Effects Of Overuse Of Technology - 1897 Words

Today’s youth has become accustom to technology and has highly integrated it into their everyday life. Over the years of technology advancing, doctors and psychiatrist have done studies trying to answer the big questions of â€Å"How Does Overuse of Technology Negatively Affect Our Youth?†. There are many supporting theories and scientific studies to prove or show the negative side effects of the overuse of technology in America’s young ones. There are a few main theories that are most concerning: Technology overuse causing extreme developmental issues in the most important stages of sensory, social and emotional development and coming up short; the overuse of technology affecting the way we think, sleep. Absorb important information, and our†¦show more content†¦When children are deprived of the ability to learn things correctly, children will eventually develop behavioral or extensive health issues. It is that Adult’s responsibility as the prima ry caregivers to these children to give a child their best chance at success and to lead a functioning lifestyle. This is where the caregiver also needs to learn and know the ultimate meanings of the negative side effects of technology. The overuse of technology is taking over the youth and ultimately changing the way children are thinking. Technology is also taking away a child’s ability to use imagination and think deeply and concentrate effectively (Deloatch). Before technology was integrated into everyday life, people had to use imagination and develop thoughts and images on their own to reach a conclusion. The youth of today have been led to believe that they have become so good at engaging in things that involve technology and do not even realize that they have lost their ability to multitask and handle the actual task that has been assigned correctly (Hatch). One suggestion to break children from technology is instead of allowing a child to do research for schoolwork o r a project on the computer, have the child read a book or go to the local library. Another suggestion is to teach children that there are otherShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Overuse Of Technology On Human Health1253 Words   |  6 PagesEffects of overuse of Technology on Human Health Technology has become a major part of human activities today. People engage in different activities through the use of technology for communication, traveling, and different devices used in every career. Despite the fact that technology has eased the performance of different tasks, it has a detrimental effect on human health. It has an effect on people across all ages and results in health effects such as depression, obesity, brain tumors, musculoskeletalRead MoreThe Overuse of Technology in Our Daily Life Essay1452 Words   |  6 Pagescourse if we ask this question in a survey, â€Å"NO† will be the winner of this survey. Talking about the use of technology reminded me one of the sources from my annotated bibliography by Amy Petersen, who is the Theatre and Media Arts Department Chair and Associate Professor in the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Brigham Young University. In her article which she wrote about the overuse of tech in our daily life and its affects, she said â€Å"If you would have told me a few years ago that I wouldRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Technology Overload1572 Words   |  7 PagesNovember 2017 Technology Overload â€Å"Truck driver in Texas crash that killed 13 was texting† is just one of many similar headlines in the recent news (Lozano). In March of 2017, a 20 year old had been texting while driving which caused him to slam into a church minibus. Thirteen innocent people were killed because he chose not to wait until he was done driving to send the message. Obviously, he allowed an obsession with technology to distract him from making safe choices. This technology overload notRead MoreTechnology And Its Effect On Society1396 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology on its own cannot be beneficial or detrimental to the cognitive ability and the human relationship. Its effect on society depends on how and when technology is used. Technology continues to interact with our human experience in some way or the other. It is profoundly reshaping how we live today and giving rise to new strand of lifestyle and custom. With the rise of technologies, we expect to gain from its advances in the field of communication, social interaction, research and developmentRead MoreEffects of Modern Technology852 Words   |  3 PagesEffects of Modern Technology Today A popular argument in today’s society is whether or not technology has a negative or positive effect. Whether it is something you see on TV or in one’s own everyday life, it is more popular to see someone’s face focused on a phone screen rather than buried in a book. Over the past few decades, technology has been getting more popular as new developments arise. Not only are cell phones a main priority, but also computers, the internet and video games. Ever sinceRead MoreMedia Negative Effects850 Words   |  4 Pagesshare information, ideas, personal messages, and other such content.† Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, etc. are some of the more popular social media sites. As with anything, there are side effects from the overuse of social media, and the majority of people do not realize the detrimental side effects from the excessive internet usage. Social media encourages isolation, which may promote bullying and lead to suicidal thoughts and/or anxi ety. When two or more hours are spent on social media, studiesRead MoreNegative Effects Of Technology1127 Words   |  5 Pagesform of technology. Only â€Å" 13% of U.S. adults do not use the internet,† according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of survey data (Anderson Perrin, 2016). With so many people using this is not surprising that technology is beginning to affect different age groups. Technology overuse causes developmental setbacks in children, self image issues in teens, and health concerns within adults. Things now days are a lot different then they were a number of years ago. Without having technology to fallRead MoreThe Impact Of Technology On Children s Developing Minds942 Words   |  4 PagesThere are lots of studies in the impact of technology on children’s developing minds. Studies found that diagnoses of ADHD, autism, coordination disorder, developmental delays, unintelligible speech, learning difficulties, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders are associated with technology overuse, and are increasing at an alarming rate (Rowen). Technology is causing a harmful effect on some children these days and it could potentially be harming them in the longRead MoreThe Overuse of Smartphones in Todays Society1743 Words   |  7 Pages Now with these advances in technology cell phones have evolved into smartphones with different functions. However with every step forward in technology, society takes a step back to learn how to adapt. Currently, people should be getting used to the most recent evolution of smartphones, however they’re too distracted texting, tweeting, and instagramming pictures of pointless things. Although uses of smartphones might seem harmless, theres a problem. People’s overuse of smartphones make society feelRead MoreDecline in Water Supply in India1528 Words   |  7 Pagesrestoration of these aquifers for the safety of the agricultural industry in India and of the people that need access to water. Grasping the causal analysis of the overuse of India’s aquifers and lack of efficient irrigation will aid in the prevention of the almost certain depletion of water for future generations to come. To understand why farmers overuse the already crippled groundwater resources in India, studies are conducted on a global scale to learn the factors in the agricultural industry in India.

