2-carboxylic acid. It has a molecular weight of 419.4. Figure 1: Chemical Structure of Amoxycillin Pharmacodynamics Amoxycillin functions by inhibiting the biosynthesis of cell wall mucopeptides of susceptible gram positive and negative microorganisms actively synthesizing peptidoglycan and undergoing multiplication. The molecular target of Amoxycillin and other ÃŽ ²-lactam antibiotics are the Penicillin Binding Proteins. Upon drug-target interaction transpeptidation is blocked and thus inhibiting the synthesis of peptidoglycan, a vital cell wall component. Subsequently, the inhibitor of autolytic enzymes in the cell wall, is removed resulting in active autolytic enzymes and bacteriolysis. Pharmacokinetics Amoxycillin complies with the two compartment model with elimination occurring from the central compartment. Figure 2 demonstrates Amoxycillins biexponential decline of serum concentration with time. Table 1 and 2 document the pharmacokinetic parameters of Amoxycillin. Figure 2: Average serum concentration versus time after 500mg IV dose of Amoxycillin. Table 1: Pharmacokinetic parameter and absolute bioavailability of a 500mg oral dose of Amoxycillin. Table 2: Pharmacokinetic parameter of a 500mg IV dose of Amoxycillin. Administration Amoxycillin is usually administered orally. The relationship between dose and extent of absorption is not linear with a plateau at higher oral concentrations. Dose adjustments need to be made in patients with renal dysfunction. Bioavailability Drug bioavailability is the proportion of drug that passes into systemic circulation after oral administration. It is dependent upon absorption across the gastrointestinal tract and first pass clearance by the liver. After oral administration of a dose of 250mg and 500mg of Amoxycillin the average peak serum concentrations (observed between 1-2 hours after administration) were 5.0mg/mL and 6.0 10.8 mg/mL respectively. The variation of plasma concentration with time is demonstrated in Figure 3. The oral bioavailability of Amoxycillin is 77.4% Amoxycillin is stable in gastric acid and is rapidly absorbed after oral administration regardless of absence or presence of food products and thus a high proportion of administered dose reaches the systemic circulation.. Figure 3: Mean serum levels following oral administration of 125mg and 250mg of Amoxycillin to 11 normal volunteers. (95% confidence). Volume of Distribution Volume of distribution is defined as the volume of fluid in which the amount of drug in the body would need to be uniformly distributed to produce observed plasma concentrations. Amoxycillin distributes widely and rapidly into most body tissues and fluid. Despite this, Amoxycillin remains extracellular due to lipid insolubility and thus does not cross the blood brain barrier unless the meninges are inflamed. Volume of distribution of Amoxycillin is 20.2L (0.3 L/kg). Clearance Clearance is defined as the volume of blood cleared of drug per unit time. It is dependent on renal excretion hepatic elimination. The clearance of Amoxycillin is 221mL/min. Renal Excretion Amoxycillin is excreted predominantly via the urine in biologically active form or as penicilloic acid. 75% of a 1 gram dose is excreted in the urine within 6 hrs (60% biologically active form, 15% is in the form of penicilloic acid). Biological Half life Elimination half life is defined by the time taken for the plasma concentration of drug to reach half the steady state concentration. The biological half life is 61.3 minutes with normal renal function. Half life increases with renal dysfunction. Clinical Uses Amoxycillin is a broad spectrum ÃŽ ²-lactam antibiotic with effectiveness against many pathogenic microorganisms. It is commonly used to treat bacterial infections such as otitis media, tonsillitis, throat infections, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, gonorrhoea and skin infections. Indications for use Location of infection Microorganism Skin and skin structure E coli, Staphylococcus, nonpenicillinase producing streptococcis Respiratory (Acute and chronic) nonpenicillinase producing E coli, Streptococcus, Strep. Pneumonia, H.influenzae, staphylococcus Genitourinary tract (Complicate and uncomplicated, acute and chronic) E.Coli, P.mirabilis and Strep. Faecalis Gonorrhoea N. Gonorrhoea (nonpenicillinase producing) Prophylaxis of endocarditis Used in people at particular risk (e.g. individuals who have previously had endocarditis or with a prosthetic heart valve) Table 3: Indications for use of Amoxycillin Precautions Drug interactions Amoxycillin is rarely associated with adverse drug interactions however the following reactions have been demonstrated in some cases. Drug Interaction Oral anticoagulants (e.g. Warfarin and Acenocoumarol) Results in abnormal prolongation of prothrombin time (or international normalised ratio.) Allopurinol Results in increased rate of rash reactions. It is unknown whether this is due to Amoxycillin reacting with the allopurinol itself or the hyperuricaemia that it is treating. Combined Oral Contraceptives Like all penicillin, Amoxycillin can affect the commensal gut flora which results in decreased oestrogen absorption. This has been associated with decreased efficacy of combined oral contraceptives. Tetracyclines or other bacteriostatic drugs Bacteriostatic drugs have been known to interference with the bactericidal effects of Amoxycillin Clavulanic acid Amoxycillin therapeutic effects are inactivated by penicillinase (ÃŽ ²-lactam) producing organisms. It is possible to co-administer Amoxycillin with clavulanic acid (ÃŽ ²-lactamase inhibitor) to broaden the spectrum of susceptible bacteria (e.g.. co-amoxiclav). Probenecid Renal excretion can be delayed by administration of Probenecid as demonstrated by Figure 4. When used in conjunction there is an increased plasma concentration of Amoxycillin reached and longer duration of effect. This is a beneficial interaction. Table 4: Some common drug interactions when co-administered with Amoxycillin Figure 4: Mean serum levels following oral administration of 1 gram of Amoxycillin with and without probenicid. Pregnancy and Lactation While penicillin can cross the placenta, no teratogenic effects have been uncovered through animal studies. Similarly, Amoxycillin can be excreted in breast milk resulting in potential side effects for the nursing