Aviation rescue and fire fighting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Aviation rescue and fire fighting - Essay Example Technological advances have allowed Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting to meet the challenges that have come about with its primary function of rescuing passengers and the growing use of air transportation and larger aircraft. Aviation Rescue and Firefighting is unique in its function as at a time of an air crash the members of the Aviation Rescue and Firefighting team face the intense challenge of rescuing a possible of more than 400 passengers from within the aircraft, whose length could extend to ninety meters and a width of five meters. Starting with normal firefighting equipment and volunteers immediately after the Second World War, Aviation Rescue and Firefighting has taken giant strides to keep with the technological advancements that have caused air transportation to transform dramatically and the size of aircraft also to grow to very large extents. The job function calls for highly trained and skilled personnel operating with sophisticated firefighting and rescue equipment. (Airport Rescue & Fire Fighting Index). The main objective of Aviation Rescue and Firefighting is to save the life of the entrapped passengers from the burning aircraft and the protection of aircraft and surrounding buildings and vehicle remain a secondary objective at the time of an aircraft accident or incident. The fire hazard is extremely high and all times the need for extinguishing fires has to be at the forefront of the activities of the Aviation Rescue and Firefighting. Fires may happen when aircraft land and take off, or during an accident or when rescue operation are put into place. The rupture of the fuel tanks of the aircraft could lead to spillage of highly volatile and inflammable aviation fuels and other liquids used by aircrafts. The aviation fuel and inflammable liquids could easily burst into flames by coming in contact with hot metal parts of the aircraft, sparks caused by moving parts of the aircraft or from disruption of the electrical circuits present in the

Leader in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Leader in business - Essay Example The couple decided to send him to the New York Military Academy at the age of thirteen. The plan was to channel the teenage boy's unlimited energy into an avenue to achieve positive results. Before we get started with describing Donald Trump's personality, lets explore a major facet when identifying the various personalities of individuals. I believe that Donald's birthday has a lot to due with the shape and formation of his personality. There is an evidence of truth in the 12 astrological signs when it comes to the personalities and auras of people. Mr. Trump's birthday is June 14, 1964. According to the astrological calendar this means that he is born under Mythology, the planet Mercury rules Gemini. As you may know, Mercury, the messenger of the gods and always moved swiftly to and fro throughout the heavens and on earth delivering messages. It is this fact, along with this sign's desire to explore new things that keep people like this always on the move looking for new and interesting things. Also according to Athena Starwoman, the writer describing signs' traits and characteristics, people born under this sign also have, "The secret desire to be ahead." For now, lets take a look at the positive effects that sending him to the military academy had on developing his personality in the most influential years of his life. According to www.biography.com "Trump did well at the academy, both socially and academically, rising to be a star athlete and student leader by the time he graduated in 1964." Donald later went on to enter Fordham University. Eventually he finished his bachelor's degree in economics at the Wharton School of Finance, located in the University of Pennsylvania in 1968. His mentors, which were mentioned in the book entitled The Art of the Deal (Theodore Dobias and Major General John Brugmann) were obviously strong influences in the development of his personality and drive to win. It was his mother, in my opinion who gave the one single piece of advice, which was forever etched on the tablet of his heart. Written on an unnumbered page in the beginning of his book entitled How to Get Rich: Big deals from the star of The Apprentice, are the words of his dear mother. He terms it, 'The mother of All Advice.' These words are, "Trust in God, and be true to yourself." Underneath the quote, Donald reflects on his thoughts about the quote. In so many words he said that when he looked back on these words, it was some great advice, possibly some of the best advice in his life. He said at first, he really didn't get it but stuck to it because it sounded good. He concludes that, "It is good advice no matter what your business or lifestyle." Goodlow 3 These eight words are so powerful. One of the traits of successful people is that they always have a belief in a higher power that is at work in the universe operating through them. Take a look at people throughout various eras of history, from the most evil of men to the most benevolent of souls. Men as dark and sinister as Adolf Hitler and Ayatollah

