An Outline Of Physician Assisted Suicide - 1944 Words

OUTLINE Title: Physician Assisted Suicide: Right to life, Right to death I. A. Introduction 1. (problem – PAS): In today’s society, Physician Assisted Suicide is one of the most questionable and debatable issues. Many people feel that it is wrong for people to ask their doctor to help them end their life; while others feel it is their right to choose between the right to life and the right to death. â€Å"Suffering has always been a part of human existence.† (PAS) â€Å"Physicians have no similar duty to provide actions, such as assistance in suicide, simply because they have been requested by patients. In deciding how to respond to patients requests, physicians should use their judgment about the medical appropriateness of the request.† (Bernat, JL) Physician Assisted Suicide differs from withholding or discontinuing medical treatment, it consists of doctors providing a competent patient with a prescription for medication to aid in the use to end their life. 2. generally right to decide treatment: Patients generally have the right to decide their treatment however; others measures of treatment should be discussed with the patients. Patients should be competent when deciding to refuse treatment and understand what their options are, however; this should not include physician assisted suicide. Patients do not have to suffer or be in pain, there are many medical options to help the patient through palliative care that will keep them comfortable. 3. flaws includingShow MoreRelatedOutline for Persuasive Essay on Physician Assisted Suicide754 Words   |  4 PagesTitle: Physician Assisted Suicide Topic: Assisted Suicide Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience on the right to choose your path with P.A.S. Thesis Statement: Physician Assisted Suicide should be a matter of free will and not just law. Introduction Attention Material: â€Å"But it may also be within my power to take a life, this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play God†Read MorePersuasive Speech : Physician Assisted Suicide1308 Words   |  6 PagesCheyenne Jamison 4/19/17 Persuasive Speech Outline Topic: Physician Assisted Suicide Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience to favor the legalization of Physician Assisted Suicide. Thesis: Physician Assisted Suicide is sometimes misunderstood due to how it is termed, but this is something that needs to be deeply evaluated and legalized in all 50 states. I. Introduction: A. Attention Material/Credibility Material: The John Hopkins News-Letter said in 2014 â€Å"What would you do if you only hadRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide And The Rights Of Patients1523 Words   |  7 PagesPhysician-assisted suicide needs to be recognized by the federal government to show terminally ill patients that their right to autonomy is not being ignored. The Bill of Rights of Patients was constructed to outline just this. According to the American Cancer Society, â€Å"the American Hospital Association drafted a Patients’ Bill of Rights to inform patients of what they could reasonably expect while in the hospital.† One of the notes stated in the Bill of Rights of Patients is the right to autonomyRead MoreThe Ethics Of Assisted Suicide1526 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract Physician assisted suicide, otherwise noted as â€Å"PAS,† has existed for many years, however has made a controversial appearance in legislation recently. Patients’ and their end of life decisions have shaped the way PAS has been portrayed today. Nurses play an important role in the everyday life of transitioning patients, which places them at the forefront of assisted suicide. Nurses must have clear and defined rules when it applies to assisted suicide, and what they can do if thisRead MoreAdvocates Against Assisted Suicide Advocates Essay1681 Words   |  7 PagesAdvocates against assisted suicide argue that the untaken medication will be dispersed to a larger group of people than just the terminally ill it was intended for. A little over 40% of the population of individuals that received life-ending medication did not even take the medication (Keown 172). Keown details a summary of the prescriptions ingested in 2015 as of this current January. All of the medications that a prescription was written for were carefully tracked and observed. The Death with DignityRead MoreExplanation Of Physician Assisted Suicide1262 Words   |  6 PagesPhysician assisted suicide has been legal in Oregon since November 1997. Over 750 people have taken advantage of this law since it was passed. Many people think there is something wrong with such this and it should be outlawed. I will argue that there is no moral basis for the outlaw of such a practice. Explanation of physician assisted suicide Physician assisted suicide occurs when an ill patient consults a doctor and decides that they would like to end their life. Typically, the patient is prescribedRead MoreThe Ethics Of Physician Assisted Suicide Essay1655 Words   |  7 Pagespersonal perception of a â€Å"good life† even if they are not hurting anyone else? The exceedingly divided dispute around the procedure of physician-assisted suicide (PAS) asks this very question. Although PAS is reasonably fresh to the sphere of moral matters it is often the main topic in many discussions about proper healthcare and palliative care. Physician-assisted suicide was initially permitted in the state of Oregon when the state passed its Death with Dignity Act in 1994 (Kotva, 2016). The Act requiresRead MoreEuthanisa Outline1008 Words   |  5 PagesSAMPLE PERSUASIVE OUTLINE – AVERAGE Student Y February 17, 2005 Section AY Topic: Euthanasia Goal: To persuade the audience that physician-assisted suicide, which is a subset category of euthanasia, should be a legal option. Thesis: All terminally ill patients or individuals in chronic severe pain should have the option of a peaceful and quick death to minimize suffering. Introduction A. Attention Gaining Device: On November 23, 2000 my mother passed away. She had terminal ovarian cancerRead MoreEuthanasia And Physician Assisted Suicide997 Words   |  4 PagesEuthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide: The Right to Die with Dignity (The Legalization, At Risk Groups, and Rebuttal) The possible legalization of voluntary euthanasia and physician assisted suicide brings concerns in regards to how well it will be accepted. There are contradictions that exists between government and church when it comes to the morals and values placed on human life. Although, society has concerns in regards to at risk community groups and the type of treatment availableRead MoreEuthanasia Answers the Prayers of the Dying Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesEuthanasia Answers the Prayers of the Dying      The good death. Dying with dignity. Assisted-suicide. Those are all terms for what doctors call euthanasia. Euthanasia is physician-assisted suicide, carried out by lethal injection or excessive barbiturates. In 1991 Jack Kevorkian assisted two women who were chronically ill to die. This was the first publicized case of euthanasia. Since then lawmakers have wondered if euthanasia should be legal in every state. Since Americans have control

