The Perfect Copy (Unraveling the Cloning Debate) by Nicholas Agar Essay Example for Free

The Perfect Copy (Unraveling the Cloning Debate) by Nicholas Agar Essay Nicholas Agar is a professor of ethics and a senior lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW). Agar has an MA from VUW and a PhD from the Australian National University. He has been teaching at VUW since 1996. He has been known as an expert writer particularly in the field of genetics and ethics. In his book The Perfect Copy: Unraveling The Cloning Debate, he attempts to unravels the science and the ethics of cloning and proposes ideas on how we should face this highly controversial topic.   To clone or not to clone, that is the question that is in the center of one of the most controversial debates within the scientific community today. The present technology today has given our imagination an opportunity to deal with the perils and possibilities of cloning. Even Hollywood has ridden the cloning bandwagon and has turned out many films which exploit the topic.   Although these films are a departure to what is possible, they still manage to pique our imagination and implant in us false notions and promises. These past few years, with the advances made in regards to cloning, the ethics of this act has become a great issue. Both sides present valid reasons to defend their claim. The debate over the morality of cloning human beings becomes a debate over contrasting images of cloning. The method of moral consistency may not give us a simple permitted or not permitted answer. The reason is that no single familiar practice will resemble cloning in every morally interesting respect. In all likelihood, we will end up constructing a moral image of cloning out of a variety of familiar activities and practices. It is often pointed out that cloning differs from the natural sexual way of having children. Some say that this unnaturalness alone suffices to make cloning wrong. A solid rebuttal to this is that things deemed unnatural but have received no objection like insulin shots, airplanes, and life saving medicine are a integral part of mainstream society. If you would follow the unnatural proposal, these things must also be unallowed. The main concern in ethics is the unease which people have regarding cloning. This instinctive revulsion is said to be due to ingrained wisdom or to an upset stomache. Agar argues that if this was the basis to oppose cloning, then it is very unscientific and flimsy. Moral progress is all about subjecting sub-rational moral urges and aversions to rational scrutiny. The word clone obtains it etymological origin from the greek word klon meaning branch. Clones are copies of organisms currently or previously existing with the exact same nuclear DNA. They do not result from a sexually beginning and thus are not genetically different from their parent organism. In our world, clones are the rule rather than the exception. Most low level organisms like algae, bacteria, lower vertebrates, and plants use cloning as a means to ensure their reproductive survival. The case of twins is a clear example of cloning which occurs in nature, even among human beings. Twins come from one egg that divides into two. There is cloning from the moment when multiplication begins to produce two genetically identical children. Cloning ensures that the exact genetic code of the parent is passed on as opposed to sex where only half of each parent is transmitted. This makes cloning more efficient in ensuring the survival of a genetically fit species. One technology that has been used to create clones is reproductive cloning. An example of this is Dolly, the first ever cloned sheep. Dolly was cloned using the process called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).   A reconstructed egg which derives its genetic material from an adult donor is electrified or treated chemically. The resulting cloned embryo is then implanted unto the uterus of a female host. It is relevant to point out that clones produced by using nuclear transfer technology are not a truly identical clone of the parent animal. This is because nuclear DNA composes only 99.7% of the actual heritable data. The rest are found in genes located in the mitochondria. There are numerous barriers in cloning humans. Aside from the legal and social issues still currently being debated, cloning with today’s technology is also very inefficient and dangerous. Cloning technology today is highly expensive. Also the success rate is dismal with only less than 10% of cloning attempts achieving success. Also, clones have relatively poor health, and are susceptible to diseases, tumors and other illnesses. And clones like the first cloned sheep of Australia have been known to die without known cause. Scientist theorize that these defects are due to errors in the reprogramming process. However there has been several claims by Clonaid and Italian scientists led by Antinori that they are either capable or on the verge of creating human clones. A problem arises in a cloned embryo due to imprinting. It is the marking of the genetic material for the mother and the father so that only one can be utilized. An error in the genetic imprint from a single donor cell may cause some of the developmental abnormalities of cloned embryos. Also it is postulated that clones are unhealthy due to the fact that they have short telomeres. Telomeres act as clocks, directly affecting the cell structure of an organism before they pass away. Due to the process clones have short telomeres, making them sickly and frail. Cloning is deemed wrong for many reasons. First the process results in the death of many embryos, which may constitute murder.   Also cloning is seen as unnatural when they are view in concepts that are taboo to society, like having clones of the dead, the unborn and the dying. This problem comes from an individual’s sense of uniqueness. This can be repudiated by the cases of identical twins. Twins may have identical genetic components but they turn out to be different individuals. Moralists have also a problem that cloning gives us a concept of playing God. Bringing back a dead person or ensuring that a baby will be born as well as extending the life of a dying person is seen to be in the realm of the Almighty. The promise of being able to create an exact replica of a given genetic code has given many opportunities for those incapable of having children. Of primary concern are those who are infertile. Cloning as with artificial insemination and other in vitro techniques provide a way for their aim of having children to come true. Another is the families of those with deceased or dying children. They view cloning as a means to once more experience the love of their child. Also, lesbian couples who wish to have a child look on cloning to fulfill their dream. But it must be noted that were the technology realizable and actual human clones producible, cloning can only go so far. The debate of whether a cloned person still has the same trait and behavior as the original leans in favor of no.   It is vital to note that it is not only the genetic code that forms the person’s identity but that person’s experiences, teachers and influences. The issue regarding human clones is that they are born with a genetic bias of who they are, denying them the open future that is a right to every human being. They may be treated as objects rather than as persons. This underlies the discussion o whether the act is that of making rather that begetting. The problem is will being cloned from the somatic cell of an existing person result in the child being regarded as less of a person whose humanity and dignity would not be fully respected. This points us to the dilemma as to the humanity of clones. And the question is clones less human than we? Are clones of us us in every way, or are they new individuals? One reason to clone humans is for research. The process of therapeutic cloning uses cloned human embryos for research. cloned human beings are not the target of this process but the production of stem cells for research. Any specialized cell in the human body can be derived from stem cells. Stem cells come from five day old eggs..   