infant including diarrhoea or allergic response. However, Amoxycillin is generally considered safe for use in pregnant women and nursing mothers. Adverse reactions Side effects are uncommon however potentially include insomnia, diarrhoea, dizziness, confusion, heartburn, easy bruising, itching, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bleeding, rash and allergic reactions. The most common adverse reaction is hypersensitivity reactions in patients with allergies to ÃŽ ² lactam antibiotics, penicillin or cephalosporins. Anaphylaxis can be fatal and occurs more frequently following parenteral administration. All penicillins have been associated with seizures when administered in excessive doses or administered intrathecally. Conclusion The discovery of penicillin by Alexander Flemming lead to the subsequent generation of the semisynthetic aminopenicillin, Amoxycillin. This ÃŽ ²-lactam antibiotic has a broad spectrum of therapeutic use, high oral bioavailability and lack of toxic effects.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Switzerland and the European Union Essays -- switzerland, republic, ca

Officially known as the Swiss Confederation, Switzerland is a federal parliamentary republic comprised of 26 cantons, which represent four languages and a population of just over eight million . Switzerland is well known for its small landmass yet high standard of living, as well as its banking system and adherence to traditional Swiss culture. While the state is autonomous, it is a part of the Schengen Area unlike all EU members, and remains outside of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA), as it became the sole EFTA member to reject membership by referendum in 1992 . Despite this, Switzerland maintains a staunch economic relationship with members of the EU through a series of bilateral agreements involving trade, free movement of people, agriculture and taxation among others. These provisions between countries provide an increasingly interdependent European continent characterized by trade agreements, free movement of Swiss-EU citizens and a single European market. A recent referendum against mass immigration has passed through Switzerland’s direct democracy by a majority of just 50.3% , effectively nullifying the bilateral agreements that were reached with the EU in 1999. The referendum is binding in Switzerland and requires the Swiss Federal Council to produce legislation within three years of the vote. As a result, officials within the EU have voiced their regrets regarding the outcome of the ballot, and are carefully considering re-evaluating their relations with Switzerland. The issue of Switzerland’s proposed cap on immigration is a very recent matter, and the results of the referendum will likely be a catalyst for changes in EU policies. This paper will examine steps that the European Union cou... ...immigration." Le Temps, September 2011. Ryser, Monique. Bilateral Agreements Switzerland-EU. Edited by Integration Office FDFA/FDEA. Bern, Switzerland: Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, 2009. Schwok, Renà ©. Switzerland - European Union: An Impossible Membership? Brussels: European Interuniversity Press, 2009. Taylor, Paul, and Richard Mably. "Switzerland Can't Have It Both Ways on Migration: EU's Barroso." Reuters (Brussels), February 12, 2014. Accessed March 2014. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/12/us-eurozone-summit-switzerland-idUSBREA1B0FG20140212. Telegraph staff and agencies. "France ready to 'roll out the red carpet' for British exit from EU." The Telegraph (England), January 23, 2013. Accessed March 2014. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9820327/France-ready-to-roll-out-the-red-carpet-for-British-exit-from-EU.html.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Central American Squirrel Monkey :: essays research papers

Scientific Name: Samiri oerstedii The Central American Squirrel Monkey is found primarily in primary and secondary forests and cultivated areas in. They are omnivores, which eat insects and when available they also eat fruit, flowers, and occasionally vertebrates. The major population in located in Panama and Costa Rican border. They hardly ever travel on the ground and are most active during the morning and late afternoon. Cultivated and disturbed areas are especially hospitable to the Squirrel Monkeys because of the large number of insects those areas attract. These monkeys live in groups made up of about 40 to 70 individuals. Large group size provides many eyes to search for food. Squirrel monkeys also associate with other monkey species that have similar food preferences, following them to forage areas. The group size also provides safety in numbers: more eyes/ears lower chances of a sneak attack by predators; large numbers make it more difficult for larger monkeys smaller to chase squirrel monkeys out of a â€Å"their† trees. Neither one sex nor the other appears to be dominating, though the females are ones to disperse from the troops. The sex ratio within wild groups tends to be approximately 50-50 males and females. Though they become independent after the first year of their life, female squirrel monkeys tend to reach maturity and begin breeding at around the age of 2.5-3 years of age, and males become fully adult at about the age of five. For the most part the majority of social interactions between the sexes take place during the breeding season. During the non-breeding males tend to stay live on the perimeter of the troop’s territory, while females stay safer in the center. Large group size provides safety in numbers: more eyes/ears lower chances of a sneak attack by predators; large numbers make it more difficult for larger monkeys (that live in smaller groups) to chase squirrel monkeys out of a favored tree. Females receive no help from adult males in caring for their young. Instead, a female will have other female "friends" to help carry and watch over the young as the mother forages. These "friends" are usually offspring from previous years, which do not have young of their own. Since the monkey uses all four of its legs when walking and climbing, the new born babies ride on the mother’s back by gripping her fur, when the mother stop, she will hold her baby with both arms.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Iraq: A Country On The Rise Essay -- essays research papers