Wages and Fringe Benefits Free Essay Example, 5250 words

The theory works well within a firm or organization. It does not explain the performance and output of new employee or any other employee of the same rank in the different organization. The supports employees get in different organizations, resources available to them, level of authority and autonomy all these vary from organization to organization. These have an impact on the performance of any employee. Greater the chances to grow within the organization greater will be the level of effort one puts in. Compensation is one of the major factors of motivation. It is the basic motive for which an employee works. Compensation provides monetary power which is required for individuals to survive and maintain social status. It can be easily explained with Maslow s pyramid of needs. At the stage of self-actualization, which is this case will be the position of CEO in a company, who usually on the basis of age, experience and achievements reach to a position near to self-actualization, it i s difficult for organizations to find things motivating a person at this category. So far the empirical test on the tournament theory has been of two main types. We will write a custom essay sample on Wages and Fringe Benefits or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page The second way is that the second individuals' performance gets deteriorated and he is underperforming while the first individual has just maintained the performance but has not put any effort to improve it.

Essay about Was the New Deal a Good Deal for America

Was the New Deal a Good Deal for America? In his presidential acceptance speech in 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed to the citizens of the United States, â€Å"I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people.† The New Deal, beginning in 1933, was a series of federal programs designed to provide relief, recovery, and reform to the fragile nation. The U.S. had been both economically and psychologically buffeted by the Great Depression. Many citizens looked up to FDR and his New Deal for help. However, there is much skepticism and controversy on whether these work projects significantly abated the dangerously high employment rates and pulled the U.S. out of the Great Depression. The New Deal was a bad deal†¦show more content†¦Throughout the next decade, the expenditures gradually incremented up to the point of $12 billion in 1941, almost four times the amount from 1929 (Document 16). This increased government spending would have been fine if it aided in government revenue and decreased public debt. However, neither of those categories improved; the excessive spending actually harmed the economy. The U.S. went from a $75 million surplus in 1929 to a $4.8 billion deficit in 1941 (Document 17). Furthermore, the total public debt augmented from $17 billion in 1929 to $44 billion in 1941 (Document 18). The cost to fund the New Deal project was massive. Not only did U.S. deficits and expenditures rise, the citizens who were supposed to benefit from the deal also suffered from increased debt. Some may argue that the New Deal was a good deal because it lowered unemployment rates. Nevertheless, the rates did not significantly go down, especially since the U.S. had eight, long, peacetime years to recover from the Great Depression. Historian Gary Dean Best argues, â€Å"I consider that failure tragic, not only for the 14.6 percent of the labor force that remained unemployed as late as 1940†¦ but also because of the image that the depression-plagued United States projected to the world at a crucial time in international affairs† (Best 230). He believes that the United State’s unstable economy encouraged aggression from other countries, whichShow MoreRelatedReasons Why Roosevelt Introduced the New Deal Essay677 Words   |  3 PagesReasons Why Roosevelt Introduced the New Deal There were three main reasons why Roosevelt introduced the New Deal. The first was economic and social problems in the USA, as a result of the Wall Street Crash. The second reason was because of Hoover, the president before Roosevelt; had been a weak president, and could not solve problems, and often made problems worse. The third was that Roosevelt strongly believed he could help America recover, like he himself has doneRead MoreEssay about The New Deal1030 Words   |  5 PagesThe New Deal a) In 1933, the new president of America, Franklin D Roosevelt, introduced The New Deal. He did this because of Americas economic depression at the time. For example, many banks