The employment act of 1946…

One of the four monetary policy goals of the Fed chair is high employment. Which is stated in the act as “responsibly of the Federal government…to foster and promote…conditions under which there will be afforded useful employment, for those able, willing and seeking to work, and to promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power. “ Which translates into more aggressive expansionary monetary policy. On the other hand, are we more realistically in the grips of stagflation, in regards to the still lower GDP and bump in inflation? Outside of the creation of any artificial market for which the demand for labor would be needed, government intervention is inevitable if we are to move forward. But we can’t ignore the fact that the government is not a cash machine. Big B must take responsibility and act in a more utilitarian fashion, or run the risk of losing their customer base forever or for the next twenty years. Cutting interest rates and adding money through the money market system isn’t enough. More aggressive are needed to shock the hearts and minds of consumers. The predictions of the PCE and other indicators offer no crystal ball vision into the next six months. The number of dynamics at play here are staggering, we are not the only players in our own back yard. One move in the right direction is a hard look at current policy reform. Banking, credit cards, houses, car loans and taxes. Next on the table would be government spending and net exports, it’s time we leveled the playing field on imports and exports into and out of the U.S. Along with real authority over those who choose to ignore the rules. We hang on ever word from the chair, waiting for some good news…will it come soon?

Vicodan the undiscovered country

In this day and age it would seem that everyone from the mail man to your grandmother is on something for one disorder or another. For all those little aches and pains, everyone gets from time to time. However, your truly has had to pleasure of experiencing the V drug this week, do to some tooth pain. I have been taking a drug called Darvocet. This little pain killer is like Vicodan’s little sister. How easy it would be to start taking this drug not just for pain, but to feel “better” all the time. On this and other types of painkillers, it is possible to function.
Are we all becoming the undiscovered addicts thanks to our doctors? I have not mentioned drugs for depression. With the drugs out now who wouldn’t want to be depressed. Now they are working on a pill to erase bad memories, how nice is that?
Drugged out, numbs out, and checked out. Don’t misunderstand me, of course there those who could not get through the day without them. That’s not whom I speak of, drugs can’t replace parenting or bad relationships.
But wait, now you can cut out the middle man and buy your drugs from over sea suppliers with a prescription. Now we all can dose and dose. All a kid has to do is use him mom’s or dad’s credit card, and presto he’s a dealer of scrip drugs. Don’t need dope or cocaine when there’ s Vicodan. According to www.drugabusehelp.com, Vicodin is a semisynthetic narcotic analgesic and antitussive with multiple actions qualitatively similar to those of codeine. Most of these involve the central nervous system and smooth muscle.
The precise mechanism of action of hydrocodone and other opiates is not known, although it is believed to relate to the existence of opiate receptors in the central nervous system. In addition to analgesia, narcotics may produce euphoria; drowsiness; lethargy; relaxation; difficulty in concentrating; decreased physical activity in some users and increased physical activity in others; mild anxiety or fear, and pupillary constriction.
This was the good, fun part, this is the bad part. Vicodin may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car, operate machinery, or perform any other potentially dangerous activities until you know how this drug affects you. Narcotics such as Vicodin may interfere with the diagnosis and treatment of abdominal conditions. Vicodin suppresses the cough reflex; therefore, be careful using Vicodin after an operation or if you have a lung disease. High doses of Vicodin may produce slowed breathing; if you are sensitive to this drug, you are more likely to experience this effect. Vicodin slows the nervous system. Alcohol can intensify this effect.
This website went on to discuss other symptoms. For regular Vicodin user abruptly stops taking Vicodin, withdrawal should begin within six to twelve hours. The intensity of withdrawal depends on the degree of the addiction, and symptoms are usually not life threatening. Typically,Vicodin withdrawal symptoms may intensify for twenty-four to seventy-two hours and then gradually decline over a period of seven to fourteen days. The symptoms of Vicodin withdrawal include but are not limited to:
restlessness, muscle pain, bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes, goose bumps, involuntary leg movements, watery eyes, runny nose loss of appetite, irritability, panic, nausea, chills, and sweating.
In preparing this piece, I was unable to get a real number of how many people are addicted to vics in the U.S, but I can tell you it’s a lot. The recovery of drugged out America is we all of us.

