The Iraq War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Iraq War - Research Paper Example The primary rationale of military intervention in Iraq as was articulated by the joint congress resolution stated that it was necessary to remove the regime of Saddam Hussein because it was developing and had previously used weapons of mass destruction (WWD), supporting and harboring terrorists and was committing serious human rights abuses (Gordon, 156). It was also argued that it was important to change rogue regimes in the Middle East to starve the support for militant Islamic extremists in the region. The U.S led invasion of Iraq however relied on the authority given by the UN Security Council Resolution that required the international community to employ all the necessary means of compelling the then Iraqi regime to comply with the international obligations. Despite the fact that the United Nations Inspectors did not find any prior evidence of WMD, the U.N resolution was nevertheless issues based on the argument by some inspectors that they could not verify the accuracy of the I raqi declarations regarding the weapons in its possession. Preparations for the military intervention in Iraq began as early as 2001 after President Bush highlighted the intention of the U.S government to change the regime of Saddam Hussein. ... 2003, the rhetoric by the Bush administration against the Iraqi regime increased culminating to the February 2003 presentation of evidence of Iraqi WMD program by Colin Powell to the UN Security Council (Gordon, 89). There was however significant dispute within the U.S military intelligence regarding the accuracy of the conclusions that Iraq had stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. The senate went ahead and approved the joint resolution thereby giving the Bush administration the necessary legal basis to launch the U.S led invasion of Iraq. The resolution reiterated the need to replace Saddam Hussein’s government and promote democratic replacement. Opposition to the Iraqi invasion however increasingly grew after the joint resolution with critics questioning the legitimacy of the invasion and legality of the war. Protests against the Iraqi war were also witnessed in several parts of the United States. In October 2002, the former U.S president Bill Clinton criticized the pl anned war and warned about the potential dangers of such pre-emptive military actions. Dominique De Villepin, the former French Foreign Minister also argued that military intervention was the last solution and should not be carried out. Meanwhile a number of anti war protests were organized in many parts of the world denouncing the decision to wage war against Iraq. The first coalition military operation began in July 2002 when a team of members of CIA special activities division and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) entered Iraq and began making preparations for the invasion by conventional allied forces. Their initial tasks included carrying out reconnaissance missions, identifying targets and persuading Iraqi commanders to surrender rather than opposing the invasion. On March 20,

The cooling off period Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The cooling off period - Assignment Example The subsequent paragraphs will explore and define each category into details with an aim of distinguishing them from one another, Mass murderers refer to individuals who kill four or more people in one location at a particular time. It could be a few minutes or last several days but the location remains the same. Most of this type of killers do end up committing suicide or are killed by the police. Mass murders are influenced by several factors. Mass killing can result when the killers choose a specific target which they think is causing them stress and therefore execute killings to satisfy their ego. It could also take another form where the killers attack targets that have no connection with them but belongs to groups the killer dislikes. It has also been observed that most mass killings are motivated by the existence of some hatred between assailants and their victims which is provoked by a specific event that sparks the killings. Spree murderers or killers on the other hand refer to those who kill two or more victims in more than one location in a fairly rapid succession. Spree killings tend to be rare and the spree killing teams consist of a submissive lover and a dominant leader. The occurrence of their murders in separate locations is considered a single event because it lacks a cooling off period. Mass and spree murderer are actually rare but it is believed that strict gun controls may help prevent some incidences of the would-be spree or mass killings. But this measure is unlikely to control serial killing. Serial killer or murderer refers to a person who has killed three or more persons, the murders have taken place in three or more separate locations at different times and has been involved or engaged in an emotional cooling off period between the murders. It is estimated that serial killing alone has contributed to 20% of the murders in the United States. Four subtypes of serial

Theories of learning Essay Example for Free

