Drug Abuse Essay Example for Free

Drug Abuse Essay The first edition of the report on ‘drug abuse’ has been made by our group to give an idea of the calamitous cause of using drugs in improper way. The report is intended to serve the purpose of providing the knowledge about drug abuse and to suggest ways to help limit drug abuse. An effort has been made on our part to include certain symptoms which indicate drug abuse. Also throughout the report, repetitive use of the drug abuse’ has been made to instate into the minds of the reader the cause of using drug abuse in an illicit manner The selection of the topic ‘Drug Abuse’ has been made in order to remind us of the menace of drug abuse. We live in a world where speed is the name of the game. A world where we cannot halt even for second or someone else will zip fast us to take our place. People say that it is a beautiful world if only we take time to look around. But a world has turn into a place where humanity cannot survive, only steel can. In this fast paced, ruthless, aggressive environment, there are easy ways out. Alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, are some of the most popular substances abused by people in order to include a false sense of peace, to provide a short but powerful release from the worries and troubles of their daily lives to provide a means of escape from the harsh realities of life. This report is intended to be a reminder to such folk who have let their life be washed away by drugs. In the following report, we discuss the various aspects of drug abuse. Ranging from its impact on the younger generation to the way if affects the fields of competitive sports, we presents a comprehensive survey on the topic of drug abuse. Also discussed are the physical effects caused by excessive use of drugs. Drugs like â€Å"charas† and its derivatives â€Å"bhang† have a long history of use in Indian mythology and tradition. Popular television shows, pop culture, music’s, video represents the medium through which children are influenced today. Abuse of narcotic and psychoactive stimulants  forms the core of most popular music videos. Parties in metropolitan cities today are not concluded without the customary party drugs. Available easily on the street, at rates not affected by inflation, drugs are among the most harmful items on any individual’s shopping list. In the following report, an attempt has been made to discuss the causes cure for drug abuse. This report is intended for all audiences. Acknowledgment We would like to express our gratitude to our guide and mentor Prof.Santosh Bhagat , PCT in charge , who over the past semester has guided, corrected and provided us with necessary direction whenever the need arose. But for his invaluable guidance, illuminating discussion and constant encouragement, our report would have been a distant dream. We would also like to thank Mrs. Kalyani, for her unique way of teaching us and arousing our interest towards the finer points of communication skills and report writing. Also we would like to thank all those who co-operated with us and gave their invaluable inputs, advice and suggestion to the making of this report Summary Drug abuse is the use of illegal drugs, or the misuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs. In the sense of consuming illicit drugs like cocaine or overdose of soft drug in the medicine like crocin. Drug abuse also includes the administration of drugs by athletes to enhance their ability in the respective sport. Drug abuse can not only endanger the physical balance of the body, but also it disturbs the stability of the society. Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences to the  individual who is addicted and to those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person’s self control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time send intense impulses to take drugs. It is because of these changes in the brain that it is so challenging for a person who is addicted to stop abusing drugs. Fortunately, there are treatments that help people to counteract addiction’s powerful disruptive effects and regain control. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medications, if available, with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patient’s drug abuse patterns and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drug abuse. Similar to other chronic, relapsing diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed successfully. And, as with other chronic diseases, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse and begin abusing drugs again. Relapse, however, does not signal failure—rather, it indicates that treatment should be reinstated, adjusted, or that alternate treatment is needed to help the individual regain control and recover. However, the main motive of the text is to minimize drug abuse. The message maintained throughout the text is to be confident in oneself and not to resort to drugs through ones phase of glum. The key is to beat drug abuse is not vigilance. It is will power, confidence and the strength of human spirit. Introduction â€Å"I’m so happy because today I’ve found my friends; They’re in my head, I’m so ugly, but that’s okay, cause so are you; We’ve broken our mirrors, Sunday morning is every day for all I care; And I’m not scared, Light my candles; In a daze, cause I’ve found GOD† -Kurt cobain, Nirvana These lyrics made into wonderful song by the band nirvana express the feelings of a person who has just administered cocaine, a drug that capsizes the human ability to think. This person is very happy with his life. All his problems seem like daze to him. He is rid of all mortal aspects of life. Then isn’t this is a wonderful experience? Well this experience caused due to administration of certain illicit drugs is called is high. This ‘high† enables the person to reach mental level of peace and calm. However, as sir Newton said â€Å"what goes up must come down .and the higher it goes the hardest it falls.