What´s Hydraulic Fracturing - 763 Words

Hydraulic Fracturing is a process/technique that was produced around the 1940s and it is a way in which we can allow natural gas and oil to be able to move around from the rock pores in which they are trapped inside of, to allow this to move to a producing well. Hydraulic Fracturing is used because it recovers energy resources as well as producing great amounts of hydrocarbons from each well. If we use this process, this will mean that we no longer would need to use the drilling process for oil and gas, this would mean that there would be less waste and other technical difficulties that come with the process of drilling for oil and gas. There are a some commonly used chemicals in hydraulic fracturing process. Such as Methanol, which is a very dangerous chemical. It pollutes the air and is also a regulation for the Safe Drinking Water Act. Some other widely chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process is isopropyl alcohol that was used for many products. We also have the ethylene glycol which was used in 119 products (democrats.energycommerce.house.gov). You also have a chemical called crystalline silica which was present in about 207 products. Some land owners are not well informed about the possible consequences that come with hydro fracturing in their lands. Lots of gas companies do not make them aware of potential risks or benefits of this process. This process is now taking place in states like New York and Ohio, and theShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Hydraulic Fracturing On The Environment1622 Words   |  7 Pages Hydraulic Fracturing is a process which uses water to crack rock formations as a means to extract natural gas or oil. This method is highly debatable as to whether it uses too much water in areas that have fragile water sources as well as whether the process contaminates surrounding water sources. The State of Texas is a hotspot for hydraulic fracturing because of the amount of shale formations which can produce oil and natural gas. Texas is a dry state which often experiences severe droughts. ThereRead MoreLaws 310 Course Project1187 Words   |  5 PagesTHE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT Hydraulic Fracturing 10/12/2013 â€Æ' TABLE OF CONTENTS What is Hydraulic Fracturing 2 Enivromental Issues 2 Water Contamination 2 Management of Waste Water 3 Air Quality Issues 3 Fracking Chemicals 3 State and Federal Laws 4 Federal Regulations 4 State Regulations 4 U.S. Energy Needs 5 Conclusion 5 Referrence Page 6 â€Æ' Hydraulic Fracturing What is hydraulic fracturing or fracking, and is it safe for our environment? What types of environmental issuesRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing, or â€Å"Fracking†, is questionable in many people’s eyes. The â€Å"Why† â€Å"How†1700 Words   |  7 PagesHydraulic Fracturing, or â€Å"Fracking†, is questionable in many people’s eyes. The â€Å"Why† â€Å"How† comes up often when hydraulic fracturing is mentioned. Fracking has been tested and proven to be an environmental safe process. Introduced in the 1940’s, hydraulic fracturing has discovered a considerable amount of oil and clean-burning natural gas from underneath the earth’s surface. Fracking contributes in providing well-needed resources from the earth’s surface to increase our country’s energy securityRead MoreThe Possible Effects of Hydraulic Fracturing in Newfoundland1278 Words   |  5 Pagesessay will examine the possible effects of hydraulic fracturing in Newfoundland. Hydraulic fracturing is the process of retrieving natural gas from the earth by injecting fluid into a borehole and pressurizing it, creating cracks in the rock. hydraulic fracturing fluid is made up of small beads of sand or ceramic, which prop open the cracks in the rock, as well as water and chemicals, which help suspend the proppants (sand or ceramic). The hydraulic fracturing fluid is pressurized, allowing the proppantsRead MoreThe Argument Against Hydraulic Fracturing1378 Words   |  6 PagesArgument against Hydraulic Fracturing Hydraulic Fracturing is the process in which a borehole is made on earth, and the Shale rock is broken in order to harvest natural gas by drilling pipes vertically,and horizontally.Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking draws in the addition of more than a million gallons of water,sand,and chemicals being added below earth s surface at a high pressure down a vertical,and horizontal pipeline.As the mixture travels down the pipe it breaks the Shale rock realisingRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing And Its Effects1500 Words   |  6 Pagesthe odor. Distraught, the mother towel dries her child in a final attempt to spare his skin, but does not know what else to do. This sounds like a horror situation that would only happen in a country that was not very developed. However, situations like this one are plausible in America, partially due to hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing is a process which began in the late 1940’s as an experiment and has since expanded into a global method to efficiently extract natural gases. It has ledRead MoreThe Issue Of Hydraulic Fracturing1444 Words   |  6 PagesHydraulic Fracturing One of the hottest new issues that has arisen to the forefront of the battle between environmentalists and the energy industry, where the health of future generations is set against our energy needs and economic growth, is the issue of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it is colloquially called. America’s new-found energy independence has been made possible using technology that was only a pipe dream a mere decade ago, slashing the disparity between net imports versus exportsRead MoreTypes Of Wells Can Be Used For Drill Holes Deep Into The Earth1566 Words   |  7 Pagesroofs and was being absorbed into the worker s exposed skin. The soil under the plastic was also absorbing the leakage too. This is what could happen when a valve broke in the open position. In the United States, there are three types of oil and gas wells; horizontal, directional, and vertical. All three types of wells can be fracked. Horizontal drilling is normally used to drill holes deep into the earth, for the hydraulic fracturing process. Fracturing or â€Å"fracking† uses a high pressure water mixtureRead MoreSources Of Oil And Gas Essay1486 Words   |  6 PagesInformation mainly from ‘Shale gas extraction in UK: review of hydraulic fracturing’ Royal Society Royal Academy of Engineering, 2012] 1.2 Extraction of Shale gas: Shale gas remains adsorbed in the laminations, fractures and in the pore spaces. Shale acts as the source, reservoir and the cap rock for natural gas. Since it is characterized by low permeability producibility hence it is extracted through fractured horizontal well. Hydraulic fracturing or â€Å"fracking† is used to enhance the permeability of shaleRead MoreThe Crisis Of The Fukushima Nuclear Plant After An Earthquake1566 Words   |  7 Pagessuccessful development techniques of hydraulic fracturing has showcased as a solution to solve these problems altogether. We now gain access to the 100 years worth of energy in the form of natural gas underneath the surface of our backyard. The belief that these domestic natural gas deposits will provide us time and help build a bridge to cleaner energy for the future. However, people do not understand what hydraulic fracturing is or how it works. â€Å"Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, forces natural

Factors That Affect The Holiday Choice Has Evolved Over...

In conclusion, most evidence is suggesting that tweens, a group of highly experienced tourists between the ages of 8-12, are increasingly becoming a major influence behind family holidays. This age group have usually taken a number of holidays and have visited many different destinations across the globe. As outlined earlier Argyle (1996) makes reference to how a number of factors, age being one of them, have an effect on the holiday-taking decision-making process. This directly links to how tweens are generally now more cultured and have experienced more of life compared to tweens several decades ago. Therefore, combined with McNeal’s (1991) guilt factor theory, evidence suggests that parents are becoming more and more reliant on their†¦show more content†¦These include the initiator, influencer, decider, buyer, user, etc. Although, the husband and wife are generally the family s chief decision-makers, the child s influence cannot be ignored. Assael (1995) noted that children play an important part in family decision-making and their influence varies by product categories and services at different decision stages. Howard and Madrigal (1990) stated that the relative influence of the husband, wife or child is likely to vary according to the type of purchase decision, the stage of the decision-making process; and the overall family characteristics (Kotler, Bowen, Makens, 1999). As shown by Gram (2005) as well as Thornton, Shaw and Williams (1997), differences in needs, wants and desires across family members often transform both the holiday itself and the decision-making process to holidays into an art of compromising, negotiating, attempts to reach consensus, conflict handling, or sometimes crisis management. As a result I think that it is justifiable to say that the change of perceptions of the nature of the tourism decision-making process, and spouses role in it have impacted the opinion on the children s participation within the practice. Lenient upbringing and guilt issues trigger parents to be more responsive to children s holiday preferences. In the tourism decision-making practice tweens are believed to exert active influence in the initial stages of

Coral Reef Pollution Can Hurt Bermuda’s Tourism Industry Free Essays