Theories of learning Essay This assignment will address andragogy – a theory of learning. To do this it will focus on the specific areas of andragogy and compare them to other theories of learning. The theory of andragogy has been around for nearly two centuries and the findings are particularly linked to the work of Malcolm Knowles. The judgements will be related to the experiences of students in higher education. The theory of adult learning is a â€Å"dynamic area of research and theory building. † (Merriam, 2008 p2). Malcolm Knowles explains that â€Å"andragogy assumes that the point at which an individual achieves a self concept of essential self-direction is the point at which he psychologically becomes adult. † (As cited by Atherton J. S, 2005 p1). Knowles (1970) sees andragogy as a contrast to pedagogy (the teaching of children) which he says is a â€Å"teacher dominated form of education, long regarded as appropriate for children’s learning, and [andragogy] a learner-centred one, now viewed as particularly relevant for non-traditional adult learners. † (Bartle, 2008 p1). Knowles explains andragogy to be the â€Å"art and science of helping adults learn† (as cited by Bartle, 2008 p1). He also argues that â€Å"adults were self-directed, problem solving learners whose life experience constituted a significant learning resource. Thus instead of the traditional hierarchical relationship between the teacher and pupil, the adult learner participates fully in his or her education, influencing the curriculum and determining learning objectives. †(Bartle, 2008 p1) Knowles’ assumptions are based around five key facts: 1. Self-concept: as a person matures his concept moves from one of being a dependant personality toward one of being a self-directed human being 2. Experience: As a person matures he accumulates a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning. 3. Readiness to learn. As a person matures his readiness to learn becomes orientated increasingly to the developmental tasks of his social roles. 4. Orientation to learning. As a person matures his time perspective changes from one of postponed application of knowledge to immediacy of application, and accordingly his orientation toward learning shifts from one of subject- centeredness to one of problem centredness. 5. Motivation to learn: As a person matures the motivation to learn is internal (Knowles 1984:12) (As cited by Smith M. K, 1996; 1999 p1) Each of these assumptions comes under considerable debate. His idea of self-concept implies that all adults move from dependant to self-directed learning and that they need to be responsible for their own decisions. Adults need to be treated as capable of self-direction (Smith M. K, 1996; 1999). Knowles believes that adults should participate in designing their own development tasks and the educator should help to focus on the goals and provide ideas, resources and feedback to guide towards progress (Knowles, 1970). The next point explains the belief that adults learn effectively through â€Å"experimental techniques of education such as discussions and problem solving† (as cited by Smith M. K, 1996; 1999 p3). Sometimes experimental learning in inappropriate, especially when large amounts of new information are necessary and the decision must be made as to what is being learnt before making judgements (Smith M K, 1969; 1999) It could be argued that different experiences could be bias and presumptuous. Knowles third assumption regarding readiness to learn emphasises the place at which the importance of study becomes clear to carry out a particular task. It could be interpreted as adults learn things that are useful rather than intriguing or interesting – do we not learn some things just for sheer pleasure? (Smith M.K, 1969; 1999). It has also been argued by Dewey (1993) that â€Å"literature on reflection (e. g. Boud et al 1985) would support the argument that age and amount of experience makes no educational difference† (cited by Smith M K, 1996;1999). If this is the case then Knowles assumptions on the difference between andragogy and pedagogy are queried. With regard to orientation to learning Knowles sees this as conditioned rather than natural learning (as cited by Smith M. K, 1996; 1999). He states that the educator should ensure the adults desire for growth and anticipated results are clear, personal and realistic. He also expresses that adults are goal orientated in their learning (Knowles 1970). In his final point Knowles (as cited by Bartle, 2008) suggests that as adults the motivation to learn becomes internal, enquiry based and directed by the learner. He also suggests that as adults the relationship between the educator and the learner is one of mutual responsibility where the educator is seen more as a guide or coach. The life experiences of the learner are respected by the educator who becomes â€Å"a colleague who contributes to the learner’s self-esteem and sense of accomplishment† (Knowles, cited by Bartle, 2008 p4). This creates a setting to help the adult realise their full potential and move towards fully independent learning. In comparison to angragogy the constructivist theory of learning, as suggested by Biggs (2003), focuses on the learners knowledge and their approach to learning, suggesting learning is not just about acquiring knowledge but â€Å"as we learn our conceptions of phenomena change and we see the world differently. The acquisition of information in itself does not bring about such a change, but the way we structure the information and think with it does. † (Biggs, 2003 p13) Angagogy relates to Higher Education students as it recognises the great amount of learning that takes place throughout life and in various non-academic settings with the adult learner taking control. Knowles suggests that â€Å"students should be empowered for self-education, determining course content and self evaluation† (Knowles as cited by Bartle, 2008 p4) and prominent adult educators maintain a student-centred classroom by encouraging a problem-solving curriculum inclusive of self-pacing, designed by students, and also