Flowers for Algernon †Qualities That Surpass Intelligence Essay

Flowers for Algernon, is a classic novel written by Daniel Keyes a young mentally challenged man named Charlie Gordon. This book chronicles, from a first person point of view, Charlie’s mental and physical struggles and achievements after undergoing a breakthrough procedure that is hoped to render him intelligent. Throughout the book, much of the focus is on Charlie’s academic progress while his emotional and personal development is not much of a concern. This becomes a problem because Charlie realizes that it is important to demonstrate qualities other than intelligence to lead a life that is oth happy and successful. Qualities shown to be more important than intelligence in Flowers for Algernon are: patience, kindness and respect. Throughout Flowers for Algernon, patience is often shown to be a more important quality in character than intelligence. Starting from the beginning when Charlie was still mentally challenged, people never seemed to be patient with him. If they had taken the time to get to know and understand him they would have seen that he had a good heart and genuine personality. This also applies to our everyday life. We must be patient and try to understand others before we begin to judge them. Charlie also demonstrated the negative consequences of a lack of patience when his intelligence began to surpass that of those around him, â€Å"I was afraid it would come to this, but I have no patience with her now. I’m jealous of every moment away from the work- impatient with anyone†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Keyes 295). You can clearly see that due to his lack of patience with anyone around him, he is in a state of upset and distress. That is how patience is shown to be more important than ntelligence in this novel. Kindness is another quality shown to surpass intelligence in order of importance in Flowers for Algernon. Simply being kind to others can get you far in life and change others views and opinions of you in a positive way. This is shown when Alice tells Charlie what made him such a great person before he had the operation, â€Å"There was something in you before. I don’t know†¦ a warmth, an openness, a kindness that made everyone like you and like to have you around. † (Keyes 122). Being kind makes both yourself and others feels good. While everyone may not be able to solve an algebraic equation or understand Shakespeare, we can all interpret, accept and appreciate kindness in all its forms. This is why kindness is shown to be a more valuable quality than intelligence in Flowers for Algernon. A third quality shown to be more important than intelligence in Flowers for Algernon is respect. Everyone wants to be valued and respected and when you behave in this way towards others, it is often reciprocated. Everyone should learn to respect each other for who they are and not try to change them. Each person is an individual with their own thoughts and feelings and we can not change them. In the novel, a bakery employee stresses the importance of respect when the other workers make fun of Charlie, â€Å"He can’t help what he is†¦ but for God’s sake, have some respect! He’s a human being! † (Keyes 199). Charlie also often feels that he is not being respected as a human being and that he is just being treated as an experiment. This has a negative impact on him and also demonstrates the importance of respect. Those are the ways that respect is shown to be a ore valuable quality than intelligence in this novel. If one looks between the lines in the novel Flowers for Algernon, they will interpret many messages and take away valuable lessons from it. One of which is that there are qualities that are much more valuable and important than intelligence. The qualities that are shown to be more important than intelligence in Flowers for Algernon are patience, kindness and respect. By possessing and utilizing these qualities a person can lead both a happy and successful life and better the lives of those around them.

Research Critique Essay

This paper will review a quantitative study comparing the outcomes of physicians that use sterile versus nonsterile gloves during simple soft tissue lacerations repairs in the Emergency Room. It will address the protection of human participants, their risks/benefits, and a review of the study’s data collection, data analysis, and problem statement along with an interpretation of its findings. Article The article is from 2004, and was published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. It’s entitled â€Å"Sterile Versus Nonsterile Gloves for Repair of Uncomplicated Lacerations in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Controlled Trial†. Protection of Human Participants A random sampling of patients were taken from populations that presented to multi-center emergency rooms in the Toronto area, with simple soft tissue lacerations that required suture repair. Of the 1,100 people approached, 902 gave voluntary consent to participate in the study. Of those, 86 were excluded for a final total of 816. There were 245 patients who refused to participate, with 40% being children (the study enrolled any patient over the age of one). There was suggestion that the large amount of children who â€Å"refused† participation was related to â€Å"parental anxiety of entering their child into the study† (Perelman et al., 2004, p. 363). Specific physical, psychological, social or economic risks to patients were not addressed in this article, but a patient information sheet was given to participants before they signed the consent. The handout provided background information on wound management, infection, and the rationale for the study. There were no imm ediate or direct benefits for patients to be involved in this study. The protocol, patient consent form, and all other related information during  this trial were reviewed and approved by the ethic and review boards of all facilities involved. Data Collection Patients that arrived to one of three large community ER’s in the Toronto area, with a wound that was viewed to meet criteria, were provided written information on the rationale of the study and asked to participate. Inclusion criteria were addressed by a physician or resident that included assessing for complexity of laceration, location on the body, and if it had occurred within 3 hours from patient’s arrival. A signed a consent was obtained and data was collected through completion of a checklist noting the patient’s age, sex, site of laceration, type of injury, time of injury, time of injury from the time of repair, and technique of repair. The patient was given a self-addressed, pre-stamped envelope that was to be completed by the physician who took the sutures out. This physician filled out an explicit questionnaire using specific guidelines on wound assessment (pus, erythema, fever,) their clinical impressions (infection vs. no infection), and their management plan (topical/oral/IV antibiotic use, or need for referral to wound specialist). The follow up physician was unaware of which gloves were used in initial repair of the wound. The returned questionnaires where coded to collate with the initial assessment forms. There are several independent and dependent variables in this study. They include: not being able to run an equivalency trial related to the large sample size of the study, and the study was only partially blind (blind to the patients, not the physicians) because the sterile and nonsterile gloves are packaged differently. Also, the study could not 100% standardize the technique of wound repair by the physicians, although they did receive orientation on â€Å"ideal† wound repair techniques with irrigation, and a there was not a single follow up clinic site that could have provided more standardization in the evaluation of wound assessment during the follow up visit. No time period for data collection was specified in this article. Data Management and Analysis Statistical software was used in the analysis of data retrieved during this study. â€Å"Demographic and clinical data were presented descriptively as means, medians, or proportions with SDs where appropriate. The χ2 test was used to compare differences in infection rate between the 2 glove groups. A 2-tailed  P value less than .05 was considered significant† (Perelman et al., 2004, p. 364). There were 4 discrepancies noted in the data between the objective wound assessments and the follow up clinicians notions of the wound, with (2) being clarified by the researchers with the documenting physician, and the remaining 2 were placed in the â€Å"infected group†. Findings/Interpretation of Findings The researchers found that there is clear evidence to support that nonsterile gloves can be used in place of sterile gloves for simple laceration repairs in the Emergency Department, without an increase in wound infections. This writer believes that the findings are valid for several reasons. One, this study cites other previous studies that had similar outcomes in related topics such as: using tap water for cleaning/irrigating wounds, or the absence of gloves, caps or masks did not affect wound infection outcomes. Secondly, this has already become practice for many physicians in the United States. This is supported in the article by researchers when a preliminary survey of 18 ER physicians and 24 PCP showed 70% often used nonsterile technique in their repairs. Lastly, the study showed comparative infection rates of 6.1% for sterile glove use and 4.4% nonsterile glove use with a level of significance of 0.05. Limitations were defined above as variables. Implications for nursing are two-fold. One, nurses can help support this nonsterile technique and continue to ensure good wound cleansing and irrigation of wounds. Using this techniques can save hospitals up to $2000/year in ER’s that see an average of 10 suture repairs/day. Secondly, as previously mentioned, this study cites others that address wound care (ex: irrigating with tap water vs. sterile saline), so this research can be used in the future to study methods of successful wound management for nursing. Conclusion In conclusion, this was a successful study in showing that there was no increase in wound infections when nonsterile gloves are used while repairing simple lacerations in the Emergency Department. It is also showed that there can be economical savings for health care entities. References Grand Canyon University [GCU]. (2011). NRS433V.v10R research critique, part 2. Retrieved from: https://lc-ugrad1.gcu.edu Perelman, V. S., Francis, G. J., Rutledge, T., Foote, J., Martino, F., & Dranitsaris, G. (2004, March). Sterile versus nonsterile gloves for repair of uncomplicated lacerations in the Emergency Department: A randomized controlled trial. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 43, 362-370. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annemerged.2003.09.008

