Bulgaria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Bulgaria - Essay Example The President of the republic is the head of state and the supreme commander-in-chief. The Prime Minister on the other hand heads and bears responsibility for the overall policy of the government. After a period of political instability in the mid 1990s, there has been a gradual stabilization since 2001 with the election of Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, son of Tsar Boris III, and heir of the royal family, as prime-minister (Library of Congress, 2005). The focus of the governmental power of several consecutive governments has been the EU accession process requiring substantial reforms in the legislative, judiciary, administrative and other spheres of economy. In 2004 Bulgaria's population was estimated at 7,518,000 with a negative growth rate of -0.92 percent per year. About 70 percent of the population is urban; the capital Sofia has population of 1.1 million. Since 1990s migration to Western European countries has increased significantly, with estimated 200,000 residents leaving the country between 1992 and 2002. This movement is expected to accelerate as Bulgaria becomes an EU member state. Concerning ethnic groups, approximately 83 percent are Bulgarians, 9 percent Turks, and 5 percent Roma. In the 1980s during the communist period there was a campaign to assimilate the Turkish population. Today the only ethnic issue is discrimination of Roma who have even lower living standards and are generally regarded as second-class citizens (Library of Congress, 2005). By 1990s during the communist period Bulgaria had strong industrial and agricultural productivity and export within the Soviet and ex-communist countries. Political concussions and the fall of the communist regime resulted in economic shocks, Bulgaria lost many of its markets, because of increased competition and decreased political backup. Productivity levels dropped, many industrial factories were destroyed and plundered, agricultural structures were abolished. This, combined with instability in the political situation, led to a severe economic crisis in 1997-1998. Economical recovery involved the establishment of a currency board and structural changes in all sectors of economy (Library of Congress, 2005). Since that period the country has a slowly developing economy, with lowering inflation rates, improving investor confidence, tax-reducing policies etc. Today the country is facing one of the greatest challenges in its recent economic development - forthcoming EU accession in 1997. EU accession process is as much a political issue, as it is an economical issue. Ever since 1993, when the European Union announced its expansion policy towards Central and Eastern Europe, consecutive governments have adjusted their national programs with view to Bulgaria's prospective accession in the EU. Now, that the principal date of the accession was determined months ago, the government has to overcome many problematic areas, addressed by the EU Commission as areas of specific concern that have to be dealt with beforehand, or else the accession can be postponed. And while the Currency Board pegging the Bulgarian currency (leva) to the euro has contributed to economic stability, increased domestic consumption,

Freudian Reading on Othello Essay Example for Free

Freudian Reading on Othello Essay Freudian Reading on â€Å"Othello† Is it possible for other people to act as our superegos? What are the effects of never resolving your oedipal complex? And when a situation becomes to over whelming, do we project our thought and feelings on to our peers? I am using â€Å"Through the Literary Looking Glass: Critical Theory in Practice† by Sian Evans and â€Å"Othello† by William Shakespeare to analyse the characters Othello and Iago as well as the major theme jealousy through a Freudian lens. The aim of this psychoanalysis is to try and give a better understanding of the character’s motivations and unconscious, narcissistic desires. The theme jealousy is revealed by both these characters throughout the play shows us how we need to be well rounded people, and the effects this has if we are not. The opening act of â€Å"Othello† begins with the marriage of Desdemona and Othello in Venice, Italy. Here we see a black, middle aged man, marry a fair, young, Venetian woman in front of an upper class white society. (This was highly frowned upon at that point in history). As the play proceeds Iago suggests to Othello that Desdemona is sleeping with Cassio, and tries to corrupt their marriage. This behaviour seems somewhat childish coming from a grown man and shows us how Iago doesn’t use his superego to control his id, as well as displaying his immense jealousy of Othello. However Othello believes what Iago is saying, as he has a reputation of being an â€Å"honest man†. Iago continues to insinuate Desdemona’s dishonesty to Othello and provides fake evidence. Othello gets increasingly â€Å"green-eyed† by the â€Å"poison† that Iago is telling him and becomes so overwhelmed by this jealousy that he goes back to his natural instincts, resolving issues through murder. This is a result of him joining the army at 7 and since then all he has known is war. The play ends with Othello acting on impulse and under the influence of his violent superego, murdering Desdemona, and then Iago after he realises Desdemona was innocent. He then proceeds to commit suicide as he believed this act would be considered noble, restore his reputation, and relieve his conscious mind of his violent actions. Othello is a mentally and emotionally frail character in the play. He joined the army at a young age and gradually became recognised in society as something other than a then a â€Å"middle aged†, â€Å"black moor†, due to his high rank in the army and then marrying Desdemona. However  when a supposedly â€Å"honest Iago† starts suggesting Othello’s wife is unfaithful, he is easily able to mentally control Othello through him never having resolved his oedipal complex. Othello had never resolved his oedipal complex because we see him give his mother’s handkerchief to Desdemona. Freud describes this as a method of transference and Othello is transferring his repressed love for his mother on to Desdemona. Iago then acting as Othello’s id then reveals Othello’s murderous superego which was caused by decades of warfare. We visually see this in the play when he says â€Å"How shall I murder him Iago† when Iago implies Cassio is sleeping with Desdemona. Here, Othello is also showing that his oedipal complex is still not resolved by transferring his repressed emotions on to new objects through his desire to murder Cassio (being the father) in order to be closer to Desdemona (being the mother). Later in the play we see hi s superego again when Desdemona (the woman he loves) becomes his enemy and he kills her. This act of murder was purely out of jealousy and the fear of him losing his reputation he has worked so hard for. â€Å"Yet she must die, else shell betray more men,† Shows us how Othello is subconsciously protecting his soldiers. Though a Freudian perspective it appears that Shakespeare has used Othello as a character to show us that if you are brought up with murder or warfare when you are young, you might never be able to overcome your violent superego as you get older and the detrimental effects this has. Shakespeare has also shown us how sublimation is applied through Othello, as he is someone that has the urge to hurt and kill and thus joined the army, so that the act of killing is morally justified by protecting their country or soldiers. He may not kill the person he wants to kill necessarily, but they will release their feelings by killing the enemy, if unless these feelings are manipulated by an external factor (Iago). Although many years have passed since â€Å"Othello† was written, people can still relate to it because human nature does not change. We all question those who are close to us, and whether or not they are honest and loyal. Shakespeare is using Othello to warn us of disastrous co nsequences that may arise when you are manipulated by a person (Iago) that capitalises on the jealous nature of another human. Iago is an extremely jealous character in the play. He is envious of Othello’s reputation, higher rank in the army, wife, and that he is more respected in a white society than him; even though he is middle aged and  black. This shown through the quote; â€Å"But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"He has done my office†. Reputation means to a lot to Iago, and overall that’s all he cares about most, which shows narcissism and racism in his character. He believed that Othello robbed him of his reputation. We see this through the quote; â€Å"But he that filches from me my good name, Robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me poor indeed†. Iago doesn’t use his superego to control his id so his urges and desires are unrestrained. This is shown throughout the play in his successful attempt to corrupt Othello’s marriage. Nearly one hundred per cent of the time when Iago is with Othello he is using reverse psychology to act as Othello’s superego and make him more jealous of Cassio; â€Å"O beware, my lord, of Jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster†. This is displaying two perspectives on Iago’s physiological state. Either Iago has zero control over his id, and just lets his jealous mind run wild. Or, he chooses not to control his psychopathic mind with his superego. This results in him tricking Othello into consciously thinking he’s jealous when he unconsciously isn’t. For example, when Othello asks for living reason (proof) that Desdemonas been disloyal, Iago tells him about an erotic dream that Cassio supposedly had one night while he was lying in bed next to Iago. In slee p I heard him say â€Å"Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves†. After Iago tells these rumours he then covers his tracks by deceiving Othello. An example of this is when he says; â€Å"Men should be what they seem† which is ironic coming from him, as he is not what he seems. He is deceptive and believable, and for Othello that is bad news for someone who is so easily jealous and mentally frail. â€Å"He hath a person and a smooth dispose, to be suspected, framed to make women false. The Moor is of a free and open nature, that thinks men honest but that seem to be so† This quote is reinforcing how Iago believes Othello will be easy to manipulate and deceive. Through this psychoanalysis we have a greater understanding of Iago’s motivations and unconscious desires. We see how he projected an overwhelming amount of jealousy he had for Othello on to him, and even though he thought he was in control of the situation and that he would come out on top, it led to both of their demise. For Iago jealousy played on the trust he developed in his relationship with Othello and whether Othello would believe him. However even though Othello did believe and trust Iago, Shakespeare still shows us  that jealousy destroys relationships and consumes the mind. My psychoanalysis of â€Å"Othello† has given me a new understanding of the play for a different perspective from what I would normally view it from. Iago and Othello both had major flaws in their characters which ultimately lead to their demise. Iago couldn’t control his id, which meant he was always acting on impulse without control of the superego and there was only a matter of time before he slipped up. Then Othello never resolving his oedipal complex meant someone like Iago could easily manipulate and mentally corrupt him. Both these characters have shown us as readers how we need to be well rounded people so we are not as easily susceptible to jealousy, and the effects this has if we are not.

The Art of Decadence Essay -- Literary Analysis

In the late 19th century decadence was a tremendously popular theme in European literature. In addition, the degeneracy of the individual and society at large was represented in numerous contemporary works by Mann. In Death in Venice, the theme of decadence caused by aestheticism appears through Gustav von Achenbach’s eccentric, specifically homoerotic, feelings towards a Polish boy named Tadzio. Although his feelings spring from a sound source, the boy’s aesthetic beauty, Aschenbach becomes decadent in how excessively zealous his feelings are, and his obsession ultimately leads to his literal and existential destruction. This exemplifies how aestheticism is closely related to, and indeed often the cause of decadence. Although the narrative is about more complexities, the author’s use of such vivid descriptions suggest the physical, literal aspect of his writing is just as important to the meaning of the story. The first and most obvious instance of aestheticism and decadence as correlating themes in this story is the title, Death in Venice. By fore-grounding the name of the city in the title, Mann is highlighting the city's key role in the unfolding narrative. Mann aligns the word 'Venice' with the word 'death' in the title. This creates a relationship between these two words - the word 'death' strongly infuses the word 'Venice' with all its connotations. Death and decay are important ideas within the context of decadence. By shear nature the title relates the concepts of death and dying to the city of Venice, which implies that the location is where a death will occur. However, this is paralleled by the opening of the story when Mann drearily tells of Aschenbach’s stroll through Munich. In the reading of this passage it ... ...ut to be the scene of a crowded, stifling city filled with cholera that eventually leads to his demise. Before this can occur however, he becomes internally decadent through his indulgence in Tadzio’s appearance. He then changes his appearance to please his idol which in turn corrupts himself by turning him into the type of decadent man he once despised. These themes of aestheticism and decadence, not in juxtaposition but in duality, are used frequently by Mann throughout the novella. Works Cited Mann, Thomas, and Clayton Koelb. Death in Venice: a new translation, backgrounds and contexts, criticism. New York: W.W. Norton, 1994. Print. Ritters, Naoimi, and .Jeffrey B. Berlin. "the Tradition of European Decadence." Approaches to teaching Mann's Death in Venice and other short fiction. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1992. 86-92. Print.