string(80) " to find long distance dispersals by corals to isolated reefs like Bermuda’s\." Environment and Development in a Global Perspective State of the Environment Report Coral Reef Pollution Can Hurt Bermuda’s Tourism Industry Introduction Waste management techniques in Bermuda have adverse effects on the coral reefs and can hurt the island’s tourism industry. This is a state of the environment report on the islands of Bermuda that serves to shed light on the pollution of the coral reefs due to waste management problems and the subsequent potential adverse effects it can have on the Tourism industry. I actually used to live in Bermuda during the period of 2006 to 2010 so I would like to think that I have gained valuable insight into the social and human development threats that this pollution problem poses to the general population. We will write a custom essay sample on Coral Reef Pollution Can Hurt Bermuda’s Tourism Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now The tourism industry is the 2nd largest industry in Bermuda and is already in decline so it should be one of the island’s top priorities to maintain or even rebuild tourism to its former self. This report consists of three main parts. Firstly, a description of the environmental issues affecting the coral reef communities around the island. Secondly, a description of the human development issues and socioeconomic effects that the degradation of the coral reef community has or will most likely lead to on the island. Lastly, the report explores some proposed remedies for the environmental issues. State of the Environment For over a century, heavy metal waste from the islands of Bermuda has been stored on the shores of a large natural harbor called Castle Harbour. It is located between the north eastern end of the main island and St. David’s island and it just happens to be a mere two hundred meters away from the nearest coral reef community. Most of the waste being dealt with is from the population itself. There are about 67,000 people living on the islands and it is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. (Central Intelligence Agency) All of the country’s solid waste and scrap metal are either dumped at the site in Devonshire to be incinerated or stored at Castle Harbour, also known as the ‘airport dump’. â€Å"Bermuda has been disposing of waste at the airport dump for nearly 40 years with little thought of the impact on the environment,† read a 2010 article in the local newspaper, the Royal Gazette. Bardgett, 2010) Figure 1 shows a portion of the Castle Harbour site and really gives you an appreciation for the proximity of the waste to the water itself. As you can imagine there is not much land flow acting as a buffer before pollutants leach into the ocean. Figure 1. Old cars stacked at the Castle Harbour ‘airport dump. ’ (Bardgett, 2010) In addition to cars, appli ances such as refrigerators release harmful chemicals like anti-freeze and oil into the ocean surrounding the Harbour. These chemicals have already caused irreversible damage to the coral reef and are having a notable effect on the black grouper fish population (Bardgett, 2010). It is worth noting that the coral reef in the area has already been through irreversible sedimentation damage in the past from a dredge and fill operation that occurred 60 years ago. Since the 1970s, there was a decrease in percent cover from 12% (Dryer Logan, 1978) to 2% and is not completely gone only because the brain coral Diploria labyrinthiformis was sediment tolerant (Flood, 2004). In Castle Harbour sedimentation is chronic so this new threat of chemical leakage is a blow to an already wounded environment. Figure 2 shows a brain coral from Castle Harbour that has been damaged by sedimentation. The dimple type formation is characteristic of sediment damage (Flood, 2004). Figure 2. Dimple formations on brain coral affected by sedimentation at Castle Harbour (Flood, 2004). Unfortunately, in addition to the sedimentation and the chemical leaching, the coral reef colonies are also subject to pollution from raw sewage. Bermuda does not have a sewage treatment plant. The island itself is made entirely of limestone, as it is land formed by a now dormant volcano. Households rely on pits dug into the limestone that stores and processes sewage along with used water from sinks and laundry. This mixture eventually reaches the oceans after it percolates through the limestone. Larger structures such as hotels and apartment complexes use pipes to transport waste offshore. According to this report, human sewage might cause the algae on the reef to â€Å"overgrow and shade the corals and eventually kill the reef† (â€Å"Bermuda’s inshore waters,†). Sewage waste that had been dissolved and pumped three miles offshore from Paget Parish in the south has caused a growth surge in marine weeds that choke the slower growing corals. Now this is an ecological imbalance and is currently ongoing so scientists are monitoring it (Jones). Also, the extra nutrients will cause the phytoplankton to grow in numbers and turn the water from crystal clear to green (â€Å"Bermuda’s inshore waters,†). During the summer months an average of 400,000 tourists visit the islands and cruise ships significantly contribute to the amount of sewage produced by the population. Sewage from the City of Hamilton and surrounding areas as well as the cruise ships are disposed of at the Seabright Point submarine sewage outfall. 