Melodrama as a Genre

In his essay ‘Melodrama and Tears’, Steve Neale proposes the melodrama as a genre emerged to occupy the space between tragedy and comedy. Neale quotes Denis Diderot and identifies melodrama as a primarily ‘touching’ art form, which has the ability to move audiences and induce physical reactions like crying. Neale discusses Diderot’s quote ‘the pleasure of being touched and giving way to tears’ as an important part of the melodramatic mode. Neale continues to illustrate in his essay how the tricks used in showing point of view and timing perform an essential role in achieving maximum pathos in melodrama.Neale argues that the melodramas rely on the discrepancies between the knowledge that the spectator has and knowledge that the character has, to achieve maximum dramatic potential. This is also a way for the spectators to be more involved with the story, as they are now in a position of power. They hold the code that could possibly unlock t he mystery and cause events to happen. The spectator’s awareness of this power and the resulting helplessness they feel with their actual inability to influence the events unfolding on screen is what drives the pathos.A fairly neutral scene in Awaara(1951), of the Judge meeting a stranger at a birthday party is heightened by our knowledge that the characters share a father-son bond, unknown to either of them. Neale also points out the optical point of view method of using eye line match to establish character’s emotions. The Best Years of Our Lives(1946), uses this to let the audience know that Fred and Peggy still have feelings for each other. As Homer and Wilma stand at the altar and get married, we see Fred and Peggy gazing at each other and hearing the words of commitment spoken by the priest.They maintain their gaze without breaking, till they finally embrace and profess their love to each other. Linda Williams’ also acknowledges the feeling of helplessness , by giving us an example of her seven year old son’s reluctance to watch melodrama. Williams’ articulates her son’s disgust at the ‘unseemly emotions that remind him a little too acutely of his own powerlessness as a child’. The term ‘unseemly emotions’ is the code for what Williams calls the ‘excesses’ of cinema. She compares melodrama to pornography and horror cinema; by stating that here naked emotions replace the naked bodies and extreme violence in the other genres.She defines melodrama as encompassing a range of films ‘marked by â€Å"lapses† in realism, by â€Å"excesses† of spectacle and displays of primal, even infantile emotions and narrative that seem circular and repetitive’. Both Williams and Neale define the unrealistic nature of the narrative as a fundamental element of melodrama. Neale points out that melodramatic narration relies heavily on events not being defined through a real ist standpoint, but more dependent on chance encounters and coincidences. The generic verisimilitude of melodrama tends to marked by the extent to which the succession and course of events is unmotivated (or undermotivated) from a realist point of view. † He calls this ‘an excess of effect over cause’, arguing that this phenomenon assigns power to the theory of an external force governing the story. As the all-knowing spectator, some of this power flows to us too, causing our illusion of being able to affect the situation. This makes the lack of our ability to influence the story even more poignant, resulting in our feeling of vulnerability.According to Williams, it is the audience’s involvement with the physical display of emotion on the screen that causes the pathos. Williams argues that the female spectacle of the body is offered as a sensational sight in different genres. The horror genre uses terror, pornography uses orgasm, and melodrama uses crying t o portray an excess of emotion. She theorizes that our tendency to imitate the emotion on screen lends the element of pathos to melodrama. The act of a body, not in control, convulsing with tears lends itself to heightened identification by the audience.Both Neale and Williams demonstrate the concept of timing as an effective method to control pathos in melodrama. Neale attributes timing and articulation of point of view to contribute equally to the effect of poignancy and pathos. Neale presents Moretti’s thesis that the concluding act in the cinema is always too late to affect the protagonist. An example for this point maybe a story where the object of affection might only verbally reciprocate the feeling after the character is dead; while we, as the audience know it beforehand.Moretti also presents the theory that our tears are a result of the reality that our fantasy has been fulfilled and now will not continue. Neale counters this argument by suggesting that delayed timin g is equally poignant in some cases. The pathos arises from the fact that we are dependent on the time of the narration and its narrative, rather than just the fact that it is always ‘too late’. Here, Williams is almost identical in her theory and uses the phrase ‘too late’ to define the temporality of fantasy.Williams also speaks about Moretti’s theory and argues that the once the pursuit is over, there is a sense of melancholic loss that the audience experiences. She evokes the Freudian concept of ‘original fantasy’ to define what the character’s are in pursuit of. The enigma frequently occurred during melodrama is ‘â€Å"solved† by the fantasy of family romance, or return to origins’. Although Williams and Neale take different approaches to defining the melodramatic sensibility, they both do find a common ground in what forms pathos on the screen.There are finer points to be examined in both the essays but a general view points to the spectator’s feeling of helplessness and the crucial element of timing as being very important contributions to the dramatic element of melodrama.Neale, Steve. â€Å"Melodrama and Tears. † Screen 27 (November-December 1986): 6-22. Williams, Linda. â€Å"Film Bodies: Gender, Genre, and Excess. † Film Quaterly, Published by University of California Press 44. 4 (Summer 1991): 2-13.

Abstinence Offers New Hope for Teenage Sexual Epidemic Essay

Abstinence Offers New Hope for Teenage Sexual Epidemic - Essay Example (Argument Rhetorical Mode, Draft Research Essay) Shawanna Moore American Intercontinental University Professor Judi Mobley ENG 105 Abstinence Offers New 2 Abstinence Offers New Hope for Teenage Sexual Epidemic Jennifer Davis's mother picked her up early from school, and they rush to make it to Jennifer's gynecology appointment on time. In the examination room, as the doctor approaches them, her mother's fears are confirmed. Jennifer has a STD. Jennifer thinks out loud, "How could this ever be any worse" The Doctor looks at Jennifer and solemnly announces that she is also six weeks pregnant. Jennifer stares at the floor as her mother wrings her hands, sore from arthritis and tired from the work it takes to be a single mom. These types of situations can happen at anytime. By creating well-rounded, highly effective abstinence programs, educators have succeeded in reducing teen pregnancy rates and lowering the incidence of STDs. This scene is tragically played out countless times daily in every corner of the country. Jennifer did not mean to get pregnant, and she tried to avoid it. It was "just an accident". She practiced the "safe" methods that she was taught in her sex education class. Unfortunately for Jennifer, there was one method that was not covered in her class, which was the method of abstinence. Though sex education classes often fail to adequately cover it, abstinence has experienced an upsurge in popularity with students, educators, and schools. By itself, abstinence is a difficult challenge to any teenager's raging hormones, but when used as part of a larger program package it has been... " The Doctor looks at Jennifer and solemnly announces that she is also six weeks pregnant. Jennifer stares at the floor as her mother wrings her hands, sore from arthritis and tired from the work it takes to be a single mom. These types of situations can happen at anytime. By creating well-rounded, highly effective abstinence programs, educators have succeeded in reducing teen pregnancy rates and lowering the incidence of STDs. This scene is tragically played out countless times daily in every corner of the country. Jennifer did not mean to get pregnant, and she tried to avoid it. It was "just an accident". She practiced the "safe" methods that she was taught in her sex education class. Unfortunately for Jennifer, there was one method that was not covered in her class, which was the method of abstinence. Though sex education classes often fail to adequately cover it, abstinence has experienced an upsurge in popularity with students, educators, and schools. By itself, abstinence is a difficult challenge to any teenager's raging hormones, but when used as part of a larger program package it has been met with considerable success. Everyone should agree that we need to reduce the epidemic levels of STDs and unwanted pregnancies among our teenagers. Likewise, no one can make the argument that abstinence is not the world's most effective method of birth control.

Visual Art Research Assignment and research essay

Visual Art Research Assignment and research - Essay Example 2). However, these art forms possess notable differences because their purposes and intentions lack the modernist expectations in terms of characteristics and traits that guide their architectural make. Despite the current similarities and differences, Villa Savoye and teapot have played a significant role in defining visual practice especially when finding an attachment with modernist concepts such as functionalism and formalism. Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye and Marianne Brandt’s Teapot have significant influence in the domain of visual art particularly in the promotion of the modernist concept. This is through following the procedural expectations of form follows function essential in exposing the indicative characteristics and traits symbolic with modernism in art. For instance, Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye is attached to the modernist concept in terms of form follows function through its magnificent five-point architecture that represents the overall impression of architecture in the context of meeting global standards (Butterworth 2013, p. 2). Additionally, the cost and concern associated with Le Corbusier’s Savoye is associated with the architectural changes found in the shape of the building in regards to the form follows function principle. In other words, the Villa, according to Savoye, had to attain certain goals and objectives in his immediate society such as accommodating the Jews and acting as a historical French monument in the specifically in 1965. However, Marianne Brandt’s Teapot has interesting traits that differ with those of Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye. Functionalism, for example, is infused into the German’s art with concentration of modernist concepts in the overall display of the teapot such as Bauhaus style and integration of the tea infuser to meet the form follows function principle. Consequently, in the

New business on wine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

New business on wine - Essay Example This paper provides a clear picture regarding the possible name of a new business on wine. It also includes the details of the partnership agreement that can be followed by the partners who are going to buy the vineyard It also includes the details of the partnership agreement that can be followed by the partners who are going to buy the vineyard. Furthermore, a proper mission statement is also developed based on the current situation of the company. A list of objectives and a proper SWOT analysis is also included in the paper in order to help the management in the decision making process. Introduction In real business world, if noticed carefully, it will be found that most of the businesses irrespective of their size and nature are actually the result of partnerships of two or more individuals. In case of most of businesses starting point was a partnership. However, turning a partnership into a big business is one of the most challenging tasks in the world. There are number of activ ities and decision making processes that are involved in the entire process. Perhaps the first major activity for starting up a business is choosing an appropriate name that will give a brand identity to the business. This paper is all about such a business that is likely to be concentrated on a vineyard and the wine produced from it. The business needs to be given a proper name and hence the paper includes a suitable name for it. Furthermore, an appropriate partnership agreement that can be followed in conducting the business is also provided in the paper. Over the years it is observed that businesses succeed or fail on the basis of various strategic decisions that are made by the management. However, prior to making any strategic decision, it is very important to analyze the internal and external environment of the company. Hence, the paper includes a proper SWOT analysis for the vineyard business. It also includes the possible mission statement and a list of some major strategic objectives that are required to be met in order to have initial success. Task One The partnership business on vineyard is hereby given the name of ‘Azinert’ which is a combination of last two-three words that are taken from each of the existing product categories – Shiraz, Chenin and Dessert Wine. This will be the new brand identity for the business in upcoming years. All the products that will be produced will be sold under the brand name of Azinert. Task Two Legally a partnership is referred to the relationship between the individuals who are involved into common business with the objective of sharing profits. Usually more than a single party is involved in a partnership and partners must have to agree various terms and conditions which are the pillars of the partnership (Kimuda, 2008). The partnership agreement, in case of Azinert will be made on May 15, 2011. The partners are likely to contribute the capital in the form of cash. There will be a separate capit al account for each of the partners. None of the partners will be able to withdraw any portion from his capital account. Based on the demand of each of the partners, the capital accounts will be maintained in a certain proportions in which profits and losses are shared. The net profits as well as the net losses will be divided equally among the partners. There will be a separate income account for each of the partners. Profits or losses will be either credited or charged to the each of the income accounts. In case the income account does not have enough balance, then losses will be charged to the respective capital account (Internet Legal Research Group, n.d.). As far as the salaries are concerned, there will be no such thing for any partner for any services that are rendered. However, partners are allowed to withdraw the required credit balance from their respective income account. Furthermore, no interest will be credited on the initial amount of capital neither there will be any interest on the any subsequent

Criminal law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal law - Essay Example Moreover, there are instances where the concept of crime within a particular country changes as society adapts to the tides of time. What used to be a crime yesterday is now legal today. A classic example for the changing concept of crime over a period of time is the case of defamation which had been decriminalized through the amendment to the Coroners and Justice Act in 2009 (OSCE). UK lawmakers have decided to relax the definition of crime insofar as defamation is concerned to make more room for the right to freedom of speech. This will remain true until the parliament decides to make further changes to the law on defamation. On the matter of relativity of crime in different jurisdictions, a good example would be possession of cannabis. There is no common consensus among the governments of the world as to the dangers and benefits of the plant and its derivatives. The countries that see more benefits have already legalized it, under certain conditions, while those who insist that ca nnabis does more harm than good continue to make its possession and use as a crime punishable with penalties ranging from light to life imprisonment and even death penalty. In the UK, possession and use of cannabis in any form is a crime but in Peru, it is perfectly legal.

