Clifton and Plath on the Feminine Identity Essay

Clifton and Plath on the Feminine Identity - Essay Example While they both appear to be in agreement on the nature of the feminine identity, their American perspectives differ vastly. Clifton, as an African-American, alludes to African themes, and brings into her poem questions about the duality within the African-American experience, and ultimately celebrates herself as a symbol of endurance. Plath's is decidedly different in its paradoxical nature. While her poem focuses on the vivacious and enigmatic legacy that she will leave behind, it is wholly centralized around her death, which creates a somewhat doomed undertone. But while both poets differ in their cultural perspectives, they both produce similar portrayals of the feminine identity as being one of strength, passion, and survival. Clifton brings many symbols to her poem that speak to the African-American, as well as the female experience. She describes herself as a "jungle girl/quick as a snake/a tree girl," (4-6). In aligning herself with such images as a jungle, a snake, and a tree-dweller, she is making a direct allusion to the African identity. Throughout American history, the image of the "African savage" was utilized as a means of persecution, keeping black-Americans under an oppressive rule by larger society. Africans were believed to be tribal jungle-dwellers, savage and uncivilized, and particularly dangerous for their lack of Christianization. Furthermore, the African religions were heavily focused on nature, spirits, demons, and magic, which made them even more frightening to white Americans, who were largely Protestant and highly hostile to Paganism and superstition. Clifton's reference to being "quick as a snake-" the snake being the Christian symbol of evil-seems to be an open embrace of the whi te-American view of the Africans as being aligned with evil and Satan-worship for their ritualistic beliefs. This embrace of a taboo culture is further emphasized in the repeated phrases: "I met me." She has met herself, meaning she has rediscovered her own identity-an identity that has long been buried under social beliefs that it was shameful, uncivilized, and even subhuman. But Clifton also brings a feminine element into her poem, calling herself a "jungle girl" and a "tree girl." Throughout western history, women have been aligned with nature, specifically with the cyclicality of nature, which is similar to the cyclicality of female fertility. Possibly even more revealing is Clifton's description of herself as being "quick as a snake." Snakes have also been ascribed to femininity as, in the Bible, it was a woman (Eve) who fell under the serpent's sway. On the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo went so far as to paint the serpent itself as having the face and torso of a woman. Thus, Clifton is rediscovering two socially repressed identities: her African identity, and her feminine identity. She goes on to write:

Public Health of the Developing Country of South Africa Essay Example for Free

Public Health of the Developing Country of South Africa Essay Abstract Studies and statistics have put the cost of one year requirement of standard essential medicines needed for the treatment of AIDS at $ 4000 to $ 6000 in developing countries like South Africa. This cost puts the medicines out of the reach of most of the people infected by HIV in the developing countries. In order to make the medicines available to all the needy people the cost should have been at least 95 percent less. The exorbitant price is because of the cost of the patents. The drugs protected by the intellectual property rights were required to treat diseases like Tuberculosis, in addition to the treatments of HIV/AIDS. Such drugs also included Hepatitis-B Vaccine. There has been a continuous criticism by the social activists and other public health associations, of the action by the World Trade Organization in making the developing countries implement the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement which deals with the protection of Intellectual Property rights relating to the essential drugs. They have also been condemning the attitude of the multinational companies in indulging in excessive lobbying to insist on the implementation of the IP rights protection which will have the effect of enhancing their earnings by charging exorbitant prices for the drugs and for putting the essential drugs and health care beyond the affordability of scores of people in the developing nations including South Africa. However under such circumstances the relationship between the government of South Africa and the international pharmaceutical companies had not been a conducive one – thanks to the implementation of the provisions of TRIPS Agreement. On the decision of the South African Government to pass the Medicines and Related Substances Amendment Act in the year 1997, 39 drug companies joined to initiate legal action against the government. The plea of the drug companies is that the Act gave too much freedom of action to the Health Minister and he acted beyond the legitimate interpretation of TRIPS. It was the endeavour of South Africa to make life saving drugs available at affordable prices. The country wanted to effectively utilize the compulsory licensing opportunities opened by TRIPS so that the prices of the drugs could be put under check. But since the action of the government posed a threat to the earning capacity of the international pharmaceutical companies they went to the extent of entering into litigation with the government of South Africa. Introduction TRIPS (Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) under the authority of the WTO were founded to protect worldwide intellectual property rights. The agreements, governing not only more general intellectual property rights but also those of the pharmaceutical industry, are fairly stringent causing many problems for developing countries especially South Africa which is being ravaged by epidemics which includes AIDS. According to a statistical survey by United Nations[1] 20 percent of the adult population in South Africa tests positive for HIV. The impact of the disease is such that the more than half a million children have been declared orphans. It is also reported that HIV/AIDS related diseases expect to reduce the average life expectancy in South Africa by 20 years in the year 2010. Therefore it can be inferred that the provision of treatment of HIV/AIDS in South Africa is a high priority issue[2]. It has been necessary for South Africa to circumvent part of the TRIPS agreements in an effort to protect its population.   AIDS is taking great toll of the country leaving families without parents and health care hospitals totally unable to cope. The United States currently insists on the TRIPS agreement being strictly adhered to and seems unable, or unwilling, to find a way to help the developing nations with this problem. There have been some efforts made to help them in this respect, for example compulsory licensing and parallel pricing and these methods will be examined in a later section. The negotiation of the TRIPS Agreement has been construed as one that was forcibly introduced by the developing countries against the objection of many of the developing nations. The industrial lobbies (multinational and transnational corporations) have convinced the governments of the developed countries to link the international trade with Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) so that the industrial advancement of the developing countries would be curtailed. This would automatically prevent imitation of technologies and increase the returns on research and development for the developed countries. Monopoly rights granted under IPR were mainly intended to deter the developing countries from advancing on the industrialization. Thus TRIPS Agreement and the protection of IPR have been used to ensure the comparative advantage of the developed countries in terms of the technological development. Under TRIPS countries like India, Brazil which manufactures generic medicines would not have the right to export such medicines with effect from 01 January 2005. This is so despite the fact that the importing countries do have the respective patents covering the drugs. Specifically the least developing countries have put a strong resistance to the requirements of TRIPS especially in the matter of granting the protection rights for the products and processes. While developing countries were required to implement the provisions within one year of reaching the Agreement, the developing countries were given time until the end of the year 2004. In the matter of protection of rights of pharmaceutical products the lease developing countries have been allowed to delay the implementation of TRIPS Agreement provisions till the year 2016. The peculiarity with the provisions of TRIPS is that it allows any country to override the patent right under certain specific circumstances by using the compulsory licensing procedure. For instance when there is a shortage of drugs or the prices of the drugs are too high to make them unaffordable the country can override the patent if the prescribed procedures are followed. This provision of TRIPS presupposes that all the countries do possess the required manufacturing facilities which enable them to use the provisions to produce generic medicines under extraordinary circumstances. But unfortunately many of the developing and least developing countries do not posses such facilities, and hence they would be left with shortage of such drugs. In addition they are also not allowed to import the generics from those countries that possess them. In any case these countries do not have enough power and administrative capabilities to invoke the TRIPS Agreement either due to the reason that they do not possess the know-how required to reengineer the drugs or they fear sanctions from the US and the West[3]. TRIPS Agreement under WTO The TRIPS Agreement is often thought of as one of the three â€Å"pillars† of the WTO (World Trade Organization), trade in goods and services being the other two.[4] TRIPS, initially part of GATT. But becoming part of the WTO brief, was founded to ensure that protection of intellectual property rights was not, of itself, an obstruction to trade and to increase cooperation between members. Under the TRIPS agreement each member state has an obligation to treat all other member states equally. The WTO negotiates between members and helps them to understand and carry out the rules and regulations they have signed up to. It also aids cooperation between members and acts as a watchdog to ensure that the agreement is adhered to. Marketing rights of a patent, when first applied for, are given for a period of 5 years or until the patent is finally approved (whichever is the shorter period) but even during this period members must comply with the rules and regulations as set out in Articles 3 and 4. Because of the nature of the agreement especially as regards pharmaceuticals, it was decided that minimum standards could be used, the USA prefers the higher standards but accepts the minimum as the developing world does not have the capacity to work to the higher standards at the present time. Public awareness of the serious issue of AIDS and other diseases has led to the belief   (by the WTO) that health must, in the final analysis, come before agreements since the spread of AIDS cannot be the sole responsibility of one country. In trying to bridge the gap between the pharmaceutical companies and the developing nations, TRIPS has endeavoured to bring the two sides together by allowing extensions to drugs’ patents but has also allowed some compulsory licensing. Article 3(a) under the TRIPS Agreement states that treatment of all members must be equal,   but Article 3(b) is a get-out clause and Article 4(b) states that all members are equal, unless an †¦agreement was entered into before the WTO agreement.   