Crime in the Suites Effects of Power and Privilege Essay

Crime in the Suites Effects of Power and Privilege - Essay Example In spite of the larger cost to lives and property, there appears to be a tendency for many law enforcers and many parts of the society to disregard or lightly deal with crimes committed by individuals with power, influence and high standing on society. The definition of elite crime has changed and expanded over the years such that the focus has been transferred from social class to occupation. There are now two recognized classes of elite crime: "corporate crime" and "occupational crime". The former refers to the offenses committed by the management or any employees that aimed to benefit or protect the corporation. Occupational crime refers to acts committed by an individual who made use of his employment for extra gains. This includes embezzlement of funds, leaking trade secrets and procurement fraud. To be more precise, elite crimes are offenses requiring the offender to be (1) a corporate entity or a representative thereof and/or (2) performing a particular position at the time the offense was committed. With this classification and definition, offenses are categorized as white collar crime regardless of all social classes so long as it has the characteristics provided above. Elite criminals are considered to behave more rationally than street offenders as the later routinely operates in hedonistic contexts while the former work in settings that promote prudent decision making and exercising greater care and caution. Elite crimes also differ from street crimes in conduct as it uses deceit, guile and/or misrepresentation to exploit for illicit advantage or create the appearance of a legitimate transaction. Previous studies in criminology focused in explaining why people commit crime and why some are more likely to commit an offense. With Sutherland's exposition of 'elite crime', a paradigm shift has occurred where the focus now lies in a sociopolitical analysis of crime. One such paradigm is the conflict theory which contends that legal content is primarily determined by those possessing great power and influence derived from membership to powerful groups of race, gender, social class and resources. The theory sees the law not as an objective, agreed-upon list of deviant and socially damaging behaviors but a doctrine tailored to serve the interests of the powerful. Privileged individuals can also impact the way the criminal justice system operates such that it targets only those who lack power and ignores the crime of those who have. Conflict theorists consider the criminal justice system to be consciously and intentionally biased. Essentially, society is in conflict due to innate diff erences and those who have the power to prevail determine what is right and wrong or in this case, whether an act is a crime or not. Following the conflict theory, we can see the reasons why white collar crime has not been given proper attention in spite of the statistics showing that it has more deleterious effects on society as compared to those 'blue collar' crime. White collar crime, especially the corporate type, involves people with great resources and connections that provide them the power to influence politicians, legislators, police and even the judiciary in the definition of what is legal and what is criminal. Several corporations and even private entities have already been exposed to providing financial support, especially in the elections, in exchange of political and

Philosophy of Epistemology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy of Epistemology - Essay Example It is not the task of this essay to offer a total refutation of the Skeptics' claim, rather to analyze arguments which look at the justification for our beliefs. Two such arguments, which have traditionally been in contest with one another, are Foundationalism and Coherentism. The former claims that there are basic, self-evident beliefs which act as a foundation upon which all other beliefs are built. The latter asserts that all beliefs are justified if and only if they cohere with one another. There are obvious problems with these two modes of thinking, which will form the primary investigation of this essay. A possible solution, as offered by Haack, lies somewhere in the middle and is understandably termed "Foundherentism". The heart of this essay will be in the exploration of Haack's reasoning, but first, a look at the two competing theories from which it stems. Empirical Foundationalism claims that sense experiences offer the platform upon which we are able to place all other beliefs. They need no further justification and all other beliefs can ultimately be reduced to these basic beliefs. There is a clear initial problem with Foundationalism, in that it appears to rely on an essentially dogmatic approach. It does not seem unreasonable to ask, for example, how someone knows that it is Monday today. Is it because yesterday was Sunday In which case how does one know it was Sunday yesterday Did someone tell them If so, how did they know And so on for an infinite regress. However, it does seem reasonable, from a common-sense perspective to allow the pressed epistemologist sanctuary with his own sense experiences. Indeed, in her article, A Foundherentist Theory of Empirical Justification, Haack remarks that one of the merits of Foundationalism is that "it acknowledges that a person's experience- what he sees, hears etc.