Risk And Project Management Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Risk And Project Management - Literature review Example Risk management is â€Å"the process of identifying, analyzing, and responding to business and project risk in order to minimize the consequences of adverse risk-based events† (Barkley, 2004, p. 3). According to Silvers (2010), the management of events is complex and replete with responsibilities. The process of preparing plans and executing them requires the participation of a good number of personnel, equipment and expertise, all of which must be gathered at one location in order to accomplish the set of activities that would complete the planned project. Events may be small in scale and limited in their complexity; others would be substantially more challenging, taking a much longer time to complete, and requiring the collaboration of many other talents working in conjunction with each other, the setting (location, time, weather, etc.) and against the constraints of a budget. Because of the multitude of unknown factors, risks abound in the execution of a project, from the p lanning phase until the last clean-up operation. There are financial risks that pertain to the business side, implying the possibility that the expected returns may not be realized. There are also the real risks of physical injury due to fortuitous events that, despite all precautions, occur unexpectedly. The job of events management is to assess and take cognizance of all these risks, so as to allocate for the possibility that they may happen and to allow the project team to address them. The importance of this topic is attested to by a substantial number of articles and researches that have been undertaken on the topic of project. This chapter shall review the available literature on the subject. Below are two diagrams depicting the risk management process, sequentially and then functionally. Project definition and project life cycle The risks attendant to events management are of the same nature of risks to which all projects are subjected to. A project is â€Å"an activity that has a beginning and an end which is carried out to achieve a particular purpose to a set quality within given time constraints and cost limits† (Chartered Management Institute). Essentially, events are projects with a tangible beginning and end and dedicated to attain one result, and therefore follow the project life cycle development. The project life cycle is a representation of â€Å"the linear progression of a project, from defining the project through making a plan, executing the work, and losing out the project† (Verzuh, 2008, p. 23). There are numerous ways of depicting the life cycle of a project, one of which is presented in the following diagram. http://www.maxwideman.com/papers/century21/figure3.gif The risks of doing business There are many types of projects that have different objectives; whether they are philanthropic or for profit, there is certainly a cost factor involved that places a constraint on the manner the business is run. At best, the project s hould earn a decent return for the organizers where the aim is fund raising or the furtherance of a business. At the least, the costs incurred must be within the limits set by the sponsors. In any case, uncertainties in the events surrounding the project’s execution may impact in the form of higher than expected costs or lower than expected revenues. According to Ibrahim (2010), it is possible to introduce some diversification in order for events

Economy of Finland Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9000 words

Economy of Finland - Coursework Example This led to movements for independence and self assertion on the part of Finland as early as the First World War. In this regard, the relationship between the Soviet and Finland remained inconsistent, until Finland declared itself independent in 1912, following an upheaval by the Bolsheviks. This was a period when the Finnish German ties were looking up. Following Soviet aggression as well as expeditions in Finland in order to capture it, the Soviet began diplomatic negotiations with Finland in April, 1938. This was done basically to avert the possibility of a Finnish attack on Leningrad with the help of British or German backing. It was in this period that Soviet German ties were forged with the help of a non aggression pact in 1939. A similar non aggression pact had been signed between Finland and the Soviet in 1934, which was to be re affirmed after a decade. Yet, the hostilities began soon after with Ariel attacks, military expeditions as well as naval attacks between the two countries. While the fall of Soviet Communism was hailed by many as the beginning of good times, there are parallel theories that point towards the failure of democracy to take off completely. What must be considered here, is the emergence of the following in Finland after the fall of Communism: While not A Westward looking trend Conception of and Alliance with the European Union and NATO Parliamentary Democracy with the help of a constitution Stable market forces Globalization Privatisation of Banks Green Politics Emergence of global industrial players to make use of Social and Industrial Capital. This paper will discuss all these points in order to understand how Finland has grown and can continue to grow at an even higher growth rate in all areas - social, political and economic. Chapter 3 Change in Finnish Strategy Globalization While not so different from traditional villages in its desire to engage in a free exchange of ideas, the global village is one that thrives on the communication and transportation infrastructure that seems to be binding the world into one 'large, happy family'. This has been the foremost policy of Finland after Communism. What had started out as a speculation on the part of Marshall McLuhan in the 1960s, regarding the fact that the world was being transformed into a "global village" in the face of TV and new telecommunication technologies, has become a debate of much greater dimensions. His prediction has gone past mere "telecommunication technologies", to an arena where a new wave of digital technologies personified by the Internet and its offshoots, are proving to be as much a force for diversity as they are for similitude. While the spread of TV, radio and the telephone helped transform the third world countries to a great extent; a trend furthered by the advent of cell phones - the impact of the Internet has been

Report Dance of Life Popular Culture and Music in the Modern World Essay

Report Dance of Life Popular Culture and Music in the Modern World - Essay Example In so far as music is the focus f this study, it is the contents f popular songs that structure the main arguments, specifically, the political motivations reflected in, and further generated by these songs as they are created, performed, and consumed in varying ways by different social agents. The first chapter is exemplary in its theoretical breadth, incorporating varying discursive modes from Frankfurt theorists, Birmingham School f Cultural Studies, ethnomusicology, media, and popular music' studies. Lockard drawls on different ethnographic examples to substantiate his discussion f the popular culture phenomenon in the contexts f modernity, post-imperialism, and technological mediation. He defines "popular music" as a musical phenomenon that is "disseminated largely by the mass media", and that functions as a social commodity, the production and distribution f which depends on "a clientele able and willing to purchase the commodity" (pp. 18-19). This chapter explores the current situation f popular music studies and examines the significance f such studies (or the lack f it). More importantly, it summarizes the prevailing academic trends in popular music and popular culture research, and serves as an excellent introduction to this field f cultural studies. Book's first chapter is a survey f a variety f philosophical approaches to popular music. Lockard views popular culture as an arena f contradiction and struggle, and potentially, f resistance; he rejects the Frankfurt School's view that it is too standardized and degraded to be f value. The first chapter alone has 212 notes. This density f documentation at times makes for choppy reading, especially in paragraphs that career through several disjointed subjects. Though Lockard has taken pains to discover all f the English-language academic studies f the region's music, he also relies on many journalistic accounts from newspapers, weekly news magazines, and consumer guides to world music. These sources are uneven in quality and often anecdotal in their coverage, and they lack detailed documentation. Further, the nature f the Western press is to seek subjects that are interesting (i.e., outlandish or confrontational) but have a glimmer f familiarity to their audience--topics like teenager rebellion or a third-world Dylan. Lockard provides a well-informed social context in each chapter, and illuminates the historical and contemporary political junctures that have characterized each country from approximately the 1940s to the present. With this rich contextual background, he then proceeds to trace the historical significance f various popular music forms, such as the Kroncong and Dangdut in Indonesia, Pinoy in the Philippines. He pays particular attention to the emergence f the mass media and state control f the media in each country, and also explores various political movements in which musicians played decisive roles. In the process, Lockard examines the social complex created by the intersection f popular music, dictatorship, regionalism, nationalism, religion, mass mediation, and cultural imperialism. Lockard's narrative analyses popular music in local and transnational contexts,

Achievement Gap Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Achievement Gap - Research Paper Example that social equity cannot be attained in a society that still experiences achievement gap, and this is denotes that achievement gap is partly responsible for social inequity that prevails in numerous communities across the world. The assertions above infer that the elimination of achievement gap can create a scenario whereby every student will be equally competitive in the job market after finishing school and therefore, all of them will have equal chances in getting employment as well as improving their livelihoods. The possible benefits of eliminating achievement gap has necessitated and motivated numerous research studies that seek to analyse this problem and thereafter recommend a proper solution that can contribute to the body of knowledge currently been heaped by numerous educationists across the World. This present paper is a research project paper that seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge on achievement gap, is being continually developed by various educationists, psychologists, and other scholars across the World. In particular, the research will be field based, and problem based mini-research project on achievement gap. This mini research project will focus on the achievement differences between White and Hispanic students, especially those in similar socio-economic classes in Southern California. The research project will use the Erle Stanley Gardner Middle school in Temecula, and Menifee Valley Middle school both in California as the research case studies and the researcher will seek to describe and analyse achievement gap that exists in these two schools. In this regard, the research project will provide background information about the two schools, causes of the gap, and how it might effectively be eliminated. In the writings by Hernstein and Murray (1994), achievement gap is described as the persistent difference in terms of performance in educational measures such as standardized or common examinations, dropout rates, rate of college