offering the opportunity for risk taking. The educator continues to â€Å"raise student consciousness while acknowledging life experience, and building a democratic, flexible, and personally supportive climate. † (Bartle, 2008 p4). In this assignment I have looked at the main areas of andragogy – adult learners being self directed, ready to learn and intrinsically motivated. Andragogy has been compared to pedagogy and constructivism theories and the differences highlighted. The findings have been related to the experiences of students in higher education showing the educators role to remain meaningful but less instructive and the learners learning what they need to know in order to grow. Adult learning is an ever-expanding area of research and theory, challenging ideas and confronting the theories of learning. (1,050 words) Reference List Atherton, J (2005) Learning and teaching: Knowles’ andragogy; an angle on adult learning. [On-line] UK; available; file: //f:/Knowles’%20andragogy%20an%20angle%20on%20adult%20learning. mht Bartle, S (2008) Andragogy. EBSCO Research starters. EBSCO publishing Inc Biggs, J (2003) Teaching For Quality Learning at University. Second Edition. The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press. Knowles, M (1970) Modern Practice of Adult Education. Chicago: Follet. Merriam, S (2008) Adult Learning Theory for the Twenty-First Century. From http://www. interscience. wiley. com Smith, M. K (1996; 1999) â€Å"Andragogy†, the encyclopedia of informed education. http://www. infed. org/lifelonglearning/b-andra. htm Bibliography Brockbank, A and McGill, I (1998) Facilitating Reflective Learning in Higher Education. Buckingham: SHRE/Open University Press. Mortimore, P (1999) Understanding Pedagogy and its Impact on Adult Learning. London:Chapman. Payne, E (2000) Developing Essential Study Skills. London; prentice Hall.

Compare The Immigration Policies In Two Countries History Essay

Compare The Immigration Policies In Two Countries History Essay Australia and America during the White Australia Policy period 1901 1973; Comparisons, Consequences the Future When comparing and contrasting the factors that shaped the immigration policies of the United States and Australia during the White Australia period of 1901-1973 it is apparent that there are some strong similarities in the policies, particularly in the areas of politics and economics. There are also defining differences in the contributing cultural factors with regard to the types of nationalism and identity that emerged within the two countries. Whilst both countries were immigrant nations, Australia has held on to its British heritage, whereas the United States had become a world power in its own right even before the British Empire fell. The vast size of the United States population has also played an immense role in its place in the global world of leading nations. Although the two nations are similar in geographical size, by 1901 the population of the United States was twenty times that of Australia (Aust. Beaureau of Statistics 2002 U.S. Bureau of the Census 1999). The enormi ty of the US made it less concerned than Australia about fears of attack, or being swamped by immigrants (Freeman Jupp, 1992, Preface). These factors have all contributed in some way to the diversity in the ethnicity of immigrants who settled in the respective nations. Similarly the reasons behind why they chose one country over another, were allowed into one country over another, or in the case of Australia, were coerced into migrating to a foreign nation by means of free passage, must be considered. The similarities and differences in the immigration policies of these two countries will be discussed and compared throughout this research essay with the aim to focus on how these factors have contributed to current migrant populations and immigration polices within a global context. The initial immigration policies of both Australia and the United States shared many common factors and some differences. In the United States the San Francisco Gold Rush began during 1848. Many Mexicans and South Americans migrated to the region at this time to labor as miners. Initially the levels of Chinese migration as gold diggers was relatively low; it was not until 1852 that the numbers began to rise and by 1860 California had a total Chinese population of approximately 35,000 (Markus, 1979, pg.1). The levels of Chinese people arriving became so high that accommodation sources were completely depleted and tents were pitched on the streets. From an economic perspective, fears began to rise that the mines were going to be fully overtaken by these migrants and the US miners began to retaliate, The War upon the Chinese began (Markus 1979, pg.4). Daily expulsions began to take place with US miners demolishing Chinese tents and claims and mining codes were introduced that prevented Chinese from mining in certain districts. The Chinese were physically chased from claims and mining districts and murders were reported but rarely, if at all, were followed up by officials with no apprehension or punishment of offenders (Markus 1979, pg.6-7). Similarly, in Australia, the discovery of Gold near Bathurst in 1851 was the initial instigator for mass migration changes. Prior to this, migrants had been primarily convicts from Britain and Ireland. During the Gold Rush migrants began pouring into Australia from wide and varied backgrounds. Between 1851 and 1861 over 600,000 people migrated to Australia (Migration Heritage Website, 2001). Whilst the vast majority were still from Britain and Ireland, immigrant levels from countries such as Europe, China, the United States, New