Iraq: A Country on the Rise   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iraq is a country that is on the rise. After being crushed by allied troops for their invasion of Kuwait, they have begun the slow rebuilding process. In this report, I will discuss the basic geographic features of Iraq, and other various important features such as mineral wealth, vegetation, ect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iraq's total area is 271,128 square miles (just slightly more than twice the size of Idaho). It's capital, Baghdad, is located at 33.20 north longitude, 44.24 east latitude. It's boundaries are 2,222 miles long. With 906 miles bordering Iran, 83 miles bordering Jordan, 149 miles bordering Kuwait, 502 miles bordering Saudi Arabia, 376 miles bordering Turkey, and a coastline 36 miles long. The terrain in Iraq is mostly broad plains, with reedy marshes in the southeast, mountains along toe borders with Iran and Turkey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Climate in Iraq is most desert, with mild to cool winters and dry, hot cloudless summers. The northernmost regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters and occasional heavy snows. Iraq has few natural resources, consisting of Crude oil, natural gas, various phosphates, and sulfur. Their maritime (ocean) clams are just the continental shelf on their coastline, and twelve nautical miles beyond that.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iraq and Iran have just recently restored diplomatic relations in the year 1990, but are still trying to work out written agreements settling their disputes from their eight-year war concerning definite borders, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt-al-Arab waterway. In April of 1991, Iraq officially accepted the UN Security Council's Resolution 687, which states that Iraq accepts the boundaries that were set in it's 1963 agreement with Kuwait, and ending all claims to the Bubiyan and Warbah Islands, and all claims to Kuwait. On June 17, 1992, the UN Security council reaffirmed the finality of the Boundary Demarcation Commission's decisions. Disputes also occur with Syria about water rights on the Euphrates, and a potential dispute with Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates river.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iraq has some environmental problems, consisting of air and water pollution, soil degradation (caused by saliniza... ... had better not. The Department of State warns all US citizens against traveling to Iraq. Conditions within the country remain unsettled and dangerous. The US does not maintain diplomatic relations with Iraq, and cannot provide normal consular protective services to US citizens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A passport and visa are required to travel to Iraq (along with an AIDS test if you are planning to stay longer than 5 days). Since 1991, US passports are not valid for travel in, to, or through Iraq without authorization from the Department of state. An adapter is necessary to use Iraqi electrical outlets. Although Iraq does not have an embassy in the US, it does have an interest section in the Algerian Embassy in Washington, DC. Iraqi nation holidays are the following: New Years Day-Jan. 1, Iraqi Army Day-Jan. 6, Id al-Fitr-Apr. 16, Id al-Adha-Jun. 21, 1958 Revolution-Jul. 14, 1968 Revolution-Jul. 17,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Iraq may have it's problems now, it is a country on the rise. It's economy is stabilizing. and it's government is in the process of working it bugs out. Some day, Iraq may be one of the world's superpowers, just like the US.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Critically discuss the current law relating to the above situation in English law and compare this to France jurisdiction.

Abstract The law of murder is often subject to much critique because of its unfavourable treatment towards women. Although many changes have recently been made to this area to rectify the problems, questions are still being raised as to whether the pre-existing gender biases still exist. This study will review the current law in England and then compare it to the approach that is undertaken in France. This will allow a consideration to be made as to whether the changes have proven effective. Introduction The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 was introduced in order to remove the gender inequalities that existed under the old law and thus enable a better distinction to be made between revenge killings and those committed in the heat of the moment.[1] Nevertheless, much criticism still surrounds the new provisions and it has been said that the pre-existing gender discrimination is still present.[2] Conversely, the approach that is being adopted in France does appear to be more effective in eradicating the gender bias that exists,[3] though it is questionable whether this is more favourable. This study will critically discuss the current position in England with regards to the loss of self control defence and will then compare it to the position in France. Loss of Control Defence under English Law Previously, it was extremely difficult for women to establish a defence in circumstances where they committed a killing in the heat of the moment. This type of defence, also known as provocation, required those seeking to rely on the defence to show that they had a sudden and temporary loss of control. This defence discriminated against women who suffered from a so-called ‘slow-burn’ effect because of the fact that an element of premeditation was often involved. In circumstances such as this, women were deemed to have committed a revenge killing, of a premeditated or calculated nature as opposed to a killing in the heat of the moment.[4] Much injustice arose as a result of the law in this area and it was evident that reform was needed. In 2010 a new ‘loss of control’ defence was introduced under the Coroners and Justice Act (CJA) 2009 and was intended to rectify the problems that existed. Under the new law, it now has to be shown that the defendant lost his or her self control as a result of some qualifying triggers. It must also be demonstrated that a person with a normal degree of tolerance and self restraint would have acted in the same way as the defendant. This objective test provides the courts with greater flexibility when deciding whether or not the defendant lost her self control as the comparator must be of the same age and sex as the defendant. This is beneficial to women who are likely to react differently in the situation to men and so it is important that they are being compared to people with the same characteristics.