Lower Voting Age In Canada Essays - Elections, Youth Rights

Lower Voting Age In Canada The young as well as the older people of Canada seem to be in a deadlock. The question of if the federal government should or should not lower the voting age is a question debated surely around the dinner tables of families in Canada, as well as in the ranks of the government. Some people even suggest that the age needs to be raised. What would make people want the voting age to be lowered to an even lower age than the young adult age of 18? On the other hand how can the youth of Canada who have their own individual views be able to make a difference without being able to vote? Both sides provide for an intriguing look into the facts and resolutions for an appropriate way to either change the voting age or keep it the same. Throughout this paper I will look at and analyze the arguments of the youth who claim to be 'disenfranchised', as well as others who see the lowering of the voting age to be detrimental rather than an improvement to the Government of Canada's political process. In 1854, before Canada became a responsible government the only people allowed to vote were people who had a high value of land which they owned, and had a high income. Women and people with other ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs were also denied the right to vote. This did not mean that these people did not have their views and beliefs on who and what they wanted in their government but rather they were denied the right. These laws have changed since then drastically and Canada has become a democratic country (rule by the people). However, the frustration of not being able to vote and support their ideals and politicians does live on in the hearts and minds of thousands of young Canadians under the age of eighteen. The youth of Canada between the ages of ten to eighteen years old accounts for approximately 12.5 percent of the overall population of Canada. Thousands of these young adults are politically informed, politically active and have the concerns and demands many of the people who actually vote have. However, the youth of Canada also have concerns of their own which they are unable to address substantially. People under the age of eighteen for the most part are concerned in matters much different than say an employed thirty five-year-old. The youth under eighteen still are in high school they are concerned about as a grade 10 student from Western Canada High School put class sizes, teacher disputes, and minimum wage, (Thompson) among other things. He later goes on to state the fact that by the time he has indeed graduated and become eighteen years old, he will no longer be interested in class sizes nor teacher disputes, therefore he will not address them in his decision on who he decided to vote for. This is a very valid argument and it is also true for the most part to say that the voices of these concerned children should be heard via the vote of their parents. The government of Canada sees the parents as a voice for their children, however parents inevitably will vote in a bias towards their needs such as tax cuts. Without the availability and opportunity to vote and voice their opinions in an electoral system the youth of Canada are left to impact the political process in other ways. Thousands of youth are involved in political parties, political rallies and interest groups all over the country and as the country starts recognizing these groups more it has become increasingly easier to voice one's opinion and join. This is a valid argument to the point that most youth can already impact the result in politics by voicing their opinions and informing others rather than voting. Interest groups are an influential part of politics in Canada and if one under the age o f eighteen does feel the need to voice their opinion and influence politics this can be argued to be easier and sometimes more efficient than actually voting. On the other hand, an interest group never can or will have the

Albert Speer (Germany) Essay Example

Albert Speer (Germany) Essay Example Albert Speer (Germany) Essay Albert Speer (Germany) Essay Albert Speer. Early Years: Albert Speer was born in 1905; in the city of Mannheim located in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany. Albert had been raised in the small township of Heidelberg; he was the second of three boys. His father, Albert Friedrich Speer, was a highly successful architect and his mother Luise Mathilde Wilhelmine Hommel was the daughter of a very wealthy businessman. Albert was nine years old at the time when World War One broke out, though he was too young to fight at the time as so were his brothers. Albert had been sent to a private elementary school and later he moved on to a state high school. Albert’s main focus was mathematics and he hoped to get a degree, though his father wanted his son to follow in his footsteps and become a successful architect and so with that he did. Albert had begun his studies at a Technical University in Karlsruhe near Heidelberg and then he moved on to a more advanced Technical University in Munich. In the year of 1928 Albert had completed his studies and graduated. Albert’s fascination for Hitler: Professor Tessenow who had previously taught Speer at the Technical University in Munich had never agreed with Nazism, though a huge proportion of his students did and Albert was on of them who did. After Albert had graduated he had been persuaded to go to Berlin in 1930 to attend a rally where Hitler spoke and gave his ideas to the people and not long after hearing Hitler speak Albert had signed up for Nazi Party membership because he was inspired by Hitler’s personality and the ideas he had about German society. On the first of March 1931 Albert had been selected and he was now part of the Nazi Party. Albert said that he had joined the Nazi Party because he feared of communism, ‘’fascination for Hitler and rejection of The Treaty of Versailles with its imposition of German guilt for the First World War. ’’(HSC Online) Early work for the Nazi Party: Albert’s very first major commission as a Party member of the Nazi Party had came at the beginning of 1932 when Karl Hanke, a man Speer had previously done work for recommended his ability to Goebbels to help renovate the new District Headquarters in the city of Berlin. With Speer’s high quality work Goebbels had been most impressed and as a result he had recommended him to Hitler, who assigned him to help Paul Troost renovate the new and highly improved Chancellery in Berlin and this is the point where Hitler and Speer begin to bond. Appointment as â€Å"First Architect of the Reich†: By the beginning of 1934 Albert had been chosen to take on the role as the Nazi Party’s head architect after the late Paul Troost who was the previous chief architect. During the year of 1933 Albert was given a variety of tasks which included the design of the parade grounds, 150 searchlights to form a cathedral of light and Nazi banners which hung vertically from ten storey buildings at the Nuremberg party rally of 1934. After proving his strong ability, Hitler had regarded Speer as a friend and the two had bonded quite well, because Hitler also had a passion for architectural design. Albert was seen as one of Hitler’s highly regarded friends and wherever Hitler went Albert wasn’t far behind. It is said that it was Albert Speer who played some part in the eviction of all Jewish families to make way for his new buildings. The Germania project and the new Reich Chancellery: Just after 1937 Hitler had demanded buildings that would be able to stand for a thousand years no matter what and so he chose Albert to lead the way and start designing these mighty buildings. Hitler had asked Albert to build the new Reichs chancellery; he thought over this decision and immediately accepted the offer. Hitler needed the building built and ready by the end of the year and Albert had assured him that the task would be completed on time. As the year had drawn to an end Albert was quite relieved that he had completed the mighty task on time, he also wished that he never accepted it because it put alot of strain on him, though it had later paid off. ‘Albert’s’ chancellery building was designed so that it would give the foreign diplomats an impression of power and it would show them the highly sophisticated design which went into the building in the short amount of time. For Speer’s hard effort Hitler had awarded him with the Golden Party Badge, this badge was only ever given to a handful of selected people. Albert Speer as Armaments Minister: February 1942, Albert Speer was appointed as Minister of Armaments and Munitions by Adolf Hitler. Speer had greatly raised the production levels of armaments and after proving his loyalty in 1943 he had been given more responsibilities, though this had put more strain on himself, especially now that he had become the Minister of Armaments and war production. Speer had now prolonged World War 2 as a result of his works. Over the six years, the â€Å"Speer Ministry†, as it was called, ended up employing 28 million workers, 6 million of these workers were foreign and about 60,000 of them concentration camp prisoners. It was these factories in which hundreds of thousands of slave labourers died of working extremely harsh hours and malnutrition, though Speer had tried to ensure that these workers would maintain a sufficient diet. Speer had visited many of these camps and he was shocked at what he saw. In 1944 Hitler had ordered Speer to stop producing fighter aircraft, though for once Speer had ignored the orders of the Hitler. By November that year Speer lost his faith to believe in a German victory. It is said that Speer had visited the Adolf Hitler’s bunker towards the end of WW2 and had told Hitler straight out that the war was to be lost leaving Germany in a struggle, this shocked Hitler and left him in a bad state. 29th of April that same year Speer had been excluded from the new cabinet and Speer was to be immediately replaced by Karl-Otto Saur, who was at the time the Director of the Technical Office, Armaments Ministry; Jaeger -stab. Final years: After Hitler’s death, Speer had been sentenced to twenty years in prison, because he was found guilty of forced labour during his years as Armaments Minister. He was released in 1966. He died on the 1st of September 1981, aged seventy six. C. MARKS. ?Spartacus Educational. (26th May, 17th May 08) ?Albert Speer, the Story. (21st May 08) ?Britannica Online. (17th May 08) ?Book rags. com. (17th May 08) ?Germania in Berlin (15th May, 26th May 08) ?Albert [emailprotected] com. (26th May 08) ?HSC Online. (20th May 08) ?Individuals in Modern History. Albert Speer, Samantha L. Frappell. ?Albert Speer and the Nazi Anti-Semitic Agenda. David Martin. ?Albert Speer, A philosophical Case Study. Peter Cassidy.

