Nature vs.

Nurture

There has always been a large controversy over whether inherited genes or the environment influences and effects our personality, development, behavior, intelligence and ability. This controversy is most often recognized as the nature verses nurture conflict. Some people believe that it is strictly genes that effect our ways of life, others believe that it is the environment that effects us, and some believe that both of these influence our behavior. Either way, social scientists have been struggling for centuries deciding whether our personalities are born or made. Tests are done often on identical twins that were separated to see how they are each influenced by their separate environments.

In the past twenty years, it has been discovered that there is a genetic component to every human trait and behavior. However, genetic influence on traits and behavior is partial because genetics account on average for half of the variation of most traits. Urie Bronfrenbrenner, who studies genetics, said, "It is not nature vs. nurture, but the interaction of nature and nurture that drives development." Researchers are finding that the balance between genetic and environmental influences for certain traits change as people get older. Also, people

may react to us in a certain way because of a genetically influenced personality and, we may choose certain experiences because they fit best with our instinctive preferences. This means that our experiences may be influenced by our genetic tendencies. One way researchers study the development of traits and behaviors is by measuring the influence of genetics through out ones life span, and it is found to be that the genetic influence on certain trait increase as people age. A research was done to see whether a trait would show up in a child if it was environmentally influenced or genetically influenced. A child was given more negative attention than another was, and it increased the chances of the child having depressive symptoms and anti-social behavior. But these symptoms disappeared when accounted for genetic influences and how parents treat their children.

There are three types of gene/environment relations. The first one is called a passive correlation. It is to be explained as, for example, if a musical ability was genetic, and a child was passed a musical ability trait, than the child would most likely have musically inclined parents. Their parents then would provide them with the genes and environment to promote the development of that ability. The second one is called evocative. This happens when genetically distinct people

evoke different reactions from peers and parents and others. And the third association is called an active correlation. This is when people actively select experiences that fit with their genetically influenced preferences. This doesn't mean that there are no environmental influences on behavior, because, for example, it is found to be that a loss of a parent during childhood promotes alcoholism in women. It is also shown that genetics play a big role in influencing people within society. Leadership is a big quality that everyone has and there is a wide range of variations. Heritability is what researchers call 'the degree to which behavioral variations within a population can be accounted for by genes.' Heritability is what is found to make up a lot of one's personality. For quite some time scientists have been trying to draw a line between heredity and leadership also. There is no single leadership personality. Even intelligence can only go so far with leadership. It also involves how people make decisions, and how they give and carry out rules, how they are involved with a group, and how they inspire and respect others. The list of characteristics is endless.

Although genes seem to play as a map for a person's life, researchers caution that genes act only as an influence. Anyone who has enough will or a strong enough experience could effect the way they act

or react for the rest of their life. In other words, if an environmental background is changed, the amount of variation that is due to genetics can change.

In conclusion, it is safe to say that the role of genetics and the environment equalize people's traits and behavior. You cannot blame either one because without one, the other would not be activated. Genes effect a lot of your personality and behavior but the environment mutates and molds the way people are going to act. This will always be an ongoing controversy because it is nearly impossible to pin point accurately where the role of genes and the environment steps in.

We Need Trauma Centers

Due to the advanced state of industry a number of devices and machines have come into common use which, often through intentional misuse, result in very serious injuries. Two examples are the automobile and the gun. When a serious injury results from something such as an automobile accident the victim usually has a very short period in which to obtain emergency medical intervention before the shock resulting from his or her injuries is irreversible. Usually this period of time is not longer than one hour, and is often less. If measures to treat shock and the cause of the shock, massive internal bleeding for instance, are not instituted within this first hour after the injury the mortality rate increases exponentially every fifteen to twenty minutes.

The state of emergency medical care currently practiced in this community involves an excellent prehospital phase under the jurisdiction of Los Angeles City paramedics. The paramedics have

jurisdiction of about thirty-five emergency rooms to which their patients can be transferred after beginning medical treatment at the scene of the accident. This is where the problem occurs. To provide the best possible emergency care at the hospital, two factors play an important part. First, the staff must work on at least two to three severely injured patients daily to maintain their technical skill at top level. Second, surgeons and operating rooms must be available within 15 minutes notice, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. In the San Fernando Valley, this level of care is not met anywhere. In greater Los Angeles, this level of care is met at less than six hospitals. The problem involves too many emergency rooms for the population. The cost of maintaining an operating room on fifteen minute standby day and night would put hospitals out of business, since even the busiest hospitals only receive three to four severely injured patients each week. The patient load would not support the very high cost of this service.

The best remedy to this situation would be to designate "Trauma Centers". Instead of having thirty five emergency rooms taking care of the critically injured patients three or four selected emergency rooms would be geographically designated to receive all of the critical patients. This would provide enough of a case load to justify the special equipment and staff that is required for such system. Most importantly however, the morbidity and mortality rates from serious accidents would be decreased because the equipment and staff would be available to immediately treat a patient's shock as well as the underlying cause of the shock. By providing a higher quality of care without duplicating the services of an emergency room only a few blocks away, the rate of rising health costs could probable be effectively checked in the area of emergency medicine.

This entire argument can probably be summarized by considering a hypothetical case study. A young woman falls asleep at the wheel of her V.W. bug and crashes into a telephone pole. Paramedics arrive finding her unconscious and in a sever state of shock, although she is showing no evidence of external blood loss the paramedics begin to treat the shock, but not the unknown underlying cause, and bring her to the closest trauma center. The emergency room team, having seen eight or ten cases similar to this in the last few weeks recognize the few possible causes of the patients shock and prepare to take her to the operating room while continuing to treat the shock. Within fifteen minutes a surgeon has evaluated his patient, received the results of the lab test and XRays, and is confident in his diagnosis of a ruptured spleen. The laboratory has twelve units of cross matched blood ready within twenty minutes of the patients arrival to the hospital. Within thirty minutes of her arrival the patient has been taken to the operating room, had her abdomen open and explored for injuries, and her damaged spleen removed. The cause of her shock has been treated within forty five minutes, the shock reverses, and the patient now has about a ninety five per cent chance of recovery. The cost of this to her has been about two thirds of the old system and her chances of recovery, if this accident had occurred between 10 p.m. and 8 AM are twice that of the old system. The overall asset of this newer system to society is obvious.

Argument for Additional Computers

Dear College Dean: It is my understanding that this college has received a large donation to be used to enhance the quality of life for students: expand the bookstore or add computers to the computer lab. It is the tradition of this school to promote education and to be at the vanguard of new technology. That is why I strongly argue in favor of the addition of more computers to the computer lab.