Nerwork Security Essay Example for Free

Nerwork Security Essay SCENARIO 1 According to scenario 1, the followings are the threads and security measure to control it. THREADS SECURITY MEASURE 1.Fire outbreaks, begins just outside the data center. The attack is an internal and active attack caused by a disgruntled employee or worker i.e an unhappy or a dissatisfied employee I. Availability of fire department center II. Implementation of well programmed sprinkler system III. Building has been evacuated to prevent loss of lives SUGGESTIONS 1.Figure out the worker by investigating and either dismiss him/her or by compensating him/her by treating him right or well. 2. This can also be controlled by enforcing the physical security of the company i.e by installing cctv camera in every hook and corner of the company this will monitor all the employees activities within the vicinity of the company; of which any employee that engages in such a destructive act can be fished out easily by replaying the record. 3. RFID can also be deployed to monitor the in and out of every employee. 2.Anthrax box was detected by an employee in the lobby I. Evacuation of building has be done again to prevent loss of lives II. Health department is on scene to investigate the issues and treat people III. The sprinkler system has been implemented which caused the email and web server to stop working. SUGGESTIONS 1. Employees and visitors should be properly screened and be checked thoroughly before entering the organization or company so as to avoid them bringing in potentially dangerous object in to the company. 2. Foreign object detector technology should be deployed and implemented in the company to ensure proper screening of the people i.e visitors and employees moving in and out of the company. 3. Call the attention of crime investigators so  as to confirm the doer of the crime ; finger print test will done the box . 3.E-mail server and Web server are down I. The sprinkler system was programmed to turned off the web and email server down in case of any emergency so as to prevent data loss , explosion and destruction of the server SUGGESTION 1.E-mail and web server should always be kept in a safer area where it cannot be easily accessed by an intruders and free from disasters like thunder storm, lightening and flooding i.eit should be kept In a water proof data room around the middle level of a building. 2. There should always be an alternative stand-by server kept In another location to replace in case a server is down so ensure the proper functioning of the company e-commerce websites 3. call the right personnel i.e network security engineer to figure out the proper place servers should be kept against disaster when planning to design a network 4. The e-mail and web server should either switched on be repaired or replaced immediately to ensure the proper functioning of the company e-commerce sites so as to prevent lossof customers 4.Customer cannot place order at the company sites since the servers were down I. The company has provided an alternative call center at another location against emergency for customers who cannot place order at the company’s site. 5.Employees are afraid to resume work I. The police department intervened SCENARIO 2 According to scenario 2, the followings are the threads and control measure was taken. THREADS CONTROL MEASURES 1.Explosion occurs at a chemical plant i. They took a precautionary measures by building the headquarters two (2) miles away from the chemical plant so as to loss of lives and properties. ii. Officials took control measure by trying to confirm amount of  potentially dangerous and deadly toxins that have released to the air so as to alert people to evacuate the area if the rate were high or if the area will not fit for lives to survive 2. people were experiencing Breathing difficulties i. Public health officials took a security measure by encouraging people living in the city to â€Å"shelter in place† i.e the use of a structure and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate individuals from a hazardous outdoor atmosphere. 3. Company tells the employee not to leave the building i. Employees took a precautionary measure by leaving the building since they were not sure about what they were hearing and that they needs to get home to take care of their families. ii. The security also took a control measure ,by knowing what tell people so as not to create unnecessary or false alarm to the who want to take shelter in company’s lobby. 4. Authority says the explosion was an occupational hazard i.e an accident. i. Several employees were hospitalized for quality treatment People are upset that cafeteria did not have more supply at hand. i. Due to the explosion, company took a security measure by closing the cafeteria for while pending the time that the immediate danger passes. SCENARIO 3 According to scenario 3, the followings are the threads and security measure to control it. THREADS SECURITY MEASURE 1.Pandemic flu outbreaks starts in Hongkong i. The company took a precautionary measure by telling the employees to have traveled to hongkong not to return to work until they see a doctor so as to prevent the spread of the flu within the organization since it is communicable disease ii. As a precautionary measure, the company decided having security at the front door to interrogate visitors whether they have been to hongkong for the past three weeks so as to prevent the spread of disease SUGGESTTIONS i. A quarantine system should also be implemented i.e the isolation of infected animals and people from the normal people. ii. Dust mask should always be used within the company vicinity till the flu suppresses . 2. Few people were diagnosed with the flue i.e infected i. Students took a security measure by absenting from school so as not to contact the flu. ii. As a precautionary measure, some employees did not do to work because they afraid to go out in public so as not to be infected with the deadly flu . 3.The disease spreads i. Employees are demanding for vaccinations and dust mask so as to cure and minimize the spread of the flu disease. ii. As a precautionary measure, managers consider letting crucial staff volunteer for a lock down i.e restricted to a confined area so as to prevent the spread of the disease. iii. They consider directing work to another location or calling retired workers to help out in order to prevent the spread of the disease within the organization 4.The has peaked. i. As a precautionary measure , employees were not whether to return to work so as not contact the deadly flu disease.

RF Propagation Pathloss Model

RF Propagation Pathloss Model Introduction What is the need of RF Propagation Model? In wireless communication the transmitted signal propagates in space i.e the radio signal. Wireless communication system is the most widely used communication system now a days and communication took place in such system with the help of radiowave in space. Thus a detailed analysis and study of radiowave propagation is required and it is a very important aspect before we finally design and implement a wireless communication system. When we talk about the communication through a wired line medium such as RF Coaxial cable or twisted pair cable or optical fiber provides reliable communication with minimum pathloss as signal is well secured in it from the atmospheric distortions. Though the laying and maintaining of the wired medium takes time and is cost effective as well but it is reliable means of communication. on the other hand communication in such medium i.e. in wireless communication is quite unreliable and unsecured. In wireless communication a limited operating frequency bandwidth is available for communication as it has many other applications of radiowave propagation in space. Every communication system is designed with some specific objectives of providing continuous communication services to mobile subscribers that are present in the service area i.e. the area upto which the operator will provide communication services. But as we studied earlier a good quality service can only be obtained if loss of transmitted signal will be minimum and maximum signal will reach at receiver end. The design can be optimized only when the parameters under which a system has to operate are fully understood whether the frequency band allocated or the height of antenna, distance between transmitter and receiver, and the most important is the pathloss and an estimation of received signal level at the receiver end. If proper radio analysis is done than it will be of great use to design a network and implement it in hardware level with proper and desired results which are expected from a system. The most important design parameter in mobile communication system is to achieve the desired signal coverage as the basic purpose of operator is to serve the subscribers in a specified service area. Whenever a system is designed it is designed for some specific aims and that is to provide a better service to subscribers with in the range for which the services are introduced but if we directly implement the system without checking it whether the system is giving desired output or not and directly implement it than if it is not performing according to ones expectation the system will be wasted and soon our efforts so it is the most important factor to check and calculate the pathloss. Classification of RF Propagation Pathloss model Different models were developed which are empirical in nature that means they are developed based on the collection of data in specific areas. Data must be sufficient enough so as to study the losses that may happen in any specific area, so that on the basis of that data one can come to a conclusion as propagation models does not tell the exact pathloss that may happen but it will tell the most likely behavior of the link under some defined conditions. Mainly RF Propagation Models can be classified as below: Basically RF Propagation models can be classified into three main categories which can be classified as above defined. Empirical models Semi-deterministic models Deterministic models The Basic classification of RF Propagation Pathloss Models can be seen in the above figure 3.1. Three kinds of models Figure 3.1 Classification of RF Propagation Pathloss Model Empirical models : based on measurement data, simple (few parameters), use statistical properties, not very accurate. Semi-deterministic models : based on empirical models + deterministic aspects Deterministic models : site-specific, require enormous number of geometry information about the cite, very important computational effort, accurate. Every Model is defined for a different and a specific environment and for different cells. Cells in a mobile communication is nothing but a geographical area covered by a telephone transmitter. cells can also be divided into three main types and they are as follows: Macrocell Microcell Picocell Macrocell The area of largest coverage. Macrocells are used to described the widest range of cell sizes. Example : An Entire City. It covers the area upto 1-5 km long. Microcell The area of intermediate coverage. Mainly the range of microcell is less than two kilometers. It covers the area upto 100- 1 kilo meters. Pico cell A picocell is a small cellular base station which covers a small station such as in buildings, offices, shopping malls etc. It covers the area upto 500 meters. From the above figure we can understand the concept and coverage area covered by a macrocell, microcell and picocell. Representation of macrocell, microcell, picocell A table is shown where different cells and the area covered by those cells i.e Macrocell, Microcell, and picocell is shown in table 3.1.3. Table 3.1.3 Different cell sites and area they covered. Different RF Propagation Pathloss models are defined for different cells which can better perform on different cells and better results can be obtained. Now the cells and the models defined for it will be described. Okumura-Hata model It is the most popular model which is based on the empirical information obtained from measurements in japan.(okumura 1965). The okumura Hata predicts the Pathloss L between the transmitter and receiver taking into considering the frequency, the distance between transmitter and receiver, height of antenna, terrain type.this model fits best for urban and suburban areas. General formula The general formula for the path loss L according to the Okumura-Hata model is: L = a0 + a4 ·logf a2 ·loghb a ·hm + [a1 – a3 ·loghb] ·logd Lc, where a0, a1, a2, a3, and a4 are adjustable parameters Specific formulas The path loss L can be found by the standard path loss formulas for GSM-900, GSM-1800, and GSM-1900 according to the Okumara-Hata model. GSM–900 formula The path loss formula for GSM-900 is: L = 69.55 + 26.16 ·logf 13.82 ·loght a ·hm + [44.9 – 6.55 ·loght] ·logd Lc. GSM–1800/1900 formula The path loss formula for GSM-1800/1900 is: L = 46.3 + 33.9 ·logf 13.82 ·loght a ·hm + [44.9 – 6.55 ·loght] ·logd -Lc Where, L= Pathloss fc=frequency of transmission ht=antenna height ar=correction factor for effective mobile antenna height which depends on the size of the in area Lc=correction factor for different terrains. Correction factor for different clutter classes is determined according to okumura hata model and following is the table 3.1.4 which shows the clutter classes and correction factor for it. Table 3.1.4 Correction factor defined according to okumura Hata Model Cost 231 Hata Propagation Model A Model that is widely used for predicting pathloss in wireless system operating from 500 MHz to 2000 MHz is the cost 231 Hata Model. It contains correction factor for Urban, suburban and open rural environment. The general expression for calculating pathloss in the urban area as given by COST 231 Hata model is: Lpch(urban)db)=46.3 + 33.9logfc 13.82loght ar + (44.9-6.55loght)logr + Cm where, fc=frequency of transmission ht=antenna height ar=correction factor for effective mobile antenna height which depends on the size of the coverage area. Cm =3db for urban environments and 0db for suburban or open environment Walfisch-Ikegami model The Walfisch-Ikegami model is more recent than the Okumura-Hata model. It is based upon the deterministic models of Walfisch, Ikegami, and Bertoni. It works in 2 cases : LOS and NLOS LOS (Line of sight) LLOS [dB] = 42.6 + 26 log10 d[km] + 20 log10 f [MHz] NLOS (Non line of sight) LNLOS [dB] = LFS + Lrts (wr, f, ΔhMobile , ÃŽ ¦ ) + LMSD (ΔhBase, hBase, d, f, bS ) LFS = free space path loss = 32.4 + 20 log10 d[km] + 20 log10 f [MHz] Lrts= roof-to-street loss LMSD= multi-diffraction loss But it has some restrictions which are as follows: Frequency f between 800 MHz and 2000 Mhz TX height hBase between 4 and 50 m RX height hMobile between 1 and 3 m TX RX distance d between 0.02 and 5 km Longley – Rice Propagation Model The Longley Rice Propagation model also known as irregular terrain model. It basically calculates large scale median propagation loss relative to free space loss propagation loss over irregular terrain. It is mainly applicable for point to point wireless communication system. It operates in the frequency range from 40 MHz to 100 GHz. It is mainly used for frequency planning in television broadcasting. The modified model can also be used for radio wave propagation in urban areas for mobile communication. The Longley – Rice propagation models has two parts: model Area to area prediction model. Point to point prediction model. The area to area is used when path profile is not given but point ot point is used when detailed path profile is given. But, the main drawback of this model is that it doesnot consider the effect of multipath, foliage, buildings and other environment factors. Two Ray Point to Point Propagation model The point to point propagation model is a basic system design tool that is used to generate a signal coverage map, an interference area map, or a handoff occurrence map. In many mobile communication system the maximum distance between the cellsite and the mobile is at the most only a few tens of kilometers and surface is assumed flat. A simple two ray model can be used to predict pathloss and received signal strength. Lpch = 40 log r – 20 log ht – 20 log hr Thus it implies that the propagation pathloss in a mobile communication Lpch increases by 40dB for every increase in distance by 10 times. If the cellsite antenna height is doubled, there will be reduction in pathloss by 6dB. The two ray model is found to be reasonably accurate for predicting the large scale received signal strength over distances of several kilometers for mobile radio communication system that use tall cellsite towers and los microcell application in urban area.