Homosexuality in the Middle East - 2296 Words

Homosexuality in Modern Day Middle East Abstract Homosexual marriage is a public concept that should be acknowledged in the Middle East. Yet the idea can’t be acknowledged without a few key phases. The government is one of the main reasons why gay marriage is not permitted in the Middle East. Most Arab people abide by the law, and religion, and hence do not approve of homosexuality. If the rules and regulations were to change, there may be a change in how people view homosexuals. Moreover, the regime is greatly influenced by religion. Religion can’t be altered, but marriage can. If all marriages were to become civil, out of religious jurisdiction, there may be a possibility for gay marriage to occur. All these steps can slowly†¦show more content†¦However, attraction of men to â€Å"beautiful male youths† has been a part of the culture of some Islamic societies and the attraction is not usually looked down upon in itself. When it comes to lesbian homosexuality, some have argued that since penetration is not involved, female homosexual acts should be less severely punished. Islamic law is most concerned with openly gay public behavior, so there is no strong disapproval of homosexuality if it is not displayed in public (Homosexuality, Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions.) ‘Struggle for Gay Rights in the Middle East’ is an article that was written by Hala Gorani for CNN. One of the situations mentioned in the article is how the Egyptian police invaded a homosexual hangout on the river Nile called the Queen Boat. Some of the people who were involved in the hangout were arrested and imprisoned for sin. The article also notes that when governments raid homosexual gatherings, they do it for political instead of ethical reasons. Brian Whitaker, in his paper ‘Unspeakable Love: Gay and Lesbian Life in the Middle East’, argues that homophobia in Arab Muslim countries â€Å"is not a religious or a cultural issue, but is foremost a political problem of which culture and religion are reliant factors†, arguing that Homophobia in the Muslim world can be attributed to the attitude this world has to its counterpart, the modern secular European and WesternShow MoreRelatedCultural Anthropology: Views on Lgbt Across Cultures Essay1110 Words   |  5 PagesEssay # 4: Homosexuality/Transexuality/Intersexuality   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Different cultures across the world have developed various views on homosexuality. Most cultural perspectives developed from religious or humanitarian sources. Living in 21st Century America, I have personally witnessed some of the strides and struggles of GLBT (gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender) youth. In the United States there exist laws that both promote sexual diversity and laws that restrict the complete rights of suchRead MoreHomosexuality Deserves Respect1294 Words   |  5 Pagesbig steps towards a progressive world but discrimination of homosexuality is still prevalent in many countries. Homosexuality rights have always been a controversy topic around the world. According to the basic law of Hong Kong, all citizens shall have equal rights (Chan, 2012). In the beginning of this article, brief background information of homosexuality is provided. Then, the following paragraphs will show reasons why homosexuality should have human rights by analyzing this issue in three perspec tivesRead More The Essential Role Of Stereotype In Propaganda Essay1313 Words   |  6 Pagessuccussfully implemented if the dogma is deliberate and targeted to a group with an intention or purpose on mind. Ethnic stereotypes are portrayed differently by society because it consists of negative and positive connotations. An individual with a Middle East ethnicity is stereotyped as an Arab, regardless of the different countries within the region, which contains diverse cultures, beliefs and extensive religions. Some of the generalizations of this ethnic group comprise of Arabs inheriting wealthRead MoreIslam : A Western Culture And Many Authors Have Failed2279 Words   |  10 PagesSaudi Arabians consider homosexuality to be a Western culture and many authors have failed to agree on the argument that it found its way from the western countries into the Middle East after and during the offensive in Iraq (Ilkkaracan 58). Considering the strict cultural values of the Muslim lifestyle, homosexuality has no place in the region. Islam is the predominant religion of the region and the way of life is firmly rooted on the teachings of the Quran. The practice goes against the decreeRead MoreThe Ro ad towards Democratic Consolidation in the Middle East706 Words   |  3 Pagespeople in the Middle East with other regions, particularly the West, about the importance of democracy and having a democratic system, free elections, and civil rights. Desire to have a democratic system has been consistently high in the Middle East compared to other regions, while no significant move toward democratization or political mobilization has occurred for a long time prior to the Arab Spring. Also, change over time in the desire to have a democratic political system among Middle EasternersRead MoreThe Gods Of Greek And Roman Mythology1006 Words   |  5 Pagesincluded setting newborn babies to be burned alive onto the preheated outstretched hands of the idol of Marduk. We see the same level of brutality with ISIS in the same area of the world. In fact, Islam is fanatical in its zero tolerance for both homosexuality and idolatry. This is not coincidence. Many state that the animosity between Israel and her surrounding Arab countries can be traced all the way back 4000 years ago to Isaac and Ishmael as well as Jacob and Esau. Very true. But this evil stemsRead MoreThe Middle East, Glitter Bombs !1568 Words   |  7 Pages4Bombs in the Middle East; Glitter bombs! It is hard to discuss gay rights in Arabic. The taboo nature of the subject in the Middle-East is hard to swallow, no pun intended. â€Å"I would have liked to keep you near me/ introduce you to my parents, have you crown my heart/ Cook your food, sweep your home / Spoil your kids, be your housewife.