Foster School of Business - University of Washington

Foster School of Business - University of Washington The Michael G. Foster School of Business is part of the University of Washington, a Seattle-based university that hosts one of the most respected medical schools in the world. Foster School of Business is a public business school that is the second oldest institution of management education on the West Coast. It is well-known for being consistently ranking among the best undergraduate and graduate business schools in the world. The school, which includes a number of newly constructed facilities, is housed on the main University of Washington campus. Address:  PACCAR Hall, Seattle, WA 98195Phone: 206-685-3400Website: foster.uw.edu Foster School of Business Academics What puts Foster above competing business schools is its world-class faculty and robust student experiences. Students can expect a quality business education and excellent preparation in areas like accounting, entrepreneurship, international business, and management. Traditional classroom studies are supplemented by structured student experiences like case competitions, consulting projects, international experiences, independent study, and internships. The career placement rate is also exceptional (nearly 100%), especially among MBA students. Foster School of Business Culture Foster School of Business prides itself on diversity, and this dedication to inclusiveness can be seen in the schools academic programs, student experiences, and relationships with area businesses and the community. Undergraduate Programs The undergraduate program at Foster School of Business awards a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (BABA). Students take a combination of general education, non-business, and business courses throughout the 180-credit program. Formal areas of study include accounting, finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, information systems, and operations and supply chain management. Students can also customize their education by designing their own program. Undergraduate students can even earn certificates outside of the BABA program in areas like sales and international studies in business. MBA Programs Foster offers a range of MBA program options for students with every type of schedule and career goal: Full-time MBA - Two-year full-time programEvening MBA - Three-year part-time programExecutive MBA - 21-month program with two schedule optionsGlobal Executive MBA - 12-month full-time programTechnology Management MBA - 18-month work-compatible program Masters Programs For a student who would prefer a specialized masters to an MBA, Forster offers the following programs: Master of Professional Accounting - A three-quarter-long (September-June) professional program that prepares students to sit for the CPA exam  Master of Science in Information Systems - A one-year masters program with a focus on the role of information technology and IT solutionsMaster of Supply Chain Management - A one year masters program with a focus on global sourcing of goods and local distribution and fulfillment Other Programs Foster School of Business also offers executive education programs and a Ph.D. Program in Business Administration with specializations in accounting, finance, information systems, management, marketing, operations management, and technology entrepreneurship. Graduate-level students who dont want to earn a degree can complete certificate courses in entrepreneurship and global business. Foster School of Business Admissions Paths to admission to Foster vary depending on the program you are applying to. Applications are competitive at every level of education (undergraduate and graduate), but competition is especially fierce for the MBA program, which has a small entering class size (just over 100 students). Entering MBA students at Foster have an average of 5 years of work experience and an average GPA of 3.35. Read more about Foster admission requirements and application deadlines.

