Friday, September 6, 2019
Losing Common Sense in a Sea of Technology Essay Example for Free
Losing Common Sense in a Sea of Technology Essay Technology has made miracles take place. Technology is an asset to our society. Things we could not do with our anatomical brains we can conjure up with a machine. With the answers to simple questions at fingertips with the availability of the internet, simple thought processes replaced with instant gratification. Critical thinking is almost extinct due to rapid response internet websites and databases. In today’s society, we depend on computers and technology to dictate schedules, lead meetings, and manage social lives. Therefore, ruing personal bonds, destroying critical and creative thinking, and losing common sense. The introduction of technology and computers on society has been beneficial in many areas, science having the biggest impact. For example, new radar technology will allow forecasters to see extreme weather, as will potential improvements to satellite technology, as well as computer models that run on powerful super computers. With these radars improved, more lives saved. â€Å"This will allow us to get to cover faster and be better prepared†(Lubchenco, Hayes 68). Another example of how technology has been beneficial to our society is in the medical field. Today many surgeries perform with the help of robots. Robotically assisted cardiac surgery presents less invasive than conventional surgery, with shortened hospital stays and faster return to daily activities (Krueger, Jones, Howell, etal. ) The largest benefit of technology is the easy and fast access that has come from the Internet. Almost any subject matter, research papers, and technical documents are available to anyone. Communication has also become much simpler using the Internet. Computers and the internet has become a staple in the American home. Not only are Americans conforming to an E-society, the rest of the world is too. This intention of this paper is not to discourage technology. Technology has done the unimaginable in societies here and abroad, perhaps technology has done too much. As we advance in the small gadgets and upgrade our systems to use the latest software, it is safe to say, we have become â€Å"addicted†. Because of this â€Å"addiction†or dependency on technology and computers, more and more people are flooding to their P. D. A’s or to their laptops to do simple everyday tasks; we should know how to do already. Anything from grocery shopping, booking a plane flight, depositing a paycheck, can be done over the internet from a personal computer, cell phone, or I Pad. Life as we know it is becoming a virtual reality within itself. We focus our addenda’s and our itineraries based around technology. Despite the positive impact technology has made on education, there are certainly areas that it poorly used. â€Å"The uncontrolled use of technology without examining its long-term benefits and potential problems is not something that should be allowed to happen in education. (Hodorowicz) For example, more and more often universities are moving toward â€Å"distant learning†, or online classes. â€Å"Nothing can replace the interactions between students and teachers. Once the process of learning from a fellow person has been automated to something mechanical many things will be lost†(Hodorowicz). Furthermore, automated grading loses the ability to see just where a student went wrong, or what the student was trying to achieve in an answer. Online courses remove the ability to deal with truly great teachers in a personal way, and it removes the ability to interact with other students. Automated education also hinders getting help when needed. It has been noted that with the use of computers and technology â€Å"education will no longer be an unpredictable and exciting adventure in human enlightenment, but an exercise in conformity and an apprenticeship to whatever gadgetry is useful in a technical world†(Schwarz). Technology has also been useful inside the home. yet, has been a key factor in the decline of stable, social relationships. Researchers are debating whether the Internet is improving or harming participation in community life and social relationships. This research examined the social and psychological impact of the Internet on 169 people in 73 households during their first 1 to 2 years on-line. We used longitudinal data to examine the effects of the Internet on social involvement and psychological well-being. In this sample, the Internet was used extensively for communication. Nonetheless, greater use of the Internet was associated with declines in participants communication with family members in the household, declines in the size of their social circle, and increases in their depression and loneliness (Kraut, Patterson,Keisler,etal. . Virtual communities are becoming an ever-growing normality. With the social networks like Facebook and twitter comes the anonymous predators. †The Internet is populated by people with false identities, people with inaccurate