Although expanding the campus bookstore to include CD's, gifts, and a snack bar will give a nicer look to the college, we have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for students. What do we want for our students and our college? Do we want our college to be known as a place with a great bookstore where you can find CD's and gifts, or as a place where the students can explore and research in their field using the best tools provided by technology? In addition, there are already several snack bars on campus, and there are music stores nearby, so students do not depend on the college bookstore for these things.

We live in a highly technological world and computers play an increasingly important role in how we live. As a learning institution, this college has the responsibility to offer its students the best technology to help them prepare for their future. Many students will be expected to be familiar with the latest software and other tools when they go on to work or to graduate school.

While they are in college, students find they are expected to use computers. Many professors expect students to use computers to do homework or to complete projects. Students are asked to create PowerPoint presentations and use spreadsheets and database programs, as well as to research many topics on the internet. Since students are competing for good grades, those who have limited access to computers are at a great disadvantage. Furthermore, being able to do projects using the computer enhances the process of learning, giving students the opportunity to find the information without a computer would be much more difficult to find.

If there are more computers, students will also be able to complete their work more efficiently. No more will they have to wait in line, paper and disk in hand, while scanning the room for an empty

chair and computer. No longer will they have to sit and wait while an outdated computer struggles to follow their commands. Having more new and faster computers available will enable students to finish their work more quickly.

The more computers are used in society the more colleges will depend on them as a tool of teaching and learning. Making computers more available to students facilitates their learning process by making the process easier, more interesting, more engaging, and in the process enhancing their quality of life

Child abuse Essay

Child abuse is an immense problem that does require immediate help provided to the child from the side of specialists. Once a teacher gets an allegation of abuse from a child, he must not require a written statement from the child or must not make the child repeat the allegation in front of other teachers or adult people. The teacher must not wait until the end of the school day, but report immediately by the means of telephone and support it with a written report within the next 36 hours. The teacher takes individual responsibility for the report, so it cannot be done anonymously. Both the telephone and the written report are subjects of certain legal procedures. The telephone report should include detailed information about the person making the report and detailed information about the child, suspected of being a victim of abuse: location, special needs, injury, ect. Afterwards all the details must be repeated by the contact person and approved by the reporting teacher. By no means a teacher should contact the childs parents and a teacher should not make an investigation. The next step after the telephone report is the written report. A fax report is an interchangeable form of a written report, required by the Department of Children and Family Services. The written reports are made through the forms: SS 8572 or SS 8572(2), reporting the fact of child abuse and by the form DOJ 900, which is a medical report. Copies should be made and saved by the reporter for further organizational process. Generally all the forms if needed are provided by the child protective agency. All the information in the forms must be full and as objective as possible. They require detailed information about the life of the child, his needs and other information. A personal opinion of the reporter has no legal value. The information of both written and telephone report is confidential. This confidentiality in case of its violation may result in 6 month of jail, for the person violating it. The teacher may feel free to contact the child protective agency for any questions that may occur throughout the process of reporting the abuse or neglect. The identifying information provided by the reporting teacher should be clear. The teacher is completely responsible for any information that he conceals, including the name of the possible perpetrator from the contact person. The response and the actions of the child protective agency following the reports may have a wide range. The teacher has to be ready in case the parent requests details about the reasons the child abuse report was made. Only a small amount of people have access to the report details and they always are designated reporters such as CARE Program SCAN Team members. The main role of the teacher is to make the report legally right, according to the local abuse-reporting plan. Any illegal action, incorrect information that does not coincide with the reality and is subjective attitude is a law violation and the teacher takes responsibility for false evidence.

Chinas market Essay

Chinas politics in the world market has always been rather open. Open in a way that China always tries to be the pioneer in the technological battle between global western companies and at the same time its communist government tries not to hold up this process by giving all the required conditions for companies that tried to work with China. They have to conquer the worlds market and whether or not to deal with China depends in the first place on the kind of product the company produces and is very individual. Though China has a very potential market owing to its size and quantity of consumers it is connected with several risks. This risks deal in the first place with the position of China in the worlds political relations and the functioning risks of its market. Still its popularity among western companies is quite high and many of them seek for establishing manufacturing operations in China. The reason of this level of popularity is very simple if the company stars producing something in China it automatically gets high demand on its products. The rate of the return of their investments is very high and everybody seems to be in gain. But The main point is that China gets way more.

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Chinese companies get western technologies and this becomes the leading power of their economics for the moment. Let us suppose that there is one very well known company that decides to start manufacturing in China. China provides all the conditions and the companys sales rise to the sky. At the same time China gets to know the technology of creation of the companys product. Another Chinese company starts producing the same product. Does this mean that the original company looses? In a way yes, but on the other hand it is a healthy economical competition. Western people will not start buying the Chinese equivalent of the products they trust and have been purchasing for years. And in addition to that technologies do not stand on one place. Constantly adding something technologically new will make it safer to work with other companies. Modern progress makes its input in their quick irrepressible development.

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Companies that want to co-operate with China should restrict their companys politics on technological divulgence and get the major advantages from their joint work. It is absolutely obviously that each market has its own particularities and for a successful work it is necessary at least to know these particularities and take them into account. And by these means form favorable circumstances for business. The realization joint projects with China can allow different, especially young enterprises to realize their research potential, get the real return of investments, earlier embedded in creation of their product and use Chinas market experience. Greater companies, such a Boeing should go at the minimum risks and not exchange industry knowledge for sales. China is a place for young companies that need support and experience. Such companies as Boeing already have a wide world known name and are trusted by thousands of consumers. If they ever take this risk this is to happen only in a critical situation for the company.