Media, Culture & Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Media, Culture & Identity - Essay Example People’s sense of social class, ethnicity, nationality and social identity is being constructed by the visual, auditory and symbolic material provided by the media (Kellner 1995, p.1). People’s identities are shaped by the images and information provided in the media. Hence, people’s opinion about people belonging to other countries, communities and religion is highly influenced by the images and information they see about those people on television and in movies. When people are repeatedly exposed to a particular idea through visual or auditory medium, they start believing in it as a ‘truth’. Hence, influencing people’s opinion and ideas by repeatedly exposing them to visual and auditory material of that idea has become a favourite weapon of the media. In the age of the media culture, where people’s identities are shaped by media images, when a certain community or religion is repeatedly portrayed as a threat to the peace of the world, it not only harms the image of that community but also generates a feeling of hatred, prejudice and anger towards that community. The community that is suffering from the harmful effects of the media culture is the community of Muslim people. People belonging to Islamic religion are facing hatred and misunderstanding in the Western countries because of the constant negative publicity in the Western media. It is this bias treatment of the Islamic community by the Western media that led Edward Said to develop the theory of ‘Orientalism’. Orientalism is a theory by Edward Said which proposes that the Eastern countries are highly misrepresented and misunderstood in the Western countries as the Western people are constantly getting exposed to the manipulated images and fabricated ‘news’ of the Oriental people through the Western media (Said n.d.) Edward Said, in his theory of ‘orientalism’, argues that the Western thinking about

Leaders of Quantum Healthcare Organizations Essay

Leaders of Quantum Healthcare Organizations - Essay Example Unlike other types of leaders, a quantum leader is more concerned with bringing change rather than controlling. A quantum leader brings change by using reality in the best innovative and creative means available. To ensure that the climate of change suitably works in the hospital system, the quantum leader must be a critical thinker, a successful planner, and most importantly plays the role of a mediator (Montgomery, 2011). The quantum leader is the chief decision maker and problem solver of the health organization. It is through environmental analysis that the quantum leader identifies the immediate and long-term needs of a health organization. As a nurse educator in the coronary critical care unit, possessing quantum leadership qualities means a lot in terms of making quick, sound and well-informed decisions on patient’s care (Dargahi, 2013). Saving life requires a leader who is swift in action rather than that who is best at instructing. The ability to make quick life-saving decisions, perform thorough physical assessments, communicate clearly to the health care team and advocate for the patient’s rights are all responsibilities a coronary critical care nurse shoulders. It is worth mentioning that quantum leadership can be cultivated right from the first year of study and be applied long after graduation. Quantum leadership helps a critical care nurse to make appropriate and continuous decisions on patient care. Montgomery, K. L. (2011). Leadership redefined: educating the Doctorate of Nursing Practice nurse leader through innovation. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 35(3), 248-251.

Lyme Disease Essay Example for Free

Lyme Disease Essay Chronic Lyme disease has been a controversial topic for many years. Researchers are in between opinions to determine if this disease really does exist. Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease that passes to the tick’s host once it has latched on and started feeding. The disease goes into the host’s blood and implants a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. This type of bacterium is from the spirochete family. Stricker (2008) â€Å"Chronic infections with the Lyme spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, is rare and non-existent, and the concept of chronic Lyme disease rest on ‘faith-based’ opinion rather than ‘evidence-based’ science† (Chronic Lyme Disease and the â€Å"Axis of Evil†). This is an article from a very popular website for medical information. The source may have a sense of bias toward particular topics. The statement, â€Å"†¦rest on ‘faith-based’ opinion rather than ‘evidence-based’ science† is a fallacy. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2013), â€Å"Approximately 10 to 20% of patients treated for Lyme disease with a recommended 2–4 week course of antibiotics will have lingering symptoms of fatigue, pain, or joint and muscle aches. In some cases, these can last for more than 6 months. Although often called chronic Lyme disease, this condition is properly known as Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS)† (Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome). This backs up the other half of researches stating that Lyme disease does not always go away after the initial treatment. There are known cases in which the symptoms are still active in the patient and must continue with treatment. This article comes from a credible government organization that has a goal to maintain the disease in the United States and inform the people of necessary information pertaining to different diseases and illnesses. The CDC is controlled by our countries government and is not to take a bias view on various topics. The data used is based upon studies that have been performed on human and non-human research. In conclusion it is clear that the first article did not have supporting studies however the second one did. Both articles are credible but the CDC is a government funded agency that is committed to the well-being of the people. Having back-up studies and scientific evidence to support any arguments that are made is important to keeping credibility, making sure the information is reliable, and the data gathered is valid.

Comets :: essays research papers

COMETS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Comets have been witnessed ever since man has been speculating about objects in the nighttime sky and appear in records from the beginning of recorded civilization (Schweighauser 20).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Comets are made up of four distinct features. The first is the nucleus. The nucleus is made up of frozen gases, mostly water vapor with lesser amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, and imbedded in the frozen gases are interplanetary dust and tiny fragments of stony and metallic meteoric material. Some comets, the larger ones, have a nucleus of 10 kilometers (Schweighauser 22). The second feature of comets is the coma. The coma is composed of atoms and molecules of gas that travels with the nucleus. The coma may be up to 100,000 kilometers in diameter. The third feature of a comet is the head. The head is just the name given to the coma and nucleus. The last of the features of the comet are the tails. Most comets have two tails. One tail is made from dust particles and the other, called ion tail, is made gases. As a comet approaches the sun, the frozen gas becomes unfrozen which causes the dust particles to become free. Light pressure from the sun and some other forces cause these materials to move away from the head of the comet and in the opposite direction from the sun. According to Charles A. Schweighauser in his book, entitled Astronomy from A to Z: A Dictionary of Celestial Objects and Ideas, he states that we see comet heads and tails because they not only reflect sunlight, but they also fluoresce—give off their own light—when comets are near the sun. The tails from the comet may be up to 150 million kilometers long each or together. Comets have a predictable orbit. There are one thousand comets that have been charted. Some comets go by the sun once and others, which are called periodic comets, pass the sun repeatedly following a predicable pattern. I have chosen a periodic comet called Tempel-Tuttle. Ernst Wilhelm Liebrecht Tempel and Horace Parnell Tuttle discovered this comet. This comet has been witnessed as early as 1366. The best apparition was that of 1366 when it passed 0.

