A Profile of the Bonnethead Shark

A Profile of the Bonnethead Shark The bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo), also known as the bonnet shark, bonnet nose shark, and shovelhead shark is one of nine species of hammerhead sharks. These sharks all have a unique hammer or shovel-shaped heads. The bonnethead has a shovel-shaped head with a smooth edge. The head shape of the bonnethead may help it more easily find prey. A 2009 study found that bonnethead sharks have a nearly 360-degree vision and excellent depth perception. These are social sharks that are most often found in groups numbering from 3 up to 15 sharks. More About the Bonnethead Shark Bonnethead sharks are about 2 feet long on average and grow to a maximum length of about 5 feet. Females typically are larger than males. Bonnetheads have a grayish-brown or gray back that often has dark spots and a white underside. These sharks need to swim continuously to supply fresh oxygen to their gills. Classifying the Bonnethead Shark The following is the scientific classification of the bonnethead shark: Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: GnathostomataSuperclass: PiscesClass: ElasmobranchiiSubclass: NeoselachiiInfraclass: SelachiiSuperorder: GaleomorphiOrder: CarcharhiniformesFamily: SphyrnidaeGenus: SphyrnaSpecies: tiburo Habitat and Distribution Bonnethead sharks are found in subtropical waters in the Western Atlantic Ocean from South Carolina to Brazil, in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico and in the Eastern Pacific Ocean from southern California to Ecuador. They live in shallow bays and estuaries. Bonnethead sharks prefer water temperatures over 70  F and make seasonal migrations to warmer waters during the winter months. During these trips, they may travel in large groups of thousands of sharks. As an example of their travels, in the U.S. they are found off the Carolinas and Georgia in the summer, and further south off Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico during the spring, fall and winter. How the Sharks Feed Bonnethead sharks eat primarily crustaceans (especially blue crabs), but will also eat small fish, bivalves, and cephalopods. Bonnetheads feed mostly in the daytime. They swim slowly toward their prey, and then quickly attack the prey, and crush it with their teeth. These sharks have a unique two-phase jaw closing. Instead of biting their prey and stopping once their jaw is closed, bonnetheads continue to bite their prey during their second phase of jaw closing. This increases their ability to specialize in hard prey, like crabs. After their prey is crushed, it is suctioned into the sharks esophagus. Shark Reproduction Bonnethead sharks are found in groups organized by gender as spawning season approaches. These sharks are viviparous... meaning that they give birth to live young in shallow waters after a 4- to 5-month gestation period, which is the shortest known for all sharks. The embryos are nourished by a yolk sac placenta (a yolk sac attached to the mothers uterine wall). During development inside the mother, the uterus becomes separated into compartments that house each embryo and its yolk sac. There are 4 to 16 pups born in each litter. The pups are about 1 foot long and weigh about half a pound when born. Shark Attacks Bonnethead sharks are considered harmless to humans. Conserving Sharks Bonnethead sharks are listed as least concern by the IUCN Red List, which says that they have one of highest population growth rates calculated for sharks and that despite fishing, the species is abundant. These sharks may be caught for display in aquariums and used for human consumption and for making fishmeal. References and Further Information Bester, Cathleen. Bonnethead. Florida Museum of Natural History. Accessed July 4, 2012.Cortà ©s, E. 2005. Sphyrna tiburo. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1. Accessed July 3, 2012.Carpenter, K.E. Sphyrna tiburo: Bonnethead. Accessed July 4, 2012.Compagno, L., Dando, M. and S. Fowler. 2005. Sharks of the World. Princeton University Press.Krupa, D. 2002. Why the Hammerhead Sharks Head is In the Shape Its In. American Physiological Society. Accessed June 30, 2012.Viegas, J. 2009. Scalloped Hammerhead and Bonnethead Sharks have 360 Degree Vision. Accessed June 30, 2012.Wilga, C. D. and Motta, P. J. 2000. Durophagy in Sharks: Feeding Mechanics of the Hammerhead Sphyrna tiburo. The Journal of Experimental Biology 203, 2781–2796.

