Immigration Policy Of America Politics Essay

Immigration Policy Of America Politics Essay Immigration has been part of legislation since the founding of the nation. In 1790, Congress established a process saying ones that are born in the United States become citizens automatically. The first federal law was passed in 1875 limiting immigration qualification in order to prohibit the entry of criminals and prostitutes. Currently, there are two forms of immigration: permanent admission and temporary admission. The ones that are allowed permanent admission are granted permanent resident and a green card. Permanent residents are allow working in the United States and are able to file for citizenship. In 2004, there were about 946,000 people that were admitted to the United States as a permanent resident. Temporary admission is for foreigners who want entry to the United States for a limited of time on behalf of a specific purpose such as visiting families, tourism, temporary work, or school. These people are classified as nonimmigrants. Temporary admissions are not allowed to a pply for United States citizenship. If they want to apply for citizenship through naturalization, they need to submit an additional application for permanent resident before they can do so. In 2004, 5 million people were granted temporary admission. Immigration policy in the United States reflects many goals. First, it serves to reunite many families by admitting family members from foreign countries. Second, due to labor shortage, United States can admit ones with a specific skill to fill up positions in occupations. Third, it provides a shelter for people that face the risk of political or religious persecution from their own country. Lastly, by letting people from foreign countries immigrate to United States, it allows us to become a more diverse nation. Even though United States has goals for immigrations, there are still many rules and regulations involved; not anyone can just enter United States and become permanent or temporary residents. United States may deny visas or admission on either the temporary admission or permanent admission for many reasons. Some reasons may be because of criminal records, health records, or terrorism concerns. Immediate family members of a United States citizens are allow immigrating to the U nited States without many limitations. Citizens of the United States are allowed to sponsor relatives for permanent residents under the family-sponsored preference program. According to Garnett Hardin in his paper called Lifeboat Ethnics: The Case against Helping the Poor, he thinks that United States should simply not provide aid to people in the poor countries. Hardin started out his essay with a metaphor comparing the earth to a grand spaceship. Hardin said, Since we all share life on this planetà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ no single person or institution has the right to destroy, waste, or use more than a fair share of its resources (402). Hardin is more practical rather than liberal. He imagined United States as a lifeboat and the people that are out in the ocean are the ones that want to immigrate to United States. Hardin says, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦we must recognize the limited capacity of any lifeboat. A nations land has a limited capacity to support a population and as the current energy crisis has shown us, in some ways we have already exceeded the carrying capacity of our land (403). The way that Hardin think is correct. United States have more people being born each day then people dying; if United States accepts anyone as an immigrant, the nation would not have enough land to support them. Furthermore, there are many lazy people in this world. As what Hardin was saying, lets assume that we have a fifty people capacity on our lifeboat. To be generous, we can make room for ten more making the total capacity of sixty people. If we can make room for ten more, then we would need to make room for the rest of them also. Pretty soon, the lifeboat is going to overfill and everyone can possibly drown. To make that short, if we take one person into the nation, we would need to take the rest. There is no point letting them into our nation if they are not going to make any contributions. I believe that United States should only take immigrants that can contribute to the nation. Currently, there are many permanent residents in this nation that does not make any contribution whatsoever. Many immigrants have the mentality that if their relatives in the United States are able to sponsor them to come over, then they can sponsor them for the rest of their lives. In my opinion, ones that have an education, have a specific reason to come over to the United States, and ones that can help out the nation are allow becoming permanent residents in the United States. In John Tierneys paper, Angels in America, he believes that the United States immigration policy is too strict causing many immigrants to come illegally. Tierney used his grandfather and an illegal immigrant, Angel Espinoza, as examples. Tierney thinks it is unfair that Espinoza is not allowed to apply for citizenship while others can. Tierney continued onto explaining Espinozas situation. Espinoza left farm just like Tierneys grandfather and came illegally to the United States with little education. Later, he married an American descendant from his native country just like what Tierneys grandfather did. Tierneys grandfather applied for United States citizenship afterward and got approved while Espinoza did not. Espinoza was once caught at the border and violated the law which made him ineligible for a green card and permanent residency. Tierney goes on to explaining how Espinoza and his grandfather both worked hard, chasing the Americans dream, to support their families. Espinoza ha d to go to work every day with the fear of being departed from the United States for working illegally but his grandfather did not had to go through that. Tierney believes that if one is willing to work to achieve their goals then they should be treated equally. Tierney said, Id like to see Republicans on Capitol Hill explain to Espinoza why hes less deserving than their immigrant ancestors, but thats probably too much to expect. Espinoza has a simpler wish: I would like them to tell my American daughter why her father cant stay with her' (704). I personally disagree with Tierneys idea of immigration. Just because one is hard working does not necessarily mean they deserve to be a United States citizen. I believe that in order to become a United States citizen, one must have a moral character, knowledge of the United States history and government, and willingness to support the United States politically and militarily. Because Espinoza was caught at the border at one point in time, h e does not have the moral character. Tierney stated, Its been argued that