- is relevant to how just ified he is in his belief about the world" (p.420). It certainly seems to be the case that our senses play a key role in deciding our beliefs about the world. A further problem, one which is raised by supporters of Coherentism, is that sensory justification alone does not properly address the problem of why those beliefs have come about. There must be, according to Coherentism, some context within which the sensory beliefs make sense. Believing that one can see a computer in front of them is only justified in relation to another set of beliefs about what a computer is. Coherentism essentially allows justification on the merit of the coherence of the belief set within which it falls. It attempts to deny the validity of the regress argument by claiming that justification is a holistic approach. Though it may offer an alternative to the dogmatic approach of Foundationalism, it nevertheless leaves no room for the sense experience of the subject. It is quite plausible that a subject constructs a perfectly coherent set of beliefs which have little or no correspondence with the 'real world' to which it refers. It might, therefore be perfectly al low-able from a Coherentist perspective to hold a set of beliefs which are entirely justifiable but entirely untrue. Furthermore, the 'holistic' approach offered by Coherentists, is seen by its opponents as little more than a euphemism for circularity. The focus of Foundherentism is the "standards of better or worse evidence, of more or less justified belief"

Policy and Practice In the Education of Bilingual Children Essay

Policy and Practice In the Education of Bilingual Children - Essay Example Long-term planning for language use and literacy should use official curricula, such as the Early Years Foundation Stage in England, as its launching pad, and there is no need for other laborious documentation. Schemes of work and long-term commitment to set repeated topics are more likely to stifle creativity than be a useful structure for planning. The long-term aim for teachers is to encourage children to build her or his language in their own unique way and leave the Foundation Stage excited and enthusiastic about their learning. Long-term planning for language can be enhanced by an agreed list of core books and rhymes. This will provide a store of high-quality texts that children will get to know well during their time in setting. These texts can be developed with double language copies and big books, with story snacks, story props and puppets to extend children's experiences. Core books and their props provide a strong basis for all children to develop confidence in their langu age through the visual support. Clear illustrations and repetitive texts are particularly supportive for bilingual children and even for multilingual children. Tower Hamlets Primary School teachers should use various strategies to provide a nurturing environment. Sensitive grouping of children can ensure that there is a supportive friend who will model language for the bilingual children to copy. Their friend can also guide them through the various social and cultural situations that they may find puzzling. Teachers can ensure that bilingual children are placed in a position so that they can hear clearly, can observe any accompanying gestures and can always see any book illustrations or visual material that is supporting the... This essay stresses that all children have an entitlement to benefit from the Early Years Foundation Stage, and context is a key factor in helping bilingual children learns sufficient English to enable them to do so. Scaffolding language provides a supportive structure for them. First-hand experiences provide the context and the motivation for children to learn the language in a way that is meaningful to them. They gain in confidence and make their first tentative steps in English. Their first words are added to by staff who provide a rich commentary on the children’s play and learning activities. This report makes a conclusion that it is pertinent to note that all young children have considerable adjustment to make when they first encounter formal schooling. The observations of this report have indicated that teachers involved depicted a rapid adjustment to school. Although variations were apparent from one teacher to another. overall. teachers‘ ratings of the children tended to favor the bilingual group. The teachers themselves had to adjust to working within the framework of the research design but nevertheless. their observations support the practicability of a bilingual curriculum. Consideration should be given to the structure of curriculum experience for bilingual pupils. Particularly with regard to the probable interaction between languages in the children's experience. Perceptions of bilingual education varies considerably among staff in schools. The government also should support teachers by establishing systems in schools that will favor bilingual children.