A Critical Analysis Of Machiavellis The Prince Philosophy Essay

A Critical Analysis Of Machiavellis The Prince Philosophy Essay You have got to be cruel to be kind. Would this be an adequate summary of Machiavellis advice on cruelty? If so, why? If not, why? How does his advice on cruelty reflect his beliefs about politics? In the Prince, Machiavelli explores the world of governments and rulers and comes up with revolutionary ideas for a prince to acquire the leading position in the government and maintain his authority and leadership. However, the philosopher does not teach the ruler to be good and just; he aim is to provide the governor with practical applications of being a great prince but not a good one. Machiavelli focuses on evil features more because they would help to advance the power of the prince. In his book, it does not seem that an evil or cruel behavior is an unacceptable one, as he alters the moral vocabulary about vice and good. In the book, Machiavelli starts with his dedication to Lorenzo de Medici and finishes it with an assertion that Italy must revive and gain considerable power. Therefore, it is hard for me to judge if the philosopher was concerned with acquiring a better vocation or with genuine patriotic feelings that were expressed in his attempt to call for dramatic action. Y et, I will argue that in terms of Machiavelli a potential ruler has to pretend to be an old prince-the one that is familiar with the experiences of his predecessors-and act as if he is kind. This pretence makes a cruel prince a kind one and preserves his glory and prosperity of a state, which are supposed to be the aims of the ruler. In chapter fifteen, Machiavelli states that Many have imagined republics and principalities that have never been seen or known to exist in truth. For it is far from how one lives to how one should live. That he who lets go of what is done for what should be done learns his ruin rather than his preservation (p. 54). The passage hints to the Platos Republic, in which the he reports that the philosopher kings should govern society. The governors have to be good and just and they must help their subjects to maintain the purity of their souls and also be good. In the Prince, a ruler should read historical works, especielly for the light they shed on the actions of eminent men to imitate some eminent man, worthy of praise and glory (p. 51). However, Machiavelli is interested an actual truth of the matter and not the utopia of it. He compares a prince to a prophet, which does not necessarily mean that the he has divine knowledge; instead it gives them exceptional responsibilities like law m aking and shaping opinions that govern our lives. Thereby, Machiavellis prophetic prince has philosophers features as he tries to reform human opinion over the justice and evil; he acts as if he is good, but does not have to be good. To back up his conclusions, Machiavelli comes up with extreme examples such as Romulus and Cains murders of Remus and Abel respectfully. These murders were the fundaments of the societies and, therefore, the philosopher asserts that no good is possible without evil. Thus he redefines Platos ideas of the philosopher kings who approach pure reason to be good and just; instead, Machiavelli gives examples of extraordinary situations and draws the morality that would perfectly fit the situation. Also, he reforms the meaning of the word virtà ¹: a prince can act in an evil fashion, as fortune and circumstances [would] dictate (p. 23) in the chapter thirteen, he gives an example of the biblical story of David and Goliath. In the initial story, David is armed with a sling only; but, the philosopher also gives him a knife. This detail hints that the Gods promise is not enough and David would be safer with an additional secret weapon. This additional detail is a metaphor, which implies that the prince has to propagandize proper religious views; on the other hand, he has to use a certain extent of cruelty and be utterly self-reliant to achieve desirable outcomes. Self-realization, courage, and ruthlessness are the qualities that contribute to the effective exercise of power, which is a touchstone of political success. As Machiavelli puts it all the armed prophets conquered and the unarmed were ruined (p. 20). To describe the genuine prince, Machiavelli comes up with a metaphor of a beast. In chapter eighteen, he writes that there are two ways of contesting, the one by the law, the other by force; the first method is proper to men, the second to beasts; but because the first is frequently not sufficient, it is necessary to have recourse to the secondà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ it is necessary for a prince to understand how to avail himself of the beast and the man (p.62) Since in the Machiavellian theory the princes goal is to seek glory, the ruler has to be lucky. The luck or Fortuna is opposite to reason; it favors those who act or the brave. The Fortuna has to be mastered and, therefore, it requires a reservoir of force to master. Also, the deceit is, as Machiavelli puts it, a good quality. He exemplifies this with an Italian proverb Alexander never did what he said, Cesare never said what he did (p. 35). Following the winds of fortune, power, and deception, one would be conferred with glory. The p hilosopher is a pure consequentialist, as he justifies anything that is necessary to preserve the glory of his state and his own fame. The Machiavellian virtue is not the same with the Christian values. Thus, the duplicity of the prince and his behaviors are praised throughout the book and are perfectly excusable for the eventual purposes. To underline an exemplary behavior of the prince, Machiavelli gives an example of Cesares policies in chapter seven. When the duke had taken over the Romana, he found it had been commanded by impotent lords who had been readier to despoil their subjects than to correct them and had given their subjects matter for disunion, not union (p. 23). Cesare sends a lieutenant to that area who reduced it to peace and unity with the very greatest reputation for himself (p.23 ). However, Cesare did not want to have strong local government. Thus he set up court with wise civil authority that would judge and advocate each citizen from the lawlessness of his minister. And having seized this opportunity, he had emplaced one morning in the piazza in two pieces, with a piece of wood and a bloody knife beside him. He had him cut in two; the bloody knife and piece of wood beside him. Machiavelli concludes that the ferocity of this spectacle left the people at once satisfied and stupefied (p.23). The pri ncely virtà ¹ leaves people content and fooled. In chapter fifteen on the things for which man, and especially rulers, are praised or blamed, Machiavelli reflects on the very basic assertions of morality and virtues. He states that a ruler who wishes to maintain his power must be prepared to act immorally when this becomes necessary (p. 55). Thus the prince has to do what is generally done and not what he ought to do (p. 54). In other words, the chapter teaches the ways of not being good (in Platos meaning of the word). To affects the norms of everyday life, the prince had to learn how to manipulate the religion skillfully. In chapter eighteen, the philosopher states that the ruler has to be utterly religious. The prince should appear all mercy, all faith, all honesty, all humanity and all religion (p. 62) the pretence to be a genuine Christian is helpful for creating an appropriate public image; however, the actual practice of its values is evidently dangerous. In the Republic, Socrates states that it is better to be just then to seem just. The princes morale goes against the passage in the book, which teaches how to be good, as one cannot be good without being just. Considering the metaphor of the prince who reconciles a man and a beast, the man is a humble and submissive Christian, the beast in its turn is capable of performing courageous and bold actions. In Machiavellian opinion, Christianity should not constrain any political activity. The matters of government should be solely secular. The philosopher strives to create a new type of republic, which would deal only with practical issues and without asserting any transcendental moral law. As a scholar Steven Smith asserts, not only did Machiavelli bring a new worldliness to politics, he also introduced a new kind of populismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as Plato and Aristotle imagined aristocratic republics that would invest power in an aristocracy of education and virtue, Machiavelli deliberately seeks to enlist the power of the people against aristocracies of education and virtue. To maintain this kind of state, the republic has to have imperialistic ambitions and consequently be aggressive. Interestingly, the Machiavellian republic concerns only with practical worldly affairs; however, its the philosophers imaginary project or theoretical suggestion of his form of government. The new type of morality is a foundation for this reign. Thus, Machiavellian prince always has to pretend to be a man, but be a beast if needed. Altering the hypostasis, the brave ruler masters the fortune and gains glory for himself and his state. The philosophers morality asserts that the prince does not have to be good; instead he has to manage to be religious and pure on the public eye, but reasonably cruel and not always trustful in the reality. He justifies the actions of the ruler with the privileges one gets from the princes constant actions to maintain the prosperous state and peaceful sleep of the citizens. Thus the prince mixes his love for the good with the skillful cruelty. Machiavellian morale highlights that the good is only possible in the context of moral evil. This a clear break w ith Plato and the Christian values and, moreover, the philosopher seeks to set free the real politics from the ecclesiastical patronage. Thereby the prince uses religion for his benefit but does not allow himself to be used by it. One can see that Machiavellian authority is self-bestowed and not granted by ethereal forces. Machiavelli grants the rule with the knife he gives to David in one of his passages, signifying that the prince has to be more self-reliant then hoping for the otherworldliness help. In the Prince, a reader can access information that used to be not available to everyone. The philosopher gives the reader a chance to come to terms with the idea that the good in politics cannot exist without a certain extend of cruelty. Moreover, when this cruelty is adequately used, it becomes a virtue that sustains the well being of the state and makes the ruler glorious. Work cited: Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Print Plato. Republic. New York: Oxford Press, 1994. Print Smith, Steven. Machiavelli, the Prince:. Yale University.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2006. Open Yale Courses. Web. 26 Feb. 2010.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  political-science/introduction-to-political-philosophy/content/sessions/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  lecture10.html>.