went bankrupt in the Wall Street Crash. This happened because, during the economic many people got involved in the stock market, especially in speculation. This was where you would buy lots of stocks with a loan, then way for them to rise slightly, and sell them off againRead MoreEssay on The Effect of the New Deal on USA750 Words   |  3 PagesThe Effect of the New Deal on USA The New Deal was very successful to pull America out of the problems which the Americans were facing. The New Deal seemed to start solving the problem very quickly and the people started to gain confidence again. And with all of the new deal laws money started to go around in the economical system. Thats what it has been like in the beginning. But than the new deal system didnt continue to solve any more problems especially as mostRead MoreMain Features of the New Deal Essay1683 Words   |  7 PagesMain Features of the New Deal In 1932 Roosevelt came to power. He aimed to invest government money in making America prosperous again after the depression years of Hoover. Roosevelts main aims were to reduce unemployment and get Americans earning money again, to protect peoples savings, homes and livelihoods, to provide relief for the ill, the elderly and the unemployed and to get American industry and agriculture running once again. In his first hundred daysRead MoreThe Success of the New Deal Essay1219 Words   |  5 PagesThe Success of the New Deal In 1932 the citizens of the USA were eager to see Herbert Hoover out of office. From the start of The Wall Street crash (1929), President Hoover had done next to nothing to try and counter the Depression following. He and the republicans argued that Economy went in cycles of bust and boom. He kept insisting, Prosperity is just around the corner. This gave the Democratic Party, led by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a great chance to attackRead MoreEssay on The Success of the New Deal811 Words   |  4 PagesSuccess of the New Deal Was the New Deal a success? The new deal was a success felt by many Americans, there was prosperity and for the first time hope for a better future. There were a lot of successes in the new deal, unemployment being one of the biggest, was brought down from nearly 13 million to just under 8 million. Millions of long-term jobs were created using alphabet agencies. For the first time in American history a welfare state was introducedRead MoreThe New Deal – Was It A Good Deal? Essay1562 Words   |  7 Pagesanswer is revealed when the United States of America finds itself in this exact situation. Government expansion into the lives of American citizens is consistent with the common principles underlying communism and socialism—the very principles the United States of America was fighting against in the Cold War. At a time when the Great Depression had ravaged America, President Franklin D. Roosevelt instituted various programs – collectively called the New Deal. These programs were focused on helping AmericansRead MoreThe New Deal : A Nation Of Recovery856 Words   |  4 PagesMaddy Ball America The 20th Block 3 Mr. Perreault 21 October 2014 The New Deal: A Nation In Recovery The 1930’s, potentially America’s darkest years, were a time of great suffering. Otherwise known as the Great Depression, these grim years struck the country with high unemployment, hunger, and poverty, leaving Americans eager for change. This change came in 1933 when Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected into office. Roosevelt entered the White House with a yearning for the country’s trust and supportRead MoreAssessment of the New Deal Essay examples1118 Words   |  5 PagesAssessment of the New Deal There are a number of things that we must consider before coming to a conclusion about whether the deal New Deal was a success or not. In May 1933 the Agricultural Administration Act (AAA) was passed. This act encouraged farmers to grow fewer crops. Therefore there would be less produce on the market and crop pricesRead MoreMichelle Cortines . Ap Us History. Mr. Murray. 22 March,778 Words   |  4 PagesMurray 22 March, 2017 Were Franklin’s Administration s’ Responses Effective? The Great Depression was an event in history which no one saw coming. Franklin D. Roosevelt was left with the mess Herbert Hoover started during his presidency. The stock market crash was the beginning of a chain reaction of inadequate events. So what was the Stock Market Crash? The Stock Market Crash was a time where there was a high unemployment rate. Having gone through severe unemployment, and food shortages the American