Distinctively Visual Essay

Distinctively visual imagery can either entice or distance us from the world of the characters. Through language and rhythm, the readers become absorbed in the action and dynamics of the narrative or empathetic observers of the struggles of others. Henry Lawson’s short stories ‘The Drover’s Wife’ and ‘In a Dry Season’ evoke a harsh, arid landscape but also sympathetic characters that struggle to survive. In contrast, the ballad ‘The Man From Snowy River’ by A.B (Banjo). Patterson entices us in a world of action, excitement and mountain beauty that draws the audience into the world of the ballad. Thus images absorb us but we may feel that we are spectators or participants in the world of the text. Henry Lawson uses different language techniques in his short story, ‘The Drover’s Wife’, to convey the struggle of living in the Australian outback. Lawson’s techniques paint a scorched and barren landscape, which conveys to the audience, the characters battle to live in such conditions. These techniques that Lawson has skillfully used include repetition, colour imagery and irony. Lawson uses the repetition of â€Å" Snake! Mother, here’s a snake!† so the audience would feel the urgency and the traumatising experience that the character is going through. This gives the audience an understanding of the struggle of every day life in the Australian outback. Lawson also uses colour imagery to draw a distinctively visual image of the dog, Alligator. ‘Black, yellow-eyed dog-of-all-breeds’ Lawson describes the dog as if it is mutant-like and a terrifying out of the ordinary dog. This shows us that the dog has had to adapt to the country and become abnormal just to live through every day. This makes the audience feel scared of the bizarre dog, but also they also sympathize with it as it is living in such severe conditions. The repetition of ‘She fought’ emphasizes how the mother must fight to keep her home and children safe. She does not stop fighting to survive in the Australian outback for herself, her children, her dog and her home. The audience is meant to feel sympathetic towards the mother as she gets no rest and everyday she must work and fight to survive. The audience is given a feeling that this is not home for the faint hearted. They are intrigued, however, they do not want to partake in the world of the text.  The irony of, ‘She loves her children, but has no time to show it. She is harsh to them.’ Gives the effect of the mother being the strong woman type and doesn’t show affection. But this doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to show her children affection, it merely means that with all the work that is required of her in the Australian outback, she does not have the time. This makes the audience feel sympathetic towards the mother and her childre n. They feel sorry for the children that they cannot spend as much family time with their mother as most families would. ‘The Drover’s Wife’ gives a negative feel of the outback and allows you to stand by the story but you are not invited in. The audience does not want to experience the harsh outback. One technique that is used is long sentences. Similarly, the short story ‘In a Dry Season’ by Henry Lawson uses techniques to convey the struggle of living in the Australian outback and also makes the audience feel intrigued by the story but do not want to participate in the world of the text. Lawson uses imperative, minimalist descriptions and a stereotypical setting to make the audience spectators in the world of the text in an unromanticised fashion. ‘Draw a wire fence’ this technique that Lawson uses is demanding our attention and involvement of the story. He is forcing the audience to draw the story and by doing this, they cannot participate in the world of the text. However, since the outback is so rough and unforgiving, the audience does not feel they want to participate anyway. ‘A wire fence†¦ Few ragged gums†¦ Scattered sheep running†¦ Train’, this use of minimalist description reduces the landscape to just 4 key characteristics. By doing this, Lawson emphasizes the monotony of the bush. This makes the audience to feel the harsh ruggedness of the dull landscape. This then pushes them away from the world of the text and forces them to stay observers of the short story. The stereotypical setting that Lawson draws emphasizes the sameness of the bush. He draws the landscape broadly repeating, â€Å"it is safe to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  encouraging the audience to assume that most towns share the same features. This shows that majority of the Australian outback is the same with their stores, pub, houses and the bush area. With the audience thinking this commonality between many small towns, they feel as though they want to stay observers rather than just being forced observers. Alternatively, ‘The Man From Snowy River’, a ballad written by A.B. (Banjo) Patterson, entices the audience and draws them into the story to live it out. He romanticises the Australian outback making the audience believe that the outback is a beautiful place to live with little worries. Banjo Patterson constructs this view of the Australian outback through its use of techniques. These techniques that Banjo Paterson has masterfully used throughout the ballad are alliteration, rhyming and rhythm. One technique used by Banjo Patterson is alliteration, ‘And they charged beneath the stock whip with a sharp and sudden dash’ and ‘thunder of their tread’, which is used to make the ballad more intriguing and enticing for the audience. This then has the effect of making the audience want to participate in the world of the text as the outback is romanticised and seems enjoyable. Rhyming couplets such as the following were used throughout the ballad to give it flair and rhythm: â€Å"Then they halted for a moment, while he swung the dreaded lash, But they saw their well-loved mountain full in view, And they charged beneath the stock whip with a sharp and sudden dash, And off into the mountain scrub they flew.†Ã‚  The rhyming and rhythm throughout the ballad gives the audience a jubilant feel and also romanticises the Australian outback. Because of this, the audience feels that the outback is a joyful place to live; they feel intrigued and are drawn into the world of the text and want to participate in the story. Therefore, the short stories ‘Drover’s Wife’ and ‘In a Dry Season’ by Henry Lawson induce the monotony of the Australian outback and the sympathetic characters that struggle to survive everyday life. Audiences feel as though they as observers of the unromanticised short stories and are not a part of the world of the text. In contrast, the ballad ‘The Man From Snowy River’ by A.B. (Banjo) Patterson shows a romanticised view of the Australian outback. Banjo Patterson writes of the action, excitement and the mountain beauty seen in his view of the outback. This entices the audience and makes them feel as though they are participants in the world of the ballad. Consequently, images engage us but we may either feel that we are spectators  or participants of the world of the text.

MW corporation

Structure and execute a DCF valuation of all the MW reserves using APV. How much are the reserves worth? Is your estimate more likely to be biased high or low? What are the sources of bias? Answer: The DCF valuation of all the MW reserves using APV Indicates that the net worth of the portfolio is around $516. 30 million. The estimate Is more likely to be biased on the higher side. The data for the projections was collected by Morgan Stanley and Amoco. Thus, the probable undeveloped and possible reserves estimated may be different from the ctual reserves.Amoco can get higher valuation by projecting higher reserves. Also, Amoco and Morgan Stanley projected that the price of a oil barrel will continue to rise for the next 15 years from the current price of S 20. 4 per barrel to S 443 per barrel. This increasing value of per barrel can significantly increase the valuation of the oil fields. COSTS: The costs In the projections were estimated based on the historical costs and cash overhead savings that Amoco expected to save from the sale of MW petroleum. However, Apache had very low costs and was an efficient operator of properties.Also, since the MW fields were operated by Amoco; this would result In more potential savings to Apache. likely to biased on the higher side. The DCF valuation using APV is shown in the next page. Interest tax shields: Assumed coupon on debt 12. 32% Assumed initial debt 182. 7 Year 1 interest 22. 5 Tax rate 36% Year 1 tax shield 8. 1 Assumed cost of debt 12. 00% Growth rate -4. 06% Value of tax shield (perpetuity) 50. 4 Value of â€Å"Additional assets† 25. 0 Total value of MW 516. 3 2. How would you structure an analysis of MW as a portfolio of assets-in-place and options?Specifically, which parts of the business should be regarded as assets-in- place and which as options? The whole portfolio of MW consists of 5 parts: i. Proved developed reserves it. Proved undeveloped reserves iii. Probable reserves ‘v. Possible reserves v . Other opportunities options as capital expenditures are associated with proved undeveloped reserves, probable reserves and possible reserves, and the company can choose whether to make these expenditures basing on the then prevailing prices of oil and natural gas.

Free Essays on T.s Eliot

T.S. Eliot In his article, â€Å"Prufrock, J. Alfred Prufrock,† Christopher Ricks talks about one of T.S. Eliot’s famous poem, â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.† T.S. Eliot wrote the poem in 1910 at the mere age of twenty one till 1911. The same thing is said about â€Å"The Waste Land.† in Helen Vendler’s â€Å"The Poet T.S. Eliot† â€Å"Seriously eclipsed by fiction.† These author’s points of views are about T.S. Eliot’s well written poems that made an impact in writing. T.S. Eliot’s full name is Thomas Stearns Eliot. Born in 1888 in St. Louis, Missouri from an old New England family. A businessman and poet, Henry and Charlotte Eliot. He was educated in English, European Literature and Eastern and Western philosophy and religion. In his mid twenties he moved to England, leaving behind his career in philosophy at Harvard. He then got married to a woman by the name of Ezra Pound. It was then he brought out his famous work†Prufrock† around 1917, which was about the unfulfilled yearning for love, for a love. But Christopher Ricks questions the poem. The voice of someone, not â€Å"the poet† but the voice that the poet has called into being. Who is the â€Å"You and I†? Is T.S. Eliot speaking to another, and if so to whom? Mr. Ricks supposes that the title of the poem will make us believe that the â€Å"you† is the loved one the one at least hoped for in love, as a lover, but who is it? Every one that reads it will have his or her opinion on the poem and say who might be it. â€Å"The Waste Land â€Å" however has a different tone to it. T.S. Eliot had a nervous breakdown 5 years after Prufrock and stayed in a Swiss Sanatorium in Laubanne. Not many people were impressed by it and thought of it as a piece of rhythmical grumbling. It has a turn of religious beliefs and unpleasant straight forward feelings from T.S. Eliot as some would understand it as. Its up to the reader to decide on what their aspects a... Free Essays on T.s Eliot Free Essays on T.s Eliot T.S. Eliot In his article, â€Å"Prufrock, J. Alfred Prufrock,† Christopher Ricks talks about one of T.S. Eliot’s famous poem, â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.† T.S. Eliot wrote the poem in 1910 at the mere age of twenty one till 1911. The same thing is said about â€Å"The Waste Land.† in Helen Vendler’s â€Å"The Poet T.S. Eliot† â€Å"Seriously eclipsed by fiction.† These author’s points of views are about T.S. Eliot’s well written poems that made an impact in writing. T.S. Eliot’s full name is Thomas Stearns Eliot. Born in 1888 in St. Louis, Missouri from an old New England family. A businessman and poet, Henry and Charlotte Eliot. He was educated in English, European Literature and Eastern and Western philosophy and religion. In his mid twenties he moved to England, leaving behind his career in philosophy at Harvard. He then got married to a woman by the name of Ezra Pound. It was then he brought out his famous work†Prufrock† around 1917, which was about the unfulfilled yearning for love, for a love. But Christopher Ricks questions the poem. The voice of someone, not â€Å"the poet† but the voice that the poet has called into being. Who is the â€Å"You and I†? Is T.S. Eliot speaking to another, and if so to whom? Mr. Ricks supposes that the title of the poem will make us believe that the â€Å"you† is the loved one the one at least hoped for in love, as a lover, but who is it? Every one that reads it will have his or her opinion on the poem and say who might be it. â€Å"The Waste Land â€Å" however has a different tone to it. T.S. Eliot had a nervous breakdown 5 years after Prufrock and stayed in a Swiss Sanatorium in Laubanne. Not many people were impressed by it and thought of it as a piece of rhythmical grumbling. It has a turn of religious beliefs and unpleasant straight forward feelings from T.S. Eliot as some would understand it as. Its up to the reader to decide on what their aspects a...