information, people who express themselves quickly and with little reflection or sense of accountability†(Schwarz). New frauds and ill opportunities to drain ba nk accounts emerge daily; just an example of how we are coming adapt to the cyber world with our eyes wide open. We are losing what it means to be human and the morals that were once instilled. As stated earlier in this paper, this is not a paper of whether technology in our world today is right or wrong. This is a paper proving how our ethical values and use of common knowledge are becoming extinct because we allow computers to think for us. We are losing creativity to think â€Å"outside the box†with our learning becoming more of a mathematical equation than an experience. Relying too much on technology is what will lead to the extinction of man, maybe not of a species, but of an individual, rather than random avitar. Works Cited Schwarz, Gretchen.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Water Resources in Malaysia
Water Resources in Malaysia Abstract Malaysia is a island around with ocean. It seems that there are lots of fresh water can be obtained. And I found that Malaysia received an abundance of rainfall per year. And they are rich with water resources. Also, Malaysia have bottled water in anywhere. The government often provides many bottled water to poor people and dry place. the size of bottled water is large and large in Malaysia, and then, each family all possess some bottled water at home. Finally, I want to suggest the factors and use other ideas to further support the solution. Introduction First, I found some information about fresh water in Malaysia. There are lots of solutions online. Although, Malaysia is surrounded by ocean, and it received an abundance of rainfall. They also rich with water resources. The south of Malaysia and north of Malaysia are all need more water. And there are many sewage sources, like lots of industry and garbage in the country. So, many river would become very bad, likes there are many green points covered the river, you will smell bad and you cant use this water. In Malaysia, the supply of water is inadvisable for our. They do not have perfect protection of system. If one river be polluted, other rivers also be polluted. Because of this, many aquatic animals will be died. Likes whale will be disappointed in the world cause the ocean be destroyed. Therefore, I mean that the system of water resources should be improved. Methodology From the internet, I find that some websites about the supply of water in Malaysia. And I saw many bad things about bad environment in Malaysia. This means that there are lots of problem in Malaysias water system. They have many sewage sources into river because of many chemistry industries, likes sewage treatment plants, manufacturing industry, animals industry etc. and I also saw the other strategies, that is bottled water using. Its really reliable for peoples life. This is an ideas from unknown author. And I saw a website published by that author. He is famous person, so, I believe that very will. In the internet, I spent more times to research the different topic.and they can give me different ideas. Therefore, I know what is different topic. Findings From the internet, I found the chart of water resources about Malaysia. And the chart describes the number of river is dirty or clean. From the chart, we know that the situation of river is becoming better and better during 2005 to 2012. Cause government express they has the rule about protect the fresh water. And they also purchase the water from china. And the part of slightly polluted also become better and better. In the final, the part of polluted is becoming smaller and smaller. And from the internet, I know a lot of problems about water resources. But now, they can use bottled water to keep working and living. And the water environments situation will not become bad. Discussion In findings, there are one issue that I can talk. From above, I can know the China hold lots of fresh water, so Malaysia purchase the fresh water from china is right. And the Malaysias water system is becoming better during 2005 to 2012. The pollution start to become a little condition, people can possess the clean place to live. On the other hand, I think Malaysia can save the fresh water by themselves. They can built many techniques to survive the water.they can do it without others help. And other countries also have enough water, its better for Malaysia to life. They can acquire these water from other place. But, they should take out some ideas for their water resources. Also, the government should protect the river by all citizen. Someone think that Malaysia government should award some strategies for water environment. I agree with it, I also think bottled water use is right choose. Therefore, I support the strategies to use and keep. Conclusions and Recommendations   Overall, in my view, the alternative of bottled water use and protect the water environment are all right. But now, I think