Deep water horizon oil spill (Gulf of Mexico)

Deep water horizon oil spill (Gulf of Mexico)

Introduction:

The Deep Water Horizon oil spill also known as the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is one of the worst oil disasters that has occurred in the history of the U.S. up till 20 April 2010. The Deep Water Horizon oil spill is operated and owned by an offshore drilling company known as BP and is located on Mississippi Canyon in the Maconda oil prospect. This distressing and disheartening event is known throughout the world. How did it occur, what was the amount of oil dumped in the Gulf of Mexico, how many people died and how many of them were injured and most importantly what was its impact on the marine life in the Gulf of Mexico?

 The following paper focuses on generating a few fast facts about this disastrous oil spill, and in a later section presents  critical thinking about this issue, as to how one can prevent the occurrence of such an issue, which will have a lasting impact for many more years to come.

Fast facts about the BP oil spill:

·         It was the biggest oil spill in U.S. history with almost 200 millions of crude oil  pumped into the Gulf of Mexico for around 87 days

·         It has approximately affected 16,000 miles of coastline including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

·         Even after the capping of gushing oil, it is still washing up on shores, thereby indicating its long term damage to the people and the marine life

·         11 people were injured along with 17 injured during the initial phase of the oil rig

·         The government of U.S. under the rule of Obama has promised to raise $20 billion as the response fund

·         5.5. million of barren land has been used to absorb and collect the leaked oil from the sea

·         The oil spill has killed more than 8000 animals over a span of 6 months &  that include- birds, turtles, dolphins etc.

·         Almost 30,000 people were involved in the rescue operation that included cleaning up of beaches, saving the animals, collecting the oil from the Gulf which covers almost 400 million square miles

The above facts about the BP oil spill help in generating the entire scenario about this disastrous event. Staring from the massive amount of oil dumped in the Gulf of Mexico, to the death of some people on the oil rig and its impact on the marine life of the Gulf clearly indicates that such an event can bring major losses to  mankind, if not handled and taken care of. A single mistake can cost the life of many humans and animals along with polluting the environment. (Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010)

It has been revealed in the latest studies that up till now, the Gulf is till polluted which still has an impact on the marine life .  According to a study conducted by the national wildlife federation, bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles and brown pelicans are some of the major species that are dying in larger numbers than ever before, and this is linked to the oil spill that occurred four years ago from now. (Gulf Oil Spill "Not Over": Dolphins, Turtles Dying in Record Numbers)

Several different organizations, government agencies and the  National Wildlife Federation are in continuous process, to study the impact of the oil spill on the marine life. And it is alarming to know, that the BP oil spill is yet not over; rather it has a long way to go. The oil is still deposited on the sea bed and its gets washed up on the shores as well. There are record numbers of dying bottle neck dolphins and those which are alive showcase weakness, anemia and other health-related issues. It is clear that the future generation of these dolphins would even be affected by this oil spill. The above discussion clearly indicates that a single man- made mistake can cause dramatic harm to mankind, animals and the environment as a whole.

After examining the impact of the BP oil spill, let us throw some light on the response and rescue operation. How did people respond, how was the leaked oil  collected from the sea, where was it dumped, what was its effect on soil, how were animals and mankind  rescued from the ignited oil ring and many more. In order to clean the leaked oil that formed a slick over the Gulf, around 1.8 million gallons of dispersants were  added and that helped in faster metabolism by bacteria, thereby making easier and faster the removal of oil from the Gulf. The amount of effort, technology, manpower etc. that was employed within the rescue operation, could have been put to some constructive work, if this oil spill disaster had not occurred. Such an event caused massive wastage of money, manpower, life along with environmental distortion and biological imbalance.

Conclusion:

 Thus from the above, discussion about the worst oil spill ever faced by the U.S. it is evident that Deep Water Horizon oil-related operations must be handled carefully. Latest technological support along with efficient management is optimum for proper functioning and handling of such an operation, so as to prevent the re-occurrence of any such accidents. It may be possible that the expense of safeguarding the oil-related task may cost high, but undoubtedly the expense of rescuing and responding to such an oil spill would be 100 times more than it was. Hence the best way out is to avoid such instances in future. On one hand, several organization and research institutes are employing the best of their efforts to save the endangered species all around the world, and, on the other hand, such disastrous oil spills kill an enormous amount of the marine and sea life animals. It is really a horrifying and a daunting view, to see a ‘walking dead’ brown pelican dipped all over with the crude oil from top to toe. The best thing that can be done is to avoid the occurrence of any such incidents in future in any part of the world.