Zealand and the South Pacific began to rise (Migration Heritage Website, 2001). One of the largest migration groups were the Chinese, who with time, were seen by the Australian population as a financial threat to society, just as they were in the United States. In both cases the number of Chinese migrants grew whilst gold yields slumped. However, unlike America , this economic concern introduced a change in culture in Australia , with racial aggression toward s the Chinese due to their differences in appearance, customs and culture. In a nation looking towards maintaining its British white Australia policy these clashes were a major reason for the implementation of the Immigration Restriction Act at the time of Federation in 1901. Therefore, for both Australia and the US, Asian immigration caused the introduction of exclusionary policies. The White Australia Policy of 1901 effectively banned Asian immigration to Australia for the next fifty years (Migration Heritage Website, 2001). Similarly, in the US the Chinese Exclusion Act passed by President Chester Arthur in 1882 prevented immigration of the Chinese for ten years. This act was later extended for another ten years and became permanent in 1902 (Harvard University Library website, 2006). Interestingly, although the US did not make the Chinese Exclusion Act permanent until 1902, Australian legislators used this act as a model when developing the Immigration Act of 1901 (White Australia Policy), after considering the problems they saw occurring in the US during the Gold Rush years (Markus 1979, Intro pg.xiv). In Australia, unlike the US, the main complaints against the Chinese were initially economic but rapidly became cultural and political. The economic concerns began with claims predominately relating to the idea that Chinese were taking the gold that rightfully belonged to the homeland. Whilst Australia had initially tolerated early Chinese immigration under the hope that they would provide cheap labor, boosting the economic working population and opening the Northern parts of Australia to settlement (Markus 1979, pg. 20), this early tolerance did not take long to fade. Miners and the Australian general population began to take offense not only to the working habits of the Chinese, their so called clanning which gave them the advantage of working in large numbers and monopolising diggings, but also to their mannerisms, customs, religion and colour (Markus 1979, pg. 21). Although these factors also played a role in the US reaction to Chinese immigrants, it was not quite so significant in the racial sense, as it was in Australia. Hence, Australia put into place its White Australia Policy, specifically aimed at excluding Asians, and later, non-desirable Europeans, whilst the US initially aimed their immigration policies predominantly at culling the amount of migrants from anywhere to their country. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1902 preceded the US immigration restriction acts of the 1920s, which eventuated in the National Origins Act of 1929, capping the overall immigration allowance to the US at 150,000 and completely prohibiting Asian immigration (Harvard University Library website, 2006). World War I brought another change to the US immigration policies which had repercussions for Australia. In Australia when the First World War broke out in 1914, migration almost ceased altogether. Migrants from some countries previously thought of as acceptable were now classified as enemy aliens (Migration Heritage Website, 2001). Germans, Austro-Hungarians, Bulgarians and Turkish immigrants faced internment in Australia or general restrictions on their daily lives. Altogether, about 7000 people were interned in camps in New Sout Wales. This happened again during the Second World War with Germans, Italians, Japanese, Hungarians and Jewish refugees being interned. No preference was given on the basis of refugee status or political sympathies to the Jewish migrants. (Migration Heritage Website, 2001). In comparison, United States immigration between 1901 1973 can be categorized into three eras; The New Immigration 1890 1930, The Depression War 1930 1965 and Third World Immigratio ns 1965 onwards (Judd Freeman, 1992, pg 9). During the New Immigration unprecedented amounts of immigrants landed on American shores. Most of these were young and predominantly male, providing laborers to work within the industrial uprising (Judd Freeman, 1992, pg 9). However, after the First World War the United States wanted to limit the amount of the no longer acceptable Europeans, particularly Southern Europeans, migrating to their nation. In turn this caused increasing numbers of young Greek and Italian men to pay their way instead to Australia (as just discussed). This knock on effect resulted in Australia implementing strict quota restrictions on these men (Judd Freeman, 1992, pg. 4). These migrants were escaping religious, racial, and political persecution, or seeking relief from a lack of economic opportunity or famine (Eyewitness to History website, 2000). We can see here the correlation between the two countries and the consequences that the United States immigration r estrictions had on Australian policy makers, encouraging them to adopt racially discriminative immigration legislation. In Australia, Post World War II and on into the 1950s and 60s Europeans continued to be granted immigration status, with the focus being greatly based on the populate or perish idea and assimilation into Australian society and culture. Immigrants were expected to shed their existing cultural identities, including their native languages, to promote their