Major General Anthony Wayne in the American Revolution

Major General Anthony Wayne in the American Revolution Early Life: Born January 1, 1745, at the family home in Waynesborough, PA, Anthony Wayne was the son of Isaac Wayne and Elizabeth Iddings. At a young age, he was sent to nearby Philadelphia to be educated at a school run by his uncle, Gabriel Wayne. During the course of the schooling, the young Anthony proved unruly and interested in a military career. After his father interceded, he began to apply himself intellectually and later studied at the College of Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania) ultimately studied to become a surveyor. In 1765, he was dispatched to Nova Scotia on behalf of a Pennsylvania land company which included Benjamin Franklin among its owners. Remaining in Canada for a year, he helped found the Township of Monckton before returning to Pennsylvania. Arriving home, he joined his father in operating a successful tannery which became the largest in Pennsylvania. Continuing to work as a surveyor on the side, Wayne became an increasingly prominent figure in the colony and married Mary Penrose at Christ Church in Philadelphia in 1766.   The couple would ultimately have two children, Margaretta (1770) and Isaac (1772). When Waynes father died in 1774, Wayne inherited the company. Actively involved in local politics, he encouraged revolutionary feelings among his neighbors and served in the Pennsylvania legislature in 1775. With the outbreak of the American Revolution, Wayne aided in the raising of regiments from Pennsylvania for service with the newly-formed Continental Army. Still retaining an interest in military matters, he successfully obtained a commission as the colonel of the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment in early 1776. The American Revolution Begins: Dispatched north to aid Brigadier General Benedict Arnold and the American campaign in Canada, Wayne took part in the American defeat to Sir Guy Carleton at the Battle of Trois-Rivià ¨res on June 8. In the fighting, he distinguished himself by directing a successful rearguard action and conducting a fighting withdrawal as the American forces fell back. Joining the retreat up (south) Lake Champlain, Wayne was given command of the area around Fort Ticonderoga later that year. Promoted to brigadier general on February 21, 1777, he later traveled south of join General George Washingtons army and to take command of the Pennsylvania Line (the colonys Continental troops). Still relatively inexperienced, Waynes promotion irritated some officers who had more extensive military backgrounds. In his new role, Wayne first saw action at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11 where American forces were beaten by General Sir William Howe. Holding a line along the Brandywine River at Chadds Ford, Waynes men resisted attacks by Hessian forces led by Lieutenant General Wilhelm von Knyphausen. Ultimately pushed back when Howe flanked Washingtons army, Wayne conducted a fighting retreat from the field. Shortly after Brandywine, Waynes command was the victim of a surprise attack on the night of September 21 by British forces under Major General Charles Grey. Dubbed the Paoli Massacre, the engagement saw Waynes division caught unprepared and driven from the field. Recovering and reorganizing, Waynes command played a key role at the Battle of Germantown on October 4. During the opening phases of the battle, his men aided in exerting heavy pressure on the British center. With the battle going favorably, his men fell victim to a friendly fire incident that led them to retreat. Defeated again, the Americans withdrew into winter quarters at nearby Valley Forge. During the long winter, Wayne was dispatched to New Jersey on a mission to gather cattle and other foodstuffs for the army. This mission was largely successful and he returned in February 1778. Departing Valley Forge, the American army moved in pursuit of the British who were withdrawing to New York. At the resulting Battle of Monmouth, Wayne and his men entered the fight as part of Major General Charles Lees advance force. Badly handled by Lee and compelled to start retreating, Wayne assumed command of part of this formation and re-established a line. As the battle continued, he fought with distinction as the Americans stood up to the attacks of British regulars. Advancing behind the British, Washington assumed positions in New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. Leading