Effects of Ketamine on the Human Body

Effects of Ketamine on the Human Body The desire to alter consciousness is a fundamental human trait. From being something impossible to finding numerous chemicals in controlling the mind, the process of discovery has also created opportunities for us to explore the effects and mind-tricks behind it. Just like any other new inventions in technology, there is always a path that leads to a wrong destination. The use of psychoactive drugs has turned into a trend amongst the younger generation, endangering both their own lives and the stability of the society. It has been said that this ingenious discover has benefited the forward of our medical industry; yet in our 21st century many have become a tool to escape from stress and reality. These so called party drugs are now produced in large amounts and distributed to young people at bars, nightclubs and house parties around the globe. The disastrous impact behind this irresponsible crime has led to thousands of innocent people condemned and forced to dwell in a living hell. Different people have their own definitions of the term abuse. It is hard to have a universal definition for the word as the bottom line of an individual is drawn upon their own decision. Therefore using the definition published by the World Health Organization, psychoactive substance abuse is defined as a maladaptive pattern of use indicated by continued use despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent social, occupational, psychological or physical problem that is caused or exacerbated by the use [or by] recurrent use in situations in which it is physically hazardous.  [1]  In addition, chronic abuse in this context will be defined as a relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences as well as neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain.  [2], in other words, chronic abuse is addiction. Addiction is mostly dependent on previously exposed rewards such as food, alcohol, sex, and in this case, on the psychoactive dru g Ketamine. http://www.tjipr.com/images/enji.jpg http://healthimpactnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/VariousPills-300225.jpg What is Ketamine? Psychoactive Drugs Before answering the above question, it is important to know how ketamine is categorized as a psychoactive drug and its evolvement in human history. The term psychoactive drug is used to describe any chemical substance that affects mood, perception or consciousness as a result of changes in the functioning of the nervous system (brain and spinal cord).  [3]  These drugs are often termed mind-altering because they change the perceptions and the behavior of the individual using them. Psychoactive drugs can be classified into seven different categories: stimulants, depressants, narcotics, cannabis, inhalants, hallucinogens and club drugs. Stimulants are mostly used to relieve tiredness and increase alertness. The most common stimulants are nicotine, which can be found in tobacco products, and caffeine, which is mixed in soft drinks and coffee. The more these drugs are consumed, the more our body will depend on it to maintain the desired effects. Cannabis acts in a similar way, only that it is a plant mainly in forms of marijuana and hashish. Depressants and Narcotics work in the opposite way. They are often used to dull senses and depress the functioning of the central nervous system. These two types of drugs are used medically as anesthetics and analgesics. Small doses of depressants may help more to relax muscles and produce calmness, while larger doses may cause difficulties with reflexes and judgement. Alcohol is a depressant which is widely found in our daily lives, and Narcotics such as opium and heroin are mostly used to relieve pain, yet a long-term dependence on these two may cause addiction and abuse. Hallucinogens and inhalants are synthetic drugs that distort the perception of reality and produce feelings of euphoria. These drugs may cause a short period of excitation and light headedness as it quickly acts on the body as it enters the bloodstream through inhalation. A good example of hallucinogenic drugs is Phencyclidine (PCP), which is mostly used as a sedative in operations before switching to Ketamine. Ketamine is the most common club drug found in the society nowadays. Club drugs have the effect of both stimulants and hallucinogens, and are most popular at party venues such as house parties and nightclubs among the younger generation. Other Club drugs include Ecstasy and Gamma-Hydroxybutryic Acid (GHB). The latter one is odorless and tasteless, therefore gaining the reputation as a date-rape drug as it may cause deep sleep a nd unconsciousness when administered with high dosage.  [4]   Ketamine As mentioned above, Ketamine was used to replace Phencyclidine (PCP) as an anesthetic medicine.  [5]  PCP  was originally tested as a surgical anesthetic in the 1950s.5 It is known as a  dissociative  anesthetic because it can make a person feel a sense of detachment, as if the mind is separated from the body.  [6]  PCP was used in veterinary medicine to anesthetize large animals, but was never approved for use in humans because many patients became agitated, delusional and irrational while recovering from their operations.  During 1960s, PCP was widely abused as it could be easily distributed in pill forms. The powdered form of PCP was developed in 1970s, commonly known as rocket fuel, superweed, etc. which is sprinkled on top of tobacco or marijuana for smoking. PCP  can be easily synthesized; as a result it is often sold off on streets as another drug such as mescaline or Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Due to the worse effects illustrated by patients after the use of PCP, Ketamine was developed in 1962 to replace PCP. It was first known as Cl-581, discovered by scientist Calvin Stevens. Ketamine was then tried in humans as an anesthetic for the first time by Professor Edward Domino, and this is what he said afterwards, Our findings were remarkable! The overall incidence of side effects was about one out of three volunteers. Frank emergence delirium was minimal. Most of our subjects described strange experiences like a feeling of floating in outer space and having no feeling in their arms or legs.   [7]   The successful effects soon encouraged the drug to be patented by the company Parke-Davis for use as an anesthetic in humans and animals. Nonetheless, Professor Domino described Ketamine as a potent psychedelic drug and named it as a dissociative an anesthesia. Ketamine was first used in large quantities in the Vietnam War by the USA Army, where it was used as an anesthesia for soldiers on field. Ketamines chemical structure, mechanism of action and effects are similar to those of PCP, but it acts for a shorter duration and is less potent than PCP. The drug provides dissociative anesthesia, which is a combination of analgesia with superficial sleep. This state is characterized by spontaneous ventilation, relative preservation of airway reflexes and hemodynamic stability, and explains why Ketamine has remained the anesthetic drug of choice in the developing world and for mass casualties in the field.  [8]  Ketamine is tasteless and odorless, so it can be added to food and drinks u ndetected. Because of this, the drug is sometimes used in sexual abuse at entertainment venues and therefore referred to as drug rape. Ketamine is known on the streets as special K, K and cat tranquilizer. Ketamine has plenty of other street names that have changed throughout the years. Originally it was known as rockmesc or mean green  [9]  , and then it evolved to numerous different slang names including Jet, Super K, Vitamin K, New Ecstasy, Honey oil, Mauve, Keller, Bump and Super Acid. Uses and effects of Ketamine exposure in medicine One of the most important happenings in the modern society is our breakthrough in the development of effective medicine for clinical procedures. Advances in technology has prospered the birth of new operation methods such as laparoscopic and robotic surgeries, enabling medical practitioners to increase efficiency to max, at the same time lowering the cost and risk of the procedure. These improvements have greatly ameliorated the side effects of conventional open surgery, allowing patients to heal faster with better comfort. Medicine becomes an indispensable need in our daily lives, and the more it improves, the more we rely on it. I have attended a medical lecture over the summer holidays on the background of surgery. The professor explained the four most important factors behind all the surgeries, namely the 4As: Anesthetics, Analgesics, Antibiotics and Antiseptics. Among these four, Ketamine has already covered two of these factors. Ketamine has several clinically useful properties, including analgesia and less cardiorespiratory depressant effects than other anesthetic agents  [10]  ; in fact it causes some stimulation of the cardiovascular system. Ketamine is soluble in water and is prepared with the sodium salt benzethonium chloride as a preservative. It is a basic compound and is dissolved in a solution of pH 3.5-5. The ketamine molecule contains an asymmetrical carbon atom with two optical isomers (enantiomers). The S (+) isomer is about three times more potent and longer acting as an anesthetic than the R (-) isomer. It is believed that the R (-) isomer is the part of the molecule that is the root o f the cause of some undesirable side effects.  [11]  Studies recently have shown that the S (+) Ketamine isomer is a stronger analgesic with a faster clearance and less side effects than the R (-). It has shown to provide a more rapid motor and sensory block, shorter duration and less motor blockade in elder males.  [12]  Ketamine interacts with N-methyl-D-asparate (NMDA), opioid, monoaminergic, muscarinic receptors and voltage sensitive Ca2+ channels. However, unlike other general anesthetic agents, ketamine does not interact with GABA receptors. The NMDA receptor is a member of the glutamate receptor family. It is an example of an ion channel coupled receptor with excitatory properties which has been implicated in the mechanism of general anesthesia, analgesia and also in neurotoxicity. Ketamine is a non-competitive antagonist of the NMDA receptor which interferes with the action of excitatory amino acids  [13]  . In addition, at clinically relevant concentrations, ket amine interacts with the phencyclidine (PCP) binding site leading to significant inhibition of NMDA receptor activity. This only occurs when the calcium ion channel has been opened. Effects of Ketamine on our body We were always informed with purely the basic consequences of drug abusing. For instance, we were taught that drug abusing may cause serious damage to our body but what exactly is our body suffering from? Central Nervous System Ketamine is the only anesthetic available which has analgesic (pain relieving), hypnotic (sleep producing) and amnesic (short term memory loss) effects. When used correctly it is a very useful and versatile drug.  [14]  Clinically, Ketamine has been reported to produce not only general but also local anesthesia. Ketamines site of action is primarily in the thalamus and limbic systems. It does not suppress respiratory drive unless high doses are used, or smaller doses given rapidly. Unlike other anesthetic agents, patients who have had ketamine may have their eyes opened and make reflex actions during the operation; therefore it is not suitable for use in eye surgeries. However, use of ketamine increases the intracranial pressure, therefore patients who have recent head injuries should avoid using it to prevent further damage. The reason behind was that the rise in mean arterial pressure caused a rise in cerebral perfusion pressure and therefore intracranial pressure. Moreover ket amine is a very effective analgesia and may be used without other analgesics intraoperatively. Due to the frequent occurrence of hallucinations after operation, the patient may be in agitation during recovery. These can be reduced by premedication and by recovering the patient in a quiet area.  [15]   I recently read several medical research papers on the effect of anesthetics and sedatives for the developing brain. A study performed by Dr. John Olneys laboratory demonstrated widespread neuronal degeneration following the repeated administration of ketamine in newborn rats, as well as long-term decreases in neuronal density and impaired neurocognitive function in adulthood following an exposure to other anesthetic drugs.  [16]  It is further discovered that drugs used to provide clinical anesthesia and sedation are thought to affect proper formation of the central nervous system as it interferes the NMDA-type glutamate receptor function. Moreover, several studies have examined the effects of Ketamine on the developing brain of monkeys and have observed widespread neuronal cell death following the administration of multiple doses up to 75mg/kg.  [17]  Another study by Dr. Fredriksson and colleagues demonstrated that a single ketamine exposure of 50mg/kg in new-born mice cau sed abnormal behavior and impaired learning and memory acquisition in adolescence. Experimental data also indicate that NMDA glutamate receptor agonists and GABA receptor antagonists trigger cell death.  [18]   As laboratory investigation on humans is not allowed, scientists may only conduct their research on rats and monkeys. The potential mechanism of anesthetic neurotoxicity is still under investigation; however, it is further complicated by the lack of understanding of exact mechanisms of consciousness and anesthesia. Therefore these results may only be interpreted as a reference to the effects that relate back to ketamine abuse. Respiratory System By using ketamine, the airway is usually well maintained as the airway reflexes and skeletal muscle tone are relatively preserved. Aspiration is a potential hazard despite the retention of protective reflexes. Ketamine is an effective bronchodilator and its action may be mediated either via an increase in blood catecholamine or by its direct smooth muscle relaxant effect.  [19]  When ketamine is given slowly respiration is usually well maintained, after rapid intravenous injection the breathing may stop for a short while but usually restarts within a minute.  [20]  Because of this, ketamine becomes a very useful anesthetic agent in places where there is only limited oxygen available. Cardiovascular System Ketamine is able to increase both blood pressure and heart rate. These variables reach a peak 2-4 minutes after an intravenous injection, then slowly decline to normal values over the next 10-20 minutes. Ketamine produces its cardiovascular effects by stimulating the central sympathetic nervous system and, to a lesser extent, by inhibiting the reuptake of norepinephrine at sympathetic nerve terminals. Individual responses may vary occasionally as there can be a large rise in blood pressure. This risk is not related to a preoperative history of hypertension, but related to the usage of ketamine. This may increase the workload of the heart; hence ketamine should be avoided in those patients with ischemic heart disease. Induced bladder dysfunction Bladder dysfunction associated with ketamine abuse was first voiced out in 2007 by researchers in Canada and Hong Kong. Dr. Shahani and his team presented a series of 9 patients who are all daily ketamine users presented with dysuria, frequency, urgency and frank hematuria. The CT scans revealed a thickened bladder wall, small capacity bladder and perivescicular stranding.  [21]  Dr. Chu and his team presented a series of ten patients with severe bladder dysfunction following regular ketamine abuse. From the statistics of their research, all patients had severe lower urinary tract symptoms and small functional bladder capacity varying from 20 to 200mls.  [22]  A scan of the bladder (cystoscopy) also revealed that the epithelial layer of the bladder has inflammation.  [23]  These reports were from Hong Kong and Canada where ketamine is a popular drug. Dr. Cottrell and his team reported nine patients presenting with similar urinary symptoms and cystoscopy findings following chronic ketamine usage.  [24]  These symptoms are currently left unexplained, but with increasing popularity of the drug in the younger generation, more and more ketamine users could present with ketamine induced bladder dysfunction. As we can see from the above effects, ketamine is already able to induce a lot of problems for our body and affects the whole body system when it responses to the drug in medical uses. Some may be beneficial, but most can cause severe damage to our body, so why is ketamine still on the streets endangering our future generations? Ketamine in our society Back in Hong Kong, I often hear reports from the public media reporting that the police force discovers another drug dealing club/bar with underage drinking and drug abuse. Although we were educated with the basics of the consequences of drug abuse, one simply will not be able to know thoroughly about the essential damage that the drug does to the body. Take smoking as an example: Tobacco has existed for centuries, and people nowadays have beautifully wrapped cigarettes packed in delicate boxes. They can easily gain access to buying one of this highly toxic substance back home for their own enjoyment and pleasure. Putting aside the lack of awareness in the old days, nowadays all the education systems around the globe include the effects of smoking into our classes, no matter taught in Liberal Studies or specifically Biology, most people who have received education are equipped with the basic knowledge of the harmful effects of smoking. Even packages of cigarettes are posted with phot os of the disastrous effects of smoking, for example, a photo of a dissected lung of a chronic smoker, still does not stop smokers from getting on with their habit. In the 1970s, the drug was approved by the FDA to be used clinically on children and adults, yet at the same time it also started to flow into drug markets in public. Most of them were firstly sold by hospital staff; later on it became trendy to produce it in large amounts to divert ketamine into wider population. Over the past 20 years, Ketamine has emerged as a testing replacement for PCP to one of the most popular party drugs at underground parties and raves. In the late 20th century, the drug has already gained its reputation around the globe as one of the mainstream dance culture drugs in society. In the year 1999, The Drug Enforcement Agency in the United Sates made ketamine a schedule three drug. This means that this particular drug is illegal to buy or sell without a prescription.  [25]  Ketamine is considered to be a Class C drug in the UK and Mexico, the equivalent of a schedule three in the United States; and schedule one in Canada. It was legal to possess ketamine in England, Scotland and Wales before 2006. Most countries currently have ketamine under controlled substance act in which it can be used as a medication but not recreationally, for instance ketamine is regulated under Schedule 1 of Hong Kong Chapter 134 of Dangerous Drugs Ordinance. It can only be used legally by health professionals, for university research purposes, or with a physicians prescription.  [26]   Taking the data of ketamine abuse in Hong Kong, in recent years, it has become more common among the teens. In Hong Kong, since 2005 it has become the commonest drug of abuse among persons aged 21 years or less; compared to the first three quarters of 2005, the number of ketamine abusers among teenagers has doubled in the first three quarters of 2008.  [27]  In 2008, ketamine abuse constituted 85% of all kinds of drug abuse among persons aged below 21 years, compared to 61% in 2005. Also, data collected by the Hospital Authority Hong Kong Poison Information Centre (HKPIC) showed that ketamine abusers represented 16% of all drug abusers attending accident and emergency departments in the period of 1 July 2005 to 31 December 2005, while the proportion rose to 40% in the period of 1 January 2008 to 30 June, indicating a steep increase of the number of ketamine abusers.  [28]   Solutions? The reason I decided to put a question mark after this sub topic is because there is no concrete evidence that the treatments I list below will 100% cure the patient. To overcome the psychological dependence on ketamine, the ultimate factor during the process will be the patients endurance and willpower. Without consistency to finish the whole course of treatment is no different to receiving no treatment. Just like antibiotics, you have to finish the whole course in order to fully recover from your illness. We live in an inconsistent and contradictory society. On the bright side, we advise the society not to abuse drugs and say no to the people who sell or offer them to you; yet on the other hand, medical practitioners are encouraging us to take medicine that might cause similar effects and consequences as drugs like ketamine. While we tell young people that ketamine is illegal and dangerous for their health, we ignore to a large extent the bad effects that alcohol has on health, thus making it legal even if it has devastating effects on our body as well. The world has slowly turned into a place where benefits and money take hierarchy over the health of the public. There is an increase in frequent reports of making fake milk powder and eggs, as well as drug manufacturers such as the recent incident of Contergan taking the blame of causing Phocomelia in infants whose parents had taken the medicine. One of the main reasons that ketamine is still one of the most popular party drugs nowaday s is due to the commercial income it brings when it comes to selling and buying. Drug dealing is happening around the globe every day, and what attracts people to do it is not the drug, but the money. Values have been overthrown by the nature of human kind, where selfishness topples conscience in the business world, no matter legal or illegal. Laws and regulations are developed over time to control the extent of these shameful behaviors, yet ultimately there is no thorough solution to this problem. Most societies are uncomfortable with people going off into trance and hallucinatory intoxications, and indeed setting up the laws against the usage and possession of drugs are to discourage people from falling into those in-built worlds of their own. But innate, neuropsychological changes in a persons body cannot be controlled by legislation. Provided that they have the desire to take the drug, they will always be satisfied by themselves. Alcohol may no longer fulfill the need for teenagers to take off from reality into their virtual world of desires after they become fully exposed to it, and slowly they turn to seek stronger effects by trying out drugs like marijuana and ketamine. As they become satisfied with the effects given by the drugs, trying gradually becomes abusing. They start to develop unwise behavior as they reckon that the feeling is brought by the pills rather than from their own nervous systems getting into trouble when the pills no longer work so well. Their drug abuse becomes more frequent and compulsive, yet with less reward. This misconception is the first step to developing drug dependence, no matter whether the drug is marijuana or ketamine or if it produces physiological dependence or not. Dependence on the drug cannot be broken until the misconception is cleared. Drug abusers live on their own reasons to continue, and only those who realize that he/she has been using the drug merely as an excus e for having an experience that is superficial comes to see that the drugged state is not exactly the same with the experience he/she wants. Alternatively, they will start looking for ways that may fulfill the slight desire to lift up from reality, such as meditation and sleeping. If we look in closely to the successful examples of quitting drugs: Many drug abusers give up drugs for consciousness, but little gives up consciousness for drugs. Conclusion We see people travelling through time and going into the mind of others to retrieve thoughts and ideas in fiction and movies, and it is definitely something that I would love to do as well. Yet is it possible to live in dreams and neglect whats really happening in the world we exist in? By altering the state of our consciousness, our brain is simply sending the wrong signal back to ourselves, putting us into a world of our own desires and fantasies. Ketamine can definitely achieve this, but after the short-lived dreams disappear, we will only fall deeper into the K-hole and become more dependent on the drug. We must be clear about the severe effects and consequences that ketamine brings to the individual and the society, and reiterate these problems to the public to prevent further abuse of it. Psychoactive drugs will always be present as a part of our life. The society needs to recognize the problems caused by the misuse of ketamine and deal with them immediately in an open and realistic way. Drug abuse is now connected with other social problems as well, such as social deprivation or family issues. We actually do not know whether the people who abuse it really likes it, but all we need to know is how ketamine can vastly change a persons life when you become addicted to it. From the medical research evidence shown, ketamine can really ruin your life when you are associated with it, yet why blame the drug when it is down to you to choose the reality or to stay in the dreams built by your own desires?

