Loose Control

Lily walked into the crowded cafà © and was greeted by the warm smell of freshly baked bread. Mrs Austell always made the most delicious bread, not that she had eaten much of it lately. The mouth watering smell of Mrs Austell's home made loaf brought back bitter-sweet memories for Lily. Memories of when her life was happy. In control. Lily walked over to the cashier and began to place her order. â€Å"Can I have a bottle of mineral water and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she stared longingly at the array of chocolate bars on display. If she was really good for the rest of the day†¦ She shook the thought from her mind. Four hundred calories per bar, even if she was good for the rest of the day, it would still take ages to burn off. â€Å"†¦um, yeah that's all thanks,† she finally said as she handed the cashier the money and went over to sit at the circular wooden table by the window. She had just started reading her favourite book when someone sat down next to her. She looked up to see a girl with greasy, peroxide blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. Her ears glittering with fake gold hoops and playboy studs. â€Å"Awright orphan girl?† she asked, tauntingly. â€Å"Leave me alone Olivia,† answered Lily quietly. She tried to concentrate on her book. It was one of her favourites, and although she knew it back-to-front, it was still completely engrossing. It had been a present from her aunt that Christmas when†¦ She tried to hold back her tears, but it was too late, a lump had formed in her throat. She didn't want to cry in front of Olivia, she was bad enough already. Just as Lily began to feel the first mournful tears form, a voice called her above the chatter of the cafà ©. Lily looked up to see Darcey striding through the cafe, her long fiery hair swishing behind her making her look as if she'd just stepped off the catwalk. â€Å"Oh.My.Gosh!† said Darcey as she sat down. â€Å"What?† asked Lily cheerfully, feigning a smile. â€Å"I got the contract!† â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"I've signed with a model agency, Models one to be exact!† squealed Darcey. â€Å"Damn