Nature or Nurture Controversy

Developmental psychologists tell us that development is caused by two very extensive intermingling factors: heredity or nature, and environment or nurture. Often determining the demarcation line between these two factors, which directly or indirectly influences our biological and psychological constitution, is not an easy task. Nature speaks of the transmission of traits from parents to offspring through the genes which is universally known as heredity. This biological transmission of traits from one generation to another plays an important role in the determination of traits that are considered human and nonhuman. The biological structures, people inherit, at the same time, make people’s behavior possible. It is also these biological structures that limit human behavior (Hurlock, 1964). On the other hand, environment embraces all the influences that affect or shape man. The other process of development that occurs through the medium of the environment is called learning. There are more social or behavior scientists today who stand on the position that they adhere strictly neither to the nature nor to the nurture side. They are persuaded or tend to lean on an integrated or multi-dimensional approach. However, there have been specific areas in the study of human behavior that are being challenged on a continuous basis, and this includes subjects that aid to either the heredity or environment positions (Morris & Maisto, 1999). This short study attempts to provide evidences to the scientific inquiry that nurture influences early human development. It seeks to look into explicit observations already made, i.e., studies done that investigated the issue of nature and nurture. Discussion In general, it can be argued that all behavior reflects the influence of both nature and nurture. All organisms acquire or inherit a range of structures that set the stage for certain behaviors. Yet environmental influence such as nutrition and learning also help decide whether or not genetically possible behaviors will be displayed. The genius of such creative writers as C.S. Lewis or Stephen King may never appear should they have been reared in less fortunate circumstances without the privilege or opportunity of even writing and reading. Nurture especially during the early stages in the life span influences some of the arenas of human existence. The best illustration to this is in the aspect of intelligence. Many studies have been conducted to emphasize the role of environment and this is illustrated in the areas of research where scientists try to manipulate the initial milieu around which many young children are in jeopardy of developing poor intellectual functioning. These researches actually put stress or accentuate the preventive aspect instead of addressing the interventions that may be applied later on. A lot of families from below the poverty line reasonably, are not able to afford their children a cognitively motivating atmosphere. For this reason, majority of these children are even expected to perform below their capacity. It is arguably to the side of nurture in instances that intellectual functioning is compromised when the environment component is not maximized. Hence the reason that some of the government’s popular programs to address the problem are in place. They include such services as Head Start, which are confirmed effective strategies in developing the child’s intellectual capability (Ramey, 1989 in Halonen and Santrock, 1996, p. 280). Despite some of the controversies that surround the efficacy of the â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act† spearheaded by President George W. Bush, the rationale following this public policy is the fact that children coming from inner cities and minority groups will be provided ample opportunities for cognitive development via government funding. Schools that do not perform at par with â€Å"productive ones† will be evaluated and funding consequently is affected. This raises up the standard of the schools especially their teachers. Whether this is fail-safe or not, is not the question here. However, this is a clear illustration that without any environmental intervention, children left to themselves may not develop competence or achieve their potential. Another evidence that point to the effect of environment on human development especially during the early years is based on observations or studies on parental abuse of children. According to research, the growth and development of a child is modified incessantly by the influences in the environment. The fact that maltreatment by parents over their children account for the vast differences of performance of school age children and many of the resulting disorders or maladjustment problems that are frequent problems encountered by educators, substantiates the claims of nurture or environmental influence (www.ipce.info/library_3/files/glaser/glaser_2.htm). Early childhood environment impacts the child’s cognitive ability is also shown in a study on the effects of nutrition in infancy and later cognition. Nutrients as provided by formula or any other supplement affect brain development significantly.   The study supports the hypothesis that optimum nutrition in infancy â€Å"has significant consequences for cognitive development (Lucas, 1998). Conclusion Nurture is perhaps the strongest alibi any person attributes to whenever things turn out not as good as they want them to be. We often make justifications why we tend to be mediocre; â€Å"because my parents did not try their very best to train me and provide for all that I need,† is our typical rejoinder. To what extent is this true, and where does the line end when it comes to personal responsibility, genetic predispositions, or the responsibility and accountability of people who exert immense influence on us? The argument postulated in this paper is not so much as â€Å"drawing the line† in as much as it has evidently proven the great impact of nurture on personality and/or human development in general. This paper pointed out exactly, that many of individual decisions and government policies are responses to the effects of environment to early human development, thus proving the hypothesis correct. Parental abuse and neglect have been issues in learning because these are factors that are vital to the child’s overall performance and normal functioning as they operate as kids and later as adults in the real world. This is also true with nutritional status of children in their growing years. Several studies have proven the effects of these factors that they are consciously observed among the educated parents; as much as possible, many actively pursue in avoiding the drastic effects of either deficiency. Indeed, the environmental changes that are constantly influencing children in their early stages are established in the scientific disciplines; this despite the many arguments to the contrary. Reference: 1. Environmental influences on brain development. Accessed    August 11, 2007. 2. Hilgard, ER, RR Atkinson, and RC Atkinson, 1983. Introduction to Psychology. 7th ed., New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanich, Inc. 3. Hurlock, E.B, 1964. Child development. New York: McGraw-Hill    Book Company, Inc. 4. Lucas, A., 1998. â€Å"Randomised trial of early diet in preterm   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   babies and later intelligence quotient.† British Medical   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Journal, British Medical group. Accessed August 12, 2007 5. Morris, Charles G. & Albert Maisto, 1999. Understanding   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychology. 4th ed. Prentice Hall, Inc. P. 73. 6. Ramey as cited from Halonen, Jane S., and John Santrock.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychology: Contexts of   Ã‚  Ã‚   behavior. 1996. Brown & Benchmark,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   USA, p. 280.      