500,000 to 1,000,000 gallons of raw sewage is discharged every day, at peak flow (â€Å"Seabright point monitoring,†). According to a Pastorok and Bilyard report, the three components of sewage effluent most detrimental to coral communities are nutrients, sediments and toxic substances (Pastorok Bilyard, 1985). Castle Harbour is primarily providing sediments and toxic substances while the nutrients are being pumped about the islands at different locations but mainly from Seabright Point. The same report explained that anthropogenic inputs of dissolved nutrients and organic particulate matter can limit oxygen levels. This is important because it directly affects the marine life in the area that depends on the oxygen. Bermuda’s coral reefs are the most isolated and northern reefs in the Atlantic. It is actually extremely rare to find long distance dispersals by corals to isolated reefs like Bermuda’s. You read "Coral Reef Pollution Can Hurt Bermuda’s Tourism Industry" in category "Essay examples" These coral reefs are located just on the outskirts of the environment that it thrives in so it does not have an abundance of different types of coral. The coral species that happen to be there have adapted to the seasonal weather that these higher latitudes bring. However, because there are a limited number of species, the entire reef’s ability to bounce back and respond to environmental change is limited. Therefore, any damage to the coral reefs will have persistent impacts. Related Human Development Issues Besides tourism, there are many ways that coral reef degradation directly impact humans. As mentioned before, coral reefs provide shoreline protection by buffering wave energy and reducing coastal erosion. As they become degraded, they will become weaker and the waves do not only cause more coastal erosion as they get stronger but they also aid in the breaking up of coral so once degradation has begun it tends to be a very slippery slope. Correspondingly, loss of coral reefs means loss of critical habitat for reef fish. Two of Bermuda’s local delicacies are codfish and potatoes, which are traditionally, enjoyed on a Sunday morning and rockfish which is a soft tasty dish that you can find at any restaurant on the island. Both of these fish are directly linked to the coral reefs and a reduction of habitat would mean a reduction in fish to catch. This would negatively affect both food supply and associated economic activities. Finally, coral reefs have pharmaceutical compounds and a degraded one can no longer provide medicinal resources for drugs to treat heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses (â€Å"Socioeconomic impacts,†). Figure 3 shows the different reasons that Bermuda’s coral reef communities are used and their associated values. Figure 3. Total Economic Value (TEV) of Bermuda’s coral community divided into sectors (Sarkis, van Beukering McKenzie, 2010). Figure 4 corresponds with Figure 3 and provides the monetary value of the different sectors that the coral reef community TEV is divided into. Figure 4. Average Annual Value of services provided by Bermuda’s coral reefs (Sarkis, van Beukering McKenzie, 2010). Bermuda’s tourism industry is already struggling but continues to be the 2nd largest industry in Bermuda (Central Intelligence Agency). The economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and since Bermuda has the fourth highest income per capita in the world, it’s safe to say that the country is truly affluent (Central Intelligence Agency). However, the wealth in the country is certainly not divided equally as the country’s wealth relies so heavily on these two industries. People with direct influence in the tourism and business community hold the majority of the island’s wealth but the population of locals in this category is very limited because many of the business executives and workforce are expatriates who come to the islands to work for some time and leave. This occurs because of the law in Bermuda that prevents foreigners from ever gaining citizenship and because most of the business is international and would more likely hire their own people for the higher positions. It is also extremely hard to become a resident without marrying a local and foreigners cannot even own land, or buy houses that are under the annual rental value of USD $177, 000 (â€Å"Bermuda residence and,† 2012). This means that the recorded 