Drug Addiction Disease or Choice? Essay

Drug addiction, disease or choice, the National Institution of Drugs Association (NIDA) has determined Drug Addiction a chronic, relapsing brain disease while opposing views debate Drug Addiction as solely a choice controlled voluntarily? Drug addiction is now recognized as a chronic relapsing brain disease expressed in the form of compulsive behaviors. Hence, the estimated economic cost contributed to disease foundations is $181Billion a year? Could this be a loophole for obtaining funds and doesn’t this kind of money seem high to be contributed to a voluntarily poor decision? Weather you believe addiction to be a disease or a choice is to be seen. Many well respected professors and scientist claim addiction is a scapegoat behavior that has been incorrectly identified as a physical or mental illness, an addict is only a victim of bad science and misguided policy. NIDA has made ground-breaking discoveries about the brain and has revolutionized our understanding of drug abuse a nd drug addiction. Later to be defined is what the significant difference between abuse and addiction, which can ultimately change ones point of view. The following is a combination of research by medical institutions and well respected professional in the fields of science, along with two very interviews, with an ex drug addict turned counselor for a methadone treatment facility, an individual in active addiction, and a recovering addict. The experience, strength, and hopes of these professionals and the personal trauma had by each of these addicts is part of a message that should be heard by anyone ever touched by the disease of addiction in any way shape or form. Drug Addiction is a growing problem today and has caught the attention of many professionals these professionals have opposing views of the cause, some will say Drug addiction is a disease while others will claim it is a voluntary choice of poor decisions making. NIDA has determined that addiction is a disease. The big controversy is said to be in the difference of terminology. Before one can make the assessment weather addiction is a  disease or choice they must first understand the difference between addiction and abuse. What are the differences Between a Drug Abuser, and a Drug Addict? Many people assume that addiction is simply an overuse of drugs, and that the addict is just a drug user who chooses to use too much. But research has shown that addiction, unlike casual drug use, is no longer a matter of free choice. â€Å"Functionally you’ve moved into a different state, a state of compulsive drug use,† says Alan Leshner, Ph.D., director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Drug use really isn’t a choice of morality. By interview with a counselor at a drug rehabilitation center â€Å"Drug addiction is a mental disorder with a physical allergy.† When an addict doesn’t use they become ill physically, muscles tighten, sweats and stomach pains, vomiting and many other flu like symptoms surface. Then the voice in the brain begins to talk to them and it is a vicious cycle of emotional stress. The abuser can use at parties and on special occasions. He or she ma y like to use when they chose, but if they do not use drugs they do not have a mental relapse or physical discomforts. When an addict puts down the drug they are not cured, they are only sober. For this reason many addicts must undergo either a 12 step program or have the support of a drug counselor. An abuser can stop using at any given time and never pick up again. The National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Medical Association all define this state of driven, compulsive use as the essence of addiction. Someone who abuses drugs may suffer negative consequences from using, as the addict does, but generally can and does stop when these consequences become too severe. The addict may be unable to stop, even after negative consequences, without medical and/or behavioral help. Says Steven Hyman, M.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health, â€Å"An alcoholic taking a drink looks like anyone else engaged in that behavior, but what’s happening in his or her head is different.† He or she is in the grip of a powerful compulsion that may lead to a binge. (Firshein, Janet) Some have characterized addiction as a behavioral choice and can be controlled voluntarily. There is an interview with Gene M Heyman a professor at Harvard University, as the conversation around his ideas of addiction being  a voluntary decision and why anyone would want to volunteer to be an addict. Gene Hymens findings are and what they mean. The author argues what has been said about addiction in so many studies, â€Å"drug addiction is a Disease† this means it is not a choice. Heyman states it is simply an act of voluntary choice. While he does not pretend to be a policy expert, he does believe that treatment should consist of non-drug activities to lower the value of the â€Å"drug.† (Akst, Daniel) Heyman states, â€Å"In a most impressive display of brain technology, scientists have used scanning technologies to observe metabolic activity of the brain in action. In a typical demonstration, addicts are shown drug related videos that depict people handling crack pipes and needles. Brain scans capture the viewer’s reaction to these provocative ima ges and represent it as glowing Technicolor splotches of color that represent activation in drug sensitized brain regions. (Videos of neutral contact depict no such activity.)† Heyman goes on to make his claim that this proves that addiction is not a brain state it is a behavior. (Leshner) It’s not strange or unlikely that as soon as a person hears the word’s addiction, they are interpreted immediately as a negative and a stigma is automatically attached to the individual with the addiction. In the article called â€Å"Drug Addiction: A Brain disease?† I have found that there are studies that define â€Å"drug addiction, â€Å"as a compulsion to take drugs. There are many biological factors that are indications of â€Å"drug addiction† being a form of a mental disease do to the lack of control one has in their behavior. â€Å"Drug addiction† affects even the neurotransmitters that one uses to learn or for memory. The studies go on and on and do to the behavioral components there are some scientists and other professionals who seem hesitant to call â€Å"drug addiction† a brain disease. (Pietas’, Nicole) Some say it is a disease some say it’s a choice. None the less, he disease of addiction has become such the problem in the United States of America it is considered the most costly and damaging DISEASE by the National Institute of Drug Abuse. This kind of money being delegated for these drug addicts and alcoholics is alarming. If not a disease than what is it? The evidence and research has been done. The brain behaves differently in an addict. When one ingests drugs one of the changes is the rise in available levels of certain  neurotransmitters associated with feelings of pleasure. Key among these is dopamine; a naturally occurring neuro-transmitter that some scientists now think is implicated in most of the basic human experiences of pleasure. The pleasure of a kiss, a bowl of favorite ice cream, and a compliment may all be related to a rise in dopamine levels in the normal person’s brain. Drugs of abuse also boost dopamine levels. When a person takes a hit of crack cocaine or a drag on a cigarette the drug causes a spike in dopamine levels in the brain, and a rush of euphoria, or pleasure. While it’s not the only chemical involved in drug abuse, experts have come to believe that dopamine is the crucial one. The damage is truly done over time as neurotransmitters are not replaced pain and suffering becomes more real when drugs are not present. The cycle of addiction is so cruelly painful. How can one assume or argue that this is a choice? We would be claiming that 600,000 people currently addicted to heroin today are just gluttons for punishment. Is there a cure for this disease? Unfortunately, no cure up to date, but recovery is possible with persistence, guidance and reinforcement as learned in an interview with Charlotte Doe, an ex addict turned CDAC Certified Counselor of Drug and Alcohol addiction, at Spectrum Health, a methadone rehabilitation center. The question is how bad does one want recovery? When asked, what was her most challenging responsibility; her response was being able to know when someone wasn’t ready and knowing that any day could be their last. She explained how there is no one rule in how to counsel an addict it’s not found in a text book, and no two addicts are the same. Her best gift to offer is being able to identify with the addict from experience. Charlotte also believes strongly in that meetings and step work are incredibly important. Putting the drug down is only the beginning of a long road ahead. The experience strength and hope from a recovering addict and a drug treatment counselor is how this addict is giving back to society. The sad part is that some haven’t truly hit â€Å"rock bottom† and until they do, they will not be ready. Hence, the addict relapsing, this is a term of when an addict puts down the drugs for a period of time to endure recovery and has a setback. There is an active addict which we will call, John Doe, who I had the pleasure of speaking with who shared with me the pain and suffering he goes through. He has attempted recovery numerous times, but  just can’t seem to find a way to stay clean. He knows that when he is in recovery, for example inpatient, he can stay clean. The problem is once subjected to â€Å"life on lifes terms† its back to square one. He also admits that until his enablers, those who make his using possible, stop being providers than he will continue using. Again, hearing those words straight from the mouth of an addict one can agree that until an addict Hits â€Å"rock bottom† there may not be a chance for recovery. Charlotte said it best, an enabler is cheating the addict of his/her â€Å"Rock Bottom†. Tough love is the key in a situation like Johns. His enablers might need to take a step back and let John go through his process. Being addicted can’t be a very pleasurable habit. It’s costly, you have to answer to the drugs regularly, no vacation without them, no chance of separation from the substance while sick and suffering. You are no longer your own boss, the drugs are. Unfortunately for the addict people continue to think it’s primarily a moral and poor Choice caused by being a degenerate and having lack of willpower. As learned in the research addiction is a disease that Causes addicts to have no regard for consequences and to abandoned everyone and everything with no control. Addiction is a disease that causes changes in the brain, which then drive certain behaviors, taking the drug compulsively, but addicts can learn to change the behavior. We wouldn’t blame a person with a heart disease for having a heart attack. But we would guide them into better habits; a healthy diet, exercise, and making sure they are complying with medication. The same with an addict, we can blame them for being sick, but we should encourage and make them responsible for their recovery. The disease itself cannot be cured but can be treated. It’s been said that the public has little sympathy for addicts, but â€Å"whether you like the person or not, you’ve got to deal with their problem as an illness.† Given the views of the professionals and personally affected individuals has your opinion of addiction been altered? Akst, Daniel The 1eBoston Glob, August 9, 2009Akst Daniel www.Boston.com/ bostonglobe/ idea /articles/2009/08/09 Campbell, William G. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, Nov2003, Vol. 48 Issue 10, p669- 674, 6p, 1 Chart; (AN 11539480) Falk,Daniel; Hsiao-Ye Yi; Susanne Hiller-Sturmhà ¶fel. Alcohol Research & Health, 2008, Vol. 31 Issue 2, p100-110, 11p, 4 Feske,Ulrike; Tarter, Ralph; Kirisci, Levent; Pilkonis, Paul. American Journal on Addictions, Mar2006, Vol. 15 Issue 2, p131-137, 7p, 1 Firshein, Janet, PBS Online Leshner Science 3 October 1997: 45 DOI:10.1126/science.278.5335.45, www.scienceAAAS.org the Addiction Is a Brain Disease, and It Matters Miriam-Webster, I. (2002). Merriam-Webster’s Third New International Dictionary Unabridged. Retrieved www.mwu.eb.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/mwu Pietas, Nicole. Drug Addiction: A Brain Disease? Serendip Biology 1/17/08