â€Å" The person who administered the drug experiences a feeling known as the crash, wherein he enters into gloomy state of depression. This state of depression doesn’t leave the person till he administers the drug back again. This in turn makes the person addicted towards the drug and thus makes the person abuse drug furthermore. When an individual begins to abuse drugs, the whole family is affected. Depending on the severity of the addiction, they may begin to steal or borrow money from the family, act strange and spend days living on the street. The only thing that is important is how they will get their next high. There may be conflicts in the family about how to treat this individual. Some may continue to support him while others adopt a tough love strategy. It is difficult to know what to do, and heartbreaking to see an  individual become a slave to a drug. The recent incidents of drunken driving causing severe facilities on Indian roads are considered by many as concrete evidence of drug abuse among minor, and also as a case of severe indifference and neglect among their parents. Now, drug abuse is turning into a menace that has engulfed the world. Let’s fight collectively against this menace. Let’s learn about drug abuse. What is really means and how one can conquer it. What is drug abuse? Drug abuse, also known as substance abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term drug abuse does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in non medical contexts. The terms have a huge range of definitions related to taking a psychoactive drug or performance enhancing drug for a non-therapeutic or non-medical effect. All of these definitions imply a negative judgment of the drug use in question (compare with the term responsible drug use for alternative views). Some of the drugs most often associated with this term include alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, methaqualone, and opioids. Use of these drugs may lead to criminal penalty in addition to possible physical, social, and psychological harm, both strongly depending on local jurisdiction. Other definitions of drug abuse fall into four main categories: public health definitions, mass communication and vernacular usage, medical definitions, and political and criminal justice definitions. Drug addiction is when you become dependent on a drug, and it forms a central part of your life. Misusing drugs can lead to physical dependency, or psychological dependency. Physical dependency means that your body has become so used to a drug that you get physical withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it. This means that you have to keep taking the drug to stop yourself feeling ill. Psychological dependency means that you take the drug because it has formed a large part of your life, and you take it to make yourself feel good. You may feel that you cannot stop taking the drug, even though you are  not physically dependant. Some drugs can make you both physically and psychologically dependent. As you take more of a drug, your body becomes tolerant to it so it does not have such a strong effect. This means that you need to take larger amounts to get the same effect as when you started taking it. Drug misuse is when you take illegal drugs, or when you take medicines in a way not recommended by your doctor or the manufacturer. Taking medicines in very large quantities that are dangerous to your health is also an example of drug misuse. Examples of drugs that are commonly misused include: Illegal drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco, Prescribed medicines including painkillers, sleeping tablets, and cold remedies, khat (a leaf that is chewed over several hours), and Glues, aerosols, gases and solvents. What happens to your brain when you take drugs? Drugs are chemicals that tap into the brains communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. There are at least two ways that drugs are able to do this: (1) by imitating the brains natural chemical messengers, and/or (2) by over stimulating the reward circuit of the brain. Some drugs, such as marijuana and heroin, have a similar structure to chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters, which are naturally produced by the brain. Because of this similarity, these drugs are able to fool the brains receptors and activate nerve cells to send abnormal messages. Other drugs, such as cocaine or methamphetamine, can cause the nerve cells to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters, or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals, which is needed to shut off the signal between neurons. This disruption produces a greatly amplified message that ultimately disrupts normal communication patterns. Nearly all drugs, directly or indirectly, target the brains reward system by flooding the circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that control movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. The over stimulation of this system, which normally responds to natural behaviors that are linked to survival (eating, spending time with loved ones, etc), produces euphoric effects in response to the drugs. This reaction sets in motion a pattern that teaches people to repeat the behavior of abusing drugs. As a person continues to abuse drugs, the brain adapts to the overwhelming surges in dopamine by producing less dopamine or by reducing the number of dopamine receptors in the reward circuit. As a result, dopamines impact on the reward circuit is lessened, reducing the abusers ability to enjoy the drugs and the things that previously brought pleasure. This decrease compels those addicted to drugs to keep abusing drugs in order to attempt to bring their dopamine function back to normal. And, they may now require larger amounts of the drug than they first did to achieve the dopamine high an effect known as tolerance. Long-term abuse causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that influences the reward circuit and the ability to learn. When the optimal concentration of glutamate is altered by drug abuse, the brain attempts to compensate, which can impair cognitive function. Drugs of abuse facilitate no conscious  (conditioned) learning, which leads the user to experience uncontrollable cravings when they see a place or person they associate with the drug experience, even when the drug itself is not available. Brain imaging studies of drug-addicted individuals show changes in areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Together, these changes can drive an abuser to seek out and take drugs compulsively despite adverse consequences in other words, to become addicted to drugs. Why do some people become addicted, while others do not? No single factor can predict whether or not a person will become addicted to drugs. Risk for addiction is influenced by a persons biology, social environment, and age or stage of development. The more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. For example: Biology: The genes that people are born with in combination with environmental influences account for about half of their addiction vulnerability. Additionally, gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may influence risk for drug abuse and addiction. Environment:. A persons environment includes many different influences from family and friends to socioeconomic status and quality of life in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, and parental involvement can greatly influence the course of drug abuse and addiction in a persons life. Development: Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a persons life to affect addiction vulnerability, and adolescents experience a double challenge. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it is to progress to more serious abuse. And because adolescents brains are still developing in the areas that govern decision making, judgment, and self-control, they are especially prone to risk-taking  behaviors, including trying drugs of abuse. Spiritual usage of cannabis (charas) in Indian history and tradition Cannabis was used in Hindu culture as early as 1500 BCE, and its ancient use is confirmed within the Vedas (Sama Veda, Rig Veda, and Atharva Veda). There are three types of cannabis used in India. The first, Bhang, consists of the leaves and plant tops of the marijuana plant. It is usually consumed as an infusion in beverage form, and varies in strength according to how much Cannabis is used in the preparation. The second, Ganja, consisting of the leaves and the plant tops, is smoked. The third, called Charas or Hashish, consists of the resinous buds and/or extracted resin from the leaves of the marijuana plant. Typically, Bhang is the most commonly used form of cannabis in religious festivals. Connection of ganja with the worship of shiva Cannabis or ganja is associated with worship of the Hindu deity Shiva, who is popularly believed to like the hemp plant. Bhang is offered to Shiva images, especially on Shivratri festival. This practice is particularly witnessed at temples of Benares, Baidynath and Tarakeswar. Bhang is not only offered to the deity, but also consumed by Shaivite (sect of Shiva) yogis. Charas is smoked by some Shaivite devotees and cannabis itself is seen as a gift (prasad, or offering) to Shiva to aid in sadhana. Some of the wandering ascetics in India known as sadhus smoke charas out of a clay chillum. During the Hindu festival of Holi, people consume a drink called bhang which contains cannabis flowers.[33][35] According to one description, when the elixir of life was produced from the churning of the ocean by the devas and the asuras, Shiva created cannabis from his own body to purify the elixir (whence, for cannabis, the epithet angaja or body-born). Another account suggests that the cannabis plant sprang when a drop of the elixir dropped on the ground. Thus, cannabis is used by sages due to association with elixir and Shiva. Wise drinking of bhang, according to religious rites, is believed to cleanse sins, unite one with Shiva and  avoid the miseries of hell in the after-life. In contrast, foolish drinking of bhang without rites is considered a sin. Regarding Buddhism, the fifth precept is to abstain from wines, liquors and intoxicants that cause heedessness. Most interpretations of the fifth precept would therfore include all forms of cannabis amongst the intoxicants that a Buddhist should abstain from consuming. However, the Buddhist precepts are guidelines whose purpose is to encourage a moral lifestyle rather than being strict religious commandments, and some lay practitioners of Buddhism may choose to consume cannabis and other mild intoxicants occasionally. Cannabis and some other psychoactive plants are specifically prescribed in the MahÄ kÄ la Tantra for medicinal purposes. However, Tantra is an esoteric teaching of Buddhism not generally accepted by most other forms of Buddhism. Drug Abuse Effects Drug abuse effects include damage to the physical, emotional, and psychological parts of the body. In addition, they compromise the social aspects of regular family, friends and job-related relationships. Drug abuse effects involve the physical body extensively and according to the kind of drugs that are used. Drug abuse effects injure the brain in a variety of ways, including: Hallucinations Mood swings Chemical imbalances Over-stimulation of dopamine (the pleasure center) Disruption of regular sleep/wake patterns Anxiety and nervous system stimulation These injuries impede regular brain processing mechanisms. They block the pathways and make the process of decision-making harder. Drug abuse effects cause lapses in memory and exaggerate reactions to events. Effects also include failing to respond to consequences and events in the environment. When someone is preoccupied with the effects of the drug or is focused on the pleasure center of the brain, they fail to notice anything else. Drug Abuse Effects and Stress Management Coping well with stressors is based on the ability to find options to obstacles. This requires observation, patience and reasoning ability. All of these coping mechanisms are compromised due to drug abuse effects. Specifically, they make stress management difficult because they: Encourage a lack of impulse control Alter the perception of events Block the ability to make sound judgments Promote oblivion; the tendency to focus on the sensations of the high to the extreme Trigger knee-jerk reactions Stimulate frustration and anger responses Other drug abuse effects encompass an array of unexpected and serious symptoms: Users of cocaine and crack experience a crash in mood elevation after the effects of the drug wear off. The crash is described as feelings of depression, craving for more of the drug, emptiness and irritability. These drug abuse effects are the prerequisite conditions to the addiction. More of  the drug is used to get rid of the negative feelings produced by the crash. Some drug abuse effects spur flashbacks. These episodes are spontaneous recurring instances similar to the high produced by the drug except that they occur at a time when the drug was not in use. Most drug abuse effects are the symptoms of withdrawal. These include poor physical coordination, nausea, anxiety, paranoia, muscle spasms and abdominal cramping. More severe drug abuse effects can be caused by the transfer of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases from person to person by sharing needles and syringes. The most devastating drug abuse effects are overdoses. Overdoses occur when people do not know how much of the drug the body can accept at one time and when increased amounts of the drug are injected or ingested in order to produce the same intensity of drug abuse effects. Effects of Drug Addiction It is often difficult with drug and alcohol addiction to decide is something a CAUSE or an EFFECT. Did the depression CAUSE the addiction or did the alcoholism cause the depression? Did the alcoholism CAUSE the family problems or where the family problems an EFFECT of the addiction. Often no one knows for sure. Q: What are the major effects of drug addiction? It is everybody’s problem. An addict might say: â€Å"I’m not hurting anybody. I’m only hurting myself.