Collapse of the Soviet Union Essay

Table of contents: 1. 2. 3. 4. Introduction The reasons of the collapse Yegor Gaidar on the Soviet Union matter Conclusion A totalitarian system leaves behind it a minefield built into both the country's social structure and the individual psychology of its citizens Anatoly Sobchak 1.Introduction The collapse of the Soviet Union was one of the most scandalous events of the XX century. And the period from 1985 to 1991 became the critical period for the existence of the whole gigantic powerful country. What was Soviet Union before 1985? It was a country completely that was ignoring the West with its lifestyle, technological development, culture and any of its manifestations at all. Soviet Union from 1945 till 1985 was a country surrounded by wall made of stone that no one was able to break. The foundation of this wall was set by communism and totalitarian Russian people lived under in those times. Soviet people were used to live in the fear for their lives and were taught to obey the ruling system or otherwise were withdrawn. In 1985 the Soviet Union faced a new leader in the face of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev. This man was like a fresh air for the room that has never been ventilated. Gorbachev realized that something in the country was very wrong, that the Party had to change along with the society, economics and politics. For this reason Gorbachev introduced a new political process called perestroika. Perestroika, basically was a special program designated to reconstruct the economical, political and social formations of the country. Gorbachev was confident that the country needs two major components to become truly democratic perestroika and glasnost(when all the facts concerning anything happening in the country become known to the citizens of the country). 2. The reasons of the collapse Though Gorbachev made the Soviet Union Change: the Soviet forces were withdrawn from Afghanistan, the Cold War came to its end and other event still something went wrong. Soviet people were very confused. There was no one general attitude to the new reforms. Soviet people, after all those years of having no contact with the West striated experiencing its influence and not all of them enjoyed it. People felt as if they had to compete with the West and were simply confused, as they did not know what was better for them at that time. Some of them wanted to come back to Stalins totalitarian because they at least knew what to expect from it. In other words, Gorbachev took away the traditional power bases in the party, economy, and society but did not replace them entirely[1]. The norms of life lost their value and had no proper substitution this resulted in clashes, strikes and growing crime rates. It is common knowledge that each nationality needs to have order and feel that the development of their state is more or less predictable. During 1985 1991 the Soviet Union lost this feelings and did not know what exactly they are supposed to do with the with of speech, choice of religion, the right to strike and have multicandidate elections. What Gorbachev wanted was the integration of the Soviet Union into the modern life through democracy, market economy and free enterprise. And thought

all of these were good, the country was not ready for this dramatically rapid changes and the Soviet Union collapsed for it did not have its base anymore. Gorbachev had many hopes that did not realize in reality and the spiritual rebirth of the nation did not happen as it could not happen so fast. The crisis began and by 1991 it had serious consequences. Liberals with Boris Yeltsin propagandized even more modern changes compared to Gorbachev. It became the time when conservatives decided that they can build a new communist dictatorship and imprisoned Gorbachev on his Crimean summer cottage. As no one wanted communist dictatorship anymore it became the beginning of the end. 3. Yegor Gaidar on the Soviet Union matter Yegor Gaidar is known as a famous Russian politician that put a lot of forces into the development of both the Soviet Union and Russia. Yegor has a very creative family, as two of his grandfathers were writers and war-heroes. The name of his grandfather Arkadiy Gaidar is known to every single person coming from any of the ex-Soviet Union countries. Yegor Gaidar himself got his Ph.D. at Moscow State University. One of the economic theories that influenced him the most was orthodox Marxism as he grew up in the Soviet era. Among the bourgeois theories Adam Smiths theory with its concept of the market, of the market world, his liberal picture of the world of course, had the most influence on Yegor [3]. Describing what was the situation in the country like in October 1991 Gaidar says that it was absolutely impossible to understand what was do-able in this type of situation and no one was able to take full responsibility for this very situation. Arkadiy Gaidar pays special attention in his interview to the discussion of the process of rebuilding the economy. He gives one bright example how the mechanism of the market works - when a contemporary person comes to a retail store he can be sure to get anything he will need: bread, milk, meat and so on. When a person comes to a gasoline station he is sure to get gas there. The light in the room will turn on as soon as the person switches it on. This is according to Arkadiy Gaidar its not because you depend on the charity or good view of the baker, or anyone else. Its the normal work of the market mechanism[3]. According to this example, Gaidar shows what happen in the Soviet Union when it collapsed. When the system is collapsed no orders will be given to grain producers indicating what exactly they need to produce, what place they are supposed to send the grain to and what to do with the grain, workers will not know where they are supposed to produce and send milk and where they are supposed to get the components for the milk. When the system and therefore the market is collapsed no one has interest in coordinating all this procedures and a crisis happens. For in this situation money will not help no matter how much money you have. No vested interest and no efficient orders and people stay hungry. That is what Arkadiy Gaidar point out to be one of the primary reasons of the collapse incorrect power management. The task of the rebuilding of the economy was in a very short period of timeto reintroduce efficient money in the economy and to make a market mechanism work[3]. The processes of economic and social changes in Russia from the words of Arkadiy Gaidar has one big peculiarity Russia has become a country with an increasing middle class, with an increasing part of the population experiencing the living standards of the middle class[3]. And he sees a big perspective in it. For Arkadiy Gaidar, Russian future is optimistic, as in spite of all the hardships there have been stories of success. He concluded with saying that Russia will try its best, but still a lot of its future depends on the capability of the leader-nations to accept Russia and make it a full member of the industrial family. 4. Conclusion

Soviet Union was one of the most solid countries in the world but its time came to its end in 1991. The system of values needed to be substituted by new ones. The collapse of the Soviet Union was unstoppable as no one could provide silk and soft adjustment of the country to the open channel with the West. Thee previous regime was collapse but still Russia has a great potential and is never ignored by other countries.

Table of contents: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Introduction Juvenile death penalty pre-history Peculiarities of children under 18 The rights of children Lionel Tates case The case of Christopher Simmons and other cases Conclusion...

Death Penalty for Children Essay

...1.Introduction The death penalty issue has always been one of the most important issues of the contemporary system of justice. Years ago the majority of the criminals were male over 20, but nowadays the situation has quite changed. Not only grown-ups but also by children who are under 18 years old nowadays commit murders and other terrible crimes. Ordinarily, a young criminal is not applied the same restrictions for his crime as a grown criminal is, nevertheless if it especially goes about capital crimes people start talking about the death penalty for such juveniles. A child always remains a child and if he commits a crime it is not because he has had a good life. It is not the guilt of the children, but their big misfortune. It is a misfortune of not having anybody to love and truly support them and lead them in the correct direction. Along with that it is common knowledge that the period of 11 through 17 is a period of an especially intensive changes both in the organism and the mind of a child. That is why it is not fair to put a child in the same line with a grown up that can be completely responsible for his actions. A child is not mentally capable of comprehending the crime he or she commits. The system of values in the age under 18 is not built yet, other people can easily influence children and the psychic process are not stable yet. Under these conditions a child should never be sentences to death or a life sentence for they still have a chance to change and reevaluate their life. If the aim of the prison is to change criminals for better then children under 18 should become the material for changes of the highest priority.