the Light Infantry: As the 1779 campaigning season began, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton sought to lure Washington out of the mountains of New Jersey and New York and into a general engagement. To accomplish this, he dispatched around 8,000 men up the Hudson. As part of this movement, the British seized Stony Point on the western bank of the river as well as Verplancks Point on the opposite shore. Assessing the situation, Washington instructed Wayne to take command of the armys Corps of Light Infantry and recapture Stony Point. Developing a daring attack plan, Wayne moved forward on the night of July 16, 1779 (Map). In the resulting Battle of Stony Point, Wayne directed his men to rely on the bayonet as to prevent a musket discharge from alerting the British to the impending attack. Exploiting flaws in the British defenses, Wayne led his men forward and, despite sustaining a wound, succeeded in capturing the position from the British. For his exploits, Wayne was awarded a gold medal from Congress. Remaining outside of New York in 1780, he aided in foiling Major General Benedict Arnolds plans to turn over West Point to the British by shifting troops to the fort after his treason was uncovered. At the end of the year, Wayne was forced to deal with a mutiny in the Pennsylvania Line caused by pay issues. Going before Congress, he advocated for his troops and was able to resolve the situation though many men left the ranks. Mad Anthony: During the winter of 1781, Wayne is said to have earned his nickname Mad Anthony after an incident involving one of his spies known as Jemmy the Rover. Thrown in jail for disorderly conduct by local authorities, Jemmy sought aid from Wayne. Refusing, Wayne instructed that Jemmy be given 29 lashes for his behavior leading the spy to say that the general was mad. Having rebuilt his command, Wayne moved south to Virginia to join a force led by the Marquis de Lafayette. On July 6, Lafayette attempted an attack on Major General Lord Charles Cornwalliss rearguard at Green Spring. Leading the assault, Waynes command advanced into a British trap. Nearly overwhelmed, he held off the British with a daring bayonet charge until Lafayette could arrive to aid in extricating his men. Later in the campaign season, Washington moved south along with French troops under the Comte de Rochambeau. Uniting with Lafayette, this force besieged and captured Cornwallis army at the Battle of Yorktown. After this victory, Wayne was sent to Georgia to combat Native American forces which were threatening the frontier. Successful, he was awarded a large plantation by the Georgia legislature. Later Life: With the end of the war, Wayne was promoted to major general on October 10, 1783, before returning to civilian life. Living in Pennsylvania, he operated his plantation from afar and served in the state legislature from 1784-1785. A strong supporter of the new US Constitution, he was elected to Congress to represent Georgia in 1791. His time in the House of Representatives proved short-lived as he failed to meet the Georgia residency requirements and was forced to step down the following year. His entanglements in the South soon ended when his lenders foreclosed on the plantation. In 1792, with the Northwest Indian War ongoing, President Washington sought to end a string of defeats by appointing Wayne to take over operations in the region. Realizing that previous forces had lacked training and discipline, Wayne spent much of 1793, drilling and instructing his men. Titling his army the Legion of the United States, Waynes force included light and heavy infantry, as well as cavalry and artillery. Marching north from present-day Cincinnati in 1793, Wayne built a series of forts to protect his supply lines and the settlers in his rear. Advancing north, Wayne engaged and crushed a Native American army under Blue Jacket at the Battle of Fallen Timbers on August 20, 1794. The victory at ultimately led to the signing of the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, which ended the conflict and removed Native American claims to Ohio and the surrounding lands. In 1796, Wayne made a tour of the forts on the frontier before beginning the journey home. Suffering from gout, Wayne died on December 15, 1796, while at Fort Presque Isle (Erie, PA). Initially buried there, he body was disinterred in 1809 by his son and his bones returned to the family plot at St. Davids Episcopal Church in Wayne, PA.