Essay on How Insurance Works

Essay on How Insurance Works Essay on How Insurance Works This is a free example essay on Insurance: In August of 2003 I took a position with AdminOne Corporation located in Bentonville, Arkansas as a Financial Services/Systems assistant. AdminOne is a privately owned and operated Third Party Administration that provides all of its clients virtually all their benefit needs. We work directly with employers representing a wide variety of industries to provide a comprehensive assortment of services with hassle-free Customer Service. For organizations determining that the high cost of health care requires alternate methods of funding, plan design, and plan management, AdminOne can provide many different functions. Some of these functions include: preparing all communication material, assisting in the implementation of the plan, recommending cost containment procedures and plan document changes, analyzing existing plan benefits and funding methods. Additionally, AdminOne also provides a wide variety of other products and services at the client’s demand, such as life insurance, long term disability, short-term disability, 401K plans, etc. As like many organizations, AdminOne feels that our customers deserve the highest quality of service and administration of their benefit plans. In keeping this our main focus, we have acquired the highest quality, technologically advanced claims adjudication system available on the market. AdminOne use the RIMS (Resource Information Management System, Inc.) system. RIMS began their business in 1981 and are still the dominant leader in claims adjudication systems. There are over 400 insurance companies across the United States that use the RIMS system, however, they haven’t seen the advantage of AdminOne. We believe we have an advantage over other insurance companies because we have built in the technology and automation functions to provide the maximum opportunity to pay claims accurately, timely, and in the most cost efficient manner for our clients. Our system is way more advanced than other insurance companies in many ways. First of all, it has the ability to link multiple fee schedules to single providers. Second, unlimited note screens can be used to aid in the documentation of every inquiry. Third, every customer who comes through us can doesn’t have to worry about fraud or abuse to their benefit plans. This is because we have installed a security system that will detect any hacking or abuse to any benefit programs. We believe this added on feature should keep clients knocking on our door for service. A new addition to our RIMS system is our customized client access website. This website is actually connected with our RIMS software so that clients can actually view their current claims. This is another advantage for us in that it keeps the phones from ringing all of the time. For example, if Allen Canning Co. wanted to access their current claims and make an adjustment because of termination of one of its employees, they could easily visit our website and make the adjustments themselves. This keeps our clients from having to call in and requiring us to make the manual adjustment. Moreover, to keep our system up to date and working efficiently, it was imperative that AdminOne recruit a systems team. There were five positions that needed to be filled and I was one of the recruits for the position. My primary responsibility, as a systems assistant, is to help my supervisor, Angie Baker, with client billing functions, implementation procedures for new clients and new computer systems and training on new systems. I actually talk to clients, such as Allen Canning Co, and help them decide how they want their claims invoices to look like. This usually takes thirty minutes to an hour to complete. Following the interview, I take their claims information and input the data in to RIMS. However, the process of inputting the data can be very extensive because every piece of information about each customer of the organization must be inputted. Then I go through a huge amount of modules and processes to produce the desired result, the invoice. Each invoice has its own number and group name associated with it. For instance, if I see AC802 in the top right corner of the plan document, I know that am working on Allen Canning Company’s invoice. Another responsibility of mine is to train clients on our custom designed client access website. I travel at least once a week to the surrounding cities and train our clients on how to use our website. Most of the time I meet with managers and other users of the system to insure they know how to input the data correctly. Most of the users have a general idea on how to use the system, but there are a few that don’t and I have to start from scratch. Furthermore, after the managers and current users understand how our website works, I give them user names and passwords which RIMS already assigns to their group name. After all this, they are now ready to view their claims and make any adjustments where they are needed. However, the clients only have limited access to our website. For instance, they cannot go into our system to change billing rates or selecting a different plan. That is something that only AdminOne has access to and there cannot be any debate. The client access website is one part of our system that I tend to a lot of the time. At the end of every day, I log in to the RIMS website and download any changes that went on in the system. For instance, if A.G. Russell Knives hired some new employees and added them to their plan, then I would extract that data and save it to our main server, which contains all of our client information. However, we do back up the server weekly to prevent loss of information in case of a fire or something along those lines. Moreover, I deal a lot with marketing materials, presentations, and proposals when necessary. For instance, whenever AdminOne has the opportunity to acquire a new client, our company will have meeting with that client in person or via videoconferencing. Sometimes I will join my team and participate in these meetings. The topics usually discussed in these meetings range from new ideas on administrative software to potential clients that we could obtain in the future. The meetings are normally 30 minutes to an hour and are very beneficial to our company. In addition to working for AdminOne as a systems assistant, I also do a number of job duties for the financial side. My primary responsibility is to update our RIMS system whenever we receive payment from our clients or when we have to cut checks to our re-insurance carriers. This is the more complicated area of my job and requires a lot more number crunching. I actually assist our accountant in keeping AdminOne’s books balanced and make sure that the money we receive goes in the correct account. My favorite part of the financial services assistant is the monthly billing, which we generate through our RIMS software. The process for calculating invoices and printing them from our server can actually be quite tedious. For example, whenever we get a new client, it is my duty to input their plan information into our system as soon as possible. I do this by creating a new table in RIMS that is specifically for our new client. Then I give them a group number, which is generated by RIMS, so that we can distinguish them from other clients. After all this is completed, RIMS will calculate their invoice based on what I input. However, since AdminOne is a third party insurance provider, we do not get all of the money that comes from paying the invoice. We have to pay other PPO carriers and re-insurance carriers based on a percentage that I enter. This is where the hard stuff comes into play because every client we have has a completely different plan. Some companies prefer to use a brok er and some clients prefer to use re-insurance carriers. Whatever the client’s decision may be; the point is that we actually enter the disbursement of payment into RIMS and it calculates the fees for us. That is the awesome attribute about RIMS because everything is automated. In addition to using the RIMS software, I also use many other software applications to complete my duties as a financial services assistant. Microsoft Excel and Quick Books are the main two that I use quite often. These applications are used to record payments whenever we receive them and aid in the accounts payable process. For instance, after I receive payment from Allen Canning Co, I open Allen Canning’s folder in Excel and update their information. This information includes the current number of people that is on their plan, which PPO carriers they used, and if they used a broker. Next I print out all of their sheets on Excel and match them to the printouts that RIMS generated. If all is correct then we are ready to cut the checks to the appropriate providers. Following the update of Excel, I then turn my attention to Quick Books. First, I prepare all of the paperwork, which was generated by RIMS and Excel, to enter the exact dollar amount. This part is very crucial because if I make one mistake it will throw off our balance sheet and income statement. Then we could possibly cut too much money or not enough. Second, I take the dollar amounts that I just entered and create a balance sheet that is generated by Quick Books. These balance sheets are then matched with our projected balance sheets that we generate earlier in the month. Sometimes the balance sheets don’t match up, but that doesn’t mean that there was an error entering the dollar amounts. It could mean that their head count had changed for their plan, such as firing someone or hiring someone. Next, after we have matched up the balance sheets, and everything looks good, we then cut the checks to the other providers. These checks are actually produced through Quick Boo ks and contain the dollar amounts for which I entered earlier in the process. Finally, after all the checks have been cut I immediately take them to our mailbox so that they can be mailed to the providers. One additional thing I did learn from my co-op experience was the act of confidentiality. This doesn’t play a big role in all organizations, but it is huge at AdminOne. It is imperative at insurance firms to keep all customers’ information kept suppressed. For instance, if I accidentally sent Allen Canning’s invoice to the wrong company, that firm could view their rates and what they are billed. This could pose a huge problem because the other firm may view their rates as being higher than Allen Canning’s and get very frustrated and we could possibly lose their business. Because everybody knows that insurance rates and premiums are based on whether the client is more risky or less risky. If they are more risky, then they will have to pay a higher premium and if they are less risky, they will pay a lower premium. Another example of keeping information suppressed is our internal network, or intranet. AdminOne has their own private network within the company that holds only accounting information and billing information. These records are to be kept suppressed at all times and AdminOne employees make sure that it does. That is why we install firewalls and blockers to keep outsiders from hacking into our system. There has been never been an occasion where anyone has tried to hack in, but there is always a first time for everything. So I guess you could see how keeping information suppressed is a must in an insurance organization. Upon joining AdminOne in early August, I really didn’t know what to expect since this was my first job in a real work environment. So I decided to come up with three objectives, or goals, that I could try to achieve throughout my co-op experience. The first goal that I set for myself was to obtain a better understanding of how internal business procedures actually work. Because I learn about them all of the time from the classes that I take and I really want to see if that is how it actually is in a real environment. The second objective that I came up with was to learn how to implement new systems in a real work setting. I believe that this is important for all ISYS majors for the simple fact that computer systems are always changing. New hardware and software hits the market all of the time and it is important as an ISYS major to become familiar with as much as you can. My third and final objective was to learn how to prioritize my duties so that I could be more efficient. S ince this was my first real job, I thought that this would be a good objective because it would definitely look good to my employer if I got a lot of work done in a short amount of time. I believe that it makes a person look good and motivated if they can prioritize and get more things done in a small amount of time. In conclusion, I would like to say that this co-op experience has really helped me in many ways. I am very fortunate I received a job that had something to do with my major and it has encouraged me to keep pursuing a career in this field of study. Since I have been working for AdminOne, I have learned so much more about my job than I ever could from a textbook. Not saying that the classes I have taken haven’t helped me, but I actually got some hands on experience while working there. For example, I have learned how to use many more software programs than I ever had while taking my ISYS classes. However, there are a few classes that really helped me out and can now see what they were talking about all this time. My Organizational Behavior class is one of the main classes where I developed a strong foundation. In that class we learned about the roles and norms of certain organizations and how they all differ depending on the organization in which you work. And on the first day o f my job I could see with my own eyes what they were talking about. I saw how all of my co-workers conducted themselves in the work environment and outside the work environment. I also leaned about our dress code while working at AdminOne, which is norm itself. In addition, my Business Statistics class was another key factor. I believe if I hadn’t taken that class, I wouldn’t be where I am because the job that I have right now requires a lot of number crunching. That is basically all we learned in Business statistics. Overall I am very pleased with my co-op experience and believe it will be very beneficial for my future. I enjoyed telling you about my organization and I hope you now have a better understanding of what we do. ______________ is a professional essay writing service which can provide high school, college and university students with 100% original custom written essays, research papers, term papers, dissertations, courseworks, homeworks, book reviews, book reports, lab reports, projects, presentations and other assignments of top quality. More than 700 professional Ph.D. and Master’s academic writers. Feel free to order a custom written essay on Insurance from our professional essay writing service.