This act destroys the embryo, raising ethical concerns. Therapeutic cloning has been touted as being able to produce human organs for transplants. Scientists say that for this to be possible, DNA would be obtained from the transplant recipient and injected into a enucleated egg. Stem cells can then be gathered from the egg. These can then be used as a template to produce the specific tissue or organ needed which would be an exact genetic match to the transplant recipient. Because of this fact, it is postulated that the organ will not be rejected by the body during transplant. Another use of therapeutic cloning is the creation of genetically modified pigs which can also be utilized as a source of human organs. The process of xenotranspalntation or the transplanting of animal organs into humans is seen as a medically viable way to accommodate the increasing demand for organs. Pigs are used due to their high rate of reproduction and their being able to be cloned with relative ease. Primates, who are of a much closer genetic match to humans, are more complex and thus much harder to clone. In comparison to other animals, the tissues and organs of pigs are the ones more similar to humans. To be able to achieve this, scientists deactivate the gene in individual pig cells that when detected by the human body, leads to organ rejection. Harvesting of the organs of the resulting clones is then done. Cloning has been seen as an advance in eugenics. Eugenics is the act of manipulating a population to promote one race or type as superior to others with the end goal of ultimately taking over the population. The idea is that people who are exceptional, who are deemed superior to others in one or many fields, must be cloned since they represent the best of the human race. This idea has many ambiguities particularly on the concept of superior and inferior. Although there were some unlikely ideas in the book, like trading gene samples as a commodity, Agar fails to fully express the debate in this topic. What he does show is that eugenics, by using positive methods would be beneficial to the race. And he also shows the impact of being a clone born under a eugenic driven ideal. There are different cases and different problems with cloning as a reproductive tool. Striking the right balance between procreative freedom and childrens welfare in the age of reproductive cloning is likely to require a case-by-case approach. Nevertheless, the transcendental advantage of cloning will be brought about not for simple transplants in mans body to replace his sick organs, but for the complete cloning of the human being to eventually achieve the immortality of the individual. Man will no longer change the parts of a body damaged to a greater or less degree, but he will leave the old body and change to a new one, which will be also improved by genetic engineering. Thus, the long-sought-after immortality, which man has always desired with all his being, will be achieved. It has been repeated insistently that the human being has a right to life. To ban cloning, then, would be to deny him the right to continue living. If clones were to be feasible, they would probably suffer. This can be brought upon by errors in their production leading to medical illnesses or to the preconceived notions that surround them. It is stipulated by Agar that the human race may not be ready to incorporate the idea of clones living among us. We simply have too many fears and false notions that inevitably we would end up stigmatizing them. Agar proposes that we get rid of these notions and keep an open and intelligent mind as to what cloning can offer us. We must learn as a society to separate fact from fiction and to rationalize our views about cloning.    References: Alan Man Humanity and the Cloning Question: Comparing and Contrasting Arguments http://www.amsa.org/bio/clone.cfm searched October 21 at using google.com What Are Some Issues In Cloning? http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/cloning/clissues/ searched at Yahoo.com CloningFactSheethttp://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml searched October 22 using google.com

Balance Sheet Analysis Of The Coca Cola Company Finance Essay

Balance Sheet Analysis Of The Coca Cola Company Finance Essay Introduction: Coca-Cola The Coca-Cola Company is one of the worlds largest and most diversified nonalcoholic beverage companies. It owns or licenses and became market leader with more than 500 beverage brands, prominently sparkling beverages. It also have a variety of still beverages like waters, juices, enhanced waters, juice drinks, ready-to-drink coffees and teas. Moreover, it has sports and energy drinks too. Along with Coca-Cola their identity drink, Coca-Cola owns four of the top five most famous nonalcoholic brands including diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite. Coca-Cola is one of the most valuable brand names in the world. Finished beverage products of Coca-Cola brand have their origin from United States since 1986. Coca cola has the worlds largest distribution system for beverages. They operate though company owned or controlled bottling operations. Approximately 55 billion beverage servings are sold worldwide each day, Out of which approximately 1.7 billion belong to coca cola   Coca cola attributes their success to its ability to connect with consumers desires, needs and lifestyles. That is the reason why the firm provides its consumers with a plethora of options to choose from. The company uses its assets its brands, unrivaled distribution system, financial strength, talent and strong management commitment-to create value for its stakeholders and associates. Financial Statements Balance Sheet Asset Current Assets Current assets usually include cash and some other type of assets that usually get converted into cash with normal course of time within an operating cycle. Operating cycle is important terms in current assets as it refers to a period between acquisition of raw material and cash realization cycle time of finished goods sale. Operating cycle usually posses cash cycle and inventory cycle which also shows the amount of current asset and current liability which affirm usually have. More the cash conversion cycle, more will be inventory therefore current asset and less of real revenue. Seeing this can say that there is 20% rise in current assets. It rose from $2354mn to $2650mn. Cash Cash is just money available for any contingency. Company kept it just as a buffer to meet their short term liquid fund need. It is usually listed a first item in balance sheet as it is highly liquid and normal accounting rule suggest listing as per descending order of liquidity.Cash and cash Equivalent has increased as compared to last year from $7021 mn to $8517 mn in 2011. Short term equivalents has also increased from $2130 to $2682 mn Marketable Securities These investments are kind of temporary investments usually made from extra cash company have. These are highly liquid can be cashed anytime that is why they can are usually considered cash equivalent and also comes in category of Current asset only. Sometime it is done due to government obligations only. Here seeing the Coca-Cola Marketable securities we can say that it gets doubled in 2011 than 2010.Figures changed from $62mn to $138mn.Usually Marketable securities and other assets constitute a tradable securities. This tradable security has taken a huge jump from last year to this year. It has changed from $61 to $209. This more than 200% change has shown that company has fairly utilized it extra cash to get some interest and monetary benefit. Accounts Receivable Simply, accounts receivables are the sum owed to a firm and are written on balance sheet by use of promissory notes. Account receivable is bills owed to you by your customers. They magnitude depends upon the collection ways company have and credit period company has. This is the actual amount yet to be collected from customers. From the given figure below in the table we can say that account receivable has been increased from $3700 to $4400 in last one year. This means that company has either increased the collection cycle or its started giving more good on credit to fight against competitors. Inventories Inventory are the good company has unsold or unmade into final product. Inventory is of different types like raw material, semi-finished goods and finished goods. Usually inventory is not good as this is the product which is their left unsold and their cost incurred in raw material and processing are the cost you losing as opportunity cost. From the below figures we can say that Companys raw material inventory more or less remains the same but companys finished goods inventory has increased from $1029 to $ 697.This means that company has either made extra goods than it can sell or Coca-Cola was not able to sell as per the last years estimates. Prepaid expenses There are expenses like payments need to be given for service we have availed or the payments we have to give for the supply of materials. These payments are sometime made in achieve supplier loyalty or goodwill. Companys prepaid expenses shows an increment from $2226 to $3162 which means that company Coca-Cola has prepaid to its supplier or insurance premium more than last year. This strategy companies usually follow to get their supplier be loyal and should supply on time. This strategy also comes into play in case company wants to remove extra hassle of paying insurance premium again and again Investments Investments are kind of cash funds or securities which Company holds for a particular purpose for a usually indefinite period of time. Term Investments usually include stocks Bonds corporate hold another company, Real estate Mortgages that corporate hold for income-producing aims. Money that corporate may keep holding for pension fund. Investments can be either amortized cost or have fair value. Investments usually in debt securities for which Company has positive intent and has ability to hold till maturity are usually carried at kind of amortized cost and generally classified as held-to-maturity .Those not coming in this category are generally carried at fair value and can be classified as either available-for-sale or trading. Trading securities are reported as either marketable securities or other assets in our consolidated balance sheets. Coca-cola Investment patterns shows that they have major portion of their investment mainly in Equity method