Lois Lowrys The Giver Should Not be Censored Essay -- Lois Lowry Give

Lois Lowry's The Giver Should Not be Censored      Ã‚  Ã‚   Parents in modern society routinely attempt to shield their children from what they view as evils of the world. Adults censor television they watch, conversations they have, and books they read. In so doing, parents feel that they are guarding their children from knowledge that they may not be emotionally capable of handling. However, it also is imperative in the highly competitive atmosphere of modern society for youth to become prepared for the pressures of adulthood. Ironically, the dangerous knowledge parents believe they are hiding from their children inevitably is learned through exposure. In the domain of literature, a parent may feel that a particular book attracts attention to inappropriate or taboo issues, neglecting the positive aspects of that same work. This is the situation that has developed with Lois Lowry's The Giver, a book opposed by parents across the nation. Throughout the novel, despite challenges that have emerged based in her use of e uphemistic expressions for euthanasia within a utopian society, the author nonetheless demonstrates the importance of experiential learning and the valuable lessons to be learned by working through the negative aspects of life.    Parents have raised protest against The Giver because it references euthanasia; a concept many believe corrupts youthful readers' minds and values. Indeed, the author initially does minimize the significance of mercy killing by euphemistically denoting it as, "release" (139). However, when Jonas learns the true definition of this term, he grows determined to awaken the community to what it is condoning. He realizes that the process of release is a "feeling of terri... ...ustrates the significance of developing and experiencing a balanced perspective on life. However, this parental challenge misunderstands that euphemism is used as a literary device to actually convey the horror of infanticide. Lowery further conveys the poverty of emotional experience that emerges when words are used superficially and without meaning. The Giver further demonstrates through the development of the protagonist, Jonas, that it is necessary to experience the negative aspects of life in order to enjoy the good life has to offer. It reveals that the price paid for the illusion of safety in a utopian environment is the demoralization of life and its endless possibilities, or, as more euphemistically referred to in today's society, no pain, no gain. Work Cited: Lowry, L.   The Giver. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, 1993.