Alexander Hamilton’s Electoral College and the Modern

Alexander Hamilton’s Electoral College and the Modern Election Alexander Hamilton’s Electoral College and the Modern Election Colin Campbell Prof. R Hurl TA: Matthew Lesch Tutorial: Thursday, 4:00 PM, UC 67) U. S. Government and Politics (POL 208 Y1Y) 1 November 2012 Alexander Hamilton’s Electoral College and the Modern Election When American's leaders assembled in Philadelphia in 1787, they originally had the goal of solving issues that had arisen from the Articles of Confederation, which had governed the young nation since separating from Britain.Instead, they drafted a completely new document that established a more permanent and effective central government. With it, they established the office of President of the United States. Rather than being directly elected by the people or selected by the legislature – as described by Alexander Hamilton in the Federalist Papers – the head of state was to be elected by an independent institution that exist ed solely for the purpose of finding a man who was up to the job: a group that would become known as the Electoral College.However, as the political nature of the country evolved in an unanticipated and partisan way, the independence of this body became increasingly irrelevant, resulting in a system which fails to meet the standards of a true modern democracy. Although the Electoral College system has never substantially been reformed, it is now a mere formality which leads to the types of campaigns which it was designed to prevent. In The Federalist, Number 68, Hamilton argues that the president should be elected by individuals selected exclusively for that purpose, rather than by an existing body or by national popular vote. Hamilton, par. 8) Although never named as such in this or any other constitutional document, this would be the basis for the institution now known as the Electoral College. Rather than submitting the national leaders-in-waiting to the rigors of campaigning, wh ich would lead to what amounts to a popularity contest, the Founding Fathers believed that â€Å"a small number of persons, selected by their fellow-citizens from the general mass, will be most likely to possess the information and discernment requisite to such complicated investigations. † (par. 3) Unlike the Congress, however, the ElectoralCollege would never meet as a single body. Each state's electors would convene in their respective capitals, then send notice to Washington of their votes. Hamilton believed that keeping the electors apart would reduce corruption by making it more difficult for any one political faction to manipulate the contenders, allowing them to focus exclusively on serving the interests of their state. (par. 4) Furthermore, selecting the president through this independent body would mean that he is accountable solely to the people and not to a legislative body which could depose of him if the two branches were not in agreement.His re-election would n ot be controlled by legislative enemies and allies. (par. 6) Each state would be granted as many electors has they had seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate combined, effectively compromising between the preferred plans of either all states having equal weight (as they do in the Senate) or distributing power based on population (as it is in the House). If no candidate were to receive a majority of the votes, the House would convene to select the President from the top five candidates. par. 7) Hamilton wished for the vice-president to be elected by the same body and through the same method, except that the Senate would select the winner for this office if no candidate won a majority. (par. 9) He notes that this is one of the few aspects of the new constitution that received little dissent, and the final system was ultimately very similar to the one he described. The vice-presidency was, until the passage of the twelfth amendment in 1804, awarded to the second place-can didate.However, this inherently resulted in a rival with opposing political views being first in line to the presidency, and therefore the system was changed to allow the electors to vote for both positions separately. (Nardulli 23) Each state is free to determine how its electors are selected, and various models have been used in the past. At the time of enactment, however, several assumptions about the system were made that would quickly prove to be untrue. It was generally believed that electors would selected from individual districts in a manner similar to congressmen, would exercise personal judgement when voting.It was also believed that they would frequently endorse candidates from their home state, ultimately meaning that no candidate would win a majority and that Congress would determine the victors from a short list of candidates. (41) Some states appointed their electors legislatively rather than through election, meaning that voters did not cast a ballot for either the president or the Electoral College. The emergence of organized political parties by the third election in 1796 led to nationally coordinated campaigns that severely reduced the number of expected candidates, and thus the likelihood that no one would achieve a majority. 44) The results of the 2000 election between George Bush and Al Gore – in which Gore won the popular vote but narrowly lost the Electoral College after a controversial recount in Florida – highlight what is the largest criticism of the Electoral College: it is possible for a candidate to win the Presidency without winning the popular vote. Because less populous states have more electoral votes per capita than larger states, individual votes are disproportionately stronger. (Bennett 9) Detractors of the College claim that this is inherently undemocratic, as all votes should be considered equal in a true democracy.Final victors have only lost the popular vote on two other occasions (in 1876 and 1888), and there has therefore never been substantial support for re-examining the system until 2000. Although the disproportionate power of smaller states has been commonly criticized, it is in fact the winner-take-all method in which states pledge their electoral votes that is responsible for discrepancies with the popular vote. It is currently possible a candidate to win the presidency by only winning as little as eleven states.He could win by a single vote in each of these states, but lose by a significant margin in every other state, yet his electoral count would still indicate him as the majority winner. Five of the seven elections between 1964 and 1988 were won by significant margins in the Electoral College. On each occasion, the winning candidate took at least forty states while barely winning more than 60% of the popular vote. This was most pronounced in the 1984 race between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale. The latter received 40% of the popular vote, yet received the electoral vot es from Minnesota and D.C. Furthermore, in 1968 (when some states were won by independent candidate George Wallace) Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey both won approximately 43% of the popular vote, yet Nixon won the election outright with 56% of the Electoral College. (Bennett 37-42) While none of these instances resulted in the popular vote being overruled, they do demonstrate that elections are not a matter of getting the most people to vote for you, but rather the importance of getting the most people in the right places. Analysts have suggested that his year's race between President Obama and Governor Romney could produce a first for the Electoral College: a tie. Although unlikely, this cycle's set of swing states, along with the states that each candidate is presumed to win, allows for a specific combination of votes wherein each candidate would receive 269 electoral votes. While the college has failed to produce a winner in the past, it has always been due to the presence of a third-party candidate. It is also predicted that Republicans will retain control of the House, while the Democrats will continue to hold the Senate.Should the electoral votes come to a tie, these two chambers would be responsible for selecting the President and Vice-President, respectively. Assuming each party would support its nominee, the result would be a Romney-Biden government. (Hamby) Not since the twelfth amendment was passed have opponents been simultaneously elected to the lead the executive. While such a scenario is mathematically rare, it is absurd that a system of government would allow for such a possibility. Despite the counterintuitive relationship that the Electoral College has with the popular vote, there are some key benefits to keeping the system.It emphasizes the federal nature of the United States; that it is not just a monolithic country, but rather a federation of sovereign governments. Indeed, the fact this is found in the fact that each state is free to sel ect their electors any way they choose (through legislative appointment, districts, or winner-take-all). Most states (the exceptions being Maine and Nebraska) use the winner-take-all model to maximize their influence. If they were to be allocating their electors proportionally in a close race, opposing electors would essentially cancel each other out. Nardulli 28) Furthermore, guaranteeing a certain amount of power to each region ensures that it's power will not be reduced based on local factors such as bad weather. For example, even if New Jersey experiences very low voter turn-out because of Hurricane Sandy, those that do manage to get to the polls will still be able to exercise its fourteen electoral votes on behalf of the state. The real problems with the Electoral College do not stem from the mathematic anomalies and misrepresentations, but rather because it serves a political culture that Alexander Hamilton had not envisioned.He explicitly states that it is meant to find the b est man for the job, rather than subjecting the country to tumultuous elections. In modern times, however, electors are designated by their political parties, usually legally bound to vote for a particular candidate, and not even named on the ballot. It is no longer independent individuals who actually consider all possible candidates, but instead a mere rubber-stamp for the will of the electorate. Bennett 55) The Electoral College system envisioned by Alexander Hamilton was designed to be independent of the usual partisanship, with the principle goal of finding an individual who would best be suited as the country's chief administrator and head of state. While it still has the arguable benefit of forcing candidates to pay attention to less populous states, its members are effectively bound to follow the will of their constituents and are therefore unable to fulfill the intended mandate of their position. Works Cited Bennett, Robert.Taming the Electoral College. Palo Alto CA: Stanfo rd University Press, 2006. Hamby, Peter. â€Å"Electoral College Tie Possible in Obama-Romney Race. † CNN. com. Cable News Network, 30 July 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2012. Hamilton, Alexander. The Federalist Papers: Number 68. 1788. Retrieved 29 October 2012. Nardulli, Peter. Popular Efficacy in the Democratic Era. Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007.