Antecedents and Pronouns in the French Grammar Glossary

Antecedents and Pronouns in the French Grammar Glossary An antecedent is the previously mentioned or implied word, phrase, or clause that a pronoun replaces.  The pronoun typically agrees with the antecedent in gender, number, and/or grammatical function. Pronouns Agree With Their Antecedents Pronouns are words that stand in for nouns.  There are many different kinds of pronouns, but they can be divided into two main categories: personal (je, tu, il, nous, vous, ils), which changes according to the grammatical person it represents; and impersonal (adverbial, demonstrative, indefinite demonstrative, indefinites, interrogatives, negatives, possessives, relatives and indefinite relatives). The latter range from the adverbial y and en to the demonstrative celui, celle, ceux, celles and the popular relative pronoun  (qui, que, lequel, dont, and oà º), which links a dependent clause to a main clause and may replace a subject, direct object, indirect object or preposition. Examples   Pronouns and their antecedents, with which each pronoun agrees in form or function, are bolded. Nous regardons la tà ©là ©.We are watching TV. Jai achetà © un livre.  Il a à ©tà © à ©crit en 1999.I bought a  book.  It  was written in 1999. Je  lui  parle.Im talking  to  him. Si nous allons faire un gà ¢teau, nous devons le faire maintenant.If were going to make a cake, we need to do it now. Je  lui  parle.Im talking  to  him. Je cherche lartiste.  Il  Ãƒ ©tudie Paris.Im looking for the artist. Hes studying in Paris.Je cherche lartiste  qui  Ãƒ ©tudie Paris.Im looking for the artist whos studying in Paris.

A Non-Profit Organization Solve Inc Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

A Non-Profit Organization Solve Inc - Term Paper Example This has answered the needs of customers in a timely manner and provided return trade-off. Price entails the charge of the services that we are offering; this has been tricky since it determines customer base of our company. We are offering low priced services and products to allow customers afford. In addition, we are non-profit Non-Governmental Organization thus our services are public oriented. We have been able to observe the market environment and competitors’ price strategies to ensure we are relevant. Business location is a critical ingredient in success and expansion since it increases convenience between suppliers and the organization. Our location has been strategic especially in residential areas, high traffic and main roads that are easily accessible. In essence, the strategy is focused on the commuting families and individuals. In addition, the company aims at supplying their products and services to local businesses, offices, and schools. On the other hand, the location of business should be close to processing facilities, market, and source of supply. We have committed to advertising our products and services through internet Web site, which has proven to be effective. Notably, the internet is fast turning into a major promotional avenue, and the institution believes it will advance with regards to the importance over time. Furthermore, it is the most convenient means for us to wide presence from the onset. Our major customer at the moment is the S.S Conner Elementary School. After we are successful with the school we will extend our services to other poor performing elementary schools within the area before we expand to other institutions of learning within and outside the state. The image of our institution is very vital because it finds out the relationship with our customers in the education sector. Having a good image will attract customers and clients to our table. We intend to do what we do best.  We intend to do what we do best. By being the best in the education industry, we will become a respected leader in the field. The level of education in Texas should be top-notch. We also seek to promote and offer quality services. This way, clients, and prospects will acknowledge our services.

The Principles of Delivering Remarkable Service in the Hospitality Essay

The Principles of Delivering Remarkable Service in the Hospitality Industry - Essay Example It is important to adopt positive attitude when dealing with customers because this is the key practice towards achieving remarkable service delivery in the hospitality industry. Therefore it can be argued that organizations in the hospitality industry need to embrace the culture of remarkable customer service delivery. Organizations need to empower itself to ensure that exceptional customer service delivery is made possible. Remarkable service delivery enhances the identification of customer needs and how to customize the service delivery approach. This will ensure that all members in the entire organization fully embrace and develop the culture of effective and efficient remarkable service delivery. To achieve this organization need to incorporate principles of remarkable service delivery in its operations, vision and the entire corporate culture. These principles basically provide guidelines and procedures on how organizations in hospitality industry can have remarkable service delivery (Kusluvan 2003). It notably helps teams and leaders in hospitality industry have an insight understanding on remarkable excellent customer service delivery. The principles of delivering remarkable service in the hospitality industry entail the following. There are various attributes in hospitality industry which significantly contribute to these organizations delivering remarkable service. These attributes compliment the remarkable service delivery skills which are very essential in the industry. These attributes ensure that the remarkable service delivery skills are focused on the satisfaction of customer needs. It establishes a core foundation in establishing strong relationship with the customers based on trust and loyalty. It is notable that all the attributes contributes collectively on the customer retention, loyalty and overall success in the hospitality industry (Kusluvan 2003). The

Lifelong Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Lifelong Learning - Essay Example Discussion about interventions in exceptional learners and young students with disabilities followed. Expected outcomes of programs are also given much emphasis on the following paragraph. In the end, an individualized program is called for when it comes to children with developmental disabilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are developmental tasks and milestones indicated for each phase of a child’s life. These are benchmarks by which a child’s development can be compared to and assessed against to know whether he is on the right track or not. Parents may become worried when they see other children’s behaviors and actions and see that they are different and way advanced from that of their child. This is where assessment and early diagnosis becomes a necessity. Consequently, early diagnosis leads to early intervention, the initiation of lifelong learning. Whether a child be cognitively challenged or an exceptional learner, his education must be patterned to suit his needs and capacities.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Developmental disorders as an umbrella term encompass many conditions, such as, cognitive challenge, pervasive developmental disorders and specific developmental disorders. Motor skills and communication disorders are also included.   Developmental appraisal, which plays a salient role in the assessment, largely depends on developmental history supplied by the parent and other assessment areas will be from the observation of the child with specific criteria in mind (Pilletteri, 2007). Parents will be asked to give a description and approximate the age of which the child has performed a certain act or skill, like his first step taken or first word uttered. More than asking for the firsts, it is of equal importance to ask when the child was able to sit without support, transfer a toy form one hand to another, etc. The latter may prove to be a feat for the parents, but pictures that may remind them and

Executive Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Executive Summary - Essay Example With over 300 commercial wholesale accounts and nearly 100,000 people residing in the area, there is a need to set effective business strategy to get success. Therefore, the company has set competitive prices for its products considering the intensity of the competition in that area. At present, the company is leasing a one-story building at 123 Main Street for $550 per month. There is also an option of buying it for a heavy sum of $105,000. As far as the usage of the building is concerned, it is for commercial use at this point of time. The reason is that main street is a heavily traveled tourist route where there are a number of businesses offering tourism services to the customers. Finestkind adheres to the principles of quality to conduct business activities. Provision of the premium-quality seafood to both retail and wholesale customers is going to be the key to success for the business. These days, Gosling and Swan are planning to shift from 40 percent wholesale and 60 percent retail to 60 percent wholesale and 40 percent retail. The reason is that the owners believe that the actual profit is there in the wholesale business. Retail business is also profitable and is likely to grow rapidly in the nearest future but the company’s actual focus is on expanding its wholesale business because of huge profits. As far as the main competitors of the company are concerned, they are Fred’s fish, Kingfisher, and Job’s Seafoods. Fred’s fish is a scattered operation in which there is one truck reserved for making the rounds. There is also a small counter taken on lease from one of Anytown’s supermarkets. Finestkind has been successful in cutting the sales graph of Fred’s fish by providing quality products to the customer within promised time and at competitive price. The second main competitor of the company is Kingfisher. Kingfisher is also a famous company in Anytown operating its business successfully. However, there is a

To what extent have feminist ideas influenced policy making since 1965 Essay

To what extent have feminist ideas influenced policy making since 1965 Critically discuss with reference to ONE of the followin - Essay Example While the first wave of feminism was primarily concerned with formal political rights, the second generation of feminist thinkers laid the emphasis on the issues of workplace and marital equality, as well as those of women’s representation in public agencies. This had an important impact on further policy making. National Organization of Women and the Struggle for Women’s Rights. While the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was founded in 1965 in order to combat the gender discriminatory practices in the sphere of employment, its activity was judged to be unsatisfactory by many activists of women’s movement. In 1966, liberal feminists led by Betty Friedan, a celebrated author of The Feminine Mystique, formed the National Organization for Women (NOW) that aimed at integrating women â€Å"into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, assuming all privileges and responsibilities...in truly equal partnership with men† (qtd . in Thornham 25). The foundation of NOW was caused by repeated refusal of the EEOC officials to seriously confront the prevalent discriminatory practices in the labour relations (Banks 212). ... Constitution (Harrison 198). The activities of NOW mainly concentrated on creating publicity for the organisation, which was expressed through pickets and other public demonstrations, and on lobbying political establishment, including the Presidency. Nevertheless, their actions eventually proved rather fruitful for the further development of women’s movement and the adoption of equality legislation. The first influence of feminist movement on equal opportunities policies in the USA after 1965 may be traced in the controversy surrounding the inclusion of provision on sex discrimination in Executive Order 11246, which aimed at creating affirmative action programmes for racial minorities. As the 1964 Civil Rights Act had already provided for prevention of sexual discrimination in employment, the omission of sex discrimination clause in that Executive Order was regarded as an expression of neglect for the needs of women. Consequently, the efforts of several women’s organisa tions, including the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs and Federal Women’s Award Study Group, led to the inclusion of the provision against sex discrimination in the text of Executive Order in October 1967, with the NOW leadership asserting that it was a victory for their ideas (Harrison 202). Later on, NOW repeatedly clashed with the EEOC apparatus with regard to protective labour legislation. In 1967 EEOC was forced to back away from its previous non-interventionist attitude on such issues as labour rights for female workers and age and marital status discrimination at the workplace, with air flight companies being the