Mexicans are different from past immigrants because theyre closer to home and less likely to assimilate. Compared with other immigrants today, theyre less educated, and their children are more likely to get poor grades and drop out of school (703). As I stated before, if one does not have an education, they are less likely able to contribute to the United States and have knowledge of the history and government. There are over a million immigrants that enter the United States legally or illegally each year. Having immigrants allow employers to have cheap labor but in the meantime, as David Masci stated, American workers suffer because the newcomers take jobs and suppress wage levels. Many people also argued that native-born people are unwilling to do low-wage jobs but that has been proven wrong. According to Mark Krikorian, an executive director of the Center of Immigration Studies, said in the article Debate Over Immigration, In parts of the country with few immigrants, low-wage jobs still get done, and by native-born people. Americans are not unwilling to do such jobs, but we prefer not to do so. If these immigrants did not take these low-wage positions, native-born Americans will be forced to take these types of jobs. Krikorian also said, Employers could find Americans to do these jobs if they wanted to, but theyd have to provide training and raise wages to do so. It is just easier to all ow immigrants to take these positions. There are also arguments stating that immigrants are over-crowding the United States and preventing immigrants already here from assimilating into American society (Masci). Masci also said that immigrants came to United States in the past because they want to be here, but currently, immigrants immigrate here for job opportunities and the concept of freedom. A lot of immigrants from foreign countries have the mentality that if they come to the United States and not able to find a job then they can get governmental aid such as Welfare. I believe that these are the type of people that are not allowed to immigrate to the United States. They do not truly love the country, but instead they want to come here for the freedom and for a better environment. In conclusion, immigration is a problem in the United States. People from foreign countries want to come to the United States for freedom and job opportunities. With all these people coming over and taking jobs from the current Americans, it causes the citizens to suffer. The extra people that are immigrating to the United States are overcrowding the nation. It is making it harder for new immigrants to adapt to and experience the American society when there are so many new immigrants coming into the nation each year. United States need a more strict immigration policy in order to keep out all the criminals and prevent terrorism. I highly agree with Garnett Hardins view of immigration where we should keep out as many immigrants as possible, and I strongly disagree with Tierneys view of immigration. He thinks that the policy right now is too strict causing people to come illegally. Without a strict policy, our nation would be in more danger due to criminals and terrorism.

The Impact of the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club on the City of Montrea

The Impact of the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club on the City of Montreal A sports team is vital to a large city such as Montreal. A sports team may have positive or negative impacts on a city. The team that will be focused on is the Montreal Canadiens. Despite the poor seasons that the team has recently endured, the Montreal Canadiens are still one of the most winningest franchises in all of sports. The team’s long history as a winning organization has made the city of Montreal reputable. For my research, the three disciplines that will be focused on are sociology, geography, and economics. These disciplines are very much evident and important to my research topic, that being, the importance the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club for the City of Montreal. With the use of sources related to my topic, one will be able to grasp the overall context of my research. The direct question that my research intends to answer is; how has the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club impacted the City of Montreal as a whole? Literature Review   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The discipline of sociology studies groups of people in a specific area. In this case, the people we will focus on are the players playing for the Montreal Canadiens hockey team and the fans that support the team. After viewing a video on the Montreal Canadiens during the 1988-1989 season (Fisher 1989), the discipline of sociology is very much evident in this video. The video takes an in depth viewing of the team during the 1988-1989 season. It looks at the ups and downs the team faced during this particular season and how the Montreal Canadiens have over come obstacles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the 1988-1989 season, the Canadiens advanced to the Stanley Cup final where they lost to the Calgary Flames in six games. A few years earlier, in 1986, the Canadiens beat those same Calgary Flames to win their twenty-third Stanley Cup. The player that led the Canadiens during the 1988-1989 season was none other than goaltender Patrick Roy. The pressures that were placed on the shoulders’ of Roy were unbelievable. This pressure came from fans and media alike. The fact he was a French- Canadian that grew up cheering for the Canadiens, did not help either. As Patrick said in the video, â€Å"Hockey in Montreal is not a sport, it’s a religion.† Also interviewed was .. ... I composed my questionnaire around my research question. The results of my fieldwork take into account the three disciplines that my literature review is based on, that being, sociology, geography, and economics. From the answer(s) that was derived from my fieldwork, the impact the Montreal Canadiens has on the city of Montreal as a whole is positive. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To explain the importance a sports team has on a city, a new avenue for future research would be the traveling to a city that lost a professional sports team and research the impact it had on places such as Winnipeg and Quebec, where the Winnipeg Jets and the Quebec Nordiques used to play respectfully. Economically, jobs are created within and around the team and city, which geographically is the reason why businesses are set up where they are, and sociologically, people come together in the supporting of their team. These three disciplines are lost with losing of a professional sports team. A sports team is vital to a large city such as Montreal. To conclude this report, the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club has a positive impact on the city of Montreal as a whole.

