Angels Gate Essays - Kim, , Term Papers, Research Papers

Angels Gate Angels Gate is set in fairly modern times around about 1980-1990. I know this because of the way the people dress and by the way the people talk. The way the people in the novel talk is very similar to how people talk now but the people in the novel don't use as much slang as most people do now. The way the people in the novel dress is also very similar to how people dress now but the people in the novel wear daggy clothes which are out of fashion now. A good example of how the people in the novel dress similarly but really daggy to people now, is when Julia wore a pink dress with puffy sleeves and silver high heel shoes to a dance. It is set in a country town called Jericho and I think the town is in Australia because the bush landscape around the town is very similar to Tasmania and the trees in the bush are Australian natives such as the gum. I feel that it isn't that important where this book is set as long as it is in a country town with bush landscapes. If it were set in the city it wouldn't be very good because the wild children wouldn't get very wild because there are always people around. Another reason it wouldn't be very good is that the wild children would be found much easier as there are not as many places to hide in the city as compared to the bush. Plot: Angel's Gate is about two children Mickey and Leena who disappear after the murder of their father Patrick Flannagan. The town's people first knew the children were still alive when eggs started to go missing from farm chicken yards on the outskirts of town. The people in the town searched for the children but they didn't find them until one night when Leena got trapped in a chicken yard and was caught. Leena was taken to a house called "The Laurels" which was a doctor's surgery. Leena was looked after in the surgery where she got to know Julia and Kim who were the children of the doctor. She told them where her brother Mickey was hiding and that he was different. Mickey was eventually caught when Kim and Julia's boyfriend Bobby went camping. They found where Mickey was hiding and trapped him there so the police could get him. Once he was caught they found out that Mickey was the person who killed Patrick Flannagan and it was an accident so the people who were going to be charged for the murder were released. Main Characters: Kim: Kim is about 12 years old and he is fairly popular at school. He can over exaggerate a bit but he is generally truthful and he is very kind and caring. At home he is really nice and always helps doing jobs around the house as well as helping in the doctor's surgery. Kim really likes art and is also a very talented artist. His dream is to have a bike but he is not allowed to have one. Julia: Julia is Kim's sister and she has a boyfriend called Bobby. Julia is rather insensitive towards Kim and her family and all she talks about is Bobby. Julia is in her last year at school and next year she has to go to a private school on the coast. Julia doesn't want to go to the private school, as she wants to become a manager of a hotel. Julia works at a caf? in town and also works as a waitress part time at the local pub. Bobby: Bobby is a typical country kid who has lived on a farm his whole life. He now works on his dad's farm and he gets paid. He loves cars and has his own shevy ute which he always uses to take Julia for drives in. He is really kind and caring and doesn't care if Kim hangs around him when he is with Julia. Bobby wants to move to the coast once he has earned enough money to get a house. Leena: Leena is one of the wild children and she is the oldest one of the two. She is very nice to Kim but she doesn't like the rest of the family as much as she cares for him. When she was first captured she wouldn't speak to anyone but eventually did once she knew the family

A History of the Napoleonic Code (Code Napoléon)