However, the Council for TRIPS must be informed of any non-observance of Article 3(a) under Article 3(b). The TRIPS Agreement ensures that members discharge their commitments to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Part of the United Nations WIPO was set up in 1974 specifically to direct international treaties and agreements. The Paris Convention on Industrial Property and the Berne Convention on Copyright, two of the major treaties have been brought under the TRIPS umbrella.   The former states that â€Å"members must comply with the obligations they have towards each other† and â€Å"nothing must stand in the way of such obligations†.  Ã‚   However, as noted, there is a get-out clause in cases of emergency which has to be acknowledged by members to the agreements. There is also an agreement that member countries monitor each other for infringements.   Most important in terms of worldwide health problems is Article 67 of TRIPS which states   that developed countries must assist developing countries with the development of their intellectual property rights, it states: â€Å"In order to facilitate the implementation of this Agreement developed country Members shall provide, on request and mutually agreed terms and conditions, technical and financial cooperation in favour of developing and least-developed country members† â€Å"Such cooperation shall include assistance in the preparation of laws and regulations on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights as well as on the prevention of their abuse, and shall include support regarding the establishment or reinforcement of domestic offices and agencies relevant to these matters, including the training of personnel.†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Programmes to assist the developing nations have already been promoted and are being assisted by the WTO secretariat and WIPO. TRIPS Agreement in Relation to Medicines   Since most pharmaceutical research and development is carried out in developed countries the organisations involved feel that they should be better protected.   Most drugs cost millions and take years to test and develop before being allowed onto the market, the industry naturally want returns by way of profits on sales. AIDS medication has been a particularly important breakthrough since: ‘HIV infects an estimated 45 million persons worldwide†Ã‚   but there are also â€Å"†¦1.86 billion cases of infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis†[5] therefore, it is imperative that something be done to help alleviate this type of suffering which, with the ever growing number of tourists, should be the concern of not only those countries in which these epidemics are raging but every nation whose borders are open to travel from other countries. The TRIPS agreement, currently, seems to err on the side of the drugs’ companies, probably because they have such powerful lobbies and are part of the new world-wide elite of corporations which, according to Janet Dine, are increasingly importing their own ethics into the developing countries and virtually taking over, creating in the process an impoverished and unhealthy nation, they, the indigenous population have to take what is offered often at less than subsistence wages and become more dependant on the corporations who have moved into their countries in search of ever increasing profits. The money the corporations make from taking over in developing countries returns, not to the people of that region, but to their own countries.  Ã‚   With tax incentives and a population who take any work they can get to survive at the lowest rates offered, these Corporations appear to be fuelling a crisis in health for some of the poorest nations in the world.[6] Although The TRIPS agreement does allow for compulsory licensing in an emergency, each country must first negotiate with rights’ holders and must use those drugs obtained under such a license only for the emergency period and not for any commercial gain. Specific areas, such as South Africa, are going through a health crisis which needs the drugs already available to ameliorate it, however, in spite of clause 3(b), they are getting no further forward in their fight to help their citizens to overcome unprecedented death rates that the epidemics are producing. In spite of Articles 30/31, which allow for compulsory licensing, the poorest and least developed nations are fighting against the cost of the use of patents and the epidemics themselves. Compulsory licensing does not adequately cover the needs of such nations in   â€Å"sub-Saharan Africa since they do not have facilities to manufacture their own drugs.†[7] Protection of intellectual property is not part of the culture of many countries, nevertheless, the TRIPS Agreement was signed on 15th April 1994 by 117 nations. The agreement allows intellectual property rights to be â€Å"enforced by trade sanctions†[8] and, although some countries were not in complete agreement, international trade is vital to their economic growth so, however reluctantly, they signed.   Inhibitors, which have done much to control AIDS in the west, cost as much as $10.000 per head annually but international trade is the life blood of developing nations therefore they had little choice but to do so.[9] 4. TRIPS and Developing Countries It has been observed that implementing TRIPS Agreement and recognizing IPR on pharmaceutical products and processes would result in the following problems to the developing countries[10]: The minimum 20 years protection to the IPR would grant a virtual monopoly for a pharmaceutical company over its patented drug and the company would be able to charge exorbitant prices on the drugs without competition which in turn would keep the drug prices very high during the period of protection. It is also not possible to bring any generic equivalent into the market due to the TRIPS Agreement. This would deny the patients cheaper alternative drugs. The product and process patents provide for the protection of the product as well as the technology. Under the TRIPS Agreement the countries are given the right to make application for the protection of patent rights on drugs for a period extending up to twenty years. After the expiation of this period the countries can get the protection extended for further periods to the processes being employed in the manufacture of the drugs. This no doubt creates a monopoly situation on the drugs. Such protection also throw the domestic pharmaceutical producers in the developing countries out of market as they have to compete with large multinational pharmaceutical manufacturers which is not possible for small producers in the developing nations who use cheaper generic alternatives. Moreover such production may not be carried out by them during the 20 year protection period. Under TRIPS Agreement patent rights need to be granted irrespective of the fact that the products are imported or domestically manufactured[11]. This implies that the transnational corporations can supply global markets under the monopoly of patent rights even without producing any medicines in the developing countries by simply importing them into the developing countries. There will be no flow of technology or foreign direct investments into the developing countries as envisaged by the WTO However under Article 66 of the TRIPS the least developed countries were allowed to postpone the application of the provisions relating to the patents for a period of 10 years on specific application.[12] 5. Exceptions to the Patent Protection of Pharmaceuticals    Parallel importing – implying that the developing counties are allowed to import the drugs from the cheaper markets for resale in their respective countries and thereby lower the prices of drugs. Compulsory licensing – under compulsory licensing scheme, the government acting through the courts of law is empowered to provide a license in favor of a third party. Such license may be granted by the government even without the prior consent of the license holder. However the compulsory licensing can be resorted to in cases of national emergencies. The license may also be compulsorily transferred to a third party in case of an extremely emergent situation or where there are circumstances implying any anti-competitive movements by the manufacturers. The compulsory licensing is resorted to by the governments to make the drugs easily available to the poor and needy people at affordable costs. It also ensures that the patent holder is provided adequate compensation for use of the patent. 6. Public Health in South Africa and the Impact of TRIPS Agreement The need for cheaper drugs in South Africa can not be undermined. The impact of AIDS in the country poses the situation of an extreme emergency forcing the implementation TRIPS. The economy of South Africa is likely to get affected by a reduction of 1 percent every year because of the work force getting disintegrated. It is estimated that the life expectancy would be lowered to 50 years in 2010 from 70 years currently. These threats to the economy and population growth would as well be a threat to ‘peace and order’ situations in the country of South Africa[13]. In this context all the problems enumerated above for the developing nations have been faced by South Africa also. In addition when the government wanted to implement the Medicines and Related Substances Control Bill, the US Government vehemently objected to the passing of the law which allowed for parallel importing and compulsory licensing. However amidst lot of pressure on the government and the Parliament the South African government enacted the law in the year 1997.The pharmaceutical lobby backed by the transnational companies in the South Africa not only filed a suit against the promulgation of the law but also indulged in negotiations and threats   to the government to change its stand. The pressure was intense after the year 1997 when the South African government tried to implement a number of policy measures to lower the prices of drugs used in public health. â€Å"The SA policies have focused on such issues as mandatory generic drug substitution, restrictions on inappropriate marketing efforts, registration of generic versions of the cancer drug Paclitaxel (sold as Taxol by Bristol-Myers Squibb), parallel-imports, and compulsory licensing†[14]. It may be noted that despite Article 31 of the TRIPS Agreement that provides for the parallel importing and compulsory licensing the transnational pharmaceutical companies have vehemently opposed the attempts by developing countries like South Africa taking measures for implementing parallel importing and compulsory licensing as these practices would allow these countries to have their requirements of the medicines at cheaper prices which in turn would affect the profits of these transnational companies[15]. It was after the intervention of the AIDS activists and health activists that US came to an understanding in the issue. The government of South Africa insisted that it retains all the original provisions defending its position be retained. The government also wanted to make the fullest use of compulsory licensing and parallel importing which were considered as detrimental to the interests of the American Transnational Companies[16]. How American Corporations Control the Business World A- Business lobbies: Large and small businesses in the United States have been organised into various associations, for example Business Round Tables are national Associations which include membership of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of all the most important trans-national companies and the National Chamber of Commerce includes all sizes of firms.