Beer-Lambert’s Law Experiment

Beer-Lambert’s Law Experiment Design Project on  Beer- Lambert’s Law. Saswati Rakshit Aim: To learn and understand the basics and mathematical calculations of the following problem and write programs accordingly. Problem 1: Suppose an outdoor multispectral image is captured by a camera with a path length of 1-3 microns. A part of the intensity is attenuated by the absorption of small particles in the atmosphere for that spectral range and let the scattering by the small particles for that spectral range is 0. Find the total attenuation in the spectral range using Simpson 1/3  ­, trapezoidal and Euler integration methods and comment in your findings. Scope/Application: Beer Lambert’s law relates the attenuation of light to the properties of the material through which the light is passing. When light passes through a medium some amount of light is absorbed by the medium. For this absorption intensity of light reduces. Beer Lambert’s law states that the quantity of light absorbed is directly proportional to the concentration of the substance and the path length of the light through the transmission medium Beer Lambert’s law is used to find total attenuation of light when light passes through a medium(considering scattering is zero).It is also used to find the concentration of medium in chemical analysis, medium length in some application and absorbance of medium when necessary. Introduction of Beer Lambert Law: Lambert’s law is (Related to thickness/path length of medium) When light passes through an absorbing medium its intensity decreases exponentially as the path length of the absorbing medium increases. I = I0 e-k1 L †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.(i) (where L is the length of medium and k1 is molar extinction/absorption co-efficient for the absorbing material) Beer’s law is (Related to concentration of absorbing medium) When light passes through medium(absorbing) its intensity decreases exponentially as the concentration of the absorbing medium increases. I = I0e-k2C †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..(ii) (C concentration of medium and k2 is absorption co-efficient for the absorbing material) Combining both Beer’s and Lambert’s law we get I = I0 e-k3CL combining eqn (i) and (ii) Where I0 = Incident light intensity I = Transmitted Light intensity C=concentration / volume L= path length of medium We consider an outdoor multispectral image is captured by a camera with a spectral range of 1-3 microns. A part of the intensity is attenuated by the absorption of small particles in the medium.so image will be attenuated. Beer Lambert’s law find the attenuation caused by absorption for that spectral range and let the scattering by the small particles for that spectral range is 0. Objectives: In a given path length 1 to 3 micron, we have considered a constant value of molar extinction/absorption co-efficient.and now we need to find the absorbance total attenuation of the incident light using Beer’s Lambert Law. And then applying Simpson’s 1/3, Trapezoidal and Euler Integration in it compare the result. System flow: Implementation of the Beer Lambert’s law needs a proper mathematical understanding of the Beer Lambert’s law. Here I am showing how to set the equation using its mathematical basics First we apply Beer Lambert’s Law for a medium which absorbs light in spectral range 1-3 micron. Considering no scattering we assume I0 is the incident light to the medium Air of attenuation coefficient 1.64at temperature 20oC. Here path length travelled by light is 1 to 3 micron. According to Beer Lambert’s law light intensity is decreased if concentration path length increase. So we get the equation I=Io e-kcl = Io e- µl Now as we know the path length l and attenuation coefficient  µ, we calculate absorbance