rapid absorption into the host population (DFAT website, nd). Although Australia in theory needed and encouraged these migrants in order to increase the population through means of government work placement agreements, the conditions they were subject to on arrival were quite appalling. Most migrants arrived by ship, from where they were immediately taken to hostels for migrants that had been set up in rural areas. The conditions were often very primitive, with men and woman separated into single sex barracks, shared bathrooms and communal kitchens and dining rooms serving unfamiliar foods. The situation was not welcoming and there wa s an expectation that a migrant would need only four to six weeks in one of these hostels before being prepared to settle near their new (enforced) workplace. It was not until 1969 that family units opened at the Villawood migration centre in New South Wales (Migration Heritage Website, 2001). On the contrary in the US things were very different. As they had no need to populate their already vastly inhabited nation, migration policy was largely prohibitive. From the 1930s right through until 1965 when the Immigration Nationality Amendments Act was passed, immigration was on the decline in the US. As a result of this, coupled with the fact that existing migrants were ageing, specific assimilation policies were not implemented. The emphasis was very much on Americanization and the melting pot theory without an actual government act required (Judd Freeman, 1992, pg.8). With the passing of the Immigration Amendments Act this all changed. The Third World immigration period began, bringing with it a new wave of immigrants, differing from those who had arrived before. The new law set an overall limit on immigration from the eastern hemisphere countries and capped, for the first time, entries from the west. Family reunification was emphasized and refugee law was introduced (Free man Jupp, 1992, pg.9). This Immigration Amendments Act reflected the civil rights movement taking place in the US, along with a movement toward the establishment of good foreign relations with an economically rising Asia. As this new wave of migrants was hitting America, Australia also began to experience significant changes. It was recognized that immigrants could not be forced to become the New Australians(Freeman Jupp, 1992, p.184) when there were obvious, governmentally imposed, employment and social segregations for these new arrivals. Migrants were living, as a result of these segregations, in isolation and relative poverty(Freeman Jupp, 1992, p.184). Children were failing at school, only basic low paid employment was available for people with poor English speaking skills, and the local Australians avoided contact with these people who were supposed to be assimilating into their society. Between 1965 and 1972 an Integration Branch was implemented into the Department of Immigration (Freeman Jupp, 1992, p.186) which was a means to assist migrants in as many aspects of their new Australian life as possible. It was a first attempt to make life easier for them, with English language schooling, wel fare services, workplace teachings, etc. By 1972 the government had recognised that the migrant population in Australia formed a large part of society that deserved to be recognized and have their needs met. In 1973 Gough Whitlam abolished the White Australia Policy completely. In a comparison of both Australian and American immigration history, it can be seen that whilst some issues were relatively similar or related, as noted above, that these two countries are actually very different in terms of migration. Many correlations can be drawn globally between the two nations, such as being English speaking, settler societies, or countries of immigrants, but the reasons behind their migration trends in most instances is completely different. Whilst Australias early, and most significant immigration population initially came from Britain, based on ethnic ties with the home country and Australias need for population, Americas first immigrants were volunteer migrants heading to a new land for a better life. The similarities in the policies that both nations have adopted over time, is that they have caused a type of cultural pluralism (Ucarer Puchala, 1997, pg.341). In theory this means that all racial, religious and cultural groups are tolerated within one societ y. On the surface of both countries this is true. Blacks and whites work together, there are interracial marriages, everyone can vote and society does usually operate in a suitable manner. It is the problems under the surface of a long history of underlying racial tension that need to be addressed. These racial tensions essentially exist, not because of the immigration policies alone, but of how they were implemented into society for both locals and migrants. Emigration throughout history results from people around the world searching for human security, whether it is economic, social, political or cultural, the search continues (Ucarer Puchala, 1997, pg.342). A possible global solution for nations, such as Australia and the United States, who are trying to control and contain the flow of migration, would be to consider the adverse conditions that people are looking to escape and implement foreign policy to begin to change and assist with these problems. Although these types of pol icies would take a great deal of time to implement, it seems worth considering as a plausible and humanitarian option rather than simply working to establish policies that are aimed at keeping prospective migrants out as per the existing legislation in both countries.