Legalization of Marijuana for medical purposes Essays

Legalization of Marijuana for medical purposes Essays Legalization of Marijuana for medical purposes Paper Legalization of Marijuana for medical purposes Paper Proponents of legalizing cannabis for medicinal use suggest the drug could help many who currently suffer from illness and disease. Opponents of the idea assert that the legal drugs currently available provide appropriate relief from relevant symptoms. These different viewpoints have inspired spirited debates. An unbiased assessment of the drugs costs and benefits requires extensive research. Investigations must reveal the drugs ability to alleviate symptoms without creating unsatisfactory side effects. Smoked cannabis clearly helps some problems and may cost less than other medications. Synthetic cannabinoids can also alleviate symptoms of many disorders. Data suggest that cannabinoids can work well alone; they might also function effectively as part of a combination of therapies. For certain disorders, standard medications other than the cannabinoids remain the treatment of choice. Yet given the vast individual differences in reactions to medications, a few people may not improve with standard treatments and may respond better to medical cannabis. There is not enough research on most medical applications of cannabinoids to draw any firm conclusions about efficacy. Further work on marijuanas medical utility appears warranted. (Hans A. Baer, Merrill Singer, Ida Susser, 1997) Controlled studies reveal that cannabinoids can decrease pressure inside the eye for glaucoma patients, alleviate pain, reduce vomiting, enhance appetite, promote weight gain, and minimize spasticity and involuntary movement. Other work suggests additional therapeutic effects for asthma, insomnia, and anxiety. Yet only a few studies have compared cannabinoids to established treatments for these problems. Case studies and animal research suggest that the drug may also help a host of other medical and psychological conditions. These include seizures, tumors, insomnia, menstrual cramps, premenstrual syndrome, Crohns disease, tinnitus, schizophrenia, adult attention deficit disorder, uncontrollable violent episodes, post-traumatic stress disorder, and, surprisingly, drug addiction. The cases may provide enough evidence to stimulate researchers to conduct randomized clinical trials examining the impact of cannabinoids on these problems. (Erich Goode, 2001) The evidence of marijuanas effectiveness for treating each of these medical conditions appears below. Surgical Pain A more practical approach to the study of marijuanas analgesic effects involves using the drug after surgery. Studies of THC-induced analgesia after surgery report either mixed or positive results. In one study, men who needed four molars pulled had they removed in four separate sessions under four different conditions. They received placebo, diazepam (an anti-anxiety medication), and two different doses of THC prior to tooth extraction. Results were mixed. This study is often cited as evidence that THC produced no analgesia. In fact, 3 participants rated the low dose as good or excellent and preferred it to the placebo; 6 others preferred placebo to THC. The high dose of THC was the least desirable of all the treatments. The results suggest that marijuana may relieve pain for a subset of individuals but not others and then only at an optimal dose. A study of pain from trauma or surgery revealed that levonantradol, a synthetic version of THC, reduced pain more than a placebo. This evidence suggests that cannabinoids may show some promise in the treatment of acute pain, but tells little about the potential for handling more chronic conditions. (Peter J. Cohen, 2006) Headache One recurring painful condition that may benefit from cannabis treatment is headache. Migraine, a form of headache that often includes severe throbbing accompanied by disturbed vision, chills, sweating, nausea, and vomiting, can be extremely debilitating. Bright lights, loud sounds, or pungent odors can initiate the pain. Symptoms often begin with visual disturbances like seeing flashes or auras. Then sufferers feel extreme tension and fatigue. Eventually, a pulsing begins, sometimes on only one side of the head, where blood vessels outside the cranium dilate. These expanded arteries activate nerve fibers in the scalp, causing absolute agony. In the United States, roughly 23 million people suffer from these headaches. One-fourth of these individuals have at least four migraine attacks a month. Most of these people have their first severe headache before they turn 20. Productivity lost to migraine may cost up to $17. 2 billion per year. Treatments for this form of headache remain imperfect. Biofeedback, which trains people to use relaxation and imagery to change blood flow, has proven particularly helpful. With as little as eight sessions of proper therapy, people can learn to shrink the arteries or decrease the blood flow at the site of the pain, bringing meaningful relief to a headache. Several medications help alleviate symptoms for some sufferers, but fail to help 30% of people. These drugs also produce aversive side effects in up to 66% of patients. The disadvantages of these medications led some migraine sufferers to try marijuana. Physicians have prescribed cannabis for headache since as early as 1874. Advocates of the treatment protested when it was removed from the U. S. Pharmacopoeia in 1942. Marijuana may have an advantage over other painkillers, such as the opiates, because cannabis not only combats headache pain, but it also inhibits the nausea and vomiting associated with migraine. Investigators have not conducted clinical trials to support marijuanas efficacy as a headache treatment, but