Hedda Gabler Essay -- essays research papers

Hedda Gabler   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hedda Gabler is a more modern tragic figure. Like Job, she has gone through pain and suffering. Just as many of the Greek tragic figures and Job confront their Gods, Hedda Gabler confronts the controlling forces in her life. She needs control and in order for her to gain control over her life she commits suicide and does it beautifully to fulfill her romantic quest. It is implied, though never clearly stated, that Hedda grew up without a female influence. Her father who was a General raised her around guns. She was socialized to be more violent than lady-like. Hedda, as all women in her time, was restricted by society. She married Tesman because that was expected of her. She had no way of surviving on her own. She had courted Lovborg before meeting Tesman. She called herself a coward because she denied Lovborg and gave in to the influence of society. When she lost Lovborg, she loss purpose, and meaning and that created her boredom. Page 2 Her marriage to Tesman was not what she wanted for herself. She wanted much more. Hedda did not want the restraints put on her by society. She thought she could live through Tesman. To Hedda, he was boring and too caught up in his work she wanted him to join politics because that was what she wanted to do but was forbidden because she was a woman. He was not rich enough to do so and that destroyed her dream. Hedda would not settle for living homebound. Hedda was Lovborg's inspiration in one ...

Food Inc. Essay

The film Food Inc. reveals the truth about the way food is produced today. The film provides countless cases of negative externalities. If a good has a negative externality, then the cost to society is greater than the cost consumer is paying for it. In other words, the marginal social cost exceeds the marginal private cost. Since consumers make a decision based on where their marginal cost equals their marginal benefit, and since they don’t take into account the cost of the negative externality, negative externalities result in market inefficiencies unless proper action is taken. Negative externalities from eating unhealthy foods are not easily quantified, as a countless number of interwoven factors come into play. While eating unhealthy food has many negative effects on the body, consuming junk food has a large impact on society and the environment. Not knowing how food is produced these days, can open the gap for diseases to be eaten by mouth. Countless negative externalities occurred throughout the film. For example, in 2001, a large number of meats were contaminated by e coli. As the contaminated meat was manufactured to fast food joints and grocery stores, e coli poisoning began to take many lives. A 2-year-old boy by the name of Kevin ate a hamburger from a fast food restaurant. Hours later, the boy caught e coli 0157:H7 and died a few days later of kidney failure and dehydration. His mother pursued Kevin’s Law, which close down plants that produce contaminated meat. Fast Food Negative Externality Graph Fast Food Negative Externality Graph = potential welfare loss = potential welfare loss The chart above represents the negative externality fast food has on society as a whole. MSC stands for marginal social cost; MPC is the marginal private cost. The black triangle represents the potential welfare loss or the â€Å"external cost† of the good. When the marginal social cost exceeds the marginal private cost, this signifies a negative effect on society. When the costs to produce the good are higher than the benefits the good brings, it is not beneficial and harms the market and lives as well. As the quantity increases, the benefit of fast food to society decreases (Q* →Q1 ). Supply and demand of fast food Supply and demand of fast food As many families struggle to get to work and don’t have the time to make a healthy dinner, fast food is often the resort taken. Demand for fast food has increased immensely as time goes on because it is a quick way to eat and be satisfied for the time being. The negative effects that arise, such as diabetes and the chance of being food poisoned are often disregarded. The chart above symbolizes the supply and demand of fast food today. As demand increases, supply decreases. D1 →D2 shows the rise in demand for fast food. S1 → S2 represents the drop in supply due to the increase in demand. As supply decreases, the price for fast food increases (P1→P2). Alternative measures can be taken to decrease the risk of obesity and chances of eating contaminated foods, including, resorting to healthier foods. The rise in demand of healthy foods, cause the price to jump. By being more aware of the foods one is consuming, you are likely to add years to your life, rather than take them away.