† Imagine if these lyrics were sung in a place where Hezbollah is widely popular, and the singer so happens to be a young man wrenching his guts out about his ex-loverRead MoreHomosexuality in Islam3723 Words   |  15 PagesMacalester Islam Journal Volume 2 Macalester Islam Journal Issue 3 Article 8 3-28-2007 Homosexuality in Islam: A Difficult Paradox Nicole Kligerman Macalester College Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/islam Recommended Citation Kligerman, Nicole (2007) Homosexuality in Islam: A Difficult Paradox, Macalester Islam Journal: Vol. 2: Iss. 3, Article 8. Available at: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/islam/vol2/iss3/8 This Article is brought to you forRead MoreDescribe Ways in Which Concept of Family Has Changed Across Cultures and over Time (Sociology)1442 Words   |  6 Pagestimes. We can find a lot of examples of it in ancient art and literature. But it is just a small part in the world where same sex marriage now is absolutely legal. In the other parts of the world homosexuality is legal, but unions are not recognised. Watching at the map, the countries tolerates homosexuality are just developed countries, like USA, Canada or Northern Europe, in less developed countries they are not tolerated, and in countries with a more backward, you can get a penalty, prison for lifeRead MoreA Religious Point Of View1294 Words   |  6 PagesFrom a religious point of view, if God had thought homosexuality is a sin, he would not have created gay people by Howard Dean. Homosexuals have had a hard time coming out and making that first step to accept themselves. The other part is actually coming out to their peers, family, and friends and for them to accept him as well. There are many obstacles when it comes to coming out and when it relates to Judaism. â€Å"According to information published by The Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, there

The Forbidden Game The Hunter Chapter 9 Free Essays

string(34) " rumpled dark hair and muttering\." It was an abstract rendition of a forest, very heavy on green swirling lines. â€Å"All right, so I did draw a forest,† Audrey said. â€Å"I’ve always had nightmares about them, but I never knew why. We will write a custom essay sample on The Forbidden Game: The Hunter Chapter 9 or any similar topic only for you Order Now I didn’t even know what forest I was scared of.† â€Å"He picks up on our subconscious,† said Dee. â€Å"So what happened to you two after we got separated?† Jenny asked. â€Å"Not much,† Dee said. â€Å"They put us in that room, only there wasn’t any door at first. Then we saw the door-and at that exact instant those corpses appeared and Audrey started screaming. What about you? Did you see the Erlking?† Jenny looked away. â€Å"Sort of. It was Julian, playing the part.† She hesitated, then blurted, â€Å"You do know that it’s because of me you’re suffering, don’t you? It’s me he wants. He told me that he’d stop hurting you if I-if I let him-â€Å" â€Å"Don’t you dare,† Dee said, sloe eyes flashing. â€Å"Don’t even think about it,† said Audrey with equal heat. Jenny nodded, feeling warmth in her eyes. To cover it up she watched Audrey. While they were talking, Audrey had efficiently put her hair back up, fished a quilted pouch out of her jacket pocket, and deftly restored her cherry lipstick. Audrey had always seemed so cosmopolitan, so invulnerable-but now Jenny had seen beneath the facade. â€Å"It must have been hard, living in all those different countries,† she said slowly and glanced over at Dee. Audrey paused a moment in the midst of fluffing her bangs. She snapped her compact shut with a click. â€Å"Frankly, it was awful,† she said. â€Å"You can’t imagine the culture shock. The dislocation-the insecurity-and you never know when you’re going to move again. Even now that Daddy’s retired I still feel-â€Å" â€Å"Like it’s hard to make real friends?† Audrey nodded. â€Å"I feel as if we might be picking up and going again any minute.† â€Å"You’re not, though,† Jenny said. â€Å"You’re staying here with us.† She glanced at Dee again. â€Å"Right?† â€Å"Oh, naturally,† Dee said, but there was no rancor in her voice, and she laid a slender dark hand on Audrey’s back. â€Å"You know, I don’t understand,† Jenny said suddenly. â€Å"Those guys in the forest seemed nice-so why did they do it? Why did they hand us over?† â€Å"Well-elves are supposed to do people favors. Answer questions, do work for you. But they always want something in return, and if you call them up and try to trap them, they sometimes trap you. Take you to their world. I guess those guys figured we were more expendable than they were.† Jenny nodded. â€Å"One more thing-â€Å" â€Å"Always one more thing!† said Dee. â€Å"-which of you did the door? I know I didn’t put it there because I’ve never seen a door like that.† â€Å"I did, I suppose,† said Audrey. â€Å"I saw doors like that in Germany-but I didn’t put it there. It just appeared.† â€Å"You can’t change things here by using your mind,† Dee said. â€Å"You have to deal with everything here as if it’s real.† â€Å"But where is here?† Audrey said bleakly. â€Å"Good question,† said Jenny. â€Å"It’s nowhere on Earth; I know that from what I saw out the window.† â€Å"The Shadow World,† Dee said. â€Å"Remember the instructions? A world that’s like ours but different, that exists alongside ours, but never touches it.† † ‘Some people call it the world of dreams, but it is as real as anything else†¦.'† Jenny quoted. â€Å"Well, it touched our world tonight, anyway. What’s wrong now, Audrey?† â€Å"It just occurred to me. You know, in Norse and German legends there are supposed to be nine worlds-our world’s just the one in the middle.† â€Å"Nine?† said Jenny. â€Å"Nine. There’s Asgard, which is a sort of heaven, and Hel, which is a sort of hell, and a world of primal fire and a world of primal water and a world of primal wind-but, listen. There’s also a world of primal ice. It’s sort of connected to Hel-and it’s also a world of shadows. It’s called Niflheim, and nifl means ‘dark, shadowy.'† â€Å"Just what are you getting at?