As I Lay Dying Styles Used By William Faulkner Essay Example For Students

As I Lay Dying: Styles Used By William Faulkner Essay As I Lay Dying: Styles Used By William FaulknerDeborah Whelan-Darls Section (p.128)Most authors have certain styles that result in bringing across certainideas. In As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner uses a subtle and discreet narrativemanner to bring forth important pieces of information that adds to the story,and important themes. In one of the chapters narrated by Darl, this is shownvery well In this chapter Darl uses a flashback to let us get a more in-depthlook at the Bundren family; to let us see why it is so dysfunctional. In thischapter we learn more about the relationships within the family, and more aboutAddie, about whom we previously have not learned much. We see how keen Darlssense of intuition is, and we learn an important family secret. Darl is often used as an objective speaker, although he is indeedinvolved with the situation he is speaking about. In this chapter he recallsJewels purchase of his horse. This is a strong clue that Jewel is not Ansesson, since Anse is extremely lazy and would never work as hard as Jewel did fora horse. We also see the tension between Anse and Jewel. We see the lack ofrespect Jewel has for Anse. It is rather ironic when Anse says Hes just lazy,trying me (p. 129) Since Jewel has been working really hard, and it is Anse whois lazy. Furthering on Jewel and Anses relationship, I feel that it is fairlyevident that Jewel knows that Anse is not his father. This is illustrated in thefollowing section on page 136: Jewel looked at Pa, his eyes paler than ever. He wont never eat a mouthful of yours he said. Not a mouthful. Ill kill himfirst. Dont you never think it. Dont you never. The antagonism Jewel holdstoward Anse is enormous, and this scene intensifies it showing that Jewel knowsthe truth or at least has a fair idea. We also see that Darl knows, and how heknows. At the end of the chapter, he sees his mother crying over Jewel when heis sleeping. He could see her anguish and almost feel it. His empathy andintuition led him to discovering the truth, and he also confirms his knowledgeof Dewey Dells pregnancy. We see the strength of his intuition and how itaffects the rest of the family. The fact that Darl knows probably heightens therivalry between the two brothers. In this chapter we see the way the family was before Addies death andillness. We see interaction between the brothers, and almost affection towardJewel on behalf of Darl and Cash. When they see him sleeping all the time, theyworry, until they think theyve figured it out, and then its just a brotherlysecret. We also see Cash and Darls apprehension in approaching Jewel. Thissingles him out again. What singles him out even further is Addies partialitytowards him. We see this in the beginning of the chapter when she worries abouthim and argues with Anse to let him spend the day at home. This is also evidentwhen we see her getting the other children to do his jobs along with their ownso as to let him rest. We can see that Cash resents this, but the other childrenseem to be impartial. The fact that Addie does secret things for Jewel is ratherironic, as Jewel is her secret. The irony furthers when we see Addie has alwaysconsidered deceit to be one of the worst sins. Perhaps this is so as to keep hermind off the larger sin at hand; adultery. .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e , .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e .postImageUrl , .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e , .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e:hover , .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e:visited , .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e:active { border:0!important; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e:active , .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .udb818e888d312e6a0c1338160b4cfe9e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Circular Fulfillment EssayAll in all this chapter shows us the goings on inside the Bundren familybefore Addie began to weaken. This is important as it shows the conditions inwhich the characters were brought up in and shows why they act like they do. This chapter is also important as it foreshadows on Jewels situation, and onAddies chapter. This chapter is important as it shows how the rivalry betweenDarl and Jewel came about. Faulkner uses Darls empathy and intuition to subtlybring in this foreshadowing and the feelings between the brothers. NOTE: Received an A-, this class is equal to the American College Course ofsophomore English/ World Literature.