† However, we can quickly see that the statement is false, because there is no such thing as an addict who is only hurting him/herself. The problem is found everywhere, from the rich and privileged, to the lost members of society. For over 30 years the United States government has had its â€Å"War on Drugs,† but in that time frame we have seen in increase in crime, increase in health care costs and an alarming increase in the use of dangerous drugs such as cocaine, heroin, crack and methamphetamine. The â€Å"War on Drugs† has also brought on new research, a greater number of treatment facilities, new and sometimes controversial theories on treatment, advances in drug addiction medications, but are we winning? The effects of drug addiction are far reaching and can be seen in the home, on the job, in churches and in schools. Q:What are the effects of drug addiction on health? If left unchecked, the drug is going to win. Drug abuse is a disease of the brain, and the drugs change brain chemistry, which results in a change in behavior. Aside from the obvious behavioral consequences of addiction, the negative effects on a person’s health are potentially devastating. While addicts use drugs to â€Å"feel better,† the unintended consequences include but are not limited to overdose, HIV/AIDS, stroke, cardiovascular disease and a host of related maladies. To understand this better you may want to read Get Sick to Feel Better a story of the negative effects of drug addiction Darcis story of the effects of drug addiction on her life! Suicide is also a common effect of drug addiction. Depression is also an effect of addiction. Q:What are the effects of drug addiction on the family? One of the saddest aspects of the insidious nature of drug addiction is that by the time an addict realizes he/she has a problem, that problem has already taken a heavy toll on the family. Parents in treatment centers tell counselors and therapists that they want to â€Å"get their kids back,† as drug addiction has taken over to the point where the courts have been forced to remove the children from the home. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, and sadly children are all impacted. Families can be sources of strength and support, or they can passively enable the addiction to advance. Families can share in the victory over drug addiction, or they can be the victims of it. Q:What are the effects of drug addiction on the economy? Beyond the personal health issues, beyond the devastating effect on families, beyond community crime statistics, drug addiction has a major impact on the American economy. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that some $67 billion per year is the impact that drug addiction has on this country. This total includes the cost of law enforcement, incarceration, treatments, traffic injuries, lost time in the workplace, etc. Drug addiction causes impaired reasoning, and therefore the crime rate is dramatically impacted by drug use. Addicts have a much higher likelihood of committing crimes than others. Q: What are the effects of drug addiction on our society? The National Library of Medicine estimates that some 20% of all people in the  United States have used prescription medication for non-medical purposes. We’re not talking about cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine use, but doctor-prescribed medication. You can easily see that if you group the two together, illegal drug use and prescription drug misuse, we have a huge problem. Q: What are the effects of drug addiction on the Law? The news media reports daily struggles with theft, drive-by shootings, drug busts, illegal trafficking and manufacturing of drugs, and arrests for crimes ranging from child neglect to murder. Look closer and chances are great that you will uncover a drug addiction component to any of these stories. Drug Use Drug Use in the General Population According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 15.9 million Americans ages 12 and older (7.1%) reported using an illicit drug in the month before the survey was conducted. More than 12% reported illicit drug use during the past year and 41.7% reported some use of an illicit drug at least once during their lifetimes.

The Idea Of The Movement Magic Realism Film Studies Essay

The Idea Of The Movement Magic Realism Film Studies Essay Magic Realism is a literary movement. It is associated with a style of writing or a technique that incorporates magical or supernatural (fantasy) events into a realistic event without questioning the unlikelihood of these events taking place together. Magic Realism is best described as literature and art combined. This combination of fantasy and fact is there to question the nature of reality. Magic realism made lived experiences appear extraordinary. By creating this feeling, the magical realist writers have all contributed to a re-envisioning of the Latin American culture as a vibrant and complex one. Magic Realism is a movement that has been misunderstood for many years by many people. It still remains a vague term today though. A large part of the problem of this movement being misunderstood is related to applying the term, Magic Realism, to different art forms and in different periods. Magic realism is applied to two main movements, art and literature, and has recently been applied to works in cinema. The term Magic Realism was applied to paintings from the early 1920s through to the end of the 1950s. Magic Realism is realism that incorporates mysterious or fantastic elements but it still portrays everyday life. The time period of the 1960s was when Magic Realism was applied to literature. At first Magic Realism was only used in reference to works of Latin American writers, such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Miguel Angel Asturias, Isabel Allende and Jorge Luis Borges. The usage of Magic Realism has recently been expanded to include works of different origins and works of earlier periods. These include those of Ernst Juenger, Mikhail Bulgakov and Salman Rushie. Most of this literature features considerable amounts of fantasy therefore it is a different type of Magic Realism to the one that had been established in art in the 1920s. Recently some writers of this movement have expanded Magic Realism to apply to Motion Pictures. Examples of these works are films like American Beauty, Big Fish, Chocolat, The Red Violin, and Whale Rider. It is a lot easier in cinema to develop the difficult and complicated combination of realism and fantasy that together makes up the foundation of effective Magic Realism. Magic realism is starting to develop an interest today that it had never commanded during the movements first half of the 20th century. Different sets of standards are used today to define Magic Realism in literature; this is causing confusion about what criteria is applied to contemporary work. The counter movement to Magic Realism came to be known as the Return to Order or the Call of Order. The default approach of Magic Realism is to focus on the coexistence of the real and fantasy on equal terms. The power of Magic Realism has often been assumed to lie to the viewer in the way that the differences between these incompatible elements are erased/not shown. One should always remember that Magic Realism cannot be seen as Science Fiction. Magic Realism is everyday life and it is all around us, all the time. Magic realism has changed the way that people think. Magic Realism brings a spark of life to the imagination instead of people seeing the boring and ordinary, and this then in turn brings excitement to the minds of the reader or the viewer. Magic realism has touched on almost every facet of life, from art to television. There is not one thing that is missing Magic Realism within it. If a viewer