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2. Juvenile death penalty pre-history The year of 1988 was an extremely important year of the United States of America in terms of the death penalty for adolescent criminals. Before that time even a fifteen year old could be a subject to a death penalty for capital crimes. The Supreme Court in 1988 refused to use death penalty over those criminals that were under the age of sixteen. Nevertheless the

1988 decision did not influence many states and for instance, the state of Texas1conducted its last death penalty over a juvenile in 2002. The U.S. Supreme Court has always called the execution of children a violation of the Constitution, where a child is every person under the age of eighteen years old. Nowadays 19 out of 51 state allow the conduction of the death penalty over children who are sixteen and seventeen years old. The death penalty of children fewer than eighteen years old is immoral, for killing a child implies killing a weaker human being that simply required supervision and attention from the side of his parents. As each society tends to be more humanistic, the probability of the fact that an eighteen-yearold is as guilty as a grown-up criminal starts being completely neglected. One of the main cases of the modernity was the case of 2004 of Roper v. Simmons. This was a fight between two completely opposite opinions one was that death penalty for juveniles is completely normal, as the capital crimes they commit are sometimes even worse then those committed by the grown criminals; and the other side was that death penalty for juveniles is completely unconstitutional and absolutely immoral as they are only children and not mature grown ups able to be fully responsible for their actions. 3. Peculiarities of children under 18 The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association have claimed that facts against the death penalty for children under the age of eighteen. The main reason of such statement is the fact that the researchers reveals: the prefrontal cortex, situated in the frontal lobe of a human being whish is responsible for the formation of the most important functions of the brain finished its completely formation after everything else, so is the part that forms the longest amount of time [3]. According to the Wall Street Journal the prefrontal cortex is the management center of the human brain as it is the part responsible for the most important function planning, anticipation of the consequences, controlling the impulses and is responsible for abstract thinking. And the most important fact is that this part of the brain is a subject to continuing formation until a human being is twenty-years-old. The second vital piece of information is that the decision making process in adulthood is controlled by amygdala, known as the most primitive part of the human brain and therefore is the center of impulses and emotions. These facts emphasize the notion that the change of the brain during the period of adolescence is immense and this is the reason young people reveal a big deal of the irrational behavior of the humanity. Children should not be sentences to death as the development and therefore the functioning of the brain is not the same for teenagers and adults. The line for death penalty should be drawn at age 18 because at these age the majority of the processes stabilize and rich the state of full brain formation. Even if a child knows what is not right to do, but he or she may still perform a behavior that would not be socially appropriate and may even damage the lives of other people because of the their mental incapability to evaluate their behavior properly.

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4. The rights of children

So, according to the age peculiarities a teenager under the age of eighteen by no means should become a subject of death penalty. Some congressmen still tried to apply death penalty through lethal injection to guilty juveniles sixteen years of age. Such proposed legislations are truly inhumane and break all the moral laws and the rights that every child possesses. In case the Congress approved such legislation as a reaction the protests would have been tremendous, as killing people that have not even reached their mental and physical development potential means killing a person that is not able to take full responsibility for his or her actions. There is not secret that the United Nations Organization has signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and especially its Article 37 whish states that a child should never be a subject to cruel, treatment and punishment. According to this very article the offenders that are below eighteen years of age cannot be sentenced to life in prison or become subjects to death penalty [5]. This convention also states that a child that has committed a crime and is under 18 needs to go through rehabilitation. The possibility for the child being rehabilitated is recognizes a child being a human being and provides that possibility for the child to start his or her life for new. Such rehabilitation gives the second chance for the child and his family, because a child can change due to the fact that the development of the functions in his brain has not stopped yet. Each human being is born innocent and it is important not to forget that 2/3 of the negative manifestations are acquired from the way parent bring their child up and the childs social environment. If the child has only aggressive and violent examples in his social environment, is not accepted and guided by his parents, not supported by his teachers then the childs personality deforms. For instance it is obvious that if a child is abusive he has a deficit of tactile contact and gentleness. These deformations may have the harshest forms: emotional instability of the child, aggression, and violence against other people. A juvenile is NOT an adult criminal and should never be treated alike, and especially be a subject to death penalty. The death penalty is meant to make criminals scared of committing serious crimes, but in reality this does not work this exact way. It is more important to prevent children from committing crimes and to remember that children do not commit crimes on the basis whether the crime in accordance with the punishment for it put simply reflect what the family and the society have put into his head. 5. Lionel Tates case Lionel Tates case may without any doubt be called the most well known criminal case of the beginning of the XXI century. Lionel Tate, a teenager was born 1987. At the age of fourteen he was accused of a murder he committed when he was twelve years old, for which he obtained a life-long sentence. The details of the case are the following: at the age of twelve Lionel Tate killed Tiffany Eunick who was six years old. The girl was Tates playmate. The details of the murder are awful the body of the girl has numerous signs of brutality such as injuries one of which is the skull fracture. Lionel Tate was only twelve years old when he committed this murder. It has been announced that the boy was only copying the wrestling moves, but no matter what it was the boy was imitating something that he has seen before either on TV or in real life. The Court found the boy guilty and accused him of a first-degree murder. The punishment for that is a life in prison. The fact of giving a life sentence to a fourteen-year old shocked the society because everybody understood that a child in his twelve years couldnt be judged as a mentally developed adult. It was for the panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal that a new trial was set in order to identify if Tate comprehended the proceedings held against him. The competency of a fourteen-year-old child to stand the trial was very questionable. The reveled the understanding that such a child cannot be mentally capable of taking