[17] Round Tables have been in existence since 1972, the first was formed by forty-two of the (then) biggest and most important U.S. companies including banks, retailers, Insurance, transport and most of the utilities’ companies. They were designed to enable business to proceed without the destructive competitive basis of the business world. They were described as: â€Å"An association of chief executive officers who examine public issues that affect the economy and develop positions which seek to reflect sound economic and social principles. †¦ the Roundtable was founded in the belief that business executives should take an increased role in the continuing debates about public policy.†[18] The raison d’etre for these firms was the idea that ‘what ever is good for business is good for the American people’. They argued that, employees, purchasers, suppliers etc all have an interest in a business. These associations, they say, represent a cross section of the American public.[19] The idea that ‘what is good for business is good for America’ is patently nonsense since most people are in fact excluded from any rights in this elite world.  Ã‚   Employees have little or no say in the running of their firms and consumers must pay the prices asked, they do have the right ‘not to buy’ which is a somewhat negative view of the process of inclusiveness. David C Korten says that most of the memberships of the Round Tables are confined to white males over the age of 50 whose salaries are enormous. They do not, as claimed, consider that what is good for business is good for America but rather endeavour to maximise their own profits and those of their shareholders by seeking to globalise in areas where they can have an almost free hand to carry out their business practices almost unhindered by the laws of any country they move into. [20] Free Trade has long been an ideal of the American Corporate world which is why the Round Tables campaigned vigorously for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA and created USA-NAFTA to front their interests, the American public, nervous at so much control in so few hands, have been given country-wide blanket assurances through the media.   In spite of the fact that NAFTA was supposed to be a really broad church of interests it is really part of the elite Round Table Associations and has many representatives on advisory committees. The country might have been even more nervous if they had realised that at the time of the creation of these Round Tables the major companies were in fact laying aside their competitive differences to â€Å"reach a consensus on issues of social and economic policy for America†.[21] B- Influence of U.S. Democracy Janet Dine claims â€Å"no single idea is more deeply embedded in modern culture than the belief that economic growth is the key to meeting most important human needs, including alleviating poverty and protecting the environment† [22] which accounts for the greatest growth area in Washington being public relations firms. These firms work hard to protect the images of their corporate clients against a rising tide of discontent which is now manifesting itself throughout the world. It could be thought that they are fighting a losing battle but â€Å"the top fifty public relations firms billed over $1.7 billion dollars in 1991†[23] which gives rise to the question, why are these PR firms so necessary? There is probably no single answer to this question but very little news is given directly to the public without some corporate employee looking at the effect it will have, news and advertising, according to Korten, are almost synonymous.[24] The political system of America has greatly changed in the post war period of more general affluence. The Democratic party has lost its basic identity   the party of the people – as opposed to the Republicans who have always represented business and the wealthier side of the electorate – this being so the Democrats are far more dependant on the need to raise funds for their electioneering and have turned to the corporations who inevitably want quid pro quo for their donations. The mass media are heavily behind the elitist values of corporate America and the amount they are able to pay to PR firms to put across an extremely one-sided policy and both the leading parties needing the financial backing of corporate America, this, says David C Korten, â€Å"This is the sorry state of American democracy†.[25]   He says that voters tend to be seen as a passive homogeneous mass of potential customers who can be told not only what to buy but also what to think and feel.   What is worse, this idea of corporations is spreading, many trans-national companies rely heavily on the corporate idealism of what is good for them is good for the people they sell to.   Mexico and Japan both use those same American firms to tell their populations what they should think and feel and ultimately what they should buy. C- American Democracy   for Sale: â€Å"The Mexican government spent upwards of $25 million and hired many of the leading Washington lobbyists to support its campaign for NAFTA. †¦ Japanese corporations were spending an estimated $100 million a year on political lobbying in the United States and another $300 million building a nationwide grassroots political network to influence public opinion†. [26] Canada, Britain and the Netherlands’ governments employ public relations’ firms in America to help them lobby and draft laws that will be favourable to the business elites in their own countries. These companies try to sell the idea of ‘corporate libertarianism’ [27]which is supposed to allay the fears of those who have an idea that all is not well in the corporate world of business, it is possible to claim that these corporations are in fact in the act of ‘taking over the world’ and with the resources piling up behind them it could well happen in the not too distant future. The United States and Higher Levels of Protection. To add to this theme of a world take-over by corporate America, the signatories to TRIPS have begun to rethink intellectual property protection.[28] This is bad news for those under-developed countries which rely on drugs from the western world to protect their citizens from ravaging epidemics. Rosalyn S Park says: â€Å"Poor, developing nations have been most affected by the patent protection laws and resulting high drug prices, yet these nations also harbor the highest number of HIV-positive people. Consequently, the vast majority of people in need of HIV/AIDS medicines simply cannot afford them†. [29] In 2006 new protection laws will come into force which all members must adhere to. This will have a devastating effect on the millions of people in countries too poor to have their own drugs’ businesses, they will become more reliant upon those better protected, developed countries making vast profits from the countries least able to pay. Neither the USA nor the European Union appear greatly interested in aiding those countries with the greatest needs and the least ability to pay.   Admittedly concessions have been made as regards agricultural and textile concessions but this has been at the cost of allowing higher property rights which is a swings-and-round-a-bouts situation.   It would be much more useful to South Africa specifically and to the developing world in general, if the costs of patented drugs could be either brought down or, as a common sense gesture of good will, eliminated completely until such time as the AIDS epidemic was at least brought down to manageable proportions. In spite of â€Å"several different types of drugs on the market which help combat AIDS and AIDS related illnesses†[30] not enough are getting through to the developing countries as the multinationals are still insisting on not just the status quo as regards intellectual property rights but even higher levels.[31] They appear to be driven only by the profit motive and the perceived necessity for free trade paying little attention to the suffering caused in the developing world. Nor are they taking a long term view, highly contagious diseases are rife in the developing world, therefore, with the modern freedom of travel, no country can ever be safe from the same epidemics.   Even with modern drugs to combat them, new strains will develop, new drugs will have to be found and costs will escalate. Drugs now exist which allow people with AIDS to live a reasonably normal life including returning to work, it would in fact be in the interests of the drugs’ companies to allow South Africa to use them, dead people have no use for drugs nor anything else that the multi-nationals may wish to sell them. Conclusion The TRIPS Agreement was a milestone in patent protection of intellectual property rights and was considered to be a financial safeguard for research investment, however, it also had the effect of pricing some pharmaceuticals out of the reach of many nations most in need of the most recently patented medicines.   Before the TRIPS agreement, governments had been able to make compulsory licence orders to produce drugs at lower prices in their own countries, after the agreement, although still possible, it is much more difficult and thus more difficult to protect their citizens from the epidemics which are wreaking havoc in their countries. It is important to protect intellectual property rights but it is far more important to protect people’s lives but the balance currentlppears to be largely towards the greater protection of pharmaceutical industries. TRIPS allows compulsory licensing and parallel pricing but underdeveloped countries such as South Africa are being prevented from using them because of the threat of trade sanctions and trade is vital to their economies. It is necessary to protect peoples’ work and investment and research must be encouraged especially into life-threatening diseases. Corporations who invest time and money into producing drugs to cope with these scourges should reap the rewards of their labour.   However, many drugs’ companies are seeing such enormous returns on their investments that concessions should be made to underdeveloped countries which so desperately need the medications produced by these huge giants of industry. In spite of concessions in the TRIPS agreement, corporations do appear to be protected at the expense of people’s lives. Public health should be and is a priority in the west where governments can afford to buy the health of their citizens. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the poorer, less developed countries where governments are struggling to find ways to access drugs and yet to maintain a healthy trading relationship with the countries which hold the patents to these drugs. Good health is the basic right of every citizen of every country wherever possible. More goodwill is necessary on the part of the western world and America in particular to allow compulsory licensing and parallel pricing to be used without the threat of trade sanctions.  