Contemporary issues in international event management Essay - 1

Contemporary issues in international event management - Essay Example role of this paper is to look at the international standards of sustainable event management, which are key concepts that make an event a success (Anderson 2010). According to Bowdin (2011) sustainability in event management refers to the decision-making, planning and participation in an event while being environmentally and socially responsible. An Event Management Industry, which does not respond to sustainability and does not operate within the sustainable management then the company, is likely to fail. Events have extraordinarily been used as a part of the organization’s brand experience. Hence it should be accessed alongside with the impact that it has on the environment. A company has to ensure the sustainable management of events and supplier activities in a more organized manner. The general public is demanding a clear and transparent system from the companies that has a higher brand value attributed to a certain service or a product. Sustainable event management is becoming more diverse, any industry now can host any event. The products and materials that are used to produce an event all have the negative impacts on the enviro nment, but these negative impacts can be reduced through using products that are environmental friendly, organic and fair trade(Bowdin 2011). Without doubt, a manager is a person who is held accountable to development of things that will promote the condition that they are controlling. There are several elements that are considered for one to be a manager of sustainability. Ideally, one needs to possess the ability to control matters and establish solutions that will be sustainable. The movement towards sustainable management establishes that institutions are starting to carry out a systems extensive approach that connects in the numerous segments of the business with greater focus on the environment. As sustainable management organization adapt to certain approaches, it becomes critically significant they integrate a picture

People Capability Maturity Model Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People Capability Maturity Model - Research Paper Example The long-term success of an organization entirely depends upon its success in the talent market. These days talent market is dwindling rapidly with expansion in business market. Due to lack of talent some organizations have started offering incentives to ordinary employees that were once offered to talented and 0ld employees. The challenges related to talent hunt are extended further than recruiting and retention. At the very time competing for hiring talented people is not sufficient. Because trying hard to win just talent war can be harmful for the organization. A homogeneous balance between business and talent war is the golden key to success. Organizations must make every effort to develop a healthy learning environment so that the entire workforce keeps on refreshing their skills with changing demands of the market. A very vital constituent of any organization is a labor force having knowledge and skills to make rapid modifications and ability to get hold of new skills. Such a r esponsive workforce is a great asset for an organization. Organizations have stabbed to adapt different techniques to improve human capital. To achieve a better human capital management system most of the organizations came up with different ideas like getting better ways of information sharing, arranging interactive workshops for employees, highlighting the mission and vision statements of organization, practicing downsizing, founding attractive incentive policies, launching complaint handling system, conducting various seminars and conferences to throw light on importance of training and continuous learning for employees, supporting the unique concept of job rotation, giving employees the relaxation to work from home and conducting regular training session. What many corporations require is a framework to implement these wonderful ideas. Now trends are changing rapidly in market. These changing trends have affected workforce badly. The scenario in business is totally opposite now that’s why in order to keep pace with these changing trends employees need to enhance their knowledge and skills constantly. This is the war of talent and employees have to try hard to win this war. Doers must be thinkers, people are the real assets for any organization, workforce is actually the investment, centralized decisions, continuous struggle for improvements and centralized network are some of the advanced concepts in business. Since people are now the real asset for any organization so in order to hire and maintain talented workforce its inevitable to follow a strategy that could help an organization to address the problems being faced by the workforce. The organizations have to focus on three interconnected components i.e. people, process and technology. With the help of People Capability Maturity Model many organizations have made excellent improvements in their products and services. The People CMM is an organizational change model. It is based on the fact that w orkforce training practices won’t endure until and unless organization changes its behavior to support them. The People CMM presents a plan for renovating an organization by gradually civilizing its labor force practices. The People CMM consists of five evolutionary stages, at every maturity level; a new structure of practices is added to already implemented at previous levels. Each superimposition of practices elevates the level of

Restaurant Business in London Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Restaurant Business in London - Essay Example This paper illustrates that London is one of the few places on Earth where various kinds of restaurants are found. Since the population of London consists of various ethnicities, there are eclectic sources of food in the city. All kinds of cuisine are present that may range from Greek to Italian, African to Chinese and from German to Belgian. The restaurants present vary in the designs that they are created in too. While some may specialize in outdoor dining, others prefer indoors. The designs and the food both are designed in a way after studying the demands of the customers. In the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of restaurants in London. Many people relate the increase to postmodernism. According to Venkatesh, postmodernism is the term that is often used to capture the present effects of the world order. The transformation of the modernism that has occurred throughout the ages in all parts of the world has had many effects on the dressing, tastes, working habits and lifestyles of the people. Postmodernism has affected the restaurant industry in London too. Over the last few decades, there has been an increase in the demand for restaurants. Dining out is somewhat a ‘modern’ concept and therefore postmodernism has resulted in the success of the restaurant industry. There is a lesser trend of people eating at homes. According to Irving, one-third of the money spent on food and drink in the UK (and London) is spent on dining out. The total money that the restaurants make over a year is around 30 billion pounds. Consumer choices influence the success of the restaurant businesses because the demand for certain products is higher than others. In London, according to Christine & Co, the restaurants that specialize in fast food are more likely to prosper. This is because the busy life in London forces people to eat fast food.