A New Nation of Individuals :: Literature Papers

A New Nation of Individuals Abstract As John Savage articulates, â€Å"Nothing costs enough here,† in Huxley’s Brave New World (1932) of bottled automata, where maelstroms of soma-ingesting, Malthusian orgies casually toss human life about (239). Nothing is dear when the freedom to choose disappears because individuals â€Å"don’t know what it’s like being anything else† (74). Removing choice is simply a method of brainwashing that only subdues human nature for the short-run. Consider Sigmund Freud's views of private property: In abolishing private property we deprive the human love of aggression, certainly a strong one, though certainly not the strongest; but we have in no way altered the differences in power and influence which are misused by aggressiveness, nor have we altered anything in its nature. Aggressiveness was not created by property. (Kumar 384) Aggressiveness, too, was not created by choice. This essay proposes a utopia based on individual freedom, derived from a laissez-faire economy and semi-socialist meritocracy. A New Nation of Individuals First existed the individual; then a group of individuals established government via a social contract. Thus, as Percy Bysshe Shelley writes, "(g)overnment has no rights; it is a delegation from several individuals for the purpose of securing their own. It is therefore just, only so far as it exists by their consent, useful only so far as it operates to their well-being" (qtd. in Chianese 282). Such basic democracy founded the United States of America—yet modern democracy has gone terribly awry, and power now lies in the hands of few rather than many. Ideally, "(t)he highest purpose of Nature, which is the development of all the capacities which can be achieved by mankind, is attainable only in society, and more specifically in the society with the greatest freedom," and the greatest freedom can only be obtained, as Thoreau believed, through a government that governs least (202). In order for the individual to maintain full rights and a completely separate, private sphere of self, government must be just large enough to protect man's unalienable rights, Thomas Jefferson's "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness," but not overstep its boundaries onto the slippery slope of tyranny or oppression. A utopian society should thus stem from a meritocracy that allows for maximum individuality and freedom of choice while protecting man from one another, specifically through universal education and healthcare, and a laissez-faire economy founded on a flat-rate sales tax. A New Nation of Individuals :: Literature Papers A New Nation of Individuals Abstract As John Savage articulates, â€Å"Nothing costs enough here,† in Huxley’s Brave New World (1932) of bottled automata, where maelstroms of soma-ingesting, Malthusian orgies casually toss human life about (239). Nothing is dear when the freedom to choose disappears because individuals â€Å"don’t know what it’s like being anything else† (74). Removing choice is simply a method of brainwashing that only subdues human nature for the short-run. Consider Sigmund Freud's views of private property: In abolishing private property we deprive the human love of aggression, certainly a strong one, though certainly not the strongest; but we have in no way altered the differences in power and influence which are misused by aggressiveness, nor have we altered anything in its nature. Aggressiveness was not created by property. (Kumar 384) Aggressiveness, too, was not created by choice. This essay proposes a utopia based on individual freedom, derived from a laissez-faire economy and semi-socialist meritocracy. A New Nation of Individuals First existed the individual; then a group of individuals established government via a social contract. Thus, as Percy Bysshe Shelley writes, "(g)overnment has no rights; it is a delegation from several individuals for the purpose of securing their own. It is therefore just, only so far as it exists by their consent, useful only so far as it operates to their well-being" (qtd. in Chianese 282). Such basic democracy founded the United States of America—yet modern democracy has gone terribly awry, and power now lies in the hands of few rather than many. Ideally, "(t)he highest purpose of Nature, which is the development of all the capacities which can be achieved by mankind, is attainable only in society, and more specifically in the society with the greatest freedom," and the greatest freedom can only be obtained, as Thoreau believed, through a government that governs least (202). In order for the individual to maintain full rights and a completely separate, private sphere of self, government must be just large enough to protect man's unalienable rights, Thomas Jefferson's "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness," but not overstep its boundaries onto the slippery slope of tyranny or oppression. A utopian society should thus stem from a meritocracy that allows for maximum individuality and freedom of choice while protecting man from one another, specifically through universal education and healthcare, and a laissez-faire economy founded on a flat-rate sales tax.

King Corn

The Documentary ‘King Corn’ is an intersting and entertaining account that examines the impact of the corn industry on food production in America. The film follows Curtis Ellis and Ian Cheney, two recent university graduates who set out to study the overwhelming influence that industrial corn has on the varieties of foods that America consumes each year. The concept of the film is introduced when Curt and Ian have samples of their hair examined, and are surprised to find out that the large amounts of carbon found in the samples originates from ingesting corn products. Many people including myself, would likely be shocked upon hearing this fact, based on the traditional concept of corn; being the small yellow vegatable enjoyed on occasion at most. Sharing this viewpoint, the boys become interested in finding out for themselves why it appears that they are eating so much corn; and hence the topic of the documentary. They decide the best plan of action is to travel to Greene, Iowa, and grow 1 achre of corn to establish how this plant is transformed into so many of the foods that we each. This critique aims to examine some of their findings and discuss the influence and credibility of their arguments. In short, the issue the film addresses is the overwhelming reliance that the American food industry has on the growth and production of corn and its various bi-products. From first glance, many may