responsibility for his own actions. It is obvious that Lionel Tate has committed a serious crime and the consequences of his actions are simply terrible because the life of another child was taken away. None says that the boy should not be punished, but not with death penalty or life in prison. The decision of home arrest and probation is right for Lionel Tate. Lionel Tate deserves being punished but not made to spend his whole lifetime in a prison for a crime he committed when he was twelve years old and could not take full responsibility for his actions and completely realize the consequences of his actions for the little girl and himself. That is the reason this example should always be kept in mind by congressmen before they make another juvenile lethal injection suggestion. 6. The case of Christopher Simmons One of the most terrifying cases concerning the issue of juvenile death penalty is the case of Christopher Simmons, a seventeen-year-old teenager who in 1993, when he was seventeen years old broke into the house of his neighbor. The moment he got in the house he met face to face with the owner of the house whose name is Shirley Ann Crook, who was forty-six years old at the moment of the crime. To make sure that Shirley Ann Crook will not recognize him the boy bound her with an electrical cord and a duct tape, transported her in a car and threw her into the river of Meramec. Shirley Ann Crook died from drowning. Mr. Simmons committed the whole crime with a fifteen-year-old friend Charles Benjamin. As a consequence, Charles Benjamin was sentences to life in prison, as he was not old enough for death penalty. Correspondingly, Christopher Simmons was convicted and set for death penalty. Lately the Supreme Court of Missouri brought up the Eights Amendment of the U.S. Constitution that is against cruel and unusual punishments and another statement was that Christopher Simmons was not old enough when he was 17 to take full responsibility for his own actions. The majority of people would say that a seventeen-year-old boy must take full responsibility for his terrible crime, but people do forget one essential thing. This boy truly was a CHILD when he committed a crime. A child and no more than that. It is the problem of the contemporary society to start considering children to be grown ups. The modern society creates the need for little children to become mature faster, but the psychological and physiological cannot go faster than the nature has set them. This issue is often forgotten. When a child is in need of anything starting with attention and ending with a child having a stress because of financial troubles he may step on the wrong path but is still not able to be completely responsible for his actions. The artificial acceleration of the process of growing up results in the growing number of juveniles all over the world, so killing will not solve the problem, but only cover its consequences. 7.Conclusion According to the Death Penalty Information Center 72 juveniles on death rows were under 18 when they committed the crime they were accused for. It is twenty-nine for Texas, fourteen for Alabama, five for Mississippi, four for Arizona, Louisiana and North Carolina, three for Florida and South Caroline, two for Georgia and Pennsylvania and one for Nevada and Virginia. Such states as Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Utah, Delaware and New Hampshire do allow juvenile execution but at the moment do not have any juveniles on death row at the moment [6]. All these criminals were children under eighteen when their crimes were committed. Being under eighteen great changes were happening in the brains and bodies making this people emotionally instable. Other factors gave them the example of how the crime can be committed but their inability to evaluate the consequences and the lack of functionality of the decision-making process lead to a sad end. They all should be punished, in order to firmly understand that committing crimes against other human beings is immoral but their

death is not best way out of the problem. Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing! 1 As of December 31, 2004, 71 persons were on death row for juvenile crimes. These 71 condemned juveniles constituted about 2% of the total death row population of 3,487. Although all were ages 16 or 17 at the time of their crimes, their current ages range from 18 to 43. They were under death sentences in 12 different states and had been on death row from 4 months to 24 years. Texas had by far the largest death row for juvenile offenders, holding 29 (40%) of the national total of 72 juvenile offenders

Should parents use corporal punishment to discipline children?

Effective when used wisely Many parents use physical punishment to discipline their children. Others prefer to use different methods to reward good behavior or punish misbehavior. This essay will look at some of the arguments for and against physical punishment of children. It is often claimed that physical punishment will damage children in later life. Opponents of corporal punishment claim that the children will grow up to become delinquents or even beat their wives. However, many happily married adults today were slapped when they were younger but have never hit their spouses. Another point often made is that physical punishment teaches children that you can use force to make others do what you want. In fact children brought up well soon learn that force by itself is nothing it must be associated with right. Finally, some people say that punishing a child by smacking him will damage the relationship between the child and the parents. This is clearly wrong. Children who understand the reasons for rules will be happier than children who are not given clear guidelines. There are definitely concerns about physical punishment. Some parents lose control and can injure children even breaking bones or causing bruises. Others can use violence excessively or as the only method of discipline. In this case, the child will be hurt, fearful and anxious and will not learn to distinguish right from wrong. The biggest problem with physical violence is when it is not appropriate to the age of the child. It can be very effective to quickly smack a two-year-old who is screaming. However, it is not effective to beat a 16-year-old who is late for school once again. In conclusion, physical punishment can be a useful method of discipline. However it should be the last choice for parents. If we want to build a world with less violence we must begin at home, and we must teach our children to be responsible. 317 words Should we physical force to punish children? This essay says no.

Time to Change our Minds!

There have been big changes in the attitudes of most parents over the last few years. Very few parents would agree with using force regularly as a way of dealing with discipline problems in their children. Physical punishment is banned in schools in most countries, and in many countries, there are moves to ban all corporal punishment of children even in the home. However, many parents still believe that they have a right to use some physical punishment to deal with certain misbehavior at certain ages. This essay will ask if some physical punishment is acceptable today, and will ask how parents can know what the limits are. It is easy to find reasons to allow some physical punishment. One issue is that many parents find it very difficult to abandon physical punishment completely. Parents argue that this was the way they were brought up themselves and that it didnt do any harm to them. They believe that for the childs sake that they have the right to discipline the child in any way they see fit, including using corporal punishment. A second point is that corporal punishment can be quick and effective: there is not much point reasoning with a screaming child in the supermarket. Finally, most parents are reasonable and fair, and very very few would ever consider hurting their children by using unnecessary physical force. There are several reasons however why we should stop using physical punishment even in the home. One point is that most parents are not trained to deal with misbehaving children. They do not have enough resources or choices to handle the situation. As a result, they immediately react by smacking or hitting the child, even if there are other solutions to the problem. Another point is that unless people are challenged or forced to change their beliefs they may keep following negative habits. An example is seatbelt use now most people wear seat belts without thinking, whereas years ago the idea of using safety belts was strange to most people. In the same way, banning physical punishment in the home will allow people to change their habits and break a cycle of violence. However, the most obvious reason for banning all physical punishment of children is to prevent child abuse. If all parents are allowed to hit their children in the name of discipline, some parents will go too far and will inflict severe emotional and physical damage on their children. It may only be a small minority of parents, but we need to protect all our children. In conclusion, parents have to change some of their beliefs and ideas about how children should be raised. It is possible to avoid the use of physical force in the home, and doing so will help us move closer to dream of removing violence from our society. 474 words Should governments spend money on art, when they have so many other important issues and concerns?

Art is a basic human need. Governments have a responsibility to spend money on art for their citizens.