Music Of Ur Soul Essays - Maelstrom, UR, Shifty,

Music Of Ur Soul Vocabulary Unit 2 Animadversion: Strong criticism Avid: Having an ardent desire or unbounded craving; greedy Brackish: Having a somewhat salty taste, especially from containing a mixture of seawater and fresh water Celerity: Swiftness of action or motion; speed Covenant: A binding agreement; a compact Devious: Not straightforward; shifty Gambit: Games An opening in chess in which a minor piece, or pieces, usually a pawn, is offered in exchange for a favorable position Histrionic: Of or relating to actors or acting Hoyden: A high-spirited, boisterous, or saucy girl. Invidious: Tending to rouse ill will, animosity, or resentment Maelstrom: A violent or turbulent situation Overt: Open and observable; not hidden, concealed, or secret Pejorative: Tending to make or become worse Propound: To put forward for consideration; set forth Propriety: The quality of being proper; appropriateness Sacrilege: Desecration, profanation, misuse, or theft of something sacred Summarily: Presenting the substance in a condensed form; concise Suppliant: Asking humbly and earnestly; beseeching Talisman: An object marked with magic signs and believed to confer on its bearer supernatural powers or protection Tremulous: Marked by trembling, quivering, or shaking Undulate: To cause to move in a smooth wavelike motion. Music Essays

Analytical Essay Sample on #8220;The Shawl#8221; by Cynthia Ozick

Analytical Essay Sample on #8220;The Shawl#8221; by Cynthia Ozick WHY I THINK ROSA SEES MAGDA AS FEELING ASHAMED The Shawl and Rosa both demonstrate Rosa as a woman who holds on to her past such that it haunts her and she seems like a mad woman who is always communicating with her daughter Magda as if she were alive. This is because she imagines that if her daughter was alive she would have been very successful thus they could not be living in misery as she is (Ozick, 1990). In the Shawl Rosa believes that Magda feels ashamed this is because Magda has been described by Rosa through her letters as a successful woman who would have helped her mother and become a doctor. In her letters she says, â€Å"You have grown onto a lioness, you are tawny, and you stretch, apart your furry toes in all their power. Whoever steals you steals her own death† (Ozick, p 2, 2009). These words depict how successful Rosa wanted Magda to be so that they would live a comfortable and one of good reputation as one she lived in her earlier days. Failure to this happening Magda feels that she owes her mother a lot these is because she was always determined to protect her and she always did everything in her power to make sure that she didn’t go through any form of suffering (Ozick, P 45, 2009). In the Shawl, I think Rosa sees Magda as feeling ashamed as she did not grow into being what her mother Rosa hoped her to be in the future. That’s why we see Magda being portrayed as one whom is a source of hope for her mother. Magda also didn’t meet her mother’s expectations; she comes back to life still feeble with nothing to her name unlike Stella who is a successful woman and has even gone to school and made a name for herself. She is even the one telling her mother in her letters that there is more to life than we see. In that there are three types of life, the life before, during and after thus she was urging her mother Rosa to start living in the life after so as to be successful and stop clinging to her past which more often than not devastates her as its filled with Magda’s memories (Ozick, P 43, 2009). Another reason why I think Rosa sees Magda as feeling ashamed is because Magda feels she has not excelled and thus she feels that her mother is not proud of her, so she sees the need to live to relieve the misery her mother is still going through. Magda comes back to life to find her mother still buried in her memories and giving praises of her in her letters (Ozick, P 46, 1990). By seeing the shame in her in the way she walks away, Rosa calls on to her to show how she loved and still loves her, the manner in which she valued her because she knows if Magda had survived she would be a very successful doctor, a woman who would help her mother. The manner in which Rosa describes her daughter Magda shows that there is always some light at the end of the tunnel, this light being Magda that even in adversity her eyes are still bright and pure her hair bright depicting as sense of hope that the mother clings to. In Rosa, Rosa describes Magda as â€Å"My Gold, my wealth, my treasure, my paradise, my yellow flower, My Magda, queen of bloom and Blossom† this is symbolic of how though life seems bleak there is always hope to a brighter one if only one can put her past behind and move on in life and make it a success (Ozick, p 43, 1990). Its contradictory in the way Magda appears, she has not lived up to her mother’s dreams and in not fulfilling this she feels she has failed her mother. I think Rosa sees Magda as feeling ashamed as her mother has always envisioned her as one of high standard. Thus that’s why Magda does not even stay because she feels she has put grief on her mother’s face which is not the case. She still demonstrates her love in her words as she calls on Magda come back and not walk away (Ozick, 1990).