can look at an art work and see that there is more than just a picture of an inanimate object in the art work then they have finally grasped the concept of, and are able to appreciate Magic Realism. Some sub topics of Magic Realism are those of literature, fashion, advertising and cinema. Magic Realism is NOT Science Fiction, but, Fantasy and science fiction are alike in the sense that both require the creation of a completely new world. When it comes to advertising, fantasy is great for entertainment but fantasy is not however always so great when it comes to trying to sell a product or service. When it comes to selling a product, there needs to be an element that hooks us to reality. It helps for advertising when a detail is added that can easily be imagined by the listener, viewer or reader. Magic Realism works in advertising for exciting the imagination of the viewer, listener or reader, but there should be an attachment or hook to reality to keep things realistic. Magic Realism is all about fantasy meeting reality. When it comes to racial and gender ideologies, one does not have to worry about any of these ideologies within Magic Realism. Magic realism is about fantasy, there is not discrimination or rights or wrongs. There are no gender or racial ideologies used in any form or sub topic of magic realism. Women and men are equal in these works and all races are equal. Magic realism has no race and no gender; it is about fantasy meeting reality. Magic Realism creates the perfect fantasy world that we would all love to live in. Magic Realism is the key to the decline of racial and gender ideologies. Through the combination of fantasy events with realism it allows for the study of alternate perceptions of the world, offering different views of history and identity, and also giving voice to cultural minorities. People view the world differently; they see a fantasy that has been made up. Magic realism allows people to express what they really feel and what they imagine a world to be like.

The Emotions of Captivity in Psalm 137 Essay -- expressing anger, lame

The book of Psalms contains some of the most beloved pieces of scripture across centuries and cultures of this world. Psalms have been frequently cited is sermons, devotionals, movies, poetry, and songs. Most often, Psalms are attributed to King David of the 10th century BCE. But regardless of the authorship of the different psalms, each seem to carry a special place in describing human relationships to God, to country, to friends, to enemies and more. As time has progressed, certain psalms have become favorites because of their encouraging and uplifting messages, such as the timeless Psalm 23. However, other psalms are neglected in Christian circles because of the difficulty they present in interpretation. Often, these psalms are overlooked because of their themes of apparent anger, resentment, or wrath. These psalms are not as frequently preached on or discussed, despite the fact that many believers would readily quote 2 Tim 3:16, â€Å"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work,† (NIV). What then must the believer say about these difficult psalms? Psalm 137 is one of a selection of psalms that is frequently difficult to discuss because of its content. The pericope begins with what may appear as a lament like any other in the book, but ends with horrifying imagery of a desired revenge. How does a believer give the proper respect due to the holy Scriptures among such vitriolic language? This paper will assert that proper interpretation of the following pericope involves careful attention to the historical and cultural background, structure, genre, and language of the written text. By... ...mans, 2000. McCann, J. Clinton. The Book of Psalms, The New Interpreter’s Bible. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996. Ogden, Graham S. â€Å"Prophetic Oracles Against Foreign Nations and Psalms of Communal Lament: The Relationship of Psalm 137 to Jeremiah 49:7-22 and Obadiah.† Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 24 (1982): 87-97. Rodd, Cyril S. Psalms 73-150, Epworth Preacher’s Commentary. London: The Epworth Press, 1964. Savran, George. â€Å"How Can We Sing a Song to the Lord? The Strategy of Lament in Psalm 137.† Zeitschrift fà ¼r die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 112 (2000): 43-58. Schwartz, Stephen. â€Å"On the Willows,† in Godspell—A Musical Based Upon the Gospel According to St. Mathew. New York, NY: Arista Records, 1974. Youngblood, Ronald F., F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Astronomy: A Fad Science? :: Essays Papers

Astronomy: A Fad Science? NOTE: This paper was written for an English class and a non astronomy audience. Thus, several arguments were left out to make the material easier to understand for the target audience. These arguments would include (but are not limited to) dark energy, dark matter, and the inflationary model of the universe. If I later have time I may revise this paper to cover such topics and be more comprehensive. Science is a field that prides itself on being objective. To help ensure that this objectivity is met, scientists have formed a process to test each hypothesis. Each hypothesis is then subject to revision, or replacement should a theory come along with more support. As a science, the field of astronomy also strives to reach this goal. However, astronomy has been riddled with mistakes. Just as teens chase after fads today, be it fashion or the latest heart-throb, astronomy too has tenaciously followed trends that were logically flawed. Almost from its inception, astronomy has followed this pattern of clinging to these erroneous ideas. Much like today’s fads, these ideas seem silly in hindsight. However, this makes them no less powerful in the time they occur. But even knowing that such fads exist, which topics today are legitimate science and which are dead ends? Astronomy’s beginnings can be considered to go back as far as humankind has looked up at the sky in wonder. A simple question then led to an answer that is still being uncovered today. That question: â€Å"What is everything up there?† Two-thousand years later, some questions have been answered. Many still remain. However, the process in which these answers have been obtained has not been simple. Many times throughout history, astronomers have believed the answer was in sight and tenaciously believed the idea, only to discover they were wrong years later. These astronomical fads have held the progress of astronomy, and consequently almost all other branches of science, back for hundreds of years as the truth was sorted out. One of the first examples of this was the model of solar system. Aristotle first reasoned that the Earth was at the center and the sun and planets traveled around it on crystalline spheres (Baron 44). The most distant sphere was black and had ma ny small holes punched in it (Baron 44). Behind that was the light from Heaven which shown through the holes making the stars (Baron 44).