Bibliography

Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010. (n.d.). Retrieved JUNE WEDNESDAY, 2014, from ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1698988/Deepwater-Horizon-oil-spill-of-2010/311800/Settlements-and-convictions

Gulf Oil Spill "Not Over": Dolphins, Turtles Dying in Record Numbers. (n.d.). Retrieved JUNE WEDNESDAY, 2014, from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/04/140408-gulf-oil-spill-animals-anniversary-science-deepwater-horizon-science/

OCEAN PORTAL. (n.d.). GULF OIL SPILL. Retrieved JUNE WEDNESDAY, 2014, from OCEAN PORTAL: http://ocean.si.edu/gulf-oil-spill

Abortion

Abortion is the most controversial issue having no grounds of agreement among two polar aspects. The argument is life and death though the uncertainty of complication makes it difficult. I don’t believe in abortion because it’s murder we are not the ones that can decide whether the person that a woman gives birth to should live or die. Abortion is a life or death matter, having equal supporters on both sides. Yet those supporters have one goal in common: decreasing the number of abortions and making abortion safer. Abortion is defined as the “removal of the embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy”.

When a fetus starts living can’t be determined but according to facts, the heart beats after 16-25 days and the brain works after 40 days. Some people think that after conception you become a person whereas others think otherwise. But suppose you have 50 pills on a table and one is poisonous. Would you randomly swallow a pill not caring if it’s is a normal pill or poison? No, you value your life so why not a fetus? The fetus could be alive and abortion could be murder. Because abortion is legal, whether or not the fetus lives to be born depends on people and whether the unborn are protected by rights.

Abortion for rape is another controversial topic. Babies born of this act are not intended since the sexual act is forced. Many say killing these babies is okay. Some people are against abortion. They claim human life begins at conception. They believe the unborn deserve life. Even for rape, they believe the child shouldn't be punished for a wrong act.

Some people believe women have the freedom to choose abortion. This group believes abortion is a personally protected choice. They think if abortion is illegal, it will increase in self abortions or worse, the mother may kill the baby, as some young mothers have. They believe the fetus is a “mass of tissue” instead of human. They think unwanted kids should be reduced and it could will lower child abuse. They also believe the world is way overpopulated. But since when does a person’s life depend on the amount of people in the world?

Abortion may be best alternative for parents who are planning to have the child, but unfortunately discover that their child has the high chance of being born with the serious disease or deformity. Late term abortions are particularly rare, but when they do occur, it is frequently because parents have discovered that their child will suffer from the malformation. No parent wants to witness their child suffering. To allow the child to suffer its whole life due to the terrible defect is lower than choosing to terminate it.

For sake of family, the child may be better off terminated in certain cases. Abortion supports parents to control number of children they can afford emotionally and economically. Not all families can handle taking care of several children, especially single mothers. Unmarried pregnant women do not always want to bring their child into the family-less environment either. They might want to wait until they are ready to settle down and get married before they begin to create the family. Potential children known to carry diseases may be aborted to make possible birth of children more likely to grow into the healthy adulthood. If given birth to the diseased child, the woman's chances of having the normal child later in life will decrease. 

Luckily, today in society, everyone is allowed to decide for themselves whether something is morally correct or incorrect. Ultimately, everyone is entitled to their own choices. Women should be permitted to resume choosing their personal preferences when it comes down to their bodies and reproductive lives. The advantages of abortion outweigh shortcomings. The case of Roe vs. Wade has assisted development of boundaries to conclude legal rights of the mother and the fetus. Although the some persons are found, but there is nothing known as pro-abortion. While no one particularly wishes to end wonders of life, abortion guarantees protection and legal rights of women. Although abortion is opposed by many people, it should remain legal, as it is the woman's right to control her own body.

Reasons of High Rate of Divorce in UAE

The problem highlighted in this study is related to divorce in the UAE. The UAE is among to the countries of the world that have a high rate of divorce.

There are various reasons that are leading such a high rate of divorce in the UAE. The key factors contributing in the divorce include the absence of understanding between the couple. The couples do not love each other resulting in violence especially by the husbands. The government is also taking measures to learn the reason of the divorces taking place in the country.

Introduction:

According to various studies, in the year 2012 there were more than a thousand cases of divorce reported only from Dubai. Although there were efforts made to learn the reasons of divorce but knowing the reason would do no good. For this purpose, the couples must seek the help of some professionals so that they could find out ways to create understanding between themselves. (Why Marriages in UAE Fail, 2013)

During last ten years the rate of divorce in the UAE has increased extraordinarily. Even the government of the UAE has shown concern but still the divorce rates are increasing. Another reason of divorce includes wealth of the country due to the oil. (Fudzail, 2009)

Data and Analysis:

In order to learn the exact reasons of divorces taking place in the UAE, we conducted a survey. In this survey, the interviews were conducted with the divorced people to know the reason of their separation. The interviews were taken from the people from different placese of life in the UAE. In this survey, the men as well as women were interviewed. Various reasons of divorce that were discovered included marriages in early age, financial issues and problems with the families of the partners etc.