Mansfield Park; Empire & Orientalism from Edward Said Essay

Edward Said’s analysis of Jane Austen’s narrative in her 3rd novel ‘Mansfield Park’ (1814) is based on his own studies of ‘orientalism’. This term is defined by Said as a variety of false assumptions /depictions of Eastern people within Western attitudes. This is achieved, he argues, through the literary discourse provided by post-enlightenment, post-colonial American/European (Western) authors. Said draws our attention to an underlying theme of ‘Mansfield Park’, which is empire. Said recycles his interpretation of stereotyped Muslims, Arabs & Egyptians and applies it again to a different social group. He does so by examining the novels representation of the Atlantic slave trade (in the West Indies), and in turn concludes that Austen must support British values of imperialism and empire. He points out the ease with which Austen’s characters refer to Antigua, and convinces us that Austen’s infrequent use of this word i s evidence of her personal support of the degradation of slaves. In his analysis of the text, Said starts at the beginning, and relies heavily on the ignorant way in which Sir Thomas’s colony is isolated from his family and domicile, which remains proudly on English land, miles across the globe. He implies that the slight references to Antigua do no justice to its own beauty, history, and the fact that it is, in comparison, a paradise island. However Austen does actually support this claim herself, as Lady Bertram does no justice to India, wanting only the commodities it can offer: â€Å"I may have a shawl. I think I will have two shawls† His ultimate point is that the ‘Antigua’ seen in Mansfield Park is no more than a place for work, necessary for obtaining personal luxuries and fortune for the locals of Britain. Austen doesn’t deny this in her novel, but she doesn’t shout about it either. Said’s writing just reminds us of how unfair the situation was, by pointing out the geographical space in betwe en Mansfield Park (where the money is spent and enjoyed) and the Antiguan sugar plantation (where the money is produced). His critique of â€Å"the ease with which the family’s needs are met by a sojourn in the Caribbean† is unnecessary and useless in explaining his point, it merely serves to highlight the fact that the slave trade was, at its peak, very successfully organised and achieved, due to the political military  force. â€Å"Sir Thomas’s means will be rather straitened, if the Antigua estate is to make such poor returns†, Mrs Norris’s comment proves that Austen is aware of the dependence of the family on their slave trade income, as is Lady Bertram, because her reply is: â€Å"Oh! that will soon be settled!†. Although his wife is unwilling to spend time talking on the subject, this type of ignorant attitude seems to be a convention of realism which Austen applies to her characters systemically, in hopes that their final outcomes will explain her own disposition on the subject. Said constantly alludes to Austen’s lack of concern for the slave tr ade, because her narrative lacks the description which is needed to properly illustrate the subject, and the setting. Said argues that without the slave trade, the Bertram’s could not have been possible, but again, I believe Austen is fully aware of the fact that slavery enables the Bertram’s to flourish in Mansfield Park. Otherwise, she simply would not have written so much about wealth and class in relation to the success of women, for example in the end of Pride & Prejudice (1813) Lizzie chose love over money, and Mr Darcy chose love over class. Furthermore Austen includes the downfall of the slave industry within her narrative, and in turn she shows the downfall of Sir Thomas because of the latter. Sir Thomas is depicted (in the end) as having remorse for his actions, and having learned his lesson through redemption. Jane Austen is stereotyped by Said as a typical euro-centric academic, naà ¯ve towards the REAL threats, inequalities and unfairness’s of the world. Just like the slaves Sir Thomas had the advantage of owning, Fanny becomes the only slave who is able to dwell i n Mansfield Park. I believe Austen’s hopes were that she would be seen as the epitome of the slave: â€Å"She could hardly believe it. To be placed above so many elegant young women! It was treating her like her cousins!† Austen explains, from the very first chapter how the class/background ideas of the era are a hindrance to her success, at home and in society. Overall she is treated as below standard, but by the end of the novel she is happy, reasonably comfortable and is married to the one whom she was meant to be worth less than. She was constantly referred to as from a different class, background, and place. Those notions of ‘breeding’ compare her to a mere puppy: â€Å"breed her up with them from this time, and suppose her even to have the beauty of an angel, and she will never be more to either than a sister†. Fanny herself remarked upon the â€Å"dead silence†Ã‚  which followed from her uncle, after her enquiries about the slave trade. She concluded that because she showed â€Å"a curiosity and pleasure in his information which he must wish his own daughters feel† she regretted asking about the slave colony, as if she just re-realised that she isn’t fit to do certain things. Her character reflects ideas of rank and persecution and oppression; she is the ultimate realist of the novel. With regard to the character of Sir Thomas and his silence on the subject of his work, Said would most likely argue that he is selfish and ignorant and therefore doesn’t permit any time being wasted on the subject. However, Austen is more likely treating the subject with the shame and embarrassment it deserves. It is my view that Austen would have been sympathetic towards these slaves and could not surely condone such hegemony, oppression and empire? After all she herself was a victim of oppression, being a female author unable to take credit and receive praise for her own work within society. Austen ended her life as a spinster, having never married a man, showing that she didn’t conform, for whatever reason(s), to social expectations of women. Moreover, her life was dependant on the males within her family, as per the UK’s laws regarding rights, inheri tance and property, because she had nothing of her own. Therefore she would be hypocritical to support the forced labour of slaves for the benefit of the nation she somewhat rejects. Supposing Austen was supportive of Britain’s imperialist venture for empire, surely someone with such priorities would have settled and married, just for wealth and security? This is summarised in Susan Fraiman’s writing: â€Å"Lacking the franchise, enjoying few property rights (and these because she was single), living as a dependent at the edge of her brother’s estate, and publishing her work anonymously, Austen was arguably a kind of exile in her own country† In conclusion I completely refute Edward Said’s claims toward Austen – his statements are judgemental and a little confused. Moreover, his attention to detail is lacking in research, as Fraiman cleverly states here: â€Å"So ready is Said to offer Austen as ‘Exhibit A’ in the case for culture’s endorsement of empire†. Indeed the degradation of slaves was clearly fact, however, if Austen herself is an outsider to Mansfield Park and its narrative, then her opinions would be channelled through her characters’ fate. In my opinion, Said fails to take into account the fate of such characters, and the possibility that humans can exercise remorse and  rehabilitation. Said draws the conclusion that Austen is lazily making trivial references to other important changes from this period, one being the Napoleonic revolution. However, I think that in the period and place she lived, it would have been nonsensical to openly critique the powers of the government, being that it really WAS un-just; it would have been too dangerous to do so. Bibliography Austen, Jane, Mansfield Park (Oxford World’s Classics, London: 1814) Said, Edward, ‘Jane Austen and Empire’, Culture and Imperialism (Knopf, New York: 1993) [http://www.scribd.com/doc/57070252/3-Edward-Said-Austen-and-Empire] accessed 19/10/2012 Fraiman, Susan, ’Jane Austen and Edward Said: Gender, Culture, and Imperialism’, Janeites: Austen’s Disciples and Devotees – edited by Deidre Lynch (Princeton, Princeton: 2000) [https://blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/orientalism-spring2011/files/Fraiman0001.pdf] accessed 19/10/2012