Ã‚   Epidemics do not respect borders, they can be carried by people to all corners the world, what was a third world problem yesterday is our problem today, world health is an issue that no country can ignore therefore although corporations must be allowed fair returns on their investments it must not be at the expense of world health. It is quite apparent that TRIPS Agreement has not taken into account the public health needs of the developing nations while formulating the clauses relating to the protection of IPR in respect of pharmaceutical needs. The Agreement has not specified any particular obligations towards those governments granting the IPR for pharmaceutical products. The Agreement has also not considered the need for public health in the developing countries and grossly ignored the interests of the patients of these countries. There are a number of factors that the developing countries have to take into account including the implication of the TRIPS Agreement and the patent protection under the Agreement in the provision of medical facilities and adequate public health to the people of the respective developing countries. â€Å"At the end of the day it must be recognized that the poorer residents of the world’s least affluent nations cannot pay even the marginal cost of drugs that might save their lives or permit them to become productive workers†[32]. Bibliography    Conceicao Soares (2007)‘The HIV/AIDS crisis and corporate moral responsibility in the light of the Levinasian notions of proximity and the Third’ Business Ethics: A European Review Vol. 16 No 3 p 280 David C Korten, When Corporations Rule the World, Earthscan Publication Ltd. London, p.144 Duane Nash, â€Å"†¦VI, Foreign International Law South Africa’s Medicines and Related Substances Control Amendment Act of 1997† 15 Berkeley Tech. L J. 485(lexis) Fact Sheet ‘Developing Countries’ Transition Periods’ http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/factsheet_pharm04_e.htm#pharmsandags p1 F.M. Scherer and Jayashree Watal ‘Post-Trips Options for Access to Patented Medicines in Developing Nations’ Journal of International Economic Law (2002) p 939 Janet Dine, The Governance of Corporate Groups, Cambridge University Press, 2000.p.157 J H Reichman, The TRIPS Agreement Comes of Age: Conflict or Cooperation with the Developing Countries? P.6 John A. Harrelson, â€Å" IV. Note: Trips, Pharmaceutical Patents, and the HIV/AIDS Crisis: Finding the Proper Balance Between Intellectual Property Rights and Compassion† 7 Wid. L. Symp. J . 175(lexis) Kara M. Bombach ‘The South African Medicines and Related Substances Control Amendment Bill and TRIPS’ http://academic.udayton.edu/health/06world/africa01.htm p1 Lisa Foreman (2007)‘Trade Rules, Intellectual Property and the Right to Health’ Comparative Program in Health and Society Munk Centre for International Studies University of Toronto Ethics International Affairs Vol. 21 No3 p 342 Louise Sylvan ‘TRIPS: Protecting Intellectual Property or Putting Profits Before People’ Online Opinion http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=1968   p1 Medecins sans Frontieres (1999) Access to HIV/AIDS medicines in Thailand, Medecins sans Frontieres Report to the National AIDS Committee of Thailand, August 1999, MSF website, www.accessmed-msf.org/msf/accessmed/accessmed.nsf/html/4DTS2? Open Document.p1 N.B. Zaveri (1999) Success often comes to those who dare and act, paper presented at Brainstorming Workshop on WTO Agreements and Peoples Concerns, New Delhi, Oct/Nov 1999 p1 Patric Bond ‘US Policy toward South Africa and Access to Pharmaceutical Drugs’ Alternative Information and Development Centre http://www.aidc.org.za/?q=book/view/156 p1 Ross Brennan and Paul Baines (2005) ‘Is there a morally right price for anti-retroviral drugs in the developing world’ Business Ethics: A European Review Vol. 15 No 1 p32 Rosalyn S Park, The International Drug Industry: What the Future Holds for South Africa’s HIV/AIDS Patients, Minnesota Journal of Global Trade, p.3 Z. Mirza (1999) WTO/TRIPS, pharmaceuticals and health: impacts and strategies, The Networks Drug Bulletin, Sept-Dec 1999, Vol. 8, No. 5/6, Association for Rational Use of Medication in Pakistan p 27       [1] United Nations (2004) Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic. Geneva: United Nations [2] Ross Brennan and Paul Baines (2005) ‘Is there a morally right price for anti-retroviral drugs in the developing world’ Business Ethics: A European Review Vol. 15 No 1 p 32 [3] Conceicao Soares (2007)‘The HIV/AIDS crisis and corporate moral responsibility in the light of the Levinasian notions of proximity and the Third’ Business Ethics: A European Review Vol. 16 No 3 p 280 [4] www.wto.org (Frequently asked questions about TRIPS in the WTO). [5] Duane Nash, â€Å"†¦VI, Foreigh International Law South Africa’s Medicines and Related Substances Control Amendment Act of 1997† 15 Berkeley Tech. L J. 485(lexis) [6] Janet Dine, The Governance of Corporate Groups, Cambridge University Press, 2000.p.157 [7] John A. Harrelson, â€Å" IV. Note: Trips, Pharmaceutical Patents, and the HIV/AIDS Crisis: Finding the Proper Balance Between Intellectual Property Rights and Compassion† 7 Wid. L. Symp. J . 175(lexis) [8] Ibid [9] Ibid [10] Z. Mirza (1999) WTO/TRIPS, pharmaceuticals and health: impacts and strategies, The Networks Drug Bulletin, Sept-Dec 1999, Vol. 8, No. 5/6, Association for Rational Use of Medication in Pakistan p 27 [11] Medecins sans Frontieres (1999) Access to HIV/AIDS medicines in Thailand, Medecins sans Frontieres Report to the National AIDS Committee of Thailand, August 1999, MSF website, www.accessmed-msf.org/msf/accessmed/accessmed.nsf/html/4DTS2? Open Document. p1 [12] Fact Sheet ‘Developing Countries’ Transition Periods’ http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/factsheet_pharm04_e.htm#pharmsandags p1 [13] Kara M. Bombach ‘The South African Medicines and Related Substances Control Amendment Bill and TRIPS’ http://academic.udayton.edu/health/06world/africa01.htm p1 [14] Patric Bond ‘US Policy toward South Africa and Access to Pharmaceutical Drugs’   Alternative Information and Development Centre  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.aidc.org.za/?q=book/view/156   p1 [15] Louise Sylvan ‘TRIPS: Protecting Intellectual Property or Putting Profits Before People’ Online Opinion http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=1968 p1 [16] N.B. Zaveri (1999) Success often comes to those who dare and act, paper presented at Brainstorming Workshop on WTO Agreements and Peoples Concerns, New Delhi, Oct/Nov 1999 p1 [17] David C Korten, When Corporations Rule the World, Earthscan Publication Ltd. London, p.144 [18] Ibid [19] Ibid [20] David C Korten, When Corporations Rule the World, Earthscan Publication Ltd. London, p.144 [21] Ibid [22] Janet Dine, The Governance of Corporate Groups, Cambridge University Press, 2000.p.156 [23] David C Korten, When Corporations Rule the World, Earthscan Publication Ltd. London, p.146 [24] Ibid [25] David C Korten, When Corporations Rule the World, Earthscan Publication Ltd. London, p.147 [26] Ibid [27] David C Korten, When Corporations Rule the World, Earthscan Publication Ltd. London,pp.147-148 [28] Rosalyn S Park, The International Drugs Industry: What the Future Holds for South Africa’s HIV/AIDS   Patients, Minnesota Journal of Global Trade, 2002.p.1 [29] Ibid [30] Rosalyn S Park, Minnesota Journal of Global Trade, 2000, p.2 [31] J H Reichman, The TRIPS Agreement Comes of Age: Conflict or Cooperation with the Developing Countries? P.6 [32] F.M. Scherer and Jayashree Watal ‘Post-Trips Options for Access to Patented Medicines in Developing Nations’ Journal of International Economic Law (2002)   p 939

Business Organisations In A Global Context Commerce Essay

Business Organisations In A Global Context Commerce Essay The process of strategic planning is not simple and easy one, it involves a lot of industry research and clear understanding of your market, your customers, your competitors, your team, your core competencies, the environment in which you are operating, changing parameter, your vision and mission etc. These are not easy question to answer as well as its not a quick process. Effectively management of people can produce substantially enhanced economic performance. A plethora of terms have been used to describe such management practices: high commitment, high performance, high involvement, and so forth. A social unit of people, systematically structured and managed to meet a need or to pursue collective goals on a continuing basis. All organizations have a management structure that determines relationships between functions and  positions, and subdivides and delegates  roles,  responsibilities, and authority to carry out defined tasks. Organizations are open systems in that they affect and are affected by the environment beyond their boundaries. Globalisation is a phenomena that is used to interact among different countries attempting to develop global economy. It is a process of connecting the worlds markets and business with each other. It is basically a process by which different economies, cultures and societies are combined together by latest communication system. Globalisation has been defined by different experts at different places, according to an economist Harris (1993), the increasing internationalisation of the production, distribution and marketing of goods and services is globalisation. Another definition of globalisation is the functional integration of national economies within the circuits of industrial and financial capital.(Rhodes, 1996). The key differences between global business operations:- Businesses operate in a global context: even if they do not trade directly with other countries, they might be affected by a domestic shortage of skilled labour or may be subject to developments on the global financial markets. Globalization and international business as business terms are often used synonymously in casual conversation. As economic pressures continue to abound, many corporations are looking within their organizations to determine how to improve operations and reduce costs. Cost constraints, efficiency gains and productivity measures are commonly sought to achieve this objective. It is no surprise that development of or improvement in an enterprises service delivery model is desired. Many companies have developed some aspect of shared services, and many more have embraced the outsourcing service delivery model as one lever to drive economic improvement. However, we believe there are plenty of opportunities remaining with respect to shared services in general along with some terrific opportunities for an emerging concept called global business services to drive significant improvement and manage all service delivery model alternatives. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SHARED SERVICES? A successful shared services model typically incorporates these concepts: Focused company resources Process ownership as a key characteristic Critical values of partnering, teamwork and adding value Effective leverage of tools and technology Accountability by specialists with service focus (internal and external) Strong communications and governance principles Centre of excellence and a company asset for developing talent Results that emphasize efficiently meeting customer requirements Focal point for company best practices Responsibilities of organisations Importance of ethics in the business world is superlative and global. New trends and issues arise on a daily basis which may create an important burden to organizations and end consumers. Nowadays, the need for proper ethical behaviour within organizations has become crucial to avoid possible lawsuits. The public scandals of corporate malfeasance and misleading practices, have affected the public perception of many organizations. An organizations responsibilities are not limited to primary stakeholders. Although governmental bodies and regulatory agencies do not usually have ownership stakes in companies in free-market economies, they do play an active role in trying to ensure that organizations accept and meet their responsibilities to primary stakeholder groups. Organizations are accountable to these secondary stakeholders. All companies, especially large corporations, have multiple stakeholders. One way of classifying stakeholder groups is to classify them as primary or secondary stakeholders. Primary stakeholders have some direct interest or stake in the organization. Secondary stakeholders, in contrast, are public or special interest groups that do not have a direct stake in the organization but are still affected by its operations. The impact of external factors on organisations: There is a simple rhyme which goes: Environment to each must be. All there is that isnt me. You can see therefore that the business environment consists of all those things outside the business. The business needs to keep a watchful eye on the environment because it is continually changing. Key elements in the environment are: 1. Competition. Rival companies are continually changing what they have to offer. They may lower prices, bring out new products, engage in exciting new advertising campaigns, and a range of other activities. 