protect water environment is right for us. Because its the basic reason for improve their water environment. To solve this problem, the water system will go original situation. And now, they should purchase the bottled water from other countries. That also is a big problem now, it will cause other pollution for the world. However, I think that they should balance the water use and environment protection. Only do this, their water resources can be keep streaming. References List of the fresh water in Malaysia(1993), available from:http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/T0800E/t0800e0a.htm [Assessed 5 may] Water supply in Malaysia(1989), available from: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/18072/[Assessed 14 oct] Malaysia need o reduce water consumption(2015), available from: https://m.malaysiakini.com/letters/323856[assessed 18 dec ]
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Mixed Martial Arts Essay -- Sports Mixed Martial Arts History Essays
Mixed Martial Arts      First off mixed martial arts is what it sounds like. It is a session between two opponents who have trained or cross trained in martial arts. Although mixed martial arts in not a mainstream sport, there is no reason why it should be banned in any state here in the United States. Like most, if not all sports, there are rules that one most abide by , the fights are sanctioned, so rules must apply. There are regulations and weight classes much like other sports. Mixed martial arts is considered to be the ultimate fighting method. To be considered an accomplished fighter you have to have skills in striking, take downs, submissions, stamina, but most of all you need heart.      Mixed martial arts, or MMA, started back in the United States in 1993, and over 70 year ago in other countries. â€Å"The first mixed martial arts organization in the United States was the Ultimate Fighting Champion or UFC. Japan's biggest mixed martial arts organization is PrideFC, which started back in 1997,†(Doty 13). These may be the two largest mixed martial arts companies in the world. Back then and still today mixed martial arts have been the subject of arguable political debate. The people against mixed martial arts have had many arguments against the sport in the early to mid 90s. It even convinced several states to ban the sport. This was because when mixed martial arts first started there was little to no rules. This was a one-event night tournament, where any fighters that signed up would fight numerous matches in one night, in a single elimination style tournament until one champion was named. Two men entered an octagon arena and did whatever they had to do to knock out, or tap out their opponent. Mixed martial arts fighters could not bite, eye gouge, or fish hook, and fights could only end with a referee's stoppage, a knock out, or submission (Royce 6). Basically it was a street fight without weapons. In 2001 a major factor in the comeback of the sport, and the return of the sport to pay-per-view was the employ of a new set of rules. The unified rules of mixed martial arts combat, as drafted in New Jersey, and later adopted in Nevada 2001 were a welcome change to the sport. â€Å"The new rules featured five weight classes, rounds, time limits, a list of over 31 fouls, and eight possible ways for the fight to end,†(Walter, grapplearts.com). The unified ... ... Its fans and fighters can be found all over the country. They represent every race and class of people in the United States. They are teachers, student, attorneys, truck drivers, accountants, ministers, soldiers, doctors, police officers, and family members. They are as much American as the fans and athletes involved in any other sport that is popularly and culturally accepted by the people of the United States of America. They are not savages, barbarians or criminals, or are they a collection of social deviants and miscreants as people like John McCain would have the voting public believe. They are simply people who enjoy a sport that is misunderstood and as a result, feared and hated. With this stated, MMA should be completely legalized in the United States. Work Cited Doty, Edward. Life in The Cage. New York, NY: EZboard Inc, 1998. Hester, Todd. "Wanderlei Silva." Grappling May 2004 36-40, 91,                92, 97, 98. Royce, Gracie. "What it Takes to be a Fighter." Grappling. May                2004 6-7. Walter, Donald. Mixed Martial Arts: Ultimate Sport, or Ultimately           Illegal? . 8 Dec. 2003. . 21 Apr. 2005.                                    .
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Surrogate Mothers in Jane Austen Essay -- Mother Mothers Jane Austen E