Entrepreneurship and Small Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Entrepreneurship and Small Business - Essay Example Small businesses are also innovative as they are responsible for many of the new products or services on the market (Fucini and Fucini 1985). These factors have a knock-on effect of increasing employment opportunities, particularly amongst women and minorities who find this as an alternative avenue into business. This can be demonstrated by the high number of Asian, Chinese, Italian and other restaurants across the country. Women are also likely to start their own business as they are sometimes discriminated against when they take maternity leave. As small businesses are mainly innovative or arise from this situation, their organisational culture is of great importance as it influences whether they business can react to its environment; and whether the business can survive int the current environment. Organisational culture is a system of shared values, assumptions, beliefs and norms about the way things are done, and it is often referred to as corporate culture (Bird 1989). Culture is also important to small businesses as it has an impact on organisational effectiveness (Bartol and Martin 1998, Mullins 1999). ... Direction refers to the degree to which a culture supports rather than interferes with, reaching organisational goals (Hisrich and Peters 1995). Small businesses have to maintain a culture that is focussed as they are often striving to achieve growth levels and increase profits. This would not be possible without a direction or focus for the organisation to maintain. Pervasiveness addresses the extent to which a culture is widespread among members, as opposed to being unevenly distributed (Hisrich and Peters 1995). Small business will look at employing individuals who share similar drive and ambition to the entrepreneur. It would defeat the purpose of the small business if individuals who are not passionate about the innovation are employed. Strength refers to the degree to which members accept the values and other aspects of a culture (Hisrich and Peters 1995). The employees also have to believe in the innovation or the small business concept for it to be effective. These three factors embedded in organisational culture demonstrate how important it is for small businesses and entrepreneurs to adopt an enterprise culture, as it will determine how well they can react to factors present in the external environment in which they operate. This paper will briefly demonstrate the characteristics of enterprise culture and how this culture can be affected by the external environment. Enterprise culture Most successful organisations foster an adaptive entrepreneurial culture in which members view growth and change as desirable and believe that they can affect the competitive environment to their advantage, which differs to bureaucratic organisations which are more likely to have members who prefer the status quo and have little faith in their ability to

To what extent have feminist ideas influenced policy making since 1965 Essay

To what extent have feminist ideas influenced policy making since 1965 Critically discuss with reference to ONE of the followin - Essay Example While the first wave of feminism was primarily concerned with formal political rights, the second generation of feminist thinkers laid the emphasis on the issues of workplace and marital equality, as well as those of women’s representation in public agencies. This had an important impact on further policy making. National Organization of Women and the Struggle for Women’s Rights. While the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was founded in 1965 in order to combat the gender discriminatory practices in the sphere of employment, its activity was judged to be unsatisfactory by many activists of women’s movement. In 1966, liberal feminists led by Betty Friedan, a celebrated author of The Feminine Mystique, formed the National Organization for Women (NOW) that aimed at integrating women â€Å"into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, assuming all privileges and responsibilities...in truly equal partnership with men† (qtd . in Thornham 25). The foundation of NOW was caused by repeated refusal of the EEOC officials to seriously confront the prevalent discriminatory practices in the labour relations (Banks 212). ... Constitution (Harrison 198). The activities of NOW mainly concentrated on creating publicity for the organisation, which was expressed through pickets and other public demonstrations, and on lobbying political establishment, including the Presidency. Nevertheless, their actions eventually proved rather fruitful for the further development of women’s movement and the adoption of equality legislation. The first influence of feminist movement on equal opportunities policies in the USA after 1965 may be traced in the controversy surrounding the inclusion of provision on sex discrimination in Executive Order 11246, which aimed at creating affirmative action programmes for racial minorities. As the 1964 Civil Rights Act had already provided for prevention of sexual discrimination in employment, the omission of sex discrimination clause in that Executive Order was regarded as an expression of neglect for the needs of women. Consequently, the efforts of several women’s organisa tions, including the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs and Federal Women’s Award Study Group, led to the inclusion of the provision against sex discrimination in the text of Executive Order in October 1967, with the NOW leadership asserting that it was a victory for their ideas (Harrison 202). Later on, NOW repeatedly clashed with the EEOC apparatus with regard to protective labour legislation. In 1967 EEOC was forced to back away from its previous non-interventionist attitude on such issues as labour rights for female workers and age and marital status discrimination at the workplace, with air flight companies being the

Ethics in Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics in Christianity - Essay Example The Ten Commandments cover ten of the most major ethical points in the Christian religion. These ten ethical concepts range from treating family members and elders with respect, to not committing murder, stealing, or being adulterous. There are also commandments that focus on the the role of God and the purpose of God in the lives of others, making it clear that Christians are not allowed to look to any other god or idol as the one true God. While this may not immediately seem to have anything to do with ethics, as aforementioned God and Jesus play big roles in the ethics that people accept and implement into everyday life. Other idols might not preach the same concepts of ethics, so it becomes vital for Christians to keep their eyes only on God and Jesus to help lead them to the right response.The Bible itself can be viewed as a guideline for Christian ethics. Especially in the New Testament there are stories upon stories about how Jesus treats others, emphasizing on the importance of treating others the way that you would want to be treated. This is yet another method to decide what is considered ethical or unethical in the Christian faith. The Bible is full of these lessons laid down by Jesus and his followers. Absolute truth is when something is true in all times and places, while relative truth is only true at one time and in one place. The only aspect of these ethic principles that are not absolute are the ones in regard to the role of God in the lives of people.

Minimum wage essay Essay Example for Free

Minimum wage essay Essay Some people may support minimum wage legislation because they believe it will help struggling workers to make ends meet. What do you think about that? Minimum wage, as a kind of price floor, refers to the least amount of money that employers can legally pay labors for per hour of work. Therefore, government sets a price that is under the market equilibrium price in order to reduce the poverty and ensure that young employees and minority will not be treated unequally. However, those aimed goals are not accomplished as expected and minimum wage only makes economy inefficient and worsens some people’s lives. After the minimum wage is imposed above the equilibrium wage rate, this results in the supply of labour being greater than the demand for labour. Therefore, while only E2 amount of labour is demanded in the market, E3 amount of labour is provided and causes excess labour. In theory, the minimum wage results in excess supply of labour because the higher costs of labour motivate companies to cutoff employees and then cause unemployment, ceteris paribus. Meanwhile, the minimum wage reduces the demand from E1 to E2 so this reduces both consumer and producer surplus, and creates a deadweight loss to the society. Furthermore, it is highly possible that because of the increased production costs, the quantity of supply is increased and the average price level is increased overall, so consumers tend to pay higher prices. Therefore, when price floor is imposed, deadweight loss and excess supply of labour are created, and unemployment rates and overall price level will be increased. Subsequently, although there are considerable large amounts of people are benefited from the minimum wage, those poor people without enough professional skills or in the state of unemployment are likely to suffer worser living conditions. While those people in employment are benefited from the minimum wage, they are also affected by minimum wage negatively, like less opportunities to increase income. Since the minimum wage increases production costs of company, except cutting off labour, companies would also decide to reduce times to promote employees. Therefore, in the long run, those employees will be demotivated and then decrease their passion and working efficiency. Besides, even if those employees still get lots of opportunities, their  living standards will not be enhanced so much because the overall price is also increasing. Therefore, although people enjoying minimum wage have higher wages, they need to pay more when consuming goods in daily life. In conclusion, although minimum wage ensures the salary of some people in the short run, minimum wage creates welfare loss and excess labour in the market, so in the relatively long run, unemployment rate and overall price level will be increased due to increased production costs (which are consist of labour, land, technology and capital). Therefore, for people in the state of unemployment, they will suffer by the higher price and they will be poorer. While for those people benefited by the minimum wage, they tend to obtain less promotion chances, receive higher average prices in the market and in the long run even may lose enthusiasm for working hard.

odyssey Essay -- essays research papers

In Homer’s The Odyssey, many happenings interfere with Odysseus’ journey to return home to his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus. Self-determination is a strong characteristic that Odysseus portrays in The Odyssey. The three traits that Odysseus portrays as evidence of his self-determination are: endurance, perseverance, and courage. Odysseus, like most humans, has his doubts of confidence, but seems to overcome them. Out of this great tragedy, he has become a greater man to regain his kingdom and live a long life. He learns that without his determination he would have never returned to his home. Nature played a key role in how the story played out. Nature can interfere and impede human progress but that nature cannot conquer mankind so long as men are willing to face hardship and accept the consequences of their struggle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the Trojan War, Odysseus, the handsome, brave hero of The Odyssey makes the god of the sea, Poseidon, angry by claiming that he alone won the Trojan War. Poseidon vows he will make Odysseus' journey home tough. While on the island of the Cyclopes, they find an abandoned cave that is owned by the one-eyed Cyclops Polyphemus, the son of Poseidon. There they become trapped, Odysseus tells him his name is Nohbody, and offers Polyphemus some wine so that he can become intoxicated. Polyphemus becomes drunk, passes out, and Odysseus and his men devise a plan and attack him in his eye with a sharp, hot wooden pole. Polyphemus...

Abstract Expressionism Essay -- Visual Art Paintings Artists

Abstract Expressionism "New needs need new techniques. And the modern artists have found new ways and new means of making their statements ... the modern painter cannot express this age, the airplane, the atom bomb, the radio, in the old forms of the Renaissance or of any other past culture." Jackson Pollock Rarely has such a massive transfer of influence has ever touched the world as did in the Paris to New York shift of the 1940's and 1950's. All of the characters of American art were to be expelled in a rapid shift of power. No longer would American artists be the lamb suckling at the teat of European sources, American art was to dispose of narrow-mindedness, an uninterested public, and liberate itself into a valued and meaningful force equal to, and in fact exceeding that of, art produced anywhere within the era. The painting and sculpture that emerged from the 'New York School' in the mid 1940s was the foremost artistic movement of its time. It was labelled as the Abstract Expressionist movement. This is a turning point in American art history for the reason that it caused the rest of the art world to recognize New York as the new center of innovation. The outbreak of World War Two had devastated the world massively, crushing world economies, social structure and optimistic manifestos left, right and centre. The war had long ruled out any naÃÆ'Â ¯ve enthusiasm for art or artist, art no longer had the courage to be a vehicle for ideology of any kind. European art took a more realist stance post-war and the Paris scene delved into accuracy and subjective art. The demand for art increased as financial affluence returned to the world, particularly America which (having entered the war later than most Allies) had not been so damaged economically and socially by the war. America had not suffered extensive bombing like Europe and was prepared to invest in art 'Modern art became a modern and popular affair' (Mid-Century Paintings in the USA by) Technological advances like progress in printing and reproduction methods brought art to a larger amount of the public, no longer was art a fad or declaration of wealth owned only by the elite. Government grants, banks churches and communities began to reward artists for works in exhibition and fund displays; this insured that a steady flow of art and artists were drawn from shell-sh... ...m. In Minimalism objects are cut down to their fundamental, geometric form, and presented in an impersonal manner. This movement is a direct descendant of Abstract Expressionism, and colour-field painters in particular. Large scale washes of colour in sections and the overall emotion evoked being far more important than any kind of subject matter. A number of famous developments were led by artists associated with Abstract Expressionists and New York school artists. As the influence of abstract expressionism decreased in the 1960s, artists came to question the very philosophy underlying modernism. As the force and vigour of abstract expressionism diminished, new artistic movements and styles arose during the 1960s and 70s to challenge and displace modernism in painting, sculpture, and other media. This is how Pop art reared its head. Dada-like styles employed in the early 1960s and thereafter by Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns had widespread influence, as did the styles of many other artists. Abstract Expressionism, far from dead however, is still very much alive and living. It lives in modern pieces and artists across the globe; its influence knows no bounds.