2. Political factors. The action of government affects business and other organisations. Governments are continually changing the rules and the laws that affect business. This is illustrated by the way in which government rules affect schools. Simon Jenkins in an article in The Sunday Times, on 24 September 2006 illustrates this well when he wrote: This government tries to keep control of every school. Since coming to office its education department has issued 500 regulations, 350 policy targets, 175 efficiency targets, 700 notes of guidance, 17 plans and 26 separate incentive grant streams. 3. Economic factors. The economy consists of businesses, individuals and government. The international economy consists of the economies of all the countries in the world. The economy consists of many markets the market for goods, the market for services and the market for money are key parts of this. These markets determine the price that business has to pay for its resources such as labour, and raw materials. Businesses are continually affected by changes in the economy. 4. Social factors. Society is made up of all the people in a given area. It is important to be able to find out what the main trends are that are happening in society because these trends affect business. For example, changes in age patterns, such as the increasing numbers of older people in the population, determine which goods are popular. Then there are social trends which are affected by fashion for example this year some goods will be in, whereas next year nobody or very few people will want to buy them. 5. Technological factors result from the development of new techniques, i.e. new types of products and new processes to make products. For example, recent years have seen a massive change in information technology which has transformed the way we run our lives. For example, today more than 90% of young people possess a mobile phone. (www.acquaint.me.uk) The impact of global factors on business organisations Businesses are affected by an external environment as much as they are affected by the competitors. Global factors influencing business are legal, political, social, technological and economic. Understanding of these factors is important while developing a business strategy. a. Social factors These factors are related to changes in social structures. These factors provide insights into behaviour, tastes, and lifestyles patterns of a population. Buying patterns are greatly influenced by the changes in the structure of the population, and in consumer lifestyles. Age, gender, etc all determine the buying patterns and understanding of such changes is critical for developing strategies which are in line with the market situations. In a global environment it is important that business strategies are designed keeping in mind the social and cultural differences that vary from country to country. Consumer religion, language, lifestyle patterns are all important information for successful business management. b. Legal factors These factors that influence business strategies are related to changes in government laws and regulations. For a successful business operation it is important that the businesses consider the legal issues involved in a particular situation and should have the capability to anticipate ways in which changes in laws will affect the way they must behave. Laws keep changing over a period of time. From the point of view of business it is important that they are aware of these changes in the areas of consumer protection legislation, environmental legislation, health safety and employment law, etc. c. Economic factors These factors involve changes in the global economy. A rise in living standards would ultimately imply an increase in demand for products thereby, providing greater opportunities for businesses to make profits. An economy witnesses fluctuations in economic activities. This would imply that in case of a rise in economic activity the demand of the product will increase and hence the price will increase. In case of reduction in demand the prices will go down. Business strategies should be developed keeping in mind these fluctuations. Other economic changes that affect business include changes in the interest rate, wage rates, and the rate of inflation. In case of low interest rates and increase in demand Businesses will be encouraged to expand and take risks. Therefore, business strategies should have room for such fluctuations. d. Political factors This refers to the changes in government and government policies. Political factors greatly influence the operation of business. This has gained significant importance off late. For example: companies operating in the European Union have to adopt directives and regulations created by the EU. The political arena has a huge influence upon the regulation of businesses, and the spending power of consumers and other businesses. Business must consider the stability of the political environment, governments policy on the economy etc e. Technological factors These factors greatly influence business strategies as they provide opportunities for businesses to adopt new innovations, and inventions. This helps the business to reduce costs and develop new products. With the advent of modern communication technologies, technological factors have gained great impetus in the business arena. . Huge volumes of information can be securely shared by means of databases thereby enabling vast cost reductions, and improvements in service. Organisations need to consider the latest relevant technological advancements for their business and to stay competitive. Technology helps business to gain competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization. While designing the business strategies firms must consider if use of technology will allow the firm to manufacture products and services at a lower cost. Firms can select new modes of distributions with the help of technology. It has become easier for companies to communicate wi th their customer in any part of the world. (http://www.businessteacher.org.uk) Strategies employed by organisations operating globally Operations strategy is the development of a long-term plan for using the major resources of the firm for a high degree of compatibility between these resources and the firm long term corporate strategy. Operations strategy addresses very broad questions about how these major resources should be configured to achieve the desired corporate objectives. Some of the major long-term issues addressed in operations strategy include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How large do we make our facilities? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What type of processes do we install to make the products or provide services? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What will our supply chain look like? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What will be the nature of our workforce? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How do we ensure quality? (http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0070922837/158533/sample_ch2.pdf). Managing culture, society and economy challenges Companies move to other countries to expand their business and to increase the profits. When companies do move to other countries they face different challenges like meeting local customers demands, understanding the rules or regulations of local government, language problems etc. If we sum up these problems generally there are three main problems in moving business to overseas countries which are social, cultural and economic factors. Companies do have to understand the culture of the country so that they can run their business properly. They have to understand their social customs and economy of the country. For example McDonalds, KFC or Subway, these companies have operations all over the world. They sale poultry, pork and meat products. Now expanding their business to Asian countries, they first get knowledge about their social, cultural and economy factory. Taking example of Muslim countries, when these three companies moved to Muslims countries they cannot sell Pork or Non-Hala l products in Muslim countries because it is against their cultural values or religious values. So they do sell Halal products to these countries and avoid selling of Pork. This shows that companies have to change themselves according to local culture and social life to do good business in other countries. Also they do offer prices according to local economy or purchasing power of customers. They cannot apply the same prices both in US, UK, India and Pakistan because the economic condition of all these countries is different. Conclusion There is no doubt that with the progress in globalisation living standard of people in many countries has improved but there is also no denial to the fact that most of benefits are being gained by developed countries. They are exploiting the rights of developing countries in the name of globalisation. The income gap between developed countries and developing countries has been increased which is a matter of concern. Through globalisation many companies have also gained benefits especially multinational companies and big companies. They are getting huge profits through globalisation. But they are also exploiting peoples right to some extent, like they are not giving the same pays to developing and developed countries.

Double Vision :: Personal Narrative Writing

Double Vision We met at Astor Place. I said hello, she said hi. Her face was the same as I remembered. It was a Sunday afternoon in autumn, and the wind made her cheeks rosy. She smiled curiously. Looking back, maybe it was less the wind and more the circumstances. It had been quite sometime since our last encounter, two months, if my memory served me. â€Å"Shall we,† I said leading the way. Down the stairs of the subway station we passed through the turnstile, I first, then she. Subway’s no way for a good man to go down, rich man won’t ride and the hobo he can drown. Waiting for the 6 train I began to fidget, as Elton John’s lyrics bounced back and forth in my mind. She attempted to talk over the roar of the uptown train. â€Å"How was your summer?† she loudly inquired. And I thank the lord â€Å"Is that what you really want to ask?† I shouted back. for the people I have found. She turned her head and nodded, as the train rolled to a stop. The doors opened and the people poured out, filling the platform. Her body backed into mine, and a faint, familiar fragrance swept through me. Time stood as the aroma lingered. A heartbeat later we were fighting our way through the entanglement. Entering the passenger car, we managed to find an empty seat. The smell of her hair. I remembered that, I remembered the morning after finding my face softly nestled in a pillow of blonde, breathing her in. She had yet to wake, and the sun rising through her barred apartment windows painted crisscrossing patterns on her exposed back. â€Å"14TH STREETUNION SQUARE. THIS IS A BRONX BOUND 6 TRAIN, NEXT STOP 23RD STREET.† The mechanical voice stole me back to the present. Gathering myself I apologized to her. â€Å"Whatever for?† she asked. â€Å"I’m not quite myself today, I, um, I seem to have lost my words†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off watching the child in the seat across from me wriggle in the arms of his mother, fighting for his freedom, the mother’s face a picture of exhaustion. â€Å"Don’t give it a second thought, sometimes it’s nice to be alone, alone with someone else,† she said. Through the reflection in the window in front of me, I stole a glance at her face as she spoke those last words.