Surrogate Mothers in Jane Austen Jane Austen created families of varying levels of dysfunction so effectively, that even young readers of today can relate to the story. In some, the mother was either deceased, not present, or just not the right person for the daughter to rely on. For example, Fanny, Emma, Elizabeth and Elinor all struggle because the very people who are supposed to be looking out for them prove to be completely unhelpful. These heroines may not be able to rely on their actual Mother (or Father) but there often are parental figures that they can turn to. The mother in Pride and Prejudice is sympathetic, but silly, eccentric and irresponsible. Mr. Bennett is contemptuous to his wife and younger daughters; except for Elizabeth (his favorite) he spends the majority of his time in his library. In Emma, the mother is dead. She must’ve been clever because where else would Emma get it, but there must have been a lack of discipline of Emma. Mr. Woodhouse is almost a caricature, so he can by no means be accused of giving rational support, but he is "everywhere beloved for the friendliness of his heart and his amiable temper", and to Emma "most affectionate, indulgent father". I would say that Mr. Woodhouse is always concerned and caring, his only fault as father is being too indulgent. Of course, it would be better to have in a father an intellectual companion as well (Like Elizabeth Bennett). The mother in Mansfield Park , the mother was absent and neglectful having married a poor man who drinks. In Sense and Sensibility - Mrs. Dashwood is loving, but has too much of a romantic sensibility. In Persuasion the mother is dead, but is highly praised. She brought up Anne quite respectably. Anne is kind and loyal. Lady Russell - she really has a good heart and good sense. Lady Russell is not a fool like Mrs. Bennett but she's not an ideal, she gives good advice totally unsuited to Anne's particular situation. I don't think we are supposed to like her – the reader is glad that Anne has her and appreciate her for that reason. Mrs. Musgrove - simple, warm-hearted, affectionate and unpretentious. EMMA The narrator opens the novel by introducing us to Emma Woodhouse, a girl endowed with â€Å"some of the best blessings of existence,†including good looks, intelligence, riches, and an affectionate father. Emma’s only disadvantages are ... ...She admits that Fanny is a comfort to have around and is reluctant to let her go when Fanny marries Edmund (even though this makes her a Bertram). Of course, what changes her mind is the fact that Fanny's sister Susan will come to stay at Mansfield Park and take Fanny's place. When Fanny Price returns to her home after eight years of living at Mansfield Park, she is startled by the differences in the two homes. She realizes how fortunate she was in being accepted into the Bertram home. As mistreated as she is by them, things would undoubtedly have been worse if she had stayed at home. To Fanny Price, her parents come as a disappointment. Fanny's father is a drunk Fanny can see that her mother is a "partial, ill-judging parent...who neither taught nor restrained her children." Mrs. Price simply does not care--except for William and Betsey. Fanny, since she has been away for so long, is regarded as a novelty, but not as one noticed by her mother for very long. Both parents ignore her, and she spends much of her visit eagerly anticipating when she will be able to return to Mansfield Park. Where the Bertrams seemed distant, they are now seen by her as more precious than ever.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Nuggets of Wisdom :: essays research papers
Nuggets of Wisdom      My family and I often take vacations during the summer for relaxation, or to visit family, etcetera. On one such vacation, I learned a valuable lesson. Parents were created to teach their children little nuggets of common sense, but it is up to the children to listen.      We were visiting the Central American country of Honduras. It was a bright, sunny, and hot summer day. Taking a break from sight seeing, and the heat, we took refuge in a tropical style restaurant for lunch. It was a two-story restaurant over the ocean. Along the walls, there were beautiful green foliage that plump, colorful flowers sprung from. Also, throughout the restaurant were wooden poles, painted blue, that hammocks were hung on.      The waiter escorted my family and I to our table on the second floor. My parents sat at the table, but I chose a nearby hammock. The hammock was next to the open side of the restaurant. As I lay there, I began to study the ocean. I looked down and watched as the waves rippled, broke, and crashed to the shore. A salt-water smell permeated through the restaurant. A nearby fan oscillated back and forth, blowing a refreshing breeze across my face. All these elements caused me to relax, and slowly I began to sway in the hammock.      Soon after I got in that comfortable position, the waiter delivered the meal. My parents had ordered fish, and had begun nibbling. Since I was not hungry, I only ordered a drink, which I took back to the hammock to sip on. I began to sway, more vigorously than before, and I closed my eyes to enjoy the sounds. My father looked up from his meal and watched as I swung back and forth. He raised an eyebrow, and with a glint of humorous, wisdom in his eyes my father said, â€Å"David, that hammock is loose. Rock too hard, and you will go flying.†Of course, I paid him no attention. I was thirteen years old, and thirteen year olds know everything.      Acting as a typical teenager, I began to swing once more despite my father’s warning. My head was in the clouds, as I watched the waves, and the birds. How could something go wrong when everything was so perfect? I did not notice the creaking noise the rope made as its knot came lose. Nor did I realize what was happening when my drink hit the floor causing the glass to break with a deafening sound.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Poetic Diction in Shakespearean Tragedies Essay