inturpret this issue as not being a huge problem; after all, when I think of corn, I think of a vegetable. There are certainly other ingredients that would appear to be much more detremental to the health of consuming citizens. But as the film progresses, the viewer learns that the type of corn and it’s bi-products being considered, is far from the conventional concept. While in Iowa, Curt and Ian learn from local farmers, professors and other stakeholders within the industry that the corn they are producing will be used for a variety of purposes, two of the main ones being feed for cattle, and high-fructose corn syrup. As their tiny achre grows, they set out to research the implications of using the corn based products for these purposes. Generally, the documentary took the position that current usage of these products in the food industry promotes a variety of health issues, which will be discussed further in this paper. The corn industry has evolved significantly over the past several decades, not only due to technological advancement, but also the types of corn grown, and purposes that it will serve. The latter cause being fuelled exclusively by the changes in consumer demand, specifically referencing the food industry. This type of industry is largely driven by situations where there is high buyer power; that is, food companies produce the types of food that the consumer wants to eat, rather than what the company wants to produce. As commonly known, several businesses especially in the fast food industry, do not operate on the basis of providing healthy options for consumers to enjoy. Rather, they aim to offer cheap food that consumers want to have. In my opinion, this concept outlines a large point being made by the film; the fact that consumer demand has driven the corn industry (and thus the food industry) to evolve over the past several years into its current state. The bottom line of this argument is that corn is being used in the massive quantities we know of for the very simple reason that is it cheap. To illustrate this point, I will focus on the two main bi-prodcuts of corn that were examined during the film. First, high-fructose corn syrup is used as a sweetner for products ranging anywhere from soft drinks to pasta sauce. In reality, ingesting too much of this sweetner can be very hazourdous to someone’s health, and too much of the product can cause certains conditions such as obeisity and diabetes. This corn syrup has stolen a huge market share from conventional sugar over the last few decades, for no other reason aside from the fact that it is a cheaper alternative, and thus more appealing for businesses to use. As Curt and Ian prove in the film, almost anything processed food imaginable contains at least some quantity of this high fructose syrup, a direct bi-product of corn. The other main product analyzed is the use of corn as animal feed, which is a large source of food for specifically chicken and cattle. These corn-fed animals are themselves processed and used to make the all-American favorite meals. It was starting to become clear to the boys, and the viewer of the film where all this corn was coming from, and offered a justification for the massive size of this industry. During one the interviews, Curt and Ian spoke with a cattle rancher who owned a feed lot. He explained that the cows diet consisted of mainly corn because it was cheap to buy, and was successful in quickly supporting the cow into mature weight, available for slaughter. The farmer had one particularly interesting statement which captured a lot of the concept of the film, suggesting that if people wanted grass fed cows, he would raise grass fed cows. The reality is, grass fed cows are more expensive, a cost ulitmately borne by the consumer. Although much leaner and healthier meat, grass fed cows are not raised as often as corn fed cows because it wouldn’t allow consumers to purchase their favorite fast food burgers at the same price. Even the corn farmers interviewed during the film suggested that they knew their corn was used to create unhealthy foods, but that had become the reality of the food industry. Being producers of a raw material, their livelihood relies on growing corn that the American economy demands. Throughout the film, there are several points of interest made to support the argument that corn products were used to process several health threatening products. The filmakers chose to interview a variety of professionals, mostly university professors, which added to the credibility of of the argument being proposed. The opinion was fairly unanimous that the corn products in the United States are fuelling unhealthy diet choices, and resulting in some of the problems with obesity and other conditions that the country is dealing with. The film was successful in proving its point that the American food industry has evolved to become highly reliant on corn and it’s bi-products. Furthermore, it was able to reliably convey the idea that the exessive consumption of these products had potentially serious health effects. Given these facts, the film is not designed to attack the corn industry, as if they are the reason for these harmful additives in the food being eaten. The onus is really on the consumer; as mentioned, the reason these unhealthy bi-products are being made is in response to the demands from American consumers, who want cheap and tasty meals. The unfortunate reality is that a large number of people fail to devote the right attention to what they are putting in their bodies. The most surprising point in the film was definitely the scale at which the corn industry operates. It was interesting to use the boys â€Å"tiny† achre of corn as a reference point, whereas it was stated that it is not uncommon for one farmer in Iowa to manage one thousand achres of corn each harvest. The shere size of the industry reflects the huge amount of demand placed on the food industry in America every year. Personally, the lack of comparison to other countries was probably where the film lacked in reference. It is fairly well known that the American population consumes more fast food then any other nation in the world, so it really comes as no surprise that the corn industry is as large as it is. I felt as though it would be interesting to compare the American reliance to corn and it’s bi-prodcuts to a country in Europe for example, where typically people eat healthier and less cheaply made, processed foods. Comparing another nation with the United States would suggest that American reliance on corn is not a necessity, but rather a consumer driven evolution in food choices.