Adventure Time Essay

Have you ever gazed upon one of Salvador Dali’s surreal paintings, and it left you in a bewildered state? You’ve pondered what he was trying to display, or perhaps you were left wondering, is there a story behind this? Well, I am here today to tell you of such a story. See, we live in a time where people tend to take things much too seriously, far too often. When the world seems to erase happiness from one’s life, there lays Adventure Time, shimmering in the horizon in all its pastel glory. It is a beacon of happiness, joy, abnormality, and an escape route for all those trapped in a calloused hand of disappointment. The show may appear to disguise itself as a children’s program, but I can tell you confidently, that it provides material for more than one target audience. There’s a reason why high school and college students enjoy watching Pixar films or shows from their youth, and Pendleton Ward, the show’s creator, really hits home with a cartoon that may well be the most creative, and entertaining TV program of it’s kind. This is a fine example of the phrase â€Å"do not judge a book by its cover†, because underneath Adventure Time’s amazing array of bright and colorful characters, lies a subtext that involves a very large portion of dark and rather bizarre moments. This world that you are diving into and sharing with these characters is not as â€Å"sugar coated† as it leads you to believe. Adventure Time is set in a post-apocalyptic Earth, where The Great Mushroom War wiped out it’s inhabitants, leaving one human child alive. Which brings us to our stories main protagonist, Finn the Human, who was raised by a family of elasticated, shape-shifting dogs. Jake the dog, Finn’s brother and best pal, joins Finn on his Adventures of saving princesses from the evil Ice King, exposing themselves to constant dangers while they protect the kingdom of living candy from horrifying terrors. Although it sometimes may be weird yet amusing, like when our heroes place themselves inside the stomach of a giant to prevent the bears that are partying within from being digested and melted by lava, Adventure Time can become serious when the characters portray real emotion. A cartoon needs more than just mind-blowing implications to entertain an older audience. In more recent episodes, it was shown that the main antagonist of the show, was once a human antiquarian (someone who studies ancient artifacts), who discovered a cursed crown sometime before the Nuclear fallout. When he placed it on to make his fiancee laugh, he blacked out and started experiencing horrifying visions. When he came to, something happened that drove his fiancee away. This later connects to why he steals princesses, to fill the gap in his heart from when his own princess left him. Also, our hero is in love with a princess made entirely out of bubblegum, but cannot be with her due to the fact that she is 18 and he is 13, causing him emotional stress. He later falls in love with a princess made out of flames, who is highly unstable when she is angry. Finn has a hard time being with her because she burns him whenever he tries to hold her. I’m sure some of you may connect with the feeling of wanting someone, but something prevents you from being with that person or simply, the person has no feelings for you. This show is stacked to the brim with moments like these. Not only is there an emotional intelligence to balance the show’s oddness, but there is a very artistic and poetic vibe behind the story. There are numerous musical numbers, and remember able quotes that make you think. A couple of my personal favorite quotes from the show are: â€Å"In the dark recesses of the mind, a disease known as FEAR feasts upon the souls of those who cannot overcome its power†¦ And so fear forces deep within the soul of a hero. Conquered†¦ at least, for now. † â€Å"I am the true coward. Hiding from sincere expressions like a vampire in the nude who hides from the light. Thank you brave hero. I was freed from bottle jail, but my new prison is shame. † Can we pull back the veil of static and reach in to the source of all being? Behind this curtain of patterns, this random pattern generator. So clever. Right here in every home, watching us from a one-sided mirror. † When a cartoon is able to be demented and touch the heart at the same time, I believe it is a show for everyone to enjoy. So grab your friends, and experience many different lands, with Jake the Dog and Finn the Human, a show where the fun never ends, it’s Adventure Time. Adventure Time Essay Adventure Time (originally titled Adventure Time with Finn & Jake[2]) is an American animated television series created by Pendleton Ward for Cartoon Network. The series follows the adventures of Finn (voiced by Jeremy Shada), a human boy, and his best friend and adoptive brother Jake (voiced by John DiMaggio), a dog with magical powers to change shape and grow and shrink at will. Finn and Jake live in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo. Along the way, they interact with the other main characters of the show: Princess Bubblegum (voiced by Hynden Walch), The Ice King (voiced by Tom Kenny), and Marceline the Vampire Queen (voiced by Olivia Olson). The series is based on a short produced for Frederator’s Nicktoons Network animation incubator series Random! Cartoons. After the short became a viral hit on the internet, Cartoon Network picked it up for a full-length series that previewed on March 11, 2010, and officially premiered on April 5, 2010. The series, which is heavily inspired by the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons as well as video games, is produced via hand-drawn animation. Episodes are created through the process of storyboarding, and a single episode takes roughly nine months to complete. The Adventure Time cast records their lines together in group recordings as opposed to different recording sessions with each voice actor, and the series also regularly employs guest actors and actresses for minor and recurring characters. Each Adventure Time episode is about eleven minutes in length; pairs of episodes are often telecast in order to fill a half-hour program time slot. The series has completed four seasons of twenty-six episodes each, and is currently on its fifth, which debuted on November 12, 2012. Ever since its debut, Adventure Time has been a ratings success for Cartoon Network. As of March 2012, the show is viewed by approximately 2 to 3 million viewers per week. The show has received positive reviews from critics and has developed a cult following among teenagers and adults, many of whom are attracted due to the series’ animation, stories and characters. Adventure Time has also been nominated for five Annie Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Critics’ Choice Television Awards, and a Sundance Film Festival Award, among others. In 2013, the series won a Motion Picture Sound Editors Award for the episode â€Å"Card Wars†. In addition, the series has also produced various clothing and merchandise, video games, comic books, and DVD compilations.

Free Essays on Child Abuse

Most of us find it difficult to imagine how anyone could abuse infants and children. We can’t comprehend it. It doesn’t to us. In the past, our society has tried to deny it and pretend that such abuse did not exist. However, child abuse has been of the most prominent and acknowledged problems in Americans society. For many years, the enormity of the problem was simply inconceivable. Two factors brought the concerns and difficulties associated with abuse to the forefront of social consciousness. First was admitting the problems of child abuse. The second, acknowledging that abuse is present in families of all cultures, religions, and socioeconomic classes.1Experts now recognize abuse as a severe problem with potentially harmful and even devastating effects on children and adults who were abused children.2 Popular and clinical writings use varying definitions of child abuse. For the most part, child abuse includes physical harmful contact ranging from fondling to rape, neglect of physical well-being, and emotional harm through verbal abuse.3 Often children are victims of several forms of mistreatment. Not every abused child develops emotional or psychiatric problems. However, child abuse does seem to increase the likelihood of several difficulties.4 This may include aggression toward or avoidance of others, hyperactivity, anxiety, emotional withdrawal, mild to severe delays in physical and emotional growth, and sexualized behaviors. 5 Clearly, abuse contributes to a child’s concept of life. This may include a sense of loss of a good and just world, a negative outlook, and a lack of trust in others or self. 6 Children thrive on the sense of the mother and father being good, caring and all powering. When this person is abusive that interferes with the sense of goodness and fairness. Children feel fearful to their parents’ powerfulness.7 They lose their security. This makes these children more vulnerable to other abuses. N... Free Essays on Child Abuse Free Essays on Child Abuse Child Sexual Abuse The problem of child sexual abuse has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. The American media have reported numerous cases in which persons in positions of trust- including day care providers, clergymen, and scout leaders- have been accused (and in some cases convicted) of molesting children under their care. Many of these charges have been made by adults who claim to have recovered repressed memories of abuse they were subjected to as children. Other widely reported stories have involved children being abused- and sometimes murdered- by convicted child molesters newly released from prison. In addition, pedophiles have reportedly lured child victims into abusive situations via the Internet. Commentators point to such developments as evidence that the problem of child sexual abuse in the United States is alarmingly serious. On the other hand, some researchers and social critics, while agreeing that child sexual abuse is a horrendous crime, maintain that the extent of the problem has been exaggerated due to various causes. Media critics contend that intensive reporting of a few sensational cases has created a sense of panic among the public. Others question the validity of the recovered memories that are the basis of many child abuse accusations. In addition, the victimization of children, society’s most vulnerable members, automatically provokes intense anger among parents and concerned citizens who demand action on the part of law enforcement. While such outrage is natural and understandable, some commentators argue that the public’s response to recent developments has been excessive and has created the impression that the problem is worse than it actually is. Varying estimates This debate remains unresolved in part because it is impossible to determine the exact extent of the problem. Experts believe that most cases of child sexual abuse are never reported to authorities. In fact, th... Free Essays on Child Abuse Imagine for one moment that you are not yourself any longer. Visualize instead that you are a young girl; old enough to know right from wrong yet still young enough to be terrified by the dark shadows in your room. It is a cool autumn night and your parents have opted to attend a party which you are not allowed at. â€Å"It will be fine,? they say. Although you already know what is to come. Your uncle comes over to watch you for the evening, and your parents are so pleased by the fact that they do not have to find a sitter. As soon as he arrives, your mother kisses you on the cheek and scurries out the door to join your father already waiting in the car outside. The nightmare begins. His slimy hands casually slide an ebony cartridge into the VCR as he smiles at you seductively. You can feel his eyes worming their gaze through your clothes every time that he looks at you. You feel dirty and violated every time you think about what he does to you when you are alone. He walks over to the couch and sits down next to you. His hand slithers it way onto your knee and you cringe in revulsion. â€Å"Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you,?he chides. Your mind feels panicky as you feel his touch in more intimate places and you scream involuntarily. His grip tightens as he places his hand over your mouth. â€Å"We’ll have to do this the hard way!?comes his intense whisper. You flail your arms at him, but it doesn’t help. His writhing massive body is on top of yours, and you feel so powerless. Eventually, you sink into a sobbing heap and simply wait for his passions to stop. You wait for the nightmare to end. When he is done, you limp to the laundry room and try fruitlessly to get the blood stains out of your clothes. It is all your fault... Abuse: The violation or defilement of; What you have just experienced is one type of abuse that occurs millions of times every year across America. Estimate... Free Essays on Child Abuse With society placing such significance on family preservation, many of the institutions set in place to protect children from abuse were focusing more attention on preserving the family than on protecting the child and the child’s rights. Welfare Service tends to be understanding and view both the parents and the child as victims of circumstance. Even the United State’s Supreme Court based their system around preservation of the family by making their rights of biological