[5] The new regime is thus similar to the position that was adopted in R v Camplin[6] where it was made clear that the reasonable person must have the same characteristics as the defendant. Whilst this seems as to be the fairest approach to employ in ensuring that a distinction can be made between revenge killings with those committed in the heat of the moment, not all would agree. The Law Commission had originally opposed these changes for fear that women would still be discriminated against if sex was to be considered as a factor, though this was rejected by the Ministry of Justice.[7] It has since been argued that the inclusion of sex as a factor was a mistake on the part of the Ministry of Justice[8] and that it â€Å"unnecessarily refracts and reinforces stereotypes that men and women differ in their ability to control their behaviour.†[9] It has been argued that sex should be dealt with â€Å"under the partial defence of loss of control as part of the positioning of the hyp othetical person within the wider ‘circumstances’ of D.†[10] It cannot be said that this would completely remove the opportunity to stereotype and it seems as though stereotypes will continue to be prevalent within this area of the law. Previously, the loss of self control was confined to a state of anger and rage and women who suffered the slow-burn effect could not rely on the defence. However, under section 55(3) of the CJA 2009 the first qualifying triggers have been defined as a â€Å"loss of self control attributable to the defendant’s fear of serious violence from the victim against the defendant or another identified person.† This takes into account situations involving the slow-burn effect and enables a distinction to be made between revenge killings and those committed in the heat of the moment. Whilst it remains the case under the new law that there must still be a loss of control, the jury are required to take all of the circumstances into account when deciding whether the defendant did in fact lose her self control as well as the nature of the conduct which constituted the qualifying trigger. They should also consider the sensitivity of the defendant and the conditions in which the killing took place.[11] These provisions are clearly a lot more women friendly than they used to be since women are more likely to have an element of premeditation than men are.[12] This is largely due to the fact that women lack the same physical strength as men and so it would be much more difficult for them to act in a spontaneous manner. Instead they would have to wait for an opportunity to act when their partner would be least expecting. Nevertheless, as has been pointed out; â€Å"the slow burn defence would still have a high threshold.†[13] Accordingly, it is important that the defence does not allow for â€Å"cold, calculating killers to get away with it†[14] by widening the scope too far. The removal of the suddenness’ requirement in section 54(2) is another positive change since it had; â€Å"long been a hindrance for women whose experience of provocation has been described as more akin to a ‘boiling over’ than the male ‘snap’ response.†[15] As demonstrated in R v Duffy[16] and R v Thornton[17] it would be deemed unfavourable if there was a delay in responding to a situation as the loss of control would not have been â€Å"sudden.† The removal of this requirement now accommodates those who act out of fear, yet there is still the additional qualifying triggers requirement. This is a subjective test that will be based upon the defendant’s own loss of self control, yet some difficulties still tend to arise. An example of which can be seen in the R v Clinton, Parker, Evans[18] case. Here, it was questioned whether the consideration of sexual infidelity should be excluded in a case that involves other qualifying triggers.[19] It was stressed by the judge stressed that sexual infidelity could only be considered if other triggers were present and could not be relied upon singlehandedly. This demonstrates that the qualifying triggers still produce much uncertainty and because of this the distinction between revenge killings and those committed in the heat of the moment will remain complex.[20] It is questionable why the ‘loss of self control’ phrase was kept under the new law since negative connotations are frequently associated with it. The current law does not appear to have removed the pre-existing discrimination that existed and women are still being treated unfavourably to a certain degree. Whilst the previous law was â€Å"inherently contradictory†[21] and in need of reform[22] the restrictions that exist as a result of the new ‘qualifying triggers requirement’ suggests that the new law has been unsuccessful. The court’s decision in R v Clinton, Parker, Evans[23] has been criticised for failing to â€Å"grasp the actual workings of the new law as sexual infidelity cannot be considered under any of the prongs of the new defence.†[24] Whether the court erred in its decision is questionable, but it seems as though the decision does not help to put right the pre-existing discrimination and has been said to â€Å"completely ignore the feminist aims behind the legislation.†[25] Consequently, it could be said that the two-limbed ‘loss of control defence’ is flawed on the basis that it does not remove the intended pre-existing discriminations. It is extremely difficult to correct the imbalance between men and women and illustrates that further reform may in fact be needed. This was recognised by Hill who pointed out that; Hill that; â€Å"Partial and incremental reforms of this kind risk complicating the existing system when what is needed is comprehensive and c oherent reform of the type suggested by the Law Commission.