Human Cloning Essay -- Clones, Cloning Essays

Cloning humans has recently become a possibility. It is achieved by the production of a group of identical cells or organisms that all derive from a single individual (Grolier 220). It is not known when cloning humans really became a possibility, but it is known that there are two possible ways that we can clone humans. The first way involves splitting an embryo into several halves and creating many new individuals from that embryo. The second method of cloning a human involves taking cells from an already existing human being and cloning them, in turn creating other individuals that are identical to that particular person. With these two methods almost at our fingertips, we must ask ourselves two very important questions: Can we do this, and should we? There is no doubt that many problems involving the technological and ethical sides of this issue will arise and will be virtually impossible to avoid, but the overall idea of cloning humans is one that we should accept as a possible r eality for the future. Cloning humans is an idea that has always been thought of as something that could be found in science fiction novels, but never as a concept that society could actually experience. "It is much in the news. The public has been bombarded with newspaper articles, magazine stories, books, television shows, and movies as well as cartoons ¡Ã‚ ¨, writes Robert McKinnell, the author of Cloning: A Biologist Reports (24). Much of this information in these sources leads the public in the wrong direction and makes them wonder how easy it would be for everyone around them to be cloned. Bizarre ideas about cloning lie in many science fiction books and scare the public with their unbelievable possibilities. David Rorvik wrote a highly controversial book entitled In His Image. In it he describes the story of a wealthy man who decides to clone himself. He is successful in doing this and causes quite an uprise in his community. This book was written in the late seventies and even then, societies reaction to the issues of human cloning was generally a negative one. We face a problem today even greater than the one in this book and it involves the duplication of human beings in a society that has always been known for its diversity. The main issue as to whether or not human cloning is possible through the splitting of embryos began in 1993 when experimentation was done at George W... ...nkind, ¡Ã‚ ¨ Time (June 21-27): 63-76. Grolier, Thomas. Can We Still Talk. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1994. Hamilton, Bernard. Cloning of embryos. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1991. Habgood, John.  ¡Ã‚ §Manipulating mankind. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Nature, Vol. 365 September 23, 1993: 3 04. Kolberg, Rebecca.  ¡Ã‚ §Human Embryo Cloning Reported. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Science, October 29, 1993, Vol.262: 652-653. McCormick, Richard A.  ¡Ã‚ §Should we clone humans? ¡Ã‚ ¨ Christian Century, November 17- 24, 1993: 1148-1149. P. J.  ¡Ã‚ §The pros and cons of freedom of access to human genome data ¡Ã‚ ¨, Nature, Vol. 333 June 23, 1988: 692. McKinnell, Robert. Cloning: A Biologist Reports. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1989. Radford, Tim.  ¡Ã‚ §Designing the Next Generation. ¡Ã‚ ¨ World Press Review, March 1994: 22-23. Rorvik, David. In His Image. New York: Harper & Row Publisher, 1992. Shah, Dilip M.  ¡Ã‚ §Engineering Herbicide Tolerance in Transgenic Plants. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Science, July 25, 1986: 478. Watson, Traci.  ¡Ã‚ §Seeking the wonder in a mote of dust. ¡Ã‚ ¨ U.S. News & World Report, October 3, 1994: 66. Voelker, Roger B.  ¡Ã‚ §Who ¡Ã‚ ¦s Afraid of the Human Genome? ¡Ã‚ ¨ Hastings Center Report, July/August 1989: 19-21. Human Cloning Essay -- Clones, Cloning Essays Cloning humans has recently become a possibility. It is achieved by the production of a group of identical cells or organisms that all derive from a single individual (Grolier 220). It is not known when cloning humans really became a possibility, but it is known that there are two possible ways that we can clone humans. The first way involves splitting an embryo into several halves and creating many new individuals from that embryo. The second method of cloning a human involves taking cells from an already existing human being and cloning them, in turn creating other individuals that are identical to that particular person. With these two methods almost at our fingertips, we must ask ourselves two very important questions: Can we do this, and should we? There is no doubt that many problems involving the technological and ethical sides of this issue will arise and will be virtually impossible to avoid, but the overall idea of cloning humans is one that we should accept as a possible r eality for the future. Cloning humans is an idea that has always been thought of as something that could be found in science fiction novels, but never as a concept that society could actually experience. "It is much in the news. The public has been bombarded with newspaper articles, magazine stories, books, television