The Importance of Sound in William Shakespeares Macbeth Essays

The Importance of Sound in Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth, the shortest and perhaps darkest play by Shakespeare, is a tale of over-riding ambition, human nature, and supernatural meddling. Macbeth is the main character in the play, and although he begins the story a loyal subject and brave hero, the power bestowed on him poisens and corrupts him until he eventually turns evil and seeks more, to his downfall. As the central figure of the play, Macbeth sets in motion a sequence of events that brings about the destruction and eventual rebirth of Scotland, giving the play an essentially dark tone. There are, however, varying degrees of evil, subtly different in texture and context. One way Shakespeare indicates the styles of evil throughout the play Macbeth is through the use of sounds. Sounds in the play fall under four categories: nature, man-made, the sounds of battle, and human cries.    The first category of sounds used are that of nature, which symbolize evil deeds and death. Animal sounds most prevalent throughout the play are those of birds, specifically those of owls and ravens. Traditionally, owls symbolize death and to hear the call of one is considered ill omened. In Act II, Lady Macbeth - a creature of evil herself- comments, "Hark! Peace! / It was the owl that shrieked, the fatal bellman, / which gives the stern'st goodnight" (II, ii, 3-5). The goodnight referred to, somewhat ironically, is that of eternal sleep, as she knows King Duncan has just been murdered, perhaps at the very moment the owl called. This omen could have been interpreted as either good or ill by her, since her designs were evil and the owl could have represented the Darkness' acceptance of her, or as a foreshadowing of her own sinking into darkne... ...ird) like all together." And so it is, and always shall fair be foul and foul be fair.    Works Cited: De Quincy, Thomas. "From On the Knocking at the Gate in Macbeth." Elements of Literature, Sixth Course. Eds. Robert Probst, et. Al. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. 1997: 330-331 Evans, G. Blackemore. "Macbeth." In The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blackemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mufflin Company. 1974: 1307- 1311 "Imagery in Macbeth." Anonymous. September 15, 2014. Http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=3880 "Imagery of Disease and Corruption." Anonymous 2. September 15, 2014. Http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id "Importance of the Last Two Scenes in Macbeth." Anonymous 5. September 15, 2014. Http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=7195 "Macbeth." Anonymous. September 15, 2014. Http://www.sevarg.net/school/booknotes/Macbeth.txt

5 Girls in Alabama Church Bombing

Is the Nightmare Over? The 1960s was a severely changing time in the US. The 1960s has shaped the way the US is today. It was a very changing time period because of many reasons, such as the hippie movement, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the creation of children’s toys, but one main event that occurred in the 60s was racism. Racism in the 1960s was a huge problem between whites and colored people for years. Propaganda was the main reason; prejudice commercials, sperate water fountains, restrooms, and buildings. People such as Martin Luther King Jr. a Baptist minister who became a civil rights activist tried to bring black and whites together by broadcasting speeches to the public (â€Å"blogspot. com†). Groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, known as the KKK didn’t care about what Martin Luther King Jr. had to say. The KKK scared blacks into leaving town by burning homes, crosses, buildings, putting up signs, and killing blacks all over the country. Blacks were portrayed as horrible people in the 1960s (â€Å"blogspot. com†). If whites saw blacks somewhere they would call them out their name, and tell their children not to communicate with them and they would ask what’s she or he doing here.The KKK began a new era of violence in the 1960s. They were upset that African Americans were getting all these rights, and members had to do something about it to show their madness. On Sunday September 15, 1963 The Sixteenth Street Baptist Church a black church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed. Four young girls by the names of Addie Mae Collins 14, Cynthia Wesley 14, Carole Robertson 14, and Denise McNair 11 who decided to attend church that morning were killed by the explosion while attending Sunday school class and twenty-three adults and children were injured (â€Å"Ballad of Birmingham†).Whoever would have thought a good day in church could turn into such a tragedy before service ended? Addie Mae Collins was the daughter of Julius and Alice Collins, born April 18, 1949 becoming one of seven children. She attended Hill Elementary School and was a passionate softball player and budding artist. Her and her family was members of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church (â€Å"findagrave. com†). Cynthia D. Wesley was born April 30, 1949. She was