Benefits of Technology

Ever since it developed, there has been controversy over whether or not mechanical inventions benefit our lives. Doug Rennie’s article, â€Å"Faxed to the Max†, says â€Å"the timesaving devices we created give us more freedom to do what we want have instead imprisoned us in our own technology. † Although this may be true to some people, everyone has the power to resist technological devices. People can chose to use these tools to enhance their lifestyles, like they can chose to use a hammer or a saw for a project; they don’t necessarily need it, but it would save time and energy.It is the ability to mistreat these inventions that makes some people uneasy towards about using technology in their daily lives. Although it can be abused in many ways, technology used properly is a tool that aids in education, health and communication. Our physical health has benefited greatly from technology. Through inventions like the pacemaker and artificial limbs, a tremend ous amount or people have had better physical conditions. This biological technology is not favourable to all. Some say that it is better for nature to do its work and people should not interfere.The spread of new inventions can soon get out of hand. For example, if we have the ability to clone humans, our lifestyles will change. People will abuse this power by being careless about their health. They believe people think technology can save them in the end, so they can exercise less and eat more unhealthy foods. On the other hand, curative inventions have saved lives and allowed people to lead healthier ones. There can be ways to make technology accessible to only certain people, but there is no reason to stop the usage of these medical products if they can help save lives.An example of one of these products is the pacemaker, invented by Canadian electrical engineer, John Hopps. Because the heart stops beating when it cools, he found that mechanical or electric stimulation could mak e the heart start up again. Since then, many were given healthier lives. Prosthetic limbs have also played a great role in helping the lives of amputees. Artificial limbs with sensors and microchips have recently been designed so that these people can maintain an active lifestyle rather than being confined to wheelchairs. Technology plays a very important role in the communication of people  today.With the touch of a button, the Internet and the cellular telephone can allow us to transmit our message to someone on the other side of the planet. Certain people chose not to use any of these appliances because of the negative consequences. The Internet contains inappropriate sites and some parents don’t want to risk the chance of their child meeting a dangerous stranger in a chat room. People are so used to e-mailing that they don’t know how to send letters anymore. Other antagonists of technological communication believe that the invention of cellular phones is prone to car accidents.Contrariwise, internet has allowed to world to communicate and to easily get in touch with someone. There are parental controls on the Internet and the phone is simply a tool that people can chose not use. In a car accident, it is more of the driver’s responsibility than the cellular phone because the driver chose to use the cellular phone. The Internet is a cheaper and quicker way to communicate. Typing an e-mail and it getting it to the other person takes only a matter of seconds, whereas writing a letter and sending it could take days.Through instant messages and chat rooms on the Internet, a person can converse with another on the other side of the world and save money on their phone bills. Cell phones are convenient devices, especially in emergencies. For instance, if someone was lost in the woods, they can either phone for help or check the map on their cell phone. Cellular phones are also timesaving tools because they can fit in pockets and there is no n eed to find a payphone or carry coins on the street. We can easily abuse the technology around us, but we can just as easily find that the consequences are more beneficial when we use it properly.We should consider the negative effects of technology and find ways to limit them, but we cannot let these issues stop us from the possibilities that the devices can offer. Many of the appliances that scientists created have improved our communication with the world, easier and faster learning, and have even extended the life spans of numerous people. It is wrong to say that everyone has been trapped into being time-sick patients of modern devices. We are simply using these tools to our advantage so we can accomplish the numerous tasks in our lives easier. Without any technology at all, we will be taking a step back from mankind.

Infant mortality Essay

Infant mortality simply refers to the number of death amongst the young ones per 1000 births. In this historical study, infant mortality rate between a range of time starting from 1750 to 1917 is studied. Its rate varies from one century to another with the 18th century recording the highest number of deaths among the young. Progressing towards the 20th century, there has been a drastic decline in the death rate of infants. Some medical professionals believe that this is because of the social health reform and medical improvement during the 19th and 20 centuries. On the other hand, some scholars, like Thomas McKeown, strongly suggest that this is mainly attributed to the improved nutrition and sanitation of the infant’s environment (McKeown, 121). Thomas McKeown is the scholar who spearheaded the well known McKeown Thesis. There has been an ongoing debate between the two ideas about which played the main significant role in checking the rampant death of the infants for several decades featured in countless student reading, so who actually saw the truth between the 19 and the 20th centuries? Infant mortality reduced over the centuries starting in the late 19th and early 20th century in the United States. The highest rate of death among the infants was observed in the first half of the 18th century (McKeown, 65) , this high rate of infant mortality was viewed as caused by societal break-down and poor policies rather that specific pathological organism. This was considered as a reflection of a poor frame work in the society. Between 1750 and 1800, the infant mortality rate was at the peak with many of the infants succumbing to their diseases. At the time, the technical aspects in undertaking comprehensive investigation to establish the actual cause of the diseases and finally finding the cure had not been successful. Many infants therefore died in large numbers. The community attributed all this to the broad and unfortunate societal problems. Many major countries had areas with indecent housing, flooded basements, contaminated water supplies and poverty, resulting in diseases such as typhoid, scarlet fever, tuberculosis and typhus to thrive (McVeigh). This in the end challenged them to actually think of ways to handle these problems. What they have come to conclude was that prenatal and postnatal diseases were ultimately influenced by external factors such as food deficiency, alcohol and tobacco use (Mudd, 117). While diseases and disabilities that are determined during conception or after birth are invariably different, both their origins can still be potentially controlled. In the second half of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the government of the United States came up with efforts to curb this menace. They