†[26] Because of the underlying problems that continue to surround this area it is difficult to tell whether the new loss of control defence is merely a justification or excuse for murder. The defence remains favourable to those who kill in the heat of the moment over those who kill with an element of premeditation and because sexual infidelity can be considered as one of the qualifying triggers, it has been said that the defence will be capable of being used as a means of excusing crimes of passion.[27] Conversely, as noted by Gerry; â€Å"the new law makes it plain that where the killing arises in relation to sexual infidelity this is not a qualifying trigger that will allow a murder to be reduced to manslaughter.†[28] Loss of Control Defence under French Law Crimes of passion (crime passionnel) under French law referred to killings whereby the perpetrator had a sudden loss of self control as opposed to a premeditated one. Such crimes were considered to be a valid defence for murder in France during the early 19th Century, however this all ended in the 1970’s when the Napoleonic Code was updated.[29] Prior to the Napoleonic Code being updated women were significantly discriminated against since due to the fact that this defence was a lot more favourable to men. This is similar to the position in England where men had greater control over women, yet when the code was updated â€Å"a specific father’s authority upon his whole family was over.†[30] Prior to this, it was only husbands that were capable of establishing the crime passionnel defence according to the Code Penal,[31] however, by the late 19th Century women were able to rely on the defence also.[32] An element of leniency was placed upon women in France much ea rlier than it was in England and it seems that attitudes towards women in England have only recently started to change. It was thought that one reason for the increasing acquittal rate for women committing crimes of passion in France was due to the change in attitude jurors had towards women. They felt that by â€Å"killing their unfaithful husbands or husband’s mistresses, they had committed justifiable homicides because they had acted to protect their wounded honour.†[33] This is a far cry from the position in England where women find it extremely difficult to establish a defence for crimes of passion and even though the reform to the law has attempted to rectify this, it is still evident that disparities exist. However, it could be argued that the position in France is far too lenient than the position in England. Whilst France became much more tolerant to crimes of passion over the years, England became more intolerant, suggesting that England will be less likely to acquit persons accused of such crimes. As identified by Donovan; â€Å"British newspapers deplored the frequency with which French juries acquitted persons accused of crimes of passion and noted with satisfaction how much more civilised Britons were in not forgiving such crimes.†[34] Consequently, it could be said that violence is more excusable in France than it is in England and that women who commit killings will be viewed a lot more sympathetically. The differences that exist under English and French law demonstrate the importance to which cultural and social norms have in influencing the decision of juror’s. Thus, because crimes of passion are given much more lenience in the French courts, these types of crim es are likely to occur much more frequently than they are in England. Whilst it could be said that less gender discrimination occurs in France as a result of this, the fact that crimes of passion are being justified so easily is actually a dangerous occurrence. Hence, women in France will not think twice about killing their husbands if they are found to have conducted infidelity as they will be aware of the high acquittal rates.[35] In England, on the other hand, infidelity will not be considered as a basis for establishing the loss of control defence and those who are found to have killed their partners under such circumstances will not be viewed favourably. There is much critique surrounding the law that relates to crimes of passion in England since it is felt that women are discriminated against: â€Å"difficulties are presented by the requirement that the capacity for self-control, now expressed as the ‘tolerance’ and ‘restraint’, required of the defendant, is to be decided on objective grounds.†[36] However, the law in France appears to have gone completely in the opposite direction, namely being too sympathetic towards women. Whilst both men and women should be treated the same when considering whether any defence to murder are available, it is important that the scope is not widened too much. Whether sexual infidelity should be included as a trigger for losing one’s self control in England is doubtful since this would lead to a trial being focused primarily upon the deceased’s behavior as opposed to the defendants. This would appear somewhat illogical and would be viewed as a travesty of injustice by the deceased relatives.[37] The deceased would not be able to defend himself and the whole process would be distressing for the victim’s family. Furthermore, concerns would also be raised about the leniency approaches that are taken in respect of crimes of passion and much focus would be on the sexist values that underpin the basis for such crimes. It has been said that the exclusion of sexual infidelity as a triggering factor was a â€Å"gesture of politics†[38] and that â€Å"its exclusion seems completely logical in modern society.†[39] It has been said that the emphasis should be â€Å"placed upon the fear of serious violence and the necessity for self-preservation and the concept of a loss of control is simply a historical distraction.