adopted at birth by two teachers, Claude and Gertrude Wesley. She attended Ullman High School where she did well in reading, math, and band.Her and her family was members of the church as well (â€Å"findagrave. com†). Carole R. Robertson was born April 24, 1949. Her father was a band master at an elementary school and her mother was a librarian. In elementary school she sung in the choir and was a straight A student, member of the science club and marching band at Parker High School. She was also a Girl Scout. Her and her family was also members of the church (â€Å"findagrave. com†). Denise McNair was born Carol Denise McNair on November 17, 19 51. Her father owned a photo shop and her mother was a school teacher.She attended Center Street Elementary School where she and Condoleezza Rice were friends. She was a Brownie member; she played baseball, and helped raise money for charities by staging plays, dance routines, and poetry readings. She and her family were also members of the church and she was also the youngest of the girls. The four girls were interred doing a joint funeral which was attended by over 8,000 people (â€Å"findagrave. com†). The investigation of the bombing took almost 40 years before the family of the victims gained victory. In 1965 it was announced that Bobby F. Cherry, Robert E.Chambliss, Herman F. Cash, and Thomas Blanton Jr. had planted the bomb in the basement of the church. The FBI office of Birmingham suggested prosecuting the suspects, but a director of the FBI blocked the prosecution (â€Å"tripod. com†). Three years after that charges wasn’t filed and the FBI closed the case (â€Å"Ballad of Birmingham†). Come to find out there was a Klan meeting the morning of the bombing where the bomb was planned and the bomb was made. It was confessed by Blanton on a tape that was recorded in 1964, secretly hidden by the FBI (â€Å"tripod. com†). In 1971, an Alabama attorney reopened the case.November 18, 1977, Chambliss was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. 1988 and 1997 the case was reopened again after the FBI received a tip. Cash was still a prime suspect, but he died in 1994 before a case could open against him. May 17, 2000, Cherry and Blanton were charged with the murder of the four girls. Blanton was sentenced life in prison on May 1, 2001. Cherry was charged with four counts of murder and was sentenced life in prison on May 22, 2002 (â€Å"tripod. com†). The family and friends of the four girls were happy about the conviction of the Cherry and Blanton.Everyone could finally rest knowing that they would be in pris on all their lives paying for what they did. The Nightmare is over, but the deaths of the four girls are forever alive. The four girls deserve a memorial because not only did it affect the families of the victims, but it affected the people of Birmingham and people from other cities and states; it changed the world drastically. If these young ladies were still alive today they would be in their sixty’s and probably living out their dreams they had once planned, but because of the tragedy they couldn’t fulfill them.I would invest in a Scholarship Foundation under the four girls and name it â€Å"The Second Chance† scholarship foundation. The scholarship will distribute $3,000 to forty young adults who plan to pursue a further education. The memorial would take place at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in the basement in Birmingham, Alabama. The basement of the church would be a great place because this was where the bombing took place killing the four girls. T he basement of the church would be set up like an auditorium with many rows of chairs and a nice round stage in front of the room.Pictures of the girls and the other children will hang on the walls and a picture of the church right after the bombing occurred. Each of the young adults who have qualify for the scholarship and their families would sit down and hear me state a few facts about each of the girl’s lives and talk about the history behind the church. I would like to have the two closet family members of each girl to meet the young people and share information about the girls, and how they spent their days together.After talking for a few hours, some of the family members of the girls and I would present each of the forty young adults with a $3,000 scholarship check in their name founded under â€Å"The Second Chance† scholarship foundation. I think if Addie, Cynthia, Carole, and Denise were still alive they would be excited that I would consider them to have a memorial since no one has for the past couple of decades. Since they didn’t get a chance to live out their own dreams, I think they would be more than happy to let a child under their foundation live out theirs. References . â€Å"Racism In The 1960's. † blogspot. om. Blog Spot, 16 2008. Web. 14 Nov 2012. . â€Å"Newspaper Article on Church Bombing in 1960's. † tripod. com. Tripod. Web. 14 Nov 2012. . . â€Å"Addie Mae, Cynthia, Carole, and Denise. † findagrave. com. Find A Grave. Web. 14 Nov 2012. . â€Å"The 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing. † Ballad of Birmingham. www. balladofbirmingham. com. Web. 14 Nov 2012. .