recommended the removal of infants in the cities; this was considered a major success since most mothers who were residing in the city end up having their young ones dying at a tender age. Some prenatal diseases, for example was due to exposure to harmful toxins in the environment, thereby affecting the child’s development in the mother’s womb (Mudd, 117-118). This was viewed that the city exposed the young to unhealthy environment hence exposing them to diseases. The congestion in the city was also found to facilitate the spread of contagious diseases among the young. Various forms of pollutants were rampant in the city and therefore the infant could easily contract infections. Many women at the turn of the 18th century were working in gas lit factories and sweatshops, which may affect their pregnancy (McVeigh). The mothers were advised to settle in their rural homes where these hazards were considered to have minimal consequences on the infants. It was fortunate that legislations were finally passed during 1848 to promote genuine concern for public health (McKeown, 66). Similarly, international city in Great Britain during the era, as well as an important location throughout Europe and the rest of the world in terms of international trade and human transit. Because of so many international produce, goods and people arriving in London daily, it became clear to medical professionals that foreign bodies can often be the bearers of disease; from London, such illnesses were doomed to spread throughout the rest of the country. In helping London’s citizens stay healthy, infant mortality rates were automatically dropped simultaneously. By exploring London’s newspaper archives, as well as other contemporary newspaper articles and even the correspondence of health care workers during the era, the information concerning infant mortality rates can be gathered and compared. In contrast, some scholars, such as Thomas McKeown, strongly suggest that this is mainly attributed to the improved nutrition and sanitation (Colgrove). The milk supply was improved among the young one, because the milk handling and supply of edible products was improved by the government. This government strategy has been significant in preserving the life of infants at the time. Child hygiene was another factor considered in checking the high rate of infant mortality. A child hygiene program was established by the government to ensure the infants were provided with the highest quality of hygiene . With the advancement on the technological innovations, infant mortality reduced in significant proportions over the centuries. The discovery of the various medical equipments and apparatus including the microscope and the stethoscope in the late 19th century boosted the medical field’s capabilities to handle these challenges (McVeigh). Simultaneous to this, great strides in the improvement of education of interns started happening in Europe. The scientist who specialized in medical microbiology studied deeper and discovered very many minute microbes which were found to cause high rate of infant mortality. These microbes were found to thrive on unhygienic conditions therefore causing high rate of infant mortality. They were found to be rampant especially in poorly handled milk and other foodstuff. With these discoveries of stethoscope and the microscope in the 20th century, many diseases were kept under control. This was because scientists had become knowledgeable about health matters. Before this tremendous discovery, many minute microorganisms causing several diseases amongst the young ones were at large and scientists were puzzled with unchecked high rate of infant mortality. The electron microscope with high magnification enabled these scientists to recognize the various disease causing organisms including viruses and bacteria. They managed to know the specific diseases that these microorganisms caused and the appropriate control measures needed to keep them at bay. They came up with antibiotics to cure infection in the infants. Antibiotics such as penicillin were also discovered in the early 20th century. At this time, due to these discoveries and appropriate measures taken by the government, the infant mortality drastically reduced. Medical attention to the infants was considered a priority and hence reducing the rate of infant’s death. Another important factor in curbing infant mortality is the development of obstetrics and the rise of gynecology in that time (McVeigh). It encompassed all aspects of pregnancy, and allowed sanitary and safe conditions for the mother and child. Arguably, poor sanitary conditions during childbirth are also one of the main causes of infant mortality in earlier centuries. McKeown’s views on public health sparked controversy during the 1970’s and 1980’s with its focus on allocation of medical resources. While the foundation of his empirical views might be considered flawed today, it spearheaded studies of where should public health practitioners should focus their efforts and the most important determinants of a society’s mortality (Colgrove). The thesis he authored was about the explanation of the dramatic population growth from around 1770 to the present (Szreter). It stated that it was because of the domino effect of improved economic conditions: better standards of living and enhanced nutritional status that strengthened infant resistance to most diseases. His works have been about the synthesis of these advanced ideas and later on his works began getting much attention because of its profound content (Szreter). It was curious to note that it attracted more audiences during its later years, even though it didn’t substantially contain any new information. It was probably the stronger awareness in public health that caused this. However, McKeown will always be considered a figure of importance because of his role in shaping contemporary systems to prevent infant mortality. Other factors that can be attributed to a precipitous decline in infant mortality rate starting from the late 19th and early 20th century include the improvement in economic growth, improvement in nutrition, new sanitary measures by the government and advances in knowledge about infant care in the united states of America (Colgrove). Though little is known about how each of this factors contributed in the reduction in the infant mortality rate, a systematic review of the data from the specific period stressed that providing clean milk in market was the main contributor to this decline in the infant mortality . However, the writer of this journal was biased in the sense that handling milk supply and milk hygiene was not the only cause of infant mortality. It‘s important to note that the both technological advancement and improved nutrition played a very crucial role in checking the infant mortality rate starting from the late 18th to early 20th century. The perception that the high rate of infant mortality was due to societal problems and poor policies could not help in reversing the trend in the first half of the 18th century. Technological advancement saw the discovery of the various medical apparatus and equipments in the 20th century which helped in the reduction of high infant mortality rate. The scientists discovered the actual causes of these deaths being pathological organism which could be controlled. The economic growth and education enabled this scientist to conduct further research and hence control measures were devised which came up with cure for various diseases affecting the infants.