International baccalaureate primary-year-program Essay

International baccalaureate primary-year-program - Essay Example My first very exposure to the curriculum of International Baccalaureate was at an information morning, when I was a part of a seminar held in a good infrastructure school in the suburbs of Mumbai, India. Currently, I have an experience in an IB school, teaching the PYP: thanks to my education. The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization, is a nonprofit institution which provides educational products to the international community. Founded in 1968 in Switzerland, IB's original mission was to provide curriculum to schools; catering for children of Western diplomats who traveled frequently. The idea was to keep the curriculum consistent between schools in order to serve the needs of these students as they moved from one country to another. Today, the organization administers three programs, which are available for purchase by interested schools. The three programs of the IB schools are as follows: Primary Years Program(PYP) founde d in September 1997 caters 3 – 12 years Middle Years program(MYP) introduced in 1994 caters 11 – 16 years Diploma Program ( IBDP) introduced in 1969 caters to 16 – 19 years I chose the IB PYP board as I was impressed by the breadth of study, the potential for individual choice, the opportunity to develop and follow my passion as stated early on and the inclusion of CAS (creativity, action and service). With respect to this module and my experience, IB PYP has really taken full of my attention. I hope I will be able to instill my essence of thoughts on paper and do proper justice to this module without being too bias or critical. Key words: Curriculum, International Baccalaureate Primary year program(IB PYP). Introduction The International Baccalaureate Primary Year Program is one of the many educational programs of the International Baccalaureate (IB) system. The program caters for students who are 3 to 11 years of age. Its primary goal is to prepare the student s for the middle year’s program of the IB system (IBO.org 2009). Like any IB program the primary year program was carried out in order to enhance the skills of young children to make them knowledgeable, caring and inquiring. The primary goal of the program was to produce young people who have intercultural understanding and respect so that they will be able to help create a better and peaceful world. This goal was to be achieved because the program was a transnational program that inculcated the cultures and background of several nations and people without any discrimination whatsoever. Another goal of the program is to produce students who understand the differences of other people. These students will be encouraged to become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners. Â  There are ten traits that the Primary years program (PYP) aims to enhance or develop and these are:Â  Inquirers, Knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, Risk takers, bal anced, and reflective. As said early on, the International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. But how effective is the PYP? Have the aims and purposes of the PYP program really been achieved in practice? Are there theories or studies that support the efficacy of the PYP program? This essay evaluates and analyzes the aims and purposes of the PYP program and how likely these programs are achieved in pract