Investment. Their investment in equity is around 10% of the total asset and 90% of the total investment Property, Plant and Equipment Property, Equipments and plants are the real fixed asset and always come under this category. Plant asset include buildings, land, equipment and machinery which are generally used in business operations. These things usually stay for a longer period that is why they are called fixed asset and their requirement usually doesnt change with the number of unit manufactured. On December 31, 2010, date of balance sheet reference, the carrying value of Coca-Cola equipment, plant and property has net of depreciation that was approximately $14727 million which was around 20 percent of Coca-Cola total asset. Usually, this dip is caused by depreciation, impairment loss and revaluation of assets. May be even in Coca-Cola is he same reason. Intangible Assets: Goodwill, Trademarks and Others Intangible assets are usually classified into three categories: Intangible assets having definite lives subjected to amortization, Intangible assets having indefinite lives that are not subject to amortization, Goodwill. Usually, for intangible assets having definite lives, Impairment test must be performed to check out whether accounted value is correct or not as many of these highly valuable intangible assets lose their value with time due to obsolescence. The following table carries values of intangible assets that got included balance sheet (in millions): Coca-Colas Intangible asset shows in table that their goodwill is the major thing which they can boast of. Goodwill constitutes 16% of all the intangible assets which is logical only seeing the greatly history of Coca-Cola since 18th Century. Bottles franchise rights come close second with 10% of all intangible assets. By the way most of these intangible things are not recoverable until and unless somebody buys it. Other Assets At the time of preparation of balance sheet, there are conditions that the asset cannot be classified into any of the category such as investments, current assets, intangible assets or plant assets. These types of assets are therefore listed on balance sheet under section other assets. Seeing Coca-Cola Balance sheet and Notes thereafter we can say that these unclassified other assets also increased in last one year by around 10%.It got changed from $1976mn to $2121mn in 2011. Liabilities Liabilities are the sum which company is obliged to pay. For Coca-Cola, the liabilities are like given below: Contingent Liabilities Three examples of contingent liabilities include Warranty of companys products The Guarantee of other partys loan The lawsuits that is filed against a company Basically, Contingent liabilities are considered potential liabilities. Since they are dependent upon future events occurrence or nonoccurrence, they can or cannot get converted into actual liabilities. Coca-Cola has, as can been through its Contingency liability Note snapshot, has contingency liability due to Guarantee to its third party customers. Coca-Cola has made some guarantee withn bottlers and vendors regarding buying and selling assurances which can become liability in case company is not able to fulfill his terms already agreed. The amount is approximately $683 mn. Other contingent liability which Coca-Cola has is in term of legal liability. It is a legal obligation as per a company Aqua-Chem which is asking Coca-Cola to pay $10mn out of pocket. This problem get created as Aqua-Chem was earlier owned by Coca-Cola and its now owned by someone else and who is blaming Coca-Cola for some defective gasket-asbestos. Current Liabilities If the company has payable loans then the principal to be paid in next one year is considered as current liability and all the other things will be considered as long term liability in balance sheet. Over and above this, whatever interest is charged as part of loan will be considered in income statement only not in balance sheet. Only the due interest will be considered as liability in balance sheet. Current Liability of Coca-Cola has increased recently from $13721mn to $18508 mn. The main difference has come only because of the maturity of some long term debt company has taken earlier. Long Term Liabilities Owners Equity In finance or accounting, equity is considered as the residual claim or can be said to be the interest of most simple class of investors that have invested money in assets. This is money which is paid to these investors after all the liabilities are paid. If assets are more than liabilities, than it is the case of negative Equity. The owners equity is always subdivided in the balance sheet under the liability column. One of the parts represents the money invested by investors as paid-in capital and any part of retained earning converted into paid-in capital of the company. The other part shows net-earning money usually retained of the company. Usually, stockholders, or owners, dont become personally responsible for the debts that a company contracts. A stockholder can lose his investment most of the time, but creditors cannot look to their personal assets for the satisfaction of their usual claims. Normally, the stockholders can withdraw with cash dividends as an amount measured as corporate earnings. But creditors dont. Stockholders Equity Misc Stocks Options Warrants Redeemable Preferred Stock Preferred Stock Common Stock 880,000  Ã‚   880,000  Ã‚   Retained Earnings 49,278,000  Ã‚   41,537,000  Ã‚   Treasury Stock -27,762,000 -25,398,000 Capital Surplus 10,057,000  Ã‚   8,537,000  Ã‚   Other Stockholder Equity -1,450,000 -757,000 Total Stockholder Equity 31,003,000  Ã‚   24,799,000  Ã‚   Relevant Notes Usually, all the information which is relevant for the investors cannot be included in the financial statement. There is some information in the financial statement which is shown just under a category without any explanation. But as part of Annual report everything should be clear and transparent therefore notes are included. Notes are actually included in order to reveal something of importance in addition to what is already there in the financial statements. Notes can be of importance to the investors who are willing to know more about the company or those who faces problem in understanding the main financial statements. The note reference is mainly to allow clarity in the annual report about the financial statements. Below given statement shows the use of notes in the balance sheet. Here the definition and calculation part of BASIC NET INCOME PER SHARE will be there explained in the notes told to be referred. Significance of structure of Balance Sheet Structure of balance sheet is also important part of the balance sheet. Basic accounting convention shows to present the balance sheet in two major ways. One way to present the balance sheet is to present it is Horizontal presentation (account form). Other form of presentation will be to present it in Vertical presentation (Report form). Though there are two forms, Vertical report form is mostly used and is famous. Disadvantage with the vertical form is that it doesnt confirm typical explanation among investment literature about the balance sheet should have two sides that shows balancing out of two sides. We can see here Coca-Cola has followed vertical form of balance sheet only usually followed by corporate. One more thing is which section should be considered first and which at later point of time. Usually, in asset sections, the accounts are taken in the descending order as per their liquidity Means most liquid asset will be taken first then the next level of liquid asset. In the same way liabilities are written in the order of priority for payment. Usually, in financial reporting, the term short-term and long-term is synonymous or interchangeable with the terms current and non-current items respectively. That is why the asset part of balance sheet of Coca-Cola has followed decreasing form of liquidity. Cash being most liquid followed by marketable securities this is followed by Investments and Intangible assets like goodwill coming at last. These intangible assets come at last because they are the most illiquid fund which cannot be cashed until and unless firm is sold or acquired. Trend Analysis of Coca-Cola of five year duration If we check out the performance of Coca-Cola over five years, we can say that on most of the parameters of Coca-cola is showing consistently downward trend. Current Asset has decreased from $2230 mn to $3800 mn in last five years. Total Equity has been fluctuating in this period of five years from a low of $ -35 mn to high of $ 4500 mn in 2006.Total Asset has been decreasing $23366mn of 2006 to $8596mn in 2010. Good thing is that total liability has also decreased for $ 18000 mn to $5 453 mn. Total Debt has been reduced to its one-fifth in these five years. Conclusion Coca-Cola is doing well in 2010. The company is totally out of slowdown that was there since recession. It has its hard-earned goodwill in the market which the company is cashing through higher purchase making higher profit. Its market Capitalization has reached $153Bn recently and its enterprise value has reached $168Bn in May 2011. The company has became the epitome of globalization with so much of expansion and diversification that Coke is the second most recognized word after Ok.