Aristotle’s Poetics defines the nature of tragic drama, discusses the six essential elements of drama, states his opinion on the best type of tragic plot, and suggests the most effective means to arouse essential emotions such as pity and fear. He presents here the elaborate structure of justice of virtue rewarded and villain punished, broadly speaking the poetic justice. Now since in the finest kind of tragedy the structure should be complex and not simple, and since it should also be a representation of terrible and piteous events (that being the special mark of this type of imitation), in the first place, it is evident that good men ought not to be shown passing from prosperity to misfortune, for this does not inspire either pity or fear, but only revulsion; nor evil men rising from ill fortune to prosperity, for this is the most untragic plot of allâ€â€?it lacks every requirement, in that it neither elicits human sympathy nor stirs pity or fear. And again, neither should an extremely wicked man be seen falling from prosperity into misfortune, for a plot so constructed might indeed call forth human sympathy, but would not excite pity or fear, since the first is felt for a person whose misfortune is undeserved and the second for someone like ourselvesâ€â€?pity for the man suffering undeservedly, fear for the man like ourselvesâ€â€?and hence neither pity nor fear would be aroused in this case. We are left with the man whose place is between these extremes. Such is the man who on the one hand is not pre-eminent in virtue and justice, and yet on the other hand does not fall into misfortune through vice or depravity, but falls because of some mistake. By poetic justice means that the virtuous should be rewarded and the evil doer will be punished. It means that prosperity and adversity are distributed in proportion to the merits of the agents. Judging as such there is no poetic justice in Shakespeare’?s tragedies. Prosperity and adversity are not properly distributed in his tragedies. Such ‘poetic justice’ is in flagrant contradiction with the facts of life, and it is absent from Shakespeare’s tragic picture of life. Thus Dr. Johnson accuses that, in the plays of Shakespeare, especially in his tragedies there is a lack of poetic justice, that he sacrifices virtue to convenience, and that the major figures suffer more than they deserve because of their faults. The punishment inflicted on them is disproportionate to their sins or wrongs. In actual life this sort of poetic justice is not possible. Shakespeare was a realist and therefore, poetic justice in its pure form is not present in his plays. In fact, Shakespeare mastered the knowledge of his time and stands out as the greatest interpreter of the ideals of Elizabethan Europe. There is no poetic justice in the deaths of Ophelia, Cordelia, Lear, Gloucestr, and Banguo. However, THERE IS POETIC JUSTICE IN THE DEATHS OF GONERIL, REGAN, ORNWALL, AND ADMUND. But the murder of lady Macduff and her children is most tragic unjust. In the same way, in hamlet, there is no poetic justice in so many deaths on stage. However, the deaths of hamlet’?s mother, his uncle, and even of Ophelia’?s father can be justified as coming under poetic justice. But the deaths of Hamlet and even of Ophelia’?s brother do not fall under poetic justice. Again King Lear illustrates in its close the conventional poetic justice that demands the triumph of the righteous cause and the downfall of the wicked. But there is not lacking that more subtle justice, so impressive in â€Å"?Lear†? because unaccompanied by the temporal reward of the good, which reveals itself in the subduing of character to what it works in. Far more terrible than the defeat and death of Macbeth is the picture of the degradation of his nature, when he appears in the scene before the battle like a beast at bay. Hamlet gears up to be a traditional bloody revenge play –? and then it stops. The bulk of the play deals not with Hamlet’?s ultimately successful vengeance on his father’?s murderer, but on Hamlet’?s inner struggle to take action. The play’?s conclusion has a typical amount of gore, but Hamlet is certainly not a typical revenge tragedy. Hamlet talks about revenge as a worthy goal, but his mysterious delay hints that he may actually feel otherwise. The validity –? or the usefulness –? of revenge itself is thrown into question by the play.