†[40] Conclusion Overall, the law of murder in England was clearly in need of reform since too much gender discrimination existed. Whilst many of these injustices have been rectified by the Coroners and Justice Act (CJA) 2009, much discrepancy still exists. Accordingly, it has to be shown that the loss of control resulted from a serious fear of violence or that it was attributable to things that has been said or done which were considered grave in nature. Emphasis is now placed upon whether the loss of control image is one of anger and not fear, which again can be difficult for women to establish. Furthermore, because of the restrictive nature of the qualifying triggers, sexual infidelity cannot be considered alone. Nevertheless, this could actually be necessary in preventing crimes of passion from being excused, as is the position in France. Hence, those that are considered to have killed their partner as a result of sexual infidelity will be excused in France, which makes it a lot easier for women to establish a defence. Although this lenient approach makes the process less discriminatory, it has actually been considered too broad given that crimes of passion are more frequent in France than they are in England. It is important that a balance is struck so that women are not being discriminated against on the one hand, and that too much lenience is not being given on the other. Bibliography Books A Reed and M Bohlander, Loss of Control and Diminished Responsibility: Domestic Comparative and International Perspectives, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, (2013). C Granier, La Femme Criminelle, United States, O. Doin Publishing, (1906). C V Connor, CheatedHow to Make Sure What Goes Around Comes Around, Lulu.com, (2010). D Ormerod, Smith and Hogan’s Criminal Law, OUP Oxford, 13th Edition, (2011). J Conaghan, Law and Gender, Oxford University Press, (2012). M Bohlander and A. Reed, Loss of Control and Diminished Responsibility: Domestic, Comparative and International Perspectives, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, (2013). N Monaghan, Criminal Law Directions, OUP Oxford, 2nd Edition, (2012). S Wood, Italian Women’s Writing, 1860-1994, Bloomsbury Publishing, (1995). Journal Articles A Carline, ‘Reforming Provocation: Perspectives from the Law Commission and the Government’ (2009) Web Journal of Current Legal Issues, Volume 2, [2009] 2 Web JCLI, 17 March 2014. A Edwards, ‘Changes to the Law on Homicide’ The Law Society Gazette, 17 March, 2014. D J Baker and L X Zhao, ‘Contributory Qualifying and Non-Qualifying Triggers in the Loss of Control Defence: A Wrong Turn on Sexual Infidelity’ (2012), 76 Journal of Criminal Law 254, Issue 3. D Pallister, ‘New Defence in Domestic Abuse Cases’, (2009) The Guardian, 17 March, 2014. F Gerry, ‘Scuttlebutt’ (2012) 176 Criminal Law & Justice Weekly 60, Issue 5. J M Donovan, Juries and the Transformation of Criminal Justice in France in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, University of North Carolina Press, (2010). J Miles, ‘The Coroners and Justice Act 2009: A Dog’s Breakfast of Homicide Reform’ (2009) Archbold News, Volume 6, Issue 7. Ministry of Justice, Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide, MoJ CP (R) 19, 2008. Ministry of Justice. ‘Partial Defences to Murder: Loss of Control and Diminished Responsibility and Infanticide: Implementation of Sections 52, and 54 to 57of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009’ Criminal Law Policy Unit Ministry of Justice, 18 March 2014. M Hill, ‘New â€Å"Loss of Control† Defence as Murder Law Reforms Take Effect’ (2010), UK Human Rights Blog, 17 March 2014. R Ferrari, ‘Crime Passionnel in French Courts’ California Law Review, Volume 6, Issue 5, 331-341. R Harris, ‘Melodrama, Hysteria and Feminine Crimes of Passion in the Fin-de-Siecle’ Hist Workshop J, Volume 25, Issue 1, 31-63. S M Edwards, ‘Anger and Fear as Justifiable Preludes for Loss of Self Control’ (2010), The Journal of Criminal Law, Volume 74, No. 3. The Law Commission, ‘Partial Defences to Murder’ (2004) Law Com 290, Cm 6301. T Whitehead and A Hough, ‘Murder can be ‘crime of passion’ says top judge’ (2012) The Telegraph, 17 March 2014. V McAviney, ‘Coroners and Justice Act 2009: Replacing Provocation with Loss of Control’ (2009), Inherently Human, 17 March, 2014. Case Law R v Camplin (1978) AC 705 (HL) R v Clinton, Parker, Evans [2012] EWCA Crim 2 R v Duffy (1949) 1 AER 932 R v Thornton [1996] 1 WLR 1174 Legislation Code Penal Coroners and Justice Act 2009 Napoleonic Code

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Euthanasia: A Moral Dilemma Essay

Euthanasia has grown to be one the biggest debates prevailing in Canada. It draws in the issue of morals, healthcare, and society. Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide provokes many emotions out of Canadian citizens. The ever present â€Å"Right to Die† and â€Å"Right to Live† groups are constantly trying to impose their strong views on Canadian society. Even with the influence of these protesting groups, the growing debate between euthanasia and whether it should be legalized is an extremely difficult decision. Despite euthanasia being advantageous in some aspects, it should not be legalized due to the fact that is viewed as ethically unacceptable according to Canadian policies, and it would negatively affect various people, including older adults. This paper will outline the different types of euthanasia, the history of euthanasia, Canadian policies pertaining to euthanasia, demographic changes, the debate as to why it should not be legalized and the effects of legalization on various persons. Euthanasia: General Information and History Types of Euthanasia Euthanasia is widely believed to be the intent to kill someone in order to end suffering. The types of euthanasia are passive, active, physician assisted suicide, involuntary, non-voluntary and voluntary. Physician assisted suicide is a type of euthanasia where a physician provides the means to aid in a competent patients wish to die (Csikai, 1999, p.50). In the simplest terms active euthanasia is when one does something to hasten death; it is directly killing or 2 â€Å"euthanizing† someone. Passive euthanasia is the idea of a person not doing anything to hasten death. An example of this would be withdrawing medical treatment. Finally, voluntary euthanasia is when a supposedly competent person agrees to be euthanized. While Involuntary euthanasia pertains to the intentional killing of a competent person without their knowledge. Finally, non-voluntary euthanasia is ending a mentally incompetent patient’s life. (Csikai, 1999, p.50). Evidently, there are several different forms of euthanasia and many of them correlate. For instance, active voluntary euthanasia according to Csikai (1999, p.50) is, â€Å"The case of a physician administering the lethal dose of medication to a competent person who explicitly requests it†. Overall, there are many types of euthanasia that can be used to end a patient’s life. History of Euthanasia Throughout history beliefs on euthanasia have been constantly changing. In the Greek