parents have more power in the courts than the children’s rights unless the biological parent loose their parental rights due to being found to be unfit (Bartholet 1999). Within this century, child pornography has begun to be recognized as a form of abuse with maltreatment of the fetus being considered another form of abuse. As a society we consider pornography as exploiting the innocence and rights of children. Also the recognition that fetuses are as living, breathing beings and should have just as many rights against abuse has caused the governments to enact laws which protect the fetus while it is still in the womb. Current Day Perspective Even though child abuse has been present throughout history and the issue has been brought out into the public eye more and more during the last century. The issue still remains one of the biggest problems in today’s society. There are many efforts and programs that have been put into place to help children who have already been abused or neglected, but at this time the focus needs to be placed on prevention. Through the years the rights of the children have been overlooked and emphasis on parental right has been the main concern of the legal system. Family preservation has been a main focus for many social services, courts and law enforcement. Even though parental rights are still placed as more important than the child’s rights; society has started to reevaluate whether or not it is more detrimental to keep the... Free Essays on Child Abuse In 1962, C. Henry Kempe conducted a survey of eighty-eight hospitals in which he identified 302 children who had been â€Å"battered†. The survey, which for the first time defined the â€Å"battered child syndrome†, graphically catalogued brutality to young children, many of whom suffered multiple injuries. While earlier discoveries of the child abuse phenomenon had smoldered in the public consciousness, Kempe’s report ignited a broad-based national effort to find ways to protect children. Specifically, it led to calls for child abuse reporting systems, to ensure that whenever a â€Å"battered child† was even suspected, the case would be reported and measures taken to protect the child. By 1966, all fifty states had passed legislation regulating child abuse, all of which mandated reporting. By 1986, every state but one required reporting of neglect, and forty-one states made explicit reference to reporting of emotional or psychological abuse. Initially mandated reporting was limited to physicians, but this was eventually extended to include teachers, nurses, counselors, and the general public. The state mandated reporting laws resulted in a meteoric rise in child abuse reports across the United States. In 1962, when Kempe and his colleagues published their report, there had been about 10,000 child abuse reports. By 1976, child abuse reports had risen to more than 669,000 and by 1978 to 836,000. By 1992, almost 3 million reports of child abuse were filed nationwide, including 1,261 child abuse-related fatalities. If current trends continue, it is projected that more than 4 million children will be reported for abuse annually by the year 2000. There are many different definitions for child abuse. According to the Child Abuse Prevention Act (CAPTA) of 1996, child abuse and neglect is defined as: â€Å"at a minimum, any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional h... Free Essays on Child Abuse Abuse and Neglect 2 Legally, child abuse is defined as physical of psychological injury that results from adult’s intentional exposure of a child to potentially harmful physical stimuli, sexual acts, or neglect (Sulkes, 1998). Studies have proven that most child abuse cases are higher in most homes that are single-parent and step-parent homes. Most people do not see it as child abuse they might see it as discipline. Child abuse rates in America are very high. Sadly, about 2,000 infants and children die as a result of abuse and/or neglect each year in the United States (Sulkes 1998). Within child abuse there are models for explaining what it pertains. One useful model for explaining abuse classifies its causes into four broad categories: socio-cultural factors, characteristics of the child, characteristics of the abuser, and family stresses (Bittner& Newberger, 1981). The main idea of this model is that episodes of abuse are typically precipitated by everyday interactions between parents and children. In most cases children with mental disabilities and those who have temperaments are more likely to be abused than others. On another aspect of child abuse; the majority child abuse cases, about two-thirds, involve physical injuries (Sulkes, 1998). Stats in the United States never lie. In the United Abuse and Neglect 3 States alone, most cases of child abuse involve children between the ages of 2 and 9 (US. Bureau of the Census, 1997). Now, in these cases of child abuse they may start to have mental issues. In conclusion, I have personally learned a lot. I feel that we as a society can put child abuse to an end. People in this really need to recognize what they are doing to their children and really analyze the long term affect that this will be causing them. We as a nation can do this we just need to come together!... Free Essays on Child Abuse Imagine for one moment that you are not yourself any longer. Visualize instead that you are a young girl; old enough to know right from wrong yet still young enough to be terrified by the dark shadows in your room. It is a cool autumn night and your parents have opted to attend a party which you are not allowed at. â€Å"It will be fine,? they say. Although you already know what is to come. Your uncle comes over to watch you for the evening, and your parents are so pleased by the fact that they do not have to find a sitter. As soon as he arrives, your mother kisses you on the cheek and scurries out the door to join your father already waiting in the car outside. The nightmare begins. His slimy hands casually slide an ebony cartridge into the VCR as he smiles at you seductively. You can feel his eyes worming their gaze through your clothes every time that he looks at you. You feel dirty and violated every time you think about what he does to you when you are alone. He walks over to t he couch and sits down next to you. His hand slithers it way onto your knee and you cringe in revulsion. â€Å"Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you,?he chides. Your mind feels panicky as you feel his touch in more intimate places and you scream involuntarily. His grip tightens as he places his hand over your mouth. â€Å"We’ll have to do this the hard way!?comes his intense whisper. You flail your arms at him, but it doesn’t help. His writhing massive body is on top of yours, and you feel so powerless. Eventually, you sink into a sobbing heap and simply wait for his passions to stop. You wait for the nightmare to end. When he is done, you limp to the laundry room and try fruitlessly to get the blood stains out of your clothes. It is all your fault... Abuse: The violation or defilement of; What you have just experienced is one type of abuse that occurs millions of times every year across America. Estimates of abuse range wildly depending on the source of on es info... Free Essays on Child Abuse Most of us find it difficult to imagine how anyone could abuse infants and children. We can’t comprehend it. It doesn’t to us. In the past, our society has tried to deny it and pretend that such abuse did not exist. However, child abuse has been of the most prominent and acknowledged problems in Americans society. For many years, the enormity of the problem was simply inconceivable. Two factors brought the concerns and difficulties associated with abuse to the forefront of social consciousness. First was admitting the problems of child abuse. The second, acknowledging that abuse is present in families of all cultures, religions, and socioeconomic classes.1Experts now recognize abuse as a severe problem with potentially harmful and even devastating effects on children and adults who were abused children.2 Popular and clinical writings use varying definitions of child abuse. For the most part, child abuse includes physical harmful contact ranging from fondling to rape, neglect of physical well-being, and emotional harm through verbal abuse.3 Often children are victims of several forms of mistreatment. Not every abused child develops emotional or psychiatric problems. However, child abuse does seem to increase the likelihood of several difficulties.4 This may include aggression toward or avoidance of others, hyperactivity, anxiety, emotional withdrawal, mild to severe delays in physical and emotional growth, and sexualized behaviors. 5 Clearly, abuse contributes to a child’s concept of life. This may include a sense of loss of a good and just world, a negative outlook, and a lack of trust in others or self. 6 Children thrive on the sense of the mother and father being good, caring and all powering. When this person is abusive that interferes with the sense of goodness and fairness. Children feel fearful to their parents’ powerfulness.7 They lose their security. This makes these children more vulnerable to other abuses. N... Free Essays on child abuse Child abuse is a very common thing in today's society, although not much is heard about it. The abuse occurs in the home where the bruises can be hidden. The emotional and physical scars are hidden behind clothes, makeup and lies. There are four different types of abuse suffered every day by children all across the world. The four different types are physical, sexual, emotional and psychological. The abuse leaves scars with children for the rest of their lives, physical scars, but the one's that cause the most pain are the emotional scars, the scars that last a lifetime. Child abuse is the intentional use of physical force or intentional omission of care by a parent or caretaker that causes a child to be hurt, wounded, or killed. In Canada the exact statstics of child abuse and neglect is unknown, but is recognized as a major social problem. Under Provincial laws requiring physicians - and encouraging other persons - to report incidents of suspected abuse, more than two million cases of neglect and physical abuse are reported each year. Child abuse covers a wide range of parental actions that results in harm being inflicted on children of all ages. The kind of abuse, however, varies with age. Infants and preschool children are most likely to suffer deliberately inflicted fractures, burns, and bruises. This is known as the battered child syndrome, first identified during the 1960's. Historically, reported cases of sexual abuse, ranging from molestation to incest, primarily involve male perpetrators and school-aged or adolescent female victims. More recently, however, a growing number of pre-school victims have been identified. Perhaps the most consistent type of abuse is neglect - that is, physical or emotional harm resulting from a parent's failure to provide a child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education, and moral training. A common symptom of neglect among young children is underfeeding; an und... Free Essays on Child Abuse In Today’s American society we fail to address several issues that need to be solved. Unfortunately, child abuse is one of the major issues that our country is plagued with, yet we neglect to bring this to the attention of the entire nation. It is often over looked because everyone has a different view of what exactly defines child abuse. To set the record straight there are four basic forms of child abuse: emotional abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse (ICAN). Emotional Abuse (also known as: Verbal abuse, mental abuse, and psychological maltreatment), includes acts or the failures to act by parents or caretakers that have caused or could cause, serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional or mental disorders. This can include parents/caretakers using extreme and/or bizarre forms of punishment, such as confinement in a closet or dark room or being tied to a chair for long periods of time or threatening or terrorizing a child. Less severe acts, but no less damaging are belittling or rejecting treatment, using derogatory terms to describe the child, habitual scape goating or blaming, the child (ICAN). Neglect, which is the failure to provide for the child’s basic needs. Neglect can be physical, educational, or emotional. Physical neglect can include not providing adequate food or clothing appropriates medical care, supervision, or proper weather protection (heating or coats), to the child. Educational neglect can include failure to provide appropriate schooling or special educational needs, allowing excessive truancies, to the child. Psychological neglect is the lack of any emotional support and love, never attending to the child, spousal abuse, drug and alcohol abuse including allowing the child to participate in drug and alcohol use (ICAN). Physical Abuse, is the inflicting of physical injury upon the child. This may include, burning, hitting, punching shaking, kicking beating, or otherwise harming a child. The parent ... Free Essays on Child Abuse Child Labor Child Labour Ingrid Pinto ABC School of Social Sciences Child Labor The 1990 World Summit for children was a landmark, which was attended by 71 heads of state. It was a moment of great satisfaction and encouragement for all the international bodies engaged in their