Throughout the ages, man has tried to create beauty through painting, music, sculpture and other artistic expression. It seems to be a basic need of humans to surround themselves with art. However some people feel that government money spent on art is wasted, particularly when there are so many other demands on it. This essay will examine the conflict between those who say art is important and those who feel it is a waste of money. It can be wrong for governments to spend large sums of money on art. Too often, governments spend unwisely. They spend money on art not because a picture is good or a museum is needed, but for political reasons. Cities end up with huge statues or empty expensive buildings that are used only by a few people or the elite. Another point is that the artworks are often chosen to represent social or political rather than artistic ideas. The city gets yet another statue of the leader or an ugly monument to national aspirations. A third point is that governments often respond to fashions, and tastes in art can change very rapidly. Without careful advice an expensive collection of worthless paintings or tasteless productions can be the result. However, it would be wrong to say that governments should not spend any money at all on art. Painters, musicians, and composers cannot survive without financial support. Rich people or large companies do finance art, but then it is often inaccessible to ordinary people. Governments have a duty to make this art available to everyone. However, the most important reason why governments should support the arts is because an appreciation of art is one of the things that makes life worthwhile. Humans do not need just shelter and food. Creative people have always tried to look at things in a new way and to make the world a better place through painting, music, poetry, calligraphy, sculpture, dance, and numerous other forms of expression. While art may not make us immortal, it does make the world a richer place for future generations. In conclusion, although people do need to be provided with the necessities of life, such as housing and medical care, governments also have a duty to provide their citizens with something more. They should make sure that they pass on beauty, ideas and expression to the next generation and make art available to all instead of being the possession of only the few. I firmly believe that spending money on art is a vital part of a governments responsibility, and I am confident that my country will be able to contribute its share to the richness of the worlds art and creativity. 447 words

Should rich countries help poorer ones?

Tagged with: aid development international relations politics

Does foreign aid work? Or does it only help the rich country by keeping the poorer country dependent?

Today, the world is becoming more and more closely linked. Trade has increased and the movement of people between countries is greater than ever before. However, billions of people still live in

poverty, and in many places, the gap between rich and poor is widening. This essay will look at the arguments for and against helping poor countries. There are many reasons for helping poor countries. First of all, there are humanitarian reasons. Like individuals who give to charity, many countries feel it is their religious, social, or moral duty to help people in other countries who are suffering from famine, drought, war, or disease. However, many rich countries also donate money for political or diplomatic reasons. They want to maintain a relationship of dependency with the recipient, or simply to influence the government and direction of the country. A further reason why many countries help poorer ones is for economic reasons. The donors may want to control the supply of commodities such as oil, water, or wheat. Alternatively, the richer country may want to ensure markets for their own products, whether these are planes, computers or shoes. However, aid is not necessarily the best way to help a country. For one thing, billions of dollars of aid often goes missing, into corrupt governments or inefficient administration. A second point is that many foreign aid projects are unsuitable for the target country. Many agencies build huge dams or industrial projects that fail after a few years or that do not involve the local people. Furthermore, much aid returns to the donor. This can be in the form of expensive specialized equipment and experts from the donor country. There are many other ways we can help poor countries. Opening up trade barriers, so that poor countries can sell their goods is one way. Another is to remove subsidies so that imported goods from poorer countries can compete fairly. A third method is to forgive debts. Many poor countries have huge interest repayments on old loans. The needs of the poorer countries may seem obvious. However, although our humanity makes us want to help eliminate poverty and suffering, we must examine the real needs of poor countries and implement solutions that will benefit both them and us. 373 words

Dangerous Sports: No
Tagged with: ban danger freedom health sport

Should dangerous sports such as boxing or motor-racing be banned?

Millions of people play sport every day, and, inevitably, some suffer injury or pain. Most players and spectators accept this risk. However, some people would like to see dangerous sports such as boxing banned. This essay will examine some of the reasons for banning certain sports.

Some sports are nothing but an excuse for violence. Boxing is a perfect example. The last thing an increasingly violent world needs is more violence on our television. The sight of two men (or even women) bleeding, with faces ripped open, trying to obliterate each other is barbaric. Other sports, such as American football or rugby, are also barely-concealed violence. Some people argue that the players can choose to participate. However this is not always the case. Many boxers, for example, come from disadvantaged backgrounds. They are lured by money or by social or peer pressure and then cannot escape. Even in richer social groups, schools force unwilling students to play aggressive team sports, claiming that playing will improve the students character (or the schools reputation), but in fact increasing the risk of injury. Even where people can choose, they sometimes need to be protected against themselves. Most people approve of governments efforts to reduce smoking. In the same way, governments need to act if there are unacceptably high levels of injuries in sports such as football, diving, mountaineering, or motor-racing. I accept that all sports involve challenge and risk. However violence and aggression should not be permitted in the name of sport. Governments and individuals must act to limit brutality and violence, so that children and adults can enjoy and benefit from sport. 272 words

Save our Sports!

Tagged with: ban freedom health sports

Should dangerous sports be banned?

Today, many sports are becoming increasingly regulated. Boxing, rugby, soccer, and other games are being targeted by sports bodies and medical organizations in an effort to improve safety standards and to reduce injuries. However, for some people, this is not enough, and they would rather see some dangerous sports banned completely. In this essay, I will examine some arguments against banning dangerous sports. Sports, competition, and games seem to be natural to humans. Young children learn their own limits and strengths through play with others, but they also learn valuable social lessons about what acceptable behavior and the rights of others. Sport therefore is not just a physical phenomenon, but a mental and social one. Challenging sport provides a healthy, largely safe, physical outlet for aggression. There is very little evidence to show that people who take part in dangerous sports become violent as a result. In fact it is more likely that apart from the many friendships created in playing, sport acts as a safety valve for

a society by reducing stress. Moreover, sport teaches and requires discipline, training, and respect for the rules valuable lessons in any society. Almost all sports involve some risk. Young rugby players are paralysed every year in scrums. Scubadiving accidents can lead to brain damage or death. Even golf or jogging can lead to pain or injury. Without some elements of risk or challenge, sport becomes meaningless. A marathon runner trying to improve his time, basketball players fiercely battling an opposing team, or a sky-diving team defying gravity all are trying to push themselves to their maximum. There is therefore no sport without danger. There is also the issue of freedom. Without a wide range of sports, many people would feel trapped or limited. People should be free to participate in activities with others as long as it does not affect the safety of non-participants. There also should be limits to the power of governments to ban sports. If one sport is banned because of alleged danger, then what sport would be next? Boxing is the most common target of opponents of dangerous sports. But if boxing is banned, would motor racing follow, then rugby, wrestling, or weightlifting? Furthermore, many sports would go underground, leading to increased injury and illegal gambling. Nobody denies that regulation is needed. Medical bodies have introduced safety rules in boxing, in soccer, and these safety regulations have been welcomed by players. But the role of government should be reduced. In conclusion, our society would be healthier if more people took part in sports of all kinds. We should continue to try to prevent accidents and injuries. However, we should also ensure that sports are challenging, exciting, and, above all, fun. 454 words

When Should People Retire?