A History of the Napoleonic Code (Code Napolà ©on) The Napoleonic Code  (Code Napolà ©on) was a unified legal code produced in post-revolutionary France and enacted by Napoleon in 1804. Napoleon gave the laws his name, and they largely remain in place in France today. They also heavily influenced world laws in the 19th century. It is easy to imagine how the conquering Emperor could spread a legal system across Europe, but it might have surprised many of his day to know long it outlasted him. The Need for Codified Laws France in the century before the French Revolution may have been a single country, but it was far from a homogenous unit. As well as language and economic differences, there was no single unified set of laws that covered the whole of France. Instead, there were large geographic variations, from the Roman Law which dominated in the south, to a Frankish/Germanic Customary Law which dominated in the north around Paris. Add to this the canon law of the church which controlled some affairs, a mass of royal legislation which had to be considered when looking at legal problems, and the effects of local laws derived from parlements or appellate courts and trials, and there was a patchwork which was very difficult to negotiate, and which stimulated a demand for a universal, equitable set of laws. However, there were plenty of people in positions of local power, often in venal offices, who worked to prevent any such codification, and all attempts to do so before the revolution failed. Napoleon and the French Revolution The French Revolution acted as a brush that swept away a mass of local differences in France, including many of the powers that stood against codifying the laws. The result was a country in a position to- in theory- create a universal code. And it was a place that really needed one. The Revolution went through various phases, and forms of government- including Terror- but by 1804 was under the control of General Napoleon Bonaparte, the man who appeared to have decided the French Revolutionary Wars in France’s favor. Glory Beyond the Battlefield Napoleon wasn’t just a man hungry for battlefield glory; he knew a state had to be built to support both him and a renewed France. Most important was to be a law code that bore his name. Attempts to write and enforce a code during the revolution had failed, and Napoleon’s achievement in forcing it through was massive. It also reflected glory back onto him: He was desperate to be seen as more than a general who took charge, but as the man who brought a peaceful end to the revolution, and establishing a legal code was a massive boost to his reputation, ego, and ability to rule.   The Code Napolà ©on The Civil Code of the French People was enacted in 1804 across all the regions France then controlled: France, Belgium, Luxembourg, chunks of Germany and Italy, and was later spread further across Europe. In 1807, it became known as the Code Napolà ©on. It was supposed to be written fresh, and based on the idea that a law based on common sense and equality should replace one based on custom, societal division, and the rule of kings. The moral justification for its existence was not that it came from God or a monarch (or in this case an emperor), but because it was rational and just. A Compromise Between Old and New All male citizens were supposed to be equal, with nobility, class, a position of birth all wiped away. But in practical terms, much of the revolution’s liberalism was lost and France turned back to Roman law. The code did not extend to emancipating women, who were subjugated to fathers and husbands. Freedom and the right of private property were key, but branding, easy imprisonment, and limitless hard labor returned. Non-whites suffered, and slavery was allowed in French colonies. In many ways, the Code was a compromise of the old and the new, favoring conservatism and traditional morality. Written as Several Books The Napoleonic Code was written as several Books, and although it was written by teams of lawyers, Napoleon was present at nearly half of the Senate discussions. The first book dealt with laws and people, including civil rights, marriage, relationships, including those of parent and child, etc. The second book concerned laws and things, including property and ownership. The third book tackled how you went about getting and modifying your rights, such as inheritance and through marriage. More codes followed for other aspects of the legal system: 1806’s Code of Civil Procedure; 1807’s Commercial Code; 1808’s Criminal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure; 1810’s Penal Code. Still in Place The Napoleonic Code has been modified, but essentially remains in place in France, two centuries after Napoleon was defeated and his empire dismantled. It is one of his most lasting achievements in a country in thrall to his rule for a turbulent generation. However, it was only in the latter half of the 20th century that laws were altered to reflect equality to women. Wide Influence After the Code was introduced in France and nearby areas, it spread across Europe and into Latin America. Sometimes a straight translation was used, but other times large changes were made to fit local situations. Later Codes also looked to Napoleon’s own, such as the Italian Civil Code of 1865, although this was replaced in 1942. In addition, laws in Louisiana’s civil code of 1825 (largely still in place), derive closely from the Napoleonic Code. However, as the 19th century turned into the 20th, new civil codes in Europe and around the world rose to reduce the importance of France’s, although it still has an influence.

Approaches to reduce occupational stress Research Paper

Approaches to reduce occupational stress - Research Paper Example We will discuss the stress involved in their work. Moreover, we will analyze the situations in which stress arose among employees in Wal-Mart, the programs they initiated to increase productivity and recommendations will be provided to curb its adverse effects on the individual so that there is a minimum impact on productivity. Wal-Mart Wal-Mart is a multi-national retail corporation, which has numerous chains, departmental stores and warehouses in different parts of the world. This company is owned by Walton Family in the United States of America and is operating in 15 countries. The employees at Wal-Mart in retail sales have been subjected to various issues over a span of time due to which the stress among employees is rising and there is a need to initiate such progressive programs through which the working conditions can become conducive and there is a regulation that promotes and projects a fair treatment among employees. Issues at Wal-Mart Employees who deal with sales at Wal-M art are always required to submit a report at the end of the month regarding the percentage of sales, which have occurred during that time. It was seen that the company faced a weak performance and sales were a total disaster. The factors, which were highlighted, showed that the decrease in sales was due to the fact that the economic condition of the United States is affected. It was seen that there was an increase in the Social Security tax due to which the customers could be facing unemployment issues, rise in price of gas etc. Due to these crises the management in Wal-Mart initiated a plan to increase workload but cut hours of employees who were working as retailers which gave rise to a period of lost sales and lower morale of employees (Boyle). The Composition of Stress at the Workplace In organizations, there are certainly outer fields of risk, uncertainty, and challenges which create the inner field of stress for employees at the workplace. Every organization contains this int ernal influential factor of stress which is described as one state of transaction between individual and environment (Dewe & Cooper, 2012). According to the Lazarus model of stress, employees’ needs and wants make them accept the factor of stress in their working environment. They accept stress because of the formal agreement with their organization or workplace which induces the elements of obligation and responsibility on employees. When employees are to fulfill the obligation and responsibility they inevitably catch the element of stress which is associated to work responsibility and obligation altogether. These are some primary causes of how stress gets involved in employees’ lives (Dewe & Cooper, 2012). The Theory of Work Design by Theorell describes stress as an influencing state that originates from employees’ work designs and more specifically from work demands (Aldwin, 2012, p.73). If demands of work are complex and are of burdening nature, stress is mo re prominent on employees at the work time. Karasek proposes Job Demands-Control model to control the demands of work on employees at the workplace. The author describes two levels of work demands- physiological work demands and psychological demands. If these two levels of work demands are controlled by employees, they can control the affect of stress at the time of work. According to Karasek, moderate stress is optimum for