pursuit of making â€Å"A world fit for children†, when 71 heads of state pledged to eradicate polio, reduce infant mortality rate, eliminate the worst forms of child labor and promote vocational training for adolescents.1 Complex Factors There is a popular public opinion that the children should not be exposed to labor tasks including employment at an age, which demands their involvement in educational and recreational activities. The activities undertaken at child age contribute to their growth and development and undertaking labor task at this age is no less than a crime. However, mostly people express this opinion based on strong emotions and the complex factors contributing to this dilemma are not understood in their real background. These factors range from legal, social, political and economic aspects, which extend far beyond the strong emotions. A detailed, careful and empathetic analysis of these factors can lead us to understand the problems of child labor on an international horizon. Powerful legislation, its strict enforcement and the extent of its implementation across the board on an international scale can serve as a foundation in addressing this curse. International studies reveal the magnitude of the grave problem of child labor. A systematic estimate, undertaken in 1985, calculated around 31 million street children worldwide, of whom 71 percent were child workers living at home, 23 percent kept occasional family contact, and 8 percent were entirely separated.2 The contributing factors to the child labor are limitless, however, the vital few factors are external debt, poverty, lack of appropriate infrastructure, economic crisis, and social and ... Free Essays on Child Abuse Running Head: Child Abuse in the Preschool Years Abstract Child abuse can take many forms and has a variety of symptoms. A child who is abused may show all of them or none. It isn’t always easy to tell if a child has been or is being abused. A child also may become resilient. Many times the abuse is a cycle that has started many generations before and each child has learned that it is acceptable to treat their own children like that. It is important that if you suspect abuse to call and inform the appropriate people because otherwise it may go unseen. Child Abuse in the Preschool Years Child Abuse occurs more than many people think it does. It can take many forms such as emotional, sexual, and physical abuse. The effects can last a lifetime. Child abuse can have detrimental effects on cognitive and social development, especially, when it occurs before or during the preschool years of life. Symptoms of Abuse Physical abuse is more frequent for families living in stressful situations, poverty, single-parent households, and high levels of marital conflict. A few warning signs of physical abuse are: injuries that have no reasonable explanation, burns from cigarettes or immersion of hot water, fear of adults or care providers, inappropriate attire in warm weather, and fear of physical contact. Many times abuse occurs because parents or caregivers are insensitive to the child’s emotional or behavioral levels. They have unreasonably high expectations for their children (Feldman, 2003). Psychological abuse occurs when parents or caregivers harm children’s behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or physical functioning. Psychological abuse also includes neglect. The caregivers make the child feel like they are a burden to them and the child may be threatened with abandonment or even death. Neglect is ignoring or being emotionally irresponsive to the child. Psychological ab... Free Essays on Child Abuse The key word in the definition of child abuse is deliberate. Why would anyone deliberately do something like that to their own child? In 2001, 3 million referrals concerning the welfare of approximately 5 million children were made to Child Protective Service agencies throughout the United States. Professionals, including teachers, law enforcement officers, social services workers, and physicians, made more than half of the reports. Others, including family members, neighbors, and other members of the community, made the remaining referrals. More than one-quarter of investigations or assessments 28 percent resulted in a finding that the child was abused or at risk of abuse. The remaining investigations resulted in a finding that the abuse did not occur, the child was not at risk of abuse, or the information wasn’t good enough. Approximately 903,000 children were to be victims of child abuse. Not in just physical but in, medical neglect, sexual abuse, and psychological. To get these numbers down, there are lots of things us as a country can do. We can start by letting kids be kids, and being parents to kids not their friend, but not their worst enemy. Most States define perpetrators of child abuse or neglect as a parent or other caretaker, such as a relative, babysitter, or foster parent, who has abused a child. Fifty-nine percent of perpetrators were women and 41 percent were men. The median age of female perpetrators was 31 year, the median age of male perpetrators was 34 years. More than 80 percent of victims were abused by a parent or parents. The 2001 victimization rate of 12.4 per 1,000 children in the population is comparable to the 2000 rate of 12.2, especially given that the child population base numbers were estimated. Both the 2000 and 2001 rates are lower than the 1998 rate. The 1999 rate is considered an outlier that was unduly influenced by the census population estimates. Children in the age group of birth to ... Free Essays on Child Abuse There are millions of children being abused every year. Child abuse doesn’t necessarily have to be physical, it can be mental, emotional, or sexual abuse; it can even be neglect. Abuse doesn’t only affect the child being abused, but it also affects the people witnessing the abuse. Child abuse can affect the child in many different ways. The worst way the child can be affected is suicide. Every child abuse case is different in its own way. Child abuse can lead to problems and suffering, but it is not always that simple. Every child will have a different way of dealing with it that they think is all right because they have been raised only knowing this. Common effects of child abuse include: Nightmares or difficulty sleeping; low self-esteem; antisocial behavior, including rebelliousness or running away; increased hostility; or aggression. Feelings of fear, shame, anger, guilt, anxiety, or confusion are often found in a child that is being abused. The child will tend to stay away from other children and play by himself. A child that is abused will most likely be abused until they are a teenager and will usually find themselves in an abusive relationship later in life, if they’re not being abused they will usually be the abuser. The child will most likely be effected by the abuse their whole lives, and will need therapy at some point in their lives. But most cannot afford it so they live with the thoughts of being abused all their lives. Many people are not aware of the long-term effects abuse can have on a child. Whether a child experiences abuse or witnesses it, the effects often affect the physical, intellectual, and emotional growth of the child. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. It is a time organizations try to make the public aware that there are children being abused everyday. During this month organizations try to educate people on how to bring healing to those who are being abused. Infants and toddlers (0 - 2 ½... Free Essays on Child Abuse Children have been abused throughout the world for many years. Child abuse is any â€Å"physical or mental† (Rench 163) behavior that endangers the development severity or survival of a child. It is the guardians’ betrayal of trust and authority over a child and the child’s well being. Any serious risk of harm to a child, can be considered child abuse. Some types of child abuse, that children face each day are: physical, sexual, neglect and emotional abuse. Day by day children who are abused have many questions, but no answers, one in particular is â€Å"why†. Children are abused because guardians think that they must use whatever type of discipline necessary to country a child’s behavior to feel justified. In doing so, they relinguish their guilt in the â€Å"name of discipline† (Abuse Child, 1 of 1). Caregivers may not understand the skills necessary to meet the need of a child. Some kids are not cared for in the right way because they were not wanted in the first place. Parents may have been exposed to the same abuse and have not learned have to raise their child. Children can also be abused by stressed caregivers. Children of all ages from babes to teenagers are abused. It occurs in any kind of home and in all types of ethnicity, religion, social and economic background. Abuse has no limits to any age group. Children of all ages may be at risk. Three year olds are often faced with neglect, while teenagers are more likely to be physically abused. Any â€Å"deliberate application† (Abuse, 1 of 1) of force to any part of a child’s body. Children who are physically abused, can also face emotional abuse. Physical abuse can include : slapping, punching, burning, hitting, pushing, biting, shaking, choking, kicking or even poisoning a child. Any harmful or dangerous use of force, can lead a child to have a very low self esteem. Emotional abuse is denying a child love or affection. Children are also being neglected and not gi... Free Essays on Child Abuse Many children suffer at the hands of adults - often their own parents. They are beaten, kicked, thrown into walls, and/or burned with cigarettes. They have their heads held under the water of toilet bowls, are scalded by hot water or they are forced to stand in freezing showers until they pass out. A child could be stuffed into running washing machines or sexually molested, suffer from neglect in the forms of starvation and lack of medical attention, and still go unnoticed by outsiders. In fact, it is estimated that three children die every day in the U.S. alone from one form of child abuse or another. It is a sickening practice that has no set standard of rules to finish off the persisting problem. Different states have different methods and agencies to help prevent abuse in the home, some work quite well while others bomb - a dangerous gamble when it comes to the life or mental state of a child. The precise number of deaths each year is not known because of the extent of most fatal ity investigations that could be suspected as child abuse but are seen as open and shut death cases. A report from the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, however, depicts more than three million reports of alleged child maltreatment practices in the year of 1995 alone. Many more children are living with abuse rather than dying from it, too. So what steps are being taken to protect our nation's children? All states have a Child Protective Services (or CPS) system. This is the governmental system responsible for investigating reports of child abuse or neglect. In state after state, the CPS agency lacks the resources to respond adequately to the overwhelming number of reports it is legislatively mandated to investigate. All fifty states have child abuse reporting laws requiring reports of suspected abuse to be made by specified professionals and others whose work brings them into regular contact with children. Any citizen may report suspected abuse as ... Free Essays on Child Abuse Child Abuse Child Abuse is a big problem among America today. I very disappointed that I didn’t get to hear the speaker on child abuse. Being in the field of education, I will be around children every day, and need to pay close attention to how the children act, look, and feel. As I was going through high school, a girl in my school became pregnant. She seemed to not care about the life she was carrying. While being pregnant she still continued to drink and smoke. Many people may not think of drinking while pregnant is child abuse, but IT IS. Her baby was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, also known as FAS, a leading cause of mental retardation. There is no sure for these birth defects, which can range form severe problems to the less visible problems like paying attention in school. Being that I watched a baby be brought into the world who would have disabilities that weren’t it’s fault, I truly despise parents who allow this to happen. Child Abuse and neglect can not always be seen. As a teacher to children, I need to be aware of the warning signs. A few key warning signs are: Nervousness around adults, aggression toward adults or other children; sudden, dramatic changes in personality for extended periods, and low self-esteem. When a child is being abused at home, it very rare they will come to an adult and ask for help. There are ways to reach out and help them through it. One way to reach out is to; be a friend to a parent you know, by asking how their children are. If the parent seems to be upset of struggle in their answering offer to baby-sit, just show you understand. Another way is to talk to your neighbors about looking out for one another’s children. Encourage a supportive spirit among parents. Getting involved within community is a big key with helping understand and comfort children and parents. In order for children to grow up healthy mentally and physically parents need to nurture the...