Death Penalty Research Paper Essay
I. Introduction The death penalty in the United States is a constant source of controversy. Efforts to abolish capital punishment in America date back to over 100 years and continue to expand in present-day. In addition, all 50 states vary in their retention and application of the death penalty. Currently, the death penalty is legal in 32 states, the distribution of the actual executions however, is quite wide. The five states with the highest number of executions performed account for approximately 65% of the total executions in the country since the US Supreme Court re-affirmed and reinstated the death penalty in 1976. The state of Texas alone is responsible for almost 37% of the country’s executions. In contrast, 14 states have executed five or fewer prisoners since 1976. II. History Since the earliest societies, capital punishment has been used as a method of crime deterrence. Historical archives show that the even the most primitives tribes utilized methods of punishing culprits that often included taking their lives in order to pay for the crimes they committed. Murder most often warranted this ultimate form of punishment. As tribal societies formed social classes and man-kind developed its own self-governed republics, capital punishment became a usual response to a variety of crimes, such as sexual assault, military offenses and treason. Written rules were created to alert the people of the penalties that could face them should they participate in any wrongdoing. One of the earliest written documents observed that supported the death penalty was the Code of Hammurabi, written on stone tablets around 1760 BC. The code contained approximately 282 laws that were proposed by the Babylonian King Hammurabi and included the theory of an â€Å"eye for an eye.†Several other ancient documents were also supportive of the death penalty; these included the Christian Old Testament, the Jewish Torah, and the writing of Athenian legislator Draco, who was a proponent of capital punishment for a large number of offenses in Ancient Greece. The earliest forms of the death penalty were intended to be painful, slow and torturous. Some ancient cultures employed methods of crucifixion, stoning, and being burned at the stake among others. Later civilizations found these methods to be cruel, unusual forms of punishment and thus opted for more humane practices. During the 18th and 19th centuries, legislators found less painful and faster approaches to execution, which included beheading by the guillotine and hanging. These practices were typically large public spectacles and were not any less bloody or violent but death was almost always instantaneous, so they were perceived as being more compassionate. III. In the United States Capital Punishment in the United States dates back to the founding of the original colonies, and was used for a variety of crimes such as burglary, treason, counterfeiting and murder. During the American Revolution, legislators in the United States began to examine and revise policies behind the death penalty. In 1971, the constitution was amended to prohibit any form of punishment deemed â€Å"cruel and unusual.†Although the amendment did not intend to ban capital punishment, it did start a movement towards performing more human executions. Currently, 32 states in the US allow the death penalty, although the greatest number of death row inmates and actual executions occur in only a few of those. California is the state with the largest death row population of 625 inmates, but they do not perform executions frequently. In fact, in the last three years, only two people have been put to death. In contrast is Texas, while also having a large number of offenders on death row (453 ), Texas follows through with executions, executing more people each year than any other state. Their executions constitute 46% of all executions performed in the year 2002. IV. Eligibility Eligibility for the death penalty and determining what criteria qualifies a crime for the death penalty varies by jurisdictions. No†automatic†sentence exists for any crime. The death penalty is assigned to crimes that contain aggravating factors, and are â€Å"monstrous or horrific†in nature. Examples of aggravating factors include intentional, premeditated murder, and murder that results from the commission of certain violent felonies such as robbery, rape, kidnapping, burglary and arson, even if the death results as an accident. These vary by state and in some the list of aggravating factors is lengthy and not well defined which can mean a lot of crimes can potentially be classified as â€Å"capital.†Prosecutors of the jurisdiction in which the crime has occurred make the decision of whether to seek the death penalty in each case. Critics allege that prosecutors are influenced to consider factors when seeking the death penalty that should not be rel evant, such as the race of the victim and offender, for example. Community and public outrage as well as media attention can also impact the process of seeking the death penalty. (Marcus, 2007) V. Trials Trials for death penalty cases differ from other trials in that they are more intensive, expensive and much more complicated, after all, the outcome could end or spare someone’s life. They attract wide-spread and sometimes sensational media attention that can become distracting and unfavorable for the defendant as well as the other parties involved in the case. Political and public pressure is placed on the judge and prosecutors to secure a conviction and death sentence. Defense lawyers too face a great deal of pressure to save their client’s lives. Another aspect of capital case trials that sets them apart from regular cases is the selection of the jury. Potential jurors in capital cases must undergo a somewhat extensive process before being qualified to participate. The most