Drug Addiction

DRUG ADDICTION AND DRUG ABUSE A Research Paper presented to the faculty of Cabalum Western College Iloilo City In partial fulfillment In English II by: What is drug addiction? Drug addiction is a complex brain disease. It is characterized by compulsive, at times uncontrollable, drug craving, seeking, and use that persist even in the face of extremely negative consequences. What Is Drug Abuse? Dennie Ho I am an independent freelance writer and editor with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. I have worked professionally as an analyst in the government, higher education, and public relations industries.I have been freelance writing for over eight years, including two with Demand Studios. The effects derived from abusing drugs will differ depending on the type of drug, but the basic pattern of drug abuse is the same: a compelling urgency to acquire and use the desired chemical substance. With drug abuse comes drug addiction and, as the addiction grows stronger over time, the impulse to use the drug grows more powerful: powerful enough to alter relationships, destroy health, interfere with work schedules and disrupt normal activities. 1. Definition Drug abuse entails the excessive and/or repeated use of chemical substances (in any form) in order to achieve certain biochemical effects. Significance * The abuse of drugs is coupled with addiction, and obtaining and using the drug becomes increasingly more important than any other thing in life: friends, family, employment or even children. Types * Drug abuse involves chemical substances known as street- or illicit-drugs (illegal due to their potential for addiction), as well as prescription drugs that are acquired for pleasurable use rather than medical necessity.Consequences * The consequences of abusing drugs can be both physical and emotional, confounding the body's normal biochemical processes, making normal functions difficult to perform and impairing cognitive abilities–like judgmentâ€⠀œto dangerous levels. Effects * As described by the Mayo Clinic, stimulants increase blood pressure and metabolism resulting in powerful rushes of energy and difficulty sleeping. Depressants and barbiturates produce calming sensations and excessive relaxation by reducing blood pressure, heart rate and breathing to dangerously low levels. Potential Drug abuse over time chemically alters the brain's neurological functions, causing extreme discomfort and pain when it is deprived of the drug. The Difference Between Drug Addiction and Drug Abuse Dr. Howard Samuels The terms â€Å"drug abuse† and â€Å"drug addiction† are sometimes used interchangeably and incorrectly. Although drug abuse may lead to drug addiction, they are two completely different terms. Drug Abuse Drug abuse is the misuse of any substance, legal or illicit. Some drugs, such as prescription medications and alcohol, may be used in an appropriate way and not be considered abused.Taking prescription pills pr ecisely how prescribed or having a single glass of wine with dinner are examples of not abusive drugs. Drug abuse occurs with these substances when they are taken in excess. Also, use of any illegal drug may be considered drug abuse, as it is not supposed to be used at all. Many illicit drugs are vulnerable to be abused because of their psychologically and physically addictive properties. Drug Addiction Drug addiction develops from repeated drug abuse, and also is believed to have genetic factors.Addiction can be characterized by a complete overhaul of one's motivational factors, in which the individual strives only to get high. Generally, other motivational factors such as school, work, family life, daily activities, and self-care lose their importance, as the drug becomes the only way the addict can find any happiness or relief. Addiction is always psychologically based with some causing physical addiction as well by changing the chemistry of the brain. Although an addict may find temporary relief from using, their life usually is not pleasant around them.Although one who is abusing drugs may intentionally do so, an addict never wants to be an addict. As the drug is their only motivational factor, they cannot quit easily as nothing else gives them the same feeling they seek. Some form of treatment is often required to help addicts, whereas one abusing drugs may simply quit with their own willpower. All Addiction Articles * Drug Addiction * Meth * Methadone * Alcoholism * Ketamine * Cough Syrup * Valium * Dilaudid * Xanax * Suboxone * Sex * Drug Addiction Help * Oxycontin Statistics * How Drugs Can Become Addictive * Stages Intervention for Opiate Addiction * Drug Use in Prison * Athletes and Drug Abuse * Crystal Meth Rehab and Detox * Prescription Meds Post Surgery * Dangers of IV Drug Use * Heroin * Hydrocodone * Cocaine * Ecstacy * GHB * Inhalants * Demerol * Codeine * Ritalin * Adderall * Gambling * Drug Addiction Treatment * Drug Addiction vs. Drug Abuse * Drug Addiction Within the Family * Kids and Drugs * Vicodin * Defining Addiction * Olympic Doping * Current Events in War on Drugs * Alcohol Abuse Statistics * Love Addiction * Marijuana * Percocet * Substance * LSD * PCP * Spice Soma * Ambien * Morphine * Percodan * Nicotine * Cocaine Length in System * Drug Addiction Recovery Options * Genetic Aspect of Drug Addiction * Fact Sheet on Painkillers * Stigma * Malnutrition and Drug Use * Abstral: New Painkiller on the Market * Rich Kids Drug Use on the Rise * Agassi Crystal Meth Drug Admission * Bath Salt Addiction Causes of Drug Abuse Many people wonder about the causes of drug abuse. An underlying cause is the escape from emotional pain. Some people are physically predisposed to drug addition, whether emotional pain is present. 1. Emotional Issues The most prevalent cause of drug abuse stems from the addict's need to escape from emotional pain. Any sort of trauma can lead to drug abuse. Job Loss * An unexpected disruption, such a s job loss, can create a feeling of inadequacy and undermine a person's confidence, leading him to flee the pain through drug abuse. Marital Difficulty * Arguments and discord in the marriage can lead to drug abuse. Drugs can provide a release from tension in the family. Genetics * A drug abuser can be susceptible to addiction because of her genetic makeup. Once the drug abuser experiments with a substance, the body will crave more.Self-Medication * Self-medication can encompass all of the above issues for the drug abuser. He feels that he must relax, escape or mentally shut down through drug abuse. ————————————————- Causes of Drug Addiction Recognizing the causes of drug addiction can help prevent a person from becoming an addict. The motivators behind initial drug use or experimentation can lead to long-term use and becoming an addiction over time. ——â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Possible Causes of Drug Addiction Drug addiction can be found in many forms.A person can be addicted to alcohol, prescription drugs, inhalants or other street drugs (cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, etc. ). Understanding the reasons people are initially attracted to drug use can help stop future users from becoming addicts. Experimentation and curiosity are the first factors that draw many people into trying drugs. They want to feel that â€Å"high†, the sense of euphoria that comes with drug use. While this may lead to recreational use of drugs (using only in certain situations), it rarely leads to actual addiction unless other factors are present.However, some drugs (like heroin) have are more likely to cause addiction than others resulting in an addiction from simple experimentation alone. Prescription drugs can turn people into addicts because they have conditions in which they need to take drugs in order to get relief. People become hooked on prescription drugs when they take more than the recommended dosage, take it more frequently than recommended and continue using the drug after their initial medical condition clears up. Elite athletes are susceptible to using drugs. They use them for performance enhancing abilities.Steroids can make muscles bigger, while amphetamines help reduce or numb pain and allow people to play injured. Recently, major league baseball has come under fire for drug abuse. Although not as prominent, high school and college athletes have also been known to use drugs to enhance their performance. Others turn to drug use to cope with problems in their real lives. Whether it is past abuse (physical or sexual), school problems, work problems or relationship issues, drug use can help a person temporarily escape the realities of his/her life.Being around drugs and being exposed to addicts can also lead to drug addiction. If a family member or close friend uses or is addicted to drugs, it seems more acceptable for other members to engage in similar behavior. It becomes a tolerated activity. Peer pressure is also a factor in turning people into drug addicts. Contrary to popular belief, peer pressure can happen at any age. Adults fall prey to peer pressure to fit into new social classes, new workplaces and new neighborhoods. Teenagers fight peer pressure on everything from looks to alcohol to sex to drugs.In fact, using crystal meth is becoming a way for many teenage girls to fight the pressure that comes with needing to be thin and attractive. Teenagers can also fall prey to the rebellious attitude that they need to do anything their parents or those in authority say is bad. Easy accessibility to drugs and new, lower prices can also lead to drug addiction. Drugs can be found anywhere if a person simply asks. Street corners and alleyways are no longer the only place to find drugs. Schools, workplaces and even the family next door might be new places to find drugs.With more drugs being produced, the price has also been driven down. Drug addiction can also be caused by using drugs to mask other mental problems. For example, depressed people frequently use drugs to escape their sad feelings. Schizophrenics find that some street drugs can control their hallucinations. Denial and hiding the problem just lead to more problems in the long run. Four Stages of Drug Abuse Regina Paul Regina Paul has been a full-time freelance writer and author for three years. She has published over 500 articles online and 10 books. Her articles are published at Associated Content, e-How. om, and The Fun Times Guide. Her books are published with Amira Press, Eternal Press, and Leap of Faith Publishing. Introduction * Drug abuse is now seen as a disease, rather than just a moral problem as it was in the past. These days psychiatric professionals have identified four stages of drug abuse, enabling them to help individuals regardless of what stage they may be in. First Stage: Experimentation * The first stage of drug abuse can start out with using a drug voluntarily with the intent to erase a personal problem, or out of curiosity or because of peer pressure.For example, in the case of a personal problem, perhaps a man discovers his wife is cheating on him, and so he turns to drugs. When they appear to make him feel better, he moves from the first stage to the second stage of regular use. Second Stage: Regular Use * Someone that starts out experimenting with a drug and who likes the effects will often move on to regular use of the drug. In some cases, people will stop on their own even after they have begun regular use and they don't move beyond stage two, but others move to stage three and begin exhibiting risky behaviors. Third Stage: Risky Behavior The transition from stage two to stage three of drug abuse varies from person to person, and it can sometimes be difficult to determine if t he behavior a person is exhibiting is risky. In spite of this, if you believe the behavior of a loved one is risky, then you should tell your loved one. It is very easy to slip from stage three to stage four, which is dependence. A few examples of risky behavior are driving while high on drugs, doing target practice with a gun while high on drugs or jumping out of a second-story window under the influence of drugs. Fourth Stage: Dependence ; Addiction The characteristics of stage four are consistent drug abuse, always being high, not being able to function at work or at home, picking fights with loved ones, being incapable of rational thinking, engaging in risky behaviors such as taking drugs and driving or operating dangerous machinery while high, and legal problems that include receiving tickets for driving under the influence of drugs. If a person is in stage four they are addicted, and the problems mentioned above will continue to grow as the person's psyche is affected for the worse by continual drug use.Symptoms of Drug Abuse Drug, or substance, abuse is the habitual and exorbitant use of chemicals in order to produce a specific result or â€Å"high. † Abuse can involve illegal drugs or prescription drugs. Continued use can result in an addiction that ultimately affects addicts' work and home life as well as their health. 