The Morning after Pill or MAP Ethical consequences of a solution

The idea of a female contraceptive is nothing new. For decades, women and doctors have been trying to come up with the ideal solution to planned parenting from the introduction of “birth control pills” to female prophylactics to injections. With abortion being the most controversial of them all, and ultimately sparking, the debate of a women’s right to choose what goes on with her own body. The morning after pill or emergency contraceptive is yet another offered solution to women and men wishing not to become parents at every engagement of intercourse. The moral questions raised with this newest pharmaceutical contraceptive are some of the same questions that have been asked about all the rest of the present birth control methods available. Because of how quickly MAP works and its potential for reckless abuse, people are concerned about its dangers to women and the repercussions of the additional moral questions raised by it.
Before we can measure the moral and ethical implications of using this drug, we need to take a closer look to be sure we fully understand what it is we are holding in moral contempt. From a scientific perspective, this contraceptive is a high dosage of the conventional birth control pill used by thousands of women every day. However, unlike “the pill” which is used on a regimented schedule of the calendar, MAP is taken right after sexual intercourse and performs its function over 72 hours (which is the time it takes to work) to prevent or end a pregnancy. The morning-after pill has three possible ways to prevent pregnancy. First ovulation is inhibited. Second, normal menstrual cycle is altered, delaying ovulation. Lastly, it irritates the lining of the uterus in case the first two ways don’t work. The fetus cannot attach to the lining of the uterus, where it needs to be in order to grow. (all)
The manufacture of this wonder contraceptive explicitly confirms in a statement released to the public: “that Morning-After Pills are not the same as mifepristone (Mifeprex), the so-called abortion pill.” Emergency contraceptive pills such as Plan B prevent pregnancy. (Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc) The abortion pill terminates an established pregnancy, one in which the fertilized egg has attached to the uterine wall and has already begun to develop. (Pruthi) Some would say this argument of differences is of the same church, but different pew, which leads us to the first moral measurement of this drug, the lightning rod for the views of all contraceptives by the highly potaonated and highly structured religious sector, holding the Divine Command theory above all other moral measuring machines.
From a religious perspective, all life is precious and no one has the right to play God. Not even in the cases of rape, incest, or at the expense of the mother’s life. The Catholic Church has not moved an inch on their position. Those religious supporters that believe in the Divine Command theory would justify their position by saying that the Morning After Pill is still murder at the very initial step of life. Maybe not as dramatic as late term abortions, still it is the conscious prevention of life that a higher being has created. In addition, this higher being has his or her way of terminating a pregnancy when things do not go right. However, this point could be argued as nature’s natural selection of survival of the fittest. Although this idea is, an entirely separate ethical debate unto itself. Once again, through the rules and teachings of some religions, women do not have presumed control of their own bodies. In which case when a women breaks one of the rules set forth by her chruch there are punishments to face. Such as Eternal damnation, which awaits those accused of the sin of killing of Humanae Vitae (Latin, “Human Life”). “Contraceptives are wrong because it is a deliberate violation of the design God built into the human race.” (Bernadeane Carr) Of course, the church does have its own underlying motives for disapproving of the use of birth control, which is to insure the perpetuation of the religion.
In regards to prolife supporters, who have at times taken a more aggressive roll in their efforts to have their point of view heard, sometimes with deadly consequences. The burning of abortion clinics and shooting abortion doctors are some of the ruthless tactics used by some pro-life supporters. The paradox of this situation is, if only referenced to the Kant theory that by doing these things they are in fact breaking the very ethical code they are trying to uphold. Killing and burning abortion clinics all the time by some of the people, does not sound like a code for the betterment of society.
The less extreme pro-life supporters would seem to be the most unlikely of allies in supporting the church’s position, but for different reasons. Like football fans on opposite sides of the field supporting the same team. Pro-lifers, although there are many factions with a semi-religious moral base, others have taken a more utilitarian view. To put contraceptives to the utilitarian test we have to ask, “Is it useful in bringing about a desirable end?” That would depend on your perspective of the action, from the point of view of the patient, yes; from the perspective of right to chose supporters, yes; from the view of the doctor’s prescribing contraceptives, yes. However, the larger statement of utilitarianism states, “everyone should perform the act or follow the moral rule that will bring about the greatest good for everyone concerned.” Is the use of contraceptives bringing the greatest good for all? This question cannot be answered by one to stand for all. Because in a situation-by-situation basis, what would seem morally wrong when measured by utilitarian ethical standards, however it may still be a necessity of fact. For example, we could say that the use of contraceptives would seriously reduce our population; on the other hand, we do not want more under age teenagers having babies.
Nevertheless, are women using contraceptives doing the morally right thing? This question can be addressed by applying the ethical theory of Ethical Egoism which in it three forms states; individual ethical egoism, everyone ought to act in my own best interest. Moreover, Personnel ethical egoism, I ought to act in my own self-interest, but don’t say what others should do. Finally, universal ethical egoism, what says everyone should always act in his or her own best interest, regardless of the interests of others, unless their interests help me. From a purely practical standpoint, it may be in a women’s own best interest not to get pregnant at the drop of a hate. For example if a woman has other medical problems that would automatically put her or her baby’s life at risk. Some could argue she needs to act in her own best interest Not to mention by not putting her own best interest first she would be in moral conflict with the a another moral measurement machine. The Kant duty ethics machine ( The Categorical imperative) Which says the statement cannot be contradicting of its self and must be able to be applied as a rule for all. By saying, “Some women with serious conditions should put themselves at risk of death all the time by never using contraceptives.” Is clearly an immoral statement, there for cannot be used as the rule. Which leads me to another question; should women who have the intentions to use a baby as the means to an end be forced to use contraceptives? In the eyes of some courts yes, as they have ordered some low-income women with a criminal background to seek preventions to becoming pregnant as a stipulation of conditions set by the court. (LibertySuger)