case reports abound. Users claim that smoking cannabis at the first sign of symptoms can combat the entire episode. Investigations on animals suggest that a specific brain region involved in migraine, the periaqueductal gray, contains many cannabinoid receptors. This basic research, coupled with the case reports, led the Institute of Medicine to suggest that further work on cannabinoids and migraine is warranted. Ideal studies could compare cannabis products to established medications to help verify the utility of the drug. If cannabinoids prove equally effective with fewer side effects and lower costs, they might make a superb addition to the available treatments for migraines. Combinations of cannabinoids and other medications might also prove particularly useful. (James R. Mcdonough, 2000) Pain Patients seek medical assistance for pain more often than any other symptom. People experience a variety of pains that include diffuse, throbbing pressures or sharp, specific aches. Entire journals devote volumes to research on pain treatment. Some therapies are quite simple and cause few side effects. For example, a mere placebo can minimize pain in 16% of surgery patients. Relatively simple behavioral interventions also decrease pain. Symptoms often vary with tension and mood. Thus, relaxation, stress reduction, and biofeedback can help significantly. Alternative treatments, like acupuncture, alleviate symptoms in some studies but not others, perhaps depending on the intensity and location of the pain. Despite the success of other treatments, pharmacological interventions remain extremely popular remedies for pain. The simplest include aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and other over-the-counter analgesics. Americans consume over 10,000 tons of these drugs a year. They are relatively cheap, have few side effects at appropriate dosages, and work well for mild pain. Nevertheless, they all can be toxic. An aspirin overdose can damage stomach lining, liver, and kidneys. A dozen acetaminophen tablets can kill a child. Other pain killers that help severe symptoms include opiates like morphine and codeine. These work quite well even for extreme distress, inducing analgesia and an indifference to pain. People take them to recover from acute stressors like surgery. Chronic pain patients may have pumps installed in their spinal cords to release these drugs continuously. The primary drawbacks of the opiates concern their potential lethality and high liability for abuse and dependence. Opiate overdoses can be fatal. People develop tolerance quickly and often increase their doses with continued use. Withdrawal from these drugs includes extremely aversive flu-like symptoms and spastic muscle twitches. Thus, alternative pain medications with fewer problems could prove extremely helpful. An ideal analgesic would have little potential for abuse but still provide inexpensive, rapid, complete relief without side effects. No single drug has all of these qualities for treating the many types of pain. Thus, investigators have developed a multitude of analgesics. Cannabis may make a promising addition to this list. Physicians have used marijuana to alleviate pain since the beginning of the first century, when Pliny the Elder, the Roman naturalist, recommended it. The Asian surgeon Hua To used cannabis combined with alcohol as an anesthetic by 200 A. D. In modern times, clinical lore and case studies support cannabis-induced analgesia. A case study reveals that oral THC can reduce phantom limb pain- the odd, aversive sensations that seem to come from amputated body parts. Another case shows that smoked marijuana can alleviate the pain of arthritis. A third suggests a tincture of cannabis can relieve tooth and gum distress. This evidence generates intriguing hypotheses but cannot prove that effects stem from expectancy rather than genuine pharmacology. Given the dramatic impact of placebos on pain, examinations of expectancy remain extremely important. Different types of research have addressed the analgesic powers of smoked marijuana or the cannabinoids. In addition to these case studies, formal projects with larger samples also focus on this issue. These projects include tests of marijuanas painkilling effects on laboratory-induced discomfort, as well as pain from surgery, headache, and chronic illnesses like cancer. (Ralph A. Weisheit, 1996) Conclusion The future for cannabis holds many possibilities. Research on the cannabinoids and their receptors will undoubtedly continue to tell more about the human mind and body. This work could reveal additional information about the brain and immune system. Further work can test the efficacy of marijuana and the cannabinoids as medical treatments. Data on the long-term health effects of the drug could address many unanswered questions, particularly those concerning the lung and brain. Techniques may evolve to limit the drugs negative consequences, like recent efforts to develop the vaporizer to reduce noxious components of smoke. Treatments for problem users could improve. In addition, laws related to the drug may change. (Alan W. Bock, 2000) References Alan W. Bock (2000) Waiting to Inhale: The Politics of Medical Marijuana; Seven Locks, 286 pgs. Erich Goode (2001), Marijuana; Atherton, 197 pgs Hans A. Baer, Merrill Singer, Ida Susser, (1997) Medical Anthropology and the World System: A Critical Perspective; Bergin Garvey, 277 pgs. Peter J. Cohen (2006) Medical Marijuana, Compassionate Use, and Public Policy: Expert Opinion or Vox Populi? Journal article; The Hastings Center Report, Vol. 36. James R. Mcdonough (2000) Marijuana on the Ballot Journal article; Policy Review, 2000. Ralph A. Weisheit (1996) Domestic Marijuana: A Neglected Industry; Greenwood Press, 196 pgs.