Child Prodigy Essay

| Child Prodigies: A Blessing or a Curse? | Term Essay| | | Mona S. November/28/2012 | Child Prodigy: A Blessing or a Curse? A child prodigy is an individual, who at a very early age (mostly under the age of 10) is a master of one or a couple of skills or arts. These individuals or children display expert ability or a deep grasp of the fundamentals in a field usually only undertaken by adults. Using a specific term which expresses or defines a child prodigy can change attitudes portrayed towards such individuals such as gifted, talented, superior, rapid learner, able student, bright, exceptional, and even genius.Although there are many terms used to define a child prodigy, the most accepted and preferred terms used are gifted or exceptional (Laycock, 1957). Barbara Clark (1997) identifies a child prodigy as an exceptionally gifted individual who seems to have different value structures, which usually allow them to cope with the conflict or difference they find between their perceptio n of life and that of the average person. According to D. Feldman (1993), a child prodigy may have a reasonably high, but not necessarily exceptionally high, IQ.Prodigies tend to be unusually focused, determined, and highly motivated to reach the highest levels of their fields. They are often marked by great confidence in their abilities, along with a naive sense of these abilities. Thomas & Crescimbeni (1966) refer to the gifted or child prodigies as individuals that have an IQ of 115 and higher. However, that could only be implied to highly intellectual individuals as there are many different forms of child prodigies.I am interested in child prodigies for many reasons as it plays a huge role on how they are raised and how they socialize with others. To others a child prodigy might be a blessing but to child prodigies it is a curse depending on how they are treated. Here are some reasons as to why it is perceived that way: Most child prodigies are denied from having a normal and he althy childhood especially by their parents as they want them to focus on improving their â€Å"gift† and sometimes it happens for the child’s own benefit or in other cases to be used to obtain fame and fortune.It might be a good thing, especially for child prodigies that are â€Å"gifted† in the arts field, to improve and practice on it for future use but it must be done in a healthy and proper way so that children can have a childhood which would help them interact and engage within a society in a normal and functional way, however, denying child prodigies from having a normal, play balanced childhood might eventually turn out disastrous as they will not know how to engage or behave in an acceptable behaviour within their society and it would probably cause them to develop a non-friendly, egoistic, and obnoxious attitude towards others as they believe they are better than the rest. This might cause their lives to brake or be unfulfilled for many reasons that I will expand on throughout this essay. And there is also the widespread belief that young geniuses are pushed and nudged to extremes by one or both parents. Von Karolyi and Winner (2005) believe that the ‘talented’ train and practice extensively, and this practice is necessary for the development of performance. However, thoughtful practice is a very special form of activity that differs from mere experience and mindless drill. Unlike playful engagement with peers deliberate practice is not inherently enjoyable.It also differs from successful performance in front of an audience, which is rewarded with applause, praise and receiving prizes. According to Yoga (2008), parents who wish or hope that their child is a prodigy need to rethink that whole notion especially due to the recent reports that have been portrayed within the media about child prodigies. When a child receives a reputation for excellence, originality, and brilliance for their gift, parents become so please d with the child’s performance and deny any involvement and although this might cause the child to feel delighted with their successful outcome, they face the difficulty of defining their own contributions and would eventually acquire feelings of doubt and ambiguity about their own abilities.What makes things worse is that parents’ standards keep increasing after each accomplishment which causes new projects difficult to start and this would only make the child feel that their finishing product will never be good enough therefore causing them to pick simple tasks where they will not worry about failing in. Goal setting may become defensive, aimed at protecting against feelings of failure or low ability (Covington and Beery, 1976). Competition encourages and motivates gifted children to perform to the best of their high ability, and the recognition they receive for their successes provides the motivation for continued competition. However, there are some negative side e ffects of extreme competitiveness.Child prodigies have to deal with a lot of stress and pressure on their performance because of the expectations that the people around them have of them and from the repeated adult praise such as being perfect, best, or the smartest. The world imposes adult expectations on them, and they are really only children. The challenge of allowing and encouraging gifted children a childhood remains the challenge to the parents and teachers of such children. In my opinion, too many children are pushed too soon into a world that they shouldn’t really be expected to live in. It’s up to the parents to shelter them from harm, and gently show them or introduce them to the real world and its negative side with clear and loving understanding.I don’t know any child prodigies personally, but I am guessing that for a long time they live in a protected bubble where everyone thinks they are special for their talent and not for being a person, when th ey grow up there talent is not as noticeable anymore and therefore their novelty appeal has worn off, they are then expected to live in the â€Å"real world† with no understanding of what it entails and how to interact on a social level. Parents would unintentionally be treating their â€Å"gifted children† differently from their â€Å"normal† children which would only cause sibling rivalry which can be minimized and adjusted but will not disappear. Usually sibling rivalry occurs due to the competition for parent’s attention and sometimes their resources.Cornell (1986) found that â€Å"non-gifted† siblings of gifted children were less well-adjusted than a control group of other non-gifted children. Some child prodigies feel entitled to special treatment yet rarely get it. This could include being excused from certain activities or classes to be given the opportunity to work on their â€Å"gift†. By receiving such special treatments child pro digies could fall in two paths, one of which they are being bullied by others due to their special treatment. Gifted children today experience many disruptions in their lives. Some of these disruptions are relatively unique to them, such as needing to hide how well