Mass Media Effect On Promoting Copycat Mass Murders Media Essay

Mass Media Effect On Promoting Copycat Mass Murders Media Essay This research paper highlights on the ways that the mass media has encouraged the copycat murders. The copycat effect is used in reference to the situation for which a sensational publicity about the violent acts of murders or suicides causes the tendency to result in more of similar effects through imitation. The Media influence or media effects are terms used in media studies, in psychology, communication theory and in sociology in reference to the theories concerning the ways in which the mass media affect the way in which the audiences think or behave. The critiques of the influences of media suggested that media can weaken or delimit an individuals capacity in acting autonomously by connecting the world to the individuals and reproducing of self-images of the society, this characteristic of media is ascribed as an influence which is reminiscent of the telescreens, These Include all the kinds of media namely; the newspapers, TV, Radio, Internet and the Books. . The media generates information in a networked setup, it then publishes the information using the articles, videos, and the photos to the consumers, this influences the individuals ability to interpret the delivered information while at the same time it potentially influences the unrelated cultural and the personal beliefs, basing on the propaganda model. The Mass media content which is created for the newsworthy events and the untold stories have consequences on the consumers and culture can also be influenced. The media has a strong social and cultural impact upon the society. This is due to its ability to reach a wider audience with strong and influential messages. The Television broadcasts have a lot of control over the content delivered to the society depending on the number watching and the times in which the same content is viewed. The internet creates the space for diverse political opinions, social and the cultural viewpoints and a higher level of consumer participation. The process of agenda-setting is almost the unavoidable section of news gathering in the large organizations which are stakeholders of the mass media. The media is not a crude agent of propaganda, but it organizes the public understandings by providing the overall interpretations that are preferred by, and in most cases it is least challenging especially to those with the economic power. News coverage of violent crimes serves the public interest, depending on how much coverage is necessary if it is necessary to cover every violent crime and the level of detail. (McCombs Shaw, 1972) The coverage of crimes in the society can be a valuable tool in decision making. If the Individuals are properly informed, they can make rational decisions basing on their personal safety. In case the population has been misled, may it be intentionally or not, depending on the nature of the crimes, and the rarity or commonality of the said crimes. When the coverage is an endless repetition of the apparently meaningless tragedies, then it causes a numbing effect on the population. The public interest may be the justification for the coverage of the mass murders, but in reality profit is the real motivation, since the mass media are in the business of making money and therefore the mass media cannot ignore mass murders. The allegations the mass media unintentionally promotes the mass murder is a serious one. Hence the mass media determine the appropriate level of coverage and it is necessary to cover every such crime. There is need for the media to devise the methods for discouraging the shoot your way to temporary fame which encourages copycat murders. It is evident that this problem has not been adequately addressed in the existing works on the media ethics. Literature Review A review on a number of the recent works in this field have suggested a trend the general problems of psychological and economic harm caused by inaccurate or unethical mass media reporting has been considered in great depths, However the very severe form of harm which is the unintentional encouragement of copycat murders has not been specifically discussed. A Noted author and the cultural behaviorist Loren Coleman explores how the medias over-saturated the coverage of the murders, suicides, and the deadly tragedies made an impact on the society. This is The Copycat Effect-the phenomenon in which violent events spawn violence of the same type. He recognizes the emerging patterns of the Copycat Effect, how to deal with and counteract the associated consequences as individuals and as the culture. Loren Coleman translates the academic research on the copycat effects an understandable form in which He brings the imitation of violence to reality through the detailed case studies and the pe rson-centered examples, such as the sensationalized reporting on suicide, sniper sprees, suicide via the airplane, suicidal cults, the post-office killings, and the teenage suicide. The media is largely in a state of denial on how its coverage on the death incidents contributes to the violence and destruction of lives in the society. Loren Colemans in The Copycat Effect examined the major news events, which were encouraged and promoted by the mass media, and those which get repeated in lesser-known incidents which were covered primarily by the local news. Klaidman Beauchamp (1987, pp. 93-123, pp. 201-7)) discussed the issues on journalistic-induced harm, but only with respect to the damaged reputations and the business losses. Pointed to the problems of the news organizations which created the news events, including the problems international terrorism, they did examine the possibility that the journalists efforts can play a part in causing a specific murder. Lambeth (1986) provides a thorough theoretical model in addressing the ethical issues on journalism, However, he fails to address the problem of media-induced harm. Hulteng (1981, pp. 71-86) sampled out the ethical codes of a number of the American newspapers; he reprinted the complete text of codes of the ethics for the Associated Press Managing Editors, the American Society of the Newspaper Editors, and the Society of the Professional Journalists. All these ethical codes address the issue of harm and balance in a very general way but do not directly discuss how the coverage of a particular criminal act can lead to the copycat crimes. The news media is supposed to satisfy both the obligation of accurately informing the public about the nature of the societys murder problems, and the obligation of the stockholders to keep the circulation up. The inevitable public boredom with the coverage of the meaningless little murders makes this an impossible act to balance. The media coverage on some murders in the sensational manner has been customized in many events. The editors justify this time-honored tradition basing on the economic considerations and in light of the major roles. The editors need to figure out the many innocent lives that will be sacrificed in order to boost the circulation, or promote the political agendas. These mass media studies suggest that that there is need for standardized means in which a kind of crime violence should be given the attention proportionate to its size, in relation to the its magnitude, and base on the importance of its victims. The Violent crimes of all types should be highlighted, in a relative way to other causes of suffering, which are proportionate to the social costs. Meyer (1987, pp. 155-156) points to the problem of the unbalanced reporting of the health and safety issues in the mass media causes the wild and inaccurate notions on the relative risks of various causes of death. He gives an example where a surveyed group of the greatly underestimated deaths caused by the emphysema, relates to the deaths by homicide. Meyer described one of the studies carried out by researchers at the University of Oregon, in which it was found that the pictures formed inside the heads of the people who were interviewed tended to be influenced by the spooky, violent world of the newspaper content as compared to the real world. It is important that the studies recognizes how the misleading portrayal of the real world can become an artifact of the popular morbid curiosity, that the newspapers must satisfy or lose in their circulation, this reflects what Meyer terms as, The Distorting Effects of the Perceptual Models. In brief, the journalists through the mass media enhance certain assumptions in their work. They make use of the facts which do not fit into the journalists perceptual model that tends to be downgraded in its importance or ignored. This study bases on the facts which include the statistical analysis, even at the most basic level, but the primary liberal arts orientation given to the journalists comes to the forefront takes the precedence. (Meyer, 1987, pp. 48-50) David Lesters (1989) study titled, Media Violence and Suicide and Homicide Rates. He summarized the two reports extracted from the National Coalition on the TV Violence. The first report asserts that there exists a negative correlation between the suicides and violent, media related issues, and a positive correlation in relation to the homicide at the same time. The second report asserts somehow similar, which does not statistically signify the relationships between the best-attended films, suicide and the homicide. Lesters shows that the National Coalition on the TV violence is not an objective source, Lester did not attempt to analyze the methods used, or critically evaluate the significance of these reports. There are serious problems that prove or disprove the causal relationships that exist between the television entertainment and the violent