1. Physical Symptoms * Individuals may exhibit cycles of high energy or excessive sleep. Confusion or disorientation may be evident, along with slower speech, movement and reaction time.Changes in appetite with a sudden weight gain or weight loss may be an indicator of drug abuse. You may notice changes in the type of clothing worn, such as long-sleeved shirts to hide needle marks, or you may find paraphernalia, such as syringes, roach clips (used to hold a small marijuana cigarette) and pipes. Other physical signs include red and watery eyes, runny nose, chronic sinus problems or nosebleeds, persistent coughing, trembling, irreg ular heartbeat and serious dental troubles. 2. Mental and Emotional Symptoms *Drugs are abused for the purpose of achieving a â€Å"good† feeling. Signs of drug abuse can include cycles of unresponsiveness or being overly energetic and cheerful. Mood may change with heightened anger and irritability, and a lower threshold to become violent. Addicts may exhibit depression and apathy or paranoia and delusions. Other symptoms include hallucinations and silliness. 3. Behavioral Symptoms * You may notice a change in personality and attitude with drug abuse. Addicts may begin to socialize with different groups of friends and in different places.Hobbies, interests and activities may change, and family becomes less important. They may exhibit suspicious or secretive behavior, lack of motivation and decreased ability to pay attention. They may begin to steal money or objects that can be sold. 4. Specific Symptoms * Marijuana produces red or glassy eyes, unsuitable laughter and talking with subsequent sleepiness, loss of motivation and interest, and weight loss or gain. Depressants result in clumsiness, concentration difficulties, slurred speech, poor judgment, contracted pupils and sleepiness.The use of stimulants is evident by symptoms of euphoria, hyperactivity, anxiety, irritability, dilated pupils, dry mouth and nose, weight loss and excessive talking with subsequent depression or sleeping. Inhalants cause impaired vision and memory, watery eyes, nose or mouth rashes, nausea, headaches, drowsiness, appetite changes, irritability, anxiety and poor muscle control. The use of hallucinogens is exhibited by mood swings, paranoia, aggression, slurred speech, hallucinations, confusion and dilated pupils.Heroin may be suspected due to needle marks, sweating, coughing and sniffling, vomiting, twitching, contracted pupils, loss of appetite and sleeping at odd times. 5. Support * If you believe someone you know is abusing drugs, it is important to understand that the d ecision to stop is entirely up to him. You can offer him support, but he must have the desire to quit. You can find a treatment facility or support group to help him get started. It may also help to involve your minister or rabbi, your family physician or a therapist.The recovery is an ongoing process and an addict must work to overcome the withdrawal and to resist the drug cravings. What Are the Different Kinds of Drug Abuse? Someone with a drug abuse problem often displays general symptoms, regardless of the type of drug being abused: paranoia, confusion, overall attitude or mood adjustment, withdrawal from relationships or activities, abrupt changes in quality of work or school attendance. The specific signs of drug abuse, however, will differ, depending on the nature of the chemical. 1. Acute Alcohol Abuse The Handbook of Diseases describes the immediate signs of alcohol abuse as intoxication, loss of motor control (including walking and speech), alcoholic odor on breath or clot hing, loss of memory and blackouts. Chronic Alcohol Abuse * The chronic signs of alcohol abuse are more subtle. This abuse can be seen in someone who has including difficulty focusing, uncharacteristic behavior (passive or argumentative), dysfunctional interpersonal relationships, declining school or job performance, and fixated attention on alcohol, according to the Handbook of Diseases.Depressant Abuse * According to the American Council for Drug Education (ACDE), signs of the abuse of depressants (barbiturates—Amytal, Seconal; benzodiazepines—tranquilizers Xanax and Valium) include an intoxicated appearance (like alcohol, but without the noticeable smell). Signs of depressant abuse also include a lack of facial expressions or emotional responses, flaccid appearance, deflated or flat personality, and slurred or distorted speech. Stimulant Abuse The ACDE identifies the signs of stimulant abuse (amphetamine, methamphetamine, cocaine, Ritalin) as hyperactivity, extreme energy, fidgeting, twitching, nervousness, irritable or argumentative, lack of appetite and sleep deprivation. Physiological signs include dilated pupils, dry mouth and lips, runny nose or nose bleeds, and sinus problems. Hallucinogen Abuse * The ACDE describes the abuse of hallucinogenic drugs (PCP, LSD, Ketamine or Special K) as including distortion (self, others, time, the senses), hallucinations, confusion, altered mood or behavior and slurred or incoherent speech.Signs of hallucinogenic abuse also include physiological indications, such as extreme dilation of the pupils, warm skin, heavy perspiration and body odor. Narcotic Drug Abuse * Abuse of narcotics (opiate-containing drugs such as heroine, methadone, codeine, oxycontin and morphine) can be identified by lethargy, drowsiness, pupil constriction and slurred speech. Other clues include increased amount or frequency in taking pain medication and frequent trips to doctors and clinics for pain medication. Drug Addiction DRUG ADDICTION AND DRUG ABUSE A Research Paper presented to the faculty of Cabalum Western College Iloilo City In partial fulfillment In English II by: What is drug addiction? Drug addiction is a complex brain disease. It is characterized by compulsive, at times uncontrollable, drug craving, seeking, and use that persist even in the face of extremely negative consequences. What Is Drug Abuse? Dennie Ho I am an independent freelance writer and editor with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. I have worked professionally as an analyst in the government, higher education, and public relations industries.I have been freelance writing for over eight years, including two with Demand Studios. The effects derived from abusing drugs will differ depending on the type of drug, but the basic pattern of drug abuse is the same: a compelling urgency to acquire and use the desired chemical substance. With drug abuse comes drug addiction and, as the addiction grows stronger over time, the impulse to use the drug grows more powerful: powerful enough to alter relationships, destroy health, interfere with work schedules and disrupt normal activities. 1. Definition Drug abuse entails the excessive and/or repeated use of chemical substances (in any form) in order to achieve certain biochemical effects. Significance * The abuse of drugs is coupled with addiction, and obtaining and using the drug becomes increasingly more important than any other thing in life: friends, family, employment or even children. Types * Drug abuse involves chemical substances known as street- or illicit-drugs (illegal due to their potential for addiction), as well as prescription drugs that are acquired for pleasurable use rather than medical necessity.Consequences * The consequences of abusing drugs can be both physical and emotional, confounding the body's normal biochemical processes, making normal functions difficult to perform and impairing cognitive abilities–like judgmentâ€⠀œto dangerous levels. Effects * As described by the Mayo Clinic, stimulants increase blood pressure and metabolism resulting in powerful rushes of energy and difficulty sleeping. Depressants and barbiturates produce calming sensations and excessive relaxation by reducing blood pressure, heart rate and breathing to dangerously low levels. Potential Drug abuse over time chemically alters the brain's neurological functions, causing extreme discomfort and pain when it is deprived of the drug. The Difference Between Drug Addiction and Drug Abuse Dr. Howard Samuels The terms â€Å"drug abuse† and â€Å"drug addiction† are sometimes used interchangeably and incorrectly. Although drug abuse may lead to drug addiction, they are two completely different terms. Drug Abuse Drug abuse is the misuse of any substance, legal or illicit. Some drugs, such as prescription medications and alcohol, may be used in an appropriate way and not be considered abused.Taking prescription pills pr ecisely how prescribed or having a single glass of wine with dinner are examples of not abusive drugs. Drug abuse occurs with these substances when they are taken in excess. Also, use of any illegal drug may be considered drug abuse, as it is not supposed to be used at all. Many illicit drugs are vulnerable to be abused because of their psychologically and physically addictive properties. Drug Addiction Drug addiction develops from repeated drug abuse, and also is believed to have genetic factors.Addiction can be characterized by a complete overhaul of one's motivational factors, in which the individual strives only to get high. Generally, other motivational factors such as school, work, family life, daily activities, and self-care lose their importance, as the drug becomes the only way the addict can find any happiness or relief. Addiction is always psychologically based with some causing physical addiction as well by changing the chemistry of the brain. Although an addict may find temporary relief from using, their life usually is not pleasant around them.Although one who is abusing drugs may intentionally do so, an addict never wants to be an addict. As the drug is their only motivational factor, they cannot quit easily as nothing else gives them the same feeling they seek. Some form of treatment is often required to help addicts, whereas one abusing drugs may simply quit with their own willpower. All Addiction Articles * Drug Addiction * Meth * Methadone * Alcoholism * Ketamine * Cough Syrup * Valium * Dilaudid * Xanax * Suboxone * Sex * Drug Addiction Help * Oxycontin Statistics * How Drugs Can Become Addictive * Stages Intervention for Opiate Addiction * Drug Use in Prison * Athletes and Drug Abuse * Crystal Meth Rehab and Detox * Prescription Meds Post Surgery * Dangers of IV Drug Use * Heroin * Hydrocodone * Cocaine * Ecstacy * GHB * Inhalants * Demerol * Codeine * Ritalin * Adderall * Gambling * Drug Addiction Treatment * Drug Addiction vs. Drug Abuse * Drug Addiction Within the Family * Kids and Drugs * Vicodin * Defining Addiction * Olympic Doping * Current Events in War on Drugs * Alcohol Abuse Statistics * Love Addiction * Marijuana * Percocet * Substance * LSD * PCP * Spice Soma * Ambien * Morphine * Percodan * Nicotine * Cocaine Length in System * Drug Addiction Recovery Options * Genetic Aspect of Drug Addiction * Fact Sheet on Painkillers * Stigma * Malnutrition and Drug Use * Abstral: New Painkiller on the Market * Rich Kids Drug Use on the Rise * Agassi Crystal Meth Drug Admission * Bath Salt Addiction Causes of Drug Abuse Many people wonder about the causes of drug abuse. An underlying cause is the escape from emotional pain. Some people are physically predisposed to drug addition, whether emotional pain is present. 