shows, and movies as well as cartoons ¡Ã‚ ¨, writes Robert McKinnell, the author of Cloning: A Biologist Reports (24). Much of this information in these sources leads the public in the wrong direction and makes them wonder how easy it would be for everyone around them to be cloned. Bizarre ideas about cloning lie in many science fiction books and scare the public with their unbelievable possibilities. David Rorvik wrote a highly controversial book entitled In His Image. In it he describes the story of a wealthy man who decides to clone himself. He is successful in doing this and causes quite an uprise in his community. This book was written in the late seventies and even then, societies reaction to the issues of human cloning was generally a negative one. We face a problem today even greater than the one in this book and it involves the duplication of human beings in a society that has always been known for its diversity. The main issue as to whether or not human cloning is possible through the splitting of embryos began in 1993 when experimentation was done at George W... ...nkind, ¡Ã‚ ¨ Time (June 21-27): 63-76. Grolier, Thomas. Can We Still Talk. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1994. Hamilton, Bernard. Cloning of embryos. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1991. Habgood, John.  ¡Ã‚ §Manipulating mankind. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Nature, Vol. 365 September 23, 1993: 3 04. Kolberg, Rebecca.  ¡Ã‚ §Human Embryo Cloning Reported. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Science, October 29, 1993, Vol.262: 652-653. McCormick, Richard A.  ¡Ã‚ §Should we clone humans? ¡Ã‚ ¨ Christian Century, November 17- 24, 1993: 1148-1149. P. J.  ¡Ã‚ §The pros and cons of freedom of access to human genome data ¡Ã‚ ¨, Nature, Vol. 333 June 23, 1988: 692. McKinnell, Robert. Cloning: A Biologist Reports. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1989. Radford, Tim.  ¡Ã‚ §Designing the Next Generation. ¡Ã‚ ¨ World Press Review, March 1994: 22-23. Rorvik, David. In His Image. New York: Harper & Row Publisher, 1992. Shah, Dilip M.  ¡Ã‚ §Engineering Herbicide Tolerance in Transgenic Plants. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Science, July 25, 1986: 478. Watson, Traci.  ¡Ã‚ §Seeking the wonder in a mote of dust. ¡Ã‚ ¨ U.S. News & World Report, October 3, 1994: 66. Voelker, Roger B.  ¡Ã‚ §Who ¡Ã‚ ¦s Afraid of the Human Genome? ¡Ã‚ ¨ Hastings Center Report, July/August 1989: 19-21.

The Victorian Age Essay -- History, French Revolution

The Victorian Age of Literature â€Å"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times†¦it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair† (Dickens n. pag.). These words by Charles Dickens, one of the most famous writers of the Victorian Period, were intended to show the connections between the French Revolution and the decline of Dickens’s own time, the Victorian Era (â€Å"About† n.pag.). Dickens wanted to show how the trends of his time were following a tragic path that had already played out and not ended well in France. According to an article about this historical period, the Victorian Era was â€Å"a time of change, a time of great upheaval, but also a time of great literature† (â€Å"Victorian† n.pag.). The Victorian Period reflects the great changes in the social, political, and economical shifts of the time. To start with, some information is in order about the Victorian Period itself. Queen Victoria, England’s longest reigning monarch, sat on the throne from 1837 to 1901. The span of time is referred to as the Victorian Period (Abrams 1860). At the death of Queen Victoria, her subjects reacted in such a way that they rebelled against many of the ideas put forward during her reign. Even her own country recognized her life and rule as a distinct historical period separated from the rest (Abrams 1861). Also in the Victorian Period, other events were going on that changed the way many people thought about life. Among those changes were advances in scientific research, which created conflict with biblical beliefs. With Darwin’s contribution of The Origin of the Species in 1859, which set off a scientific revolution, many Victorians lost faith in the church. His theories stirred doubt about where humanity really started from, and the... ... the era brought with it a change to the people of England and the globe. Thanks to England’s ideas of their responsibly and rights to the rest of the world, civilization as we know it would never be the same. Just like this change impacted England, the effects of Queen Victoria’s ruled shaped the world as it is now. One cannot imagine much less chart how different things would be if it were not for Queen Victoria’s influence on global economy, philosophy, biology, geology, psychology, religious beliefs, etc. Thanks to her and her support of reform from the Industrial Revolution, even the most simple of things that people take for granted today would not exist like being able to call it a day after eight hours of work, overtime pay, healthy and safe working conditions, and rights to defend themselves against unfair practices both in the workplace and out of it.