behavior; therefore there is no reason to assume that the television news provides the easier opportunity for such research. Methodology This research employed a web based survey in gathering data on the Media influences and promotion of the copycat murders. I analyzed news coverage of the mass murders in Time and the Newsweek for the period ranging 1984-91 for the evidence of the disproportionate, coverage of certain categories of mass murder in a manner that influenced the occurrence of the subsequent incidents. I used this design in order to trace the root of copycat murders and at the same time justify the hypothesis which assumes that copycat murders are accelerated by media influences.. The instrument was divided into two parts; The Descriptive Analysis, which describes the influences of media in the individuals ability to commit a crime as a result of the interests developed from the media highlights.. The Critical Analysis, which assesses the extent to which the American based print media, perpetuates the copycat murders. This involved the analysis of two main Newspapers, the Times and the Newsweek based on their modes of reporting the violent criminal incidences. Sample description and selection the copycat murder cases In this research work the random sampling procedure was used in the process of data collection on the copycat murders, this was due to the nature of the topic which required many sources of information concerning the influences of mass media on copycat murders. The contexts for the study were based on the distinctive nature of the internet. Data was collected in the process of evaluation of the influences of the mass media and the mode in which the copycat crimes. Results    Table 1 shows the data gathered on the different types of murde , it is clear that the arson mass murderers and the knife mass murderers received relatively very little attention from the Time and the Newsweek. The data shows that, there is a very large discrepancy between the amount of coverage that given to the arson mass murders, and the mass murderers involving the guns exclusively. The fire arms leads with a factor of almost nine times as much coverage as seen from the comparison between the coverage given to the exclusive firearms mass murderers and to the arson mass murderers. Murderer Month/Year Dead Newsweek sq. in. Newsweek Sq. Inches/Dead James Huberty Jul-84 22 157.50 7.16 Sylvia Seegrist Nov-85 2 0.00 0.00 William Bryan Cruse Apr-87 6 0.00 0.00 David Burke Dec-87 43 57.75 1.34 Robert Dreesman Dec-87 7 0.00 0.00 Ronald Gene Simmons Dec-87 16 78.75 4.92 Richard Wade Farley Feb-88 7 0.00 0.00 Laurie Wasserman Dann May-88 2 54.00 27.00 Patrick Purdy Jan-89 6 370.34 61.72 Joseph T. Wesbecker Sep-89 8 52.50 6.56 James E. Pough Jun-90 9 0.00 0.00 George Hennard Oct-91 24 78.75 3.28 Firearms Murders 152 849.59 5.59 There is a large discrepancy that exists; however, this is because of the many articles which mentioned Patrick Purdys crime. But even with the exclusion of all coverage of Patrick Purdys crimes (there is still a very charitable assumption on the data by the Time and Newsweek, in consideration of the centrality to the Wesbeckers actions of the Times coverage), the square inches per dead body for the firearms mass murderers is still more than 5 times the coverage when it comes to the arson mass murderers. This dramatic difference was shown by Plotting the square inches per dead body mass media coverage on the selected murderers incidents as shown below. Plotting of the firearms mass murder coverage against time also showed some interesting results, as shown in Figure 2. In this case, the mass murder coverage rose dramatically with the crimes committed by Laurie Wasserman Dann and Patrick Purdy There is a sudden dived back from high to very low levels especially during the pre-Dann levels with the Wesbecker incident. The Time newspaper which is more prone to the coverage of the firearms mass murders before Dann and Purdy, was the noticeably restrained of the two magazines as seen in its coverage of the mass murders from Wesbecker and onwards. There is a unique relationship pertaining the Time seen from the connection between their coverage of the Purdy, and the Wesbeckers bloody rampage? Discussion The cases analyzed included the following; On January 17, 1989, a homosexual prostitute who was also a drug addict with a very long history of the criminal offenses and mental disturbance, Patrick Purdy, directly to the Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California. He firebombed his car, entered a playground during the recess time carrying a Chinese gun, a semiautomatic version of the full automatic AK-47), he shot to death five children, wounded 29 other children and the teacher, then shot himself in the head using a 9mm handgun. The Initial coverage of the Purdys crime was relatively restrained, where only the essential details were reported. The Time paper gave Purdy just part of a page in the first issue after the crime titled (Slaughter in a School Yard, 1989). The Newsweek gave a single page titled Death on the Playground, and pointed to the four prior attacks on the school children, it started with the Laurie Dann. The Newsweek included Purdys photograph in its article. Newsweeks article (Baker, Joseph, and Cerio, 1989) quoted the authors of a book with the content on mass murder: Theres a copycat element that cannot be denied. A week later, Patrick Purdys name had received a lot of attention, and consequently his fame increased. At one point the front cover of the Time openly showed the AK-47 and the AR-15 which were crossed, beneath the outline of the U.S. which was stylized into a jawless skull, and titled, Armed America. Inside, the George Churchs The Other Arms Race, (1989) this occupied almost 6 ½ pages, opening with Patrick Purdys name. Consequently the articles referencing Purdy or his criminal act continued to appear in Newsweek and Time for several months. Within the same year, On September 14, 1989, Joseph Wesbecker who was a disabled employee of the Standard Gravure Co. in the Kentucky entered into the printing plant similarly carrying the AKS and a 9mm handgun. A reminiscence of Purdys scenario, the Wesbeckers actions were shortly detailed by the UPI wire service stories, particularly the William H. Inmans which was titled Wesbeckers rampage is boon to gun dealers (1989a): The most important fact is how the news coverage of the Purdys crime influenced Wesbeckers actions, and eve the identification of the weapon of choice for such an act of savagery. ( Inman, 1989) The police investigated this incident and at Wesbeckers residence, they found the manuals on weapons and an article published on February 6 issue of Time magazine devoted to the mass killers, including the one on Robert Sherrill, who slaughtered 14 people in the Oklahoma post office three years ago, and another one on Patrick Purdy, who killed five children with the AK-47 assault rifle in the Stockton, Calif, in January 1989. The same AK-47 was the main weapon used by Wesbecker. It is obvious that Joseph Wesbecker was not a healthy and well-adjusted person driven to commit his crime as a result of the sensational news coverage. The Time newspaper might have been responsible for having indirectly caused the horrible crime; this temptation could have been avoided. The editors of the Time might have foreseen the high probability for this kind of coverage promoting the copycat crimes. In analyzing of the data, this research paper based on two related issues: The level of the coverage that was given by the print media, the Time and Newsweek where certain crimes appeared to encourage the unbalanced people, who were seeking a lasting fame, by copying these crimes as we seen in Joseph Wesbeckers 1989 homicidal rampage. The analysis of the quantity of the press coverage which was given to the mass murder as in the case of the Newsweek and especially the Time which gave the undue attention to the particular type of mass murder, hence to the detriment of the public safety. Conclusion There are some positive effects from the mass media portrayals of the violence murders, according to a study the print and television have significant effects on the copycat murders some news reports have the major effects of promoting the copy cat violence and the killings. Therefore study conclude that the reporters are in need of some kind of guide on how the violence murder should be reported so as to avoid the potential negative effects that emanates from the mode of reporting to the public. There is the need to develop a journalistic style guide to determine the type of information which is recommended due to the potential positive or the negative effects. (Cairns, 1990, Price, Merrill, Clause, 1992, Wood, Wong, Chachere, 1991) The mode coverage of crime incidences in the society forms a very valuable tool in an individual decision making. The properly informed Individuals, can make rational decisions basing on their personal safety. If the population has been misled, be it intentional or not, it depends on the nature of the crimes, and the rarity or commonality of the said crimes. If the coverage involves an endless repetition of the apparently meaningless tragedies, it can cause a numbing effect on the population. The mass media generates information in a network, then the collected information is published using the articles, videos, and the photos to the consumers, this has the influences the individuals ability to digest the delivered information while at the same time it potentially influences the unrelated cultural and the personal beliefs, basing on the propaganda models. The Mass media content is created from the events and the untold stories which have effects on the consumers and their cultural orientation.