† Dee asked. â€Å"I don’t know. It’s just strange, nicht wahr? God, I’m starting to think in German. But it is strange, isn’t it-with him calling himself the Shadow Man? And I just remembered something else. The things that live in Niflheim are supposed to be terribly destructive, so they’re under a rune of restraint to keep them from getting out of their world and into other peoples’. I don’t remember which rune, though.† â€Å"You’re not saying runes are real,† Jenny said. â€Å"I mean, like the one Julian talked about-the one that ‘pierced the veil between the worlds.’ They can’t really work.† â€Å"I always assumed they didn’t, that it was just a silly superstition. But now †¦ I don’t know. They work in legends all right, to let you-oh, what do they call it? Fare forth between the worlds. Or summon up things from the other ones. The way those German boys summoned the elves.† The talk was making Jenny very uncomfortable. She didn’t know why, and that made her even more uncomfortable. Something to do with runes, a long time ago. After all she had seen, why should it upset her that runes might be real? That day in her grandfather’s basement†¦ â€Å"Look,† she said abruptly, â€Å"we’ve been standing here gabbing forever. Don’t you think we’d better start looking for the next person? There is a time limit, you know.† â€Å"Right,† Dee said, always ready for action. â€Å"Do you want to split up again?† â€Å"No,† Jenny said quickly. â€Å"Let’s stick together.† By whatever weird laws operated in this place, she’d already yielded Julian the right to touch her hand, her cheek, her hair. And he’d made it plain that he wouldn’t be satisfied until he got all of her, bit by bit. It was just a question of what kind of ruse or threat he planned to try next. Jenny figured her best chance was not to be caught alone. They found Michael on the third sweep down the hall. He was wandering back and forth in front of a door, running his hands through his rumpled dark hair and muttering. You read "The Forbidden Game: The Hunter Chapter 9" in category "Essay examples" He brightened considerably at the sight of the girls. â€Å"Audrey, at last! It seems like years!† â€Å"Oh, I’ve been counting the seconds we’ve been apart,† Audrey said, raising an eyebrow and dimpling at the same time. â€Å"Me, too. I only wish I had a calculator to keep track.† And neither of them meant a word of it. Lucky for them, thought Jenny. Love for Tom was like an aching bruise in her chest. If only she could see him, just for a moment†¦ They explained to Michael everything that had happened to them. He told them that for him the parlor had simply disappeared while Tom was cowering from the invisible creatures. Then he’d found himself in front of this door. He’d tried the knob, but it wouldn’t open. He’d been pacing the hallway ever since. â€Å"And you never saw a staircase?† Jenny asked. â€Å"No staircase, no other doors, no nothing. No people, until you came.† â€Å"And yet we’ve been walking this hallway for hours, and we’ve seen three doors, and I came up a staircase,† Jenny said. â€Å"It’s just one more weird thing about this place.† â€Å"Which we don’t have time to discuss,† Dee said. â€Å"Let’s move, people. Who wants to try this door?† â€Å"This time let’s try to keep it open after we go in,† Jenny said. â€Å"That is, if we don’t need to slam it shut fast.† â€Å"We can’t go in at all-it’s locked,† Michael said. Dee flashed him a grin as she took up a heel stance, ready to do a forward kick. â€Å"Bets?† The door opened easily when Jenny twisted the knob, and no monsters jumped out. Dee caught it as it swung and held it against the wall. Through the opening Jenny could see dimness. â€Å"Uh, you first. I’m a registered coward,† Michael said. Jenny took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and stepped over the threshold–into a hallway identical to the one she had left. She looked up and down it in bewilderment. â€Å"What’s going on? This door wants to close,† Dee called. â€Å"It’s-† Jenny gave up and beckoned Audrey and Michael in. â€Å"It’s the same place,† Audrey said, looking around. This hallway was the mirror image of the other. Same gloomy carpet, same creepy wallpaper, same candles in brass holders. Michael went back through to Dee’s side. â€Å"Look-the candles even have the exact same drops of wax running down. It really is the same hallway, not just another one like it.† No matter how many times they went back and forth over the threshold, they kept getting the hallway. â€Å"For some reason it’s not letting us into your nightmare,† Jenny said. â€Å"We just keep getting bounced back here.† â€Å"Oh, too bad,† said Michael. â€Å"I’m really going to miss facing it.† â€Å"All right, let me see this.† Dee finally went through, the door swinging shut behind her. â€Å"Yep, same place,† she said, looking around. â€Å"Like a revolving door to hell.† â€Å"Wasn’t it Sartre who said hell was eternity spent in a room with your friends?† Michael asked grandly. â€Å"Oh, quit showing off your A in world literature,† said Jenny. â€Å"Unless-was that your nightmare, Mike?† Michael deflated a bit. â€Å"Uh, actually, no. Mine was more of a kid thing, really.† â€Å"But what was it?† Michael seemed to be blushing. Scratching under the collar of his gray sweatshirt, he shook his head. † ‘Each of you has a secret you would rather die than reveal†¦.'† Dee quoted portentously from the game card. â€Å"I’ll bet it was something really embarrassing, like the potty monster, huh, Mikey?† As she spoke she turned the doorknob. It wouldn’t budge. â€Å"Oh, great, it’s locked again.† â€Å"If we’re stuck here again, we might as well sit down,† Audrey said. There didn’t seem to be anything else to do. They sat, and Michael talked. One thing you could always count on, Jenny thought-that Michael wouldn’t run out of things to talk about. â€Å"When I think,† said Michael, â€Å"that I could have stayed home and watched ‘Ren and Stimpy’ tonight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"This isn’t much of a game. No reset. It’s win, lose, or die,† Michael said. â€Å"You heard the one about the bunny and the hair dryer?† he said. â€Å"Michael,† Audrey said scathingly. While he was talking, Michael had taken off one of his battered tennis shoes. It had a hole in the toe. Audrey stared in genteel horror at his limp sock on the floor. â€Å"I can’t help it-I’ve got an itch. Ah †¦ that’s better,† Michael said, scratching vigorously. â€Å"So what’d you say to-that guy-after we all got whooshed out of the parlor?