How The Media Influences Public Perceptions Media Essay

How The Media Influences Public Perceptions Media Essay 3.1 Introduction to the media The mass media is one of the most influential sources of providing news to members of the public. It also has a powerful impact on public perceptions of specific issues, for example sex offenders (Brayford Deering, 2012). In order for a story to enter any form of the mass media, it needs to meet certain newsworthy criteria to help media companies entice greater audiences, thus increasing overall profit (Galtung Ruge, 1965). Female sexual offending fulfils key aspects of newsworthy criteria. The cases covered tend to include elements of seriousness and negativity, which appeals to audiences (Greer, 2003). Child sexual offenders have long received much negative coverage by the mass media, causing a topic for public debate (Kitzinger, 2004).This chapter focuses on how the media represents FCSOs, with particular reference to the Vanessa George case, and examines how it can influence public perception of FCSOs. It is important to note that most academic research involving child sexual o ffenders, and also the media, focus on sexual offenders in general rather than specifically FCSOs. Therefore this chapter bases its conclusions on the limited research available. Another important issue to consider is that the media provides conflicting representations of women as offenders, in particular FCSOs. On the one hand, female offenders, like Myra Hindley, who receive large amounts of media attention, are demonised, but on the other hand, many other FCSOs go unnoticed in the media due to the traditional concepts of femininity (Giguere Bumby, 2007). These contradictions are often mirrored in public reactions, creating complications. The challenges in understanding representations of FCSOs are explored during the course of the chapter. How the media influences public perceptions of FCSOs The hypodermic syringe model is a theory which describes the media like a drug, injecting opinions directly into the minds of readers (Kitzinger, 2004). This is one way of understanding the effect of the media on public perceptions of FCSOs. It can produce a powerful effect, as the emotion produced by these offences could be why the media choose to report on them. Reports may cause outbursts of street anger and violence, stemming from moral panic, creating hysteria among the public (Thomas, 2005; Cohen, 1972). This is evident in the case of nursery worker Vanessa George (BBC, 2009) who abused children in her care. The media coverage of this case may have made the public start to look at women, particularly those working with children, in a different light, with the same suspicion as men. However, evidence suggests that this has only been provoked by the rare number of FCSO cases actually reported on, as most of the time society has a blind spot regarding female-perpetrated sexual abu se (Tsopelas et al., 2012). This is due to the care-giving roles which females are expected to hold towards children (Finkelhor et al., 1988), which are habitually represented in various forms of the media: films, news reports, TV, etc. It could be argued that, depending on which particular ideology the media decides to report on with regards to FCSOs, their portrayal will have a significant impact on how society views them. This illustrates the complications created by the media, providing contradictory perceptions of FSCOs, causing confusion as to how the public should perceive them. The media uses tactics such as emotive language and imagery to influence how the public view certain criminals. One example is the use of the iconic image of Myra Hindley within media reports. The picture showed her as emotionless and cold, making her seem masculine (see appendix 1). Being such a powerful and well-known case, it also shaped how society imagines FCSOs to look (Kitzinger, 2004). Even though this was proved to be a co-offending case, it showed how society views any female involved in such crimes as going against the traditional gender model of women. This relates to the theory used by many feminists who argue that such women are regarded as double deviant, and receive harsher treatment by society, as they not only breach the law, but also break feminine norms (Heidensohn, 1987). Applying this theory, FCSOs may be regarded as the worst form of criminals, due to the seriousness of their offences. This could explain why they receive such negative portrayals within the medi a. However, a counter-argument is that females involved in child sexual offending may be viewed by the public as harmless, and their involvement is not perceived as a form of abuse. If the media do not themselves believe that female-perpetrated sexual abuse is a problem within society, they can hardly provide such negative representation with impunity. This is supported by Denov (2003), who states that the public perceive FCSOs as committing less serious offences than male sexual offenders, due to the common belief that women cannot be capable of committing such crimes. Thus, it appears that the media is likely to hold similar views in order to serve the interests of the public, and focuses attention primarily on issues