Cuban Missile Crisis. Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Cuban Missile Crisis: The Events Before, During, and After Let the record show that our restraint is not inexhaustible. Should it ever appear that the inter-American doctrine of noninterference merely conceals or excuses a policy of nonaction - if the nations of this hemisphere should fail to meet their commitments against outside Communist penetration - then I want it clearly understood that this Government will not hesitate in meeting its primary obligations, which are to the security of our Nation. Should the time ever come, we do not intend to be lectured on " intervention " by those whose character was stamped for all time on the bloody streets of Budapest. ( Address by President Kennedy, 20 April 1961, " The Lesson of Cuba, " Department of State Publication No. 7185. ) During the post World War II years, the United States was involved in a continuing conflict with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The differences in democratic and communistic views led to most of this struggle. Although there was no direct military conflict, a climax of military tension was reached during the Cuban Missile Crisis. What exactly happened and what were the causes and effects of this historical event filled with diplomatic as well as militarial tension? In order to fully understand the Cuban Missile Crisis, the events previous to it must be established as they were extremely relevant to the situation. Prior to the twentieth century, Americans had a favorable relationship with the Russians. However, in the late nineteenth century, c. 1890, America and Russia began to disagree and quarrel over certain situations and questions that arose over Asia. This point in history can be labeled as the " beginning " of our feud with Russia ( Cold War Encarta ). Relations began to become troubled at this point, but there was hope for possible resolution. Unfortunately, in 1917 a group of people known as Communists seized power of the government in Russia and established the Soviet Union. The Communists' primary political party was called the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks wanted very much to propagate their ideas to small and new countries in Asia and in Europe. However, capitalistic nations in the west also wanted to spread their political views. Due to this clash in political beliefs, the Bolsheviks, and the rest of the Soviet Union, declare... ...st encounter to a full scale nuclear war. If it had not been for our strong president and the fearlessness of America as a whole, the world might be a drastically different place today. Thankfully, though, it is not and due to the almost non-existent threat of communism in today's world it will probably not radically change in the years to come. Works Cited Abel, Elie. The Missile Crisis. New York City, New York: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1966. Cook, Fred. The Cuban Missile Crisis. New York City, New York: Franklin Watts Inc., 1972. " Cold War. " Encarta 1996: Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation. 1996. " Cuban Missile Crisis. " Encarta 1996: Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation. 1996. LaFeber, Walter. " Cold War. " Encarta 1996: Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation. 1996. Partington, Angela, ed. The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992. Schulzinger, Robert. " The End of the Cold War. " OAH Magazine of History ( 1994 ): 13-18. SIRS CD-ROM. SIRS Inc. 1996. Trease, Geoffery. This is Your Century. New York City, New York: Harcourt, Brace, and World Inc., 1965.

Fantasy and Dream work in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Essay -- Cabinet

Fantasy and Dream work in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari The silent expressionist film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari exposes psychological guilt and insanity through the main character's fantasies and delusions. This character, Francis, brings the viewer into a nightmarish world through his story-telling. He recounts the story of the mad Dr. Caligari and the somnambulist Cesare who is under his control. The doctor's arrival in Francis' hometown results in a string of murders, the death of his best friend Alan and the kidnapping of his beloved fiancà ©e Jane. Francis tells this story as if it were true, but in the end he is revealed as a patient in a mental hospital. The film does not confirm whether Francis' story is reality, but Freudian theory suggests that this story is a wish fulfillment. Francis' neurotic mind created and mistook this fantasy for reality in order to displace the guilt over his friend's death by means of dream work and displacing his guilt onto the somnambulist Cesare. Neurosis is characterized by a retreat into ones imagination and alienation from reality. According to Freudian theory, this is also typified by believing a fantasy to be the truth. "Neurotics turn away from reality because they find it unbearable; the most extreme type of this turning away from reality is shown by certain cases of hallucinatory psychosis which seek to deny the particular event that occasioned the outbreak of their insanity" (Freud, 301). In this passage, Freud describes the psychological techniques that a neurotic mind uses in order to cope with a traumatic event. Instead of coming to terms with their trauma, the mind will alter the events and shape them around a delusion in order to produce a more pleasing conc... ...ing fantasy. In addition, Dr. Caligari and Cesare are not real people; they are fragments of Francis' psyche and serve the purpose of objects onto which the blame is displaced. The filmÕs ambiguous ending leaves the validity of Francis' story unknown because his illness is not explicitly confirmed. However, Freudian theory clarifies this uncertainty by showing that Francis has fantasized the entire story to satisfy his guilty mind. Bibliography The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Dir. Robert Wiene. Perf. Werner Krauss, Friedrich Feher, and Condrad Veidt. Decla-Bioscop AD, 1920. Freud, Sigmund. The Freud Reader. Ed. Peter Gay. New York: W.W. & Norton. ---. Writings on Art and Literature. Ed. Niel Harz. Janowitz, Hans, and Mayer, Carl. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. (1920). http://www.cs.nyu.edu/kandathi/scr/caligari.txt

Research Proposal Essay

Introduction Adolescent substance abuse in Virginia is below the national average according to a study for the Department of Adolescent Health with the Department of Health & Human Services (2011) teens in grades 9-12 disclosed usage of alcohol at a rate of 18 percent compared to 20 percent of the national average for having drank more than a few sips before they were 13 years old. For Marijuana the rate was 32 percent of high school aged adolescents have used marijuana in their lifetime and that is also below the national average of 40 percent. Inhalant usage was 10 percent with a national average of 11 percent, cocaine was listed at 3 percent directly coinciding with the national rate and lastly nonmedical use of pain relievers was 7 percent higher than the national percentage of 6 percent (Department of Health & Human Services Office of Adolescent Health, 2011). Literature Review It is no secret that an individual’s development begins within the environment he or she develops. However, questions begin to arise when one wonders how particular settings or environmental factors affect an individual’s development and to which degree these factors impact one’s life. Further investigation may be necessary when the stage of development of the individual being studied is considered. Adolescence is a unique and critical stage in the development of every human being and organizations such as the Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base (ASK) suggest that substance use and abuse is at least an issue, if not a major problem facing many adolescents. According to ASK the most commonly used substances for adolescents age 12 to 17 are tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. The ASK  website supports that claim with the following statistics: the national average age of first alcohol use is 15 years old, nationally 17.3% of youths have used tobacco in the past month, and the national average annual incidence rate for marijuana use among youths is 6.3% (http://www.adolescent-substance-abuse.com/state-stats.html). A commonly held belief is that parents or family factors can often predict the development of substance use and abuse by adolescents, one website even goes so far as to label parents the â€Å"Anti-Drug† (http://www.theantidrug.com). So what leads adolescents to develop a habit of using substances such as tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and others? Do parent and family factors play a role