† he said to Jenny. â€Å"I mean-† He fumbled for words as all three girls looked at him. â€Å"I mean-it was pretty obvious what he wanted-and you said he kept you there alone-â€Å" â€Å"Whatever he wants,† Jenny said shortly, â€Å"he’s not getting it.† â€Å"Of course not,† Audrey huffed. â€Å"What an idea.† â€Å"She wouldn’t give him the time of day,† Dee said curtly. â€Å"I don’t even know what he sees in me,† Jenny said. The others all looked at each other. Then Dee snorted. â€Å"No, you wouldn’t, would you? But everybody else does. Except Zach, probably, but then he’s your cousin.† â€Å"It’s not just looks,† Audrey said. â€Å"You’re good. Too good, sometimes. I’ve told you-â€Å" â€Å"Aba would say your soul is straight,† Dee interrupted. â€Å"Just like a Girl Scout,† Michael said helpfully. â€Å"Sweet and simple and honest.† â€Å"But he’s bad,† Jenny said. â€Å"That’s the point,† Dee said. â€Å"Badness always wants goodness.† â€Å"And opposites attract,† Audrey said grimly. â€Å"Look at Michael and me.† Michael said hastily, â€Å"So who do you think he is, anyway?† â€Å"I think he’s a Visitor,† Dee said, to Jenny’s surprise. â€Å"You know, an alien that abducts people.† Michael stared, scratching his chin. Audrey frowned. â€Å"Don’t be ridiculous,† she said. â€Å"He’s no alien-just look at him. And where’s his spaceship?† â€Å"I think he can look like whatever he wants to,† Dee said, scratching her arm. â€Å"And maybe they don’t really need spaceships. He’s taken us to another planet, hasn’t he?† â€Å"Another world, maybe. There’s a difference,† Audrey shot back. â€Å"And according to him he did it with a rune. Which makes him-â€Å" â€Å"What? The Erlking? I don’t think so, dear. You’re just saying that because it’s what you’re most afraid of.† â€Å"And Visitors are what you’re most afraid of, dear,† Audrey said, working her perfect nails over her palm. It was turning into a vintage Dee-Audrey feud. â€Å"Girls, girls,† Michael said. â€Å"Personally, I think he’s a demon. Jenny’s demon lover.† He smiled ingenuously, digging under his collar again. Dee and Audrey both glared. Jenny just felt a chill deep inside. â€Å"Look, I believe in demons,† Michael said. â€Å"Why shouldn’t they exist? And if they do exist, that guy has gotta be one.† Throughout this conversation Jenny had gradually become aware of a discomfort. The skin on her arm was tingling-no, itching. She scratched at it absently, but the itching got worse. And worse. She looked down. Even in the dim light she could see the mark on her arm. A dark spot, like a strawberry birthmark. But she didn’t have any birthmarks. And this spot wasn’t strawberry-colored†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ it was green. At the same moment Michael, who’d thrust one hand inside his sleeve to scratch his arm, made a strange sound. His eyes bulged, his expression changed. He shoved the sweatshirt sleeve up. Jenny gasped. There was something growing on his arm. A plant. There were leaves, fresh and green and young, looking like newly sprouted mint, growing from his flesh. The next instant they were all on their feet, looking at themselves in the candlelight. Each of them was growing patches of green. Jenny’s were like moss, Audrey’s like mold. Jenny gulped. Like Dee and Audrey, she was horrified. But Michael went hysterical. â€Å"Get it off me! Get it off.† He thrust his arm out blindly at Jenny. Even gritting her teeth, she couldn’t bring herself to touch the sprigs. Dee took hold of one and pulled. â€Å"Ow!† Michael yelled. Dee stopped. â€Å"No, go on! I don’t care how much it hurts. Pull it out!† Dee pulled harder. The plant hung on. Jenny could just glimpse a network of thin roots like white threads connecting it to his arm. Blood began to ooze out of several pores as Dee kept pulling. Michael was screaming. Finally Dee swallowed, her nostrils flared. â€Å"Mike, I can’t keep pulling. I can’t. It’s taking your skin with it.† â€Å"I don’t care! I don’t care!† Michael still wouldn’t open his eyes. He grabbed at the plants himself with his other hand. Jenny pressed a hand to her mouth to stop from gasping. Sprigs were growing on his other hand, too. Growing even more luxuriantly than on the first. â€Å"Mike, it’s†¦ it’s all over you,† she whispered. Michael’s eyes flew open, and he looked at his hands. â€Å"Oh, God. Oh, GodGodGod †¦Ã¢â‚¬  In one frenzied motion he yanked his sweatshirt over his head, pulling his arms out. His chest and stomach were thickly covered with new leaves. They stirred with his breath, brushing one another lightly. Michael’s screams rang from the ceiling. â€Å"Chill out!† Dee finally got him in a choke hold, preventing him from running raving down the hall. His eyes were wild and set, and he was breathing like a lathered horse. â€Å"We’ve got to do something for him,† Jenny said. She could hardly bear the moss on her forearm, but she had to forget about that. Michael was so much worse off. â€Å"Yeah-but what?† Dee was trying to keep Michael under control. He seemed about to go into convulsions, clawing at himself. Audrey stepped forward. Jenny guessed that she was actually more upset by the growths than anyone but Michael-appearance meant a lot to Audrey. But Audrey had herself in iron control. â€Å"Michael Allen Cohen, look at me!† she rapped out. He turned wild dark eyes on her. â€Å"You calm down now. Understand? Verstehen Sie?† A glimmer of sanity showed in Michael’s eyes. â€Å"Right now,† Audrey said severely, and putting her palms on either side of his face, she kissed him. When she backed up, Michael had cherry lipstick all over his mouth. He looked a lot calmer. â€Å"I live to obey,† he said weakly. â€Å"You live to kibitz,† said Audrey. â€Å"We’ve all got to stay calm,† Jenny said. â€Å"We’ve got to think. How can we get rid of these things? We can’t pull them out. So what else can we do?† â€Å"Weed-killer,† Dee muttered. There was some exotic red-and-green-leafed plant growing on her, almost harmonizing with her dark skin. â€Å"We don’t have anything here to work with,† Audrey said. â€Å"Never mind anything deadly to plants.