Tagged with: old people retirement work

When should people be made to retire? 55? 65? Should there be a compulsory retirement age?

Many old people work well into their 70s and 80s, running families, countries or corporations. Other people, however, despite being fit and highly talented, are forced to retire in their or even earlier because of company or national regulations. This essay will examine whether people should be allowed to continue working for as long as they want or whether they should be encouraged to retire at a particular stage.

There are several arguments for allowing older people to continue working as long as they are able. First of all, older employees have an immense amount of knowledge and experience which can be lost to a business or organization if they are made to retire. A second point is that older employees are often extremely loyal employees and are more willing to implement company policies than younger less committed staff. However, a more important point is regarding the attitudes in society to old people. To force someone to resign or retire at 60 or 65 indicates that the society does not value the input of these people and that effectively their useful life is over. Allowing older people to work indefinitely however is not always a good policy. Age alone is no guarantee of ability. Many younger employees have more experience or skills than older staff, who may have been stuck in one area or unit for most of their working lives. Having compulsory retirement allows new ideas in an organization. In addition, without age limits, however arbitrary, many people would continue to work purely because they did not have any other plans or roles. A third point of view is that older people should be rewarded by society for their lifes labor by being given generous pensions and the freedom to enjoy their leisure. With many young people unemployed or frustrated in low-level positions, there are often calls to compulsorily retire older workers. However, this can affect the older individuals freedom and right to work and can deprive society of valuable experience and insights. I feel that giving workers more flexibility and choice over their retirement age will benefit society and the individual. 370 words

Who learns faster?

Tagged with: adults children learning

Do children learn more quickly than adults?

Small children seem to learn very quickly, while adults sometimes appear to lose the ability to pick up new subject such as languages, music, games, or computer programs. In this essay, I will discuss whether children or adults make the best learners. It is undoubtedly true that children seem to learn very quickly. In just a few years, they can learn how to play a musical instrument, speak one or even two new languages, and deal with many subjects at school. They even have time for sports and hobbies, and become experts in their favorite pastimes. However, how much of this is social pressure and how much is genetic? I am convinced that while childrens brains have a natural ability to absorb new information as part of their developmental growth, much of their achievement is because of social pressure. Schools force them to take many subjects. Parents force them to practice new sports or to learn music. Even their playmates force them to become better at computer games or to read Harry Potter novels faster. In summary, children may enjoy learning, but their environment also is a big motivating factor.

Adults on the other hand are supposed to be poor learners. However, I disagree with people who say that adults cannot learn quickly. Adults have many skills that compensate for the decline in the ability of the brain to grasp and remember new material. They can organize their learning by setting times for reading or practice. They can build on skills and experiences they know already. Adults usually cannot learn to do ballet or to play the violin, but even despite these physical challenges, their motivation can often be higher than a childs. Unfortunately, society does not encourage many adults to learn. People are busy with families and work, and some adults may feel that further learning is pointless, since they have already achieved many goals at work or in their personal life. In conclusion, I feel that we cannot generalize about children or adults being better learners. It depends on the situation and the motivation of the person, and the level of enthusiasm he or she has for learning. 360 words

Home Schooling
Tagged with: children education home schooling school students

Should children be educated at home or in school?

Are parents really helping their children by teaching them at home? In most countries in the world, governments require children to attend schools in which trained teachers are responsible for educating the children using an approved curriculum. However a significant number of parents believe that it is much better for their children to be educated at home by the people who know them and their needs best. This essay will examine the question of home schooling and discuss which the best option for the child is An increasing number of parents are deciding that home schooling is the best option for their children. They are unhappy with the quality or depth of education offered in the schools, or have other reasons why they feel that traditional schools are not suitable for their children. One reason is social factors. Parents worry that their children will suffer from bullying or will be forced into antisocial behavior by peer pressure. They believe that the good behavior they have taught the child will be lost in school. Another reason is concern over the quality of schooling available. Schools frequently have large classes. They are often under-funded, and staffed by teachers without sufficient knowledge of their subjects. Subjects such as the familys religion or language may not even be available in the school. Other parents may disagree with the aims of the school curriculum, preferring for academic, social or cultural reasons to keep their children separate. Finally, some children with special needs may need particular parental care. However, there are many arguments in favor of sending children to conventional schools. The first is that the children will be exposed to other children. These children may represent either a crosssection of society or a narrow group, but in either case the children will interact with each other and

develop social skills. A second point is that the children will learn to function outside the family. They will not be dependent on their parents for their educational, emotional and social needs. A third point is that the children will find it easier to integrate when they finish school, as they eventually will, when they start work or college. Overall, while many parents work hard to teach their children at home, conventional schools are still the right choice for most children. Schools are not perfect, but they seem to be a proven way of preparing our children for the real world. 392 words

Security Cameras and Privacy

In the fight against crime, police forces and governments are increasingly using security cameras in public places. Some people are opposed to this, saying that it invades our privacy. What do you think?

The individual has a right to privacy! Security cameras have become ubiquitous in many countries. Whereas before they appeared only in banks and at high-security areas, they are now entering public places such as malls, streets, stadiums and transport. Many people feel this affects their privacy. This essay will examine whether the advantages of these cameras outweigh their negative impact. Surveillance cameras have several benefits. An obvious benefit is that the police can catch criminals in the act, thus reducing crime. This will make the streets safer for ordinary people. A more important point is that criminals, particularly young offenders or petty criminals will be deterred. They will not be tempted to carry out crimes, and thus society will be a lot safer. Cameras are also cost-effective and unobtrusive. Authorities do not need to spend large amounts of money on police. However, security cameras are far from being a perfect solution. The biggest objection concerns privacy. Many people feel that they should be free to travel or move around a shop, mall, street or country without being photographed or recorded. They feel that being watched constantly is like being in a jail, and that ordinary people are losing their freedom because of these devices. Another point is that although the police say that only criminals have something to fear from the cameras, many people do not trust governments with too much information. Corrupt authorities could use information in the wrong way or twist it to victimize some groups. Thirdly, cameras and computers can make mistakes. In conclusion, although there are definite advantages to using surveillance devices such as cameras, we need to balance the need for security with respect for the individuals privacy and freedom. If we do not trust the members of society, a situation like George Orwells 1984 could be the result. 297 words

Education: Less Valuable Now

Tagged with: college degrees education

Is a college degree less valuable or respected now than it was in the past?