in behavior of their adolescent sons and daughters? The purpose of this research proposal is to review the existing literature on parental and family factors and the impact these factors have on predicting the development of teen substance use and abuse. Most research has been done in the area of parental communication and involvement in an adolescent’s life seeking to determine how parenting can influence an adolescent’s substance use or abuse in a positive or negative manner. For example, Farrell and Kung (2000) utilized a number of models to represent the relations between parent ing practices, family structure, peer pressure, and drug use in a sample of 443 seventh grade students. It is important to note that this study was conducted in an urban area, in which many of the subjects were classified as being from low-income families, also a high percentage of those researched were of African American descent. Over half of the adolescents surveyed lived within an intact family or a family with a single parent and extended family members living in the same household. An interesting finding of this study was that peer pressure was more strongly related to drug use than was parenting. That being said, parenting practices were also found to temper the relationship between peer pressure and substance use. This means that parenting can serve as a defensive factor in that children who receive sufficient parenting are better prepared to resist pressures from their peers to use substances than those who do not receive adequate parenting. Ennett, Bauman, Foshee, Pemberton, and Hicks (2001) explored communication between parents and adolescents regarding alcohol and tobacco use through a national study of 537 adolescent and parent pairs. The researchers investigated what was discussed between parent and child and how  that communication impacted the adolescent’s behavior. This data was gathe red via phone contact on two separate occasions, with the second contact taking place one year after the initial contact. There were a number of interesting findings from this study, one of which was that parents who smoked tended to converse more regularly about antismoking rules than did parents who didn’t smoke; in comparison, parents who drank spoke less regularly about rules regarding alcohol use than those that didn’t drink. The study actually produced evidence that parental conversations with adolescents about rules and consequences for alcohol and tobacco use may have caused adolescents who had already tried smoking or drinking to increase their use. Finally, the study also showed that while communication had little in the way of positive effects on adolescent tobacco and alcohol use parental modeling was a much better predictor of an adolescent’s behavior. For example, parental smoking often led to adolescent tobacco and alcohol use, and parental drinking forecasted the rise of alcohol use in many instances (Ennett, Bauman, Foshee, Pemberton, & Hicks, 2001). Another study on the parent-adolescent relationship, this by Wood, Read, Mitchell, and Brand (2004), used mail surveys to contact 578 late-adolescent subjects in the summer before entering college to research parental and peer influences on their alcohol use. The study revealed that men drank nearly twice as much as women, and to negotiate for this known gender discrepancy the authors of the study considered gender in the equations used to calculate their final results. As was the case with similar previous studies, this study revealed that peer influences such as offerings of alcohol and perceived norms were associated with unconstructive consequences as related to alcohol use. The study further supported prior research by confirming that parental behaviors, attitudes, and values correlate directly with late-adolescent alcohol use and problems, and that perceived parental disapproval was associated with lower levels of alcohol use. As the previously discussed research suggests, parental involvement in an adolescent’s life can significantly impact an adolescent’s attitudes and behaviors towards substance use and abuse. However, not all adolescents are fortunate enough to be brought up in environments where parental influences occupy a normal presence within their lives. It is important to consider the impacts of insufficient parenting or nontraditional parenting arrangements  on adolescent substance use. Research Question Will the rate of teen substance abuse decrease if there is more family involvement within teen adolescence? Hypothesis I hypothesize that the rate of teen substance abuse will decrease once there is parental involvement in an adolescent’s years of development Research Design Department of Adolescent Health with the Department of Health & Human Services studied 361 individuals ages 14 to 17, all subjects came from two-parent and single parent families and were enlisted from within the Hampton Roads area in which the study was to be conducted or from clinical treatment programs in the area. The purpose of this study was to create parental involvement measurements applicable to a child’s adolescent lifetime, to differentiate adolescents who were for all practical purposes neglected by their parents from others, and to examine the effects of parental involvement on adolescent behaviors involving drugs and alcohol. Through the use of cross-sectional studies, researchers analysis data from questionnaires. Sampling Strategies The sampling method best used for this research would be non-probability sampling because it opens the opportunity to specify the participants to be researched. This sampling method allows the researcher to create a handpicked research group of participants. Data Collection Method Questionnaire A random sample of 361, 14-17 year olds, stratified by sex and postcode sector, was drawn from the school registration database of Hampton Roads. Ethics committee approval was granted but required that names and addresses be passed to the researchers only after potential respondents had consented. Via their parents, all were sent an information sheet, questionnaire (to establish smoking status), consent form to be countersigned by a guardian, and a freepost return envelope. Results Through the use and analysis of a questionnaire the researchers were able to determine that 75 of the adolescents studied were in situations with low-parent involvement, which the researchers designated as the Neglect group. Those subjects not in the Neglect group were labeled the â€Å"Reference† group. The most substantial observed difference between the Neglect and Reference groups indicated that individuals in the Neglect group, those with less parental involvement in their lives, possessed a weaker ability to resist social pressure to substance abuse. Discussion These numbers show a rising usage of even younger teens beginning to indulge in substances. According to ask the average age of substance experimentation is 14. This study examined the effects of parents talking to children about substances versus those parents who do not. There were a number of interesting findings from this study, one of which was that parents who smoked tended to converse more regularly about antismoking rules than did parents who didn’t smoke; in comparison, parents who drank spoke less regularly about rules regarding alcohol use than those that didn’t drink. The study actually produced evidence that parental conversations with adolescents about rules and consequences for alcohol and tobacco use may have caused adolescents who had already tried smoking or drinking to increase their use. Finally, the study also showed that while communication had little in the way of positive effects on adolescent tobacco and alcohol use parental modeling was a much better predictor of an adolescent’s behavior. For example, parental smoking often led to adolescent tobacco and parental drinking forecasted the rise of alcohol use in many instances. The purpose of this study was to create parental involvement measurements applicable to a child’s adolescent lifetime, to differentiate adolescents who were for all practical purposes neglected by their parents from others, and to examine the effects of parental involvement on adolescent behaviors involving drugs and alcohol Limitation The limitation that would effect this proposal would be the percent of honesty and integrity of the participants. Some participants may feel reluctant to tell the truth either due to fear of parents finding out substance use, or the fear of being labeled. This lack of honesty has a major effect on the data collected from the study. Also using  non-probability sampling will result in limited generalizability of the findings. Implications Practice Implications: When I comes to training social workers on how to treat teens suffering from substance abuse, they have a greater sense of which