important criteria they must meet however revolve around the individuals personal views on the death penalty. Qualified jurors must be in support of capital punishment and willing to impose it, th ose that cannot abide by that requirement are excused from jury service. Capital trials are separated into two sections, in the first only evidence and defenses are heard, this is referred to as the guilt phase. At the close of the guilt phase while the jury does not yet deliberate about a sentence, they do however decide to convict or acquit the defendant. Should the defendant be convicted, the penalty phase of the trial begins, during this phase the jury hears arguments and evidence concerning sentencing options. At this time, prosecutors will argue for a death sentence and must present aggravating factors associated with the crime. They will also attempt to stir the jury away from feelings of sympathy for the defendant, by stating past criminal charges or lack of remorse about the crime. In contrast, defense lawyers will argue against the death penalty, trying to persuade the jury to sentence their clients to life imprisonment instead. To do this, defense attorneys introduce mitigating factors such as the defendant’s age, absence of a criminal record, relationships with family members, and character. In some cases, they may use evidence that could facilitate understanding of why the defendant committed the crime, some examples being mental illness, abuse or neglect as a child, etc. Sometimes family and friends of the defendant can testify for them, this is also permitted for families of the victim, which often take this time to speak about their loss and state their preference for a life or death sentence. After all evidence has been presented and following any testimonies, the jury is excused to deliberate once more, this time deciding on a sentence. VI. Appeals The idea of â€Å"swift justice†is thought to be lost in capital punishment cases. Usually, it takes several years from the time a person is convicted of a crime to the actual execution. One of the aspects of death penalty cases that make them so extensive is the appeals process. Generally, following conviction, a defendant has the right to an automatic or â€Å"direct†appeal to the state appellate court. Courts are required by law to look at these cases. Evidence presented in a direct appeal is very limited, typically dealing with whether objections were sustained or overruled correctly. Within a year of the direct appeal, death row inmates must file again in order to secure their rights, failure to do so would mean the defendant has chosen to waive their appeals. Incompetency on the part of an attorney or lack of one has resulted in many death row defendants missing appeal deadlines, while some may not even be aware of this procedural right. There is no second oppor tunity to file for an appeal once the deadline has been missed, regardless of the circumstances. The next step in the appeals process is referred to as state post-conviction. The defendant will use this appeal to present any state constitutional claims and any evidence to challenge their conviction. Some of the more prevalent claims made in post-conviction appeals include improper and unprofessional conduct on behalf of the police or prosecution, race discrimination, mishandling or inconsideration of pertinent evidence and inadequate representation on behalf of the defense attorney. Evidence that has been newly discovered or was not available at the time of trial is admissible during this phase of the appeals process. Post-conviction relief is not easy to obtain, an in-depth investigation of the case and all evidence from the trial must be conducted by the defense lawyers. This can be expensive, time consuming and for the many inexperienced and poorly-resourced lawyers that represent these types of inmates, it becomes a challenging task. The inability of the defense counsel to provide sufficient mitigating factors and thoroughly investigate a case is the most prevailing failure observed in capital punishment cases. While it is true that many defendants receive inadequate representation, it is very difficult to obtain relief based on ineffective legal assistance. If the court determines that the defendant would have been convicted and sentenced to death regardless of poor legal representation, then there is no entitlement to relief. Should a death row inmate be denied relief in post-state conviction, he can proceed with a final appeal which is now handled by Federal courts, this is referred to as federal habeas. When a defendant has exhausted all appeals, the last option is to ask for clemency from the governor or President, depending on if it is a state or federal death penalty case. Clemency has been known to only be granted in extraordinary cases and is becoming more and more uncommon. (capitalpunishmentincontext.o rg) VII. Methods 1. Lethal Injection Today, all of the states that have the death penalty employ the lethal-injection. Oklahoma became the first state to adopt this method of execution in 1977, with the first person being executed by lethal injection being Charles Brooks 5 years later in 1977. (deathpenaltyinfo.org) In preparation, the inmate to be executed is permitted a shower, a change of clothing and a final meal of their choice. At the time of the execution, the prisoner is taken to the execution room and where two IV tubes are inserted into his arms, following, a harmless saline solution is started immediately. Then, when the prison warden gives signal, a curtain is raised exposing the inmate to witnesses in an adjoining room. At this time the prison is allowed his final statement. At the conclusion of the inmate’s last words, the execution begins with the drugs being administered as follows: Sodium thiopental: This drug, also known as Pentathol is a barbiturate used as a surgical