19% of the entire population that lives under the poverty line is actually a larger percentage of the truly local population. This is an extremely large number of people for a country that has five times the GDP per capita of the USA (Central Intelligence Agency). With jobs and positions in the business market essentially saturated, locals have been obligated to work in the service and hospitality sector where the tourism industry is the major provider of income. It is such a shame that the obvious candidate, the depression, is negatively affecting the industry. With the decline in tourism, a larger gap is being created between the rich and the poor. Also, since the initiative was taken to make the tourism industry a joint effort between the government and the community, a further decline in tourism would directly affect family owned hospitality businesses as well as single person jobs and will undoubtedly increase the percentage of the population living under the poverty line. So it would be even more shameful if the tourism industry were further perturbed by other factors on a local scale such as the pollution of the coral reefs due to poor waste management. Besides marine tourism and aesthetics, tourists mainly come to the island because of its world-renowned ‘pink sand’ beaches. The coral is responsible for the pink sand and clear water and most importantly acts as a buffer for wave action. Therefore, if there is less coral then there will be more coastal erosion and this would truly be detrimental to the beaches and Bermuda’s tourism. Proposed Remedies and Conclusion Now that we have established that the two main problems are the Castle Harbour leaching and the sewage disposal, we can talk about potential solutions. Greg Wilcox, president of Midway Auto Parts in Kansas City, Missouri, visited the island in 2010 with a few of his colleagues and explained that he was surprised at the situation at Castle Harbour because it was something only expected of a third world country (Bardgett, 2010). He is now working with the environmental group Greenrock on an initiative that would benefit all sectors of the community including insurance companies, auto repair shops and the government. In the US there are auto parts recyclers who deal with ‘white material’ and sell the second-hand parts (Bardgett, 2010). Having lived in Bermuda, I know for a fact that there is an abandoned airstrip behind the airport itself that would be a prime location for something of that nature. Transporting the material from Castle Harbour will not be a problem because it is literally across the street. It is already the first thing the tourists see when they get to the island but at least this way it can be contained within warehouses inside a compound and white material can be drained and disposed of properly. For the sewage system problem, the most obvious remedy would be to build a sewage treatment plant. However, because of the linear dispersal of the island it would be very difficult to dig up the roads to lay down sewage lines (Wingate, 2006). The public also are strongly against a sewage treatment plant being anywhere near their houses and in the central district of Hamilton there is hardly any vacant land available. The only option to mitigate the amount of sewage leaking into the ocean would be to upgrade the method of treatment for each household or complex. If the government were to import small-scale self-contained tertiary treatment plants in bulk for each household it will be more affordable (Wingate, 2006). Having said all this, no action will be taken for at least another four years because the Coral Reef Ecology and Optics Lab just launched a five year assessment of the marine environment and coral reef ecosystem in 2012. The assessment is centered on the Seabright Point sewage outfall and is supposed to determine the fate of the sewage as well as the impact on the reef ecosystem (â€Å"Seabright point monitoring,†) Final Word Count: 2416 References: 1. ) Central Intelligence Agency. (2013). The World Factbook: Bermuda. Updated February 13, 2013, Retrieved March 19, 2013, from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bd. html 2. ) Bardgett, Robyn. (2010, December 1). Vehicle recyclers visit from US Pollution at airport dump causes concern. The Royal Gazette, Retrieved from http://www. royalgazette. com/article/20101201/NEWS07/712019915 3. ) Pastorok, R. A. , Bilyard, G. R. , 1985. Effects of sewage pollution on coral-reef communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 21, 175–189. 4. ) Dryer, S. , Logan, A. , 1978. Holocene reefs and sediments of Castle Harbor, Bermuda. Journal of Marine Research. 36(3), 339–425. 5. ) Flood, V. S. (2004). Coral Community Structure and Patterns of Sedimentation in Castle Harbour Bermuda. Retrieved from http://athenaeum. libs. uga. edu/bitstream/handle/10724/7970/flood_vanese_s_200412_ms. pdf? sequence=1 6. ) Bermuda’s inshore waters. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. coexploration. org/bbsr/coral/html/body_bermuda_inshore_waters. html 7. Jones, R. (n. d. ). Environmental issues. Retrieved from http://www. moon. com/destinations/bermuda/background/the-land/environmental-issues 8. ) Seabright point monitoring. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. bios. edu/research/projects/seabright 9. ) Socioeconomic impacts. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. reefresilience. org/Toolkit_Coral/C2c2_Socioecon. html 10. ) Sarkis , S. , van Beukering, P. J. H. , ; McKenzie, E. Bermuda Department of Conservation Services, (2010). Total economic value of bermuda. Retrieved from website: http://www. onservation. bm/coral-reef-economic-valuation/ 11. ) Bermuda residence and property. (2012, November). Retrieved from http://www. lowtax. net/lowtax/html/bermuda/jbrres. html 12. ) Wingate, D. Bermuda Zoological Society, (2006). Conservation in bermuda  (CON-02). Retrieved from website: http://www. gov. bm/portal/server. pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_11280_207_227543_43/http;/ptpublisher. gov. bm;7087/publishedcontent/publish/new_min_of_environment/environmental_protection___project_nature_fact_sheets/conservation_in_bermuda_0. pdf How to cite Coral Reef Pollution Can Hurt Bermuda’s Tourism Industry, Essay examples

Essentialist vs. Social Constructionist free essay sample

In the article â€Å" Night To His Day: The social construction of gender† the author discusses the difference between sex and gender; sex being the difference between male and female and gender being the difference between man and woman. Sex is an essentialist term because people are born either male or female depending on whether they have a penis or a vagina. As soon as a person is born, the sex is determined; this is when through society gender comes into play. Through the way people are dressed, are they way they act or even by their names, people are constantly doing gender. In society you can tell the difference between a man and a woman by these different characteristics because of the meanings that society has given to them. For example because of society, it is socially okay for a woman to wear a skirt oppose to a man wearing one because society says so. An Essentialist will argue that because that woman is born a female that it is okay for her to wear that skirt but a Social Constructionist would argue that because of society and the meaning it has giving to that skirt that it is okay for the woman to wear the skirt. It’s not just because of that woman’s reproductive organ that it’s acceptable for her to wear that skirt, but because of the social construction of the word â€Å"female† that society has created. In the documentary â€Å"The Mother hood Manifesto†, it talks about the struggles that women in today’s society have to go through when they become mothers. The documentary touches points such as insufficient maternity leave, insufficient pay for single mothers and the fact that it is legal for women to not get hired a job simply because she has children. In the article â€Å" If Men Could Menstruate† the author uses humor to show how in society women are treated so unequally from men and the fact that if men performed an act like menstruation, the idea of power would be added to it simply because men could do it and women couldn’t. Throughout time gender roles have change even though the sexes are still the same. In older times, men were seen as the one in the household to have the job and to bring in all of the revenue for the rest of the family. Now in society woman are getting jobs that once only men could get, and it’s now socially acceptable for a man to decide that he wants to stay home with the children if necessary or desired. From birth, people start acting how society says girls and boys should act. Little girls play with dolls and like the color pink and little boys are told that pink is for girls and when they pick up a doll, it is taking away from them because â€Å"dollies are for girls and not boys†. The social construction of gender is in our everyday life and it’s so apart of our lives that some people don’t even notice when they are doing it. The first thing people notice about someone is whether they are male or female or in today’s society someone can be a â€Å"transvestite† or a â€Å"Transsexual†(Lorber). In the video â€Å"Tough Guise† it focuses on how media gives a helping hand to the social construction of masculinity in today’s society. Most people get how the ideas on how they act from what they see on the television or what they hear in music. The video discusses that through the media, men are related to violence, that in order to be a real man, you have to be tough and strong and well respected by people. The video continues to say that majority of social problems are caused by this misinterpreted meaning of manhood. Men commit 85% of murders, 90% acts of assault are by men and 99. 