involving male sexual offenders. There is strong evidence to suggest that FCSOs are treated as double deviant, although some theorists would refute this, with the rationale that they are perceived as less serious criminals than their male counterparts. However, when considering examples such as Myra Hindley, that would appear to be a false supposition. Media representations of FCSOs Historically, FCSOs have rarely been reported on by the media. This may be due to the myth that abuse by a female is seen as a confused form of love (Gannon Cortoni, 2010: 13), and suggests that even if women do sexually abuse children, it is in a less aggressive manner than male sexual offenders, and may not necessarily inflict damage on a child. The media is unlikely to report on these cases, as they do not fit newsworthy criteria discussed earlier. This could be why the public generally has a lack of knowledge concerning issues surrounding female child sexual offending. As Strickland (2008) argues, men are traditionally viewed as having more aggressive personalities, and are more likely to commit criminal offences. Consequently, it can be argued that these stereotypes make it easy for the media to report on issues and cases linked to them. Moreover, the lack of reports on FCSOs could explain the reason for the lack of disclosure by their victims (Denov, 2003). This is discussed i n Chapter 5. As indicated in Chapter 1, any abuse committed by females is usually referred to in the media as a relationship or affair (Tsopelas et al., 2012: 306) compared with when the perpetrator is a man, in which case the reporters often refer to them as abusers, again resulting in lack of reports on cases perpetrated by females. This encourages academics to ask the question of whether female-perpetrated child sexual abuse is under-reported, due to the above reasons, or if it is so uncommon that there are not enough cases for the media to actually report on. Nowadays increasing knowledge and awareness about issues of female child sexual offending has roused strong societal reactions, resulting in increased coverage in the media. Newspapers frequently portray FCSOs as evil monsters (Gakhal Brown, 2011). This shows a dramatic change from when they were largely ignored in the media, or seen to be coerced into abuse by a male, and has given society a new perspective on the problem. One of the most dramatic cases with wide media coverage was that of Vanessa George. A mother of two, she worked at a nursery in Plymouth. In December 2009 she was convicted of sexual assault, and the making of and being in possession of/distributing indecent images of children, and was given an indeterminate prison sentence with a minimum requirement of seven years. In November 2010, a serious case review was conducted (PSCB, 2010), and it was discovered that the nursery provided an ideal environment for the abuse to be carried out. It found that certain gaps wit hin the system allowed George to commit these offences, such as the nurserys phone line being out of order, allowing workers to bring their own mobile phones in for emergencies. This presented George with an opportunity to take indecent images of children on her mobile. Yet the media reports paid little attention to these mistakes, focusing primarily on her abusive behaviour. It was also discovered during the investigation that she was an active part of a co-offending group, initiated by a male perpetrator, Colin Blanchard, and yet interestingly, the media attention focused primarily on George. In the serious case review, it was noted that she had no previous convictions, the abuse only starting when she came into contact with Blanchard over the internet. George was manipulated into committing abuse and sharing images with him. These facts were, however, expressed in a completely different manner throughout the media reporting on the case. This warrants further examination, by analy sing reports from various media sources. Analysis of the media reports on the Vanessa George case Chapter 1 indicated that there is substantial evidence to suggest that many FCSOs are regarded as harmless because they may only target adolescent victims (Mathews et al., 1989). However, this is not applicable in the case of Vanessa George (BBC News, 2010). The media coverage generally concerning this case highlighted the serious issues surrounding female-perpetrated sexual abuse in the UK, different media types reporting in diverse ways. In order to understand how the media represents FCSOs, a comparison needs to be made between the various media types, using a critical discourse analysis. There are many definitions of critical discourse analysis, but, within this dissertation it is referred to as the analysis of language used in speech and writing within media reports as a form of social practice, where specific ideologies are reproduced through the language in the texts (Wodak Meyer, 2009). This method is appropriate here, enabling analysis of the language used by the media wh en reporting on FCSOs, and uncovering the hidden ideologies in the text which are used to change the readers opinion on the issue of female sexual offending. It is also important to look at the discursive construction of