Audit of Syphilis Screening in Pregnancy

Audit of Syphilis Screening in Pregnancy Tables Table 1: Syphilis confirmatory test results for forty nine   pregnant woman 18 Table 2: Syphilis s creening results of eleven new-borns of   positive syphilis mother 24 Table 3: Positive s yphilis confirmat ory test results for sixteen   pregnant woman 30 Figures Figure 1: The laboratory turnaround time of syphilis screening   for mothers 28 Figure 2: The laboratory turnaround time of syphilis screening   for new-borns 28 Tables Table 1: Syphilis confirmatory test results for forty nine pregnant woman 18 Table 2: Syphilis s creening results of eleven new-borns of positive syphilis mothers 24 Table 3 : Positive s yphilis confirmat ory test results for sixteen pregnant woman 30 Figure s Figure 1: The laboratory turnaround time of syphilis screening for mothers Figure 2: The laboratory turnaround time of syphilis screening for new-borns ABSTRACT Objective: A re-audit of syphilis screening in pregnancy was carried out to ensure that the improvements in laboratory and clinical aspects of management for the antenatal of pregnant women with positive syphilis screening and their new-born babies fully met were in accordance with the UK National Guidelines on the Management of Syphilis (Kingston et al., 2008) and the Guidelines for the Management of Syphilis in Pregnancy and the Neonatal Period (Stringer et al., 2013). Methods: Patients’ data were collected via query of the three databases: Clinisys Labcentre , Telepath and EuroKing . The n the data were analysed using Microsoft Access 2013. Results: Samples from F orty nine 49 pregnant woman with positive syphilis results serology were referred to a reference laboratory laboratory were sent to MRI for syphilis serological confirmatory testing. Sixteen pregnant woman with of these women were confirmed to have had had positive syphilis were identified . Ten pregnant woman were re-tested screened at least twice during their pregnancy and six pregnant woman were only screened tested once during pregnancy. Over-testing of for treponemal IgM were seen in nineteen patients [h1] with non-reactive RPR titre. Only eleven babies born to mothers with syphilis were followed-up with serial serological test s for syphilis. Only four new-borns were fully screened. Some of the new-borns were not tested with treponemal IgM due to sample insufficiency. Conclusion: There were some improvements seen since the first audit which includes the changes of the confirmatory testing schedule in MRI, lower screening false positive rate, and increased follow-up of the new-borns. There were also things to improve in the management of syphilis in pregnancy and the new-borns of positive syphilis mothers. Treponemal IgM test should be performed only when the RPR test were reactive to prevent over-testing of patients. The test algorithm for screening of syphilis in new-borns should give priority to RPR test and treponemal IgM to prevent under- testing [h2] . In-house confirmatory testing should be considered to allow reduction of test turnaround time’s thereby aiding patient management. Improvements [h3] should be made in the management of syphilis in pregnancy and the new-borns of positive syphilis mothers. Treponemal IgM test should be performed only when the RPR test were reactive to preven t over-testing of patients. The test algorithm for screening of syphilis in new-borns should give priority to RPR test and treponemal IgM to prevent under- testing [h4] . 1.0   INTRODUCTION 1.1   Syphilis Syphilis is an infectious disease caused by Treponema pallidum (T.pallidum) subspecies pallidum . The disease is transmitted from human to human, and humans are its only known natural host (Woods 2005). Epidemiologically, in the UK, cases of syphilis have increased in England since 1997 led by a series of outbreaks reported from Manchester, London and Brighton (Health Protection Agency 2009). Since 1999, diagnoses of infectious syphilis have been made in heterosexuals where the outbreaks are linked to sex work, students and young people. But, there was a changing pattern of infection between 1999 and 2008, when seventy three percent of new diagnoses of infectious syphilis were reported in men who have sex with men (Health Protection Agency 2009). The transmission is primarily by sexual activity (Zeltser & Kurban 2004) (vaginal and anal intercourse) and by direct contact with active primary or secondary lesions (Lafond & Lukehart 2006) for example through oral sex and kissing at or near an infectious lesion (Kent & Romanelli 2008). T.pallidum may invade the host through normal mucosal membranes and also through minor abrasions in the skin (Zeltser & Kurban 2004) such as from sexual trauma, causing an inflammation, ulcer and then spreading through the blood stream to other parts of the body (Goh 2005) .

Academic Freedom and Duty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Academic Freedom and Duty - Essay Example Knowledge should improve, with the coming of new ideas and facts every day. This freedom is important for the better good of education. Without this freedom, it would be difficult for the public to know the truth concerning concepts to enable them to improve their understanding of academic concepts (Nelson, 2010, p 2. L 20). The first freedom states that teachers have a right to conduct research in whatever area they desire to improve their performance when exercising academic duties. Research is a basic tool of learning through which scholars expand their knowledge and come up with related concepts. It is through research, that scholars could identify flaws, which could have been present in texts. Knowledge represents ideas that one researched and presented depending on the evidence and findings. There could have been flaws in the past that occurred due to the poor methods of research then. With modern technology in place, scholars can revisit the concepts with new hypothesis and ideas (Nelson, 2010, p 1, L 15). The second freedom is that the teachers have a right to discuss their own relevant ideas in class. With good research in place, the teachers could come up with ideas that relate to the topic in class. Such ideas could be absent in the course text, but still be a matter of importance for discussion in class. The teachers, however, should be keen not to introduce irrelevant material during lessons in class. In addition, controversial ideas should not come up during a discussion in classes. Topics relating to religion could be sensitive when discussed in classes. In as much as there is freedom of speech and academic freedom, religion, and such sensitive issues could result to complications that limit other people’s right,s (Krell, 2010, P 261, L 14).