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)

I will download directions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

I will download directions - Essay Example Integrity is one of those unfortunate words used ruthlessly in the United States of America but no attempt is ever made at arriving at the purpose of the frequent usage of the word. One of the reasons behind the tragedy is that often in this world, the people try to establish in others what they are devoid of themselves. One must say: â€Å"why do you preach what you do not do yourself†? When one teaches the other, the other asks for the same and the conflict begins. It means the lack of integrity brings about the downfall of nations by indulging them in warfare. Oh! My life is getting tougher day by day. Can you have a look at my course? The syllabus is not allowing me to spend my one minute for luxuries around me. The luxuries are appealing me with startling eyes. The world is inviting me for the charm, beauty and joys it has for me. I am confused which way to go. I am puzzled and something voicing from my inside; no way but to be honest with my studies. The policy orders me to meet the required studies daily. It gives me the deadline but invokes my energy to get my work done not waiting for the last minute. I should have done it much before the deadline. That is cruel for I should have some time to spend in the jocund companies of my friends. The Policy expects me to do so like one expects from the armies to be alert and to the point. For me to abide by the rules, policies, assignments and expectations, it is like a huge adventure. Let me try my best and hope for the better to come out. And for my friends, family and sports, they must listen; I have no time for them. OK. I have to achieve the distinguished character during the demonstration of the process of clinical inquiry. I want my critical questions to be comprehensive. I have an ambition; my thought process should be precise and accurate. I desire to have the ability to interpret and evaluate texts with the distinction. I long I should achieve distinction in commands over interpreting thesis and supporting evidences. In the critical evaluation of point of view, I wish ti be able to synthesize source-texts with purpose and precision and accuracy. My college intends to provide me with the abilities to face the world in future. For the purpose, a shift in policies is always imminent. For instance, Tunxis has implemented a new policy in which â€Å"grades’ have been eliminated and the â€Å"Course Ability Equivalent Scores† introduced. No doubt the method is to strengthen me with my improved knowledge, it has added to burdens over me. My instructor will no longer correct my errors, instead I have to discover and diagnose my problems myself. The responsibility of my success or failure is thus on my own shoulders now. My pleasures, how can I find time for you? My Composition Course aims at developing inside me skills of writing, my ability to read, evaluate, analyze and synthesize texts and ideas. With the standard use of English, my course is to enable me to writ e and revise essays with due formats. Attendance, Conduct and deadline, all I always meet with satisfaction. Essays need a high degree of concentration and learning. It is, therefore, quite a tougher job to do. To get it done to the satisfaction, my time is shortened again for my hobbies. Let me say good bye to my hobbies right now. Beg your pardon hobbies; it is to say off with you forthwith. According to Carter, â€Å"Integrity† is to fully understand the right and the wrong. When â€Å"right†

Human Resource Plan in Zeagol Company Ltd Research Paper

Human Resource Plan in Zeagol Company Ltd - Research Paper Example Zeagol Company Ltd was established in 1986 and has been operating in the pharmaceuticals industry since then. This company produces and markets drugs, medicinal chemicals, and other pharmaceutical products to laboratories in the state of California. This company has a comprehensive compensation and benefits package that is aimed at retaining and compensating, its five hundred employee base, which has been responsible for its profitability and growth. This paper designs a project charter to give a face-lift to this compensation and benefits package. Project Charter to Revamp the Compensation and Benefits Package This charter is created to formally authorize a project to develop and implement an upgrade to the existing compensation and benefits package. Included in this charter is a scope statement; a communication plan; and a work breakdown structure. The scope of the Project 1. Background In the past two years this company boasted of having an employee base of seven hundred laborers. This indicates that the number of employees has decreased by nearly twenty-eight percent. One major reason for this decreased number is last year’s mass layoff that was carried out with an aim of doing away with the irrelevant and needles job positions. In this layoff, several departments were all also merged with an aim of reducing costs. Unfortunately, this layoff plan has not worked to the advantage of this company, since two years down the line this company’s profits have been declining ever since this mass layoff was carried out. Somehow this layoff plan affected the employees psychologically since the remaining ones either lost the morale to work or resigned for greener pastures. This resignation trend has increased since the beginning of this year, with some of the employees opting to leave unceremoniously without any formal notification. An attempt was made to solve this issue by changing the human resource manager, but this is not enough. It is important to t his company the greener pasture that will attract the best employees in the market, and this can only be done through major changes in the compensation and benefits packages. Currently, this company’s compensation and benefits package are structured as below, The employee’s benefits include the pension and retirement plans, life and health insurance packages, and the federally required unemployment and workers compensations. The employee compensation covers the wage and salary program and structure for the different job categories and levels. This company’s paying method has been conducted in line with the base pay method where employees are compensated depending on their role in the organization (Mathias & Jackson, 2010, p. 27).  Ã‚  