Acupuncture for Pain Management

Acupuncture for Pain Management Everyone at one point in his or her life has felt pain. Image if you had constant pain with no relieve in site. With acupuncture, relief is just a thin wire away. Scientists are not ready to admit that acupuncture works in pain management. However, studies have shown that acupuncture can modifies the perception of pain and how it is processed by the brain. Through neuroimaging and genomics, scientists can see the changes within the brain’s pain center. They have observed molecular changes in the nervous and immune system. Acupuncture has very few side effects, compared to side effects that one might receive from a management that uses drugs. Overall, one could say that acupuncture is the better choice for pain management. Acupuncture is one of the oldest healing practices in the world. There is recorded evidence that it can be dated back to 200 B. C. Acupuncture is one of the key components of the traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). (NCCAM1) It was widely used in China and Asian countries, until 1972 when acupuncture gained attention in the United States. In 1972, James Reston, a reporter traveling with President Nixon in China, had to undergo an emergency appendectomy. He was impressed with his post-operative pain relief consisting of acupuncture and upon his return to the United States, he wrote an article in the New York Times about his experience. Then in 1997, acupuncture was formally recognized as a mainstream medicine healing option. (UOMaryland) Acupuncture is described as a system of healing where the patient is treated by insertion of extremely thin needles into their body at specific points. It is a principle of Chinese medicine that works off your body’s energy called qi, which can be described as one’s life force, or energy. This energy flows through pathways called meridians and each meridian is attached to one organ or a group of organ to maintain proper flow of Qi. When there is a blockage of energy, illness and pain can happen. Insertion of extremely thin acupuncture needles into the precise point within the meridian can resolve balance and restore energy flow. nccam1) With classic Taoist philosophy, believes that illness is cause by imbalanced elements of yin and yang. Yin refers to material substance and yang is energy. When there is an imbalance between yin and yang, acupuncture helps restore balance. (Brit) All of our life we have been conditioned into believing that drugs and medication are the only relief for our aches, pains, and discomforts. Medication comes in two varieties, over the counter and prescription drugs. Over the counter drugs is w hat most people take for pain, rather than prescription drugs. The most common type of over the counter drugs is NSAID’s, some common names are Aleve, Ibuprofen, and Tylenol. To find out more about a drug and their side effects, you can look on line, read the package, or consult a physician desk reference (PDR). Take Aleve for example; it is for temporary relief of minor aches and pains and can temporary reduce a fever. Some common side effects are; constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, gas, headache, heartburn, nausea, stomach upset and stuffy nose. Also listed on the PDR for consumer’s page online are some severe side effects for Aleve: Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; trouble breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; wheezing); bloody or black, tarry stools; change in the amount of urine produced; chest pain; confusion; dark urine; depression; fainting; fast or irregular heartbeat; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; loss of appetite; mental or mood changes; numbness of an arm or leg; one-sided weakness; pale stools; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; ringing in the ears; seizures; severe headache or dizziness; severe or persistent stomach pain or nausea; severe vomiting; shortness of breath; sudden or unexplained weight gain; swelling of the hands, legs, or feet; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual joint or muscle pain; unusual tiredness or weakness; vision or speech changes; vomit that looks like coffee grounds; yellowing of the skin or eyes. (drugs. com) Acupuncture works off one’s own energy within the body to eliminate pain, without t he major side effect that drugs can produce. How acupuncture works is not entirely clear, but technology has allowed scientists it uncover pathways in the brain that respond to acupuncture. The number of meridians varies, ranging from 14 to 20 with at least 2000 acupuncture points. nccam1) One theory of many, suggest that acupuncture stimulates the nerve fibers that transmit to the brain and spinal cord, which activates the body’s central nervous system. This in turn releases hormones that make us feel less pain and improve overall health. (uofmary) Researchers are using genomic techniques to see what happens on a cellular level and the effects in the expression of genes involved in pain. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and megnetoencephalography (MEG) that are able to reveal areas of the brain that are affected during pain and show the impact of acupuncture. (nccam2) Dr. Vitaly Napadow, a Harvard Medical School neuroscientist, and his colleagues performed a research study on patient with carpal tunnel syndrome. This study used fMRI before and after acupuncture demonstrated that the brain responded to acupuncture with greater activation in the hypothalamus region of the brain and deactivation in amygdala, located deep in the temporal lobe of the brain. These areas of the brain are connected with long-term memory, emotions, behavior and the maintenance of persistent pain state. (nccam2) The FDA has had very few complications reported with the amount of people who receive acupuncture and the number of needles used. Some of the common side effects are minor bruising and forgotten needles. Fainting has also been reported as a side effect. With the use of single usage needle, infections are rare, but still a possibility. There are some but very rare cases of organ puncture. (AFP Article) Work Cited Unites States. Dept. of Heath and Human Services. Acupuncture: An Introduction. National Center For Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Aug. 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2011 United States. Dept. of Heath and Human Services. Acupuncture and Pain: Applying Modern Science to an Ancient Practice. Feb. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2011 Rosted, Palle. â€Å"Adverse Reactions after Acupuncture: A Review. † The Medical Acupuncture Web Page. Web. 12 Nov 2011. Williams, Craig. â€Å"Modern Pain, Ancient Solutions. † Acupuncture Today. Nov. 2011: Vol. 12, Issue 11. Web. 12 November 2011. Novella, Steven. â€Å"Acupuncture Does Not Work for Back Pain. † Science-Based Medicine. 13 May 2009. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. Novella, Steven. â€Å"Does Acupuncture Work or Not. † Neurologica Blog. 25 Sep. 2007. Web. 11 Nov. 2011.