of the medium using eqn Log10 = kcl (Where l is constant) = e kcl But now for a spectral range 1 to 3 micron path length we need to formulate a new equation by integrating ranged from .001mm to .003 mm [Here x is path length and c is attenuation coefficient] Solving the above eqn we get total absorbance. Thus Beer Lambert’s law is successfully implemented in our problem. Now we apply Simpson 1/3 rd, trapezoidal rule on Beer’s Lambert Law to find total attenuation. Finally compare the result of Simpson’s 1/3 rd and Trapezoidal rule with the actual integration. Flow Diagram: Math: Beer-Lambert Law Concept Consider a light incident on a medium with area A and thickness dx and concentration of molecules C. Number of molecules illuminated by light of incident intensity Ix is CAdx. Total effective area ÏÆ'CAdx. Probability of light being absorbed in thickness dx is = dx [where dIx is the change in intensity across dx and ÏÆ' is scattering coefficient] So we can write, = dx †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (i) Now we integrate both sides of (i) ln (I) – ln(I0) = ln = ÏÆ'Cx I = I0e-ÏÆ'Cx = I0 e µx †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.(ii) The co-efficient  µ=ÏÆ' C is the linear attenuation co-efficient. Here C=Absorbing co-efficient ÏÆ' = Scattering co-efficient. The ibrightness of light decreases exponentially with depth in the medium. So we can tell Beer-Lambert Law is also a function of( ÃŽ »), i.e. I (ÃŽ ») = I0 (ÃŽ ») e- µ(ÃŽ »)x†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦(iii) Calculation: (Here we considered linear attenuation) Given spectral range 0.001 mm to 0.003 mm Let we consider Absorbing coefficient(C) of Transmission Medium (Air) = 1.64 at 20o C. So total absorption (A) of light is calculated by integrating in the spectral range, [from eqn ii] = (1) = = 0.002006571 Now we can easily calculate attenuated intensity of light (I). Attenuation is the loss of light intensity over distance. The greater the distance, the lower is the intensity Where I=I0 -Attenuation Trapezoidal rule:- We know, in case of multiple application of Trapezoidal rule, the formula is: = [f(x0) + 2) + f(xn)] So, here applying the above formula for equation (1) we get: = 0.0005[[ 0.001 + 2 + [] 0.003] = 0.0005[1.001641346 + 2.00657077 + 1.004932123] = 0.0005[4.013144239] =0.002006572 (Ans.) Here, x0 = x0.001, xn = x0.003, b = 0.003, a = 0.001, n = 2, = 0.0005. Simpson’s rule: We know, composite Simpson’s rule formula is written as: = [f(x0) + 4) +2) + f(xn)] So, here applying the above formula for equation (1) we get: = 0.0003[[ 0.001 + 4 + [] 0.003] = 0.0003[1.001641346 + 4.01314154 + 1.004932123] = 0.001805914 (Ans.) Here, = 0.0003. Euler’s formula: Here, = y(0.001) = = 0 (assumption) y(0.003) = ≈ and we have to find the value of equation (1) using Euler’s formula which is, = + f (, ) h let us choose h = 0.001 Step-1 i=0, = 0.001, = 0, h = 0.001 = + f (, ) h = 0 + f (0.001, 0) 0.001 = 0.001001641 Step-2 i=1, = 0.002, = 0.001001641, h = 0.001 = + f (, ) h = 0.001001641 + f (0.001, 0.001001641) 0.001 = 0.0020049426 This is actually the value of the function at i.e. at (+h) or (0.002+0.001) or 0.003. So, = = 0.0020049426-0 = 0.0020049426 (Ans.) We find that the result of all above technique is almost same if we take approximation i.e.0.002. CODES and OUTPUT: Beer Lambert’s Law: #include #include #include int main() {float absorbtion,m,l,u; printf(nEnter spectral range); scanf(%f%f,l,u); printf(nnenter the value of absorption cofficient); scanf(%f,m); absorbtion=(1/m)*(pow(2.718,(m*u))-pow(2.718,(m*l))); printf(nnTotal absorption is %f: ,absorbtion); getch(); } Output: Simpson 1/3rd rule: #include #include #include void main() {float x[10],y[10],Total=0,h,t; int i,n,j,k=0; printf(nhow many values you will enter: ); scanf(%d,n); for(i=0; i { printf(nn x%d: ,i); scanf(%f,x[i]); printf(nn f(x%d): ,i); scanf(%f,y[i]); } h=x[1]-x[0]; n=n-1; Total = Total + y[0]; for(i=1;i { if(k==0) { Total = Total + 4 * y[i]; k=1 } else { Total = Total + 2 * y[i]; k=0; } } Total = Total + y[i]; Total = Total * (h/3); printf(nn I = %f , Total); getch();} Trapezoidal rule: #include #include #include int main(){ float x[10],y[10], Total =0,h; int i,n,j,k=0; float fact(int); printf(nhow many values of ranges you will be enter: ); scanf(%d,n); for(i=0; i {printf(nn x%d: ,i); scanf(%f,x[i]); printf(nn f(x%d): ,i); scanf(%f,y[i]); } h=x[1]-x[0]; n=n-1; for(i=0;i if(k==0) { Total = Total + y[i]; k=1; }else Total = Total + 2 * y[i];} Total = Total + y[i]; Total = Total * (h/2); printf(nn I = %f , Total); getch();} Future Work Scope: This Beer Lambert’s law can be used in image processing application where atmospheric condition is poor to find the attenuation of light and image by absorption of light. Implementing Euler Method. References: Weisstein, Eric W. Simpsons Rule. From MathWorldA Wolfram Web Resource. http://mathworld.wolfram.com/SimpsonsRule.html. (Accessed on 26.04.2015) Basics of Trapezoidal and Simpson Rules, www.math.umd.edu/~jmr/141/Simpson.pdf. Lal, A. K., Simpsons Rule, 2007, http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu.(Accessed on 20.04.2015) http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu. (Accessed on 19.03.2015) Garrett, P., Absorption and Transmission of light and the Beer-Lambert Law, Lecture 21, 2006, www.physics.uoguelph.ca/~pgarrett/Teaching.html. (Accessed on 26.04.2015) Mudakavi, J. R., Modern Instrumental Methods of Analysis, Lecture – 07, Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrophotometry – 3 Theoretical Aspects, http://nptel.ac.in/courses/103108100/7  (Accessed on 26.04.2015). www.chemwiki.ucdavis.edu. (Accessed on 19.03.2015)

In the New Century, the Unfinished Business of the Old World :: essays research papers

In the New Century, the Unfinished Business of the Old   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all I would like to restate that what keeps this world going is the infinite evolutionary progress, which evolves every human as well as the actions that each of us take throughout every second of our lives. Whenever, and wherever there is an action, there is a consequence that always follows closely. Sometimes it’s good but sometimes it can be bad, as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What professor Galbraith says is that although we are so different in every aspect, we are also the same. Although we all want peace, not all of us act towards it. Money has always moved the world of egos, but nowadays it has reached a platform where much of the spiritual part of our lives has been overtaken by the material addiction of the human compulsion. The U.S is a living proof of it. Here, we live in extremes, you are either in, or you’re a totally out of the American societal acceptance. Either ways will make you a true American. But one thing bonds it together: the honesty and the quality of an organized personnel that runs this so loved and hated country. Although here Americans have all the facilities and support for sports and education, it always seems that there is something lacking. Other countries that unfortunately do not have the same blessings as Americans do eventually learn from their difficulties, creating something that in Portuguese, my native language, we call â€Å"Malicia†. This is a word deeply shows that humans are not robots and that we can adapt to everything in our own little ways. Malicia is something impossible to be taught. It is hidden inside each and everyone of us. What this article brings, in my understanding, is that it has come the time for the world to unite as one, and for everyone to start caring.