Entrepreneurship 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Entrepreneurship 2 - Essay Example Although actually I believe in my efforts and try to take advantage of opportunities, I can admit that sometimes I tend to think that there is my destiny programme in the universe that rules my life. But now I know that my relatively low level of the Locus of Control can be a barrier to my entrepreneurial aspiring, so I should learn to exert more control over my life and to increase my personal responsibility in achieving success in the context of solving my problems. I should also pay more attention to development of my creativity, improving imagination and an ability to see different perspectives of ordinary things. I consider my company attracts and keeps entrepreneurial talents thanks to two main principles of its business – to give the opportunity for personal growth to each employee and to enhance personal capabilities through building and development of the team. Each person in our company feels that the company’s success depends upon successes of each of us and vice versa. Amabile (1998) asserts that creativity takes place when expertise, creative-thinking skills, and motivation join together. In my company all three necessary components are established. In spite of that my business (a coffee shop) comprises much of routine, a creative atmosphere is provided thanks to challenges that are regularly given to staff, e.g. a contest in finding a best solution to attract of our ex-customers or to make suggestions for a seasonal menu. New ideas from the personnel are encouraged by our managers, especially if the ideas help to improve customer services. I think our good open-minded creative climate is also provided by the team that consists of people with diverse expertises and backgrounds – it helps us to gain different views and to synthesize them in new, sometimes unusual ideas. 2. I understand causes of the problem. The famous Kiplings â€Å"six

Teaching Prejudice Reduction in High School Students, School and the Research Paper

Teaching Prejudice Reduction in High School Students, School and the Community - Research Paper Example Gordon Allport identified prejudice as a feeling, positive or harsh, towards an individual or thing, prior to, or not derived from, real experience (Allport 2). This paper will research on ways one would go about teaching prejudice reduction in high school students, school and community. Prejudicial beliefs and attitudes challenge values of social justice in a moderate democracy. Prejudice in learning institutions is troubling because they are public areas in which learners study to construct and negotiate knowledge of disparities. When prejudicial attitudes go uninspected in learning institutions, students are not granted the chance to disassemble prejudicial knowledge (Bandura 34). The effect of prejudicial actions on students is broad, extending from lower school performance to deprived mental and physical health. For instance, recent research illustrated that the Asian Pacific American learners encounter prejudicial attitudes regarding expectations of high academic achievement. A single Asian Pacific American student is anticipated to shine in academics based upon combined group data in spite of his or her individual abilities or needs (Cohen 56). These prejudices coalesce with family prospects bring out high levels of stress among learners. As a result, some Asian Pacific American scholars report serious misery and suicidal feelings than their European and American counterparts. The lessening of prejudice is essential for vigorous and equitable learning surroundings that promote a student’s physical, academic and mental health (Cohen 56). Creating awareness of the effects of prejudice to high schools students, schools and the community at large is a vital key of reducing prejudice. This is because as students observe alternate stories of different groups, they start the deconstruction of hegemonic typical stories that effect social disparity. For instance, rather than having monolingual voice in subjects like history, learners are capable of listeni ng to several voices that explain the history from a variety of views. Learners develop the skill to evaluate discrepancies that exist to effect inequalities by studying several views of history. Transformative information becomes a possible source for exceptional change by enlightening and communicating the variations between the democratic principles in a society plus its practices. The transformation of information entails raising diverse queries and reexamining what is the official information. The official information explains the attitude of typical stories to the status of being natural, normal or truth. Because official information is often effected by a school’s program, a critical assessment of the curriculum is a vital aspect of multicultural education. This assessment is essential for students to deconstruct prejudicial information and establish an appreciation of diverse cultures. The mass media play a pivotal responsibility in enlightening the reduction of preju dice in the society. The mass media assists in enlightening the society about the effects of prejudice. Educators can also assist students to study the way in which diverse social groups are exposed in mass media. Recent research has found that, though, the media often promotes the growth of prejudicial attitudes because it occasionally gives a wider understanding of different perspectives. Finally, prejudiced actions like tracking should be expelled as a means of reducing prejudice (Cortes 125). Researchers have called for awareness