The Creative Process in Film Essay -- Film

With this short but very interesting and informative class I have just scratched the surface of the what it takes to make a full fleged film. It takes much more than I had presumed to make a movie in Hollywood. The number of people that it takes to make a minute of a movie let alone the entire movie was astonishing to me. There are many things that it takes to start making a movie but without an idea of some sort there is no movie to be made. A crew includes a screenwriter, whose job it is to provide the written blueprint version of the entire film. This is basically the starting point for any movie. Next there is the producer. There are many types of producers; executive producers, co-producers, assistant producers and line producers. They all do very different things. Some are the producers are responsible for raising the funds for the movie while others are responsible for the production that goes on during the filming of the movie and still other producers are in charge of what physically goes on the set. Then it is time for the director. The director is in charge of the actors. The director works with the actors to visually bring to life what was written on the screenplay (Fortunato, Who Does What on a Film). Now the idea needs to come together. The idea of writing, â€Å"what you know† is not always true and writing, â€Å"what you come to know† is in fact a more accurate way to write. Other good ways to formulate ideas are to use existing plays, novels, short stories, life stories, new articles, or even past TV shows and film. When using existing work a person needs to make sure that one secures the copyrights before starting write. Securing the copyrights does not mean one is finished yet. Now a person needs... ...ce during the end of the movie. The whole time there is a tension that is not released until to final fight and you find out who is going to get the cube, the decepticons or the auto-bots (Valenti, 107). Works Cited Fortunato, Joe. "Development" FMP 201. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.. Lecture. Fortunato, Joe. "From Script to Shooting Schedule" FMP 201. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. . Lecture. Fortunato, Joe. "Production" FMP 201. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. Lecture. Fortunato, Joe. "Wrap" FMP 201. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. Lecture. Fortunato, Joe. "Post-Production" FMP 201. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. . Lecture. Fortunato, Joe. "Distribution" FMP 201. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. Valenti, F. Miguel., Les Brown, and Laurie Trotta. More than a Movie: Ethics in Entertainment. Boulder, 2000. Print.

Botany :: essays research papers

Botany   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Choosing a career in botany ensures a person a wide choice of career opportunities, a fair salary, and an exciting life. If you prepare yourself with a good education and a positive attitude, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a successful botanist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anyone can find enjoyment and fulfillment in a career field as fun and beneficial to others as botany. If you like nature and being outdoors, you might enjoy a career as an ecologist, taxonomist, conservationist, forester, or even a plant explorer. With a job in one of these fields, you might find yourself doing exciting traveling to all types of new and beautiful places. If you take well to mathematics, maybe you should look into a career in biophysics, developmental botany, genetics, modeling, or systems ecology. If chemistry is more your thing, you should enjoy working as a plant physiologist, plant biochemist, molecular biologist, or chemotaxonomist. If you like designs and microscopy, you would probably find plant structure interesting. If microscopic organisms appeal to you, you should look into microbiology, phycology, or mycology. If you are artistic, ornamental horticulture and landscape design might be right up your alley. If you worry about feeding the hungry, you should study plant pathology or plant breeding. At some larger universities, you can even study specific types of botany, each with its own department. These departments include argonomy (field crops), microbiology (microbes like bacteria and fungi), horticulture (fruits, ornamentals, and veggies), and plant pathology (diseases pertaining to plants). If you are a people person, you might even be interested in teaching botany or providing public service.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After hearing the endless list of career opportunities, you have probably found one that appeals to you. But how should you prepare for your new career in the wonderful world of botany? Well, first you should keep in mind that four years of college and a Bachelor’s degree are the bare essentials for most of the careers aforementioned. If you have these requirements, careers as laboratory technicians or technical assistants in education, industry, government, museums, parks and botanical gardens are all readily available. However, there are great deals of other positions where a Master’s or Doctor’s degree is essential. For most teaching and research positions in universities and colleges, a Ph.D. is vital. For those of you still in high school, its never too early to plan ahead. When selecting your courses be sure to include college preparatory classes including English, mathematics, foreign language, physics, chemistry, biology, social studie s and humanities.

Advanced Project Procurement

With the increased globalization, competition and complexity in global supply chains, more companies have realized that supply chain management is critical to the optimal organizations overall operation. It is not longer just the responsibility of the warehouse manager and logistics director. In the past, many organizations didn’t manage their supply chains they left that up to the suppliers. Usually the supply chain planning, marketing, production and inventory management in most organizations operated as separate departments (Stevenson, 2009). Businesses have recognized the strategic importance and the need for effect and efficient supply chains in operations management (Stevenson, 2009). Assessment As Vice President of Operation my assessment of the battery shortage problem is that SDX are not fulfilling their obligation under the contract. The contract states â€Å"the supplier is expected to achieve a 100 percent service rate† (Benton, p. 456). The current supply of batteries is a 20-day supply this is 70 days short the supply when normal should be a 90 day supply. There has not been a shipment in two months this lead me to believe that SDX are not making Butler a priority shipment. The action taken is to request a meeting with the attorneys to review the contract, because at this point it is a breach in contract. The contract also states that the product prices are fixed for the term of the agreement and a sixty day notice must be given before a price change can occur. SDX did not notify the Butler Operations to alert us of this change. Therefore, this is another breach in contract the SDX company has determine on its own that the contract is null and void. This is not good business practice and creates a problem with Butler’s ability to supply the customer base effectively. Buyer Selection Purchasing involves buying the raw materials, supplies, and components for the organization. The activities associated with it include selecting and qualifying suppliers, rating supplier performance, negotiating contracts, comparing price, quality and service, sourcing. A key and perhaps the most important process of the purchasing function is the efficient selection of suppliers, because it brings significant savings for the organization. The objective of the supplier selection process is to reduce risk and maximize the total value for the buyer, and it involves considering a series of strategic variables. Conclusion In conclusion, focusing on selecting only the best suppliers possible will make a major contribution to the competitiveness of the entire organization. This main task requires careful evaluation, selection, and continuous measurement of the suppliers that provide the goods and services that help satisfy the needs of an organization’s final customers. In other words, once a supplier is selected, the focus must shift from supplier evaluation to the continuous measurement of supplier performance. An organization must have the tools to measure, manage, and develop the performance of its supply base.

Food Inc Notes

Animals and workers are being abused. * Why many things are deliberately kept from us. * We are only allowed to know what the companies want us to know. * Farmers are not allowed to talk about many things. * We eat things every day without thinking about where they come from * Why is McDonalds is the largest purchaser of ground beef in the united states * This changes how ground beef is produced * Companies basically control our food system * In the 1970’s the top 5 beef packers controlled only 25% of beef. * Today the top 4 control more than 80%. Birds are now raised and slaughtered in half the time they were fifty years ago but now they are twice the size with large breasts. * All birds that come from farms must be almost exactly the same size. * â€Å"If you can grow a chicken in 49 days why grow one in three months? More money in your pocket! † * Chickens never see sunlight! Is this fair?* Tyson makes farmers change their minds about letting people tour their chicke n houses. * What are they hiding? * Tyson declined being interviewed. * Bones and internal organs of chickens can’t keep up with all the weight they gain. * Antibiotics are no longer working. They catch the chickens at night time so they give less resistance. * The farmer states that the catchers were mostly African-Americans but she is now seeing more Latinos which are undocumented workers. * They have no rights or choices. †¢Fast food is cheap and feels you up compared to cheap food in the market. †¢Cheaper calories are heavily subsidized †¢industry blames obesity on crisis of personal responsibility †¢We are hard wired to go for three tastes: Salt Fat and Sugar †¢These things are very rare in nature †¢We wear down how our body metabolizes sugar Type 2 diabetes used to only affect adults and is now affecting children.

Letter To The Dean Essay

I am writing to express my interest in the Master of Arts in Physical Education with Single Subject Teaching Credential at Azusa Pacific University. I am aware it provides the best education and environment for both graduate and post-graduate students. I currently hold my Bachelor’s of Arts in Communication from the University of Wyoming (WYO). While attending WYO, I lettered in the schools football program and physical education played an integral role in keeping my body prepared for the physicality of the sport. I believe that your university is one of the best schools since it offers a combined masters and credential program. I developed an interest in physical education when I began coaching football for at risk youth at the Cathedral Home for Children, my junior and senior years at (WYO). Since I graduated I have been working as a substitute teacher and football coach at the high school level for two years. These work experiences have taught me patience, perseverance, and interpersonal skills. I have dealt with students/athletes from various backgrounds; therefore, making me more flexible when it comes to my coaching/teaching methods. I also became more creative in coming up with ways to inspire my students/athletes and help them reach their long-term goals. The personal qualities and the skills that I have acquired will surely aid me in fulfilling your requirements and hopefully increase the chance of securing a place in your institution. If ever I am chosen as a graduate student in your school, I will continue to work hard to reach my long-term goals in life. These goals include career advancement, improvement on teaching/coaching strategies, and contribution to the at risk youth in the community. I will work hard to achieve these goals not just for my sake but for the sake of my student/athletes and the community. I want to use what I’ve learned to improve my current condition and give back. Given my education and experience, I am confident that I am an excellent fit for the APU Physical Education program. I know that in your university I will be able to achieve my goals and enrich my knowledge to improve further skills.