What about the moral standing of the doctors? Are physicians offering the drug along with pharmacists willing to fill the prescriptions doing the right thing? In regards to an ethical measurement of the acts of the doctors the virtue ethics theory perhaps is the best machine for this question. There are opponents that argue that doctors are tools of the giant drug companies, pushing sales. Other argue doctors have no moral standard because they prescribe contraceptives. In fact, it would seem some doctors out there are not acting completely immoral. Although it is not completely clear where all doctors stand on the moral position on the issue. These is what some doctors had to say about it as reported on the Concerned Women for America web site, “If scientific study should validate that a hormonal contraceptive agent is partly abortifacient in its action, we would oppose that agent just as we oppose elective medical and surgical abortions.”
Two other doctors, who researched the post-fertilization effects of hormonal contraceptives who have published the findings in the American Medical Association’s Archives of Family Medicine, said that the evidence suggested that there are post-fertilization effects at least some of the time. However, both doctors observed that very few patients were aware of the possibility. They firmly believe that women should be given enough information to make an informed decision about whether they wish to use the morning-after pill. (Bossom) Although this is a postion, it may not be a virtuous one. The virtue ethic theory states that moral excellence, righteousness and responsibly, good and virtuous character. Are these doctors upholding to this standard of ethical code? No, dishing out chemical contraceptives to under informed women and teenagers is not a demonstration of the vitreous ethics. There is no moral high ground in condoning, which at least in part, reckless behavior. Deep down both the doctors and women will either choose to listen to their own intuition about what is good and bad for them or not. However as intuition is the most abstract of all the ethical disciplines. It becomes hard to measure the level of intuition used in the decision to use contraceptives. One thing is true, at any point after using the contraceptive a person can choose to listen to their institution and stop.
There are many views, opions, and judgments on the subject of abortion and contraceptives. Some well meaning and some that are not. As with everything, people’s passions about a subject or act can be carried too far, until they themselves become an immoral act. Betraying unconsciously by the same passions and wills having a moral compass is supposed to help direct. We have seen the religious point of view, the pro-life point of view, touched a pone the views of a women’s right to choose, and the medical point of view. To address the last ethical theory in regards to the distribution and use of contraceptives, we turn to the Ross Prima Facis Duties , that certain duties apply to all humans, obeying in a general way before other considerations which are Fidelity, Reparation, Gratitude, Justice, Beneficence, and Nonmaleficence. Again a lot if not all of these duties are abstract in the sense they cannot be concretely proven to be taking place or not. However, the sliver bullet to this argument is that, each man must decide for himself with trust in his intuition if in fact he is abiding by these duties. Being abstract makes it hard to see there application to our subject, Once again it is souly based on point of view. From the point of view of the doctor, Fidelity will only hold if he or she is perfectly clear with the patient about the risks associated with this drug and a moral discussion has taken place about all the choices a woman has. However, in the same token the women must not only be trueful with her lover and doctor but with herself. One overlooked aspect of duties theory is how it would apply to one’s self. Not just, how one uses duties to make moral judgments in regards to others. Reparation; Once again, one can only make reparation in one feels they have done a wrong thing in the first place. The doctor may feel righteous in his cause to help women and a woman may feel she owes no reparation to anyone about her choices about her own body, unless of course she has feeling of guilt as her decision causes a moral religious conflict.
Gratitude maybe what a women may feel for the services of the doctors for their help, or perhaps a doctor may feel gratitude for women taking responsibility for themselves and for an unwanted pregnancy. Justice is certainly, what a liberal woman would feel if finally they have a say over themselves, Doctors in their support of a women right to choose. Only those whose cause is prevailing can have a sense of justice. Although some would take morality and the law into their own hands, dishing out justice in their own way. Which is an undermining of the concept of justice for all, vigilantism is not a duty of a society. Beneficence, the helping to improve the condition of others in intelligence and happiness. Certainly, some doctors supporting this drug must feel they are helping those wishing for this kind of help. The church must feel they are helping those in need of guidance, even if they don’t know they need it. It’s safe to say everyone in support of their own cause believes they can help someone, even if it’s only themselves. People do service to others for selfish reasons. This doesn’t mean that anyone of these virtues are being upheld in the manner they were intended. Nonmaleficence; this concept or virtue rings home for many people on the firing lines of this debate. Because there are so many ways to inflict injury. With words, actions, non-action and rocks and bullets. A doctor withholding information that would influence a women’s decision to use the drug is injury. One can say the demonstration of any of these virtues alone doesn’t deem a person morally fit. The theory of Ross is reduced to food for thought for the common man to reflect on. To do a moral inventory and work to apply wisdom in our judgment of others and ourselves. The discovery of this piece has been that there is a moral question at the heart of this debate and there are no easy answers. However, the beauty of all of the ethical theories is that they demand investigation and thought of who we are and how we look at the world.