Rectorseal in India Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Rectorseal in India - Research Paper Example Rectorseal is a Houston USA based corporation established in the year 1937 and deals with the manufacture of chemical based products that are intended for use to various trading companies like automobiles and other manufacturing industry segments. The company operates in multiple global markets including USA, Brazil, China, France, and Germany. The company sells its products through a network of wholesalers based across these international markets to serve a wide and diversified target market audience. The company has a diversified product portfolio with the primary products being chemical sealants plastic based pipe cement, thread based sealants, other forms of sealants. Other products also include chemicals that are used in cleaners apart from a host of customized specialty products that are manufactured through a blend of innovation and technology as well as customer demands that are manufactured with high level of expertise and quality to meet the full satisfaction from the clien ts.Financially the company is quite sound with the company earning about 9571 thousand US dollars and generating a total business revenue of around 10207500 US dollars in the year ended 31st March 2010 showing a significant increase over its value from the previous years. The following sections would try to analyze the aspect and the possible reason for investing capital to enter the Indian market. The choice of market assumes significance for Rectorseal considering the growing influence and high growth rate of manufacturing activities.

International finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International finance - Research Paper Example Engaging in International trade is important for the economies of the two or more countries involved; because there is an exchange of foreign currencies, creation of jobs and enhancement of revenues through taxation of the business profits. For multi-national organizations to survive in this import and export trade, they have to employ financial tools in their assessments, and this includes financial agreements and use of security exchanges. A product of trade in international finance varies depending on locations, legal requirements of operating in such destinations and transaction requirements. This paper seeks to assess the impact of selling beverages from United States of America into the Kenyan market. Abinam Inc. has been in the beverage industry for over 20 years, and recently decided to expand its operations in Africa, and specifically East Africa. To start its operations, the company identified Kenya as a convenient starting point because of its economic dominance in East Af rica, and the high quality its infrastructure, which includes roads and telecommunications. The Kenyan political structure advocates for liberalization and a free market economy and all this are conducive for our operations. Kenya is a lucrative destination of the beverage industry because of the financial capabilities of its citizens and their thirst for new ideas and products. In analyzing the practicality of beverage sale in Kenya, this paper seeks to identify the different methods of International Business that Abinam Inc. will employ in the Kenyan market. It will assess Kenyan balance of current account in the last ten years to determine whether the planned beverage product is an export of the country. This paper will analyze Kenyan main exports and thereafter use them to predict the profitability rate of the beverage products. In achieving this, this paper will scrutinize the import data of Kenya for the last ten years and thereafter make a conclusion regarding the beverage pr oducts. This paper will review the import control mechanisms of the Kenyan State in order to assess the possibility of Abinam Inc. in conducting trade in the and its effects in its operations. In analyzing these mechanisms, this paper will identify specific controls set by the Kenyan government, giving an explanation of its intended objectives and thereafter its effect in the operations of beverage sale of Abinam Inc. This paper will review the changes in the various currencies of the two states, i.e. American Dollar and the Kenyan Shilling. This will help in analyzing the type of currencies to use, since changes in currencies can affect the profitability of a business organization. In understanding the foreign exchange rates of the two currencies, Abinam Inc. will be able to develop currency features which will minimize risks associated with fluctuations in foreign exchange rate. This paper has a conclusion, which highlights the process of registering a business organization in Ken ya. Kenyan economy is agriculturally based and it imports most of its products from Europe and Asia, because of this, most of its international trade is skewed in favor of the industrialized states. In the last ten years, the Kenyan current account has seen a deficit (Goswami and Matoo, 2012). A current account is the balance between values of the country’s imports compared to the revenues generated from its exports. The current