Fundamental Causes, Inequity and Public Health

Social injustice particularly that of [public] health, has been a constant pariah to the common society. Various ‘theories’ were posited as to the root cause of public health inequity; Phelan and Link (2005) directly associated the ‘fundamental’ causes of public health inequity with the ‘socioeconomic statuses (SES)’, the ‘social conditions’, the ‘gradients’ that existed therein. The fundamental cause lies on the material/ resources imbalance as the authors Phelan and Link (2005), Farmer (1999), and Lynch et al (2000) demonstrated. The fundamental causes of morbidity and mortality consist of: (1) influences to multiple disease outcomes, (2) operation through multiple risk factors, (3) intervening mechanism reproduce the association, and (4) finally, the most important feature of ‘fundamental causes’, it involves accession to resources that can be used to avoid risks or minimize the consequences of the disease involved. Health accession is shaped by extent of socio-economic resources (Phelan and Link, 2005). Here it is noted that the cognitive ability or intelligence cannot explain the relation between resource and health. SES, is, admittedly a ‘constant’ and persistent state of the general society (Phelan and Link, 2005). Not even the introduction of knowledge or the epidemiology of the disease was able to completely eradicate the health maladies present; instead, it seems to encourage health inequity. The US, a supra-economic world engine, has a systematic health care delivery system yet a relatively large proportion of their population—American Indians, Blacks and Hispanic and Asian immigrants—do not enjoy the benefits of the health care system as much as their rich counter parts. Localization of public health inequity is fed by the health biased terms like ‘Third World’, ‘Blacks’, ‘the poor’, and other terms that denote social stigma and racism . The aggravation of health inequity is destined to worsen with the current trend on ‘commodifying’ medicine and health and their ‘money-making’ participation in the market industry. Health inequity, as a result of multi-faceted elements of the society, is, as much as a disease as the feared bacillus ‘tubercle’, the causal agent of tuberculosis; Farmer (1999) illustrated the consumption of the disease agent ‘consuming the lives of the lower strata that existed in the late twentieth century. Farmer illustrates the case of societal ‘infection’ with different experiences of three stereotype tubercle patients—Jean Dubussoin (Haitian rural peasant), Corina Valdivia (Latin American with a multi-resistant drug strain of bacillus tubercle) and Calvin Loach (Afro-American and injection drug user). It was ‘social factors’ that determined the fate of these three-infected persons. Their struggle against their disease demonstrates the common obstacles they faced during health accession. Jean’s very low income and the long distance from the hospital dilapidated her chance at having a good accession to medical services offered. Corina’s case was exactly the same except that it demonstrated that of improper treatment of her disease and medical wariness. Calvin’s case was psychosocial wherein there was suggested wariness between him and the medical practitioner due to ‘[racial] wariness’ and late detection. Health inequity of tubercle bacillary patients does not stem from medical mismanagement, from physician-directed errors, as the three ‘stereotypes demonstrate, but more on the conglomeration of factors like race, income, economic policies, ease of health accession and fear of being apprehended or ignored by the medical staffs (Farmer, 1999). According to Lynch et al (2000), health inequity may also be associated with neomaterial interpretation —differential accumulation of exposures and experiences that have their sources in the material world—and differences in individual income. Health inequity, then, in general, is highly dependent on the resources of the individual. This is in opposition of the psychosocial theory which precludes that inequity is, more or less, a result of hierarchy stress or the combination of maladaptive behaviours as a reaction to the SES. The association between the standard of living and health cannot be easily dismantled, yet, on the face of such social health injustice, what actions are available for the State to remedy this particular problem? Lynch et al’s (2000) on solubilizing the problem was vague and inconclusive: .. trategic investments in neo-material conditions via more equitable distribution of public and private resources that are likely to have the most impact on reducing health inequalities and improving public health in both rich and poor countries in the 21st century†¦ (p. 1203) Farmer’s (1999) ultimate solution is pragmatic solidarity. The term was rather vague and inconclusive with no proper defin itum; Pragmatic solidarity was loosely defined as something that would mean ‘increased funding for control and treatment [of diseases]’, ‘making therapy available in a systematic way’ and preventing ‘emergence [of diseases]. Farmer’s primary intent is to target the health anathema at the specific level. On the other hand, Link and Phelan’s approach was different. Link and Phelan (2005) posited a barrage of solutions which capitalizes on policy consideration as macro-level approach to the problem— creating intervention that benefit state members irregardless of their own resources and actions, monitoring the dissemination of health enhancing information and interventions and creating policies that would distribute resources to the poor. A good solution to the problem would be targeting health inequity using combinatorial methods on the macro and micro-level approach. Interventions created at the larger scale such as policy consideration is a good approach and finding out the etiology of various diseases obviously have positive outcomes for ‘curing’. Such interventions are necessary to preserve not only the health of the general public but also to maintain a relatively pure, socially just and a healthy environment.