they do at school as a means to fitting into an anti-intellectual school environment (Coleman & Cross, 2001).All children are affected adversely by bullying, but gifted children differ from other children in significant ways, and what they experience may be qualitatively different. The personality traits and interests of many gifted children may make them targets of bullying by their classmates. At the same time gifted children may be more susceptible to the emotional damage that bullying can inflict. Usually the bullying will occur verbally in order to avoid a lot of trouble from physically abusing their targets and would include segregating the gifted child from peers and other activities, whether it is within class or outside. The gifted children would be called names such as â€Å"teacher’s pet† or â€Å"smarty-pants†. These days bullying can be done very easily that it would spread virally, i. e. cyber bullying.Some gifted children tend to be more timid than other gifted or non-gifted children due to lack of socialization if parents insist on them practicing their â€Å"gift† all the time for their future’s sake therefore they might keep it to themselves about being bullied and sooner or later without seeking help, or even though they do seek for help they are ignored by the adults within the society who believe that the bullying will eventually stop which it does not, it might cause the gifted children to commit suicide as they are tired of the endless bullying. Sometimes the bullying can also cause the gifted child to feel hatred or lose interest in their â€Å"gift† and would not want to engage in such activities again. The same thing can happen if t he child is forced to practice their â€Å"gift† all the time, such as the piano, and is denied their childhood or freedom and is treated as a tool for fame and success.Another path the child prodigy could fall under would be self-social segregation where the child prodigy would not want to spend time with the other normal children as they view themselves to be way better than others. Sometimes, when denied the access for special treatment, it might frustrate and cause them to be even more aggressive, driven, and overachieving than they are by nature. As the child is dehumanised and instrumentalized or taught to ignore reality and to occupy the parental fantastic space, such an unfortunate child feels almighty and all-knowing, perfect and brilliant, worthy of adoration and entitled to special treatment. The empathy, compassion, a ealistic assessment of one's abilities and limitations, realistic expectations of oneself and of others, personal boundaries, team work, social skil ls, perseverance and goal-orientation, not to mention the ability to postpone gratification and to work hard to achieve it are all lacking or missing altogether. Sex or gender differences do matter in accordance to being gifted. Reis and Callahan (1989) emphasize the importance of distinguishing between sex or gender differences, i. e. relating the biological and the sociocultural differences. The possibility of gender differences in interests, and perhaps even in cognitive activity, which would lead girl and boy prodigies toward different domains for study and mastery. These differences might also be biologically based to some extent; they are undoubtedly heavily patterned and reinforced by cultural values.Whatever their origins, it appears at first blush that girl prodigies are better represented in some fields than others, and further exploration of why this might be the case is in order. When we know more about such relationships, we may understand more about gender differences or at least individual differences in the development of specific talents. Why prodigies are found in some fields and not others, and whether certain fields attract more children of one gender than the other, is a matter for further attention. Being gifted or a prodigy also differs on what culture you are from, i. e. if a specific culture views you as a prodigy or not, as well as your socio-economic status because they might be rarely identified or described as gifted or talented if they are from a poor rural area.Peers of economically deprived or culturally different gifted children usually do not place a huge value on school achievement. Family, cultural, and language differences and testing circumstances must be considered as values and beliefs can affect ability testing. An understanding of different cultures is an important factor in both identifying who is gifted and how to set up a program that would help nurture their gift in a non-smothering manner. According to Bernal, 197 9; Bruch, and Curry, 1978, an interesting way to find such gifted people in these cultures would be to meet with students named by peers as out-of-school â€Å"leaders† who can explain characteristics of culturally valued giftedness within their own peer culture.Overall, I would like to state that child prodigy might be something good but only if the child was handled with care and love and given a lot of freedom of choice and opportunity to pursue their dreams otherwise they would be perceived as tools or mini adults with no mind or will of their own that are forced to do what pleases others. Brainstorm/Web Chart Here is a Brainstorm of ideas or a web chart of my term topic paper â€Å"Child prodigy: A blessing or a curse† References Bernal, E. M. (1979). The education of the culturally different gifted. In A. H. Passow (Ed. ), The gifted and the talented (pp. 395-400). Chicago: National Society for the Study of Education. Bruch, C. B. , ; Curry, J. A. (1978). Persona l Learnings: A current synthesis on the culturally different gifted. Gifted Child Quarterly, 22, 33-32 Clark, B. 1997). Growing up gifted: Developing the potential of children at home and at school. Upper Saddle River, N. J: Merrill. Cornell, D. G. , ; Grossberg, I. N. (1986). Siblings of children in gifted programs. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 9, 253-264. Coleman, L. J. ; Cross, T. L. (2001). Being gifted in school: An introduction to development, guidance, and teaching. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press. Covington, M. V. ; Beery, R. G. (1976). Self-worth and school learning. New York: Holt. Feldman, D. H. (1993). Child Prodigies: A Distinctive Form of Giftedness. Gifted Child Quarterly, 37, 4, 188-93. Laycock, S. R. (1957). Gifted children.Toronto: The Copp Clark Teacher's Handbook Series. Reis, S. M. , & Callahan, C. M. (1989). Gifted females: They’ve come a long way—or have they? Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 12, 99-117. Thomas, G. I. , & Crescimbeni , J. (1966). Guiding the gifted child. New York: Random House. Von. Karolyi, C. and Winner, E. 2005. â€Å"Extreme giftedness†. In Conceptions of giftedness, Edited by: Sternberg, R. J and Davidson, J. E. 377–394. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (2nd edn) Yoga, S. S. (2008, April 14). Child prodigy: Two sides of genius. The star online. Retrieved from http://thestar. com. my/lifestyle/story. asp? file=/2008/4/14/lifefocus/20902655&sec=lifefocus