and Roman eras, euthanasia was justified as the comforting of a dying patient. During this age, society believed that a person had the right to request suicide if that was his or her choice (Boer, 2007, p. 535). In the course of this time period euthanasia was widely accepted. Then, when Christianity became the dominating religion, the beliefs of â€Å"mercy killing† and suicide were modified and looked at as negatively. On the contrary, the 1800s led to the growing idea of Darwin’s â€Å"survival of the fittest†; which is to say the idea that only the strongest of a species should survive and leave the â€Å"weak† to fend for themselves. This concept influenced the idea of British eugenics. Eugenics is the idea of supporting the rich, and leaving the poor, unfortunate and weak to fend for themselves (Gittelman, 1999, p.369). This idea of eugenics was 3 incorporated by the Nazis in order to justify the use of involuntary euthanasia on people who were disabled. The public consent of this concept allowed for the acceptance of the Nazi regime trying to euthanize other â€Å"undesirable† groups, such as the Jews. Ultimately, it is evident that society’s views on euthanasia have been conflicting throughout history. Canada’s Policies on Euthanasia Euthanasia is currently illegal in Canada, the Criminal Code of Canada prohibits it. If someone violates this law, he or she can be charged with homicide, regardless if the victim consents to these actions. One of the infamous Supreme Court cases regarding euthanasia was the R v. Latimer case (Judgements of the Supreme Court of Canada, 2001). This case involved a man named Robert Latimer, he was convicted of murdering his twelve year old daughter, Tracy, who had a severe form of cerebral palsy. His daughter was totally dependent on her parents to take care of her. Her father felt like her worsening condition was not worth living for, so he put his daughter into his truck and let the exhaust pipe in. Tracy Latimer died from carbon monoxide poisoning. The courts found her father guilty and was sentenced to second degree murder and life imprisonment. This case is one prime example of Canada’s laws regarding euthanasia, and how it is not tolerated. Demographic Changes and the Effects on Healthcare Demographic Changes Within Canada there are many demographic changes occurring pertaining to older adults and health care. A large demographic change is connected to the baby boomers; the age category 4 of people born after World War II. The amount of people born within this era is extremely populous in comparison to other generations, which is ultimately why these people are called the â€Å"baby boomers†. This can pose as a problem because this â€Å"baby boomer† generation is currently aging. Effects of these Changes on Society In order to attain the luxury of Canada’s free healthcare, the government must put a strain on citizens through taxes. Although, with the aging baby boomers the healthcare system is looking at providing long term care for this group of people as a burden. Older adults already feel as if they are burden to the ones they love. From studies it is shown that most requests for euthanasia and physician assisted suicide come from the idea of the person having a fear of losing control of their body, being dependent on others and troublesome to the ones they love(Lavery & Dickens, 1997, p.1407). This is problematic because physicians can look at the healthcare issue and older adults and try to provide new solutions for the lack of funds being put into healthcare. Euthanasia can be looked at as a key solution to the healthcare problem to some physicians. In their opinion, with older adults already feeling useless to society, they can use it as an excuse to euthanize them. Although there are some costs to euthanasia, it is seemingly much less than the long term costs of caring for a dependable person such as an older adult. Therefore, the legalization of euthanasia can be looked at as an easy solution to the dwelling problem of insufficient healthcare funds to support the aging baby boomers. 5 Legalization of Euthanasia Policies that have been Proposed There are many valid arguments pertaining to the the legalization of euthanasia. Euthanasia is such an emotional issue that Canadians are often torn between which side to choose, so much so that a bill was almost passed to legalize euthanasia. In the fall of 2009 Bill C-384 was proposed by Francine Lalonde, a member of the Bloc Quebecois Party (Collier, 2009, p.464). This bill outlines the â€Å"right to die with dignity† as Lalonde summarizes. It eliminate euthanasia as a crime and would allow medical practitioners to kill people if, â€Å"physical or mental pain without prospect of relief and have provided a medical practitioner, while appearing to be lucid, with two written requests more than 10 days apart expressly stating the person’s free and informed consent to opt to die† (Collier, 2009, p.464). These were the key, controversial aspects of Bill C-384. The main logistic of this being a reasonable bill to pass is that many people have seen someone they love die, and some people believe there is a more dignified way to do it, and that way is euthanasia. This is the core belief of Ruth von Fuchs; who is the secretary of the Right to Die Society of Canada (Collier, 2009, p. 463). He believes the move towards legislative change can be correlated to the fact that a lot of populations around the world are aging quickly. If Ruth von Fuchs argument is true, then the passing of Bill C-384 would eliminates the vast problem of healthcare that was mentioned earlier. The legalization of euthanasia can save the Canadian government tons of extra money. However, Bill C-384 was defeated on April 21, 2010 during the 6 second reading at Parliament (Craine, 2010, para. 2). The rejection of the bill shows that despite some advantageous aspects to Bill C-384, it largely has a negative effect on society. Effects of Legalization: Why it should Not be Legalized Effects on the Terminally Ill Though Bill C-384 appears to be beneficial in some aspects, there are many major negative effects on the legalization of euthanasia. The terminally ill is one group of people where legalization may drastically affect them. Yes, there is the debate that people suffering from terminal illnesses have the right not to endure the vast