A Minimum Of Two A Short Story English Literature Essay

â€Å" Minimum of two † is a aggregation of short narratives written by Australian author Tim Winton. He writes his narratives in different positions such as first and 3rd individual, chiefly for the reader to experience the narrative more in deepness. The book features 14 short narratives which are ; Forest Winter, No Memory Comes, Gravity, The Water was Dark and it went everlastingly down, Nislam ‘s Friend, Minimum of two, Distant Lands, Laps, Bay of Angels, The strong 1. Keeping, More, Death belongs to the dead his male parent told him and unhappiness to the sad and eventually Blood and H2O. Throughout all of these narratives there is relevant injury for past events, coming to an result of growing in either a positive or negative manner. The short narrative that in my sentiment is the most powerful in respects to trauma and growing is the narrative â€Å" Minimum of two † . It ‘s written in first individual position of the hubby ( Neil ) . This is a deep narrative about a married adult female called Greta acquiring raped by a senior in her section by the name of Fred Blakey. He is taken to tribunal by Greta and Neil and is sentenced to 5 old ages imprisonment but for Neil this is non plenty because he went through ample agony through the recovery of Greta in the manner that she did non desire to be intimate with him because she was sensitive as expected after being raped. With this issue, Neil decides to take affairs in his ain custodies and contemplates killing Blakey when he gets released, he tells his friend Tony Mitchell that he will be making this. Mitchell does n't hold with what Neil wants to make, but Neil does n't listen to him and ends up killing Blakey when he got out. His scruples so catches up with him and he so feels like the most atrocious individual, stating that he feels that he was a â€Å" dead adult male † . The chief injury in this narrative is the colza of Greta by Fred Blakey, this is chiefly trauma from Greta as she becomes sensitive and does n't acquire intimate with Neil, this is besides a traumatic for him, and this is shown in the manner he writes about his feelings. It seems like her familiarity with him is a great thing for him doing this narrative traumatic for both Neil and Greta. In the stoping Neil putting to deaths Blakey and comes to a negative growing of feeling sorry for himself, every bit good as losing his best friend Tony Mitchell. The following narrative that showed injuries and growing is the narrative called â€Å" Distant Lands † . It ‘s written in the 3rd individual position. This short narrative is about an fleshy adult female working at her male parent ‘s newsagency. This adult female is called â€Å" Fat Maz † she was teased and tormented through high school and besides was non supported really good by her parents, they besides treated her as if they did n't cognize her or that she was n't their girl. There was a twenty-four hours though that changed her life, a alien Pakistani adult male comes into the newsagency, and opens the book â€Å" Distant Lands † has a glimpse and leaves. As she goes to inspect the book she realises the endorsement stating â€Å" You will desire this book ne'er to complete † after she reads the endorsement she is interested in reading the book, as she is reading it the Pakistani adult male comes into the newsagency one time once more and this clip re-opening â€Å" Distant Lands † and smiling at Fat Maz, he gives her money and some assurance to go forth her refuse occupation assisting at her male parent ‘s newsagency The injury in this narrative is chiefly from Fat Maz ‘s life, how she had been teased all in high school and even at place with her parents she was n't treated nicely. The growing coming from this is positive when a cryptic Pakistani adult male comes in and gives her money and assurance to go forth her occupation at the newsagency. Another narrative that had trauma with growing coming as an result is the narrative â€Å" Laps † . This narrative written in the 3rd individual position is about a immature adult female by the name of Queenie that has flashbacks of her childhood, and her gramps when he was alive as she swims laps through a pool. She is new to Perth, and she is someway reminded of her gramps and the whaling undertakings from her childhood and she is haunted by these ideas. She so gathers plenty bravery to travel back to her place town to undertake her yesteryear, and so be able to travel on with her life. The injury from this narrative is the flashbacks that Queenie get from her troubled childhood ; she see ‘s these atrocious flashbacks when swimming as swimming reminded her of an earlier clip of her life. The growing gathered from this narrative is that Queenie had the bravery to travel back to her place town and kind out her jobs so that she is now able to populate a new life in Perth with no haunting flashbacks. Tim Winton is a gifted author with allot of creativeness shown in this aggregation of â€Å" Minimum of two † . He has the ability to compose approximately difficult injury, but besides an result of growing. The three narratives chosen for this essay ( Minimum of two, Distant Lands and Laps ) are all illustrations of how he can convey growing out of injury. In decision this aggregation of short narratives by Tim Winton is truly traveling to the reader, as he brings non merely trauma but growing out of each narrative.