Dual Authority in Matrix Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dual Authority in Matrix Organization - Essay Example further research 135 References 136 Appendix 144 Introduction Overview: Nowadays many organizations are adopting and are making changes in their structural form in order to survive and cope up with the uncertainties that are usually coming because of competition going on around the world and changes that are coming in the shape of environment and technological advancement. However in order to manage and control these changes various important developments were made over time so that these changes can be turn into planned changes. Keeping this consideration in mind a new concept emerged known as Matrix. Trailing history, in 1950 United States aerospace industry is considered to be the one who first used the term â€Å"Matrix† in their setting and which later was use by various business circles and in education sectors as well. However in 1960s at some places there was this common understanding and practices that matrix was considered as a prime alternative in dealing with vario us important business management issues related with communication, co ordination and control (Davis and Lawrence , 1977). Moreover in 70s and 80s various researches were carried out regarding matrix in an organizational settings, though matrix organizational structures flourished while researches that were going on were not that much in numbers. On the other hand if the matrix is considered with reference to business environment than organizations in this era were opting matrixes as a viable alternative in dealing with different issues related to complex business environment (Sharma, 2010). Moreover different companies around the globe have applied the matrix structure some examples from the recent past companies who were using matrix structures in order to deal with complex business environment are Zurich, Asea Brown Boveri, Sinclair Knight and Merz etc. In order to achieve worldwide economies of scale these companies adopted matrix structures in addition with responsiveness and f lexibility (local) (Gottlieb, 2007). Research Background: Organizations in need of a matrix structure: Conventionally organizations use to follow simple structures in order to achieve their goals however this culture has been changed mainly because of globalization. Nowadays concept of multinational organization is very common as these organizations have captured a fair amount of market share around the globe. Initially starting from a city then going nationwide and later worldwide these organizations have adopted various organizational structures in between. As the spam of control of these organizations grew which resulted in creating complexities in organizational st

Why should anyone be led by me Personal Statement

Why should anyone be led by me - Personal Statement Example It focuses on my traits and competencies as a leader. In essence it answers the fundamental question why anyone should be led by me. Why Should Anyone Be Led By Me? If there is one thing that I can claim having very good knowledge of, it is me. I have often heard that the ultimate end of education is ‘self-discovery’ (19). In my own case, thankfully, I think it happened to a substantial degree and I presume that is what gives me the aptitude for leadership. Besides my parents and teachers, several of my friends and a number of books that I read allowed me a lot of reflection and introspection as to what I was and what I ought to be. Thus they have been of immense help in taking a close look at my values, strengths, weaknesses, talents, relationships, passions and interests. In short they let me find my voice. At the same time, I am aware that the discovery is an ongoing process and the description in the current document is a portrait of what I am at the moment. In my ex perience as a manager, I made a conscious effort not to be overcome by frustration or disappointment at the end of an unsuccessful business encounter or presentation (31). I saw them rather as learning experiences and indicators of the dots that I missed. I was careful not to let my command be confined just to my area of specialization. I was prepared to go that extra mile to gain knowledge of other departments to the extent they would be needed so that my business acumen would become complete and credible. It also helped me to answer with conviction any questions regarding the business decisions that I had made. I constantly reminded myself that gaining access to the C suite in itself did not mean anything and there would a long way to go beyond that. A very useful tip given by my first boss was to think afresh always. I must say I took it to its letter and spirit. Before that, I remember having done the mistake of applying ‘one of the old solutions’ to a new problem t hat appeared to resemble an old problem. My first boss’s suggestion meant that each solution was bound to be as unique as the problem itself. Over the years, I have cultivated the practice of contemplating multiple options and applying mind-map sketches whenever I had to mull over one. It meant a little more labor to focus on the most significant parts of the data and then to identify the patterns. But then, it saved me from the unpleasant task of resorting to self-deception or depending on false reasoning and rationalization (180). Not that this method was entirely without risk, but it stood the best chance for success for the simple reason that the approach was as honest as it could be. I am glad I made mistakes. They gave me the chance to act in time and strengthen myself as a leader. On one occasion, when I was in high spirits following excellent pay off on one of the project ideas that clicked, it was actually one of my subordinates, a young man, who warned me, subtly th ough, not to be carried away by short-term success but to be prepared for future scenarios and contingencies. It took me some time to appreciate precisely what he meant. When I got the essence, I have begun to force myself and my team to stay away from the comfort zone and look at each project from an R & D perspective. It was one of the first lessons but one of the finest too. The first few months of my career caused me insomnia literally because too many deadlines seemed to accumulate at a time leading to stress (143). After a couple of experiences of sophisticated reproach by my superiors, I figured out how the daily grind affected my priorities and important and urgent tasks would inadvertently get overlooked. I realized that I was dwelling mostly with the tasks that I inherently liked and in