† Michael spoke up in a whisper-but a whisper with a new note in it. â€Å"We’ve got fire.† Jenny looked up at the candle in its brass holder. â€Å"You can let go of me, now,† Michael told Dee. â€Å"I won’t go anywhere. I want to see if that candle will come out.† Dee released him. He tried to take a step, then stopped. He squatted down to stare, his head almost at floor level. Jenny bent, too. His bare foot was rooted to the floor by a mat of white tendrils. They were growing out of his sole and into the black carpet. He could barely raise his foot an inch, and only by turning it sideways could he see the roots. As Jenny slowly looked up, she expected him to go frantic again. But Audrey reached out and firmly took his hand, her fingers crushing the leaves on the back. Michael was shaking, but he stayed rational. â€Å"Get the candle,† he said thickly. Dee lifted it out easily. â€Å"I’m going to try it on myself first,† she said. â€Å"No. Me.† Dee slanted a sloe-eyed look at him, then nodded. She tilted the candle to apply the flame to a leaf on his arm. The leaf seemed to melt slightly in a crescent where the flame touched it. There was a bad smell as the edge blackened. Nothing else happened. â€Å"Try the roots.† Dee tried lower, very close to Michael’s skin. Michael flinched away from the heat, but Audrey held him steady. The plant started to shrivel. â€Å"That’s it!† â€Å"Can you stand it?† Dee asked. â€Å"I can stand anything to get these off. With the right kind of incentive, of course.† He looked hopefully at Audrey, who was still holding him and murmuring encouragement. Jenny smiled to herself. To be inane and lecherous when you’re scared to death required a special kind of bravery. Dee burned more roots. The plants began to drop off more and more quickly, shriveling at the first touch of the flame. Michael was almost sobbing in relief. His arms and torso were clear. â€Å"Anything-ah, lower?† Dee gestured with the candle at Michael’s sweatpants. â€Å"No! And watch where you’re waving that thing. I plan to be a family man.† â€Å"Look,† Jenny said softly. The patch of moss on her skin was getting smaller and smaller. In a moment it had faded altogether. The same was happening to Dee and Audrey. Michael’s feet came free of the floor. And then they were all laughing, admiring their clear, perfect skin, touching it, holding it up to the others. Just exactly like the scene at the end of Ben Hur, Jenny thought, where the two women are miraculously cured of leprosy. Michael put his sweatshirt back on and kissed Audrey once more. â€Å"You had some mold on your lips before,† he said. â€Å"I didn’t like to mention it.† â€Å"No, you didn’t, Aud,† Dee muttered in Audrey’s ear. Audrey looked helplessly at Mike, but with some indulgence. â€Å"So this was your nightmare, and we got through it,† Jenny said. â€Å"This hallway is your nightmare room. Which means that if we go back through that door†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The door opened under Dee’s hand. They walked through into the hallway, apparently the same hallway they had just left. But with two differences, Jenny noticed. In this hallway there was no candle missing from the bracket. And there was a scrap of white paper on the floor. A picture of a huge green plant, something on the order of a rubber plant, with arms and legs sticking out. No head. â€Å"Ugh,† Jenny said. â€Å"My nightmare,† Michael said, still looking embarrassed. â€Å"Turning into a plant. It’s so stupid-I think it came from this book I read when I was in third grade. It had a story about a kid who was so dirty that things started to grow on her-little radishes and veggies. And it just freaked me out. i mean, it was this harmless story, but for some reason I just flipped. I kept thinking about that kid, all crusted with dirt, with green stuff sprouting from her-it made me sick.† â€Å"You’re making me sick,† Audrey said. â€Å"And then the parents pulled them-the veggies -they pulled them off her-â€Å" â€Å"Stop it,† Dee commanded. â€Å"Like I said, it was stupid, a kid’s thing.† â€Å"I don’t think it was stupid, I think it was horrible. And I think you were smart and brave, the way you dealt with it,† Jenny said. Michael’s soulful eyes widened at the unprecedented compliments, and he gave her a rumpled grin. The unseen clock struck one. There was something eerie about the way it echoed. Morning is coming, Jenny thought. â€Å"We’d better get moving,† Dee said, just as Michael made a stifled sound. â€Å"What’s wrong-† Audrey began, but then she saw it, too, in the darkness of the hall where nothing had been before. A staircase. How to cite The Forbidden Game: The Hunter Chapter 9, Essay examples

Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs Law Reform free essay sample

Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCG’s) inhabit an active presence in all states and territories in Australia. Some members of these gangs are responsible for serious organised crime and yet the total gang and membership numbers of Australian OMCGs is rising. According the Australian Crime Commission1. (ACC), Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs are among the most detectable components of Australia’s criminal landscapes and because unlike other criminal organisations who try and keep themselves anonymous, OMCGs on the other hang maintain websites, openly represent themselves through gang patches, tattoos, leather and publicly fight amongst themselves. These gangs have two sides; one legitimate operation of business (transport, private security, entertainment and construction industries) and then the other in the production and distribution of illegal substances and activity such as vehicle rebirthing, serious assault, serious frauds, arson, high tech crime, organised theft, property and traffic offences, money laudering, drug and firearms trafficking and much more. Fourty-four gangs in Australia are being of interest, with a total of 179 gangs and 4,480+ members in Australia2. . There is a string Pacific Islander and Middle Eastern presence in a number of these gangs and in some instances some gang members don’t even ride motorcycles. Numbers of individuals and