8% of people convicted for rape in prison are men. Society has made the male species feel that in order to be a real man; they have to be and act a certain way and this is all done through social construction. As discussed in class, one of the most influential agencies of socialization is the media. The way we see ourselves or the way other people see us come from what we are told by others and what we tell ourselves. In the Better world handbook, the chapter on media states that â€Å"the way we think and act in our daily lives is inextricably linked to the information we receive about the world† (Jones, Haenfler and Johnson). The chapter continues to discus how information delivered to us can be bias and this raises the issue on who controls the media and what we see through it. The problem with this could be that that whoever controls the media does not necessary have our best interest in mind and the content that is transmitted through the media is profit driven. In the article â€Å"Lies my teacher told me: Everything your American history textbook got wrong† gives a perfect accept of how easy it is for information to get omitted based on what people what you to know and what they don’t want you to know. From a young age, people decide what they want you to know, so that they can decide on what they want you to think about certain topics whether its American history or so mething else, its like the saying â€Å"what you don’t know won’t hurt you†. What you see in the media helps you to decide what you think of certain aspects of the world. Millions of events occur every day and how is what makes the news is decided? Well mainstream media tends to only report on things that are newsworthy and well make a good story and bring in viewers. Like seen in the documentary â€Å"Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood†, the idea that people are seeing as objects of money making, everyone holds the master status of being a consumer. In today’s society, there is a consumer society where people link the idea of being happy or successful, and well being with their material possessions – the more you have, the higher your social class and standing. In the documentary it discusses the fact that from the time someone is born, they are entered into a world filled with advertisements and different tactics to get people to buy things. The idea that the more expensive the better, is socially constructed because if you don’t have the newest name brand stuff then you’re outcasted or looked at being at a lower standard. One example was the article we looked at where kids were put into a study where they tried two batches of nuggets, they were the exact same nuggets but one batch had the MacDonald’s logo on the container. The study showed that majority of the kids said that the batch with MacDonald’s logo tasted better even though they were the same nuggets. Society has made these kids believe that because of the fact that nuggets come from MacDonald’s, it means that they are of better value. This topic can be linked to the idea that there is no equality amongst people and the problem of oppression and the devaluation of certain statuses. In the reading Systems of Oppression, it discusses the reality that some people it is easier for them to reach the American dream than other people. A system of oppression is organized by rules of rights and obligations that are expected as normal lines of behavior for certain social statuses. It lays out rules on how people from one social level must interact with another level depending on whether it’s higher or lower (Demos, Lemelle and Gashaw). A system of oppression is power based; it involves groups dominating other groups. The power that these groups get come from society and the ideas that they have built that states that the more someone has whether it be money or social status, says how much power they have over people that has less than them, whether it be poor and the rich or black and whites in the older days or even in some cases men and women. A system of oppression is socially justified and is accepted by many. It can be persuasive into letting people believe in it because it is seeing as natural in the society and therefore morally correct. Both the oppressor and the oppressed accept it so it is easier for it to be maintained because no one is speaking up and fighting against it. Oppression can lead to the problem of discrimination in today’s society. In the video â€Å"The Eye of The storm†, the perfect example of discrimination is demonstrated. A schoolteacher divides the classroom depending on the children’s eye color. An example of internalized discrimination in this video is when the children of the inferior eye color believed that they weren’t good enough simply because the teacher told them that people who had that eye color were seen as stupid and mediocre.