amounts of pain that no human being wants to go through. On the contrary, pain is not the prime reason many people seek euthanasia. In actuality, the main reasons are the idea that their life is not worthy because they live with a disability, and the idea of being a burden to others (Soccocia, 2010, p.483). Supporters of PAS and euthanasia state that when people request to be euthanized their decision is autonomous; however, there is the debate as to whether their decision is truly autonomous. When a person chooses to die while he or she is terminally ill, it can be looked at as a forced decision due to their seemingly poor standard of life. It cannot be considered a rational, autonomous decision when the person believes there are no other alternatives. Furthermore, the belief that a person’s life is not dignified due to disability can be created through false views on what is believed to be the â€Å"right† way to live. The problem does not lie within the idea of dying a dignified death, but rather within the ideal of believing that living a life with a form of disability is undignified. 7 Effects on Doctors Additionally, the legalization of euthanasia would not only affect patients, but doctors as well. The relationship between a doctor and a patient would be undermined if this law were to come int effect (Lund, 1997, para. 1). Rightfully, patients would not be able to trust their doctors as much because they know the doctors could potentially strongly recommend euthanasia as a solution to serious illness. Though this threat seems implausible, it is in fact a very common worry in countries where euthanasia is widely accepted. For instance, in the Netherlands, where euthanasia is legal, many people are frightened to go to the doctors. Lund states in his article, A privately financed survey in 1989 showed that 40 percent of Dutch physicians had performed euthanasia without patients’ consent..And what reasons did physicians give for these homicides? intractable pain was mentioned in less than a third of the cases. More commonly physicians mentioned â€Å"low quality of life, the relatives, inability to cope and no prospect for improvement.† (Lund, 1997, para. 6) These statistics are worrisome to many people. Citizens of a country should not be worried as to whether their doctor will recommend assisted suicide to them without their consent. Also, there is controversy pertaining to the Hippocratic oath of physicians. This oath outlines for doctors to â€Å"do no harm†(Csikai & Manetta, 2002, p.89). This oath pertains to harm including the use of lethal injections. Therefore, the legalization of euthanasia would go against this oath and cause distrust between doctors and their patients. Effects on Older Adults Finally, the legalization of euthanasia has drastic effects on older adults. For some older adults, old age comes with chronic depression. Some older adults, especially if they become ill, 8 feel incapacitated and unable to provide for society or their families. As some people age they feel like a burden to the ones they love, so euthanasia appears like a reasonable solution. These beliefs are proven to be true through statistics shown in that state between 8-20 % of older adults show depressive symptoms, and 37% of adults living in settings where they receive primary care are also seemingly depressed. Moreover, Csikai and Manetta argue that depression is not usually recognized straight away so the numbers may in fact be higher (as cited in Administration on Aging, 2001). Furthermore, medical illness contributes greatly to the ideal of suicide within older adults. Csikai and Manetta also argue that 35-70% of suicides performed by older adults are related to a medical illness they have, yet medical illness only affects 10% of suicides in younger adults (as cited in Conwell, 1997; Hughes & Kleepies, 2001; Rihmer, Rutz, & Pihlgren, 1995). Consequently, if euthanasia was legalized in Canada, with Bill C-384 as an example, the patient has to appear to be lucid in order to receive their request. Many older adults can appear to be lucid, but in actuality are chronically depressed. Someone who is depressed is prescribed as having a mental illness, yet Bill C-384 does not take this into account. Likewise, older adults are often persuaded by loved ones to conform to euthanasia or physician assisted suicide. Relating to the Oregon â€Å"Death with Dignity Act†, throughout the three years that it was present the number of married patients who sought to be euthanized increased. Csikai and Manetta stated in their article, â€Å"In 2000, 18 of the 27 who died from PAS were married compared to 12 of 27 in 1999 and 2 of 16 in 1998. Ninety percent of patients died in their homes, presumably with family present† (Csikai & Manetta, 2003, pp.89-90). These 9 statistics show that many families in Oregon were aware and accepted their loved one’s choice to be euthanized. Perhaps if someone in the family was to object to this â€Å"solution†, the patient would not have sought for euthanasia. In conclusion, older adults are drastically influenced by euthanasia, whether they choose to be or not; which is why the legalization of euthanasia would ultimately have a negative effect on them. In Summary The main points concluded in this paper are that the legalization of euthanasia would not be effective due it being viewed as ethically wrong according to Canadian laws and policies. Furthermore, the legalization of euthanasia would negatively affect various persons including older adults. Though there are some beneficial aspects to legalization, as seen in Bill C-384, the negative effects are prevalent. The nation-wide acceptance of euthanasia would overall detriment, rather than help the majority of society. Though, there are some exceptions, the Canadian government needs to set a precedent for its country. If Bill C-384 was passed by Parliament almost anyone could ask to euthanized, as long as they appeared to be coherent. To conclude, if euthanasia was a reasonable response to the problem of the terminally ill, the elderly, and the healthcare system, the â€Å"Right to Die with Dignity Act† would have been passed on April 21, 2010, rather than denied. As a result, further research into the effects of the legalization should be looked at greatly before Canada makes any drastic decision as to legalizing euthanasia or not.