FCSOs, which refers to the way in which the women are defined through the language used in media reports, and how these construct FCSOs as a concept. Almost every article written about FCSOs can be analysed using critical discourse analysis, reporters being required to make certain decisions as to how they want to represent particular ideologies in their article, e.g. the terms they use to describe an FCSO, or which quotes to use from members of the public. These can add to the way the ideology in the text is portrayed overall, and thus how it affects society as a whole (Richardson, 2007). The three main articles analysed were drawn from different news outlets which hold conflicting ideological stances. Firstly, Public enemy number one was taken from The Sun (Coles, 2011), a newspaper which represents right-wing principles. Secondly, Vanessa George jailed for child sex abuse was extracted from The Guardian (Morris, 2009) which expresses mostly liberal interests. Finally, Little Teds was ideal place for Vanessa George abuse was traced from BBC News (2010b), which is commonly known to represent a centrism approach to reporting. The Sun, known for its exaggeration of the truth in order to attract the attention of more readers, reported on the case of George as one that caused so much outrage and shock that the police needed to step in to stop the abuse aimed at her by the public. The way the article presented these dramatic views is interesting for critical discourse analysis. It was outwardly biased, presenting only the feelings expressed by parents of possible victims, rather than facts of the case. Therefore the analysis made could support the theory that the facts of the case are spun to present a particular viewpoint here, that FCSOs are extremely disturbing to society and uses particular language aimed to influence readers into holding the same opinions. This is evident in the following quotes: Public enemy number one, Sick b****, The van taking Vanessa George to prison is attacked (see appendix 2 for more examples). The above quotes use emotive language to express the disgust and anger felt by the p ublic. These quotes are used to align the public voice to that of the reporters, obscuring the ideological underpinnings of the article. This supports Gakhal Browns (2011: 3) argument that the media provides stereotypical portrayals of sex offenders in general, using words linked with monsters and evil perverts. Moreover, this choice of language helped provide a negative perception of FCSOs. The fact that the reporter purposely used a collective noun in the article title Public enemy number one- suggests that the paper was implying that George was hated by all members of the public, and that readers should share these feelings. The fact that the article concentrated on quotes and opinions of parents involved in the case shows how the reporter wanted to present only one ideological viewpoint. Furthermore, it can be argued that this negative portrayal of George, an FCSO, by the media reinforces the argument previously put forward regarding female offenders as displaying double devia nce (Heidensohn, 1987). On the other hand, the article in The Guardian expressed a more balanced stance, presenting the audience with facts of the case. The image of George used by the reporter shows her as a smiling, friendly character. This could be aiming to send out a message that, unlike the stereotypical image of most sexual offenders, an FCSO can be any ordinary woman. Perhaps, because such cases are so uncommon, there is so far no stereotype of an FCSO. Thus, it appears that the media can play on the fear of the public, to make them wary of whom they trust for childcare. Furthermore, its choice of image shows how George was part of a co-offending group (see appendix 3), and although she solely committed the abuse in Little Teds nursery, she was in fact in contact with two others, one of whom (Blanchard), was coercing her to commit the offences. The article reported that George was besotted with him. This both presents FCSOs in a negative light, and provides a more nuanced understanding of the case, constructing her as submissive, under the control of Blanchard. It also covers other issues faced by society, for example the influence male sexual offenders can have on females, forcing them to also commit sexual offences. However, when analysing this article, it can be argued that the reporter was somewhat biased, using post-modified terms such as paedophile, which disguises the fact that the choice to commit these crimes is not just down to sexual preference, but is a way in which an offender exploits and holds power over children (Kelly, 1998). It also links to the same ideology presented in The Sun, by describing George in a negative light: Cold and calculating. These quotes, however, came from the judge in charge of the case, possibly a more reliable source to reproduce the ideologies through language than that used by The Sun. The way in which The Guardian presented a balanced stance is arguably similar to how the BBC reported on the case of George. They provided the facts of the case and referred to the serious case review (discussed earlier), as well as other reliable sources, such as the