1. Emotional Issues The most prevalent cause of drug abuse stems from the addict's need to escape from emotional pain. Any sort of trauma can lead to drug abuse. Job Loss * An unexpected disruption, such a s job loss, can create a feeling of inadequacy and undermine a person's confidence, leading him to flee the pain through drug abuse. Marital Difficulty * Arguments and discord in the marriage can lead to drug abuse. Drugs can provide a release from tension in the family. Genetics * A drug abuser can be susceptible to addiction because of her genetic makeup. Once the drug abuser experiments with a substance, the body will crave more.Self-Medication * Self-medication can encompass all of the above issues for the drug abuser. He feels that he must relax, escape or mentally shut down through drug abuse. ————————————————- Causes of Drug Addiction Recognizing the causes of drug addiction can help prevent a person from becoming an addict. The motivators behind initial drug use or experimentation can lead to long-term use and becoming an addiction over time. ——â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Possible Causes of Drug Addiction Drug addiction can be found in many forms.A person can be addicted to alcohol, prescription drugs, inhalants or other street drugs (cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, etc. ). Understanding the reasons people are initially attracted to drug use can help stop future users from becoming addicts. Experimentation and curiosity are the first factors that draw many people into trying drugs. They want to feel that â€Å"high†, the sense of euphoria that comes with drug use. While this may lead to recreational use of drugs (using only in certain situations), it rarely leads to actual addiction unless other factors are present.However, some drugs (like heroin) have are more likely to cause addiction than others resulting in an addiction from simple experimentation alone. Prescription drugs can turn people into addicts because they have conditions in which they need to take drugs in order to get relief. People become hooked on prescription drugs when they take more than the recommended dosage, take it more frequently than recommended and continue using the drug after their initial medical condition clears up. Elite athletes are susceptible to using drugs. They use them for performance enhancing abilities.Steroids can make muscles bigger, while amphetamines help reduce or numb pain and allow people to play injured. Recently, major league baseball has come under fire for drug abuse. Although not as prominent, high school and college athletes have also been known to use drugs to enhance their performance. Others turn to drug use to cope with problems in their real lives. Whether it is past abuse (physical or sexual), school problems, work problems or relationship issues, drug use can help a person temporarily escape the realities of his/her life.Being around drugs and being exposed to addicts can also lead to drug addiction. If a family member or close friend uses or is addicted to drugs, it seems more acceptable for other members to engage in similar behavior. It becomes a tolerated activity. Peer pressure is also a factor in turning people into drug addicts. Contrary to popular belief, peer pressure can happen at any age. Adults fall prey to peer pressure to fit into new social classes, new workplaces and new neighborhoods. Teenagers fight peer pressure on everything from looks to alcohol to sex to drugs.In fact, using crystal meth is becoming a way for many teenage girls to fight the pressure that comes with needing to be thin and attractive. Teenagers can also fall prey to the rebellious attitude that they need to do anything their parents or those in authority say is bad. Easy accessibility to drugs and new, lower prices can also lead to drug addiction. Drugs can be found anywhere if a person simply asks. Street corners and alleyways are no longer the only place to find drugs. Schools, workplaces and even the family next door might be new places to find drugs.With more drugs being produced, the price has also been driven down. Drug addiction can also be caused by using drugs to mask other mental problems. For example, depressed people frequently use drugs to escape their sad feelings. Schizophrenics find that some street drugs can control their hallucinations. Denial and hiding the problem just lead to more problems in the long run. Four Stages of Drug Abuse Regina Paul Regina Paul has been a full-time freelance writer and author for three years. She has published over 500 articles online and 10 books. Her articles are published at Associated Content, e-How. om, and The Fun Times Guide. Her books are published with Amira Press, Eternal Press, and Leap of Faith Publishing. Introduction * Drug abuse is now seen as a disease, rather than just a moral problem as it was in the past. These days psychiatric professionals have identified four stages of drug abuse, enabling them to help individuals regardless of what stage they may be in. First Stage: Experimentation * The first stage of drug abuse can start out with using a drug voluntarily with the intent to erase a personal problem, or out of curiosity or because of peer pressure.For example, in the case of a personal problem, perhaps a man discovers his wife is cheating on him, and so he turns to drugs. When they appear to make him feel better, he moves from the first stage to the second stage of regular use. Second Stage: Regular Use * Someone that starts out experimenting with a drug and who likes the effects will often move on to regular use of the drug. In some cases, people will stop on their own even after they have begun regular use and they don't move beyond stage two, but others move to stage three and begin exhibiting risky behaviors. Third Stage: Risky Behavior The transition from stage two to stage three of drug abuse varies from person to person, and it can sometimes be difficult to determine if t he behavior a person is exhibiting is risky. In spite of this, if you believe the behavior of a loved one is risky, then you should tell your loved one. It is very easy to slip from stage three to stage four, which is dependence. A few examples of risky behavior are driving while high on drugs, doing target practice with a gun while high on drugs or jumping out of a second-story window under the influence of drugs. Fourth Stage: Dependence ; Addiction The characteristics of stage four are consistent drug abuse, always being high, not being able to function at work or at home, picking fights with loved ones, being incapable of rational thinking, engaging in risky behaviors such as taking drugs and driving or operating dangerous machinery while high, and legal problems that include receiving tickets for driving under the influence of drugs. If a person is in stage four they are addicted, and the problems mentioned above will continue to grow as the person's psyche is affected for the worse by continual drug use.Symptoms of Drug Abuse Drug, or substance, abuse is the habitual and exorbitant use of chemicals in order to produce a specific result or â€Å"high. † Abuse can involve illegal drugs or prescription drugs. Continued use can result in an addiction that ultimately affects addicts' work and home life as well as their health. 1. Physical Symptoms * Individuals may exhibit cycles of high energy or excessive sleep. Confusion or disorientation may be evident, along with slower speech, movement and reaction time.Changes in appetite with a sudden weight gain or weight loss may be an indicator of drug abuse. You may notice changes in the type of clothing worn, such as long-sleeved shirts to hide needle marks, or you may find paraphernalia, such as syringes, roach clips (used to hold a small marijuana cigarette) and pipes. Other physical signs include red and watery eyes, runny nose, chronic sinus problems or nosebleeds, persistent coughing, trembling, irreg ular heartbeat and serious dental troubles. 2. Mental and Emotional Symptoms *Drugs are abused for the purpose of achieving a â€Å"good† feeling. Signs of drug abuse can include cycles of unresponsiveness or being overly energetic and cheerful. Mood may change with heightened anger and irritability, and a lower threshold to become violent. Addicts may exhibit depression and apathy or paranoia and delusions. Other symptoms include hallucinations and silliness. 3. Behavioral Symptoms * You may notice a change in personality and attitude with drug abuse. Addicts may begin to socialize with different groups of friends and in different places.Hobbies, interests and activities may change, and family becomes less important. They may exhibit suspicious or secretive behavior, lack of motivation and decreased ability to pay attention. They may begin to steal money or objects that can be sold. 4. Specific Symptoms * Marijuana produces red or glassy eyes, unsuitable laughter and talking with subsequent sleepiness, loss of motivation and interest, and weight loss or gain. Depressants result in clumsiness, concentration difficulties, slurred speech, poor judgment, contracted pupils and sleepiness.The use of stimulants is evident by symptoms of euphoria, hyperactivity, anxiety, irritability, dilated pupils, dry mouth and nose, weight loss and excessive talking with subsequent depression or sleeping. Inhalants cause impaired vision and memory, watery eyes, nose or mouth rashes, nausea, headaches, drowsiness, appetite changes, irritability, anxiety and poor muscle control. The use of hallucinogens is exhibited by mood swings, paranoia, aggression, slurred speech, hallucinations, confusion and dilated pupils.Heroin may be suspected due to needle marks, sweating, coughing and sniffling, vomiting, twitching, contracted pupils, loss of appetite and sleeping at odd times. 5. Support * If you believe someone you know is abusing drugs, it is important to understand that the d ecision to stop is entirely up to him. You can offer him support, but he must have the desire to quit. You can find a treatment facility or support group to help him get started. It may also help to involve your minister or rabbi, your family physician or a therapist.The recovery is an ongoing process and an addict must work to overcome the withdrawal and to resist the drug cravings. What Are the Different Kinds of Drug Abuse? Someone with a drug abuse problem often displays general symptoms, regardless of the type of drug being abused: paranoia, confusion, overall attitude or mood adjustment, withdrawal from relationships or activities, abrupt changes in quality of work or school attendance. The specific signs of drug abuse, however, will differ, depending on the nature of the chemical. 1. Acute Alcohol Abuse The Handbook of Diseases describes the immediate signs of alcohol abuse as intoxication, loss of motor control (including walking and speech), alcoholic odor on breath or clot hing, loss of memory and blackouts. Chronic Alcohol Abuse * The chronic signs of alcohol abuse are more subtle. This abuse can be seen in someone who has including difficulty focusing, uncharacteristic behavior (passive or argumentative), dysfunctional interpersonal relationships, declining school or job performance, and fixated attention on alcohol, according to the Handbook of Diseases.Depressant Abuse * According to the American Council for Drug Education (ACDE), signs of the abuse of depressants (barbiturates—Amytal, Seconal; benzodiazepines—tranquilizers Xanax and Valium) include an intoxicated appearance (like alcohol, but without the noticeable smell). Signs of depressant abuse also include a lack of facial expressions or emotional responses, flaccid appearance, deflated or flat personality, and slurred or distorted speech. Stimulant Abuse The ACDE identifies the signs of stimulant abuse (amphetamine, methamphetamine, cocaine, Ritalin) as hyperactivity, extreme energy, fidgeting, twitching, nervousness, irritable or argumentative, lack of appetite and sleep deprivation. Physiological signs include dilated pupils, dry mouth and lips, runny nose or nose bleeds, and sinus problems. Hallucinogen Abuse * The ACDE describes the abuse of hallucinogenic drugs (PCP, LSD, Ketamine or Special K) as including distortion (self, others, time, the senses), hallucinations, confusion, altered mood or behavior and slurred or incoherent speech.Signs of hallucinogenic abuse also include physiological indications, such as extreme dilation of the pupils, warm skin, heavy perspiration and body odor. Narcotic Drug Abuse * Abuse of narcotics (opiate-containing drugs such as heroine, methadone, codeine, oxycontin and morphine) can be identified by lethargy, drowsiness, pupil constriction and slurred speech. Other clues include increased amount or frequency in taking pain medication and frequent trips to doctors and clinics for pain medication.