motorcycle gangs argue that motorcycle gangs are constantly being unfairly targeted. Mr Errol Gildea, President of the Hell’s Angels Motorycycle Club opposed suggestions that motorcycle gangs were involved in organised crimes and commented, â€Å"the club does not break the laws as a rule, if individuals do, that is their business. They should be dealt with. But we are not an organised crime outfit. † 3. Gang members say they’ve noticed an increase in the public’s and police officer’s attitude towards them, and blame the government and media, who especially stereotypes and dehumanises them. However, it is noted that the ‘code of silence’ adopted by OMCGs contributes to the negative perceptions of the clubs and make it difficult for law enforcers to bring justice to individual bikers engaged in criminal activity. OMCGs mainly make their income from the manufacturing business and distribution of illegal drugs, and by having a business, mostly being tattoo parlours, they can put some of the income derived from those illegal activities and declare it as income through the business, basically disguising the mass amount of money. â€Å"Across Australia, outlaw motorcycle gangs are entrenched in the tattoo industry. Police conservatively estimate 1 in 4 tattoo parlours are bikie-affiliated. In NSW alone, police have recorded 189 crimes at tattoo parlours over the past 3 years†, says Alex Mann from Abc 7:30 investigation4.. Tattoo parlour businesses that aren’t owned by bikies say that they’ve been branded a bad name. They’ve also seen as big competitors for other businesses. These gangs make up only a small percentage of Australia’s crime rate by yet this small percentage is troublesome to the government. They are financially a stress to the government and are hard to expose. To police they’re views are negative as they stuff up society, meaning more they have to domesticate and take care of. Legal Issues Increasing prevalence of international connections, with gangs cooperating with other regions overseas and with sophisticated and high-threat organised crime groups operating in Australia and internationally. OMCGs are evolving in response to changes in criminal environment and attempts by law enforcement to counter their criminal activities. Members play a leading role in Australia’s domestic production and involvement in illicit drug markets; particularly of amphetamine type stimulants. OMCGs also hire external expertise when needed, such as lawyers, accountants, chemists and real estate agents. Pose a serious risk and nuisance to public and their safe being because they are liable to react violently to rival OMCGs to harass their members or for trespassing on their territory (Gold Coast Syd Airport) They are problem in which is growing as both social and financial cost related to gang violence and crime in both Australia and NZ. The issue costs the Australian Government over $15 billion dollars annually. The Australian Crime Commission conservatively estimates that serious and organised crime costs Australia $15 billion every year. This cost comprises loss of business and taxation revenues, expenditure on law enforcement and regulatory efforts, and social and community impacts of crime. Raising public awareness of crime issues is an important step in minimising the impact serious and organised crime can have on the community. The Government has introduced many initiatives aimed to dismantle and investigate OMCGs in Australia. The most recent tasks include; The Attero Task Force, established by the Serious and Organised Crime Coordination Committee, an initiative between state and territory law enforcement and Commonwealth agency partners to target, disrupt, disable, dismantle and investigate the criminal activity of the Rebels OMCG in Australia and was the first of is kind to tackle a specific Australian OMCG. June 2012 National Anti-Gang Task Force, which fights gang related crime as well as an Australian Gang intelligence centre to provide national criminal information and trends on gang activity across Australia and its links overseas. The force includes members from the Australian Federal Police, State and Territory Police Forces, Australian Customs, Border Protection, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, the Australian Taxation Office, Centrelink And the Australian Crime Commission. March 2013. Australias first national security strategy, Strong and Secure: A Strategy for Australias National Security, which provides a principle framework to guide Australias security improvements over the next 5 years. Jan 2013. The Commonwealth Organised Crime Strategic Framework (OCF) and the National Organised Crime Response Plan (OCRP) strengthen varied approaches, organisation, information sharing and combines activities to combat organised crime. As organised crime in Australia continues to grow and transform over time, Australias response strategies will also develop and transform to counter new challenges in the fight against organised crime. In recent years, most States and Territories have enacted legislation that gives authorities greater powers to tackle gang related crime. Often the stated aims of governments when introducing such laws has been to target the activities of outlaw motorcycle clubs. However, the legislations never refer specifically to organisations and also applies to any person or group that meet the terms active in the corresponding Acts. Each State and Territory has there own legislation to combat organised crime groups, including OMCGs. The table5. contains some brief information regarding the provisions of each Act, the lawsuit that has taken place in relation to the legislation in Western Australia, South Australia, NSW and Queensland, and some of the amendments that have been made to some of these Acts since they were first introduced. The table starts with South Australia, which was the first jurisdiction to introduce a control order regime for â€Å"criminal organisations†. New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Victoria later followed this regime, however Tasmania and the ACT are the only remaining jurisdictions without a control order scheme targeting organised