Understanding Iridium Flares

Understanding Iridium Flares Our night skies are packed full of stars and planets to observe on a dark night. However, there are more objects closer to home that observers plan on seeing every so often. These include the International Space Station (ISS) and numerous satellites. The ISS appears as a slow-moving high-altitude craft during its crossings. Many people often mistake it for a very high-flying jet. Most satellites look like dimmer points of light moving against the backdrop of stars. Some satellites appear to move east to west, while others are in polar orbits (moving nearly north-south). They generally take a little longer to cross the sky than the ISS does. A pair of Iridium satellites flaring. Jupiter is to the right and the bright star Arcturus is to the lower left. Jud McCranie, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0. There are thousands of artificial satellites around Earth, in addition to thousands of other objects such as rockets, reactor cores, and pieces of space debris (sometimes referred to as space junk). Not all of them can be seen with the naked eye. Theres a whole collection of objects called Iridium satellites that can look very bright during certain times of day and night. Glints of sunlight bouncing from them are referred to as Iridium flares and for years they have been observed fairly easily. Many people probably have seen an iridium flare and simply not known what they were looking at. It also turns out that other satellites can show these glints, although most are not as bright as the iridium flares. Whats Iridium? Satellite phone or pager users are major users of the Iridium satellite constellation. The constellation is a set of 66 orbiting stations that provide global telecommunications coverage. They follow highly inclined orbits, which means that their paths around the planet are close to (but not quite) from pole to pole. Their orbits are roughly 100 minutes long and each satellite can link to three others in the constellation. The first  Iridium  satellites were planned to be launched as a set of 77. The name Iridium comes from the element iridium, which is number 77 in the periodic table of the elements. It turns out that 77 were not needed. Today, the constellation is used largely by the military, as well as other clients in the airline and air traffic control communities. Each  Iridium  satellite has a spacecraft bus, solar panels, and a set of antennae. The first generations of these satellites go around Earth in roughly 100-minute orbits at a speed of 27,000 kilometers per ho ur. The History of Iridium Satellites Satellites have been orbiting Earth since the late 1950s when  Sputnik 1  was launched. It soon became obvious that having telecommunication stations in low-Earth orbit would make long-distance communications much easier and so countries began launching their own satellites in the 1960s. Eventually, companies got involved, including the Iridium Communications corporation. Its founders came up with the idea of a constellation of stations in orbit in the 1990s. After the company struggled to find customers and eventually went bankrupt, the constellation is still in operation today and its current owners are planning a new generation of satellites to replacing the aging fleet. Some of the new satellites, called Iridium NEXT, have already been launched aboard SpaceX rockets and more will be sent to space to orbits that will likely not produce as many flares as the older generation has. What Is an Iridium Flare?   As each Iridium satellite orbits the planet, it has a chance to reflect sunlight toward Earth from its triad of antennae. That flash of light as seen from Earth is called an Iridium flare. It looks very much like a meteor flashing through the air very rapidly. These brilliant events can happen up to four times a night and can get as bright as -8 magnitude. At that brightness, they can be spotted in the daytime, although its much easier to see them at night or in twilight. Observers can often spot the satellites themselves crossing the sky, just as they would any other satellite. Looking for an Iridium Flare It turns out that Iridium flares can be predicted. This is because the satellite orbits are well known. The best way to find out when to see one to use a site called  Heavens Above, which keeps track of many known bright satellites, including the Iridium constellation. Simply enter your location and get a feel for when you might see a flare and where to look for it in the sky. The website will give the time, brightness, location in the sky, and length of the flare for as long as they continue to occur. Saying Goodbye to Iridium Flares Over the next few years, many of the low-orbiting Iridium satellites that have been reliably producing flares will be decommissioned. The next generation of satellites wont be producing such flares as reliably as the old ones did due to their orbital configurations. So, it may be that Iridium flares could become a thing of the past. Fast Facts Iridium flares are caused by sunlight glinting from the surfades of low-orbiting Iridium satellites.Such flares can be very bright and last only a few seconds.As new generations of Iridium satellites are being put into higher orbits, Iridium flares may become a thing of the past.