An Electronic Medical Record

An Electronic Medical Record An Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a digital record of a patients medical history and test results. A record which is kept digitally allows for ease of transfer between physicians and readability, not relying on the old system of papers which need to be physically transferred, or at best, faxed between offices. EMR systems have existed for a number of years already, yet many hospitals and physicians still rely on paper records. However, a complete EMR system is complex, facilitating transfer of information between connected systems whether or not they are part of the same organization rather than being simply a flat file on a desktop with data entered. Many employees and physicians resist change and privacy issues are often at the forefront of concerns dealing with electronic media. This paper discusses the impacts of implementing and operating an EMR and some of the difficulties which may arise that health care providers cite as reasons not to go digital. Introduction The world of medical technology today abounds with news of breakthroughs and innovation using the latest science and techniques. Technology allows us to perform operations and treat patients in ways not thought possible just 20 years ago. The field of medical information systems however is lagging far behind the rest, with many medical records and communications between physicians still accomplished via paper. Why is there such a disparity between the procedures of performing medicine on patients and the way the records of the procedures on those same patients are kept? In this world of international travel where one can travel halfway around the globe in less than a day, should the medical records of the traveler not be able to arrive digitally if he or she needs it while out of the country? Implementation of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) across the country and interconnecting them with the rest of the world, unfortunately, is a long and intensive process. Converting over to an EMR may adversely affect daily operations and increase risk if the proper steps are not taken. The cost may be prohibitive, costing up to $7 million for a 200 bed hospital. However, long term benefits outweigh the investment. Estimates show that implementation of an EMR system could save hospitals from $142 to $371 billion a year, increase the efficiency and reduce errors (Venkatraman, Bala, Venkatesh Bates, 2008, p.141). The planning and execution of the plan requires the support of both the management and the doctors and nurses who will be using the system on a daily basis. Accessibility For a system to be considered useful, the various components and interfaces must be accessible. In a study by Ilie, Slyke, Parikh and Courtney (2009), individuals often select the method of information entry and retrieval which is most accessible. The basis for these actions can be described using the least-effort model (p.218). Essentially whichever method is easier or more familiar is the method preferred. Hospitals and doctors offices have, for years, used a paper records system. The advantages of paper charts are that the charts are placed near each patient and allow for free form notation. Converting over to an EMR system requires training and convenient placement of terminals for physician and nurses. The most convenient may be placing a terminal in each office and station, in or just outside each patient location, or allowing portable units for information entry and retrieval; but implementation of this may not be within the budget or timetable. In instances where accessibilit y of terminals were not convenient, it was found that physicians and nurses fell back to documenting on paper charts and then later on reentering the data online (Spetz Keane, 2009, p.342). To reduce the tendency of users falling back on paper, strategic planning is required in choosing a system which is user-friendly and in placement of units for retrieval and entry of data. Accessibility also means the ability to retrieve needed information about a patient from locations where he or she does not have a previous record. In a world where EMR systems (which can interface with each other) are the norm, travelers would not have to worry that something may be overlooked simply because previous medical records were not available. In addition, cases where medical records were wiped out due to disasters and backups were not available, treatment of patients can become very difficult. After Hurricane Katrina, many physicians did not have medical records for patients needing emergency treatment; often the patients were themselves in no condition to answer questions or simply did not know enough to give meaningful answers (Brooks Grotz, 2010, p.73). Even when a hospital or doctors office installs an EMR system, thought should be given to how portable the data is. Due to the many different vendors available, EMR systems may or may not be able to transfer data effect ively. If a patient moves and requires treatment in another location, an incompatible EMR interface may require that the records be printed out and manually transferred to the new location, effectively negating one of the primary benefits of storing the information electronically. Benefits There are many benefits to implementing an EMR system, both tangible and intangible. One benefit, as mentioned above, could be the ability to share the information between different locations easily. Another benefit which is important to management but often takes time to realize is monetary, in the form of savings from increased efficiency and reduced errors. Increased efficiency also may translate to increased patient satisfaction, leading to increased business and reputation. Most people think of reducing the amount of paper used when a system migrates to going digital, but paper is a comparatively cheap medium though it takes up a large amount of space. On the other hand, take the case of the radiology department. The film used has to be specially prepared prior to use and it requires special equipment both to take the image and to process for viewing. Moving from hardcopy radiological images to one produced and stored digitally reduces both costs and facilitates transfer of images (Ayal Seidmann, 2009, p.45, 47). In the case study of the rural hospital, a number of systems were implemented to try and improve efficiency. The vision was to create an integrated IT system with an electronic medical record (EMR) and computerized physician order entry (CPOE). (Spetz Keane, 2009, p.338). Combining these two would make it possible for the patient to receive tests and treatments by the hospital, then the prescription would be relayed to the pharmacy electronically. The nurse would be able to scan the wristband of the patient and the labels on the prescriptions to verify the correct medicine goes to the correct person. A part of the system which had been implemented in the first month was a bar-coding system for supplies resulting in a decrease of patient care units running out of supplies due to