Legalizing Marijuana National Institute on Drug Abuse

Marijuana, a milder hallucinogen than LSD, comes from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which originates in Central Asia but is now grown in most parts of the world. It is also known by such names as pot, grass, reefer, weed, and herb. It has for its active ingredient the mind altering substance called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC (National Institute on Drug Abuse1). The use of marijuana has been the subject of much debate and controversy in the past. Young people are drawn to it, musicians, movie stars and rock stars endorse it discreetly, and the general population as a whole is divided over whether it is good or bad for people, and whether it should be legalized or not. A website devoted exclusively to marijuana use recently ran an article weighing the pros and cons of legalizing it, and came up with the conclusion that legalizing has several economic benefits, and brings with it the ability of government to properly regulate its use (Shalom). This essay takes the latter posi tion, and argues against the legalization of marijuana because of its overall ill health and social effects.Effects of Marijuana The physical effects of marijuana include increases in pulse rate and blood pressure, reddening of the eyes, coughing and dryness of the mouth. Psychological effects include a mixture of excitatory, depressive and hallucinatory characteristics, making the drug difficult to classify. The drug can produce spontaneous and unrelated ideas; perceptions of time and place can be distorted; verbal behavior may increase or cease to occur at all; and sensitivity to sound and colors might increase. Marijuana can also impair attention and memory, which suggests that smoking marijuana is not conducive to optimal school performance. When marijuana is used daily in heavy amounts, it also can impair the human reproductive system and may be involved in some birth defects. (National Institute on Drug Abuse 1).Statistics on the issue A lot of action has been presented to leg alize the use of marijuana and it has been drawing a lot of attention lately. There are already twelve states in the U.S. where it's legal for medicinal purposes. Much of the American public now believes that the drug should be legalized but others are still concerned about health damage and other unfortunate side affects, not to mention moral concerns.One of the consequences of marijuana legalization would be a large increase in drug users. Right now, drug users have a fear of law enforcement agents, but if marijuana was legalized, they no longer would have fear and would feel that it will be all right to use marijuana. Over twenty years ago, estimates of drug use among Americans was as high as 24 million, but it is now estimated to be as low as 11 million.   In 1993, Americans spent $49 billion on illegal drugs, down from the 1988 figure of $64 billion.  Ã‚   This decline does not mean a decrease in the use of marijuana but an increase of officers on the streets and drug aware ness programs.Crackdowns being a geographically focused drug raid will only limit drug use for a time but not completely eradicate it. According to Walker, this strategy of deploying police officers in streets to catch drug users and dealers and street gangs, merely displace drugs activity to change the place of drug use. When the Violent Crime Act of 1994 was implemented, government allocated a budget to deploy additional 100,000 policemen in streets.One famous crackdown is the Operation Pressure Point in New York that for a time scared drug users away. However, in the long-term, crackdowns are not proven to be effective to totally stop drug selling and drug use despite police concentration. Eventually, the former drug suppliers and dealers were just replaced by some other persons to continue the drug activity. Even New York City police attest that the OPP may have put drug operatives in jail, but it was not an assurance that there will be no other persons to replace them.Interdict ion or the process of inhibiting the flow and entry of drugs, and eradication or the process of reducing drug plants production are two methods that are seemingly out weighted by the fact that drugs is a growing international market despite huge efforts to stop its production and entry to certain territories. Walker the author has found that despite interdiction campaigns, illegal drugs that entered the country have increased significantly from 1987 to 1991. Marijuana and coca leaf production rose by almost 50% and 33% respectively.The author attributed the failure to the large border that the enforcement agencies have to guard, making it possible for drug traffickers to mutually adapt with the enforcement measures easily by putting up new entry points, and the organized mafia that supports the drug trade. Whether we like it or not, the drug market despite its being underground has been continuously expanding in both international and domestic level.The problem is, the drug users, a s well as pushers are just a small part of the problem on drugs production. The real problem of the drug fight is the large mafia, and big people that benefit most from the drug economy. Interdiction and eradication efforts are doomed to fail when the major actors such as the plant owners and drug traders are not properly apprehended, together with some government allies.Marijuana is said to be the most used illegal drug in the United States, with 40 percent or 94 million of Americans aged 12 years or older having tried it at least once, and adolescents and teenagers in particular being particularly vulnerable to abusing the drug (National Institute on Drug Abuse 1, citing the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health).Other Health and Social Effects The ill health effects of marijuana have been well-documented. Heavy use of marijuana has been directly linked to the impairment of a person’s ability to shift the focus of his attention from one thing to another, ability to re call events, and ability to form memories (National Institute on Drug Abuse 3). Marijuana is also said to impair balance, posture, coordination of movement and reaction time, because THC affects the proper functioning of the parts of the brain responsible for those functions (National Institute on Drug Abuse 4). Such ill effects are said to be precursors of accidents.Another ill effect of marijuana use is its link to difficulty in quitting tobacco smoking. Still another ill health effect is the predisposition of marijuana smokers to the same health problems that plague tobacco smokers such as chest illnesses, daily, cough and phlegm, obstructed airways, lung infections, and cancer of the lungs and respiratory tract (National Institute on Drug Abuse 4).The heightened risks are said to be the result of marijuana smoke containing 50 to 70 percent more carcinogens than regular tobacco smoke, and because THC is said to impair the immune function thus, making smokers more susceptible to c ancer and infectious diseases (National Institute on Drug Abuse 5). Also, marijuana smoking has also been linked to an up to a four-fold increase in the risk of having a heart attack within an hour of smoking it (National Institute on Drug Abuse 5).The ill social effects of smoking marijuana are also varied and grave. Student smokers are said to perform more poorly than other students, while workers who smoke marijuana are said to have more problems with work performance (National Institute on Drug Abuse 5). Ill emotional and psychological effects such as depression, anxiety, and personality disturbances spill over into poor ability to acquire job and social skills, poor ability to cope with emotional problems because of poor problem solving and emotional skills, and lower levels of satisfaction with life in general (National Institute on Drug Abuse 5-6)An increase in drug use will result in an increase in drug related crimes if drugs are legalized. Supporters of drug legalization b elieve that crime and violence would decrease if drug use became legal. Statistics tell us that almost half of those arrested for committing a crime test positive for the use of drugs at the time of their arrest.   Marijuana's effects cause memory loss, trouble with problem-solving, loss of motor skills and an increase in heart rate, panic attacks and anxiety.Marijuana weakens the body's immune system, which could further complicate any future recovery from a serious medical condition.   Young adults observing or knowing adults who are smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes sends a misleading message. Legalization supporters claim that marijuana significantly lessens pain and relieves nausea resulting from serious diseases. However, anti-drug groups think that legalizing marijuana for medical use is merely an ulterior motive designed to gain access to a dangerous substance.Use of Marijuana in some states In some states marijuana use is legal already for medicinal purposes.   According to the NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), twelve states have legalized or decriminalized the medical use of marijuana in some manner. Since 1996, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington have passed legislation that removes state-level penalties from marijuana use by patients who have a doctor's recommendation.Moreover, Maryland passed a medical marijuana affirmative defense law in 2003. This states that if a person is arrested for marijuana use but is found to be using marijuana out of medical necessity, even if at the time of use they did not have a doctor’s recommendation, he/she will only face a small fine.These state laws specify that marijuana can be used to treat diseases such as arthritis, cancer, chronic nervous system disorders, chronic pain, Crohn's disease, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, glaucoma, HIV or AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other muscle spastic ity disorders, and help patients cope with severe migraines, severe nausea, and the side effects of chemotherapy. The requirements for patients and doctors to be protected by these laws vary from state to state. The U.S. government has challenged the California law in several cases. Federal law does not recognize a medical use for marijuana and maintains that the drug is a controlled and a banned substance under all circumstances.Mandatory Drug Testing in SchoolsThe main purpose of mandatory drug testing in school is not to expose and expel those whose results are positive. This method is done only to ensure the health and academic performance of each individual student. Those who have been found with positive results are assisted by the school counselor and are enrolled in a drug-education program. This would better help the student to alleviate his drug dependency and so that he may perform better academically.Also with the information that as much as 23% of American drug dependen ts are teenagers and perhaps in school, this could directly affect the entire school population. Peer pressure is the one of the primary causes of drug dependency. Without mitigation from the administration, drug dependency among the students would undoubtedly rise. Another cause for concern is that substances such as stimulants induce violence and aggression.This would mean that the well-being of the whole school population could be jeopardized. Therefore, mandatory drug testing is the most effective way not only to prevent drug-dependent students from harming themselves but also to prevent violence and harm to the public. Implementing it in schools in the swiftest time possible would efficiently prevent and reduce the number of drug use among the American student population. (What You Need to Know About Drug Testing in School).In sum, legalizing marijuana could potentially lead to more crime and more drug addicts. It also is sending the wrong message to our young people.   Givin g young people the impression that drugs are okay is setting a bad example.   If young kids believe that marijuana use is not any more serious than smoking a cigarette, this could lead to serious circumstances and habits for them in the future.ConclusionAdolescents in virtually every era have been risk takers, testing limits and making shortsighted judgments.   Today, the consequences of choosing a course of risk-taking are possibly more serious than they have ever been. Indeed, marijuana must not be legalized, lest we want our children to be dependent on them and ruining their lives over the long haul.SourcesInternet1) www.norml.org    NORML   (National Organization for the Reform of   Marijuana Laws)2) National Institute on Drug Abuse. â€Å"Marijuana Abuse: Research Report Series†. July 2005. Retrieved November 10, 2006 ;https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/letter-director;.Magazine1) Time Magazine â€Å"Is America Going to Pot?