One of the biggest reasons that were assessed included marriages in early age. As per the survey, 31 percent of the women revealed that they got married before the age of 14. On the other hand, 23 percent of men got married when they were 20 to 24 years old. As per the survey, the chances of divorce increased among the couples who were living with the families of the partners. The percentage of divorced women that lived with the family of the husband is 34. On the other hand, 8.7 percent of men that are divorced were found to be living with the family of the wife. Financial matters is another major factor contributing to the divorce in the UAE. In this case, the divorces reported all over UAE are around 45 percent. The reason revealed for the divorce was that the partner did not support the other financially. (Susucan, 2001)

In the survey, another reason for divorce was discovered. 23 percent of the women got divorce as they did not have any child. 31 percent of the divorces were reported because the man was interested in second marriage. 13 percent of the marriages failed due to the irresponsible attitude of men. The biggest reason was that they were involved in consuming a lot of alcohol. So, women face lack of attention from their husbands. In such cases, the women had play the role of mother as well as father. The wife had to make a lot of compromises like missing out family functions just because she had to be at work. This results into clashes between the couple ending up in divorces. Marriages just to accomplish the wishes of the families also resulted in divorces to a great extent. (The Reason of Divorce in UAE)

In this survey, another matter was discovered; in 43 percent of the cases it is women that demand divorce while in case of men, the percentage is 39.

Conclusion:

Women have serious reservations with the way they are being treated. On the other hand, men also have their own reservations with the way they are being treated. The demand of the independence from both the sides is making a great issue in the country. The men and women are becoming impatient and are not ready to make compromise. In this situation, children are also being ignored which may affect their personality. In most of the cases its women who are demanding divorce. Behavior of the families of both the partners is also creating problems. Financial issues are also leading to end  marriages.  Though, there are ways to reach a peaceful solution but both sides do not agree over it. So, this is resulting into failure of marriages.

References:

Fudzail. (2009, May 19). Retrieved from blogspot: http://1426.blogspot.com/2009/05/uae-has-one-of-highest-divorce-rates-in.html

Susucan. (2001, September 2). Early Marriages. Retrieved from StudyMode: http://www.studymode.com/essays/Study-Early-Marriage-Likely-Cause-Of-687988.html

The Reason of Divoirce in UAE. (n.d.). Retrieved from UKEssays.com: http://www.ukessays.com/essays/cultural-studies/the-divorce-reasons-in-the-uae.php

Why Marriages in UAE Fail. (2013, September 4). Retrieved from gulfnews.com: http://gulfnews.com/about-gulf-news/al-nisr-portfolio/xpress/news/10-reasons-why-uae-marriages-fail-1.1227513

Assessment 1

Question 1

1-      Critical thinking is a way of different thinking using one mind by using strong skills

Question 2

1-      Confirmation bias

2-      Ignorance

3-      Physical barriers

4-      Media information

5-      Emotional passion

Media information:  it could affect our way of thinking because the media these days is invading our minds and it has all the possibility to change our mind and our way of   thinking and it could play with our choices so it can change the truth to false and the false to truth.

Emotional passion: most of our human nature is based on passion so it could divert our critical thinking.  If anyone is a passionate person he will not be able to use the critical thinking skills because his arguments will be based on passion and he will not be able to use his skills, so all  of his decision will be based on his passion.

Question 3

Fallacy is a type of an argument that it discusses any true or false information and it could be formal or informal.

1-      Ignorance

2-      Personalization

3-      Argument for authority

4-      No connection between argument and conclusion

·         Personalization: a way of attack can be used in it on any claim

·         Argument for authority: most of the time the customer or the client is true.

Question 4

1-      Make the truth clearer .for example it could clarify the hidden part of any information.

2-      More focus in reading , so the reader will be able to take it seriously and it will not pass any part

3-      Improve the ability f identify the key point of any argument, so it will be easy to discuss the point and the truth.

Fair & false analogies

To compare the structure of automobile and skeleton are true analogy because both of them designed to receive the shocks and reduce the harm caused .However, the structure of the vehicle can not renew itself and repair the faults as do bones.

Carbonated beverages is the best drinks in the summer, but these drinks are the biggest danger than what we think because it contain sugar and caffeine  which it could cause damages to our health, such as cancer or diabetes  because of having a huge amounts of such beverages. These profitable companies producing more than what we think we as consumers.

Critical Thinking

This course is about thinking critically and a key word is viable.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is a type of reasonable, reflective thinking that is aimed at deciding what to believe or what to do. Encompassed in critical thinking are the skills ofrationality, self-awareness, honesty, open-mindedness, discipline and judgement. The process of critical thinking involves thorough and careful interpretation of information as well as its subsequent application to reach justifiable conclusions.

These skills are necessary in many professions, particularly law, where a lawyer must evaluate different pieces of evidence. There are three main aspects of critical thinking – recognising assumptions, evaluating arguments and drawing conclusions.

Barriers to critical thinking

• Confirmation Bias

• Trusting Testimonial Evidence

• Ignorance

• Psychological barriers

• Media disinformation

• Outweigh passion