improved inventory control (Spetz Keane, 2009, pp.338-340). The reduction of errors is also a key concern and the use of electronic records and a central database reduces the chances of duplication and mid-identification. As cited by Venkatraman, Bala, Venkatesh and Bates (2008) in their introduction to their paper, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 1999 shocked the nation by reporting that as much as 98000 people die in hospitals every year due to medical errors. These errors are also said to cost hospitals as much as $29 billion every year. Many costly mistakes might have been prevented if physicians had better information available or were not mislead by incorrect information, for example getting the wrong charts for the wrong person. In the process of proposing an EMR solution, the most common way is show benefits using monetary values and time/productivity savings. However, there are intangible benefits which are not so easily identified or measured. A desirable factor sometimes overlooked is increase in satisfaction, both for the customers and for the physicians (Ayal Seidmann, 2009, p.49). The ability to process results quickly affects the views the public has of the hospital or office and faster processing allows physicians to accomplish more. One of the most frustrating parts of health care is the wait necessary: patients waiting to be seen or waiting for doctors to diagnose the tests, doctors and nurses waiting for tests to be run or film to be developed. A byproduct of increasing the efficiency of processes is reduced frustration and improved satisfaction. After all, a patient at a hospital with an unknown problem should not have to wonder what is taking so long in addition to whats wrong with me? Implementation Once the decision has been made to acquire an EMR system, the next step is to decide which to use. Many medical technology and software companies are offering EMRs with many different specifications. Would a complete integrated system be better than a modular system? Are there partners requiring the ability to interface with the system? What is the degree of technological sophistication of the users? These questions and many other need to be addressed in deciding what type of EMR system would be the best fit. One key note in the implementation of a EMR system is that there is always a learning curve involved. Expect productivity to fall upon initial deployment with an increase in productivity once users are familiar with the system. A temporary decline of as much as 50% could be expected initially with productivity ramping back up to pre-implementation levels by six weeks, although some organizations required at least a year (Brooks Grotz, 2010, p.81). Often this period of decreased efficiency is what many users complain about: they cannot document as fast as they used to, they have to stop often to respond to system alerts, equipment is not working (possibly due to incorrect settings or improper use). Training for users of the system is thus an important part of the implementation plan. Enough time must be set aside for learning the system and support must be available if needed. Privacy Where terminals were placed is often important to the privacy of patients. In a case where an EMR system was implemented in a rural hospital, nurses and their managers had given input on locations for installation of computers and scanning cabinets. Once the nurses started using the system, however, issues of privacy came up. Some of the rooms were multi-bed and with only one computer, the nurse sometimes had to talk across one patient to get information from another (Spetz Keane, 2009, p.341). Obviously another method needed to be implemented to prevent violation of patient confidentiality; however such changes are not easily accomplished, especially if the system is already in place. Developing a policy for accessing the system is also paramount to protection of patient privacy in addition to business and financial records. There are several types of access levels available to a system as potentially complex as an EMR. The most obvious are access to medical and financial information. Also included are access to configure the hardware and software, especially the granting of permissions for other users to access various parts of the system. Imagine for example, the nurse who may need to collect financial or insurance information and enter it such that the billing department can access it. What if this same privilege inadvertently gave access to hospital financial records also? Also if an extranet is setup to interface with insurance companies for billing, how much access should they have? If policies are not set up correctly, insurance companies may be able to access records on patients under other insurance companys policies (Wilcox Brown, 2005, p.47). Past employees also need to have access to the system terminated and a policy should be in effect as to what a reasonable timeframe for access termination. Wilcox and Brown (2005) suggested that normal terminations, such as retirement, resignation and employee transfer, should be within one day and urgent terminations, such as a status change of an employee under hostile circumstances such as a firing, suspension, or other disciplinary action or any time there is reasonable cause to suspect that a user may try to harm or misuse data or system resources, should happen within an hour. Medical identity theft is now becoming more of a concern due to the abilities of hackers to access electronic systems. Just as someone could park outside a store and wirelessly tap into the credit card authorization process, someone could attempt to intercept communications between hospitals or even between departments within a hospital. Kieke cites a study by the Federal Trade Commission that states that medical identity theft accounts for 3 percent of identity theft crimes (Kieke, 2009). The theft may be used to fraudulently obtain health care services, file false claims, or attempt to secure drugs (Kieke, 2009, pp51-52). Once the identity has been compromised, it may be sold and resold multiple times, costing the patient time and money to clear the claims and establish their own identity again. Conclusion In many ways, implementation of an EMR system will be beneficial to hospitals and doctors offices. The degree of implementation is dependent on the requirements of the particular establishment. Specialized hospitals and many doctors offices do not require the whole gamut of software to run, often a subset or certain key modules would suffice. However, the ability to organize and display medical data in a meaningful way which follows some type of standardization and the ability to transfer records to other locations in times of need should be a requirement of any EMR implementation. Along with the technology needed comes a need to look at the human requirements behind using the system. The users, doctors and nurses in particular, are important to the overall success of any implantation. Not addressing issues which arise from this set of users may render the whole implementation moot.