†Ã‚   (issue: November 4th, 2002)2) Newsweek magazine â€Å"The War Over Weed† (issue: March 16, 1998) Legalizing Marijuana National Institute on Drug Abuse Marijuana, a milder hallucinogen than LSD, comes from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which originates in Central Asia but is now grown in most parts of the world. It is also known by such names as pot, grass, reefer, weed, and herb. It has for its active ingredient the mind altering substance called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC (National Institute on Drug Abuse1). The use of marijuana has been the subject of much debate and controversy in the past. Young people are drawn to it, musicians, movie stars and rock stars endorse it discreetly, and the general population as a whole is divided over whether it is good or bad for people, and whether it should be legalized or not. A website devoted exclusively to marijuana use recently ran an article weighing the pros and cons of legalizing it, and came up with the conclusion that legalizing has several economic benefits, and brings with it the ability of government to properly regulate its use (Shalom). This essay takes the latter posi tion, and argues against the legalization of marijuana because of its overall ill health and social effects.Effects of Marijuana The physical effects of marijuana include increases in pulse rate and blood pressure, reddening of the eyes, coughing and dryness of the mouth. Psychological effects include a mixture of excitatory, depressive and hallucinatory characteristics, making the drug difficult to classify. The drug can produce spontaneous and unrelated ideas; perceptions of time and place can be distorted; verbal behavior may increase or cease to occur at all; and sensitivity to sound and colors might increase. Marijuana can also impair attention and memory, which suggests that smoking marijuana is not conducive to optimal school performance. When marijuana is used daily in heavy amounts, it also can impair the human reproductive system and may be involved in some birth defects. (National Institute on Drug Abuse 1).Statistics on the issue A lot of action has been presented to leg alize the use of marijuana and it has been drawing a lot of attention lately. There are already twelve states in the U.S. where it's legal for medicinal purposes. Much of the American public now believes that the drug should be legalized but others are still concerned about health damage and other unfortunate side affects, not to mention moral concerns.One of the consequences of marijuana legalization would be a large increase in drug users. Right now, drug users have a fear of law enforcement agents, but if marijuana was legalized, they no longer would have fear and would feel that it will be all right to use marijuana. Over twenty years ago, estimates of drug use among Americans was as high as 24 million, but it is now estimated to be as low as 11 million.   In 1993, Americans spent $49 billion on illegal drugs, down from the 1988 figure of $64 billion.  Ã‚   This decline does not mean a decrease in the use of marijuana but an increase of officers on the streets and drug aware ness programs.Crackdowns being a geographically focused drug raid will only limit drug use for a time but not completely eradicate it. According to Walker, this strategy of deploying police officers in streets to catch drug users and dealers and street gangs, merely displace drugs activity to change the place of drug use. When the Violent Crime Act of 1994 was implemented, government allocated a budget to deploy additional 100,000 policemen in streets.One famous crackdown is the Operation Pressure Point in New York that for a time scared drug users away. However, in the long-term, crackdowns are not proven to be effective to totally stop drug selling and drug use despite police concentration. Eventually, the former drug suppliers and dealers were just replaced by some other persons to continue the drug activity. Even New York City police attest that the OPP may have put drug operatives in jail, but it was not an assurance that there will be no other persons to replace them.Interdict ion or the process of inhibiting the flow and entry of drugs, and eradication or the process of reducing drug plants production are two methods that are seemingly out weighted by the fact that drugs is a growing international market despite huge efforts to stop its production and entry to certain territories. Walker the author has found that despite interdiction campaigns, illegal drugs that entered the country have increased significantly from 1987 to 1991. Marijuana and coca leaf production rose by almost 50% and 33% respectively.The author attributed the failure to the large border that the enforcement agencies have to guard, making it possible for drug traffickers to mutually adapt with the enforcement measures easily by putting up new entry points, and the organized mafia that supports the drug trade. Whether we like it or not, the drug market despite its being underground has been continuously expanding in both international and domestic level.The problem is, the drug users, a s well as pushers are just a small part of the problem on drugs production. The real problem of the drug fight is the large mafia, and big people that benefit most from the drug economy. Interdiction and eradication efforts are doomed to fail when the major actors such as the plant owners and drug traders are not properly apprehended, together with some government allies.Marijuana is said to be the most used illegal drug in the United States, with 40 percent or 94 million of Americans aged 12 years or older having tried it at least once, and adolescents and teenagers in particular being particularly vulnerable to abusing the drug (National Institute on Drug Abuse 1, citing the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health).Other Health and Social Effects The ill health effects of marijuana have been well-documented. Heavy use of marijuana has been directly linked to the impairment of a person’s ability to shift the focus of his attention from one thing to another, ability to re call events, and ability to form memories (National Institute on Drug Abuse 3). Marijuana is also said to impair balance, posture, coordination of movement and reaction time, because THC affects the proper functioning of the parts of the brain responsible for those functions (National Institute on Drug Abuse 4). Such ill effects are said to be precursors of accidents.Another ill effect of marijuana use is its link to difficulty in quitting tobacco smoking. Still another ill health effect is the predisposition of marijuana smokers to the same health problems that plague tobacco smokers such as chest illnesses, daily, cough and phlegm, obstructed airways, lung infections, and cancer of the lungs and respiratory tract (National Institute on Drug Abuse 4).The heightened risks are said to be the result of marijuana smoke containing 50 to 70 percent more carcinogens than regular tobacco smoke, and because THC is said to impair the immune function thus, making smokers more susceptible to c ancer and infectious diseases (National Institute on Drug Abuse 5). Also, marijuana smoking has also been linked to an up to a four-fold increase in the risk of having a heart attack within an hour of smoking it (National Institute on Drug Abuse 5).The ill social effects of smoking marijuana are also varied and grave. Student smokers are said to perform more poorly than other students, while workers who smoke marijuana are said to have more problems with work performance (National Institute on Drug Abuse 5). Ill emotional and psychological effects such as depression, anxiety, and personality disturbances spill over into poor ability to acquire job and social skills, poor ability to cope with emotional problems because of poor problem solving and emotional skills, and lower levels of satisfaction with life in general (National Institute on Drug Abuse 5-6)An increase in drug use will result in an increase in drug related crimes if drugs are legalized. Supporters of drug legalization b elieve that crime and violence would decrease if drug use became legal. Statistics tell us that almost half of those arrested for committing a crime test positive for the use of drugs at the time of their arrest.   Marijuana's effects cause memory loss, trouble with problem-solving, loss of motor skills and an increase in heart rate, panic attacks and anxiety.Marijuana weakens the body's immune system, which could further complicate any future recovery from a serious medical condition.   Young adults observing or knowing adults who are smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes sends a misleading message. Legalization supporters claim that marijuana significantly lessens pain and relieves nausea resulting from serious diseases. However, anti-drug groups think that legalizing marijuana for medical use is merely an ulterior motive designed to gain access to a dangerous substance.Use of Marijuana in some states In some states marijuana use is legal already for medicinal purposes.   According to the NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), twelve states have legalized or decriminalized the medical use of marijuana in some manner. Since 1996, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington have passed legislation that removes state-level penalties from marijuana use by patients who have a doctor's recommendation.Moreover, Maryland passed a medical marijuana affirmative defense law in 2003. This states that if a person is arrested for marijuana use but is found to be using marijuana out of medical necessity, even if at the time of use they did not have a doctor’s recommendation, he/she will only face a small fine.These state laws specify that marijuana can be used to treat diseases such as arthritis, cancer, chronic nervous system disorders, chronic pain, Crohn's disease, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, glaucoma, HIV or AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other muscle spastic ity disorders, and help patients cope with severe migraines, severe nausea, and the side effects of chemotherapy. The requirements for patients and doctors to be protected by these laws vary from state to state. The U.S. government has challenged the California law in several cases. Federal law does not recognize a medical use for marijuana and maintains that the drug is a controlled and a banned substance under all circumstances.Mandatory Drug Testing in SchoolsThe main purpose of mandatory drug testing in school is not to expose and expel those whose results are positive. This method is done only to ensure the health and academic performance of each individual student. Those who have been found with positive results are assisted by the school counselor and are enrolled in a drug-education program. This would better help the student to alleviate his drug dependency and so that he may perform better academically.Also with the information that as much as 23% of American drug dependen ts are teenagers and perhaps in school, this could directly affect the entire school population. Peer pressure is the one of the primary causes of drug dependency. Without mitigation from the administration, drug dependency among the students would undoubtedly rise. Another cause for concern is that substances such as stimulants induce violence and aggression.This would mean that the well-being of the whole school population could be jeopardized. Therefore, mandatory drug testing is the most effective way not only to prevent drug-dependent students from harming themselves but also to prevent violence and harm to the public. Implementing it in schools in the swiftest time possible would efficiently prevent and reduce the number of drug use among the American student population. (What You Need to Know About Drug Testing in School).In sum, legalizing marijuana could potentially lead to more crime and more drug addicts. It also is sending the wrong message to our young people.   Givin g young people the impression that drugs are okay is setting a bad example.   If young kids believe that marijuana use is not any more serious than smoking a cigarette, this could lead to serious circumstances and habits for them in the future.ConclusionAdolescents in virtually every era have been risk takers, testing limits and making shortsighted judgments.   Today, the consequences of choosing a course of risk-taking are possibly more serious than they have ever been. Indeed, marijuana must not be legalized, lest we want our children to be dependent on them and ruining their lives over the long haul.SourcesInternet1) www.norml.org    NORML   (National Organization for the Reform of   Marijuana Laws)2) National Institute on Drug Abuse. â€Å"Marijuana Abuse: Research Report Series†. July 2005. Retrieved November 10, 2006 ;https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/letter-director;.Magazine1) Time Magazine â€Å"Is America Going to Pot?†Ã‚   (issue: November 4th, 2002)2) Newsweek magazine â€Å"The War Over Weed† (issue: March 16, 1998)