Today, it seems to be universally accepted that increased education is a good thing. Thousands of colleges and millions of students spend vast amounts of time and money chasing pieces of paper. But what is the value of these qualifications? This essay will discuss whether education has been devalued. Supporters of education (usually teachers or educators, or those who have an interest in stopping people thinking for themselves) say that increased levels of education will open doors for students. Certificates, diplomas, and degrees are held up as a status symbol, a passport to a private club of money and power. However, the truly powerful are not those who have taken degrees, but people who have stood back and looked at what is really important in life. They have seen opportunity and followed dreams. These people are found in every part of society. Like many brilliant people, Einstein was a weak student at math. Like many successful businessmen, Bill Gates never completed college. Like many inventive and creative people, Edison never went to school. The greatest religious teachers do not have letters after their name, but have looked into their hearts for meaning. Similarly, the worlds political leaders do not have masters degrees or doctorates. These are the people who shaped our century, and they are too busy with real life to spend time in the paper chase. Students in college are being sold an illusion. They are made to believe that self-understanding and society approval will come with the acquisition of a piece of paper. Instead of thinking for themselves, and finding their own personality and strengths, they are fitted like square pegs into round holes. The role of education is to prepare masses of people to operate at low levels of ability in a very limited and restricted range of activities. Some of these activities are more challenging than perhaps the assembly lines of the past, but still the ultimate purpose is equally uninteresting. More worryingly, despite the increased level of education, people are still not genuinely expected to think for themselves. In fact, the longer years of schooling make the job of brainwashing even easier. There is still a role for study, research, and education. However, we need to examine our emphasis on education for the sake of a piece of paper, and to learn the real meaning and revolutionary challenge of knowledge. 395 words

Education: Too Many People with Degrees!

Tagged with: college degree education

Is a college degree less valuable nowadays?

Today, it seems to be universally accepted that increased education is a good thing. Thousands of colleges and millions of students spend vast amounts of time and money chasing pieces of paper. But what is the value of these qualifications? This essay will discuss whether education has been devalued. Supporters of education (usually teachers or educators, or those in the business of education) say that increased levels of education will open doors for students. Certificates, diplomas, and degrees are held up as a status symbol, a passport to a private club of money and power. However, the truly powerful are not those with degrees, but people who stand back and look at what is really important in life. These people are found in every part of society. Like many brilliant people, Einstein was a weak math student. Like many successful businessmen, Bill Gates never completed college. Like many inventive and creative people, Edison never went to school. The greatest religious teachers do not have letters after their name. Similarly, many of the worlds political leaders do not have masters degrees or doctorates. These are the people who shape our lives, and they are too busy with real life to spend time in the paper chase. Students in college are being sold an illusion. They are made to believe that self-understanding and society approval will come with the acquisition of a piece of paper. Instead of thinking for themselves, and finding their own personality and strengths, they are fitted like square pegs into round holes, in so-called professional jobs. The role of education is to prepare masses of people to operate at low levels of ability in a very limited and restricted range of activities. Some of these activities are perhaps more challenging than the assembly lines of the past, but the ultimate purpose is equally uninteresting. More worryingly, despite the increased level of education, people are still not genuinely expected to think for themselves. In fact, the longer years of schooling make the job of brainwashing even easier. There is still a role for study, research, and education. However, we need to examine our emphasis on education for the sake of a piece of paper, and to learn the real meaning and revolutionary challenge of knowledge. 376 words

Is Education Still Valuable?

Tagged with: colleges degrees education students

Is a degree less important now that everybody has one?

In the past, degrees were very unusual in my family. I remember the day my uncle graduated. We had a huge party, and for many years my mother called him the genius and listened to his opinion. Today, in comparison five of my brothers and sisters have degrees, and two are studying for their masters. However, some people think that this increased access to education is devaluing degrees. In this essay, I will look at some of the arguments for and against the increased emphasis on degrees in our society. People have several arguments against the need for degrees. They say that having so many graduates devalues a degree. People lose respect for the degree holder. It is also claimed that education has become a rat race. Graduates have to compete for jobs even after years of studying. Another point is that studying for such a long time leads to learners becoming inflexible. They know a lot about one narrow subject, but are unable to apply their skills. Employers prefer more flexible and adaptable workers. However, I feel strongly that this move to having more qualifications is a positive development. In the past education was only for the rich and powerful. Now it is available to everyone, and this will have many advantages for the country and the individual. First of all, it is impossible to be overeducated. The more people are educated, the better the world will be, because people will be able to discuss and exchange ideas. A further point is that people with degrees have many more opportunities. They can take a wider variety of jobs and do what they enjoy doing, instead of being forced to take a job they dislike. Finally, a highly educated workforce is good for the economy of the country. It attracts foreign investment. In conclusion, although there are undoubtedly some problems with increased levels of education, I feel strongly that the country can only progress if all its people are educated to the maximum of their ability. 339 words

Telecommuting and Work

Tagged with: change freedom science and technology society work

Telecommuting is increasingly common: Workers do all or part of their work from home and communicate with their office or colleagues by computer.How do you think society will be affected by this growth of telecommuting?

Telecommuting will have major effects in the worlds of work and family life. However, its biggest effect will be in the area of individual freedom, responsibility, and time management.

Work and workplaces will alter dramatically. Offices may become smaller, as fewer desks are needed. There will be greater need for high-bandwidth connections to link the office and the home, and even homes to other homes, as other employees and supervisors also begin working at home. Hours spent commuting, traffic jams, and fights for parking should diminish, as workers make fewer journeys or work staggered hours. Family life will also change. Workers, both husbands and wives, can arrange their work around family commitments such as taking children to school, cooking, leisure activities, etc. However, households will also have to set aside areas for work particularly if both spouses are telecommuting. However, although the ideas of more time at home and less time traveling are attractive, there are some drawbacks to telecommuting. People may feel unable to escape their work, and may even work longer or more unsocial hours. The quality of work may suffer because of the reduced face-to-face interaction with other employees. There may be delays if other workers are not immediately available. Telecommuters may feel isolated or unmotivated, or insecure about decisions. A major change will be in the way people think about work as a place or an institution. Instead, they will focus on the task or product. Workers may feel less loyal to a company and more inclined to change jobs or work part-time or on contract. In conclusion, the effects are difficult to predict because they depend on the extent to which telecommuting becomes popular. However, telecommuting could be the start of a major societal shift, possibly as big as the Industrial Revolution which created our present ideas of work. 305 words