Bibliography
11 march 2009 .
all. 5 oct 2005. 10 march 2009 .
Bernadeane Carr, STL, Censor Librorum, August 10, 2004. 10 august 2004. 10 march 2009 .
Bossom, Elizabeth. CWA. 8 march 2206. 11 march 2009 .
Krupnick, Joseph C. Flakemagazine.com. 2007. 5 feb 2009 .
LibertySuger. Citizen suger. 25 9 2008. 11 march 2009 .
Pruthi, Sandhya. MayoClinic.com. 24 may 2008. 5 feb 2009 .
Wright, Wendy. Concerned Women for America . 25 aug 2206. 5 feb 2009 .

AIG; thieves in suits

AIG, I have always understood that bonuses were based on performance and profits, neither which AIG has. The money they are so freely handing out is not profit. So how can AIG treat it as such, the money is a negative not to be treated as profit or even windfall. Contract or no contract, AIG has no respect or moral compass or responsibly to where the money came from. The American Tax payer money is not a bonus, it was given in good faith that it would be used wisely and responsibly. To that end, AIG should be punished for their action. What they did was break the contract with the government and the American people. AIG first priority is to those how gave it to save the company, not to reward those who raped it. At the least, with all their so-called problems, giving bonuses was the first thing they could think of to do with our money? Big business corruption abound, it’s time to say the American people will no longer flip the bill for the government’s affair with big business and big business greed and moral misconduct. SHAME ON AIG FOR SLAPPING US IN THE FACE AND SHAME ON UNCLE SAM FOR LETTING THEM.

The crackling sound of thunder could be heard for miles ..

The crackling sound of thunder could be heard for miles as a blinding flash of light illuminates the night sky. Clutching onto his little brother for dear life , Steven slowly makes his way up the razor sharp cliffs. “Hold on I see the light house! Billy did you here me?” Steven yells at his little brother, his voice shaking with panic. Billy fights to be heard, his voice is  silenced by the deafening sound of the pounding rain. Oh god I am slipping  Steven screams in his head, his fingers numb from the cold. He can hardly feel the rocks anymore.