Facebook: Friend or Foe? Essay

On September 7, 2012, Amanda Todd posted a 9-minute YouTube video entitled â€Å"My Story: Struggling, Bullying, Suicide and Self Harm,† which showed her using flash cards to reveal her experiences of being bullied. During the video, Amanda writes that when she was in seventh grade, she once used video chat to meet new people over the Internet and soon began receiving compliments on her looks. A stranger convinced Amanda to flash her breasts on camera. The stranger later blackmailed her with threats to expose the topless photo to her friends unless she gave a â€Å"show†. She refused. She would never make that mistake again. Amanda Todd wrote that during the next Christmas break, police informed her at four am that the photo was circulating the Internet. Amanda wrote that she experienced anxiety, depression, and panic disorder because of this. Her family moved to a new home, where she later stated that she began using drugs and alcohol. A year later, the stranger had reappeared, creating a Facebook profile which used the topless photograph as the profile image, and contacting classmates at her new school. Once again she was being bullied, eventually causing her to change schools for the second time. With more bullying and an actual attack, she attempted suicide by drinking bleach, but was rushed to hospital to have her stomach pumped. After returning home, Amanda discovered abusive messages about her failed suicide attempt posted to Facebook. Once again, her family moved to another city to start fresh, but Todd was unable to escape Facebook and her first unfortunate error. Six months later further messages and abuse were still being posted to social networking sites. She started to get worse, and began cutting herself. Despite taking anti-depressants and receiving counseling, she overdosed and spent two days in the hospital. She was teased by other students at her school for her low grades, and the time she spent in the hospital to treat her severe depression. On October 10, 2012 at about six PM, Amanda Todd hung herself at home. So is Facebook a friend or a foe? Teens often don’t realize that bullying over the computer is the same as bullying in person. The harmless â€Å"joke† can be taken much, much worse because of the huge audience and the unclear tone of Facebook posts. Although Facebook can be a good source for meeting friends, spreading information, and changing peoples opinions, it can also be very harmful. Facebook can encourage cyber-bullying, make people become anti-social, and distract people from finishing other tasks. On the positive side, Facebook is another way for people to connect with new friends, old friends, and family. According to the pro and cons website on social networking, seventy percent of adult social networking users visit the site to connect with friends and family. Fifty-two percent of teens say that using social media has helped improve their relationships with friends and eighty-eight percent believe that social media have helped them stay connected with friends they can not see regularly. Despite the fact that Facebook and social media sites have many positive sides, it has its bad sides as well. Facebook users are starting to get more and more addicted each day. According to an article from WebMD, in a 2009 survey of 1,030 parents, Rosen and colleagues found out that children and teens had spent more time engaged in media (online and offline) had more anxiety, more stomachaches, and more sick days from school. In teens, the time spent playing video games also led to poorer health. In another ongoing survey of teens and adults, Rosen found that spending more time than average on Facebook was associated with signs of narcissism, anxiety, and bipolar disorder on a standard psychological test. In another 2011 study, 279 middle school, high school, and university students lost focus for an average of three minutes for every fifteen minutes spent studying or doing another task. Checking Facebook just once during the fifteen minute period was associated with lower grades. Not only does Facebook cause lower grades, it also can ruin someones self-esteem. Facebook users feel as if they need to know if something important is happening, and by doing their work, they feel like they might miss out on something big. The New York Times released an article in April of 2011 that talked about FOMO, which stands for â€Å"the fear of missing out.† This mostly occurs when seeing Facebook statuses and photos posted by friends, questioning the event, wondering â€Å"Why wasn’t I there?† or â€Å"How come I didn’t know this was happening?† Sometimes it’s not just a specific event that throws us off, but just scrolling through a friends profile and noticing how much â€Å"better† his or her life appears. Facebook adds negative social comparisons and FOMO, which puts a sense of regret and a heavy weight on self-esteem. As social networking sites become more and more popular, its users have expanded from teens to young adults, to even people over fifty. As you can see with Amanda Todd’s story, many people use social networking sites for the wrong reasons. People can be whoever they want to be, but some do use it for the right reasons, as for example connecting with family they haven’t seen in a while, or catching up with long-distance friends. Is Facebook a place where people can connect and have conversations about things that truly matter to them? Is it a place where you can express yourself without fear of judgement? Or is it a place for status updates that aren’t true, photoshopped profile pictures, and cyber-bullying disguised as humor? So what do you think? Is Facebook a friend or a foe?