Abortion: Points Of View :: essays research papers

Abortion: Points of View   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is nearly impossible anymore to find someone who doesn't have an opinion about abortion, and probably a strong opinion at that. Yet the endless debates on the topic usually go nowhere, leaving the opponents even more committed to their positions and the open-minded observers confused. Both sides make a good case. An unwanted child is a pitiful thing, and the attendant social problems (single motherhood, financial destitution, child neglect, and urban overcrowding, to name just a few) do not have easy solutions. On the other hand, the thought of terminating something that, if left to run its natural course, would ultimately result in the birth of a human being gives all but the most hard-hearted among us cause for serious introspection.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One reason the debate goes nowhere is that each side focuses on a different topic. We make no progress because we are not talking about the same thing. The pro-abortionist prefers to discuss choice, and to dwell on all of the social problems inherent in an unwanted child. The anti-abortionist is interested primarily in protecting the life of the fetus. In simple terms, the pro-abortionist focuses on a woman's rights and the anti-abortionist focuses on a fetus' rights. Though interrelated, these are basically different topics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though neither side realizes it, there is actually much more agreement than disagreement between the opposing views. The majority on both sides would agree that social problems like child neglect and urban overcrowding are serious issues. Most would also agree that the life of a child is a precious thing that deserves the full protection of the law. There would even be nearly universal agreement that it is a woman's exclusive right to make decisions concerning her body. So where's the disagreement? The entire complex issue comes down to one question:  Ã‚  Is the fetus a person? If you believe it is not a person, then it is simply part of the woman's body and subject to her exclusive control. From this point of view, any attempt to diminish that control is a cruel infringement upon a woman's rights. If, however, you believe the fetus is a person, then you are obligated to protect it, even to the point of delimiting the actions of the woman carrying it. For you, the suggestion that this issue is a matter of personal choice is like saying that whether or not a parent kills a two-year-old is a matter of personal choice. The goal of these pages is to examine the abortion debate from several perspectives, focusing on the question of when the fetus' life as a person