direction to demonstrate practice. Also allows social workers to understand the history as well at the trigger to initial substance use. Social workers are able to address adolescent clients from different system levels once they are aware of factors that lead teens to abuse substances. Profession: As professionals, these findings help to guide practice in ways to better provide services to teens who suffer from substance abuse and to create preventative methods to keep teens from abusing even in the absence of parental guidance. Target Population: These findings give teens an understanding of how peer and parental influences play a major factor in their curiosity in substances Professional Development: As a professional, this research has given me a sense of direction when it comes to treating and dealing with teens who may suffer fr om substance abuse. Also gives me a better understanding of the history of teen substance abuse and how if occurs. Recommendations for Future Research In future research, study recommend to offer aid, support, and services for those teens who are founded to be abusing or using substances. If challenges are met early, there is a greater chance of transforming these habits. The goal is to strengthen the community through service delivery. References Clark, D., Thatcher, D., & Maisto, S. (2004). Adolescent neglect and alcohol use disorders in two-parent families. Child Maltreatment, 9(4), 357-370. Ennett, S., Bauman, K., Foshee, V., Pemberton, M., & Hicks, K. (2001). Parent-child communication about adolescent tobacco and alcohol use: what do parents say and does it affect youth behavior? Journal of Marriage and Family, 63(1), 48-62. Farrell, A., & Kung, E. (2000). The role of parents and peers in early adolescent substance use: an examination of mediating and moderating effects. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 9(4), 509-528. Highlights of Study by State on Youth Drug Use. (2007). Retrieved January 13, 2011, from http://www.adolescent-substance-abuse.com/state-stats.html Wood, M., Read, J., Mitchell, R., & Brand, N. (2004). Do parents still matter? Parent and peer influences on alcohol involvement among recent high school graduates. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18(1), 19-30.

World Energy Outlook Reaction Paper

Reaction Paper on World Energy Outlook The World Energy Outlook is an annual publication of the International Energy Agency. It is widely recognized as the most authoritative energy source for global energy projections and analysis. The annual publication contains long-term energy market projections, extensive statistics, analysis and advice for both governments and the energy business. The World Energy Outlook has also developed alternative scenario that puts the global energy systems on a trajectory to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions. Their latest publication was the World Energy Outlook 2012 that was released last November 2012.Here is what I have learned from the executive summary. There is a new global energy landscape that is emerging. Taking all new developments and policies into hand, our world is still failing to put the global energy system onto a more sustainable path. Global energy demand grows by more than one-third over the period of 2035 with China, India and Middle East accounting for 60% of the increase. Energy demand barely rises in the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, but there is a big movement away from oil, coal and nuclear towards natural gases and renewable energies.I have learned that despite the growth in low-carbon sources of energy, fossil fuels remain dominant in the global energy mix, supported by subsidies that amounted to $523 billion in 2011, up almost 30% on 2010 and six times more than subsidies to renewable. The cost of fossil-fuel subsides has been driven up by higher oil prices. Energy developments in the United States are profound and their effect will be felt by other nations as well. It is projected that around 2020, the United States will be the largest global oil producer and starts to see the impact of new fuel-efficiency measures in transport.This would enable a switch in direction of international oil trade towards Asia. In the publication, it is said that energy efficiency is widely recognized as a key option in the hands of policy makers but current efforts fall well short of tapping its full economic potential. It was also mentioned as well that the tackling the barriers to energy efficiency investment can unleash the potential and realize huge gains for energy security, economic growth and the environment. Successful action to this would have a major impact on the global energy and climate trends. I’ve found out in the report that natural as is the only fossil fuel for which global demand grows in all scenarios, showing that it fares well under different policy conditions. Also, coal has met nearly half of the rise in global energy demand over the last decade, growing faster even than total renewable. Whether coal demand carries on rising strongly or changes path will depend on the strength of policy measures that favor lower-emissions energy sources. Thus, the sensitivity of the changes in policy, the development of alternative fuels and t he timely availability of infrastructure create much uncertainty for international steam coal markets and prices. It was also mentioned in the publication report that the world’s demand for electricity grows twice as fast as its total energy consumption and the challenge to meet this demand is heightened by the investment needed to replace ageing power sector infrastructure. Of the new generation capacity that is built to 2035, around one-third is needed to replace plants that are retired. Half of all new capacity is based on renewable sources of energy, although coal remains the leading global fuel for power generation.Average global electricity prices increase by 15% to 2035 in real terms, driven higher by increased fuel input costs, a shift to more capital-intensive generating capacity, subsidies to renewable energies and CO2 pricing in some countries. A steady increase in hydropower and the rapid expansion of wind and solar power has paved the position of renewable energi es as an essential part of the global energy mix; by 2035, renewable energies account for almost one-third of total electricity output. Solar grows more rapidly than any other renewable technology.Renewable energies become the world’s second-largest source of power generation by 2015 and, by 2035; they approach coal as the primary source of global electricity. Despite progress in the past year, nearly 1. 3 billion people globally remain without access to electricity. Further, water is essential to energy production which includes: power generation; extraction, transport and processing of oil, gas and coal; and irrigation for crops used to produce bio-fuels. Also, water is growing in importance as a criterion for assessing the viability of energy projects, as population and economic growth intensify competition for water resources.Thus, managing the energy sector’s water vulnerabilities will require deployment of better technology and greater integration of energy and w ater policies. In summary, the outlook for global energy is not just a matter for energy companies, but it is an issue for all of us. The global outlook expects global CO2 emissions to continue as population and demand for energy grows rapidly. Powerful long run trends continue to shape the modern energy economy: industrialization, urbanization and motorization.These trends are associated with increasing quantities of energy consumption, increasing efficiency of energy use in production and consumption, increasing diversification of sources of energy, and increasing demand for clean and convenient energy. Also, the global fuel mix continues to diversify and non-fossil fuels will tend to be a major source of supply growth. The contribution of renewable energies will also tend to grow in the global fuel mix. With these in line, energy policy makers and energy development organizations must continue to work together and implement regulations for the betterment of our environment for fu ture generations. References: 1. World Energy Outlook. Wikipedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/World_Energy_ Outlook. (Accessed February 2013). 2. World Energy Outlook 2012 Executive Summary. International Energy Agency. World Energy Outlook Publications. http://www. worldenergyoutlook. org/ publications/weo-2012/#d. en. 26099. (Accessed February 2013). 3. BP Energy Outlook 2030. BP Statistical Review. http://www. bp. com/ liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/reports_and_publications/sta tistical_energy_review_2011/STAGING/local_assets/pdf/2030_energy_outlook_boo klet. pdf. (Accessed February 2013). 3