councillor for Plymouths Efford and Lipson ward, in order to fulfil their reputation of being a dependable source. When analysing this article, it is clear that the ideology behind it is to provide the public with the facts, whilst preventing moral panic, by reporting on the positive responses of professionals towards the case. The reporter used passive verbs, such as reassured (see appendix 4 for more examples), and quotations from Ofsted Ofsted has already implemented a number of changes, to show the public that society can learn from the mistakes made in this case, and to prevent future similar cases. However, the BBC also used a disturbing criminal style image of George within this article, which imitated the report ing techniques used in the Myra Hindley case, reinforcing the stereotypical image of how an FCSO may appear (Kitzinger, 2004). Therefore, it could be argued that no matter what type of media outlet, there is always some form of bias in the way reporters present their ideology through the language and images they choose to use. Another observation made when analysing this article, is the sub-heading entitled Explicit culture, which went on to report on the co-offending details of the case. The fact that the reporter used a sub-heading, together with the chosen language, shows an attempt to make readers aware of the increasingly serious problem of co-offending child sexual offenders within society. This critical discourse analysis has identified the right wing (The Sun) constructions of FCSOs as aggressive, sick and evil, which relates to the theory of female offenders being double deviant. However, competing constructions with a different ideological base come from other media outlets such as The Guardian, constructing female sexual offending as a male-coerced crime. It is clear that different media types report in different ways: some use stereotyping FCSOs as a powerful influential tool, others are more objective in presenting the facts of the case. It should be recognised, however, that all have had an impact in raising awareness of new issues faced by society with regards to female sexual offending. Much work still needs to be done within all areas of the mass media, in order to educate reporters. When they provide representations of FCSOs, they should appreciate the gravity of the issues raised, and the traumatic results that articles can have on victims and members of th e public (Tsopelas et al., 2012). However, the primary aim of media companies is to sell more papers, so unfortunately they will continue to sensationalise articles to increase profits, using cases of female-perpetrated sexual offences to do so.

Abortion :: essays research papers

Perhaps no contemporary issue inspires more heated debate than abortion - the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. Many have witnessed and experienced the bitterness of such a controversial debate. There are two types of people in this world. Pro - choice activists believe in the right to choose a safe, legal abortion. Pro - life activists believe that abortion is murder. Why is the debate over abortion so emotional? Some argue about the rights of the fetus (unborn child) while others argue if abortion should be legal. The debate usually strays from these basic issues. For example, pro - choice advocates try to convince their opponents women's rights are at risk. Pro - life supporters argue that the rights of the fetus are as important as those of the mother, and that abortion is murder. "Other pro - choice defenders argue that if abortion is murder, why do so many pro - life advocates fight against the most logical methods of preventing this so - called genocide - birth control an d sex education?" (Reardon, 138) Another reason for the bitterness of this debate is that most pro - choice and pro - life advocates reached their conclusions about abortion very early in life, probably even earlier than they can remember. They were taught from previous generations that there was only one correct point of view. Many people have trouble seeing why others who were brought up with the opposite viewpoint cannot simply look at the "facts" and be persuaded to change their minds. Tempers flare when opponents resort to oversimplification because the issue is definitely not simple. According to recent public opinion polls, the majority of Americans (at least 60 percent) hold beliefs that place them somewhere between the two most extreme, or radical, positions on the abortion issue. Although radical groups on both sides of the issue may get the most media attention, most Americans have moderate viewpoints. Individuals in this moderate viewpoint may lean toward pro - life or pro - choice, but they seek to stay at middle ground. Most people feel uncomfortable with abortion and are troubled by many of the reasons given for having one but these same people are also uncomfortable with the governments's interference in a woman's right to choose an abortion, a right granted in 1973 by the landmark Supreme Court decision in Roe vs. Wade. Half the adults surveyed by the New York Times in 1996 supported the availability of safe, legal abortions while only 9 percent felt that no abortions at all should be permitted.