Does the Internet Have a Negative Effect on Youth or Does Its Use Need to Be Monitored More Essay

Does the internet have a negative effect on youth or does its use need to be monitored more? The Internet has become a major part of everyday life for most Americans especially today’s youth but some say that internet has a negative effect on youth more than a positive one. The question is: are all of the effects of the internet negative? The internet is used by most youth for entertainment, to find information and to connect with people. Unfortunately while the internet can be useful it has been known to cause negative effects on children. Social networking sites are very popular among today’s youth. In recent years cyber bullying has become a trend among youth because of the internet. There are also cases that youth have been exposed to inappropriate websites while on the internet and it had a negative effect on them. The internet has been known to cause a negative effect on youth but it can be prevented if their internet use is monitored. Social networking websites that are popular on the internet Twitter, MySpace, face book and YouTube. It is said by some t hat youth spend more time on websites like these than studying and doing their homework. While most of the young people in the study got good grades, 47 percent of the heaviest media users, those who consumed at least 16 hours a day, had mostly C’s or lower, compared with 23 percent of those who typically consumed media three hours a day or less (New York Times). Some youth can spend all day on social networking sites. Often times social networking sites can also become a distraction to youth. Most youth would much rather get on face book or twitter than study or write a paper. Most of the time youth can begin writing a paper but end up spending hours on face book. Social networking sites also have been known to cause children to be kidnapped or raped. Because of the amount of information that can be put on these sites it is easy for them to be tracked. There have also been cases where youth have chatted someone under the impression that they were someone else. There have been several cases where children have been harmed because someone found them on social netwo rking site. This can only be prevented if youth internet is monitored. So it seems that social networking sites can only have a negative effect if the time they spend on social networks is not being monitored correctly. Cyber bullying is another negative effect from the internet. Cyber bullying is using the Internet to  send or post texts or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person. It has been said that forty-three percent of teens have been victimized by cyber-bullying in the last year (ncpc.org).Cyber-bullying is a result of youth being mad at another peer or just trying to have fun. Cyber-bullying has been said to cause depression and sometimes even suicide among youth. It has become a major problem among youth in recent years. A lot of the time cyber bullying takes place on sites like twitter, face book and sometimes even YouTube. There have been cases all over the news where youth have said that they became depressed because of cyber-bullying.Most youth who have participated in cyber bullying thought that it was funny and not realized that it would have a negative effect on the victim. There have been steps taken to try to prevent cyber-bullying but there are still some cases where it is still happening. Cyber-bullying can be prevented if t he internet use is being monitored. Almost eighty percent of teens said they did not have rules for the internet or that it was not monitored. While browsing the internet the youth can be exposed to a lot of inappropriate websites that most would agree they shouldn’t be exposed to. Twenty five percent of youth had unwanted exposure to sexual pictures on the internet in the past year, challenging the prevalent assumption that the problem is primarily about young people motivated to actively seek out pornography according to youth and society (Protectkids.com).One quarter of these youth were upset by being exposed to pornography. In other cases when youth are exposed to pornography they become interested and begin watching it regularly. According to one study, when youth under fourteen years of age are exposed to pornography it is related to greater involvement in deviant sexual practice, particularly rape (protectkids.com). It has also been said that because pornography encourages sexual expression without responsibility it endangers children’s health. If a child were to see porn he/she may think that is okay to have unprotected sex which could then lead to std’s and unplanned pregnancy( protectkids,com ). Although porn can and has had negative effects on children it has been said that porn does not always have negative effects on children. Some children are exposed and it has no effect at all. In the end it seems that it may depend on the child if it has a negative effect or not. It also seems that the only way that this can be prevented is if their internet use is monitored. There are strategies that  can be taken to do this (Council). It seems to be proven that the internet can in fact have a negative effect on youth. Social networking sites can cause youth grades to drop. Cyber-bullying mostly takes place on the internet and it cause youth to become depressed. Youth can be exposed to several inappropriate websites which can damage their future development. The internet can be a very useful tool for youth to have access to but it can also have a very negative impact on youth if it is not monitored correctly. To ensure that the internet does not harm our youth in negative way parents/guardians must monitor their children’s internet use.