Looking at his bother, seeing he is crying and frightened. “How could I let this happen?” Steven questions. It only takes a few seconds  for Steven to imagine hearing his father’s  scolding  voice, “Steven why did you let the boat get too close to the rocks? What where you thinking?”

Images of his mother crying over his brothers body replaced his thoughts of his father . (Crack!) another flash of lightening went racing across the heavens and Billy’s scream a woke Steven from his vision .

Feeling his grip on Billy’s jacket slipping; Steven commands, “Grab my arm!”

 Billy is froze like a statue, “I can’t I am too scared. ”

Desperate to save his brother, Steven lets go of the ledge above his head and slides down the sharp rocks beside his brother. Grabbing him in his arms Steven tries to comfort his seven year old brother. “ It’s going to be alright ..Billy you’ll see,” Fighting back is own tears with ever word he spoke.

(Splash!) The two brothers gasp for air; “ (cough! ) Come on ! have to get to higher ground. I’ll start and you hold onto my belt, you got it? ” Steven waits for Billy’s acknowledgement.

“ I..I.. got it Stevey,” Billy replies still shaking uncontrollably.

“O.k. here we go,” Said Steven trying to convince himself to move. In the blackness the two survivors  inch their way up the cliffs again.

 “Stevey I am scared!”

“Just keep moving Billy,” Steven shouts back. Blindly searching for his next grasp on the jagged rocks. “ahh!” Steven cries out in pain before he could stop himself.

 “What is it? What’s wrong?” Billy asks in his most urgent voice yet.

 “ Nothing , I am all right keep climbing,” Steven replies .

The blood is making it harder to hold on , Steven thinks to himself with his right hand throbbing.  “Billy I see a place to rest, hold on tight,” Steven announces to his younger sibling, who is growing more tired with each passing moment..

“Give me your hand Billy and I will pull you up…a little more, good, now move back under the cliff, out of the rain” .

Thinking how much better it felt to be out of the pounding of the rain. Steven moves closer to his brother and puts his arm round him. “ There is that better?”

Billy turns  struggling to make out Steven’s face in the blackness  whispering “Stevey we are going to …make it, right?”

Steven replies in a reassuring voice that only  a twelve year old big brother  could use. “ Yes of coarse silly, member the time we got stuck in that old tree house?” “ That was way worse then this”.

Billy adds, “ Yeah and dad came and put the ladder back up and saved us .You think dad will come for us this time?”

“Look don’t worry about that close your eyes and get some rest,” Steven instructs. There, the two brothers huddle together , cold , alone and frighten. the storm raging all around them . “Must stay awake.in case..,” And Steven fades to sleep with his brother resting his head on his chest.

“Steven!…Billy!,” yells a voice from below. It takes Steven a few moments to realizes he’s not dreaming.  “Billy wake up there’s somebody calling for us!”

Still in the blackness of night Steven cautiously feels his way to the edge of the cliff.  “Steven…Billy are you there?” The voice asked again sounding more desperate.

 

Steven shouts into the darkness, “Yes over here, we are over here!”

Billy now at Steven’s side, “Is it dad? Has he come for us?”

“I think it is Billy , I think it is” Steven tells Billy in a most optimistic tone. For the first time all night Steven feels real hope for their rescue.

“ Just stay there and we‘ll come to you, ”The voice instructs the boys.

 Their eyes filling with the bright light of flash lights moving in all directions. After a few minutes of listening hard to the soggy sounds of rubber boots stepping on wet rocks. Making a noise like a seal clapping at something funny .And the grunts men make when working hard. Then they see a figure of a man standing in front of them.

His flash light racing back and forth between the two tired wet little faces. In one giant sweep of his arms the man hugs the two brothers tightly.

“ Oh I thought I lost you both,” the man confesses  as tears start to stream down his face.

“But dad , the boat  I wrecked the boat,” Steven tells his father in his best grown up voice. Expecting for his father to lecture him right there.

“I don’t care about the boat Steven …only you and your brother,  that’s what matters to me,” Steven’s father says in a whisper of a voice.

Steven grabs his father around the neck and hugs him tightly .

 “ I love you both so much …let’s go home,” Said Stevens father.