Discuss how recent changes in the law may impact on the tourism and Essay

Discuss how recent changes in the law may impact on the tourism and hospitality industry - Essay Example A series of constraints can appear causing severe delays to the completion of the relevant projects. Current paper focuses on the effects of law on the airline industry – emphasis is given on the aviation law of UK – as influenced from the European Union law. It is concluded that the update of legal rules related – either directly or indirectly – to the airline industry has affected the performance of the specific industrial sector. The character of the relationship between this industry and the law cannot be clearly specified – being characterized by benefits and drawbacks. However, despite the delays that the changes in the law have caused to the development of airline industry – in the context described below – still, it is necessary that the relevant measures are supported both by the entrepreneurs and the public. After a transition period, the benefits of these initiatives will be made clear – even if currently the introduction of the relevant legal rules is not fully justified. The needs of various industries in regard to their regulation can be differentiated. The characteristics of each industry and the level of its interaction with the public are usually of high importance in order to decide on the form of the regulatory framework developed for the particular sector. Under these terms, the needs of each industry in terms of law are defined by the following criteria: a) the position of the industry within the local economy, b) the structure of the operational activities of the industry’s firms, c) the practices followed in regard to the regulation of similar industries in the context of the international community, d) the rules developed by international bodies and which are binding for a specific industrial sector – for instance the rules of the European Union which need to be promoted within all member states. In the case of the airline industry, the elements of the legal framework used for the

Consultancy Report for Portsmouth Leather Company Essay

Consultancy Report for Portsmouth Leather Company - Essay Example Consultancy Report for Portsmouth Leather Company Portsmouth Leather is one of the renowned names when it comes to selling trendy and high fashion executive briefcase and travel case. The company portray strong financial outlook as during the last financial year the profit of the company increased by 10% to an impressive  £ 1,800,000. Following its marketing strategy of exploring new market, the company participated in the Frankfurt International Trade Fair. Eastern express, after being impressed by the quality of the company’s commodities in the fair, approached with an offer. The following report identifies the problems which the company is likely to face and the corresponding solutions to such problems. Portsmouth Leather needs to have additional finances in order to be capable of producing additional briefcases and travel cases. As per the cash-flow forecasted by the management, the company requires  £ 495,000 to finance the tender. The company has not incorporated, in the forecasted cash flow, the finance charges on the financing. Another problem that the company is likely to face is the fact that it does not have the additional production capacity to cater the tender. The company currently produces 2,000 units per month, but in order to acquire the tender, the company will be required to produce an additional 2,200 units per month for three months. The company needs to negotiate the overtime with the workforce. In addition, the company needs to bargain the cost of raw material with the supplier in order to increase its contribution margin.... The company needs to negotiate the overtime with the workforce. In addition, the company needs to bargain the cost of raw material with the supplier in order to increase its contribution margin. Negotiating the price of the tender is also significant. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES Solution 1 In order to finance the project, the company needs to acquire short term running finance facility from a bank or any other financial institution. Since the project is of a short term nature, obtaining a short terms running finance facility would be much beneficial rather than acquiring a long term facility. The plus point in acquiring a short term financing facility is that the company would be required to pay mark-up at a lower rate as compared to that if a long term facility would have been acquired. The company can also raise finance through issuance of shares in the market. The advantage of raising shares in the public market is that the company will avoid the finance charge, which it would have paid on the financing facility. Issuance of capital significantly improves the gearing of the company and strengths its equity. The disadvantage of raising finances through issuance of share capital is that it takes comparatively longer time for the existing and prospective share holder to subscribe to the shares and transfer their money to the company. Moreover, the statutory requirement regarding the floating of shares in the stock market is far more intricate as compared to the procedure involved in the sanctioning of a financing facility. Solution 2 The company’s current production capacity will not allow it to produce additional units unless it somehow increase its production capacity or shift its resources towards manufacturing items