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The International Olympic Committee portrays the Olympic Games as a competition between the world’s greatest athletes in an effort to promote unity, competition, and pride.They believe the games should transcend political and other issues. As with many things in life, what ought to be is not what actually exists. The reality is that many participants and countries have used the games to make political statements. Some of the more extreme statements have resulted in tragedies such as the bombings in Atlanta in 1996 or the hostage situation in the Munich games in 1972.

The issue of alimony in the divorce process has always been highly debated. In the early 20th century as more women entered the workforce and the divorce rate spiked, newspapers and periodicals targeted alimony recipients. Depictions were of women living a good life while their ex-husbands sunk into despair and poverty. Examples such as these are being brought up in the debate over alimony reform currently going on in New Jersey.

The political recall was created as a tool to remove corrupt political officials from office. Los Angeles was the first major city to institute the recall in 1903, and the first to remove corrupt mayor A.C. Harper six years later. Beginning in the 1970s, usage of the recall began to transform into a tool used by political parties to remove officials from office simply because their candidate did not win the election. Between 1971 and 2004, more state officials were removed than in the previous 63 years of statewide recall existence.

In the late 19th century, 4-year-old Charley Ross's abduction from the streets of Philadelphia became the first nationwide missing children case. Recently reopened after 32 years was the case of Etan Patz.  Although both Etan and Charley were never found, they helped to create new methods and procedures regarding missing children.