anesthetic. In surgery, a dose of up to 150mg is used. In execution, up to 5,000 mg are used. This is a lethal dose. From this point on if the prisoner is still alive, he should feel nothing. Pancuronium bromide: Also known as Pavulon, this is a muscle relaxant given in a strong enough dose to paralyse the diaphragm and lungs. This drug takes effect in 1-3 minutes. A normal medical dose is 40 – 100mcg per kilogram; the dose delivered in an execution is up to 100mg. Potassium chloride: This is a toxic agent which induces cardiac arrest. Not all states use this as the first two drugs are sufficient to bring about death. Saline solution is used to flush the IV between each dose. A minute or two after the final dose is administered, a doctor declares the prisoner dead. The body is then sent to the coroner for verification, an autopsy is sometimes performed. Finally, the body is released to family for burial. 2. Electric Chair The electric chair was an invention by Harold P. Brown who was an employee of Thomas Edison, the sole purpose was to investigate the uses of electricity in executions. The chair was first adopted in 1889 and the first execution took place in 1890 in New York. In execution by electric chair, the prisoner is strapped to the chair with metal straps and a wet sponge is placed in his head to aid conductivity. Electrodes are placed on the head and legs to create a closed circuit. Depending on the physical state of the prisoner, two currents of varying level and duration are applied. This is generally 2,000 volts for 15 seconds for the first current to cause unconsciousness and to stop the heart. The second current is usually lowered to 8 amps. The current will normally cause severe damage to internal organs and the body can heat up to 138  °F While unconsciousness should occur within the first second or two, there have been occasions where it has taken much longer, leading people to highly oppose this method of execution. Clean up post-execution is unpleasant, skin has been found melted on the electrodes and the person can lose control of bodily functions, burning of the skin occurs often. 3. Firing Squad Many consider the firing squad to be the most honorable method of execution. The carrying out of firing squad executions can vary, but generally the inmate is blindfolded and restrained. A group of men then fire a single bullet into the heart of the condemned. In some cases, one of the shooters is given a blank in order to feel less guilt afterwards. However, none of the shooters know who holds the blank, or if any of them do. Currently in the US, only two states are permitted performing of executions using this method: Idaho and Oklahoma. 4. Gas Chamber The gas chamber as a method of execution has been used in a considerable number of cases. It was first made popular from its use in German prison camps during World War II where it was used to execute millions in one of the worst genocide cases of the 20th century. Although five states in the US still allow its use, death row inmates in all of those states are given the option to choose the lethal injection instead. In gas chamber executions, the executioner prepares the chamber by placing potassium cyanide pellets into a small compartment beneath the execution chair. The prisoner is then brought in and secured to the chair. The chamber is sealed and the executioner pours a quantity of concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4) through a tube which leads to a holding compartment in the chair. The curtains are drawn back for witnesses to see the execution and the prisoner is asked to make his last statement. After the last statement, a level is thrown by the executioner and the acid mixes with the cyanide pellets generating lethal hydrogen cyanide (HCN) gas. The prisoners will generally have been told to take deep breaths in order to speed up unconsciousness, but in most cases they hold their breath. Death from hydrogen cyanide is painful and unpleasant. (aclu.org); (clarkprosecutor.org) VIII. Deterrence In American society, deterrence has always served as a justification for support of the death penalty. Numerous studies conducted have failed to indicate a conclusive deterrence effect. For ex, if the death penalty was truly a crime deterrent, then the states that do not have the death penalty would be expected to have higher murder rates. However, it is just the opposite, states that do not employ the death penalty show consistently lower murder rates. In addition, the United States significantly higher murder rates than European countries who do not allow the death penalty. (Fagan) IX. Conclusion Overpowering evidence leads to the conclusion that the death penalty system in the United States is broken and undeniably flawed. Incompetency in representation, racial prejudice, inadequate funding and human mistake all contribute to a dark reality of the death penalty that is wrongful convictions and inequity. In a system teeming with error, the risk of executing the innocent is authentic. Reform in our death penalty process and procedures is necessary and urgent. It is our provocation to work towards a systematic change that will guarantee fairness and equal access to justice, due process for all persons facing the death penalty. References 1. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/ 2. https://www.aclu.org/capital-punishment/execution-methods 3. Paul Marcus, 2007. William & Mary Law School. Capital Punishment in the United States, and Beyond. http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1068&context=facpubs 4. http://www.capitalpunishmentincontext.org/resources/dpappealsprocess 5. Jeffrey A. Fagan. Columbia Law School. Capital Punishment: Deterrence Effects and Capital Costs. http://www.law.columbia.edu/law_school/communications/reports/summer06/capitalpunish
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