crime. The ACT does not appear in the table; but Tasmania does, because it has a legislative scheme for the making and enforcement of fortification warning and removal notices in place. The following is a brief history of recent events: †¢ February 2008 – the South Australian Government introduced the Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Bill 2007 †¢ September 2008 – the Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Act 2008 came into effect in SA. Under the Act, a group or club can be declared an organised crime group, which enables various orders to be made to restrict the movement and associations of the groups members. The legislation was introduced to specifically suppress motorcycle clubs, which are viewed by the South Australian Government to present a major organised crime threat in SA. Responses to the legislation were divided with a number of motorcycle clubs, academics, legal organisations and individuals strongly opposed to the legislation, which has been described as draconian and restricting human rights. †¢ March 2009 – a violent confrontation between members of the Hells Angels and Comancheros Motorcycle Clubs on 22 March resulted in the murder of Anthony Zervas at Sydney Airport. His brother, Hells Angel member Peter Zervas was shot and seriously injured in an attack a week later. These events were seen to be a culmination of escalating OMCG violence in New South Wales (NSW), which has included drive by shootings and the bombing of an OMCG club house. †¢ April 2009 The Crimes (Criminal Organisations) Control Act 2009 came into effect in NSW. The legislation was introduced as a direct response to OMCG violent criminal activity and provides a mechanism for declaring an organisation a criminal organisation and strengthens the capability of the New South Wales Crime Commission to take the proceeds of crime from these organisations and their associates. †¢ April 2009 – The Standing Committee of Attorney-Generals (SCAG) discussed a comprehensive national approach to combat organised and gang related crime and to prevent gangs from simply moving their operations interstate in response to public concern about the violent and illegal activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs. †¢ June 2009 – The Attorney-General, the Hon. Robert McClelland MP, introduced the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Serious and Organised Crime) Bill 2009 into Parliament on 24 June. The Bill provides for measures agreed to by state and territory Attorneys-General at their April meeting. The Attorney-General stated that the measures will: target the perpetrators and profits of organised crime and will provide our law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to combat the increasingly sophisticated methods used by organised crime syndicates. The most recent issues are from the arise of the new Firearms Laws particularly Bar Lock Out Laws. 2013 Fire Arms The Firearms and Criminal Groups Legislation Amendment Act 2013 (NSW) received assent on 23 October 2013. This legislation, when it commences, will: amend the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) to empower police officers to enter and search premises occupied by a person who is subject to a firearms prohibition order to determine whether the person is complying with the order, to prohibit such persons from acquiring or possessing firearms, and from residing at premises where firearms are present, and from attending certain other places such as gun shops and shooting ranges and to create an offence to give possession of a firearm or firearm part to a person who is not authorised to possess it. Amend the Restricted Premises Act 1943 (NSW) to increase penalties for offences relating to reputed criminals attending premises and to allow police to search such premises for firearms and other weapons. Amend the Crime Commission Act 2012 (NSW) to enable the Crime Commission to investigate matters relating to the criminal activities of a specified criminal group. The NSW Parliament has passed legislation that will give police more power in managing criminal groups and firearm ownership. 2013 Bar Lock Out Law As part of wide ranging new legislation on outlaw motorcycle gangs, new obligations in the Liquor Act 1992 on licensees and their staff to not knowingly allow persons wearing or carrying prohibited items (such as outlaw motorcycle gangs colours6. ) into licensed premises. The new laws, which came into effect on 17 October 2013, provide that licensees, permittees, their employees and approved managers must not knowingly allow a person wearing or carrying a prohibited item into licensed premises (this includes, clubs, pubs, restaurants or any other licensed premises or premises to which a permit relates). The maximum penalty for a breach of this provision is $11,000. 00 (or up to $55,000. 00 for a corporation). The legislation in NSW stretched from Wollongong to Lake Entrance and was placed into action promptly as discussed in the Daily Telegraphs article â€Å"Pubs, clubs ban bikies’ colours†7. Some say its effective and others say it’s discriminative, for example the Shoalhaven police say its been effective in the reigon as shown in the abc’s article â€Å"Shoalhaven police say bans on bikies colours have been effective†8. Effectiveness The death of several people should not have to be the reason for review of organised crime laws, and shows that Australia attempts at preventing the problem have not been very successful. Although New South Wales has legislated specifically against organised crime, the murder in an airport9. area showed that the gangs are often willing to commit crimes even in highly monitored and policed zones in Australia. Laws are not enough to prevent and protect Australia from the increase in gang activity. Australian police and lawmakers should also look at countries such as the USA, where OMCG crime is even higher by copying the same successful tactics to prevent gang crime. Australian police should be able to combat and prevent organised crime. Some ideas include strict curfews in specific urban areas, high police awareness in identified gang areas, and anti-loitering laws.